Category Archives: Mobile

The MirrorCase

Accessories, CES 2013, Mobile

MirrorCase The MirrorCase by RHP Multimedia was originally designed for the iPhone 4 and 4s, however it was a little too bulky for some users. The new design for the iPhone 5 and iPad is much sleeker. The mirror can be pivoted. It can work either when the iPad or iPhone is in landscape or portrait mode. The mirror slides back into the case when you’re done and you can then use the camera as you would normally.

If you take a lot of pictures or videos with your iPhone or iPad you know that it can get quite awkward after a while. The MirrorCase allows you to hold your iPhone or iPad in a more natural position while taking pictures or videos. You can save everything directly to the iPhone or iPad camera roll. You can set different resolutions to save storage space. There is a built-in acoustic port which directs the sound back toward the user. There is also a built-in stand which you can adjust to various heights. The mirror itself is a second surface mirror with a piece of glass on top to prevent the mirror from being scratched. When you take a picture using the mirror there is no distortion added to the photo by the mirror. The basic app on the iPhone and iPad are free. The plus app which is available for $00.99 adds sharing features and in app access to the camera roll.

The iPad version is $79.95, the iPhone 5 version is $59.95 and the original case for the iPhone 4 and 4s is $49.95. The original case for the iPhone 4 and 4s is available now on the MirrorCase website and the iPhone 5 and iPad cases are available for pre-order and should be release around the end of the 1st quarter.

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

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The Ford Developer Program

CES 2013, Home, Mobile

Developer Program Ford Motor Company opened up their app program to all developers at CES 2013 The new platform is called Uplink it is a suite of technology that works with Connect to Sync. This program has gone through two years of beta testing using such apps as Pandora however now it is open to all developers. It should be opened to North America, Europe and China by the end of the year. Ford has hired people from the mobile industries work previously done some development so they are ready for the volume. They’ve have told developers there are certain categories they will not permit including games videos anything with a lot of texts involved. Ford has developed a multiple number of test that the developer’s app must pass before it is even submitted. These standards are available at the Ford Developer Program website. Ford would like developers to concentrate on using voice commands or if that’s not available quick touch. Right now Ford is concentrating on the driver and they want to make sure that the apps are distraction free.

Developers can work on either the iOS platform or the Android platform. The IOS platform works with the Xcode package in Objective C. The Android platform uses the Eclipse package in . Is it a Json library with an API call. The head unit software accepts and manage the information. The head unit software is being open to the industry. Ford is trying to work with competitors so that developers don’t have to develop a different package for each car company.

The apps once developed or tweaked for the environment will be available directly through iTunes and the Google Play Store. Ford is also continuing to work on opening up their diagnostic platform or OpenXC Platform to produce more data for research. If you are developer and interested in developing for the Ford platform you can find more information at the Ford developer website.

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

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Energenie Power Packs for Smartphones

CES 2013, Mobile,

Energenie logoIf your smartphone is not an Apple product, you may be in luck to be able to use the standard micro-USB connector for your power. This ergonomic adapter from Energenie combines a 1400 mAh or 2000 mAh power pack with a stick on surface and a holder that’s ideal for use on a train or during a flight to watch a video or play games. If oil and fingerprints accumulate on the surface, a quick clean with soap and water will restore the tackiness of the surface. The company also has portable power packs up to 40,000 mAh.
TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Jaime Davis, .

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Art – Fashion – Style : In Bluetooth Form

CES 2013, Mobile,

Earloomz logoEarloomz is at the front of the pack when it comes to combining art, fashion and style with Bluetooth headsets . The target market is females under the age of thirty, and the main idea is to position the Bluetooth headset as a fashion accessory. That means that licensing and market research is a main focus of the company.  The retail price is $34.99 ,and it can be found online or at various big box retailers.
TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Jaime Davis, .
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A “NetFlix” Like Service for News Papers Around the World

CES 2013, Mobile, ,

PressreaderMoving the Newspaper industry into the digital world is a challenge around the world. The tablet reader is probably the best thing that has happened to newspapers – and this new service called PressReader allows you to aggregate over 2300 newspapers from around the world – replicas of  thousands of newspapers for a low fee of $30 per month. The traditional business model is no longer sustainable – but online versions of newspapers in web page form is not kept pace. The form factor of the tablet and availability of WiFi has changed the physical delivery of content as well as the mode of consumption. With a natural-feeling reading process, the tablet makes it much more newspaper-like and opens up a whole new group of consumers.
TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Jaime Davis, .
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Smartphone Screenguards With Glass

CES 2013, Mobile

Bodyguardz LogoBodyguardz (formerly Next Level Up -NLU Products) was recognized in 2011 by the as one of the INC Magazine  Top 5000 Fastest Growing Companies. At CES, they also received a CEA Innovation Award. One of their premier products is made from a special chemically-tempered glass, ScreenGuardz® Pure™ Premium Glass , offering a smudge-resistant coating and high touch sensitivity ensure performance. This is glass 15 mils in thickness – providing shock resistance and protection but a feel that is almost identical to the original smartphone surface.

One of the biggest complaints in the screen protector world is the adhesive application that traps bubbles. During the interview, our Philip Chipping demos the installation process and gives some tips on how to remove dust from the air and install the shield.

TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Jaime Davis, .
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Solid Mount for iDevices

CES 2013, Mobile, ,

Rockform logoSturdy mounting systems for smartphones and tablets are sometimes hard to come by. If you have a Hummer or similar rugged off-road vehicle, this might be the smartphone mount for you. Integrated anti-slip backing keeps it on track when not installed and locked in to it’s mount.

Their original product was a CNC-machined base for iPhone charging. Since their manufacturing background includes high performance muffler and exhaust systems for motorcycle racing, it was a natural extension of the capabilities of their shop. The newer systems build on this same rugged approach to design, with the Roc-Form continuing the tradition, being milled from a single block of metal.

TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Don Baine, The Gadget Professor.

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Wireless Charging for Multiple Smartphones

CES 2013, Mobile,

CES-2013-LIVE-AM-KIRKHJ

Kirk H&J offers an entire range of Inpofi devices and models that enable wireless charging using a proprietary transfer system called “Electric Transfer” to charge devices by placing them on the charging surface.

For the Samsung S3 – you remove the back to install the system.  For the iPhone there are a variety of cases , currently for the iPhone 4 – with the iPhone 5 due in the first quarter of 2013.  Charging times are similar to wired systems, and offer over 90% efficiency. You can mix and match iPhone and Galaxy devices.

The units are available presently at OhmTopia.com , and should soon be found in regular big box stores.

Estimated price points are $50-$70.

TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Don Baine, The Gadget Professor.

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Worth Avenue Group

CES 2013, Mobile,
Worth Avenue Group
Worth Avenue Group

Nick and Jeffrey are joined with Quang Ha about what Worth Avenue Group is all about. They cover theft, vandalism, fire and more. Worth Avenue Group is about unlimited incidents which makes it cheaper than Apple care plus.

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Video by Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live and Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine

Watch me smack an iPhone with Worth Avenue Group

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Ford Sync is Moving Ahead

CES 2013, Mobile

Ford Sync Developer Program Ford has been busy this year with Sync. It now includes apps like the Wall Street Journal, Aha Radio, Glympse, Amazon mp3 and USA Today. Newspapers like the Wall Street Journal and USA Today are read to you. Ford has open up Sync to developers and is excited about what they will bring to the Eco-system. The Tech Podcast Network is working on their own Ford Sync app.

Ford does it’s updates via a USB stick which they provide to Ford drivers free of charge. According to the Ford representative most users where able to do the update themselves.

The majority of new Fords now being sold have Ford Sync in them. One of the great things about Ford Sync is that it works in a noisy environment. You can use it in a convertible with the top down going down the highway. Ford believes that listening to their customers and developing and maintaining a quality product is key.

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

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