Last month, Switzerland’s PocketBook announced the release of the InkPad Color, an e-reader built around E Ink’s newest color screen technology. We’ve been sent one for review. Many of us already have a digital book reader in our pocket if we want to pass the commute time by getting lost in the latest page turner on the best sellers list, […]
Pocketbook Inkpad Colour
Drop The Zoom Video?
A new study led by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University is challenging the common assumption that video conferencing is better than audio-only communication for collaborative group activities. The findings suggest video cues may in fact lower a group’s collective intelligence by disrupting interpersonal synchrony. Early in 2020, when the pandemic hit and many suddenly shifted to working remotely, the ability […]
Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Smart Speakers
Sony offered a glimpse of its first 360-degree audio speakers back at the online-only CES 2021 expo in January, with two units based around the company’s 360 Reality Audio spatial audio tech that’s reported to create “ambient room-filling sound that immerses listeners in their favorite music.” Now the SRS-RA5000 and SRS-RA3000 are up for pre-order. The 360 Reality Audio spatial […]
Urbatch Platform Teaches Crafting Of Sustainable Products
The modern home is full of all kinds of equipment and materials that can be used to create all kinds of products, but not everybody has the know-how to put the pieces together. Urbatch is a new platform designed to bring out the craftsperson in all of us, by connecting professionals with amateurs to turn locally-sourced ingredients into toothpastes, soaps […]
Electrically Charged Paper Switches Hardness At A Flick
Taking inspiration from the way sea cucumbers can strengthen their exterior when in danger, scientists in Germany have developed a novel wafer-thin paper material that can transition from firm to soft via an electrical switch. The researchers envisage a number of uses for their creation, including adaptive damping materials that harden when subjected to heavy loads. The material was developed […]
Unique Banknote “Fingerprints”
Although an increasing number of countries are switching to sturdier, harder-to-copy polymer banknotes, the things still are being counterfeited. A new technology could help weed those fakes out, by taking their fingerprints. During the production of polymer banknotes, the application of a layer known as the opacity coating leaves a random dispersion of impurities in the ink. The resulting pattern […]
Dacia System Uses Your Smartphone As Your Car Entertainment Screen
Many cars now feature touchscreen-controlled infotainment systems, but … why pay for a dashboard-integrated screen, when you’ve already got one on your phone? That’s the thinking behind Dacia’s new phone-based Media Control system. Debuting in the latest version of the Dacia Sandero, Media Control is centered around an iOS/Android app and an adjustable-size phone docking station in the dash. That […]
Pen & Paper Wins Stylus Tablet For Memory
An intriguing new study from a team of Japanese researchers suggests handwriting on paper leads to greater brain activity and memory retention compared to handwriting with a stylus on a tablet. The researchers hypothesize the richer spatial details of writing on paper may explain why it could enhance the encoding of information in the brain. For several years researchers have […]
Master Dynamic ANC Wireless Earphones
Luxury audio brand Master & Dynamic has announced a follow up to its MW07 true wireless earphones. The MW08 model brings a number of firsts for the company, including active noise cancellation. The MW08 earphones are M&D’s first true wireless plugs to help keep unwanted sounds from spoiling the music by employing hybrid active noise cancellation. Should listeners want or […]
Droptop Home Work Station
One of the many cultural shifts driven by the COVID-19 pandemic is the growing number of people working from home, and English furniture-maker Pith & Stem is looking to tap into this trend with a wall-mounted workstation that you mightn’t even know was there. The DropTop fold-down desk is packed with everything needed for a hard day at the home […]