Techish

BAD NEWS BLUES? Here are apps, sites, and GOOD tech tools to restore your faith in humanity

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As seen in USA Today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rMjFJKjeo0 My smartphone’s been working overtime these past few weeks to deliver a spate of emergency notifications straight to the palm of my hand. And I’m totally exhausted by it. Between all the breaking news alerts, heartbreaking Facebook feeds, and a seemingly endless flood of negative Twitter tirades, I’ve feel like I’ve consumed enough bad news to last a lifetime. Of course I’m doing everything I can to help anyone and everyone who needs it, but it’s overwhelming, to say the least. “There’s actually a term for how you and so many other people are feeling right now,” says Dr. Mary McNaughton-Cassill, a professor of ... Read more

KGO RADIO/APP HAPPY: Apps to send gifts on demand, even without an address:

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Hey! Today is Ronn Owens Birthday. So, for this week's app round-up - a bunch of simple tech tools to send him gifts on demand! Drizzly (iOS, Android) Let’s start with an app helps get the party started right. Drizzly delivers beer, wine, liquor and all the extras needed for a fun party or special occasion, within an hour. Sending a gift is just as easy as ordering something for yourself—so you never have to show up for a party empty handed again. Use the app to pay and tip the delivery guy— no cash needed. Minimum order is $20, and delivery is $5. Drizzle’s available in a growing list of cities across the United States and is even showing up in Canada, so a good time can be gifted ... Read more

10 amazing things that will restore your faith in humanity. Because we need it.

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It's been a rough few weeks. Here are ten stories, links, and sites to help restore your faith in humanity. #spreadthegood #10. This ICU Grandpa who cuddles premature babies.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm1w85s0D7Y For more than 12 years, this father of two and grandfather of two has been volunteering to care for patients—and their families. #9. These wise words of Mr. Rogers  Remember that for every evil man who destroys, there are thousands of good people who help. In this short interview clip with Fred Rogers, he explains what his mother told him to do whenever there is a catastrophe: look for the helpers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LGHtc_D328 #8. This warning ... Read more

JEREMY PIVEN: Crowdsourced Crime-solving on screen and IRL

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“I’m not an entertainment reporter,” I warn actor Jeremy Piven when we meet across the bar inside San Francisco’s swanky faux-speakeasy Bourbon and Branch on a sunny afternoon in late September. “This is a story about tech.” “Well, that’s a relief,” the 52-year old actor quips back with an ‘I’m game’ half-grin and smiling eyes, “I’ve spent my whole life dedicated to my craft, but sure, let’s talk about technology instead.”And for the next forty minutes straight, that’s exactly what we do. While Piven is billed as the lead of the new tech-centric CBS drama Wisdom of the Crowd, a fictional computer application called “Sophe” actually plays the starring role. The Sophe app is a ... Read more

HOW TO: Help Las Vegas Shooting Victims via GoFundMe

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If you're at a lost for how to help, here's a start from a trusty source: An online campaign to raise funds to help the victims of the deadly Las Vegas shooting has already raised more than $2 million in the first 12 hours. The GoFundMe campaign, created by Steve Sisolak, the Clark County Commission Chair from Las Vegas, is already closing in on its goal of raising $2.5 million. Last I looked, people donated some $2,150, 758 - most in the form of $10 and $20 increments. "I'm overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the Las Vegas community & beyond. We need more donations, every penny will be put to use," Sisolak wrote in a tweet. Sisolak, who said he started the fund with Clark ... Read more

APP HAPPY: here are the apps we’re talking about on the Ronn Owens show this week:

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tbh: (Free, iOS/Android) -  the latest anonymous app popular among teens Tbh is the latest, hottest app among teens. It lets them take a series of polls about their friends in their contact lists anonymously. All questions are supposed to be positive and prompt teens to identify their friends with titles like "world's best party planner," "makes you laugh the hardest" or "always knows what to say and when to say it.” Still: there are some warnings about this app for parents, and it can easily go sideways into mean-girls territory in a snap. (Read more here.) Lake (Free) Lake is a free coloring book app that's great for relaxing and winding down after a stressful day, and is great ... Read more

TBH: Here’s the new app our kids are using. It’s supposed to be nice but…

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The other day my 16-year old daughter showed me the newest iOS app that "all the kids are using." It's called tbh (which is short for to be honest) and according to her, it's a way for people to post "nice" things about you anonymously. I see red flags anytime I hear about teenage friends anonymously answering questions about one another - and my daughter was happy to show it to me. At face value, it is cute. And positive. And even kind of funny in a light-hearted "roast" kind of way. The questions are mostly quirky and positive, like "Best person to go on a roadtrip with," "Should DJ every party" or "Hotter than the sun," and while teens can submit their own questions, they are ... Read more

This robot wants to keep your pet company while you’re away

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There are robots that look like pets to help comfort people, but this newest bot-buddy wants to help comfort your pooch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qckvA0al5vE The Anthouse Pet Companion Robot wants to "comfort and play with your pets when you are away. Whether you are running errands, taking a trip or just going to work, the Anthouse will make sure that your favorite pet doesn't feel lonely." I haven't gone paws-on with it yet, but the company promises that the robot can play fetch with the built in mini-tennis ball thrower and also has a camera and walkie-talkie so that you can see and talk to your pet in real time. If Fido does something good,  you can even set the robot ... Read more

Best low-cost laptops for students of all ages

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You don't have to spend a fortune to outfit your kids with a solid laptop for school. Here are my top picks based on price, power, and overall value. $100-$200: HP Chromebook 11 G4 EE   Price: $188.88 Chromebooks are the superstars of college campuses from coast to coast thanks to their incredibly affordable prices, and HP's Chromebook 11 G4 EE is a great option if you're in a back-to-school cash pinch. Pros: Extremely budget-friendly, speedy wifi, and compact form factor. It'll tuck into a backpack or book back with ease, and its battery should get you through a school day without much trouble. Cons: Storage space of 16GB is quite small, as is the case with most ... Read more

Smartphone Photo Hacks: How to take great group photos and actually be in them

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This is part of a series of tips and tricks for our 2017 Smartphone Photography Tips guide, so be sure to check back for more!  Ever swipe through your smartphone camera roll and come across some vacation photos only to find that you aren't actually in any of them? I recently realized that I was almost never alongside my husband, daughter, and vacation friends because I'm always wo-manning the camera. Those self-timers built in to most phones give you just a few seconds to actually get in position, and selfie arms are a no-go, so I'm usually stuck behind the lens. That's when I learned a trick that I'll never, ever forget. Time Lapse You'll probably never find a time lapse app while ... Read more

BACK TO SCHOOL: The Hi-Tech checklist no one tells you about

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qHWMqdRG7c&feature=youtu.be Everyone has a back-to-school supply list from teachers, but what about the “list nobody ever tells you?” Parents, you know the one. It’s all that last minute, urgent — we’re going to be late for school now stuff — that catches us off guard every single year. The printer ink is out (again) the night before a big paper’s due. Your teens got sucked into Snapchat when they should have been doing homework. You can’t find your car keys and you’re all going to be late! Whatever the catastrophe, large or small, here’s a new back-to-school tech checklist that could save a whole lot of hassle. Not to mention, a little time, money, and ... Read more

RECALL: All that glitters … could burn the crap out of you!

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Glittery, liquid-filled phone cases are like this generations Lava lamp (look them up kids, they were awesome). Mesmerizing swirls of sparkle are fun to look at and all - but GLITTER. Hello. Fabulous. Except when it burns the crap out of your skin. The Consumer Products Safety Commission issued a recall for more than a quarter-million MixBin cases. These include cases that were sold between October 2015 -to- June 2017  from Amazon, Henri Bendel, Nordstorm Rack, Tory Burch, and Victoria's Secret stores. The cases cost between $15 and $65. The CPSC said they known of 24-reports of the cases causing burns.           Here's what those burns ... Read more

ECLIPSE 2017: How to tell if you fried your eyeballs

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If you, like our nation's president, looked directly into Monday's eclipse, you might wonder: Did I just damage my eyes?  Whether by accident or disregard, untold masses looked at the sun with unshielded eyes during the must-see-safely event. By Monday afternoon, people were already freaking out about their eyes online. In fact, “did I” into Google right now. The search engine will guess that you want to ask it, “Did I burn my eyes?” Should you worry? Did you mostly take all the precautions but you think maybe you looked for just a second or two, by accident? Maybe you aren’t sure? And you think maybe this headache behind your eyes means you are going blind? You are probably ... Read more

You’ve split from your fitness tracker, can you get your data back?

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You've walked your 1 million steps, dutifully logged sleep patterns, and graphed your heart rate — all courtesy of that trusty fitness band that gently nudged you into better health. But now its manufacturer has closed its doors or is acquired by someone else. Or perhaps you decide to switch to a different brand altogether. What happens to all that data you’ve put so much sweat into? Millions of customers who own a Jawbone UP activity tracker faced that question this month after learning the company was liquidating after manufacturing issues, a legal battle with rival Fitbit, and months of complaints by customers over paltry customer service. Jawbone says that in its case, a successor ... Read more

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

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