Month: March 2015

Don’t take your phone out in public, says the #Gardaí. #MobilePhone #Theft by @jimboireland #NCPDA

Mobile phone theft is pretty big still,not only here in Ireland but worldwide and its a pretty lucrative business often seeing teams of organised criminals moving from country to country to carry out this crime and in recent times its made headlines here in Ireland too.Not taking your mobile phone out in public is not an easy task we all do it we are at risk.

gt

The Gardai have launched a National ‘Crime Prevention Day of Action’. which happens tomorrow,March 12th.

A quarter of mobile phones stolen between midnight and 4am

– After mobile phones, cash and credit cards are the most common item stolen

– A third of thefts from persons involve a ‘snatch and grab’ in public

– Half of all thefts from persons, robbery from persons and assaults happen between Friday and Sunday

An Garda Síochána has today (March 12, 2015) released figures and advice on how the public can protect themselves and their property while out and about.

As part of a National Crime Prevention Day of Action, Gardai are advising people to take some common sense steps to minimise the risk to themselves and their property.

This “streetwise” approach includes:

– Planning your journey, telling someone where you’re going, and using well lit routes to get there

– Being observant and concealing your valuables

– Avoiding making mobile phone calls in public places, but if you have to make or receive a call in public, always do so with your back up against a wall or a shop window etc so that you can see around you and reduce the opportunity to be attacked from behind

– Being wary of strangers and avoiding confrontation

“We want people to enjoy themselves when out, and taking a few easy steps can greatly reduce the chances of their day or night being ruined. These include remaining observant, be conscious of your alcohol intake, don’t make it easy for a thief to take your phone by leaving it on the table, and avoid walking in dark locations. Working together, we can reduce the opportunities available to criminals,” said Sergeant Alan Roughneen of the National Crime Prevention Unit.

The National Crime Prevention Day of Action will see Gardaí around the country engage with communities to provide practical advice to enhance personal safety and security.

Advice leaflets are available on the right and further crime prevention information is available on www.garda.ie

Info graphic available here –

http://www.garda.ie/Docum…/…/Street%20Wise%20Infographic.pdf

Source

HERE makes it to the AppStore by @Tiwaash #iOS #HERE #Navigation

HERE has been working tirelessly to offer it’s free offline navigation service to lots of people. In this quest to ease people’s lives, today HERE has take a giant leap forward by rolling out HERE for iOS. It was expected that iOS version of HERE was around the corner ever since the Android version was launched. iOS version of HERE combines saved maps with online information — such as live traffic, scheduled or real-time public transit info as well as photos and reviews for the places shown on the map. You can save maps to your phone so that the whole HERE app can be put into ‘offline mode’ and it won’t use any data. Even if your iPhone is in flight mode, you can still see where you are, search for places and navigate there on foot, by public transport or by car. The all-inclusive route planner on HERE for iOS allows you to compare walking, transit and driving directions including an estimate of how long each will take you – and all of this can be done in ‘offline mode’ too. The offline car navigation on HERE for iOS provides full turn-by-turn voice guidance with spoken street names. HERE for iOS is a completely different app from the one previously available on the App Store – because the old version was based on HTML5, it had limited features and it wasn’t optimized for iOS. This time we’re introducing an experience built for iOS from the ground up with the features and the polished feel that people rightly expect from their favourite map app.

Stay tuned for more tech buzz.

#Android and #iOS versions of #MixRadio released to Private Beta Testers by @Tiwaash #Music

Earlier today the very popular personalized music streaming service on WindowsPhone, MixRadio released its BETA Android and iOS versions of the App. Whilst this is not a launch it does point in a new direction for the MixRadio team. We may have expected this as Microsoft sold this awesome service to LINE Corporation sometime back.

MixRadio is a radio focused service that serves up music suggestions based on your chosen parameters. Favorite artists, genres, or even just using some of the curated mixes, MixRadio usually comes up with tunes you want to hear, or just hit Play Me and it plays music which you can thumbs up or down to make it a personal radio station.

MixRadio evolved from Nokia Music which was exclusive to Nokia devices. Nokia later on passed on MixRadio to Microsoft as part of the acquisition and then Microsoft sold it to Line Corporation. Keeping in mind the popularity and the amazing music streaming service, MixRadio is now game to take on the Android & iOS platforms. We are yet to see how the apps look but one thing is very clear with this initiative that MixRadio is on a huge expansion spree. We wish them all the very best and extend all our support both as bloggers and personal.

Stay tuned for more tech buzz.

#MakeTechHuman an initiative by WIRED & Nokia by @Tiwaash #Tech

WIRED and Nokia announced maketechhuman, a new initiative created to start a conversation about technology, its role in society, and whether it truly serves humanity. The goal of the initiative is to identify opportunities and challenges created by technology, and then shape the future in a positive direction through conversation, awareness, and content.

 “Although technology has ushered in an extremely exciting era of unprecedented productivity, convenience, collaboration, and creativity, it’s also shaken up our security, our privacy, and our jobs in many ways. As the role of technology continues to expand our lives, we feel it’s time to start a conversation to ensure that technology serves humanity and not the other way around,” says Barry French, Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Nokia. “Nokia turns 150 years old in May of this year. Our aim is to expand the human possibilities of the connected world and, true to that vision, we look forward to the future with a desire to talk about both the challenges and the extraordinary potential of our technological path ahead.”

“We are very excited to launch this important and timely conversation with Nokia,” said Kim Kelleher, publisher and chief revenue officer. “WIRED has always been optimistic about the future of technology.”

WIRED and Nokia launched a content hub-a first-of-its-kind narrative on WIRED.com. Throughout the duration of the initiative, the hub will serve as place for users to share their enthusiasm and concerns about technology. Based on user feedback, topics will be determined and content will be created. Videos, short web posts, and long form articles will be published regularly by WIRED’s Brand Lab, comprised of industry luminaries, experts, and notable writers.

Later in the fall, WIRED and Nokia will hold the first-ever maketechhuman Summit-an event that will highlight the innovative solutions for the important issues uncovered throughout the initiative. The program will wrap with a documentary recapping the key learnings.

People can begin submitting topics for consideration today here or via social media with the hashtag #maketechhuman.

 Stay tuned for more tech buzz.

Scientists to get €1m in mobile phone battery life research project.by @jimboireland #Tech #Battery

Whilst battery life may be improving slightly these days its not good enough,our phones are getting bigger,screens getting better and the battery it still behind its an ongoing tech cycle,think back to when we had small phones and wanted bigger phones but the battery technology was behind..Back then we did however have phones that would last for days on one charge but these phones are not as capable as today’s mobile devices.Given that there is phones that still last days but these are dumb phones which are slowly dwindling away.

Samples of some phones that could last days on one charge back in the day.

 

This however varies by individual,today we are more on our devices than ever its a fact and we are now entering into a new era with a term called battery anxiety.Something we have been working on a while and will be discussing soon on the big screen and how we can avoid it.The average smartphone user would see through the day on one charge but there is always the thought of our battery running out or realising when its too late.

However with phones such as the Note Edge below there is ample battery life,this is fine once you are the average user,but if you are a power user you may find things different,given that you can now charge some phones in a space of a few minutes with fast charging is it enough ?

The Irish examiner reports the following..

 

Irish and American scientists are to receive more than €1m to research new ways to improve the battery life of mobile phones and other portable devices.

Researchers at the Tyndall National Institute in University College Cork, Dublin City University, Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Texas in Dallas are to collaborate on the three-year project which aims to reduce power consumption in mobile devices.

Researchers will also explore new materials in the miniaturisation of transistors which are essential to all portable devices.

The project is to receive €343,000 from Science Foundation Ireland, £319,859 from Invest NI and $420,000 from the National Science Foundation in the US.

The Irish and American scientists are collaborating to develop ultra-efficient electronic materials through the Unite project: Understanding the nature of interfaces in two-dimensional electronic devices.

Unite will create and test the properties of atomically-thin layers of semiconductors called transition metal dichalcogenides. These are 100,000 times smaller than the smallest thing the human eye can see. The properties these materials have displayed suggest they could facilitate extremely efficient power usage and high performance computing.

“Materials that we are currently reliant on, such as silicon, are soon expected to reach the limit of their performance,” said Tyndall’s lead researcher Dr Paul Hurley.

“If we want to continue to increase performance, while maintaining or even reducing power consumption, it is important to explore these new transition metal dichalcogenides materials.”

The application of these materials in transistors could prolong the battery charge life of portable devices and phones, as well as having applications in larger more power-intensive operations like data storage and server centres.

Unite builds on a previous highly successful US-Ireland collaborative project between these academic research partners called Focus. The success of this project played a role in demonstrating why funders should back the new project, including training for five graduate students in the USA and Ireland, as well as student exchanges between the institutes.

Source

Will we ever see a point in the future when there is no need to carry battery packs or worry about charging ?

Twitter for Android getting new profiles. #Twitter #SocialMedia #Android by @jimobireland

Twitter is rolling out an update for Android which will contain easier to view bios, Tweets and photos.

Twitter made the announcement this evening,there is no sign of the update just yet and we look forward to trying it.

https://twitter.com/twitter/status/575362591272275968

Profile photos are bigger. Headers are more immersive. Any images you choose are automatically resized to fit perfectly. You can even edit your pics or play with colors in real time.

Highlight a moment.

Amplify your awesomeness on the web. Pin your favorite Tweet to the top of your profile, so nobody misses it. Swap it out anytime you want.

Change your perspective.

See all your photos and videos in one place. Filter by favorites, followers, and more. And view your Tweets — without lots of replies — in one seamless timeline.

Source

Apple. The New MacBook pricing for Ireland. by @jimboireland #Apple #Ireland #MacBook

So today apple launched the new MacBook and as expected it aint cheap at all so here is the prices now and what you will pay.. they will begin shipping March 10th. It is nice though.

The new MacBook comes in three finishes which are Silver, Gold and Space Grey,entry level pricing begins at €1,499 and rises up to €1,829.

 

 

Graphics and Video Support

Intel HD Graphics 5300

Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors.

Wireless

Wi-Fi

802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking;IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology

Charging and Expansion

USB-C port with support for:

Charging

USB 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps)

Native DisplayPort 1.2 video output

VGA output using USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter (sold separately)

HDMI video output using USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (sold separately)

 

Keyboard and Trackpad

Full-size keyboard with 78 (U.S.) or 79 (ISO) individual LED backlit keys, including 12 function keys and 4 arrow keys with ambient light sensor

Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and Multi-Touch gestures

 

Battery and Power

Up to 9 hours wireless web3

Up to 10 hours iTunes movie playback3

Built-in 39.7-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery

29W USB-C Power Adapter; USB-C power port

 

For more info check the Apple Store and there is also a new site for the MacBook

 

 

Also the Apple Watch details were revealed check out the video below..

 

Watch the Apple event right here today at 5PM. by @jimboireland #Apple #Event

Apple Watch details will most likely be the talk of the show,We may also hear about how much gold its going to use for its Gold version which is said to be a third of the world’s stockpile.Also we may hear about if its splash proof or a reported 100k apps will be available.Another thing which is quite important is the battery life,with many reports or if not being so good this is something people will be closely watching and if Apple actually make comment on it.

 

Also a New MacBook may be on the cards too.But what about the iCar ??? Could they tease us with this one has to ask and it would give us plenty of time to start saving,Will Bono give us more free music,or will there be something on Apple TV.. Well its anyones guess now and we all have to wait until then to find out.. You can tune in HERE

For non mac users etc you can tune in HERE

Artiphon Instrument 1. Plug into any smartphone,tablet or PC. by @jimboireland #Artiphon #Music #Tech

 

If you are the musical type this is for you,A new kickstarter that has reached its target in hours,Strum a guitar, bow a violin, tap a piano, loop a beat – on a single instrument. An intuitive way to create music and play any sound.

 

  • Play any instrument, style, and sound with a single device that connects directly to your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
  • Our patented multi-instrument technology transforms the INSTRUMENT 1 into a guitar, violin, bass, piano, drum machine… it’s any instrument you want it to be.
  • Plug in and play 100’s of apps like GarageBand with universal musical gestures: strumming, tapping, bowing, sliding, and more.
  • Digital string-like interface works with any MIDI-compatible software.
  • The unique ergonomic design can be held in multiple positions, and is fully ambidextrous.
  • Design new instruments and custom tunings via the Artiphon companion app.
  • It’s compact, portable, durable, self-powered, and simple.
  • Designed and engineered in Nashville, TN.
https://d2pq0u4uni88oo.cloudfront.net/projects/1688050/video-504623-h264_high.mp4?_=1

 

 

A guitar is designed to be strummed; piano keys are pressed; drum pads are tapped; violins are bowed. But what if a single instrument could be played with any of these techniques? That’s exactly what we’re creating – one instrument that lets you be the whole band.

Patented technology enables a new type of musical experience focused on exploration and creativity rather than skill sets and signal chains. It’s an entirely new approach to what a musical instrument can do.

If you are not a musician ?

You’ve got this. Our goal is to create the most effortless music-making experience at any skill level. Music isn’t about gear; it’s about self-expression. Every aspect of the INSTRUMENT 1 can be customized to behave the way you want it to. Tune it all to E-major if you like, adjust the sensitivity, or forget strumming altogether and let it auto-play the notes you press.

The INSTRUMENT 1 grows with you as you explore new styles of playing. You can increase complexity as you go, allowing for greater control over every aspect of your performance with its feather-touch playing surface. It’s always in tune, and you’ll never break a string!

Connect the INSTRUMENT 1 to hundreds of apps on mobile devices and computers, and it can literally make any sound imaginable. No really, we’re serious.

For instance, you can plug it into Apple’s Garageband and start strumming. If you’re set to a guitar sound, it will sound like a guitar. Then switch to piano, and start matching your technique to new sounds. Or open a synth app like Moog’s Animoog and explore sounds you’ve never heard before.

 

Because the INSTRUMENT 1 is fully MIDI-compatible, it works with 100’s of MIDI apps and software like Ableton Live, ProTools, Logic, and many more on your computer. The ArtiphonINSTRUMENT 1 connects directly to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and PCs via Lightning or USB.

It works with any music creation software that uses the MIDI standard, which is the universal language of digital music. MIDI has been around for over 30 years, and lets electronic instruments tell each other what notes to play and how they should sound. But don’t worry: we’ve made it easier than ever to get started making digital music; no acronyms required.

Artiphon is creating a companion app so you can customize your INSTRUMENT 1. Basically, you can easily create new instrument presets and play them immediately. Want to strum a piano? Bow a banjo? Pluck a drum? Done.

 

Artiphon’s patented technology also enables entirely new musical techniques, letting you play in ways that no stringed instrument ever could:

1) Turn the frets on and off. This is the first digital string-like instrument to support fretless playability, which is revolutionary for violinists, bassists, and anyone interested in sliding between notes.

2) Use vibrato to naturally add real nuance to your performance.

3) The entire interface is continuously pressure-sensitive, allowing for unprecedented control over software instruments via polyphonic aftertouch.

 

4) Instantly change to any tuning (guitar, bass, banjo, dobro, uke, violin… koto anyone?), with capo buttons at your fingertips.

5) Assign a different instrument to each string. For example, play a bass on the bottom and a guitar on the top.

6) Pressure-sensitive effect control, tap and auto-strum modes, multiple notes per string…

For more info and if you want to back this head over HERE .