1. Take control of your dreamsNative American tradition held that a dreamcatcher would protect individuals while sleeping by protecting them from negative dreams while allowing positive dreams to pass through.
Developers at iWinks lab have created the Aurora, a headband that is supposed to monitor sleep stages and trigger lucid, positive dreams.
The headband won’t show up next to your pillow cheap, with a price tag of $175, but a good night’s sleep could be worth the investment.
Read more: Sleep-Monitoring Headband Enables People To Take Control Of Their Dreams (PSFK)
2. Android counters iBeacon with Datzing
Apple fired up consumers with news of the iBeacon feature with iOS 7, and now Android has a product that can compete with the Apple app.
Datzing works by monitoring location, with transmitters broadcasting a notification when a device with the app comes into range of the transmitter. The notification could be a coupon, image or a link to a website, among other things.
The difference between Datzing and iBeacon? Datzing operates off of a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection, while iBeacon requires an upgrade in hardware or software. The beta app should be released in March, and interested consumers can sign up on the Datzing website.
Read more: Android-based iBeacon competitor Datzing lets you set up beacons using old phones (Gigaom)
3. Visualizing the countdown to bedtime
Curious on how to help your children keep track of their time more efficiently (and less annoyingly) while on mobile devices and tablets?
A new app, the Tico Timer, can help parents set time limits on their digital devices to help children manage their time.
Read more: Tico Timer visualizes countdowns for kids (Alltop)
4. Photosynthesis for your phone
Plants get the energy they need to grow and maintain life by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, and drawing energy from the process. Turns out the latest piece of green tech isn’t a plant – it’s a transparent orb.
A new invention from German architect Andre Broessel of Rawlemon uses solar power to charge mobile devices and an atmospheric lamp that tracks the sun’s path for maximum power.
The device, the Beta.ey, can be purchased on Indiegogo for $149.
Read more: Glass Orb Charger Harnesses The Power Of The Sun (PSFK)
5. Nearly 2 million people are still using poor passwords online
‘The password is 12345? That’s the stupidest combination I’ve ever heard in my life. It’s the kind of thing an idiot would have on his luggage.’ – Rick Moranis, Space Balls.
While former SCTV actor Rick Moranis is playing a fictional character in a Mel Brooks comedy, there are nearly 2 million people using the password combination ‘123456? online. That’s about 1.5 million more people than the second-most commonly used password, ‘123456789?.
Using a strong Internet password is a very important thing as society continues to become more digital. Accessing an email account can open up an entire world to someone who is looking to steal an identity – banking, tax programs, insurance companies, utilities and phone services are just some of the accounts that could be compromised in a password hack.
Help yourself be safe – just don’t switch your password to ‘password.’
Read more: Internet users ditch ‘password’ as password, upgrade to ‘123456’ (Arstechnica)
