Editorial

By November 1, 2013 Read More →

How Fiber Optics are Reinventing the Internet and Communications Industry

Fiber optic cableFiber optic Internet was the biggest news on the market just a few years ago. Today, news about wireless Internet has overshadowed that of fiber optics, though people may not realize fiber technology continues to progress by leaps and bounds. What new types of technology have made fiber optics a better way to get connected? In case you wonder how to improve your connections, check the routerloginlists website.

Military-Grade Sensors

Optical fiber can transmit light over distances, but any light coming through the fiber becomes filtered by the glass surrounding it. New fiber optic designs take away this limitation by channeling light through air rather than the glass, resulting in much more sensitive projections. This type of light control has not gone unnoticed by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, who has launched a program to provide fiber optic light-intensive cables for sensors and navigational tools. Light can take three separate paths in these cables, for better bandwidth over distances, while achieving a higher speed than standard fiber cable.

Aircraft Control

The announcement that TeraXion and CMC electronics are partnering to create new fiber optic transceivers may have a major impact in the Internet industry. These two leaders in the communications business look to take fiber optic to a new level by combining high volume components for high-reliability avionics equipment. These two companies hope to shorten their development cycle and develop better performing products for civil and commercial aviation communication, helping to pilot aircraft through dangerous weather and conditions.

Cleanliness Is Next To…

One of the largest breakthroughs in the fiber optic market hasn’t involved the technology’s speed or reliability at all. Instead, a new breakthrough allows for superior cleaning of existing fibers. Linden Photonics announced a new cleaning material, Lindex, that allows for eliminating contamination like grease and dust that clogs up systems. Photonics has claimed that Lindex may be as revolutionary for cleaning electronics as the invention of the Q-Tip, capable of picking up dust 50 times better than a Q-Tip.

Oceanfront Views

Though millions of miles of cable stretch back and forth across the world’s oceans, only a few companies have developed more water-friendly fiber cables. One of them, South Bay Cable Corporation, has managed to produce fiber optic cables that can do everything in a wet environment, including surviving up to ten thousand pounds of pressure. This will allow for more efficient coast-to-coast communication, as well as on ship-to-ship broadcasts where no other signal can be found.

Developing Markets

Though the monthly fees of wireless Internet scale above that of fiber optics, the difficulty in setting up fiber optic networks comes in the cost of laying the actual infrastructure. Corning Inc. released a study suggesting it may take $50 to $100 billion in costs to bring fiber optic Internet to every American. Americans hoping to get access to faster speeds should check the FiOS availability in their region to determine which provider works best for them. Since fiber optics represent the fastest and most reliable Internet connection, anyone subscribing to standard cable or Wi-Fi will find themselves paying more for less when fiber optics are available in their market.

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By October 29, 2013 Read More →

Tots and Tablets

baby-ipadKids are always interested in the latest and greatest of everything. From toys to tablets, kids are drawn to all things new and exciting. For many parents, the prospect of having their children repeatedly ask to play on their expensive tablet is a risky and potentially costly prospect. With a range of child-friendly tablets on the market today from the iPad Mini to the Amazon Kindle Fire, parents can choose the perfect tablet for their kids.

iPad Mini

For parents who have full sized iPads, the iPad Mini is the perfect pint sized tablet which is easy for kids to hold and handle. The iPad Mini has access to over 375,000 apps available from the app store, which range from educational apps to the most popular games. The device has a long battery life and a great camera as well. For responsible kids who are already familiar with the Apple brand, this is a great choice.

Kurio 10

Touted by the manufacturer as “the ultimate Android tablet for families”, the Kurio 10 offers customised content controlled exclusively by parents. The device has the capacity to set up eight separate profiles each with their own customised app settings, internet access and time limits for use. With a relatively large touchscreen display and TV compatibility, the Kurio is a good option for families with multiple users who are interested in controlling content.

Amazon Kindle Fire

Amazon specifically designed this model to be kid-friendly by incorporating a strong display that’s 30 times harder than plastic, and customised parental control options. With a simple password system, parents can monitor and block content as they see fit. With 22 million films, magazines, books and music files available for download, the Kindle Fire offers an impressive array of content specifically targeted to younger audiences.

These days, it has been reported that children are becoming tablet-savvy before they can even talk. Selecting the right tablet for your child will likely depend on a range of factors from price points to durability to parental control options. Apple products are known for setting the bar in various technological markets, and the iPad Mini is no exception. As other companies strive to achieve excellence in functionality and design, the market is developing rapidly, offering consumers a range of reliable and reasonably priced options for children’s tablets.

Posted in: Editorial
By October 25, 2013 Read More →

Keeping Your Mobile Data Safe

mobile securityOver the past decade we’ve become increasingly aware of the importance of online security. Everything we do online is a risk, from sending an email to buying an item from an online store. With prying eyes looking for any opportunity to extract our personal information, we now take some extreme measures to prevent this from happening.

Emails are being encrypted and sites are doing everything they can to ensure that any transactions are secure and that details entered cannot be accessed by anyone who doesn’t have the right. With businesses now looking for their employees to utilise modern technology and work wherever they are, whenever they can, using whatever device they have available; there is now added importance in keeping mobile data secure too. The rise in BYOD (bring your own device) in business has been great for employees who can use their own products without having to learn about new operating systems or programs, but security has been an issue in some cases.

Enterprise mobility and cloud computing have meant that IT is just about anywhere, and constantly at our fingertips. If we have to work on a project due in a matter of hours, we can. If we need to send an important email to seal a deal, we can. The problem is that the information being shared is leaving a digital snail trail and measures are having to be created to stop this data being accessed by those who have no right to see it.

Some are implementing measures having already experienced data leakages or theft first-hand, while others are trying to develop strategies to prevent anything happening down the line. Whichever approach is being taken, it’s important to get it right, because users trying to work on their own mobile devices won’t want the same sort of heavy-handed approach to security that they experience in the workplace.

Nobody wants to be sacrificing their user experience for security, because it just means that users can’t have fun with their devices anymore. Entering passwords after every click or being blocked from accessing certain sites or documents for fear of security breaches won’t be good for anyone, and essentially makes BYOD irrelevant because it’s no longer your device.

One good case study is the BlackBerry Enterprise platform, which helps administrators to manage BlackBerry devices as well as cross-platform security (meaning it covers iOS and Android devices as well). This allows for the smooth and seamless flow of data, without compromising security to do it – the happy medium if you like. To be productive, sometimes you need to access certain files and websites, and this is where the approach to BYOD needs to be considered rather than down to interpretation.

 

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By October 16, 2013 Read More →

How Can We Keep up with Technology?

Whether it is a laptop tablet hybrid or a smartphone with voice recognition technology, there is always a new addition to the technology market that means consumers have a frantic need to own the latest device with technology that will be life changing. Does technology evolve too fast? Are we ever able to actually keep up and own the devices that appeal to us? As soon as we purchase one gadget another is released in its place and it makes it hard to keep up with the items that have some of the best features and that are claimed to be far superior to its predecessor.

Keep Up With Technology 1The Past…

In the early days of technology, the rate of development was manageable and consumers were able to get to grips with new items, purchase them and have a considerable amount of time with that device before a new update was released.

The Present…

The rate at which new technology is released is faster than anyone ever anticipated that it would be. There are constant new releases of items and updates every few months and consumers are unable to keep up with the number of products that are released every year. The consumer places a great deal of pressure on itself to indulge in the most recent items that will allow them to participate in the technological culture that has long since been an important part of life.

The Future…

Technology will quite possibly continue to evolve at much the same rate as it is now. People will continue with their frantic need to keep up with technology and possess the items that make a great deal of promises regarding the way people are able to carry out everyday tasks.

Keep Up With Technology 2Smartphones are one area that result in a high number of technological advancements and see people scrabbling for the latest in phone technology. The smartphone market really took off 6 years ago with the release of the first iPhone, and since then mobile phone makers have transformed their handsets and the technology they use to fill the latest desires of the consumer. The smartphone and tablet markets tend to go hand in hand as many mobile makers are indulging in the tablet market as a way of securing the popularity of the consumer and its place in the industry. 20 million people a month use a tablet, which is up by 39% from 2012.

Society has quickly become dependant on technology and the benefits that it brings, gadgets and devices are must have items and shape the way we carry out even the simplest of tasks.

As soon as we get used to one format and one way of doing things, it quickly changes to cater for the latest advancements and the changes it brings to everyday life. People are often judged or considered to be ‘out of the loop’ if they do not embrace the latest in technology releases and embrace items such as smartphones and tablets but there is a real concern that one day we will all lose touch with technology as it grows at a rate faster than we can keep up with…. Are technology manufacturers hurting themselves and their consumer? Competition is the backbone of the succession of new releases although there seems to be little consideration for the main focus of the business… the consumer.

Posted in: Editorial, Phones
By October 15, 2013 Read More →

Which Chromebook is right for you?

Which ChromebookThere has been a flurry of Chromebook’s over the last week and whilst they are largely the same, there are a few subtle differences to distinguish them. Here is a brief overview of the main contenders, there will be more, many more over the next year or so however you might need one right now and this little table may help:

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Acer C720

HP Chromebook 11

Samsung Chromebook

HP Chromebook 14

Screen

11.6″ 1366 x 768

11.6″ IPS display 1366 x 768

11.6″ 1366 x 768

14″ 1366 x 768

Ports

1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0

2 x USB 2.0

1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0

2 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0

Weight

1.27kg

1.04kg

1.08kg

1.9kg

CPU

1.4 GHz Intel Celeron (Haswell)

1.7 Exynos 5250

1.7 GHz Exynos 5000 Series

Intel Celeron 1.4 GHz

Memory

4GB

2GB

2GB

2GB

Storage

16GB SSD + 100 GB Google Drive

16GB SSD + 100 GB Google Drive

16GB SSD + 100 GB Google Drive

16GB SSD + 100 GB Google Drive

Battery life

8.5 hours

6 hours

6.5 hours

9.5 hours

Network

802.11a/b/g/n

802.11 a/b/g/n

802.11 a/b/g/n

802.11 a/b/g/n

Connections

1 x HDMI, Bluetooth 4.0

Bluetooth 4.0, MicroUSB

Bluetooth 4.0, SD card slot.

Bluetooth 4.0, 1 x HDMI, SD card slot.

We’ll be going hands on sith several of these over the next week so be sure to came back to see unboxing videos and reviews soon! 🙂

Posted in: Editorial, Laptops
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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.

 

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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.

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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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