Your next backpack may send a help message when lost

Smart fabric Fabric makers are finding ways to make fashion not just fun but functional. A new partnership between Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) is weaving up new so-called "e-textiles" that blend sensors with fibers to let fabric do more than just clothe our bodies.

New ways of embedding tech into the clothes you wear is happening quickly as sensors get smaller. Already LED lights are making their way into fun gear from handbags to shoes. But what about backpacks that can purchase your textbooks and send messages when lost, or jackets that can track where you are in case of an accident? The MIT/AFFOA facility, which launched with more than $300 million in funding, is located in Cambridge, MA and just opened. That means don't wait to order your fall wardrobe—but do expect that in the near future your clothes are going to do more than just keep you warm, and chic. (Via Electronics 360)

Google BOGO Everyone who's held out for a Google Home, now's your chance. Google is offering a free Google Home to anyone who buys Google Pixel XL—the largest of the Google smartphones—from Google's store. The $649 smartphone isn't exactly cheap, but then again you do get a $129 Google Home device tossed in as a door prize. And yes, if you return the Pixel XL, you have to return the Google Home as well.

Sky maps Who doesn't love to track constellations in the night sky? We took a look at Skyview, a free app that turns your smartphone into a telescope of sorts, giving you directions on where to gaze to find star clusters and planets. It's summer, that time of year when being outdoors is almost required. So do yourself a favor and download the app, cop a squat, and take a gaze upward towards the stars. (Doesn't that feel better?)