Category Archives: Entertainment

Energize Your Tunes with Sound That You Will Treasure



Nahimic headphones softwareAlready a name in the gaming world, Nahimic has now produced software to take the sound from your computer/laptop to incredible heights. This processing and software is aimed at sound correction. They want to make the sound from your games, music and videos better and to also make it 3D.

All speakers and headphones, no matter how expensive, contain some degree of default, especially when connected to a computer. Nahimic’s software will measure and automatically correct for these defaults, no matter how big or small. They accomplish this via a full database of every device built in. The software is installed onto your computer, and once the listening device is detected, it makes the digital corrections instantly. This technology, which is now available for macOS and directly to consumers, improves the sound of the internal speakers or any speaker or headphones that you use. It can increase the volume over 100% and give a full dynamic 3D sound as if you were in a home theater, rather than on a regular pair of headphones.

This software is due to launch in Q2 2018 and will have an annual subscription fee of $34.99.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.
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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.


The Bliss of Full Musical Freedom in Working Out with Vinci



Vinci 2.0 headphonesHaving interviewed Max Wu with Vinci a couple of times already for their 1st generation headphones, we knew it was a must to stop-in and say hello when we saw him in Eureka Park this year at CES 2018. We loved their headphones that debuted last year, which were the first in the world to incorporate standalone voice command. They allow users to take them on the go and pull up their favorite music without having to reach for a cell phone. So we were really excited to see what’s new.

They did not disappoint. This year they are even more geared towards sports and working out with Vinci 2.0 Earbuds. They have added all of the functionality of the headphones into a much smaller form. These earbuds only weigh 80 grams, fit comfortably on the neck and in-ear and offer all of your music without the need to even have your phone on you. So you will be able to go out jogging and be able to listen to your tunes as well as take phone calls without having to lug around that bulky phone, which is great since lots of workout gear don’t have pockets.

Setup is simple and also the only time that you need to use your phone along with them. The app will take you through adding (or changing) your favorite music streaming services and libraries. From there, these 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth earbuds will automatically synch with your phone when they are together, to keep all of your information up-to-date. And don’t worry, it doesn’t only synch up your music, but it also gathers your health stats and adds them to the health centers in you Apple and Android phones.

Classic to Vinci, there is still a screen, but it is much smaller and designed to blend in to the aesthetic. It is definitely a more passive system for power preservation, but you can still customize it to your preferences. The screen makes it easy to check the on/off status, battery life and signal strength. The battery will last for up to 14 hours of continuous play and it comes with a USB docking station that will give a full charge in about 2.5 hours.

The Kickstarter for Vinci 2.0 recently ended and they should start shipping in Feb 2018. Pricing starts at $89 for 8GB and goes up to $249 for the 32GB. Check out all four colors and choose a pair of your own on their website. You can also pick up a pair of the full size headphones on Amazon.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.
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Support our coverage by shopping Amazon here.
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.


See What Happens When You Increase Productivity with Mindset



Mindset focused headphonesThe world and our daily lives are filled with distractions. It’s getting more and more difficult to stay focused on the task at hand. The team at Mindset have seen the transformative power of EEG and, with the overall goal in mind of bringing it to everybody, they have developed the Mindset Headphones.

These over-ear headphones have EEG sensors embedded to measure the electrical activity in the brain and parse it out to measure how focused you are while working, studying, completing tasks, etc. This technology is used to improve concentration. While wearing the headphones, when you get distracted, they will send you a signal to make you aware. Over time, this trains your subconscious to better recognize those things that distract you so you can tune them out.

It comes with a customizable app that allows you to choose how you receive the cues. You also use the app to track your progress. It’s like a fitness tracker for your brain. You can track how often your are distracted, your best hours for concentration, and figure out which habits are affecting your focus throughout the day.

The headphones themselves are made by Onkyo and deliver great sound. They were designed to give an experience that was built for work with Bluetooth and active noise cancelling. They can be worn comfortably all day with a battery life of 8-10 hours.

The price point for these headphones will be $350 when they launch. You can preorder your pair here with a 25% discount. Preorders will ship in April 2018.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.
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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.


Play The Best Games During Your Down Time



Gamestream Cloud Gaming SolutionGameStream offers video game streaming services to businesses in the hospitality industry. This allows their clients the luxury of playing video games while they are waiting for their services to be complete. They are offering a highly qualitative Cloud Gaming solution that allows them to stream a catalog composed of the latest AAA games and a selection of the best independent games in HD (1080p/60fps). The White-Label solution serves Hotels, Cruise ships and hospitals by enabling them to bypass the limited internet connections inside their premises. This “Next-Gen console experience” is easy to integrate where no console needs to be installed.

The founders know that others have tried and failed in this space. They feel that their extensive background in gaming, as well as game design and production give them a distinct advantage. They are not just tech people adapting their ideas and technology to gaming, as others have been. They feel that just as people have options for various music streaming services and are able to find what works best for them, that the same will be the case in game streaming if gamers are given good options.

Currently available overseas, the company is looking to expand into the U.S. They are also looking to increase their exposure in hospitals. They found that not only does it give the patients something fun to do, but it also aids in their recovery because people do better overall when their spirits are lifted.

They are also looking to offer streaming services directly to consumers in the future, when 5G wireless is available. For more information, check out their website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.


Powerful and Stylish Headphones for Outstanding Performance



Klipsch Heritage HeadphonesKlipsch has been in the audio business for 71 years and their name is well known amongst audiophiles for full bodied sound in their high end sound systems. New this year are the Heritage HP3 Headphones and the Heritage Headphone Amplifier.

The Heritage HP3 Headphones have a sophisticated design, made from the most functional and premium materials available. They feature die-cast steel, milled wood, premium leathers, and machined aluminum components. Boasting a 52mm KG-520 biodynamic driver housed in a back-vented design, the HP3 headphones deliver unsurpassed acoustic performance. Like their other products, these headphones are made to last with single piece, interchangeable parts. So whether you need to replace a piece or you want to switch up the look with additional ear pads or cables, it can be done at any time. You can order a pair from their website for $1,199.

The Heritage Headphone Amp is the perfect accompaniment to the HP3’s. They deliver a premium, audiophile-grade performance to maximize your headphone capabilities for true-to-life acoustic reproduction. Also exquisitely designed, from being encased in formed aluminum to the genuine walnut veneer, the Heritage Headphone Amplifier exudes quality even before being plugging in your headphones. They feature a high quality digital to analog converter, dual amplifiers for balanced output, and more. And the feel is unsurpassed. It brings you back in time with a retro design, but with all of the current tech that makes this a powerhouse of an amplifier. Get yours here for $499.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.


You’ll Love the Sound Personalization of These Headphones



BeyerDynamic HeadphonesNew this year for beyerdynamic are the Aventho Wireless Headphones, which can be personalized to each individual via the MIY App. Thanks to Tesla technology, these mobile Bluetooth headphones offer optimum sound by acoustically adapting to the user’s hearing. This is accomplished with integrated sound personalization that delivers perfect sound from any music source. Individual sound profiles are created in the app, where you can easily adjust the sensitivity. Battery life is 30+ hours and there is intuitive handling using the touchpad that is integrated in the right ear cup. There is also a high-quality hands-free microphone built in for phone calls. The app is available for both Android and Apple and the price of the headphones is $449. Get yours here.

Also revealed at CES 2018 is their Tesla, in-ear headset called XELENTO REMOTE. They use highly efficient miniaturized Tesla technology drivers and high-resolution sound for an audiophile lifestyle on the go. With its Universal 3-button remote and mic for most Apple and Android devices, it is also has Ergonomically shaped casings that are coupled with perfectly molded ear tips which are available in 10 sizes. Exclusive materials are used in the design, like silver-plated detachable cable and high-gloss housing. They sit in the ear for maximum comfort to allow for longer play times. Pricing starts at $999 and they can be ordered on Amazon.

Interview by Marissa Schiereck of The New Product Launchpad.
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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.


Fantastic and Perfect Little Sound System for Your Kids



Jooki kids smart speakerMusic is one of the best things in life. We all have times when we want to kick back and listen to our favorite playlists. And kids are no exception. Any of us with kids, siblings or nieces/nephews most likely have a playlist or two dedicated just to them. But if they are listening to their music from your device, that means that you are not. And most of us don’t necessarily want to devote a phone or mp3 to our little ones and risk the device breaking.

Well, Jooki has the perfect solution. Jooki is a durable, colorful and portable Wi-Fi speaker for kids 3+ that comes with little toy characters. It is designed to allow kids to listen to their music and stories without the need for any kind of screened device. Each character is linked to a separate playlist (song, story, album or internet radio station), so when the child places one on top of the speaker, the music starts automatically.

A great additional feature is the app for parents. With this app, you are able to control the type of content the kids are exposed to, and also giving total control to things like the volume and play times . The app is also used to upload the content, create playlists and link the playlists to characters.

The player and five characters are priced at $199 and are currently shipping to the US. You can get yours here.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.


What Happens When You Open Young Minds to an Innovative Idea



Cubetto by Primo ToysNow very young children can learn the basic programming logic with Primo. It is a tactile programming language meant to introduce children from 3+ the basic skills meant to do programming in a manner that they can understand and get excited about without a screen. This is done through the eyes of Cubetto, a little wooden robot whose movements are determined by placement of colorful plastic pieces on a wooden track.

Each color represents a different command: green for go, red for right and yellow for left. The company tried hard to incorporate alliteration into the command colors so that young children will associate with it easily.

The price point for this learning experience is $225.00 for the basic pack including the robot, the command pieces and track and a map. There are additional sets available for $29.00 each and a Color Pack for $45.00. Availability is through Amazon, Barnes and Noble or smaller toy stores around the country or through educational catalogues.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.


Excellent Choice for Lightweight and Colorful Headphones



Altec LansingIt’s time to bring some fun into headphone experience, and Altec Lansing has done just that with the new Rumble Headphones. You may ask, why the usual name… and so did we. The answer left us wanting a full demonstration. The Rumble Headphones actually vibrate along with the bass that adds an extra dimension to your listening experience. When we first heard this feature, we thought well that’s interesting. Then we tried them out for ourselves and were quite impressed. The bass is also variable and can be turned up or down, depending upon your preference within each song. These headphones come both wired and bluetooth, with a batter life of 20 hours. The fit is customizable to your comfort and let’s not forget the variety of colors available so you can match your own style and personality.

Also being introduced this year are their own set of wirefree ear buds. They have a charge that offers 4 hours of battery life and come with a carrying case that also holds a 4 hour charge. The case also has the ability for Qi Wireless charging, which comes in handy with their newly introduced VersA Home Clock/Radio Speaker that offers Qi Charging on top. These air buds are extremely lightweight and comfortable in the ear and as with many of the other Altec Lansing lines, they come in a variety of cool colors.

Keep an eye out on their website for these new wearables as availability and pricing will be coming soon. I know that we will be.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.


New Speakers get Boost to Mainstream with Alexa



Altec LansingAltec Lansing has introduced a new line of Amazon Speakers this year at CES 2018 called VersA. The line consists of three speakers that are cute, lightweight and very functional.

First up is the VersA 2 Go, which is compact and great for our busy lifestyles these days. It is Amazon Alexa enabled using a button to activate. Features include multi-room pairing, 100-foot wireless range, up to 8 hours of play time and a waterproof rating of IP67. It offers immersive sound with its 1.75″ woofer and 2″ passive radiator. MSRP is $79.99, and it will be available Q2/Q3 of 2018.

Next up is the VersA Portable Speaker which has a larger footprint than its little 2 Go brother, but still compact, lightweight and versatile. It is Amazon Alexa enabled via voice command and has multi-room pairing with a 100-foot wireless range. It also offers playtime up to 8 hours and is IP67 waterproof rated. It’s available now at an MSRP of $129.99 at Best Buy and Target. So grab them unused gift cards that you got for the holidays and buy yours today.

Lastly, and our favorite, is the VersA at Home. This speaker is a clock/radio for your bedside. It’s Amazon Alexa Enabled via voice command, but also offers QI Wireless charging, so you can easily charge your smart phone right on top. It boasts a 30-foot wireless range, omni-directional sound, and a sleek design with digital display. It has an MSRP of $149.99, and will be available Q2/Q3 of 2018.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
Sponsored by:
Support our coverage by shopping Amazon here.
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.