Waterproof E-Readers: A Comparison

Waterproof E-Readers: A Comparison

Since the introduction of the 2nd Gen Kindle Oasis, all the major eBook suppliers are now offering fully waterproof e-readers. It was only a matter of time before e-readers made the technological H20 leap, following in the footsteps of the smartphone.

In some senses, the need for a waterproof e-reader is more useful than a phone. After all, reading or using betting apps at the beach or in the bath is a common occurrence and has often lead to the demise of many a device. Continue reading “Waterproof E-Readers: A Comparison” →

Worth the Wait: 2018 Mobile Phone Releases

Worth the Wait: 2018 Mobile Phone Releases

While a new mobile phone will most likely be at the top of many Christmas wish list’s this year, it might be worthwhile to wait a few more months to get your hands one of these new mobile devices releasing during 2018. While there probably aren’t many people super giddy to get their hands on the new Nokia 9, we suspect that there are many excited buyers for the new Samsung Galaxy S9, the Huawei P11, and the LG G7! Which will you choose? Continue reading “Worth the Wait: 2018 Mobile Phone Releases” →

Smartwatches

Have smartwatches really taken off

The Smartwatch – Still Hot Or Not?

We all know the smartwatch, that little piece of tech that people scrambled to get their hands on when it first hit the markets. No wrist was complete without it, and old style analogue watches receives sneers and smirks from those who were technologically advanced.

But how popular is it now? Has it really taken off or will it go the way that Google predicted most wearable tech will, which is by the wayside? Continue reading “Have smartwatches really taken off” →

Tech Trends Of The Future

Technology moves along at an astonishing rate. So fast, in fact, that it has become near impossible to predict what technology will be like in a few years, never mind a few decades.

Who, after all, could have predicted the ridiculous levels of mobile phone advancement today, back in the 80s, when mobile phones did not even exist? The very notion that mobile phones have come as far as they have, in a single lifetime, is outrageous. Continue reading “Tech Trends Of The Future” →

The History Of The Mobile Phones

Today, we take many of our luxuries for granted. Whether it’s our modern, home desktop computers or our smart cars, many of the technologies we have at present were once no more than the stuff of dreams to older generations. These technologies have become such an integral part of our lives that we sometimes completely forget that they all started somewhere, and few other devices have a history as rich as the mobile phone. Continue reading “The History Of The Mobile Phones” →

Apps Make Life Easy in the Kitchen

It’s never a good feeling when you are on dinner duty and you know the family are expecting little more than blackened lumps that may have once been food, and a whole lot of smoke. Thankfully, as with much of life, mobile tech has come to the rescue.

Think about it. Smartphones and tablets are small and easy enough to use in a space that can get as cluttered as a kitchen can. They are a great way of creating a link between the pantry and the butcher, grocer, or supermarket, and, if you are really careful, you won’t drop them into the batter to serve them up in a Victoria sponge at tea that afternoon. Continue reading “Apps Make Life Easy in the Kitchen” →

The Top Hacks Available For Android Devices

The Top Hacks Available For Android Devices

Hacking An Android

When you think of hacking, one of the first things that may come to mind is a seedy criminal sitting in a basement, writing lines of code on his computer as he attempts to break into a bank to steal money or steal personal information.

The truth of the matter, however, is that hacking can apply to modifying a device in a way that wasn’t thought of by the people that created the device. This can mean making your mobile phone more convenient, or give it more processing power. Continue reading “The Top Hacks Available For Android Devices” →

Should You Get The New iPhone 8 Or Is It Too Pricey

Should You Get The New iPhone 8 Or Is It Too Pricey

Is the New iPhone Too Much?

The new iPhone 8 has recently been released; queue the hype, the fanfare, the hoopla, the crushing disappointment? So maybe I am cheap, but $699 for a mobile phone…can it get a job too and pay my rent as I spent my last 2 months rent money on a phone?

So far the public’s response to the release has been lukewarm. Generally unimpressive with a few industry standard improvements thrown in to make it stand out.

Having a look at a few of these innovations highlighted at the launch, there are a few that we can review, to see if we should maybe stick to paying our rent.

The New Specs:

These are some of the new improved specs that were touched on at the Apple Launch in September 2017:

Design – the iPhone 8 design is seemingly very similar to its predecessors but with the added “bonus” of a glass back. So now both the front and back are glass, nice breakable glass. Although purported to be the toughest glass on a phone to date, this phone of glass does not inspire confidence.

The glass has been reported to help with grip when held, and quite scratch resistant. The handset size of the new iPhone 8 is marginally bigger than the iPhone 7 but the bevelling does not scream amazing fresh handset design.

Display – The screen size has not been changed at all from the iPhone 7. The resolution, contrast and brightness have also remained the same, so they’ll still be great for playing online casino NZ games, or enjoying any other multi-media tasks.

The one improvement added by Apple is the True Tone functionality, which basically adjusts the white balance to match the current environment and to be easier on the user’s eye.

Internal – Apples brand new addition is the A11 Bionic chip, and this is where they really shine- although itstill can be beaten by many other chips. The iPhone 8 has an enviable amount of power which can handle most tasks smoothly and most exciting…speedily!

This A11 bionic chip is the best feature and possibly one of only two reasons to get this phone. Another new feature is wireless charging, but do not expect the wireless charger plate to be included in the box? This is not really an interesting innovative feature as other brands like Samsung have had wireless charging for a few years.

Camera – The improvement to the camera on the iPhone 8 has brought it up to the mobile industry standard. And this would be the second reason for upgrading from an older model iPhone, just for the improved camera features. The camera is still 12 megapixels but apparently has had some improvements like a larger sensor and deeper pixels all assisted by that speedy A11 Bionic chip.

Final Thoughts on The iPhone8

Overall the iPhone 8 is not a bad phone at all, and the improvements Apple made have put it in line with other mobile phones currently in the mobile phone market. But is it worth a minimum price tag of $699, when it is only a marginal improvement from the iPhone7? No it is not, keep your old iPhone.

In closing, I would suggest paying your rent this month and keeping an eye on the prize…the iPhone X.

Some Of The Biggest Mobile Tech Flops In Recent Memory

Some Of The Biggest Mobile Tech Flops In Recent Memory

In today’s world, we have such a massive range of mobile devices to choose from that if we do encounter one that doesn’t seem up to standard, it doesn’t take much to quickly find another that can fill in where the other failed.

This is in part thanks to mass production and the popularity of mobile devices, but also because just about every electronics store in the world has its own range of devices on the market; in other words, there’s something for just about everyone.

Mobile devices have completely changed the world in ways that our ancestors could only read about in the most outlandish science fiction. Touch screens, global connectivity, the chance to enjoy games of every shape and size, and even being able to make use of online casinos that offer real money slots, mobiles can just about do it all.

It hasn’t always been this way, however, and over the years, there have been some devices that have truly and utterly flopped on the market. It may be because of design faults, terrible specs, or just because of the timing; but what all these devices have in common is that they were designed for the average use, but the average user found no practical use for them.

The Nokia N-Gage

For the better part of two decades, Nokia ruled the mobile market without equal. They created and distributed technology that gave birth to the modern smart phone we have today. Despite all their numerous success and creative ideas, there were some that just didn’t sit well with the end user.

One of these, and perhaps the most well known of all the flops is the Nokia N-Gage. Marketed as a mobile phone/gamepad combo, this device was supposed to allow its user to make phone calls, send texts, and also enjoy some classic gaming on the side.

What we actually got was a device that had one of the worst button layouts ever known, packed along with such terrible specs that most of the games that were designed for the N-Gage barely worked.

It didn’t last long on the market, and today remains as a reminder how even the best can make mistakes.

Garminfone

Often considered the worst mobile to ever enter the worldwide market, the Garminfone was actually quite a good idea on paper. Before we had Google Maps and other GPS tech on our smart phones, we had to rely on separate, dedicated GPS devices that could often be expensive.

Garminfone - Tech Flops

Garmin wanted to eliminate this need by sticking the two together, but the end result was an utter mess. The Garminfone had awful specs, one of the worst UIs ever conceived, and the GPS portion got a lot of people lost.

Nokia 7280

One of the great aspects of Nokia mobile phones was their creativity, but this also often led to a series of problems of its own. The 7280 was testament to this.

A small device with the potential capabilities of some of the best devices on the market, the biggest drawback of the 7280 was its rotary dialling mechanism.

Nokia 7280 - Tech Flops

This rotary dial wasn’t just for calling, but texting and using the menu. Needless to say, it was a nightmare to use, and fell into obscurity within months.

Notable Mentions – Tech Flops

The Nokia 5800 Express Music, the HTC ChaCha, and the Kyocera Echo.

These are just some of the most memorable flops in mobile history, and as smart phones become more standardised, it’s important to remember just how far we’ve come.

Mobile Tech Trends - online mobile technology

Notable Emerging Mobile Tech Trends

The rapid growth of mobile technology means that, year on year, smartphones and tablets diversify in terms of capability and functionality.

If the past two decades and newly emerging trends in tech are anything to go by, the future is going to be a very interesting place.

Find out about some of the trends that have begun to arise in mobile technology. We are sure you will agree that we are in for exciting times.

Connect Everything to the Internet

The so-called Internet of Things has led to the development of mobile apps for all sorts of, well, things.

With fridges, home security systems, garden irrigation systems, toasters, TVs, motor vehicles’ on-board computers, and all manner of other appliances and devices getting connected to the Internet, apps to access and control it all have become a necessity.

All indications are that this trend is set to continue.

Chatbots On the Rise

According to Fjord’s Trends Report for 2017, another emerging trend in mobile tech is that of more intelligent chatbots. What may be expected in the near future are bots able to identify emotion and context.

The report goes as far to predict that, within three years’ time, people will communicate with chatbots more than they will with their own partners.

Business Meets Augmented Reality

The unprecedented hit mobile game Pokémon GO! attracted the world’s attention to augmented reality. While many conversations about it at the time focussed on its online casino NZ and other gaming possibilities, the business world began to wake up to the potential of AR.

Another emerging mobile tech trend is that more and more businesses will begin to include AR in not only the apps and other services they offer customers, but within the day-to-day running of those businesses.

Architects, interior designers, and others could use AR mobile tech in a way that most now use computer-generated artist’s impressions. Other developers could use mobile AR tech to build digital models of their designs.

Services Based On Location

A significant emerging mobile technology trend is that of services and instant messaging that is based on users’ locations.

We already saw some businesses start driving this in 2016, when they began sending out adverts, information, and promotional material to customers based on their geographic location.

Such tech trends could pave the way to ever-greater customer engagement, whether those customers are at home or away and looking for no deposit casino bonuses.

mobile tech trends - mobile security trends

Mobile Meets Artificial Intelligence and Education

Believe it or not, artificial intelligence as well as educational services such as machine learning are also mobile tech trends that are emerging fast.

While e-commerce apps tend to be the ones behind the AI push, educational apps such as those that offer children mathematics exercises or language lessons have also added impetus to the trend.

The emerging trend has already led to significant developments in analytics, translation software, and other tools.

Mobile Security Trends

Mobile security is another emerging trend worth taking note of. As our lives have become more and more connected to our smartphones and tablets, so more and more of our personal and other details been become connected to them as well.

It is comforting to note that developers are considering various mobile security options, whether that be to improve hacking detection or to develop remote wipes that can remove user’s personal details from their devices remotely, if need be.