Accessories

10 cute gadgets and tech-related things in Pantone Ultra Violet

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The Pantone Color Institute has unveiled 2018’s color of the year and it’s looking pretty good.

PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet is a deep purple with blue and red tones that we love. But, you know what will make it better? Seeing it in our real, everyday tech lives! We picked out a number of gadgets and tech-related items in this sweet shade because why not? You gotta admit: Everything looks better in the coming year’s new color highlight.

Polaroid SnapTouch in Purple

This cute instant camera is the modern twist to Polaroids of the past. It’s basically a digital camera that prints pictures!

READ MORE: Polaroid Snap Touch Review: Print photos with a digital camera

Fitbit Charge 2 in Plum

Getting fit has never been this fun. Fitbit wearables come in the cutest colors which means you look cute in every workout.

SEE ALSO: Fitbit Alta HR review

Belkin MIXIT Lightning to USB Clip 

Yep, because cables can be cute accessories, too. This Lighting cord is not only handy, but it’s also in 2018’s color of the year. Want!

 Yuumei Cat Headphones

They’re headphones, they’re speakers, and they turn you into a kitty with violet ears. I’m sold on these headphones and the fact that they come in a cool color just adds to how much this gadget appeals to me.

Whisper App

The Whisper App is a secret sharing platform — pretty interesting stuff. It also has a cool violet interface. Something to try in 2018?

Instax Mini 8 in Grape

Instant cameras in cute colors are my thing! Instax has been known to have the cutest color options for their devices. Of course, there’s a purple one!

SEE ALSO: Fujifilm Instax SQ10 review

Silicone Case in Ultra Violet

If your phone can’t be Ultra Violet (because there aren’t many phones in that color which is something that someone needs to get on, TBH), then fix it with an Ultra Violet case!

Google Home with a violet base fabric

Your Google Home doesn’t need to be in that drab gray. Dress it up with different base fabric options. I suggest this one.

READ MORE: 5 Reasons why I love Google Home

Purple Emojis

Emojis are always in style. They were wearing Ultra Violet even before it was color of the year.

SEE ALSO: Hundreds of new emoji come to Apple iOS 11.1

SEE ALSO: The most popular emoji is also the happiest

Lovenuts in Grape Purple

 

Give yourself a little more loving in the coming year with this. Self-help and empowerment is always a good theme for the new year!

READ MORE: LoveNuts hands-on: Feeling the vibe!

There you have it! These are some of the cutest things in Ultra Violet. Let us know what your favorite ones are in the comments section below!

And remember, make 2018 your year. You can start with these devices.

SEE ALSO: 5 smartphones that are Beautiful in Blue 

[irp posts=”15824″ name=”Top 8 Prettiest Pink Smartphones”]

Accessories

OBSBOT Meet Flip Hands-on

It’s tinier and folds this time

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Phones flip and fold. Now webcams do too.

Foldable screens have found their way into phones, tablets, and laptops in recent years. Now, OBSBOT is taking that idea in a considerably smaller direction: the webcam.

OBSBOT Meet Flip

The OBSBOT Meet Flip is the company’s first foldable 4K webcam packing:

  • 1/2-inch stacked CMOS sensor
  • intelligent audio
  • a collection of AI-powered meeting tools

All of these inside a body weighing just 37.7 grams.

A fold that does something, not just a gimmick

The OBSBOT Meet Flip isn’t foldable just to make it easier to throw into a bag.

Closing the webcam physically blocks the lens and puts the device into sleep mode. Open it when you want to be seen, flip it shut when you don’t.

A physical privacy cover isn’t novel in itself. What’s clever here is how it’s part of the folding design.

As someone with a love-hate relationship with data privacy, I almost always keep some physical barrier over my laptop webcam. And if I can avoid having a webcam there entirely, even better.

Serious camera hardware in a pocket-sized webcam

Despite its size, OBSBOT hasn’t treated the Meet Flip like a basic laptop-camera replacement.

Inside is a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology, capable of recording 4K UHD at 30 fps or 1080p at 60 fps. It also packs an f/1.8 aperture, HDR, PDAF autofocus, ISO 100–6400, and up to 4x digital zoom.

At its core is a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology.

It can record:

  • 4K UHD at 30fps
  • 1080p at 60fps

You also get:

  • f/1.8 aperture
  • HDR
  • PDAF autofocus
  • ISO 100–6400
  • up to 4x digital zoom

On paper, that gives the Meet Flip a better shot at handling the situations built-in laptop webcams often struggle with: dim rooms, harsh backlighting, changing lighting conditions, or simply moving around in front of the camera.

HDR helps keep faces visible against bright backgrounds, while PDAF autofocus continuously adjusts focus as you move closer to or farther from the lens.

The wider f/1.8 aperture should also help in less-than-ideal lighting.

The point is that once the Meet Flip is set up, you shouldn’t have to spend much time thinking about the camera itself.

It listens differently depending on the room setup

The Meet Flip also uses an intelligent dual-microphone system combining omnidirectional and directional microphones.

Instead of relying on one pickup pattern for every situation, it offers four audio modes for different setups:

Directional Mode focuses on sound coming from the front, making it the obvious choice for solo calls.

Dual-Directional Mode listens to both the front and rear of the webcam, which could be useful for interviews or conversations between two people sitting across from each other.

Conference Meeting

Smart Omni Mode is designed for group meetings, picking up voices from around the room.

And Pure Audio Mode provides unprocessed left and right stereo channels for users who would rather handle the audio themselves in post-production.

Auto Gain and AI Noise Reduction also work across the first three modes, helping clean up audio without requiring much manual adjustment.

It gives the Meet Flip more flexibility than a typical webcam microphone, especially if you regularly switch between solo calls, interviews, and group meetings.

AI that doesn’t intrude

AI has become an almost obligatory addition to new hardware in 2026, but several of the Meet Flip’s features put it to work on real-world meeting annoyances.

AI Auto Framing keeps you in frame, with options for:

  • Group
  • Single Close-up
  • Upper Body
  • Full Body

Gesture controls can also toggle Auto Framing or adjust the zoom without reaching for a keyboard or mouse.

OBSBOT Meet Flip

More interesting is AI Magic Notes.

Through OBSBOT Center, it provides real-time transcription and can automatically generate meeting summaries with key points, decisions, and action items. It works across Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.

Although AI Magic Notes is offered as a subscription service, every Meet Flip includes 120 complimentary minutes to get started.

MORE with OBSBOT Center & OBSBOT Live

There are plenty of other software features as well. OBSBOT Center includes:

  • Background Blur and Background Replacement
  • Real-Time Beauty Mode
  • Picture-in-Picture overlays
  • Smart Eye Tracking
  • Teleprompter support
  • Detailed image adjustments

The Meet Flip isn’t limited to laptops or desktops either. Through OBSBOT Live, it can connect directly to smartphones and tablets over USB-C for mobile streaming and content creation.

Flip it open. Fold it away.

None of those features reinvent the webcam on their own.

Taken together, though, they make the Meet Flip a more thoughtful take on a piece of hardware whose basic design and features have barely changed.

The flip may grab your attention first, but it’s how OBSBOT uses that design alongside its camera, audio, and software features that makes the Meet Flip interesting.

The OBSBOT Meet Flip is now available at US$ 119 and is currently available through OBSBOT’s official store, Amazon US, and select retailers.

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Accessories

England, Wales start banning Meta Glasses

The smart glasses are now banned in courtrooms.

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Earlier this year, New York became the first state to issue a blanket ban against smart glasses in courtrooms. The new regulation marks one of the first public spaces to prevent the contentious devices. Now, England and Wales are following suit in their courtrooms by banning Meta glasses inside.

As reported by The Guardian, courtrooms in both countries will confiscate Meta Glasses from those taking them into the building. Owners can retrieve them again upon exit.

Like the decision in New York, the English and Welsh bans are simple enough to follow. As it is everywhere, it’s forbidden to record video inside courtrooms in England and Wales. Because Meta Glasses have cameras (and are primarily used for their video capturing capabilities), they fall under prohibited items.

Notably, smartphones are not included on this list, despite having sizable cameras themselves. Although, to be fair, it’s much more difficult to discreetly record video using a smartphone. Smart glasses pride themselves with the ability to take videos seamlessly.

Meta Glasses are having such a moment today. Though some users, especially creators, are excited for them, a significant chunk of the population is concerned over their ability to take videos without subjects knowing they’re being recorded. Some users have even found ways to disable the built-in LED indicators which should, in theory, warn the public that the glasses are recording. It’s since turned into a privacy nightmare.

SEE ALSO: New York becomes first state to ban smart glasses

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Accessories

Spotlight: MemoMind One

How “smart” are AI glasses without cameras in it?

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What if smart glasses could make you more present instead of recording everything around you? Check out MemoMind or back it up on Kickstarter.

After spending time with the MemoMind One around New York City, THE Michael Josh wanted to answer one question: Do smart glasses actually become more useful when they stop trying to be a camera?

In this video, we take a look at the MemoMind One — a new pair of AI-powered smart glasses that take a very different approach.

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