Category Archives: Technology

New tech solution will address the ‘cocktail party problem’

March 25, 2022 Matt Porter Leave a comment

Leading listening tech provider, Nuance Hearing, has launched a state-of-the-art directional microphone to help address the ‘cocktail party problem’.
The ‘cocktail party problem’ – an inability to understand speech in a noisy environment – can affect up to 41 per cent of adults, according to research.
The Voice Selector Converse uses built-in microphones and an advanced algorithm to track the source of sounds, allowing the user to easily focus on a conversation and tune out background noise.
In tests, users were able to understand speech on average three times better than without the product.

Nuance Hearing - New tech solution will address the 'cocktail party problem' — Nuance Hearing – New tech solution will address the ‘cocktail party problem’

Nuance Hearing, a leading global provider of focused listening technology, has launched a new device that provides powerful relief from auditory distraction and background noise.

The Voice Selector Converse helps overcome challenging hearing situations for those who struggle with the ‘cocktail party problem’, offering a tech solution to understand conversations in a crowded room, without the need for hearing aids.

Using cutting-edge beamforming technology, eight built-in microphones track the source of sounds, reducing the level of background noise and enabling the user to focus on the dominant voice. The result is a world-leading directivity index (the relative reduction of overall noise in relation to the target sound) of 15dB in real-time performance, which compares to an industry-standard of 4-5dB. This improvement helps the listener to focus, effortlessly tuning out the sounds that do not matter and tuning into the ones that do.

In audiology testing, users were able to understand speech on average three times better than without the product.

Ori Goren, CEO of Nuance Hearing, said: “Since 2015, we have been delivering powerful and advanced hearing solutions that deliver optimum performance. We know that many people in the UK are suffering in silence, unable to feel comfortable or enjoy conversing in busy environments, and are proud to have launched an innovative tech solution to help combat this. Through innovative technological solutions, we are passionate about improving the quality of life for a diverse group of people, making every environment more accessible and helping ensure personal success and empowerment.”

New research* suggests that 41 percent of all UK adults admit to having the ‘cocktail party problem’ where they struggle to understand speech in a noisy environment. Over a third (36 percent) said noisy environments caused them stress and anxiety and 60 percent of those with hearing problems said they would be open to trying out tech to help them hear in a busy environment.

The Voice Selector Converse has unique auto-steering technology which picks up the dominant speaker, even when they are moving about. Alternatively, the user can manually switch between speakers when conversing a group.

It also captures, processes, and plays audio at a record speed of six milliseconds (0.006 seconds). It’s a multifunctional device and can be used as a table microphone or remote microphone – ideal for most scenarios where background noise can be an issue.

Hearing loss currently affects 12 million people in the UK. The World Health Organisation estimates that 1 in 5 people worldwide live with hearing loss, expected to rise to 1 in 4 by 2050. Unaddressed hearing loss can have a devastating impact on people’s ability to communicate, study and earn a living. It can also impact on people’s mental health and their ability to sustain relationships¹and has recently been associated with a faster degree of cognitive decline. On average, people wait ten years before getting help for hearing loss. The ‘cocktail party problem’ where people have difficulty understanding speech in noisy situations can often be the first sign of a hearing loss.

Franki Oliver, audiology specialist, RNID, said:“While it might not seem obvious at first, having difficulty understanding speech in background noise is usually one of the early signs of hearing loss. The ‘cocktail party problem’ is the name used to describe the brain’s inability to filter out background noise and tune into what someone is saying in a busy environment. Most people with hearing loss experience difficulty in these situations.

“It’s important to check your hearing if you start to notice difficulty in background noise, feel that people mumble, or you ask people to repeat themselves. It’s second nature for people to have their eyes checked regularly but we don’t have the same attitude towards getting our hearing checked yet. The sooner hearing loss is identified, the earlier someone can start benefiting from life-changing hearing devices. Hearing loss can also be linked to conditions such as dementia so early intervention is vital.”

Buyers Guide, Gift Guides, Technology

Top Gift Ideas For Tech Lovers During Any Occasion

January 26, 2022 Matt Porter Leave a comment

Gift-giving can often be a pain for many people. Trying to figure out what the recipient wants and will like can be difficult.

In many cases, you could be tempted to ask them what they want. That’ll ruin the surprise, however.

Knowing what they’re passionate about and focusing on that is better recommended. If you’re loved one is a tech lover, then finding a gift for them can be relatively easy.

You’ll have a wealth of options to choose from. Some can be better recommended than others, although you’ll be sure to find something they like.

Gift Ideas For Tech Lovers That They Should Love

Bluetooth Speakers

Who wouldn’t want a high-quality entertainment system in their home? While the television will naturally be the centre of this, there could be multiple other devices associated with this.

Speakers will be some of the more notable. If the gift recipient has a basic entertainment centre, then it could be worth helping them upgrade this.

Bluetooth speakers can be recommended, especially if the recipient already has multiple smart devices. With this, you’ll take their entertainment centre to the next level.

A Smartwatch

Smartwatches have been popular since they were first released. In the years since then, more and more options have been released.

That’s led to them becoming more high-quality while the cost has also come down significantly. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t relatively expensive options, however.

The features and benefits that many of these can offer could be more than worth it. If you’re on a tight budget, though, then you could consider a second hand Apple watch.

These options are normally of a much higher quality than you’d expect. Many sellers also offer a warranty, so you should be able to rest easy knowing that it’ll work for quite a while.

Wireless Gaming Earbuds

Gaming has often been noted for the technology used in it. That isn’t solely related to developing video games, however.

Multiple peripheral accessories have been designed and perfected in the past few years. Gaming earbuds have been one of the more notable.

Many of these are now wireless, making them much easier to use. There’s also an abundance of brands to choose from.

Razer and Apple are some of the more notable options to consider. If you’re taking this approach, however, make sure to keep the recipient’s console in mind.

Some wireless gaming earbuds mightn’t be compatible with specific consoles. Thankfully, many options will say on the box which consoles they’ll work with.

Gift Ideas For Tech Lovers: Wrapping Up

Quite a lot of thought can go into a gift, especially if the recipient is celebrating a significant occasion. That could lead to many people overthinking it.

You shouldn’t have to put too much stress on yourself. Finding something that the gift recipient will enjoy can be easier than you’d think.

For tech lovers, there’s a wealth of options on offer. While each of the above can be more than recommended, you’ll have multiple other options to choose from.

They can also be more affordable than you’d think.

Hardware, Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides, Technology

Why You Should Upgrade Your Business Systems

January 7, 2022 Matt Porter Leave a comment

No matter what size your business is, there are always reasons that you should go ahead and assess and upgrade your systems. You might already be aware of the benefits of technology and be utilizing those in your business, but that doesn’t mean that you should wait to upgrade. Technology allows you to compete with the big boys in your industry. It means that you can do more with your time and your money than you might ever have been able to in the past, and yet technology can have a downside.

There is a need for near-constant upgrades when it comes to your business systems. From the computers to the current business phone system you use, you need to stay on top of the upgrades and the technology you’re using. If you don’t know how the upgrades will work for you, then getting the best advice possible is the best step that you can take. You need to know what technology is going to work for your business, where to get the help and how you can make sure that your business is thriving. So, why should you go ahead and upgrade your business systems?

Why You Should Upgrade Your Business Systems

You’ll increase business productivity. We have bigger and better CPUs and faster hard drives, more processors and more of a need to communicate than ever before. The older systems are just not as fast as we need them to be. If you want to be able to keep up, you need to ensure that you have the newest hard drives in place to make it work!
You’ll learn to communicate better. Upgrading your telephone system is an absolute must when it comes to your business systems. You have to be aware of the ways that you communicate with your clients, customers and even your own staff. Your lack of attention to this detail could make the difference between you having the right flexibility or not.
You will be more efficient. We’re in the very fortunate position that we can use the technology that we have right now to do things that we couldn’t do before. Remote access via mobile devices and tablets is still relatively new, and yet they’re making us more efficient. If you rely on dinosaur systems, you’re going to find it much more difficult to remain efficient and keep up with the times.
You’ll improve your security. We’re living in a time where keeping up with the hackers is vital for us to be successful. Our older systems are not as secure as they used to be, with security checks necessary across a range of different soft and hardware options. It’s vital that you have the right information in place and you keep it as protected as possible. Newer technology has the security that you need in the right place, and better security is what your business needs.
The features – oh, the features! In new operating systems, the features are often the reason that people get involved and upgrade. They’re better with security. They’re fancier to work with. They simply do a better job than the older features of older technology.
You need better support. Sometimes, the upgrade in your IT systems comes with a better understanding and level of support from an IT team. IT professionals simply cannot support technology that has become too old and you have to make a point of upgrading to get the support that you need.
Your staff will be happier. You need people who work well, but they can only do as well as the tools that they are given. Employees will be more and more frustrated when you provide outdated software and systems, and it’s never going to be good for your company if you don’t look into how you can make their lives easier.
Your customers will be more engaged. If you ensure that you have upgraded your business systems properly, you’ll find that your customers are finding your business to be easier to access and information easier to digest. You want to make life easier for customers because they can then have a better, more targeted experience of your business. It’ll be what sets you apart from the rest of the world.

When it comes down to it, upgrading your technology is just good sense. You want to be able to improve on what you already know and do better for everyone else. This is how you thrive in business and how you keep doing well for the future.

Press Release, Technology

UK Company Pulsar Fusion Demonstrates Green, Mach-7 Rocket in Switzerland

November 30, 2021 Matt Porter Leave a comment

On Saturday 26 November, In the sleepy mountain town of Gstaad – Switzerland, British company Pulsar Fusion demonstrated its latest green hybrid rocket engine.

An impressive visual plume effect of supersonic shock diamonds, typical of a high-temperature high mass flow rate rocket exhaust, could be seen through the snowstorm as the team operated the engine in quickly changing conditions. The exhaust speeds of the engine were recorded at Mach 7. This engine would be capable of launching a small rocket to an altitude of several 10s of km, well above UK airspace, or powering the upper stage of a rocket with a larger booster stage into orbit.

UK Company Pulsar Fusion Demonstrates Green, Mach-7 Rocket in Switzerland

CEO, Richard Dinan commented: “British companies with space ambitions must be international and fast-moving, achieving technological milestones on time and on budget whilst being environmentally conscious. Pulsar’s objective is to build world-class technologies that serve as a force for good.

Pulsar’s green (non-toxic) hybrid rocket engine combusts nitrous oxide (N2O) oxidiser and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fuel and oxygen. The HDPE can be obtained from recycled plastic and the two fuels burn together to produce a non-toxic plume.

The propellants used – nitrous oxide N2O and polyethylene HDPE – are some of the cleanest available to the space industry, producing an exhaust of largely water vapour and having an extremely low production energy requirement, resulting in one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world for an engine of this size.

It is a new model that enables Pulsar to manufacture these compact rocket engines at record lead times, with an enhanced safety factor as due to the design, these engines have relatively benign failure modes in comparison with conventional liquid propulsion engines.

The Pulsar Fusion team with Richard Dinan, pictured third left

WHAT DOES PULSAR FUSION DO?

Pulsar Fusion is primarily engaged in the research of high-speed propulsion and clean energy applications from nuclear fusion.

Pulsar Fusion received UK government funding in September 2021 to further develop its HET (Hall Effect Thruster) plasma satellite engines, capable of 20 km / second particle exhaust speeds. These Pulsar thrusters have recently been tested at Harwell’s facilities where they withstood 20g’s of vibration, simulating a rocket launch. Pulsar now seeks to IOD test these engines. (In-Orbit Demonstration).

The company’s ultimate milestone is to produce a hyper-speed propulsion engine using nuclear fusion technologies of which it has been researching for nine years which could eventually be used for interplanetary travel – and which scientists say could halve the journey time from Earth to Mars. A first prototype is expected in 2025.

HOW WAS THIS TEST DIFFERENT TO THE PULSAR UK TESTS?

The test in Gstaad ran the engine on liquid oxidiser, compared to only gas in the UK. The oxidiser quantity and engine impulse were increased by a factor of nearly 10, and the chamber pressure raised from around 5 bar to over 20 bar on the first Swiss test to nearly 50 bar on the 2nd one. Pulsar supercharged the flow with nitrogen pressurant which has not been done in the UK before and in doing so raised the thrust to near the design value of 12kN or just over a tonne of thrust.

WHY DEMONSTRATE IN SWITZERLAND?

The demonstration took place on the Gstaad Runway, an idyllic spot surrounded by mountains. Pulsar sees Switzerland as a country that is well placed to support advanced, environmentally friendly space technologies. The company strives to be a British company that can demonstrate its technologies to international clients and Switzerland is an ideal gateway for such an ambition. Pulsar hopes to carry out further tests in the region in 2022 and invite European space clients to attend. Additionally, Pulsar is in contact with most of the UK launch sites and would probably start with further static tests and low altitude flights at Machrihanish, near Cambletown on Argyll before moving to one of the other sites such as Space Hub Sutherland on the mainland or Spaceport-1 on the Hebrides for high altitude flights towards and beyond the Karman line at 100km.

Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides, Internet Security, Technology

What Mistakes Could You Be Making With Your Online Business?

October 7, 2021 Matt Porter Leave a comment

There are a lot of mistakes an online business owner can make. Sure, the online world is a very accessible place, but when it comes to navigating these waters safely, there’s a lot you need to account for in the early days. And if you don’t, there’s a good chance you could be working with a foundation that’s not as secure as you’d like it to be!

After all, you’ve got cyber security to always keep an eye on, and the social media landscape to attune to, and doing so gets more complicated as you go on. So you need to know you’re working with a reliable, well-built website. But don’t worry, there’s lots you can do right now to refocus your energy for the better, especially in the areas below.

What Mistakes Could You Be Making With Your Online Business?

Not Having a Quality Customer Service

Customer service is always a necessity. You need to have a reliable and dedicated ‘desk’ to answer any and all queries and complaints you receive, otherwise, your business will be swamped with unhappy customers and no way to placate them. At the least, you need to be able to filter out the emails and/or direct messages you get to the right place, to make them easier to sort through and answer.

So think about how you’ve been dealing with customers until now. How long is your average response time? Do you have a chat bot to rely on? Do you even make it easy for customers to get in contact with you, by displaying your details clearly on the website? If not, it’s time to rearrange your homepage a little!

Not Focusing on Cyber Security

Cyber security should always be a top priority for you. Keeping customer data safe is a business’ number one job, after turning a profit, and you should never compromise the details of those who have shopped with you. Not only does it prove you’re not a trustworthy company, but it could cost you a lot of money in the long run.

Which means it’s time to look into your online business security; start making backups at least once a week, make sure any software you use is updated to the latest patch, and change any passwords you’ve been using. This should be done about every 30 days anyway, and try not to use a similar arrangement of characters each time either.

Not Enough Social Media Coverage

Finally, do you put much thought into your social media coverage? How often do you post? Because without a proper use of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, it’s going to be hard to get your name out there. People will find it harder to relate to your brand, and your chance of recognition will go out the window. So think about putting a content schedule in place, and use social media much more constructively in the future.

It’s easy to make a mistake when working online, but it’s not that hard to rectify them either.

Sustainable, Technology, trains, Travel

Are tourists still travelling to London?

August 31, 2021 Matt Porter Leave a comment

Throughout the world, tourism is one of the many sectors that has been hit hard by the pandemic. Every nation will have been severely affected by the travel restrictions that have had to be imposed. London is no different: with internationally-renowned attractions such as Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral and Big Ben, it’s one of the most popular cities in the world for people to come and spend their tourist dollar (or pound), and key to the success of the UK economy. But just how badly has it been hit by Covid, and are there signs of recovery?

Before the pandemic

In 2019 – the year before the pandemic hit Britain – a staggering 21 million people visited the UK’s capital. There were 1,800 businesses involved with the tourism sector (covering everything from arts and entertainment to accommodation, food outlets and retail), and these employed almost 20,000 people.

To say the nation’s tourism was thriving pre-pandemic is an understatement. Visits nationwide exceeded 40 million that year, up by nearly a third compared to 10 years previously, and by almost 70 percent compared to 2002.

During 2020

As expected, there was a huge drop in visitor numbers in 2020, as the pandemic took hold of the nation early in the year and refused to let go. According to Visit Britain (whose figures are based on estimates because they were unable to conduct passenger surveys during lockdown), overseas visitor numbers to the UK dropped by almost 75 percent that year to just 11.1 million. As you’d presume, most of these visits were in the first three months of the year before lockdowns and travel restrictions were put in place. The total spend was down by just over three quarters on the previous year, with an estimated loss of £24 billion. Domestic tourism was also down 63 percent with spending down £57.6 billion.

How things are looking this year

According to Visit Britain’s forecast for 2021, the number of overseas visitors is set to rise slightly to 11.3 million – still considerably lower than numbers prior to the pandemic. Spending isn’t expected to rise, but although figures will pale in comparison to 2019, we should start to see more people arriving towards the end of the year if restrictions continue to ease worldwide.

When it comes to domestic tourism, things are more positive, as numbers are up more than 50 percent compared to 2020, with spending up 59 percent on day trips and 38 percent on overnighters.

If you’re considering travelling to the likes of London, now might be a good time to do so before the world opens up once more. To get the best deals possible, remember to look up trains to London and book in advance.

As you’d expect, the pandemic has had a terrible impact on visitor numbers to London and the UK as a whole. So now might be the best time to explore our own backyard before the rest of the world returns to see our most popular attractions.

DJI, Drones, Technology, The Gadget Man

A Beginner’s Guide To Getting Into Drones

March 23, 2021 Matt Porter Leave a comment

They are fascinating, impressive, and downright cool, which is enough for some gadget fanatics to want to devote plenty of manhours to getting to grips with them. However, given their expense and the fact that a novice handling could quite easily end up in disaster, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that some beginners are a little apprehensive about diving headfirst into the world of drones.

Here, we’re going to look at what you, as a beginner, need to know about drones, how to choose the best one for your needs, and how to make sure that you can actually fly the thing without a catastrophe following in your wake.

Know what you want to use it for

Before you dedicate your life over the next few months to knowing anything and everything drone-related, it’s a good idea to get to know why you want to buy and fly one in the first place. There are plenty of people who want one just for the experience of flying a drone, which is perfectly fine in and of itself, but those who might want a drone for the sake of photography might have different needs (such as good camera stabilization features.) There are more practical uses for drones as well to consider, some of which might even have commercial benefits.

Choose the drone that best suits your needs

Now that you hopefully have a better idea of what, precisely, you are going to be using your drone for, it’s now time to choose the drone that suits those needs. Websites like DrDrone.ca offer thorough guides on which drones are best suited for different kinds of usage. Some are better suited to beginners who are just learning to fly, while others have specific applications. Even for those specific applications, such as buying a drone that is focused on photography, there is a wide variety so take your time in perusing the market.

Know whether you’re going to have to assemble your drone

This is a big stumbling block for a lot of people who buy a drone and expect that they are going to be able to fly it as soon as they take it out of the box. This type of drone does exist, they are called RTF drones (or Ready to Fly drones). The other type is called “DIY” typically, which means that you’re going to have to assemble it when you open it. If you feel confident you can put it together just fine, that’s a-okay, just make sure you know which you are getting.

Do you need a license?

The answer to this question will depend largely on where you live. In some countries, the recreational use of drones might not require any kind of license or ID. However, in the vast majority of English speaking countries, if you have any intentions to use your drones for commercial purposes, you’re going to need some form of license However, it is crucial to do your research and learn your local drone license needs and laws, rather than relying on this tip for a definitive answer. Drone-traveller.com offers an in-depth look at national drone laws in a variety of countries.

Get some training

Rather than trying to master the art of flying a drone all by yourself, it might be worth taking the time to look into those that can show the ropes. When it comes to earning a license in the countries and states that require it, it may be essential that you have some formal training, and there are plenty of teams like Uavcoach.com that can help give you all kinds of drone flying courses, for more general use as well as specific practical applications, depending on your needs.

Know what accessories you might need

Plenty of drones come out of the box with a range of helpful accessories, but you will often find that you need a little extra just to make sure that you’re covered in any eventuality. Some spare drone parts such as additional rotors or props are always a good idea to have on hand. Keeping a backup flight battery is usually a good idea as well, as well as having a portable charger so you can stay flying for longer.

With the tips above, hopefully, you should feel confident that getting into drone flying need not be all that much of a fuss. With the right choice of machine, a little practice, and a few solid tips in mind, you should be flying with the best of them.

Gadget Man, Headphones, Technology

Gadgets to Make Your Day to Day Life Easier

February 2, 2021 Matt Porter Leave a comment

Life can feel tough at the moment. We’re all trying to make our way, day by day, through a global pandemic where we face constant uncertainty, struggles and difficulties. Government restrictions to slow the spread of the virus have resulted in countless changes to our routines and many of us are still growing used to spending more time alone and away from those we love. Many of us are also facing financial difficulties, as we experience job loss, redundancy, reduced hours or reduced pay. It’s not all too surprising, then, that many of us are feeling tired of constant stress and are looking for any and every way to make our lives a little easier on ourselves. Of course, where there is demand, someone will supply. So, it’s not all too surprising that there are increasing numbers of gadgets entering the marketplace that has been specifically designed to ease up your life in some way or another. Here are a few that you might want to consider!

Button Pushers

Many of us have routines that involve pressing certain switches at certain times throughout the day. Perhaps you want your lights to turn on at a certain time to alert others that you’re home. You might turn your heating on at a certain time each morning or evening to make sure your home is the right temperature. Perhaps you turn your hot water on at a particular time to ensure you have enough water for showers, washing up, baths or anything else at a set time of day. Sure, this is a small task, but often, we forget to press the switches and this can throw a spanner in the works of our day. Instead, why not consider automatic button pushers? These are devices that will press a switch or button at a time that you set and choose. Research different models to make sure that they press firmly enough to do their job in your home!

Liquid Level Sensors

Do you find yourself regularly having to top up liquid levels in your home? Is there a certain tank that needs to be refilled at a certain point? Rather than constantly having to check, you could use a liquid level sensor that will alert you when you need to top fluid or liquid levels up.

Noise Cancelling Headphones

Many of us are coping with the switch to working from home. This can, for those of us who don’t live alone or those of us who have noisy neighbours, can entail dealing with trying to work in noisy environments. This is less than ideal and can negatively impact productivity. So, why not invest in noise-cancelling headphones? These can provide you with the silence you want to work in!

These are just a few different gadgets that are available on the market and that could make all the difference to your daily routine. Each has its own uses and benefits and will likely prove more than worth the investment in saved time and increased productivity!

Apple, Apps, Cloud, Cloud Storage, Gadget Man, Google, Photo Storage, Technology

How to Choose Cloud Storage for Your Photos

December 28, 2020 Matt Porter Leave a comment

The cloud is the most practical and secure way to store your photos. You’ll have continual access to a digital backup of your memories. You also won’t have to worry about overloading your hard disk or your smartphone. With cloud storage, you can share your photos as well, but providers also give the option to set privacy restrictions. They have state-of-the-art resources to keep them encrypted for you. There are certain features you need to look for in a cloud storage provider. Here are some of the top ones reviewed, both paid and free.

Tips for choosing cloud storage

Cloud storage is great for those working from home and sharing documents. It’s also ideal for backing up your photos. There are several key cloud storage features to look for when choosing a cloud storage provider. Cloud services come with an app so ensure this is compatible with your brand of smartphone or tablet. Not all providers are free, but they will offer a certain amount of space before you need to sign up for a subscription.

Generally, all providers accept JPEG files Certain providers will allow you to upload different types of files including TIFFS, RAW, and video or music files. Before signing up with a provider, it’s a good idea to calculate how much space you’re realistically going to need and for what type of files. This way, you can work out whether it’s worth paying for a subscription or not. If storage is becoming an issue for you, you also have the option to delete duplicate photos from your smartphone, this article explains how to do it, https://backlightblog.com/delete-iphone-duplicate-photos. It’s up to you whether you decide to move your photos to the cloud.

Top cloud storage providers

There are several big names in cloud storage and Google, Microsoft and Adobe all have their own version. Other top cloud storage providers include IDrive and pCloud. Here is a quick review of each.

IDrive

IDrive is great for photographers who use multiple devices and are concerned about security. It’s a very reliable cloud storage provider and has an excellent security rating. Your photos are protected by biometrics and you can set up face recognition for accessibility across all devices. The free plan allows a maximum of 5GB which can fill up quite quickly, depending on the number of photos and other files you have. If you need more space, you can upgrade to a yearly subscription. IDrive is user-friendly and fast. It also has features such as syncing photos and robust reporting tools.

pCloud

pCloud is ideal if you want to store files of various types. It’s not free but the provider offers a unique lifetime subscription for a one-off payment of £159 for 500GB or £309 for 2TB. There are also monthly plans available. pCloud provides state-of-the-art encryption and only the user will have access to their accounts, not even the company’s administrators. You can store any type of video or image file including RAW files, and you can share your files with up to four family members or your business. You can essentially send and receive large files to and from anyone. pCloud is a Swiss company and follows Swiss data laws, they also use first-class safety measures.

Google Photos

Google Photos offers storage for photos and videos and each Google account comes with up to 15GB for free. Google Drive is set up for file sharing and it’s easy for multiple users to access and edit files. It couldn’t be simpler to use although it isn’t the most stylish of platforms. It is, however, fully compatible with other apps as part of G Suite and can be synced with any devices and cameras with WiFi access. You can also top up your storage for as little as £1.59 per month for 100GB. The great thing about Google is that it also uses machine learning technology to label and archive photos, and makes suggestions to you based on your history and preferences. It uses metadata which allows you to find pictures easily based on date and place, and in general it’s very quick and convenient to use.

Microsoft OneDrive

Microsoft OneDrive provides a similar cloud storage service to Google, but is an integrated part of the Microsoft Office package. It is possible to use Microsoft OneDrive as a standalone deal, however, which is free up to 5GB and then £1.99 per month for up to 100GB. The other Microsoft Office apps aren’t included in these packages, so it depends on if you need them or not. The full Microsoft Office 365 starts at £5.99 a month. Microsoft OneDrive is easy to use and can be accessed on unlimited devices. While it’s not solely designed for photographers, it’s still a safe and convenient place to store your pictures.

Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe Creative Cloud is more specifically aimed at photographers, professional and amateur alike. This does, however, mean it’s a little bit more expensive than other more basic cloud storage providers, but there are more advanced photography-based features such as stylish image libraries and editing options. Adobe offers a free trial for those interested and the basic photography app starts at just £9.98 a month. You can upgrade this to include all the Adobe apps for £49.94, which is a good deal for those with a passion for photography. Adobe Creative Cloud is compatible with Windows, MAC, Android, and iOS and you can upload all types of files from any device.

The cloud storage provider you choose depends on what you’re going to use it for, how many files you have, and which type. If you’re an experienced photographer or you want to develop your skills, Adobe Creative Cloud has more photography-based features. If you’re on more of a budget and simply want a backup of a few family photos, then a basic free cloud storage option is probably more suited to you. Upload and protect your memories on the cloud today.

Gadget Man, Matt Porter, Payment, Tap to Pay, Technology, The Gadget Man

McLEAR Launches RingPay With New Features, Rewards And Exclusive Membership Club Benefits

November 26, 2020 Matt Porter Leave a comment

On a continued mission to make life more convenient, McLEAR has been quietly enhancing the world’s most frictionless way to pay.

Smart Ring pioneers McLEAR launches RingPay to market. The payment wearable is packed with new features and exclusive benefits; RingPay Rewards, RingPay+ and RingPay Giving.

RingPay by McLEAR makes payments fast, secure, and invisible. Users can make contactless payments of up to £45, and top up their ring by simply adding their preferred credit or debit card onto the RingPay app. The app allows users to track their spending in real-time, control their budgets, set automatic top-ups, respect physical distancing guidelines, and in case of loss, instantly freeze their Ring.

Making payments rewarding, McLEAR’s partnership with parsnip also allows users to earn in-store cash back at the growing number of selected retailers in the RingPay Rewards Programme, such as Nike, Foot Locker, Gap and River Island. A wearable so smart it pays for itself.

Ringholders can save significant amounts on everyday purchases by subscribing to RingPay+, premium members’ club to gain access to fantastic discounts and cashback, generated through hundreds of merchants across numerous categories including entertainment ticket bookings, cinema trips, restaurant offers, hotel discounts and holiday travel deals.

In addition, the RingPay Giving feature, let’s Ringholders choose to automatically send a micro-sized donation to their chosen charity when they make a purchase using their Ring. Ringholders control how much they give using monthly donation caps, and charities benefit from free Gift Aid reports allowing them to claim an extra 25% on all donations given. This social impact service is turning every contactless payment reader into a charity collection bucket!

The discreet and premium RingPay design is scratch-resistant, stress-tested, waterproof and requires no battery. Simply use McLEAR patented fist bump technology at any contactless reader for ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ payments. Forget the days of unlocking your phone or emptying your pockets. It’s always there on your finger, ready to go.

Daniel Blondell, Chief Operating Officer said: “The mission with RingPay is to improve the payment experience; making it faster, effortless and more rewarding. Whether commuting to work, picking up some essentials or off on your travels, RingPay by McLEAR gives you peace of mind knowing your finances are safely in-hand. Just kick back and fist pump your way to better spending and awesome rewards.”

We are reviewing the RingPay, so stay tuned for our thoughts!

For more info or to purchase your RingPay, visit www.mclear.com and get a Black Friday discount of 30% off when you use the code BF2020

Matt Porter, The Gadget Man – AI, Technology News and Reviews