Source: USA TODAY

With its svelte physique, sultry voice and sassy attitude, it’s hard not to fall head over heels for the iPhone. Show how much you care with these new toys we’ve found. We’re sure you’ll enjoy them as well.

A smartphone breathalyzer

It was only a matter of time before someone designed a breathalyzer for the iPhone.

The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer ($150) is a professional-grade alcohol-testing device that works in conjunction with an iOS app to track blood alcohol content. Launched at the end of April, BACtrack is equipped with fuel-cell sensors, which are employed by law enforcement officers for roadside alcohol testing. Providing quick, accurate and reliable readings, fuel cells are more sensitive than breathalyzers designed for home and personal use, which typically utilize semiconductor sensors.

I didn’t think this was worth mentioning, but on the few occasions when I talked about this Bluetooth breathalyzer, people immediately thought of this as a drinking game accessory. No, the purpose of BACtrack isn’t to see who can blow the highest number but, instead, to use as a precautionary measure, especially if you’re thinking about getting behind the wheel after a few drinks (even simpler: don’t).

When you take a reading — at least 15 minutes after drinking to avoid distorting results — the BACtrack app displays your blood alcohol content, context for what the reading means (sober, intoxicated or somewhere in between) and your ZeroLine, an estimate of how long it’ll take before your BAC returns to 0. The app, which tracks these numbers over time, also lets you add pictures, locations, drinks and other notes to provide more insight into your drinking habits. Somewhat annoyingly, each time you launch the app, you have to re-pair the breathalyzer to your phone. There are also occasions when the app freezes up, fixed only by restarting, so I’m hoping an update will fix these issues.

Being a smartphone breathalyzer, it wouldn’t be complete without social features. On the most basic level, that means extra mouthpieces so friends can also test their sobriety. To avoid skewing your results, the app lets you designate readings as yours or your friends’. If you feel so compelled, you can also share your results over text message, Facebook or Twitter. In my sober opinion, doing so seems like it’d work against you. I can already see it unfolding: “I swear I’m not drunk,” you insist. “Twitter says otherwise,” says an agitated parent, partner, pal or police officer. “Oops.”

A gorgeous Geiger counter

Geiger counters, the devices that measure radiation levels, aren’t designed to be beautiful, but Lapka is changing that.

With five sensors, Lapka ($220) is a modular personal environmental monitor that measures radiation, nitrates in produce, electromagnetic field, humidity and temperature. Since each concerns different types of molecules, these measurements are taken individually. Switching between the parts can be cumbersome, but the design is intentional to keep costs down and allow for the addition of other monitors down the line. Creative Director Vadik Marmeladov says the individual tools provide parallel levels of accuracy to the ones on the market — just in a prettier package.

An audio cable is used to connect the iPhone to the four monitors (humidity and temperature are combined into one), each featuring an audio port. To keep the parts as one cohesive unit, the cord runs through each component, so they look almost like pendants on a necklace — a jab at wearable computers, if you will. Most of the monitors don’t require much more effort than placement (e.g., near an electronic device when testing EMF), but the produce sensor includes a detachable probe to stick into fruits and vegetables to measure the concentration of nitrate ions from synthetic fertilizers (a sign your produce isn’t organic). Each time you take a reading, the app provides a baseline of what is considered safe and visualizes the surrounding particles, color coding the background to let you know if the measurements are in line with set standards (blue is good, red is bad).

Though Lapka calls itself a home monitor, Marmeladov recommends running tests routinely outside the home as well. The data and location are logged with each reading, and the hope is to map this information out so the community can see how different regions compare.

Solvei’s budget iPhone network

Before T-Mobile made a big hoopla about carrying the iPhone and being an “uncarrier” (whatever that means), close to 2 million iPhones were already operating on its network.

That includes customers of Solavei, which in March introduced nano SIM cards specifically for the iPhone 5. For $49 a month without a contract, the mobile service provider offers unlimited voice, text and data to those who bring over their existing phones, all while leveraging T-Mobile’s infrastructure. T-Mobile offers a comparable plan for $70 a month, and though both operate on the same network, the difference in pricing can be attributed to Solavei’s grassroots marketing. In lieu of a tall marketing budget, the provider relies on its members for word-of-mouth advertising, reducing their bills by $20 a month for every three referrals that stay on the service. Since launching last summer, referral payouts have totaled more than $9.5 million.

In the few months of testing Solavei’s service, T-Mobile’s network appears to have made major headway in San Francisco. Whereas it was once difficult just to load tweets in my downtown San Francisco apartment, my iPhone 5 now typically sees speeds of more than 6 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up. Still, that’s not to say the experience is flawless. The phone often inched at a snail’s pace, and network errors were common. Forget about 4G, I was lucky to even run on 3G, spending about half my time throughout the bay at excruciatingly slow Edge speeds. Often, it felt like such a shame to run this beautiful piece of hardware on such an unreliable network.

Still, like I said, T-Mobile has been bolstering its network, and the difference is noticeable. It’s possible that the promise of T-Mobile’s enhanced coverage and lure of Solavei’s pricing might make these growing pains worth it. Solavei isn’t perfect, but then again, neither are the prices the major carriers charge.

Case keeps iPhone out of your face

So obsessed with your phone that it’s the only thing occupying your line of sight?

Believe it or not, there’s a case for that. MirrorCase integrates an angled mirror so you can shoot photos while the iPhone is in a horizontal position, and a corresponding app inverts the picture so it’s facing right side up. Ahead of the release of a new version for iPhone 5 ($60) this summer, MirrorCase supplied me with a 3-D-printed prototype to try. The slimmed-down case features a pop-out mirror that rotates to shoot in both landscape and portrait modes. A built-in kickstand props the phone on a surface to shoot. This is especially useful for students, who can use the kickstand to record lectures on their iPhones.

While MirrorCase successfully keeps the iPhone from blocking your view (at least while shooting), it’s hard to ignore that it can also serve a more nefarious purpose, allowing creepers to shoot unnoticed in public. This isn’t helped by the app’s built-in privacy screen, which blacks out the display so others can’t see what you’re doing. I’m hoping that’s not you, dear reader.

An elegant analog dock

When Apple moved from 30-pin to Lightning connectors, it signaled impending doom for iPhone docks.

Still, I find myself strangely captivated by Station ($40), a bamboo caddy designed to hold, not charge, an iPhone and keep other miscellany, such as keys and sunglasses, organized on a desk. An exemplar of minimalist design, Station keeps things exceedingly simple. The compartments — labeled phone, pen and stuff — are precision-cut from a piece of bamboo, and a laser etches the subtle branding on the front. Since Station isn’t built for a specific phone, it’ll also stick around for your next phone upgrade.

Station originated from a successful Kickstarter project by Nathan Mummert in Scottsdale, Ariz. Having raised more than $10,000, it doubled its original funding goal of $5,000. BiteMyApple.co, a retailer that sells crowdfunded Apple-theme products, will begin shipping Station later this month.

E-mail Alice Truong at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter: @alicetruong.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

After a long day at work, Parris Woodhead likes to unwind by playing StarCraft.

But about two years ago, the 49-year-old computer technician in Austin changed up his evening routine. He’s still playing video games, but now he’s about 35 pounds lighter. The secret to his dramatic weight loss? A treadmill desk.

“I already bought a treadmill, but it sat in the corner, and we hung clothes on it to dry,” Woodhead said. He finally got around to using it after buying a desk attachment called the TrekDesk. For each hour-and-a-half gaming session, he would walk more than 2 miles at a slight incline, burning roughly 400 calories every night. “If you get really into the game, you don’t realize you’re exercising and just keep on going.”

In recent years, the office chair has garnered a reputation as a silent killer. With study after study linking sedentary behavior to increased risks of heart disease, diabetes and even early death, more workers are seeking alternatives to keep them on their feet. Infiltrating home offices and corporate settings alike, newfangled standing and walking desks have helped people shed pounds, increase energy and gain other health benefits.

While the price tags for these desks can easily run in the thousands, breaking the bank isn’t necessary.

Since Woodhead had already plunked down $1,000 on a treadmill, he only needed to buy the TrekDesk, which costs $479. “I thought it was expensive, but if it would get me to use the treadmill, it’d be worthwhile,” he noted.

When the company began selling treadmill desks five years ago, TrekDesk CEO Steve Bordley said it offered the first affordable model. Compare that against the SteelCase WalkStation, designed by the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. James Levine, which made its debut in 2008 at about $4,000.

“When I first started this, really, it was a novelty,” said Bordley, who left the commercial real estate business after suffering a gunshot wound to his leg in 1994. The “freak accident” involved a large-caliber rifle that left him largely immobile for two years. When he was finally back on his feet, he found walking helped ease his back pains and leg neuropathy, prompting him to create TrekDesk.

Even simpler and cheaper is Keith Gould’s solution. The 34-year-old software engineer in New York City hacked together his own standing desk using empty computer boxes lying around at work. Though his employer, SideTour, was willing to buy him a standing desk, he decided to test one out first. He propped his display on an iMac box and raised his keyboard and mouse using MacBook Air packaging.

“I found myself drowsy throughout the day and felt like I was in a half-sleeping position already,” Gould said. With the help of Lumoback, a wearable back sensor that vibrates when one slouches, his posture and alertness have improved.

When LifeSpan Fitness, an exercise equipment company, noticed customers had likewise created makeshift desks using its treadmills, President Pete Schenk saw a business opportunity.

“We paid close attention to what they liked and didn’t like about their DIY versions, and applied that feedback when we set out to design a complete model,” Schenk said.

At the end of 2011, LifeSpan began manufacturing treadmill desks. While the company doesn’t disclose sales figures, Schenk said, “Our treadmill desk experiment has exceeded expectations over the last year to where we’ve grown from that original treadmill desk to 10 different products that help people stay active while they work.”

One such customer is Janet Oberholtzer, 47. Because of the leg injuries she sustained in a six-car accident, her time in the office is split between walking on a treadmill desk and resting on a chair and ottoman. In 2004, the motor home she was driving cross country with her family was involved in an accident with five semi trucks. To this day, Oberholtzer, a speaker and writer who lives in Reading, Pa., can’t sit with her legs hanging down or stand still for long periods without her legs swelling.

“Walking slowly while working is the perfect solution for my legs because it increases my circulation and also helps prevent any blood clots in my compromised legs that could result from not moving for too many hours at a time,” the avid runner said. “Plus, I think my brain works best when my body is active, so walking while working helps me think clearer and sharper.”

At his most recent physical in April, Woodhead said the nurse who measured his blood pressure and heart rate mistook him for a runner. Now down to 233 pounds, he said he has enough energy to outlast his wife and two kids, ages 9 and 12. Over spring break, he and his family traveled to West Texas to climb Guadalupe Peak, the highest natural point in the state.

“We didn’t make it all the way to the top, but it wasn’t because of me,” he boasted.

E-mail Alice Truong at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter: @alicetruong.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Source: USA TODAY

Yearning for fresh air? Hiking and camping are great ways to unplug, but you don’t have to leave your gadgets behind. For your next adventure in the great outdoors, check out the useful gear we’ve scouted for this week’s Surf Report.

Camp stove charges up gadgets

In dry areas where open fires are prohibited, having a camp stove can mean the difference between a delicious hot meal (and by that, I mean freeze-dried space food) and granola bars for dinner.

The BioLite CampStove ($130) is an obvious choice for techies who can’t remember life before the iPhone. Even in the middle of nowhere, you can charge up gadgets thanks to a USB port on the stove. BioLite is fueled off renewable biomass, such as twigs, pine cones and leaves. The heat from the fire is converted to electricity that powers both the USB port and a fan that helps improves combustion. About 1.6 ounces of wood is needed to boil a liter of water, which depending on the strength of the fire, takes roughly four to five minutes.

The introduction of a portable grill ($60) makes this fantastic for car camping (burgers, anyone?). For backpackers who measure out every last ounce of gear, this 33-ounce stove can be on the heavy side. However, the convenience and weight savings of foregoing fuel canisters have their appeal in the backcountry.

A warm shower in the woods

Camping evokes romantic notions of exploring the wilderness and sleeping under the stars, but that doesn’t mean we don’t long for hot showers.

NEMO aims to bring this convenience to the backcountry with its Helio Pressure Shower ($100). Unlike outdoor gravity showers, Helio, which weighs 25 ounces, uses a foot pump that pressurizes an 11-liter collapsible tank, eliminating the bumbling process of hanging a heavy water container from a tree branch.

Occasional pumping maintains the pressure (the company adds that there’s no such thing as overinflating the tank), resulting in a gentle stream for five to seven minutes. If you leave a filled tank out in the sun before heading out on your hike, you might even get a warm shower by the time you return. By no means is this a hot high-pressure shower, but it’s certainly more comfortable than a dip in a cold stream. Not to mention, a portable tank and hose can come in handy for other purposes, such as washing dishes, rinsing mud off gear and bathing Fido.

UV bottle filters water

Campers are familiar with the hassles of purifying water. Boiling doesn’t just test your patience — if you thought watching water boil was boring, try watching it cool — it also makes the water taste stale. Likewise, iodine tablets can take up to an hour and leave behind an after taste. Pump filters, meanwhile, can be clumsy to handle, and might not remove contaminants found in water outside North America depending on the model.

CamelBak’s fantastic solution is its All Clear bottle ($99), which uses a UV bulb to neutralize microbiological contaminants, making this not just great for camping but travel in general. You know how everyone says don’t drink the water in Mexico? No fear with All Clear.

The magic is in the cap, which houses a short-range UV light that kills 99.9999% of bacteria. On a full charge, All Clear can last 80 cycles, or treat about 16 gallons of water. The purifier is ideal for treating clear water, such as that from streams, spigots and taps. In dire situations where the only water available is murky, CamelBak advises people to filter the water multiple times using a pre-filter attachment cap, a commercial micro filter and All Clear.

Using All Clear is incredibly simple, made easier with illustrations printed onto the back of the bottle. After turning on the cap, you agitate the water by flipping the bottle over for 60 seconds. This activates the UV light and the LCD screen displays a countdown. When the light turns off and the screen shows a checkmark next to “UV,” that’s your indication the water is safe to drink.

One down side is that the rechargeable battery and bulb are not serviceable, but CamelBak says that the cap is engineered to last 10,000 cycles. If you use this three times a day, that’s about nine years.

Wood shades

Over in Portland, Ore., aka Hippietown, USA, Shwood has created exceedingly stylish shades perfect for enjoying nature.

The company’s lightweight sunglasses highlight the aesthetics of natural wood that frame Carl Zeiss lenses imported from Italy. Its flagship model Canby (beginning $145) takes the classic Wayfarer look and embellishes it with four types of wood: oak, dark walnut, walnut and oak, and zebrawood, the last of which is a light wood with a high contrast grain.

At the core of Shwood is an emphasis on high-quality materials and artistry. Its handcrafted glasses are made with sustainable lumber, selected for tone and grain pattern, sourced from authorized plantations in the U.S. and Africa. The frames are treated with a protective finish made of organic waxes and oils. To keep its luster and durability, the company recommends owners apply lip balm, beeswax, butcher block oil or walnut oil to the frames when the wood begins to dry out or fades in color.

Even after returning to civilization, with Shwood, you’ll feel like nature is always with you.

Keeping dry

Inevitably, Mother Nature will turn a gorgeous sunny day into a wet mess. Don’t let the weather put a damper on your plans. We’ve tested a few umbrellas that will keep you dry when the weather isn’t cooperating.

With a 62-inch canopy, the Davek Golf ($129) umbrella is an oversized behemoth that will keep you and your four closest friends dry. (Seriously, this thing is so massive that on several occasions while walking down narrow sidewalks, I found myself stuck between a wall and a sign post.) Davek is so confident in its umbrellas that it offers an unconditional lifetime guarantee. This is something I can appreciate having lived in the Windy City, which relentless tore apart every one of my umbrellas.

Its unique dual-canopy fiberglass frame lets wind travel through the vented construction while keeping the umbrella from inverting. Davek also packed in a few surprises for golfers. The reversible handle base unscrews to reveal an alloy anchor spike, which can be used to secure the umbrella to the turf. With the umbrella in place, golfers are free to take their shots or rest their clubs against the frame’s ribs.

If you don’t need to shelter a small family, the XS_Metro ($49) from Blunt Umbrella is an adorable, portable choice. The XS_Metro opens up to a 37-inch canopy and collapses down to 14 inches. The key to Blunt’s durability is its Radial Tensioning system, which uses double struts to evenly distribute the force needed to open the umbrella. It is this design that gives Blunt its name and its flatter parabolic shape. The floating ribs transfer the opening force onto the ends to keep the canvas taut, creating a durable umbrella without any sharp points. There is some give and take with the design. While it’s eye catching, the rounded edges do mean slightly compromised coverage, with occasional droplets rolling off the edge and onto your shoulders.

E-mail Alice Truong at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter: @alicetruong.

Copyright © 2013 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.