Fire-Wired Blog

This article was first published by dmcityview.com Gadgets and summer are two terms that generally do not go together. People are outside swimming, hiking, playing soccer and, despite what the tech giants would like us to believe, it’s hard to incorporate a smartphone or tablet into those activities. But there is one gadget that not only fits but allows users to relive those experiences with vivid detail — action cameras. Most people have already seen these little wonders and probably don’t know what to make of them. That weird guy with the aparatus strapped to his forehead? That’s his action camera. That Subaru driving down I-235 with a device mounted on the hood? That another action camera (also that was me). While everyday users are starting to adopt these gadgets, over the last few years action cameras have completely revolutionized the way thrill-seekers film and share their adventures. Through the use of high-powered, compact cameras, mountain bikers, skydivers and other adve

This article was first published by dmcityview.com Twenty-one years ago, Bruce Springsteen’s “Human Touch” album featured the song “57 Channels (and Nothin’ On).” If Bruce had saved this song for 2013, the title would be somewhere closer to “1,557 Channels (and Nothin’ On).” Even worse, all those wasted channels cost cable and satellite subscriptions far more than $50 per month, and in many cases $100 per month. For those brave enough to “cut the cord,” streaming Internet video services are becoming more of a viable option. Earlier this month, Roku, one of the most popular streaming service providers out there, released a new version of its set-top box. With only a one-time cost of $99, the Roku 3 is ready to stream content almost immediately after hook up. The device streams in 1080p HD and offers a powerful search feature that scans more than 750 streaming channels including Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Cloud Player. Roku 3 also has a remote that comes with a headphone jack, w

This article was first published by dmcityview.com While smartphones are generally designed to help users gather information from the outside world, a new application aims to help monitor one’s health through the scientific process of urine analysis. Now before you’re turned off by the “ick” factor this idea generates, no, you will not be peeing on your phone. The waste processing application called Uchek was unveiled during a recent TED Talk in Los Angeles, Calif., by its developer, Myshkin Ingawale. The Technology, Education and Design conference regularly spotlights inventors and innovators who develop creative ideas, but few TED talks rival the peculiarity of Uchek. Currently available for 99 cents in Apple’s App Store, the process works through the joint use of a mobile device’s camera and a $20 testing kit (a color-coded test map and a pack of urine dipsticks) available through the developer’s website. The user simply urinates into a container, dips a testing stick in

This article was first published by dmcityview.com How many social networks can one person use? Facebook? Of course. Twitter? Sure. Pinterest? Sounds fun. Google Plus? Maybe. Pheed? What now?               For those not following the trends in social networking, it appears tweens and celebrities are refashioning where it’s cool to share every second of your life. Now, only 4 months old, the social website and app Pheed.com has rocketed to the top of Apple’s Free Apps chart last week and, by all accounts, now has millions of users posting status updates, photos, music, videos and more. What sets Pheed apart from its social predecessors is the ability for users to profit from their content.               For years the business concern about social startups was, how will they make money? MySpace sunk itself by cluttering its site with too many advertisements. Facebook is just now starting to publicly report profits from advertising. Twitter sneaks pay-for-play promoted hashtags and