Getting the motivation you need to work out at home can be tough to say the least. Your couch is there. Your Netflix is there. Why would you want to mess up a good thing like that with sweat? I hear you loud and clear, but there are awesome apps to help you get in shape in no time — right from the comfort of your own home.

These cannot only save you some money, but it can spare you the inconveniences of gym life — wiping down machines, leaving your house, shared showers. Here are my favorites:

Fitnet: Sweating to the selfies

One of the toughest parts of doing exercise videos at home is the whole no-accountability-thing. I mean, who’s going to notice if you skip a day, or week or even do anything at all? The other bummer is not knowing whether you’re doing the moves right. Fitnet deals with both of these issues right of the bat.

You can pick a real, live Fitnet personal trainer who will follow your progress, offer tips and provide encouragement. This is free for the first two weeks, then will cost $19 a month after that. What I like even more though, is the whole “sweating to the selfie” aspect of it.

The Fitnet app uses the camera on your phone, tablet, or laptop to measure how well you’re keeping up with the workout. It shows a video feed of you actually doing the exercise in a little window on the top, and you can see when you’re in sync with the exercises and doing them correctly by orange dots (three means you’re spot-on). It also knows when you’re struggling with difficult moves, or when you’ve flat-out quit halfway through. Each video is anywhere from three to 10 minutes long, so you can build your workouts accordingly. You can even add different types of workouts — categorized in areas like cardio and muscle-building — to your calendar, and the app will remind you to do them each day. Download Fitnet for Android or iOS.

Sworkit: Start right now

Sometimes the best way to get started is just to do it. No commitments. No sign-ups. That’s what’s great about the Sworkit app. It’s full of great workouts and you don’t even need any equipment for them. Just set the amount of time you have and what kind of workout you want to do: strength, cardio, yoga or stretching.

It may seem awkward to do a workout guided by your phone instead of a larger screen, but Sworkit makes it pretty intuitive. It shows you what exercise to do and counts down until your next position, then it’ll ding. Glance at your phone for the next exercise and continue through the series. With time options starting at 5 minutes and a free version of the app, there’s really no excuse for you not to sweat it out every day. Download Sworkit for Android and iOS.

Trainers with the Change Collective aren’t just trying to motivate you to work out more — their goal is to help you live a better life from the inside out. They offer courses guided with videos and podcasts from experts in everything from clean eating to waking up early. Everyday, check in with the app to track your progress and get real-time support from real coaches via text and emails.

It’s more than just a touch-and-go course. Their system makes you more accountable for your course follow-through with a good amount of motivation as you go. Download Change Collective on iOS and sign up online.

Get a fitness trainer

Like Sworkit, FitStar offers short workouts that you can do with guidance only from your phone. They bring a little more personalization to the training end with videos of actual trainers like NFL All-Star Tony Gonzalez. With a $40 year-long membership you can get FitStar Premium which gives you more customization options like choosing your body goals: get lean, get strong, daily dose or freestyle lessons. You can do all of the workouts without any equipment and without having to clear out your whole living room for space. Download FitStar on iOS and sign up online.

Daily Burn is offering a program designed by “Biggest Loser” trainer Bob Harper, so you know it’s going to be intense. It’s a full-body 60-day workout that Harper says is no trend. It’s his favorite way to train. It’s called Black Fire, but don’t worry. It’s not as scary as it sounds.

He designed the program to be scalable so you can get the most out of it whether you’re a beginner or a gym junkie. And, your whole workout only lasts 20 minutes. You will need some workout equipment, but you won’t need to dedicate a whole room to it or anything. Stream Blackfire on most TV, iOS and Android devices. See if yours is on the list.

Cycle on

If you’re cycling obsessed, it may be hard to stomach doing any other kind of work out, but you don’t need to hit up SoulCycle to get your fix. Zwift is a techy way to get in a good cycling workout and feel like you’re hitting the pavement, all from your house. All you have to do is put your bicycle on an indoor trainer set, then you connect devices that track your heart rate, speed and distance like a workout bike would. Now for the fun part.

When you’re using Zwift, you’re biking on scenic roads in a game against other people in the community where you can compete and ride with your friends while tracking your progress and hearing some voice motivation along the way. You can request an invite for Zwift to be part of the beta.

And there you were thinking that home workouts meant you had to stare at Richard Simmons for an hour everyday. Welcome to the future of home fitness, people.

Posted in Great Gadgets, Health & Fitness, TechNow

Most moms I know deserve a medal. But this Mother’s Day, anything totally awesome will do just fine. A homemade card. You cleaning the bathroom. A gorgeous gadget that will keep her connected with you. Here’s a veritable bouquet of the best fresh tech gifts for all kinds of moms.

START EVERY DAY WITH GORGEOUS FLOWERS

Here’s a way to let your mom wake up to fresh flowers every day of the year. The limited edition Soundfreaq Sound Rise Flower Freaq ($80) is a super modern wireless speaker, high-tech alarm clock and USB charging station bathed in a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers. Super Mom of seven — Cortney Novogratz — designed this with her business partner husband, Robert, specifically for Mother’s Day. The whole package says fun, hip, artsy and super cool. Anything that can help her manage her brood with such style, gets a huge thumbs-up from me!

FOR THE CHIEF MEMORY OFFICER MOM

Moms are often the “Chief Memory Officers” of the family. These days that means a little less scrapbooking and a little more iPhone Camera Roll organization. You can gift Mom peace of mind with this modern 1TB Vivint Space Monkey Drive ($150 for the drive plus $50 subscription). It automatically backs up photos the second she takes them on the hard drive and to the cloud. When she needs to make more space on her phone, two taps makes sure they’re safely stored, then deletes them off her phone. She can back up more than 300,000 photos and access them right from the Space Money App any time she wants to take a trip down Memory Lane.

While Space Monkey works its magic at home, the teeny-tiny 128GB Sandisk iXpand Flash Drive ($149) is small enough to slip into a purse or pocket and still hold all the photos, videos and documents near and dear to Mom’s heart. It plugs directly into an iPhone or iPad and can automatically back up an epic amount of information: 3 million documents, 50,000 photos, 18,000 videos or two years’ worth of music (played 24/7 for all 730 days). The real beauty of this device for busy moms: no more running out of space on her smartphone and missing the moment her child scores a goal. (Not that I would know about that personally or anything … cough … cough.)

Even with all these great gadgets to secure, store and save our most prized memories, there are days when we have to print out a photo right away. The new Polaroid Zip Instant Mobile Printer ($130) makes that a snap. The palm-sized printer uses Bluetoothto connect with your mobile device and prints out your favorite photos in less than a minute. It’s just like an old Polaroid, but it works with a smartphone! You don’t even have to wave the 2 x 3 print in the wind to get the picture to appear or worry about smudging it because it uses Zink zero-ink printing. There’s also peel-off backing on the prints, so you can turn them into stickers. I am in love with this gadget!

THE GADGET GRANDMAS GO GAGA OVER

Since I’m completely stuck on photos this year, let me add one more — the first Wi-Fi digital photo frame designed with complete non-techies in mind. (Hint: This is what I’m getting my own mom and mother-in-law!) With the Pigeon Frame ($119 ), you can send photos and videos straight to the digital display from an app on your smartphone. The magnetic frame displays the pictures from you, your kids or your siblings and has speakers to play video. Once it’s hooked up to Wi-Fi, you or your mom won’t have to be friends on Facebook to share photos anymore. My own daughter is very happy about that.

BLING IT ON

The Misfit Shine got a glam upgrade with the Misfit Swarovski Shine ($149, preorder). The activity tracker snaps right into the reversible crystal pendant or pairs with a bracelet. Nothing about it looks too fitness-y or techy, so it’s perfect for ladies who are not afraid of some glam. The Shine pairs with the Misfit app to log your sleep, food, weight and physical activity. Oh, and it’s solar powered, so she won’t have to worry about charging it. This is hands-down my No. 1 pick this year.

If Mom wants to track her notifications more than her fitness, Ringly ($195) is another great way to go. This statement bauble blinks and vibrates discreetly in unique ways for each different kind of notification. It looks like a stylish ring, but it’s actually a classy way for Mom to know what’s happening without staring at her phone.

HELP HER TAKE A LOAD OFF

A lot of moms tell me what they want most is a little help around the house this Mother’s Day. If you live in a major city such as San Francisco or Chicago, start-up Homejoy will help you book a certified cleaning pro in a few clicks, for as low as $25 per hour. Just tell them how many bedrooms and bathrooms, and someone can do it while you take Mom out to brunch. If Homejoy doesn’t service her city, check outAmazon Home Services. It recently teamed up with TaskRabbit and other professionals to offer everything from in-home deep cleaning to DIY furniture assembly and everything in between.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted in Digital Parenting, Girlfriend's Guide, Great Gadgets, TechNow

Most of us don’t think twice about trading in our smartphone for a newer one, just as soon as we can possibly afford it. I mean, really, buying a brand-spanking new i-anything is basically a promise to ourselves that we’ll be drooling over an even more awesome and amazing new i-something the second the next one comes out.

On the other hand, we have no problem living in the stone ages with a lot of our less sexy household gadgets, even long after they’ve reached their expiration date. Such as that toaster you got in college that cremates your toast. Or that hand-me-down microwave inherited from your parents in 1992. (I’m pretty sure the fireworks display you see every time you use it is not safe.) Sure, it still works — sort of — but some home gadgets may be overdue for an upgrade to save on electricity, time or just your own sanity.

VACUUMS

If you’re still sporting a vacuum from the 1960s, its retro charm isn’t doing you any favors in the dust-busting department. Since then, vacuums have not only lost their bags, but they’ve seriously amped up on suction.

Dyson’s Cinetic Big Ball is bagless and filterless, which means less nasty cleanup. It even claims to be the only vacuum to never lose suction because of it’s super innovative cyclone technology, so it’s catching all of those nasty, microscopic particles as small as pollen and mold spores and emitting Hepa-filtered air simultaneously. Prices start at $600 for Dyson’s trademarked Cinetic science.

If you can’t justify spending that much on a vacuum, then Soniclean has a more affordable option that’s still an upgrade from your carpet-brushing dust bags. TheirSoniclean VT Plus is $199 and relies on sonic vibrations to suck up all of the hidden dirt, dust, and other gross stuff from deep inside your rugs and carpets.

IRONS

Irons can cost you as little as $15, so it may seem hard to justify an investment in a nicer one. I get it. But if wrinkles are your kryptonite and you want the convenience of a once-over rather than having to press — and repress — your wardrobe, the Oliso Smart Iron ($99) with iTouch is worth a look. It’s got way more than just a steam feature. The heating plate is super powerful, and the steam comes in horizontally and vertically, creating a crosshatch effect of double steam action. The real techy part is the iTouch technology. The handle of the iron knows when your hand is on it and when it’s not, three little Scorchguard feet pop out, lifting it from your ironing board. Where was this when I burned an iron-sized hole in my daughter’s first communion dress a few minutes before we had to leave the house?

TOASTERS

The function of your average, two-slot, metal toaster is pretty straightforward, but there are toasters that get really innovative when it comes to how and what they cook. TheBreville Die-Cast Smart Toaster ($129) grabs and lowers your food like a tiny elevator, and you can even check on it mid-toast to make sure you don’t wind up with burnt breakfast. There’s even a quirky “A bit more” button that will lower your bread again for a bit more toasting. It comes in two- and four-slice models with slots wide enough for bagels, too.

If you want to get even more techy with your bread, you can watch it while it’s toasting in this glass-encased number from Magimix. It’s called the Vision Toaster ($280) for obvious reasons, and it heats with quartz parts instead of metal ones. If you don’t care to see your toast in action, you can go with the Kitchenaid Proline Toaster ($399), which will take the reigns for you. Toast can get cold really fast, so the Proline keeps it warm until you’re ready to eat it. How considerate.

MICROWAVES

In college, it was how you cooked all of your meals and now you use to it to defrost, reheat and maybe even cook some Top Ramen in a pinch. I know, your trusty microwave has always been there for you, but maybe it’s time to let it go for something such as the MAID Oven ($449).

The MAID Oven raised more than double it’s $50,000 goal on Kickstarter last year and for good reason. It’s a microwave and convection oven in one, which means it can cook pretty much anything from cakes to your leftover pizza. It’s a super smart gadget that’s connected to an Internet database of recipes, can respond to voice and gesture controls and even adjusts the temperature to prevent overcooking. It may not make you a better cook, but it will at least give you less reasons to burn things.

BLENDERS

If you’re using your blender only for margarita happy hour, you deserve better. Blenders can whip up way more than cocktails and with the right one, you’re on your way to feeling like a sous chef. The Cuisinart Blender and Cook Soupmaker ($150) says it all right there in the name. You can make your breakfast smoothie and your lunchtime soup all with one gadget. Other than blending ice and swirling up sauces, this blender has a heating component, so you can bring your soup from a boil to a simmer all without taking it to the stove.

You can’t beat the blending power of a Blendtec ($480). If you’re looking to turn your kitchen into your own personal Jamba Juice, this one will have you blending like the pros with its programmed blend cycles and sliding speed control. The “Will it blend?” trend has taught us it can blend much more than food if you’re into that sort of thing.

FANS

It’s almost time to pull out your floor fans. You know, the ones with giant rotating blades that sound like a helicopter is doing circles in your living room? Before you haul out that dust magnet for another scalding summer, you may want to check out Dyson’s Air Multiplier Fans. They look like a really classy version of a floor fan, minus the blades. Air circulates through its ring, giving off a consistent, cool breeze without a ton of noise. They come in tabletop or floor models with prices starting at $300.

Whether it’s to save money and time or just to stop burning your toast, some simple home gadget upgrades could seriously make you wonder how you’ve lived so long without them.

When we did the video that goes with this column, I hit up Nextdoor.com to see what kinds of old appliances my neighbors had lying around. The results were pretty awesome. If you haven’t seen an old leather bellows hand-vacuum from the 1900s, it’s worth taking a look.

Posted in Great Gadgets, TechNow, Tips & Tricks

For parents, Spring Break is just a dry run for summer. Do you have enough activities to keep the kids occupied — in a guilt-free way — or will you have to end up at the public pool every single day? Will you be able to run errands without going absolutely nuts? If you load up your smartphone or tablet with these apps, you may just spare yourself some tantrums … from yourself and your kid.

For Ages 0-2

If you’re a parent of a newborn, you may think that putting your kid in front of an iPad is Bad Parenting 101, but with simple apps built just for little babes you can give them a few minutes of the same kind of stimulation they get from other toys — without having to bring a suitcase full of of them wherever you go.

1. Baby’s Musical Hands: Did all of that Baby Bach pay off? Is your baby showing signs of being the next musical prodigy? Do you want them to? Baby’s Musical Hands doesn’t require that your baby be a prodigy, but it may stimulate them right to the preschool spotlight. Your little one just taps on colored squares in three colors. Each color makes a different instrument sound and as your baby taps, not only do they play a symphony (probably one only a mother could love), but they leave trails of stars on the screen so it’s still fun when muted. The app is available on Android and iOS.

2. Baby Bubbles: There’s a line in the movie Knocked Up that rings true for any parent, “I wish I loved anything as much as my kids love bubbles.” Paul Rudd was spot on, which is what makes this app so brilliant. Bubbles come up from the bottom of the screen, and your baby pops them with a pleasant satisfaction of a “pop” noise. It’s kind of like Fruit Ninja without the sense of urgency or samurai swords. The app is available on on iOS for free.

For ages 2-5

There called the Terrible Twos for a reason. While your kid is enduring misunderstood years of toddler-hood, there will be moments when you want to entertain them with something that’s not TV. These apps will help them get interactive.

3. Vine Kids: There’s something that’s already so infantile about Vine. Super short videos. Easy laughs. But having your kids play with Vine is putting them within swipe’s reach of seeing something very NSFW. Vine’s solution is Vine Kids. Every video is kid-friendly cartoon or video and kids can swipe left or right to see new Vines. When they tap on the screen, they’ll hear fun noises. The app is available on iOS.

4. Disney Color and Play: Back in my day, the only way to bring our coloring book drawings to life was to make them into paper dolls. Are paper dolls still a thing? Anyway, this app from Disney works with pages from the Disney Color and Play Coloring Book. After they color a character in the book, they hover the app over their picture and watch the character come to life on screen. The app features characters from Sofia the First, Big Hero 6, Doc McStuffins and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. It’s available on iOS.

Ages 5-7

Too old for alphabet apps, but too young for Words With Friends? Here are some more options that will occupy your kid’s mind while also dropping some knowledge.

5. Toca Nature: I’m not sure why more adult games don’t look like this. Compared to Farmville, this is a digital masterpiece. In this fanciful pastel-colored forest, your kids build and explore with no points to be won. They can plant things and watch them grow while they create new climates for new creatures. The best part is that it’s so zen, your kids won’t get too hyped up or frustrated. The app is available on iOS for $3.

6. YouTube Kids: Children’s videos on YouTube is where the real viral action is at because kids will watch the same video over and over and over again. YouTube tapped into the kids market with their new kids app that features a collection of videos for little ones. From Sesame Street and Yo Gabba Gabba to puppet videos and train videos, your kids can surf through a simple interface with large icons and you can chill out knowing that all of the videos are okay for kids. The app is available on iOS andAndroid for free.

7. Brainzy Math and Reading Program: If you want to keep your kids learning outside the classroom, this is one of the funnest ways to do it. The program comes with 300 games and 50 songs and stories made by the people at Education.com. The games are silly enough to be fun, with the learning parts snuck in there. You can even check out your what your kid’s been up to on the Progress Dashboard. The app is availablevia any Chrome, Firefox or Safari browser for $4/month.

For Ages 7-10

These may be the final, precious years before your little ones becomes a Vine star or an Instagram master. Here are the apps that will keep them young.

8. Masterpiece for Osmo: This app/gadget will make your coloring book collection look like old news. Just snap the Osmo device onto your iPad and download the app, then your kids can take photos of people or objects and the app will change the picture into lines so it’s easy for them to trace. They trace the image on paper and as they draw, the image is filled in on screen. They can color, print and send their own artwork by themselves and before you know it, you’re raising the next Van Gogh. The app is available on iOS for free, the Osmo gadget package is $79.

9. Epic! If you can’t dish out money for all of the magazine subscriptions and books that your kids wants, this digital library is a great solution. From National Geographic Kids to Batman Vs Catwoman, they can flip through thousands of ebooks and earn badges the more that they read. If your kids are a little younger, you can choose from the read-to-me selection of narrated books instead. Your kids can rate their favorites and the app will make selections of what to read next. The app is available on iOS for free orright in your browser.

10. Dumb Ways to Die: This is one for the older kids, but this game is really clever, funny and has a really eye-catching design. It’s your simple task-based game taking your kid on new challenges to avoid uncertain cartoonish death. It’s a fun, light-hearted alternative to super graphic shoot-em-ups for your more mature kids. It’s available for free on iTunes and Android.

Full Disclosure:

***Disney has sponsored a small portion of production fees for video appearing on this blog site.***

SPONSORED POST GUIDELINES: Articles that are denoted “sponsored by” an advertiser cover topics that serve the goals of the advertiser, *but are not dictated, reviewed, or edited* by said advertiser. The editorial content therein is developed independently and does not contain opinion or marketing content from the advertiser.

Posted in Connected Kids, Digital Parenting, Girlfriend's Guide, Great Gadgets, In The Press, Sponsored

**I wrote this as a sponsored guest post for WorldMate and it originally appeared on their blog site.**

The best travelers are totally organized. They have their itineraries at their fingertips, like magic, and know exactly where they have to be when, every step of the way. And then, there’s me. I forget to check-in early, lose important information – like my flight number – and have even shown up at the wrong airport on the wrong day. I could blame it on mommy-brain or on being blonde, but the truth is, I’m frazzled and busy and tired – just like a lot of people traveling these days. I just need a little extra help from time to time. Or a clone.

You know that movie with George Clooney where he travels all the time, Up in the Air? That’s kind of my life, minus the grim-reaper firing people part. I travel an average of 10,000 miles a month for work as an on-air consumer technology contributor for USA Today, the Today Show, CNN, Meredith Vieira, and many others. Sounds glamorous, right? Ha!

As you may very well know, traveling for work is often downright brutal. I’m a mom first and foremost – which means that I try to make work and travel have zero impact on my family. I’ll take the red-eye to New York, appear on a show, and fly back to San Francisco that same day (unless I accidentally go to LaGuardia instead of JFK – been there, done that). Or, I’ll do 30 appearances in five cities in three days. I’m also a small business owner, so I have to run a tight ship – keep on top of everything and try to keep costs down. I not only try to find the best travel deals, but I make all my own arrangements. Nope, no assistants. Just me and modern technology … juggling it all. I like to think of myself as a Road Warrior Rockstar. (That’s what I secretly call myself to weather anything that comes my way up in the air, or on the road. Don’t judge, it helps, it really does.)

What tools do I use to stay (mostly) sane on the go? Here’s a quick list of what’s on my smartphone or in my bookmarks bar right this very second:
· I love using Hopper to predict the best time to snag a flight deal. It analyzes billions of airfares daily to sniff-out a price drop – then alerts you so that you can grab it.

· For a small fee, site Options Away basically lets you put a flight on hold. You can lock in an airfare as much as three weeks ahead of when you actually buy the ticket. Then, if the price drops, you automatically get the cheaper faire.

· For booking that trip of a lifetime, I like Zyppos – an online sight where registered experts (aka travel hackers) help you find the perfect flight, best itinerary, and lowest fare – all in exchange for a $20-$40 finder’s fee/reward.

· GateGuru always leads me right to the closest XpresSpa so that I can get a quick neck massage before jumping on the plane.

· And for traveling like a local, there’s Localeur. It solicits advice from the people who know a place best – the locals – to find awesomely authentic places to go, where to eat, and fun things to do.

And of course, there’s WorldMate. You already knew that I was going to say that because why else would they let me rant about all my travel on their blog – right? Yep, it’s true, I actually can’t imagine how I could travel so much without it. I use it to automatically organize all my flights, hotels, car rentals, meetings, and every other pesky trip detail into one single itinerary. I also rely on the abundance of other tools within the app as well, including exclusive hotel deals and car rental offers, integrated weather forecasts, local hot-spot searches, flight schedules lookup, and even social integration with LinkedIn. It’s this kind of technology that lets me navigate my always-changing, chaotic, challenging, and downright frenetic travel schedule – so that I still have time left to be hands-on mom, successful businesswoman, Road Warrior Rockstar, and generally cool human (in my own mind at least).

You’ve read this far? Well then you get a big fat reward. WorldMate is giving the first 50 readers who email them a free GOLD membership – just for reading this blog post. Email jennifergavemegold@worldmate.com with “yes,” then download the app, and you’ll be on your way to become a Travel Warrior Rockstar too. Or you can give yourself your own fierce name. Either way, it’s a cool tool that you’ve just gotten for the price of reading this post. Happy Travels!
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Be sure to follow me @JenniferJolly on Twitter.

Posted in Girlfriend's Guide, Great Gadgets, Sponsored, Tips & Tricks

I know it might not feel like it where you live — but Spring is right around the corner — and with it comes the perfect time to clean up, clear out, and de-clutter your favorite go-to gadgets. Here are a handful of top tips to tidy up your tech:

1. Free up space on your smartphone

Smartphones fill-up fast with all our photos, videos, games, music, apps — and all of that overflowing information slows your phone, and your life, down. It can even cost you big bucks, according to electronics trade-in company NextWorth, which reports that trying to keep your entire digital life on your device often “forces you to buy the larger version of your chosen smartphone or pay extra to back it up.” No thanks.

One easy way to deal with that digital deluge is to back it up to the cloud. By saving to iCloud, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or Dropbox (among others), you’re giving yourself instant insurance that all your files are backed up if you lose or break your phone, and that you’re not clogging up connected life with a bunch of extra junk. You can also back up to a hard drive or right to your computer, but I like the cloud because I can still access to all my important data anytime, from any device. Setup is simple, typically accessible right through your settings menu or through an app like Dropbox.

But is the cloud safe? If you’re worried about security in the wake of that Hollywood nudey photo breach, it might be comforting to know that the popular cloud storage services like Google Drive and OneDrive encrypt files as they pass between your device and the cloud servers, so you really don’t need to worry about some creeper peeping at your photos as they zip down the information superhighway. Be sure to use two-step authentication if possible, create a complicated password (not 1,2,3,4 or your pets name), and enable a tool like Find My iPhone to wipe your device clean if it does fall into the wrong hands.

If you’re so fed up that you want to kill your phone, you can always do a factory reset after you’ve backed it up. That wipes out all of your personal data, apps, contacts, and everything else that you’ve crammed onto it since you brought it home from the store. But, this is a desperate measure, so it should be your last resort.

2. Put your start screen to work for you

If it takes you more than a few seconds or taps to find exactly what you need when you need it, you’re wasting your precious time. Organizing your start screen is simple and won’t take more than 10 minutes or so. The trick is to put the apps and tools that you use every single day on the home screen — and nothing else. Move all related apps or tiles into groups and name it something that makes sense to you, such as “everyday,” “fitness,” “shopping,” and so on. Some people create file names based on actions such as “learn,” “listen,” “watch,” “share.” That’s a good way to do it as well. The key is to figure out what works best for you. Move your most important groups to the far left, where they’re always visible. Move games and less important apps on your device to a second or third page. Take a few minutes every couple months to delete apps you don’t use anymore, and organize or re-arrange the ones you do. You’ll be amazed how much this helps your overall productivity.

3. Clean up cord chaos

It happens to all of us — messy wires, tangled chargers, and completely cluttered cords. There are a dozen simple fixes for this, starting with wireless charging plates and docks. I’ve just reviewed the Nokia DT-903 ($59), which is a colorful and powerful new version of Qi charger for Lumia phones. These kinds of charging plates have been around for a handful of years already, but the DT-903 kicks things up a notch with LEDs that let you know if when you’re getting an incoming message or alert. I’m also a big fan of several of the Quirky cord management tools like the Converge ($59.99) dock and Cordies ($4.99) organizer. Poppin ($30) makes another great hideaway cord box. I’ve also used dresser drawer organizers that I picked up at Bed Bath & Beyond to organize all my different chargers as well.

4. Disinfect your gross gadgets
You might have heard, your smartphone is bacteria-magnet. One recent study shows the average cellphone often carries 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats. Gross, but true. (And to think you put it up to your face how many times a day?!)

There are a ton of wireless wipes available to disinfect and clean your phone, but if you want to save money, using a little water and alcohol or water and vinegar mixture sprayed onto a microfiber cloth can do the trick as well.

I also just reviewed a new kickstarter-funded product called the UviCube ($199 via Kickstarter, $299 retail). It’s a new breed of appliance that can safely sanitize all your electronic gear with high-intensity ultraviolet light. It’s kind of like a mini dishwasher, minus the heat and water, for your go-to gadgets. It was originally created to sanitize baby bottles, but the makers figured out that also spiffs up remote controls, keyboards, tablets, and smartphones — effectively killing 99.9 percent of germs — without damaging any sensitive electronic components. It’s expensive now, since it’s brand new, but expect to see more and more of these kinds of supertech scrubbers popping up for gadget loving germaphobes over the new few years.

5. Clean up clutter on your computer

If your computer is crawling along at a snail’s pace, stuck on the spinning wheel of death, now’s the time to wipe out the digital dust bunnies. The first thing to do is stop putting off updates that might be critical to keeping your computer safe and sound. If you’ve been pressing “remind me tomorrow” on software or app update notifications for weeks at a time, that might be your biggest problem. Updates often fix bug or holes in security, productivity, and the overall health your programs.

Now then, what else is slowing your computer down? When’s the last time you dumped your trash? Do that now. Are you completely clogged with duplicate or junk files, or even worse, malware or viruses? That’s the next thing to check. With a Mac, you can use a free tool such as Avast, or Sophos Antivirus for Mac. For Windows, try Malwarebytes, BitDefender Free Edition, Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool and SuperAntiSpyware. CCleaner is another good download that works with both Windows and Mac to clear out temp files and free up space on your laptop or desktop.

Typically when I run these scans, I have a massive mess of duplicate files. Just cleaning those up frees up tons of space and makes everything run faster right away. But, before you start wiping stuff out, back it up. Consider buying that external hard drive or added online cloud storage space and upload your old files, then delete them from your laptop or desktop to create more space.

Fresh and clean
You don’t need to wait to dig out from under snow or freezing temps to get a head-start on clearing the cobwebs from your connected life. Be sure to let us know if you have any questions in the comments section below.
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Posted in Girlfriend's Guide, Great Gadgets, TechNow, Tips & Tricks, Top tech news

Does what you wear on the mountain make a difference in your ability – especially if your just a once or twice a year skier in general? What’s come out in the last two years that’s blowing everyone away? We find out, in a Tech Now coming up.

Posted in Connected Kids, Digital Parenting, Girlfriend's Guide, Great Gadgets, In The Press, TechNow, TechStyled, Tips & Tricks, Top tech news, What The Tech

I have a confession. I’m a little bit addicted to this year’s top tech toys for kids. And by a “little bit,” I really mean: “completely and totally and it might be time for an intervention.” This year, the best of the bunch lands smack-dab in the center of the modern toy-trifecta, blending the best of online activity with real hands-on play. Here are my very favorites:

Activision Skylanders Trap Team

A few years ago nobody knew what “Skylanders” were, but it took all of about one hot second for these colorful figurines to become one of the best-selling brands for kids nationwide. Kids collect the Skylanders action figures, set them on the glowing portal, and watch as the character magically appears in the Skylanders video game. It basically brings toys to life … or life to toys. Either way, it’s super cool.

Skylanders Trap Team ($74.99) is the fourth installment of the fantastical franchise, and the first to work with a tablet. You trap villains in the “Traptanium” and then use them to help you fight against the evil Kaos. This is an insanely fun toy/game and my daughter literally has to pry the controller from my cold, cramped hands. I just love this new game, and chances are both you and your kids will too. And since it’s on a tablet, parents, you can have the TV back. Bonus.

Osmo

Let’s be honest, even your youngest kids spend as much time on a tablet as you do, so you might as well combine the digital games they love with real puzzle pieces, word games, and drawings that build skills they can use for life. Osmo ($79) lets you do just that. Just slide your tablet into the Osmo base unit, snap the reflector onto the camera, and watch as the games they play with their hands appear magically on the tablet screen. Sure, it’s kind of like tricking them into playing with real toys for a change, but there’s no harm in that, right?

Sony PlayStation 4

Gaming bundles are great deals right now, and this one is one of my favorites. The PlayStation 4 Limited Edition Destiny Bundle in Glacier White ($449) combines the most powerful game console currently available, with a #1 best-selling game. Add to that a whole bunch of extras like multiplayer maps, strike missions and exclusive content, and you have a tough-to-beat deal.

Legos

Legos have come a long way since the days when they were just a bucket of brightly colored blocks. LEGO Technic sets (starting at $39) let kids create some amazingly intricate wheeled thingamajiggy’s, complete with moving parts, and they bring a tablet along for the ride. Every Technic set includes a digital build guide with 3D models of every single brick, showing where it goes and how to place it perfectly. It turns the actual building into a game itself, and it’s the perfect gift for the creative kid on your list.

Building isn’t just for boys, and GoldieBlox turns those tired old gender roles completely on their head. GoldieBlox kits encourage young girls to build, experiment and create all kinds of amazing things. The Movie Machine kit ($29) is my favorite — it teaches kids how to shoot their own movie using the GoldieBlox tablet app. They can draw their own animations and merge it all into their very own short film.

LeapTV

Kids of all ages love video games, but most parents worry their youngsters will turn into tuned out little thumb-twitchers who forget to get off the couch for days at a time. LeapFrog’s LeapTV is a game system ($149) specifically made for kids ages 3 to 8 that’s leading the charge on another major new trend of toys that focus on physical activity and healthy lifestyle. With this game, kids engage in a bunch of fun, active games such as Disney adventures, super hero crime fighting, sports and dance.

Last fall, I went to LeapFrog Enterprises‘ Emeryville, Calif., headquarters to get a rare, behind-the-curtain glimpse into how this particular toy and the LeapBand (more about it below), were made and molded, in large part by the brutally honest feedback of preschool product testers. The result of this painstaking attention to what’s actually important for kids is a tech toy that really does keep them off the couch and moving. The LeapTV controller is super easy to use and fits even the smallest hands, and you don’t need to worry about “mature” games sneaking in under the radar, as all of the LeapTV’s games are approved for young players.

Razer Scooter

I know you normally think of those aluminum kick scooters when you think of Razor, but the electric models are really where it’s at. The E200 ($199) — or E300 ($399) if you need some additional stability and muscle — are perfect for quick trips to the corner store or your kids’ short zip over to a friend’s house without wasting precious gas. They can hit speeds of up to 15 mph and can speed along for up to 40 minutes before needing a recharge. And don’t kid yourself, they’re just plain fun to ride, too. Of all the gadgets that come through our home throughout the year, this is my own daughter’s favorite. Just be sure to get your kids a helmet for this one, as a new study shows scooters leading the toy-injury pack.

Tablet

There’s no getting around it: Kids absolutely love tablets. The games, the touchscreen and the compact design makes them super addictive, but sometimes they’re a little too intense. There are several kid-friendly tablet options out there that are easy on the eyes and the wallet. There’s the VTech InnoTab ($59) for the very young, the Nabi Jr.($99) for the preteens, and the Kindle HD Kids Edition ($149) for the ones old enough to be trusted online.

Toymail Mailmen

Ok, I confess: This one is partly for your kids and partly for you, the parents. The Toymail Mailmen ($59) are super cute, super durable characters your kids can play with all day long, but they have a secret. These quirky toys are actually Wi-Fi walkie talkies that you can use to check in with your youngsters wherever in the house — or world — they might be. The adult can use an app on their smartphone, and kids get the message through the toy right away. It’s a pretty sweet way to keep in touch and the kids can even reply right from the toy itself.

Bands for kids

Kids love to mimic everything their parents are doing, and since smartwatches and fitness bands are about to take over your own wrist it’s only a matter of time before the same happens to your children. The Leapfrog Leap Band ($29) is all about activity, and encourages kids to get up and play in an active way, and the VTech Kidizoom smartwatch ($49) is a durable wrist gadget with built-in games, a voice recorder and even a camera. Wait a second, that thing is more impressive than my watch!

With this many great gadgets made with kids in mind your biggest challenge might be trying to keep from buying something for yourself. Don’t worry, if the temptation is too much you’re secret is safe with me.

Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech contributor and host of USA TODAY’s digital video show TECH NOW. E-mail her attechcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenniferJolly.

Posted in Connected Kids, Great Gadgets, TechNow

Posted in Girlfriend's Guide, Great Gadgets, Health & Fitness, TechNow, TechStyled

You can have a conversation with your iPhone, your car can give you directions to the nearest sushi joint, and your fridge can send tweets — so why is your bike still stuck in the dark ages? In this world of smart everything, where everyone is racing to get every gadget, appliance, and vehicle connected and communicating, the Vanhawks Valour is the first totally smart bicycle.

I took this new-age bike for an actual test-ride — hopping on, pushing off, rolling over, around, under and through — to find out first-hand where rubber meets the road with this crafty new commuter-cycle concept. The bike’s 20-year-old co-creator Ali Zahid also guided me to the future of biking. In its debut on Kickstarter, the Valour raked in nearly $700,000, (as of last check) well past its original goal of just $100,000. So what makes it so special?

For starters, it’s absolutely loaded with sensors and smart bits that should make your ride more enjoyable and heck of a lot safer. It provides turn-by-turn directions via built-in LED lightup turn signals on the handlebars, blind spot detection so you don’t get squished by a rampaging pizza truck, and it pairs with your smartphone to tell you how far you’ve ridden and how many calories you’ve scorched.

And don’t worry about it running out of juice. There’s no motor or external charging to speak of. Simply ride it at least an hour a week and the crafty cycle converts your pedaling into all the power it needs. Talk about green energy!

Even without all the cool “smart” stuff, it’s a sturdy, smooth, easy handling mid-range carbon fiber bike, the kind a commuter could make an investment in. The cycle — which is available in either a fixed gear or internal gear hub setup — will actually get even smarter over time, learning to warn you of potholes and suggesting route changes to make your commute as smooth as possible.

The Valour and its app will feed information to a connected network, sharing what it learns with other riders and vice versa. If a Valour rider experiences a particularly treacherous trip down a particular route, your bike could tell you to avoid it, choosing a safer and slicker path to your destination. It’s a ridiculously awesome idea that takes crowdsourced data to a whole new level.

The network can even help you hunt down your bike if it’s stolen. If you flag your bike as stolen in the app, other Valour bikes will automatically keep a look out for your ride. If another Valour rider happens to cross paths with your stolen bike, the network will immediately notify you of its location, giving you a fighting chance at reclaiming your property. It’s like “Find My iPhone” for your bike.

For carbon fiber, the frame weighs nearly 16 pounds, which is actually pretty heavy when you’re talking about fancy bikes. My Cervelo road bike, for instance, weighs a whole lot less, but costs a great deal more ($4,500 versus $1,000). The Valour’s added weight comes from the frame being one continuous mold, versus being several parts glued together. Zahid said being one mold keeps the costs down and is a better skeleton for the internal sensors.

The road for smart connected bikes is wide open, and the Valour is approaching its debut rapidly. It’s expected to hit the streets this October and retail for around $1,000 depending on your taste in gears. Ride on!

Posted in Great Gadgets, TechNow