Tuesday 31 July 2018
Samsung pins its hopes on ultra-large TVs with Bixby voice control
Ultra-large TVs, OLED applications, 5G, and the Bixby ecosystem are marked as drivers for Samsung’s future growth, according to an earnings forecast released earlier today.
The South Korean manufacturer’s overall revenue is down 4% YoY, which is attributed to slow sales of the Galaxy S9 in an increasingly competitive handset market, as well as “weak demand for air conditioners”.
Sales of premium television sets are up however, as the televised fervour surrounding the 2018 FIFA World Cup continued to drive adoption. And Samsung is eager to point out their 50% market share in sales of ‘ultra-large’ televisions – or those passing the 75-inch mark.
The smart money
The company’s TV range gained a lot of attention this year for their implausibly large The Wall, a 146-inch screen made of customisable microLED displays, reportedly allowing customers to choose the exact size and shape of their set at purchase – though it might be a while off coming to households.
In 2018, at least, Samsung is pinning its hopes on the Q9S television, which is expected to launch later this year. At 80-inches wide, the Q9S offers an epic visual display aided by its cutting-edge AI upscaling technology – which will be able to convert anything, no matter how low-res, into 8K Ultra HD.
In the forecast, the company explicitly states its strategy to use “new form factors and innovative technologies” to drive hardware sales across their different markets. This is in line with new advances in its television ranges, and reports of Samsung’s first foldable OLED phone, the Galaxy X, which is expected to launch in early 2019.
Other areas of focus include the advent of 5G connectivity, the growth of the Bixby ecosystem of smart devices, and increased integration between customer products and services such as Samsung Pay.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/samsung-pins-its-hopes-on-ultra-large-tvs-with-bixby-voice-control
Monday 30 July 2018
Best hot tubs 2018: the top jacuzzis for the money
The best hot tub in 2018 can be enjoyed year-round and should seamlessly slip into your life like you plan to slip into a warm, jet-filled jacuzzi. From inflatable hot tubs ideal for small spaces to acrylic tubs meant for the great outdoors (your backyard), we have outlined our picks for most soothing at-home spa solutions based on value and the best price.
You know what's not soothing? Figuring out which are the top hot tub brands and finding the best deals. There's no Apple, Samsung, or other household names to make recommendations easy. Instead, it's niche hot tub companies like Canadian Spa, Bestway, Coleman and Essential that offer a variety of great pop-up and full-sized tub choices.
Pause your neck and back pain for just a minute, and get yourself ready for our full-treatment hydrotherapy research with this up-to-date hot tubs list for 2018. It's based on our aquatic expertise, diligent research, and soaking wet wrinkled skin.
Don't be fooled by the black-and-white color scheme of this hot tub – it's the gold standard of acrylic hot tubs from the experts at Canadian Spa. It has a six-person capacity, 44 adjustable stainless steel jets and, just to show off, multi-colored LED mood lighting along the perimeter of the tub.
This over-the-top hot tub gets better with luxury features like LED pop-up speakers for the built-in digital audio system, an aromatherapy canister for soothing scents and even a cascading waterfall. This hot tub includes a hardtop cover, filters, and curbside delivery from most stores.
They call Paris 'the city of lights', so this aptly named inflatable hot tub from Bestway of course lights up with underwater LEDs. You'll fall in love. There are seven different colors for relaxing and soothing effects, according to the manufacturer, and it comes with an RF remote for control. There are 87 bubble jets inside this jacuzzi, and while it may not be the easiest to set up, it's one of the best pop-up hot tubs you can buy for under $500 / £600 today.
Intex makes one of the most affordable pop-up jacuzzis you can buy in 2018, with a sturdy puncture-resistant three-ply laminated material that holds up better than the low price suggests. It includes 120 bubble jets and holds 210 gallons of water. There are built-in handles on the side, making it easy to carry and move around (when it's empty, of course). You can relax in two ways: by sitting in this spa and knowing you didn't spend a lot of money to buy it.
The new Coleman SaluSpa Inflatable AirJet Hot Tub bucks the trend of circular hot tubs in favor of a more square-shaped design, but it's able to provide 114 air jets to pamper you in relaxing heated water, up the the 104 degree maximum temperature. This four-seater Coleman hot tub is rather new, so reviews are scarce on it. However, you may also find it under the Bestway brand and an older version in circular form. However, the 2018 has more jets and is easy to set up. Buy this one instead.
This spa from Essential Hot Tubs is very different from the rest because it's molded from premium-quality granite resin. That means it's the most durable option in our buying guide and a good pick if you're willing to spend a lot of money on an above-ground jacuzzi. It has 20 powerful stainless steel jets, contoured seating for up to five people (although five is a more reasonable max), has a heat pump that plugs into a normal outlet, and holds 241 gallons of water. Reviews indicate that the hard resin base gives it better insulation than inflatable hot tubs, but the cover is harder to keep snapped in place. It's the best hot tub if you're willing to spend and have the extra space.
Intex makes it onto our best hot tub list with a larger, though more expensive entry. It's an inflatable jacuzzi so you can still get a good deal on it, and it holds up to six people and more water than most: up to 290Gal (1097L). That's why you're paying a slight premium. The setup is easy enough on this one, but heating the tub is slow going. Despite that, it remains one of the better hot tub buys in 2018.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/best-hot-tubs
New UK drone laws come into force, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison
It’s now illegal to fly a drone above 400 feet (120 metres) or within 1km of an airfield or airport boundary in the UK. Anyone who endangers an aircraft by flying a drone irresponsibly faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
More laws will come into force on November 30 2019, when pilots will be required to register all consumer drones weighing over 250g with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and pass online safety tests. Registration is already mandatory for pilots using drones commercially.
Flight safety
Today, the CAA published new research showing widespread support for tighter regulations on drones. In a survey of over 2,000 UK adults and over 350 UK drone users, 93 per cent of the general public and 96% of drone users said it was “vital” for pilots to follow the guidance laid out in the Dronecode – the CAA’s safety guidelines for drone pilots.
The Donecode’s five key principles are:
- Don’t fly near airports or airfields
- Remember to stay below 400ft
- Observe your drone at all times
- Never fly near aircraft
- Enjoy responsibly
“As recreational drone use becomes increasingly widespread across the UK it is heartening to see that awareness of the Dronecode has also continued to rise – a clear sign that most drone users take their responsibility seriously and are a credit to the community,” said Jonathan Nicholson, assistant director at the CAA.
“Drones are here to stay, not only as a recreational pastime, but as a vital tool in many industries – from agriculture to blue-light services – so increasing public trust through safe drone flying is crucial."
source http://www.techradar.com/news/new-uk-drone-laws-come-into-force-with-a-maximum-penalty-of-five-years-in-prison
Are WiFi networks ready for Smart Cities?
Large cities are already populated by more than half of the world's population, according to a recent report by McKinsey which estimates that by 2050 this figure will increase to 2.5 billion people. This concentration of the global population makes it increasingly difficult to run these giant urban centers, posing problems of mobility, sustainability, and even security for inhabitants.
In this context, the evolution towards Smart Cities stands out as a good option to manage these growing urban areas in a more intelligent and efficient way through technology and data, as well as improve the quality of life of citizens. I am sure 2018 will be a key year for the development of Smart Cities since the global investment in technology to boost them will reach 80,000 million dollars during this year, according to IDC.
Smart cities need smart WiFi networks
It seems clear that connectivity will be key to the success of Smart Cities. Until now, one of the key challenges for their development has been ensuring the existence of ubiquitous connectivity that is both accessible and reliable. The benefits of Smart Cities can only be achieved if there is continuous connectivity that allows devices to communicate between each other and city councils to have visibility over systems’ performance in an uninterrupted way.
In the context of Smart Cities, WiFi is a natural enabler of this connectivity due to the high adoption of its standards, which allows a wide range of devices to be able to connect and communicate, as well as its relatively low cost of deployment. WiFi has many advantages over other technologies because it has evolved to suit many different applications. For example, new standards (802.11ah) have been developed to operate below 1GHz that have a greater range and are highly suited to applications such as sensors.
However, in order to take advantage of the full potential of Smart Cities and face the high demand for data derived from their deployment, robust WiFi networks capable of offering the necessary connection quality for a broad range of applications will be required. As a result of the technological and social transformation which we find ourselves immersed in, in the coming years WiFi will evolve to hold a much more strategic role. From now on, I think offering connectivity to devices in isolation will not be enough. Instead, the priority will be to manage WiFi networks in a smart and simple way, ensuring the efficiency of service.
The power of community WiFi networks
Public WiFi networks will play an important role in the development of Smart Cities. Notably, operators should take advantage of community WiFi networks because they offer many advantages for Smart City applications. One of the most important factors to highlight is that they are efficient in terms of both investment and operating costs. Community WiFi networks do not require the deployment of additional WiFi infrastructure, but rather take advantage of residential CPEs that operators already have in their subscribers' homes, creating the network by converting them into public access points.
In addition, they offer important coverage at a very low cost. This is important for ensuring the connectivity of devices involved in Smart City applications in places with limited coverage from other networks such as cellular.
Another advantage worth noting is that community WiFi networks collect a lot of information that councils can then use to monitor and optimize services associated with Smart Cities. Metrics include mobility patterns and device location, as well as the concentration of people, among others.
In order to enter the Smart Cities market before it is too late, operators should invest in solutions that facilitate the rapid and simple deployment of WiFi networks. In this context, carrier-grade WiFi solutions will be key to give operators the tools they need, not only to deploy and manage community WiFi networks, but also to optimize their performance and anticipate possible incidents ahead of time.
Alex Puregger is CEO of Fon.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/are-wifi-networks-ready-for-smart-cities
Top Tech Conferences: The Ultimate B2B tech events and show guide for 2018
For information about adding your event to this list and featured listing opportunities please contact mike.moore@futurenet.com.
Love it or loathe it, events and conferences are often where wheelers and dealers in the world of technology meet to decide on the future of the industry.
Ironically, technology itself has accelerate the demise of some massive tech events (like Comdex) but the result is that the remaining ones are more focused, alive and bustling than ever before.
TechRadar Pro and ITProPortal have joined forces with the tech B2B PR industry to curate a list of national and international technology events, conferences and happenings.
Gartner Catalyst Conference
August 20th-23rd, San Diego
Catalyst Conference is the only multi-role event for technical professionals and is designed to help attendees execute their organisation’s key technology initiatives.
Why attend? Understand the latest technology trends and master the skills that digital business transformation demands.
Open Source Summit North America
August 29th-31st, Vancouver
Open Source Summit is the premier open source technical conference in North America, gathering 2,000+ developers, operators and community leadership professionals to collaborate, share information and learn about the latest in open technologies, including Linux, containers, cloud computing and more.
Why attend? Four events in one, Open Source Summit is a technical conference where 2,000+ developers, operators, and community leadership professionals convene to collaborate, share information and learn about the latest in open technologies, including Linux, containers, cloud computing and more.
Intelligent Health
September 12th-13th, Basel
Intelligent Health is the world's first large-scale summit dedicated to AI in healthcare, featuring two jam-packed days of health tech goodness, from applied AI case studies, to announcements from the tech giants, to nitty-gritty coding workshops, and of course, passionate debate on ethics and AI4good in health.
Why attend? The event will show presentations from the 100 brightest brains in healthcare and tech and host around 2000+ across the entire AI health ecosystem of pharmaceutical, biotech, medtech, health provision, clinicians, insurance, investment and science.
The FutureTech Expo
September 14th-16th, Dallas
An in-depth look at some of the hottest areas in technology today, including Blockchain & Bitcoin, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security / Hacking, Quantum Computing, 3D Printing, and Virtual / Augmented Reality.
Why attend? Over 5,000 expected attendees, 70 top-notch speakers and 100+ exhibitors discussing the latest trends in the technology industry.
Connected World Summit
September 25th-26th, London Printworks
Connected World unites over 2,500 industry leaders, tech innovators, decision makers and investors. Now in its 4th year, it has grown exponentially in content, technologies and audience size; with our original Connected Home and Cities tracks now complemented with disruptive subjects such as Blockchain, 5G and AI.
Why attend? Hear from over 200 exclusive visionary speakers with implementation case studies and solutions presented exclusively at the show.
Open Networking Summit EU
September 25-27th, Amsterdam
ONS Europe brings together business and technical leaders across enterprise, cloud and service providers to share learnings, highlight innovation and discuss the future of open networking and orchestration.
Why attend? ONS is the largest and most inclusive Open Networking & Orchestration event in the world, bigger and better than ever before.
Hotel & Spa Tech Live
September 25th-26th, London
Hotel & Spa Tech Live is the UK’s premier event for the technology, systems, products, and services that are breaking new ground in the hotel and spa sector.
Why attend? As technology becomes more critical to the hospitality industries, Hotel & Spa Tech Live provides you with an unprecedented opportunity to find the very latest cutting-edge supplies designed to create a truly unforgettable experience for your customers, from the innovators behind these industry-transforming solutions.
Restaurant & Bar Tech Live
September 25th-26th, London
Restaurant & Bar Tech Live is Europe's largest exhibition dedicated to the emerging technology and services that are forming the future of restaurants and bars. The show provides a view into the dining of tomorrow and will offer restaurant and bar owners the opportunity to find the latest products, services, systems, and advancements from across the globe.
Why attend? Visitors will be able to see, test, and touch the technology that will transform the way they run their business, attract customers, and set themselves apart from the competition.
Business of Software Conference USA
October 1st-3rd, Boston
Now in its 12th year, this conference targets independent thinking software people who want to be part of very successful software businesses.
Why attend? The Conference is tightly curated, full of in-depth talks from very smart people - entrepreneurs and experts - and the attendees are some of the smartest people in the industry.
IP Expo 2018
October 3rd-4th, London
Europe’s leading Enterprise IT and Digital Transformation event returns with a star-studded line-up and more networking opportunities than ever before.
Why attend? With six top IT events under one roof, 300+ exhibitors and 300+ free to attend seminar sessions, IP EXPO Europe is the must-attend IT event of the year for CIOs, heads of IT, security specialists, heads of insight and tech experts.
World Summit AI 2018
October 10-11th, Amsterdam
World Summit AI will gather the whole ecosystem, Enterprise, Startups, Investors and Deep Tech from every corner of the globe in Amsterdam for 2 days of knowledge-sharing and networking. From applied solutions for corporate and enterprise to the implications of Artificial Intelligence on society, including ethics and AI4good, World Summit AI will tackle head-on the most burning AI issues for 2018 and beyond.
Why attend? In 2017, the summit sold-out and brought together thousands of AI explorers, the most influential people in AI as speakers and all the big tech companies including Google, Facebook, IBM, Amazon, Intel, Uber and Apple. In 2018, we’re expecting over 4,500 attendees and 140 of the brightest brains on stage to tell you everything you need to know about AI.
Open FinTech Forum
October 10th-11th, New York
Focusing on the intersection of financial services and open source, Open FinTech Forum will provide CIOs and senior technologists guidance on building internal open source programs as well as an in-depth look at cutting-edge open source technologies, including AI, Blockchain/Distributed Ledger, Kubernetes/Containers, Quantum Computing, that can be leveraged to drive efficiencies and flexibility.
Why attend? Hear the latest news, views and opinions from some of the industry-leading minds.
Open Source Summit Europe
October 22nd-24th, Edinburgh
Open Source Summit is the premier open source technical conference in Europe, gathering 2,000+ developers, operators and community leadership professionals to collaborate, share information and learn about the latest in open technologies, including Linux, containers, cloud computing and more.
Why attend? Four events in one, Open Source Summit is a technical conference where 2,000+ developers, operators, and community leadership professionals convene to collaborate, share information and learn about the latest in open technologies, including Linux, containers, cloud computing and more.
Big Data LDN
November 13th-14th, London
Big Data LDN is a free to attend conference and exhibition where delegates discuss the big questions and share ideas with forward-thinking peers and leading members of the Data community.
Why attend? Hear from 100+ expert speakers in 8 technical and business-led conference tracks, including real world use-cases and discuss your business requirements with 80+ leading technology vendors and consultants.
Infosecurity North America
November 14th-15th, New York
The Infosecurity conference comes to North America, featuring multiple theatres and content on the show floor to ensure that education is more readily available to all.
Why attend? Infosecurity North America will provide end-user buyers with a focussed business event environment that facilitates valuable networking, immersive learning and leads the critical debate through cutting edge content.
Hyperledger Global Forum
December 12th-15th, Basel, Switzerland
Developers, vendors, enterprise end-users, and enthusiasts of business blockchain technologies will converge in Basel, Switzerland December 12–15, 2018 for the inaugural Hyperledger Global Forum.
Why attend? The first two days will feature a forum with keynotes, breakout sessions and a technical showcase. The following two days will feature hands-on tutorials, and workshop events, with the week culminating in a hackathon.
CES 2019
January 8th- 11th 2019, Las Vegas, USA
For 50 years, CES has been the launch pad for new innovation and technology that has changed the world. Held in Las Vegas every year, it is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies and where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.
Why attend? More than 3800 of the biggest tech firms exhibiting.
BETT 2019
January 24th-27th, London
Bett is the first industry show of the year in the education technology landscape, bringing together the global education community to celebrate, find inspiration and discuss the future of education, as well as the role technology and innovation plays in enabling all educators and learners to thrive.
Why attend? Over 850 leading companies, 103 exciting new edtech start ups and over 34,700 attendees (131 countries represented) will all be present.
Mobile World Congress 2019
February 25th - 28th Barcelona
The world's biggest mobile trade show marks another year in Barcelona with a stellar line-up of speakers and exhibitors.
Why attend? Over 2,300 exhibitors will gather in Barcelona to showcase the newest technologies and most innovative products available. Take your place among the companies that are shaping the connected future.
RSA Conference 2019
March 4th-8th, San Francisco
RSA Conference 2019returns to San Francisco - take this opportunity to learn about new approaches to info security, discover the latest technology and interact with top security leaders and pioneers.
Why attend? Hands-on sessions, keynotes and informal gatherings allow you to tap into a smart, forward-thinking global community that will inspire and empower you.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/top-tech-conferences-the-ultimate-b2b-tech-events-guide-2017
You can now pay your RTA fines using Apple Pay
Earlier this year, RTA upgraded its payment terminals at Dubai Metro Stations to accept smart payments from Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. It has now taken another step in its smart payment initiative and activated Apple Pay on the RTA Dubai App.
iPhone users in Dubai can now pay for several RTA service fees and fines using Apple’s digital wallet on their phones or Apple Watch. Apple Pay is a form of contactless payment that collects your debit/credit card information and charges without you having to take your wallet out and is gaining steady traction in the region.
You’ll be able to pay for a slew of RTA services such as NOL card top up, parking account recharge, vehicle registration renewal, replacing or renewing your driver’s license and various fines.
This move reflects RTA’s endeavors to introduce smart payment services and is aligned with Dubai’s Smart City Initiative as well as RTA’s strategic goals (Smart Dubai and People Happiness).
- You can now top up your Nol card using Samsung Pay or Apple Pay
- Apple Pay in the UAE: Everything you need to know
source http://www.techradar.com/news/you-can-now-pay-your-rta-fines-using-apple-pay
Sunday 29 July 2018
What is big data?
While the origins of the term are elusive, and even debated, big data is one of those concepts that many know about, yet it defies a simple definition. At the heart of big data, as the term directly suggests, is an extremely large volume of data. This is often drawn from diverse sources and even different types of data, which is then crunched through advanced analytic techniques which hopefully pick out patterns that can lead to useful conclusions.
Big data also infers the three Vs: Volume, Variety and Velocity. Volume refers to the size of the data, variety indicates that the datasets are non-homogenous, and velocity is the speed at which the analysis takes place, often with the goal of achieving real-time analysis.
The datasets involved are indeed seriously large – we’re talking terabytes to zettabytes (1ZB is equivalent to 909,494,701TB, for the curious). In addition to the size of these datasets, the data can be of different types: structured, semi-structured and unstructured, plus it can be drawn from multiple sources.
This does beg the question as to where all this data is being generated from. It comes from all types of places, including the web, social media, networks, log files, video files, sensors, and from mobile devices.
The latter are particularly important as most of us keep our phones with us and on 24/7, and they have an array of sensors, including GPS, cameras, a microphone, and a motion sensor. Furthermore, the majority of smartphone use is not voice communication, but rather other activities, including emails, games, web browsing, and social apps – which ultimately translates to 90% of use being mobile apps. A large driver of big data is this mobile data, which gets generated at a breakneck pace.
Data mining
But data without any analysis is hardly worth much, and this is the other part of the big data process. This analysis is referred to as data mining, and it endeavors to search for patterns and anomalies within these large datasets. These patterns then generate information that is used for a variety of purposes, such as improving marketing campaigns, increasing sales or cutting costs. The big data and data mining approach not only has the power to transform entire industries, but it has already done so.
For example, Trainline is a leading European independent train ticket retailer, selling domestic and cross-border tickets in 173 countries, with approximately 127,000 journeys taken daily by customers. The company utilized big data to modernize its approach to travel, with a focus on improving the customer experience via innovation through its app.
The results are that now customers receive enhanced disruption notifications through the app. More than just notifications of delays, these enhanced notifications are specific to each traveler’s journey, a first for the UK rail industry. The firm has also innovated in terms of predictive pricing, which is able to predict when advance fares will rise from the initial discounted rate, allowing passengers to purchase fares at lower prices.
Big data has also been used in restaurants, and in particular the fast food industry. McDonald’s is the world’s largest restaurant chain by revenue, and serves over 69 million customers daily at over 36,900 locations in over 100 countries.
Due to sheer volume alone, tons of data is generated, and therefore McDonald’s has adopted a data-driven culture, with the goal of improving its understanding on the level of each individual location, with the overall goal of a better chain of restaurants.
Through big data, McDonald’s has optimized its drive-through experience, for example taking note of the size of the cars coming through, and preparing for a spike in demand when larger cars join the queue.
Another big data innovation has been those digital menu displays that can flexibly show menu items based on a real-time analysis of the data. The menus shift the highlighted items based on data including the time of day and the weather outside, specifically promoting cold drinks when it is hot outside, and more comfort foods on cooler days. This approach has boosted sales at Canadian locations by a reported 3% to 3.5%.
Health matters
This big data approach has also been applied to healthcare. An obvious example is the major shift away from ‘pen and paper’ charting where your physician’s data is locked away in a filing cabinet in the office, to Electronic Health Records (EHR), which now have all patient information neatly entered into a computer database, ready to be mined.
This approach promises to be disruptive, with a recent publication in the European Heart Journal promising the “potential to improve our understanding of disease causation and classification relevant for early translation and to contribute actionable analytics to improve health and healthcare”.
The benefits of big data in healthcare will go beyond data mining the EHR. A significant challenge for hospitals is staffing, which has to be adequate at all times, with the potential to ramp up during peak periods.
At a group of four Paris hospitals that comprise the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), they are looking to improve flexibility in staffing. They used a dataset of 10 years of hospital admission records, down to a granular level of the number of admissions by the day, as well as the hour of the day, and combined it with weather data, flu patterns, and public holidays.
Using machine learning, they then honed their algorithms for future trends to predict the number of upcoming admissions for different days and times. The result is that they now have an easy to use, browser-based interface for hospital administration, as well as clinical staff who are able to forecast admission rates over the next 15 days, which is used to obtain extra staff at times when a larger number of admissions is anticipated.
With data, and in particular mobile data being generated at a ridiculously fast rate, the big data approach is needed to turn this massive heap of information into actionable intelligence. In the examples we’ve cited above, the challenge has been met, and as even more data is collected, there will be more opportunities to increase quality and efficiency across a number of diverse industries via faster and better analysis of these disparate sprawling datasets.
- We also ask: Is big data a big failure?
source http://www.techradar.com/news/what-is-big-data
Saudi Arabia is hosting the largest hackathon in the Middle East focused towards Hajj
Over two million people from across the world journey to Saudi Arabia each year to perform the muslim pilgrimage known as Hajj. That's a very large number of people to manage and in order to streamline the process of Hajj and improve the overall experience of pilgrims, the Kingdom is hosting a hackathon this year.
The 36-hour hackathon is expected to be the largest event of its kind in the Middle East and attract 3000 developers. It’s open to all tech entrepreneurs, innovators, developers and designers from all across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
The Hajj Hackathon will take place in the International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Jeddah from August 1st to 3rd.
What’s a Hackathon?
Hackathons are ways to pool human resources to tackle difficult challenges and come up with solutions by producing usable software. By having multiple teams with diverse backgrounds competing, the organizing entity has access to a range of high quality potential solutions.
The participants compete against each other to come up with the most effective solution utilizing technology, creativity, and innovation. Hackathons usually offer prizes to the top innovations including incubation or accelerator opportunities, hiring.
Hajj Hackathon - 36 hours, 3,000 entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs taking part in the 36 hour Hajj Hackathon will have to find and build solutions that help streamline the process of Hajj and improve the overall experience of pilgrims. The areas of focus are:
- Food & Beverage
- Transportation
- Crowd control & traffic management
- Travel & accommodations arrangement
- Public health
- Waste management
- Housing
- Communications solutions
- Financial solutions
Hajj Hackathon is open to all tech entrepreneurs, innovators, developers and designers from all across MENA. Participants will be judged based on creativity, design, simplicity, and impact.
Over 2 Million SAR worth of prizes
The challenge will be well worth for entrepreneurs with the total prize money of over two million Saudi Arabian Riyals (SAR) which is the equivalent of over half a million US dollars.
The first place winner of the Hajj Hackathon will get to walk away with a grand prize of 1,000,000 SAR for 15% equity investment. Runner-up gets 500,000 SAR for 10% equity investment, and the 2nd runner-up will get 350,000 SAR for 7% equity investment. Needless to say that if you’re in any of these positions, your business is off to a flying start.
Besides the top three prizes for equity and investments, there are other prizes such as Google Home Mini devices and Google Cloud credits.
How will be winners be picked?
Submissions will be judged on the following four areas, each of which holds upto five points:
Design - Was the UX/UI intuitive and appealing?
Simplicity - Is the application simple to use and can the team explain it clearly in three sentences or less?
Creativity - How creative was the team in developing an innovative solution for the challenge?
Impact - Did the team create an application that can have a real and valuable impact?
This will allow each judge to give a total score between 0 and 20 points based on the above criteria. The final score of each participant will be the average of all the judges’ scores.
Where can you register
You can click this link to register for the Hajj Hackathon or visit the official website of the Hajj Hackathon to learn more.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/saudi-arabia-is-hosting-the-largest-hackathon-in-the-middle-east-focused-towards-hajj
Saturday 28 July 2018
Friday 27 July 2018
Best business laptops 2018: top laptops for work
If you're looking to buy a new laptop for work, then this list of the best business laptops will help you choose. The best business laptops combine cutting edge productivity features with slimline designs and long battery life that provides mobility and productivity - essential functions for the modern workplace.
While compiling this list of the best business laptops, we've taken into consideration a number of key factors including power, battery life, feature set and sheer value for money.
This means that we've selected a wider range of laptops to suit most (if not all) budgets and hopefully all tastes; there's a mix of cutting-edge products and old favourites here.
Almost all of them come with the professional version of Windows 10 to enhance their business credentials.
We also have our very own price comparison tool that will compare prices and make sure you're buying the very best business laptop for the very best price.
If you're looking for a bit more power, then check out our list of the best mobile workstations, as well as our pick for the best business desktop PC.
Where to buy business laptops
- Apple MacBook Pro
- Lenovo Yoga, ThinkPad and Ideapad
- HP ZBook, Elitebook, Pro and ElitePad
- Toshiba Portege, Tecra and Satellite Pro
- Fujitsu Lifebook and Celcius
- Dell Latitude, Precision and Vostro
Previous versions of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon have been the absolute best-in-class when it comes to business laptops, and this year's model is no exception, with Lenovo delivering a thinner and smaller design with practically no trade-offs. Despite its small size, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon comes with pretty much every feature you need in a productivity machine, making it the best business laptop money can buy. Thanks to a battery life of up to 15.5 hours, and a rapid charging feature that brings the battery back up to 80% capacity in only an hours, the X1 Carbon is an ultrabook that lets you keep on working while you're on the move.
Huawei may not be the first name you think of when looking to buy a new business laptop - whereas Dell and Lenovo are two names you'd more likely associate with notebooks for work, but the Chinese company has proved to be an excellent laptop manufacturer with its new MateBook X Pro. It has a beautiful design that will get appreciative looks in the boardroom, it's light enough to carry around with you, and it has powerful components and excellent battery life. It's also one of the cheaper ultrabooks on the market.
Believe it or not, Dell classifies the XPS 13 as a business laptop, albeit one that is geared towards a home office environment but businessmen (and women) will love the design. This ultraportable laptop – as Dell puts it – punches above its weight with Windows 10 Pro across the entire range as well as rather attractive pricing.
This award winning laptop (it won best laptop of the year from us and many others) manages to pack a 13.3-inch display into the chassis of an average 11.6-inch model. It was also refreshed in 2017 with even better components, for a much improved business laptop experience.
The laptop can be upgraded to 16GB of RAM and a 1TB M2 SSD drive. Battery life is exceptional as well with almost 22 hours of continual use when using productivity applications.
With the 2018 refresh, the Dell XPS 13 is a slimmer, more powerful version with a stunning 4K display and a gorgeous Rose Gold on Alpine White color option. It's powered by an 8th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU to boot.
The 2018 model of the 13-inch Macbook Pro with Touch Bar is a brilliant upgrade to Apple's formidable laptop range, and it's one of the best business laptops money can buy. While Microsoft had the performance edge over last year's MacBook Pro, with the Surface Book 2, Apple has come out swinging with some seriously beefed up specs for the 13-inch MacBook Pro 2018. The 13-inch model can be configured with the latest Intel Core processors, all USB-C ports are not Thunderbolt 3, and you can have up to 16GB of RAM. If you want even more performance, the 15-inch version is worth considering, as it bumps the specs up even more.
HP was the only one of the three big laptop vendors who didn't have a flagship thin-and-light laptop: Dell has the XPS 13 and Lenovo, the Yoga 900.
That is now no longer the case with the introduction of the HP Spectre Pro 13 G1. This is a device that not only oozes luxury with a combination of colours and a clever design but also one that packs some incredible components.
Despite being just over 10mm thick and weighing just over 1.16Kg, it manages to pack a proper Core i7 CPU with a full HD 13.3-inch display, a massive 4-cell 38Whr battery and three USB Type C connectors.
Lenovo took an existing form factor and refined it to deliver the new 2016-2017 ThinkPad E470. Powered by the 7th generation Intel Core processors, this particular SKU has a 14-inch FHD anti-glare display, powered by a discrete Nvidia Geforce 940MX 2GB GPU.
Equipped with a spill resistant keyboard, a TrackPoint and a 3+2 buttons click pad, the E470 has more than enough ports and expansion capabilities to keep the average user happy. Shame that it doesn't do DisplayPort, so no 4K output.
Last year’s Dell XPS 15 was already one of the best laptops you could buy, but now that Dell has taken the beautiful redesign of the Dell XPS 13 and applied it here – while also making it a convertible. This makes it easily one of the best business laptops money can buy in 2018. It looks fantastic, feels great to use and it packs one of those new Intel Kaby Lake G-series CPUs featuring ‘discrete-class’ Radeon graphics. This means that this laptop packs serious power – even if it can get a little loud.
Read the full review: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
If you're after a cheap laptop that offers something a bit special, look no further than the Lenovo Yoga Book. As with all Yoga devices, the screen folds flat so you can use it either as a tablet or a laptop, and it comes with a choice of Windows 10 or Android as its operating system. For business users, the Windows 10 option is a no-brainer. It has a fantastic touchscreen that makes jotting down notes or diagrams a cinch.
The Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch) is another new entry to our best business laptop list, and it's worthy of its spot, as Microsoft has crafted one of the most powerful 2-in-1 laptops in the world. The Surface Book 2 has some powerful enough components to handle most day-to-day tasks, and even some light gaming and video editing if you go for a model with a dedicated graphics card. If you want a bigger screen, then there is also a 15-inch version of the Surface Book 2, which comes with more powerful components.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)
Chromebooks might not be the most obvious devices for business laptops, but the Asus Chromebook Flip proves that they can be excellent work tools. It comes with a full-fat Intel Core processor, full HD 1080p display and backlit keyboard. ChromeOS is now a more robust operating system with plenty of tools, and if you rely on web-based CMS or Google Docs to do your work, then the Asus Chromebook Flip is an affordable, well built and handy business laptop.
- Here's our full list of the best laptops of 2018
source http://www.techradar.com/news/best-business-laptops
Virgin Galactic's passenger spaceship completes its third hypersonic test flight
Virgin Galactic's passenger spaceship VSS Unity has completed its third supersonic flight. It was the ship's highest and fastest test to date, hitting Mach 2.4 and a height of 170,800 feet.
The test helped Virgin Galactic gain data on supersonic aerodynamics and thermodynamics, as well as more experience at high altitudes.
After being lifted to 46,500 feet by carrier aircraft VMS Eve, pilots Dave Mackay and Mike Masucci lit Unity's rocket motor and pulled into a near-vertical climb for 42 seconds. The pair then made a successful landing at Mojave Air and Space Port.
To Italy – and beyond
Virgin Galactic is currently performing its test flights in California, but signed a deal with two European aerospace companies earlier this month to open a commercial spaceport in Italy.
The facility will house a new plane built by The Spaceship Company – Virgin Galactic's aerospace manufacturing arm – which will be available to both the Italian space agency and private individuals.
Over 700 strong-stomached holidaymakers have already booked tickets for a two-hour trip when Virgin Galactic begins its first commercial flights in the US.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/virgin-galactics-passenger-spaceship-completes-its-third-hypersonic-test-flight
Thursday 26 July 2018
The best wireless printers 2018: top picks for printing from your smartphone
Welcome to our list of the best wireless printers of 2018. In this guide you'll find the top wireless printers that don't need to be connected via wires to your devices, which makes them ideal if you print from smartphones and tablets.
The best wireless printers can be installed almost anywhere in your home or office, as you don't need to worry about trailing wires and cables across the building. All you really need is a power socket and a robust wireless network.
The best modern wireless printers will also be able to print directly from mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets, which means they are far better suited to modern life, where many of us use these devices for working on.
So, read on to find out our choice of the best wireless printers money can buy, and thanks to our very own price comparison tool, you'll also get the best prices.
- Check out what printers made it into our top 10 best printers roundup
If you're looking for a great wireless printer which doesn't skimp on print quality for your photographs, then we don't think you will be disappointed by what the PIXMA TS9150, Canon's flagship printer, has to offer.
As with the Canon PIXMA TS8050, which is also included in this list of the best wireless printers, the TS9150 supports the Canon PRINT app, so if you want to print from your smartphone or tablet, it's quick and easy to do so.
It is more expensive than other wireless printers, however, but it's print quality - and ease of use - makes the high cost definitely worthwhile.
The Deskjet 3630 is a fantastic wireless printer (in fact, it also sits atop our best printers list as well). It's cheap, yet offers good print speeds and the ability to connect to mobile devices without breaking the bank. The fact that it's wireless means it can be easily placed in your home or office, and it supports AirPrint. Just be wary as its ink cartridges can be pricey when picked up from shops. It doesn't quite have the build quality of HP's more expensive Envy models, but if you're looking for an initially cheap model that catches the eye when sat on a shelf, the Deskjet 3630 is a great option.
Read the full review: HP Deskjet 3630
Consumables are usually expensive when it comes to printers. So it is quite surprising that one vendor, Epson, single-handedly decided to challenge that status quo by allowing users to refill their printer using ink bottles, and includes two years of ink with the package; no more expensive cartridges and instead, you have enough material to deliver 11,000 pages worth of black and color inks. The Epson EcoTank ET-2600 is one of Epson's economic printers, and it's wireless as well, so you don't need to worry about trailing wires to and from this device when you want to print.
Great for the traveling professional or someone who needs a small printer for occasional use, printing photos or using the scanner function. It's a bit pricey to buy - and to run - but the flexibility and quality of the printouts is excellent. It's wireless, and there's a special Canon PRINT app for making printing from smartphones and tablets quick and easy.
If you're serious about printing, then this wireless laser printer is definitely worth considering, offering loads of features that makes it a versatile printer for home or the office. It comes with wired (Ethernet/USB) and wireless (Wi-Fi/NFC) connectivity, duplex printing, decent eco settings and support for a wide range of media, the Samsung is an excellent all-rounder, and proves you don't have to skimp on features if you want to go wireless.
The Epson PM-400 is a great wireless printer that excels at photo print outs, and it has an attractive design which makes it small enough to tuck away neatly, and the 4-pound printer can be easily transported wherever you go. It's incredibly easy to set up and install, but it's not the fastest wireless printer we have in this list. It's also quite pricey. However, if you want one of the best wireless printers on the market for printing off your holiday photos, the Epson PictureMate PM-400 is a fantastic choice.
The M2070W is another very versatile wireless printer, with NFC compatibility for smartphones, and other online features. It has a clever Eco system that supplements the usual toner saving mode with a feature to remove images from documents by replacing bitmaps with sketches.
Factor in claimed speeds of 20ppm, a clever scan to mobile feature and an effective print resolution of up to 1200dpi and you've got a wireless multifunction printer that's well worth considering. It's worth noting that this is a monochrome printer only, however.
The Brother HL-3140CW is showing its age, but it remains a popular wireless printer, and for good reason. For very little cash you're getting a superb wireless color laser print that offers very good print quality at decent speeds.
Of course, for such a low price it does miss out on a few features - so there's no automatic duplexing or Ethernet port, for example, but the HL-3140CW delivers superb print quality, reasonable mono running costs and good wireless features for a very low price.
- What about the best 3D printers?
source http://www.techradar.com/news/best-wireless-printers