All posts by Matt Porter

The Gadget Man – Episode 25 – Selfie Sticks

Another Selfie Stick assisted Selfy
Another Selfie Stick assisted Selfy

They’re all the rage at the moment and it looks like they could be the gadget gift choice for this Christmas….

 

Yes, I’m talking about the Selfie Stick, GoPole, Monopole or Monopod.

These are telescopic poles that allow for the fitting of a camera at the end. Some include inbuilt shutter buttons, others are sold separately.

Listen to the recording of the show to find out whether selfies can replace autographs.

 

The Gadget Man – Coming up after 11.40 this morning, we talk about the “Selfie Stick”

Later this morning I will be chatting to Mark Murphy at BBC Radio Suffolk about the Selfie Stick.

Is this going to be the gadget gift for Christmas 2014?

The Selfie Stick is a reasonably low cost gift to for anyone that loves taking photos of themselves. Always problematic when trying to cram everyone into the photo, the selfie stick extends your arm up to a metre allowing you to frame the photo more easily.

For under a tenner, shoppers can buy a selfie stick with integrated bluetooth remote shutter that works with both iPhones and Android devices. You can also remove the phone clamp from the top and attach your camera via standard screw mount. This is great for owners of GoPro cameras.

Tune in on air or online to hear all about my featured Christmas Gadget gift of the week. To listen online click here

Matt Porter taking a photo with a Selfie Stick
Matt Porter taking a photo with a Selfie Stick
Matt Porter in a traditional selfie
The traditional selfie remains just as popular, as demonstrated by Matt Porter

 

The Gadget Man – Are these really breached webcam and baby monitor’s or simply webcams that need a password?

There’s been lots in the news this morning about the the Russian website providing a directory of ‘open’ cameras on the web.

<< LISTEN HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

Samsung Galaxy S4 MiniTo be clear, this website is showing camera’s that DO NOT have any security applied to them. Lists of such camera’s have been widely available on the internet for a couple of years now. If you connect such a web based camera to the internet with no password, you are simply  producing a public web page that display video to the world.

I have looked myself and found that most of the cameras are set up to either monitor pets, property, businesses or in some cases children’s bedrooms. I suggest the monitoring of your childrens bedrooms should be taken very seriously indeed. If you are currently using a camera to monitor your child, you should ALWAYS ensure that there are very strong passwords applied to the camera (Strong passwords can be found here).

If you are in any doubt at all that your camera is not secure, switch it off and contact the supplier for information on how to do this.

As the site says, if you want to be removed from the site, just set your password!

I discuss this with Mark Murphy on BBC Radio Suffolk on 20th November 2014.

 

The Gadget Man – Episode 24 – Samsung Galaxy Note 4 from Three and Samsung Galaxy Alpha

Samsung Galaxy Alpha Black | 2GB Data, 600 Minutes
Samsung Galaxy Alpha

This week Mark and I chat about the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 from Three and also the Galaxy Alpha. There is so much to talk about with these devices, so full online reviews will be uploaded soon!!

Thanks to Jocelyn Medhurst at Cow PR for providing me with the Galaxy Note 4 and the Three sim to test it with!!

Thanks also to Laura Gale at Kazoo who provided the Galaxy Alpha as well as lots of other tech in the past!!

I took a selfie of myself and Mark, which is attached below, I think I can safely say that isn’t my best side!!

Mark Murphy and Matt Porter Wide Selfie
Mark Murphy and Matt Porter Wide Selfie

Coming up this morning on BBC Radio Suffolk

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Black | AYCE Data, AYCE Minutes
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Black

Matt’s live on air at 11.40 on Mark Murphy’s Show on BBC Radio Suffolk, where he will be chatting about the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and it’s little brother the Samsung Galaxy Alpha.

Listen Live here!!

The Note 4 was supplied by Three and included a 4g sim card, so we were able to test out their service too!

Tune in live or listen again on iPlayer or check back here later on today!!

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Samsung Galaxy Alpha
Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Samsung Galaxy Alpha

The Gadget Man – Episode 23 – BT Smart Home Cam 100

This week I chat about the BT Smart Home Cam 100 as nice wireless video camera capable of broadcasting at high definition (720p). It’s nice a simple to set up and you can view the footage using either Android, iPhone or via the web portal. Full review will be posted here soon, in the meantime listen to what I had to say about it.

Massive thanks to Laura from Kazoo for arranging the loan of the camera.

We also has a brief conversation about attaching camera’s to pets, below is the video I mentioned in the recording… Enjoy!

BMW i8 – I just stepped into the future

BMW i8
The BMW i8

BMW have just released a game changing sports car, a vehicle with the performance of a super car and the fuel consumption better than… well, anything on the market. Let me introduce you to the BMW i8. Continue reading BMW i8 – I just stepped into the future

The Gadget Man – Episode 22 – BMW i8

BMW i8 from Cooper BMW
BMW i8 from Cooper BMW

Completing our reviews of BMW electric vehicles (or EV’s), this week we talk about the BMW i8 Super car.

 

 

The i8 was one the most exciting vehicle I have been able to drive, and again; a BIG shout out to Matt Dawson at Cooper BMW Ipswich and Emily Adcock at Cooper BMW Norwich for providing the car for review. What an amazing opportunity, Matt went to a great deal of effort and Emily was amazing with her describing the car and demonstrating it’s features.

Full reviews of both the BMW i3 and BMW i8 are in the pipeline. For now, listen to myself and Mark Murphy chatting about the i8 on BBC Radio Suffolk this morning.

The interior of the BMW i8 is amazing in its own right
The interior of the BMW i8 is amazing in its own right
Matt Porter and Emily Adcock from Cooper BMW Norwich
Matt Porter and Emily Adcock from Cooper BMW Norwich

The Gadget Man – Episode 21 – BMW i3

BMW i3 front view
BMW i3 front view

Staying on the subject electric cars (or EV’s), this week we talk about the BMW i3, a supermini sized electric vehicle. I really enjoyed driving this vehicle and I am massively appreciative of the help I received in organising the use of the car from Matt Dawson at Cooper BMW Ipswich and Emily Adcock at Cooper BMW Norwich. Both dealerships went way beyond the call of duty to help us out.

Don’t forget to tune in next week as I also had a test drive in BMW’s i8, which was something to behold!!

BMW i3 Rear View
BMW i3 Rear View
Electric Charge Points at Waitrose in Ipswich
Electric Charge Points at Waitrose in Ipswich

Hello Zoe!! Breathe easy with the whisper quiet family sized electric vehicle from Renault

We were very lucky to have been given the opportunity to review the Renault Twizy, so upon arrival at Bristo’s Ipswich  we were really looking forward to trying out the full sized family friendly electric car from Renault. We are of course referring to the Zoe. Continue reading Hello Zoe!! Breathe easy with the whisper quiet family sized electric vehicle from Renault