With many taking a break from normal routine over the summer, it’s a chance to get away from all that technology … isn’t it? Well … not quite!

My daughters got iPods for Christmas, and I have found myself wanting to engage them in all aspects of the technology’s potential, not just as incredibly personalised boom boxes! Already they are enjoying entertaining and educational National Geographic video podcasts (vodcasts) … and then there’s those favourite YouTube videos to capture and play portably.

In fact I have 3 kids twelve and under … in a household with 3 mobile phones. They are so much a part of life now, and a week or so ago, mobile phone photos saved some lost hikers.

If that doesn’t warm your heart, then maybe you will be heartened by hearing that very soon the kids can start using their favourite playstation to call their friends instead of racking up enormous mobile bills. At least if they have a PSP they can … while still looking hip to boot!

And finally, as the holidays start to draw to a close, not only do we need to carefully catalogue all the home video footage taken on the various mobiles, cameras and the handycam (yeah, right!) … but of course we need to share some of those moments with distant family and friends. A utility to squeeze those huge video files into something suitable to email, while still looking good is just what we need.

I hope you find the tips and tricks for this month interesting and useful.