January 15th, 2012 / No Comments » / by Jason Harris
Last week, I made my annual trip to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Consumer Electronics Show. CES is the largest technology show in the world and every company you can imagine is at CES trying to make a splash with their latest and greatest products.
On Saturday, Rudy Maxa recently had me on his radio show to talk about the best products and services for travelers.
First of all, this was the biggest CES ever, with new records being broken: 153.000 people attended more than 1.86 million net square feet of exhibitor space being taken up…amazing! The coolest products I saw: the AR Drone 2.0
It’s a helicopter with 4 blades. comes in an outdoor model and an indoor model – indor model is about the size of a small pizza box.
can hover and is controlled by your iPhone, iPad or Android device
New model has a High def 720p camera which plays back on your phone or can be recording.
The new model also has a pressure sensor to improve altitude control, and new electronic assistance for better navigational control than what was available in the original model.
Costs $299
Jawbone Jambox
In short, it’s an amazing speaker to pack in your overnight bag.
is 2.25 inches high, 6 inches wide, and 1.5 inches deep. - if you were to cut a brick in the half long-ways, it’s about that big.
bluetooth enabled and has a cord to connect with your computer, phone or iPod while on the go
has AMAZING bass
Is quite loud
can also be used as a noise-cancelling bluetooth speakerphone.
Amazon for about $180
PowerBag Backpack
In short, it’s a backpack that has a built-in battery pack for all your gadgets to charge, simultaneously!
Looks like an ordinary black packpack
Can charge a phone, an iPhone and an iPad – all at once, if necessary
Can charge a phone about 3 times over depending on which device you have.
You actually plug the backpack in to charge it.
for $130 on Amazon.
FitBit Wireless activity tracker
This handy little exercise monitor about the size of two pieces to of gum hinged together – clips on to your belt or in your pockets on your pants.
December 30th, 2011 / No Comments » / by Jason Harris
Think about the last few 20 you’ve taken, especially this holiday season. How many of these photos were on a traditional point-and-shoot camera (or SLR) versus how many were taken on your smartphone? If you’re like most people these days, less were taken on regular cameras.
Last week, the NPD Group, a research firm, released a study that states of all photos taken in 2011, 27 percent were taken on smartphones, up from 17% a year ago. Traditional cameras took 17 percent of the photos, down from 53% the year before. The fact is – as cameras on smartphones continue to advance in image and lens quality, packing around that Canon camera is becoming less common these days.
For me, the smartphone camera revolution happened back in 2007 when I first utilized the Nokia N95. This phone, advanced for its time and still impressive today, had a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, resulting in great images and fluid 30 frames-per-second video. Today, I carry a Nokia N8 which has a 12 megapixel shooter and xenon flash (the same you find on your traditional point and shoots) which takes HD quality video and also can send and receive phone calls too.
Unit sales of cameras are down overall, but it’s not all bad news for camera manufacturers. SLR-type cameras with detachable lenses are seeing an upswing in sales. Also, I’m seeing some folks shun using their smartphone as a camera because they want the battery life to be saved for actually making calls and sending messages.
How about you – are you a smartphone picture taker? Sound off below in the comment!
December 15th, 2011 / 1 Comment » / by Jason Harris
Nokia has finally taken wraps off their first Windows Phone device for the United States. Coming in January 2012, the Nokia Lumia 710 will be available for T-Mobile customers. This phone is an entry level phone, but a very well equipped one.
The Lumia 710 comes in white and black (I’m hoping to get access to a white one) with covers that go on the back. Additional colors will be available from select retailers in the future.
The Lumia 710 sports a 3.7 inch ClearBlackDisplay, which means they have some wicked technology that produces vibrant colors and deep, deep blacks. I have a Nokia N9 is also a ClearBlackDisplay and the colors and color depth is astounding.
Back to the 710, it is capable of T-Mobile’s 4G speeds and runs Windows Phone, a new platform for many, including me. I adopted Windows Phone back in November and I can’t look back. Between People Hub, which brings all your social networks and friends from them in one central place, Bing Search, Local Scout (which shows you food, shops, and experiences around any location from within a map) and the smoothness of Windows Phone 7, I’m totally sold on the platform.
Affordable Phone and Affordable Plan
One facet to this phone that makes it astounding to me is the price. The Nokia Lumia 710 will only cost $50 on a two-year contract and will be available to be on a $50/month plan from T-Mobile that will give you voice minutes and mobile data.
This is intended to convert existing feature phone owners (the vast majority of phones in America) to smartphone owners, of which Nokia says there are 150 million in the States.
Looking at the specs
For those wanting to know what this phone can do specs-wise, let’s do the run-down:
The Lumia 710 features a 3.7-inch WVGA display with Nokia’s ClearBlack technology; 1.4GHz single core SnapDragon processor with 512MB of RAM, and 8GB of storage; HSPA Category 10 at 14.4Mbps down and 5.76Mbps up, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, and GPS. It has a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus, LED flash, and video capture at 720p HD.
[Full Disclosure: I write for Nokia Conversations and am a paid contributor there.]
November 28th, 2011 / 1 Comment » / by Jason Harris
There are a few must-have items that make my trips easy. The Monster outlets-to-go, Boingo Wi-Fi Service and Sprint MiFi are a few examples of travel companions I pack first when I travel for business or leisure.
I have come across a new item that I need to make room in my bag for…although not too much room as this is a very small product. PlugBug is an innovative power adapter for your Macbook laptop (regardless of which MacBook model you have) that can also power and your charge your iPod at the same time.
As frequent travelers know, power outlets can often be hard to come by. Also, if you have two devices to charge, such as your MacBook computer plus your iPad, who wins?
With the PlugBug, both devices can win as the PlugBug just snaps in to your MacBook power supply and provides you with a 10 watt USB powered plug suitable for any device (Apple or otherwise) that can charge via USB.
There are similar products on the market that provide a ‘powered’ USB outlet, but the iPad is unique that it needs a full 10 watts of power, with the PlugBug supplies.
For those wanting to check it out, the PlugBug is available for $34.99 at many locations, including Amazon.com,
November 22nd, 2011 / No Comments » / by Jason Harris
Introduction
The iPad is an amazing device that has changed my opinion of portable computing forever. Navigating and using a full touch experience has been amazing and fun all in thebreath.
However, sometimes I don’t want to utilize my fingers. There are times, whether when I’m cooking and have dirty hands from working outside where a pen-like device would be great. Also, if you’re taking notes in a meeting or drawing notes where a stylus would be very handy.
Targus makes a Stylus that drew my curiosity. I chose the Targus Stylus for iPad to try out, my thoughts follow.
Touch and feel
The Targus stylus is 5 1/8 inches long and has a nice soft rubberized tip that won’t scratch the screen. One thing I like is that this stylus works on any touch screen device, including your touch screen mobile phone, an iPod Touch.
This Targus stylus feels good in the hand – it’s made of aluminum and is solid. It has a balanced weight that is perfectly suited for writing and using on the iPad.
To test out the Stylus, I downloaded a few drawing apps from the, most notably the Wacam application that allows me to write freely. I liked drawing notes, thoughts and flow charts on my iPad in full color.
The Targus stylus is a perfect compliment to my iPad and is a very good Stylus. One thing I noticed about the Targus stylus is that the weight is heavy enough so you don’t feel it necessary to rest your palm on the iPad while you’re writing.
Bottom line
The Targus stylus is perfect for writing, sketching, navigating and drawing down your paper notes. I highly recommend this device if you’re seeking a stylus for your iPad. Even though it’s only $15, this stylus is a premium product.
October 31st, 2011 / No Comments » / by Jason Harris
As a gadget owner, I look to take care of my electronic tools and toys. This extends to my BlackBerry PlayBook as well. On its PlayBook is already a pretty rugged device. It has a tough glass exterior on the front and an already tacky and easy to grab rubber backing on the rear of the tablet.
However, I like to carry my PlayBook with me when I go out to coffee shops, during travel and just generally on the go. I constantly worry about the PlayBook getting scratched or damaged while in my backpack.
PlayBook has a soft pouch of a case it comes with, but I like to cram phones, books and notebooks into my bag, along with the PlayBook, making it a somewhat hostile place for my PlayBook.
When I decided to look for cases, the OtterBox line came recommended from my Twitter followers, so I decided to give the protective case a go. Enter the OtterBox Defender Series for BlackBerry PlayBook.
October 28th, 2011 / 1 Comment » / by Jason Harris
I’ve had a Google TV for most of this year. I was super excited about the potential of the device that was supposed to merge Internet content on to my regular TV experience.
As a Roku user, I was already used to the idea of streaming Amazon and Netflix content to my TV, which is great. Google TV was supposed to take the experience a bit further by bring the Internet to into my living room.
I have enjoyed having a browser on my 47″ Vizio TV, but other than that, Google TV has offered no advantage for me over the Roku devices. In fact, I was just about to rip the GoogleTV powered Logitech Revue box out of my entertainment system over the weekend.
This all changed with a recent blog post from Google this morning. Finally, after waiting all summer, a new version of Google TV software is being pushed out. This weekend and next week, Revue boxes will receive a much-needed revamped user interface along with Apps from the Android market. According to GigaOm, there will be close to 1,800 applications available at launch time.
The update will include a simplified programming guide, in the form of a TV and movies application that offers access to live TV listings as well as online sources for content. That is, search for “Mary Poppins” and the app will show you live listings (if they exist at that time) and the ability to stream it from sources such as Amazon or Netflix.
Also, GoogleTV will be receiving an updated YouTube client that will replace the very awkward client that currently exists on the platform.
Android Market is coming and will include apps from sources such as QVC for Google TV, AOL HD, Fox News, Wall Street Journal Live, Pandora, Clicker and Twitter. But there will be the ability to install apps from the general Market as well.
Please Google TV, please make my cable TV experience suck less now. :)
October 16th, 2011 / No Comments » / by Jason Harris
In addition to my writing here at Techcraver.com, I write at a few different places online. Here are my links to materials from around the web, for this month so far:
October 15th, 2011 / No Comments » / by Jason Harris
Introduction
When it comes to traveling or being constantly on the go, one problem we constantly face is keeping our gadgets charged. When I attend a conference, I often have a few devices on me, including an iPad, my mobile phone (often 2 or 3) and even an iPod. Since I’m constantly using the phone to call, take photos, shoot video and the iPad to do every-day computing, these devices’ batteries drain early and often.
I’ve carried around battery packs before such as the Zagg Sparq 2.0, which has a monster battery and two USB ports for charging more than one device at a time. However a new product popped on the market that got me very interested: a nice looking backpack that will not only carry everything, but charge multiple devices simultaneously with an integrated battery system.
Overview
The Powerbag Deluxe Packpack looks like a mainstream backpack. The black bag has numerous pockets and a nice padded strap with suspension for added comfort. What sets this backpack a part is this nice slide-in pocket for up to a 16″ laptop and lots of small pockets for pens, notebooks and other accessories you need while traveling about.
However, the star of this show is the removable and surprisingly lightweight recharable 6,000 mAh battery on board. This honking battery can charge a smartphone such an iPhone up to 4 times. Also, Powerbag has included 4 connectors to the battery, including one specifically for Apple devices such as an iPhone, iPod Touch a mini-USB connector and a micro-USB connector. It’s possible to charge multiple devices at one time, including an iPhone and an Android device. There’s a USB port custom designed for high-capacity devices such as an iPad or other tablet.
There’s a one-touch battery level indicator and a weather-resistant AC adapter charging port on the side, meaning you actually plug the backpack into the wall to recharge.
October 10th, 2011 / No Comments » / by Jason Harris
There are 800 million people worldwide who access Facebook, most on a daily basis. Most of the time, we’re on our computers at home or on the go. However, Facebook becomes even more engaging when we can post on walls, upload photos and interact with the social network while on our mobile phones.
If you have a smartphone, Facebook is just an application on your iPhone, Android, Nokia or other phone. However, what about the huge majority globally who don’t have a smartphone..how can they interact with Facebook? Yes we have SMS based updates, but this level of activity leaves a lot to be desired.
Personal Argentina is the first mobile carrier to deploy a Facebook-enabled SIM, making any GSM phone capable of using Facebook. By using the SIM Toolkit commands, Facebook is accessible via a cascade of text menus. All the Facebook interactivity happens over SMS, not an expensive mobile Internet connection.
By utilizing Class 2 SMS for connectivity, the user simply pays a monthly subecription and gets unlimited use of Facebook and the carrier gets to sell a value-added service without having to spend money on handset subsidies.
This is especially important in nations such as those in South America. Personal Argentina, the carrier, can reach ou to these geographies where Facebook adoption is high, but smartphone penetration isn’t . There’s an eager market of users who want access to social networks, but can’t pay a high monthly tariff for data or for an expensive smartphone.
To see more about the service, see the video below:
Jason Harris is a technology writer, community manager and mobile enthusiast. I am also a tech radio reporter, appearing on a nationally syndicated radio program.
I focus on the fields of mobile hardware and apps, consumer electronics, and hardware/software.
Warning: file_get_contents() [function.file-get-contents]: URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration in /homepages/39/d91872255/htdocs/techcravr/wp-content/plugins/googlecards/googleCardClass.php on line 181
Warning: file_get_contents(http://plus.google.com/106655678013753602794) [function.file-get-contents]: failed to open stream: no suitable wrapper could be found in /homepages/39/d91872255/htdocs/techcravr/wp-content/plugins/googlecards/googleCardClass.php on line 181
Couldn't get data from google+
There are a few must-have items that make my trips easy. The Monster outlets-to-go, Boingo Wi-Fi Service and Sprint MiFi are a few examples of travel companions I pack first when I travel for business or leisure.
,
pinion of portable computing forever. Navigating and using a full touch experience has been amazing and fun all in thebreath.
I’ve had a Google TV for most of this year. I was super excited about the potential of the device that was supposed to merge Internet content on to my regular TV experience.
There are 800 million people worldwide who access Facebook, most on a daily basis. Most of the time, we’re on our computers at home or on the go. However, Facebook becomes even more engaging when we can post on walls, upload photos and interact with the social network while on our mobile phones.
