Posted in Gift Guide, Great Gadgets, In The Press, TechNow, Top tech news, Uncategorized

If there’s one universal truth when it comes to gift-giving, it’s this: Dads are the hardest people on the planet to shop for. They usually just buy whatever they want, when they want it, leaving precious little to surprise them with. But as good as they are lavishing themselves with tech toys, there are undoubtedly a few that they haven’t even considered, and that’s where I come in.

Here are the drop-dead awesome 2016 Father’s Day gifts that your pops never even knew he wanted.

FOR THE MAN CAVE

LG’s 55-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart TV

Big screens and dads go together like peanut butter and jelly, but if your pa is still stuck in the 1080p era, it’s time to give him an upgrade he’ll truly appreciate. LG’s 55-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart TV (55UH7700) ($849) is an absurdly gorgeous piece of living room eye candy. It plays all the latest, sharpest 4K content with ease and has a built-in 4K upscaling feature to make standard HD content as detailed as possible. Deep blacks, eye-popping clarity, and a super-thin bezel will make it the jewel of his man cave, and at a price that won’t break your bank account. But if you do want to go even bigger, LG also has a premium line of OLED TVs offering what’s been hailed as “the best TV picture quality ever,” starting at $2,000.

GADGET MASTER

Microsoft Surface Pro 4

For the gadget hound, Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 ($899) is a huge score. It’s a do-everything device that pulls double duty as both a desktop-class notebook and a fully capable tablet, with gaming, social media, and streaming sports capabilities that will likely put his current PC to shame. The Surface Pen is a serious convenience bonus, and if dad likes jotting down notes with one hand rather than hunting-and-pecking on his keyboard, it’s a perfect match.

DRONE DAD

Parrot Bebop Drone 2 w/Skycontroller

I’ve yet to meet a dad — or anyone, for that matter — who isn’t mesmerized by the sight of a drone taking to the skies. Luckily, one of the first and best drone brands, Parrot, is rolling out some pretty big discounts that last through Father’s Day. If the sky’s the limit, go for the top-of-the-line Bebop 2 ($699.99), which features a front-mounted 1080p camera and the Skycontroller tablet, for up to 25 minutes of flight time and a top speed of nearly 40 miles per hour. For aerial fun on a budget, the Airborne Cargo drone ($69.99) weighs less than two ounces but is impressively stable and speedy, with a built-in camera for grabbing some in-air snapshots.

DJ DAD

Sony’s Extra Bass Bluetooth Headphones

Whether your dad likes to rock out to the latest Top 40 tracks or wants to revisit his youth and crank up some Def Leppard or Metallica, Sony’s Extra Bass Bluetooth Headphones ($128) are going to put him in music heaven. These high-end earphones connect to a smartphone or laptop in seconds with zero wires, and can keep the tunes flowing for up to 30 hours without needing a recharge. Big, beefy 30mm drivers in each earpiece provide deep, booming bass, and still keep the highs clear, for the perfect listening experience.

MOVIE MAKER MAN

Mevo Live Streaming Video Camera

Remember the school play, where dad sat with his massive camcorder and recorded your totally-awesome-for-a-6th-grader performance? Today, giant video recording rigs are a thing of the past; all dad needs to capture a fantastic family moment is a Mevo ($299). This tiny — and I mean seriously small — gadget packs a powerful 4K camera with a 12.4-megapixel sensor and built-in microphone. That means ultra-sharp video with crisp audio to match, and with expandable memory and a smartphone companion app to tweak the myriad of settings, it puts even the best iPhone camera to shame. Pre-order it now to save $100 and the company says Dad will have it in hand later this summer.

FOR THE FISHERMAN

iBobber Bluetooth Fishfinder

One way to really blow dad’s mind on Father’s Day is to combine two things he loves: gadgets and fishing. The iBobber ($89.99) — I know, cliche name, but stick with me — is a high-tech marriage that combines sonar fish-finding technology with an easy-to-use smartphone app. The result is a super accurate underwater mapper that floats on the surface and paints a picture of what lies below. It can draw the contour of the terrain below and identify any fish that happen to be waiting for a well-placed lure. The app, which is available on both iOS and Android, can communicate with the device up to 100 feet away via Bluetooth, which means no fish will be safe from Dad’s watchful eye.

SURFER DUDE

Sharkbanz

Want to gift your father something that could quite literally save his life? If he spends lots of time on the beach, the Sharkbanz band ($65.00) will give both of you some peace of mind when he’s out conquering the waves. This sleek little wearable straps to dad’s ankle or wrist when he’s out swimming, surfing, or snorkeling, and emits magnetic waves to deter underwater predators. The patented technology requires no battery or charging, and has a whole lot of proven research to back it up. It’s like a big “this isn’t food” sign for sharks, and dad will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

TRAVELLIN’ MAN

Bluesmart Black Edition

I’ve been a huge fan of the Bluesmart luggage line for a long time, and with the launch of the new Bluesmart Black Edition ($549), it’s a great time to invite dad to join the smart luggage revolution. The Bluesmart suitcase is much more feature-packed than your average carry-on; the case has built-in location tracking via a global SIM card, a backup battery pack to charge your gadgets on the go, and even a remote locking feature that auto-secures itself if you leave it anywhere. On top of that, it acts as its own digital scale, so you always know exactly how much it weighs, which will help your dad avoid weight fees and other airport hassles.

FOR HIS BUCKET LIST

IfOnly – Bucketlist Experience Gifts

Speaking of travel, if you’d rather give dad an experience, rather than a thing, If/Only should be the first place you look. If/Only is kind of like Etsy, but for local attractions and lessons. In San Francisco someone will teach your father how to feed actual sharks at the aquarium; in New York, an award-winning bartender will help make dad’s home bar a thing of beauty; and in Boston, dad’s beard will get royal treatment as he crafts his own custom shave oil with shaving experts. No matter where you live, there’s bound to be an awesome experience for dad hiding nearby.

MAN-SCRIPTIONS

If you absolutely are out of ideas, you can always just let someone else pick dad’s gift for him, and then take all the credit yourself with a Man Crate (starting at $19.99). Man Crates are pre-selected collections of awesome gifts organized by your dad’s specific interests. Whether he loves golf, fishing, camping, grilling, drinking, or any of the dozens of other Man Crate options, the box he’ll receive will be absolutely packed with the best products. You can even send him an entire box full of bacon jerky, if that’s his thing. The Dive Bar Shirt Club ($22 per month) is a similar option and a great Father’s Day go-to, sending out monthly t-shirt packages from bars in the United States.

Happy Father’s Day!

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

I had so much fun with Natasha Curry and the crew at CNN/HLN this past weekend. It was 95-degrees in the TV studio and breaking news pushed this segment back nearly two hours. Natasha was SO kind, helpful, and positive – one of the nicest hosts I’ve ever met. Thanks again to all involved! You can watch more here: http://www.hlntv.com/video/2013/08/31/high-tech-essentials-your-student

It’s time to kick off a new school year for many students. With so many newfangled gadgets, school supply shopping is no longer for the faint of heart. Long gone are the days of kids only using folders, pencils and pens.

Tech expert Jennifer Jolly shares her favorite back to school gadgets. Among her picks– an air-cushioned back pack, a versatile cooking station and a new way to jam to your favorite tunes.

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

Tech Now Back to School Gadgets: Click here to watch video

To see the full story go to usatoday.com/tech. (Can’t find it? Do a quick search for “Jennifer Jolly + Tech Now.”

From lunchboxes to laptops, smart-phones to smart-pens, most parents like me are staring down the barrel of a really long back to school shopping list right about now and feeling pretty overwhelmed. When it comes to tech-ing our kids, how do we give our kids what they really need for a price we can really afford?! Here are some smart choices for every budget:

For Computing on the Go: An Ultraportable Laptop
Today’s slender laptops are the crown jewel of the back-to-school buy. By elementary school, most students will need access to a computer, whether at home or on the go. If they are of an age where they need to pack one around with them, you’ll want to find something that has an all-day battery life, sturdy — yet lightweight and small, so that it can fit in a backpack — and a device that won’t be obsolete in a year or a two.

In this category it’s hard to beat the MacBook Air, which is as portable as they come — the 11″ model weighs just over 2 pounds — and has truly extraordinary 9 hours of battery life. Prices start at $950 with student discounts.

Another great pick is the new Sony Vaio Pro 13, which is one of the best new Ultrabooks I’ve ever tested. Its 4th generation Intel processor delivers ultra fast speeds and masters the most demanding tasks, such as multimedia, full-on gaming, and keeps the battery boosted all day long. It’s also super-tough, encased in carbon fiber. Prices on this little beauty start around $1250.

If you’re on a tight budget and you’d still like to get a light-weight laptop, don’t despair — Samsung’s 11″ Chromebook starts at just $250. It’s runs Google’s Chrome operating system instead of Mac OS or Windows, and focuses on running applications over the Internet. This means the Chromebook could take a while to get used to, but that’s not a big deal, since kids are so tech-adaptable. Overall, it does a fine job doing most things your average student needs, like researching topics online or writing papers with online tools like Google Docs.

For Taking Notes: Livescribe Sky Wi-Fi Smartpen
Today’s students have a modern equivalent of the #2 pencil on steroids in the Livescribe Sky Wi-Fi Smartpen. It records a digital copy of what you write and draw, as well as audio of your class lectures. You just takes notes like normal, then later, go back, tap any word, symbol or doodle and the pen plays back the lecture that it was recording while you were writing. It also syncs digital copies to an Evernote account via Wi-Fi, so you can access everything from your computer or mobile device wherever you have Internet access. The Sky Wi-Fi Smartpen starts at $150, and to use all of the pen’s features you’ll need to purchase notebooks from Livescribe as well — these start at $25 for a pack of 4 single-subject notebooks.

For Apps and Ereading: The iPad mini
While I’m really fond of the size, price, and performance of the Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD — and love that the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is waterproof — Apple’s iPad mini is still the tablet I find myself recommending to parents the most. Oh, sure, we read everyday how quickly Android’s catching up, but iPads still offer the most robust selection of learning, study, and organizational apps overall. It’s also an easy way to access to digital textbooks, as well as iTunes U, which gives your student free, easy access to college-level courses as podcasts, videos, lecture notes, and other media. Best of all, the iPad mini has a mini-ish price tag, too, starting at $330.

There are, of course, great non-Apple options out there for students of all ages — so be sure to see our full story just on tablets for teens later this month.

For Keeping in Touch: Smarter Smartphones
Giving your child a smartphone may not seem like a great idea, but it is the best way for them to stay in touch — not just with their friends, but with parents, family, and emergency services if needed. There are so many great options for students of all ages that we’ll be doing an entire story just on phones for kids – some of which are even free. We’ll have an entire series on the subject coming up shortly.

For Taking a Load Off: Airbac Backpack
My daughter’s backpack is bigger than she is, and has been since about the forth grade. Half the time it seems to weigh more than she does too. Roller bags are outlawed at her school, yet bad backs, apparently are not. For this issue, there’s Airbac, with a built-in “air cushion” that nestles in against your lower back and, quite literally, takes a load off. You can use an air pump to put more air in whenever and wherever you need. The whole design behind this pack is to alleviate the pressure pulling down on your shoulders, while distributing weight more evenly throughout, and resting more comfortably on your hips. For this, you’ll pay a pretty penny, around $60, which I think is a small price to pay for knowing their back is protected.

For Music at Home, in the Dorm, or on the Go: Satechi iFit-1
This speaker dock for your smartphone or tablet is compact and portable, but still features the power to provide great sound wherever you need it — with a battery that will last for up to 6 hours. This gadget is compatible with most smartphones and tablets and, best of all, comes in at a bargain price of $16.

For the Wow Factor: Pebble Smartwatch
The Pebble Smart Watch is more for the college age student who wants to look both tech, and fashion, forward. It’s a great way to know what time it is, and gives you a way to read to read texts, emails, and get calendar notifications, all on your wrist. But, if you or your student is prone to attention issues, this could be a huge distraction, since it vibrates and flashes social media alerts right on their wrist. Prices start at $150. http://getpebble.com/

For Going from Lost to Found: StickNFind
And once you’ve invested in this great tech, be sure your kids don’t lose it with StickNFind. These quarter-sized stickers broadcast a Bluetooth signal that you can track within a 150-foot range using StickNFind’s smartphone app. At $50 for a pack of two stickers, these are probably best used on the items that are easily lost, like wallets, smartphones, tablets, or even one another.

Because You Say Students Still Need Printers: Epson Expression Home XP-410 Small-in-One
There’s been a great debate among the tech-recommending crowd, do students still need printers, or is a USB memory stick or trip to the nearest campus Kinko’s enough? I took that question to you, the viewers and readers, who overwhelming responded that, “YES,” many students still need the ability to print papers and projects and it’s too inconvenient to go someplace to have them printed all the time. For a decent printer that works wirelessly across most mobile devices, the $99 Epson XP-410 is a fine choice. Yes, the ink will still be the biggest cost, so teach your students to print wisely.

What’s one gadget or school-tool you miss from your days as the big man on campus? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

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

Whether you’re heading out this spring, or just enjoying a break at home– Spring into action with some of the hottest new tech that will make the season blossom.

1. What’s hot right now are these – Intel-inspired Ultrabook Convertibles like the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga : Starts at $1049
• It’s a full, powerhouse PC that goes from laptop to tablet mode by flipping, folding or twisting the screen.
• Just over 3.4 lbs with up to 8 hours of battery life

Here’s another great multi-tasking gadget with built-in flexibility:

2. iHome iDL45 Clock Dock : $99.99
• Spring forward with a clock that charges and plays all your old and new i-devices with a Lightning connector, 30-pin and USB.
• What really sets this iHome clock apart is the sound quality:
• Reson8 Speaker gives you crystal clear sound that can really fill a room or office.
• According to the NPD group – iHome is the #1 for digital audio and #1 for docking stations

Time for some spring cleaning:
3. iRobot Looj 330 Gutter Cleaning Robot : $300
• You may know iRobot for the Roomba vacuum cleaning robot – they also make robots that clean outside your home
• The Looj is super easy to use: just climb up the ladder, place the robot in your gutter, and use the wireless remote to drive the robot while the augur spins at 500 RPM, kicking out all the debris, leave, and muck.
• It stays charged for 3-hours and can clean 30-feet of gutter in 5 minutes.

… Which means more time for fun!

4. Sony Action Cam (HDR-AS15) Built in Wi-Fi $269 / $199 (no Wi-Fi)
• POV camera’s are all the rage and I recently tried out Sony’s Action Cam on the Zipline at the Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah. Action Cam is the perfect name for the incredibly small, lightweight video camera that will mount anywhere and stream video from anywhere, including during the middle of a 2,000 foot zipline, some 300-feet above the forest floor.
• With the Wi-Fi remote – you can actually frame, shoot, and watch right from your smartphone in real time – or stream video to YouTube or Facebook.
• Works great in low-light
• Is complete with SteadyShot image stabilization, a 1080/30p capture mode and a 720p option at 120 frames per second, enabling some pretty slick slow-motion effects.

5. Playstation MLB The Show 13 PS3 – $59.99 & PS Vita – $39.99
• You can’t talk about Spring without thinking about Spring Training and Baseball.MLB 13 The Show is the most realistic baseball video game I’ve ever seen.
• Its jaw-dropping detail captures the mechanics and the raw emotion of Major League Baseball.
• What’s really cool – you can play other people on the go through Cross-Play with your PS Vita in Home Run Derby mode.

Perhaps the most important spring tech gadget of them all –

6. Motorola P4000 Universal Portable Power Pack – around $70
• This is the MUST HAVE gadget for all spring-breakers – stop getting caught with your battery down.
• You can recharge your devices at the beach, at your kids’ little league practice, working from a café or anywhere in between.
• It’s compatible with phones by all manufacturers, so will work with any device you use.
• It provides up to two full phone charges, so you can keep the movies rolling, listen to hours of music, browse the Web, text or tweet without skipping a beat.
• In as little as 15 minutes, your smartphone can be recharged with up to 2.5 hours of talk time.

For more information, you can go to jenniferjolly.com or see my reviews via TechNow at USAToday.com/tech – or watch the TV segment here:
Chicago News and Weather | FOX 32 News

Posted in Great Gadgets, In The Press, TechNow, TechStyled, What The Tech

Check back for full hands-on review shortly!

Posted in Girlfriend's Guide, Great Gadgets, TechNow, Top tech news, Uncategorized, What The Tech