Staying protected while connected: EyeJust

We're all addicted to our smart devices and waiting for the next update or text message can have serious consequences for our health. We're all aware of neck ache and RSI, but what effects does blue light have on our wellbeing?

A Harvard University study determined that exposure to blue light at night negatively reduces melatonin levels; since it helps regulate circadian rhythms—our body’s natural sleep/wake cycle—additional screen-time before bedtime can disrupt this cycle, contributing to sleep deprivation, too. In children, whose eyes are not yet fully developed, and who are now using digital devices from a very young age, prolonged exposure over time is of particular concern.

Eye Just is a great accessory to help banish the blue light from our screens. The stick on filter screen blocks the harmful blue rays that can damage our eyes, as well as reducing the impact on our skin. Furthermore, the EyeJust product is anti-microbial, keeping bacteria off the device's screen. It also has a two-way privacy shield, with the screen constructed from tempered scratch-proof glass.

Too many of us use our phone without thinking of the health consequences- EyeJust has got me thinking about how I can protect my eyes and face from the harsh blue light! I'm really impressed with the filter screen that I've installed on my device and I'd encourage you to check it out too!

Happy Weekend!

Happy long weekend everyone! Hope your week has been as productive and exciting as mine! I'll be heading off on a mini break this weekend.. have a fun filled long holiday!

Here are the links that I've been reading this week.

The Grace and Frankie Beach House: please can I move in?! I really, really want a slice of the Grace and Frankie real estate action!

Pentagon still uses floppy discs: this takes me back to my first computer!

Jolt your corporate board with a millennial: wondering what benefits a millennial can bring to a board? This article explains all.

#AusVotes: hooked on the Australian elections? The Twitter Aus feed has a great range of infographics and stats about the campaign!

Links of the Week

This week I've been reading...

Apple's biggest fashion hire

Julia Gillard: Avoid expensive distractions in education

27 serious problems all Welsh girls have to deal with

Track with Tile

If like me, you're prone to losing things, then Tile is for you. The office keys are something which I usually misplace (the curse of changing handbags) and there is always a mad panic when I need to be out the door, but the keys are nowhere to be found!

Tile is perfect for this situation. Tile is building the largest community of people united in helping each other find their most important things. Tile is made up of three core components- a physical Tile, an app and the community.

Simply attach your Tile to your most important item that you don't want to lose, and download the app to sync. Tile is a Bluetooth Low Energy device, and if you are not in the range of Bluetooth when searching for your item, Tile uses the connection of neighbouring iPhones running the app to cast a wider search net. Pretty awesome!

Find out more about Tile below! You can also have fun by looking at the #TiledIt hashtag on all the social media platforms.

Thanks to Tile for sending me a device to test. All opinions are my own.

Fever hits London

When exploring my favourite cities I'm always interested in finding new things to see and do. I'm really excited by today's launch of the app Fever in London!

Fever is the free, smart lifestyle app that uses artificial intelligence to uncover personalized, premium recommendations of things for you to check out in your city.

The brainchild of 22-year-old Spanish CEO Pep Gomez, Fever is making the jump across the water after successes in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and New York. One million users in these four cities already rely on Fever to unlock the best kept secrets they wouldn’t want to miss. You can follow friends and favorite tastemakers to see what they are up to and premier music, food, film, art, sports, culture and nightlife is at the tips of your fingers.

To start building a profile on Fever, you are asked to pick “hashtags” of things you love to do with your free time. Categories for these “hashtags” include film, party, food, shopping, sports, culture, music and more. By telling Fever your favorite things, the app is able to start pulling local experiences you’re definitely not going to want to miss.

I can't wait to try out Fever when I'm next in London! If you're in London, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or New York and use Fever let me know about some the cool places you've found!

The Harris Tweed Collection for Griffin

For me, tech accessories are equally as important as the tech item itself! I love this new Harris Tweed collection for Griffin, which contains a bag and five accessories for Apple devices.

The Harris Tweed fabric is found only in the islands of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, and the collection is made from this distinctive fabric and leather.

Available to purchase are a bag for both MacBook Air and Pro models, a Turn Folio for iPad Air and Mini, a dual layer case for iPhone 5 and 5s and a tweed wallet for iPhone 5 and 5s. Just in time for Christmas, the collection is perfect for both the gals and guys!

Shop the full collection here.

Links of the Week

This week I've been reading...

A fabulous trip inside Betty Halbreich's Park Avenue apartment!

Best Buy's new collection of tech accessories from Nanette Lepore, Anna Sui and Isaac Mizrahi are standout!

It's one of my favourite shows, and The New York Times is asking: 'Why are we so obsessed with Gilmore Girls?'

Tory Burch curates a fine art sale for Paddle8

And who couldn't resist this: 13 life lessons I learned from Emily Gilmore!

Tech Refresh | Kate Spade

Is your tech in need of a refresh? Check out Kate Spade for some quirky and cute cases and tech accessories!

I love the following items:

Glasses Pocket iPhone case

Scallop Pocket iPhone case

iPad folio hardcase

Bow USB

The Philip Stein Sleep Bracelet

I'm really intrigued by wearable tech, so when I heard that Philip Stein had introduced new colour options to its Sleep Bracelet I couldn't wait to find out more!

The latest fashions of the Sleep Bracelet offer a variety of colorful interchangeable ultra-soft material straps with high polished stainless steel and rose gold plated cases. The newly designed Sleep Bracelet features a front window display of Philip Stein’s proprietary Natural Frequency Technology.  Found in every Philip Stein accessory, the Natural Frequency Technology is finely tuned, similar to an antenna, to channel natural frequencies toward the bodies for personal benefit. As the cornerstone to the Philip Stein’s brand philosophy - Live in tune, the technology helps to promote a sense of wellbeing when worn on the wrist.

The new Philip Stein Sleep Bracelets offer a stylish accessory, designed for nighttime use. Wearers report benefits of falling asleep faster, sleeping more deeply, and waking up feeling more refreshed. The Sleep Bracelet is engineered for total comfort with an ultra-soft hypo-allergenic micro-fiber band. The band’s perforated holes allow the skin to breathe more readily, and the quick release mechanism makes interchanging bands a simple task.

Find out more by visiting the Philip Stein website. 

Tory Burch for Fitbit- Preorder Now

via

The day has arrived- Tory Burch for Fitbit is now available to preorder! The Fitbit device comes in four designs: two silicone printed bracelets ($39,) a metal hinged bracelet ($195) and pendant necklace ($175.)

Visit Tory Burch to place your preorder! 

SnapUp your shopping

Smartphones make it possible to do almost anything on the go. But when it comes to mobile shopping, constantly switching between e-mail, mobile apps and your web browser is slow and annoying. It’s tough to organize and keep track of the products you discover, and even harder to know when prices drop.

SnapUp made its debut in the past few days as an essential tool for every shopper to make it easy and fun to shop on your iPhone. By simply taking a screenshot of the item you’re already shopping for, SnapUp lets you organize and track the products you love. With a “snap,” the app tracks products on any retailer’s mobile app or website and compiles them all in one place.

How do you start snapping up your favorite things at the best price? It’s easy:

1.     Snap—Whether you’re browsing products in an app or in a mobile browser on your iPhone, simply take a screenshot of any item you want to keep tabs on.

2.     Organize—Simple swipe motions let you organize your snaps into customized dynamic lists so you can easily categorize and manage everything you’re shopping for.

3.     Buy—SnapUp alerts you when the price drops on an item you’ve snapped, so you can be sure you’re up to speed on the latest deal. Just click the “Buy” button in the app to purchase your item when the price is right!

“At SnapUp, we’re shoppers too, and we saw a need to reinvent mobile shopping,” says Shan Mehta, Co-founder of SnapUp. “But we’re not fashionistas trying to tell you what to purchase—we’re data geeks. As retailers constantly change prices and availability, and we’re committed to helping shoppers organize the products they love and get the best information possible.”

Find out more and download the app here. 

Beacon & Lively Wearable Tech

Beacon and Lively

Wearable tech is at the top of my radar at the moment, and Beacon and Lively are the latest company to throw their hat into the ring.

The company has unveiled the first in a line of wearable jewelry technology—a stylish bracelet that both discreetly vibrates and lights up upon receiving a call, e-mail, text message, and other alerts, keeping users connected to their smart phones via Bluetooth LE. Starting in November 2013, the development of the bracelet took six months to complete. The bracelets are currently available for pre-order.

Dave Becker, Founder and CEO, brings over 15 years of experience in software sales and product management to the team while wife and co-Founder, Veronica Becker, brings experience with managing customers’ needs in the biotech and medical device industry. “Our first priority was to create something beautiful that people would actually want to wear,” Veronica said of the bracelet’s innovative approach to technology and design. “Functionality is important but the experience is crucial. People want technology to fit into their lives, not the other way around.”

The “smart” bracelet, which allows its user to be connected at all times without engaging in disruptive behaviors, is aimed toward fashion forward women who rely on their phones, yet want to remain discreet in professional and social settings such as meetings and dinners. The design of the bracelet was inspired by high-end fashions with dynamic lines, as well as light usage as a design accent. The sleek and restrained elegance of the bracelet is a call to current high-end and edgy jewelry, using architectural inspiration, such as city skylines. “Our product development efforts were focused on creating something beautiful and simple,” said Dave Becker. “Our bracelet is cast in metal like a traditional piece of jewelry. The experience is easy to personalize through the app which enables users to specify alert patterns and colors.”

Beacon & Lively was developed with the future in mind, evident through the brand’s mission to make staying connected effortless and fashionable. Key features include a sleek fashion-forward design, ambient alerts controlled by the user, discreet muting, battery length of approximately five days, water resistance, personalized profiles, and illumination-off mode. The bracelet comes in silver and gold, with more colors to be released, and it retails for $225.

For further information on the bracelet click here. 

White House Week

This week at the White House  President Obama delivered a statement from the White House Press Briefing Room on the situation in Iraq and the U.S. response, in the wake of the terrorist organization ISIL making advances inside Iraq. Watch his remarks below:



On Wednesday, First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed 50 new Americans in a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

"This is an exciting day," the First Lady said in her remarks, "and it's just wonderful that I can be among the first to congratulate you on becoming American citizens."

Only a few feet from where she spoke was the Declaration of Independence -- and as she noted, none of the 56 Founders who signed the Declaration were born American, "they became American."



Earlier in the week, President Obama enjoyed the company of a 17-foot robotic giraffe; a 128-square-foot, portable “tiny house”; a 3D pancake printer; a giant red weather balloon; and more than 30 other inspiring and creative inventions brought to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue by more than 100 students, entrepreneurs, engineers, and researchers from 25 states — all of whom love to “Make” stuff.

At the first-ever White House Maker Faire, the President also announced a host of new steps to spur manufacturing, innovation, and entrepreneurship by increasing the ability of more Americans, young and old, to have access to tools and techniques that can bring their ideas to life.

The day was a celebration of all things built-by-hand and designed-by-ingenuity — highlighting the role of cutting-edge equipment like 3D printers, laser-cutters, easy-to-use design software, and desktop machine tools in empowering everyday Americans to create and achieve almost anything.

President Barack Obama looks at Lindsay Lawlor’s 17-foot-tall, 2,200-lb robotic giraffe on the South Lawn of the White House during the first White House Maker Faire, June 18, 2014. The creation “walks” on wheels and is powered by a 12-horsepower hybrid fuel-engine motor. Lindsay designed the Robotic Giraffe to play music, feature innovative lighting displays, and it can hold up to 30 people in its carriage. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Check out all the tweets and videos in the Storify feed. 

Why Ringly is the new gadget every woman should own!

Do you feel rude checking your phone in public when it vibrates? Then Ringly may be the answer to your worries!

Earlier this week, the New York start-up Ringly launched its first line of stylish connected jewellery. By connecting to your smartphone, Ringly is turning missed notifications into a thing of the past with a line of gorgeous smart rings that let you set customised alerts for calls, texts, emails, calendar and app notifications.

Created by eBay and Etsy alums, the rings are available in sizes 6, 7 and 8 and four different options of semi-precious stones: black onyx, rainbow moonstone, pink sapphire and emerald. “Early bird” pricing starts at $145 and lasts for a limited time only. Refer your friends and you'll get $15 off for each ring they purchase: 10 friends, and your ring is free!

The results from the early stages of its pre-sales campaign indicates that women have finally found a wearable worth wearing. After blasting through its initial pre-sales goal of $60,000 in less than eight hours, the team continues to sell its connected rings until its inventory runs out.

Find out more about Ringly by watching the video below.

The Tory Burch Smartphone Wallet

I've been looking for a smartphone wallet to protect my iPhone and I think this one from Tory Burch may be the one!

The woven leather style is striking and will help me locate my phone from the depths of my bag! 

Protect your tech with Coach

If you're anything like me, all my technology has to be protected by case. Whilst safety is key, also is style! Coach has some fantastic items for keeping your phone and tablet all safe...and stylish!

Phone Wallet in Saffiano

Zip Around iPad case in Saffiano

Bleecker legacy Business tote

Blogging on the Go with the new iPad mini

Regular readers will know how much blogging has changed my life, and for me, a day without blogging is like a day without a cup of tea!

So when I travel I like to stay up to date with what’s happening in the blogging world, keep in touch with my followers on social media and update content.

That’s why the new iPad mini (available here) is essential!

I’m able to jot down post ideas on the go, and use the camera to take photos whilst out. These are all handily saved to the cloud feature that enables me to access my files on my other Apple devices. Many a time I have been sat in the airport lounge or waiting for a train where my iPad has allowed me to catch up on blog requests and comments- a perfect way to maximize my time!

I use the Twitter app for my tweets and Facebook for staying in touch with friends and family. I use the Paper app for sketching out photos or potential post layouts, and Invoice2Go for keeping track of all my receipts. Dropbox is also super handy for backing up important documents that I need when I am out and about.

The iPad mini has come in useful when conducting interviews, and I recently used for my questions and recordings at two important interviews. It was great not having to worry if I could get down all the notes down in time, and saved me having to keep looking at a piece of paper.

You could say that the iPad mini has changed the way I approach blogging and social media- and it is the first thing I pick up in the morning when I go through my inbox before breakfast.

If you’re a blogger or want a device that’s reliable and essential when you’re on the go, the iPad mini is the perfect choice.

This post is in association with Argos.

The Lilly Pulitzer Tech Clutch

Lilly

Yesterday marked Lilly Pulitzer's birthday, and what better way to celebrate by purchasing this great tech case featuring the lady herself!

The black and white clutch has a gold leather tassel that adds a touch of glamor to your tech goodies, and it fits an iPad 2 or 3. It's a perfect gift for Christmas! 

New tech accessories at Kate Spade Saturday

If you're anything like me, I am always looking at new cases for my iPhone. I currently have a great one from J Crew that I utterly love, but still, that doesn't stop me from looking! These from Kate Spade Saturday are cute and quirky, and you'll certainly be able to locate them in your bag.

Topography

Cerulean Ombre

Spirograph

Fine Fellow

I love: Pineapple iPhone 5 Case

J Crew

I absolutely love this navy and gold pineapple iPhone 5 case from J Crew. Pineapple's are a sign to welcome visitors to your home, so let's hope they welcome lots of new friends and social media followers!