Geekazine

One in Twenty people in the US are hard of hearing. Close to 1 million people in the US are outright deaf. In the meantime, we want to bury ourselves in noise cancelling headphones so we can be in our little world. So when things like the doorbell rings, a loved one is shouting at you, or danger is around, you might miss it. Nugunga wants to help with this, with the Nuguna Neckband. 

What is the Nuguna Neckband

The Nuguna Neckband is a device that will vibrate when it hears a sound. This is a binaural neckband, so if the sound comes from the right side, it will vibrate from that area. 

The band looks like other neckband devices, but is only serving one function: to alert you of a sound. 

The neckband can be controlled via the buttons on the neckband, or through the app (which is only available for Android at the time of this article). You can change the size of vibration, length, and amount of vibrations (1 – 5 buzzes).

The app also helps dial in sensitivity, so it won’t go off for simple noises. 

In This Video

I take a closer look at the neckband, and give my thoughts on the product. 

Price

The Neckband is $279. You can get Nuguna here.

For Recording, Live Streaming, Music, and more

At the Blue Microphones booth this year, the company showed off Ember – the newest microphone in the line. An XLR microphone for musicians, podcasters, livestreamers, and much more. At CES 2019, I talked with Hillary Money about this new microphone in the line.

Ember needs a mixer or an audio interface with phantom power to work, which most mixers can handle without issue. Even USB interfaces can handle the Ember for in-studio recording.

Ember uses a technology that the company calls a “tight cardioid pickup pattern.” This basically means that it will pick up only the voice of the user, so that no one will hear the background noises. This is perfect for the home user that cannot create a studio environment to record.

Promising rich studio-quality sound, Blue Microphones Ember is great in any situation. It comes with a stand mount, or you can easily attach to a Compass boom arm for easy adjustment.

The design looks like any typical handheld mic, though the capsule is positioned so you have to talk from the side, rather than the top. If you drape over a amplifier, the Blue logo should be facing into the amp.

The thin design also means that it doesn’t take up much desk real estate, which all YouTube users will appreciate. Everyone will like it, but especially YouTubers. The slim design also helps it fit into tight spots should the need arise.

Blue Microphones Ember is available April 1 for $99. Check out Blue Microphones for more information.

Looking for a black and white laser printer, that also acts as a scanner and fax machine? Don’t want to pay much for it? HP has come out with a great printer that won’t break the bank for printing; and that includes getting replacement toner. 

HP LaserJet Pro M148fdw Review

This is a smaller printer, weighing around 20 lbs, but can print multiple size paper, along with scanning up to an A4 size. This black and white printer allows for double-sided prints, and can be controlled via the HP Smart app. The unit can print 30 ppm. 

Pros and Cons of M148fdw

Lightweight, and small footprint are some of the pros to this device. Prices are low, and it can be used right out of the box. The toner can print 1000-1200 pages before replacement, and can see up to 23,000 prints before replacing the drum. The LCD panel is simple, but easy to navigate. 

However, there are a couple issues in setting up. This includes an issue with the connection via app and printer. If you don’t have a WPS button on your router, it’s easiest to connect via USB or Ethernet. Once you connect, you can control all settings via the IP address home page. 

Unboxing the HP MFP M148fdw

In the second video, I do the unboxing of this printer. Since it’s 20 lbs, it can be unpacked by 1 person. Inside is USB, phone, and power cables, along with documentation, and registration cards.

Price of the HP LaserJet Pro M148fdw

At $149, this printer is fairly affordable, and perfect for an small office of around 1-10 people. Toner starts at $49, and a replacement drum at $88. 

Get the M148fdw here. Also check out HP’s website for more information. 

In the last few weeks, I’ve been testing out a gaming device that might give gamers an advantage in playing. Personally, I love mechanical keyabords, because they have a tactile feel like no other. This gaming half-keyboard from GameSir not only gives me that feel, but a new way to game.

About the GameSir VX

This is a wireless half-keyboard for gaming. The GameSir USB mouse also comes with the keyboard. This allows you to set your own keys to how you want to play. 

The wireless device attaches to the XBox, PS4, Switch, or PC via wireless USB dongle. The keyboard is instantly recognized. Download the app to customize keys. Attach the optional wrist rest for comfort, and game away. 

Pros and Cons to GameSir VX

The resonse time of this controller is excellent. The mouse and keyboard fit well in the hands, and are strong enough, even for that passionate gamer. I like to set the mouse speed a little slower than on my PC mouse, so playing games doesn’t require going into the settings to change. 

I am curious as to why the keyboard is not LED lit (like the mouse is). I also find it odd that you have to plug in your XBox One or PS4 controller into the USB dongle before the keyboard can work. If you have your game system packed in the corner (and across the room), you might have to make a few trips to get situated. 

Overall, the device is very functional and at $99, very affordable. 

Get the GameSir VX here, and check out all the other accessories they have at the GameSir website.  

As many musicians are starting to get into video streaming, they want to have that advantage to show what they are doing, as well as keep the audience engaged. Roland is helping these artists create video that is engaging, and high quality. The VR-1HD is the newest streaming mixer that can help with the solopreneur musician. 

What is the Roland VR-1HD

This is a standard plug and play broadcast studio hardware streaming device that controls your video and audio. With 3 HDMI video inputs, 2 XLR/Instrument channels, and a line-in, you can setup a multi-camera shoot that includes picture-in-picture, split screen, fades, test patterns, and even auto switch options. 

The device also has simple audio effects, such as reverb, auto mixing, echo canceller, EQ, compressor, HPF gate, limiter, and voice changer. It processes audio at 48 kHz, 24 bit. 

The video also can stream up to 1080p 29.97 fps, or 720p 59.94 fps (amongst other lower resolutions). Storage inside will allow for 2 Bitmap files, that can be placed in the scene memory (up to 5 scenes). 

The VR-1HD also has a monitor connector to keep an eye on which camera is highlighted. USB stream will send a signal to your computer as a USB video capture device. You can bring this into a program such as Wirecast, OBS, or vMix, or simply stream straight to Facebook, YouTube, or other services that accept a camera input. 

You can pre-order the Roland VR-1HD at B&H – Also check out Roland’s website. 

Sometimes, the best interviews come from private suites rather than the show floor. Mushkin was at CES in their own private suite. The company has memory in all kinds of the products that we use everyday, but they focus on higher end video game systems. This year they have 4 new products to showcase. All with the gamer in mind.

I sat down with Brian Flood, Director of Product Development for Mushkin to talk about all the new memory and their SSD line coming out.

Mushkin Source 2

First up is the source 2 SATA SSD drive. The Source 2 will update to Micron’s 96-layer 3D TLC and the Silicon Motion SM2259XT controller. Mushkin is planning to start shipping it in the second quarter of 2019 in 250 Gb, 500GB and 1TB capacities.

Mushkin Helix L

The Helix L was announced last year, but never entered the market. It’s a low-end NVMe SSD with the DRAMless Silicon Motion SM2263XT controller that uses the NVMe Host Memory Buffer feature.

Mushkin Pilot E

If you need DRAM on the chip, the Pilot E is an enhanced version of the already available Pilot. The firmware and design has been optimized to increase throughput even more. It delivers up to 3.4 GB a second read speeds and 2.5 GB a second write speeds. That means its great for high-end gaming cards or other applications with high-end workloads.

Mushkin Carbon X-100

The Carbon X-100 external SSD drive is USB-C and supports speeds up to about 1 GB per second. It’s the perfect solution for a common problem. Like when you run out of space but you need to put more games on your device. Or when you are traveling and need a drive to do things like modify media files. Any situation where a flash drive just won’t cut it. This device will run your OS, games and much more in a pinch.

Prices and Availablilty

At the time, Brian wasn’t ready to divulge prices. Each module will be released in 2019.

Check out all Muskin Memory and don’t forget to visit the Mushkin website.

I love it when I find someone has put technology in something that you would never guess to need. That is what DC did with the Electric Guitar Strap and showed it at NAMM 2019 – giving the musician a new way to express themselves during a gig. And it doesn’t stop at guitars, either. 

The Electric Guitar Strap

Made from LEDs and a sound activation chip, when you play, the strap will respond to your tones, and light up accordingly. Designed by a professional gigging musician, the LED light strap is a great way to add fun to your playing. 

At the base of the strap is a USB charging port, plug, and a sensitivity dial. Blue lights for low sounds, green for mids, and red for high frequencies. Using a splitter cable from the guitar, you can plug directly into the strap so the lights don’t get triggered by other instruments. 

DC also has accessory lights for other instruments, including a saxophone strap. There are plans for other non-musical straps as well. 

Get the Electric Guitar Strap for $95. You can also check out DC’s website. 

The folks over at Whirlpool and Yummly.com have been working together to bring us some very cool new appliances. Like this new smart countertop oven by Whirlpool Labs (WLabs). It looks like a microwave oven, but it’s really an actual oven, but one like you’ve never seen before. You’ve never had an oven like this.

WLabs™ Smart Countertop Oven

Just put the food in and it automatically recognizes it (as demonstrated in the video). Thanks to infrared technology, it knows what type of food it is, and if it’s fresh, frozen, or other. So all you have to do is choose how you want it cooked – roasted, seared, broiled, etc. Push start and the cooking algorithm does the rest. It should come out perfect every time thanks to this process.

There are 11 different cooking technologies available in this oven. If you choose manual cooking mode, the menu shows you all of the ways that it can heat up your food: Bake, broil, toast, proof, dehydrate, air-fry and more. For meats it uses a thermometer to make sure it is perfectly done to your desired temperature.

Whirlpool is taking pre-orders right now for an initial limited launch. It will cost you $799 and they should ship in early April.

Whirlpool Smart Range

The company also showed off their new smart-range which uses the same sort of cooking methodologies. It has a handy screen that guides you through the cooking process. It can convert the instructions on a frozen pizza for example to eliminate the preheating process with “frozen bake” technology. It’s available right now. This will make your cooking more streamlined.

You can get the Whirlpool Smart Range Now. Whirlpool Smart Range at Home Depot – At Best Buy

People love their analog pedals. I have a few that I use from time to time to get a specific sound. Trinalog has created a device that will give your analog pedals a digital interface, and wrapped it into one container. 

What is Trinalog

This is a pedal system that can hold up to 8 analog pedals. Each pedal is shaped like a cartridge that inserts into the effects station. You can fit up to 8 analog effects into the station. 

The station then interfaces with the 4.3″ screen, or can connect via app to your iOS device. This allows you to change pedals from the stomp box, or from the app. 

The station can be put into a pedal chain fairly easy, and is run off a simple 9V power bank. 

Trinalog is in pre-order at this time, and does not have a specific price (but will start around $400 depending on what analog pedal cartridges you add to it). Check out Trinalog website for more information. 

I used to do Eyerobics – a theory that if you work out your eyes, you will have better eyesight in the years to come. Some of the exercises made it tougher to stick on a regime, so I stopped. As I get older, I start to think on what I need to do to keep my eyes in good heath. So when I saw OTUS,

Otus looks like a VR headset, but it’s actually something very different. This device helps you to see better by working out your eyes. And yes, it kind of makes you look like an owl. That makes sense because owls have great eyesight. Who. Who! Otus, that’s who.

We’ve all heard about the various eye exercises that you can do to improve your vision. Holding a finger a certain distance away and focusing on it, rolling your eyes back and forth and so on. Do these tricks work? I have no idea, but Otus claims that its goggles work. They are also very easy to use.

The idea is that you wear these goggles for about 5 minutes before you watch TV or use your computer etc. It’s a lot like visiting the eye doctor as you can see the lenses change etc. And you still have your vision while this is going on so you can still see what’s happening around you. That means that you could use these almost anywhere when you want to improve your vision. At home, at work, on the bus, wherever.

During the 5 minute time period your eyes have been relaxed and also have gotten some exercise. It has a rechargeable battery. The device will launch in the United States at the end of the year. It will cost you $299. for the basic model . 

If you feel that your eyes could use some extra care, this may be a great way to strengthen them and help your eyesight.

Check out Otus website – Edenlx.com