Friday, September 20, 2013

Our new family circle with Life360 {app review}


I am being compensated by Splash Creative Media on behalf of Life360 to write this post. The opinions contained within are mine and mine alone. The screenshots are also mine. 






As you all know last June we moved our family to Costa Rica, our move has changed our lives in ways we didn't think it would. Our routine is very different in some way but in others just the same. Some of the major changes we've experienced are a larger home, each child now has their own personal space something that both kids are ecstatic about specially since they are very different. 

One other big change was that when we first arrived we used a rental car for the first month which meant that from being a family with two cars that had more freedom with schedules 24/7 we became a one car family which means that we are all out the door in the morning at the same time! Not only that but it also means that since I can work from home I am the family's designated chauffeur and it also means that I spend most of my weekdays inside the car stuck in traffic getting from point A to point B and then point C. 



Our first week we experienced the worst weather possible in Costa Rica, I still remember it as if it were yesterday. It was the Thursday after we arrived and it was also my first time taking a different route. I have a hard time seeing when it is dark and more so when it is literally pouring rain add to that the fact that it was a new route and we were stuck in traffic, just so you get an idea it took us an hour to get through a mile of road! 



Yes it's true, the thunder and lightning wouldn't stop and the rain kept pouring. Cars kept trying to get into our lane so it was impossible for me to call my husband and let him know we were stuck in traffic, that very moment would've been easier using the Life360 app just to "check in" and send an alert that we were on our way. 




When we moved into our new home we discovered our phone lines are not connected properly, so communication with our family in the U.S. and Mexico has been limited to video chat. Although not all of us can connect at the same time we have began using the new Circles feature on Life360 and love that we can create a circle for our family in the U.S. and a separate one for our family in Mexico. 


This is how we are all connected and updated on how we are. As we check in or chat with them they are kept up to date on how we are doing or can simply ask us something and get an answer instantly! Just the other day my sister who lives in California wanted to know the kids' sizes and as she was shopping she was able to ask me and in case you I had missed her chat I received an email message, a text and an alert letting me know I had a message waiting for me. I will never miss an update or checkin because Life360 will make sure I am notified always. 


Life360 app is an excellent app for smartphones available for iPhone and Droid. It allows you to be in constant communication with your friends and family. The new Circles feature is very useful as you create circles with specific contacts that have the app and with the simple push of a button {checkin, chat, alert} all of the member of a circle receive the notice. It's as if you had a gps on you through your smartphone, of course if you prefer not to share your location you have the option of turning off the locator. The app can be used worldwide so you can be updated on a family member that is out of the country on travel or living abroad {such is our case}. 



After using Life360 I would recommend it for any family in any part of the globe to be in touch with friends and family and to reassure them all is good specially with everything that is happening. 


2 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. It certainly is, specially for families like ours that are scattered around.

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