Saturday, January 05, 2013

Here's Proof That Wearable Tech Is The Next Big Thing

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/wearable-tech-is-the-next-big-thing-2013-1

wellie boots

People today are already pretty much inseperable from technology, whether it's a smartphone, laptop, or tablet. 

But that's not stopping innovators and creators from coming up with ways to bring technology even closer to us. 

Google Glass is probably the most well-known wearable tech item, but other examples include a pair of boots that charge your cell phone, and a glove that allows deaf and blind people to send text messages.

Drum Machine t-shirt lets you make beats on the go

What: Electronic Drum Machine T-shirt

How it works: The drum pads on the front of the shirt let you tap out a beat using your fingers. The shirt also comes with a mini amplifier that clips on to your pants.

Cost: $29.99



This solar-powered bikini soaks up sun rays to power your smartphone and other small electronics

What: Solar Bikini

How it works: The bikini, which is equipped with photovoltaic film strips, absorbs sun rays to charge your phone and other electronics. It's also waterproof!

Cost: Anywhere from $500 to $1,500



Glove One acts a cell phone, but it's not going to keep your hands warm, unfortunately

What: Glove One

How it works: The glove has a slot for a sim card to make and receive calls. On the underside of each finger, there are numeric touch keys for making phone calls. The speaker on the thumb and microphone on the pinky allow you to mimic the standard method of holding a phone while making a call.

Cost: Not for sale, but you can learn how to make your own for about $340 here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Behringer announces OMNI series AirPlay speakers and connecting receiver amps

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/05/behringer-announces-omni-series-airplay-enabled-speakers-and-rec/

Behringer announces OMNI series, brings your legacy gear to the AirPlay party

Behringer made a bit of a splash as CES last year with its oversized iPhone dock, this year it's keeping things a little more front-room friendly. Launching its new OMNI system, the audio maker hopes to bring a little AirPlay magic to your house, without excluding some of your legacy hardware. The system consists of modular elements that let you add your passive speakers into the mix, as well as work together as a whole. More specifically, the OMNI SP3 and SP5i units are all-in-one 2.1 systems, and there's a dedicated subwoofer too. But, if you don't have or want their own breed, you can bring in your own. The OMNI Amp is a 2 x 40W stereo amplifier and AirPlay receiver that lets you play your music with your existing passive bookshelf or floor-mounted gear, and active speakers can be looped into the AirPlay party with the OMNI link box. The speakers are provisionally set to cost $249 (for the SP3i) and $349 (for the SP5i and sub), while the amp and link boxes will likely set you back $199 and $129 respectively. No word on the official launch date, but head on over to the press release for more info.

Continue reading Behringer announces OMNI series AirPlay speakers and connecting receiver amps

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Friday, January 04, 2013

SuperTooth launches the $199 Disco Twin and $89 HD Voice at CES (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/04/supertooth-disco-twin-hd-voice/

SuperTooth launches the $199 Disco Twin and $89 HD Voice at CES video

Gallic Bluetooth audio house SuperTooth wants you to buy its Disco speakers in pairs to better show off its stereo prowess, not to mention make a little more cash. That's why it's outing the Disco Twin here at CES, a $199 pair of noisyboxes that offer discrete left and right stereo -- each pumping out 16 watts of RMS power. You'll be able to squeeze up to four hours of juice out of each one if you use them to host a (short) rave, or up to 10 hours in more serene circumstances. At the same time, it's also releasing the HD Voice, an $89 hands-free car kit that clips to your sun visor and will even pair with your phone using voice commands. The company isn't ready to say when the pair will be available, but we can't imagine it'll be a long wait.

Continue reading SuperTooth launches the $199 Disco Twin and $89 HD Voice at CES (video)

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ZTE readying 5.7-inch P945 smartphone, 9mm thick, quad-core processor, 720p display

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/04/zte-5-7-inch-p945-smartphone-9mm-quad-core/

ZTE readying 57inch P945 smartphone, 9mm thick, quadcore processor, 720p display

ZTE may be warming up more than one phone for tech writers making their way to CES this weekend. Alongside the company's top-drawer Nubia Z5, Unwired View has spotted yet another phone and this one measures in at 5.7 inches. Currently going under the moniker P945, the screen resolution has apparently 720p (unlike the 5-inch 1080p display found on the Nubia device) while there's an unnamed quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz doing the heavy lifting. A 3,000mAh battery should (hopefully) be able to power that screen for a decent amount of time, with a front-facing 1-megapixel sensor paired with a rear-facing 8-megapixel camera for your imaging needs. This particular phone has China Mobile livery along the bottom edge and according to the leak, it should arrive over in Asia around the end of Q1 this year.

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Source: Unwired View

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Westinghouse set to launch 'Roku ready' CES lineup of HD, 4K models

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/04/westinghouse-set-to-launch-roku-ready-ces-models/

Westinghouse set to launch 'Roku ready' CES lineup of HD, 4K models

Westinghouse is already jockeying for CES 2013 position in the crowded connected-TV arena, saying it'll announce a bevy of MHL-compliant models at the show that'll work with Roku's HDMI Streaming Stick. That would presumably give the panel maker Smart TV options without having to bake the circuitry into the new models, letting Roku take the load in providing WiFi connectivity along with 400 channels like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and Hulu Plus -- all accessible with the TV's remote. Westinghouse teased LED side-lit models ranging from 27- to 60-inches that'll have the option, along with UHDTV sets like the 110-incher it trumpeted earlier. Pricing and availability are still in the air until at least CES, of course, but considering the company's lack of a premium reputation and the fact that you'd also need to purchase the $99 Roku stick, we don't see them looking at the haut de gamme set.

Continue reading Westinghouse set to launch 'Roku ready' CES lineup of HD, 4K models

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