Category Archives: Mobile

GoldKey Makes Us All Feel Like a Secret Agent

February 20, 2015CES 2015, Mobile, WirelessPLUGHITZ Live

At one point or another, everyone has fantasized about being James Bond, Dick Tracy or Maxwell Smart. GoldKey, a company known for security products, has added a new product to make you feel like one of your favorite secret agents.

The GoldKey Communicator is a smartwatch that is an independent phone. While there are other products that match that description, where the Communicator stands apart is in its security features. Offering secure email, text, data, voice and payment, the Communicator allows for completely safe communication with other GoldKey users.

To ensure you feel like Bond, you are assigned a 007 area code phone number that allows you to communicate with other 007 GoldKey voice customers for the secure communications. That ensures that everyone knows when you are or are not speaking over encrypted VoIP service.

In addition to the huge collection of security features comes the capabilities of full Android 4.4 KitKat. Rather than Android Wear, you get the full Android Marketplace. You also get a camera for 5MP stills or HD video. The GoldKey Communicator is available now for $299.95.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

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Goal Zero’s Line of Travel and Emergency Power Products Expands

February 20, 2015CES 2015, Gadgets, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

At CES, portable power is essential; in the real world, it can be just important. Goal Zero knows this, which is why they are constantly trying to improve and enhance their line of emergency and travel products.

This year they added the new Venture 30: a 7800mAh charger for phones and tablets. That equates to 3 charges on a phone, with the ability to charge up to 2.4amps on each of the 2 USB ports. The charger comes complete with built-in flexible cables for charging the device and a product. To ensure it is protected, it is rated at IPX6.

In addition to the charger, is a solar flashlight. While that might seem insane, the Torch 250 is extremely useful. While camping, or even at home, you can charge the flashlight during the day and use it at night. You can also charge it via USB, or even with a crank, or use the battery to charge your other devices, making it double as a solar charger. You can get one right now for $79.99.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

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Celestron Makes Stargazing Easier and Educational

February 20, 2015CES 2015, Gadgets, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

As astronauts get to see farther into the universe through their equipment, those of us bound to Earth have the same desire. Celestron’s telescopes make that easier for everyone. Their newest addition to the lineup provides for ease of use away from the city, where you can get the best views without all of the city lights.

The telescope is self-powered, allowing you to use it without the need for a high amperage 12-volt inverter. You can use it away from your car, or without having to lug around a huge battery and power technology. It even offers the ability to plug in other devices, though it will, of course, limit the runtime of the telescope.

In addition to the portable power capabilities, it also integrates Wi-Fi right into the telescope. Using the Wi-Fi, you can use your smart device to control the telescope. View the night sky through your screen, point at an area and the telescope will position itself so you can see the sky through the lens.

The app can also help you learn the positions of objects in the sky by allowing you to tap on an area and get information about what you are seeing. If you’re looking at a galaxy far off in the distance, the app can explain distances, etc.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

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The Race to Challenge the Surface is On

February 20, 2015CES 2015, Computers, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

In terms of Windows tablets, Microsoft’s Surface series is definitely the one to challenge if you are a manufacturer. Manufacturers seem to agree, as this CES showed us a collection of tablets trying to enter that space.

One of the brands throwing their hat into that ring is Southern Telecom, a company that usually builds products under licensed brands, but has their own tablet for the market. Running an Intel Atom processor and 32GB of internal storage, this guy isn’t headed for the Pro 3’s territory, but it could certainly do some damage in the abandoned Surface RT space.

With the ability to run full applications, which the RT models were not, it makes this computer far more usable. With a price point of $249, with the keyboard included, it even undercuts the RT models by more than half. Unfortunately, what the Surface has going for it is the easily removable and attachable keyboard, while this keyboard is not nearly as easy to attach or remove. For some users, however, this won’t be a killer. Take a look and decide for yourself.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

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Polaroid Brand to Release a Set of Android Handsets

February 20, 2015CES 2015, Mobile, PhotographyPLUGHITZ Live

Polaroid is obviously a company known for their camera technology. As standalone cameras have become a smaller market, it was time for Polaroid to find new outlets for their cameras. As most people tend to use their phone as their primary camera, this was a natural place to explore.

The new Polaroid Android phones, shown off at CES 2015, might not revolutionize the industry, but they could certainly carve out a nice niche for themselves. Both handsets offer a 5.5″ screen and claim stock Android. Included on the handsets is a Polaroid photo app that simulates the experience of using a Polaroid Instant camera of days gone by.

The Selfie, which has an octa-core processor and a 13MP camera, has the ability to flip the camera around, allowing you to take a selfie or use Skype with the full power of the camera. The Flip, the lower-priced handset of the pair, is a quad-core phone with an 8MP camera that does not, as the name would suggest, offer the flip camera.

Both handsets will be available this Spring unlocked for $199 and $179 respectively from various retailers.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

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Businessfriend – A Business-Oriented Social Network with a Purpose

February 20, 2015CES 2015, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

When it comes to the world of social networks, purpose is not necessarily a requirement. LinkedIn is good for finding a job, I guess. Facebook is good for… I’m really not sure what. But, in recent months, that trend is changing. Ello was created to rebel against advertising, but that isn’t exactly a purpose, at least not for the user.

Businessfriend is a social network with a true purpose, though. Created to help people collaborate with their colleagues and favorite brands, Businessfriend offers a number of personal and business-related features missing from any single platform.

For example, their Instant feature is a chat platform that allows you to keep your content private. No message boxes popping up when a new message comes in, making your private business public. There’s also the DigiDex, an organized contact list filled with your direct contacts and the companies you are connected to.

In addition to the unique takes on common features, Businessfriend also offers cloud features. You can share files through the system in a way that is controllable. You can revoke access to files and folders at will, and know that the content has been secured. You can also organize your content into Notebooks, making it easier to find.

It is definitely a platform worth trying out, currently available on web, iOS and Android, with Windows Phone currently in development.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

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Altec Lansing Creates a Range of Almost Indestructible Bluetooth Speakers

February 20, 2015CES 2015, Entertainment, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

Altec Lansing has long been known for their mid- to high-end audio products, but recently the company has been expanding their product lineup, bringing their brand and quality to consumer products. This year, the company is expanding their lineup of Bluetooth speakers.

The products, mostly known for their “Jacket” branding, are waterproof, shockproof, and in some cases bulletproof, fireproof and bombproof. The product line ranges from $39 to $149 and many are available today.

In addition to physical quality, these speakers also offer Altec Lansing’s well-known sound quality. Even the small speaker, at only $39, sounds great and can still withstand quite a beating.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

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No cords needed for this unique charger from 911Boost

February 13, 2015Accessories, CES 2015, Gadgets, Mobile911Boost, charger, smart phoneMarlo Anderson

So your smart phone shows 2% charge and you are hours way from finishing the day. You start to search frantically for the cord you need to connect your device to your portable charger, computer, wall outlet or whatever other means you have to charge your device on the go. Of course, the cord is missing and your phone is useless the rest of the day.

Jacques Emano, President of 911Boost, realized this issue and set out to develop a portable charger that didn’t need a cord. The 911Boost is what they developed.

911Boost is about the size of a car remote with an attached keyring. You smart phone connects directly to the device via the tabs that set around the outside of the charger. Easy to carry and ready to boost 98% of the smart phones currently on the market including most Androids and iPhones.

Their motto is “Never be left with a dead phone again, always be in charge!” More information can be found at http://911boost.com/

Interview by the “Guru of Geek” Marlo Anderson of The Tech Ranch for the TechPodcast Network.

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Polaroid Updates Its Iconic Brand at CES

February 9, 2015Cameras, CES 2015, Mobile, Photography, Videoandroid, CES, ces 2015, polaroidgeek news

Polaroid is an iconic brand in consumer electronics. For years, the company’s name was synonymous with instant-print cameras. But now that digital photos have become the norm, what has Polaroid done to bring itself into the 21st century?

To answer that question, Scott spoke with Joseph at the Polaroid Mobile booth. Joseph demonstrated two new Google-certified Android-based Polaroid phones. The first phone is the Polaroid Flip. The Flip comes with an 8-megapixel back-facing camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It’s expected to retail for $179.99.

The second Polaroid Mobile phone is called the Selfie. This device uses an innovative “spinning” 13-megapixel camera that can be turned to use as a back or front-facing camera. The Selfie will go on sale for $199.

Both devices will run Google-certified “stock” Android 5.0 and both cameras will be unlocked so they can be used with most international GSM carriers.

Interview by Scott of F5 Live for the TechPodcast Network.

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Child-Angel – A GPS Tracking Bracelet Your Kid Will Want to Wear

February 5, 2015CES 2015, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

Many products come from a personal problem, and Child-Angel is no exception. When the creator’s child was lost for a short while in a shopping center, it got his mind going. He gathered a tech team and a design team to put together his idea to protect other families from the same panic he experienced.

Running on traditional GPS, Wi-Fi location and GSM, Child-Angel keeps track of your kid at all times. You can also setup geofences to alert you when they have gone somewhere they aren’t supposed to go. More importantly, the kid can trigger an alert if they are uncomfortable, simply by opening up the back part of the band.

The problem with many trackers is that they are not something that kids want to wear. Child-Angel solves this problem by making it more like a bracelet, with customizable covers that can be snapped on at will without exposing the electronics. Now, when they wake up, they can choose to wear a princess, racecar driver, or anything in between.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

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