SALTZMAN: Scorching tech for a chilly winter

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If there’s a silver lining to what’s anticipated to stay a frigid and snowy season for many Canadians – with Ontario changing into the “coldest place on Earth” this weekend, no much less – on the very least, know-how will help you get essentially the most of all of it.

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From heated jackets and Bluetooth-enabled toques to electrical snow shovels and video-recording sun shades for snowboarders, there’s no scarcity of scorching high-tech options to soften away your considerations over the well-below-zero temps.

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A number of solutions:

The warmth is on

Especially given the polar vortex blast this weekend, it’s about time jackets ought to maintain you toasty whenever you’re out and about within the Great White North.

The Dual Control Heated Jacket (from $239 for girls) homes 5 carbon fiber heating components that generate warmth throughout your core physique areas (left and proper chest, left and proper arm and center again), with three adjustable heating settings (excessive, medium and low).

Depending on what you’ve enabled, anticipate as much as 20 hours of runtime, because of its inside and rechargeable battery.

The four-way stretch cloth supplies a full vary of motion, plus there’s a waterproof coated shell and three-piece detachable hood with drawstrings.

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Also take into account heated gloves or mitts, which you could find for as little as $49, on Amazon.ca.

Rock on, keep cozy

You’ve heard of Bluetooth, however what a few Blu Toque?

Now you may costume heat for the winter and nonetheless take calls and listen to your tunes.

As the identify suggests, the $28 Blu Toque Cable Knit Bluetooth Beanie is a Bluetooth-enabled toque with built-in headphones that you simply wirelessly stream music, podcasts, audiobooks or calls out of your close by smartphone.

The “faux fur pom” materials will maintain you heat but keep wi-fi linked a number of dozen ft away out of your music supply.

Compatible with each Apple and Android units, use the onboard controls to play/pause music, skip between tracks, modify quantity and extra.

Battery life tops six hours between expenses. Remove the electronics from tis small inside pouch earlier than washing.

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It’s sofa time

While heated blankets aren’t something new, the Jartoo Apalos FlexHT ($199) is the world’s first “carbon nanotube” blanket that heats shortly and evenly (in beneath 30 seconds) and consumes solely 70 watts of energy, which is as much as 60% extra energy-efficient than different heated throw blankets.

It’s additionally safer than many different kinds of electrical blankets, says the corporate.

Beyond its effectivity, the blanket encompasses a velvety-soft end that drapes naturally over the physique, cleverly concealing the inner wiring for a seamless really feel.

Customization is easy through the built-in controls or the included wi-fi distant, providing six warmth ranges (95F to 131F) and 5 timer settings ranging as much as 10 hours.

The 60 x 50-inch electrical blanket can simply detach from its energy cable and could be tossed in a washer.

Snow be gone

Reduce pressure when shoving your walkway, driveway or balcony with the Worx 40V 20″ Brushless Snow Blower ($499).

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The high-efficiency brushless motor delivers a ton of energy, reducing by way of 20 x 10 inches of heavy snow in a single move – and a 180-degree rotating chute able to launching snow a full 20 ft in a single, regular stream.

Worx says you may stack two 20V battery packs for the lengthy runtime (clearing a six-car driveway on one cost), plus the EnergyShare-compatible batteries can be utilized to energy different Worx instruments, like a leaf blower or lawnmower.

Featuring LED lights for higher visibility, the 35-pound snow blower enjoys compact storage when not in use.

Through the wanting glass

Now that is cool.

Perfect for snowboarders and skiers, the Oakley Meta Vanguard good glasses (from $659) provide hands-free 3K video seize (and 12-megapixel stills) out of your viewpoint, to look at afterwards on an enormous display screen or posted to social media.

In reality, the Meta AI companion app can mechanically create spotlight reels of your strikes, too.

Available in a number of colors, these good glasses function highly effective, open-ear audio system for music and calls which are loud sufficient to listen to over wind and highway noise, whereas nonetheless permitting situational consciousness.

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As a bonus, they combine with health apps and appropriate Garmin units, permitting you to ask the built-in Meta AI for real-time stats like tempo and coronary heart fee with out breaking stride.

Battery life tops 9 hours.

Barbeque whereas inside

If you don’t wish to spring for a “smart grill,” as they are often fairly costly, the MEATER Plus ($149) helps you to barbeque with confidence, as this wi-fi probe, with a number of sensors, communicates your meals’s inside temperature (and grill’s ambient temp), as much as 165 ft away (through Bluetooth), to its companion app on a smartphone or pill.

That means you may throw no matter you want on the grill – beef, lamb, hen, pork), or fish – and keep heat inside because the app will show alerts, similar to when it’s time to flip your steak based mostly in your desired doneness, in addition to different useful options.

Extra eyes

Mounted onto a car’s windshield, dashboard cameras (“dashcams”) constantly document video within the occasion of an incident or accident – which is statistically extra prone to occur in icy or snowy climate.

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While the corporate has sub-$100 fashions, the top-of-the-line Nextbase iQ Smart Dashcam ($399) is loaded with tech. Whether your automotive is bumped in a car parking zone or an intruder is making an attempt to enter your car, real-time notifications are despatched to your telephone.

Nextbase iQ features a second digicam for video inside your automotive to document a site visitors cease or highway rage incident, plus you may say “Dash Cam, start Witness Mode” to share dwell footage with an emergency contact.

For aches and pains

Sore from shoveling the stroll?

Why not pamper your self (or your accomplice) with the Theragun Mini ($269), a pocket-sized system for muscle therapy – anytime, wherever – because of its QX35 motor with QuietForce tech, as much as 150 minutes of battery life, and three pace settings (1750, 2100, or 2400 percussions per minute).

With its patented triangle design for extra of an ergonomic grip, sort out knots, cramps and rigidity with Therabody’s smallest and quietest gun – whether or not you’re at house or on the go.

Colour choices embrace white, black, desert rose or Product (RED), and embrace a tender case, normal ball attachment and energy adapter.

– Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and is the writer of the guide, Apple Watch For Dummies (Wiley)

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