Keep Your Stuff Together

Hey Dude, Here’s My Car

Parents, are you sending your kid to college with a car or a bike? Parking lots at schools can be intimidating.. Especially when the student rushes to get to class. Pull in a space, kill the engine, lock and go! And an hour later they are combing the lot saying “where did I park.” Bike racks can provide as much confusion. Prevent the inevitable with the GPS Homing Device keychain.  Simply push a button when parking. The GPS unit marks the location and points them back to it while counting down the distance. And it is back lit for night use. You can set up to 3 different starting points to remember other locations. Don’t let any collegian take their wheels to school without a sure fire way to find their parking spot, just $79.95 at Hammacher Schlemmer.

LG Optimus Vu to make global arrival

When it comes to modern day smartphones, there is this particular trend which works like an elastic. Remember more than a decade ago, you had the state of the art handsets from Nokia that seemed to get smaller and smaller? The Nokia 8250, Nokia 8810 and Nokia 8850 were all miniature wonders, sporting a pocket friendly form factor that packed quite a punch in terms of performance as well. After that, with the advent of color displays and a decade later, touchscreen displays, we get phones with a form factor that starts to increase, getting larger and larger again.

It is like a bad dream that Alice could not wake up from, where she ate the cake and drank a potion to shrink and grow as she needed to, depending on the situation which she is in at the moment. Well, I guess you can say the same applies to the world of modern day smartphones, with the overall screen size getting larger on average, crossing the lines between the tablet market as well, leading some to call such devices a “phablet”. The LG Optimus Vu which managed to debut successfully in South Korea and Japan has now been announced to debut globally in select markets in Europe, Asia, Middle East/Africa and Latin America from September onwards.

Just what kind of hardware can we look forward to with the LG Optimus Vu? Well, this is touted to come with the world’s first 5-inch 4:3 aspect ratio display at a rather impressive 768 x 1024 resolution, delivering a truly unique smart device experience in a phablet form factor. Having sold more than half a million units in South Korea since it debuted earlier this March, the LG Optimus Vu has also experienced a positive Japanese reception.

The global version of the LG Optimus Vu will run on the NVIDIA Tegra 3 mobile processor, sporting a speedy 4-PLUS-1 Quad-Core with the fifth battery-saver core, where it is touted to deliver a superb balance of performance and power requirements. The quartet of cores will see action for high performance tasks including games and multitasking, while when it comes to less taxing tasks such as voice calls, handling email, music and video playback, only the fifth core will be used. Other than that, it comes with a 8-megapixel camera at the back and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, augmented by 32GB of internal memory. Any takers for the LG Optimus Vu?

Don’t Let the Dog Days Affect Your Dog

We all use smartphones to help manage our lives and the lives of our families. But how about our four legged friends? They should get in on the action too. Well, the folks at Rethink Canada, an agency in Toronto, believe they should anyway.  Rethink came up with a prototype dog collar (“Dog Caller”) that texts your cell phone when the temperature gets too hot for Fido to handle. It contains similar parts to a cell phone and more: SIM card, LEDs, a coded chip and thermistor. When the dog’s environment hits 78.8° F/26° C you get a text. So if you get stuck in a long line at the store, the dog won’t have to suffer. Rethink partner and creative director Aaron Starkman came up with the idea after experiencing a “heated” situation with his own dog. They put the Dog Caller idea into development and hope to get them in production next year. In the meantime they partnered with the Toronto Humane Society to reduce heat-related dog deaths through a campaign highlighting dog friendly stores where they can enjoy air conditioning.

We set plenty of alarms for ourselves and our activities with our phones. We schedule this, plan that. We even have SIM cards in our home alarm systems to send alerts. Do the same for that furry member of the family and save their life – literally!

Samsung Galaxy S DUOS unveiled

Here is yet another member of the Samsung Galaxy family that you might want to consider if you are in the market for a new smartphone and yet do not want to break your budget consideration – I am referring to the Samsung Galaxy S DUOS, and the name does drop a rather subtle hint of it carrying dual SIM card slots, meaning those who are extremely busy and need to attend to different phone numbers can now do so using a solitary handset, helping you relieve your pocket of some space to carry other more important things around.

Well, the Samsung Galaxy S DUOS is touted to be available from next month onwards (that would be September, mind you), with the roll out beginning from the continent of Old Europe first, before it spreads across the other territories.

What kind of hardware specifications do you think you are able to find underneath the hood of the Samsung Galaxy S DUOS? For starters, we do know that it will run on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, although there is still no word as to whether the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update is on its way, but chances are pretty high that it would.

The unique ‘Dual SIM Always on’ feature on the Samsung Galaxy S DUOS will allow you to receive calls on one SIM number, simultaneously letting you take a call from the other, so that you can handle both personal and work commitments without the need to miss a call, ever. Apart from that, you also have the flexibility and option of choosing different billing plans for either SIM, switching between them right there and then at your convenience without the need to reboot your smartphone.

A 4″ display should be enough to keep your eyes happy, while underneath the hood lies a 1GHz processor and a 1500mAh battery that delivers speedy multi-tasking regardless of the applications you run. Just in case the 4GB of internal memory is not enough, there is always a microSD memory card slot which lets you further augment the internal storage space. Are you interested in the Samsung Galaxy S DUOS?

Award Winning Teeth Whitener

Some things in life are permanent, and certain opportunities do pass you by but once. Take your teeth for instance, once you lose the set of adult teeth through poor oral hygiene or in an accident, it is gone forever – you might be able to get expensive dental implants or dentures, but it will still not be the original set which you were born with, fashioned through the DNA in your body. Hence, it makes perfect sense to take extra good care of your pearly whites, and the $274.95 Award Winning Teeth Whitener would certainly come in handy, where it is touted to deliver longer lasting results compared to other kinds of at-home treatment in addition to whitening your teeth faster without having to rely on those teeth whitening chemicals found in your toothpaste.

A dentists, naturally, is the one behind the Award Winning Teeth Whitener, where you will wear the mouthpiece which emits LED light and heat directly to teeth coated with the included hydrogen peroxide gel, helping whiten your teeth by five shades in just five days, talk about quick results, huh? This enclosed treatment system will prevent whitening oxygen from escaping the teeth, so that maximum exposure is achieved for your teeth to remain white for up to 30 days. Of course, it does help if you avoid coffee and tobacco while making other adjustments to your lifestyle to maintain a set of white teeth.

Star Wars Darth Vader Force Glove

Don’t you sometimes wish that the world of science fiction might just cross over to our realm? Case in point, take Star Wars for example. I seriously wonder just how many people would join the Light Side of the Force if they had Force powers, considering how the Dark Side seems to be a whole lot more enticing with Force Lightning and Force Choke. Well, assuming the Force is strong in you in an alternate world, you might want to get some training on this side of reality with the $19.99 Star Wars Darth Vader Force Glove.

You can now have a chance and playing the role of a Sith Lord, all made possible thanks to the power of magnets. Yes sir, no midi-chlorians are involved in the Star Wars Darth Vader Force Glove, as you are now able to perform feats such as Force ‘push’ and ‘pull’, thanks to the polar opposite magnetized gloves in your possession. Each purchase is accompanied by the relevant cutouts and a learning guide to get you started right out of the box. It won’t help you with your piloting skills that Vader is so famous for, though.

Pilot Motions Control the Hover Bike

Face it, levitation rocks. I am fairly sure most of us would jump at the opportunity to look like Luke Skywalker on a landspeeder. Traveling at insane speeds, weaving in and out of a forest, desert or in rush hour traffic. Commute time would sure speed up with a hover vehicle.


In the past we have featured plenty of hover devices, most very limited in capability (and in our ability to pay for them!). Sure this hovercraft just entailed leaning, but not all motions were controlled by the pilots motions.  Aeroflex has designed a hover vehicle that acutally uses the pilot’s natural balance to control actions. By shifting weight left, right, up or down, and pulling on the unit the need for flight control software disappears.

Take a look at the video above, from the Future Vertical Lift Conference of the American Helicopter Society in January this year. Included are examples of motions enabling rollover/roll authority, takeoff torque, turning, pitch for landing or simply cruising straight ahead. (Future Vertical Lift Conference makes me say “cool!”).

I’m sure  human levitation will happen someday – but who knows if it will be in our lives. So in the interim let’s sit back and enjoy the progress being made and dream of our own landspeeder.

Green Day + Angry Birds

Rovio launched Angry Bird Friends earlier this year on Facebook. It allows Facebook users to play challenges against friends each week, tracking scores and standings. Partnerships have previously been struck with groups like 20th Century Fox, NASA and the Philadelphia Eagles. Now Rovio is turing to the music world.


For all you rockin’ gadget fans, launched this week is a new version to check out. Veteran punk band Green Day came to Angry Birds Friends. Green Day releases a trilogy of albums in the next four months – first coming September 24 – Rovio created 10 playable levels that include a rock and festival flavor. Featured within the game are “Oh Love” and “Troublemaker,” two tracks from the first album. Plus, as you can see from the picture – a new look for the birds.

This leads us to ask, what band would you like to see featured on Angry Bird Friends?

Logitech Washable Keyboard K310 does not mind skinny dipping

How many of you out there work late at nights? Well, if you have raised your hand, chances are you would be slogging it out in front of the computer when you burn the midnight oil, drinking your umpteenth cup of coffee so that you have enough caffeine in your system to complete that particular task before your boss wrings your neck for not meeting the deadline. Well, apart from liquid sustenance, getting something physical into your body is also a good idea, and most of the time, finger food like pizza works perfectly fine.

The thing is, it can get rather messy at times, especially when your pizza comes with all sorts of toppings all the way to Sunday. To wipe that grease from your fingers so that you can resume typing is time consuming and adds up, giving you even more stress as the deadline looms closer than ever before. Washing your keyboard is also not an option since it is not waterproof. Well, I guess it is moments like these that you would find the Logitech Washable Keyboard K310 to be a boon, no?

To put it in a nutshell, the Logitech Washable Keyboard K310 is capable of handling anything from a light dusting to a rinse in the kitchen sink, making it extremely easy to clean as well as a fast dryer. Not only that, another practical aspect of this particular waterproof keyboard is the comfortable typing experience it offers thanks to a familiar layout and sleek, thin profile.

You need not worry about how many times you are able to wash the Logitech Washable Keyboard K310, as it is durable enough to be be hand washed time and time again, and can even go snorkeling with you (sans the USB cable, of course) as long as it does not go deeper than 11 inches of water. There are convenient drainage holes located at the back of the keyboard so that drying becomes a snap, while key characters are laser printed and UV coated in order to make sure they remain crystal clear after numerous washes.

The Logitech Washable Keyboard K310 will retail for $39.99 from October 2012 onwards.

PRO Multi-Color LED Lighting Kit

So you are tasked with decorating the home during the holiday season as well as festive moments, as the missus had agreed to do the cooking at the beginning of your marriage – what are you to do then if minimum effort and maximum results are your cup of tea? Why, this is where the $149.99 PRO Multi-Color LED Lighting Kit comes in handy, of course, targeting lazy home decorators worldwide. It is capable of lighting up any area of your living space in color, and will also smile upon the earth by being eco-friendly and energy saving as LEDs are able to last virtually forever.

The PRO Multi-Color LED Lighting Kit is somewhat similar to the non-Pro version, although you know for sure that you will have a kickin’ good time with this since it boasts of additional color controls apart from a pair of holiday sets (red/green and red/white/blue). Dressing up any area of your home or office is now a snap, and you can use it to illuminate your shelves to display your prized collectibles.

Avoid Cable Craziness

Taking a USB cable for your phone is becoming a necessity. Whether needing to sync with a computer or needing a charge, inevitably you will need a cable. And then comes the fun of unraveling the cable. I’m continually dumbfounded by how a relatively well rolled charger can turn to a hornets nest with minimal motion. Imagine using speakerphone with your colleagues on your cell phone on an important conference – struggling with 1% charge – and you are stuck unraveling your cord to save it from shutting down. D’oh! Or even worse, you can’t find your cable. Double D’oh!


AViiQ™ designs stylish and practical mobile accessories like the iPad case we covered last year. To help with the USB cable craziness AViiQ offers the Ready Clip USB Mini Cable Kit. It is designed to be carried like a pen as it measures only 5.5”. So rest assured that untangling is not required. And like the name says, Ready Clip comes with a clip attached – making it really easy to stash in your shirt pocket or computer bag. Ready Clips are available in 3 connector types, all on Amazon: Apple 30-pin ($14.99), mini micro USB ($10.12) and USB ($8.49).

So whether you are an executive looking to streamline your mobile experience, a student trying to stay on top of your game or just a gadget lover, the Ready Clip provides an inexpensive investment to relieve the hassle of cables!

Most Dangerous States for iDevices

If you are like me you are always curious when a new list of state rankings comes out. Nothing like a little dose of reality as to how crime ridden or fat your state is, eh? This latest list, although not detrimental to our health, does a good job of pointing out where our technology is at risk.

SquareTrade, a warranty provider, took a look at their Accidental Damage from Handling (ADH) claims and projected them over 2 years to come up with the 5 states where people are most likely to drop, damage or break their iPhone or iPad.

Congratulations Mississippi! You top both lists. So take care when you visit these places. Or visit SquareTrade to check into a policy that can give you more security – wherever you reside.

Highest Projected iPhone Accident Damage Rate

    Mississippi
    New Mexico
    Rhode Island
    North Dakota
    South Carolina

Highest Projected iPad Accident Damage Rate

    Mississippi
    Nebraska
    Washington, DC
    New Hampshire
    Hawaii

Nikon Coolpix S800c runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Normally, when we talk about an Android-powered system, we would venture into the realm of smartphones and tablets, and very rarely (if ever) into the world of digital cameras. The line is about to be blurred this day, as the Nikon Coolpix S800c was just announced to come with a copy of the Android operating system – Android 2.3 Gingerbread, to be exact. Yes sir, how does this digital camera shape up in the face of a mobile operating system running in the background? Well, we shall have to take a closer look at its machinations and inner workings right after the jump, shall we not?

For starters, with Android running on the Nikon Coolpix S800c, you might actually feel that you are using a smartphone at times – until you realize that you are unable to make any phone calls or receive text messages. Good thing it has Wi-Fi connectivity built in though, as it would not be much of an Android device if there were not Internet connectivity to make it interactive. Setting up the camera for Internet connection using operations which are similar to those used by Android smartphones is possible, not to mention easy. You are also able to post whatever you have snapped and recorded onto social networking sites like Google+, Facebook, and Twitter in a jiffy, but make sure you are within the vicinity of a Wi-Fi network, otherwise it would all amount to nought.

Not only that, the Nikon Coolpix S800c has a new feature known as “Upload to Smart Device”, where this app can be used to transfer high-resolution photos and movies to smart devices which are powered by the Android or iOS operating system, again, over a wireless connection. As for the performance of the Nikon Coolpix S800c, what kind of camera specifications does it pack?

We do know it will come equipped with a 10x optical zoom NIKKOR lens, in addition to a built-in lens-shift vibration reduction (VR) function. There is also a backside illumination CMOS sensor that boasts of an effective pixel count of 16-megapixels so that you can shoot images with little noise at the high sensitivities – perfect for low light conditions or night landscapes.

You are also able to record 1920 x 1080p/30-fps full-HD movies with stereo sound, and the included high-performance GPS module is able to record your current position (latitude and longitude) information, applying them to photos and movies as they are recorded.

LG introduces 84-inch UD 3D TV

LG Electronics has been a busy bee when it comes to churning out new and wondrous pieces of consumer electronics for the masses, and today is no different either. Just what kind of wondrous goodies does LG has in store for us? We are talking about the self proclaimed “world’s first 84-inch Ultra Definition (UD) 3D TV” which was just introduced in the Korean market (southern part, obviously), and I would presume across the world as well. LG’s UD 3D TV is the company’s effort to respond to ever increasing consumer demand for larger and more immersive home TVs that sport a greater degree of functionality.

As for the LG UD 3D TV, it will come with its fair share of new smart features that we will look in closer detail after the jump, and these have been put in place in order to deliver a greater level of convenience and simpler interaction for the user.

Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company, said, “The 4K display market is still in its infancy but it was important for LG to claim a stake in this space. LG’s UD 3D TV represents a whole new level of home viewing experience because it offers every advanced technology we currently have to offer.”

Havis should not worry about LG staking a claim as mentioned, especially when the LG UD 3D TV comes with an astonishing picture quality of 8 million pixels per frame, and when you contextualize that into today’s specifications, it would be four times the resolution (3840 x 2160) of existing Full HD TV panels, made possible courtesy of LG’s advanced Triple XD Engine. Not only that, there is also the Resolution Upscaler Plus that enables images from external sources like a portable hard drive or websites to be rendered in higher detail, somewhat akin to upscaling on your DVD player.

Not only that, LG has also outfitted their UD 3D TV with CINEMA 3D technology so that you and your impressed guests will be able to enjoy the most immersive viewing experience possible. The introduction of 3D Depth Control allows one to fine-tune the “distance” between near and far objects on the screen, something like the Nintendo 3DS albeit on a far more refined level.

No idea on how much the LG UD 3D TV will cost, but chepa is definitely not the word that I am looking for. Perhaps in a decade’s time, no?

Green and Gadget-y

Yep, another unique docking station. The ideas never end. And they keep getting better. As electronic fanatics we are constantly looking for something new. And greenery is never a bad addition to our environment.

Meet the Bloombox. It is a one of a kind docking station providing two major differences. First, it amplifies acoustics by 30%, the designers claim. Save on the volume! Secondly, they have designed the unit to contain a customizable planter for small greenery. Designed by Nicholas Hyde and Brennan Conroy, it is currently listed on Kickstarter for a $50 pledge which funds the mold for production and gets you a unit once produced. They are more than halfway to their fundraising goal to make Bloombox a reality. It is expected to retail for $20 once available (hopefully later this year). Forewarning, it will require use of your own iPhone cord.

Think about it. Aesthetically and audiologically it would be a nice addition to any room. And you can add foliage to make it NOT look like another piece of electronic equipment. So get behind a unique take on a docking station and give that little greenery a place to live. Also, it would make a perfect holiday gift for the iPhone user that wants a slightly little different home for their device.

Handheld Talking Spelling Bee

“Are we there yet?” should be one of the most commonly heard questions for parents who tend to take their little ones out for road trips often, but thankfully over the years, there has been modifications and changes introduced to the world of mobile technology that has made such trips a whole lot more bearable. Take the Nintendo Game Boy for instance, that was a trailblazer to keep your little one quiet for hours on end on only a quartet of AA batteries. Why not take the more educational route this time around with the $69.95 Handheld Talking Spelling Bee? This handheld talking video game will help hone your child’s spelling skills and build up their vocabulary thanks to an interactive spelling bee. It is similar to the National Spelling Bee, sporting a 2.5” color touchscreen display, speaking a word where you will need to spell your response using the touchscreen keyboard. It runs off three AA batteries, and it is a game that even parents can learn from.

Picture Keeper makes photo backup a cinch

I am quite sure that by now, you would have amassed a fair amount of photos thanks to the digital cameras in your possession. Well, archiving those photos can get quite tricky, especially if you are not the highly organized type. Enter the Picture Keeper which will come in various capacities – 4GB, 8GB and 16GB, where they will retail for £14.99, £29.99 and £49.99, respectively.

It might seem like second nature to you when it comes to using a computer, but for those of us with relatives who have yet to make the jump into the digital age, the Picture Keeper is the perfect cup of tea for them – the Picture Keeper will back up the entire slew of photos on your computer, performing the search by itself. The only thing you need to do is plug in the Picture Keeper into an available USB port and you are good to go. Works like magic, doesn’t it?

ECOXGEAR pedal powered headlight and smartphone charger for bicycles

So you are one of those who prefer to get around town using a mix of public transport as well as your set of two wheels – non oil guzzling ones, that is, in the form of a bicycle. Well, well, what are you to do then in order to maximize your “green” and eco-friendly lifestyle while you are on the move? This is where the ECOXGEAR pedal powered headlight and smartphone charger comes in handy, where it will come equipped with a universal mount so that it can be attached to most standard and oversized hubs. Not only that, there is also a handlebar mounted, water-resistant and touch-screen compatible smart phone/GPS case which is pretty much self-explanatory, so I don’t see the need for me to go there. The ECOXPOWER can be yours for $99.99 a pop if you are interested, but let us take a closer look at what it offers in the extended post.

For starters, the ECOXPOWER will come with an ultra-bright LED front headlight and red rear tail light that are capable of being mounted to your bike’s front wheel hub. The included USB adapter cable will run up the front fork and into the handlebar mounted, water-resistant smart phone case. Each time your bicycle’s front wheel turns, the ECOXPOWER’s clutch engages between the tire’s spokes, kickstarting a generator which will power the lighting system, the integrated lithium ion rechargeable battery and the power jack for you smartphone. Talk about efficiency, yo!

As for the smartphone case, it is touch-screen friendly and accommodates all major GPS devices and smartphone models, especially those from the iOS and Android camps. Not only that, the ECOXPOWER will also come equipped with an on/off remote switch which can be mounted to the handlebars, delivering full control over the headlight and taillight while on a ride.

CEO of ECOXGEAR, Greg Fadul, said, “Typical bike lights have a short life expectancy, most of which are only 10-15 hours or even as low as five if on high brightness. Bicyclist either have to routinely buy batteries, remove the light for recharging, or replace their lights completely. ECOXPOWER is self-powered and with the built-in rechargeable battery, extra costs and inconveniences are non-existent. And if you’re using your smart phone for GPS or music on a long ride, you never have to worry about running out of juice.”

E FUN Premium 7SE tablet targets back-to-school market

All right, so the summer holidays have ended, and many people have gotten back to the swing of things when it comes to working life. As for kids who are still studying, this time of the year would also mean a return to school – some of you love it, others hate it, but you cannot avoid it. Well, what do we have to offer for folks who are headed back to the world of classrooms, jocks and cheerleaders? Why, you would need a tablet device to be part of the “in” crowd, so why not get started with the E FUN Premium 7SE tablet if you have no idea where to begin from?

The E FUN Premium 7SE tablet is a 7” tablet that relies on a user-friendly five-finger multitouch capacitive color screen to get the job done, and you will not find it lacking in terms of its operating system either, as it runs on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich version, and we are keeping our collective fingers crossed that we might see an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update coming our way soon, too. You will find that the E FUN Premium 7SE tablet will be preloaded with the Barnes & Noble NOOK Store, GetJar App Store and a 14-day trial of Net Nanny parental controls software to get you started right out of the box.

Jason Liszewski, managing director and vice president of sales for E FUN, remarked, “The Premium 7SE is the perfect tablet for students going back to school. It is light, portable and ultra-functional for taking notes, accessing the Internet, sharing information through email and social networks, reading eBooks, and much more. The Premium 7SE is an affordable computing choice for students of all ages.”

Mobile Flash might be dead, but that has not stopped this tablet from featuring Flash 11 support and over-the-air (OTA) firmware update capabilities. Not only that, you also have a front-facing camera to capture those vanity shots, and a 1080p high-definition video player that delivers quality viewing of favorite movies, and music videos amongst others.

The 7” display on the Premium 7SE carries a pixel count of 800×480 with a 16:9 ratio and a G-sensor auto-rotate orientation feature for landscape or portrait viewing. Just in case 4GB of internal memory is not enough, you can always augment that with a microSD memory card. Data can be transferred via mini USB 2.0, and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity ensures you are never out of touch from the Internet.

If you are interested in the Premium 7SE, then it can be yours for $129.99 a pop.

Touchscreen iMac?

Apple revolutionized the world of touch screens. Between the Touch, Phone and Pad – and many other brands of devices that followed – we have become a swiping, pinching, tapping sort of society. Yet the foundational product in Apple’s collection is still “touch free.” Think about it – the iMac lacks this functionality that we associate with their product brethren. Zorro Macsk, by TMDTouch, proves to change that simple fact and give you a touchscreen iMac.


Zorro Macsk, available at Amazon for just $199, is a frame-like surface you attach to your iMac and in less than 10 seconds you have a touchscreen. Once applied, connect the frame’s USB cable to a port on the computer. Since it supports PNP in Mac OS no driver is required to run the Zorro Macsk. Using infrared technology the users input/touches are then detected. And voila! You are pinching, swiping and tapping just as you do on your other Apple products.  The height of the frame is just 4mm, and the unit is specifically tailored to match the contours of the iMac. Currently the Zorro Macsk is available for the 21.5” screen, with 27” in development. It is available in pink, silver and black and also provides a nice option to protect the monitor bezel from dust and scratches.  Take the convenience of touchscreen to your iMac and enjoy a whole new experience.