Boy have we got some cool reviews for you this month. From the latest Coffee tech to Vape pens and secure USB keys it’s all right here.

Vype ePen 3

It is all the rage these days and this new ePen 3 from Vype is easily the best-looking vape pen out there. It is small and slick looking when the average pen looks more like an industrial breathalizer kit. It slips nicely into a jeans pocket and the tasty replaceable pods are easy to change and bring a clean new mouthpiece with each load.

It is all the rage these days and this new ePen 3 from Vype is easily the best-looking vape pen out there
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I tried it out with Tech Trends new Crypto Correspondent, Richard Andrews who is currently kicking the rollie habit by vaping and he was impressed. We both concluded that despite its low price and slim design it really packs a punch. Give it a go if you want a low profile vape pen that gives you plenty of bang for your buck.

Available online from Vype for £14.99 down from £17.99 at the moment.

More Bike, less BS

People don’t really need to be sold on the advantages of getting on your bike where it comes to urban mobility. Compared to driving, cycling is better for the environment, cheaper, fewer issues with parking, and any time there is traffic you’re likely to get to your destination sooner than the cars anyway. And unless you really enjoy getting up-close and personal with random strangers every day, commuting on public transport can quickly lose its appeal, even if we forget about price rises, strikes and random delays. Read the full story here.

WILD ONE – Pet Accessories

In the past decade, Gen Z and Millennials accounted for more than half of the growth in the pet owner population. In fact, the 57 million pet owners under the age of 40 account for 41% of all pet-owning adults in the United States. It’s estimated that in 2018, Americans will spend $72 billion on their pets, $15 billion of that specifically on pet supplies. In New York City alone, there are roughly 425,000 dogs in homes across the five boroughs. That’s a lot of poop bags!

Wild One will also host a series of interactive experiences and events such as Wild One Wednesday Happy Hours, movie nights, collaborations with Sofar Sounds, and more
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Americans will spend $72 billion on their pets, $15 billion of that specifically on pet supplies. In New York City alone, there are roughly 425,000 dogs in homes across the five boroughs. That's a lot of poop bags!
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As the owner of three dogs, yes three, I was excited to hear about Wild One, a new line of design-conscious pet essentials that has announced its first retail pop-up shop in NoLita, 242 Lafayette Street, New York. Located just around the corner from the new Amazon 4-Star and operational from October 20 through January 1, the immersive brick-and-mortar shop will serve as a dog-friendly community hub, designed to simplify and enhance the pet shopping experience and encourage visitors to relax, meet fellow pet parents, and enjoy the space. Wild One will also host a series of interactive experiences and events such as Wild One Wednesday Happy Hours, movie nights, collaborations with Sofar Sounds, and more.

Wild One has opened its first retail pop-up shop in NoLita, 242 Lafayette Street, New York. Located just around the corner from the new Amazon 4-Star and operational from October 20 through January 1.
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While unable to jet my pooches to NY to try out the Sofar Sounds (whatever they are?) I was able to try out some Wild One products and found them well made, sturdy and modern looking. No leather or chains here, more of an Ikea or Apple feel to everything.

Wild Ones Products:

• Collar – $45: Easy to use. Simple to clean. Made to last with a strong yet comfortable flex-poly strap that’s water-, odour-, tangle- and park-proof.
• Leash – $75: Made from flex-poly straps and sturdy hardware, it’s ideal for easy temporary tie-up, quick short-leash adjustment, and everyday adventures.
• Carrier – $180: A comfortable way to seize the day together. Cushioned base, soft straps, durable exterior, and a clever cut-out to enjoy the view. Perfect for pint-sized pups.
• Harness – $75: A cushioned, lightweight harness that’s simple to secure and easy to link up with (in both the front and back).
• Tennis Balls – $10 (6 / set): A set of tennis balls made from ultra pet-friendly materials, featuring extra bouncy rubber cores.
• Bed – $125 to $225: Tiered foam for comfort, side rails for snuggling, water-resistant lining for accidents, and a layered poly-weave cover for durability.
• Bowl – $25: Looks good on a living room floor and works well with enthusiastic eaters. Dishwasher safe with a non-slip base. 4-cup capacity for the super hungry.
• Poop Bags – $10 (60 / box): Designed to take care of business after your dog takes care of theirs, these eco-friendly, blush-coloured bags are extra thick, leak-proof, and unscented.
• Poop Bag Carrier – $12: A proper home for poop bags. Elastic attachment that plays well with any leash or tote. Easy-twist top for quick reloads.

Inspired by technical apparel and subtle style, Wild One applies performance materials and clean design to pet gear, focusing on form and function in equal measure
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Inspired by technical apparel and subtle style, Wild One applies performance materials and clean design to pet gear, focusing on form and function in equal measure. All of the brand’s items are designed to heighten ease and practicality, making it simple (and fun!) for people to incorporate their wild ones into their busy lives.

Check them out online and the Wild One pop-up will be open through the end of 2018.

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Infinissima Coffee Machine

I am regularly up into the early hours hacking away at articles or digital projects and need a quick hit of caffeine. My usual coffee making routine is wonderful but it takes a long time, grinding the beans, boiling the kettle, setting up the paper filter plus warming the milk. Yes, I take it rather seriously! So I was very pleased when the Nescafe Dolce Gusto Infinissima Coffee Machine by Krups arrived along with a couple of boxes of capsules. Now colour me sceptical about quick coffee but this little machine was not bad, not bad at all.

Now colour me sceptical about quick coffee but this little Nescafe machine was not bad, not bad at all.
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Apart from looking a lot like a toy duck that spits out coffee, it is a tidy little machine and when charged with some strong pods and some filtered water puts out very nice if small cups of coffee. I normally take my coffee like I take my beer, in pints but the sheer tastiness of this Nescafe coffee has opened my eyes to quality over quantity.

My recipe for heaven using this Infinissima Machine is take a small espresso-style cup, add half a teaspoon of brown sugar and a splash for milk. Pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds while you warm up the Coffee Duck and charge with an Espresso Intenso pod. Flick the switch to hot and wow, the resulting macchiato type beverage will rock your world.

Flick the switch to hot and wow, the resulting macchiato type beverage will rock your world
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Nescafé Dolce Gusto Infinissima manual coffee machine by Krups

• Minimalist design, fitting seamlessly into compact kitchens
• Maximum 15 bar pump pressure for coffee shop quality
• 1.2 Litre water tank
• Adjustable drip tray to suit all cup size
• Available in White & Black, Black or Red & Black
• Easy to use manual system
• Can prepare both hot and cold beverages
• A slimline offering at just 15cm (W) x 37cm (H) x 28cm (D)

The Infinissima is very reasonable and Available at Debenhams for £100 and takes up very little space on the counter so give it a go, you might end up drinking more coffee but hey, so what.

Tech That Every Poker Player Should Own

Playing online Poker is great, but it can get even better with some help from modern-day tech. From having the proper noise-cancelling headphones to owning a travel-friendly cigar humidor, here are ten things that will bring your game to a whole new level. Read the full story here.

Inateck Camera Bag & USB 3 SSD Drive Enclosure

As well as editing Tech Trends I work around the world as a photographer for clients including Samsung and HP so travelling with a tonne of kit plus the valuable digital files I produce is a serious pain. I’ve never had a bag or kit case that could fit everything I needed and be comfortable to carry so I was happy to get my hands on the Inateck 3 in 1 DSLR Camera + 15.6 inch Laptop & Travel Backpack. It’s a multifunctional water resistant rucksack with a rain cover and tripod holder.

I’ve never had a bag or kit case that could fit everything I needed and be comfortable to carry so I was happy to get my hands on the Inateck 3 in 1 DSLR Camera + 15.6 inch Laptop & Travel Backpack
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I can get my camera, five lenses, cables, batteries and chargers plus a bunch of accessories and a 15 inch MacBook Pro in this thing and it is still comfortable and fits in overhead luggage racks. I can strap a small tripod to the outside and the rollout waterproof cover can be deployed quickly in downpours. Can you tell I like it? Well, I do, it is awesome and also has a quick access flap so you can get your camera out the side of the rucksack very quickly without opening the case via the main compartment or zips.

I can get my camera, five lenses, cables, batteries and chargers plus a bunch of accessories and a 15 inch MacBook Pro in this thing and it is still comfortable and fits in overhead luggage racks
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I have used this Inateck rucksack on location in New York, Barcelona and Berlin and have had no problems at all. Another point worth noting is that it doesn’t look special or technical, it looks like any normal bag so no one can tell you are carrying thousands of dollars of kit around. My old hard case was a bit too Mission Impossible and I always expected to get mugged and my hand sawn off at the wrist to release the nuclear codes!

Along with the rucksack I tested out the Inateck external USB 3.0 to SATA SSD hard drive enclosure and Inateck’s USB-A Male to USB-C 3.1 Gen2 nylon braided cable.
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However, the images themselves are what I get paid for and keeping those backed up, safe and easily accessible is another challenge. Along with the rucksack I tested out the Inateck external USB 3.0 to SATA SSD hard drive enclosure and Inateck’s USB-A Male to USB-C 3.1 Gen2 nylon braided cable.

This combo delivers the flexibility and transfer speeds I needed in a practical, low profile setup. The drive case is optimised for 9.5mm/7mm 2.5 Inch SATA SSDs so I could stick one of my own super speed 1TB SanDisk SSDs in there and know that it would be reliable. The case is slim and would fit in a pants pocket but one extra touch I loved was the on-off button recessed into a slanted corner. This avoids possible corruption issues when swapping the USB powered drive between computers and was a very neat touch.

This combo delivers the flexibility and transfer speeds I needed in a practical, low profile setup
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To go with it and link to my Mac The USB A to C cable was perfect and fast as lightning. The connectors are sturdy and the braided cable more flexible than boring old rubber. The reality of cell phone networks means that on location you never get a good enough signal to back photos up to the cloud so a fast portable set up like this is vital to ensure you don’t lose any images. Did I say it was fast? Yes, the bottleneck in this set up is the USB 3 port but that is plenty fast enough in real-world use.

Did I say it was fast? Yes, the bottleneck in this set up is the USB 3 port but that is plenty fast enough in real-world use
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Available via Amazon here in the UK at the links below these Inateck products are reasonably priced and excellent quality, recommended by me!

Inateck 3 in 1 DSLR Camera/15.6 Inch Laptop/Travel Backpack – £47.99
Inateck USB 3.0 to SATA Hard Drive Enclosure External – £9.99
Inateck USB 3.1 Cable USB-A Male to USB-C 3.1 Gen2 Nylon Braided Cable – £5.99

BlitzWolf BW-FYE1 TWS Bluetooth 5.0 Wireless Earbuds

These are the first BT 5.0 headphones I have tested and in reality, this new 5.0 classification probably just means better battery life rather than improvements to audio quality. Not that this is to be sniffed at, better battery life is always a plus and I can say these earbuds from Blitzwolf lasted for 3 hours between charges for me, so pretty good. The charging case is also small and well designed and carries a claimed 12 hours of charge.

Sound was pretty good, full, with a rounded profile. They were pleasant to wear and connected to my smartphone quickly. Nothing to complain about here, a good pair of BT buds
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Unlike other earbuds I have used, these make contact with your ear in a couple of places rather than just slipping in your ear canal. This is a bit strange in use but you quickly get used to it and they don’t look as strange in use as the xFyro xS2s I reviewed last month. Sound was pretty good, full, with a nice balenced profile. They were pleasant to wear and connected to my smartphone quickly. Nothing to complain about here, a good pair of BT buds.

Available from BangGood.com for £26.82 and use DISCOUNT CODE: 15fye1 to get 15% off now!

Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3NX – USB 3.1 Flash Drive

I was really quite excited when the lovely Jon Fielding from Apricorn let me know the next generation of their secure key: the Aegis Secure Key 3NX was out! The last version of this handy little USB key got an excellent review from me earlier this year and has gone on to be the core of my personal digital security. My taxes, finances, insurance and all manner or boring but necessary records live merrily on my old Secure Key 3Z and I have 100% confidence they are safe there. This is the fourth generation of Secure Key and brings some next-generation security features and up to 25% cooler operating temperatures, which is a good thing as to be honest the old 3Z got bloody hot. Maybe most importantly the new 3NX comes at an even lower price with my new 128GB sample costing a very reasonable £189 while the base unit has dropped from £70 to $59.

I was really quite excited when the lovely Jon Fielding from Apricorn let me know the next generation of their secure key: the Aegis Secure Key 3NX was out!
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As before the 3NX is software-free, 100% hardware-based 256-bit AES XTS encrypted, onboard keypad PIN authenticated with ultra-fast USB 3.1 (3.0) data transfer speeds. All Data is encrypted on the fly and the device’s PINs and Data remain encrypted while the drive is at rest. Completely cross-platform compatible and OS agnostic the 3NX thrives in Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, Chrome, embedded systems, and equipment possessing a powered USB port and storage file system. All internal componentry is protected from physical tampering with a layer of hardened epoxy, and locked-down firmware brings immunity to malware attacks such as BadUSB.

The polymer-coated wear-resistant onboard keypad stays the same and the drive is unlocked by entering a PIN on the keypad and not the host computer’s keyboard. Until the device is unlocked via its keypad, it remains invisible to the host. The embedded keypad circumvents all hardware and software key logging attempts to capture passwords by excluding the host system from the authentication process. Polymer-coated buttons are wear-resistant and designed to not reveal most commonly used buttons.

The embedded keypad circumvents all hardware and software key logging attempts to capture passwords by excluding the host system from the authentication process
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The FIPS 140-2 Level 3 Validation (pending 4Q 2018) meets the U.S. government standards for information technology and computer security. NIST FIPS 140 is the cryptography standard program required by the US federal government for protection of sensitive data. I am a huge fan on the unattended auto-lock feature, a programmable period of Inactivity permitted before drive locks Itself. All Aegis Secure Drives will automatically lock once disconnected from a computer’s USB port or the power to that USB port is interrupted or after a pre-programmed period of inactivity. Super handy!

The awesome self-destruct PIN also remains so when programmed and activated, performs a Crypto-Erase and becomes a new access PIN. The last line of defence for data security when the device’s physical security and your personal safety are at risk. The self-destruct PIN defends against these physically compromising situations by erasing the key’s contents, leaving it in normal working order appearing yet to be deployed. Suck on that MI6! or is it MI5?

The self-destruct PIN defends against physically compromising situations by erasing the key’s contents, leaving it in working order appearing yet to be deployed. Suck on that MI6! or is it MI5?
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The Brute-Force defence is also a useful real-world security measure. Select the Number of Consecutive Invalid PIN Attempts Permitted (4-20) Before Crypto-Erase. All Aegis Secure Drives are unlocked (authenticated) by entering a PIN on their own onboard keypad. Since the PIN is not entered using the host computer’s keyboard, they are not vulnerable to software or hardware-based key-loggers or software-based brute force attacks. However, if the device comes under a physical brute force attack, your data is protected with a programmable “Brute Force Hack Defense Mechanism” which, if the programmed number (between 4 and 20) of consecutive incorrect password entries has been attempted, the device will delete its own encryption key and destroy the ability to decrypt its stored data.

In this day and age, everybody needs one of these and the self-discipline to use it and regularly back their shit up. No excuses with this price drop!
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With a shiny new 3NX in my hand, the least I could do was pass the old 3Z to my dear wife so the drive reset feature came in handy. All Apricorn devices can be reset and redeployed over and over. Activating drive reset clears both the User and Admin PINs, destroys the data, creates a new randomly generated encryption key and allows the drive to be reused repeatedly, with an infinite number of randomly generated encryption keys, allowing the admin and or user to reset the drive as often as is needed. I just don’t know how I got by without one for so long!

For more info on all the incredible tech built into this tiny device check out Apricorn’s website. In this day and age, everybody needs one of these and the self-discipline to use it and regularly back their shit up. No excuses with this price drop! The Aegis Secure Key 3NX is available from Apricorn starting at $59.00

BlitzWolf BW-LT7 Smart LED Desk Lamp with Qi Wireless Charger

Blitzwolf is another high-quality manufacturer from China that makes devices and accessories you actually need and want. This multipurpose desk lamp is a great example, offering useful control of the LED lighting system plus USB and wireless charging in a very neat and stylish package.

The aluminium and plastic design is very tough and reassuringly heavy. No quality issues here. The controls are simple and intuitive plus in English and it simply does what it says on the tin, lights your desk in several really practical ways depending on your working practices or the time of day and charges a couple of modern devices.

It’s a very sleek and cool looking lamp that offers flexible lighting and USB + Wireless charging for your smartphone and devices. It looks great and works well, what more is there to say! This is now on my desk and it should be on yours.

Available from BangGood.com for £41.03 and use DISCOUNT CODE 33df5d for 11% off now!

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 2018 Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.

Ready Player One promises the thrills of VR on the Big Screen so Tech Trends jumped into the OASIS and immersed ourselves in Spielberg’s latest blockbuster

Well… it’s here, Virtual Reality on the big screen. Yes I know that awful film The Lawnmower Man tried to do it back early 90’s, and we all remember with gritted teeth, the retina shattering bad graphics, dreadful music and of course ham-fisted ‘actor’ Pierce Brosnan, so I was thrilled to be invited by Digital Catapult and PwC to an exclusive preview of Ready Player One at London’s O2 Arena yesterday. The hugely successful book by Ernest Cline from 2011 was crying out to be adapted for the silver screen but how would 3D thrills work in a 2D medium?

The hugely successful book by Ernest Cline was crying out to be adapted for the silver screen but how would 3D thrills work in a 2D medium?
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Firstly I will nail my colours to the mast here and proclaim I am a VR/AR & MR enthusiast and have extensively covered this emerging sector. As a geek I’m excited about new immersive content, production processes and HMDs, and as a human (are geeks humans?) about the potential the technology has to change how we relate to each other in digital space and the possibility to improve every aspect of our real lives, from sex to education, entertainment and work.

As a geek I’m excited about new immersive content, production processes and HMDs
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From Google Cardboard to Magic Leap, we’re developing some exciting stuff, and despite the concept being around for decades, it has only recently transitioned into our day-to-day lives. It’s essentially understood as a technology that transports us out of the real world and into a digital one. This is broadly correct and conjures up scenes from films such as The Matrix or the aforementioned The Lawnmower Man, in which you plug your body into a network and are sucked into another, digital world where rules such as gravity, size and mass don’t apply (or at least not in the same way).

Ready Player One | Warner Bros.

Despite VR being around for decades, it has only recently transitioned into our day-to-day lives but is making a big impact
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It has been a long journey of innovation but we now have the technology to totally immerse any person in a fully computer-generated environment, and boy-o-boy is it fun! But bringing an immersive VR story to the old-fashioned 2D cinema screen is more of a challenge that it might seem.

It has been a long journey of innovation but we now have the technology to totally immerse any person in a fully computer-generated environment
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While writing about this new leap forward in technology I have tested out pretty much every cutting-edge experience out there and more than most, recognize that this new medium does not translate well into traditional media. It is literally (or virtually?) another dimension from what we are used to and an immersive VR experience is best enjoyed in VR. Trying to show the unique possibilities VR offers in any way other than within VR provides only a pale reflection of what it is and how powerful it can be, however, if anyone could do it justice I hoped Spielberg could.

Ready Player One | Warner Bros.

Trying to show the unique possibilities VR offers in any way other than within VR provides only a pale reflection of what it is and how powerful it can be, but if anyone could do it, it would be Spielberg
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Steve (as I call him) has a good record of showing us the future of technology and inspiring us with what is just over the horizon and what innovations are on the cusp of realisation. Minority Report showed us the power of the heads-up display and holographic computer interfaces, A.I. showed us a future where robots live amongst us and addressed some of Asimov’s issues around robot-human relations, while Jurassic Park foresaw potential problems with genetic science and cloning.

Through his films, Spielberg has promoted advanced and future technologies in the popular consciousness and inspired people around the world to engage with them
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It’s important to note that all these films were adaptations of successful books or short stories but through his films, Spielberg has successfully promoted advanced and future technologies in the popular consciousness and inspired people around the world to engage with tech, even if it is just as consumers. Ready Player One is definitely the most high profile representation of VR that millions of viewers will experience and it might well be their first sight of VR as a real technology but will the film grab the imaginations of people across the globe?

Ready Player One | Warner Bros.

Ready Player One is the most high profile representation of VR in popular culture so far
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Hosts of our exclusive screening Digital Catapult and PwC invited along a crowd of London’s top VR innovators from the UK’s booming tech scene to launch an Immersive Handbook containing a list of recommendations focusing on legal, IP, privacy, business models and health & welfare issues specific to immersive businesses, both today, and looking to the future.

The comment I heard most was it was a too much of a kids film and presented VR as a childish game in the traditional console sense
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This practical guide is following on from previous work by Digital Catapult in supporting the UK’s booming immersive sector, including the launch of volumetric capture facility, DIMENSION, and immersive innovation program, CreativeXR so I was in the right place and kept my ears open and listened in on the crowd’s thoughts on the film. Clearly, the hope in the industry is that Ready Player One will inspire a new generation of consumers and that was certainly the feeling in Screen 5 last night. I admit to being a little concerned that the film might misrepresent the true possibilities of VR and be a little uninspiring, it had its issues for sure but what it lacked in factual detail it made up for in Crash, Bang and Wallop!

Ready Player One | Warner Bros.

Ready Player One is a film about Virtual Reality, but does it do a good job of representing its complex potential?
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Ready Player One is a film about VR and is largely based in VR yet viewers will leave the cinema never having experienced VR once, so how did it do at presenting VR and its complex potential? Well, sat amongst a crowd of industry leaders, engineers and marketers who know all about the technology I heard a few complaints and a lot of praise.

The comment I heard most was it was a too much of a kids film and presented VR as a childish game in the traditional console sense, and yes it did lean very heavily on established forms of gaming to explain the world within OASIS but to be fair this is just taken from the book. Cline does this to make the tech approachable and in fact, it has been the games industry that has pushed VR technology to consumers the hardest so far and I think viewers will get on board quickly with this approach.

Ready Player One | Warner Bros.

Sat amongst a crowd of VR industry leaders, engineers and marketers I heard a few complaints and a lot of praise
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My principal disappointment was that it was too heavy on the shooting, punching and driving and didn’t touch on the incredible power VR has to invoke empathy. The central love story was sorely lacking in emotion, when Art3mis explained to a frustrated Parzival that she wasn’t interested in him and why she was on her quest to destroy IOI the filmmakers could have used VR’s empathetic capabilities to put you in another’s shoes, to make you see through someone else’s eyes. Here she could have shown Wade her pain and motivation, visually this could have worked like an immersive flashback where Wade saw what she saw and felt what she felt. I feel this was a missed opportunity to educate the audience that the technology is far more than just a 3D video game, and it was certainly a missed opportunity to develop what was otherwise a rather flat love story.

Ready Player One | Warner Bros.

In some ways it was a missed opportunity to educate the audience that the technology is far more than just a 3D video game
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On the flip side, it demonstrated how VR and the use of avatars can bring together conventionally unlikely groups of characters and build strong connections between people from varied backgrounds and age groups through common goals and shared working. By the end, the in-game friends have bonded in the real world and become the ‘High Five’ despite their gender, sexuality, economic, racial and age differences. This was a clear theme in the film and showed how VR can break down social barriers, freeing users to be who they want to be in the real world by first experimenting and building relashionships in the digital one.

Ready Player One | Warner Bros.

Ready Player One will no doubt encourage a new generation to get hands-on with the technology but it was only a brief and incomplete look at the possibilities VR presents us with
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All in all I really enjoyed Ready Player One, it was a rip-roaring ride full of spectacular visual effects and will no doubt encourage a new generation to get hands-on with the technology but it was only a brief and incomplete look at the possibilities VR presents us with, it dipped a toe into what the technology offers. However, it did a great job at structuring a narrative across real and immersive space, which is no mean feat, and you are swept along on the quest to find Haliday’s Easter Egg and defeat Sorrento. Tech Trends recommends you take a look and judge for yourselves. Ready Player One is out in cinemas everywhere now, so grab your popcorn and head over to the OASIS.

For companies looking to get into Immersive technologies such as VR/AR/MR/XR our Virtual Reality Consultancy services offer guidance on how these technologies can enhance and support your brand strategy.

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 Ready Player One appeared first on Tech Trends.

Welcome to our first reviews post of the new year, and true to form, we pretty much have a gadget for everything. Enjoy!

Zeiss VR ONE Plus Headset

Zeiss is famous for pushing the boundaries of optical excellence and their stills cameras are legendary. They now created a Virtual Reality headset that provides a very comfortable experience (especially for glasses wearers like myself) and great imagery for a reasonable price. The VR ONE Plus is well designed with ventilation ports to prevent fogging and easy access to the headphone jack.

The VR ONE Plus is well designed with ventilation ports to prevent fogging and easy access to the headphone jack
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Any smartphone with a screen size between 4.7” and 5.5” will fit and the expandable handset tray works well and fits nicely into the side of the headset and it all comes apart for cleaning those greasy lenses. I tested it with the budget Honor 7X, a great phone but not the most powerful and the screen is only 1080p but the results were OK. The headset boasts an ”eye-box” that claims to remove the need to make any mechanical lens adjustments during your experience. I am not sure exactly what this is but my screen was certainly in focus during testing, so it worked.

You can use the VR ONE Plus with or without a head strap, but it is a very comfortable and sturdy strap if you do choose to use it. The tinted visor on the front of the headset is enabled for Augmented Reality apps. I couldn’t test this but the visor does leave the camera unobscured so I will chase down a more powerful AR-capable phone and update you. You can choose content from hundreds of different VR apps, games and experiences available through the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The big names are all supported –  Within, Jaunt VR, NYTVR and Arte360 as well as VR games and even FPV controller apps for radio controlled vehicles.

Overall it’s a sturdy and useful headset, is smartphone brand agnostic and was easy and comfortable to use. The Zeiss VR ONE Plus was also well made and lacks those dangerously sharp, unfinished plastic edges that are the curse of cheaply moulded headsets and have previously opened a capillary or two of this unsuspecting reviewer.

RRP: £69.99

Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z – USB 3 Flash Drive

RRP: From £70

Cue CleverBot

It has long been a dream to own a ‘living breathing’ interactive robot that will respond to commands whilst exhibiting a distinct personality of its own and Wonder Workshop believes that it’s latest automated toy ‘CUE’, launching this month, is the next leap towards that goal.

You can engage in chat, control movement, create reactive sensor behaviours or even code creative interactions using block or JavaScript
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Unlike many previous automated robots – which were essentially remote-controlled toys with minimal interactive functions – CUE has a more emotive AI system as well as a choice of 4 playful avatars to customise how your robot interacts with you. Linked to an app you can engage in chat, control movement, create reactive sensor behaviours or even code creative interactions using block or JavaScript programming at a variable skill level depending on age and ability.

The robots display autonomous behaviours and encourage emotional engagement, further enhancing the learning experience. Companion apps are available on iOS, Android, and Kindle

Pitched at 11+ CUE is certainly a little advanced for younger children who will delight in the bot roaming the room learning to avoid obstacles whilst chattering away, but will struggle both with setup and some of the more text-heavy interactions. I test played it with a 4-year-old, a 13-year-old and an 18-year-old and although the 4-year-old happily ran around after it like a puppy, the CUE was definitely more suitable for the early teen bracket. Simple functions such as the ability to record phrases into the Bot and send them off to relay messages will delight younger children (and provide an endless source for mischief) whilst the coding possibilities held the teenager’s attention.

The greatest expectation with any automated toy - especially one that pitches itself as an interactive robot - is how ‘alive’ it feels
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Unlike many previous automated robots CUE has a more emotive AI system as well as a choice of 4 playful avatars
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The greatest expectation with any automated toy – especially one that pitches itself as an interactive robot – is how ‘alive’ it feels as on the whole most toys that make this bold claim tend to disappoint and their limitations grow apparent pretty quickly, especially when they come with a hefty price tag. CUE chat can feel quite scripted, like keywords inevitably trigger pre-programmed answers and the repetitive nature of the toys responses whilst roaming soon reveal the limit of its conversation and personality, but functions such as watching CUE react to sounds, looking down at your hand as you reach towards it and an ability to react to its surroundings (and muddle past obstacles) invest personality into the toy and had my children laughing with it rather than at it.

Despite its prevalence in the world, coding is still considered to be a difficult subject/skill to learn, but everything becomes easier if you can make it fun. Cue and Dot are equal parts learning tool and toy. They have been developed to teach children vital skills, widely prized on the jobs market, without browbeating, allowing them to develop at their own pace. Vikas Gupta, Wonder Workshop CEO and Co-founder

The ability to toggle the avatars are definitely a plus and the ability to learn how to code to control CUE will certainly add additional playability. R2D2 it isn’t – not yet – but in terms of an automated toy that can be used both as a simple plaything and a fun way to get children interested both in tech and coding, the CUE is a big robotic thumbs up.

• 3 Proximity Sensors
• Real-time Bluetooth
• IR Robot Interaction
• 3 Processors & Sensor Fusion
• Dual Motors & Potentiometers
• 3 Microphones & Speaker
• Programmable LED & Buttons
• 2 Powered Wheels & Encoders

RRP: £169.99

Review by Ashley Thorpe, Animator & Filmmaker at Carrion Films and Film & Games Correspondent at Tech Trends. Follow him on Twitter @CarrionScreamin

Aukey Bluetooth In-Ear Headphones

These Aukey Bluetooth Wireless Headphones are currently discounted on Amazon and after testing them out they seem to be a bit of a bargain. They boast three EQ sound settings plus aptX technology ensuring that, when used with compatible devices, you get the very best audio quality over Bluetooth 4.1. They also use CVC 6.0 noise cancellation with the built-in dual mic so your calls should sound clear, so the question is, what don’t they do?

Well, I can vouch that they are a comfortable fit and come with several different size ear buds and ear hooks so even a Klingon jogging on a treadmill could wear them without issues. They are super-lightweight (13g / 0.46oz) despite the built-in rechargeable battery and Aukey claims an extended playtime of 8 hours of music (about 120 songs) or 240 hours of standby time on a single 1.5-hour charge. I have used they on and off for a month and not needed to recharge so far.

Water and sweat proof they are IPX4-certified water-resistant with internal nano-coating to withstand sweat and rain when used outdoors and the earbuds magnetically fasten around your neck when not in use. Like all Aukey products, these headphones are backed by a 24-Month Product Warranty which, when combined with Amazon’s excellent returns procedures is very reassuring indeed.

But, I hear you say, do they sound good? Simply put, yes, they sound as good as any in-ear Bluetooth headphones I have used so far, with a solid and pleasing sound. At the reduced price, they are a bargain!

Specifications:
Technology: BT 4.1, A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP, aptX
Microphone Noise Reduction: 6th generation dual-mic cVc
Charging Time: 1.5 hours
Play Time: Up to 8 hours
Battery Type: Li-Polymer (2 x 60mAh)
Operating Range: Up to 10m / 33ft
Weight: 13g / 0.46oz

Compatibility:
Echo Dot. iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch. Android Phones and Tablets: Samsung, Samsung S8, HTC, LG, Sony, Huawei, Blackberry, One Plus, etc. Windows Phones. Siri Wakeup: If Bluetooth earphone connected with iPhone, please short press both volume buttons + & – while the earphone is in the standby mode, and Siri is activated when a prompt tone is heard.

RRP £23.99 down from £34.99

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

Eva II Sex Toy

The Dame Products team behind the original Eva and now the Eva II vibrator have a vision – a brave new world in which women have routinely orgasmic sex just like men through the creation of a small, wearable clitoral stimulator. It’s a noble cause, but how far does their latest offering go in fulfilling it?

Eva II is great for all kinds of play. Use it on your own, or any time you might want your hands free. However you want to enjoy Eva is the right way to use it! Eva II only needs the help of a single finger to stay secure.

Everything about the Eva screams ‘high end’ – through the miracle of wireless charging the device is totally waterproof and easy to clean and the design is all smooth ambiguous curves in muted matt green or pale pink. The vibe itself is powerful for its size and needs to be since the hands-free design allows the device to sit against your sweet spot rather than to press down as you would with a normal vibrator.

The Dame Products team behind the Eva II vibrator have a vision – a brave new world in which women have routinely orgasmic sex
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It does take some practice to comfortably ‘wear’ Eva; its arms are designed to sit snuggly under the labia but it’s quite a squeeze to get them there. After the struggle, it is still easy to dislodge once the actual sex is underway depending on your personal physique and choice of position. It’s also a challenge to adjust the level of vibration since it involves pressing a lubed up button on a piece of smooth plastic.

With flexible wings that tuck under the labia while Eva II sits on top, you can have clitoral stimulation during penetrative sex. Eva II is smaller, lighter, and simple to use – plus, it’s totally waterproof, and comes with a sleek charging base/travel case to boot.

All in all, it’s not really hands-free, but it’s a vast step forward from using a traditional vibrator during sex and its smart presentation and virtuous concept make it the ideal option for those wishing to introduce toys to their partner.

RRP: $135

Review by Naomi Hepworth-Andrews, Digital & IT Consultant, mother, ferret fanatic and tech enthusiast.

The post January 2018 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.