Snapchat Murders Facebook!

Not long ago, it seem as if Facebook was the ultimate social network. Over two billion users worldwide would log on each day to check their messages, status updates, etc. Nowadays, it seems as if Facebook has lost its spark among the younger folks and is now dominated by older people. I think that this is as a result of more exciting apps and networks, like Twitter, and more importantly, Instagram and Whatsapp, which were both bought by Facebook. One undoubtedly noteworthy app presently destroying Facebook is Snapchat. According to the video, Snapchat is becoming increasingly popular among youth because it enables them to view the day of others in the form of stories, which deletes after 24 hours. Can Snapchat be the next 'BIG THING'? I myself have found a passion for Snapchat, and have found recently, that I am no longer intrigued by Facebook. If you haven't tried Snapchat as yet, I advise you to do so as soon as possible, although I know that we Grenadians are quite slow to progress in terms of technological trends. But the truth of the matter is that Snapchat is growing quite rapidly, and will, sooner or later, make its way into our Grenadian society.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKSr6h5-fCU

Get a Better Night's Rest With This Amazing Pillow!!

Look at this video:

I think that this is brilliant, because unlike other companies that try to sell you large mattresses that they claim will make you sleep better, Chrona takes something as simple as the pillow, and tailors it for the same purpose. Furthermore, unlike those sleep tracking apps that merely tracks ones sleeping patterns, Chrona helps users improve those sleeping patterns by using different frequency sounds, so that users can get a better rest, regardless of the length of the rest. This type of technology may be especially useful to University students. Sleep is an integral part in proper functioning of the brain, but with the various assignments and quizzes that students are bombarded with, often times they lack proper sleep. As mentioned above, Chrona will improve the quality of sleep, rather than quantity, so even if students do not obtain a long rest, they can ensure that they are getting a high-quality rest. The best part of it all, like every other new device released today, Chrona is compatible with your smartphone.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/chrona-smart-pillow-kickstarter/ 

New Facebook Caller ID App!!

A new Android app, called 'Hello' released by Facebook gives users a totally new and more effective caller ID. Facebook is now incorporating the telephone numbers that Facebook users have saved, with that users profile information. So, say for instance, you download this app, the next time someone calls your phone, if that person happens to have a facebook account, then certain public info saved on said person's profile will display on you screen, such as their name, picture, address etc. The app also allows one to search for a particular person on Facebook, and if that person has their phone number available to the public, then you can call them directly from the app. You can also block unwanted Facebkook profiles from calling your phone. The block feature will send blocked users straight to voice mail. This is a very incredible app. I have had the liberty of trying it out, and it seems to work quite flawlessly.

In a Couple Years, you’ll be able to Sleep in While this Robot makes you Breakfast.

A company called Moley Robotics is planning to release a new robot in 2017, which cooks food for you. This robot, according to digitaltrends.com, uses a set of predefined recipes to automatically cook food without human intervention. But many questions still arise in my mind. For example, how would the robot know exactly where a particular ingredient is? And if the ingredient is unavailable, what will the robot do? Furthermore, I highly doubt that the robot will be capable of cooking those very complex dishes which requires speed and accuracy. If this robot does turn out to be successful, I see it potentially putting a large amount of chefs out of work, since the robot would be able to cook the meal the exact same way each time, eliminating human error. The robot is said to have an expected price tag of 10,000 Euros (US $14,800), when it is released in 2017.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/moley-robotics-introduces-robot-chef-that-makes-high-quality-food/

The Smartest Motorcycle Helmet in the World, the Skully AR-1.

If you are a true motorcycle enthusiast, then look out for this new helmet set to release in May, with a price tag of US$1,500. You may be wondering why this head protection gear is so expensive. Well, according to digitaltrends.com, "Don’t let the looks of a traditional full-face motorcycle helmet fool you; inside the DOT/ECE certified shell, wearers get intelligent audio — helmet-to-helmet communication, hands-free calling, and music streaming — and GPS navigation via Bluetooth to a cell phone, in addition to a wide-angle rear view camera that shows up on a transparent heads-up display built into the visor (fog, scratch, and glare resistant, of course)." (Barnwell, 2015, para. 3). While this is a great technological advancement, we have to keep in mind, the many distractions, and subsequent accidents that this helmet may cause. Also, does this helmet remind you of something? I do not know about you, nut it certainly reminds me of Google Glass (it is like a motorcyclist's version of Google Glass).

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/skully-the-smart-helmet-that-can-save-your-life/#/3

Make a perfect meal with this knob!!

A start-up called Meld has recently developed a knob that replaces your current stove knob, and regulates the temperature of the cooking food by automatically turning itself. The knob gains information about the temperature of the food being cooked, from the Meld Clip, (a Bluetooth thermometer which clips on the side of the pot and extends down to the food). The whole thing is controlled by a smartphone app. The app allows you to choose from a long list of predefined recipes or to create your own recipes and cook times. This is a particularly great invention for individuals as me, who normally would burn the food or leave it undercooked. It would also allow me to multitask while cooking; something that I would usually avoid doing, due to my lack of skill in the cooking field. The price of the Meld Knob and Clip, plus the app, is about $129 US, which is certainly not bad, considering how much a smart stove top, carrying out the exact same function, would put you back.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/meld-smart-knob-kickstarter/

Like something out of a James Bond flick, these hair extensions can remotely control electronic devices!!

Another one on my list of unnecessary inventions is what, creator Katia Vega, refers to as Hairware. As the topic suggests, this piece of technology is basically hair extension with sensors, which senses when the extension is being touched and subsequently, runs a predefined instruction on a smartphone via Bluetooth. The more I think about this, is the more I ask myself, "why was this thing even created?" I understand the possible need of something of this sort in times of emergencies, but there already exist such devices such as the button. Now, anybody can press a button on their clothing to, probably call 911, but in order for this Hairware to work, it requires that the user has long hair, of similar texture and color as the extension. Furthermore, do not even forget the number of unintentional 911 calls, or maybe even unintentional selfies that an average user would carry out by the many involuntary strokes of the hair that practically everyone with long hair does. This so-called innovation, in my opinion, would be a disaster.

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/hairware-smart-hair-extensions/ 

Push a Button and Receive a Roll of Toilet Paper at Your Door!!!

Amazon is currently developing a new 'wand' called the 'Amazon Dash', which allows for users to order groceries from a range of 500,000 items by simply scanning the bar code of the item (if you already own one of the items), or by pressing the built-in mic button, and saying the name of the item you need. Amazon will receive your order, send a confirmation to your mobile device (you can cancel within thirty minutes of ordering), and then start processing your order, and you should subsequently receive your items the same or the following day. This device though, can only be obtained from an invitation to subscribers of a service called 'Amazon Fresh' (which costs US$300 per year). Also, the service is currently only available in Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Francisco of the United States. I think that this is indeed a great invention to help people avoid the hassle that involves going to the grocery store. If they can somehow extend this service to more states of the U.S. and hopefully other countries of the world, then this could be revolutionary. Leave your thoughts below.

https://fresh.amazon.com/dash/