Have an older car with no Bluetooth? Bring it up-to-date cheap!

The life of tech gadgets can be short. A perfect example of that is this  JBL Smartbase. This well-built gadget from a famous company is selling for up to 90% off the MSRP. The JBL Smartbase Wireless won an Innovation Award at CES 2016 and came into the marketplace with a price of $199.95. It's described on Amazon as a: Perfect Bluetooth Dashboard Solution for Old Cars and Smartphone Navigation. It allows you to enjoy JBL quality sound wirelessly via Bluetooth. Adds ADAS (advanced driver assist system) functions like LDW (lane departure warning), FCW (front collision warning) and Traffic Signal Recognition into vehicles with minimum cost and no modifications to the vehicle. Patented Noise Canceling Technology uses beam forming, echo cancellation and noise suppression. Voice Logic minimizes background and wind noise to deliver superior voice quality as well as the highest speech recognition accuracy. The JBL Smartbase supports both Siri and Google Now. (Through your smartphone.) Qi Compliant Wireless Charging. --- That sounds good if you want to update an old car, but from the fast price drop (from almost $199.95 to $99 to $69 to $39 to as little as $19) it seems not enough people needed or wanted one. Or maybe they didn't know about it. But now they do. 

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/H-QJr_CEZIY

On 5/11/19 this $199.95 gadget was $19.00 on Amazon, but that price could change at any time! https://amzn.to/2vQV6vB 

GizWiz Link. Pay the same as everyone else but GizWizBiz gets a small credit to buy more stuff. Thank you.

An e-bike that fits in a backpack? Meet the Smacircle.

Yes an e-bike small and light enough to fits in a backpack. That's what Smacircle says they've created with their model S1. And people are really interested. On Indiegogo their project raised nearly $560,000.00. It's built with carbon fiber and although it weighs only about 16 pounds it's strong enough to carry a weight of up to 220lbs/ 100kg. It folds to fit into a standard backpack with the tallest dimension of the S1 being 19 inches. Or you can carry it easily by holding onto the saddle. The brushless DC Motor is said to reach a top speed of 15 mph (legal limit in most places) and it has a range of about 20 miles depending on road surface and speed. The S1 e-bike automatically connects with your mobile phone when the rider is within range of the S1. When the security lock is activated, the accelerator becomes deactivated. With the security lock, no one else can unlock/ride the ebike except you. Custom solid damping tires so there's no need to worry about punctures, or inflating. Tires are only 8” in diameter so I assume smoother roads are the best. A front light and sidelights ensures you are visible at night to traffic and pedestrians. The company says it's 100% street legal. Folded, it's approximately 7.5" X 11 3/4" X 19.3". Open: Height: 33.85 inches, Width: 37.40 inches -which I guess is the length of the S1, and Depth: 18.50 inches, probably the width of handlebars. Presale price is $999.00 till the end of May 2019. Then $1399.00. According their website, delivery is in June.

Giz Wiz Video with company video: https://youtu.be/knSJB1kdcE8 

Company website:  www.smacircle.com   

The Giz Wiz visits the NY 2019 Auto Show & Meets the 2020-2021 Rivian Electric Adventure Truck.

I thought this was an interesting truck concept when I saw it at the 2019 NY Auto Show, but it became a lot more interesting when I saw an article about the company in Thursday's (4/25/19) New York Times. Seems Ford is VERY interested in this truck and this company and is investing $500,000M in it. That's after Amazon's $700,000M investment, so Rivian must be on to something big! Amazon reportedly wants them to build electric delivery trucks for them. Rivian has introduced the first fully electric truck I've heard of, the Adventure R1T. The company also introduced a new all electric SUV, and the two new models should be out by the end of 2020. They're being built at a former Mitsubishi plant in central Illinois. They're powered by four 147-kilowatt electric motors, one on each wheel which means there's has a lot of room in each model for storage of varying kinds. You'll see the unique 'sport gear tunnel' in the video on this week's show. Base price will be $69,000 for a 230-mile-range truck before Fed rebate. Optional range up to 400 miles. A $1,000 refundable deposit will get you on the waiting list.

Giz Wiz Video: https://youtu.be/K_w2klLkI1Y

Company video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A3KkpxmYIk

Company website: https://products.rivian.com/ 

Google Home Can Now Leave Home & Get Into Your Car.

Reporters learned about the Roav Bolt at CES 2019. But it just became available for sale this past Tuesday, April 17^th. The Roav Bolt is an aftermarket device by Anker that brings the Google Assistant to almost any car. Optimized for Android devices, just say, “Hey Google,” or tap the button on Roav Bolt to find the nearest coffee shop, play your favorite song or podcast, navigate home, read texts, make calls, set reminders, and check your schedule for the day. If you have an iPhone, the company says there's a beta version that doesn't have all the features of the Android version right now. It’s super easy to set up. Just plug the Bolt into your car’s charging socket and connect it to your phone’s Bluetooth and your car’s stereo. (There's a 3.5mm AUX cable in the box if there's no Bluetooth in your car.) The twin built in noise reduction mics are designed to help ensure your Assistant hears you clearly, even if your phone is locked or stashed away. The top of the device has the same four familiar LED lights as the Google home mini. On the side of the bolt are two 2.4v USB inputs to charge devices as you roam. It's available now at Best Buy & Anker online, other places soon.... $49.99 MSRP.

I did not see it on Amazon yet as of 4/20/19

Company website page: https://www.anker.com/store/roav-bolt/R5360011

Need to charge a phone, a tablet, even a MacBook Pro on the go?

Meet the new PowerCore+ 19000 PD Charger from Anker, a world-famous name in consumer add-ons.

This is an awesome 19,200 mAh travel powerhouse for full-speed USB-C charging for phones, tablets, even (some) laptops. Charges iPhone 8 up to 6 times, Samsung Galaxy S9 over 4 1/2 times, and provides over 1 full charge for a MacBook Pro. Ships with a 30W USB-C Power Delivery wall charger that recharges the 19000 PD device in 2 hours! 10 LED's tell you how much power is left. But wait, there's more! Switch to Hub Mode to sync data and connect accessories like keyboard, mice, etc. In the box also is a convenient mesh travel bag and connecting cable. Info from Anker: Charge your entire mobile workstation all at once with 1 27W USB-C Power Delivery port, 1 15W USB PowerIQ 2.0 port, and 1 10W USB PowerIQ port. From The Giz Wiz: Hub Mode transforms PowerCore+ into a high-speed data syncing hub, enabling you to connect extra accessories to your computer. Capacity: 19,200mAh / 71.04WhAnd this is also great to know. It comes with 18-month warranty. MSRP is $129.99, but I've seen this combo on special for $99.99 online.

Amazon - It was $119.99 on 4/10/19, but

UPDATE!!  Amazon link:  https://amzn.to/2XhN2zC  -- It was $119.99, but now it's under $85.00! That price could change at any time! But that was the Amazon price late night 4/16/19   --

Company website page:https://www.anker.com/products/variant/anker-powercore-19000-pd-hybrid-portable-charger-usb-c-hub-included-usb-c-wall-charger/B13621A1  

GizWiz Link. Pay the same as everyone else, GizWizBiz gets a small credit to buy more stuff to show. Thank you.