Double-duty devices

The original Swiss Army Knife made in the 1880s, had multiple tools, including  one to dismantle a musket and another to removes stones from a horse's shoe. Other times, other needs: The latest edition of the knife, updated for a Digital Age, includes  a  detachable USB Flash drive  and a biometric finger print reader. The Swiss mantra of  'one tool, many roles', is seemingly embraced by many of today's digital productivity and entertainment tools.  I have been experiencing  three of them recently.

For footloose digerati

Kingston's mainstream business is Flash storage, but its MobiLite Wireless Media Reader G2 combines at least three distinct roles: it works as a portable card reader, freeing up valuable space on your phone or tablet. To do this it has a USB port, with a cable to convert to micro USB; an SD memory card reader with an adapter for micro SD cards. A second role comes from its ethernet port which allows you to plug in a broadband connection and effectively turn the reader into a WiFi router and range extender. The third function comes from its 4640 mAh storage, which lets you use it an emergency power bank.

If you install the  Kingston MobileLite app ( Android  and iOS), you can share photos, files, and movies with up to 8 users simultaneously, upload vacation photos from your SD card directly to Facebook and Twitter or to your email. For around Rs 3150, at Online sites,  this reader-plus is a steal and a must-have travel companion for footloose digerati .

Headphones

Headphones are only as good as the music or speech they relay or so I thought till I tried out the Zebronics Gaming headphone 'IronHead; v2.0. This is a fairly large and well padded over-ears headset, complete with microphone, 3 metres of well insulated cable and a snug control pod for Vol+, Vol-, sound mute and mike mute. What distances the IronHead from many similarly priced products, is the built-in audio processor  which  converts the received audio into simulated 3-D surround sound. This is one of very few headphones I have tried that comes with its own installation CD.

This lets you fine tune the surround sound, simulate virtual speaker positioning and set up the headset for a karaoke session, all features which are beyond the  line  of duty of the average HiFi headphone.  The Iron Head costs Rs 2,190, but online sites offer  good discounts.

Speaker-player-radio

Appearances  can be deceptive. The Frontech Wireless Bluetooth Speaker model JIL-3906 looks and feels  like any other  portable speaker, Except for the microSD card slot  next to the USB charging port. This lets you plug in a card with your favourite tracks and play them straight from the speaker, without benefit   of a separate player. If you insert the  AUX cable provided, it serves as an antenna and unleashes the  FM radio function of the speaker.Recognizing that parties are often held outdoors, the JIL-3906 is encased in rubber-like waterproof material and the controls are all recessed almost like a piece of military equipment.

The colour is appropriately  camouflage green. This dinky unit belts out 3 watts of sound and the Bluetooth and NFC connection technologies let you pair it wirelessly to your mobile phone, music player  or tablet.  Compellingly  priced at Rs 1100.