Bose Frames Tenor ($249)

Take out the earbuds with these combination speaker and sunglasses. Packaged in a sleek, black frame with polarized lenses, the Tenor’s state-of-the-art Bose Bluetooth speaker allows wearers to enjoy the natural sounds of their environment while discreetly listening to music in crystal clear quality.

Loftie Smart Alarm Clock ($149)

More than just an alarm clock, this smart device is also a white noise machine and includes a Bluetooth speaker that can play guided meditations, soothing evening playlists, and sound baths. It’s everything that special someone in your life needs to get the perfect night’s sleep.

Moleskine Smart Writing System ($279)

Digital technology makes note-taking and journaling so easy to store, but studies show that writing by hand increases brain activity over typing on a tablet or smartphone. The perfect compromise? The Moleskine Smart Writing System, comprised of a smart Ncoded paper and Smart Pen that instantly uploads digital copies of all your hand-written notes.

eTape16 Digital Electronic Tape Measure ($39.99)

For all your handy friends, this electronic tape provides a digital readout for all measurements and can even remember them, eliminating the need for a pen and paper to write it all down.

Anker Nebula Solar Portable Mini Projector ($399.99)

This compact mini projector lets your friends take their TV and movie-watching fun on the road. The1080p projector has a battery that can last for three hours on a single charge. It also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker to provide a full wireless entertainment experience in one machine.

Ekster Parliament Leather Smart Wallet ($69)

If your loved one isn’t ready to go all in on digital finance yet, this smart wallet provides identity theft protection with its RFID coating. With just the push of a button, their desired card is pushed up for easy access at the checkout line. The stylish wallet can also be connected and tracked via smartphone, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant so it never stays lost for long. It can hold up to seven cards and is handily powered by sunlight.

MUSE 2: The Brain Sensing Headband ($249.99)

Help your loved ones achieve greater focus and clarity this year with a Muse 2 Brain Sensing Headband. It monitors your brain activity, heart rate, breathing, and body movement in real time. When it’s connected to the accompanying smartphone app, the Muse 2 provides over 500 guided meditations for improved emotional and mental health.

Hydrate Spark 3 ($69.99)

Help your family stay properly hydrated with this smart, BPA-free plastic water bottle. The bottom glows when its times to take a sip again. Users can connect the Hidrate Spark to their phones to track how much water they drink each day and to track it if ever goes missing.

Solawave Advanced Skincare Wand ($149)

Give the gift of beauty with this skin care wand that uses red light therapy and microcurrent waves to roll back the clock on fine lines, dark circles, and acne scars.

Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder ($249.99)

For your aviary-loving friends, this bird feeder cam can identify over 6,000 types of winged creatures. With 1080p resolution, a macro lens, and built-in zoom, your loved one will be capture unmatched views of all their favorite birds. It also has a voice feature to keep any annoying squirrels from stealing the food.

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The post Top 10 Tech Gifts to Get Your Loved Ones This Holiday Season first appeared on Dornob.

That means there’s no extra setup for outdoor parties — the speakers are always ready to go with a full 15 hours of battery life. They connect to a music source via Bluetooth with up a 100-foot range.

Setup only takes a few seconds. Each speaker comes with a magnetic stand that can be staked into grass, dirt, and other landscaping materials. The box can be easily pulled off the stand and transferred to another stand in a different part of the yard, brought inside, or taken on the road for mobile parties. If there’s ever a need for wired charging, the speaker also includes a USB-C port that can be used to power up other USB devices, too.

The sound quality is powerful, thanks to a four-inch passive subwoofer for bass, a ¾-inch tuned dome tweeter for high notes, a four-inch calibrated driver for clear and consistent audio, and a 50-Watt amplifier for volume. Two or more speakers can also be connected to create an even fuller, more immersive sound.

Because outdoor speakers have to be able to stand up to intense weather conditions, the Lodge solar speakers were designed to handle everything from “the hot summers of the Arizona desert to the icy winters in Vermont.” To protect against damage from water, dust, and debris, the speakers are equipped with both UV-safe plastics for the housing and chip-proof industrial strength solar panels. Each one comes with a waterproof IP66 rating.

The speakers have been extensively tested and reviewed to ensure their quality is top notch. “We’ve been working on Lodge since late 2020 and have gone through hundreds of rounds of testing, user feedback, and iteration,” the company says on their Kickstarter page. “We’ve worked with audiophiles and designers from all over of the world to validate our design decisions and component selection, and we’ve completed countless hours of testing both in and outside of the lab. With the community’s help, we brought Lodge to where it is today and built a sound system the Lodge community is proud to support.”

The company also tried to keep sustainability in mind when designing the speakers, allowing them to be disassembled and recycled so that parts could be repurposed in the future.

The Kickstarter campaign generated plenty more interest than expected. The company started with a $10,000 goal and raised over $250,000 by the time it ended. There was so much demand, in fact, that Lodge created a second crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo that raised another $270,000 in a month. The company hopes to start shipping their product to the first Kickstarter customers sometime this summer.

The post These Outdoor Speakers are Waterproof, Wireless, and Solar-Powered first appeared on Dornob.

We break down all the Lock Bolt’s best and worst features here:

Fast

While many other smart door locks take several seconds to fully release, the Wyze version boasts an impressive half-second response time. That equates to a greater feeling of security knowing you won’t have to hang out on a dark porch waiting for the door to open.

Added Security

With the ability to store up to 50 fingerprints, the Lock Bolt can easily identify all authorized users. It can also accommodate up to 20 different keypad codes and has an anti-peep feature that lets you add random digits to the beginning or end of your code to throw off anyone trying to spy out your secret numbers.

The lock does not, however, have the option to use a traditional key.

Automatic Locking

Although not truly programmable, the device has an auto lock feature that will lock the door after a specified period of time. This makes sure the door stays secured during the night even if someone comes in late and forgets to manually bolt it. However, because there are no door sensors to tell the lock if the door is open or closed, it would still turn to the locked position even if the door was open.

Limited Connectivity

The Wyze Lock Bolt uses Bluetooth to connect to an accompanying smartphone app instead of Wi-Fi, which limits the range of remote features. Users can only lock and unlock the door via the app within the 16-foot radius of the lock’s Bluetooth 5.0 radio, and no smart home integration is possible. That means you can’t control the door when you’re away from home, set schedules, or operate it with Alexa or Siri voice commands.

User History

When logged on to the Wyze app (which must still be within Bluetooth range of the door), users can access records of how and when people have opened the lock, allowing you to monitor traffic in and out of the house.

Long-Lasting Battery

One benefit of being Bluetooth only is that the battery life of of the Lock Bolt’s included four AAs is much longer than it is for Wi-Fi versions. The Wyze Lock Bolt can go 10 to 12 months on one set of batteries, compared to just three to six months for Wi-Fi connected locks.

If the batteries happen to run out before you get a chance to change them, you can always just recharge the Lock Bolt with the USB-C port at the base of the lock, juicing it up enough to enter a code and unlock the door.

Affordable

While most smart door locks range from $150 to $300, the Wyze fingerprint model is offered for just $69.99. For example, the Lockley Flex Touch with Biometric 3D Fingerprint is a similar Bluetooth version but sells for more than double the price at $159, while the eufy Security Smart Lock Touch goes for even more at $169. The price point for the Wyze definitely makes the drawbacks more palatable. For an even better deal, Wyze Cam Plus subscribers can score another $10 off the regular price.

The post Wyze’s New Door Lock Unlocks With Your Fingerprint first appeared on Dornob.

Dyson engineers spent six years developing more than 500 prototypes that transformed the company’s air filtration technology into a compact wearable unit. The product evolution began as a hilariously bulky design with a snorkel-like mouthpiece, which was eventually refined to its final form: fairly standard-looking over-the-ear headphones with the face visor attached. The visor might appear slightly claustrophobic, but it doesn’t actually touch the wearer’s face, hovering far enough away for proper air circulation.

The compressors in each ear cup draw air through dual-layer filters and project two streams of purified air to the wearer’s nose and mouth through the visor. Sculpted air returns ensure that you’re breathing purified air that is diluted as little as possible by external crosswinds. To test the filtration, Dyson engineers used a breathing mannequin with medical-grade mechanical lungs and sensing equipment, which they placed in a controlled chamber full of air pollution.

The mannequin “breathed” through the Dyson Zone, and then the contents of its lungs were tested to see how much pollution made it through, with results showing that the filters are at least 97 percent effective. The filtration consists of negatively charged electrostatic filter media to trap ultra fine particles like allergens, brake dust, industry combustion and construction-related pollution, while a potassium-enriched carbon layer captures common urban gas pollutants like NO2 and SO2.

The Dyson Zone is designed for comfort, taking inspiration from the shape of a horse’s saddle to distribute weight over the sides of the head rather than the top. A custom blend of different types of foam makes the ear cup and headband cushions soft, stable, and capable of blocking out external sound. Which brings us, at long last, to the quality that’s most important in a pair of headphones: the audio.

The Zone has three different modes for noise cancellation. Raising the face visor turns on isolation mode, with active noise cancelling to eliminate distractions. When you lower the visor, you activate conversation mode, disabling noise cancellation. Transparency mode is somewhere in between, filtering most noises but allowing important sounds like car horns and sirens to come through. Dyson says the Zone delivers immersive high-fidelity sound, so you can listen to music as it was meant to be heard wherever you go.

Is anyone actually going to wear these? That remains to be seen when they become available this fall. For one thing, they’re quite large and look fairly heavy. They’re also impossible to ignore. Early adopters would have to be willing to withstand a lot of weird looks in public at a time when mask wearing has become politicized and equated to being silenced (at least in the United States). But it’s also possible that all the mask wearing of the last few years will actually reduce some resistance to a product like this, and personal air filtration will become the norm. Call us crazy, but we kind of wish we could just cut down air pollution in general and skip the bulky wearables altogether.

The post Zone: Dyson’s Weird New Headphones Include an Air-Filtering Face Visor first appeared on Dornob.

As part of an award-winning graduate project at the Royal College of Art, designer Dani Clode invented a mechanical “Third Thumb” to see if the human brain could incorporate a bonus digit. The idea got her invited onto a neuroscience research team at University College London, where the theory was put to the test.

The 3D printed, customizable Third Thumb was worn on the hand next to the pinky finger. It was controlled via pressure sensors attached to the wearer’s feet, under the big toes. Using Bluetooth technology, the sensors wirelessly connect to the extra digit, sending directions that vary based on subtle pressure changes from the toes.

Over the course of a week, during which wearers got several hours of daily training in a lab and several more hours of at-home practice, the study revealed that users easily learned to control the extra thumb, using for it for things like holding mugs, carrying multiple balls, and even blowing bubbles from a container one-handed.

Participants adapted so well they were even able to use the Third Thumb while multitasking, like building a wooden block tower while doing a math problem.

“Our study shows that people can quickly learn to control an augmentation device and use it for their benefit, without overthinking,” Clode explains. “We saw that while using the Third Thumb, people changed their natural hand movements, and they also reported that the robotic thumb felt like part of their own body.”

Taking fMRI brain scans before and after the training, researchers found that subtle changes had been made in the way the brain represented the augmented hand in the sensorimotor cortex. A week after the study concluded, more fMRI scans were taken showing those changes had reversed back to their original scans, suggesting the brain adaptations are reversible.

The implications of the Third Thumb research could be life and even species-altering.

“Body augmentation could one day be valuable to society in numerous ways, such as enabling a surgeon to get by without an assistant, or a factory worker to work more efficiently,” says Paulina Kieliba, study co-author and researcher at the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience. “This line of work could revolutionize the concept of prosthetics, and it could help someone who permanently or temporarily can only use one hand, to do everything with that hand. But to get there, we need to continue researching the complicated, interdisciplinary questions of how these devices interact with our brains.”

Clode hopes that her design will help people change their perception of what prosthetics are and can facilitate.

“The Third Thumb instigates a necessary conversation about the definition of ‘ability’. The origin of the word ‘prosthesis’ meant ’to add, put onto’; so not to fix or replace, but to extend,” she writes on her website. “The project is inspired by this word origin, exploring human augmentation and aiming to reframe prosthetics as extensions of the body.”

The post “Third Thumb” Experiment Suggests Human Brains Can Handle Extra Fingers first appeared on Dornob.

Those architectural elements are exactly what make LeGrow stand out. They include stackable vertical planters in two depths, an LED grow lamp, an automated 360-degree diffusing mist humidifier, a riser for stacking hanging plants, and a Bluetooth speaker, all of which you layer on top of a self-watering tray. Each one has a unique and interesting shape, looking more like a sculpture than a functional object. Presented in all white with lots of curves and arches, these growing modules have sort of a utopian look to them that pairs beautifully with living plants.

The process of building your LeGrow garden is as satisfying as watching it grow. It’s designed to be as easy as assembling your very own LEGO creation, giving you the freedom to build in whatever shapes and configurations you like. Create a terraced arrangement, vertical towers, a long narrow strip for the center of a table, or a system that looks like a tiny neighborhood.

Once assembled, the LeGrow garden becomes its own self-contained ecosystem. Since it has its own built-in lighting, you don’t have to worry about finding a window with suitable sunlight to support it. The rounded glass humidifier distributes moisture evenly across the whole thing, and a built-in water pipe structure makes sure that all the planters are connected to each other, sharing water from the tray. Even better, the tray has been made translucent so you can keep an eye on the water level.

It’s rare to see sound incorporated into an indoor garden system, so the Bluetooth speaker is a bit of a fun extra in this set. You can connect it to your phone and play relaxing music for the ultimate in stress-reducing mini Zen gardens, or maybe experiment with the concept that plants can be affected by sound. What you grow in your desktop garden is really up to you, but the LeGrow system can support succulents and cacti, herbs, flowers, and tropical greenery, including finicky plants that need a lot of water, like carnivorous pitcher plants and Venus flytraps.

The LeGrow Desktop Garden is currently available for pre-order at Indiegogo in a variety of packages. The Vertical Garden is the smallest at $34 USD, coming with a single pot, an LED grow lamp, three vertical planters, and a water tray. The systems get bigger from there, all the way up to the $428 Rainforest configuration, which comes with a speaker, a humidifier, 26 pots, 11 vertical planters, 20 shallow moss planters, four grow lamps, and more. All orders are estimated to ship out in September 2021.

The post LeGrow: Meditative Modular Desktop Garden System Full of Automated Features first appeared on Dornob.

“We are living in sci-fi times,” will.i.am told the New York Times, adding that “[The pandemic] is straight out of a friggin’ movie, but we are wearing masks from yesterday’s movie. So, I wanted to make a mask to fit the era that we’re in.”

He also wanted to solve a functional issue. “What I saw out there in the world was people had loose-fitted masks, and they had earbuds,” he told USA Today. “When they got phone calls, they took the mask off and the earbuds fell on the floor, then the mask fell on the floor, and then the whole point was pointless because everything got dirty.”

The Xupermask (pronounced “supermask”) is a collaboration between the musician and Fortune 100 company Honeywell, a business that already knows plenty about personal protective gear and air purifiers.

“When we were confronted with this idea of partnering with a world-renowned innovator to solve a very specific consumer problem around having a great performing and fashionable mask that you could use for the whole day, it was just an obvious fit,” says John Waldron, president and CEO of Safety and Product Solutions at Honeywell.

The Xupermask features dual three-speed ventilation fans and HEPA filters that can be replaced every 30 days. Made from silicone and athletic mesh fabric, it creates a seal around the face that keeps glasses from fogging and fits most sizes. The embedded noise-cancelling earbuds connect to devices via 5.0 Bluetooth and are designed to magnetically dock at the sides of the mask when not in use. The LED day glow lights, earphones, and microphone have a seven-hour battery life, but the components can also be charged while you wear them.

In true will.i.am fashion, the face covering was made to give the wearer that sleek “boom, boom, pow” look. In an interview with Complex, the rapper explained, “if you’re designing masks to inspire and encourage sneaker culture, a fabric mask is a flip-flop and this is a Jordan 3.”

He worked with Hollywood costume designer Jose Fernandez to create a covering that resembled a space-age, dystopian gas mask – the type of thing you might expect to see on the Black Eyed Pea’s next album cover. Fernandez is well-known for his work on iconic superhero costumes for movies like Batman and Spider-Man, as well as the spacesuits he created for Elon Musk’s Falcon 9 crew.

“Most of the things you wear feel very clinical, medicinal,” Fernandez said in an interview with CNET. “This one I think has that cool factor.”

will.i.am’s high-tech COVID-19 shield is not the first of its kind. Gaming company Razer is making a transparent, LED-lighted face covering that uses audio-processing algorithms to make your voice sound clear on the outside, and LG has announced a mask with battery-powered, built-in air purifiers. The Xupermask is the first to be on the market, though.

However, with a price tag of $299, excited fans may be asking “where is the love?” But apparently consumers are ready to “get it started,” as both mask styles sold out quickly on their April 8th release date.

The post Will.i.am Debuts High-Tech “Xupermask” Facemask first appeared on Dornob.

First thing’s first: check out that silhouette. The UJET’s faceted alloy and carbon fiber bodywork give it a futuristic edge, and its cool spokeless orbital wheels are equipped with single-wall carbon nanotube tires. The scooter weighs just 95 pounds and folds up so it’s easy to take on public transit or throw into your trunk, taking up very little space when stored.

“Our wheel design has been drawing significant attention,” says Hugues Desires, CEO of UJET International. “The spokeless orbital wheel includes a suspension system and larger-diameter lightweight brakes, which offer a smooth ride, and the in-wheel electric motor combines optimized size with [the] powerful performance of 5.44 horsepower and 90 N.m (Newton meter) torque, ensuring great acceleration in any conditions. The first nano-augmented wheel to ever hit the market, UJET’s approach to tire design will make navigating a city landscape easier and safer than ever before.”

But looks are just the beginning. One of the most interesting aspects of the UJET scooter is its connectivity, which gives riders an unprecedented level of control over its operation and maintenance. A smartphone app allows users to lock, unlock, and locate the scooter, as well as activate an alarm and disable it remotely if it’s stolen. If the scooter is moved without permission, you’ll get a notification and step-by-step directions on how to find it.

An array of 20 digital sensors monitors the scooter’s diagnostics, including battery level, mileage, and the amount of carbon emissions saved versus driving a car the same distance. The UJET’s voice-controlled app also enables the rider to stream music, place calls, navigate, and even record video using a front-facing HD camera.

The scooter features two swappable battery packs in different sizes, with an estimated range between 43 and 93 miles per charge, respectively. Both batteries are about the size of a rolling suitcase, so you can easily tote one or both along whenever you need extra juice. All that’s required to charge the UJET is a standard power outlet; the charging cable stores conveniently inside the seat.

The scooter’s official website reads: “Technology lies at the heart of our vision to pioneer the future of urban mobility. Smart connectivity, precise engineering, leading electronics, and advanced composite materials come together to make our dream of futuristic mobility a reality. Technology can be beautiful. Form and function meet to create an amazing machine. We believe that beauty lies in union of practicality and design. We believe in freedom of movement and expression. We innovate to enable city lovers to move anywhere and anytime, always in style.”

“The UJET is our answer to the need for a high-tech and stylish urban mobility solution. With today’s and tomorrow’s issues in mind, we created a futuristic solution that works seamlessly within the existing infrastructure and fits any lifestyle.”

The UJET is expected to hit the US market by the end of 2018, with a price tag starting at $8,900.

The post UJET: Silent Electric Scooter Boasts a Removable Bluetooth Speaker first appeared on Dornob.

So far, existing electronic skins are run via batteries and near-field communication. The Caltech team sought to disrupt the industry by creating a version that could operate wirelessly through some form of continuous self-power.

E-skins are made of soft, flexible rubber, taking the form of small patches that are placed adhesively onto the top layer of skin. And what’s always present on the epidermis? Human sweat, of course! Because sweat is one of the body’s own natural waste products, The Caltech team figured it would make for a wonderful source of power.

No surprise then that the researchers innovatively devised a method to use lactate to power the e-skin’s fuel cells. If lactate sounds familiar, Scientific American explains that’s because our muscles are famously known to have lactic acid build up in them whenever we’re active. When we give them a chance to rest after heavy exercise, the lactic acid is broken down by the body into lactate and hydrogen ions. As a human waste by-product, it’s secreted in various ways, one of which is through sweat.

“One of the major challenges with these kinds of wearable devices is on the power side,” says Assistant Professor Wei Gao of Caltech’s Mechanical Engineering Department, who led the research on the new e-skin. “Many people are using batteries, but that’s not very sustainable. Some people have tried using solar cells or harvesting the power of human motion, but we wanted to know, ‘can we get sufficient energy from sweat to power the wearables?’ and the answer is yes.”

How are the Caltech e-skin’s fuel cells designed to use sweat lactate? First, the e-skin absorbs the lactate present in sweat. That lactate is then combined through a chemical reaction with atmospheric oxygen to produce water and a by-product called pyruvate, with the reaction itself acting as the energy converter that powers the fuel cells. And as The Engineer elaborates, “as they operate, the biofuel cells generate enough electricity to power sensors and Bluetooth, allowing the e-skin to transmit readings from its sensors wirelessly.”

Interestingly, The Next Web reveals that the e-skin was tested in two experimental formats. The first involved electronic skins placed on a trio of cyclists pedaling in the laboratory on exercise bikes. As the devices’ reservoirs filled up with cyclists’ sweat, physiological biometric readings on the athletes were transmitted to computers.

But the research wasn’t just about powering electronic skins through sweat, TNW adds. Rather, during the second segment of the research, an e-skin was wirelessly connected to a robotic arm. When the sweaty cyclist moved his arm through various gestures, the robotic arm likewise followed suit in grasping a nearby object. This breakthrough could mean a future where sweat-powered wearables activate tomorrow’s robotic devices.

“We want this system to be a platform,” Gao hinted about future technological and robotics applications. “In addition to being a wearable biosensor, this can be a human–machine interface. The vital signs and molecular information collected using this platform could be used to design and optimize next-generation prosthetics.”

The research was recently published as an article in Science Robotics entitled “Biofuel-powered soft electronic skin for multiplexed and wireless sensing for human-machine interfaces.” According to the official Caltech website, Gao’s work usually revolves around the research and development of novel bioelectronic devices with practical biomedical applications. His work furthers the understanding of complex biological systems, clinical assessments that include health monitoring for early diagnosis and timely intervention, rapid delivery of pharmaceuticals, micro-robotics, nanomedicine, and even precision surgery.

The post Caltech’s Sweat-Powered E-Skin Could be Used to Power Future Robotics first appeared on Dornob.

On Friday, Apple and Google announced a system they’ve co-created that allows users to voluntarily share data through Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmissions and approved apps from health organizations. The pair of iOS and Android application programming interfaces (APIs,) set to be released in mid May, will help public health officials determine who an infected person has been in contact with in an effort to prevent them from infecting others.

Apple’s official statement on the new tracing system explains: “to further this cause, Apple and Google will be launching a comprehensive solution that includes application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology to assist in enabling contact tracing. Given the urgent need, the plan is to implement this solution in two steps while maintaining strong protections around user privacy. First, in May, both companies will release APIs that enable interoperability between Android and iOS devices using apps from public health authorities. These official apps will be available for users to download via their respective app stores.”

“Second, in the coming months, Apple and Google will work to enable a broader Bluetooth-based contact tracing platform by building this functionality into the underlying platforms. This is a more robust solution than an API and would allow more individuals to participate, if they choose to opt in, as well as enable interaction with a broader ecosystem of apps and government health authorities. Privacy, transparency, and consent are of utmost importance in this effort, and we look forward to building this functionality in consultation with interested stakeholders. We will openly publish information about our work for others to analyze.”

Image courtesy of Elvert Barnes/Flickr Creative Commons

Unsurprisingly, this system (and others like it) is raising a lot of concerns about privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. The American Civil Liberties Union notes that the systems could offer public health benefits, but only if widespread, free, and quick testing is available, and the tool is voluntary, protects privacy, and stores data on an individual’s device rather than in a centralized repository.

“A well-designed tool would give people actionable medical information while also protecting privacy and giving users control, but a poorly designed one could pose unnecessary and significant risks to privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. To help distinguish between the two, the ACLU is publishing a set of technology principles against which developers, the public, and policymakers can judge any contact tracing apps and protocols.”

The policies they recommend, at minimum, also call for information to be shared only within public health efforts that are fully transparent about what data they’re acquiring, from where, and how it’s being used. They also stress that the data should be deleted when there’s no longer a need to hold it, and that policies must be in place to ensure tracking does not outlive the fight against COVID-19.

The post Apple and Google Team Up on a Coronavirus Contact Tracing System first appeared on Dornob.

Miracle TimeCube Timer

There’s probably a lot of things competing for your attention right now. After all, it’s hard not to constantly check the news, Facebook, and Twitter for updates, all of which tend to only get in the way of completing your tasks. One simple way to maintain your productivity while working from home is the TimeCube, a simplified desktop timer with sides that display the time period of your choice, from five to 60 minutes.

Use this device to divide your work tasks, lunches, and other breaks into set periods with tangible start and end times. For example, you can flip the TimeCube so that “25 minutes” displays on the top, close out all your distracting tabs, and focus on a single activity until it beeps. Then you can flip it to another number for your next activity.

Zoom

If you consider regular face-to-face meetings an essential part of keeping your team on track, you’re going to need software that can keep everyone connected. Right now, there’s simply nothing better than Zoom, a free app that’s both reliable and easy to use.

Unlike FaceTime, Zoom can be used on both Macs and PCs. It’s easy to start video calls from, too, and they don’t cost anything as long as they’re under 40 minutes with 100 participants or fewer. It’s also a great way to stay in touch with friends and family by holding virtual dinner parties or karaoke sessions.

Adjustable Standing Desk

Sitting all day long is bad for your health, especially if you’re already stressed out. An adjustable standing desk will let you stretch your legs and keep your posture in check throughout the day. This one by Avantree is ultra budget-friendly, folds and unfolds with ease, and can be tilted, raised, or lowered to match your preferred angle. You can even use it to work from your bed by having it straddle your lap.

External Monitor

When you’re used to having multiple monitors at the office, it can be hard to downgrade to a small laptop screen. That’s why an affordable external monitor can really change the game when it comes to working from home, making it easier to multi-task and stay focused. The 27-inch Dell FreeSync Monitor is one great option, complete with a full HD IPS LED screen and Dell’s ComfortView technology to reduce blue light and glare. Get it for $199.99 at Best Buy and other retailers.

Slack

Commonly used to connect offices and employees in different locations, Slack is a great way to work together remotely, and it can make the shift to working from home a lot easier on everyone. Use it to create separate channels for various teams, deliver important announcements, and just casually chat with your friends. The app also enables direct messaging and built-in voice and video calling, which is a great alternative to Zoom when you only need to talk to a couple people.

Google Docs and Sheets

Google’s suite of free web-based documents, spreadsheet, and presentation apps won’t necessarily replace all the functions you’re used to having on, say, the Microsoft Office platform — but there are a couple big reasons to consider using it instead, for now. For starters, they make it easy to share documents and keep track of all the changes made by various people, which is invaluable when you can’t get together in person.

But above all else, these apps’ offline sync feature might just be their biggest pro, especially if you’re dealing with unpredictable Wi-Fi. It’ll make sure whatever changes you make while the internet is out are synced automatically when it reconnects. The catch is that it only works on Google’s Chrome browser.

Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones

Working from home is hard when you’ve got kids running around. If you need to block out the background noise, there’s nothing better than Sony’s noise-cancelling headphones, which are also very comfortable to wear. The stellar sound quality, soft padded ear cups, and 30-hour battery life make them a worthwhile investment.

Bose SoundLink Mini II

If you’d rather not wear headphones but still need ultra-crisp sound and a built-in microphone for taking calls, check out the Bose SoundLink Mini II: a powerful speaker that fits in the palm of your hand. Roughly the size of a smartphone and weighing just 1.5 pounds, this lightweight speaker easily connects to virtually any Bluetooth-equipped device and can interface with Siri or Google Assistant.

Apple Magic Keyboard

Tiny laptop keyboards just don’t cut it for people who usually type on large external ones. The Apple Magic keyboard falls somewhere in between, but it’s ultra-portable, pairs automatically with Macs and features an incredibly long-lasting battery that can stay juiced up for a month or more.

BackBlaze Backup Software

For just six dollars a month, you can have peace of mind that your work won’t be lost, even if your toddler spills your coffee directly onto your laptop keyboard. BackBlaze’s “Personal Backup” plan will automatically back up all your files, including documents, photos, music, and movies, so it’s great for graphic designers and other professionals whose work from home isn’t necessarily text-based.

All data is stored at a secure data center with 24-hour staff, biometric security, and redundant power, and there’s also an option for businesses that expands coverage to multiple computers and servers.

With all this handy gear in tow, you’ll be more than ready to hunker down for the next few weeks of social distancing.

The post 10 Tech Essentials You’ll Need to Work from Home During Quarantine first appeared on Dornob.

LumiCharge not only lights up our lives brilliantly and without fail, it also understands our desire to reduce the size of our ecological footprint. The company’s newest line was introduced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and we were lucky enough to get a closer look at all the new features.

This newest batch of LumiCharge products takes all the charging capabilities we could ever need and packs them into compact fixtures and gadgets that solve multiple solutions while occupying minimal space. These are just a few of our favorites:

LumiCharge LD

If you’ve ever gazed at a big display of LumiCharge’s multi-use desk fixtures and wished they could be combined to meet all your needs in a smaller space, you’re in luck: that vision has finally come to fruition. The LumiCharge LD has an amazing LED lamp as its base of operations and offers a host of enchanting colors and brightness levels. As you enjoy the light show, you’ll also discover the fixture’s built-in charging station, which includes everything you need to keep all your personal electronics ready to perform at optimum levels 24/7: a USB-C, Micro USB, and Lightning charging dock, as well as a 10 W wireless charger. A clock display with a backlight that adjusts to your needs and a Bluetooth speaker pack the lamp with even more of a punch, with voice control capabilities through Google Assistant of Alexa sealing the deal. And all for under $100!

LumiCharge T2W

Before you venture out into this brave new decade, you have to be sure you know all the details. The LumiCharge T2W not only guides the way with a quality LED desk lamp, it also gives you all the details of your day including the date, time, and temperature settings. Even better, it adjusts for daylight savings time all on its own. The lamp gives you a choice of how you see your surroundings, too, with options for Soft White, Bright White, and Soft Yellow (each of which can be adjusted to your preferred level of brightness). There’s also a built-in Bluetooth speaker to surround you with sound to fit your mood, and you can use Alexa or Google voice features to find your favorite tunes instantaneously. Usually $89.99, the T2W is currently on sale for $79.99 through CES.

Lumi/UniDock

Nothing is more frustrating than a dead phone. Even though you know it needs to be charged, the task is often overlooked as the daily challenges of life pop up one after another — but the updated version of the Lumi/UniDock makes it easier than ever before. First of all, you don’t ever have to remove the case for charging. A simple dial lets you choose the type of cable you need to charge, be it iPhone, Samsung, Google, Type C, or Micro USB. For that reason, smaller tablets can also be charged with the Lumi/UniDock. There’s even an extra USB port here so you can charge more than one device at a time, including your smartwatch, MP3 player, iPad, and more. The Lumi/UniDock is also wonderfully compact and complements any decor scheme, so you can use it at work or at home with confidence and ease. And all this peace of mind you’ll enjoy by always being charged is only $49.99.

The post LumiCharge LED Lamps Light Up CES 2020 first appeared on Dornob.

Appropriately named “FocusBuds,” these earbuds actually study your brain and work with your natural biorhythms to improve your focus and productivity. This process, known as EEG Neurofeedback, isn’t new. In fact, it’s been around for decades now, helping NASA astronauts, athletes, and corporate CEOs perform their best. But FocusBuds is still the first product to bring this technology to the average consumer.

Here’s how it works. The user wears the brain-scanning product like a pair of regular earbuds. When turned on, EEG biosensors scan the activity of your brain, gathering and calculating data along the way. With this information, the program is able to evaluate your focus levels based on 400 unique metrics. In the end, this means it knows when you work best, how long you can maintain focus, and during which activities you are most distractible. FocusBuds uses this data to then provide you with audio cues that redirect you when you become distracted, keeping you on track and improving efficiency.

The inspiration for FocusBuds came when Sahin Ozsoy, co-founder of Potential X, ran across data showing that the average person reportedly takes 23 minutes to focus, but is interrupted roughly every 11 minutes. Feeling this lack of focus himself when working in public places, he decided to use his background in EEG and signal processing to come up with a solution.

Ozsoy and his team have since found that EEG Neurofeedback increases the brain’s ability to get into a flow or highly focused state quickly, even when the earbuds are removed later on. Essentially, the device teaches the brain to remain focused even when surrounded by potential distractions.

In addition to providing instant feedback regarding your level of focus, FocusBuds also monitors your activity for a bigger overall picture of your concentration prowess, and will provide reports with information showing peak focus periods and top distractions. This allows you to avoid certain environments and inefficient habits. With this information at your disposal, you can reorganize your schedule to complete difficult tasks during your most natural productive times and rest during unfocused times.

FocusBuds are much more than a mind trainer. They also offer a superior earbud product with a proprietary noise-isolation sound seal technology that blocks out highly distracting noises while providing a low-level background murmur. Think of it as white noise rather than complete silence. Of course, if you prefer to listen to music, FocusBuds not only provides premium audio, but the EEG Neurofeedback actually tracks what type of music makes you most productive. There’s also an embedded microphone for one-touch call connect, and Bluetooth 5.0 so you can wirelessly connect to all your devices.

FocusBuds are currently trending on Indiegogo, with a campaign that was fully funded within the first hour of being launched. Now nearly 1000 percent funded, the campaign ends the last week of November, with shipments of the final product set for Spring 2020.

The post Smart Earbuds Train Your Brain to Stay Focused first appeared on Dornob.

Many people thought we’d get something along those lines for the 30th anniversary of the Game Boy Classic release, but that time has come and gone. Retro gaming hardware maker Analogue has stepped in to fill this hole in the market with a device that’s capable of playing just about every cartridge-based portable game ever released.

Even better is the fact that while those games will look just like you remember them, the graphics will be a lot more crisp, displayed on a backlit 615ppi LCD screen with a 1600×1440 resolution (10 times the resolution of an original Game Boy). While Nintendo games are natively supported, you will need an adapter for games from creators like Sega, Neo Geo, and Atari (which Analogue will presumably offer separately).

The company says: “Out of the box, Pocket is compatible with the 2,780+ Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance game cartridge library. Pocket works with cartridge adapters for other handheld systems, too, like Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Atari Lynx, and more. Completely engineered in *two FPGAs, [it offers] pro level color accuracy, dynamic range, and brightness. There has never been a display this advanced in a video game system.”

Designed in partnership with British studio Kenyon Weston, this retro/modern gaming mashup has the standard buttons of original the Game Boy, and it also looks much the same in terms of how the cartridges work. The only major difference is that its been given a makeover for the 21st century, with a minimalist black silhouette and a distinct lack of garish labels.

When Nintendo came out with its Switch portable gaming device, some people found it hard to get used to playing in landscape orientation. The Analogue Pocket is oriented in “portrait mode” like smartphones, which can feel more natural in your hands. Plus, you aren’t just limited to the small screen, as the device’s built-in HDMI dock lets you play on your television with either Bluetooth or wired USB controllers. And with its built-in Nanoloop app, you can even use it as a synthesizer.

“Analogue isn’t just for games anymore. It’s for making music. Pocket has a digital audio workstation built in called Nanoloop. It’s a synthesizer and a sequencer designed for music creation and live performance. Shape, stretch, and morph sounds. Capture music or play and sculpt live.”

The Analogue Pocket is currently priced at $199, though it’s not expected to hit the shelves until 2020. Rumor has it that quantities will be limited, so if you’re dying to get your hands on this design freak gamer’s dream-come-true, you might want to sign up for email updates at the Analogue website.

The post Revisit Your Favorite Game Boy Games with the Analogue Pocket first appeared on Dornob.

Some sounds are so good, they make you want to do more than just hear them — you need to feel them. Unfortunately, the closest we’ve been able to come to that absorptive zen experience so far is to back up into the giant bass speakers at a concert and let the deep vibrations flow through your body. But thanks to a new invention from the innovators over at Woojer, you’ll soon be able to transcend the barriers of normal hearing and actually feel the audio of music, video games, TV shows, and movies pulsing through your body from head to toe.

What is Woojer Edge?

The Woojer team utilized haptic technology to create Woojer Edge. Simply put, haptic means relating to the sense of touch. It’s also called kinesthetic communication, in which your tactile perception is triggered by mid-air vibrations, emulating the impression of contact without physically touching anything. The Woojer Edge lets you go beyond the barriers of mere sound and physically sense the sounds as they vibrate through your body, increasing in intensity until you feel totally immersed and transported to a level of euphoria never before possible.

A gadget called the Oscillating Frame precisely replicates frequencies up to 500Hz, including subsonic frequencies typically not audible to the human ear between 1 and 20Hz, as bodily vibrations. Sounds implausible, if not impossible, but the company assures us: “The frictionless motion guarantees precise harmonic reproduction and reduces distortion. It’s the perfect combination of tactile sensation, size, weight, and power consumption.”

Vibration Options

To make sure you can enjoy their technology everywhere you go, Woojer offers two Edge options. Both versions utilize a Texas Instruments built-in analog headphone amplifier and CSR APTX low-latency Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.

Designed for active people who find themselves in several different locations throughout each day, the Strap Edge easily fits around your chest, crosswise across your upper body, or around your waist. It can also be worn underneath clothes, so you can keep your sonic experience private if you choose.

For more of a full-body experience, the Vest Edge covers your entire torso, immersing half your body in 360 degrees of perfect, comprehensive sensations sure to make your pulse pound. Intended for die-hard home gaming and VR fans, Woojer says the Vest Edge has “…out-of-the-box stereo haptics… If you’re a music pro, this’ll pump the low-frequencies through your body as it engages you in a unique and mesmerizing audio experience.”

An Overwhelming Vote Of Confidence

Woojer’s enthusiasm for the Woojer Edge has never waned, but the company does admit they initially didn’t know how the product would be received by the public. When they launched the Edge on Kickstarter with the goal of raising $20,050, however, they were overcome with support. When the campaign still had a full week left before ending, nearly 10,000 supporters had pledged around $1.1 million to help get their vision to market. This massive show of confidence by contributors around the world means Woojer Edge could be available for purchase a lot sooner than we think. Be sure to check back for updates!

The post Good Vibrations: Woojer Edge Makes Sound a Multisensory Experience first appeared on Dornob.

The question is whether it’s a coffee table, refrigerator, smart home hub, or a charging station. The answer is yes. Coosno is an all-in-one piece of living room furniture that will entertain guests, provide refreshments, and listen when you talk.

Refrigerator

Sleek and modern by every definition, the Coosno hides a big surprise inside. With a simple voice command or the push of a button, the upper portion of the coffee table lifts to reveal a built-in refrigerator section, whose rounded interior can fit a wide assortment of beverages and snacks. Even better, the table’s Lazy Susan-style design allows you to rotate the selection within to deliver your drink to you without having to get up and walk around it.

As a matter of fact, a coffee table with a built-in fridge just might keep you from having to get up at all. Especially one that holds up to 68 cans of beer.

Stereo System

You can also connect your favorite Spotify playlist to Coosno via Bluetooth and hear your tunes through an impressive six-speaker system. Plus, the tempered-glass tabletop lights up to the beat for an eye-catching club-like vibe.

LED Tabletop

The Coosno app actually controls all types of lighting effects to create the ambiance of your choosing. Colored LED lights can be set to flash, ripple, or remain solid or slow moving. You decide. Just open the app and drag the settings to fit your mood. The app also controls the refrigerator, so you can turn the temperature up or down from anywhere in the house.

Charging Station

There’s no need to fuss with wall chargers and charging cords any longer. Coosno has a built-in charging chip that keeps your phone or computer at full power whenever its placed on one of the tabletop’s two charging stations. Of course, there are also outlets tucked inside the table for your additional electrical needs.

Voice Control

Coosno connects to Google Home so it’s always ready to recite a cocktail recipe, share the weather, or give you a sports update. It can even solve the debate you’re having with your friends by running a quick internet search for you.

Along with the Google Home features, Coosno is also ready to listen whenever you tell it to open or close the fridge or turn up the music.

Storage

Like any good piece of furniture, the Coosno also offers some storage in the form of a pull-out drawer located below the refrigerator section. The drawer is compartmentalized for easy organization, too, so you can decide whether it’s the best place for the remote, the dog treats, or your cocktail straws.

Coosno is currently trending on Indiegogo, with a campaign that’s open until the third week in August. It’s currently in the prototype phase, but the company hopes to move into production with the funds raised from the campaign. The final product is expected to be available in two sizes and two color options with a ship date of February 2020.

The Coosno Home is 19.7 inches and can be used as a coffee table or small office assistant and snack bar. The Coosno Bar measures 27.6 inches. Both models come complete with no assembly required. Simply plug them in and set up the app to get the party started.

The post Coosno: The Smart Coffee Table That Does It All first appeared on Dornob.