Category Archives: Mobile

Qi Charging Gets Even More Practical and Absolutely Easy



Vivitar QiThis year, Vivitar is expanding their charging products in some really cool ways. Their new line, Tap Charge, is a group of wireless Qi chargers that include sweet new features. We especially like the one that is tilted up so you can see the screen while charging, instead of laying your smart phone down. This enables you to easily view and use the phone while its charging. It also has USB ports on the front to allow you additional charging solutions while charging your phone on the main pad.

There is a Bluetooth speaker with alarm clock that offers Qi charging on top. Perfect for your bedside to easily charge wirelessly without adding more devices to your night stand. And the Tap Charge Auto is the perfect accessory with Qi charging for the car. No more need to search for cords while driving, just leave the mounted charger plugged in at all times and drop you phone in whenever you need a to charge, and it’s perfect for looking at your GPS on the go.

The line of fabric-covered Qi chargers is really unique and a nice change from traditional black plastic chargers. You can get a single pad or a hub that charges three devices at a time. So whether more than one family member needs to charge at the same time, or if you want to charge your air pods, smart watch and phone all at the same time, you are covered.

They are also coming out with a line called Snap Charge. For on the go charging, they have the best design for a portable power bank. It has a wall plug that is built in and folds away perfectly in a compact design. You can charge by a standard cord, or you can Qi charge on the top surface of the bank that uses micro suction to adhere to phone. We find this a better alternative to adding a phone case with battery charger because you can keep the case that you love and only use the add on when needed. We loved the design so much that we hope they integrate this sleek design into their charging line for other products, such as camera batteries.

Although we were really excited about all of these new charging options, the most unique product they were showing off, by far, is a line of clutch purses that include power banks inside. They have multiple styles to choose from and can not only charge with a standard cord but they also offer Qi wireless charging. Ladies can simply lay the clutch down on the table in front of them and place their phone right on top to charge, making the phone accessible to them at all times.

Prices will vary and will be between $10 and $80 USD.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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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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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.
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Monster Super Star Peter Miller Reeled in the Fun



Peter Miller @ MonsterThe party never stops while at the Monster Products booth at CES. On top of being front and center to witness the Monster Takeover, this year we had the pleasure of meeting Peter Miller and finding out which of the Monster products are his personal favorites.

Getting to know Peter was so much fun!! Sure, he’s a producer, spokesperson, philanthropist, professional angler, three time World Sailfish Champion and host of Bass 2 Billfish with Peter Miller, but he’s also such a blast to hang out with. We share his love of listening to good music on great speakers. Music makes such a difference in life, even when fishing. Not only to keep everybody inside the boat happy, but the fish also seem to respond better when there’s a kickass bass boost in the mix (as in thump, not a new fish breed).

Just like us, he loves his Elements Headphones and Monster Blaster, but when asked to choose a favorite Monster product it was hands down the new S100-S400 SuperStar Series wireless speakers. There’s a size and sound for every occasion. From attaching the S100 onto a backpack for they day’s outing to getting the full dynamic sound from the S300s and S400s that will kick up any party, this line does not disappoint. And for somebody like Peter, the fact that they are wireless, fully waterproof, floating speakers with long life batteries that will keep up will all of his boating adventures, there’s nothing better.

Take a look at the full line of Monster Products here and let us know below in the comments section which ones are your favorite.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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DropMix Can Show You How to Make Game Night a Party



DropMixMix up your game night this year with the newest, coolest game in stores called DropMix. DropMix is a music mixing game created by a partnership between Hasbro and Harmonix. The game comes with 60 music cards and the DropMix board that can Bluetooth connect to your device with the DropMix app. Each card has a large name artist and song that you have probably heard on the radio, but it may only be a portion of the song such as just the vocals, base line, drum line or strings. You can play the game by placing one of these cards on the DropMix board and the music is instantly playing through your connected device. Add other music cards to create a unique mix where the game automatically sets the tempo and the key that makes the songs work cohesively.

There are 3 game modes incorporated through the application. The Freestyle game mode allows players to create the sounds they want by navigating through their cards to find the mix that makes them want to dance. Players then have the ability to save their mixes and share them with their friends. The second game mode is Clash. This mode is a strategic game that can be one-on-one or two-on-two with a race to 21 points. Then there is Party mode, the fast-paced game that has everyone working together against the computer. The app will throw out quick challenges that require the players to be able to work together in a small amount of time to get the most points they can.

Get DropMix today for $99.99 and check out some of their latest expansion packs. The 16 card expansion is $14.99 and the 5 card Discover Pack is $4.99.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Smart and Sleek Watch with Fantastic Emergency Features



MobileHelpWe weren’t exactly sure what to expect when we were invited to take a look at MobileHelp’s new smartwatch. After all, what’s new with smartwatches? Not much, right? Well… wrong! It was a pleasant surprise to see the life saving technology that they and Samsung have built right into this exciting new wearable.

We are all familiar with the buttons that seniors use in their homes that provide an alert when they need emergency assistance. MobileHelp is the premier Medical Alert System that provides this kind of emergency coverage. While attending CES 2017 last January, they took a meeting with Samsung to discuss how to expand upon their life saving services while also making it more accessible and fashionable for everyone. In only one year, they were able to incorporate their technology into a sleek and stylish new smartwatch.

Not only does this new watch help their user base to become mobile outside of the home, rather than being stuck where their current devices are located, but it also brings these same features to so many more people. Safety is not just a concern for the elderly, yet most able bodied people do not want the stigma of carrying around a medical alert device with them everywhere they go. But when it happens to be an added feature on the watch that they are already wearing, that stigma goes away entirely.

The watch works like a regular time piece and also has a button that calls for emergency services if needed. When pressed, the button signals their central station that you are in potential distress and receives your GPS location. They then give you a call through the phone that is built into the watch to verify your need and coordinate the medical attention to your location. So whether you are a senior who wants more independence, or even an athlete or college student who wants the peace of mind of knowing that medical attention is just a button push away, this watch is for you. As a matter of fact, even the CEO of the company, who is fit and jogs regularly, found himself in a situation where he was dehydrated during a run on a hot Florida day and could have benefitted greatly from this watch.

The only thing better than having peace of mind is getting help when you most need it. Their tagline says it all… Stay Safe Out There. To get more information, click here.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.
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DiabiLive Will Help Remove the Greatest Challenge from Diabetes



DiabiLiveIf you have ever had a family member with Diabetes, you know the extreme toll it takes on everyone involved, but especially the patient. This was the experience that Benoît Mirambeau, co-founder of DiabiLive, was trying to eliminate for his mother. She was experiencing dozens of incidents per month, and had lost her ability to simply live her life.

That is where DiabiLive comes in. It’s an app platform designed to help a Diabetes patient manage their disease through tracking food consumption and exercise, and, more importantly, informing them how best to respond. Taking all of this information into account, patients are able to get a customized, calculated dosage for their insulin. By taking a dosage personalized to your daily activities, you are able to recapture that which is lost: your autonomy. In the case of the founder’s mother, she went from 2 dozen incidents per month to about 3 per month, a decrease that even her doctor cannot believe.

In the US, the app is currently undergoing the preparation steps for FDA certification. Since this is a first-of-its-kind product, it will require a clinical trial before applying to the FDA, and the company hopes to have full certification before the end of 2018.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Realmax Qian is Soaring to Amazing New Reality



Realmax QianShowStoppers is always a hit with our team while at CES and it was a delight to speak with Nigel from Realmax this year at CES 2018. Although we are not strangers to Augmented Reality here at PLuGHiTz Live, we were curious to see what was different and exciting about the Realmax Qian. And they did not disappoint.

Realmax has been around since 2003 and is a company that is highly involved in educational technology. With the addition of AR, they have the ability to not only bring learning to life but to also reach a much broader audience. For example, this technology can be adapted to smaller engineering and robotics programs where the schools cannot afford full labs. With Qian, the students can still get real experience on a full set of instruments and machines in this AR realm. The technology could also assist doctors with training medical students in a much more efficient and cost effective manner. The potential applications are limitless, which opens up usage in so many more fields than education, such as banking and other corporate settings.

Realmax has also set themselves apart from their competitors in some exciting ways. Their headsets are completely mobile with an Android CPU built inside. They have also increased their AR Field of View to an outstanding 100 degrees. The goggles have much better tracking to allow users to stay anchored in the real world to walk around the digital content. They are also working to offer all of this at a more affordable price point than their competitors in the consumer market.

Although currently in the prototype stage, Realmax expects to have the technology in the hands of software developers within Q2 of 2018, and begin consumer production in Q3. This is a product that we at PLuGHiTz Live will be keeping an eye on in the coming months as it launches with possibly even a full product review, so stay tuned for more information regarding pricing and where to purchase.

Interview by Marissa Schiereck of The New Product Launchpad.
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Fantastic Way You Convert Your Bicycle to Electric



Electron WheelTravel smarter with the Electron Wheel. It will turn your trusty bicycle into a powerful hybrid e-bike that’s ready to take you into the future of personal travel. The Electron wheel is an attachable motor you can connect to your front wheel that will give you a powerful boost while riding. This device can be fully installed in 30 seconds, without tools, to your front wheel and pedal. The wheel has a range of 50 miles and can reach speeds of up to 20 mph. A helpful aspect of this wheel is active hill assist, in real time it will automatically give you a boost when riding up a hill without having you interacting with it. As part of the e-bike community the Electron Wheel has a fully functional app that lets you control various functions of the wheel, such as power, assistance levels and battery life.

An exciting announcement made here at CES 2018 is their new partnership with Google to integrate google assistance voice control. This will allow people when riding to change assistance levels or check battery life with just voice commands, such as being able to say “Hey google, check Electron Wheel battery life”.

Moreover, Electron is having a publicity stunt where they sent a cyclist with the new Electron Wheel to bike all the way from New York to Las Vegas over the course of 10 days. To appear at the steps of the convention hall of CES 2018 on January 10th to celebrate the launch of the next generation Electron Wheel. Our team was lucky enough to be there in the lobby when he arrived.

To learn more information about Electron Wheel go to electronwheel.com.

Interview by Marissa Schiereck of The New Product Launchpad.
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Love Story Time? Here’s a Fantastic Solution So You Never Have to Miss It



CaribuOne of the most wonderful things in this world to do is to read to a child. Nothing can match seeing their sweet faces light up as they enjoy the stories and learn more and more about the world around them. It’s a very special bonding time for both the adult and the child.

Some are in a situation where their work keeps them traveling. Or sometimes Grandma lives far away and wishes she could be there for more story times. Luckily, Caribu came along to offer an amazing solution. Caribu is a mobile app that brings story time to you no matter where you are. They have wonderful picture books from the best children’s publishers that are just one click away in their bookshop. They make it so easy to be engaged and enchanted anywhere, at any time by incorporating a video chat along with the pages of the book so the kids can follow along when you are reading, pictures and all, just like at home. And they have fun learning and coloring activities that you can do together, as well.

Our team is super excited about this ingenious tech and we can’t wait to use it with our own family members. Find out more and download the app, which is available for iOS and Android, here.

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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.