Tech Shortcuts For Life
Most Baby Gadgets Are Junk. Here Are a Few You Might Need.
Are you expecting a new baby (or a grandkid)? Mazel tov! Now, start buying stuff.
Tech Shortcuts for Life is a weekly column from Thomas Smith on Debugger exploring the apps, automations, gadgets, and other tech tricks that can make your life more efficient.
According to Insurance Company New York Life, the average middle-income American couple with a new baby will spend between $20,000 and $50,000 on their kid in the first year. Big companies know that. They also know that new parents are jumpy and nervous, and can be convinced to buy pretty much anything — particularly if it’s tech-enabled and promises to keep their bundle of joy happy and safe. Especially if you’re a first-timer, choosing the best baby products can be daunting and overwhelming.
I’m not a first-timer. I have two young boys, and a third on the way. I can break down a Dr. Brown’s bottle one-handed with my eyes closed. I’ve had plenty of personal experience with all manner of tech-enabled baby stuff. And I’ll tell you this right off the bat: Most of it sucks. Too often, baby tech products are designed less to solve an actual problem, and more to capitalize on new parents’ fears. When you’re terrified about…
