Seidio shows waterproof and rugged cases don’t have to be ugly

OBEX S4 Front

When we imagine rugged and waterproof, the first thing that comes to mind is that it’s practical, i.e., ugly and bulky, so accessories manufacturer, Seidio, has set out to debunk that myth. After taking lessons from their OBEX for iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3, they went back to the drawing board for their latest model for the Galaxy S4.

Read more…AT CANOE TECH BLOG

Canadian Apple Stores not activating new iPhones today on Rogers or Fido

iphonessIf you’re looking at picking up a new iPhone at an Apple Store across Canada and get it activated in-store on the Rogers or Fido network today, you won’t be able to do so. This comes just one day after Rogers moved from three-year plans to the new shorter two-year plans.

Read more…AT CANOE TECH BLOG

netTALK & VTech bundle create turnkey home phone package

VTech DUO.jpg

Just in time for Back-to-School, VoIP provider netTALK and handset manufacturer VTech have teamed up to provide a low cost turnkey home phone bundle for under $80. It can be used almost anywhere; all you need is a high speed Internet connection.

The bundle combines a netTALK DUO VoIP adapter and a VTech CS6619-2NT expandable cordless phone system, complete with two handsets all in one box. It’s priced at $79.76 is a available exclusively through a select number of Walmart Canada stores. Purchasing a bundle is better deal than buying the two items individually which would run you $124.90, over $40 more.

The bundle price includes a full year of free calling throughout Canada and the U.S.   It also comes with a number of free calling features. These include: call waiting, call forwarding, conference calling, enhanced 911, 411 directory assistance, visual voicemail, call blocking, 3-way calling plus a number of others. You also get a free phone number and your line may be eligible to optionally port over your existing phone number from your current service provide for a one-time fee.

While I have not personally reviewed the the netTALK DUO, back in February, I reviewed its wireless version, the netTALK DUO Wi-Fi, which you can read about here, so it can give you a good idea of what it’s all about.

Reinvented 19th century lens raises $1 Million on Kickstarter

Comparison_OLD_VS_NEW

A new Kickstarter project designed to bring a legendary 19th century camera lens back to life has already got a real boost, having raised $1.13 million U.S. in just over a week. The kicker, pardon the pun, is that the funders were originally looking for backers to pledge $100,000, an amount that they reached within a matter of a few hours. And with already over 2,700 backers, it certainly sounds like there’s a new demand for this oldie but goodie technology.

Read more…AT CANOE TECH BLOG

Swann unveils video camera & iDevice controlled helicopters

image001Swann, a company known for their electronic security and wireless gadgets have unveiled a new series of helicopters: Black Swann, i-Fly Micro Lightning, Sky Eye, remote controlled helicopters that feature iOS control & wireless video cameras.

I’ll be reviewing one of these in an upcoming post but wanted to give you all a heads up as to what they are all about.

  • Black Swann ($99.99): records flights with video or still photos with the push of a button by adding a Micro SD card (up to 32GB)
  • iFly Micro Lightning ($69.99): controls with app’s push button controls or enter ‘tilt’ mode to control the movement of the helicopter by tilting the iDevice
  • Sky Eye ($99.99): records flights with video or still photos with the push of a button on built-in 512MB memory
  • Easy-Fly Gyro Technology provides stability and makes flying a breeze
  • 6-way multi-directional flying includes up/down, forward/backward, left and right turns
  • Powered by built-in rechargeable Lithium-ion battery & recharged via remote control

For more info check out Swann’s page dedicated to just Helicopters.

boomBottle adds sound to your bicycle

boomBottle

If you’ve got water in the bottle cage on your bicycle, it might be time to find it a new home, because you might want to replace it with the boomBottle by Scosche. Of course the word boom, creates all kinds of imagery, but this has nothing to do with dangerous liquids, nor any liquids or bottles for that matter. It’s a funky new rugged weatherproof bicycle speaker so you can listen to your tunes streamed from your wireless device while on the road.

Read more… AT CANOE TECH BLOG

A single sales pitch does not a business make

golfWould you use one single club to play a game of golf?

EDMONTON, AB, Aug 3, 2013/ Troy Media/ – Do you use only one club to play golf? When leaving the house to head out to the course, do you wear the same coat whether it’s hot, cold, raining or sunny outside?

Probably not, so why is it that, despite no two people being alike, many businesses only seem to have one single sales pitch?

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New Zealand man printing full-scale car using desktop 3D printer

Replica

I’ve heard of 3D printers being used to create tiny little plastic replacement parts for cars, but Auckland New Zealand’s Ivan Sentch has something on a much grander scale in mind. He’s got his sites set on 3D-printing a full-scale car and planning on doing it with a desktop 3D printer.

Read more… AT CANOE TECH BLOG

Review: Sharp Aquos LC-60LE857U 3D LED Smart TV

1-LC-60LE857U_55R

About two and a half years ago I had the opportunity to test-drive Sharp’s 46” Aquos Quattron and gave a review here at Canoe Tech blog. Remember the commercial featuring George Takei (Mr. Sulu from Star Trek) in his white lab coat?  At that time 46″ was still considered reasonably large and I really wanted to see whether that one little yellow pixel would really make a difference. Fast-forward to today and Sharp Aquos Quattron has taken a leap forward. Not only have screens increased up to 90”, they’ve also become a lot smarter in the 6, 7 & 8-series models.

Read more… AT CANOE TECH BLOG

10 interesting financial facts about comic books

thumbnail-1 Superheroes have been around for a while and with the exponential growth and interest in events like ComicCon, it’s interesting to see what kind of financial impact comics have had since the early days of the 1st Superman comic.

The interesting and informative infographic, features 10 of the best-recorded financial triumphs of our childhood ( and adulthood heroes.  (did you know that in 1946, comic books sales surpassed that of regular books — eliciting outrage?). Click more to see an infographic.

 

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