Many parents seem to think gadgets don’t just keep kids occupied — they can also help them grow and learn. 77% of parents think tablets are beneficial to kids, and 77% think they help develop creativity, according to Schools.com’s findings. More than a quarter of parents have downloaded apps for their kids. The top genres? Fun, at 46%; education, at 42%; and creative, at 28%.

Are you a tech-heavy parent raising tech-heavy kids?  Do you think smartphones and tablets do more to help or hurt the development of kids today? Sound off below.

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Apple is putting the finishing touches on an entirely new 15-inch MacBook Pro that is the outcome of years of research and development in ultra-thin mobile computing and super-high-resolution displays. According to trusted sources in Apple’s supply chain, who have handled prototype components and casings for the new Apple notebook, the computer is currently undergoing test production rounds. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro is coming this summer, and it features an ultra-thin design, a “jaw-dropping” Retina Display, and super-fast USB 3.

According to 9To5Mac.com - Apple will also introduce the Mac Retina Display in this new MacBook Pro, according to these sources in the far-east. Also a new addition to the MacBook Pro (and actually to the Mac itself) is a USB 3 port. Apple has long been testing Macs with USB 3 ports, but it sounds like the new MacBook Pro will be the first to actually sport the next-generation connector.

While the new MacBook Pro does not take all of the external design cues from the current MacBook Air, it does adopt the tweaked MacBook Air keyboard design with the power button on the keyboard itself (which replaces the disc eject key). This is according to the sources who are familiar with the components being installed into the new casings. Current MacBook Pros have a round aluminum power button to the top right above the keyboard. The rest of the design is basically what we are all familiar with: charging and connection ports along the sides, and a spacious glass Multi-Touch trackpad (either same or similar in size to the current MacBook Pro and MacBook Air trackpads based on the cutout present in the prototype unibodies).

Are you thinking about getting a new laptop soon?  Is the New MacBook on your radar for purchase?

Santigold was joined on stage by special surprise guests Andy Samberg and Pharrell. Samberg hit the stage as his Saturday Night Live character “Shy Ronnie,” best known for his famed duet with Rihanna – “Ronnie and Clyde.”  Pharrell also joined Santigold on stage to sing “My Drive Thru.”

Throughout the evening, Santigold performed hits from her latest album “Master of My Make-Believe” while taking photos of the crowd with her Samsung Galaxy Note and pulling lucky fans onto the stage with her.

credit: Theo Wargo/WireImage

For fans who could not make it to the concert, Samsung streamed the show live on its Facebook page, which also hosts special interviews with Santigold along with photos and videos taken by her on the Samsung Note during the show. http://www.facebook.com/SamsungMobileUSA

Take out your wireless device. Read the last text message you sent or received aloud. Would reading or responding to that text message from behind the wheel be worth the risk of getting into a car accident or worse? The reality is that no message is so urgent that it is worth diverting attention from the wheel and risking lives in the process.

In the survey 1,200 teens revealed that while 97 percent of them know texting while driving is dangerous…

•          43 percent admit to sending a text while driving
•          75 percent say the practice is common among their friends
•          77 percent of say adults warn against risks, but text & drive ‘all the time’  

In today’s digital age, teens and adults alike are staying connected by texting. For many, the allure of quickly reading and responding while driving can be tempting. According to the AT&T Teen Driver Survey, almost 90 percent of teens expect a reply to a text or email within five minutes or less. This becomes dangerous when the habit hits the road because drivers that text while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash according to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

Will you reconsider texting and driving from now on?  Would you stop others from texting while driving?  Sound off below…

Have you ever noticed random blemishes, skin texture changes or wrinkles that seem to appear out of nowhere?  I’ve definitely noticed a few unwanted dark spots on my face that seemed to have appeared overnight? (…and with upcoming on-camera appearances to look forward to, they have also completely freaked me out!)  A couple of weeks ago, I was introduced to the FaceFX light treatment.  As a girl interested in all things tech, I wanted to look into the science & technology behind this beauty treatment to determine if using this product could work for me.

The Face FX Skin Rejuvenation and Anti-Aging Light Treatment relies on Home Fractional (HF) Technology - a safe and effective manner to provide stimulation of heat and light energy to the multiple layers of your skin, without high levels of discomfort, making it a pain-free alternative to Botox or surgery.  The Active HF targets the top layer of your skin to address fine lines and pores, leading to texture improvements. The Deep HF penetrates deeper into the skin to address larger wrinkles and discolored spots. By fractionating the energy FaceFX is able to penetrate deeper into the skin without high levels of discomfort and create clearer & healthier looking skin.

Personally, after use – my skin felt a little warmer & I had slight redness (but felt no discomfort at all).  My areas of concern were primarily my eyes (working 24hours a day has it’s disadvantages…) and fading a few random dark spots along my forehead.  Since I currently don’t have wrinkles (Thank God!) I’ve been using Silk’n FaceFX as a preventative treatment along my eye area and corrective treatment along my forehead.  I’m just under two weeks of using the product, therefore I haven’t noticed a huge difference in my skin’s appearance yet.  However, I’ll share the before/after photos of another Silk’n user for you to see the difference in results for yourself.

Beauty Benefits: FaceFx improvise skin texture, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, fades the appearance of dark skin patches and reduces pore size.

Simple to Use and Quick Results: With FaceFX you can expect noticeable results within 3-7 weeks after treatment.  (Note: For the first month, users are advised to use FaceFX 3 times a week and once a week thereafter for maintenance. Each treatment session should be 15-20 minutes.)

Ideal for Spa Addicts and Beauty Buffs: Anyone who wants a more natural youthful appearance and is tired of the expense of high-end facial creams, professional laser treatments and/or facials, FaceFX is the solution! The cost-savings of not having to purchase additional creams or make up, are significant.

Privacy and Convenience: The exciting benefits of FaceFX technology can be enjoyed in the convenience and privacy of your home, whenever the time is right for you.

Interested in trying out Silk’n FaceFX for yourself? D&D readers can receive a 20% discount on any of Silk’n FaceFX products – just visit http://www.silkn.com/ and use the DISCOUNT CODE: NYNY upon checkout.  See what others have to say about Silk’n FaceFX and connect with other users on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SilknProducts.

ESSENCE Beauty Director Corynne Corbett; Vice-President of Marketing for Johnson & Johnson, Janis Smith-Gomez; celebrity manicurist Lisa Logan; celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson, L’Oreal chemists Balanda Atis and Janine Cherette; celebrity stylist June Ambrose; ESSENCE Associate Publisher Stella Araya Weil and ESSENCE Editor-in-Chief Constance White

ESSENCE, the preeminent lifestyle publication for African-American women, announced the winners of the ESSENCE Best in Black Beauty Awards, Tuesday, May 8^th. ESSENCE Beauty Director Corynne Corbett and celebrity stylist June Ambrose served as co-hosts of the ultimate beauty conversation during this invitation-only event.

Q Parker of 112 attends the ESSENCE Best in Black Beauty Awards at the Dream Hotel in New York City.

The ESSENCE Best in Black Beauty Awards honored beauty innovators who are influencing what’s now and next. The honorees were: Balanda Atis, Group Leader, and Janine Cherette, Color Cosmetic Scientist, of the L’Oréal USA Research and Innovation team; Ted Gibson, celeb hairstylist to the stars and head stylist on What Not To Wear; Janis Smith-Gomez, Vice-President of Marketing for Johnson & Johnson; Lisa Logan, go-to manicurist for Beyoncé; and Pat McGrath, makeup artist who masterminds the runway’s most sought-after looks from New York to Milan. Grammy-nominated artist Janelle Monáe—who is known for her own groundbreaking sense of style—also shared in the awards presentation.

In addition, the evening featured a “live gift wall” showcasing the winning products from the ESSENCE Best in Black Beauty Awards 2012 listing—highlighted in the magazine’s May 2012 issue—in which ESSENCE’s beauty editors and a team of experts highlighted the best makeup, skin care, nail, fragrance and hair picks. Attendees even had an opportunity to sample the products on-site. For more information and to vote for your beauty favorites, which will be revealed as “Readers’ Choice Awards” winners in the October issue of ESSENCE magazine, visit www.essence.com/beautyawards/

Photos:  N. Melton / M. Rowe / Essence.com

For more photos visit Essence.com

Aluminum iPad Keyboard Case ($76.99)

The Aluminum iPad Keyboard Case is the perfect metallic companion for your iPad. Made from aircraft aluminum with a bead-blasted, anodized finish, it matches the design, look, and feel of your Apple device. Its innovative hinge provides a multitude of viewing angles in both portrait and landscape mode. Best of all, the built-in Bluetooth keyboard allows for fast, responsive typing.

GE X500 Camera ($114)

We had to check twice to make sure the price of the GE 14MP X500 camera was correct after seeing how well online test images turned out. It performed better than our own higher priced point-and-shoot, and also offered the customization options (19 scene modes and image stabilization) of something five times its price. If you’re looking to get mom a new camera but if it’s the picture quality you’re after, and for less than $150, we’re sure Mom will consider it a wise investment.

Converge – USB Charging Hub ($39.99)

Converge is the futon of charging hubs. Its white folds remind us of a bendy futon mattress, but it has the added feature of a slot to slip in charging cables. With the help of soft TPE grips, cables stay nestled out of sight behind Converge. Just plug the power source into your nearest outlet and you can charge up to 4 USB devices while they chill out on Converge’s curvy frame.

Nook Simple Touch With GlowLight ($139)

Mom’s been known to fall asleep with the lights on midchapter of a book just about every night, driving Dad, with the sensitive sleeping habits, crazy. End the nightly bickering with the latest update to the Nook ereader, the Simple Touch With GlowLight. Enough subtle light to keep Mom reading as long as she wants, without the harsh LCD glare and brightness of a reading lamp that could keep others awake.

FridgePad – Magnetic Refrigerator Mount for iPad ($49.99)

In comes FridgePad, ready to save the day! It’s the best no-tools iPad mount on the market and holds your iPad or iPad2 to the fridge so tightly that you can slam the door without fear. Check your email while waiting for coffee to brew, listen to music while washing the dishes, or catch up on your favorite TV shows while getting a bite to eat. Need to charge your iPad too? The super long PowerLine makes a great companion for the FridgePad.

Fashion bloggers such as Sonia Evers of Runway Hippie, Cailianne and Samantha Beckerman of the Beckerman Bite Plate, and Lauren Behfarin and Julie from Born and Bread have all opened stores on StyleOwner.  Lauren and Julie from Born and Bread opened their StyleOwner boutique to make a richer experience for their readership and profit from their passion for styling.  “StyleOwner has allowed us to create an amazing store without the hassle of setting up an ecommerce site, buying inventory, and worrying about credit card payments and shipping.  StyleOwner takes care of all of this for us.   We are able to focus on what we do best-curate amazing product and put together looks we love from StyleOwner’s “Master Closet” of over 2,000 incredible brands!  Plus we remain authentic to our blog while connecting with our readers in a new way.”

“We have created the first true social commerce platform where everyone wins,” said Joel Weingarten, CEO and founder of StyleOwner.  With a background in technology and a fascination with shopping behavior, Weingarten created StyleOwner to personalize the otherwise impersonal experience of shopping online.  “The customer gets a personalized curated experience, the store owners live out their dream to have their own fashion business, and the brands/retailers harness the power of social selling by turning consumers into brand advocates.“

Anyone interested in starting their own store can visit www.styleowner.com and get started today.

Upon first glance, these “adventure shoes” remind you of the fashions of old school Converse, Keds or Vans sneakers. But when you look a little closer, you’ll notice there’s a little more to these performance shoes that meets the eye. Teva’s Fuse-Ion technology boasts a waterproof, fashionable shoe with a slip-resistant sole that makes running in the rain a breeze!

Recently, I put these kicks to the test – ripping and running throughout the streets of NYC during Wednesday’s rainstorm…

As you can see, the Teva Fuse-Ion’s made it easy for me to maneuver throughout the wet and rainy city, while staying dry.

Check out this video for more on the technology behind the Ion Fusion…

T.I.D.E. GRIP

• Spider Rubber + JStep outsole will stick to a grease-covered aluminum ramp, wet rocks, slippery stairs and more!

T.I.D.E. HYDRO

• Drain Frame™ sheds water like a sieve, keeping your soles dry and light

 

From steep wet pavement, to stairs, to subway stations and more! The Teva Fuse-Ion shoes aren’t just adventure shoes for hiking in the wilds of Mother Nature, they’re also necessary for comfortable navigation through the concrete jungles of NYC.

Interested in owning a pair of Teva Fuse-Ion kicks?  They’re available for $90 online at Teva.com 

*Disclaimer: Teva provided DivasandDorks.com with a pair of Fuse-Ion for Women shoes to review.  All opinions listed in the post are 100% my own.*

And it is happily losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year on free shipping — and, on apparel, even free returns — to keep its shoppers coming back.  Until now, fashion has been one of the few categories that Amazon has tried to dominate without success. In addition to its own site, Amazon bought the shoe site Zappos.com for more than $1 billion in 2009, started the shoe site Endless.com and MyHabit, and bought the boutique Shopbop in 2006.

Read more at NYTimes.com

Having wounded the publishing industry, slashed pricing in electronics and made the toy industry quiver, Amazon is taking on the high-end clothing business in its typical way: go big and spare no expense.

“It’s Day 1 in the category,” Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s chief executive, said in a recent interview. Though characteristically tight-lipped on bottom-line details, Mr. Bezos said the company was making a “significant” investment in fashion to convince top brands that it wanted to work with them, not against them.

The traditional retail world — and many major brands that want no part of Amazon — are gearing up to fight for their lives.

“It has the latitude to set prices and charge whatever it wants,” Sucharita Mulpuru, an analyst for Forrester Research, said of Amazon. “That is a huge threat for brands.”

Amazon has sold clothing for years. But recently it has focused on signing on hundreds of contemporary and high-end brands, including Michael Kors, Vivienne Westwood, Catherine Malandrino, Jack Spade and Tracy Reese, and it continues to prowl for more. On Monday, some of Amazon’s muscle was on display as the company sponsored, and live-streamed, the Costume Institute Benefit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the accompanying exhibit.