Five Summer Essentials
By Sam Jackson
Gadget
Most music lovers’ dream of being able to drive the neighbors into a smoldering rage by blasting their collection of obscure 70s prog-rock at all hours of the day through their very own wall of speakers. Sadly, the prices of decent systems, which often hover in the hundreds to thousands of dollars, have made those dreams difficult to realize. Now Kinivo have come to the rescue with their new M2 2.1 speakers. Despite being a mere (and portable) 7.7 pounds, the sound is lush, packing enough bass to rattle dishes off tables, and can easily plug into your home system or workspace, making it perfect for television or gaming. They also come with Bluetooth capability, so you can wirelessly play your smartphone through them if you wish. This entire package comes at a serious bargain, so don’t ignore those dreams of speaker heaven. $69.99, kinivo.com
Bike
If you’re a recently displaced New Yorker or just looking to get some of that city-slicker style, Brooklyn Bicycle Company has extended its products to Austin. Ranging from single speeds to seven-speed bikes, these are prime examples of sleek and classy transportation (and priced fairly well too), with a variety of options to suit a cyclist’s taste. They’re perfect for a relaxing cruise down the city streets, although you might not want to take them out on a mountainbiking trail. The bikes can be found at Windmill Bicycles and the soon-to-open BikeHaus on Fifth Street, so definitely pay a visit and check them out. Prices range from $399 to $749. brooklynbicycleco.com
Cd
Braced by a wave of critical acclaim, including a Best New Music tag from Pitchfork, Montreal-based band Ought is turning heads, then bobbing them with its debut album, More Than Any Other Day. With a mix of spirited punk minimalism, hilariously clever lyrics and a heightened sense of artistry, the group has earned comparisons to CBGB-era groups like Television and Talking Heads. If all that isn’t enough to sell you, you’ll have an opportunity to check the band’s bona fides when they play Austin club Holy Mountain July 3. ought.bandcamp.com
Book
Golf is such a coveted sport, other athletes can’t wait to finish their “day jobs” and hit the links. In Two Good Rounds Superstars: Golf Stories From the World’s Greatest Athletes, author Elisa Gaudet grills luminaries like Oscar De La Hoya and Andy Roddick about their games, what they love about golf and who they’d want in their dream foursome. A sequel to the acclaimed Two Good Rounds: 19th Hole Stories From The World’s Greatest Golfers, the book includes a foreword from PGA legend Ernie Els and would make a great Father’s Day gift for the golfer in your family. twogoodrounds.com
APP
What with the recent coming of the blood moon and the influx of meteor showers, stargazing is becoming a lot more interesting. However, even when there isn’t a cosmic event on display, you can get a lot out of the stars with the Sky Guide app. With incredible features that include satellite tracking, time controls to find where and when things will be, and high-resolution photos of starry phenomena, in addition to identification info, this is an invaluable tool for any amateur astronomer. fifthstarlabs.com
