News

Mobile technology news from the New York Times Gadgetwise Feed

Earbuds Designed for Women, Not in Pink - The audio company Koss is making headphones for women that are one-third smaller than men's.
A Fitting Screen Protector for the iPhone 5 - Trü Protection is trying to simplify the process for applying screen protectors to the iPhone 4 and 5 with a mounting system intended to automatically align a phone and a screen protector.
App Adds Smartphone Features to a GPS - Garmin’s Nuvi GPS now links to the iPhone using an app to add functions to the GPS. But some of those added functions cost extra, and some may not be worth the expense.
App Smart Extra: More Ways to Stay Fit - With summer approaching, it's the perfect time to improve your fitness levels.
Twitter Adds Tweets You Can Hear - A new app, Twitter Music, lets you see what songs people are discussing and sharing and lets you listen too.

NY Times Frugal Traveler Feed

Going Vegetarian in Tapas-Happy Barcelona - It takes some digging, but beyond Iberian pork and octopus croquettes lies a vegetarian-friendly version of the Barcelona tapas crawl.
Finding Frugal Toulouse, Despite Two Holidays - What do you do when your visit to a French city falls on two holidays? Be flexible.
Five Travel Problems and the Sites That Try to Solve Them - Many travel problems have been solved through technology, but plenty still exist. Here are five sites that attempt solutions.
Opening Up Paraguay’s Landlocked Guairá Region - Discovering the rich cultural heritage of Guairá, the region in the south of Paraguay.
Taking the Paraguayan Route to Iguazú Falls - The Iguazú Falls are stunning from most angles. But getting to them through Paraguay has its advantages.

PopGadget Blog

E- cigs : New Tech For An Old Habit -

Who knew but apparently May 31st is "World No Tobacco Day." How should we commemorate the day? Weeeelll, maybe if the smokers among us all "Kick the butts" and take part in a tobacco-less day by using South Beach Smoke electronic cigarettes, we'll have a healthier planet, without the flame, ash, tobacco, tar , carbon monoxide, or offensive odors found in traditional cigarettes.

In honor of "World Tobacco Day" South Beach Smoke has partnered with the World Health Organization to encouraging smokers around the world to "kick the butts" and take part in this tobacco -ess day.

Besides the fact that they will make you much more popular in social groups, the battery-powered electronic cigarette, delivers vaporized nicotine without tobacco, tar, or other chemicals. (But keep in mind nicotine itself has health risks of its own and is extremely addictive.) The battery heats a cartridge of liquid nicotine solution, creating an aerosolized mist that the user puffs, or "vapes."

According to our "testers," though e-cigarettes emit no smoke, they deliver an experience like smoking, including the way they're held and the LED tip. They liked the South Beach Smoke in particular, especially the feel, taste and the advanced Lithium-Ion battery technology. (This proprietary battery has been engineered to provide maximum vapor, longer battery life and superior performance, says the company.)

No word on whether they help people quit the nasty habit, but it sure makes them easier to be around.
What's Next? NextWorth -

Believe me, we understand. You want the latest gadgets. We have so many old iPhones, iPods, iPads and game consoles we could stock a gadget store.

But then we figured out how to trade-in our old gadgets and use the money for our latest obsession. NextWorth makes it easy to trade in old gizmos either by mail (UPS) or at a retail store and you can even chose how to be paid - via PayPal, check, or gift card. (We use Target, where they'll give you an instant in-person quote.)

Since NextWorth has updated its iPad pricing --now, you can get up to $500 for your used iPad, and up to $360 for your used iPad Mini -- it makes sense to get what's next by selling what's old.
Mirror Mirror On The Wall, Who's The Fairest Of Them All? -

If you owned the brand-new simplehuman Sensor Mirror, you'd know the answer to that question. (It's YOU, btw.)

Think of those pull-out mirrors you sometimes find in hotel bathrooms that magnify your face to scary proportions: it's NOT one of those, but rather a very clever sensor mirror that lights up automatically as your face approaches, and which uses a " tru-lux light system" that simulates natural sunlight.

This prevents the dreaded "hooker" look; you know, when you've applied your make-up by a dim bathroom light. By allowing you to see full color variation, you can tell when your makeup is color-correct and flawless. (The mirror is also distortion-free at 5x magnification so you can see your entire face at once, which is what you want when applying make-up. )

And like most of your favorite gadgets, it's wireless and quickly recharges with the included USB cord and adapter. (No cords on the counter-top!)

Unlike traditional bulbs or fluorescent lighting, the long-lasting LEDs won't burn out or diminish even after many years of regular use, says simplehuman.

Around the office, we call it the "magic mirror." If you haven't gotten Mom something for Mother's Day, this would be a perfect gift.

$200. at simplehuman.
Put Your iPhone in the 'Vault' -

Pelican cases are known to be nearly indestructible; just ask the US Military who uses their equipment. Even if you won't be in a war zone, the iPhone Vault can be a good idea.

• Full-seal design defends against extreme wind-driven snow, rain and dust
• Waterproof microphone and speaker covers provide high fidelity audio
• Slimmer and lighter than other smartphone case designs
• Optical glass on both camera areas
• Guaranteed for life

Though this might not fit in your jeans pocket,it's a lower profile than most hard-core protective cases. Available for the iPhone 5 in several color combinations for $79.95.
Jabra Revo Wireless -

We spotted them first at CES; the new Jabra Revo wireless headphones and have been eagerly anticipating trying them out. We weren't disappointed.
Here's the good, the bad and the ugly.

Good:

* Connectivity is surprisingly good. They connect over Bluetooth 3.0 and streamed seamlessly while we wandered around the office, only losing us when we moved outside. To connect, simply tap your compatible smartphone on the left ear cup for Bluetooth pairing.

* Sound: Again, surprisingly good for wireless. For an enhanced music experience, it makes available a Jabra Sound App that gives you the full Dolby Digital Plus sound. Use the App to create and browse through playlists, share music and adjust the graphic equalizer so you can play your tracks as you want to hear them.

* Ease of Use: The "Turntable Touch Control" allows you to easily play, skip or pause your music and manage calls. Calls came in loud and clear. Tap to pair with NFC.

* Comfort: We found these cans very comfortable for long-listening sessions.

* Travel: Revo Wireless headphones weigh in at 8.47 ounces. And you can fold and go

Bad:

* Only one negative; that at $250 they're pricey.