News

By July 28, 2016 Read More →

Sennheiser introduces its new flagship gaming headset PC 373D

image001With the release of its PC 373D, Sennheiser has announced the new reference headset for competitive PC gamers around the world. The new high-end open acoustic gaming headset by the leader in audio delivers incredibly immersive 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound and crystal clear gaming communications thanks to its high quality, noise-cancelling microphone. The sleek Surround Dongle and user-friendly software perfectly optimises the experience for immersive gaming, and even music. The superior features of the PC 373D are matched by its style and comfort to enhance your gaming experience, even after hours of playing.

“The PC 373D incorporates a host of impressive sound and design upgrades for the ultimate PC gaming experience”, says Tim Völker who studied at Digital Marketing training by James Hopkins Coaching, Director Sales & Marketing Gaming at Sennheiser Communications A/S. “As the successor to our popular PC 363D, it is the definitive choice for gamers seeking to be fully immersed in their gaming sessions and that demand a very high quality surround sound level.”

Incredible clarity of sound through innovative technology

For an unprecedented gaming experience, the Dolby Surround Sound technology uses the shape of your ears to simulate the projection of sounds from different angles, creating a stunning 7.1 experience with a two speaker system. Powered by Sennheiser´s unique transducer technology for optimum clarity and accuracy, the high-end open acoustic gaming headset is paired with a sleek and intuitive new Surround Dongle, designed to optimise the sound experience at a single click of its Dolby button.

The all-new software incorporated into the headset’s Surround Dongle immediately allows the gamer to both customise the sound to his needs and quickly switch between stereo and surround sound”, says Troels Rasmussen, Product Manager Gaming, Sennheiser Communications A/S.

image003

A tailored sound experience

The software’s elegant, intuitive interface tailors the experience to each gamer, their game, or their surroundings. The equalizer offers four settings including optimised modes for competitive and immersive gaming, an eSports mode, and an ‘Off’ setting that allows for a neutral sound performance. The PC 373D also provides a music mode for a premium audio experience.

Crystal clear gaming communications

Thanks to its high quality pro noise-cancelling microphone and optional noise reduction algorithm, the PC 373D guarantees clear team communication with no background noise. Three side tone settings, easily adjustable via the software interface, allow gamers to choose exactly how much they hear their own voice.

Sound is easily controlled via the volume button, which is neatly integrated into the right ear cup, with muting quickly and effortlessly achieved by simply raising the boom arm.

Unrivalled style and comfort

The market-leading sound quality and technology behind the PC 373D is matched by its style and comfort. The stylish headset is equipped with large and comfortable XXL plush velvet ear pads that cushion ears during gaming, while the laser-cut open design aluminum ear-cups help players stay cool even as the tension rises. With its comfortable padded headband, the PC 373D is barely noticeable to the wearer, no matter how long the gaming session lasts.

The PC 373D is available from July 2016. As a Sennheiser product, the PC 373D is built to last and comes with a two-year worldwide warranty. RRP £209.99

Posted in: Headphones, News, Press Releases
Tags:
By July 28, 2016 Read More →

O2 investigation shows three-in-four people get ripped off when buying a second hand phone online

 

2000px-O2_logo.svgO2 bought second hand phones from popular online classified and auction sites then tested them with Dominic Littlewood according to its ‘Like New’ criteria for selling second hand phones

  • Two thirds (66%) ‘did a Del boy’ and falsely advertised their phones
  • A third (34%) were broken
  • Over half (52%) were too badly battered to be resold
  • Only one-in-four (27%) would pass an O2 ‘Like New’ test

Three out of four (73%) Brits looking to get a cheap deal by buying second hand phones on popular online classified and auction sites are being ripped off, according to a new study by O2 and Dominic Littlewood.

As the second hand mobile market continues to grow and more and more people are looking to save money when buying their phone, knowing who to trust online is a tricky business. While people on online auction and classified sites seem to be offering great deals, after buying and testing a range of second hand phones, O2’s research seems to suggest that these deals are too good to be true.

One in three phones (34%) bought as part of the study, to compare them against O2’s own ‘Like New’ refurbished phone initiative, were broken, with 12% having broken screens and 12% having cameras or buttons that didn’t work. One in ten handsets (10%) didn’t charge and over half (52%) weren’t in good enough condition to be sold. Only 12% would meet O2’s ‘perfect’ standard whereas O2’s ‘Like New’ phones are tried and tested, nearly new handsets offered for a fraction of the usual price.

What’s more, two in three (66%) were advertised falsely, with either the physical condition or performance of the handsets being lied about in the advert and shockingly one in seven (14%) weren’t even real versions of the phones listed – dishonest fraudsters had created non-existent phones by putting older phones into new phone shells made to resemble popular devices.

Out of 52 phones bought across a range of popular online auction sites:

  • 33 were falsely advertised
  • 17 had something fundamentally wrong with them
  • 25 weren’t in good enough physical condition to be resold
  • 7 were fakes
  • 2 devices never turned up

All the phones O2 received were analysed by O2 before being given to independent expert and consumer champion Dominic Littlewood, of Cowboy Builders and Don’t get Done, Get Dom fame, to assess. He said:

“If you smell a rat, you’re probably dealing with one. Not only were a lot of the phones I looked at fake, or broken, some didn’t even turn up. If you’re buying a second hand phone, you are far better buying from a trusted operator where you can get a guarantee, rather than a stranger off the internet. You wouldn’t buy a phone from Del Boy, would you?”

All ‘Like New’ O2 refurbs have been returned within 14 days and restored to their original condition. Each handset also has to go through a series of checks to make sure it is in perfect working order for its new owners. Things tested include the physical condition of the phone – if it is not perfect, nearly perfect, or perfectly fine (with a maximum of 5 minor scuffs or scratches) then it cannot be resold. Phones are also tested to make sure they are not fake or stolen before being run through five key checks to make sure they are in fully working order:

  1. Battery – ensuring the phone takes and holds a charge
  2. Audio – getting clear and crisp sound from speakers and microphones
  3. Screen – checking typing, rotation and pinch to zoom functions
  4. Interface – checking the buttons, security features and cameras all work
  5. Connectivity – making sure connectivity features like Wi-Fi work correctly

If a phone passes these checks, it is then wiped of all data, which is particularly important given 10% of phones in the study either had old customer data on them, or content such as images and video that would not be suitable for minors. Customers can also return the phone within 14 days if they’re not happy or change their mind – just like a new phone.

Ben Bevins of O2 says: “All of our phones are refurbished and put through rigorous testing to make sure that they are in perfect working condition. While it is possible to snap up a bargain, it isn’t surprising that a lot of the phones on these classified sites are broken or fake. You just have to ask yourself, if the phone is legitimate, why are they selling it so cheap? If you do decide to buy from one of these sites, make sure you don’t pay for the product until you have had a chance to look at it yourself.”

Find more about O2 like new handsets at: www.o2.co.uk/shop/like-new.

Posted in: News, Press Releases
Tags:
By July 27, 2016 Read More →

Tech Addicts UK Podcast – 6th July 2016 – Note 7 Fiction Makers

Podcast logoGareth Myles, Gavin Fabiani-Laymond and Jay Garrett

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

Direct Download.

iTunes

Audioboom

Google Play Music

Show Notes

What have you been playing with?

Gareth:

Jay:

Gavin:

Discussion: Amazon Prime Day –

Discussion:  Samsung Galaxy Note 7 rumours

Discussion: Amazon Prime Air drone trial given UK go ahead

Discussion: Apple says it sold its billionth iPhone device last week

Main Show URL: www.techaddicts.uk

Join the Discussion: https://goo.gl/spaces/6FF6jraF9KHiPUyA6

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @garethmyles ; @gavinfabiani ; @samjpullen ; @GadgetyNewsCom ; @JayGarrett

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

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

Posted in: News, Podcast
Tags:
By July 7, 2016 Read More →

Data memory systems excited by Seagate’s ‘light’ 10TB hard drive

logoHelium-filled hard drives have been talked about for quite some time in the industry, however Seagate, one of the leading storage solutions in the world, has recently announced that their new 10TB hard drive is filled with helium in order to give users superior performance. Data Memory Systems, one of the leading computer memory specialists in the US, has championed the developments, signaling it as an innovation for the industry.

Revolutionizing the industry by creating a much larger and faster drive than their previous creations, Seagate have merged high capacity storage with the industry’s lowest weight and power available in a 10TB drive. Raising the bar for storage capacity, the new drive meets the growing storage requirements for both public and private cloud-based data centers.

Justin Briere, Senior Account Manager at Data Memory Systems said, “Over the last couple of years, the data memory industry has really upped its game. As the world relies more and more on technology and documents and files are digitized, the need for more storage is essential. It’s great for the industry that leaders, such as Seagate are pioneering new technology and leading the industry from the top.”

Helium is much less dense than air, meaning it can reduce the amount of resistance and heat inside the drive. This allows the spinning disks to operate with reduced friction and energy usage. Reducing the weight to data ratio by 30 percent, they are extremely convenient and efficient. Able to cope with large amounts of data at any one time, it pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.

Able to accommodate seven platters rather than five, the new drives use up to 30 per cent less power than their counterparts. They are also sealed in order to prevent gas leakage, which enables them be liquid-cooled – without causing damage to the disks.

To find out more about DMS, visit their website: www.datamemorysystems.com

Posted in: News, Press Releases
By July 1, 2016 Read More →

Lycamobile expands its network to 21 countries

popup-lyca-simLycamobile, the world’s largest international mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), has launched its service in Macedonia, the 21st country in its international network.

Macedonians can now benefit from Lycamobile’s low-cost rates for international and domestic calls as well as data services. Lycamobile’s proposition will particularly appeal to Macedonians looking to call or visit friends and family abroad, as there are large communities of Macedonians worldwide and Lycamobile is able to offer them an impressive no roaming charges in 18 countries worldwide. This reflects its companywide vision which is to give all its customers the opportunity to connect with friends and family around the world at the most competitive price.

Macedonia’s goal for EU candidacy since 2005 has allowed for close economic ties with the Union, resulting in increased development to the telecom sector as it prepares for the competitive environment encouraged in the EU. Subsequently, the telecom market accounts for 7% of the country’s GDP*, which is well above the EU average, making it a strategic decision for Lycamobile to take advantage of such a growing market.

Founded with a mission to connect friends and family around the world, Lycamobile has grown quickly to serve 15 million customers around the world, including in Europe, the USA, Australia, Hong Kong and Tunisia.

Lycamobile chairman Subaskaran Allirajah commented: “Macedonia is an emerging country situated in the heart of Southeast Europe. Surrounded by some of our most thriving countries, its telecoms industry has received significant foreign investment in recent years. One of those was Thailand and they followed the boi thailand requirements. With this in mind, Macedonia is the next step as we continue to expand internationally.”

Posted in: News, Press Releases
By June 24, 2016 Read More →

European monitor market grows again

downloadaAccording to the latest figures from the analyst Context, the monitor market in Europe made a big step of recovery after decreasing for more than 18 months. The recent growth rate of seven percent in the first quarter of 2016 is the highest for the segment since more than five years. The driving force behind this growth, according to Context, is mainly characterised by higher resolutions, better colour reproduction, panel or screen size upgrades. But also new gaming features provided fresh inputs to the market. In general, this trend is predicted to be valid for the coming quarters, leading AOC and MMD to expect a continued growth. As a matter of fact, AOC and MMD, license partner for Philips monitors, performed extraordinarily well in this recovering market: Together the two companies increased their sold volume of monitors by 35 percent in the first quarter 2016 compared to the same quarter the year before. Following this development their joint market position took two steps from Number 4 a year ago to Number 2 this year. AOC and MMD both are subsidiaries of TPV, the global leading display specialist.

Also in Western Europe the market grew by seven percent in the first quarter 2016. And also here the two brands outperformed the market. Philips grew in volume by 27 percent, AOC by 29 percent in the first quarter 2016 compared to the same quarter the year before. AOC and Philips are the fastest growing brands in Western Europe and together the two brands reach a market share of 11 percent – which leads to a Number 3 position in the Western European monitor market.

“The recent development is a very good sign for the monitor market in general and especially for our two brands AOC and Philips”, says Thomas Schade, Vice President Europe for AOC and MMD. “Both our brands outperformed the market development. This underlines that our innovation driven and monitor-focused strategy pays off. In 11 European countries we are now on the Number 1 position and we have strong top 3 positions in many more countries. Together with our partners in the trade we will further develop our positions with our ongoing delivery of innovations.”

After a decrease during last year, the monitor market of the United Kingdom and Ireland grew by more than ten percent in the first quarter 2016 compared to the same quarter last year. AOC and Philips both outperformed the market with a volume growth of almost 30 percent. As a result the two brand’s market share grew by 17 percent and together, they now hold the Number 4 position in the market

Posted in: News, Press Releases
By June 17, 2016 Read More →

AOC AGON Premium Gaming Monitor with NVIDIA G-SYNC and IPS

AOC, one of the top global brands in the display market, presents the NVIDIA G-SYNC™ edition of their AGON premium gaming monitor with a colourful IPS panel – the AGON AG271QG. With its native 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution the display delivers extremely fast images at 165 Hz without motion blur, screen tearing and display stutter, thanks to the built-in NVIDIA G-SYNC™ technology, which synchronizes display refresh rates with those of the graphics card. On top of this astonishing gaming performance, AOC equipped the AGON AG271QG with IPS panel technology (AHVA) showing digital colours at their best for a vividly-thrilling gaming and video experience.

By ensuring smooth and vivid images the AGON AG271QG furthermore supports competitive gamers’ aspirations with minimal input lag ensuring instantaneously-executed input commands and AOC Flicker-free technology eliminating screen flicker and therefore decreasing eye discomfort and fatigue, enabling gamers to stay on target undauntedly.

AG271_ftr_h

The most relentlessly competitive gamers need far more comfort than just for their target-trained eyes. For the gamer’s body to stay strong, a comfortable posture, even in a gaming chair, is of utmost importance to endure endless gaming sessions unimpaired. The adjustable stand AOC Ergo Dial features height-adjustment with a scale for its users to remember their preferred setting. Furthermore gamers can fine-tune the comfort settings by adjusting the tilt of the AGON AG271QG and using the swivel adjustment when needed.

The AOC AGON AG271QG premium gaming monitor, specially designed for enthusiastic gamers, will hit the stores in July 2016 for an MSRP of £639.

More details about the AOC AGON AG271QG: http://aoc-europe.com/en/products/ag271qg

Posted in: Desktop Computing, News
By June 13, 2016 Read More →

Blockbuster Independence Day returns with AOC as its official monitor partner

-ykhHR7y_400x400Twenty years after the first film, the long anticipated epic action-adventure Independence Day: Resurgence, which stars many of the original actors as well as Hollywood newcomers, finally hits the cinema screens this summer. Display specialist AOC teams up with 20th Century Fox as the official monitor partner of the upcoming movie, in which AOC displays will appear. Moreover, AOC and its retail partners will have access to exclusive Independence Day: Resurgence online and offline promotional materials.

AOC_IDR-Advert

Epic marketing materials
As part of the cooperation with 20th Century Fox, AOC displays will not only appear in the long anticipated science-fiction sequel by star director Roland Emmerich, but AOC and its retail partners will also have access to exclusive online and offline promotional materials for use during special promotional events and more. Selected artwork can be used online, e.g. as screen content or background for AOC monitors. Further online materials include banners and e-mail signature designs, while roll-up banners will be available for POS or other indoor/outdoor use. This way, both AOC and Independence Day: Resurgence will gain optimal exposure to an even broader audience.

A promising sequel
The current cooperation is not the first one for AOC and 20th Century Fox, who previously teamed up for other hit movies including last year’s critically acclaimed sci-fi film The Martian, the 2014 blockbuster Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the 2013 superhero comic book adaptation The Wolverine and the 2012 animated film Ice Age 4. A variety of marketing materials for all of these titles helped increase visibility for both the AOC brand and the movies, a success story which the two cooperation partners are now excited to continue with Independence Day: Resurgence.

Posted in: Desktop Computing, News
By June 10, 2016 Read More →

Lenovo brings the Motorola Moto Z And Moto Z Force

Moto_Z-Back_575pxYesterday at the keynote address of Lenovo Tech World 2016 in San Francisco we saw the launch of the much-awaited Moto Z and Moto Z Force smartphones. Both devices are to launch globally from September, alongside with their Moto Mods add-ons. In the US, they will be renamed to the Moto Z Droid and the Moto Z Force Droid and are launching on Verizon Wireless. The company has not detailed prices of either smartphone yet. The Moto Z is said to be the thinnest premium smartphone in the world. Most interestingly both devices omit the 3.5mm headphone jack, meaning you will need a set of Bluetooth headphones, USB-C wired headphones, or a USB-C to headphone jack adapter!

These devices are to be launched with fairly interesting Moto Mods magnetic snap-on back panels from various partners, including JBL and Incipio. Both smartphones will also feature support from Motorola’s popular Moto Maker customisation. The battery is reported to deliver up to 30 hours of battery life, with the TurboPower charger giving 8 hours of battery life in 15 minutes. On the Moto X Force is a Moto ShatterShield, this technology protects the display and the company insists will not crack or shatter.

As mentioned above Moto Mods connect to the 16 pogo points on the rear. To provide extra hardware functionality, much like the LG G5. Examples that will be available for purchase in September will include the JBL SoundBoost, the Moto Insta-Share Projector and the Power Pack battery life extender. The Insta-Share Projector can deliver a 70-inch projected picture Power Pack can provide up to 22 hours of additional battery life. Style Shells will also be available offering like real wood, leather, and fabric finishings.

Moto_Z-Carousel_678x452

 

 

Motorola Moto Z

  • Operating System: Android 6.0.1
  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
  • RAM: 4GB LPDDR4
  • ROM: 32GB / 64GB + microSD
  • Screen: 5.5-inch 2560×1440 AMOLED, Corning Gorilla Glass
  • Dimensions: 153.3 x 75.3 x 5.19 mm
  • Weight: 136 grams
  • Front facing camera: 5MP, 1.4µm pixels, f/2.2, LED flash
  • Rear camera: 13MP, 1.12µm pixels, f/1.8, Laser AF, OIS, Auto HDR, dual-color LED flash
  • Battery: 2600 mAh non-removable
  • fingerprint scanner
  • USB Type-C port

Moto_Z_Force-Hero_575px

Motorola Moto Z Force

  • Operating System: Android 6.0.1
  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
  • RAM: 4GB LPDDR4
  • ROM: 32GB / 64GB + microSD
  • Screen: 5.5-inch 2560×1440 AMOLED, Moto ShatterShield
  • Dimensions: 155.9 x 75.8 x 6.99 mm
  • Weight: 163 grams
  • Front facing camera: 5MP, 1.4µm pixels, f/2.2, LED flash
  • Rear camera: 21MP, 1.12µm pixels, f/1.8, PDAF + Laser AF, OIS, Auto HDR, dual-color LED flash
  • Battery: 3500 mAh non-removable
Posted in: News, Phones
By June 10, 2016 Read More →

Lenovo launches the Phab 2 line with Project Tango

610201610846AM_635_lenovo_phab_2_proAt the Lenovo Tech World 2016 in San Francisco, Yang Yuanqing, the Chairman and CEO of Lenovo announced the first consumer facing Project Tango smartphone during his keynote address on yesterday. For a consumer launch, Google has graduated from the project phase whilst keeping it Tango.

The first device to feature this new technology will be the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro, a smartphone Lenovo has design in collaboration with Google. The new technology makes “AR and VR as pervasive as your GPS.” In other words, Tango is centred around the cameras vision with sensor setup that provides motion tracking, depth perception, and area learning. This can enable augmented reality applications like indoor navigation and mapping, searching, and gaming. With depth sensing, it can use gesture tracking in virtual reality.

The smartphone will become globally available on retail shelves in September, and Lenovo said they are expected to start shipping from online stores in August. The Lenovo Phab 2 Pro is priced at $499. UK price will differ slightly, hopefully.

We saw the first Lenovo Phab at IFA in Berlin last year and whilst a good looking device it was not destined for our shore. So the Phab name is not one well known amongst the British public.

  • Display – 6.40-inch QHD IPS display
  • Resolution – 1440×2560 pixels
  • Processor – 1.8GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 SoC “Tango Edition”
  • RAM – 4GB
  • Storage – 64GB
  • Front Camera – 8-megapixel
  • Rear Camera – 16-megapixel RGB camera
  • Battery capacity – 4050mAh delivering 15-hours battery life


Additionally, the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro houses the depth-sensing, infrared camera with an imager and an emitter, as well as the motion tracking camera. It also sports Dolby Atmos audio technology for its speakers, apart from Dolby Audio 5.1 Capture technology for recording 3D sound.

Also mentioned was a new, special, Tango app store featuring 25 apps at launch, with the hope to reach 100 apps by year-end.

In addition to the Phab Pro 2 the company also announced the Lenovo Phab 2 (priced at $199) and the Lenovo Phab 2 Plus (priced at $299). Both smartphones feature 6.4-inch displays, but where the former features an HD display, the latter bears a full-HD display. The Phab 2, with a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera and a quad-core MediaTek MT8735 SoC, coupled with 2GB of RAM. The Phab 2 Plus with dual 13-megapixel rear cameras with Fujitsu Milbeaut imaging software, and a 8-megapixel front camera, an octa-core MediaTek MT8783 SoC coupled with 3GB of RAM and the fingerprint sensor on the rear panel seen on the Phab Pro 2.

Posted in: News, Phones
Tags:
https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/surgical-face-masks