Hasta La Gadget!

Bluetooth portable speakers come in many styles and sizes, and some are just wonderful. But when audiophiles go aquatic, options become much more limited.

Enter the ECOXBT waterproof speaker. It’ll take you from the pool to the lake to the beach and back again with no trouble at all.

It floats speakers to the surface of the water, and just in case I wasn’t clear before, it’s entirely waterproof.

The speaker has standard audio input via a 3.5mm jack, along with Bluetooth, though the company didn’t specify the range. It shouldn’t be an issue floating by a boat or a dock, but brave ocean explorers may have issues if they venture far from shore.

Of course, this could be solved with a LifeProof iPhone case.

The ECOXBT has battery life for 10 hours of playback time, and has controls on top for power, pairing, and volume. As an added bonus, a waterproof mic is integrated into the speaker, for which there is also an “answer/end” button.

The launch date is somewhat questionable, considering that summer is over. Pick one of these up for $129 here.

Click to view slideshow.

So you are one of those who prefer to get around town using a mix of public transport as well as your set of two wheels – non oil guzzling ones, that is, in the form of a bicycle. Well, well, what are you to do then in order to maximize your “green” and eco-friendly lifestyle while you are on the move? This is where the ECOXGEAR pedal powered headlight and smartphone charger comes in handy, where it will come equipped with a universal mount so that it can be attached to most standard and oversized hubs. Not only that, there is also a handlebar mounted, water-resistant and touch-screen compatible smart phone/GPS case which is pretty much self-explanatory, so I don’t see the need for me to go there. The ECOXPOWER can be yours for $99.99 a pop if you are interested, but let us take a closer look at what it offers in the extended post.

For starters, the ECOXPOWER will come with an ultra-bright LED front headlight and red rear tail light that are capable of being mounted to your bike’s front wheel hub. The included USB adapter cable will run up the front fork and into the handlebar mounted, water-resistant smart phone case. Each time your bicycle’s front wheel turns, the ECOXPOWER’s clutch engages between the tire’s spokes, kickstarting a generator which will power the lighting system, the integrated lithium ion rechargeable battery and the power jack for you smartphone. Talk about efficiency, yo!

As for the smartphone case, it is touch-screen friendly and accommodates all major GPS devices and smartphone models, especially those from the iOS and Android camps. Not only that, the ECOXPOWER will also come equipped with an on/off remote switch which can be mounted to the handlebars, delivering full control over the headlight and taillight while on a ride.

CEO of ECOXGEAR, Greg Fadul, said, “Typical bike lights have a short life expectancy, most of which are only 10-15 hours or even as low as five if on high brightness. Bicyclist either have to routinely buy batteries, remove the light for recharging, or replace their lights completely. ECOXPOWER is self-powered and with the built-in rechargeable battery, extra costs and inconveniences are non-existent. And if you’re using your smart phone for GPS or music on a long ride, you never have to worry about running out of juice.”

Product Page available on Amazon.com.

[ ECOXGEAR pedal powered headlight and smartphone charger for bicycles copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Bicycle rigs for charging cellphones have lit up our radar before, but now the EcoXPower is being billed as the first device of its kind that can simultaneously juice up LED lights and a smartphone with the power of your pedaling. Packing a headlamp, a red tail light and a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, the contraption attaches to a bike’s front wheel hub with the help of a universal mount. When clamped on, the apparatus’ clutch engages between the velocipede’s spokes so it can generate electricity. A USB adapter cable runs up the two-wheeler’s fork to a water-resistant, touchscreen-friendly case that can house iPhones, Android handsets and “all major GPS devices” perched atop the handlebars. Cyclists yearning to charge their electronics with the dynamo can pick one up for $99.99. Roll past the break for the full press release.

Continue reading EcoXPower charges a smartphone, bicycle headlight and tail light with pedal power

Filed under: Transportation

EcoXPower charges a smartphone, bicycle headlight and tail light with pedal power originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 01:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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