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How the latest fitness apps can hack human motivation (in a good way)

  Jennifer Jolly · February 15, 2021

This article and video originally appeared in USA Today 2021 https://youtu.be/9kyVtwP8Kwc More than 50% of Americans made the same New Year's resolution this year – to “do more exercise and improve their fitness” – according to a recent poll by international data and analytics group YouGov. By the second week of February though some 80% of us give up, and go right back to bad habits and old excuses. My longtime go-to: “Tomorrow, I’ll exercise tomorrow.” Sound familiar? Yeah, it did for me too until I spent the last few months trying out more than 20 different fitness apps and gadgets. I used each one at least three times, adoring some, abhorring others. Within the first week, some clear ... Read more

HOW TO: Use a Zoom filter (but not get stuck as a cat!)

  Sarah Breuner · February 15, 2021

Zoom cat filter

Sometimes the bloopers are the best part of the show. If you haven’t seen the best #zoomfail of all time yet — click here first. So what happened? An attorney accidentally showed up as a cat in a virtual hearing in Texas. The lawyer said he was using his secretary's computer, and she has a young daughter — which may have led to the mishap. Now — check out how to do it yourself — but not get stuck as a cat! (Or a potato - yep that happened too!) Pro tip: Don't get carried away with the filters - some bosses say it makes them crazy! That said - you show me your best filters and I’ll show you mine! ... Read more

Pandemic Taxes

  Christina X. Wood · January 26, 2021

What a year! Everything was terrible. Things will be so much better in 2021 (we hope)! But first? Taxes! Oh, yay. (Sigh.) Taxes are never fun. But this year — in addition to the usual dread — there is a lot to think about that none of us has had to consider before. But don’t put it off. There might be money in this endeavor for you. Even if you collected unemployment, there are opportunities here.  “Over 40 million people were unemployed and received expanded unemployment benefits under the CARES Act,” explains Lisa Greene-Lewis, TurboTax CPA and tax expert. Even though you may not have had taxes withheld and are not entitled to a refund, you still have to file. “And you may be eligible ... Read more

Ten Tips to Keep You Sane and Productive While Working from Home

  Christina X. Wood · January 25, 2021

I have been working from home since my daughter was born. This week, she turned 22. So I’ve had plenty of time to explore all the delights and dangers of working where I live. If you, like 42 percent of U.S. workers right now, are working from home, you have probably already experienced the productivity boost that comes with eliminating your commute, in-office interruptions and meetings. But you are about to — if you haven’t already — run into the anxiety, irritability, and complete failure to get anything done that comes next in this adventure. The reason for the upcoming mood plummet, according the WHO, is that working from home has eliminated every built-in trigger that helped you gear ... Read more

Smart Fitness at CES

  Christina X. Wood · January 19, 2021

peloton workout

With many gyms closed or limited during the pandemic, many of us turned to at-home workouts, either on our own or with the help of online classes from Alomoves, Peloton Fitness (with or without fancy equipment), The Daily Burn or through apps like Seven. In fact, at-home fitness has become such a trend while we are all on lockdown, fitness equipment sales — everything from resistance bands to kettlebells to bikes — increased by 500 percent and led to massive shortages. It’s no wonder that CES was full of fitness innovations. And if this year’s virtual CES is any indicator, getting fitness out of gyms and into our homes and daily lives is the wave of the future. Online Health Clubs With ... Read more

Far-out, futuristic, and just plain fanstastical new tech from CES 2021:

  Jennifer Jolly · January 15, 2021

A robot that loads my dishwasher and brings me wine? Yes please! A $3,000 doggy door that makes Fido’s every wish its instant command? Buying it (just as soon as I win the lottery)! Flying cars? Can’t buckle in soon enough. Oh sure, there’s an amazing array of fringe, far-out, and just plain fantastical new tech we’re all talking about during this year's all-digital CES. But when it comes to the winner for most memorable — the jaw-dropping and OMG-inspiring — rise to the top every time. Here are the unforgettables from CES 2021. Mojo Vision’s Bionic Contacts While the rest of the tech world gets closer to getting smart glasses right (see Vuzix here), Mojo Vision sees a future where AR ... Read more

The CES tech you have to see to believe (trust me, it’s a must-look)!

  Christina X. Wood · January 15, 2021

CES is full of serious solutions to real-world problems. Probably. I didn’t look for those. I haunted the virtual aisles of the Consumer Electronics Show looking for weird. And why not? It’s been a strange year. As a culture, our taste for strange has grown exponentially since the last CES. And you know what? I found it.  Amid the folding laptops, bending phone screens, driverless cars, flying cars, and drones that will -- sooner than anyone expected -- deliver our packages right to our doors, I found the products that made me say, “Seriously?” And then, “Okay, I want that.” From a bandaid that will make men first shave, down there, and then be better in bed to a pair of glasses that ... Read more

Early Hands-On With Top Tech @CES Gadgets 2021

  Jennifer Jolly · January 13, 2021

https://youtu.be/JFMuh59c9fc Every year we see our fair share of fringe, futuristic, and just plain fantastical gadgets. We'll post about the most amazing of the 2,000-some gadgets we've seen so far tomorrow. But first, here are a handful of the best gadgets we've actually gotten to go hands-on with ourselves during this big event. One of the best new gadgets we’ll actually buy this year is a just-unveiled Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2. The 2-in-1 device has the world’s first QLED display on a Chromebook. QLED is the same advanced tech Samsung uses in its best TVs. The sound is sweeter, the battery life is longer, and the price is lower. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 is expected out in the ... Read more

HOW TO: Help senior friends and family set up their new tech

  Christina X. Wood · December 25, 2020

All that tech you wrapped and put under the tree seemed like such a terrific idea when you were shopping. A Roku! A new phone! A sweet new laptop! You killed the gift-giving. But now that the presents are opened and everyone is playing with their toys, you are starting to feel like the new guy on the tech support helpline. Answering the first question from Papa was fun. Helping Nana get her new tablet set up was rewarding. But the millionth question? You are seriously considering charging by the minute. Maybe the gift you forgot was an unlimited subscription to online tech support for everyone born before 1993? Because you know what? That’s a thing. Teaching people to use technology when ... Read more

Here are Apple’s top apps of 2020

  Sarah Breuner · December 15, 2020

Best apps of 2020

Apple is out with what it calls the best apps of the worst year 2020. Between working remotely, learning from home, and general lack of things to do during the pandemic, many of us were on our devices more than ever before. (I have strong words for whoever invented the shame-filled screen time report.) This year also brought some apps into the limelight. Zoom became not just a household name, but a verb. Many of Apple's top apps of the year have to do with connecting with others or keeping ourselves busy when so many activities aren't possible. The top iPhone app of the year was Wakeout!, an app that includes exercises for all ability levels. Zoom has to be one of the top apps — ... Read more

Gadgets and gear to help you take a SAFE road trip during a pandemic:

  Jennifer Jolly · December 15, 2020

Taking a road trip during a pandemic

***This story originally ran/aired in USA Today.*** Seven months into this global pandemic, my husband traded his big, white professional-videographer production van for a bigger, taller, and more adventuresome shade of “pebble gray” Sprinter van. Since so much of his on-location production is shuttered right now, and we both work from home anyway, why not just hit the road? We can explore off-beaten paths and reconnect with one another – while remaining safe in our self-contained, extremely COVID-cautious little bubble. Vandemonium We’re not the only ones thinking this way. RV and van sales and rentals alike have surged since early summer, with no signs of slowing down. Van rental ... Read more

These Subscription Services Make Awesome Gifts!

  Christina X. Wood · December 14, 2020

Arming up with a tote, comfy shoes, and going shopping was once a fun way to discover a new brand of soap, fall in love with a fashion trend, and stop somewhere for tea while connecting with friends. Those were more innocent times. As we head into the year 2021, that sort of activity is, in all likelihood, a historical artifact. The year of the pandemic has changed, according to a recent study, our habits around many aspects of life. And we are unlikely to return to our old ways. We shop online, discover online, and do our self-care online. The joy of discovery we once found at the mall has moved to subscription boxes, an industry that’s currently estimated to be worth $15 billion as ... Read more

HOW TO: Use Your Phone to Stop the Spread of COVID-19

  Christina X. Wood · December 11, 2020

At a recent doctor’s appointment, the check-in nurse asked me if I had been exposed to anyone who had tested positive for Covid-19. I said no. But it felt like a lie. How could I know the answer to that with any certainty? What if the person who sat too close to me at the vet last week was sick? What if I inadvertently stood next to someone in the grocery store who had been exposed? And what about all those people who run past me when I take my morning walk? Many of them are breathing hard and not wearing masks. I don’t know that they aren’t spewing virus droplets all over me. It turns out I could know. It’s easy to know. All I have to do is download an app or turn on the ... Read more

BEWARE: COVID-19 vaccine scams on the way

  Sarah Breuner · December 9, 2020

The good news: COVID-19 vaccines are on the way. The bad news: So are the scammers. The Food and Drug Administration is already reviewing vaccines from two manufacturers, Pfizer/BioNTech, and Moderna. That review could wrap up by Christmas. Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the first doses should go to health care workers and people living in long-term care facilities. The rest of us will have to wait. The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers are already hard at work while Americans scramble to get vaccinated. Here's what you need to know so you don't fall for a scam: 1. DO NOT PAY: You (probably) won't have to pay anything out of ... Read more

SCAM ALERT: FTC warning of fake calls from Apple and Amazon

  Sarah Breuner · December 8, 2020

You've heard them before, probably dozens of times. "We are calling the vehicle owner about your car's extended warranty..." Click. We don't even waste time to hear the rest of the spiel. We know that's a scam right from the start. But there's a new round of scams that is slightly sneakier. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning about a trend of scammers calling people and claiming to be from either Apple or Amazon. There are two versions of this scam. In one, there is a recorded message that says something is wrong with your Amazon account — this could be a suspicious purchase, lost package, etc. The other version of the scam leaves a recorded message saying your ... Read more

Techish word of the week: “Fleet”

  Sarah Breuner · December 8, 2020

What the “fleet”?! Just when you really figure out how to use a particular social media site - it changes. Did you see the new feature Twitter rolled out that looks just like “stories” on Instagram? They’re called fleets, and Twitter says they’re supposed to “help start conversations” and “help people feel more comfortable sharing.” Uhhhhh... doesn’t seem like people had too much trouble starting convos or sharing on their before... so... why this, why now? Likely to keep up with the FB fam favorites. (The fleets show up at the top of your timeline too.) What’s that saying, “imitation is the highest form of flattery...” or something like that? What do you think about fleets - or ... Read more

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