KING-TV's New Day Northwest w/Margaret Larson: "Travel Tech 2013" - 20 March 2013 (KING-TV)

As we hit the road this spring on adventures by plane, train, and automobile- there are various devices that will make your vacation or business trip more pleasant. Here, as featured on KING 5's New Day Northwest, are some travel tech recommendations:

Slingbox 500: No more missing your favorite TV shows while you travel! Watch your own TV, from back home, via. the internet using the Slingbox 500 and players available for smartphones, tablets, and portable computers. Pause, replay, and fast-forward your own DVR as if you were sitting in your living room. No monthly subscriptions or usage fees once you’re online! ($299, slingbox.com)

Lytro camera: The innovative camera that lets you adjust the image’s focus AFTER you get home!  It's great for travelers because it can be operated with one hand and requires just one click to capture a picture-no focusing required, so you never miss a moment. ($400+, lytro.com)

Globalgig:With a bag full of connected gadgets, you’re going to be scrounging around for a WiFi hotspot on the road. With the Globalgig international hotspot, you can stay connected anywhere there’s wireless data in the world. With flat-rate pricing and simple operation, you can ump online with up to five devices. ($99 (device) $17/mo. (1GB service),globalgig.com)

Computer Apparel Laptop/Tablet Hoodie case: Sure there are plenty of laptop cases and slipcovers out there… but this one really caught my eye. Disguised as your favorite hoodie, this case is made from soft cotton sweatshirt material. Made for laptops up to 15” and tablets such as the iPad. ($40+, computer-apparel.com)

Schlage Touchscreen Deadbolt: The touchscreen deadbolt will alert you when family members, the housekeeper, or other authorized guests use their unique code to enter your house. Part of the Nexia Home Intelligence family, you can control lights and open/close blinds making your house look “lived in” even when you’re thousands of miles away.($199+, http://www.schlage.com/)

UClear HBC220: Uclear creates a wireless Bluetooth-powered conversation without cell phones or crazy radios. Simple helmet-mountable devices create a web of communications on-the-fly and is the perfect solution for staying in touch with family on spring adventures. ($250, uclear-digital.com)

What are your must have gadgets for the road? Leave your recommendations below or "like" my Facebook Page to comment!

Live @ 7: Cybersecurity - 19 February 2013 (KGW-TV)

On Monday it was @BurgerKing. Today? @Jeep

Apple, Facebook, Twitter, major media outlets and even government agencies have admitted to being hacked. While some are pointing to the Chinese government, there’s a consensus that cybersecurity is a topic we’ll discussing for the foreseeable future.

Tonight, on The Square Live @ 7 w/Stephanie Stricklen, we tackled the topic:

No doubt it’s been a rough week for these brands on Twitter. While these calculated attacks targeted specific brands, they serve as an important reminder for everyone from major companies to individuals, that online security is an important topic.

To make matters, some might say, worse, MTV & sister-company BET got in on the action through an unfortunate PR stunt. The “fake” attack today following the Jeep compromise made light of the attack against Jeep & Burger King. One can certainly see the temptation–Jeep gained approximately 10,000 new followers (the account typically gets a few hundred per day according to twittercounter.com).

When I consult with major brands, we change the passwords often, use secure hard-to-guess codewords and remain cautious of who has those keys. If you are a brand and value your online reputation—take a look at your own strategy much as I’m confident Twitter is also doing.

This is certainly not a problem limited to major companies-- I advise even small businesses and individuals to have a security plan, one they review often, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

If they’re NOT reviewing them today—they will (or SHOULD) be by tomorrow.

While we may not have the budgets of the Federal Gov’t or a fortune 500 company—nor, hopefully, the risk that goes along with it—there are definitely some simple things we can do to stay protected:

1. change passwords often
2. avoid common passwords
3. don’t reuse passwords
4. never share access information
5. watch where you login
6. have a security plan

What is your cybersecurity plan?

KING-TV's New Day Northwest w/Margaret Larson: CES Recap - 27 June 2012 (KING-TV)

Check out the gadgets I brought back to KING 5's New Day Northwest with Margaret Larson on the Thursday, January 10th show:

Live @ 7: Live from CES 2013 - 8 January 2013 (KGW-TV)

Here's my appearance on KGW's "Live @ 7" w/Stephanie Stricklen from the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV.

Apple's iPhone 5: Launch Day Recap

It was a late night / early morning for those needing to have the latest in a series of Apple iPhones. Today's launch of the iPhone 5 marked the sixth time fans have lined up to own the latest smartphone. And those willing to camp out overnight, and in many cases MUCH longer, did not disappoint. As I've done in the past, I checked out the line for news partners FM News 101 (KXL-FM, Portland) and KGW Newschannel 8 (NBC, Portland). Here's a collection of reports from the (long!) morning: LIVE with Portland's Morning News on FM News 101 KXL: 8:19am. Listen to my reports weekly on FM News 101 KXL. I'll have more on the story tonight at 7pm with Live at 7 with Stephanie Stricklen on KGW-TV.

GOOGLE I/O: Dramatic skydiving entrance with Google Glass & Hangouts 'On-Air'

Google sure knows how to make an entrance...

Today at the Google I/O conference at San Francisco's Moscone Center, the Project Glass team demonstrated a Hangout On-Air using Google Glass. Watch the video.

Also, we now know preliminary availability-- $1500, in 2013, but pre-orders are ONLY being taken by those at the developer conference happening this week in SF.

KING-TV's New Day Northwest w/Margaret Larson: Summer Travel Tech - 27 June 2012 (KING-TV)

If you're like me, summer (or what we in the Northwest like to jokingly refer to as "the second weekend in August") is a time for travel-- and keeping you organized, and connected, while away from the home is what these gadgets do best.

Jumping back on KING 5's New Day Northwest with Margaret Larson, I shared some of my favorite finds for Summer Travel Tech 2012.


To get you there, or around while at your vacation destination, the portable Greenzone folding bike fits in a trunk, suitcase, or stashed away in your RV. Taking up very little room, the bike still retains all the features of a bulky full-size pedeler. Shimano components and a sturdy, yet easy-to-collapse, construction mean you'll be whizzing around the campground and out exploring in very little time. They start at $200 for the "Value" model and each bike comes with a handy carrying bag (helpful to keep your car's carpeting clean from grime and dirt the bike picks up during your adventure). Get yours at GreenZoneBikes.com or ask at your favorite local bike shop.

Seattle company Brenthaven makes a line of urban-friendly bike and messenger bags for bicyclists and travelers alike. Among the more fashionable is the Kona backpack with plenty of storage, great weight distribution and a rugged construction. The Kona Project 2 Courier Bags are stylish and functional, perfect for your laptop, and start at $150.

The entertaining behaviour-changing Striiv caught my attention as the perfect on-the-go fitness device. More than a pedometer, the digital coach helps motivate activity through game play, challenges with your friends, and real-time performance monitoring. Compete with your friends and raise money for charity (through Striiv's corporate donors!) just by staying active! The Striiv gizmo is $100 and the energy you'll gain by staying active is priceless. [We gave two Striivs away to audience members on the show-- all the more reason to come down to the studio and join us!]

Want to watch movies in your hotel room? backseat of the car? Perhaps on an airline tray-table? Brookstone makes a case for your iPhone 4 that turns the phone into a portable projector! Complete with battery-boosting, the case slips over your iPhone 4 and lets you play movies, slideshows, and more to any surface. While the case works best in lower-light (look for even brighter models in the future), I didn't find the image quality to be at all disappointing. Brookstone's got it for $229 online.

PivotHead puts a FULL HD camera right into your sunglasses. Stay active, record video, capture images and keep your hands free. Simple one-button recording takes full sweeping 1080p video with glasses that are discreet without a lot of extra bulk. Watch the clip above for sample footage. PivotHead.com to pick your frames and lens colors/style.

Liquipel in-action: My iPhone 4 gets wet!

If you asked me what one gadget I couldn't live without, I'd tell you my phone. (Camera being a close second.) Imagine my fright at the concept of being without my phone for two days so a company called Liquipel could treat it with a special process that would make my phone completely watersafe?! Today on the show, I dunked my PERSONAL iPhone 4 into a bath of water. And despite being extremely nervous-- the phone survived!! Sending in your phone takes a few days, but having your phone work after falling into the toilet thereafter? Dropping into the pool? Splashing into a puddle? I was amazed when I heard about the technology-- and now that I've tried it? In a word: Impressed. Watch the clip above to see my reaction the very first time my phone got wet. Liquipel has won awards for this technology, and like the water wisking away from the components of my iPhone-- so did my own nerves. Revolutionary technology. Treat your phone at liquipel.com starting at $59.

Keep all your gadgets organized on the road with the Targus Demolition Backpack. Mine's black, and has pockets for phones, tables, laptop, and all the charging cables/accessories that go along with the high-tech traveler. Targus has been making travel gear for years, and you can really tell between the comfortable wear and the durable construction. Check out the entire line at Targus.com.

What travel tech can you not live without? Ready to get your most prized gadget... WET? Let me know what you take with you on the road and as always, find me online:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMW
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianmwestbrook