I remember the first time I bought an MP3 player several years ago. If I want to listen to music without wearing my earphones, I would have to go through the tedious process of setting up portable speakers near an electric outlet or making sure they have batteries to make them work. My problem back then was that (1) disposable batteries don't last very long, (2) rechargeable batteries are expensive and take a long time to charge, (3) the portable speakers are not so portable if they are plugged into a socket. Thank goodness to advances in technology, there are now better ones in the market.
Last October 11, I got a peek into several new models of speakers systems and accessories during the Gear4 Launch held at the Craft Pub and Grill in Bonifacio Global City. Gear 4 is owned and managed by UK-based Disruptive Limited. This was one of the first companies in the world to come up with a dedicated brand of iPod accessories under the Podgear label. At the moment, Gear4 holds one of the highest sales volumes in the European market for both the docking audio and MP3 accessory markets.
This year, Gear 4 partnered with Philippine company Iontech, Inc., which distributes IT and consumer electronics, to introduce their speaker systems and accessories in the country. Iontech believes that Gear4's sound quality and their innovations on every product, from the entry level to the flagship models, will make a big impression on the Philippine market.
I saw a lot of speaker varieties during the launch and they are all pretty impressive. For instance there were wireless Bluetooth speakers for home and beach parties which definitely cater to the growing definition of freedom and people's increasing desire for mobility.
There's also the flagship AirZone Series 1 that lets audiophiles listen, at their most preferred distance, to music through Apple's AirPlay wireless technology; the 16mm thin StreetParty Size 0 which teens would love carrying around so they can share their favorite tunes with friends; and the 30-watt boomer HouseParty 4 Evo for those who love holding lively house parties.
What fascinated me the most, though, were the Angry Birds line of speakers which are described as well-crafted speakers that play loud and sound really good. Fans of the Bad Piggies game, the upcoming Angry Birds animated series, would probably enjoy collecting all five models in the Angry Birds Mini Speakers collection which can surprisingly be linked in series to make a long speaker line as well.
Aside from the hardware, Gear4 further created the SmartLink App that can be downloaded for free from the iTunes store. We were told that installing this app will work wonders for any Gear4 SmartLink compatible dock thanks to its numerous features like a music player that allows access to your music library, an FM radio that can organize favorite radio stations plus clock and alarm function that will sync to an iPod/iPhone/iPad.
Beyond the amazing speaker docks, Gear4 also has products that make iOS devices more interesting. One of these is the Unity Remote which is an infrared module that turns Apple products into a universal remote control that can command TV, radio, receiver, and DVD player.
Another impressive innovation I discovered is Gear4's Renew SleepClock, a unique alarm clock dock that has a built-in wireless sleep monitor that detects sound, breathing, and motion. It knows when you fall asleep and will gradually quiet down the bedside music. It also senses your sleep states and will wake you up with your personalized alarm at the lightest point of your sleep in a given time period so you can start your day feeling light, refreshed, and happy.
The Renew SleepClock will moreover record your sleep patterns through the night, the time you spend in bed, time it took you to fall asleep, time spent in deep and light sleep, and how many sleep interruptions you had. It will then compile and analyze weeks and months of data, along with your sleep journal entries, to give you advise on how to make you sleep better and to track your progress over time. Wow!!!
Filipino teens and young adults looking for value in the small investments they make would find Gear4 products a great choice. More than just pumping out exciting sound, users benefit from thoughtful features that provide function and convenience.
Gear4 and Iontech are also aware of market trends and consumer wants and needs. After the launch of Apple accessories, Android users would be happy to know that a line of universal speaker docks and apps will also be launched soon.
* Gear4 speaker docks and accessories are available at major consumer electronics and IT retailers nationwide.
No comments:
Post a Comment