Expert Blogs
Once upon a time, before there were ball point pens, kids used to get a new pencil box every year when school started (and a new lunch pail too). The pencil box contained a minimum of some wooden, yellow No. 2 lead pencils, a big eraser, and a pencil sharpener. Griffin Technology brings back this nostalgic time with its retro-looking stylus ($19.99) in the form of a No. 2 yellow pencil for capacitive screen devices. Around the turn of the century, early PDAs or personal digital assistants like Palm Pilot and Microsoft Pocket PCs had styli and a silo to stow them in, but you couldn’t use your finger on those screens. Then came the iPhone with its finger touch screen. Let it be known as the dirty screen era.
Radiation from cell phones has been a hot issue in the past as I recall, and even a reason some people refused to use them. But I haven’t heard it discussed for a while now. However, Pong Research has been developing a solution to the issue with its new Pong Case ($59.99), which directs cellular energy away from your head and body. In fact, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission does indeed regulate the amount of radiation a mobile device can emit. EMR or electromagnetic radiation is what a mobile phone uses to communicate. By government calculations, devices with a specific absorption rate less than 1.6 W/kg are safe. Most devices in use today weigh in at less than this rate. So, what’s the problem?
With Pyle's Home Bluetooth Receiver ($66.99), you can easily add Bluetooth wireless streaming capabilities to your speakers, docking station, or stereo system. It works with almost any device to make it Bluetooth enabled, including the iPod, iPad, iPhone, Androids, Black berry, PCs, video game consoles, and more. It will extend the range of your Bluetooth connection to about 33 feet. In addition to an Apple 30 pin connector, it has a 3.5 mm female Aux line input for direct audio input. It has a red/blue LED that flashes blue to confirm Bluetooth connection.
The first challenge is to open the package. It’s like a Chinese puzzle. Maybe the complexity of the entry is meant to contrast with the simplicity of the contents. Inside, the AL13 AeroSpace Aluminum Bumper for iPhone 5 ($79.99) is a simple bumper made of tough, burnished, aircraft-grade aluminum. On the outside of the box with is a black envelope containing two screen protectors and a cleaning cloth. So this affords you more protection for your device.
Ballistic has a new series of cases for the iPhone 5. The Aspira Series Case ($34.99) offers stylish but tough cases for iPhone 5. There is little doubt that the corners of a phone take the most beating. Accordingly, Ballistic has reinforced the corners of the Aspira cases for extra protection. The case itself has a high polish, anti-scratch coating to keep it bright and shiny and has multiple layers in the semi-rigid shell. The cases come in a wide array of designs to choose from that include a pink floral design on a white background, pink, black, green, white, honeycomb, and black with green borders.
I’d like to tell you about two items I received from ID America to review. The first is a creative case for the iPhone 5, the The Cushi DJ ($14.95). It is not your typical case, arriving with seven items in the package: a Cushi soft foam pad for the back; band for the edges; soft foam pad for the front; home button; screen protective film; installation squeegee; and microfiber cleaning cloth. As you can see, the Cushi DJ has you covered on every surface. It looks like a retro turntable in miniature.
A relatively new player in the mini speaker market, bēm has several offerings. The one I was sent to review today is the bēm Mobile Speaker ($69.99), a single cube about 2.75 inches to each side. It is sheathed in a rubberized housing to protect it from bumps and drops. It feels good in your hand as well. It hooks up to just about any Bluetooth-compatible device such as the iPhone, iPad, tablet or any smartphone. It has both an auxiliary input and output, so it will hook up to non-Bluetooth devices also.
Digital Treasures offers some interesting products for the digital world. One is the Props Power Case ($119.95), an innovative case for the iPad 2, 3, and 4, with a built-in 12,000 mAh battery to keep you charged longer. We hope it will soon, because this case is a class act you'd be proud to present in polite society. It will keep your iPad powered and protected in style with its fashionable design, sturdy construction, and powerful battery. Not only will it keep your iPad powered, but it also will charge other devices such as an iPhone or iPod!
The Kinivo BTX350 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker ($39.99 on sale from $69.99) looks like a miniature version of the speaker bar I use for my TVs. It measures 8-inches long, 3.75-inches high, and 2.25-inches wide. It’s not the most compact mini speaker on the shelf, but it’s small enough to be highly portable. It comes with a rechargeable 1000mAh Li-ion battery that is rated to last 5 hours of play time. You may wish to keep a spare battery handy. It comes with a micro USB charging cable but no AC adaptor. It also comes with a dual male 3.5 mm jack cable for connecting non-Bluetooth devices.
It must be more fun growing up nowadays with all the cool gadgets for kids. When I was little, we had to make do with a box of crayons. The kid with the biggest box ruled. Now I suppose whoever has the coolest gadget rules. Griffin Technology is a leading manufacturer of cool stuff for kids with such products as Color Studio HD/iMarket stylus, DigiTools Packs, and Crayon-themed earphones.
|
|
