Greg Gazin

4 new gadgets from International CES 2017

January 4, 2017 by Greg Gazin · Leave a Comment

As the International CES in Las Vegas 2017 is set to get underway tomorrow a number of companies, some of which we’ve looked at their offerings in the past have already announced new products short of the show’s official grand opening. So here’s just a sneak peek from a few including Elgato, Terk and Panasonic. Some will actually be released at the show, others are just being showcased and one is already available for sale.

If you like a clean workspace and heavy into Thunderbolt connectivity, Elgato has announced their new Thunderbolt 3 Dock. This new gadget will allow you to charge your MacBook Pro or Windows notebook with a single cable. Plus it will also allow you to smoothly drive two additional 4K displays at a 60 Hz frame rate. The dock features built-in Gigabit Ethernet, amplified audio output, a microphone input and three super-speed USB 3.0 ports. The unit itself will also have two Thunderbolts ports, one for your computer and another one as a pass-through. Read full post at Canoe Tech Blog.

Filed Under: Canoe Technology, GadgetGreg, In the news, New Product, Signs of the Times · Tagged With: CES, Gadgets, new products

Easily batch convert files with Preview

December 31, 2016 by Greg Gazin · Leave a Comment

If you’re a Mac OS user and need a quick and dirty way to batch convert a whole bunch of files from one format to another, you may not need to seek out or even buy an app for that. In fact, for some file types all you need to use is Apple’s Preview, an app that comes with every installation of any Mac OS.

Many of us already use Preview daily in a pinch to handle PDFs and photos. It can be pretty handy whether we want to annotate a PDF or crop, resize or colour adjust our photos. It can also be used to easily merge and combines PDFs. Read full post at Canoe Tech Blog.

Filed Under: Apple, Apps Alive, Canoe Technology, GadgetGreg · Tagged With: Apple, file conversion, software, Tip

Archive: Celebrating Christmas in 18th and 19th century Alberta

December 24, 2016 by Greg Gazin · Leave a Comment

By Greg Gazin  Writer  Troy Media Corporation

EDMONTON, December 19, 2008 /Troy Media/ — Turn the clock back to the late 18^th century to the mid 19^th century Alberta and chances are you’d be eating fish, beaver tail and stewed moose, rather than roasted turkey and honey-glazed ham, for Christmas dinner.

Instead of rockin’ to tunes emanating from audio systems and iPods, you’re more likely to be dancing the jig to the sounds of a fiddle and perhaps a drum.

That was the height of the festive season celebrations during the period of the Fur Trade.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: GadgetGreg, Signs of the Times, Troy Media · Tagged With: Alberta, Christmas, history

Last minute unique Christmas gift ideas

December 23, 2016 by Greg Gazin · Leave a Comment

EDMONTON, Alta. Dec. 23, 2016/ Troy Media/ – Don’t panic. Yes, you’ve waited until the last minute to get that special something for that special someone in your life but I have a few cool gift ideas that will not only show you’re thoughtful, but also innovative.

Wireless High Definition 4K 360°

If you’re looking for a gift for the kind of person who really wants to catch 360° immersive 4K and HD video but realizes their smartphone just won’t cut it, then consider getting them the 360fly 4K 360 Camera.

Its 61 mm spherical shape makes it look like an eyeball and socket from a Star Wars robot but, in fact, it’s currently designed as the world’s smallest 360° 4K single lens camera. It’s also wireless, supporting both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. Read Full Post at Troy Media.

Filed Under: accessories, GadgetGreg, Gift Ideas, Hands On, New Product, television, Troy Media · Tagged With: accessories, battery, camera, cordcutting, gift idea, new products, Review

3 new or novel last minute tech gifts

December 22, 2016 by Greg Gazin · Leave a Comment

There’s always someone looking for a last minute cool or novel gift, so I couldn’t resist adding three more to the holiday gift list, two of which are hot of the press. Now it may be too late for Santa to get them under the tree, so lets consider them early Boxing Week ideas. Either way, they’ll certainly be enjoyed.

Nano guitar amp allows you to play anywhere

If you find it hard to find a gift for that mobile musician, then chances are he or she doesn’t have one of these – the new iRig Nano Amp by IK Multimedia, an ultra-compact standalone amp for the times they need just a little amplification for practice or rehearsal and don’t have a lot of space.

It has a built-in 3″ speaker with a 3-watt amp powered by three standard AA batteries (included). It has both a 1/4″ guitar input and speaker output along with separate volume and gain controls plus a bright sound enhancement switch. If they don’t want to use the built-in speaker, there’s a standard 3/8″ jack option to plug in a set of headphones for monitoring or alternately output the sound to a 4×12 external speaker cabinet. It also has a little built-in kickstand to prop it up. Read more…at Canoe Tech blog.

Filed Under: accessories, Canoe Technology, GadgetGreg, Gift Ideas, New Product, Product review, Signs of the Times · Tagged With: gift ideas, New product, power, product review, security

FixMeStick virus detection software runs from USB stick

December 20, 2016 by Greg Gazin · Leave a Comment

EDMONTON, Alta. Dec. 20, 2016/ Troy Media/ – It’s imperative that you use software to protect your computer against viruses, spyware, malware, trojans and other threats. Unlike the human body, where vaccines or treatments can take effect while you’re asleep or awake, some computer nasties can’t be detected or eradicated if an infection is active, or while the computer is running. It could be compared to trying to diagnose an issue with your car, and then attempting to fix it while driving.

Equipped with its own operating system, a gadget like FixMeStick can be a lifesaver. It’s a self-propelled, self-contained, hardware-based  virus removal system that runs directly from a USB stick. Plus, it’s a Canadian company of the same name that is based in Montreal. Read full story at Troy Media or Active-Life.Ca.

Filed Under: accessories, GadgetGreg, Gift Ideas, Troy Media · Tagged With: anti-virus, security

Tech gifts for the whole family to enjoy

December 20, 2016 by Greg Gazin · Leave a Comment

Stocking stuffers are great for individual family members, but sometimes it can be a challenge finding just the right gift to put under the tree that everyone in the entire household can enjoy. So here are three ideas that everyone in the family can take pleasure in either inside or outside of the home.

Bluetooth Mirror-Mirror on the Wall

Bluetooth speakers are plentiful, but you’ve likely never seen one built into a stylish high-tech mirror. Designed to fit on your wall, the Viio series feature built-in side speakers, LED lighting and hands free-calling.

With Viio, anyone in the family can sing in the shower while listening to tunes and even take calls, if it just can’t wait. And when you’re all done, the anti-fog button will dissipate the steamy surface. Of course Viio can certainly go beyond the bathroom. It’s also suitable for the living room, bedroom or anywhere else you can hang a mirror. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

Filed Under: accessories, Canoe Technology, GadgetGreg, Gaming, Gift Ideas, Internet, New Product · Tagged With: drones, Gaming, gift ideas, home

Wireless heated insoles keep toes toasty warm

December 15, 2016 by Greg Gazin · 1 Comment

As the mercury dips below -20°C, we think more and more about keeping warm. We wear toques, scarves, mitts, warm clothes and boots but sometimes it’s still a little hard to keep our feet and little tootsies warm in deep snow, on ice, or on cold pavement. There’s a cool gift idea for that, pardon the pun, the new wireless ThermaCELL ProFLEX Heavy-Duty Heated Insoles. They’re a flexible cushioned pair of insoles that feature a removable rechargeable lithium-ion battery in each insole.

The heat is controlled by your smartphone via Bluetooth through an Android or iOS app. So by simply pairing your smartphone with the insoles, you can control the level of heat going to each foot.

It does sound kind of funny, but it works. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

Filed Under: accessories, Apps Alive, Canoe Technology, GadgetGreg, Gift Ideas, Hands On, New Product, Product review · Tagged With: accessories, gift idea, New product, product review, sports, winter

Review: LockSmart mini keyless and wireless padlock

December 11, 2016 by Greg Gazin · Leave a Comment

It’s so easy to lose your keys or forget the combination of your lock, but chances are that you will have your smartphone with you. That’s what Australian accessory maker Dog & Bone is betting on with their new LockSmart mini, which allows you or your friends to wirelessly lock and unlock your padlock without physical keys or complicated codes.

LockSmart mini looks like a standard lock, but don’t let the candy colour rubberized silicone casing fool you. It’s pretty rugged. The shackle is made from hardened steel complemented with a die-cast zinc alloy body.

Although it’s called mini – likely because there is another model slightly larger it’s not tiny like a luggage lock. In fact, it measures 2” X 0.94” X 4.0”tall and weighs about 160g. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

Filed Under: accessories, Apps Alive, Canoe Technology, GadgetGreg, Gift Ideas, Hands On, New Product, Product review · Tagged With: bluetooth, New product, product review, security

Netflix adds video previews to TV interface

December 6, 2016 by Greg Gazin · Leave a Comment

Scrolling through Netflix selections and reading the descriptions can sometimes be extremely time-consuming and often not very helpful, so Netflix has decided to enhance the user’s search experience. Today, they announced a new TV interface, which adds video previews alongside the title’s description.

Not a Teaser or Trailer

The video previews included in the new interface will however, not exactly be a teaser or the traditional trailers we’ve become so accustomed to. Read Full Post at Canoe Tech Blog.

Filed Under: Canoe Technology, GadgetGreg, News · Tagged With: Netflix, streaming video