Category: Personal Electronics
Silverback USB-enabled Bike Ready to Roll
We first profiled the Silverback Starke 1 last November when the nickel alloy frame bicycles were announced. What stood out then still has us excited. This commuter bike, which is now available, offers a USB port that is powered dynamo hub. The German-made Starke 1 features Shimano Alivio 9 speed, dynamo lighting and as noted the charging system so riders can juice up their mobile devices while they ride.
And despite the company’s name, it is available in Lime Fresh, Exotic Spice, Aston Black and yes Liberty Silver!
Blow the iPhone
There are all sorts of ways to measure distance, speed and even altitude on a mobile smartphone. Now Shaka has added a wind gage, which can be useful for shooting, sailing and other sports where windage needs to be addressed. This portable accessory plugs into the iPhone’s 3.55 headphone jack of all things to gather wind speed.
It can measure and keep history of wind speed, direction and even temperature and the results can be shared and crowdsourced.
It is pre-production but should be blowing out soon.
driSuit Endurance Protects the iPhone
It seems there is no shortage of iPhone cases. This week we’ve even reported on a couple, but each does something a little different. The driSuit Endurance will protect the phone from water and from drops as it doubles as a shockproof case for short drops. As with other waterproof cases this one allows users to take advantage of the phone’s touchscreen controls, even underwater. The company also sells waterproof earphones, which can be used with this case. Video of the driSuit in action after the jump
iScuba Suit
There are numerous cases that allow the iPhone to stay protected near or even in the water, but the iPhone Scuba Suit casing for the iPhone 4/4S will actually allow the phone to go down to 15meters under the water. The company claims the casing will protect the phone from basically anywhere there is water, as it creates a liquid airtight barrier.
It provides easy access to the touchscreen through the touch-senstive gel screen and can allow users to snap photos – which is good as that is likely the only reason to bring your iPhone in the water in the first place.
Smart(phone) Way to Fish
With a smartphone you can easily search for a seafood restaurant, or you could use it to go directly to the source. While we’ve seen gizmos such as the Magellan eXplorist line of GPS devices that now include fishing hotspots map, once there you still need to see if the fish are actually there to bite.
For that the Deeper FishFinder might just do the trick. It is a sonar-enable waterproof ball that won’t sink but it will sync with the smartphone. The Bluetooth-enabled device can scan the water and send location information directly to an iOS or Android phone or tablet. It shows the approximate location of fish with a depth chart as well so you can cast off in just the right spot. Continue reading Smart(phone) Way to Fish
Rugged Two-Way Global Communicator Goes the Distance
This week DeLorme, the maker of personal satellite messaging, track and navigation technology, announced the release of a major upgrade for its inReach two-way communicators. The latest firmware version, which is available at no cost, offers extended battery life and recharging options, as well as a newly updated Earthmate app that enables world topographic map downloads.
This builds on the satellite communicators two-way personal text messaging with delivery confirmation, SOS alerting and follow-me/find track functionally. Continue reading Rugged Two-Way Global Communicator Goes the Distance
Spybike Puts GPS in Your Steertube
For serious cyclists nothing sucks more than having a bike stolen. You keep track of the serial number, engrave your name in the frame, but this only helps if the police actually recover your bike.
How about tracking the thieves instead? That’s the idea behind Spybike, a GPS tracker that can be hidden in the steer tube. It can upload the coordinates of the bike to a mobile smartphone or website in case of theft. When the device is activated a motion sensor detects any movements and sends an alert to your phone. Every 20 seconds or so the coordinates of the bike are uploaded, and when the bike stops it goes to sleep to conserve the lithium rechargeable battery. Video after the jump
Smart Phones Creating Digital Divide Amongst Gym Members, Users Claim Essential Workout Tool
Cell phone usage is frowned upon by many gym goers, and it’s even banned in certain gyms. Besides the annoyance of constant chatter, there’s also a privacy concern when it involves cell phones with cameras and areas like a locker room. However, a recent blog post by a fitness industry expert shows that the use of smart phones is on the rise, and creating a bit of a dilemma for gym owners. Continue reading Smart Phones Creating Digital Divide Amongst Gym Members, Users Claim Essential Workout Tool
Sony’s Underwater Camcorder Makes a Big Splash
There are many cameras that claim to be able to “go-anywhere” but Sony is looking to prove it. The company unveiled its HandyCam HDR-GW77V last week, a pocket video cam that features a compact vertical body design with a flip-out waterproof three-inch LCD touchscreen. It is waterproof and impact resistant.
The new HandyCam uses the AVCHD compression standard to capture HD videos at up to 1,920×1,080 HD resolution. It features a G-series 17x optical zoom lens and a 20.4-megapixel imager, and will be available in three colors. It hit Japan last month and should make a big splash in the United States later this summer. Video after the jump
Waterproof Phone Case Doubles as Speaker
If there is one thing that smartphone users have learned (after not to drop it), it is that water and phones don’t go together. There are plenty of cases out there, and even cases that allow a device to be attached to an external speaker. But now Grace Digital Audio – maker of waterproof speakers such as the Eco Extreme and Eco Terra – has created the next must-have gadget for the beach this summer in the guise of a simple package that allows the phone to be protected while also doubling as a speaker. Continue reading Waterproof Phone Case Doubles as Speaker
XTra Durable Phone from Kyocera
In this of smartphones, tablets and other connected devices the old “flip flop” seems positively passé, but there are times when the clamshell design can come in handy – such as well off trekking in the wilds. That’s when a smartphone can become broken and thus useless all too easily.
Kyocera thus saw this and has introduced a flip phone exclusively for Sprint, but the Kyocera DuraXT is more than just a Star-Tec in a new body. This is also a smartphone! And it has some smart features, beginning with the rubber, non-slip Dura-Grip outer casing to ensure that it isn’t dropped while off hiking. It is also water resistant up to a meter for around 30 minutes. It is Military Standard 801G Spec compliant for dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, humidity, solar radiation, salt fog, rain and water immersion.
Other features include a 3.2megapixel camera/camcorder; Sprint Direct Connect for instant, one-to-one push-to-talk calling on Sprint; Group Connect with up to 20 users; Bluetooth 2.0 and offers browser-based email for access to POP3 and IMAP accounts, as well as SMS and MMS messaging.
Durable and clever!
FitBug Launches Game Framework
As we’ve seen competition – friendly competition – can help be a major motivating way to keep up with fitness goals. And Fitbug will help users stay motivated with the new Games Framework and iPhone app that allows taems or individuals to compete against each other in a variety of virtual challenges.
This new capability encompasses Google map-based progress and hotspot graphics, as well as Chatterbox and social media features to keep users motivated and connected. It also offers a team leader boards, and builds upon Fitbug’s previous league challenge, Fantasy Footfall. These games can further be customized to any route and branded to meet client requirements. The new games platform has been designed to enable Fitbug to provide a library of readily available challenges to clients and, where required, quickly build custom challenges for specific client requirements. Continue reading FitBug Launches Game Framework