Apricorn, the leading manufacturer of software-free, 256-bit AES XTS hardware-encrypted USB 3.2 storage devices, has launched the Aegis Secure Key 3NXC – the first device of its kind to have a built-in USB-C connector. This makes it the only hardware-encrypted USB that is compatible with the next generation of laptops, smartphones, tablets and hubs, without the need for a separate A-to-C adapter.
The Aegis 3NXC is the most versatile hardware-encrypted USB on the market: it is compatible with PCs and Macs, as well as any operating system, including Windows®, Mac®, Linux, Android and Symbian. This provides an effective way of safeguarding data across today’s remote workforces, where employees are using a diverse range of business and personal devices to carry out their work. The device automatically encrypts all information as the user uploads it, with military-grade AES XTS hardware encryption.
Jon Fielding, Apricorn’s managing director EMEA, says: “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, remote and mobile working was on the rise, along with the associated risks to data. As the global workforce shifted from office to home practically overnight, the demand for our encrypted secure keys skyrocketed, as did the demand for our A-to-C adapters. We accelerated the release of the Aegis Secure Key 3NXC to provide an efficient way of ensuring that employees using MacBooks, iPads and Android devices can securely store and move sensitive data, wherever and however they’re working.”
The Aegis Secure Key 3NXC completes the Secure Key 3NX family, which Apricorn updates constantly to address evolving security threats and business needs. The 3NXC was created in response to a market that’s moving towards smaller and thinner laptops and tablets that can’t accommodate a USB-A port.
Particularly suitable for highly regulated sectors such as defence, finance, government, manufacturing and healthcare, the Aegis Secure Key 3NXC allows businesses to support safe and productive remote working on a large scale, ensuring that all workers follow information security best practice and comply with regulations such as GDPR.
Ultra-compact in size, the Secure Key 3NXC line is priced to allow affordable data protection across an expanding global remote workforce, while delivering all the advanced security features found in the Aegis family of secure drives. By offering a range of six storage capacities from 4GB to 128GB, the device allows IT to closely align deployments with the storage needs of each individual employee, reducing overall cost. Prices range from £48 to £145.
Jon Fielding continues:
The security and operational advantages of the Aegis Secure Key 3NXC include:
No software – so there’s nothing to keylog or to hack.
OS agnostic – the device is completely cross platform compatible.
Onboard keypad – all authentication takes place within the device itself.
All data, passwords and encryption keys are 256-bit encrypted at rest.
No host computer is involved in setup, authentication or encryption.
Forced enrollment – no default PINs ensures that data is not put at risk by employees who fail to change a factory set PIN before deployment.
IP-68 validation against water and dust damage.
Separate administrator and user access.
Read-only options that can be enforced by the administrator or set by the user if allowed by policy.
Highly configurable with policy such as time out values, Data recovery PINs, and programmable PIN lengths.
Brute force PIN attack protection.
Ability to automatically configure multiple devices remotely using Apricorn’s Aegis Configurator tool.
The 3NX family offers one unique feature that is not available on any other hardware encrypted device: the ability to toggle between Fixed Disk and Removable Media (US Pat. No 10,338,840). FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validation is expected shortly.
Pure Telecom, Ireland’s high-speed broadband and telecoms provider, today announces that it is entering the triple-play market through a partnership with TV service provider, Netgem. To mark the partnership, which represents Netgem’s largest distribution partnership in Ireland so far, Pure Telecom is revealing insights from a national survey of 1,000 Irish adults, conducted in July 2020. It found that the majority of the Irish population is now paying for a video streaming service, with the average adult spending €18.91 per month on streaming services.
Pure Telecom will tap into this lucrative market by giving Irish viewers access to Netgem’s range of live and on-demand content through broadband and TV bundles starting at €43. Subscribers will be able to access live TV from Saorview channels, along with 20 additional channels. They will also have access to streaming services from providers including YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, All4 and Plex, as well as ad-free kids’ TV provider Hopster. The service is integrated with Alexa voice control.
Pure Telecom’s research found that some 81% of Irish adults are currently paying for at least one streaming service. And, it found that the COVID-19 lockdown caused 34% of Irish adults to increase the amount they spend on streaming channels.
The survey revealed that the average Irish adult spends 13 hours, 35 minutes watching streaming channels each week. That figure increases to 15 hours 28 minutes per week for Millennials and 14 hours, 25 minutes for Gen Z.
According to the survey, residents in Carlow watch the most streamed content at 19 hours, 23 minutes per week. That is followed by Louth (18 hours, 12 minutes) and Wicklow (17 hours, 26 minutes). Offaly and Sligo residents, meanwhile, clock up the least amount of time watching streaming channels at 9 hours, 23 minutes per week. That is followed by Monaghan (10 hours, 30 minutes) and Kildare (11 hours, 54 minutes).
Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom
“At Pure Telecom, top-quality customer service along with extremely competitive prices have always been our priority. We are delighted to be partnering with Netgem to provide a genuine alternative for Irish viewers seeking both broadband and TV.”
Sylvain Thevenot, Chief Commercial & Customer Officer, Netgem, said: “Pure Telecom is a really strong local player in an Irish broadband market that is heating up rapidly. We are delighted to be working with them to reach new audiences in Ireland and showcase how quickly and easily ISPs can launch compelling TV services via Netgem with a low overall investment.”
Increasing network stability, lowering electricity costs, and contributing to climate protection is the vision that Audi and the Hager Group are pursuing. The incorporation of the electric car into the domestic grid is at the core of an innovative research project on bidirectional charging. This offers major advantages in combination with a photovoltaic system in particular. Excess PV electricity can be stored temporarily and output as needed.
Audi has committed to the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement and is working on making its vehicle fleet CO2-neutral by 2050. In order to achieve this aim, the premium brand is pursuing a broad electric offensive that involves launching around 20 fully electric models by 2025. And not only that: The electric car is to evolve into part of an increasingly broad mobility offer and become an element of the sustainable energy transition.
In the first half of 2020, renewable energies contributed more than 50 percent to the German electricity mix for the first time. However, the increasing percentage is also accompanied by a basic dilemma of wind and solar power: The generation of electricity is not always constant. On sunny days and phases with strong winds, there is often a lack of capacity to store the generated energy that the grid cannot use.
As the number of registered electric cars increases, the number of mobile energy storage units also rises. This offers great potential, provided that the storage capacity can be used intelligently. This is why Audi and the Hager Group joined hands and developed a research and solution approach that creates financial incentives and offers greater security of supply: bidirectional charging. “Electric mobility is bringing the automotive industry and the energy sector closer together. The battery of an Audi e-tron could supply a single-family home with energy for around one week independently. Looking ahead, we want to make this potential accessible and make the electric car part of the energy transition as an energy storage device on four wheels,” says Martin Dehm, technical project manager for bidirectional charging at Audi.
The electric car as a flexible energy storage unit
The idea is as simple as it is genius: The high-voltage battery of the electric car is not only charged via the wall box at home but can also supply energy back to the house as a decentralised storage medium. If the customer has a photovoltaic system, the electric car serves as a temporary storage medium for the domestically generated eco-electricity. When the sun is no longer shining, the vehicle can supply the stored electricity back to the house. Bidirectional charging at home – also known as Vehicle to Home (V2H) – has great potential to reduce the home owner’s electricity costs and increase network stability.
As a further expansion stage in combination with a home storage unit, it is possible to achieve near complete energy independence and increased security of supply in the event of a blackout. “Using the battery of electric vehicles to contribute to climate protection while lowering electricity costs at the same time is a vision that we have found fascinating since the very beginning. And we have found an ideal partner in Audi,” explains Ulrich Reiner, project manager at Hager Group.
Near-series technology in use
What sounds simple in theory requires a high level of technical intelligence and coordinated interaction between different technical components in terms of infrastructure and in the vehicle in practice. An Audi e-tron with near-series charging technology was used in the research project. In the test grid, the fully electric Audi model operated with a DC wall box, which enables a charging capacity of up to 12 kW, and a flexibly extendable home storage unit with a capacity of 9 kWh. While it could provide additional flexibility in possible series production, it is not a necessary requirement for bidirectional charging. Thanks to the DC voltage level in the overall grid, the connection between the PV system and the vehicle does not require an inverter and is thus a particularly efficient solution.
Charging with PV electricity saves money
Bidirectional charging focuses mainly on use cases where home owners use their own photovoltaic system to benefit from cost-optimised charging with their domestically generated electricity. The electric car stores the excess electricity from the PV system that is not used by appliances in the house. If the customer has variable rates, the electric car can supply the entire house in phases where electricity prices are high.
At night or during non-productive times of the rate, the car then uses inexpensive electricity to charge up to the desired target SOC (state of charge). Bidirectional charging also provides a security of supply that extends beyond pure cost optimisation: In the event of a blackout, the system can supply the house with energy via the high-performance HV battery or it can even operate a building without a grid connection independently in what is known as stand-alone operation.
Everyday usability in the focus of the developers
The developers made everyday usability a top priority. “Maintaining mobility is at the centre of our attention. Customers therefore don’t need to restrict themselves in order to make bidirectional charging suitable for everyday use,” Dehm describes the focus of the development. “The intelligent charging management manages the optimum use of the battery, thereby maximizing the cost-effectiveness of the overall system. The system is very easy for customers to use – all they have to do is plug in the car, and the rest happens automatically.”
The joint research project with the Hager Group has proven two essential things: Customers who have their own PV system can design their mobility to be optimised in terms of cost and CO2 consumption while taking some of the burden off the grid at the same time. As a positive side effect, customers who own an electric car from Audi can make an important contribution to the success of the energy transition. The intelligent use of the HV battery in the vehicle also opens up possibilities to use an existing resource that was previously used for mobility purposes alone in a sustainable way.
ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the new ROG Phone 3 series, the latest generation of the world’s most powerful and exciting gaming smartphone. The series includes the flagship ROG Phone 3 and the ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition. We will have a review soon so stay tuned for that…
ROG Phone 3 is the most powerful ROG Phone ever, using the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus 5G Mobile Platform with advanced 5G mobile communications and Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gaming capabilities. Featuring the uprated GameCool 3 cooling system, ROG Phone 3 is engineered to deliver non-stop, ultra-smooth performance for the ultimate mobile gaming experience.
A 144 Hz / 1 ms AMOLED 6.59-inch display provides Delta-E colour accuracy of less than one to ensure vivid and accurate imagery, and an industry-leading 25-millisecond touch latency allows a near-instant touch response. The 10-bit display also supports HDR10+ high-dynamic range content for ultimate visual realism.
The distinctive ROG Phone 3 design retains the core gamer-centric benefits of its predecessors, including the unique side-mounted charging port and a monster 6000 mAh battery. The intuitive AirTrigger 3 system now includes a motion sensor in addition to the programmable ultrasonic touch sensors, giving gamers even more ways to control the action. The X Mode performance-optimisation software now supports adjustment of multiple system parameters, making it easier than ever to unlock the full power of ROG Phone 3.
The line-up also includes the exciting new ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition, which has the same incredible gamer-centric features as ROG Phone 3. It is powered by the Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform with a 256 GB UFS 3.1 ROM and 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM.
Absolute power
ROG Phone 3 is the most powerful ROG Phone ever, using the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus 5G Mobile Platform, which enables staggering multi-gigabit 5G connectivity and advanced WiFi 6 performance, desktop-level gaming with ultra-realistic graphics, professional-quality high-resolution photography, and intuitive AI experiences. ROG Phone 3 also features Snapdragon Elite Gaming, which delivers ultra-smooth HDR gaming experiences with sustained performance for longer periods of time.
With up to 16 GB of the latest LPDDR5 RAM and up to an ultrafast 512 GB UFS 3.1 ROM, ROG Phone 3 delivers the ultimate in overall performance, so gamers can enjoy a super-smooth gaming experience with absolutely no limitations or compromises. The enhanced X Mode performance-optimisation software now allows customisation of different system parameters to suit any gaming or using scenario. In conjunction with carefully calibrated defaults for optimum performance, it’s easier than ever for serious gamers to unlock the full power of ROG Phone 3.
The upgraded GameCool 3 cooling system has a redesigned 3D vapor chamber, a large graphite film behind the screen to maximise heat transfer, and an enlarged heat sink that’s precisely located to eliminate hotspots. The new cooling system is one of the most effective thermal solutions available on a mobile device and can remove and dissipate the heat generated during full-speed operation via specially designed vents in the back cover.
This allows ROG Phone 3 to easily sustain peak performance during heavy gaming sessions, eliminating throttling to give gamers an expert edge against the competition. For extra cooling during marathon gaming sessions, the new AeroActive Cooler 3 clip-on external fan accessory has been completely redesigned to deliver increased airflow to the hotspots on the casing to lower an astounding amount of heat for greater and longer performance.
Groundbreaking new ROG HyperFusion technology combined with multi-antenna WiFi and 5G allows simultaneous connections to WiFi and the mobile network, with intelligent redirection to whichever has the best signal. This allows mobile gamers to enjoy the strongest possible signal at all times for uninterrupted connections.
Stunning visuals
ROG Phone 3 is equipped with a stunning 144 Hz / 1 ms AMOLED 10-bit display. It’s combined with an industry-leading 270 Hz touch-sampling rate that dramatically decreases touch latency to an unprecedented 25 ms, delivering the extreme responsiveness needed to sustain a winning streak. To ensure that visuals on ROG Phone 3 look just like the developer intended, each display is carefully colour-calibrated to ensure a Delta-E colour accuracy of less than one — making it one of the most colour-accurate displays available on a smartphone. There’s also HDR10+ high-dynamic range support for enhanced visual realism. To minimize eye strain while delivering impeccable visuals, ROG Phone 3 passes TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) and Flicker Reduced certifications.
Monster battery
The monster 6000 mAh battery in ROG Phone 3 has stamina that can be relied on for even the longest battles. There are multiple passive power-saving mechanisms, including an exclusive hibernate function that can proactively limit background data and power usage in selected apps. These mechanisms significantly prolong the time between charges and also increase battery lifespan.
Built for gamers, by gamers
Fully immersive gaming with total control is the design goal of ROG Phone 3, which retains the pioneering landscape-oriented ergonomic design of its predecessors. Upgraded AirTrigger 3 technology provides extra-precise ultrasonic touch controls along the edges of the phone. The gesture capabilities of the AirTrigger 3 side sensors have been further enhanced, including a newly added swipe gesture and dual-partition button emulation, giving gamers a console-level gaming experience. There’s also a brand-new motion sensor that adds another gesture to the armoury, allowing gamers to control the action by shaking the device: it’s a whole new way to interact with the device. AirTrigger 3 gives gamers the very best controls available on a gaming smartphone and sets the ultimate bar for the competition.
The unique side-mounted USB-C® charging port lets users keep their battery topped up without cramping their style while gaming. The port also connects accessories such as the AeroActive Cooler 3, which features a pass-through USB-C connector, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a new kickstand on the back to support ROG Phone 3 on a desk or table for a better viewing and gaming experience.
ROG Phone 3 also receives a significant upgrade to its audio performance, tuned in collaboration with audio specialist Dirac. There’s now a dedicated Game Mode to further enhance in-game sound effects for immersive gameplay. The powerful dual front-facing speakers positioned at the top and bottom of the phone are now more capable of delivering richer and detailed sound, giving perfect stereo imaging in landscape mode. ROG Phone 3 also supports Qualcomm aptX Adaptive for low-latency high-quality audio over Bluetooth connections.
ROG Phone 3 introduces ROG Connect, a new online social community — built into the Armoury Crate app — that allows ROG Phone 3 owners to join and play with friends or squads, or even wow the crowd with their uploaded genius gameplay footage and screenshots. ROG Phone 3 gives gamers the very best sharing and community experience.
The unrivalled range of modular accessories for ROG Phone 3 includes the new modular ROG Kunai 3 Gamepad which adds physical console-like gamepad controls to ROG Phone 3; the new ROG Lighting Armor Case for a stunning appearance; and ROG Clip to attach the phone to selected console controllers for the ultimate mobile gaming experience. ROG Phone 3 can also be expanded to provide true 144 Hz dual-screen gameplay with the new TwinView Dock 3, and the Mobile Desktop Dock allows gamers to connect a desktop keyboard and mouse for a desktop-like gaming experience on an external TV or monitor.
ROG Phone 3 is also proudly partnering with Stadia and Unity to establish a truly integrated gaming ecosystem. Together, the partnership aims to build a more complete mobile gaming experience for today’s gamers by providing their favourite gaming content on the go. See more https://www.asus.com/Phone/ROG-Phone-3/
AVAILABILITY & PRICING
ASUS ROG Phone 3 and ROG Phone 3 Strix Edition will be available to pre-order from today across the Republic of Ireland from DID Electrical.
Twelve South today introduced the TimePorter, a compact case and charging stand for the Apple Watch. Taking inspiration from a sunglasses case, not only can the neatly designed TimePorter hold all your essential Apple Watch accessories, it also acts as a charging and display stand. Whether users are travelling and need a case for protection or simply want a storage and charging solution that won’t look out of place on a bedside table, the TimePorter is the ultimate companion for the Apple Watch.
The TimePorter can hold everything needed to dress and power an Apple Watch, including the extra-long Apple charging cable, an additional Watch band, a USB charger and more. An integrated portal holds the magnetic charging disc flush with the roof of the TimePorter so users can simply slip their Watch band around the contoured leather case for charging. A built-in spool within the case feeds out just enough cable to reach the nearest power outlet and also stops it from tangling.
The TimePorter can also be used as a display stand due to its multi-angle case top that can be adjusted to give users the perfect view of incoming notifications and alerts whilst the Watch charges. For those who like to use nightstand mode whilst they sleep, just position the Watch horizontally across the TimePorter and angle to view. The magnetic charging disc will hold the watch in place.
The Twelve South TimePorter is available now for £44.99 at Amazon.co.uk.
Thinkware have multiple dashcams on offer but somewhat different, If memory serves me they only have on model with a screen on the rear which most people are typically use to seeing this F200 does not have a screen and the question people have asked before and again is how do you work them and set them up with nothing to guide you. Fair questions and I find it a tad annoying but when you see how it works via the app you will be fine. The next thing here is installation which out of the box the unit must be hardwired so this will cost you if you cant do it yourself so something to keep in mind. Again people have asked why cant i just plug it into my lighter socket and again fair question and I tend to agree but we are moving on with the times.
Having a hardwired dashcam has more benefits too depending on the model for recording purposes and if parked and so on with detection whilst away from your vehicle, Also they have an app and PC viewer which works really well to but I just use the app myself unless I need something more specific,the app could do with thumbnailed images too but overall works well and we go through that later in the video.
PC VIEWER
The intuitive and simple-to-use interface of THINKWARE DASH CAM allows you an easy and convenient viewing of your recorded videos. Through PC or Mac viewer, you can playback and download recorded videos along with your route history and speed record. You can also change the dash cam settings, format the memory card, or install updates with just a few clicks on the viewer.
Setting up was not a problem either only took a minute or two once wired up and then download the app and follow the simple instructions and away you go,I did notice some disconnections quite often though but this seemed to stop after a few days and reconnecting is easy it is like connecting to a wifi network and job done and best to keep location on too..
THE APP
1 / 11
You might be wondering if the dashcam does anything when you have it connected but dont worry it does and works really well, You get audible notices when you start your motor or when you turn it off and if there is any incidents again the dashcam tells you through the small speaker at the back. Trust me it works I was a bit weary myself but having tested for some time now I am more than happy with how it works and not only that it is small and slender and does not look out of place in your window,in fact you would miss it if you weren’t looking for it.
Overall the footage is good be it in the day or night and you will need to toggle the settings for sensitivity as going over ramps etc will trigger the camera and you get a beep each time,the app could be improved some more but if you are familiar with such apps you will probably like me not bother with the desktop option but it is handy to have too, Another thing to note is nothing got corrupted on my SD card that comes with it which is a nice move as many leave the SD card out, Two weeks in an my card has not been corrupted I do find this happening sometimes with other brands.. Thinkware uses Anti-File Corruption Technology.
You can also buy optional extras to enhance your experience too at a cost but if you want a wire and play option check this one out.
New research released today has revealed one in three Brits (21.5 million people) have experienced a leak in the last year. With the average leak costing £632.80, this has cost the nation an eye-watering £13.6 billion. In the longer term, 44.77 million UK residents have experienced a leak in their current or past home.
The research, conducted by Neos is aiming to raise awareness of the damage that leaks from taps and pipes can cause. Many people don’t take precautions against this threat – only one in ten Brits have equipped a leak detector and 11% don’t have insurance – because it is a hidden problem that often only comes to light when it’s too late and the damage is done.
London is the UK’s leak capital, with a shocking 81% of people experiencing a leak in their current or previous home. However, Scots are the most likely to have experienced a leak in the last year (38%). Homes in the South-West of the country are the most leak free, with nearly half (41%) of residents saying they’ve never experienced a leak from a pipe or tap.
Interestingly, the data also revealed people living in council housing are less likely to experience a leak – with 52% of homeowners and 55% of private renters experiencing a leak in their property, in contrast to just 42% of those living in a council house.
Including costs covered by individual’s insurers or landlords, leak repair forced Brits to cough up an average of £632.80 per incident, although the research found that it can cost individuals up to £12,000 to repair the damage. Leak victims in Northern Ireland tend to pay the most (£724.40) to fix the damage and those in the East Midlands are most likely to nab a bargain, only paying £424.70 on average. As well, while 30% of those who had experienced a damaging leak had the cost completely covered by their insurance, shockingly 24% of people ended up paying for all of the repairs themselves because they didn’t tell their insurer, perhaps because they didn’t understand their policy or feared being penalised.
Matt Poll, co-founder and CEO, Neos says, “Leaks in the home are an incident that many of us don’t think about until they happen. The data has proven, however, that they actually affect most of us. Try asking your friends and family about their experiences – you’ll be surprised at how many have suffered a damaging leak, and at a significant cost to the person if they don’t have insurance.”
He continued, “While these findings are worrying, I hope they empower people to seek out options to actively protect their homes from leak damage. Installing leak sensors means that even if a single drop of water is where it shouldn’t be, you will know straight away and be able to act before real damage is caused. There are also other simple steps you can take to protect your home, like switching off your water when you’re out for more than a day or not running water consuming devices, like washing machines and dishwashers, when you’re not home.”
Neos launched its new Smart Kits, an integrated Smart Leak Sensor Kit and Smart Motion Sensor Kit,on the 22nd July, 2020. The Smart Kits will be for sale via Amazon fend of July and via Dixons and Very in August. The products are great value, coming in at one third of the price of other industry leaders.
The Smart Leak Sensor Kit is designed to detect a single drop of water, preventing small leaks from turning into big problems. It also alerts you to unexpected changes to your home with built-in temperature and humidity sensors. The Smart Motion Kit can capture movements with the Neos Smart Motion Sensor and make any household item smart, from your cat flap to the cookie jar, with its contact sensor. Both kits integrate with the Neos SmartCam, converting it into a bridge so you can connect all your devices wirelessly and manage them from a single app to check up on your home from wherever you are in the world.
Neos Smart Leak Sensor Kit features:
3x Leak Sensor
Built-in Temperature Sensor
Built-in Humidity Sensor
1x Smart Bridge
Built-in battery Life Indicator
Neos Smart Motion Kit features:
2x Open/Close Sensor
1x Motion Sensor
1x Smart Bridge
Built-in battery Life Indicator
We will have our review soon.
You can find out more about Neos and its smart home technology here: https://shop.neos.co.uk
The kitchen is a popular place for smart displays in many homes, and for good reason. Whether you’re listening to music, getting the news or catching up on a popular TV show, your Nest Hub keep you entertained while you’re prepping dinner or doing the dishes. It’s also the ultimate cooking companion, with access to tons of YouTube videos ranging from cooking clips to how-to videos. And now, for the first time on any smart display, you can add watching Netflix to your list of kitchen activities: Starting today, Netflix is available on Nest Hub and Nest Hub Max.
The only display for your Netflix fix
Netflix is rolling out on Nest smart displays globally wherever the service and Nest devices are currently available. If you have a Netflix subscription, simply link your account in the Google Home or Assistant app and you can play Netflix movies, TV shows and documentaries by using your voice. Say, “Hey Google, play Queer Eye” to start streaming instantly, or try, “Hey Google, open Netflix” to scroll through select content and start watching with a simple tap. Hands tied up while you’re cooking? Just pause, play or skip forward with a simple ask.
Hands tied up, but still want to watch? Just ask
Maybe your hands are dirty from cooking, and you don’t want to touch your screen while finding something to watch. By simply using your voice, you can stream many of the services you’re subscribed to.
The smart display with the most entertainment
Now you might even look forward to the nightly post-dinner clean up when using your Nest display as a kitchen TV: You’re also able to cast from your compatible mobile devices to your Nest Hub from streaming services like Disney+, Prime Video and thousands of other apps that have mobile cast support by opening the streaming service’s mobile app and tapping the Cast icon.
Catching all your favorite shows on your Nest display just got a little more affordable, too: Head over to the Google Store for deals on Nest devices, that are running over the next few weeks. With so many entertainment options on your Nest smart display, your biggest challenge now might just be deciding what to watch.
Summer is in full swing and people across the world are opting to hop on their bikes. Coming in at no. 22, Ireland ranks among the top 30 countries in the world in terms of biking directions usage in Google Maps. Since February, requests for cycling directions in Google Maps have jumped by 69 percent—hitting an all-time high last month.
In Ireland, Google Maps have seen requests for cycling directions increase by 76% and search interest for “bike repair near me” more than doubled over the past year. Whether people are hitting the road to get their heart pumping or commute safely during COVID-19, Google Maps is making it easier for cyclists everywhere to get on their own bike or a shared one.
Ten years ago, Google introduced biking directions in Google Maps. Now it’s available in nearly 30 countries around the world and millions of people use it every day. As biking habits change, especially as things evolve with COVID-19, we’re constantly updating this information to help you uncover the most reliable bike route.
Raise the (handle)bar on biking routes
To give you the most up-to-date bike route, Google Maps uses a combination of machine learning, complex algorithms and an understanding of real-world conditions based on imagery and data from government authorities and community contributions. Google Maps also consider various forms of bike lanes and nearby streets that might be less friendly for your two wheels (like tunnels, stairs and poor surface conditions) so you can have the best and smoothest biking route. You can also see how flat or steep your route will be, so you’ll know if you’re in for an easy breezy ride or one that will really get the heart pumping.
However, the best route can always change and we are hard at work to reflect new information. For instance, due to COVID-19, many cities are adding and widening bike lanes to encourage cycling and accommodate more riders. Google Maps is already working to integrate hundreds of thousands of new bike lanes in the coming months. Local government agencies can provide this data through the Geo Data Upload tool to have their latest bike lane information reflected in Google Maps.
Gear up for new docked bikeshare directions in 10 cities
As more people choose to cycle, they’re buying new bikes, fixing up old ones and turning to bike sharing options. In fact, worldwide search interest for “bike repair near me” hit an all-time high this month—more than double what it was last year.
For riders opting to use bike sharing, Google Maps is rolling out more detailed information. Over the last several years, Google have launched a dockless bike and scooter integration with Lime in more than 100 cities and introduced real-time docked bikeshare information to help travellers in select cities locate bike sharing stations and real-time availability. With bikeshare providers seeing sharp increases in usage during COVID-19, it’s even more important to quickly and easily check how many bikes are available at the station you’re headed toward and if there are docks available to drop off your bike near your destination.
Starting today, when you look up biking directions, you’ll see end-to-end directions that include docked bikeshare information. Steps will include detailed walking directions to bikeshare stations near your starting point along with live bike availability, turn-by-turn cycling directions to the bikeshare station closest to your destination with live dock availability, and, finally, walking directions from there to your final destination. And, for some cities, Maps will show you links to open the relevant bikeshare app to book and unlock the bike.
