New products: Wireless headset with a retro feel
- POP Bluetooth headset give you classic style
- ePure has a combo Bluetooth speaker, speakerphone and charger
- MarineCase II lets your smartphone play as hard as you do
This weekly roundup takes a look at the practical and sometimes quirky aspects of tech products.
Tired of pressing your ear against a boxy phone? Try pressing the POP BT against your ear. Designed to transmit conversations via a wireless Bluetooth connection, the retro-style wireless handset mimics the look and feel of the classic curved Bakelite phone from the 1950s. When someone calls you on your paired cell phone, the cordless handset emits an old-fashioned "Ring'' sound. To answer the call, you pick up the handset and press a button. Press the button again to end the call. The handset also can be paired with another phone, as well as a tablet or notebook, in case you're willing to share. One cool touch: The USB charging cable resembles a twisty phone cord. Available in a variety of colors, including red, black, pink and green, the POP BT from Native Union costs about $50.
Park your phone, play and talk
Many people think of smartphones as devices that you mainly use on the go. But if you're at home and looking for a nifty way to get the advantages of HD handset calling, a Bluetooth speaker, speakerphone and charger, the ePure Bluetooth Station from Swissvoice might be for you.
Besides being practical, it also looks cool: It's shaped like a modernistic yet retro phone. The station lets you make and take phone calls, stream music and charge your phone. It features Bluetooth stereo speakers in the handset and can also be placed anywhere in a room, allowing you to share a hands-free conversation.
So you can have the kids call grandma and then go back to playing tunes. The iPhone version works with the iPhone; a Universal model works with PCs and tablets, along with Android and BlackBerry devices. Available in the United States from Amazon, the iPhone dock goes for about $150 and the Universal model costs about $140.
Your smartphone can play as hard as you do
Think of the MarineCase II as flood — or even sandstorm — insurance for your smartphone. Why? Like many people, you probably have your smartphone with you pretty much all the time, even when doing things like boating with friends, strolling on the beach or skiing down a slope. The universal-sized smartphone case is designed to fit most large screen smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S III and the Motorola Droid Razr. Made for extreme protection, the MarineCase II from Keystone ECO is waterproof and even lets you capture underwater video up to a depth of 20 feet. Priced at about $50, the rubberized black case with yellow trim comes with a neck strap and floating lanyard.
Reading your iPad outside? Made in the shade!
The weekend beckons, and perhaps you are looking forward to lounging around outside to take advantage of the dwindling fall sunlight. You are clutching your iPad, hoping to catch up on your reading. But the sun's annoying glare makes it hard to read, so you reluctantly retreat back inside. Well, now you can stay put: A new screen called the iclipse is designed to provide shade for your iPad. Made of polyethylene and fold-able for travel and storage, the hood-like iclipse from Mechanica also affords you some privacy as you read. It costs about $35.
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