Category: feature

Are you thinking about organizing drawers in your home? A lot of homeowners neglect messy drawers because they are out of sight. However, disorganization can cause several problems. For instance, if your drawers are poorly organized, the risk of misplacing your everyday items will increase, meaning that you might have to waste a significant amount of your time looking for missing items. Besides, disorganized drawers will make it more and more difficult for you to fit in all your items, meaning that you might be forced to keep some of your items where they shouldn’t be. Below are some tips you can count on to keep your drawers organized.

Start with Empty Drawers

If you want to get more organized, you need to start with a blank slate. In other words, you need to empty all the drawers. This will allow you to know what you have and need to organize. Furthermore, emptying the drawers will enable you to dust your drawers and keep them ready to keep items that need to be placed in a clean area.

Get Rid of the Items You Don’t Need

Once you have emptied your drawers, you need to start identifying the items you do not need. You can decide to donate some of them, sell others, and throw away the rest. Removing the clutter will go a long way in making it easier for you to organize the items that mean the most to you.

Group Your Items

Once you have removed the clutter, you should then group your items. For instance, if you are organizing clothes, you could categorize them as T-shirts, pants, undergarments, and so on. Within the categories, you can then group your items further according to their colors. The number of categories you create should be based on the number of drawers you have.

Make Use of Your Drawer Organizers

If you have to store more than one category of items in a single drawer, then you should make use of drawer organizers to separate various categories of items. This is particularly important for items that can get easily entangled, such as socks. Drawer separators will make it easier for you to access the items you need at a particular time without interfering with the organization of other items.

Differentiate Your Drawers

If it is hard for you to remember the items you have stored in all your drawers, then you should consider creative labeling. For instance, you can decide to color-code them with paint or different colors of knobs. You can also label each drawer using stickers and stencils. This will make it easier for you and your children to easily locate the items you need to use at any particular time.

It’s time for our weekly round-up of tech news. Read this week’s blog for our breakdown of the top headlines in the world of technology and consumer products. From an NFT Marketplace on Coinbase to Apple’s Earth Day Efforts and more, we have you covered.

Amazon to Give Away 10 Free Books for World Book Day

World Book Day is soon approaching (April 23) and Amazon has announced its way of celebrating. Kindle ebook users will get access to 10 free books through April 27. The books come from around the world for the biblio-themed holiday organized by UNESCO. Likewise, in order to access the free collection of reads, books fans must have an Amazon account. However, the giveaway day does not require a Prime or other types of special membership. Similar to last year, the 10 books come from 10 different countries and represent multiple genres. 

Coinbase Launches Social NFT Marketplace in Limited Beta

 This week, Coinbase announced the launch of their NFT Marketplace. The marketplace is currently in beta and access has been limited to “a small set of beta testers who’ll be invited based on their position” on Coinbase’s waitlist. Coinbase hopes to take on established players in the space by incorporating social features and an algorithmic feed. In addition to more practical features, the profiles allow users to showcase their collections. Users can also utilize a discover feed which Coinbase says will recommend NFTs based on user activity. Likewise, the marketplace will also provide support for favoriting NFTs, similar to OpenSea and other comparable marketplaces. 

New Smart Glasses Provide Upgraded Visual Aid for the Blind

Envision Smart Glasses have hit the market and are providing much-needed aid for the blind. Built on the enterprise edition of Google Glass, the smart glasses use AI to help the blind or visually impaired better understand their surroundings. The technology uses a small built-in camera to scan objects, people, and text which it then relays the information to the wearer. The company hopes it will make day-to-day living more intuitive and easier for the blind. Likewise, the smart wear glasses come at a cost with a current price tag of $3,500. Alternatively, consumers seeking to use the tools that the smart glasses offer can also access the Envision app which uses your phone camera instead of wearable tech.

Thumbs Up and Hand Raise Recognition Comes to Zoom

Everyone’s favorite conferencing app has a few new upgrades. Zoom has announced a new recognition feature for desktop that will make meetings run more smoothly. The latest update will now recognize gestures like thumbs-up or hand-raising made by users to their webcam. Likewise, the recognition feature will alert the host via emoji of such gestures. The company hopes the change will make it easier for situations like Q&As. Users can now simply raise their hands instead of searching for the hand raise option. Of course, the news is not news for Zoom’s iPad and iPhone apps that have had the gesture feature since last summer. We give our thumbs up to this useful digital tool.

Lord of the Rings Fans Can Now Get Their Hands On A Luxury Edition of the Book Series

Illustrated by the film’s Oscar-winning designer, a new luxury collection of Lord of The Rings Books has hit the market. The quarter-bound hardback books are designed in burgundy leather with a silver page top with feature illustrations by Alan Lee. Fans of the film adaptations will recognize Lee’s work since it was those conceptual designs that established the visuals for the Peter Jackson films. The books come courtesy of The Folio Society and are only available in a limited quantity of 1,000, as they have each been hand-signed by Lee. Likewise, the limited-edition run of the exclusive LOTD books is available at a price tag of $1500. 

A New Secret AR Smart Home Product is in the Works at Amazon

Amazon is seeking to get in on the augmented reality market. The company is currently hiring for “new-to-world smart-home product” that uses “XR” technology. While the specifics of the project are not disclosed in the listing, the job description does note that a team is planned or in the works. Additional roles for the top-secret project like Sr. Technical Program Manager, New Products-XR provide even more insight. The program manager role “will develop an advanced XR research concept into a magical and useful new-to-world consumer product.” With a number of roles being hired for the project, one can only assume Amazon is seeking to beat out the competition in Smart Home offerings. Competitors in the AR and robotics field like Meta and Microsoft have already released details of their own projects that seek to take the common household into the future. 

Apple Makes Major Changes to Recycling Efforts

This week, Apple announced its latest effort to become an eco-conscious company. The tech giant will be expanding its efforts to reuse gold, tungsten, cobalt, and other elements for its consumer products. In addition, Apple said that 20% of materials used for products last year were recycled, making it the highest level yet for the company. The company typically publishes its environmental report ahead of Earth Day every year. Likewise, Apple made additional environmental announcements as a part of its progress report. Apple is also expanding its recycling program to include gold captured from logic boards and wires in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro. Those seeking to read more from Apple’s Environmental Progress Report can view the full pdf on their website.

A kitchen backsplash protects the kitchen wall and improves the overall aesthetic in your kitchen. However, choosing the right backsplash can be tricky because there are countless options. We’re sharing our tips to make the right choice for your kitchen in this week’s blog!

5 Things To Consider When Getting the Perfect Backsplash for Your Kitchen

Before you settle on a specific kitchen backsplash, explore the different colors, designs, and materials to identify the best one for your kitchen.

1. Complementary Colors

Matching the color of your kitchen backsplash with that of the walls, counters, appliances or cabinets might not be the best option because using a single color on everything can make everything bleed together.

Consider using a shade that’s slightly darker than the countertop to add definition, texture, and depth. Doing so also makes your kitchen appear roomier. Ample natural light accentuates the darker colors. Lighter colors, too, can make your kitchen seem bigger. Just make sure they complement rather than match your countertop.

2. Easy To Clean and Maintain

A good kitchen backsplash effectively protects your kitchen wall, so you want non-porous options that are easy to clean. Go for a backsplash that’s not easily susceptible to heat and stains because the kitchen tends to get hot and grease tends to splash onto the kitchen walls.

3. Matches the Grouting

The color of your grout should blend seamlessly with your backsplash so that grease stains are not as conspicuous, so you might want to steer clear of white grout. Likewise, the grout should also be durable to stand up well against stains and heat. Darker grout is also a good option as it can accentuate the color of the tiles and complete other aspects of your kitchen.

4. High-quality and Sustainable

Go for a backsplash made of high-quality materials that can stand the test of time. Many options are available, including cork, glass, brick, and clay. The great thing about most of these materials is they are available in various designs and colors. You can also find environmentally friendly materials.

5. Size of the Backsplash

Your budget and preferences will determine the height of your kitchen backsplash. The backsplash can cover the entire height of the wall, protect only a section of it, or cover only the bottom of the cabinets. Where possible, it can cover every available space around the stove and sink right up to the ceiling. Choosing the right design and color can really pop your kitchen’s aesthetic.

Choose a Beautiful, Durable Kitchen Backsplash

As mentioned previously, your preferences and budget are the main factors that determine your choice of kitchen backsplash. Go with a design and colors that not only make you happy but that will also last a long time.

There’s no one size fits all. Plain shades can work as well as mosaics. For the best results, consult an experienced interior designer. Call [Company Name] to learn more about buying and selling luxury real estate properties in Southern California.

Plug into this week’s latest tech news with our weekly round-up of headlines. From Spotify Live to Twitter’s latest acquisition and more, we have you covered! Read on for a breakdown of the top stories in the world of tech happening this week.

TikTok Test Dislike Button for Comments

Your least favorite comments on TikTok may soon get the rating they deserve. The company announced this week it is working on a feature to allow users to dislike individual comments on videos. In the blog post, TikTok stated users can flag comments they find to be “irrelevant or inappropriate” without said dislike being visible to others. The feature, which is currently being tested comes in addition to the options users have to report a comment in violation of the platform. Likewise, this feature is different from the current feature that allows users to dislike a video they find irrelevant or uninteresting. “This community feedback will add to the range of factors we already use to help keep the comment section consistently relevant and a place for genuine engagement,” TikTok says. In addition, TikTok is experimenting with sending reminders about features like comment filtering and bulk block. 

New Free App for iPad Users with Hand Tremors Debuts in App Store

A new app has arrived in the App Store to help iPad Users with hand tremors find ease. Stabyl, which uses existing technology in the iPad is a new free app to help those with hand tremors because of conditions like Parkinson’s disease. The app was developed over the last two years by Havas Creative and the German Parkinson’s Association. The app’s purpose would be to improve access to technology for those dealing with tremor-related diseases like Parkinson’s. “We always talk about how technology should improve our lives, but we don’t naturally include everyone in those benefits,” said Eric Schoeffler, the chief creative officer of Havas in Germany. “Staybl is not a medicine, nor is it a cure. However, it’s a technological solution that can provide easier access to the digital world for all people with Parkinson’s and tremors,” Schoeffler added.

IMDB TV Rebrands as ‘Amazon Freevee’

It’s the era of rebrands and IMDB TV has joined in. The app formerly known as IMDB TV will now go by “Amazon Freevee”, after launching “IMDB Freedive” back in 2019. Amazon announced this week its plans to reintroduce the streamer under the branding of a huge content push. The name “Amazon Freevee” is meant to emphasize that the ad-supported platform will be free to viewers. “Customers are increasingly shifting to streaming ad-supported premium content, and we have developed Freevee to deliver them highly sought content with half the commercials of traditional TV,” Alkarmi said. “Our new name clearly communicates who we are: An easy-to-navigate streaming service, available to users for free, whenever and wherever they choose to watch some of the greatest Original and licensed content available.”

Stripe, Alphabet, Meta, and More Launch Carbon Removal Initiative

The biggest names in tech and consulting are committing to capturing carbon. The $925 million commitment to purchase capture carbon now through 2030 marks a major investment in carbon removal technology. The pledge was made by Stripe, Alphabet, Meta, Shopify, and McKinsey. The initiative, called Frontier, seeks to make CO2 removal tech more affordable for other companies. The companies are hopeful that this will make an impact in reducing planet-heating pollution. Some initiatives already exist to reduce CO2 emissions, at a smaller scale than what this initiative seeks to do. Stripe wholly owns Frontier with the other companies providing initial funding. Likewise, the new subsidiary builds on the company’s prior efforts to promote carbon removal technologies.

Twitter Acquisition of OpenBack May Change What Users Get Notified Of

This week, Twitter announced the acquisition of OpenBack, a push notification company. According to Twitter’s head of consumers, Jay Sullivan, OpenBack offers “device-side control of push notifications”. Likewise, the company hopes it will be able to pull up timely information for a user while they are away. “The best push notifications bring people to the conversations they care about on Twitter,” Sullivan said as part of a Twitter thread. “But irrelevant notifications are a distraction. With millions of people visiting Twitter via notifications every day, we want them to be timely, relevant, and engaging.” In addition, Sullivan stated that Twitter also hopes OpenBack will improve the company’s ability to deliver the right notifications at the right time.

Spotify Adds Live Audio Program to Platform and Rebrands Greenroom App

Even more, changes are making their way to Spotify. The company has rebranded its Greenroom live audio app as Spotify Live. In addition, Spotify Live will become available on both the standalone app and as a Livestream feature. Currently, the main app will have select live content from original programming. Likewise, the standalone Spotify Live app will serve as a place for all independent creators. “Listeners will be able to tune in to live programming on Spotify via the creator’s podcast or artist page, and if they want to participate in the chat or join the host onstage, they can head to the Spotify Live app to do so,” according to a blog post on the company’s website.