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Geeking out on Jimmy Fallon with the Palm Pre

Joshua Topolsky from Engadget was on Jimmy Fallon last night showing off the soon-to-be-released (we hope) Palm Pre.

After reading in Newsweek about its debut at CES, I’ve been eagerly awaiting its release. Even GeekMommy, who just became part of the iPhone Borg Collective along with half my friends and relatives, is looking forward to trying it out.

I knew that Jimmy was on Twitter, but I didn’t realize he was such a techno geek. I’m in love…with Jimmy and the phone. Josh is cool, too.

So Palm, hurry up already. Until then, I’ll have to make due with my old Palm Pilot, a cell phone and a Peek. Dang, that’s so 2004, you know?

(Thanks to GigaOm Gadget Gurus for the heads up.)

Today Show Digital Mom: it's not all about free stuff, really

This morning the Today Show did a Digital Mom segment on Melissa of the ConsumerQueen.com, followed by Ann Curry interviewing Wendy Piersall of SparkPlugging and Terri Walter of Razorfish.

It’s obvious that Ann Curry understands social media and mom blogging, so kudos to her and the Today Show for doing an excellent segment.

Blogging as work, not a hobby

However, I was a little concerned that they started off positioning mom blogging as a great way to get free stuff. I too get that attitude from friends who tell me, “I want to get freebies like you.” Then Melissa said, “You know what, it’s a lot of work.” And it is.

I tell my friends that they must learn how to set up and market a blog, that they must write frequently (and like to write – most people don’t), and that they have to develop relationships with publicists, marketers and companies. I also tell them that I’ve been blogging for almost five years and am finally at a point where I consider myself a social media professional. A light goes off when they realize that blogging is work – and then they stop asking me about it.

My Home 2.0 and the Twittering Teddy Bear

My Home 2.0 is a TV show that gives families technology makeovers . You can catch season one’s episodes online. And if you live near Ft. Wayne, Indiana, stop by a Verizon store until the end of this month to try out to be one of the next season’s featured families,

Like many home makeover shows, My Home 2.0 finds real families with real needs. One such family is the Zaharkos with nine kids, who have one computer for 11 people. Their daughter Emily has fine motor skill problems and needs a PC with a touch screen like she has at school. The mom homeschools the kids until they’re in fourth grade and needs help organizing their schedules and delegating chores to the older kids. Sounds like the My Home 2.0 Gurus have their work cut out for them.

Since the show is sponsored by Verizon, they show products that will work with Verizon FiOS, super fast fiber-optic Internet access: PDAs, computer, digital cameras, HD TV, home theater systems, gaming consoles, etc. From what I’ve watched, the show doesn’t annoyingly plug Verizon, and tends to be more about how technology can help make families live better.

The Twittering Teddy Bear

The My Home 2.0 website is full of techno-helpful tips and DIY projects including the Twittering Teddy Bear. It’s not exactly a project for the faint at heart, but if you’re a techie who loves to mess around with circuit boards and wires, this may be for you. I’d be happy to donate my daughter’s neglected Teddy Ruxpin if you want.

How 2.0: Make a Twittering Teddy Bear from My Home 2.0 DIY on Vimeo.