Techish

12 Things you may not know about Bird Scooters (and why I love them)!

  ·

I love the Bird electric scooter rental service. There are dozens of them in and around my neighborhood in Oakland, California, and they just make getting around so much easier. The influx of scooters by companies such as Bird, Lime, and others, are causing quite a bit of controversy in major cities, especially along the coasts. Some people think they're an eyesore — as though some electric scooters lining the sidewalk is somehow worse than anything else a big city has to offer — while others think they're inherently unsafe or annoying to deal with when driving or walking. To be honest, I wasn't sure how I felt about them, at least at first. I didn't think they were bad, but I also ... Read more

5 Ways to Make Your Old iPhone Feel Like New Again

  ·

Apple’s newest phones are out, more expensive than ever, and selling like crazy to early buyers eager to get their hands on the latest, greatest handset. Yes, even if they had to camp out for a week or sell a kidney to do it. But what about those of us who love the phone we have and want it to keep working like new? Smartphones are famous for working great for a year, then sputtering out right about the time the latest launch. Some people think it’s a conspiracy by the phone makers, but experts say you really just have to know how to keep them running right. “There are very simple steps that you can take to make it new again,” says Matt Zieminski, lead tech engineer at Puls, a company ... Read more

This magical robot vacuum empties its own dust-bin and I freaking love it.

  ·

The newest Roomba robot vacuum can empty its own dustbin! The iRobot Roomba i7+ robot vacuum with Automatic Dirt Disposal  ($950) can learn, adapt and remember a home’s floor plan, which lets you clean specific rooms by name. You can control it from an app on your smartphone, set it to clean at certain times, or on a specific schedule. It also works with Alexa and the Google Assistant, so you can just tell it what to do using voice commands. The little robot empties whatever it picks up into the Clean Base, which also doubles as the charging dock. The base can hold up to 30 full bins — so you can go for months without worrying about lifting a finger. I have it at home with me ... Read more

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

  ·

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

What to expect from the big Apple event this Wednesday

  ·

Apple's annual iPhone reveal event takes place on Wednesday, and that means we're in store for another round of smartphone updates as well as a few added treats. Apple has turned the end of summer into its personal product showcase for many years now, and as usual, the rumor mill is in full swing. Plenty of insider leaks are hinting at what Apple is preparing to unveil, and here's what you should expect: New iPhones The easiest prediction of the bunch is that Apple will indeed have new iPhones to show off. What's special about this year is that, since the iPhone X kind of threw a wrench in the cycle Apple had already established, we're actually likely to get all-new models rather than just ... Read more

How (and when) to get the most money for your old iPhone:

  ·

It doesn’t matter if you have a still-shiny-new iPhone X or an ancient iPhone 5s — if you’re planning an upgrade to the latest and greatest as soon as Apple unveils them this week — you likely want to score the most money for it as humanly possible. There are a ton of ways now to get cash for your old iPhone. The sooner you sell it before Apple announces new phones on September 12th, the more money you’ll make. You’ll also get about 30% more money on average going through a buy-back site such as Gazelle and Nextworth, than from a wireless carrier’s trade-in program. Those two sites specifically also let you lock in a sales price, then hang onto to your old phone for a few weeks ... Read more

Alexa can tell you when the next big concert’s coming to town

  ·

"Alexa, are there any good concerts coming to town?" "The Foo Fighters will be performing at the SAP Center in San Jose on September 12th. Would you like to buy tickets?" Alexa just got a new skill — telling you when concerts are coming to your area — even including the venue and dates. This is a new skill and even though she got it right for me the first time, others are saying she's a little behind. Gearbrain wrote last week that Alexa told them about a Foo Fighters concert on July 17th at Madison Square Garden in New York — more than seven weeks ago. Still, you can teach an old AI new tricks, and this is another one that might come in really handy (or hands-free...). What do you ... Read more

AS SEEN ON: Atlanta Tech Edge (NBC) In Case You Missed It (With Links To All Gadgets)

  ·

In case you missed it, here's everything Jenn and Cara talked about on Atlanta Tech Edge: Top Tech-Life Hacks for Busy Families – Tested Save time, money, and sanity with some simple yet — genius — tips, tricks and quick-y hacks to solve all kinds of everyday issues around school, family, and even college concerns. Jennifer asked 1,000 parents for their best hacks to save money and reduce stress for throughout the school year. Here's what they said: #1. Slash costs of new gadgets: Don’t feel like you have to get the $1,000 gadget when $100 will do. Grab a great deal like this $124 8-inch Huawei MediaPad T3 tablet. What one mom said she liked about it  - aside from the price - ... Read more

These are the Amazon Labor Day sale gadget deals you need to know about

  ·

It seems like Amazon Prime Day was just yesterday, but here we are with yet another occasion for the online mega-retailer to slash prices on all kinds of stuff: Labor Day! Here are some of the best discounts on the site, available for a very limited time. Catch them while you can! Amazon Echo Show - $129.99 (previously $229.99) Amazon Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition - $79.99 (previously $99.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick w/ Alexa Remote - $29.99 (previously $39.99) Amazon Fire TV Cube - $89.99 (previously $119.99) Amazon Echo Dot - $39.99 (previously $49.99) Amazon Echo 2nd Gen - $84.99 (previously $99.99) Fifty Shades Trilogy, Blu-ray  - $24.99 (previously $49.98) Jurassic ... Read more

HOW TO: Hack back to school routine-rage with Alexa!

  ·

For busy parents, back to school means back to juggling schedules, long school supply lists, and competing priorities. Luckily, Amazon's Alexa can help parents get back into the routine during that back to school transition. Here are few things to try:  ●      Stay stocked on back to school essentials and last-minute household items with Dash Buttons for things Ziplocs and Bounty. Click the button when you’re running low, and the product will be delivered right to your front door. ●      Don’t forget about that upcoming field trip, permission slip, or fundraiser. Just say “Alexa, remind me that I’m chaperoning a field trip next Monday at 8 am.” ●      Set a custom Routine for you and ... Read more

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: Samsung Unpacked 2018

  ·

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: Helpful Tech-Life Hacks for Busy Families

  ·

It’s been more than twenty years since I’ve gone to school, and yet every August without fail, I have classic back-to-school anxiety dreams: There’s a big test and I forgot to study. I can’t remember my locker combination. I’m in gym class — naked. Sound familiar? Turns out back to school season can be just as stressful for parents as it is for some students. A slew of recent surveys show parents are increasingly anxious about back to school shopping costs, getting kids ready and out the door on time, screen-time, busy schedules, homework, and bedtime, among many other nagging concerns. While new technology might be to blame for some of the stress — like kids playing Fortnite when ... Read more

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

  ·

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

Dolby Atmos: Why you should have it, like, right now!

  ·

Even if you're not particularly interested in new audio tech you've probably heard of Dolby Atmos, and you've probably been wondering what it is and why you should even care. It's the hottest buzzword in home theater and mobile devices, and there's a good reason why: It sounds absolutely awesome. Let's break down why it's one of the most talked-about terms in tech! What is Dolby Atmos? Put simply, Dolby Atmos is a new kind of surround sound technology that actually improves upon the concepts of a multi-speaker sound system and can be adapted to something as small as a pair of headphones. If an old-fashioned surround sound system makes you feel like you're right in front of the action, ... Read more

The ultimate Prime Day deals mega-list: TVs, Phones, Gadgets, and More!

  ·

Prime Day is finally here! It's Amazon's biggest sales day of the year, rivaling even Black Friday and Cyber Monday for the sheer number of deals and discounts. There's a lot of stuff on sale right now, and it would take you all day to sift through every Amazon page in search of the best stuff, but lucky for you I've done a lot of digging and here's the best stuff at bargain prices: Toshiba 50-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV with HDR - Fire TV Edition - $289.99 (normally $399.99) TCL 32S305 32-Inch 720p Roku Smart LED TV - $129.99 (normally $199.99) Echo - $69.99 (normally $99.99) Echo Dot - $29.99 (normally $49.99) Echo Plus - $99.99 (normally $149.99) Echo Show - ... Read more

I just cheated on my MacBook Pro for two weeks and I liked it

  ·

It took me a lot of years to be able to afford the most souped-up, best-in-show — with a cherry on top — MacBook Pro. The last one I bought cost about $3,000 all-in. That’s the most money I’ve spent on one thing at one time — ever — and it stung for sure. I justified it as the single most important work expense I have though, and hoped it would hold up at least five years. That was early 2017. Fast forward to the summer of 2018. The “S” is nearly worn off my keyboard, and it makes it just five or six hours on a single charge. I hardly ever use the “revolutionary” Touch Bar. Still, cheating on my trusty MacBook Pro was no easy feat. It’s traveled around the world with me, helped me file ... Read more