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How to Transform Your Apple Device Into a Sound Machine

February 19, 2015 by

Sound machines are smart devices that provide unassuming, natural background sounds to lull you into sleep or to create a relaxing environment for meditation. Although these types of machines can be pricey purchases, your iPhone or other Apple device can work just as well if you have the right apps. Here are three affordable (or free) apps that will transform your Apple device into a sound machine:

Relax Melodies
This app offers more than 50 soothing sounds that promise to help you fall asleep in 20 minutes or less. Users can combine sounds or melodies into a customized mix, or choose from the pre-made sound combinations that are already designed to relax your mind and body.

Rain, Rain Sleep Sounds
If you prefer the natural sound effects of a classic sound machine, this app is for you. It uses the sounds of rainfall, ocean waves and even the outdoor experience of rain against a tent to turn your bedroom into an oasis of whatever is most relaxing to you.

White Noise Ambiance
White noises are unobtrusive background sounds that fill the silence without sounding distracting. If you have trouble falling asleep in a silent room, this app offers 21 common relaxing sounds like campfires, floor fans and even a summer thunderstorm.

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Where to Read About Tech and Gadgets Online

February 5, 2015 by

If you love all things technology, you’re likely always on the hunt for the latest products and most recent gadget news. The Internet is filled with sites dedicated entirely to fueling your technology addiction, but these three are some of the very best.

Gizmodo
Although its name sounds silly, Gizmodo is a website for serious technology aficionados (or those looking to learn more about it). You’ll find journalistic articles describing the latest trends and advancements in the area of electronics, incredible life hacks and technology news from around the world—and even from outer space.

TechCrunch
With a number of different product reviews and gift guides, this is the site to surf when you’re choosing between smartphones or looking to purchase a new computer. TechCrunch also posts fascinating articles from the world of technology and high-quality TCTV online shows that are both funny and informative.

Engadget
On Engadget, you’ll find photos, videos, must-read news stories and a wide variety of different types of media all entirely dedicated to technology. The site also offers the Engadget Daily, a roundup post of quick snippets of the most recent tech news, which makes a fun read first thing in the morning.

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What Is 3D Printing? Get the Facts Here!

September 26, 2014 by

You've likely heard some buzz about 3D printing, a new form of technology that's anticipated to have a major influence on our world. These printers are not just putting ink to paper; instead, they are building an object by layering material, like plastic, and then fine-tuning the design with lasers. The result is a three-dimensional, fully functional object! Read on to find more facts about 3D printers.

1) Add and subtract. 3D printers are classified as additive manufacturing because, quite simply, successive layers of material create the finished product. Conversely, manufacturing techniques such as sawing and milling are known as subtractive manufacturing.

2) The possibilities are endless. From mugs, models, and jewelry to machine parts and toys, many things can be created through 3D printing. In fact, the health care industry has already embraced this technology to create replacement jawbones and hips. Resin, metal, and plaster represent some of the materials used in 3D printing.

3) Pros and cons. 3D printing begins to raise the question of intellectual property. Since you can print whatever you want, what is stopping someone from recreating something that's already on the market? In the future, if printers are made more widely available, this might become an issue. A less pressing drawback of 3D printing is that it takes time: Even small items can take up to two hours to print!

What is 3D printing? [3DPrinting.com]
What is 3D printing? [ExtremeTech]

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Technology Trivia: Three Important Chess Computers

May 2, 2014 by

Playing chess against a computer opponent is fairly commonplace stuff today. But the development of computers able to play chess competitively led to many important milestones in artificial intelligence, culminating (at least for now) with Watson, the famous Jeopardy!-playing computer, and Siri, the iPhone virtual assistant.

If you're interested in learning more about the history of artificial intelligence, here are three important chess computers:

Kotok-McCarthy
The Kotok-McCarthy computer was the very first computer program able to play chess competitively. It was developed between the years of 1959 and 1962 by a group of students at MIT. Advanced for the time, it was very slow by today's standards: it took anywhere from five to twenty minutes to calculate a single move! This computer also participated in the very first chess match between two machines, losing to a slightly more advanced computer from the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics.

Deep Thought
Deep Thought was developed in a partnership between Carnegie Mellon University and IBM; it was named after a fictional computer in the book series The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The computer won the North American Computer Chess Championship in 1988 and the World Computer Chess Championship in 1989. Deep Thought is perhaps most well known for losing two widely-publicized games to chess champion Gerry Kasparov.

Deep Blue
Deep Blue was developed as a successor to Deep Thought. In 1997, it became the first computer to win a game with normal rules against a reigning world chess champion, beating Gerry Kasparov twice yet losing the match 4-2. The match was controversial, as Kasparov later accused technicians of making moves on Deep Blue's behalf. The match — and the controversy — later became the subject for a documentary called Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine.

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Gain Insight into Our Changing Job Market with This Informative Handbook

November 15, 2013 by

Are you worried about the stability of your profession in the current workforce? Want to change jobs, but nervous about the transition? If you want to learn more about the present and future job market, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook is an invaluable tool.

This fascinating handbook provides complete profiles for hundreds of jobs in the US today, providing insight into many careers that you may not have even heard of. Career profiles are categorized by occupation groups, from Arts and Design to Legal to Protective Services. These informative profiles describe what each job does, the work environment, the pay rate, and even provides advice about how to get it!

Along with its career profiles, the Occupational Outlook Handbook also includes Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections for the 2010 – 2020 decade. Using this information, its easy-to-use website then allows visitors to search for occupations by education level, number of new jobs, projected growth rate, type of training, and median pay.

Whether you want to get into a new career or you’re simply interested in the way our country’s workforce is changing, the Occupational Outlook Handbook is an incredibly interesting read.

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5 Great Tech Gadgets For The Techies In Your Life

May 2, 2013 by

If you have a techie in your life that always loves the latest and greatest tech gadgets that hit the market, we've got some great ideas for you! Check out the list below of the awesome new items that are now available for the tech-lover in your life.

Jawbone BIG JAMBOX
This popular boombox works using Bluetooth to stream your favorite music. There's an input jack and a microphone, too, making the BIG JAMBOX both portable and versatile.

Nintendo 3DS XL
Heir to the Gameboy, Nintendo's 3DS is a portable video game system with a twist: 3-D. The extra dimension's used in pretty innovative ways in games featuring classic Nintendo characters like Mario, Link, and more.

iPad Mini
Dubbed by some "the real iPad," the iPad mini's got a smaller form factor than the full size device. That mean's it's even more portable than the original, and yet it still runs all of the same apps iPad owners have come to know and love.

Nest Thermostat
Designed by a group of former Apple employees, the Nest thermostat brings the design Apple fans know to the home. Billed as a "learning thermostat," it's far more flexible and adaptable than traditional thermostats, and can even be controlled using your iPhone.

Click and Grow Smart Flowerpot
This self-watering pot helps you tend to flowers at home, using sensors and software to ensure just the right environment.

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