Long gone are the days when you had to spend ages fumbling around, fingers and thumbs everywhere to try to get your airplane tray to cooperate while you hooked yourself up to your gadget of choice. Introducing the air hook which is a cup and electronic device holder all rolled into one. Funded by KickStarter and invented by Seattle-based Craig Robinson, it supports all tablets and phones up to 7.5 inches high.
For laptop users, it is also helpful. The air hook can hold the drink while the user plays Candy Crash on their laptop. Simply attach it to your tray table and seat back that are in front of you and you no longer have to touch any of the somewhat-less-than-clean airplane surfaces.
Then just adjust the screen angle with a knob on the side, so even when the person sitting in front of you lies back, you don’t have to stop mid-Candy Crush level!
Anticipated sales begin at the end of 2015 for an early bird price of $29.95.
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People love nothing more than a bargain, a good deal, a saving. And businesses with a lot of sense are honing in on this now, like coffee stores Coffix in New Zealand and Israel and Caffe Nero in London. People are very in tune with saving money. And while they still want great stuff (like coffee and gadgets) there is enough competition to make it worth their while to do a price comparison.
Three of these stores – named Five Below – are already open in the Tampa Bay area. They are attracting teens and pre-teens with less disposable income but who are still very much entranced by gadgets. And it’s great as they sell all gadgets for $5 or less.
Of course it’s not things like iPhones or other pricey gadgets but fun ones like selfie sticks and water guns. You can also get nice iPhone 6 cases, iPad tablet stand, a portable rechargeable battery, waveform headphones and more.
It’s ultimately a great way of having fun without spending too much money.
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There are a bunch of new and interesting gadgets that have arrived just in time for Valentine’s Day – the holiday of lovers. One of these is the breath test. Marketed as the Mint Breathometer, those looking for love just blow into it and are told by the Mint how many “volatile sulphur compounds” are currently housed in their mouth. A message is then sent to the smartphone indicating whether or not a mint is needed before a kiss is attempted. It is quite a steal at £99.
But one need not worry if the Mint Breathometer deems one “unkissable.” Thanks to the Japanese company Aldebaran Robotics, Pepper is a cool little guy featuring large blue eyes and is “all man.” A little pricey though, retailing at £1,120, one might be better off with some oral care and a visit to the hygienist to pass the Mint Breathometer test. Although this little guy is kinda cool, and will for sure do more than the real thing, laughing when you laugh, cheering you p with you frown. Now, how much would it cost to teach a real boyfriend all of that?
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While the iZip Pro retails at $6.99, a couple of weeks ago it was free for the day! Still, for those who missed out on the 12 May freebie, the price is low enough to enjoy some great features. Rated the Number 1 iPhone App for ZIP file management, it boasts a variety of useful features: file compression to ZIP, photo/video compression from camera roll, song compression and download/upload iTunes, open and extract files from ZIP format, append files to ZIP file, send files via email, save images to photo album, share photos through social media, open file in another app, and more.For those looking for something a bit cheaper, there is the GoodReader 4. Developed by Good. iWare and retailing at $4.99, it was described by 148app.com as being “the best all-purpose app on iOS, and a must-have utility.” One can open PDFs from this app, create PDFs, manage pages, open ZIP files, and more. It also features a browser that can download files. It connects to cloud services and FTP servers and has been described as “the be-all end-all of file management apps on iOS.”
So it is probably worth taking a glance at reviews of a few file management apps, comparing prices and looking for special deals before purchasing. ]]>
When it comes to filling one’s home with great gizmos and gadgets, one can really start breaking the budget. So that is why we are sharing some innovative ways of filling your home/office with these cool gizmos and gadgets without getting a call from your bank manager. All of these awesome gizmos and gadgets retail at $25 or less.
Not quite a gadget (or gizmo) but still something fun to add to your tech world, Logitech’s Wireless Keyboard K360 can add a bit of glamour and excitement to one’s everyday world. Working with Logitech’s “unifying” wireless USB dongle (that also operates with a Logitech mouse), this keyboard runs great equally with both Macs and PCs. It’s convenient, compact and packed with power (boasting a three-year battery life). It also features 6 hot keys and 12 programmable F-keys for immediate access for favorites like music, web, etc. The keyboard gets its gizmo-ness from the fact that that it can be plugged straight into one’s Notebook and other devices.
Want a cheaper way of listening to your music than the iPod Shuffle? Check out the Philips GoGear SoundDot, retailing at $23! No USB stick is needed; to operate just plug right into your computer, drag and drop. This is a must-have gadget at a fraction (half to be exact) of the price.
Then there’s the Nomad ChargeKey which is fabulous for those times you’re out all day and run low on battery – typical for iPhones – but still need your mobile device. At the size of an iPhone it’s no big deal to stick it in your travel bag and it gives you the opportunity to be connected and charged throughout the day! Again, a steal at $25.
Finally there’s the Anker USB Car Charger – for a mere $12 – that is able to charge two mobile devices simultaneously, while you’re driving!
There are plenty more gadgets and gizmos are superb prices. So if you want to step up the tech-cool ladder but remain within budget, go for $25 or less gadgets and gizmos and keep everyone happy and powered up!
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First, there is the Ubooly, the latest fluffy friend for kids. This magic stuffed animal is able to talk and listen. It can answer questions, read stories, have a chat with the kids, and even suggest creative and fun games to play. It can also be personalized. It becomes “smart” when a device (iPhone, Android etc.) is inserted into the top of its head, and zipped closed. It’s fun and can even teach your child how to improve their tooth-brushing technique.
Another popular gadget is the tablet made with kids in mind. The LeapPad Ultra is a very kid-friendly 7 inch tablet. Features include: camera, Wi-Fi, app store and a custom browser that “lets only the good things in.” As well, it has access to 800+ educator-approved apps, eBooks, games and more. So for parents looking to buy their child something fun but also that they can learn from.
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Sync.ME has a new feature – the iPhone “Widgets” link. This facilitates sharing content as well as speedier access to social network profiles. This iPhone widget can be used to capture a business card through the camera, take a note, add a calendar reminder and more. As well the iPhone widget can be used to quickly share things over iMessage/SMS. The app uses Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) differently to enable one to automatically put a URL into a custom field for contact cards, thereafter opening the iPhone widgets section for Sync.ME contact.
This has received criticism as being complicated but the iPhone widget developer says it is not the case. However, according to one reviewer, jlword. “its not as seamless and efficient as Microsoft’s implementation though. Seems they are even implementing a ‘Me’ card. Sounds shamelessly similar the Windows Phone ‘Me’ Tile where you can post to your wall, see notifications, check in and set chat status. In the Peoples Hub Windows Phone automatically updates contacts image, demographic info, you can view friends latest posts, read comments, share comments to posts, view Facebook pictures of contact, comment on pictures, view tags on photos, tag photos, write on a friends facebook wall, chat via Facebook and more right from the Peoples Hub (Windows Phone Contacts) without launching separate apps.”
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There are many new widgets for Android entering the market. The latest free widgets for Android that are becoming increasingly popular amongst cellphone users include the dictionary; Evernote; Shazam and Flixter. The Dictionary is a fun widget for those who see themselves as big word buffs who always want to learn more. Look up words that confuse you and get a new word of the day with which you are probably unfamiliar. The Evernote widget for Android – while needing to be downloaded separately – gives the user access to their notes outside the app. Choose from three different sizes; scroll through lists; check notes; create text; and instantly take audio notes. With the Shazam free widget for Android, when the user hears their favorite song on the music, the widget can be used to identify it. It is the same size as an app icon, enabling versatile home screen placement. Finally with the Flixster free widget for Android one can facilitate access to the Rotten Tomatoes score of any movie. Buy tickets, read reviews or search for theaters nearby where the movie is playing.
There are many great widgets for Android that are constantly being developed – some are free; some are $0.99 and others are a little pricier. Be sure to keep checking for new updates.
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What the iTV May Be Able to Do
By this time next year, we could have the iTV from Apple in our bedrooms. Rumor has it that one of the last brainwaves of CEO Steve Jobs before his passing was the iTV. So let’s take a look at what the iTV might have the potential to achieve.
Jobs’ mission was “…to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use. It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine.”
The iTVs
Production of these new TVs is set to begin in February of 2012, possibly by top electric giant, Sharp. The idea is that gestures (using motion sensors) will be used to activate the screens as well as face recognition technology rather than button-pressing. Of course, criticism abounds that this could end up with all sorts of weird things happening with people making accidental gestures – that indeed could be quite amusing.
There could be more features that will be integrated too, like the Siri, the iPhone 4S voice command assistant. Watch this space for more information.
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To understand the basics you need to know the following: Apple’s iCloud is not intended as a replacement for local data storage on iPads or iPhones, but rather attempts to keep all of one’s data stored on any Apple/PC device in sync with each other. What does that mean for the lay individual? When preparing a document in Word on your computer, it will be immediately available for editing on the iPhone or another PC. You will no longer need to email the file to yourself or use a USB stick; it will all be everywhere you want it. In addition, the device will remember all your settings, apps, home screen layouts etc. That means that any upgrade you do will not impact information accessibility.
The iCloud is good for anyone who has many iOS devices since they will no longer have to spend time moving data around all their devices. Expect the device to be available sometime in the fall.
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