Techish

Here’s the wacky stuff you should buy for the Eclipse 2017

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Our Christina Tynan-Wood did a great story on all the practical stuff you NEED for the eclipse on Monday. But what about the stuff you really WANT? I mean, the total solar eclipse going down on August. 21 is kind of a big deal. For the first time in 99 years, the moon's shadow will make its way across the entire United States from the west coast to the east. If you live in these states on the map to the left here, it's going to pass right over the top of your head. And that's a big freaking deal. Such a big deal, this one event links Hindu mythology, the world's first computer, and Albert Einstein. So obviously, you'll need a memento or two to mark the occasion, right? If ... Read more

MacGyver Gadgets For Busy Families (As seen on CNN/HLN)

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When you buy for back-to-school this year, why not get the gadgets and tech tools that will make a big change in your day-to-day? Maybe you're always crunched for time, space, or just trying to find the best bargain... whatever it is, there are amazing news tricks and tools to solve common problems, that most students and parents have no idea exist. Edge Desk $399 : Save space This is an insanely cool portable one-piece chair/desk combo that comes fully assembled in the box, then folds into customized positions – in less than a minute. I think it of it like a modern Murphy-bed-type instant office or study space – that you can tuck away when you're not using - perfect for dorms or small ... Read more

Back-to-school computer options for all ages

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Good news for students (and parents) facing the inevitable computer upgrade: there’s never been a better time to buy one. Not only are there more options than ever before – in size and shape, brand, and specifications (“specs”) – but there are attractive back-to-school deals to take advantage of. But choosing the right device to match your needs and budget can be an overwhelming task. The following should help you decide what’s best for the student in your home, divided into various ages. Kindergarten to 6th grade While not as popular as laptops, a stationary desktop computer might still be best for younger students. Not only do they cost less, on average, but they could be kept in a ... Read more

7 Fun new gadgets for the entire family (As Seen on The Today Show)

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When the Today Show calls and wants to know "what's new and fun for families" in my world, I scour the planet looking for genius new gadgets. Typically, prices need to be under $100 for gadgets we show off during these segments, but occasionally, they'll let me sneak in one "splurge" idea too. After submitting about 40-different ideas, here are the top seven we showed off on Today. (With guest host, Brad Paisley, y'all!) Can't wait to show you what we have "cooking" next!   TALKIES BY TOYMAIL $59   High-tech walkie-talkie + interactive plushie that lets kids communicate with approved friends and family, safely and securely. It’s a great way to get them to wake up, come down ... Read more

What is the Dark Web, and should you even care?

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You've probably heard a lot about the "Dark Web" in recent years, and I see lots and lots of adults who still have no idea what it is or how it works. That's not actually all that surprising, since it's fairly complicated, and still relatively new, at least to the vast majority of people. Here's a dead-simple breakdown of exactly what the Dark Web is, what's there, and why you should (or shouldn't) care. What is it? "Dark Web" is a blanket term used to describe all the parts of the World Wide Web that you can't access through a standard internet browser, like Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge. It's called "dark" because it's not clearly visible to the majority of people using the internet ... Read more

How to Set up a Better (Distraction-Free) Homework Space

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Just when you think you have this whole back-to-school routine down to a finely oiled machine, you get a note from a teacher informing you of missing homework. All those innocent claims of “I’m doing my homework!” shouted from behind a closed bedroom door might not have been – in the strictest sense – lies. We live in distracting times. Turn on a computer and the option to watch Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime make perfect sense over the prospect of writing a book report. We know all too well, just how easy it is to lose hours to wildly entertaining procrastination. Take a proactive approach and create a homework space in a place in the house that it’s easy to keep an eye on. Set up ... Read more

Tiny Photos Printers that Fit in Your Pocket

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At this point in the summer, the thought of sending the kids back to school comes with some regret and a massive amount of anticipation. Enjoy a cup of coffee alone? Go to the store without an entourage? No more wrestling over how much is too much Internet? (At least for five hours a day.) Who wouldn't be counting the days? Don't forget, though, that school comes with school plays, science projects, and more impossible cuteness that will never be repeated. Those events need to be recorded. For that end, we want to put a new(ish) category of tech toy on your radar: The tiny photo printer. These affordable, pocketable, and super fun printers let you get your photos off your phone, out of ... Read more

DEALish! 25% off Leviton Smart Lights

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Here we are in late July. And for those of us who enjoy summer for its less-strict bedtimes, it is now time to think about getting back onto that tyrannical early-bird schedule required by schools. No more reading into the wee hours if you want to be up for lunch making, school commuting, and the drop off line at school. And to make that happen, at least in my house, that means becoming the warden of “Lights out!” Smart lights make this much easier. After you have announced 15 minutes to lights out, you can let the technology take it from there. When it’s time to kill the light, tap your phone or ask you Amazon Echo or Google Home to turn them off. This is awesome for your own bedtime, ... Read more

How to download YouTube videos

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You can right click on just about any image on the internet and save it to your computer, so it might seem a bit confusing that you can't just download any video you want, too. After all, YouTube billions and billions of videos, and more are uploaded every single second, so there's has to be a way to save them forever, right? Well, you're right, there is, and here's how. Just so you know... Before we dive into the tools you can use to download YouTube videos and save them forever, it's important to mention the messy legality of all of this. YouTube isn't particularly keen on people downloading videos from the site, and there's a couple of important reasons for that. First, the content ... Read more

8 Clever Mom Hacks for Driving with Kids

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  Does it seem as if a big chunk of your family time happens on the road? Considering that Americans spend, on average, 290 hours a year driving, that's not just frustration talking. This is a reality. That is more than seven work weeks, spent in the car. And, if you have teenagers, this might even be the only time you spend in one-on-one conversations where they can't storm away and slam a door. Here are some hacks for making that time the best family time it can be. Maybe you can turn this modern, mobile moment into some of the best time you have together. Make the Car a Rule-Free Zone Whatever rules you have about limiting time spent gaming or accessing the Internet at home? ... Read more

HOW TO: Use Ghost Mode to turn off Snapchat’s latest Snap Map feature

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https://youtu.be/u9sUFSchmlU A whole bunch of my mom-friends are buzzing about Snapchat's latest Snap Map feature that shows their teen's avatar location on a map – right down to the cross street. Wired called it "stalkerish," while a whole host of other news outlets from Good Housekeeping to ABC News report additional privacy concerns. HOW TO USE GHOST MODE TO TURN OFF SNAP MAPS As our own Christina Tynan-Wood points out, you have to opt-in to Snap Maps in the first place. If you or your teen hasn't done that, then no worries, it's already "off." When your teen opens the app for the first time after the update, Snapchat walks them through a step-by-step tutorial on how to use the Snap ... Read more

AMAZON PRIME DAY: How to get the very best deals before anyone else!

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Amazon's third annual Prime Day is coming up on July 10th and 11th. There are huge deals to be had but, in years past, the best ones sold out super fast. Of course they did -- this is Amazon's answer to Black Friday after all, where people get trampled to death trying to score a bargain. So, you don't have to worry about death and mayhem with Prime Day, but you do have to know what you are doing -- unless you want to be stuck holding the dregs. If you think there won't be crowds because there were grumblings about lame deals and TVs selling out immediately in past years, think again. DealNews surveyed shoppers and found that while consumers haven’t yet reached consensus on whether they ... Read more

Worried about Snapchat location tracking your teens? I’m not. Here’s why:

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On June 21, Snapchat launched a feature – Snap Map – that caused  parents, law enforcement, and some reporters to fret wildly about the safety of teenagers using Snapchat. Snap Map shows people on Snapchat where their friends are, on a map, in precise up-to-the-second detail. Even if the idea of a feature on your teen’s phone that reveals their location doesn't already worry you, it probably will after you read all the warnings. BUT IS THIS A BIG DEAL? This is, absolutely, a good reason to talk to your kids (again) about privacy in the Internet age. This all might seem like another cool thing to them but there are serious dangers with location tracking and software companies have not ... Read more

The scenes on that dusty VHS will make you cry: here’s how to save your old photos and videos

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Every time I declutter my house, I find myself in a showdown with several boxes of videotapes I made when my kids were little. The tapes are covered in dust. They stare back at me, daring me to throw them away. I haven’t owned a VHS machine since the late 90's so I can’t watch them. In their current form, I will never be able to. I am sure they are loaded with impossible cuteness. But I’m not blessed with an overabundance of spare time. So, even if I had the technology, I am unlikely to find an afternoon to hook a VHS machine up to a computer, find an adapter, and figure out how to transfer those memories to a digital format that will allow me to view – and share all over social media – ... Read more

Are you freaking out teaching your teen to drive? I am. Here’s tech to keep them safe (and you sane)!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y9rjVXwJ7g (This story originally ran in USA Today and was syndicated to Gannett.) My daughter is 16 and just about to get her driver’s license. She’s thrilled. I’m terrified. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not her. She does all the right stuff: Drives the speed limit, stops for a full three seconds when she’s supposed to, and doesn’t use her cellphone in the car. Still, I’m not sure I’m ready for this particularly risky milestone — and for good reason. The newly updated teen drivers report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. And the latest data from the AAA ... Read more

We tried dozens of travel apps. These 10 will save your trip!

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Gone are the days of money belts, maps, travel guides, and standing in line. You can use your phone to do most of that. But which apps will get it done? We tried dozens of them, hit the road, and learned from our mistakes. All you have to do is spend ten minutes downloading apps and you will be ready to roll. Dosh (iOS/Android), free Travel is spendy. So you get out a laptop and research every hotel, flight, and restaurant before you decide. Oh, stop! Get Dosh. Need a hotel? Fly through a list of deals, right in the app. Tap, buy, and earn reward Dosh you can spend later.Time for lunch? Everyone else throws fiscal caution aside when tummies growl in an unfamiliar town. Not you. You ... Read more