Tuesday, March 31, 2015

PEAR shows off it's Mobile Training Intelligence System

Next up we have another fitness and health-focused device from a company that is new to me, PEAR. I was provided with their Mobile Training Intelligence System, which consists of a Bluetooth heart rate monitor, Stride ear buds, Earlock earpieces in a variety of sizes, and a bag to carry it all. These items combined with an iOS or android phone brings a personal trainer into your workout by providing coaching based on the monitor’s measurements and pre set workout regimes. Fresh out of the box, we will see how this fares and compares to other fitness mobile accessories.
While the Mobile Training Intelligence System does provide similar features from the competition it is still very unique as what it lacks, it makes up elsewhere. For starters, while the heart rate monitor is Bluetooth, the headphones on the other hand do not and require being plugged into the phone. The app is great as you are able to select different types of workout from cardio to lifting all the while being coached to reach your goal all while historical progress is tracked by the app. The ear buds use an exclusive Earlock to hold them in place despite the workout, which is nice, however still a bit uncomfortable with the phone place in my pocket, so an armband case is suggested, but not included.

Like I said, PEAR’s Mobile Training Intelligence System does not have some of the same features that other fitness headphones have but the real time coaching app is great and the price point of these compared to the wireless competitors make having a fitness accessory a lot more attainable. The nice thing about the headphones being wired is that you never have to worry about forgetting to charge them, however it is just as easy to forget the heart rate monitor. My only complaint was that an armband for the phone was not included being that the headphones are not wireless. The Mobile Training Intelligence System is available now for $99.95.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Toddy Gear Releases The Moneymaker Tech Pack: Boost+

Our next product review comes to me from a company called Toddy Gear and for those unfamiliar with the brand, they are know for their super effective screen cleaning microfiber smart cloths. Stepping a bit out of their comfort zone, Toddy Gear has released the gear pack which not only includes the smart cloth, but also adds a 2200 mAH power bank, charging cable (USB to micro-USB), and a matching microfiber storage pouch to keep in one compact place. The Toddy Gear pack was also designed to stand out as it comes an assortment of designs. 
This tech survival pack is great as it does not take much space, makes most any device or screen shine with little elbow grease, and provides emergency juice on the fly. I have been using a Toddy smart cloth for a couple of years and after residing in a pocket and repeat use, it is starting to show wear and with the pouch the smart cloth stays clean longer. The micro power bank that matches the smart cloth and pouch comes through in a pinch with enough juice to charge most any phone once. There is a short USB to Micro USB cable included which is great if you are charging most any device that isn’t Apple and if you are one of the many iPhone/iPad owners, don’t forget your cable.
The Tech Pack:Boost+ is a must have for most any gadget owner with it’s smart cloth that works great on any screen, disc, glasses, phone, or more. The power bank is great because it also isn’t limited to just charging phones, but also tablets, e-readers, wireless headphones, tablets and just about anything else that can be thrown on it. With standout form, Toddy Gear provides equal amount of function, as all three designs look great, the one in which I received was the Moneymaker. Toddy Gear’s Tech Pack: Boost+ is available now for $24.95.

Bracketron made a charge with no wrong way to plug in

Bracketron has sent me their latest mobile accessory and this time around it is not a mobile mount but a single and dual port USB charger for your car. This is no normal USB charger though; the EZCharge has no wrong way to plug in your charging cable as the ports are designed to allow you to plug in both right-side up OR upside down. The EZCharge plugs into the vehicle’s 12V port and the USB ports were designed for smartphones (1.0A) or tablets (2.0A) and built with aluminum housings. 
Since most cars don’t have a USB adapter built in or the problem with the ones that do, only include a single port, so the first accessory most of us need aside from extra charging cable is a 12V charger to charge on road trips or commuting after a day of multi tasking at work. Luckily this charger is idiot proof, as it seems every time I go to plug in my lightning cable for my phone and or charger, it is upside down on my first attempt. Bracketron has introduced a way to minimize the frustration and it was simple, flawless, and yet still stands out over other charger.

This charger was a great surprise that stands out over the other one directional 12V chargers. It is great how simplistic it is, just simply plug into one day of the various 12V ports your vehicle may have and plug in desired cable. The biggest fight that I experienced during use was who gets to charge while driving and Bracketron kept this in mind for this family road trips by adding the additional port for fast multiple device charging. The EZCharge is available now in one or two ports and all black or black with silver, priced from $14.95 to $24.95.