Category: feature

Looking to get away from the buzz of the city? Family-friendly farms are a great choice for treating yourself and your family to some quiet time! Set in serene locations, there are more than a few farms worth the LA traffic within California. Read on for our round-up of top farms you can visit!

Amy’s Farm

When it comes to family-friendly farms, Amy’s Farm is an excellent place to start. This urban farm is located just outside Los Angeles. The farm is a good choice if you need new ideas to incorporate into your home garden. The farm focuses on organic farming methods alongside the sustainability of implementing them. Your family will enjoy the guided tour that includes harvesting vegetables and feeding animals. The farm is closed on Sundays and Mondays, but you are welcome every other day, whether making your reservations online or looking for a stop and visit arrangement.

Avila Valley Barn

Sometimes a visit to the farm needs an injection of fun activities, especially if you tag your kids along, won’t you agree? The Avila Valley Barn is a fantastic place to visit, considering the harvest time and special holiday events held on the farm. Families can indulge in picking vegetables and enjoy the delicious farm-grown food. Children can pony rides as you get a chance to grill on the BBQ stands.

Tanaka Farms

Another excellent choice for family-friendly farms,  you’ll find the experience of a lifetime at Tanaka Farms. The farm focuses on interactive teaching for children all year round. Not only do the children have fun, but they also have some fun on the farm. In the meantime, you can enjoy the wagon rides as you tour the farm. And of course, there are market stands where you can just walk up any day of the week and grab yourself top-shelf products.

Gilchrist Farm

If you don’t have time to visit a farm during the week, there is no need to worry. Gilchrist Farm is the perfect farm to visit. It is only open on the weekends, so you don’t have to make unique plans to get out of work. Here you can snuggle goats and ride the farm train with your family as a bonding activity. Furthermore, the farm has many animals to pull your attention from the city life, including horses, chickens, cows, and ducks.

The Hana Field

Unlike many farms which focus on food and farm animals, the Hana Field focuses on flowers. The beautiful farm is like something out of a dream. The thousands of blossoms create a brightly colored view that brightens your day every time you visit. Please make a point of visiting the farm around July because that is the best time all the sunflowers start blooming. Even though it does not include flower picking, for just 5 dollars every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, you can get the perfect getaway from the busy gray city life.

The summertime is quickly approaching, the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer. For many, the summer heat translates to days at the beach and a variety of fun activities. But for many homeowners, your home requires TLC after every changing season. It’s time to ensure your home is ready for the summer weather with our helpful tips!

1. Change the air filter of your HVAC system

One of the most important things you can do to prepare for summertime weather is to change your air filters. During the summer, there is more dust in the air than at any other time during the year. Changing the air filter can help you save money on power. In addition, it also keeps your HVAC system from working too hard to cool down your home. Likewise, this can result in burnout and an even larger and more expensive problem to fix.

2. Add shade to your windows

Planting shrubs near your home’s windows or installing awnings or screens on them will provide enough shade to maintain your home cool as they will stop the sun from overheating the glass. Without shade, the excess heat will transfer to the inside of your home, which will overwork your cooling system, increasing your power bill.

3. Make sure your home is properly sealed for Summertime

It doesn’t make sense to try to cool off the outside portion of your home, does it? Well, any unsealed air leaks in the caulking around your windows and doors do just that. They let the cool air escape from your house and let the hot air in, so make sure you test all the stripping around the windows and doors and seal up any air leaks you find. You will reap the rewards as soon as you do.

4. Get your roof and siding inspected

Having your roof and siding professionally inspected can help you detect cracks, rot, and damaged areas that may need to be changed. It will also help you detect any mold and dirt that should be cleared out to prevent any air leaks from the inside, as well as rainwater leaks that could cause even more damage to your home’s structure.

5. Update your insulation for Summertime

Your home’s insulation plays a dual role. On one hand, it stops the cold air from getting in during the winter and on the other, it keeps the cool air from escaping during the hot summer weather. Additionally, you may find that certain unwanted guests may have found their way into your attic during the winter and may have damaged the insulation, making this the perfect time for any replacement and repair you may need.

6. Get those ceiling fans cleaned up

The last thing you want during the summertime is to breathe in all the dust that accumulated during the fall and winter on the blades of your ceiling fans. Get them cleaned up and get ready to enjoy the cool air it produces.

It’s time for the latest in the world of tech! We’re sharing bite-sized additions of the latest headlines captivating the world wide web. From the latest Airbnb redesign to Google’s AR Glasses and more, we have you covered!

Apple to Switch Over to USB-C by 2023

It’s the end of an era for lightning plugs. Apple will be making the move USB-C ports on its iPhones next year. The universally-embraced USB-C will follow suit of other apple products that have made the conversion in recent years. Likewise, the shift to USB-C could likely improve iPhone’s transfer and charging speed for future hardware designs. Of course, the final spec details will depend on iOS support. Many within the smartphone industry have already made the move over to using USB-C, so the move by Apple has been expected for some time. While Apple has not released an official statement, the change is likely to occur in 2023.

Airbnb Launches Redesign with New Categories and Split Stays

The popular vacation rental app Airbnb has launched a new summer redesign with a bevy of features to make travel even better. CEO Brian Chesky calls the redesign “the biggest change in a decade.” The rollout began this week for users in the US and will let users search for stays based on categories and plan trips that include more than one home. Likewise, the Categories features will serve as a filter for stays that include certain elements. Of course, this can include things like camping, surfing, amazing views and countryside, to name a few. In addition, Airbnb is highlighting its design category to spotlight over 20,000 homes  “chosen for their iconic architecture and interiors.” Chesky also stated more changes are underway but will likely not be seen by the public until 2023.

Google’s Latest AR Glasses Brings a New Reality

This week, Google held its I/O presentation to showcase a number of new products and initiatives underway. Of the announcements, the company gave audience members a look at its latest AR glasses. The latest iteration of its augmented reality spectacles would give wearers the ability to see languages translated right in front of their eyes. Likewise, tools like this can be of use to travelers or the hearing impaired. While there are no additional details on when the device will be available, the demonstration gave further insight on what to expect when it. 

Volkswagen to Resurrect Scout as Off-road EV Brand

The SUV pioneer Scout may soon get a new lease on life as an off-road electric vehicle. Volkswagen is considering resurrecting the brand with a focus on the US market. The company hopes the vehicle will be able to compare with the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. According to TechCrunch, the board of directors for VW is set to approve the plan this month. Once approved, the vehicle would operate as a subsidiary of VW, much like Audi, Skoda, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Bentley. While VW has declined comment to the press, the news has already been confirmed by VW CEO Herbert Diess. Likewise, the company hopes the vehicle will expand the company’s reach in the US.  Once launched, VW hopes to sell around 250,000 Scout-branded vehicles in the US annually.

NFT Copy Detection and Verification Features to be Added to OpenSea

Improvement authenticity will soon be coming to the digital marketplace of OpenSea. The company announced the news in a series of blog posts this week regarding updates. Likewise, such updates will include a new system to detect and remove copycat NFTs. In addition, the company will also include an overhaul of the account verification process. The copy detection system will be two-part so that users can have an easier time finding authentic content. One of the tools the company plans to use will include image recognition tech to can NFTs on the platform. The tech would then compare the scanned NFTs with authentic collections, looking for flips, rotations, and other variants. The company will also use human reviewers to look at removal recommendations.

It’s time for our weekly round-up of the world’s leading tech news. From Twitter Circle to Starlink Internet Anywhere and more, we have you covered. Read on for a bit-sized addition of the week’s top tech headlines.

Twitter Test New Close Friends Feature ‘Twitter Circle’

The days of Myspace Top 8 might be coming back soon in Twitter form. The company is currently testing its Twitter Circle feature for a small group of beta testers. Likewise, the feature will allow users to tweet to a smaller group of people instead of tweeting to the masses. Twitter Circle allows users to pick up to 150 people to join their Circle, including followers and non-followers. The company has stated that this feature is different from Communities which is aimed at more group-type discussions. In addition, the company added that the same community rules will stand even in Twitter Circle, meaning Twitter will still see all tweets tweeted.

Sonos Developing Alexa Competing Voice Assistant

Audio company Sonos has announced it is working on its own voice assistant. The company, whose products support Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant, is looking to compete in the voice assistant market. Reportedly called Sonos Voice, the device will let customers control music with voice commands. In addition, the device will also work with audio streaming services like Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more (minus Spotify and Youtube Music). Sonos plans to release the software update onto its speakers on June 1 for US device owners. All Sonos devices with the company’s S2 software will support assistants, according to the report. At this time, no further information has been released on when the update will release in other markets. 

‘Global Digital Community’ Being Planned By Starbucks with NFT Release

Another day, another company releasing its own NFTs. In a Q2 2022 earnings presentation, Starbucks executives announced plans for new concepts within the Web 3 space. CMO Brady Brewer, stating  “Imagine acquiring a new digital collectible from Starbucks, where that product also serves as your access pass to a global Starbucks community….” The company elaborated on the news in a blog post this week, stating plans for a branded NFT collection. Likewise, the ownership of said NFTs would initiate community membership and exclusive access to experiences and perks. Furthermore, the NFT themes will come from Starbucks’ artistic expressions, including both heritage and newly created designs. Starbucks has not yet established what type of blockchain it will use for its initiative into the new digital frontier. 

T-Mobile Launches New ‘Test Drive’ Feature for Home Internet Service

After the launch of its 5G home internet service last year, T-mobile is looking at new ways to draw in customers. The company has announced its latest acquisition initiative, a 15-day free trial period. While offers such as this are usually for tangible products, the company hopes it will give customers a chance to see the difference in its internet offering. Likewise, customers will have the option to cancel within 15 days of starting the service if they are dissatisfied with T-mobile’s 5G. The 15-day trial period will be in addition to covering the cost of termination fees up to $500 for users who choose to switch over. Users will need to check if their address is approved for the offer as some locations in the US do not yet support 5G.

New Portability Feature from Starlink Provides Internet for those on the Road

The SpaceX internet service Starlink has introduced an ew Portability feature. Access to the internet will work so long as the continent they are on provides active internet coverage. Likewise, this new Starlink feature will offer internet to remote places likely to never be covered by 5G. While the service does not work on vehicles in motion, Starlink has stated that an upgrade is in the works. In addition, the company is working on a power-efficient solution that can plug the dish into a car’s 12V cigarette lighter while maintaining connectivity. Subscribers to the Starlink service will be able to access the internet everywhere with a new dish device and a monthly fee.

Meta in Process of Releasing New VR Headset Equipment

Fans of Meta’s VR sets will soon get a series of new VR products. The company announced its plans to release four more VR headsets between now and 2024. Of the four, the first release will be of Meta’s new high-end VR headset, titled Project Cambria. A spokesperson for Meta stated the price will be significantly higher than current headsets. In addition to Cambria, Meta will release another high-end headset, ‘Funston’, in 2024. The company’s lower-cost Quest headsets will debut in 2023 and 2024. At this time, the company has not confirmed any other information on the previously unannounced products.