Science & Technology

By December 22, 2015 Read More →

Syma X5SC explorers 2 Review

syma-x5-sc-1-explorers-2With the mad Christmas rush reaching fever point you may find yourself stuck finding that perfect gift for someone. Look no further than red5.com for some fantastic gift ideas. Whether or not a Quad copter is on your child’s or your own Christmas wish list they are fast becoming the must have fun item for this Christmas and new year.  You can spend hundreds of pounds on a drone however if like me you are a complete novice you can start with a low budget quad copter like the Syma X5sc explorer for £58.95 available in black or white.

This was my first time test driving a quad copter so when I unpacked the Syma X5sc explorers 2 I was surprised at how light it was. My main concern was would this break easily?

IMG_20151205_123948

When my kids saw the drone they were thrilled and could not wait to have a turn, however I had to make sure that I was able to show them how to fly it, so after a few hours they lost interest waiting for their turn as I needed another go, just to be sure.

b_VvHsQKurk6gG6tHP2EgBeJRtLt83rrtgxGX6h-ShU

Out of the box it took 15 minutes to attach the legs, blade safeguards, camera and battery.

With the remote control taking 4 AA batteries I was ready to fly.  I like most men had a quick glance at the instructions and figured i would instantly know how to fly the drone. I was proven wrong. I suggest you have a long read at the instruction booklet as the controls are quite tricky to get use to.

My first test flight was indoors as storm Desmond was still attacking the UK.  The controls were tricky to begin with as i was restricted to the flight paths available. But i must say it was incredibly fun, dodging doors and christmas decorations. The blade safeguards proved to be extremely useful as they prevented any damage that may have been caused on my first few turbulence filled flights. 

On my second attempt i took the drone outside with my son as my navigator we went were no drone had been before.  With a full battery charge we managed six minutes of flying. To recharge the battery it took just over one hour and thirty minutes before the quad copter was ready to fly again.  I have been told by colleagues that this wait time for a battery charge was incredibly fast.

The controls outside were easy to handle as I was not restricted by the inside obstacles. The quad copter took off and I was able to control very carefully around my back garden, however there were a few epic crashes.  The Quadcopters light frame was very durable as there were a number of times the it fell from great heights and seemingly like a cat bounced into an upright position ready to fly again.  On testing my seven year old son and I did not manage to damage the Quadcopter or blades. There are however four extra blades included in the box but I am sure these are only there as after extensive use they will eventually need replaced.

In my videos I have included a couple of the crash landings the copter experienced.

4Z2wEtaXzwZkl8wg7fVztEUD1RhXbJMXniKrBU5uQPM

The quality of the video is fine for a 2 megapixel camera. Understandably if you wanted a better recording device you would have to spend more money on a better on board camera. For there most part there is a small amount of fragmentation in the recorded image and some might be unhappy with it, however for the money it is considerably better than the competition.

df7YK6mfbYSPeCFvT8w-l7mPY_X5hEds5ysbX3xTFTM 

Product features

  • Super Stable quadcopter
  • Built in HD camera
  • 2.4 GHz frequency
  • 6 axis gyroscope
  • 720p video recording
  • Take in flight videos and photos
  • Headless flying fuction – easier in flight control
  • Bigger improved optional blade protectors
  • Raised landing skids optimize camera viewing angle
  • 2 fly modes – beginners and advance
  • 360^ flips and tricks
  • 4GB micro SD card and card reader included
  • Colourful LED lights indicate front of quadcopter
  • USB charging
  • Measures approx. 32cm x 32cm x 11cm

The Syma X5sc explorers 2 has 360 flight which you can do many stunts with as with time I am sure I could master.  For a budget under £60 I feel you cannot go wrong purchasing this Quadcopter. As a learning experience before moving onto a bigger, more expensive device, or perhaps just for curiosity, I have never purchased one before however I will consider purchasing this one for my son’s birthday as he thoroughly enjoyed test flying it.  The camera recording may not be as fantastic as you would want but for a 2 megapixel camera the recordings are adequate.

The best place to get the Syma X5SC quadcopter is from Red5.

Posted in: Reviews, Science & Technology, Videos/Unboxings
Tags:
By December 17, 2015 Read More →

Introducing the Momit Home Thermostat

XLj8Mel41ulZOgEpIFKmHLo5E1KkBmG-3Aq3I-xArsQ

Spanish energy company Momit offers an affordable and stylish option for energy conscious consumers who want to optimise household temperature and save money. Let’s start with their first product, the intelligent Momit Home Thermostat has an attractive display which provides thermal information about your home. The learning thermostat detects when people are at home, learns from your habits and estimates consumption. Momit Home Thermostat can control both your boiler and underfloor heating.

Through the Momit Home Thermostat App’s My Budget function, you can set a heating budget and limits, saving money on energy bills.

The Momit Home Thermostat Starter Kit includes two main devices: one thermostat and one gateway (internet bridge plugged to your router that gives internet access to the thermostat). The kit measures temperature and humidity; has a presence sensor; runs on batteries; controls heating; can be managed directly on the device or via an app; is compatible with iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows devices; and available in five colours – Pure Black, Steel Silver, Luxury Gold, Red Dahlia and Summer Blue.

ca2sjnRe0ABTDuTl8qsQ2aucMNQA2kOsUarDj4-NPQI

Features summary for Momit Home Thermostat

• Presence and lighting sensors
• Wi-Fi enabled
• Saves up 30% of heating costs and Co2 emissions
• Geo-localisation feature
• Works 24/7 to make sure the house is just as heated as it needs to be
£99.00 from www.momit.com, delivery 3 – 5 working days. If you want to move your thermostat from room to room, buy the momit Extension Kit for £29.

For more features, momit also offers the momit Smart Thermostat – it connects via Wi-Fi; measures temperature and humidity of the home; has a presence sensor; controls heating, wall ac unit, underfloor heating; offers a touch screen LCD display with six different display modes and a light sensor; is compatible with iOS and Android; offers stylish curved and ridged edges and fonts that are closer to someone’s handwriting; and installation can be done in less than five steps. It retails at £149.00.

Features summary for Momit Smart Thermostat

  • Remote control
  • Saves up 30% of heating costs and Co2 emissions
  • Geo-localisation feature
  • Touch screen
  • Wi-Fi connection
  • Works 24/7 to make sure the house is just as heated as it needs to be

Installation

The momit Home Thermostat can be installed by simply in less than 30 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSNjB-cYxYY&index=6&list=PLygUtS2Akj8uqa5-sKOe1pNwSLNjUxfpC

You can install the Momit Smart Thermostat yourself in less than five steps. Here is a video showing you how:

Features summary for Momit Home Thermostat
• Presence and lighting sensors
• Wi-Fi enabled
• Saves up 30% of heating costs and Co2 emissions
• Geo-localisation feature
• Works 24/7 to make sure the house is just as heated as it needs to be
£99.00 from www.momit.com, delivery 3 – 5 working days. If you want to move your thermostat from room to room, buy the momit Extension Kit for £29.
Posted in: News, Press Releases, Science & Technology
By December 8, 2015 Read More →

Syma X5sc Explorers 2 Unboxing

vlcsnap-error161SYMA X5SC QUADCOPTER HD CAMERA is currently selling over at Red5.com. This modestly priced Quadcopter an updated, upgraded, bigger and better version of the popular Syma X5C Quadcopter with an HD Cam. This improved version still has all the same capabilities as the X5C, but with a few changes to get more out of its feature set. The rotor guards have been increased in size to further protect them from damage and the landing skids have been raised to give you the best possible viewing angle.

The Syma X5SC is a 2.4GHz Quadcopter with a built in HD 720p camera allowing you to film all of your flights, as well as taking some still images along the way.

This quad comes with a 6 axis gyroscope and 4 channel flight making it ideal for newbies who are just starting out on 4 channel flyers, as well as the pros who want to do some sweet tricks.

With a range of approximately 50 metres, boasting incredible stability, and indoor and outdoor usage, the Syma X5SC Quadcopter With HD Camera is worth checking out.

You can pick one up for only £58.95 here.

Check out the full review over at TracyandMatt.co.uk in the next week…

Posted in: Cameras, Science & Technology
Tags:
By October 22, 2015 Read More →

Stylish iKlips flash drive iPhones and iPads

2Adam Elements, a leading smart lifestyle solutions brand, presents iKlips, an innovative flash drive solution designed specifically for iPhones, iPads and iPods. Not only does it add between 16 and 256 GB of additional mobile storage. Thanks to its Lightning / USB 3.0 dual interface, it also allows users to easily share data between iOS devices, PCs and Macs.

Award-winning design
Available in gray, gold, rose gold, silver and red colour options, the Apple “Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad” (MFi) certified iKlips perfectly matches the design of the latest iPhone 6s models (especially with the new rose gold colour), which makes it a seamless extension that could not look more natural. A slim, lightweight aluminium body and a clip on its back make it easy to carry iKlips around safely, e.g. attached to your pocket or bag. In June 2015, iKlips won the Red Dot Award in the “Product Design” category for its versatile, robust, portable and convenient design.

Simple and fast data sharing
iKlips is simply plugged into the iPhone’s, iPad’s or iPod’s Lightning port, which instantly expands the device’s storage capacity with up to 256 GB of additional memory, which can be flexibly removed and shared with other iOS devices. Even better, the flash drive boasts a USB 3.0 connector on its other end, which makes it easy to backup and share photos, videos, audio and other files with PCs or Macs and vice versa, all without using the internet, cloud storage or iTunes. The free iKlips iOS app makes managing the additional storage a breeze. Thanks to its support of the latest exFAT flash media format, iKlips also works with individual files larger than 4GB, facilitating long continuous recording of high-resolution video, which can exceed the 4 GB limit quickly, especially when filming 4K footage with the latest iPhone 6s.

3

Premium components and craftsmanship
iKlips is one of the first flash drives to use top quality MLC flash memory components. These not only provide greater stability and a longer product lifespan, but also allow for high-end read/write speeds: 26/10 MB/s via Lightning and 140/70 MB/s via USB 3.0. Thanks to its extremely energy-efficient design, iKlips has absolutely no noticeable effect on the iPhone’s, iPad’s or iPod’s battery life. This impressive technology comes encased in a slim, colourful and exquisitely designed aluminium body. iKlips has been developed and is exclusively manufactured by Adam Elements in Taiwan, who is committed to offering the highest level of quality assurance for a trusted storage experience.

The ideal Christmas gift
iKlips is available now from the Taiwan-based Adam Store at www.adamelements.com/store/ and at Amazon.co.uk (currently via Amazon Marketplace, shortly also directly from Amazon.co.uk) in different colours and with with five storage capacities to choose from: 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB (MSRP: £49, £69, £89, £159, £359). Other retailers such as Expansys.com and MobileFun.co.uk will follow starting end of October 2015.

1

For more information about iKlips and detailed product specifications, please visit www.adamelements.com

Posted in: Accessories, News, Press Releases, Science & Technology
By October 12, 2015 Read More →

Brew Barrel unboxing and review

vlcsnap-error720Here at TracyandMatt we entertain every gadget that comes our way, someone, somewhere will be interested. Every once in a while a product pops up that isn’t really tech related but for the greater good we have to knuckle down and experience the product, up close and personal. Take for example, beer. One of the most important staples in many of our lives and we are so dedicated to our responsability we will risk everything to report back to you that a home brewing kit is good or bad.

Brew Barrel are far from a one trick pony and offer a great solution to the bar at an upcoming party you might be throwing. With the ability to brew 5 litres of Pilsnser, Lager, Wheat beer, Pale Ale or Dark Beer infused with a flavour of your choice, be it Oak, Bourbon Timber, Lemon Grass, even Raspberry and Hersbrucker are on the long list of additions in one go there is certainly a lot to choose from. Keeping the price to £25.00 per barrel with an additional flavour between £1.50 and £3.00, this £30 solution works out charger than the cost at the pump in your local (depending on your location) and you have the satisfaction that “I made that.” The Brew Barrel kit is easy to follow, well thought out and pleasant to put together. 

 

Check out Brewbarrel and order one!

Posted in: Reviews, Science & Technology, Storage Devices, Videos/Unboxings
By October 10, 2015 Read More →

Suaoki 3 Port USB Car Charger review

P1020353There is a good chance that your dashboard is becoming more cluttered. A phone in a mount, a dashcam and a dedicated GPS are popular additions to the control centre of the average car. However, looking at the layout of the dashboard there is one glaring problem that anyone with more than one mounted dashboard device has had to tackle, the single cigarette lighter socket. Most cars have them and car manufactures are not jumping onboard the multi USB socket as of yet. Using the cigarette lighter is still the main source of power for the majority of drivers out there.

P1020355

There are several accessories out there that remedy this problem however Suaoki have developed a little entry to the market that is worth writing about, the Suaoki USB car charger. The simple fact that makes this plugin device so attractive is the size, it’s very small. Initially, when Suaoki sent one over I might have actually taken a couple of days to even open the Amazon packaging. I am very glad I did,

P1020361

This is a typical USB adapter that features a fantastic build quality, low price, is flexible to your needs, looks great and performs even better. I would honestly say this is a perfect fit,

P1020365

From the outset the USB adapter comes with a clever configuration, a 2 port plug is £7, 3 ports are £9 and 4 ports will set you back only £11. It is true that you can get cheaper elsewhere however they will either be larger or flimsy.

P1020359

The Suaoki has a very small footprint and does not overhang as much as other USB adapters, it also has a solid finish. Whilst the plug itself is plastic the visible base containing the ports is faux metal and really gives the unit a more robust feel.

You can purchase the Suaoki 7.2A 36W 3 Port USB Car Charger from Amazon for £8.99 

Posted in: Accessories, Reviews, Science & Technology
By October 9, 2015 Read More →

Archos and Sikur deliver privacy with GranitePhone

graniteARCHOS today announces the forthcoming availability of thousands of the GranitePhone by SIKUR, allowing both companies to enter the global market of private communications smartphones, where the need for voice and data protection is a growing concern.

The GranitePhone, unveiled at MWC, has immediately attracted the attention of government, defense agencies as well as private companies and individual users concerned by their privacy, generating huge quantities of pre-sales on the Granitephone website.

With a 5 inch screen Full HD, Granite OS, 4G and a 16MP camera the phone has all the latest hardware specs along with an unrivaled focus on security, eliminating loopholes which could allow data theft and spying.

granite

The security architecture has been carefully designed with multiple layers of protection to mitigate security issues whilst still delivering the best in mobile technology today.

For additional flexibility, the device’s data storage is also kept in an encrypted form in the cloud so that GranitePhone’s users can access safely to their data from anywhere, using SIKUR applications.

They can do so from a computer and from other mobile devices, either Android and even iOS, which ensures great flexibility without compromising privacy.

“ARCHOS, through its subsidiary Logic Instrument is pleased to have been selected as industrial and development partner for this project as the demand for secured mobile solutions is increasing” says Loïc POIRIER CEO of ARCHOS.

“With GranitePhone, you can create a corporate digital environment, secure for the exchange of strategic information, without compromising productivity and speed offered by mobile devices,” says Frederico D’Avila, CEO of Sikur.

The GranitePhone, the first smartphone entirely focused on user privacy can be ordered through the website www.granitephone.com

Posted in: News, Phones, Press Releases, Science & Technology
Tags:
By October 7, 2015 Read More →

Low Power Wide Area Networks coming next year

picowanPicoWAN’s aim is to be the first LP-WAN (Low Power – Wide Area Network) RF network for connected objects, which will be collaborative, global, cross-border and available at a very low price. It will be launched in Europe from June 2016.

“PicoWAN is a project close to my heart. I have been deeply involved in the development and have even filed 3 patents,” announces Henri CROHAS, President of ARCHOS. “The potential is huge.”

A revolution in the Internet of Things

The key to this innovation is a unique wireless communications network protocol based on the use of pico-gateways, as opposed to rooftop concentrators and antennas, which come in the form of smart plugs connected to the internet via WiFi or Ethernet. Embedding a LoRa™ IC, the range of pico-gateways is potentially as long as the sophisticated antenna gears installed on rooftops by telcos. As a result of its low-cost and its easy installation inside buildings, the network can be densified at will and made fail–safe, penetrate very deep indoor resulting in a much higher QoS (Quality of Service).

A collaborative network at a very low price

The cost of a pico-gateway is some 100 times less than the cost of a rooftop installation. Instead of investing tens of million euros in infrastructure, PicoWAN will create a highly competitive LP-WAN thanks to the viral diffusion of very low-cost pico-gateways.

To ensure the deployment of a global network throughout Europe, PicoWAN plans to distribute up to 200,000 free pico-gateways by the end of 2016.

PicoWAN will offer a subscription plan starting at £0.50 pence per year, per connected object. Those who will deploy pico-gateway networks locally will receive up to 50% of the income resulting from the connections passing through their pico-gateways.

Optimal compatibility with connected objects

The software embedded in connected objects will be freely available to all developers and integrators developing on vertical or consumer markets, who can then set up their own IoT networks. This technology will facilitate the launch of multiple connected objects in all domains (health, agriculture, home automation, industry, and more), instantly supported by the PicoWAN network anywhere.

All LoRaWANTM objects can be made compatible with ease.

Join us at the Mobile Word Congress in Barcelona in February 2016 for a demonstration of PicoWAN network.

Posted in: News, Press Releases, Science & Technology
By September 27, 2015 Read More →

Jot stylus Hands on

Jot stylus Hands onThe Apple Pencil is about to arrive however a little company called “adonit” are showing off a few stylus devices that might make you think twice about the Apple offering.

The Jot Script 2
A iOS exclusive that features 20 hours of battery life,a fine tip and a rechargeable battery.

The Jot Touch
Another iOS exclusive with 11 hours of battery. This fine tipped stylus has pressure sensitive and an Adobe Cloud connection.

The Joy Dash
For both Android and iOS the Dash features a built in rechargeable battery and 12 hours of battery life.

The Jot Pro and Jot Mini
A battery free stylus with a precision tip works with most touch screen devices.

Posted in: Accessories, Gadgets, Science & Technology, Tablets, Videos/Unboxings
Tags:
By September 18, 2015 Read More →

Parrot Drone tour

vlcsnap-error610Parrot have a wide range of drones available and here we take a look at four of them. Each device has a particular twist on ability and it’s easy to see what this is. Whilst being designed for fun there are practical uses in Search and Rescue for each device. These device become more sophisticated every year and the flexibility is endless.

Air Drone 2.0

  • 720p – 30FPS – H264 encoding base profile
  • Low latency streaming
  • Video storage on the fly with remote device or with USB flash drive
  • JPEG photo capture
  • As you fly, the HD video is recorded and sent directly to your device

Bebop Drone

Parrot Bebop Drone produces the best flight performance ever seen in a leisure drone. The feather-weight ABS reinforced structure makes Parrot Bebop Drone robust and safe. In case of an emergency, the emergency function automatically stops the propellers and lands the drone. EPP hulls are included in the pack and ensure that indoor flights are safer

Hydrofoil NewZ

Discover Parrot Hydrofoil Drone, one of our second-generation Minidrones. The hydrofoil is a hybrid drone that uses its propellers to move on fresh water. Its nautical structure props the Hydrofoil Drone up 5 to 6 cm above the water, in a balanced manner. Fast and easy to pilot, it speeds up to 10kph (6.2 mph) on water. You can also fly your Minidrone for an incomparable piloting experience!

Jumping Night Buzz

Discover Parrot Jumping Night Drone, one of our second-generation Minidrones. Energetic, ultra-stable and easy to pilot, this astounding drone is equipped with two powerful LEDs for exploring in the dark. Be it at night or day, shed light on your path and get ready to perform incredible moves and create light and sounds effects with this animated Minidrone. Parrot Jumping Night Drone is a responsive Minidrone with a strong personality that rolls, rushes, zigzags, circles and makes quick turns. In a flash, it leaps up to 80 cm/2.5 feet in the air. It is a true explorer and can see everything, even the darkest places, thanks to its two headlights. You can record videos with sounds directly onto the internal memory. The embedded camera puts you at the heart of the action! 

 

Posted in: Cameras, News, Science & Technology, Videos/Unboxings
Tags:
https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/surgical-face-masks