by Lidia Paulinska | Dec 1, 2015
If you ask what BAC means? The answer is Blood Alcohol Content which is now easy to track thanks to BACtrack breathalyzers, that many of you already known.
In 2015 holiday season BACtrack offers two new versions of their breathalyzers: BACtrack Mobile and BACtrack Vio Smartphone (key chain version). Both are supporting our lives being closely connected to smartphones and smartwatches via Bluetooth. There is no more guessing if you and your guests can safely drive because the BACtracks products provide police level alcohol measurement and the BACtrack Vio provides the trends on consumptions as well. The devices are design for a single person to user or multiple users when they use the additional mouthpieces. 
The BACtrack products support iOS and Android systems on our smartphones. Once connected to the free BACtrack app, a user is able to save and track the results over time, as well as add photos and notes to those results, in order to learn valuable information about the drinking habits. The app was easy to find on iTunes or Google Play Stores and easy to install too.
The results of the alcohol content can be easily send to user’s wrist. The new Apple Watch Integration allows for initiating and completing BAC tests via on the Watch. The use of the test results on the watch also make it more convenient to access the estimated alcohol level anytime using the Active ZeroLine feature that gives countdown. This feature is exclusively for the watch app, and not available on the smartphone app.
New BACtrack products are available in the main retailer stores as Costco, Best Buy or Walgreens.
by Tomasz Kolodziejak
by Lidia Paulinska | Dec 1, 2015
The latest version of the MobileLite Wireless product is much more mobile phone centered than past versions. The G2 version starts by adding a Li-ion battery that can provide 13 hours of continuous use for the device or be used to charge your mobile phone. While prior versions were targeted at the whole mobile market which includes laptops, tablets and phones, this new version is very size and feature targeted towards phones.
One of the main new features is the ability to support video streaming to multiple devices as well as camera roll support. The portable device still has a wireless 802.11g/n WiFi and a router capability along with USB and SD card support. The unit was updated to support the SD-XC extended capacity cards that now on the market. For security, the device allows for setting up your own SSID name for the network, and encryption on the WiFi.
The list of mobile device operating systems and platforms has expanded to include iPad2, iPad (3rd & 4th Gen), iPad Air, iPad mini, iPhone 4/4S/5, iPod Touch, Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, and Android. As a wire connected product, it works with Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Mac OS X, and Linux. The device is available for the holiday season.
by Lidia Paulinska | Nov 23, 2015
At the ARM TechCon in Santa Clara, Texas based Ambiq Micro announced the capabilities of their latest MCU for the IoT market. In an overview dinner with CEO Mike Noonen, VP of Marketing and Strategy Mike Salas, CTO Scott Hanson and VP Sales Vince Murdica they discussed the release of their new 32 bit MCU for the wearables and IoT market that is based on the ARM Cortex Core. The design uses the Ambiq Micro Sub-threshold technology to produce a processor that can be benchmarked at the lowest power in its class.
The product has recently moved to volume production, and is being used in a currently available sleep monitor and fitness monitor. To support the design, which is an ARM M4 core with FLASH memory and FPU, is a software development kit, a Free RTOS and a full development board. Wireless development products, supporting a Bluetooth Low Energy connection, from their partner Dialog Semiconductor, were on display at the show. All of these development products are currently available.
The system can be operated at voltages down to 2 volts which allows the system to have extended operation between charges, bringing new lifestyle applications to the IoT and wearables marketplace.
by Lidia Paulinska | Sep 21, 2015
September 2015 – At the CTIA Super Mobility event in Las Vegas we met with the representatives of Lunatik and had a chance to see their new products for support of the Apple iWatch. The company has been around for several years making innovative protection products for the mobile marketplace all with a high degree of style and precision manufacturing. The Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Scott Wilson, is an American entrepreneur and award-winning designer, best known for simultaneously sparking the crowdfunding and wearables movements with his 2010 TikTok+Lunatik Kickstarter project.
The premier product they were showing us this year as the new Epik case and band for the current 42mm Apple watch. The Epik watch kit products are available in two different basic materials, a polycarbonate case and an aircraft grade aluminum versions. The aluminum version, which we tested, is available in both a base “silver” aluminum color and a black coated aluminum version. We tested the black version with the black leather band, the watch kit is also available with a metal link bracelet.
As the watch kit is designed for the fairly large 42mm Apple watch, the kit is fairly heavy (36g) and adds additional dimension to the watch. The black powder coated design with the black leather band is targeted at the male user community and makes a strong visual statement. It is also targeting use by physically larger individuals (over 5’8”) who have a large frame and wrist size to allow the 2.17” case to sit flat on their arm. 
To supplement the aluminum case, the kit features stainless steel buttons, control/scrolling crown, and assembly screws for strength and durability. The watch kit does not include a top cover for the watch to minimize bulk, but is compatible with the majority of edge-to-edge screen protection products that are approved for the iWatch.
The retail box comes with an installation guide in the box that has both illustrations and words. It however, does not include directions on how to remove the watch module from the original band provided by Apple, but that step should be self-explanatory.
The watch kit has a number of subtle design elements, beveled edges, smooth corners, rolled lips on the top of the case and smooth easy to make adjustments and action on the strap and the connection to the case. The design is not just functional but enhances the artistic design to a standard format digital watch. The watch kit is currently available direct from Lunatik and other retail outlets.
by Lidia Paulinska | Sep 15, 2015
September 2015 – There were many booths with phone & tablet accessories at CTIA 2015 show but some of those accessories deserve to be noticed. The retractable headphone case for iPhone 6 produced by Turtle Cell is one of the interesting high quality products with a good price point. The product is already at the market for the iPhone and will soon be available for the Samsung Galaxy S6. The case has a high quality finish and feel with an easy to grip pattern in four colors: gold, silver, black and red. It is a solid feeling design and its integrated kickstand is easy to operate. For the audio connection it has a button for the headphone control. It has a switch to disconnect the headphones while still in the case that let you use the iPhone as a speakerphone or hold it against your head as normal. Sound quality is exceptional from the earbuds due to the design with neodymium driver which offers a full 20kHz response, full CD sound range. For 
normal phone applications, it delivers a clear voice while talking. The package mentioned that the product is drop resistance but there is no certification rating. The retail box consists of: a case with headphones, instructions, extra ear tip, photos on the box how to use it and a quick illustration guide without words. Overall, the Retractable Headphone Case for iPhone 6 produced by Turtle Cell is very well made, feels good to the touch and deliver good sound to the ears.
by Lidia Paulinska | Aug 21, 2015
August 2015 – One of the major announcements at this year’s IDF was the availability and applications of the Realsense stereo 3D camera system in modules, tablets, and laptops. The technology was featured in a large section of the conference area and the display areas.
Targeting consumer applications, they were showing off the speed and accuracy of the technology with a couple of different exhibits. One was a 3D printing demonstration. It featured taking a 360 degree Stereo 3D photo of a person’s head, and then in real time transferring it to a 3D laser printer. The printer carved the image into a block of Lucite and producing an embedded 3D likeness of the person. The demonstration was so popular that they had to go to rotating time and call back system to get the images taken and printed. While the image capture is fast, under a couple of minutes, the laser printer averages about 20-25min per print which is what caused the queue for the demo.
One of the other heavily attended demo was a mirror with the integrated RealSense camera. The camera would take a 3D image of the person in front of the mirror. The mirror is actually a half mirrored display that can then superimpose jewelry on the person in the mirror. The system allows for the selection of earrings and necklaces on the people in the mirror. This system was very quick on setup – under 1 minute and very responsive to movement. The system is a prototype and had some challenges if there was more than 1 person in the view of the camera, but on the whole it worked well.
There were a number of other RealSense applications targeted at consumers being shown highlighting the measurement capabilities, depth & relative location capabilities, and virtual showroom/furniture capabilities. These have been shown in prior shows, and second generation software was the main display for these technology applications.
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