Soundmatters Back-to-School Promotion Accessorizes Your Bike

Soundmatters is offering a back-to-school promotion, “Accessorize Your FoxL,” which runs from August 17 through September 30. Customers purchasing a foxLv2 Bluetooth pocket-sized wireless speaker will receive a free foxL Mini Travel Trunk or free foxL bicycle mount. Each of the freebies are a value of about $30. Continue reading Soundmatters Back-to-School Promotion Accessorizes Your Bike

Olympics Sponsor Samsung Remembers the Games with Limited Edition Galaxy S3 Smart Phone

With the 2012 Olympics heading into its final days in London, it might be hard to bid cheerio to one of the more exciting and memorable games in recent memory. (Don’t forget, the Paralympics are up next, but coverage will be scant, unfortunately.) For those who need a little memento to remember the games by, Samsung has released London Olympics-themed Galaxy S3 smart phones featuring designs with the Union Jack. Continue reading Olympics Sponsor Samsung Remembers the Games with Limited Edition Galaxy S3 Smart Phone

GoPro Goes to the App

Capturing the moment of triumph on video is easier than ever thanks to numerous wearable cameras, and this year the industry leader GoPro looks to maintain that lead by offering an iPhone/Android app that is compatible with the Wi-Fi BackPac, so users can control up to 50 Hero2 camera from a handset! This could allow large organizers in bike tours to capture action from multiple angles, or let race organizers in a variety of sports record footage from around the course without the need of multiple cameramen.

The app will allows users to view recorded footage, but the next step coming from the app will be the option to stream live video to a smartphone. The app will reportedly be free while the Wi-Fi kit is just $99.

[Via BikeRumor: GOPRO BRINGING LIVE STREAMING, CAMERA CONTROLLING SMARTPHONE APP]

MapMyRide Adds Courses

Consider this the “main course” for fitness buffs who want to compare stats with others. MapMyRide has unveiled the Courses feature that should inspire some (hopefully friendly) competition) for users of the service on iPhone, BlackBerry and Android.

The Courses offers four categories including climbs, descents, member create routes, and actual stage races events. As with Strava the “fastest rider” in any of these can get social medals, but it is also more than just having the best time. With all the official courses there is also a new monthly point system, complete with leader board that track event leaders, those with the most points in climbs and descents, the “guru” or person who rode a course the most times, and even the fastest times. For those who want to just push themselves there is the ability to track personal bests. Continue reading MapMyRide Adds Courses

driSuit Endurance Protects the iPhone

It seems there is no shortage of iPhone cases. This week we’ve even reported on a couple, but each does something a little different. The driSuit Endurance will protect the phone from water and from drops as it doubles as a shockproof case for short drops. As with other waterproof cases this one allows users to take advantage of the phone’s touchscreen controls, even underwater. The company also sells waterproof earphones, which can be used with this case. Video of the driSuit in action after the jump

Smart(phone) Way to Fish

With a smartphone you can easily search for a seafood restaurant, or you could use it to go directly to the source. While we’ve seen gizmos such as the Magellan eXplorist line of GPS devices that now include fishing hotspots map, once there you still need to see if the fish are actually there to bite.

For that the Deeper FishFinder might just do the trick. It is a sonar-enable waterproof ball that won’t sink but it will sync with the smartphone. The Bluetooth-enabled device can scan the water and send location information directly to an iOS or Android phone or tablet. It shows the approximate location of fish with a depth chart as well so you can cast off in just the right spot. Continue reading Smart(phone) Way to Fish

Hands On: ThingSling

Last month at CTIA we got our hands on a ThingSling. More accurately, a ThingSling got stuck to our phone. This elastic strap fixes to the back of any phone with a 3M adhesive. And boy does that thing stick.

We wrote some first impressions of the strap, but now that it’s been a few weeks, I thought I’d go a little deeper on my thoughts. The strap has a rigid plastic frame that anchors the adhesive. It sticks to just about any phone or case, though John Murphy, the ThingSling creator, said it doesn’t stick to silicone used in many phone cases. While it’ll come off easily when I want it off, I haven’t had any trouble with the ThingSling trying to come off the Cygnett Frost Case on my phone. Continue reading Hands On: ThingSling

Waterproof Phone Case Doubles as Speaker

If there is one thing that smartphone users have learned (after not to drop it), it is that water and phones don’t go together. There are plenty of cases out there, and even cases that allow a device to be attached to an external speaker. But now Grace Digital Audio – maker of waterproof speakers such as the Eco Extreme and Eco Terra – has created the next must-have gadget for the beach this summer in the guise of a simple package that allows the phone to be protected while also doubling as a speaker. Continue reading Waterproof Phone Case Doubles as Speaker

XTra Durable Phone from Kyocera

In this of smartphones, tablets and other connected devices the old “flip flop” seems positively passé, but there are times when the clamshell design can come in handy – such as well off trekking in the wilds. That’s when a smartphone can become broken and thus useless all too easily.

Kyocera thus saw this and has introduced a flip phone exclusively for Sprint, but the Kyocera DuraXT is more than just a Star-Tec in a new body. This is also a smartphone! And it has some smart features, beginning with the rubber, non-slip Dura-Grip outer casing to ensure that it isn’t dropped while off hiking. It is also water resistant up to a meter for around 30 minutes. It is Military Standard 801G Spec compliant for dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, humidity, solar radiation, salt fog, rain and water immersion.

Other features include a 3.2megapixel camera/camcorder; Sprint Direct Connect for instant, one-to-one push-to-talk calling on Sprint; Group Connect with up to 20 users; Bluetooth 2.0 and offers browser-based email for access to POP3 and IMAP accounts, as well as SMS and MMS messaging.

Durable and clever!

Kyocera DuraXT Fact Sheet

Macaw Health and Fitness App Wins CTIA E-Tech Award

The U.S. Preventive Medicine’s Macaw has won in the Mobile Applications: Health, Wellness and Fitness category of CTIA’s Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Awards. Winners were announced earlier this month at the CTIA Wireless 2012 trade who, and the awards are in its seventh year, honoring the industry’s most innovative wireless products and services in the areas of mobile apps, consumer electronics, enterprise and vertical markets and infrastructure. Video after the jump

Otterbox Boxes iPhone

httpv://youtu.be/5p6Aw5wceuA

Many iPhone users probably wish they could encase their smartphone in armor. And actually case maker Otterbox has its Armor line, and this week unveiled its newest offering for the iPhone 4/4S. This is reportedly the toughest case yet, offering a thermoplastic shell that provides a 3000th of an inch in accuracy to provide a perfect fit. The handset can be locked in via a medical-grade stainless steel latch, providing protection from the elements. This suit of Armor for the phone is waterproof, dustproof, shock proof and crush resistant. The video above will offer some information on why you might want to suit up your iPhone.

Otterbox Official Website

Nike Golf Swings Out New App

There are plenty of golf apps, but this week Nike Golf came out swinging with the new Nike Golf 360 (NG360) app and website that promise to provide golfers with an innovative digital tool to improve, track and share their golf games. The NG3660 app is designed to be easy-to-use and allow golfers to track their rounds, while it also offers tips to help improve swing techniques via digital coaches.

The app also provides athletic training workouts that are golf-specific yet specific to each golfer, so that users have opportunity to gain a clearer understanding of their own respective game, swing and body. Video and additional photos after the jump

Clever Ski Pole

Winter is finally over – in fact it never arrived for much of the country – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t too early to think about next year. Actually it is Neva too early, as in Anthony Griesel’s Neva microprocessor-equipped ski poles that will bring “smart” technology to skiing and back wood snowshoeing and hiking.

Each pole features a waterproof grip with a mini-computer that can be linked via Bluetooth to an app on a user’s iPhone or Android device, and this could allow for flashes for incoming calls and even the ability to take calls without taking off the gloves. Other possibilities include text messages, and basic (but very useful data) such as temperature and elevation, as well as time. GPS could of course be a future possibility. Video after the jump