Technology – Page 9 – StuffWeLike

Swell Vision Atticus CR39 Sunglass Review

Does it make sense to put plastic on your ears? Most of us do it when we wear typical sunglasses. That idea sent me on a internet quest to find an alternative.

I stumbled upon Swell Vision, which is based out of South Carolina. Their frames are made out of bamboo. Of course this is far more sustainable than plastic! Exploring more about Swell Vision I discovered that they also put part of their sales towards supporting local Balinese children so that they can attend the Green School in Bali, Indonesia.

Within a week of placing the order I received the Atticus CR39 Polarized Bamboo Sunglasses. Immediately after I put them on I noticed multiple differences from my previously regular pair of shades. They are super light weight. Coming in at only 0.9oz you’ll barely feel them on your face or ears. That red pinched nose effect was greatly diminished even after wearing the sunglasses for several hours. The other noticeable difference to me was how breezy my face felt with the sunglasses. There was something to the design that allowed plenty of air flow helping me feel cool.

There’s lots to mention about the lenses as well. They’re CR-39 polycarbonate lenses that are impact resistant. Of course I’ve tried not to drop them to see how resistant they are. The lenses are UV400 which blocks 90-100% of UVA/UVB radiation. They’re polarized with an anti-reflective coating. What this all means is that you’ll see clearer on sunny days. You won’t get that awful glare. You’ll see deeper blacks, but not feel as if the frames make the world too dark. Maintaining the lenses is simple as they include a micro-fiber cloth and pouch.

Across the board these sunglasses hit every mark. They’re a cool design, have eco-friendly frames, are light weight, and have high quality lenses. If you want to be adventurous like me, take the plunge into the world of bamboo frames. They’re simply better than plastic frames.

Smart Garden 3 Review

If you’ve ever tried to grow a plant you know that there are many hurdles to overcome. Sun, water, nutrients, etc. Every step of the Smart Garden 3 is not just smart, but extremely well thought out.

Within minutes of opening the box my garden was setup. Within two days my seeds sprout. Gauntlet dropped! I live in an apartment that does not have a patio. Getting my previous plants to receive sunlight was a massive challenge that took time and lots of patients. Every morning I put them on the windowsill in my bedroom. At night I had to remove them so I could close the blinds. This process never allowed for direct sunlight. The plants took forever to sprout and quickly died.

With the Smart Garden 3 plug in the light and the LED lights turn on for 16 hours. Then they’ll shut off for 8 hours. This cycle is going to maximize growth. The lights never get too hot, but they are bright. I left them in my living room as I couldn’t sleep with them on in my bedroom. The lights consume only 6 watts. As the plants grow you can raise the height of the LED lights.

The water tank is easy to fill and holds enough water for a month. There’s a buoy in place that you’ll see if the tank is full, the buoy will float to the top. As the water gets used the buoy will sink over time to signal the need for more water.

The Smart Garden 3 comes out of the box with basil pod plants, which the seeds are already placed in the soil. All you do is place the soil capsules into the Smart Garden 3. They call this Smart Soil which they claim releases nutrients in sync with the plant’s life cycle and employs tiny oxygen pockets to guarantee plants get ample breathing room and nutrients even when the soil is wet. Of course you can grow practically any plant you’d like such as basil, thyme, sage, parsley, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, rosemary, peppers, flowers. and even strawberries.

If you’re looking for a easy way to grow fresh foods then the Smart Garden 3 should be right up your alley.

Martian mVoice Smartwatch Review

What makes a smartwatch smart? I believe that so far the tech and watch industry have yet to figure this out. There has to be a reason why people eagerly buy smartphones, but not smartwatches. Martian has taken a step back and looked at what we think we want in a smartwatch and simplified it.

What do watches do best? They tell time. The Martian mVoice Smartwatch places this first and foremost. Instead of a large digital screen, you have a large analog watch. The OLED screen is located on the bottom face of the watch. To control it there are a couple of push buttons on the side of the watch. On the other side of the watch you’ll find your USB charge port. The analog watch and OLED screen use their own battery. So if you’re smartwatch battery drains completely, you’ll still be able to tell the time.

With all this tech built into the smartwatch it does not feel heavy, get too hot, or feel too bulky. It fits on your wrist just like a regular watch does. Even though the OLD screen is only 96 x 16 pixels, you’re able to read the screen perfectly.

One feature that I know everyone will enjoy is that you can set your Martian mVoice Smartwatch to have your smartphone beep if you get to far away from it. This way you’ll never lose your smartphone again.

Once you pair the Martian mVoice Smartwatch with your smartphone via bluetooth and download the Amazon Alexa app you’re going to find even more cool features. There are literally over 5,000 skills that Alexa has, which you can activate with the Martian mVoice Smartwatch. You won’t have to take out your smartphone to activate these skills. Keep the smartphone in your pocket and simply use your voice with your Martian mVoice Smartwatch to do the activity. You can use the OLED screen to read text messages or even answer phone calls talking via your smartwatch.

This design seems to make for a lot easier and quicker functionalities than what we’ve seen so far in the smartwatch industry. The Martian mVoice Smartwatch is both a watch and a smartwatch and that’s a good thing.