Gadgets

Dickie D is back from Las Vegas, where he joined Leo on his excellent CES adventure. Dickie D likes to look for the crazy tech at CES. One device is Project NESSA, where women can virtually try on different outfits and warn you if you've worn an outfit before to a specific event. But the find of the day was the Smart Potato. the $34 Smart Potato inserts a blade-like device to use 'potato energy' to power the Bluetooth antenna attached to the inserted electronic card. Then, you can use your potato just like Alexa or Google Home. Just say “Hey Potato” and ask your question.

Dickie D joins Leo to talk about CES. Dick goes every year, and he loves to see the craziest gadgets, the ones that will never see the market.  One such device is the Wow Cube. 24 LCD screens that look like a Rubix Cube. $249. There's also the Ember Labs Wrist Watch that can cool or heat your body.  Then there's the WELT Smart Belt. It's a belt that will predict if you're going to fall and warn you. It also measures your daily activity. $250.

This week's gadget from the Giz Wiz is the Aduro Phone Neck Holder Phone Mount to make your smartphone (up to 7") Hands-Free. The Aduro Lazy Phone Holder is compatible with smartphone sizes up to 7", even with a case on it according to the company. This device holds your phone at an optimal viewing angle you set and it offers 360-degree rotation. It looks a bit goofy, but on an airplane or in bed it will work fine. You can wear it or even use it as a phone desk stand.

This week's gadget is a Magnetic Charger that you can put onto your computer and even phone. Amazon describes them as Magnetic Phone Charger Cable, GARAS 3 in 1 Nylon Braided USB Fast Charging & Data Syncing Cord with LED Light Compatible with Mirco USB, Type C Smartphone and iProduct (3.9 ft-Red). Here's a bit more of what Amazon says about them: GARAS round magnetic charging cable support QC 2.0/3.0 quick charge, data sync speed up to 480Mbps.

Dickie D is back with Smart Phone Disco Lights! It doesn't rotate, but the flashing colorful disco lights inside give that illusion. It can be powered by your smartphone, an external battery charger, or even plugged into a computer. Once plugged into a power source it lights up to the rhythm of your music or even your voice! As you'll see in the video it does give off quite a bit of light for something that small. On Amazon, they are only $12.00 for three of them! But wait, there's more. Each one of the three came with adapters for micro-USB, USB-C and a lightning connector.

There's a new dog in town...  And it's a new Sony Aibo.This is a totally updated version of the original Aibo we saw at CES 2009. Sony is definitely not marketing Aibo as a toy. To show what their thinking is, here's some info from their Aibo website: Aibo is a one-of-a-kind autonomous companion robot designed to bring fun and joy to your household. Owners can form a friendship as they raise aibo and watch as it develops its own unique personality through everyday interactions.

The Black + Decker with Pria, a new automated medication management system designed for loved ones who desire to maintain independence while staying connected to their families. Pria is a voice-enabled tabletop device that can let caregivers know if loved ones at home have been taking their proper medication. It verifies identification through facial recognition or a PIN code, Pria before dispensing a scheduled dose into the pill cup. There's a back-up battery so the device can work during a blackout. Pria can hold 28 dozes of medication.

This week's gadget is the HeartHero Champion. HeartHero has developed a small, truly portable automated external defibrillator (AED). The survivability of public CPR is around 5%. Even though the AEDs you see inside a glass box on the wall at your school, work and in the airport, look intimidating they are easy to use.

The Lumicharge Smart LED desk lamp 2.0 is loaded with useful features. First, it's a convenient place to charge your phone and other small electronic devices. The new 2.0 version adds a universal charging dock with a10W wireless charger for phones designed for charged wirelessly. The LED has three lighting modes: bright white, soft white and soft yellow. Within those modes, you have 10 degrees of brightness adjusted via up/down arrows. A built-in motion sensor turns a built-in night light ON when you enter a dark room and that feature has it's own on/off switch.

This week's gadget s the VR3 Phone Line Charger + Night Light.This device plugs into your telephone jack. But it will only work with a working copper phone line, not with fiber. Once you plug it in, you use the jack on the side of the device to plug your phone in. That way this device is always getting power to charge the internal 1800 mAh battery. When charged a light sensor turns the built-in night light goes on and off automatically. On the front of the device is a USB-A port is to charge your device.