Archives for April 2014

Apple beefs up MacBook Air processors and battery life

macbook-air

The MacBook Air still looks the same but under the hood they now have a little more zip, being updated with the latest power efficient fourth generation Intel Core processors.

All MacBook Air models now come standard with the fourth generation dual-core 1.4Ghz Intel Core i5 processors with Turbo Boost speeds of up to 2.7GHz and Intel Graphics HD 5000 video. They still feature 802.11ac Wi-Fi as well as either 128GB or 256GB of flash storage. iLife and iWork are still included.

For even more power, the configure-to-order options can give you an even faster 1.7 GHz Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, up to 8GB of memory and up to 512GB of solid state flash storage.

Read more… at CANOE Tech Blog

Street Blaster Bluetooth speaker packs a 1000 watt punch

PyleAudio 1000 Watts

Pyle Audio’s latest speaker system is like a ghetto blaster on steroids.  Looking more like a rocket engine than a speaker, Street Blaster is a true stereo boombox that packs 1000 watts of power. You can stream music to it via Bluetooth using any iOS or Android device plus connect via NFC (Near Field Communication) if your device supports it.

Read more… at Canoe Tech Blog

Win a Tiny Terror and ultimate AmpliTube Orange from IK

IK Multimedia is giving you a chance to: Win a Tiny Terror and the ultimate AmpliTube Orange for iPhone/iPad
mobile rig.

Orange® Amps make their debut on Apple mobile devices. To kick off this exciting release of AmpliTube Orange for iPhone/iPad, IK Multimedia has teamed up with Orange Amps to bring you this rocking giveaway.Over $2,200 in prizes!

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Review: Nest Learning Thermostat

We can use Home Automation devices to monitor our homes, keep us secure and turn our lights on and off. So why not use technology to help monitor and control the energy used to heat and cool our homes? The Nest Learning Thermostat can do just that – on its own- via the web and also through an app. Nest isn’t totally new, but the latest version, the 2nd generation model, is certainly much improved and you don’t have to be a geek to make the most of it. Great news if you’re a resident of Alberta, you may have an opportunity to get one free from Direct Energy.

The biggest thing to appreciate is that Nest is more than just a programmable thermostat – setting the device to turn on and off at predetermined times. It knows when you turn it up and knows when you turn it down and even knows when you’re away. It monitors usage and learns your habits, when you want to be toasty warm and when you want it a little cooler. It does this for about a week or so after installation and then it programs itself. When you configure it upon set up, you also give it your postal code, so it knows what the temperature is like outside so it can also learn vis-a-vis your actual environment.

Read more… AT CANOE TECH BLOG

Nomad – ChargeCard, ChargeKey makers catch their breath

It’s rare you get a personalized special update message from a company letting you know where they’re at. But this is what happened to me today. Nomad which began as Kickstarter and Indiegogo projects and the makers of ChargeCard and ChargeKey, reviewed here and G4TV.ca, chimed in to tell me that they’ve cleaned up their backorders and are now able to fulfill orders the same day.
They’ve come a long way since their crowdfunding project kickstarted back in 2012 starting with the two co-founders in their grandparent’s basement to a full-fledged operation of 15 people in the heart of San Francisco.
So far, they’ve:
– Made over $2.5M in sales since launch
– Shipped nearly 100,000 cables
– Fulfilled all Kickstarter and Indiegogo pledges and pre-sales
– Become one of the top Shopify stores, the second in gross sales in the electronics category
Glad to hear about Nomad’s entrepreneurial success and look forward in hearing about their 3rd product which they are in the process of launching.

Swann announces SwannSecureTM All-in-One Wi-Fi Video Monitoring System

Swann Combo Image1

System features HD night and day security camera, Wi-Fi touch screen monitor and remote viewing on Android, iOS, and PC device

Swann Security, an industry leader with more than 25 years of security monitoring experience, announces today the SwannSecureTM All-in-One Wi-Fi Video Monitoring System. The newly introduced surveillance system offers not only a quick and easy do-it-yourself security solution, but also day and night HD quality video that is accessible remotely from mobile devices and tablets.

[Read more…]

Apple CarPlay for the vehicle you already have

PioneerCar PlayWere you excited about Apple’s CarPlay that brings Siri’s voice control and other iPhone 5 functionality to your car, but saddened by the fact that it’s only available on new cars? If a brand new car is not in the cards in 2014, you might still be able to get Apple CarPlay in the vehicle you currently own as Pioneer Electronics will introduce a firmware update to their five 2014 NEX in-dash multimedia receiver systems later this year.

Read more…AT CANOE Tech Blog

Review – Piper: Security Camera and Home Automation in a smart little bundle

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More homes are not only getting more secure, they’re also getting much smarter, thanks to the availability of affordable and easy to set up security and home automation systems like Canadian-invented Piper.

Piper, which got its kick-start through crowdsourced funding on Indiegogo, is the brainchild of Ottawa-based BlackSumac (just acquired by California based iControl Networks earlier this week). The Piper solution revolves around a multipurpose camera unit and a multifunction downloadable app which together provide an all-in-one home awareness hub rather than just a typical security camera.

The Wi-Fi enabled camera shoots 1080p HD video. It’s equipped with a fish-eye lens that offers an impressive extremely wide 180-degree field of view.  The 10x digital zoom supports pan and tilt functions giving you the ability to zoom in and look around the room.  It also has an infrared motion detector to detect intruders (up to 10m), a built-in microphone and a piercing 105dB siren – loud enough to almost rival a chainsaw. More than just acting as your eyes and ears, it also has four additional sensors that measure indoor temperature, ambient light, and relative humidity. You’ll see why the last four are not just “nice to know”.

Read more…AT CANOE TECH BLOG

Nomad ChargeKey & ChargeCard – world’s smallest USB cable

Nomad ChargeKey & ChargeCardNo matter where we go we always need to have some sort of USB cable nearby, whether it’s to charge up our gadgets or sync with another device. The truth is, carrying them around can be somewhat of a pain. They can be too bulky, cumbersome or we have nowhere to put them. Well Nomad has come up with a solution – in fact two of them, ChargeCard and ChargeKey.

Technically, ChargeCard and ChargeKey are not really cables at all; they are connecting devices and work like cables but look like a credit card and a house key respectively. They both allow you to charge up your device when connected via USB and full-fledged data transfer when syncing to a computer or other compatible device.

Both ChargeCard and ChargeKey come in two models, one for Lightning connector compatible devices, like the iPhone 5, 5C & 5S as well as any iPad, including iPad mini and iPad Air. The other is a micro USB version that will work with most Android and Windows phones as well as your BlackBerry.

World’s first all wood iPhone bumper case

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Tired of the same old plastic bumper case for your iPhone? Have you ever thought of getting one made from wood? But not just any wood. How about an Eastern Hardrock Maple or Oregon Walnut, so you have both coasts covered?

Read more… At Canoe Tech Blog