There’s a slew of new water bottles hitting the market. Features and design make each bottle stand out. But which bottle wins? It’s personal preference. The Simple Hydration Water Bottle solves a problem experienced by many runners: how to hold the bottle while running. The solution is a 13-ounce BPA-free bottle that’s got an interesting shape.
Just as an automatic transmission shifts at what the engine considers the optimum moment, the NuVinci Harmony intelligent drivetrain for bicycles could change truly be a shift in cycling. This first continuously variable shifting system, which was created by Fallbrook Technologies, has recently won the Bicycle Innovation Award at FietsVAK 2012 show in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The NuVinci Harmony incorporates technology included in NuVinci CVP bicycle drivetrains. The initial commercially available NuVinci drivetrain model won the Bicycle Innovation Award at FietsVAK 2007. Read the rest of this entry »
What camera company isn’t releasing a rugged digital camera? This week Canon announced its upcoming PowerShot D20, which is much more than just an update of the D10 – in fact in a way it is more because it is less. While the D10 was a large and bulky point and shoot, the D20 is a sleeker model, but still features a robust and sporty design.
The PowerShot D20 is made for those who are a little tough on their devices, and as such it is waterproof to 33-fteet and shock-proof to about five-feet, while also being freezeproof to about -10C. It is also sealed up tight to protect the internals electronics from sand and dust. Read the rest of this entry »
A different type of tag is coming to the playground – not the game where kids chase each other – but rather Microsoft Tag Technology. Playworld Systems announced this week the launch of PlayPod, an innovative service that employs Microsoft Tag to provide 24/7 mobile access to useful information for both those maintaining the playground equipment and those using it.
This includes Nuts & Bolts, a way for the pros to see maintenance documents, installation instructions and even product numbers; while Fun & Play Tips is there with weekly play tips, and even the ability to “check-in” at playground via Facebook.
The family owned business has been an innovator in the playground, offering the environmentally-friendly PVC-Free Eco-Armor, and more recently NEOS, the first outdoor electronic game for playgrounds. PlayPod now shows that even in the digital age the good old playground still is a great place for kids to be kids.
That annoying expression “talk to the hand” might get new life thanks to Swany’s g.cell ski gloves, which feature built-in Bluetooth technology that transforms the hand warming ski gloves into a mobile phone speaker and microphone. Basically this allows a phone to stay in one’s pocket, while the gloves can be used to make calls, including voice activated commands. The speaker and microphone are embedded in the thumb of the right glove, which also features the controls.
The gloves were shown last month at the SIA Snow Show but won’t be available in the United States until fall. Until then users might have to actually speak to the phone and not to the hand. Video after the jump
The sound of your voice is different than how you likely hear it, in part because part of the sound is transmitted through the bone to the inner ear. This is why people typically sound different when their voice is recorded, and now this same bone-conductivity can be used to allow you to talk on the phone – with a little help from the SpeakGoggle G33 from Buhel. These goggles connect to a smartphone or other handset via Bluetooth and feature a bone conduction microphone that is built into the frame.
So instead of the mic picking up normal sound through the air, it actually picks up what you’re saying as the sound waves travel through your own jaw bones and skull! The result of course is little to any background noise – so you could basically talk while skiing as wind won’t be an issue. Video after the jump
One problem for many children (and even more so for their parents) is that bikes can be outgrown quickly and a bike that is too small can be as much of a problem as a bike that is too big. But Spanish bike maker Orbea has introduced something that allows growing children to have a bike that will the right size a bit longer.
While kids will grow, so will the Grow, a new line of bikes designed specially to grow with the rider. While most bikes allow for a seat to come up, the Grow also allows for the frame to be expanded as well, and this can result in a good fit for three to five years, and the bikes come in four sizes so once a frame is truly outgrown, parents can step up to the next size and let the kid grow with it. Video after the jump
Recorded at the SIA Snow Show 2012 in Denver KineticShift’s Enid Burns visits the Kali Protectives booth to get a look at Kali’s unique helmet design. Composite materials guru Brad Waldron has created a helmet with increased impact dissipation and lighter weight.
We don’t normally think of the American International Toy Fair, which is held every February in New York City, as being a destination for fitness products; the truth is that many toys at least get kids up and going. And one new board that might get the gadget loving kids of today off the couch is the Radiate Skateboard from Rockboard, which features 48 LED lights on the underside of the deck. The lights are fully rechargeable and the board comes with power adapters.
In addition to perking interest these lights could provide a little safety too so riders can be seen even as the street lights come on, helping kits get home safely. The Rockboard Radiate Skateboard will be at this month’s Toy Fair, and will reportedly be available this spring for around $100. Rock on!
There is no arguing that Apple is a very competitive company, and hardcore Apple users could be considered also a bit competitive, so it is no surprise that last week it was reported that Apple is developing a new fitness technology that could be the biggest thing in competitive workouts since the first time some guy yelled “bring it.”
According to online reports, Apple outlined details in a patent filing dated from October that suggests the company is looking to create a head-to-head tracking system that could allow for real-time competition in workouts. For example two runners could wirelessly sync their respective devices – such as two iPods – together and go for a run, tracking each other’s pace, distance, heart rate, blood pressure and even calories burned. Imagine the possibility for digital bragging rights – “my heart rate was so much stronger than yours and I burned way more calories!”
[Via Apple Insider: Apple Developing iOS tech for real-time, head-to-head workout competitions]
Welcome to the Weekend Reading List. We moved the list to Saturday to give our loyal readers something new for the weekend, and as a way to catch up on stories that they might have missed. This week we being with Sh*t Barefoot Runners Say (video above).
Enjoy the list and be sure to check back every Saturday. Read the rest of this entry »
Ski helmets came into prominence on the slope only within the past several years. Yet adoption is growing. Ski-Injury.com reports that in the 2009 – 2010 season, 57 percent of the total population on the slopes wore helmets.
We’ve seen all sorts of gizmos and gadgets that could be attached to a bicycle, including ways to power your mobile phone while you go the distance. But what if you need to juice up the handset yet have nowhere to go?
One solution is the new Power Box, a pedal powered generator, from K-Tor, which won a CES Innovations Design & Engineering Showcase Honor back in 2011. The new device allows users to pedal as they would on a bike to charge devices that require 20W and less. While it won’t offer as much of a workout as actually going for a ride, it could be more practical than those treadmill or bicycle desks that we’ve seen. This could be something put under a desk or table and basically turn a little burn into energy for the phone.
K-Tor also has introduced the Pocket Socket Hand Crank Generator, which as the name suggests is a hand crank that can power devices. The video below sums up this new product very well. Video after the jump
