Tech Talk with Donna Hay
She’s a food editor, cookbook author, columnist, magazine executive and lifestyle TV presenter so surely she enjoys a food blog? Hell, no!
What’s your latest technology purchase?
I got a pair of Plantronics BackBeat Fit Bluetooth headphones for running. If my phone rings I can still speak. Not that I really want to speak and run…
Are you happy with them?
I love them. They fit really comfortably into my ears and they don’t get caught in my hair; I know it’s a girl thing but it’s very important. They’ve changed my life. And I can run over a couple of days, maybe longer, without them running out of charge.
What apps do you use the most?
I’m a big Instagram girl and I also use Twitter and Facebook. And because we’re always on location I use an app called Rain Radar. You can see the rain coming in from the west and it’s like, “Guys, we’re lucky if we have an hour – let’s get the shots we need then head inside.” I love it; very geeky.
What internet sites do you visit?
Online shopping ones: Matchesfashion.com, Net-A-Porter, Moda Operandi – and a bit of Vogue and Buro 24/7.
What about food sites?
Nope, not in my downtime.
Real books or e-books?
Real books for home and e-books for travel. I download five or six e-books in case I get bored with one.
What technology do you take on planes?
Everything – iPhone, iPad, Apple laptop and my Bluetooth headphones.
What is your worst technology habit?
When I get a message and I’m in a meeting, I check who it’s from. I know it annoys people but I have children so I always think it’s going to be the school or the children.
Do you ever have technology-free time?
With children and elderly, sick parents, I sleep more peacefully knowing that my phone is beside the bed and I’ll get woken up if something has gone wrong.
So you don’t have technology-free time…
Not much but I’m a two-phone girl; one is just for text messages from my friends. People think it’s odd but I have so many business partners internationally that my emails never stop.
You’re waiting in a long queue – how do you pass the time?
Probably just looking, watching, observing. And I’ll check Instagram. My publicist suggested that next time I go out for a drink and I’m waiting for a friend, I try to do something other than look at my phone. It’s really hard.
Have you ever regretted a tweet?
Maybe a spelling mistake here or there.
What’s been your favourite social media moment?
Elizabeth Hurley gave us a “love your cookbooks” on Twitter and, recently, Elle Macpherson on Instagram. I shouted like a mad person through the office.
What sort of technology do you covet?
I’d like one of those systems that lets me turn on music outside when I’m entertaining or in the kitchen. Some sort of wireless, Bluetoothy, amazing speaker system.
What’s been the best tech invention?
The reverse camera in my car. That gives you a window into my driving skills. 
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