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T-Mobile adds new FamilyMode; heres what it does
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T-Mobile launched a new subscription plan that includes an add-on called FamilyMode, which will help families keep an eye on how much their children use their screens and the internet. - photo by Herb Scribner
T-Mobile has a new app and a service aimed at helping families.

T-Mobile launched a new subscription plan that includes an add-on called FamilyMode, which will help families keep an eye on how much their children use their screens and the internet.

The app will provide location updates as well as browser and app history. Parents can also introduce internet time limits and schedules for users too.

Parents can access the app through both an internet connection and cellphone connectivity.

The monthly service will cost $10 a month for both iOS and Android users.

FamilyMode drops Friday.

According The Verge, T-Mobile is also selling a new gadget called Home Base, which will serve as a middleman between your router and your device. The Home Base helps people monitor the internet throughout an entire household and not just for other T-Mobile users.

The Home Base on its own will cost $100.

However, T-Mobile will sell FamilyMode subscribers a Home Base add-on for an extra $20.

According to PCMag, FamilyMode is basically a T-Mobile version of Circle with Disney, which allows you to monitor the internet habits of your home network.

Other cellphone carriers sell similar products. Verizon sells the Smart Family app, which helps parents monitor kids phone use, according to CNET.

Earlier in June, Apple revealed its new screen-time controls for children, which will debut with the new iOS 12 software later this year, according to the Deseret News.

Parents will have a chance to monitor their childrens habits and set time limits for how long their kids can use their devices.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.