Heat Cameras, Laser Measures, and the World’s Smallest Drone

David Pogue
·Tech Critic
Updated

Every day, tech companies flood Yahoo Tech with announcements of new or updated products. Some we review; some we ignore. And some are in between: they’re products you should know about, but that we haven’t evaluated.

Here are the latest new-product pitches we’ve received. Let us know in the Comments which ones you think are worth reviewing.

Axis Aerius

The world’s smallest quadcopter: It’s a nano drone (3 cm by 3 cm by 2 cm) that can do midair flips at the push of a button. Simple to learn and fly. Five to seven minutes of flight time for each 15-minute charge via USB. The compact wireless controller doubles as a storage case. ($35, Axis Drones)

image

FLIR One

Pocket-sized thermal imaging device that attaches to your smartphone and lets you literally see heat. Detects home energy inefficiencies, plumbing leaks and overheating cars. Shows temp changes down to a tenth of degree. No visible light required. Available for iOS and Android. ($150-$250, FLIR Systems)

image

Bosch GLM 50 C Laser Measure

Throw out that old spring-loaded tape measure. Here’s its replacement: Precise to within 1/16 of an inch, with a 165-foot range, full-color screen, and compatible with smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. ($150, Bosch Tools)

image

RakEM

The world’s most secure messaging app (iOS and Android). Its unique features — No Text Regret and Total Recall — let you permanently delete any record of one or all text messages sent to any device that’s running the same app. Ideal for highly secure communications. (Free, Raketu)

image

D-Link Wi-Fi Water Sensor

This compact device plugs into an open power outlet and alerts your phone (iOS or Android) with a push notification whenever it detects water. Could save you thousands of dollars in costly water damage repairs. ($60, D-Link)

image

Martian Watches, 2015 Line

Discreet by design, these water-resistant smartwatches honor classic analog watch designs with advanced features like voice commands and customizable vibrating notifications. Offering connection to thousands of apps, Martian takes the crossroads of fashion and tech very seriously. ($250 and up, Martian Watches.)

Sphero SPRK Edition

A robot that will teach you how to code. Sphero SPRK Edition is a clear version of Sphero’s app-enabled robotic ball. The app teaches you how to code using a drag-and-drop programming format that’s intuitive and approachable. Sold at Target, Amazon & Sphero.com. ($130, Sphero)

image

Spring

Fitness app is a personalized workout radio that matches the musical beat to your cadence. The result: a unique, musically paced workout program that decreases exhaustion and improves motivation. For running, weight lifting, yoga, rowing, whatever. ($4 a month and up, Spring)

image

If have a new, shipping product that you’d like to be considered for inclusion in our new-products digest, send a 300-character blurb to David Pogue, poguester@yahoo.com. Include a link, a photo, and pricing. Submissions containing buzzwords, jargon, or sales-speak will be tossed.