New Speakers get Boost to Mainstream with Alexa

January 25, 2018CES 2018, Entertainment, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

Altec 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

January 25, 2018CES 2018, Entertainment, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

Peter Miller @ Monster The 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.

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The Unsurpassed Superior Sound From Monster SuperStars

January 25, 2018CES 2018, Entertainment, WirelessPLUGHITZ Live

Monster SuperStars It’s hard not to love Monster Products. From their earbuds to their headphones and Blasters, our team at PLuGHiTz Live could not be more impressed. Or so we thought.

Introducing four wonderful additions to the Monster SuperStars: The S100, S200, S300 and S400. This new wireless series adds everything we love about Monster into a versatile set that provides amazing sound on their own, and superior sound when paired together. All four in the series include Pure Monster Sound, are fully water, weather, and splash-proof (Rated IPX7), and include a superior speakerphone with echo cancellation. They also include Monster’s own voice command system, MonsterTalk, which has the ability to access multiple music platforms, such as iTunes, Spotify and iHeartRadio.

Starting with the S100, which is a sleek little stand alone speaker that delivers your music with a powerful punch that offers 6+ hours of continuous playtime. Next up is the S200, and don’t let its size deceive you. It delivers incredible sound that is simply heroic with crazy deep bass at max volume levels without distortion. The S200 delivers 15+ hours of playtime in its three speaker configuration along with USB Direct for full digital audio performance, and has quick convenient pairing with NFC compatibility.

Moving up to the S300 and S400’s. Their larger size include features such as a 4 speaker configuration that delivers sensational Monster V-Sound™, a full-range driver (x2) and passive bass radiators (x2). They can also recharge your phone with the built-in power bank that offer enough juice to charge up to 2 devices simultaneously. And to make this series even better, the S200’s and higher can wirelessly pair together as a two piece stereo set that is so bold, you will swear there’s a third channel.

With pricing that starts at $59, you can get more information and purchase a set of your own by visiting the Monster Products website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.
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DropMix Can Show You How to Make Game Night a Party

January 20, 2018CES 2018, Entertainment, Gadgets, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

DropMix Mix 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.

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Smart and Sleek Watch with Fantastic Emergency Features

January 20, 2018CES 2018, Gadgets, Health, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

We 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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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.

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You Are Going to Love What Monster is Taking Over This Year

January 20, 2018CES 2018, Entertainment, GadgetsPLUGHITZ Live

Monster Products has a lot in store for 2018 and it includes what they’re calling a Monster Takeover. This Takeover has one goal in mind and that is to tackle new technology that Monster has not yet attempted. This includes but is not limited to music based voice activation, truly wireless technology, and new car sound systems.

Voice activation is coming to the music industry in the form of MonsterTalk. MonsterTalk is an all new take on requesting your music at a press of a button and a verbal statement using the AI music assistant, Melody by Speak Music. Monster brought this technology to life by debuting the use of a new 4- button ControlTalk sole purpose of activating MonsterTalk. This voice activation gives you the ability to have a truly hands free listening experience with no internet required.

The AirLinks are also new to the Monster 2018 lineup being Monster Product’s first truly wireless earbuds with a focus in sportswear iSport and the fashionable Elements. The AirLinks are equip with a strong Bluetooth performance for communication between the units and come packaged in a charging compact with the ability to recharge your headphones up to three times. The AirLinks iSport wil be available for $199.95; the AirLinks Elements will be available for $249.95.

Monster has one more major surprise up their sleeves and that is the product of a collaboration with Volkswagen in a new concept car that was unveiled on the first day of CES 2018. Monster created their first car audio system entertainment that has been implemented in the Volkswagen Concept R. At the CES Press Conference, Head Monster Noel Lee exclaimed, “Looks badass… and sounds better.”

Find the right sound for you at Monster’s website.

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Perfect Stop for All of Your Exciting 3D Printing

January 20, 2018CES 2018, Gadgets, HomePLUGHITZ Live

XYZprinting has experienced quick growth over the last few years and has now become the largest 3D printer manufacturer in the world. Their reach covers more than a fifth of the global market for 3D printers. How did they grow so rapidly? By focusing on developing high quality, easy to use consumer and business printers at affordable prices. Their aim to become a one stop shop for all things 3D printed has definitely paid off.

This year at CES 2018, XYZprinting showcased their new Da Vinci Color. This four color 3D printer comes complete with a four color scanner built right inside. At a price point of $4,000, this model is designed for small to medium businesses, as well as consumers who are professional makers/crafters. It prints with a color quality similar to your home ink jet printer and offers 16 million different color shades by using their new Color Inkjet PLA Filament. It comes with a gallery of files to get you printing right away, as well as with free entry-level 3D printing software that is designed to assist you with designing your own unique 3D prints. This new version of the da Vinci will be available in the second quarter of 2018 at their website and Amazon.

XYZprinting offers a full line of personal 3D printers, as well, with prices starting at $229. Check out some of the options currently available, some of which with reduced prices, at the links below.

da Vinci 1.0 Pro Wireless 3D Printer
da Vinci miniMaker
da Vinci jr.

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DiabiLive Will Help Remove the Greatest Challenge from Diabetes

January 19, 2018CES 2018, Health, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

If 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.

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Realmax Qian is Soaring to Amazing New Reality

January 19, 2018CES 2018, Entertainment, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

ShowStoppers 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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Enjoy the Future Now with the Most Adorable Kuri Robot

January 19, 2018CES 2018, Gadgets, HomePLUGHITZ Live

Kuri, the adorable home robot. The world of robotics has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last few years. As a society, we are now use to seeing the large manufacturing robots that assist with building any number of products, and the warehousing robots that assist with pallets of merchandise for packing and shipping. We’re even beginning to accept the notion of self-driving cars and drones delivering our packages and carryout. So, it’s only natural that our robotic dreams take us back into cartoon history, when we all wanted our very own helpful robot at home.

Well, those dreams can now be a reality. Introducing Kuri, from Mayfield Robotics.

Kuri is an adorable and real live robot that has been designed to make your home smarter and your life a little easier. Not only is Kuri cute with emotive eyes, but he is equipped with sensors to map out and adjust to your home. He has Bluetooth speakers on both sides that allow you to listen to music, podcasts and audiobooks. He’ll even tell bedtime stories to the kids. There is an integrated camera that captures your life’s special moments by taking videos in 5 second intervals. The videos are sent to the mobile app where you can like your favorites, which helps Kuri learn the kind of content you like the best. Also through the app, you will have remote access into your home while you’re away, so you can check in on things and make sure that Fido isn’t on the couch. And if he is, you can talk to him and tell him to get down, right through the robot.

Kuri is a great way to keep connected to your home and life at home. Check out their website where Kuri can be preordered now with a spring delivery for the discounted price of $799. The price will go up to $899 on March 1, 2018.

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