Author Archive: Gareth

Seasoned tech blogger. Host of the Tech Addicts podcast.

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By May 5, 2017 Read More →

OAXIS WatchPhone The smartest way to protect your child

watchphone-03Award winning global company, Oaxis, today announces the launch of its new children’s hybrid wrist phone, the WatchPhone. The WatchPhone is the first of its kind in the market, allowing children to keep in touch using the 3G network whilst keeping parents reassured of their child’s location with the built-in GPS location tracker. As well as giving parents piece of mind with the one-touch SOS Send a distress signal, the WatchPhone is great fun for children and with a built-in pedometer, emoji’s, text messaging and calls now at their fingertips. It’s sure to be an instant hit with kids and adults alike.

The WatchPhone is designed for an interactive touch experience, making it enjoyable in any setting. Children can easily navigate on the 1.54″ high-resolution colour touch screen with precise accuracy and can enjoy a truly immersive experience on the high-resolution 320 x 320-pixel screen. The WatchPhone displays images which children love and which are incredibly life like.

The WatchPhone is fully compatible with all pay as you go and pay monthly UK networks using a micro sim. With 3G data, voice memos or calls can be sent and received to any iOS or Android smartphone with a single push. It offers two-way communication anytime, anywhere and parents can be confident all location data is protected and accessible only to you and other authorised devices with a 128-bit encryption algorithm.

In a fun, non-invasive way, parents can keep track of their children’s movements with the real-time GPS location tracking. It’s highly accurate GPS positioning system is fully integrated into the WatchPhone and reports the child’s position via the iOS or Android app. Parents have the additional comfort of Geo-Fenced safety zones and can highlight geo-locations on the map so when a child moves outside of this area, the nominated smartphone will be alerted. Children have also the reassurance of a one-touch SOS Send distress signal which can be activated via an integrated SOS button. Once activated, the nominated smartphone will receive information on the child’s location and a 30-second voice memo automatically recorded on the WatchPhone and children can be sure help is on its way.

The WatchPhone is not just about safety, it is fun too! Kids love the cool, colourful designs and enjoy being able to call, voice message and send cute emoji’s to their parents, just like they see adults doing. Children will be sure to be challenged by the steps & calories tracking pedometer helping to infuse fun and fitness to their everyday activities whilst also allowing parents to understand their child’s fitness level and gently encourage further improvements.

The WatchPhone is now available on Oaxis.com for a limited period at the special launch price of only £79.99 with free worldwide shipping.

WatchPhone Specification:

First 3G Children’s WatchPhone – The first 3G network of its kind. Communicate with children anytime, anywhere. Voice calls, text messages, and emoticons can be sent between Watchphone and any iOS or Android smartphone. Compatible with all UK networks using a micro sim.

Full-colour Touch Screen – The Smart WatchPhone is designed for an interactive touch experience for children, making it enjoyable in any environment. Navigate easily on the 1.5″ high-resolution colour touch screen with precise accuracy.

One-touch SOS, GPS & Geo Fencing – With real-time tracking, parents can set safety zones for children by highlighting GEO-locations on the map. For any danger situation, children simply press SOS button to get help.

60 hours long stay time – With 600mAh battery capacity, the WatchPhone battery will last around 60 hours.

Classroom mode & Fitness tracking – The WatchPhone can be silenced during lessons at school, drowning out all notifications except for the SOS function. Full day pedometre tracking helps to infuse fun and fitness a child’s everyday activities.

For more information about Oaxis, please visit www.oaxis.com, www.facebook.com/oaxis, and www.twitter.com/_oaxis.

Posted in: News, Wearables
By May 5, 2017 Read More →

Attempting Four Wingsuit World Records

British Wingsuit jumper, Fraser Corsan, is travelling to the USA and Canada to attempt to break four world records in Wingsuit flying. In what has been named ‘Project Cirrus’, Fraser aims to break the distance record of 19 miles, speed record of more than 234 mph and the flight duration record of 9.06 minutes, whilst also breaking the current altitude record of 37,256ft over 2 high altitude jumps.

The challenge in perspective

  • The average forward speed of a typical wingsuit flyer is around 80 – 120mph
  • The normal altitude a wingsuit flyer jumps from is typically 13,000ft
  • To start wingsuit flying you need to have completed at least 500 skydives

Fraser’s attempts will be supported by Fujitsu, his current employer, and despite his years of experience in a wingsuit, this is a challenge that is only made possible through the support of innovative and revolutionary technology, developed by a dedicated team of specialists across a number of industries. His challenge exemplifies what Fujitsu is about – technology and humans working together to achieve breakthrough results, safely and securely, innovating through technology to achieve more.

Alongside a specially designed high-performance wingsuit by Phoenix-Fly, Fraser will be using a small piece of GPS receiver tech called FlySight, also designed specifically for wingsuit flying. It provides real-time audible indication of glide ratio and horizontal or vertical speed. Turned on a few minutes before the jump, audible feedback begins immediately after exit allowing Fraser to adjust body position accordingly during each record attempt. Fraser receives his feedback through two small headphones in his High Altitude helmet which offers thermal, audio and impact protection.

In addition to the FlySight GPS device, Fraser will be using an audible altimeter called the Visio and a visual Altimeter called the Military Altitrack from Larsen and Brusgaard. These will enable him to track his attitude at all times and monitor how close he is to breaking his world records. He will also have a GPS tracking device that will transmit his position to the ground team so they can meet him at his landing position.

Sixteen years ago, Fraser Corsan was one of only 15 wingsuit pilots globally. Since then, he has completed 1,300 flights, but this year’s extreme challenge is one of the biggest tests of his career. The jump will entail exiting an aircraft at over 40,000ft, whilst battling temperatures of minus 65 degrees Celsius and winds of up to 200 mph.

In the run up to the jump, Fraser will be embarking on endurance training with focus on intense muscle and cardio training sessions, in addition to a practising a set of specific safety drills in the event of Oxygen system, parachute or wingsuit failure. Multiple training flights over UK airfields are taking place when the weather permits, and Fraser also intends to do 100 further endurance flights to fine polish the technology and his flying style to ensure he reaches his goal.

Fraser’s incredible World Record attempts are supported by Fujitsu and all donations will go directly to SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. For more info visit http://projectcirrus.com/ or Text Suit79 (with the amount £1/2/3/4/5/10) to 70070.

Posted in: Featured, News
By May 3, 2017 Read More →

Tech Addicts UK Podcast – 3rd May 2017 – Galaxy S8, LG G6, P10 Plus, KeyOne and 7 Plus go head to head

Slink Podcast Logo 1400 x 1400With Gareth Myles, Gavin Fabiani-Laymond and Jay Garrett

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

Direct Download.

iTunes

Stitcher

Tunein

Show Notes

News:

 

Play Test:

Jay

Gareth

Gavin

Bargain Basement:

Main Show URL: http://www.techaddicts.uk

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @techaddictsuk ; @garethmyles ; @gavinfabiani  ; @GadgetyNewsCom ; @JayGarrett ; @swanny ; @girlsngadgets ; @wildlime

Facebook: Tech Addicts

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

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

 

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By May 3, 2017 Read More →

Sennheiser HD 569 Unboxing

Image49The closed HD 569 with around ear design brings a flexible option to the Home entertainment space. It provides a rich and clear bass, adding further flexibility by making it possible to enjoy the full personal experience without disturbing others. Featuring an Impedance of 23 Ω and a frequency response of 10- 28,000 Hz these will marry up very well to the Sennheiser Flex 5000 we looked at recently.

Grab yours from Amazon here.

 

Posted in: Featured, Headphones, TV & Home Cinema, Videos/Unboxings
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By May 2, 2017 Read More →

Sennheiser Flex 5000 Unboxing

Image48Sennheiser is looking to improve your Tv watching experience and turn your wired headphones into wireless headphones. A sleek and elegant transmitter/receiver set brings Sennheiser audio expertise and leading edge digital wireless technology to those wishing to improve their TV viewing with a personalised listening experience.

With three different hearing profiles to enhance TV, movies or music, to choose from. Plus a unique Speech Intelligibility feature that reduces TV background noise for added clarity.

Grab yours from Amazon here.

Posted in: MP3 Players & Accessories, TV & Home Cinema, Videos/Unboxings
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By April 29, 2017 Read More →

Google Home Review

P1030686Google reinvented the wheel when it came to the Chromecast. A small, inexpensive piece of hardware that changed the way we used our television. Can they do it again with a speaker that hopes to change the way we deal with life? Thanks to out friends over at Maplin who can provide you with a Google Home of your own.

Google have taken a speaker, put their Google Assistant software inside and styled it up to be distinct and attractive in almost every home. From a design point of view, things are impressively well balanced, and if you want to add more design items to your home like candles, there are options like Candles By Design that are great for this.

Home was originally released in the United States 6 months before the UK launch on the 6th of April and must have sold well enough for Google not to kill it in the early stages, much like the Nexus Q. The reason for the delay is an obvious one, the differing services for geographic locations. Alongside adapted the voice recognition software of the assistant to allow the huge variety of vocal tones in the United Kingdom work.

This £129 system really has to impress if it is to be taken seriously as there is some tough competition from Amazon managed to beat Google to the market with the Echo and Dot hardware. Much fuss has been made of these and the ease of triggering the assistant and even some false orders.

Looking around the device, on the sloped top is a touch sensitive panel with a couple of microphone holes. The centre has a rotational dial with different colourings depending on the function being used.

To be back of the Google Home is a mute button, a small LED and the Google Logo.

Below this is the speaker cover, this is a material finish, and is available in various colours. The fabric adds a little more of a homely feel to the unit.

On the bottom is a rubber ring to prevent the unit sliding and the power connector.

The closed comparison of Google’s design is something like an air-freshener. Some might scoff that the top is plastic and unable to change colour, and they might be right. For £129.99 it feels like there could have been perspex with an LED to create a little ambience. Perhaps, this is a look we might see in the future and the device is refined over time.

The two microphones on the top of the unit appear to be the only microphones on the device. When asked, Google Home cryptically replies there is “at least one.” Whilst the Amazon Echo features 7 microphones Google equipped the home with only two. Google Home has never failed to hear me.

Google home 802.11ac Wi-Fi and some Bluetooth capability, however, the Bluetooth has not yet been activated.

Interacting with Google Home couldn’t be easier, you talk, it listens. Once connected to Wi-Fi, sorry no ethernet here, the experience is entirely audio based. Save for a little touch action on the top for volume control. Popping out simple commands receives an appropriate response and if you are unsure what to do, you simply ask that too.

As Google is connected to, arguably, the largest online resource of search requests you might think there is little it can;t answer. Unfortunately, there is. Questions and requests cannot be too complicated, the Assistant will respond with a standard statement that things are being worked on and she cannot do. When I say she, the Assistant admits she cannot talk like a “bloke” at the moment.

Much has been made of the ability to continue a line of questioning on a particular topic, for example, “Who is the President of the United States of America?” the Answer with a little extra information if give. Following this with “How old is he?” meets with silence. I had been under the impression this flow of questioning was a thing, however, it would seem not, for the time being at any rate.

To wake the device with “Okay Google” or “Hey, Google”. Two phrases worked deep into the bowels of the system, and the user is unable to change, so if your dog is called “Blokey Doodle”, chances are Google Home is going to wake up and you are going to give your Dog a more sensible name. Thankfully the trigger words are harder to accidently use that Alexia from Amazon that seems to be leading to light pericombobulations amongst users, but it can cause other friends and family’s phones to jump into action.

Once Google Home’s personality has been summoned, four coloured dots dance on the top of the unit as it listens to you and formulates a reply. Google Home consults Google’s Knowledge Graph and uses a superb vocabulary to generate a reply. If there is a fairly concrete record online Google is able to answer most factually orientated questions and states it’s source as backup, for example, “according to Wikipedia.” Complex questions can stump the little piece of plastic, however, whilst is tries and you can’t help but feel sorry of Google Home the first couple of times you stump it.

However, understanding your knowledge needs is not Google Home’s only trick. You can connect to Spotify, remember particular numbers or phrases, set alarms and timers, and give you a basic crash course in languages. Home plugs itself into Maps and gets to know what is around you, being able to offer tips on where to find local services.

At this the time of writing, Google Home has seen a couple of firmware revisions, however, nothing major. My experience was based on feature available at launch. The main app to interact with Google Home is the newly redressed Chromecast app, now titled Google Home. This really only serves as an aid for setup, inspiration and troubleshooting. There is very little you can actually do from here.

The settings are where most of the action is. You can configure the News source from a limited range of choices, step a Shopping List as a default when you realise you are out of Milk and some other rather standard settings.

After this, the app serves to help you get the most out of Home. recommending services on Google Play and audio prompts it for the handiest features. There is no definitive list and search the web will find many more interactions not listed here.

Google Home manages to be both things, an assistant and a toy. Only time will tell if it will stick like the Chromecast, or will it fade away into obscurity. With the Google Assistant being ready for action on your phone it will make the draw of Google Home ever more difficult, however, it’s something that at least needs to be tried to see if it actually fits.

Over the last fortnight, I have been considering adding two more units to you home as the Home has become an invaluable asset to my daily routine. From reading me the headlines and weather outlook in the morning to reminding me of appointments to reminding me how to spell pericombobulations for this review. Despite Home sitting beside some computer speakers, I find myself throwing the oddly podcast over it as the sound quality is perfectly acceptable for voice. And I admit that I have played the inbuilt trivia game more than one.

However, will it last? Once you have tired of trying to catch it out and finding Easter Eggs there is life in the platform. I can think of a number of little additions that will prove invaluable to be down the road. Google Home is continually evolving and I love the idea that this will be here beside me. Certainly my phone can do it, however, the trigger has to be turned on and this doesn’t help battery life.

Google Home might occupy a small amount of space, however, it offers some big opportunities. Many thanks to Maplin for providing a unit for this review, check out their listing if we have sold you on Google Home. 

Posted in: Featured, Gadgets, MP3 Players & Accessories, Reviews
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By April 28, 2017 Read More →

A Look At The Cozyphones Kids

Image40Cozyphones Kids are headphones designed for children. A soft fleece material headband provides the style and support for the headphone units. Rather than inserting earbuds and with less chance of them falling of Cozyphones provides a safe and fun way to help smaller children experience music and other sounds on their own.

You can purchase the Coxyphones Kids Headphones from Amazon for £15.99 here.

CozyPhones Kids Character Headband Headphones

Posted in: Featured, Headphones, Videos/Unboxings
By April 27, 2017 Read More →

New technology to help over 50s who struggle with their smartphones

008_front_with_phoneOn Thursday 27th April, Zone V will launch with a new software and hardware combination to make the smartphone easy to read and simple to use. Find gadget and accessories in brightrozee.com.

The V software is available for all Samsung Android phones, delivering a range of features to help give elderly and partially-sighted people access to the smartphone without compromising on functionality:

  • Large text: Renowned accessibility font ‘Tiresias’ has been used to maximise visibility. Text on the phone is larger than on standard software and adjustable to suit the user.
  • Clear menu: Large icons and intuitive navigation replace existing menus.
  • Vibration feedback: Sensory vibration feedback confirms when icons and keys have been selected to give the user added reassurance.
  • Alternative menu colours: Schemes including black-on-white and white-on-black make the screen easier to read, particularly for those with visual impairment.

The V case is an expertly-developed case offering additional assistance for Samsung Galaxy A3 users:

  • Easy charger: Magnets on the case and the charger guide the cable, making it easy to plug-in.
  • Robust case: Protects the phone from knocks and drops.
  • Magnifying lens: Dedicated lens slides over the camera to form a magnifying glass.
  • Hand grip: Detachable hand loop secures to the end of the case, making the phone easier to hold.
  • Front facing audio: Additional speakers send clear audio out of the front of the phone.

New inclusive technology set to simplify the smartphone has been unveiled today by a new mobile entrant. British startup Zone V has designed a unique combination of software and hardware that makes the smartphone easy to read and simple to use.

The technology, which is available to buy from today via Google Play store, Amazon and www.zonev.com, will support a range of Samsung handsets to meet the needs of a more mature and less-savvy mobile enthusiast and those with visibility impairment who want to use cutting edge smartphones.

The UK’s Digital Divide

Zone V was inspired by the mobile digital divide that exists in society. Despite smartphone penetration in the 55 to 64 age group more than doubling since 2012 (19% to 50%i), there are still millions of adults in Britain who struggle to get to grips with the latest technology.

New and extensive research commissioned by Zone V reveals that nearly half (46%) of UK adults over 50 who own a smartphone say they are difficult or complicated to useii. What’s more, 30% of the over 50s don’t have a smartphone at all, with 26% of those saying smartphones are too difficult to even attempt to use.

These findings expose the reality that whilst there is a healthy and growing appetite for smartphones within the aging population, there are still many people who feel overwhelmed by the innovation on offer. Rather than dumb-down existing technology to meet this requirement, an opportunity exists to make the high-standards of innovation more accessible.

The demand for simplicity

When asked what features would assist the over 50s to use a smartphone, the response was overwhelming – 97% wanted a smartphone that was easy to read and 91% said it must be easy to hold.

In the development of the unique and highly-sophisticated product, Zone V studied smartphone innovation in the market and created solutions to enhance and unlock it for a new section of society. The company has worked closely with Samsung to develop products that support and bring to life Samsung’s leading innovation, including that of Samsung Knox, an Android-based solution that offers protection, privacy, and productivity for your mobile life.

Zone V’s unique combination of software and hardware offers a range of new and inclusive features that simplify the smartphone, making it easy to read and simple to use, and releasing the cutting edge features of the latest smartphones to a wider audience.

V Software

The V software completely revolutionises the Android experience to cater for the needs of a previously underserved section of society. The deeply integrated software, powered by Samsung Knox, delivers a range of features including:

  • Large text: Renowned accessibility font ‘Tiresias’ has been used to maximise visibility. Text on the phone is larger than on standard software and adjustable to suit the user.
  • Clear menu: Large icons and intuitive navigation replace existing menus.
  • Vibration feedback: Sensory vibration feedback confirms when icons and keys have been selected to give the user added reassurance.
  • Alternative menu colours: Schemes including black-on-white and white-on-black make the screen easier to read, particularly for those with visual impairment.

V Case

An expertly designed, feature-packed case offers a host of additional assistance and functionality for the Samsung Galaxy A3 – with more to be added in the coming months.  Those features include:

  • Easy charger: Magnets on the case and the charger guide the cable, making it easy to plug-in.
  • Robust case: Protects the phone from knocks and drops.
  • Magnifying lens: Dedicated lens slides over the camera to form a magnifying glass.
  • Hand grip: Detachable hand loop secures to the end of the case, making the phone easier to hold.
  • Front facing audio: Additional speakers send clear audio out of the front of the phone.

Disability and inclusive product consultant, Mary-Anne Rankin said of the launch of Zone V:

“For too long the aging persons’ market has been inadequately served by exciting developments in smartphones. As we age, bits don’t work as well as they used to – eyesight changes and perhaps our fingers aren’t as nimble as they once were. I meet people everyday who have a real passion for the latest tech with a bit of a ‘wow’ factor, but often find that buttons are too small and fiddly and screens difficult to read.

“I love that Zone V has set out to provide people with something that’s simple to use and easy to read and I was overwhelmed by the response my network had to the software and case – I think it could make a huge difference to the lives of so many people.”

The team behind Zone V

Zone V is overseen by former Nokia executives Frank Nuovo and Peter Ashall. Frank is famed for heading up Nokia’s first global design team, overseeing the creation of some of the world’s most recognised handsets including the iconic Nokia 3210.

Together with Peter, former Vice President of Concept Creation at Nokia, they launched Vertu in the early 2000s, the first luxury communications company famed for taking technology to a new market. The pair reunited to develop Zone V, running an extensive four-year product development process, involving relentless market and user testing to ensure the product would genuinely change the lives of the people who use it.

Development of Zone V has involved a team of international experts across technology through to customer insight.

Frank Nuovo, Creative Director at Zone V said:

“Today’s mobile industry is full of companies competing to be the first to launch the latest and greatest technology, but there are still far too many people in the world who feel that technology isn’t for them.

“I’ve always been passionate about designing things that people love to use. Zone V is unique because, for the very first time, we’re allowing everyone to be able to communicate their way. And I mean everyone – we’re not leaving anyone behind. Over the last four years, we have been completely committed to launching something that will change people’s lives – something magical and, at last, something truly inclusive.”

Peter Ashall, CEO at Zone V said:
“There are a great deal of people who want to enjoy the benefits of the latest tech but find it difficult to use. We have built something for them that makes the smartphone easier to read and hold and, overall, much simpler to use.

“We have had a brilliant response to the large and clear text, simpler menus and charger that’s easier to plug in, so we know we’re launching something that directly meets the needs of a sizeable group of people. We can’t wait for them to start seeing the benefits.”

Today’s launch comes with news that the Zone V technology was selected as a finalist in a leading UK technology competition.

Will Pryke, Head of BT Infinity Lab said:

“Zone V’s innovative approach has been recognised, with the technology being selected as a finalist in BT’s 2016 Infinity Lab Mobile Innovation competition.”

Posted in: Accessories, News, Phones
By April 26, 2017 Read More →

Tech Addicts UK Podcast – 26th Apr 2017 – At Home With Google

Slink Podcast Logo 1400 x 1400With Gareth Myles, Jay Garrett

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

Direct Download.

iTunes

Stitcher

Tunein

Show Notes

News:

Play Test:

Jay

Gareth

Bargain Basement:

Main Show URL: http://www.techaddicts.uk

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @techaddictsuk ; @garethmyles ; @gavinfabiani  ; @GadgetyNewsCom ; @JayGarrett ; @swanny ; @girlsngadgets ; @wildlime

Facebook: Tech Addicts

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

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

Posted in: Featured, News, Podcast
By April 25, 2017 Read More →

MIXX Audio Launches S3 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker & Digital Alarm Clock

unspecified3UK audio specialists Mixx Audio today announces the launch of its S3 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker with built in digital alarm clock. The Mixx S3 offers great sound and functionality; whether as a bedside wireless speaker, a digital clock with alarm or a phone charger, as well as being portable enough to use in all areas of your home. All this, in one in stylish, lightweight device.

The Mixx S3 is the perfect solution for anyone who is looking for a speaker that is small in size, sounds great and is incredibly easy to use. Available in pink and black, with anti-slip base to reduce surface vibration and dual speaker design for bass and detail, the S3 is packed full of extra features. Heavy sleepers need not despair as its two alarm settings will ensure you are up in time for your first meeting, your lecture or to get the kids to school before the bell rings. For those reluctant to emerge from under the duvet, there is also the comfort of a touch to snooze button for those extra few minutes of rest!

 

Whilst being used as an alarm clock, the S3 can power up your phone with its built in charging port so you can wake up gently with your phone fully charged, ready to start the day with a strong coffee and your favourite tunes pumping.  The built in microphone allows for hands-free calls so ideal for multi-tasking and calls on the go.

The S3 uses Bluetooth 4.0, allowing it to easily connect to any audio device such as smartphones, laptops or tablets within 30 feet/10 metres and has a rechargeable battery with up to 7 hours music playback. There is also the option of an additional back up battery option to retain clock time and alarm.

So, if you are looking for one device which wakes you up, charges your phone, plays your music, allows for hands free calling and is light and portable, the Mixx S3 is for you. Style, versatility and functionality for anyone, anywhere.

The Mixx S3 is available from www.mixx-audio.com for £40

Posted in: MP3 Players & Accessories, News, Press Releases
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