Kayaking is one of the most enjoyable outdoor activities that you can enjoy. Not only is it adventurous but it also helps you stay in shape. For most people, kayaking is one of the ways that helps them take a break from technology and civilization.
You want to out on the water and enjoy nature but you will still need a little technology to make your experience wonderful.
Having a smartphone when you are kayaking can be a great idea especially in cases of emergency. Today, you will find several apps for kayakers that will help you greatly.
These apps help you track your location back, connect with other paddlers as well as keep up with the weather. I will take you through 11 of the best kayaking apps for kayakers.
1. Simple TidesThis is a great app that will help you track weather information and tide across the country. It has a calendar feature that gives you the opportunity to see tide charts prior.
The app has amazing features that will help you plan your kayaking trip. It doesn’t matter if you are miles away or in your backyard, you can adjust your plans based on the changing weather and water conditions.
2. AccuweatherKnowing the weather is crucial when you are kayaking. For instance, you might not know what to do when the skies turn dark.
Having this app provided you with minute by minute forecast updates so you can make the right decision. It gives you more information about the humidity, temperature, dew point, wind direction and speed, sunrise and sunset among others. Learn More
3. FirstmateIf you love kayak fishing, you understand the importance of reaching the place at the right time. This app is designed to make fishing easy and fun.
It helps you plan your schedule well. Even if your trip is taking longer, this app helps you to fast forward your days and check the weather conditions.
4. KayaklogThis is a free app that is compatible with Android and iOS. Having the app will help you enjoy the best kayaking adventures.
When you are paddling, this app will help you collect important data such as speed, air temperature, speed and photos.
You can upload the information to Kayalog’s website and store it. You can also share the information on social media if you like.
5. Kayaking GPSThis is an app that was made by kayakers to meet their needs. You can plan or follow a route through GPS. It helps you see things like danger zones, rocks, rest points, waves, drops and much more.
6. Boating USA and CanadaThis is one of the best apps but it is expensive. It helps you to move from one point to the other and ensures that you have all the information that you want.
You can also find the best fishing area and highlight them yellow. This app collects information such as speed, direction, water temperature, air pressure and wave height. The cost of the app is $14.99 and it is compatible with Android.
7. Paddle ReadyWhen it comes to safety features, this is the best app. It has the ability to send your friends and family route before you start paddling. You will benefit a lot from the rescue and safety videos that will help you be prepared for any outcome.
8. Smart Start KayakingThis is a perfect app for beginners. It also provides experienced kayakers with information about safety, paddling techniques and gear.
9. Go PaddlingThis is a great app that helps you find the right location for your canoe, SUP or kayak. It has over 25,000 pre-loaded locations that you can explore. You will also find launch sites and other detailed notes about every place from the users.
10. Trip JournalThis is an app that can document your experience and share it with your friends and loved ones. It cans geotag photos and record waypoints which make it easy to share.
11. Rapid MagazineYou can download this app if you want to enjoy videos and whitewater. This is one of the most popular app for whitewater use. It has how-to videos, athlete stories, interviews and photo galleries.
Final WordsIf you are a first-time Kayaker or an experienced Kayaker, any of these apps will help you when you are outdoors. You don’t have to worry about the weather or losing your directions when kayaking. Now that you are well versed with the apps, you can plan your next kayaking trip and enjoy your experience.
Related Topics How to Buy a Smartphone Best Android Antitheft Apps Best 4G Phones Cheap Android Phones Best Fitness Apps for Android Best Android Phones Compare Prices of Mobile PhonesThe post 11 of the Best Kayaking Apps for Kayakers appeared first on Nigeria Technology Guide.
The Echo Dot in this piece is Amazon’s 3rd iteration from its series of low-end Echo Dot smart home speakers. Compared with its predecessor (the 2nd Gen) Echo Dot, the new Amazon smart speaker comes with much better processing capabilities, improve audio quality and redefined design. And while we will briefly talk about the modifications (new additions, improvements as well as the cutdowns) that were made on Amazon’s latest Echo Dot, let’s highlight some of its major specs and features.
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) Key Specs Size / Dimension: 3.9” x 3.9” x 1.7” (99 mm x 99 mm x 43 mm) Weight: 10.6 oz. (300 grams) Bluetooth connectivity: Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) WiFi connectivity: Dual-band Wi-Fi supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) networks. Does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks Package contents: 1 x Echo Dot, 1 x power adapter (15W), 1 x Quick Start Guide. Others: Four far-field microphones, 1.6-inch speaker, Alexa voice assistant Design
Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Gen (left) vs 2nd Gen (right)
If you have previously seen or used the second-generation Echo Dot, the difference in aesthetical properties is the first thing you would, obviously, notice. Unlike the first and second generation Echo Dots with plastic exterior covering, the edges/sides of the new Amazon Echo Dot is covered in fabric grille material, giving it a ‘softer’ feel when touched and an overall premium appearance. In addition, the buttons on the top of the device are more tactile and soothing to click. The buttons configuration is, however, the same with previous Echo Dot models: volume up, volume down, microphone on/off, and the Alexa button.
The light ring around the buttons at the top of the Amazon Echo Dot is now brighter so as to make the light more visible from any angle and distance and likewise, help serve as a better and clearer indication to users that the speaker is listening before they give it a command.
Design-wise, this newly-released Echo Dot seems as though Amazon took a bit of inspiration from Google as the speaker shares semblance, to some extent, with the Google Home Mini. The Echo Dot blends perfectly with the environment where it is placed and to give users more options to choose from when making buying decisions, Amazon made the device in three new colours (Heather Grey, Sandstone, and Charcoal).
Sound
The audio technology Amazon used on the new Echo Dot is super impressive and makes the speaker about three times louder than previous Echo Dots. In fact, this comparison explains that the 3rd-Gen Amazon Echo Dot at 30% volume is just as loud as the 2nd-Gen on 100%. The bass has also been improved to give better thumping bass and overall, improved music listening experience.
This third generation Echo Dot comes with a 1.6-inch speaker which is capable of producing distortion-free 360-degree sound, unlike the smaller 1.1-inch speaker of the 2nd-Gen Echo Dot.
MicrophoneAsides from housing the physical buttons of the device, the top of the Amazon Echo Dot also carries the far-field microphones of the smart home gadget. Surprisingly, Amazon reduced the number of the microphones from seven (7) to four (4) but says the speaker will pick up voices and commands far better than older Echo Dots. So even if you are playing music at loud volume or the room is noisy and crowdy, the new Amazon Echo Dot will pick up the Alexa wake-word and other voice commands with relative ease.
ConnectivityTo connect the Echo Dot to an external speaker, Amazon retains the 3.5mm audio jack. The mini USB port found on previous Echo Dots has, however, been replaced by a ‘barrel connector’. This means you wouldn’t be able to use a random USB cable to power the Amazon Echo Dot — which isn’t exactly a big deal. For wireless pairing with other devices, Bluetooth is still the medium of connectivity.
About the power adapter of the new Amazon Echo Dot, it is a 15W power brick. This is bigger and supplies more power than the 9W adapter of older Echo Dots. This is because the speaker is now louder, hence the need for more power.
Price
The new Amazon Echo Dot comes is, obviously, a better smart speaker than its predecessors, particularly in the aspects of design, sound/loudness, and microphone functionality. However, aside from being powered by the same Alexa Voice Assistant technology, the new Amazon Echo Dot also, surprisingly, sells for the same $49.99 price as the second-generation Echo Dot.
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