There were an estimated 20,000 new gadgets on display at CES 2017 in Las Vegas. Some are the very devices we’ll fork over fistfuls when they hit store shelves later this year. Others provide an exciting glimpse of wildly futuristic new concepts to come.

And then, there’s the rest of it.

Here are some of the oddest and awesom-est gadgets I went hands-on with this year.

Toyota Yui Concept

Remember Nightrider’s Kitt car? That’s what it was like taking Toyota’s crazy new Concept-i Yui car for a virtual spin. Hands-down the coolest experience of the show for me, this ultra-futuristic auto read my emotions through camera sensors, monitored everything around us, and slammed on the breaks long before I even realized that a woman stepped off the curb in front of us. It even said “Hello!” to passersby or “Watch out!” to people tailing a little too close. When we hit an open stretch of highway, the seat reclined and small rollers built-in to the backrest gave me a massage. Toyota says Yui is what driving will be like in 2030, but I’m hoping it’s even sooner than that. A car that pampers you? Yes please!

Kino-Mo Hypervsn

Kino-mo had me hooked at first glance with its floating 3D “holographic” Pikachu. This London-based company drew some of the biggest crowds in the Eureka Park startup area, and for good reason: The incredibly colorful and realistic looking displays of everything from fast food to famous entrepreneur Mark Cuban made us all believe that holograms are finally here! While not technically an actual hologram, these 3D visuals float and move in mid-air just like the real thing, using a patented combo of high speed fans, magnets, LED’s and projectors. They’re used in advertising for now, so we can only hope to have them in our homes soon too.

Parihug Plushies

I miss my family like crazy whenever I’m away from home like I was all week for CES, and that’s where a little stuffed animal called Pari comes in. No matter where you happen to be in the world, give your Pari a squeeze and it sends a “hug” to a connected companion plushie for your loved one to receive. The hugs range from mild short vibrations to longer, stronger, more intense haptic feedback “embraces.” No two human hugs are the same, and neither are hugs from Parihug — they vary in intensity and duration just like the real deal. I’ll stick with a Facetime call for now, but Parihug is undeniably adorable.

Aluma Connect

On a more serious note, smartphones are safety gadgets for millions of us every day, but in a personal emergency they’re not always as helpful as they could be. Aluma Connect showcased a credit card-sized security device that attaches to the back of your phone and sync with a special app, creating a super-powered safety net. There’s a silent alarm button built in that sends notifications to your friends and family as well as an audible siren to deter attackers. The battery provides a full year of protection on a single charge. You can sign up on the company’s website for an alert when the price and launch date are revealed. I’m ordering one for myself, my daughter, and my mom right away!

In&motion Wearable Airbags

When In&motion strapped its wearable airbag vest on me I didn’t know what to expect. Then, with a tap of a smartphone, it instantly inflated with giant whoosh and great big bang. It scared the bejeezus out of me — and everyone on the showroom floor. But if I was taking a tumble down a snowy ski hill or getting bucked off an angry horse, it’s the exact right thing to protect my torso and keep my upper body intact! In&motion makes these for motorcyclists, horseback riders, and extreme sports enthusiasts, and it’s sending its first 500 vests to eager testers soon — for free.

Wair pollution scarf

Fashion statement or funky air filter, aw hell, why not make a gadget that’s both? That’s exactly what French company Wair did with a high-tech scarf that aims to protect you from air pollution. On a clear day, just wrap the silky accessory around your neck and shoulders and look all spiffy as you go about your business. The scarf constantly measures the quality of ambient air and sends an alert to your smartphone when it’s time to cover up. If that happens, you just pull the scarf over your nose and mouth, and let the built-in fan and air-filtration system do its thing. As weird as this sounds, I could actually see using it in big cities around the world — especially if I commite by bike.

Spartan undies

Yes, “booth babes” are still a thing. But the scantily-clad models in their skivvies at Spartan Underwear’s corner of CES looked a whole lot different than the rest of the show…because they were dudes. The guys were showing off undies that protect “down undy” from the radiation created by smartphones and wifi antennas. Spartan says its boxer-briefs have silver fibers weaved into the cotton that block nearly 100% of wireless radiation from being absorbed. Since science still hasn’t decided if those waves are harmful or not, keeping them away from the baby-making body parts could very well be a “better safe than sorry” move. Guys can pick up Spartan boxers right now, starting at $45.

Spinali Smart Shorts

The “booth babes” at fashion company Spinali’s CES showcase weren’t just there as eye candy either, they were wearing smart Daisy-Duke’that actually vibrate to give you directions. The weird wearable syncs with your phone and nudges one side of your waist or the other to tell you where and when to turn. It’s a bizarre way to find your way around a city, especially if you have your phone with you anyway. Spinali doesn’t have a launch date yet, but it’s already got full-length smart jeans for sale, so it probably won’t be long before the short-shorts also hit the shelves too.

Smartcane by Dring

Seniors have been forgotten by the “smart” tech revolution for way too long, and now they’re getting some attention with the Smartcane. But before you roll your eyes, don’t worry: this cane doesn’t play Spotify or flash like a disco ball, it’s actually a really helpful tool for caregivers to monitor the activity of their elderly clients, and it can even send alerts to family or friends if it falls over, which could signal potential problems. There’s no release date or price yet, but you can sign up for updates on the company’s website.

Roli Blocks

Every year I look at my bucket list and see “learn to play an instrument,” and every year I forget to find the time. Roli’s Blocks are the first gadget I’ve seen that lets you play music even if you have no idea how. It’s a mini modular music studio that gives beginners a huge jump start so that you can playing right away. Just connect the Roli Blocks to your iPhone via Bluetooth and customize the LED lighted touchpads with whatever combinations of sounds you want. When I tapped a few times, actual music came out — and it didn’t sound like a dying chicken. I was in awe. You can buy Roli Blocks now online or in Apple Stores, starting at $179.95.

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

Some people live for the sites, sounds, and WWE-esque smackdowns of holiday shopping. I am not one of them. I would rather wait in line all day at the DMV on my birthday (and in my birthday suit even) than so much as touch a toe in a mall on Black Friday.

This year, my goal is buy every single present from my smartphone or laptop. No traffic. No crowds. No bad holiday music. Oh, and I also want to know I’m getting the best deals on everything. Of course.

For that — I  scoured the world over for the tips, tricks and genius insider secrets of the world’s smartest online shoppers. Here’s what I’ve learned in a handy top 10 list — sure to have us all #winning online shopping this Christmas and beyond!

#10. Just save money: Honey

Buzzfeed called this one the “Lazy Online Shopping Trick Actually Saves You A Ton Of Money.” I call it: Heaven. Honey is like a magic coupon robot that automatically fills in the best money-saving discount code for tons of online stores — including Amazon. Just download the web plug-in, shop like normal, and when you get to the checkout, Honey shows you if there’s a cheaper price somewhere else and/or stacks up coupon-codes galore. It’s brilliant — almost an embarrassment of riches!

My savings so far: $127 (across three gifts)

#9. Stalk your own inbox: Shopami

Do you have any idea how many Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals emails are already in your inbox? Neither did I, until I downloaded this absolutely genius little app that connected to my email accounts, and scanned for discounts or deals, gathered them together, and led me down the path to save, save, save.  So far, I’ve seen big bucks off for Puma, North Face, and M.A.C. cosmetics.

My savings so far: $28

#8. Just Google (shopping) it.

If you’re like me, and often start and end with Amazon for all your online shopping, it pays to check get into the Google Shopping groove too. According to price intelligence firm 360pi, Google Shopping featured lower prices last month for nearly 60% of Amazon’s 750 top-selling products.

My savings so far: none yet, because I just found out about this!

#7. Let the bots: Watch A Deal

Speaking of Amazon, it does have some amazing upcoming Lightning Deals. Those are the digital version of a Doorbuster, and can slice up to 90% of the price of holiday gifts. But the limited-time sales can be tough to catch. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can get a sneak-peek of the daily Lightning Deals a half-hour before they’re going to happen through the Amazon app. Also, Amazon Deals on Twitter brings every new price drop to your Twitter timeline the moment they happen! Set your Twitter notifications to make sure you see ‘em first!

My savings so far: about one hours of FOMO!

#6.  Get savings after the fact:  Paribus

This is another awesome email add-on, but this one scans your inbox in search of shopping receipts and order confirmations. When it finds one, it snatches it for the future, and compares the price you paid with any current promotions. If you paid too much, or if those snuggly toe socks you just bought go on sale next week, Paribus automatically contacts the store and gets you a refund. It’s free to sign up, but Paribus takes 25% of whatever refunds it manages to win for you, and you need to give it full access to your email account, which might be a deal-breaker if you’re ultra privacy conscious.

My savings so far: $21.48

#5. Good Ole’ PAYPAL:

PAYPAL brings the simple and safe to whatever you’re shopping for: purchase protection, more security, and one-tap payments are a dream come true. It’s like having a little accountant in your pocket — instantly check the status of your payments, plan your budget, and even track your purchases after they’ve shipped, all from within the app.

My savings so far: hours of time and loads of sanity!

#4. Beat ‘em at their own sneaky tricks: abandoned carts and online haggling

Last week I did this three times: Log in to an online store, add what you want to a shopping cart, then go do something else. More often than not, retailers will email you an extra coupon code to entice you back and close the deal. Same with online haggling. You know when the little pop-up window comes up and asks if you have any questions? Say yes, and ask for a discount. Same rules apply as if you were doing this in person: Be nice and be willing to walk away. At the very least, ask if they have any special promotions or if they can tell you when they’re going to happen.

My savings so far: $360 on two area rugs from West Elm!

#3. Personal robot shoppers: eBay (iOS, Android)

Why on earth would you need eBay for Black Friday? I’ll let you in on a little secret: Not all Black Friday “deals” are really deals at all. If a Black Friday price beats what eBay sellers are listing for, you know you’ve found an utterly fantastic discount. And if you’re stumped on what to get someone, eBay’s brand new ShopBot on Facebook Messenger can help. It’s an digital assistant that speaks in plain language, not computer-speak, and it’ll ask you some questions and then give you seriously great gift ideas. You don’t live in the Matrix, but you might feel like after asking a robot for advice.

My savings so far: hours of time and loads of sanity!

#2. Cyber-security team: FakeSpot

It can be seriously hard to spot scams these days, even for someone who spends every waking moment on a digital screen like yours truly, but FakeSpot is great at separating great products from the frauds. FakeSpot can scan any Amazon listing and instantly know if any of the reviews are fake. Don’t fall for that $19.99 Gucci bag with five star reviews, because FakeSpot will tell you it’s all a bunch of hogwash. It’s a must-have for dedicated Amazon shoppers, and a great security blanket when you’re trying to nab those low holiday prices.

My savings so far: loads of sanity and a potential security breach!

#1. Special deal-finding agents: Deal Squad

Is there anything better than having someone else find a deal for you? Deal Squad by RetailMeNot is literally — and I really mean literally — a site where real people will scour the web to find the best price on whatever gifts you have your eye on. Just slap the webpage into the Deal Squad tool and let their team of sales sleuths sniff out the best price. Most people save 24% or more, which is a huge chunk of change, and it’s even more impressive that it’s a totally free service. What?!

My savings so far: $223.30 (on this Samsung TV)

Go forth online shoppers and be safe out there!

With these weapons in your shopping arsenal, you’ll be able to conquer your gift lists faster than you can say “I hate checkout lines,” but remember to be smart out there. If you see a deal land in your email or flying by your timeline on Facebook that seems sketchy — especially if it’s from a site you don’t recognize or haven’t heard of before — remember that some deals really are too good to be true. Throwing your credit card number into strange places is a recipe for a holiday disaster, and you might be helping some thief put a down payment on their new yacht instead of scoring that cheap iPhone you thought you bought.

Happy deal hunting — and be sure to share your genius online shopping hacks in the comments section below!

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Posted in Girlfriend's Guide, In The Press, Tips & Tricks, Top tech news, What The Tech

It’s that time of year again. And I have a million ideas for you, starting with some just all-out awesome stuff:

Lenovo Yoga Book: $499.99

Perfect for tweens, teens, on-the-go moms, and digital dads: this is the thinnest and lightest 2-in-1 hybrid notebook computer on the planet — and it comes packed with mad-skills.

• It’s like the Ginsu knife of PC’s: it bends, it folds, it flips, it types, it draws, it plays, it glows.
• This super-portable two-in-one laptop/tablet hybrid ditches a physical keyboard for a touch-sensitive surface that does double duty as a keyboard and digital sketchpad.
• Available in both Windows 10 and Android versions.
• Weighs just over 3-pounds. 10+ hour battery life.

This is the future of laptops!  Speaking of the future…

Samsung Gear VR $99

For the first time ever, this year’s holiday shopping lists are filled with requests for VR headset from kids and adults alike who want to give virtual reality a spin.

• Samsung’s Gear VR is my top choice as the best way to dive-into other worlds right now because it’s inexpensive, high-quality, portable, and a really comfortable fit overall.
• The Gear VR headset that works with newer model Samsung Galaxy smartphones like this S7 Edge. (Note 5 or newer.)
• You just pop in the smartphone, put it on and … see a completely new world that wasn’t there before, filled with things that can delight, scare, awe, thrill, educate, entertain, and just plain blow you away. It’s basically magic.
• Kind of like going from black and white TV to color.

Navdy: From $67/mo. with 0% financing. (Or $799)

San Francisco based Navdy just released this futuristic heads-up-display that pops into a mount on your dashboard, plugs into your car’s OBD port, syncs with your smartphone and projects messages, maps and apps right into your line of sight – almost like it’s appearing on the road ahead of you.

• Navdy also read your texts out loud and let you respond using Siri or Google Now.
• Navdy Hand Gestures let you to accept a call or message with the simple wave of your hand. Swipe left to accept, swipe right to ignore.
• The Navdy Dial also lets you scroll, zoom and navigate menus – all without ever taking your eyes off the road or hands off the wheel. It’s kind of like what fighter jet pilots use –  minus the missiles.

From a smart car to a smart home…

Honeywell Lyric T5 Wi-Fi Thermostat: $149

Crazy smart. Super simple. This new Honeywell Lyric T5 Wi-Fi Thermostat is an awesome addition – or great first step – toward a true smart home.

• It works with Siri, Alexa, and adds geo-fences – so it knows when you leave and when you’re about to arrive back home and will adjust itself accordingly to save $$
• You control it with an app on your smartphone – and can tailor it to your normal routine, or let it adapt to your life as plans change all on its own.
• (And it looks really retro cool…)

Tile Slim & Mate Trackers $25-$100

This gadget is the saving grace for anyone who’s ever lost anything – like their wallet, keys, purse, laptop, smartphone, glasses, you name it!

• These are brand new, super slim and more powerful than ever.
• The Mate goes right onto a keychain, or your purse (I have it on my purse), a zipper, or backpack. You press the center button here and it syncs right to an app on your smartphone.
• Tile Slim works the same way – this is the one I have in my wallet and on the back of my laptop. It’s the world’s thinnest Bluetooth tracker – as thin as two stacked credit cards.

Tile Mate: One Tile Mate costs $25 and a four-pack costs $70.

Tile Slim: One Tile Slim costs $30 and a four-pack costs $100.

Hasbro Joy For All Companion Pup: Robot Companion Pet Pup $120

Rounding out the best gadget list ever – a robot puppy. Sure, it looks like a toy, but this realistic “Joy for All Pup” has a big job: to bring companionship to anyone and everyone who needs it — minus the mess. Hi-tech built-in sensors and speakers make this little rascal respond to motion, touch, the sounds of your voice. The pup can run around, turn his head, and bark in response to your voice. Pet his back, and you’ll feel a heartbeat, too!

Read more about these and all of Jennifer’s top gadget gift guides in the Tech Now section of USATODAY.com.

Posted in Connected Kids, Cyber Safety, Gift Guide, Girlfriend's Guide, In The Press, TechNow, Top tech news

Here are some awesome apps to make the most of your Halloween!

Facebook Live’s Masks
Snapchat-like masks that turn you into a pumpkin or witch in Facebook’s Live Video feature.

Vampify
It’s never been easier to turn your selfies into animated vampires — fangs, blood and all.

Halloween Clip Art on PicsArt
Why spend tons of money buying makeup you’ll never wear again, and all those hours drawing your look, only to have to start over when you mess up your eyeliner? Instead, give yourself a dozen looks without spending a dime. All you need is PicsArt’s Halloween Clipart to create jaw-dropping looks for Instagram photos that thrill.

The Walking Dead: Dead Yourself App
A must-have app for Walking Dead fans, this app turns your selfie into an incredibly realistic zombie.

The new Halloween pack of Kim Kardashian’s Kimoji’s include skulls and multiple costume options.

Posted in Great Gadgets, In The Press, TechNow, Tips & Tricks, Top tech news, Uncategorized, What The Tech

Posted in Girlfriend's Guide, Great Gadgets, TechNow, Top tech news

(As seen in USA Today) Columnist Jennifer Jolly reviews the best of the best Mother’s Day gadget gifts of 2016

Mother’s Day is coming up fast and that special gift that makes her feel all warm and fuzzy inside? Well it isn’t just going to make, or buy, itself. Here are 10 of this year’s most-wanted mom gadgets sure to show her how much you appreciate her, all year long.

Make Mom’s Life Easier

No idea what she really wants? Hmm… As a busy mom myself — most days what I really need —  is a clone. Sure, that’s still just sci-fantasy for now, but Amazon’s Echo($180) can feel pretty darn close at times. Echo is a hands-free speaker and personal assistant designed around your voice. Just say the word “Alexa,” the device wake-up word, and then ask a question, play music, have Alexa read the news, set timers and alarms, recite your calendar, and even to control lights around your home. And you can do all this from across the room, without lifting a finger.

Preserve Those Family Memories

Tweed Wolf: Gorgeous custom photo books with someone else taking care of the customizing. (Photo: Tweed Wolf)

If your mom is anything like me, she takes a lot of photos — then leaves them on her phone or piled up in boxes collecting dust. Buy a Tweed Wolf gift card for mom, and let its “do-everything-for-you” ($295) photo album service come to the rescue. Just sign up, upload all your photos and Tweed Wolf designers do the rest. They go through every image, select the best ones, edit everything so it prints perfectly and then send you a link to an online proof. You can ask for any edits, and once you approve, Tweed Wolf prints, binds, and ships your high-quality, hardcover album.

Replace Her Clunky Laptop

Now, time to bring moms digital life up to date. I admit it’s a splurge, but Mom will definitely appreciate the stylish new HP Spectre laptop ($1170). Despite its thin profile — it’s only as thick as a AAA battery — and striking black and copper design, the Spectre isn’t just eye-candy. This laptop is powerful enough to run any apps with top-tier Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and has nine and a half hours of battery life to keep going all day.

Upgrade Her Smartphone

We modern moms are always on the go, and need a speedy smartphone with all-day battery life to keep up with our busy lives. Enter the recently announced HTC 10($700), the newest Android smartphone hitting the market (available for pre-order now, ships in May). It has a vibrant 5″ display, great 12MP camera for catching all those family photos, and a super impressive two days of battery life.

Help Her Capture It All

A smartphone is fantastic for digital photos, but there’s still a certain nostalgic joy to having printed pictures. You can print out your photos at home, of course, but the Polaroid Snap camera ($100) makes getting prints fast and simple by instantly printing 2×3, full-color images to share or scrapbook. (Be sure to order the Zinc paper along with it, it does not come it!)

Let Her Know the Whole Family’s Thinking about Her

Flatterbox ($50 and up) is a new twist on the classic card — instead of sending a flurry of cards from across the country, Flatterbox lets you invite family members to submit thoughts, wishes, and anything else through its website. When the whole family’s chimed in, the company prints the sentiments on brightly colored cards and packages them in a gift box. It’s a great way to tell Mom everyone cares.

Stay Fit and Stylish

The new Fitbit Alta ($130) combines the basic features of a fitness tracker and a smartwatch, tracking activity as well as showing simple smartphone notifications. The sleek Alta won’t scream “gadget” when on Mom’s wrist: there isn’t a single button and interchangeable wristbands come in rubber, leather and stainless steel for a variety of looks.

Give the Latest High Tech Bling

Even though the Alta is a fairly sleek way to stay on top of smartphone notifications, it’s still a noticeable wrist-worn gadget and may not suit her style — but that doesn’t mean staying out of touch. Ringly ($260) is one of my favorite wearables because it doesn’t look like a wearable at all. This chunky ring vibrates and subtly lights up to let you know about smartphone notifications, and it’s likely no one else will even notice. The latest design features an emerald in an 18k gold-plated setting, but there are plenty of styles and colors to suit her taste.

Relax without Leaving the House

InstaShiatsu+ Neck and Back Massager with Heat: gets in there and works the knots out! (Photo: TruMedic)

Being a mom is a high-stress, full-time job and taking the afternoon off to hit the spa isn’t always — or even usually — an option. Thank goodness truMedic’s InstaShiatsu heated massager ($140) can give a great massage from anywhere. This cordless “kneading” massager actually gets in and works the knots out of my tired muscles. Ahhh-mazing!

Combine All Her Must-Have Gadgets

I love iHome’s high-tech take on a good ole vanity mirror ($150), which we moms know is a must. This 9″ distortion-free mirror has 7x magnification plus a built-in Bluetooth speaker and speakerphone. Now Mom can easily listen to music, take calls and even charge her phone all while getting ready to go in the morning.

Okay, hopefully this gives you a great place to start and lots of ideas to make her day magical. What’s your favorite Mother’s Day gift – that you’ve either given or received? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below. Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted in Digital Parenting, Girlfriend's Guide, Great Gadgets, In The Press, TechNow, TechStyled, Top tech news

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

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

It wasn’t that long ago that in order to have service at a snap you had to be a member of a royal family. These days, it’s as simple as tapping a smartphone app. Do you want your faucet fixed with the flick of your wrist or have a delicious meal whipped up in your own kitchen? Want to feel like royalty? Just boot up one of these apps, and see how many helpers your thumb can summon.

MR. FIX IT

A drippy pipe, clogged drain, or broken power outlet is a bummer, and if you’re not a home improvement guru, taking the tools into your own hands can do more harm than good. If you’d rather hire an expert instead of risking an unfortunate hole in your wall or electrical snafu, Handybook can get it done.

Covering over 20 highly populated regions in North America, the app provides access to repair experts of all specialties, including electrical repair, plumbing, and even cleaning. You can get super specific with your request, and even specify what particular part of an appliance is malfunctioning. You’ll receive an instant quote for the work and with a tap of a button you can have a handyperson on your door by 7 AM the next day.

FRIEND TRUSTED

This fantastic Windows Phone app makes you the king of your own home improvement empire. Just snap a photo showing whatever you want done, from plumbing to masonry, maid service to tree trimming, and everything in between. Friend Trusted forwards your request to its list of contractors who will bid against each other for your business.

Once you see a bid that fits your budget, you can connect with the contractor directly through the app and schedule a time for your work to be done. The best part is that Friend Trusted pre-screens all of its would-be workers, so you’ll never have to worry about being matched up with someone shady.

SUMMON A SITTER

Finding quality childcare isn’t easy, especially on short notice. You don’t want to leave your youngsters with a potentially creepy random stranger, and taking the time to research a sitter’s background and experience means you’re probably not going to make it to the opera in three hours. UrbanSitter takes the guesswork out of babysitting and turbocharges your search for a kid-watcher.

Boot up the app, browse the available sitters in your area, and check out reviews from past clients to verify their credibility. You can see a photo of the person, call or message them, and even see how many families have repeatedly hired them, all before you trust them with your kids. A few taps of your touchscreen and you’re free and clear for a night on the town. How awesome is that?

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?

It’s been a rough week at work, you’re worn out from the daily grind, and the family is expecting an epic home-cooked dinner tonight. Forget ordering greasy take-out, just fire up the Hire A Chef app and have a delicious dinner crafted for you right in your own home. Spare yourself the dirty work, and hire a chef from the app’s massive list of the American Personal Chef Institute’s on-demand professionals.

With chefs specializing in all types of food and many servicing multiple cities in various regions, you’re sure to find a food flinger worth your attention. Snap your fingers and have a restaurant-quality meal whipped up right in your own kitchen, and maybe even pick up a few pointers along the way! It’s time to eat like a king.

LADIES, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU

If “it’s so hard to find a good man these days” is your mantra, you’ll find Rent-A-Gent to be a godsend. Whether you’re looking for a man to help you with some household chores, take you shopping, or even provide a few laughs for your long-planned Ladies Night, you’ll find them on Rent-A-Gent.

The site, which is optimized for mobile, has a huge collection of pre-screened men that are not only easy on the eyes, they’re also extremely skilled in everything from dancing and dog training to home improvement and martial arts.

STYLE SEAT

If you’re looking for anything from manicures and pedicures, to stylists and fashion consultants, all it takes is a few taps of the StyleSeat app. StyleSeat finds experienced beauty professionals near you, and can even provide you with their schedules and regular appointment times. You can grab the next available slot and browse reviews and ratings to make sure you get exactly what you’re looking for, before you drop your credit card on the counter.

Posted in TechNow

This is expected to the one of the busiest summer travel seasons ever. An estimated eight in ten vacationers kicked off summer with a road trip Memorial Day weekend. With a whole lot of traveling ahead, there are countless opportunities to use tech to make your life a little bit better.

Here’s a stack of family summer travel tech tools and tips to help you get the most out of your next vacation:

1. Don’t get caught roaming

If you’re going cross-country or even doing a bit of globetrotting, you could find yourself racking up hundreds of dollars in smartphone roaming charges. You used to have to worry about roaming for your cellular calls, but in the age of smartphones it’s all about data roaming. This can be even worse, especially if you have a Facebook or Twitter addiction.

To avoid sticker shock, seek out a carrier that doesn’t pile on roaming charges. When it comes to national carriers, T-Mobile‘s looking like your best bet right now. The company’s Simple Choice plan includes international roaming for no extra charge, covering over 120 countries. Text and data are included for no additional fee, with calls in all corners of the globe coming in at 20 cents per minute — but, let’s be honest, if you can text or email for extra charge, how often will you really be calling?

The best part is T-Mobile doesn’t require a contract, so if you have a big trip coming up, you can start a plan to supplement your other, pricier carrier’s plan while you’re out exploring the world and save a few bucks along the way.

You can also use an app such as Rebtel or Ringo to help keep roaming costs down, or buy a SIM card from the country you’re traveling to through a service like Telestial.

2. Back up battery!

Your summer travel plans are hopefully full of sandy beaches, cool drinks, nightly campfires, and lots and lots of relaxing. Your phone, on the other hand, will still be working 24/7 to keep you connected, and its battery never takes a vacation, so make sure it has the extra juice it needs to do its job by equipping a Mophie battery pack case.

Unlike some backup batteries, Mophie’s packs don’t add a whole bunch of bulk to your sleek phone, and while it makes your gadget a little bit bigger than it is when naked, it won’t feel like a brick. Mophie makes battery backup cases for just about every iPhone model, along with Samsung’s Galaxy phones, with prices starting at $79.95.

There’s also the Juno Jumpr, which we showed off in the video portion of this story. It’s a handheld high-capacity battery pack that powers up your phone or tablet, and can even jump start a dead car battery. It comes with its own small jumper cables and everything, so you can just toss it in your glovebox and always have backup power when you need it. The Juno Jumpr is priced at $89.99.

3. Tech on the beach

Tech and water don’t mix, but there’s all kinds of new gadgets that you don’t have to worry about keeping dry. Sony’s newest Xperia smartphones and tablets play well with water, which means you can take them for a swim or even shoot video underwater. Sony’s high-tech handsets vary in price depending on model and your carrier.

If you want some tunes to accompany the sound of waves rolling in, Scosche’s boomBottle is perfectly at home both on dry land or wading in the surf. You wouldn’t want to take it diving, but its weatherproof design means that rain or splashes from out-of-control pool parties are just fine. These beats will cost you $129.99.

Simply want to envelope your smartphone in an ultra-protective case? With a $79.99LifeProof Fre case you can drop your phone into 10 feet of water and leave it there overnight. Pull it out the next morning, and it’ll work perfectly, as if it had never gone out for that midnight swim. If you’re worried about dropping your phone into the ocean depths or leaving it on the bottom of a lake, simply add on the LifeJacket. Yes, LifeProof has created an external flotation device for smartphones, starting at $39.99.

SnowLizard also has you covered. Literally. SLXtreme iPhone cases are extremely durable, waterproof, and even include a built-in solar charger that will let you take advantage of the bright summer sun. Starting at $129.99.

4. Backseat bickering

An upset baby can seriously ruin a car trip, and nothing makes little ones more whiny than being totally miserable in a too-hot car seat that pulls, pinches, grabs, and just generally makes them crazy. Evenflo’s new Platinum series seats are designed to keep baby happy for as long as humanly possible. They feature heat distribution technology that keeps the tiny passenger at an optimal temperature, which means less crying and more miles with smiles. These soothing seats start at $149.99.

By the way, in the video for this story, I did something really stupid with this car seat. I put the baby in backward. The doll we were using is small, and I buckled it into the seat facing forward. The seat should have been turned the other way for an “infant.” Doh!

Keeping older children entertained is an entirely different story, as they’re not usually content to simply stare out the window. The new PlayStation Vita is perfect for this (if Mom and Dad don’t steal it …). It’s slimmer, lighter, thinner, and more comfortable to hold than the original Vita to better give kids a real gaming experience within the palm of their hand. There are a ton of great bundles, like getting the new Vita withBorderlands 2, and you can even download full games directly to the system, which means boredom goes bye-bye. Systems start at $199.

If your kids aren’t gamers, snag Griffin’s CinemaSeat, snap in your iPad, and let them watch hit movies for as long as they want. It’s easy to install and includes pockets to store important bits like headphones and charging cables. It’ll cost you $39.99

5. Keeps tabs on everything, and everyone

Hitting the sky with all your valuables in a suitcase can be scary, but Trakdot’sluggage tracking system can put your mind at ease. Not only will it send you a text message or email to let you know that your bags safely made it to the same destination as you, but it can even spot your gear anywhere in the world, if it happens to take an unexpected detour. For $49.99, it’s affordable assurance.

Misplaced luggage is one thing, but losing track of your kids in a hectic airport or tourist trap can be downright terrifying. FiLIP is a wrist-worn smart locator that functions as both a phone and a personal guardian to keep tabs on your children. The gadget can make two-way calls to and from five pre-programmed numbers, and will keep your family in touch at all times. The FiLIP itself is $199, with unlimited voice and location data for just $10 per month through AT&T.

Whether you’re planning on spending a quiet weekend at the campground, a wild week on the beach, or even an intercontinental trip to see the sights, these tech tools will make your trip less stressful, more organized, and of course, a ton of fun. What travel gadget is a must-pack for you? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

Posted in Great Gadgets, TechNow, Uncategorized