Stay Connected With Loved Ones This Holiday Season

(ARA) - In today's technology-driven world, it would seem that staying connected with friends and family would be easy, thanks to all of the great new gadgets on the market. Yet, as people have started to move faster with new technology, keeping in touch with far away loved ones has become even harder as schedules accelerate and demands increase. Making the connection with loved ones is even more important during the holiday season.

Women have always been the pillars of maintaining relationships, as keepers of the family's social fabric, but that responsibility is even more challenging as they now are expected to juggle careers, families, holiday obligations and - time permitting - personal interests.

It's no surprise, then, that women say the one technology they could not live without is the phone, according to a survey by leading cordless phone manufacturer VTech. A third of women ages 25-44 spend four or more hours a week on the phone for personal calls, and the majority use those calls just to chat and stay connected.

"Going through life with other people is a better way to go, and, in particular, women need other women," says Liz Dolan, a member of the Satellite Sisters, who deliver a popular news/talk podcast for women. "When it comes to navigating transitions, making changes or even making purchases, most of us rely on the experiential learning friends and family. Not every conversation will change your life, but any conversation can."

The good news is that home phones are an inexpensive and reliable way to stay in touch. They also make an excellent, practical gift for the holidays. These well known communication tools, though frequently taken for granted have been transformed well beyond the basic phone call, with new technology features to make staying in touch easier and more affordable:

* Affordability: Have people call you at home. The cordless home phone is much more ergonomic and using it more often than a cell is a great way to cut cell phone costs.

* Cell phone call answering: If your cell phone number is still the best way to reach you, try a Bluetooth enabled cordless phone. These products allow you to answer calls from your cell phone, meaning you don't need to stay huddled in that one corner of the house that actually gets cell reception. With Bluetooth, the cordless phone system actually connects to the cellular call and provides the call clarity and quality only available through land line systems.

Bluetooth technology also enables users to wear wireless headsets for easy hands-free conversations -- great for multitasking while cooking, folding laundry, playing on the computer and more.

* Customization: Knowing that women want products they can customize to make fit their personal lifestyles, some phones are offering a number of tools from design personalization to expandability of handsets for multiple rooms in the house -- along with more versatile designs to fit personal style.

.For more information on products like these, or for practical holiday gift inspiration, check out www.vtechphones.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent