New products: Tablet delivers the basics
— -- This weekly roundup takes a look at the practical and sometimes quirky aspects of tech products.
Tablet delivers the basics
In the market for a "big-screen" tablet on the cheap? Take a look at the Coby Kyros MID9742 Tablet. Selling for just under $200, the tablet sports a 9.7-inch capacitive multi-touch screen with a respectable, albeit not stunning, resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels.
While not as flashy as the pricier iPad, the Coby model delivers the basics, including Wi-Fi connectivity with access to e-mail and popular web sites, such as YouTube and Facebook.
Although the tablet is powered by the Android 4.0 operating system, it doesn't provide direct access to Google's Chrome apps. It does, however, provide access to GetJar apps and can easily be set to download additional apps from Amazon.
It includes a front-facing camera and microphone, a microSDHC card slot, 8 gigabytes of flash memory, a 1 GHz processor, 1GB RAM and an HDMI connection for high-def TVs.
Camcorder jumps in the deep end
Ready for your close-up underwater? Sony's new waterproof Handycam is. Designed to withstand water up to 16 feet deep, the HDR-GW77V camcorder has a 3-inch LCD touch screen that works underwater and an "Underwater Mode'' that adjusts the white balance to make underwater colors seem more real.
Capable of capturing high-def video and 20.4-megapixel snapshots, the camera has a built-in flash that can shed light on subjects in dark areas. The camcorder also has a 10x optical zoom, a focus tracking option and 16 GB of internal memory. It will go on sale later this month for about $700.
Phone case opens bottles
Need to open a bottle but can't find an opener? Maybe you need to pull out your iPhone. No, the phone can't open the bottle for you, but its Opena iPhone 4 Case can. Designed by two Australians, the case has a built-in stainless steel bottle opener that slides out when your thirst calls. Available in black and white, the protective polycarbonate hard case from Annex Products costs about $40.
Speakers go on bike
You can ride your bike while enjoying music and communicating via the foxLv2, a pocket-sized wireless speaker and speaker phone designed to fit on the foxL BKMT-2 Bicycle Mount Kit. Designed to work with Bluetooth phones and audio players, the portable speaker from Soundmatters delivers audio that can be enjoyed at home or on the go. A wireless Bluetooth model with a battery that delivers 12 hours of playing time costs about $200, while a platinum version with 20 hours of playing time is $230. A wired version is $150. The universal bike mount, which fits on the handle bars, is $30.
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E-mail new product suggestions to techporterfield@gmail.com.
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