As fall approaches, it’s time to look at technology that’s going to make your life better and safer with a combination of just a little bit of fun thrown in for tailgating. Included in the mixture is waterproof technology from iDevices, the Canton company that set the technology world on fire with its iGrill Bluetooth device.
No more wet iPhones
iDevices LLC of Canton, the creator of the award-winning iGrill Bluetooth cooking thermometer, is now shipping iShower, the Bluetooth enabled, water-resistant speaker for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android and other Bluetooth enabled smartphones and tablets.
It’s water resistant, so you can listen to the iShower speaker in the shower, pool, beach, or spa, while keeping your iPod, iPhone, or other device safe and dry up to 200 feet away from the water. iShower is good for those who want to listen to their music in wet environments without risking damage to their handheld smart phone, device or tablet.
Priced at $99, iShower comes with 3 AA batteries for 15 hours of music. Features include: play/pause/forward/rewind & volume functions; clock time display; easy installation with “Grab-n-Go” mount (no tools needed); standing and hanging options; and, optional anti-fog shower mirror. It is compatible with most Bluetooth devices.
More information is available at www.ishowerinc.com.
Matchstick kicks fire up a notch
Grace Digital’s “made for Kindle” Matchstick is engineered for Amazon’s Kindle Fire. The Matchstick accommodates the Kindle’s unique USB port, headphone jack and power button, all located on the bottom of the tablet. While most universal 3.5mm speaker docks don’t charge devices while in use, the Matchstick speaker dock for Kindle Fire not only charges while on AC power, but the optional (sold separately) lithium-ion battery-pack allows for maximum portability.
Sized for the Kindle Fire, the rotating cradle securely holds the 7 — inch tablet, while accommodating horizontal and vertical viewing angles. It provides clear stereo sound to video and audio including Netflix, Pandora Internet Radio and Amazon’s audio books.
Comfortably fight carpal tunnel
GoSmart RestPad, by GoSmart Inc., is an innovative patent-pending mouse pad with a 100 percent natural sheepskin wrist rest designed to give soothing comfort and pressure relief for computer mouse users.
The GoSmart RestPad is a new kind of mouse pad, featuring a removable sheepskin wrist rest to give pressure relief for anyone using a computer for hours, for those with repetitive wrist injury, or for those suffering with carpal tunnel.
Validated to relieve over twice as much pressure as other wrist rests, the GoSmart RestPad underwent extensive testing with advanced tactile array sensors that measured the contact pressures underneath the wrist to show the GoSmart RestPad’s superior results.
More information is available at www.justgosmart.com.
Portable animal-themed stereo systems
Let’s be frank: Work environments can be sterile and boring. If it’s allowed where you work, plug in your computer, smart phone or tablet to a Panda and spice things up a little bit.
Impecca’s Zoo Tunes line of fun and fashionable animal themed portable speaker systems are battery-operated compact portable speaker systems with full-range sound performance.
Zoo Tunes, which cost $24.95, plug into all iPods, iPhones and other smart phones, MP3/MP4 players, CD players, computers or other devices through its included 3.5mm jack or mini USB cable. The new Zoo Tunes line of portable speakers features a variety of designs, including tiger, kitten, bear, rabbit, pig, owl, and panda. Zoo Tunes fits in the palm of your hand and is lightweight enough for on-the-go use.
For more information, go to www.impeccausa.com.
4G fire protection
The Direct Connect 911 Smoke Detector from PlugNProtect LLC is a first of its kind smoke detector that communicates over the cellular network in the event of a smoke or fire emergency at a home or business.
The patent-pending Direct Connect 911 Smoke Detector is the only stand-alone, photo-electronic smoke detector on the market that will alert central station emergency operators to a fire or smoke condition. Unlike expensive home/business monitoring systems, the Direct Connect 911 Smoke Detector system protects for $10 a month and can save up to 20 percent on homeowner insurance, its maker says.
For more information on the Direct Connect 911 Smoke Detector go to: www.directconnect911.com
Home stereo sans wires
Aperion Audio, a direct-to-consumer maker of home theater speaker systems, has unveiled the Intimus 4T Summit Wireless Home Theater Speaker System. For the first time in a wireless home theater system, you can enjoy a true plug-and-play setup with interference-free, uncompressed digital wireless audio from source to speaker.
Utilizing Summit Wireless’ Speaker Finder and MyZone technology, Aperion Audio’s Intimus wireless home theater system allows anyone to enjoy high-end audio without the hassle of a complicated setup or running speaker wires around a room.
With no A/V receiver required, it’s as simple as connecting your sources to the HDMI Home Theater One transmitter, plugging in speakers to power outlets, and pressing a single button to activate the automatic system configuration.
The Intimus 4T Summit Wireless Home Theater System is available with a complete 5.1 home theater system starting at $2,999.
For more information, go to www.AperionAudio.com
Make tailgating more fun
And finally, just in time for UConn football season, XPS, creator of innovative games for recreation, fun and tailgating, announced that its new BasketPong game is now available for sale. BasketPong combines the competitiveness and skill of games like basketball and darts with the excitement of other outdoor activities such as bean bag toss.
BasketPong comes in a lightweight, compact carrying case and can be easily assembled for play within minutes. Similar to a basketball hoop, BasketPong features a vertical set-up, including a backboard, stand and base.
The backboard features eight slots to insert rims and cups or nets in different patterns, which allows you to customize the game and play at various skill levels. The goal of the game is to eliminate each basket by shooting the BasketPong balls into the cups or nets. Additionally, traditional basketball-related games such as Horse or 21 can be played. BasketPong is also suited for play in a swimming pool because it floats.
More information is available at Shop.TailgatingIdeas.com.
