Geek News: Latest Technology, Product Reviews, Gadgets and Tech Podcast News for Geeks

PhotoFast offers an easy solution for getting mobile pictures

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 9:55 AM on January 29, 2013

These days everyone has a camera in their pocket at all times. Heck, it is not even just smartphones these days — as annoying as it sometimes seems, there are even people in front of you at events who are holding up iPads and snapping images. PhotoFast has a solution to the problem of saving those precious pictures, but it is only for iOS devices at this point.

In fact, PhotoFast has the only officially licensed Apple iOS flash drive on the market at this time. You can then plug the device right into your PC or Mac to grab the images or videos. It goes both ways too — you can also move images and videos from a computer to the iPad or iPhone. In addition, there is a dedicated app, AirPlay support, security and contact backup.

Sizes start at 8GB and range up from there, meaning prices also head up, with a starting point of $99 for the 8 GB model. It will be available through Amazon and a number of other retailers “shortly”.

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

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iHealth Blood Pressure Monitor at CES

Posted by Andrew at 6:15 PM on January 28, 2013

iHealth LogoJamie chats to Adam about the iHealth blood pressure monitor, an FDA-approved device that uses Bluetooth to transfer health data to a smartphone or tablet.

The new version  of the iHealth blood pressure monitor builds takes the original docking device and adds wireless data transfer using Bluetooth. The first version integrated with iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads but the Bluetooth feature expands the potential of the monitor to other smartphones and tablets. A cloud service complements the free app providing tracking and monitoring features and integration with other healthcare systems.

Aimed squarely at the home health market, there are two different models priced at $79 and $99, which is very affordable. Check out iHealth’s online store.

Interview by Jamie Davies of Health Tech Weekly.

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Posted in Apple, Bluetooth, ces, iOS, IPAD, iPhone, smartphone, Special Media, tablet

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Griffin MicConnect for iOS at CES 2013

Posted by Andrew at 5:51 AM on January 26, 2013

Griffin MicConnectJeffrey Powers goes all Pop Idol when he chats to Jackie from Griffin Technology about the newly announced MicConnect, which connects iOS devices to XLR mics with phantom power.

The Griffin MicConnect is a small brick adaptor with an XLR socket (input) on one side for the microphone and a 3.5 mm jack on the other to connect into an iPhone, iPod or iPad. A 3.5 mm socket provides for headphone monitoring of the sound source and for condenser mics, the unit takes two AA batteries to provide phantom power (48V).

(As an aside, I’m not 100% clear if this is iOS only – the 3.5 mm jack looks pretty standard and there’s no reference to special apps being required so if Android is your OS of choice, it might be worth contacting Griffin directly.)

Included in the interview is Griffin’s updated Mic Stand Mount, which is now compatible with all iPad models (not Mini), and unsurprisingly holds an iPad on a mic stand. Jeffrey reckons the MicConnect and the Mount are a great combo for the mobile podcaster. Pricing-wise, both the MicConnect and the Mount are $39.99 but the MicConnect won’t be available until June.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine for the TechPodcast Network.

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Posted in Apple, audio, hifi, iOS, IPAD, iPhone, ipod, podcasting, smartphone, Special Media, tablet

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Pure Jongo at CES Unveiled

Posted by Andrew at 5:34 PM on January 21, 2013

Pure LogoAt this year’s CES, Pure launched Jongo, the world’s most affordable (and colourful) multi-room music system. Vicky tells Todd all about it.

The Jongo range will shortly include a couple of wireless speakers and a hi-fi adaptor, all with both Bluetooth and wi-fi built-in. Music can be streamed using the Pure Connect app via wi-fi to any speaker in range or else smartphones and tablets can stream music directly to the speakers using Bluetooth. Both Apple iOs and Android devices are supported and it uses the existing wi-fi infrastructure: there’s no need for special transmitters.

The S340B speaker will be available soon and can be pre-ordered on Amazon. Price is listed as $229.
The stereo speaker (T640B) and the hi-fi adaptor (A140B) will be on-sale in the summer with MSRPs of $329 and $119, respectively.

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

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Posted in Android, Apple, Bluetooth, ces, google, iOS, Music, smartphone, Special Media, Streaming, tablet, wifi, wireless

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Amazon Introduces AutoRip

Posted by JenThorpe at 2:07 AM on January 15, 2013

AudioRip logo Amazon has introduced a brand new service called AutoRip. This is a very different way of looking at music storage. In short, it takes the CD that you purchased from Amazon and puts it into your Amazon Cloud Player. It also will make that album available on your PC or Mac, Kindle Fire, Android phone, iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Right now, this service is only available to customers in the United States.

This is a rather unexpected move in a time when record companies are screaming about pirating and copyright. Perhaps they aren’t complaining about AutoRip because it only allows users to put CDs that they really have purchased into the Amazon Cloud Player? I’m not sure.

It is clear that gifts of CDs that your friends or family purchased for you from Amazon are not eligible for AutoRip. There is also this interesting piece of “fine print”:

Some record companies require us (Amazon) to insert identifiers in the metadata that accompanies music when you download it from the Amazon MP3 Store or Cloud Player. This includes the music you have purchased from Amazon.com and matched music imported to Cloud Player from your device.

These identifies may include a random number Amazon assigns to your order or copy, purchase date and time, an indicator that the music was downloaded from Amazon, codes that identify the album or song (the UPC and ISRC), Amazon’s digital signature, an identifier that can be used to determine whether the audio has been modified, and an indicator whether the music was purchased from the MP3 store or imported to the Cloud Player.

Look for the AutoRip icon in search results and CD detail pages to find out if it is one you can use with this new service. The MP3 versions of your past AutoRip eligible CD purchases are already available in the Cloud Player, where they are being stored for free. CDs that you purchased through Amazon, from as far back as 1998, are eligible for AutoRip.

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Posted in amazon, Android, cloud, iOS, IPAD, iPhone, ipod, MP3, Music, PC

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Control your home theater with Zmart Remote for iOS, Android

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 8:44 AM on January 11, 2013

There have been several hardware solutions over the past couple of years that turn your smartphone into a universal remote. I have previously looked at RedEye, which seems to no longer be available, but a new solution was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week — the Zmart Remote from Viatek.

This one involves a small device that you will need to plug into the micro-USB port on your phone. It works with both iPhone and Android. The company claims that “The setup takes less than a minute. Whether you are trying to choose which tv show to watch, need to pause the movie to pop some popcorn or even skip to your favorite song on a CD, now you can do all of this with just your smart phone.”

Setup of the RedEye was clunky and almost felt as if it required a computer science degree. Hopefully the newer technology will improve this process. The company claims it is capable of controlling 200,000 devices and 95 percent of those on the market. The ones it can’t control it can learn.

The package, including the app, will retail for $19.99 and can be purchased now.

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Posted in Android, Home Theater, iOS

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PowerSkin Unveils Next Generation of Battery Cases at CES 2013

Posted by JenThorpe at 4:11 PM on January 10, 2013

PowerSkinXPAL Power, Inc., is the maker of the PowerSkin line of cases for smartphones. They are shock-absorbing, battery-boosting, and compatible with both Android and Apple iOS devices. As you can see from the photo, the new line comes in some very eye catching colors!

PowerSkin is showcasing its new line-up at CES 2013. The Pro Series are a line of iPhone 5 battery cases. They feature a double-injection, TPU bezel with a soft touch, hard plastic shell. They come in 5 colors: white, black, titanium, red, and pink. Each has 2000 mAh of power and an LED indicator light on the front that you can glance at to do a visual battery check. The PowerSkin Pro line is the PowerSkins slimmest case yet.

They are also showcasing the PowerSkin Hybrid Battery Charger. It has small, flexible, suction cups that adhere externally to the back of your smartphone. It connects via a soft, flex tip to a micro-USB, Apple 30-pin, or Apple Lightning connector. This allows users to recharge their device without having to remove the current case. The PowerSkin Battery Charger has 2000 mAH of power capacity and can extend power between 50% and 70% (depending on the mAH of the device being charged). These also come in black, white, titanium, red, and pink.

The PowerSkin Battery Case for iPhone 5 has a new ultra-thin angular shape. The iPhone 5 Designer Series PowerSkin will extend talk time for up to 6 hours and Wi-Fi usage for up to 8 hours with its 1500 mAh power capacity. It has an on/off button to activate a charge of turn the PowerSkin off. There is a LED battery level indicator, making it easy for you to tell how much juice you have.

PowerSkin is unveiling the Ultra Thin design for the Samsung Galaxy S III case at CES 2013, (including 2 limited-edition colors).

PowerSkin is at CES 2013. You can find them at the Venetian Las Vegas Casino Hotel & Resort in Suite # 28-111.

Image by PowerSkin

This article written @ GeekNewsCentral.com and if seen anyplace else has been illegally re-posted.

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Posted in Android, battery, ces, iOS, iPhone

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Glympse Safely Lets You Share Your Location While Driving

Posted by JenThorpe at 2:38 PM on January 9, 2013

We have all had this happen at one time or another. You are in your car, driving towards you destination, and are running late. Wouldn’t it be great if you could easily let your co-workers know where you are at, without having to pick up your phone?

Glympse allows you to do exactly that. They have created the first location-sharing app for Ford Motor Company’s SYNC in-car connectivity system. It uses the AppLink interface. Drivers use simple voice commands to activate the app and send a Glympse to their worried co-workers or family members. Ford announced this at CES 2013.

It is very easy to use. Press the SYNC voice button on your steering wheel. Say “Send Glympse”. The app will talk you through the rest. You will need the Glympse app installed on an iOS or Android-based smartphone. Your car will automatically recognizes the app when your phone is Bluetooth-paired or USB-connected. You can send a Glympse to your friend’s email, mobile number, Facebook, or Twitter.

When your friend, or co-worker, gets a Glympse from you, it will show him exactly where you are at. He can monitor your vehicle’s process, and estimated time of arrival, via a real-time dynamic map. After the user-defined time limit expires, the location is no longer updated.

This article written @ GeekNewsCentral.com and if seen anyplace else has been illegally re-posted.

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Posted in Android, application, ces, iOS

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4iiii Innovations Announces Viiiiva at CES 2013

Posted by JenThorpe at 2:33 AM on January 9, 2013

Viiiiva4iiii Innovations has created the first heart rate monitor to enable an athlete’s ANT+ devices to “talk” to their iOS devices without the need for awkward adapters. This incredibly handy device is called Viiiiva. It can easily communicate with your iPhone or iPod touch in real time.

Viiiiva is a lightweight, comfortable chest strap heart rate monitor. The Liiiink Connectivity Module inside it is what turns your iPhone into a cycling computer or running monitor. Go get some exercise while wearing Viiiiva, and it will seamlessly deliver all the data about it to the free 4iiii app or any of the popular fitness apps. It uses an ANT+ to Bluetooth Smart bridge to do it.

This allows athletes to monitor their heart rate activity on an iPhone as well as a sport watch. You can adjust settings, review activity summaries, and receive performance feedback from your iPhone or iPod at anytime, anywhere.

Here are some quick features of Viiiiva HRM:

* Works with Garmin, TIMEX, adidas, and other popular displays
* Accurate heart rate measurement on your Bluetooth Smart iPhone without awkward adapters
* Liiiink can send heart rate, cadence, power, and speed, data to most popular iOS fitness apps, including Endomondo, MapMyFitness, Runtastic, Runmeter, Strava, Training Peaks, and Runkeeper. (when applicable ANT+ compatible sensors are connected)
* Viiiiva stores your data in .FIT files
* No need to recharge – Viiiiva runs on a coin-cell battery for over a year.

4iiii Innovations is at CES 2013, where they will be displaying Viiiiva HRM. Find them in the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, at the ANT+ booth #26700.

Image by 4iiii Innovations

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Posted in ces, Gadgets, health, iOS, iPhone, ipod

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D-Link Cloud Cameras and Routers at CES

Posted by Andrew at 2:00 AM on January 7, 2013

D-Link LogoD-Link announced at CES today a range of IP cameras and routers with cloud connectivity for remote monitoring and viewing.

The two new cameras are the Cloud Camera 1050 (DCS-931L) and Cloud Camera 1150 (DCS-933L) which come with remote monitoring as standard via mydlink and mobile devices, but also offer new capabilities such as audio detection with image alerts based on sound, not just motion, and an integrated wireless repeater mode for expanded coverage that eliminates wi-fi dead zones and lets consumers easily add more Cloud Cameras without worrying about existing wireless coverage. That’s a pretty clever idea, building a repeater into the camera. Of course, these are 802.11ac devices and the 1150 also offers infra-red illumination for night operation.

 

DCS-931L CameraDCS-933L Camera
To go with the IP cameras, D-Link’s new 11ac routers are the wireless AC1750 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router and Wireless AC1200 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router (aka DIR-860L and DIR-868L) which deliver speeds of up to 1750 Mb/s and 1200 Mb/s respectively by combining both 11ac and 11n technologies. In addition, both Cloud Routers offer easy remote network management with the free mydlink Lite app from an iPhone, iPad or Android device, which is interesting and could be useful in a number of environments.

“Catering directly to today’s increasingly mobile lifestyles, D-Link’s new Cloud Cameras and Cloud Routers offer the latest features and performance available for home network and monitoring needs,” said Daniel Kelley, Associate Vice President of Marketing, D-Link. ”Keeping an eye on loved ones and valued possessions is easier than ever with greater Wi-Fi coverage and higher quality viewing and recording day and night. And, the new 11ac Cloud Routers give today’s connected homes with multiple user and high-bandwidth activities the ultimate in network performance and remote management capabilities.”

The cameras and routers will be available in the next few months – The Cloud Cameras 1050 and 1150 will be available in February for $79.99 and $99.99 respectively. The dual-band gigabit Cloud Routers DIR-860L and DIR-868L will be later in April for $149.99 and $169.99.

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Posted in Android, Apple, google, iOS, IPAD, iPhone, smartphone, tablet, wifi, wireless

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