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  • Top Ten Father’s Day Gifts Under $100

    Top Ten Father’s Day Gifts Under $100

    Father’s Day is this Sunday! Have you picked out a gift for Dad yet? If not, don’t worry, we’ve got a list of our favorite gifts for Father’s Day under $100! Giver your Dad something awesome! 

    Cord Taco 

    Photo Credit: Amazon 

    Dad probably has a ton of cords and cables loose in a drawer somewhere. Why not help him organize with these handy tools? They’re stylish and functional and Dad will love them! 

    Amazon Echo Dot 

    Photo Credit: Venture Beat 

    Commanding a virtual assistant with your voice is pretty cool. Alexa helps you schedule your day, reads your messages to you, tells you the news and so much more. The best part is, an Echo Dot is only $40 from Amazon! Talk about a cool gift at a great price! 

    Philips Hue 

    Photo Credit: Amazon 

    If your dad already has an Alexa device, you could get him these awesome smart bulbs from Philips. The Philips Hue bulbs can be controlled via Alexa, and they are seriously bright! You can even change the color of light they produce. You can even control the lights with an app, so if Dad forgets to cut the lights off before he leaves, no sweat! It’s just a tap away! 

    Looftlighter 

    Photo Credit: Williams Sonoma 

    If your dad is like mine, he loves to put on a bonfire in the back yard. An awesome gift for a grillmaster dad is a Looftlighter! This handy wand sets fire to wood or kindling without need for lighter fluid. As we all know, lighter fluid is bad for the environment, so finding sustainable alternatives is awesome! You can pick one of these awesome flame wands up for $80. 

    Hoveric Levitating Speaker 

    Photo Credit: MoMA Design Store 

    Every dad loves goofy magic tricks, so give your dad the gift of a cool floating speaker! When music is played through this futuristic speaker, it is lifted from I’s pedestal by the sound waves. How awesome is that? Dad will certainly love this one! It’s only $99, too, which is awesome! 

    Misfit Ray 

    Photo Credit: PC Mag 

    Dad probably doesn’t want some big flashy screen like an Apple Watch, but he’d probably love a fitness tracker. For the dad who’s trying to stay in shape, check out the Misfit Ray. It’s slick and doesn’t call attention to itself, and it sports a long battery life. You don’t need to charge it for four months after a full charge! It pairs to a smartphone app to show you your statistics. It’s a great price, too, at $40. 

    Kindle E-Reader 

    Photo Credit: Amazon 

    Your dad might just love an e-reader. There are so many awesome books out there, but it can be difficult to find enough shelf space for all of them! And they’re hard to bring with you on a long trip, or to the beach. To remedy that, get your dad a Kindle! Their simple interface and non-reflective screen make them excellent for reading by the pool or at the beach! You can snag one from Amazon for $60. 

    Roku Streaming Stick 

    Photo Credit: Roku 

    Dad’s probably complained about the cable bill. Loudly. And often. If your dad hates the price of cable but loves TV, consider getting him a Roku Streaming Stick. Roku lets him watch Netflix or Hulu through his account, and it even supports Sling streaming TV. All that for just $54! Not too shabby! 

    Tile Sport 

    Photo Credit: Amazon 

    If your dad’s constantly misplacing stuff, you should get him a Tile. Tile will help him find nearly anything he loses. All he has to do is attach the tracker to his valuables and install the Tile app. Ta-da, never lose that particular thing again! Well, not permanently, at least. 

    Our Favorite Gift for Father’s Day: UE Wonderboom 

    Photo Credit: Allround PC 

    Our favorite Father’s Day gift? The portable, loud and waterproof UE Wonderboom Bluetooth speaker. Sporting a great amount of battery life and durability, it’s perfect for any situation. Whether by the pool, at a party or at the beach, the Wonderboom provides excellent sound. The Wonderboom is a great value, too, costing only $70. You can usually find it on sale for less, too! 

  • Having Trouble Connecting? Check out Our Favorite Wireless Routers

    Having Trouble Connecting? Check out Our Favorite Wireless Routers

    Nothing’s more frustrating than being in the middle of your favorite show and having the signal drop out. Or, worse, playing a match of your favorite game and then the dreaded “disconnected” image pops up. What are some of the best wireless routers to make sure this doesn’t happen to you? We’ve got our picks for favorite wireless router right here, so don’t worry about disconnecting due to a faulty signal anymore! 

    ASUS RT-AC3200 

    This router supports all three bands: short, medium and long. It is noted for its excellent long-range band and fantastic self-monitoring tools. The router provides graphs and charts for network usage which helps for troubleshooting network issues. It is somewhat difficult to set up and get the most out of, though. This makes it hard to recommend to those who are just looking for a solid router without having to fiddle with tons of options. If you’re relatively tech-savvy and like the idea of having great monitoring of devices, this one is a good pick. You can find it at around $190 from Amazon.  

    Netgear R7000P Nighthawk 

    Netgear’s offering is much easier to set up and use than ASUS’. It features an easy-to-use online portal and offers tons of options for those that want them. However, out of the box it does a great job distributing devices between its two bands. It makes sure there’s less overlap in signals and has excellent range. The Nighthawk is a pretty solid router for $190, and you can’t go wrong with its straightforward, simple functionality. 

    The Best Wireless Router: Google Wi-Fi 

    Google Wi-Fi is absolutely awesome. Rather than relying on one device to juggle various bands, it uses a mesh system. By hooking up multiple receivers, the system is able to produce an area of even coverage of Wi-Fi. The device is sleek and minimalist, as one could ecxpect from Google. The best part, though, is the software.  

    Google Wi-Fi’s app is the portal through which you set up and monitor the system. It allows for easy set-up of guest and family networks. It even sports smart home functional through the app! The best part? A single Google Wi-Fi router is only $120, and one will cover most houses. If you have a bigger house you can opt for a two- or even three-pack set, offering excellent mesh coverage. All in all, the best router for your money. You won’t be disappointed by Google Wi-Fi! 

     

  • Parrot Taking Aim at DJI with New HDR-Enabled Drone, Anafi

    Parrot Taking Aim at DJI with New HDR-Enabled Drone, Anafi

    Parrot, the recently-quiet drone makers, have unveiled a new consumer drone. The Anafi, as it is called, is a folding drone meant to stash easily in a bag or trunk. It’s a quad-copter, so it has very stable flight and performs great in most climates.  

    The Camera 

    What’s better for shooting footage than a zippy drone? And if you’re shooting stunning aerial footage, you need a good camera! The Anafi doesn’t disappoint, coming equipped with a 4K camera that shoots 21-megapixel photos. It’s also the first consumer drone to hit market with HDR! For the uninformed, HDR is a high-contrast exposure that makes images pop. It’s a great companion to 4K, and makes stunning vistas look alive on a 4K display.  

    The inclusion of HDR actually gives Parrot a surprising edge over DJI. DJI’s drones are known to struggle in high-contrast shots, and given their pedigree, Parrot’s superiority in that field is a game-changer. It also features lossless digital zoom, a really awesome feature for a drone with a camera this good.  

    Anafi in Flight 

    The Anafi drone is also a breeze to fly. The quad-copter alignment is super-stable, and the camera barely jostles in flight. You can even fly it with a smartphone app or traditional remote controller. Ease of use is the main design goal in play, and it shows. 

    The 3-axis gimbal stabilizer has some awesome tricks up its sleeve, too. The drone’s unique construction allows you to shoot footage at a 180-degree angle. This means you can shoot directly above or below the drone. Paired with the awesome zoon, HDR support and stable construction, this all makes the Anafi a very attractive drone to enthusiasts. 

    The best part? All of this comes in a relatively inexpensive package. The Anafi is currently set to retail for $700, which, while not cheap, isn’t as much as comparable DJI drones.  

  • Round-Up: Cool Tech Not for Sale Yet

    Round-Up: Cool Tech Not for Sale Yet

    Every day, new technology goes up on crowdfunding sites to get funding to go live. Tons of awesome inventions are funded this way, and we love perusing the coolest ones. There’s so many to check out, though! To help you find the coolest ones, here’s a quick round-up of some of our favorite new pieces of cool tech being crowdfunded now.  

    Forward X Ovis 

    This neat new piece of tech is perfect for those who spend a lot of time in airports. Since it’s complete with obstacle avoidance and facial recognition, this handy little guy will follow you all over the terminal. It also comes with a bracelet for tracking that tells you if it falls out of range and helps you find it if it gets lost. So, if you’re the kind of person who loves their Rumba, this self-driving luggage is perfect! It’s on Indiegogo now for $400, so if it interests you, go check it out there! 

    Zen Float Tank 

    Sensory deprivation tanks, great for meditation and inner reflection, are notoriously expensive. However, the Zen Float tank seeks to remedy this by offering inflatable deprivation tents for home use. Up on Kickstarter now, the Zen Float Tank is an interesting solution to the prohibitive price of float tanks. By being both inflatable and sized for a home, it is able to discreetly hang out in the back of a room. It’s low maintenance, too, requiring little upkeep. These things all make the Zen Float Tank very cool tech for those looking to experience sensory deprivation and meditation. 

    Earth- Interactive AR Globe 

    This high-detail globe model of Earth is impressive on its surface. It’s colorful and informative, giving excellent topographic views of Earth’s surface. However, real magic kicks in when you use the paired augmented reality app, though. The app allows you to turn the globe and learn about the different countries, climates and creatures in our big, beautiful world. If you love learning, or have a little one who does, this is perfect. Many kids would love to learn geography with a hands-on tool like this! Heck, I’m an adult, and I still want to play with this thing! It’s up on Kickstarter now. 

    Our Favorite Upcoming Cool Tech: Beambox Laser Cutter 

    Top of the list of things that make you go “oh, cool,” is the Beambox laser cutter. If you;ve ever wanted a cutter to do engravings on all kinds of materials, check this one out. It’s awesome. Usually you would need a lot of knowledge on how to set a laser cutter, how to calibrate it and use it effectively. Beambox, however, was designed to be easy to use! It has presets for different materials and it hooks right up to your computer. You can put in any design you want, and the Beambox will engrave it! It’s so cool! 

  • Tech Throwback: Kodak Brownie Camera

    Tech Throwback: Kodak Brownie Camera

    I like to take a look at where I’ve been to evaluate where Im going. Technology is cyclical after all… wait no its not. That said I still like all the feels that come rushing back like a flood of nostalgia every time I get my hand on the tech I grew up with. Im going to go back periodically and take a looking at the stuff that used to blow our hair back and get our minds rolling. Some of these device blew up and changed the world, some where ahead of their time and some just fell flat and became colossal failures. Today I’ve got my hands on the old and original Kodak Brownie Camera.

     

    The Original

    IF you have ever taken a real photography class, you know the best way to teach someone how a camera works is to have them make there own Kodak Brownie Camera. Kodak Marketed toward there camera to the turn of the century children. They were issues and  carried by soldiers. At the hefty 1900’s price tag of $1 (about $29 today)  they were affordable to everyone. Its a small, brown leatherette and cardboard camera and introduced the term “snapshot” through its ease of use and low cost.  it was introduced in February 1900, the Brownie took cameras off tripods and put them into everyday use. For Kodak, the low-cost shooter was the hook that allowed the company to reel in money through film sales. And for the rest of the world, it helped captured countless moments and shape civilization’s relationship to images.

    The first model of the camera was invented by Frank A. Brownell. The name comes from the brownies in popular Palmer Cox cartoons. Consumers responded, and over 150,000 Brownie cameras were shipped in the first year of production. Over the years it was extremely popular and many versions of it existed.  There where many models over the years with feature and functionality improvements. My personal favorit was the Beau Brownie..

    Beau Brownie

    The Beau Brownie  was  a new version of the Brownie sold  from 1930 to 1933. They  had very little technical variation from the immensely popular Brownie cameras. With the only one big technical difference being the introduction of a new doublet lens, allowing the same picture to be projected on a film plate over a shorter distance and this made the Beau Brownies nearly 2″ shorter than their conventional counterparts. With an updated Art Deco design with an  enameled two-tone front plate, it was a stunning example of period tech. It was produced in  in five color combinations: black and burgundy, brown and tan, two-tone blue, two-tone green, and two-tone rose.

    Basic Operation

    The Brownie operates under the following sequence of events:

    1. A shutter in the front of the camera is opened allowing light to pass through the lens. This light is reflected from the object being photographed.
    2. As the light passes through the lens it forms an image of the object being photographed. As it continues through the lens, this image is inverted (turned upside-down).
    3. The lens projects the inverted image onto light-sensitive film at the back of the box. This is known as exposure of the film. The longer the shutter is left open, the more light is allowed onto the film.

    Does it get any simpler?

    The Final Thought

    One look at theses you instantly know what is is and where it came from. There are a little over a hundred variation of this original, portable, and everyday camera, but one definitely has its place in your heart,assuming you are older then 45 of course. Its evolution over its 100 year span was predictable and outstanding all at the same time holding true to its core design.  All I can say about the Kodak Brownie Camera is It came, It saw, and It captured an entire century.

  • Tech Live Look: Porsche’s Fascinating (And Awesome) Augmented Reality Glasses

    Tech Live Look: Porsche’s Fascinating (And Awesome) Augmented Reality Glasses

    While virtual reality headsets remain less than popular, augmented reality is booming. Snapchat filters and augmented reality games are popular with millions of users. On a more practical level, augmented reality may be used for car repairs in the future. Enter Porsche’s Tech Live Look.

    Porsche’s Tech Live Look 

    Porsche, known for their tech-mindedness and forward thinking, has developed a really interesting new augmented reality headset. It’s first application is as a quick-reference for Porsche mechanics. The headset allows them access to all the manuals and diagrams they could ever need. This type of cloud technology uplink is very sci-fi: imagine a mechanics who can see a swath of reference materials in his view as he repairs an engine. 

    Tech Live Look also allows Porsche technicians to assist mechanics in live time. Technicians will be able to see what mechanics see, walking them through repairs step-by-step. Drawing on the video feed, producing manuals in the peripheral and more will be possible with this technology. This, Porsche states, will lead to a 40 percent increase in productivity in their repair centers. 

    According to Porsche America CEO Klaus Zellmer, “It’s good for customers, because they get their car back sooner, and it’s good for dealers because they get that stall clear.” According the Zellmer, the cost of the headsets is offset a few days after they are implemented, thanks to the great turnaround they provide for repair centers. 

    When is this Coming? 

    Many Porsche dealerships have already signed up for this revolutionary tech. While Porsche has stated that only their mechanics and technicians will have use of it, this is great news for Porsche owners and augmented reality enthusiasts. The headset is reminiscent of Google Glass, but with some key differences.  

    Where Google Glass was more for notifications, sporting small displays in the peripheral, Porsche’s headset is a full display. Tech Live Look is a real-time connection with a technician, not an AI or automated program. While the tech is staying in Porsche dealerships for now, it suggests some interesting things to come. 

    The Future of Augmented Reality 

    Live linking to an experienced instructor has some obvious applications other than just car repair. The first thought one has when contemplating this technology is surgery. An expert in a certain surgical field may be unable to be physically present for a procedure but could use an AR headset to help direct a less experienced surgeon. 

    Similarly, a pilot experiencing unusual threats in the air might be aided by a more experienced expert who could use similar technology to direct them in real time. All these scenarios and more could be further aided when AI technology sees further advances. A live technician is great, but in situations where there is no Internet connection, an AI could suffice. In fact, AI may even be more well-equipped to respond rapidly and instruct a user calmly and with focus. 

  • Wearable Tech: Which Tech Items are Must-Haves?

    Wearable Tech: Which Tech Items are Must-Haves?

    The hot new trend of wearable tech has gotten a ton of traction lately. Apple Watch, FitBit and countless others have made wearables hot-ticket items. They’re stylish, functional and cool all at once. Which ones are our favorites? Which ones are must-haves? Check out our roundup of the coolest wearable tech out right now! 

    Rocket Skates 

    Oh yes, these are real. Sort of like a combination of Heelies and an electric scooter, these sci-fi action-hero shoes can propel you at up to 12 mph. That’s super impressive for being shoes with wheels. These cool shoes also come with a phone app to track your route, mileage and battery.  

    These aren’t easy to use, to be sure, but if you’re looking to turn heads and jet around on freaking rocket skates, these are awesome. Just be careful not to crash into any walls or anything. 

    Lenovo Vibe Band 

    At least one smart watch had to make the list! The Lenovo Vibe Band is a stylish little device. Sporting a unique e-ink display, the Vibe looks great in direct sunlight and has a discreet display. It functions as a fitness and sleep tracker and does it all with 7 days of battery life.  

    Even better, the Vibe Band is priced under $100, giving you a ton of features without having to pay Apple Watch or Android Wear prices.  

    Bio Sport Smart Ear Buds 

    These ear buds double as biometric sensors and fitness trackers. Pretty neat, huh? They have great sound quality thrown in, too, which is always a plus for working out! These neat little ear buds can be tossed in a bag and stored easily, and they appear very discreet when in-ear. If you want a fitness tracker but don’t like wrist-mounted devices that get in the way or draw attention to themselves, then the Bio Sport Smarts are for you! 

    The Coolest Wearble Tech Device: Nixie 

    This incredibly cool little drone wraps around your wrist like a watch when not in use. When you command it, however, it unfolds and takes off. It can then snap pictures, usually selfies, before swooping back down to your wrist. It looks like something Tony Stark would have and it is amazing.  

    While it might not be the most useful wearable in the world, it tops this list for just being so cool. It’s just incredibly impressive to see it unfold, take off, and do its thing before landing back where it started. This one is still in development, so it won’t be available just yet. Hopefully it’ll get a full release soon! 

  • These Tech Startups Are So Dumb You May Never Unroll Your Eyes

    These Tech Startups Are So Dumb You May Never Unroll Your Eyes

    The wide world of technology is rife with start-ups and venture capitals. Companies are all vying to be the next Apple, always pushing the envelope and redefining themselves. Or, at least, they’re trying to do these things. Sometimes they’re hit with the rough wake-up call that their ideas are just freaking weird, man. Sometimes that might be a good thing, and other times it’s… well, you’ll see. Check out the ten weird tech developments we could find. You won’t be disappointed, but the investors might! 
     
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    10. Rapt.fm 

    Photo Credit: Forbes 

    This one is odd yet endearing. Rapt.fm is a social platform dedicated to teaching people how to rap. And it has 50,000 users. Color me impressed! Now, this isn’t the odd part, rap is tremendously popular, and it makes sense that people would want to learn. The odd part is the venue the startup got their footing in.  

    The CEO, Erik Torenberg (catchy rap stage name), got the initial money for the platform in an unusual way. Originally, he and his team taught employees at businesses like Fathead, Chalkfly and Quicken Loans. What? Yeah, they were marketed as “team-building” exercises. Corporate America is weird, guys. Look no further than white-collar worker-turned-rapper Little Dicky to see more evidence of this. Textbook weird tech. 
     
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  • Surface, Its New Version and a Price Drop

    Surface, Its New Version and a Price Drop

    The Surface wants to compete with the ipad for a broader market, so look for a price drop. A new report out today by Bloomberg claims that Microsoft is planning its next tablet line to be lower-cost in an effort to attract people to their products who aren’t interested in the more expensive Surface Pro. The move is directly aimed at competing with Apple’s recently launched $329 iPad, and could see Microsoft debut the devices as soon as the second half of 2018.

     

    Low Cost Surface

    From what I am hearing  the tablets will be priced at around $400, so not quite iPad cheap but not far off. They will be the first Surface devices to adopt USB-C and rounded edges “like an iPad,” instead of the square corners of the current devices. Storage tiers will include 64GB and 128GB, as well as LTE options, and the devices will feature 10-inch screens.  All good news.

    There are also rumors of a significant decrease in battery power. While I cant confirm any yet and wont until it gets the Beau’s 6 hour injustice marathon battery test, I will say that the rumors holds some weight. Currently everyone has come to a 6.6 – 14 hour battery life estimate for the current models. What we have hear it the new cheaper tablet will be coming in around 4 hours less. Knocking four hours of battery off a tablet with a 13.5 hour runtime is bad. Knocking four hours of run time off a tablet with a 9.6 hour battery life is terrible. In fact, if that penalty carried over across the board, this new Surface tablet wouldn’t even break the three hour mark. Relax, ill continue to monitor and keep you updated.

     

    The Final Thought

    Like always Apple steps in and delivers and the rest  of the tech world follow suit. follow suit. This is good new, a low cost Microsoft device is a great option for the marketplace. When the marketplace has diverse low cost options we all win.

     

  • Tech Throwback: Sony Walkman

    Tech Throwback: Sony Walkman

    I like to take a look at where I’ve been to evaluate where Im going. Technology is cyclical after all… wait no its not. That said I still like all the feels that come rushing back like a flood of nostalgia every time I get my hand on the tech I grew up with. Im going to go back periodically and take a looking at the stuff that used to blow our hair back and get our minds rolling. Some of these device blew up and changed the world, some where ahead of their time and some just fell flat and became colossal failures. Today we are going to talk about the Sony Walkman

     

    Walkman cassette player, released in 1979, changed music listening habits by allowing people to listen to their music whilst on the move. This could turn everyday tasks like commuting and running into pleasurable experiences. It gave commuters a sense of privacy, and add a soundtrack to urban surrounding. At the time a lightweight portable stereo system where that of future fantasy. Sony’s current portable option was the 5 lb TC-D5 and It was far to heavy and expensive to be revolutionary. We all just had to be content with listening to records in our basements. Then June 7th, 1980 happened, hello Walkman

     

    little fun fact about the Walkman name, the Walkman name was thought to be too Japanese- English so it was called the soundabout in the US at first. It was nearly called the Disco-Jogger. Thank Thanos that didn’t happen, I can tell you the Disco- Jogger would not be getting its own Tech Throwback Spotlight…

    Sony Walkman, Just Press Play

    So I found the original Sony Walkman, TPS-L2 , you know the one Starlord likes to listen to yacht rock on. Ive popped in some fresh double AA’s and I’m ready to pop open may old cassette collection.  First thing I notice on this is as I insert my Batman forever sound track cassette and press the rewind button to U2’s Kiss me , Kill Me, Thrill Me,  is that it has 2 headphone jacks.

    Living in a world today where all the tech companies are trying to steal my headphone jacks away, this makes me smile. The TPS-L2 does not have a record option, there is also a hotline button. Hotline button activates a builtin microphone. This did come in handy from time to time. However to record music on to a tape portabley was a whole nother problem. You had to hold the microphone up to the music, the sound quality was awful. You got all the surrounding background noise while trying to record a bootleg copy of the new New Kids on the Block cassette..

     

    The Final Thought

    Its simple, Its Timeless. This  belongs in every time capsule from 1979 till the day societies forget about time capsules. It opened music up to place and routines it didn’t quite fit before. Time would take several decades for this magnificent device to be faded out to an ipod. It saw many glorious changes, adaptations and complete evolutions. Who remembers the grandchild of the Walkman, the skipping prone Discman. It will forever be a classic. This helped make us all think the 80’s where a wonderful time to be alive.