Category: Tech News

Stay connected this Christmas with Nokia mobile phones. #Nokia #Christmas2020

Looking to gift your loved one a new phone this Christmas? Nokia has the whole family covered with their selection of trusty handsets at accessible price points. From feature phones that allow you to stay connected with family and friends, to smartphones that are packed with the latest technologies and next generation AI-powered photography to bring out the best of your creative side, there is something for everyone this Christmas from Nokia. Check out the deals below.

 

Elevate your creativity with Nokia’s first 5G – The Nokia 8.3 5G 

Effortlessly stylish, the Nokia 8.3 5G offers vivid colors and stunning clarity on the impressive edge-to-edge 6.81” screen. Featuring a powerful PureView quad-camera with ZEISS optics giving you immersive and stand-out movie-like shots with ZEISS Cinema effects and OZO audio, the Nokia 8.3 5G is the ideal smartphone for those who want to create powerful content. Designed to support multiple and evolving 5G networks, Nokia 8.3 5g is not only a global device but also a future-proof smartphone. 

Built with precision and crafted with care, this phone is rooted in pristine Nordic design, from its all-glass body to stunning colour, Polar Night, inspired by the Northern lights. The Nokia 8.3 5G in Polar Night with 6GB /64GB memory is available from Vodafone, Tesco and Harvey Norman priced from €399.99 prepay for 6/64 configuration 

 

Go big and beyond with Nokia 5.3

Ideal for students, the Nokia 5.3 will help you to stay focused with an impressive 6.55” screen and powerful Qualcomm® platform that is built for speed and easy access to Google Drive, Documents or to attend classes on Hangouts, Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Say goodbye to battery anxiety for good with a two-day battery life thanks to the 4000mAh2 battery and AI-assisted Adaptive Battery, saving energy for the apps that are used the most. 

The Nokia 5.3 is great for older school goers or students who already have an entry level smartphone and are looking to upgrade for a better experience. This modern and durable device is available from Three Ireland, Harvey Norman, Power City and Tesco Mobile and comes in either Cyan and Charcoal colour options with the 4GB/64GB RAM/ROM configuration priced from €129.

 

Maximise your streaming with the Nokia 3.4

The Nokia 3.4 offers a serious performance upgrade thanks to the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 460 Mobile Platform which gives the user more power to get the best out of their phone. Take creativity to the next level with a large 6.39” HD+ screen, a punch-hole front camera and a mighty triple rear camera with an ultra-wide lens and AI imaging. All of this is powered by the signature two-day battery life and wrapped up in a premium timeless design, inspired by Nordic nature, delivering style with durability that’s true to its Finnish roots.

The Nokia 3.4 comes in Charcoal with 3/32GB, memory and storage configurations starting at a retail price of €139. Available in Vodafone, Three and Harvey Norman. 

 

Brining powerful AI to the Nokia 2.4 next generation

The next generation Nokia 2.4 brings modern essentials to this device, with advanced AI imaging, a dedicated Night mode and Portrait Editor that will let them create curated content with custom shapes and blurred background. With a convenient fingerprint sensor and AI face unlock, the Nokia 2.4 offers effortless access and added security, in a durable design that’s not only built to look good but also to last. Watch, learn and create on the large 6.5” HD+ screen, and thanks to its two-day battery life, favourite apps and games can be enjoyed for longer. 

The Nokia 2.4 comes in Charcoal with 2/32GB and storage configurations starting at a retail price of €99. Available in Vodafone, Three, Harvey Norman and Carphone Warehouse

 

Nokia 1.3 for those buying their first smartphone

The Nokia 1.3 delivers modern technology at Nokia’s most accessible price point. The screen offers a bigger, brighter and bolder experience, allowing users to see it all as clear as day on the large 5.71” HD+ screen. The battery certainly won’t hold you back – so you can do more in a day with the Nokia 1.3’s battery that stays charged from sunup to sundown. 

The Nokia 1.3 is an entry level smartphone available for only €79, from Vodafone Ireland in cyan and charcoal colour options 

The classis flip phone with a modern twist – stay connected with the Nokia 2720  

The Nokia 2720 offers reliability, durability, and trust. The classic flip is simple and reliable and boasts a 28-day standby time from a single charge, meaning your phone could be left on standby for the whole month! It comes with easy-to-use essential apps such as WhatsApp, which comes preloaded to help users stay in touch with family and friends.

 

This classic flip phone is available from Vodafone, Carphone Warehouse, Three and Harvey Norman, from €79.

Check out the Nokia 800 tough video review and the new 5310 2020 edition video review

Christmas gifts for Apple lovers. #Christmas2020 #Apple #Tech #QDOS #TwelveSouth

With less than 6 weeks until Christmas, the hunt is on for the perfect Christmas gift for Apple lovers. Below is a host of gadgets and accessories for the latest Apple products (including the new Macbook series and iPhone 12 series) that will make the Apple experience even better. The gadgets and accessories include UV sanitizers to keep your iPhone12 clean, iPhone 12 cases and screen protectors, plus cases and stands for the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini, and a portable USB-C hub.

 

The QDOS UV Sanitizer quickly and easily disinfects your iPhone, tech devices and accessories eliminating up to 99.99% of common surface bacteria at the click of a button. Qi functionality also allows you to wirelessly charge your smartphone while disinfecting other devices such as a smartwatch or earphones simultaneously. The QDOS UV Sanitizer offers two UV-C light sterilisation modes including three-minute rapid or 10-minute intensive sterilisation.

QDOS I HYBRID

SRP: £19.99

Available for: iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12/12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

Sleek, slim and easy to grip, the crystal-clear QDOS I HYBRID case perfectly showcases the design of the iPhone 12 while providing everyday protection. The HYBRID is made from a unique blend of highly protective materials and features air-cushionedTPU corners that can keep the iPhone safe from a drop of up to 4ft. With flexible sides (available in clear, navy or space grey) and a solid,scratch-resistant and transparent polycarbonate back, the HYBRID case is easy to get on and off. To ensure the case stays looking pristine, the HYBRID has been treated with an optimised coating to prevent discolouration.

QDOS I TOUCH

SRP: £24.99

Available for: iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12/12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

Soft to the touch, the QDOS I TOUCH case for iPhone 12 is made with real liquid silicone for a silky-smooth finish that is easy to grip. Combining a shock-absorbent polycarbonate inner shell with a high-quality wipe-clean finish, the TOUCH provides everyday protection from knocks and bumps and is resistant to dust, dirt, spills and marks. The interior has been lined with soft microfibre which encases the iPhone 12 perfectly. TOUCH has also been designed with precision cut-outs, offering easy access to ports and buttons.

 

QDOS I OptiGuard™

SRP from £19.99

QDOS’ new generation of OptiGuard™ screen protectors, now available for the iPhone 12 series, are as tough as they come. Made from premium Japanese tempered glass with a hardness rating of 9H, they offer protection against impacts, scratches and shock, without affecting the sharpness, clarity or touch sensitivity of the screen. Antimicrobial protection kills 99.99% of bacteria on the surface of the phone while an oleophobic coating repels fingerprints and oily residue. Each screen protector comes with an original bespoke application tool that helps to remove bubbles for the perfect installation. The OptiGuard™ range, which also offers a limited lifetime warranty, includes:

  • QDOS I OptiGuard™ Glass Protect: Ultra-thin 0.3mm glass screen protection with a 9H hardness rating and ultra-clarity. Offering hassle-free installation with an easy applicator tool, the OptiGuard Glass offers perfect touch sensitivity for the iPhone 12. Available for: iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12/12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • QDOS I OptiGuard™ Glass Curve Clear: Curved and designed to fit around the display of the iPhone 12, the OptiGuard Curve offers maximum edge-to-edge protection against impact and scratches. Available for: iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12/12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • QDOS I OptiGuard™ Glass Curve Privacy: Shielding data from shoulder-surfers in public, the OptiGuard Glass Privacy incorporates a 180-degree privacy filter. This restricts the angle of view to the user directly facing the screen.  Available for: iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12/12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max

 

Twelve South SuitCase for Macbook

From £69.99

Available for the 13-inch MacBook Pro/Air and the 16-inch MacBook Pro from Amazon.co.uk

Providing maximum protection, the new Twelve South SuitCase combines a stylish, quilted water-resistant exterior with a thermoform shell to securely hold and protect the MacBook inside. With a slim design and a recessing leather handle, the SuitCase will fit comfortably into a workbag or backpack for everyday use. Alternatively, knowing that the new MacBooks have 20 hours of battery life, if users would rather travel light with just a few papers and a Lightning cable, a handy slim pocket hidden inside the case can hold notes, cables and other essentials.

Users can easily work on their MacBook without removing it from the SuitCase thanks to Twelve South’s innovative suspension system which holds the case securely against the MacBook without interfering with its display. Dual wetsuit-style zippers keep the SuitCase securely closed but also allow for the MacBook to be easily and safely charged whilst still inside the case.

 

Twelve South Curve SE

£49.99

Available from Currys.co.uk

The Twelve South Curve SE is the perfect stand to pair with a new MacBook. Not only does it perfectly match clean modern office spaces and the aesthetics of many Apple accessories, it also has an improved ergonomic design. Users no longer have to hunch over and tilt their head downwards towards a screen, they can easily elevate their MacBook to a healthier, more comfortable height.

Offering multiple uses, the Curve SE can be paired with a full-sized keyboard and mouse for a convenient desktop setup or used with a monitor for dual screen functionality. Its minimal design uses a single piece of aluminum which allows for 70% of the base to be exposed for optimal cooling. Anti-slip silicone pads and bent arms keep the laptop in place and prevents scratches.

Twelve South BookArc

£49.99

Available from Amazon.co.uk

The Twelve South BookArc is the little MacBook stand that makes room for a big monitor by holding a MacBook vertically and off the desk. By placing a closed MacBook on the BookArc and plugging in an external monitor, keyboard & mouse users now have a comfortable desktop setup for their home or office. Things like photo editing, spreadsheets and other projects are easier to see on a bright 24-inch (or bigger) screen. When it’s time to go mobile or head out for a meeting, unplug the desktop connections and the BookArc Cable Catch will keep them in place.

Twelve South Curve Riser

£79.99

Available from Amazon.co.uk

The Twelve South Curve Riser is the perfect accessory for the Mac mini. A handsome and practical stand designed to elevate iMacs and external monitors, it also features an integrated shelf which is the ideal place to put a Mac mini. Perfect for home offices or those with limited space, Curve Riser helps to keep desks clutter free.

Twelve South HiRise for MacBook

£69.99

Available from Very.co.uk

The Twelve South HiRise for MacBook is a beautifully designed, height adjustable stand that elevates a laptop to the perfect position. Unlike fixed stands, the HiRise allows users to set their screen height from a few inches up to a half foot off their desk, making it perfect for MacBooks and users of all sizes. HiRise allows users to align a MacBook with an external monitor for the ultimate dual-display set-up. Users can perch their MacBook on the HiRise and pair with their favourite wireless keyboard and mouse to create a comfortable and convenient workstation. This sleek brushed metal stand features non-slip arms to securely hold all size MacBooks from 11-inch Air to 16-inch Pro.

Twelve South StayGo

£99.99

Available from Amazon.co.uk

The Twelve South StayGo is a portable USB-C hub that’s designed to add additional ports to USB-C MacBooks and MacBook Pros. Perfect for anyone who is working from home and perhaps missing their office set up, the StayGo makes it much easier to connect extra screens, a keyboard, storage and displays etc.

The hub comes with eight port options built in including a 4K HDMI port, three USB A 3.0 ports, gigabit ethernet port, an SD port, a micro SD port, and an 85W USB-C pass-through power port which allows you to connect your power source to the StayGo to keep your MacBook Pro charged up while powering other devices such as an iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch etc. The Gigabit Ethernet port is especially useful allowing users to connect to super-fast wired networks and servers.

Volvo Cars “ultimate driving simulator” uses latest gaming technology to develop safer cars. #Volvo #Motoring

Volvo Cars engineers call it “the ultimate driving simulator”, but it is not just an excuse for them to indulge their inner basement gamer. Instead, the Swedish company’s ground-breaking mixed-reality simulator is used to make new strides in safety and autonomous driving technology.

A setup with a moving driving seat, a steering wheel with haptic feedback and a crystal-clear virtual reality headset would make any serious gamer jealous, but Volvo Cars’ simulator takes this concept to the next level, making it hard to tell reality from simulation. Which is exactly the point.

Using cutting-edge technology from the leading real-time 3D development platform Unity and Finnish virtual and mixed reality experts Varjo, the simulator involves driving a real car on real roads. It combines life-like, high definition 3D graphics, an augmented reality headset, and a full-body Teslasuit that provides haptic feedback from a virtual world, while also monitoring bodily reactions.

This combination of software and hardware allows Volvo Cars engineers to endlessly simulate traffic scenarios on a real test track road while using a real car, all in total safety. Engineers can gain important insights on the interaction between people and the car for development of new safety, driver assistance and autonomous driving features.

Testers can be exposed to imagined active safety and driver assistance features, upcoming autonomous drive user interfaces, future car models and many other scenarios. It can be used on real test track roads or in the test lab, and every scenario is fully customizable. The possibilities are literally endless.

Volvo Cars “ultimate driving simulator” uses latest gaming technology to develop safer cars

Volvo Cars “ultimate simulator” was demonstrated yesterday in an event live-streamed from Volvo’s Open Innovation Arena and hosted by a team of its innovation experts. You can watch the event on demand HERE.

Last year, together with Varjo, Volvo Cars became the first car maker to make it possible to drive a real car while wearing a mixed reality headset. Now that collaboration has been expanded to include Unity and full-body haptic suit maker Teslasuit.

According to Casper Wickman, senior leader of User Experience at Volvo’s Open Innovation Arena and one of the hosts of the livestream, this enables Volvo Cars to study authentic human reactions in a safe environment and at a fraction of the cost of a real test.

“Working together with great companies like Varjo, Unity and Teslasuit has allowed us to test so many scenarios that look and feel totally real, without having to physically build anything,” says Casper Wickman. “It lets us test drive actual cars in through traffic scenarios that look and feel real, but can be adjusted at the touch of a button.”

When developing safety systems for cars, like collision-avoiding technologies, testing is crucial. But testing these systems in reality can be dangerous, time-consuming and expensive. Virtual and mixed reality simulations, however, allow for perfectly safe testing in authentic environments, without having to build any physical prototypes or set up complex scenarios.

“By using this cutting-edge technology, we are exploring and leading the development for creating safe cars in the future. It’s great to play a part in that,” said Casper Wickman.

Watch the full livestream recording here and download the summary video of the event here.

MeacoHeat Motion Heater will keep you warm and cosy this winter. #Meaco

Colder weather is on its way, so now is a good time to consider investing in a portable heater, that is motion activated, to help warm up those cooler spots in your home.

The MeacoHeat Motion Heater is the perfect product to keep your home warm and cosy throughout any cold spell. Where traditional heating systems use thermostats to maintain a room’s temperature regardless of how frequently the room is used, the MeacoHeat Motion Heater can be used much more economically. It can be used as a standalone unit for spaces that may be less-frequently used, but still require heating. A motion detection sensor means the unit will only be activated once a person walks into the room. When they leave the room, the heater will switch off, allowing the user to save money on heating bills and helping the environment. MeacoHeat Motion Heaters use safe PTC ceramic technology to offer fast start-up time. A thermal cut out and tilt safety switch ensure that, if they are accidentally knocked over, they switch off.

A fan option means they can be used all year, adding warmth in the summer months on a chill day, but becoming a fan to cool a room in hotter weather. The smaller model, 1.8kW has two outputs levels to save energy, a 1-7 hour off timer and a fan only mode for summer use. The larger 2.0Kw adds oscillation to the specification to distribute the heat evenly through a 70° arc. A three-level thermostat replaces the off timer to provide another level of control.

There are two models, available in either red, black or white and with their small and stylish design, they are sure to look great in any room in a house. MeacoHeat Motion Heaters are the perfect solution for filling in with some extra heat when needed.

Find out more: https://www.meaco.com/collections/heaters

Prices: from £59.99

Nik Collection 3 By DxO 25th Anniversary: 25 Years of Inspiration, 25 New Pre-sets

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Nik Collection, the famous photo plugin suite for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, and DxO PhotoLab and the winner of the 2020-2021 EISA Award for Best Photo-Editing Software, released its latest 3.3 version. This version includes a pack of 25 brand-new Presets for Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro. These twenty-five exclusive Presets are divided into five series, each with five Presets: “Classic Portrait Color,” “Classic Portrait Black & White,” “Light & Bright,” “Wildlife,” and “Street”. This update is also compatible with macOS Big Sur and the 2021 versions of Adobe’s host applications.

Designed for Multiple Genres and Today’s Photography

The new Presets included in the Nik Collection 3 by DxO showcase five photography genres, specifically colour portraiture, black-and-white portraits, landscape photography, wildlife photography, and street photography. These are the five most popular genres among expert and amateur photographers alike. Color Efex Pro, which already includes a number of creative colour Presets and recipes, and Silver Efex Pro, which continues to set the standard for black-and-white conversion, are the two Nik Collection plugins photographers turn to the most. 

With its ten “Classic Portrait Color” Presets for Color Efex Pro and “Classic Portrait Black & White” Presets for Silver Efex Pro, the Nik Collection 3 by DxO offers users a modern and holistic approach to the genre. “High Key Bright” brings out the whites and brightness in colour portraits, giving images a joyful and optimistic ambiance. With its lower exposure levels, “Hint of Color” creates a more dramatic look that nonetheless remains soft through the addition of a colour tint. 

With respect to black-and-white photography, “Hollywood Glamour” produces images with high contrast yet controls the darker tones in the image to conceal any flaws. For those nostalgic for the analogue film era, “Rugged” offers a perfectly balanced, fine-grain look. 

When it comes to landscape photography, the “Light & Bright” series designed for Color Efex Pro opts for a colourful take on the genre through a selection of monochromatic or chromatic-dominant Presets. “Cafe Mocha” adds a dark beige tint, while “Pink Lemonade” uses a pink tint. With their green and blue tones, “Fade Away” and “Heavenly Blue” give landscapes a timeless look. “Sunshine Morning” creates softer and more balanced tints.

The “Wildlife” series for Color Efex Pro includes Presets that showcase a variety of lighting effects and highlight detail. With its blue tint and slight blur, “Cool Evening” simulates a semi-nocturnal ambiance. “Sunny Day” mimics the effect of a bright, noon-day sun without flattening the image. Wish your photo was a bit sharper? “Fur Details” increases micro-contrast and enhances textures, resulting in an incredibly realistic effect.

Finally, the “Street” series for Silver Efex Pro opts for an approach poised between classicism and modernism by playing up contrasts, grain, and tints simultaneously. “High Contrast” recreates that classic street photography look by producing dense blacks and stark whites. “Street Gritty” adds a slight grain over the top, which is reminiscent of Leica. With “Street Dramatic”, the background of the photo is darkened, and the depth of field is shortened.

Twenty-five Years Dedicated to Innovation and Photography 

Since Nils Kokemohr founded the company in 1995, Nik Multimedia, which later became Nik Software in 2006, has sought to develop photo-editing software that helps photographers who use Adobe Photoshop realise their vision through the use of simple tools based on exclusive algorithms and designed to improve their workflow. The software developer created Color Efex Pro to improve colour conversion, Sharpener Pro to boost sharpness, Dfine to reduce noise, Viveza to apply local colour adjustments, HDR Efex Pro to edit HDR images, Silver Efex Pro for white-and-black conversions, and Analog Efex to recreate the look of silver halide film. It also released a number of innovations, including the famous local adjustment technology U POINT™. 

 

After Google purchased it in 2012, the Nik Collection was gradually side-lined. When DxO bought it in 2017, the suite was re-released, much to the delight of its extensive community of users. Its latest version, released in June 2020, added a number of new features, including the Selective Tool, which was redesigned to work with Adobe Photoshop, a non-destructive workflow for Adobe Lightroom users, and an eighth plugin, Perspective Efex. 

Compatible with macOS Big Sur and the Latest Versions of Adobe software 

To ensure the best possible user experience, the Nik Collection 3.3 by DxO was optimised to be fully compatible with macOS Big Sur as well as the latest versions of Adobe Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, and Photoshop Elements.

Price and Availability

The Nik Collection 3.3 by DxO (Windows and macOS) is now available for download on the DxO website (https://shop.dxo.com/photo-software/dxo-nikcollection) for £125 for the full version and for £69 for the upgrade. 

 

Users who purchased Nik Collection 3 by DxO after June 2020 may upgrade their software for free. Photographers who already own Nik Collection 2 By DxO or a previous version can upgrade their software by signing into their customer accounts. A fully-functional, one-month trial version of Nik Collection 3.3 By DxO is available on the DxO website: https://nikcollection.dxo.com/download/.

OPPO Unveils Full-path Color Management System – to debut on the Find X3 series next year. #OPPO #FindX3

OPPO announced today that the official release of the Full-path Color Management System will premiere as part of its 2021 new flagship smartphones, Find X3 series. OPPO’s Full-path Color Management System is the very first Android color management system to support the full DCI-P3 wide gamut and 10-bit color depth from capture, storage, and display. This delivers an outstanding viewing experience with its authentic and accurate color reproduction.

“Color inspires creativity and affects our perceptions of reality. That’s why we’ve enhanced every aspect of the color management system to add brilliant, high-quality visuals to more aspects of daily life.” said Bai, product manager at OPPO. “Based on the stellar color performance of the Find X2 Pro, the new Full-path Color Management System has been meticulously developed to support for 10bit image capturing and HEIF format. We aim to deliver to our users a seamless and systematic color experience, which unleashes content creators’ desire to explore, capture and express themselves fully.”

DCI-P3, 10-bit HEIF Images Supported from end-to-end — The Full-path Color Management System Expands the Boundary of Visual Representation

Considering the future trends lie in wide color gamut and high color depth, OPPO’s R&D engineering team did a decent job with color reproduction by improving the underlying system and hardware. The system is an end-to-end solution, covering all the steps from image acquisition, to computation, encoding, storage, decoding, and finally display, supporting a HEIF image with 10bit high color depth and the P3 wide color gamut.

As a management system, the full-path color management system adopted higher specification algorithm and hardware to record color when capturing. OPPO’s R&D engineering promoted algorithms in the areas such as distortion correction, multi-frame noise reduction and perceptual extreme super-resolution. Moreover, OPPO will support image sensors featuring Digital Overlap (DOL) HDR mode. In the DOL-HDR technology, it synthesizes different exposure conditions into an image. Therefore, brilliant colors are captured even when pictures are taken against bright light.

Once we have the right hardware, calibration becomes the next important factor. OPPO’s screen calibration procedure enables a professional, digital film-grade color accuracy at around 0.4 JNCD, thereby delivering a consistently accurate display on the screen. On the other hands, OPPO’s proprietary algorithm guarantee color gamut compatibility by adjusting the DCI-P3 with the D65 white point at the center of the color space.

Compared with the depth of 8-bits, the 10-bit color depth tones down the artificial visual features brought about by gaps in colors. The 10-bit color depth further improves color gradient to enhance the quality of visual content during creation and post-editing. Meanwhile, with a size only around 50% of a JPEG image, the new and powerful HEIF format fully supports a wide variety of multimedia, such as static images, Exif, depth information, and dynamic videos, thus giving users more creative freedom. It is also worth mentioning that the HEIF format can be further developed to ensure compatibility with respect to ultra-high color depth.

Personalized Color Settings on Your Smartphone — Color Correction Solution for the Future of Imaging

At the recent OPPO INNO DAY 2020, OPPO Founder and CEO Tony Chen said that, “we believe in ‘Technology for Mankind, Kindness for the World’. OPPO uses technology to empower people to capture the beauty around them and to unleash their imagination of the future; thereby helping everyone get the best out of life.

This manifests in OPPO’s R&D process in color management. OPPO’s Full-path Color Management System is a fundamental function at the system level, and it is smart too. OPPO first sought to achieve a uniform standard with every screen showing colors in the same way to ensure the accuracy and fidelity; now, we go deeper to seek to meet user needs with customization.

Back to 2018, OPPO’s R&D engineering team became aware of the challenges facing smartphone users with color weakness. Considering about visual health, the team went on to initiate systematic research on color correction to address the needs of a wider user for better visual experience.

Next, OPPO will go one step further by introducing a comprehensive color correction solution. By conducting a large-scale quantitative and qualitative study on those with color weaknesses, we have upgraded the color correction solution to OPPO Color Correction Solution 2.0.

Right now, OPPO is joining forces with Zhejiang University with an aim to find the optimal solution to color correction by sampling potential users with accurate quantification of color vision test. Dr. Luo Ming, Professor of Color and Image Science at the university stated that, “Nowadays, we are considering more about individual difference for human well-being. In this case, the color correction system of the future will be highly user-centric. Users can create their own unique and personalized display by choosing colors from the smartphone’s palette as well as testing and calibrating the system.”

For OPPO, years of innovation have led to new heights of color expression for smartphone displays. The Full-path Color Management System will be first available in OPPO’s 2021 flagship Find X3 series.

Through our authentic, accurate, and individualized color management, OPPO aims to offer users an intuitive way to experience the world and capture life at its most colorful.

ICHH launches virtual Santabox Appeal to give Christmas presents to more than 8,600 homeless people #Homeless #Santabox

Inner City Helping Homeless, the non-profit registered charity supporting Ireland’s homeless, is today launching its first ever virtual Santabox Appeal.  It is hoped that through this new online platform, the charity can recoup some of the €200,000 worth of fundraising it has already missed out on this year due to the pandemic, and also help ensure essential gifts are delivered to those who need them most this Christmas.

Normally one of the biggest donation-drives for the charity annually, this year’s Santabox Appeal was expected to only take in around 10% of normal donation levels due to current level five restrictions and social distancing requirements. However, Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) has partnered with Expleo, the technology partner for innovative companies, to develop a new digital platform to enable donors to buy a virtual Santabox that will be packed and presented to those in need by a team of socially-distanced elves.

These Santaboxes are filled with essentials such as clothes, toys and toiletries along with a Christmas gift voucher.  The contents of the Santaboxes will be tailored specially to the recipient based on gender and age.

The latest Department of Housing homeless figures released in October found that there were 8,656 homeless people in Ireland, made up of 6,073 adults and 2,583 children who are currently living in emergency accommodation.

Brian McLoughlin, Head of Communications and Fundraising at Inner City Helping Homeless said: “We are delighted to launch our Virtual Santabox Appeal with our corporate charity partners Expleo. By bringing our appeal online it will allow people to continue to support our annual appeal from the safety of their own homes.

 “The major reduction in footfall nationwide due to COVID-19 restrictions means the difficulties confronting the homeless have become more pronounced.  We hope the public will get behind the online appeal which will enable us to provide Santa Boxes to families and individuals in emergency accommodation, on the streets, families in Direct Provision centres as well as those living alone.

 “This has been a tough year for everyone; and we endeavour to put a smile on as many faces as possible this Christmas.”

Santa (David Nugent) with Phil Codd, Managing Director, Expleo Ireland and Brian McLoughlin, Head of Communication and Fundraising, Inner City Helping Homeless

 Phil Codd, Managing Director of Expleo Ireland said: “We’re delighted to support such a worthy cause by digitally transforming the Santabox fundraising appeal and ensuring Inner City Helping Homeless can carry out their amazing work again this Christmas.

 “Through our ‘Rebooting Ireland’ initiative, which was launched earlier this year to help companies to innovate and digitise to continue in business throughout COVID-19, we designed an online platform for ICHH that provides donors with ability to choose who will receive their Santabox, and offers an opportunity to send a personalised Christmas message to the recipient.

 “When we first met with ICHH they were concerned that some people may end up going without a Christmas gift this year. We hope that our new platform will help them exceed all previous records for Santaboxes collected and, crucially, provide vital support to those who need it most at this time of year. ”

 Donors can pay between €15 and €35 to purchase individual Christmas gifts. More details here.

What the !#*% is a JOBY? #Tech #JOBY #Creators

JOBY, the smartphone accessory brand-of-choice for content creators everywhere, has announced their latest campaign – “What is a JOBY”. Designed to invite Generation Z and aspiring content creators to unleash their creativity whilst having fun, “What is a JOBY” wants to inspire a generation to produce meaningful, authentic content.

From day one JOBY has believed in creation as an act of creativity. Each product is designed to be functional yet playful, and easy to use with the aim of enhancing people’s lives. JOBY supports content creators that want to set free their creativity, put passion into their content, show boldness – all whilst having fun doing it. The world belongs to this type of creativity and together it can be made a better place one story, one post or one vlog at a time.

Following on from the hugely successful #TheSongOfUs campaign which saw JOBY receiving more than 90 million views on its social media channels and 8,000 video submissions thanks to the partnership with singer, songwriter actress and model Justine Skye, the new campaign will see JOBY join forces with Gen Z to define what content creation is. #TheSongOfUs not only gave content creators an exclusive song and created a new viral challenge, it also impacted on the whole customer journey and resulted in making JOBY the second tripod brand in the US market after Manfrotto.

Generation Z are doers, thinkers and creators. The world is at their fingertips. JOBY will challenge creators across Europe to define exactly what JOBY is using their creativity and intuition. Products will be shipped without any instruction to a selected number of European ambassadors, with the task to show the world how JOBY helps them to create using their originality. Content creation is what each individual makes it, and the campaign will inspire creators to give a creative spin to the products in their own style. 

What is a JOBY will focus on four main countries – France, UK, Germany and Italy and will help JOBY drive the digital expansion in the EU market. With an expectation of 53 million views on social media, amplification from influencer outreach and a target of 380K clicks more traffic to eCommerce, the campaign will run from October to December. 

Selected European ambassadors have already started to release their content for this new campaign. From the UK singing duo and identical twins Max&Harvey, Jack Massey Welsh from JacksEpicYouTubeChannelFullOfFunTimesandFunHiRickX and Alex Brooks from MarzBarVlogs have partnered with JOBY to create exciting videos for this campaign. 

Described by Simon Cowell as ‘the next Ant and Dec’, singing duo Max&Harvey created their What is a JOBY challenge using some of their own props – check out what they got up to over on their channel.

JacksEpicYouTubeChannelFullOfFunTimesandHiRickX is the first channel with a 50-character long username to reach 100,000 subscribers. Created by Jack Massey Welsh (also of JackSucksAtLife), part of his What is a JOBY challenge included costumes for both of Jack’s dogs – see the end result in his final video!

Among the others, JOBY has also partnered also with BonnyTrash from Germany and Brunograffer from France to create their twist on the What is a JOBY campaign. 

To see the exciting videos coming out in the next few weeks from all the European creators make sure to follow the JOBY official pages.

Products for Content Creators:

Designed with content creation in mind, the recently released GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit is aimed at those who want an all-in-one solution to creativity. Put together for today’s influencer, aspiring influencer or mobile content creator, the GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit provides everyone with the ability to create flawless videos with high quality sound. 

Good audio is essential for videos or the latest social media trend and if we are being honest, our smartphone microphones just don’t cut it for the latest video or social media trend. That is where the JOBY Wavo Mobile microphone comes in. Super light, super simple and superior sound quality; it will make your video stand out from the rest. Want to stand out a bit further and add a bit more fun to your videos when filming? 

The “What is a JOBY” campaign will also give a sneak peek in to the latest addition for the Wavo Mobile. Used first by the influencers in this campaign, the soon to be released special versions of the Wavo Windjammer will bring some colour to your kit. From November, the Windjammer will be available in Polar or Savage. Providing excellent wind protection when creating content like outdoor vlogging, live streaming or TikToking, the new Polar or Savage Windjammers mean you can show your personality behind the scenes. 

Also included in the kit is the JOBY Beamo Mini LED light for giving your flawless skin, and the GorillaPod Mobile Rig for those times when you just need to be fully in front of the camera. With the JOBY GorillaPod Mobile Rig the only thing you need to add is your phone and imagination. 

JOBY products including the GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit are available from:

Currys PC World

Argos

Very

Littlewoods

Stormfront

CompuB

Also available in store from Selfridges and Harrods.

Edifier Announces New T5 POWERED SUBWOOFER. #Tech #Edifier

Edifier® International, prominent designer and award-winning manufacturer of consumer audio electronics for both the lifestyle and multimedia markets announces it’s new powered subwoofer, the T5. 

Featuring an 8-inch-long stroke speaker driver with DSP technology, the T5 ensures powerful distortion-free bass. The driver delivers 70w RMS of strong sound, safeguarding against warped and overblown deep lows. The Low Pass Filter produces a frequency response of 38Hz, meaning the T5 will only play sounds too low for your speaker set up to properly output without distortion. 

A smart compact design, the T5 has been manufactured using the highest quality, medium density fibreboard materials. The 21mm MDF wooden casing offers reduced cabinet resonance for better audio quality. The unit also features a bass volume knob and a frequency range knob at the back of the panel, which allows you to raise or lower the frequency. 

The T5 also has a handy auto standby feature designed to keep unnecessary power usage to a minimum, meaning the unit can be left plugged in when not being used. The unit is connected via an RCA line in/line out connection. 

Developed to deliver a clean listening experience for everyone, the T5 is a brilliant addition to a home sound system set up. 

Main Features:

  • 8” speaker driver for distortion-free bass
  • Low pass filter with 38Hz frequency response 
  • 21mm MDF casing and auto standby mode
  • Adjustable bass and frequency bandwidth 

 

Specifications:

 

Driver unit 8-inch bass
Power output RMS 70W
Signal to noise ratio ≥85dB (A)
Frequency response 38Hz~200Hz
Noise level ≤25dB (A)
Input sensitivity 50±20mV

Price & Availability:

The T5 is currently available for £129.99 from Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edifier-T5-Powered-Subwoofer-Active/dp/B07Z58GD12