I’m heading to the Consumer Electronics Show this week talk with other moms and participate in a panel at MommyTech about how to create great mobile experiences. So what does it mean to be a mobile mom in today’s world? If you’re anything like me – a working mom with a busy family life – it means multitasking to the n-th degree and sometimes feeling as though there is tremendous pressure to be Superwoman. Between work, commute, kids and family, I need technology to help me be connected to my online life, but I don’t want it to take over my life. I’m lucky enough to experience Windows products first-hand, but even if I didn’t work at Microsoft I would continue to use my Windows 7 PC, Windows Live and Windows Phone 7 to enable a full work-life balance as it truly has created the ultimate mobile experience for me.
My PC is my everything device, allowing me to create, connect and share what’s important to me. You may have seen my other posts about how I use my PC at home and work, allowing me to multi-task throughout my day. In any given day, I quickly go from checking work emails and working on PowerPoint documents, to uploading and editing my latest family photos for SkyDrive and Facebook sharing, to handing my PC to my 3 year-old to game or watch her favorite movie. And recently my new Windows Phone 7 has become a vital sidekick as I literally bounce from work meetings to Lil’s dance class or swimming— all while trying to finish projects, find recipes for dinner and stay connected with friends and family.
Having two young kids means that capturing moments is a key element in everything I do and the photo editing and sharing features in Windows Live are one of my favorite benefits to the modern Windows environment. Taking a picture with my phone is now made even better as I no longer have to fumble with my phone to unlock it, which usually means I miss a magical moment like my toddler savoring her first bite of ice cream. Now, I simply take my picture and the photos automatically save to Windows Live so that I can edit/send them from any computer, since it’s all stored safely in the cloud.
Using my Windows 7 PC and Windows Phone 7 means I can…
- Find things faster. Bing Search is built into my phone so I can easily find the closest place to grab a snack for the kids or coffee for myself. The best part is that with two kids I usually have my hands full; with my Windows Phone I don’t have to use my fingers to search, I can use my voice to do everything from open my calendar to check on the weather.
- Be a multitasking champ. On my work PC, I use Windows Live Mesh to access content stored on my home PC which means that when I’m blogging at work, I can locate that funny Santa photo I need from my home PC and download it without having to send it to myself in email or save it to a USB. On my phone, with Office Mobile, Outlook and access to calendars (all from one, color-coordinated view) I juggle my work and personal life easily.
- Never miss capturing the moment! My Windows Phone comes with a 5mp camera and a dedicated camera button. No worries if my phone is locked; I simply hold down the dedicated camera button and snap photos in seconds and have it immediately saved to my SkyDrive with Windows Live.
- Be at home even when I’m on the road. My job requires travel, but that doesn’t mean that I should miss the opportunity to parent. I use Messenger video chat to talk to my kids while I’m away, which allows them to tell me about their day at the end of the night, keeping some continuity even when I have to be miles away.
- Be a photo editing genius. I use Photo Fuse in Photo Gallery to magically merge multiple shots of the same group photo together to get the perfect family photo! And retouch allows me to erase blemishes and smudges with one simple click. Hit the publish button, and in seconds my photos are uploaded to Facebook, SkyDrive or YouTube.
- Stay entertained. My Windows PC is my ultimate gaming and digital movie device, which goes everywhere I travel, while my Windows Phone is the only phone with Xbox Live and Zune right on the phone. In addition to a wealth of apps available through the Windows Phone Marketplace and which guarantees great entertainment.
If you’re attending CES, come see me in the Cool Products section of MommyTech (Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall) or come to the “Tech Made for Moms on the Go” panel at 2:00 on January 8th (North Hall, N260).