Category : Tech News

By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman

Since I’m a two-time back surgery patient, I couldn’t refuse to try the Homedics Rapid Relief electronic pain relief pad.

I used it on my lower back, but different models can be used where ever it hurts; back, arms, legs, etc.

It uses over-the-counter wireless transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (impulses) to help block nerves from transmitting pain signals to the body’s pain center.

I applied it to my lower back on mid-strength and at least in my mind it helped. It measure 4.5 x 3 – inches and takes a lithium battery, which is less then a quarter-inch think.

It has 15 intensity levels and I had it toward the upper half of the middle settings.

The GEL pad is reusable and refills are available at $9.99 for two sets. Each GEL and battery is good for about 50 20-minute treatments.

A storage case is included.

My personal doctor has recommended this type of pain relief so it’s fine in my case. Everyone can’t be the same so follow the instructions for proper use and consult your doctor if necessary.

www.homedics.com $29.99

The Twelve South HiRise for iPhone5/iPad mini is a sturdy aluminum stand with a Lightning Cable dock connector for the newer Apple devices supporting that connection.

Twelve South is a company that not only makes great and useful products, but seems to have the system down to match the Apple culture for the modern look on accessories that are well constructed.

The HiRise doesn’t come assembled but only takes a few minutes to get it standing.

After you dock your iOS device, it rises several inches for easy viewing and will charge and/or sync, depending on your preference.

Since the charging port is on the bottom of your device, it only works in portrait mode when docked on the HiRise. The dock doesn’t block the microphone or speaker, allowing hands-free use.

The stand was able to hold an iPhone 5 (i’m sure the 5s as well) and an iPad mini without a problem.

Along with the stand, they include a dock adapter to support your device with carrying case. No one can guarantee every case will work, but the few I tried were problem free.

www.TwelveSouth.com $34.99

Keystone has launched a watertight SealCase for the Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5/5s.

All functions are available in the single piece case including talking, texting, photos, videos, all your apps and charging.

To get your phone sealed, just unlock the latch, put your phone in and close it shut. The latches and seals keep everything intact.

Just like any waterproof device, I always recommend testing it out in a sink before taking it to heavier use.

It’s waterproof up to 6.6-feet but makes great protection on land from dirt, dust and sand.

concordkeystone.com $69.99 for the case, which includes a lanyard. A belt clip is available for $20

Contact Gregg Ellman at greggellman@mac.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @greggellman.
2013, Gregg Ellman.

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman Seems like this is a week for Bluetooth technology and for those who are still in love with an older stereo or TV, the Belkin HD Bluetooth music receiver is a perfect accessory. The HD receiver brings together your old system with any device having Bluetooth technology, including iOS and Android-based […]

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman There is what seems like an endless number of cloud storage solutions for storing and sharing digital files but it’s often confusing, so most just keep their digital data on home storage devices. Simply put, cloud storage has nothing to do with the weather. Instead, it involves moving digital files to […]

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman I’ve said it before and it’s worth repeating: If you have a product from Quirky, no matter how simple it is, it’s going to be a cool, useful and innovative. Take the Upwrite Stylus and Kickstand ($27.99) for example. It combines what the name implies; a rubber stylus on one end […]

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By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman

Any smartphone or tablet user knows they’re often juggling content due to the device’s storage limitations.

SanDisk’s amazing new line of wireless flash storage solutions takes storage to a whole new level.

Storing data is as simple as ever and users can share or stream digital content to up to eight hand-held devices simultaneously without using any storage on your smartphones or tablets.

While it might sound complicated, using it really couldn’t be any easier.

I’m not one to read instructions on the first go round and you really don’t on this either.

The box describes three easy steps for those who like directions; charge it up (via USB), download and launch the free SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive app and connect to it from your wireless device.

Obviously there are other little steps to do like turning it on with the front-facing button and loading your content, etc.

Testing the iOS version (also available for Kindle Fire, Android, PC and Mac computers) it showed up as a choice in my WiFi settings, which I selected.

From there I went to the app and could view the photos, documents, music or videos I stored on the drive. It’s that easy.

Storage isn’t limited to the size of the drive you purchase since it’s built with a microSD slot on the side for unlimited media expansion (microSD card not included).

It’s built like an average-sized flash drive so you can easily store it in your pocket and use the content on the go. Up to eight devices can connect simultaneously; three of them can stream video from it at the same time.
The SanDisk Connect Wireless Flash Drive is available in 16GB ($49.99) and 32GB ($59.99) capacities.

Another choice is the SanDisk Connect Wireless Media Drive (2.5 x 2.5 x .5-inches), which is about the size of a single pad of Post-it notes and has the storage capacity of up to 64GB of flash memory.

It’s also built with an expandable memory slot for SD memory cards.

With this amount of storage, high-def movies can be stored and streamed by up to five different users.

You must download a free app to get this going and then, again, using it is pretty simple.

It’s also built with an expandable memory slot for memory cards (SDHC/SDXC), which can allow photographers to view images on the go.

An internal battery is charged via USB and will run for up to eight hours before a charge is needed.

The Media Drive is available in 32GB ($79.99) or 64GB ($99.99) capacities and works with iOS, Android, Kindle, PC and Mac systems.

When you connect either device to you computer, it appears as an external hard drive and can work as just that. But the wireless functions allow these to work as much more.

www.SanDisk.com

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By Gregg Ellman
@greggellman

Using a smartphone or tablet to store and play music and video is common these days but the speaker built into these devices just isn’t good.

Bluetooth speakers are the best choice for wireless listening and generally have a range of about 30 feet from the media source.

Some have built-in rechargeable batteries while others need an AC outlet for power. The setup for each is generally pretty simple: just pair it with your device and you should be ready to go.

When shopping for the speakers, obviously consider price and sound but be aware of size, too. They range from pocket-sized speakers up to some that take up the same amount of space as a small piece of furniture.

Here’s a bunch of choices in a variety of sizes, sounds, colors and prices from $14.99 up to $599.

RadioShack’s Auvio Bluetooth speaker line comes in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors.

The Auvio 1.5-Watt 3-inch cubed speaker ($39.99) is good for about six hours of playback and can also be used as a handsfree devices for answering cell phone calls with its built in mic.

It pumps out great sounding music but doesn’t take up much space, making it very portable.

The speaker is available in blue, black, white and TCU purple.

The Auvio HBT6000 Bluetooth speaker ($149) has a 60W output from six internal 10W speakers to make it the life of a party.

RadioShack calls it Sonic Emotion Absolute 3D technology, which produces the powerful sound.

A remote control is included to give you wireless access for controlling music choices, pause/play along with volume. You can also control everything with similar buttons on the top of the speaker.

It measures 4.7 x 14 x 5.2-inches and comes with an AC power adapter for the needed power and has a black mate finish.

www.RadioShack.com

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman As important as your cup holders are in your car, gadget-crazy families will find it easy to give one up for the Energizer 180W Cup Inverter to charge up to five portable devices at once. After you plug it into your 12V outlet, it transfers the power to the cup, which […]

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman SanDisk Corp. has announced what it calls the fastest microSDXC card to hit the market with SanDisk Extreme microsSDXC, which has read speeds up to 80MB/sec and write speeds up to 50MB/sec. Combine this type of card with the advanced digital SLR cameras today and photographers will get continuous burst modes […]

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman  The new myCharge Freedom Power Case for iPhone 5 has a 2000 mAh battery inside the case, which can give your more than double the power of your existing phone battery. Depending on how you use your device, it can give you upwards of 44 extra hours of audio, 11 hours […]

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By Gregg Ellman @greggellman If you’re serious about your health, the Withings Smart Body Analyzer is so smart, it can tell the world its findings almost instantly. It looks like a standard bathroom scale, which you could tuck away in the corner of any room but does a whole lot more. Along with the basics […]

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