It's a Pal Bot!

We would like to ask all of you to join us in welcoming the newest member to our GOgroove family, the Pal Bot Portable Rechargeable Speaker. You won't be able to wait to take this little guy home. Everyone will welcome the Pal Bot with open arms.

Just like a newborn, the Pal Bot notifies you how it's feeling through unspoken cues. Its LED eyes will shine blue when it is fully charged. Once the battery starts to run low the bright blue eyes will change to red, warning you that you have about 30 minutes of play time left. At this point you can hook up the Pal Bot to any USB charging port, with the included MicroUSB cable, and its red eyes will change to purple, letting you know that it is charging. Once fully charged, the Pal Bot will play your favorite songs for up to six hours per charge. This means that you will rarely see its little eyes turn red.

You wouldn't leave a baby at home so take the Pal Bot everywhere and show it off to everyone! The Pal Bot can connect to just about any device with a 3.5mm audio jack. It has a retractable cord in the back that will connect to smartphones, tablets, iPods, computers, etc. So you can listen to just about anything anywhere. The two dual drive stereo speakers and its passive subwoofer make for a surprising sound quality, especially out of such a little guy (just like a crying baby!). You can also move its arms so it can hug you, if you feel the need to. But whatever you do, please do not put one of those flowery baby garter belts on its head. It really hates that.

How To Stay Connected in The Great Outdoors

It's the middle of summer, the days are long and the nights are hot. Perfect time of year to be out and about, enjoying the outdoors. Usually this means leaving your beloved gadgets at home. After all, no one wants to drop their iPhone in the pool or drown their digital camera in the lake. Even if you take any and all precautions to avoid such tragedies, being outdoors usually means being in areas with little service, therefore sucking your battery dry. Only a few moons ago enjoying the outdoors meant being able to disconnect from emails, tweets, status updates and so on. But these are different times, times where we want to be connected all the time, even in the great outdoors.

What good is cliff diving if you can't record it with your iPhone and post the video on Facebook? What's the point of cliff diving if you can't get any comments? But this scenario poses imminent peril for your electronics. First off you can drop your camera bag from said cliff trying to get a POV shot. Then there's the water, the kryptonite to your precious tools. A splash of water is terrifying enough but complete submergence is practically a death sentence. Now let's assume that everything is in working order, there's the added worry of little to no battery life, rendering everything useless as anything other than a paper weight. Take a deep breath, this is a hypothetical situation. No need to fret. Even though we know that there are countless things that could happen I won't continue to worry you any further. Sweat on your brow should happen due to the extra warm sunshine, not the worry I am causing. So let's talk about what we can do to ensure that none of the awful things happen and that you can have the most commented, retweeted and highest ranking experience.


First is the issue of the camera bag plummeting into the abyss? Handled! This Premium High-Impact Plush Carrying Case will protect your camera and if you use the belt loop strap it will stay with you. Just make sure to take it off (or at least take your camera out) before you jump.

Next we have those pesky currents moving all that water. Don't worry; the CamSAVER Waterproof Floating Camera Wrist Strap is the Baywatch lifeguard to your Point n' Shoot. Attach the strap to your waterproofed camera and the lightweight foam strap will keep it afloat.

Lastly there's the issue of power. When you're in the great outdoors you have the most powerful source of energy shining down on you. Use that sunshine for more than a tan by placing the Solar ReStore XL directly in it. The Solar Restore will keep your gadgets charged to their full potential so you can use them as more than weights to keep the corners of your towel down.

So enjoy your summer and make sure to download that app that measures the tide before you dive.

Paraskevidekatriaphobia

Paraskevidekatriaphobia, say that thirteen times fast. If you can't then you're doomed! Maybe, especially if you're one of the 21 or so million Americans with the terrifying phobia of Friday the 13th. It's going to be a rough year for them with three Friday the 13ths this year, all exactly 13 weeks apart.

For centuries both Friday and the number 13 have been considered unlucky, therefore making Friday the 13th the unluckiest of them all. The superstitions surrounding Friday the 13th have not only endured into the 21st century, but have similarities in countless cultures transcending language and religion. For example, in Christianity it is said that the Last Supper occurred on a Friday, at which Jesus sat with 12 disciples (1+12=13) and we know how that turned out. Also in Norse mythology, 12 gods gathered for a feast in Valhalla, Loki, the god of mischief (or the bad guy in Thor), was excluded from the gathering but decided to crash it. Loki was so enraged that he ordered Hod, the blind god of darkness, to kill Baldur, the god of joy, with a mistletoe arrow. This was said to cause Earth to plunge into darkness. Both of these have been cited as reason to never gather in groups of 13, the belief being that one of the party will perish.

These days it's estimated that over $800 million is lost on Friday the 13th because superstitious people refuse to drive, go to work, eat at restaurants, travel, or make significant purchases. So a huge sale on Friday the 13th is probably as lucky as you can get, at least for now. While major and minor historical and religious events have taken place to perpetuate our fear of Friday the 13th, an even bigger event in the near future may just be what either proves or disproves the association between bad luck and Friday the 13th. On Friday, April 13th, 2029 an asteroid by the name of Apophis will get a little too close for comfort. It's estimated that Apophis will come closer than the communication satellites that are currently orbiting Earth. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how lucky or unlucky that day ends up.

Independence Day Do-Over

This year our nation's Independence Day fell on Odin's Day, which to you and me is Wednesday. For most it meant that Tuesday felt like Friday, Wednesday felt like a combination Saturday/Sunday and yesterday became a second Monday. I don't know about you but I think that this weekend we need a 4th of July do-over, especially the people in San Diego who got 15 minutes worth of fireworks in 15 seconds. They definitely need a do-over. Here's a list of items you'll need to get the most out of your 4th of July weekend.


Whether you're grilling in the yard, celebrating poolside or heading to the beach for a party you're going to need a vessel to play your music. Think about all the movies, shows, music videos, etc. showing people enjoying the summer with friends and family, they always have music. It would be so weird without it, especially the music videos. For this you need an awesome portable speaker or better yet a few awesome portable speakers. Your best bet for all day sound that will play into the night check out the new BlueSync OR3 bluetooth speaker. The OR3 streams completely wireless audio from up to 30ft. away via bluetooth for up to 16 continuous hours on one charge. The orb-shaped comes with an acoustic resonance chamber for deep bass that booms out of the upward facing speaker to actually play your music up and out for everyone to enjoy. If you're having a party at home then you can set up a few of these to play different music through different areas of your home. Chill music by the pool, cool background music by the tables and music to get people moving on your makeshift living room dance floor.

The next thing you'll need is a solar battery pack so you can take advantage of the sun and make it work for more than just your tan. The new ReVIVE Solar ReStore XL has a 4,000 mAh solar panel. This means that once the XL is fully charged you can charge your smartphone along with two other guest's smartphones. The Solar ReStore XL especially comes in handy if you plan on being outdoors all day since you can not only charge your smartphone you can charge tablets, iPods and even your portable speakers!

Finally, if what you want to do for your 4th of July do-over is get out of town and find out what hot dogs and hamburgers taste like somewhere far away then you'll need to equip your car with a universal vent mount that can hold your GPS or smartphone so you can know how to get to that far away place. Make sure to pack your bluetooth speaker and solar battery pack too. You can play your favorite music from the OR3 and the Solar ReStore comes with suction mounts so you can stick it to your car window for optimal charging.

Smart Phone Accessories that You Should Have

Every year, the smart phone industry is releasing newer versions or newer models in the mobile market. With this, more and more people are attracted to smart phones, thus leading to an increase in the sales of smart phones.

It is noticeable that more and more people have smart phones as one of their tech gadgets in their everyday lives. To further maximize the purpose of the smart phone, it is also wise to invest in some accessories or gadgets that can be interconnected with the device. Having any these accessories allows you to enjoy more of your smart phone due to the fact that the designers of these devices have put into mind multi functionality.

In here, let us examine the different accessories and enhancements that you, as a smart phone owner should have in order for your device to give its full performance:

* Protective case - to protect your hard earned investment in the form of your smart phone, it is wise to buy it a protective case. A common protective case is made from two different materials, silicone and hard plastic. A silicone case is a perfect mould of your smart phone; it will fit perfectly on your phone and protect the casing against scratches and soft bumps. A hard case on the other hand is made of hard polymer that is specifically designed for your smart phone. This helps the phone to be protected against heavy bumps and hard scratches. But of course, care should still be observed since having a protective case does not guarantee that the phone is completely protected against damage.

* Earphones/headsets - if you plan to maximize your smart phone by using it as a music player, it is a wise thing to invest in a good pair of earphones or a headset. A good audio accessory for the phone should have a good mix of bass to enhance those tunes used for movement activities such as exercises or workouts. On the other hand, noise cancelling headphones are great if you want to listen to soft music from your phone without interference from outside noise.

* Hands free devices - hands free devices such as a Bluetooth earpiece is a nice investment if you want to use your smart phone while driving or when multi tasking. Since most smart phones have touch screens for interaction, having hands free devices is a great help if you do not feel like using your hands to interact with your phone when a call comes in.

* Car chargers - always on the go and always using your smart phone? A car charger is the best companion for your smart phone as this will allow you to charge up your phone while you are in your car. You will no longer worry about low battery notifications as your phone is always charged up anywhere and anytime.

* Car mounts - with car mounts, you interact with your smart phone without having the need to hold it with your hands while driving. Using this type of accessory allows you to interact with your phone in a safe manner while driving. Furthermore, you can use it as an entertainment device for your passengers while travelling. They can easily watch movies from the smart phone.

* Speakers/speaker docks - want to show off your playlist? Invest in speakers for your smart phone or speaker docks wherein you can dock your phone to a speaker to play music. This gives you the ability to show off to people the real capabilities of your phone when it comes to music quality.

There are numerous other accessories and gadgets on the market but these are a few of the essentials for your smart phone. Investing in any of these will allow your smart phone to show off its real capabilities.

Microsoft Surface Has Changed the Game

Monday was awesome! Which is not typical for a Monday but this Monday was different from any Monday that has ever been or will ever be. Why? Because Microsoft stepped out of the shadows and stunned the world with the Surface.


Apple has been the forerunner in the tablet category with Android tablets trailing behind. Now Microsoft has parachuted into the front of the race with what is hands down an innovative tablet design. This of course does not mean that your iPad or Kindle is a lesser product. It just means that Microsoft took the tablet platform and swan dove into first place. Here are a few reasons why. First, Windows 8, it's a completely new product from anything out there. It was designed to be all about the user and have an intuitive interface. Secondly is the construction, which is a completely new manufacturing process, called VaporMg (pronounced vapor mag) which pulls double duty by making the body lightweight and tough. It also makes the seemingly invisible kickstand a possibility. The kickstand itself is a game changer. Because of the VaporMg process it is virtually invisible when the Surface is being used as a tablet. Once the kickstand is out all it needs is the keyboard and voila, ultra book! This brings us to the third item, the keyboard. Microsoft designed a case for the Surface which is simultaneously logical and revolutionary. The case magnetically attaches itself, much like the iPad's does, but unlike any iPad case this one houses a complete keyboard and tracking pad in an impossible 3mms. The keys are pressure sensitive and even know to lock themselves when the case is closed over the Surface.

Apple had the future cornered with the iPad for play and the Mac Book Pro for work. Now the Microsoft Surface has turned all that around by being what looks to be the best of both worlds. Can't wait to get one of my own and all the cool new accessories to come.

Father's Day Gifts

This Sunday is Father's Day. Another day of recognition many don't know the history of so for those that don't or those who do and want a refresher, here you go.


In the summer of 1910, a young woman named Sonora Smart Dodd held the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane Washington just two years after the first Mother's Day celebration. She felt that fathers deserved to be celebrated as well. The main reason for this sentiment was that her father, Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, had become a single father and had to take on the responsibility of raising his six children. Originally Sonora suggested her father's birthday (June 5th) as the celebratory date but preparations weren't completed until the 3rd Sunday of June. For the next ten years Sonora Dodd promoted Father's Day with little success. Then in the 1930's Sonora began extensively promoting Father's Day and even raised awareness at a national level. Mrs. Dodd had quite a knack for cross-promoting too. As of 1938 she got the backing of the Father's Day Council which was a New York based group founded by the Associated Men's Wear Retailers. Essentially all the guys that were in the business of making ties helped her promote her cause. For the next 30 or so years the nation was resistant to accepting Father's Day and even went so far as to make sarcastic jokes and cynical remarks in the press accusing merchants of just wanting to ride the success of Mother's Day and make a buck. Regardless of the decades of resistance from the public there were political figures that were for making Father's Day official. Beginning with then President Woodrow Wilson who way back in 1916 wanted to make it official. In 1924 President Coolidge suggested that it be celebrated by the nation as well. But it wasn't until 1972 that dads across the nation got the official recognition when President Richard Nixon signed it into law. So sixty-two years later the tie business went through the roof on the 3rd Sunday of June.

Not to mock anyone who bought their dad another tie this year, or maybe even an electronic tie-holder to sort all the ties from Father's Days past, but I have it on high authority that dads like gadgets too so if you bought your dad yet another tie or "Kiss the Cook" BBQ apron and feel that he deserves a do-over gift after Sunday then here's a few cool gadgets he's guaranteed to genuinely love and maybe even need.

ReVIVE Solar Restore XL- Compact, lightweight device charges with either sunlight or via USB. The Solar ReStore XL incorporates a high-efficiency solar panel with a 300mA charging rate in direct sunlight. With your average smartphone needing around 1300mAh to 1500mAh for a full charge, the XL will be charged up with enough juice after only 3-5 hours in direct sunlight. Leave the pack in direct sunlight for 13 hours to fully charge its internal 4000mAh battery. The low self-discharge Li-polymer battery pack stores emergency power for weeks without degradation, so you can use the power when you need it. Once charged the 4,000mAh battery can charge a Smartphone 3 times over. It has a built-in dual-mode LED flashlight which can shine at full beam or in S.O.S. mode for up to 36 consecutive hours on one charge. It also comes with 2 dual-window suction mounts, a carabiner and a USB-charging cable.

SMARTmini Bluetooth FM Transmitter- Make and Receive Calls on your Phone Hands-Free while driving! Equipped with Bluetooth Technology, it's easy to use your phone while driving. The hands free technology allows the user to make and receive phone calls through their car speakers. If music is playing, it will slowly fade out to allow the user to clearly connect to any phone call. The GOgroove SMARTmini BT plugs into AND grips the inside of your DC car outlet. The redesigned articulating neck is compact and the sleek design compliments any vehicle nicely.

Finally, if your dad is a gamer, give him the old school arcade experience with the ScreenPLAY touch screen joystick. The Enhance ScreenPLAY Tab joystick gives you the competitive edge you need to level up. ScreenPLAY allows you to easily play your favorite touch screen game without missing a move. Just mount the screen-safe joystick over the virtual gamepad and let the fun begin!