Techstination

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Energy poverty is a phrase you don’t often hear in this country, but there are still millions of people around the world who live without household electricity. Solar Sister is a company that was among the Commitment Makers at the recent Clinton Global Initiative Conference in New York….and they have been building a network of women entrepreneurs in Africa to deliver solar solutions for lighting, refrigeration and more. CEO Olasimbo Sojinrin…

“We go into communities to build this network of women entrepreneurs. These are women who are domicile in the communities and then we pair this up with an entrepreneurial spirit to actually kickstart a clean energy business.”

With more than one thousand women in Africa taking part so far and many more people benefitting as a result. Learn more at SolarSister.org.

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

With federal tax incentives for home energy upgrades going away at the end of the year, what should you do now? Sarah Riley from American Home Shield's FrontDoor chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Millions of high schoolers are taking the PSAT/NMSQT test this month. What should kids and parents know? The College Board Senior VP Priscilla Rodriguez chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.  A company called HOZO Design is out with the NeoBlade…bringing tech and innovation to crafters and more.   It is designed to cut using ultrasonic vibration with intelligent auto power to get through different materials.   There is also an LED light     .   Some of the main uses are for cutting through plastics, …trimming 3D printer creations…but it can even work with leather and plywood.     The rechargeable battery is swappable as well.   The NeoBlade sells for about 150 dollars.   There’s also a creator combo kit for under 220 dollars and premium combo for under 340 dollars.  It is worthwhile to check out the online videos before you buy at HozoDesign.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 array of new iPhones on the market, some of the best deals can come through mobile carriers. But it can still be very helpful to head to an Apple store where they have Today at Apple Sessions. It’s a project the company’s Jahmyra Austin has helped foster..

“So today at Apple sessions, they are free and they’re offered every single day at every Apple store around the world. You can learn about things like the new iPhone lineup, things like iOS 26 or even things like how to take a great photo on the latest iPhone. And I find that it’s a really great way to try some of these iPhones before you make the right decision. Because sometimes it is nice to hold it in your hand, use it a little bit, to help make that right decision.”

The new iPhone Air has a very different feel that the 17 Pro for instance. The concept, like Apple’s original Genius Bar, is a good one and really helps you get a better understanding before a purchase.

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

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. With the introduction of the 2026 Kia Sportage in hybrid and internal combustion flavors, the carmaker is reminding consumers that bigger isn’t always better when it comes to buying an SUV. And Kia America’s James Bell says there are lots of reasons to look at plug in hybrid and all electric vehicles…

“Well I think the biggest misconception is thinking that they need to continue to get a gasoline powered car. The electrified versions are just so much better. Let’s just start with the driving experience. They’re quieter, they’re faster, they’re smoother. And then if you go to a plug in hybrid, of course, the first forty miles or so that you drive are all electric. So the engine doesn’t even turn on.”

Kia, of course, has a line of full EVs as well. Learn more at Kia.com.

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

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.     While there may be plenty to be wary of when it comes to AI…here’s another application where it is doing some good.   Maryland based Rekor Systems is using the technology to improve road safety by monitoring roads and traffic for rapid response.   Executive VP Charles Degliomini…

“And not only does it identify a major incident, let’s say it’s an 18 wheeler that’s rolled over unfortunately.  But even if it’s something minor like a mattress falling off the back of a Ford F-150,  so you obviously don’t need a full on response for the mattress incidents.         So it’s able to categorize those incidents as well as identify them.”

Enabling traffic centers to operate  efficiently and respond quickly…which can be time and life saving.

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

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. The Bird Buddy 2 is on the way from the smart bird feeder pioneer and the coming improvements show the company cares and listens to customers. The new Bird Buddy eliminates wires completely. Squirrels have a tendency to chew on those. There are dual solar panels for charging build in…no longer just an option. And says CEO Franci Zidar…bird recognition has been improved…especially for smaller birds..

“And this is something we really tried to make better with this next iteration. It also has a hundred percent more volume for seeds which is huge. Just taking cue from our customers really on all things that really matter.”

Learn more about pre-ordering at BirdBuddy.com. And Zidar promises there are many more innovations to come.

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

Solar Sister, a Commitment Maker at this week's Clinton Global Initiative, is bringing solar lighting and more to Africa and creating women entrepreneurs. CEO Olasimbo Sojinrin chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. AI tools have made editing and manipulating photos and videos easy for everyone. Restoring and colorizing an old family photo for me just took seconds using the latest from Google’s Gemini. But what about responsibility when it comes to image manipulation? Google Deep Mind Group Product Manager David Sharon…

“The question of is this real has become more of a burning question. So there’s two things we do there. One is a visible watermark. So you might see on any image generated, on the bottom right, there is this diamond logo. That’s a visible watermark to let anybody know that we’ve generated the image using AI. The second is an invisible watermark that you can’t see.”

And can’t be cropped out. You can watch or listen to our full interview online.

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