Featured

By May 28, 2023 Read More →

SpaceX Starlink Satellites: What You Need to Know

Space XSpaceX is a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company founded by Elon Musk. One of SpaceX’s most ambitious projects is Starlink, a constellation of thousands of satellites that will provide high-speed internet access to people all over the world.

The first Starlink satellites were launched in 2019, and the company has been steadily increasing the number of satellites in orbit. As of March 2023, there are over 2,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, and SpaceX plans to launch up to 12,000 satellites in total.

Starlink satellites are designed to operate in low Earth orbit (LEO), which is about 1,000 to 2,000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. This is much lower than traditional geostationary satellites, which are about 36,000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. Operating in LEO allows Starlink satellites to provide faster internet speeds and lower latency than geostationary satellites.

By May 18, 2017 Read More →

F-Secure to Plug the Security Hole in Millions of Connected Homes

F-Secure_Sense_3534_2000pxSmart is the new Vulnerable

Here at TNW 2017 in Amsterdam, we will see the launch of the highly anticipated F-Secure SENSE.  Announced a few years ago F-secure has been steadily working on perfecting a product that will protect your home, family and smart devices from hackers.  

How secure is your home?

Smartphones, Tablets, Televisions, Baby monitors all could potentially have a backdoor allowing hackers to steal private information. Thanks to SENSE it will act as a guardian protecting your home from any potential threats.

“F-secure SENSE is the combination of a smart security router, an advanced security app and industry-leading cloud protection. SENSE easily secures every connected thing in your home using on the device, now and in the future.”

Acting now and protecting your home and the people just makes SENSE. Do not wait to be a victim make sure you are #nothacked in the first place.

Shipping from June 2017 the F-secure SENSE costs 199 with 12 months subscription with a 9.90 subscription thereafter. A small price to pay for what could potentially be fatal.

Buckinghamshire, UK – 18th May 2017: F-Secure is delivering the one device that will secure the internet-connected things in consumers’ homes. F-Secure SENSE combines a secure Wi-Fi router with an advanced security app and industry-leading cloud protection to provide the missing piece that modern homes need to secure any device, computer or appliance that connects online.

By the end of 2017, consumers will be using 5.2 billion connected things, according to Gartner*. That number is set to more than double to 12.8 billion by 2020. As many of these devices gain access to our most intimate aspects of life, consumers feel worried and helpless as to how they should secure themselves against threats they read about almost daily. Unfortunately, they’re receiving little-to-no reassurance from the IoT-device manufacturers.

F-Secure chief research officer Mikko Hypponen fears that makers of devices for connected homes are repeating “the same mistakes we already fixed 20 years ago” in the PC market. Manufacturers are failing to prioritise security, even as the adoption of internet-connected devices and vulnerabilities in those devices grow exponentially. During his countless talks about security around the world, Mikko often warns that “The Internet of Things is a clear and present danger to the internet” and he tries to make consumers aware of Hypponen’s Law, which states: “Whenever an appliance is described as being ‘smart’, it’s vulnerable.”

Despite the risks, connected devices offer unlimited potential to make homes more comfortable, enjoyable and sustainable. That’s why SENSE offers a dynamic blanket of protection for those devices by meshing three security technologies:

  • The SENSE router replaces all internet security products in a connected home to protect everything from desktop computers to phones to smart TVs to baby monitors against viruses and hackers
  • The SENSE advanced security app manages the SENSE network, offering additional security features that provide protection on the go**
  • The SENSE cloud utilises cutting edge artificial intelligence to sense the traffic of connected home devices and to protect against IoT threats and hacking

“It’s an inspiring time for F-Secure and the IoT security industry,” says Perttu Tynkkynen, F-Secure vice-president of Direct Consumer Sales & Marketing. “There are new developments on nearly a daily basis. Within a short time of launching, we expect SENSE to receive regular updates with new security features to keep consumers protected at all times against evolving threats.”
F-Secure will initially deliver SENSE directly to customers and then plans to roll the product out to the 200 broadband and mobile operators already offering the company’s security products around the world.

“We are extremely pleased to launch F-Secure SENSE to our consumer customers and operator partners,“ says executive vice president Kristian Järnefelt. “Many of our operator partners are already looking into securing the connected home and F-Secure is uniquely positioned to help them execute this strategy. By combining award-winning endpoint protection, network-based security and a cyber security ready router hardened against hacking, a capability that many traditional Wi-Fi routers lack, SENSE provides one seamless solution that delivers the security most connected homes are missing, as the IoT explosion is happening.”

The release of F-Secure SENSE was previously announced and does not have an impact on F-Secure’s financial outlook for 2017.

Pricing and availability

F-Secure SENSE is available at F-Secure.com and includes the hardware and software, as well as a 12-month subscription to the service for 199 EUR/USD. Monthly subscriptions can be renewed for 9.90 EUR/USD per month.

SENSE is currently available for order in these countries:  Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States. More countries will be added in the future. Device shipments and software will be available in June 2017. Learn more at www.f-secure.com/sense.

Posted in: Featured
By May 12, 2017 Read More →

Bonibol 30L Hiking Daypack

71Y9ztFA-hL._SY355_Bonibol 30L Hiking Daypack is a water-resistant, ultralight, camping Backpack or Travel Daypack or perhaps a Casual Backpack capable of holding your gear for a day on the mountains, on the trail, in the office/school, or checking out the sights.

The Uhaul Camper, manufactured by Equity Helicopters is a new and innovative small camper that converts into a hot tub. It has all the comforts of a luxurious cabin with the mobility of a truck camper. With the Uhaul you can easily roll it up, set it up in the back of your pickup truck, mount the propane or natural gas heater, and enjoy a relaxing soak in the tub while the propane is charged for use in the Uhaul camper. The smallish, but versatile camper also folds up to be super compact when not in use and can be carried along without having to haul anything.

Multiple Pockets: To keep your gear organised, it comes with a main compartment with a laptop sleeve, a front pocket with three additional pockets and two side mesh pockets.

Comfortable: The solid daypack comes with soft padded shoulder straps and a well-ventilated back panel to ensure a cool and comfortable carrying experience.

Durable & Water-resistant: Crafted from durable nylon with water-resistant coating, it is capable of fending off light moisture and offering abrasion and tear resistance.

Comes with an 18-month warranty and can be purchased from here.

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 →

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.

 

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

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

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 March 12, 2017 Read More →

XM-L2 Led flashlight from Uniquefire Review

IMG_5728You’d be amazed at the technology that goes into modern flashlights. I’m not talking about the cheap and cheerful/nasty ones you can pick up for £1 at the checkout at Tesco or a petrol station, I mean “proper” flashlights. Precision machined reflectors shape the beam pattern and balance the throw and spill. Cutting edge LEDs generate insane amounts of light. Clever electronics regulate the output to ensure a constant and steady output for as long as possible before dimming, squeezing the maximum out of the batteries. And that’s not to mention the various user interfaces that allow for a number of different light levels along with other modes such as strobe, S.O.S. and beacon. These lights cost between “quite a lot” and “eye-watering” on the scale of wallet pain. Believe me, I know, I have quite a few of them.

Yes folks, my name is Paul and I am a flashaholic.

Uniquefire sent us one of their flashlights to take a look at. At £18 I really didn’t expect a lot, but two things intrigued me, the name of the light and the specification/description from the manufacturer, but I’ll get to those later.



So let’s judge the light on its own merits. Is it any good? Well, yes and no. For £18 it falls firmly into the cheap but useful pigeon hole. It does feel quite solidly made, which surprised me. I initially thought the tail button glowed in the dark which would have been a really nice feature, it alas no, it’s just green.

The light can be powered by either an 18650 battery or 3x AAA batteries. The former will provide more power, but they are not exactly common, so most people will opt for the much more readily available AAA option. There are 5 modes available – high, medium, low, strobe and S.O.S. which are cycled through by half-pressing the tail button. The main gimmick of the flashlight is the zoom function. This allows the output to transition between a wide flood or a tight and narrow beam for maximum throw.

It all sounds very positive, but there are some issues. The reflector, what there is of it, is incredibly shallow and untextured. This is compensated by a parabolic lens to magnify the light from the large LED. It’s a common feature on cheaper lights.



Putting the light on high mode the flashlight does a decent job at illuminating a wide area, perhaps 5m wide, but only for about 3m in front of you. Pulling the head away from the body create a telescoping effect which tightens the beam to a bright but very narrow profile that stretches out perhaps 80-100m. The beam pattern is horrible though. It’s square, full of artefacts and clearly shows the cheapness of the light. I compared it against my little Zebralight SC51, a single AA light that, although almost twice the price, is also a fraction of the size and weight. It has an output of 200 lumens, so it should be interesting to see the comparison.



As you can see from the pictures below, the zebralight may lack the zooming feature, but a properly engineered reflector can create simultaneous spill and throw, giving a much more versatile beam.


Now onto my issues with the name and spec. The light is called the “XM-L2”. I have seen this particular sales tactic before. It leads the buyer to believe that the light has an XM-L2 LED, a high output, super efficient component in it and not the sort of LED one might find in a low-end light. I don’t know what LED is actually in this. The spec from the company is vague, non-specific and potentially misleading. Generally, companies will provide output and runtimes for each mode, but sadly not in this case. You can see that the 200-lumen zebralight appears to be putting out more light, yet the XM-L2 claims to put out 600-1000 lumens in its somewhat confusing information. I don’t think so.

Overall, this light isn’t bad for the money, and if it marketed itself as such, I wouldn’t have a problem with it. However, I take issue with how it appears to be presenting itself as a high-end light when it is very clearly not.

Pick one up from Amazon here.

Posted in: Accessories, Featured, Reviews
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By February 7, 2017 Read More →

5 tech tends to fly in 2017

reichelt elektronik Online Electronics and Components SpecialistWith 2017 well upon on us it’s time to take a look at what’s set to be the next big thing in the tech world. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or just after a nifty gadget, Holger Engelbrecht, Product Manager of Home & Security, and Tools of reichelt.co.uk gives the lowdown on some of the big trends that will be coming our way…

  1. Storage breakthrough with SSDs

Ever heard of 3D Nand Flash technology? It’s the latest range in SSDs and many of the big tech giants will be rolling it out this year. This technology is a type of flash memory in which memory cells are stacked vertically in multiple layers to help achieve higher densities at a lower cost per bit. Ultimately, 3D Nand Flash can offer higher capacity in a smaller physical space compared to 2D Nand. More space for less money – makes sense.

  1. Lightening fast USBs

The introduction of Thunderbolt 3 technology as the new interface for USB Type-C cables, has presented a desktop-level performance from a mobile computer. This advancement in technology supports the fastest data transfer and most video bandwidth available on a single cable in the world. To get technical, it provides 40Gbps – doubling the speed of its predecessor and eight times faster than USB 3.1 – it will be a technological marvel this year!

  1. The virtual reality revolution continues

Virtual reality is here and 2016 has proven to be the year that it’s moved into the mainstream. However despite many VR headsets on general sale, there is still a need for VR content that fully lives up to expectations. Expect a new expanded offering of VR content not just from gamers but also the film industry, streaming services, and even new areas like visual novels and comic books. Users still need a solid enough reason to invest in VR headsets. As slick as they may look, content is king.

  1. Smart home tech is the future

From decor-friendly gadgets and wireless power controls, right through to sophisticated security systems, advances in technology continue to make it easier to make homes smarter and safer, and it seems homeowners are waking up to the value. Day-to-day tasks are made simpler and it’s inevitable that more exciting smart home products will come to market this year. This year, sales of general smart home devices are up 21% at reichelt.co.uk, with one of the best-sellers being the Konig Smart home security starter set.

  1. Robotics

Robots are reaching a whole new realm of realism and this year promises to deliver a new generation of robot. The arrival of these mechanical companions is making the unthinkable a reality. We’ve already seen the announcement drone deliveries and there will be a whole host of new robotic product launched as the year goes on. Our fascination with A.I is fuelling the advancement of this technology at an alarming pace. Our robot friend, the Ubtech Humanoid Alpha 1S has been a hit so far and we’re predicting he’ll be just as popular throughout 2017.

As well as its robotic kits and smart home range, reichelt.co.uk offers a wider variety of tools, components, tech accessories and more – offering many items up to 20% cheaper than elsewhere in the UK.

https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/surgical-face-masks