Editorial

By October 15, 2013 Read More →

A Brief History Of Car Stereos: From Victrola to Wi-Fi Radios

victrolaHow much have you spent on your car’s stereo system? Today, car and music enthusiasts can drop more than a quarter of a million dollars on a serious music system like the Rogue Acoustics 1K. One hundred years ago, however, the most technologically advanced car radio cost only fifteen dollars. How has sound engineering for automobiles evolved over the decades?

In The Beginning

One of the first popularized radios, named the Victrola, would be the forerunner for all car audio equipment today. During the 1930s, a brother team installed a Victrola into a Studebaker, naming it the “Motorola”. This brand became so popular that it grew into a corporation of radios, stereos, televisions, and electronics that Google purchased in 2012 for just less than thirteen billion dollars. At first, these Motorolas could only pick up on AM transmissions; it would take another two decades before FM radios became available that would pick up on short-range, local radio station transmissions.

Music Players

Today, a user can open up an iTunes or Spotify account in their vehicle and gain easy access to libraries of tens of millions of songs. Only fifty years ago, however, radios held drivers in thrall to the music that DJs wanted to play. The first time any driver could make a choice in music came in the late 1960s, when 8-track tape players became available for installation in automobiles. Cassettes followed soon, then in the late 1980s the CD revolution allowed a user to switch between as many as 10 CDs in a single player without needing to re-wind each time.

Digital Vehicles

When people think of mp3 players, they think of iPods, and for good reason; according to MacTech, the iPod has a staggering 70% market share. The first mp3 players pre-dated the iPod by half a decade, however, and sports cars like the Mazda MX5 would be the first cars with mp3 compatibility. Today, mp3 players can be directly hooked into a stereo system, used to play music via a tape adapter, or streamed via Bluetooth to create a mobile wireless unit.

The Future Of Mobile Music

Anyone with a smart phone knows how practical it can be to use it as a driving aid. From GPS navigation to apps that find the cheapest gas prices, smart phone integration drives the development of today’s automobile interiors. As such, subscribers to online car services can do everything automobile-related from the inside of their vehicles, including paying for the car itself. Paying car bills today requires nothing more than a login, pulling up Mydrivetime.com, and entering a payment through their finance services. Music apps are no different from online bill management: login to Pandora and stream music directly to your speakers. Developers looking to create ever-more-advanced stereos believe “smart cars” point the way towards the future of automobile audio, with on-demand music and information caches that preclude streaming interruptions like tunnels.

 

Posted in: Editorial
By October 11, 2013 Read More →

Eurogamer Expo 2013

Eurogamer Expo 2013This year marked the largest ever Eurogamer Expo at the Earls Court Exhibition centre in London and me and my partner were lucky enough to have been given the chance to go for the third year in a row!

Now I should give you a bit of background on me as a gamer and me at the show in previous years, first of all I have been an avid gamer for going on 17 years now and I’ve gone through many of the what we now call ‘Retro collectable consoles’ such as the Sega Mega drive and Master system, the NES and SNES from Nintendo, original Gameboy, Gameboy colour, advance…and from there I now own the PS3 and Xbox 360 and I have pre-ordered a PS4 which I will receive before Christmas this year (so excited!! and you will see why later on in this post) So basically I LOVE gaming and I continue to be so exited by new release games and consoles that I annoy the heck out of my family because all I want to do is buy these new and exciting products!

So that is a little background on me as a gamer, now to explain how my last two appearances at the Eurogamer Expo went.

Posted in: Apps & Games, Editorial
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By October 11, 2013 Read More →

Mowing your lawn in the 21st century

Well this is something a little different for a Friday afternoon and heading in to the weekend may well be something that many of us will thing about over next few days…

miimoThe ancient art of garden maintenance has been catapulted into the future, thanks to Honda – the Japanese manufacturer most commonly renowned for its turbocharged motorbikes, sleek autos and that fun ‘Hate Something, Change Something’ TV ad.

Honda’s range of garden products includes the nifty little Miimo, a lawn mower with a difference – think of it as a Henry Hoover for your turf, but with a far more futuristic feel. Every feature of this characterful robotic mower has been expertly designed and refined for a more intuitive, and therefore a more efficient, grass-cutting experience. It can follow random cutting patterns – ideal if yours is a garden with decorative ornaments or fiddly borders that a more cumbersome mower might struggle with. Quite miraculously, it also knows when it needs a top-up of machine food, and will make its own way back to the docking station when the time comes.

The Miimo operates a no-mess-no-fuss policy. It mulches as it mows, and spreads miniscule particles of grass across the lawn, which act as a fertilizer. Over time you’ll notice how effectively this reduces the number of bothersome weeds in your garden. A model helpmate, the Miimo is quiet as well as clean – it will work through the night without making irritating whining or buzzing sounds, so you and your neighbours can get your 40 winks without disturbance.

This one-of-a-kind mower has a thoroughly likeable appearance and mower-personality. It’s polite as anything, and will stop as soon as it touches a person or object, thanks to its touch-sensitive 360 degree floating cover. It’s also safety-conscious, and has three reversible cutting blades made of ductile heat-treated steel. In human terms, this means that if the Miimo ever happens to hit a solid object, these blades will rotate inwards rather than shatter.

Take a look at the Miimo on the Honda website. Alongside a bunch of useful stats and specs that will answer any questions you have before you decide to buy one, there’s also a fantastic feature that lets you drag an image of the Miimo around for a 360 degree view. Making the Miimo twirl will make your day.

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By October 9, 2013 Read More →

Top office gadgets for 2013

office gadgets

Your office is your personal space at work. You should rightfully make it so. Look at these boss laser reviews, you see what they can do with their laser engraving? You can make a pretty epic sign with your name on it to place on your door or desks, or one for each! Of course, putting your name somewhere visible in a cool way is one of the many ways to personalize your office space. There’s always tech! I like small distractions for when you need to stop and think for a sec, you know?

With that being said, have you ever come across a frustrating situation in the office and thought: “I wish there was a gadget that would take care of that”? We’re sure you’ll find something you like in our selection of the top office gadgets for 2013.

We’ve put together a guide that includes techie, fun and just plain useful devices that we think make great additions to an office environment.

USB Heated Gloves

When you begin to hear your co-workers complain about cold hands as they tap away on their keyboards, you know winter is coming.

Put a stop to their moaning by suggesting that they invest in a pair of USB heated gloves. Simply plug these gloves into the USB port of a computer and they’ll warm up to a toasty 46 degrees in a matter of minutes. These are the perfect Secret Santa gift and you can find a wide selection of these gloves, in fingerless and closed designs, online at Amazon.

Cup Holder

Sometimes the simplest things make the most impressive gadgets.

We’ve all experienced those chaotic mornings, when you’re working 100 miles an hour at your desk trying to get everything done and woops… that takeaway coffee you grabbed on the way in to work goes flying!

This particular nightmare can be a thing of the past, with this simple clip on cup holder – available to buy online from Amazon. This is great if your workspace is limited and you’re the sort of person whose desk is a sea of papers.

Apple TV

It may be increasingly popular in the home, but technology that allows you to project your iPhone or iPad onto a TV screen is a fantastic tool that can also be used in the business environment.

Apple TV, available to buy online from Viking, makes it possible to transmit presentations, photographs, videos and music from an Apple device to a television, without the need for wires. If you’ve got a TV in the boardroom, this a great resource to have for those all-important presentations.

USB Mail Notifier

When you’re powering through a day at the office, it’s easy to neglect your email inbox. That said, there’s nothing worse than missing a crucial piece of information, an upcoming meeting or even worse – an email from a co-worker saying there’s cake in the staff kitchen!

You’ll never miss these crucial emails with this simple gadget, which syncs to your account and lights up each time you receive a new message. You can buy one of these online from Brando, by clicking here.

Exercise Ball

I must admit, the first time I walked into an office and noticed staff sitting on balls at their desks, I was somewhat taken aback. However, swapping the swivel chair for a standard exercise ball – like the ones you see at the gym – could be good for your health.

According to this article by Jenny Sugar at fitsugar.com, swapping your office chair for a ball forces you to use your core muscles, which will lead to a toned midriff and could help elevate back pain. What’s more, the small movement that’s required to keep you upright could burn upwards of 30 calories per day. While that may not compensate for the sneaky lunchtime Mars Bar you wolfed down, it’s better than nothing!

Posted in: Editorial, Gadgets
By October 8, 2013 Read More →

Things to Consider When Buying a Laptop

Buying a LaptopLaptops have changed a great deal over the years, thanks to their continued popularity with today’s consumers. A laptop lets you get online, do schoolwork and research, or simply keep your eye on the office while on the move, yet with the sheer amount of choice available to you, selecting the right laptop for your needs can be an extremely daunting task.

As with any kind of technology it helps to do some research before you buy a new machine, and if you don’t want to risk wasting your money it helps to consider these three simple questions.

What will you be using the laptop for?

There are a variety of makes and models out there – so many in fact, that buying the right machine can be really confusing for the average customer. However, if you can pinpoint exactly what you will be using the laptop for, it will really help you narrow your options down.

For example, if you simply want to browse the internet or check a few emails you might prefer a tablet or notebook. These smaller machines are very easy to use with enough power to ensure they remain speedy and responsive.

If you are looking for a family computer that will be used for a number of tasks, such as watchingiPlayer, hosting live gaming sessions or editing photos or movies, a multimedia machine will be your best bet, offering a larger screen, more power and plenty of memory.

Do you have a budget?

In an ideal world you could spend as much as you wanted on a new laptop, but the likelihood is you will need to stick to a budget. If this is the case then you should be sensible and only look at options within your price range. It is easy to choose a machine, add on a few ‘must have’ extras and before you know it you have completely wiped out your budget.

The good news is there are plenty of options out there that have reasonably low price tags yet still offer the power and specifications you need. Do check each spec thoroughly and compare your favourites to ensure you are getting the best value for money.

You should also consider whether you have any older tech items that you could sell on before you purchase your new machine. For example, if you could sell an old Macbook Pro you’ll be able to recuperate a decent amount and put this towards your new purchase.

Where will you be using the laptop?

This question is also important because it might help you narrow down your final choices. Yes, a laptop is a mobile devic ebut that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be leaving the house. In the home it’s great if you need to quickly re-charge, but if you are constantly on the movea machine with a good battery life is essential. And, of course, it will definitely help to have a smaller, lighter machine that you can carry around easily.

All in all, choosing new or used laptops doesn’t have to be as daunting as it sounds; simply narrow down your requirements and preferences and the final decision should become obvious.

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By October 8, 2013 Read More →

9 iOS 7 Features You Probably Aren’t Aware Of

iOS 7 featuresFew system updates have attracted as much attention as Apple’s latest iOS 7 update for its mobile devices. With flourescent colors and a flat design, the update’s drummed up some controversy with Apple enthusiasts.

But whether you love the new look or not — beyond the cosmetic changes, it’s packed with some useful hidden features. Here are nine iOS 7 features you probably haven’t figured out on your own.

Use Siri As Your Secretary

Siri now has the keys to your call log and email. Here are just a few questions you can ask the now more helpful Siri:

  • “Do I have any voicemails?” – Siri tells you which numbers have left you a voicemail
  • “Did anyone call me?” – Siri pulls up your missed and most recent calls
  • “Do I have any emails?” – Siri shows any unread email in your inbox
  • “Read me my most recent email” – Siri will read the most recent unread email in your inbox

Teach Siri How to Pronounce Your Friends’ Names

Siri may be quick, but she’s not a very skilled linguist. Another neat Siri feature allows you to tell her how to pronounce your contacts’ names. Just say “that’s not how you pronounce” and she’ll give you a chance to teach her the correct pronunciation.

Change Font to Bold

As part of the update, there’s now a thinner font used throughout the system. While it looks good, some find it difficult to read. You’re able to change the fond to bold by going to Settings > General > Accessibility and then selecting Bold Text.

See Time Stamps on Any Text Message

One of the strangest features of text messages on iPhones is the lack of consistency with time stamps. Sometimes you’d see what time a message was sent, but other times you wouldn’t. This was addressed in iOS 7, and now you can view time stamps on any message by touching the message bubble and swiping to the left.

Block Texts and Calls from Any Number

Cut off contact with an annoying ex, telemarketer, or even a family member by blocking their number. Open the person’s contact info, then scroll to the bottom and select “Block this Caller.” Anyone you block won’t be able to message, call, or Facetime you. However, you can still call or text someone you’ve blocked.

Put Unlimited Apps in Your Folders

If you keep your apps neatly organized in folders, you’ll be happy to know you’re no longer restricted on how many apps you can place in a single folder. Now, there’s no limit on how many apps can go in the same folder.

Add Filters to Your Photos

You can add Instagram-like filters to your photos directly in the Camera app. With only 8 filters and not much variation, this feature is somewhat limited but convenient. Just open a photo, select Edit, and tap the Filters icon in bottom middle of the screen.

Swipe Downward to Access Spotlight Search

Spotlight Search was formerly found by left-swiping from the home screen. It’s now accessed by downward swiping from the middle of the screen. The downside is you can no longer search the Web — you’ll need to open Safari for that.

View Apple Maps in Night Mode

This user-friendly feature keeps you from going blind when using your Apple Maps navigation in the dark, like when you’re driving at night. There’s no way to turn this feature on or off — your phone will automatically adjust the screen brightness based on the time. In addition to Night Mode, Apple’s added some other nifty features to Apple Maps, with more on the way.

Disable or Enable Automatic App Updates

Before iOS 7, you had to open the App Store and  select which apps to update. Now you can set all apps to automatically update by going to Settings > iTunes and App Store, then turn on Updates in the Automatic Downloads section. Since app updates drain data, you’ll only want to enable this feature if you have an unlimited data plan or if you can easily use a WiFi connection, like from your FiOS Internet service.

Now that you’ve gotten used to the bold new look and major features of the iOS 7 update, try out the above features to dig deeper into what your iPhone and iPad can now do.

Have you found any hidden features in the iOS 7 that we didn’t cover here? Share your tips in the comments below.

Posted in: Editorial, News, Phones
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By October 3, 2013 Read More →

This week’s must have Windows Phone apps

app storeHere we are with a selection of this week’s latest and greatest Windows Phone apps available from the Windows and Windows Phone store.

 

jamieJamie’s Recipes

Pick up some of Jamie Oliver’s skills with this new tasty app. Jamie has selected 10 delicious & nutritious recipes to get you started for free!
You can choose to buy from over 200+  delicious recipes to satisfy every taste. There are mouth watering  step-by-step photos and great HD videos to explore. Unleash your inner chef!

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By October 3, 2013 Read More →

3 Keys to Secure Mobile Shopping

mobile shoppingMost of us feel safe ordering everything from clothes to books and even food delivery via computer. In fact, TIME Magazine published a story June of last year exclaiming how comfortable we are ordering pizza online, now. But when it comes to shopping via mobile device, many people are overly cautious while other’s aren’t nearly cautious enough!

The simple truth is that shopping from a smartphone or tablet isn’t generally very safe–at least, not the way most people do it. Fortunately, there are a few simple precautions that you can take to ensure your finances stay safe when you use your mobile device.

1. Use Your Mobile Apps–Not Your Web Browser

Most major and many smaller ecommerce sites have their own mobile application to not only help you find what you want, but to allow you to buy what you want securely. The best way to keep your information secure is to only purchase through a mobile application (as opposed to a live website) every time you pay for something via mobile device.

This may sound extreme, but there is a method behind the reasoning. The simple fact is that web browsers just aren’t as secure as mobile applications. The risk doubles if you’re using a public WiFi hotspot.

If you’re set up in a coffee shop, using WiFi, T-Mobile’s 4G coverage map or your carrier’s 3G network to order that luxury watch you’ve always wanted, just be sure to use an app, and buy from trusted vendors only.

Using a mobile app also provides safety from keyloggers, viruses, and other malicious software that can invade your privacy and record your logins (yes, this type of software exists for mobile devices too!).

What’s that? You say your favorite online shopping spot doesn’t have its own mobile app? It will soon enough. Until that time, protect yourself by shopping only when on your secure, password-protected home network.

2. Make Sure You’re Using the Best App for the Job

In other words, never download or use a third-party application for your mobile device-based shopping. Instead, you should always obtain the appropriate app directly from the Google Play Store or Apple Apps.

Keep in mind that the occasional rogue app does sneak into these stores at times. It happens with Google Play more often than with Apple. In either case, verify the publisher of the application before you download it. If it doesn’t match up with the online store’s business name or parent company, contact the site’s customer support before you download the app.

3. Lock Your Device

Crazy Egg blog recently published a post on some very innovative mobile solutions for e-commerce that’s worth checking out. Whether your applications store your payment information on the device or on your favorite merchant’s servers, most ecommerce mobile apps allow anyone to make a purchase by simply tapping your device’s screen.

Unfortunately, this also means that anyone who somehow gets their hand on your device can tank your bank account in a single afternoon! Mobile devices get lost. Especially phones. It’s just a fact of life, and while most people are honest enough to hand your phone in to the nearest lost and found, not everybody is. So it’s essential that you passcode-protect your device.

With Apple devices, this means a password, four-digit code, or even your fingerprint. Android users can choose between a password and a customized trace pattern. In either case, the most important thing is that you secure your device against intrusion. Add a passcode feature–and make your device require it for every use.

Shop via mobile app instead of directly on the web. Avoid shopping via public wireless networks when possible. Make sure you’re using a safe, authorized application directly from the Apple or Google app store. Always keep your device security locked.

As long as you follow these three security measures, you’ll be 1,000% safer with your mobile shopping than you were before.

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By October 1, 2013 Read More →

iOS 7 issues

iOS 7 issuesIt has been several weeks since iOS 7 was finally released for iPhone, iPad and iPod devices but that launch hasn’t been without it’s problems and many new users have a complaint or two about the update.

Ignoring the fact that some users just don’t like the new visual styling or are finding it a little more difficult to use a locate things since the update, and ignoring too the fact that some users are complaining that the new parallax and zooming effects of the OS are making them sea sick… I’m talking about two specific problems that are being heavily reported; Battery Life and iMessage issues.

So taking the first, I support a number of users across a couple of business accounts and it seems that they all decided to update to iOS 7 the day it became available. The response to the update seems to have polarised opinion with some loving and some really hating the changes.  After just a few days the complaints began rolling in to me, “My Battery isn’t lasting the day” or “I’m having to charge my phone a lot more often”.

Initially I took the complaints with a pinch of salt, wondering if it could be caused, in part, by the users playing with the new features of iOS 7 and therefor using their phones a bit more. Turns out though that they were not alone and reports of poor battery life post-update started to fill Twitter, Facebook and online forums.

There’s no real answer to this at the moment aside from being sure to turn of WiFi and Bluetooth when you don’t need them it’s a case of waiting for a further update from Apple to, hopefully, address this.

The second of the iOS 7 issues is with messages. Some users are reporting that they are unable to send messages while others seem unable to receive. My own experience of this is with my iPhone 5 sending several messages to one person and seeing the notification at the top state ‘sending 3 of 3…’ to then see a message failed warning followed by replies to those messages from the recipient.

The messaging issue seems to be affecting some carriers more than others, Vodafone from what I can see being one of the most affected while my Everything Everywhere colleagues seem to be oblivious to such issues.

Apple have already released an update to iOS 7.0.2 but this primarily addresses a security issue rather than solving the issues above. iOS 7.0.3 is due out next week so the hope is that we’ll see some improvement with messaging and battery life in that update.

What are your experiences? Please share with us below!

Posted in: Editorial, Phones
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By September 27, 2013 Read More →

The effects of technology on the gaming industry

gamingWhat’s the moment you’d define as gaming’s huge technological leap? Was it back in 2007 when Steve Jobs debuted his MP3, Internet device and phone? After all the iPhone absolutely revolutionised the way we communicate, entertain ourselves, listen to music and play games. Or maybe it was when Nintendo came up with the 3DS – a portable gaming device that allows you to play in full stereoscopic 3D without wearing glasses? That’s the future right there! Except it came out in 2009.

 

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