Tech for Mom for Mother’s Day

go_mic_520

Whether Mom is a big fan of Big Bang Theory or not, you can never go wrong giving Mom the gift of tech. So here are a few gadget and accessory ideas that may just be the right choice for her this Mothers’ Day or any other day you might want to surprise her.

Read moreand see all the gift ideas at Canoe Tech Blog

Oh Canada INSTAX Mini film for Canada 150

 OhCanadaFilm

Canada turns 150 year old in exactly two months. And to commemorate our nation’s sesquicentennial birthday, FUJIFILM Canada has designed the “Oh Canada” INSTAX Mini film, a special film that outputs “Canadianized” credit card sized prints, just for the occasion.

Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog

EcoSlate rugged waterproof Bluetooth speaker and lantern

EcoSlateButtons

If you spend a lot of time outdoors year-round, like to listen to your tunes on the go but want to carry around only the absolute minimum, then the new EcoSlate by ECOXGEAR may be a new gadget to check out. It’s an all-new rugged, all-in-one waterproof portable audio system that features a built-in power bank and a bright lantern.

Rugged and Waterproof

As far as the speakers go, under the hood are two 10 W speakers (20 watts total) with dual passive subwoofers.  Like most of ECOXGEAR products, it’s designed to be rugged. It has a drop proof exterior that the company says meets military specifications. It’s also IP 67 rated, meaning that it’s fully dust resistant and protected from full immersion in water for up to one metre in depth. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

Review: IK iRig Acoustic Stage digital mic system for acoustic guitars

iRig_Acoustic_Stage_front_full_nojack_opt

Back in December 2015 we reviewed the iRig Acoustic mic as a great little gift for the music lover; a MEMS microphone that clips on to the sound hole of an acoustic guitar. Now, IK Multimedia has taken that one step farther with the iRig Acoustic Stage digital mic system, a portable pre-amp and a digital signal-processing unit (DSP) that can enhance the acoustic sound sent out to a mixing board or amplifier or output to a computer or mobile device.

Sold as a kit, iRig Acoustic Stage comprises of the main pre-amp/DSP unit, iRig Acoustic Mic (functionally similar, but not interchangeable with the one sold as a stand-alone product), a belt/strap clip and padded case.

The idea behind the mic was that you could get better sound from an acoustic instrument being as close to the sound hole as possible even closer than a traditional external mic could be placed. Also having it attached to the guitar, gives the musician the freedom to move around rather than be stuck in front of a stationary mic stand. Read more…and see full review at CanoeTech Blog.

Marshall Monitor Bluetooth headphones boast 30 hour battery

MarshallMonitor

The name Marshall has been around since the 1960s and has been synonymous with sound-blasting guitar amps, but just this week the company unveiled the Marshall Monitor Bluetooth, their first wireless over-ear high-fidelity premium headphones.

At first glance you’ll immediately recognize the classic Marshall black vinyl and Marshall signature script. It also features a padded headband, brass inlays, heavy duty cast metal hinges and the ergonomic ear cups designed to provide enhanced noise isolation. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

Extremely glad Belkin WeMo LED bulbs don’t work as advertised

WEMO

When we buy a product that doesn’t work as advertised, we usually get annoyed. Either it doesn’t live up to its expectations or its specifications. But in the case of the Belkin WEMO LED light bulb, I accidentally discovered it exceeded both of these in a less than ideal operating environment. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

Leef iBridge 3 Mobile Memory expands iPhone, iPad storage

Leef iBridge 3

If you’re an active iPhone user, chances are you’re likely running low on storage space, particularly if you shoot lots of hi-res pictures and high-def video. We know of course, that iPhone memory is not expandable – no card slots for extra storage. The solution might just be Leef iBridge 3.0 Mobile Memory. It’s a nifty gadget that plugs directly into your iOS device’s Lightning port that allows you to expand your memory and working in conjunction with its companion app gives you in part the functionality of a mini external drive – and more.
[Read more…]

Goodbye plastic, hello wood and metal iPhone cases

i7-plus-defense-lux-wood

Tired of the bright and boring poly and plastic iPhone cases? If so, you’ll be happy to know that X-Doria has expanded their line to include a new Defense Lux Wood Case for both iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. These new cases not only have a cool real grained wood finish, the frame is made from anodized machined aluminum and built to exceed the military grade drop testing specifications. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog

Renogy Phoenix Solar Powered Generator kit in a briefcase

PhoenixCase

For many people the briefcase is totally passé, as backpacks seem to be all the rage, but not this one. The Renogy Phoenix is not your typical business accessory but rather an all-in-one solar powered generator briefcase. It really gives you, pardon the pun, a whole new meaning to mobile energy.

Officially called the Phoenix Generator 20W All-in-one Solar Kit, it features an LCD display comes complete with a handle. It comes in a small compact and portable form factor measuring only 16.24″ x 11.95″ x 3.94″ and weighing 12.8 pounds.

It has two built-in efficient Renogy 10 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panels that harness the power of the sun to charge its hefty built-in 16Ah lithium-ion phosphate battery (NMC). Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

Razer BlackWidow keyboard gets smoother linear key switch option

If you’re a keyboard gamer, you know you’ll go through thousands of keystrokes in one session and each and every one of them count. So today Razer has added another key switch option to its line of BlackWidow Chroma V2 mechanical keyboards, adding a yellow switch to compliment their green and orange variants giving gamers more choice and another way to help them improve their game play.

The BlackWidow line of mechanical keyboards is not new, in fact it’s been around since 2010 and known for its durability, comfort and responsiveness and has been a great choice for gamers everywhere. In fact, it was so popular, that about three years ago, Razer actually started manufacturing mechanical switches themselves. Read more… at Canoe Tech Blog.