Techstination

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. The creative folks at Magna-Tiles are building some education into the fun sets they are well known for. For instance… the MicroMags Learn Numbers…is part of the Learn series….and they are great for kids three and up. There are 42 microMAGS with numbers and 14 with mathematical symbols. The Toy Insider’s Taylor Battle..“With this, not only can they build and have that engineering, but they are also going to practice their math. So their addition, their subtraction, there’s some greater than, less than. It has all the numbers from zero to ten and with this they can practice counting as well. It’s a nice introduction to math.”Magna-Tiles has a wide range of building sets for kids of all ages…up to …as they say…99. And next year will mark the company’s thirtieth anniversary. Learn more at MagnaTiles.com.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

With a launch slated for Sunday, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is poised to help solve more of the mysteries of the universe. How will it be different? NASA Systems Engineer Mark Melton chats with Princeton's Bob Vanderbei and Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Fans will have to wait to get a look …but Ford has unveiled the name and pricing for a new all electric mid-size pick-up truck. The Ford Fathom will be arriving sometime next year and it will be priced at under 29 thousand dollars to start. But Ford’s Mark Dipko tells us….even that price range will include lots of tech including BlueCruise capabilities..“We’re not talking about a stripped vehicle here. We’re talking about a really fully featured vehicle. It’s focused more on delivering value than it is taking away features just to hit that price point.”It will be built on an all new ground up electric vehicle platform designed for efficiency. Dipko says on the tech side…there will be Apple Car Play and Android Auto compatibility as well as bi-directional charging.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Tesla is adding vehicle to load or V2L capabilities to recent Model Y Premium vehicles. With an 80 dollar outlet adapter the cars will be able to use their batteries to power homes…to some extent as well as campsites and more. But for the many Tesla vehicles that aren’t new enough to use the adapter…Roam Energy has alternative solutions. The company’s PowerBridge Standard Gen1 can supply up to 35 hundred watts of AC electricity for homes, campsites and more. It isn’t inexpensive though at about 12 hundred dollars. The PowerBridge Pro has up to 75 hundred watts of output and is priced at about 19 hundred dollars. There is a 240 volt outlet…but it is single phase with no neutral…generally for use outside of the U.S. You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

New tools enabled by DNA and AI at Ancestry for region matching and predicting relationships. How do they work? Senior Population Geneticist Aaron Wolf chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. With the U.S. Open underway, OURA, the pioneering digital health company behind the Oura Ring is serving up some big name ambassadors in Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz. Julia Cheney is senior director of sports and brand partner marketing..“It’s just a really exciting time for us. Anyone who has been paying attention to this space knows that wearable technology has been a long standing topic in tennis and how helpful it can be. So it’s been something we’ve been looking at for a long time. That’s why we entered into this relationship with the USTA earlier this summer. And it was only natural for us to add a couple of wonderful names to our roster.”The campaign features the players and the benefits of the latest…the slim and light Oura Ring 5.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. With a new book on the horizon…You Getting Older…best selling author Dr. Michael Roizen says advances in medical research with the help of AI…are moving fast. On episode 100 of the What’s Next Living Longer Better Smarter podcast which I co-host with Mary Furlong, he said…“Remember, there are fourteen areas of research that are into the mechanism of aging. Six of them have now moved into human trials. So we’re going to know by 2033 whether you, I and Fred can get to be 40 again.”Dr. Roizen is the Chief Wellness Officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic. You can pre-order You Getting Older, The Owner’s Manual for Your Golden Years, now. Find the podcast at MaryFurlong.com/podcasts.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin. 

Seratone from Newtown Technologies let's you use the audio equipment you have to bring karaoke fun home. How? Founder and CEO Jean-Pierre Villeneuve chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. With StoryFile and LookAlike.com, a company called Authentic Interactions has been pushing the envelope in the use of AI to re-create people. And it is also in the forefront of pushing safeguards with a Digital Likeness Directive. StoryFile CTO says creating an AI version of you…requires interview skills…and AI is tackling that too..“Currently if you go to LookAlike.com we already have a product that you can go to and sign up and start uploading memories and creating a generative digital double. The next step will be rolling out this AI interviewer that can automate that memory capture process.”You can check it out for yourself, again at Lookalike.com. You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Don't let a car sales person sell you more vehicle than you need. The advice is from Kia America Corporate Communications head James Bell! Of course, he'd like you to consider something like the hybrid Kia Seltos. He has some candid observations in this interview with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Who gets to authorize an AI version of you? Authentic Interactins…the company behind StoryFile and Lookalike.com…has been creating AI versions of holocaust survivors, veterans, William Shatner….and Kara Swisher, for a recent series on CNN. And the company is also leading the way in pushing for standards, a Digital Likeness Directive, to give people control over AI recreations, even after they are gone. StoryFile CTO Val Jones..“The legal framework is only just catching up with where the technology is. Companies like us really have to set the standard and focus on privacy and authenticity.”Because those digital likenesses are getting better all of the time. More in my next report.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. When it comes to smart screen free toys….Fat Brain is generating lots of fun with Air Toobz. A variable speed air pump connects to free form tubes that let kids design a layout that balls will travel in when the pump is turned on. Change speeds, even the look of the balls. The Toy Insider’s Taylor Battle..“Kids are going to create different obstacles using these tubes. The connect, easily snap on and they’re going to use these foam balls, turn it on and they’re going to explore air flow and physics. There’s a knob on the side and when they push it in they just hop up just like that and they can actually experiment with air flow through the knob.”Fun for everyone. Air Toobz sells for about 160 dollars and there are expansion packs too. You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. FRESKO is a company in the business of helping you keep food fresher for longer. The company’s V8-2 Automatic Vacuum Sealer is designed to do that and help you reduce kitchen waste. It features automatic smart moisture detection using stronger suction for dry foods…like coffee beans or nuts. For moist foods like meats or marinated items…..the suction slows to keep the liquids intact. The FRESKO V8-2 is fast….able to seal more than 40 bags in 20 minutes, it is hands free and offers a removable drip tray for easy cleaning. We also like the universal compatibility with nearly any textured vacuum sealer bags. You can find it on Amazon with a clickable coupon ….for under 95 dollarsYou can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

With Tesla now bringing the ability to utilize vehicle power for homes or campsites to some newer Model Y cars, what about those left behind? Roam Energy has alternatives, that may be effective, but not inexpensive. We re-visit our May interview with Founder Lydia Li.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. The new Pixel 11 phones and Pixel 5 watches from Google are arriving this week. There’s the 11, the 11 Pro, the Pro XL and the 11 Pro Fold. Google’s Alex Moriconi says among the new camera features is Magic Capture…“It allows you to capture both a photo and a video while still staying present in that moment, because often I feel like I’m trying to capture the moment instead of living in it. This will use AI to pick the best stills from that video you record, deliver them to you in high quality.”With a new Tensor G6 processor and faster wireless charging , there is a lot to like. The Pixel Watch 5, meanwhile offers proactive health monitoring including indicators for blood pressure and insulin resistance. You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.  I’m Fred Fishkin.   A French company named Momentum is coming to market with capsules designed to help people survive everything from floods, tornadoes and earthquakes to terrorist and other assaults.   The LifePods can hold anywhere from two to eight people…depending upon the model and application…and says CEO and founder Cedric Choffat…“And the idea is to have a last chance, when nothing else works anymore.  You have no time to escape, you have these LifePods where you can step in and save you and your family. ”The protection doesn’t come cheap.  Choffat says delivered pricing in the U.S. will be about 36 thousand dollars for the ballistic protection LifePod, while the unsinkable model will be about 50 thousand dollars.   Checkout our full interview online and find the company at LifePods.tech.You can find us at Techstination.com.   I’m Fred Fishkin

Ford has unveiled the name...but isn't showing us the images yet. The Fathom all electric mid-size pickup is slated for next year. And the price is pegged at 28 thousand 350 dollars. What will it get you? Ford GM of Model E US Mark Dipko chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

With a new yellow Toniebox to match Pikachu, Pokemon characters are joining the growing Tonies library of screen free fun. And there's a new Toniebox Lite coming too. Why kids and parents love Tonies? Libraries too? Education Director Drew Vernon chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

With the U.S. Open on the horizon, Oura Ring has launched a campaign with new ambassadors Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz. How? Why? What you should know about the Oura Ring 5? Senior Director of Sports and Brand Partner Marketing Julia Cheney chats wtih Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. For pedestrians…roads can be deadly. More than 6 thousand 700 lives were lost last year in the U.S. when pedestrians were struck. While the overall numbers have shown some improvement…nearly half of all states are still moving in the wrong direction. The Governors Highway Safety Association is working to raise awareness. The Association’s Adam Snider…“Speeding is a huge factor. Distracted driving is a major road safety concern. Any of the dangerous driving behaviors that we see, unfortunately, are incredibly dangerous, magnified untold number of times for pedestrians, bicyclists and other vulnerable road users.”The association is partnering with StateFarm.com to provide info and hopefully to continue to bring the numbers down.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Google has unveiled the new Pixel 11 line up of phones along with the Pixel Watch 5 and more? What's so new and different?Google's Alex Moriconi chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. One of the very best new tech gadgets I’ve seen this summer is the Paper Pure… a 10.3 inch digital writing tablet from reMarkable. It is super thin and light…and writing on it is very much like writing on paper. The battery life is measured in weeks, not days, even with daily use. The notes you take are stored in digital folders and can be synched to other devices… a Connect subscription from the company is worthwhile at about forty dollars a year. The Paper Pure …at about 400 dollars…does not have backlighting…unlike the Paper Pro Move or Paper Pro. There is some tough competition…such as the Kindle Scribe line from Amazon. That’s a better choice for those wanting to incorporate an e-reader. remarkable, as the latest device name implies…is keeping it Pure.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. The hot summer weather has been leading the search trends of late. Google’s Nick Burns..“It’s probably not a surprise that things like searches for the topic heat wave are up 250 percent over the last three months alone and if you can believe it, that’s actually 110 percent above the same time last year. And we’re seeing a lot of interest in what to do during a heat wave. So I think people are looking for ways to stay cool, staying out of the heat and going to things like movie theaters or finding restaurants with AC.”Or looking for advice on training and staying fit in the heat. How much hydration do you need? Google’s Gemini can be helpful and can even come up with useful summer recipes or travel suggestions. Check out more at Google.com/trends.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Apple is again offering some extra incentives to students looking for new back to school computers and tablets. Education buyers get impressive discounts and through August 27th Apple is offering gift cards…from 100 to 150 dollars for the purchase of an eligible Mac or iPad. What to buy? Director of Mac Product Marketing Colleen Novielli..“Some things you might want to think about are, for example, do you have a long distance that you’re going to be walking and so something like portability becomes increasingly important to you. If you’re going to be away from the dorm most of the day, battery life might also become incredibly important. Of course, performance is something that many people are going to be considering and a lot of times that will come down to something like your major.”Novielli suggests a visit to an Apple store to get the best advice for individual situations. And, of course, check out Apple.com.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

An AI version of you? Who gets to authorize it? What can be done with it? A new Digital Like Directive open safety standard is being advanced by Authentic Interactions, the company behind StoryFile and LookAlike.com. Questions? Lots of them. StoryFile CTO Val Jones chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin.It will travel up to 100 miles and hour on a 2 minute 17 second journey…all the while spinning up to 382 feet. Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ has used lots of technology and overcome engineering challenges in designing the Bakunawa coaster…scheduled to open next year. The recently unveiled name comes from a legendary sea serpent of Philippine mythology. Park President Mike Fehnel…“This is the world’s tallest and fastest spinning coaster. You’re going to go a hundred miles an hour on this ride, you’re going to go through an inverted stall."And about the tech..“There’s so much technology in this ride. Not just with it being the first floorless, spinning coaster, but also with the ride electronics, the three launchers that we have. ”And again…Bakunawa opens for riders next year.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Get rid of those neck pains. Desk essentials like monitor and notebook stands can bring instant relief. Rechargeable fans, headphone stands and keyboard vacuums can add to your comfort too for work or back to school. Incipio's Ezra Laniado chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Adding fun and excitement to early reading? Glo Pals brings magic and new books to its Light Up Library. The details? The inspiring story behind the company? Co-founders Hagan Walker and Anna Barker chat with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Preparing for extreme weather. The Roert Wood Johnson Foundation is urging state and federal action to prepare for more weather changes from what is called a rare super El Nino. Chief Science Officer, Dr. Alonzo Plough..“Well an el Nino is a weather condition that consolidates with changes in the atmosphere, So we’re at the early stages of that el Nino and still waiting to see how that el Nino is going to make even worse and exacerbate the kind of heat dome issues that we’ve already been experiencing this summer.”Dr. Plough urges more information be made available to the public online…once again…to help families and local communities prepare as early as possible for extreme weather conditions.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

From K-Pop Demon Hunters on notebooks to decorating dorm rooms, what are the latest back to school shopping trends? Google's Nick Burns chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Another delivery milestone for the Jetson One personal flying machine. The story? The progress? The future? CEO Stephan D'haene chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Building a better electric toothbrush. With a couple of big names dominating the space…it isn’t easy. But the crew behind TAO Clean is up to the challenge. The company has designed an innovative system…with task specific brush heads and a cradle with built in UV sanitation. The company name stands for The Art of Clean. CEO Marcus Hatcher..“With our toothbrush, it’s a sonic toothbrush, up to 40 thousand brush strokes. What’s really different is you drop the toothbrush in the base station and it kills 99.9 percent of germs every time you dock it and recharge the handle.”TAO Clean paid lots of attention to design as well..“It looks like almost art on your bathroom countertop. That’s what we’ve gone after there.”bWith a variety of colors available. There’s more info at TAOClean.com. You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. It is called the Ford Custom Garage….and the latest creation there is the Bronco Desert Rising. If you’re interested…better hurry…only a thousand are being made according to strategy and execution manager Ryan Christiansen…“This is a package that’s going to be the first in our Horizon Series. The Horizon Series is going to be focused on Broncos that reflect locations that only the Bronco can get you to. And Desert Rising is focused on the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Utah, where when the sunrise hits, it’s an absolutely gorgeous display of pinks and purples and reds and just an absolute astounding, surreal show from the sky.”The custom work is inside and out and you can check out video and images in our full interview online.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Plug-in or balcony solar is growing in the U.S. It already has won over many users in Europe. The concept is to allow self install solar panels to be plugged into standard outlets in homes or apartments to provide power. At least 8 states are allowing it with dozens more looking at legislation. The non-profit organization Bright Saver is helping in those efforts and is offering affordable kits for homes as well. Co-founder Rupert Mayer..“So we do not make a cent of profit on those panels. The only thing that we ask is a membership, 29 dollars per year for people to access this very, very low price. So we’re selling the solar panels starting at under three hundred dollars.”With all needed connections. More info? The site is BrightSaver.org.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

SRI International is working to use the PARADIGM AI platform to provide AI guidance to clinicians in rural areas and more. How can it help improve medical care? SRI Program Director Jason Tyan chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Back to school computer buying? Apple is offering deals for education buyers. How can you save? Dir. of Mac Product Marketing Colleen Novielli chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Aiper’s IrriSense 2 is an automatic sprinkler system that delivers smart watering without the need to dig up your lawn. It features a tower that attaches to a standard garden hose. The app allows you to map your yard into up to ten watering zones….and the delivery is pretty precise…keeping areas you want to avoid dry. There are also rain sensors and weather data in the app to help determine when to water. And while the IrriSense 2 can handle up to 48 hundred square feet….keep in mind you will need an outdoor outlet to keep it powered. It ships with a a 33 foot power cord. There is an extension available as well. We’ve seen it selling for under 400 dollars, far cheaper than installed irrigation. Learn more at Aiper.com/US.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

LifePods are designed to help people survive disasters and ballistic attacks. They are from the French company Momentum. How do they work? CEO Cedric Choffat chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

How to beat the summer heat? Those questions are some of the hot search trends. How to stay fit? What to eat? Where to set the thermostat? Google Trends Expert Nick Burns chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. It happens every summer….tragedies strike families when children die from heat stroke in cars. Laura Dunn is a senior safety specialist with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration…and she says several scenarios are most common…“The first and the most common are when children are forgotten in a vehicle by a parent or a caregiver. The second is when children gain access to an unlocked vehicle on their own and then they’re unable to get out of that vehicle. And then third is when children are intentionally left behind in a car by a parent or a caregiver.”Often just to run a quick errand. NHTSA is running a campaign with the Ad Council to raise awareness. It is called Stop. Look. Lock. You can learn more at NHTSA.gov/heatstroke.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Researchers at the University of East Anglia in the U.K. have created a digital therapy platform to help people caring for family members with dementia. Those caregivers are at high risk for anxiety, depression and other health issues. A new study has found that the platform, iACT4CARERS, was effective in reducing anxiety…and promises flexible, affordable and easy to access help. Lead Researcher Dr. Naoko Kishita..says the platform helps users learn new skills to cope and engage..“Where we encourage family carers to reflect on what’s really important in their life. We call them values. And then try to take actions toward what matters in their life.”The researchers hope to have the platform globally available in the not too distant future.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

The record breaking coaster under consruction at Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ now has an official name. Bakunawa! The story behind it and more in this Techstination interview with park president Mike Fehnel.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. When it comes to home security camera systems that don’t require a subscription, the LocalSecure System Premium Solution from Eufy is remarkably easy to install and use. With four SoloCam S340 cameras, that can be solar powered, the HomeBase S380 local storage hub and the Smart Display E10 for alerts and monitoring, the system delivers real peace of mind…and works with Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home. Eufy Security’s Janet Jin..“So these cameras can kind of be seen as the eyes of your home and the eyes of your property. You can add it to the front door, the driveway, the backyard or the side entrance for example.”The investment…at just under a thousand dollars with an online coupon, is smart. Eufy Security is one of the trusted brands at Anker Innovation.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

The Bronco Desert Rising is the latest creation from Ford Custom Garage. And there will only be a thousand made. What's special? Custom Garage Strategy and Execution Manager Ryan Christiansen chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. There were 650 thousand vehicles stolen in the U.S. last year…that’s one every 48 seconds. And there are things we can all do to help with prevention. Number one? At GM, George Baker is the Vehicle Security Lead..“You really need to protect that key because our estimation is about half of all vehicle thefts occur with the assigned key. So you want to treat that key fob as if it were an envelope stuffed full of hundred dollar bills. You certainly wouldn’t want to hang that envelope right inside your front door or the door to your garage which is where many keys are stored, unfortunately.”And often keys or fobs are left in parked vehicles. Also…make use of your garage if you have one. He says it pays to make room.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Innovation in toilets? Rechargeable? Portable and no smell? Go anywhere? We get to the bottom of the Dry Flush Laveo in this Techstination interview with CEO Doug Rice.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. A tool to help with video creation using AI. Pictory is the name of the platform being used by creators and a wide range of businesses to turn webinars, blogs and even documents…into visual content. Co-founder and CEO Vikram Chalana ..“Pictory is intended for non-videographers. So for you and I who are not in the video production, video creation space, we want to still allow business people to create professional videos, for external use, internal use, social media.”Without the need for a steep learning curve. You can check it out and get started for free at Pictory.com.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

A table saw for kids? Meet ChompSaw and other great STEM and tech toys! Like a solar powered motorized flower and a build it yourself electronic soccer game. The Toy Insider's Taylor Battle chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

How can AI be better adopted for those with accessibility needs? The University of Phoenix has taken a look at the issues. VP of Accessibility and Student Affairs Kelly Hermann chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. There’s a new musical game in town…Hitster Music Bingo…fun for family and friend get togethers blending bingo with favorite tunes . The songs are played on a smart phone through the game’s app. Jumbo Group U.S. Marketing Manager Natasha Coppin..says it can bring generations together..“Music is a really powerful connector. It has the unique ability to get people sort of on the same page and connected, it’s really inclusive as a game. It creates an instant vibe when you play with others. So I believe these are really the ingredients as to why Hitster has become so popular and resonated with players globally.”Great fun …an instant party. Take a look for yourself online at Hitstergame.com. We’ve seen it on Amazon for about sixty dollars.You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.