Park Cameras raise over £790 for St. Peter & St. James’ Hospice

United Kingdom, 17th February 2015 – On Thursday 29th January, staff at Park Cameras, one of the UK’s leading independent photographic retailers attempted to run between both their stores in Burgess Hill and Central London in a single day, in an effort to raise as much money as possible for local charity St. Peter and St. James’ Hospice.

Stop that Employee!

It was a chilly day outside Burgess Hill, with the temperature at just 5oC. However, inside the Park Cameras store, things got pretty warm, as amongst the wide range of cameras, lenses, bags and tripods, a team of 13 employees set of on their challenge to run the equivalent distance between their two retail stores.

The team worked in relay fashion on a treadmill, each doing their leg of the 45.7 mile journey as quickly as they could physically manage. The store itself was still open for business as usual, and it was great to see customers donating what they could to add to the total amount of money raised for local charity St. Peter & St. James’ Hospice – although it wasn’t necessarily as easy for the runners to give any expert photographic advice when asked!

Park Cameras chose to raise money for St. Peter & St. James’ Hospice as this is a charity based in the local area that many of the staff feels particularly strongly about. The hospice receives just 14% of their funding from the government, and have to raise more than £2.6 million every year through fundraising events. That’s £7,200 every single day.

Park Cameras HR manager Adel Charles said, “We are delighted to have been able to raise £795.77    for St. Peter & St. James’ Hospice. Whilst the team here went through a bit of pain and quite a lot of sweat, and I certainly know this first hand, it makes it worthwhile knowing the money raised will help all at St. Peter & St. James continue with the fantastic care, love and support they provide for those in the community that need it.”

Their Just Giving page is still available to view and donate to, should you wish.  Simply visit www.JustGiving.com/parkcamerasrun.

Fashion Fail - SmartEyeglass Developer Edition SED-E1

OK, so I am aware that the new SmartEyeglass is a developer edition and will likely be refined when it comes to style when (or if) it is released to the general public. My question is, have Sony not learn from the failure of Google Glass that tech you wear on your face needs to look good? Add to this the fact that we now have a breakout cable, with puck-style box that houses the mic and some other tech. Clip this to you coat or shirt collar to look even more dorky. SHOUT "HERE I COME, I AM RECORDING YOU!!!"

Bitcoin gambling – is it bringing along a revolution?

Since the very emergence of online gambling, no event in its history has probably been more radical and significant than Bitcoin integration, which is still ongoing. Today, Bitcoin casinos are growing increasingly popular among online gamblers all over the world, while ‘traditional’ gaming websites seem to be gradually losing a massive part of their clients. What can be the main ingredient of Bitcoin’s huge success in the online gambling industry?

Many say, its decentralized nature may be one of the crucial contributing factors, and they are very likely to be right. Essentially, this key feature of Bitcoin has had a huge impact on the Internet itself, and is one of the main reasons why it is becoming less dependent on data-centres, e.g. servers. Now, the Internet users’ machines (exactly, we’re talking here about your laptop/Mac, iPhone/Android-powered device or whatever else you use to go online) serve as replacement for the physical intermediary equipment needed previously to store huge amounts of data. As a result, people have their information stored more securely, with the access to credentials and other confidential data becoming very limited. 

Having good understanding of it, Bitcoin casino operators do their best to apply the latest digital technologies to mutual benefit of both their players and themselves, making their businesses more attractive in terms of innovation. Another reason why they switch to Bitcoin is related to financial matters, or, merely payment policy. The thing is, many online players seem to be fed up with how online casinos, poker rooms and sportsbooks treat them: deposits and withdrawals take too much time to be completed, the commission fees are unexpectedly high, plus entertainment portals and payment services operators they cooperate with happen to be charging money for almost ‘nothing’ from time to time. That has nothing to do with fair gambling, does it?

The introduction of cryptocurrency payments by Bitcoin casinos become the perfect solutions for all that. On top of instant decentralized payments and deposits, full transparency of all the transactions made, as well as enhanced personal data and funds security, you also get unprecedented virtual anonymity – an option so much sought after by modern online gamblers. People are feeling they didn’t get it all before in full measure, and now that they have all opportunities presented, it’s quite natural they are eager to get the most of those. Also, it wouldn’t be inappropriate to remind you that the primary Bitcoin users (and, logically, Bitcoin casino regulars) are young people easily adopting the latest technological advancements and knowing how to put them to proper use. This new generation is the outpost of the successive wave of the New Technological Revolution that has been ongoing for some decades already. If you ask them, they will tell you Bitcoin is definitely revolutionizing their everyday life, their habits, and the way they’ve got used to do certain things. They are the ones who know for sure Bitcoin and block-chain are not just about Bitcoin casinos and online gambling – nowadays, world’s most popular cryptocurrency is much bigger and possibly stronger than ever before, regardless of the recent BTC price fluctuations.

Now it is obvious Bitcoin’s strength has no relation to its current price. Bitcoin is strong because people need it to make their lives easier. And its potential is vast.

iOS or Android: which offers more?

When the first iPad was released back in 2010 many commentators questioned whether they would succeed; given that they didn’t seem to fulfill an obvious gap in the market. Too large for a pocket, unable to take calls - buy an iPad the joke went and pay hundreds of dollars for a bigger, more useless version of the phone you already have.

Time has clearly shown those early naysayers wrong; as 229 million tablets were sold worldwide last year. Approximately 68 million, or 30%, of the total were Apple devices and while collated Android sales figures are not yet available for 2015 it is likely in the 140m - 150m range; confirming that these two operating systems maintain a virtual duopoly on the tablet market.

Which to plump for?

Assuming your choice is between an iOS and Android device, what are the main advantages of each system? The primary advantages of iOS are twofold - it is incredibly intuitive and, because the system is built for a very small range of devices, the 500,000 iPad specific apps will run extremely well; with few glitches or crashes. However for the trademark Apple style, you will have to pay somewhat over the odds.

Android tablets are sold by a variety of manufacturers, and utilise a wide variety of hardware. Samsung, Kobo, Asus and, of course, Google have all released successful tablet ranges running Android - but on a wide variety of screen sizes, processor types and other hardware options. Although this gives the consumer a relatively larger choice it comes with usability drawbacks - you may download an app for your Android tablet and find it requires hardware your model doesn’t have. You’ll also run into more bugs and crashes - but be compensated by a larger range of titles and the greater freedom given to developers in the Android framework.

As an example, Android users rave about Tasker which allows you to program your phone to perform actions when triggered; like turning on WiFi as you approach home, for example. No equivalent app exists for iOS because Apple are incredibly reluctant to give any developers the “under the hood” access these apps require.

Of course both systems share their basic functionality and have a large overlap in the range of compatible apps. Whichever system you buy you’ll be able to watch TV on Netflix, read emails or play video games on the move. Given the recent surge in popularity of “interactive gaming”; betting to you or I, most casinos and bookmakers ensure their full suite of games is available on all platforms.

Before making your choice try to think what you want to use your new tablet for. If you’re just looking to watch videos and music; Android will likely fulfill your needs at a lower price. If however you’re looking to do a bit more, organising emails, contacts and calendars for example, you’ll likely find iOS far more simple and intuitive.

Author - Dan Brook

How Tech Changed Sport

Image Credit
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Sports_divers.jpg

Technology, as one might safely imagine, continually changes our cultures, societies and lives, thanks to the continual upgrading and innovating that go hand in hand with new ideas and ways of doing things. Everywhere we look we see the signs of new technologies' reach- smartphones, televisions, automobiles- although sports fans may often wonder where and in what ways technology impacts their favourite pastimes. Sports can be sometimes viewed as unchanging, rules having been passed down for centuries, often, although this opinion is far from true.

Live
Live sports are a relatively old phenomenon, although true live is a relatively recent advancement. 'Live' sports ten or twenty years ago could be received often a few minutes later compared to when the actual events took place, compared to nowadays when enormous increases in internet bandwidth and satellite coverage mean that images are broadcast to television sets seconds after they take place!

Betting
Millions of people worldwide enjoy placing a little wager on the results of their favourite sports, and the internet has massively improved both the ease and availability of bets for punters. A fan sat in the stands during a game can now turn on their smartphone, head to bookies.com, check out the odds and team news, then make their bet during the game. It's added a heck of a lot of fluidity to the betting world, and fans are ecstatic.

Equipment
Kits and pieces of equipment went largely unchanged within many sports throughout the twentieth century, however with the advent of materials technology many sports and their players have undergone an enormous change. Today, kits are thinner, lighter and stronger, acting as less of an impediment to the players wearing them and boosting the performance of people using them. Footballs are now equipped with sensors hidden inside that notify referees if they pass past the goal-posts, eliminating messy arguments and fan anguish, and in sports such as hockey, strong, lightweight plastics are now used for sticks instead of traditional woods.

Social Media
Once, having a discussion about the prowess of sportspeople and teams was done mainly in bars and pubs across the world, but with Facebook and Twitter now incredibly popular, sports discussions are on every news feed and profile. Teams can now create their own pages, posting interesting info, behind the scenes footage and other titbits that massively increase the feeling among fans that they too are part of the team.

Author - Catherine Bush.

An unexpected holiday surprise #MakeItHappen

When Microsoft Lumia heard Lani’s family hadn’t celebrated Christmas together in over 13 years, they devised a top-secret plan to help #MakeItHappen. Flying both Lani and her little girl Evolet home to the US, Microsoft Lumia orchestrated a surprise reunion with a twist, sothat the entire family could enjoy the Holidays together for the first time. 

This month, Microsoft Lumia are helping people around the world to #MakeItHappen, by fulfilling 31 resolutions in 31 days. 

Share your resolution now and Microsoft Lumia could hellp #MakeItHappen http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/make-things-happen/

About Lani
36 year-old Lani O'Brien, an American living in Lancashire, has never managed to make it home to see her family at Christmas since moving to the UK 13 years ago. 
Lani’s husband Dean is also an expat, living away from his family based in New Zealand, so the tight-knit family rely on regular Skype conversations to stay connected. 

Lani and Dean had their first child Evolet three years ago, but financial circumstances have meant Lani’s family in Chicago, Illinois, have only met Evolet twice and have never spent the Holiday season with her.  
A nutritious by trade, Lani is now a full-time mum but also works supporting her husband Dean who his building a child entertainment business after unexpectedly losing his job when Evolet was just six months old. 
With Dean travelling throughout December for work, Lani hoped she might make it home to see her family in the US so she and Evolet were not alone during the Holiday season. Unfortunately, the family were simply unable to afford the costly travel expenses. 

​
Lani submitted her resolution to the #MakeItHappen campaign and Microsoft Lumia was so touched by her story they decided to #MakeItHappen. 
The film itself follows Lani and Evolet’s journey home to Chicago to surprise their unsuspecting family for the Holidays. 

About the soundtrack
“Footprints in the Snow” is a new track from singer/songwriter Scott McFarnon.

A Grammy Award and Golden Globe nominee, Scott has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music industry including Beyoncé and Mark Ronson and in 2007 Daniel Merriweather had a global hit with his version of Scott’s song ‘Red’. Now launching a solo career, Scott’s incredible voice and unique sound will be available to the world in early 2015 with release of his debut album, Crazy Heart. 

Listen: www.soundcloud.com/scottmcfarnon

Website: www.scottmcfarnon.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scottmcfarnonmusic

Credits

Campaign: Microsoft Lumia #MakeItHappen http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/make-things-happen/

Agency: Mission Media http://www.thisismission.com/

Film Production: We Are Films http://wearefilmsny.com/

Directors: Alex and Aaron Craig http://wearefilmsny.com/

Music: Scott McFarnon ‘Footprints in the Snow’ www.scottmcfarnon.com

Love, Language and Lumia #MakeItHappen

When Microsoft discovered that Ed, a 28 year-old accountant from London, wanted to learn Spanish to deliver the groom’s speech at his wedding in Mexico, they came straight to his rescue. Track Ed’s journey as he embarks on a crash course in Spanish; all to surprise his family and friends in a heart-warming video.

Every day this December we’re helping people #MakeItHappen, so share your resolution with us to get involved http://lumia.ms/makeithappen

The Phablet: Rise of a Freak

Although the word ‘phablet’ was once a much derided term that often evoked a dry sneer on the face of the average smartphone user, the truth is that the tide is already turning, and the smartphone is set to lose.

Acting not only as a bridge between two closely opposed worlds, the phablet is now an essential part of the multimedia experience; offering a range of advantages, from battery life and screen quality, through to computing power and efficiency.

What’s more, Business Insider reckons that the phablet shall outsell the trusted smartphone by 2017, but with that in mind, where in the past few years has the phablet come from?

An Awkward Birth
The truth is that no one really knows when the phablet first came about, as the term was probably birthed at a point when the first example was already residing in some distant cupboard. By looking through Google Trends it is possible to see a rise in the search term during January 2012, just after the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note in October 2011.

That said, the term was also used in a Telecom TV article in 2010 to describe the Dell Streak. Other people across the internet also claim to have coined the term at some point, but the term itself should be of little interest. 

The real question is, “what was the first phablet?”    

To answer this, it is probably best to also search out the first tablet computer, which arguably, could have been the Styalator, which was released in the 1950s and was capable of real-time handwriting recognition.

Apple released its first tablet in 1993, the Newton OS, which also recognised handwriting, but this was simply prehistoric compared the first recognisable tablet, which hit the shelves in the form of the Microsoft Tablet PC in 2002.

Five years later, the HTC Advantage was released and was according to some, the very first phablet device, which ran on Windows Mobile, offered a 5 inch LED screen and a 3.0MPx camera. It also came with a keyboard.

First Footsteps
The next notable introduction was the aforementioned Dell Streak, which was impressive in some respects, but glitched incessantly, was considered bulky, and had no choice but to compete against better made tablet computers and smartphone devices such as the Galaxy Tab and the iPhone 4.

Although the Dell Streak died a quick death, which could have ended the phablet phenomenon there and then, the original Galaxy Note was released in October 2011, selling two million units in the first two months of sales.

After releasing a Note version with LTE support, by August 2012, the Note had sold 10 million units worldwide and the Galaxy Note II was released just a month later.

Growth Pains
Although the Galaxy Note was actually a roaring success, it did not stop the media from criticising the device.

In 2012, Wired.com wrote that: “The large screen also makes a chore out of using the on-screen keyboard and menus. It’s too wide to type or scroll comfortably with the thumb of one hand, so the Galaxy Note quickly shows itself to be a two-handed device. For a smartphone, this is a no-no. There were too many times when I needed to thumb my way through text messages, menus or web pages with one hand.”

All Things D gave a similarly unimpressed review, saying that: “As a mobile phone, the Galaxy Note is positively gargantuan. It’s almost 6 inches long and over 3 inches wide. When you hold it up to your ear, it pretty much covers the entire side of your face. You look like you’re talking into a piece of toast.”

To the future

Despite initial mockery and ridicule, the phablet is now held firmly within our hands, with IHS reporting that there were 25.6 million phablets sold in 2012, and Reuters named 2013 “the year of the phablet.”

The Galaxy Note 4 was also released in October this year and sold 4.5 million units in the first month.

IHS estimated that there will be 146 million phablet sales in 2016 and Barclays projected 230 million phablet sales in 2015.

IT Tech Events Made Easy

How I wish that things like this existed back in the day when I was looking for an IT job. Fast forward to the current day and if you are looking for a job in the fast moving IT sector, then this'll help expand your knowledge and career prospects.
The IT Job Board have put together a very useful Tech Event Calendar detailing events, conferences and some very inspiring talks. This is a growing industry and things like this can certainly help you keep one step ahead of the competition.

Why Wouldn't You Share Your Own Videos?

Technology changes very quickly and I remember back to when I published that first video on my YouTube channel recorded with my 4 megapixel Canon PowerShot camera. The video quality in comparison to what is possible nowadays was very poor, but the content was more than acceptable. 

My first YouTube camera … the Canon PowerShot A80

That was over eight years ago and the advancements in technology, during such a short time, is simply quite amazing. I experienced compact cameras that gave us 720P video, soon followed by the same small photo snappers delivering 1080P video. Conventional camcorders giving up the ability to not only record in full HD, but also in 3D. Tiny little action cameras, that one could mount to a car, surf board, your body or even your pet dog. If we fast forward to the current day, all of these wonders of technology can now dazzle our visual senses with even more detail in 4K resolution. 

Throughout my journey of creating visual content to share online, I have helped many others with questions and product recommendations. One of the most common questions, or for want of a better term, "excuses" is that many people want to create videos, but use their lack of "expensive" camera as an excuse.
Emails I receive are often like this (what follows is part of an actual email I received)… "Hello Dave, I really want to start my YouTube Channel but need an amazing camera and microphone setup. Can you suggest something around the £1,000 to £1,500 mark. Once I have saved enough money I can then start producing videos like you". 
The perceived need for the so-called "best camera" could not be further from the truth. Look at how I started … with just the family point & shoot compact camera. Also, consider how smartphone technology has also evolved, with many capturing awesome 1080P and some even managing to deliver a crisp 4K experience too. So why wouldn't you share your own videos. Now is the time to use the technology you already have in your pocket or bag and share your story. We can no longer make the excuse that we do not have a great camera, 

Throughout December, Intellicig are running a competition to give away a £200 Red Letter Day experience for two. Check out their #WhyWouldntYou campaign here.

Written in collaboration with Intellicig.

HTC Do Not Support the Re Camera

I was excited about the Re Camera when it was announced. Yes, I had my concerns and yes it does need some work, but HTC tried something new, which is always good in this fast paced tech world that we live in. 

My first experience with the Re Camera will be shared with you on the Geekanoids Channel later today. However, I would like to share my second experience here and my dismay at the TOTAL LACK OF SUPPORT offered by HTC. I will let the screenshots below tell the story and welcome your comments. Please click the images to expand to readable size.

View fullsize

Chat Support Window

View fullsize

HTC Re Camera Chat Support Page

The first screenshot is of my chat transcript, where I was in a state of amazement at the responses. The second screenshot shows the HTC Re support page from where I accessed the chat support window.

Ben's Top 5 Tech Products for Christmas 2014

Christmas; a time where the snow falls, trees are decorated and we all flock to shopping centers and malls to scramble for Christmas gifts and it just so happens that tech is usually number one on peoples gift lists. So let’s count down this year’s top 5 tech gifts for Christmas 2014, selected by Geekanoids guest writer Ben Smith.
 
5. Google Nexus 9
Google knows a thing or two about making great tablets for even better prices. The Nexus 9 is no exception, the 8.9- inch screen looks amazing as does the smile on the receiver of this tablet’s face after they see the speed and overall great performance of this device. Google has done it again and you won’t regret buying this for someone this Christmas.
 
4. Apple MacBook Air
There’s really nothing to say about this laptop that hasn’t already been said. Great performance, sleek and sexy design, along with all the useful features that Apple is known for. Mix that with the long battery life and great operating system (OS X YOSEMITE) this laptop is sure not to disappoint this Christmas season.
 
3. Google Nexus 6
Okay, so here’s another Nexus device, only this time it is a phone. Google gave the task of building the new Nexus phone to Motorola and so far they haven’t disappointed. This is a quad-core phone with great specs, build quality and an even better experience. If you’re shopping for an Android fan in the market for a new phone this Christmas season, this is the phone to get.
 
2. Apple iPhone 6
Well, again Apple has made a killer smartphone with a great design, amazing operating system and features that just feel right. Touch ID is welcome return, along with a better camera and user performance. I’ve always argued that 4.7 inches is the sweet spot for so many people and people are responding very well to the bump up in screen size. This is the phone to have for any Apple junkie this Christmas season.
 
1. Apple iPad Air 2
As luck would have it, this top 5 has been Apple and Google, so to stay consistent, number one will be an Apple product, a very good one at that. We loved the original iPad Air and this new rendition is even better. All the features we loved before make returns such as; a beautiful screen, great battery life and a tablet expirence that’s second to none. Throw all that on top of even better specs and the debut of Touch ID on a tablet. Makes this the number one Christmas gift for 2014.
 
Well folks, there you have it, my top 5 gifts for Christmas 2014. Remember that while all these are what I consider the cream of the crop, always buy what’s right for you. Be sure to follow Geekanoids on YouTube, as well as the website and social media for great tech insight. Have a very merry Christmas, consider donating to a food bank this holiday season and remember if you’re planning to have a great time this Christmas season, remember to never drink and drive and always use a designated driver.
By: Ben Smith - Twitter