Circuit board that self-destructs when cooled is the most ‘Mission: Impossible’ thing ever

Why it matters to you

Dissolving circuit boards could be used in the military, or in more conventional use-cases like hospitals, too.

The idea of a circuit board that dissolves the moment it’s cooled totally sounds like something out of the Mission: Impossible movies, or maybe a mystery heist flick where a rare computer disappears after being removed from its air-conditioned safe.

In fact, it sums up the work being done by researchers at Vanderbilt University, described in a new paper published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. What they’ve been working on is a way of building transient electronics that come apart when you stop heating them.

“What we have done is produce a composite system that behaves like a regular circuit board when immersed in warm water, but if the water cools below a threshold temperature, the entire system disintegrates, dissolves, and stops working,” Dr. Leon Bellan, assistant professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt, told Digital Trends. “We have achieved this behavior by coupling two separate materials: networks of silver nanowires, and a polymer that exhibits the odd behavior of being insoluble in warm water, but soluble in cold water.”

These nanowires — spun using a cotton candy machine — are embedded in the polymer, which holds the network together so that they are touching one another and therefore produce a path to conduct electricity. Should the polymer dissolve, there’s nothing to hold the nanowires together. As a result, the network falls apart, the nanowires do the same, and the conductive path is lost as the entire system disintegrates.

So far, so intriguing. But why on earth would you want a dissolving circuit board? As suggested earlier, secretive operations could be a legitimate use-case. The heat supply could be a battery powering a heater, or even the body temperature of a soldier on whose body a top-secret circuit has been implanted. If the battery is lost, or the body heat is no longer available, the circuit vanishes.

“Some possible applications that are less in the realm of James Bond would [also] be tracking tags (RFID) implanted in hospital patients,” Bellan said. “These could be triggered to disintegrate and stop functioning by local application of a cooling stimulus, such as ice, instead of requiring surgery to remove them.”

We guess the second one makes good sense. We still dig the Mission: Impossible one the most, though!

The best iPad Pro games will take full advantage of your big screen tablet

Even the best video game consoles don’t offer the same combination of freedom and power as the iPad. In addition to the massive library of available titles (many of which you can download in just a few minutes), you get a big, beautiful screen with excellent touch controls and the ability to play anywhere, at any time. The best iPad Pro games leverage all these advantages, letting players enjoy awesome games on the go, at a fraction of the price that console and PC titles cost.

The nearly unlimited library of games comes with a caveat, though; it’s hard to hack through all the rough to find the diamonds. If you’re gaming on an iPad Pro, you’ll want to check out graphically-impressive titles that maximize your screen’s real estate and take advantage of the Retina display. If you’re looking for suggestions, you’ve come to the right place — here are our picks for the best games to play on your iPad Pro.

Monument Valley 2 ($5)

The first Monument Valley blew players away with its MC Escher-style optical illusion puzzles, all of which were set against gorgeous, colorful backgrounds. Excellent sound design and smooth, mind-twisting animations provided the perfect vehicle for a brief 10-level story that followed a silent princess through a series of ever-evolving geometric worlds. The sequel, released in June, brings back the puzzle-based gameplay and adds several new elements, like a new playable character and tools like light and water that you’ll use to navigate the game’s 14 levels. Art design is more varied this time around, too, and the graphics are better than ever — perfect for showing off your iPad Pro.

Read our full Monument Valley 2 review

Download it now:

iOS

Infinity Blade III ($7)

The Infinity Blade series has been heralded as one of the most visually-impressive franchises available on mobile devices, rendering epic battle scenes with surprising clarity and the kinds of effects you wouldn’t expect to see on a tablet or smartphone. Infinity Blade 3 carries on that tradition, returning to the series’ tried-and-true fighting formula, which sees players swipe their screen at opportune moments to block, parry, and slice opponents that are often massive and intimidating. A basic, yet engaging, RPG-style system keeps the game relatively fresh, and a decent variety of enemies means you’ll need to learn how to counter lots of different attacks. Plus, you can reforge gear via the blacksmith to improve its power level.

Download it now:

iOS

Oceanhorn ($5)

If you want to play a Legend of Zelda game on the fly, you’ll have to shell out $300 or so for a Nintendo Switch. Luckily, there are similar games out there, and Oceanhorn is among the best. Players control a young man who sets out to find his father, who has been lost after heading to find the Oceanhorn, a mystical beast that resides in the sea. Gameplay is quite similar to the Zelda games — namely, The Wind Waker — as you’ll complete small puzzles to receive loot, collect hearts to replenish lost HP, and drop bombs to uncover hidden paths. Combat is simple yet enjoyable — and not a chore, which is all too common on touchscreen devices — and exploration is absolutely exhilarating, especially while sailing.

Download it now:

iOS

Crypt of the Necrodancer ($5)

Fans of roguelike games and rhythm games alike will go bananas for Crypt of the Necrodancer, a creative dungeon crawler in which players — and enemies — move to the beat of the music, turning each encounter into a tactical dance, of sorts. Finding different weapons, tools, and upgrades can help you survive, but ultimately, you’ll need to learn the movement and attack patterns for each of the game’s foes, while mastering some subtle tricks along the way. Boss fights and randomly-generated levels spice up the action and make sure you don’t get too comfortable, and the four themed zones are broken up into floors, each with music that moves at different speeds. You’ll need to make critical decisions in real time, making this a heart-pounding experience.

Download it now:

iOS

Warbits ($5)

For many gamers, Advance Wars — released back in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance — was a seminal title, bringing turn-based tactics to the mobile realm in an accessible and fun way. Warbits takes that formula and retreads it, adding some nice graphical touches and online play in the process. Learning how each unit works is more enjoyable than frustrating, and the levels ramp up in difficulty to a satisfying degree. This is a premium game — with a pay-once price tag — that looks great on the big screen. It’s a game that needs time and effort, and unlike some strategy games, it’s not all about who has the biggest army. Show some love for a game that hasn’t gone down the freemium road, when it so easily could have.

Download it now:

iOS

The best Amazon prime exclusive mobile phone deals right now

If you’re a Prime member, you can score a new phone at a stunningly low price right now by shopping one of these Prime exclusive phone deals. For a limited time, Amazon is offering impressive deals on unlocked phones from Alcatel, BLU, Moto, and Nokia exclusively for Prime members. The deal prices are reserved for paid Prime members only, but if you’re a Prime Free Trial or Invitee member, you can purchase the phones at full price and automatically receive an Amazon.com Gift Card after becoming a paid Prime member. Read on to browse our favorite prime exclusive phone deals.

Alcatel Idol 5S

Snag a high-quality phone that stands out with this Alcatel Idol 5S, which will be discounted to $200 for pre-order for Prime members. (The phone will be released and pre-orders will ship on July 10.) The phone has an already low price for a well-rounded device.

The Idol 5S has fast 4G LTE speeds, complete with a 2.0 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor, and 3GB of RAM. A true entertainment-ready device, it has a beautiful 5.2-inch full HD (1080 pixel) display to enjoy your videos and pictures. The phone has a nice metal and 2.5D glass design and dual 3.6-watt front-facing speakers with stereo sound. It also has a 12MP rear-facing camera and an 8MP front-facing camera with video stabilization for high-quality photos and videos.

The phone runs Android 7.1 Nougat with split screen view so you can easily access the Google Play Store, Google Maps, Gmail, and Google Assistant. It has a built-in fingerprint sensor that grants you convenient access to the device. Prime members also get unlimited access to Prime movies and TV shows, Prime Music, Prime Photos storage, deals, and more. 

The Alcatel Idol 5S will regularly retail for $280 but is available on Amazon for pre-order for $200 for Prime members only.

Amazon

Nokia 6

Get your hands on a premium phone that was built to last when you purchase a Nokia 6, which is discounted to $180 for pre-orders for Prime members only. (The phone will be released and pre-orders will ship on July 10th.) The phone is easy to navigate and provides a smooth performance for Android fans.

The latest Nokia model is crafted from a single block of 6000 series aluminum, anodized, polished, and finished with bright diamond-cut edges. It has a vibrant 5.5-inch full HD IPS laminated display with 85 percent color gamut reproduction giving you an extra clean, clear picture. Immerse yourself in entertainment with louder sound and a deeper bass thanks to dual speakers and a smart amplifier with 7.2-watt peak output.

The phone runs Android 7.1 Nougat which brings you the latest Android features such as Android Doze, which makes your battery last longer. The 16MP phase detection autofocus rear camera and 8MP auto-focus front camera allow you to easily capture every moment. The phone comes with a 32GB internal memory and a MicroSD card slot that can support up to 128GB.

The Nokia 6 will normally retail for $230 but is available on Amazon for pre-order or $180 for Prime members only.

Amazon

Moto G Plus

Prime members can score a carrier-friendly Moto G Plus (fifth generation) on Amazon for $180 through Amazon’s Prime exclusive phone deals. The well-received smartphone has an average 4.2 out of 5-star rating on Amazon based on over 1,500 reviews.

The unlocked phone can conveniently be used with any major carrier and you can swap between them with ease. The durable metal phone comes with a high-grade aluminum finish that’s been diamond cut and bead-blasted to perfection. The phone camera is the first camera in its class with Dual Autofocus Pixels that use 10 times more pixels on the sensor, so the camera is able to lock onto a subject up to 60 percent faster than the previous generation Moto G Plus models.

Power up quickly with the included TurboPower charger that gives the phone up to 6 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes on average. The phone has a fast 2.0 GHz octa-core processor, powerful graphics capabilities, and support for 4G LTE. Additionally, you can use the handy fingerprint sensor to instantly unlocks the phone.

The fifth generation Moto G Plus regularly retails for $230 but Prime members can score one for $180 on Amazon right now.

Amazon

BLU R1 HD

If you want a super budget-friendly phone consider this BLU R1 HD phone, which is currently marked down to only $50 for Amazon Prime members. The ultra-affordable phone is ranked No. 4 on Amazon in Unlocked Cell Phones and has received two thumbs up in online mobile phone reviews.

The phone has a vivid curved screen with a 1280-by-720 pixel display that results in a 294 ppi combined with over 420 nit. Well thought out Corning Gorilla Glass 3 gives the smartphone an extra layer of protection against scratches, cracks, and breakage. The phone incorporates high-grade materials such as a curved glass touch panel that ensures excellent sensory feedback and feel, as well as a gorgeous look.

It has a MediaTek 6735 1.3GHz Quad-Core processor that works simultaneously with the 2GB of RAM for a seamless user experience. The phone uniquely has dual sim capabilities that allow you to have two phone numbers in one device. Finally, get near-perfect pictures with the main 8-megapixel autofocus camera, f2.0 aperture, and 4-pixel lens.

The LUE R1 HD normally retails for $100 but Prime members can get one for $50 on Amazon right now.

Amazon

Moto E

Upgrade your mobile experience with a Moto E, which is available for $100 on Amazon for Prime members only. The newly released phone has a special water-repellent nano-coating to protect the device inside and out.

It has a bright vibrant 5-inch HD display but still maintains a compact design. The phone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor and delivers 4G speed so you can swipe and click even faster. It also has 2GB RAM with 16GB internal memory and support for up to 128GB with a microSD card.

The phone runs Android 7.1, which is an updated version of the popular operating system. Taking pictures is easy with the 5MP front-facing camera and 8MP rear-facing camera with a flash. The phone is compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon networks.

The Moto E normally retails for $130 but today Prime members can score one for $100 on Amazon.

Amazon

Looking for more great deals on tech and electronics? Check out our deals page to score some extra savings on our favorite gadgets.

Best app deals of the day! 6 paid iPhone apps for free for a limited time

Everyone likes apps, but sometimes the best ones are a bit expensive. Now and then, developers put paid apps on sale for free for a limited time, but you have to snatch them up while you have the chance. Here are the latest and greatest apps on sale in the iOS App Store.

These apps normally cost money and this sale lasts for a limited time only. If you go to the App Store and it says the app costs money, that means the deal has expired and you will be charged. 

Sorted

Sorted is a minimalistic yet remarkably powerful day planner. Master your day and take back control of your time.

Available on:

iOS

Perfect Me

Perfect Me is an app geared toward self-development. How often do you jog, study foreign languages, or rid yourself of bad habits? With Perfect Me, you can pose these kinds of questions to yourself and shape answers that fit your life.

Available on:

iOS

Time Manager

Time Manager is an easy way to keep track of your daily activities. With one touch you can access all your common tasks and edit them at any time.

Available on:

iOS

BlackCam

BlackCam is the professional black-and-white camera. This app helps you take stunning monochrome photographs with live preview.

Available on:

iOS

Memoir

Memoir helps you relive and share your best memories when they matter most and with just the right people. The app helps you remember all of your favorite memories, every single day.

Available on:

iOS

Stackables

Stackables is the most advanced and comprehensive effects-layering and blending app. It’s packed with over 200 effects expertly crafted by renowned photographer Dirk Wuestenhagen.

Available on:

iOS

‘StarCraft: Remastered’ adds matchmaking and new visuals to the RTS classic

Why it matters to you

Anyone with fond memories of StarCraft multiplayer owes it to themselves to check out the updated visuals and new matchmaking functionality included in this remaster.

In March, Blizzard officially unveiled StarCraft: Remastered after months of speculation that a rerelease was in the works. Now, the studio has officially opened pre-orders for the game, which will launch on August 14 at a price of $15.

StarCraft may have started out as something of a spinoff from Blizzard’s other big RTS franchise, Warcraft, but it soon took on a life of its own. The game was a true phenomenon, and is still played competitively to this day — especially in South Korea, a major hot spot for the game’s popularity.

With that in mind, Blizzard has made sure that StarCraft: Remastered doesn’t make any changes to the tried-and-tested gameplay of the original release. Taking command of Terran, Zerg, and Protoss forces should feel exactly as it did when the game first launched in 1998, albeit with the benefit of subsequent updates and its Brood War expansion pack.

This parity allows Remastered players to take on opponents playing the original version of the game — which is now free to play. The rerelease also features a brand new matchmaking system that will pit players against someone of a similar skill level.

Some big changes have been made to the game’s visuals, in order to bring it up to the stringent standards of modern gamers. Blizzard has introduced 4K support and a native widescreen aspect ratio, and all artwork and visual assets have been remade to look their best at HD resolutions, according to a report from Gamespot.

Veteran players may look at the remastered graphics and think that nothing has changed since they first got their hands on the game — but, of course, that’s the benefit of rose-tinted glasses. Pressing F5 at any time during gameplay will switch between the new and classic visuals, showing off exactly how much work Blizzard did to refine the experience.

It’s long been rumored that Blizzard has plans to rerelease several of its classic games, and StarCraft: Remastered seems to be the first installment of that initiative. It wouldn’t be too surprising at all to see the classic titles from the Diablo and WarCraft franchises get a similar treatment over the coming years.

Latest Google Play Store version brings in-line changelogs to app updates

What’s in an app update?

It’s an honest question sometimes, and before installing something that might bring features you don’t want, you’d like to see them listed in the changelog. Well, now instead of having to click away from the Updates page in Google Play Store, you can check changelogs just by tapping an arrow next to the updating app’s name to see them.

This comes with the update to Google Play Store 8.0, which is slowly rolling out to users as we speak. This change is welcome, as we’ve all often wondered what’s actually in the updates we’re installing. Having to jump through hoops to see the changelog — assuming it’s not the standard “We’re always improving our app” changelog so many apps use instead of telling us what they’re actually changing — is a hassle this new Play Store kisses goodbye.

Now if only Google would make informative changelogs a requirement…

Cyberbullying: How to spot the signs and what steps to take, revealed by Internet Matters GM

Internet Matters is a not-for-profit organisation that helps parents understand the digital world, so they can ensure their children can use the internet and connected devices safely.

It has many articles and how-to guides about all manner of digital subjects, from parental controls on games consoles and other devices to how to set up a mobile phone for a teenager.

There’s one major subject front and centre of Internet Matters’ website at present though: cyberbullying.

If you’ve ever had nasty comments directed at you on Twitter, Facebook or on other social media platforms or forums you’ll understand the anger and sadness it can prompt. Now imagine if you are a very young child. It’s a horrifying trend that can be hard to spot and even harder to prevent if you don’t know what to look for.

That’s why Internet Matters set up its #Pledge2Talk campaign, along with experts from the Anti-Bullying Alliance and more, to help parents understand cyberbullying and discover what actions can be taken if their children are affected.

You can find out more at internetmatters.org/cyberbullying; however, Pocket-lint also spoke to the organisation’s general manager, Carolyn Bunting, to get a host of tips to help parents spot the signs.

Internet Matters

How big a problem is cyberbullying today?

Bullying as we once knew it has changed. Because of the popularity of smartphones, social media and the digital lives our children now lead – cruel comments no longer stop at the school gates. Instead, we live in an age where the threat of bullying is still very real, even when children are at home – the very places they should feel the most safe and secure.

We carried out a study of 2,000 parents which showed how two thirds were just as concerned about cyberbullying as online grooming and sexting. One in 10 mums and dads revealed their child had been involved in an online bullying incident but 32 per cent said they had yet to talk to their children about it.

What can a parent do to spot the signs of cyberbullying?

Like traditional bullying, cyberbullying can affect normal everyday behaviour. Signs to look out for are things like children stopping using their electronic devices suddenly or unexpectedly,

Seeming nervous or jumpy when using their devices, or becoming obsessive about being constantly online or appearing anxious or upset after using devices.

You recently launched the #Pledge2Talk campaign, is it designed to get parents talking with their children about cyberbullying?

We want to encourage parents to sit down with their children and talk about who and how they are connecting with their friends online, about how they behave online and ensuring they demonstrate the same behaviours online as they would normally use face to face.

It is vital that children also know they can talk to you if they see or hear anything online that upsets them, and that you are aware of some of the signs that might indicate your child could be being bullied online.

It is not parents alone who shoulder the responsibility for tackling cyberbullying, but the best way for parents to become involved in their children’s digital lives is to have regular chats as they would about their everyday offline lives.

Is it better to stop children using social media or is it possible to have a healthy online social lifestyle for a child?

The new, connected society does pose risks to children but it can also be a great way of enriching their lives, broadening their horizons and giving them the chance to learn vital communication skills with their peers.

The internet and technology provides children with a wealth of opportunities, and we don’t want children to be afraid to go online, or held back in their future careers because of a negative experience online. That’s why we advise parents to talk to children about their digital lives, play an active role in making their time on the internet as enjoyable and safe as they do offline.

Give us three tips to help parents start a conversation about cyberbullying?

1. Whatever it is you want to discuss, it’s important to think about where, and how, to talk so your children will listen. There’s no telling how long the conversation is going to last, so the first thing to consider is where and when you’re going to start it off – make sure you’re in a space where your child will feel comfortable opening up and you won’t be interrupted. Sitting in the front of a parked car may be better than sitting at the family kitchen table in a house full of people, for example.

2. It’s a good idea to jot down what you want to say as it stops you rambling or going on too long, and it also helps you get the important points over clearly. It’s also best to think about having a few “bite-sized” conversations over a period of time. It gives your child the time to process what you’ve discussed and avoids the whole thing sounding like a heavy lecture.

3. It helps to remember that you are there to be your child’s parent – not their friend. You have a responsibility to keep them safe online, just as you do in real life. They may not like you, or thank you at the moment, but it’s important to jot down a few simple rules that you want your child to follow and for you and your partner to agree to, that will help reduce the chances that your child will be bullied online.

If parents think their child is being bullied online, what can they do?

It’s important to speak to them right away and in the same way that you’d talk to your child about any form of bullying – aim to resolve things together. If things escalate, speak to the school and, if appropriate, the other child’s parents. Do the same thing with cyberbullying as you would do with face-to-face bullying.

It may feel like it’s the right thing to do to take away their phone but often this isn’t the best course of action. We know that one of the reasons children don’t open up is that they think: “Oh, I’m afraid if I tell you I’m being bullied, you will take this away.”

Kids worry about opening up, they’re afraid of what you will do – so ensure you’re going to work with them, give them support around how much they engage with social media, monitor it and discuss it.

If a parent doesn’t know as much about technology as their child, where can they find out more?

Internet Matters has a resource centre for parents on how to deal with cyberbullying, from spotting if your child has been a victim, to simple steps on what action to take. Head to internetmatters.org/cyberbullying.

Where is the first place to seek help if you think your child is a victim of cyberbullying?

There are different levels of support that you can get. In the first instance, speak to your child, make sure they know you’re there for them. Then take a look at their privacy settings.

The next level is try to speak with the other child’s parents and try and make them aware and also the school.

Parents also should look at internetmatters.org, which can help advise parents. That advice is key as don’t forget this technology is new to all of us: Facebook is a teenager, Snapchat is only a six-year-old child. As parents, we are all kind of playing catch-up. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice.

At internetmatters.org parents can find all the advice they will need to keep their children safe online. Designed specifically for parents, the site offers a wealth of up-to-date, unbiased information and advice about how to deal with online safety. Parents can learn about the latest issues and technologies, get great tips on how to talk about online safety with their children and get the best advice on dealing with issues and taking action. Created with experts, Internet Matters provides detailed information, but also signposts to best-in-class resources from individual expert organisations. Our goal is to ensure parents can always access the information that they need, in a format that is clear and concise.

Mario ‘Monopoly’ adds power-ups to the tired classic

If there’s one thing that Super Mario Bros. and Monopoly share, it’s their innate ability to engender family arguments in otherwise placid households. Which is why it’s such a delight to see the pair reunited in the new Gamer Edition of Monopoly, thanks to a partnership ‘twixt Hasbro and Nintendo. Unlike previous Mario-themed versions of Monopoly, the rules here have been tweaked to offer a twist on the traditional formula.

In place of the steamship and iron play pieces, you’ll roam around the board with tiny versions of Mario, Peach, Yoshi and Donkey Kong. Each one is also capable of gaining their own specific power-up abilities, such as enabling Princess Peach to collect rent from the bank when she lands on a super star. Which is, apparently something you’ll want to do when playing the world’s least-liked board game in 2017.

Should you desire the Gamer Edition of Monopoly for your collection, it’ll be available for $25 at various retailers in August. In addition, you will be able to pick up Power Packs that include additional character figures, such as Luigi, Boo and Wario, for $3 a piece, because real-world DLC is a thing we all love.

Source: Nintendo

Amazon’s Echo Show hides some meaty speakers

iFixit, the teardown kings, built their reputation by ripping open everything from gaming consoles to iPhones — much to the chagrin of Apple. Their latest guide sees them taking apart the Amazon Echo Show. Having spent some time with the new Alexa-powered device, we decided we quite like it. But the child trapped inside our adult body that wants to pry open every new gadget and marvel at its insides is admittedly keen to see what lies beneath its bulky exterior.

Aside from its large size in comparison to a regular Echo, the main difference between the Echo Show and its predecessor is the 7-inch, 1024 x 600 touchscreen display, which iFixit assumed might have been borrowed from the Kindle Fire. That wasn’t the case, however, as the screen wasn’t the same as the one they saw in the tablet, but it came pretty darn close.

Inside the Echo Show is a power supply board containing a 21-watt amplifier, which powers the impressive sounding speakers hidden behind its front frame. If you own, or plan on buying an Echo Show, make sure to keep it away from any clumsy people as its repairability rating is on the tricky side.

Source: iFixit

Charter tests streaming-only cable service for $20/month

If you’ve cut the cable cord, or have been tempted to do so, you may be getting yet another streaming option soon. Cable company Charter Communications is testing a new streaming service called Spectrum Stream among their internet subscribers.

According to Reddit users who have been offered Spectrum Stream, the service costs $20/month and has 25 TV channels, including local broadcast networks, AMC, TNT, FX and the Food Network. For an additional $15 per month for three years, users can subscribe to a higher tier that includes more premium channels. Networks such an HBO and Showtime are an additional $7.50 per month each. It takes yet another additional $12/month for access to sports networks.

It’s important to note that this service appears to be streaming only; there are no set-top boxes and no DVR features. Subscribers can access their channels through apps on their mobile devices and existing streaming devices. They also will have tiered access tiered access (depending on subscription level) to Charter’s vast on demand catalog.

Until recently, cable companies have been reluctant to ditch ESPN from low-tier packages because of pressure from its owner, Disney. But more and more customers are canceling service to stop paying high fees for channels they don’t watch; it’s inevitable that these cable companies would seek lower priced options. As more cable companies try to court cord cutters, it will be interesting to see how services such as this complement or compete with other streaming companies.

Via: Fast Company

Source: Reuters, Reddit