Charging ahead with multiple devices

I have many gadgets.  Fortunately, most portable gadget manufacturers have settled on USB as a standard for data and charging.  And several supporting tech companies have realized that people need intriguing ways to charge the myriad devices we all have.  Personally, I have several Belkin products, but the computer desk in my office is always a mess of wires and cables running around for all my gadgets.

Belkin has solved my problem while simultaneously cutting down on power consumption with a nifty multi-device charging dock.  Cables are neatly stored under the platform and after 4 hours the power shuts down.  The dock is smart enough to know that when no devices are connected, it doesn't need to be powered up. And it's also wily enough to allow more time for charging when a new device is connected. Now, if I could just get it to take out the trash...

Check out the Belkin F7C008 Conserve Valet USB Charging Station

Bluetooth: A Car Story

When the Bluetooth protocol was announced I was at the University studying Electrical Engineering.  It was held by many of my peers that the 802.15 IEEE standard (Bluetooth), was a gutless wonder that would never make it to prime time. Yet here we are many years later, using it as a standard for low-bandwidth, short-range data (or in the case of mobile phones; 2-Way Voice).

Not too long ago Bluetooth version 2 made it's debut with the ability to add 2-channel stereo audio; an impressive addition for smart phones.  The concept allows for the music and video capabilities of smart phones to transmit the audio to another device such as a home or car stereo.

Very recently the idea of being able to listen to the audio apps without the spending hundreds of dollars on an after-market sound system, led me to the (image above) Belkin AirCast Auto HandsFree.  This simple device allows me to charge my phone, while streaming audio to my car stereo via Bluetooth. Brilliant!

I will note that the AirCast includes the capability of 2-way Voice communication, but its performance depends on the proximity of your mouth to the head of the unit.  I have yet to find a place that will cause it to function without copious amounts of feedback to the caller.