Hasta La Gadget!

For those of you who own a decent HDTV (seriously, how many folks living in developed countries do you know who still watch stuff on their fat and chunky CRTs?) in the living room, you will be pleased to hear that Roku has just announced their spanking new Roku Streaming Stick. Basically, as long as your HDTV comes with an HDMI port, you will be able to pick up this compact stick design that was first pioneered by Roku and use it to stream your favorite entertainment. The Roku Streaming Stick might be small in size, but just like how we ought not to judge a book by its cover, so too, should we refrain from downplaying the capabilities of the Roku Streaming Stick based on its relatively diminutive size.

For starters, the Roku Streaming Stick can be plugged discreetly into an HDMI port, making it the ideal companion for those beautifully wall-mounted TVs, all the while without having to compromise on the complete Roku streaming experience. Just how much entertainment will you be able to enjoy with the Roku Streaming Stick? We are looking at access to 1,200+ channels of movies, TV episodes, music, news, sports, kids’ shows and free programming that will arrive streamed in up to 1080p HD video, not to mention the presence of a TV user interface that boasts of the famous and well known Roku Search.

Apart from that, Roku has decided to throw in a WiFi remote control for the entire household’s use. You will obviously need to download the free Roku apps for Android and iOS devices in order to maximize your user experience, especially for those who desire a mobile experience to browse and select content to stream. Apart from that, you can also opt to cast Netflix, YouTube and personal media from your devices to your TVs, with Roku working on newer mobile features including the ability to cast content from a computer to the TV to arrive in a newer version or update.

The new Roku Streaming Stick (HDMI version) will cost $49.99 a pop from Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Target.com, Walmart.com and Roku.com, where it ought to arrive in retails stores this April.

Press Release
[ Roku Streaming Stick hits the market copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Why are we so interested in looking at our faces? Does it make it think about what we used to look like, and compare it to the current version of ourselves? It could be personal growth, but oftentimes it’s a good way to validate yourself by posting tons of face photos online for social media sites to your followers to give you a confidence boost. Nothing wrong with that, but some people do get to be a bit excessive about it.

If you take the selfie game pretty seriously, then you’re likely in the market for a shutter remote control so you don’t have blurry photos. The HISY is one such item that will work with your iDevice without the use of an app. All it needs to do to connect is be paired via Bluetooth. This can go for almost two years (based on doing 100 shots a day!) without needing a battery replacement, so you won’t need to worry about having to charge one more device.

This would be perfect for creative selfies or group shots as it has a range of 30-90 feet. It will cost you around $25, which isn’t too bad for such an item. There is even a headphone jack attachment so you can keep it handy at all times rather than stuffing it in your bag and missing a perfect photo opportunity. If you also like to record videos, this will be able to start and stop the recording process.

Available for purchase on hisypix
[ HISY wants you to take as many selfies as you can copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Sound is very important to a lot of us. We listen to music, hear birds chirping in the morning, know when something is wrong with our car, and loads of other scenarios you’re all well acquainted with. In that same vein, sound can also alter our mood, especially when it comes to music that is being distorted because of a bad pair of headphones.

While buying expensive headphones normally means you don’t have to deal with many audial issue, it doesn’t mean there’s not always going to be a better pair out there somewhere. If you’re content with the earbuds or headphones you currently have, but wish they had a bit of a boost, then the Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS might be able to help. This is a digital audio converter as the name suggests, and it can plug into your PC or Mac through USB.

This will dramatically improve your digital audio listening experience, by providing deeper bass and more power than a standard laptop headphone output. This is very small, which makes it perfect for all of you who don’t like staying in one place for too long, and is encased in aluminum so it can withstand constant transport. Of course, something like this isn’t going to come cheap, and you’ll need to be prepared to spend around $190 on it. Reading around, it is said that you’ll only have volume control through the DacMagic rather than on your computer, but that is a small price to pay for better sound quality.

Available for purchase on Amazon, found via technabob
[ The DacMagic XS – audiophiles rejoice! copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

When it comes to gaming, here are two groups of people – the first would be the casual gamer who does not mind not going without his or her daily fix of Flappy Bird or Candy Crush, while the hardcore gamer would be one who ensures that every single secret is uncovered across all levels, and in record time, too. Well, audio in games have played a very huge role over the years to complement the improved visuals, so much so it is now an indispensable part of the game. Polk knows this, and with four decades of sound, engineering and design expertise, the company has announced its latest 4 Shot Headset for Xbox One. The 4 Shot Headset is set to hit the market to accompany the latest generation Xbox One console this coming March 6th.

It will also hold the title of being the first Xbox One compatible headset which will arrive in stores, where the 4 Shot Headset was specially developed in collaboration with Microsoft Studios at 343 Industries and Turn 10 Studios, who happen to be the creators of the “Halo” and “Forza Motorsport” franchises. With such strong backing from various industry leaders, the 4 Shot Headset will bring listeners to the next level with real, balanced audio representative of the virtual world. It will boast of proprietary Polk Optimized Electro-acoustic Tuning (POET), so that users will be enveloped in immersive and realistic sound for a truly game-changing experience.

Apart from that, the 4 Shot will also be able to hook up to gamers’ wireless Xbox One controllers, offering them the additional freedom of moving around. It boasts of dynamic, loss-less wireless technology that translates to a lower incidence of latency issues, ensuring that you will be able to make those crucial split-second gaming decisions that could mean either victory or defeat. Not only that, there is a retractable near-field microphone so that you can carry out conversations or take calls at any point in time. Prepare $159.95 this coming March 6 and you can pick up the 4 Shot Headset at select GameStop locations and polkaudio.com.

Product Page
[ Polk Audio 4 Shot Headset set to arrive this March 6 copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

It does seem as though the world of Bluetooth speakers have not quite reached the end just yet. And when I say “the end”, I mean that this particular niche peripheral still has some ways to go before folks turn away from it totally and it dies a slow death, like the humble netbook as well as Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). In fact, the Bluetooth speaker industry seems to allude that everything is alive and kicking, and Scosche has proven that yet again with another release in the form of the boomCAN BT. The boomCAN BT’s outstanding point would be this – it is one of the most compact Bluetooth enabled speakers ever released by the company, but just like how one should never judge a book by its cover, the boomCAN BT might be small in stature, but it certainly packs enough build quality to be durable so that music enthusiasts are able to enjoy rich audio while they are the road, at the office, or enjoying an outdoor adventure.

Just in case you were wondering, how small is the boomCAN BT? It currently stands at slightly more than 2 inches tall, but this is a huge performer. It boasts of a 35mm up firing speaker which is capable of producing 360 degrees of loud and crisp sound. Pretty cool, huh?

Not only that, this unique portable Bluetooth powerhouse will feature a lithium ion battery that when fully charged, is capable of providing up to 2 hours of non-stop wireless playback from up to 30 feet away. Every single boomCAN BT will include a convenient travel pouch as well as charging cable that lets you rock it out while you’re one the move. In addition, there are plans to roll out the boomBARS bike mount for cyclists who want to attach the boomCAN BT to their handlebars. Interested parties can pick up the boomCAN in red, blue, white, and black shades for $29.99 a pop.

Press Release
[ Scosche boomCAN BT targets those who are on the move always copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]