By Gregg Ellman
Tribune News Service
The NYNE.com site for the Aqua speaker describes it as a floating party. I could end it with that, but I’ll tell you a little more.
The Bluetooth 3.0 speaker was made for the summer months with its IPX-7 waterproof and shockproof rating (rubberized exterior) allowing it to be submersible up to 3.3 feet deep making it capable of floating next to you in the pool.
With the Bluetooth connection your music source must be within 33 feet and in a dry place.
As for the sound, it has a pair of speakers, which produce good sound. There are also four equalizer settings for changing the sound to your liking.
Inside the 9.62-by-5.31-by-2-inch speaker is a 2200mAh rechargeable battery good for about 10 hours of playtime.
It comes with a removable hanging/shoulder strap. There’s also a built-in microphone for hands-free calls and a 3.5mm auxiliary input port for non-Bluetooth devices.
User beware: When connected to a non-Bluetooth device via the aux port, the system is not waterproof.
I chose to not test out the SOS calling feature, but I’ll assume it works.
Details: nyne.com, $129.99
Sensing motion
The Blast Motion Sensor didn’t catch my attention when I was first emailed the information about it but after trolling the Blast Motion website I knew it was worth a try.
The small device can be compared to a mini hockey puck in size but does big things.
In a nutshell, what makes it different from similar devices, which track your movement, is that this one leverages your iOS (7.0 or higher) device to capture 3D motion video of you actually doing the athletic move and overlays the data it records on top of the video.
If that’s confusing, just think of it capturing hang time while in the air, the speed of your golf or baseball swing or how fast you’re running.
So no matter what you’re into, golf, basketball or even dirt-biking, it’s a cool accessory to have clipped to your waist.
Also directly from the Blast app (free iTunes) you can share it on social media.
The sensor is waterproof and comes with a performance attachment to wear with a wireless charger.
Details: www.blastmotion.com, $149.95
Going hands free
The Kinivo BTC455 Bluetooth hands-free car kit is the device many older cars are missing.
It’s a true plug-and-play device that does many things with very little setup. The main features are to function as a hands-free device and stream music through the car stereo system.
Power comes from the 12-volt plug you connect to the car’s input and there’s also a built-in USB charging port.
In no particular order it lets you answer calls hands free and connects to your car’s 3.5mm audio input (if available) for playing audio from your portable device.
You can also connect multiple Bluetooth-compatible devices to your car for streaming music to the car stereo. In addition, it has a built-in microphone and a 48-inch auxiliary cable and a 24-inch extension cable.
For Bluetooth pairing, it’s a one-button setup and works with any Bluetooth device, iPods and other Bluetooth music players.
Details: www.kinivo.com, $49.99
Charge and transfer
The Inateck 7 port USB 3.0 HUB might just be the most important device you can have in your house.
It works as a seven-port charging station and connects to your computer as a hub with data transmission speeds up to 5Gbps while charging portable electronic devices.
In the event the hub takes a fall, it should stay intact with its ABS engineering plastic body, which also allows it to function in high temperatures.
Preventive technology inside protects your devices from over-voltage and over-current.
Tablet charging is supported with it’s BC1.2 charging protocol and LED lights light up when a port is being used for data transmission.
A USB3.0 data cable and a power supply are included with the hub, which measures 6.07-by-1.97-by-.08-inches.
Details: www.inateck.com, $37.99
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