Welcome to the wide world of wearables

Seventy years ago, Dick Tracy’s futuristic two-way wrist radio captured the imagination of a public intrigued by the limitless possibilities of technology—even if it was only a silly comic strip character’s fictional gadget. But as the years advanced, pop culture didn’t relent in its creative depictions of geek-geared gizmos, as evidenced by the popularity of the shoe phone on “Get Smart,” the Gadget Copter from “Inspector Gadget,” the TV glasses used in “Back to the Future II,” and the countless doohickeys and concealed contraptions worn by James Bond.

Fast forward to 2016, and it’s easy to see why wearables—from the Apple Watch and Fitbit Flex to Google Glass and the Nike Fuel Band—are all the rage among consumers seeking compact and portable digital resources to help them better manage their activities. Learn more about the wearables trend by reading my latest article for The Content Wrangler, which you can access here.

Bird baubles

Life for a pet bird can get pretty boring. That's why it's important to equip their cages with fun toys and accessories designed to decrease the monotony. I round up the newest avian amusement products in my latest monthly column for Pet Age Magazine, which you can read here.

Can the digital tip jar save electronic publishers?

Digital publishers continue to struggle with finding the right monetization method, with some pursuing subscription paywalls and micropayments while others rely on ads or a combination of all of the above. In an era when adblocking software is prevalent and consumers continue to insist on free content, however, these strategies may not be enough to keep e-content peddlers in the black. Interestingly, a new twist on an alternative revenue generator has emerged: the democratized digital tip jar. The latest example is Flattr Plus, a browser extension/app that enables users to remove online ads from sites they visit while also contributing a monthly payment in an amount they choose that will be distributed proportionally to publishers of the sites they surf.

Learn more about this trend by reading my newest article for EContent magazine, available here.

Mortgage rate forecast for the rest of 2016

Keeping a close eye on fixed mortgage interest rates and curious as to where they are headed? Itching to lock in soon but worried that you’ll regret that decision if rates tick lower soon afterward? You’re not alone – many prospective borrowers wish they had a crystal ball that could peer into the future and help them decide when to pull the mortgage trigger.

In my newest article for The Mortgage Reports, I ask the experts where they think rates will go before the end of the year. Read more by clicking here.

Tapping into the truth about drinking water

The toxic water crisis in Flint, Mich., has caused many Americans to ask a very important question as they thirst for the truth: How safe is my tap water? The answers can be slippery to obtain and startling to grasp yet imperative to pursue—along with available solutions—if you want to safeguard your family’s health, say the experts.

In my latest article for The Costco Connection magazine, I investigate healthier drinking water options.

Dollars and sense

Convenience store retailers may be the ultimate multitaskers—after all, they’re responsible for keeping tabs on the pump, counter, aisles and everything in between. But at the end of the day, their main concern remains the same: It’s still all about bills in the till. And therein lies the rub. Because opening that cash drawer is often akin to opening Pandora’s box. Whether it’s miscounts, skimming off the top, stickups, or not-so-smart safes, a plethora of cash management and handling challenges come with the convenience territory—a land where cash is still king and the coin of the realm can be a downright heavy burden.

These are the challenges I explore in my newest article for CSP Magazine, which summarizes the results of an exclusive survey about cash management issues--read it here.