Can you imagine placing your cellphone on a Starbucks table and seeing it charge instantly?
Gainesville, Fla.-based WiPower (pronounced "y"-power) is manufacturing wireless-charging technology that could potentially facilitate just that.
WiPower's charging mat can power up to four devices at once, regardless of their position.
(Credit: JustinCumming.com)Ryan Tseng founded WiPower after he realized how burdening it is to travel with bundles of chargers.
His frustration resulted in WiPower's wireless power transmitter, a mouse pad-like device that connects to a wall with one cord. Devices with an integrated power receiver placed upon the mat start charging immediately.
The product uses inductive coupling, a technology electric toothbrushes have used for years now, mostly because it shields their components from water. Earlier this year, Palm introduced its Touchstone charger, which uses this technology.
WiPower's charging mat simultaneously powers multiple devices in any position with different power requirements. For example, a digital camera requires much more power than an iPod Shuffle, but both can be charged with a WiPower.
"WiPower realized that ... Read more
That's strange, I thought a V-10 engine would be a bit bigger than this...
(Credit: SoundRacer)Have you ever caught yourself thinking, "I wish I had a V-8?" Well, what if I told you that you could give your crappy car a V-8 rumble or even a V-10 scream for $40? Now, what if I told you that you wouldn't actually be getting any extra performance to go along with that sound? If you're still interested in this shady deal, then you're probably a poseur. In any case, you'll want to check out the SoundRacer.
The device plugs into your vehicle's cigarette lighter, where it uses fluctuations in the power flow to calculate your engine's RPM. It then broadcasts a fake engine note to your car's stereo via an FM transmission. The general idea is for your vehicle to sound like it's powered by a V-8 or V-10 engine, but I predict that the outcome will probably sound like a crappy, fake revving played through ... Read more
Check out our full review of the BlackBerry VM-605 Visor Mount Speakerphone.
(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)"If you have a third-party Bluetooth-enabled device, you might be able to pair it with the BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone VM-605."
That is Research In Motion's official line about the VM-605's compatibility. In English, this means that while RIM would rather you use this first-party accessory with its BlackBerry smartphones, there's nothing proprietary about it to prevent you from using it with your iPhone, Android phone, or Windows Mobile phone.
But why would someone without a BlackBerry even want a BlackBerry branded accessory in the first place? Well, the VM-605 has a feature set similar to our Editors' Choice-winning Motorokr T505 (including the nifty FM transmitter) and its MSRP is about $30 cheaper. Unfortunately, some of the design choices that make the VM-605 a more beautiful device than the T505 also make it a more fragile one.
Check out the full review of the BlackBerry VM-605 Visor Mount Speakerphone for more details.
On Sale Now: $69.99 - $74.99
View the latest prices for BlackBerry VM-605 Visor Mount Bluetooth Speakerphone
Wireless speakers always come with lots of stuff.
It seems like every time I'm in a store that sells speakers I hear someone asking about wireless speakers.
It's a great idea, but then reality sets in: wireless speakers always have wires.
And get this: most wireless speakers have more wires than standard "wired" speakers. Think about it--a regular speaker has a wire that delivers both power and signal to the speaker. Since wireless speakers aren't "powered" by your receiver or amplifier, they have to be plugged into an AC power outlet (that, or come with built-in power amps that must be plugged into a power outlet). Another wire connects the amp to each speaker.
Affordable wireless speakers are never terribly good speakers. It seems like all of the engineering effort is directed at the wireless part, and sound quality is an afterthought.
Sure, transmitting signals to the speaker is relatively easy, but wireless receiver electronics are likely to degrade the sound compared to conventional wire. So wireless costs more and sounds worse! Nice!
... Read moreDigital music aficionados who are constantly behind the wheel are often faced with the dilemma of how to connect their MP3 players to their car stereos. The lucky ones have head units with direct line-in ports, and a few may even be driving around in vehicles old enough to sport the good-old cassette deck.
Either instance requires a simple wired attachment, but for those who aren't blessed with such accouterments, playing MP3 audio in the car is a little more challenging. Two options remain: custom install a hardwire connection or play music over often-spotty FM transmitters. Thankfully, there are a handful of transmitters on the market with solid performance, including the Eznex EzCube, a tiny device that connects to any MP3 player and will set you back about $50.
The ClearScan Live app lets you choose an FM frequency with the iPhone.
(Credit: Belkin)FM transmitters, which let you play just about any MP3 device through a car stereo, tend to offer dubious performance, especially in areas with a lot of radio stations. But Belkin is leveraging the capabilities of the iPhone to improve its TuneCast Auto Live FM transmitter. Belkin's ClearScan Live app for the iPhone and iPod Touch offers a better interface to choose an FM frequency than what's available on the small FM transmitter.
Beyond the improved interface, the ClearScan Live app also uses the iPhone or iPod Touch's GPS capabilities to determine your location, then communicate with a central server to find clear frequencies in your area. Although this feature will make it easier to find the clearest frequencies, it still won't help in dense urban areas where every couple of hundred kilohertz is allotted to a high-power radio transmitter.
Belkin's FM transmitter takes music from your iPhone and sends it via FM signal
The USB-powered Griffin iTrip Universal could be just the thing for broadcasting music around the home.
(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET Networks)FM transmitters don't see a ton of traction on Crave, and for good reason. Strict regulations over broadcast power and frequency range have effectively stalled product innovation. The designs may change, but most of the new FM transmitters we see are just a rehash of last year's model.
Which is why we're happy to see Griffin's latest iTrip Universal, an FM transmitter with a rechargeable battery that uniquely aims to fill the void of FM transmitters designed for use beyond the car. Sure, the iTrip is as underpowered and interference-prone as any other FM transmitter, but if you're looking for a cheap way to route wireless audio the room, it's hard to beat the iTrip Universal's USB-powered design and $30 price. Read our full review.
(Credit:
CNET Networks)
At first glance, the Motorokr T505 seems like an average visor-mounted speakerphone. Its calls are clear. Its design is unobtrusive.
However, when we looked a little deeper and really explored its features, we found a much more complex and flexible device hiding under the T505's simple exterior. A2DP music streaming, a built-in battery, and a built-in FM transmitter make this device much more than just a speakerphone.
(Credit:
DLO)
FM transmitters aren't the best way to port your MP3 player's audio to your car stereo, but for those who don't have a cassette player or auxiliary line input, they're the only option. Thanks to FCC regulations, it can be a challenge to find one that offers transmission powerful enough to dominate an FM frequency without frequent drop-outs and interference, but DLO has managed to offer a reasonably strong signal with its TransDock line of transmitters. The newest addition to the family, the TransDock III with IntelliTune ($99.99), keeps the legacy going, although we found the IntelliTune feature to be useless around San Francisco. Read more.
(Credit:
DLO)
On Sale Now: $39.99 - $84.99
View the latest prices for DLO TransDock III (with IntelliTune)
(Credit:
DLO)
DLO's TuneStik handily combines an FM transmitter with an RF remote for the iPod, and now that remote will feature an LCD screen for displaying the FM frequency. In addition to allowing users to adjust the FM band, the remote controls basic playback functions of the iPod, offers a 25-foot range, and comes with a clip for attaching to a steering wheel. The transmitter portion, which connects to the bottom of any docking iPod (including the newest models), is a low-profile black rectangle that is suitable for both in-car and at-home use. It includes a pass-through dock for attaching other accessories.
