As a Netflix Streaming customer, and a parent, I’ve been enjoying the children’s programming such as “Yo Gabba Gabba”, “Dora the Explorer”, and “Go Diego Go” with my kids… Until recently.

Netflix, reportedly in its continued push for more exclusive content, has let the contracts expire to much of the programming they deem least watched. They obviously didn’t factor in what my kids watch everyday. Thankfully, all that content is available (and has been) on Amazon’s streaming service!

Amazon Prime Instant Video Service is included with Amazon Prime Membership. If you’re already a member and didn’t even realize this amazing service has been available to you, go to Amazon’s website and check it out!

Amazon’s streaming service offers much of the same content as Netflix at a lower overall cost. If you’re not already a Prime member, or have been considering signing up to become one, this may be just the incentive needed to do so. And even more amazingly, Amazon’s streaming service is just one of the many benefits that come with Amazon Prime Membership!

Tons Of Helpy Features:

• Membership Offers More Than Streaming Content
• Has Many Of The Same Shows As Netflix
• iOS App For iPhone, iPod, and iPad
• Free Two-Day Shipping On Products In Amazon Store
• Borrow A Book A Month For Free (If You Own A Kindle)
• Costs Less Per Month Than Netflix Streaming
• 30 Day Free Trial Available

While Netflix Streaming continues to be a great service, its sudden unavailability of my children’s favorite shows has led me to seek that content elsewhere. As a result, I’ve found Amazon’s Instant Video Service to be a fantastic lower cost alternative that, as an existing Prime Member, I’ve actually had access to all along.

The Amazon Instant Video App is Free and available in the iOS App Store.

Amazon Prime Membership is $79 per year (about $6.59 per month).

Netflix Streaming is $7.99 per month.

There are cases however, like the Incase Leather Snap Case that offer protection and rugged good looks, in a thin, premium leather covered hardshell, that doesn’t compromise the elegant design of the iPhone.

If you’re like me however, no matter how subtle or good looking the cases are, many quickly become tired looking eyesores that compel me to remove them, and sacrifice protection to return to the natural beauty of my device. Fortunately, if you appreciate the look and feel of premium leather, the main ingredient of this Snap Case I have found, becomes a Helpy feature all its own.

The Helpy Feature:

• Actually Looks Better With Age And Feels Great To Hold

While even the most stylish and expensive plastic cases end up looking like complete crap after just a little abuse, wear and tear on the Leather Snap Case has the opposite effect. Like most leather products, age and abuse instead brings unique character and style.

I’ve found this balance of the leather’s warm rustic surface contrasted against the iPhone’s cool industrial design to be its Helpiest feature. It creates an inviting look and uniquely textured quality that’s an absolute pleasure to hold. By becoming an accent of the iPhone I simply never want to remove, this in turn keeps my iPhone well protected. And, with each clumsy drop, scuff, and scratch I make, this case only seems to get more attractive as a result.

The Incase Leather Snap Case for iPhone 5 is $49.

Weather apps are among the most downloaded because they offer more useful information than the built-in app. I’ve found however, many of these apps are typically harder to use than they need to be.

Understandably, making detailed weather information easy to read and understand can be a challenge. Some apps offer tons of info but separate the data screens to make room for it all (including ads), creating a confusing mess to sort through. Meanwhile, more stylish apps tend to oversimplify the information, focusing so much on clever gesturing and tapping to display added info, that checking weather turns into more of a video game than a reference tool.

If you’ve been searching for a weather app that gives you tons of information while maintaining a simplified interface, I’ve recently discovered a weather app that balances both with absolute elegance.

The Yahoo Weather App gives me detailed weather without bombarding me with confusing buttons, superfluous gestures, and most of all, without ads. Instead, I’m given a beautifully clean and simple presentation of the forecasted climate.

The Helpy Features:

• Detailed Info With Intuitive Control
• Information Panels Can Be Rearranged

The Yahoo! Weather App deftly balances useful informational and intuitive control, making it all extremely easy to read and understand. You can even rearrange the info panels to suit your preferred order the data is presented.

The Yahoo Weather App for iOS presents detailed weather information in a style so simple and elegant, using it feels as easy as looking out the window.

Yahoo! Weather is FREE and available in the iOS App Store.

Today’s mobile phones, particularly smartphones, have more in common with laptops than they do with cellphones. If you’re like me, you’ve come to this realization long ago and use your iPhone as you would your laptop. And, because it does practically everything that a laptop can do, minus the bulk and weight, it’s probably become your only mobile computing device.

However, this level of performance also draws power too, giving me the same mediocre battery life I would get from my laptop. If you’re looking for a way to keep your iPhone 5 running all day, while leaving all the charging accessories at home, I’ve found an integrated battery case to be the best solution.

The Mophie Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 5 provides up to 100% extra battery life for the iPhone in a package much thinner and lighter than generations before it. But, there are a couple drawbacks.

• Micro USB Port Charges Only And Won’t Sync iPhone Through Case
• Audio Port Is Deeply Recessed Which Limits Access For Most Headphones

The case’s Micro USB port is for charging only. Syncing cannot be done through this port as it could in prior generations. Mophie states the use of Wi-Fi syncing gets around this shortcoming, but photos and videos don’t natively import yet over Wi-Fi – a physical connection is still needed. So, in order to import pictures and videos, I’m then required to take off the bottom portion of the case to plug my iPhone directly into my desktop computer.

The Audio Port is deeply recessed. This makes connecting most headphones difficult or even impossible without the case’s included headphone adapter to reach the port.

Despite these minor shortcomings, this really is an awesome case. And, like all of Mophie’s products, they’re beautifully made and thoughtfully designed.

The Helpy Features:

• Amazingly Hides Its Bulkiness
• iPhone And Case Can Charge Simultaneously
• Keeps Audio Unmuffled By Channeling Audio Toward The Front
• Standby Switch Maximizes Battery Usage

The Juice Pack Air is the thinnest and lightest case Mophie has made to date with this level of charge capacity. While much of the thinness is attributed to the iPhone 5′s already slim profile, Mophie has designed a case that remarkably hides all its bulk. The outer rim, pass-through buttons, and curved back not only give this case a stylish look, but they make the Mophie feel and appear amazingly thinner than it actually is.

And, like Mophie battery cases before it, simultaneous charging of both the iPhone and case, as well as rich unmuffled audio remain key helpful features of the Mophie brand.

The Helpiest feature of the Mophie Juice Pack Air I’ve found though, is its Standby Switch. It gives me complete control over the use of the case’s internal battery with my iPhone.

If placed in the case and immediately switched and left on, the Mophie will intelligently allow the iPhone to use up the battery in the case first. However, using the case this way to simply keep the iPhone battery topped off draws more power and doesn’t maximize the Mophie’s charge potential. In fact, the battery on the iPhone 5 actually requires extra power to charge beyond its 80% point.

For this reason, Mophie recommends switching the case on only when you need to charge, and then switching the case back off into standby mode at around the 80% mark. Then, at lower charge levels, flip the charge switch back on to push any remaining power from the case into the iPhone when needed. This process effectively yields up to the 100% extra battery life the case claims to provide.

If you’re looking to double the life of your iPhone, carry around as little as possible, and protect it (while looking awesome) all at the same time, the Mophie Juice Pack Air literally has you covered.

Mophie Juice Pack Air for iPhone 5
is $99.

If you’re buying a car or just shopping for a Mountable GPS Device, consider the following before you plunk down that small fortune to add that fancy navigational system to your dashboard: There are far better and less expensive solutions available. One in particular I’ve found to be fantastic…

A Complete Navigational Solution

Waze is a community-based traffic and direction App that turns your iPhone into a GPS navigation system complete with Turn-By-Turn Voice and Traffic Alerts.

• Inputing Destinations Is Easy
• Great In-App Location Search

Unlike my Car’s built-in Navigation, inputing destinations in Waze is extremely easy to do. Even with a partially typed name, I can quickly find and plug in addresses directly from my iPhone’s contact list. And, if an address isn’t in my contact list, Waze has built-in search with Yelp, YellowPages, Foursquare, Bing, and Facebook that will help me find my destination without ever leaving the App.

The Helpy Features:

• It’s Continuously Updated
• Helps Find The Cheapest Gas On My Route
• Crowd Sourced Information Provides Traffic Reporting And Best Route Options In Real-Time
• “Drive Share” Sends Locations And Coordinates Arrival Times On A Live Map

One of the best features of this App is that it’s an App. This means new features and improvements are only an update away – and they’re free. Anyone that has a built-in navigation system in their car may find their In-Dash navi less than simple and even expensive to keep up-to-date. Updates for car navigation systems typically require a purchase of updated mapping data and even a trip to the dealership. Waze practically updates itself through use. And, when new features are released, adding them is just a few finger-taps away.

Waze helps to find the cheapest gas along my route. Among Waze’s reporting buttons is the ability to report Gas Prices to the User Community to help everyone save on fuel cost along the way to their destination.

Crowd sourcing provides real-time road conditions to help “outsmart” traffic by giving me the best possible route options based on this reporting. And, because the reporting occurs in real-time from users that are there, I’m receiving route information and updates faster and more detailed than any paid subscription service can currently provide. Also, as passengers, you can even chat with other Waze users on the road around you. I’ve found this to be extremely useful when in stopped traffic and curious to what’s ahead.

The Helpiest Feature is the ability to easily share location and ETA to coordinate arrival times.

Have you ever been called by a friend to pick them up and neither of you exactly knew the address of the location? With a feature called Drive Sharing, Waze makes reporting and sharing a location a simple couple of button presses. And best of all, when your Drive Sharing is received and accepted by the other person, each of you is provided with location, ETA, and a live map where they can actually watch your approach.

Waze provides me with an astounding level of navigational features that even expensive In-Dash car systems still strive to be on par with. Until more cars themselves become networked devices, it’s the social component that will continue to make Waze the toughest act to compete with. I make the mapping better just by using the App and reporting what I see. And, with each report I submit, I contribute to an enormous growing community of drivers helping each other to save on gas, make routing more accurate, and possibly earn good karma points along the way.

Waze is available in the iOS App Store and it’s FREE.

While an integrated speaker and charging station has its utility value, I’ve found “Speaker Docks” often to be accessories with limited versatility or packed with features redundant to the ones found on the iPhones themselves.

• iPhones Or iPods Need To Stay Docked To Play And Charge
• Great Audio But Typically Not Designed For Travel Or Outdoor Activity
• Alarm Clocks Are A Redundant Feature

Although they provide rich and full sound, most Speaker Docks are typically unwieldy devices. Additionally, they require the iPhone to remain docked in order to operate or charge. Alarm Clock Speaker Docks just offer the same along with the superfluousness of an Alarm and a Clock – two features that an iPhone already has built in.

Why Dock The iPhone At All?

Bluetooth Wireless Speakers can be a far lasting and more versatile solution. The Jawbone Jambox in particular has so many Helpy Features I almost don’t know where to begin…

All Helpy Features:

• Designed And Ruggedized For Portability And Travel
• Rechargeable Over USB
• Works As A Speaker Phone
• iPhone Stays With You And Not Docked Across The Room
• Any Smartphone With Bluetooth Can Be Paired With It
• Software Updates Add Features And Enhance Performance

The Jambox is designed with portability and heavy use in mind. It has a Ruggedized Construction that can handle being dropped and is incredibly compact. Despite its size however, the Jambox has amazingly full and rich sound.

It has a built-in rechargeable Lithium Ion battery that powers it for up to 10 hours and Charges Over USB. Along with my iPhone, this adds the Jambox to the many devices that can charge from my everlasting Mophie Juicepack Powerstation when no power outlet is in sight.

The Jambox has a built-in Microphone enabling it to be a powerful Conference Calling Device. It pairs and works just like any Bluetooth Headset with your Smartphone, so setup is incredibly easy and it even gives you its Battery Status Level On The Screen. And, because Bluetooth has up to 33 Foot Wireless Range, I keep my iPhone in my pocket or use it as my “remote control” with full access to my content as the Jambox blares the audio across the room.

Its Helpiest Feature however is its Longevity through its Bluetooth Adaptability and Software Updatability.

The Jambox can Connect With Any Smartphone Or Music Player with a Bluetooth connection or 3.5mm Audio Port. This makes whatever type of physical dock connectivity you have on your iPhone, Android, or Tablet device irrelevant. By connecting wirelessly, this Bluetooth Speaker remains adaptable through the evolution of your electronic devices and their methods of connectivity.

Since its initial release in 2010, amazingly The Jawbone Jambox has NOT physically changed. Not for lack of innovation (far from it) but because it was one of the First Bluetooth Speakers Of Its Kind To Offer Feature Expandability and Updatability Through Software. Long after I’ve purchased it, my Jambox has had updates that have added customized tones, actually increased and enhanced sound output, and most recently added compatibility with Siri. These are full feature upgrades that on any other device would have meant possibly buying a whole new device. These updates were accomplished with Software, easily installed, and totally FREE.

While my iPhone dock connections have changed and the 30 pin Speaker Docks have gone extinct, my Jawbone Jambox remains a valued and adaptable investment.

The Jawbone JAMBOX Wireless Bluetooth Speaker is $180 and is also sold in an assortment of colors.

It is a wondrous feat of engineering, its features make it an indispensable tool of productivity, and it is not cheap.

If you too own an iPhone and sometimes worry about the potential hazards that could destroy that investment, either of the following two protective solutions I regularly use may be what you’re looking for.

The Lifeproof Frē iPhone 5 Case and the Lewis N. Clark Waterproof Multipurpose Pouch are starkly different weatherproofing solutions that offer many of the same protections against the elements at significantly contrasted price points.

Helping An iPhone Withstand Mother Nature

First let’s talk about The Lifeproof Frē. It’s one of the thinnest and lightest all-weather cases you can buy for your iPhone. It waterproofs, dirtproofs, snowproofs, and shockproofs your phone and is submersible up to 6 feet (2 meters). This is an amazing level of protection but it comes with a few trade offs.

• Touch And Sensors Are Affected
• Audio Quality In And Out Is Muffled
• Dropping May Affect Waterproofing

The screen protector is slightly elevated from the glass. While this effectively allows audio to be heard through the earpiece, it causes a slight loss of touchscreen sensitivity near that area. The proximity sensor also becomes intermittent causing accidental button presses with my face during calls. And if dropped (which I have… twice) waterproofing can be compromised. For this reason, the instructions explicitly advise to waterproof test the case without the phone before use and whenever dropped to make sure the seals are okay before taking it into the water. So far it’s been fine.

The Lewis N. Clark Waterproof Pouch is one of the lowest cost protective solutions and is submersible up to 9 feet (3 meters) and works with most smartphones. But it too has trade offs.

• No Easy Access To Ports & Buttons
• Intermittent Audio Quality
• Intermittent Optical Clarity
• No Impact Protection

Because the Lewis N. Clark is a soft pouch, great performance can depend on how the device is sitting inside. Capture quality of the camera and microphones can be inconsistent, there’s no easy access to buttons or ports, and the pouch offers no protection for drops.

With all these deficiencies that stem from Weather-proofing my iPhone you may be wondering if these solutions Helpy-proof it as well. Well rest assured, there are redeeming qualities to each of these products.

The Helpy Features:

The Lewis N. Clark Multipurpose pouch is exactly that… Multipurpose. Whatever I can seal inside (e.g., a point and shoot camera or simply items I want kept dry) I know if done properly is waterproofed and submersible.

The Lifeproof Case is sleek and light enough to use everyday. It has a real lens that provides me crystal clear optics for taking pictures. And, it fully ruggedizes my iPhone while providing me with access to all ports and buttons without ever having to remove it.

Free Yourself From Worry

Like most people, my iPhone is my one device for work and play. Everyday use has its everyday hazards – with support generally nearby. When on holiday however, an everyday hazard can claim my one device that photographs the trip, allows me to share my experience with friends, or provides me with the unlikely phone call for help.

This makes the Helpiest feature simply Peace of Mind. Knowing my most important device in my pocket is incredibly protected is a hugely liberating experience.

The Lifeproof Frē iPhone 5 Case
is $80.

The Lewis N. Clark Waterproof Multi Purpose Pouch (medium)
is $10.

If you’re like me, you have a bag full of battery powered gadgets. If you’ve been following my blog, you’ve undoubtedly noticed a recurring gadget from my bag that is a battery called the Mophie Powerstation. It’s often mentioned for its ability to charge all my other gadgets on the go. But, like all my other gadgets, it too may need a charge on the way to where I’m going.

Get A Car Charger… But Which One?

A friend asked me to help him choose which car adapters to purchase for his smartphone and tablet. We went through adapters specific to each device before I finally recommended The Incase Mini Car Charger (or chargers like it) because of these winning features…

The Helpy Features:

Its compact size lets it fit in cramped spaces and it fits into virtually all vehicle 12V outlet or cigarette lighters. And because it gives me a 2.1 Amp USB port, it charges things very fast.

It’s An Adaptable Adapter

The Helpiest feature is its adaptability. By giving me USB rather than an a fixed cable and connector for any specific device, I have the flexibility to plug practically anything into it to charge.

This has brought me cost savings through the adapter’s ability to be repurposed. As I’ve outgrown and replaced my existing smartphones, tablets, or other devices, this car charger has still not needed replacing. As long as the new devices charge over USB, I simply plug in the new cable(s) and continue using this wonderfully adaptable adapter.

The Incase Mini Car Charger
is $25.

When searching for gadgets to keep me and my kids cool outdoors, I found mostly battery powered fans combined with spray bottles. These work by misting yourself with water and using the fan to evaporatively cool you.

Although this solution can work well, the spraying can also effectively get my camera and other gadgets wet in the process which is no bueno.

Then, I discovered a device that seemed gimmicky at first but after reading the reviews I thought I’d give it a try. I’m glad I did.

The Handy Cooler is a battery powered turbine that evaporatively cools the air flowing through its water dampened “Cooling Filter” rather than by dousing your body with water directly to later evaporate off with a fan.

I’ll admit that when I first unboxed it, I was less than confident it would work as advertised. HandyCooler claims
that it cools the air flowing out up to 30 F. To my surprise and delight, I found the air to be very cool blowing out. It really is like a mini air-conditioner.

The water in the cooling filter does evaporate quickly however, especially in dry weather. Thankfully, the device comes with a little squirt bottle to keep water with me. It holds a measured amount of water (60 ml) to rehydrate the filter up to two times.

The Helpy Features:

The Handy Cooler can run on 4 AA rechargeable batteries. This brings some cost savings and keeps some batteries out of landfills. But the best part is it also runs from USB.

The ability to run from USB power I find to be its Helpiest feature as it enables me to power the Handy Cooler from just about everything. I can plug it into my computer and use it at my desk, power it from a USB smartphone charger (car and wall), and even run it for hours from my Mophie Powerstation on a single charge.

With hot days approaching (or already here), the Handy Cooler may help you bring a little indoor comfort to your outdoor adventures.

The Handy Cooler Portable Mini Air Conditioner
is $40.
The Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation is $79.

As it turns out, there are an increasing number of gadgets and apps that work to promote an active lifestyle through quantifying the physical exertion you do make and rewarding you for doing more.

The Nike+ FuelBand and it’s accompanying web and iPhone software is Nike’s answer to the growing demand for devices and services that help to motivate activity, track progress, and reward the user for the effort.

The FuelBand is a seemingly simple wristband packed with geeky gadgety goodness.

The FuelBand has a Pedometer to count your steps, approximates the Calories you’re burning, and tallies up your “Fuel Score Points” – Nike’s proprietary measurement of activity. All this data can then be easily synced with your computer over USB or iPhone over Bluetooth.

The Helpy Features:

It’s A Watch

The Nike FuelBand actually makes a pretty stylish watch. When you press the button to check the time, status LEDs underneath show you at a glance how close to your point goal you are for the day.

It’s A Great Motivational Tool

The best feature of the FuelBand is how it sends my data to my iPhone and motivates me in a fun and engaging way by “Gamifying” the whole system. Just like an addictive video game, I find myself trying to beat my last score or at the very least, beat my fellow friends’ FuelBand scores.

Some argue that the Nike Fuel Point system isn’t an accurate measure of activity making it somewhat useless in precisely gauging activity. But consider this: Although a basic compass may not give you pinpoint navigational accuracy, it will certainly help you gauge which direction you’re headed.

In the days before my FuelBand, I’d come home at the end of the day and sit on the couch with my kids. Now, when I see I’m just a few hundred points from my goal or simply want to add to my score, I’ll take the kids out for a walk or take them to the playground. This makes me a winner as a Dad as well as on the Leader Board.

The FuelBand enables me to track my activity, monitor trends, and set achievable milestones for myself… Not to mention be a funner Dad. It’s my daily activity compass. Or at the very least, a really stylish watch.

The Nike+ FuelBand is $149.