Category: Uncategorized

MAGIX Looparoid – First App that lets you combine multiple pictures that resemble Polaroids. #Looparoid #Apps

With Looparoid, MAGIX delivers a free Android app to create breathtaking photo stories that can be downloaded straight from the Google Play Store. Entertaining animated GIFs from photos are created in seconds.Looparoid is now available for free in the Google Play Store and is compatible with Android 5.0 version and higher.

With Looparoid, MAGIX delivers a free Android app to create breathtaking photo stories that can be downloaded straight from the Google Play Store. Entertaining animated GIFs from photos are created in seconds.

 

Whether it’s your last vacation, home improvement project or dinner with friends: Looparoid can bring up to 8 images together to create one story. It’s super simple to use: The user selects their favorite photos, picks a fitting frame in a Polaroid style and then adds a title – and it’s done! In no time at all, the completed Looparoid can be shared instantly via messenger.

“A million photos are created every day and there’s a story behind each one. With Looparoid, we want to inspire people to tell these stories”, says Max Herberger, Looparoid product owner. “Using the app’s selection of frames and effects, any user can create a Looparoid that fits their own unique photo story. In addition, we’ve paid a lot of attention to simple, intuitive operation, so that creating Looparoids is just as fun as looking at them.”

Looparoid is the result of years of experience in the development of user-friendly desktop and mobile apps for photo and video editing from the MAGIX team. Continued development and innovative functions for Looparoid have already been planned for the immediate future.

Looparoid is now available for free in the Google Play Store and is compatible with Android 5.0 version and higher.

Unboxing and first look. – #Sonoff smart bulb and luxury touch switch. #smarthome

Sonoff is a company whom provides smarthome products and more and they have kindly sent us over some products to checkout and we will be feature more in the coming months.  First up is a smart bulb which is now quite common and this provides many features which look really good and cool.. So we will review these in the coming weeks and any questions fire away in the interim.

Sonoff B1: Dimmable E27 LED Lamp RGB Color Light Bulb

  • No Hub Required – Connect the bulb directly to your Wi-Fi at home
  • Manage Remotely – Control your lights from anywhere with your tablet or smartphone the free eWeLink app (iOS, Android)
  • Color Changing Hue – Fine-tune colors for every occasion and adjust brightness as well as light appearance from soft white (2800k) to daylight (6500k)
  • Voice Control – Pair to Amazon Alexa and to enable voice control
  • Circadian Mode – Dynamically adjust light intensity and temperature to mimic natural light patterns
  • Save Energy – Reduce energy use up to 80% without brightness or quality loss compared to a 60W incandescent bulb
  • Compatibility – Compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Home

BUY HERE 

Sonoff Touch – Luxury Glass Panel Touch LED Light Switch

  • Touch ON/OFF
  • Remote ON/OFF–Turn lights on/off from anywhere
  • App Support –Free iOS and Android mobile App eWeLink
  • Sync Status–Real-time device status provided to App
  • Timing–Set scheduled/countdown timers to turn on/off at specified time
  • Share Control– Control your smart home together with your family
  • Scene–Turn on/off a gang of devices with one tap
  • Smart Scene–Triggered on/off by temperature, humidity or other environmental conditions
  • Voice Control –Works perfectly with Amazon Alexa, Google Home

BUY HERE 

UNBOXING SONOS SMARTBULB AND SWITCH

Australian #Startup @Art_Drawberry Revolutionizes International Art Shopping. #Art #Photos

A new Australian Start Up Makes Getting Your Custom Art is Easy

All you need is a photo you love saved in digital format and an idea in your head of what kind of painting you want it to be turned into. Get your custom painting in 3 easy steps:

Upload your photo and specify the kind of painting you want to get, Have artists place bids on your order, then look through their profiles to choose the best person for the job. You get a photo of your painting to approve before your one-of-a-kind work of art is shipped to your door.

The Drawberry service has hundreds of artists participating from different corners of the world. A person from any country can upload a photo, from which they want a custom painting made, and get bids from artists all over the globe. They can then select an artist to work with by the bid amount, the artist’s professional skills or the artist’s portfolio of previously painted works.

Drawberry’s unique offer is in the way art ordering works. The service has hundreds of artists participating from different corners of the world. A person from any country can upload a photo, from which they want a custom painting made, and get bids from artists all over the globe. They can then select an artist to work with by the bid amount, the artist’s professional skills or the artist’s portfolio of previously painted works.

“Drawberry welcomes both artists and art shoppers from anywhere in the world!” says Anna Lind, Drawberry’s PR Representative. “You can order Impressionist-style paintings in France, ink-wash paintings in China or Japan, and what’s best – you can choose from dozens of artists who all work in the style you want. Art shoppers win every time, as they get the best price from the best artist.”

Drawberry.com lets art shoppers choose the style, genre, medium and other options for their painting. Photos can be used as a starting point, but ordering reproductions of famous paintings or getting artwork in some unusual style or a mix of styles is also a popular trend on the site. Users can communicate the details with their selected artist beforehand and keep in touch throughout the art creation process. When done, the painting is shipped to the customer wherever they might be in the world.

The safety of all transactions is ensured by Drawberry’s strict security mechanisms, by the use of PayPal for all payments and by a team of moderators working 24/7 to resolve any issues or disputes. The service employs a rating system and collects user feedback to help other art shoppers make informed decisions.

Drawberry is an Australian startup that began as a project within a well-known publisher of PC optimization software. A team of driven individuals had worked on the Drawberry project for over a year and finally launched it in early 2016. Since then the service has acquired a large audience of both artists and shoppers, and the online community has been growing every day. More information on the Drawberry service is available at www.drawberry.com

 

Pure Telecom parents survey: Almost half of children being held back by poor school broadband.  

From where I sit stuck between two cabinets this comes as no surprise. Currently I enjoy really poor speeds and have done so for quite some time now and been told I’ve fibre. Laughable at best..

Pure Telecom today announces the results of a survey, which shows that 46% of Irish children are being held back in their educational achievement due to poor internet at school, according to parents. The online research*, carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, surveyed parents of primary and secondary school children from a group of 1,001 adults.

The survey revealed that two-thirds of parents (67%) believe the internet supports children’s learning – and many consider it a factor in their choice of schools. Some 34% of parents would consider moving their child to a school with better internet availability if their current one didn’t have satisfactory broadband access or speeds.

The research also found that 16% of the typical child’s homework relies on the internet. On average, parents spent €213 per child on internet-connected devices and tools intended for schoolwork this year.

Almost half (48%) of children use laptops or tablets for some or all of their classes, but one-in-four parents (26%) believe their child’s school isn’t doing enough to encourage learning via internet-connected educational resources.

Under the Schools 100Mbps project, the Government rolled out 100Mbps broadband to all 780+ post-primary schools in Ireland. Earlier this year, the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton T.D., launched the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Action Plan 2017, which includes €30 million in ICT grants to schools, as well as a programme to enhance high-speed broadband connectivity in primary schools.

Pictured with Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, are Klara Keating and Tadhg Higgins. Pure Telecom today announced the results of a survey that found that 46% of parents believe substandard or no school internet is hindering the quality of their children’s educational achievement.

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “Access to internet-connected digital tools and resources is vital for all children living in a modern society, so it is concerning that so many parents believe their child’s educational achievement is being stunted by poor broadband speeds and access in school. Not surprisingly, our research showed that the majority of those parents are living in areas outside of Dublin.

“It is great to see the Government investing in a digital strategy for schools including technologies such as interactive screens and cloud-based learning tools. The availability of high-speed broadband in all – not just secondary – schools across Ireland will be crucial to its success.”

 

“Broadband access is a basic need for all Irish citizens, no matter where they live. But at the moment, the infrastructure isn’t in place to deliver broadband to everyone. We have agreements with several of Ireland’s major wholesale telecoms providers, which allow us to bring broadband to any location that has a fibre network. However, we must rely on the rollout of the National Broadband Plan in order to provide broadband to Ireland’s harder-to-reach locations. Unfortunately, until the National Broadband Plan is implemented, we will continue to see schoolchildren hindered 

TalkTalk unveils a bespoke TV remote for Kids. #Kids #TV #TalkTalk

TalkTalk announces the launch of the first ever bespoke TV remote for kids. It’s been designed by kids for kids and allows for easy navigation with features like omni-directional infrared, meaning the remote works whatever direction it’s pointed in.

Once the remote is pressed, it instantly locks children into a new Kids Zone, where they can scroll through and select on-demand episodes of kids shows, meaning parents are able to hide shows they don’t want their child watching, and also set scheduled viewing hours.

  • First-of-its-kind remote designed by kids for kids allows easy navigation for little hands and viewing customisation by parents
  • The TalkTalk TV Kids Remote launches on Friday 4th August, bringing the safety and convenience of app-viewing to the TV set

TalkTalk TV has unveiled a first-of-its kind TV remote designed specifically for children. Designed to combat both parents’ and children’s frustrations with standard TV remotes, the TalkTalk Kids TV Remote has been specially designed to allow little hands to easily find their favourite programmes within a safe and secure TV environment.

One press of the unique remote, designed in partnership with OMNI, locks children instantly into a new Kids Zone, where they can simply scroll through and select on-demand episodes of popular kids shows such as Paw Patrol, PJ Masks, Peppa Pig and Pingu. Children are unable to leave this safe and secure environment without adult intervention via the master remote.

 

Launching today, the new TalkTalk TV Kids Zone also allows parents to customise the viewing experience for their child. In the dedicated Parents Area, programmes can be hidden from the children’s playlist.

 

Viewing hours can also be scheduled; a useful bedtime setting activates a sleepy head icon five minutes before bedtime, counting down the time until the Kids Zone goes to sleep. The smart bedtime setting takes into consideration time left on the episode being watched to either stretch the five minutes or shorten, ensuring the programme can finish avoiding any upset.

 

The TalkTalk Kids TV Remote was designed in consultation with more than 60 schoolchildren, as well as TalkTalk customers, to ensure the perfect look and functionality for little viewers. The bespoke design of the remote comes complete with omni-directional infrared, meaning the remote works whatever direction it’s pointed in.

Aleks Habdank, Managing Director of TalkTalk TV, said: “We’ve ripped up the rule book of standard TV remote design to create something bespoke for kids and families. Research shows that children are watching more TV content via apps because it gives them the control they crave and parents the peace of mind that they’re safely watching age-appropriate content. But research also shows that TV is still kids’ favourite place to watch and now thanks to the TalkTalk TV Kids Remote, kids can choose what they want to watch safe and securely on the main screen.  By giving kids a remote control all of their own, we aim to help the whole family enjoy TV the way they want it.”

The TalkTalk TV Kids Remote has a one-off cost of £5 (batteries included) and the Kids TV Boost is available on a rolling contract for £5 a month.

 

Commenting on the TalkTalk Kids TV Remote, Child Development Expert and Director of Tommorrow’s child Dr. Jacqueline Harding said,“It’s not often I come across an idea that really makes life easier for busy parents and benefits children at the same time. Of course, nothing can substitute your undivided attention with children but we all know there are times when chores just have to be done and the TalkTalk TV Kids Remote is perfect for those moments. It is so important to keep children safe while viewing TV and, this clever device, teaches them little by little how to control their own viewing patterns.”

The unique benefits of the TalkTalk TV Kids Remote are:

 Secure and Customisable

  • Once in the Kids Zone children are unable to return to the normal EPG unless a code is entered via the main TV remote
  • The Kids Zone can be customised both on set up and at any time using the main remote
  • Parents are able to hide shows if they do not want their child watching it or want to encourage children to try something new after hearing the same programme on repeat for days

Defined Viewing Hours and Bedtime Setting

  • Viewing hours can be set up for the Kids Zone which includes a bedtime setting
  • Five minutes before bedtime a ‘sleepy head’ icon will appear on screen with a countdown to prepare children that the TV is going to sleep
  • The bedtime setting takes into consideration time left on the episode being watched to either stretch the five minutes or shorten, ensuring the programme can finish to avoid any upset
  • The bedtime setting can also be activated at any time to help prep children for naps or regular bedtime can be cancelled if kids need to be kept up later than usual via the adult TV remote
  • By setting viewing hours the Kids Zone will remain ‘asleep’ outside of these. So if a child finds their way to the TV set outside of hours and presses the TalkTalk Kids TV Remote, only the bedtime screen will show to let the child know that the TV has gone to sleep

Unique Design

  • Little hands can navigate the Kids Zone easily by simply scrolling left or right on the remote to choose a show
  • A simple click on the central button lets them then select the programme and episode they wish to watch
  • Original design includes omni-directional infra-red light, ensuring the remote works no matter the direction the child is holding it

Designed by Kids for Kids

  • The remote took over a year to develop and more than 60 school children were consulted over the design and functionality of the remote
  • All of the colours used on the remote were voted as ‘favourite’ colours by children and the remote was rigorously tested to ensure its durability and ease of use for little hands
  • Each button was designed to withstand 300,000 clicks a year, which took machines four days to complete

For more information and to purchase the TalkTalk TV Kids Remote visit: https://www.talktalk.co.uk/shop/

Review – Casio Protrek Smart WSD-F20 #SmartWatch #Wearables #Casio

This is the swiss army knife of watches, it looks & feels strong, rugged for the outdoors with all the trimmings for use where ever you go. This may look like a watch for the great outdoors,or an adventurer’s best friend but if you’re with your mates of a Friday night, heading into a board room meeting, this watch will certainly catch their attention, it looks and feels good, built like a tank and array of features to go with it.
Battery Charging:
First the charging, as with many products we have issues with the different type of chargers its proprietry charging used, Again Cassio have gone with a different type, but what a good choice, Magnetic charging terminal, this clicks to the side of the watch easily, connected / disconnected with out any concentration. Again, they got it right in terms of using a standard USB charger, meaning you could your own phone charger if stuck or if out and about, use a power brick. Recharge time takes Approx. 2 hours, Battery Life (when GPS is not in use) Normal use (colour display): 1 day, roughly Normal use (colour display Auto Off*4): 2 days, roughly. When the battery goes
down to less than 5%, the watch will automatically switch to monochrome LCD watch face and dimmed screen illumination.
What do you get for your money! (just to mention a few)
➢ GPS, Colour Maps which can be used offline, 1.32-inch dual layer display
➢ Colour TFT LCD and monochrome LCD
➢ Capacitive touchscreen,
➢ Sensors Pressure (air pressure, altitude) sensor, accelerometer, gyrometer,
compass (magnetic) sensor
➢ Microphone
➢ Vibrator
➢ BatteryLithium-ion battery
➢ Wireless Connectivity Bluetooth® V4.1 (Low Energy)
➢ Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n)
➢ Buttons TOOL button, Power button, APP button
Full spec details available at http://support.casio.com
Size & Weight.
My initial feeling, its Big! until I compared this to a leading fashion brand for the ladies which was similar in cost, but heavier and slightly smaller that this Casio but only gave the time and date.
✓ Size of Case Approx. 61.7mm × 57.7mm × 15.3mm (H × W × D)
✓ WeightApprox. 92g (including watchband)
The Brand – Casio
Founded in 1946, headquartered Tokyo, Japan, they know their stuff about watches.
Will it break easy, as can be used in the outdoors, for trekking, cycling, paddling and even
fishing.
Again, Casio know their stuff,
✓ Water Resistance to 50 meters
✓ Environmental Durability to MIL-STD-810G (United States military standard issued by
the U.S. Department of Défense And Yes, it comes with an inbuilt torch!
Setting up:
Setting up initially will take time, this is like setting up a new phone, Bluetooth to your phone,copy contacts over, download an app to your phone, (Android Wear) allowing your contacts to be copied to the phone. The Watch was paired to an android phone. Available also on iOS
following models with iOS 9.0 or later: iPhone 5 or later, https://wsd.casio.com/us/en/wsdf20/products/.
Once set up and running, the buttons take a while to get used to. Google maps worked great, (especially as you can download offline maps) with the low-power GPS. This Supports positioning data from three satellites. The array of application in terms of altitude, finding my
phone, fit, fit workout, activity. Play store, translate, weather and the option to download many more app, The Activity option can track activities like snow sports, cycling and fishing giving allot of data on the routes.
This is cool from the App, depending on your mood, on your phone, e.g. watch face, Touch the watch face that you require on your smart phone, this instantly changes via Bluetooth to your phone to have the same watch face. As expected if you get a message e.g. WhatsApp
this beeps on the phone with sender details from your contact listing.
Is it worth the money!
Wether you are into toys for the boys, gadgets or an avid outdoor fan, its got a well packed array
of features, style and technology in one piece of kit.
I have not used this in the great outdoors rather Toys for the boys, I’m a fan,
https://www.fruugo.ie/casio-pro-trek-smart-outdoor-watch-wsd-f20-bkaae  €499.00

#Blackboard Ranked First in Framework to Provide Virtual Learning Environment Solutions in Scotland

Institutions able to partner with Blackboard without additional tender process.. 

Blackboard Inc. today announced that it was awarded the framework contract for the provision of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) solutions and services to Scottish institutions by APUC (Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges) Limited, the procurement centre of expertise for all Scotland universities and colleges. Moreover, Blackboard has obtained a number one ranking, which enables all APUC member institutions to partner directly with Blackboard without an additional tender process.

The decision was taken after a thorough review of several criteria including Core VLE functionality and testing, support and maintenance, innovation and customer leverage. 

“We are honoured that Blackboard has been ranked first in the framework for provisioning VLE solutions in Scotland,” said Lee Blakemore, President of Blackboard International. “We are already working with many institutions in the region, and we are looking forward to helping even more students, teachers and staff achieve their learning goals.” 

LG will give you a Google Home for free if you pre-order the G6. #G6 #Google

We know that LG has a strong relationship  with Google, since the release of the V20 as the first phone with Android 7.0 and now seeing the G6 as the first not Pixel phone to get the Google Assistant, we can clearly expect lots of promotional bundles.

Just Today the US got the Pre-order availability for the phone and if that wasn’t enough, LG is giving away a new Google Home to start your Smart House if you haven’t already completely free.

Right now, the option is can be found over the LG page with all the major US carriers and even BestBuy with Unlock version soon to come as well.

The promotion will last until April 30, so you have until  then to purchase the device and be eligible to redeem you gift. 

Having a connected home is really important and useful these days, so it’s a good opportunity to update your tech game if you need to.

You’ll be getting two of the best Smart accessories on the market at this point.

So tell us, if you’re from the US, will you seize this promotion? Have you order yours already?

Let know your thoughts on the comment section below or hit us over twitter.

Source

 

Smartphones command our attention for 4 hours a day. #Smartphones #Mobile #Infographic 

We now only need one device to book travel arrangements, complete our grocery shopping, map out a route to an unfamiliar location, catch up with our fix of news, take photographs, listen to music and translate text into foreign languages – and that’s just a small portion of what the modern smartphone can do. The typical adult is so enthralled by this handheld piece of electronic equipment that he/she will use it for 4 hours a day, with many of us becoming so dependent on our smartphones that we would struggle to execute several straightforward yet practical (and sometimes essential) tasks without the device’s help.

 

When you come across a situation where you’re unsure how to proceed next, or if the answer to a piece of trivia has your stumped, your response is quite likely to constitute taking out your phone to find the solution. It is tremendous to think that one device can solve so many everyday dilemmas, but sometimes the smartphone can be too convenient and we end up being transfixed on a screen of roughly six square inches, oblivious to the physical environment around us.

This infographic from Neon SMS (http://www.neonsms.ie/web-bulk-text.php) examines just how dependent we have become on our smartphones and suggests ways in which we can keep that dependency in check. The smartphone’s status as a powerful, multi-purpose communications device is undisputed. It’s our behaviour in using one that requires a rethink. Let’s see what the infographic has to say.