This month the folks at Adobe made a push to bring love to users for Valentine's Day in the form of color fonts. Color fonts are a strange new beast, the likes of which only began to make sense here in this computer-first generation, one in which the letterpress techniques of the past have gone the way of the dodo. They're extinct, and the world is crumbling as a result.
The tech market is no stranger to controversy, scandal, and criticism. From the IBM days to the recent US elections, the industry has been rocked by one scandal or another. Recently, however, there has been non-stop news on this or that problem with a company, this or that terrible bug, or this or that lawsuit.
Over the years, these have all been chipping away at the trust and confidence that tech companies have built. With all that’s happening around us, it’s only natural to wonder who we can trust and, more importantly, what has to be done to keep our technology-centric world from collapsing under the weight of all these problems.
As we more and more become people of screens and digital media, questions surrounding both the benefits and dangers of screen time also grow in number and variety. Concerns are even greater when children, who have less self-control than their older counterparts, are involved. Parents may now have even great reason to fret over their kids’ use of mobile devices and viewing habits after research shows how too much screen time could cause a delay in learning when the child enters preschool.
Smartphone companies have started taking the almost ironic yet beneficial stance of giving users the ability to limit their use of smartphones. These often involve setting time limits on how long you use an app or, more commonly, block off time when apps would be unavailable. For iOS users, the latter comes via Screen Time’s Downtime settings and, as of iOS 12.2 beta, it will be giving users more fine-grained control over such limits on a per-day basis.
Smartphones are both the most powerful tools in our hands and also the most dangerous. Never mind the hacks that could compromise our data and even our identity, these gadgets have infiltrated every corner of our modern lives, affecting and changing the way we think, the way we behave, and the way we work. That’s why platforms makers such as Google and Apple have taken the almost ironic step to include tools to monitor our smartphone habits. ActionDash, from the developer of the popular Action Launcher Android app, takes all of that and brings it to even more Android users.
It’s that time of year again when people try to make their new year’s resolutions, wrangle their todo lists from last year, and generally try to keep their life in order at the start of the new year. While there is a resurgence in the interest and use of paper notebooks, partially thanks to things like the Bullet Journal, some still swear by digital tools to get things done. If you’re one of the latter, you might want to take a peek at this new generation of productivity and collaboration tools that go beyond simple todo lists and calendars.
It almost sounds ironic, or even maybe suspicious, but tech companies like Google and Apple are finally taking their influential roles seriously. They’ve started to implement tools that make you aware of your addiction to devices and the Internet and ways to change that lifestyle. But while adults may have a harder time readjusting their habits, kids are still easy to train. That’s why following its release on Android, Google is now launching its Family Link app on Chromebooks to give parents the same control on some laptops.
Businesses and offices are getting more tech-savvy in the tools they use to collaborate, from video conferencing to group chats to cloud file sharing. One such growing market is the digital whiteboard that tries to recreate the experience of markers and collaboration while burning a hole through your company’s pockets. Now you can save that money for more important things (like victory parties) with the Rocketboard, four magical stickers that can turn any bored whiteboard into an exciting productivity and collaboration tool.
A paper notebook review on a site about gadgets and living the digital lifestyle? Even with the prevalence of smartphones, the Internet, and computers in general, there is a growing “counter-culture” that advocates the benefits of paper or, at the very least, writing things by hand. Rather than take one side to the detriment of the other, the folks at Rocketbook got their heads together to develop solutions, not compromises, that bridge the analog and digital in ways you may never have thought of before. Besides, the Rocketbook Everlast paper isn’t really paper anyway.
Purchasing digital copies of usually physical goods is so easy and convenient these days, most of us don’t give a second thought about it. We don’t have to carry books around, deal with fragile DVDs, or fumble around for cartridges whenever we want to switch games. But depending on where you bought said digital content, buying might not exactly mean what you think it means. That was the bitter truth that a Canadian iTunes user learned when Apple quietly removed content he already bought because the items were no longer being sold on its digital content store.
Those who carry their work, and sometimes even their lives, anywhere and everywhere they go will always be in need of equipment, especially bags, that can keep up with their lifestyles. And when it comes to heavy-duty gear, nothing comes close to a mix of ruggedness and portability than motorcycle gear. But those often look as rugged as their nature and might not appeal to more urban road warriors. Fortunately, carry gear maker Velomacchi has three new products that blend together durability and style.
It’s that time of year again when people look back at the past 365 or so days and take stock of what has transpired and what didn’t. It’s also that time when people take advantage of the changing of the year to plan for the next 365. Whether your make big lifestyle changes or taking baby steps towards a new direction, these days there is almost always an app for that. In fact, there might be dozens of apps for that, whatever “that” is. To help you get started on that path to discovery and a better 2018, here are some of our top picks to turn your smartphone or tablet into your adventure buddy.