The Red Ferret Journal - gadgets, cool sites, freeware and tech trivia

Speed Resistance Training Parachute – no pain, no gain

caitlyn — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 06:00:27 +0000

When it comes to exercising, there’s always a new aspect you can add into the mix. Even if you think something is impossible on the first day, you’ll find yourself hitting new plateaus within the first two weeks. When it comes to running, you can always improve your speed or distance, but how do you add resistance to your workout? The SKLZ Speed Resistance Training Parachute will add on about 15-30 pounds of [...]

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Kisai Intoxicated – your watch…the breathalyzer

Nigel — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:24:28 +0000

If ever there was a marriage made in heaven, it’s the one between technology and safety. We now routinely rely on more tech to keep us safe than ever before, from automatic motion detection sensors to infra-red vision which helps drivers avoid critters late at night.

The Kisai Intoxicated is the latest example of the genre. Part watch, part breathalyzer, this handsome digital dandy contains a blood alcohol content (BAC) sensor. Pop open the [...]

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Rabbit TV – carefully curated Internet media or just a tacky scam in action?

Nigel — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:53:02 +0000

There’s no shortage of companies out there whose business model is to package up disparate free content to re-sell to an uneducated public. We’ve seen it with music, movies and now it’s happening with television. The idea is to scrape up all the myriad free TV delivery sites out there, and parcel it all up in an easy interface, so your grandmother would be able to use it.

Rabbit TV is a classic example of the [...]

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Panopreter – why read, when you can listen instead? [Freeware]

Nigel — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:17:34 +0000

If you’re one of those people who likes to…y’know…get things done, you’ll appreciate any tool that makes it easier to multi-task. The optimum way to do this of course is to provide your brain with even more inputs than normal, usually by mixing audio and visual together in some unholy alliance.

Panopreter is a freeware program which gives you the chance to listen to documents and web page text via audio text to speech, leaving your [...]

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You’ll never want to lose the Eon Classic Credit Card Flashlight

caitlyn — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:45:58 +0000

Are you afraid of the dark? Do you ever get a tad paranoid about being stuck in a blackout? If this describes you to a ‘T’, chances are you have a flashlight app installed, light keychain, and a spare in your bag. Of course, you can never have too many at your disposal as you just don’t know what life is going to present you. Even if you’re not [...]

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BladePad – Mobile gaming never looked so sharp

caitlyn — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:35:20 +0000

I’ve seen and played with a lot of mobile phone game controllers. Many of them are separate from the phone, feel very cheap, and/or are very large attachments that need to be removed if you want to put your phone back in your pocket. Seldom do you see a sturdy, slim profile device that will improve on-the-go gaming without being a burden to carry around. Last week at E3, I saw one [...]

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The Loggerhead Bionic Grip Wrench can take on any challenge, big or small

caitlyn — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:10:51 +0000

We all have to go to the tool box now and again for everything from tightening up a wagon wheel to putting a desk together. Of course, you have to wade through which wrenches and screwdrivers you need dependent on the job at hand. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could pull out one tool that filled every requirement you needed for any situation? Well, much to our dismay that doesn’t [...]

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Sony Xperia Z 4G Tablet – hands on with Sony’s superb new iPad killer [Video Review]

Nigel — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:30:00 +0000

If product coolness was measured in ice cream, the new Sony Xperia Z 4G Tablet would be a triple choc whipped Sundae, with maraschino cherries, white truffle chunks and lashings of dark Belgian chocolate sprinkles on a bed of silver sugar flecks. Yes it’s that delicious.

But before we continue any further, one quick question. What on earth is going on with Sony? Just a mere 24 months ago the company was the laughing stock of [...]

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Workrave – this free little program might just save your life [Freeware]

Nigel — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:39:50 +0000

You don’t have to look far to find any number of research studies which point out the dangers of sitting down all day as we do our jobs in front of computer screens. And that’s not counting the rising number of people who suffer from RSI (repetitive strain injury) from doing the same kind of computing and mousing tasks day in, day out.

Of course technology wouldn’t be technology if someone didn’t come up with a [...]

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Red Ferret Power Up Giveaway – enter to win a terrific portable emergency battery backup for your phone

Nigel — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:36:55 +0000

Great News! We have partnered with iWALK to bring you the Red Ferret Power Up Giveaway. All you have to do is enter below for a chance to win an Extreme 7500 backup battery, and you’ll never have to worry about a dead battery on your phone or tablet again!

The iWalk Extreme range of backup batteries are safe, reliable, and best of all won’t take up too much precious space in your bag or pocket. [...]

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A little hands on time with the cinimizer OLED Multimedia Video Glasses [E3 2013]

caitlyn — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:30:46 +0000

We’re all looking for an escape every now and again. Everyone has their own method, but many choose to play games. It will let you run off to a different world and experience adventures unlike anything we have here. However, it’s a bit difficult to be truly immersed in your game when you have your living room showing up in your peripheral. Last week at E3, I got a little hands on time [...]

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The Doorbot – I heard a rapping, tapping at my door

caitlyn — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:00:50 +0000

Whenever you hear your doorbell ring, your mind immediately wonders who it could be. Is it the pizza guy, your mom coming by for a surprise visit, or a door-to-door salesman? Obviously you would use a little bit more discretion if you could talk to the person on the other side of the door without having to open it. The Doorbot will allow you to screen who shows up on your front porch, [...]

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If you’re clumsy with coffee, try the Mighty Mug

caitlyn — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:00:18 +0000

Morning is not something we really enjoy. However, when it comes to pouring that second cup of coffee things don’t seem so bad. Of course, by that time you’re already at work. Some of us are a bit prone to knocking things around as we don’t reach a level of full awareness before noon. If this strikes a chord, you might want to invest in a mug that is more accident-proof. The [...]

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Awesome Temperature Sensing LED Display Cup – so much technology just to keep your lips safe

Nigel — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:11:31 +0000

There are few things worse than grabbing your favorite hot beverage in a rush only to scald your mouth when the contents prove to be delivered straight from the mouth of a volcano. Or worse, you encounter a rush of stone cold, turgid liquid when what you really needed was a warm soothing flow.

Well thanks to the power of ultra high technology (who thinks up these ideas anyway?) we present the Temperature Sensing LED Display [...]

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SMS Alarm – keep losing your phone while it’s on silent mode? Fear not. Install this and relax. [Freeware]

Nigel — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:49:52 +0000

Hands up if you have had a ‘lost phone’ moment sometime in the last three months. Yeah it’s easily done isn’t it, and it’s always at the most awkward moment, just when you’re leaving to catch that flight or pick up the elderly parent or something equally urgent.

What makes it more dangerous is when the phone is set to silent, which means you can’t call it to listen for the ring. Well now there’s a [...]

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Wooden iPod Steampunk Wristwatch – there’s so much more to time than mere minutes, don’t you think…?

Nigel — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:29:58 +0000

Wrist watches may be going out of fashion in a general sense, but for some people the idea of strapping on a real ticking or purring timepiece still holds a large amount of fascination. Of course it’s often just to show off with some garish lump of metal, but sometimes you’re lucky enough to see true cool.

This awesome Wooden Steampunk Wristwatch from Polish studio Redmer Werkstatt is a case in point. Designed around a thoroughly [...]

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ASUS VivoMouse wants to change the way you look at your peripherals

caitlyn — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:00:56 +0000

As technology changes, so does the way we look at our interactions with them. Form and function start to meld into each other, as a newer and better version of a product rises out of the ashes. While companies always market things as if they are making the latest and greatest, it doesn’t always mean their advertising is correct. The ASUS VivoMouse is a new device that will combine a mouse (1200 dpi), [...]

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Peak Design Capture Camera Clip – Ready, Aim, Click!

caitlyn — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:00:29 +0000

Whenever you’re out in the wild taking photographs, you can help but feel as though you’re a quick-draw gunman from the west. If you’re a second too late on drawing out your camera, you might miss that prize-winning picture, and no one wants that. This means you need to have it readily available at all times, but you don’t want it to be hanging about your neck, as those with [...]

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Batman Belt Buckle with a built-in Speaker – nana nana nana nana PANTS

caitlyn — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:00:02 +0000

You don’t need a proper theme song to be a successful superhero, but it couldn’t hurt, right? Look at how awesome Batman is, and he had an amazing tune that we all know and love. If you want some background music to your life, or just want to blast your hero-music whenever you’re about to do something in the name of justice, you’re going to need a discreet [...]

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Ferret posts this week

Red — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:30:02 +0000

Here’s a quick round-up of Red Ferret posts from the past week for those who missed them. Enjoy.

Earth Alerts – live map of our planet’s natural hazards makes for compulsive viewing (+Freeware] – You don’t have to live in an… Become the terror of the pool with the RC Cyborg Shark – If you’ve ever seen Jaws, it’s… The ARKON Windshield Smartphone Mount – work smarter, not harder – Having a smartphone means you can… The Solid Gray Backpack is futuristic and functional [...]

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AquaGlide Multisport 270 – 4 in 1 inflatable sailboat, kayak, wind-surfer and towable…surf’s up dude

Nigel — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 11:34:56 +0000

Now that summer’s here, our thoughts quite rightfully turn to important matters like beachwear, vacation slots and all the fun that we can fit into a jolly at the seaside. The real action always takes place on the water of course, but it’s really a pain to have to lug a boat or other craft down to the water’s edge in order to indulge our desires.

The AquaGlide MultiSport 270 makes all that hassle disappear. This [...]

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