As long as there have been cables, there has been tangling. There’s nothing worse than reaching into your pocket or bag to grab your charging cable for your soon-t0-be-dead smartphone, only to waste time, energy, and sanity untangling the many knots like a chump. Well, chump no more: Cable-makers are starting to wisen up, offering solutions to this age-old problem—with some unfortunate compromises.
The Verge’s Sean Hollister dived into this new market of tangle-free cables, and the results are, well, tangle-free (if not perfect). Let’s start with the good news: These cables are cool. They are designed to fold onto themselves, even if some don’t necessarily live up to the advertised “self-winding” name. The cables are made of flexible silicon, with small magnets placed strategically throughout, which results in a seamless winding pattern when you fold them up.
The idea started with SuperCalla, as you can see in their launch video from March of 2020. However, the design has spread: There are multiple versions of this product available to purchase, making tangle-free cables a viable, accessible reality. You can imagine multiple use-cases for this type of “self-winding” design, too. Sure, it packs up nicely, but it also ensures cables on tables or desks don’t turn into the jumbled sprawl we’re used to.
That’s the good news. The bad? These cables are not ready for primetime, at least not in the way we expect our cables to be. While they’re great at curling up neatly, they’re terrible at charging and/or data transfer. Hollister tested three different versions of these magnetic coiling cables, and all three had something wrong with them. One was great at charging, but wouldn’t connect a Pixel to a computer whatsoever; another would disconnect with the slightest touch, and charged very slowly to boot; the last was the best balance, but that meant slow charging and slow connections, just without the risk of disconnection.
In fact, Hollister’s favorite cable to report on wasn’t in this type of coiling style at all. He points out a folding, accordion-style magnetic cable that charged decently quickly and felt well-made. If you’re interested in one of these cables, based on Hollister’s experience, I’d say go for the accordion or, if you really want the original “self-winding” design, a SuperCalla.
It’s frustrating these cables aren’t the whole package right now, but, honestly, that’s OK. It’s a new tech, and the fact so many third-party companies are trying their hand at it is encouraging. Someone’s going to crack the code here, and figure out a way to make a cable that not only folds well, but charges super quick and provides stable, speedy data transfer.
Until then, it remains true you can buy a cable that won’t leave your backpack tangled beyond recognition. As someone who hates untangling cables, and who doesn’t do much wired data transfer these days, I’m certainly tempted to pick one up, even if its main purpose is to be a neat party trick.
Executive function can be thought of as the brain’s manager: It is how we identify priorities, make plans for how to get things done, and adjust for unexpected complications. Doing this requires working memory, emotional self-regulation, and the ability to control our focus. Some kids—especially those with disorders such as ADHD—may struggle with executive functioning.
If a child’s working memory is faulty, they may forget where they left their homework or textbook. If they have a hard time regulating their emotions, they may get easily frustrated or upset, throwing off their ability to follow through on tasks and affecting their relationships with others. If they can’t control their focus, they might struggle to pay attention in class or to switch between tasks.
Signs your child may struggle with executive function
Executive function improves as kids get older, as they progressively learn skills like organization and emotional regulation. One sign that a child may have issues is if their struggles are disproportionate to their peers.
For elementary-age kids, this could be struggling with long division, which requires retaining information long enough to finish the problem, or it could be forgetting their homework at home on a regular basis. It could also be losing their hats, mittens, backpacks, or other items on a regular basis. Issues with executive function can also include emotional outbursts, getting easily distracted, or zoning out when they are supposed to be paying attention.
“Not doing something that you were just asked to do is a really common one,” Taylor-Klaus said. For example, if you send your kid into their room to get their socks, only to find them playing with LEGOs, that could either be distractibility or poor working memory.
Offer understanding and support
The most important thing you can do for a child who struggles with executive functioning is to offer compassion and understanding, as certain tasks are a lot harder for them than for their peers. “It’s important to understand that there is a neurological reason that they are struggling,” Taylor-Klaus said.
Some of this is due to developmental delays, as kids who struggle with executive function are slower to develop certain skills than their peers. “An eight-year-old with challenges in executive function might be on par in some areas as a five-year-old,” Taylor-Klaus said. “It’s about understanding and accepting it, and then creating an environment to support it, rather than judging and punishing it, when it’s not something that they could be expected to do.”
Teach them how to work through problems
For kids who struggle with executive function, this will affect multiple areas of their life. It’s also going to look different for every kid, which means it’s important to actively model how to work through problems as they arise, whatever they might be.
If the issue is forgetting to bring books or schoolwork to school, that could be talking your kid through what items they need to pack in their backpack before getting on the bus. If the issue is emotional regulation, then it could be working out different ways they can deal with their frustrations.
As Taylor-Klaus stresses, this is not about solving your kid’s problems for them, but rather about helping them to come up with the strategies that work best for them. Some specific strategies for poor working memory includes making checklists, using a planner, trying out different learning strategies, and establishing routines.
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Strava’s Flyby tool lets you revisit your workout, or the workout of people near you, to gain insights into your performance. It’s useful if you’re trying to see where you slow down or speed up during an activity, and how you fare against other people in your locality. By default, this data is kept private.
If you’ve enabled Flyby at some point and forgotten about it, you can go to the privacy settings page on Strava and select No One in the Flyby section to disable it.
Strava also periodically sends your followers notifications about your activity. You can disable this option, too, on the privacy settings page. Scroll down to the section labelled Sharing my activities with my followers and select Do not send these notifications.
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The unofficial start to summer is here. And you know what that means. Barbecues! Hot dogs! Pools! (And rage-inducing traffic, oh boy!) While long, carefree holiday weekends are indeed fun, getting to where you want to be usually is not. And unfortunately, we can’t even rely on the ludicrous price of gas to deter people from hitting the road this weekend.
According to a post on the transportation data company INRIX’s website, “AAA predicts 39.2 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day weekend. This is an increase of 8.3% over 2021, bringing travel volumes almost in line with those in 2017.”
“Even with a significant increase in gas prices, we expect a large jump in holiday driving compared to the last few years,” said Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst for INRIX.
Of course, always expect delays and allow for extra time when traveling by car on a holiday weekend. Keep in mind that generally, the worst day to travel across the country is Thursday, May 26. Friday is another high congestion day, while Saturday, Sunday and Monday are less so. “There’s not a really bad travel time on (Memorial Day itself),” Pishue told USA Today. “(Traffic is) more spread throughout the day.”
“What we recommend is leaving generally before 6 or 7 in the morning, and on the weekend part of it—Saturday, Sunday, Monday—leaving before, you know, 10 or 11 (a.m.),” Pishue said.
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It’s an unmistakable, comforting scent with familiar notes that harken back to your earliest memories. Baby powder (also called talcum powder) is a parenting medicine cabinet staple. But did you know its usefulness goes far beyond a baby’s bottom?
Two key qualities of baby powder are its ability to absorb moisture and to reduce friction. These properties mean there are a ton of other opportunities for the product to be tactfully deployed. Here are 10 of the most useful.
Remove sand at the beach
Photo: Sofia Zhuravetc (Shutterstock)
You can cleanup after going to the beach not suck by bringing a bottle of baby powder along with you. If you’re having trouble removing some pesky grains of sand from your body, sprinkle a bit of baby powder over the sandy areas and get yourself as clean as a whistle. Since the baby powder absorbs moisture causing the sand to stick to you, the sand will end up easily brushing off.
Freshen up your shoes
Photo: Diego Cervo (Shutterstock)
If you’ve noticed some unpleasant odors wafting from your shoe closet, it’s time to bring baby powder into the equation. Put a dash of baby powder inside each shoe and shake it around so it spread over the entire sole, then let it sit overnight. In the morning, shake out the excess baby powder, and all of the odors brought on by your foot sweat sweat should be eliminated.
Use it as dry shampoo
Photo: suriya yapin (Shutterstock)
If you don’t have access to a shower but still want to feel fresh, you can use baby powder as dry shampoo. Put a little bit on your comb or brush and spread it throughout your scalp. The baby powder will absorb any grease or oil in your hair, leaving you a passable, fresher scalp.
Loosen up playing cards
Photo: wavebreakmedia (Shutterstock)
Don’t let sticky cards stand between you and Gin Rummy. Fresh packs of playing cards have a proclivity to get stuck together. To get past this frustration, put the cards in a ziplock bag with a dash of baby powder. After shaking the bag well, remove the cards and wipe off any excess powder. Now you’ll be able to shuffle a deck of cards for your morning workout.
Cool your sheets
Photo: topperspix (Shutterstock)
If you’re looking for ways to survive sleeping in the heat when you don’t have air conditioning, add this one to the list: Lightly sprinkling a tablespoon or two of baby powder over your sheets before hopping into bed will allow the powder to absorb moisture (read: sweat) during the night, saving you from waking up in a puddle of your own perspiration. Downside: extra loads of laundry.
Fix squeaky floors
Photo: Peshkova (Shutterstock)
If your floorboard are making a high pitch noise with every step you take, sprinkle a little bit of baby powder over the offending spots and work it into the seams. Filling these spaces will lubricate the wood and keep the floorboards from rubbing together. If you’re having trouble getting the powder in the narrow spaces, use a plastic card (like a credit card) to jam it in there.
Use as emergency deodorant
Photo: fizkes (Shutterstock)
You can’t ask to borrow someone else’s deodorant, but you can ask to borrow some baby powder. If you find yourself with a body odor problem and no access to a shower or deodorant, apply some baby powder to your pits. It will reduce moisture in your underarms and freshen up your scent. It’s not as good as taking a shower, but it’ll be good enough to hold you over until you can.
Untangle jewelry
Photo: Rosalie.S.Photo (Shutterstock)
If you have a knot in a piece of jewelry you can’t get undone, grab the baby powder and sprinkle a little bit over the knot and gently rub it in. This will lubricate the metal and should make it easier to create some separation between the different segments of the chain, making it possible to untangle. Once you’ve taken care of the knot, wash off the baby powder with a mild soap.
Remove grease stains
Photo: HalynaRom (Shutterstock)
Getting a grease splatter on your clothes is one of the risks you run when frying foods. Instead of sulking over marked garment, grab some baby powder, apply to the stain with a cotton ball or soft bristled brush, and rub it in well. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes, then gently brush off the powder. Repeat this until the stain is gone.
Repel ants
Photo: Antonio Gravante (Shutterstock)
Don’t try to make heads or tails of this one, just accept it for what it is: Eric Sebring, an Associate Certified Entomologist for Ehrlich Pest Control, says “using talc or baby powder in areas where you have seen ants may deter them from that area. Ants don’t like to cross the powder and get it on their bodies. It is clear that ants have an aversion to baby powder—but we don’t necessarily quite know why.” One of life’s great mysteries, I suppose.
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Making a video game by yourself is tough, but publishing and distributing it can be an even bigger obstacle, especially if this is your first time selling a game. Luckily, I have some experience here, and can offer my insights and advice.
While I’m not exactly a super-successful indie dev, I have designed and self-published my own tabletop card game, created and distributed mods through the Steam workshop, and plan to self-publish my first indie PC game in the coming months. I also write about games for a living and personally know many other indie game makers, so I’ve spent a lot of time researching and talking about self-publishing video games.
There’s a lot that goes into successfully selling a game, including marketing, social media, and community building—but the biggest question needs to be answered before you worry about any of that: Where should you sell your games?
There are many places to sell your games online, but the best choice for small and independent developers is Itch.io.
Selling games on Itch.io
Screenshot: Brendan Hesse
Itch.io is an indie game marketplace that hosts thousands of video games, board games, tabletop RPGs, and even assets like art, music, sound effects and more that can be used in creating your own games. It’s also extremely user-friendly, and much easier to work with than most other publishers.
Here are some of Itch.io’s biggest benefits:
Itch.io has no application fees, content reviews, or waiting periods to deal with before you can upload and sell your game.
Itch.io does not have a DRM requirement for your projects, and there is no exclusivity clause, meaning you can also sell your games elsewhere.
Itch.io supports Windows, Mac, and Linux games on the service. You can also embed browser games made with Unity, Flash, Java, and HTML5 directly into the store pages.
But perhaps the biggest difference between Itch.io and the competition is that the site doesn’t impose a strict revenue split. Instead, Itch.io works on “open revenue sharing,” where creators decide themselves how much revenue to share with Itch.io (if any at all). You also don’t have to meet a specific revenue threshold to collect your payouts. That means if you just want to sell a tiny $1 game, you can keep every penny of every sale the moment someone pays you.
Heck, if all you want is a place to upload your project for free and you aren’t worried about marketing and revenue splits, Itch.io is still a great place to upload your game.
So, clearly Itch.io is a creator-focused platform, but you’re probably wondering “what’s the catch?” Well, frankly, there isn’t much of one. The only major restrictions worth noting:
Projects can only contain 10 uncompressed files.
There is a file limit for some projects (though Itch.io lets you request increases).
You can only upload 20 projects per account.
Store pages have limited layout options.
It’s also worth mentioning that Itch.io’s reach and audience isn’t as large as, say, Steam’s. That said, Itch.io is a popular enough place to sell indie games, and customers can buy and download there without creating an account, so the barrier to entry is low.
One last semi-limitation is over adult content. While Itch.io lets you upload adult and sexual content (provided it isn’t illegal), Itch.io’s payment partners PayPal and Stripe do impose restrictions, and cannot be used to pay for certain content.
Other publishing options
If itch.io’s limitations don’t work for you, there are several other places to sell your game. However, unlike Itch.io, most will impose stricter revenue splits, submission fees, and/or application processes.
Steam is probably the easiest of the “major” platforms to submit and sell your games on (besides Itch.io).
While Steam does review every game published, its content (and quality) policies are not as strict as other platforms like GOG or Epic, and the review period is only 1-5 days. However, creators must pay a non-refundable $100 fee for each game they submit, and must wait 30 days after the game is approved before selling it. On the plus side, that gives you time to drum up excitement about your game and get fans to add it to their wishlists.
Steam’s payout and revenue split policies are less friendly for super-small game makers. Steam takes 30% of all sales, and you can only receive payouts once your game has made $1,000. That said, you’re free to sell your games elsewhere even after publishing to Steam.
Screenshot: Brendan Hesse
The other major third-party digital PC game distributors are GOG and the Epic Games Store.
Like Steam, these platforms require sellers to submit their games for approval, but their criteria for actually putting them up for sale are much stricter. On the one hand, that means both platforms offer better curation, and potentially better visibility, for games they publish; conversely, it also means you probably won’t get to sell your first game(s) on either platform.
That said, I still encourage you to review the publishing requirements for both platforms and apply. Epic Games Store and GOG have different revenue splits, payout options, DRM restrictions, and exclusivity policies some creators may actually prefer over Steam or even Itch.io, so it’s worth a shot to apply if you dig what they offer. Even if you get rejected, there are other places to sell your games.
What about consoles and mobile?
For many indie devs, nothing would be cooler than seeing their self-made video game on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X. For others, the ubiquity of smartphones and tablets make iOS and Android compelling options.
However, even if you specifically made your game for these platforms on an engine they support and with the right controls and interface requirements, there are still a few hoops to jump through. First, you must apply to join each company’s respective indie partnership programs and submit your games for approval, then work with their teams to upload and publish the games.
It’s a lot of work, and probably more hassle than solo game makers will want to deal with to sell their first projects—but again, if you’re eager to try, check out Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, Google, and/or Apple’s guidelines and apply.
What next?
Regardless of where you sell your game, the next step is getting people to buy, download, and play it. Here are some tips:
Post on social media: Get the word out early and often, though not too early. Posting development updates on YouTube, Twitter, and Reddit a is a great start, but only post when you have something to show. And even if your game is finished, you should continue to let people know it is done and available.
Make a trailer: Take some time to create and curate concept art, screenshots, GIFs, gameplay clips, and trailers, and post them to any and all social media accounts along with links to your game’s store page. You should also use this content to spice up your game’s store page and make it more enticing. This video from the YouTube channel Game Dev Unlocked has excellent advice on how to make eye-catching trailers and screenshots.
Build a community: Join indie dev discord servers and subreddits, follow other creators on social media and YouTube, and engage with their work. Usually, those folks will return the favor and check out your games as well.
Consider sales and community bundles: Joining sales events can get your project better visibility on Itch.io, Steam, or wherever else you sell your game. Itch.io’s community charity bundles are also super helpful for getting your game to prospective players. While you won’t get paid for including your game in these bundles, you may find players that wouldn’t have seen your project otherwise, and if they like it, it’s possible they could help boost awareness through word-of-mouth.
There’s tons more you can do to spread the word, but these steps will set you on the right path. Marketing your game will be a lot of work, but if you’re passionate about getting people to press play, the effort will be worth it.
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The Photos app also recognizes faces in your pictures. When you go to the Search tab in the app, you’ll see a bunch of faces under the People sub-head. You can tap any of these faces and scroll down a little to the People section again. Tap the text Unnamed Person and then hit Add Name at the top of the page.
Type their name, and if the person is in your contacts, your iPhone will show a few suggested contacts below. Tap the contact name and you’re set. Do this for each person that you care about, and then you’ll be able to search for their name in the Photos app to see all of their pictures.
To further zero in on photos of these people, you can search for specific search terms such as Portraits Pranay, Morning Pranay, and so on.
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