Easter baskets aren’t just for chocolate anymore. Many families now include practical items, small gifts, and lifestyle products that can be used year-round. From travel-friendly first aid kits to specialty coffee gear and artisan treats, this year’s Easter gift guide focuses on gifts that are fun, useful, and a little unexpected. From practical gadgets to sweet treats and creative gifts, these Easter basket ideas bring together fun, useful, and thoughtful presents for kids, parents, and families alike.

Below are some standout gift ideas perfect for Easter, spring celebrations, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day.

Practical Gifts for Families and Travel

KEEP>GOING First Aid MiniKit

KEEP GOING First Aid MiniKit travel first aid kit with bandages wipes and supplies

The KEEP>GOING First Aid MiniKit is one of those gifts that parents will appreciate far more than another chocolate bunny. The compact kit includes essential supplies like bandages, wipes, and basic first aid items in a small, travel-friendly case that can easily fit into a backpack, car glove compartment, or travel bag.

With colorful designs and multiple size options, the kit is especially useful for families heading into spring activities, outdoor trips, sports, and travel.

Learn more: https://www.keepgoingfirstaid.com/

Lil’ Chillys Gel Ice Packs

Lil’ Chillys gel ice packs are designed for kids and come in bright, fun shapes that make minor bumps and bruises a little less dramatic. They’re small enough for children to hold comfortably and are ideal for playground trips, sports, and outdoor Easter egg hunts.

Learn more: https://www.keepgoingfirstaid.com/

Handzies Soap + Water Wipes

Handzies Soap + Water Wipes provide gentle cleaning using natural soap and water in convenient travel packets

Handzies wipes are individually packaged wipes that combine soap and water in a biodegradable towelette. Unlike many wipes and sanitizers, they don’t rely on harsh chemicals or alcohol, making them a gentler option for families.

They’re particularly useful for travel, picnics, egg hunts, and spring outings when access to a sink isn’t available.

Learn more: http://handzies.com/

Food and Treat Gifts

CAKED Cookies and Brownies

CAKED offers handcrafted cookies and brownies made fresh to order and individually wrapped for sharing. Seasonal flavors like lemon poppyseed and carrot cake make them especially appropriate for spring and Easter celebrations.

They’re ideal for Easter baskets, brunch gatherings, or sending as gifts to friends and family.

Learn more: https://caked.love/

Antonina’s Gluten-Free Muffins

Antonina’s Gluten-Free Bakery offers muffins that are gluten-free, peanut-free, and nut-free, making them a great option for families dealing with allergies or dietary restrictions.

Learn more: https://antoninasglutenfreebakery.com/

Wellness and Beauty Gifts

Honeydew Sleep Mulberry Silk Sleep Mask

Made from high-grade mulberry silk, Honeydew Sleep masks are designed to block light completely while remaining soft and comfortable on the skin.

Learn more: https://honeydewsleep.com/

Hippotanicals Vegan Lip Balms

Hippotanicals lip balms are plant-based and packaged in biodegradable tubes, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional lip balm packaging.

Learn more: https://hippotanicals.com

Games and Entertainment

Truth Sleuth Trivia Game

Truth Sleuth is a trivia-based party game built around “two truths and a lie,” making it easy to play with family or friends.

Available on Amazon

Nautilus Wooden Puzzle Mini

Nautilus wooden puzzles are precision laser-cut puzzles made from FSC-certified wood and designed for travel and short puzzle sessions.

Learn more: https://nautiluspuzzles.com/

Fashion and Accessories

KEYSOCKS

KEYSOCKS are designed to stay in place while remaining hidden inside shoes like flats, loafers, and sneakers, preventing blisters and improving comfort.

Learn more: https://keysocks.com/

WESTY Sunglasses

WESTY sunglasses are handcrafted in Osaka using titanium frames and polarized lenses, offering a premium accessory option for spring and summer.

Learn more: https://westysunglasses.com/

Fun and Novelty Gifts

Energy Rocks

Energy Rocks are caffeinated popping candy designed to provide quick energy without drinks, powders, or pills.

Learn more: https://energyrocks.store/

Prank-O Prank Gift Boxes

Prank-O makes prank gift boxes designed to look like ridiculous fake products so you can hide real gifts inside them for a funny surprise.

Learn more: https://pranko.com/

Coffee and Home Gifts

Origami Aroma Mug and Dripper

Origami Aroma Mugs and drippers are designed to enhance different coffee flavor profiles through shape and pour-over brewing

The Origami coffee dripper and aroma mugs are designed to enhance different coffee flavor profiles depending on the mug shape, making them popular among specialty coffee enthusiasts.

Learn more: https://loisthestore.com/

NYC Gifts and Custom Gifts

NewYorkPrideGoods Gifts

NewYorkPrideGoods offers customizable New York City themed mugs and gifts featuring illustrated landmarks, neighborhoods, and iconic city scenes

NewYorkPrideGoods offers customizable gifts inspired by New York City, including mugs, tote bags, notebooks, prints, and apparel. Their NYC-themed designs make unique gifts for city lovers and travelers.

Shop here:
https://newyorkpridegoods.myshopify.com/

Conclusion

Easter gifts don’t have to be limited to candy and chocolate. From practical travel kits and eco-friendly beauty products to puzzles, games, artisan treats, and coffee gear, modern Easter baskets can include gifts that are fun, useful, and long-lasting.

Whether you’re shopping for kids, parents, or friends, the best Easter gifts are often the ones people actually use long after the holiday weekend is over.

The post Tech Trends Spring Gift Guide appeared first on Tech Trends.

If you ever wondered how a cryptocurrency wallet worked (it functions more like a key than a wallet) or what “hashing” means (it’s where original information is transformed into a code via mathematical scrambling with one-way cryptography) this book explains all of that, alongside the basic principles and workings of the Blockchain and the cryptos that run off it.

Blockchain is a platform with applications which relies on distributed ledger technology and is based on peer-to-peer technology
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The decisive battles on the Blockchain front will be fought on three main fronts: facilitating transactions, storing value and providing credit
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“Blockchain has the potential to force the finance industry through a change unseen for centuries.” The ability to move money and assets without a central authority is fundamentally disruptive, and the general consensus seems to be that Blockchain technology will change every industry from the ground up.

This is a list cited in the book of the eight major categories of blockchain applications identified so far:

• General applications
• Cryptocurrencies
• Financial transactions
• Public records
• Identification
• Attestation
• Physical asset keys
• Intangible assets

Yet as much as this broad-ranging disruption is acknowledged, Pejic also encourages us to take it all with a healthy pinch of salt.There is a tendency to apply blockchain as a panacea to every industry, and he writes, “Once you have a hammer in your hand, everything suddenly looks like a nail. Technological determinism assumes that one tool will in itself make the world a better place,” he cautions.

Amazon is one of the main contenders for the global payments market
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The fact is that Blockchain – due to issues such as scalability and energy consumption – might itself become obsolete. We have already in fact seen what the evolution from “Blockchain 1.0” to “Blockchain 2.0” might look like, with the deployment of smart contracts. Ethereum, one of the most Blockchains, is an example of a platform that uses these smart contracts.

There are also other issues that need to be addressed in order to make blockchain interfaces more user-friendly

“Could you tell off the cuff whether 0.2267 bitcoins for a bike is a good deal or not?” he asks “Bitcoin is denominated up to eight decimal points, so even the best mathematicians will need a calculator.”

The blockchain will always demand consensus, regardless of whether you limit or open the number of nodes. This is the very nature of a trust machine, it will render networks rigid and hamper the penetration.

The blockchain might just be the technology to unlock the showdown between two groups of goliaths: banks versus data behemoths
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It is not correct to call Blockchain the ‘internet of money’/ the network is open, but nodes can only act collectively. Even worse: they can only act as a whole. Nodes do not have the creative power they have in the internet, but solely the destructive role of denying or granting consensus. So the Blockchain is by design different to the internet. The implications for network designers are simple: make it as efficient as possible, not as open as possible. Only once companies grasp this, can they unlock Blockchain’s true potential.

With super-computers at hand, minting new bitcoins will be so easy that the entire system might collapse
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In 2014 European banks alone spent £40 billion on IT; a mere £7 billion (17.5 per cent) went into innovation. Fintechs are the ones driving product innovation and this embryonic stage of Blockchain. However, banks could still leverage the trust component of the blockchain to enter the authentication business

The technology will change every industry from the ground up
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At the end of the day, the book reminds us that money and credit are essentially material manifestations of trust – they are the belief that your virtual possessions will correspond to real ones. So the question really becomes whether we are ready to really trust tech as much as we trust traditional financial institutions. The answer so far has been “not quite.”

The hunt for the killer Blockchain application is in full swing
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Overall, however, Pejic strikes a surprisingly optimistic note for the future, saying that competition is always positive for customer service, driving up innovation and driving down prices. Ultimately, banks will have to learn to revolve around their customers rather than regulators and compliance officer. They will have to adapt all their processes – front-and-back-end – to fit their customers’ needs.

“One thing is for sure,” he concludes “you will be on the winning side as the competitive forces of the free market push down the cost of banking services. The more intense the battle gets, the more you will enjoy it.”

Quantum computing could easily break crypto-codes
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Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. You can follow @alicebonasio on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn or subscribe to her Inside VR/AR Newletter for all the latest curated immersive news.

The post Review: Blockchain Babel appeared first on Tech Trends.

Calling all SnoreTech companies out there to save my sleep, my sanity and my marriage. 

I don’t know what Donald Trump’s excuse is, but whenever I find myself tweeting something incoherent at around 3 in the mornings it’s usually because my husband’s snoring has woken me up yet again, and continues at such jet-engine decibel levels as to quash any hope of getting back to sleep.

Can technology save me from chronic sleep deprivation?
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While I’m not sure if Melania is a chronic snorer, I do know that the problem is quite common. So it’s hardly surprising we’ve seen a spike in what I like to call “SnoreTech” products. Sleep deprivation will make you willing to try pretty much anything, and at 3 in the morning things don’t seem quite as ludicrous as they might in the cold light of day after a strong cup of Covfefe.

It seems like I tried every anti-snoring product out there
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Over the years I pretty much worked through every over-the-counter pseudo medicinal option out there – from throat sprays to Breathe Rights, mouth guards and nose cones. And I worked my way through every conceivable variety of earplug known to man (or woman).

In this article for The Next web I set out on a mission to discover the best and latest SnoreTech out there in a bid for that good night of sleep that has been eluding my husband and I for such a long time… read on if you’re in the same boat!

I believe in technology’s potential to mitigate if not solve most problems, so I’m now officially on the lookout for the most innovative anti-snoring tech
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Wearing earplugs every night – even the silicon ones which I found to be the most hygienic and comfortable kind – makes your ears sore, and they don’t filter out all the noise either, just the worst of it. Which is why I regretted spending nearly £50 on a pair of ISOLATE titanium “noise cancelling” earplugs from Flare Audio which were specifically targeted (damn you clever Facebook ads algorithm!) at people struggling with snore issues. I don’t quite remember, but if figures that the Amazon order would have been placed sometime in the small hours of the morning, spurred by a mixture of despair and impaired judgment. I console myself with the fact that they at least look pretty cool, and I do take them traveling to filter out the worst of airplane noise during international flights.

My husband’s dreadful snoring is linked to/exacerbated by Sleep Apnea, a very common condition which basically means that through your sleep cycle you go through periods of very shallow, irregular breathing, and sometimes stop breathing for a while altogether. It’s as unhealthy as it sounds. So we actually bit the bullet and invested a very considerable amount in the most high-end medical equipment solution available out there, Res Med’s AirSense, which consists of a full-blown breathing machine that monitors when those breaks happen and pumps air up your nose and mouth to compensate. It makes your partner look and sound as if they’re on life support, but it does work to alleviate the symptoms. However, my husband says he simply cannot wear it when his nose is congested, and he has a very small narrow nose, which often gets congested. Hence me constantly reaching for the earplugs and him waking up more tired than when he went to bed.

Now, as a technophile, I tend to believe in technology’s potential to, if not completely solve, then at least mitigate or improve such problems, so I’m now officially on the lookout for the most innovative anti-snoring tech out there, and it is safe to say that I’ll try pretty much anything short of  life-threatening or illegal.

In particular, I’m looking forward to testing a hugely popular crowdfunded product which raised over $1.6 million on Indiegogo. QuietLife’s Silent Partner sits on your nose and promises to manipulate the sound waves emitted by the snorer to such an extent as to not make their partner want to murder them. As with all of those things, hearing (or not) would mean believing.

QuietLife’s Silent Partner sits on your nose and promises to manipulate the sound waves emitted by the snorer
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Similarly, in spite of my disappointing experience so far with high-tech earplugs, Knops – which also smashed its crowdfunding target on Kickstarter by a very comfortable margin – sells the idea of being a “volume button for your ears” which hints at something more active than merely trying to block out the noise by shoving random materials into your ear canal. Again, we shall see once a sample materializes.

In the meantime, I’d very much welcome comments and suggestions of other tech out there – from people making it and/or using it – that I should be looking at, and I’ll update this post later in the year, stay tuned!

Can SnoreTech Save my Marriage? https://t.co/diZOgdWboM

— TNWcontributors (@TNWcontributors) June 11, 2017

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Looking for the Best Anti-Snore Technology appeared first on Tech Trends.

We bring you a selection of the interesting products that have caught our eye this month, from haptic Bluetooth earphones to giant screens and coffee-making gadgets.

HP Sprocket Portable Bluetooth Smartphone Printer

As part of our invitation-only jaunt to the Cannes Film Festival this month we also got to try out this nifty printer from HP. It quickly churns out fun pocket-size photos that can be stuck around your room, office, or person. Read the full review in all its glory here.

RRP: $129.99

Varidesk Dual Monitor Arm

This month I added these nifty monitor arms to my Varidesk setup, which give a bit more flexibility when adjusting the height of my display in relation to where I’m sitting (or standing as the case may be). These feature fully articulating 360-degrees screen rotation for maximum ergonomic comfort, and come in both single and dual monitor options. As you may have guessed, however, these are specifically designed to work with the various models of the Varidesk so probably not the best choice if you’ve got a regular desk. Similarly, these days most monitors come with fittings that will allow for wall or arm mounting, but one of mine was a bit older, so I needed to purchase some brace-like adaptors that kind of spoiled the sleek look. If your monitor is compatible, however, installation is pretty straightforward, and each arm holds up to 19.8 lbs (8.98 kg) in weight which covers most size monitors. The advice is to double check your specs and the back of your monitors before ordering.

RRP: $239

Skullcandy Crusher Wireless Haptic Earphones

Our self-confessed sound geek and chief technical reviewer Tom Atkinson had a blast – literally – testing out these vibrating headphones, specially with loud films and VR content. Take a quick read of how he got on here.

RRP: $199.99

iXCC 5200mAh Portable Power Bank

You can really never have too many power banks as far as I’m concerned, and this sleek little one is classy looking (I liked the metallic pink colour) and packs a healthy charging punch while being small and lightweight. It’s also at a good price point, specially if you take advantage of the exclusive offer for Tech Trends readers to get it at 20% off using code iXCCBLON

RRP: $15.49

RCA Cable 3.5mm, iXCC 3.5mm Audio Cable to 2RCA,  Stereo Splitter Y Cable with Dual Shielded and Gold-Plated Connector

This set of audio cables is perfect for connecting your smartphone or tablet to your home stereo system enabling you to stream music into your living room from your mobile device. Build quality is very high with gold-plated connections and a tough but flexible rubber coating. We tested it by streaming music from various services such as Spotify and Google music and these cables really highlighted the difference in quality from those services. It was somewhat surprising that a dedicated music streaming service like Spotify sounded so disappointingly flat while relative newcomers to that space Google Music provided bright and lively sounds. It goes to show how it’s worth investing a relatively small amount in peripherals such as these to enhance your listening experience.

RRP: $8.00

Exclusive offer for Tech Trends Readers: Get 20% off until 30^th June 2017 with promo code iXCCZXCV

Sony VPL-VZ1000ES Ultra Short Throw Projector

From bit sounds to big pictures, while in London Tom also got to try the new top-of-the-range Sony Home Cinema setup. Click here to read the verdict.

RRP: $25,000

Pour Over Coffee Kettle with Build-in Thermometer

Former BBC journalist Phil Williams used to drink instant coffee, until a hike in Colombia changed his life by introducing his taste buds to the real deal. He founded Coffee Gator to help equip people like himself to create that nirvana-like experience at home. Being Brazilian, the love of good, ridiculously strong coffee is in my DNA, so I tend to own a large array of home brewing apparatus, but I was won over not only by Phil’s hilarious promo video (see below) but by the fact that it’s by far the cleanest and easiest to use gadget of the lot. As any barista will tell you, temperature is key for making the perfect brew, so this baby just tells you when the water reaches that temperature. The small spout also stops you from pouring the water over your coffee grounds too quickly. Simples.

And to keep my perfect brew hot for up to 12 hours (fat chance of it lasting that long) I used this beautiful Corkcicle stainless steel bottle. You’d easily spend as much over a month of buying weak lattes at your local coffee shop (or I would, anyway, just through adding extra shots so I can actually taste the coffee). And yes, I considered making some sort of #Covfefe joke here, but frankly I’m too depressed by the whole damn thing. If we’re all going to die we might as well drink good coffee while we can though.

RRP: $51 (Kettle) and $38 (Corkcicle)

For companies looking to gain a competitive edge through technology, Tech Trends offers strategic Virtual Reality and Digital Transformation Consultancy services tailored to your brand.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

 

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post May 2017 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.

We have countless pictures on our phones and social media, yet there’s nothing like holding a printed photo in your hand.

And what I’m also holding on the palm of my hand is the tiny and sleek-looking HP Sprocket which was given to a few journalists to try at Cannes (HP is a long-standing partner of the film festival).

My first thought is that this is very much a photo printer for the millennial generation. The white version I got should appeal to the iPhone crowd, but it also comes in a more traditional black for the more conservative folk who still think all printers should be that colour.

This is the photo printer for the Millennial generation
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The “Live it. Love it. Print it” HP slogan pretty much sums up the proposition here. This is just the gadget for all those youngsters looking to print their latest selfies with their besties, and it really couldn’t be simpler to use.

It took me literally less than 3 minutes to set it up. A simple matter of downloading the app – available on iOS and Android of course – loading the paper (it comes with 10 sheets of paper to get you started) turning it on – the old IT Crowd trick – and pairing the device with my phone’s Bluetooth.

The user-friendly Sprocket takes less than 3 minutes to get printing
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You can then go ahead and choose any photo from your galleries or social media (you can connect your Facebook, Instagram, and Google accounts to access those photos directly), play around with it a bit (the app lets you add stickers, text, etc.) and soon the little guy is whirring away and producing a perfectly formed, business-card sized photo for you to share with your admiring friends.

The technical low-down: For a full colour printer it really is tiny at 75 x 116 x 23mm and 170gms and packs a powerful punch for the $129.99 price. Running via a micro USB rechargeable battery and turning out full colour prints at above 300dpi resolution the Sprocket it accomplished as well as small. The prints are a very usable size at 5 x 7.6cms (2 x 3inches) and the only slight con I noticed was that while the detail of the prints was good the colours were a bit washed out, apart from this the Sprocket produces good results in seconds, keeping pace with the somewhat short attention span of its target audience.

Technical accomplishments aside, playing around with the Sprocket app is genuinely a lot of fun. As a jaded tech reviewer, generally immune to the frivolities of gadgets targeted at the young but even I found myself chuckling as I applied borders, text, emojis, clown bow ties to photos of my friends and relatives. In the wake of the Chinese photo enhancement app Meitu the options here are a little limited but definitely less disturbing. No huge-eyed, baby-faced, manga-esque faces here, but certainly enough to keep you entertained. There’s a good range of creative filters finishes off the editing possibilities as well as the usual crop, rotate functions.

The paper is a bit pricey, but it does not require ink refills
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Now, those old enough – sadly, like myself – to remember Polaroid might be shouting at the screen (also something older folk are prone to do) that this idea of instant printing is nothing new. But that is exactly the beauty of it: The Sprocket pairs up our very modern way of taking photos with the nostalgia of wanting to see them in print.

This could be a welcome excuse to look at your photos in a different way
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And HP is, after all, a technology company very much focused on printing, so it makes sense for them to come out with such a product. I, for one really enjoyed it, and it also passed the “grandma test” where it proved to be a bit hit with people (even) older than myself – i.e. my parents, who had a great time messing around with stickers and printing out their photos.

The HP Sprocket is a modern gadget that appeals to our nostalgia
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And speaking of stickers, the pièce de résistance here is the fact that the prints are sticky backed, so you can easily decorate your room, office, car or forehead with your creations. And what grumpy old sod doesn’t like stickers?

At around $129.99 it’s not exactly cheap, but it’s a very solid, low-maintenance gadget that does not require ink. The Sprocket doesn’t need ink cartridges as the paper works on HP Zink proprietary photo paper based on a system where heat applied to the treated paper produces colours. This means the process is really clean and tidy, but of course also corners you into buying the paper at around $10 for a pack of 20 sheets.

However, the fact that you’re probably going to be thinking twice before hitting the print button is actually the point. We’re all so quick to take hundreds – nay, thousands – of pictures every day, that this can be a nice excuse to take some time to actually look at them in a different way, and to make them count. Like this one. Definitely worth it.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Product Review: HP Sprocket Portable Bluetooth Smartphone Printer appeared first on Tech Trends.

Pi-top is a start-up making affordable, cool-looking computers for schools, which kids can build themselves while learning coding, electronics, and a whole lot more.

In my latest article for IDG Connect I explore how creative hacking and the Maker Movement have gained momentum in recent years as more people recognise there’s a skills crisis that has to be urgently tackled if we’re to not only cope, but thrive, in the digital economy.

The concept of Creative Hacking is something that a lot of technology startups have been exploring
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The concept of Creative Hacking is something that a lot of technology startups have been exploring in order to address the increasingly pressing issue of the widening digital skills gap. This essentially refers to the problem that not enough children are learning the skills they need at school to function in—and contribute to—the digital economy.

Pi-top is a start-up making affordable, cool-looking computers for schools
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This was, in fact, one of the hot topics of debate at the recent Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai, where an initiative was launched to standardize that concept of “Digital Intelligence Quotient” and introduce it into the broader international curriculum.

There are moves to introduce a Digital Intelligence Quotient into the school curriculum
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One startup’s DIY laptop could have us all be makers, by @alicebonasio from @CIOonline https://t.co/VpbnFmOvOi

— Technology Experts (@IDGCN) May 3, 2017

This is part of a broader trend that recognises the importance of life-long learning and building of flexible skill sets, something that is embodied in the idea that technology is meant to be explored and played with, and that playing and learning are not just for children, but rather life-long activities. The Maker Movement and the proliferation of Makerspaces are prominent example of how this works in practice, as is the growing popularity of hackable hardware specifically geared towards education, such as the pi-top computers, which I recently had the opportunity to test firsthand.

This is part of a broader trend recognising the importance of life-long learning
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Pi-top is an EdTech startup that launched in October 2014 and sold over 11,000 units of its DIY laptops, working with more than 500 schools so far. They raised over $400,000 through crowdfunding and $4.3 million on a series A Round and were finalists for two BETT awards. 

Pi-top’s ambition is to provide schools with affordable coding hardware that is also flexible. The main issue with IT spend in education is that the hardware quickly becomes outdated, but this modular approach ensures that the devices remain easy to upgrade. They are also working to support this with a cloud ecosystem of resources where teachers can share and download lesson plans with one another building a collaborative, evolving coding curriculum.

The pi-top is, as the name suggests, a laptop powered by the Raspberry Pi. It runs on its own operating system—pi-topOS—which allows all the functions one might expect from an off-the-shelf laptop—such as web browsing, emailing, editing text documents and gaming, which makes it accessible at its $200 price point. But apart from the end product itself, its biggest selling point is the education-enabling potential it offers students. Through the process of building the device, children learn the about the basic architecture of the computer, then go on to customize its modular structure with add-ons to make it suit individual needs. It also makes upgrading a lot more affordable, as a new microprocessor can be installed for $30, much cheaper than buying a new device, especially considering how schools have to constantly upgrade multiple units.

Code clubs are using the devices to create computing lessons on its custom-made coding platform CEEDuniverse. It teaches those skills through gamification, encouraging children to “mine” for resources to progress throughout the game, solving visual programming puzzles to unlock the next levels. This teaches all the basic coding concepts in languages such as Python and Scratch in an engaging way, such as creatively composing music, for example. The coder interface also allows all Raspberry Pi resources and worksheets created by educators to be shared around the world.

So, how did I, a non-technical person, get on with building my very own laptop? I was able to not only do it, but enjoy the process:

Building

This was fantastic fun and the instructions were very clear, suitable for someone who has never build a computer before. I quickly got familiar with all the various circuit boards and cables and how they were supposed to come together. The screen is great quality and the keyboard is adequate, but the mouse pad is a little bit difficult to use, so it benefits from an external mouse, particularly when scrolling. The case is hard-wearing and a lovely bright shade of green that would appeal to children I’d imagine, although I really liked it too. The slide-out top section is amazingly effective, safely covering the internal components when you need and giving easy access to them for whenever you need to do some extra tinkering. The battery life is also very good, up to 12 hours depending on how many programs you have running, which beats my much more expensive MacBook by a long way. The only oddity there was the lack of a battery monitor on the dashboard.

Software

The pi-topOS comes installed on a micro SD card and booted up first time, connected to my W-Fi without issue and I was off and running. It comes preinstalled with essetials such as a chrome browser, basic office apps and of course a good selection of engaging learning tools. All these can be accessed on the attractive and familiar feeling desktop or through the pi-topDASHBOARD which is a neat smart phone style interface and a good starting point to begin exploring the pi-top’s capabilities. The only limitation is that it is very much meant to be used in a classroom context. It is perfectly possible to get a lot of learning and fun from it by yourself, but to get the full benefit of the learning tools, you do need the guidance of a teacher. The educational software is very diverse and offers everything from learning through gaming and game design to organized step-by-step coding tools where you can learn, test, debug and validate code.

Extras

The speaker is truly plug-and-play and allows the laptop to play media, while the pi-topPROTO is a great little breakout board, essential for physical computing lessons where you add and program lights, switches and circuits because the Raspberry Pi’s native GPIO header pins are used to run the pi-top. The PROTO duplicates these pins plus adds a load more possibilities for creative learning with well labelled connections for soldering on components and includes standard 5V, and 3.3V plus 18V power connections.

If we are to educate the next generation to understand technology and leverage digital skills creatively, then this is exactly the sort of tool that needs to be in every classroom. The good news is that startups like pi-top are making this not only possible, but much more affordable and rather fun. It sort of made me wish I were back at school, as I would have really enjoyed learning about computers if I had been allowed to play with them.

Article originally published on CIO Online

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

The post Bringing the Maker Movement into EdTech appeared first on Tech Trends.

Originally developed as a Sony product, the Vegas Pro & Movie Studio editing packages have had a revamp after being recently bought by Magix.

Previous versions had felt a bit stuck between two very different target markets, with its professional software too basic for professional filmmakers and its consumer version too complicated for the average amateur home user. Its latest release, the Vegas Movie Studio 14 Platinum does still seem to be aiming for both, describing itself as”easy-to-use pro-level” software. As a professional who routinely uses a range of high-end video editing packages such as AVID I was curious to find out exactly what that meant.

Firstly, I have to say that Magix have to be congratulated on their support and learning tools. These come in the form of basic but tip-filled online video tutorials. They are well made and give enough practical information to get a new user cutting in Vegas Movie Studio right off the bat.

The software then provides on-going support via three interactive learning tools which enable editors to learn about the software’s capabilities on the go. “What’s This” and “Interactive Tutorials” give you quick answers to explain the more complex functions while the exhaustive “Program Help” should have an answer to any more complex questions that come up during the editing process.

The VEGAS software provides on-going support via three interactive learning tool
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It is great to know these learning tools are available, but just how intuitive is the software? The interface has been updated since version 13 and looks simpler and more stylish, which is a good start. The dark colour scheme and design theme works better, and the overall aesthetic of the UI feels much more modern.

The Project, Timeline and Preview windows are more clearly laid out and – most noticeably – some major changes to the Track Header have made it easier to monitor and control the tracks in the Timeline.

Changes to the Track Header made it easier to monitor and control tracks in the Timeline
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The buttons and icons in the Toolbars are relatively self explanatory but detailed pop up info windows appear when you hover over them so the button functions are very easy to learn as you edit. The dropdown menus are also much simpler than in previous versions, with functions grouped well under specific menu items.

As with all such software, there is a learning curve and you do tend to get out as much as you put into it, so some time dedicated to delving into the available Transitions, Effects and Title options certainly pays off in the long-run. That said, the capable learning tools are there to support you and utilising these while messing about and actually making some stuff is a great way to learn.

In the Project window the Transitions, Video FX and Media Generator tabs are really nice with hover-over demos of the effects that quickly help you find the creative look you are after, and there are lots of options! In fact that was one of the pleasant surprises about the Vegas Studio software, in that it comes with such a capable set of Video FX and Transitions, which a newbie should have lots of fun experimenting with.

VEGAS provides an affordable and robust prosumer video editing package
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This version 14 update also brings some key performance improvements such as quicker loading times for large projects, and I’m pleased to report that I didn’t have a single crash while putting it through its paces, which was a first for me with Vegas. In fact, I was able to cut a short but resource-heavy video in 4K and export it as a 1080p MP4 without any issues. Admittedly my PC is very powerful and has 32GB of RAM but even so this is a vast improvement over previous versions.

It also has much improved RAM preview so Timelines play quicker and more smoothly as you edit, speeding up your workflow and making Vegas much more fun to use. There is also a new multicam editing option which, while it’s not something the average user might need, it’s a nice to have for people cutting two camera interviews or multi camera event videos, even though you still need to synch the videos using the audio waveforms which is a bit of a pain.

Vegas Movie Studio also now offers direct upload to YouTube, Facebook and Vimeo
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Vegas Movie Studio also now offers direct upload to YouTube, Facebook and Vimeo which speeds things up for delivering video for web streaming or Vloging regularly, which is a nice touch and likely to be a popular feature. When combined with the increased Timeline tracks available and the addition of NewBlue FX and Titler Pro plugins plus HitFilm Toolkit, SmartSound Sonicfire Pro 6 and Music Maker, Vegas Movie Studio 14 Platinum looks like a very easy to use, solidly designed and creative package, specially considering the £69.99/$79.99 price point which makes it vastly more affordable than any professional-level industry alternative. So, in answer to the question of whether they managed to turn out a product that hits that elusive “prosumer” market, I believe they might just have.

This is a guest review post by Tom Atkinson from R3Digital. Images are from his latest production in partnership with Carrion Films, the highly anticipated gothic horror masterpiece Borley Rectory starring Reece Shearsmith and narrated by Julian Sands.

The post Software Review: VEGAS Movie Studio 14 appeared first on Tech Trends.

Lifepack

I’m a big fan of crowdfunding and it’s always nice to see a great product spectacularly smash its target. Such was the case with Lifepack. Their nice-looking and incredibly practical backpack got over $613,000 in pledges – not bad considering their initial goal was a rather modest $20K.

When I got to test-drive mine I was very impressed indeed. Not only does it have a vast and sturdy array of pockets to keep all your belongings organised during your travels (including anti-theft hidden ones), but it will keep you connected and entertained while doing so.

The solar charger works even in low light conditions and you can plug it in through handy side openings instead of having to unpack everything all the time. It also comes with awesome Bluetooth speakers, because who wants to be without their tunes? It definitely gave me a case of the itchy feet, bring on Springtime hiking I say!

RRP: $269

Merge VR Headset

With so many cool applications such as Google Expeditions being developed and freely accessible for teachers, incorporating VR into lesson plans is likely to become routine, apart from the gaming and entertainment content that will also surely become more popular in the months and years to come. But while Google Cardboard is a great device as far as giving people a first taste of what the technology does, it is far from comfortable to wear for long periods of time. And that’s where there’s a big gap in the market for reasonably priced and well-designed goggles.

The Merge VR Headset is a HMD (Head Mounted Display) for Virtual Reality specifically designed with younger users in mind. It’s funky looking and hands down the most comfortable headset I ever put on. It is hardwearing and made of a soft foamy material that makes it easy to clean and extremely resilient. In short, it’s not the kind of gadget you need to be too precious with. The only niggle I had with it is that it that it was rather a tight fit for loading your phone into, which tended to sometimes interfere with the touchscreen as you were doing it. Otherwise a nice piece of kit, now available in a range of bright colours.

RRP: $62

Penclic KB3 Bluetooth Mini keyboard

I spend so much time typing I’m always game for trying the latest keyboard. What I like about this one is not only the nice feel of the keys, but the fact that it’s ultra-slim (even more so than your standard Mac keyboard, as it is does not have the bulky bit at the back where you have to insert old-fashioned batteries).

Speaking of batteries, that’s what sold this baby to me. I absolutely loathe how often you have to change the batteries on your Bluetooth Apple keyboards – to say nothing of the rummaging around for a coin to get the compartment unscrewed and trying to remember which way in they go – , and the fact you can just charge this one via USB is a real godsend. It also looks cool (I had the black one but they will soon be launching pink and grey versions) and is small and lightweight enough to carry around comfortably.

RRP: $99

BakkerElkhuizen Ergo-Q 260 Notebook Stand

The mini Bluetooth keyboard above now lives in my laptop bag, and the Ergo-Q Notebook Stand is its mate. Both together take up less room than a slim paperwork folder and with that I can setup anywhere like I’m in a proper office without getting neck or wrist pains.

The stand’s design is really clever, packing completely flat but offering 5 different height positions for your screen. I also love the fact that if you are using an external keyboard, you can fold the front bit over your notebook’s own keyboard and prop papers there, ideal for when you’re typing up notes. Its not the cheapest stand, but it is certainly the nicest portable one I’ve used so far, and it looks rather stylish too.

RRP: $149

Varidesk Pro Plus 36

And while still in the subject of RSI, and workplace health, the Varidesk is also a great versatile piece of equipment. It is sturdy, practical and has room for your entire office setup. It works really nicely as an ordinary desk when it’s folded down, providing nice wrist support for typing, etc. and keeping your monitors at a good height.

In addition to that, however, the real selling point of the desk is – as the name suggests – the ability for the user to mix it up. Experts recommend that we shouldn’t stay in one position for long periods of time, but it’s not always easy to tear ourselves away from the desk to take those regular advisory breaks. By switching the desk to a standing position, though, you can get the same sort of benefits while still getting the work done. It’s actually amazing what a difference it makes. I guarantee that after an hour or so you’re going to start feeling your legs working even by just standing still. Again it’s not exactly cheap, but it’s built to last and a good investment for a home office setup.

RRP: $455

The post February 2017 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.

If you want to get your gadget, product or service reviewed on Tech Trends, here’s what to do (and what not to)

Over the past year we’ve featured an amazing range of things on the site, but we’re just getting started, since Tech Trends is less than a year old (our birthday is actually coming up on the 11^th January, precious).

From digital literacy toys like the Sphero Robot and Technology Will Save Us Kits to power banks, standing desks and Bluetooth wearable headphones, we get pitched a lot of stuff. And that is fine, because the main criteria we use is generally whether a piece of technology is useful or interesting to people, whether they consider themselves “techies” or not. That’s a pretty darn broad scope.

This post sets out some general guidelines based on some of the more frequent questions we get, and relates specifically to those looking to land a hardware review post on the site. It provides some top-level info that should hopefully tell you whether it’s worth getting in touch or not.

1 – Samples

That’s pretty essential I’m afraid. We love to get great images, video and description in a pitch, but if you want a review of your product, we will need to get our hands on it. So if it’s in a conceptual prototype stage, or you don’t have enough samples to post, that’s not going to work, as we’d just be repeating what you told us rather than conveying our own experience of the product to our readers. For postage purposes we’re based in the UK, and we generally keep the samples. It’s not a profit-making enterprise but the hassle of sending them back is just not worth it, and hopefully we like your gadget enough so that we’ll be using it and showing our friends for years to come.

2 – Where will it be featured?

While I do freelance for a lot of other publications, those pieces are generally not straight product reviews. If your product is cool and we like it, we’ll feature it right here on Tech Trends.

3 – Any guarantees?

Like most things in life, alas, no. Sending us something does not guarantee a review. Generally we do try to get back to you with some constructive feedback if we don’t feel able to feature your product. It also might take a while, as we have a lot of posts to get through and there are only so many hours in the day. And while I do love gadgets as much as the next girl, I can’t spend ALL my time playing.

Some things are also just not a fit for a standalone tech post, but I still like them, and so they might sneak in an honorary mention somewhere. For example, a while back I got sent this Couch Coaster, and as someone who works from home and generally perches in sofas a lot with her laptop, I do find it quite useful, so here’s a shout-out:

I love gadgets as much as the next girl, but I can't spend ALL my time playing
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Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

The post Want to be featured on Tech Trends Reviews? Here’s How appeared first on Tech Trends.

I never really had a problem with traditional headphones until recently, when I started listening to music on my phone much more often (blame Amazon’s 80s radio) and dropped my handset several times by getting the cable tangled.

I never really had a problem with traditional headphones until recently
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If Apple has its way, we soon won't have any choice but to use Bluetooth
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So I thought it was time to give the latest generation of Bluetooth headsets a try, especially since – if Apple’s latest release is anything to go by – we soon won’t have much of a choice. Unless you want to try out this clever hack, that is*

Don't try this hilarious hack at home
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Ashley Chloe is Fashion Tech start-up base in San Francisco that makes fashionable wearables, and the Helix Cuff is their first flagship product. It’s a Bluetooth headset that slots into a magnetic bracelet, providing a sleek and stylish way of carrying your headphones around. When not in use, the connecting cord wraps into a groove in the wrist cuff, while the headphones go into a little cache covered by a mirror-polished stainless steel cap and the wireless receiver slots onto the other side. It takes a few tries to get the hang of it, but once you do it’s a matter of seconds to tuck away your headset in the cuff.

The Helix Cuff is a Bluetooth headset that slots into a magnetic bracelet
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“Fundamentally, the marriage of fashion and functional design to create a storage element for headphones simply didn’t exist,” said Mika Nenonen, chief designer of the Helix Cuff.

To tackle that problem, Founder and CEO Angela Pan assembled a team of top designers and engineers from Nokia, Google/Nest, and GoPro, and launched a crowdfunding campaign through Kickstaster. They raised 250% of the funding goal (over $260,000) from 2000 backers in 150 countries, and in September this year launched a consumer version of the Helix Cuff.

The Helix Cuff raised over 250% of its funding target on Kickstarter
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Their award-winning design is unisex and comes in various colours and finishes (white, black and bright red with metal embellishments in 18K plated-gold, champagne gold, or silver aluminium). It retails for $199  –  or $299 for the gold-plated edition.

The Helix allows you to connect up to two devices simultaneously, so that you can, for example, listen to streaming media content on your laptop or tablet while still being able to take hands-free calls on your phone. The battery on the headset lasts around 3 hours in use, and 200 hours in standby.

You can listen to music on your laptop or tablet and switch seamlessly to taking calls on your mobile.
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The headset worked brilliantly with older phones
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But as cool as it is to test-drive the latest fashion wearables straight from San Francisco (yes I love my job, although it doesn’t quite make me want to dance around in the street like the protagonists of this video), what really sells this to me is the fact that my in-laws – both in their 60s and not easily impressed by gadgets – ended up “stealing” it. The headset worked really well with both their phones – which weren’t exactly the latest models – and they loved the fact that they could listen to their music, audiobooks and radio plays without being tangled in endless cables.

Their only criticism was that the cord for the headphones was a bit too short, but I explained that this was probably because it’s designed to keep the microphone relatively close to your mouth. I then reassured them that it was unlikely that microphone would be used to spy on them (but, then again…) They are most definitely not Siri users (and to be honest neither am I) but for fans of that sort of thing the Helix Cuff is voice-command enabled.

Here are some of the key features and technical specs. It does come with full instructions of course, although I flatter myself that I didn’t quite need all of those…

• Bluetooth 4.1 powered by CSR and Qualcomm chipset.
• Up to 30 feet working distance.
• aptX® technology: provides CD-like high-quality stereo audio.
• Smart multipoint connectivity: simultaneous paired with two devices, i.e. stream music from the laptop/tablet, and take calls from the smartphone. Memorize up to 8 devices at a time.
• cVc® noise reduction technology: increase voice quality, reduce background noise.
• Powerful speakers:
  • Frequency response: 50Hz-20kHz
  • Impedance: 16 ohms
  • Total harmonic distortion (THD): <1%
• Battery life: up to 3 hours

*DON’T actually try this hack, it’s a prank in case you haven’t figured that one out.

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

The post Product Review: Helix Cuff appeared first on Tech Trends.