Hasta La Gadget!

Getting the car started certainly wasn’t anything I ever thought I’d like a gadget to help me with. I mean, you get in the car and turn the key, heck, my car doesn’t even need you to use the key, but now winter is coming, and it’s early in the morning and the car is freezing cold, you know, maybe having that baby warm up for a couple of minutes before I get there wouldn’t be so bad.

Check out the Viper’s SmartStart. SmartStart lets you start the car remotely, lock and unlock your doors and quite a few other handy operations, all via Bluetooth connection, allowing you to execute your commands almost instantly. The newest version of Viper SmartStart is now integrated with the iPhone’s Siri, so with just one word you can control your car.

You can put Siri to work by simply saying “SmartStart.” or, you can define a specific command that’s executed when the app gets launched, so even the older SmartStart versions finger taps are a thing of the past. Now we get to enjoy the convenience of fully voice-controlled access to our vehicles, including panic modes and we get to check the vehicles status (a real plus for those of us that always wonder if we actually locked the doors or not). I’m thinking there might be some real safety benefits to something like this as well.

In order to have the updated app work with Siri integration, users must have an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 and they also have to upgrade to iOS 6. For older iPhones that don’t support Siri, drivers can do the same thing, they just have to go back to tapping. Of course you need a complete System, they start at around 400 bucks, and there is a monthly service fee, but you need to check out all it can do at viper.com
[ Siri, Start my Car! – Viper SmartStart copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

If you have a HTPC in your living room or spend a lot of time using a tablet or smartphone and wish you had a small keyboard, check this out. A company called FAVI Entertainment has released a palm-sized keyboard that supports just about any portable device on the market including Android tablets and just about anything else with Bluetooth connectivity. The keyboard features a trackpad for pointer control as well.

Looking an awful lot like another keyboard we’ve previously featured, this on is called the FAVI Mini Bluetooth Keyboard and is designed for thumb typing. It has a full QWERTY keyboard and the keys are backlit for use in dark environments. The trackpad is on the right side of the keyboard and on the left side are buttons to control left and right mouse clicks. The trackpad also supports tap to click. The keyboard has a full assortment of media playback control hotkeys, as well as PowerPoint slide control keys. It’s even got a laser pointer built into the end.

Any device that has Bluetooth built in will be able to connect to the keyboard and computers or other devices with a USB port, but lacking integrated Bluetooth can use the included receiver. The wireless range for the keyboard is 50 feet, and it is available now for $49.99 over at Staples.

Griffin makes all sorts of accessories for Apple products like the iPhone and the iPad. The company has unveiled a couple of new toys that use iOS devices as controllers. The toys in question include a monster truck and little racing dune buggy called the Moto TC Monster and the Moto TC Racer.

The Monster is available right now and sells for $59.99(USD). It uses Bluetooth connectivity from the smartphone to send signals to the vehicle for control. The vehicle can be controlled using fingers on a virtual steering wheel or by tilting the device using its motion sensors. The controller app also features a slide controller where you can slide your finger back and forth to direct the truck.

Drivers can also set up a preset route to have the truck automatically run a specific route with no interaction. The Racer is a smaller buggy style car that will launch in the middle of November for $29.99. It will use an integrated RF sensor and an accessory that plugs into the headphone port of your device. Its app will support control using virtual steering wheel or motion. Both devices require iOS 5.0 or higher to operate.

FAVI has unveiled a new and very small keyboard that uses Bluetooth to connect to a bunch of different gadgets that are on the market right now. The company says that the keyboard is designed with familiar Android buttons and is perfect for connecting to your favorite Tablet such as the Kindle Fire and others that support Bluetooth keyboards. The keyboard also has integrated media control keys.

The keyboard is sized to hold in your palm and supports thumb typing. It also has a track pad on the right side allowing you to control a pointer, and it has buttons on the left side for left and right mouse clicks. This might be the perfect HTPC keyboard for connecting to your little Android mini PC that plugs into the HDMI port of your TV, assuming it has integrated Bluetooth.

If you want to use the keyboard with a device that doesn’t have integrated Bluetooth, you can still do that thanks to the included USB Bluetooth receiver. The only caveat is that your device has to have a full-sized USB port. FAVI specifically calls out support for the Kindle Fire HD, Google Nexus 7, iPad, Samsung Galaxy, as well as numerous PCs and Mac computers.

The little keyboard features backlit keys for easy use in the dark. The little track pad also supports tap to click and page scrolling. The track pad end of the keyboard has an integrated red laser pointer and the keyboard has PowerPoint slide buttons. The Bluetooth keyboard has a range of 50 feet and is available now for $49.99.

FAVI launches palm-size Bluetooth keyboard with integrated track pad is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

NuForce has unveiled the S3-BT wireless Bluetooth speakers, which tout CD-quality, distortion free audio. According to the press release, NuForce based the speakers on the “time-honored principle” that nice sound is dependent on superior materials and intelligent design. The company aims to please even the most discerning audiophile with nice specs and the promise of superb quality.

These loudspeakers feature aptX and ACC technology for high-quality audio. According to a statement by NuForce’s CEO Jason Lim, the company implements the latest technology and focuses on custom design, allowing them to provide “the most advanced audio performance from a Bluetooth bookshelf speaker today.” The speakers consist of a tweeter with a soft dome design, while the outer portion of the speakers are wrapped in soft leatherette, available in white or black.

Specs include a 1-inch soft dome tweeter, 3.5″ composite paper cone woofer, NuForce’s Air DAC wireless system for higher quality audio than can be transmitted over Bluetooth, analog inputs (RCA) for use with audio devices, and Class-D amplification. The amplifier has a max output of 18 watts, while the harmonic distortion is less than 0.5% 1W 1kHz. The frequency response is 50Hz to 20kHz, while the signal to noise ratio is greater than 75dB.

The NuForce S3-BT will be available October 31st at NuForce.com, “several online stores” that aren’t specified, and NuForce dealers. It’s priced at $299. NuForce is based out of Milpitas, California, and is known for its variety of amplifiers, converters, headphones, speakers, and subwoofers.

NuForce unveils CD-quality Bluetooth 4.0 loudspeakers is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.