If you read the blog often, you’ve likely noticed that I’ve got a lot of family and they are a long ways away and you’d think I might feel disconnected. As the second youngest of six siblings, I’ve been able to experience “family” to the fullest with brothers, sisters, cousins, enough to fill a house, a yard and then some. So, is it a great time to connect with family? And how can we help? You might have noticed the new commercials launched by Microsoft recently. They feature families from around the globe using technology to interact, play, watch and connect with each other.
I can relate as I use my PC to stay connected to my friends but it’s been a little bit of coaching to get my parents to start video chatting with me but recently my mom admitted that she loves it. We both sign into Windows Live Messenger at a pre-selected time and I’m able to tell her about my adventures, my day and my worries. She loves being able to see me and I like seeing her — video chatting has connected us through give an example – glamping in Montana to coffee in my favorite coffee house Vivace in Seattle.
It’s not just video chatting though. My dad isn’t the chattiest of folks so we rarely have long conversations in any form. That being said, he loves to see great photos. So, I’ll often take an image with my HTC HD7 Windows Phone and upload it to SkyDrive. Then I’ll edit it in Windows Photo Gallery – change the colors, sharpen the image or add a caption. Next, I can upload it to SkyDrive, share via an email link or show him in person from my phone (whenever we’re in the same city). That way, it’s like my dad gets to be there on the journey with me.
To see some of the ads with stories of how you can use a Windows PC for sharing and connecting look here. Now, would you share how you use your Windows PC to stay in touch with your family? I’d love your tips, tricks and ideas as it will still be a long 2 months until I get to go home for Christmas. In the meantime, you can join our upcoming Tech Tuesday Live Twitter Chat to hear ways that Ben, Brandon, Dan and I use to keep up with our families and friends.
To participate:
- Join us from 12-1 PT (3-4 ET) on Twitter
- Follow the hashtag #win7tech
- Follow @windows @kristinalibby, @brandonleblanc, @benthepcguy, @daniellaycock, and @windowsblog to make sure you get the whole picture.
- Answer Q1 –Q5 for 5 chances to win an Xbox LIVE Gold Membership
Note we will only be talking about the outlined topic each week and we will not be answering questions outside those topics. Questions for this week may include: Can I connect my PC to my Xbox? How does the Windows Phone work with a Windows PC? What are the best bets for connectivity this holiday season?