By Max Jay with Amy Eller and Erick Royer

Here are some highlights from recent trade shows that DFA attended.

We’ve gathered up great and useful information from The American International Toy Fair all the way to private invitation-only showings. Here is what we found:

Archos Stays the Course

ARCHOS, which is one of the few remaining tier three Tablet makers to survive the onslaught of Apple, Samsung and Kindle, has announced a new line of 3G and 4G devices for you to match against the more famous, more expensive manufacturers, most notably the ARCHOS 80 Helium 4G 8-inch tablet. ARCHOS says the Helium is the first 4G, 8-inch tablet that retails for under $250, making it a must have for anyone that wants a tablet for under $250. Along with the Helium, ARCHOS unveiled a series of new smartphones as well: The ARCHOS 64 Xenon, ARCHOS 40b Titanium, and the ARCHOS 50c Oxygen. All of the devices will run on Android and probably force you to neglect your children to get in another high score on Flappy Bird. The ARCHOS 80 Helium 4G retails for $249.99, the ARCHOS 50c Oxygen for $199, the ARCHOS 64 Xenon for $199 and the ARCHOS 40b Titanium for $119.

Showtime Anytime

Remember when HBO Go had you spend an entire summer sitting in your living room watching hours of Entourage several years after it stopped being a “cool” show? Well not it’s time for you to do the same thing with Dexter, because Showtime Anytime, Showtime’s on demand service, is coming to Roku devices. Roku customers that also pay too much for Showtime will not have unlimited access to all of Showtime’s original programming and licensed films – good luck keeping your job! Roku products start at $49.99 and range up to $99.99.

 WatzOn.TV and Chromecast have a Baby

 In spite of its bizarre spelling, WatzOn.TV is doing you a huge favor and bringing 5,000 new channels to Google’s Chromecast device. All you have to do is download the WatzOn.TV app to your smart-device, pick a program and tell your Chromecast (which is plugged into your television) that it’s time to go. You will also still be able to use your smart-device as a remote – allowing you to switch programs and request more information about what you’re watching on the fly. Chromecast devices retail for $35.00.

 Verus Speakers + Peachtree Amp = Happiness

Aperion Audio is comparing their new service to wine and chocolate, or lobster with butter. All I can do is notice that they didn’t go as far as saying it’s like chocolate and peanut better (probably because it’s not as perfect as chocolate and peanut butter).

Aperion’s new service allows you to pair the Verus Grand Tower, or Forte Tower speakers with the Peachtree Audio decco65 Amplifier for what they call “breathtaking quality”. For a “limited time” you can get on the happiness wagon for either $1,999 with the Forte Towers or $2,850 for the Verus Towers – so be prepared to blow some of that retirement fund!

Toys of the Year

And the drumroll please … It may be no surprise to parents that the toy to take home the most awards including: Activity Toy of the Year, Girl Toy of the Year and Specialty Toy of the Year goes to Rainbow Loom. Girls and boys alike have been mesmerized for hours, days, even weeks by this rubber band bracelet making kit. Thank you Rainbow Loom! Toys of the Year and their categories include:

• Activity Toy of the Year: Rainbow Loom(Choon’s Design LLC)
• Boy Toy of the Year: Despicable Me 2™ Special Feature Minion Dave Talking Action Figure(Thinkway Toys©)
• e-Connected Toy of the Year: LeapPad Ultra™ (LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.)
• Educational Toy of the Year: GoldieBlox™ and the Spinning Machine(GoldieBlox™, Inc.)
• Game of the Year: Boom Boom Balloon™(Spin Master Ltd.)

• Girl Toy of the Year: Rainbow Loom (Choon’s Design LLC)

• Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year:  Big Hugs Elmo(Playskool)
• Innovative Toy of the Year: Zoomer(Spin Master Ltd.)
• Outdoor Toy of the Year: Razor® Crazy Cart™ (Razor USA LLC)
• Preschool Toy of the Year: Doc McStuffins Get Better Check-Up Center (Just Play)
• Property of the Year: Minecraft™(Mojang AB)
• Specialty Toy of the Year: Rainbow Loom (Choon’s Design LLC)

V-Tech’s Smart Watch for Kids

With wearable tech beginning to latch itself onto the world’s wrist it makes sense that V-Tech would unveil the Kidizoom Smart Watch for kids. The Kidizoom has a 1.4-inch color display that will allow children to take pictures, capture video and play games. But it’s a watch right? So it also has a customizable watch program that will be either analog or digital depending on the child’s preference. The Kidizoom is also rechargeable and PC compatible. It will retail for about $49.99 sometime in 2014.

 Ovopur Water Filtration

Let’s get serious for a second: Obviously clean water is an important thing, it’s the lifeblood of humanity. So are you just going to sit there, drinking dirty sink water and letting your body rot from the inside-out? No, you owe it to yourself to drink clean water and with the help of Ovopur you can treat yourself like you probably should. Ovopur filters, from Aquaovo, have been painstakingly designed to revitalize and purify water. From the unique egg shape, to the complex filters, Ovopur is committed to treating you to the best water you could possibly drink. Filters start at $759 and run up to $1,100.

 Tivoli Audio Products

“Eargasms” are a thing, and they’re better than you think they are. Especially when you treat your brain to some of Trivoli’s Audio offerings including NetWorks with FM. Some say the radio is dead, it was allegedly killed by video, but until now it was just limited. But with Trivoli’s NetWorks with FM radio is entering a renaissance that allows you to listen to radio from anywhere in the world via WiFi. You want some Italian pop? Go for it. French classical? Easy. The NetWorks with FM can also be augmented with a computer, MP3s and even a cd player to push its capabilities to a near limitless level. The Networks with FM retails for $399.99.

 Canon’s T5 Digital SLR Camera

Once you think Canon has run out of T series cameras they make another and continue to make my T3i look like last year’s garbage. The Rebel T5 has come to show everyone up with its 18.1 megapixel offerings, complete with high performing DIGIC 4 processor that makes your laptop look like your phone camera which looks like a child’s play thing.

The Rebel T5 will also make shooting moving objects a breeze with the ability to “lock-on” and track using the camera’s nine-point AF system. While the camera is originally designed for novices in the DSLR game, the Rebel T5 will make even the most experienced photographer sweat with anticipation (unless you’re a hipster that uses old Polaroids – stop it.) Even the film enthusiast can get in on the action with the Rebel T5, which shoots in a buttery 1080p with in-camera editing so you don’t have to fiddle with iMovie because Premiere is “too expensive.” The Rebel T5 will release in March for $549.99.

Canon’s PowerShot G1 X Mark II Digital Camera

Iron Man isn’t the only guy with a Mark II – now Canon has one also with the PowerShot G1 X Mark II Digital Camera. Canon’s Mark II was designed to evolve the rapidly changing landscape of digital cameras by increasing the sensor to a shocking 4.5 times more powerful than most professional grade point-and-shoot cameras. The Mark II features a new type of 1.5, 12.8 megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor combined with the DIGIC 6 Image Processor that makes autofocus faster and more beautiful than everything in the known universe*. The PowerShot G1 X Mark II digital camera will be available starting in April for a retail price of $799.99.

 *Entirely made up, but probably true, right?

 Canon’s New PowerShot Cameras will Zoom Like Crazy
and Let You See Underwater

Zoom is an important thing to some photographers (also stalkers, if you’re into that stuff). Regardless of your… hobbies … Canon has you covered with the PowerShot SX700 HS. It boasts a 30x optical zoom so you can literally catch the wing of a fly in motion. The SX700 HS will deliver exceptionally breathtaking photos from near and afar with minimal effort.

Canon is also giving you a PowerShot that allows you to experience the wonders of underwater living with the PowerShot D30 underwater camera. If you’re into scuba diving and snorkeling or going to a pool and being “that guy” the D30 has the world-record ability of shooting at 82 feet below the water to capture marine life and other underwater treasures.

The PowerShot SX700 HS is coming in March for $349.99 and the Powershot D30 is coming in April for $329.99.

 Canon’s PowerShot ELPH Cameras

Canon is continuing camera superiority with the PowerShot ELPH series with three new entries.

 The PowerShot ELPH 150 IS come equipped with a 10x optical zoom lens with the ability to shoot 20.0 megapixel images that will knock your socks off. The IS feature of the ELPH 150 provides several automatic options to optimize image stabilization in various conditions. The PowerShot ELPH 150 IS is out for $149.99.

The PowerShot ELPH 140 IS is similar to the 150, with slightly diminished capabilities. The 140 offers 8x optical zoom and 18.0 megapixel shots, but has all of the same image stabilization options available in the 150. The PowerShot ELPH 140 IS retails for $129.99.

Lastly, the PowerShot ELPH 135 comes in with a wallet-friendly design with top-notch capabilities. It does not have the IS functions of the 140 and 150, but like the 140, the 135 can shoot at 18.0 megapixels with an 8x optical zoom. The PowerShot ELPH 135 retails for a friendly $119.99.

WakaWaka Power Sounds Fake, But It’s Not

WakaWaka Power sounds like a punch line to a Fozzy Bear joke from the Muppets – but really it’s a solar-powered lamp and charger. WakaWaka boasts that it only takes 8 hours of sunlight to give you 40 hours of flashlight goodness and the juice to charge any number of portable devices in a safe and renewable way. In what can only be described as “selfless” and “noble” WakaWaka says for every WakaWaka power sold they donate one to underdeveloped countries to provide sustainable light. Showoffs, right? The WakaWaka Light retails on their website for $35.00, while the WakaWaka Power comes in at $69.00.

Push2TV Makes a Big Screen Your Cellphone Screen

The Push2TV will allow you to stop squinting at that pesky 5-inch screen on your phone and allow you to turn your 109-inch monster of a television into your phone screen instead. Push2TV will do everything from let you flip through photos to stream 1080p video from your phone to your television, effectively mirroring your phone or tablet display onto the center of the living room. The NetGear product plugs directly into your TV and can wirelessly access your chosen device. Push2TV supports:

• Intel Wireless Displays
• Sony’s Xperia
  • T
  • TL
  • Z
  • ZL
  • Tablet Z
  • Samsung’s:
    • Galaxy III
    • Galaxy IV
    • Galaxy Note II
    • Note 10.1
    • Google’s Nexus 4
    • LG’s Optimus G
    • The HTC One

Push2TV retails for $59.99 at various outlets, including BestBuy, Newegg and Amazon.