Tech Archives - Page 4 of 16 - Serious Startups

Nashville’s Griffin Technology All In On iPhone 5

While Griffin Technology hardly qualifies as a startup since it was launched in 1992, the company founded (and still remaining) in Nashville Tennessee is a driver of innovation. Griffin started out by making computer parts beginning with DB15 connectors and launching USB peripherals in 1998. However, it was the release of the original iPhone and a barrage of well designed accessories created in Nashville Tennessee that drove Griffin to “household name” status.

With the announcement of the iPhone 5 last week and the release of the device next Friday, Griffin, like the rest of us, waited with eyes glued to projectors, screens and monitors throughout their Tennessee campus, reports Nasvhille Business Journal’s Jamie McGee. Over 150 Griffin employees gathered around to watch the release of the iPhone 5, all seeing the same images that we saw thanks to live blogs and other information. They watched with pens and paper and immediately went to work on their designs.

Griffin Technology and other iPhone accessory manufacturers got a welcomed break when the last iPhone update was from the 4 to the 4S. There was no real form factor change.

“To have something happen like a complete form-factor change, like we’ve seen on the screen, means our industrial design people are going to be really, really busy for the next couple of weeks,” said Web Wester, who handles social media for Griffin told local news station WKRN.

By the next morning Griffin had a plan. About mid-morning the sent out a press release confirming that their Survivor and Protector collections along with their Reveal, Chevron, Moxy, Mustachio & Wise Eyes, Kazoo and Animal Parade lines will all be quickly updated for the new iPhone 5. The company also plans on adding some more cases to the mix as time goes on.

The iPone 5 hits Apple stores, Best Buy and carrier partner retailers on Friday. Griffin Technology hasn’t said when you’ll be able to pick up their accessories for the iPhone 5 but it should be soon. A Griffin spokesperson has also said that the power accessories the company is known for will be released for the iPhone 5 shortly. However, Apple changed the 30 pin cord design for the first time since the original iPod so those may take a little longer.

Griffin also has alumni startup founders among their ranks. The group behind Nashville Startup Evermind, a device that helps keep tabs on the elderly, all got their start at Griffin.

Linkage:

Nibletz is the voice of startups in the south east and everywhere else. Check out our SouthEast Coverage here

Come here, now

Ice Is Back With Some Brand New Inventions: Vanilla Ice Gives Kids Gadget Advice

Last week DIY network’s Rob “Vanilla Ice” VanWinkle appeared on the Today show to give the crew a rundown on some gadgets geared for the student. We’ve moved into an era where kids in school might not know the 90’s hero of the dance floor, but they are capable of enjoying and using these recommended gadgets earlier on in life.

Let’s face it we’re at an age where some kids, even entering kindergarten, have used mom or dad’s iPad,iPhone, Android tablet, iPad or other electronic gadget before they can even read.

Here are the gadgets that the 44-year-old television and rap sensation highlighted in the segment called “Gadgets For Making The Grade”

Boogie Board e-writer capable of storing up to 200 pages in a digital notebook. This device is about as simple is at gets you can write things down, free hand style, and then sync your entries onto your computer at home.

Echo Smart Pen- allows you to record audio onto a pen while you’re writing on the specialized notebook.

Verbatim Tuff-N-Tiny 8gb flash drive. These extremely small flash drives run just $9.99 and clip to a key chain. VanWinkle described these particular flash drives as “Simple as a pimple” perhaps with lyrics like that he’s working on a new album.

Kensington Folio Tablet- This unique iPad case holds the iPad on the left, it has a three-ring binder in the middle and an actual paper note taking pad on the right side. Ice says that it’s the modern-day Trapper Keeper. $55

HP DeskJet 3050A printer is an all in one inkjet printer with total wireless connectivity. You can print from your laptop, desktop, smartphone or tablet without a usb cable. It retails for $79.99 at the likes of Staples.com

Voltaic Converter Solar BackPack. Sorry but this backpack has nothing on the PowerBag, but it’s solar so I guess that makes it a bit nifty. With the Voltaic BackPack you can charge your smart devices in school while they’re stored away in your backpack. This will set you back $200

Isafe built-in alarm backpack. This backpack has an alarm built into the strap. As Ice says “if somebody tries to gank your backpack” you can hit the alarm. It’s a very loud, irritating alarm sound that should summon help or scare your assailant away. The company says you can hear it 1000 yards away. This backpack is just $59.99

Sol Republic Soundtracks headphones. These headphones cut out background noise and can be mixed and matched to create your own design. They retail for $99.

Keurig Mini Plus Brewing System. These single shot “K-Cup” coffee makers are all the rage. This particular model is designed for the traveler, or student, someone with limited space. This version of the K-Cup brewer costs just $99.

Check out Ice’s video from the Today Show here:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Source: MSNBC

Next Generation iPhone Strongly Rumored For September 21st Launch

Most everyone who has even a murmur of a pulse about technology knows that we are expecting the announcement of the next generation iPhone to come out of a press event Apple is holding on September 12th. We won’t even go with calling it the “iPhone 5” at this point in time because of the stunt Apple pulled with “the new iPad”. However, whatever you call it, it’s expected to be announced in a few short weeks.

We’re not even going to speculate as to what features this next generation iPhone will have. I am personally switching, provided it has 4G/LTE, without that though, I’m sticking with a 4S. If you want to keep track of the rumors and the track records of the rumor mongerers we highly suggest you check out Cincinnati startup Tracour here.

As for the relevance of the next iPhone here at nibletz, the voice of startups everywhere else, well the design for one is of great concern to any startup in the iPhone accessory space. The brains, speed, and guts of the next iPhone also weigh heavily on the conscious of the thousands of startups who rely on iPhone apps. And of course, because we’re smart enough to know you’ll read this piece just because of the headline.

As for the source, every major tech site is reporting off a tip that originated at TechCrunch and has been confirmed by just about every site with a connection to a middle manager at Verizon Wireless. Apparently Verizon Wireless has a vacation freeze on the 21st of September. The barely under 10 day spread from announcement to release date, fits conspicuously well within Apple’s normal pattern and routine.

It’s also heavily rumored that Apple will release a 7″ iPad at the same event. For many this is great news. The 7″ form factor fits in your pocket very nicely but aside from that I think I’m going to stick with the 10″ version myself. As Cameron will tell you, I’m quite good with the 10″ iPad keyboard.

Well I get a 7″ iPad. Probably.

Are you getting the next gen iPhone? Are you getting a 7″ iPad? Tell us below in the comments section.

Source: TechCrunch via PCWorld

Apple’s iPhone Outsells All Microsoft Products Combined

(photo: SAI)

While Apple and Microsoft are duking it out over which company has the record as the wealthiest company of all time, SAI (by way of CultofMac) is reporting one startling fact this morning.

According to CultofMac, the iPhone, even with people holding off for the next version, has generated $22.7 billion dollars in the last quarter. This compares with Microsoft’s total revenues of $17.4 billion in revenue for the last quarter. This takes into consideration all of the Redmond company’s products across all disciplines.

While Microsoft insists they are going to have a huge push for Windows 8, a Windows 8 phone and the Windows 8 powered Surface tablets, the anticipation for the next version of the iPhone is at a buzz louder than it’s ever been.

Rumors are floating around rampantly as to what features Apple will throw into the next release of the iPhone. Some are saying the next iPhone will have a bigger screen. Others are saying it will have a 19 pin connector vs a 30 pin connector. One rumor that most everyone agrees on is that the next iPhone will have 4G/LTE a standard being adopted by all four major carriers.

This means that demand will be at an all time high. AllThingsDigital reported yesterday that FBR Capital Analyst Craig Berger said:

“We expect the iPhone 5 … has the potential to generate the most promising device upgrade cycle in Apple’s history,” in a statement to investors.

Source: SAI

Chattanooga’s SimCenter Could Use The Gig To Plan For The Zombie Apocalypse And More

While we were in Chattanooga Tennessee for the GigTank Demo Day on Thursday, our hosts, the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce took us on a great tour of the city with special attention to services, companies, and educational centers that utilized Chattanooga’s 1gb fiber optic network. Chattanooga was the first city to have 1gb ethernet fiber, a year before Kansas City and Google.

One of the stops on the tour was the University Of Tennessee’s Sim Center: National Center For Computational Engineering.

The SimCenter was established at Mississippi State. With the help of the Jack Lupton Foundation a SimCenter was established in Chattanooga in 2002. The SimCenter houses 6 super computers with the largest having 1300 cores and 325 node diskless cluster by Dell. There are 4gb of RAM per node and of course it’s hooked up to the 1gb ethernet.

Since it’s inception the SimCenter has worked for clients in the public, private and government sectors which require unheard of large amounts of data. When a company like Boeing needs to simulate new turbine engines for a new airplane project the SimCenter is able to simulate the airplane in various conditions to accurately calculate the data engineers need to know while designing new engines.

A recently completed SimCenter project for US Express truck lines resulted in $68 million dollars in fuel savings. The SimCenter did simulated data trials and research on drag and turbulence. They found that by adding “skirts” in three places on semi trucks and their trailers, US Express could save on millions of dollars on gas.

You want me to get to the Zombies part right?

A research project for the SimCenter that was commissioned by the Department of Defense after 9/11 was recently declassified. The Department of Defense used the SimCenter to simulate catastrophic events. More importantly though, the SimCenter research was vital in finding ways to quickly contain a public catastrophe, limiting casualties and losses and protecting first responders as best they could.

Through their super computers, and units called GENI’s, as well as sensors, and communications equipment all linked together on a super fast network, the SimCenter was able to simulate a hazardous materials spill and explosion. In a situation that would typically take hours to contain and more hours to clean up, using the SimCenters’ simulation they were able to:

– Give first responders on going data pertaining to atmospheric conditions, environmental threats, and the trajectory of where the “cloud” of hazardous materials would go.

– They were able to get first responders to the scene quicker by pinpointing the accident

– They were able to alert the citizens through a smartphone app, essentially evacuating the at risk area before any major harm could be done.

Through this study municipalities and local governments will be able to construct a similar system of super computers, sensors, communications and network to be able to respond to their own disasters just as quickly. As gigabit ethernet emerges we will see more and more public safety resources relying on that super fast internet to get vital life saving information to and from command centers, to first responders, to the public and to the media.

The SimCenter opened in Chattanooga long before 1gb ethernet was available. The computer power alone coupled with the brain power of the engineering researchers in the SimCenter have provided research covering everything from lithium battery modeling, aerodynamic analysis, heavy truck modeling (see above), modeling of coastal and urban flooding and much more.

Our host for the presentation about SimCenter, SimCenter Enterprises President and CEO Tim Walsh, did tell us that the gigabit fiber provides even newer ways to utilize the center. Walsh was a mentor for some of the GigTank teams who were looking to send huge amounts of data over the internet.

Gigabit ethernet tackles huge problems for big data projects like the ones at the SimCenter. During the GigTank presentation for Banyan, the entrepreneur team that won, revealed that it would be quicker for an engineer at Stanford to drive to the airport and fly to London with a terabyte hard drive than it would be to send it over a 100/mbps connection. Using Chattanooga’s gig the Banyan team was able to send a Terrabyte of data to Standord in 2.5 hours. That coupled with the computing power of the SimCenter will mean even bigger things will be done at this amazing institution.

Linkage:

Visit the SimCenter website here

More Chattanoga coverage on nibletz.com here

We’re the voice of startups “everywhere else” here are more startups from “everywhere else”

Nibletz needs your help, help us out here.

Apple Drops Their Preloaded YouTube App Leaving Google To Finally Bring Their Own YouTube Experience To iOS

As many of you know already, Apple has just announced that they would not include their 1st-party YouTube app in the next iteration of iOS. Plenty of sites have taken this opportunity to show the fact that Apple and Google are opposing forces, and with that comes a dissociation of products and services. However, this can actually be a very good thing for Apple, Google, and all iOS users.

Up until the release of Google’s new version of Google+ for iOS, almost every single app Google put into the App Store sucked. For instance, Gmail. But after we got a glimpse of Google’s beautiful work on the new Google+ app, many became believers. If Apple had announced their dropping of the YouTube app before we saw Google+ for iOS’s makeover this reaction would have been a completely different story, but because of Google’s latest efforts, I am a believer.

Apple’s move to drop their 1st-party YouTube app leaves Google in a position with two possible outcomes: develop a YouTube app for iOS or let iOS users deal with the mobile site. Now that Google has decided they would like to make quality apps for iOS, it doesn’t worry me that they will have to develop their own app, and leads me to believe that they will. And this will be a good thing for iOS users, because the YouTube app Apple was supplying was pretty bare. You could watch videos and leave comments, and that’s about as far as it went. Sure, there were a few other features, but it was nowhere near as robust and Google’s YouTube app for Android. This means that if Google follows their recent iOS app development patterns (and I mean very recent), the iOS community should be anxiously awaiting a beautifully developed YouTube app.

Google hasn’t actually said they will develop an iOS app yet though, and if they don’t many iOS users will be hurting for a native app. But Google knows how big YouTube is, and even if they were so blind as to say a native app isn’t necessary, the community will make sure El Goog knows its mistake. This also will relieve the duty of developing a third-party app for a service they don’t actually own, much like they’ve done with Google Maps. Now all we can do is wait to see if Google can bring us the YouTube app that we want to see, and if they do, the world of iOS will be ready to finally get a proper YouTube experience.

Google Sells Out Of 16gb Nexus 7

The Google Nexus 7 was the most highly anticipated Android tablet after the Kindle Fire last holiday season. However, many are expecting the Nexus 7 to eclipse the sales of the Kindle Fire which is the best selling Android based tablet to date.

The main advantages to the Nexus 7 over the Kindle Fire is that it actually runs the Android operating system in it’s latest release called JellyBean. The Kindle Fire runs it’s own software on top of a previous version of Android.

Amazon also created the Kindle Fire to use their own content ecosystem backed by over 15 years of experience in online sales. Unlike other Android devices theKindle Fire can’t access the Google Play store or any apps out of the Google Play Store’s app place, instead they use the Amazon app store, Kindle store and Amazon movies.

The Nexus 7, was designed by Google and their hardware partner for this project, Asus. With each new major release of the Android operating system Google picks a hardware partner to market a “Nexus” branded device which is the developer and reference device for that version of the operating system. In this case Jelly Bean debuted on the Nexus 7 tablet.

The Nexus 7 was introduced at Google’s annual developer conference held at the end of June. Google I/O sees thousands of developers specializing in all the varieties of Google products for a three day conference similar to WWDC for Apple developers. At Google I/O, Google and their partners typically launch key flagship devices.

Despite Android being the dominant operating system across the country and around the world, it’s hard to pinpoint the most successful Android devices because of fragmentation. At last count there were over 400 different devices world wide running Google’s mobile operating system.

As for the Nexus 7 it was highly anticipated because of it’s native Android operating system, the new version of Android, superior hardware and the seven inch form factor. There are rumors that Apple is going to produce a smaller version of the iPad in a 7.8″ frame to compete with Google and Amazon.

Retail stores and web direct sales started selling the Nexus 7 last week. Google stopped selling the 16gb version of the Nexus 7 yesterday after running out of inventory. Various online sites are reporting that local big box retailers still have limited quantities of the 16gb version. Best Buy, Staples and even Game Stop were retail partners for the Nexus 7.

Google tried their luck with direct to consumer sales a few years back with debut of the Nexus devices called the Nexus One. That Android powered device was made by HTC and sold in two varieties on Google’s website and not in retail stores at first. After a few short months Google got out of the direct sales business. Many were surprised when they announced that they would return to direct sales with the Nexus 7. Unlike the previous attempt though the Nexus 7 is being sold in Brick & Mortar stores and other online sites as well.

It appears that Google has not responded to anyone yet with comment on the amount of units sold. Google tends to keep actual sales numbers like this close to the vest. Google did not report actual hardware sales for their Motorola Mobility unit that they purchased early this year for over $12 billion dollars.

Source: CNet

Rochester Startup: Wi3 Expanding To Hospitality Industry, THANK GOD

We travel an awful lot. Most of our readers know that we’re on a sneaker strapped, nationwide startup road trip, which means we stay in the car a lot, but in hotels a lot too. The biggest challenge in hotels isn’t about bedding, towels, or even what’s on tv. We book rooms based on wifi, availability and pricing. The problem is even when you do a preliminary check on a hotels wifi it’s still slow as molasses and typically a horrible experience.

Outside of bringing our own wifi (which we do as backup) there hasn’t been much change since hotels started offering wifi. Free or not most hotels have less than subpar wifi.

Well a Rochester startup called Wi3 is doing something about that.

We first met Wi3 at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas back in January. They were demoing their innovation award winning WiPNET product. As you can see from the video above, WiPNET in home allows the user to set up access points with the bulk of the load making it from point a to point b over coax. This is ultimately the same thing that cable internet providers are doing from the node to your home.

WiPNET makes sure you have a clear wifi access point with very little (if no) latency or loss of signal from the entry point to the end user. Pretty magical stuff.

Well now they’ve announced that they are offering their product to the hospitality industry (hotels)

WiPNET allows many devices to simultaneously access HD and rich media digital Web content on the same hardwired network using existing coax cable infrastructure and a hardwired access point in every guestroom. This innovative application of MoCA technology eliminates the problem of network buffering caused when several devices are accessing the Web within the same environment. It also simplifies network management and oversight, even allowing hotel owners to create tiered-access services as an additional profit center.

“Serving hotel guestrooms or commercial properties with just one WiFi router or a few WiFi repeaters across a property does not meet the needs and demands of the ever increasing WiFi enabled mobile consumer,” said Wi3 CEO Bill Thompson. “Wi3’s patented in-wall Ethernet and WiFi products enable properties that have coax connections to convert every room or space into a full-bandwidth dedicated access point to satisfy even the most heavy of users, thus simplifying and eliminating today’s singular WiFi router approach.”

Now in a nutshell, every hotel guest in every room will have their own dedicated wifi access point and won’t overload the Belkin or Linksys routers that are typically not so strategically placed in hotels.

Linkage:

Contest: There’s A New Kid In Town, The TechSlinger And You Can Win One This Summer

At Chicago TechWeek we got to meet the team from Michigan startup TechSlinger. This is a new wearable accessory designed to easily transport your tablet, your phone, your wallet and other small items. You can even hang your keys from it.

At first glance you may not think it’s for you, but it so is. Especially if you carry multiple gadgets with you and one of them is an iPad or Android tablet. You see, when you go out to a meeting or a networking event, or any event for that matter and you bring your tablet you’re putting a device that costs hundreds of dollars at unnecessary risk.

I’ve witnessed first hand people who’ve had their iPads turned conveniently into coasters. I’ve seen people leave them behind and drop them, shattering the screen, trying to hold a beer or other drink. Oh and of course the countless times I’ve seen beer, soda and other liquids poured onto the iPad.

Granted, you want to take your iPad or tablet with you because you undoubtedly have work to do, or you want to show off the latest app you’ve downloaded or pictures and videos of the kids. Well that’s great except most purses can’t fit iPads, no one wants to bring the bulk of a backpack or briefcase out with them, and holding them is risky.

The TechSlinger looks like an under jacket holster and has one pouch designed to hold an iPad or tablet and then the other side has two compartments. One is a secure compartment for your phone the other is a secure compartment for your wallet, credit cards, money, license, etc. I actually hold a 16,000mah portable battery in my extra pocket insuring that not only are my devices with me but backup power is as well.

The TechSlinger fits under any jacket, blazer or suit coat and keeps your gadgets from interfering with important things, like walking.

At the recent TechCrunch meetup in Atlanta over 40 people asked about the TechSlinger. At the airport, TSA folks were asking about the TechSlinger, and of course on three different trips to three different Apple stores, people asked about the TechSlinger.

Well low and behold we’ve got Techslingers to give away.

Here’s how it works. Starting this week at ComiCon 2012 in San Diego, just tweet

“@nibletztweets & @techslinger I need a #techslinger” and if you’re lucky you’ll be randomly selected to win one. We’ll randomly draw winners in San Diego, Washington DC, Memphis, Cincinnati and other places along our sneaker-strapped nationwide startup road trip, and you’ll win. It’s that easy. Then your friends will ask, “where’d you get that”.

Linkage:

Find out more about the TechSlinger here

Here’s more coverage from Chicago’s TechWeek

Oh and we’re on this cool sneaker strapped, nationwide startup roadtrip

South Carolina Engineers Creating Cotton T-Shirts For Charging Electronics

Anyone who knows me knows that I am all about maximizing efficiency by wearing whatever I can to hold and charge my devices with minimal weight. My wearable accessories at the moment include a wide range of PowerBag’s by RFA Brands in Michigan and my new found gadget holder the TechSlinger. While the Powerbag has an intricate, modular charging system within the bags I have the TechSlinger puts everything close to my body and is extremely light weight. On days when I’m only using the TechSlinger I use a 16,000mah battery stored in the lower pocket for my iPhone, iPad and whatever Android device I have on me at the moment.

Well, according to our friends over at Boy Genius Report there are some innovative engineers at the University of South Carolina. A team of two engineers being led by Xiadong Li, a professor of mechanical engineering at the university, are working on storing a charge right in the fabric itself.

Li and his team took a brand new store bought plain white t-shirt and soaked it in a flouride solution. They then baked the t-shirt at a high temperature in an oxygen free oven. When the t-shirt was done baking the fibers in the shirt were converted from cellulose to activated carbon, capable of holding an electrical charge.

“We will soon see roll-up cell phones and laptop computers on the market,” Li said, according to Innovation News Daily. “But a flexible energy storage device is needed to make this possible.” The engineer notes that the activated carbon textile acts like a supercapacitor, because they can have “particularly high energy storage densities.”

The engineers also coated the shirt with a nanometer layer of manganese oxide which enhanced the shirts charge-ability.

The future is pointing to roll up cell phones, keyboards, and computers as well as flexible display devices. People are going to grow more and more tired of having to charge everything at home on a 110 outlet and stored batteries may soon one day fall to the wayside.

When it does, things like this t-shirt they are working on and even the possibility of furniture that just charges things in close proximity, will be the norm. We may not be too far off.

Source: Boy Genius Report

Comscore Study Shows While Android And Samsung Hold The Most Market Share, Apple Is Growing The Fastest

We’ve known that Android was ahead of iOS in market share and have for some time, but today a more recent Comscore study shows just by how much. Android has 50.9% of mobile subscribers worldwide, and has a pretty large margin between itself and Apple who is at 31.9%. Windows Phone still only has 4%, which shows that after months of marketing and a partnership with Nokia, they’re still not gaining much ground on the two giants. While Android has the most market share however, Apple is growing the fastest with a 1.7% jump in percentages from February to May.

Samsung is also still the largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world, with 25.7% market share. LG is second with 19.1% and Apple is third with a solid 15%. Apple was also the growth leader again in this category, with a gain of 1.7% since February. With two of Android’s manufacturers at the top of their charts as well, it’s no wonder that Android is the top OS in the world today.

Apple To Pay $60 Million Settlement To China’s Proview Technology

While the interwebs are running amuck right now with people chastising Apple and their injunction against Samsung, Apple has just just paid China’s Proview Technology $60 million in a patent suit they lost.

The suit wasn’t actually about technology, but rather the name iPad which Proview had registered in China back in 2001. Prior to the iPad launch Apple had negotiated a deal with Proview to acquire the rights to the name iPad in several other countries for a measly $50,000.

For one reason or another, Apple didn’t get the rights for the name iPad in mainland China and that’s what this particular lawsuit was about.

The Associated Press is reporting that Proview held onto the name in China and had actually sought close to $400 million in damages originally. It’s believed that Proview acted swiftly to get this lawsuit settled because they are having other financial difficulties that the $60 million dollar cash infusion may not even solve.

According to AP Apple has already transferred the $60 million dollars to the court in China for disbursement.

China is Apple’s second largest market. It’s also where the iPads are actually made. Apple had received approval from China to sell “The New iPad” back in May but hasn’t said anything about a launch date yet. Some analysts believe that Apple was awaiting settlement in this particular case to launch the “New” iPad in China, to prevent any snafu’s.

This isn’t Apple’s first problem with naming. Apparently Cisco had actually held the trademark to the word “iPhone” prior to the 2007 launch of the device that changed the world. Cisco used the name “iPhone” for a line of network connected phones that the company has since stopped producing.

The name iPhone was transferred to Apple prior to the release for an undisclosed sum.

Source: AP

Google Adds Payment Card And Offers Support To Google Wallet

It’s no secret that Google Wallet hasn’t hit the masses the way that Google wanted it too. First they had to get NFC-enabled devices on the market, but now that those are here other, bigger problems have arisen. Nobody but Google and Sprint are really pushing it, and most of the carriers are working on their own alternatives. However, Google has found a way to get Google Wallet to the masses by adding some new features that may lure users to actually using it, if they can of course.

Google will be adding Offers and payment cards support to Google Wallet soon, meaning now users will be able to save offers and cards to their Wallet. Offers will remind users when they can use their offer and when it will expire, and payment cards being added is something that Apple really focused on with Passbook, so it was only a matter of time before Google added something similar. The Wallet API’s will also allow companies to add buttons to their sites that will give users the option to easily add offers and cards amounts to their Wallet account as well. Overall, this is a pretty good direction for Google Wallet to be heading, and over time will help the usage grow if it is marketed correctly.

Chicago Techweek: Michigan Startup TechSlinger Harnesses Technology VIDEO INTERVIEW

One of the first great startups we ran into at TechWeek 2012 in Chicago was actually not from Chicago at all but rather, just outside of Grand Rapids Michigan. TechSlinger General Manager Tresha Davis told us they were excited about launching and excited to support the thriving tech community in Chicago.

TechSlinger is actually a hardgoods/accessory startup. They manufacture the TechSlinger which is a way to hold your gadgets, underneath your coat that’s both comfortable and functional.

The TechSlinger consists of two under arm pouches that are kind of reminded me of gun holsters. One of the pouches holds your tablet. The other one can hold your phone, accessories, even your wallet, credit cards and other important items.

The TechSlinger is a great accessory for traveling business people. It’s also a great accessory for those who need access to their gadgets throughout the day where a backpack may appear a bit out of place or even unprofessional. You can wear a nice Brooks Brothers suit on top of the TechSlinger and No one would notice the difference.

In the video below we talk with TechSlinger CEO and creator Nathan in the video below. The idea came up when he realized he was traveling so much and needed to find something better than a traditional backpack or messenger bag that still permitted great functionality.

TechSlinger comes in a variety of colors and sizes as well. It supports all major e-readers including the Kindle and the Nook and even most Android tablets. They are anxious to get their hands on a new Microsoft Surface tablet to design a TechSlinger or it as well. The best part is that TechSlinger is made in the USA.

They are also working on TechSlingers to support up to the 13″ Macbook pro. The 11″ Macbook Air fits snuggly in the iPad TechSlinger without any casing. Even my “New” iPad with a Griffin Survivor case on it fits in the TechSlinger. I can’t wait until they are ready to ship review units I have to try one of these things out.

It’s very lightweight and would totally hide your electronics from plain site under a jacket or sport coat.