Check out 3Doodler’s upcoming accessories and swappable tips

WobbleWorks’ almost finished shipping Kickstarter backers their 3Doodler 3D-printing pens, and next month, post-crowdfunding pre-orders will begin to be filled. The company announced today a US retail launch later this year — a “major retailer” in the UK is also on board, apparently — but in addition to that, it showcased its first round of accessories for the device here at CES. While pricing and availability info elude us, we’ve seen a range of new tips for the pen, from different standard nozzle sizes to square and triangular heads, among others. They’ll come neatly contained within a tool you’ll need to swap them out, the design of which is still being finalized.

If your freehand 3Doodling is more Picasso than Monet, then look forward to the DoodleSuit, which looks like a cradle, but functions more like a computer mouse. Three legs stabilize the pen, and buttons on two of the legs tell it how fast you want heated plastic to come out of the tip. If you’re still struggling to make pretty things, then perhaps you’d better let DoodleBlocks guide you. They’re basically stencils for tracing uniform shapes, and although WobbleWorks only had a star to demo today, more are planned, including some that’ll let you create elaborate 3D shapes, minimal skill required.

Nicole Lee contributed to this report.

Filed under: Misc

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Source: WobbleWorks

Fitbit partners with women’s fashion designer Tory Burch on Flex accessories

If the wearable trend is ever going to truly take off, companies are going to have to figure out how to make people want to wear them. That means taking it a step beyond simply not being embarrassed to be seen wearing one in public — these devices are going to have to actually be attractive. Pebble got the memo, now Fitbit is taking steps to turn its Flex fitness tracker into a legit fashion accessory. The company is partnering with Tory Burch, maker of high-end women’s fashion pieces, to design a line of bracelets and necklaces that will be able to hold the little Flex bug. While there doesn’t appear to be any final designs just yet, the sketches the company shared with us seem to indicate the goal will be to mask its gadget heart as completely as possible, while adding a dash of golden bling. The goods themselves are expected to launch sometime in the Spring. But until then, you’ll just have to peruse Tory Burch’s current jewelry and let your imagination run wild.

Filed under: Wearables

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Check Out the Panono Ball. A Camera Ball that Takes Panoramic Pictures. [Video]

It is only the second of January, and my mind is already blown for the year. The Panono Ball is taking the camera to the next level. It is a ball, that you no doubt have guessed, but it is a ball that takes 360 degree panoramic shots. Might sound a little ridiculous, but after I watched the video, my mouth hit the floor.

The way the Panono Ball works is, you can basically throw the ball up in the air, and it will take that 360 degree picture. I guess you can also attach it to a stick to make sure you get the shots you want, or if you are bit weary about damaging the ball . You then can check the picture on your phone or tablet, and they have an app for the ball for both Android and iOS. What is really cool about the app, is that when you move your device, the picture moves with you. Pretty similar to street view, but then we get to the clarity of the photos. 108 megapixels on this beast, so camera enthusiasts are going to wet their pants about this slightly.

They started an Indiegogo campaign to raise $900,000, and they have already surpassed that number. Just shows you how awesome this truly is, and you can still contribute of you would like by heading over to the site provided below. Also check out the video to see the ball in action. Let us know what you think about it.

Indiegogo Campaign

NYNE Announces the Aqua IPX7 Waterproof Floating Bluetooth Speaker

NYNE has announced a new IPX7 rated floating Bluetooth speaker today that they will be showcasing at  CES 2014. The Aqua is probably one of the more uniquely designed speakers I have seen in some time. It s obviously designed to take advantage of its IPX7 rating with a style that reminds me of a pontoon boat or catamaran. Maybe more like a Tie Fighter. The IPX7 rating gives clears it to be fully submerged for 30 minutes 1 meter underwater. Not that you would hold it underwater and hope to hear anything.

“Aqua answers the need for a portable, high-quality audio speaker that can play music outdoors and withstand the elements,” said Arman Arami, president of NYNE. “With up to 10 hours of playtime, the party can last all day at the beach, pool, lake, campsite, or backyard, even when an unexpected rainstorm hits. Aqua plays music from any Bluetooth-enabled device within a 33-foot range, without a wired or dock connection, so your phone or tablet can stay easily accessible and dry.”

The Aqua is also shock resistant to protect it against accidental falls. Internally there is a 2200 mAh battery to keep you chilling in the pool for approximately 10 hours of playback time. By then you will be a lobster though. The speakers offer close to 10 watts of power with a built-in EQ button with 4 pre-programed settings. It also has volume and power controls and a mic for taking calls if you must. It measures in at 9.5″ x 5.2″ x 1.6″ and certainly looks cool.

Pairing one of these up with an Xperia Z or a waterproof cased up Galaxy S4 and you have a pool party at your finger tips. All your friends will love you and be pretty jealous that you can take your tech to the beach, river, lake and your back yard without fears.

NYNE expects to fully launch the Aqua Bluetooth speaker early in Q2, just in time for summer. Suggested retail pricing puts it at $129.95. We have already set up some time with NYNE to take a closer look at this little guy and see how it really looks, feels and sounds during CES. What do you guys think though?

[Review] booq Boa shift, graphite Backpack

CES is rapidly approaching and this is the perfect companion…

Initial Thoughts

The booq Boa shift, graphite tech backpack has a deceivingly simple look. On first glance, it looks like any other backpack. There’s a white accent down the center contrasting the overall dark graphite/black nylon construction. I think the designers purposely designed this backpack to not bring attention to itself as a way conceal whatever tech goodies it would typically carry. Open it up though and start exploring, and you’ll find an entirely different story.

Pockets, Pockets, & Moar Pockets!

When the booq Boa shift is opened, it reveals its unexpectedly roomy interior with quite a few pockets. They’re not only on the inside though, they’re everywhere. Per booq’s site:

External:

• 2 side quick access slip pockets for plane tickets, mobile phones, cards or pens
• 1 top-front zipper pocket for miscellaneous quick storage items
• 2 elastic pockets on shoulder straps for smartphones and music players

Interior:

• Huge main zipper compartment, ideal storage for paper documents, garments, power adaptor, mouse and other laptop accessories.
• 1 document slip pocket
• 5 lining slip pockets
• 1 large mesh window pocket
• 4 pen slots
• Back zipper opening allows access to densely padded laptop compartment and is lined with soft Nylex which won’t scratch your gear.

The laptop compartment is spec’ed to fit a up to a 17″ Macbook or a 16.4″ PC Laptop, but I was able to squeeze my 17.3″ Acer N970 with an extended battery into the pocket and zip that sucker; it was a tight fit, but it worked. Alternatively, the front strap pockets are rather narrow. My HTC One, which has a 4.7″ screen was able to fit, but only without its usual UAG case. I’d say 4.7″ is about the limit of what can fit in those pockets sans case, though Colossus fit in one of the pockets nicely. The two side pockets can fit a typical phone (probably even ones as large as the 5.9″ Oppo N1) and/or external battery, so they’re perfect for the fellow Ingressers out there. I was also able to fit two 10,000 mAh Power Bank external batteries in the small standalone nylon pouch with a foam separator that’s included with the Boa shift without issue. There’s even a detachable key-ring inside the bag for you convenience.

Build

The booq Boa shift, graphite has an outer shell made of 1680 denier ballistic nylon and has a water-repellent coating, which is rather indestructible. The inside of the bag has a herringbone nylon lining as well as Nylex construction, which is super durable, but won’t scratch your devices. For comfort, the part of the bag that rests on your back as well as the shoulder straps have a padded nylon mesh that breathes. The upper handle on the bag is rigid with some type of reinforced construction that makes carrying easy on the hands and won’t dig into or pinch your skin like typically soft strap handles do. Holding it all together are extra heavy-duty YKK zippers that match the strength and functionality of the rest of the bag.

Overall Thoughts

What can $150 get you? You could buy a decent phone upgrade, a bunch of external batteries, Angry Birds Star Wars HD from the Play Store 50 times, or a very nice booq Boa shift to put all of your gadgets in. This may seem expensive for a bag, but it’s something that you’ll hold onto for a very long time and similar tech backpacks come with a similar price, so it’s not as ludicrous as some may think. It’ll outlast several of your devices and has a 5-year warranty if it fails. Additionally, all booq bags come with Terraliq, which is a unique ID number and registry to help owners become reunited with lost bags.

It’s durable construction, clever design, and comfortable wear makes the booq Boa shift, graphite the perfect accessory to the technology addict. Its deceptively simple outer design does not draw attention to itself, which may not be for everyone, but I think this makes it less prone to theft. Comparable bags in the market are much flashier and draw attention to themselves with fancy do-dads, so if I were a thief I’d boost one of those before I choosing the Boa shift. Simple. Functional. Durable.

Pros:

• Simple outer design conceals its precious cargo.
• Indestructible nylon inner and outer construction.
• Waterproof-ish.
• Zipper doesn’t clog and won’t break.
• 5-year warranty and Terralinq.
• A billion pockets that can hold the biggest of laptops.
• Comfortable handle.

Cons:

• Simple outer design may be too plain for some.
• $150 may not be for everyone, but it’s competitively priced for similar bags.

Come buy the booq Boa shift on Amazon with free shipping for $149.95:

To check out the rest of booq’s Boa offerings:
booq Boa Bags

Divoom Bluetune-Bean, the perfect pocket sized Bluetooth Speaker [Review]

If you are still looking for the perfect stocking stuffer for the pre-teen in the family, or maybe just something for mom in the garden, then the Bluetune-Bean from Divoom might be one that could fit the bill.

The Specs:

• 3 watts of speaker power, max 6 watts
• 50 mm micro driver
• 100 – 20000Hz frequency range
• Bluetooth v3.0 +EDR
• 10 m range / 360 degree sound
• 6 hours of playback time
• 68 x 45 x 92 mm
• In the box – USB Charging cable, Bluetune-Bean, manual (no wall plug)

The Bluetune is a small portable bluetooth speaker that offers a lot for its price and its size. The outer casing is a nice soft rubber that gives it a great feel and look. On the bottom you have your micro USB port for charging. It is under a rubber stopper that is a bit of a pain to get open.

On the left side is a power/sync button. Like any other Bluetooth device, press and hold it to put it in pairing mode. Just below that is a phone button. Yes, the Bluetune-Bean is more than just a speaker, it is also a speaker phone. The mic is located between the two buttons. The phone button also doubles as a play/pause button for your tunes.

Sound quality of the Bluetune-Bean

For its size I was quite surprised by the volume level of the speaker. My wife has been using it on a hook on the shower door while streaming music to get ready for work. It fills the bathroom and floods into our room. We have a two story townhouse and I can even hear it downstairs in the living room.

It isn’t going to ‘bump’ and rattle the walls, but you can’t expect it to. Heck, it really doesn’t have much, if any, bass. The audio quality is clear and unlike many other smaller speakers that I have seen and used, it doesn’t seem to have and pops or cracks. Probably due to the lack of bass.

Overall thoughts on the Bluetune-Bean

The Bean comes in various colors as you see above. Giving them a little flare and personality for the user. It doesn’t have any volume or track controls directly on the speaker, but I don’t think it needs them. There is room on the right side of the speaker for them, but it would increase the price of the Bean, which would make it more expensive then it is actually worth.

The anodized metal hoop at the top is a pretty useful addition. You can hang it on a hook, or use the carabiner clip to connect it to a belt loop or backpack.

As with nearly every single Bluetooth speaker I have ever used or seen, using it as a speaker phone is a painful experience. I can’t blame Divoom for this drawback. It has been a struggle for every speaker I have ever used. Don’t look to this to be the speaker phone accessory.

It fits the bill as a good stocking stuffer for pre-teens or the less needy high audio and deep bass loving individual. Its small size makes it good for travel when you might want a little more sound than what your phone or tablet can put out without breaking the bank.

On a personal level, the Bluetune-Bean is super easy to use. My non-techy wife can connect her phone and listen to music easily. I have clipped it to my belt loop for walks with my son so we had some good walking music. I plan to take it camping this summer and hanging it from the middle of the tent for a little extra sound boost. For the sound and the price point, it is a great little speaker to have handy.

Cost wise, you are looking at $30 from Divoom themselves for a Bluetune-Bean in any color choice available. You can pick them up on Amazon for $24 and $30 as well.