Month: February 2016

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Chargers/Batteries

The EVO companion is a Swiss Army knife for the mobile world

Walking around with a sliver of plastic, glass and electronics in the pocket that is essentially a full fledged computer is the fundamental appeal of the smartphone. Unfortunately, many have to make sure they bring along the requisite charging cable, a case, a power bank for extra power, etc., suddenly making that sliver of engineering not as portable.

At just the size of a key fob, the EVO smartphone companion consolidates a wide range of products into one, easy-to-use gadget. For starters, EVO replaces both a user’s charging cable and wall adapter for an iOS or Android device with its built-in USB cable with Lightning attachment. In addition, EVO’s Bluetooth connectivity lets it act as a remote to control music and camera functions from afar. That Bluetooth connectivity works as a safety net, too. It’ll automatically lock and unlock the connected smartphone based on the proximity of its owner, doubling as a Bluetooth tracker to prevent users from walking away from their phones or losing their keys completely.

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Categories
Connected Objects Cycling

Zone DPMX wearable power meter keeps your cycling in the zone

There comes a team in every competitive cyclist’s career when they realize they’re not getting better despite putting in more and miles. The problem usually lies in a lack of power, something a good deal of focused training based on performance data can help with. The problem really lies in how clunky most bike computers can be, forcing cyclists to constantly switch them out to other bikes. In short, they just aren’t as seamless as they should be.

Enter the Zone DPMX, the world’s first wearable power meter for cyclists. Designed by Brim Brothers LTD, the power meter is made up of two parts: a transmitter that sits atop the left cleat and measures cadence (RPM), and a custom-designed pedal that locks into the bottom of the left cleat and measures force (watts). Together, the Zone DPMX calculates the amount of power generated and multiplies it by two to get an estimated total for both the left and the right foot.

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Categories
Connected Objects Health and Wellness

Flo Bluetooth thermometer brings touch-free readings to a fever pitch

In the proximity of an uncomfortable, crying kid who can’t explain their discomfort, the only things parents want to do is determine if a fever is to blame. With the Flo, the connected Bluetooth thermometer makes it extremely simple to get that reading almost instantly.

Flo is one connected product that works even without a phone. Its most striking quality is its non-invasiveness. Users need only to point Flo’s sensor at, say, a forehead and be within 1cm to get an accurate temperature reading. Temperatures are divided into three colors for instant understanding: green for normal temperatures, red for fever, and purple for chills, all of which can be audibly read aloud for the busy, multi-tasking parent. Flo can also be pointed at objects, as well, so parents can determine if a bottle of milk is too hot or bath water is too cold.

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Categories
Imaging

ScopeAround lets you sneak around small spaces to shoot video

Even the smallest of consumer video cameras can’t fit into small spaces like under a sink to find a leak or into a mouth to spot a cavity. ScopeAround, however, is a smart Wi-Fi video camera designed to fit in tight spaces and view small objects.

patent-claimedThe 1080p HD camera features interchangeable camera heads and smart device connectivity for devices including Android and iOS mobile devices, as well as PCs. The three camera heads include The Flexible endoscope, Focus microscope and Fit side view camera head. Flexible has a camera only 5.5 mm in diameter. Focus features a 150:1 zoom and includes two clips on the device’s stationary tray to hold subjects for viewing.

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Categories
Tech Accessories

Cypod flash drive takes four types of data for a spin

USB flash drives are important tools for computer users, enabling them to save photos, text and video data, and conveniently take that information anywhere without having to schlep a PC around. But not all memory sticks are created equal. Many of them are small and can be easily lost, while others can be unreliable and many can only fit a small amount of data.

Cypod is a cylindrical flash drive that promises reliability and the ability to hold a huge amount of data. It also adds something missing from typical USB flash drives: the ability to, like a traditional hard drive, partition four separate types of data. Each partitioned area can be selected by rotating the device to access the four separate USB sticks that have been incorporated into its design.

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Categories
Connected Objects Luggage and Bags Travel

Serenity Now! Bag guardian goes beyond Bluetooth item finders

Some of the countless bags carried every single day hold people’s most prized possessions but offer little in the way of theft protection beyond a lock that’s easily compromised once the bag has been absconded. The one surefire way nothing untoward happens to it all is to keep constant vigil — an umpleasant expectation on a packed morning commute or enjoying a much needed island vacation.

Serenity has been designed to achieve peace of mind. This connected tag attaches to any bag and syncs with a smartphone to offer users a variety of different ways to keep an indirect eye on their goods. For starters, theft detection and deterrence are built-in. By syncing a user’s devices to the tag, it can sense when the bag is being moved by someone other than its owner, letting off a wailing 170dB alarm when it happens. At the same time, it can also regulate access to a single pocket by requiring either a keycode or its corresponding smartphone to be in range in order to avoid the alarm from tripping while being opened, going as far as reminding users about their open pockets when it isn’t busy standing guard.

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Categories
Chargers/Batteries Health and Wellness

Tylt Vu Pulse adds heart rate, wireless charging to Pebble Time

Heart rate tracking is one of the most helpful features of some fitness activity trackers and smartwatches including the Apple Watch. But it’s not a feature (yet anyway) on the Pebble Time smartwatch. The need to plug in the watch to charge it, meanwhile, can be a major hassle.

Tylt Vu Pulse is an add-on, protective case for the Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel that adds heart rate monitoring, as well as wireless charging, to those smartwatches. The case connects to the accessory port of the watches and syncs with Android and iOS mobile devices using Google Fit and Apple Health.

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Categories
Music

Redeem those hours playing Guitar Hero with a real guitar and its Fret Friend

Learning any instrument is an exercise in both discipline and time, not mention the dizzying array of concepts needed before one can really start confidently jamming along with buddies.

To help, the Fret Friend eases the process of learning guitar chords by allowing players to draw them directly on its cloth overlay with a marker to add a visual element to the already sonic experience. By putting these two elements together, the team behind the Fret Friend is confident that musical padawans will not only learn faster but also retain information better as well.

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Categories
Luggage and Bags

Néit offers neat way to store and track luggage

Losing track of luggage ranks as one of the most annoying parts of traveling by airplane. Having bulky luggage that takes up too much room in the closet, meanwhile, can be a minor annoyance also.

patent-claimedThe collapsible Néit Luggage offers a solution to both of those issues. The accompanying iOS and Android app works in conjunction with a GPS tracker that enables owners of the luggage to locate it, as well as store boarding passes, book additional flights and hotels, check the status of flights, map the route from an airport to a hotel and find location-specific tips on things to do.

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Categories
Music

Music Wrap gently shares your audio aura with those around you

The dangers of hearing loss are always nipping at the ear lobe, yet everyone still regards the use of headphones to be perfectly normal. In addition, since the advent of the iPod and iPhone and their highly-valued place in society, much hullabaloo has been made about the unaware state in which headphones put people in — making them more of a target for thieves and other criminal types preying on people not having a clue.

The Music Wrap wants to envelop the ear in sonic goodness without all the negative effect.  The durable, highly transformable form factor allows users to take it wherever they want, however they want, as it features an IPX5 water resistant coating and anti-shock tech. Whether it be placed over the neck on bike ride or strapped to a book bag on a walk, the Music Wrap creates a directional sound field that can either be comfortably audible when near the ear or loud so it can serve as a Bluetooth speaker when farther away.

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