Wireless Wednesday for 8/26/15: Dorm Room Tech

U.S. Open tennis kicks off in New York next week.  Will Serena win the Grand Slam and why it's wide open on the men's side...

Also, "Dorm Room" gadgets this week...

Wish we had some of these "dorm room" sized gadgets when I was in college...

1. The New Powerbeats2 Wireless earphones in fun colors that match the Apple watch and take up minimal real estate in precious backpack space.

Pair and play with your Bluetooth® device with 30 foot range

6 hour rechargeable battery
Premium sound in a lightweight design with flexible earhooks
Sweat and water resistant
Take hands-free calls and adjust music with no-slip-grip RemoteTalk™ controls*
Compatible with iOS devices and more..   Designed for the athlete and the person on the move.
Also you won't keep your roommate of neighbors awake if you use these great buds.

2. Tenda AC15 Performance Router   (New to the U.S.)

Doesn't take up much space and it's a powerhouse router

 Product Highlights:
    1900Mbps Concurrent Speed Dual-band Gigabit WiFi Router
    1300Mbps 802.11ac at 5GHz and 600Mbps 802.11n at 2.4 GHz
    Broadcom dual-core processor with DDR3 memory
    Beamforming+ technology to boost range
    High powered amplifiers & three external antennas
    Smart management of WiFi schedule
    MSRP: $129.99

Available at TigerDirect and http://www.tendacn.com/en/product/AC15.html

3. myCharge’s RazorPlus

Keep your mobile devices charged is a problem for the college student. The space-saving answer is the mycharge RazorPlus. This ultra, ultra thin battery pack is crafted from anodized aluminum, the ultra-thin Razor delivers an extra 13 hours talk time for your smartphone. All for $49.99
 

 
4.  Wonder Washer

The world's smallest washing machine

Wonder Washer portable washing machine goes anywhere! Perfect for dorms, apartments, RV, anywhere space is limited. No more trips to the laundromat. Ideal for small loads and delicates. No plumbing needed! Just fill with water, detergent, and laundry and set timer for up to 15 minutes on high or low cycle. Easy tote handle. Plugs into standard outlet. Seven liter capacity, weighs only eight pounds. 120 wolts / 60 HZ / 55 watts. Plastic, 14 x 14".
Portable washing machine goes anywhere
˙Ideal for small loads and delicates
˙No plumbing needed! Just fill with water and set timer
˙Seven liter capacity, weighs only eight pounds
˙Washer size 14 x 14
 

5.  World's smallest refrigerator   .14 cubic feet.

The Koolatron Coca-Cola Personal Cooler is the stylish and fun way to keep your drinks cold or warm. The Coca-Cola Personal Cooler looks like a small refrigerator and is perfect for the car, boat or home. State-of-the-art thermoelectric cooling technology allows the cooler to operate silently. The Koolatron Coca-Cola Personal Cooler holds up to six 12 oz. cans of your favorite beverage.
    4 l capacity holds 6 (12 oz.) cans or 4 – 500 ml bottles
    Operates on DC 12-volt/AC 110-volt
    Cools up to 32 degree F below ambient temperature
    1-sliding removable shelf
    Self-locking door handle

 
 
App of the Week:

TripScout  free for iOS

- a long time in the making... TripScout finally launches
TripScout provides self-guided city tours from top local guides. We show you exactly what you should see and do, provide audio guides that teach you about the local history and culture, and have customizable offline maps with GPS so you can navigate your way around without using your data connection. All you need is an iPhone to instantly have:

1. Curated Sites: Instantly have the top sites, neighborhoods, and activities on your mobile phone
2. Audio Tours: Hear engaging stories from locals about history, culture, and food at your own schedule and pace
3. Customizable: Pin additional points of interest, like restaurant recommendations or your hotel
4. Offline Maps: Use offline maps with GPS to navigate around the city without using data or WiFi

Wireless Wednesday for 8/19/15: Michigan and the Tech News of the Week

Rick is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan this week. He's testing his golf game on three great courses in golf-rich Michigan. He's also staying at the Island Resort & Casino - a fantastic Indian-owned Casino in Harris, MI. He will also be visiting historic, Marquette, Michigan located way up on Lake Superior.

* Interesting that the UP Michigan is more like Wisconsin than the rest of the state of Michigan. There are Packers fans everywhere and that makes for great people...

Check out: www.puremichigan.com

 Have a listen to both parts:

1.   Samsung proposes a 4,600 micro-satellite space network for terrestrial backhaul

- Important solution as we get closer to running out of storage and cell bandwidth
Samsung Electronics has proposed a ‘space internet’ network consisting of 4600 micro-satellites that could act as backhaul for terrestrial cellular networks and bring low-cost internet to “everyone in the world”.
 

2.  Hackers Remotely Cut a Corvette's Brakes

This story should scare you

Security researchers presented work at the USENIX conference today showing an easy way to hack into a car's electronics using a small gadget that plugs into modern dashboards. The port they're taking advantage of is commonly used to monitor the location and speeds of these vehicles. Once the researchers' dongle is attached, they can use SMS messages to transmit commands to the car's internal network. They demonstrated this by remotely cutting a Corvette's brakes. "Though the researchers say their Corvette brake tricks only worked at low speeds due to limitations in the automated computer functions of the vehicle, they say they could have easily adapted their attack for practically any other modern vehicle and hijacked other critical components like locks, steering or transmission, too."
 

3.  Twitter lifts the 140 character limit on Direct Messages

(It's about time)
Twitter's push to make DMs a full on messaging service continues. Beginning Wednesday, the 140 character limit for Direct Messages has been lifted in the iOS, Android, Mac apps, Tweetdeck and on Twitter.com
 

4.  Cuba is opening up.... but will that mean improved wireless and cell phone service?

- Many people in Cuba still use pay phones

Cuba has a second generation cellular network and Internet access is limited to about 5% of the population via work and school accounts and (mostly dial up) access in a few homes, so it was big news when they rolled out 35 public WiFi hotspots. Can they expand this public WiFi and skip 3G and 4G cell infrastructure until 5G equipment is available in about five years?
 

5.  Dr Pepper Snapple Group Invests in Sports Drinks

-Called BODYARMOUR

 Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., (DPS) is investing in emerging sports drink BODYARMOR. The company's $20 million investment gives DPS an 11.7 percent ownership position in BA Sports Nutrition, LLC, owner of BODYARMOR SuperDrink, a line of premium sports drinks.
DPS has carried BODYARMOR as an allied brand in much of its direct store delivery network since 2013 and plans to expand the product line further in its system over the next year.
 

App of the Week:

VPAR - the "everything" golf app

For iOS and Android
** Live scoring, GPS and Golf planner, Course Directory and Stat Keeper
- Free app to downlaod. Get 14 days of a free trial and only $8.99 to subscribe the rest of the year
Earlier this summer (around the U.S. Open), VPAR downloads climbed as high as 5th in the Apple App Store “Sports” category

·        Their award-winning app is now available across Android devices and downloads on the Google Play Store have shown great organic growth since launching in late July

·        VPAR partnered with Your Golf Travel – Europe’s largest golf travel agency – to launch a “live” amateur tournament across Europe. The “Your Golf Travel Championship Powered by VPAR” is ongoing and has utilized VPAR’s live scoring functionality to provide an enthralling competition for the continents best pairs teams

·        The Android version coincides with the release of VPAR 4.0 across both Android and Apple devices. Updated features include:

o   Simplified Round Creation – The setup process has been simplified to one page, providing users with an array of game formats based on the number of players and tee times.

o   New GPS Glance Tool – Front/Center/Back distances are automatically featured on the scoring page, allowing players to quickly decide on club selection at first glance.

o   Social Media Sharing – Easily share your round with friends on Facebook and Twitter

and the World's Biggest Trophy

Wireless Wednesday for 8/11/15: Tablet Computers Invade Sports

Rick has been using an iPad for almost 5 years now. The iPad has become more powerful and easier to use. And there is an "app for everything"

It's taken a few years, but the world of sports has taken to tablet computers in a big way.

Rick and Mitch talk about tablets in sports...

and part 2 with the app of the week!

1.   The NFL and their Agreement with Microsoft and the Surface Pro 3

Microsoft’s five-year, $400 million deal with the NFL is finally going to start paying tangible dividends for fans, and not simply put the company’s Surface tablets in the hands of players and coaches on the sideline.

Every NFL player will have a motion-tracking chip in his uniform this season, and the data will be collected to create (almost) real-time replays that go above and beyond anything previously offered during television broadcasts.

***The basics: three to seven minutes after a particular play, the field position and vector data for every player on the field will be available in replay form. (Not every play, but you know, the ones you want to watch again.) In other words, you’ll be able to view the Xs and Os version of a play with the actual speed of every player on the field, as well as some additional graphical elements to highlight specific players or data points. The actual view will look like the screenshot below, with Microsoft’s graphics in the main frame, game video on the top right, and player data filling out the sidebar. …

 

2.  iPads and Women's Tennis and the WTA Tour

Coaches can bring iPads on the court to show players their stats.

The women’s tour is experimenting with on-court coaching rules that already allow players to call a coach to the sideline once per set for a 90-second, mic’d-up pep talk that is broadcast to television viewers. At the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford this week, coaches can also bring along an iPad loaded up with data.

The tablet has software designed by SAP, the tour’s technology partner since 2013, that collects live data from matches.

There are standard tennis stats, like aces and first-serve percentage, fed to the devices from the chair umpire’s electronic scoring system. For matches played on courts with Hawk-Eye, the line-calling technology used to challenge calls, there is much more, including graphics that display court positioning for each shot, where serves land and other player tendencies. A coach might zero in on specific points—for example, every time the score was 40-15—to show that a player didn’t play from an aggressive position.
 

3.  Smaller College Football Programs - Players Using iPads Too

Case in Point: South Alabama Football

South Alabama's football program is making greater use of the cloud this fall, in hopes that it'll help them bring the thunder on the field. So, it's not just the big programs that are using tablet technology.

The Jaguars this fall are taking advantage of new technology from XOS Digital called ThunderCloud that will allow coaches and players to have access to practice and game film on their iPads or other personal devices and watch them at home.
 

4. iPad helps with concussions in sports

Let's look at the tablet's ability to help assess concussions, a previously difficult task that relied on subjective reporting methods.

St. Edward High School (Cleveland) athletic trainer Jason Cruickshank, who uses the iPad in conjunction with the C3 Logix concussion assessment app to precisely track and monitor symptoms for athletes under his care.

Cruickshank first logs baseline profiles for each student, which are sent to the cloud for storage. When an incident occurs, he runs the same tests and compares the results to the baseline. The information is then displayed in a hexagon-shaped graph that highlights differences in data points like reaction time and balance.

As part of the larger C3 Logix system, the iOS app collects a variety of cognitive player information via the iPad's hardware. For example, the app harnesses on-board accelerometer and gyroscope data for quantitative postural stability and uses the high-resolution multitouch screen to capture an athlete's movement. All processing is done on the iPad.
 

5.  Apple to hold an event on Sept 9 to announce new devices

Apple has plans to announce new devices and applications on Sept 9 and some may revolve around sports...
Like Apple fall events past, this one too will focus on the company’s next-generation iPhones, which are expected to arrive at market with a pressure-sensitive Force Touch display, an improved camera system, and a significantly faster and power-efficient wireless chip. Sources say Apple executives are likely to show off the company’s latest iPads as well, though that 12.9-inch “iPad Pro” seems to be a wildcard, still.
Does this date mean there will be something cool right before the start of football season?
Maybe even a bigger iPad.. .called an iPad Pro, which could have huge implications in sports and video games.
We'll find out.


App of the Week:

Whitepages ID

Free for iOS

Eliminate phone scams.
Whitepages is the leader in North America in protecting consumers against unwanted calls. The company sources 2+ billion contact records a month and their current call protection apps have been downloaded over 30 million times.  

Whitepages ID provides an easy solution to help iOS users detect unwanted calls and avoid being a victim of spam and phone scams. Whitepages’ ability to protect consumers from unwanted calls is backed by robust phone reputation technology and a dedicated team of researchers.  In July, the Whitepages Phone Reputation team tracked 308 million phone numbers and detected 11.3 million calls and texts engaged in spam or fraudulent activities.

“Cell phone users have the right to protect themselves from unwanted calls,” said Alex Algard, founder and CEO of Whitepages. “Starting today, we’re giving Apple users access to our database of over 600 million phone numbers, user-generated feedback on spam, and round-the-clock tracking of new and pre-existing phone scams. It’s all about giving people the necessary information to protect themselves.”
How it works: Whitepages curates a broad list of spam and scam numbers, which gets updated at least twice daily and automatically sent to the user’s address book. When a call is made, Whitepages ID’s up-to-date spam/scam log detects those unsolicited calls and alerts the user in real time.
 

Wireless Wednesday for 7/15/15: Using Tech to Stay Cool and Protect Yourself in the Heat

If you haven't noticed, it's been hot out.  Temps in the 90s and maybe we are heading to triple digits.

Technology can be used to keep you cool and protect yourself from the sun.
For those playing sports, being spectators at sporting events and concerts... this is critical

Keep safe this summer... and listen and learn

1.  Nuun - powdered hydrating beverage

Nuun is optimal hydration for athletes everywhere. You're always active, and your water should be too. Leading the way in portable hydration, Nuun has optimal electrolyte levels to make the most of your water. In the form of small tablets that disintegrate your water Nunn provides the necessary electrolytes and more you need while on and off the course and field of play.

Nuun Active and Nuun Energy contain an optimal blend of electrolytes (Na, K, Mg, Ca).

Nuun is used by athletes across many sports. In addition to Davis Love III, many players on the PGA Tour use Nuun to stay hydrated. Keegan Bradley, Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald, Charl Schwartzl, Jason Day and Adam Scott are just a few players that represent the brand --- without being paid.
 

2. Coconut Water... many athletes swear by it before, during and for recovery after competition.

ZICO Coconut Water

ZICO coconut water has five key electrolytes: sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. These elements work together to support your body with what it needs to stay hydrated, especially on a warm day on the golf course. ZICO’s products, which are gluten-free, lactose-free, and dairy-free, contain as much potassium as a banana. Zico Natural is 100 percent pure water from hand-harvested Thai coconuts. Fruit, chocolate, and latte-flavored varieties are also available for ZICO, and they all taste great!
 

3.  Clothes that breathe or keep you cool

Gone are the days of wearing those heavy cotton shirts on the tennis court or golf course.
It's all about new high tech materials that keep you cool in the hot weather and are light and airy.
Adidas makes a "ClimaCool" line, Under Armour makes a "Cold Black" line worn by Jordan Spieth and Nike makes "Dri-Fit" apparel.
 

4.  Mission EnduraCool™ Instant Cooling Towel

The Mission EnduraCool™ Instant Cooling Towel is made from a proprietary performance fabric that instantly cools when soaked with water, wrung out, and then snapped in the air to activate the cooling properties. The proprietary technology works by absorbing moisture and perspiration into the fabric core where the unique radiator-like fiber construction circulates water molecules and regulates the rate of evaporation to create a prolonged cooling effect.

$14.99 at www.missionathletecare.com

 


5. Under Armour UA Core 2.0 Sunglasses

Starting at $104.99 to protect your eyes
Under Armour's UA Core 2.0 sunglasses are loaded with features and a favorite of athletes all over the country.


The Core 2.0 model are diamond rated and offer maximum comfort with their three-point grip with adjustable nose pads and temples. A bonus cap gripper gives you a secure fit when the glasses aren't in use and worn upside down on the cap.

Even with all these features, the look and stylishness of the sunglasses are not lost.



App of the Week:

Tuber: The YouTube Companion [FREE]

Many of us just want to quickly watch our YouTube subscriptions — and nothing else. Sponsored or recommended videos can not only miss the mark, but the fact that in order to get to our subscriptions we are first presented with what many would  rather not see is annoying. Tuber is a YouTube client that fixes that, as it takes you to your subscription feed off the bat — with a pleasant and efficient interface to boot! There were easy ways to mimic this on the official client, but this is an app solution that will most likely remain stable and functional throughout time and updates.

 

Wireless Wednesday for 7/8/15: The Best Gadgets So Far in 2015

We are at about the half way point of 2015 (can your believe that) and some of the tech gadgets Rick saw at CES in January are starting to filter out and others have magically appeared.

Let's take a look at some of Rick's favorite things so far in 2015

Have a listen to both parts

listen to ‘Wireless Wednesday for 7/8/15 - 2015 Gadgets’ on audioBoom

listen to ‘Wireless Wednesday for 7/8/15 - Part 2 2015 Gadgets and Jaha App’ on audioBoom

1. Grovemade Laptop Stand

Elevated stand improves ergonomics, promotes organization, & welcomes an aesthetic boost to workspaces
·         Skillfully crafted by molding multiple sheets of wood veneer into a continuous and graceful curve
·         Angled platform improves ergonomics, provides ample surface space, and creates an area for stowing away laptop accessories
·         Features a precision cut stainless steel stop, lined with premium vegetable tanned leather, preventing laptops and other devices from sliding off the stand
·         Works in unison with the Desk Collection, bringing order and design continuity to workspaces
·         Each stand is individually hand sanded and finished with natural oils
·         Universally compatible with all laptop models
·         Available in Maple & Walnut hardwoods
·         100% conceptualized, fabricated, and constructed in Portland, Oregon
Available at: Grovemade.com
Price: $119
Website: www.grovemade.com

2.  Grain Audio: Wooden Over Ear Headphones

Over-ear headphones blend comfort with craftsman-style design and superior sound quality
·         Headphone components include 2x40mm proprietary loudspeakers featuring Neodymium magnets and a CCAW voice coil
·         Ear cups made of sustainably sourced solid walnut wood with hand-applied oil finish
·         Plush ear cushions are designed for a noise isolating immersive experience without sacrificing comfort or sound quality
·         Inline mic and remote are included for intuitive playback options and taking calls
·         Distinct wood grain patterns means each set is truly unique
Available at:  GrainAudio.com, UrbanOutfitters.com, Amazon.com
Price: $199.00
Website: www.grainaudio.com

3. Logitech Wireless Keyboard K400 Plus

“The living room is a place where we come to relax, entertain ourselves and connect with friends and family,” said Charlotte Johs, global vice president of computer peripherals at Logitech. “The Logitech Wireless Keyboard K400 Plus makes it easy to connect your PC to the TV and search for Internet content.”

The fantastic Bluetooth range of 33-feet and quck to the touch keys. The keyboard feels good in your lap and it didn't take long to become familiar with the size and layout. it has all the keys you are used to using on a normal keyboard and media keys to help you control all the gadgets in your living room, right from your couch or favoritechair. Logitech brags about battery life of about 18 months and if that is the case, this keyboard could quickly become a couch potato's best friend.
retail price of $39.99, and worldwide in July.

http://www.logitech.com/news/K400Plus

 
4.  Bemo - Social Media Camera

- something else from Logitech
 Capture & Share any moment
    Meet bemo, a simple pocket-sized video camera that allows you to be in and capture every moment, anywhere
    Shoot high quality video with one touch: 8 MP lens for clear, sharp videos including time-lapse video
    Wirelessly sync videos to your iPhone for easy edit & share on the go with the Bemo App
    Mobile control: trim, re-order, add titles and music to videos then share via text, email or social media from your iPhone
    Durable and water resistant with a soft touch finish

Share on the go
Now you can share the moment with family, friends and fans while you’re still in the moment. With one touch, The Bemo Social App shares your video via email, text or upload to Facebook, your Youtube channel, Instagram or other favorite social site. It’s never been so simple to go viral.

5.  ScoreBand Pulse Laser Rangefinder and the whole range of Scoreband products
- great pricepoint  $179.99

www.scoreband.net

For golfers.... a high tech gadget that gives the distance to the front, middle and back of greens as well as the exact distance to hazards and the flagstick. Many of these rangefinders cost in the $350-500 range, so for most, it's not an impulse purchase.
I haven't seen the words "affordable" and "laser rangefinder" in the same sentence or paragraph ever- but I'm going to do it now!
The ScoreBand Pulse is a compact laser rangefinder and it's affordable, with a retail price of  $179.99.

“With 400-yard range and pinpoint accuracy, the performance of the ScoreBand Pulse is equal to any rangefinder on the market, and it far exceeds the competition in the value it delivers,” said Jody Murdough, ScoreBand president.

They also make other products that help you keep score and track trends while playing sports
 

***  Bonus if time permits... also one of Rick's favorite..

The Epson M-Tracer Golf Swing Analyzer

See Rick's review here:

http://www.examiner.com/article/epson-m-tracer-golf-swing-analyzer-gives-data-to-the-determined-golfer?cid=db_articles


App of the Week:

Jaha   -  Free for IOS

"A Fitness Friend Finder"

For anyone looking to meet up with others in their area for sports and fitness activities, Jaha, a new iOS app that launched today, is the easiest way to bring people together.  Jaha is a location-based app that helps find others in the users’ neighborhood to exercise, play a sport or work-out, together.  With Jaha, it is easy to find a running/hiking partner, a tennis game, a fourth player for golf, a pick-up basketball/soccer/volleyball game, a yoga/Pilates partner, or another person for any other sports and fitness activity.  Users fill out a profile section to identify their interests and can interact with other people to connect to participate in sports activities together. Jaha is the app where fitness people meet.