I first covered gadgets aimed specifically for women about four years ago, when they first started popping up as “a thing” at CES. Back then, they were the exact same gadgets designed to appeal to men, but pink. (Ugh.)

This year, for the first time at CES, gadget makers got it right, with an entire array of new technology and devices that sparkle, shine, and made me seriously swoon. Here’s what caught my eye:

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Panasonic’s Magic Mirror gives you that fairy mirror-moment that every girl dreams of. It’s a super high-tech mirror that analyzes your skin, gives you scientifically-backed beauty tips and — this is the best part — can actually show you what you’d look like with a different hairstyle, various makeup looks, and an array of accessories.

Within a few seconds of sitting down, the mirror told me I need more sleep and that my skin is dry. I wanted to yell, “hello, I’m in Las Vegas, of course I’m tired and thirsty…” but the smart mirror was already making recommendations for how I could fix it (sleep, drink more water, use moisturizer and sunscreen, um, duh, but awesome at the same time). The mirror can also track the progression of crow’s feet and smile lines over time, to let you know whether that fancy cream you paid a fortune for is really doing what it says it will. It even shows you how you look in different light, from outdoors to the funky fluorescents in your office.

What surprised me most checking it out at CES, was how many men rushed to get in front of it. Geez guys, vain much? Turns out men love the facial hair feature, which shows them what they would look like with everything from a goatee to a Fu Manchu.

Panasonic says to expect this to pop up in department stores over the next year, and come to our homes after that. I want this. Now.

Wondrous Wearables

I already liked the Misfit Shine as a fitness and activity tracker, but now I’m absolutely in love with the Misfit Swarovski Shine. Seriously. I want to marry it (and it’s not a stretch to think that a bride will wear it this year). The new connected-crystal baubles snap into Swarovski pendants and bracelets. There’s two versions: One clear ($169.99 at Swarovski outlets) and the other is a brilliant blue solar powered sparkly crystal. They both snap into a reversible pendant or wrap bracelets. This one comes out later in 2015 and of all the gadgets I saw at CES this year, this is the one that I plan to buy for myself.

Of course I can’t mention wondrous wearables without talking about the Logbar Ring. This tiny little gesture-minded wearable detects finger movement and translates it into input for your smartphone so you can control apps and even smarthome devices with nothing more than a few flicks of your finger. It’ll be on sale in March with a price of $130.

Then there’s the tasteful Bellabeat Leaf activity tracker, the LookSee e-ink smart bracelet, and Cuff’s super stylish smart jewelry that vibrates when you have a notification

iGrow A Thicker Head of Hair

It’s hard to see the iGrow laser hair therapy system as a “beauty” gadget when it looks more like some kind of futuristic mind-control device, but its creators swear that it’s a great way to promote hair growth. iGrow’s angle this year is that while it was designed to give bald men a boost in the follicly-challenged department, it’s also great for women who want thicker, fuller, more lustrous hair — and they have a double-blind clinical study to back up their claims. At $695, I kind of want to make fun of it, but with how much I spend on keeping my long hair healthy, glossy, and full, maybe it’s not so crazy after all…

Stellé Audio‘s Earbud Locket

You’d never know Stellé’s chic little high-tech locket is anything other than a stylish piece of jewelry, but it hides a secret: It’s actually a set of Bluetooth headphones that connect wirelessly to your smartphone. You can even wear them while keeping the locket hung around your neck, which is super convenient. There’s a high-capacity battery built right into the jewel for hours of music playback, and the headphones tuck away when not in use. This stylish music accessory will carry a price of $199 when it launches early this year.

Is That a Gym In Your Pocket Or…

There were so many new and improved fitness wearables at CES that all do pretty much the same stuff; track steps, calories, sleep, and provide motivation to be healthier overall. The smartphone-sized Tao WellShell promises something a little different — to provide an entire gym’s worth of isometric exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere — right in the palm of your hand. The idea is you squeeze the WellShell in different ways, with your arms, legs, hands — there are more than 50 different exercise examples — to sculpt and tone your muscles. Built-in sensors give feedback to an app on your smartphone to let you know how you’re doing. You can also play mobile games while you go through the workouts — the harder you squeeze, the better the slalom skier goes down a course. It’s expected out this spring and will retail for $100.

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