Tag: Tracker

One in three would allow a tracker to be installed in their car for cheaper insurance

More than one in two Irish motorists have seen their motor insurance bill increase over the last year, despite official figures showing a fall in the average cost of car insurance.

The findings of a new survey by Peopl Insurance[2] of 1000 adults nationwide also showed that one in three (33pc) people would consider having a driving tracker device which monitors a driver’s speed and driving habits installed in their car if doing so would reduce the cost of their car insurance, while one in four (24pc) would be happy to undergo some driver refresher training and one in five (21pc) would be prepared to limit their mileage.

Only about one in seven (14pc) said their car insurance bill had fallen over the last twelve months while one in three (33pc) reported that their car insurance bill had “stayed pretty much the same”.

Commenting on the survey results, Paul Walsh, CEO of Peopl Insurance said:

“With more than half of motorists reporting increases in premiums, it’s unsurprising that six in ten said they would take some form of action to reduce costs if the option was available to them. Motorists showed little willingness to entertain a driving curfew or weekend-only driving in order to get cheaper motor insurance, but they are definitely more open to the idea of some form of driving monitor being in place to allow an insurer to see that the motorist is driving safely, obeying the rules of the road and so on”.

Highlights from the Peopl Insurance survey include:

  • Women (56pc) were more likely than men (49pc) to report an increase in the cost of their motor insurance over the last year. Those aged between 35 and 44 were the most likely age cohort to have witnessed an increase in the cost of their car insurance with six in ten (60pc) of this age category reporting a price rise over the last year, compared to 34pc of those aged between 18 and 24.
  • People in Dublin are the most likely to limit their mileage in order to get cheaper car insurance, with almost one in three (31pc) Dubliners saying they would do so versus one in five (20pc) Munster people and almost one in seven (15pc) of those living in Connacht and Ulster. This however is likely a reflection of the greater driving distances often faced by those living in rural areas as well as the strong public transport network in place in Dublin.
  • Only 2pc of motorists would be prepared to only drive at weekends in order to get cheaper motor cover while less than one in ten (9pc) said they would be prepared to accept a driving curfew or not to drive after certain hours.
  • People aged 25 to 34 appear to be more open to the idea of driving curfews or weekend-only driving than other age cohorts. Almost one in eight (13pc) of this age category said they would consider taking a driving curfew in order to get cheaper car insurance, compared to only 4pc of those aged 18 to 24. Although at 6pc, only a small fraction of 25- to 34-year-olds said they would consider weekend-only driving in order to save money on car insurance, this was a higher proportion than recorded for other age cohorts.

Mr. Walsh spoke about the financial pinch felt by motorists,

“Despite the various moves made by the Government to try reduce the cost of car insurance, it is clear from our survey that not all drivers are benefitting from reduced insurance prices and indeed for many drivers, the cost of car insurance is increasing. We believe the high inflation of the last two years could be one reason many consumers are facing pricier car insurance premiums. It is well documented that soaring inflation has led to shortages of labour and car parts worldwide and that this in turn has driven up the cost of car repairs.”

“While outside factors undoubtedly have a role to play in the increase experienced by some drivers, not shopping around at renewal will always mean that people pay over the odds for their premium. Loyalty to just one insurer doesn’t pay. If you’re a credit union member, you should always check if you can get a better car insurance deal at your local credit union.”

Tile Takes Aim at Bluetooth Tracker Industry’s Theft and Stalking Measures with Launch of Anti-Theft Mode

Tile, a Life360 company and the pioneer in finding technology, today announces the launch of Anti-Theft Mode—a feature designed to protect valuables from theft by increasing the chances of recovery. This is accomplished by making Tile Bluetooth trackers operating in Anti-Theft Mode undetectable by Scan and Secure, an in-app feature that allows both iPhone and Android users to scan for and detect nearby Tiles and Tile-enabled devices. Tile users can activate Anti-Theft Mode on any Tile tracker in use now, including Tile-enabled partner products. Anti-Theft Mode will begin rolling out to Tile users today and be available to all users in the coming weeks.

Tile’s new feature is designed to protect users’ valuables and has been developed in response to customer demand and following a period when theft rates have increased (by 20% in the UK in the year ending September 2022), with economic uncertainty likely to drive robbery rates even higher. Anti-Theft Mode makes it easier to recover stolen valuables by making it harder for thieves to know an item is being tracked.

Unlike other Bluetooth trackers on the market, namely AirTags, Tile does not notify nearby smartphone users when an unknown Bluetooth tracker is travelling with them. These proactive notifications can communicate to thieves that a tracker is on the stolen item, allowing them to remove it and making recovering the item less likely. Some competitor products go as far as to issue an audible beep once the tracker has been separated from its owner, making it clear that a tracker is present and enabling thieves to find it with precision. The proactive notifications found in the Bluetooth tracker industry were designed to prevent stalking; however, these anti-stalking measures have been criticised for being insufficient for victim protection. Instead, these alerts have the possibility of making Bluetooth trackers easily identifiable by thieves.

Users can choose to activate Anti-Theft Mode on any Tile, rendering the tracker invisible on Scan and Secure. This feature, in addition to Tile’s existing lack of proactive alerts to nearby smartphones about a tracker in the vicinity, makes it much harder for thieves to locate Tile trackers on stolen goods.

“Anti-Theft Mode is the only solution in the Bluetooth finding category designed to make it harder for thieves to get away with valuables,” said Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Life360 Chris Hulls. “We know that families don’t have time to misplace their items and certainly don’t have the time or money to replace belongings when they get stolen. We’re giving our users a solution that empowers them with a choice. The choice to make their devices invisible to Scan and Secure if they wish, and sleep a little easier at night knowing Tile is doing everything we can to protect their valuables.”

To activate Anti-Theft Mode, users must submit and apply for an advanced ID verification process that includes a biometric scan to accurately detect fake IDs. Once ID verification is complete, the user will be registered with Tile, and Anti-Theft Mode will be activated across all of the user’s Tile Bluetooth trackers. Syncing a government-issued ID, such as a passport or driving license, with a Tile user’s account is a proactive measure to deter the feature from being used for nefarious purposes, such as stalking. Anonymity is directly linked with abusive behaviour both in person and online so Tile is eliminating anonymity and bringing in the latest ID verification technology to its Anti-Theft Mode offering.

In addition, the company is taking a highly collaborative stance with the police and Anti-Theft Mode users must acknowledge that personal information can and will be shared with them at Tile’s discretion, to aid in the investigation and prosecution of suspected stalking.

Anti-Theft Mode’s strict usage terms and verification process are progressive safety measures at the product level to protect against unintended uses, like stalking, by holding bad actors accountable and providing victims with actionable resources against their stalkers. Multi-factor ID verification, defined consequences and clearly established cooperation with police forces are crucial steps in deterring stalking—as well as halting unwanted future conduct5.

“Location sharing and finding have become a part of our daily fabric, and it’s not going anywhere. We develop products for the vast majority of people who use them as intended, and for those who do not, we are committed to cooperating fully with the police,” said Hulls. “To meaningfully address stalking with technology, we must implement safeguards like ID registration of all location-enabled devices that are small enough to be planted on a person so police forces have information to pursue justice for victims. In the meantime, we’ll do what we can at the product level to keep people safe from the outlying cases of bad actors while increasing the likelihood of recovering stolen items with Tile to help people live more relaxed lives.”

Users wanting to keep track of valuables in an under-the-radar manner can choose to activate Anti-Theft Mode for any Tile in the brand’s product line of Bluetooth trackers. Tile products come in various shapes, sizes and styles, including the Tile Pro, Tile Mate, Tile Slim, and Tile Sticker. Users must be 18+ to activate Anti-Theft Mode.

For more information about Tile’s Anti-Theft Mode, approach to theft, and stance against stalking, visit tile.com/blog/tile-anti-theft-mode.

Tile Launches Lost and Found Labels Alongside Signature Bluetooth Trackers, Creating a Comprehensive Lost and Found Network

Tile, a Life360 company and the pioneer in finding technology, today announces the launch of Lost and Found Labels in the UK. Available now online on Tile.com, Lost and Found Labels combine an adhesive QR code Label with the free Tile app to connect owners and finders. Lost and Found Labels are Tile’s latest solution to aid in its mission of keeping everyone connected to the things they love by simplifying the return of lost items to their owners.

Lost and Found Labels allow owners to attach the QR code Label to important items, and add contact information with a personalised message through the free Tile app. If the item is lost, the finder can simply scan the QR code Label, clearly marked with the Tile logo, view the provided contact information and return the item. Lost and Found Labels offer a discreet solution for adding identifiable information to items where Bluetooth trackers are not the right option. This reduces the time it takes to be reunited with lost items, and provides owners with peace of mind that if important items go missing, they will make it home. Items that would be a fit for Lost and Found Labels include school books, travel mugs, musical instruments, sports equipment, and earbud cases.

“The addition of Lost and Found Labels to Tile’s product suite enhances our global network by making all important items findable,” said Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Life360 Chris Hulls. “This is the first of many steps Life360 and Tile combined are taking to make every day easier with ways to stay organised, connected with family members, and safe.”

Tile began incorporating QR codes on the back of Bluetooth devices in 2021 to support the return of lost items. Lost and Found Labels are Tile’s first stand-alone QR code-style adhesive, making Tile’s family of products that much more versatile to help users keep track of their favourite items. Tile’s entire product line comes in various shapes, sizes, and styles, including the Tile Pro, Tile Mate, Tile Slim, and Tile Sticker.

Lost and Found Labels are available in forest, plum and teal colours and can be purchased at Tile.com.

Tech Review – Lumen, personal metabolism tracking. #Lumen #Tech

In a world of sports and fitness tech there is something for everyone out there and the most popular is wearables such as smartwatches and fitness bands and much more but what about something totally unique that can hack your metabolism? Well that is what Lumen does and by the time you are finished testing this out you will know if your lungs are in good shape you will have to use it to understand what I mean but we will touch on that as we go along.

The device itself is small and compact with a rubberised texture to it with a magnetic cap and will easily fit in any pocket or bag if you are going to get full use of this you may need to bring it to work or if you work from home it is fine it is a pretty extensive programme to follow and you would be using it several times a day..

The unit comes with its own dock to charge and one charge will last some time and this again depends on how much you will use it but the battery life is quite good and that is not a bad thing when you think about having another device in the house you need to charge.

 

 

Once open you download the app which has great tutorials inside which helps and you are good to go and this is a great test to see how good your lungs are too it is effectively like blowing into a peak flow device where you have to keep the ball between the lines for ten seconds and then you have to repeat this again a second time and you get your results..

You also fill in your personal profile this is very intense and there is many fields to complete to get the full end user benefit from the unit.The goal is to burn more fat and you have a daily chart to remind you on a level of 1-5 all in nice graphics too..

 

Ok so this is not like a fitness tracker where you read the results and jog on you have to input data daily, several times a day and it will become part of your life so to speak to get the desired results .You get a score out of 5 daily depending on what you eat and this in turn will entice you to change your habits and you can adjust your meals and fitness regime to suit if needed..

For the most you will get a morning score and evening score and recommendations and that is all they are is recommendations and it means you may have to adjust your meals and change your carb intake and so on and the goal is to see what score you get daily and after two weeks of testing you will unlock the lumen flex score.

 

 

I have not got mine yet as i missed a day here and there over a few weeks testing and simply forgot to bring with me on my travels and being honest as I mentioned it becomes part of you if your into getting results and that is not a bad thing either but when you think of it it is the same as forgetting your phone if you are into it like I was.

Lumen uses a CO2 sensor and flow meter to determine the CO2 concentration in a single breath. This indicates the type of fuel your body is using to produce energy. Lumen is scientifically proven to meet the gold standard of metabolism measurement (RER) in multiple validation studies.

Workout optimization

See if you have enough energy before a workout or if you need to fuel up. Breathe afterwards to see the impact on your body.

Customize your nutrition

Get daily personalized meal plans. Know exactly what to eat and when.

Track your metabolism daily

See how your metabolism is affected by your sleep, physical activity, and nutrition.

Metabolic flexibility

With Lumen’s daily insights, you will improve your metabolism by improving metabolic flexibility: your body’s ability to shift efficiently between using fats or carbs as a source of energy.

Getting to know you

Lumen is calibrated to your unique CO2 range and lung capacity.

Receiving your plan

Lumen provides personalized nutrition recommendations and daily guidance on sleep, diet, exercise and more.
Lumen began with twin sisters Merav and Michal – two Ironman winners, and PhDs in physiology. As scientists and athletes, they were passionate about developing a way to provide personalized nutrition, but knew the only way to measure metabolism was costly and time consuming.
So they teamed up with entrepreneurs with  experience building large companies;  Daniel, Dror, and Avi, and after two years of R&D, they developed the first Lumen prototype. Lumen measured metabolism in a single breath, in less than a minute, instead of an hour-long test in a lab!
After four years of hard work and hundreds of beta users, the Lumen team launched on Indiegogo. Lumen broke the $1 million threshold on IndieGogo in weeks, and now Lumen is leading the way in bringing personalized nutrition to the entire world.
Overall for me this is more a motivational product and helps keep you in check and the daily breathing tests might be a bit cumbersome for some people out there depending how often you do it but it can help you get a better mindset and achieve goals and for me it gave me better lung capacity i think..