Students.org

Need a USB port in your wall?

One of the worst feelings has to be seeing your phone at 10% and realizing that although you have your charging cable, you forgot your adapter at home. And of course, there’s never a laptop in sight. As much as you try to stare down the wall outlet in front of you, it won’t turn into a USB port. But now, there’s a way it can.

FINALLY.

Power2U looks like a regular wall outlet, except for two vertical USB ports in the middle. Not only can you now plug in two USB devices to charge, but the regular wall sockets are available to be used as well – letting you plug in up to four items at one time.

We were intrigued too. Here’s what you want to know:

The Details

Charge four devices at once
Blends into the wall as a standard outlet
It’s energy efficient with Smart circuitry, and safety shutters turn off power to the USB ports when not in use
Includes easy how-to installation video, manual, mounting screws and matching wallplate
Compatible with any device that charges with a USB – iPad, iPhone, iPod, Android tablets and phones, computers, cell phones, gaming systems, digital cameras – and the list goes on
It’s available in white, light almond, ivory or black
You can buy in bulk – 2, 10, 20 or 100
Price: starts at $45.98 for the white 2 pack

Install these at home in your room and your study space so you never need to run around looking for where you left that bulky power adapter. It can be your own DIY project!

More information can be found on the NewerTech website.

What we never knew we needed: a smart coffee machine

Arist Cafe

Let’s face it, a lot of us are not morning people. We’re practically unable to function until we’ve had our coffee. Sound like you? We’ve come across an even easier way than usual to get your caffeine fix in the morning – one that doesn’t even require you to get out of bed (and no, Starbucks doesn’t deliver – yet).

Have you ever heard of a “smart coffee machine”? It’s certainly new to us. Coffee machines are pretty easy to use as they are – some are even a one-button push away from fresh, delicious coffee. But now, there’s a Kickstarter project for Arist Cafe, a coffee machine that can create customized coffee straight from your smartphone. You can program it for each coffee drinker to make your specific coffee in the morning, and even remotely ask it to start making you a cup while you’re on your way home.

The Details

Use the app to create your coffee (available on iOS, Android, Windows)
The app saves your preferences, including what time you usually drink it, how much milk you like, and what temperature you like your coffee at
You can choose from 100,000 coffee recipes
It recommends choices for you
It comes in white, black, or wood (shown above)
The reservoir can hold 1 litre of milk, 1 litre of water
It can hold 200g of coffee beans (enough for 5 cups of 12oz cappuccinos)
If you remove the drip tray, the machine can fill a cup up to 8″ tall
Price: $699 as of January 2015
Requires wifi or data
Stock up on different types of beans through the app
Arist Cafe is still seeking Kickstarter funding

Although you may not be able to afford this gadget (yet), it certainly could be an interesting talking point among your friends. Let’s start the debate. Would you buy it?

Here’s the website for more information: https://www.aristcafe.com/

Is it Worth it to become an Amazon Prime Student?

By hackNY.org on Flickr

Amazon Student is a special service offered by Amazon which – you guessed it – caters specifically to students. Available initially as a free six month trial, the service can be extended after the trial for 50% off the price of a regular Amazon Prime account. So what is it exactly that you’re paying for as a student?

The trial version of Amazon Prime Student includes free two-day shipping for the whole six months, and members will receive email updates on promotions. Amazon Prime Students also get early access to Lightning Deals – 30 minutes before the rest of the public.

Being an Amazon Prime Student member has other bonuses that include having access to Prime Video, a streaming service with access to a large amount of movies and TV shows. You’ll also get free unlimited photo storage with Amazon Drive and a subscription to Twitch Prime with monthly games and exclusive in-game content.

For Canadian and American students who enjoy shopping online, Amazon Prime Student is a great option, especially for the free two day shipping that it comes with. Online shoppers will save money on shipping costs and receive their purchases more quickly – which is also great for last minute gifts! Students who enjoy watching television and movies will benefit as well from the large amount of content available on Prime Video. Photo lovers who may be running out of hard drive space, or wish to keep their content in the cloud will benefit from the unlimited photo storage offered. Amazon Prime Student appears to be a great service with great features.

The biggest con here of course is the price. However, you get six free months to test out the service and see if you like it (and use it) enough to warrant the $7.99 per month fee. Keep in mind that you’ll be switched over to Amazon Prime once your four years are up. If you don’t want to spend the money at that point, you’ll need to find another place to store your photos.

For more information on becoming an Amazon Prime Student, check out their website.

Highlights:

Six month Free Trial
Free Two-day Shipping
Unlimited Photo Storage
Prime video streaming service
Access to Lightning Deals 30 minutes early
50% off Amazon Prime membership

Bad Roommates?

Image by Shutterstock

Living with roommates can be a fun adventure, but it can also get tricky when personalities don’t quite match up. It’s important to understand that personality clashes often come from differences in values, habits, and how we communicate. These differences don’t mean one person is right and the other is wrong; they just show that we all have our unique ways of doing things. Let’s face it, personality clashes are as common as overpriced textbooks. You might end up with an introvert who thinks socializing is making eye contact with their laptop, or an extrovert who treats your room like a 24/7 party zone. Maybe you’ll get a neat freak who measures dust particles with a microscope, or a slob who thinks “doing laundry” means sniffing the least offensive shirt from the floor pile. Whatever the personality conflict may be, it is crucial to keep the peace, communication is key.’

Strategies

Make sure to pick the right time to chat—ideally when both of you are calm and can actually talk. When discussing issues, try using “I” statements to express how you feel without sounding accusatory. For example, saying “I get frustrated when the dishes aren’t done” is way better than “You never do the dishes.” Also, make sure to listen to your roommate’s side of things. It’s important to understand where they’re coming from, even if you don’t agree.
Be specific about what’s bothering you; tackle one issue at a time and give concrete examples of what’s causing the tension. Setting clear boundaries from the start can help avoid a lot of conflicts.
Consider creating a roommate agreement that outlines expectations for cleaning, having guests over, quiet hours, and how to share common spaces. Respecting each other’s personal space is crucial too—agree on what’s off-limits and what can be shared. It might help to set up a cleaning schedule to divide chores fairly and keep things tidy.
Even with differences, finding common ground can really help strengthen your relationship. Look for shared interests that you both enjoy, and don’t be afraid to compromise. If one of you loves blasting music while the other prefers peace and quiet, maybe you can agree on specific times for each. When conflicts do pop up, try to handle them in a constructive way. Stay calm and take a deep breath to keep things from getting too heated. Focus on the specific behaviors that are bothering you instead of making it personal.

When in Serious Doubt

If you’re in a college dorm, your Resident Assistant (RA) or floor Don can be a great resource for mediation since they’re trained to handle roommate disputes. Sometimes, just having a neutral third party can help you both see things more clearly. In some cases, it might even make sense to look into changing living arrangements if things just aren’t working out.

Look on the Bright Side

At the end of the day, living with someone who has a different personality can be a great opportunity for personal growth and learning how to navigate relationships. A survey by American College Health Association found that 64% of college students reported feeling “very lonely” in the past year. So finding common ground with your roomie isn’t just about keeping the peace – it’s about potentially making a great friend!

The Newest Thing in Coffee, Funded by You

Image by GIR, Voltaire via Kickstarter

How many times have you screwed up your coffee in the morning because your brain is still half asleep? Let’s face it, this is a common occurrence. But what if you had a coffee machine that was smarter than you? Introducing the Voltaire Smart Grinder. It not only grinds your beans and brews your coffee – it can also tell you just how fresh your beans are with the connected app. This battery-operated grinder is portable and can last for up to three weeks and grind 3lbs of beans on one charge.

GIR, the company behind Voltaire, explains the science behind stale coffee beans and how the staling process is invisible, but what you need to know is that Voltaire has a sensing platform that figures it all out for you and tells you when to replenish your bean stock via the app. It’s one of the secrets to good coffee.

What we particularly like is the portable aspect – the idea of brewing fresh coffee outside, away from home, or even in your dorm room without using up an outlet is fantastic (why isn’t this a thing yet?).

Voltaire has a collection of companion products as well, that include Ever Cup travel cups (insulated with locking lids to keep drinks hot or cold and spill-free) and an AirVault Smart Container that keeps your beans fresh.

It’s just recently been funded by a Kickstarter campaign, bringing in an amazing $150,241 to get the ball rolling. By just meeting their stretch goal of $150K in the last day of the campaign, GIR is now offering a choice for the metal finishes – copper or silver. If you’re an on-the-go coffee drinker, this is one product to check out.

The Details

Use the app to measure bean freshness
Stock up on beans through the app
It comes in silver or copper finishes (shown above)
Add companion products like the AirVault or Ever Cups
Battery charge can last up to 3 weeks and grind up to 3lbs of beans
Received $150,241 from the Kickstarter campaign in August 2016: now in production
Estimated delivery for backers: March 2017
Price: not available yet

DOSS SoundBox Touch: A bluetooth speaker for when you need music, but also need to save

Amazon

When you’re grinding through those hefty assignments, having a pump-up playlist in the background can make all the difference in keeping you going. With hundreds of bluetooth speakers to choose from, a student-sized budget can really narrow down the options. However, not all inexpensive speakers are poor in quality!

The best, most affordable bluetooth speaker we’ve come across is the DOSS SoundBox Touch, which comes in at a delightful $28.99 and comes in four colours – blue, red, white, and black. It boasts a high-def, 360 degree stereo sound and fingertip controls and up to 12 hours playtime for your all-nighters (though you should expect 9 to 10 hours). It’s sleek and attractive, and both looks and sounds more expensive than it is – which is always a plus!

You’ll only need to connect your phone to the speaker once; from then on, the speaker will automatically connect to the last used device.

Keep in mind this speaker isn’t water-resistant, so you may want to refrain from using it for pool parties, but the sound is loud enough that you’ll be able to add a soundtrack to your sunny days in the park.

Overall, it’s hard to find cons for this device – for the price, the quality is superb!

Sound: 12W high-performance drives; <1% harmonic distortion; 360-degree stereo sound Battery Life: Up to 12 hours at 75% volume; recharge in 3-4 hours
Compatibility: Connect to bluetooth-enabled devices up to 33ft; aux-in; micro SD card
Colors: Black, white, blue, red
Size: 6.6 x 2.9 x 2.7 in
Accessories Storage bag, aux cable, USB charging cable, audio adapter
Price: $28.99 USD
Buy: Amazon

3 Ways Tech is Changing Lives

Image by paulbr75, pixabay.com

We know technology has grown exponentially over the past 20 years in ways that make our lives fun and efficient, but it has also made life easier and safer for some. Here are three tech advances that are really changing lives:

1. Smart watches for blind people
Think about the last time you had trouble finding where you were going. Now imagine being disoriented again, only this time you’re blind. Sometimes we take things like vision for granted, and Sunu is changing things. Fernando Albertorio is co-founder of this company, and legally blind. He recognized a need for a product that could help him navigate without bumping into objects, and created a wristband that emits ultrasound waves and uses varying levels of vibrations to let him know how close objects are. Not only is this product practical for the blind or visually impaired, but it increases their confidence and way of living. Albertorio even ran a 5K race wearing it.
Price: $299

2. Self-driving wheelchairs
You’ve heard of self-driving cars – so it’s only logical that self-driving wheelchairs would be just as possible. A Canadian research team has claimed to develop technology that would allow wheelchairs to drive themselves. The idea has presented itself before, however, the price for one of these was in the range of $30,000 – not exactly affordable. Toronto’s Cyberworks Robotics and the University of Toronto say they can create one for a cost of $300-$700. Self-driving wheelchairs would assist those who have low mobility in their upper body and may not be able – or find it difficult – to use joysticks and similar features on current motorized vehicles. While still a work in progress, it’s a good move towards improving the quality of life for those confined to wheelchairs.
Price: TBD

3. A device to prevent sexual assault
Sexual assault cases are constantly in the news, and MIT researchers wanted to develop a way to help detect it and prevent it. Too many times on campus, students are intoxicated and end up in situations where their judgment isn’t clear. The Intrepid Smart Sticker was created with the idea that it can be fastened to the inside of your clothing and sync to your phone. The sticker recognizes when clothes are being removed, and sends a notification to the wearer’s phone asking for consent. If a response isn’t received, the phone will start buzzing loudly, and if a response is still not received, the identified contacts in the user’s “safety circle” will be notified and receive their location and a phone call. The app will also start recording the phone call and any other noises. Based on input from assault survivors, volunteers, and users, the Intrepid team believes this device could really help cut down the number of assault cases.
Price: TBD

Alexa-powered microwave brings us one step closer to having a personal chef

Amazon

Ok, maybe it’s not the same as a personal chef, but let’s face it, an item that can heat up food while we sit on the couch is a win.

Amazon has introduced its AmazonBasics Alexa-powered microwave, letting you tell Alexa to start heating things up. Even the installation (if you can call it that) is easy, provided you have the Amazon Echo already set up (it is required for the microwave to respond to voice commands). Just plug in, connect to the app, and away you go!

You’ll have the option to activate the microwave the same way you do with Echo, by saying “Alexa”, or you can hit the “Ask Alexa” button on your microwave and proceed with your instructions. Voice presets will help eliminate the need for you to know how much cooking time is required. For example, you can tell Alexa to cook a potato, defrost peas, or reheat a cup of coffee. It’s practically magic.

Can’t get enough of stay-in movie nights? If you so choose, you can sign up to automatically reorder popcorn. Alexa will keep track of how many times you use the Popcorn button or voice command, and reorder popcorn for you when it knows you’re running low.

For those of us that aren’t quite ready to embrace voice technology, the microwave still has the “old-fashioned” keypad.

For the affordable price, the compact size, and the ease of use, this microwave is perfect for your dorm room!

Size: 17.3″ x 14.1″ x 10.1″
Cavity Size: 0.7 cu.ft.
Power levels: 10
System requirements: Alexa app, Echo device
Price: $59.99 USD
Buy: Amazon.com

Google Pixel 3: the best smartphone for students

Image via store.google.com

If you’re a university student in 2018, chances are you never really knew a life where smartphones weren’t necessary. Our entire lives are on our phones, and if we ever forget to bring it out with us, we feel naked. The unfortunate thing is that they are incredibly expensive – especially if they need to be replaced every few years. So as a student trying to pay your way through school, you need to find the balance between a great smartphone and a great price.

Enter Google Pixel 3.

Aside from a sleek design, the best part about this phone has got to be the camera – whether you’re outside during golden hour or in a dimly lit restaurant, you can be confident your photos will be of great quality. For the price you’re paying, you will get all the connectivity, apps, storage and speed you’re looking for, and in the age of Instagram and social media, having a better camera than competitors is nothing to shy away from!

Pros:

The camera – great quality photos, no matter the light
Water resistant – because we all need a little safety net
Wireless charging – say goodbye to sitting on the floor next to your outlet!

Cons:

No headphone jack (am I the only one disappointed by this trend?)
If you need more memory than 64GB, you’ll have to buy a new phone (or delete some selfies)

Overall, the Google Pixel 3 has very few cons, and with a price a couple of hundred dollars lower than competitors, it’s the perfect fit for students!

Security: Fingerprint reader
Operating System: Android Pie
Cameras: Dual front-facing camera; rear-facing camera
Colors: Just Black, Clearly White, Not Pink
Processor: QUALCOMM 8-core 64-bit
Resolution: OLED 2160x1080px
Size: 5.5 in
Battery: Wireless charging
Memory: 64GB
Price: from $750 USD
Buy: Google Store

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6: What’s old is new again (but better)

Image via amazon.ca

20 years ago, our parents had stacks of photo albums with everything from our birthday parties to trips to the zoo, to pool parties and holidays. Now, smartphones have taken away that printed photo in favour of digital ones we can swipe through. But there’s something about a tangible memory – somehow, it leaves more of an impact.

The Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6 camera can help give you that physical memento, but with a digital flair. All those filters and editing features we love so much about apps and smartphones are also included right in this camera, so when you print your polaroid, you’re looking your best.

This camera is so easy to use and really has nothing you don’t need. It’s a simple way to bring some nostalgia into your life and doesn’t claim to be anything more. Competitors do have more features, but it depends what you’ll be using the camera for. For a fun day out with friends where you’re just looking to print a photo for your fridge, this camera is perfect. You may need to wait a minute or so for your polaroid to print (that might feel like forever!) but this makes a great gift for your significant other or best friend and will really encourage you to get out and explore!

Colors: Graphite Gray, Aqua Blue, Blush Gold, Ruby Red, Pearl White
Filters: Comes with orange, green, and purple filters you can add over the flash
Size: 4.7 in. x 5.0 in. x 2.3 in.
Photo Dimension: 2.4 x 2.4 in
Film Development Time: 90 seconds
Self Timer: Yes
Battery: Non-rechargeable
Price: from $150 CAD
Buy: Amazon