Techish

HOW TO: Get great gift-spiration shopping your own social media feeds #giftideas

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I’ve found some of my favorite gifts scrolling through my own Facebook and Instagram feeds. It makes sense because social platforms are a natural extension of how we find the latest trends, learn about new ideas, and share all the things we're totally obsessing over anyway. Not-so-humble brag here: Several of my top picks from my social media shopping spree last year ended up on Oprah's top list this year. So I doubled down and did all over again this year. Here are this year's top tips for shopping your own social media feeds, followed by the juicy gems I uncovered for this year's second annual SOCIAL MEDIA SHOPPING SPREE: INSIDER TIPS: Number 1. ... Read more

Can you go a year without your smartphone for $100,000?

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New year, no phone? Cutting down on screen time likely tops many New Year’s resolutions lists, but do you think you could go a full year without a smartphone? It's a massive challenge, but you might have a real reason to consider doing so.  How does $100,000 sound? Would that be enough incentive to stop the mindless scrolling? That's how much beverage brand Vitaminwater is offering one lucky Luddite to go completely smartphone-free in 2019. Obviously you'll need to meet some criteria first, which is why they're asking you to share why you'd be a good candidate for the challenge in a post on social media. You'll need to post your plea on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtags ... Read more

Here’s what we’re buying on Black Friday and Cyber Monday

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You might think that reviewing all the latest gadgets all year would make Black Friday boring for someone like me. Sure, I get to play with all of the most awesome gadgets and tech tools throughout the year, but I don't get to keep them. That means come Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I'm leaning over my laptop the same as you, fingers twitching, crediting cards itching to score huge deals on my favorite tech. Here's what I'm holding my breath to get this week, and how much it'll cost. Facebook Portal & Portal Plus One of the most controversial new gadgets (because ... it's Facebook) is also the best video-calling machine ever invented — and a look at the way landlines should evolve ... Read more

Is your gift secretly spying? Mozilla makes a naughty list of gadget gifts that aren’t secure:

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We already know the hottest holiday gadget gifts are cool but are they secure and trustworthy too? Mozilla — yep, the folks behind internet browser Firefox — just released a new report and shopping guide called *Privacy Not Included. The idea behind it is to help people shop for gifts based on price, performance, and on how well they protect privacy and security as well. In an email, Ashley Boyd, Mozilla VP of Advocacy explained that researchers reviewed 70 of the most popular gadget gifts across six categories: Toys & Games; Smart Home; Entertainment; Wearables; Health & Exercise; and Pets. For each product, Mozilla looked at a range of questions including Can it spy on you? Can ... Read more

HOW TO: Not get ripped off on Black Friday and Cyber Monday “Deals”

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TIPS TO MAKE SURE YOU NEVER OVERPAY: 1. SPOT THE REAL DEAL What’s actually good deal this time of year versus a bunch of hype? Small appliances — like instant pots — and smart home gadgets. Also, good deals: some HDTVs, video games, and game consoles also see aggressive pricing during Black Friday, or the days before and after it. 2. BROWSING BASICS Add a browser extension to your internet search engine — Safari, Firefox, Chrome — and let them scour the web faster than any human ever could for discounts, coupons, and deals to make sure you get the best prices — for real. Browser extensions: InvisibleHand, PriceBlink, The Camelizer, Honey 3. PRICE ALERTS Some sellers ... Read more

eBay’s 8-Days of Holiday Deals Starts Now

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eBay just shared their hottest holiday deals with us. I dug into the info and see a few things I want to make sure you know about:  Overall:  expect to find some jaw-dropping deals here with savings up to 80%. Bargains to watch include hot gadgets from Sonos, Bose, JBL speakers and headphones — plus coveted fashion from Adidas and Michael Kors, and more.  To snag  hard-to-find gift on your wish list before it’s sold out: Log-on to eBay, and start browsing the Shop Deals Central page. Find your must-have’s and add the best gifts to your watchlist. You can also  ‘save’ your search — then eBay Bends you an alert each time a seller lists exactly what you want. You can use ... Read more

Samsung’s new tracker for your kids and pets and everything else you don’t want to lose

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Tracking your stuff is now part of the Samsung SmartThings suite of products. No extra points for the name, but the SmartThings Tracker seems pretty cool overall. It's a white square that you attach to objects like backpacks, wallets, dog collars, and it works over a much broader range than most other trackers on the market today. The tracker includes GPS with an LTE-M network so you can track items in real time via the SmartThings app for Android or iOS devices. The SmartThings Tracker will be available in the US starting September 14 for the price of $99. Since it's LTE-M - you'll have to have to pay a monthly fee too, but with caveats at launch: It comes with AT&T service ... Read more

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: Samsung Unpacked 2018

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Today’s the day - Samsung Unpacked 2018 is here and there is so much to take in. From the new Galaxy Note 9 to a smart speaker, Samsung pulled out all the stops. Read on to find out all the details. What is Samsung Unpacked? Just like Apple and many other big brands, Samsung holds this event each year to release their latest products. ICYMI, watch the entire video here. Which product did Samsung announce last week? The Galaxy Tab S4. This tablet has an impressive 10.5-inch AMOLED display and complete with Google Assistant. When is the next Samsung event? The next event is the Samsung Developer Conference on Nov 07-08, 2018 where the Galaxy Home speaker is hopefully going to get ... Read more

Back to School Gadgets: As Seen on Good Day New York

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Here are some fun gadgets to tech kids out: 1.   Go-To Safety Gadget: Relay - For Ages 6-11: (starting at $99, plus $6.99 monthly data charge) This is a screen-less, water-resistant device that works like a walkie-talkie and puts you in direct contact with your child, but with the connection of a smartphone. You can connect to your child’s Relay whenever you want from either an app on your smartphone or from another Relay device, and they can contact you by pressing the large button in the middle of the gadget. The Relay uses 4G LTE connectivity so you can check on them, and talk with them, whenever you want – from anywhere you want. 2. Nokia “Candy Bar” 3310 3G Phone ($60) Iconic – and ... Read more

HOW TO: Amazon Prime Day 2018 Do’s and Don’ts

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Black Friday might be the biggest shopping day of the year, but Amazon’s exclusive annual sale, Prime Day, has just as many huge discounts and deals. Prime day started off in 2015 — and in a few short years has become a sort of national holiday — for bargain hunters at least. 2018’s Prime Day is expected to be nothing short of epic. When is it? It's official -- Prime Day starts at noon on July 16th. It runs for a day “and a half,” which means exactly 36 hours -- making it  the longest Prime Day ever, beating out 2017’s which was roughly 30 hours. Avoid Price Scams Just like with any big sale day — including Black Friday and Cyber Monday — there will be a ton of products ... Read more

Here are some of the best deals for Amazon Prime Day 2018 so far

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Don't you just LOVE when you get better deals than anyone else? Here's the latest scoop, and we'll keep updating this list as we're able to confirm these ahead of the big day - which starts July 16th! For more on the do's and don'ts of one of the biggest deal-scoring days of the year - read this next! Amazon Echo  Amazon's Alexa-enabled smart speakers and hubs are some of the company's most popular gadgets, and they're going to get big price cuts for Prime Day. Here are the low prices you can look forward to: Echo - $69.99 (normally $99.99) Echo Dot - $24.99 (normally $49.99) Echo Plus - $109.99 (normally $149.99) Echo Show - $129.99 (normally $229.99) These are some of ... Read more

A Wearable Mosquito Repellent That Doesn’t Suck?

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I hate mosquitoes so much that I would happily bathe in DEET if it truly makes them leave me alone. Hopefully, a new wearable called Bandito can keep those little suckers at bay, without slathering yourself in toxic chemicals. Chicago-based company Guarden launched the $29 wrist-worn device on Indiegogo, where's it's raised more than 200-million dollars so far, which is some 836% of its original goal. According to the company, you just slap the Bandito on your wrist, and it uses a cocktail of  Citronella, Peppermint, and Lemongrass scents that mosquitoes hate AND emits a sonic sound that is like nails on a chalkboard to teeny-tiny-mosquito ears. (Do ... Read more

How to keep in touch with kids too young to own a smartphone

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https://vimeo.com/277168596 Let’s face it, parents, most of us lose our kids at least once or twice while they’re growing up. Sometimes they just get a little too good at hide-and-seek, as my then-four-year-old daughter did for a few heart-stopping moments inside a department store several years ago. Or maybe they just aren’t where we expect them to be — even for a minute or two — and it’s absolutely terrifying. Apps on smartphones like Life360 and even Find My Friends work great to help track down teens and older kids mature enough to manage the responsibility of owning a smartphone. But what about for younger ones? What’s the best way to keep a watchful eye — that isn’t a ... Read more

JENN’S LIST: These are the Best Gadget Gifts to Upgrade Dad Right Now!

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Father's Day is fast approaching, and the benefit of doing your shopping for the Old Man now rather than the day before is that you can afford to browse a bit. Take your time and meander. I've done all the research for you - here's a little something to upgrade every kind of dad - in every price range: Father's Day is Sunday, June 17! Lenovo Mirage Solo Camera ($300) and VR Headset with Daydream($400): This new point-and-shoot camera captures everything you see — in the way you see it — photos and video! You can then watch it on TV, see it on your smartphone (it makes family photos look like those “live” photos from the Harry Potter movies), or go all-in with the totally standalone ... Read more

AS SEEN ON KTVU: Mother’s Day Gadgets and Last Minute Ideas!

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In case you missed our segment with our family at KTVU last weekend morning -- here's everything I talked about: Mother’s Day is right around the corner and thanks to the latest tech tools and insider “hacks,” you still have time to give her something she actually wants and needs this year.  1. SWEET TREATS AND GORGEOUS BLOOMS: FTD.COM and Berries.Com:  This is one of my annual go-to’s – and the latest tech makes it super easy:  I ordered this “Irreplaceable Luxury Bouquet’” and this “Pink at Heart Orchid Bouquet” on Friday from FTD.com. Less than a day later –  a florist from Park Florist on Park Boulevard in Oakland delivered it herself to my doorstep. The carefully crafted bouquets are ... Read more

Mother’s Day 2018 Gift Ideas and Smart Tech Hacks to Win Child of the Year!

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According to a handful of Mother’s Day surveys and polls, most moms want one gift over all others this year: More sleep. That’s right, give us one night of completely, totally, blissfully uninterrupted sleep, and you’ll win child (or husband, or BFF) of the year. Even those of us Moms with older kids (mine is 17) aren’t getting nearly enough, according to a study presented at 2017’s American Academy of Neurology’s annual meeting in Boston. THESE APPS = GREAT GIFT HACKS Best tech hack to help Mom get the peace and quiet she craves? Download the HotelTonight app (free, iOS and Android). It gives you access to fantastic deals, super low rates, and awesome experiences in more than ... Read more