Techish

JENN’S PICKS: June’s Best Gadgets

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We made it through June (almost)! Yes, celebrations are hard right now — hard to pull off and sometimes difficult to enjoy — but we don’t want to forget about our amazing dads, equally awesome new grads and all the summer fun the best gadgets around can make even better.  If pandemic times have taught us anything about our gadgets, it’s that we don’t need every new-fangled techy-toy to come along. Just the ones that help us stay healthy, connected, and having a blast, no matter what. Here at the 10 best gadgets you can still get in time to help with all of those goals. KEEP IT CLEAN Monos CleanPod UVC Sterilizer One of the hottest new gadgets around is a hairbrush-sized, ... Read more

CES 2020: This magic wand “prints” makeup on your face, and I LOVE it

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_7WXHJE8qM https://youtu.be/xtrW2H-_MzQ P & G OPTE DEVICE This is quite possibly the coolest beauty gadget I’ve ever seen. It’s P&G Ventures Opte device. It’s like an inkjet makeup printer for your skin. It uses a tiny HD camera with blue LED lights to help it hunt down tiny dark spots that your human eye might miss. Once it finds a blemish, scar, whatever you want to cover, the Opte uses 120 thermal inkjet nozzles to dispense a precise amount of tinted serum with mineral pigments — to instantly camouflage imperfections. The idea is that instead of smearing makeup all over your face, you’re using next-gen technology to put a precise, ... Read more

CES 2020: Make tech less annoying by putting it in your underwear and other wild ideas

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*This story originally aired/ran in USA Today 01/07/2020* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiPiM_sqtfY In the age of oversharing, the last thing I want is a smart, connected sensor on my skivvies. I mean, I’m already worried about my smart home speakers, connected TV and mobile devices eavesdropping on my every word. Can’t my privates be the one thing I keep ... private? Not if Myant’s new Skiin wearables take off. The high-tech textile company is showing off a new line of connected apparel – underwear, bras, shirts and sleep masks – at CES this week in Las Vegas. Company president and founder Tony Chahine gave us an exclusive look ahead of the show. “The whole point is that tech should ... Read more

CES DAY TWO: Finally, someone reinvented the wheel

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Back here on day two, yes, I've seen 8K TV’s in every shape and size and yes, they are amazing. But unless you're a bazillionaire, you won't buy one this year.  Or next. Or maybe even the next year after that. They cost an insane amount of money and there's no real content for them yet. Let's talk about what you will buy. There are smarter home-everything's, a huge run on new wellness gadgets, and new tech fixing old problems. Jetson's Level Laundry Day: Let’s start with a good ole’ washer and dryer reimagined for a Jetson’s level laundry day: LG’s TurboWash 360ºFront-Load Washer/Dryer Pair with its ThinQ AI Platform — using artificial intelligence to detect fabric types in each ... Read more

CES 2020 DAY ONE: These are the gadgets you’ll want to buy this year

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If you caught me on TV this morning - here's what I was likely talking about (updated 1/07/2020) While the rest of the world is just getting over their holiday hangover, every gadget-loving tech enthusiast on the planet is glued to what’s going down in Las Vegas right now. The world’s largest consumer electronics show — CES — is underway and while flying cars,  8K rolling TV's, curvy laptops, and crazy-futuristic-everything get a ton of buzz, the tech we need and use the most — are getting significant upgrades too: SAMSUNG'S SWANKY NEW GALAXY CHROMEBOOK Samsung just unveiled its swanky new Galaxy Chromebook. The aluminum body is less than half an inch thick, and weighs just over ... Read more

What to do if your package didn’t arrive on time:

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Special from: Michael Bonebright, consumer analyst with DealNews.com What to do if part of your order was not included, but the shipment claims its complete Amazon orders are typically shipped from different fulfillment centers, which is why you'll often receive multiple packages from the same order. What's more, delivery services may mark your packages as "delivered" up to 48 hours prior to their actual arrival. If you still haven't received your entire order after that 48-hour window has passed, you should contact Amazon customer service to request a replacement item or a refund. What to do if your packages arrive late for Christmas – or year-round To qualify for guaranteed delivery ... Read more

Tech that pays you back (in saved money, time and sanity)!

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https://youtu.be/TS3xnKYziTY Sometimes you have to spend money to save money down the road, and that’s especially true with many smart tech upgrades. Here are some of my favorite tech buys that can actually pay for themselves -- by letting you keep more of your hard-earned money in the long run -- or by creating more “me” time right now. Smart thermostats There’s a “smart” version of just about every appliance these days, but some are downright genius for saving you serious cash. Smart thermostats from well-known brands like Nest, Honeywell (Lyric T5 $150) and Ecobee ($199) can save you time, money, and worry. Google’s $169 Nest Thermostat E (or $249 for the newest version of the ... Read more

SHIPPING DEADLINES! How to get gifts delivered before Christmas:

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If you want all of your holiday gifts to arrive on time this year, check out the year-end gift-shipping deadline information below for FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service.FedEx For shipping within the U.S.: Dec. 9: Last day to ship via FedEx SmartPost. Dec. 16: Last day to ship via FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery. Dec. 19: Last day to ship via FedEx Express Saver. Dec. 20: Last day to ship via FedEx 2Day and FedEx 2Day A.M. Dec. 21: Last day to ship via FedEx Standard Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight, and FedEx First Overnight. Dec. 25: Last day to ship via FedEx SameDay City Direct, FedEx SameDay City Priority, and FedEx SameDay. Shipping ... Read more

These are the Black Friday, Cyber Monday shopping secrets retailers don’t want you to know

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https://youtu.be/OvztNWwBNcI I would rather lick a dirty sidewalk than camp out all night for “doorbuster deal” on Black Friday. Okay, that’s a bit dramatic and totally gross — have you heard what’s on the sidewalks in my area?! — but you get the point. Holidays are for precious family time, not for combat couponing with sales-rabid, sharp-elbowed strangers. Is there any way to get in on doorbuster deals without the chaos of the holiday crowds? This year, more than ever, the answer is an emphatic “yes,” according to several people “on the inside.” We spoke with current and former employees of Target, Walmart, Best Buy, GameStop, and even eBay, to get a handful of holiday shopping secrets ... Read more

WIRED WELL: New tech gadgets get senior moment and the results will make you cry (in a good way).

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp1yQzH6KAY ***This story and video originally ran/aired on USA Today. It's reposted here with permission.*** Brooklyn resident Marilyn Stone* isn’t your typical early tech adopter. She’s 95 years old, can’t see or hear very well anymore, and grew up in a time when the hottest new gadgets around were toaster ovens and zippers. Today? She’s not sure what she would do without her Amazon Echo smart speaker. “Alexa has been a miracle,” the spirited senior tells me over the phone, “I ask ‘what is the weather,’ and get an answer. Alexa turns on my lights, tells me what time it is, and when to take my pills.” Stone is now one of the 16.7 ... Read more

Worried your kids are addicted to screens? Help is here.

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https://youtu.be/qga2yuPYVd4 My daughter is off to college, yet I still have some of the same worries about her tech use as my friends with kids in middle school: Is she safe? Is she on social media too much? Does she put her smartphone down long enough to have meaningful connection and communication in real life? Tech-centric worry is the new norm and makes up a lot of what we parents are talking about these days: Safety, screen-time, device distraction, and making sure our kids get the right balance of necessary tech tools — along with real-life skills — to succeed. How do we handle modern technology the “right” way, especially when so many of us are overwhelmed by it all ... 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

GIFT GUIDE: Impress Pops With These Awesome Dad’s Day Gadgets!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haPuMC6Vm_0 Impressing dad is easy if you’re a kid. Just ride your bike off a three-inch ramp without crashing and more likely than not he’ll be beaming with pride. But impressing pops as a full-fledged wage-earning adult is a whole other story. Lucky for us though, new gadgets are coming out at a faster pace than ever before, and this year, some budget-friendly choices are still unique, memorable, and even super helpful too. Here are my top Father’s Day gift picks for all kinds of dads. A BETTER WAY TO RECHARGE Sometimes the simplest gifts end up being used the most, and this 3-in-1 charging station ($29) will be dad’s gadget go-to when he’s ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: Great gadget gifts for grads that they’ll totally love!

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***This story is from Jennifer's weekly columns and video segments for the USAToday Network.*** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xooy3Gg8csk Think back to your graduation, do you remember who gave you cash? I don’t. (And not just because I graduated a million years ago.) This cap-and-gown season, Americans are expected to spend more than $5.5 billion on gifts for high school and college grads. Cash in a card remains one of the most popular gifts, but it’s not the most memorable or even most useful in the long term. With my daughter graduating from high school this month, the pressure’s on to gift beyond cold, hard cash – and to find something truly meaningful, useful and just plain smart. ... Read more

#GiftingGoals for Mother’s Day 2019: Epic Gifts For All Kinds of Moms

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpfUxJsk7Vc Most moms I know “live in service and sacrifice to their children” 24/7. (I didn’t come up with that, Oprah did, see #7 on this list.) So it never hurts to go the extra mile to make her feel loved and appreciated. Of course, she’ll love your homemade card. And cry a few happy tears if you clean the bathroom without being asked. But if you — like more than 8 out of every 10 Americans — plan to spend a record amount of money on Mom this Mother’s Day, starting with this list is a genius move. #MomLife #TechLife Why? I’m a Mom who tests gadgets for a living. I also polled thousands of other Moms across social media, and then tried every single one ... Read more

Keeping Up With The Phoneses: State of Smartphones 2019

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It’s time for mobile makers to put up, or shut up. We need to see revolutionary — not just evolutionary — upgrades. We need better battery life, and we need it yesterday. We need our most relevant must-have gadget to be drop-dead simple to use, unhackable, unbreakable and less expensive. Oh, and how about less addictive too? We need our smartphones to WOW us again. State of the Smartphone 2019   The first batch of 2019’s shiny new smartphones — Samsung’s S10 line — landed on store shelves and in people’s hands across the country today. It kicked off a new year of flagship phone launches hoping to invigorate sagging sales. Samsung felt the pinch with the Galaxy S9, which worried ... Read more