Tech Talk for Families (Enhanced): Technology, toy, and video game news for YOUR family

Balancing family and podcasting, especially when doing a family-centric podcast, can be difficult. We have a solution. Recalls and Safety Information: * Coby Boombox Recall * OpenOffice Password Crack: Good or Bad? Yes. * Acer joins the Sony battery recall club * Evil Twin Wi-Fi Access Points * Google Ads with Spyware * Dirty USB Thumb Drives with Trojans Toy News: * SpiderShootEmUp: It's Duck Hunt Meets Spider-Man! * Barbie Girls: It's Barbie meets Second Life. Full review next week. * VTech adds Smartville line for age 1-3 Tech News: * George Foreman's iGrill: the lean, mean cookout party machine (not the fake version) * Amazon vs. iTunes in the race for DRM-free software * Mobile Wallet: your cell phone as a credit card * Tritton TRI-UA512 AXPC USB headphones: Surround Sound in headphones * Michigan couple seeks to adopt through MySpace * Teen text messaging: Win $20K, bt lower yr gramA n sp ability * Gadgets broken? This website will help fixya * Should the presidential debates be posted on YouTube or given a Creative Commons License (CCL)? Interview This week, Dennis Gray from the 101 Uses for Baby Wipes podcast joins Dale to talk about familycasting: podcasting about your family. The original Daddycaster talks about why he's been on hiatus (You know you've been wondering!), protecting family privacy online, and tips for setting up your own familycast. Video Game News and Reviews: * Wii supply low, but demand still high (But we got one!) * "Playstation Eye" for PS3: The new and improved EyeToy isn't a toy. It's just attached to and used with one. * PS3's try to cure uncurable diseases: the Folding@Home project * Transformers coming to Nintendo DS with Wi-Fi play Review Sonic X for LeapFrog Leapster 5-year-old Hannah joins us again for another Leapster review. This time, we take a look at Sonic X. Come back next week for an interview with Jonathan Coulton! Send us voice feedback with no phone charges. And win a free iPod by posting a review of our podcast! Oh, and not sure what happened to the audio at the end. Sorry about that.

We're back after a long medical hiatus. We're all recovered from laryngitis and an appendectomy and ready for a ton of tech and toy news, along with a story about self-sacrifice and cheap video games! Toy News: * Pink Power Moms fight breast cancer * Visa: It's everywhere, even in the Game of Life Tech News: We have a lot of tech news to discuss this week, so we had to move quickly through them, but these are rather noteworthy. * Free Zune with subscription? * Sandisk's Sansa Connect: iPod Killer? * Apple TV: Hacks & HDTV, and Apple doesn't care * Hatchback GD06 GPS with Camera: Know where you were! * Kodak's cheap Easyshare 5300 printer: not so much * FastMac's Blu-ray Drive for Macintosh * Toshiba HD-A20 HD DVD player: only $499: Deal or No Deal? * Leopard Delayed: What does this mean for Boot Camp? * Upgraded to Windows Vista yet? Most haven't. * Are you a wilfer? * Termination fees for your broadband? * Principal sues over MySpace libel Interview This week, Dale talks to Danielle Yates, Communications Director for GetNetWise.org, from the Internet Education Foundation, a public service to help families with the resources they need to keep kids safe on the Internet. We talk about educating parents, internet safety and child protection initiatives, computer hygiene, and parental control software. The biggest dangers aren't necessarily predators, and the cautions are no longer limited to your home computer. Video Game News and Reviews: Wii * Retractable Wii Sports Cuff * Wii Internet Channel Finalized * Wii Storage solutions coming, but workarounds offered meanwhile Sony PS3 and PSP * Sony drops prices of PSP and removes PS3 version XBox 360 * XBox 360 QWERTY thumbpad keyboard Review Clifford the Big Red Dog for Leapster 5-year-old Hannah joins Dale for a review of Clifford the Big Red Dog Reading for the LeapFrog Leapster and L-Max. You will not find another podcast reviewing Leapster titles. We checked. Thank-you to our sponsor, PDAPerformance.com, makers of award-winning Palm OS software. Also, You can also look for Dale in a guest appearance on the latest episode of the Daddy Panel. Send us voice feedback with no phone charges. And win a free iPod by posting a review of our podcast!

Following being distracted with a birthday party with giggly girls, Dale and Teresa decide to make toy news a permanent addition to our lineup. Recalls and Safety Information: Remote Controlled Car Battery Recall: Fly Wheels XPV: Don't get burned! Call (877) 875-2557 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or email them at battery@jakks.net Toy News: * Virtual Distance Football tells how far the football was thrown * More about the Polly Wheels: Race Cars for Polly Pockets * Toy of the Year Awards Tech News: * Citizen VIRT W700 Bluetooth Watch: Your watch and phone complete each others' sentences * New digital camcorders from Mustek: DV530TZ and DV700TZ (AKA Cheap and Cheaper) * The Sony BDP-S300 Blu-Ray Player: Same price as a PS3, but without the games * Norton 360 replaces Norton Internet Security * Digital Comic Books * GadgetTrak: a free digital beacon for stolen accessories (Note: Windows-only. Mac users need not apply.) * BitTorrent Online Store * High Tech Hotels add HDTV and iPod Support Interview This week, we talk to Amy Barklow from Atlus Software. She tells us all about their latest game for the Nintendo DS, Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja. We also ask about innovations in video game design. Visit the Official Izuna site to get a feel for the game before you buy. Note: This interview was recorded a couple weeks ago, so "released this week" is not accurate. Video Game News and Reviews: * MySims coming to the Wii and DS * PS3 and Europe: Get an American model! (or a Wii) Family Games to be Released This Week: (It's the week of the DS!) * NBA Street Homecourt (PS3) (already for 360) * College Hoops 2K7 (PS3) (already for PS2, XBox, XBox 360) * Burnout Dominator (PS2, PSP) (E10+) * Hard Rock Casino (PSP) (Already for PS2, PC, Macintosh) * Hot Wheels Ultimate Racing (PSP) * Major League Baseball 2K7 (DS) (Already for XBox, XBox 360, PS2, PS3, PSP) * Wario: Master of Disguise (DS) (E10+) * Risk/Clue/Perfection/Aggravation (DS) * Rayman Raving Rabbids (DS, XBox 360) (Already for PC, Wii, PS2, GBA, PSP) * Shrek Smash 'N' Crash (DS) (Already for PS2, GCN, PSP) * Uno 52 (DS) (Already for GBA) * Harlem Globetrotters World Tour (DS) (Already for GBA, PSP) * Frisbee/Frisbee Golf (DS) * Uno Freefall (GBA) (If you have a DS, get Uno for DS instead) * Sonic Mega Collection Plus (PC) (Already for PS2, XBox) Review: Games you might have missed Ribbit King for GameCube (GCN) or PS2 We often like to review slightly older games that are still fun to play and can be found on a family budget. This week, we're playing Frolf (Frog Golf). Give us your feedback (206-339-6480) or post a review at your favorite podcast directory, like iTunes.

Special Edition 1: Toy Stories

This week kicks off the American International Toy Fair in New York City. We give you a preview, along with the usual blend of technology news and video game information. Recalls and Safety Information: * Kyocera Camera CCD problems: Faulty Sony gear strikes again? Tech News: * Kodak offers an alternative to expensive photo printers * The Ultimate Light Bulb * Distractions: Sun Visor Theater and iPod Oblivion * International Toy Fair * Mattel has lots of goodies * So does VTech Interview Did you ever wonder who decides what rating a video game gets? This week, Eliot Mizrachi from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) joins us for a discussion on video game ratings, how they are determined, and how they affect your family. Video Game News and Reviews: * Virtual Life: * Less kid-friendly: Sims Life Stories (Rated T) * More kid-friendly: Tamagotchi Connection V4 * Nintendogs for Cat Lovers: Purr Pals * Action Games help eyesight * Dance Dance Revolution for Wii Family Games to be Released This Week: * Wii Play with Wii Remote * Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters (PSP) (Rated E10+) * Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure (PSP) * Disney's Kim Possible: Global Gemini (DS) * F24 Stealth Fighter (DS) * Monopoly Here & Now (PC) * College Hoops 2K7 (PS3) * Backyard Basketball 2007 (PS2) Review Uno for Nintendo DS

Welcome to our opening show. This week has been all about Windows Vista, but more happened than just an OS update. Recalls and Safety Information: * TomTom has a VirusVirus * Nikon Camera Malfunction Tech News: * MySpace protecting kids * Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 camera: The "world's slimmest digital camera" * Vista: * Voice vulnerability * Software Compatibility list * Web Tagging * Midomi can name that tune * HP TouchSmart IQ770 PC * iPod Shuffle New Colors * Norton Identity Client * Zink: The New Polaroid * Zoho Notebook * D.A.V.E.: Wireless Hard Drive for your phone Interview Interview with Donald Marshall from Legacy Interactive & Legacy Games discussing Pet Pals: Animal Doctor and how games get ESRB ratings Video Game News and Reviews: * GoPets for DS announced * New York Times Crosswords for DS announced * Dance Dance Revolution in Schools Family Games to be Released This Week: * Diddy Kong Racing (DS) * Lunar Knights (DS) * Micro Machines V4 (DS) * Winning Eleven Pro Evolution Soccer (DS, PS2, 360, PSP) * Final Fantasy VI (GBA) (Rated E10+) * MVP 2007 NCAA Baseball (PS2) * Rapala Tournament Fishing! (360) (Already available for the Wii) * Capcom Puzzle World (PSP) * Backyard Basketball 2007 (PC) (Already available for GBA, GameCube, PS2) * Glyph (PC) * PC Luxor: Mahjong (PC) * Galactic Civilizations II Gold (PC) Review Mario Superstar Baseball for GameCube Thanks, and send us your feedback!