VanMoof's premium line of stylish e-bikes just got sweeter with the new VanMoof S3 e-bike ($1998), featuring upgraded tech and a much lower price. A new four-speed automatic electronic gear shifter and works without the motor being engaged. The motor gets improved to a 350W peak unit, and new hydraulic front and rear brakes help stop the increased power. The app lets you change things like shift points, riding modes, and even the horn sound, while VanMoof estimates a range of up 90 miles using the economy setting. Details like brake lines and wiring all pass inside the frame and comes with an integrated anti-theft tech, keeping the look extremely clean while guarding your e-bike. With a long list of improvements and a reduction in price, this might be the best e-bike on the market.

Looking to create your tracks on Vinyl, then this is for you! Created in collaboration with designer Yuri Suzuki, the Easy Record Maker ($82+) from Japanese firm Gakken is able to both play vinyl records and record them. It has a mini audio jack that can accept input from a phone, computer, or any other sound source, as well as a cutting arm that permanently etches the incoming signal onto five-inch vinyl discs. It took five years for the project to become reality; the player supports both 33 and 45 rpm and arrives with 10 blank records as well as a magazine detailing its design and background. It's vinyl records also come in 4 different colors.

The current situation dictates that the majority of us stay home. While that makes ideal conditions for you know - binge-watching, that also means you might not have anyone to binge with. Enter Netflix Party. This Chrome extension lets you create private "parties", complete with chat rooms, that allow you to invite friends to enjoy Netflix shows and movies together over the Internet in real-time. Not as fun as meeting up in real life, but certainly better than getting sick risking a trip to make that happen. It only works with Chrome browser and Extension installed.

If you're looking for other streaming sites/extensions like Netflix Party see below:

Scener: https://scener.com/ - Works with Amazon Prime and can see webcam reactions
Metastream: https://app.getmetastream.com/ - Youtube and Hulu
TwoSeven: https://twoseven.xyz/ - Amazon Prime, HBO Go and Youtube.

I'm not going to lie. I lose my keys a lot.  I just lost them a month ago, however I did find them. So the Orbitkey's X Chipolo Key Tracker ($35) would be a great way to carry all my keys and other small essentials in an organized way. That organization also means it's more compact and thus easier to use. This tracker, built in collaboration with Chipolo, makes it equally as easy to find. Made to pair with the Key Kit, it has a loud ringer that can be activated from the companion app, and it functions as a remote camera shutter button for your smartphone. It also attaches to standard keychains and comes with a tassel that makes it useful for tracking bags, cameras, or anything else likely to be misplaced. Check out more products on Orbitkey.

Welcome to the new Playlists on The Collective Loop. The Collective Series 010! Spring is right around the corner. So why not put a spring in your step with new music by Lauv, Louis the Child and Yoste.

If you want to check out any of the other older Playlists then click on TCL Playlists in the menu. You can also find the playlist on Spotify and Google Music.


Cover art by: Damion S. 

Tracklist

Captivating views and beautiful design the architect and CG Artist Bartosz Domiczek visualizes a modern abode overlooking olive slopes. The dwelling is designed within an old farm storage building with its former facade restored as an ancient shell for the interior's contemporary suites. Rooms are arranged around a central courtyard while original arches around the perimeter frame in views of the adjacent mountains. Above on the hilltop, a natural basin is converted into a swimming pool with sweeping panoramas of the rustic landscape. I would even take the car seen below as well as this house.



Photos: Bartosz Domiczek

For many of you out there, The Oregon Trail was one of the first computer games you played in school. This Oregon Trail handheld game ($23) puts the '80s classic in the palm of your hand. It has a color screen and speaker housed in a fittingly chunky beige box, finished with over sized gray buttons that cover the essentials: arrow keys, yes, no, mute, and Enter. I'm a fan of the look of this handheld and the retro of the design choices, it also runs on just 3 AA and not a lot of floppy disks.

It is now 2020 and with that comes new landscapes of the ambient sounds of Tycho. Tycho just released a new single "Outer Sunset" for the upcoming new album Simulcast, which is out on February 28th 2020 and is available for pre-order now.

This new album is like a companion to their latest album Weather, which recently was a Grammy-nominated album. Here is what Tycho had to say about the new album Simulcast:

"A Simulcast is the transmission of a program across different mediums and in different languages. With these two albums I wanted to present the same ideas in two languages, one more literal and the other more open to interpretation. Simulcast expands on the concepts laid out in Weather but shifts into the abstract with instrumental soundscapes in place of lyrics opening up a visual space and translating the message into a new language."




I'm sure a lot fans out there are looking forward to this new album just as much The Collective Loop is, however their is even better news.  Not only do you get a new single and an upcoming new album dropping next month you also get a tour.  Check out the new single below and check the tour dates to see if he is coming to your area this year.

Looking for a new smart lock that is smaller and Wifi enable? August who was one of the first companies to offer a smart lock. With this Wi-Fi Smart Lock by August ($TBA), they've finally perfected the formula. It has a Yves Behar design, yet it is 45% smaller and 20% slimmer than the prior Smart Lock Pro. Built-in Wifi lets it interface with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri without the need for the Connect bridge, while also letting you manage access from anywhere with just the Internet. DoorSense technology makes sure that the door is securely closed and locked, and it installs over most single-cylinder deadbolts in about 10 minutes.