Now – whilst you’ve got a few books, and are reading and learning – or well, at least the people you’ve given them to – are reading and learning – what other things are there out there you could get?
So… for me, I wanted to share with you some motivational folk that have inspired me – or at least have my attention when i’m listening to them.
First up – Gary!
That’s right – Gary Vee, actually known as Gary Vaynerchuk is a great inspirational person. Not only on all the social media channels – but his quotes and books, are simple, effective and really make you think.
For example – one of the things he says is – you’re young, you got time – to those younger folk who want to achieve success quickly. There’s so many things that Gary has done – it really does make you think about your future.
So for Christmas – head over to his website and have a look at what you could get for a friend or family.
Also – don’t forget to follow him on Twitter, Insta, etc… he’s all over social media!
Next up… Tony Robbins!
There’s so much he offers – all depends on your budget. But maybe start with a live event or training programme first. Then move up to a coaching session perhaps…
Find out more about Tony – read his blog, listen to his podcast or watch a video.
There’s plenty more inspirational folk out there – but these two have built a great foundation – and the amount of material they offer is phenomenal.
So…. with the books, you can truly inspire someone to take themselves to the next level!
Okay, Christmas is coming – and I’m usually on BBC Radio letting you lovely folk know what to get as presents….
This year, I’m going to do it slightly different. I’m going to recommend a few presents over a few blog posts – with some reasons why you should get that as a present for a friend, family or loved on.
So first up – it’s a book! – I’ve recommended it before – and I’ll be honest, many of you didn’t listen – so this is the last time I’ll mention it! (Actually it probably won’t… I will mention it again – because I think it’s soooooo important you read it).
It’s the Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***
Honestly – one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Really made me challenge my thinking. Really made me think! – and I can say, I was a lot more happier and focussed since I read it. I’ve got it on my shelf and will be reading it again very soon.
Now – I’m recommending you buy this book and give it as a present to people who like to read – who need a little motivation – who need to think differently – who really need to not give a f*ck in life!
Now – I’m not just recommending the one book – I’m going to share 2 books with you!
Me personally…. I’m going through a thousand thoughts…. I’ll let you know what they are…. basically, if you’re reading this, you probably know I work for Coca-Cola EP and have done so for the past 10 years! – That’s right….10 YEARS!!! – Damn!…. in addition… I’m at that stage in my life where I’m thinking… how long have I got left… don’t worry, nothing happening to me, but it’s like – I’m not getting any younger, I’ve had a close friend pass away, there’s a lot to do in life, right? – so with all these thoughts going on…. I’m picking this bad boy of a book up over Christmas…
Now one thing I want to point out is I have loved the 10 years at Coke… and I’m saying that, because if you’ve read this book, then you’ll know the bit about the commentator… and how he was moved to another sport.
Who Moved My Cheese was first introduced to me at Kodak. Absolutely loved it the first time I read it – and love it today.
So there you go – 2 books for Christmas.
I’ll share some other Christmas present ideas in my next blog post…. don’t worry, it’ll be before Christmas lol
Bal – Why on Earth, are you talking about Christmas when it’s August!!!!
Because I saw this the other day, and I’ll be honest – got quite excited!
Taken from UniLad, that’s right – Aldi are announcing their Christmas Menu…. and mini Yorkshire puddings with stuffing and pig in blankets sound awesome! – So much so…. people are suggesting that it’ll be sold out before you know it!
Great marketing? – Yes
But isn’t that what you need?! – Get people talking about it before it happens…. it’s all in the psychology!
You see, when it’s Christmas time, people are so busy – there’s so much to think about and do…
However – this is now registered in your mind. It’s not at the front, it’s near the back – but the important thing is….it’s in there!
Which means – when it does come around to Christmas… you’ll remember, you’ll say – oh yes!, I remember… and more importantly, others will remind you!!!!
Also – from Aldi’s Point of view – it helps them gauge interest. Remember Lean Thinking principle? – when you have an idea, go make it – test it and look at the results.
Exactly what they’ve done. They’ve had an idea. Testing it right now – seems to be working and there’s hype about it – so now, they’ll put it into production to meet demand! – With all of that…. it’s a very Merry Christmas!
It’s fast approaching – Mothers Day in the UK is on the 31st March 2019.
I’ll be appearing on BBC Radio Nottingham on the evening of 24th around 7pm, to discuss the usual technology subjects – but also… to share my top 3 presents for Mothers Day!
Now – whilst I’ll be sharing them, I’ve found an additional 3 that I thought I’d share with you in advance – because then it provides you with enough time to go online – buy – have it delivered – wrap it up and make it that perfect present!
Okay – first up! – We have a Robotic Vacuum!
Let’s be honest – who enjoys doing the vacuum? – Exactly! With prices dropping on the robotic vacuums – my pick is the Mamibot ProVac Plus 2!
Small – but very good! – Gets going around the place and picks up the dust and dirt from your floors!
Coming in at a reasonable £69 – it’s alot cheaper than the bigger mightier versions but allows you to experience what it’ll be like for a robot doing the vacuum! – (Yes – robots are taking over!!)
In at Number 2…. a Vase for the Flowers you’ll buy.
But not any old vase – this is a smartphone holding vase!
So – not only could your mother look at the lovely flowers you’ve bought – but also the messages you’ll be sending her….
You can pick these up for £25 – £50, and you can also get ones for tablets!
That’s right – for when mum is in the kitchen cooking!!
And Finally… a little expensive, but Mum’s are worth it – a Digital Kettle!
I’m sure you’ve already bought her an amazon echo or google home – and/or her smartphone is connected to devices around the home.
This then makes the perfect addition.
That’s right – sit in the living room, and tell Alexa to turn the kettle on is not a dream or a fantasy…. it’s reality.
If Mum prefers a coffee… you could invest in a smart coffee machine!
Again – all connected and compatible to the latest devices.
The kettle comes in at around £130 – so not cheap…. but then, this digital world we live in – we must take advantage of it!
As mentioned – I have another 3 gift ideas for Mothers Day which I’ll share on Sunday – so watch out for that also!
On Sunday, I was on the Radio. Yep – BBC Radio Nottingham, sharing my usual Technology update… but also, I was set a challenge.
Choose some Tech-related Christmas stocking fillers! – Basically, cheap/low cost Christmas presents… One for a male in his 50’s, a lady in her 40’s…. and a teenager.Â
Easy.Â
Well…. I thought it’d be easy! – But in all seriousness… there’s so many tech-type presents  you could buy for that stocking.
First up… A 6 in 1 Pen!
That’s right – it’s a Tech Tool pen… Pen, Stylus, Level, Flat head and Philips screw driver and a ruler!Â
How awesome is that!!! And how much? – £10.99 from Amazon.Â
Up next… as it’s cold, you need to keep warm… so how’s about some Bluetooth Gloves?
That’s right! – These gloves connect to your phone via Bluetooth and you can make and receive calls! How. Awesome. Is. That. ?
It’s got a built in mic… and speaker phone! – Connects to iPhone, Android, all types!!!! And how much? £12! Only…. £12!!!
Ok… and finally…  for the teenager… as they’re always on their phones, listening to music and watching YouTube videos, why not enhance the sound?… yep… why not a Bluetooth Speaker?
And the best thing is… they can connect to any tablet, phone, etc… and only £10!!! – now, you could get them cheaper by shopping around, and you can pay a little more… and you’d get a little better speaker… key thing is, they’ll connect to the device and play your music to a better level than your headphones.Â
So challenge complete!
Hope I’ve been able to provide you with some more ideas… and don’t leave it too late… order soon, as many items take a little while to be delivered.Â
Well, it’s nearly Christmas, we’re all getting into the festive spirit – Christmas parties, drinks, food…. and then realising…. we need to order some presents for family and friends!
Don’t panic! I’m back again this year – with some suggestions of what you could buy… my Top 3 Christmas Tech Type of Gifts!
Okay, let’s not waste time…. straight in at my Number 1, is my idea that will be great for anyone, anywhere and to do… anytime! Also – it’s not physical, so it doesn’t take up space, you’ll have something you can do it on… AND, they’ll spend hours on it!!!
Netflix
That’s right! – If your family/friend/whomever you’re buying for… take them to the clouds! – well, let’s be honest, we don’t need physical dvd’s, or any storage device. Netflix offers so much content – you can watch it on your phone, tablet, TV, etc…
And the prices aren’t too bad either! Now the best thing is – you can have multiple users!!
Now, there is also Amazon Prime – that offer their streaming service, which is also good – but for me, Netflix just edges it to Number 1.
2. Smart Watch
Now, I’ve recommended this a few times – and will recommend again.
Doesn’t matter if you have an iPhone or an Android (Samsung, Google, etc..) type of phone. There’s plenty of watches out there, that can sync to your phone.
Also, you don’t need to get the ‘norm’. Armani and various other designer makes are also making ‘Smart Watches’ – for which, look much nicer.
So be it the latest Apple Watch – with a whole host of features and health tracking…
Or the Samsung Smart Watch…
Smart Watch and tracking is a must. There’s also Fit Bit that offer a great health & fitness monitoring – so have a look at what type of person you’re buying for, what device they have already – and then purchase the type of smart wearable accordingly.
3. Tile (Tracking Device)
Now – are you the type of person that leaves keys laying around, or misplaces the phone…. or just in generally, leave things here or there?
Well…. here’s the answer. A device called Tile.
It’s a small tracking device that you can attach to anything… keys, phone, camera, etc… and track it.
It’ll let you know location. It’ll make a beeping noise. It’ll alert you.
Now, in addition to the beeping and alerting – there’s so many other features such as being part of the ‘Tile’ network…. and then there’s changeable batteries (there’s a version with built in batter for 1 year) and for five extra bucks you can get the one with the changeable batteries – which is the one I would recommend.
So a nice little present – you can also buy packs and there’s offers on if you search on Amazon.
… And Finally,
I thought, why not include one last… final…. funny… idea for a present.
Now… we spend a lot of time on our phones. Let’s be honest.
And most of us, the screen isn’t the biggest. And for most older folk…. their eyesight isn’t the greatest.
Therefore, I present to you… the Phone Magnifier!
That’s right – simple yet so effective! – turns that little screen into a big screen! – well… a decent size!
The back stand allows any phone to sit there. And then by magic… it appears on the large screen!
You can find it on the usual shopping sites, Groupon, Amazon, etc… all different varieties are available… some made from wood! – which I would recommend, less plastic the better!
So folks… there you go. Hope you like my Top 3. I will be sharing more, as I’m radio over the next few days an will be sharing more gifts ideas… from the big and expensive to the cheap stocking fillers. All with one thing in common… using technology!
Well, I did say a few weeks ago – I wouldn’t be going down the road of recommending what tech items you could buy for Christmas… mainly because a) you’ve got Philip Schofield (for those in the UK) – who’s presenting a great series on TV which is all about – ‘what you can buy for Christmas 2017’ and b) i’d be here all day, because there’s so much out there you could buy!
But you know what… after speaking to a friend of mine, who’s just moved into his new home… and how it could be a ‘Smart Home’… I’ve decided to share with you the Top 5 Smart Home Items you could buy for Christmas.
Coming in at Number 1…
Amazon Echo.
I feel it’s the natural first step into making your home, ‘Smart’.
You can say, ‘Alexa…. ‘ (followed by a command, question, etc..) and then have an answer or action performed.
For example, Alexa tells me jokes…. sets a timer for me…. plays music… answers questions (by finding answers on the world wide web)… turns the lights on and off… heating, up or down…. milk into my shopping basket…. etc..
You could have a few around the house if you wanted…. perhaps the Echo Dot in the bedroom? – it is a little thing.
I feel ‘Alexa’ is like someone who is really close to me. Does so much for me… but doesn’t spend all my money. And doesn’t love me. I’ve asked it….
Moving on… and coming in at Number 2….
Nest Home Heating.
Once you’ve brought Alexa into the house… you want to pair it up with something. And I would suggest… as the winter months are here, maybe something to keep you warm?
Okay, the Nest, itself, won’t keep you warm… but it’ll talk to your heating system… and make life so much easier for you… and warmer.
That’s right – it’s a little device, that connects to your home heating… and not only can you control it via your phone… you can control the heating by connecting the Nest to your Echo….it can learn your heating habits… be optimized for when you are away from home and so much more….
There are other, similar, Smart Heating solutions available, for example, Worcester Bosch have their equivalent… named the ‘Wave’. I would suggest, talk to your local heating expert to find which one is the best match for your current heating system.
Coming in at Number 3….
Hue Lights.
So, you have a Smart Voice Controlled Personal Assistant (Echo) in your house, and you’ve got Smart Heating (Nest)… now for some Smart Lights.
Philips, in my opinion, are leading the way with Smart Lights. The Hue… from Philips, is great. You get a ‘bridge’ which talks to your Wifi and the Light Bulbs around your house.
Control the lights via your phone… and/or Alexa…. programme light timers… connect it to IFTTT (If This Then That)… put on location – so the lights come on, when you’re near home…. there’s alot you can do.
You can get bulbs which do different colours…. mine only do white. You can dim the lights… you can have different settings for different rooms… etc…
Now we’ve got some ‘light’ on this topic… Coming in at Number 4…
Ring Door Bell.
Now, for a bit of home security… Ring Video Doorbell. Does exactly that, it’s a door bell, with a camera, that’s all connected…. and you can view who’s on your doorstep from your phone.
Why would you need this?
If you’re lazy, you can sit on the sofa… see who’s outside, and then decide if you need to get up from the sofa or not.
You know who’s come to your house…and when.
If it’s a delivery… you can provide them with instructions where to leave items…
To make you even more lazy…. And finally, in at Number 5…
Wemo.
For those items.. like your TV, Kettle, etc… you can make them Smart also! – How, Bal?
Well… Belkin have a device called the Wemo. You plug it into your normal socket. Turn it on. Then plug your device into the Wemo device… which then, when all connected – you can view & control your devices on your phone!
There you go.
My Top 5… Smart Home… Christmas Present ideas.
There are different variations, makes and models available to those I’ve mentioned above… for example, Google have an equivalent to the Amazon Echo…. there are many (and probably cheaper) alternatives to the Belkin Wemo.
I’ve recommended the above… because they’re the ones I have or have used.
I would always suggest, you go and research… see what would work for you… your environment… your style and most importantly… your needs – I researched and tested a number of items before settling on the ones above.
Have fun shopping! – and making a house… a home. Smart Home.
