This is no reason not to stay in touch. In the interest of keeping 21st-century families happily connected, we are pleased to present a selection of apps and devices that facilitate familial communication.
Voice to voice communication
Skype is one of the most popular communications apps, and it’s easy to see why. Available for smart phones and desktops, Skype enables video chatting, SMS messaging and audio-only calls. TweetDeck is not as full featured, but it does offer an exceptionally easy way to corral Twitter, Facebook and MySpace news feeds into one navigable place, notes SheKnows newsletter.
KiK for iOS and Android doesn’t make voice calls, but it’s a great little messaging service. Send a quick note to any other KiK user, anytime or anywhere. The app features a built-in browser that makes it super simple to share web-based content with family members, friends, and coworkers.
When you do make a voice call and you need to record it, try Automatic Call Recorder For Me. Take hands-free notes while driving and record important messages. Be sure to check your local regulations before recording a voice call. Learn more about this cool Apalon app and try it today.
Tango for Android, iOS, Blackberry and Windows makes text messaging more fun. Loaded with stickers and emoticons, this lesser known app provides a family and friends news feed similar to Facebook. Use Tango to touch base with other family members and make plans to meet up.
Show and tell
For picture sharing, nothing beats Instagram. All you have to do is snap a pic with your smart phone and upload it to Instagram. From there, you can zoom your images to Flickr, Twitter, and Facebook. For families who share a lot of pictures with one another, Instagram is a real-time saver. The cool image manipulation features are a lot of fun, as well. Snapchat is a similar app that allows picture posters to choose how long a shared image remains available for viewing. Some versions of Snapchat also allow sharing of text and video content.
Where is everybody?
Keep track of family comings and goings with Life360. The location-sharing app works in real-time, thus allowing working parents to make certain their kids arrive safely home after school. Parents of teenage drivers may use Life360 to monitor driving habits. The app does double duty as a reliable cell phone tracking device, too. FamilyInSafe app helps family members confirm the whereabouts of others within the group. With the FamilyInSafe app, parents and kids can coordinate meeting places or schedule shopping excursions together, recommends AppAdvice magazine.
Don’t lose track of beloved family members just because you’re far away. The 21st century is all about communication, and the apps outlined above are perfect exemplars of great technology that helps friends and family members stay in touch more often.
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Any Votes Are Always Appreciated! (And if you let me know you voted in the comments, they'll be returned!)
Technology really does help busy families stay connected! We also have a lot of family that live nowhere near us so things like Facebook, Skype and Instagram makes a difference 🙂
I LOVE these! My family is always on the go, and we’re frequently on the go in different directions. Thanks for sharing these.
Tango sounds like so much fun! I’m a huge, HUGE fan of stickers and emojis. This is so perfect for me. And by extension, the family. 😉
I have never heard of Life360 but I really want to look into it! And we all keep in touch with Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
I will have to check these out! I know I would rarely hear from my daughter if I did not use apps!
I use Skype, Instagram, and Facebook to keep in touch with my son. He is in college five hours away.
These sound like great apps to try. As my kids are getting older I can definitely see a need for these.
Everything is on the the phone apps now! It is how we stay connected!
I’ve never heard of these apps before. I’ve got a lot of relatives living abroad. I will check out these apps.
Great options- sadly, ny inlaws all live cross country. So these are excellent options for us (we currently only use skype and facetime.
These are all great apps to stay connected with family when they live away from you. I use facebook to facetime with my sister and little nephew who live far away. Thanks for sharing the information.
I have used all of these apps at one point or another. I know Skype is beloved by many. I just haven’t found the need to use it on a regular basis. Maybe things will change. Who knows? When my daughter grows up and goes to college maybe I will find it more necessary.
I actually have Life360 and I love it! It’s a fabulous app. My mom had me download it when I went away to school a few years ago and it really helped her peace of mind. Thanks for sharing this!
Life360 sounds real important for parents wanting to keep track of kids. Kids need phones more and more to be safe and glad this is an app that aids in that.
My daughter isn’t old enough for this but i will be on the look out for some of these apps when she is of age.
I love Skype! My daughter lives in another state, so it keeps us connected.
These sound like some great apps. My sister and I have tracking apps on one another just in case one of us goes MIA…it puts me at ease when I know she goes out on the town with friends.
This is cool! My son still lives with me (he is 6 years old), but when he does venture off into the world, I want to be sure we communicate all the time.
I am so into Instagram while my teen son is so into Snapchat. 🙂 Gotta love those apps. I do need to check out Life360. That app sounds great and a must-have for families.
I’ve never heard of Life360 or FamilyInSafe app but I love the idea. My son is getting older and wants to get out a bit more. I’m fine with that, but I want to know where he is at all times.
Our family uses Instagram, Snapchat, and Photos (for iPhone devices) to stay in touch with family. We love to upload pics and videos on them and we all share an iCloud photo stream!
This is a good overview of what’s available out there. We do use Skype a lot, especially talking to my mother across the ocean, and I am glad she is able to use it. Now that our kids are growing up fast, and soon will be going out on their own, we will need more communications ways, definitely, than just a plain phone.
Technology really does keep families connected. I think that is such a positive aspect of them.
Makes you wonder how our parents managed, eh? So much cool tech out there.
Those are pretty cool apps to keeping in touch and checking in with family! I don’t use many of those, but I’m interested in using a few (I’ll have to check some of the apps out) thanks for keeping me in the loop with all the tech stuff : )
I love learning about new apps. This one sounds like one I’d love to check out!