8 wireless ways to stay connected with faraway family

Long gone are the days of having to go through operators and scratchy audio connections when calling faraway places. The calls to Seoul from my childhood were a mix of butchered Korean, inaudible English and raised voices to merely glean half of what the other person was saying.

It is amazing how far technology has come. Now calls to Seoul, or anywhere else in the world, can take place with a single tap on a screen. (I am still baffled as to how you can FaceTime with someone on the other side of the world.

Of course, there are plenty of video chat services and free international apps that make this possible, but every day, a new technology comes onto the market to make those connections richer, more meaningful and more frequent.

Here are a few of the newest gadgets for keeping those family connections strong:

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  1. bloom

  Designed specifically with elderly parents in mind, bloom is part screen, part band and part app for staying connected to aging parents. The bloomview screen is housed at your parent’s house and the bloomband is worn by your parent. The screen senses when the band is nearby and any photos or messages you have uploaded through your app instantly pop up on screen. There are no confusing buttons to fuss with and it’s great for parents who don’t own mobile devices. The wearable also doubles as an activity tracker and medical alert system to keep track of your elder’s health and safety. ($249, shipping soon)

  IMAGE: BLOOM

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  2. Logi Circle

  Whether you want a peek into a family member’s house or just keep track of what’s going on in your own, you can set up the new Logi Circle camera for a bird’s eye view, no matter where you are. Live HD video and two-way talk using the iOS or Android app, guarantees instant contact when necessary. Plus, you can set alerts for certain activity. As we mentioned in our previous coverage, the camera’s Day Brief feature is a cool way to see 24 hours’ worth of activity, condensed into seven seconds. ($199)

  IMAGE: LOGI CIRCLE

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  3. everyStory

  A large part of staying connected to family is knowing where your family members came from and understanding more of their life experiences. everyStory is an app that lets anyone record personal color commentary to a photo, whether it’s an old family portrait or a birthday party shot from thirty years ago. Of course, it’s up to you to digitize those old family photos, but once you do, it’s possible to have a storied narrative attached to each one. (Free, iOS and Android)

  IMAGE: EVERYSTORY

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  4. Skylight Frame

  For family members who are always begging for photos, the Skylight Frame is a perfect way to keep them satisfied. Using a home Wi-Fi network, you can simply email any photos to the dedicated email for your particular frame (yourname@ourskylight.com) and the images magically appear, regardless of where you are and where the frame is. Skylight features a 7-inch display and can hold approximately 1,000 photos. There’s also touchscreen capabilities on the screen, allowing users to browse photos or freeze on a favorite. ($109)

  IMAGE: SKYLIGHT FRAME

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  5. The Egg

  The dreaded pop-up alerting us to dwindling storage is a real nuisance. This is where The Egg wants to help. Dubbed as a “personal cloud device,” Egg does everything from store data, import images from many devices (camera, phone, GoPro, etc.) and even serve as a Wi-Fi access point. The Egg offers up to 256GB of storage and works with iOS and Android apps to access and transfer content. Those long videos to Aunt Sue from your Hawaii vacation can now be stored and sent directly from The Egg when your mobile device runs out of space. (Starting at $169 for 64GB; shipping in November)

  IMAGE: THE EGG

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  6. Bevy

  Speaking of photo sharing, Bevy is a new device that lets family members save and preserve memories in one location, wherever they are in the world. The person who has the actual Bevy unit in the home can grant access to any family members who want to upload photos, see new photos from other family members and create albums and favorites, all from an app. It’s a great way for everyone to stay connected, plus the 1TB model holds approximately 400,000 photos. That’s a lot of memories. (1TB, $299; 2TB, $349)

  IMAGE: BEVY

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  7. ILY

  Aiming to be the new family phone, the ILY (pronounced ill-ee) is geared towards family members of all ages who don’t want to be reliant on a smartphone to communicate. This Wi-Fi enabled video phone is an alternative to parents who don’t have mobile devices, but want the benefits of video calls. You can connect via the ILY app (or an ILY phone in your own house) and send drawings or messages to let Grandma know that the kids miss her. ($299, no monthly fees; shipping in early 2016)

  IMAGE: ILY

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  8. Far Far Away

  For parents who frequently travel or family members who don’t live close by, Far Far Away lets them participate in one of the most treasured times of day — story time. Both parties need to have an iPad, but using the app’s technology, two parties from across the world can connect on the app, choose a story and read it together. (Free, iOS)

  IMAGE: FAR FAR AWAY
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