IN THE NEWS
Today’s Top Tech

👑 Rizz Takes the Crown | Oxford University Press has named “rizz” as the word of the year (Oxford). Essentially, rizz is short for “charisma,” and it’s commonly used online in reference to one’s ability to attract others. If you’re still trying to figure this one out, this clip might help you.

🎮 Fortnite + Lego - SAY WHAT?! | It’s taken the gaming world by storm, surpassing 2.45 M concurrent players over the weekend. This appears to be part of a larger plan by Fortnite to reposition as a broader gaming platform across diverse audiences (Polygon).

🎈 ChatGPT Turns One | OpenAI shared their “low-key research preview” of ChatGPT over a year ago, and it took the world by storm (TechCrunch). To learn more about the development of AI and its prevalence in our lives today, this video is for you.

🚔 Grand Theft Auto (GTA) Conquers YouTube | After 12 years and 190M sales of GTA V, the franchise has previewed the next release of this explicit and violent game. The trailer alone broke a YouTube record, hitting 93M views in 24 hours (YT). It’s not releasing until 2025, but please think twice before allowing your child on any GTA game.

‘TIS THE SEASON
ProTech Holiday Gift Guide 🎁

Are you wondering what to buy your child this holiday season? 🎁

Your holiday purchases can 1) help your kids become screen addicted, or they can 2) help your child build a healthy relationship with technology. We want to help you with the latter.

Our experts have reviewed many tech products and curated our Holiday Gift Guide for your family. From a safe smartphone with monitoring, to a charging box that encourages you to unplug, to a robot ball that teaches coding basics, these devices were designed with families in mind.

We even put one product, the Bark Phone, to the test to show you how it works in real time. It did not disappoint…

PROTECH IN THE WILD
Safe Smartphones for Kids + Teens 📲

Speaking of smartphones, has your child asked you for one?

“EVERYONE else has one,” kids say, and many of the most popular phones among teens aren’t necessarily the best.

Our team tested the most popular smartphones that kids and teens are using today, including a few built with families in mind. In this video, we’re reviewing their features, pros and cons, and unique capabilities.

If you’re thinking about buying your child a smartphone, please watch this first.

TRENDING
2023: A Look Back in Trends 📈

Understanding our kids and teens usually includes trying to make sense of the complex world of the World Wide Web and what’s trending on social media.

As we prepare for 2024, we’re taking a look back at some of the most-searched trends on Google from 2023.

The Roman Empire
“How often do you think about the Roman Empire?”
What is it? This trend includes videos of women asking the men in their life “how often do you think about the Roman Empire?” Videos typically end in confusion as women are bewildered at the surprising replies.

Girl Dinner
Snacks for dinner? Sign us up.
What is it? Users showcase a simple meal of snacks. It’s a basic meal that (usually) requires little to no cooking and minimal clean up. It’s what you eat when there’s nothing else to eat.

Fruit Roll-Ups Reimagined
They’re everywhere…
What is it? Throw a scoop of ice cream in an unwrapped Fruit Roll-Up, wrap it up, freeze it, and then enjoy the unique treat.

The AI Yearbook
Think baggy t-shirts, bucket hats, and combat boots…
What is it? Users share AI-generated images of what they’d look like if they graduated school in the 90s.

Follow Parent ProTech on social media to stay up-to-date on how you can be best positioned to help your family navigate online trends.