LAS VEGAS – John F. Braun gets to check out Flo, a water monitoring and control system that can help you save money through conservation and preventing water damage.
CES - iDevices Puts Your Light Switch on Steroids with Instinct
John F. Braun checks out Instinct, a smart light switch with additional sensors, plus Alexa, to create a new lighting experience.
CES - Linksys Announces Velop Dual Band Nodes, New Software Features
In addition to dual-band Velop nodes, Linksys announced Intelligent Mesh, parental controls, security features, and other software improvements.
CES - Kwilt Shoebox Brings Private Cloud to Your Photos and Videos
LAS VEGAS – Kwilt Shoebox was showing off their private cloud storage device at CES Unveiled Sunday, giving iPhone users an easy way to back up, offload, and view all your photos and videos.
CES - Guardian Automatically Shuts off Your Water System to Prevent Leaks
LAS VEGAS – Homeowners (and probably insurance carriers!) can rejoice at the Guardian automated leak prevention system, shipping today. The system is entirely do-it-yourself and requires no plumbing to be done at all. Simply clamp the main unit onto the pipe where your water main control valve is, and then set the Wi-Fi-connected sensors in strategic locations around the house. When one of the sensors detects a leak, the system’s automated motor closes the valve to prevent water damage from a constantly-fed open pipe. Each sensor has a 15-year battery inside it. We think that’s long enough to get your money out of the system and move on to something else cool in 10 years! Guardian also includes a temperature sensor to help prevent against water damage from frozen pipes. At 45F the system starts sending alerts to your iPhone; at 40F it shuts off your water. The iOS app can also be used to control and monitor the system remotely. A kit with the battery-backed base unit and three Wi-Fi sensors is priced at US$399, and you can add more sensors whenever you like.
Microsoft Suspends Bitcoin Payments
Microsoft support called the move temporary, a response to high transaction fees and volatility in Bitcoin’s price.
The Award Winning Speed Reading Bundle - Lifetime License: $15
We have a deal on a lifetime license for the Award Winning Speed Reading Bundle, which includes 7 Speed Reading EX and Spreeder CX. Both apps are designed to help you read faster—they both run on Mac, Windows, and Linux, and 7 Speed Reading EX also runs on iOS. The bundle is $15 through us.
Standards Are Great Because There Are So Many of Them – Mac Geek Gab Podcast 691
Your two geeks are traveling in Las Vegas for CES, but that doesn’t stop them from bringing you their weekly dose of help, tips, and Cool Stuff Found. Listen as John F. Braun and Dave Hamilton help you understand how to manage the /Volumes folder, resolve a Contacts syncing problem, and decipher just how Location Services knows where you are when you have no GPS or Cell radio active. And that’s just the beginning. You’ll have to tune in for more! Press play, download, and enjoy.
PSA: Panic Suspending Sales of Transmit iOS
The company cited low sales and overlap with Apple’s new Files app for iOS 11 as reason.
This Robot Is Named Justin, and He's Going to Build Houses on Mars
Check out Justin, a robot designed by German space agency DLR (via Wired). Justin is pretty special, starting with the fact that he was designed to make housing and other buildings on Mars. He’s powered by AI that allows him to do things he hasn’t been programmed to do, and he has three fingers and a thumb, each with eight joints, allowing him to handle a wide variety of tools. He can clean and maintain machinery, and in a recent test repaired a solar panel in minutes. Justin can also lift 31 pounds with each arm, which will go even further on Mars, which has a lower gravity. Oh, and he can make coffee and tee, thank you. Wired has more, and it’s very interesting.
