Wearables

By July 21, 2015 Read More →

Zenwatch drops in price at Google

mainIn the US Google have reduced the price of the Asus ZenWatch to it’s lowest price to date. A lovely looking Smartwatch that is easily the best looking square faced Android Wear device at the moment. However, things aren’t quite to rosey this side of the pond. Here in the UK we have seen the price drop to the unfair, lazy and greedy price of £149.99 on the Google Play Store. Something really needs to be done about companies ignoring the exchange rate and simple matching dollar for pound. By contrast purchasing whilst in the US the Zenwatch would effectively cost £102, a bargain.

Asus unveiled the successor the ZenWatch on June 1. Google’s price cut of the device’s predecessor could well be a sign of its impending arrival retail launch.

Posted in: News, Wearables
By June 29, 2015 Read More →

Mi Band Fitness Monitor and Sleep Tracker Unboxing

vlcsnap-2015-06-29-07h20m52s849Leana takes a look at the Mi Band Fitness Monitor and Sleep Tracker from Mobilefun. It’s a perfect accessory that you can buy at https://myfitnesshub.com to help you track your daily fitness. This is a simple, long lasting solution to fitness tracking at an extremely low price. Compatible with both Android and iOS devices the Mi Band is a small wearable that promises up to 30 days of life on one charge. We recommend checking out these Proven Reviews to learn about the best supplements to lose weight looking a the Carbofix reviews can be a good idea.

You can also combine you fitness workout routine with supplements to boost the results you will be getting, if you need a recommendation about a good supplement, check the Biotox Gold reviews.

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Featuring fitness and sleep tracking and  the Mi Band adds some basic notification monitoring without the need for a screen. Having used it for a week Leana updates on her progress with the band. Take a look at this Trap bar and many more fitness equipment for you here.

  • Fitness monitor tracks your activity since you put on your best waterproof running shoes.
  • Works in conjunction with the Mi Band app
  • Track your sleeping patterns
  • Gentle alarm to wake you up
  • Notification alerts
  • Up to 30 days battery life
  • IP67 water resistance
  • Apple Health and Google Fit app compatible
  • Compatible with Android 4.4 or iOS 7 or higher

Available for £29.99:

http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/mi-band-fitness-monitor-and-sleep-tracker-p51505.htm

By May 31, 2015 Read More →

KitSound Introduces the New Storm Gaming Headphones

kitsoundKitSound introduces the new Storm Gaming Headphones, featuring wireless connectivity, 40 mm drivers and delicate tuning to ensure that no sound is lost as well as, a detachable microphone and multi platform compatibility.

The new Storm Gaming Headphones will make you experience your gaming in a totally fresh way. Purposefully designed for multi-compatibility, the Storm engages with Xbox, Playstation, and PC. The 2.4 GHz transmission connectivity provides a wire-free alternative that will offer you clear sound with the minimum of lag.

Now you can decide whether you want to play alone or team up with others thanks to the detachable microphone that comes with each Storm. With up to seven hours of battery life, your Storm Gaming Headphones give you the chance to bring the storm to your opponents hour after hour.

What’s more the Storm Gaming Headphones are comfortable to wear thanks to the soft and delicate ear cups and the flexible headband. RRP £30.00

Specifications

  • Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
  • Drivers: 40 mm
  • Connection: 2.4 GHz
  • Connection range: up to 10 metres
  • Play time: up to 7 hours
  • Microphone input: 3. 5 mm

 

KitSound products are available in most high street and online retailers.

For further product information and details on where to buy, please visit www.kitsound.co.uk

By May 15, 2015 Read More →

Alcatel Onewatch launches in the UK

onewatchOne company making a lot of noise right now is Alcatel. Their first foray into smartwatches comes at a modest price point whilst maintaining a high quality build. The Alcatel Onewatch sees a 1.22″ 262K display covering a 210mAh battery good for 2-5 days of light to mid usage. A fast charge will see the watch topped up in 1 hour however it’s the compatibility with iOS 7 alongside android that might turn some heads. Press release follows.

Global technology brand ALCATEL ONETOUCH, today announces the UK release of the WATCH – a smartwatch that puts a premium on elegant design at an accessible price. After its much-anticipated, successful debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, it has since been honored with a prestigious iF Design Award by the iF International Forum Design GmbH. 

Offering the WATCH at a fraction of the cost of competitors, the smartphone brand has implemented its design expertise to offer a series of fine finishes that meet the demands of those looking for the same look and feel as a traditional watch. Available in a sporty dark red/volcano black combination, the ALCATEL ONETOUCH WATCH employs materials such as brushed chrome, micro-textured resin bands and stainless steel.

The WATCH is packed with sensors: the heart-rate monitor is embedded discretely on the underside of the watch face; there’s also an accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter and e-compass. The WATCH also allows users to track their sleep cycle, distance covered, steps taken and calories burned. An activity overview allows users to monitor their fitness goals. When the smartwatch is connected to a smartphone, it sends users call notifications; social media updates and vibrates if users stray too far from their phones.

Touching the WATCH’s screen activates a multimedia remote control. Users can control music, take pictures from their phone from a distance or make their phone ring in order to locate it.

The WATCH is compatible with any phone running on Android 4.3 or above and on iOS 7 or above. It is also dust and water-resistant, with a long battery life. The WATCH has a USB connector integrated into its band for simplicity of use. With beauty and functionality integrated into one device, ALCATEL ONETOUCH offers a smartwatch at a smart price, fulfilling its mission of making the latest technology available to all.

The WATCH will be available first from Currys PC World stores nationwide and online (at www.currys.co.uk, www.pcworld.co.uk) for £99.99 from mid-June.

By March 19, 2015 Read More →

Unboxing the Piper NV from iControl

vlcsnap-2015-03-18-18h12m11s186Piper are a high end home security system innovator. The Piper nv is their latest hardware combining an attractive design with simple accessibility to make you and your home more secure. Priced at roughly £217 this camera features night vision, easy to installation and a clean and intuitive control software. The app is only compatible with iOS or Android and there is no Mac or PC interface, not to mention Windows Phone. Check the video below as I set this up and have a play with some of the features including the bundled Z-wave plug adapters.

 

For more information about Icontrol Networks and Piper visit icontrol.com and getpiper.com.

Posted in: Cameras, News, Wearables
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By March 17, 2015 Read More →

Samsung LifeLIVE bring parents together

Screenshot 2015-03-17 11.39.20As we all know, babies are dropped by storks down the chimney late at night to annoy an otherwise happy couple and throw their life into turmoil for the next 18-36 years. However, Samsung’s latest video uses the craziest of notions that babies are actually born of a physical person and they are using this fairytale to offer another reason for prospective customers to think about picking up a VR headsets. In the video one man is able to see the birth of his child in 360-degrees. The emotionally charged video popped up on Samsung Australia’s YouTube channel showing a poor bloke, over 2,485 miles away, attend the birth of this child using the Samsung Gear VR headset. Samsung has been calling this the world’s first “live virtual reality birth” using the Samsung Gear VR. This can be employed from the golf course and will give fathers everywhere a better, if not water tight, solution to avoiding the whole birth thing.

 

Posted in: Cameras, News, Wearables
By March 11, 2015 Read More →

Oppo’s 5 minute charge Smartwatch

oppo-smart-watch-leak-640x327Imagine having a smart watch that can go from 0 to 100% in just 5 minutes of charging. Oppo certainly is. There is a possibility the Chinese is on their way to perfecting the technology to make this possible.

With some fuss over the Apple Watch 18-hour battery life and folks glowing over their Pebble’s week long e-paper approach there is no simple solution short of placing a bulkier battery leading to larger and slightly more off putting form factor,  also have a look at these excellent smart watches for men as some are so stylish and with a high degree of luxury so make wonderful watches. Looking the best Concord watch repair services? Times Ticking is the fastest, easiest and most convenient way to repair your Concord watch

Oppo’s is employing a next-generation VOOC charger. We have seen VOOC charging in both the Nexus 6 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to pull more power in and deploy is sensible to prolong battery life. A watch naturally has a small battery, e.g. 300mAh in place of a 2400mAh in you average smartphone. Utilising a similar charging style this could slash the recharge time down to minutes. Only time will tell if the battery will be able to withstand frequent charging.

Posted in: News, Rumours, Wearables
By March 10, 2015 Read More →

Android 5.1 Lollipop arrives

android-5.1-lollipop-updateNot steal Apple’s thunder as they launch iOS 8.2 and the Apple Watch, Google have started rolling out Android Lollipop 5.1 and a new Android Wear ad campaign. What is new with Android Lollipop for 5.1? There is new support for HD voice calling, if you device supports it then you will notice a suitable upgrade to hearing someone’s salivary glands from far away. A new form of Device Protection to keep your phone or tablet secure. Lollipop now supports a dual-SIM setup and the Quick Settings have been tweaked for Bluetooth and WiFi. One authentication has been set up on your Google account locked devices will require authentication even after a reset, a great deterrent and there is no point in anyone stealing an Android device any more! 

Here is the Android Wear video release yesterday, just before another Smartwatch was spoken of…

 

Posted in: Gadgets, News, Phones, Wearables
By March 10, 2015 Read More →

Time to consider the Apple Watch

watch-dmWe have been awaiting the Apple Watch launch since September last year. There has been a great deal of speculation since the inception and it seems every hardware manufacturer is getting in on the game. 6 months have passed, has Apple surpassed everyone expectations?
Over the years a large number of smartwatches have come into play, some have reshaped the landscape for wearables, but more often then not they have fallen by the wayside, disappearing off shelves and forgotten about. Lets have a look at how things have been shaped over the years.
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The first major player in recent Smartwatch evolution was the Sony Smartwatch. This tiny wearable might have had more in common with the iPod Shuffle than what we accept as a smartwatch today. A plastic clip on the back attached the body of the device to a changeable band. The watch ran a simple OS that allowed basic interaction with your smartphone, via a Sony watch client. A more primitive version of Android Wear. As with almost all smartwatches this was cursed with a charging method from hell. I personally owned one of these and whilst I took pride in wearing it, I didn’t find any real use for it outside of switching music tracks … when it worked.
The Smartwatch 2 and 3 evolved the range into a competitor, however at a time when Samsung was leading a very limited market.
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The Samsung Galaxy Gear was a terrific example of trying to push as much onto your wrist is possible. This expensive device utilised voice commands and included a simple camera. Whilst quite large and initally clocking in a terrible battery life, the Gear became almost an early benchmark of how well things could work. Samsung took the time to develop a short lived ecosystem for the Gear and whilst developers were sparse most of the key players were there. A solid build help sell the limited numbers but the numbers were good enough for Samsung to entertain the product line. Battery life improved and the charge mechanism, still a little cumbersome, certainly wasn’t as off putting as Sony’s attempt.
Samsung followed the original Gear with the Gear 2, Gear Neo, Gear Fit and most recently the Gear S. four devices that attempted to cover all walks of life, combining features Samsung figured people were looking for from the original Gear. The Gear range took a dramatic turn to the Tizen operating system from Android however it is left unappealing to many as, like the Apple Watch, the range of only compatible with certain Android phones from Samsung.
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LG has a range of ever improving Android Wear devices. After their first Orange exclusive phone watch, the ill-fated G910, LG decided to adopt the Android Wear OS and produce some of the most popular watches on the market. The G Watch is a perfect example of an entry level wearable, combining features with simple design and versatility. The LG Watch R is the bigger brother and pushes more of a traditional shape and form. Both certainly have their merits and flaws. LG has recently announced a move to the excellent WebOS platform for the LG Watch Urbane, with the most impressive looking design yet.
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Motorola seem to have the higher end of the market covered. The recent launch of the Apple Watch has seen a large number of folk happily announcing their preference of the Moto 360, this looks to be Apple’s main competitor. I use competitor in the loosest of sense as there isn’t a iPhone user that will be able to use this with their phone out of the box. Perhaps the best way to look at this is that Moto 360 users and those on the fence about smartwatches will not be migrating to Apple solely for their wrist mounted wearable. The 360 is a beautiful example of elegance and reliability in a smartwatch and alongside the original LG G Watch are the two watches most would recommend to someone on that fence.
Screenshot 2015-03-10 10.57.34
With some omissions from Pebble and Asus this brings us up to Apple’s first attempt, otherwise we could be here all day. In the 6 months since Apple first announced they would be making a smartwatch they have been able to see how the market is shaping and carefully approach it with the most desirable and well executed device. Or have they?
Money is a big factor when adopting a new device and whilst some like to pay top dollar for an impressive wristwatch, you are paying for something that might have a life span of two years. I have a fancy Omega left to me by my father, I plan to leave it to my son in turn and I am fairly certain it will still be operating when that time comes. Certainly the Sport model of the Apple watch priced £299 and £339 will be the most popular however, I couldn’t imagine wearing it all the time and the better bet is the Steel £479 – £949 for daily use, however that pricing is just painful. The £8,000 edition can be customised up to £13,500, is this an investment? Can it be considered a heirloom? Will it work in three years time without mild cursing?
The smartwatch actually comes in two sizes measured by height: 38mm (1.5in) with a resolution of 272 x 340 and the 42mm (1.65in)  have a 312 x 390 display. When adding in the six different metal colours, stainless steel, silver aluminium, space black stainless steel, space grey aluminium, 18-carat yellow gold and 18-carat rose gold this takes the choice to 35 different models.
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One of the most popular remarks an Apple user would make to defend their use of a device over Android, Windows or some-such is that it just works. That’s what everyone wants. No lag when opening the camera, no errors about compatibility and no resets to get things going again. Apple has a better track record for success from users. However, they have taken the Apple Watch to the deep end and packed in so many features that I am certain many users will feel a little overwhelmed by the whole thing. Some features you will either never touch or only use to show off. An Android Wear device is, essentially, a second screen for your notification panel. The Apple Watch seems to want to become the focus of your attention and help you resist the urge to pull you phone to do something, no matter how complex.
I am sure that Android Wear will encompass many of the features Apple have demonstrated over time, for right now whilst in it’s infancy, the idea of cramming in as much as you can may not be the best approach. Smartphones were around before the iPhone made them popular, Windows Mobile and Palm devices were popular, however they did scare many away as they were complex, if a little unfriendly. Both Google and Apple took the smartphone and broke it down into simple to use, basic features and built on it. The Apple Watch feels like it might be a forth generation product.
Apple-Pay-title
The Apple Watch has a huge features list and that is an attraction to a number of gadget gurus out there. This will appeal to many, including most of the readership of this site. The mass market might only end up using the device a little more than a way to avoid annoying telemarketing calls and PPI reclamation offers. The idea of the paying for goods and services is barely a blip on the radar when smartphones are concerned, doing this from your smartwatch is going to be completely alien to the mass majority. As a glimpse of the future this is a great idea however, paying for the technology now is a bit of a waste. You currently cannot purchase this from your local Apple shop using Apple pay here is the UK.
apple-watch-battery
The battery on the Apple Watch will last a day, 18 hours Apple claims. This really isn’t stellar compared to recent Android Wear devices, however there will be much room for improvement. With charger looks beautiful and easy to operate. I am glad Apple have taken the time to develop a neat solution with the magnetic inductive wireless charger. I don’t think many folks would have guessed an existing standard would be used here; however, this is Apple and they are a law unto themselves.
I do feel I have been overly negative of the Apple Watch when I am a big fan of wearable technology. There is a lot to love here, with changeable bands (see some Apple watch bands here), water resistance, etc. As I said before Android Wear is like a second screen for your notifications panel. That helps you decide it is is worth your while to dig your phone out of your pocket and that is what most people will use a smartwatch for. Paying the money Apple are asking will probably leave a bit of a bad taste in their mouths after a month or so.
Join the debate on Thursday night at 20:30 on the Mobile Tech Addicts Show. Gareth, Matt, Dan, Jay and Micael get together to see if Apple have knocked it out of the park or is this another Newton.
Posted in: Editorial, Gadgets, News, Wearables
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By March 4, 2015 Read More →

Could the Huawei watch be the ultimate companion?

 

huawei-watch1

This year Huawei is taking another stab at wowing Mobile World Congress with the announcement of the Huawei Watch. Huawei have always shown a clever offering at the show and this year they are joining in the rakes of most other manufacturers with a wearable. The watch looks to take a very traditional approach, not from a smart watch point of view, but instead resembling the time piece design we are all faimilar with.Two full promo videos have popped up on YouTube for this Android Wear-powered beauty that will be made official very soon. The features include sapphire glass, a heart rate sensor, interchangeable leather or metal straps, crown, a bunch of classy watch faces, and a perfectly round watch face.

Unfortunately no official specs, release date or price are available.

 

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