JAM Audio today launches the Bookshelf Speaker, an affordable sound system offering robust and rich sound to enhance your at-home listening experience.
With 4 inch bass drivers, 0.75 inch tweeters and rear bass port, the speakers deliver clear, bold quality sound with true bass, even with the volume up. The robust cabinet design also reduces distortion for a rich audio experience, able to fill any space.
Featuring Bluetooth 5.0, with the Bookshelf Speakers you can easily stream your favourite music from your phone, tablet or laptop. Or use the multiple connection points (RCA & AUX) for wired connections from multiple audio sources.
As the Bookshelf Speakers are mains powered, they can be moved to any room in the house, depending on where you like to listen to your music. They are also the perfect match for the JAM Bluetooth Turntables and can be paired together for ultimate enjoyment of your classic vinyl collection.
“We are excited to expand our range of speakers with the affordable Bookshelf Speaker”, explains John Mikkola, JAM Audio Director of Consumer Electronic Sales. “We know that having a quality at-home sound system can enhance our home life, and having the option to connect the Bookshelf Speaker to our Bluetooth Turntable gives customers the option to enjoy their favourite music in different ways”.
Available in three different and stylish colourways: Black, Wood and Dark Wood, the speakers will fit with any décor, and on any shelf. The Bookshelf Speaker is available for £79.99 from uk.jamaudio.com and select retailers nationwide.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
· 4 internal speakers (2 x bass drivers, 2 x tweeters)
Planet Buddies launched a new range of products some weeks ago and now are available to purchase these are primarily aimed at kids and they have a nice suite of tech products which also sends a message about the planet and keeping things green.
There is three types of headphones on offer and all have a DB limit to 85DB for the safety of kids ears and something perhaps I should pay heed to as I love to go max out on volume all the time. My review is based on how they look work and sound and not the usual review I do as these are aimed at kids however they sound good and very useable indeed and also look great with their colours and the message they are trying to get across now like many companies in the tech world.
Key Features:
Child-safe limited to 85db to protect hearing
Adjustable headband suitable for children aged 3+
In-line mic and mute/play functions
3.5mm jack compatible with most audio devices
100% recyclable packaging, with no plastic used
Foldable, portable design (excluding Pippin the Panda and Charlie the Tiger)
Eco hemp carry pouch included (excluding Pippin the Panda and Charlie the Tiger)
The Sennheiser Momentum 3 are best described as a high end set of cans with a luxurious finish which of course is reflected on their price but they are worth it if you have the money to spare. All features you expect to find are present on these headphones and at this price and they also come with an app to enhance the experience even more with the option to change the EQ settings.
You also get a nice travel case with these and also expected at this price and excellent for storing the product when not in use.
When it comes to comfort they shine here too offering noise isolation on the ears with really soft cups and the same for the headband, I did not suffer any head pinching after hours of use as I have seen some people say and this is most likely down to the shape of your head rather than the build quality of the headphones which is excellent. There is decent padding on the headband and it is an average amount of cushion to compare to others out there.
When it comes to controls you have all placed on one side which is the best way to do things and not split them, We go through all these in detail in the video review below and you also get auto play and pause so when you take them off they stop playing music and you also have more functions like three ANC modes which again is now a standard at high end headphones.
You also get tile integration which is also now seen on high end headphones and this is great for the forgetful type of if you happen to misplace or lose them.
When it comes to sound which is the bigger question these are excellent throughout and with their proprietary app you are in for a treat and they are loud which most know I like, The levels of ANC the highs lows and mids and great bass and one thing I noted is they are great for picking out background noise and something you might not hear watching tv or movies these pick it up and they are also excellent on voice calls too and overall it has been a great experience using these and they really put it up to their competitors but not so much on the ANC side however do a great job overall and I would easily buy a pair of these with my own money. Their price will come down and varies and we can expect a new model soon but if you have some cash sitting around and want a new pair of headphones these are certainly a pair of headphones to check out..
The electric vehicles market across land, sea and air will be 24 million unit sales this year, which represents a decline of roughly 19% year on year from the impact of COVID-19. Urban vehicles such as electric cars and two-wheelers have the highest unit volume, battery demand and motor demand, and, as consumer-driven markets, bear the brunt of the pandemic’s impact. Ireland has a pretty ambitious plan going forward when it comes to EVs however the infrastructure is not there yet, pricing is another factor and range anxiety is still a thing for many also the lack of incentives is another struggle for Irish consumers despite the push towards them the uptake is not really great by any stretch.
Chart represents BEV and PHEV cars, vans, trucks, buses and E2W, and BEV, PHEV and HEV boats, ships and aircraft. Source: “Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea and Air 2021-2041” (www.IDTechEx.com/EV)
The volume of the electric two-wheeler market, which is just over 90% of the 24 million sales, may seem surprising. This volume comes from China, where the market is not growing. In fact, the S- curve is already over: the market peaked at roughly 30 million sales in 2016 after twenty years of growth and has stabilized at a slightly lower level (some 26 million were sold in 2019).
Since consumer purchasing power has surged, China’s urban mobility preference and future growth is now with the car. However, due to the sheer volume of Chinese electric two-wheelers, it will take a while for other motorcycle-dominated regions with a will to electrify (like India) to make a dent in the global market (we predict the 30 million mark will be surpassed again in 2029). Despite making up over 90% of unit sales today, Li-ion battery demand from two-wheelers takes only 11% of the market due to small battery sizes per vehicle and the dominance of lead-acid batteries in Asian micro-mobility segments.
In contrast, electric cars have the second-highest sales volume alongside relatively large battery capacities per vehicle, making up 7% of unit sales but over 70% of the battery demand in the new IDTechEx report “Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea and Air 2021-2041“: a share which increases for the next two decades.
The question is, against the backdrop of COVID-19, how have plug-in electric cars (BEV + PHEV) fared in 2020? The logic is that COVID-19 and a global recession increases consumer price sensitivity, which is a setback for more expensive electric cars. However, due to a backlog of orders from popular models, less price sensitivity from today’s electric car demographic and the continued commitment of governments to emissions targets, sales have shown resiliency in Europe and the US and were mostly flat during national lockdowns. IDTechEx expects H2 to show a modest recovery, but uncertainty remains high against the backdrop of a ‘second wave.’ In contrast, China’s growth has been negative, but this was the trend before the pandemic with purchase subsidy reductions of up to 60% from July 2019: COVID-19 amplified but did not set-off this trend.
Moving to the seas, Li-ion battery adoption on ships has flourished in recent years as start-ups have capitalized on falling battery cell prices from automotive battery suppliers. However, while the industry is used to much longer sales cycles and a decline is less immediately visible, the impact is likely to be less fundamental and isolated to specific subsegments. For example, the cruise sector has seen passenger demand evaporate due to the risk of being confined out at sea with thousands of passengers: IDTechEx has learned of some major orders for hybrid cruises being delayed, whilst other projects have stayed on track.
For more information, the new IDTechEx report “Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea and Air 2021-2041” puts IDTechEx’s core electric vehicle forecasts in one place: unit sales, battery demand, market sizing and more. Each chapter summarizes the main drivers, trends and forecasts for a vehicle subsegment (two-wheelers, cars, vans / LCV, trucks, buses, leisure boats, commercial short and deep-sea ships, manned aircraft) or enabling technology (Li-ion batteries, electric motors).
By providing a clearer understanding of relative market sizes, battery demand and the fastest-growing electric vehicle markets beyond cars, our aim is to give those in the industry the knowledge to make more informed decisions on their investments and focus into the electric vehicle industry.
For more information on this report, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/EV or for the full portfolio of Electric Vehicle research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/research/EV.
A special Halloween update is coming to MYTONA’s free-to-play mobile game, Cooking Diary, which will feature a collaboration with Netflix’s hit original series, Stranger Things. In addition to the usual cooking and restaurant management featured in Cooking Diary’s Tasty Hills, players can also look forward to culinary adventures involving characters and locations from Stranger Things, as well as event-exclusive, ’80s-themed items and rewards. This special crossover event will be available to players for a limited-time only from now through November 10.
The event will include a brand-new story that will see Cooking Diary’s colourful cast of characters team up with fan favourites from Stranger Things to solve a dimension-spanning mystery centred around the iconic Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream parlour.
In addition, players will be able to unlock a Steve Harrington assistant and Demogorgon pet, manage a Scoops Ahoy-themed food truck with Eleven and Max, build a ham radio for Dustin, and interact with many other elements from Stranger Things. Cooking Diary is available to download for free on the App Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store, and Amazon and the event will be available to play for a limited-time only from now to November 10.
“Being Stranger Things fans ourselves, we set out to make this collaboration as appealing to fans of the series as possible, while also staying true to the things about Cooking Diary our players love.. Fans can look forward to unlocking many Stranger Things themed rewards and mementos for their in-game restaurants and chefs during the course of the event.,” said the Cooking Diary developers at MYTONA.
The dyplay ANC shield Pro adopts latest feedforward+feedback noise cancelling technology which reduces the ambient unwanted noise to 28dB with multi-mode functions transparent mode allows for easier communication with other people without having to take out headphones, and never missing an important announcement like airport gate changes or bus stops. They are also equipped with 10mm drivers and superior diaphragms to reproduce pure sound. What’s more, the 2020 newest synchronous bluetooth transmission ensures stronger connection and lower power consumption in use.
Overall after testing these for some time now they are a really good pair of earbuds with a decent level of ANC on board with all the usual features you would expect to find and you can see how they work in the video below. These do actually remind me of the Jabra Elite 65t with their shape and size and offer a great fit and noise isolation once you fit them with the right size earbud.
Gamesir, a leading provider in innovative, high quality game peripherals are pleased to announce that the X2 Mobile Gaming Controller is now available.
The emergence of cloud gaming is changing the way we play mobile games. With smartphones getting bigger and more powerful to handle more complex games, the GameSir X2 will keep you ahead of the rising trend and enhance your cloud gaming experience.
Designed to provide a full array of controls and minimise lag to maximise your gaming, the GameSir X2 uses a wired connection. Using an innovative, movable Type-C plug which has an adjustable range of up to 51° allowing you to plug and unplug your mobile phone with ease to protect it from damage, the GameSir X2 virtually eliminates delay input allowing you to stay in control of any gaming situation at all times.
The GameSir X2 features a split design – on each side there is a single joysticks along with a set of 4 buttons. The control buttons come with a service life of up to 3 million pushes – you can be sure that your thumbs will get worn out before the GameSir X2 does! The simple design ensures that your phone is held securely thanks to the durable stretch design, and the well thought out features – such as the soft rubber grips and gap between the phone and X2 unit to ensure air circulation will make sure that you get the best gaming experience at all times.
The Ultra-low power consumption will ensure you are able to play for a long time. The GameSir X2 itself doesn’t contain a battery, and is powered through the Type-C port. You needn’t worry about the X2 draining too much power when in use though, the super low power consumption means it only consumes about 0.06% of the phone battery – you will barely notice it!
Have you ever been in a game when you wished you had got a record of a particularly good move? The added screenshot button will mean that you always have the chance to take a quick snapshot of your best gaming moments.
The X2 supports Microsoft xCloud, Google Stadia, Vortex and so on.
The GameSir X2 – bringing you a simply outstanding cloud gaming experience.
Available from Amazon.co.uk for £69.99 Watch out for our review soon..
Irish people check their phones on average 58 times per day, according to the first publication of Deloitte Ireland’s Digital Consumer Trends 2020 report (previously known as the Global Mobile Consumer Survey). The survey was carried out between May and June this year, as the country began to exit COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The survey also found that 50% of respondents would support the Government’s usage of information generated by smartphone or other devices for contact tracing and 63% would support the use of heat sensitive (thermal) cameras in well-populated areas.
Think about it though for a minute, Any time you are on a bus,train or any mode of transport or in a coffee shop or food outlet, even people walking down the street their head is buried in their phone and I think this number is more than what the survey finds like lets be honest are you going to admit your bad habits??? Check out the survey below to see how bad we fair out.
Commenting on the report, Harry Goddard, CEO, Deloitte Ireland said: “Technology has provided a huge array of opportunities for individuals, organisations, communities and even governments to adapt to new ways of working and living during the COVID-19 crisis. Despite the challenges associated with the pandemic, technology has increasingly become an integral part of all of our lives, and will continue to have a significant role to play in the fight against COVID-19 at home and across the world.”
In this first of five publications arising from the report, we look at trends in respondents’ digital usage and the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on device usage.
Device usage
Smartphone ownership in Ireland saw a slight decrease for the second year in a row at 90% (compared to 91% in 2019 and 94% in 2018). This is consistent with trends across Europe. Notably, ownership of standard mobile phones increased by 5% (from 9% in 2019 to 14% in 2020).
Ownership of laptops also saw a slight decrease at 83%, compared to 84% in 2019. Tablet devices saw the biggest year-on-year increase in ownership, from 43% in 2019 to 64% in 2020. There was also an increase in ownership of fitness bands (from 24% to 29%) and virtual reality headsets (from 5% to 8%). Ownership of desktop computers remained the same at 41%.
A third (33%) of all respondents report that they look at their phone within five minutes of waking, an increase of 2% on 2019. 87% look at their phone within the first hour of waking, up 3% on last year. When it comes to the number of times we are checking our phones during the day there were significant differences between age groups: 17% of 18-24-year-olds report checking their phones over 200 times a day: this falls to 10% among the 25-24 bracket; 8% among 35-44s; 7% among 45-54s; and once a day or less among the 55 – 75 age group.
Perception of smartphone usage also varies with age, with younger respondents more likely to feel that they are prone to over-usage. Overall, 46% of respondents feel that they are using their smartphones too much; this rises to 65% of 18-24 year-olds and 66% of 25-34s. The 35-44 and 45-54 age groups are also more likely than average to believe that they overuse their smartphones at 63% and 52% respectively. Meanwhile 37% of 55-64s admitted to overuse, and 32% of 65-75s.
The most popular financial activity carried out on mobile phones is checking bank balances (62%), followed by browsing shopping websites or apps (52%), buying products online (43%) and making banking transactions (41%). This year mobile has replaced laptop as the preferred device for making online purchases among the 18-24 and 35-44 demographics. 26% of all respondents use their mobile phones to make reservations while 16% do their online grocery shopping on mobile.
Daryl Hanberry, Partner and Head of Technology, Media and Telecommunications at Deloitte, said: “While smartphone penetration appears to have plateaued across Europe, our reliance on these devices has not faltered, with almost a third of us now checking our phones more than 50 times a day, and usage rates even higher among younger consumers. As mobiles begin to replace laptops as the preferred device for making online purchases – not just browsing – and especially as remote engagement becomes even more important, businesses must prioritise their mobile offerings or risk being left behind.”
While a total of 91% reported owning a smartphone, these devices are used daily by 93% of all respondents. Daily usage of laptops has increased from 69% to 76% year-on-year, while daily usage of desktop computers is down from 66% to 59%, reflecting the work-from-home mandate that was introduced in March of this year.
COVID-19 impact
45% of all respondents reported that they were working from home during the COVID-19 lockdown period. 40% of those working from home reported that they found it easier than working at the office or on site; 37% found it more difficult; while 23% reported no difference in difficulty.
Being distracted by other members of the household was cited as the biggest barrier to working from home by respondents at 33%. This was followed by the lack of face-to-face interaction with colleagues (30%); working longer hours as a result of working from home (28%); and not having a comfortable work space at home (25%).
Access to technology was also a barrier to home working for respondents. 22% stated that they were used to working on more or larger monitors while in the office; 17% stated that the online systems they were using were very slow from home; 13% couldn’t access the files they needed; and a further 13% experienced difficulty in having to use technology they weren’t familiar with.
The reliability of technology was also a factor, with 21% stating that calls or video conferences kept dropping out; 19% encountered problems with their broadband dropping out; and 15% found that their computer was too slow or stopped working.
Smartphones and laptops were the most popular devices bought by respondents as a result of spending more time at home during lockdown, at 11% each. This was followed by tablets (8%), televisions (7%), printers (6%), fitness bands (6%), gaming consoles (5%) and desktop computers (5%). 61% of respondents did not purchase any devices as a result of spending more time at home.
“While lockdown did cause a notable uptick in the purchase of devices, spending more time at home did not result in the purchase of a new device for the majority – close to two-thirds – of respondents,” noted John Kehoe, Audit Partner, Deloitte. “This may reflect a lack of budget or unavailability of devices – and some households may have dusted off formerly unused devices, such as gaming consoles.
“A number of issues around access to and the reliability of technology were noted by respondents as barriers to working from home. As we look towards living with COVID-19 in the short- to medium-term, employers need to ensure that their employees’ basic technology requirements are being met, as working from home will continue to be widespread for some time to come.
“Over and above issues with technology, many respondents report that they do not have suitable home working environments and over a quarter found themselves working longer hours as a direct result of working from home. As we are now more than six months into this crisis, employers urgently need to address these issues or risk significant decreases in staff motivation and, ultimately, loyalty.”
Use of technology in the fight against COVID-19
When asked whether they would support the government’s usage of information generated by smartphone or other devices for the purpose of contact tracing, 50% of respondents agreed that they would support this; 27% said they would oppose this; and 23% weren’t sure. Support was highest among the 65-75 age group at 68%; this dropped to 42% among the 18-24 and 25-34 cohorts.
Respondents were also asked whether they would support the government’s usage of technology and surveillance to establish the level of risk of individuals to catch or spread the virus, and restrict movements accordingly, as an alternative to blanket restrictions. 48% of respondents indicated that they would support such a move, while 26% were opposed and a further 26% weren’t sure. Again support was highest among older demographics, at 62% among 65-75 year-olds and 55% among 55-64s; and lowest among younger cohorts, with support dropping to as low as 38% among 18-24-year-olds.
On methods of technological surveillance, 63% of respondents said they would support the use of heat-sensitive (thermal) cameras in well-populated areas to identify those with high temperatures; 50% supported the use of information generated by smartphones or other devices such as smart watches to track their location and contacts, so that those contacts could be automatically notified if they became infected; and 48% supported the use of such information to establish their level of risk to catch or spread the virus and restrict their movements accordingly.
The Google Pixel 5 5g has landed and we will have our full review in the coming week or two after we give it a proper run, In the interim you might want to check out the fabric cases on offer and as before they are simple, look well and give you some additional grip to your smartphone which is important and most of all extra protection. These cases are also eco friendly which is great for the environment and are machine washable and also work perfectly fine with wireless charging.
See more in the video review below and a detailed real hands on look.
