Tag: technology

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Smart Home

Smart Blinds…

I’ll be honest. I wasn’t expecting that much feedback on the ‘Smart Dining Table’! – it was phenomenal!!

“Bal – really? You don’t need a table to be smart. Just be practical!”

“How’s about not having devices on the table – as per the news headlines.”

But my favourite was from my old friend, Hugh… who said “Sensors to detect food and keep plates warm would be progress. However, the purpose of a dining table is to not only enjoy your food, but hopefully engage in conversation with good company. Rather than a wireless charger, perhaps a Faraday layer to block the use of phones?”

That is very true, Hugh. The purpose of the dining table is indeed, to enjoy your food – however, no issue with it being a little smart, right?

So, on Sunday morning – when I was up, I was kindly asked to open the blinds. With a slight roll of the eyes… I did as I was told. I opened the blinds.

Which then got me thinking… Why haven’t I got Smart Blinds?

Is there such a thing, Bal?

YES! – There is!! Ikea!!! They have introduced Smart Blinds… watch the video below… it explains it…

That’s right – you can pop down to your local Ikea. Not only pick up a hotdog… but either the Kadrilj or the Fyrtur Smart Blind!

How awesome is that! – Runs on batteries, connects to your Alexa or Google Home… and you’re up and running!

Now, I will talk more about how Ikea is becoming ‘Smart’ about their home offerings in another blog post.

Back to the blinds. So, this got me thinking… they got to be expensive, right? – Well… not really….

Now… the problem is… I’ve already got blinds fitted.

Do I have to really change all the blinds in the house?

Well.. the answer is No!

That’s right Ladies and Gentlemen… you can retro-fit a device that’ll make your current blinds… SMART!

I know right – I should become a Smart Home Expert!

Manually pulling that string to open or close your blinds will be a thing of the past….

You can buy a device… which has a battery (which lasts for 2 months, and can be charged for a short period of time – or you can leave the charger in – or you can use a solar panel to charge it)… it connects to your phone… it connects to your Alexa or Google Home… and will open and close your blinds for you!

How awesome is this! All the blinds in my home.. can now be Smart!

The only problem is…. some of these devices are new and expensive. The one in the above photo is £130 per device.. but you can buy 2 for £180 and there’s various other promotions on. The more you buy, the cheaper it is…

So there you go… Bal helping your home become smarter. Hugh, what do you think now hey?! 🙂

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Smart Dining Table

I was on a call the other day… with Bruno. We were talking, and I informed him, I’m recieving a new fridge soon – to which he replied, he’s getting a new dining table.

For some reason – my immediate question to him was – Is it Smart?

Now, firstly – does everything have to be Smart? – I think so!!

We’re in a connected world. And therefore, appliances and items around us – if they’re smart, help with the connectivity.

Habits are changing…

We are more on our devices. We are more involved and collaborative.

So how can a Dining Table, be Smart… Bal?!

Well… you’ve got your traditional table…..

You can get some in a funky design…

You can get some Clever/Smart ones… (by the way, when I asked about Smart – I was referring to Technology)…

With AR and VR… Mixed Reality… we can have sensors and projectors, tell us what to do and when….. especially, when it comes to cooking…

And let’s be honest – this is a great helping hand.

But I was thinking Smart in the sense – does the table have wireless chargers built in?

Does the table allow connectivity – in the form of sensors, detecting food is on the table, or have built in warmers – that keep the food/plate warm.

Yes you can get interactive ones… but personally, can’t see Bruno with one of these in his dining room…

So… thinking of getting something new? – See how Smart it is!

Even a dining table could be Smart!

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CES 2019

It happens every year. I reported on it last year. And I’ll share some of my highlights from this year.

Yep – it’s CES 2019!!!! – the biggest, baddest and (one of the) best Electronics show in the world.

Happens in January of every year and all the top electronic companies around the world come to Vegas to show off what they’ve been doing, what’s coming in the pipeline and what’s going to be the future!!

Ok.. let’s get started… for me, first up…. TV.

Well, when I say TV… I mean screens. Screen technology.

Panasonic turned up with a very good, 4K screen (in various sizes – going up to 65”). Then we had Sony… showing off their 8k screen. Samsung with their inter-connecting screens (basically, tiles you connect and it forms a large screen). But for me, it was LG. The rolling screen!

That’s right! – it’s a sound box, screen… everything in one! The screen roles out of the box! How brilliant is that.

I saw the rolling screen at LG a few years back, in their Innovation Lab. It’s great to see what they’ve done to it and how they’ve applied it.

Ok… up next…. Food related!

That’s right folks… 2019 is the year of ‘Bal’s Kitchen’. And what better way to ensure I’m sure the latest technology in my kitchen!

So we have… Pepper! – A connected food scale!!

It can be connected to Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant which claims to detect the nutritional value of every ingredient… how awesome is that?!

Now, this is very new… and they’ll be starting their crowdfunding campaign on kickstarter very soon….

Now there were lots of robotics… Samsung had an air purifier robot, there was a mouse robot for cats to play with, and much more.

Being an ‘electronics’ show… and we now have ‘electric’ cars… we have a number of manufactures showing of their latest offerings.

Ford, GM, Kia, Tesla and many more were there, showing off their latest and greatest vehicles. There was also Harley Davidson showing off their electric bikes…

The final item… for this blog post… and to share with you, that was on display at CES was from Lamborghini.

That’s right. The Italian car maker turned up, with a few cars.. but also this,

That’s right folks, it’s a chair. Not any old chair… one that will totally transform you as a person. Totally relax you… and let’s be honest, you wouldn’t expect anything less from these crazy Italians!

So I leave you with some highlights. Technology is great, isn’t it…. transforming how you watch your favorite shows, how you cook in the kitchen and how you sit down… or rather, what you sit down on.

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His Masters Voice has gone Digital…

Well, Firstly, Happy New Year! – Hope you had a fabulous break over the festive period and were able to do what you wanted to do! – I wanted to relax, spend time with family and eat lots. I did all three – so I’m happy!

Also – I’m hoping you were able to listen to my first podcast, which was titled as… My First Podcast. It’s available on all major platforms – you could open up your podcast app if you have an iOS device, search for Think Lean Get Digital – and my podcast will appear! You can do the same for Google, Spoitfy and many many more.

And on my second podcast coming next week – titled (for the moment) My Second Podcast, I’ll be talking a little more about skills and jobs. How they’re changing – but more so how you don’t have to go down the traditional route – which is usually, school – college – University – Job – work – retire.

And this leads to me how behaviors are changing. Shopping behaviors – but also, our general behaviors for example, how we listen to music.

That’s right – you may have seen or heard, HMV (His Masters Voice)…. is closing.

Why?… well, simple really. When was the last time you bought a CD? When was the last time you went on the high street to buy a DVD?

These habits are changing.

We stream our music. We have so many platforms to do it on. Even YouTube now have a music/stream app – where you can listen to music.

It effectively means – we don’t need to own music. We don’t need to have the space for it. We don’t need to own a physical copy.

Indeed – there’ll be some DJ’s, musicians, etc… experts in the field that will own, that will want the physical copy… and that is absolutely fine – as that is their ‘bread and butter’. But they’ll soon shift to the on-line streaming behaviors of the consumers. Similar to how photographers moved from 35mm film to Digital.

I’ll continue to share updates of the high street – and how digital, how technology and how thinking lean – is changing our environment. I’m sure we’ll have more and more well known names from the High Street disappear over 2019….

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My First Podcast!

That’s right folks – after talking about it (no pun intended) I have only gone and recorded myself talking and therefore created my first podcast!

It’s mainly about Robots, Workplace – how the skills we need will change for future needs and I interview Nico Orie – asking him about robots, millennials and the next Kodak.

I will get better at these – I’ll try to find some better intro music, and work on those sound levels!

Now, if you’re on apple – you can catch it via this link (or open the podcast app on your phone and search for ‘Think Lean Get Digital’) – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/think-lean-get-digital/id1447639190?mt=2&uo=4

If you are on an Android device, you can either use Google or Spotify – links below..

https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80NzZkMjFjL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz

And please… I appreciate feedback, so if there’s particular topics you’d like me to talk about, interview certain people… please let me know in the comments box below this blog.

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Podcast - Bal’s Tech Talk

Bal… I can’t hear you!

I’ve been doing this blog for a while. And whilst, it’s increased in number of readers and people stopping me, and saying how they enjoy reading… there’s been a few suggestions that I should start a podcast or record some videos and put them onto YouTube. 

So here you go… 

That’s right folks! – My new Podcast is coming soon – so soon, that it’ll be ready for you before the year end!!! 

Progress over Perfection. 

It’ll be a 30minute (ish) podcast – with me talking about tech (mainly my recent blog posts, latest tech news and other items I would like to share with you) AND…. I’ll have an interview aswell! – That’s right… an interview with someone important. Someone who knows a thing or two about technology, about digital, about… thinking lean! 

That’s the main structure of my podcast – me talking, a guest interview and… I feel it’s needs something else – so open for suggestions! Maybe my top 3 tech news items? Maybe my top 3 tech gadgets for the fortnight?

Frequency? – Yep… I don’t think I’ll have time to do it on a weekly basis – but will have something for evey two weeks. Fortnightly! 

What about the video’s Bal?

They’re coming soon! – I’ll be filming my first video in Berlin! – this week!! And should be available before Christmas also!! 


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Fax me the details

Now, many folk reading this blog post may not remember the old trusted Fax Machine.

Basically, you’d write something on a bit of paper. Feed it through the machine, dial a number and hey presto – the message would be printed onto paper on the other side.

It’s got a brilliant history…

Now – I was very very young when the fax machines were around – and being honest, never really got to use them. Therefore the process I mentioned above is what I think would’ve happened – any older or experienced folk – feel free to correct me.

The great thing is – technology has helped us to transmit messages so much more quickly, easily and being able to save a few trees!

That’s right – the trusted email was introduced to the masses – computers were more available and the fax machine was no longer.

Or was it….

Well, the Health Secretary in the UK has told the NHS – that they have to stop buying fax machines by March 31st 2020.

The Royal College of Surgeons estimated there’s about 8,000 fax machines being used in the NHS! 

I just can’t believe we’re using them! – let alone saying we’ve got to stop buying them!!

In this digital era we live in… there’s so many options… firstly, the trusted email…

There are so many ways to communicate… digitally! 

Yes, there’s Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, so many more… In fact, many are moving away from email and using collaboration tools such as Slack. 

In a way… I’m glad they’ve finally decided to stop buying them. Any guesses on how long before they’re using an online collboration tool? 

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Fold your phone away…

I used to have the Nokia mobile phones. Never ventured with other brands. But admittely I did like the Motorola Flip – a friend of mine used to have it, and I used to love, ‘flipping’ it close – when i’d finished a call.

What a classic. Available in different colours too….. 

How times have changes. Let’s be honest. It’s all got a bit boring…

Don’t get me wrong… I love my Apple iPhone. It’s lovely. But however, that novelty factor that we used to have of sliding, folding, etc… had all gone.

Sliding Bal? – you used to have a phone like that?

Yes – the banana phone, as it was known.

Anyway…. those times might be coming back… Samsung, leading the way.

They’ve designed and bought to life a foldable screen!

What Bal?! A screen that folds?!!!

Yes! Samsung have designed new screen materials, including a flexible OLED layer and backplane, that are then layered beneath an ultra thin polarizer, a new shock-absorbent film, and a more durable (and flexible) polymer cover window on top. And to hold everything together. Clever huh?

What does all this mean? – well…

It’s a phone that you can fold!! – How awesome is that?! I’d buy it just for the novelty factor.

Now… couple of things here, 1) Samsung are doing some great research and bringing to life some fantastic products… 2) We may get some exciting phones again… and 3) What does it mean for Apple?

Samsung haven’t revealed much else – in terms of pricing and availability.

What we do know it’ll be available somewhere in mid-2019. And it’ll be the most expensive phone available.

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Hi Sir, sorry i’m late… Sir?…Sir?….

I went to Coventry University. It was a lovely place…. we had the Planet, Mr.G’s and several other night life amenities. Oh, the actual university was good also!

Times are changing. Where we had actual lectures and real lecturers and professors- that’ll soon change.

How Bal? – you’ll still need people to teach.

Indeed you will. However, do they need to be real?

Imperial College, London – are introducing ‘hologram’ lecturers.

That is correct. Lecturers teaching, whom aren’t really there!

Using the latest technology – they’ll be able to have them presented in such a way, that it looks like a real person.

Yes – you could use a webex/telepresence – but that’s just on a flat screen.

This way – it’s more interactive. It’s more real. It’s more engaging.

So the lecturer will be in New York – but teaching a class in London – with a high definition monitor in front of them so they can see the class and make eye to eye contact.

Holograms have been used before – for elections – remember when the French presidential candidate did it? – he appeared in several cities, at the same time, addressing thousands of people in the crowd… at the same time… in real time!

This new technology is slightly cheaper – easier to move around and can be set up easier than those used a few years ago.

Only a matter of time when… when we’ll see more and more holograms… than real people. Thinking about it, with some of the ‘real people’ I have to deal with recently… it might not be that bad of an idea!

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Humans are best, at being human…

We talk a lot about robots. How they’re eventually going to take over… how they’re taking over some jobs now… how we need to work with robots…

Well… it’s true. Let’s be honest…. they’ve taken over the repetitive jobs, and soon they’ll be taking over your job.

Bal, do I need to find a new job? Should I be worried?

Yes and No.

Yes, find a new profession – look for a new skills, learn something different.

No, don’t be worried. Similar to previous times in history – Humans have been able to re-skill, look for new opportunities and adapt.

Bal, tell me the different times in history.

Okay… better explained with a picture…

As you can see – and I’ll go into detail in another blog post – but from every ‘Industry’ there’s been something new – and humans have been able to adapt.

Now whilst technology is key – and as you can see, Industry 4.0 – introduces ‘smart’ – smart factory, IoT, Big Data, etc… there will obviously be jobs that are no longer required to be done by humans.

So what do humans have, that’ll take a little more time for robots to master?

Emotions and Feelings.

That’s right – Humans are best, at being human.

We can react. We can cry. We can be emotional. We can sense….

You know all the emotions, right?… Well, in the 1970’s Paul Eckman described the six basic emotions.

  1. Happiness
  2. Sadness
  3. Digust
  4. Fear
  5. Surprise
  6. Anger

Now, since then – more have been added, like Contempt, Joy, etc…

Our ability to display these emotions is a phenomenal skill. Something, we humans, can do with ease.

So whilst technology is taking over… let’s not get too emotional about it.

Robots have a while before they can interpret feelings…. and display emotions. Because it’s not always black and white… 0 and 1.