Winter Inspired Holiday Headphones

Let’s face it, we take our music seriously and take it everywhere – rain, shine or even in the dead of cold. So with the holiday season right around the corner here are a few winter inspired holiday headphone gift ideas, ideal for keeping the tunes streaming and some to take and make calls when the temperature drops below zero.


Wireless Earwarmers

At first glance, the 180s Earwarmers look like simple earmuffs, but under that insulated poly-spandex shell with polyester lining is a Bluetooth enabled set of wireless headphones, so you’re just as likely to find them in a place that sells gadgets as one that offers outdoor wear.

They don’t have a lot of bells and whistles but they also don’t add a lot of bulk to your winter attire. But don’t let that fool you. Under the padding are high definition speakers plus they are Siri and Google Now friendly so your hands can keep more time in their mitts. They are also designed to sit behind your head than over the top so you could call them “toque-compatible”. The headband is adjustable plus they fold down for quick storage.  SEE FULL POST at G4TV Canada.

Review: iRig Mic Lav monitoring lavalier mic

irigmiclav_filterIK Multimedia’s tagline is “Musicians First,” but many of their offerings including their iRig Mic line of high quality microphones are also suitable for presenters, podcasters and videographers. But one selection missing from their line-up, until now was a lav (lavalier) mic. Keeping with their naming tradition, it’s called the iRig Mic Lav. Beyond a clip-on, this latest offering  gives you the capability of monitoring what’s passing through it, as well as chain two mics together and simultaneously record to one device.

Dual-Purpose Jack

At first, it looks like your typical clip-on mic with a foam wind/pop shield, but look further down the cable and you see a dual-purpose connector that ports both a 3.5mm male and female connectors. The male goes to your recording device. The female serves two purposes depending on which selection you make to the toggle switch. Selecting the headphones option enables the monitoring option. Plug in a set of headphones or earbuds and you know that you are actually getting a recording. Toggle the switch, plug in another lav mic and now you can record two people and even monitor through the 2nd port.  Read full review at Canoe Tech Blog.

Bracketron TruSportPak with LED Safety Light & Smart VU

The New Bracketron TruSportPak is a clever solution that not only houses your smartphone when you’re on the go it also offers fun, practical and safety features.

Now that’s a good thing given that most of us never leave home without our mobile devices. But when we head out for a jog or walk we typically don’t have a lot of extra places to carry things. There are wristbands and fanny packs but most of them are either passé or not necessarily practical particularly with today’s super-sized devices.

Water Resistant, Clear Window

That’s where the Bracketron TruSportPak with LED Safety Light & Smart VU makes sense. It’s a pleated buckle-style weather resistant waist pack made from durable and stretchy Lycra, so you have room for your phone, but also your keys, a little cash, a few credit cards and even your earbuds.  Read Greg’s Full Review at G4TV Canada.

Belkin Qode detachable app-enabled iPad wireless keyboard

Belkin FrontIf you find yourself using your iPad Air 2 for more of your daily tasks, you may also find a greater need to carry around a physical keyboard. If that’s the case, then it might be time to have a look at the Belkin Qode Ultimate Pro Keyboard for iPad Air 2.

While it does have an unusual name, the Qode Ultimate Pro is both a keyboard and a protective case. Unlike other Belkin models, the case component attaches with its magnetic flap so the keyboard is never permanently tethered. It’s handy, so you can quickly and conveniently detach and use your iPad in handheld mode. And should you decide to leave the keyboard at home, you can still have added protection. The case component is fully compatible with the Apple Smart Cover if you already own one. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog,

 

Phiaton BT-110 funky square bluetooth earbuds

bt110-manEvery time I come across a new set of earbuds or headphones I always hear from the vendors that theirs are a little bit different. Taking the opportunity to test drive the new Phiaton BT-110 wireless compact  sport Bluetooth earbuds, I have to admit that these do fit that description.

First of all, looking at them, they seem to be something you’d find as an implant on an episode of Star Trek. Rather than the typical round bodies you find on most earbuds, these are actually rectangular so they sort of cover part of your ear.

To make sure you have a good fit, you get three sets of Vulcan-style silicon ear wings, featuring their aptly named RightFit+ technology and four sizes of traditional silicon tips. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

 

iRig Acoustic mobile mic for mobile players

irig_acousticIK Multimedia is proud to announce iRig Acoustic, the first acoustic guitar mobile microphone/interface specifically made for acoustic guitars. Inspired by a must-see documentary on flamenco guitar master Paco de Lucia, iRig Acoustic is an innovative and extremely compact patent-pending clip-on acoustic guitar microphone/interface for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and Android.

iRig Acoustic features advanced miniature microphone technology, which gives it a rich quality of sound that beats piezo and magnetic pickups and rivals professional-grade studio microphones at a price that’s much more affordable. It installs (and uninstalls) in seconds: It simply clips onto the rim of a guitar or ukulele’s sound hole. iRig Acoustic also features monitoring and line-output capabilities for recording and performing live.

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Amplio: Retro radio inspired bamboo smartphone amplifier

AmplioAmplio is a cool sounding name for the latest smartphone sound amplifier dock trying to make its way to market through an upcoming Kickstarter campaign. The name implies amplification, but that tells you only part of the story. Amplio is totally wireless, eco-friendly and requires absolutely no power because it’s made from bamboo.

creator Vlad Butucariu, is a designer from Rotterdam, Netherlands who has been working on the project for the past six months. His goal was to create an amplifier for smartphones that had a unique modern desirable design yet still maintain the flavour inspired by the minimalist classic designs of radios from yesteryear. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

 

Navigating the Tech Zoo

Whether it’s for your home, office or a gift during the upcoming holiday season, it’s no secret that sometimes it can feel like a zoo navigating crowded store aisles or the Internet wilderness while seeking out the right technology. But fortunately, I had an opportunity once again, to take in LDTECH 2015 – London Drugs Retail Tech Group Annual Conference or at east a portion of it . Not only did I once again get to see birds of prey but also “friendly” animals you wouldn’t necessarily find in your neighbourhood. Now, I didn’t get a chance to partake in the awards ceremonies, in-depth training sessions and other secret things the 650 LD attendees do to keep current and enlightened. However, I did get to partake with them getting up close and personal with many of the 75 vendors displaying many exciting gadgets and tech ware many new and soon available at your local stores.  Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog.

 

Satechi Wireless Gamepad attaches wirelessly to your smartphone

gamepad_enviro_2_web

While it’s fun to sit in front of your big screen TV to play games, we don’t always have the luxury of time or a big screen to be able to do so. We can however play games on our smartphones and tablets but the touchscreen experience for many of us is just not the same of the real feel of a gamepad. So Satechi has just introduced a cross-platform wireless gamepad which might just be the answer for those hardcore gamers who just need to have a something to play always at hand.

Functionally, Satechi Wireless Gamepad resembles your typical controller. It has 14 buttons, two joysticks and a directional pad. What makes it stand out and ideal for handheld mobile devices is that it has an integrated spring-loaded holder to allow you to attach your smartphone right to the gamepad so you can use both hands on the controller. Read more…at Canoe Tech Blog

BuddyPhones kid-safe volume-limiting bendable headphones

BuddyPhones Blue

Whether it’s toys, clothes or electronics, let’s face it; kids are really hard on whatever they get their hands on. So Onanoff has come up with BuddyPhones, a pair of kid-friendly headphones that are not only flexible and bendable, they have volume-limiting circuitry that keeps the sound pressure down to avoid damaging their fine little ears.

BuddyPhones are designed to bend and should withstand the wrath of most children. They are fully adjustable and adorned with sturdy, yet comfortable cushion ear pads made of synthetic leather.  Read Full Post at Canoe Tech Blog.