New waterproof Kindle Paperwhite takes quite a splash

Fourth generation model resists liquids, has wireless audiobook support and is cheap. That all adds up to a good Christmas gift

The newest Kindle Paperwhite looks more or less like its three-year-old predecessor. But drop old faithful into the tub and you’d be buying another one. In contrast, the fourth generation model now available has a waterproof body that can soak in up to two metres of fresh water for an hour – simply dry it off and you’re good to go. [Read more…]

Epson FastFoto FF-640 scans photos in only a second

EpsonFF640If you’re a family that has shoe boxes tucked away in the attic, full of hundreds or even thousands of photos collected over the years that no one has ever seen or likely never ever will, then Epson FastFoto FF-640 High-Speed Photo Scanner might just be something for the holiday wish list.

Epson claims the FastFoto FF-640 is the fastest scanner in its class, capable of scanning pictures on average as fast as one per second. This is based on stacking thirty 4″ x 6″ prints in landscape mode in an auto-feeder tray set at 300 dpi (dots per inch). Maximum optical resolution of the scanner is 600 dpi.

The scanner uses Epson’s Single-step technology that scans the image as well as handwritten notes that may have been written on the photo’s backside. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

Hi-Tech holiday headphone roundup

Web
Not all headphones are created equal so if you’re looking for some really hi-tech headphones to pop under the tree this year, then here are a few ideas that you just might find sound pretty good – pardon the pun.

Mo-Fi Powered Hi-Fi Headphones

To start off, for the devout gamer, musician or the discerning audiophile, the Blue Mo-Fi Powered Hi-Fi Headphones with built-in amplifier marries todays hi-tech with tried and true old-school technology.

At first glance they look like they would be right at home as part of a Transformer, but the robotic like look is purposeful; the formed ear cups, the multi-hinged design and adjustable headband allows the headphones to be adjusted for any head or comfort level while staying completely parallel so you block outside sound and hear the music as you are supposed to.

In fact, there’s no digital signal processing on this puppy. It has a built-in 240mW amplifier and it’s totally analog, baby! It also has three bass modes to choose from, so you can decide between passive, active or enhanced bass.  Read about all Holiday Hi-Tech Headphones at Canoe Tech Blog.

Oral-B Bluetooth toothbrush keeps your teeth white

Oral-B BluetoothEvery day we hear about some new device now equipped with Bluetooth. The latest, are Oral-B’s 5000 and 7000 series of interactive smart toothbrushes. Now back in March here at Canoe Tech Blog, we had a look at their latest plaque fighting tooth brush technology and learned the secret about how it all came about because a German engineer had an epiphany while brushing snow off the driveway. Their latest models, Oral-B SmartSeries with Bluetooth 4.0 Connectivity 5000 and 7000 still incorporate the ridiculously fast oscillations and pulsations and still include their remote SmartGuide, but now you’re able to monitor and track your progress and even share the data with your dental professional because there’s now an app for that.

To get the lowdown on the brushes capabilities, have a look at the original article, as today, I’d like to focus primarily on the model’s Bluetooth connectivity and the app it brings to the table. What’s interesting is that not only does the brush send data to the app; the app also has customization capabilities that allows it to communicate back to the brush for personalized brushing.  Read full review at Canoe Tech Blog.

Vertu luxury smartphone will set you back a cool $10K

Vertu

I guess timing is everything. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, or so it appears, UK-based Vertu, the maker of designer and luxury smartphones has unveiled the Vertu Ti, an Android-based smartphone with a starting price tag that might make you shake your head. Now it’s not diamond encrusted that costs almost as much as a house, but it could set you back almost as much as a stripped-down entry-level compact car.

Read more…AT CANOE TECH BLOG