Tech Gadgets That Make Traveling a Breeze

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Supposedly half the fun of travel is getting there, but what if traveling could be fun from start to finish? This year's CES was all about travel tech designed to make your next vacation (or business trip) a lot less stressful and a lot more enjoyable. 

Of course, an open mind and adventurous spirit are the most important things to bring with you on any voyage but there are plenty of gadgets and accessories that are worth packing. Here's some of the newest travel tech, some of which debuted at CES 2016, that's equally useful for world travelers and weekenders.

The Egg – a Phone to Cloud Photo Solution

Eggcyte's personal cloud device, the Egg, is a must have for phone-wielding shutterbugs who have more subject matter than storage space. 

The Egg can connect to your phone from anywhere in the world so you can share up to 50,000 snapshots with friends and family back home. And after you've said goodbye to your favorite destination, scrolling through those vacay pics is as easy is firing up the app. 

Samsung's Galaxy S7 – Best in Class Photos on the Go

The Samsung Galaxy S7 has premium specs that include a best in class camera with 4K capture capabilities, low-light optimization, a cool menu of effects and a fully outfitted manual mode. Why make this your go-to travel phone? 

The brand's latest offering brings back IP68 dust resistance and long-term water resistance up to 3m, which means you can bring it just about anywhere. And best of all, if you get it from T-Mobile this phone comes with a free year of Netflix, perfect for binge-watching your favorite shows on the go.

Bluesmart – the Smartest Suitcase 

This four-wheeled, extra strong carryon-friendly bag does more than keep your stuff safe. Bluesmart can weigh itself, has not one but two USB charging stations, and comes with a built-in tracker that's smart enough to alert you if it senses that your luggage is on its way to Timbuktu. 

Want the tracker without all the extras? Stash Trakdot in your suitcase and you'll always know where in the world your bags are. 

Zagg – Untethered Audio Anywhere

The retractable earbuds on Zagg's versatile Flex Arc headset let you curl up and forget about your neighbors on the plane. 

And then when you get to your destination, you can get the party started with built in external speakers that offer surprisingly souped-up sound for such a small package. 

Sol – a Bag that Does Double Duty

Samsung C&T's Sol Bag is a stylish oversized clutch that features integrated solar panels that charge your devices whenever you're walking in the sun. Of course, if you're traveling to an out of the way destination a high capacity power bank makes more sense.

In that case, grab Aukey's portable charger – it has enough emergency backup juice to charge your iPhone ten times plus a built in flashlight.

Bedphones – Promoting a Good Night's Sleep

DubsLabs has created Bedphones, a new kind of nighttime earbud designed to combat the challenges travelers face when falling asleep away from home. This speaker sits outside your ear so you can bliss out with white noise or fall asleep to your favorite podcast without the uncomfortable feeling of something in your ears. 

Better still, the Bedphones app senses when you've nodded off and automatically shuts off your audio to save you power. 

Mobi EyeFi – for Faster Photo Transfers

The Eyefi Mobi WiFi SD card makes the chore of transferring photos from camera to device a breeze.

Your snapshots are automatically sent from your camera to your iOS, Android, or Kindle device using wifi. 

What else do you need to stash in your carryon? Definitely check out the latest on-the-fly audio translators and ultra light laptops – especially if it's business bringing you to the far reaches of the globe. Ultimately there's no such thing as 100% stress free travel but with the right tech you can come pretty close.

READ ALSO: Transportation Options While Vacationing

As always, would be great to hear what you think!

*by andreascy*

Samsung Offers Hot Line of Products This Fall

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

This year's the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances (IFA), was dominated by wearables, slim lines, super curves and a whole lot of innovation. Nearly all the big players had smartphones to showcase – some derivative and some surprising. 

Samsung, arguably one of the biggest players in the consumer electronics world, brought its’ A game to Berlin with four new devices custom-made to take the wind out of competitors’ sails. While there's no way to know if the brand revealed everything it has up its sleeve at IFA it certainly showed that it hasn't lost its edge. Here's what had people talking about Samsung and has fans excited for fall:

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge

While the device is similar to the Galaxy Note 4, it does contain a standout feature that will push the boundaries of today's mobile display technology. The Edge features a 5.7-inch screen and adds a seamless 1-inch second screen that curves beautifully around the left-hand edge of the phone. The Galaxy Note Edge screen, which uses a Youm flexible display, may very well change how people interact with their devices. Everything from alerts to apps can be accessed without any interruption to other mobile experiences. Even with the phone locked and the case closed, notifications and messages are accessible. Its release near the end of 2014 could mean an unprecedented level of connectivity with less screen time. Users interested in the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge should sign up at T-Mobile for an alert when the device becomes available. 

Galaxy Note 4

While it still sports the 5.7-inch screen of the Note 3, the screen has gotten a boost with a Quad HD Super AMOLED (2,560 x 1,440 resolution) display that's adaptable to changing lighting conditions. That's super good news since a more powerful camera offers 16MP and lets in 60 percent more light resulting in image quality on par with most users' point-and-shoots. A lightning fast 2.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, an improved S Pen with Smart Selection and a quick charging battery are also among the high-quality features. This flagship Galaxy Note 4 has a forecasted October release. 

Gear VR

Virtual reality is finally coming to consumer's pockets thanks to the Gear VR, which is powered by the Note 4 and slated for end-of-year release. What sets this device apart is that the immersive audio and 3D video experience users enjoy is provided by the Note 4's Quad-HD screen technology. Simply slide the Galaxy Note 4 into the headset to deliver superb gaming environments, cinematic settings for movies and TV and larger than life sound. 

Gear S Smartwatch

This is the company's third smartwatch and its codename – Solo – says a lot about why it's a game changer. Unlike nearly all other smartwatches and wearables that can only be used when linked to a smartphone, the Gear S is a 3G capable standalone device that's so smart it's brilliant. A dual-core 1GHz processor, 4GM on internal storage and 512MB RAM mean it can have its own apps and programs and can even send texts and make calls – all using Samsung's own Tizen portable OS. Though experts disagree on the viability and longevity of the wearables market it's pretty clear the Gear S is going to be a hit. Watch for it in October.

The takeaway? Changes to mobile technology are happening faster than ever and Samsung is keeping pace admirably. It remains to be seen whether the competition will keep up but it's clear fans have plenty to look forward to.

RECOMMENDED: Why Curved Screens are the Next Innovative Trend

If you like this blog post, some engagement or re-sharing would be terrific! 

Thank you! 😍😎

*by andreascy*

What Are The Best Bluetooth Headsets?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Bluetooth headsets are becoming more and more popular for people who love to take their music with them but don't want to hassle with carrying around an MP3 player as well as a cell phone. Most cell phones today can easily double as an MP3 player and with Bluetooth technology, there's no reason to have wires strung around your body so you can listen to your style of music in complete privacy. Also, having a Bluetooth headset means you don't have to drag your phone out of your pocket every time it rings, nor do you have to hold the phone to your ear which means you can keep your hands free to do other things such as continuing to work.

So which headset type will be best for your needs? If your main need for a headset is to answer the phone quickly and easily while keeping your hands free, then you'll want a device that hangs off of one ear. If your main goal is to enjoy your music while having the convenience of answering your phone if it rings, you'll want a headset that covers both ears so you can have the full stereo experience for your tunes.

Here are some of the best Bluetooth single-ear options for you:

- Plantronics

- Samsung

- Jabra

- Jawbone

Here are some of the best Bluetooth stereo headset options:

- Nokia

- Plantronics

- Jabra

- LG

Manufacturers will have several different models which will give you a combination of price versus performance ranges you'll have to examine to find the best fit for your needs and your budget. Some of the parameters you'll be considering will be battery life (both in-use and idle), range, price, audio quality and phone compatibility. Also keep in mind that some versions of these headsets are also earbuds so if you're uncomfortable with an earbud, you'll want to take notice.

Keep in mind that while Bluetooth headsets are offered by most cell phone carriers such as Verizon and T-Mobile either as an option or as part of an accessory package, these are essentially headsets from one of the above manufacturers with the cell phone carrier's label on it and a premium price attached. Unless you're getting an exceptional deal on your accessories package through your carrier, you'll be better off looking for your Bluetooth headset elsewhere.

Today, Bluetooth headsets are easy to find and are relatively inexpensive. One of the best ways to find the perfect Bluetooth headset for you is to shop online at some of the big box retailers and electronics suppliers. This enables you to compare all the available features of each headset and once you've decided on which headset you want, you can then search for the best price. Bluetooth headsets make cell phones a lot easier to deal with and a lot more private as well and as inexpensive as a quality Bluetooth headset is, taking advantage of that ease of use is well worth the investment.

CHECK ALSO: Samsung Offers Hot Line of Products This Fall

Liked this post? Please share it with friends and others.

*by andreascy*