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ContourRoam Bullet Cam for Action Sports

Posted by Andrew at 1:07 AM on February 6, 2012

ContourRoam video cameraSnowboarders, skiers, mountainbikers, sky divers, hunters – if you want to show off your latest adventures to your friends and enemies, then Contour’s new bullet cam is the way to do it. Andy gets the deets from Marie at Contour.

The Contour+ was launched back in spring 2011 and quickly gained a following among the extreme sports crowd for the great video quality but at $499, it’s a little pricey, even if it does come with GPS, Bluetooth and an excellent lens.

The new ContourRoam arrived in the autumn and is a more affordable $199. It doesn’t have all the features of its more expensive sibling but it does have the 170 degree wide angle lens and it’s very easy to use with a simple on-off slider switch suitable for gloves or cold hands. Battery life is around 3 hours.

In the video, Marie claims that the camera doesn’t support microSD cards, but all the literature on Contour’s website suggests otherwise. There’s some great video footage on the site, too.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDR News and RV News Net.

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Nexia Home Intelligence

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 1:04 AM on February 6, 2012

Some of you may be familiar with Schlage Link, but they are now rebranded as Nexia Home Intelligence to give users more of an idea what they are all about.  They are working to bring total control of a user’s home right to the fingertips.  From security, to heating and air conditioning to home automation, you can control it all from the web or from an app on your phone.  Currently there are apps for iOS and Android, but Windows Phone is on the way.

Nexia Home Intelligence is using Z-Wave technology and their products are compatible with many others on the market.  In the video below you will get a look at the control interface in action.  You will find a lot of features in this demo, like the ability to lock and unlock doors remotely, text messages when someone enters your home, control lights, record video, and open and close shades.  You can check out the video below and also visit Nexia Home.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live.

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4iConcepts Invisible Keypad for iPhone

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 1:02 AM on February 6, 2012

Everyone loves today’s touchscreen keyboards, right?  Okay, most people love them, but for some users they are a real struggle because of large fingers or vision problems.  That’s where the new Invisible Keypad from 4iConcepts comes in.  The Invisible Keypad is a clear overlay of the iPhone screen that works with a custom phone case to provide a path for your fingers to find the correct keys.  It’s a simple concept, but an incredibly useful one for those who need it.  It’s also one of those things that is hard to explain, but easy to grasp visually, so check out the video below to get a real idea of how this works.

In addition to the keyboard the case also features an “extendable” back to make it easier to grasp and better for things like gaming and photography.  The case and Invisible Keypad will be available in May for $29.95.  You can find out more by visiting 4iConcepts.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDR News.

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iOnRoad Warns Drivers of Danger

Posted by Andrew at 1:00 AM on February 6, 2012

As well as being a really bad pun, iOnRoad is an augmented reality app that helps car drivers become safer drivers. Courtney gets into the fast lane to find out more about this app which was awarded a CES Innovation Honoree prize.

Available for Android smartphones now and the iPhone soon, the app uses the smartphone’s camera, GPS and accelerometer to provide warnings and guidance to car drivers as they drive. By looking at the white lines, the car in front and correlating data from the GPS and accelerometer, the app can warn about lane departures, tailgating and speeding. The iOnRoad includes a couple of other features, including reading text messages and a car locator.

Obviously the phone has to be mounted on the dash with a view to the front of the car, but you can test the app using the video here. The app is currently free with a charge of $9.99 to be introduced in the future.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDR News.

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Magellan Roadmate RV

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 11:14 PM on February 4, 2012

magellan logoMagellan recently showed of the Roadmate RV, a specialty GPS unit made for recreational vehicles.  This isn’t the typical GPS device you would place in your car, but a very specialized unit made specifically for the RV.  For instance, automodile drivers don’t generally have to worry if their car will fit on a particular road.

At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Andy Smith of TPN got a look at the new Roadmate RV.  This GPS unit will let the driver know about specific road conditions based on the size of their vehicle, such as if the road is too narrow or if there are low bridges.  It can also direct the user to RV friendly campgrounds.

The Roadmate RV has a large 7 inch screen.  Users can also uncheck their vehicle profile and switch the unit to their car for standard navigation.  You can find more about the fautures and pricing by watching the video below and also by visiting the Magellan web site.

Interview by Andy Smith of Geocaching World.

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Canon Shows Off New Camcorders

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 11:08 PM on February 4, 2012

Canon was recently at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to show off a new line of camcorders.  There are six new cameras in the Vixia line and the cool new feature is built-in WiFi.  With the WiFi users can now not only transfer their video to computers and other devices, but even upload and post it to places like Facebook and YouTube.  With this new ability comes a new app called “Movie Uploader” that will allow users to seemlessly handle all of their high-def video.

The new line of Canon cameras also allows users the choice of recording in AVCHD or MP4 format.  The cameras also have enhanced low-light performance, plus a new user interface, better stabilization, and higher zoom.  The entry level R series starts out at $349, so these cameras are affordable for average users, but go up to a level that is acceptable to professionals as well.

The video below packs a lot of information in about these new Canon cameras, so you will definitely want to check it out.  You can also visit the Canon web site to learn even more.

Interview by Nick DiMeo of F5 Live.

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Fulton Innovation Brings Wireless Charging Everywhere

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 11:05 PM on February 4, 2012

Fulton Innovation was a founding member of the Wireless Power Consortium and were recently at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to show off their latest, no pun intended, innovations.  They are working to unify a standard for wireless charging of all of your devices from phones to tablets and more.  The standard is called Qi (pronounced “Chi”) and it will bring together all of the makers of your favorite mobile devices and allow them all to charge wirelessly in a standards-based way.  Users will be able to charge a smartphone simply by sitting it on a table, or in many other ways.

Fulton Innovation is looking at a lot more than just phones and tablets though.  They are looking at entering your kitchen with such things as wireless blenders that will charge right on your countertop, induction ranges, even charging your electric car by simply parking it in a particular space.

All of this futuristic sounding technology has been developed and was on display at CES.  Now Fulton Innovation is working with third-party manufacturers to get their technology built and out into the marketplace.  You can visit them online to find out more and you will definitely want to watch the video below.

Interview by Nick DiMeo of F5 Live.

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The Logitech Cube Presenter / Mouse

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 11:01 PM on February 4, 2012

logitech logoLogitech picked up an Innovation award at the recent Consumer Electronics Show for their new Cube, which is a combination mouse and presenter.  It acts as a wireless mouse while being used on any surface, but when picked up it becomes a presenter, or remote control, for your presentation.  The Cube charges via USB and has an on/off switch to save battery life.

Logitech was light on specs in their interview with TPN, but it’s a mouse so there probably isn’t really a lot to say.  For the most information ou can get about product such as this, you simply need to see the video of the Cube in action, which is posted below.  The new Cube will be priced at $69.99 and is available now.  You can visit Logitech to learn more.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDR News.

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The New Line of Turtlebeach Headphones

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 10:58 PM on February 4, 2012

Turtlebeach, famous for their audio products, has a new line of headphones designed for use with tablets and smartphones, and geared specifically towards mobile gaming. They had the whole lineup on display recently at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and Scott Ertz of F5 Live and The Tech Podcast Network got a tour.

The M3, for instance, is super portable because it is so flexible and foldable.  It will retail for $39.95.  The M5 is slightly larger, but has the same sleek design and will cost the user $49.95.  There is also a pair of full-size gaming headphones, the X32 and X42,both of which are compatible with the Xbox 360 and are now dual-band, unlike their predecessors.  Both will operate in the 2.4 and 5 GHz range.  There is also a new X300 and X400 line.  You can check them all out in the video below and also visit Turtlebeach for more information.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live.

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Zimri Speakers Brings Incredible Wireless Sound

Posted by Alan Buckingham at 10:55 PM on February 4, 2012

zimri speakers logoZimri Speakers was recently at the Consumer Electronics Show to display their latest line of speakers.  They have a full range beginning with tiny bluetooth speakers that can be used with a laptop or even tablets and smartphones.  What sets their speakers apart is both battery life and the lack of distortion, even at the highest levels.

Moving up the line from the smallest speaker already mentioned, Zimri’s next entry is nearly identical, but has a slightly bigger body for better base and also an SD Card slot, allowing it to be a stand-alone music player.  Zimri also offers battery packs that can not only recharge your speaker, but also your mobile device.

You really have to watch the video below to get the full concept of Zimri Speakers.  The demo of the bluetooth range, especially in a crowded and noisy CES show filled with other  bluetooth devices, is absolutely amazing.  For more information you can visit Zimri Speakers.

Interview by Nick DiMeo of F5 Live.

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