Dress up and caption your photos with InstaText
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. However, there are moments where these images resonate more with a caption or two while on the go. If you’re the sort of person who likes to insert a witty remark, add a favorite quote or two, or just want to be a little creative with your images InstaText is one of many ways to accomplish that.
ExoLens Review: Hands-On With a Professional Photography System for iPhone 6 [iOS Blog]
Apple’s iPhone has topped Flickr’s list of the top mobile cameras for years, with Apple even surpassing Nikon to be the number 2 camera brand on the service earlier this year. Smartphone photography is booming and there has been no shortage of accessories to help users take even better pictures, and one of the latest entries in this category is the ExoLens system. 
Apple came to us two years ago looking for a higher end lens system for their upcoming devices” says John Willenborg, CEO at ExoLens. “The goal was to engineer something that reflected the quality and precision of the iPhone 6 with the power of a mini DSLR.”
What’s in the Box
The ExoLens system comprises two lenses — a 3x telephoto lens and a 165º wide angle lens — that screw into a machined aluminum bracket that slides onto an iPhone. The bracket has an integrated 1/4″-20 tripod mount, which will also work with some selfie sticks/monopods. Also included are lens caps, a lens hood for the telephoto lens, and a microfiber carrying pouch. ExoLens officially launches today for the iPhone 6 with a retail price of $129.95, with a model for the iPhone 6 Plus planned for release in May.
Read more 
Crowd-based shipping service lets you use Waffle House for pickups
If you’re running a crowd-driven shipping startup that delivers packages through helpful travelers, where would you have people pick up their goods? A restaurant, apparently. Roadie has forged a deal that will have Waffle House locations serve as some of its pickup points — yes, you can get pecan waffles at the same time as you’re collecting your new food mixer. The theory goes that you’re meeting at a safe, friendly place instead of taking chances with your rendezvous. It’s a strange move, but it makes sense. Roadie doesn’t have (or need) the store network of a big courier like FedEx or UPS, so it might as well choose a nationwide retail chain that you probably know well.
Filed under: Internet
Via: Wall Street Journal
Source: Waffle House (PR Newswire)
Deal: Last chance to grab the Full Stack Hacker Bundle for a significant discount
Are you thinking about trying your hand at web development? If so, there’s a lot to learn. Understanding the basics of web development is essential to starting off on the right foot. With that said, one program that will help you start out is the Full Stack Hacker Bundle. This bundle gives you access to eight different web developer courses with more than 70 full hours of training material. And thanks to the AA Deals Store, you can get the bundle for a significant discount.
With the Full Stack Hacker Bundle, you’ll learn the basics in Amazon web services, GitHub fundamentals, HTML5 fundamentals and much more. Here’s exactly what you’ll get with the bundle:
- Amazon Web Services-Certified Developer Course – The Ultimate AWS-Certification (Associate Level) Prep Course ($199 value)
- The Complete Web Developer Course – The “Everything You Need” Web Development Course ($49 value)
- GitHub Fundamentals – Learn Versioning & How to Manage Your Code with GitHub ($59 value)
- Learn Computer Programming with Python Course – Take Advantage of One of The Most Powerful Programming Languages Ever ($49 value)
- Marketplace & Daily Deals: Coding for Entrepreneurs Course – Build A User-Generated Vendor Marketplace w/ Django, Python, Bootstrap & More ($75 value)
- HTML5 Fundamentals Course – Learn The Basics of HTML, The Markup Language for The Web ($39 value)
- Master PHP & MySQL from A Leading Zend-Certified PHP Trainer Course – Learn to Build Robust PHP/MySQL Web Applications ($99 value)
- Learn To Use MongoDB Course – A Clear & Comprehensive Training Course ($99 value)
You can learn the essentials in web development with these eight courses for only $49, but you’d better hurry! The Android Authority Deals Store only has this promotion going on until Wednesday, so this is your last chance. Head to the link below if you’re interested in the deal.
HTC teases upgraded speakers for the One (M9)
Hot on the heals of Samsung, HTC Ireland has today kicked off its own promotional campaign for its upcoming flagship smartphone of 2015, the One (M9). The Taiwanese company teased a video on Twitter earlier today, with the tagline “Get your hands on bigger boom”, followed by a reveal date of Sunday, March 1.
If the contents of this video are anything to go by, it sure looks like the One (M9) is set to have more powerful speakers on board. Nothing out of the ordinary, though, seeing as the manufacturer previously upgraded the speakers from the One (M7) to One (M8) — so it’s perfectly feasible that it will do the same with its latest variant in the One series.
Check out the teaser video below:
https://twitter.com/HTCIreland/status/569865384712495104
Come comment on this article: HTC teases upgraded speakers for the One (M9)
Here’s what parents need to know about YouTube Kids
Being a tech-forward parent presents its own unique set of challenges, and letting your kids use YouTube is one of the best examples of this.
I have trouble believing that YouTube is safe for adults most days, which is why I’m often hovering over my children to ensure whatever they are watching on Google’s video service is safe. It’s not even that YouTube is bad for children — the service just plain wasn’t built to cater specifically to little heads, and that can cause problems. User-targeted pre-roll ads and algorithm-generated “what to watch next” videos aren’t great for youngsters, to say nothing of the toxic wasteland that your average comments section tends to resemble.
To resolve this, Google has released YouTube Kids. It’s an entirely separate app with its own set of rules, and if you’re a parent looking at this as a potential solution to YouTube proper for your kids, here’s what you need to know.
Engadget giveaway: win a Darkside Ollie courtesy of Sphero!
If you’ve been out of the loop for the past few years, you may have missed the original app-controlled Sphero robot, but late last year its action-centric sibling the Ollie, hit the ground running rolling. The Ollie can be controlled from up to 100FT away with an iOS or Android device and cruise at speeds of up to 14MPH. For those who prefer subdued stylings, Sphero even released a special edition: the Darkside Ollie. This high-tech (and hackable) toy can do off-road rambling and snake its way into nearby skate sessions to pay tribute to its namesake. Practiced users can have the Ollie doing an array of edgy tricks, all with a little help from the built-in accelerometer and gyroscope. In the name of fun, Sphero has given us three of these obsidian speedsters for a trio of Engadget readers to enjoy this week. As always, simply head to the Rafflecopter widget below to get up to three chances at winning your very own taste of the Darkside.
- Entries are handled through the Rafflecopter widget above. Comments are no longer accepted as valid methods of entry. You may enter without any obligation to social media accounts, though we may offer them as opportunities for extra entries. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win, but it will not be given to third parties.
- Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
- Winners will be chosen randomly. Three (3) winners will each receive one (1) Darkside Ollie and an additional set of tires.
- If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email or Facebook login. We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes.
- This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. Orbotix, Sphero and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honor warranties, exchanges or customer service.
- The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
- Entries can be submitted until February 25th at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
Filed under: Announcements
‘Pebble Time’ Debuts on Kickstarter With Slimmer Design and Color Display
Pebble today revealed the Pebble Time, a new smartwatch in its line of smart wearable devices that includes the company’s first color-based display and introduces a thinner, more ergonomic design than its predecessor.
Launched on Kickstarter earlier this morning, Pebble promises that power consumption of the new device is greatly lowered thanks to the e-paper display, giving the Pebble Time a battery life of up to 7 days. The company also introduced a new voice-control feature to send voice replies or take notes using a select few compatible apps. The feature is a bit more full-fledged on Android, and on iOS currently will only work with Gmail notifications.
The Pebble Time also features a new curved design to ergonomically conform to any wrist, and is about 20 percent slimmer than the original Pebble. The company says the lens is made of scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass with a stainless steel bezel, enabling a water-resistant device that Pebble still warns from being fully submerged.
Pebble Time comes with a soft silicone band in the color options of black, white, or red, but the company says any 22mm watch band will fit the new device. The watch also lives up to its name thanks to the chronological curating of multiple apps into one new feature called “Timeline.” With past, present, and future buttons residing on the right side of the device, users can easily scroll through completed tasks and events, see what they need to be doing now, and check reminders for the future.
This is the new app menu, featuring new app faces with glanceable content. With timeline we’ve also created a system that dynamically loads and caches apps as needed, letting you access as many apps as you need.
As with all Pebble software, we’ve built an open platform. You can allow apps and developers to add ‘pins’ to your timeline, so you can keep track of things like upcoming events, sports, weather, traffic, travel plans, pizza specials and more.
Pebble has been undeterred by the announcement and imminent launch of the Apple Watch, poking fun at Apple’s overly enthusiastic unveiling of the device and pointing out their superior battery life and entry-level pricing in the process. Most recently the company claimed its new 2015 products would focus less on apps and more on something customers have never seen.
Those interested can visit the Pebble Time’s Kickstarter page to claim their own rewards. The lowest pledge for the device begins at $159 for one watch, and ramps up from there. The Pebble Time’s $500,000 goal, which launched at 7:00 AM PT, reached its goal in just under twenty minutes of the Kickstarter going live. As with most projects on the site, there are 31 days left to join in on the campaign.
Kyocera to unveil a smartphone that charges itself on solar energy at the MWC
While all the buzz and hype at the MWC will be about the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the HTC One M9, Kyocera promises to grab our attention with its new smartphone. Unlike other flagships which are all about the specs sheet, the Kyocera offering will reportedly be able to charge itself using solar energy.
The Japanese manufacturer has been in the smartphone business for quite some time now, but without much success. However, a niche device like this might strike a chord with the public. The Japanese manufacturer is reportedly using technology from Wysips Crystal to bring this feature to the smartphone.
It is worth noting that technology of this calibre is usually found in devices like e-Book readers which are not as power hungry as LCD panels. So this will be a hurdle that Kyocera will have to overcome in order to make this feasible.
The makers of Wysips Crystal mention that this combines “optical and photovoltaic technologies” while keeping the form transparent and relatively slim. Watch the video below to learn how this feature works.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Will you be interested in a smartphone which can charge itself using sunlight? Let us know below.
Source: Sun Partner Technologies
Via: G For Games
Come comment on this article: Kyocera to unveil a smartphone that charges itself on solar energy at the MWC
Curiosity learns to drill into Mars rocks without breaking them
It’s no secret that scientists want the Curiosity rover to drill into Mars more often. However, it first has to learn how to drill properly — until now, it was so aggressive that it sometimes broke the rocks it was trying to sample. Thankfully, NASA has a fix. It recently started testing a new drilling algorithm that starts at the lowest power levels and ramps up only if there isn’t much progress. This gentler touch appears to be successful in early tests: as you can see above, Curiosity bored into a relatively fragile rock without smashing it to bits. It’s too soon to say whether or not the technique will work well in every circumstance, but researchers can at least be confident that they won’t destroy crucial evidence before they’ve had a chance to look at it.
[Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS]
Via: Gizmodo
Source: Sen
AIVAnet 