Technology

Pokemon Go has taken over the world, rejuvenated a dying company (kinda?), massacred millions of phone batteries, and created lasting adventures. Before the craze is over, check out these apps to develop your skills and have the most fun. 

Poke Radar - (iOS)

Everyone wants to catch an elusive Pokémon - or at least a personal fave (I swear I’ll quit the game once I catch a Pikachu). Poke Radar helps you spot which species have spawned in certain areas. This can help you and you friends find the perfect location to visit and catch whatever your heart desires. As the whole app is crowd-sourced, you should add all your info to make the data even more complete! 

GoChat - (iOS, Android)

There are countless adorable stories of people meeting new friends and reconnecting with others through a passion for Pokémon Go. GoChat provides a much needed messaging platform for players and fans alike. It was created by an avid beta tester who simply wanted to create an even better experience for users. Download it to meet and keep in touch with new friends.

PokeMatch - (iOS, Android)

Single? Perhaps you’ll be interested in PokeMatch, a brand new dating app only for Pokémon Go trainers. You can filter through users by gender and team (I’m Valor in case you were wondering) and swipe through like any other dating app. If you find someone you’re interested in, you simply select a PokéStop to meet at. Let me know if you find the love of your life; I’m desperate for cute stories.

While being a good athlete requires immense hard work and dedication, these technologies enhance, assist, and guide athletes to achieve their goals.

Halo Neuroscience materializes in a headset, but instead of playing music, it contains pads in the headband that sends electrical pulses to the athlete's brain. These pluses helps stimulate the athlete's brain, boost their learning curve, and enhance their retention of muscle memory. It has been tried and tested on professional skiers and claims to be applicable to any and all sports. Notably, Halo Neuroscience was a competitor at TechCrunch Disrupt’s Startup Battlefield last month. 

The Linx IAS is a device that is capable of detecting the severity of an impact to the person it is connected to. While it can be utilized by anyone, one of its primary users are athletes who compete in heavy impact sports. This device weighs only as much as a nickel, provides a response from up to 300 feet away, and instantly syncs the response with the cloud accessible by and Android or iOS device. This device can greatly assist its users by determining their likelihood of a concussion.

Once a scary, obscure device, drones are now becoming an everyday reality. Here are two ways that you might interact with drones in today or in the near future.

Delivery

Delivery drones are closer than you might think. Companies, such as Amazon, have released teaser videos to entice the public, but none have launched a mass-market, consumer delivery drone yet. However, many are getting close. Notably, Domino’s Pizza in Australia tested semi-autonomous drones, called “delivery experts,” which might become a full-time addition to the Domino’s team. Other than pizza and product delivery, drones will be able to distribute basic, necessary goods, such as medicine, to people around the world. For now, we’ll have to wait until delivery drones become more mainstream, but I am eager to see how fully integrated delivery drones will be in the future.

Photography

Perhaps the most common use for drones in everyday life is photography. If you’ve been at any large convention in the last few years, you’ve probably noticed drones flying around to capture images. The field of aerial photography has expanded widely due to these drones, and the field is becoming more accessible as these drones become more common. One of my favorite YouTubers, Casey Neistat, is an avid user of drones and frequently documents his trials and tribulations with them. As this is becoming such a prominent field, there are a vast array of photography drones to choose from. Personally, I recommend the Phantom 4; I had a chance to try it out earlier this year and got some incredible footage. Another drone that has piqued by interest is the Lily, which claims that you can throw it in the air and it will begin recording. It’s still on pre-order, but I will be checking it out once it’s available. 

Traveling can be a mess. Regardless of how well-traveled you are, there is almost always a hitch in your plan. With this being said, here are three apps to enhance and simplify your adventures.

Flighttrack 5

Flighttrack 5 provides you with information about each plane that flies through one of its 5000 affiliated airports. It determines accurate arrival and departure times, which allows you to stick to your schedule. Also, it’s exceptionally helpful for anyone who needs to pick someone else up from the airport; you’ll always be there at the perfect time! This service is available for $4.99 on iPhone and Android.

Foodspotting

How are you supposed to find the best food to try in a new country?Foodspotting helps you discover scrumptious food. It helps your palate explore an international menu, recommending specific dishes from local restaurants, rather than a generic, overall review. These reviews are submitted by users of the app who have sampled the dishes. However, Foodspotting does not allow highly negative reviews, so I would suggest selecting your food based on the quantity of positive reviews.

Worldmate

Recently, Riot Games hosted a major eSports tournament, the Mid Season Interventional (MSI), for League of Legends. At MSI, each region is represented by a professional team. Notably, this is the first year North America made it to the final round of an international League of Legends tournament. Unfortunately, they played against, arguably, the greatest team in the existence of League of Legends, Korea. The NA team, CLG, performed exceptionally well, even beating the Korean team during the group stages thanks to Darshan (Olivia’s favorite player), who carried the team. Similarly, SKT’s gameplay solely depended on their star player, Faker. Regrettably, SKT ended up beating CLG 3-0.

One of the highlights of the finals was before the second game began. North America challenged Korea with the exact same conditions as the first game, which North America lost. Clearly, CLG wanted to convey the message that they believe they could have won the previous game. Korea called their bluff, also choosing the same team composition from the previous game, proving that they are the stronger team. Though I am disappointed, I am confident that CLG will come back stronger for their next tournament.

Recently, things have been fairly rough for me. Everything is piling up, and merely existing throughout the day is a substantial challenge. In honor of this, I’ve crafted a list of my three favorite apps that have helped my through bad days. 

Vent

I discovered Vent a few months ago, and I regularly turn to it when I’m feeling desperately alone. Vent allows you to share how you’re feeling. After you select an emotion that characterizes your current state, you can describe what’s happening with as much detail as you wish. You can also connect with, “listen” to (follow), or chat privately with others. Easily the best aspect of this app is the positive community. The moderation is well done, and I can always turn to the Vent community when I need to get something off my chest.

Pacifica

If you are stressed or anxious, Pacific is the app for you. I stumbled upon Pacifica about a month ago, and I could not recommend it more. Pacifica assists users with stress, anxiety, and worry through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, relaxation, and wellness. Users get to select goals (mine: “Feel less stress or anxiety”), engage in chat groups with similar users, and follow a simple daily plan. While stress and anxiety are rampant this time of year, Pacifica is an app that vows to assist you gradually. Pacifica is not a quick fix but rather a longterm guide to an improved mental state.

Calm Harm

Father.io is one of the coolest augmented reality games commercially available. Father.io is a first person shooter (FPS) available globally, and it’s all on your phone(!!). This FPS only requires an $18 dollar “interceptor” to be bought, allowing you to shoot at other players. It also functions as the hitbox your enemies will be aiming at. Additionally, the interceptor allows you to shoot accurately for up to fifty meters and picks up enemy fire with its six built in sensors. Believe it or not, the first interceptors will be shipping this summer.

There are currently two available game modes: deathmatch and capture the flag. Deathmatch queues you into a game with players located close to your immediate vicinity, essentially creating an AR battle anywhere from your bedroom to the local park. The second mode, capture the flag, is a team based game, which pits two forces against each other in attempt to capture the enemy's “flag”. Within each game mode, every player may choose a class, altering your experience. These classes can affect how much ammo you have and what weapons you have access to. With weapons ranging from pistols to sniper rifles or even shotguns, the game’s diversity is vast. Additionally, other items such as grenades and claymores are available. Father.io has raised over $300,000 on Indiegogo, allowing for an immense amount of development constantly being added to the game. One of the current “reach goals” set by the company is to allow VR drone support, allowing players to perform airstrikes on unsuspecting players. Personally, I am highly anticipating the release of this product and cannot wait to try it out; the future of AR is bright.

Wireless headphones are quickly becoming the new norm (and might become a necessity if the iPhone 7 rumors are true), but which are the best? In terms of cost, performance, and portability, the Bose SoundLink On-Ear Bluetooth Wireless Headphones are leading the field. 

Bose’s audio has always been held in high regard, and these headphones are further proof of that. Simply put, there is a lot going on to provide you with the most impeccable sound. The headphones work with Active EQ to get clear, clean highs and deep lows. The audio quality alone distinguishes these headphones as one of the best on the market, regardless of their wireless capabilities.

Thank goodness summer is nearly here. With finals nearly finishing up, it’s time for a break. Here are a few of the must-have tech items for the summer.

The Polaroid Cube:

This nifty camera is ideal for capturing footage over the summer. The Polaroid Cube is capable of recording footage (up to 1440p) and has a magnet on the bottom, adding the option of mounting the camera on any metal surface. It’s even Wifi enabled! (Note from Olivia: It’s also quite adorable.) Unfortunately, it is not completely waterproof, but it is capable of functioning normally in a light drizzle or splash of water. Just don’t go swimming with it. If, however, you do fancy taking your camera for a swim, a waterproof cover is available for $25.

The Turtle Shell 2.0:

The Turtle Shell 2.0 is a rugged, compact speaker built specifically for durability. This speaker boasts to be dust proof, mostly drop proof, and water resistant. Also, the geometric design makes it easy to look at in addition to being a pleasure to listen to. Though the Turtle Shell 2.0 is available for as low as $73.99, it has a tendency for the bass to become distorted if used too intensely. So fair warning to all the fellow bass lovers out there, this might not be the speaker for you.

The EasyAcc Classic 10000mAh Power Bank:

We all hate those dreaded pop up notifications when our devices start running out of juice. Well, fear battery depletion no more, for this battery pack has you covered for up to five full charges. The EasyAcc Classic’s slim, lightweight design provides you with the optimal recharging experience. If you’re planning on spending your days indoors or outdoors, this battery pack is easy to transport and will surely save you from a dead phone!

One of tech’s most important events happened this week: TechCrunch Disrupt New York. The 20 most innovative, groundbreaking, and promising startups presented at the Startup Battlefield. Here are my faves:

Spinn Coffee

I can’t survive without coffee, but Spinn Coffee has shown me that I’ve been experiencing coffee incorrectly my whole life. Spinn promises two key features: convenient and environmentally friendly coffee. Spinn can brew various types of drinks (french press, espresso, americano, etc), and it allows you to find local roasters through their app. Running out of coffee? Spinn will automatically order more from your favorite roasters. Remarkably, Spinn’s brewing process has no waste; this means no filters, no cups, no capsules. Of course, if you use it long enough, this would save you money, but more importantly, it is significantly better for the environment. You can currently pre-order Spinn (shipping in mid 2017) for $299.

Artveoli

Artveoli has perhaps the most sustainable invention of the Battlefield. This creation converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, making the planet a more breathable place. Using a microfluidic chip to encourage photosynthesis, Artveoli is making the world a healthier place, now and in the future.

Scoutible

The most intriguing idea in the Battlefield to me is Scoutible. Resumes are easily one of the most annoying things to create or read; they rarely provide you with what you want to know nor a person’s skills. Scoutible proposes a solution: play games to find jobs. Obviously, these games reveal much more about you than your gaming skills. It’s about your actions and your processes, which will reveal your strengths. Many top companies are finding talent on Scoutible, and you might just be hired from one 20 minute game!

To start off, I must say that I am incredibly surprised that Amazon even bothered to create another product after the spectacular failure (http://www.wired.com/2015/01/amazon-fire-phone-always-going-fail/) of the Amazon Fire phone. Nevertheless, they did; Amazon has managed to create yet another super expensive yet extremely booklike Kindle. The Kindle Oasis boasts to be the thinnest Kindle yet, but the design lacks finesse: Amazon created an asymmetrical Kindle with one side having a large lump, which holds the battery and functions as a handle. To add the option of having a smoother back, Amazon developed a case that slots into the Kindle (making it flat). According to Amazon, this case also extends the battery for eight weeks if it is used for thirty minutes a day. Amazon also added buttons to flip the pages, in addition to its touch screen. Now, these things all sound great, but Amazon stupidly decided to make the cheapest version of this new Kindle cost $289.99 with additional features such as the cover or 3G compatibility, bumping the price up to $379.99, drastically more expensive (and overpriced) than previous releases. All in all, it's not a terrible product, maintaining its signature bookish feel. However, the ridiculously high price makes it a little hard to justify all the hype surrounding it, making the answer to why the hell people care about it, one of the unexplained mysteries of the universe.

The Amazon Echo is a household Siri on steroids. Called “Alexa,” the Echo is a black metal cylinder that, at first glance, looks just like a speaker. If you get the Echo Dot, it’s a slice of the cylinder. But when you call her name, you can make an ever growing list of commands; however, it still leaves much to be desired. Don’t get me wrong, I love virtual assistants, but Alexa can’t do much more than play music, look up the weather, and add items to your Amazon cart. (Austen is, however, especially interested in its pizza delivery service). 

Everyone hates finals. They're intense, stressful, and all around just awful. Today, I will be recommending some apps to help you get through one of the most difficult weeks of the year.

myHomework is an app that helps you digitize your organizer. You can enter information regarding a project or assignment, such as the due date. myHomework then sets reminders and helps you organize incomplete and complete assignments. myHomework is available free without needing to create an account; however, creating an account allows you to sync your tasks between your devices. A yearly fee of $4.99 can also be paid to receive extra features and to disable ads. No more missing the deadline for a big project!

One of my other favorites is Studyblue. Studyblue enables the user to create personalized flashcards for any topic imaginable, and also has a large online library of flashcards for a variety of subjects. It’s perfect for memorization and quick study sessions. Studyblue is free to download, but also has a premium feature with either a month or annually rate allowing the user to access the online library, disable ads, and borrow unlimited cards from their library. It's also notable that your flashcards are always available offline.

Finally, the app that enforces the one thing none of us possess, SelfControl. This horrendously wonderful app enables the user to block any internet related activity for a set period of time. You could block access to Tumblr or any other distracting site. During this time, the user is unable to turn off, restart, or even uninstall the application, and will only regain access to the blocked aspects once the timer has expired. SelfControl is available free on any Mac with OS X 10.7 or higher.

Good luck on all your finals! It’ll be over soon enough!

Snapchat Discover is a feature for top publishing companies to share their best content. Swipe the snap of interest to see a video or read an article. These are the best three options currently available:

WSJ

The Wall Street Journal discover channel has several different sections that get updated, from life to tech to fashion to travel and even a “House of the Day” section that showcases unique and beautiful homes. The wide variety of content has a massive appeal and should make it easy for anyone to find something of interest.

Tastemade

This isn’t the only food oriented channel, but it’s the most fun. Tastemade has innovative recipes and make-a-long videos that are updated daily. Also, there are entertaining lists and “how to’s” that explain when and why to use certain ingredients as well as detailing how ingredients are manufactured. Separate from their instructions, the channel is also laced with the occasional funny article (my personal fave: most disappointing candies).

National Geographic

Are you fascinated by the world unknown? Check out National Geographic’s images and stories about everything from nature to diverse cultures. Their channel is a condensed version of the popular magazine. Photos, combined with their personal storytelling philosophy, create an incredible visual experience.

What is one thing every person needs? Sleep. However, many of us don’t get enough of it. Here are three apps that will help you improve your sleep cycle.

My favorite, and perhaps the most effective, app is Sleep Genius. This app focuses on helping you develop healthy sleeping habits by allowing your body to go complete its 5 sleep cycles. It does this, among other things, by playing sounds and/or music to get your mind in that sweet spot. Sleep Genius also has a nap function, relaxation program, and alarm to help you wake up over the span of 5 minutes (Sorry, no snoozing this one!) This app also include Samsung Gear Fit and Gear 2 functionality, which could be helpful for the select few who own these devices. Sleep Genius is available for $4.99 on iOS and is free to download on Android.

Fair warning, the name for the next app is… creative: Pzizz (?!?!). This app is not as technical as Sleep Genius, but it still brings a few things to the table. It has a nap feature in addition to a sleep feature, and unlike Sleep Genius, it won't cost you a penny. True, it does not incorporate any of that sciency stuff most of us love, but for those who don't want to spend any money, Pzizz is ideal.

Relax Melodies is the final app we’re looking at. It plays several different types of music that you have the option of compositing yourself. You can import music from your library or use the generic sounds the app comes with. There is also a “community” function where you can browse soundtracks other people have created if you are unsure of which songs to pick. This app is free to download, but there is a premium feature available for $2.99.

If all else fails, The Rock Clock has arrived.