Latest Posts on Coolest Gadgets

Icon Solo Flashlight
BlackBerry Playbook Ballistic Tough Jacket Series Case
Brinno PHV1330 Digital PeepHole Viewer
Swann Freestyle HD delivers Full HD video recording on the move
Griffin and Dijit rolls out Android-Compatible Beacon Universal Remote Control System
Voice To Text Translating Telephone

Posted: 10 Nov 2011 07:15 AM PST

Some of you might remember when we reviewed the ICON Link, and I had a chance to review the ICON Solo, the dual-output LED Flashlight.

The ICON Solo flashlight is a different shape than the Link, as it is as long as a pen, but slightly thicker than a normal one. The power switch is a lot like a pen as well. You click for low output, release or click off, and then push or click on again within two seconds, for high output. The ICON Solo has a low lumen output of 5 and a high lumen output of 30. It has a total runtime of 50 hours.

The clip attachment makes it easy to carry, but doesn’t have the security of carabiner clip that the Link has. Like the Link, it has a high-strength aluminum body, and it is weatherproof as it is sealed with O-rings.

I am not certain how durable this thing, but it looks Maglite-worthy. As for the power, it requires two AAA batteries, which are included. You should be able to able to pick up the ICON Solo for about $24.99 MSRP on the Icon web site, but the least expensive I found is on Amazon for about $17.95.

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[ Icon Solo Flashlight copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

BlackBerry Playbook Ballistic Tough Jacket Series Case

Posted: 10 Nov 2011 07:05 AM PST

Just for the record, we have reported on Ballistic’s BlackBerry tablet case before, but this time, I got to try it out. I have tried out products from Ballistic before with the HC case for the iPhone 4, and that had about 5 layers of protection.

The Ballistic TJ, or Tough Jacket, has four layers of protection to protect the BlackBerry Playbook. The first is the inner silicone layer that absorbs shock. The second is the impact-resistant hard plastic, and the third is a shock absorbent polymer layer.

As for the fourth layer, it is a snap-on cover that can be used on the front and the back. When used on the back, it has a fold-down kickstand for when you want to watch content in landscape mode.

It also has some trademarked Ballistic Corners which help to absorb even more shocks from corner drops. As you might have guessed, the company loves these corners, as it says that “all four corners have extra shock absorption where you need it the most”!

I will have to admit that Ballistic has a winner with this one. They have protection for all kinds of products, and I hope they have one for the tablet that I intend to buy soon.

You should be able to purchase the Ballistic Tough Jacket for the BlackBerry Playbook on the official Ballistic website for about $69.99 in black/black as well as black/red. While you are there, check out what other devices that Ballistic is offering protection to.

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[ BlackBerry Playbook Ballistic Tough Jacket Series Case copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Brinno PHV1330 Digital PeepHole Viewer

Posted: 10 Nov 2011 07:00 AM PST

Most of us have those peepholes on our door that let us see who is there, even if it is a distorted fisheye point-of-view. Brinno’s new generation of Peephole Viewer, the PHV1330, allow the user to see who is at the door on a 3-inch LCD, sans distort.

Not only can the PHV1330 get rid of the distort, but it can also take an image of the visitor at the door, and keep the image on a Micro SD card.

Another feature of the PHV1330 that trumps typical peepholes is that it has a brightness enhancer so it can see who is at the door when it is night out.

The PHV1330 is “easy to install” and stays on the door all the time. It isn’t on constantly as turning the power only lasts for a minute, but that’s all the glimpse you will need unless you will want to take a picture (to make it last longer). Yeah, I just had to add that last parenthetical.

You should be able to get the PHV1330 at many retail outlets for a price of about $99.99. It comes with 2 AA batteries for power, and you can also get some interesting accessories like a Motion Activated Sensor and a Knocking Sensor. You can find out more information about them at Brinno website.

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[ Brinno PHV1330 Digital PeepHole Viewer copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Swann Freestyle HD delivers Full HD video recording on the move

Posted: 10 Nov 2011 05:30 AM PST

You know what they say – a picture speaks a thousand words, and sometimes, only a video is able to convey what you want to say to someone else. Since we are living in the digital age, why not say it in Full HD resolution? That is exactly what the Swann Freestyle HD sets out to do, capturing all your crazy and adventurous moments in Full HD glory thanks to it coming in the form of a wearable video camera, sporting a detachable LCD viewer so that you too can have a real-time view of what is happening around you.

Not only does it immortalize those zany moments in 1080p glory, it can also shoot stills if that is your cup of tea – and we’re talking about up to 3x digital zoom while snapping JPEG images in 8-megapixel resolution. Seems to be the perfect accessory for adrenaline addicts!

The Swann Freestyle HD will come in a sturdy case which is waterproof up to 65', where you can wear it on your body or mount it onto a variety of transportation including bikes and cars, or even onto helmets and skateboards among others. There is also a collection of included interchangeable mounts and brackets so that you can find even more creative ways of mounting this. Should you find yourself in a situation where your hands are not free to move around, Swann does their bit by throwing in a wireless remote control so that you can operate the camera while it's mounted and out of arms reach.

The above-mentioned detachable 1.5" LCD screen offers real-time viewing, letting you immediately see if you've captured the shot that you want. You can always review your video afterwards over on an HDTV via an HDMI cable, or you can opt to transfer your video recordings over to a computer using a microSD card reader or the included USB cable. The built-in battery is good for up to 2.5 hours of video recording on a full charge. The asking price for this piece of adventure capturing kit? We’re looking at $279.99 for the Swann Freestyle HD.

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[ Swann Freestyle HD delivers Full HD video recording on the move copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Griffin and Dijit rolls out Android-Compatible Beacon Universal Remote Control System

Posted: 10 Nov 2011 05:00 AM PST

The new Beacon universal remote control system is said to be able to transform Android phones and tablets into easy-to-use, never-lost remotes that will target home entertainment centers. This is the fruit of the partnership between Griffin and Dijit, where the latest Android-only version of the Beacon Universal Remote Control System will pair itself with Android-powered devices over a Bluetooth connection, where it will play nice with Dijit's free Universal Remote App so that you are able to experience full and complete control over the entire home entertainment system straight from the Android interface.

According to Mark Rowan, President of Griffin Technology, "With the proliferation of new Android-based phones being announced each week, Beacon for Android was a natural progression for us. We look forward to bringing the most powerful and easiest-to-use remote control to the Android user base."

Just how does the Beacon work? Well, it basically converts Bluetooth signals from smartphones and tablets into infrared signals that are the norm used to control consumer electronics devices. Beacon more or less delivers complete control over TVs, DVRs, stereos and other home entertainment devices to users, although you will be able to benefit from the flexibility of a touchscreen interface. Even better is this – since you lose your smartphone far less often than a couch remote control, this is one remote that I am quite sure you will not end up losing.

The Beacon will run off a quartet of AA batteries, and since there are no bulky cases or dongles, wires or cables to work with, setting it up is a cinch. All you need to do is pair it up via Bluetooth and download the free Dijit app for Android, and you are good to go. Just make sure your tablet or smartphone running the Dijit app is powered by Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread or greater.

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[ Griffin and Dijit rolls out Android-Compatible Beacon Universal Remote Control System copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Voice To Text Translating Telephone

Posted: 10 Nov 2011 04:30 AM PST

I guess I can safely say that our brains are the best Voice to Text translator ever, but if one day should our brains (and ears) start to fail us, then there is always external help that comes in the form of machines. The $99.95 Voice To Text Translating Telephone will come in handy then, where it shows off captions of everything a caller says, letting your eyes dance over the clear, easy-to-read transcript – which eliminates those who have difficulty with their hearing faculties to be able to provide the appropriate reply. Of course, if you’re talking to someone who naturally doesn’t have very good speaking skills, then I am not quite sure whether the software will be able to decipher the words on the other end of the line.

All captions can be turned on or off at any time during the call, and this device can store up to 480 lines of text in its memory for review once you’re done with your conversation. Apart from that, you can also amplifying the call volume up to 40 dB, thanks to the adjustable tone for enhanced clarity. Have it aid your memory as well with its 97-number address book, while three speed-dial buttons help you connect to frequently called numbers with but a touch.

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[ Voice To Text Translating Telephone copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]