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.

The Nokia 8110 4G lands on Tesco Mobile. #Nokia #8110 #Ireland

The Nokia 8110 4G has just landed on Tesco Mobile for €79.99 The 8110 is the refreshed matrix phone if you will and has some features to keep you going but without the fuss of full access to social media and so on and it also has a smaller screen a camera just in case you happen to see something.

Key features

  • 2.4″ Display
  • 2MP Rear Camera
  • 4GB Internal Memory
  • Up to 32GB External Memory
  • 1500mAh Battery

Like the 3310 this device cuts out latest options available on smartphones today and will keep you off your phone and actually interact with people face to face.It does has a catchy look and with the possibility of whats app coming soon it might be just enough to replace your current handset and you can once again enjoy life without your head buried in a screen all day.

BUY HERE

 

Unboxing and first look – The August SWB200 smart health and fitness tracker. #health #tech #fitness

When it comes to fitness trackers there is an array of them out there but when it comes to features and price there is some limitations, Smartwatches can do all the things a fitness tracker can do but their inflated prices do them no justice and people are buying fitness trackers these days and today there is a new one on the market priced very well. Check out the unboxing below before we take it for a test run and if you have any questions in the meantime feel free to ask below or on all or social channels listed above and below.

 

August International, a UK based consumer electronics company with a vision to inspire smart innovation, today announced the launch of the SWB200 smart activity tracker. Packed full of features, this sleek, app-enabled wristband accurately tracks a user’s daily activity including steps, distance, heart rate, blood oxygen and calories burnt. It also monitors sleep, providing information on quality, duration as well as the stages of sleep, all for £54.95.  BUY HERE http://www.augustint.com/en/productmsg-292-326.html

Review – Groov-e DJ Style kids wireless headphones. #kids #headphones

When it comes to kids there is not much headphones on sale targeted just at kids, Mostly on offer is a generic set of earphones or headphones which is often bland. Groov-e however have created a pair for kids which is a great idea and not expensive either.

These are a simple design and built tough enough to last and have eye-catching colours with a silver trim on the outer side of the cup. The slider extensions are a simple execution to keep things simple as kids being kids anything more advanced would be an overkill here. The two toned Blue version we have has nice soft leather cups and don’t clamp onto your head making them comfortable for kids and long periods of use.

Build quality is robust and as I mentioned earlier its all kept simple with not having more expensive mechanisms in place here for movement on the cups and slider arrangement.  These are durable and also easy to maintain and a quick  wipe of a damp cloth will wipe away any marks they might pick up.

Sound is not bad considered their target and price-point. Given these are targeted at kids I did expect poor sound but was pleased to say it’s not bad at all and my child who is almost 10 reports the same and loves to wear these. From my own initial listening my ears are more trained to pick up the usual genres lows.mids and highs and they are OK but for kids they would not see a difference here although my daughter has a habit and privilege of trying out all my headphones she thinks they sound great and gives me the thumbs she knows the difference between woeful and good but looking at a bigger picture would all kids like them??

Well then yes most kids would not have access to as many as my child to be fair and kids will certainly enjoy them and will be pleased with overall feel,look and comfort and simplicity here.There is 3 buttons on one side which keeps things simple which is good and these buttons are raised making navigation easy.

The great thing built into these headphones are the option to share. We have an extra 3.5mm headphone port for another person to join in on what you are listening to which is really a good idea especially for kids who share the same interest in music and whatever the owner might be watching or tuned into on their tablet or phone.

BUY HERE

 

Review – The Groov-e Elite Wireless headphones with ANC. #Headphones #Tech

I have been reviewing Groov-e products some time now and they make really good products at affordable prices for all ages including kids which is a nice touch.  Today we will be checking out the Elite wireless with ANC (Active Noise Cancellation)

Out of the box alongside the presentation these looked and felt good in the hand with simple controls to use too and also a very good carry case which some manufacturers today still seem to leave out not matter what price-point they fall under.

Design and Build.

These are built rather well and as a whole very comfortable to wear too even for long periods. With solid joints these should last some time as these areas are typically weak areas depending on how they are executed in which in the Elites case is good.There is a nice leather band underneath the headband itself which gives you more comfort for long-term use, the sliding mechanisms on both sides are again robust and lock into place pretty well and will not shift as you move around. The leather cups are really comfortable too and isolate much of the noise without even having to use the ANC but of course the ANC is a must have feature these days and just tops it off by muting outside noise altogether.

Functions and controls.

All placed again on one side which is preferable which is the left with a big square button on the outer ear for ANC which you really can’t miss and I like this idea as having the ANC alongside other buttons which is a case we see quite often the idea of having it placed on the outside here is a better option and leaves all the other dedicated buttons to on their own and less fumbling about.

The Groov-e Elite Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancelling take your audio experience to another level. Featuring 40mm Neodymium drivers for premium sound, crystal-clear audio is supported by Active Noise Cancelling, which will block out external noise and give you an immersive experience. Even with brilliant sound and ANC, you don’t have to compromise on flexibility as these on-ear headphones also offer over 10 hours of wireless playback. Just connect to any Bluetooth-enabled device and go! The combination of high frequency drivers and acoustic engineering allow for crystal clear sound wherever you are.

The skip pause and play buttons all work well and are easy to navigate with tactile buttons raise high enough and after a few minutes use you will be fine navigating these blindly. The power key here is the centre key of the trio and you also get womans voice telling you of your status here which does not sound too robotic, The ANC button changes colour from Green to Blue or a mixture of both which looks cool. The MIC,USB and 3.5 MM headphone jack is also present on the same side and as I said it keeps everything simple.

Sound and call quality.

Sound here is actually again better than I would expect at this pricepoint its great, its loud clear and really good bass which they call “Super Bass” and it dleivers, All genres lows,mids and highs where good and again phone calls crisp and clearat both ends so I was well pleased in this department really impressed for its price point.

Overall I cant fault these headphones however the only thing with some headphones with long term use or excessive use which I fall under they will tend to sweat sometimes but again this is a factor that would surround you be it the temperature or your activity with these on but it was not as frequent as some headphones with leather pads would be, Other than that I can certainly recommened these without hesitation with what you get for the money.

BUY HERE 

 

 

 

Infographic. Happy Birthday Google. #Google #Infographic #GoogleIs20

Here’s a scan for the development privileged insights of one of the world’s most energizing youthful organizations — an organization from which each organization can learn.

Google’s story is a recognizable one: Two Stanford doctoral understudies, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, built up an arrangement of calculations that in 1998 started a good lord jump in Web-seek execution. Essentially, they transformed pursuit into a fame challenge. Notwithstanding checking an expression’s appearance on a Web page, as different motors did, it evaluated significance by tallying the number and significance of different pages that connected to that page.

Like its internet searcher, Google is an organization overbuilt to be more grounded than it must be. Its lavishness of ability permits it vital adaptability — the capacity to analyze, to attempt numerous things without a moment’s delay. “Adaptability is costly,” says Craig Silverstein, a 30-year-old specialist who dropped his quest for a Stanford PhD to wind up Google’s first worker. “In any case, we feel that adaptability gives you a superior item. Is it accurate to say that we are correct? I believe we’re correct. More imperative, that is the kind of organization I need to work for.”

What’s more, the kind of organization that each organization can gain from. What takes after, at that point, is our push to “google” Google: to look for the development insider facts of one of the world’s most energizing development organizations. Like the rationale of the internet searcher itself, our hunt was profound and vote based.

Therefore, here is an infographic presents by Fullestop where we can see all about GOOGLE and also wishes a very Happy Birthday to GOOGLE.

Review – Garmin 55 Plus dashcam. #Garmin #Dashcams #Motoring #Tech

The Garmin 55 plus is the latest installment from Garmin which brings us much the same as previous iterations offering a simple UI easy to install unit and good footage all caught on a not so attention seeking piece in your car window.

Features

  • Small and inconspicuous when mounted on windscreen
  • High-quality 3.7MP camera with 1440p video capture that works well in bright and in low-light conditions
  • Advanced driver alerts include forward collision and lane departure, Go Alert, red light and speed camera warnings
  • Includes lifetime safety camera updates
  • Incident detection (G sensor) automatically saves footage of incidents on impact
  • GPS records location, direction, speed, date and time to show exactly where and when incidents occurred, plus built-in Wi-Fi for wireless video sync
  • Voice control allows you to start/stop recording, take a still picture or start/stop the Travelapse photo capture feature
  • Quick and secure magnetic mount, easy to stow and go

UNBOXING

If you are going to invest in a car invest in something like this and if you are buying a new car ignore the bullshit 360 external view from your internal screen which is not worth a flying hoot should you be in a car crash this is not the selling point in cars alongside Wi-Fi which is a lame atttempt for mobile operators to get you in on another bill most of us have mobile phones which are Wi-Fi hotspots by default.

Setting up is simple as before and as I had part of it already there it was even easier so for those moving on to it will be happy, You get a sticky pad with a magnet two come in the box should you make a haimes of the first job as they are hard to move and re fixing them is pointless as they simply wont stick again. You also get a generous cigarette charger which should be a thing of the past now and we should be looking at USB options and USB-C in the units themselves.

 

The UI here is the same as before and the same changes still need to be applied some safety features are a bit sensitive and create false negatives especially the voice commands which pick up soundbites from conversation in-car or on the phone and also your radio or CD/Media player taking up valuable space on your memory card.  I have done a video on this and the UI before which is in-depth.

The unit itself is also again small and will not draw attention to your car and can be placed cleverly depending on your car windows angle there is still today some idiots who smash car windows to nick your dascham but this one will not draw attention and I like that idea.

All that matters here with these really being short is how the footage looks and it does a great job with no fishbowl effect with 1440p its great I have already garnered much attention with some clips taken which are on my you tube channel.. The footage is good crisp and clear even looking in at a distance.

The price on this is what might put some off but for gods sake it’s a worthy investment. Most of the sub  €100 dashcams on sale now at discount stores are piles of dirt your footage is crap your card gets corrupted and build quality is lame so go spend the extra money shut up moaning and you will one day thank me for it.

HALFORDS    CURRYS/PC WORLD

Smart Bicycle system Blinkers makes you visible and gives you tips. #Blinkers #Cycling #Tech

With the Autumn Equinox around the corner, falling on the 23rd September this year, the cooler and darker nights are starting to set in which means waving goodbye to what has been one pretty outstanding Summer! However with the recent weather events and more expected its time to get visible for cylcists due to the shorter evenings and darker mornings.

Thankfully for those who wish to continue cycling in the dark, Blinkers offer a multi-functional Smart Bicycle Lighting System with front, rear and laser lighting available allowing users to indicate left or right using a wireless remote control on the handlebar and display a rear light when they are braking/slowing down to make those darker commutes, evening training sessions or just the freedom of early morning or late night cycling that bit safer and enjoyable.

Armed with a set of Blinkers and the below handy tips on cycling in the dark, the transition from summer to winter cycling will be smooth & seamless process.

Blinkers smart lighting system aims to make communication between cyclists and other road users as simple and effective as possible and therefore increase safety. With front, rear and laser lighting available it allows users to indicate left or right using a wireless remote control on the handlebar and the rear light shows when the cyclist is braking/slowing down.

With the laser set, a circle shows around the bike so that there is no question about where the cyclist space is and aims to reduce the numbers of accidents that occur when a driver drifts or turns into the cyclist’s lane. They are designed to be used for up to 20 hours so whether on a daily commute or a leisurely ride, Blinkers will keep going as long as you do.

Blinkers have also kindly put together seven top tips for cycling in the dark for new cyclists. Feel free to use any of the below.

TOP TIPS FOR CYCLING IN THE DARK

 

1. LIGHTING

Having adequate lighting on your bicycle is a legal requirement when cycling in the dark. Not only are lights vital for being seen by other road users but they can also offer better understanding between cyclists and vehicle users due to the increased functionalities such as turning indicators, brake lights and laser projection.

2. CLOTHING CHOICE

Clothing choice should have the dual function of keeping you warm as well as making you visible to other road users. Pack layers in anticipation for a temperature drop, waterproofs for those damp days & don’t underestimate the value in having reflective panels, fabrics & designs on your clothing.

3. REFLECTIVE ACCESSORIES

Invest in some reflective accessories such as wrist bands, ankle bands, reflective strips, stickers or tape to enhance visibility & add to your safety.

4. EYEWEAR

A pair of clear glasses are a wise accessory to have to reduce the loss of visibility and protect your eyes from debris, mud & grit thrown up from the road, strong winds and spray on those wetter journeys.

5. ROUTES               

If you have a choice, try and stick with routes you are familiar with to avoid any unknown obstacles, poorly surfaced roads or complicated junctions. Testing the route out in daytime & planning your journey is beneficial to make you more at ease with night cycling.

6. BUDDY UP

Night cycling can be daunting, especially in the beginning, so buddy up with a friend or join a local organised cycling group. You will be grateful for the company & help should you ever unfortunately develop a mechanical problem.

7. STAY VIGILENT AND NEVER ASSUME

Cycling can be risky at the best of times, never mind in the dark. Stay vigilant (as you would in daytime cycling) for any hazards and never make the mistake of assuming, even if lit up like a Christmas tree, that a driver has seen you when completing a manoeuvre.

Fujifilm launches “instax SQUARE SQ6 Taylor Swift Edition” #FujiFilm #TaylorSwift #Tech

FUJIFILM recently launched its’ ‘instax SQUARE SQ6 Taylor Swift Edition’ and ‘instax SQUARE Film Taylor Swift Edition’. The two products, designed by instax global partner, Taylor Swift, are the latest additions to the instax lineup, which allow users to shoot and enjoy on-the-spot photo printing. Taylor Swift fans will certainly love this piece of tech in their bag and you can grab it right now..

The ‘instax SQUARE SQ6 Taylor Swift Edition’ features a gold-colored newspaper pattern on a black base for a stylish body with a design similar to Taylor Swift’s latest record-breaking album reputation. The metallic ring around the lens goes well with the gold design pattern, giving a luxurious finish. An authentic reproduction of Taylor Swift’s autograph is printed on the back of the body, and it also includes Taylor Swift original camera strap and film case. Original Taylor Swift Edition film, featuring a print of Taylor Swift’s autograph on a black frame.

The ‘instax SQUARE SQ6 Taylor Swift Edition’ and ‘instax SQUARE Film Taylor Swift Edition’ are currently on display as part of the instax Experience Booth located at each stop of the critically acclaimed “Taylor Swift reputation Stadium Tour,” which has broken multiple records to date and will culminate in Japan at the Tokyo Dome November 20 and 21. The products of instax series have been widely used all over the world since its first launch in 1998, and cumulative shipments have exceeded 30 million units across the globe. Fujifilm will continue to spread the instant photo system “instax,” which allows everyone to “enjoy printing photos as they take them,” around the world.

The instax SQ6 Taylor Swift limited Edition RRP€180.00 and instax SQ6 Taylor Swift film (10 PK) €13.00 are available at FUJIFILM Stockists nationwide.

Amazon Announces New Echo Devices in Ireland—New Ways to Add Alexa to Every Room. #Alexa #IoT

Today, Amazon introduced a new line-up of Echo devices, Echo companion devices, and a new Amazon Smart Plug, making it even easier to bring the features and convenience of Alexa to any room in the home. If you have not used something like this you are missing out on tech that makes life much easier around the home they are really great and a popular tech item today and make ideal gifts for the tech partner in your life. I was a bit dubious of this kind of tech in the house but use it still today but there is those whom have security issues but hey just turn em off when not in use.

New Echo devices include:

All-New Echo Dot: The easiest way to bring Alexa into your home, now with a new speaker for louder and crisper sound, an updated fabric design, and still only £49.99. The next-generation Echo Dot features a new fabric design and more powerful sound—and it is still the best way to add Alexa to any room. With an all-new curved shape and fabric finish.

Echo Dot is available in Charcoal, Heather Grey, and Sandstone, letting customers easily mix and match. Echo Dot now has improved sound and a new compact design. Put an Echo Dot in every room to ask for information or for the weather, play your favourite music in a multi-room music grouping, set timers and alarms, and control compatible smart home devices.

 All-New Echo Plus:  Drops in at £139.99.   Just say, “Alexa, discover my devices,” and Echo Plus will automatically discover and setup compatible lights, locks, plugs, switches, and more without the need for additional hubs or apps. Echo Plus now includes an embedded temperature sensor, so you can set temperature-based routines using other smart home devices. For example, when the living room reaches 26 degrees, Alexa can turn on a fan connected to a smart plug.

Echo Plus has a larger 3” Neodymium woofer and increased back volume so that the bass feels stronger and the mids and highs are clearer. It also features an all-new fabric design and is available in Charcoal, Heather Grey, and Sandstone.

All-New Echo Show: An all-new design, upgraded speaker, a stunning 10-inch HD display, and a built-in smart home hub, plus all the glanceable features customers love about Alexa for £219.99.

“Customers tell us they love the convenience of being able to ask Alexa to show them things,” said Jorrit Van der Meulen, Vice President, Amazon Devices International. “Today, we’re making the voice-first, visual Echo Show experience better in every way by adding even more experiences to delight our customers—a dynamic and vivid display makes watching videos even more enjoyable, new speakers for music and music videos, two-way doorbell video calling, simple set-up and control of smart home devices, Skype calling to friends and family, and all-new visual features.” 

The all-new Echo Show is completely redesigned with a vibrant 10-inch HD display that shows colourful, fresh, and compelling visuals. So when you ask Alexa to show you the weather, watch a video or display your shopping list, the experience is even more delightful.  The screen is complemented by dual, side-firing 2-inch Neodymium drivers, a passive bass radiator and Dolby processing to deliver expansive sound with deep, powerful lows and crisp highs, perfect for listening to your favourite music. Just ask to play Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, BBC Radio and more—plus, with Amazon Music see the on-screen lyrics play along with the music.

The Perfect Sous-Chef for your Kitchen

Cooking with Alexa makes the all-new Echo Show even more useful in the kitchen. Simply ask Alexa for step-by-step cooking instructions. Once you have chosen a recipe, say “Alexa, let’s start cooking.” Alexa will then walk you step-by-step through your favourite recipe with visuals; and there is no need to touch the screen with wet or dirty hands from cooking, you can use your voice to cue next steps in the recipe. Enhanced step-by-step cooking is rolling out to UK customers later this year, including improved visuals, the ability to set timers and more recipes.

 

Video Doorbell and Built In Smart Home Hub

Coming later this year, customers will be able to use a new video doorbell integration that works with Ring doorbell cameras. Customers will be able to ask Alexa to play a chime and make an announcement when someone rings their doorbell. When the doorbell rings, just say “Alexa, answer the front door,” to see and talk to whoever is there without having to open the door. You can also use Alexa Routines to play custom announcements when the front door camera detects movement or someone rings the doorbell.

Echo Input:  £34.99. Echo Input lets you add Alexa to your existing speaker. Echo Input connects to your speaker through a 3.5mm audio cable or Bluetooth, and features a four-microphone array so you can talk to Alexa from across the room. Echo Input is just 12.5mm tall, so it blends easily into every room.

Unlike Echo Dot, which has a built-in speaker, all audio is played through the connected speaker rather than through Echo Input itself. When connected to Echo Input, your speaker can be added to a new or existing multi-room music group. Echo Input will be coming later this year and will be available in Black and White.

Echo Sub: Add deep, rich bass to music playback on Echo devices for £119.99. Echo Sub is the first wireless Echo subwoofer for those who want to pump up the bass when listening to music on their existing or new Echo devices. You can connect Echo Sub to compatible Echo devices to create a 1.1 or 2.1 pairing for stereo sound. Plus, with the equaliser feature you can adjust the bass, mid-range, and treble using the Alexa app.

“We want you to have access to Alexa everywhere—in your kitchen, in your living room, in your office, and more,” said Jorrit Van der Meulen, Vice President, Amazon Devices International.“Today, we’re excited to expand the number of ways that customers can add Alexa to their homes, so they can use Alexa to make their lives more convenient and easy.”

Amazon Smart Plug: Control compatible lights, fans, coffee makers, and more for £24.99.

With the Amazon Smart Plug, you can use your voice to control your lights, fans, coffee maker, and more. The Amazon Smart Plug is the first Wi-Fi smart plug to use Wi-Fi simple setup, making it easier to start – and expand – your smart home with connected devices.

 

All you need is an Alexa-enabled device like Echo, Fire TV, Fire Tablet, Sonos One, or even just the Alexa app on your phone to get started. From there, easily set a routine that turns your lights on at 6:00 a.m. and your lights off at 10:00pm; and with multiple Amazon Smart Plugs, you can control multiple outlets.

Availability – Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Echo Sub and Amazon Smart Plug are available for pre-order starting today and will start shipping next month. The new devices announced today join the all-new Echo Show, Echo, and Echo Spot to create the Echo family of devices