iRewardChart
£2.49;
most
platforms
Remember star charts
for good behaviour?
Well, this is the 21st-
century version. You
create a profile for
each child with a list of
criteria and rewards,
for which they must
achieve the number of
stars you specify. Live
tallies are viewable on
multiple devices (for
an annual £6 fee) and
the app even offers a
PIN code to keep little
fingers at bay.
Kids In Mind Pro
From £1.49;
iPhone,
Android
We all know tablets
and smartphones make
travelling with young
children easier, but
it’s still a challenge
deciding whether
unfamiliar films are age
appropriate, as ratings
are often a broad
brush stroke. This app,
based on content from
a popular parenting
website, provides
objective descriptions
so you can make
informed decisions.
Cozi Family
Organizer
Free;
most platforms
Share the love
among your nearest
and dearest with
this organiser app
specifically aimed at
families. It is a blessedly
simple way to manage
multiple calendars,
to-do lists and other
essential stuff among
a family unit, even if
you all own different
phones. You must,
however, pay £3 a
month to unlock some
premium features.
Red Cross
First Aid
Free;
iPhone,
Android, Blackberry
Even a smattering of
first-aid nous can save
a child’s life and this
slick little app shows
you how to contend
with 18 common
scenarios. It’s mostly
basic information, plus
answers to typical
questions that arise in
these situations, and
video clips to flesh out
the main points. Not a
virtual medic, but a very
useful tool.
Baby Monitor 3G
£2.49;
iOS
This clever app
promises to turn any
two iOS devices into
a baby monitor that
streams two-way
audio and shows
photo updates of your
bambino snuggling.
Unlike rivals, this one
works over WiFi or a
3
G data connection.
Only brave parents will
rely on an app over a
standard monitor but,
were you stranded
without one, this could
be your ace in the hole.
Be a better parent
Get organised, informed and updated on how your little one is doing
Gadget doctor
Dear Doc
I enjoy shooting long-exposure
stills and video clips withmy
camera, for which I should ideally
use a tripod, but I don’t fancy
humping a huge lump of metal
around withme. Any ideas?
rm, west kirby, cheshire
tips include tucking
your elbows into your sides and minimising
your use of zoom. More solid options would be a SteadePod (
£15;
steadepod.com
),
a retractable cable that braces your camera, or
a Joby GorillaPod (
£20; joby.com
),
a neat, bendable support. Among
proper tripods, the Manfrotto MKC3-H02 Compact Photo-movie
Kit (
£49; manfrotto.co.uk
)
is robust yet lightweight, though best
for stills. For the long haul, go for the classy Giottos Vitruvian
VGRN9225 tripod (
right, £190; giottos-tripods.co.uk
).
It weighs
1.1
kg, is just 23cm folded, but will hold up to 4kg of kit and can
be fitted with a video head for smooth panning shots.
WORDS
ALEX PELL
.
WE REGRET ALEX CANNOT ANSWER QUESTIONS INDIVIDUALLY AND NO CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE ENTERED INTO
B E S T
A P P S
1 2 4
V I E W P O I N T S
