Soccer is a favorite sport among youngsters. It’s been around for thousands of years in one form or another. Although it has been played a little differently in various cultures through history, it remains a popular sport around the world. One father has created a new technology that promises improvement in players’ accuracy and power when kicking the ball.

“After watching my daughters and their teammates continually hit the ball with their toes in practice, I went out to look for some kind of device that could help train them to instead kick on the top of their shoes,” said Joe Briganti, SockIt founder and CEO. “I didn’t find anything in stores and saw this as a great opportunity to show my daughters a little about business and how to make an idea a reality.”

This little device is made from industrial strength thermal plastic rubber and fits onto cleats. When the player kicks the ball correctly, six LED-powered lights light up. A replaceable lithium battery powers this device, which helps players gain confidence and accuracy while still having fun.

The SockIt is for ages 5-12 and is one-size-fits-all. Besides helping youngsters improve their kicking skills, it is fun to wear and withstands all the impact little legs deliver. And once one child wears it, the entire team will be asking for their own.

What is admirable about the company is that for every SockIt sold the company will donate a portion of the revenue to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. And the company has donated products and set up soccer scholarships for underprivileged kids to help pay their fees. No sport is free. With fees to join leagues as well as equipment, the costs add up.

This wearable device is something that will soon be seen everywhere. Helping kids with their skills while doing it in a fun way is a unique thing. By wearing the SockIt, kids will learn, in their own way, how to adjust their kicks in order to get the best outcome and power. They can practice by themselves because the SockIt will let them know when they have done it correctly. When it lights up it’s like saying “good job!”

The SockIt comes in four colors: orange, blue, yellow, and magenta. It lists for $19.95. Simply strap it onto your child’s cleats and they’re ready to go.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, travel, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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With so many mobile devices, charging them can be a hassle. Charging on the go is often the best time to recharge a phone or tablet. ZUS has two USB ports that charge at twice the speed of a regular outlet, lighting to see the ports at night, and a car locator that leads you to your car with the help of the free app.

While this little gadget does several things, my favorite part of the ZUS is the fast charging. Charging my iPad and my iPhone at twice the speed at the same time is something that is useful to me. I also like the fact that the ports light up in the dark so finding the device plug-ins is a breeze.

One of the other features of this unit is the car locator. There are some downfalls with this, however it seems to work nicely under the right circumstances. If you are inside a building and want to find where you parked your car, you won’t be able to do that as it relies on GPS, which is only accessible outside. So, you do have to go outside to track the location of your vehicle. This might be a problem when you are inside and cannot remember where you parked and it is raining or snowing. You do have to go out into the elements to get the GPS to work.

Once in awhile the locator didn’t do its job the way I would have liked. But on the whole it worked pretty well.

I don’t know if I would recommend this device solely as a car locator. I will mostly be using it as a fast charger, which is the selling point for me when it comes to the ZUS.

There is also an alarm you can set via the app so you’ll never forget about an expiring parking meter. Once the time has been set, the app will alert you ten minutes before the meter or parking time expires.

Fast charging is a benefit for many people, myself included. Imagine having a carload of people, each needing to charge their phones. With two ports and twice the speed, everyone will be able to charge their devices in a short time. Two smartphones can charge in about two hours. For long car rides this is a great feature, especially during summer family driving trips.

ZUS is able to withstand being inside a hot car and has a cooling system that prevents it from overheating. It is definitely a handy little unit that accomplishes a variety of tasks.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, travel, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

HydroChic is a company that has answered the prayers of millions of women around the globe. Their clothing is appropriate for lounging, swimming, exercising, and everyday wear. So, what makes their products so appealing to women? It’s the fact that they can be worn over swimwear or as swimwear, without compromising modesty. Whether you have religious concerns about showing too much skin, are sensitive about your body image, or simply want something comfortable and can serve a variety of situations, HydroChic is the answer.

Actress Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory) recently endorsed the company. She is religious and conservative in her attire and posted on her Facebook page, “I’ve written about ‘modest swimwear’ before but I just got the new spring catalog for HydroChic Sun Protective Swimwear & Activewear and I wanted to post it. I am not being paid to do this, I just want to share it because I think it’s important to get this resource out there…they have a ton of options and ‘plus’ sizes … for all levels of comfort, modesty-wise….my previous HydroChic suit lasted for YEARS.”

“HydroChic is designed to enhance a woman’s natural beauty and flatter her body, while offering a range of protection and modesty options that fit her lifestyle,” says HydroChic co-founder Sara Wolf of New Rochelle, NY. “Many women of all ages are seeking alternative swim solutions to the traditional bathing suit, because, let’s face it, we can’t all wear a bikini.”

Every piece of clothing can be worn in the water, but they also look great as cover-ups over traditional suits and can simply be worn around and as exercise clothing. The material is chlorine resistant and chlorine proof, and fast drying. Plus they have clothes that have UPF 50+ sun protection. Whether you are an XS or a 4X, they have a variety of mix-and-match tops and bottoms.

Personally, I am not comfortable in “Yoga Pants.” But I feel very comfortable in the Long Swimpants. They are called swimpants, but they are great to wear when exercising, running errands, or taking a walk. And if I happen to be near the beach – or a pool, I can wear them there too. This is a great pair of pants to wear when on vacation, say, in Hawaii. Now women don’t have to worry about getting their pants wet when taking a walk along the beach after dinner. And if you plan on having pool parties for your friends or your kids this summer, this is the best way to look stylish while at the same time being able to take a dip yourself. And post maternity moms who often feel like hiding their bodies get the coverage they want while still looking stylish.

The styles range from $29.50 – $90 and are available at select stores throughout the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa and Israel, and online at www.hydrochic.com. Besides pants, they have a variety of tops, capris, skorts, dresses, skirts, shorts, and jackets, which are all great for home or resort wear. And for women who are not modest, there are plenty of styles that won’t make them feel like they are wearing something out of their realm. For instance, there is an adorable swim short with hidden shorts and a cute colorblock swim n’ tennis dress. And the tops are perfect for all ages. Think about getting some for your girls – or yourself – to wear over swimsuits after getting out of the pool or at the beach. There are some pretty colors from which to choose too! The sea blue is beautiful.

Whether you want something to wear in or out of the water while maintaining some sense of dignity and style, HydroChic has something for you. And if you order one of their tops, you get a complimentary swim and sports bra.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, travel, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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When Finding Nemo hit the screens in 2003, it was Dory who stole viewers’ hearts. Voiced by Ellen DeGeneres, Dory, a blue tang fish with memory problems, now has a movie of her own which is set to open June 17. Finding Dory is Disney’s big summer animated film, and along with the film there are plenty of corresponding merchandise items that are sure to be desired by fans of the film, and especially fans of Dory.

The Dory Talking Plush is a 14-inch cute and cuddly stuffed Dory that moves her fins and lips when her button is pressed. She speaks seven phrases from the film voiced by Ellen.

“Hello there. Do you know me? Oh no, I’m sorry. I suffer from short-term memory loss. You found me! How did you find me?”

“Hi, I’m Dory. Excuse me. Hi. So, I’m looking for my family. I guess we’ll hang out another time. Don’t be a stranger.”

“You know I speak whale…”

“Hello, hello. Can you help me? Hey guys, I’m looking for my family. Got it. What was the first part again?”

“I remembered something. I actually remembered something. Something important. We better get going. I’m sorry, did I forget again?”

“Hey man, don’t touch my tag. Wow. I’m so glad I found you.”

And she speaks a phrase in whale! Well, kind of in whale.

Dory is soft and cuddly and if you don’t want her talking all night in your child’s bed, simply turn off her switch which is located in her stomach and accessed through a Velcro-closing pocket.

This Dory cannot go into the bathtub, but there is one that does – the Dory Swimming Action Figure. Plus, there are plenty of other great items in the Finding Dory collection from the Disney Store.

About the Reviewer

Francine Brokaw writes about products, travel, and entertainment. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

The Costa quality is evident in every pair of sunglasses they make. With their newest line for summer 2016, outdoor enthusiasts can look even better while still protecting their eyes. Costa sunglasses are comfortable and durable. That is something I can attest to since they are the only sunglasses I have worn for over a decade.

Costa wearers can select from a variety of frame and lens colors, and they even offer to make your new glasses with your personal prescription if you have one. Their polarized 580 lenses provide clear, easy viewing which filters out ultraviolet blue and yellows. Your eyes will feel less stress and colors around you will appear bright and vibrant, while still maintaining crisp visual acuity.

The newest styles for summer include Anaa, Hinano, Copra, and Trevally. They are each unique and customizable for your personality and are available in either glass or lightweight plastic lenses.

The Trevally is a unisex design with a smaller fit. Hinano is named for a flower from French Polynesia. It also has a small fit. Copra is a medium fit and the frames are made with resin from the castor plant. Anaa is another medium fit style named for an atoll in Tahiti. With inspiration from nature, Costa designs each of their styles for durability and precision. And yes, they are made in the USA! The company is in Florida and every pair of glasses is created there.

Each of these new styles comes in a variety of lens colors like blue, green, and silver mirror, and non-mirrored gray or copper. There is also a lens called sunrise, which was created for early morning and dusk especially for fishermen – and fisherwomen. But you don’t have to fish to get the most out of this lens.

The mirrored lenses are not only protective of your eyes, but they are also really quite attractive. My eyes are very sensitive so I usually opt for the dark gray lens.

As far as frame colors, there is a wide variety ranging from plain shiny black to multi-colored. Creating your personal style with your own selection of frames and lenses is just the start of your Costa experience. The polarized lenses and the high quality of both the lenses and the frames make for the most comfortable pair of sunglasses with easy-to-wear cushioned temples and earpieces.

Each pair of Costa sunglasses comes with a lifetime warranty. How’s that for a company that stands by their products? They also include a durable case with every purchase. The prices vary depending on frame style and lenses.

With summer just around the corner, it’s time to treat yourself to a new pair of sunglasses to last the season and beyond. Check out the Costa variety at their website and create your own pair.