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
With the dark evenings and mornings now here safety is imperitive when it comes to our kids as some have a fair trek to school especially in rural areas. Not only that we have friends and family that live alone too and this is an ideal way to keep tabs on them.
Liberty Watch is now having a sale on their first model which we reviewed back in 2016 and since then they launched a new version called the Assure which also has been reviewed recently….
Liberty Watch by Irish company Watchovers is a watch designed to keep track of your loved ones whereabouts,the watch is not a smartwatch in technical terms but is by how it works. The watch comes with Wi-Fi,Telephone and a speaker. The watch comes with a sim card built in allowing the parents/guardian to tell you exactly where the user is and also check the history and you can also call the user and vice versa… Note.. You can buy a sim direct from the company or get your own either is at an additonal cost to the owner.
Drop them an email at support@watchovers.com to get this great deal and check them out on Facebook and Twitter
With the release of the new Movie Edit Pro, MAGIX brings a software to the market that has been designed completely to customer feedback. New features include up to 5X faster video editing, smoother display for up to 4K resolution and a comprehensive range of effects.
The brand new version of Movie Edit Pro is the result of close cooperation between MAGIX developers and Movie Edit Pro customers. Listening to customer feedback, the most sought-after requests including faster speed and smoother previews, even for high-resolution 4K videos, has been incorporated. The effects area is now also perfectly synced to the user’s workflow and can be customized using the new, integrated Store. Ongoing collaboration with customers will continue to be reflected in forthcoming updates, which are included for free to customers who have bought the new version, thanks to the MAGIX Update Service.
NEW FEATURES
Video editing: Smoother & up to 5X faster
INTEL GPU hardware acceleration has been activated in Movie Edit Pro. As a result, editing video material can now be completed 5X faster than in the previous version. Even hi-res material up to 4K now plays smoothly on your preview monitor! The most sought-after customer request for smoother, more stable video editing has now been made possible thanks to cooperation between MAGIX and Intel.
Up to 1,500 effects in an expandable collection
Intros/outros, transitions, film templates and now soundtracks are available to users in a quantity and quality that’s never been seen before. In the new Movie Edit Pro Store, users can expand their selection of effects already available in the program. The effects areas itself has been redesigned in an aesthetically pleasing, clearly laid-out tile format. All effects can be accessed with a single click, making video editing even easier and faster than ever before. A coupon worth up to € 49,95 / $49.95 / £39.95 in value for five effects is included in Plus and Premium program versions.
4 brand new premium plug-ins
Users can now work with 4 of the most-requested plug-ins: NewBlue ColorFast 2, NewBlue Elements Overlay, iZotope RX Elements & HitFilm Movie Essentials. The latest effect plug-ins are included in the Premium version and are available in the two other versions at a special price. Also included are picture-in-picture effects, split screens, high-quality sound optimization and original film effects.
The all-round solution for 360°
Movie Edit Pro also provides a unique and complete solution for optimizing 360° recordings. The latest features such as 360° stitching and 360° perspective rotation complete the comprehensive set of 360° features with 360° effects and 360° to 2D cutout animation.
Preview: Future updates
With the purchase of the latest Movie Edit Pro version, users will also receive forthcoming feature updates for free. New features available in November: Discover total freedom in the Timeline! Tracks can be customized to the user’s needs at any time, enabling a simpler, more flexible video editing workflow. Another feature to be released in November designed in line with customer feedback is the chroma keying feature, which is now significantly more user-friendly.
The new version of Movie Edit Pro is now available online and in stores worldwide.
Using the Nokia 8 Dual-Sight camera technology, Anya Hindmarch will capture exclusive Bothies from LFW, showcasing the lead up to and during her AW17 fashion show.
HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, has partnered with British fashion designer Anya Hindmarch to give fashion fans access to London Fashion Week from backstage to front row, all captured on the new Nokia 8.
The Nokia 8 has a Dual-Sight technology that simultaneously harnesses the front and rear cameras in a split-screen visual. The Nokia 8 introduces a world-first in enabling Dual-Sight video to be livestreamed directly from the camera app to social media channels, Facebook and YouTube. With photos and videos now showing more than one side of the story, guests at Anya’s show will be able to reveal their reactions to the catwalk as the collection unfolds.
Talking about the partnership, Sarka Baron, Marketing Director Western Europe at HMD Global said, “Anya is renowned for her creativity. We can’t think of a better way for the industry to capture the thrilling moments of her show than with the Nokia 8. Now they can share Anya’s incredible collection alongside their real-timereactions thanks to our Dual-Sight technology. We’re also really excited that, for the first time ever, Anya will use the Nokia 8 to capture her preparation for the show, giving fashion fans around the world a designer’s perspective on the lead up to London Fashion Week.”
Talking about the partnership, Anya Hindmarch said“The Bothie is really fun creative communication tool. I record all the build up for the shows from the set build to the behind the scenes preparation which is always an exciting time so I am looking forward to exploring this with the Bothie on my new Nokia 8”
Cubetto is a friendly wooden robot designed to teach kids from the age of 3 to code and its quite simple even for a novice or a newcomer to coding something which I wish I took up but hey things happen, As of now we have many kids coding getting younger each year and this toy robot could be the begining for your child..
UNBOXING CUBETTO
Cubetto is simple and it comes packed equally the same as seen above there is nothing much technical to it apart from having to insert some batteries which are AAA. Cubetto comes with 4 main parts, A map which you lay down on your floor,you will need space because its big,A board which is your control panel so to speak,Blocks which are your codes which in turn talk to the final piece which is the wodden robot which is simplistic and friendly looking. Presentation of the package is also worth noting as seen in the unboxing above.
Cubetto is the friendly wooden robot that will teach your child the basics of computer programming through adventure and hands on play. Montessori approved, LOGO Turtle inspired.
To make the robot move you need to pair up both first which is simple you will require 6 AAA batteries 3 for the robot and 3 for the control board, As you place in the pieces of code you will then see a code form and there will be a blue light indicator on each block and this is how it works througout. I would first suggest iron the creases out of the maps as they are heavy material and the robot can get suck or confused on the folds.
On the control panel you have a queue a function line and a big Blue button which is simply GO. This is the button which talks to the robot.There is 4 coloured blocks Green,Red,Yellow and Blue. Green moves the robot forward,Red is right Yellow is left and Blue is a fucnction excecution.
Cubetto is a great toy and educational and it also gives you valauble time with your kids to sit down and have some fun and there is many maps to discover and you can download them too,personally I am not into coding but I actually enjoyed trying this out and I myslef learned something new and had fun and it was good to see how quick it was for my child to pick up and demo what the robot can do, Like I said there is many more maps to discover,This however came short of some codes which where sent out if you backed this on kickstarter which could add some more fun to the game and it limits the fucntionality of movement even my child asked why cant it move some directions,perhaps they might include these later on but its not really an issue but something I need to point out.
If you are worried about this being a challenge fear not,there is great instructions and Cubetto have great tutorial videos online too so you can check them out should you run into difficulty. After that just sit back learn and enjoy the journey the friendly little robot will take you on with your kids. As much as I like my tech but not one to code this for me was great personally to learn something new be it small and it was good to watch my child learn and then being able to show me a thing or two.
Belkin yesterday introduced its new wireless charging pad for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X on stage at the Steve Jobs Theater. The Belkin Boost↑Up Wireless Charging Pad brings wireless charging to millions of new iPhone users around the world. The Boost↑Up Wireless Charging Pad provides an effortless wireless charging experience for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. It is fine-tuned with Qi technology under the hood, and is also able to charge at levels up to 7.5W for compatible devices.
Belkin general manager and vice president Steve Malony says: “Customers around the world love iPhone and we believe wireless charging is the future. We are excited to continue expanding Belkin’s growing portfolio of wireless charging solutions with the new Boost↑Up Wireless Charging Pad for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, holding to our mission of helping consumers realize the power of new technology. Today we deliver the best cable-free and convenient charging solution for new iPhone users.”
Boost↑Up Wireless Charging Pad Features
— Cable-free convenience
— Charges iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X on contact while maintaining full functionality of device including ability to receive calls
— Charging levels optimised up to 7.5W for compatible devices
— Ability to charge through cases up to 3mm thick
— The latest Qi wireless charging standard
— Connected equipment warranty up to £2,500 + bonus warranty
Availability – Belkin’s Boost↑Up Wireless Charging Pad is available for purchase Sept. 15 for an MSRP of £59.99 at belkin.com and £54.95 at apple.com Coming soon to Apple stores worldwide. For more information, please visit Belkin.com/BoostUpWireless.
The new cases include Presidio Ultra, Speck’s toughest and most rugged case yet. It’s drop tested up to 4.5 metres, features four layers of protection, 360 degree port coverage and is dirt and dust resistant. The two piece case is a Presidio base (3-metre drop protection for everyday use) and then you add the Impactium Ultra Bumper for rugged protection. Speck’s dual-layered cases are perfectly suited to protect the glass back on the new phones.
Some great news for those who aren’t ready to upgrade yet: Speck’s new iPhone 8 cases will fit the iPhone 6, 6s and 7, and same goes for Plus!
Presidio ULTRA is Speck’s toughest case yet, designed to withstand extreme drops and resist the elements. Presidio ULTRA is drop tested up to 4.5 metres, features four layers of protection, offers 360-degree port coverage and is dirt and dust resistant.
Presidio ULTRA is designed to be flexible for those who never have the same day twice, whether that’s a working parent on the go, or the weekend warrior who clocks out from their 9 to 5 and then heads straight into adventure. Presidio ULTRA starts with a dual-layer, one-piece Presidio case, which provides slim 3 metre drop protection that’s perfect for daily use. By adding the IMPACTIUM ULTRA Bumper, the case becomes ultra-protective, ready to defend against drops, dirt, dust and whatever else might come its way.
“We wanted to make an ultra-protective case in a way that felt authentic to Speck,” said Speck VP of Design Bryan Hynecek. “Presidio ULTRA is unique in that its convertible to give customers options of rugged protection when they need it, and slim protection when they don’t.”
Speck has also made improvements to two of its most popular cases, Presidio CLEAR and Presidio GRIP. By employing a sophisticated microdot technology, the No. 1 best-selling clear case in the U.S., Presidio CLEAR, is now even more clear and continues to resist UV yellowing and scratches. The ridges on Presidio GRIP have been redesigned with an improved grip geometry, resulting in a more tactile hold.
iPhone 7 cases
Speck is also introducing a metallic collection for the first time. Presidio METALLIC provides 3 metre drop protection and comes in five of this season’s top colours: rose gold, gold, tungsten grey, taro purple and peppermint green. The assortment features chic jewel tones with a scratch-resistant finish, the perfect accessory to complement the newest iPhones.
iPhone 8 collection Gallery
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The full Speck line up for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X includes:
Presidio ULTRA (£44.95) — Rugged, slim case with 4.5 metre drop protection and 360-degree port coverage
Presidio (£19.95 – £24.95) — Superior slim protection with IMPACTIUM™ Shock Barrier
Presidio CLEAR (£19.95 – £24.95) — The bestselling clear case in the U.S.*, now with improved clarity
Presidio GRIP (£19.95 – £24.95) — Improved grip geometry offers a more tactile hold
Presidio METALLIC (£24.95) — Shimmery tones with 3 metre drop protection
Foobot is the most advanced data processing smart monitor in the market, helping you take control of your indoor air quality, either by working with other home automation devices or simply by giving you detailed knowledge of something which is effectively invisible. By scanning your environment day and night and learning from your habits, Foobot will provide you warnings and actionable advice to keep your air in the home fresh and pollution free. It constantly measures VOCs, PM2.5s, CO2, temperature and humidity, and logs them in five minute intervals to find the best solution for air quality needs.Footbot has also recently launched in the United Kingdom.
Foobot uses internal sensors to check for pollution in the form of chemicals and particulate matter, which are up to five times more common indoors as a result of confinement and alerts you via its companion app and the LEDs on the device itself.
The device is sensitive to:
• PM2.5s – Particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres, like dust, pollen and pet dander
• VOCs – Volatile organic compounds, toxic gases like formaldehyde and ammonia. This sensor is also sensitive to carbon monoxide, a potentially dangerous gas.
• Carbon dioxide – Exhaled naturally from humans. Not itself harmful, but indicative of poor circulation. This is measured via data from other sensors.
• Humidity – Low humidity can cause irritation. Excessive humidity let mould and dust mites grow.
Tata Consultancy Services, a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, today unveiled the industry findings of its Global Trend Study titled, “Getting Smarter by the Sector: How 13 Industries Use Artificial Intelligence.” Focusing on the current and future impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the study polled 835 executives across 13 global industry sectors in four regions of the world, revealing that they all identified artificial intelligence as increasingly important to their strategic competitiveness by 2020.
Disrupted Industries like Travel, Hospitality and Telecom Making Boldest Investments in Artificial Intelligence
Consumer Packaged Goods, Utilities and Insurance Outpace Other Industries in AI Investment as a Percentage of Company Revenue
According to the study, 80% of executives in all 13 industries currently invest in AI and almost 100% plan to invest by 2020. The insurance industry outspent the other twelve verticals surveyed, investing on average $124 million in AI systems, compared to a cross-industry average of $70 million. Consumer packaged goods reported the second most significant spend at $95 million.
Looking ahead to 2020, AI continues to be seen as a long term strategic bet, with ten of the 13 industries planning to increase their investments in AI. The increases are most dramatic among industries with the lowest current investment levels, including the travel, transport and hospitality industry, which plans to increase its spend by 750%, from $4 million in 2015 to $34 million to 2020. This is followed by rises in media, entertainment and information services (292%), industrial manufacturing (74%), healthcare (44%), and banking and finance (29%).
“The second phase of our Global Trend Study highlights that all industries see AI technology as a major game-changer on their business competitiveness by 2020,” said K. Ananth Krishnan, Chief Technology Officer of TCS. “It’s striking that the sectors making the boldest current or future AI investments and citing the most significant results seem to group around industries like insurance, travel, hospitality, and telecom, where disruption is having a major impact, and consumer-focused sectors such as the consumer-packaged goods industry, where the customer experience can be significantly enhanced by AI innovation.”
AI Investments as a Percentage of Revenue and ROI
The leading investors in AI, determined as a percentage of average company revenue, were the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry (0.66%), followed by utilities (0.53%), insurance (0.52%) and telecommunications (0.39%). Companies reported that their AI initiatives had a strong positive impact on both revenue improvement and cost reduction in the specific business areas where they invested in artificial intelligence. The average revenue increase across all 13 industries was 17%, while the average cost reduction was 12%. Telecom companies generated the most value from AI investments in 2015, in terms of revenue improvement (average 25%) and cost reductions (average 20%).
AI used in the IT function most frequently
The most frequently mentioned business function using AI was perhaps unsurprisingly in IT, with high-tech and utilities companies more frequently using cognitive technology in their IT operations than the 11 other industry sectors. Across all 13 industries studied, only 29% of companies are using AI in sales today. However, more than half the CPG companies (52%) and nearly half the retailers (49%) are using AI tools to improve sales performance.
Potential headwinds to AI adoption
Effectively managing the security risk of AI systems is of paramount importance for the majority of industries, with companies in the automotive, banking and financial services, CPG, technology, industrial manufacturing, and telecoms industries all stating this as the number one success factor to derive real value from AI. Moreover, all industry sectors cited the importance of getting managers and employees to trust the advice provided by AI systems, and getting employees to learn about and adopt the new processes and systems that AI requires.
In almost all sectors, addressing people’s fears about losing their jobs was not ranked as a major barrier. This was underlined in phase one of the Global Trend Study released in March this year, which found companies with the biggest revenue and cost improvements from AI see the need for at least three times as many new jobs in each function by 2020 because of cognitive computing innovations.
