Tag: technology

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The Cheaters Edition…

So, I was relaxing at home one evening… and watching a bit of TV (I know.. crazy right, how on Earth I get time to watch a bit of TV is beyond me!) but there I was, watching a bit of TV and an advert came on for Monopoly.. The Cheaters Edition!!

We’ve all been there…. at family get-togethers, Christmas, Events, etc…

… and there’s always one, (or two) who cheat! – So this, in my opinion, is a great idea!!! – The Cheaters Edition!

I’m so going to buy this!

But it really got me thinking – I remember, when I was a kid, there was one version of Monopoly.

Today, there’s a few…

And then.. there’s Digital versions – that’s right, you can download a version onto your phone/tablet. You can play it on the computer – you can play against friends… there’s so many options!

Then… there’s the collaboration with McDonalds!

Shows the diversity of the original game.

And that’s only a great thing.

This is exactly what should be happening. Looking at variation to appeal to new customers, crowds and consumers.

Looking at how to engage with different ages. Looking at how to attract more customers. Looking at how to grow the brand – moving it into digital.

If you own a business or work in a company, how are you ensuring you keep growing and keep attracting customers?

By the way… I wasn’t one of the ‘cheaters’ at the traditional Christmas Monopoly game in the Bansal household… honest. 🙂

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Weather Technology…

Who remembers when the weather was simple, and straight to the point? – you know what I mean… Michael Fish on the BBC using those magnetic symbols…

What a throwback! – love the shirt!!

You know where I’m going to go with this… that’s right, why haven’t I got a shirt like that!!

Ok… the magnetic symbols were replaced by TV screens. Why? – because it was easier, quicker and less work for Michael to do.

That’s right – the Screen Technology helped to quickly move around different regions of the country – zoom in and be more specific about weather. Remember the remote control they used to hold – where they’d press the button to move the screen to the next one! – fabulous times….

What technology did… and does today, is improve the process.

The process is – the weather person to share with us what the weather is going to be like. Is it going to rain. Will it be warm. How windy will it be…. etc…  Technology helps the whole process and experience.

With advancements in Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality – combine the two and we now have ‘Mixed Reality’ – there’s so much more you can do.

You can immerse yourself in the weather! – well… we’re getting there.

One weather channel used technology to share what the weather will be like.. but not only what it’d be like, but show what will be happening. In this case, it’s a hurricane. Lots of rain. Lots of wind.

Now we can imagine what it’d be like. But showing it – well, that’s a whole new experience.

Rather than me talking about here… here’s the weather video…

Remember… it’s about the process…. AND the Experience – make it memorable.

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Review of Apple’s Event… and the New iPhones

Yesterday… Apple had their Event. Their main conference.

Some brilliant new items were announced, along with the new operating system… iOS12. Did you follow it? – Have you watched it all? – if not… don’t worry, I’ll summarise it here for you.

1. New iWatch

That’s right – there’s a new iWatch.

Packed with many new features – like it detects when you fall over, and has much more going on the watch face – but the one feature that really stands out is that it’s got the ability to carry out an ECG! Detecting low and high heart rates, shows Apple is leading the way with wrist worn health care technology.

2. New iPhone XS

Let’s be honest, the iPhone X has been a major success. It’s features (face recognition and much more) has been well recieved by customers. And now… well, there’s been an upgrade! You can now have the iPhone XS.

In fact, you can have an XS or an XS Max! The Max has a bigger screen… bigger screen than what you’d look at on an iPhone 8 Plus!

We were expecting it… and oh boy, doesn’t it look impressive!!

And it’s packed with some brilliant features…

One of the main features which i’m personally looking forward to is the Dual Sim!- that’s right… the iPhones will be able to accommodate 2 sims!!

3. …and one more thing.

The iPhone XR!

That’s right… a ‘lesser version’ of the X. It’ll be available in several colours… and therefore, here’s the full iPhone line up…

iOS12 will also have some great features…grouping messages and notifications on the home screen…. and much more. So much, I’ll have to test it out, and share it with you in an up and coming blog post.

One thing I did like about the Apple Event, was that they announced it on Twitter… and if you ‘liked’ it… then they notified you when it started. Ensuring no-one missed it. Brilliant marketing. But then… wouldn’t expect anything less. It’s all about having the ability to Think Differently.

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WiFi Enabled Door…

Recently I was sent a brilliant video – of a chap who had some issues with his smart, voice enabled, home.

In case you haven’t seen it – here it is…

Now, the funny thing is – we’re heading in that direction.

Most of us have the Amazon Alexa in our homes, or the Google Home. Both of which carry out commands when we talk to them – and if you don’t have either of them, then I think it’s time you looked at investing in one.

More and more items are becoming ‘connected’ and more and more, we’ll be doing by just talking. Because it’s the easiest thing to do.

To tell someone… or in this case, something… to do something… it easy. Why have to lift the arm, raise the finger and exert that pressure to turn the light off switch off.

Yes – we are becoming more lazy – but you can’t blame it all on technology.

The part of the video that is brilliant, is when he’s trying to get into his house. The voice command doesn’t understand him.

So the door must be connected to the WiFi – and voice controlled. I know I’m beginning to analyse this – but the door should have some feature to open it via an app.

Now this has got me thinking – why aren’t our doors and windows wifi-enabled? When can we have the Next Generation of doors?

Why would you want to have a wifi enabled door? – why not just the lock?

Great point – and yes! – there are wifi (& bluetooth) enabled smart locks you can purchase to attach onto your front door. However there are limitations on what type of doors they’ll work on – maybe I’ll share more on my ‘What Tech items to buy for Christmas’ blog.

But you can see where all this is going… not only plugged in devices –  will be connected to your wifi… but doors, windows (anything… you can power via a battery)…. the possibilities are endless.

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Toyota & Uber… Could be quite Super!

Yesterday, it was announced that Toyota would invest $500m into Uber.

Was does this mean?

Well, firstly… It means, Uber is now estimated to be worth around $72bn. Quite a jump from the recent valuation of $62bn.

Secondly, It means… Toyota are certain this is the future because they also invested $1bn in Grab (Uber equivalent/competitor/rival in South Asia).

Thirdly, It means.. self-driving cars will be on your roads sooner than we think.

Yes there have been problems, especially when one of Uber’s self-driving SUV’s killed a pedestrian in Arizona, USA. You could call that a big problem.

Uber have been investing… but, being honest, it’s been a struggle for them. Expensive lawsuits… the fatal accident… etc… and sometimes, what you need is, someone to come along – to confirm what you’re doing is right… to ensure you keep going… keep experimenting.

Toyota is doing that. They know that car ownership will be a thing of the past. We can see trends of that in certain cities… where it’s easier, cheaper and quicker to use the train/underground/subway… or even a bike. Why own a car? – there’s so much expense that goes with it… the insurance, road tax, MOT, etc…

It’s very much similar to the ‘Estate Agent’ industry. They’re going through a massive shake-up. Country-wide, who own 50 Estate Agent brands and employ over 8,000 people, have about £200m debt and yesterday had to raise £140m ’emergency funds’ – which they did, with the help of their board.

Go back 3 years… and look how their share price has tumbled….

Why? well… On-line estate agencies have become more popular and more and more people are using them. They’re less and less going to the high street. Countrywide own all the high street estate agents.

Technology is enabling customers to do things quicker and easier.

Toyota know this. They know self-driving technology will, one day, be the norm. We’ll have self-driving cars. There’ll be phases of it… as the technology gets better and better. People won’t want to own cars. They’ll just summon a vehicle to them… use it to get from Point A to Point B.

We kind of do that with taxi’s, right? Summon them to pick us up from Point A and take us to Point B.

Uber made it easier via an App.

Toyota know a thing or two about cars.

Combine the two together…

It’s all about collaboration.

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Children Technology

Carnivorous Garden

It’s truly amazing what is available these days for children.

For example, did you know that there’s an adult controlled and persmissioned based messenger app that’s designed for children?

That’s right- Monster Messenger is an app, that can be downloaded onto tablets and mobile phones, and be used by children – but don’t worry – it’s all permissioned based and they can only talk/call/video people that the parents have approved.

I personally think it’s great. I wouldn’t want them using Whatsapp or another messenger type where they have full control and could be talking to anyone, anywhere… at least this way, it’s controlled. Only those who the parents have granted permission to can they talk to.

And it’s not only in technology. I’m sure those with children would have noticed that there’s so much available to buy that’s orientated for children. Items that help them learn, grow and become more confident individuals.

We also came across small gardens. These days we spend a lot of time telling children to get out, go play in the garden or down the local park… and it’s always a bit difficult when there’s a large TV inside or there’s various gadgets including tablets or phones where they’re connected – I know, i’ve spent half this blog talking about how great a particular messenger is!

But getting them out, and in touch with nature is important.

Today, we came across small gardens. It’s basically a kit, that has everything inside it… like seeds, soil, etc… and what you do is grow your own mini garden!

That’s right! – you get you grow all sorts in your garden. It’s small. It’s for children. But the great thing is, it’s encompasses the same principles that you’d need if you had an actual garden of your own.

You need to water it. You need to attend to it. You need to do, everything you’d do, if you had an actual garden. Now… the good thing here is, that if the child does attend to it and does everything, the results are there. Something will grow.

And it’s these life principles that are important – because in life, you need to work at something and make it grow. Education is essential… they’re the seeds of information, of knowledge… that you plant.. and they will grow – which will help you later in life.

So having the best of both worlds in this blog.. something technology related for the children… and something outdoors related for the children.

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Bal, what TV should I buy?

I’m often asked… and rightly so, as I’m a bit of a tech person… what TV should I get Bal?

That’s a great question.

My answer used to be, how big is your room… now it’s more like, what is it you want to watch?

Our behaviours are changing… due to technology! –  We’re watching less TV… you probably knew that, right? – we’re watching more YouTube on our tablets, catching up on episodes via our phones and the short video clips via social media channels such as Facebook.

So, what you’re saying is… I don’t need a new TV Bal?

Well… depends how old your current one is… but ignoring that fact, and based on you asking me… I’m going to say Yes. Yes you do. Yes you do need a new TV.

Why?

Well… whilst it’s great watching clips and short videos on your phone or tablet…. Isn’t it great to watch a film every now and again on a larger screen? What about some sports…. maybe a game of football in 4K? If you have sky sports… you could go multi-screen! Flick between matches and games on the same channel!

Now…. Back to your original question… which TV should I get.

Simple.

Smart. 4K. TV. That’s all you really need. Size of the TV depends on how big your room is.

Now, whilst I won’t go into specific makes and models… because you get what you pay for. If you want more than the standard 2 HDMI ports…. You’ll have to pay more. If you want something with good quality sound… then you’ll have to pay more.

You want it to be SMART – so it connects to your Internet, and you can watch films via your Netflix or other such account… and there’s so much more you can do (you can still watch those YouTube videos without straining your neck at a 45degree angle downwards.

4K – so the quality is there. There is truly a huge difference between HD and 4K.

Now, this is relevant for today.

I’ve seen 8K and was blown away.

But you don’t need anything like that for the moment.

You can pick up a half decent Smart 4K TV 49” for around the £350 mark.

Yes there’s deals and offers – and you can find them cheaper (you can also find them more expensive) – but that’s the approx. price you should be looking at to pay.

You can go fancy, and get a curved one. Is it worth it – the jury’s out on that one.

You could improve sound by getting a sound bar. I would recommend this. Most new TV’s have an optical port – for you to plug your soundbar into. Fast becoming a home cinema.

So… whilst I was unable to answer your original question of what TV… I hope I’ve provided some guidance… to what… and to how much….

I once bought one of my TV’s when I was shopping at Tesco…. no joke! – I went in to buy some Milk and cookies (essentials for bedtime)… and I saw a TV, at a great price. So, like any normal person, I put my basket down, opened Google… did a quick search on the internet for the best price for that TV… had a quick look at the reviews…. everything seemed fairly positive.. for the price.. and this in-store price was alot cheaper than any on-line price, so I ditched the basket and picked myself a trolley and a TV.

There’s various sites such as – trustedreviews.com and expertreviews.co.uk –  that can show you pro’s and con’s of each latest TV and the Top 10 TV deals.

So, whilst we are watching less TV… it’s still a nice box in the corner… ok, not a box anymore… still a nice flat (or curved) display, in the corner (or on the wall) that will allow you and the family… friends… to come together and enjoy.

It’s not going anywhere fast…. Unlike computers…

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Look at the face…

As you know… I travel a lot. In fact, i’m flying out tomorrow, and next week to Berlin.

I remember once when I flew to Atlanta, and at the security immigration control – where they check passports -the officer looked familiar to me, and I thought to myself… was he the one who stamped my passport last time…

Anyhow, I got to the desk… he looks at me and says… “I recognize you…” – “Coca-Cola…right?” – I replied, “Yes, that’s right!… “. He’d recognised me from last time, because we had the conversation about Coca-Cola and how he enjoys it… and also, that i’m a Sikh, born and bred in the UK. He stamped my passport and on my way I went.

There’s Facial Recognition.

Who needs technology, right? 🙂

Well.. we do. We do to speed the process. We do, so we don’t rely on the security guy… or any guy.. or any person… to remember faces. Why not just use a computer?

Exactly…. Technology has evolved alot recently. To where some of our phones can recognize who we are and unlock it…

And so it was announced recently by Ticketmaster – that they’ll have camera’s located on the entrances for venues, so you’re recognized by the camera and automatically lets you in. You don’t need to scan your phone or have a ticket…. your face is your ticket.

Isn’t that great! – The possibilities of facial recognition for companies is ever evolving so they can learn more about their customer base.

If they’re male/female… happy/sad… etc…

And with this data… that’s right, data – you can do a number of things with it. You can react… you can analyse or you can share!

Knowing your customers is very important. You shouldn’t be asking me why.

So what does this mean for the future – well, the possibilities are endless.

I know there are some Audi showrooms that use this technology to recognize who you are… that is sent to an assistant’s ipad – who then pulls up your data, and before you reach the desk, they say…”Hello Mr Smith, welcome to Audi, are you here to service your Audi A4?”

Impressive? – all because of data. And Technology.

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Kicking the year off with CES 2018

What is CES Bal?

CES stands for the Consumer Electronics Show, and is held early January, every year…. where all the top folk who are interested in everything that is electronics (technology) related, gather for a few days…. oh… and, it’s usually held in Las Vegas.

Now, this year – is no different.

There’s various top speakers….

There’s various categories…. (for example, cars)

That’s right- anyone, anywhere, who’s doing something with regards to technology…. is there.

It’s great for people to share… collaborate and educate.

Now, as this goes on for a few days, and there’s all sorts of workshops, presentations, meetings, etc… taking place…. I’ve been doing my research, and found the top 3 items, what people are talking about (and the ones which have been winning awards!)

First up…. we have Sony, and their pet dog. Say ‘hello’ to Aibo, the pet robot dog…

Have a dog? Tired of washing it… picking up its poo….? Well, guess what… for a cool $1,800 you could have this robot dog.

Packed with various sensors on its back, chin, head, etc…. camera in it’s nose (to recognize family members) and OLED eyes…. it seems to be the perfect family pet to have! 2 hours of play… 3 hours of charge… and it even has a camera on it’s back to navigate it’s way to the charging station.

Oh, it’s also got 22 actuators… which means… it’s moving and shaking, in a very realistic manner – or at least, better than any previous models.

Sony are shipping this lovely creatures… can I call them that? – anyway, they’re being shipped with the price tag and a monthly subscription of $27. I personally don’t know the cost of owning a ‘real dog’, but… just the element of not having to pick up poo is warming to me….

Up next… Transportation… say hello to Bell Helicopter, the first flying taxi (in partnership with Uber).

That’s right – step into the first flying taxi.

Uber have been saying for a while – how they’ve been looking at Uber helicopters… Uber planes….. Uber Ice Cream vans…. (we’ll save that for another day). But it looks like their partnership with Bell is ringing in some alarming changes to the way we travel today.

Who needs roads anyway? So congested all the time! – forget that… hit me up to the skies. Bell, bought their cabin to the CES to show, the art of the possible and what they’ve been working on.

Matter of time these electronic helicopters will be cutting down our travel time….

Up next… we have The Wall! – no, not from that obstacle course show from TV… (Ninja Warrior)… but this is from Samsung.

A 146 inch… micro-LED modular built TV.

Built of lots of little micro-LED’s… allows Samsung to vary the size of the TV… So, throw out that little 32 inch you got in the corner of your living room, and start making space for The Wall!

No pricing yet from the fridge and washing machine manufacturer but we’ll soon be seeing these on the high street… or at least on their website, for on-line ordering.

There you go… my top 3 from the CES this year.

Usually, Vegas is sunny and lovely during Jan… I know, i’ve been… but this year, there’s been rain! – That’s right.. the Gods above us, have showered Vegas with some droplets… which have caused blackouts… parts of CES being closed, and therefore – people missing presentations and meetings.

It’s put a little ‘damper’ on the whole event… but with that out of the way, there’s plenty of great stuff going on… even having Alexa sing… ‘I can see clearly now… the rain has gone….’

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Children and Technology…

We take a number of ‘actions’ as normal, and assume (never assume…) that it’ll be housing the latest technology.

For example, we now expect all screens to be touchscreens. Be able to interact with them, pinch and zoom the content on the screen, etc…

Children, moreso… take this as the norm! They’re more ‘digital savvy’ than most folk… with the ability to swipe on a smart phone screen to unlock it from the age of 1, to when they’re putting their games and apps into their own folder a few years later, on your tablet.

The speed at which children can pick up and understand tech is becoming quicker and quicker… and this is down the simplicity. Technology is making everything easier to understand and explore.

Google, earlier on in the year were able to do a program around the UK, where they invited schools to participate in exploring cities around the World using Google Cardboard.

Imagine, seeing all the wonders of Rome… without actually being in Rome! – It’s a great start to exploring the city.

And so… there’s various other programmes that encourage children to get involved with technology. Apple were providing some free classes to teach children how to code in their stores. There’s a number of apps and programmes available that you can download… learn the basics and begin to code your own game.

Understanding how to code, why to code… and most importantly, what can be delivered by coding… is great learning. For the children, they can use their imagination to create the most wonderful games!

Back in my day… I used to be on my Raleigh Grifter – (for those who don’t know what one of those is… it’s like a BMX bike)…. and indoors, I used to enjoy playing with my Lego.

That’s right – constructing all sorts of buildings, objects and items from various pieces of Lego. As a company – they’re still going strong… and recently, I noticed, they’re embracing the whole ‘Kids in Technology’ scene.

Now, there you go… even your Lego builds are becoming ‘smart’.

Why just build? – go one step ahead… code and then play! That’s right, build something… maybe a robot? – then code it, using your parents tablet/smart device… and watch it do things you want it to do… and play with it.

Wonder if you could connect your Lego build… to your Echo… and then by using voice commands… have the build perform an action!

Because, as children learn coding, become more aware of technology and take, recent hand and motion gestures which we’ve become accustomed to over the past few years, as the norm… the world is fast changing… and if children can learn… by play… then that’s only a good thing!