Techish

GIFT GUIDE: These Valentine Gadgets Gifts and Tech Tools Make You Swoon

  ·

Shopping for Valentine's Day can be a super tough task, especially if you blew your gift-giving greatness over the Christmas holidays. Now what? Do you go for the mushy, romantic gifts or spring for something your partner actually needs? Flowers, dinner, chocolate, a DIY book of coupons?  Or maybe you're buying a gift for someone you're not romantic with, like a friend or child (or yourself!). The good news is that right now is a great time to get some of the best gadgets of the year. Here's what we're drooling over: Netflix and Thrill Top five best new gadgets of the year — The Freestyle — Samsung’s all-new, super hot, flexible projector. It creates cinema-quality entertainment ... Read more

CES2022: Check out this latest wellness tech, including a sanitizing light for your cell phone

  ·

***A version of this article and video originally ran in USA Today*** https://youtu.be/Nnhn7P1Vt3o Someone asked me if CES 2022 has offered “a fix for Covid,” yet. After all, it is the epicenter of future tech – chock full of all kinds of innovation, inventions, and wild ideas – that just might become one of the top gadgets of its time. Past shows brought us the first home VCR, Tetris, Oculus Rift, and who could ever forget the toilet-paper delivery robot? Alas, there was no new magical device to cure COVID this year – or even help get rapid tests to areas overrun with omicron – which now includes Las Vegas, too. But there was a cute little plushy robot that nibbles on your fingers to ... Read more

CES2022: HANDS-ON WITH TOP TECH

  ·

**A version of this article and video originally ran in USA Today.*** https://youtu.be/NRzQsdbQELk Tens of thousands of tech enthusiasts were in Las Vegas last week for CES 2022 – the annual consumer electronics show – one of the most influential gadget trade shows in the world. But even more notable? How many people opted to cover all the latest tech unveilings from a distance for the second year in a row, thanks to the current spike in COVID-19 cases. Attendance was down more than 70% according to the CTA, the group that organizes the tradeshow. As Mike Snider reported in USA TODAY's preview, several big companies such as Amazon, Google, Lenovo, GM, IBM, and Microsoft pulled out of ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: Helpful tips for getting great gifts while staying on budget!

  ·

The final sprint is here to get your hands on the perfect present for friends and family. Here are a handful of ideas for great gifts and savings tools — to wrap up this year on a good note. ABCmouse Here's a great digital gift for kids (and their parents) that's NOT impacted by shipping delays: ABCmouse —  a comprehensive digital learning program disguised as a bunch of super-awesome games.  It's really an ultimate guilt-free screen time. There are more than 10-thousand activities, so kids won’t get bored with it, and it really helps build confidence and a strong foundation in reading, math, English, and more for kids ages 2–8.  Kids are always learning, even when they don’t think they ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: Check out these buzz worthy gadgets!

  ·

Holiday shopping is in full swing and the clock is ticking to get the most coveted gifts delivered in time for the big day. Here are a handful of gadgets—and one super-smart insider tip—for finding perfect picks without all the stress! Note: You can buy the gadget directly from the BUY IT NOW links below, and Techish might get a small commission on the sale, but recommendations are independently chosen by Techish editors. A most buzz-worthy gift E-Bikes are the world’s best-selling electric vehicle — and one of the most wished-for gadgets this year. Check out these two models from Buzz E-Bikes— starting with the Charter-F — a lightweight electric folding bike — minimalist design, tons ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: Tech the halls! More great gadgets and deals!

  ·

https://youtu.be/L4w3Q3E2h-4 Here are the gadgets we're buying for people we love (including ourselves). We have several lists here on Techish.com, including the latest gadgets catching our eye for overall features, price, and the fact you can still get it in time for Christmas! Wristcam  Serious inspector-gadget must-have: This next-gen wristband adds two hands-free cameras to your Apple Watch. There’s a selfie camera that angles up — and then another one that faces forward. Both can snap either stills or HD video. Wristcam syncs to an app and imports the captures into Apple's Photo library. It also hooks into Siri voice commands! No phone needed! The 8-megapixel “world-facing” camera ... Read more

Use these browser extensions to get the best deals on everything you buy!

  ·

Amazon has a reputation for offering the lowest prices on many of its products, but it's not always the best place to find deals. Whether you're doing some casual online shopping or prepping for early Black Friday sales (check out the best discounts on TVs and headphones so far), using a coupon browser extension like OctoShop or Honey could help you find the lowest price possible. A quick privacy note: The extensions on this list work by scanning every site you visit for potential coupons, which could potentially expose you to some security issues. Before installing any of them, it's worth your while to check out its privacy policy. That noted, all the ones we've highlighted ... Read more

HOW TO: Shop Black Friday/Cyber Monday like a pro

  ·

This is a shopping seaon like no other. Gaming devices like the PlayStation and Xbox consoles are going to be really tough to find, and the list of hard-to-get items has grown even longer, encompassing Wi-Fi routers, cheap laptops and audio gear. BEST deals so far:  LG C1 OLED TV (65-Inch) - Costco Deal price: $1,800; street price: $2,100 Google Nest Doorbell Camera - Walmart Deal price: $150; street price: $200 Apple Airpods Pro: $159 (save $90 vs. Apple store, lowest price ever) - Walmart  Netgear Nighthawk Wi-Fi router: $150 (save $150) - Best Buy  Bose QuietComfort 35 Series II Noise-Cancelling Headphones - Target Deal price: $200; street price: ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: Tech toys that teach, screen-free fun, and lessons to last a lifetime!

  ·

***A version of this article and video appear in USA Today*** https://youtu.be/aBYIdXbl_9E It’s hard enough to pry myself away from a screen these days, but when it comes to kids? Forget about it. It seems like babies are now born with the swipe, pinch, and tap reflexes ready to go out of the gate. Paired with the pandemic, many parents feel like screen time — theirs and their kids’ — is totally out of control. Which leads us to this years’ hottest toy trends. This year is all about screen-free fun, tech toys that teach, and perfect pets (all the fun, none of the mess). Here are some of the best I—and my team of young reviewers—have tried out first hand. STEM GETS AN “A” STEM — ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: Buy now or wait until Black Friday/Cyber Monday?

  ·

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are usually two of the biggest holiday shopping days of the year — but this year everything is different. Most deals are already out there, and people are gobbling them up. Here are a few standouts, plus advice on what to buy now versus what to hold off on for a few more weeks.  WAIT UNTIL BLACK FRIDAY FOR THIS HOT DEAL! The holidays are all about family, friends and festivities — and if you’re anything like me — that means constantly cleaning up before the next wave of guests arrive! I just ordered the LG CordZero Kompressor Stick Vacuum with Power Mop because — a) I LOVE vacuuming, b) it is a super handy tool that really sucks — in a good way — and has the ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: Hot holiday gadgets and ways to save

  ·

A worldwide computer chip shortage combined with major shipping delays means many Christmas shoppers won't be able to find the items they're looking for and have them delivered before December 25th. If you typically wait until Black Friday and Cyber Monday to do the bulk of your shopping, you definitely want to get started now, especially since we're already seeing some of the biggest discounts on some of the hottest gadgets already. Here are some of my favorite finds so far, along with advice on ways to shop smart and save big: SWEET SMARTPHONES Samsung’s new Galaxy Z-series foldables are two of the newest and most striking pieces of tech on the planet.  The Galaxy Z ... Read more

This smart tech can save your life:

  ·

***A version of this story first ran in USA Today*** SKIN CANCER: EARLY DETECTION AND TRACKING Minneapolis-based electrical engineer and mom of two, Emily Riggs, was just 34 year old when she noticed a “different looking” mole on her back.  “I saw it and just had a sense of dread,” Riggs said over the phone. “It wasn't 100% out of left field. I had an uncle I was close with diagnosed with a late stage of melanoma, and he unfortunately didn’t live much longer after the diagnosis.”  Riggs had also just moved to a new town, but says she “started Googling dermatologists and was lucky to get an appointment right away.” Sure enough, the suspicious spot was melanoma, a serious form of ... Read more

Amazon’s newest gadgets (a robot!), features, and privacy promises:

  ·

The robots are coming! And so is a new connected gadget or feature to every nook and cranny of your home — if Amazon has anything to say about it that is. Amazon just announced a treasure trove of new devices and services that they say "brings ambient intelligence to life." What's that even mean? According to Amazon PR, it  "unlocks new experiences for customers—enabling devices and services to work seamlessly together, offering more than any single product could." The company also promises these new features will let us all be more present with the people and things most important to us. But how do we feel about letting a tech giant into even more private places in our home? That's ... Read more

iPhone 13: Buy now or wait?

  ·

***A version of this article originally ran in USA Today*** We can count on a few things to happen every September: The start of a new school year. Leaves change color. A new iPhone – heck all the newest flagship smartphones – typically hit store shelves and land in the hands of eager early adopters. Those of us who cover tech can also count on getting the question, “should I upgrade now or wait?” The simplest answer is this: If you can afford it, then, by all means, preorder it now or get it in stores after Sept. 24. The iPhone 13 lineup is Apple’s best yet and sure to be the envy of many trying to "keep up with Phoneses." But, if your current smartphone still meets your needs, there’s ... Read more

Are we facing an epidemic of repetitive stain injuries?

  ·

When I started working at PC World in the 90s, the art department had recently made the transformation to working on computers and every art person I met was wearing wrist braces. The editorial department had made this transition a few years before and our most prolific writer had just had experimental carpal tunnel surgery and an editor had quit to go on disability because the pain, numbness, and weakness in her hands was crippling. That editor was unable to lift her own child and never regained full use of her hands. Less than a year later, my hands hurt constantly. This was happening in newsrooms all over the world and was being called the Carpal Tunnel Epidemic. Time magazine ran a ... Read more

7 Great Masks for to Go Back to School

  ·

New backpack? Check. Number two pencils, composition books, and scientific calculator? Got it. Supply of face masks because the delta variant has brought back mask mandates and parents are terrified? Oops. It seems like just weeks ago that we were tossing our masks and running free and vaccinated in the streets. (Because it was, literally, last week.) But mask mandates are back in many states and the CDC “recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.” Whatever your current situation, you probably need to add masks to your back-to-school shopping list because, as the delta variant surges, school ... Read more