and welcome to another edition of Gadget Dreams and Nightmares, the column that
sinks the battleships of terrible gadget announcements while prowling for the
submarines of the exquisite.
On the grid
this week are a rugged tablet, a wireless external Smartphone storage stick, a
modular speaker system, and a wearable for storing headphones.
ratings mean zilch, other than to reveal my interest level in trying out each
item. Also, these are not reviews, partly because some of these products don’t
fully exist yet.
Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet (pictured above) is designed for people who work in
the field, for the military and explorers, for industrial work and first
responders. This system can handle some harsh conditions, including
temperatures between -20 and 145 degrees and drops from more than four feet, as
well as spills, mud, dirt and sand.
It boasts an
11.6-inch screen, fifth-generation Intel Core CPUs, up to 12 hours of battery
life, and up to 512 GB of solid-state storage.
sturdiness is something I’m all for. My poor Smartphone has been through the
ringer. It’s somehow, by something or someone that is definitely not me, been
dropped so many times the volume rocker no longer works, and it’s a chore to
lock my screen with its temperamental power button. So, yes, I am all for a
more durable mobile device.
Pricing
hasn’t been announced as of yet, but that sturdiness surely will come at a
premium. Still, even if the Latitude 12 might break the bank, it’s a lot less
likely than most other tablets to break itself.
Rating: 4
out of 5 Off-Road Tumbles
Storage
One of my
biggest pet peeves when it comes to Smartphone and tablets is the cost of extra
storage beyond the basic model. Adding more storage to a device without a
memory card slot can cost hundreds of dollars, even though the cost to the
manufacturer is tiny.
inclined to take a base model and look at external storage options where
possible, and Sandisk’s Connect Wireless Stick seems a strong bet. The device
aims not only to defy tyrannical storage limits on Smartphone and tablets, but
also to help transfer files between devices with greater ease. I’m already
sold.
 |
| SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick |
The wireless
USB stick can hold up to 128 GB of files and stream data to devices over Wi-Fi
for up to 4.5 hours on a sole charge. It also automatically backs up photos and
videos captured with the device’s camera.
It honestly
sounds like a treat. I think I’d rather spend US$100 on a 128-GB wireless
memory stick than to get an extra 48 GB of on-board storage for the same price
on my next iPhone, as slightly cumbersome as the wireless streaming process
might be.
out of 5 Extra Movies
I’m
extremely intrigued by modular devices at the minute, such as Phonebloks and
Google’s Project Ara. So when a crowdfunded speaker system dropped into my feed
this week, it grabbed my interest immediately.
whichever speaker components you like with SparkBlocks and arrange them as you
see fit. The MainBlock — which should be evident as to its purpose — houses
the volume controls and amplifier that apparently delivers HiFi sound.
The
in-development SmartBlock, meanwhile, offers functions such as taking calls,
changing songs, downloading apps (including YouTube), and viewing
notifications.
optional bike attachment, which is neat, even if I don’t quite understand why
you wouldn’t just use earphones while cycling. There’s also a USB block option,
which allows one to charge one’s Smartphone.
It’s an
impressive-looking system, and it truly does seem to offer myriad options for
listening to audio. I’m eager to try these out, if only to pretend I’m using a
toy construction set from the future.
out of 5 Cornerstones
Helix Hex
wearable wrist cuff that houses a set of Bluetooth earphones. The idea is that
you’ll keep a pair of quality earphones close by for whenever you need them,
without having to deal with messy, tangled cables in a desk drawer or pocket as
much.
I’m not sure
a fancy way of storing an aesthetically standard set of Bluetooth earphones is
something I’m particularly keen to invest in — especially when there are
other, more compelling crowdfunded earphone projects, such as the Dot headset
we looked at earlier this month.
It doesn’t
look as though there’s anything special about the cuff itself either. I’m
bullish on fitness trackers, though it seems odd Helix didn’t see fit to add
even a pedometer to the cuff.
