All posts by Todd Cochrane

Adventure Cameras by Contour

CES 2012, Health,

Contour Contour came by the TPN.TV booth at CES this year and showed some great action sports cameras; the Contour Roam, the Contour GPS and the Contour Plus. Theses cameras are great for filming while hiking, snow boarding, biking, skiing and other action sports. They all use a micro sd card up to 32 Gb. You can get up to eight hours of video at 1080p and up to twelve hours at 780p. They all take removable lithium batteries which run for about three hours of video taping . They also adjust the white balance and the exposure to create crisp clear videos. These cameras are waterproof up to 1 meter. With the water proof case you can go down to 60 meters, great for scuba diving or snorkeling. All three cameras can connect by USB cable. Both the Contour Roam and the Contour GPS have an internal microphone only.

The Contour Plus includes the internal microphone but it also has a mic cable out jack, this along with the ability to connect a HDMI cable adds live streaming capability. Now you can live stream your adventures directly to Ustream using the Cerevo Live Shell. Now instead of telling other people about your adventures, they can watch them as they are happening. You can control the camera on the Contour GPS and Contour Plus thru the Contour Mobile App on the iPhone or an Android phone The Contour GPS and the Contour Plus both have GPS included so now you can map your adventures. The Contour Roam at $199 is the newest phone and should be available soon. The Contour GPS and the Contour Plus are available now and are $299 and $499 respectively. Not only does Contour offer great action cameras but they also have some great mounts, including ones that allow you to mount camera directly to your helmet, pole, roll bar, surfboard and many other objects. So if you are into adventure sports and filming, Contour has everything you need and want.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Don Baine The Gadget Professor of Geek News Central

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Yurbuds, Ear Buds for the Athlete

Accessories, CES 2012,

Yurbuds Most people like to listen to music while exercising. The first thing you learn when you start exercising is that your ears sweat and most headphones don’t stay in sweaty ears. There is nothing more frustrating than having your ear buds constantly falling out, while exercising.

The company Yurbuds understands this frustration, they are athletes who make products for athletes. Their newest product is the Yurbuds Ironman Series. The Ironman Series Yurbuds are ear buds specifically designed for the athlete who carries an iPhone or iPod Touch. There is a three button control on the center Y which allows you move forward and backward through tracks, control the volume, and answer calls. On the other side of the Y is the microphone. What really makes the Yurbuds special are their proprietary twist and lock technology. Place the ear buds in your ear twist and lock them in place. Now no matter how much you sweat or it rains they will not come out. They are made of a medical grade silicon, so once they are locked into the ear they are very comfortable. They have a great sound quality, the speakers in the ear buds are tuned with the drivers and sound tunnel. The speakers in the ear buds are protected by their ergonomic design. You can remove the silicon cover and clean them with a little soap and water.

There is a life time guarantee on the product for damage done by sweat or rain. The Ironman Inspired earbuds cost $59.99 and are available through the Web site and various retailers including , Dick’s Sporting Goods, Apple and Target. Whether you are a world-class triathlete or a weekend runner Yurbuds were made for you.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Don Baine The Gadget Professor of Geek News Central

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Nero Kwik Media Media Manager

CES 2012, Computers,

Todd and Don talk to Martin Stein Senior Vice President of Global Products at Nero about Nero Kwik Media at the TPN booth at CES. Nero Kwik Media is a program that will sync all your media (pictures, videos, audio and music) across all the devices in your home.

Kwik Media Features (from the website):

  • Move all the files your heart desires to and from your PC and mobile devices
  • Play back Blu-ray movies
  • View HD video projects on DVD and watch Hollywood Blu-ray movies on your laptop
  • Burn Audio CDs from MP3s
  • With just a few clicks, you can create a CD mix from your favorite playlists
  • Play back your favorite jams from your laptop and rip Audio CDs to add to your computer
  • Find and organize friends by faces
  • Easily organize photos of friends and family by faces
  • Browse and organize photos, music and videos in one place
  • Conveniently create projects to burn and share straight from your library
  • Make quick and easy edits of photos before sharing or adding to slideshows
  • Share videos on Youtube or myNero
  • Upload your photos, music and videos to social media websites with just a few clicks
  • Edit slideshows with effects
  • Add exciting, animated background themes to slideshows
  • Sync your music playlists as well as photo and video album contents from your PC to any mobile device with USB mass storage

For more information or to get your copy of Nero Kwik Media, go the website kwikmedia.nero.com

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Toshiba Glass FREE 3D TV’s

CES 2012, TVs, ,

Todd and Steve Lee (from Waves Of Tech) talk about seeing the 3D TV’s at the Toshiba booth at CES 2012. The one that impressed them the most was Toshiba’s 55inch 4k tv which will ship sometime in “early 2012” and cost somewhat less then $10,000. I personally don’t know how much I would use the 3D on the set, but I would LOVE the 4K. Now to get more 4K content. Anyone have a Red camera I could borrow?

For more information, go check out the Toshiba Website us.toshiba.com

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Cobra iRadar detector and smart phone app

CES 2012, Gadgets, ,


Todd talks with Chris from Cobra about their new iRadar App and Radar Detector. The iRadar detector connects to your smartphone (iPhone or Android) via bluetooth so that you get the alerts on your phone. The newest thing is they added the iRadar community to the app which allows you to see alerts from other users of the iRadar app so that you can be aware of those radar traps along your way. (Of course, nobody speeds… right?)

The detectors are available now for around $130 at most retailers or at cobra.com and cobrairadar.com

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Sony’s new Cameras with the OLED Viewfinder

Cameras, CES 2012,


Todd talks with Al Dean from Sony about the SLT A77V and A65 Cameras and their incredible OLED Viewfinder.

When Todd walked up to it an looked into the viewfinder he said a few words that were not fit for video. But, he regained his composure and did the interview.

The A65 and A77 cameras use a translucent mirror which means that the mirror does not have to move out of the way to make a shot. The A65 will shoot 10 frames per second (double what normal mirror viewfinder cameras can do) and the A77 can shoot 12 frames per second. Also, when shooting video, the mirror stays in place so the viewfinder works unlike most other DSLR type cameras.

The A65 goes for $1000 with lens kit and the A77 goes for $1300 for the body only and $1999 with the lens kit. They are available in limited quantities now with general availability later this year.

For more information go to Sony.com

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Blue Microphones’ Tiki, Mikey and Spark

CES 2012, Gadgets,

Blue Microphones LogoIf you’ve listened to the Geek News Central podcast for a few years, you might have heard Todd talking about Blue Microphones as his mic supplier of choice. Here Todd and Don talk shop with Jon Maier.

Blue Microphones returns to CES this year with three new mics, all in the portable space. The new Mikey Digital is designed for the Apple’s newer digital connector rather than the older analogue one, meaning that more digital processing can be done on the microphone itself. In particular, auto-level sensing can adjust the input gain depending on the loudness of the source.

The Tiki is a brand new small USB device that’s been in development for over a year. It plugs directly into the USB port on the side of a laptop and has intelligent signal processing so that extraneous noise, such as typing, is ignored. It’s aimed at Skype and Google Talk users but it’s still a high quality recording device, so if needed, the DSP can be turned off to record live music as naturally as possible.

The studio-grade Spark Digital is a USB and iPad version of their pro mike, the Spark, both of which have glorious retro looks. Sitting in a shock mount, it looks great. Utility-wise, the Spark Digital converts the iPad into a mobile studio.

All the mics are expected to be available in the spring. Prices are $59 for Tiki, $99 for the Mikey Digital and $199 for the Spark Digital.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor, for the TechPodcast Network.

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Wi-Ex zBoost Signal Boosters for Cell Phones

CES 2012, Home,

zBoost by Wi-Ex logo

zBoost by Wi-Ex is a range of signal extenders that will improve cell and mobile phone coverage in weak areas. Todd and Don discuss zBoost’s latest products from Sharon Cuppett, VP of Wi-Ex (and they get a mention on Wi-Ex’s blog)

Wi-Ex launched two new products at CES, the first being the zBoost 4G-V, a signal booster for 4G frequencies on Verizon, the largest mobile carrier with over 100 million subscribers. A whole 4G product line is under development, including dual- and tri-band boosters. Available in Q2 2012 for around $220.

The second is an in-car booster, the zBoost zForce, which comprises a cradle for the phone and a magnetised antenna for the outside of the vehicle. Powered from the cigarette adaptor, the zForce can boost coverage by about 10x, eliminating dead spots and increasing range in rural areas. Retailing at only $99, it will be available shortly.

(You’ll have to watch the Blue Microphone interview to realise this, but in this video Sharon borrows Don’s phone to demonstrate the zForce and then walks off with the phone at the end of the interview!)

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Don Baine, the Gadget Professor, for the TechPodcast Network.

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Keep Your Tablet Clear with the Lenspen SideKick

Accessories, CES 2012

Lenspen LogoLenspen have a long history of products in the photography market and they’ve brought their expertise of lens cleaning to the mobile gadget space. Their client list reads like a who’s who of the photography market with Nikon, Canon and Sony all producing OEM-branded version of Lenspen’s lens cleaning tools. Todd and Don chat with Peter from Lenspen to get an update on the latest products.

Last year, Lenspen introduced the first SideKick and since then the product line has been expanded with new colours and new packaging. The SideKick is a matchbox-sized sprung-loaded carbon pad that is wiped over the screen and completely removes fingerprints from tablet and smartphone screens. Using a carbon-based technology, the SideKick absorbs oils without any abrasion leaving a perfectly cleaning screen. It then closes up to keep all the carbon inside and one cartridge will do 300-400 cleanings before needing to be replaced. The SideKick is available online and in retail stores from $14.99 for a single SideKick. Other package combinations are available.

Lenspen also has specific cleaning products for LCD monitors and screens, such as the Laptop-Pro, that removes both dust and fingerprints.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Don Baine, the Gadget Professor for the TechPodcast Network.

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iBike Powerhouse for your iPhone

Accessories, CES 2012, ,

For a long time now cyclists, at least serious ones, have mounted mini computers on their handlebars. The devices provide information on time, distance, average speed, and even elevation and temperature. Now iBike is bringing us the ability to do all of this with our iPhone and eliminate that second device.

The iBike Powerhouse provides a weather-proof case for your iPhone that can be easily mounted on your bike’s handlebars and the accompanying app provides all of the data you are used to getting from a traditional cycling computer plus a whole lot of additional information such as a heart rate monitor, training plans, and more.

The product and app are the creation of real cyclists and coaches, so the information provided by the app is what even professional riders want and need to know. Check out the interview below with the iBike representative, who has a side job coaching Olympic and professional riders, to get more information on the iBike Powerhouse, along with pricing and availability. You can also visit iBikeSports to check everything out.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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