Techstination

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. Google is offering help for the holiday shopping season with new AI tools and more. Google’s Charity Mhende says this year’s Holiday 100 is out with a run down of the top trending gifts in a variety of categories. And when it comes to AI..

“So for example, one of the things that is really exciting is you get a new personalized feed. Shopping can be really complex and you might have multiple tabs open, close your laptop, you come back to it. That personalized feed helps you come back to where you left off. So you will get recommendations based on the things you were searching for before and be able to continue your journey based on what you were looking for already.”

There are also tools like Google Lens that can be helpful as well. Find more at g.co/holiday100.

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

With allergies and special diets everywhere, how do you cook for a crowd? Chef and author Dustin Harder, who is working with Physicians for Responsible Medicine, chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. This is another big month for celebrated PBS and Lifetime Emmy Award winning chef Lidia Bastianich. Her Web site, at LidiasItaly.com is a wonderful resource for anyone who enters a kitchen. And, as heard on the latest What’s Next Living Longer Better Smarter podcast her latest PBS prime time special, Lidia Celebrates America: Changemakers, will debut on November 26th…

“Changemakers, they really take it upon themselves, communities rally around these people. It’s wonderful to see. Food opens all doors. My specials are all different topics. I did one on the veterans. But it is always through food.”

And family and fun are never far away. Check out the full podcast at MaryFurlong.com/podcasts.

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

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear. I’m Fred Fishkin. The folks at Kwikset are out with the new Halo Select Smart Door Lock designed for versatility. Product Manager Charlie Dougherty says there is now both Matter and WiFi connectivity built in. He says the WiFi option is quick and easy..

“There’s no hub required, it connects directly to your home WiFi network and you can use the Kwikset app for full features to control your lock. Alternatively, we do have what’s known as Matter, the new standard for smart home that’s starting to gain some steam here and become more popular in the category.”

Which should give you longer battery life and compatibility with a growing list of smart home gear. We like that Kwikset is giving you the choice and of course the company’s long history means you are getting a reliable and safe lock. The site is Kwikset.com.

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

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.   Harbor is a company that has designed a baby monitoring system that works with or without the Internet….and gives parents the option of using a remote nanny service as well.     At the heart is a 336 dollar system that includes a camera and monitor.  That includes a year of service….or you can pay 28 dollars a month.  Other plans are available too.   CEO Kevin Lavelle..

“What we have is a dedicated local ten inch monitor that works without the Internet, so you can plug and play, use it while you’re traveling, you can use it in a hotel.  But also both the camera and the monitor connect to the Internet.”

When you want it and to monitor via an app. There is also the unique option of having a remote night nanny monitor the system who will only alert a parent when necessary.    There is more info at Harbor.co.

The Ford Heritage Vault keeps growing with new content like editions of the old Ford Times magazine. And the site is growing in popularity too. Audio visual archivist Shelby Long chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

How can AI help with holiday shopping? Google's Charity Mhende says there are some new tools available this season and she chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Techstsination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.   Headphones that are comfortable enough to sleep with are a rarity….but not at a company called Acoustic Sheep.   The company’s Sleep Phones feature soft headbands and even the speakers are designed for comfort.   There are wireless and wired versions.   We’d definitely recommend wireless for bedtime. And with the latest improvements…you can go days on a charge..

“We released a 24 hour battery module.  We also upgraded the Bluetooth in that to Bluetooth 5.0, so it has a range of about 30 feet.  You  can get up in the middle of the night, go to the bathroom and come back not having to worry about anything disconnecting.    Pretty much optimized to be a fully seamless experience at this point.”

The company’s Andrew Dalton.   The comfort factor is a big deal here…whether for yourself or as a gift.  

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

BrainHQ, for PCs and mobile devices brings real science to brain training. And there's a new feature aimed at motivation. Details? Posit Science co-founder and CEO Henry Mahncke chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.

Anker's Eufy brand is out with smart lighting options for indoors and outdoors. The choices and features? Eufy's Brett White chats with Techstination's Fred Fishkin.