Hasta La Gadget!

If you’ve ever tried to write something long – a thesis, a book, or a manifesto outlining your disappointment in the modern technocracy and your plan to foment violent revolution – you know that distractions can slow you down or even stop the creative process. That’s why the folks at Astrohaus created the Freewrite, a distraction-free typewriter, and it’s always why they are launching the Traveler, a laptop-like word processor that’s designed for writing and nothing else.

The product, which I saw last week, consists of a hearty, full-sized keyboard and an E ink screen. There are multiple “documents” you can open and close and the system autosaves and syncs to services like Dropbox automatically. The laptop costs $279 on Indiegogo and will have a retail price of $599.

The goal of the Freewrite Traveler is to give you a place to write. You pull it out of your bag, open it, and start typing. That’s it. There are no Tweets, Facebook sharing systems, or games. It lasts for four weeks on one charge – a bold claim but not impossible – and there are some improvements to the editing functions including virtual arrow keys that let you move up and down in a document as you write. There are also hotkeys to bring up ancillary information like outlines, research, or notes.

If the Traveler is anything like the original Freewrite then you can expect some truly rugged hardware. I tested an early model and the entire thing was built like a tank or, more correctly, like a Leica. Because it is aimed at the artistic wanderer, the entire thing weighs two pounds and is about as big as the collected stories of Raymond Carver.

Is it for you? Well, if you liked the original Freewrite or even missed the bandwagon when it first launched, you might really enjoy the Traveler. Because it is small and light it could easily become a second writing device for your more creative work that you pull out in times of pensive creativity. It is not a true word processor replacement, however, and it is a “first-thought-best-thought” kind of tool, allowing you to get words down without much fuss. I wouldn’t recommend it for research-intensive writing but you could easily sketch out almost any kind of document on the Traveler and then edit it on a real laptop.

There aren’t many physical tools to support distraction-free writing. Some folks, myself included, have used the infamous AlphaSmart, a crazy old word processor used by students or simply set up laptops without a Wi-Fi connection. The Freewrite Traveler takes all of that to the next level by offering the simplest, clearest, and most distraction-free system available. Given it’s 50% off right now on Indiegogo it might be the right time to take the plunge.

Going wireless has been the mantra for quite some time now among device manufacturers, and it makes perfect sense. Wireless charging gets rid of having to tote around a pesky cable, while having a pair of wireless earphones allows you to move about freely while enjoying your music without missing a beat. While there are numerous models to pick from in the market, premium audio company Master & Dynamic decided to up the ante with its classy MW07 True Wireless Earphones.

I am not quite sure how one can define a pair of these as being “true” wireless headphones, but perhaps this is just a marketing stance taken by the company. What we do know is this: you will need to fork out a rather hefty sum to the tune of $299. Available in four initial colorways: Tortoiseshell, Steel Blue, Grey Terrazzo, and Matte Black, each individual pair of MW07’s will be accompanied by an elegant stainless steel charging case. Made up of premium materials such as handcrafted acetate and stainless steel in addition to 10mm Beryllium drivers, brings together both high tech and high design.

Audiophiles will fall in love with the couple of patent-pending technologies that ensure best-in-class Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity, superior comfort and a personalized fit. Despite carrying all of these within, they are stored in a slim, close to the ear form factor for a sleek looking design. The custom 10mm beryllium drivers used happens to be a kind of metal that is traditionally used only in hi-fi products, while optical sensors detect in-ear placement in order to figure out whether to play sound or pause when the earphones are removed from the user’s ears.

In addition, the presence of an innovative, detachable silicone “fit wing” that will arrive in a couple of sizes, apart from five ear tip sizes, will ensure the earphones can be comfortably and securely fitted to any ear. All that it takes is a single gesture to place the MW07 in the ear from its case. Capable of up to 3.5 hours of battery life with a full charge, the elegant hand-polished stainless-steel charging case carries another extra 10.5 hours of listening time.

Press Release
[ MW07 True Wireless Earphones look really great copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Facebook is the world’s largest social network and as you can expect from a network of this scale, there are harassment and bullying issues that need to be addressed. Facebook continues to add new tools so that users can protect themselves from bad behavior online. It’s introducing a couple of new tools for this very purpose today.

Users now have more control over how other people interact with their posts on Facebook as comments can often be used to harass and bully users. People will now be able to hide or delete multiple comments at once from the options menu of their post.

This feature is now out on Android and the desktop, it will land on iOS in the coming months. Facebook says that it’s also testing ways to let users easily search for and block offensive words from showing up in the comments.

Users can now report someone being bullied or harassed on their behalf through the menu above the post that they’re concerned about. Once a post is reported it will be reviewed by Facebook’s Community Operations team which will determine whether it should be taken down.

It will be possible to appeal decisions on cases that involve bullying and harassment. If a post is reported and it’s not taken down after review, users will soon be able to ask for a second review if they believe that the team has made a mistake in allowing the post to remain online.

Facebook Adds New Tools To Address Harassment And Bullying , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

A new report raises questions about the president’s ties to his company, currently run by his two eldest sons.

The red tide algae bloom that’s plagued Florida’s Gulf Coast for months has now jumped east to the Atlantic. Florida officials are dubbing it an “extremely rare” occurrence, underscoring just how far from over the state’s algae crisis is.

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