Belkin ships WeMo Light Switch for $50, launches matching Android app

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/22/belkin-ships-wemo-connected-light-switch-for-50/

Belkin promised a simple approach to connected lighting when it unveiled the WeMo Light Switch back at CES, and the company is making good on its word by releasing the switch today. The WiFi-based controller is now available both online and at retail shops for $50. It isn't arriving alone, either -- Belkin is simultaneously launching the finished version of its free WeMo app for Android to complement the existing iOS release. If you'd rather have smart switches than smart light bulbs, the new WeMo hardware awaits at the source link; the companion Android app should be available shortly.

Filed under: Household

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Source: Belkin

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SanDisk Connect is a new series of wireless storage and streaming devices starting at $50

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/22/sandisk-connect-wireless-storage-streaming/

Flash drives these days, no matter how fast, are a dime a dozen. A jump drive that does double duty as a wireless streaming dongle? Not so common. SanDisk's new Connect lineup can pull off the streaming trick whether it's the flash drives with 16 or 32GB sizes for $50 and $60, respectively, or the Media Drives that pack 32 or 64GB of storage for either $80 or $100. Both sets of devices can stream movies, music or other data to PCs, Macs, iOS and Android devices or even Kindle Fires. All you need to do is grab the SanDisk Connect app for your device, and transferring files is a drag-and-drop affair.

Where the Flash and Media Drives differ, however, is that the latter can serve up to eight devices at a time with regular data, or send out five simultaneous streams of 720p video. Plus, it's got an SDHC/SDXC slot for further storage expansion, should 64 gigs be insufficient. Sound good? Folks in the US can pre-order either drive today from Amazon, and if you aren't a Bezos fan, Newegg and Micro Center are taking Flash Drive preorders, too. Save that, you can always go pick one up from Best Buy in August.

Filed under: Storage, Mobile

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This Arduino hackaphone was never going to be pretty, but it does the job

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/22/arduino-hackaphone/

Okay, we'll admit that it looks a bit like a baby monitor. But in contrast to those over-engineered pieces of parenting paraphernalia, this DIY cellphone can actually make calls and send texts over GPRS. More importantly, Hackaday claims it was put together by a lone hacker ("Victorzie") from an assortment of off-the-shelf and modded parts, including a TFT touchscreen, lithium ion battery, charging circuit, GPRS module and shield. These components were hooked up to an Arduino Uno microcontroller running a barebones UI and then jammed into a 3D printed case, which makes the device look far more pocketable than some previous hackaphone efforts. The end result inspires big respect for the creator, but also, more grudgingly, for the pro engineers at places like Nokia, who can pull all this stuff together and even get it FCC-approved for just a few dollars.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: Hackaday

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Freeze Half-Cooked French Fries For Extra Crunch

Source: http://lifehacker.com/freeze-half-cooked-french-fries-for-extra-crunch-844089555

Nothing beats a french fry that's crispy on the outside, and still soft and warm on the inside, but it's tough to get it just right when you cook them at home. Oddly enough, the secret to that restaurant-style crunch might be your freezer.

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MiniFlux is a Secure, Minimal News Reader

Source: http://lifehacker.com/miniflux-is-a-secure-minimal-news-reader-850246201

If you still haven't settled on a Google Reader alternative, or you're concerned about security on any of the popular offerings, MiniFlux is worth checking out.

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