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Sphero Meets Sharky the Beaver

Posted by Andrew at 6:38 PM on February 21, 2013

Sphero LogoGNC first saw Sphero at CES last year and it’s a really cool toy: a rugged waterproof ball controlled from a smartphone or tablet. So what has Sphero been up to in the past year…Todd and Don find out from Ian Bernstein, CTO Founder.

While the  hardware is unchanged from last year, Sphero has grown the number and type of companion apps from around 5 apps to over 20 with several produced by third parties. New on the scene is a mixed reality app which uses the tablet or smartphone’s camera to track Sphero and overlay Sharky the Beaver on the device’s screen. It’s particularly fun as the real-world interaction with Sphero creates a relationship with the cartoon character which makes it that bit more believable.

Sphero works with both iOS and Android devices, and retails for around $130. Lots of fun and there’s an SDK if you feel like rolling your own (sorry!)

Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor and Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Posted in Android, Apple, ces, Gaming, google, iOS, IPAD, iPhone, smartphone, Special Media, tablet, Toys

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Fitbug

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 7:31 PM on February 20, 2013

Fitbug Orb Fitbug is a wearable fitness device that is tied to an online community and service. The device measures the number of steps you take and how well you sleep. You can connect it to an app on the iPhone or iPad or the website. Which will help you keep track of your information. When you get the Fitbug and you set up an account it will ask you what your goals are. After a week of using the Fitbug doing what you would normally, based on your goals the Fitbug service will set up an exercise and nutrition plan  for you to follow. At the end of each week you are provided with a report on how well you did and it will set up goals for the next week. The service is free for the first year after that it is $3.99 a month

Fitbug introduced the Fitbug Orb at CES 2013 This is a small device slightly bigger then a quarter which tracks and shows  the number of steps you have taken. It can be worn on a watch band, a belt or a key fob. They also have a small pouch you can put it in and attach it to your undergarments. Fitbug also sells a bluetooth scale, the Fitbug Wow and the Fitbug Love a blood pressure cuff. More information  about the devices and service is available at the Fitbug website.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine. and by Scott Ertz of F5 Live.

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Posted in Gadgets, Gear, health, Information, Special Media

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PhaseHD Runs HDMI for 100ft

Posted by geeknews at 6:47 PM on February 20, 2013

PhaseHD Logo

HDMI is great interconnect technology but it’s really only designed for relatively short cable runs. What do you do if you want to send a 4K UltraHD picture 100ft? PhaseHD have the answer.

Canadian outfit phaseHD uses standard, albeit long, HDMI cables with smart adaptors on each end of the cable to transmit a clean signal at one end and boost the received signal at the other, while preserving the control signals needed for encrypted content. Obviously it’s more complicated than that and it’s definitely worth watching the video to understand how this technology differs from the video extenders that use cat 6 network cabling for long runs.

It’s not cheap either, with the expected price around $500-$600. Expect to see early adoption by event management companies and sports bars.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Don Baine, the Gadget Professor for the TechPodcast Network.

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Posted in ces, Special Media, TV

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Switch Lighting

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 9:21 AM on February 20, 2013

Switchlighting Switch Lighting was the winner of CES Innovation Award for Design and Engineering Award a CES 2013 for their latest LED three-way bulb,

What makes the Switch bulbs special is that they are filled with liquid silicon. This helps to keep them cooler than most LED bulbs. Because they are cooler the Switch lighting bulbs can be used in places that other LED bulbs can not like enclosed areas. Switch bulbs work like an incandescent light bulb, they are dimmable and spread the light out broadly. The newest bulb that won the award is the first three-way LED bulb.

Switch is based in California. Their bulbs range from $40.00-$60.00 and are available through speciality retail store. Their bulbs should last up to twenty-five years and are recyclable. At this time Switch Lighting mainly sells to businesses and government organizations.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine and by Scott Ertz of F5 Live.

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Device Renewal Forum Certifies Phone Reuse

Posted by Andrew at 7:10 PM on February 19, 2013

Device Renewal Forum

With over 2 billion wireless devices (mobile phones) produced every year, the recycling and reuse of these gadgets is an important environmental issue. Todd chats to Perry LaForge of the Device Renewal Forum about how many major companies are now approaching the issue.

The DRF’s mission is ”to expand the growth of the device renewal market through the development of a common and branded certification process for renewed wireless devices”, which means that for consumers, a DRF-certified device will have been properly processed, removing any traces of the previous owners data, and confirms that the phone meets the technical requirements for use on a mobile network. Several major companies, such as Sprint, are joining the scheme and for the sake of the planet, let’s hope the DRF is a success.

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

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Posted in ces, Green Technology, smartphone, Special Media, tablet

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BeFrugal

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 2:37 PM on February 19, 2013

BeFrugalBeFrugal is an on-line coupon site. It offers online coupons, weekly insert ads, cash back offers and more. Their newest addition is a browser add-on for Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox called Coupon-automatic This creates a drop down when you go to a retail store site and they ask for a coupon code. Instead of having to open up a different tab; and then finding the coupon code, and then copying it, and then pasting it you simply hit the arrow next to the coupon box and the coupon code is right there. Befrugal is a free to use service and it may save you a lot of money over time.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine. and Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live.

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Pelican Pro-Gear Urban and Sports Backpacks

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 8:58 AM on February 19, 2013

PelicanPelican began in the 1970s making equipment for the scuba market. They quickly expanded into making equipment cases for police, fire, rescue and the military. Pelican has recently gone into the consumer market. Their newest product line is the Pro-Gear Urban and Sports backpacks. These backpacks each have a copolymer blend plastic compartment that will hold up to a 17 inch Macbook. There is also one on the front for a tablet. The front compartment also has plenty of room for accessories. Both compartment have an O ring seal and are well padded and crush proof. There is also normal backpack compartments for your cloths and necessities.

The Pro-Gear Urban Backpack start at $250.00 and come in green, orange and black. They are well ventilated and the straps have extra padding on them for comfort. They weight about 6–7 lb. empty. If you travel a lot and are looking for a backpack that can take the abuse then you may want to take the look at the Pro-Gear Urban Backpack line at Pelican

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network, and by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor.

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HeartMath’s Inner Balance Digital App

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 7:59 PM on February 18, 2013

Inner Balance Digital App After over 20 years of research and based on the emWave2, HeartMath has created the Inner Balance Digital App. The Inner Balance Digital app can help you reduce stress in your life. The product consist of an iOs app which is available for iPad and iPhone and the HeartMath sensor that clips to your ear. It reads your heart and breathing. It trains you through twice a day daily use to main proper breathing of 5 seconds in and 5 seconds out. You also learn to reach a calm aware Zen state where your heart beats at an even rate and its graph looks like rolling hills instead of jagged mountains when you are under stress. The app shows you both your breathing rate and your heart beat. When you are through your results are shown in easy to read graphs and charts.

The sensor and app together should sell around $99.00. Inner Balance Digital app will be available soon at the Inner Balance website. To receive a pre-release version send an email to info@heartmath.com.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network. and by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor.

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Modular Robotics: Cubelets Robotic Construction Kits

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 10:16 AM on February 18, 2013

Modular Robotics Modular Robotics have created small robotic cubes that can be hooked together using magnets. Each cube is program to do a different task including a drive block, a battery block, a block that senses distance and more. The cubelets can be used by young kids who simply snap the blocks together, but they are also programmable making them great for a student or adult that is learning to code. The newest cubelet is a bluetooth block which can be controlled remotely. There is an Android app, the Cublet Control which you can use as a control.  The bluetooth cubelet can be re-coded using C code. Modular Robotics have found that when they give the cubes to kids, they just attack them and start linking them together. Adults are more cautious in using them.

The starter kit has six blocks in it and is sold on the website for $160.00. Modular Robotics also sells individual cubes. They hope to have the product in toy stores by the holiday season. All production is done in Boulder, Co. If you a young child who is interested in how things work or a student who is starting to learn basic programming then Modular Robotics’ cubelets maybe the perfect gift for them.

Interview by Nick DiMeo of F5 Live.

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Zoomstand

Posted by KL Tech Muse at 7:57 AM on February 18, 2013

ZoomstandZoomstand is the first modular stand made for any mobile device including tablets and laptops. The legs are removable and then snap back in. They are adjustable to any height up to 42″, and almost any angle you want. You can use it either sitting, stand or even lounging in bed . It comes with an 8 inch or 5 inch base. More module may be added to it later, such as a pad underneath the base to make it more comfortable to use in bed.

The Zoomstand is still in development but they hope to have their first manufacturing run in mid summer. The product will be available first on the website, and then hopefully in retail stores.  You can go to the Zoomstand website and sign up for updates.

Interview by Allante Sparks of F5 Live.

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