Latest Inventions

posted by admin on Aug 10

Why cram your office full of old-fashioned phone technology - when the solution is to get rid of it all!

You don’t need a separate scanner and fax machine anymore (the 2 are combined), a whole room for your computers (laptops are shrinking) or even a computer to update your emails or write documents (a smart phone or iPad will do!).

So why are you still struggling to maintain and house your hired phone system in your office?

If you are thinking of improving your business - and the perception of your business - then VoIP for business could be just what you are looking for - so let’s learn more about what it can offer the small and large business - whatever your business!

VoIP Today:
This Internet-based communication system was first hyped up to get ‘free’ phone calls over the Internet by plugging a headset into your computer - but it has certainly come a long way now.

Your office phone system could be completely off-site - with no hiring, storage and maintenance of hefty or bulky equipment - basically you just have your own phones and your existing phone line - everything else is off-site and so there is nothing to worry about.

Basically, you can have all the services you currently have with your ground-based phone system with the constantly improving Internet-based VoIP.  Whether it’s conference calls, call divert or ansa-phone systems - it will all be exactly the same as before - only better!

Not only will it be better - but it will be quicker, easier and cheaper than your existing system - virtually guaranteed!

Business Benefits:
Well, the most obvious benefit will be the financial savings involved!  Not only are VoIP calls cheaper in the first place - you won’t be having to pay to hire any equipment to get started.

There will be no maintenance costs at all - as all the equipment is off-site, except your own phones and computers.  Any upgrades can be quickly and easily added to your account overnight via your IP rather than having to change software or hardware yourself (no doubt at an extra cost as well!).

There is also no need to sign a long term contract as these services are usually charged for monthly usage only rather than the huge investment you make by taking on a whole hardware system. 

And most businesses can save between 50-85% on existing calls - as you simply pay for each user, not the number of calls they make!  So no more paying extra to call during working hours - or waiting to the weekend to save a few pence a minute.  And think of that ‘free’ time on the phone to spend on talking to your new clients, or calling to update your existing clients and answer any of their questions.

You can be online with your new VoIP system in minutes rather than having to waste days fitting and wiring a contract system throughout your office - and of course there is no need to stay in the same office for the length of your contract to save moving it all and rewiring everything at your new office.  This system is totally phone-line based and is only fixed to a phone number - not a building or postcode!

And you don’t even need to give up your existing business numbers to sign up - they are totally transferable onto your business VoIP account!

I don’t know what you are waiting for!

posted by admin on Jun 6

Imagine holding up a box of LEGO to a screen - and seeing a 3D image of the fully assembled model!

That is exactly what you can do right now, not just with that one ‘toy’ brand but with dozens of others - and the technology doesn’t just stop at games and gadgets - this new world of imaging could be appearing right in front of you in the street!

Soon, we won’t have to just guess what things will look like when made, we won’t have to guess where that repair store is on a busy high street - and you won’t even have to take your chances in a new restaurant without seeing the reviews of it’s past customers!

Augmented Reality (AG) - although first invented in 1968 by Ivan Sutherland - was truely brought to life in 1999 with the use of software that detected and reacted to ‘markers’ for image tracking.  Then it was developed the following year as a great way to bring text books to life with 3-dimensional images being more helpful than flat pictures - and basically - why stop there?

AG has been used for years on the TV - and watching the football teams pop up on screen as the players ‘warm up’ is a classic example; and showing the ’finish line’ over the river in a boat race is another ‘everyday’ use.  But we didn’t want an inanimate object - we wanted to be in charge of the images.

Initially driven by sales of merchandise, these AG software packages allowed consumers to ‘play’ with their gadget before buying it so to speak.  They could see images of their preferred product and even turn it around to see it from all angles before spending any money - even comparing the finished product to a similar one.

This is a huge step forward from the AG systems that need head mounted displays (HMD’s) to work.  Think back to when we thought that seeing computer information on the inside of your glasses was amazing - now it looks like you don’t even need the glasses!

The Future:
Well, think about films where computer screens seem to be on a whole table, the wall or even ‘floating’ in mid air and you can use your hands to move sections of it.  This could be coming very soon.

There are currently people working on whole room set-ups (spatial displays) that will allow you to overlay certain images into the space given - say for example looking at a new bathroom suite in your actual bathroom - try before you buy type of thing!  A new kitchen, lounge, office suite - the list is endless once you think about it.  But obviously it will have scientific uses first, like designing new hospitals, spaceships and whole environments maybe?

It is already being used in manufacturing - where the HMD’s contain step by step instructions that are triggered by the component parts and medical breakthroughs are also allowing layers of the human body to be seen simultaneously by surgeons to complete operations faster and safer.

So rather than a virtual reality - where you step into a computer generated world - this new reality is where the computers move into your world, and hopefully improve it!

However, I can imagine a hacker getting in to one of the programs and then a HMD AG fan could find New York City with wild animals or even aliens around every corner!

Source: BBC Focus Magazine.

posted by admin on May 16

Spring is in full swing - and there is plenty of news in the technology world - and here are just some of the latest inventions and gadgets…….

So, lets get started with a great intro in to the world of science, with Tisha Dotson thorough listing of: 50 Excellent Science Blogs Anyone Can Appreciate. And many of these I already read myself!

And if it is engineering you are interested in, then take a serious look at Jennifer Kingsley post about the different areas of engineering that are out there - and there is quite some choice: 50 Free Open Courseware Classes About Every Type of Engineering.

And to follow, Angelita Williams has her list fo the 100 Best RSS Feeds to Follow Engineering News, and Olivia Davis lists for us the 50 Great Green Architecture & Design Blogs.

And talking of technology and engineering - take a look at the amazing Developments in E-paper Devices by Marco Gustafsson.

Glory Scott enlightens us to the Medical Industry with his short guide to the 25 Notable Start-ups Changing the Medical Information Industry and what they are offering both business and customers like yourself.  And Jennifer Kingsley stays on the medical front with her second entry this month - with her extensive article detailing 17 Ways Mobile Computing Is Changing Medicine and Healthcare. An interesting read indeed!

And finally, the apps: Engelbert Hudson gives us his 25 Essential Free iPhone Apps for e-Learners.

See you in June……

posted by admin on May 9

At last, there is some common sense prevailing across the continent of Europe!

Rather than wondering what number to call in an emergency when travelling through Europe - nearly all the emergency services have got together and agreed to have just the 1 number instead!

People in the UK have always used 999 for all services, whereas France used to use 18 and Romania was 955!  All a bit difficult to remember - but Greece won the title for most confusing!  

In Greece it used to be different for each service: you had to dial 100 for the Police, 166 for Ambulance, 199 for a normal Fire but 191 for a Forest Fire!  The Coast Guard service was 108 and they even had an Anti-Narcotics emergency service available on 109!  Goodness knows how the public coped - let alone the tourists!

So now that’s 27 countries across the continent that all respond to the same 3 digits!  Hopefully getting to a lot more emergencies than before!

And many GSM cell phones are now pre-programmed to re-direct you to the correct number at home - and will let you call it even if their is no sim card in your phone or if you dial 999 for example, instead of entering your pin.  Although it won’t automatically recognise other country’s emergency numbers - if it is added, your phone can be ’trained’ to recognize ‘112′ as an emergency number if you are abroad in Europe and work in much the same way. 

GSM phones will realise that you are trying to call an emergency number and give your call priority over the network - meaning that your cell phone will actually work faster in an emergency situation (like if you were injured during a power cut) than someone else who is just trying to call a friend to tell them how dark it is!

Odd Ones Out:
There are seemingly 2 countries who are still not using the 112 number for any of their services (or are not redirecting from the 112 number to their own emergency numbers) - so if you visit Albania or San Marino, you will need to remember their own numbers - and they both have 3 different numbers for the 3 main services!

However, to just be awkward - Kosovo have recently changed their 112 emergency number to 911 instead!  So they are the only country in Europe to use this number - alright for all those visiting Americans I suppose!

Of course, there are still certain services which still have their own specific number, but you can safely call 112 and at least you will get through to an emergency expert who can forward you to the best alternative service rather than leaving you to watch a house burn to the ground!

Happy Holidays!

posted by admin on Apr 7

This is your last chance to get into the Gadget Show this year!

There are only tickets left for the opening of the show this afternoon - basically you have about an hour to buy your tickets, and up until 5pm this evening to get in the door!

The show - one of the largest of it’s kind in the UK has sold out in record time - not surprising really considering what they have on offer for the visitor!

I won’t go into too many of the details here now (maybe a catch-up in a few days) - otherwise you won’t make it there on time………

So, visit their Official Site asap - and order your tickets now!  

Maybe I’ll see you there?