sleeping

Sleep-monitoring and wake-up wristwatch SleepTracker Elite, known for its alarm system that triggers a vibrating and/or beeping alarm only when you're nearly awake anyway, has another trick up its sleeve: a free analytics tool that tracks a user's sleep data over time.

The idea is that SleepTracker Analytics, which the company unveiled today for Mac and PC, will encourage users to cut out sleep destroyers--caffeine, alcohol, a generally gloomy outlook on life--by visually charting the effect these bad habits have on a good night's sleep.

Once downloaded, you connect your watch to upload sleep data to your personal Analytics account and check out details such as when you went to bed, when you woke up, how many minutes throughout the night your sleep was interrupted, and your resulting sleep score on a scale of 1 to 100.

A company rep says that previously SleepTracker users only had access to software that evaluated one night's sleep, with users being able to manually input notes such as whether they drank caffeine late at night. Being able to track sleep patterns over time seems like an obvious tool for those trying to make actual lifestyle changes.… Read more

The New Year is here, and almost everyone is working hard to see their resolutions succeed.

For some it's eating better or learning a new skill. For others, it's about being more productive at work and home. Being more productive can be hard, especially if you find yourself lacking energy for your work day. Even if the technology you use at work and home makes things easier, there still needs to be an alert human on the other end telling it what to do. If you're definitely human--but not quite alert--it's likely that you're on … Read more

Recently I touched on several approaches for addressing Wi-Fi issues in OS X, stemming from configuration problems to Wi-Fi signal quality for addressing dropouts.

These methods are good for situations when even though the Wi-Fi signal drops, the radio still attempts to find a connection. But there may be some instances when the radio stops searching even though a Wi-Fi network is available. Often this occurs when the system wakes from sleep, but sometimes it can happen when the system changes networks.

If this happens, then one option is to remove the airport configuration file, which contains all the information … Read more

Hark! Lark is adding new personal sleep coach software to its silent alarm clock and sleep tracker that you wear on your wrist.

Tracking how much your arm moves as you sleep, Lark sends data via Bluetooth to an iPhone app indicating how well you're sleeping. When it's time to wake up, the device gently nudges you awake with vibrations. This is especially helpful for people who wake at a different hour than their partner or roommates. Now, with today's software launch, you can not only track how you sleep but you can get personalized advice on … Read more

Sleep modes on Mac systems are convenient for saving power while preserving your workflow, and can be set up in the Energy Saver system preferences for various power schemes (batteries, power adapters, and UPS units).

The system should stay in sleep unless specifically commanded to wake; however, there are times when the system may randomly wake from sleep. This can be irritating because it wastes power, especially for laptop batteries; however, it can also be concerning for those who might wonder if their systems are being accessed.

Though systems generally wake up because of user input (clicking a mouse or … Read more

Do you sleep with your iPhone next to the picture of Miley Cyrus on your nightstand?

You might soon wish to reconsider this habit.

For it seems that some people are grabbing at their phones in the middle of the night and unconsciously sending texts.

The Daily Mail informs me that these are often incoherent little messages that not even Esperanto experts can decipher.

Dr. David Cunnington, a sleep expert at the Melbourne Sleep Disorder Center in Australia told the Mail: "We have had patients who have reported sending text messages to their friends and family while asleep."… Read more

Gentlemen--ladies, too--start your wristbands.

Although better known for its Bluetooth headsets, Jawbone is venturing into fitness gadgets with UP, a wristband that tracks your activity level, what you eat, and when you sleep. SmartPlanet's Sumi Das speaks to Jawbone Product Management VP Travis Bogard to find out how it works and gets an answer to a common complaint about the product--why doesn't it transmit data wirelessly?

This video first appeared on SmartPlanet under the headline "Can a smart wristband make you healthier?"

Sure, you could try chin straps, nasal strips, or surgery. But I think we can all agree those snoring solutions are far less adorable than a robot bear that tickles your face when your breathing approaches wake-the-bedmate territory.

Meet Jukusui-kun, a fluffy white pillowbot that gauges snoring levels and touches offenders (supposedly gently) to get them to roll their head from side to side. This shift in movement, hopefully, helps open the airways so sleepers can stop snoring and enjoy a sounder slumber.

The polar bear-shaped robot out of (you guessed it) Japan, monitors snoring with built-in mics, while a similarly cuddly device worn around the wrist measures blood oxygen levels, which drop when snoring starts. When these benchmarks converge to indicate rising decibels, Jukusui-kun reaches out its paw with a loving little smack. … Read more

Generally it only takes a few seconds for a Mac to wake from or go to sleep, but there may be times when it either takes an exceptionally long time or when it will not wake or sleep at all.

If the system takes a long time to wake from sleep, it may be that it is just waking from a deep sleep mode. The computer's RAM cannot store data without power, so in standard sleep modes, RAM is kept active while the majority of the rest of the system is powered off. This allows for quick sleep and … Read more