Leading real hands on tech review site in Ireland with technology, business news and more. Jim O Brien Tech.
Author: Jim O Brien/CEO
CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.
Well folks its almost Valentines day and you better have some cash saved,Thats is you fancy spending 14k on a new phone from Vertu. We are all quite aware now of Vertu who make exquisite handsets that do not come cheap,and they have just announced a new one called the Clous De Paris just in time for Valentines day..
CLOUS DE PARIS
The Signature Touch Clous de Paris features an engraved Grade-5 titanium back plate and sides, creating an eye-catching guilloche pattern that reflects the light for a near-precious quality. It’s finished in unmistakable alligator skin, crafted by specialist French and Italian tanneries, for a supple, matt feel and striking appearance.
Dual-band WLAN 802.11 a,b,g,n,ac incl. WAPI for PRC
MicroAB USB system connector with USB On-The-Go support
3.5mm audio socket
Bluetooth® v4.0 + LE
CSR aptX® high quality encoded audio support
NFC including support for embedded and SIM based secure elements
WiFi hotspot (tethering & portable hotspot)
As usual with Vertu you get all the extras such as Concierge,Life and Certainty and if you want to really sweeten the deal on the special day cases start at only €450 and can go up to just €1,995,thats all,so off you go lads…..
The Coloud Bang speaker is a nice neat portable speaker made by the company coloud,its small but packs a punch when it comes to sound..For its size you will be surprised.It also comes in several colours too which are all bright and eye catching bar Black,The Bang also comes in Green,and Orange It’s now available from the Microsoft store.
The Bang has enough power to keep the party going. Enjoy up to 8 hours of play back time on a single charge and daisy chain two or more speakers together to make your music sound even better. It’s a powerful portable speaker for a super-affordable price.
Microsoft have now got this speaker up for grabs on the Irish Microsoft store for a great price of €19.00 for this price you will get some great sound,also with the Coloud Bang you can add them together like a daisy chain,Mix Radio users will rejoice here for sure.
Here is our thoughts on the Nokia Lumia 830 Wireless Charging Flip shell,the shell is nice and light and comes in either Green or Orange or Black,there is a slight variance between its original back cover which is really not a big deal,the Flip Shell case is known as the CP – 627 The front of the case has a nice smooth feel to it whilst the inside has a velvet touch which is also good to protect the screen on the 830,the back of the case is very smooth with two differences between its original which is the speaker grille is smaller and the Nokia Logo is not present but the Nokia Logo is present on the top on the front of the case..
As to longevity of the case would be down to how much you would use the phone,the front would get dirty real quick due to its colour and would be washable to a certain extent,over a period of time i would expect the cover to fade.The back of the case however would be more lasting due to its hard plastic and would see a longer life than the front,overall its quite nice not adding any bulk to your phone.I feel this would be a temporary case though due to the material on the front.
Vine has been a quite popular application which is owned by twitter and began in 2012 with an estimated audience of 40 Million,Vine lets users be creative by users posting 6 second video clips which you can pause and start within that 6 seconds,its quite good and there is some real good Vine accounts that shows how creative people can be,i use it myself but not too often however i think its a good app.
Through adorable animated characters, kids can watch videos that are appropriate for a young audience. Swiping right or left shows a new Vine, and you can tap the screen to hear quirky sounds.
The idea came about during an office conversation in early January. One of my colleagues was talking about how much his two-year-old daughter loves Vine –– he said he wished there was a separate app she could use to more easily watch posts that are appropriate for kids. That week happened to be Hack Week, a time when we get to work on projects outside of our day-to-day work. So two folks teamed up and built exactly that. Here’s a Vine of my co-worker’s daughter using the app. How can you resist that smile?! Says Carolyn Penner from the Vine blog.
Vine Kids however is only Available on iOS for now and can be downloaded HERE this will surely keep those kids entertained for a while anyway.
As we now enter an era where we spend more time on our mobile phones than our PC/Laptop we always need to keep watch on our battery,phones now are getting bigger and battery life is still an issue for some,power users of smartphones would be an example and its now fact people spend more time on their mobile device than ever..
Battery anxiety is one problem,there is many solutions though but there is times when these are not at hand,like portable charging units which can vary in price and size and of course either wireless charging options or the typical plug,in fact i was staying at a hotel a few weeks ago and i have multiple power banks and forgot one and had to ask at a hotel reception for a wall charger,these things happen and you can get caught out.
What is Discgo .
Running out of battery on your mobile phone.
It happens more often than we’d like it to and it happens when we need it most.
Responding to a need in today’s connected world, Discgo Charger is the first of its kind – a commercial portable mobile phone charger.
Designed specifically for high volume, commercial use, Discgo is a robust mobile phone charger that allows users the freedom to move around the venue or event while recharging. With Discgo, you don’t need to be plugged into a wall.
Discgo is the ultimate in customer service for exclusive venues that put customer-service first!
DiscGo Charger is a revolutionary mobile device charging system designed for use in venues such as hotels, bars, restaurants, airports etc. It offers a superior solution to traditional charging kiosks in that it allows patrons to charge and use their mobile device whilst keeping it with them. No longer do patrons need ask barmen to charge their phone, or lock their phones in a locker or stand at a kiosk.
The system consists of a Base Charger and 5 Discs. Each Disc is a mobile, compact device that can simultaneously charge up to 2 phones of any type. The Base is used to charge and monitor.
A truly portable charger, offering patrons mobility and convenience.
DiscGo Charger provides unparalleled convenience allowing patrons to charge their mobile phones anywhere they like. They simply request a Disc from the venue staff and take it with them to charge their device. The Disc is a compact, portable, battery powered device that charges a phone/tablet by a direct connection. Patrons, are free to use their phones and move about whilst charging. This convenience encourages patrons to stay a little longer, relax and buy a little more, instead of rushing home (or to their car) to charge their device. This is valuable for both patrons and venues.
Simultaneous Fast Charging of Multiple Devices
The DiscGo charger supports fast charging of a broad range of mobile devices from numerous vendors. All the major phone brands and mobile device types are supported including, media players, phones and tablets. Fast charging, allows patrons to charge their phone in the shortest time possible. This provides convenience to patrons and maximises the utility of Discs. Each Disc can charge up to 2 devices simultaneously and holds sufficient charge for 5 large phones. Patrons can charge their phone and also share their Disc with a friend!
Wireless Telemetry and Paging
The DiscGo Charger incorporates wireless connectivity which provides a range of useful features. The system allows Venues to wireless page a Disc by pressing a button on the charger. A paged Disc will flash and beep allowing Venues to locate the Disc. The system also displays the real-time operating status and charge level of each Disc in a venue. Combining wireless paging and charge status reporting allows venues to conveniently identify, characterise and locate Discs. It facilitates using a large number of Discs with a single base unit, which is efficient on space and cost.
Wireless Security
The DiscGo Charger provides an optional security feature whereby the Charger and/or Disc will alarm (beep and flash) whenever a Disc is outside of radio range for a period of time. This feature is intended to reduce the accidental (or intentional) removal of Discs from a Venue and reduces the loss of Discs. In addition, Discs have a feature whereby Charging is automatically disabled after a settable period of time. This feature prohibits the use of Discs without a Base, discourages theft and limits use. The only way to reset a Disc is by placing it on a Base.
Customisability and Branding
Each Disc has a clear plastic cover under which proprietary branding and advertising can be placed. This allows Venues to customise their Disc for their venue. The commercial value of being able to place advertising directly in-front of a patron can also not be understated. In addition, the illumination colour, brightness and audio options on a Disc are configurable to suite the mood of each venue.
What does it cost the consumer?
Usually the end user gets the service for free – the device is leased to the venue for a yearly rate, in return for a unique marketing tool enabling increased exposure, footfall, and adding that extra level of customer care!
We lease the device for a fee per month. (1 Pod and 5 discs allowing up to ten people charge at any given time.)
For a limited time period they are also offering an outright purchasing option.
Why should you use Discgo?
1. It charges the phone as fast as being plugged into the wall – 1% a minute
2. It has a dedicated App which alerts the customer when their battery gets to 30% and then tells them where the nearest Venue is. ( Increasing footfall and awareness.
3. It has been proven to increase revenue and increase customer satisfaction in a survey across our 400 Strong venues in Australia.
4. An International Company – operating in UK, Ireland, Australia, France, Japan, America.
Discgo charger has an application on Android and iOS
This is a pretty good idea i have to say and again offers another solution to those who may feel a bit conscious about running out of power or if you are in a rush and have no time to charge your device,this is a superb solution to solve what could turn out to be a crisis for some.Not only this but you can also HIREDiscgo.
You can download Discgo on Android and iOS click the images below for the store of choice..
For more Check out discgocharger.com and we would like to thank Theodore Murphy and Sean Brantman for getting in touch with us and we wish them all the best in the future with this great solution.
Last September Asus announced the Zenwatch which looks quite nice,smart watches are still slow taking off here and are still quite expensive which is the problem,having said that you can now buy the likes of Sony Smart Watches cheap enough too and they do not look to bad either to be fair..PC World and Currys are now selling the watch for €279.99
The Zenwatch does sport some nice features but the price is rather high,not much more than the Moto360 which looks even better. But i do like the look of this and its one of the better looking watches out there today.
The Asus ZenWatch lets you wear your world on your wrist, synching with your Android smartphone or tablet so that you can access a wide range of great features to make life smoother, simpler and more fun.
It works with wearable-optimised version of exclusive Asus ZenUI apps like What’s Next and Do It Later. What’s Next reminds you of upcoming important events, marks items that need a special reminder and cuts out distractions so you can stay focused on what you really need to.
The smartwatch works better than ever with Asus smartphone and is useful all day long. Android Wear organizes your information, suggests what you need, and displays it before you even ask. Get messages from your friends, meeting notifications, and weather updates at a glance.
A real lifestyle watch
Tell the time and keep your daily schedule and performance on point. The AsusZenWatch offers a wide range of features that help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Monitor steps taken, calories burned, and heart rate amongst other health statistics to achieve personal fitness goals and stay in better shape.
Camera synchronisation
You’ll be able to display your smartphone’s camera viewfinder remotely on your Asus ZenWatch, making it easier and more versatile than ever to take selfies and group photos. Photographers will be able to properly compose the shot, release the shutter and check how the frame looks while still being able to remain in the photo.
Voice and motion control
You’ll be able to operate your Asus ZenWatch using voice commands and gestures. Say “OK Google” and reply to texts, instant messages and emails by voice, saving you the need to constantly have your hands on your phone or tablet screen to type.
Find out about your day or the world around you by asking the ZenWatchquestions such as, “Will it rain this weekend?” and receive direct answers. By simply placing your hand over the face of the watch, you can mute incoming calls so that others around you aren’t disturbed.
Secure and convenient
Your ZenWatch makes your phone more secure than ever. Watch Unlock transforms it into a universal key that allows you to quickly unlock your phone or tablet just by touching the face of the watch.
The ingenious Find My Phone function helps you find your phone by remotely calling it – you can also use the Asus ZenWatch Manager on your smartphone to find your watch by making it flash and vibrate.
There is so many kickstarters up now its hard to know who will succeed and who won’t but there is really some clever ideas out there and here is one we think will do rather well considering its price point and its purpose,HandiCase offers a clip on case to charge your device on the go and it also stores your credit cards too,and the price is not that bad,cases for iphones a big business and some are rather expensive but this case offers that bit more at a fair price.
Custom fit for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
Slim minimalistic design
Premium genuine leather
Slots for your ID and cards
Protection from bending, scratching, dropping
Easy charging wherever with the Qi charger
The Leather HandiCase is offered in three designs and two colors for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus – choose a design (Fremont,Ballard, or Magnolia) and a color (brown or black).
This is a nice idea and not expensive check it out over HERE Shipping is also free worldwide.
