Archives for September 2014

Syncable-Duo 2-in-1 microUSB/Lightning cable solution

Syncable-Duo_charger_Cable

Cables are considered accessories and rarely take the limelight in the gadget arena. You usually expect them to be either included with the device or an add-on that you have to buy. The truth is people take notice of them only when they really need them, can’t find them or if they don’t work. Others say, “Who needs cables when everything’s wireless?”  Funny thing though, most wireless devices today still require cables to charge them. Universal inductive charging across all devices is still little ways away.

So that’s my little preamble for the Syncable-Duo Charge and Sync Cable by TYLT. It’s a 2-in-1 microUSB/Lightning solution. And like the name says, it’s both a charging and syncing cable for USB devices like smartphones and tablets. The neat thing about this cable is that it basically combines two cables into one.

Read more…AT Canoe Tech Blog

iRig Pads new full-featured ultra-portable MIDI groove controller

irig_pads
IK Multimedia  announced that it’s shipping iRig Pads, a new full-featured, ultra-portable MIDI groove controller for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch as well as Mac and PC. It’s the perfect companion for the mobile electronic music producer on the move: Now you can make beats, grooves and mixes anywhere you go.
It’s smaller than an iPad and less than 1″ thick and the smallest groove controller in the market. It has a slim, compact form factor and it’s lightweight, which means that it can be slipped into any iPad or laptop bag or backpack and carried around with ease.

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HOOKED ON PHONICS celebrates back-to-school with 98% off iOS & Android Apps

HookedOnPhoncs

School is back in session, and many parents and teachers have been feeling the strain in their wallets, outfitting kids for their first day or supplying and decorating their classrooms in preparation for the return of students. American Express’s annual survey on back-to-school spending finds that parents fork over an average of $1,151 for their children before school even starts — compared with $1,094 in 2013 and $867 in 2012.

A recent United Federation of Teachers (UFT) survey found that teachers are spending an average of $500 out of there own pocket each year purchasing supplies for their students.

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Swann’s Xtreem announces 6-inch Mini Stealth Drone

mini_stealth_drone small

The Xtreem Mini Stealth RC Drone is the latest drone offering from Xtreem by Swann, the folks who brought you remote control cars and the bubble-blowing Bubble Blast helicopter we recently reviewed. The new little six-inch Mini Stealth Drone is designed for speed and superior manoeuverability, even though its rotors are just three inches in diameter and weighs less than one ounce.

The company says the Mini Stealth Drone uses the latest in 2.4GHz frequency transmission technology. This helps it maintain a strong signal both indoors and outdoors and allowing it to fly up to 100m for a unique 360-degree flying experience that makes other RC helicopters seem outdated.  Read more at CanoeTech Blog

Toastmasters Podcast #082: Introducing Greg Gazin, Newest Host of the Toastmasters Podcast

Bo Greg RyanI have to admit, I pretty excited and honoured to now be one of the official hosts of the Official Toastmasters International Podcast along with co-hosts and my good friends, Bo Bennett and Ryan Levesque. Have a listen as we chat about Toastmasters and why I’m now part of the team.

Visit the official site: The Toastmasters Podcast

Latest iPhone first weekend sales blast through 10 million

IMG_7033EDMONTON, AB, Sep 22, 2014/ Troy Media/ – After record-breaking pre-orders and massive line-ups world-wide, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models – which launched on September 19 – broke first weekend record sales by topping the 10 million mark. This milestone is one million more than the then record-breaking nine million iPhone 5S and 5C handsets sold on their first weekend release set under a year ago.

“Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn’t be happier,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We would like to thank all of our customers for making this our best launch ever, shattering all previous sell-through records by a large margin. While our team managed the manufacturing ramp better than ever before, we could have sold many more iPhones with greater supply and we are working hard to fill orders as quickly as possible.”  READ MORE at Troy Media

iPhone 6 lineups prove Apple’s magic continues

JesseLetain Iphone 6 new

Jesse Letain emerges with his iPhone 6

With pre-orders at record levels, early indication was that Apple’s new iPhone 6 models were going to be a hit. And it looks like it is as the lineups at Apple Stores around the world are proving once again that Apple still has a lot of magic left in it.

And such was the case at Edmonton’s Southgate Centre where the first people to line up arrived at the doors of the Apple Store almost 24 hours before.

Read more… At Canoe Tech Blog

Review: Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS USB DAC (DIGITAL/AUDIO CONVERTER)

2 DacMagic matchesYou’ve just upgraded your headphones. You sit down at your computer, plug them in grab your favorite tune or launch your favorite game and start to play. You now expect the sound would be much better particularly with high quality audio content. However, you find the difference is marginal and you’re somewhat disappointed. You may not realize it, but it may not have anything to do with the headphones or the audio files but more to do with the on the laptop hardware itself.

The reality is that not all headphone jacks are created equal. It’s not actually the jack per se, but rather the onboard audio sound processor that’s built-in to your computer. And while some systems do reproduce respectable audio quality, for whatever reason, often to keep costs down others are built with cheap audio chips that the manufacturers deem as good enough.

Now all is not lost. You don’t have to toss your computer just yet. And the Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS USB DAC (digital to audio converter) just might be the answer. It’s appropriately named because it magically takes your audio to a new level.

READ FULL Article at G4 TV Canada

Tips before installing iOS 8 Update

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The rush to get the latest iOS 8 is in full swing.  But before you hit the “Install Now” button and do the upgrade there’s a little homework to do and few things you should know.

First, whenever you are doing any major update of any kind, stuff can and often will happen – so it’s probably a good idea, no, it’s a great idea to do a full backup of your device. You can either backup through iCloud or even better, hook your computer up to your Mac or PC and do a full backup through iTunes. Make sure that you have the latest version of that app installed. Read more… at Canoe Tech Blog

Apple iPhone 6 first 24 hours pre-orders a record four million units

iPhone 6Apple’s new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were made available for pre-order on September 12th and in the first 24 hours that number exceeded four million units – a record for Apple.

Demand has certainly exceeded supply. In fact Apple says that while a chunk off the pre-order supply will be delivered to customers starting Friday, many will see their new iPhones until October.  Apple did say that there will be some stock available at Apple Retail Stores beginning at 8:00AM local time.

If you want to go that route, you might want to get there early. Depending on where you are, there may be some people lined up already.

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