Light up your darkest night rides with the Torch M1 bike helmet

Why it matters to you

If you’ve always fancied a bright headlight on your bike helmet instead of on your handlebars, then the Torch M1 may be of interest.

The Torch M1 claims to be the world’s brightest bike helmet thanks to its dual 500-lumen LED headlight that will brighten your path and ensure you’re always seen.

The light, which is adjustable and can be detached and mounted in a snap, offers a 30-degree beam for optimal visibility. Torch Apparel explains: “Many helmet mounted headlights provide narrow beam coverage, limiting the rider’s visibility … Our unique striated light casts an even beam 30 degrees across the path in front of you. Unlike a regular headlamp or single beam bike lights, Torch M1 spreads a diffused light over a wide area to avoid tunnel vision.”

The designers chose 500 lumen as the ideal level, believing that anything brighter carries the risk of dazzling other road users. But it also includes a selection of light modes that let you knock it down to medium and low brightness, with a fourth mode causing the light to gently pulsate.

You can leave it charging while going for a daytime ride.

A full charge gives you 1.5 hours of use with 500 lumen running the whole time, or 8 hours in pulse mode. It takes about 3 hours to fully charge the light, and its removability means you can leave it charging while going for a daytime ride.

Providing extra confidence when you’re out on the road is an embedded rear safety light that shines bright red to ensure you’re always seen.

The stylish weatherproof helmet, currently an Indiegogo project from Los Angeles-based Torch Apparel, comprises a polycarbonate shell protecting the interior EPS foam, and has been OK’d by the appropriate safety bodies in both the U.S. and Europe. It comes with an an adjustable visor and ventilated design to keep your head cool when you’re riding along.

The Torch M1, which comes in two sizes, is making steady progress toward its $30,000 funding goal. You can pre-order the helmet, light, and charger for $99 — that’s half the expected retail price. Other early bird offers can also be viewed on its Indiegogo page.

So long as Torch Apparel hits its target and delivers on its promise, shipping is slated to begin in February 2018.

For more ideas on useful bike accessories, take a moment to check out these awesome suggestions from Digital Trends.

FlyPi 3D-printed microscope and ‘behavioral arena’ costs just $116 to build

Why it matters to you

This 3D-printed microscope and ‘neurogenetics lab,’ and similar devices, will help make lab-grade technology available to everyone.

3D printing can create fantastic objects we’ve never seen before. It can also help create existing objects at a much, much lower cost — thereby democratizing them for an entirely new audience. This second ambition is what drives FlyPi, an ultra-low cost 3D-printed microscope and “behavioral arena” that allows biomedical researchers to closely observe species such as fruit flies, worms, and zebrafish — and all for a build cost of just 100 euros ($116).

Given that comparable lab equipment can cost thousands of dollars, this device is impressively affordable. Its creators describe it as a complete “neurogenetics lab.”

“It consists of a 3D-printed frame fitted with off-the-shelf electronics, including a camera with powerful zoom objective, and a range of illumination options, as well as circuits for temperature control,” Dr. Tom Baden, a neuroscientist at the U.K.’s University of Sussex, told Digital Trends. “Coupled with colored sheets of plastic as used in theater lighting, the system also allows for some simple forms of fluorescence microscopy.”

Baden — who created FlyPi with André Maia Chagas from the University of Tubingen in Germany — said that the Raspberry Pi-powered creation is linked to advances in protein engineering and genetics that have taken place in the past couple decades. These have allowed for the expression of a wide array of molecular actuators and sensors in specific nerve cells of model species such as fruit flies.

“They may, for example, respond to light, or to heat, in such as way as to change the activity level of the nerve cell they inhabit,” Baden said. “In this way, researchers can study the function and connectivity of these cells in the live, behaving animal simply by shining a light at it or raising its ambient temperature. At this point, all you need is a fairly good camera to film your animals, plus some options to accurately control light and heat. This is what FlyPi was primarily designed for.”

In addition, the 3D-printed microscope can be used as a low-cost fluorescence microscope for tasks like spotting parasites in tissue samples or identifying types of white blood cells.

Although the project is still in its early stages, if you’re interested in receiving updates about development (and maybe even eventually getting one for purchase) you can do so at this website. You can also check out a research paper on the project here.

Up your game and save money with these Razer deals on Amazon

Razer remains a dominant force in the world of PC gaming peripherals thanks to its wide-ranging lineup of popular mice, keyboards, headsets, and mouse pads. If you’re looking to take your gaming to the next level, we’ve handpicked some of the best Razer deals on Amazon right now, including some of our all-time favorite accessories that are currently available for discounts of up to 26 percent off.

Razer Firefly Chroma mouse pad ($46)

Mouse pads are generally treated as an afterthought, but a good one can make a big difference when you’re gaming for extended periods of time. Not only does the Razer Firefly look great thanks to its built-in, customizable LEDs, it also features a micro-textured surface for increased comfort and mouse accuracy. The LEDs on the sides and bottom of the Firefly offer a wide array of customized lighting effects and can sync with your other Razer Chroma peripherals to create a brilliant desktop ambiance.

The Razer Firefly mouse pad is now $46 on Amazon. This price is for both the soft and hard versions of the Firefly.

Buy it on Amazon for $46

Razer Naga Chroma MMO mouse ($59)

Although designed with MMO players in mind, the Razer Naga will please gamers of all stripes who want extra inputs built right into their mouse. The older Naga was one of our favorite gaming mice and the current model is even better, with an upgraded and more precise 16,000 DPI sensor. Nineteen programmable buttons – including a 12-button thumb grid – give you plenty of inputs for a customized setup suitable for virtually any game, from arena-style shooters to MMOs and Mobas. Chroma LEDs offers a myriad of built-in lighting options, and the mouse connects with other Chroma-enabled devices for a desktop setup that reflects your unique style.

A $21 discount on Amazon brings the Razer Naga wired gaming mouse down to just $59.

Buy it on Amazon for $59

Razer Mamba Tournament Edition mouse ($70)

If the Naga has a little more than you need button-wise and a simpler gaming mouse is more your speed, the Razer Mamba Tournament Edition is a solid and highl rated alternative that earned an enthusiastic score of 8.0 from our review team. The Mamba sports an ultra-precise 16,000 DPI sensor that’s similar to the Naga’s, placing it among the most sensitive and accurate mice on the market. Rubberized side panels provide a secure grip for extended gaming sessions, and the Mamba also features nine programmable button inputs and a tilt-click scrolling wheel.

The Razer Mamba Tournament Edition normally goes for $90, but a $20 discount brings the price down to $70 on Amazon.

Buy it on Amazon for $70

Razer BlackWidow Ultimate mechanical keyboard ($81)

Serious gamers know the importance of a good keyboard, with many favoring the accuracy and tactile feedback that mechanical keys provide. The Razer Blackwidow Ultimate is an excellent and affordable option if you are looking to take the plunge into the world of mechanical keyboards. Razer’s own highly rated mechanical switches provide increased speed and precision over standard rubber dome keyboards, and are rated for up to 80 million keystrokes during its life span. The keys are fully programmable, and customizable green backlighting adds to the keyboard’s distinctive Razer look.

The Razer BlackWidow Ultimate mechanical keyboard comes in at just $81 on Amazon after a tidy $29 discount. If the audible clicking sound of mechanical keys is an annoyance, the Stealth model with silent switches is also available for the same price.

Buy it on Amazon for $81

Razer ManO’War wireless headset ($149)

The final entry on our list — and another one of our favorites — is the Razer ManO’War headset. The ManO’War offers latency-free 7.1 virtual surround sound via 2.4GHz wireless connectivity and 50mm neodymium magnet drivers that help you can hear every in-game detail without lag. The digital microphone is retractable and thick padded ear cups provide maximum comfort during extended gaming sessions. Programmable Chroma LEDs add custom lighting options to the sleek appearance of the ManO’War headphones as well.

The wired version of the Razer ManO’War gaming headset earned a great score of 8.0 in our review, and you can now get the wireless model for $149 on Amazon after a $21 discount.

Buy it on Amazon for $149

MORE DEALS

• Best Raspberry Pi 3 DIY Bundle Deals and Discounts
• TruVision Computer Reading Glasses Deal: Score a Pair for Just $30
• Best Laptop Deals, Sales, and Specials That Can Save You up to $230

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

Update: Removed Expired offers and updated pricing.

Android may soon tell you when your Bluetooth headphones need to charge

Why it matters to you

If you use Bluetooth-connected devices, you likely know the pain of being out and about, only to have your headphones run out of battery.

Android may soon get a helpful feature for those that use Bluetooth headphones — the ability to tell you exactly how much battery your Bluetooth devices have left. The feature recently gained support from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), XDA Developers reports. What that means is that Android, by default, will allow users to check their Bluetooth devices battery on their phone.

Now, as noted by some engineers in the original post, some third parties — including Samsung, LG, and OnePlus — have supported the feature in their software for some time now, as has iOS. So in this case, Google is finally adding a feature to stock Android devices that others have been thinking about for a while. It is also not clear exactly when the feature will make its way to a full Android release — though considering the next Pixel is rumored to do away with the headphone jack, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see it pop up in Android O.

We also do not yet know exactly how the feature will be implemented on Android. As noted in a report from The Verge, the battery status may show up in a notification or somewhere in the settings. Thankfully for phone manufacturers, it looks like the feature is customizable, so they can have it show up wherever they want or wherever it fits into their software.

Android O is the next major release of Android and its set to bring a number of new features. For example, as we noted in our hands-on review of the latest Android O Developer Preview, notifications are set to get revamped with Notification Dots — making the operating system a little more like iOS. On top of that, users will now also be able to snooze alerts and set them to pop up at a later time. To do that, you drag a notification to the right-hand side of the notification shade, and a little clock icon will appear. Tap on that will bring up the ability to reschedule the notification. Another major new feature in Android O is “Copy Less,” which basically uses machine learning to predict when you want to copy and paste text and the feature will do it automatically.

Spotify reaches 60 million paid subscribers in streaming music milestone

Why it matters to you

Spotify remains the most popular paid music streaming service, and continues to grow faster than its competitors.

The world of streaming music may still have issues with profitability, but as Spotify reaches 60 million paid subscribers, it remains the fastest growing market participant in this space.

The Swedish company announced its new subscriber milestone, along with other performance metrics for the month of July, and stated that it currently has over 60 million paid monthly users. As of June, the company had over 140 million monthly users overall, though the majority of its listeners are streaming music via the company’s free tier, which includes advertisements, and which lacks mobile on-demand playback.

The streaming music service had 50 million paid subscribers in March, meaning that it gained 10 million subscribers in just four months. That means Spotify is outpacing the growth of its competitors, including Apple Music, which boasted 27 million paid subscribers as of June — a gain of about 7 million since Apple Music reached the 20 million subscriber milestone last December. Spotify operates in over 60 markets around the globe.

Spotify is currently a privately held company, but its executives are considering bringing the company public. Music streaming firms have generally remained unprofitable, with Spotify and other players in this space frequently requiring cash infusions to remain in operation, but investors may now see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Many of the financial issues facing Spotify stem from its ad-supported free tier, which the company operates at a loss in order to lure paid subscribers. Investors in the company likely hope that once it goes public, it can be transformed into a profitable enterprise by some form of re-think when it comes to the free tier, with income fueled by a increased number of paid monthly subscribers.

Steadily increasing growth on the subscriber side of the business likely has leaders of Spotify feeling a bit less of a tug at their collars from the company’s financiers, even if the company’s long-term business plan may still need a bit of adjustment to ensure that it achieves and maintains profitability.

In the meantime, the company is close to signing a new deal with Warner Music — a necessity before it goes public, according to Reuters.

DNA-based sunscreen could get stronger the longer you wear it

Why it matters to you

Innovative sunscreen could help battle cancer by getting stronger as it’s exposed to more UV light.

It goes without saying that sunscreen is pretty darn crucial in defending your skin against damaging, cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) light. But commercial sunscreen could certainly bear improvement — like, say, if you only had to apply it once, and subsequent exposure to UV light only made it stronger!

While that feature is not yet available, new research from scientists at Binghamton University, State University of New York (SUNY) suggests that it one day could be. In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, Binghamton researchers developed a transparent crystalline DNA film which becomes more effective at blocking UV light over time.

This ultra-thin film was formed from a solution of liquid DNA (derived from salmon sperm, although it’s probably best not to think about that when you’re lying on the beach during your vacation), which was then spread on a sheet of glass and allowed to dry. In trials, the DNA film blocked 90 percent of UVB light (responsible for tanning and sunburn) and 20 percent of UVA light (which is theorized to be responsible for premature aging). Both of these are linked with skin cancer, which makes this a potentially invaluable discovery. Most impressive of all was the fact that the film got more effective as it was exposed to more UV light, although the team isn’t yet sure whether this is a block of reflecting or absorbing light.

In addition to sunscreen, the film could also be used to help reduce the risk of dehydration, since it was found to reduce evaporation in areas on which it had been coated. The researchers additionally theorize that it might be useful for accelerating wound healing.

Okay, so rubbing yourself all over with DNA sounds all kinds of wrong, but if it means that you don’t have to reapply your sunscreen every couple hours, it would totally be worth it.

“In terms of next steps, we are currently working hard to better understand how UV light alters the structure of the DNA films,” senior study investigator Guy German, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Binghamton University, told Digital Trends. “We are also investigating methods to improve film UV attenuation.”

The eventual goal, German said, is to develop a product that can be made commercially available to consumers. Hey, if there’s some way this work could be combined with other innovative creations like Yale University’s sunblock that binds to the skin or even this nifty sunscreen-dispensing wearable, they could really be onto a winner!

A heatsink that works is a beautiful thing

Beat the heat in VR with this heatsink!

The fact that Daydream heats up your phone is no surprise, but the fact that you can mitigate this issue can be news to plenty of people. We took the time to test out a heat sink for Daydream and see whether it really did make a difference in our VR experience.

Read more at VRHeads

Dive into the world of Philips Hue with a refurb Starter Kit for $45

Our friends at Thrifter are back again, this time with the most affordable way to get into the Philips Hue ecosystem!

We’ve seen a lot of Philips Hue deals lately, and they’ve all been quite popular. The folks at Daily Steals are getting in on the fun now, and are offering a refurbished 2nd-gen Starter Kit (white) for just $44.99 when you use the coupon code THRFTRHUE5. This is a $5 discount from the everyday Daily Steals price, and makes it $10 less than buying one at eBay. Brand new versions of this Starter Kit are selling for $64.99 at Amazon currently.

This kit comes with the Philips Hue Bridge and two A19 White LED Bulbs.

• Enhance your home with soft white lighting, controlled remotely wherever you are. Set timers and light schedules, automating your lights to make it seem like someone is home even when you are away.
• With everything you need to get started, this easy-to-use kit comes with two A19 LED smart bulbs, able to fit standard table lamps and the Philips Hue Bridge that can control up to 50 lights.
• Install the LED lights as you would install ordinary bulbs. They are pre-paired with the Hue Bridge, which allows you to control smart-bulb-equipped lamps and overhead lights via the Philips Hue App.
• Easily expand your lighting system with accessories (sold separately), such as a Hue Dimmer Switch, Hue Tap, or Hue Motion Sensor. Pair it for automation with your existing Nest or SmartThings system.
• With voice control for Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant, each kit includes two dimmable soft white A19 bulbs, a Hue Bridge, ethernet cable, power adapter, manual

If you’re picking up the Starter Kit, you’ll also want to grab yourself a discounted Hue Motion Sensor for its new low price of just $22. Daily Steals is offering a 90-day warranty on the refurbished kit, and also has a 30-day return policy.

See at Daily Steals

More from Thrifter

• Tips for leveraging Uber as a side gig
• How to buy and resell your wedding decor

For more great deals be sure to check out our friends at Thrifter now!

Unlock VR mode in ‘Alien: Isolation,’ if you dare

Alien: Isolation is a terrifying game, even before you add VR to the mix. But, for those of you dying to experience the survival horror in all its immersive (underwear-spoiling) glory, you can now play it on the current-gen Oculus Rift. An alpha version of the “MotherVR” mod that works with the original game is available to download right now. Installation is straightforward too: simply copy a DLL from the archive into the game folder and you’re good to go. Just be sure you have the nerve to take it on first.

Although Alien: Isolation came with a hidden Rift DK2 mode, it wasn’t previously compatible with the consumer version of the headset. And, despite releasing a bunch of DLC, it seems Sega never felt there was enough demand to release a VR update. That hasn’t stopped the game’s fans from taking the DIY approach with the mod — hurrying it out it as an alpha so others can get their hands on it immediately.

Alas, the experience isn’t without its hitches. The VR mod is designed for seated play only and works with an Xbox controller or keyboard and mouse. There are also no snap-turns — which could make for a queazy ride — and scaling issues mean that interactive objects can be hard to focus on. Fortunately, these are known bugs that the mod’s creator /u/Nibre is working on fixing. Additional features are also in the pipeline (including Vive support). It is an alpha after all, so it’s best to jump in and test it for yourself. That is, if you have the guts (and the stomach) for it.

Via: Road to VR

Judge rules lawsuit claiming Apple broke FaceTime can proceed

Apple was hit with a lawsuit earlier this year that claims the company purposefully broke FaceTime on iOS 6 in order to push people to upgrade to iOS 7. And as of late last week, Apple failed to get the suit dismissed as District Judge Lucy Koh ruled that iPhone 4 and 4S users can pursue claims against Apple.

The whole situation is a result of Apple wanting to reduce the cost of using third-party servers to manage FaceTime calls. Doing so was costing the company millions of dollars per month in fees, so with iOS 7, Apple changed the way FaceTime functioned so that the third-party servers weren’t used as often. However, users of iPhone 4s and 4Ss were still using iOS 6 so, allegedly, Apple let a security certificate lapse in order to break FaceTime for iOS 6 and force customers to upgrade their operating systems.

In its attempt to get rid of the lawsuit, Apple claimed that users didn’t suffer economic loss because FaceTime is free. But in her decision, Koh said, “Plaintiffs paid for their iPhones, and FaceTime is a ‘feature’ of the iPhone and thus a component of the iPhone’s cost. Indeed, Apple advertised FaceTime as “one more thing that makes an iPhone an iPhone.”

Apple also tried to argue that iPhone users weren’t entitled to FaceTime service saying that the Plaintiffs “have no right to uninterrupted, continuous, or error-free” FaceTime. To which, Judge Koh responded, “Plaintiffs do not allege that FaceTime operation was interrupted, or that it contained errors. Rather Plaintiffs allege that Apple in effect made FaceTime unavailable to owners of iPhone 4 and 4S devices…The unavailability of FaceTime is different from ‘interruptions’ or ‘errors’ in FaceTime.”

The plaintiffs are seeking both loss and punitive damages in amounts that will be determined at trial.

Via: Reuters

Source: District Court Decision