1

Smartdevices:Prosandcons–REMEMBER,conveniencecomeswithaprice.Anythingthatyoucanaccessviaadevice,i.e.yourhomealarmsystem,yourcar,thelockstoyourhouse,someonewithnotalwaysthebestintenConscanaccess,too.Noparanoia,justcommonsense.Onlineshopping:Hardlynew,butthenumberofplacesandthenumberofdifferentwaysyoucanshoponlinehasexplodedoverthepastyearortwo.Today,youdon’tnecessarilyneedtogotoanonlineretailerlikeAmazon,northeonlineversionofabricksandmortarstorelikeTargettobuythings.YoucanalsoshopviasocialmediasitesincludingFacebook,YouTube,Pinterest,Instagram,andTwiQer.Consumerismknowsnoboundariesintoday’sworld.Again,theconvenienceisterrific,butjustrememberthefootprintthatyouleaveandthenumberofplacesyou’rewillingtoshareyourprivateinformaCon.Besmart.Upgrade!!Storyofmytelevision.Storygoeswiththetrendofbreakingofcable.Wewereonceheldprisonerbylarge,overpricedcableservicesandhadliQletonochoiceinwaystoaccesstheprogramswewanttowatch.That’schangingandfast!Internetstreamingischangingeverything.IreadintheJanuary2016issueofConsumerReportsthat18%ofUShouseholdswithonlinevideoservicehavedroppedtheirtradiConalcabletelevisionservice.That’saHUGEchange,whenyouthinkaboutit.NowthatmosthomesintheUShavehighspeed,broadbandservice,businesseslikeApple,Amazon,Google,Roku,Hulu,Ne^lix,SlingTV,andmorehavejumpedonthechancetoproduceandmarketthetoolsneededthatallowyoutowatchwhatyouwanttowatch,whenyouwanttowatchit.Evenstandardcable–IhaveCharteratmyhouse–allowsmoreandmore“ondemand”viewing.StreamingcansCllbealiQlebitquirky,buttheprosseemtofaroutweightheconsnow,asshownbythemovementofconsumersinthisdirecCon.

2

TheAppleWatchneedsnointroducCon.ThefirstsmartwatchfromApplewillonlyworkwithiPhones.Itcanrunapps,trackingacCviCes,displaynoCficaConsandhasaspeakerphoneforansweringcalls(ifyouriPhoneisinrange).20+differentstyles**Size–they’rebigonyourwrist.$350(sportmodels)-$17,000(yep!)atAppleStoreTheMoto360runsAndroidWear.ItworkswithbothiPhoneandAndroiddevices,andiscapableofdisplayingnoCficaConsfromyoursmartphone,aswellastrackingstepsandcaloriesburned.Androidusersalsohaveaccesstoavarietyofthird-partyappsthroughthePlaystore.ButourfavoritethingabouttheMoto360isit'sbeauCfuldesign.Fitbitisthebrandthatcomestomindwhenpeoplethinkfitnesstrackers.InaddiContobeingabletotracksteps,distance,caloriesburnedandsleep,theChargeHRfeaturesanopCcalheart-ratesensorthatconCnuouslychecksyourpulse.They’vebeenaroundawhilenowandofferseveralvarieCesoftrackers,fromtheclip-onZip(IsClllikethisonethebestandyoucanfindthemforunder$50)tothelatestmodel,theSurge,forperformance-mindedfitnessfolks($250).Time,HR,GPS,music,mulC-sporttracking,etc.WhileitmaylackadisplayandmoreadvancedsensorsfoundintheChargeHR,theJawboneUp2isamorediscreettrackerfashionistaswillenjoy.Jawbone'sAndroid

3

ThemostinteresCng(andthemostexpensive)XboxOnebundleavailablethisholidayseasonpacksina1TBXboxOnewithasolid-statehybriddriveandanEliteController.TheSSHDwilllikelynetfasteroverallXboxOneloading(weassume).ItwillbeavailableDecember1for$500.This500GBPlayStaBon4shipswithadigitalcopyofStarWars:BaQlefrontandavouchercontainingfourStarWarsClassicsfor$400.NINTENDO3DSTHEGOODThe3Dscreensareimprovedbynewface-tracking,andthelargersizeoffersalesscrampedviewingexperience.Internaltweaksandupdatesaddabehind-the-scenesboost.THEBADThepoorbaQerylifehasn'timproved.HavingtoremovethebackoftheconsoletochangetheSDcardisapoordesignchoiceandthelegacydatatransferprocessisinfuriaCng.Also,there'snoACchargerinthebox--youhavetobuyoneseparately.THEBOTTOMLINEThe3DSXL'simproved3Dhead-trackingisabigstepupanditsperformanceboostmoremakesanoCceabledifference.Afewhead-scratchingdesignchoicespreventusfromfallingfortheNew3DSXL,butthisissCllthebestNintendoportabletoget.CostsaliQleunder$200

4

PerCNET,“AbundantphonechoicesandsalesmaketheholidayseasononeofthebestCmesyoucanbuyaphoneforyourselforforsomeoneyoucareabout.Sogetcrackin'.”SamsungGalaxyNote5–5.7”display,top-of-the-linestylusforwriCng,drawing,navigaCng.Pricingvariesbycarrier,butIsawAT&Tat$200,Verizonat$300,andT-Mobileat$700.SamsungGalaxyEdgeandEdge+-Similarw/outnoteopCons.$300to$750,dependingoncarrierandpackage.iPhone6–4.7”display,starCngat$550iPhone6Plus–5.5”display,starCngat$650OpConsformemory(16or64GB)andcarriers(AT@T,Sprint,T-Mobile,Verizon)Monthlyfinancingw/built-inannualupgradeopCon.AlsoaniPhone6S–samedisplaysizes,morecolorchoicesandupto128GBmemory.$650-$850Asecondmini-screenalongthetopcapsoffLG’sV10,inauguralphoneinthisnewline.MoresolidandbiggerscreenthanG4.$250-$700GoogleNexus6Pand5XgetalotofposiCvereviewsforit’s“bangforthebuck.”

5

Featurestoconsider:GPSDetachablekeyboardSwipeversustypemodesAbilitytouseastylusSizeandportabilityReading,Gaming,Apps?Whatwillyoudowithit,primarily?PriceStoryofwhatIchoseandwhy.

6

PrintphotosstraightfromyoursmartphonewiththisPolaroidZipPhotoPrinter.Workswith2x3ZinkFilminfullcolorforbright+fun+sCcky-backprintsyoucansharewithyourfriends-peel+sCckyourphotosCckerswherever!JustdownloadthePolaroidZipapptoedit+personalizephotoswithemojis,drawings+morebeforeprinCngwiththesimplepushofabuQon.YoucanevensharesecretmessageswithyourpicsthroughpersonalizedQRcodesthatonlycertainpeoplecansee.Welovethisprintertomakeunique+funphotosonthego.Greatgiwidea,too!$130Fujimakesasimilarproduct,FujifilmInstaxInstantSmartphonePrinter,for$200.Theydoproducemanymorekindsoffilmtouse–lotsofcoolbordersandcolorsandsuch.Vintage-inspiredprojectorforyoursmartphone!MadefromcorrugatedcardboardthisgeniusinvenConletsyouprojectthingsfromthesmallscreenofyourphoneontothewallforeasierviewing.Easytoassemble+easytouse,theprojectoralsoamplifiesthesound.NoneedforanaddiConalpowersource,butthereistwoslotsatthebacktoaccommodateyourowncharger.CompaCblewithmostsmartphones.$28TheIMPOSSIBLEProjectWearetheonlycompanyintheworldproducinginstantfilmforclassicPolaroid

7

ChannelyourinnerBeyoncewiththeiRigKaraokeMicrophone.Connecttoyourphoneorcomputermicrophoneinputforenhancedvoicerecordingandimprovedsoundquality.DownloadthefreeappEZVoicetoyoursmartphoneortablet,orcheckouttheothercompaCblekaraokeappslistedonyourmic'spackaging.Strong+lightweightdesignforlong-lasCnguse.$40It’sgoingonmylist!USB-poweredminiboQlehumidifierfromthepracCcalityexpertsat11+.Thishumidifierisgreatforabedroom,livingorworkingspace.Transparent+sleekdesignsoitblendsrightin.Powerfulenoughtosupplyhumidityanywhere-justfullwithwater+pluginthecordtoaUSBport.($60)

8

WeegoJS6isa12Vlithium-ionjumpstarter,powerfulenoughtoeasilystartgasenginesupto4.6Landdieselenginesupto2.4LandsCllfitinyourpocketorbag.Thecarryingcasemakesiteasytostoreinyourgloveboxorcenterconsole.Willalsochargeyourphone,tablet,speakersandotherUSBdevices.SimplyplugWeegotoyourdevicewiththeincluded3-in-1USBchargingcord.1000fullchargingcycles-1000fullchargesplus1000fulldischarges.6000mAhcapacity.18monthwarranty.$99IfyouhappentohaveacarthatsCllhasatapedeck(wedo!),youcanplopdown$32andgetthishandybluetoothadapter.Wireyourcar'scasseQeplayerforsoundwiththisBluetoothcasseQeadapterfromIon.Streammusic+talkonthephonewithyourBluetoothcompaCbledevicecompletelywire-free.JustputtheadapterinyourcasseQeplayerandyou'rereadytogo.Runsfor4+hrsonasinglecharge.F.R.E.D.FlashingRoadsideEmergencyDisk$15-$40,9LEDlights,differentmodes,emergencysignalbutalsoawaytogatheryourfriendsinacrowdedparkinglot–thinkconcertsortailgates.EachFluxCapacitorCarChargerhastwoUSBports,eachcapableofchargingalmostanyUSBpowereddevice(1x1Aand1x2.1A).ButitalsohasthatbeauCfulFluxCapacitorlightsequenceweallknowandlove.

9

Movember!$16Animal-themedmulC-toolpocketgadgetwith7toolsforeverydayuse.FuncConal+compactdesignperfectfortakingwithyouwhereveryougo.Greatgiwidea,too!Includes:file,sirestripper,knifeblade,boQleopener,flatheadscrewdriver,punch,Philipsheadscrewdriver($18)MulC-funcConaluClitytooldesignedbyNateBarratZooClity.Thinenoughtofitinacreditcardslot,soyoucantakeitwithyouanywhere.Includesacomb,screwdriver,chipclip+hexwrenchesandalotmore.($14)TheflexibleandsweatproofBackBeatFitisperfectforgym-ratsandrunners.At$79itofferswirelessstereosoundandshouldbecomfortabletowear,evenifyourworkoutisn't.Callqualityisgood,andthebaQerylastsforabout8hoursatmoderatevolume.(startaround$75-80)Somanymagazinesareavailableinadigitalformattoday.Ipersonallyread“TheAtlanCc”eachmonthonmyKindle.IenjoysubscripCons.It’sagiwthatpopsupthroughouttheyear.

10

LeapFrogEpicKidsandtablets:mostkidsusethem,butyouprobablydon'twanttogivethemyours.ThenewLeapFrogEpicrunsmostoftheeducaConalLeapFroggamesandappsforkidsthatpreviousversionshave,butit'sbuiltonanAndroidtablet.ItrunsitsownOS,butcansideloadtheAmazonappstore,tooviaaparentalse{ngsscreen.Ne^lixandmorecanliveside-by-sidewith"LeQerFactory.”($130)AmazonKindleFireHDKidsEdiConSmartphonesandtabletsareeasyenoughforanyonetousenow,butthatdoesn'tmeankidsdon'tneeddigitalsupervision.EntertheAmazonKindleFireHDKidsEdiCon.TherestricCveAmazonSangriaOSmakesthetableteasyforkidstonavigateandoperate,whiletheextensive,built-inparentalcontrolsgiveparentstheabilitytolimitacCvity.Welikeditlastyear,andwelikeitagainthisyear.$150LegoDimensions"BacktotheFuture,""TheSimpsons,""DoctorWho,""Scooby-Doo,"and"JurassicWorld"getblendedinthecraziestLegomash-upsince"TheLegoMovie."The$99gamepackageincludesabaseandsomerealLegominifiguresthatcanbeusedin

11

12