Gadgets :: March 7, 2016
by Gregg Ellman
(@greggellman)
Activity wearables are a booming business that helps you track your daily activities, contributing to an active and healthy lifestyle.
Now your dog’s activities can be tracked by attaching a PitPat to the collar of your best four-legged friend.
After it’s attached you download the free PitPat app to your Android or Apple iOS device to follow your dog’s stats.
The app records the activities and sets guidelines for your pet based on its breed (over 200 choices), age and existing measured activity.
The PitPat measures 1.5-by-1.2-by-.6 inches and weighs 0.42 ounces. It attaches with Velcro to your dog’s existing collar (fit collars up to 40 mm wide and 5 mm thick) and is waterproof (IP67) for quick dips in ponds and splashes.
I attached it to my 12-pound dog, she didn’t really show any reaction. As expected, she didn’t do much while I was working (just as a remote camera showed me years ago) and pretty much spent the day shut eyed.
The goal of the PitPat is to keep your dog healthy for a longer and happy life, just as an activity tracker does for you and me.
If you have multiple pets, the app can support up to three individual PitPat devices. It’s powered by a small coin-sized battery (CR1632) and should last for about a year.
One thing I did wonder was answered on the PitPat site: does the device emit harmful radiation that could harm my dog? And the answer is No, the PitPat uses standard Bluetooth technology, which is perfectly safe for humans and pets.
www.pitpatpet.com $55.48
The Monster Power black platinum 1200 power strip does everything you would expect from a high-end surge protector.
It has 12 AC outlets attached to a 6-foot cord, 2 USB charging ports (3.4amp), provides fireproof protection, noise filtration and cable/satellite TV coax protection.
The main attraction is the power surge protection aspect, which you should use on all your valuable electronics – computers, gaming units, TVs, etc. A power surge is a spike in your data or power lines, most often caused by weather, but it could also be from heavy usage on the lines or utility company issues.
What really interested me in this device is the power line (PLC) communication, which I was not familiar with.
I spoke with a representative from Monster to explain what PLC is and simply, it’s a communication protocol that uses your house’s existing electrical wiring for electrical outlets to carry and transmits data.
So after you plug you’re existing data into Black Platinum 1200, you send your existing Internet signal to another part of your house for a wired Internet connection.
A great aspect is that you set this up yourself; just plug in the included power line adapter to an AC outlet near your existing modem. Then use an ethernet cable to connect them.
Figure out where you want your computer or whatever needs a wired Internet connection. Then plug the power strip into an AC outlet and an ethernet cable to the ethernet port on the power center.
This replaces the need of a long ethernet cable or it can reach where a cable can’t.
You also get $1 million insurance to guarantee the Black Platinum 1200 will protect the equipment connected to it. Check the Monster warranty for details.
www.monsterproducts.com $199.95
In no particular order, the Marley Chant Sport portable Bluetooth speaker has great sound and great looks.
The Bluetooth sound comes from a pair of speakers (4.5W, 1.75-inch drivers and a 2X passive radiator) inside a 360-degree sound chamber covered by a black mesh grill.
As for the looks, it shouldn’t be a surprise since Marley really put a great emphasis on their product’s appearance.
The outside is made of recycled blended bio-plastic, silicone and recyclable aluminum. It has an IPX7 water-resistant rating so it can withstand getting caught in a quick rain shower but just don’t take it for a swim, although it will float.
It measures 7.75-by-3.65-by-3.65-inches and is shaped like a water bottle to conveniently first into a cup holder.
Inside is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, good for about 8 hours of play and a built-in microphone for handsfree calls.
ww.thehouseofmarley.com $79.99
