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February 29th, 2012
Conrad Electronic News:
Apple has made a new patch-fix available to download in order to eradicate a connection problem experienced by a number of iMac users, gmanetwork.com reports.
Connection problems arose after people using the latest OS X 10.7.3 update through a Mac system from 2009 or newer put their computers to sleep, only to experience connection problems upon start-up.
The computers wouldn’t connect to any preferred wireless networks, instead trying to get users to manually select a network from the Wi-Fi menu. This meant that only the more experienced Mac user could fix the problem by implementing a script-based workaround to detect the Wi-Fi status, leaving those less knowledgeable in the finer details of computer components and software without a connection.
Technology experts cnet.co.uk also told users to “Keep in mind that this update is only for the iMac systems, and will not work in other systems experiencing similar problems.”
The article instead went on to advise those experiencing connection problems with an iMac older than 2009 to try general troubleshooting rather than resorting to using the update.
The update is a 26mb download and replaces the faulty drivers that were apparently shipped with OS X. It is available for iMac users through the Software Update application on systems. It can also be obtained through Apple’s official website.
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December 20th, 2011
The gas and electricity prices have done nothing but rise in the last few months. Maybe you can’t help that from happening, but there is something you can do to save energy at home and, therefore, save on energy bills!
Switch tariff and pay by direct debit: The last of the “big 6” energy suppliers to raise prices for domestic customers claimed to have absorbed the cost of wholesale prices for as long as possible. EDF energy claims to be the cheapest dual fuel supplier, at £53 less than its competitors.
When comparing prices on utility bills, wait until each provider changes their rate – when one does, generally the rest will follow by offering even lower deals.
Insulate your home: insulating your house is an investment which is definitely worth paying for. Improving your home insulation will help keep your home warmer for longer and will also help you to save money. There are some companies offering free home insulation, have a look online for more information.
Get environmentally friendly: Installing low-energy bulbs and more energy-efficient products could help you to save hundreds of pounds. Remember that small changes can make a big difference. Rechargeable batteries are also a great idea.
Average temperature: Setting your thermostat at the recommended temperature of 21°C (70°F) will save you money in the long term. When it gets very cold, just leave the heater on for longer rather than turning up the thermostat. Also remember to turn down the temperature in the radiators of those rooms that are not in use.
Use an energy monitor: Energy monitors are a great tool to understand how much energy we spend and what we can do to reduce our consumption and, consequently, our bills. You can pick them up for around £40 and some energy providers even offer them for free.
Labels: energy efficiency, energy monitor, energy resouce, saving energy measures
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December 5th, 2011
With Christmas looming over the horizon, the time has come for families to start getting all their presents ready. Christmas presents fall into a number of categories – from modern, tech toys to more traditional options. So, what are the best traditional toys available?
Model Railways
Perhaps the most obvious traditional toy for Christmas, model railways continue to be popular with both children and adults. These great items can be purchased in numerous forms and there are a range of model railway accessories available for those looking to expand existing collections.
For those after a more modern twist on this classic gift, there are plenty of high-tech versions of these with Fleischmann model trains and trix trains being just two examples.
For those interested in giving the gift of model railways, take a look at these guides to help you with your decision:
Model Railway and Toy Train Guide
Five Model Railway Accessories Every Enthusiast Needs
Construction Models
Another timeless favourite, construction models are a great and traditional gift idea for any individual. Whilst traditionally these would have been wooden or card versions, there are a number of higher tech versions also available. Robotic construction kits are a great Christmas gift idea and can keep children (and adults) entertained for hours.
Of course, those who want all the fun of robotics without the stress of the construction can invest in toy robots such as Joebot or Robosapien. These are popular favourites and make great gift ideas for all the family.
Read ‘What is Robosapien?’ to find out about these great products.
Books
You can never go wrong with books over Christmas and there is always something to suit everyone’s needs. These can be purchased from a number of places and are sure to please.
For those interested in embracing technology, e-books are a great modern equivalent. A number of titles will be available for purchase for recipients who already have a suitable e-reader, whilst purchasing one of these can make an impressive gift for anyone.
Take a look at ‘Books Continue To Get Technological Update With New E-Reader’ for more information on e-readers and e-books.
What are your favourite traditional Christmas gift ideas and why? Do you think traditional gifts are best when combined with technology?
For more Christmas gift ideas, take a look at:
Five Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids
Five Christmas Gift Ideas for Dads
Labels: christmas gifts, construction models, e-books, model railway, toys
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November 28th, 2011
What does the future hold for technology?
The development saw the team of researchers use a modified home printer to create flexible electronics from graphene – a form of carbon which is known for its strength and conductivity. According to the report on the Daily Mail, a sheet of graphene as thick as cling-film is strong enough to support the weight of an elephant.
The research into this substance and its potential uses saw it used as the basis for an experiment into flexible electronics. The researchers used graphene based ink to produce thin electrical circuits – using graphite to produce the important substance.
Printed Electronics
Flexible or printed electronics are not a new invention and have actually been in production for some time. However, previous problems over their creation were caused when the nanoparticle inks which they used were found to oxidise over a couple of years.
This is not a problem which is associated with graphene, with the substance being found to be more reliable, conductive and staple than the previous materials.
The production of graphene on a mass scale is also said to not need multi-million pound equipment, thus making it more economically viable as well.
Advances in Technology
Of course, this is not the only advance in technology which has been noted recently. The development of jelly batteries – which have a more fluid than solid construction – has been noted alongside developments in energy efficiency thanks to products such as Smart Windows (click here for more information), demonstrating how the technological world is undergoing a number of changes.
Travel has continued to be a particularly active area for developments, with new technologies being developed for both commercial and innovative uses. The news of the opening of the first hydrogen filling station in the UK spelt good news for both the automotive industry and the environment, whilst ecological benefits were also found in the futuristic travel pods used in Heathrow airport (read more on this here).
Even flying carpets have become a more viable reality as a graduate student created an operational miniature version of this type of device.
Read ‘The Future of Transport: Could Flying Carpets Become a Reality’ for more information.
What are your thoughts on the current developments in technology? How could flexible electronics affect us and what other advances do you think are likely to occur?
Labels: electric components, electronics, home, home office, office, printer, technology
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November 15th, 2011
Who's teaching who? Does your child know more about computers and technology than you?
According to research by AVG, 11 year old children use the same skills as adults when engaging in online activity.
The research found that British children spent the majority of their online time spent on social networking sites or connecting other devices, such as mobile phones, to their computer. Online gaming was another popular activity for this age group, with this platform of gaming becoming increasingly more popular.
According to the research, this activity means that children are being plunged into social situations which require adult skills of reasoning. This means that parents are being urged to ensure that adequate safety measures are being taken to ensure their children remain safe online.
Adults Vs Kids
The research also showed that some adults feel that their children are more informed than they are when it comes to computers and the internet. The prevalence of this sort of technology means that children are becoming exposed to it from much younger ages, when they are able to learn things faster. This could potentially lead to them to being exposed to certain social situations online that they do not have the maturity to handle.
Internet Protection
This research has, therefore, meant that parents are being urged to ensure adequate safety measures are taken. This means that internet security software and other products are being recommended whilst schemes which provide advice on how to stay safe online are being launched by companies such as Google.
Computer Advancements
Of course, the use of the internet and computers by children merely represents the way in which these fantastic pieces of technology have transformed our lives. A number of everyday tasks are now much easier to complete thanks to these innovative inventions, whilst entertainment services, such as games, have become much more enhanced.
This is due mainly to the gaming and computer accessories which are available nowadays; with the Pro Flight Yoke System being just one example (read more on this product here). These attachments provide individuals with a gaming experience of a much higher quality and represent the numerous ways in which computer technology could be advanced.
What are your thoughts on computers and the internet? How have they affected your life? Are your children better at using these services than you are? Do you worry about their safety online?
Read More on Computer Technology
Sony Launches Their First Android Tablets
Amazon “Fires” Up Tablet Market With New Release
Smartphone Vs Tablet: The Battle Begins With Samsung
Labels: broadband, children, computer, flight simulator, games, gaming, gaming accessories, home computer, home office, internet, laptop, pro flight yoke system, tablet, technology
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September 29th, 2011
The New Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7
The long awaited “Kindle Fire”, Amazon’s own Tablet device, has been unveiled and is set to pose a potential threat to the current Tablet king: the Apple iPad.
With a seven inch screen and free data storage over the internet, the Kindle Fire is set to be a decent and reliable Tablet which is expected to tap into the market as an ‘affordable’ model. Shipments of the product will begin in November, meaning that Amazon could possibly cash in on the seasonal market.
The tablet market has continued to be a hive of activity with a number of new devices being launched. Samsung released their Galaxy 7.7 Tablet alongside a new Smartphone, the Galaxy Note, which many found to be more of a Smartphone-Tablet hybrid than anything else. Elsewhere, Sony launched their first Android Tablets, joining the market. Manufacturers have continued to release new Tablets and Smartphones in preparation for the Christmas season, meaning that there is an extensive amount of choice for this year’s seasonal shoppers.
Read More on Tablets and Smartphones
Smartphone Vs Tablet: The Battle Begins With Samsung
Sony Launches Their First Android Tablets
iPad HD Set To Be The Next Big Thing From Apple?
Increase in Smartphone Market
The Kindle Fire
The Kindle Fire will be priced at less than half the cost of an iPad in an attempt to make it popular with consumers who may be facing financial difficulties. Amazon hopes that the device will help people connect with their content and other services, helping to boost their trade exponentially.
The Tablet will also be linked with Amazon’s EC2 cloud computing service, something which will not be available on rival tablets.
This release is expected to spark a war between Tablet manufacturers in advance of the Christmas period. With a number of different models and varieties available it only seems logical that a price war will be launched in order to attempt to achieve market dominance.
The Kindle Fire was unveiled alongside a number of other devices, including low priced basic Kindle readers, meaning that there will be even more choice for consumers this winter.
What are your thoughts on Tablets? What do you think of Amazon’s new product and do you expect it to prove popular over the winter?
Labels: BlackBerry Playbook, computer, consumer technology news, home, home office solutions, iPad, ipad chargers, iPad HD, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy, Sony tablets, tech, tech news, technology, technology news updates
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September 12th, 2011
Researchers at Leeds University may have developed a new source for cheaper batteries for devices such as laptops, using jelly! But what are ‘jelly’ batteries and are they likely to be the future for laptop technology?
The researchers at Leeds University have suggested that the ‘jelly,’ which is a type of polymer gel could be used to replace liquid electrolytes which are currently used in lithium cells. Lithium batteries are potentially the most commonly used form of rechargeable battery used in electronic devices such as cameras, laptops and even MP3 player devices.
Professor Ian Ward, who headed the project, explained that the polymer gel “contains about seventy per cent liquid electrolyte” despite looking fairly solid. It stated that the polymer gel operates under the same principles as ‘jelly’, whereby water and a gelatinous substance are mixed in order to create “a solid but flexible mass”.
The flexibility of this mass is one of the key features of the University’s revolutionary battery idea. By providing batteries in a more fluid format it is hoped that they will be able to fit into almost any shape or size, making them much more versatile than conventional batteries.
Alongside these benefits the new technology is also said to be safer to use, cheaper and lighter. Whilst lithium batteries remain firm favourites with a number of electronic devices they are not without faults or potential hazards. The new ‘jelly’ batteries hope to end this be “sealing the electrodes together so there is no excess flammable solvent”, thus reducing the risks.
Manufacturing the cells is said to be easy, fast and cheap – meaning that ‘jelly’ batteries could soon be a common sight within the technological world. In fact, the American Polyster Energy Corporation has already begun conducting trials using the cells in portable devices.
What are your thoughts of the new ‘jelly’ batteries? Do you think they are likely to replace the existing lithium batteries? Or can you foresee problems with the technology?
Labels: battery, computer, digital camera, digital cameras, laptop gadgets, laptops, mobile, mobile phones, tablets, tech, tech news updates, technology, technology news updates, technology updates
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September 2nd, 2011
Smartphones and Tablets are perhaps the two most popular and commonly used computerised gadgets in circulation at the moment. And, as Samsung release new additions for both markets, it seems that a war is about to waged over which device will gain supremacy.
The New Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7
The new releases, both of which are for the Samsung Galaxy family, were introduced at the Berlin IFA Trade Show earlier this week. The Android based devices are intended to provide enhanced features that will offer users greater choice.
The two devices, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 and the Galaxy Note, were recently unveiled in Berlin – although no carriers or prices have been announced for either of the devices.
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 features an impressively thin design at a mere 0.31 millimetres thick. Utilising the Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system, along with a 1.4GHz dual core processor, the Tablet is likely to pack a decent punch when it comes to the world of computerised gadgets.
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 will also have the added features of a 3 megapixel rear camera, a 2 megapixel front facing camera, an SD card slot and is also said to have sufficient battery longevity for up to 10 hours of playback.
The Galaxy Note is Samsung’s latest Smartphone, which in fact seems like more of a Tablet-Smartphone hybrid. The device has an extensive 5.3 inch screen and runs the ever popular Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. With an 8 megapixel rear facing camera capable of HD video and a 2 megapixel front facing camera, the device certainly offers an abundance of features.
At just 0.37 inches thick, the Galaxy Note is marginally thicker than the new Tablet addition but manages to begin to compete with the Tablet market due to its large screen and impressive specification.
The boundaries between the Smartphone and the Tablet have been become increasingly blurred over recent years with a number of models being released that seem to incorporate elements of each.
What are your opinions on Smartphones and Tablets? Do you think that the two devices will eventually merge into one ‘super’ device? Or will they always remain separate?
Labels: computer, tablets, tech news, tech news updates, technology news, technology news updates, technology updates
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September 1st, 2011
The world of computing has slowly been developing as an increasing number of tablets hit the market, aiming to revolutionise the computing experience. Now, Sony have joined the competition by launching their first tablets using the Android operating system. So, what do they offer to an already competitive market?
The S and P models offered by Sony are going to be the first Android tablets to be manufactured by this technological giant. The two models will feature very different aesthetic designs with the S model featuring a tapered, slim design and a 9.4” screen. In contrast, the P model displays a clamshell design which features two smaller screens.
Sony claims that their new devices will offer the best value on the tablet market, with a whole range of new features characterising these releases. For the S model, the main attractions are the built-in infra red remote and the ability to play media stored on the device through an available device.
This means that the tablet will be capable of controlling TVs and HiFis (even those not made by Sony) and will be able to transfer video and music files stored on the device to the respective devices, allowing direct digital playing.
The S model is expected to hit the market as early as September, with the P model not being intended for release until November. The two models are intended to revolutionise the way in which previous Android tablets have been made, with Sony focusing intently on the hardware of the model rather than simply attempting to mimic other tablets.
In terms of physical weight and appearance, the S model weighs 598g whilst the P model will weigh just 372g. The specifications of the models will offer a wide range of features, with both including USB and SD card slots for ultimate connectivity and file sharing. With both front and rear facing cameras, as well as WiFi and 3G mobile internet, these tablets appear to be promising pieces of technological kit.
Lastly, the storage and battery life of the models are said to be fairly standard for a tablet. The S model will be available with either 16 or 32GB of storage whilst the P model will feature a smaller capacity of 4GB. The battery life is said to be fairly consistent between the two models however, with the former claiming to have up to eight hours life, and the latter seven hours.
What are your thoughts on these new intended releases by Sony? Do you think they are likely to become a popular tablet or do you think other devices on the market have better features?
Labels: best laptop, computer, consumer technology news, devices, laptop accessories, laptop gadgets, laptops, sony, Sony tablets, tablets, tech, technology, technology news updates, technology updates
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August 26th, 2011
All of us use gadgets and pieces of technological equipment on a regular basis, whether they are mobile phone devices or other pieces of top tech kit. However, few of us think of investing in great household gadgets that help make our everyday lives easier, so what sorts of items are available?
Household gadgets come in all shapes and sizes and there are a number of different items that you can utilise within your home. These can range from lamps and lighting fixtures to ceiling fans and climate control systems.
Lamps and Lighting
There is a vast range of lamp and lighting fixtures available to suit every household. The most important thing to consider when selecting a new lighting gadget for your house is the size of the space where it will be placed.
You also need to decide what strength and intensity of light you need for the area, and shop accordingly. Look for interestingly shaped and designed fixtures if you are after something a little different.
Touch lamps are always a novel gadget and can perform a great practical function if lights need to be used during the evening.
Remember that there is also a large range of lamp holders as well, so make sure you consider these if updating any lights in your home, or even on your car!
Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are commonly sold as fan lights and offer a great feature to any home. Providing the ability to cool the room as well as being a light source, ceiling fans are a great addition.
Of course, if you are too exhausted to keep reaching for that pesky fan and light switch, then why not think about a remote control for ceiling fans? These are a truly great gadget that can help make staying cool in your home far more relaxing.
Climate Control
Climate control improves on the idea of ceiling fans by offering complete control over the temperature of your home. This can be achieved through ventilation, heating or purification systems and there are a vast number available for you to choose from.
For information on climate control systems, click here.
What gadgets do you use to improve your home? How do you personalise your interior space and what pieces of technology couldn’t you survive without?
Labels: ceiling fans, climate control, home, home and garden, home decoration, home improvements, home interior, lamp holder, lamps, lighting, lights
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