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Fitbit Force fitness band features iPhone call notifications

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Wearables, Wireless / WiFi,

Fitbit Force

The Fitbit Force is a new fitness tracking wristband from the company that started this whole quantified self fitness gadget craze. About half a year ago, Fitbit launched its first fitness tracking wristband, the Flex, which was a little feature-barren when compared to its other offerings. The Force changes that, as it does everything that any other Fitbit can do, plus more. That means that it will keep track of your steps, distance traveled, how many minutes you were active, how many floors you've climbed, how well (and how long) you are sleeping, and even call notifications from your iPhone, as long as yo are running iOS 7 on an iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, or iPhone 5s--that last feature will be introduced soon through a software update.

The Fitbit Force should last for about 7-10 days on a charge, thanks to its Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy profile and low-powered OLED display. You can order it now in one of two colors (black and slate blue) for $129.95.

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Read More | Fitbit Force

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SOL Republic x Motorola Deck review

SOL Republic Deck review

The world of the portable Bluetooth wireless speaker is a crowded one, but SOL Republic is confident that its Deck speaker can stand above the rest, what with it's unique feature set. The SOL Republic Deck is a $199 speaker that comes out of of a collaboration between the company and Motorola (which took care of the Bluetooth connectivity side of things,) resulting in a flat, eye-catching design that can pump your beats with relative ease. Is it worth your time and money? Join us for our SOL Republic Deck review as we answer that question.

Click to continue reading SOL Republic x Motorola Deck review


Samsung Galaxy Gear: A 1.63-inch AMOLED smartwatch launching with 70 apps for $299

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Wearables, Corporate News,

Samsung Galaxy Gear

Samsung is the first major company to release a smartwatch, revealing the Galaxy Gear during today's Unpacked event. The rumor mill was quite a ways off from what was presented today. The Gear sports a 1.63-inch 320 x 320 Super AMOLED display, with a 1.9-megapixel BSI auto-focus camera on the outside wrist strap (used to capture low-resolution images and 10-second video clips at 720p,) and a speaker on the inner wrist strap.

Galaxy Gear is also a platform unto itself, and it will have 70 apps on deck for launch, including familiar names like RunKeeper, Path, Evernote, TripIt, MyFitnessPal, eBay, and many others. That sounds great, but the device will ship with limited smartphone and tablet compatibility, working with only the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 at launch, although Galaxy S 4 and Galaxy S III integration will be coming in October. With a compatible device, the Galaxy Gear will be your companion, allowing you access to Find My Device, S Voice, pedometer, call answering, and more.

Click to continue reading Samsung Galaxy Gear: A 1.63-inch AMOLED smartwatch launching with 70 apps for $299


Tile, world’s largest lost and found accessory coming soon

Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Accessories, Apple, Wireless / WiFi,

Tile bluetooth tracker

Tile may be a small Bluetooth accessory, but it is an ingenuous idea, currently being crowdfunded, that helps users find their lost items like keys, wallet, purse or anything you might attach Tile to.

Tile connects to iOS devices that support Bluetooth 4.0 with Bluetooth Low Energy. At this time, Tile is selling for $18.95 each in a KickerStarter-style pre-order system. The price will jump to $25 dollars when it officially goes on sale. One of the cool features includes a crowdsourced search that enlists the help of others to retrieve items that have been lost or stolen. Battery life is about a year, and when it's time to get a new one, they even send you an envelope to send the old TIles back for recycling. So far, Tile has over 25,000 backers and has surpassed its goal of $20,000 by $1.3 million dollars with 5 days left to go. Check out the video after the break for an in-depth look at how it all works.

Click to continue reading Tile, world’s largest lost and found accessory coming soon

Read More | Tile

Unboxing Live 117: Pebble Smart Watch

We give you a look at the Pebble smart watch - it shows you your notifications from your smartphone, right on your wrist right on its e-ink display, and is compatible with both iOS and Android. Here are some specs:

  • Load apps using Bluetooth
  • 144 x 168 pixel display black and white e-paper
  • Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR and 4.0 (Low Energy)
  • 4 buttons
  • Vibrating motor
  • 3 axis accelerometer with gesture detection

You can also control apps and music as well, again, all over Bluetooth. I waited a long time for this to arrive, mostly because I had to wait for the orange version to get manufactured and show up. If you wanna get your hands on one, you can get the Pebble watch from Best Buy.

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Pebble Smart Watch comes to Best Buy on July 7 for $150

Pebble smart watch best buy

The Pebble Smart Watch was a Kickstarter sensation that is still struggling to fulfill the orders of its initial backers, but that's not stopping the device from launching in Best Buy in just a few days. Initially you'll be able to get the e-ink display-powered Pebble in Jet Black at Best Buy while the company works to get the other colors into the hands of those who pre-ordered the device. Once those are fulfilled, you can expect to see other colors hit Best Buy as well. In fact, the Cherry Red model will hit store shelves in August.

Now is the time for the Pebble Smart Watch to try and get some attention on a larger stage, and Best Buy may be the place to do that. If you're unfamiliar, the Pebble connects to your iPhone or Android device and allows you to interact with it from your wrist. I have one, and it's convenient to see my messages, texts, and notifications pop-up on the Pebble without having to check my phone. I can also control apps like Music and Runkeeper right from my wrist as well. With Apple and Google expected to announce smart watches of their own sometime soon, some might argue that time is running out for Pebble to make an impact and fain traction. The Best Buy deal should help. You'll be able to order the Pebble from Best Buy for $149.95.

Click to continue reading Pebble Smart Watch comes to Best Buy on July 7 for $150

Read More | Pebble Best Buy Page

Meet August: Yves Behar’s keyless digital lock system

Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Smart Home, Wireless / WiFi,

August lock Black

Yves Behar, the famous designer of the popular array of Jawbone bluetooth headsets, Jambox portable stereo jukebox and fitness activity monitor Up, has launched a new company, promoting a smart door lock, August. August is a keyless digital lock system for your home connected to low powered Bluetooth with an iPhone app. August does not solely rely on Wi-Fi in order for it to function, so no need to worry in the event of a power outage. The device is said to be easy to install in a two-step process compared to other locking solutions. It does not require an additional lock for the outside door and it's said to not be noticeable since the device is housed in the inside lock of the home, which it replaces. Check out the video after the break.

Click to continue reading Meet August: Yves Behar’s keyless digital lock system

Read More | August

Unboxing Live 113: Lumoback Posture Sensor

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Features, Videocasts,

LUMOback started as a Kickstarter project aimed to helping people maintain proper posture throughout the day. The pitch was successful, and now LUMOback is a reality. We open up the LUMOback posture sensor and give you a look at what it does and how it works. It connects to your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad over Bluetooth 4.0, and alerts you when your posture is bad throughout the day, so that you can improve it over time, resulting in less aches and pains, and more energy!

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Exclusive details on the next Nike+ FuelBand

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Wearables, Features, Rumors,

Next Nike+ FuelBand features

Nike is hard at work on the next iteration of its popular Nike+ FuelBand, and we've got the details on what to expect, thanks to getting to spend a few short minutes with the device during a recent business trip. From the look and sound of things, aside from a handful of new features and tracking metrics, Nike is also set to make the Nike+ API a bit more robust as well, allowing developers to tap into your tracking data. Now let's talk about the changes and improvements:

Click to continue reading Exclusive details on the next Nike+ FuelBand


Samsung Galaxy S 4: 5-inch 1080p display, 802.11ac, and much more

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Google, Handhelds,

Samsung Galaxy S 4

Samsung made the Galaxy S 4 official at an event held at Radio City Music Hall. Led by JK Shin, head of Samsung mobile, the company showed off its new flagship smartphone--and it's exactly what we've already seen in the multiple leaks.

Front and center on the Galaxy S 4 is the 5-inch Super AMOLED 1080p display, using the new Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and sporting a whopping 441 pixels per inch. Stunning, to be sure. Additionally, this smartphone is the first to sport 802.11ac Wi-Fi support, the fastest you'll be able to find in any home at this point--also compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n as well, alongside Bluetooth 4.0. An IR blaster is included, similar to the one found on the HTC One, and you also get a removable 2,600 mAh battery. Other important specs include 2 GB of RAM, and the choice between 16, 32, and 64 GB of built-in storage. Naturally, the phone supports LTE.

Click to continue reading Samsung Galaxy S 4: 5-inch 1080p display, 802.11ac, and much more

Read More | Galaxy S 4

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