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Firefly 2+ is a smart and stylish vape for cannabis connoisseurs
The Firefly 2 turned more than a few heads when it was released back in 2016. Lighter, sleeker and smarter than its clunky and cumbersome predecessor, it felt like the future of cannabis consumption. But in the following three years, the world turned. Today, pre-packaged concentrates and edibles are all the rage. Do dry herb vapes still have a place in today's cannabis market? The Firefly 2+ makes a compelling argument that yes, they do.
Apple bought a company that makes depth-sensing cameras
Your next iPhone's camera may be decidedly more sophisticated. Apple has snapped up LinX, a camera technology company that specializes in depth-sensing cameras that can create 3D image maps -- think Intel's RealSense, or the Duo Camera in the HTC One M8. While Apple isn't commenting on its future plans for the company, LinX's hardware allows for post-capture refocusing, DSLR-like soft backgrounds and better low-light photography. None of those features are new in the smartphone world (numerous devices offer one or more similar options), but they'd be welcome additions if you've ever flubbed an iPhone shot and wished you could fix it after the fact. Photo by Will Lipman.
Humble Jumbo Bundle spotlights Orcs Must Die 2, Garry's Mod, Magicka
Humble Bundle organizers have launched the Humble Jumbo Bundle, serving up digital copies of Unknown Worlds' FPS Natural Selection 2, Coffee Stain Studios' tower defense shooter Sanctum 2 and Paradox Interactive's DLC-bundled Magicka for a buyer-chosen price ($1 minimum). Beat the bundle's average purchase price (currently hovering around $4) and you'll also receive Robot Entertainment's Orcs Must Die! 2: Complete Pack, Croteam's retro-styled shooter Serious Sam 3: BFE, and Facepunch Studios' sandbox mayhem simulator Garry's Mod. Note that Garry's Mod requires a Source engine game such as Counter-Strike: Source or Half-Life 2 as a base in order to function, but considering that it gives players the power to create brilliant works like Half life: Full Life Consequences, it's worth it. The Humble Jumbo Bundle will remain available for sale through December 17.
Ooma HD2 handset and Linx adapter available on Oct.17 for $60 and $50, respectively
Ooma's Telo telephony device is pretty wonderful all by itself, but pairing it with the company's soon-to-be-released HD2 handset and Linx peripheral presents a whole new opportunity to the VoIP crowd. The HD2 -- the second generation Telo handset first introduced at CES 2012 -- offers some smartphone-esque functionality to your home phone: syncing with contacts across various social media services, for one, and profile photos popping up in the 2-inch color screen as identification on incoming calls. It launches very soon -- October 17 -- at US and Canadian retailers with an asking price of $60, despite previously being given a March 2012 launch window. The Linx -- which was outed in an FCC filing earlier this year -- adds a much more quaint ability to the Telo: the ability to plug in any normal landline phone (yes, even that free football phone you got with your Sports Illustrated subscription in the mid-'90s). The Telo can handle up to four connected phones, in the HD2 handset or Linx-connected devices (including fax machines, also from the mid-'90s). Linx connectors are also available as of October 17 at US and Canadian retailers with an asking price of $50.
Ooma Linx extender makes a visit to the FCC, lets phones go the extra DECT distance
For a VoIP phone company, Ooma has been unusually quiet since it showed us the HD2 handset at CES this January. Thankfully, an FCC filing spotted by Dave Zatz has let slip that the company is getting chattier in the near future. As the helpfully provided manual tells us, an upcoming Linx adapter will let a conventional phone talk to a Telo base station over DECT. The goal is to let Ye Olde Wired Phone in the basement join the 21st century without having to move the Telo or otherwise jump through hoops -- it'll even bring your fax machine onboard, if you're still holding on to 1994. We can't glean from the clearance just when the Linx will be ready to shake the dust from our antiquated phones, but with all the documentation seemingly in order, the wait isn't going to be too long before that landline handset enters the modern world.
B-Tube Bluetooth audio system streams music, phone calls
Looking to take some of that sweet, sweet Bluetooth handsfree action out of the car and into your home? Chinese manufacturer Linx is betting that for some reason you do with the release of the B-Tube, a wireless stereo speaker system shoehorned into a shiny silver tube. The unit is primarily meant for rocking tunes, letting you stream music from all those A2DP devices you have lying around, but the built-in microphone lets you shut the party down and take that check-in call from your parents. No word on size other than "compact," but battery life is estimated at 6 hours, and pricing is set at £49.99 ($99).[Via Crave]
Linx Photo 8W digital photo frame: no frills, reasonable price
It's no secret that we're intrigued by the line-up of new digital photo frames about to flood the market. Only, we find it hard to justify dropping that fat wad on a frame when we could pick up a new laptop for about the same price. Then the 8-inch, £110/$210 Linx Photo 8W rolled in touting a reasonable 720x480 resolution and 250nits TFT LCD display which should provide traditional photo-like quality visible under the most extreme of indoor lighting situations. Nothing fancy here: no WiFi, Flickr RSS feeds, and most certainly no support for Microsoft's SideShow. What you do get is a nice looking frame with the usual array of memory card slots, 2x 1.5W speakers for MP3/WMA audio and MPEG1/2/4 video, stereo and composite video outs, a rechargeable battery, and remote control. If you're not impressed at that price then you can always roll your own.[Via TechDigest]
