‘Next-generation’ first aid kit keeps you prepared for (almost) any emergency

Why it matters to you

Because your current first aid kit is so last century, it could help to have a few modern upgrades.

Outdoor enthusiasts can attest to the importance of being well prepared while hiking or camping. Hell, parents know accidents can even happen at picnics. You don’t want to be stranded in the wild — or the neighborhood park — without the right equipment during an emergency.

Backed by a team of professional doctors, soldiers, and survival experts, a new Kickstarter campaign wants to keep people ready in case of such emergencies with a “next-generation” first aid and rescue kit called Meddsy.

Inspired by a Pinterest post about a souped-up first aid kit, the Meddsy team got to work compiling a medical kit with seemingly everything in it. From the outside, Meddsy looks like a simple black box. But inside, the kit reveals five compartments and an array of gear, such as a detachable torch, jumper cables, duct tape, a CPR mask, thermometer, water filter straw, syringes, and medication to treat emergencies from motion sickness to broken bones. They’ve even packed a couple condoms, just in case.

More: From sci-fi to reality: Teams compete to create a Star Trek tricorder device

“Our biggest purpose is to provide Meddsy kit to every family’s house or vehicle,” brothers and founders Max and Stan Chup told Digital Trends over email. “Everyone can use our product. As someone said: ‘It’s the cheapest form of insurance.’ We think that today’s automobile first aid kits are a little bit old-fashioned and it’s time for an upgrade. We’re not competing with other companies. Our product is something different.

“The world is moving forward and product design evolves,” the Chups added. “We wanted to combine both, medicine and gadgets in one beautifully crafted solid piece that will have minimalistic look. We brought real travelers, soldiers, doctors, survival, and rescue experts to take part in project creation.”

So far, Meddsy has been a Kickstarter hit, a couple hundred backers having pledged more than $59,000 with a week left to go in the campaign. Backers can save between 10 and 20 percent off the retail price for basic ($99), advanced ($129), and expert ($269) kits.

GDP Pocket resurrects the netbook on Indiegogo, this time running Windows 10

Why it matters to you

If you’ve been searching for a tiny Windows 10 notebook PC that you can stick in your pocket, then GDP has you covered.

The Windows 10 ecosystem is incredibly broad and deep, with just about every conceivable form factor running Microsoft’s latest and greatest operating system. Every now and then, some now-defunct machine type makes another appearance and this time it’s the netbook.

Typically smaller, lighter, and cheaper systems, netbooks were introduced in 2007 and were a craze for a few years before being killed off by tablets and low-cost “normal” notebooks. Now, GPD, typically a maker of Android handheld consoles, has introduced a netbook-like device for Windows 10, the GPD Pocket.

More: Buying a Netbook: Why and How to Buy a Netbook

The GPD Pocket looks like a very small notebook PC, which was the typical netbook form factor as well, except Windows 10 is arguably much better suited for small screens like the Pocket’s 7-inch 1,920 x 1,200 display. While Windows desktop apps will be hard to use on such a small device, Windows 10 apps should scale nicely and be perfectly usable.

The Pocket runs everything with an Intel Atom x7-Z8700 CPU with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. That is not going to break any performance records, but it should be suitable for web browsing and productivity tasks. A 7000mAh battery should keep things running for a few hours, at least.

In addition, GDP gave the Pocket a very MacBook-like magnesium alloy chassis that measures a diminutive 180mm x 106mm x 18.5mm, and it weighs a relatively light 480 grams. It has a tiny keyboard and a red nubbin for controlling the cursor, and connectivity comes by way of a USB Type-C port, a USB 3.0 connection, and HDMI. Wi-Fi is 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.1 rounds out connectivity.

The Pocket is being crowdfunded on Indiegogo at the price of $399, with a normal retail price of $599. An Ubuntu Linux configuration can also be selected for the same price. GDP anticipates shipping the Pocket in June and will be offering bundles with USB Type-C hubs to make up for the otherwise limited connectivity.

Nvidia will probably flash its GTX 1080 Ti graphics card at GDC 2017 next week

Why it matters to you

PC gamers waiting for Nvidia to launch the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti will probably see the official reveal at GDC 2017 followed by a late March launch.

Unnamed sources in the Taiwanese graphics card manufacturing chain are claiming that Nvidia will officially launch its GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics card between March 20 and March 23. That window may seem rather odd given that the Game Developers Conference will be held in San Francisco from February 27 to March 3 followed by Nvidia’s own GPU Technology Conference in San Jose from May 8 to May 11.

However, it is most likely that the GTX 1080 Ti will be unveiled at Nvidia’s “GeForce GTX Gaming Celebration” event during the Game Developers Conference later this month. This event will take place in downtown San Francisco on February 28 starting at 6:30 p.m. PT. After that, third-party manufacturers are expected to release their versions alongside a Founder’s Edition model in late March, or shortly thereafter.

More: Nvidia’s new GeForce driver is optimized for ‘Halo Wars 2,’ ‘For Honor,’ more

So far, the pricing of the GTX 1080 TI is unknown, but the base price will likely be around $900 given the GTX 1080 has a base price of $600 and the meatier Titan X runs at a hefty $1,200. Here’s what we know about the GTX 1080 Ti so far:

GTX 1080
GTX 1080 Ti
Titan X
GPU:
GP104-400
GP102
GP102
Process node:
16nm FinFet
16nm FinFet
16nm FinFet
CUDA cores
2,560
3,328
3,584
Base speed:
1,607MHz
1,503MHz
1,417MHz
Boost speed:
1,733MHz
1,623MHz
1,531MHz
Performance:
8.87 TFLOPS
10.8 TFLOPS
11 TFLOPS
Memory:
8GB GDDR5X
10GB GDDR5X
12GB GDDR5X
Memory speed:
10,000MHz
10,000MHz
10,000MHz
Memory bus:
256-bit
384-bit
384-bit
Memory bandwidth:
320GB/s
480GB/s
480GB/s
TDP:
180 watts
250 watts
250 watts
Price:
$600
$900?
$1,200

As the specs show, the GTX 1080 Ti will seemingly be a scaled down version of the Titan X, relying on the same graphics chip but with fewer cores. The GTX 1080 Ti will also have the Titan X’s memory bus, bandwidth, and maximum power draw. However, the on-board GDDR5X memory will max out at 10GB, sitting rather nicely between the GTX 1080’s 8GB and the Titan X’s 12GB.

News of the GTX 1080 Ti’s retail release window arrives after the unannounced card was spotted on the physical edition of Halo Wars 2. As shown on the box, Nvidia’s GTX 1080 TI will be required if PC gamers want to run the game on the Ultra settings. Note that the box doesn’t mention any unannounced AMD “Vega” cards:

Minimum
Recommended
(1080p @ 60Hz)
Ultra
Operating system:
Windows 10 64-bit
Windows 10 64-bit
Windows 10 64-bit
Processor:
Intel Core i5-2500
AMD FX-4350
Intel Core i5-4690K
AMD FX-8350
Intel Core i7-6700K
AMD FX-9590
Graphics:
Nvidia GeForce GTX 660
AMD Radeon HD 7750
Intel HD Graphics 4000
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060
AMD Radeon RX 480
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
AMD R9 Fury X
Memory:
6GB
8GB
16GB
Video memory:
2GB
4GB
8GB

Just before Nvidia reveals its GTX 1080 Ti card on February 28, AMD will hold its own “Capsaicin & Cream” developer event on the same day starting at 10:00 a.m. PT According to AMD, the show will highlight “the hottest new graphics and VR technologies propelling the games industry forward.” That seemingly suggests AMD will finally reveal graphics cards based on its next-generation Vega graphics chip architecture. These cards will compete with Nvidia’s Geforce GTX 10 Series products, including the new GTX 1080 Ti.

For young people, smartphone separation can be a real cause of anxiety

Why it matters to you

Smartphone addiction and separation anxiety can affect anyone, and it’s important to be mindful of the symptoms and consequences.

You may have heard of “phantom vibration syndrome” — a phenomenon that occurs when people who usually carry around their phones in their pockets feel as if they’re getting calls or texts when they aren’t. But what about smartphone separation anxiety? According to a team of psychologists from the Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary, not having a smartphone within reach can be a legitimate cause of stress for young people.

The university conducted a study in which it monitored the heart rates of a group of 18- to 26-year-olds while asking them to complete math problems and puzzles on computers, according to a BBC report. Half the group had their phones confiscated in a locked cabinet, while the other half did not.

More: Sex or your smartphone? Americans’ answers may surprise you

The scientists found that those who had their devices taken away had a more inconsistent heart rate during the breaks between activities, were more likely to stand near the place their phone was being kept, and exhibited behaviors that indicate stress, like scratching one’s face and fidgeting.

The team posits that the anxiety originates from a lack of security, as smartphones can be used as a stand-in for actual social interaction when the latter is unavailable, or too daunting.

“The mobile phone is special because it’s not only an important object, but also represents our other social connections,” said Veronika Konok, one of the researchers on the study. As such, the team compared the phenomenon to the way a baby can be comforted by a blanket in the absence of their parents.

Participants who were given another phone that wasn’t their own were also found to exhibit less stressful behavior. According to the BBC’s report, it is estimated that fear of separation from a smartphone affects about four in five young people.

This Flter device promises to protect you from the internet’s prying eyes

Why it matters to you

Online privacy and security is more important than ever and this device might keep you safe with minimal effort.

We’re all aware of the importance of online privacy and security, but not all of us make the effort to protect ourselves and our information. Why? Because it can seem so damn difficult.

A new company wants to simplify security with Flter, an unassuming network device that they claim will “filter” the internet. It launched a Kickstarter campaign to garner support.

“We found that there is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to protecting your online privacy,” Peter DiPreta, Flter founder, told Digital Trends. “We created Flter to provide essential privacy services with a very user-friendly interface. Our goal was to offer a privacy and security solution that everyone could use, regardless of their technical abilities.”

More: Superthin and sleek webcam cover helps protect your privacy in style

Flter offers three privacy and security features bundled into one. First, the device provides a VPN connection to encrypt home network traffic, allowing users to connect to their own VPN or use one provided by the company. Access to the Tor network helps keep online activity anonymous. Lastly, the device keeps malware and ads at bay. None of these features is unique — in fact, many of us already have them covered on our computers and smartphones — but the bundled setup is designed for extreme convenience.

“There are alternatives to providing network-wide VPN protection in your home, but it is much more hands-on and very easy to mess up,” DiPreta said. “Those alternatives also don’t offer the flexibility Flter does with Tor integration and active web protection.”

Trust is a big concern with any VPN service and Flter is no different. You are, after all, only as secure as your provider. The company said this is part of the reason why it implemented Tor support, for the additional layer of protection.

Flter seems like a promising product for people who have a tough time wrapping their head around online security, and it’s garnered a lot of support on Kickstarter. With a few weeks left in the campaign, nearly 400 backers have pledged almost $60,000. The devices are available with one year of VPN service for $100.

However, Flter’s claims have yet to be independently verified. The company has performed its own in-house penetration testing (a type of test that looks for security weaknesses in a computer system) but will wait until the campaign has ended to run and publish third-party testing.

This Flter device promises to protect you from the internet’s prying eyes

Why it matters to you

Online privacy and security is more important than ever and this device might keep you safe with minimal effort.

We’re all aware of the importance of online privacy and security, but not all of us make the effort to protect ourselves and our information. Why? Because it can seem so damn difficult.

A new company wants to simplify security with Flter, an unassuming network device that they claim will “filter” the internet. It launched a Kickstarter campaign to garner support.

“We found that there is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to protecting your online privacy,” Peter DiPreta, Flter founder, told Digital Trends. “We created Flter to provide essential privacy services with a very user-friendly interface. Our goal was to offer a privacy and security solution that everyone could use, regardless of their technical abilities.”

More: Superthin and sleek webcam cover helps protect your privacy in style

Flter offers three privacy and security features bundled into one. First, the device provides a VPN connection to encrypt home network traffic, allowing users to connect to their own VPN or use one provided by the company. Access to the Tor network helps keep online activity anonymous. Lastly, the device keeps malware and ads at bay. None of these features is unique — in fact, many of us already have them covered on our computers and smartphones — but the bundled setup is designed for extreme convenience.

“There are alternatives to providing network-wide VPN protection in your home, but it is much more hands-on and very easy to mess up,” DiPreta said. “Those alternatives also don’t offer the flexibility Flter does with Tor integration and active web protection.”

Trust is a big concern with any VPN service and Flter is no different. You are, after all, only as secure as your provider. The company said this is part of the reason why it implemented Tor support, for the additional layer of protection.

Flter seems like a promising product for people who have a tough time wrapping their head around online security, and it’s garnered a lot of support on Kickstarter. With a few weeks left in the campaign, nearly 400 backers have pledged almost $60,000. The devices are available with one year of VPN service for $100.

However, Flter’s claims have yet to be independently verified. The company has performed its own in-house penetration testing (a type of test that looks for security weaknesses in a computer system) but will wait until the campaign has ended to run and publish third-party testing.

Scorpion S3 electric hoverbike looks terrifyingly fun

Why it matters to you

Forget top-flight sports cars, if you really want to be the object of envy among your friends, you need this awesome hoverbike.

Do you want to travel from point A to point B, but worry that your vehicle isn’t nearly terrifying enough? If your idea of acceptable transport carries a four-spinning-blade minimum then you may want to check out Hoversurf’s fearsome single-seat electric hoverbike.

The product of a company based in both Russia and the U.S., Hoversurf’s Scorpion-3 (S3) vehicle is what happens if you cross a quadcopter with a Star Wars speeder bike. While it initially looks like it would be something out of the world of extreme sports (albeit an extreme sport that might make Tony Hawk prefer to stay home for the day and replay one of his old video games), its creators claim that it has a future as a car alternative.

More: Ditch your idiotic self-balancing scooter for a hoverboard that actually hovers

“This is a big quadcopter,” Moscow-based CEO Alexander Atamanov told Digital Trends. “In 2016, we made [the world’s] first manned drone flight on Scorpion-1. Scorpion-3 is more powerful and controlled. There is a future transport [that’s just] beginning … On this platform, we can make [a] drone-car or drone-taxi or cargo-drone.”

Scorpion-3 offers a combination of full manual and automated controls. The machine itself was inspired by heavy duty sport motorbike frames, with a maximum speed of 50kph, a design intended to offer both speed and maneuvering, and the promise of around 27 minutes of flight on a single charge. A test flight took place in Moscow last week, and the plan is now to take it on a “road show” in the U.S.

Beyond that, there’s no date announced when you’ll be able to get your hands on one, but expect to pay in the vicinity of $150,000. That’s not cheap, but it would certainly gain you the admiration of all of your friends. Until you accidentally lop your leg off mid-flight, that is!

Raspberry Pi 3 or Raspberry Pi Zero: Which should you get for your Kodi box?

Do you go for a larger or smaller piece of Pi?

Terrible puns aside it’s a legitimate question. We’ve established before that the Raspberry Pi Zero makes a fine Kodi box, albeit sacrificing ultimate power for size and a much lower price.

The question is, though, if you’re wanting to construct your own Kodi box, which would you be better off buying?

Neither of these two are exactly computing powerhouses, but there is still a fairly sizeable gulf in the hardware — as you’d expect when one costs just over $5 and the other $40 (though we’d recommend buying the Zero Starter Kit for just over $25, which includes the necessities). Processor and RAM aren’t necessarily the biggest concern when you’re building a Kodi box, though, as evidenced when we’ve looked specifically at the Pi Zero. The only really noticeable difference is that things are a little slower to load across the board.

What the Raspberry Pi 3 has to its huge advantage is what else is on that board. You have built-in internet connectivity, full-sized USB ports, and a full-sized HDMI output. What this means is that you can buy a Raspberry Pi 3, throw in a microSD card, plug in the necessary power and display cables and you’re off and running.

With the Pi Zero you can’t do this. To even output to a display you need to either buy an adapter or source a microHDMI to full HDMI cable. You’ll also need a Micro-USB to USB adapter as well as a Wi-Fi or Ethernet dongle to plug into it to get online.

Now, none of those are expensive accessories, but unless you’re the sort of person who has such things available already, it negates one of the most attractive parts of using a Pi Zero over a P3: price. With everything else you have to buy you’re getting closer to the $40 asking price of the Raspberry Pi 3, dollar by dollar.

Couple that with the performance benefits of getting the bigger box, and you’re probably at a fairly clear conclusion: Get a Raspberry Pi 3. It’s also easier to get hold of than the Pi Zero, which goes out of stock in some regions frequently.

There is one great case for using the Pi Zero, though, which should be considered. If you’re building more than one box and plan to kit out multiple rooms in your house, then on cost alone it starts to make much more sense. Even with a case on, the Raspberry Pi Zero is a tiny little Kodi box you can easily fix to the back of any TV.

See Raspberry Pi Zero Starter Kit at Amazon

But if you’re only doing it the once, go for the Raspberry Pi 3. It’s an easier experience all round.

More: How to install Kodi on the Raspberry Pi

See Raspberry Pi 3 at Amazon

Verizon celebrates Presidents’ Day with $30 off Daydream View, UE Roll 2 for $49 and more

Verizon currently has a variety of its accessories on sale in celebration of Presidents Day. From wearables to Bluetooth accessories, portable batteries to VR viewers, there are lots of great deals here that you’ll want to check out. Whether you are looking for something to go with your new phone, or need a gift for someone else, now may be the perfect time to make your purchase.

Some of the deals include:

• Google Daydream View – $49 (normally $79)
• UE Roll 2 Bluetooth Speaker – $49 (normally $99)
• LG Tone Pro Bluetooth Headphones – $49 (normally $69)
• Hassleblad Moto Mod – $199 (normally $249)
• JBL SoundBoost Moto Mod – $59 (normally $79)

Verizon is also running a number of other deals right now that are worth checking out. When switching to Verizon’s new unlimited plan and trading in your old phone you can grab a Galaxy S7, Google Pixel, LG V20, or other select phones for free, and if you spend $200 on accessories Verizon will give you a $50 Visa prepaid card. You’ll need to use code STOCKUP50 when checking out to get it.

See at Verizon

For more great deals on tech, gadgets, home goods and more, be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

Snapchat has finally stopped screwing around with those Spectacles vending machines

Where can I buy Snapchat Spectacles?

If you live in one of eight or nine massive cities around the world, and were paying attention to a website that frequently crashed, you may be one of the lucky folks to have found a bright yellow vending machine in your area selling Snapchat Spectacles. If you were eager to get a pair and didn’t care to wait in a long line with no guarantee you’d get one, eBay usually had a few at twice the price shortly after those vending machines ran dry. Assuming you were one of the people oddly curious about this wearable camera but not willing or able to find one of these obnoxious vending machines, you probably decided to wait until Snapchat stopped screwing around and sold the glasses like a regular company.

Surprise! That day is today. Snapchat has finally started selling their Spectacles online for you to order like a normal human being.

Want to learn more about Spectacles? Check out our review!

Whether you’re interested in the striking Coral, the brilliant Teal, or the less ostentatious Black, all three colors of Spectacles are now $129.99. Snapchat has also made the $50 charging case and $10 replacement power cable available to order through the site, in case you need to accessorize. It’s everything you need to get started on you Spectacles adventure, and at the time of this writing had a 2-4 week delivery delay due to how many people were ordering the glasses. Good luck!

See at Spectacles.com