Category : Tech News

This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – Jan. 7, 2013

By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman

My Book Live Duo The technology world will again bring us new tablets and smartphones in 2013, but what else can we expect, and how do we keep those power-hungry devices running and sounding great?

And more significantly, what do we do with all those digital files?

Backing up your digital data and accessing it is easy but is also one of the most commonly avoided digital chores.

Western Digital, a world leader in digital storage, supplied some interesting facts concerning digital storage from a recent Omnibus Survey.

Results show 40 percent of desktop owners and 31 percent of laptop owners have experienced data loss, most often because their device crashed.

Included in that loss, for 41 percent of adults, were photographs – cherished information lost in a crash, lost or stolen hard drive.

In the survey, 41 percent of adults said the reason they don’t back up their digital files because they are not sure how to do it.

WD’s My Book Live Duo is one of the easiest all-in-one desktop solutions for digital file problems in any digital-oriented household. This includes photos, documents and videos.

After a simple setup creating your own personal cloud with no monthly fees, it stays in one centralized location on your home network.

Any Mac or PC can use it to back up content and even gives you access to check it on your own flat screen TV remotely or a tablet or smartphone from anywhere securely over the internet.

The WD 2go web access gives users access to the home cloud storage fee-free. Just log in and it mounts on your computer like a local or hard drive would.

With mobile devices including iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Windows and Android smartphones or tablets the WD 2go and WD Photos mobile apps let you view documents, stream video content or set up the photos to show off in a slideshow.

Oh, and by the way, Western Digital’s research also found that “One-in-six adults (16 percent) have lost information that was embarrassing and potentially something they wouldn’t want others seeing when their device crashed, was stolen or was lost.”

www.WDC.com 8TB $649, 6TB $479, 4TB 379

 

VModa M100V-Moda’s newly launched M-100 headphones are the Taj Mahal of headphones in sound, design and durability.

The headphones are made with 50mm dual-diaphragm drivers (patent-pending) to produce the powerful sound. After just seconds of listening to music with the headphones on, you get it.

Craftsmanship is at the highest level for the M-100‘s, constructed with a combination of steel and other metals for an eye-catching design.

They fold up into the included exoskeleton hard carrying case for portability. Each padded ear cup has the signature V-Moda shield on the outside, which can be replaced with personalized, engraved shields.

Also included: A pair of detachable Kevlar-reinforced cables, a SpeakEasy microphone cable and an all-new SharePlay cable for sharing music and media without extra adapters.
Each set of headphones is designed with durability to survive 70+ drops on concrete; the SteelFlex headband is made to be virtually indestructible; the cables are designed to bend more then 1 million times.
www.V-Moda.com $300
Aperion Audio ARIS 1Aperion Audio’s ARIS wireless Hi-Fi speaker gives you room-filling sound without a wire.

It connects via WiFi and is Windows 8 friendly for use on a PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. It shows up as speaker device on your network

For sound junkies, six internal speakers_ four powered drivers and two passive radiators _ generate the sound with 100 W RMS total power. There are three sound modes: natural, bass boost and enhanced stereo.

What this means to you is amazing sound. Aesthetically, it is designed with in a single-piece brushed aluminum enclosure, an adjustable/removable steel base measuring a rounded rectangular 6.5 x 14.75-inches.

To operate it with a Windows phone, use the Play To or the DLNA app to select the speaker and blast your music.

Android phones can choose from several apps in the Google Play market or the DLNA app from the Android Marketplace.

The company notes on its website that for Apple users, “If you mostly use iTunes in your home, ARIS for Airplay is coming in 2013, which will work natively with your iPhone, iPad, and Mac or PC for music playback.”

www.aperionaudio.com $499

 

SunVoltAs for powering up a dying portable USB device, it can be a challenge, especially for students.

Gomadic’s SunVolt and SunVolt Max portable solar devices have charging speeds identical to a traditional wall charger and folds into briefcase design when not in use.

The SunVolt and SunVolt Max are engineered with monocrystalline photovoltaic technology, allowing it to capture power from the sun and convert it to usable energy.

Any power-hungry device at 5.5V or less (pretty much any smartphone, MP3 player or portable consumer electronic device) can be energized.

When not in use, it folds into a water-resistant carrying case with a built-in arm-strap, a zipper pouch and inside pockets to store other devices.

Devices needing up to 10 Watts of power can be recharged with the SunVolt. The SunVolt MAX has a larger panel for 50 percent more charging power.

A single USB tip, compatible with most popular devices, is included; other sized tips can be purchased.

Both the SunVolt and SunVoltMAX ship with standard USB charging ports, which will work with any USB charging cable (not included).

www.gomadic.com for $99.95 and $129.95 respectively.

Contact Gregg Ellman at greggellman@mac.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @greggellman.
2012, Gregg Ellman.

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This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – Jan. 2, 2013

By Gregg Ellman @greggellman When I attached the Tempo Acoustic Amplifier to my wife’s iPhone4, I got the roll of the eyes. The battery-free accessory attaches to the bottom of the phone to amplify sound coming from the device’s internal speaker. After she heard it in use, her skepticism quickly changed to “that’s pretty amazing […]

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This Weeks Latest Tech Gadgets – Dec. 24, 2012

By Gregg Ellman @greggellman Back in August I felt like the General Imaging ipico hand-held projector for the Apple  iPhone or iPod touch was a strong candidate for my gadget of the year and after the judging last week, the results are in: It is indeed my 2012 gadget of the year. The setup is simple; […]

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This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – Dec. 17, 2012

By Gregg Ellman @greggellman It’s become a yearly ritual of mine, a year-end office cleaning of great tech products I wanted to, but never really got to reviewing this year; it’s still this year so here are few more great products you should know about. The Jabra Supreme UC is one of a long line […]

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This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – Dec. 11, 2012

By Gregg Ellman @greggellman In the portable electronic world, stocking stuffers are easy to find. Here are some for those last-minute holiday gifts on everyone’s list. Aside from telling time, the eco-friendly Bedol Water Clock is a portable alarm that is also waterproof in the event you feel like standing in a rain storm or […]

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This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – Dec. 3, 2012

By Gregg Ellman @greggellman The best part about the Colby CSMP95 Soundbar speaker system should be the great room-filling sound it puts out. But after connecting and hearing it, you’ll be equally impressed with the easy the setup and the great low price. The amplified soundbar comes with a wireless subwoofer to extend the sound […]

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This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – Nov. 26, 2012

By Gregg Ellman @greggellman It doesn’t take a genius to know that tablets will again be one of the top purchases this holiday season. Choosing the right one might take a little work if you’re not just going with a popularity contest. The Kindle Fire HD is packed with every feature you would want in […]

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This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – Nov. 19, 2012

By Gregg Ellman @greggellman Airbac backpacks are designed with air cushion technology for  a comfortable fit and after loading it up and putting it on your back, you canfeel the comfort. A pinhole connection is built (and hidden) into lower side of the backpack, which faces you when in use, to adjust the amount of […]

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This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – Sept. 12, 2012

By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman

Tech gifts this year will be big hits with audio, tablet and smartphone accessories leading the way.

Bluetooth also seems to be a common theme and here are some tech head choices.

The three-foot-tall iHome iP76 tower stereo speaker system isn’t stocking-stuffer friendly and will cost you a bundle in wrapping paper but bigger is better when you hear the room-filling sound.

Your device can connect via Bluetooth, use a top-loading Apple friendly dock with the included wireless remote or just plug it into the aux-in jack for using any portable media player.

On iHome’s website these are described to “deliver astounding clarity, depth and power” and after hearing them you see that this is accurate.

Additionally, the sides of the tower have LEDs, which change colors in a choice of modes in indigo, blue, green, white, orange, red, violet and yellow.

www.ihomeaudio.com $199

 

If you want to stuff your audio gift in a stocking, try the CUBEDGE EDGE portable wireless speaker.

It’s shaped like a brick and connects via Bluetooth 3.0 for a wireless connection for use with a 3.5mm headphone connection

In addition to the great portable sound, you get 10 hours of battery life after a USB charge; it also works to answer calls, Skype or other voice options with a built-in microphone.

http://cubedge.com available in black or white for $149

 

Kensington’s slim profile and pocket-sized Portafolio Due wallet for iPhone 5 works like any other case to protect all sides of the iPhone and even covers up the screen when its tucked away not in use.

What gives it an edge vs the other millions of iPhone cases available it it doubles as a wallet with slots on the inside for a drivers license, credit cards or even cash.

But it doesn’t end there: it has a built-in stand to keep your device hands-free for calls, video conferencing or just to look cool in both vertical and landscape positions.

www.Kensington.com $39.99, in choices of brown marble, red snake, and black

 

The 200-watt PowerLine PowerCup looks like a coffee cup but don’t fill it with liquid.

It sits in your vehicle’s cup holder and  an18-inch cord comes out to plug into a vehicle’s 12V power port.

On top of the cup is a pair of AC outlets and a USB port for powering and charging just about any electronic gadget for a road trip or camping.

www.powerline.com $26

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This Week’s Latest Tech Gadgets – Nov. 6, 2012

By Gregg Ellman @greggellman The only accessory I plugged into my Mac Mini’s Thunderbolt port was an extra monitor until I tried Western Digital’s (WD) new Thunderbolt external hard drive. With speeds up to 400 megabyte per second possible, the WD My Book VelociRaptor Duo is priced high per gigabyte but when you experience the […]

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