Last year Magellan introduced the SMART-GPS system, which integrated smartphone and web apps to provide traditional in-car GPS and the now familiar mobile GPS experience. My personal experience was mixed, but the attempt was well thought out and a bold step. Now they are back as Magellan Announces New RoadMate Auto & RV Product Lines at CES 2014!
Netgear announced a series of new cable modems both with an integrated wireless router. They also released two new wifi range extenders that support the faster 802.11ac standard as well. Wait, there’s more! There’s also 2 new wifi cameras as well as a new HDMI dongle for your TV complete with Android 4.2 onboard for streaming goodness.
Samsung has been pretty smart about their tablet releases so far, correctly predicting the demand for everything from 7-8in tablets to phablets. Now they’re going super-sized with the GalaxyNotePRO and TabPRO, two new Android tablets that will clock in with shockingly large 12.2in screens!
When I first started wearing a Pebble watch it seemed more like geek fun rather than actual function. As the software has matured, my Pebble has become a must wear daily device. Today at CES, the makers of Pebble have announced Pebble Steel. Available in matte black and brushed stainless for $249, the Pebble has become much more attractive and wearable.
Sony has answered the call for a small, high-end Android device with the Xperia Z1 Compact. Eschewing the “Mini” moniker, this new smartphone includes the speedy specifications and waterproofing of the full-size Z1.
New technologies have made monitoring and automating our homes exciting. iSmartAlarm creates products that put a modern spin on traditional security systems and have announced two new products at CES. Both products do not require professional installation and are portable. Homeowners and renters alike can connect, monitor and manage their own home security with the iSmartAlarm Doorfront and Smart Switch.
General Motors is announcing technology news at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. Select 2015 Chevrolet models will be rolling out with 4G LTE connectivity speeds via the vehicle’s OnStar system and, taking advantage of this new technology, infotainment personalization is being enhanced with the new Chevrolet AppShop accessible from the vehicle’s MyLink screen.
Withings Aura Active Smart Sleep System combines an under-mattress sleep sensor and a unique bedside device in order to take into account your entire sleeping environment so that it can improve your overall sleeping experience. The color changing bedside device uses light and sound programs to “positively impact your sleeping conditions.” The sleep system sends all the data it collects to a free mobile phone app so that you can visualize your sleep and learn what wakes you up or helps you sleep. With the app, you can adjust your wake pattern as well. The bedside device emits different colors…
Most kids hate needles (and many adults do too!) How do you make it easier to handle your shots? Buzzy is a unique device that incorporates freezing and vibration to take the sting out of getting shots. New at CES is the Buzzy Mini, making it even simpler to apply the Buzzy while injecting a needle.
We love our Roku 3, it’s a fantastic device. For those who want the Roku experience, but also crave a “smart tv”, Roku and TCL have teamed up for the Roku TV! Details are still forthcoming, but if the experience is as seamless as the Roku box, this could be a big boon for the Roku brand! Prices and availability are still forthcoming, but you can check out the full details at the Roku blog.
We started CES 2014 by meeting with Seagate and LaCie and looking at some of their new and upcoming products. Among them are a new wireless drive, a 4TB portable drive (a first), and a gorgeous silver hard drive that looks more like a work of art than a drive. Here are a few pictures of the products.
Multiple news organizations, in this case all the local TV stations in my area, have reported about this mysterious text message saying your “Achieve Account” being frozen. It also has a number that you should not call because it is an attempt to steal your identity; if you get a message similar to the above message, just delete it.
I was impressed by Blue Microphone’s Spark Digital. In my review I noted that it, “the world’s first studio condenser microphone to offer both USB and iPad connectivity” does an excellent job of recording audio from both your Mac and your iPhone. I did, however, lament the fact that it only shipped with a 30-PIN Apple connector. No longer!
343 Industries and Vanguard Games have developed a special Christmas Eve present for Xbox One owners – Halo: Spartan Assault. This surprise release will be the first appearance from this popular game series on the Xbox One. Previously released on PC, this third-person shooter features a “top-down” perspective, 25 single player missions, five “Operation Hydra” missions, additional content, and achievements.
I reviewed Where Angels Cry earlier this year for the iPad, as well as for the Mac and Kindle Fire. The game deftly integrated story, mystery and hidden objects all in one fun package that has you exploring a remote monastery to solve a murder. Now it is coming to Windows Phone and tablets on the Windows Store!
While some folks express concerns about royalty payouts and business models, the reality is that people love Spotify because it allows them to listen to the music they want to when, where and how they want. And today they are announcing ways that even more people can enjoy the service, and an expansion of the free service for tablet users.
My favorite Sonny Rollins album is ‘The Quartets Featuring Jim Hall’, bought on LP in the early 1980s without hearing it – based on recommendations of friends and reputation of guitarist Jim Hall. It remains one of my favorite albums and is one I am listening to today as we mourn the loss of the jazz guitarist at age 83.
There are two kinds of garages out there: the garages where cars live while shelves of stuff loom over them ominously, and the garages where the idea of fitting a car amongst all the stuff stored there is laughable. No matter which garage you have, myLIFTER is a Kickstarter project designed to organize your garage and control it from your phone!
Launching an online fantasy RPG is far from a sure thing. Some have an initial spark but quickly fizzle, others never register much at all with fans. Path of Exile from Grinding Gear Games drew loads of attention from a self-hosted crowdfunding campaign, and since launching just over a month ago has seen huge success as an actual game.
When I ordered my Google Glass, I stuck with the relatively boring Charcoal (black), and I’ll admit that there have been times when I wish that I’d been a little bit more adventurous with my color choice. Now I have no regrets, because GPOP has $9.99 Glass skins that can make my spectacles appear as wild as my mood.
While Steely Dan is called rock or classic rock, their music is heavily layered with jazz and fusion elements and played largely by studio jazz players so it is often classified as fusion. As a result there is something for everyone – great pop hooks, rock groove, jazz harmonies, etc. Perfect fodder for an intense Lick Library instructional DVD! Here is the description: Tom Quayle is a leading force in the new breed of fusion guitarists and a respected educator. He goes through each track, in bite-sized pieces, breaking them down to show both the rhythm and solo parts. Tracks…