Put down the phone and go outside

Better yet, put it into Airplane Mode and live free.

Locking gazes with someone is remarkably beneficial. A study found that it makes us more selfless and empathetic. We’re more likely to remember the details of the interaction with that other person after the fact. But to truly reap the benefits of looking into another’s eyes, you have to put the phone down.

In this age of constant and seemingly never-ending connectedness, the act of proverbially logging off might seem like too much of a personal commitment. And quite frankly, that’s because it is. The modern smartphone has ostensibly changed the way we work and how we socialize, and too often we can become caught up in the ritualistic mindlessness of scrolling through social media feeds and watching other people’s lives acted out through video stories.

It’s called escapism

I’m not surprised by the studies that show we’re a technology obsessed society, or that there are so many of us who spend time on it in an attempt at evading what ails us, or what bores us. This is called escapism. At present, some of us are avoiding politics, while others are avoiding more serious threats to our emotional or physical well-being. Life is tough! But at least there’s the internet.

I’m of the belief that there is such a thing as productive escapism, however, so I’ve started escaping to the woods. It’s just as good for you as staring into someone’s eyes, and it doesn’t require socializing. Rather than go on Twitter, Instagram, and any of the other social networks that I’ve pinned to my home screen, or read through my long lists of bookmarks from the failing New York Times, I’ve opted to spend more time outside — away from the news, away from the people on the internet, and away from my smartphone.

I’ve opted to spend more time outside — away from my smartphone.

This is a difficult practice for me. I’m a gosh darn millennial who’s had a computer in front of her for most of her life. The computer — which later became the internet — was my escape from the doldrums of being a teenager in the suburbs; from the heartbreak of failed assignments in college; and now, from the stresses of the day-to-day. Old habits die hard, and mine is to scroll endlessly through social media on my smartphone as I lay in bed, paralyzed by the fear of the unknown.

I’ve found refuge in the great outdoors, however. I use Google Maps to get where I’m going, but when I’m there I switch to the radio and set my Pixel XL to do not disturb. I bring a book or magazine to peruse — something to keep me occupied. I sit outside with my cheese and crackers, and I remain present. The only distractions here are the bugs buzzing near my ears…and my food.

Of course, you can find other hobbies of your own, if sitting outside is simply not your thing. But I encourage you to start a practice of disconnecting from your smartphone and any other internet-connected device at least once a week. Start with half an hour. While you’re out, revel in the present; in the people around you, or the animals joyfully wagging their tails. And remember to breathe, because life still goes on even if you don’t have your smartphone.

How to save your home and work addresses in Google Maps

Save your home and work addresses to get directions faster.

Google Maps makes it easy for you to save frequently visited addresses such as your home or work locations, allowing you to get directions quickly without having to enter them manually every single time. Doing so also allows you to use voice commands to say, “navigate to home” to get turn-by-turn directions to your house from your current location.

Then there’s the ability to explore points of interest near your location. Just ask Maps, “theaters near home” to get a list of theaters in your vicinity. You can also customize the icons for your home and work addresses. Given how simple it is to save your home and work addresses, it should be the first thing you do once you get started with Google Maps.

How to save your home and work addresses in Google Maps

Tap the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) on the top left corner.
Select Your places.

You should see the Labeled tab with Home and Work labels.

Tap Set home address to get started.
In the Enter home address textbox, start typing your home address.
Maps will give you suggestions as you type. Select your address from the list to save it as your home address.

Do the same for the work address.

How to customize your home and work labels

Now that you’ve saved your home and work addresses, you can customize the labels with a unique icon. Here’s how to do it:

Select your home address and pull up from the bottom of the screen to see all the options available for the location.
Tap the section that says Give your home a new look.

Choose an icon for your home address, and hit Save.

That’s a quick look at how you can save your home and work addresses in Google Maps. Did you manage to create a unique label for your frequently visited locations yet? Let us know in the comments.

These are the PlayStation VR games coming out in April!

What new games does PlayStation VR have in store for April?

Playstation VR has a great selection of games for you to browse through for your adventures in VR. Happily, the list of games is always expanding, and adding new titles for you to choose from. If you’ve been trying to figure out what is appearing this month, we’ve got you covered. While there are only a handful of new releases for April, we’ve got them all here for you!

Read more at VRHeads.com

Google’s next smart speaker may double as a WiFi router

If you’re Google and you want the next Home speaker to clearly one-up the Amazon Echo, what do you do? Stick another device inside, apparently. A source speaking to the Information claims that an upcoming Home model will include a built-in WiFi router with mesh networking. You wouldn’t need to buy a separate router (like, say, Google WiFi) just to connect devices around your household. And even if you already have a router, this would improve Home’s performance by giving it a stronger connection in weak coverage areas.

The tipster also maintains that the original version of Google WiFi had a microphone and speaker for Home-style interactions, but that Google axed it to avoid confusion. It’s possible that this version would come back, the source says, but there don’t appear to be any definite plans.

There’s no mention of a launch date or a price for the router-equipped Home, and that last part is particularly important. If Google asks for no more than the $180 of the Echo, it could lure buyers who want more value out of a speaker or a router. If it’s significantly more expensive, however, it might be a tougher decision. Do you really want to pay a premium just to get two devices in one? Google is building momentum for Home, but that doesn’t mean that has the cachet needed to justify a higher price.

Source: The Information