Tech Trends takes a look at how technology will play a role in the 2017 Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

One of the world’s toughest endurance races is about to kick off in La Gomera, part of the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain. Sponsored by Talisker Whisky more than 30 teams of adventurers from around the globe will try to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean to the island of Antigua in the West Indies while not drowning, being eaten by sharks or going raving mad after spending 40-70 days stuck with the same sweaty teammates.

Tech is part of a modern adventurer's toolkit
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And as we’ve seen when we covered the F1-Level technology behind the America’s Cup race, tech can lend a hand in helping modern adventurers achieve their goals – in one piece. And when you are out on the open ocean you will be glad of any help you can get!

At first glance the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge conjures up images of whiskered sailors drifting at sea, rowing in shifts and hungrily eyeing up each other up (not in that way) but in the 21st century technology has made the race safer, the boats faster and more energy-efficient. It also ensures communications with home are more reliable, and that rations are nutritious enough to discourage cannibalism (THAT’s what I meant, get your mind out of the gutter). The whiskers, however, remain the same!

In 2017 technology has its part to play, making the race safer, the boats faster and more energy efficient
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More people have actually travelled into space, or climbed Mount Everest than have rowed the Atlantic
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The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge really is one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet – more people have actually travelled into space, or climbed Mount Everest than have rowed the Atlantic so even with technology on your side you have to be prepared to endure tropical storms, sleep deprivation, cold, sweltering heat, giant squid and the psychological stresses of living and working in such an unpredictable environment.

Boats cannot take any repair, help or food and water during the crossing
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Angus Collins, a two-time race winner, has rowed over 15,000 nautical miles across three oceans
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Angus Collins, two-time race winner and ocean rowing record holder, has rowed over 15,000 nautical miles across three oceans, trekked through the heart of Papua New Guinea, raced a Tuk-Tuk across India, run ultra-marathons around the UK and along the way has picked up a number of world records. Adventure and endurance are his life. He also works at Rannoch Adventure, specialists in ocean rowing and high tech boat builders. Rannoch makes the vast majority of the boats used in the race this year.

“With Rannoch Adventure, we have worked with over 75% of the teams in the past 4 years (including this year). I have trained teams, run logistics and shipping, helped with refurbishing boats, built new boats, weather routing, race tactics etc. We are proud to say that we live for ocean rowing, it’s everything we do and it’s all we do!” Collins says. “The modern boats have been designed by myself and Charlie Pitcher who holds the solo record across the Atlantic, the two of us have been brought up on the water, with Charlie sailing in the Americas cup campaigns. We have taken everything we have learnt from all water sports and put it into ocean rowing. Our aim is to make the lightest, fastest and – most importantly – safest boats in the market, and to date, we have achieved this.”

Carbon Zerow, are aiming to be the first certified carbon neutral expedition to cross the Atlantic Ocean
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When you picture a boatload of men rowing across the ocean it might appear to be a pretty environmentally friendly endeavour. Muscle power over engine power and all that, but 2017 challenge team Carbon Zerow, are aiming to be the first certified carbon neutral expedition to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

When you picture a boatload of men rowing across the ocean it might appear to be an environmentally friendly endeavour
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In a boat loaded with tech, the batteries are vitally important. You need to keep them charged up and ensure that all systems that draw power do so as efficiently as possible, Collins explains.

Without power, the team has to hand steer the boat with no auto-helm, which means less rest for the rowers
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“The hardest part of rowing an ocean is managing power consumption. If a team runs their water maker for half an hour too long, then their batteries will drop dramatically and it can take days to build this power back up. I ensure that each team member has an update on an hourly basis on the power consumption. Without power, the team has to hand steer the boat as opposed to using an auto-helm, which means less rest for the rowers. We have 1 boat that has a new “roaming” solar panel, this means the team has a solar panel (74watts) that isn’t attached to the boat but can be placed in a number of positions to allow maximum sun angle. This solar panel has a built-in regulator so the whole device can be plugged straight into the batteries from the deck.”

Carbon Zerow wants to minimise their environmental impact by reducing their CO2 emissions where they can, and then offset the remaining CO2 emissions, that they can do nothing about, such as the emissions required to produce pieces of equipment and travel emissions from flying and driving. With team members based in the US, Scotland and London the team have partnered with The Carbon Trust and are already tracking their travel and overnight stays as well as opting to take public transport, purchasing used equipment where possible and even ditching red meat, poor men!

I was able to see any changes in the weather before the rest of the fleet which gave me a slight advantage
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The Internet is helping keep travel time down during training by communicating via Skype
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The Internet is helping keep travel time down during training by communicating via Skype but this has meant that they have only all got together to train once this year! Out on the ocean all boats are equipped at the race start, and cannot take any repair, help or food and water during the crossing so it is a very lonely couple of months with no resupply points but INMARSAT satellite technology will be in place to allow the teams to communicate with base.

“It used to be that teams would have an Iridium sat phone to communicate with people back at home,” Collins recalls. “This would be used to download and upload e-mails with weather information as well as daily blogs etc. I used an Inmarsat GBAN explorer 510 in 2016 and was able to download my own weather grib files. This meant I was no longer dependent on someone on land to route me, I was able to see any changes in the weather before the rest of the fleet which gave me a slight advantage. The second advantage to using the GBAN is being able to send videos back home, this helps teams with sponsorship and raising funds/awareness for their desired charities.”

This latest satellite tech will also keep them in touch with loved ones and they can Whatsapp pictures and video updates and speak to friends and family via sat phone too.

I have always been one to see how hard I can physically and mentally push myself
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Yet no matter how much tech you have access to you still have to have the will to endure the physical challenge and the drive to compete. And let’s be honest, watching robots rowing across the Atlantic would not be half as fun as seeing Angus and his teammates test the limits of technology and their bodies.

“Ocean rowing is such a fast-growing sport and each crossing I learn new things from others, so having beaten the race record, I knew it was possible to put new tactics into place with the aim to get the world record. I have always been one to push limits and see how hard I can physically and mentally push myself, and with the world record in sight, I wanted to make sure I was in the boat breaking the record over someone else.”

And thanks to technology, you can also follow their adventures with the Race Tracker on the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge Website.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Technology Helps Tough Guys Too appeared first on Tech Trends.

Brands are using immersive technologies to enhance user engagement and experience in interesting ways. We’ll drink to that! 

This is the age of experience, where consumers have come to expect more of everything. More engagement, more interaction and more effort from marketers. Traditional marketing methods such as poster campaigns on billboards or buses, TV advertising, embedded website ads and pre-play video clips like you see now on YouTube are decidedly outdated. These techniques only really work on a subliminal level, if that, because the truth is consumers have got very good at ignoring advertising. The game has changed to experience-based marketing, and that’s no bad thing

In the age of experience, consumers have come to expect much more of their favourite brands
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Immersive technologies such as Augmented Reality have the potential to break through those barriers by grabbing a consumer’s attention, engaging them directly and exclusively for minutes at a time, and giving them a rewarding and personalised experience with the brand.

AR has the advantage of being much more intuitive and frictionless than VR, as well as cheaper to produce, so it’s no wonder we’re seeing a lot of brands developing interesting content for it. The other thing that makes AR so attractive is that it’s mobile-based and consumers can easily engage with it on their own device in the palm of their hand, as opposed to having to deal with cables and HMDs, which are still cumbersome and still mostly tied to a particular venue. While VR can still have the effect of feeling isolating and shutting out the outside world, AR experiences are inherently social and shareable.

AR experiences are inherently social and shareable
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The intensely competitive drinks industry is at the forefront of AR marketing with big brands already reaping the benefits of this new technology. Big boys of the beer world Budweiser recently launched a very clever AR campaign. San Francisco-based digital agency Float Hybrid worked with sponsors Bud Light and select NFL teams to incorporate the feature into the NFL team apps. Watch the video below and read our review here.

Big brands already reaping the benefits of Augmented Reality Social Apps
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The Bud Light AR campaign was a triumph on multiple levels
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This Bud Light campaign was a triumph on multiple levels, it was literally frictionless as the AR app was embedded within the NFL’s team apps, which fans often already had downloaded to their devices. It was personal and social, using face-activated tech to put the fan directly into the experience and let them choose their preferred team colours and then share their experience straight to social media with the Budweiser branding embedded. This is a very elegant example of the power of AR to personally engage with your core customers and give them a memorable experience that they want to share.

London bar City Social launched a revolutionary AR cocktail menu this year called Mirage
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Upmarket London bar City Social is another example of the drinks industry successfully leveraging AR. Earlier this year they launched an Augmented Reality Cocktail Menu called Mirage, and last month I finally had a chance to try it out. The experience blew me away, and not just because of the strong – and expertly mixed – spirits on offer.

The Mirage experience blew me away, and not just because of the strong drink
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The Bar Manager Lukas Bulika walked me through the Mirage AR cocktail menu and explained how the AR experiences are activated on your mobile by the special coasters served with the drink of your choice. These coasters augment your tabletop into a range of creative animations that complement the style and ingredients of the specially conceived cocktails. Take a look at the video to see some of the inventive experiences on offer.

A range of creative animations complement the style and ingredients of each cocktail
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I got three cocktails into the menu and wanted to continue trying each different drink and its unique linked experience but at that point was a little too sozzled to be fair! They are rather strong tipples…

Augmenting the whole artisan cocktail experience like this was a huge success. The incredible, sky-high City tower location, stunning views, elegant decor, legendary cocktails and fantastic AR experiences come together to give customers so much more than a tasty drink in a nice bar. It elevates the overall experience and sets a new standard for a thrilling night out, which is what you want when paying for a premium experience, whether it’s a mixology cocktail or a gourmet meal.

Augmenting the whole artisan cocktail experience like this was a huge success
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Lukas was thrilled with the boost in patrons the Mirage menu had provided and plans to evolve and develop the concept going forwards using AR technology to help further define City Social the exclusive venue to go to.

Whisky fans were treated to an exclusive Mixed Reality HoloLens experience
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Macallan’s recent MR & AR campaign around its two 12-year-old whiskies is another excellent example of a big drinks brand getting stuck into the opportunities this bleeding edge tech offers to engage with and educate consumers about its products. Whisky fans were treated to an exclusive Mixed Reality HoloLens experience at Gallery 12, a Single-malt infused, mixed reality art exhibition, launched in New York this October to kick off whisky season.

Gallery 12 used Microsoft’s HoloLens technology to tell the story of The Macallan’s two 12-Year-Old whiskies, Sherry Oak 12 Years Old and Double Cask 12 Years Old, while immersing guests in a visual experience that combined whisky, storytelling, digital content and hologram technology.

Wearing Microsoft HoloLens headsets, visitors traveled through The Macallan’s legendary process to help visitors gain an understanding of the unique wood, natural colour, and flavour of each whisky.

The experience combined whisky, storytelling, digital content and hologram technology
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Alongside the exhibition, they released an AR app specifically designed for the newly released Apple iOS11 ARKit. Download the app and point your iPhone at a bottle of The Macallan 12 to launch an augmented journey narrated by brand ambassador Kieron Elliott.

Peer through virtual windows into forests of European and American Oak, learn about the distinct oak casks, generate swirling light ribbons that reflect the natural colours, and activate the distinctive flavours like cinnamon, fruit and honeycomb for each 12-year-old single-malt whisky expression.

The ARKit app lets users visualise the distinctive flavours in the whisky
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The possibilities to change the way brands market their products are clear but few have yet to fully explore the opportunities mobile AR marketing offers. We are on the brink of a boom in mobile AR marketing and a few key players in the drinks industry are already taking the lead, so it will be interesting to see what happens as more brands join them. It is vital that we realise that AR is not just a marketing tool but it also enhances the experience of the product itself as well as providing a social platform for communicating directly with customers. The possibilities are literally mind-blowing, and the potential rewards for brands are huge, so it wouldn’t be surprising if this ends up being the catalyst for a creative arms race.

Tech Trends offers Virtual Reality Consultancy Services that support businesses looking to adopt VR/AR/MR technologies into their strategy.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Cheers to the future of Mixed Reality appeared first on Tech Trends.

As we get ready for yet another Christmas, Tech Trends has been testing the latest cool technology for you. 

Gantri TL2 3D Printed Lamp

We review every design submission according to our six-point criteria. This ensures that all our products reflect the highest level of design thinking and achieve luxury-level design quality. 

To ensure the quality of every product, we engineer, manufacture and test every product in-house. When you shop on Gantri, you’re guaranteed a product that’s thoughtfully designed and expertly made.

New York Standard Watch

Aukey Bluetooth Receiver Wireless Audio Music Adapter

This neat little Aukey BR-C1 wireless Bluetooth music adapter comes with A2DP, Hands-Free Calling and a 3.5mm stereo jack is designed for both home and car audio systems. It is tiny and comes with all the required cables and was a doddle to set up. In my case I wanted a quick and easy way to play music from my phone or laptop straight to my stereo in the living room and this little gadget was just what I needed.

The Aukey Bluetooth receiver looks good, functions well, and is reasonably priced
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I used some higher quality cables than those supplied and pumped up the volume with a little Iron Maiden, some Big Black Delta and then, for decency’s sake, a Bach Cello Concerto. The quality, I found, is really quite good considering the cost. Great price, good looks, easy setup and good sound, this gadget has earned a permanent spot in my Hi-Fi setup!

• Bluetooth receiver allows you to wirelessly stream audio from your Bluetooth enabled devices to your existing wired home stereo systems, speakers, or headphones
• One button easy pairing with iPhones, iPads, Android smartphones, tablets, and computers in seconds and controlling the calls
• Double links: Connect two Bluetooth devices simultaneously; free to enjoy music or answer phone call from either of the two paired devices
• Supports hands-free calling with built-in microphone; 8 hours of talk and play time or up to 720 hours standby time
• Package Contents: AUKEY BR-C1 Bluetooth Receiver, 3.5mm Audio Cable, 3.5mm to RCA Audio Cable, Micro-USB Cable, User Manual, 24-Month Product Replacement Warranty and Friendly Customer Service

RRP: £12.98 reduced from £16.98

Eau Good Duo Water Filter & Infuser Bottle

With an activated stick of Japanese Binchotan charcoal in the bottle, it softens water, adds good minerals such as calcium, removes contaminants, balances PH and absorbs unwanted tastes and odours, including chlorine.

We are so proud of our charcoal filter that we didn’t want to hide it in permanent plastic casing – this means it is very easy to recycle and won’t end up in landfill. After the 6 months of water filtration, one suggestion is to break up the charcoal and put in in your plant pots to remineralise the soil.

WiZ Connected Smart LED Lights

The post November 2017 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.

Birmingham University pioneered Immersive technologies for well over a decade, and now teaches students the skills they need to work at the cutting edge of VR.

Regular readers of Tech Trends won’t be surprised to find out that VR, AR, MR, XR (this last one stands for Extended Reality, and yes, that’s a thing) and the whole virtual experiences alphabet soup are going to be the future of work, entertainment, computing, the economy, and pretty much everything.

So when we got the invitation to visit The University of Birmingham’s Human Interface Technologies (HIT) lab we jumped a the chance. Not only were we keen to find out what cool stuff they were up to – quite a lot, at it turns out – but also get a sense of how students considering their career options these days can actually gain the qualifications they need to work in VR.

Graduates lucky enough to study here will enjoy amazing opportunities in VR
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Under the charismatic Professor Bob Stone, the HIT team has been at the cutting edge of Virtual Reality and telepresence/ telerobotic technologies since it opened in 2003, but their success is built on nearly thirty years of work in simulation, robotics and Human Factors for applications in aerospace, defence and healthcare.

Those looking to pursue a career in VR often gravitate towards computer-focused HE courses, but these are often quite broad in their scope, so many of the pioneers now working in the industry such as designers and modellers often come to VR and AR through Arts and Media backgrounds such as VFX, which makes sense considering what a highly visual medium this is.

The Human Interface Technologies department at Birmingham University pioneers VR Tech
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Although there are many world-class research centres around the world which focus on immersive technologies – such as the Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford University, which coincidentally was founded by Professor Jeremy Bailenson in the same year as HIT was born in Birmingham – university courses that teach a focused and practical skillset that enables students to work in VR are quite rare, with some notable exceptions such as Full Sail University which we visited in Orlando earlier this year.

Even more rare are courses which support this learning with industry partnerships and hands-on experience, which is what HIT has been offering its students under the leadership of Professor Bob Stone.

University courses teaching a practical skillset enabling students to work in VR are still rare
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Professor Stone holds a Chair in Interactive Multimedia Systems within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and has been pioneering the R&D into interactive media and robotic technologies at the University while his systems and technologies have also been used around the world by the likes of BAAE and British Ministry of Defence. Oh, and he is an honorary Cossack, so quite an interesting chap!

Many of their projects are developed in partnership with external companies and organisations
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As Bob talked us through his thirty years of experience working on VR technologies, two things stood out to me: how practical their work is – addressing real-world problems and involving field research – and how many of their projects are developed in active partnership with a range of external companies and organisations. Their track record in successful industry collaborations and community linked research and development projects is very impressive to say the least, I had a hard time picking a few examples to mention here, but these certainly caught my eye:

Subsafe

This is a VR training tool used by the Royal Navy to gain their submarine qualification, an experimental interactive 3D spatial awareness training tool designed to eventually replace legacy systems being used by Royal Navy submarine qualification (SMQ) instructors.

Navigating the decks and compartments in a “first-person” mouse-and-keyboard game style, SMQ trainees had access to all decks forward of the control room, comprising over 30 compartments and 500 different objects – including fire extinguishers, hose units, high-pressure air valves, and emergency breathing system masks.

After a year of experimental trials with the RN’s Submarine School, data revealed that the use of SubSafe in classroom training significantly improved the final “walkthrough” examination scores of trainees onboard an actual submarine.

Subsafe proved so successful, in fact that it sparked a series of spin-off projects commissioned by other future vessel and naval system developers, from submarine abandonment and rescue to early deck layout concepts for future surface combatants.

Virtual Wembury

The HIT Team also worked with medical professionals and patients at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham to determine whether VR could help patients recover from major surgery

They spent three years developing a detailed recreation of the Devon coastal path known as ‘Virtual Wembury’ which allowed recovering patients to enjoy a cycle ride through those idyllic landscapes right from their hospital beds. Professor Stone was born and bred in that area, so drew on his own experience to recreate the picturesque Devon environment in virtual form.

Feedback from patients has been very positive, and there’s a chance that this will inspire other hospitals around the country to roll out similar initiatives to incorporate virtual reality into their rehabilitation programmes.

Cutlass robot

Many Armed Forces EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) instructors feel that current classroom training does not equip trainees with adequate skills and system awareness to help them appreciate the capabilities and limitations of the vehicles they are about to operate.

The HIT team’s challenge in this case was to develop an affordable solution to train operatives in the Cutlass. This is an extremely advanced bomb disposal remote unite operated with a 9-axis manipulator and six separate joysticks, each controlling a different function and movement of the manipulator, depending on which control mode has been selected.

They did this by not only creating a highly realistic virtual urban street scene and house interior, but also a physical replica of the cutlass console containing accurate physics-based representations and locations of the key components, including the manipulator mode selection areas on a touch screen.

The Mayflower

Bob and his team also worked with groups in Plymouth, Dartmouth, Southampton and Worcester using Augmented Reality (AR) to deliver a range of innovative digital experiences including a detailed graphical recreation of the iconic Mayflower ship.

The 3D model is still a work in progress, but it will eventually include animated passengers, crew and cargo. They are also working on developing a range of believable effects relating to such features as the movement of sails and flags, the ship’s bow wave and wake, and the visual blurring necessary to create credible sense of changes in depth and distance over the route of the virtual ship, which will be superimposed onto the real-world scene, he explains.

Chinook Training Room 

From all the awesome things that Bob showed me, however, my favourite was probably the Chinook helicopter Mixed Reality simulator, which brings together VR with an inflatable enclosure conceived to help to support the future training of the UK Armed Forces’ Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT). In battlefield incidents that require emergency medicine, treatment is often administered in the back of the helicopter.

The system is used to track the user’s hands with infrared markers mounted on lightweight gloves
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Using an Augmented Reality head-mounted display, trainees are able to experience interacting with a body that has both visual and haptic elements. The position of head mounted display is tracked in real time, and in six degrees of freedom, using an OptiTrack V120 optical/infrared motion capture system. This same system is used to track the end user’s hands, using small infrared markers mounted on lightweight gloves.

Yorkshire-based company TraumaFX delivered the Simbodie, an incredibly detailed human male model capable of being configured to represent a wide range of injuries, complete with interchangeable lower leg components representing intact limbs and traumatic amputation, and repositionable bullet wounds and lacerations. A Leicestershire-based company, Imagine Inflatables, constructed a ‘Chinook’ enclosure capable of being inflated and deflated quickly for rapid deployment and portability.

The enclosure provides a constraining environment for simulator users
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Together with replica Minigun and M60 Machine Gun models, and in conjunction with the Simbodie, the enclosure provides a constraining environment for simulator users, creating a believable in-flight scenario. As well as using video to simulate the external view from the helicopter via the windows and rear ramp (captured by flying the HIT Team’s drones over Dartmoor). The scene has been integrated with realistic sound effects taken within an actual Chinook cabin, provided to the team by Boeing Defence UK.

At the core of all this work is the idea of Human Centred Design – or ‘Human Factors’ as it is known. Designing the technology around the user and for the user. Not design for designs sake. Which is why it makes sense that the visit was organized by The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF) – a body whose goal is to put the human at the heart of good design and engineering.

After all, technology is supposed to improve our performance but I am sure many of you will recognise situations where tech has slowed you down and made life more complicated not less!

At the core of all this work is the idea of Human Centred Design
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University of Birmingham College of Engineering and Physical Sciences students have an incredible opportunity to tap into the expertise of the HIT team and learn about the career possibilities Immersive Technology specific skills might offer them.

This is one of the most impressive and productive VR & AR focused education facilities I've seen
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I have to say that this is certainly one of the most impressive and productive VR & AR focused education facilities I have seen, and makes me wish I could go back in time and revisit some of my own education choices. But graduates lucky enough to study here will certainly enjoy some amazing opportunities to not only learn about VR, but also apply it in a variety of practical scenarios.

To find out how to leverage VR/AR/MR in your enterprise, Tech Trends offers bespoke Virtual Reality Consultancy support

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Studying for the Virtual Revolution appeared first on Tech Trends.

This beautiful smartwatch combines the best of analogue and digital into one classic-yet-modern timepiece.

I have reviewed a few Smartwatches recently on Tech Trends and was impressed by some, such as the Samsung Gear S3 which certainly boasted good design and quality materials, as well as a nifty range of apps. Still, it felt like something was lacking, and it was only when the NYSW (New York Standard Watch) Soho arrived the other day in the post that I realised what that was.

It wasn't until I handled the NYSW Soho that I realized what other smartwatches were lacking
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Where most smartwatches have the insubstantial quality of a toy about them, with rubbery buttons and plastic backs, the Soho is a weighty, shiny steel timepiece that oozes quality.

Too many smartwatches look like mini-phones on straps
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To be fair the S3 does not present itself as a traditional high-quality watch but the styling takes a lot from this established market and the version I tested was called the ‘Classic’ so I think the comparison still stands.

The NYSW Soho is actually a hybrid, defining itself as an Analogue Smartwatch
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But wait, aren’t I comparing a 21st century, super high tech smartwatch with the old-fashioned tick tock wind up kind, surely that is unfair? Well no, because the NYSW Soho is actually a hybrid, defining itself as an ‘Analogue Smartwatch’.

The New York Standard Watch Company began in 1885 as a pocket watch manufacturer in the Big Apple
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Too many smartwatches look like mini-phones on straps. Why can’t a smartwatch look like a classic watch? That’s exactly the big benefit of NYSW. The watch performs and looks like a normal timepiece but has smart-tech to keep you going.

Maintaining connectivity with a solid stainless steel construction was a design challenge
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Remember the iPhone debacle a while back, when the metal construction of the phone restricted the functioning of the basic cell aerial? well, that was the biggest design challenge for NYSW, to use high-quality 316L stainless steel yet maintain Bluetooth and Wireless connections to other devices. That is one reason why the Samsung S3 uses so much plastic, but my Soho felt like a glistening steel tank and had no problem keeping in touch with my Android phone and Wi-Fi network. The front is sturdy and reliable Sapphire glass and the strap is gorgeous Italian leather plus the watch is waterproof up to 50 meters (164 feet) so it’s pretty tough all-around.

The New York Standard Watch Company began in 1885 as a pocket watch manufacturer in the big apple. But after more than 40 years in business, closed its doors the same year as Wall Street crashed. A name that was always associated with high-quality timepieces became elevated to antique status and collector’s items. In 2006, the New York Standard Watch Company name was rediscovered and established by innovative watchmakers with a new focus – combining analogue watch technology with exciting design.

NYSW is relaunching for the 21st century with a Kickstarter campaign that with 21 days to go, at the time of writing, has achieved double its target so backers are seriously keen on this product. Take a look at the images and graphics below for info on the three smart models NYSW are offering at this stage.

My watch felt like a steel tank and had no problem keeping in touch with my phone and Wi-Fi network
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The strap is gorgeous Italian leather plus the watch is waterproof up to 50 meters
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So apart from stylishly telling the time just what will your NYSW do? Once you pair it with your device and download the appropriate iOS or Android app, you’ll get the full range of features you’d expect from a smartwatch, such as: call alerts, Facebook, Twitter and SMS notifications, smart health features including steps and calorie counter, activity tracker, global calendar, drink water & pill reminder, countdown timer all communicated by haptics and dials on the watch face. The battery is also supposed to last you two weeks, and although I haven’t had mine for quite as long as that, it is certainly showing no signs of winding down after four days of heavy use. So far, so good.

The Soho timepiece claims a battery life of two weeks
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My one complaint is that you can't tell the time in the dark with this smartwatch
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After using it for a few days I have only one complaint, it is impossible to read the time in the dark. The Manhattan model has luminous hands and dial which the others – including my Soho don’t –  but all things considered, this is a fine piece of craftsmanship and a very attractive and useful hybrid watch which I would highly recommend. Check out the NYSW Kickstarter campaign for a chance to get on board early and grab a large, early backer discount in time for Christmas.

Early backers on Kickstarter will receive a hefty discount when ordering
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Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Product Review: New York Standard Watch appeared first on Tech Trends.

Mozilla’s Black Mirror-like installation forces users to confront their complex relationship with data, privacy, and identity. Tech Trends went to London to open Pandora’s box and see what we could see. 

Advances in technology in the last few years have meant most of us are now dependent on digital services and Internet-connected devices. And in the context of our hectic lives, most of us never stop to think about what this constant connectivity and “always on” lifestyle means for our privacy.

The mere act of clicking “accept” when faced with a dauntingly long list of T&Cs for a new device, service or app signs us up for a multitude of sins. Let’s be honest, it’s a long-standing joke that people could put pretty much anything in there and we’d just agree. But the joke, it seems, is on us as we increasingly surrender control of our personal information, without really knowing what that entails down the line.

“I don’t have anything to hide, but I don’t have anything I want to show you either.” The Glass Room Exhibition Postcard

Mozilla & the Tactical Technology Collective have teamed up to lift the lid on some of the unexpected and unwelcome practices digital service providers use to extract value from our data. To engage the public in this debate they set up The Glass Room, an international, open Pop-Up Space where visitors are encouraged to learn more about the current situation, their rights, and responsibilities when living their digital lives.

We all need to regain some agency over our digital selves
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The message that comes through is that we all need to regain some agency over our digital selves, and to try to act independently in a world where we are increasingly and indiscriminately being monitored – and where our data is constantly monetised in return for paid and free services.

We are increasingly being monitored in return for services
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“As a not-for-profit, Mozilla invests in creative ways to make sure people are informed and ready to protect themselves online. With fake news and misinformation, the normalisation of surveillance, and so-called “free” services from powerful tech companies, The Glass Room opens your eyes to the invisible imbalance of power and the irony of referring to our most intimate data as ‘personal’.” Jascha Kaykas-Wolff, Mozilla’s Chief Marketing Officer

The white-painted space resembles an art gallery dotted with plinths
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The Glass Room previously wowed visitors in New York in 2016 and this year came to London for three weeks. And if the packed house I saw when I visited earlier this month is anything to go by, it’s also been a hit on this side of the pond.

“The response from Londoners has been extremely positive.  In just three weeks, around 20,000 people saw the exhibit and hundreds of thousands more continue to experience it online through virtual reality.” Mozilla

The experience offered is hard to explain, the space is painted all white like a modern gallery and the floor is dotted with white plinths but instead of dusty bronze sculptures or fancy ceramic pots, the plinths boast iPads and headphones or strange looking interactive electronic devices, screens flickering with data or video feeds.

Mozilla invests in creative ways to get people ready to protect themselves online
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The closest thing The Glass Room resembles is an art exhibit but there is no reverent hush here, some people are huddled around the plinths debating loudly and animatedly while fiddling with their mobile phones while some solitary people stand closed off from the room in headphones intently watching video on iPads. One exhibit by @sam_levigne scanned your brainwaves while you followed a series of prompts and images that stimulated specific thoughts and emotions, then scanned your mind while you thought about shopping, exploring how we might integrate our thoughts digitally into services in the future and how that might work while subtly suggesting that you would have to surrender all that intimate brainwave data to an organisation, without questioning what it might do with it. We all assume the best in our data transactions but this is not a wise move. I particularly like the prompt that asked you to consider your own death for fifteen seconds while showing a school corridor!

I was surprised by how long the average visitor stayed
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Many of the exhibits were playful and drew you in with an interactive element, a novel premise or playful comment on our digital behaviour, such as the then let you draw your own conclusions about the healthiness or otherwise of that behaviour. Others such as the printed records of the 4.6 million passwords stolen from LinkedIn in 2012 encouraged you to flick through to see if your password was in there, a reminder that large digital organisations do not have a good record of keeping our private data safe. I strongly recommend you check out The Glass Room VR experience to look more closely at the innovative exhibits on display.

“The Glass Room is more than just a pop-up store — it’s part of a broader campaign to educate the public about their relationship with the internet. Billions of people depend on an open and accessible internet for knowledge, livelihood, self-expression, and even love. This is why Mozilla is investing in exhibits like The Glass Room, to grow a movement to make the Internet healthier.” Mozilla

The UK Glass Room was located on the bustling Charring Cross Road – just on the edge of Soho –  so the streets were teeming with people. Still, I was surprised by just how many of them stopped to through the tall glass windows and then came in. I was even more surprised, though, to see how long they stayed.

The Glass Room did not only want to help you grasp the implications of your online actions and digital lifestyle, several of the iPad exhibits showed videos and infographics that lifted the lid on the commercial companies behind some of the services we use daily and presented some shocking facts about the business models behind these services. The videos were simple, well designed and were often just a contextualised corporate video from the companies themselves explaining what they do and how they monetize it.

We should all make an effort to understand the new digital world we inhabit
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I consider myself pretty tech savvy and aware of the ways companies like Google and Facebook make their money but plugging into the array of exhibits at The Glass Room showed me just how wrong I was. I came away feeling that we should all make an effort to understand the new digital world we inhabit and take responsibility for our engagement with large digital companies whenever we can, otherwise we risk being seriously exploited in ways we don’t even imagine.

The London Transport Contactless system turns out to be something of a digital data trap
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The Glass Room previously wowed visitors in New York in 2016
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The most shocking example of how we have all blindly walked into a digital trap was the company behind the London Transport Oyster Card and Contactless Payment system. Convenient it may be, but those responsible for managing it – The Cubic Corporation – are in fact a huge American company specialising in realistic combat training systems, secure communications for specialised support services for military and security forces, networked command, control, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for defence, intelligence and commercial security missions. Notice the word ‘commercial’. It makes you wonder how in the world the UK government – without consulting the public, signed away the data of millions of London transport users, which can then be used by this company to enhance their other – less civilian-focused services too.

The Glass Room opens your eyes to this invisible imbalance of power
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IrisGuard scanned 2.3 million refugees and registered them on their biometric database
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Another shocker was the company IrisGuard, who have partnered with the UNHCR (the UN refugee agency) to help monitor and distribute aid to Syrian refugees in Jordan. They have so far scanned 2.3 million refugees and registered them on their biometric database. The refugees have no choice if they want to receive shelter and aid after fleeing a war zone and IrisGuard could use that personal data for, well we don’t know. More worrying still is that the advisory board members for this private company include the founder, chairman and CEO of a global bank; the former Head of MI6 in the UK and the former Homeland Security Advisor to George W. Bush. This is powerful personal data being gathered under the guise of a humanitarian cause with big money involved and it is probably safe to bet that the expected payoff is not just a warm tingly feeling… WTF!?!

The refugees have no choice if they want to receive shelter and aid after fleeing a war zone
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Most of us have little choice where it comes to signing away out data
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It could be argued that we all agree to these conditions when signing up to various services so – to quote the current U.S. President – “we knew what we were signing up for” but in the two previous cases that simply is not true, as the people in question had very little choice, and the information certainly wasn’t volunteered. Although we do all sign up to services and willingly give away our data with the abstract understanding that these companies will make money from it somehow, just how far they go, and where our data eventually ends up, is something few of us actually grasp.

Few people actually grasp how our data ends up being used by commercial companies
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Should we be excluded from useful services if we don't want to sign our lives away?
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A case in point is DNA testing company 23andMe, who my wife and I have used to find out a bit about our ancestry. Well, two years ago they signed a deal with drugs giant Pfizer to allow them access to all our DNA records for use in drug development, very profitable drug development. Buried deep in the T&Cs of 23andMe must have been a clause allowing them to sell our DNA data, a clause I didn’t read through laziness and unwillingness to trawl through the small print so yes it is my fault, but does that make it right? We have all done this but would it even be possible for me to be totally vigilant and read every letter of all the T&Cs I might sign up to? And should I be excluded from all these useful services because I would like to not quite sign my entire life and associated rights away to the highest bidder?

To put things in some context, should we take the time to read all the Privacy Policies we are required to agree to in a year, Time Magazine has reported we would lose 76 work days per year, not counting the T&Cs of the ISPs we all need to use in order to function in 21st century society. Clearly, it is unrealistic to expect any working human to fully take charge of and responsibility for their online activities and data if they are required to do this.

“There’s so little time in people’s daily lives to consider the consequences of their online decisions. The Glass Room is an engaging way for people to take an hour to think about what’s going on with technology and society and decide for themselves how they want to live their online lives.” Mozilla

The important messages here are firstly that we are all pretty ignorant of how our data is being used but more importantly that we have some power to make different choices that keep us safer online and limit the ways in which companies exploit our data. We also need to truly understand the value of our data, both to us and to others who would monetize it without our knowledge.

The Glass Room tackled all these issues in a friendly and educational way that had the public pouring through the doors and effectively highlighted the gaps in our collective knowledge. It was shocking but inspired me to pay more attention when I give away my data in return for services and content and to reassess how I evaluate the value of my data.

“We are always looking for opportunities to take our message of a free and open internet to new places. Right now, we encourage people to visit The Glass Room in virtual reality, and to try out the eight-day Data Detox Kit, helping you to take back some control over your digital self.” Mozilla

Some reactions from the public

During the exhibition, visitors were encouraged to leave their feedback by answering some questions. Here are a few of our favourites:

After visiting the Glass Room I felt:

–       “Watched”

–       “Empowered”

–       “That what I feared about the net was true”

–       “Scared and fascinated”

–       “It’s a confirmation of everything I feared and a reminder to not be complacent”

–       “Excellent! I was waiting for this project”

After visiting the Glass Room I want to:

–       “Stop stalking my ex-boyfriend”

–       “Find more ways of protecting me, my friends and family/ Enlighten other but I still want a social life”

–       “Think about my digital footprint”

–       “Delete all my apps but I need them”

–       “Be free”

–       “Start paying for an email service so I don’t use Gmail”

My favourite thing about the Glass Room:

–       “It’s free, accessible, intelligent and interactive”

–       “Someone cares about my privacy concerns and is taking the effort to explain it to me”

–       “It’s an accessible way to get non-techy people thinking”

–       “It makes complex content playful and accessible”

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Big Mother is Watching You appeared first on Tech Trends.

WiZ lights the way ahead with its Smart IoT connected LED lamps & bulbs.

We get a lot of products to test here at Tech Trends, build your own Raspberry Pi Laptop Computers, 360 Cameras, Secure Hard Drives, Smart Watches and even the odd Lunch Box and apart from the Lunch Box it is very rare for a product to just work out of the box. I usually have to do a bit of fiddling, research online, read a pretty complex manual or at worst email the manufacturer for help but not with the WiZ connected LED lights. THEY JUST WORK!

“Patented WiZ technology lets you enjoy full control of all your lights whether it’s through WiFi, mobile data networks, the infrared remote or your existing switches. By giving you more ways to control, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to how you’d like to interact with light. WiZ lets you control your lights by rooms, individually and also by groups, so you’re not limited to the physical constraints of the electrical wiring of your lights.”

The greatest thing about these lights is that THEY JUST WORK!
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Why is this so impressive? Well, let me explain. I tested the Colours Hero & Quest lamps and the WiZ Colours Pin type bulbs, all of which offer highly customizable lighting solutions based on energy efficient LEDs packaged into attractive and functional modern designs. More on the colours and design below but it is the setup process that blew me away. Plug a WiZ lamp into the mains or twist the bulb into the ceiling socket, connect to your Wi-Fi, download the app and choose which room in the house you want to set up and hit add light.

Hit the scan button on your phone app and start playing with the lights
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Hit the Start scan button in the app and while it tries to connect your phone to the light via your Wi-Fi, flick the light on and off a few times till it starts pulsing and you are done. The light shows up in the designated room within your app and via the app, you have full control to set the lighting to your taste. I set up four lights in less than 10mins and three days later I am still having fun working through the options. All your setting are connected to a cloud account so you can connect to your home lighting from wherever you have an internet connection.

“Turn your lights on in your home from your office and vice versa. You can even control your WiZ locations from as far away as the moon. As long as you’ve got internet access, you can do what you want to do with your lights – even when you’re not physically there.”

The devices can be operated by Amazon Alexa and Google Home
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All these devices can also be operated by Amazon Alexa and Google Home as well as via the handy Mobile App. But what can you do with them? Aha, this is the cool bit, you can set your light to Daylight, Warm White or Cool White, choose custom colours or pre-defined dynamic colour sets such as Party, Forest or Fireplace.

Christmas and Haloween presets cycle through festive colours
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There are literally too many options to list here but whatever your mood or event the WiZ lights can be easily set to enhance your home and bring light to your day, there are even Christmas and Haloween presets that cycle through the relevant festive colours as fast or slow as you like.

“With Amazon Alexa, not only do you have the WiZ smart home skill, but you also get the WiZ custom skill (listed as “WiZ Advanced skill” on the Alexa store) to let you enjoy immersive WiZ dynamic light modes such as forest, mojito or romance. For Google, WiZ is supported by “Direct Actions”, where the Google Assistant on Google Home or your smartphone lets you control your lights in the most natural way possible – just by talking to it.”

Night-time and wake-up settings can be scheduled and customised
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The brightness is also customisable and night time and wake up settings can be scheduled to run at custom times. I really enjoyed playing with the WiZ lights and soon settled on the warm and comforting Fireplace setting for downstairs and the Daylight setting for the landing and office where it instantly felt brighter and less gloomy than the old-fashioned bulbs I had used. These really are fun and useful tech that just works!

With 64 million colours and dynamic light presets, this has something to suit everyone
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“WiZ brings total flexibility with 64,000 shades of white and preset well-being modes plus 64 million colours and dynamic light presets. Your eyes deserve the right light temperature and intensity to focus on a laptop screen, read a magazine or gradually get yourself ready for bed.”

RRP: WiZ Colours Hero £95.94
RRP: WiZ Colours Quest £89.94
RRP: WiZ Colours Pin Bulb £47.94

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Product Review: WiZ Connected Smart LED Lights appeared first on Tech Trends.

It’s that time of the month, when the Tech Trends team gathers up all the cool gadgets that come our way, Enjoy! 

Bakker Elkhuizen UltraBoard 940 Bluetooth Keyboard

Here we go again! My quest to find a Bluetooth keyboard that will work when I am sitting on my sofa about 10 feet from my Mac Mini, through which I stream TV. The UltraBoard 940 keyboard got off to a bad start as it is deeply unattractive and made of cheap feeling plastic but it came with clear instructions and the required rechargeable batteries, so I plugged it in and charged it up overnight hoping that the next day I would be able to search the web from the comfort of my sofa… Sadly not.

My quest for a Bluetooth keyboard that works at a 10 feet range continues
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I must have tried 10+ Bluetooth keyboards but none of them has the range. 10 feet doesn’t seem like a big deal to me when my Skullcandy Crusher Bluetooth wireless headphones can be 20-30 feet from my phone and still work flawlessly. Am I missing something? I was also disappointed with the keys on the UltraBoard 940 which are very cheap plastic and have a flimsy and unpleasant feel to them, in fact, the entire keyboard creaks when picked up and flexes horribly revealing that there are no metal structural components at all. The UltraBoard 940 claims to be ergonomic which in my experience usually means ‘small’ and I can’t speak to this claim as I was not inclined to use it for very long.

RRP: £83.99

Scentsy Go

The Scentsy Go is a portable, compact, cordless fragrance system that almost silently spreads, admittedly quite girly, scents around the house. It is battery-powered & ready to roam and is USB rechargeable so it goes where the stink is! I could have done with about fifty of these at the multi-day Hackathons I have attended when, by the third day, the air is thick with the rich stench of teenage genius, a smell comparable to sniffing the sticky, decade-old carpet in screen one of your local Odeon.

The Scentsy is portable, so can go wherever the stink is
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With a range of small and easy to change Scentsy Pods in your favourite fragrances enhanced by adjustable fragrance strength buttons it also brightens things up with a seven-colour LED display. If your home suffers from teenagers or dogs I can highly recommend these.

RRP: $50

DBPower 4K Action Camera

I am always excited to receive new cameras in the post and today DBPower have sent me their latest 12MP 4K Action Camera to test, so I’m a happy bunny. Not that I am planning to jump off some cliffs, soar around like an overactive eagle, or start leaping across random canyons in a high-powered motorcycle at some point… But when you’ve got such a new toy, even popping down to Tesco for your chicken Kievs is an excuse to start capturing moments for posterity. Read the full review here.

Dagoma Neva 3D Printer

I really wanted to like this cool looking budget Neva 3D printer from Dagoma and I also wanted the awesome red and white Tintin rocket ship I was trying to print but it seems the efforts to keep the costs low on this model have undermined its basic function. The guys at Dagoma were really great, and tried their best to help when I had issues but time after time the printer clogged, stopped working randomly, wouldn’t start or the semi printed object came free from the base and span off crazily resulting in a spaghetti of plastic all over the place.

I wanted to like this portable 3D printer, but the tech just isn't there yet
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Some of the issues I had might have been software related but to be honest, the Mac-based Cura software was the best part of the process, well laid out and not too confusing to use, but the real problems are with the printer itself. The feed mechanism, where you slide in the plastic medium is really crappy. It is not securely attached to the base of the printer so wobbles and feels very unstable. It jams frequently as it tries to pull medium into it and seems to leave chew marks on the medium that jam the printer head a bit further down the line. Twice the printer head jammed and when I pulled (extreme force required) the medium out of the feed tube it was mangled and the damage looked to have been done by the feed mechanism. The base plate was the most annoying feature though, following the instructions I cleaned it thoroughly with alcohol wipes before each new print but areas of it simply didn’t bind with the print medium so as the print progressed you could see the corners of the printed object peeling away from the base plate which inevitably meant that at some point it would break free and fly around as the printer continued to spit out medium in a useless mess. This happened three times and I simply do not have the time to waste trying to print the same piece over and over again only for it to fail halfway through.

Another compounding frustration is the printed instructions & the website, both of which are not clearly laid out or assume you know something about the 3D printing and the process when you shouldn’t need to. When I gave up part of my weekend last week to give it one more try, I found I needed to re-download the Cura software needed to create the Gcode file to feed into the printer but I literally couldn’t find this integral software anywhere on the website, so I resorted to Google to find it, and there it was, under a different, French Dagoma website with no link from the English homepage or support pages. Simply baffling. The website is a mess, full of empty, dead-end pages and when I couldn’t easily find advice for the third clogged/jammed printer head I resorted to Google again and woohoo, found the right page but then I was hit by another issue, The downloadable head cleaning Gcode file didn’t work when inserted on the SD card as per the instructions. A quick email to my contact at Dagoma came back with the response he had checked the file and it worked for him. Well, it didn’t work for me and with the disorderly website set up, I am not convinced we were even looking at or talking about the same page or Gcode file.

I must have put in 20+ hours trying to get this 3D printer to work
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I approached this printer with the best will in the world and must have put 20+ hours into trying to get it to work but I had to just give up after it failed to print even one piece of the model I was trying to build. I really don’t want to be harsh or overly critical of Dagoma but in the age of ‘it just works’, this 3D Printer just doesn’t. However, if you want to spend days of your time tinkering, fixing and retesting a 3D printer you might well enjoy the process and learn a lot about how the 3D printing works, but for anyone who needs it to just do its thing while you go and have a cup of tea, this is not the printer for you. I get this is a product designed by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but as a consumer product it falls short.

RRP: $249 (reduced from $399)

iStorage diskAshur Pro2

Since I started building computers 15 years ago I have tried every kind of drive – and every type of encryption – out there. And I can tell you, it was never simple. It never “just worked”. Until now.  I was very impressed in my quick test of the non Pro, SSD version of this drive but the Pro2 manages to keep the interface just as simple while ramping up both the security and capacity. Read the full review here.

RRP: £269 for 1TB Drive

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post October 2017 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.

Following our review of the diskAshur 2 SSD we test drive another super secure USB 3.1 encrypted portable hard drive, the Pro2 model. How does it compare?

Since I started building computers 15 years ago I have tried every kind of drive – and every type of  encryption – out there. And I can tell you, it was never simple. It never “just worked”. Until now.  I was very impressed in my quick test of the non Pro, SSD version of this drive but the Pro2 manages to keep the interface just as simple, while ramping up both the security and capacity.

DiskAshur's Pro2 manages to keep the simplicity while ramping up capacity and security
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Weighing in at half a pound this 1TB Pro2 from diskAshur has plenty of room for sensitive company or private documents and can lock them away behind impressive levels of encryption, designed to be certified to FIPS 140-2 Level 3, NCSC CPA (Foundation Level), Common Criteria and NLNCSA government accreditations. No one is getting their grubby hands on your data with this drive.

This 1TB Pro2 from diskAshur has room for all your sensitive documents
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No one is getting their grubby hands on your data with this drive
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If you think a knack for Sudoku is going to get you into this drive, think again. The iStorage diskAshur Pro2 is intelligently programmed to protect against all forms of Brute Force attacks. Firstly, a wear-resistant epoxy coated keypad, designed with protection in mind, hides key usage to avoid tipping off a potential hacker to commonly used keys.

A wear-resistant keypad doesn't tip off hackers to your most-used keys
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Then after five consecutive incorrect PIN entries the drive will freeze, requiring the drive to be disconnected and reconnected to the USB port to get a further five PIN entry attempts. If a further five (10 in total) consecutive incorrect PIN attempts are entered, the Pro2 will freeze again. To get a further and final five PIN attempts (15 in total), phew, I am sweating now, the “shift” button must be pressed whilst inserting the USB cable to the USB port and then an iStorage preset PIN will need to be entered.

After 15 incorrect PIN attempts the Pro2 deletes encryption key and data
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On the fifteenth consecutive incorrect PIN entry, the Pro2 assumes it is being attacked and will delete the encryption key and lock itself, rendering all data previously stored on the drive lost forever. At this point the data is gone but your valuable hard drive is still ready to use again and can now be reset to factory default settings and redeployed, nice!

The drive locks itself after a pre-set amount of time without being used
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If this weren’t enough, the Pro2 features the same James Bond style Self-Destruct PIN option as the SSD version as well as a second Unattended Auto-Lock Feature that sets an unattended diskAshur Pro2 to automatically lock after a pre-determined amount of time where the drive has not been used, but don’t use this if time keeping is a personal issue.

All the components of the diskAshur Pro2 are covered in super tough epoxy resin
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Oh, and put your hammer and screwdriver away, in addition to incorporating a secure microprocessor, encrypting the data and the encryption key, the drive adds another physical barrier between your data and a hacker. All the components of the diskAshur Pro2 are completely covered by a layer of super tough epoxy resin, which is virtually impossible to remove without causing permanent damage to the components.

The drive also comes with a rather tasty waterproof case
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This barrier prevents a potential hacker from accessing the critical components and launching a variety of patently futile attacks. Furthermore, the tamper evident design of the Pro2 if, god forbid, it were breached, will provide visible evidence that tampering has occurred. I must also point out the rather tasty waterproof case that comes with the drive. It has a nice leatherish feel to it, a sturdy zip and includes a useful wrist strap.

Whatever I plugged into these drives worked pretty seamlessly
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I trusted this 1TB drive with the Mastercut of my film Borley Rectory
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I took the opportunity to test out this huge 1TB drive and entrusted it with the Master Cut of my recently finished feature film Borley Rectory as I toured the country screening it at festivals far and wide. The sheer size of the drive was welcome as I had to transport 832GB of valuable video and promotional material around, and knowing that the five years of work I put into the film was secure was a relief as I trundled from city to city on Britain’s terrible train network

A feature of these diskAshur drives is their cross-platform compatibility
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iStorage thoughtfully designed the Pro2 with a sleek looking silver grey finish so I looked a little more professional than if I had taken the bright, Tonka Toy red SSD version I have. The other outstanding feature of all these diskAshur drives is their cross platform compatibility meaning whatever system I plugged the Pro2 into it worked seamlessly, this was magic as you wouldn’t believe the problems I have had in the past with drive format clashes… Well you might if you know your NTFS from your exFAT and your OSX Journaled. But overall, these drives do come highly recommended by Tech Trends!

RRP: £269 for 1TB Drive

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Product Review: iStorage diskAshur Pro2 appeared first on Tech Trends.

We certainly had our share of gorgeous gadgets this month, from a spy’s dream drive to the lovely Microsoft Surface Book to the Samsung Galaxy S8, plus the usual sprinkling of more random tech.  

iStorage diskAshur 2 SSD

Testing out the new diskAshur 2 SSD 256GB from iStorage shows that industrial grade security need not slow down your workflow, or look unappealing. This very sexy little portable USB SSD features real-time AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption and software free design, setup and operation. Unlike any other portable drive I have tested before, this is platform/device independent and works across all operating systems including all versions of MS Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Chrome, Thin Clients, Zero Clients and embedded systems, any device with a USB port, in fact. Now THAT’s impressive.

DiskAshur from iStorage shows how industrial grade security can be efficient and look good
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As a media professional who is constantly moving large and rather important files around on drives this was a bit of a  revelation. On the subject of large files, I tested out the speed of the diskAshur 2 SSD via its built-in USB 3.1 cable and wow! Blackmagic Disk Speed Test read 310 MBps READ / 250 MBps WRITE with 5GB files. This is very swift indeed, specially when you consider the encryption involved. I think the drive is able to be so fast due to a dedicated hardware-based secure microprocessor (Common Criteria EAL4+ ready), which also employs built-in physical protection mechanisms designed to defend against external tamper, bypass attacks and more.

The diskAshur 2 SSD has a really nice keypad and each key clicks softly but confidently when pushed so you know when a number has registered. The keypad lets you securely access the drive with your own unique 7-15 digit PIN. Following the instructions to setup my personalised passcode was easy, but do choose carefully, as you’ll only want to do this once. When that is done you simply plug it into your computer, input your code and push the unlock button, and off you go! A really nice feature is that when you want to finish using the drive you simply use your computer interface to eject the drive and that is that, your data is automatically secured.

Input the wrong pin code 15 times and the drive automatically wipes out its data
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Unlike other solutions out there, the diskAshur 2 SSD reacts to an automated attack by entering the deadlock frozen state, which renders all such attacks as useless, and if you input the code wrongly fifteen consecutive times, the device assumes it is being attacked and will delete the encryption key and lock itself, rendering all data previously stored on the drive lost forever. At this point the drive can be reset to factory default settings.

You can pre-program the drive with a self-destruct function, handy for spies on the run
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And if you are on the run from the foreign spies or the KGB and need to ensure your data does not fall into enemy hands you can pre-program the diskAshur 2 SSD with your own unique Self Destruct PIN which, once implemented, instantly deletes the encryption key, all PINs, data and then creates a new encryption key! Below are a few more specs and you can check out the full spec here.

• USB 3.1 Encrypted Portable SSD
• Capacities up to 4TB*
• FIPS PUB 197 validated
• AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption – no software required
• OS & Platform independent
• Employs EDGE* Technology
• Available in 4 colours: Phantom Black, Ocean Blue, Fiery Red & Racing Green

RRP: £219 256GB version

Samsung Galaxy S8

When I first realised that the Galaxy S8 was entirely buttonless, I wondered whether I’d miss the functionality of the home button in any way, but the short answer to that has been a resounding “No”. The most impressive thing about this phone is its screen, and the fact that you don’t get a button, together with the gorgeous Infinity Display, means that every inch of real estate on this baby is pure, vivid screen. And that’s no bad thing in my book. Besides, for those – like me – who are upgrading from the previous Galaxy models, there is still the exact same button functionality, in the same place where the physical one used to be. So your brain soon gets used to it, and starts wondering why we ever put up with buttons in the first place.

Read Tech Trends full review here

RRP: £689

Microsoft Surface Book

In October last year Microsoft released an upgraded Surface Book with a Performance Base featuring a new, more powerful Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M with 2GB of VRAM and a larger battery. They had not bumped the Intel i7 up from 6th generation to 7th but that was not a deal breaker and promises of a faster internal SSD and the upcoming Windows 10 Creators Update hooked me in. Unfortunately these things do take time to arrive here in the UK, but as I unpacked it last week I couldn’t help but think it had been worth the wait.

Read Tech Trends full review here.

RRP: $2,799 / £2,399

Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve Micro Panel

RRP: $995

AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener

We like to stay sharp here at Tech Trends so were pleased to see that the AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener lives up to its claim of being ‘The Worlds Best Knife Sharpener’. A sharp knife is essential for opening all those ultra-securely packaged gadgets that arrive in the post, specially those those evil clear plastic blister packs that USB drives always come in. I tell you, a sharp knife can really save your sanity when trying to open one of those!

I find that a sharp knife always comes in handy
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AnySharp claim that sculpting your old dull blades to the perfect 20 degree angle was no problem, and I duly tested this on some of my very old knives (I hate throwing knives away) I found the best candidate rattling around in my toolkit, where it had lived for about fifteen years or so. It was a serious challenge, but a few swipes across the tungsten carbide v section brought it right back to life. It works on most blades; hunting knives, kitchen knives and even serrated knives but maybe not your good old zombie machete. I was always a purist and favoured whetstones for knife sharpening but I am, well, a rather lazy man, so the AnySharp is a very welcome addition to the kitchen drawer. The best thing about it is its PowerGrip suction cup base, which attaches securely to any smooth surface or worktop without the need for any tools. Once it’s attached you can sharpen any knife safely hands-free! No whetstone does that!

Add endorsements from Jamie Oliver and (bizarrely) Jilly Cooper, plus a lifetime warranty and you’re laughing. Say good-bye to those raggedy tomato slices.

RRP: $22.99

You will rarely pass a Techie at work without spotting a fancy water bottle or filter bottle on their desk. We Technophiles take hydration seriously! Sitting in front of a computer for days on end with the aircon drying you out like an Inca mummy is no joke so Tech Trends is looking at two top level water filter devices, one very old school and one 21st century.

Black+Blum Eau Good Filter Bottle

This super elegant Eau Good Filter water bottle from Black+Blum uses a ancient traditional Japanese Binchotan charcoal to make your tap water taste great. Yes charcoal, you read me right, but this is no ordinary charcoal like for a BBQ, Binchotan charcoal was introduced to Japan by a Japanese monk and scholar called Kukai 1,200 years ago and is made by wood being placed in a kiln and charred at a relatively low temperature for some time, then, near the end of the process, the kiln temperature is raised to about 1000 degree Celsius to make the wood red-hot. The charcoal is then removed and quickly covered with a special powder made from earth, sand and ash, and this gives the charcoal surface a whitish hue. The rapid rise in temperature, followed by a rapid cooling, incinerates the bark and leaves a smooth, hard surface. If you strike it, you’ll hear a clear, metallic sound. Now this is sounding serious! This super charcoal has an incredibly porous surface with tiny cavities oriented in many directions. Just 1 gram has a surface area in excess of 500 m2 (about one tenth the size of a football field). It is also known as active carbon as the ions of contaminants are attracted to the surface of the carbon, where they will be held. It is also able to release minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium back into the water, which enhances its taste and health benefits.

OK so that was all quite complex but does it do the job? Tech Trends first flicked the charcoal and blow me down if it didn’t ping a bit like metal, popped it in the bottle, wedged it into the special locking bulge and filled it up. After leaving it for a few hours we quaffed it down and indeed it tasted a lot better that straight out the tap. It’s a winner! Five replacement charcoal sticks are £30.95 including a 10% discount but it probably works out cheaper than buying water, specially if you happen to travel a lot. You can take an empty water bottle through security and most airports now have handy taps to refill them at the other end, so with one of these you can avoid paying that ever-so-reasonable  who said good water was cheap.

• BPA free tritan, cork, stainless steel, silicon
• Includes x1 binchotan active charcoal filter (6 months life)
• Automatic email updates for when to boil and replace charcoal
• W 8.5cm  H 24cm  / W 3.3″  H 9.4″
• 800 ml  27 floz

RRP: £19.95

ZeroWater Filter and TDS Meter

This 12-cup water filter jug from ZeroWater looks much like every other water filter out there but what makes it a more high-tech drinking solution is its patented, 5-stage Ion Exchange Filtration system, which removes virtually all dissolved solids from your water. These solids may include minerals, salts, metals, chemicals and runoff. Mmmm runoff, my favourite non-specific dissolved solid! The ZeroWater filter is also the first in its class to benefit from a sealed lid and reservoir, which allows filtered water to be poured while water, which hasn’t yet been, filtered remains in the reservoir. This adds a further 2 cups of capacity to the 10 cups of filtered water in the jug. It also features a very cool one-handed, pull and pour button spout for easy pouring from the fridge or for filling bottles. Four additional stages of water filtration ensure larger particles and other impurities are removed.

Well I used the laboratory-grade Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter provided on our unfiltered tap water and got a reading of 078. I then filled up the jug and measured the filtered water and… dum dum duuuum! Got a reading of 000. So this seems to do a fine job of removing those unpleasant impurities from your water, and that can only be a good thing. Our water normally tastes fine if a little chloriney and after filtering through the ZeroWater tasted very different. It’s difficult to describe the taste but it is not unpleasant and definitely better than straight out of the tap.

• Certified* to reduce Lead, Chromium, & Mercury
• Premium 5-Stage Dual-Ion Exchange filtration system
• Ion-Exchange system that removes virtually all dissolved solids in your water
• The FDA requires the TDS level in PURIFIED bottled water to reach 000-010ppm. ZeroWater is the only filter in its class to achieve this level.

RRP: £39.99

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

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