Techstination

ConverseNow is bringing ChatGPT and Google's Bard into food ordering. VP of Marketing Ben Brown says it is a win-win for customers and restaurants. Brown chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. GM has launched an ongoing consumer education effort called Hands Free, Eyes On to help with the understanding of what hands free driving is…and isn’t. Super Cruise program engineering manager Jessica Moreno…

“What we want to make sure is that for the GM system, it’s designed so that the driver is still in the loop, right. So the driver still ultimately has control of the vehicle, ultimately can take over control of the vehicle as well. This is not a system where you would occupy yourself by reading a book or look away and do some other activities.”

In fact, Super Cruise, which is becoming available in more and more vehicles, is designed to watch drivers to ensure they are still focused on the road. Google GM Hands Free, eyes On for more info.

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

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Storytime with Sunny from V-Tech is a great back to school addition for kids starting kindergarten or pre-school…serving as a night table lamp…and nightlight …even before the fun begins. Sunny moves its lamp head around with a friendly LCD face that changes expressions as it tells stories and jokes. Marketing Manager Tiffany Lavery…

“So we created this techie best friend if you will. She’s interactive and she’s got a ton of personality, which makes her really, really unique. She comes with these four discs that have tons of content. Five hours of content, three hundred different stories and jokes and activities and games.”

There’s an alarm clock and a bed time timer too. Storytime with Sunny is a winner. We hope to see even more content. The price…just under sixty dollars. You can find us at Techstination.com. I’m Fred Fishkin.

Urbanista's new Malibu is a solar powered Bluetooth, waterproof, speaker. All of the features? Brand and Marketing Manager Tuomas Lonka chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. How much time are we spending these days on social media? The U.K. based B2B marketplace DesignRush has analyzed website traffic data and reports that YouTube has us humans watching 1.3 million years of screen time each month..with more than 34 billion visits. Facebook is next with about 17.4 billion…and X..also known as Twitter…attracts about 6 and a half billion monthly visits. Others in the top ten are WhatsApp, Instagram, Reddit, LinkedIn, Twitch, Tiktok and Pinterest. The total figures suggest we spend almost 5 percent of 3.8 years of our lifetimes across the platforms. That is a big number, especially if you take away 25 or 30 percent for sleep.

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

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. MPOWERD is a solar lighting company that continues to innovate. The latest are the Luci Site Lights…sort of like string lights without the string…that are charged in a case equipped with a solar panel and USB C port. And once again, the company is using proceeds to do good with drastically reduced pricing in third world countries and donations in emergency situations such as the devastating fires in Maui. Founder John Salzinger..

“We try to stay in our lane. We make really great product, but we are vehicle for change. And our lights are that vehicle. People can buy and light and thus control our pricing, reduce it for those that need it.”

Learn more at www.MPOWERD.com/giveLuci

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

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Imagine making your living as a virtual tour guide. Kelsey Winans has been a popular virtual tour guide for Discover Live, a pioneering site featuring live, virtual world travel experiences. And her home was in Maui…and her live tours…were in Lahaina.

“Right across the street here from the banyan tree is the Wharf Cinema Center. ”

Kelsey, on the latest episode of What’s Next, Longevity Deal Talk, told us she narrowly escaped from the devastating flames..that have taken so many lives and destroyed so much…

“It went from what seemed like a big fire to just this massive cloud of black, thick smoke.”

At Discover.Live there are links to help and those who do will be able to view a virtual tour done by Kelsey Winans before the devastation.

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 the world of automobiles, the concept cars that have been dreamed up over the years by designers have always been great fun. And now, the Ford Heritage Vault has added hundreds of those concept vehicles and their accompanying brochures to its increasingly popular Web site. Archive and Heritage Brand Manager Ted Ryan…says the collection is free and amazing..

“All the way from the Quadracycle in 1896 to the classic concepts of the 50s. The Futura which later was turned into the Batmobile by George Barris. The Gyron, a three wheeled concept vehicle, the Nucleon! Who would want to drive a nuclear powered vehicle.”

There were early ideas for GPS in vehicles, even a built in electric shaver. Find more at www.FordHeritageVault.com.

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

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. With the California Public Utlities Commission having approved 24/7 robotaxi services in San Francisco…there will be many more autonomous vehicles on the roads of the city. Among those who offered comments to the PUC in favor of allowing the expansion, was the faculty chair of autonomous vehicle engineering at Princeton University, Alain Kornhauser, my co-host on the Smart Driving Cars podcast. He contends it can be an important step in providing mobility, safely and affordably, providing a better quality of life to many…

“Affordability is the real value proposition because the cost, at scale, for driverless mobility is really inexpensive.”

There are concerns and improvements to be made, of course, but the benefits to many who need the mobility daily are the key.

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

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.     An AI powered platform for education.   It is called Silicon Valley High School….an accredited online school with more than 46 thousand students enrolled to date.   And founder David Smith says it is now integrating a range of AI based tools this fall and into the coming year…including personal AI tutors and guidance.  And..

“AI’s very, very helpful in acting as a grading assistant.  We get thousands of assignments submitted, check against the rubric and write a recommended grade and recommended feedback for the student that helps the teacher with their grading.”

The school works with  individual families and school districts.  Learn more at svhs.co.

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