Thursday 31 December 2015

What Does The Term 2 Way Radio Really Mean?

Basically, the name two-way radio means that the radio in question can both transmit and receive signals. The two-way part of the name refers to the sending and receiving of said messages.


Some radios, such as the AM or FM radio you might listen to in your car, can only receive incoming signals, whilst other radios can only transmit signals. A two-way radio, however, can both intercept incoming messages and relay outgoing messages, because of this; two-way radios are a type of transceiver.


At its most basic, a two-way radio is a device that receives radio waves through the air and transmits a return signal.


How it does this is actually rather ingenious. Let’s say a user receives a message on her radio. The antenna on the top of the radio houses a group of electrons, these electrons will respond to messages received on specific channels (different groups of electrons respond to different channels). The electrons will then translate the radio waves into electrical impulses, which are then fed to a small processor. The processor, in turn, converts the electrical impulses into a signal, which the radio’s speakers can then play aloud.



The process is reversed if our hypothetical user is replying to her message, in this instance, the vibrations that constitute her voice will rattle a small membrane inside the microphone. These vibrations are fed into the processor, which converts them into an electrical signal. The electrical signal is pushed out to the electrons in the antenna and the signal is broadcast to our other user.


So you see, the process is clearly working on a two-way basis, hence the name. Two radios, when set to the same channel, should never have any problem connecting with one another (even if they are manufactured by different brands). The communication is pretty much instant, which is a big reason why radios play such an integral part in many areas of our lives, such as travel, security, commerce, public safety and trade.


It is important to note, however, that a radio set to receive VHF (Very High Frequency) signals will be unable to communicate with a radio set to UHF (Ultra High Frequency) mode. There is virtually nothing at all that can be done about this.


Of course, the other name used for handheld transceivers in walkie-talkie, but we reckon that one’s pretty self-explanatory…

Sunday 27 December 2015

Important things about Purchasing a Looking for a new communication method for your restaurant? walkie talkies could be the answer

Running a restaurant is hard. Personnel in different areas need to communicate well in order to provide the best dining experience for customers. The conventional way people restaurant staff communicate is by shouting or talking loudly at each other. While this can be an effective way to communicate – this method has worked for years – it turns a restaurant into a noisy and chaotic place. Many customers are actually looking to dine in peace. So having all those noises, even if they are meant to provide better service, can actually turn off customers. Restaurant staff can communicate without disturbing the dining experience of customers with the use of walkie-talkies. two way radios for restaurants provide plenty of benefits . The most important ones are discussed below.


A good Investment


Many restaurant owners are having second thoughts about buying walkie-talkies because of the additional investment that it entails. The hesitation is understandable since running a restaurant is expensive as it is without a communication system. But if you are a restaurant owner, you can look at buying a walkie-talkie as a good investment. Having a walkie-talkie for your restaurant can help you serve your customers more efficiently. It can improve customer turnaround time and it can help provide a better dining experience for your patrons. All of these improvement can translate to more profits for your restaurant. So if you are looking for a way to improve your operations and make more money in the process then improving communication system by getting walkie-talkies is a good idea.


Improve Communication


In any organization, good communication is important. A bad communication channel can ruin the good relationship among the staff and between a manager and the people around him. If you own a restaurant, then you probably already know that it is a pressure-packed environment. It doesn’t take much for someone to crack under this kind of pressure. A good communication tool such as walkie-talkie can help ease the pressure. It can avoid miscommunication. If you are a manager, for example, and you noticed that tables are not set yet. Instead of shouting across the room and creating an angry atmosphere in your restaurant, you can simply relay your instruction on the walkie-talkie.


Choosing the right Walkie-Talkie



Of course, not all restaurant walkie-talkies are the same. Some are better than others. Not all walkie-talkies are created equal. When choosing a walkie-talkie, the first thing that you need to consider is performance. The system should be able to provide clear audio that has the ability to break through the noise that is usually present in a restaurant. A bad walkie-talkie can affect your business as adversely as the absence of a walkie-talkie system. Can imagine a restaurant staff trying to decipher the message being relayed by his manager over a walkie-talkie that is sending choppy signal? This kind of scenario can turn into a tragedy very quickly. The next thing that you should look for is comfort. The walkie-talkie should allow freedom of movement for the staff to be able to perform their job well.

Thursday 24 December 2015

What Does The Term Two Way Radio Actually Mean?

Basically, the name two-way radio means that the radio in question can both transmit and receive signals. The two-way part of the name refers to the sending and receiving of said messages.


Some radios, such as the AM or FM radio you might listen to in your car, can only receive incoming signals, whilst other radios can only transmit signals. A two-way radio, however, can both intercept incoming messages and relay outgoing messages, because of this; two-way radios are a type of transceiver.



At its most basic, a two-way radio is a device that receives radio waves through the air and transmits a return signal.


How it does this is actually rather ingenious. Let’s say a user receives a message on her radio. The antenna on the top of the radio houses a group of electrons, these electrons will respond to messages received on specific channels (different groups of electrons respond to different channels). The electrons will then translate the radio waves into electrical impulses, which are then fed to a small processor. The processor, in turn, converts the electrical impulses into a signal, which the radio’s speakers can then play aloud.


The process is reversed if our hypothetical user is replying to her message, in this instance, the vibrations that constitute her voice will rattle a small membrane inside the microphone. These vibrations are fed into the processor, which converts them into an electrical signal. The electrical signal is pushed out to the electrons in the antenna and the signal is broadcast to our other user.


So you see, the process is clearly working on a two-way basis, hence the name. Two radios, when set to the same channel, should never have any problem connecting with one another (even if they are manufactured by different brands). The communication is pretty much instant, which is a big reason why radios play such an integral part in many areas of our lives, such as travel, security, commerce, public safety and trade.


It is important to note, however, that a radio set to receive VHF (Very High Frequency) signals will be unable to communicate with a radio set to UHF (Ultra High Frequency) mode. There is virtually nothing at all that can be done about this.


Of course, the other name used for handheld transceivers in walkie-talkie, but we reckon that one’s pretty self-explanatory…

Wednesday 16 December 2015

Benefits of Using 2 Way Radios for Skiing

Skiing is a very interesting outdoor activity that individuals or groups of people such as family members or friends can engage in, either for fun or sporting purposes. However, it is quite easy to be separated from a skiing crew, especially if you are skiing in a large area with people of varying skiing abilities. Moreover, cell phones tend to be quite unreliable in mountainous areas due to low network coverage. It can therefore become difficult to locate the members of your crew once you separate. To overcome this challenge, you can use two way radios for easier communication. Below are some of the benefits of using the two way radio for skiing


Ease of Use


Unlike in the case of mobile phones where you need to search for people’s contacts or key in the numbers before calling them, the two way radio communication system is more simplified. It is specially designed to enable you to conveniently communicate with other members by a simple touch of the button. This means that you can easily communicate with them in case of an emergency.


Wide-Range Coverage


Instead of gesturing wildly or allowing your voice to become hoarse due to shouting as you try to communicate with your team members, you can opt for this type of radio communication. It is typically designed to cover a large area, which will help to keep your conversations active as well as organized. For instance an effective two way radio system can cover up to 25 miles under optimal conditions.


Better Accountability


While you are out there in a vast and rugged terrain, it can be quite difficult to know where every team member is at any particular time. The two way radio system will however enable parents, team leaders as well as companies that run skiing slopes to know where each person is at any time, which is extremely important for accountability purposes.


Power Efficiency


Most of these gadgets are power efficient and can operate on standard AAA or AA batteries as well as rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries. This means that you will not need to worry about power depletion. You just need to carry enough batteries to replace those that get depleted. Alternatively, you can recharge your Lithium ion battery using the charging system in your car. This will help to ensure that there is no communication breakdown.


Hands-Free Communication


The best way to remain comfortable while using the two way radio for skiing is by using earpieces or headsets. These accessories allow you to have hands-free communication. This will enable you to concentrate on skiing, instead of having to pick and put back the radio all the time. Moreover, most of them are compact and lightweight gadgets which will not weigh you down as you glide down the slope.


Water Resistance


While skiing, your communication device may sometimes fall in snow or water. In extreme cases, a storm can find you while you are busy enjoying the activity. In such a case, you need a waterproof gadget that will not spoil when it soaks in water. And that is why a two way radio is important as it is designed with such factors in mind, hence it is water resistant.


GPS Integration


For enhanced safety and easier location while engaging in your outdoor skiing activities, the two way radios can be integrated with the Global Positioning System (GPS). This allows different users to easily broadcast their GPS location coordinates. This feature can be life-saving, for instance in case of an avalanche fall, or if one member gets trapped while skiing.


NOAA Weather Information



Knowing that you might be faced with severe weather is extremely important especially when you are skiing in remote areas. Most of these radio communication gadgets have support for the NOAA weather channels. They have built-in alerts to let you know when extreme weather is approaching. This aspect can enable you to take cover and avoid any form of disaster.


Wild gesturing and shouting may not work as a means of communication when skiing in a vast area with a large team skiers. To overcome such a challenge, you can use the two way radio communication system. The unit is convenient, easy to use, power efficient and quite cost effective. Moreover, it promotes accountability as it is easier to know where each team member is at any single time.

Tuesday 15 December 2015

President Obama Signs Up For Supercomputer

US President Barack Obama has signed an executive order that calls for the creation of the world’s fastest computer by 2025.


The order calls for the new supercomputer to be 20 times quicker than the current world’s fastest, which is in China. The Chinese supercomputer, known as Tianhe-2 is capable of performing quadrillions of calculations per second, and is almost twice as fast as its closest rival, which was developed in America.


In addition to being able to make one quintillion (that is a billion billion, in case you wondered) calculations per second, this new supercomputer would be capable of running intricately complex simulations as an aid to scientific research.



Some practical applications could include improved methods of cancer diagnosis (based on X-Ray analysis), increased accuracy of weather forecasts and the eventual elimination of the costly wind tunnel testing used by NASA (due to the computer’s ability to accurately design more streamlined aircraft).


Experts have also suggested that the computer could be used to tailor personal medications to the physiologies of individual medical patients, something that would greatly improve the effectiveness of any prescription drug. It has even been put forward that this new computer could be used to create very accurate climate models, with a view towards analysing current trends and anticipating the resultant changes in climate.


Critics of the decision have suggested that, in addition to being very ambitious, the electricity required by this project will cost at least £60Million a year.


The outgoing President, who has served two terms in office since first being elected in 2009, has always been a strong supporter of technological innovation within the US. In his 2006 book The Audacity of Hope, the then-Senator from Illinois discussed a trip to Google’s headquarters in Silicon Valley, California, in which his fascination with computers and information technology was made abundantly clear.


“Larry (Page – Co-Founder of Google) asked the young Indian American engineer who was working nearby to explain what we were looking at. ‘These lights represent all the searches that are going on right now,’ the engineer said. ‘Each color is a different language. If you move the toggle this way’ – he caused the screen to alter – ‘you can see the traffic patterns of the entire Internet system’. The image was mesmerizing, more organic than mechanical, as if I were glimpsing the early stages of some accelerating evolutionary process, in which all the boundaries between men – nationality, race, religion, wealth – were rendered invisible and irrelevant, so that the physicist in Cambridge, the bond trader in Tokyo, the student in a remote Indian village and the manager of a Mexico City department store were drawn into a single, constant, thrumming conversation, time and space giving way to a world spun entirely of light”


 But don’t get too excited, because even if all goes according to plan, this incredible feat of technology will still take at least a decade to design and build.

Sunday 13 December 2015

Wrestling Legend Rowdy Roddy Piper Dead At 61

The world of professional wrestling is in mourning following the death of the legendary Rowdy Roddy Piper last month. Piper suffered a cardiac arrest whilst at his home in Hollywood, California. He was just 61 years old.


For many kids (including myself) that first became fans in the mid-late 1980’s, Roddy Piper was the definitive wrestling heel (industry jargon for a bad guy). Whether hosting his notorious Piper’s Pit segment, or facing off against Hulk Hogan & Mr. T (with partner Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorf) at the inaugural WrestleMania event, Piper was one of the industry’s biggest starts during one of its most popular and lucrative periods.


He was also instrumental in making the WWF (now WWE) brand the biggest in professional wrestling. In addition to headlining the very first WrestleMania event (a pioneering Pay-Per View extravaganza that could easily have ruined the company had it proved to be a failure), Piper also featured in one of WrestleMania II’s three main event matchups, thus securing his position as one of wrestling’s most bankable stars.


His undercard matches at WrestleManias III, VI and (the stone cold classic against Bret The Hitman Hart at) VIII are absolute highlights of a classic era of pro wrestling. He even acted as a guest referee for the main event of Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna at WrestleMania X. Younger fans, however, will undoubtedly remember Piper teaming with fellow veterans Ricky Steamboat and Jimmy Superfly Snuka to face Chris Jericho at WrestleMania XXV.


In an era defined by outlandish babyface characters with bodybuilder physiques and sometimes questionable in-ring abilities, Roddy Piper stood out as a genuine wrestler’s wrestler, an authentic tough guy – and the necessarily evil counterpoint to the simplistic, superheroic good guys being featured at the time by the WWF.


Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1954, Roderick Toombs was always an unruly personality. Expelled from school at a young age and subsequently falling out with his father, (a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) Toombs hit the road, staying in various youth hostels and earning a buck wherever he could. Eventually, the tempestuous youth wound up in a wrestling ring, making his in-ring debut at the tender age of just 15-years-old.


The kid was tough (he had a Black Belt in Judo), displayed a natural affinity for the ring and he had a roguish charisma all of his own. In addition, he really could play the bagpipes. After early stints jobbing in Verne Gagne’s AWA, NWA Houston and Fritz Von Erich’s Big Time Wrestling promotion in Dallas, Texas, Piper debuted for Mike and Gene LeBell’s NWA Hollywood promotion and soon became the outfit’s top heel. A slew of regional Championships followed.


Whilst working for promoter Roy Shire in the NWA’s San Francisco territory, Piper developed his character and ring work. In Los Angeles, he feuded with Chavo Guerrero Sr, Hector Guerrero and ultimately locked up against their father, Mexican wrestling legend Gory Guerrero (father of future WWE Champ Eddie). In The Pacific Northwest, he unseated former NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco for Mid Atlantic’s version of the World Heavyweight Championship, a title he would go on to hold twice more.


In the mid 1980’s, Piper entered Vince McMahon’s insurgent WWF. He was billed as being from Glasgow, Scotland and was well known for being the only wrestler to wear a kilt to the ring. Fans ate it up. Feuding with such stars as Hulk Hogan, Adrian Adonis, Andre The Giant, Jimmy Superfly Snuka, Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, Jerry The King Lawler and Bret Hitman Hart, to name but a few, Piper always brought out the best in his opponents and it was with the WWF that he became a household name, as well as one of the industry’s biggest ever stars.


In the mid-1990’s, Piper wrestled for WCW (World Championship Wrestling), where he debuted as one of the company’s headline stars. He feuded, once again, with Hulk Hogan and also battled old rivals such as Ric Flair, Bret Hart and ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage. Whilst working for WCW, he was even chosen to headline ‘Starrcade’, the company’s flagship Pay-Per-View event.


In his later career, Piper made sporadic reappearances for the WWE, briefly worked for TNA, enjoyed a reasonably successful acting career and also hosted his own podcast. He battled Hodgkin’s Lymphoma after being diagnosed with the illness in 2006, but had completely beaten it into remission as of last year. Despite the setbacks caused by his ill health, Piper wrestled his last match in 2011.


Although he never held a recognised World Heavyweight Championship, Piper will be remembered as one of the greatest WWF Intercontinental Champions of all time, a reign that was attested to during his appearance at this year’s WrestleMania XXXI, where he congratulated then-IC Champion Daniel Bryan on his victory. He also held other notable belts, such as the United States Championship, the WWF/E Tag Team Championship (with Ric Flair) and the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship.


Piper was a member of the WWE Hall of Fame and the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame, as well as the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the Cauliflower Alley Club.


On the August 3rd edition of RAW, the entire WWE roster, each member clad in Roddy’s signature Hot Rod t-shirts opened the show with a very moving ten bell salute in tribute to the fallen legend.


WWE boss Vince McMahon said, “Roddy Piper was one of the most entertaining, controversial and bombastic performers ever in WWE, beloved by millions of fans around the world. I extend my deepest condolences to his family.”



UFC Bantamweight Champion Rowdy Ronda Rousey dedicated her 34-second victory over Bethe Correia to Piper’s memory, “I just want to say that we lost a really close friend, Rowdy Roddy Piper, who gave me permission to use his name as a fighter (…) And so I hope him and my dad had a good time watching this today.”


Former WWE and WCW Champion (and Piper’s frequent in-ring rival) Bret Hart wrote, “I can’t find the words to describe the sorrow in my heart upon learning the news of my dear friend, Roddy Piper, passing away. He was my closest friend in the business, a man that schooled me and guided me throughout my career. In fact, if it wasn’t for Roddy Piper reaching out to help me, I’m sure I would’ve been a mere footnote in wrestling. He was always there for me. He was family to me.” Hart also recalled that, following his stroke in 2002; Piper was the only wrestler who visited him in hospital.


Hulk Hogan, another of Piper’s famous adversaries, said of Piper that, “He was my best friend. He is a legend. God’s gain is our loss. May his family in this time of need, find peace”


Other friends, colleagues and admirers of Piper’s included former WWF Champ The Iron Sheik, who said “Roddy Piper. I love you forever. God bless you Bubba” and multi-time World Champion Chris Jericho Tweeted, “Sorry to hear of the passing of my friend and Wrestlemania rival #RoddyPiper. One of the greatest who ever lived, but more importantly a legit sweet family man with a good heart”. Former WWE Divas Champion Paige called Piper a “legend” and Tweeted a picture of a broken heart, an image which reflected the feelings of many a wrestler and wrestling fan.


Roddy’s son, Colt, said that his father was his “best friend” and a “great man” saying that he would miss him forever and “always try to be the man he raised me to be”.


Rowdy Roddy Piper lived a life littered with accomplishments. Not many of us will ever be declared as legendary by our peers and fewer still will be able to stack 30+ Championship reigns anywhere on our resume, but those weren’t the man’s proudest achievements. Piper had been married to his wife, Kitty, since 1982 and is survived by her and the four children they lovingly raised together. My thoughts are with them, as well as everyone else who knew, worked with, or simply enjoyed to watch the late, great man work his magic in front of a capacity crowd. R.I.P Roddy.

Wednesday 2 December 2015

THE APPLICATION OF 2 WAY RADIOS INSIDE THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

In the hospitality business, improving customer service, increasing staff productivity as well as enhancing efficiency is always believed to be a winning strategy. One of the surest ways of streamling operations in the hospitality business is by ensuring your team is well equipped with better ways of communication. Two way radios are cost-effective, easy-to-use as well as a proven solution that can be very effective in optimizing efforts in food service, customer service, housekeeping, engineering, maintenance, valet, security and transportation as well.


The level of success that you can achieve in your hotel basically relies on the fundamental brickwork that you lay down for your hospitality business. These fundamentals include exceptional customer service, attention to detail, and rapid responses to your customers’ needs. Whether your hotel staff members are responding to the guest requests or the concierge team is communicating with one another other, Two way radios are proven to offer the best functionality. With clear audio systems and quality handsets, these Two way radios are capable of helping staff members improves their efficiency and productivity.



Quick, discreet and efficient communication strategies should be the main priorities for any businesses within the leisure and hospitality sectors. Small hotels, guest houses, health clubs and small leisure operations are well-suited to analogue 2 way radios . In such businesses, Two way radios are needed to pass any form of information between many staff members, get updates of conditions in different areas of the business or even monitor activities within the premises. In addition to supplying analogue 2 way radios to various businesses, 2wayradionline.co.uk also supply waterproof radios for different swimming pool areas or specially toughened 2 way radio models for outdoor activity centres.


Large hotels and leisure complexes like the golf courses and gyms usually require digital Two way radio systems, which are capable of working over greater distances. The need to install complex digital systems to enhance radio coverage only arises if the distances are very large or there is a lot of concrete (for instance high-rise hotels). In a bid to keep Two way radios unobtrusive especially at corporate events and in public, the use of earpieces can make radio communications covert and help keep sensitive information out of public knowledge. Added benefits can include incorporating building management intelligence into the radio system; for instance a message can be sent to the control centre automatically when any given lift breaks down or the fire alarm is triggered.


Accommodating a lot of guest can leave you with a lot of things to do and coordinate. All this can be made quite easy on your part and that of your hotel staff members through the integration of hotel-based 2 way radios into your workflow. Having Two way radios in your hotel can smooth your path to guest satisfaction. In addition, it allows you to build a great customer loyalty base as it allows your staff members to present a professional image which is backed by a rapid response to any guest requests.


Digital and Analogue Two way radios are already in use at some of the most exclusive and largest hotels, resorts and casinos all over the world. The digital and analogue 2 way radios and systems used in these resorts, hotels and casinos to keeps the guests feeling safer and also significantly enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. For instance, the management of your hotel can make sure that the housekeeping department is capable of prioritizing the type of rooms that are meant to be prepared first which in turn helps housekeeping departments to contact stores and laundry for additional guests’ amenity kits, linen and so on. The same also applies to the safety and security within the hotel building and its grounds, so in the event of security breaches or in emergency situations where safe and fast movement of a large number of people will have to be managed. With 2 way radio stations installed in your hotel buildings, you will be able to enhance the security of all your guests as well as staff in case of any emergency situation that arises

Tuesday 24 November 2015

Angry Birds 2: They’re Back – And This Time...They Want Your Cash (Part Rant, Part Review, All News)

First of all, the mobile/tablet game that is Angry Birds 2 is, in actuality, Angry Birds 13 – let’s just get that out of the way right now, OK? Good.


Easily one of the most addictive video games of ALL TIME (era/format be damned), Rovio’s Angry Birds will forever be remembered as the most iconic game of the early smartphone era. In years to come, our grandchildren will watch amused as we indulge ourselves in dewey-eyed nostalgia for the birds, the pigs, the licensed merchandise and everything else Angry Birds related – in much the same way that those of us old enough do whenever the early Sonic, Mario Bros or even Pac Man games come up in conversation.


Now, after everyone on Earth has played it to death and after the Angry Birds image has been plastered on absolutely everything (I myself have an Angry Birds coffee mug), Rovio have released Angry Birds 2 which is bigger, badder and (apparently) better than ever.


In preparation for writing this article, I eagerly downloaded this new version, only to find that my iPhone couldn’t run it because the damned thing took up too much space. To better put this into perspective, the previous version of Angry Birds takes up 197MB, while this latest instalment eats up a whopping 255MB. Grumbling in a distinctly Yosemite Sam-like fashion, I deleted a couple of apps, closed down all my presently open apps and set to work trying to run the thing again…With no luck. Next, I drained 5 video clips and something in the neighbourhood of 70 photographs onto my desktop, deleting them from my iPhone before trying again. Still nothing.


So we’ve established that a) My iPhone’s storage capacity is pretty pathetic, but also that b) Rovio have really gone to town on this one, apparently mistaking a smartphone app for a PS4 game in the process. But that actually makes sense the more you look into the game, because if you can’t afford a bigger phone, chances are you can’t afford to play Angry Birds 2, either…


The fact that players using smaller phones/tablets need not apply is disappointing, but what has more players up in arms is the sheer amount of money making strategies the game employs.



For starters, Angry Birds 2 now comes complete with its own in-game currency system. Players can use gems in order to cover all in-game purchases (such as spells to make the levels easier). As the levels get harder, players can use these gems to make their challenges easier and advance further in the game by doing so.


However, like theme park money, you have to purchase any significant amount of extra gems with ACTUAL money from your own bank account. Secondly, if you fail a level and don’t want to pay for another go around with your hard-earned gems, you now have to watch a 30 second advert instead. Thirdly, thanks to the new Life Count feature, you’ll have to use gems (or money) in order to regenerate your character…Unless you fancy waiting around for half an hour between turns, that is.


In this way, Rovio have employed pretty much every moneymaking scheme currently used by app designers, all within the confines of one game. The effect is much the same as an insistent panhandler or perpetually cash-strapped friend bugging you every 25 seconds for money. Although most reviewers are quick to point out that such profit generating methods are common to mobile apps of every description, the big marketing blitz that has accompanied AB2 has gone to great lengths to make the game feel like a big, blockbuster event, whereas the game’s annoying habit of constantly asking you for money gives it a stink of desperation, causing reviewers to look towards the relative failure of Rovio’s recent games such as Amazing Alex and Retry as reasons for their newfound profiteering.


Now, I want you to imagine all those times you ran out of rings on Sonic The Hedgehog, right before the boss turned up. There was no rich boy get out of jail free function to buy more rings in those days. Putting the kibosh on a boss like that took effort, skill and a level head – and it made a man (or woman) of you. It put hairs on your chest (but hopefully only if it made a man of you first). Want a continue? Earn one in the Special Stage or don’t have one at all. Yessir, we worked for our power ups in the old days. Good times.


…Sorry, what was I saying?


To better put all the fan outrage into perspective, Angry Birds 2 holds you up for cash BEFORE the tutorial that begins the game is even over. In-app purchases are a key revenue source for mobile games developers – and it would be nonsensical to take a stand against them. To do so would be akin to demanding that ITV loses the ad breaks. However, I can’t help but wonder why AB2 is so heavily peppered with them.


Surely the idea is to be enjoying the game so much that you don’t mind making the odd in-app purchase, not to be absolutely bludgeoned over the head with popular video game characters repeatedly demanding your money.


In some respects, then, Angry Birds 2 appears to be the gaming equivalent of accidentally catching eyes with a charity troll on a busy urban street, mistaking their eye contact and slight smile for a sign of attraction and not noticing the GreenPeace shirt and clipboard until its too late.


That, or being mugged.

Tuesday 17 November 2015

P.S - This Message Will Self Destruct: New Email App Allows Automatic Encryption

Remember how Inspector Gadget always got given those top-secret messages that would self-destruct upon reading? Well, a new app has been devised that can do just that for your emails.


Confidential CC is a free app, designed for both Android and iOS devices, that allows the user to send self-deleting, automatically encrypting files that can be viewed only once…And never again.


The app also prevents recipients from forwarding or printing the messages in question. In a very real sense, you can read it once and then its gone.


“You receive all your email like usual, we just add a new address line that lets you send a CCC self-destruct email,” said the app’s Co-Founder Warren Barthes, formerly an executive with French Telecom, at the Collision Technology Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada earlier in the year.


Of course, other secure email apps have been attempted before, but none has proven to be 100% safe. Could Confidential CC be the one that finally achieves it?


The app was created by co-founders Warren Barthes, Rachel Triggs and Jeremy Landau and their story (according to the group’s official website, anyway) goes something like this:


“Confidential CC was born when the co-founders realized they had a common need – to send an email without a trace. A short time later they set out for this goal. After working hard to confirm the technology, legal and execution were possible, the CCC team took their idea to the next level by striving to provide not only confidential email, but an updated, smart, and attractive user interface across all systems, catered to our users’ daily lives”.


Compatible with Yahoo!, AOL, Gmail, Hotmail and Outlook, amongst others, the app allows users to access all their email accounts from one place and has been designed to be as user friendly as possible. Confidential CC can also cancel accidentally sent messages and can be instructed to send email messages out at a specific time of day.


It looks good, but the customer reviews have been a mixed bag so far.


iTunes user Alukakum praised the usability and the continuing updates, but a customer named IT User Review panned it, calling the app “clunky at best” and pointing out that users can only synch one email account per provider to the app itself.


Of course, this app is new to the marketplace, so customer reviews are few and far between.


Nevertheless, it goes without saying that, if Confidential CC can deliver on its many promises, then it could become a very profitable enterprise indeed. Co-Founder Rachel Triggs certainly thinks so.


“It’s unacceptable that email, which is free and open for all, is presenting such huge risk to users. Maybe, in five years, people will use CCC lines in Gmail, Outlook, everywhere.” She said at the Collision Conference.


If all goes according to their plans, this could be the first chapter in the story of how a small start-up firm from the US revolutionized email security for all online customers. As with all things, time will tell.

Saturday 27 June 2015

WrestleMania XXXI Surprises Fans

Despite claims that the WWE padded out its attendance figures from 67,000 to 76,000 fans, the eagerly anticipated 31st annual WrestleMania was generally well received by the majority in attendance, as well as those watching at home.


The event took place at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, San Francisco, making it only the sixth open-air WrestleMania event in WWE history. The card featured, amongst other matches, a seven-man ladder match for the companys Intercontinental Championship, a dream match of sorts between WWE veteran Triple H and former WCW mainstay Sting and a main event of Brock Lesnar Vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.



The main card kicked off in spectacular fashion, with fan-favourite Daniel Bryan picking up the gold from defending champion Bad News Barrett. Bryan headlined last years 30th anniversary event, but was sidelined by a serious neck injury not long afterwards. His victory at WrestleMania XXXI marked a triumphant return to Championship form for the man known as much for his skilful wrestling as he is for his popular “YES! YES! YES!” chants.


Not long afterward, Bryan was congratulated backstage by a plethora of wrestling legends (and former Intercontinental Champions) including Ricky The Dragon Steamboat, Bret Hitman Hart, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Nature Boy Ric Flair and Pat Patterson, the first ever Intercontinental Champion.


Fans were also treated to a heated grudge match between Seth Rollins and former WWE Champion Randy Orton. The match was tightly contested, with Rollins security men causing regular distractions to Orton from the outside. At the climax of the fight, Orton managed perform his signature move, the RKO, almost from midair, as Rollins attempted his Curb Stomp finisher. Visually, this made for an incredible finish, as The Viper picked up the win.


The matchup between Triple H and Sting was billed as a dream match of sorts, and Sting was presented to fans as being the last survivor of the fabled Monday Night Wars – a period of time in wrestlings recent history marked by a ratings war between the then-WWF and its nearest rival WCW. This was rather odd, as Sting had in fact been competing for the TNA promotion for many years after the fall of WCW.


Triple Hs Terminator-themed entrance (complete with virtual ring announcement by Arnold Schwarzenegger) was an impressive sight to behold, but, despite this, the match didnt really find its footing until near the end. However, instead of a satisfactory conclusion to a one-on-one match, the WWE staged a microcosmic version of the ratings war by having its D-Generation X stable reunite in support of Triple H as WCWs New World Order group came to the aid of Sting.


Although well received by Attitude Era fans, this probably proved confusing for some of the younger audience members. At the finale of the match, HHH defeated Sting in fairly predictable fashion, but the pair shook hands when all was said and done, indicating that any animosity between WWE and WCW was finally over (of course, the company purchased WCW in 2001, so the point was actually moot before it was made).


Elsewhere on the card, WWE Divas A.J Lee (who retired from active competition shortly after the event) and Paige saw off The Bella Twins in an enjoyable matchup, whilst John Cena won the United States Championship from the (at the time) undefeated Rusev. In the storyline leading up to the event, Rusev and his manager, The Ravishing Russian Lana had been denigrating the United States in an angle not a million miles removed from the plot of Rocky IV, so it was up to John Cena to put them in their place – which he did.


Next up was the long-awaited return of The Undertaker to face the villainous cult leader Bray Wyatt. Fans were teased regarding Takers return, as announcers speculated that he might not actually show up at all.


Up until last year, The Undertaker had remained undefeated at any WrestleMania event, and, in fact had held a 21-0 win/loss record, known to WWE fans as The Streak. However, The Streak had ended at WrestleMania XXX, arguably the biggest shock in WWE history – and The Deadman hadnt been seen since. Many fans had speculated that he had actually retired.


Eventually, after much taunting from Wyatt, a loud bell rang and Undertakers entrance music began to play. The match was a far better showing from Undertaker than the previous year (probably because he was concussed for most of his WMXXX matchup), with both men working the crowd into a frenzy before Undertaker picked up a clean and decisive win (as it should be). Bray Wyatt was working hurt throughout the match, but both Bray and his opponent covered for it extremely well.


The main event was a match between WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and 2015 Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns. Reigns, formerly a member of fan favourite stable The Shield, is the son of Wild Samoan Sika and is therefore a cousin to WWE legends The Rock, Yokozuna and Rikishi and a relative of multi-time WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos. WWE management was obviously very hot on Reigns being their next big star, but the fans had other ideas.


Unanimously booed after his Royal Rumble victory in January, Roman Reigns has been declared by wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer as the least popular wrestler ever to headline a WrestleMania main event. Perceptions of Reigns stem from his being unready and/or too inexperienced for a top spot within the company, to his simply not being a main event calibre-wrestler. In either instance, Reigns (booked to be the good guy or babyface in the match) was unpopular in the main event and actually had to be led to the ring by security guards.


Lesnar, usually a heel (industry term for a bad guy), found himself in an awkward position of garnering some cheers from the crowd – and, perhaps as a result, his offence eclipsed Reigns by a significant margin. The former UFC Champ, himself a target of much fan-criticism due to his status as a part-time WWE employee, threw Roman Reigns about like a veritable rag doll. Reigns signature moves (the spear and the Superman Punch respectively) were apparently ineffective against Lesnar, who simply kicked out of each and every pin attempt.


The feel of the main event struggled from the lack of the clear-cut good guy/bad guy dynamic so prominent in pro wrestling, but WWE creative had obviously anticipated this, so a genuine surprise was still waiting around the corner…


Seth Rollins, Reigns former tag team partner, emerged from the back brandishing his Money in the Bank briefcase – a storyline-item that grants the bearer a title match at any place or time of his choosing – and cashed in his contract, leaving WrestleMania XXXI as the new WWE Champion.


Rollins has long been regarded as one of the industrys brightest stars. From his days in independent promotions like ROH to his time in WWEs developmental series NXT, the man formerly known as Tyler Black has been a consistently impressive performer and had been nominated by many as a future World Champion.


Apparently, WrestleMania XXXI was his moment to shine – and he did, garnering more heat (industry term for fan reaction to a villain) than either Lesnar or Reigns had managed during the entire match. This set up an interesting story that could play out over the next few months, with Seth ducking and dodging challengers Lesnar and Reigns in his quest to keep the title.


Overall, WrestleMania XXXI received generally positive reviews from fans and critics alike, being named as one of the greatest Manias ever by more than one critic. From this fans perspective, however, it lacked the polish and power of WrestleMania XXX, being dragged down by an ambivalent main event reliant on shock tactics rather than wrestling. Having said that, this years WrestleMania was still a very well packaged and enjoyable Pay-Per-View event.


SOURCES


http://www.wrestleview.com/wwe-news/53869


http://www.f4wonline.com/component/content/article/112-wrestling-observer/41491


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WrestleMania_31#cite_note-42

Thursday 18 June 2015

Are Your Headphones Causing Your Acne?

We all take reasonable care of our stuff, particularly when we wear it, we wash our clothes regularly, we shower, more than twice a week! but when was the last time you cleaned your headphones? they might not look dirty, or do they? this article seemingly does.


Headphones are a necessity for the modern music-lover or phone user but your gadgets could also be taking a negative toll on your skin.


Some things in life never seem to last as long as we want them to: Your last paycheck, free cookies, or (perhaps most disappointing of all), clear skin are all relatable examples. Sure, we know that there are tons of prescribed, over-the-counter, and even some go-to natural ingredients that can treat an annoying blemish in a flash, but wouldn’t it be less frustrating to know why our pimples are, well, popping up in the first place?


While genetics and hormones play a huge role, there are certain sneaky, everyday habits that could be irritating your skin too. Like coveting those beloved gadgets of yours.


For instance, think about how your headphones go everywhere with you—school, work, the subway, the gym—and you slide them on without giving it a second thought. Cranking up the music is totally therapeutic (and yes, great for drowning out an annoying sibling), but it turns out if you’re seeing spots on your temples and jaw line, the headphones you use for your daily jam sessions to Taylor Swift might be the culprit for recurring breakouts.


“Wearing over-the-ear headphones is a perfect setup for causing an increase of acne breakouts and skin infections,” says dermatologist and Simple advisory board member Dr. Debra Luftman. “This is especially the case when you wear them during and after a workout, or if you keep them on for long periods of time. Sweat and moisture collect on and around the headphones, compressing the skin and therefore encouraging bacteria and yeast to multiply.” Gross, but true.


Luckily, a blemish-free complexion doesn’t mean retiring your giant pair of Beats or new Frends headphones for good. To keep them gunk-free, Dr. Luftman recommends giving them a daily rubdown with a makeup remover wipe. (Simple’s Cleansing Facial Wipes are so easy to toss in your bag!) Then, remember to use another wipe to clean the areas around your ears, hairline, and jaw before the next time you toss your headphones on again.


If you find that your headphones get discolored or grimy particularly often, you can also keep a stash of anti-bacterial cloths handy in your purse or backpack. Feel free to pick these up during your next drugstore run. Just be sure to let the earphones dry completely before using them again. The same bacteria that develops from sweat and moisture, can build up from any dampness that stems from your cleansing tools. Come on, putting whatever you’re listening to on pause for 10 minutes isn’t too much to ask now, is it?


Dealing with acne is never fun, but preventing it with these simple tips is music to our ears—literally!

How Do Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Work?

Are you a light sleeper or do you face problems in a crowded office and cannot concentrate to work properly? Then surely you will need the active noise cancelling headphones. This is excellent for creating a silent atmosphere even in the noisiest place. Many people prefer to use this while meditating, sleeping in a thin walled apartment or even while travelling via flight. With the help of these headphones, you can eliminate all the unwanted noise and sound. Does it sound weird about how can headphones create silence? It may, but that is the technology.


How Does It Work?


It works due to the noise cancelling technology which works brilliantly. This technology is controlled by analogue circuits or even by digital signal processing. This technology is created by some algorithms that are designed in such a way that it can analyse the waveform of the background noise. Then a signal is generated based on the particular algorithm that will either reverse the original signal or shift it. This signal which is reversed is amplified and another sound is created by the transducer.


This sound wave created is directly proportional to the amplified version of original sound wave. It can create a destructive interference which can effectively reduce the noise volume. So, this is the technology that works in the active noise cancelling headphones. The sound you perceive through these headphones is reduced in volume with the help of noise reducing or cancellation technology. These headphones are different from that of the normal headphones that you use for listening to music.


Benefits Of Noise Cancelling Headphones


There are many amazing benefits of the noise cancelling headphones. These benefits make it quite popular among many people who stay in some noisy area or travel a lot via flight or even who are light sleepers. These benefits are –


  • It can block almost all types of ambience sound and noise. It can really mute the outer world letting you sleep, work or travel peacefully.

  • With the help of this noise controlling headphone you can even listen to music at a low volume and you do not have to raise the volume unnecessarily to hear clearly.

  • Even if you want to study in some crowded and noisy classroom or while travelling, this will help you to concentrate on your books by eliminating outside noise.

So, all these benefits make it an ideal accessory for you while travelling, reading, meditating, listening to music at low volume and even while you are sleeping. These active noise cancelling headphones are ideally the best way to get rid of the unwanted noise and sounds that do not let you travel or sleep peacefully.


Where To Buy From?


There are thousands of various types of noise cancelling headphones. But you need to be careful while investing and buying one for yourself. Here are some of the tips for you:


  • Researching is very important. If you buy one headphone blindly for yourself without knowing and researching about it then you may face issues too. So, browse through internet and check for the best headphones from some reputed companies.

  • You can shortlist some of the best active noise cancelling headphones for yourself. Then check the reviews and feedbacks regarding those selected ones. This will give you a good idea about the products. If it has some great reviews and customers are satisfied with its performance then you can buy that.

  • Also do not forget to compare the prices of the headphones. There are many brands which keep the prices higher than others while it offers the same features and performance. So, you need to do a thorough comparison of price as well as its features. Invest on the most affordable and cost effective product.

  • Lastly, make sure that the website from where you are buying is reliable and trustworthy. If it is not, then either your money will be wasted or you may not get a genuine product too.

So, it is very important for you to invest wisely and get the best product for yourself. These active noise cancelling headphones are more expensive than that of normal headphones but really worth it. You will definitely get the result which you will expect from it.

Sunday 14 June 2015

In the Early Years: Technology improved for Oneonta police in 1935

Criminals in 1935 would not find Oneonta to be a “pushover” town when it came to law enforcement.


“The Oneonta Police department is preparing to meet the modern gangster on even ground,” The Oneonta Star reported on Monday, Jan. 21, that year. “In the near future, Chief Frank N. Horton announced yesterday, the department will be equipped with a sub-machine gun and a two-way radio-telephone service.”


 These were state-of-the-art technology upgrades for the time and Oneonta appeared to be proud of them, approved by Common Council in the 1935 budget and said to “bring Oneonta’s Police department on a par with other cities in the state, and will materially aid in preventing crime.”

Officers were ready to be trained to use the machine gun, which could fire a 50-shot drum in three seconds, a rate of 800 shots per minute. It weighed nine pounds loaded, so the weapon could be used with one hand like an ordinary revolver for single-shot fire.


To the best of my knowledge, there was never a time or crime in that era that required such firepower in Oneonta. The other new crime fighting tool, the two-way radio, was handy and useful.


By April, the radio equipment had arrived and been installed at police headquarters (then found at the Oneonta Municipal Building, today’s 242 Main St.), as well as the two “prowl” cars used on the streets. Tests were made all over the city and outside the limits, and all transmissions were strong and clear.


Prior to this new technology, The Star reported that officers had to watch for a red light at the top of the municipal building, indicating an emergency was in progress. Instead of awaiting the arrival of a prowl car to pick up the emergency information at headquarters and go, officers could now be dispatched and head to the scene immediately.


Another advance in police work in Oneonta came in March 1935. The department sought supplies used for fingerprinting individuals who wanted to have their fingerprints on file for personal identification purposes.


“Several months ago the department of Justice advocated national fingerprinting,” said M.L. Thomas, a fingerprint expert in the department. “Many Oneontans responded and their records are now on file at Washington, D.C.” It appears the program was tried earlier and was now becoming a permanent part of Oneonta’s police work.


Outreach to young people was part of crime prevention in 1935, just as it is today. On Thursday, Feb. 14, Police Attorney Joseph P. Molinari was a guest speaker at Oneonta High School.


“Crime does not pay and the life of a gangster is short,” Molinari told the students, himself a 1919 graduate of OHS. He pointed out the short careers of John Dillinger, “Pretty Boy” Floyd and “Baby Face” Nelson, stating that “these criminals could never have enjoyed life on their ill-gotten gains, as their luck could not go on forever. In the end they were killed and society was avenged.”


Molinari was in his early career at the time in Oneonta. It was only about a month later, Thursday, March 7, when Molinari announced he was seeking the post of Otsego County district attorney, a job he was elected to. In 1943, Molinari became Otsego County judge, and in 1951 New York’s Sixth Judicial District Supreme Court justice.


While police work was becoming more high-tech in 1935, the routine tasks still needed to be done, which many area residents of 2015 might identify with.


“Stop does not mean slow,” Chief Horton declared on March 25 while announcing that motorists must observe the various stop signs about the city. Police opened a campaign that day to compel motorists to observe the signs and had issued four summonses to drivers failing to stop. Those drivers were set to appear before Judge Frank C. Huntington in city court.


Interestingly, the signs were triangular in shape and made of iron, but the article in The Star didn’t tell what the color was at the time.


On Monday: The region went in front of the cameras for production of “Susquehanna Stories.”


Mark Simonson is Historian of Oneonta City, Twice a week he writes for the thedailystar.com, including this article. What he outlines in this article is more about Two way radios, but also early 20th century crime prevention techniques. 

Does The Old Two Cans on a String Thing Actually Work?

It does indeed. The old children’s favourite may have been supplanted somewhat by the relentless march of technology, especially now that almost every kid has a mobile phone and/or access to the Internet, but there is still a lot of fun to be had there.


For those reading this that don’t know, the two cans on a string game involves taking two empty (and preferably washed out) tin cans, the kind you might buy baked beans in, punching a small hole in the bottom of both cans and then threading a length of string in between each hole, tying it in a knot big enough to secure it in the can. Then, when the string is pulled tight, it is possible for one person to speak into the can and another to listen and reply. It also works with polystyrene cups, albeit to a slightly lesser extent. You’d be amazed also at the distance your voice can actually travel using this method.


It is not advisable to use stretchable string for the cans as it just makes life more difficult!



The science behind this game is actually very simple. The vibrations of your voice shake the bottom of the can and that, in turn, vibrates the string. Provided the string is pulled taut and isn’t touching anything, there should be no reason at all for your voice not to travel along the string to be received by your companion at the other end.


In fact, this game actually qualifies as a sort of rudimentary telephone; the theory behind it is very similar.


If you happen to be a parent, this game can keep the kids entertained on rainy afternoons, as well as providing a useful scientific lesson for them. I have many happy childhood memories of playing this game. However, it is very important to make sure that the cans have no sharp edges around the inner rim, for older kids, a simple ‘safety brief’ will probably do, but younger kids might be safer with a little electrical or duct tape stuck around the top of the can (in each child’s favourite colour, maybe? Just a thought). It shouldn’t affect the sound too much, if at all.


It’s amazing the fun you can have with a couple of old cans and a length of string. Hope that helps.

Friday 29 May 2015

Formula One Pit Crews Embrace 3D Printed Noise Cancelling Earpieces From Minerva Hearing

The sound of a racing motor at full throttle is a singularly powerful noise. While changes in Formula One motors, from V8s to the turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 motors of this season, mean they generate 15,000 RPM, which is 3,000 RPM less than last year, and though the smaller engines have made them significantly quieter, they’re still loud.


Now that scientists are warning people around the world of the dangers of prolonged exposure to high levels of noise, a Welsh company is using 3D printing to create earplugs to prevent hearing damage to everyone from musicians to Formula One mechanics.599468_513770338658254_1536909041_n


As a point of reference, you can tolerate the noise generated as you ride in a car – around 85 dB – for about 8 hours before hearing damage begins to occur. An average motorcycle generates 95 dB, and you can take about 47 minutes of that, and a loud rock concert can pound out 115 dB.


While the new generation of F1 cars creates some 80 dB of sound, the old V10-based cars pumped out 130 dB. At a level of 128 dB, your hair can actually begin to detect vibration from sound, and at those levels, hearing can be altered in a matter of seconds. A very small hand grenade or bomb can create up to 210 dB.


All this is important as one part of the inner ear, the cochlea, contains some 17,000 small hair cells called stereocilia which float inside cochlear fluid. When sound waves enter the cochlea, the stereocilia move, and that triggers an electrical impulse in the auditory nerve. The nerve passes those electrical impulses to the brain where they’re decoded as “sounds.”


Here’s the problem: once damaged, stereocilila don’t grow back.


Kevin Davies, operations director at Minerva Hearing Protection in Cardiff, Wales, says his company’s custom hearing protection devices built with 3D printing technology have been used for everything from providing protection for the pit crews on the F1 circuit to musicians on stage.


The products are custom molded to an individual’s ear canal to completely eliminate external sounds, and they’re formed in 3D printed hard acrylic. The earplugs feature tiny, built-in acoustic filters which take into account the natural response of the ear.IF


“With Formula cars producing volumes over 100dB under race conditions, multiplied many times over in a busy Grand Prix pit lane, the need for hearing protection as well as safe communication are paramount,” Davies says. “We have been working with the majority of Formula 1 teams over the past three years, and we are really proud to be part of a world that demands the highest standards of engineering technology.”


The devices are made from a soft, medically-approved silicone, and they can also be made from a firmer acrylic material which can be plated in silver, gold, or titanium.


The production process begins with a technician making an impression of a client’s outer ear canal, and then pouring in liquid silicon. The resulting molds are then digitized for input into a 3D printer, and the company says it produces more than 4,000 ear pieces per week. Davies says 3D printing technology has advanced well beyond simply the ability to produce prototypes.


1889080_698346236867329_8772122851610298217_oThe company has produced more than one million 3D printed products at their Cardiff manufacturing center. Minerva was one of the first companies to embrace additive manufacturing as a commercial proposition, and Davies says they acquired their first 3D printer in 2004 “at a cost in excess of $150,000.” They also receivedMHRA approval for medical-grade resin they use to 3D manufacture the ear-pieces.


“Having been one of the first UK producers to take the plunge and switched over entirely to this form of additive manufacturing, we believe we have proven the case for 3D printing as a serious manufacturing process,” Davies says. “It has well and truly arrived as a cost-effective and efficient production technology that brings us many advantages, and has truly stepped out of its technological novelty phase of recent years. We will continue to invest in new and improved 3D systems ensuring our products stay at the leading edge of our field.”


Davies says 3D printing technology has also helped Minerva produce over 8,000 variations of color and materials, and he adds that in-ear monitors and ear plugs are now laser-printed with logos, names, or images according to a customer’s preference.


Additional InformationAs we see the advent of 3D printers we will see more and more products that are relatively expensive to produce in small quantities and to see one of the most technologically advanced sports using this shows that it will have a bright future, you can find the original source of the article here

Monday 25 May 2015

Icom Announces New Digital Land Mobile Radios at IWCE 2015

Icom America is showcasing new land mobile radio equipment at the 2015 International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE). The company will be displaying new products promoting digital and IP radio technology. The IWCE conference will be held at Nevada’s Las Vegas Convention March 16-20. Icom will be exhibiting at Booth 621 during exhibit hall hours on March 18-19. Icom associates will also be participating on weekday panels highlighting P25, NXDNâ„¢, next-gen communications, and systems deployed in Latin America.


New products on display at Icom Booth 621 include the F1000D/F2000D the F3200DEX/F4200DEX, which belong to the Icom Digital Advanced System known as IDASâ„¢. The F1000D Series is a compact entry-level radio featuring enhanced emergency functions. The F3200DEX Series is a rugged handheld that meets Intrinsically Safe standards. For IP solutions, Icom’s VE-PG3 RoIP gateway and IP100H wireless LAN radio will also be on display.


Icom is also announcing the F5122DD Series transceiver. This data modem features MIL-STD construction and is ideal for field monitoring and remote system management. Additionally, the company is exhibiting its exclusive IC-7850 amateur radio as well as the ID-5100A and ID-51A PLUS D-STAR radios.


Sponsored by Penton Media, IWCE 2015 will host Icom and more than 7,000 dealers, distributors and end-users from various industries. IWCE’s conference program comprises five days of workshops, training courses and short courses. Keynotes, general sessions and networking events are also scheduled throughout the week.



Icom America Vice President Chris Lougee is participating in two IWCE events:


    • “Project 25 Foundations and System Technology Updates for 2015″ workshop on March 16
    • “An Update on P25 Compliance Assessment Program (CAP)” short course on March 19

“The P25 Compliance Assessment Program is critical in the equipment procurement process for government agencies,” says Lougee. “It is the best way to ensure interoperability.”


The following Icom America associates are participating as panelists for IWCE courses on March 18:


    • Mark Behrends (Senior Manager of Marketing) for “Next-Generation Push-to-Talk Roundtable: Cellular, Satellite, Wireless LAN and LTE”
    • Edwin Cortes (Technical Sales Manager, LatAm) for “Estudios de Caso: TETRA, LTE y P25″
    • Rodney Grim (Business Development Manager) and Chris Lougee for “A NXDN Deployment Review”

We are really interested in where Icom have going with their digital radios, the IP stuff is nothing new but Icom have a great history with Two Way Radios, you can find the original source of the article here - http://www.policeone.com/police-products/police-technology/press-releases/8413508-Icom-Announces-New-Digital-Land-Mobile-Radios-at-IWCE-2015/

Sunday 24 May 2015

How a Digital Walkie Talkie Works?

The Digital Walkie Talkie is the best way to communicate other than cellular phones on the world market. These devices are still widely used by the military personal, police officers, public event organizers, etc.


You might be quite interested how the digital Walkie Talkie Works? A walkie-talkie is a hand-held portable radio which communicates wirelessly using the radio wave signals on single and shared frequency bands.


Each of the battery-powered units of the device contains an antenna and transmitter/receiver for sending and receiving of the radio waves. It also contains a loudspeaker that doubles up as loud as a microphone when someone talks into it. There is also a “push-to-talk” or PTT button for this purpose.


The loudspeaker/microphone of the device works following the same mechanism as that of the intercom. The microphone and speaker contains almost the same components viz. a magnet, a wire coil, and a plastic or paper cone to pick up and generate the sounds.


You can also use any single device to do both jobs by switching electrical circuit and reversing the current flow. Walkie talkies manufactured by big companies include separate microphones and loudspeakers. Thus, it is based on a very simple mechanism.


How to use the Walkie talkie?


Groups of People who talk on the digital Walkie Talkie don’t need to tune into the same frequency band. Thus the Digital element of the Walkie Talkie. The radios of these walkie talkies are all receiving. Thus, the microphone/loudspeaker units work as a conventional radio.


If you want to talk with others via a walkie talkie, then you need to hold the push-to-talk button on the handset. After that, the radio becomes quiet as the loudspeaker switches over to the microphone.


As you talk into it, your words are converted into the radio waves and are then beamed out on a prearranged channel. Typical frequency of this channel is around 400 MHz. The radio waves are a part of the electromagnetic spectrum, they travel at the speed of sound.


The high-speed sound waves are very easily picked up by the other handsets. The radio waves are converted back into electric currents and are used by the loudspeakers to reproduce the sound of the voice of the person who is talking.



When the talking is finished, the talker says “over” and releases the “push-to-talk” button.


The radio now switches back into listening mode and someone else can talk. After this, the radio switches back into the listening mode.


The most distinct feature of the digital Walkie Talkie that makes it quite different from the normal radio is that it is a 2 way radio that is you can talk as well listen with the help of this device.


What are the benefits of using these devices?


The digital Walkie Talkie is a simple, robust and easy to use device for indoor as well outdoors. These devices are also very much suitable for the children as these are very light and easy to carry and handle.


The kids can keep in constant touch with their parents with the help of these devices. These are very much suitable for the business application purposes.


What are the major specifications?


A Digital Walkie Talkie is very convenient and weighs 100-200 grams and can work over a 5 to 10 square kilometer or 2-4 square miles. These electronic devices also have a very long battery-life of almost 20 hours.


The Walkie-talkies have multiple channels. So you can easily switch from one to the other easily. Some walkie talkies also have baby monitor intercoms.


What are the various parts of this device?


Variois parts of the digital Walkie Talkie include antenna, LCD displays, select buttons, monitor, menu buttons, loudspeaker, PTT button, volume control, on/off switch, microphone, LED indicators, etc.


The radio waves are sent and received by the antenna. The LCD display shows the channel number, battery life, etc., baby monitors are sometimes fitted within the device, the menu buttons are used to change the settings and functions of the device.


The LED indicate light glows showing that the channels are all busy.


The digital Walkie Talkie is offered at very reasonable and affordable prices by the best online shops. These are also very durable and flexible when in use. Therefore, it is a very useful telecommunication device for the people of all ages and backgrounds.

Friday 8 May 2015

How Does An Ear Defender Work In A Noisy Environment?

Are you working in a very noisy environment? Do you find yourself under very loud working conditions? Then, you definitely need the best Ear Defender in order to keep your hearing system unaffected by the surrounding noise.


People can get short of hearing and even deafness if they work in noisy work conditions for long and even short terms. Thus, using a hearing protection aid is a must for them. If you are a professional music player, you need to fit electronic devices like Apple iPod or MP3 style players with your ears. The noises from these headphones can damage your ears and your hearing power can be reduced.


Thus, you need to use the noise reducing headphones for these purposes. These types of devices are also known as the ear defenders, How Do Ear Defenders Work? This can be a first question in your mind.


How the Ear Defenders Work?


The noise reducing or noise cancelling headphone ear defenders work in two major ways. The first one is that these are usually designed to perfectly fit over the years with a thickly padded outer layer.


This layer acts as a physical barrier and blocks the high noise frequencies very effectively of the surrounding environment. These types of headphones are a bit bulky but these are highly effective ear defenders. These headphones are also commonly used in the noisy construction industries and perform very well.


This device leaves the low frequency noises and these get away through the physical barrier portion of the noise reducing headphone. There is a very small microphone inside the headphone that pocks up the unwanted noise or sound.


The highly advanced electronic circuits inside the headphones turn the sound wave into an opposite sound wave and play it back along with the music you are currently listening. The 2 sound waves of the external noise function to eliminate one another.


Because of these two technologies the passive high frequency barrier and the active lower frequency noise cancelling technology and the noise reducing headphones are the ideal for using in noisy environments of any type like offices, train plane journeys, etc. These devices cut off all the unwanted background noises which may disturb you.


Even if you want to listen to music peacefully you can only listen to the music by cutting of the unwanted surrounding noises with the help of the noise cutting headphones. These devices also work effectively while you are talking with someone on your mobile phone and the call is disrupted by unwanted surrounding noises.


How to protect your years?


The sounds are all turned into electrical signals that finally reach your brains. The tiny hairs of your cochlea pick up the sound vibrations. These hairs can get damaged if the sound vibrations are too high. The inner ear damages cannot be reversed.


Noise in the factories is one of the biggest sources of severe hearing losses. Thus, the workers in the factories, who have to work for long hours face serious hearing problems. They must use the most technically advanced ear defender for protection during the working hours.

Saturday 2 May 2015

UK SURGEON EXPERIMENTS WITH OCULUS RIFT TO MAKE ‘VIRTUAL SURGEON’

A British surgeon wants to make the operating room virtual with the Oculus Rift headset.


Dr. Shafi Ahmed, a laparoscopic and colorectal surgeon, has already worked to integrate Google Glass into his lessons as an associate dean at the Barthes of London Medical School.



As co-founder of the tech company Medical Realities, Ahmed now wants to use the virtual reality system Oculus Rift to create the “Virtual Surgeon,” a pilot program that would allow medical students to practice surgeries inspired by actual operations before setting foot into an operating room.


Ahmed and his team presented Virtual Surgeon at the wearable technology show this week.


“It’s very easy to train people in a correct operation,” Ahmed told ABC News on Friday. “It’s not so easy when things go wrong. … We’re all put in situations where things can go wrong.”


Last month, Ahmed took the first steps towards creating that program by making a 360-degree video of an operation.


Anyone wearing an Oculus Rift headset could then be able to get an immersive view of the laparoscopic procedure when the video is played back.


The virtual reality experience of Oculus Rift is a better simulation for students, Ahmed said, because it can more easily mimic a real operating room.


“It’s as close as you can get to replicating it,” he said, noting that education should always embrace the newest technology and a virtual reality operating room could be the next major tool for students.


The Oculus Rift headset has not been made available to consumers yet, but the company was acquired by Facebook for $2 billion last year. The headsets have already been utilized by a range of people, from real estate agents to driving instructors and fitness companies.


The oculus Rift has huge potential, this is a great one where it can save lives. Much like pilots, racing drivers and firefighters use simulators to improve training this is a good thing, the only issue will be the standard of the software used with the headset.


Original source - http://kticradio.com/abc_health/uk-surgeon-experiments-with-oculus-rift-to-make-virtual-surgeon-abcid35269105/

Saturday 25 April 2015

Bill Would Allow Coloradans To Use 1 Earphone Behind The Wheel

Cellphone makers have come up with lots of devices that make it easier to drive with both hands on the wheel while using their technology, but in Colorado one common setup for going hands-free is illegal.


Using earphones while driving is illegal in the state, even if only one ear has an earbud in it or the headphones have audio coming out of only one side.



Rep. Jovan Melton, a Democrat who represents Aurora, says that’s a problem.


“I definitely understand and respect that they’re following the letter of the law, but people shouldn’t be punished for trying to drive safely by keeping both hands on the wheel,” he said.


Melton says Denver police has written 172 tickets in the past three years for people wearing earphones or a single earbud.


“It’s important that we clean this piece of the statute up,” he said. “Allow people to drive safely without having to worry about being fined or ticketed or pulled over for wanting to do the right thing.”


This is illegal in the US, and is also illegal here in the UK, it’s not common to see drivers in the UK doing this. But the worrying rise in touchscreens in cars could increase the chances of more accidents.


Melton is carrying a bill that would allow motorists to use one earphone or earbud while driving.


“A lot of the earbuds that you get with your phone will come with two for music listening, but we wanted to make sure that you are only using one earbud so you can still hear emergency vehicles,” he said.


Melton’s bill doesn’t require hands-free devices like earphones when talking on the phone behind the wheel. Melton tried and failed to get such legislature approved last year. But he says he’s not giving up.


“I think if we can get this passed it’s just one more step in that conversation which will hopefully lead to a successful (hands-free) bill next year,” he said.


The one earbud bill has passed in the House of Representatives and it was approved unanimously in a Senate committee on Thursday. It now moves on to the full Senate.


Colorado has several laws currently on the books related to distracted driving:


– It is illegal to text and drive


– If you are under 18, you can’t text or talk on the phone


– You cannot have a TV or computer that shows entertainment, social media or email in a position in the vehicle where the driver can see it.


Source - http://denver.cbslocal.com/2015/03/05/bill-would-allow-coloradans-to-use-1-earphone-behind-the-wheel/

Friday 17 April 2015

The Perfect Icom Radio Earpiece Ever

They are not just your normal earpieces. Nor are they just anything that lets you listen to your music. For any security guard, detective officer or investigator, ordering for the icom radio earpiece will not just be any other addition. In a world that is revolving around quality innovations, having the best set of earpieces in town should be your least target as a security officer. It can be even better if you do rely on the radio technology to send and receive signals in an institution. Just know that, if you really need some light and top notch earpieces, then this is the perfect offer you will ever get.

Product description

Different with most radio earpieces, this model is exceptionally light and durable to last for as long as you possible. They are easy to use as they don’t drop easily. However, what wows most customers is its audio quality. On trying them out, you will indeed approve of the quality audio that can be excellent for numerous contexts. The PTT or microphone holding clips allow you to simply attach them to your vest. When displaced while walking, you can simply press from the front instead of grabbing the whole unit to get it back in position. Though mostly used by investigators and detective officers carrying out operations, getting them for your security guards will enhance that surety on the quality of signal reception.

How to where them

These exceptional pieces are long wired. You can thus wear them under any clothing that can allow the microphone to be passed down through your sleeves to the cuff where you will clip them. You may also find it comfortable to clip them to the vest or just near the lapel for perfect communication. The length of the wire is about 110cm. add that to the allowance created by these devices and you will have a comfortable receiver to walk around with. For anyone who really understands what the nature of the job demands, then missing out on such top quality earpieces is not likely.

Features

- Electric microphone- it has an in-built electric microphone with a hidden speaker located just at center of the switch.

- Low profile high quality sound- with the flexible and transparent acoustic tube, you are not only assured of top quality sound, but also efficient undercover work as the transparent tube won’t be noticed.

- A 2 jack straight plug â€"it the 3.5mm mono the 2.5 mono spaced at 6.7mm between each.

Benefits

The technology used to make the microphone gives you the wide line between this product and some other counterfeit earpieces in the market. It is comfortable and doesn’t strain you around on your job. You don’t need to worry about your undercover job being blown up due to microphone exposure. This is what has made many customers to appreciate icom radio earpiece devices. It can be accommodated in any kind of clothing due to its small size.



Furthermore, its available connectors come in a sleek design that helps perform tasks as you use two way radios. However, you are advised to check for connectors that suit the task at hand. For instance, if one opts for a straight connector pin that works well for marine radios for domestic use, then expect a great difference in the sound quality. Each one of them is designed to work well in certain environments. That’s why buying, there will be certain assets to be considered for a perfect one for your task. All in all, the earpieces offer the best quality sounds for work stations such as real estate, transport, shipping, healthcare and security.

Cons

There are no current negative issues about these devices. You just have to ensure that you order directly from respectable sites that sell them. This will help avoid getting fake devices. It also offers you a chance to understand the perfect connectors suitable for certain fields. You will surely have no issues with these earpieces.

Conclusion

For better security performance, you will need the best headsets for communication. Without even getting referrals from anyone, the quality of icom radio earpiece will definitely prove to be the best. You can then enjoy connecting with fellow colleagues, clients and loved ones through this modern innovation. Don’t miss out on the best earpiece around being offered at just £20! Good luck!

Saturday 11 April 2015

Natural History Museum Replaces Dippy Dinosaur With Blue Whale Skeleton

Directors of the Natural History Museum in London have announced that ‘Dippy’ â€" the famous diplodocus skeleton that greets visitors in the museum’s iconic Hintze Hall â€" will be replaced by the skeleton of a blue whale by 2017.

The idea is to better convey a more modern feel to the museum, one that reflects the cutting-edge science being conducted by the institution.

"Everyone loves 'Dippy', but it's just a copy," NHM director Sir Michael Dixon told BBC News, “what makes this museum special is that we have real objects from the natural world - over 80 million of them - and they enable our scientists and thousands like them from around the world to do real research."

At present, the 25m-long blue whale is hanging â€"in a flat position- in the ‘mammals’ gallery and is accompanied by a life size reconstruction of the animal.

The skeleton was acquired by the museum in 1891 and it originally cost curators £250. The massive animal was beached at Wexford in Southeast Ireland and its remains were immaculately processed and preserved. To date, it is one of the biggest â€" and best-preserved â€" whale skeletons in the world.

Over the coming two years, the entire skeleton will be taken down and each individual bone will be thoroughly cleaned and carefully catalogued before it is re-structured and placed in a dramatic new pose, ready to better symbolize the new science of the 21st century.

The massive remains will be placed in a graceful diving posture designed to impress visitors to the hall.

By virtue of being the largest animal to ever exist on our planet, the blue whale skeleton will likely present an even more impressive sight to behold than Dippy presently does. Its presence could also help to raise awareness for whale conservation and preservation of our natural heritage in general.



The conservation aspect of this move is an especially relevant point, as it was NHM scientists that first demonstrated that hunting of the blue whales needed to be stopped in the first place.

This move, whilst surprising, is not without precedent. In the past, the Hintze Hall has also featured a complete sperm whale skeleton as its main attraction, as well as carefully preserved African elephants â€" and other displays as well.

So where will Dippy be going once his replacement arrives? At present, there is talk about taking the iconic dinosaur on tour in order to bring the Natural History Museum to the people, by housing him in regional museums throughout the UK.

Before that happens though, he will likely still have pride of place in a dinosaur-themed exhibit elsewhere in the museum, so we’ll still be able to stop by and say “hi”..