Hasta La Gadget!

If it never occurred to you to plug all kinds of peripherals into your ear cans — including the media player making the sound — a new patent from Redmond’s brain trust might give you pause. The headphones are shown as a catch-all, with receiving spaces for snapping in devices like rechargeable battery packs, storage, Bluetooth or WiFi reception modules and media players — such as the Zune-like one sketched in above. The headset could also have controls to operate those peripherals, as well as an optional boom mic and USB ports, according to the document. All this is claimed to allow for numerous configurations, letting you pimp your headset to fit your own needs, and interface with games, movies or music in various ways. If they ever get to market, you might start thinking of humble headphones as full-blown entertainment centers instead of mere accessories.

Microsoft patent imagines headphones as accessory docking motherships originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 18:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s no shortage of navigation outdoors, and even a little bit of help indoors, but there’s been precious little aid for the blind indoors — leaving them little choice but to move cautiously or get outside help. Fujitsu and Japan’s NICT have crafted a system that gives the sightless a greater level of autonomy inside through ultrawideband-based impulse radio. A grid of UWB radios positioned around a room gauge the distances between each other and transmit the data to a PC, which then talks to the traveler’s Android phone. The device then gives spoken directions based on a 12-o’clock system and far subtler distances than GPS can manage: the positioning is accurate to within a foot. While the indoors navigation is only just getting a demo this week, it’s already being refined to detect objects in the room as well as to help even the fully sighted. If Fujitsu and NICT have their way, buildings ranging from hospitals to malls will have their own turn-by-turn navigation. For some, the freedom of movement could be a life-changer.

Fujitsu, NICT create indoor navigation for the blind using ultrawideband, Android phones, kind hearts originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony has finally released the Smart Wireless Headset Pro in the U.S. market. This multifunctional Bluetooth stereo headset allows you to keep up to date with notifications from your smartphone. The device uses the smart text-to-speech technology that reads aloud text and email messages, so you don’t miss any important email. The Sony Smart Wireless Headset Pro is equipped with a 6mm speaker driver that delivers high-quality sound. You can also use this gadget as an MP3 player. Additional specs include a microSD card slot that supports up to 32GB of storage space. The Sony Smart Wireless Headset Pro is priced at $149.99. Each purchase is equipped with a free 2GB microSD card. [Engadget]

HMDX Audio has just announced the availability of their latest consumer electronics device – the HMDX Jam Bluetooth Wireless Speaker. This latest speaker was last seen at CEA LineShows during CE Week New York, and just what kind of performance does it offer? For starters, this sleek device is capable of delivering sweet sound quality in a tiny footprint without breaking the bank – after all, many of us are in a particularly tight spot financially, and we would do well to spend each penny wisely.

We are talking about a retail price of $39.99, where the HMDX Jam Bluetooth Wireless Speaker sports the ability to connect sans wires up to 30 feet away – and since it has a Bluetooth chipset inside, it will most definitely play nice with just about the entire gamut of Bluetooth-enabled smartphones, tablets and laptops/desktops in the market. Underneath the hood, you will find a rechargeable, lithium-ion battery that is said to offer up to four hours of wireless play.

HMDX Jam will come in half a dozen colors – some might even say, “flavors”, where they would be Strawberry, Grape, Blueberry, Blackberry, Apricot and Apple, and is available nationwide, just about virtually anywhere portable electronics are on sale – and those places include Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, and Kohl’s amongst others.

Ron Ferber, President, HMDX Audio, said, “We believe the HMDX Jam is, ‘ounce for ounce’ the sweetest sounding Bluetooth wireless speaker you can buy for the money, especially when compared with other wireless speakers that sell for double the price or more. The HMDX Jam squeezes Bluetooth audio technology into an amazingly small package that bursts with exceptional sound quality. Finally, there’s an affordable Bluetooth wireless speaker for everyone that doesn’t make you sacrifice your musical tastes.”

Its diminutive size betrays its ability to deliver sweet audio, and has been deemed to be perfect by many for just about any setting, regardless of whether it is in the kitchen or the bedroom. The tapered cylinder-shaped HMDX Jam will be presented in a distinctive clear jar, topped with a metal lid, and featuring vibrant, fruit-inspired colors.

Press Release

[ HMDX Audio delivers HMDX Jam Bluetooth Wireless Speaker copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Want to one-up the douchebags who flaunt their fancy Bluetooth headsets while talking into space? Bring this bad boy out and they’ll know how OG you are. It’s also a Bluetooth headset, but it’s in the form of the classic 80′s brick phone that your elders – or you – used to rock back in the day.

I don’t know if creator Brad Helmink made it extra large for effect or if it’s just been a long while since I saw one of these, but my goodness. You might need a building permit to own one of these.

Like most Bluetooth devices, all you need to do is pair the brick phone with your phone and you’re ready to go to John F. Kennedy High School and participate in insider trading.

If your testicles meet the minimum weight limit needed to carry the 80s Bluetooth Brick Phone, head to indiegogo and pledge at least $45 (USD) to be one of the first to own it if and when the fundraiser meets its goal of $55,000. That’s chump change for a teen star or a stock broker.