Etsy bans sale of questionable Washington Redskins merch

The debate over the appropriateness of the Washington Redskins’ name has been raging for what seems like ages now, and even homegrown e-commerce operations are feeling the effects. Consider Etsy, for instance. The fast-growing purveyor of neat and offbeat products recently updated its policies to ban the sale of any merch with the Redskins’ name or logo. Washington’s trademark burgundy and gold are still in the clear, as is the word “Washington” itself… and that’s about it. Etsy has already started reaching out to sellers whose wares run afoul of the new rule, but it’ll probably be a while before the site is fully purged. Just take a look: here’s still plenty of seemingly verboten Redskins-branded swag to be found on Etsy at this point, while sellers of more innocuous wares (like a HTTR “Hail to the Redskins” wristband that doesn’t actually say “Redskins”) are being told they’re out of luck. It’s possible that the furor over the Redskins name could come to a close soon – NFL commissioner Roger Goodell threw his support behind Redskins’ owner Daniel Snyder, but his tenure might not last much longer as a result of his handling of Ray Rice’s domestic abuse controversy.

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Via: The Verge

Source: Etsy

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Phones4u forced into administration after EE says it’s pulling the plug

Less than two weeks ago, we remarked that things were looking tough for Phones4u. Today, it looks as though the company no longer has a future. After Vodafone said it was dropping its partnership deal with the company to go all in with Dixons Carphone, EE, the biggest carrier in the UK, has done what it threatened to do earlier in the year and announced it too is going alone. In a statement, Phones4u said that EE has decided not to renew its current contract, which expires in just over a year, leaving the company with no other choice than to call in the administrators. “The unexpected decisions by both Vodafone and EE have come as a complete shock to the business,” it noted, adding that it’ll honour existing contracts (no word on iPhone 6 pre-orders) but close stores while it assesses its options.

According to company representatives, Vodafone pulled a u-turn on talks after it had “consistently indicated to the management of Phones 4u over more than six months” that it would renew its deal. EE’s announcement also has it baffled, because the deal still has a year to run. Both O2 and Three have already walked away from the company. Although it has an existing deal with EE to provide coverage for its own LIFE Mobile MVNO, Phones4u’s customer footprint is small and would not be able to sustain 550 standalone stores that employ 5,596 people. What the future has in store for Phones4u is now anyone’s guess, but we expect Dixons Carphone will be rubbing its hands at the prospect of having one less rival on the High Street.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Nikon’s mid-range D750 DSLR acts pricier than it actually is

I first cut my teeth on a Nikon D40, but I’ve spent the past few years picking the up basics of photography with a handful of Canon SLRs. I’m not great by any stretch, but I’ve got just enough experience under my belt that I’m itching to trade in my more basic gear for something with a bit more oomph… which makes me the sort of person Nikon had in mind when it started putting together its new D750. We’ve covered the basics here, but let’s dig a little more into what it’s like to use the thing.

Here’s what you’ve got to remember about the D750: in many ways, it’s a mash-up of the year-old D610 and the newly released D810. The $2,300 body pairs a 24.9-megapixel full-frame sensor and dual SD card slots we saw in the D610 with the Expeed 4 image processor, metering system and 51-point autofocus sensor from the D810 (though that last one was refined to work better in super low-light situations). The control layout ’round the back is near identical to the D610, too, but there are some physical differences worth pointing out. Considering what Nikon has squeezed into the D750 (like built-in WiFi and a flip-up 3.2-inch LCD screen) it’s a surprise the 750 is as handy as it is. The grip is deeper and more comfortable than I’m used to, mostly because Nikon says they’ve shuffled around the sensor stack and internals to make the body thinner. Pair that with a weather-sealed body made of magnesium and carbon fiber (what is this, a car?) and you’ve got a surprisingly airy piece of kit to tote around, even when you’ve got a battery grip slapped on the bottom of it like I did.

Nikon staffers let me throw a NIKKOR 20mm f/1.8G ED lens ($800 when it launches in October) onto the body, and performance was snappy and responsive. Pressing the shutter button triggers with the hearty, resounding thunk, and Nikon says you should be able to just north of 1,200 shots out of the D750 on a single charge. We’ll see if our experience lives up to that bar when it comes time for a full review. Videographers may get a kick out of the D750, too: it’ll shoot up to Full HD and you can tweak your aperture while you record. Alas, we couldn’t get any sample images or video, but there’s no denying that the D750 is a compelling little package… even if it does seem to make the still-kicking D610 look obsolete. The D750 body will cost only $300 more than the D610 and it’s got enough of the high-end D810’s neat tricks to make that price difference worth it for plenty of photogs. If you’re a Nikon buff itching for a back-up body or something fresh to replace some more amateurish gear, keep an eye out for this thing when it hit store shelves some time in October.

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A taste of adventure with Veho’s new Muvi K2 action camera

​Who doesn’t love adventure? Or, at the very least, the idea of it. I won’t lie — that’s what appeals to me most about action cameras: It’s the potential adventures they promise. The scuba diving trip you haven’t taken yet, or the white water rafting you’ve yet to enjoy. With a dedicated action camera, you’re one step closer to making it happen. Like getting some fancy new trainers to spark off that exercise kick.

The problem is… I’ve become a bit of a collector. I have a shoebox full of these things, and I just can’t stop myself from eyeing up the next one. On this occasion, that would be the new Muvi K2 series from Veho. It’s not the company’s first action camera — I already tested that one some time ago. What’s surprising is that Veho is back with a new model at all. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with its Muvi cameras; in fact, I was genuinely surprised at how good the last one was. It’s more that the action camera market is already saturated, dominated by one company in particular. Whatever the reason, Veho did make a new rugged camera, and it’s called the Muvi K-Series K2.

The model I tried was the K2NPNG edition. It’s the top-of-the-line one that comes with all the bells and whistles. It also comes in a manly case that looks like it should house a power drill. It’s just a carry case (and that’s cool enough in itself), but it really is a great presentation — much better than the packaging GoPro’s equivalent Black edition comes in. Along with the camera, the NPNG edition includes a bunch of accessories that include a clip-on LCD screen, waterproof casings and a stack of mounts. If there’s anything I love more than an action camera, it’s a well-accessorized one.

I’m going to skim over how much it looks like a GoPro. Yes, it’s very similar, but also, different enough that it doesn’t feel like a knockoff. While it’s similar in size, it’s not identical, so it won’t fit in the GoPro gimbal for a drone, for example (it’s 10 grams heavier, too, if we’re counting). It does come with an attachment so you can use any GoPro mounts/accessories though. So, if you’re a collector/serial owner like me, you’ve likely already got plenty of things you can use with this, and I knew just the place to test it out.

Navajas is a small town on the east coast of Spain, a few kilometers inland from Valencia. It’s nestled between two mountainous ridges that create a natural canyon. It’s this geography that gives the town its most famous natural asset, a waterfall called “El salto de la novia.” A river that runs through a gorge in the arid rocks is fed in part by this waterfall. It also happens to just be a lovely place to be, especially on a hot summer’s day. The mix of shade, sun, cool water and, of course, the natural water feature, makes it the perfect spot for a dip, or a nap, depending on whatever takes your fancy. It also seemed the perfect place to take the K2 for a spin.

The biggest complaint I had with the K2 — at least in the beginning — was the controls. Generally, these kinds of cameras are fairly easy to use. I can navigate my GoPros, or Drift cameras almost blindfolded. The K2 is a little more nuanced. For starters, there are different shutter buttons for photo and video recording. Pressing either once will put the K2 in that respective shooting mode. To take a picture or start recording, you have to press again. Confusingly, you then push a different button to stop recording. It’s therefore very easy to accidentally record long videos of your pocket. I had plenty of accidental underwater shots (of my hand).

The settings menus are similarly baffling at first glance. If you’re in photo mode, and want to change the video-recording settings, you won’t find them in the menu, until you jump back out, swap to video mode and then go back into settings. There are even two separate power buttons. It might be something that gets easier with practice. I hope it is, anyway.

The pictures and videos themselves are pleasing enough. That said, I don’t think it quite did the Spanish weather the justice it deserves. Despite great sunshine, some light clouds seemed to create problems for the light sensor, or the humidity could have been hazing the lens a little (it can still fog up, even in the case). In video recordings, this reaction to different light situations can be noticeably slow; as you move the camera, you can see the image change as it adjusts to the new light. The sharpness in the middle distance (say, if there are trees behind the subject) can be fuzzy at times, too. Color representation on the whole seemed pretty decent, though, and it’s pretty quick at grabbing photos. While that sounds like something basic, it isn’t always true of cameras in this category.

I think what I like most about the K2 (at least this NPNG edition), is that it’s a good all-round deal. At $300, it’s the same price as you-know-who’s equivalent camera in terms of features. The difference being: Veho’s flagship comes with a host of other accessories that would easily cost another $100 on top (the case and LCD display alone probably cost more than that). There’s a trade-off here, of course: value for money compared to a more proven image chip and a strong brand name.

For me, as an enthusiast, the K2 makes a good case for a secondary (or heck, these days, even tertiary) camera. Ideal for taking a time-lapse movie (it has a mode that turns the images into a video on the camera directly), while you spend all day having fun on the mountain. It has a few other unusual video features, too, like a G-Sensor mode that starts recording when it detects motion, which could open up plenty of other creative avenues. I, for one, have only spent a relatively short time with it, but I’m already throwing it in my bag when I go places. Something I don’t normally do.

Filed under: Cameras

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Source: Veho

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Inhabitat’s Week in Green: Tesla Gigafactory, Blue Lagoon and an electric unicycle

Tesla has emerged as one of the world’s most exciting and successful electric vehicle manufacturers — and now the Silicon Valley company is getting into the battery business in a big way. Tesla CEO Elon Musk just unveiled new images of the company’s $5 billion battery “gigafactory” — and he also broke the news that it will be powered entirely by renewable energy! Most vehicles fall into a specific category: sedan, pickup truck, station wagon, etc. — but Toyota’s new U Squared concept is the Swiss Army knife of cars. The insanely flexible vehicle folds out to seat up to four passengers, or you can fold down three seats and roll out an array of racks, movable rails and storage trays to accommodate everything from surfboards and bikes to bulky equipment.

In other transportation news, we showcased the world’s smallest (and cutest) electric car, and designer Austin Marhold has created a tiny electric unicycle that weighs just 24 pounds and fits between your shins. The self-balancing unicycle is reportedly very intuitive to ride, lightweight and portable. A family of four recently embarked on a 6,200-mile e-bike trip across the country. If they make it, they’ll break the world record for an e-bike trip, and they’ll be promoting clean transportation alternatives along the way. And a man from Oregon has transformed a school bus into a rustic mobile cabin using salvaged shingles made from leftover forest cuttings.

When we think about renewable energy, solar, wind and hydropower might be the first sources that come to mind — but they aren’t the only natural sources of clean energy. Geothermal energy powers much of Iceland, and it also provides an incredibly unique water source for the country’s biggest and most famous spa. The stunning Blue Lagoon, named for its milky turquoise hue, is fed by runoff water from the nearby geothermal plant, and its waters are as healing as they are luminous. Current solar technology tends to be expensive and difficult to produce — but a team of Australian researchers found a way to change all that by upgrading existing printers to spit out a solar cell every two seconds! In other energy news, a nonprofit organization called Solar Sister is distributing solar-powered products like lanterns and cellphone chargers through women’s rural networks in Africa. The Indian government recently announced plans to install as many as 2,200 solar-powered mobile communication towers throughout the country in hopes that mobile technology can push development in economically weak regions. And in Russia, a researcher is exploring whether cloud power could provide some of our clean energy and water needs. The scientist has created a tethered blimp that captures water from the clouds with a mesh that hangs vertically in the air and sends water to a hydropower plant on the ground via conduit attachments.

In design news, iPhone fans may have been salivating this past week at Apple‘s announcement on Tuesday, but all we could focus on was the Apple Watch, which got us all hot under the collar with its health- and fitness-tracking sensors and apps. Speaking of Apple, did you know that Steve Jobs was a low-tech parent? When an interviewer asked what Jobs’ kids thought of the iPad, Jobs replied, “They haven’t used it. We limit how much technology our kids use at home.” We’re in agreement with the idea of limiting children’s access to screen-based technology for their own health and development, which is why we’re thrilled that a new, decidedly low-tech Waldorf School just opened up in lower Manhattan. And as far as innovative toys go, the Dino Pet is one of the wildest we’ve ever seen — the living lamp glows in the dark due to the bioluminescent dinoflagellates it contains.

Filed under: Misc, Internet

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