Philips’ Somneo Sleep and Wake-Up Light for a more soothing sleep

According to the latest research, nearly 40 percent of the world’s adults claim to get less than seven hours of sleep per night. This falls quite short of the recommended 7-9 hours for a healthy lifestyle. If you’re among these millions of people around the globe who suffer from sleep issues, perhaps a gander at electronics giant Philips’ latest wake-up light might not go amiss. Dubbed the Somneo Sleep and Wake-Up Light, this bedside gadget aims to improve your bedtime experience by putting you in the right ‘light’ frame of mind.

Based on the proven theory that sleep habits are hugely affected by light, the Somneo Sleep and Wake-Up Light works to ensure your sleep cycle is well-adjusted at both ends of your day. In the early hours, the lamp simulates the growing light of dawn – from a deep red to orange and then yellow – not enough light to disturb your sleep, but enough that your body subconsciously prepares for the day so you wake up refreshed and ungroggy when your alarm finally rings.

At the end of the day, the lamp works in reverse, much like a sunset. The light’s intensity decreases gradually to allow yourself to prepare for bedtime. Or, if you so prefer, there’s an alternative guided breathing system that uses light and sound pulses to measure your breathing, much like a meditative experience to unwind your mind.

As a handy addition, the Somneo Sleep and Wake-Up Light comes with a companion mobile app that allow for the customisation of light intensity, alarm settings and music selection. It also lets users monitor their sleep times, while offering suggestions on improving any areas that are lacking. To find out more about this US$200 innovative sleep aid, visit their website.

BBQ like a pro with Heston Blumenthal’s innovative Everdure Fusion

With summer in full swing, there’s no better time than now to take advantage of the languid temperatures and gather your loved ones for a sumptuous barbeque by the pool or beachside. If you’re more BBQ novice than grillmaster, though, fear not, as one particularly handy gadget can purportedly help you achieve the perfect grill with minimal effort.

Dubbed the Everdure Fusion Charcoal Electric Ignition Barbeque, the contemporary machine is designed to simplify old-fashioned charcoal cooking and achieve that smoky flavour like a pro. With an innovative Fast Flame Ignition System, you can achieve the ideal charcoal burn temperature with a boost from an electric charge – something that can apparently be achieved within 10 short minutes.

What’s more, its patented Rotiscope Technology allows you to set up a perfect rotisserie spit equally breezily, while the helpful addition of Cliplock Forks ensure your prized cut of meat remains exactly where it should be throughout the cooking process. To round out its no-muss, no-fuss approach, the porcelain enamel firebox and charcoal trays have been designed to be easily cleanable, while the addition of a free-standing pedestal means you can choose to set up your grill wherever you please.

While all this may sound slightly too good to be true, the Everdure Fusion Charcoal Electric Ignition Barbeque comes with the highest of recommendations, most notably from celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal, owner of the world-famous The Fat Duck in Berkshire, UK. This may be of little surprise, though, since the Everdure range of barbeque gadgets is actual his personal brainchild, launched to create a ‘3 Michelin star barbeque range’ in the comforts of your own backyard.

To find out more and pre-order your own Everdure Fusion barbeque unit, visit this site.

FoodMarble Aire: Identify your food intolerances with this handy gadget

Prince or pauper, high-net-worth individual or homeless hobo, we all have at least one thing in common – the propensity to develop Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a chronic digestive disorder that can cramp your lifestyle just as much as it can cramp your organs.

Its persistence, according to most eminent stoolologists, can be curtailed if you can excise the trigger foodstuffs from your diet. The problem – up until now – has been that the exact trigger varies from scoffer to scoffer, with every bunged-up bowel potentially irritated by something different.

The “up until now” in this instance comes courtesy of FoodMarble, a Dublin-based start-up, whose debut product – the FoodMarble Aire – literally sniffs out just what’s getting your tum into such an untimely tangle. It does this by logging the fluctuating levels of hydrogen in your exhalations.

Fitted into an eminently portable square package (with mouthpiece attached), the FoodMarble Aire has a companion app that tracks your readings instantaneously. All that’s required is inhaling for three seconds then exhaling into the device. What’s more, it is even said to track your sleep and stress levels as well, providing a more holistic way to track your body. The higher the level, the more indigestible your belly is finding whatever it is you are currently tucking into. It then goes one step further and identifies whatever it is your system is a little intolerant of – whether that’s lactose, sorbitol (a sugar substitute), wheat or something a tad more exotic. What’s more, the US$159 FoodMarble Aire provides instant readings and reports via its companion mobile phone app.

No-Curl Power: New ghd platinum + styler could unlock your hair’s potential

Since time immemorial, the more curly-haired girlies have experimented with every variety of trichological trickery in a bid to hamper humidity-induced frizz or to try and untangle seemingly untameable tresses – a quest that ultimately gave rise to the high-tech hair straightener that is now a staple of so many bathroom cabinets.

Despite their ubiquity, this particular manifestation of tonsorial technology often takes a barbarous toll – dried-out hair strands, follicle damage or permanent colour loss.Now, though, the coiffure connoisseurs at ghd, the UK-based specialists in robust ringlets, have introduced the ghd platinum + styler, a device they claim delivers “healthier styling in one stroke”.

More specifically, thanks to integrated predictive technology, this handy hairstyler adapts its settings to best suit your hair texture, tracking the lustre of your locks and the speed of your strokes, then adjusting its heat and power accordingly. It is also said to deliver 70 percent stronger hair, twice the colour protection and 20 percent more shine than its competitors.

While there may be more comb-over than substance to some such claims, there is no denying that the ghd platinum+ styler is both efficient and versatile, with the add-on rounder barrel allowing you to add curls and waves to your straight-hair repertoire too.

Newton Lever-Press Espresso Maker offers back-to-basics java

High-tech electronics and intricate engineering seem to have become part-and-parcel of the modern coffee-making experience, with high-end java-focussed brands like Nuova Simonellia and Concordia almost entirely removing the human element of creating an espresso. Thankfully, not all brands have gone the all-automated route, and the new Newton Lever-Press Espresso Maker is just one example.

The brainchild of the New Zealand-based espresso enthusiasts at Newton Espresso, simplicity underlines every aspect of the Newton Lever-Press Espresso Maker. Available as a counter-top model or a wall-mounted appliance, the process is minimalism at its very best. Simply add your grinds to basket, pour boiling water, then raise and lower the lever, and enjoy your freshly-made espresso.

Once you’ve familiarised yourself with its mechanisms, the non-electric device also allows you to further personalise your beverage in several ways – the force applied to the lever, the coarseness of the ground coffee, quantity of beans used, etc – so that you can have your cuppa made just the way you like it.

Crafted in a sleek stainless steel frame with anodised aluminium barrel and lever and an American hard maple timber base, it’s also easy to clean and stain-resistant – a handy feature for any accidental drippage. What’s more, the entire process is whisper-soft, while also being wholly eco-friendly – no capsules, plastic wrappers or filters. To pre-order your very own US$580 Newton Lever-Press Espresso Maker, visit this website.

Introducing: The SafeSleeve Anti-Radiation RFID Phone Wallet Case

It’s no secret that in today’s Digital Age, we are all addicted to our mobile phones to one extent or the other, logging hours each day browsing through work emails, social media accounts and news sites. But what many may not be aware of is that our phones actually emit harmful Electromagnetic Fields and Electromagnetic Radiation (EMF/EMR) that are detrimental to our health.

When considering that the average adult spends roughly 24 hours, the equivalent of one whole day, every week on their phones, the consequences of EMF/EMR are frightening. Thankfully, though, one particularly handy gadget is capable of blocking these harmful waves – the SafeSleeve Anti-Radiation RFID Phone Wallet Case.

As its name suggests, the SafeSleeve Anti-Radiation RFID case comes equipped with technology that blocks over 90 percent of EMF/EMR thanks to its Anti-Radiation and Anti-RFID technology. But that’s not all. With a heavy emphasis on efficiency and functionality, this gadget also boasts a practical in-built three-slot wallet, and comes in a variety of options whether you own an iphone, Android or any other phone. For more information on this useful yet innocuous US$39.95 device, check out the video below.

reMarkable tablet: Paper-like device for handwritten notes in a digital age

There is a new tablet on the block, but it claims to have more in common with paper than with tablets. Yes, reMarkable, an US-based tech startup, has updated its signature reMarkable tablet – best described as a cross between an iPad and an e-reader – which lets you scribble on it in a manner that’s identical to writing on paper.

In a world that’s moving into the future at break-neck pace, the reMarkable tablet seems like a deliberately measured step into the past. It harks back to the days of handwritten notes and creative doodles on the margins. Coming with a pen and a paper-like interface, it not only allows you to take notes on the device but also converts your handwritten notes to typed text, making them easy to refine and share.

While the reMarkable tablet can access the internet and can be connected to all your other devices for easy file transfer, it purposely does not have a social media or notifications feature. The aim is to minimise as much distraction as possible while you’re working.

With the world striving to go paperless, it may just prove to be a bridge between the past and the future, fusing the best of technology with the old-world charm of handwritten notes. Check out the video for more:

Umay Rest: Optimum optical relief for your peepers

According to a 2016 study by Nielsen, the New York-headquartered market research giant, the average adult now spends more than 10 hours a day staring at electronic screens of one kind or another – whether perched in front of an office PC or slouched at home while peering at the latest OLED TV.

Inevitably, this persistent proximity has seen the emergence of a wholly new medical condition – Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Triggered by prolonged optical exposure to digital devices, the condition is characterised by headaches, blurred vision and dry eyes, and can also lead to disrupted sleep patterns and, in extremis, mental health problems.

In order to counter this all-too-common phenomenon, an innovative Edmonton-based start-up – Umay Care – has developed the Umay Rest, a high-tech meditation device solely geared to soothing irritated eyes. Superficially resembling a traditional eyemask, the system combines the company’s patented Meditative Heat thermal therapy with a series of gentle, programmable vibrations, all designed to soothe your dry eyes and de-stress your ocular muscles.

Now available for pre-order at US$179, everyday use of the Umay Rest is said to reduce the likelihood of future optical sensitivity problems. Thoughtfully designed to complement your own sleep schedule, its Thermal Meditation technology is even said to help confirmed insomniacs get a little shut eye.

Y-Brush: Revolutionary new high-tech toothbrush delivers 10-second clean

Ever since our first mini-molars broke through, we’ve all been lectured on the importance of giving our teeth a good brushing for at least two minutes twice a day. It’s a habit that’s only become further ingrained by nightmarish images of gaping cavities, rampant infections and terminal tooth decay. The Y-Brush, a recently devised bit of gum-friendly gadgetry, though, could free future generations from such tooth-related tyranny.

Created by FasTeesH, a French dental-care company, this revolutionary new toothbrush is said to fully cleanse every recess of your oral orifice in just 10 seconds. So, how exactly does this high-tech farewell to fillings function?

Well, the first clue that it’s not exactly a regular toothbrush comes from its distinctive contouring. Essentially, the Y-Brush resembles nothing more than a mouthguard, with its U-shaped oral insert allowing you to clean one entire jaw at a time – a boon to all those less slavishly dedicated to dental care. What’s more, the entire tray comes lined with 45-degree bristles – the optimum contact angle according to no less an authority than the American Dental Association.

With efficiency and ease of use clearly of paramount importance, users need only apply toothpaste to the device, insert it in their mouths and activate it while making a vague chewing motion. Five seconds a side and you’re done. With four sizes available, there’s a Y-Brush out there for every family member.

LG HomeBrew: Brew your own craft beers with this innovative gadget

It’s no secret that the world is experience something of a craft beer renaissance at the moment, with the industry netting US$26 billion in the US in 2017 alone. Hong Kong has also experienced a surge in craft beer connoisseurship, as we learnt from Heroes Beer Co founder Christopher Wong here. Building on this burgeoning interest, renowned electronics giant LG has introduced a new do-it-yourself appliance to help you create your own brews at home – the LG HomeBrew.

Introduced late last year, this kitchen appliance is perfect for those who’re in the mood for a little beverage experimentation. Utilising a design popularised by coffeemaker Nespresso, the LG HomeBrew encompasses an efficient and convenient capsule system, additionally fitted self-cleaning capabilities and a companion app that allows you to track your beverages-to-be as it’s being made.

Each beer batch can be crafted using a set of single-use capsules – containing malt, yeast, hops oil and flavouring – which are then automatically fermented, carbonated and aged in two weeks. To date, there are five available flavours to tickle your taste buds with: American Pale Ale, American IPA, English Stout, Czech Pilsner and Belgian-style Witbier.

“LG HomeBrew is the culmination of years of home appliance and water purification technologies that we have developed over the decades,” said Song Dae-hyun, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. “Homebrewing has grown at an explosive pace but there are still many beer lovers who haven’t taken the jump because of the barrier to entry and these are the consumers we think will be attracted to LG HomeBrew.”