Month: March 2015

AgriBus-NAVI – A GPS guidance system for agricultural machinery #Farming #Apps #Android #AgriTech

Farming is a big thing in Ireland and we really have some high tech machinery often you may see huge combine harvesters or tractors on your daily journey or have got stuck behind them they can be that big you cant overtake them. Many of these are high tech and cost hundreds of thousands of euros but there are ones that don’t and perhaps use a typical GPS system or bespoke systems made for such farmers.

Now there is an Android app which can be used thats hit the play store developed by the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO)..

 

AgriBus-NAVI is a GPS guidance system to mount on agricultural machinery such as tractors, combines and self-propelled sprayers to help with straight line tasks in the field. Checking the display while driving will enable the creation of straight and evenly spaced lines in large fields.
(Please note that this app does not offer automatic steering functionality).

Requirements for Use.

Compatible with Android 4.0 and above smartphones and tablets

This app is available as a free, ad-supported download.(Yes its got annoying ads) Use is also free of charge.
(Please note that if you click on an ad in the guidance screen you will be directed away from the screen).
In the future an ad-free app (3.88/month 37.28 /year) and a version with field and task management functionality (price TBA) are planned for release.

 

 

III. Demo Display Mode

This app starts in demo display mode (Playback Recorded Task) on first startup. In this mode recorded location data is played back, with all other functionality (map zoom in/out, path/task width setting) the same as you would experience in normal use. If you want change mode to field operation mode, tap the gear icon in the bottom left corner of the screen to access the settings screen and then switch the GPS Guidance Mode to Normal Mode.
IV. Required Peripherals When Using App in Agrigultural Tasks

1) GPS/GNSS
The app can operate using the inbuilt GPS of your smartphone or tablet but location accuracy my be low and as such use may be impaired (particularly during in-cabin use, etc). It is strongly recommended that you use a USB connected GPS/GNSS. For known USB connected GPS compatibility please refer to the GPS/GNSS list below. The range of compatible devices will be increased in further version updates.

 

The App running on an Android device.

 

Compatible GPS/GNSS
u-blox’s GPS/GNSS (5 to 8 series) with USB interface
– GPS receiver GPS Module with Antenna USB interface G Mouse VK-162
– Wintec WGM-302U (Unfortunately it is discontinued.)
You can see some GPSs in eBay or Aliexpress with search word “u-blox usb” or “ublox usb”.

FTDI’s chip based USB to RS232 converter and GPS/GNSS with RS232 interface
– You can connect several GPS/GNSS as you like.
– $GPGGA, $GPVTG and $HEROT (heading messege of Hemisphere’s) message is available in this app.
– Baudrate is limited to 9600bps currently.
– Change params of GPS/GNSS via ‘u-center’ of u-blox is needed.

Not Compatible GPS/GNSS
Prolific’s and Silicon Labs’ chip based USB to RS232 converter and GPS/GNSS
– BU-353S4 SiRFstarIV
– HOLUX M-215+
– MediaTek’s based

2) Mountable Devices
It is possible to mount your device to tractors and other vehicles using a RAM mount or similar product.

3) Wired Devices (USB Cable, Power)
Connector cable for consumer smartphones and tablets (USB-OTG cable).
USB extension cable for GPS.
In-vehicle USB power.

DOWNLOAD

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour,is to be released in June. #Golf #Gaming #EASPORTS by jimboireland

Electronic Arts Inc. announced  that McIlroy will be the new face of its golf series. “Rory McIlroy PGA Tour” will be released in June and will be the first EA Sports series to use the new Frostbite technology that provides sharper pictures and eliminates load times between holes.This has been Tiger woods stronghold for the last few years.

https://twitter.com/EASPORTSGOLF/status/577524598964551680/photo/1

Rory is set to get some great earnings from the deal which Tiger Woods has done well from over the last 15 years,The Game will be available on the XBox One and Playstation 4

Source

Dyson set to improve the smartphone battery with new investment. by @jimboireland #Dyson

Dyson whom we all know are the makers of super duper hoovers for our homes are said to make a move on improving our smartphones battery life,today its still an almost daily topic on how long our battery lasts and if Dyson pull it off it could change things for the best.

A University of Michigan spin-off called Sakti3 has developed a new type of solid-state battery that can store twice as much energy as a typical rechargeable battery.Dyson has invested £10 million with the firm Sakti3.

Founder James Dyson said: “Sakti3 has achieved leaps in performance, which current battery technology simply can’t.

“It’s these fundamental technologies – batteries, motors – that allow machines to work properly.”

 

Source

Travel much or import mobile phones ? Check out Will My Phone Work. #Travel #Phones

Today we travel quite often and often the question appears ,will my phone work over in another country,not only that we are now importing phones into Ireland more than ever,with new OEMs on the rise people are importing mobile devices every day and its popular,a prime example would be the One Plus One,people now buy from Amazon,Ebay or Aliexpress etc in the hunt for good bargains for a new device..

This new tool is quite handy to test if a device you see will work,with a database updated quite regular its keeping people informed as much as possible and its been mentioned a few times on some of our local boards.

 

Will my phone work 

Have you ever asked the question, “Will my mobile phone work with a certain mobile carrier?” Or perhaps you’re traveling to another country and want to make sure your smartphone works there. You could even be selling a cellular phone and need a website to point people to when they ask if the phone works for a certain carrier. WillMyPhoneWork.net can help you find the answer you’re looking for.

Its an easy pain free process to complete which is detailed below…First select a Brand.

Then you can pick a model number and a variant option may apply which will be listed in the drop down menu..

 

Next up then is to enter carrier and country a list will appear here of what is available so we just used our own network and picked a BlackBerry Passport for a test case..

 

Then you get the results presented to you in a nice simple to read layout which is very easy to understand.

 

 

NOTE 

When performing a search, you will be presented with three networks: 2G, 3G, and 4G. A check mark means that the device is compatible on that network and will work. A red X means that the device is not compatible on that network and will not work.

For the technical savvy, we have included the network frequencies that match between the device and the mobile carrier. Also, we consider HSPA+ to be 3G.

Note: Will My Phone Work assumes that your device is unlocked or allowed to be run on the desired mobile network. Certain carriers such as Verizon USA have an “approved list” of devices. This means that although the phone is capable to work on the carriers network, the carrier blocks it. Also, some carriers make frequencies/bands available only to specific regions.

Check it out over at WillMyPhoneWork

Warning to Irish Mobile Users with Dunnes Stores SMS.by @jimboireland #SMS #Apps

Something of this nature happened last year sometime or the year before with a Dunnes Stores prize which you will receive via sms on your mobile phone.These messages seem to go around for a while and the fade off but they are back..

The SMS contains a link which will look like the following below.How on earth they have my name too is another mystery but be warned regardless. Last year there was similar with an interflora message which you can read HERE There is no number on the sms either to document.

So after this we decided to open the message we have several sim cards and devices at hand so we don’t mind investigating these things.You will then get the two following screens.

So then you proceed further on and you get brought to the Android store, where we see this has been an issue by the reports users have made in the comments section,so ignore this sms if you have downloaded the app,remove it and perhaps run a test with Avast or similar..Common sense will tell you not to open any link or text but sadly it happens.. And here is the twitter account belong to these guys thats dormant a long time now Tokens App

AIB building apps for smartwatch owners. #Banking #Apps #Smartwatch by @jimboireland #Ireland

With the smartwatch slowly gathering pace here in Ireland its set to become the norm to own one in a few years,prices are still rather high though to move people to it and many do like wearables such as fitness trackers.,The smartwatch has changed rather fast over the last year or two and they are now becoming more capable than ever.

We are all aware of Banking apps,they are on the top platforms like iOS and Android and we also have Apps optimized for tablets,this is fine for the majority but Windows Phone users are lacking the pleasure here to use banking apps bar one bank,With Windows having a 11% approx market share i think its time these banks woke up and gave its customers the app they want,i am not going to go into this long repetitive argument and moan about it but the banks have constantly fobbed off users regarding Windows apps and its the same scripted nonsense each time.

Moving on, the Irish Independent reports that AIB is working on smartwatch apps which they have along with others already started with the Apple watch,it is now in testing as we speak.

Fergal Coburn, AIB’s head of direct channels said: “Most leading commentators in the emerging technology space are saying that ‘wearable’ technology will be big in the future across all aspects of our lives from monitoring our health to guiding our purchases – for this reason AIB wants to know what our customers think of ‘wearable’ and more specifically how would they like to see AIB leverage ‘wearable’ to deliver exceptional customer experiences for them.”

So this is what to expect in the future folks,less time on our mobiles and more on our wrist.

Source

If you love Samsung and live upon the extreme, you don’t need to worry about your phone any more with the Xcover 3 By @VicenteA_George #samsung #android

Samsung is well known for having multiples models of the same phone, but in this particular case, it has been almost two years since the Xcover 2 came out. And this week Sammy has decided bring the name back with the upgraded Galaxy Xcover 3.

Samsung’s latest ultra-rugged device is aimed to a very niche segment of the audience, for the extreme adventures out there.

Unlike the Galaxy S5 wich is IP certified but nor really “drops-proof” the new Xcover has a better protection in all ways. It’s IP67-rated, signifying its dust tight and its capable to withstand ingress of water for up to 30 minutes at up to 1 meter deep. Is also MIL-STD 810G-certified, meaning that it should be capable of withstanding very high or very low temperatures, and survive drops with ease.

Let’s take a look at the device:

O.S: Android 4.4 upgradable to Android 5.0 Lollipop.
Display: 4.5-inch WVGA 800×480
Battery: 2200mAh
Processor: 1.2GHz, Quad-core Snapdragon
Main camera :5 MP main with underwater shooting mode.
F.F Camera: 2 MP
Internal Memory: 8GB, micro SD
RAM: 1.5 GB

As you can see this is apretty interesting Mid-range device, the smartphone is planed to be offically unveiled at CeBIT and will be release in April for a price of around 275 euros.

What do you think of the new extreme mid-range on town?

Let us know in the comments, or Tweet us at @jimboireland

Stay tuned for more Buzz!

Source: SammyHub

Codacast. – Facebook shareable QR codes on the web. #StartUp #Codacast by @jimboireland #QR

QR codes are those square boxes you often see on the internet which allow you to scan codes which give you a direct URL which i find is much better than searching for them manually so in short they make life that much simpler which is what we all like and we are here to talk about a new startup called Codacast which one of our readers Michael Connolly brought to our attention this morning and then we touched base with Mark White who is a Post Graduate from NUI and Software engineer from Galway.

Q1 – How did Codacast come about and why?

I was enjoying a meal one evening in a local restaurant and wanted to recommend it to my friends on Facebook. I took a photo of the menu and posted it on my timeline. After sending it occurred to me that there should be some way to share the experience other than taking a photograph. A few days later, in what appeared at the time to be a completely unrelated event, I was handed a loyalty card with a QR Code on it in my local petrol station which you scan at the point-of-sale each time you visit. Scanning adds points to your loyalty ‘score’ and offers the chance to enter a monthly draw. It was from a ‘fusion’ of these two concepts (Facebook sharing and QR code scanning) that the idea for Codacast came about.

Q2 – What can Codacast offer its customers and why Codacast ?

When a person scans a Codacast QR Code they are automatically prompted to share it on their Facebook timeline before being redirected to the URL (web address) embedded in the code. This is the Codacast USP. A single scan of the code results in advertising the embedded link to as many friends as the ‘scanner’ has on Facebook.

Codacast codes are also brandable, differentiating one company’s code from another and – consolidating their brand. In addition, code scanning is tracked by the Codacast Analytics Engine so that customers can monitor the performance of the codes they create in real-time via their online account – providing invaluable Return-on-Investment (ROI) data.

 

 

The Background

Although ubiquitous in Japan for the last number of years (80% of Japanese people currently scan at least one QR code per day), QR Codes have had a somewhat ‘checkered’ past in the Western world –

due to
  1. having to download an app to read / scan the code
  2. all codes looking the same [black and white squares]
  3. lack of engaging applications
Founded last September (2014) by Software Engineer and recent NUI Galway MSc (IT) post-graduate Mark White (that’s me!), Codacast has addressed the latter 2 of these 3 issues. Following extensive pilot testing of Codacast’s marketing and promotional features at a number of events in recent weeks, we are confident that public usage of QR Codes will continue to rise as increasingly-engaging applications result in the technology becoming an integral part of the interface between printed media (e.g. business cards, flyers, posters) and the web (happily living side-by-side with NFC).
Samples 

The Codacast USP
When a person scans a Codacast QR Code they are automatically prompted to share it on their Facebook timeline before being redirected to the URL (web address) embedded in the code. So a single scan of the code results in advertising the embedded link to as many friends as the ‘scanner’ has on Facebook.

Other Features
Codacast codes are also brandable, differentiating one company’s code from another and – consolidating their brand. In addition, code scanning is tracked by the Codacast Analytics Engine so that customers can monitor the performance of the codes they create in real-time via their online account – providing invaluable Return-on-Investment.
Codacast is due to officially launch on Monday 13th April next. Until launch, a free trial is available on the website www.codacast.com
Follow Codacast on FaceBook and Twitter 

Swatch set to compete with smartwatch rivals. #Swatch by @jimboireland #Swatch #Smartwatch

We all remember the snazzy watches Swatch are known for years ago,well they have plans to come hit the smartwatch game.I did have one or two of these watches back in the say but they don’t seem popular nowadays,or else i have missed something…Personally i have not seen many about…but they are quite nice it must be said.

Recently they announced the Touch Zero which is by no means smart but its a step in the direction they want to go.

 

New Swatch Touch Zero One combines design & cool new Beach Volley functions for players and fans – Step Counter, Power Hits and Power Claps. Dig the fun, track the action & collect your reward… Beach Volleyball is played all over the world, on beaches and in stadiums filled with huge crowds stomping their feet and clapping their hands as the action kicks up thrills and chills. Swatch and Beach Volley go way back – and now there’s a new Swatch Touch that makes the game even more exciting! Swatch Touch Zero One takes the already popular Swatch Touch one step further, adding great new functions to pump up the excitement for both players and fans. It has all the Touch features that already make it so successful, from the curved touchscreen and built-in backlight to finger-tap and side-swipe access to six timing functions. On top of all that, Swatch Touch Zero One is a touchscreen Swatch with fingerfun access to multiple Beach Volley functions right on the Swatch, and tons more information when connected to the free Touch Zero One App. Swiss Made, it’s a Swatch, so there’s no need to charge it up every night—the standard Swatch battery lasts for months and months. Even before it’s hooked up to the App, three  Beach Volley functions are right at your fingertips on the touchscreen display.

 

 

 

Swatch Group AG plans to start selling a smartwatch within the next three months, potentially pitting the Swiss maker of colorful plastic timepieces against the debut of the Apple Watch.

The device will communicate via a form of technology known as NFC and won’t have to be charged, Chief Executive Officer Nick Hayek said in an interview. The Swatch smartwatch will also let consumers make mobile payments and work with Windows and Android software, he said.

Hayek is ready to go head-to-head with Apple Inc., which has scheduled its smartwatch introduction for April. The market for such timepieces, which enable phone or data communication, will probably reach about $10 billion in 2018, Citigroup Inc. analysts forecast last year, with half of the market coming from traditional watch wearers switching to the devices.

Swatch has decades of experience developing technology that might go into a smartwatch, such as long-lasting batteries so thin they’re bendable. The company’s Tissot brand has made watches with touch-screens since 1999 that now offer an altimeter, a compass, and sensors to record a diver’s descent.

 

Skeptic’s U-turn

Hayek has been skeptical about the smartwatch’s potential. Two years ago, he said that he didn’t think the smartwatch would be a “revolution” for the industry. He has repeatedly voiced concern that watch screens are too small for communicating and that such devices might need too much charging. Last year, he said Swatch won’t participate in a race to be first in developing the products because of consumer resistance. He once said Swatch’s luxury brands such as Blancpain are smartwatches because “they make you look smart.”

“Entrepreneurs are practical people, and they care more about being successful than being consistent,” said Luca Solca, an analyst at Exane BNP Paribas. “Hayek has always said they have relevant technology for a smartwatch — sensors, display, battery — and seems to be set to make the most if it. Better to have an option and a hand in this category than not to. Nobody can yet say how relevant smartwatches will be in the end.”

 

Source Read more here.