Apr 21
Last year, the original Xperia Z Tablet was one of our absolute favorite tablets
Apr 21
The United States of America will have their first up-close look at the Sony XPERIA X2 Tablet starting this week. This device was shown earlier this year at Mobile World … Continue reading
Apr 17
You might not have had a use for a dedicated calculator after completing your final high school math course, but that doesn’t mean others don’t. In fact, despite the rise of smartphones, companies like Casio are still churning out standalone calculators. And its latest, the fx-FD10 Pro, which is designed for outdoor-types like surveyors, seems almost indestructible.
Mar 31
Breaking news: The point-and-shoot camera market has seen better days. Smartphones are eating their lunch and going back for seconds and thirds. But they’re not dead, and a few things have helped compact cameras weather the smartphone revolution–and they involve situations in which you’d think twice about using your mobile device to take pictures.
For example, smartphones generally don’t have optical-zoom lenses (with one exception), big sensors, or extensive manual controls. And they certainly don’t have everything-proof bodies. You’d be a bit nuts to take your average smartphone snorkeling or into the thick of a haboob to snap a few shots. It’d risk the hub of your entire mobile existence.
The problem is, outside of pricey weather-sealed interchangeable-lens models, most rugged point-and-shoots are basic, boring compact cameras wrapped in resilient shells. But Olympus has straddled the line between “premium compact” and “rugged camera” for a few years now with its well-equipped Stylus Tough TG iHS lineup.
Like its predecessors, the new Tough TG-3’s solid hardware starts with an F2.0 wide-angle lens and a 4X-optical-zoom range (25mm to 100mm) with mechanical image stabilization. It doesn’t have full manual exposure controls, but it does have an aperture-priority mode in addition to panorama, time-lapse, and an extensive array of well-implemented art filters. You can pair it with an iPhone or Android phone via Wi-Fi and use your smartphone as a remote viewfinder and shutter release. Unfortunately, those remote-control Wi-Fi features will only work on dry land, so you’ll need to take handheld shots of that shark.
It’s built as much for butterfingers as scuba divers, with a waterproof rating to 50 feet, shockproofing rated to withstand drops of up to 7 feet, and crushproofing rated to withstand 220 pounds of force. It’s also dustproof and freezeproof, and it has on-board instruments including a compass, GPS, a manometer to gauge underwater depth, and an altimeter.
Unlike most rugged cameras, this one seems like it might actually be practical for everyday use. Along with its faster-than-most F2.0 lens, aperture-priority mode, and Wi-Fi capabilities, the TG-3 has an interesting take on a focus-bracketing mode. Called “Focus Stacking,” the camera snaps 8 images in rapid succession at different focal lengths. The camera is able to blend the bracketed images together as a single, completely-in-focus image at a wider aperture than most deep depth-of-field shots, and it also lets the user select one image from the sequence to use — sort of like a more-manual Lytro.
Available in June, the Olympus Stylus Tough TG-3 will cost $350. The camera will also have some unique accessories available for it, including an LED ring light that’s built to enhance the camera’s “Microscope” macro-photography mode, as well as fisheye and telephoto lens converters.
Mar 26
If you close your eyes, you can probably feel the rush of jumping into a pool for the first time this spring. We are so, so close. Your gadgets, however, will not enjoy this jump in the pool. Unless they are waterproof gadgets.
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Feb 24
Surprise, surprise. Just over a month after Sony released what we thought was its flagship phone for the time being in the Xperia Z1S
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Feb 12
Trying to help capture memories even in the most impossible situations, Canon has revealed the new PowerShot D30 compact camera. This handy digital camera is submersible in water up to … Continue reading
Feb 05
If you’re looking for a Bluetooth speaker you can safely take in the pool, shower or tub, then look no further than the Boom Movement Swimmer speaker.
This funny looking waterproof speaker resembles either a giant tadpole or an even more massive sperm. Either way, it doesn’t look like any other speaker you’ve seen. Its stiff, bendy tail actually serves a purpose though. You can loop through itself to form a hook, or use it as a stand.
Pop off the tail, and the Swimmer has a suction cup on back too, so you can stick it to just about any smooth surface. That makes it perfect for the bath.
The Swimmer speaker is available now in a variety of colors, and sells for just $59.99(USD).
Jan 22
Scosche boomBOTTLE H2O and boomBOTTLE mini delivers waterproof speaker solution
Posted in: Today's Chili
Considering how some modern day smartphones do not only come with high end hardware specifications, they are also rugged enough to be able to withstand the likes of some rain or even getting dunked in water – as long as they do not end up in a pool that is more than a meter deep, and remain there for over 30 minutes, that is. Having said that, what is the point of a pool party if there isn’t some music to keep you and the rest of the folks happy? Why not pair up a waterproof handset with a speaker that is also equally waterproof, all without having to tether them to a wire or cable? This is where Scosche’s boomBOTTLE H2O and boomBOTTLE mini comes in handy, delivering a similar weatherproof capability that is found in the original boomBOTTLE, although arriving in a far more compact and ultra portable configuration this time around.
The boomBOTTLE H2O is a durable, IPX7 rated (waterproof up to 1 meter) device that would find a day out at the pool or at the beach or even on a boat to be what it is meant for. Sporting a 5W 50MM speaker, it has a Bluetooth range of 33 feet, as well as carries more than enough battery life to be able to pump out up to 8 hours of non-stop playback on a single charge. Apart from that, it is made out of floatable material, allowing it to float should it happen to fall overboard.
As for the boomBOTTLE mini, this is a good example of not judging a book by its cover, or in this case, to be more accurate, to reserve judgment against it despite its fairly diminutive size of 2.44” in height. It will make use of a 3W 40mm speaker to deliver rich clear audio, where the IPX4 rated (weatherproof) speaker also has a range of up to 33 feet, where its battery delivers up to 5 hours of non-stop playback on a single full charge.
Press Release
[ Scosche boomBOTTLE H2O and boomBOTTLE mini delivers waterproof speaker solution copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Jan 21
Those looking for a budget smartphone they can use for their more active lifestyle might now have an option. Kyocera has just made available its new waterproof Hydro Plus smartphone … Continue reading
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