Author Archive: Gareth

Seasoned tech blogger. Host of the Tech Addicts podcast.

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By July 5, 2016 Read More →

Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless headphones long-haul performance for the smart traveller

PXC_550_3_gedrehtFor travelers seeking the ultimate way to travel, it’s time to upgrade to the new Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless. The new headphones by the audio specialist are designed for the discerning business traveler. A smart travel companion, the PXC 550 Wireless delivers Sennheiser’s renowned high-quality sound and up to 30 hours of battery performance in a sleek wireless headphone. A personalised listening experience on the move can be tailored with ease using Sennheiser’s companion app, CapTune™.

Just like the best business travel experience, Sennheiser’s new PXC 550 Wireless headphones anticipate the user’s every need, letting them travel in supreme wireless comfort and free from distractions.

“With the PXC 550 Wireless we have crafted a premium headphone that brings Sennheiser’s leadership in high-quality audio to address the travel needs of the most discerning and demanding set of customers,” said Dr. Christian Ern, Head of Portfolio Management Select, Sennheiser. “For business travelers, a headset has to be everything from a precision tool for staying connected to the buzz of work life, to an oasis of peace that allows perfect focus. And when savoring precious leisure time, those accustomed to demanding more will accept nothing short of brilliant audio quality. With the PXC 550 Wireless there’s no need to compromise when on the move.

Long-haul performance

The PXC 550 Wireless is built to meet the demands of the frequent traveler with long-haul battery performance of up to 30 hours. Even with the NoiseGardTM hybrid adaptive noise cancellation engaged, the PXC 550 Wireless can span the world on a single charge.

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A smart travel companion

Sennheiser’s PXC 550 Wireless offers a smart travel experience that combines supreme ease of use with features that discretely anticipate the needs of the user: The intuitive, earcup-mounted touch control panel and voice prompt system allows your business phone system to have a convenient selection of settings, while the PXC 550 Wireless can automatically pause music and calls when the headphones are taken off.

The enhanced user experience starts with effortless NFC pairing for high-quality Bluetooth audio transmission for pristine sound, which can be tailored precisely according to preference.

A personalised listening experience with CapTune™

The PXC 550 Wireless features four presets for adjusting sound and one customisable Director mode that can be tailored with ease using Sennheiser’s companion app, CapTune™. The audio specialist’s first sound personalization app has been developed with the discerning headphone user in mind. Free to download for Android and iOS smartphones, CapTune™ is both a premium quality music player and a powerful sound tuning app that gives users greater sonic control. Permitting precise adjustments with the equalizer and featuring the unique SoundCheck with which users can tune their music’s sound by A/B-testing different set-ups, CapTune™ allows for a personalised listening experience. The specially developed plug-in for the PXC 550 Wireless also facilitates personalisation of adaptive noise cancellation, audio prompts, and the activation of Smart Pause.

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Speak without interruption, listen without interference

Staying connected on the move is now even easier, with unrivalled speech clarity for business and personal calls ensured by a beamforming array with three microphones. And no matter how noisy the environment, the PXC 550 Wireless offers crystal-clear speech and gives travelers an ideal private space for relaxing or staying focused on work. Sennheiser’s NoiseGardTM hybrid adaptive noise cancellation ensures uninterrupted listening by seamlessly monitoring and adapting to ambient noise levels – whether on a plane, train or a noisy street – to provide the exact level of suppression needed.

Sennheiser quality for assured comfort

Class-leading ergonomics, lightweight design and high-quality materials make the sleek PXC 550 Wireless extremely comfortable even for the longest of listening sessions. Its earpads have been designed in accordance with Sennheiser’s dedicated research into ear shape ergonomics for supreme comfort. And when the journey is done, the fold-flat, collapsible design allows the PXC 550 Wireless to discretely fold away into the provided travel case.

Sennheiser’s new PXC 550 Wireless will be available on Sennheiser’s online shop and on Amazon as well as globally at Duty Free retailers from mid-July RRP, £329.99

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Posted in: Accessories, Headphones, Press Releases
By July 4, 2016 Read More →

AIbird Uoplay 3 Axis Smartphone Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer Unboxing

Purchasing a Steadicam is something not a lot of people would ever have expected to have been able to do, nor would many see it as a sensible purchase, however after playing with the AiBird Uoplay Gimbal I am excited to say this is one of the best peripherals you can pick up for a smartphone.

This isn’t a review, yet. We will be coming to that in the coming weeks. My initial reaction is that I am going to love this accessory and take it everywhere with me, looking for every opportunity. Even between filming the tiny footage and editing it together into the unboxing video I have an extra 30 minutes to pick through for the review, by the time I come to write the full review I’ll probably have a few hours of material.

So what is it? The Aibird UoPlay is a stick for your phone that uses a 3 axis, motorised support to allow for smooth movement as you move. Much like a Steadicam would achieve in the movie industry, or a drone might produce.

Annoyingly the best location to purchase the Aibird Uoplay is on Ebay UK.

The official website for the AiBird Uoplay Gimbal can be found here.
Posted in: Accessories, Gadgets, Phones, Videos/Unboxings
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By July 1, 2016 Read More →

Lycamobile expands its network to 21 countries

popup-lyca-simLycamobile, the world’s largest international mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), has launched its service in Macedonia, the 21st country in its international network.

Macedonians can now benefit from Lycamobile’s low-cost rates for international and domestic calls as well as data services. Lycamobile’s proposition will particularly appeal to Macedonians looking to call or visit friends and family abroad, as there are large communities of Macedonians worldwide and Lycamobile is able to offer them an impressive no roaming charges in 18 countries worldwide. This reflects its companywide vision which is to give all its customers the opportunity to connect with friends and family around the world at the most competitive price.

Macedonia’s goal for EU candidacy since 2005 has allowed for close economic ties with the Union, resulting in increased development to the telecom sector as it prepares for the competitive environment encouraged in the EU. Subsequently, the telecom market accounts for 7% of the country’s GDP*, which is well above the EU average, making it a strategic decision for Lycamobile to take advantage of such a growing market.

Founded with a mission to connect friends and family around the world, Lycamobile has grown quickly to serve 15 million customers around the world, including in Europe, the USA, Australia, Hong Kong and Tunisia.

Lycamobile chairman Subaskaran Allirajah commented: “Macedonia is an emerging country situated in the heart of Southeast Europe. Surrounded by some of our most thriving countries, its telecoms industry has received significant foreign investment in recent years. One of those was Thailand and they followed the boi thailand requirements. With this in mind, Macedonia is the next step as we continue to expand internationally.”

Posted in: News, Press Releases
By July 1, 2016 Read More →

Olixar HexStyli 6-in-1 Stylus Pen Unboxing

Mobilefun have sent over the Olixar HexStyli 6-in-1 Stylus Pen Unboxing for a little look. This £9.99 stylus pack in a lot more than just a pen and stylus function.

  • Multifunctional 6-in-1 stylus pen
  • Omnidirectional stylus tip for accurate on screen interaction
  • Integrated ballpoint ink pen for jotting down notes
  • Printed ruler on the body
  • Built-in spirit level
  • Phillips and slotted dual tipped screwdriver hidden under the stylus tip

You can pick one up from Moblefun for £9.99.

Posted in: Accessories, Phones, Tablets, Videos/Unboxings
By June 27, 2016 Read More →

Griffin Survivor All-Terrain case for iPad mini Unboxing

vlcsnap-00004Griffin have sent over the Survivor All-Terrain case for iPad mini. This is a £54.00 case designed to protect your iPad mini 4 from the wildest of conditions whilst also keeping it stylish and fashionable.

Every day brings a new challenge. With its rugged construction, 6.6-foot (2-meter) drop protection and weather-resistance built right in, Survivor All-Terrain is heavy-duty, military-standard tested protection.

You can purchase from Griffin’s website for £54

Posted in: Accessories, Tablets, Videos/Unboxings
By June 24, 2016 Read More →

European monitor market grows again

downloadaAccording to the latest figures from the analyst Context, the monitor market in Europe made a big step of recovery after decreasing for more than 18 months. The recent growth rate of seven percent in the first quarter of 2016 is the highest for the segment since more than five years. The driving force behind this growth, according to Context, is mainly characterised by higher resolutions, better colour reproduction, panel or screen size upgrades. But also new gaming features provided fresh inputs to the market. In general, this trend is predicted to be valid for the coming quarters, leading AOC and MMD to expect a continued growth. As a matter of fact, AOC and MMD, license partner for Philips monitors, performed extraordinarily well in this recovering market: Together the two companies increased their sold volume of monitors by 35 percent in the first quarter 2016 compared to the same quarter the year before. Following this development their joint market position took two steps from Number 4 a year ago to Number 2 this year. AOC and MMD both are subsidiaries of TPV, the global leading display specialist.

Also in Western Europe the market grew by seven percent in the first quarter 2016. And also here the two brands outperformed the market. Philips grew in volume by 27 percent, AOC by 29 percent in the first quarter 2016 compared to the same quarter the year before. AOC and Philips are the fastest growing brands in Western Europe and together the two brands reach a market share of 11 percent – which leads to a Number 3 position in the Western European monitor market.

“The recent development is a very good sign for the monitor market in general and especially for our two brands AOC and Philips”, says Thomas Schade, Vice President Europe for AOC and MMD. “Both our brands outperformed the market development. This underlines that our innovation driven and monitor-focused strategy pays off. In 11 European countries we are now on the Number 1 position and we have strong top 3 positions in many more countries. Together with our partners in the trade we will further develop our positions with our ongoing delivery of innovations.”

After a decrease during last year, the monitor market of the United Kingdom and Ireland grew by more than ten percent in the first quarter 2016 compared to the same quarter last year. AOC and Philips both outperformed the market with a volume growth of almost 30 percent. As a result the two brand’s market share grew by 17 percent and together, they now hold the Number 4 position in the market

Posted in: News, Press Releases
By June 23, 2016 Read More →

Zappar brings AR and VR creation to the masses with ZapWorks

wavingZappar, a global leader in augmented reality (AR), has launched a comprehensive set of augmented reality and virtual reality creation tools called ZapWorks at Augmented World Expo. The suite is designed to let digital creatives author the best, snackable and immersive AR/VR content experiences in the market.

ZapWorks has been in development for more than five years, and was originally built to meet Zappar’s own need for powerful AR creation tools, as the company created world-leading AR campaigns for partners like Rovio/Angry Birds, Coca-Cola, PEZ and Warner Bros.

“Worldwide, we’ve made thousands of bite-sized AR experiences for hundreds of brands over the past five years, using our proprietary authoring tools to help partners engage with their audience on mobile and sell more product,” said Caspar Thykier, co-founder and CEO of Zappar. “Instead of keeping the tools to ourselves, and in line with our mission to truly democratize AR for the first time, we’re setting the full suite loose through ZapWorks—re-imagining what’s possible on the mobile canvas as we begin to not only look at our phone screens, but see through them. We’re delighted to announce that with ZapWorks, those experiences can now extend beyond AR to creating short form VR content as well. This is a game-changer.”

Key ZapWorks features include:

  • Fully vertically integrated tools provide a single user interface for creating and distributing content and gathering analytics
  • Tiered, per-seat subscription with unlimited free zapcodes
    • Basic seat: £30 per month, allows users to manage codes and use the Widgets and Designer tools
    • Pro seat: £90 per month, access to the entire suite, including ZapWorks Studio, which allows users to build more advanced AR and VR experiences
  • Unparalleled feature set for creating short-form content, including AR, VR, 3D model support, JavaScript actions, and single-click previewing and publishing
  • Uniquely, gives the ability to publish VR content over the air without creating a stand-alone app and enduring the hassle of app store submission processes

In addition to augmented reality creation, ZapWorks supports the creation of virtual reality experiences for devices such as Google Cardboard, aligning with the company’s and experts’ belief that the two technologies will increasingly be presented together. If you enjoy VR gaming, we highly recommend celebrating a bachelor party with Levelup Reality.

“ZapWorks was used to create the fantastic AR experiences on our dispensers tied to the Angry Birds Action! game,” said Gabriele Hofinger, Head of Marketing, PEZ International. “We pride ourselves on being the pioneer of interactive candy, so it’s a natural next step to move into AR and add another layer of interactivity for our customers. What Zappar is doing with these tools will really bring this tech to bear in the marketplace.”

The three modules offered in ZapWorks are:

  • Widgets: Quick and simple way to create basic AR content (i.e., images, videos, contacts, etc.)
  • Designer: Allows you to create more customized, interactive AR content, including  experiences with advanced image tracking
  • Studio:  A fully scriptable, 3D toolkit for advanced users for AR and VR

Zappar co-founder and CTO Connell Gauld will be giving a talk at AWE on today at 7:30pm BST (2:30pm PDT) to unveil ZapWorks and discuss its potential to transform AR/VR creation.

For more information, visit ZapWorks [and try it out for free!] at https://zap.works

Posted in: Apps & Games, Press Releases
By June 22, 2016 Read More →

Tech Addicts UK Podcast – 22nd June 2016 – Motos, Tangos and Hasselblads

Podcast logoFeaturing Gareth Myles and Jay Garrett

RSS Link: http://mobiletechaddicts.libsyn.com/rss

Direct Download.

iTunes

Google Play Music 

Show Notes

What have you been playing with?

Gareth: Olixar fast charger, Panasonic ALL70t, Alba 10” Android Tablet, Griffin Suvivor All-Terrain case

Jay: Astro A40 TR Pro with MixAmp, Motorola VerveLife Ones+ and Rider+, Panasonic ALL70T, ONEmicro, Geekout V2

Discussion: HASSELBLAD ANNOUNCES GROUNDBREAKING X1D

Discussion:  MOTOROLA BRINGS THE MOTO Z AND MOTO Z FORCE – JBL SoundBoost

Discussion: LENOVO AND GOOGLE GO TANGO AND IT LOOKS PHAB

Main Show URL: www.techaddicts.uk

Join the Discussion: https://goo.gl/spaces/6FF6jraF9KHiPUyA6

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @garethmyles ; @gavinfabiani ; @samjpullen ; @GadgetyNewsCom ; @JayGarrett

Web: http://gavinsgadgets.com ; http://GadgetyNews.com

Google Plus: +garethmyles ; +gavinfabiani-laymond  ; +samjpullen ; +JayGarrett

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By June 17, 2016 Read More →

AOC AGON Premium Gaming Monitor with NVIDIA G-SYNC and IPS

AOC, one of the top global brands in the display market, presents the NVIDIA G-SYNC™ edition of their AGON premium gaming monitor with a colourful IPS panel – the AGON AG271QG. With its native 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution the display delivers extremely fast images at 165 Hz without motion blur, screen tearing and display stutter, thanks to the built-in NVIDIA G-SYNC™ technology, which synchronizes display refresh rates with those of the graphics card. On top of this astonishing gaming performance, AOC equipped the AGON AG271QG with IPS panel technology (AHVA) showing digital colours at their best for a vividly-thrilling gaming and video experience.

By ensuring smooth and vivid images the AGON AG271QG furthermore supports competitive gamers’ aspirations with minimal input lag ensuring instantaneously-executed input commands and AOC Flicker-free technology eliminating screen flicker and therefore decreasing eye discomfort and fatigue, enabling gamers to stay on target undauntedly.

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The most relentlessly competitive gamers need far more comfort than just for their target-trained eyes. For the gamer’s body to stay strong, a comfortable posture, even in a gaming chair, is of utmost importance to endure endless gaming sessions unimpaired. The adjustable stand AOC Ergo Dial features height-adjustment with a scale for its users to remember their preferred setting. Furthermore gamers can fine-tune the comfort settings by adjusting the tilt of the AGON AG271QG and using the swivel adjustment when needed.

The AOC AGON AG271QG premium gaming monitor, specially designed for enthusiastic gamers, will hit the stores in July 2016 for an MSRP of £639.

More details about the AOC AGON AG271QG: http://aoc-europe.com/en/products/ag271qg

Posted in: Desktop Computing, News
By June 14, 2016 Read More →

Olixar Ultimate Mains Universal Fast Charger Unboxing and test

vlcsnap-00002A fast charger is an appealing idea, sucking more power out of the wall to get you closer to 100% quicker. It also seems to be the best temporary solution to the battery woes we are all suffering from. Devices have batteries relative to their size and they are unlikely to last a full day if you use them heavily.
Having a faster charger means you can get the battery to a higher percentage as folks can get a little anxious when their battery hits 30% or less in the afternoon.

Olixar have had a go at and produced a rather bulbous yet simple offering. Available from Mobilefun for £19.99 this universal fast charger make some bold claims, up to 60% in 30 minutes and 75% faster than conventional charging methods.

So we put it to the test on a Nexus 6p…

You can purchase the Olixar Ultimate Mains Universal Fast Charger & Travel Adapters here for £19.99.

Posted in: Accessories, Gadgets, Phones, Videos/Unboxings
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