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PackTidy keeps your shirts from getting crushed and wrinkled in your luggage

NEWS – You take your nice, crisply-ironed dress shirt, carefully place it in your suitcase for a trip, and pull out a wrinkled mess when you get to the hotel.  You’ll have to iron that shirt again before your meeting tomorrow – unless you’ve packed your shirt in a PackTidy Shirt and Tie Commuter Travel Organizer.

These PackTidy shirt organizers are molded from high-quality EVA to hold a single shirt and necktie and are designed to protect the collar from being crushed.  The hard-shell case measures 14″ x 3″ x 11″ and fits inside luggage, a carry-on, or even a backpack.  They come with a folding board with instructions for easy shirt folding.

Amazon has the PackTidy Shirt and Tie Commuter Travel Organizer in brown for $23.99 or gray for $29.99.  Other websites, like Walmart, eBay, and Overstock.com, have them, but usually offer them only in brown at higher prices than Amazon.

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PackTidy keeps your shirts from getting crushed and wrinkled in your luggage originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 16, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Xbox’s new game streaming service: what you should know

NEWS – People are already accustomed to streaming TV shows and movies, and Xbox is bringing that capability to games, too. There’s no word yet on pricing for Xbox’s game-streaming option — known as Project xCloud — but the brand plans to launch public trials of the service next year.

Open to Third-Party Developers

In June 2018, people who attended the E3 technology conference heard from Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s vice president of gaming, that Microsoft intended to bring Xbox games to mobile devices. Project xCloud is the result of those efforts.

Early details indicate game developers could put content on the streaming service. That would mean people would not be limited to interacting with first-party titles. According to a blog post about the service, developers “will be able to deploy and dramatically scale access to their games across all devices on Project xCloud with no additional work.”

The Mobile Availability Could Be a Competitive Advantage

The part of the quote above that references being able to use Project xCloud on all devices is significant. PlayStation Now is another major entity in the streaming game market. But, people who subscribe to that service can only interact with the content on a PlayStation 4 console or a PC.

Notably, more than a minute’s worth of a YouTube video Microsoft released about Project xCloud discusses how its service will not be device-dependent. So, anyone in the world with a device capable of handling streaming content could use the technology.

Some Hardware Is Already in Place

Microsoft has some of the console hardware for Project xCloud installed in one of its data centers now. Moreover, the company broke down an Xbox console into its separate components. The purpose was to build a “blade unit” capable of hosting numerous Xbox systems simultaneously, as well as the necessary infrastructure.

Multiple Ways to Play

Besides being able to get engrossed in Xbox games on any device, people who use Project xCloud won’t even need controllers. Indeed, one way to interact with the games is to connect a wireless controller to a Bluetooth-compatible device. Microsoft demonstrated that option in its YouTube video.

Information has also emerged about a game-specific, touch-sensitive overlay that allows playing the games controller-free. In that setup, buttons might appear on a tablet and respond when a person presses them, making that Project xCloud possibility particularly attractive for people on the go and traveling light.

Rumors and Speculation Are Rampant

Microsoft still needs to publicize crucial details about Project xCloud, such as the cost and the available library of games. Due to those unknown factors, people are weighing in with their thoughts rapidly. For example, some people think Project xCloud will not be fee-based and could target people who subscribe to Xbox Gold.

Such a subscription gives people access to advanced multiplayer games on their consoles. Some individuals think Microsoft might position Project xCloud as a free extra for Xbox Gold subscribers.

Also, Microsoft’s answer to PlayStation Now is Xbox Live. It allows people to browse from an ever-growing library of games, then download and play them as often as they’d like. The prevalent assumption is that Project xCloud wouldn’t replace Xbox Live.

What Sets Project xCloud Apart From the Pack So Far?

Despite the lack of concrete details, there is something exceptionally significant that differentiates Project xCloud from other offerings available from Xbox or otherwise: the ability to play on any device. It’s not difficult to see how that benefit opens gaming to people around the world who can’t afford consoles.

In India, for example, stores sell both consoles and games at a significant markup compared to their U.S. counterparts. Also, the country doesn’t benefit from Black Friday sales that could make game equipment more affordable for a small window of time. It doesn’t help that professionals in India earn less than people in numerous other countries, either.

But, if Project xCloud offers people the chance to access a library of games and never buy a console, a monthly rate for the service could make such entertainment affordable in India and elsewhere. It’s worth remembering Playstation Now allows console-less playing, too, if people use their PCs.

Smartphones are especially ubiquitous, though, making the availability of Project xCloud on those devices seem like an undoubtedly positive point. One report predicts there will be 5.5 billion smartphone users by 2021. To put that another way, only 5.3 billion people in the global population can get running water.

Device Independence Could Accelerate Gaming’s Appeal

It’s too soon to say when Project xCloud will get its first paid subscribers or how much they should expect to get charged. However, being able to play Xbox games on any device could make them more accessible forms of entertainment, both for experienced gamers and the casually curious.

Photo by Arturo Rey 

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Xbox’s new game streaming service: what you should know originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 16, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Let Bose Noise-Masking Sleepbuds help you sleep better at night

NEWS – Year round, my husband wants a big fan running in our bedroom at night.  In the summer, I don’t mind it so much, because it helps keep the room cooler.  In the colder months, I don’t want it running because it can make the room too chilly for me.  My husband needs it for the white noise, though, because every little sound can bother him.  If he had a pair of these Noise-Masking Sleepbuds from Bose, he wouldn’t hear the ambient sounds that bother him, and I could sleep without freezing.

Sleepbuds may look like regular earbuds, but they can’t stream music, nor do they have acoustic noise cancellation.  Instead, these truly wireless buds fit comfortably in your ears and, when paired with an app on your smartphones, play “pre-loaded, soothing masking sounds to cover up unwanted nighttime noises so you can get to sleep and stay asleep.”

Bose says: “Instead of streaming music, Bose sleepbuds deliver soothing sounds that mask unwanted nighttime noises. And while we’re the first to champion the use of active noise reduction, we discovered that, when it comes to sleep, noise-masking technology is a better solution for the range of sounds that keep you awake — especially voice-based frequencies. So all you will hear is a soothing sound that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.”

With the app, you’ll choose a uniquely-engineered sound to mask unwanted noise – traffic, talking, snoring – and lull you to sleep.  And don’t worry that the noise-masking will prevent you from hearing your alarm, because the app has an alarm function built in to wake you without disturbing your bedmate.  If needed, you can adjust the volume of the masking sounds, so you won’t be completely shut off from sounds you need to hear, such as a crying child.

Of course, you won’t sleep if you are uncomfortable, so Bose did 3-D scans of scores of ears to help them design small, comfortable sleepbuds   The sleepbuds measure 0.94″ high x 1.06″ wide x 0.56″ deep and weigh  0.081 oz each.  To ensure they fit your ears, Bose includes S/M/L StayHear+ Sleep tips; pliable fins conform to the upper ridge of your ear to keep the sleepbuds in place all night.  Bose even has a video to help you get the best fit.

The battery in the sleepbuds last about 16 hours between charges, more than enough time for a good night’s sleep.  They come with a charging case that recharges the sleepbuds as it protects them.  The case’s internal battery provides a full charge, so you can keep the sleepbuds charged when you travel.  The case measures 1.06″ high x 3.03″  in diameter and weighs 3.93 oz.  It comes with a carrying pouch so you can pack the sleepbuds in your bag when you travel.

The Bose Noise-Masking Sleepbuds are $249.95.  You can purchase them directly from Bose, from Walmart, Amazon, and other retailers.

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Let Bose Noise-Masking Sleepbuds help you sleep better at night originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 16, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Get noticed this Halloween with a sound-reactive LED mask

NEWS – Make sure your costume stands out this Halloween by wearing a cool LED mask that turns music or rhythms into amazing electro-luminescent animations. The masks feature a layer of phosphorescent ink and a state-of-the-art rechargeable sound-responsive lithium modulator that converts sound waves into pulsing patterns of pure organic light on your face.

This lightweight and malleable mask can roll up to fit into a pocket or bag and has an adjustable strap that is designed to fit any head size. A hidden power cable links to a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack to keep the mask powered.

Check out this video that shows you what the masks look like in action.

You can buy a mask from Outline Montreal for $30 on their INDEMAND Indiegogo page, or from various other companies for around $10 and up on Amazon.

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Get noticed this Halloween with a sound-reactive LED mask originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 15, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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This LED table lamp also serves as an emergency lantern

NEWS – Most emergency lighting is designed more for function than for beauty.  That’s why you often have to go searching for flashlights and emergency lanterns in the dark when there’s a power outage, because you’ve hidden them away in drawers or utility rooms.  This Carrier Portable LED Lamp will always sitting out and adding to the design of your room, because it is described as being designed around the Danish sense of “hygge”, which is a cosy, comfortable feeling.  The Danish have a love of candles to light their long, cold, dark winters, and this lamp is said to honor that.

In any event, you can use this lamp on a tabletop, powered by its USB cable.  The internal battery also allows you to unplug and carry the lamp with you, whether you’re going outdoors or if you are dealing with a blackout.  If desired, you can even remove the loop handle for a different look.  The Carrier Portable LED Lamp is $210 from Blackthumb.

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This LED table lamp also serves as an emergency lantern originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 15, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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