Meet Moondrop: A gravity-defying fidget toy that leverages a fascinating quirk of physics

To paraphrase Zoolander, fidget toys are so hot right now. Ever since Fidget Cube took Kickstarter by storm and raised a bajillion dollars (okay, $6.4 million against a stated goal of $15k) it seems that a veritable biblical plague of similarly-focused fidget-oriented desk toys have flooded crowdfunding platforms.

Fortunately, Moondrop, a.k.a. one of the latest in the genre, looks a worthy addition to the genre.

Based around the principle of Lenz’s law — which *deep breath* states that the current induced in a circuit due to a change or motion in a magnetic field will create a field that opposes the charge that produced it — Moondrop is a gravity-defying fidget desk toy that imitates the differential gravitational free fall on Mars and the Moon.

More: Addicted to fidgeting? This versatile desk toy is everything you’ve dreamed of

It’s just about the only fidget toy you get to flip, slide, spin and generally mess around with at work, while still looking smarter than your colleagues — provided you can reel off the correct scientific explanation.

“Moondrop is made from a pure copper or aluminum ring, aluminum body, and strong neodymium magnets inside the thin aluminum tube,” creator Kristaps Krisjans told Digital Trends. “Copper and aluminum are nonmagnetic materials, however they are great conductors of electricity, while each magnet is surrounded by its own magnetic field. When the magnet moves through the conductor its magnetic field induces an electric current in the copper. According to Lenz’s law, that current creates an opposite magnetic field which adds a certain resistance to the moving magnet. This makes the slider move slower than it would normally do if made from other materials. Depending on the proportions between magnet and conductor, different sliding speed can be achieved.”

Krisjans said he was inspired to create the product based on a lifetime love of space exploration, and a desire to find some way to recreate the “strangeness, wonder, and beauty that astronauts experience” in the form of a desk toy.

“I believe that Moondrop is a pretty cool way to learn about the amazing physics laws and science of our universe,” he continued. “I think anyone who likes to explore how things work will be enchanted by the gravity-defying movements. It is much more exciting to actually see and feel the process, instead of only hearing theory and numbers.”

You can currently pre-order the Moondrop on Kickstarter in either “Lunar” or “Mars” edition for £19, which translates to around $24.

Shipping is set to take place in June. By our reckoning, that’s around 4.392065 lunar rotations — but who’s counting?

Google adds Keep to G Suite to make it easier to capture and share ideas

Why it matters to you

It’s now easier than ever to create and capture information and share it in Google’s G Suite.

G Suite is Google’s cloud productivity and collaboration suite for businesses. It combines a number of Google apps and services, including Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Calendar, into an integrated solution that competes with Microsoft’s Office 365 suite of products.

Google also offers Keep, its notetaking and information organization tool for notes, ideas, and to-dos. Now, Google has integrated Keep into G Suite and made it easier than ever to grab information and use it in Docs for easier content creation and brainstorming.

More: Google brings custom templates for Docs, Sheets, and Slides to G Suite customers

Keep is similar to other information capture and management tools, such as Evernote and Microsoft’s OneNote, in that information can be entered directly in the app or captured from other sources such as websites, external files, and others. Users can create and access Keep notes via the web or dedicated Android and iOS apps.

With the G Suite integration, Keep notes can also now be accessed via the Tools menu in Google Docs and they’ll show up in a side panel within the Docs app. Some of the ways that Keep and Docs are integrated include:

• Notes can be easily dragged from Keep directly into documents
• Keep notes can be easily searched from within Doc for pertinent project information
• New notes can be created from within the Keep notepad or by selecting text from documents via the new right-click menu item “Save to Keep notepad.” A link will be created within the note that directs back to the source document.

G Suite is available to organizations on a subscription basis, and the various apps and services can be accessed on iOS, Android, and via the web on virtually any platform. Current G Suite customers will gain access to the new Keep app and integration automatically and without additional charge.

Walmart’s app updates aim to help you get more done in less time in its stores

Why it matters to you

If standing in line at Walmart really grinds your gears, we’ve got good news. Walmart’s updated app will help you get more done in its stores in less time.

Your time is money, and it’s not to be wasted in a Walmart line. And Walmart couldn’t agree more. So on Tuesday, the retail giant announced a number of new capabilities in its mobile app that promise to “create a faster, easier, and more convenient experience for pharmacy and money services customers.”

Equally important is Walmart’s promise of a new store experience that will allow customers to forgo lines altogether by using so-called express lanes, which simply require busy individuals to scan their Walmart app, pay using Walmart Pay, and receive an electronic receipt.

More: Walmart launches free two-day shipping on more than 2 million items

“These capabilities are the latest example of how we’re bringing together all of the conveniences of Walmart – great stores, convenient pickup, easy checkout and a top-notch app – to deliver one seamless shopping experience for customers,” said Daniel Eckert, senior vice president for Walmart Services. “We’re delivering a new and better experience in areas of our business that are essential for busy families. By making them faster and easier, we’re living up to our promise – to save customers money and time.”

In terms of pharmacy updates, the retailer promises easier refills through the Walmart app. Patients will be able to quickly refill medications, track order status, and view pricing and pickup details. “What our pharmacy business is likely most well-known for is our $4 prescription program that has saved our customers nearly $5 billion,” said Paul Beahm, senior vice president for Walmart Health and Wellness Operations. “Starting today, we’ll be known for saving them more than just money. By developing and combining the best of our app with a service that our customers depend on daily, we’re driving change that makes living better easier.”

As for money services, Walmart says it’s going green, allowing customers to avoid messy paperwork and instead enter information securely in the Walmart app before heading to the store. Once they’re ready to complete a transaction, they need only to open the Walmart app and tap “money ready to send,” then enter a PIN or use Touch ID to activate a phone camera. Then they can just scan the code displayed at the register to verify information and make a payment.

So the next time you plan a trip to Walmart, just know that you won’t have to plan on too much time.

Google launches business-friendly video-calling version of Hangouts called Meet

Why it matters to you

While Google may have hung up on Hangouts for consumers some time ago, Meet, which is aimed at businesses, shows that it’s not done with the service just yet.

Google Hangouts may be on its way out of most people’s lives, but Google hasn’t given up on it yet. In fact, the company has just launched a new app called Meet by Google Hangouts, which is designed to allow businesses to conduct HD video calls.

The new app is the latest in Google’s G Suite lineup of business products, and while the app isn’t up and running just yet on the App Store, the website meet.google.com does seem to shed some light on the new service.

More: Howdy, neighbor! Google’s new Mountain View office will be open to the public

The Meet landing page looks something like the landing page for Google Hangouts, but it doesn’t allow users to start a call or chat. Instead, it simply allows users to enter a code to join a video call, and it shows meetings that you’ve already scheduled. While Hangouts has a 10-person limit, Meet supports HD video with up to 30 people.

The app itself seems to be built to make video calling on the go easy. For example, it offers dial-in numbers for travelers, and shows details about upcoming calls, including time, location, subject, and so on. A big, green “join” button also helps users attend a meeting straight from the phone.

Google has yet to officially announce Meet, but it’s likely we’ll hear more about the service in coming days. Google may publish a blog post about the new app, which will likely detail some more of the service’s features.

Give your friends a Glympse of your location with this helpful GPS app

Why it matters to you

This real-time location-sharing app helps people quickly share their current location, making it easier to meet up and stay safe in the outdoors.

One of the handier features of any modern mobile operating systems is the ability to share your exact location with friends and family at any given time. Unfortunately, a lot of smartphone users don’t know how to use this functionality, or worse yet don’t even know that it exists. Glympse (available for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone) is hoping to not only change that but make location sharing so quick and easy.

The free Glympse app was built to make cross-platform location sharing as simple as possible. It allows users to select which of their contacts can see where they are at any given moment and even allows them to grant tracking privileges for a limited amount of time as well. Additionally, you can select specific destinations on the map, and have Glympse share estimated arrival times and speed of travel via text message with individuals or whole groups of people. The app even allows you to request the location of others so you will know when to expect them as well.

More: Have a safe adventure with the mountain conditions report app

So how does the location-sharing software help while taking part in our favorite outdoor activities? Well, it provides a nice safety net should an emergency situation arise while we’re in the backcountry. For example, if someone happens to get hurt or lost, they can simply take out their phone and share their current location and condition with one of their contacts. Knowing their exact whereabouts will help search-and-rescue efforts immensely.

Beyond that, there are a number of other ways Glympse can come in handy for outdoor enthusiasts. For instance, if you’re going skiing with friends and get separated on the hill, the app makes it easier to find one another. Or, if you’re out riding snowmobiles or ATVs, Glympse will allow you to keep tabs of your party at all times. If you’re planning on meeting friends at a trailhead prior to setting out on a hike or mountain bike ride, the app will let everyone know where and when to meet.

Glympse can be accessed on smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and computers. The service is free and locations can be shared with anyone, even if they don’t happen to have the app installed on their device.

Find out more at glympse.com.

AMD’s upcoming Vega-based graphics cards will be called Radeon RX Vega

Why it matters to you

AMD’s press event revealed what’s to come from the company’s upcoming Radeon RX Vega graphics cards in the PC gaming and VR space.

During AMD’s Capsaicin & Cream press event, AMD’s Radeon Technologies Group boss Raja Koduri revealed the official brand for the upcoming graphics cards based on the new Vega architecture: Radeon RX Vega. He said that the Vega name has become so popular that the team decided to incorporate the code name into the official brand.

The press event didn’t reveal anything new on the hardware level, but did showcase several upcoming VR games, and announced a collaboration between AMD and Bethesda. Game streaming service LiquidSky also said it plans to stock up its data centers with Vega-based graphics cards, meaning subscribers will be playing PC games running on Vega-based virtual PCs when the cards go retail.

More: Upcoming AMD Ryzen 7 1800X CPU achieves new Cinebench world record

On the Bethesda front, Arkane Studios’ Raphael Colantonio said that the company teamed up with AMD to optimize the entire Bethesda library for eight-core Ryzen processors and Vega-based graphics. Even more, AMD is working with the Prey team to optimize the game’s rendering on Vega GPUs. That means the upcoming shooter will be ready for AMD’s new hardware on May 5.

On a whole, the press event showcased three features of the Vega GPU architecture: High Bandwidth Cache Controller (HBCC), Rapid Packed Math, and Radeon Virtualized Encode. According to Koduri, a big chunk of a graphics card purchase is the on-board memory, which most of the time isn’t fully utilized. HBCC supposedly provides full access to the entire memory amount, providing better performance than a graphics card without this feature.

In a demonstration, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided showcased double the minimum framerate performance with HBCC turned on, and 1.5 times average framerates. Ultimately, because HBCC provides full access to the total memory capacity, the amount of physical memory on the card can be reduced. Thus, if only half of a card’s 8GB GDDR5 memory was used before HBCC, the card can be sold with only 4GB and HBCC turned on.

As for Rapid Packed Math, this will increase the calculations on Vega-based graphics chips. As an example, a Radeon card with Rapid Packed Math turned off can render around 550,000 strands of hair per second. With the feature turned on, it can render around 1,200,000 strands of hair per second.

Finally, Koduri talked about Radeon Virtualized Encode. This is where LiquidSky came in to reveal its collaboration with AMD to provide virtual machines based on Radeon RX Vega GPUs. The Radeon Virtualized Encode feature will be what enables LiquidSky users to stream Battlefield 1 and other PC games in real time at a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution on any device.

The show also revealed AMD’s embrace of forward rendering, a technique used to beef up the graphics in virtual reality without sacrificing frame rates. This isn’t new technology, and essentially makes the graphics chip render a frame before the user’s actual input. Asynchronous reprojection is coming to the HTC Vive, too, which fills in holes when the hardware can’t maintain the necessary 90 frames-per-second rate.

Android One is back with General Mobile’s GM 6: Our first take

Why it matters to you

The GM 6, an Android One smartphone, offers a fast and secure Android experience at an incredibly low price.

If you thought Android One was next on Google’s kill switch, think again. General Mobile just announced the GM 6, an Android One smartphone made in partnership with Google, and it underscores the need for the program to exist.

Google launched the Android One program a few years ago to push its Android mobile operating system onto low-cost phones — but what differentiates devices under this program from other budget Android phones is how they run stock Android with a promise of updates straight from Google. The release of Android One devices have slowed to a crawl, but General Mobile has consistently partnered with Google to release Android One devices for the past few years.

Familiar design

The 5-inch GM 6 feels compact in the hand, and the metal frame around it gives off a premium feel. The resemblance to Apple’s iPhone, however, is uncanny. That’s not a bad thing, though. The frame comes in rose gold-, gold-, and space gray-accented colors.

More: Google’s ‘Android Global Village’ at MWC is all-out crazy this year

There’s a home button on the front that doubles as a fingerprint sensor, which General Mobile said unlocks in 0.2 milliseconds. The power button is on the right, while the volume rocker is on the left. There’s a headphone jack on top of the device.

The textured back is made of a rubber-like material, which offers a firm grip.

Solid specs

The GM 6 has a 720p display, but it doesn’t look bad at all — largely due to the fact that it’s 5 inches. Some manufacturers use HD resolution on devices bigger than 5 inches and pixels start to become easily visible.

It’s powered by MediaTek’s MT6737T processor with 3GB of RAM, and in our brief test it ran incredibly smoothly. Apps launched instantly, and there was no lag when moving through them. It’s likely because the GM 6 runs the latest version of Android — 7.0 Nougat. As it is a part of the Android One program, the device will get timely Android version and security updates straight from Google.

The device has 32GB of internal storage, but there’s a MicroSD card that allows you to expand it up to 128GB. There doesn’t seem to be an NFC sensor, but there’s also no Android Pay in many of the countries the GM 6 will launch in to make much use of it.

There’s a massive 3,000mAh removable battery keeping the GM 6 on, and it should make the device last for quite some time due to the lower-resolution screen.

Camera

There’s a 13-megapixel camera on the rear, and an 8-megapixel front camera, both of which have flash. We encountered an issue with the camera in live-view mode as it seemed to strip color away from the image, but once you snap a photo,the photographs seem pretty decent.

You’ll encounter slight shutter lag and the interface overall feels a little buggy, but the end result is still better than what we’ve seen on a lot of other budget cameras.

Pricing and availability

Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s unlikely the device will cost more than $250. General Mobile said it will be released May to 22 emerging markets.

Highs

• Big battery
• Solid build quality
• Performance seems fast
• Will get timely security and version updates straight from Google

Lows

• Camera app seems buggy

DT Daily MWC 2017: A 20-minute phone charge, Gear VR controller, Android One phone

Mobile World Congress continued today, and while the major announcements have all been made, there’s lots of exciting new tech to discover out on the show floor. Here’s what we found on day two of MWC 2017.

Meizu Super mCharge

Even the fastest mobile phone charging systems still take at least 80 minutes to fully charge a battery, but Chinese smartphone brand Meizu has the cure for the impatient, power-hungry person. It’s called Super mCharge, and it’s a new battery charging technology that can take a 3,000mAh battery from zero to fully charged in just under 20 minutes. It’s clever, too, and generates little heat, ensuring it remains safe. Meizu intends to incorporate the tech into a phone later this year.

Gear VR Controller

Google’s Daydream VR has its own remote, and it’s great, so now Samsung has come up with its own remote for the popular Gear VR headset. It’s shaped to fit in your hand and mimic the d-pad controller on the Gear VR. It comes with a trigger button, a back button, and a volume control. It uses Bluetooth to connect the to phone and several sensors to navigate around in virtual reality. We’re still waiting for a price and a release date, but it’s coming soon.

Elliptic Labs

Using speakers and a microphone, Elliptic Labs Inner Peace technology uses ultrasonics to detect presence. This means if it’s used in a space like a living room, it could spot unexpected movements like those of an intruder. It can also monitor elderly relatives in case of a fall. Inner Peace will be integrated into smart home products next year.

General Mobile GM 6

The latest Android One phone, the General Mobile GM 6, is destined for launch in 22 markets around the world, where it introduces people to the joy of low-cost Android smartphone ownership. Like other Android One phones, it comes with Android 7.0 Nougat installed, and gets all the updates in a timely manner. The GM 6, which is coming out in May, has a 5-inch screen, a 3,000mAh battery, an 8-megapixel selfie cam, and a 13-megapixel rear camera.

We’ll be back again tomorrow with more show-floor finds from Mobile World Congress 2017.

Google adds Keep to G Suite with Docs integration

Keep joins the G Suite and integration into Docs.

Google announced today that it has added its notekeeping app Google Keep to its cloud-based G Suite. If you’ve got a G Suite-enabled account, you’ll now find Keep alongside your other G Suite apps in the G Suite menu. What’s more, Google has also added Keep integration right into Google Docs, so you can quickly consult and add note from Keep right into your Google Doc.

This is a smart move by Google, as it fills a void in the G Suite offering which was lacking a quick place for jotting down reference notes, reminders, and images during brainstorming process and beyond. Having the ability to recall those notes right alongside a Google Doc just makes life that much easier.

While not everyone uses notekeeping apps, it’s important for Google to continue to expand its cloud-based offerings a growing and competitive space, with Dropbox encroaching with Paper, its version of web-based collaborative docs, and Microsoft’s OneNote offering a similar experience for Office 365 users.

Google-branded laptops, including future Chromebook Pixels, have been shelved

In a roundtable interview with journalists at MWC, Google’s hardware chief revealed the company won’t revive its premium Chrome OS laptops of the past.

The few generations of Chromebook Pixels that you’ve grown to love over the past few years? They’re the last of its kind. If you’ve got one, might as well put it into storage for preservation.

Google’s Rick Osterloh told TechCrunch and other journalists at Mobile World Congress that the Pixel laptop — the first-ever-of-its-kind premium Chromebook — has officially reached the end of its life.

When asked if Google had plans to make more Pixel laptops, Osterloh replied that the company had none at the moment, nor did it have plans to make more of the previous Pixel laptops that had sold out in August.

Chrome OS is still fine, though. “Chrome OS is a huge initiative in the company,” Osterloh reassured. And then he added: “Google hasn’t backed away from laptops. We have the number two market share in the U.S. and U.K. — but we have no plans for Google-branded laptops.”

In the meantime, Asus and Samsung make some pretty convincing Chromebook alternatives. And if you’re still aching for something that’s Pixel-branded, but more mobile, there’s still the Pixel C and Pixel smartphone for sale.

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