Category: Tech News

Introducing AirLit – the UK’s first portable ring light, mirror and smart fan in one. #AirLit #Creators #Tech

British based start-up launches AirLit – the UK’s first portable smart fan, ring light and mirror in one

AirLit is available online and on Robert Dyas for £89.99

British based start-up GeoSmartPro, a specialist in building smart home products that fit seamlessly into our homes, has launched AirLit – the ultimate accessory for video creation, remote working and online beauty tutorials. The GeoSmartPro is a fan that has saved my life this Summer go check it out.

The AirLit is a portable ring light, mirror and smart fan, providing users with confidence, comfort and convenience on screen, all from the tap of a button – perfect for influencers and people working from home.

Weighing less than 1.5 kg the AirLit is small, but packed full of features including a smart phone holder to support hands free usage and allow users to make use of the lighting benefits while taking a video call or recording.

Users can also change the angle and brightness of the light to suit their individual needs and the smart fan also provides comfort during warmer months as many of the UK’s workforce now work from home, without the luxury of office air conditioning.

Users can set the fan to a schedule, certain temperatures and speeds at the touch of a button.

 

AirLit
AirLit
AirLit

The AirLit features include:

App automation – allows users to automate the fan’s actions and triggers. For example, if the room gets too hot the fan will automatically kick in. The fan uses WiFi to source and follow temperatures.

Light it up (or down) – Manage your light based on your preferences. Select from 3000-5000k and 10%-100% dimming means you can change the brightness depending on your environment and time of day.

Magnetic mirror – easily transform the AirLit into a mirror with a magnetic attachment and couple up with the light and it’s perfect for make-up application and hairstyling.

Flex-Rotation – choose your best angle – with 180° vertical rotation and 270° flex rotation AirLit can work with your best angles.

Telescopic extension– 400mm to 1000mm

Reverse charging– Allows you to charge your device in case of an emergency.

Blue light reduction– Use it as a desk lamp when on screens to help reduce strain on your eyes.

Battery life – up to 15 hours of usage

Timer – users can use AirLit for up to eight hours, so it’ll last the whole working day or night.

Modes – users can choose between three different light modes, reading, focus and leisure according to their environment and one fan mode which mimics nature’s air flow to ensure a controlled and calming breeze, giving you a feeling of sitting outdoors.

Speed –the fan can be set to low, medium or high fan speed depending on your preferences.

Voice control – Alexa or Google Assistant can give users a glow up in seconds

AirLit is the second product from British start-up GeoSmartPro to enter the market, following the launch of its AirGo smart pedestal fan in 2019.

 

Uzair Rafi, GeoSmartPro founder, said: “After seeing ourselves on video more than ever before, many of us are ready to up our screen appearance game and the AirLit does just that!

“AirLit has been designed to help people feel much more confident and comfortable when on screen. The ring light can be positioned to offer a flattering appearance for calls or video content creation, while the fan offers better comfort without the noise of having a window open.

“For the growing creator economy having the best lighting when posting or streaming to social media is essential, so the AirLit is the perfect influencer’s tool. The AirLit can be moved around easily so getting those perfect shots, with the ultimate glow, is a breeze.”

The AirLit is available for £89.99 from Robert Dyas and www.geosmartpro.com.

GlobalData reveals list of top 20 fintech influencers in Q2 2021 to follow on Twitter

Fintech adoption was already on the rise prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the uncertainty related to the pandemic accelerated shift towards digital financial life and it became an indispensable part of daily life. Against this backdrop, GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, has ranked the top fintech influencers during the second quarter (Q2) of 2021, based on their performance and engagement on Twitter.

GlobalData’s Fintech Influencer Platform, which tracks top 500 fintech experts and their discussions pertaining to the emerging trends, topics, innovations and companies etc around fintech, revealed Spiros Margaris, Founder of Margaris Ventures, as the top influencer during Q2 2021. Margaris is also a venture capitalist and advisory board member at GENTWO AG. Margaris largely shares updates on fintech, blockchain and AI on Twitter.

 

Andreas Staub, with an influencer score of 68, emerged as the second top influencer in Q2 2021. Staub is the Head of Corporate Development and Digital Transformation at Raiffeisen Group in Switzerland. His areas of interest and posts on Twitter include fintech innovation, behavioral economics, insurtech, bigdata and AI.

Theodora Lau emerged as the next top influencer among the fintech experts with an influencer score of 62. Lau is the Founder of Unconventional Ventures and Book Author at Kogan Page. Her focus is on developing and growing an ecosystem of financial institutions, venture capitalists, startups, corporations, and entrepreneurs.

Smitarani Tripathy, Influencer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The newly emerged keywords and hashtags in Q2 2021 included ‘SDGs’, ‘Unicorn’, ‘Serverless’, ‘Govtech’, ‘#Esg”, and ‘#Cbdc’. By following the top fintech influencers, which represent not only fintech experts, but also academia, technologist and economist, one can track the beat of the industry on a regular basis, ultimately leading to a better-informed decision-making in different fields of fintech.”

OPPO Unveils Series of New Imaging Technologies, Leading the Future of Smartphone Imaging Development

Today, leading global smart device brand OPPO revealed a series of breakthroughs in smartphone imaging technology focused on upgrades to sensors, modules, and algorithms. The innovations include OPPO’s next-generation RGBW sensor, OPPO’s 85-200mm continuous optical zoom, OPPO’s Five-axis OIS technology, and OPPO’s next-generation under-screen camera. Unveiled at OPPO’s Future Imaging Technology launch event, the announcements reflect OPPO’s commitment to optimising existing imaging technologies to allow users to capture top-quality photography with ease.

Next-generation RGBW sensor enhances light sensitivity with improved colour performance

OPPO’s new RGBW sensor significantly improves light sensitivity by introducing additional white sub-pixels(W), groundbreaking DTI technology, and OPPO’s self-developed 4-in-1 pixel algorithm. Providing improved low-light capture, the new sensor captures 60% more light than previous sensors while achieving a 35% reduction in noise* to deliver clearer and brighter images in low-light conditions.

The upgraded sensor also offers improved colour performance. By increasing the level of computing power needed to execute complex algorithms, the sensor maximises the amount of data extracted from white pixels. OPPO’s 4-in-1 pixel algorithm boosts the sensor’s colour performance to prevent issues such as colour inaccuracy. Industry-leading DTI pixel isolation technology and DeepSi processing prevent sub-pixel crosstalk to improve image quality.  The next-generation RGBW sensor is also able to enhance photo and video portraits, offering improvements to skin, texture and contrast. The new sensor will be commercially released in OPPO products from Q4 2021.

 

New modules to support super smooth zoom and clearer snapshots

OPPO’s new 85-200mm module delivers continuous optical zoom to support super smooth zoom. Capturing sharp images at every magnification level, from close-up portraits to landscapes, users can enjoy a smooth transition with the continuous optical zoom range for professional-level image quality. The module avoids problems like jumping, white balance inaccuracy, and colour bias experienced by conventional multi-camera zoom systems. The module redesigns the hardware of the existing structural module, with advancements including:

  • Adoption of G+P (glass + plastic) lens technology with two ultra-thin, high-precision aspheric glass lenses to boost optical effects such as minimising stray light.
  • A tunnel magnetoresistance sensor (TMR sensor) to allow the lenses within the camera module to move with increased stability and precision.
  • An upgraded guiding shaft motor to increase the dynamic tilt which the lens system can be moved at, supporting continuous optical zoom at higher magnifications.

The new OPPO five-axis OIS guarantees clearer snapshots by receiving and analysing  movement data from the gyroscope and using algorithms to break it down into respective components. The data is then passed to the lens and image sensor, which are driven by ball-bearing motors and shape memory alloys. When the amplitude of the movement is relatively large, sensor-shift OIS will be utilised – including horizontal shifting (x), vertical shifting (y), and rolling – together with algorithm compensation, to achieve five-axis stabilisation. This allows a maximum stabilisation angle of ±3°, three times more than traditional OIS technology on mobile devices, while the sensor can also shift with a precision of 2μm. For night-time or motion shots, OPPO’s proprietary algorithm technology improves stability, clarity, and colour performance, increasing the vibration compensation performance by up to 65%. The OPPO Five-axis OIS will be commercially released in OPPO products from Q1 2022.

New Algorithm: OPPO algorithms support next-generation USC to deliver the perfect balance between screen and camera quality

OPPO showcased its next-generation under-screen camera solution for future smartphones. The innovative pixel geometry ensures a 400-PPI high-quality display in the USC area. Using transparent wiring and a new design, the result provides clear display quality with a smoother visual experience. OPPO’s proprietary screen technology enables each pixel circuit to drive only 1 pixel. Combined with OPPO’s precise algorithmic compensation technology, this allows the screen brightness to be precisely controlled with a deviation of about 2%, and an improved screen lifespan of up to 50%.

OPPO’s Research Institute has developed a series of imaging AI algorithms including diffraction reduction, anti-condensation, HDR and AWB, to optimise imaging quality of the under-screen camera. By training its AI diffraction reduction model using tens of thousands of images to control problems caused by light diffraction, users can capture clearer, more natural images.

As consumer demand for better imaging technologies evolves, OPPO continues to strengthen its global R&D capacities to provide users with an even better imaging experience.

Creative shows that less is more with the launch of the Aurvana Trio LS. #Creative #AurvanaTrioLS

Creative Technology today announced the launch of the Creative Aurvana Trio LS, the latest addition to the popular Aurvana headphone series. A high-quality in-ear headphone with a new and efficient single-driver design, it punches above its weight to offer pristine audio performance with clearer highs and deeper bass as compared to other analog headphones.

 

Creative Aurvana Trio LS retains the robust yet sleek form factor characteristic of the Aurvana headphone series, with improvements from previous models.

The Creative Aurvana Trio LS is designed with Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) technology, an innovative product design feature which eliminates inconsistencies in driver performance caused by the traditional gluing process used in most other headphones.  It ensures more uniform and consistent movement throughout the entire driver to reduce the distortions and in turn, improve the overall sound quality to deliver a cleaner response across the audio spectrum.

This latest in-ear headphone is equipped with sawtooth sheath cables to help minimize disruptive microphonic noise. It also offers fuss-free controls with a built-in microphone and inline remote control which makes it a breeze for users to pick up calls and control the music playback with just a simple press of a button. On top of that, it is compact and easy to carry around with a handy pouch provided along with magnetic earbuds to keep it tangle-free.

The Creative Aurvana Trio LS is also Super X-Fi certified – it is specially tuned to work well with Super X-Fi products (such as the finger-sized Creative SXFI AMP) to deliver high-definition holographic audio as though there is a high-end multi-speaker system set up within the headphones. In addition, the headphones also come with the exclusive in-ear noise isolation design, which works to ensure an optimal seal to block out unwanted background noises so users can keep the music pumping without missing a single beat.

Equipped with a fuss-free design and great audio performance to boot, the Creative Aurvana Trio LS stands out from the crowd as the in-ear headphone offering more audio bang for the buck.

Pricing and Availability

Creative Aurvana Trio LS is attractively priced at £36.99 in the UK, $39.99 in the US and €39.99 in Europe and is available at Creative.com.

Jabra Unveils Innovative Earbuds That Are Engineered For Hearing Enhancement

Building on years of research, innovation and engineering in sound and hearing, Jabra and its parent company GN Group introduce the new Jabra EnhanceTM line of hearing enhancement solutions designed to help users hear more from life. This first-of-its-kind innovation brings together the convenience of true wireless earbuds with advanced hearing technology to alleviate unaddressed user needs and enable millions of people to take a first step on their hearing health journey. This innovation combines a discreet, comfortable design and the Jabra legacy of industry-leading earbud capability with GN Hearing’s expertise and advanced hearing-enhancing technology.

The result is Jabra Enhance Plus – a unique high-tech, all-in-one hearable for those who experience mild-to-moderate hearing loss but who are not yet ready for traditional all-day wear hearing aids. Taking true wireless tech to new levels, the device packs four audiological features: Warp Compressor for analysis of sounds similar to human process for more natural sound quality, Digital Noise Reduction for listening comfort and keeping speech clear, Digital Feedback Suppression to keep feedback from interfering with sound quality amplification, and Binaural Beamformer with directionality to isolate sounds, allowing users to focus on what is important.

Jabra Enhance Plus comes in a miniaturised true wireless form factor, 50 per cent smaller than Jabra’s smallest true wireless earbuds making them virtually unnoticeable, even in conversations. By leveraging Jabra’s database of 62,000 unique ear scans, the technology pioneer was able to create a map of the average human ear and use the insight to design discreet, miniaturised true wireless earbuds that incorporate high-quality hearing technology for situational use, consumerised comfort and design, and wireless connectivity for music and calls. The earbuds’ settings can be individualised via a user’s smartphone through the Jabra Enhance smartphone app. The Jabra Enhance Plus is ideal for those who prefer a lifestyle solution to help them hear conversation easier and better in select situations such as at social gatherings, in meetings or while enjoying media.

 

“By combining the expertise from both sides of our medical and consumer grade audio businesses, Jabra Enhance Plus will offer a sound solution to those of us who experience hearing challenges in everyday life,” said René Svendsen-Tune, CEO at Jabra. “This is a game changer in giving people control of their hearing as well as delivering a premium true wireless audio experience.”

Jabra Enhance Plus will be available first in the US, with launches in other countries at later stages, depending on legislation. It will be sold through licensed Hearing Care Professionals. Users will benefit from a medical hearing test and assessment ensuring that Jabra Enhance Plus is appropriate for their hearing needs.

This makes Jabra Enhance Plus a great first step on people’s hearing health journey and can be used to augment hearing in a variety of environments like restaurants, work meetings and family gatherings, as well as benefiting from traditional earbud functionality such as enjoying media, working from home and commuting.

“With Jabra Enhance Plus we want to expand hearing health to even more people who need it,” said Gitte Aabo, CEO of GN Hearing. “Treating hearing loss has a huge positive impact on well-being and quality of life, which contributes to a person’s overall health. This innovation will help many more people begin their hearing health journey, by providing a unique product that can give them control of their hearing health, act as true wireless earbuds and still ensure access to professional care and counseling.” 

Features enabling clear sound experience 

  • Small, discreet and stylish design
  • Three different sized EarGels for ultimate comfort and secure fit
  • 10 hours battery life on a single charge with 30 hours included with charging case
  • High quality codec for strong streaming sound quality and clearer calls and music
  • Jabra Enhance app allowing for a user-friendly, easy and quick setup process
  • Simple controls for daily use and adjusting volume
  • IP52-rated for water and dust resistance
  • Compatible with select smartphones
  • Available in two colours: dark grey and gold beige

Merging the Power of GN Audio with GN Hearing 

Though the product will not yet be available outside US, it showcases the great leaps taken by Jabra on true wireless technology at the same time as utilizing the GN Hearing capabilities to help people hear more from life. The development of the Jabra Enhance line is the culmination of years of GN Group research into consumer behaviour, hearing challenges and preferences.

Availability 

Jabra Enhance Plus will first be available in the US, with launches in other countries following thereafter. It will be available in select hearing care clinics towards the end of the year. Pricing will be communicated at a later stage. With Jabra Enhance Plus we aim to provide users with a medically regulated device, which we work on getting approved under the appropriate regulation.

Formula 1 Champ Fernando Alonso’s Apparel/Eyewear Brand Merges w/ E-Mobility Retailer SimplyEV.

Kimoa – the sports-inspired eyewear and apparel brand created by two-time Formula 1 champion, Fernando Alonso – has been acquired by the parent company of SimplyEV – the premier one-stop-shop for stylish, eco-conscious mobility and lifestyle accessories. SimplyEV is the preferred retailer to carry the international star’s marque in the U.S. – available through its rapidly expanding network of storefronts and an unrivaled direct-to-consumer online shopping experience.

“We’re thrilled to be joining forces with an international superstar in Fernando Alonso and his Kimoa brand – reflecting our shared vision to elevate and promote an environmentally-conscious and vibrant lifestyle through e-mobility and fashionable, sustainable eyewear and gear. It’s an honor to be the preferred U.S. retailer for Kimoa and we look forward to growing both brands together as we expand to 50 retail locations across North America in the next couple of years. EVs and an F1 icon make for a winning combination.” – SimplyEV President, Mauricio Diaz

Under the agreement, Alonso will retain 25 percent interest in Madrid-based Kimoa and will continue to serve as the global ambassador for the brand as it expands its presence across the continent.

“We created Kimoa with a sustainable soul and a ‘never surrender’ spirit inspired by sports/motorsports and an active, green lifestyle. I’m excited to be partnering with SimplyEV as a sister company to elevate our story across North America – highlighting organic materials across our product line, advanced eyewear technology and the superior quality of our textile products made in Spain and Portugal. It’s an honor to continue carrying the Kimoa banner, building the brand and welcoming everyone that shares our unique vision to the family.” – Fernando Alonso, Kimoa founder and global ambassador

 

 

Cleanfeed Introduces Compatibility for Safari as the First Platform Available on any Mainstream Browser

London, United Kingdom – Cleanfeed, a collaboration tool for high definition, live audio, and recording, in your browser are pleased to announce compatibility for Safari. Following a recent announcement on Firefox, the update comes in an effort for Cleanfeed to expand support for multiple, mainstream web browsers. As with Firefox, Chrome and Edge, Cleanfeed guests will now be able to join their session with high definition, live audio, using Safari on macOS. 

The development will see that content creators have a smooth experience when inviting a guest to a Cleanfeed session such as a podcaster’s guest, a journalist’s interviewee, or a broadcaster’s collaborator. With just one click, the guest can now join with live, high-definition audio, on their default browser, or browser of their choice. 

Marc Bakos, Cleanfeed Co-founder, comments: “Safari is a major leap forward for us, the final hurdle in fact. It’s the default browser on macOS and it means guests don’t have to go out of their way to download a different browser in order to join a Cleanfeed session any longer. From today we’re enabling studios to connect with their guests that use Safari, getting straight to the content, spending less time setting up. Bringing Cleanfeed for guests, to all mainstream browsers, completes our commitment to becoming a browser agnostic web application.”

A truly open web relies on different browser environments, not just browsers based on Chromium. Safari, which represents around 18.5% of the world’s share of browsers, has always remained incredibly important to Cleanfeed for this very reason. Not only has it ensured that Cleanfeed is now available on the default browser on both Windows and macOS, but it means we can be reassured by the positive direction that all three major browser engines are heading, especially with the technology involved with bringing applications like Cleanfeed alive.

Safari, which is powered by the Webkit web browser engine, has recently introduced the necessary web audio components for Cleanfeed to run. This means from today, guests will have the same experience joining a Cleanfeed session from Safari, as others do from other supported browsers.

 Mark Hills, Cleanfeed Co-founder concludes: “For a long time it’s been possible to use the open source “Chromium” browser with Cleanfeed and, in fact, we use that for a lot of our development. This may satisfy the open-source enthusiasts, but only goes some way towards the solution. A standard is only truly a standard when there are multiple, independent implementations of it. We depend highly on web audio standards, both of which are strengthened by the existence of Safari, and significant contributions of the Safari developers to the overall community that we’re a part of.”

Bosch Group establishes R&D centre for automotive electronics in Ireland. #Bosch #Jobs

Bosch, the global supplier of technology and services, has announced the establishment of an Automotive Research and Development Centre in Limerick, creating 30 jobs over the next two years. Focus of the activities in Limerick will be on semiconductor products as well as automotive electronics.

The location in Ireland’s Mid-West has a rich history in the design and development of semiconductor products, going back almost 50 years. More recently the region is emerging as a hub for automotive software and system development. The establishment of Bosch’s Automotive R&D Centre in Limerick recognises the increased demand for semiconductors as cars evolve to become sustainable, safer and
more exciting.

Initial development at the facility will include integrated circuits (IC) for 77GHz radar sensors, which has applications for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) such as Automatic Emergency Braking, Collision Avoidance and Adaptive Cruise Control as well as radar technologies for automated driving.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD commented on the announcement: “I’m really pleased that Bosch is opening a new research and development centre in Limerick, creating 30 new highly-skilled jobs over the next two years. Ireland is recognised as a global hub for leading technology innovators like Bosch. This new automotive R&D centre will help them to benefit from our rich talent pool in the Mid-West. I wish the team the very best in this exciting new chapter.”

Dr. Oliver Wolst, Senior Vice President Development of Integrated Circuits, Bosch said: “We’re very excited about the possibilities that this new facility will provide to us. Bosch is a global leader when it comes to investment in research and development and this new facility in Ireland demonstrates our commitment to working with the best engineering talent to develop the most advanced technology for our customers.”

IDA Ireland Executive Director Mary Buckley said: “The decision by Bosch to establish its automotive R&D centre in Limerick further enhances the region’s reputation as an emerging hub for software and automotive systems. It is also a strong endorsement of the talent available in the Mid-West region, particularly in the areas of engineering and design. With this announcement Bosch will be well-equipped to meet the growing demand for semiconductors in automation and I wish the company success with their operations here in Ireland.”

Mike Keaveney, Bosch Radar Architect & R&D Centre Limerick Manager, said: “It’s very satisfying to see Bosch’s new R&D facility come online in Ireland. This is a great opportunity for the team whose background in integrated circuits, married with Bosch’s deep system level knowledge in automotive, can develop truly innovative and performance-optimised products to meet the needs of tomorrow’s cars. Working with the talented engineers here, and the teams across Europe that we are now part of, is particularly rewarding. Our next focus is on growing the local team. There’s a lot of talent in and around the region and we’re looking to hire more engineers with the skillsets needed to develop state of the art integrated circuit products.”

Recruitment and job opportunities

Over the next two years, Bosch will be hiring IC Design and Layout, Radio Frequency Measurement/Evaluation, Software and Firmware Engineers. To explore opportunities at Bosch’s new facility in Limerick, visit https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/BoschGroup/uk or click here:

Pre-orders for new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 & Galaxy Z Flip3 devices on Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile is excited to welcome the arrival of Samsung’s latest devices to the Galaxy line with the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3. Both of these spectacular new devices are available for pre-order today on Virgin Mobile starting from as little as €199 upfront and €45 a month*.

The new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 brings you a huge 6.7” Dynamic AMOLED X2 screen, IPX8 water resistance and an incredibly fast 5nm processor, all in a phone that folds neatly into your pocket.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 brings things to the next level with its large 6.2” Cover screen and even larger and more immersive 7.6” Dynamic AMOLED X2 internal screen.

For the first time ever on a Fold device, the Z Fold3 comes with S Pen support and, if you pre-order the device before August 26th or purchase before December 31st, you’ll be able to claim a free ‘Note Pack ‘worth €89.90.

Included in the Note Pack will be the new S Pen Fold Edition which allows you to be even more creative and productive on your Galaxy Z Fold3 device.

You will also receive a Flip case to both protect your new device along with a place to store your S Pen & a 25W Travel Adapter.

Pricing & Availability

 The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 is available for pre-order today, starting from €199 upfront and €45 a month on a 24-month contract.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is available for pre-order today, starting from €999 upfront and €45 a month on a 24-month contract.