Like the sound of a speaker enclosed in a wood cabinet? Read on.

Some people feel the natural acoustic properties of a speaker enclosed in a wood cabinet sounds best. So do the people who produce the Vers Sound Systems. They build a line of speakers in three different woods. I got to try the Vers 1Q Sound System. Wrapped in a 3" handcrafted bamboo cube, the little 1Q Bluetooth sound system does produces warm, natural sound. The integrated Bluetooth v2.1 makes wireless hook-up any smart phone, laptop or tablet device. It took just a few seconds to pair to my Galaxy S3. (Of course the device itself must be Bluetooth equipped.) The 1Q is small, just 3" X 3" X 3" (76 mm X 76 mm X 76 mm) and it can fit in the palm of your hand. The speaker weighs 8 oz. It does deliver enough rich sound for the bedroom, kitchen, office, hotel room, etc. Once fully charged you should get an estimated 10+ hours of battery life. If you want stereo plug in a second 1Q and it will is ready to play. Plug two 1Q's together and they will automatically switch from mono to left & right stereo. If you have a device with Bluetooth there’s a 3.5mm Aux Input. The available woods are walnut, beech and bamboo. I like Vers Audio’s regard for the use of wood.  Since the beginning they have replaced all of the wood they use in production in a 100 to 1 in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation and the US forest service. They also set up a 1:1 tree planting option at check out - you plant a tree and we'll plant one too! More details are at the company website. The Vers 1Q Sound System is $119.99.

http://www.versaudio.com/vers1Q.html

Want to know the exact wind speed exactly where you are?

Gee, it’s windy out? How windy is it? Now you’ll be able to tell exactly with the Vaavud, a wireless wind meter that connects to many smartphones. There’s no electronics involved, but the company says it’s been tested and calibrated in a wind tunnel at The Technical University of Denmark. Who needs this? Well, besides people who just love gadgets, it offers wind-dependent outdoor enthusiasts like kite surfers, golfers, Para gliders, sailors, model plane flyers, etc. the information needed to best plan their day of adventure. And soon, you'll be able to share this information online, and check out live wind readings from other users on an interactive map. When you get the wind info from the weather bureau, the information is probably taken many miles from where you’ll actually be. With the Vaavud, you can share the  wind speed exactly where you are. It can measure wind speeds up to 25 miters per second, which if I did the calculations right, is about 56 miles per hour. It’s resistant to water, sand, and dirt. Surprising, the rugged design contains no electronics. Vaavud connects to your phone wirelessly via its two small magnets in the rotor. The phones built-in magnetic field sensor detects when they rotate, and converts the rotations to wind speeds. (It uses algorithms normally used for sound processing.) To use the device, just download the free app, and insert the Vaavud in the headphone jack of your device. Since there’s no electrical connection, you can actually hold the Vaavud away from your device and still see the wind reading on the screen. It’s compatible with most iOS devices (not iPods!), and the Samsung Galaxy SII, SIII and SIV. Visit the company website for more compatable devices.  I got to play with one for a bit and you can it working in the YouTube Video below.  The Vaavud, which was a very successful Kickstarter project, retails for $49.99.

www.bitemyapple.co

Giz Wiz Vaavud Video: http://youtu.be/5l0cjs8Yrsk

Vaavud Company website: http://www.versaudio.com/vers1q.html

Do you sometimes wish your smart phone had regular USB ports so you can use a flashdrive or even a keyboard?

Well, now with the MicroUSB OTG 3-Port Hub with Smartphone Stand, you can do that easily. The MicroUSB OTG 3-Port Hub allows you to connect 3 different USB devices to many On The Go (OTG) enabled Android devices. Yes, only Android. A nice change from how many times I have to report iOS devices only. If you add a mouse and keyboard to your compatible Android Tablet or phone, it could become a mini portable PC. It works with many micro-B smart phone devices, including the Galaxy S3 and S4. I tried it on my Galaxy S4, and added a keyboard and a flashdrive. But wait, there’s more! In addition to adding USB devices like Flash Drive / USB Card Reader / Mouse, etc., the MicroUSB OTG device acts a stand! Brando calls it Smart Stand Design. Position your phone in vertical, horizontal or even lying viewing positions. It a perfect movie-watching and working stand. The entire device is very small, and very inexpensive. There are no instructions with the device, just what's printed on the box. It says: Samsung Galaxy R, Galaxy S, Galaxy SII, Galaxy SIII, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Xcover, Galaxy Celox, Sony Xperia arc S, Xperia P, Nokia N8 and Nokia oro. It's just $10 at the company website: 

http://usb.brando.com/microusb-otg-3-port-hub-with-smartphone-stand_p03242c039d015.html 

We talked about this device on The Giz Wiz too. See or hear that show: www.twit.tv/giz1427  

Another gadget to help deal with the summer heat.

Citrus Zinger Under $17. A clever and easy way to extract juice and flavor from citrus fruits and infuse them directly into your water bottle. Place the flavoring fruit you want to use in the bottom on the Zinger and just screw into the bottle. Fill with water to create delicious lemonades, limeades, and orangeades, etc. 

Here’s some info from the company: When life gives you lemons, give it theCitrus Zinger. It's so simple, so easy, and so tasty. Designed specifically for citrus fruits, Zing away with lemons, limes, clementines, and more. The Citrus Zinger offers an easy way to extract juice and flavor from citrus fruits and infuse them directly into your water bottle. Creating delicious lemonades, limeades, and orangeades, the Citrus Zinger flavor infuser is great for the active, on-the-go water drinker. Take it to yoga, the office, and around town. Enrich your water with vitamin C and flavonoids, and let the Citrus Zinger take you to that sunny, perfect day you long for, every day. 

http://www.zinganything.com/product/citruszinger

Traveling to a dry or hot climate? This is a great travel gadget to bring along.

Satechi USB Portable Humidifier attaches to the top of most water bottles. To use the Satechi USB Portable Humidifier, simply fill an empty bottle or glass with purified water, place the humidifier into the opening of the container, making sure the filter is submerged in water, and plug the humidifier into a USB port for instant comfort. To turn off the humidifier, unplug it or wait until it automatically shuts off after eight hours. You can then refill the bottle and plug the humidifier into a USB port to turn it back on. But wait, there’s more! Fill the bottle with cold water and you use the humidifier as a mister to cool you off. The company says you can also add liquid fragrances or essential oils to the water for the ultimate relaxing environment. I was also able to operate the Satechi USB Portable Humidifier using one of my portable power USB devices. $29.99. 

Company website: http://www.satechi.net/index.php/satechi-usb-portable-humidifier