Weeks after the champagne glasses and confetti, it’s time to get serious about that 2013 resolution. Studies show that about 60 percent of American adults aspire to have a resolution, and 40 percent make actually make one (or more!). The most common ones are well known by now: lose weight, give up a bad habit, get organized, learn something new and enjoy life more.
If you’re like us, you also might have a couple of electronic resolutions as well, such as install a surround sound system in your living room or upgrade your TV. But since New Year’s resolutions often can be tough to achieve, we’re offering some electronic tools that might help.
It’s the end of the year, and there are dozens of TVs, smartphones, tablets and gadgets that made our hearts skip a couple beats over the past 12 months. Below are some of the items we loved or that made a big splash in 2012. We can’t wait to see what 2013 brings (and we might even have a launch or two of our own!)
Relaxing with a movie used to mean quality time with your couch, TV and a bowl of popcorn. Now it might mean streaming the movie through your tablet and tweeting reaction through your smartphone while music plays through the TV’s speakers streamed through Pandora. Wireless streaming is growing. Americans added five more hours of online video per month last quarter, according to Nielsen reporting.
The market is responding to this shift. Netflix just inked a deal to stream Disney movies and Redbox is launching instant streaming. Consumers aren’t tethered to their TVs as wireless mobile devices give them new freedom.
But before you can relax with hot cocoa and gingerbread, there always are some holiday headaches, such as baggage fees on airlines, highway traffic and the chorus of “Are we there yet?”
My heart and sympathies go out to all those effected by Super Storm Sandy. I have been reading article after article of loss and the tragic events that have unfolded, and feel helpless as I sit here across the other side of the country.
One thing it has done is make me look at my own family and see if we are ready for a disaster. I have realized that we are not ready at all. Just thinking of a plan and actually having one are two different things. If something were to happen today, my family would be in trouble.
Being in California, we have earthquakes, fires, and mudslides. Fires you get some advance notice, and you may have time to evacuate. With earthquakes, they happen and before you realize what is going on, and then they are usually over. I have been very fortunate to always have been out of town when a big earthquake has hit our area. My children were not born at the time of the last big one we had.
Nintendo’s new Wii U video game system begins hitting select store shelves on Nov. 18. Pre-orders are already sold out, and industry watchers predict the limited numbers available in stores will go quickly. It’s Nintendo’s first high-definition gaming machine, but the bigger change is the GamePad™, a LCD touch screen and controller in one that includes a front-facing camera, rumble features, sensor bar, stylus and support for near-field communication technology (NFC).
This past summer we were treated to watching the world’s best athletes compete in the Olympics. Next week, million’s of Americans will be participating in a different type of competition: Black Friday shopping.
We’ve all seen the images of Pampalona-like stampedes into Wal-Mart stores at midnight and much like the running of the bulls, people get gored and run over. If you were unfortunate enough to be at this Wal-Mart location, you might have gotten an eye full of pepper spray.
As the weather gets colder, many of us stay cozy on the couch. Americans spend on average nearly 35 hours per week watching live TV, DVD content, DVR playback and video games.
Consumer spending on home electronics rose for the first time after five years of declines, thanks partly to Blu-ray purchases. No matter the content filling your screen, the experience can be more exciting with the right home theater system.
The Walking Dead season 3 is off and running (or walking) and it hasn’t disappointed. Season 2 ended on such a high note, I thought there was no way they would be able to keep up that energy level and they would have to rebuild in season 3. I would like to officially declare how wrong I was, and how humbled I am after episode 1.
Zombies have been a huge fascination for me since I got a hold of the Max Brooks book: Zombie Survival Guide, and his phenomenal second book: World War Z, which by the way is coming to a theater near you, staring Brad Pitt. I would like to thank that Barnes and Noble employee who pointed me in that direction a few years ago.
Signs are pointing to a spooky and record-breaking Halloween this year, as 170 million people plan to celebrate the holiday, spending an average of almost $80 per person on decorations, costumes and candy.
But one of the best parts of Halloween often costs much less: a good scare. And we do love good, terrifying fun.
