SEC files fraud charges against co-founder of Centra Tech

The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed charges against Raymond Trapani, the third co-founder of Centra Tech Inc., due to accusations of fraud surrounding an initial coin offering which raised $32 million and promised a crypto debit card.

“We allege that the Centra co-founders went to great lengths to create the false impression that they had developed a viable, cutting-edge technology,” said the SEC’s Robert Cohen. “Investors should exercise caution about investments in digital assets, especially when they are marketed with claims that seem too good to be true.”

The SEC’s complaint alleges that Trapani was the “mastermind” of the ICO that allegedly deceived investors with promises of partnerships with major credit card companies, misleading claims regarding the company’s product, false founder biographies, and manipulation of the company’s digital currency Centra Token.

The SEC also alleges that Trapani and the others knowingly engaged in fraud and point to a string of text messages as evidence of its claims.

“Text messages among the defendants reveal their fraudulent intent,” the complaint reads. “After receiving a cease-and-desist letter from a major bank directing him to remove any reference to the bank from Centra’s marketing materials, Sharma texted to Farkas and Trapani: ‘[w]e gotta get that s[***] removed everywhere and blame freelancers lol.’”  And, while trying to get the CTR Tokens listed on an exchange using phony credentials, Trapani texted Sharma to “cook me up” a false document, prompting Sharma to reply, “Don’t text me that s[***] lol.  Delete.”

In addition to the SEC’s complaints, Tech Crunch reports that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has announced criminal charges against Trapani.

“As alleged, Raymond Trapani conspired with his co-defendants to lure investors with false claims about their product and about relationships they had with credible financial institutions,” said Deputy U.S. Attorney Robert Khuzami. “While investing in virtual currencies is legal, lying to deceive investors is not.”

In addition to the alleged deception, Centra’s ICO was bolstered by endorsements from celebrities such as recently retired boxer superstar Floyd Mayweather.

Spending bitcoins ethereum and other types of cryptocurrency in Beverly Hill https://t.co/q9VZ3MzpK8 pic.twitter.com/BYyOFUnm8W

— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) September 15, 2017

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• Coinbase may register with SEC as brokerage firm

From robotic bees to bacteria, the tech that is making for a greener tomorrow

Freight Farms

We love when technology gives us new gadgets or entertaining features, but it’s even better when scientists get together and use technology for more noble pursuits… like saving the planet. That’s right: From biodegradable bullets to robot bees, today’s eco-friendly creations are literally changing the world for the better.

If you need a more optimistic look at the future, check out these promising pieces of modern tech, each of which is greening up everyday activities and fixing a problem we once thought unsolvable.

A sea net designed to clean up the GPGP

For those who don’t know, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a giant collection of trash — one made primarily of plastics and other materials that don’t disintegrate in water — that’s currently adrift in the middle of the Pacific. If you want to get technical, it’s called a marine trash vortice, and it’s larger than many countries.

Ocean Cleanup is an organization dedicated to finding innovative waves of getting rid of the GPGP before it gets even worse. Do you remember those floating, connected markers at the public pool? Ocean Cleanup has devised a heavy-duty version of those lines, except each float is actually a polyurethane trash collector that filters out and captures pieces of the GPGP.

The goal is to attach these lines to sea vessels and have them pass in and out of the garbage patch to help clean it up. Simulations show that this could reduce the GPGP’s size by almost 50 percent in five years, thus reducing its impact on aquatic life.

A graphene filter that makes salt water drinkable

Getty

The severe water shortages facing many parts of the world could be solved if there was an easy way to filter salt out of seawater and make it drinkable. Desalination plants do exist, but they are complex, expensive to build, and can’t be used everywhere. Now a team of scientists in the U.K. thinks it has a solution that could transform the world’s water needs.

Enter a carefully designed graphene filter made from a single layer of carbon atoms in a hexagonal lattice. This type of graphene layer can do all kinds of cool stuff, but scientists are currently using it to develop a graphene oxide sieve that could filter out salts — and can do it far more effectively than current desalinization plants, at a fraction of the cost.

The U.S. Army’s biodegradable bullets

In addition to all the other problems with war, bullets are actually really bad for the environment; they can leach toxic metals into the soil that can kill plants, harm animals, and build up in nearby communities, eventually causing medical problems.

Enter the U.S. Army’s plan to create biodegradable bullets. Basically, they want to use bullets made out of composite materials that can act as much like real bullets as possible, and can be fired using current weaponry. This will allow soldiers posted around the world to conduct typical training regimens without worrying about the impact of the bullets on the surrounding environment.

Even better, the final bullets chosen for the project may include hibernating seeds, which are designed to take root in the soil months later and sprout into environmentally-beneficial plants. How crazy would that be?

A chimney that gets rid of pollution

Image provided by David Y. H. Pui

China has been hard at work trying to reduce its sizable pollution problem and make cities safer to live in for years now. This involves traditional solutions such as solar and wind power, along with more innovative approaches — like this 200-foot chimney in Xi’an.

The chimney’s genius design uses solar heating to warm pollution particles drawn in at the chimney’s base, forcing them into a network of filters housed within the shaft. The particles are then trapped as the warm air continues to rise, creating a healthy cycle that pushes clean air into the city. The chimney can currently handle particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which is particularly impressive for this kind of project. If the creation is deemed a success, these towers could appear in cities around China.

A plane powered via fuel cells

Here’s a crash course (no pun intended) on the fuel cell: It creates an electrical current by utilizing a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Stack enough of these fuel cells together, and they become powerful enough to operate larger machines, including vehicles. The only byproduct of a fuel cell is, famously, water.

The problem is that fuel cells are difficult and expensive, at least when you’re dealing with larger vehicles. Plus, you need a handy source of hydrogen gas to keep the vehicle powered. That’s why you don’t see too many fuel cell cars on the road, though, there are a handful of car manufacturers that offer fuel cell variants.

All this makes this German plane even more impressive, because it manages to carry several passengers while running on nothing by fuel cells. In many ways, this four-seater is more suited for fuel cells than cars are, especially when it comes to refueling. The creators are hopeful that these planes could be used as eco-friendly taxis between nearby cities.

The “Leafy Green Machines” NASA wants to put in space

Freight Farms, by themselves, are already impressive eco-friendly constructs; these little grow rooms are manufactured using recycled freight crates with advanced hydroponics that allow them to grow racks of farm-fresh produce even in the middle of the city. Companies like Freight Farms are currently mass producing these “Leafy Green Machines,” providing cities that receive little daylight or currently face produce shortages with a better method for growing crops.

That’s already cool, but it gets cooler! NASA has given Freight Farms and Clemson University a grant to study how the Leafy Green Machines could be used in space travel. Basically, NASA wants to take these freight gardens to the next level and see if they can become entirely independent. If they can run on renewable energy and produce enough food to support humans, they may be ideal for growing in-flight produce.

A streetlight powered via used car batteries

Electric cars are becoming more and more common, but there are some issues when it comes time to replace their batteries, which often need to be swapped out while they’re still operational. Note: Electric cars require their batteries to be in peak condition in order to operate correctly.

Rather than let these batteries go to waste, Nissan decided to do something with them, and created The Reborn Light project. The project’s aim is to take used batteries from electric cars and attach them to LED-equipped streetlights, allowing them to run for years with little maintenance. Early reports say they can provide the same sort of visibility as traditional streetlights, though, they capitalize on a planet-saving approach we can all get behind.

The best solar roof on the market

Quick! What’s the big problem people have with installing solar roofs? For the average homeowner, the short answer is either “installation” or “appearance.” Most people simply don’t want a cumbersome solar panel on their roof, especially when it comes with additional structural concerns.

Thankfully, Tesla has developed a more discrete type of solar roof. The intuitive design utilizes tiles that look like shiny, ultra-modern versions of the same clay or stone tiles luxury homes have used for decades. Not only do these solar panels protect your roof from rain, pests, and so on, they are also great at producing energy. In fact, they are more efficient than the average solar panel that’s often marketed toward consumers, and they’re cheaper than a normal roof.

Although Tesla’s solar panels are only available under limited conditions in a few markets, there are plans to expand into new territories in the near future, and to offer a greater variety of tile appearances.

The machine that reduces carbon emissions (permanently)

The biggest problem with greenhouse gases is that once they’re out and about, it’s really hard to do anything about them. Carbon capture and storage is, at least currently, notoriously difficult and often temporary. Luckily, a startup called Climeworks and an Icelandic project called CarbFix have teamed up to change all of that.

Together, these researchers have developed a machine that has been attached to the Hellisheidi Power Station, which is being hailed as the greenest power plant in the world. In addition to using geothermal energy, the plant now takes in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and injects it into the basalt rocks beneath the plant. CO2 and basalt combine to form permanent carbonate rocks, which will house the carbon permanently. It’s still something of a prototype, though, so here’s hoping larger versions can be developed soon!

A bacteria strain that generates energy from sunlight and CO2

Yes, the field of “cyborg bacteria” is now a real thing. The term essentially refers to bacteria that have been engineered to coat themselves with nanocrystals. These nanocrystals are grown from cadmium and cysteine that scientists feed to the new bacteria, and they function as little solar cells that turn sunlight into energy.

The bacteria, in turn, use this solar energy to turn carbon dioxide and water into acetic acid, which they can use as a food source. Not only is this process more efficient than the chlorophyll-based method used by plants, it also shows great potential as a new C02-removal system, one that could help scrub our atmosphere and oceans. Scientists are also looking into ways to use the bacteria as a major energy producer, which, down the line, could lead to some exciting advancements in the solar field.

Robotic bees that are designed to pollinate

If you’re up to speed on your ecology news, then you’re probably already aware that bees are dying off at an unprecedented rate. Whether the cause is a changing climate, new diseases, pesticides, or a combination thereof, it’s bad news for anyone who depends on bees for pollination.

The good news is that this has led to some serious innovation, including the development of robotic bees, aka B-Droids. These robots aren’t just lab drawings, either. Prototypes were developed and launched in 2014, and more advanced versions of the B-Droid have continued to appear in the years since. The latest version functions like a mini quadcopter, and has successfully pollinated both garlic and strawberries via a set of cameras and algorithms that coordinate flight paths between flowers. Thanks for saving the planet, robots!

 Leather that doesn’t rely on animals

Human fabrics are rarely eco-friendly — leather, in particular. Unlike cotton or wool, animal skin isn’t exactly renewable, which means it takes a serious ecological toll to produce. And anyone who has tried cheap pleather products knows that the synthetic version isn’t exactly satisfying, especially in the long term.

Thankfully, Modern Meadow’s has developed a new solution. After years of research and millions of dollars in investment, the company has officially created a biofabrication technique that results in animal-free leather. How does this miracle work? It uses yeast cultures that are engineered to create collagen, the biological material that skin is formed from. Scientists then take that collagen and process it into leather, basically in the same way that real leather is created.

Not only is the new leather poised to revolutionize the clothing industry, it also apparently feels and acts just like the real thing. Scientists can even switch up the processing method to create different colors, new textures, or entirely new fabric types that rely on cotton and other materials.

Legos made from biodegradable materials

At first, “bioplastic” sounds like an oxymoron: How can plastic be biological or eco-friendly when it’s famously not? That said, Lego has found a way. The iconic company — you know, the one behind those colorful blocks you always step on in your living room — has just introduced a new line made entirely from biodegradable materials.

The secret is a new process that turns sugar cane into a plant-based plastic, one that acts like traditional plastic with a few advantages. The new Legos are eco-friendly and just as durable as the older models, for instance, and they’re softer to the touch.

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Best replacement bands for Samsung Gear S2

Give your Samsung Gear S2 a fresh look with a new wristband!

The Samsung Gear S2 is over two years old but still a fantastic smartwatch. You may be thinking it’s time to upgrade to the Gear S3 or an Android Wear option but if you’re really still loving the Gear S2 maybe all you need is a fresh look.

The price of replacement bands has dropped so low that you can completely revamp the look of your Gear S2 for as low as $10. Let’s dive in on the best replacement bands for the Gear S2!

• V-MORO
• Getwow
• Moretek
• MoKo
• FanTEK
• Henoda

V-MORO watch bands

If you’re a fan of giving your technology a bit of personal flair, then the V-MORO watch bands should certainly pique your interest. There are over a dozen different bands available, from multiple colors, floral patterns, leather, and even solid stainless steel links.

Depending on the style, these bands are available starting at $9.75.

See at Amazon

Getwow watch bands

Another great place to look is at the watch bands from Getwow. These rubber watchbands are each unique in their design. Though you won’t find anything particularly flashy in these rubber options, they do sport a number of different patterns.

Each one can be bought for around $7, with bright colors that are sure to catch the eye.

See at Amazon

Moretek watch bands

If you’ve got a Samsung Gear S2 Classic and want a watch band that will work well for fitness and prevents sweat from building up between your wrist and your watch,you want these Moretek bands might do the trick.

There are four color combinations that you’ll be able to choose from, and each sports a design with cutouts throughout the band and a two-tone color scheme. These watch bands are available for around $11.

See at Amazon

MoKo watch bands

If you want to avoid clasps, the MoKo band for Gear S2 Classic is a magnetic option that adheres to itself. This means that if you have a wrist larger, or smaller, than the norm you don’t have to worry about it not fitting correctly.

Styled after the Milanese loop bands that are super stylish, you can pick one up for around $11 although supplied are limited.

See at Amazon

FanTEK watch bands

Not everybody can afford to shell out $30 or $40 for a new watch band. Thankfully, FanTEK comes through with affordable watch bands that sport muted designs. Unlike the bright designs on many other watch bands, you’ll find dark colors and simple designs that draw your eye to the Gear S2 without being overwhelming.

Even if you’re not on a budget, the $7.88 price tag is a sweet deal.

See at Amazon

Henoda watch bands

Not everybody is looking for a flashy design, or really a design at all, for their watch bands. If all you’re looking for is a watch band with a splash of color, check out the Henoda watch bands.

Available for around $10 these silicon replacement bands come in a solid color. You can choose from one of ten colors to make your smartwatch pop without looking audacious.

See at Amazon

How to replace your Gear S2 watch band

Once you get your Gear S2 replacement band, it’s easy to change it out. Just follow along with our how-to video!

What caught your eye?

Did any of these watch bands look like a real winner? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Update April 2018: Refreshed the options on our list and updated pricing information.

Learn everything you need to know about web development for only $35!

So you’ve decided on a new career in web development, but you’re unsure where’s the best place to start. You could enroll yourself in a computer sciences course at a local college, but that means putting your life on hold to go back to school, and who has the time or money for that?

The fact is if you want to be a programmer who’s in demand, you need to be proficient in a multitude of different coding languages. The more varied your experience and knowledge, the more valuable you are to prospective employers. The problem, of course, is building and maintaining your knowledge of all the latest programming languages.

Maybe you’ve seen ads for intensive coding boot camps, but thought that might be a bit overwhelming. You’d be much better off learning at your own pace via online courses.

Android Central is here to help, with this amazing deal. You can get lifetime access to The Complete 2018 Learn to Code Bundle for just $35.

This bundle includes 9 distinct courses on all the most valuable languages and web development frameworks used by programmers today — including JavaScript, Python, PHP, and much more. Each course is broken down into digestible lectures, which have been put together by qualified and experienced experts.

You receive access to well over 200 hours of online course material, that you can always come back to when you need a refresher. This also makes it a valuable resources for those already working as a web developer, as you’ll have this well of knowledge to go back to throughout your career.

So what are you waiting for? To sign up for all these courses individually would cost over $1,000, but for a limited time you can enjoy a 94% discount on this bundle.

But again, this is only available for a limited time, so you’ll want to jump on it now and then enjoy the freedom to build out your coding skill set at your own pace.

See at Android Central Digital Offers

Best Wireless Mice for Chromebooks

Which wireless mice are best for Chromebooks?

While your Chromebook’s trackpad works well enough for most situations, there are some tasks for which a wireless mouse is better.

Whether you need a wireless mouse to scroll through long documents faster, or to perform fine manipulations, there’s a great wireless mouse out there with your name on it. Here are a few of our favorites.

• Logitech MX Anywhere 2S Wireless Mouse
• Logitech M535 Compact Bluetooth Mouse
• Logitech Wireless Mouse M320
• AmazonBasics Wireless Mouse with Nano Receiver
• Logitech Triathlon M720
• Logitech MX Master

Logitech MX Anywhere 2S Wireless Mouse

Spoiler alert: there’s going to be a ton of Logitech products on this list. The Logitech MX Anywhere 2S is a compact Bluetooth mouse that’s packed with all the features you want — customizable buttons, the ability to track virtually anywhere (even on glass), and a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 70 days — along with a few standout features to help justify the $80.

This mouse supports cross computer control between PCs and Macs, allowing you to not only switch between computers, but also copy and paste text, files, or folders between computers. Chrome OS is not included in this cross-platform flow functionality, and despite no mention of Chrome OS in the product listing it will work with Chromebooks.

$80 is a steep price to pay for a computer mouse, but there are less than a handful of black mice available on the same Amazon listing for just $55 if you act quick!

See at Amazon

Logitech M535 Compact Bluetooth Mouse

A compact Bluetooth mouse without any compromises.

The Logitech M535 is a great mouse for any Chromebook. It’s comfortable thanks to the ergonomic design and rubber grips and the compact design makes it easy to slip into a laptop bag or backpack. Best of all, it has an accurate optical sensor to keep everything nice and tight when you’re not able to use a mousepad.

At just $24 bucks, it’s a steal.

See at Amazon

Logitech Wireless Mouse M510

Available in black, blue, and red, the Logitech Wireless Mouse M510 has received positive reviews from users and reviewers alike for its long battery life and excellent functionality.

Logitech states that this mouse will last up to two years on a single AA battery. Mileage may vary, but in general, users report that the battery does last a while — maybe a year or more on average.

Another benefit of this mouse is that its curved, asymmetric shape and rubber surface make it comfortable to use for long periods of time.

If you want a wireless mouse that has a long battery life, is comfortable to hold and comes in different colors, then check this one out for under $20.

See at Amazon

AmazonBasics Wireless Mouse with Nano Receiver

The AmazonBasics Wireless Mouse is a 2.4 GHz mouse that connects to your Chromebook via a small USB transceiver. Customer reviews state that it works well and is easy to use, providing an amazing value for a bargain price.

This optical mouse comes with a one-year warranty, so if anything goes wrong, you can always get a replacement.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive wireless mouse that does the job, then the AmazonBasics Wireless Mouse is for you. Get yours for just $10!

See at Amazon

Logitech M720 Triathlon

The unnamed successor to the M705, the M720 takes things up a notch.

Still designed with long battery life in mind, the M720 has a newly sculpted body design and an improved mouse wheel and a thumb button.

You have the same excellent laser for tracking that makes for precise pointing and clicking, but the M720 brings a feature from the bigger more expensive options — multi-device pairing.

With a Bluetooth option as well as support for an included Logitech Unifying receiver, you can pair the M720 with up to three devices at the same time and change with a click of a button. If you want performance and features in a smaller package, you want to look at the M720 for just $38.

See at Amazon

Logitech MX Master 2S

The Logitech MX Master 2S is the master of all wireless mice because of its ability to track well even on glossy surfaces and its long battery life. Reviewers and users agree that it’s a top-notch wireless mouse.

With a shape sculpted for your right hand, it is comfortable to use all day. In fact, it was designed for people who use their mice a lot, all day, every day.

It has a rechargeable battery, so you never have to replace it. Simply connect it to your Chromebook using its USB cable and continue using it while it charges. If you don’t have an extra USB port, you can use its wall-charger unit instead. Either way, four minutes gives you four hours of use and a full charge will last you up to 40 days.

Available for between $90 and $100 it’s by far the most expensive mouse on this list. But if you’re looking for a wireless mouse that will work, even on glass, and has a long-lasting rechargeable battery, the Logitech MX Master 2S is a great choice.

See at Amazon

Which wireless mice are your favorites?

We’ve looked high and low for great wireless mice that work with the Chromebook, but we’re only human, and we might have missed something super-amazing. Tell us all about it in the comments below.

Update April 2018: Added the MX Anywhere S2 and updated pricing information.

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