Wireless Wednesday for 4/13/16 - Monday After the Masters and Kitchen Gadgets

Rick has been trying out some new gadgets and devices for the kitchen so we are heading into the kitchen this week for Wireless Wednesday...

But first, Rick was invited to play in the annual "Monday After the Masters" at Reynolds Plantation on Monday.... this year with PGA Tour pros, Stewart Cink and Brian Harman.  

Rick actually hit them pretty well, had some birdie opportunities at the tough "Oconee Course" at Reynolds Plantation and made some pars to help the cause
 
Rick and Brian Harman

 
Have a listen to Rick and Mitch here:

***Now a look at what's new in the kitchen:

1.  Ankomn Savior  - newest sealed container for your kitchen

Ankomn http://www.ankomn.com Savior, the world’s most powerful non-electric vacuum sealed container made for food storage, is now shipping at Amazon.com, TheGrommet.com and Ankomn.com. Featuring Ankomn’s patented vacuum seal technology, Savior keeps food fresher up to 8 times longer, saving money and waste. Savior keeps food fresh by forcing air out with each twist of the lid, locking out excessive humidity and dry air that makes food stale. Also perfect for marinating meats, Savior keep everything fresher, including nuts, tobacco, coffee, tea, truffles, herbs, fish, meat, vegetables, fruit, cheese, chips, and baked goods.   
 


2. Sistema 150ml Yogurt and Snack Containers

We've all been there, we wanted to take some cups of yogurt with us on the road and the cup gets punctured or all twisted and yogurt can't be eaten....

Enter Sistema containers... for about $20
BPA-FREE: This product contains no harmful chemicals, keeping you safe and the food inside delicious
 

3. Magic Opener  -   opens anything and is also great for tailgates

Ready to enjoy the game and a cold beverage but struggling to pry open all the different cans and bottles?  Try magicOpener’s small, magnetic, and ergonomically designed, 4-in-1 bottle opener.  Store it on the fridge or take it on the go.  You’ll never have to miss that buzzer-beating basket with magicOpener- the solution to your daily battle with that canned or bottled beverage.
Go to http://www.magicopener.com/

 
4.  Touch Coffee and Beverage Brewers
 
Here are a few ways Touch stands out from the competition and makes a coffee-shop quality cup of coffee at home:
·       Touch brewers are completely open platform – this means you can use any K-Cup OR one of their own XBold cups, which have been designed to hold more up to 30% more coffee and deliver better flavor.
·       The brewer is ready to start brewing in under 20 seconds after being off all night.
·       Makes a piping hot cup of coffee by reaching the ideal temperature for a cup of coffee (195-200 degrees Fahrenheit)
·       The hot water has more contact with the coffee grounds, which ensures that all of the coffee flavor is extracted. Other machines take much longer to warm up and then shoot water through the coffee grounds too quickly, so you end up throwing away untapped flavor with the used capsule. Even with a slower, more deliberate brew, when factoring in the warm-up time, the Touch still turns out a cup of joe in a fraction of the time.
·       Its removable 90-ounce water tank has a greater capacity and is shorter in height than its counterparts, meaning you will be refilling less often, and it will be less awkward when you do.
·       Heats just enough water for the selected  cup size as opposed to the entire tank of water, and the machine turns itself off after using, making it much more energy efficient than its competitors.
The T526S offers 8 Cup Size Options: 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 oz. and Carafe (which holds 26 oz coffee)
 


5.  UncommonGreen drinkware

UncommonGreen is the perfect way to show your school spirit while sippin’ on your favorite drink. UncommonGreen's new College Town Maps Drinkware are a unique, but also practical way, for anyone to show off their school pride. UncommonGreen has launched College Town Maps Drinkware with 60 college towns to choose from, ranging from powerhouse schools like UCLA, to smaller, cult favorites like Middlebury.

And, if you don't see your favorite school listed as an option, they plan to continue expanding the line in the coming months, so your school could be next.  For more info, go to www.uncommongreen.com
 



The App of the Week:

Planes Live
$2.99 iOS app

Planes Live is a simple yet powerful tool that lets you watch the planes online all over the world and get up-to-date information on flights instantly! Track the flights of your family members or beloved ones as if you were traveling with them and find the best time to pick them up at the airport.
Users of Planes Live can:

•         Track planes online all over the world, in real time

•         Receive notifications about flight schedule changes with alerts on flight status, canceled flights, new departure and arrival times, and more

•         Search for specific flights, airports, and locations

•         Get detailed information on any flight, from aircraft characteristics and a picture of the aircraft model to its route and schedule

•         Find up-to-date airport information for accurate departure and arrival schedules, airport time zones and local time, its location and weather forecast

•         Add airports and locations to Favorites to access them instantly

•         Track planes and airports near them

•         Customize settings such as units and map type to suit their preferences

•         Apply smart filters to track a particular airplane model or an airline company, and watch the planes of selected altitude, speed or airport.

The Planes Live app can be downloaded for $2.99 on iTunes here. Learn more about Apalon's apps at http://www.apalon.com/.
 

Wireless Wednesday for 3/30/16 - New Music Technology

Rick and Mitch take a look at some new music gadgets and technology this week.

 Have a listen:

1.   Tremor

$299.99

It's called the "Tremor" for good reason.

DreamWave, makes the Tremor. Not only does it offer 50W of high-quality, audiophile sound, but the speaker also has a 24,000 mAh power bank in it making it the perfect go-t0 camping or beach accessory.
There’s no other Bluetooth speaker that can play louder and longer, with its combination of advanced technologies and audiophile sound tuning that reproduce the fullness, clarity and depth of your music the way the artist intended. It’s equipped with Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC for easy pairing with your mobile music devices.
Specs:
    50W Premium Audiophile Performance Sound System
    IPX5 Water/Dust/Sand/Snow Protection
    Connect 2 Tremors Together At Once
    Bluetooth CSR 4.0 + EDR, A2DP AVRCP, APTX
    20,800mAh Rechargeable Battery (Power Bank)
    Play time: Up to 20 Hours (8 Hours Max Volume, Full Bass Status)
    Hands Free Calling and NFC Ready
    USB 5V/1A Port for Charging Mobile Devices
    Hi-Fi Sound and Anti-Distortion Circuity
 

2.  ToughTested Ear Buds

Tough Tested Waterproof Noise-Control Earbuds with Mic
        Waterproof and IP67 rated to be water-, sweat- and dust- resistant
        Cord with silicon-coated Kevlar delivers safety and durability
        Halo 360° microphone ensures music and calls are clear

Completely waterproof and constructed to withstand the harsh conditions of marine environments, Tough Tested Waterproof Noise-Control Earbuds with Mic are ideal for fishermen, boaters and other recreational water goers. IP67 rating delivers complete water, sweat and dust protection, while the coiled cord feaures silicon-coated Kevlar® to provide enhanced safety and durability. Sport-fit shark fins ensure a secure fit even when wearing sunglasses. EQ/VOICE technology and Halo 360° microphone for great music fidelity and clarity when making phone calls. Connects to all cell phones, MP3 players and tablets via a 3.5mm jack.

 

3. Jamstik Wi-Fi Smart Guitar

www.jamstik.com

The jamstik+ is designed to get you playing quickly
Bluetooth Smart technology makes for a simple, fast and wireless connection.
It’s the lesson-practice-recording studio you can take with you.

Also has an app component
jamstik+ is the official companion app designed to establish your iPad/iPhone connection to the jamstik+ device.
 

4. Zagg Flex arc™ Wireless  - Bluetooth® Earbuds + Speakers

The $100 device that does it all from Zagg. They are earbuds, can be switched to speakers, have a mic.
When you slip the Flex Arc Wireless around your neck, you're wearing your favorite music in style. No wires means no limits, and the Flex Arc's innovative design fits in whether you're in the office, hanging out with friends, or working out. Modern and sleek, the Flex Arc features an iconic look you can comfortably wear all day and in any setting. Lightweight but packed with features, the Flex Arc Wireless gives you untethered audio for every moment.
 

5.  Noted - a new music discovery app for iOS and Android

When it comes to listening to music on our phones, there's no shortage of streaming apps to choose from. But these platforms don't offer a seamless way for users to connect and share music with others.

Launched on Thursday for iOS and Android, Noted is a social media discovery app that makes it easy to share and find new music that is recommended by people users know and trust.
Noted is a music-specific platform that features multiple libraries and combines a social element by including friend recommendations to provide a personalized music experience.

The music app allows users to search for and then post songs using SoundCloud and YouTube. When the user shares the song, it will be displayed in their profile feed, which serves as a playlist of their favorite music. The track will appear in a feed seen by other users who follow them. This allows Noted to provide a stream of music that is curated by user's friends.

 



App of the Week:

Fontmania - Add Artworks, Text Captions, and Typography Designs to Your Photos!

$4.99 for iOS
Featured in "Best new apps" on the App Store in 36 countries!
Let your photos speak! Fontmania is a great typography app that will turn your photos or pics into inspirational images, greeting or love cards which are so easy to share right from the app!
The app provides a vast collection of unique artworks and handpicked fonts as well as a variety of customization options for all the creative bits you add to your pics. Enrich your photos in an artistic way!
Use hashtag #Fontmania for Instagram posts to share your art with the community and your photos might get featured on @fontmania.

With Fontmania you can:
- make personalized pics that will stand out your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter posts;
- create unique images with inspirational, wise or funny quotes and sayings;
- design greeting cards;
- sign your memorable photos;
- make memes;
- combine image and text and create exclusive wallpapers for your screen;
- add quick notes and comments for any occasion;
- compose any other image that needs some stylish text on it.
By adding captions you can even change the entire meaning of your photos.

Fontmania is simple & fast! Here's how to use it:
1. Choose from existing photos or take a new one. Scale or crop it. Enhance it with a filter right in the app.
2. Add text and choose the best font for it or select an artwork from a collection.
3. Customize your art by applying color, opacity and shadow options.
4. Edit it: manually change size, position and tilt, choose alignment for a text.
5. Save or share it via Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, iMessage or any other social network and messenger.

No more dull pics or texts!
 

Wireless Wednesday for 2/17/16 - Best New Sports Apps and Hyatt

**Quick talk about a recent article Rick brought to light:

Uninstalling Facebook app saves up to 15% of iPhone battery life

Facebook is one of the most downloaded apps on iOS but it has long been cited as a cause of fast-draining iPhone batteries. Last year it was accused of using background tricks to stay active even when it wasn’t being used. Facebook admitted bugs existed, and fixed them, but questions of the app’s impact on battery life remained.

Similar concerns about Facebook’s Android app led to the discovery that deleting the app saves up to 20% of a phone’s battery. It was also found that running Facebook in your browser also causes a drain. Facebook is a battery hog!
 
There are never a shortage of new sports apps.  Rick and Mitch take a look at some new sports apps this week. Have a listen:

1.  New Sports Illustrated App

Sports Illustrated App, a new place to connect with our audience while showcasing SI's unparalleled storytelling and reporting from our award-winning journalists. With all-new modes of personalization, a clean in-app navigation experience and distinct SI editorial curation—along with the scores, videos, notifications and up-to-the-minute news that sports fans want—we're excited to introduce this new product. Download the SI App for iOS and Android.

The app allows for personalization, so you can follow the sports and teams you want.

Pin live games as you browse the app: This first-of-its-kind feature allows users to pin the scoreboard of any game to the home screen to follow live action while simultaneously browsing the latest stories and headlines.

• The 10 Spot: A brand new editorially curated section that highlights the best of Sports Illustrated. Featuring original analysis, a unique editorial voice, plus iconic photography and videos handpicked by editors, the 10 Spot adds a distinct SI flavor to what's most important in sports right now.

The app will be continuously updated, featuring the addition of many more sports, expanded content and additional functionality.
 

2.   Tunity

Tunity: Ever been at a sports bar that’s so loud you can’t hear the game that’s playing on TV? Meet Tunity, the app that’s going to solve that problem. All you have to do is scan the TV and Tunity will provide the audio, so you can plug in your headphones or connect your phone to a bluetooth speaker.
Free on iOS and Android

 
3.  Grandstand

Free for your iOS device

 Grandstand: Grandstand gives you the real-life fan experience directly from the stands. Share and check out highlights with other fans, record videos for others if you’re physically at a game or check out what other people have uploaded for the ultimate sports experience.

 


4.  NASCAR Mobile

Follow the excitement of the 2016 NASCAR season with the Official App of NASCAR, and stay up to date on your favorite drivers with news, video and live race features.

Free Features:

- Live Race Leaderboards for all NASCAR Series
- Live Race Highlights for all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
- Exclusive News, Video and Social Media
- 2016 Schedule, Standings and Manufacturer Standings
- Customized Notifications including Series Specific Alerts and Live Event Reminders

Premium Live Features (Subscription Required; FREE with Sprint unlimited data plan):

- Live Customized Leaderboards
- Customized Leaderboards with exclusive data points to follow your Favorite Drivers
- Live Driver Audio
- Listen to the In-Race strategy between Drivers, Crew Chiefs and Spotters
- Exclusive to Sprint Cup Series and XFINITY Series races
- Live In-Car Cameras
- Follow the action from the driver seat with Live In-Car cameras
- Exclusive to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races only
- Live Broadcast Radio & Officials Radio
- Listen to the official NASCAR radio for every race of the season
- NASCAR Officials Radio is available for all Sprint Cup Series races
- Live Real-Time Track Position & Driver Telemetry
 

5.  Rio 2016

Rio 2016 launches new app with competition offering chance to win tickets to opening ceremony
Available for iOS and Android, new platform provides information about the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the chance to win prizes. Up to April 2016, there will be four one-month challenges offering prizes. The first is a photograph contest, already live, where participants are invited to share images that symbolise the Olympic and Paralympic spirit. Entrants who are over 18 can win pairs of tickets for the opening ceremony.

There is a special award for youngsters under 18: the best images will be evaluated by artist and photographer Vik Muniz – a well-known Brazilian name in the international art world and one of the creative directors for the Paralympic ceremonies – alongside writer Marcelo Rubens Paiva and designer Fred Gelli. The winning photographs will adorn the bedrooms of the athletes’ village.

 

App of the Week:

Hyatt Hotels App

 
Rick has been in Austin, TX the past 4 days staying at a couple Hyatts and trying out some of what Hyatt is offering it's guests, including an updated app.

See where Rick stayed:

Hyatt Lost Pines Resort and Spa

The Driskill

Connect to your destination with the new Hyatt Hotels app. Our app allows you to book and personalize your travel with ease:

• Explore and book over 550 Hyatt hotels globally
• Find hotels using your current location, or search by city, address or airport
• View and cancel reservations at any time
• Make reservations using Hyatt Gold Passport® points
• Save your Reservations and your Hyatt Gold Passport® details to Passbook
• Check-in before you arrive, check-out on the go
• Access photos, weather, local time, maps, and turn-by-turn directions to your Hyatt destination
• Join Hyatt Gold Passport® and easily access your account details and track your points
• Add favorite Hyatt hotels for quick and easy access

Using the Hyatt app, you can take advantage of Hyatt’s Best Rate Guarantee. With no booking fees, you can book any Hyatt brand including Park Hyatt, Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara, and get the best published rate available anywhere online.

See more about the Hyatt app here:  http://hyatt.com/mobile

Wireless Wednesday for 12/2/15 - Sports Tech for the Holidays

Rick is a sports tech writer, so we talk sports gadgets, products and tech for the sports-minded and active individual.

Have a listen to both parts:

1.   Smart Rope (Smart Jump Rope)

Smart Rope - the next generation of jump rope, equipped with fitness tracking and real-time display capabilities.

Beautifully designed and (most importantly) portable, Smart Rope is the perfect gift for the fitness junkie in your life.

Smart Rope displays your fitness data mid-air, while you jump, through 23 high-quality embedded LED lights and pairs with your smartphone, via the Smart Gym app, for easy tracking and sharing of your jump count and calories burned.

Smart Rope retails for $89.99 and is currently available online at http://store.tangramfactory.com.
 



2.  Harman Kardon JBL speaker line in partnerships with NBA

JBL and the NBA partnered to elevate the NBA basketball experience for fans around the world wherever they enjoy the sounds of the game - at the arena, in their homes, in their cars, or on the go.

This is a partnership that will make the company the official headphone, speaker, and audio partner of the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), NBA Development League (NBA D-League), and USA Basketball. This unprecedented partnership is the NBA’s first-ever marketing partner in these categories and HARMAN’s first partnership with a professional sports league.

Products include the Flip 2  NBA, the Clip NBA and S300 NBA

 
 


3.  Tennis Racquets, tennis bags, tennis shoes

Sometimes the holidays and winter is the best time to buy tennis gear.
New racquets from Wilson and Tecnifibre and bags and shoes from other manufacturers.
 



4.   Binoculars (What to Look for and Buy)

Magnification is the degree to which the object is enlarged. With a 7x35 binocular, the object will appear to be seven times closer than without the aid of a binocular. The number immediately following the "x" is the diameter in millimeters of the objective (front) lens. The larger the front lenses the more light that is allowed to enter the binocular. A 10x50 binocular has 10 times magnification with a 50mm objective lens.

One as an example: The black 10x42 Aculon A211 Binocular from Nikon is a handheld fixed-magnification optic with multicoated aspherical lenses and an ergonomically-designed housing. For the redesigned Aculon series, Nikon packages the Aculon A211 binoculars with environmentally-friendly Eco-Glass elements composed of responsibly-sourced arsenic-free material. The Aculon binocular's Porro prism design delivers enhanced depth of field, and its multicoated aspheric optical path delivers the image clarity and flat FOV demanded by nature observers.
 


5.  Bio Mech AccuLock Ace Putter

AccuLock ACE is their latest putter and since it was designed from the body out, the developers say it takes the thinking out of putting and frees up your movement to hit the putt you want. The putter has a PGA Tour professional singing its praises is Heath Slocum as he put it into play and is having success.  “It just feels natural and more athletic. To me it’s just easy and makes sense.”
Dr. Frank Fornari is one of the inventors and co-owners of BioTech, he and BioMech's John Cunningham are traveling around the country hosting clinics and showing golfers what the AccuLock ACE can do for their golf game.
Note: The AccuLock ACE is designed so that the grip rests against the inner portion of the forearm, stabilizing the hands, arms and shoulders (a method that will remain legal after the anchor ban on Jan. 1, 2016)
 



App of the Week:

Master Lock Padlock and App

For Gym Lockers, Storage Units and more...

Master Lock recently announced their new Bluetooth Smart Padlocks, and we’d love to send over samples for you to test and review. These new smart padlocks turn any smart-enabled device into a key, eliminating the worry and hassle that surrounds forgotten combinations or lost keys.  

Master Lock Bluetooth Smart Padlocks Overview:

o   Download free Master Lock Vault eLocks app and sync lock with Activation Code

·         Functions:

o   Invite guests to share digital keys

o   Remove guests who no longer need access

o   Schedule unlimited guest access or restrict access to day and night

o   Receive tampering alerts

o   View padlock’s activity history

·         Indoor and outdoor models are available for purchase online (indoor $49.99, outdoor $59.99)

 

Wireless Wednesday for 4/8/15 - Hawaii Tech from Lana'i

It's Spring Break for Rick and his wife, but he is still "working" as he's hopping across our 50th state.  
He's on the island of Lana'i at the Four Seasons Resort Manele Bay and played golf at  Jack Nicklaus', Manele Golf Course.  Then we'll take a look at some technology that is uniquely Hawaiian.

Have a listen:

listen to ‘Wireless Wednesday for 4/8/15 - Rick is Live from Lana'i’ on audioBoom

Dole Pineapple used to have the island as their pineapple plantation, but no more, due to foreign competition, etc. Now, Lana'i is the ultimate destination for relaxation, golf and tennis.

Lana'i facts:

Lānaʻi  - smallest of the publically accessible Hawaiian Islands
Nickname: The Pineapple Isle     
Size; 140.5 sq mi (363.9 km2)     
Population 3,135     22.313/sq mi (8.615/km2)     
Highest pointL Lānaʻihale     3,366 ft (1,026 m)
No chain restaurants or chain stores
 
1.  98% of Lanai' is owned by Larry Ellison (Founder and Chairman of Oracle), with the remaining 2% owned by the state of Hawaii.

Ellison the owner of every hotel room on the island of Kauai.

He owns two golf courses, the community swimming pool, the water company, and a cemetery. He also owns nearly a third of all of the island's housing.

Welcome to Larry's Island - but it's really your island to explore!
 

2.  There is not a single traffic light on the Island of Lana'i and Rick loves that... not even a four-way stop.

 

3.  iPads provided in all the rooms at the Four Seasons Manele Bay

iPads in every room is fast becoming a Four Seasons brand standard (many of their new and soon-to-open hotels have them), we thought we'd give you a run down on how to use it.

The iPad can be found on the desk in the room and when you arrive, it has been charging in anticipation of your use. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, the WiFi is free so long as you are doing basic internet activities like browsing the web and checking your email.

You can also order room service, use the iPad in place of the in-room information book and looked up all the things to do at the hotel and nearby the hotel on the iPad. Again, navigation was easy and we were guided by big, colorful photos. There wasn't anything mind-blowingly creative or cool that was being offered through the iPad--a lot of the same services can be found on the TV as well, such as reviewing your bill--but simply being able to pick up the iPad and call up whatever we wanted at the swipe of a fingertip was just rather cool.
The iPad in the room is a great perk.

4.  The Four Seasons Lanai at Manele Bay app

Keeps you updated with everything going on around the resort and more...

Download the FS Lanai app to plan your visit, and to enhance your experience at Four Seasons Lanai at Manele Bay. Before you arrive, learn about hotel amenities and local attractions, arrange dining reservations, and more via the FS Lanai app. During your stay, utilize the app to schedule a wake-up call, request housekeeping service, arrange transportation plus a host of other services from your personal mobile device.
 

5.  Drone Aircraft Help Save Taxpayer Dollars in Hawaii

In Hawaii, agencies and researchers are integrating drones into their work to not only save taxpayers money but also limit accidents on the job.

Drones are giving federal government researchers the ability to model beach erosion along an entire stretch of shoreline in minutes, according to Honolulu Civil Beat. Before the use of drones, modeling just a small section of sand would take months.

University of Hawaii researchers monitoring groundwater runoff no longer pay $1,000 an hour for a manned aircraft on pre-approved Federal Aviation Administration flight paths. A drone costing roughly the same amount offers large-scale mapping in real time.

“Since it’s our tax dollars paying for this research, it’s great to see such interest in using technology to not only save money, but to speed the research and the application of the results, all while saving time and keeping everyone safe,” Jason Rushin, a Civil Beat contributor, wrote in a recent guest article.

But drones are being used off the beach as well.

Monotonous jobs like surveying farm irrigation systems can sometimes be dangerous for pilots. Those flights are now being replaced with drone technology.

Honolulu’s fire department, which covers the entire island of Oahu, uses such unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to safely spot brush fires.

With increased drone use has come the emergence of the Hawaii Drone Club, whose members to facilitate their everyday use, while one part-time resident’s manufacturing company plans to make the devices “smartphone simple”—guided with the swipe of a finger.

Hawaii’s drone users still have to contend with the FAA’s requirement that UASs be flown within the line of sight of the operator.

 


App of the Week:

Photojojo's new Disposable Camera app

- Free to download
The Good: Prints! Remember those? 27 glorious prints. Also, the way that having a dispo cam in your pocket keeps you on the look out for the next photo opportunity.

No more, forgetting to take your camera to the photomat and no more paying twice (cam + developing).

Pay just $12.99 for one camera and when you shoot your last frame, we’ll take it from there. We print your photos out and mail them right to your doorstep.