Neil deGrasse Tyson Wants *You* to Explore Deep Space—In a Video Game http://ift.tt/2vMOw7Y There's a new video game in development for all you science nerds, and it has an advisor you might recognize. No, not me—just another one of your favorite physicists-turned-science educators, Neil deGrasse Tyson. The game is Space Odyssey, a space exploration caper that takes you on a journey to explore and settle new planets. Currently, the game is a Kickstarter project with an estimated completion date of December 2018. Now, we all know that sometimes crowdfunded games just don't work out. But even if Space Odyssey doesn't see the light of day—which, depending on which side of your tidally-locked exoplanet you choose to colonize, might be the case!—I still wanted to talk to Tyson about the game, science education, and how video games can be a great way to explore concepts in physics. Space Odyssey is about space exploration, but how is it different than something like Kerbal Space Program, where you get to build and test-fly your own spacecraft? Kerbal has precise, like over the top precise orbital mechanics in it. So that's kind of fun to see: what it takes to launch something, get a right trajectory to intersect with destinations. The beautiful physics in Kerbal is orbital physics. In Space Odyssey, our goal is basically world building. Initially the target is known exoplanets. We know enough to know where they are and what their approximate masses are, what kind of orbits they have. And beyond that we, we also know if they are in the Goldilocks zone. Beyond that, we don't know. You will continue to use laws of physics to build on that planet, to explore it, to establish geology, atmospherics. You can even build out the materials there—it will build on accurate material sciences. It's the physics of living and exploring. Why did you decide to promote these physics ideas in a video game? Video games are such a huge source of interest for so many people. It's a place that is largely devoid of meaningful science, and I think we could possibly make an important mark here. We spend time on video games when we should be spending time doing something else, and that ratio is different for different people. At the end of the day, it would be nice know that if you should have been doing something else, at least playing this video game you will have boosted your level of science literacy. There's something you can claim for having participated. So how much real physics is in the game? How does the game handle faster-than-light travel and communications, or is it more realistic in that you can’t do that? That's a great question. I'm still on the fence. So, the question is should the user be allowed to tweak laws of physics? It’s like, holy shit, that could have unintended consequences. If you want to change the constant of gravity, for example, well that has secondary impact on the luminosity of stars. This is a level of power that I don’t think is necessary to wield in this universe. It could be fun, however, if instead of saying we’re going faster than the speed of light, we could change the speed of light to be something much lower. Let's say 100 mph. So now as you approach 100 mph, all these relativistic effects start taking place. So you don't have to build some super atomic machine that nobody knows how to build yet to go that fast. And then you get to see all the effects of relativity—and that would be really fun to notice. If we didn’t go there, if you just keep the speed of light as it is, and then we find planets that might be orbiting black holes. Objects that were once stars became black holes but they still have planets orbiting around them. That would be possibly dangerous, you would need an energy source, but you would see amazing relativistic effects. Akin to what you may remember was portrayed in the movie Interstellar. There was a game or an educational app that does greatly reduce the speed of light. I love that idea. What I do know is the famous physicist from the 20th century George Gamow, he authored a series of books called Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland, and it was for adults and kids. What it did was it imagined worlds with the various constants of nature changed so that phenomena would take place in everyday life that would otherwise require exotic physics situations to experience. So, for example, if you change Planck’s constant to something large, then all of a sudden things that go on in your life would be a match for what currently goes on in the world of particles. You would walk through a doorway and you would diffract through the doorway the way light does through a slit in quantum physics. It’s a fascinating way to learn. Because when you put exotic physics in everyday life then you get to see what’s actually going on with objects and phenomenon that are otherwise familiar to you. So yeah, that’s a way to take the game. But I think the anchoring in the real physics and then having the creativity based on in the end will pay more dividends in terms of people’s enjoyment. So maybe there should be two games: Space Odyssey based on real physics, and let’s mess up physics bad and see what happens, as another game. Space Odyssey: Rogue edition. How about that? Digital Trends via Feed: All Latest http://ift.tt/2uc60ci July 27, 2017 at 11:42AM
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Kickstarter co-founder and CEO Yancey Strickler will step down this year http://ift.tt/2u1V00I Yancey Strickler, Kickstarter co-founder and CEO, is going to step down from his role at the company later this year, he wrote in a blog post last night. Kickstarter is now actively looking for a replacement. Kickstarter’s other two co-founders, Charles Adley and Perry Chen, are also no longer in operational roles at the company. Adley left back in 2013 and Chen stepped down from the CEO position in 2014. Chen, however, is still a chairperson. As Strickler notes in his post, he’s spent the last 12 years of his life working on Kickstarter, so it seems that he feels like it’s time to move on. “Since 2014 when I became CEO, we made several great leaps: tripling the total dollars pledged to projects, launching Kickstarter to creators in 16 countries, and building an exceptional team of leaders at every level,” Strickler wrote. “Now we’re looking for someone who can push us to make our next great leaps.” Moving forward, this year will be Kickstarter’s eighth straight profitable year, according to Strickler. Meanwhile, Kickstarter today announced that it’s bringing messages to its Android app. Digital Trends via TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com July 27, 2017 at 11:39AM
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UpCodes makes researching building regulations less exhausting for architects http://ift.tt/2uFVNXk For architects, complying with building codes means navigating labyrinthine layers of regulations that vary between municipalities. Sorting through different codes and keeping track of updates is a daunting task and, in a worst-case scenario, a mistake can cost thousands or even millions of dollars to tear out and fix. Firms that can afford it hire building code consultants, but a startup called UpCodes wants to make code compliance easier for all builders. Founded last year by brothers Garrett and Scott Reynolds, UpCodes is currently taking part in Y Combinator. It now has more than 45,000 monthly active users and claims 11 percent growth week-over-week this year. Its app puts building regulations into one place, makes them searchable and adds collaboration tools so team members can research and share notes on projects. Before founding UpCodes, Scott worked as an architect in New York City and Hong Kong. “I came out of school where design is freeform and architecture is a very creative endeavor, then got into the workforce and realized how difficult the regulation atmosphere is to navigate,” says Scott. “I realized how difficult it was for me, my colleagues and individuals to understand those codes. It drove me to a point where architecture wasn’t enjoyable any longer.” Looking for his next step, Scott talked to Garrett, a software engineer at construction software startup PlanGrid, and they decided to tackle building codes, hacking together an app over Thanksgiving break. As they got deeper into the project, however, the brothers discovered that the problem was even more complicated than they had realized. Being code compliant means builders need to deal with multiple layers of building regulations and figuring out which ones are relevant to their project. There are codes at the federal, state and local jurisdiction (like city or county) level, as well as more specific codes that deal with areas like plumbing, electrical wiring, fire safety and accessibility for people with disabilities. Builders need to pay attention to the smallest of details, like the height of stair risers or handrails, to avoid expensive construction tear-outs and redos. Many builders research code by going through physical books or PDFs. UpCodes simplifies the process by putting all building codes in one place and also updating them in real-time. Codes are overhauled once every few years, but in between there are a lot of smaller changes. The startup immediately updates all regulations in its app with tools that monitors changes on the websites where they are posted. One benefit of using UpCodes is that it can make it easier and less costly for architects to work in different jurisdictions. The brothers say that in 2017 so far, UpCodes has processed more than 110,000 searches, making up what they say is “the world’s largest trove of construction search data.” In the future, this will be used to build intelligent prediction models for building codes. Garrett, who researched machine learning and artificial intelligence at UCLA and was on PlanGrid’s machine learning team, says that in five to 10 years, architects may be able to draw up blueprints and see immediately if they are code compliant. In the meantime, however, UpCodes will focus on adding more building codes to its database. The app currently has building codes for about 40 states, as well as New York City. The Reynolds say they plan to add Seattle, Los Angeles and Denver next due to user demand. UpCodes’ collaboration tools allow users to hyperlink to sections of code and create project folders to share with team members. Being able to save project notes helps firms build institutionalized knowledge, Scott says. “Firms will often do projects that repeat themselves and have similar requirements, but in my experience, a lot of that code research gets done twice,” he explains. “We try to remove as much of that as possible and bring it to future projects as well.” Digital Trends via TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com July 27, 2017 at 11:31AM Apple Just Killed iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle http://ift.tt/2eR5I8n Two more members of the Apple family just got put in the ground. On Thursday, a company spokesperson confirmed to The Verge that it has “officially discontinued” the iPod Shuffle and the iPod Nano. As first noticed by MacRumors, Apple pulled both MP3 players from its website as available products today, something the company has done in the past with products it discontinues. Advertisement Apple launched both the Shuffle and the Nano back in 2005. So after more than 10 years on the market—and being mostly replaced by the iPhone and the iPod Touch, which is still available on the site—it might be time for them to be retired. Apple stopped updating the Shuffle in 2010 and the last update for the Nano was released in 2012. The discontinuation of the Shuffle and the Nano doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as Apple killed the iPod Classic in 2014. Advertisement We’ve reached out to Apple for comment, and we’ll update if we hear back. Advertisement Digital Trends via Gizmodo http://gizmodo.com July 27, 2017 at 11:30AM
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‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ is in active development, according to stuntman’s résumé http://ift.tt/2uByiA9 The biggest video games around tend to have a cast of thousands, with scores of voice actors and motion capture specialists lending their skills to the finished product. In recent years, we’ve seen several instances where work listed on a résumé has uncovered an as-yet-unannounced project — and it seems that such a situation may have just confirmed that work on Grand Theft Auto 6 is already well underway. Earlier this morning, the résumé of an actor and stuntman named Tim Neff was posted on the popular video game forum NeoGAF. Neff notes that he worked on Rockstar’s upcoming western Red Dead Redemption 2, but he also claims to have contributed motion capture performance to Grand Theft Auto 6. Grand Theft Auto is no doubt one of the biggest franchises in gaming, so it’s not entirely surprising that Rockstar is working on a sixth mainline installment. However, the studio has remained fairly quiet on the future of the series, with its current focus remaining squarely on Red Dead Redemption 2. It’s now been almost four years since the release of Grand Theft Auto V — although it might not seem like it, given the game’s HD rerelease and the fact that GTA Online is still receiving new content on a regular basis. For comparison, that game came out a little over five years after the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV in 2008. With Red Dead Redemption 2 set to debut next year, Grand Theft Auto 6 could potentially follow in either 2019 or 2020. That would allow Rockstar to pursue a similar cross-generational strategy to the one that worked so well for Grand Theft Auto V, given that the successors to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are likely to land around that time. This apparent confirmation that Grand Theft Auto 6 is well into production will no doubt spark plenty of discussion about where the sequel will take the franchise. It’s long been rumored that the next game would return to Vice City, just as the previous two entries revisited the other two locations from the classic PlayStation 2 trilogy, but fans will simply have to wait and see what Rockstar has in store.
Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/2p4eJdC July 27, 2017 at 11:14AM
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Skagen’s sleek Signatur Hybrid smartwatch offers activity and sleep tracking for $175 http://ift.tt/2u2gzhT Leave it to the folks at Skagen, the 30-year-old Danish subsidiary of Fossil, to design a sleek, slim, and stylish smartwatch that doesn’t compromise on functionality. The watchmaker’s Signatur Hybrid, the newest in its Connected family, boasts activity and sleep tracking, tweakable notifications, and hands-free smartphone controls. “Our goal is to make more wearable products […] both from a hardware and a software perspective, and the Signatur Hybid reflects this,” Frederik Thrane, creative director of design and concept at Skagen, told Cool Hunting. “It is a subtle smartwatch that gives you the information you need, when you need it — not one that floods you with constant notifications and makes you less present.” That’s apparent from the get go. The Signatur Hybrid’s iOS and Android app lets you choose which contacts and apps vibrate your watch, or assign colored labels to contacts, apps, alarm, date, and time zones. A hands-free mode allows you to program rings, music controls, and your phone’s camera shutter button to the Signatur Hybrid’s three buttons. The conveniences don’t stop there, though. The watch’s auto time and date feature automatically update the Signatur Hybrid to account for traveling, time-zone changes, Daylight Savings Time, and the number of days in any given month, and its activity-tracking features record your steps and sleep cycles. The Signatur Hybrid doesn’t skimp on design, either. The round watch features a large sub-dial, rounded buttons, and an all-metal unibody that extends to the lugs. It comes in four colors, including silver steel mesh, brown leather with a black dial, olive leather with a gray dial, and black leather with a white dial, and packs a replaceable battery that last up to 6 months. “Our aspiration has been is to simplify and clarify wherever possible,” Thrane said. “For instance, mesh bands have been a part of Skagen’s designs since the inception of the brand, [so] we are launching the Signatur Hybrid on a mesh band to infuse a familiar design element with a new technology in this watch. That has been a grounding principle since we were founded in 1989.” The Signatur Hybrid smartwatches are available starting today, with prices on the four styles ranging from $175 to $195. They’re the first of many to come; earlier this year, Skagen promised to launch 19 new hybrid smartwatch styles in 2017. Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/2p4eJdC July 27, 2017 at 11:14AM Half of Our Galaxy Might Have Come From Other Galaxies http://ift.tt/2u26KQY Any Carl Sagan fan knows you’re made of star stuff. Protons don’t decay into any other particles (as far as we can tell), so you can reliably assume that most bits of you have been around since a second after the Big Bang. But if you’re thinking a little more locally, you might wonder whether the Milky Way formed in its entirety before little ol’ you were made. It turns out that, if new estimates are right, half of the atoms in our galaxy could have been stolen from other galaxies. The new analysis, from a team of astrophysicists from the United States and Canada, shows that galaxy formation (and the formation of stuff in general) is a complex give-and-take process. Advertisement “Overall, our results highlight the role of galactic winds as a primary contributor to the baryonic mass budget of central galaxies,” the authors write in the paper, published today in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The Milky Way is only a few hundred million years younger than the universe itself, and formed as the initial hot gas in the early universe clumped. The new paper shows that in a simulation, fifty percent of a galaxy like our Milky Way today comprises of stuff ejected from other galaxies more recently than that. “The question of how much of the Milky Way’s stars were built up “in place”, versus acquired from other sources, “has always been an intriguing one,” astrophysicist Dylan Nelson from the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Germany told Gizmodo in an email. Advertisement The authors cite papers as far back as 2003 describing the importance of the exchange of matter in galaxy formation, but including it in models has been quite difficult due to certain smaller-scale physical complexities. But a simulation called Feedback In Realistic Environments (FIRE) helped these researchers come up with a way to model the behavior of gasses in and between galaxies. The researchers took into account things like star formation, supernovae, stellar winds, and other factors to model galaxies and their galactic winds. Their simulation then put a main galaxy in the center of others, and played the system in reverse. After lots of number crunching and supercomputing, the researchers found that only 50 percent or so of the stuff in a Milky Way-type galaxy at present came from internal processes, like star formation and sucking up previously-ejected galactic winds. The rest came from other galaxies. Advertisement Of course, this was just a simulation. But at least one outside researcher, Jessica Werk at the University of Washington in Seattle, told New Scientist that the work included “one of the best simulations.” She pointed out that understanding where the atoms in the Milky Way come from is an important topic in astrophysics. Nelson did point out that the model only looks at three simulated galaxies like the Milky Way, and it arrives at between 30 and 60 percent external stuff. “It’s unclear if our real MW corresponds closely to any, or which, of these particular simulations. A much larger number of simulated galaxies (as we attempt to do in projects such as www.tng-project.org) would be needed to pin down the importance and frequency of the effect described in this work.” But he agreed the model was a sophisticated one, and told Gizmodo the work was “undoubtedly roughly correct.” Advertisement And who knows, maybe in a few billion years time, someone else’s body will be made out of your atoms. That would be nice. Advertisement [MNRAS] Digital Trends via Gizmodo http://gizmodo.com July 27, 2017 at 11:00AM
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Comcast’s ‘Instant TV’ service for cord cutters could launch by year-end http://ift.tt/2h60BSN Comcast’s newest entry into the market of streaming TV services aimed at cord cutters could be launched later this year, according to statements made by executives on the company’s earnings call this week. The service, known as “Xfinity Instant TV,” would be available to subscribers without the need for a set-top box, challenging rivals like Dish’s Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, Hulu Live TV, AT&T’s DirecTV Now, and YouTube TV. News that Comcast was eying a streaming service of this kind was previously reported. Earlier this year, several details emerged about the planned offering, including pricing and feature set. At that time, Comcast’s top video exec Matt Strauss confirmed the service’s name, “Xfinity Instant TV,” and said it would include local broadcast channels, at least one premium channel, and a cloud DVR. He also said it would be priced starting at $15 per month for existing Comcast’s internet service subscribers. Like Sling TV, subscribers could also choose to add-on various skinny bundles, like a sports, news, entertainment, or kids “pack” to the core product. The service is largely a rebranding of Comcast’s existing Stream service, which already available in select U.S. markets. Comcast execs now are saying the cost for Xfinity Instant TV is still in flux, noting that various price points are still being tested. The company also came across as fairly skeptical about today’s market for these sorts of over-the-top streaming TV services. When asked on the call about their impact, NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke said, those that have launched thus far as “doing about as we expected they would do and that is they are not all that material to our business,” according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter. “It is a very tough business, and we as before we are skeptical it will be a very large business or profitable business, and they are off to a relatively slow start,” he added. The launch would come at a time when cord cutting is accelerating at a record pace. AT&T this week lost a record number of traditional TV subscribers, as noted by Variety’s coverage of the company’s earnings. Comcast, meanwhile, lost 45,000 residential video customers in Q2, compared with a loss of 21,000 during the same period last year, it also reported.
Digital Trends via TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com July 27, 2017 at 10:53AM
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Today's Best Deals: Clear the Rack, Dyson Vacuum, Electric Lawnmower, and More http://ift.tt/2uBbKQh A new Clear the Rack sale, a discounted Dyson vacuum, and a battery-powered lawnmower lead off Thursday’s best deals from around the web. Advertisement Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal.
Top Tech Deals$70 for a Logitech Harmony remote is a great deal on its face, but the real reason to buy this model is the included Harmony Home Hub. Advertisement Advertisement The Hub allows you to use your iPhone, Android device, or even an Amazon Echo to control everything a Harmony remote can (which is basically any piece of home theater gear you can think of). So even when you inevitably lose the included remote behind the couch cushions, you’ll still have multiple ways to take control of all of your home theater gear. Considering the hub alone sells for almost $90 right now, getting the hub plus a remote for an all-time low $70 is a fantastic opportunity. Note: Yes, I realize the hub isn’t in the Amazon product photo, but here’s the relevant part of the product description: The advent of inexpensive Bluetooth headphones has been a net positive, but there’s no getting around it: They’re a pain in the ass to charge. Advertisement Advertisement Luckily, Mpow’s headphone carrying case includes a built-in 800mAh battery and microUSB cable, so you can recharge your earbuds while simultaneously keeping them from getting lost or tangled in your bag. Yeah, you’ll still need to recharge the case, but this definitely makes Bluetooth earbuds a simpler option while traveling. We see deals on third party GoPro accessory kits all the time, but even by our standards, $9 is cheap. This set includes 40 different accessories, including harnesses, mounts, a floating bobber, and even a carrying case. This will also work with any other action cams with GoPro-compatible cases, including the Yi. $15 is a pretty good price for a 10,000mAh battery pack. It’s absolutely insane for one with a solar panel and 12-LED flashlight array. Obviously, that little solar panel won’t recharge the battery very quickly, but it can trickle charge it while you’re outdoors, so it’s nice to have. If you’re in the market for a TV, computer, graphics card, camera, smartphone, drone, speaker system, or pretty much anything else that could be broadly considered “electronic,” Jet’s taking $25 off basically any $150 electronic order with promo code ITSELECTRIC25, or $40 off any $250 order with code ITSELECTRIC40. The new 10.5" iPad Pro might just be the best device Apple’s ever made, and Staples is taking $50 off both the 64GB and 256GB models today, the biggest discount we’ve seen so far. Seriously, run to an Apple Store and just play with it for a second. The animations on the screen are so buttery smooth it doesn’t seem like it should be possible. If your current home network isn’t quite up to snuff, a pair of Amazon promo codes can go a long way towards fixing that today. Advertisement Advertisement First up, this inexpensive range extender won’t be a cure-all for your range woes, but if you have one corner of your house that just doesn’t get a strong signal, it might be all you need. Use promo code 5OFF855RE to get it for just $15. If you want to go whole-hog and replace your router, this powerful TP-Link AC2300 model is $30 off with promo code 30OFFC2300. This deal seems a little misleading, because it was the same price ($140) a few days ago without a promo code, but that’s an all-time low price regardless. There are precious few battery packs out there with USB-C power delivery, and this 30,000mAh model from Aukey is one of the most affordable we’ve seen. Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the two standard USB output ports, the USB-C port works as both an input and high-speed output port that can charge a 12" MacBook at full speed, or charge your Nintendo Switch’s battery level while playing it at full brightness. It’s pretty huge, but 30,000mAh should be enough juice to get power your devices for hours or days on end. Just be sure to use promo code AUPOWER1 at checkout to get it for $54. You know those cool 360 videos you’ve seen on YouTube, or even in a VR headset? All you need to make your own is the Samsung Gear 360, and it can be yours for an all-time low $110 today. Even if you don’t have access to a helicopter or speed boat to capture truly jaw-dropping video, you could easily plop this thing into the middle of a party or get-together, and relive the whole thing in 360 degrees later. I wish I’d had one for my wedding. Here’s a sample of what you can capture from the Gear 360. On desktop (Chrome only), you should be able to click and drag around, and on mobile, your phone’s accelerometer should be able to rotate the video within the YouTube app. VPNs are in the news these days, and with good reason. So if you’re curious to sign up and start protecting your browsing history and personal data (or, you know, getting around websites’ geoblocks), NordVPN charges less per month than a typical trip to Starbucks. NordVPN has long been one of the most popular and reliable VPN providers out there, and if you sign up for a one-year membership, promo code VIP70 will drop your annual price from $69 to $48. If you’re sure you want to commit, use this link instead to get a special two year plan for $79 with code 2YSpecial2017. Lifehacker has recommended Nord in some previous guides, but if you have any firsthand experience with the service, sound off in the comments! Top Home DealsGreenWorks’ 20-inch battery-powered lawn mower is actually Amazon’s top-selling walk-behind mower, and you can own one today for $259, a new all-time low, and about $80 less than usual. That includes two batteries, which combined, should get you over an hour of mowing time. Dyson vacuums dominated the nominations in our Kinja Co-Op for best vacuum, but they can be prohibitively expensive. Today though, refurbs of the popular Dyson Ball Animal are down to $200 on Amazon, one of the best prices we’ve seen. The Dyson Ball includes a brush that automatically adjusts when you move from carpets to hard floors, a ton of accessory hose tools, including a motorized turbine tool, and yes, it rests on top of a ball for easy maneuverability. This price is only available today, and will probably sell out early, so get your before they’re all sucked up. If you don’t want to lay out the cash for a Philips Hue setup, this OxyLED bulb is a great semi-smart alternative for a fraction of the price. Each bulb comes with a self-charging remote (pressing the buttons actually generates electricity, how cool is that?) that can power the bulb on or off, dim it, or even swap between three available color temperatures. The biggest drawback here is that you can’t program the remote to control multiple lights; you’re going to have a separate remote for each lamp. If that would work for your situation though, $12 is a great price. While it’s certainly not as fast as the coin-operated air compressor at a gas station, this glove box-friendly compressor can save your bacon if you have to change a tire, or just can’t be bothered to find a bunch of quarters. One reviewer describes it as slighlty larger than two decks of playing cards, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding somewhere to hide it. In what might be the most random and oddly specific Gold Box we’ve seen to date, Amazon’s running a big-ass sale on leather journals. So, uh, if you need any leather journals, this is a good day to buy them, it would seem. Our readers have bought thousands of Instant Pot pressure cookers over the last few years, and with good reason! But this $50 T-fal alternative is far more affordable, offers basically the same array of functions, and is actually easier to clean, according to some reviewers. So if the Instant Pot is a little out of your price range and you don’t feel like waiting for a deal, this seems like a good bet. Advertisement Advertisement Need some inspiration? Lifehacker has a list of the first seven things you should make with your new toy. I know it’s summer and blankets aren’t at the top of your mind, but Qbedding’s microplush fleece blankets are seriously popular, and they’re all on sale today. Advertisement Advertisement These blankets boast a 380 grams per square meter weight, which is significantly higher than the average 250 you’d see on most fleece blankets. That means they’re warmer, softer, and less prone to shedding. And if that doesn’t convince you, maybe the 4.6 star review average from over 1600 customers will. For a limited time, promo code 7T7VDU33 will take 10% off any size and any color sold by Qbedding, Inc. and fulfilled by Amazon, so pick your favorite, and bundle up. Our readers have bought thousands of Yi’s home security cameras, but today, you can save $12 on the new 1080p model. Advertisement Advertisement Yi now offers an online cloud DVR service that will store seven days of motion detection footage for free, 15 days worth of motion detection footage for $100/year for five cameras, or $100/year per camera to store 15 days worth of all the footage the camera shoots, whether it detected motion or not. That said, you can choose for forego the cloud service altogether, and just store your clips locally on a microSD card. The camera also has two-way intercom and live broadcast built in, so you can check in on your house any time you want. Just be sure to use promo code X3GITOIK at checkout to save $12. OxyLED has been selling stick-anywhere LED lights in every shape and size for years, but thismodel might be the coolest one yet. Advertisement Advertisement Functionally, it’s a motion-sensing battery powered-light like many of OxyLED’s others, but the design is 100% new. Instead of sticking the whole thing to a surface with adhesive, this two-piece setup includes a base that attaches with magnets or adhesive, and a separate light module that nests magnetically inside, allowing you to point it in any direction you want. That means you can remove the light from the base at any time to charge it, or even to use it as a portable flashlight. Just be sure to use promo code OXYLDN03 at checkout to save $5. Sugru is right up there with binder clips and the Raspberry Pi in Lifehacker’s pantheon of must-have gear, and you can stock up today with eight black and white packs from Amazon for just $12, the best price Amazon’s ever listed. Update: Back in stock, if you missed out yesterday. Advertisement Advertisement Cooking eggs isn’t exactly rocket science, but I’d say the ability to make soft, medium, and hard boiled eggs, plus omelettes and poached eggs at the touch of a button is worth $15. The Dash Go is Amazon’s top-selling egg cooker, and carries a truly stellar 4.5 star review average from nearly 4,000 customers, so get it while it’s on sale for its best price in months. Top Lifestyle DealsIt’s that time again. Nordstrom Rack has brought back their Clear the Rack sale and it’s full (and I mean FULL) of really incredible deals. Designer clothing, brands you’ve never heard of, everything in clearance an extra 25% off, or a whopping 50% off when it comes to dresses. The one in the picture up there is $15! What are you waiting for? Advertisement Advertisement If you don’t find anything at Nordstrom Rack, head over to Nordstrom proper and check out their massive Anniversary Sale. Just because you’re outdoors and/or floating on a body of water doesn’t mean you can’t have something comfortable to sit on. This $32 inflatable lounger might not be the most comfortable piece of furniture you own, but it certainly beats sitting in the dirt. This particular model includes a water bottle holder and three side pockets. Think your blood pressure’s been higher than usual this year, for some unknown reason? Keep an eye on it with this $16 cuff, which can store your last 90 readings in memory to help you keep track of changes over time. Nike runs 20% discounts on their clearance section with some regularity, but discounts on full-priced items are much less common. Save 20% on nearly everything they sell that’s not already on sale (see all the exclusions here) with promo code 20BTS on orders over $100, plus free shipping when you sign up for a free account.
While not quite as small as some of our favorite minimalist wallets, the new Swift Wallet is well-built and has a ton of features, and you can get it for about $70 by preordering. Advertisement Advertisement First, let’s talk cards. The Swift Wallet features four RFID-protected card slots (each of which can hold about three cards comfortably, an exterior coin/card pocket that’s purposely not RFID-protected for contactless payment cards, and a few small interior pockets for business cards. The Swift’s claim to fame though is its unique cash slot. Your bills sit behind the card holders on either side of the wallet’s interior, meaning you can swipe a thumb up the middle of the wallet to slide bills out with ease. I know Kickstarter projects can occasionally go pear-shaped, but the team behind Swift has successfully delivered on three previous wallet Kickstarters, and they sent me a demo unit to check out as well, so I don’t think you have much to worry about here. The Philips OneBlade is the shaver of choice for our entire staff (except Jillian), and one of the most popular products we’ve ever listed, but Philips recently raised the bar with the release of the OneBlade Pro, and Amazon’s running one of the first discounts we’ve seen on it to date. First, let’s talk about what’s unchanged from the original OneBlade. The Pro still uses the same blades which last for four months (or most likely longer, if you aren’t using it every day), it still works in any direction, you can still use it with or without shaving cream, and it’s still water resistant, so you can use it in the shower without fear. Advertisement Advertisement The biggest difference you’ll notice out of the box is the Pro’s adjustable 14-length comb, compared to the three static combs included with the standard OneBlade. That gives you more flexibility to groom your beard just so, and makes it a lot easier to achieve a smooth fade, if that’s what you’re going for. It’s also fewer parts to keep track of. The other big difference is the battery. It’s lithium-ion this time around, so it lasts twice as long as the original OneBlade (90 minutes vs. 45), recharges eight times as fast (one hour vs. eight), and the built-in LED screen now shows you how much juice you have left, so you’ll know whether you need to pack your charger for trips. Are these upgrades worth the standard $80 price tag, compared to the original’s $35? Personaly, I don’t think so. But as a happy OneBlade owner, I’m awfully tempted to upgrade for $66, especially since that would get me an extra blade which would normally cost around $15. Advertisement Update: For $15 more (the price of one replacement blade), you can get a bundle that includes two extra blades. Just be sure to clip the $10 coupon on the product page. Dorco, the best deal in razor blades, is offering an insane discount on their seven-blade (yes, seven) Pace 7 razors today. Just use promo code KINJA724A at checkout, and you’ll get the handle and 10 cartridges for just $14, plus free shipping. Your stubble won’t stand a chance. Zappos is basically a one-stop shoe destination already, but right now, they’re having an actual sale, something they haven’t done in years. Grab discounted shoes from Cole Haan, Brooks, Nike, Stuart Weitzman, Frye, and more for men and women. And, if you’re part of their rewards program, get 3x the points on the over 40,000 items on sale. If you’ve never checked out Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale, what are you even doing on Kinja Deals? The retailer puts thousands of fall and winter styles, plus Nordstrom Beauty Exclusives, on sale way before they go into the stores. Once the sale is over, you’ll only be able to get them for full price, so you’d better get on it. The sale lasts until August 6th. Top Media DealsScore 15 iconic and creepy films in one attractive box. $69 is the lowest price Amazon’s ever offered on the Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection. Top Gaming DealsThe WowWee Mip is a self-balancing tabletop robot that kids can program using interactive code blocks from an iOS or Android device, allowing it to move around, ride up and down a ramp, balance stuff on its tray, and more. If you have any kid birthdays on the horizon, this would be a great gift. Update: Now down to $33, an all-time low! Advertisement Advertisement Pandemic Legacy is a co-op board game that raises the stakes by adding permanent (actually permanent) changes to the board as you play, and it’s amazing. It also happens to be marked down to $35 on Amazon today, within a buck of an all-time low. Note: The blue version is also on sale for $1 more. Both of these products are the same game, just with different color schemes, allowing you to keep two games going at once without getting confused. Pyre is part fantasy RPG, part basketball, and all fun. $2 off its usual $20 isn’t a huge discount by any means, but if you were going to buy it for your PS4 anyway (and you should!), it’s a decent little deal considering the game is still brand new. As someone who paid $500 for an Xbox One on launch day—and that’s without any games—these deals make me want to cry a little bit. Get a 500GB Minecraft console bundle for $200, or a 1TB Battlefield 1 bundle for $240. Humble’s new Saints Row Bundle features—you guessed it—a bunch of Saints Row games. But you’ll also find other Deep Silver titles scattered among the various tiers, including a few Homefront games, Mighty No. 9, Killer Is Dead, and more. I imagine most of you have played at least one or two of Telltale’s choice-driven narrative games, but the newest Humble Bundle is a great excuse to try out more. Advertisement Advertisement Just $1 gets you a lot of the studio’s earlier work, including the first season of The Walking Dead, paying more than the average unlocks the likes of Game of Thrones and Tales from the Borderlands, while $15 gets you Batman and Minecraft: Story Mode. As always, a portion of the proceeds go to charity, so make the choice to buy this bundle; you won’t regret the consequences. TechPower
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Board GamesToysDigital Trends via Gizmodo http://gizmodo.com July 27, 2017 at 10:48AM
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‘Middle-earth: Shadow of War’ mobile game rekindles the Tolkien magic http://ift.tt/2v0PUGE Mobile spinoff games don’t have the best reputation among more dedicated players. They can often feel like watered-down knock-offs of the console experience rather than their own separate game, but Warner Bros. and developer IUGO Mobile seem to be taking a much different approach with Middle-earth: Shadow of War. Its mobile counterpart doesn’t attempt to replicate its big brother’s gameplay, but it still shares its Tolkien essence. Available for pre-registration now on iOS and Android devices, the Middle-earth: Shadow of War mobile game is a free-to-play “real-time RPG” that follows Talion, the star of Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War. Sauron continues to threaten the people of Middle-earth, and in the game’s trailer, Talion remarks that it is time for a “new ring.” “We need to build our army,” says his wraith companion Celebrimbor, who had actually forged a ring when he was still alive. Who will make up this army? Not only will Talion be able to recruit characters seen in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, including fan-favorite Uruk Ratbag, but also a selection of characters from other Tolkien works. Gimli will make an appearance, as will Boromir, but if you know anything about Sean Bean, you probably shouldn’t get too attached to him. Unlike the main Shadow of War game, the mobile game will have you control four of these heroes at once in a top-down perspective similar to the Diablo series. Combat is very number-heavy, but it appears to still contain some gameplay mechanics from the console and PC games. At one point, an ambush is set up by a nemesis named “Orthak Who Devours,” and you can fully customize your heroes for their upcoming battles. Several different currencies are listed at the top of the screen, including a lightning bolt — if you’ve ever played a free mobile game, you know that this icon almost always represents how much “energy” you have left before you have to either wait or pay real cash. No release date was given for the mobile game, but Middle-earth: Shadow of War launches for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on October 10. The game was delayed after initially targeting an August release.
Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/2p4eJdC July 27, 2017 at 10:45AM |
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