Tech Services

Let's say you're cruising down a dark highway and there is a deer smack in the middle the road. Just standing there. It happened to me several years ago in my little light-duty truck, which caused around $1,500 in damage to the bumper, grille and hood. With today's technology and crowd-sourcing apps like AvoiDeer, a collision is less likely and could possibly be avoided. The AvoiDeer app comes to us from Scandinavian developers in Bodo, Norway and Southport, England, where they sought to create a road-safety app to warn drivers of wildlife along highways in North American and Northern Europe. One of the unique features about the AvoiDeer app is the warning of "real" sighting with a visual and audible alarm. The concept is simple, with real-time reporting of any deer or other wildlife sightings with a simple tap. Any AvoiDeer user in close proximity will receive an audible and visible alarm on their smartphone to warn the driver of potential danger ahead. The warn...

With the rise in wearable technology and expected growth in glasses that'll act like computers, the tracking of eye movements is the next logical step for researchers and software developers to learn more about consumer behavior when viewing media and other forms of communication. That's where the Tobii Glasses 2 will come in with a "first of it's kind wearable eye tracker" for research and the development of consumer applications. Manufactured by Tobii Technology, a Swedish company recognized as a global leader in eye tracking and gaze interaction, the Tobii Glasses 2 package offers a wireless video stream of exactly what a person is looking at, which can viewed on a Windows 8 tablet or Windows 7 or 8 computer. The 1080p wide-angle scene camera and four eye cameras give the wearer complete freedom of view, along with what the company calls "true view" to participants, as well as a peripheral view for activities such as driving. The company expects the e...

The fitness band craze is heating up and even children will be able to join the bandwagon. Leapfrog, known as a leader in educational entertainment for children, is rolling out the LeapBand, their first wearable activity tracker for young techies. This device will encourage playful activities with 50 different challenges to earn points to unlock additional games and earn virtual toys. The LeapBand comes with eight virtual customizable pets that include a cat, dog, dragon and a monkey, that can have their own color and name. As the child becomes more active, LeapFrog's Learning Team is hoping they will develop habits for physical exercise and healthy lifestyle. "We understand that helping a child reach their potential not only includes making sure they are versed on the ABCs and 123s but they are encouraged through play to establish healthy habits and get the exercise they need every day," said Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos, director of LeapFrog's Learning Team. "LeapBa...

#185236640 / gettyimages.com The checkout experience is going to change for shoppers and retailers in the near future. Coupons have already gone digital and Coupons.com, a digital promotions platform that connects brands and retailers with customers, is taking another step to make this trend even more enticing with their Retailer iQ platform. which is a targeting and analytics interface for grocery, drug and mass merchandisers. By using digital receipts, which are available as an option at more and more checkout counters, retailers hope to engage consumers and learn more about their shopping behavior. Then we'll start to see personalized recommendations for products, discounts, integrated shopping lists and other digital media experiences. Walgreens, which is listed as the largest drug retailing chain in the United States, is already on board and began rolling out Retailer iQ earlier this year to more than 8,000 stores. With more than 100 million Balance Rewards members, they no...

The process of buying and selling a home has always involved a big stack of forms and the famous "closing meeting" where you sign your livelihood away for the next 15 to 30 years. But a company called Homevana Inc. is striving to simplify this process through the use of "For Sale By Owner 2.0," a free online platform to allow buyers and sellers to complete the deal with "zero commission." Buyers will submit offers online and work the deal with sellers right on up to executing the contract using an electronic signature. According to Homvana officials, it is possible to sell your home and complete the deal without a real estate agent and for free, with no commission. All of the paperwork and tools needed are available online to close the sale and have complete control of the process from your own computer. Buyers and sellers are connected to each other worldwide - offering a vast collection of potential real estate deals. Homevana was rolled out in Ca...

If you have a family member diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or autism, and who has a history of wandering, the Smartsoles technology might be the one thing to offer some peace of mind. The Bluetooth SmartSoles is a footwear system that consists of an embedded Bluetooth chip. The SmartSoles look like regular insoles and are designed to fit nearly every size shoe, as they can be trimmed to fit. An email or text message is sent to a caregiver when a wearer leaves a pre-set area, such as a room or building. They can be used in a personal home or assisted living facilities. In addition to a tracking portal for desktops, laptops and tablets, a free Smart Locator mobile app will available for Android and Apple devices. The cost is expected to be under $50, with a rechargeable battery that'll last up to five days on a single charge and is rated to last over a year before needing to be replaced. The SmartSoles are manufactured by GTX Corp. , a developer of wearable techno...

If you're like me and have been having problems making it through a full day without having to recharge your iPhone battery, then I have the solution for charging on the go. I've been testing the Jackery Leaf for the past few weeks and I no longer dread the mid-afternoon battery run-down saga, which was just like clockwork every day. Now I'm able to use my iPhone until bedtime with no worries about a weak battery. The Jackery Leaf is an integrated rechargeable battery and spiffy case that provides plenty of extra juice for iPhone 5 and 5S devices. According to the Santa Clara, California-based technology company, a maker of portable batteries for smartphones and tablets, the Leaf gives users up to 50 extra hours of operational time, depending on the types of applications and tasks that are running. The Leaf accomplishes this feat with an Apple certified micro-USB Lightning connector converter built into a rechargeable 2400 mAh Li-ion battery, which also slips into a stylis...