Coordinate your tech style with your wee one—after all, don't you want to raise an early adopter? These cute tech accessories have a sleek and stylish version for mom alongside a cute version for your kid. Check 'em out.
Tech Style for Mamas and Minis
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iPhone Cases
Woodland Wonderful … Owls are the perfect way to dress up your tech with a bit of seasonal cuteness. These two versions were found on the handmade mega-marketplace, Etsy. A tip: Many Etsy boutiques will customize designs to suit your tastes, so change the colors, add your name, and create something truly unique.
For kiddos: Rabbit Dream makes adorable animal-themed cases fashioned out of faux leather, including this pink and gray cutie ($20).
For moms: H&H Printing offers a more grown-up version made out of silicone (also $20).
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iPad Mini Case
Orange is The New Black! Today’s tech accessories come in every color imaginable. You could always opt for the classics , but mixing in more vibrant shades is also fun. Orange is a favorite for kids and adults alike; it's hip, modern, cheerful, and gender-neutral. On Amazon, we turned up tangerine-tinged cases to protect those precious (and oh so delicate) iPad Minis.
For kiddos: Xodo makes free-standing kid-friendly cases in playful shapes from trains to angels, all constructed out of impact-resistant polycarbonate. This Angel Cover Case comes in four colors and runs $19.99 plus shipping.
For moms: The Griffin Survivor Case is the ultimate tough, take-anything case. It was tested and certified to meet US Department of Defense Standards and has been labeled “Military Duty” watch out or the man in your life may steal it! This thing protects iPad Minis from dirt, sand, rain, humidity, shocks and a host of other hazards. At $41.17, it’s a bit pricier than some, but even if you’re not planning to scale Mount Everest, this is a great option for active, on-the-go moms who want to protect their tech.
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Speakers
Family Jams! Remember when speakers looked like big wooden boxes? Gone are the days… Part of any family’s essential tech setup is a decent (and great-looking) speaker system through which you can blast Katy Perry, Koko Taylor, or the tunes of your choice. Exposing children to music at an early age is important for their creative growth, so why not indulge them with some speakers of their own?
For kiddos: Speakal is a US company that designs the cutest kid speakers around including the iPig, iPanda, and iBoo (pictured here) for $65.27. It works with a range of Apple products from Nanos and Shuffles to iPhones and iPod Touches, Classics, and Minis.
For moms: The Jawbone line of speakers is sleek, modern, and cool. The JAMBOX ($142.77) is a wireless, Bluetooth speaker that comes in a range of colors to fit any décor. It connects with mobile phones, computers, tablets, iPods and any other Bluetooth device.
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USB Drive
Flash Forward! Not everyone uses USB flash drives but having one of these memory sticks on hand is helpful when you need to transfer files, photographs, or music from one device to another. The standard version is a thumb-sized bit of black plastic with a metal piece that connects to your computer’s USB port. Boring! Thanks to today’s growing tech/style market, even your flash drive can have a little pizzazz. We found these wonderful wood versions on Etsy.
For kiddos: Mink Is Love makes minimalist llamas, polar bears, and golden retrievers out of pine ($27); each stores 16GB.
For moms: Son of a Sailor, based out of Austin, Texas, makes handpainted, 2GB geometric flash drives out of bamboo ($34). As an added bonus, bringing a bit of handmade goodness into a high-tech world feels good—and artisans always appreciate the support.
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Earbuds
Listen Up! Earbuds are all the rage with youngsters these days, whether they’re listening to music or tuning out noise at the local coffee shop. When it comes to finding the right set, comfort is key; ill-fitting ear pieces can perpetually fall out or give you a headache. Of course, cuteness is also important!
For kiddos: These Babushka Earbuds ($7.20) work for kids 6 and older and are a sweet choice for girls. DCI, the company behind them, offers plenty of other cute-and-kitschy designs from squirrels and butterflies to gnomes and cupcakes.
For moms (and teens): Sony makes colorful, quality earbuds in a great array of colors from violet to grass green ($8.70). We like the chic, simplicity of these, because, let’s face it, you get to an age when you probably don’t want ladybugs hanging out of your ears . . .
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Mm Tech 6 Laptop Bag
Case Closed! Laptop bags have become a bit of an obsession these days; there are so many options and we could easily own a dozen to suit different outfits and occasions. Today’s tech-savvy kids have their own tastes when it comes to tech totes, but there are plenty of designs to please both young ones and their parents (in other words, fun yet still tasteful). We hit up Ebags and found loads of choices, ultimately settling upon these contemporary-yet-classic styles for girls and grown-ups.
For kiddos: The Thomas Laptop Messenger Bag from JWorld ($31.49) is available in over a dozen patterns that work for tweens and teens, boys and girls. Adjustable straps, cell phone pockets, and all the other necessities are part of the package.
For moms: The Ogio MidTown Messenger Bag ($69.90) is ultra chic—one of the nicest designs we’ve seen with tailored button details along the front. It comes in a handful of modern shades from peacock blue to charcoal gray and has a fully-padded fleece-lined laptop compartment to pamper your laptop.
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Beachy iPhone Case
Life’s A Beach! When it comes to dressing your mobile phone, the Internet abounds with endless options: playful, personalized, pretty, quirky, elegant, outrageous. No matter the season, beach themes are always popular—maybe because they make us feel like we’re always on vacation! We dug up junior and grownup variations that each capture the sand-and-surf vibe in their own way.
For kiddos: A retro whale print from Lucky Cases ($15).
For moms: A beautiful beach photo with a vintage vibe from My Little Pixels ($25.95). Surf’s up!
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Kindle Case
Kindle With Care! More and more people are reading their favorite novels on Kindles or other e-readers these days. As with any fragile tech piece, it’s important to have the right sleeve to protect and tote it safely and stylishly to-and-from meetings/school/etc. For Kindle owners, young and old, our picks combine form and functionality into one perfect package.
For kiddos: The rooCase XTreme Super Foam Sleeve is lightweight, durable and easy to clean which is a big bonus with smaller children ($19.79). The colors are classic which transitions well as kids grow, and each has a contrasting interior to keep it fun. Both are from Ebags.
For moms: Designer Trina Turk’s M-Edge is a colorful neoprene sleeve done up with her trademark fun, feminine flare ($27.99).
