Read more… at CANOE TECH BLOG
FlipBelt does away with armbands and fanny packs
October 31, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
Review: Fluance Fi30 Bluetooth Wood Speaker System
October 29, 2014 by · 1 Comment
I’ve become so used to seeing speakers that are housed in cabinets made with plastic and metal that I almost forgot about speakers that come in wood grained cabinetry just like the ones I got so used to during my formative years. So I was pleasantly surprised when I had an opportunity to test drive one that reminded me of days gone by.
Fluance, a North American based direct-to-market speaker brand, has combined the best of yesterday and today with their high-performance Fi30 speaker system. It features wireless audio streaming via Bluetooth powered by aptX enhanced audio technology incorporated into a solid audio grade MDF wood cabinet.
Although it is wireless, it’s fairly hefty and not really designed to be portable, measuring 16.5″ x 5.5″ x 5.5″ and weighs a whopping 8.3 pounds. There’s no battery option as it runs purely on AC and the kind of device that would not seem out of place on a wall unit or mantle.
Under the hood it has two 3-inch woven glass fibre composite drivers with butyl rubber surrounds. There is no separate bass speaker, but in the rear you’ll find two respectably tuned bass ports that give you just about that you just the right amount of resonance without the need for a subwoofer. READ FULL REVIEW at G4TV Canada
Satechi LightMate lights charges and breaks glass
October 27, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
It’s not quite a mini Star Wars Lightsaber, but the Satechi LightMate, a 4-in-1 flashlight, emergency light, glass breaker and portable USB charger that can possibly save you in a time of need. And unlike the immortalized Hollywood prop, LightMate is a real product, solidly built – made from an aluminum steel alloy that the company says can withstand the weight of an average sized car.
The flashlight features fairly bright LEDs, putting out 220 lumens that can be seen, even in daylight. You can select from three different brightness levels – 100%, 50%, 15% as well as two emergency modes – strobe and SOS modes which cause the LEDs to flash in two different patterns.
Using it as a flashlight makes it idea for directional lighting to light up the way, but it also comes with a white screw-in light diffuser for area lighting, like for reading a map in the dark. Read more… at Canoe Tech Blog
FoxL Dash 7 speaker offers big bass in a tiny bar
October 22, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
A speaker designed by the legendary audio designer Dr. Guenther Godehard a former NASA scientist and former nuclear physicist would need to be somehow out of this world. Now it’s not something you would use out in space, but space is the operative word as it can deliver big sound and takes up little space. It’s called the FoxL Dash 7 Portable Speaker by Soundmatters and it’s designed for the discerning audiophile.
The Dash 7 is a small yet powerful, almost flat like a candy bar wireless speaker or perhaps more appropriately, a sound bar. It’s Bluetooth enabled, so you can use it wirelessly, but your can also use its 3.5mm input for direct connect. It’s also configured with a echo/noise cancelling microphone so you can utilize your phone functions while listening to your tunes. Read more…… at CANOE TECH BLOG
HUB-IT Sync and Charge review & giveaway
October 8, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
Wouldn’t it be cool to have one device that can sync and charge up to seven devices regardless as to what type of connection they actually have? Well you can, with the new HUB-IT, an all-in-one sync and charge station from Eggtronic.
Designed by a former Maserati employee, HUB-IT is a funky desktop device (6.7” x 6.7” x 1.3”) that combines the aesthetics of Italian flair with USB 3.0 technology. And it actually looks like a hub in the traditional sense of the word, because you can connect your devices from all four sides of its perimeter. It has seven ports including three USB 3.0 super-speed ports and four cartridge connectors (Apple Lightning, Apple 30-pin, micro USB or mini USB connector) – a different one on each side. Each is fitted with about a 10” retractable cable which you can simply pull on to expand the cable and when it reaches a little tension at the end, simply let go and will spring back into place. There is also an LED indicator next to each port that displays its charging status. Read more… and enter the GIVEAWAY at CANOE TECH BLOG
Runtastic Orbit fitness activity and sleep tracker review
October 6, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
I spend a significant amount of time in front of some form of screen and probably not enough time at the gym, doing things that keep me in shape like walking which I strive to do at least three to five times per week. Now depending on whom you talk to, it can take 21 days, 40 days or somewhere in between to form a habit. Whatever that number is for you, having a device able to be with you 24/7 is a probably a good way to start. So I jumped at the opportunity to test-drive the new Runtastic Orbit, a real-time activity, fitness and sleep tracker.
Austria-based Runtastic is not a newcomer to the tracking game; they already have a whack of other apps on the market like Runtastic Road Bike, Pedometer and Wintersports. However, this is their first foray into providing their own complete hardware and software solution. The heart of the Orbit comes in the form an interestingly shaped waterproof module. It’s designed to slip into one of the two wristbands provided or a clip you can attach to your belt or wear on a lanyard around your neck. Read more…At Canoe Tech Blog
Rapoo ultra-slim wireless keyboard has built-in touchpad
October 1, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
As the battle of the on-screen keyboards continue, we’re still seeing more of the smaller touch-feely tactile keyboards coming to market as people use them as alternatives to full-sized keyboards for computers, media player and smart TV remote controls. And one such keyboard is the Rapoo E2700 Ultra-slim Wireless Multimedia keyboard with Touchpad.
At 10″ long x 3 1/4″ deep, only 1/4″ thin and weighing a mere 186 grams, it’s lighter, smaller and thinner than most keyboards including Apple’s Wireless Keyboard (approx 11″ x 5″). It has a minimalist design, denoted by the lack of a bezel around its perimeter and no LEDs. Read more… At Canoe Tech Blog
Review: Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS USB DAC (DIGITAL/AUDIO CONVERTER)
September 18, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
You’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.
Champ Bodyguard AR for Her & ZipStick 3-in-1 Power Banks
September 3, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
Every once in a while you come across two cool products that are functionally identical but marketed under different brands. Such is the case with the Champ Bodyguard Battery Rechargeable Power Bank and theAR for Her PowerBank with LED flashlight and Panic Alarm, a.k.a the ZipStick. And while these product names seem to be quite a mouthful, they both accomplish the same job appeal to two unique demographics.
They are slim-line battery packs designed to power and charge up 5V USB devices. They have a built-in LED flashlight and a panic alarm that emits a very loud and annoying sound designed to either attract attention or to scare off something or someone. READ FULL REVIEW at G4TV Canada.
iRig Mic HD handheld mic goes digital
August 23, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
After having recently reviewed the iRig Voice, IK Multimedia’s basic voice recording microphone which pairs nicely with karaoke apps and their own EZ Voice, I was pleasantly surprised when they skipped over to the other end of the spectrum and unveiled iRig Mic HD, a high-def digital handheld condenser mic.
This changes their microphone game in that, unlike their other two handheld analog offerings, this one is totally digital – meaning audio goes right to your device in digital format. As you speak or sing into its electret condenser capsule, it’s built-in pre-amp and the built-in 24-bit audiophile grade analog to digital (A/D) converter gives you good crisp clean audio sound eliminating any added noise or sound degradation of analog mics and doing away with the need for a separate A/D box.
Check out the full review at Canoe Tech Blog Read more…
