Here’s some of the latest in family tech.
VR Real Feel Racing
Now you can get the full virtual-reality experience of car racing without having to leave the comfort of your living room. The app itself is a lot of fun for both kids and adults who like racing games. But what’s especially cool about Real Feel Racing is that in addition to the very-comfortable headset, you also get a steering wheel. Most other VR racing setups have you tilt your head to steer. That’s fun, but you don’t have any control over acceleration or braking. With Real Feel, you control both with the steering wheel. Plus, the Max Force Feedback lets you feel the vibrations when you crash or bump into other cars. Requires 3 AAA batteries (not included). Available for about $30 on www.amazon.com
G3s GamePad (GameSir)
This is a multi-platform, portable game controller that’s compatible with Android, iOS, Windows, and Playstation 3. It runs on rechargeable batteries and has an impressive 18 hours of game time per charge—plus an automatic sleep mode and a power saver, to extend that battery life even further. It features double-shock vibration, which lets you feel every hit and explosion, so you can really get into your games. The G3s is great for travel and connects to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. But if you want to use it with a PS3, you’ll need a wired connection. Great for gamers of any age. About $30 o www.amazon.com
Universal Multi-Charging Station (DOK)
If you and your family are always running out of outlets or places to plug in your stuff (and who isn’t, these days?), this handy piece of equipment comes with everything you need to charge five devices at once: smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, MP3 players, or pretty much anything that uses a USB cable for charging. And to reduce your downtime, you can answer calls hands-free and listen to music on the six-watt Bluetooth speaker while you’re charging. It’s pretty compact, so it’ll be easy to find a place to put it, and you’ll spare yourself the eyesore (and tripping hazard) of a million cords and wires running all over the place. About $79.99 at www.amazon.com or https://www.easy-doks.com
Sprocket Photo Printer (HP)
This pocket-sized printer expands the meaning of the phrase “print anywhere.” You can actually print directly from your smart phone or social media website. You can even print on sticky paper, so you can create sticker photos. Just open the top, load the paper of your choice, and you’re good to go. It’s lightweight and portable, which makes it an easy take-along for baby showers, birthday parties, and just about any other event. Need more features? Well, you can also edit, use filters, crop, or add emojis to your photos with just a few clicks. You can print about 30 photos on a charge and it takes about an hour to recharge. Retails for about $130 at major retailers or http://store.hp.com
NuTouch Gloves (NewerTech)
Since it’s still winter and using your smart devices in the cold can be somewhat less than comfortable, these gloves are quite handy, because you don’t have to take them off to do your swiping and clicking (although you will need to take them off if you need a fingerprint to sign into your device). NuTouch gloves are thin and easy to keep in your purse or coat pocket. They come in three sizes and retail for $20 at www.newertech.com