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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New Generation of OLPC: One Laptop Per Child

CES 2013, Computers,

OLPC logo

The One Laptop Per Child Foundation has been pursuing dreams on behalf of millions of children around the world, while keeping pace with the changes in technology and wireless connectivity. This new UI is built around the idea that children’s dreams and hero’s are a good way to group applications and opportunity. The UI is built with full parental controls, with up to three profiles available for age appropriate access to internet assets.

The built in camera is designed for experimentation and applications encourage the child to get out and explore their world with the camera and creativity.

This is the fifth generation of  technology that OLPC has implemented. It is an Android based system, with many apps programmed in Python. The first US based retailer to get the unit will be Walmart, but the price point has not yet been set.  More info at XOLearning.org and Laptop.org

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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Wearable Body Monitors get Smaller

CES 2013, Health,

bodyMediaLogoBody Media is a lifestyle management company tracking activities and calories – having been in the business since 1999.

Their new multi-sensor technology is patented, and stores data for up to ten days. The unit has accelerometer, galvanic response skin conductivity monitor, skin temperature and heat flow.  It provides Bluetooth download of information through smartphone to log and report your activity online. The report helps you set goals on weightloss, activity, or health goals.

In conjunction with IBM, Body Media is initiating recommendations based on the data to help subscribers become more active. There are commercially oriented applications as well.

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

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Befrugal.com Coupons with Cash Back

CES 2013, Home,
BeFrugal
BeFrugal

Scott Ertz and I are joined by Jon Lal from Befrugal for the Live TPN CES stream. Befrugal is a company that gives you coupon codes from the website. They debuted a browser add-on that helps you find coupons for a purchase. You also can be part of a cash back program of around 7%.

Available for Chrome, Firefox and an iOS app coming soon. Befrugal is 100% free. (www.befrugal.com)

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Video by Sctott Ertz of F5 Live and Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine

 

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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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Nikon D5200 and Accesories

Cameras, CES 2013

wireless adapter Nikon has introduced new adapters the WU–1a and the WU–1b. These adapters allow the camera to connect wirelessly to a smart phone. It’s a small adapter that can be use with the new DSLR and Nikon 1 models. It cannot be used with older cameras because they do not have the correct circuitry. Not only does this adapter allow you to send the pictures from your camera to the phone wirelessly, it also allows you to trigger the camera directly from the phone. For example let’s say you want to take a picture of a group and you want to be in the picture; you can set your camera up, then place yourself in the group, then arrange the group the way you want using what you see in the phone as a guide, knowing that what you see in the phone is what the camera seeing, you can then trigger your shot using the phone.

Nikon’s newest camera is a D5200. It has a 24.1 megapixel sensor. You can take high-speed continuous shots up to five frames per second it has a high ISO sensitivity range of 100 to 6400. This allows you to get good pictures even in a low light situation. The D5200 Includes a stereo microphone and the ability to film in full HD. The LCD screen on the back flips out making the camera easier to use. The D5200 is $895 with full kit and $795 for just the body. The base price for the Nikon 1 S1 is $499 and for the J3 it is $599. You can find more about these cameras in the adapter at the Nikon website.

Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor.

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Otterbox’s New Defender Charging Cases

Accessories, CES 2013

otterbox-logoTodd interviews Jess from Otterbox about their upcoming iPhone 5 defender series cases. The new Defender Series charging cases will double the battery life of an iPhone with the same protection that Otterbox is known for. The new cases come with an app that tells you the status of your phone battery, the case battery and estimates how long before you need to plug in the charger. The cases have a Micro USB connector so they are compatible with chargers and cords you have for many other phones and devices.

The cases for iPhone 5 will be available soon as they are approved by Apple. The MSRP is $129. For more information, check out otterbox.com

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

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YubiKey Neo

Accessories, CES 2013

YubicoYubico the maker of the YubiKey introduced a NFC version at CES 2013 . YubiKey is a One Time Password dongle. It provides a strong two factor authorization to any site or platform. All versions of YubiKeys use best practice security process. YubiKey works with various password managers such as Last Pass and PasswordSafe. You can also integrate with a VPN and software tokens. The traditional YubiKey works with multiple platforms including Windows, Linux and Mac, along with browsers like Chrome and Firefox. The new NFC version, theYubikey Neo can be used by simply tapping the YubiKey on to a NFC enable device.

The standard YubiKey is $25.00 and is available now. The YubiKey Neo which includes USB and NFC is $50.00. Right now there is a 7–9 week delay in shipping for the Yubikey . If you are looking for a way to keep secure then you may want to look into various Yubico products including the new YubiKey Neo.

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Zooka Bluetooth Speakers

CES 2013, Wireless

Zooka Anyone who has a tablet, or smart phone knows that their one weakness is their speakers. One solution is to use a speaker dock. The problem with this solution is that it requires an outlet to plug the dock into. This is not very useful if you are in a park or on a beach, the other solution is to use Bluetooth Speakers. This is where the Zooka speakers by Carbon Audio Inc come in. They are Bluetooth speakers made of medical grade silicon. There are no mechanical moving parts and no dock. It slides on to a tablet or top of a notebook. It was designed so it doesn’t hide the iSight camera. There is a kickstand which tucks away into the side and screws into the back. It includes:

  1. Two 30 mm speaker drivers at either end of the Zooka
  2. 30ft Bluetooth Range
  3. Rechargeable battery, providing up to 8 hours of playing
  4. Frequency response of 150 to 20,000 Hz

The Zooka is available at Target, Amazon and at Carbon Audio Inc. It comes in a variety of colors and is priced at $99.00

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

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