Category Archives: Gadgets

Eco Alkalines – Batteries That Save the World



Eco AlkalinesAmidst a sea of eco-friendly booths, a familiar sight grabbed our attention and made us start asking some questions about the packs of AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V sized batteries Eco Alkalines had on display and as it turns out, there is something special about them.

Jessica Bell was nice enough to answer all my probing questions about their products but before we jump into the batteries I want to mention that their eco-friendliness actually starts with the brochures and packaging. I was surprised to learn that all the printing is done by using a soy-based ink and it’s good to know they aren’t afraid to think outside the packaging.

As for their manufacturing process, they have achieved 88% efficiency which has helped them gain a “carbon neutral” certification. This is not a status that is easily achieved. They are also landfill safe so you don’t have to feel guilty about being part of the 98% that does not recycle batteries properly.

One of their most frequently asked questions is about the expected usage time and how it compares to other big name brands. As it turns out, life expectancy tests put Eco Alkalines’s batteries ahead of Duracell and about 15 minutes behind Energizer. Not bad at all. As far as availability is concerned, you can buy their products online from Amazon.com, Best Buy and Walmart so long as you live in the U.S., Canada, Australia or Mexico. No need to worry about it costing you an arm to be environmentally friendly anymore. At an MSRP of $4.99, their batteries are competitively priced.

Interview by Jon Wurm of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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Siano – Digital Mobile TV



Siano’s Digital Mobile TV Device

Siano is a digital mobile television company that makes a product that allows a user to broadcast television programs on their phones or other mobile devices. Siano’s device is small enough to fit in your pocket and plugs directly into an iPad or into a mobile device. Some of the channels on the Siano menu are free and some require a user to pay for them.  The product is popular world-wide and is gathering steam in the United States.

Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Nvidia Tegra3 Tablets Run Windows 8, Quad Core Processors



Nvidia Tegra3
Nvidia Tegra3

We check out the new Tegra3 tablets by Nvidia at CES. Amazing little devices, these tablets run Quad-core processing using ARM processors. HD video at 1080p, multi-tasking ability and a lot more.

With the new Windows 8 OS, these tablets look good. You can connect them up to a HDTV and do more from a tablet. Watch video on the TV, while you check out your Twitter on the tablet screen.

The Tegra3 tablet will be out later this year. I might even be mixing down video come CES 2013 using this tablet.

Interview by Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine

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Cobra iRadar detector and smart phone app




Todd talks with Chris from Cobra about their new iRadar App and Radar Detector. The iRadar detector connects to your smartphone (iPhone or Android) via bluetooth so that you get the alerts on your phone. The newest thing is they added the iRadar community to the app which allows you to see alerts from other users of the iRadar app so that you can be aware of those radar traps along your way. (Of course, nobody speeds… right?)

The detectors are available now for around $130 at most retailers or at cobra.com and cobrairadar.com

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Blue Microphones’ Tiki, Mikey and Spark



Blue Microphones LogoIf you’ve listened to the Geek News Central podcast for a few years, you might have heard Todd talking about Blue Microphones as his mic supplier of choice. Here Todd and Don talk shop with Jon Maier.

Blue Microphones returns to CES this year with three new mics, all in the portable space. The new Mikey Digital is designed for the Apple’s newer digital connector rather than the older analogue one, meaning that more digital processing can be done on the microphone itself. In particular, auto-level sensing can adjust the input gain depending on the loudness of the source.

The Tiki is a brand new small USB device that’s been in development for over a year. It plugs directly into the USB port on the side of a laptop and has intelligent signal processing so that extraneous noise, such as typing, is ignored. It’s aimed at Skype and Google Talk users but it’s still a high quality recording device, so if needed, the DSP can be turned off to record live music as naturally as possible.

The studio-grade Spark Digital is a USB and iPad version of their pro mike, the Spark, both of which have glorious retro looks. Sitting in a shock mount, it looks great. Utility-wise, the Spark Digital converts the iPad into a mobile studio.

All the mics are expected to be available in the spring. Prices are $59 for Tiki, $99 for the Mikey Digital and $199 for the Spark Digital.

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

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Toon Boom Animation: Doodle Animation on the iPad



Animation App from the Pros

For the past 18 years, Toon Boom has been the automation software behind much of the animation by Disney and famous animated series – including Sponge Bob and the Simpsons. Vector based graphics delivers a very high level of quality that is now available to consumers on mobile devices. With an entry price of $29 on the ipad, it’s an introduction to animation tools that’s affordable and fun.

Interview by Andy McCaskey and Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Ivee: The Talking Alarm Clock That Listens



Ivee is a personal digital assistant – equipped with speech recognition circuitry that offers Natural Language Processing. By analyzing digitized portions of the voice signal as they are spoken, ivee determines the most probable word given the phonemes you spoke.

That’s the tech story. What that means is that all you have to do is ask the time, date, weather or temperature. Ivee can generate three different sleep sounds, and understand 35 commands. Price class  $50

Interview by Andy McCaskey and Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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I’m Watch : Fashion, Tech, Jewelry, and Marketplace



The world’s first real smartwatch: With a Smart UI

Multi-tasking, easy to use and love:  touchdragswipe or pinch.
Get your intuitive interface in a complex world.

Slick, thin and ergonomic, i’m Watch claims that the product is made to be part of you: phone, web, music, radio, organizer, photo, video, and whatever App you may come up with. While other personal items may have some of these applications covered, the I’m Watch is the only unit that combines them into a user interface that is consistent across all applications.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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Armour Group PLC : Q2 Internet Radio



A novel unit out of the UK simplifies Internet Radio.

The Q2 Internet Radio has one of the most interesting interface systems for selecting station presets and adjusting volume that we saw at CES2012: Simply flip the cube. The listener can pre-select stations or podcasts in the control interface online , and choose from five color schemes. Price class $110

 

Interview by Andy McCaskey and Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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ZipBuds: Tangle Resistant Earbuds with Style



Easy Zip-To-Store Design

If you enjoy a daily fight with your smartphone or music player earbuds, skip this article. If you are like the rest of us, you will think ZipBuds are pretty cool.  Available in Black, Blue, and Pink – you can pick your color and be active in style. And without the rats nest of earbud wires.

Interview by Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.

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