> The latest tech news of today:
Air Guitar lets you shred maniacally
There are some awesome moments in life when you share it with your best friend(s) over a cup of your favorite drinks as well as some pizza, and you are able to let your hair down, acting whatever way you like without receiving a shred of despise. Well, the $19.99 Air Guitar would definitely be the tool for the moment if you are musically inclined, as you can go jumping around your room, smashing an imaginary guitar and yet using it to crank out some really wicked tunes in the process. Yes sir, the Air Guitar will merge design and style into a single handheld device, letting you create music on the spot with but a single press of a button and a flick of the wrist.
Fujitsu collar monitor for your pooch
The cloud can also be described as an abstract place, where your digital consciousness has a residence there since facets of your life are stored in that virtual area which is backed by physical disks, located somewhere in the world. Fujitsu intends to bring the use of cloud technology to a new level thanks to a spanking new collar-mounted device that was specially designed to monitor your dog’s activity level. Of course, this will not rely on something as monotonous as ensuring your pooch’s Twitter stream is updated from time to time, but offers far more important information including delivering helpful health monitoring, activity level, and the external temperature, and all such information is sent to a cloud-based health service that is tipped to roll out sometime later in the year. Fujitsu claims that the device being small and lightweight, consumes very little power, allowing your pooch to wear it just about round the clock. No idea on whether it is waterproof or not though, as some dogs just love swimming more than most. I guess our four legged friend can now go to the great big cloud up there even when they are still alive, no?
The Social Network scriptwriter to pen Steve Jobs movie
Sony Pictures has announced that Aaron Sorkin, the man who won an Oscar for writing The Social Network, will pen the film based on the official Steve Jobs biography.
Google helps small businesses with mobile
Smartphone ownership has passed the 50% in the UK, and to mark that milestone Google and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), have launched an updated version of ‘Our Mobile Planet’, a mobile consumer data resource that provides free access to information on mobile markets across 40 countries.
Review: Sapphire HD 7870 OC Edition
Faster, cooler and for only another £13 on top of the price of the vanilla AMD Radeon HD 7870 – why wouldn’t you go for the new Sapphire HD 7870 OC Edition?
The mid-range Southern Islands/7-series/Graphics Core Next (GCN) cards from AMD have impressed us. They may not have the raw graphics grunt of the Tahiti GPUs in the excellent HD 7950 or the crazy-expensive HD 7970, but they’re hitting some decent price/performance numbers.
How to choose a web payment provider
Taking payments from your customers has never been easier however choosing the right payment solution can be complicated. Over the next few pages we look at the options available, and help you make a choice that balances the payment methods your customers demand with the cost to the business.
Review: Incase Sonic Over Ear Headphones
When you think of the name Incase you’ll invariably think about aftermarket Macintosh products. From super slick iPhone and iPad cases to protective products for your various Macbooks, SF-based Incase does one thing very well: they make great looking products that are both stylish and functional.
Google admits Project Glass falls short
Google’s Project Glass is an ambitious take on augmented reality technology, but the company admitted that the futuristic glasses won’t completely measure up to their original plans.
Windows 8 makes it easier for parents to track kids’ internet usage
Microsoft’s Windows 8 will include a brand new suite of tools to help parents keep track of what their kids are doing on the internet.
The Windows 8 Family Safety toolset will send weekly usage reports about the sites that have been visited, and will allow parents to block specific websites and apps, set time limits for usage, lock search engines into strict SafeSearch, and track Windows Store purchases.
News in Brief: One More Thing: The Samsung Galaxy S3 is designed for stalkers
Samsung Galaxy S3, designed for stalkers – That’s what we’re taking from this schmaltzy TV ad that insists the Galaxy S3 "shares what’s in your heart", "keeps track of loved ones", "recognises who you are" and "waits till you’re asleep"… Before what Samsung? BEFORE WHAT?
Review: ZTE Tania
Introduction
Windows Phone isn’t exactly ubiquitous at the moment, and it isn’t really setting smartphone owners on fire.
Nokia’s current financial woes show this, even though it’s now joined at the hip to Microsoft and its flagship Lumia 900 is in the wild.
Review: Motorola Defy Mini
Introduction
Motorola’s original Defy was a winner of an Android smartphone for us, marrying solid build with a neat design and some nice software touches. It was followed by a revamped handset, the Motorola Defy+, which updated some of the features but left most of what was in the original mobile phone untouched.
Review: LG Optimus L3
Introduction
Someway off becoming a leader of the smartphone scene, LG’s Optimus L3 is an entry level handset that counteracts a less than ground-breaking array of specs, largely uninspiring styling and a less than fluid user experience with an impressive performance in the area that is arguably most important to its intended market, pricing.
Spyder 3 Krypton Laser – Is it Over the Moon?
The Spyder 3 Krypton is the world’s brightest handheld laser. How bright is it? I’m glad you asked, the Krypton is so powerful, its currently being checked out by Guinness World records. This little gizmo is actually capable of breaking through our atmosphere and into outer space. Which of course comes in handy for those of us trying to communicate with our extra terrestrial friends or wayward astronauts.
GoPro Dive Housing lets you go underwater
When it comes to mounted cameras, the name GoPro certainly rings a bell, as we have also seen some of their offerings in the past that are certainly cool in its own nature. Well, this time around, GoPro wants you to enjoy your underwater experience (snorkeling, especially) with the GoPro Dive Housing that will come with a large, flat glass lens which paves the way for maximum photo and video sharpness even when you are underwater, allowing you to snap away or record in a myriad of resolutions. It is said that the GoPro Dive Housing is waterproof up to 197 feet or 60 meters, making it ideal also for underwater filming if that is your cup of tea.
Intel launches business-friendly vPro processors
Intel’s latest 3rd generation vPro processor family – codenamed Ivy Bridge – will not only be more powerful, it will also create new levels of security for businesses, kill off the desk phone, as well as allow for slimmer and longer lasting devices.
Etcher delivers Etch A Sketch for the iPad
I am quite sure that when you first played Draw Something on the iPad, you must have figured out that the iPad, if it had a properly programmed app, would also be able to double up as some form of Etch A Sketch, a toy that gave you many hours of fond memories as a child. Well, I guess those prayers have been answered, as a Kickstarter project that is looking for the right amount of funding has just announced Etcher – an app for the iPad that has every intention of delivering the Etch A Sketch experience right on the iPad itself. This is more like it – the convergence of the old and the new, merging new technologies with tried, tested and successful ideas.
Fahrradi Farfalla FFX requires pedal power to run
We do know that owning a Ferrari would mean you have made it in life, more or less. After all, the Italian company does come up with some of the best supercars in the world, but as we all know, supercars are far from green – even if Ferrari promises a hybrid model to arrive later in 2013. Well, here is the greenest “supercar” yet – the Fahrradi Farfalla FFX that will break one speed record by Ferrari – it is the slowest “supercar” yet. Why do we say so? For starters, Austrian artist Hannes Langwelder decided to swap its V12 gas engine and replace that with a set of pedals. No need to pull up at any gas station here, but it also means arriving at your destination after sweating it out.
Floating Rope Swing
Just how high have you gone on the swing before? As a kid, I have always tried to get enough momentum to go a full circle, but somehow or rather, that never happened. Which is a good thing too, when you come to think about it today – there was no seat belt to strap me in, and I probably would not have achieved the kind of terminal velocity required to go a full circle without falling down and breaking my neck halfway up in the air, upside down. For those who still want to achieve something similar, don’t you think it is safer to do it on water? This is where the $3,800 Floating Rope Swing comes in handy this summer (or if you happen to be filthy rich and own an island that you call your own).
Free UK guide to finance for women in business
A new free guide launched this week by women in business organisation, Prowess, as part of Finance 4 Start Up Britain Week from the Governments Start Up Britain initiative, aims to help women and their advisers to make the most of the funding options available.
Review: CyberPower Infinity Achilles
The CyberPower Infinity Achilles is the most affordable of the Ivy Bridge PCs we’ve seen so far, but at just under a grand you’d struggle to actually call it cheap. Though there are most definitely compromises in this sub-£1,000 build.
Qype offers free local advertising deals
Consumer reviews site, Qype has today launched a brand new business package which allows businesses to trial their own daily deal for free.
By signing up to Qype’s platinum package, businesses can get all the benefits of a premium listing on Qype, with the addition of a free daily deal mail-out to QypeDeals’ database, and keep 100 per cent of the revenue.
Review: AMD A10-4600M
Introduction
If the future of computing is all about mobile devices, the future of computer chips is increasingly about squeezing in more features into ever less space. Enter the AMD A10-4600M, the latest all-in-one chip for portable PCs.
How to manage staff remotely
Managing a geographically diverse workforce is now not as time consuming and costly as it once was. Business is now transacted on the move, so mobile communication technology has rapidly developed to offer small businesses, in particular a host of tools to allow them to manage their remote employees.
News in Brief: One More Thing: Woz likes this
I Woz One of Those – Apple co-founder Steve ‘Woz’ Wozniak (or, as no one likes to call him, the Wozinator) would buy shares in Facebook, money no object. "I don’t care what the opening price is," he said. Get us a couple, will you Wozzla? [Bloomberg]
DIY Nixie Tube Desk Clock
Ever wondered whether you will be able to have a chance to meddle with a nixie tube, considering this has been quantified by some as the “LED of yesteryears”? Well, here is your chance courtesy of ThinkGeek with the $149.99 DIY Nixie Tube Desk Clock. The name itself says it all – this is basically a timepiece that you ought to put together yourself, and it is meant for those who have a penchant for DIY projects. Soldering experience would definitely come in handy, otherwise you might find yourself rendering the DIY Nixie Tube Desk Clock useless right from the get go.
The Best Micro Cut Shredder
Hammacher has come up with what they call the “The Best Micro Cut Shredder“, and until I try it out for myself, I would have my reservations at placing a superlative adjective right in front of the product name. Anyone given this $239.95 shredder a go yet? Fire away in the comments as to what you think of it. What I garnered from Hammacher is this – this micro cut shredder managed to produce the smallest shreds and cut the most sheets at once, hence is deemed as deserving of its moniker.
Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 8 iPhone/iPod/iPad docking station
When it comes to the world of high end audio devices and consumer electronics devices, you can be sure that the name Bang & Olufsen is definitely going to rank right up there with the very best. After all, it is the epitome of quality as well as brilliant design, and this time around, the Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 8 iPhone/iPod/iPad docking station will be on the receiving end of a wireless update.
Create your own private Google Drive
Cloud storage solutions like Dropbox of Google Drive are ideal for start up and small businesses. They’re flexible, you can share files across the web on any device, you only pay for what you use and they grow with your business. However many businesses are afraid to move to the cloud – or because of legislation aren’t allowed to – because of fears over security, but a new solution has finally killed the security worry.
Facebook used by a third of small businesses to attract new sales
More than one in three UK small businesses say that they now use Facebook to drum up new customers – more than local directories such as Yellow Pages and Thomson and substantially more than print or online advertising.
Exclusive: Hawk-Eye tests TechRadar’s missile-like shot
Anyone who has ever played football has probably had occasion to boast about their missile-like shot, but until you’ve pitted it against Hawk-Eye technology, you’re all talk.
TechRadar had a chance to put its money where its mouth is when we caught up with Imagination at Sony’s headquarters in Basingstoke, where we witnessed a special game that allows people to have their shot speed and accuracy tracked by the hottest technology around.
The new one stop Business in a Box
Novatech, in partnership with Microsoft, has launched a new solution for small and start-up businesses, a pay-as-you-go "Business in a Box."
The "Business in a Box" solution combines hardware, software and support, all bundled together with the aim of reducing installation, security and support costs.
Review: Ricoh CX6
Introduction
The Ricoh CX6 is an updated version of its still available predecessor, the Ricoh CX5. It adds aperture/shutter priority, continuous AF shooting modes, plus faster start-up and shorter shot-to-shot times.
V-MODA wants to protect your ears with the Faders VIP
If there is one risk that listening to your favorite tunes while wearing a pair of headphones, it would be this – there is a tendency to raise the volume to ever increasing levels, that you might not notice it, but you are slowly but surely getting deaf. Well, V-MODA has decided to introduce the latest addition to the Ear Armor hearing protection line, calling their latest set of headphones the Faders VIP.
Review: Asus X53E
There’s very little to dislike about the Asus X53E-SX1330V. The glossy red chassis looks great, the Intel Core i7-2670QM processor is extremely capable and it’s well-priced, at £750 (around $1,210) full price and as low as £540 (around $870) from some retailers.
Flying Hovercraft for the uber rich
You might not be the king of the world with this $190,000 Flying Hovercraft, but you could pretty much come close when you think about it. After all, it is no pittance, the price tag of this puppy. Basically, the Flying Hovercraft does what it does best – to glide over land and water, and yet being capable of soaring up in the air for up to 70mph thanks to the aid of integrated wings. There is also the presence of a 130-hp twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled gasoline engine which is turbocharged and fuel-injected.
Dragon Grip churns out kung fu noises
Once in a while, crowdfunding site Kickstarter does have some pretty cool looking projects, where they have ranged from the usual iPhone 4/4S case all the way to a new remake of a classic game (Leisure Suit Larry). Well, what do we have here today? Dragon Grip Interactive, the folks behind real life gaming experiences, has unveiled the Dragon Grip. Just what the heck is the Dragon Grip, does it allow you to literally hold a mythical dragon in the palm of your hands?
Review: Toshiba Satellite Pro C660-2F7
The Toshiba Satellite Pro C660-2F7 is exactly what you would expect from a low priced laptop. It has an unattractive plastic black chassis, only two USB ports, 2GB of RAM and a rather uncomfortable keyboard. But inside there’s a Sandy Bridge processor, numeric keypad, excellent touchpad and 320GB of hard drive space.
Finger Hockey Desktop Office Game
If you love playing hockey, there are times and seasons in your life when it is just not possible to fool around with a puck, either due to injury or the unavailability of getting enough team mates. Well, how about bringing the excitement of hockey right to your desktop? This is where the cute little $8.99 Finger Hockey Desktop Office Game comes in handy, where it comes with a finger-sized hockey rink to get you started, in addition to the necessary like goalie pads, sticks, and a mini puck so that you can have some hockey action right out of the box.
Samsung Omnia M runs off Windows Phone platform
When we talk about smartphones from Samsung, most of us would think of the Android operating system that is so prevalent among the major smartphone manufacturers, including the behemoth that we know of as Samsung. Well, they have their very own in house operating system as well known as the Bada OS, but Bada has not really taken off in a large way, and could be confined as a niche operating system in the end. Samsung, too, has dabbled in the world of the Windows Phone platforms but the thrust of their smartphone business had always been Android-centric.
The Power Bean – It’s got your Back
Okay, so you have the latest and greatest Android phone on the market and it does all kinds of cool stuff, you use it for work and for fun, heck, you don’t know what you’d do without it. I love all the neat stuff our phones are capable of, but they all have two very important characteristics in common, they all go dead the same way, and at the same time, just when you need it the most!
Lubricheck – Is It Okay NOT to Change Your Oil?
You know how ever since you first were learning to drive your dad told you that you needed to have the oil changed in your car about every 5000 miles? Remember how every time you didn’t do it (and that was a lot) you felt guilty and like you were ruining your car? Well, as it turns out you may have been on to something, the oil in your car isn’t always bad, and doesn’t always need changing at 5000 miles, but how can you know for sure?
News in Brief: One More Thing: Nokia Lumia 900 is the best phone in the world
Hey Siri, is that rain I hear? - Or is it a stampede of easily-led phone buyers off to trade you in for a Nokia Lumia 900? Well if you will tell them that’s the best cell phone ever, Siri… [WMPowerUser]
Buying a business desktop
The latest and greatest iPad might be grabbing the world’s attention but, good though it is, it doesn’t cut much ice in the office environment, where a bigger screen, superior connectivity, a real keyboard and standardised office software are essential. Brand choice may have shrunk over the years but you are still spoilt for choice if you’re on the lookout for an office PC.
