By Gary M. Kaye, Susan Davis, Amy Eller, Richard Sherwin and Max Jay
(Content also available from Mom Squad Radio and in the BoomboxTV.com)

When is An Android Not An Android … Watch!
We were not quite excited recently with the Samsung Smart Watch, LG or Motorola Smart Watches and/or the very hot Pebble and GPS giant Magellan’s Smart Watch (all selling briskly). So we got to play with a watch called Android that isn’t an Android OS watch. A smart Florida company licensed the name Android, but uses an even simpler system to offer a Smart Watch that’s a wrist time piece that doubles as a watch that connects by blue tooth to almost any smart phone; plays back music or answers or initiates calls through its tiny speaker or does a few other functions well and easily for under $200. This makes the colorful Android Smart watch a smart buy…even though the time piece is not from Google.

So here the name game defies conventional shopping wisdom in that you are using a product from a product maker who is using the name of a famous company but actually doing it better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXvWlC9eGtU

Live TV Comes to Chromecast with Aereo
Starting soon Aereo, the television streaming service, will bring an update to its Android app that will allow anyone with a Google Chromecast to stream live TV. Aereo’s streaming service is still in limbo in some areas, but works well in 10 major cities, which will add an entirely new facet to Google’s $35 device this quarter. Of course this is assuming that the Supreme Court doesn’t kill Aereo completely. If that happens, I’m sure Google will, buy, create, borrow or take over something that includes live TV.

ZENS Launches New Charging Solutions

ZENS, developer of wireless charging solutions, has launched new products to coincide with the release of Samsung’s Galaxy S5.

The new ZENS Qi Wireless Portable Audio Speaker combines the convenience of a Bluetooth speaker with the simplicity of wireless charging for a double threat. Charging your device is as simple as placing it on top of the wireless speaker. The Qi Wireless Portable Audio Speaker is available now for about $99.99.

ZENS has also released the Qi Wireless Power Bank to boost cord-free charging options. The Power Bank couldn’t make charging a phone any easier – all you have to do is place a Qi enabled phone on the device and let it go. The Power Bank even comes equipped with a USB port to charge another device simultaneously. The ZENS Qi Wireless Power Bank is available now for about $69.99.

According to ZENS there are over 400 devices that are Qi certified, including many products from Samsung, Google, and Nokia.

iolo Releases System Mechanic 12.7
Anyone with a Windows computer has been stuck fiddling with hard to find settings, but iolo’s System Mechanic 12.7 aims to make it easier than ever.

iolo’s System Mechanic takes all of the hard-to-find settings of a Windows computer and makes them easily attainable and adjustable. In addition, the new 12.7 adds several upgrades to previous releases. For one, Windows 7 and 8 users can now enjoy a souped-up Control Panel that lays out dozens of hidden settings used to customize your PC. 12.7. It also has features that will help avoid crashes using hard drive diagnostic tools.

System Mechanic is available from iolo for $39.99 or $59.99 for the pro package.

Panasonic Announces Wearable 4K Camera

That pesky 1080p getting you down? Well worry not, Panasonic will sooth your soul with the world’s first wearable 4K camera, the HX-A500. The A500 can be mounted to your head or arm to capture crisp, clean footage. The A500 can also be paired with your smartphone of choice to upload footage directly to the Internet so your Facebook friends can watch you eat a sandwich from a first person perspective. Recording in 30fps, the A500 is also dust proof and waterproof, opening more filming possibilities.

The HX-A500 will release this July for about $600.

Sony Expands Sound Options

Sony has announced two new soundbars and a new sound system, all of which are expected to release sometime in the next six weeks.

The two soundbars, the HT-CT770 and the HT-CT370 come equipped with 2.1 surround capability. The two models are similar in both features and presentation, but the HT-CT770 has a 330-watt master amp, while the HT-CT370 has a slightly less impressive 300-watt amp. Meanwhile, the HT-CT770 has a 120-watt downfiring, wireless subwoofer, and the 370 comes with a 100-watt sub. Both models offer 4K and 3D pass-through, and Bluetooth capabilities.

The new HT-XT1 is a sound system that offers a 170-watt, 2.1 channel experience with integrated subwoofers. They are all expected cost $449 for the HT-CT770, $349 for the HT-CT370 and $299 for the HT-XT1.

Sony Announces Full HD Projector

Sony has announced a new, full HD projector. The VPL-HW40ES has an updated optical engine to output images with clarity using 1,700 lumens of color brightness. The projector also comes equipped with a contrast enhancer system that will dissect images in real time to enrich video. The VPL-HW40ES projector is slated to launch this month at about $2,500.

Grush, the Video Game Toothbrush

Sometimes the fear of being forced to gum bananas for the rest of your life isn’t enough motivation to brush your teeth. Thankfully we now have a video game toothbrush, the Grush, to get us going. Grush Inc. has launched a crowd funding campaign to make the video game toothbrush a reality. The Grush Brush will use accelerometers to detect motion, which will be wirelessly transmitted to a smartphone app. The data (or Grush Factor, for those of us with no shame) will be recorded and tracked allowing parents to give rewards to their children who can’t be bothered to spend 3 minutes brushing without bribery.

Grush Inc. is looking to raise $50,000 to release their product via their Indiegogo campaign.

Amazon Releases Fire TV Set-Top Box

Amazon has released their answer to several streaming set-top boxes with the Amazon Fire TV. The Fire TV is a small set-top box with the ability to stream several services, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video and Showtime Anytime. Built on the Android system, the Fire TV comes equipped with the ability to play many Android based games, similar to the Ouya system.

The Amazon Fire TV is available now for $99 directly from Amazon. The video game controller will run an extra $39.99, and comes with a free game.

AOC Releases 24-inch Gaming Monitor

AOC has released a 24-inch gaming monitor capable of outputting 144 fps. AOC says the G2460PQU was built to accommodate games that require extreme speed and detail. The G2460PQU also boasts a response time of 1ms, so you’ll probably never have the excuse of “it was the controller’s fault” ever again. The screen is also fully adjustable to fit any gamer’s need.

The G2460PQU is available now for about $399.99.

Contigo West Loop Hot and Cold Travel Mug

For the Mom on the go. This isn’t electronic, but it is perhaps the most hi-tech mug we’ve seen. It will keep your hot beverages hot for up to 5 hours and your cold stuff cold for 12 hours. It has a positive lock so there’s no opportunity for your coffee to leak or spill in the car or on your desk. These stainless steel mugs come in several colors and sizes ranging in price from $21 to $30.

Garmin VivoFit fitness band
There are a lot of wearable fitness bands out on the market. But there are a couple of reasons why we like the Garmin VivoFit. For one, it never needs to be awakened. It’s on all the time, and it doesn’t need to be recharged. It uses a watch battery that will run for about a year. It will learn your exercise routine and set a daily goal for you that makes sense for you. It also has a nice feature that prompts you to get up and move if you’ve been sitting still for more than an hour. The VivoFit can connect with any ANT+ enabled heart monitor, and can also link to your computer so you can keep track of how you’re doing and share the information through the Garmin Connect ecosystem.
Price $130.

Samsung Point and Shoot camera WB350F

If Mom likes to share her pictures with the family, or the world, this point and shoot might be ideal for her. It features easy to set up wireless connectivity that lets her send her pictures to her favorite sites. It has a big 21X zoom lens for getting sharp detail on distant subjects. The touch screen menus are easy to navigate. This 16.3 megapixel camera comes with an optical stabilization lens to reduce camera shake. This is a modestly priced camera; we’ve seen it advertised from $190 to $250 with lots of bells and whistles.

Electrolux Rapido Cordless Vacuum EL820A–

This is a dust buster style rechargeable vacuum cleaner from Electrolux, a brand with a reputation for making durable quality products. It has little wheels in front to help it glide over surfaces. It has a washable filter to help cut down on dust. And the nozzle can be extended to get into those tight crevices in places like the underside of car seats. Price $80

Lenovo Yoga 2 – 13

This is the newest upgrade to Lenovo’s convertible Yoga line. It can function in a laptop, tablet, tent, or a simple stand format. It uses the Intel Ultrabook design standard so it’s thin and light, but has plenty of computing power. It has a 13.3” multi-touch display screen and systems begin with an Intel i5 processor, 500 GB of hard disk drive, and it comes with Windows 8.1. It weighs about 3 1/2 pounds, battery life will last up to eight hours, good enough to get you from coast to coast. It comes in a variety of configurations, beginning at $899.

Dell Venue Pro 11
It may be the best Windows 8.1 multifunction Tablet and PC available. Venue’s elegant design is equally versatile in home office, car or even the kitchen or camper. Depending on capacity, ($449 to $899), the Venue has remarkable color and speed at either price point, but the external keyboard is still a steep $149 with 3d party blue tooth keyboards available under $79. The full HD display looks great whether watching online videos or prerecorded theatrical features or even Slingbox. Unlike its chief rival, the Microsoft surface, it does NOT include Office, but with so many free office clones available, who cares? The Venue also includes more input and output capability than the Surface or any of the other multifunction Tablet-PCs.

Electrolux Vac & Steam – model EL4090

For the moment, this little number is an exclusive on QVC for $199….But other brands should be making this type of unit available soon. The EL4090 handles one of the toughest jobs in the kitchen; the kitchen floor. The new Electrolux Vac & Steam allows consumers to vacuum and steam at the same time, or use the functions separately. The floor mop operates in normal steam mop mode where steam is evenly disbursed across the floor pad. You can use the Clean Burst function to remove dried and sticky spots twice as fast as an ordinary steam mop. When activated, the Clean Burst function concentrates the steam to one area to quickly loosen dried and stuck on stains. The Vac & Steam comes with washable mop pads, filter and dust cup. The large capacity water tank allows consumers to steam clean for up to 20 minutes.

HTC One (M8) Smartphone
If Mom is style conscious she’s going to love the brushed aluminum case on the newest HTC flagship phone. It has the latest Qualcomm processor, runs on the newest version of Android, and has twin speakers, giving it some of the best ever sound to come out of a smartphone. This also has an innovative camera that will allow you to refocus your pictures after you’ve taken them, so she’ll never have to worry about her snapshots being soft and fuzzy. Depending on carrier, you can expect to pay between $150 and $200 for the HTC One with a two year contract. Without a contract it will run you between $600 and $650.

The Samsung Galaxy Five
No sense in waiting for the latest IPhone, the Samsung Galaxy Five, available now for all major mobile services, has features the Apple just can’t seem to match. Your movies, videos and pictures come to life with incredible detail and vibrant color on the 5.1-inch, full 1080p Super AMOLED^® HD display. And you can enjoy a perfect viewing situation, no matter where you are, as your screen dynamically adjusts to compensate for ambient light. Our favorite feature is the first-ever built-in heart rate monitor, and together with the S Health™ app, it makes tracking your health and fitness goals a lot easier. You can also use S Health™ to get on-demand nutritional information and the built-in pedometer helps track your steps and calories burned. And despite Apple’s fame for sound and clarity, the Galaxy Five is literally a portable audio system, too.

Frigidaire Infrared Professional Convection Oven Model FPCO06D7MS

How often do you want an extra oven when you’re making a big meal? Or heat something up without the sometimes nasty side effects of microwave cooking? This is a great solution to both issues. It uses Rapid Cooking Infrared Technology and has a large-capacity Convection Toaster Oven, all wrapped in a sleek, stainless steel design. The Pro-Select™ LCD display with 8 Preset Cooking Options allows users to toast, bake, broil, reheat and warm, or cook bagels, cookies or pizza with the touch of a button. And the whole thing takes up not much more room than your current toaster over, but with a lot more functionality. We’ve seen it priced from about $122 to $150.

Asus All-In-One Desktop Computer ET2322

If Mom likes to work on something with a bigger screen than a laptop she might enjoy this 23” desktop from Asus. It includes display, processor, graphics, storage, memory, and more — in one slim and sleek form factor. The backlit HD display features an ultra-slim 10-point touch display and a silver sculpture-inspired hinge that curves gracefully from the base that connects to the rear of the ET2322 for a more elegant appearance. The I/O ports are cleverly gathered together in a row at the back of the screen to keep all cables in one place. It includes HDMI input and output so you can connect to big screen televisions and gaming consoles. For an enhanced audio experience, the ET2322 has two built-in stereo speakers, internal subwoofer, and an external subwoofer. It comes in a variety of configurations depending on processor and memory. We’ve seen prices beginning at $1000.

Blue Goji – Goji Play

This is a gaming system that may actually get Mom or anyone to look forward to doing exercise on a treadmill, stair climber, or exercise bicycle. The system comes with two game controllers and a wireless activity tracker that you clip onto your clothing. You can either mount the game controllers on the handlebars of your exercise device or hold them in your hands. Your tablet computer or smartphone becomes your screen and you pick one of several games. As you get started, the motion from your exercise becomes part of the game. The more animated your exercise, the more your metrics on the tablet will rise. The aim is to have so much fun that it makes her feel like it’s only taken ten minutes to do a half hour’s worth of exercise or more. Cost of the system is $100 and it is only compatible with iOS devices such as iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch for now.

SmartMath Inner Balance
Want to get to a better state? No, we’re not talking about Florida. Inner Balance is like an introduction to meditation with training wheels. It helps focus your ability to control your breathing. Inner Balance consists of a sensor that attaches to the ear and monitors heart rhythm and heart rate variability. The sensor is coupled to an app on your iOS device. It begins by asking for your mood then helps you focus your breathing to get to what it terms a state of coherence. It may not make Mom into a Zen master, but with a little concentration could help her to achieve calm, less stressful state. Price for sensor and app is $129.

Frigidaire Tri-Blade Immersion Blender

This device handles a variety of food preparation tasks. Versatile enough to crush ice, the Tri-Blade Immersion Blender/Mixer also purees and blends fruits and vegetables with no mess in the included extra-large chopper. The Frigidaire Immersion Blender features a professional tri-blade Veloute knife to ensure superior even-blending performance and Express-Select™ variable speed control to let you choose from 9 different speed settings for tackling a wide array of mixing/blending tasks. The convenient Pro-Select™ turbo button allows for an immediate burst of maximum power to give you the results you want in less time. It comes with a LED speed indicator and includes a 10-inch mixing wand, dual-whisk attachment to transform the immersion blender into a hand mixer, extra-large dual-blade chopper, blending pitcher and a kitchen mount. We’ve seen it advertised in many major chain stores for about $130.

eXtremeBeam Flashlight model SAR5

This little light will buy Mom or anyone in the house some peace of mind. It’s a purse sized tactical flashlight with a beam so strong and powerful that it can light up the outside of a five story building for two hours. On a more practical note, it’s built out of aircraft grade aluminum and has a protected switch, and precision optics. It’s ideal for lighting up any unexpected situation from a power outage to a roadside emergency. But it’s small enough to fit easily into an elegant evening purse. Price is just about $50.

Lepow Modre Bluetooth Speaker
Give Mom some music that will give her a smile with style. The Modre speaker has a contemporary look designed to be reminiscent of an elephant’s trunk. For a small speaker it produces a big, vibrant sound. It’s a little bit heavier than you might expect, which helps give it a solid foundation for its thumping sound. It’s available in several colors. We’ve seen it priced from $25 to $35.

Audio-Technica Sonic Fuel in-ear headphones model CKX5iS

If Mom likes to take her music with her on the go she’ll enjoy these Sonic Fuel in-ear phones from Audio Technica. These phones use A-T’s unique system that keeps the headphones secure in her ear. Audio Technica has a reputation for making great sounding headphones, and the sound is further enhanced because the tight fit keeps extraneous noise from interfering with her tunes. The CKX5iS also has a built-in microphone and volume control to use with her smartphone. Price is just under $50.