“This speaker is now the ultimate power in the universe. I suggest we use it.” I may be paraphrasing Admiral Motti of the Imperial Navy a bit here, but I think it’s appropriate. The Official Star Wars Levitating Death Star Speaker from Plox does indeed look powerful, and wickedly cool. Per the Plox site, “The gravity-defying orb levitates in mid-air above the base using Plox’s Force Technology.” There may not be a planet-crushing superlaser aboard, but this tiny technological terror is portable with a built-in 5 Watt speaker and 360 degrees of sound projection, and with a 2 hour charge time will provide 5 hours of continuous Bluetooth playback. Impressive. Most impressive. The Levitating Death Star Speaker retails for $179.99. Hyperspace jump over to the Plox site for more info or to order.
Easily add a security camera by screwing in this smart lightbulb
The LightCam is a smart lightbulb with a security camera built in that’s currently seeking funding on Indiegogo. The project is very popular and has been funded at more than 425% with 20 days still left in the campaign, so you have plenty of time to reserve one for yourself.
The lightbulb works in any standard socket. To install, you simply screw it into the socket – no drilling or additional wiring is needed, which makes it the ideal security camera for renters. It connects to your WiFi and communicates with you through a smartphone app. There is no service contract required; the LightCam has enough built-in storage to save about a week’s worth of video, and you can access the video through the LightCam app and even download clips for more permanent storage.
The weatherproof bulb fits in a variety of fixtures, interior or exterior. The 1080p HD camera with wide-angle lens can adjust to change the viewing angle to work with the fixtures, even with recessed fixtures. It can “see” even in the dark, producing gray-scale images of objects up to 25 feet away. A motion sensor can alert you when someone approaches the LightCam, and a microphone and speaker allows you to communicate with the visitor. Using the app, you can control when the LED light comes on and when you get alerts, It even comes with a cover for your light switch, so you can be sure the camera isn’t accidentally turned off.
The LightCam funding period ends in 20 days. You can pledge $99 for a single LightCam, with discounts available for purchase of multiple bulbs. Learn more and get your own LightCam at Indiegogo.
Help wanted – I want you to join the Gadgeteer team!
Would you like to become a writer on the Gadgeteer team and write about interesting gadgets and cool gear? I currently have 2-3 positions that I need to fill. These are volunteer positions, where your “pay” is the opportunity to try out the latest gizmos. Interested? Details on how to apply are listed below.
Work expectations:
Newbie team members will start out writing news posts for a week or two. News posts are short articles and consist of only one image and a short paragraph with a minimum of 200 words. Check out our past news posts to see examples of the type of writing and topics we cover.
If you are picked to become a permanent part of the Gadgeteer team, you’ll have the opportunity to do product reviews. Team members who also write news posts on a regular basis will get preferred access review samples.
Compensation:
This is a non-paying position. Your “pay” will be the product samples that you’ll be able to keep once you’ve written a review.
I’m not looking for professional freelance writers or guest posters to write fluff pieces just for SEO purposes. I’m looking for everyday gadget nerds like me and the rest of the team, who just love this stuff and aren’t in it for the $’s.
Requirements:
1. You must have a firm grasp of the English language, the basic fundamentals of good grammar, and know the difference between “its” and “it’s” and “your” and “you’re”. I don’t have time to completely re-write your posts, so your writing skills will weigh heavily on my decision to choose new people for the team.
2. You must have above average photography skills and have the ability to take sharp, well-lighted close-ups of the products being reviewed. Dim, blurry images won’t cut it.
3. You must be able to stick to deadlines. Reviews must be submitted within 30 days after you receive the product sample. If you can’t stick to that deadline, then please don’t apply.
4. Age and gender do not matter, but you do need to be located here in the US because the PR agencies that I work with generally will not ship review samples outside the country due to shipping hassles and expense.
How to apply:
Send me an email to julie@the-gadgeteer.com telling me about yourself, your age, location, what you currently do for a living, what types of products that interest you most and why you think you would be a good fit for my team. I’ll use this info to decide who I will ask to audition for a spot on the team by writing a sample review which will show me your writing and photography skills. I will then choose the best candidates to go through a trial period posting news. After that trial period ends, I’ll decide who will become permanent team members.
I’m excited to hear from you! If you have any questions before sending me your bio email, post them in the comments.
Wrap your Amazon Echo in toast
Do you love your Amazon Echo or Amazon Echo Dot but wish it had a more luxury look and feel instead of black plastic meh? You’re in luck. The folks at Toast are now offering skins for the Amazon Echo and Amazon Echo Dot that are made of wood. Available in walnut, ash, bamboo, and ebony, the Toast skins are made of real wood veneer.
Each skin is handmade and laser cut for a precision fit in Portland, Oregon. The skin uses adhesive to adhere to the Echo but is easily removed without leaving any sticky residue behind. The smaller Amazon Echo Dot skin is priced at $19 and the larger Amazon Echo skin is $34. Head over to toastmade.com for more info.
This little adapter will let you charge your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Pencil at the same time
The Node adapter from ilovehandles is a small adapter that has been designed to allow you to charge three iOS gadgets at the same time with just one cable. The Node adapter has two male lightning connectors for your iPhone and iPad, and 2 female lightning connectors for an Apple Pencil and a lightning charging cable. The ilovehandles Node adapter is priced at $19.95 and will start shipping on February 15 at ilovehandles.com