The Download: Hot for the Holidays: Swagway electric skateboard, Whistle pet GPS and health monitor, Sphero BB-8
News 12 Long Island's Bill Korbel watches on as Stone Grissom takes his first ride on the Swagway electric skateboard. Credit: Lee Danuff -- News 12
Tech gifts are certainly popular for the holidays, but with all the choices out there, how do you figure out what's the best? News 12's tech reporter Andrew Ehinger has a few suggestions in his annual series - The Download: Hot for the Holidays.
Suggestion number four is the Swagway electric skateboard.
The self-balancing two-wheeled boards take a little time to get the hang of, but can be lots of fun. And even though some communities are trying to figure out how to regulate their use - in certain places they can be a blast. The Swagway ranges between $350 and $400.
Lots of people wear activity trackers to monitor their health, but how about one for your pet? The Whistle is a tiny clip-on fitness tracker for your four-legged friend.
The Whistle can also help you find your pet if it wanders off. It has a built-in GPS and will alert your smartphone when your pet leaves a preset area - all in real time. It costs $99 with a small monthly monitoring fee.
The remote control BB-8 app-enabled Droid from Sphero is one of the hottest Star Wars toys this season. You control BB-8 from your smartphone and it can do all sorts of fun things. It can even roam around on its own - using "The Force." The Sphero BB-8 is $199.
Editor’s Note: This story was taped and aired before reports surfaced about possible safety hazards with "hoverboard" devices. Consumers are urged to independently research all products before purchasing them.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
