Category Archives: Gadgets

Kids Get Strong Tech and Coding Start with Plezmo



PlezmoKids love finding new interactive toys, especially when they are combined with an app. When these new toys allow them to take their creativity to the next level and even jumpstart them into the world of STEM without them even realizing it, you know you have found something very special. Plezmo is a platform of building blocks that are full of electronics and logic, designed for kids ages 9 and up. The kids are able to design their own creations and even build onto existing toys while including technology and coding in the mix.

These building blocks provide so many amazing project opportunities in areas such as art, music, science, robotics, and more. Kids can create an alarm system for a dollhouse, invent their own games, build wearable tech, and so much more. They are compatible with existing toys and building sets, or can be used with standalone accessories. Plezmo elements work with LEGO Mindstorms, LEGO Wedo, Sphero and more all in one program!

Each element is wirelessly programmable, using an app on your tablet, with a very easy to use drag and drop Visual Programming interface which allows both simple and more complex logic to be programmed. The app even has a built in simulator that allows the programmer to test the various programs right on the screen for completeness and accuracy prior to using the elements themselves.

There are currently 11 different sensors and actuators available, along with 6 separate accessories with more currently in development. They are currently on Kickstarter with a few different kits available starting at $109. Check out their Kickstarter campaign for more details.

Interview by Marissa Schiereck of The New Product Launchpad for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
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Brushies is the Perfect Device for Your Kid’s Dental Health



BrushiesNo matter how hard we try, it’s next to impossible to get your kids to brush their teeth for the proper amount of time, if at all. The folks at Brushies found a totally cool solution to this little dilemma.

Brushies is a little adapter that is attached to any toothbrush so that your kids can still use their favorite brand and characters. It has bluetooth, an accelerometer and a gyroscope built inside that interacts with an app on your tablet or phone with built in games aimed at not only teaching your kids the proper way to brush their teeth, but also have fun in process. You can start off with very simple activities with your kids to get them use to brushing and become more advanced as they grow into playing games such as races, blowing up balloons and more. They get rewarded in the app with things like gems with the goal of increasing the numbers and ultimately their streak of days in a row of proper brushing. There are even games that can be played along with friends to add a level of fun and competition to the mix. There is a separate app for the parents that provide progress reports and even notifications to let you know when they have have brushed their teeth. These results can be then shared with your dentist who can see their progress and set up a rewards program there in the office for added pride and incentive.

The company is continually updating the apps with improved and new content to assist parents and keep the kids engaged. And as the company continues to grow, they are hoping to partner with the American Dental Association to provide real-world data to them for research purposes and future guidelines.

The starting price point is $30 from their online store and that includes the app and the games that are currently available. More games and rewards will also be available soon.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV


Handwritten to Digital Note Taking is The Bomb



WacomWacom is well known in the industry for their creative line of computer and tablet products that are designed to facilitate the imagination and creativity of artists all over the world. From drawing, design, editing, idea capturing and art education, Wacom perfectly combines technology with performance while maintaining an artist and user friendly platform for ideas to come to life.

Having a few artists on our team, we really enjoyed meeting up with them at CES 2017 to take a look at their new products for this year. Among the items being revealed are the Bamboo Smartpads. This line is designed for a different type of user than they typically target as the purpose is for note taking. Whether it be a college student or the professional in an office who regularly takes notes, the Bamboo line allows for handwritten notes to automatically be converted to text on a computer, tablet or phone.

There are a few different sizes/styles from the Spark to the Slate to the Folio, depending upon your exact need. Notes are taken on it traditionally with a pen and paper. You can use any type of paper, although they will initially ship with a Wacom Notebook to start. The units store up to 100 pages of data onboard to later be automatically converted to digital text which can then be edited, saved, emailed and printed. The handwriting converter is amazingly precise and also work with several languages.

Even though this line was intended for the knowledge notetaker in mind, the artist in us all can still come out and we can have our doodles and sketches converted to digital as well.

The Spark and Slate are available now and the Folio is coming soon, with prices ranging from $129 to $199.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV


HumaX Delivers a Friend for Your Children



HumaXHumaX Technology has produced a new friend for kids 5-10 years old: Arimoto. He is an alien friend robot who takes friends in the real life and makes them online friends. You touch the two robots together and they exchange information.

He is able to speak to you in different languages and can store an unlimited number of friends. You can play games on it and watch cartoons. You are able to take videos and find someone on a map.

It will be available in the US in June and can be purchased on Amazon. The price point is uncertain but thought to be around $200.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV


Mikme: Great Sound in a Small Package



MikmeMikme is a new product that is a not only a wireless mike but an audio recorder. It produces studio quality sound with a 16GB storage. It can be a stand-alone mike or stream to your phone via Bluetooth. There is a potential for 2-3 synched microphones in the near future.

It as originally made with musicians in mind but quickly became a product for all users, whether bloggers or YouTubers or video bloggers. They have their own app which they call ”prodigal” to prevent lost and found files. The mixer software is a bit Instagram-inspired, making it very visual and easy to use.

It is available on their website . The cost is $399 and will be available in the spring of 2017.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV


Capture the Beauty of the Universe and Keep it in Your Pocket with Tiny1



TinyMOSThe nighttime sky… so beautiful and awe inspiring. If only there were a simple way to capture the beauty of the universe to keep forever and share with friends without lugging around huge, expensive equipment. Well, now there is with the Tiny1 camera by TinyMOS.

Tiny1 is the world’s smallest, smartest, social astronomy camera. It’s the smallest camera that is specifically designed to capture the night sky. It will actually fit into your pocket and sports a touchscreen back, high speed Wi-Fi and augmented reality star maps to help effortlessly guide you to the stars and constellations.

It is compatible with all lenses and even telescopes. You can connect seamlessly with your smartphone and posting online could not be easier as it allows direct sharing to your favorite social media. There’s even a companion app that will update you on the latest celestial events and local star parties.

Don’t let its small size fool you, though. Specs include 2.5K Ultra HD resolution, GPS/GLONASS, 3 Axis Gyro/Accelerometer, Qualcomm Snapdragon Quad Core 1.8GHz processor, and much more.

Currently the only way to get the Tiny1 is to pre-order at Indiegogo. The Indiegogo campaign goes live on June 6th 2016. Sign-up on their mailing list for the latest updates. The launch price will be below $500 USD, though the exact price will be revealed during the Indiegogo launch.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV


Mega Tiny Corporation is Huge in Innovative Technology



Mega Tiny CorporationTechnology is full of fun and interesting products. Some companies focus on a single product category, where Mega Tiny Corporation focuses on innovation in general. One idea is a cell phone case designed to stick to any smooth surface allowing hands-free freedom. It will not stick to clothes or purses. There are different attachments available, allowing it to be used as a mirror or with a wallet backing. Another option is a bottle opener for the party person. When a new phone is purchased, you can re-use the accessories so you don’t need to purchase a new specialty case.

Another innovative idea is the PowerBulb. This is a source of power for your mobile accessories. There is a charging station in the base of the LED bulb . The lamp is always on for power, but you can turn off the bulb and still have the necessary power for your needs.

The cell phone case can be purchased individually or in a mega-pack. They are available now for $29.95 from the website. The PowerBulb sells for $39.99.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV


Your New Best Friend for Laundry Day: FoldiMate



FoldiMateThe part of doing laundry you most dread has a solution: FoldiMate. While you may not want to fold your laundry, FoldiMate loves to. It is a robotic laundry folder that takes over this chore. It is simple to use and has several bonus features. It also allows you to add a de-wrinkler or fabric softener to your pre-folded clothes.

Think of it as a best friend who loves to help with laundry. Just hand the items to the machine and it will do the rest. The order in which you give the item to it doesn’t matter. It knows what the item is and folds it accordingly.

The product will launch at a price point around $700-$850. for the base unit. Other optional bonus features will cost more.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV


Fall in Love with Your Futuristic Kitchen from Gourmia



GourmiaThe future has come to the kitchen! Gourmia has launched a line of products that make our lives easier and more fun. First is the air fryer which allows you to “fry” without the fat, and unlike other air fryers, can be done with bone-in meats. It has an 8 quart capacity with plenty of room for your foods. The price point for the air fryer is $249.

The next one is a coffee pot with Alexa integration. You can literally tell it to have your coffee ready and it will. It is sleekly designed so you want to leave it out. This cost ranges from $139.

The teapot of the future is here. It produces a perfect cup of tea in minutes and looks very modern on your counter. This teapot also incorporates Alex integration, allowing you to start it from your bedroom and have tea ready for you when you come out. The cost for the teapot is $149.

The last item is a small appliance that turns any stock pot to a sous-vide cooker. This allows you to use cheaper cuts of meats for full flavor and succulence. The cost is between $119 and $199.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV


Home Entry is Always Safe and Reliable with Amadas



amadasThe future of home security is available now in Amadas, the smart lock. It hooks up with your Bluetooth and is powered by 2 AA batteries, which last for one year. The design lends itself to many different home styles and is very sleekly made.

After one year, you can use the flashlight in your cell phone for a quick 20 second charge which will get you in the door. In the event of a dead phone, you can use the numeric keypad to gain entry.

It will be available in June starting at a cost of $400, depending on your specs.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV