Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.        A smart display designed for older adults and their families.   ViewClix has launched its E Series ViewClix Smart Frames, designed to keep older members of the family connected…with photos, videos, Sticky Notes and even video chats.  We’ve begun testing and are impressed with the ease of set up…and innovative features.    Co-founder Dennis Ranck…

“Once you get it connected to WiFi, it’s entirely remotely managed by the family and friends.  And this gives it that hands off, the senior doesn’t have to do anything, no training required.  And so, once you have the frame set up, then you can get the whole family involved.”

There’s a roughly 10 inch display at 199 dollars and a 15.6 inch model for a hundred dollars more.  The monthly premier membership is ten dollars.   For more on the features…head to www.viewclix.com.

You can find us at Techstination.com.   I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.      National Geographic Kids has a knack for getting kids enthused about all manner of things.   Just listen to the name of this new title.. That’s Fact-tastic…Mind blowing, eye popping jaw dropping stuff about our world.    And then there’s stuff to read about like… scientists have made cheese using bacteria taken from human toes and belly buttons and you can taste garlic with your feet.  Assistant editor Emily Fego..

“Those are some interesting ones.  You don’t have taste buds on your feet but that’s an interesting fact about how it seeps through your skin and then gets into your bloodstream and then ultimately you can taste it.  So all of our facts, you can look deeper.”

And that’s the idea…to spur curiosity with facts and photos.   And since these are books and not screens…parents will appreciate them too. 

You can find us at Techstination.com.   I’m Fred Fishkin.

How does Roborock's S8 series of robotic vacuums improve on the S7 line? Communications Manager Marcus Lai joins Techstination's Fred Fishkin for a chat about the innovations and the new Dyad Pro cleaner as well.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.      Teach Your Monster makes math and reading games for kids that make learning fun….and with support from the Usborne Foundation, they are free.   There are four titles in all…Teach Your Monster to Read, Reading for Fun, Number Skills and Adventurous Eating.   Lori Cash is a first grade teacher in Indiana..who has been making use of the games in the classroom…

“It’s colorful and intriguing and the students have to weave their way through different activities and pathways to open doors.   So as the teacher, my job is to teach the lesson and the concept to the students and then we use the Teach Your Monster as the time to practice that skill.”

And there are no pop up ads for teachers or parents to have to worry about.   We’ve seen lots of enthusiasm from a five year old playing. Find more in the app store or at www.teachyourmonster.org.

You can find us at Techstination.com.   I’m Fred Fishkin.

With the Owl Bar, Owl Labs brings video conferencing to a new level. How? Co-founder Max Makeev chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.     It’s a different type of madness in March.    Tax season.   And TurboTax has streamlined its help once again.   For simple returns there is still the free version, which can also include live assistance …but only through the end of March.  And TurboTax Live Full Service lets you wrap up your return more quickly than ever.   CPA and TurboTax expert Lisa Greene-Lewis…says that entails a video call with an expert …but even before that…

“One of the biggest pain points is just getting started and gathering your documents.  So the tax prep assistant will help them gather their documents and then will help them be matched to the right tax expert.”

It uses machine learning and AI to help with the match.   And you are even able to request the same live expert in subsequent years if you choose.    There are other options offered as well.   Find more at www.turbotax.com.

You can find us at Techstination.com.   I’m Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.     A mesh network device to detect wildfires…invented as a high school science project…by Vasya Tremsi…is coming to market.   Torch Sensors is the name of the company…headed by tech veteran Michael Buckwald.   With devices priced at 299 dollars…and a single unit providing up to 10 acres of coverage…the hope is Torch will save lives, property and forested areas.  The inventor, now 23 and a UPenn graduate, told us about his motivation..

“Back in 2017 there were these huge Napa Valley wildfires that basically destroyed half of the city of Napa.  Smoke clouds,  my school actually closed down for a week.”

Make sure you listen or watch our full interview.   The company is now taking pre-orders at www.torchsensors.com.

You can find us at Techstination.com.   I’m Fred Fishkin.