Category: feature

For this week in tech news, we’re dishing out the details on Spotify’s Friends Mix, Google Nest updates, and more! Read on for our weekly round-up of the latest headlines in the world of tech.

Nimbus pod-like EV offers urban commuters a scooter-car hybrid solution

Nimbus One, a pod-like electric vehicle (EV) of the future from the Michigan-based Nimbus company, has been created to tackle the two problems of urban parking and high gas prices as well as help the environment. It’s a three-wheeled EV; part car, part scooter, and its compact design make maneuvering around urban areas much easier.  The vehicle features two removable batteries that can be charged with an at-home plug or by using a traditional EV charger that is situated in the front of the pod. The Nimbus One can hold up to two people. It has a luggage rack on the back that offers additional storage. The Pod gets about 93 miles on a full charge and can go up to 50 miles per hour. The cost is just under $10,000 to buy or $200 a month to rent.  The company hopes to offer Nimbus Ones as daily rentals in some cities and is targeting 2023 for mass production.

You can finally see a live feed of your Google Nest cameras on your TV

Starting this week, Google is bringing an old feature to its new Nest cameras. Google will allow you to stream the video feed from all your Nest cameras and video doorbells to your TV using a Chromecast with Google TV.  All Nest Cams and Nest Doorbells will be supported by this new feature, including our latest devices that were released in 2021: the Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery), Nest Cam (indoor, wired), and Nest Cam; with floodlight and Nest Doorbell (battery).” According to Google, nothing needs to be enabled to activate the new feature. Chromecast must be on the same Wi-Fi network as your cameras. You can either use the Google TV voice remote by pressing the Assistant button and saying, “show me the front door camera,” or ask your Nest speaker or smart display to show you the front door camera on my TV.”

How to Change the Name of Your Mac

Do you know your Mac automatically assigns a name to it when you set it up for the first time? Changing that name to anything you want is possible, though you might not realize it. It’s easy to do. Let’s take a closer look at where it is and how to change it.  To change the name of your Mac, follow the simple step-by-step instructions below:

1. Click on the Apple logo in the upper-left corner of the desktop and choose System Preferences from the dropdown menu.
2. Locate the Sharing icon and click on it.
3. At the top of the window, click on your Mac’s current name and press the Delete key to remove it.
4. Now, enter your new name and then close the Sharing window to apply your changes.

Additionally, you will need to update the local network address that any external devices use to connect to your Mac. This is also a straightforward procedure. Likewise, you can effortlessly change the name of your other Apple devices, whether it’s your AirPods, iPad, or iPhone.

JetBlue to acquire Spirit, creating the fifth-largest airline in the US

With the Frontier Airlines and Spirit merger falling apart this week, Jet Blue stepped in with a $3.8 billion dollar offer. The newly merged airline will now become the fight largest in the US. Likewise, this deal will create a potential challenge to the dominance if the “Big Four” carriers. Spirit airlines shareholders choose not to move forward with Frontier Airlines after receiving a more generous offer from JetBlue. Both airlines have been pursuing a purchase of Spirit Airlines for months in hopes of helping to reduce airline ticket prices. 

Spotify introduces Friends Mix playlists, an auto-generated mixtape from your pals

The modern mixtape has arrived. To Spotify, that is. This week the music streaming app announced its new Friends Mix feature. With Friends Mix creates a new big mixtape full of recommendations that all of your friends would give you. The new Friends Mix feature is now available globally for premium Spotify subscribers and free accounts. At this time, the feature only works on iOS and desktop apps. Android users will need to wait before the feature arrives on their device. Users looking for the Friends Mix feature can access it through the Made for You hub.

Just because we are midway through the year doesn’t mean you can’t switch up the paint color in your abode. For the top color trends of 2022, read one below and give your home a fresh new look!

Pantone’s Very Peri

Of course, the color to kick off our top paint colors of 2022 list would be Pantone’s 2022 Color of the Year ‘Very Peri’. The hue made history as the first ever to be created specifically for the Color of the Year. Very Peri (17-3938) is a brand-new blue — mixing vivifying violet with electric red undertones to create the ultimate chic shade. This hue can be ideal for an entire room or accent wall. 

Sherwin-Williams’ Evergreen Fog

Reminiscent of nature, the soft green tones of Evergreen Fog (SW 9130) have made it a popular paint color for 2022. The color itself gives feelings of both revitalization and growth with a natural emblem of newness. As Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams, explains, “From a color psychology standpoint, Evergreen Fog signals growth, emergence, and new beginnings.” All the more reason to give the right space in your home it’s a new beginning as well.

Sherwin-Williams’ Aleutian

As a stunning light-washed shade of indigo, Aleutian (HGSW 3355) promotes balance and wellbeing through its gentle hues. Aleutian is part of the HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams collection and provides a crystalline calm that can easily complement any setting. This paint color works well with natural wood and rooms with rich sunlight. 

Behr’s Breezeway

Say hello to Breezeway (MQ3-21), a soft, silvery-green shade with cool undertones. The paint color brings to mind the thought of sea glass, making it ideal for an ocean-side abode. This color embodies both outdoors and nostalgia that one can find inspiration from. From casual to coastal and modern to vintage, this paint color works great for home offices and living rooms.

Valspar’s Gilded Linen

 For a more organic paint color of 2022, consider Gilden Linen from Valspar. This hue offers a warm natural white that works in multiple spaces. Valspar color marketing manager Sue Kim notes the following: “A simple neutral like Gilded Linen emphasizes our desire to have a clean and organized home. It is a great transitional color and is perfect for entries and hallways connecting spaces throughout our home.” Make your home extra cozy with Gilded Linen.

Another week, another tech news round-up! Read on and stay connected with all of the latest tech news happening around the world. From big AI news to Amazon Acquiring One Medical and more, we have you covered with the week’s major headlines!

Zoom has an unlikely new competitor — Snapchat

For over a decade, Snapchat, unlike many other social media platforms, has been only available, on mobile, since its launch. Recently, however, the company launched a web-based version of the very popular messaging application. Though not its most popular feature, Snapchat said its app hosts more than 100 million video calls each month with up to 15 participants each. The company reports that its goal is to give users the freedom to switch between their phones and computers, allowing continuing conversations while on the platform. The new web-based version could help Snapchat take on Zoom.

AI image generator lets you type in words and get weird pictures back

A 19-year-old from the United Kingdom hit a million followers on Twitter in about a month. All it took was sharing a steady stream of the most outlandish computer-generated images. A freely available artificial intelligence (AI) system called Craiyon made the stunning images. Craiyon is popularizing a growing trend in AI. Computers are becoming at taking in words and producing generating realistic-looking images in response.

Meet andobil MagStick, the world’s first MagSafe tripod

There’s a new way to take selfies. The company, andobil, has just released the world’s first MagSafe tripod/ selfie stick – andobil MagStick. According to the company, the MagStick allows a quick snap of your smartphone onto the mount of the tripod. No need for clamps or screws. The magnetic visual positions your device eliminating the worry of it falling off or getting damaged. The company has designed additional security, the one-touch clamping mechanism, to ensure optimal protection against falling, according to andobil. Furthermore, the tripod is made of aviation-grade aluminum alloy and PC material.

TikTok Expands Closed Caption Feature

Popular video sharing app TikTok is making its closed caption offering more encompassing for all users. The app will now auto-generate captions for videos with audio instead of leaving it up to the creator of the video to do. Prior to this update, creators had to select to enable closed caption before posting. If the creator failed to include closed captions, they would not be able to add them afterward. The new update brings the option for both users and creators to turn on closed captions. In addition, TikTok will also be launching a translation tool. Likewise, this feature will do as it sounds, which is to translate video captions and descriptions to the user’s preferred language.

Amazon to Acquire One Medical for $3.9 Billion

According to reports, Amazon will soon make its third largest acquisition in its history. The company is set to close on a deal to purchase One Medical for $3.9 billion. The company, which is a $199 subscription primary care provider, has been billed as “healthcare for Millenials”. Currently, the company is backed by Alphabet’s GV unit (formerly Google Ventures). One Medical includes an app and 24/7 access to on-demand telehealth services vide video. In addition, One Medical also offers same or next-day appointments for subscribers across 125 offices. This latest acquisition will give Amazon another avenue into the medical sector. “We think health care is high on the list of experiences that need reinvention,” senior vice president of Amazon Health Services Neil Lindsay said in a statement.

Google Wallet Now Available for All Users

It’s official; Google Wallet is now available for all customers. The app, which began rolling out earlier this week, can be found in the Google Play store. The news comes as Google expands on its payment app variations. In 2018, Google combined Google Wallet and Andriod Pay to create Google Pay. This merger allowed created a single app that included tap-to-pay, tickets, and loyalty programs all in one. The Google Wallet comeback was announced in May at the Google I/O event. The move will allow the company to create a dedicated home for payment cards, airplane tickets, government ids, and more.

Keep up with the latest in the world of tech by reading our weekly tech news roundup. From the James Webb Space Telescope Images to TikTok Changes and more, we have you covered!

James Webb Space Telescope Releases Stunning First Shots

The James Webb Space Telescope released its first full-color images this week. The stunning photos give the world an otherworldly view of what’s happening beyond our blue planet. The telescope (JWST) is considered the new heavyweight of space telescopes, so likewise, such images were to be expected. Already hailed as the future of astronomy and astrophysics, the telescope is bringing footage to earth from nearly a million miles away. Prior to the JWST, it wax the Hubble Telescope played the leading role in space exploration. With only the first few images shared, the rest of the world waits eagerly for more postcards from space.

Alphabet Works on Larger Drones to Handle Heavier Deliveries

Wing, which is the drone delivery company operated by Google parent Alphabet, is working on a new prototype. The company this week unveiled a series of new drone aircraft meant for handling a variety of payloads. Likewise, the drones will share the same components as the current aircraft in operation. At this time, they have been used in delivering pharmaceuticals and other small packages in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Wing CEO Adam Woodworth stated the following, “Just as the ideal vehicle for carrying a ton of gravel would be a dump truck rather than a sedan, the ideal aircraft to carry a bottle of medication is not the same as the best one to deliver a gallon of milk, and neither is suited to deliver a refrigerator.”

Match Group Brings Tinder’s Background Check to More Dating Apps

In case you didn’t know, the biggest player in the dating app game is Match Group; now you know. Likewise, with the success of Tinder’s background check feature, Match Group has announced plans to bring the same feature to its other dating apps. The feature will now be available on Stir (the app for single parents) and, of course, Match. Similar to Tinder, the app will allow users planning to meet up to use the 3rd party service Garbo to run a background check. The feature adds another level of safety for app users and gives valuable information and safety tips. 

Instagrams Latest Update Allows Users to Publish Feed Posts Exclusively for Subscribers

As major social media platforms look for ways to monetize besides advertising, Instagram has unveiled its latest series of tools. The social platform will now allow creators on the app to publish content that is strictly for paid subscribers. This feature had previously been made available for stories, but now users can give paying supporters even more content. Likewise, the update will add a new subscriber hone tab on creator profiles that will allow subscribers to filter photos and Reels. In addition, subscriptions range based on the user from $0.99 to $99.99. Along with providing exclusive story and feed content, creators can also go live exclusively with subscribers. 

WhatsApp Support comes to Meta and Ray Ban’s Stories Glasses

Meta is bringing you even more ways to see the world. The company has announced that WhatsApp support will be coming to its Ray-Bans Stories glasses. Likewise, this latest update will allow users to make calls hands-free and send texts all via your eyewear. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated this week that users will also be able to directly apply to messages from WhatsApp and Messenger using voice commands. These updates will now allow the company to integrate Stories further into the Meta ecosystem. Of course, Stories will continue to maintain its main feature, which is to take video and images.

TikTok Adds New Ways to Control For You Page

Users of TikTok will have a new way to control the For You page. The popular video platform announced this week the ability to block certain words and hashtags from your feed. This latest feature will automatically filter out any selected words or tags users do not want to allow for a more focused scroll. The platform is also rolling out two new automated moderation and filtering tools. One, called Content Levels, ranks content based on “thematic maturity” and is designed to keep mature content of all types from being shown to young users.

Metal accents can complement the home in a myriad of ways. From pots and pans to statues and table accents it’s important to keep the shining. When it comes to your metal decor and polishing your homeware, we have some helpful tips. Read on for this week’s blog on the best way to keep your metal decor shining in style!

What to Use:

When it comes to metal homeware items like copper, you can polish them with products you may already have in your home. Items like baking soda, lemon juice, and even ketchup can work as a polish alternative. For deep cleaning, baking soda will want to be your go-to, although acidic fruits can be the most simple choice with just a dash of salt.

When it comes to brass items you will want to take a different three-step approach. This is when your DIY skills will once again come in handy. To make the solution, dissolve one teaspoon of salt into one-half cup of vinegar, then add flour until the mixture becomes a paste. Once you have mixed your oast together, rub it onto the brass. From there you will want to leave it on the metal for about 10 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water and using your hand or a soft cloth and buff it dry.

When to Use:

It is always best to have preventative measures when polishing your homeware. One great way to get the jump on any potential tarnish is with baby or mineral oil. Of course, you will want to have cleaned your metal homeware items before polishing them. Likewise, once you have done so, you can almost instantly see the difference.

When it comes to the frequency of how often you clean your homeware items, it will always be based on how much you use them. For items that are stationary, there is not always a need for frequent cleaning. 

You always have the option to buy storebought products as well! If DIYing is not your thing there are plenty of alternatives that you can purchase to use.

At the end of the day, how you clean your homeware products is up to YOU. We hope these helpful tips will add some ease to your household cleaning routine.