Compiled by CIARA O'BRIEN
Three MiFi Lite €39
Three Ireland’s latest mobile broadband device is the sleekest yet. The Mifi Lite connects up to five devices at a time, but is portable enough to slip into your pocket. It’s especially handy for those on mobile plans with data allowances that don’t cope well with streaming video on the way to work, or downloading large attachments if you feel the need to work on the commute.
It has download speeds of up to 21Mbps and upload speeds of 5.76Mbps, network permitting. Plus it’s easy to see exactly what it is doing, thanks to some colour-coded indicators on the front that show if devices are connected to its wifi signal or if the thing is even switch on.
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Tardis $40
Doctor Who fan? In need of an alarm clock? Then the Tardis Projection Alarm Clock is for you. As you might guess from the name, this miniature time-travelling spaceship replica projects the time on to a wall, so you don’t even have to look at the clock itself. The LCD screen showing the time is built into the doors of the Tardis if you really want to check it yourself though.
The alarm, most importantly, will wake you to the sounds of the Tardis coming in for a landing. Plus some flashy lights, for effect.
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iFrogz Boost €40
The quickest way to amplify the sound from your smartphone is to use the iFrogz Boost speaker. There are no wireless technologies to drain your battery, no pairing and no cables to worry about. The device uses Near Field Audio, a technology that doesn’t even require you to switch on your Bluetooth.
All you have to do is place it on the speaker and if your device supports the standard, it will amplify your audio. It’s as easy as that. The sound won’t replace your expensive speakers but as a convenient way to boost it, whether it’s podcasts or pop, it’s not a bad alternative.
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Grippy Pad€9
The Grippy Pad is simple but effective. You stick it to a surface – your bedside table, the dashboard of your car, your wall – and you can stick various items to it. Your smartphones, your music player, even your keys. As long as the item is not too heavy – I’m not sure I’d trust a full-size iPad to it, for example – you can secure your items. When you are using your smartphone as a GPS device, it’s a handy way to stop it from sliding around the dashboard in your car. And if it loses stickiness, all you have to do is wash it in warm soapy water.
