Hasta La Gadget!

Before we saw the iRobot Mirra 530 pool-cleaning robot and the Looj 330 gutter-cleaning robot here in person at CES 2013, we never imagined we’d be considering work with either area of dirtiness to be an entertaining prospect. In fact now with these two robotic masterpieces ready for iRobot-level cleaning in the near future, it may be time to purchase a home with a pool and gutters just to make use of these fabulous home-friendly amalgamations of technical excellence.

This week at CES 2013 we’ve gotten the opportunity to have a peek at both of iRobot’s newest creations, starting with the Looj 330 gutter-cleaning robot. This machine and the pool cleaning robot are made by the same folks who brought you the ever-lovable Roomba (and DJ Roomba, mind you), so you know you’ll be in for a treat. The Looj 330 gutter-cleaning robot is ready to enter brand new markets (outside the USA for the first time, a first for an outdoor robot from iRobot) with a selection of improved gutter-sweeping features.

This robot is able to work with its handle attached or remotely with the handle acting as wireless control over the beast from afar. Have a look at the video above to get an idea of what fun this otherwise arduous task could be for you rather soon. Scout out our original details post on both the gutter cleaning robot and the pool robot to see additional bits of details.

The Mirra 530 pool-cleaning robot is slightly more high-powered than the gutter cleaner, using iAdapt Nautiq technology to find the size of your pool on its own, automatically adjusting its cleaning method to most effectively take on the task. This machine cleans not only debris from your pool that you’d otherwise have to fish out with a net like leaves, dirt clumps, and hair, but smaller and even nearly invisible items as well – 70 gallons of water per minute filtering pollen, algae, and bacteria as small as two microns.

Take heed and see these machines above and below in the hands-on video and photos we’ve got prepped for you, and make sure to check our CES 2013 portal too for sweet up to the minute and hands-on action all week!

iRobot Looj 330 and Mirra 530 hands-on: gutter and pool cleaning made fun is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week we got the opportunity to have a chat with Sue Choe of Spigen SGP at ShowStoppers during CES 2013, and she brought with her a backpack full of goodies for us to look at – the backpack itself being one of the best! This is the Spigen SGP New-Coated Backpack made specifically for the multi-device citizen amongst us, working with so many pockets inside that you’ll never be able to fill them all up! And it’s rather fashionable, too.

This backpack has 11 main storage spaces made for your laptop, tablet, mouse, chargers, pencils and pens, smartphone, and whatever else you’ve got that you simply must bring with you on a regular basis. The inside is lined with some extremely soft synthetic fur in a couple of the most important places, keeping your most precious high-quality devices scratch-free no matter how many times you push them in or pull them out.

As you’ll see Sue demonstrate, this backpack looks deceptively simple in its outward appearance. You’ve got several color choices including Black, Orange Brown, Gray, Khaki (green), and a lovely shade of Navy blue, each of them with their own complimenting accent colors. The pack has padding galore on the back so you’ll be comfortable all day long as well as padding underneath so you can set your back down on the ground without worrying you’ll be smashing your devices.

Have a peek at the hands-on photos and video we’ve got here and be sure to check this bag out in the near future up on Spigen SGP’s own online store. You’ll be able to pick this back up for $99.99 USD immediately if not soon for you and yours. Also be sure to check the rest of our Showstoppers 2013 coverage and our massive CES portal, too!

Spigen SGP New-Coated Backpack Series hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

SuperTooth launch their new Disco Twin pair of Bluetooth stereo speakers here at CES 2013, and today at ShowStoppers, we ended up getting our hands on the pair. The two speakers come together in the package, and they’re about the size of a tall glass of beer. It’s a stereo pair, so one speaker is the left channel and the other the right.

The company had originally promised that its previous Disco 2 speaker would have A2DP technology that would allow two speakers to work together to achieve stereo audio, but that didn’t happen. However, the company introduced the Disco Twin, which offers a pair of speakers with, not A2DP, but Bluetooth, with the left-sided speaker being the master speaker.

Each speaker provides 16 watts of RMS power combine for a total of 32 watts. The Disco Twin speakers feel surprisingly robust, and they have plenty of weight to them so that they won’t slide around easily on your desk or shelves. However, the cloth covering surrounding the speakers seem a bit fragile, and could easily tear if you’re not careful.

Either way, the speakers provides excellent volume, and even in the crowded and loud ballroom, the speakers were crisp and clear, and were plenty loud with even a few notches left to go before it hit level 10. The Disco Twin is priced at $199 and general availability is said to be starting in February.

SuperTooth Disco Twin stereo Bluetooth speakers hands-on is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We’ve seen our share of cool devices and ideas here at SlashGear, but this one might just rank up with the best of them. Today at ShowStoppers we got to take a look at a new technology called Tethercell, which incidentally went live on crowdfunding site Indiegogo earlier today. Tethercell has received a significant amount of funding in its first day, due to the simple fact that it allows you to control your battery powered devices from your smartphone.

Specifically speaking, Tethercell is a AA-battery adapter that will fit your device in place of one battery. The adapter itself is powered by a AAA-battery, and when it’s been inserted into your device, it lets you switch it on and off using an app installed on your smartphone. That’s pretty cool, but of course, there are plenty of other nifty features to go along with this technology.

Using Tethercell, you can track the amount of juice you have remaining. The app will let you know when your batteries are running low, and you can even set schedules for your devices. Is there one battery powered toy your kids love but you absolutely hate? Set a schedule to only let them play with it for an allotted amount of time, and enjoy peace for the rest of the day. The app connects to the adapter using Bluetooth 4.0, so this technology could one day be applied to any smartphone with Bluetooth 4.0 capabilities.

Tetherboard, the company behind this technology, says that Tethercell should begin shipping in late 2013 (provided everything goes well with its Indiegogo campaign). At first, Tethercell will only support AA-batteries and iOS, but the team promises that Android and 9-volt support will be following soon. This is just the beginning for Tethercell, so expect to hear more about it in the coming days and weeks. While you wait for more details, be sure to stop by our CES portal for all of the trade show news you could ever want.

Tethercell lets you control battery powered devices from your phone is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Wearable technology has been around for quite some time now — around 10 years to be exact, and a company called TEC (Technology Enabled Clothing) has been at the forefront of that movement. Today at ShowStoppers at CES 2013, the company unveiled the TEC Jacket 2.0, which is still in its concept phase and we ended up getting a look at it to see what it offers.

The TEC Jacket 2.0 is seriously decked out with pretty much whatever you can think of. If there’s something technology related that would be a good idea on a jacket, this new TEC Jacket probably has it. First off, it’s made of a very lightweight material — it’s essentially a windbreaker on steroids.

It’s got an built-in battery pack made of flat cells all around the bottom, an antenna to boost your data reception to get faster LTE speeds, a hood-mounted heads-up display, strategically-placed LEDs that keep you safe at night while on the road, and a magnetic zipper that ensures it never comes loose in the heat of the moment. And of course, there’s plenty of specialized pockets that stash away all of your precious gadgets.

There’s also speakers mounted inside the two ends of the collar, as well as microphone integrated into the collar as well. There’s even coils on the inside of the chest area that can regulate body temperature when it’s cold outside. The company says that the TEC Jacket 2.0 will be available in about two months.

TEC Jacket 2.0 hands-on is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.