The Ellipse smart lock allows you to securely share your ride

The sharing economy took a turn towards the two-wheeled at CES in Las Vegas on Thursday when Lattis "the smart city company" introduced its new Ellipse Smart Bike Lock. As its name implies, the Ellipse packs as many IoT features as it can into its so...

Deal: 3-in-1 Lightning, MicroUSB & USB-C Cable

Like to cross the streams between Apple and other gadget brands? Forget carrying around multiple cables. This handy cable from CaseStudi combines three commonly-used cables in one.

This 1-meter long cable quickly converts from Lightning to MicroUSB to USB-C on one end, and has a standard USB connector on the other end, making it perfect for charging or syncing all your devices. The Lightning connector is MFi certified too, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility either.

Drop by the Technabob Shop today, and grab one of these versatile cables for just $22.99 – a $7 savings off the regular price.

Deal: Save 28% on the Just Mobile AluCable Duo for iOS & Android Devices

Do you have a variety of gadgets with either MicroUSB and Lightning connectors? Hate carrying around multiple cables? Now you can charge them both with this clever cable from Just Mobile.

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The 5-foot-long AluCable Duo offers a USB connector on one end and a stackable microUSB and Lightning connector on the other. Simply snap on or off the Lightning adapter at the end to connect to any mobile device. The MFi-certified cable itself is shielded, and has premium grade aluminum connectors.

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Head to the Technabob Shop now, and grab the AluCable Duo for just $17.95(USD), a 28% savings off the regular retail price.

Deal: ResQbattery Micro-USB Disposable Phone Battery: 3-Pack

It always sucks when your phone or tablet runs out of juice. Sure, you could carry around a big battery to provide some extra power, but most of us don’t want to keep something like that in our pocket or even in a purse. These tiny battery packs give you enough power to get back up and running in a pinch, and take up virtually no space.

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Each disposable ResQbattery emergency battery pack is pre-charged 1300 mAh of power – enough for up to 5 hours of talk and text (depending on your device, of course). Since they’re designed for one-time use, you can buy a bunch and put one in each of your suitcases and other bags, so you always have a battery on hand, no matter what. They have a 5 year shelf life, and they’re eco-friendly too, so you can feel okay tossing them in the trash once you’re done.

Grab a 3-pack of MicroUSB compatible ResQbatteries over at the Technabob Shop for just $16.99 – a 29% savings off the regular retail price.

Deal: Save 30% on the inCharge Keyring Cable: 2-Pack

Have you ever found yourself in need of a charging cable, but didn’t have one with you? Now you can keep a charging cable with you all the time without taking up any extra space with these nifty inCharge Keyring Cables.

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These teensy cables hang on your keychain and provide either a microUSB to USB or an Apple Lightning to USB adapter in a jiffy. For just $19, you’ll get a 2-pack that includes both versions, so you’re covered no matter what sort of gadgets you’re using, or you can choose a pack with two microUSB or two Lightning cables if that’s what you prefer.

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Drop on by the Technabob Shop now to grab this great deal on a really useful product.

Gecko Wireless Charging Adapter for Mobile Devices: PseudoQi

We’ve seen a couple of charging cable adapters that mimic Apple’s MagSafe connector. The Gecko on the other hand mimics both MagSafe and wireless chargers using thin magnetic adapters.

Instead of plugging your devices, you’ll just place them on top of your cable or power bank and the adapters will snap into each other.

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Gecko has three adapters. The first one plugs into your mobile device’s Lightning or Android port, with its magnetic contact points lying flat on the back of your mobile device. The second adapter is for your charging cable, and the third one is for USB charging ports.

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To charge your device, simply align the contact points on your phone to one on your cable or USB charger, similar to how you place a device on top of a wireless charger.

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So it’s not a totally wireless setup, but it’s a bit more convenient than the MagSafe-style adapters.

You can pledge at least $14 (USD) on Indiegogo to receive one of each adapter as a reward. I think it’s a great idea on paper, but I’m worried that the contact points might be fragile, especially the ones that are meant to be left exposed on the back of mobile devices. I wonder if they can stand up to occasional drops and scratches.

[via The Gadget Flow]

Znaps Magnetic Connector for Smartphones Makes Charging a Snap

Over the years, I have used a bunch of different iPhone models and Android devices. I like the Lightning connector for the iPhone because it’s easy to connect and you don’t have to worry about which way the connector goes in. You can’t say the same about Android devices. I always seem to try to plug the MicroUSB cable in upside-down and have damaged the little ledge inside the charge port on a smartphone before leaving it very hard to connect to the charge cable.

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A new product has turned up on Kickstarter called Znaps that gives your smartphone some MacBook style charging tech. Znaps includes a Lightning or microUSB connector that you slip into your mobile device’s charge port. Once installed you never take that adapter out of your phone and it is small enough to allow you to use your case.

The other section of the Znaps adapter connects to your charge cable. That other section connects magnetically to the portion stuck into your smartphone. The result is a Magsafe-style charging solution for your iOS or Android device.

You can order a Znap from Kickstarter for about $9(USD).

Toshiba’s TransferJet adapter does high-speed video transfer from micro-USB, smartphone chip coming next year

Toshiba's TransferJet adapter offers highspeed video transfer from microUSB ports, builtin chip for smartphones coming next year

Toshiba's TransferJet has kept relatively quiet since we got the full explanation (spoilers: high-speed data transfer over very short distances) on stage at CES 2013. Finally, several Toshiba products are now ready for launch. Alongside a compatible SDHC card, there's also has a new micro-USB adapter that plugs into your (Android-only, although Toshiba are in discussions with Apple) smartphone, enabling those much-faster-than-Bluetooth data speeds over a distance of a few centimeters. It worked without a hitch on the show floor here at CEATEC, and the TransferJet duo is set to go on sale this December.

Toshiba's spokesperson added that pricing for the pair of adapters will come in at around 10,000 yen (around $100), although it was the tiny chip sat next to it that really piqued our interest. Toshiba is planning to get its TransferJet tech embedded within smartphones and other products in the future, which could make a far more convincing argument for the file transfer technique. One module chip has been given a December production date, although the company wouldn't spill the beans on exactly which devices we'll see it in.

Darren Murph contributed to this report. %Gallery-slideshow99600%

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Apple’s Lightning to micro-USB adapter now available in US, not just Europe anymore

Apple's Lightning to microUSB adapter now available in US, not just Europe anymore

Just in case you thought the Lightning to micro-USB connector was Europe-only (to stave off that pesky European Commission), Apple has decided to sell it stateside as well. The tiny choking hazard recently made its way to the company's online store in the US for $19 each (over in Europe, it's £15 / €19), and brick-and-mortar locations will probably get them too -- if they're not in stock already. We're not sure if there's a huge demand for this, but if you're a recent iPod, iPhone, or iPad (Mini or 4th gen) owner with a plethora of existing micro-USB cables, an adapter like this could help lighten your nest of wires.

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Apple's Lightning to micro-USB adapter now available in US, not just Europe anymore originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Nov 2012 02:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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