It seems like every day we hear stories of horrible things happening to our kids. From missing children to terrible car accidents caused by teens texting and driving, the world is a dangerous place. How can we keep our kids safe? 

There's an app for that.

Whether your kids are toddlers or teens, here's my list of apps that can help you keep your family out of danger -- both online and when they're out in the world.

Apple's newest additions, the iPad mini and the fourth-generation iPad, are selling like hotcakes. People bought more than 3 million iPads and minis in the first three days they were available. That's a lotta iPads.

The new gadgets went on sale just last week, and so far only the Wi-Fi versions are available. The 3G and 4G ones will hit the streets soon. The iPad mini sports a 7.9-inch screen, smaller than the regular 9.7-inch iPad. It's thin as a pencil, 7.2mm wide, and weighs .68 lbs. Which is basically like weighing nothing at all.

It's a great alternative to the bigger iPad for the mom-on-the-go who wants to pretend she's checking her email while really reading Fifty Shades of Grey when waiting to pick up the kids. I think I need one.

Phil Schiller presents the iPad mini!The day has come! Rumors have been swirling for some time that Apple would soon be announcing a smaller, lighter, 7-something-inch iPad. And today, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Sr. VP Phil Schiller took the stage and made it official: Apple is finally releasing the iPad mini!

Although we had assumed this mini tablet would be launched along with the new iPods and iPhone 5 last month, they decided instead to debut it closer to the holidays and alongside a 4th generation iPad, new 13" MacBook Pro with a sweet Retina display, Mac Mini, a suuuuuper-thin stunning iMac desktop computer, and the Apple Fusion Drive. Read on for details on the iPad Mini and the whole line-up ... 

As if your Christmas list weren't long enough, Apple is rumored to be about to announce a smaller, lighter iPad that may or may not be called the iPad Mini. It's expected to have a little 7-inch screen, making it a sort of entry-level mini tablet in the iPad family.

According to the rumors - and there are plenty - the new gadget will launch this coming week on the 23rd. While we initially expected to see this unveiled alongside the new iPods and the iPhone 5 earlier this fall, it makes sense that Apple waited on this tablet as the company usually saves these sorts of products for the holidays.

The question, then, is whether or not you're going to want to pick one of these things up.

If you're headed out on the open road this summer, you're going to need a few things. Water is a must, as is lots of reading material for the kids. But what gadgetry should you haul along to a long vacation or summer rental?

After a few years of hitting the beach with my fam, here are some of the things I don't leave home without.

An iPod Dock - Whenever we hit the beach rental, we always like to pop on a little Vampire Weekend or the Tangled soundtrack and rock out as we unpack. Rather than just play music through a tiny set of speakers, however, we prefer to use something like the wireless JBL Onbeat Air or the portable Bose Sounddock (I know, I know, everyone says Bose is overpriced but you won't find a better iPod dock for under $400). The dock holds your phones, lets you listen to streaming music, and is eminently portable.

I've never questioned where my precious white iPhone came from. I guess after going to one-too-many Apple stores, I envisioned a similar operation on a larger scale, based in China, where the workers are happy, playing with iPhones all day, and wearing matching royal blue T-shirts. Thanks to ABC's Nightline, I now know I was very wrong. Tuesday night Nightline correspondent Bill Weir took viewers on the first-ever tour of Foxconn -- the plant where Apple products are made. It was anything BUT the Apple utopia of my dreams.

In the factory, thousands work 12-hour shifts. They're overtired and get paid $1.78 an hour. Most of the Apple products are handmade, and it takes five days and roughly 325 sets of hands to assemble one iPad. What's worse? Outside of Foxconn, there are suicide nets.

Horrifying? Yes. Did it make me think the company needs to improve its working conditions? Of course. However, knowing about Foxconn doesn't make me want to stop being a dedicated Apple customer.

Oh AT&T Wireless, why must you do this to us? The company just announced that starting Sunday, February 22, they're launching a new data plan that "gives customers more data for more value." Which is corporate speak for "we're raising the prices on you, bwa ha ha ha ha!"

I happen to be an AT&T Wireless customer, so that means I'm going to have to sift through the info and figure out what it all means. What I'd really like is a personalized email from AT&T that goes something like "Dear Adriana, here's exactly how this impacts YOUR plan ..." But short of that, let's see how this new-fangled data plan adds up.

With the rise of new Android tablets, and the LeapPad for kids, is there any reason to get an iPad anymore? After all, competition is good, and Apple hasn't updated their device for a few years, leaving a chasm of opportunity for better tablets to fill in the gaps.

Unfortunately, that hasn't happened: Nothing has really appeared that could give the iPad a run for its money. But things could change and, more important, it might be a good idea to shop around if you're thinking about picking up a new tablet or e-reader this year. Here are a few ideas to make your decision easier.