Technology doesn’t age discriminate. Its usefulness and practicality is undeterred by your life experience or the color of your hair — whether it’s full of color or beginning to gray. In recent years, record numbers of seniors have opted to live more digitally connected lives.
About 42% of seniors (65 and older) own a smartphone, according to the Pew Research Center, and that number has more than quadrupled over the last several years. Additionally, the vast majority of seniors — 67% — use the internet.
Still, that doesn’t mean that the days of asking grandchildren for a little help with setting up a new tablet or downloading an app have disappeared. Almost 75% of seniors say they need at least some help setting up new electronic devices.
If you’re the owner of a new smartphone or tablet or you’ve had a device for some time and want to learn more about how it can make life easier or more meaningful, here’s a guide to the best apps for staying connected with friends and family, remembering to take medications, exercising the mind and so much more. Wikibuy have sent us this inforgraphic to share check it out.
JAM Audio today announced the release of the TWS Athlete and TWS Exec true wireless earbuds, two affordable everyday options designed to deliver truly wireless freedom from active workouts to business on-the-go.
Free from wires, free from worries, TWS Athlete and TWS Exec true wireless earbuds provide total freedom and isolation from the noises around you. Each new release to JAM Audio’s true wireless collection of under £100 earbuds deliver a full set of features to prove you don’t need to spend a fortune to get professional, true wireless freedom.
“Featuring our first ear hook design as well as our first stem design, we are excited to expand our true wireless family with the TWS Athlete and TWS Exec by offering an affordable true wireless option for both athletes and professionals,” explains John Mikkola, JAM Audio Director of Consumer Electronics Sales. “We know that fit is key when it comes to true wireless listening and we have listened to our customers by offering two new fit options for the budget friendly listener who is not looking to compromise style or sacrifice functionality.”
Ideal for getting your sweat on anytime, TWS Athlete features an ultra-flexible ergonomic ear hook design to ensure a secure fit that moves with you and won’t come loose when you really start moving. With an IPX5 rating, the TWS Athlete sweat-resistant materials are all-weather ready. The earbuds feature a 6-hour on-board battery life and up to 30 hours total with the charging case. The simple, one-button controls on each earbud make hands-free calling even more comfortable and convenient. Premium full-range drivers offer booming bass to get the blood pumping and keep the music flowing during even the toughest of workouts.
PRODUCT FEATURES
6+ hours of playtime, 30+ hours total with charging case
IPX5 sweat resistant and all-weather ready
Over-ear hook design for ultra-secure, comfortable fit
Designed for business, travel and everyday convenience, the TWS Exec makes workdays at home and on-the-go more professional and convenient. Dual microphones minimise ambient background noise so you can make and receive crystal-clear calls to stay focused. Rare earth neodymium magnets deliver rich, full sound, packing punchy bass, clean mids and crisp highs all while using less power and keeping the buds lightweight. The stem design form factor ensures a secure and comfortable fit to keep you moving. Intelligent touch controls and seamless pairing offer convenient functionality to take your business to the next level. The TWS Exec earbuds deliver 8 hours of on-board playtime, with up to 32 hours total with the sleek, circular charging case.
PRODUCT FEATURES
8+ hours of playtime, 32+ hours total with charging case
Dual microphones for background noise reduction and call clarity
IPX4 rating for sweat-proof and weather-resistant design
Intelligent tap touch controls
Micro USB charging
Three size ear tips (S, M, L)
Bluetooth® 5.0
SKU: HX-EP625
RRP £69.99
TWS Athlete and TWS Exec are available now at uk.jamaudio.com, Amazon and select retailers nationwide.
RHA has announced a second generation of its award-winning TrueConnect true wireless earbuds. With a 44-hour battery life, powerful and immersive audio, crystal clear calls, and new touch controls, you can experience the world at your fingertips. Available in Carbon Black and Navy Blue for £129.95/ €159.95/ $149.95/ $169.95. We have reviewed their first installent and they have been a great pair of true wireless with that unique charging case that I love and also the build quality is something to note here. See that review in full HERE
GO FURTHER
Imagine what you could get done in nine hours – and now imagine what you could get done in 44. The TrueConnect 2 is a huge step up in efficiency. With nine hours per charge you can get more done throughout the day, and our signature flip charging case brings the total to 44 hours. Sticking the empty buds in the case for just 10 minutes gives over an hour of playback.
BE TRANSPORTED
Be totally immersed in your audio. The TrueConnect 2’s refined sound signature produces clear sound with balance and increased power.
YOUR WORLD, ON DEMAND
Along with new touch controls, the TrueConnect 2 is compatible with Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa. Simply touch the earbud and speak to access a world of connected features.
STAY CONNECTED
Using Bluetooth 5 tech, the TrueConnect simply stays connected. Immerse yourself in your playlists, or catch up with your friends without fear of dropouts or interruptions. No more ‘can you hear me?!’. The TrueConnect 2 also uses noise-reducing mics on both earbuds to remove background sounds when you make or take calls, ensuring that outgoing audio is clear.
Available online and instore for GBP129.95, EUR159.95, USD149.95, USD International169.95, the TrueConnect 2 keep you connected wherever you are.
Global Marketing Manager, Colum Fraser, said: “We wanted to make a pair of earbuds that could be used for every part of our day – whether that’s commuting, working, exercising, or chilling on the couch. We’re really chuffed with how the TrueConnect 2 has turned out – same great design as before, and now built for more.”
As we journey into Phase 3, people are ready to escape their back gardens and are looking for a holiday. As Government advice continues to advise against all non-essential foreign travel now is the time to plan a staycation and rediscover everything Ireland has to offer. Whether you’re planning a staycation at home with day trips to local sights or going further afield for a longer trip, Google Maps is on hand to help staycationers rediscover the best of Ireland.
From isolated beaches to breathtaking mountains Ireland has some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and our cities, towns and villages are filled with museums and attractions that can keep all the family occupied for days. Google Maps has everything you need to plan the ultimate road trip at your fingertips, with Local Guides advice on hand along the way to help find the best route, best view and best place to have dinner and drink after a long day of sightseeing. Google Maps is the ultimate travel companion whether you’re driving across world famous routes like The Ring of Kerry, discovering the soaring Cliffs of Moher, braving the Wild Atlantic Way, uncovering the history of Newgrange or spending a day delving into Irish history through the many museums in the Capital.
These Google Maps features will help people have a staycation to remember this summer:
Create lists so you can keep track of your favorite places and share them with friends.
Go Handsfree Keep your focus on the road by using voice commands on Google Maps. Just say “OK Google, find petrol stations” or “ Show alternate routes” to get the information you need, hands free.
Offline maps: No data? No problem. You can still find your way even if you have spotty reception or an expensive data plans. You don’t need data on a road trip, you can download a map of an area so you can see directions and use turn by turn navigation even when you can’t get online.
Plan activities as a group: With group lists in Google Maps, planning travel with others is simple and efficient, giving you the ability to create an itinerary together by adding places to go and things to do as a group.
Plan ahead: Look for restaurants doing takeaway, dine-in or delivery. COVID-19 has forced many restaurants to change their operating models or even temporarily close, which makes planning ahead even more important. With Google Maps you can look for local restaurants around you that are open, offering takeaway, delivery, or no-contact delivery.
Remember where you parked: After navigating somewhere, use Google Maps to save your parking location so you never forget where you parked again.
Add detours to your route: With Google Maps you can easily search for places along your route while in navigation mode, so you can find the nearest store and get back on the road as quickly as possible.
Explore more: Maximize the Google Maps search bar and Explore tab. Use the search bar in Google Maps to look for specific things like “scenic spots” or “trailhead.”
Find your nearest Petrol Station: Running low on petrol or just need a break? Use Google Maps to find your nearest stop so you can rest and refuel during a long drive. You can also use Google Maps to search for nearby Petrol prices to get the best deal.
Don’t get lost: If you’re exploring on foot, a beta feature called Live View can help you figure out which way to walk with arrows and directions clearly overlaid on the map. Live View allows you to use augmented reality (AR) to better see which way to walk. Arrows and directions are placed in the real world to guide your way.
Never miss your stop again: Don’t want to drive? No problem. Use Google Maps to get transport navigation times, ETAs and a notification that tells you when to transfer or get off your bus or train, so you can stop worrying about missing your stop and start enjoying the sights.
Make ordering at restaurants a snap: It’s not always easy to decide what to order when you’re in a new place and you’re less familiar with the menu. With the popular dishes feature, you can quickly find out what the must-try items on the menu are.
Now downloaded over a million times we still need more. So straight away you should download it and ignore the conspiracy theorists on social media and help out in these challenging times. Get it HERE on Android and HERE on iOS
First of all on both stores the app does not ask for permissions I have it downloaded on both Android and iOS and done so last night, Next up the people complaining about it are the same ones that most likely use Facebook Twitter and other social platforms so if you are worried about privacy concerns you have long missed that boat folks regardless. See below. The app is decentralised and cant access any other apps on your device,have a nice day!!
COVID TRACKER
WHATS APP
FACEBOOK
In short if you use the app you will
be alerted if you have been in close contact with another app user who has tested positive for coronavirus
be able to track any symptoms you have and get advice on what to do to protect yourself and others
be able to anonymously warn other app users that you were in close contact with, if you test positive for coronavirus
I will not bore you with an “all you need to know” section but here is all that information HERE all you need is a smartphone on Apple’s iOS 13.5 ( iPhone 6s or higher or Google’s Android 6.0 or higher and you download just like any other app like any social media app, the app just uses your bluetooth and for now has had little or no effect on my battery which also has been a concern for many on social media this morning. You will ultimitley need to allow Exposure Notification on your device and fill in the information provided during the set-up just like you are the one that decides to hand over your phone number. Another point to mention it states you must be over 16 to use this app however how many teenagers out there today have a mobile phone,the same ones that hung around in groups during the height of the pandemic are we missing something here,these are the very people on social media too.
Below is a quick walthrough of the app and what to expect. Again see The HSE website here for anything else. My first notable observation so far is no effect on battery life but it does seem to delay bluetooth connections.
Creative Technology has launched its flagship gaming headset, the Creative SXFI GAMER. Powered by the exceptional BATTLE Mode audio profile, a brand-new CommanderMic with professional-grade clarity, wired through a Kevlar-reinforced USB cable and topped off with a stunning RGB light design, SXFI GAMER is simply the ultimate weapon for complete gaming immersion and domination.
Gaming Sounds Real Like Never Before
Having snagged 23 best-of-show awards over the last two editions of CES 2019-2020, users and critics have been blown away by the next-generation realism of Super X-Fi headphone holography.
Since the start of this year, Super X-Fi products have been upgraded to Gen2, an improved and expanded version of Super X-Fi which incorporates key enhancements like higher accuracy in personalising a user’s audio profile, extending more details in the surround sound configuration, better audio positioning and fidelity.
The SXFI GAMER incorporates all of these and goes one step further with BATTLE Mode, a specially-designed audio profile which optimises Super X-Fi to a perfect fit for FPS games – environmental imaging, audio cues, distance projection and directionality are all enhanced with unprecedented levels of accuracy for the competitive gamer’s benefit, while preserving the essence of the award-winning holographic audio experience.
Look, Feel and Talk like a Pro Gamer
Besides its sharpshooter audio quality, the SXFI GAMER performs in various ways befitting bona fide pro gamers.
The CommanderMic makes its debut in a completely new acoustic design which includes an integrated pop filter. It sports Creative’s latest SXFI inPerson microphone technology, which uses a special algorithm to enhance speech pick-up while suppressing ambient noise effectively.
The SXFI GAMER also ups the cool factor with its custom-designed, Kevlar-reinforced USB cable, which is meticulously engineered for strength and durability as it drives high-speed data transfer to deliver its maximum potential for gaming. The new RGB lighting design on the earcups, which allows users to customise their combat get-up with 16.7 million colours to choose from, provides the finishing move for the SXFI GAMER’s assault on gaming headsets.
Creative’s CEO Sim Wong Hoo said, “Gaming has always been entrenched in our DNA, since the earliest days of Sound Blaster more than 30 years ago.
“After we successfully created Super X-Fi, which critics have hailed as the holy grail of headphone technology, we did not rest on our laurels. We went ahead and spent a great deal of effort and resources to further improve Super X-Fi, especially targeting the gaming sector. The BATTLE Mode is here, and together with the CommanderMic and other features, the SXFI GAMER truly embodies the culmination of our very best technologies in a gaming headset.
“At the same time, the SXFI GAMER allows you to communicate with others as if they were in front of you, and also they would be able to hear you clearly. Hence it would be a great tool to Work-Learn-Play from home with.”
Pricing and Availability
SXFI GAMER is priced at £124.99 and is available at Creative.com.
The rapid outbreak of COVID-19 has affected the world in numerous ways, ranging from an economic halt to social distancing. As governments imposed lockdowns, many had to adapt to the new reality of all-things-online. The surge of users, shifting their focus to the digital world, influenced major changes in online behavior, network governance, and digital adoption, leaving to wonder how this will reshape the current Internet landscape.
New user habits
Global isolation drastically increased the demand for online collaboration services, for instance, video conferencing app Zoom went from 56 thousand to2.13 million downloads a day as soon as officials announced lockdown. With the majority of the workers having moved online, the newly found convenience of remote work is shaping up to be along-term reality, which will be highly relevant even in the post-pandemic era.
As the welcoming attitude towards flexible work environments seems to be here to stay, Vincentas Grinius, CEO at Heficed, suggests that companies should place more emphasis on developing a solid in-house network infrastructure, prepared to handle the rise in the digital workforce. “With a significant part of workers taking care of their day-to-day from their home office, companies will need to reevaluate the architecture of their internal network: are there enough IPs? What additional safeguards would mitigate risks associated with pc malware? These are some of the questions that should move up the list of priorities once the situation dials down,” said V. Grinius.
Sharing network resources
The online ecosystem has also revealed itself vulnerable to the mass-usage. For instance, with the sudden increase in traffic, major streaming platforms – Netflix and YouTube – had tolower their video quality to reduce some of the strain on Europe’s infrastructure.
“As soon as the lockdown was announced, the Net felt its consequences with full force: few had backup hardware to maintain a stable network, or enough IPs to suffice increased connectivity,” Grinius explained. “With the population nearing 8 billion, and widespread IPv6 implementation still light-years away, the need to adopt a sustainability-driven mindset that would facilitate further expansion became even more apparent.”
The latest developments showed that the Internet is not advancing as fast as it needs to, in order to keep up with the growing market. According to V. Grinius, the solution to this could be a collaboration-based approach towards network resources.
“IP address leasing could help accommodate the exponentially growing demand without aggravating the current strain on the market,” continued V. Grinius. “Reallocating unused IPv4s enables companies to continue scaling alongside increasing device connections and could be the facilitator the market needs until it is a hundred percent IPv6-ready.”
Lower digital division
The Internet helped solve numerous problems that have risen along with the coronavirus wave. That said, the circumstances also exposed a significant digital divide in emerging, as well as developed countries, as many were unable to get online: it is predicted approximately3.7 millionhave no Internet access. V. Grinius notes that the current crisis will act as a catalyst for lessening the gap in connection, which seems like a highly likely scenario, as it is alreadypushing some markets towards more rapid digitization.
“Interconnectivity is what the market is heading towards. For those that have been delaying the implementation of digitized solutions, or not giving them the required attention, this was an eye-opener,” said V. Grinius. “The pandemic emphasized the significance of having network access and will be an essential factor in driving progress, as there are plenty of opportunities for anyone willing to execute change.”
Even though the full scope of how this recent shift is going to evolve in the future is unclear – these major changes already on the way to shape a new reality where everything is connected.
At a time when identity theft and data exposure is on the rise, global cyber security provider F-Secure has found that many online users aren’t adequately protecting themselves against data breaches.
Now more than ever there is a huge reliance on online services for the likes of home-schooling, shopping, communication and medical appointments, all requiring accounts with log-ins and passwords. With this comes the increased risk of data breaches and the potential for users’ details to end up on the dark web ready to be exploited by criminals.
Recent F-Secure research has found that 41% of respondents use the same password on multiple accounts with 56% using the same password on multiple accounts with slight variations. With the average person having 18 password protected accounts one leaked credential could quickly lead to multiple risks for each user.
The survey found that the risks are well known however with nearly 2 in 3 (65%) internet users worried or very worried about having their identity stolen for online purchase or loan fraud. 37% of those asked say that they were aware of at least one data breach involving an online service they use.
Tom Gaffney, principal security consultant at F-Secure said, “It’s interesting that despite many online users being aware of the dangers of ID theft that many still aren’t putting enough measures in place to protect themselves. For many ID theft is distressing, time consuming and costly so it’s crucial people protect themselves more so than they are. There could be a number of reasons why people are risking themselves including lack of awareness or inconvenience but now more than ever they need to be clued up on it.”
CIFAS research has found that cases of identity fraud are up nearly a third over the past five years and are projected to increase as criminals look for ways to exploit the sharp rise of online reliance during the pandemic.
In response to the findings F-Secure has launched ID PROTECTION, a new seamless solution that provides a comprehensive approach to securing personal information and accounts.
Tom Gaffney continued: “We realise that coming up with a strong, unique password and remembering it for one account is tough let alone 20. And still even if you do everything right, your online services can still be breached. This pervasive risk demands a new approach to securing personal data online, where users must harden their identity and accounts, and know when their personal data is found in the ‘wild.”
ID PROTECTION continuously monitors and detects exposed personal information online and is able to respond quickly to threats to users’ identity, whilst doubling as a password manager to prevent account takeovers.
ID PROTECTION’s features include:
Identity management that provides instant alerts and guidance how to respond when personal information has been found as part of a breach or data leak
Comprehensive breach database consisting of billions of recovered assets and plain text passwords
Combination of human intelligence and Dark Web monitoring to recover breach data up to 6 months faster
Protection for the entire family with a single subscription
Password management that makes it easy to create unique, strong passwords that are automatically synchronized and auto-filled on all devices
F-Secure ID PROTECTION is available both with monthly and yearly subscriptions and is now included as part of F-Secure TOTAL premium cyber security package. Find out more about the solution and how to protect your identity on F-Secure’s website.
TCL is a brand others need to watch out for and have the hallmarks of One Plus when they launched but now have their phones highly priced, A brand known for their TVs has recently launched some smartphones with quite alot on offer considering the price of them and others need to watch out, We recently spent time with the 10L and for me it really is worth the money for what you are getting..
