It helps to have “a friend in the business.” When I’m selecting tech tools, that friend is
Doug Dixon, a colleague of mine at U.S. 1 Newspaper (we’re both freelancers now). He writes an annual December “Tech Toys” issue, and I depend on this easy-going fellow, to an embarrassing degree, for advice on which tech toy to buy which favorite uncle.  An ex-Sarnoff guy turned independent technology consultant, Dixon wrote four books and runs a blog at www.manifest-tech.com, “for people who are interested in using the cool technology but need help figuring it out.”

Speaking at the Princeton Regional Chamber breakfast on Wednesday, November 16, at 7:30 a.m. at the Nassau Club, he’ll answer questions like — can one smartphone do it all, or do you still need a camera, media player, and e-Reader. And can a tablet really replace a laptop for serious use?

I’ve seen him do his show-and-tell demo of all the latest goodies, and it’s an eye-opener. Plus you get to ask your questions. Like having “a friend in the business.”

Another “friend in the business” who has been very helpful to me is Eileen Sinett. Sinett is giving a breakfast workshop on Tuesday, November 15, at the Wyndham. Having taken workshops with her, I can vouch for how she “helps you help yourself” to be a better public speaker. “Memorable speakers connect with their material, with their listeners, and with their inner selves,” says Sinett. The $149 registration fee includes a copy of her excellent new book, Speaking That Connects.