Sunday, 30 September 2018
Saturday, 29 September 2018
Ryder Cup 2018: How HPE Aruba is making this year's tournament the most fan-friendly yet
Golf is famously a sport known for its respect for tradition and formality - but in the increasingly digital world of today, the sport has had to react to changing demands from fans and TV viewers across the world.
This weekend sees the 42nd Ryder Cup at the Le Golf National course just outside of Paris, where once again Europe will take on the USA for golf's top team honour.
However the 2018 Ryder Cup is set to be the most tech-friendly yet thanks to a major partnership with technology giant HPE Aruba, and TechRadar Pro headed to Paris to find out more.
"We really want to change the fan experience, and transform the fan experience thanks to technology," Gilles Thiebaut, managing director of HPE France, told us at a media briefing on the opening day of this year's tournament.
"At HPE we believe that the enterprise of tomorrow will be data-driven, so the ability of an enterprise to collect data, extract information about what is possible, and then put it into the hands of people who can do something with it is actually very critical."
Up to 150,000 fans from all around the world will be descending upon Le Golf National over the course of the Ryder Cup weekend, nearly all of whom will have a smart device of some kind, and will most likely look to use it to take pictures or film video - and then share it all online.
This is a marked change from the past (as recently as the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales, fans were banned from taking smartphones onto the course) and requires a robust and scalable network, which is where HPE Aruba comes in.
Aruba has been tasked with establishing and monitoring the network at the course, using its expertise in the wider world to deliver responsive and reliable access to anyone who wants it.
The course has been equipped with 200km of fibre optic cable, along with 15km of underground cable, to support 700 access points around the site - all at a location far away from the buzzing metropolitan Paris centre.
"It is almost unique, it's the only one where you're literally creating an event from nothing," notes Tim Shaw, commercial director for Ryder Cup. "There almost isn't any comparison...it's almost incomparable to be honest."
Thiebaut notes that the lessons learned from this weekend may play a wider role in future HPE projects as well.
"The needs of the Ryder Club today are actually the needs of the enterprise of tomorrow," he says, highlighting similar work the company has done at the Stade de France and Gatwick Airport.
Ultimately, HPE Aruba is aiming to build a "connected course" in its Ryder Cup work, bringing five seperate networks including scoring, wired and operational facilities, into one manageable area.
With the European Tour running 47 events every year across five continents, the need for scalability is paramount, and as such utilises modular infrastructure that can be built up or downgraded as needed.
The data it gains from the thousands of users accessing its network can also be a goldmine for the course organisers and sponsors alike, providing a wealth of real-time information.
HPE Aruba can monitor its network usage to pinpoint particular areas of the course with large numbers of fans, prompting organisers to move more concessions stands to maximise profit.
The system can also identify which players are attracting the biggest crowds, information that can be passed to television networks to tailor their coverage, and for the organisers to perhaps tweak their social media strategy to result in more online interaction.
So as the two teams duel it out over the course of the weekend, the thousands of loyal golf fans flocking to Le Golf National can rest assured that they will be supported by a fast, secure and reliable network that should allow them to have the weekend of their lives.
"We have created a once in a lifetime experience for our fans," says Morten Illum, EMEA vice president at Aruba.
"What this event will deliver to fans is just incredible."
source http://www.techradar.com/news/ryder-cup-2018-how-hpe-aruba-is-making-this-years-tournament-the-most-fan-friendly-yet
Friday, 28 September 2018
Why process management is a boardroom issue
If you talk to any process management or BPM vendor, they are likely to tell you that one of their biggest challenges is access to the C-Suite. This is because many executives fail to understand that process management is actually a valuable tool to help them and their organization perform better and mitigate risk.
A number of media publications have reported that regulators across the globe are becoming more aggressive in their inquiries, and are further increasing fines. In the United States alone, Wells Fargo was fined over $1 Billion for failed compliance, and Bancorp fined an additional $600 million for systemic deficiencies in its anti-laundering monitoring systems which resulted in gaps and “a significant amount of unreported suspicious activity.”
I would suspect in most scenarios, that at least one individual within the organization would have suggested introducing a process management system.
- We've also highlighted the best project management software
Process management and the C-suite
It can be concluded that if fiduciary, regulatory and compliance issues are a boardroom issue, surely so must be the responsibilities for the processes that deliver or support them.
Process Management is not only about risk management and cost avoidance. It is about revenue generation and the creation of new innovative business models.
I’m unaware of many C-level executives who delegate the role of strategy development and business models to mid-level managers. New models and strategies inevitable mean rearranging and managing processes.
This is not to suggest that every C-level executive should be an expert in process or involved in every aspect of change management. They need to think about how they discuss process, if they are seen spending time on it, and if they ask process-related questions. If they do, everyone in the organization will understand the value or process and prioritize such responsibilities.
Leading by example
One example is how people change their behaviour based on what they see and hear from boardroom executives. Several years ago, I was asked to deliver a workshop and presentation to introduce value concepts. The audience was intended to be a select group of 30 managers, which ultimately changed after the CEO agreed to send out an email notification to his entire team.
Within the email, the CEO explained why process was important to him and his organization.
However, it was not the email that resulted in over 150 mangers to attend on their free weekend- it was the way in which the CEO finished his communication. “I am looking forward to a great session, and I look forward to seeing you there.”
It was not the words that made the difference, it was the action behind the words. As a result, our boardroom presentation was moved to an auditorium. We also found ourselves with many additional people frustrated that they were unable to join later workshops due to the overwhelming response.
Benefits of process management
In the final analysis process management is useful for cost avoidance, efficiency, risk management, compliance and a whole host of topics that should belong in the boardroom –very few of us do what we should do!
How many C-level executives aren’t interested in sales increase, creating new revenue streams, bringing new products or services to market faster, better management of mergers and acquisitions, or exploiting new market opportunities? These are all examples to excel a business into exponential growth while protecting from the unexpected.
As a C-level executive, I would suggest that other C-level executives take more involvement into their organizations process management initiatives. Mid-level managers need to promote the positive elements, while vendors focus on the business benefits of process management rather than the features. For all groups, the perfect product to fix your organizations “pain points” does not exist.
Mark McGregor, head of strategy at Signavio
- Also check out how to protect business data on every device
source http://www.techradar.com/news/why-process-management-is-a-boardroom-issue
High-tech transport for a sustainable urban future
Is technology always the answer to questions of sustainability?
Yes, in parts: as a society we are looking to live more sustainable lives and technology will play a huge role in this future, especially when we’re thinking about technological innovation in design and production.
But it’s important to look at the bigger picture, too. Technology is a critical enabler, but it isn’t the only answer. The true route to a sustainable future is in people’s attitudes and their desire to have a positive impact on the world around them, deploying technology in their day-to-day to make their environments smarter and more sustainable.
What are the challenges for urban environments in relation to a sustainable urban future?
Rapid rates of urbanisation driven by population growth mean that cities are increasingly becoming the nexus at which stresses on environment, health, and wellbeing meet.
In 2016, an estimated 55% of the world’s population lived in urban settlements – this is set to hit 60% by 2030. Cities already consume over two thirds of the world’s energy and emit nearly three quarters of its greenhouse gases, and transport is a significant contributor to this. We need sustainable and scalable solutions to this challenge.
What are the solutions for these challenges?
Against this backdrop, electric vehicles have a vital role to play in making our cities more liveable, healthy and sustainable. Yet the conversation to date hasn’t explored the range of low-impact technologies to a great enough extent.
Existing mobility solutions, including public transport, can’t keep up with the growth of our cities. They are not addressing increasing congestion and pollution with the urgency these issues require. The only answer is to redefine urban mobility by making a product that is more relevant to the problem, and then to scale that new solution at pace. The public sector alone cannot be responsible for rising to this challenge, so it’s important that sustainable urban mobility products are desirable at a consumer level too.
How do you envisage cities, or smart cites, changing in the future?
We already know that cities - as population hubs essential to our ongoing development - will continue to grow.
With this growth, cities will need lifestyle and transportation solutions that allow inhabitants to navigate them efficiently. As we have seen with the rise of on-demand taxi services, there is increasing demand for individual mobility.
Of course, no one size fits all, but current options only add to congestion, locking down our cities rather than opening them up. Cities need answers that are smarter, and the people who live in them need solutions that mark them out as individuals, as well as putting control of their movement in their hands.
We want to take this one step further by providing smart, sustainable and appealing urban mobility solutions directly for the consumer. Research shows that replacing 80% of vehicles on the road with EVs by 2050 would cut emissions of NOx, PM, and SO2 by more than 80% in comparison with 2010 levels. And when you consider that 10 e-scooters can be parked in every car parking spot, they are an obvious solution to an increasingly pressing challenge.
How is Ujet disrupting urban mobility for smart cities?
It is a question of making urban transport truly fit for the future. Our mission is to enable individuals to change their relationship with the cities they inhabit, and we are excited to work with cities to improve mobility, convenience and sustainability.
There are already electric scooters on the market, though Ujet offers a different proposition and is specifically designed for the practicalities of city living through a unique approach, combining four fundamentals - material science, refined design, smart connectivity and clean technology.
These fundamentals combined make a radically better alternative: an advanced electric scooter, lightweight, appealing, practical and connected. I fundamentally believe that if we create products that people enjoy and desire, something new and exciting but also smart and sustainable, then individuals will want to engage with them.
Looking ahead, what technology are you most excited about?
I'm excited at what is possible with advances in the materials we rely on, especially when it comes to the production of single wall carbon nanotubes. These materials were once only available for hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they now cost in the thousands.
We’ve used nanotechnology technology in the world’s first nano-augmented tyre, which means drivers never lose traction and get increased grip. But the possibilities are endless. Recent connectivity developments are also full of potential, as the streets in our cities turn into social networks.
What's most exciting is that design will no longer be restricted by technology, and we can do now what once was impossible. Now these advanced materials are in the hands of more people, we will see even more innovation. I can’t wait to see what’s next, especially in terms of how people will continue to sculpt our environments around our wants and needs.
Hugues Despres is CEO, Ujet International
source http://www.techradar.com/news/high-tech-transport-for-a-sustainable-urban-future
Musk's Tesla position uncertain as US regulators sue Musk for fraud
The future of Tesla looks increasingly uncertain, with US regulators having filed a lawsuit this week against the automaker’s high-profile CEO, Elon Musk.
According to Reuters, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) moved to sue Musk for fraud, for tweets claiming he had "Funding secured" to take the publicly-floated company private, which never materialized.
Tesla’s share price tumbled 12% in after-hours trading after the announcement of the lawsuit, which could potentially see Musk landed with a substantial fine and even removed from his position as the head of Tesla – or any publicly traded organization.
Dude, where's my car?
It’s no secret that Tesla has faced considerable financial challenges in the past year, with numerous production delays for its Tesla Model 3 sedan and a volatile share price on the stock market.
Tesla has always weathered these storms, and its continued ability to stay afloat amid these challenges is enough to convince many that the electric car company will be around for a while yet.
But without Musk as a figurehead, the sort of company strategy, brand image, and vehicles seen from the company could easily take a different turn.
The recent Tesla Model 3 was hoped to expand Tesla's customer base to more of middle-income America, and may present two different directions for the company: either to aim for a wider user base or focus on returns in the high-end market.
Tesla’s ‘disruptive’ status has been dependent on the impulses of its CEO and highly ambitious timeframes – though any change to leadership may just mean Tesla starts to operate more predictably as an automaker.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/musks-tesla-position-uncertain-as-us-regulators-sue-musk-for-fraud
Design is at the crux for sustainable urbanisation at Dell Designathon 2.0
American tech giant Dell recently organized a 24-hour challenge— Designathon 2.0 in collaboration with Association of Designers of India (ADI).
As the name suggests, the Designathon 2.0 is a challenge for companies that depend on design-led innovation for their product solutions. The participants get a designated theme for the challenge, and this time it was ‘enabling human progress through design for sustainable urbanization’. The competition is not limited to just one vertical, it ranges from architecture to engineering, manufacturing, fashion & lifestyle to Media & Entertainment.
The competition received over 339 registrations across four cities—Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.
The event saw submissions of 40 creative and intuitive ideas & designs for sustainability. Dell provided their high-end products from Precision line-up of workstations—Precision Tower 5820 and the Dell 43-inch Ultra HD 4K monitor to the participants.
In addition to this, Dell also hosted ‘Design Circle’—a mentorship program delivered via workshops for shortlisted teams to augment their design thinking before competing in the challenge.
The event concluded with four winners from each city across different verticals. The winners were team Hackerspace from Mumbai, team Agribazaar from Delhi team Satyam Engineering from Hyderabad and team Boiled Corn Productions from Bengaluru.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/design-is-at-the-crux-for-sustainable-urbanisation-at-dell-designathon-20
Thursday, 27 September 2018
The best workstations of 2018
Welcome to our list of the best workstations of 2018. These are the very best, most powerful, workstation machines that can power your business.
These days, the best workstations are around the same size as normal PCs, and offer high quality designs, without sacrificing pure power and performance. Some, such as the iMac Pro and the Surface Studio, are slimline all-in-one PCs that offer brilliant performance whilst not taking up loads of room in your office.
The best workstations can handle any application you throw at it, and they are useful tools for designers, engineers, financial analysts and researchers running more demanding applications, like rendering complex graphics, financial analysis and computations and digital content creation
We've rounded up 10 of what we consider to be the best workstations currently on the market - in no particular order - from the main vendors.
From small form factor models to powerhouses, from all-in-ones to one for all, there's bound to be one for you if you're in the market.
At the bottom of this page you'll also find our list of the best online shops for buying workstations - so purchasing the perfect workstation for your business has never been easier!
- There are even a few amazing options that come in laptop form. Check out our best mobile workstations guide.
The 7000 series of Dell’s Precision Tower workstations are very powerful devices, even with the lowest configurations. As it's Dell, there's plenty of configuration options as well. Dell’s website lets you configure the setup you’re buying so that it perfectly suits your needs. Dell has a great reputation for business PCs, so you know you’re in safe hands if you buy one of these.
Acer does a good line in workstations, and most of them are pretty affordable. The Acer Veriton X2640G SFF isn’t the most powerful of workstations, but it will do the trick if you need a dependable machine for most day-to-day tasks.
There’s nothing particularly flashy about this workstation – but sometimes that’s just what you need.
HP comes out with another excellent workstation that features plenty of power in a solidly-built machine that is completely dependable. HP’s reputation for excellent business products continues with this workstation, and we think you’d be very pleased if you bought this device for your business.
The only problem with this workstation is that there's limited storage space - shipping with just 256GB of space.
The good news is that at least this hard drive is a solid state device, which means it runs much faster than a traditional spinning hard drive. You can also add a larger hard drive later on.
An upgrade to the Mac Pro is imminent so you might want to hold on. But when it comes to the quintessential workstation, nothing comes near to this monolith. How Apple has been able to pack so much firepower into such a small volume almost defies the laws of physics. The current model, though, is well past its prime.
It packs a 3-year old Intel Ivy-Bridge Xeon processor with up to 64GB DDR3 ECC RAM and 1TB storage (no RAID option though). Its two AMD FirePro D500 GPUs are likely to be the weakest link in the system, however, and even the top of the range model doesn't meet the minimum requirements to run the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift VR platform. It's also far more expensive than a comparable Windows-based workstation.
Read the full review: Apple Mac Pro
There's no equivalent to the HP Z1 G3 on the market. The Z1 family was possibly brought to the market in order to compete with (or at least provide an alternative to) the Apple iMac which doesn't provide the same sort of professional-grade components.
Using a mixture of laptop components (memory and 2.5-inch storage solutions) combined with an enterprise-grade desktop Intel Xeon CPU is an interesting alternative which we'd like others to explore, even in the laptop segment.
For now, the Z1 G3 remains the only viable option if you are looking for a transportable workstation with an all-in-one form factor. Oh and regarding the price, it comes with a 4K monitor, Thunderbolt ports, HP's nifty Remote Graphics Software and a three-year onsite warranty, upgradable to five with defective media retention.
The Apple iMac Pro is the most powerful PC that Apple has ever made, so if you love the design of Apple's devices, while using its software, then the iMac Pro is an excellent workstation. Its all-in-one form factor gives you plenty of space on your desk, but it is very expensive, which turn some people off.
Microsoft has produced a brilliant all-in-one workstation that rival's Apple's iMacs for power and desirability. If you're wedded to the Windows 10 ecosystem, then this is a great alternative to the iMac Pro. Versatile and forward-thinking, Microsoft’s all-in-one puts the iMac to shame by introducing an all-in-one that can not only replace your lingering desktop tower, but your Cintiq as well.
This is HP's entry level workstation and one which is very keenly priced with a very compact form factor (about 11L). It's hard to believe that the Z240 has an Intel Core i7-6700 CPU with 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard disk drive. There's even an optical drive. The company's engineers have managed to deliver a system that weighs less than 6Kg and somehow has 20 (yes, 20) connectors and expansion slots (not all of them empty of course).
It even has four DIMM slots to take full advantage of dual-channel technology. As for the rest of the HP workstation family, this one comes with the Remote Graphics Software as well as a three-year onsite warranty bundled. The only major compromise is the fact that it will only take low profile graphics cards. HP also offers the option to buy the workstation for as little as £16 per month excluding VAT.
At the opposite end of Lenovo's portfolio is the mighty P910, a workstation that offers one or two Xeon E5 CPUs; there's no E3 here and definitely no consumer parts. It is expensive, industrial in its looks, yet functional in its design. And when we say expensive, we mean it. A fully specced model with 28 cores, half a terabyte of RAM, six half terabyte SSDs and two Nvidia Quadro M5000 cards in SLI will cost you around £15,000. You can pack even more in, but you will have to do it over the phone.
The P910 uses patented Tri-channel cooling to keep the main components from overheating, which requires fewer fans and should, therefore in theory, translate to less downtime. As for most other workstations, you won't need a single tool to swap components and there are no cables or plugs to worry about.
The small form factor market is attracting more manufacturers as they are vying to shed the bulky and wieldy image of the traditional workstation. Few, if any, however, can pride themselves on designing and manufacturing their products in the same area. Fujitsu can – take the J550.
It can take a Xeon E3 CPU, a full-size professional graphics card, 64GB of RAM, offering up to 13.5TB storage and nearly 20 ports and expansion slots including quite a few legacy ones. Fujitsu is also the only company to offer a three-year warranty (either onsite or bring-in) across the EMEIA region, which spans across the whole of Europe, into Africa and stretches as far as India.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/top-10-best-workstations
Xiaomi scales up: Swanky new office, flagship store, smart home products, and a Guinness World Record
After breaking sale records with their smartphones, the company yesterday made a whole new record recognised by the known Guinness World Records. Xiaomi built the largest light mosaic (logo) in the world.
Last two days have given the company enough reasons to celebrate, they not just made the world record, but also launched their new office space in Bengaluru, where they’ve also launched their COCO (company-owned and company-operated) Mi Home store with all their latest products and some of the most asked about products available in the Chinese market.
Xiaomi is not just a smartphone company
Followed by another event on September 27, Xiaomi once again took the stage to launch an array of smart home devices. The company introduced a new range of smart TVs along with a wide range of ecosystem products. The three TVs, namely--Mi LED TV 4 PRO (55-inch), Mi LED TV 4A PRO (49-inch), and Mi LED TV 4C PRO (32-inch), come with multiple necessary upgrades like a new version of PatchWall OS based on Android Oreo, support for latest apps, Google Chromecast, Assistant and new content dedicated to India.
Featuring a 55” LED display with a 3840 x 2160 4K HDR panel, Mi LED TV 4 PRO (55) gets a sleek design, with an ultra-thin 4.9mm profile. It produces vivid images with vibrant colours and comes with a dual 16W stereo speaker setup with DTS-HD surround sound for an immersive cinematic experience.
The Mi LED TV 4A PRO (49-inch) has a 1080p Full HD resolution panel, and the Mi LED TV 4C PRO sports a 32-inch 1366 x 768p HD panel. All models feature the simple 12-button Mi Remote as well.
Aside from the TVs, Xiaomi also expanded their air purifier and Mi Band lineup with the new Mi Air purifier 2S and the Mi Band 3. While these two succeed the existing products, the new Mi Trolley and Mi Home security camera 360 are the latest addition to the company’s product lineup.
The Mi Band 3 gets a 0.78-inch OLED display with improved interface and notifications. It can now display contents from phone’s notification apart from the usual time, date and step count. It is water resistant up to 50 meters, and gets several other features like stopwatch, vibrating alarm function and more.
The Mi Air Purifier 2S gets a redesign, and it features a new OLED screen that displays PM2.5 levels, fan speed, pollution level and more. Apart from that, its new 360-degree cylindrical filter promises to filter the tiniest particles of up to 0.3μm, and sucks in air from every direction ad claims to deliver high air delivery rate of up to 310m³/h and can circulate air for a 21m2 room in just 10 minutes.
Mi Air Purifier 2S can also be remotely controlled using the Mi Home app, Google Assistant and Alexa.
The new member in the league—the Mi Home Security Camera 360 is an IP camera for home surveillance. As the name suggests, the camera covers 360-degree of field, has night vision, motion detection, two-way talk that allows users to speak to the person near the camera from another part of the world using the Mi Home app. It records and plays in 1080P. The Mi Home Security Camera offers two storage options—MicroSD cards (up to 64GB) and NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices.
Another fresh arrival is the Mi Luggage made out of quality polycarbonate material, and the wheels are said to bear noise reduction properties on all types of surfaces. It also boasts of a the specially-designed TSA-approved combination lock.
Price and availability
Mi LED TV 4A PRO (49) and Mi LED TV 4C PRO (32) are priced at Rs. 29,999 and Rs. 14,999 respectively, and will be available via Amazon.in and Mi.com starting 9th October, 9 PM.
Mi LED TV 4 PRO (55) is priced at Rs. 49,999 and will be available starting 12 noon, 10th October via Flipkart and Mi.com.
Mi Band 3 will be available in India starting tomorrow, i.e., 28th September, 12 noon for Rs. 1,999 via Mi.com and Amazon.in.
Mi Air Purifier 2S will be available in India starting tomorrow, i.e., 28th September, 12 noon for Rs. 8,999 via Mi.com, Flipkart and Amazon.in.
Mi Home Security Camera 360 will be available via Mi.com, Flipkart and Amazon.in starting midnight, 10th October for Rs. 2,699.
Available in two sizes, Mi Luggage 20 will be available in India at Rs. 2,999, in Red, Grey, and Blue and Mi Luggage 24 at Rs. 4,299 in Grey, and Blue through Mi.com, Flipkart and Amazon starting midnight, 10th October.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/xiaomi-scales-up-swanky-new-office-flagship-store-smart-home-products-and-a-guinness-world-record
Lunar robotics company Ispace has scheduled its first two missions to the moon
Japanese firm Ispace, which specializes in robotics and intends to become one of the first lunar delivery companies, has announced its first two missions to the moon. The first trip (scheduled for 2020) will carry a payload into orbit, while the second (in 2021) will take ispace's rovers to the lunar surface.
Ispace has booked room for its hardware aboard two forthcoming launches of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
"We share the vision with SpaceX of enabling humans to live in space, so we’re very glad they will join us in this first step of our journey," said Takeshi Hakamada, CEO and founder of Ispace.
Moonshots
SpaceX is aiming to dominate the commercial rocket launch industry, offering its services to other private companies like Ispace and enabling them to get their businesses off the ground (in every sense).
The company is currently working on improving its rocket technology, creating boosters that can be re-used up to 100 times, which would drastically reduce the cost of each launch and make space travel more affordable for budding companies like Ispace.
“We are entering a new era in space exploration, and SpaceX is proud to have been selected by ispace to launch their first lunar missions," said SpaceX president and chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell. "We are looking forward to delivering their innovative spacecraft to the Moon.”
Via The Verge
source http://www.techradar.com/news/lunar-robotics-company-ispace-has-scheduled-its-first-two-missions-to-the-moon
Get the best buying advice at GITEX Shopper’s Tech Experience zone
GITEX Shopper 2018 is around the corner, and there are certainly some great deals to be had on the show floor. But it can often be a bit overwhelming to get through – with so many deals and choices available, how do you know which one is the best to go for?
That’s where the Tech Experience zone at GITEX Shopper comes in. With an assortment of TVs, laptops, and smartphones on display, you can get a first-hand look at what’s on offer.
If you’re puzzled by the endless streams of tech jargon, just speak to a nearby tech expert, who can break down everything into simpler terms so you know exactly what you’re paying for. Whether it’s OLED vs LED, or the best laptop to buy for your kids, or which phone has the best camera, the tech experts can tackle all your burning questions.
There's a dedicated Drone Zone as well, where you’ll learn how to fly a drone properly, which drone fits your budget, as well as the do’s and don’ts of flying them in the UAE.
Make sure you keep some time aside to attend tech talks and panels, covering topics such as moving between Android and iOS, what smart devices to pick for your home, how to backup your data, and much more. It’s a great space to find out more about what’s happening in the world of tech, as well as ask questions of the panelists on stage.
Lastly there’s the unboxing zone, where you can check out some of the latest tech products being unboxed and explained by various experts, as well as the chance to walk away with some of the products right there on the show floor.
From graphics cards to mobiles phones and laptops, there’s a steady stream of great products to check out, so make sure you stop by as early as possible.
GITEX Shopper runs from Oct 2nd to 6th, with tickets available online.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/get-the-best-buying-advice-at-gitex-shoppers-tech-experience-zone
Wednesday, 26 September 2018
Here are all of the Easter eggs for Google's 20th anniversary – and the Google Doodle
Believe it or not, we've been telling people to 'Google it' for twenty years this month and, in that time, a lot has changed when it comes to how we search for things.
You're no longer trying to find out what in the world "Gettin' Jiggy wit it" means, or pondering "What is Y2K?" All of those late 90s search queries have been replaced.
Of course, Google has all of the data on our evolved phrasing, and it's adding the archaic (and often awkward) questions of yesteryear into its search results today.
Here are the fun Easter eggs you'll find in Google Search today, disguised as spelling mistakes if you type in the retro version of 2018 lingo.
Type in this retro term / See 'It's 2018! Did you mean...'
- MP3 file / Stream music
- Watch a dvd / Streaming subscription
- Googol / Google
- Gettin' jiggy wit it / Floss dance
- Page me / New phone, who dis?
- Butterfly clip styles / Top knot
- Soccer world champions 1998 / Soccer world champions 2018 (Hint: Two very good years for the France national team)
- Chat room / Text the group
- How to tell someone you like them / Swipe right
- Low-rider pants / How to style high waisted pants
- Digital pet / Fidget spinner
- Baby / Bae
- 143 / ILYSM
- What is Y2K? / how does cryptocurrency work?
- Screen name / Social handle
- Clip art / GIF
- Keepin' it real / Keep it 100
If you're confused about what 'floss dancing' is, this is the dance move that's become popular with Generation Z – a lateral version of your 1960s churning butter move.
There's a new Google doodle, too
Google's celebration goes beyond today's 17 Easter eggs. The company also created a 20th anniversary Google doodle, if you haven't seen it on Google.com already.
It's a playable Google doodle that features popular searches from the last 20 years, ones that are different from the Easter eggs listed above and complete with all sorts of cute animations.
The 1998 Google Garage tour via Street View
What was the original Google Garage like? You can turn the clock back 20 years to Google's humble beginnings with Google Street View. It features a virtual tour of the cramped corners and the old tech that fostered the Mountain View company. Look closely and you'll see the CRT screen has the old Google search box front-and-center.
The "main office" is actually a bedroom with a whiteboard that says "Google’s Worldwide Headquarters" in black text. There's a collapsible mini rainbow sphere, a surf-frog terrarium, a dinosaur, a ping pong table, and a keyboard for music breaks, according to the company. Google even included a a secret Street View Easter egg that we won't spoil – it's tucked inside a trap door. It certainly doesn't belong in 1998 like the rest of this stuff.
- Do you Android Pie or or do you iOS 12 in 2018?
source http://www.techradar.com/news/google-easter-eggs
Shimano delivers a simple but effective new e-bike experience
The e-bike is everywhere it seems. Even the in-flight magazine en route to Norway’s capital city Oslo has a feature on the two-wheeled revolution that's transforming the way we look at, and ride the humble bicycle. The piece in the magazine throws up an interesting couple of facts too: 1.6 million e-bikes were sold in Europe in 2016. And, in the Netherlands, no less than one in three bikes sold last year were electric. Little wonder then that Japan’s Shimano has its main European base there.
But it isn't just the bike-friendly Netherlands that's enjoying the benefits of the e-bike revolution. Cities all over Europe are embracing them too, which is part of the reason we headed to Norway to see how a little bit of Shimano electric assistance helps to get you around a typical city. As it turns out, Oslo makes a great place to get the best from an e-bike as it feels safe, sensible and, in late September, not at all slippery. That said, torrential rain on the day of our ride did add a little extra excitement to proceedings.
Shimano Steps
Norway is currently a blossoming e-bike market. Back in 2016 sales of electric bikes in the country doubled to 40,000, and the rest of the Nordic market is following suit. The Norwegian government has helped out with a subsidy scheme of 25% per bike, which takes the edge off the hefty price tag.
That’s obviously good news for Shimano, which, along with Bosch and to a lesser extent Yamaha, remains at the forefront of developing collections of electric bike components, or groupsets as they’re known in the trade.
Central to the Oslo e-bike foray was the brand new Shimano Steps E6100 e-bike system. Shimano knows more than a thing or two about bicycle components, and has produced its own designs for two-wheeled machines for many years. In fact, next year will be its 100th anniversary in business. This new package is a different kettle of cogs however, although Steps as a product has been around for about five years or so now.
One important point to note is that Shimano doesn’t build whole bikes – rather, it produces the groupsets that can subsequently be used by numerous cycle manufacturers. The components have been carefully designed too, in order to let bicycle manufacturers produce electric models that look eye-catching, dynamic and exciting to ride.
We got to try two different bikes; a step through number with an auto hub arrangement and a model with a crossbar and derailleur gears, but both had the benefit of battery power and disc brakes. However, they were essentially ‘generic’ bikes because Shimano said they didn’t want to show an allegiance to any specific manufacturer, which is a wise move if you’re a supplier to many.
No sweat
At the introductory presentation the Shimano team were keen to underline that e-bikes are evolving and moving away from their reputation for being rather unwieldy. Indeed, one of the presentation slides pointed out how a study from the Sports Science Agency found that riding an e-bike actually reduces sweating by two thirds.
At the same time, Shimano has worked hard to develop a dynamic groupset that allows you to do as much pedal-pushing as you want. The difference being you still get to exercise but with the electric assistance you arrive at your destination a little bit sooner.
The bike's light weight helps keep sweat at bay too. Shimano has gone to great lengths to trim off any surplus bulk where possible. Considering e-bikes have always attracted moans that they're too heavy and cumbersome then this is welcome news. The difference was noticeable too as we pedalled our way around the city streets, with a system weight that totals 2.88kg. That might still sound like as lot, but the 200g that have been shaved off the new system did make the bikes we were on seem really quite nimble. It was also easy enough to move them around when we were parking up too.
The battery power has been boosted with a brace of power packs to choose from with 418Wh or 504Wh variants on offer. The resulting between charges range, reckons Shimano, should see you good for around 170 or 180 kilometres, which is impressive.
Riding the bikes is more straightforward than ever thanks to the practical range of operating modes and simple shifting system. You get four options - high, normal, eco and walk. The latter offers assistance if you're basically just ambling along with the bike and it's actually more useful than you might expect.
We also like the way Shimano keeps it simple with the rider information aspect, with an app that can be downloaded to your phone and mounted to the handlebars, rather than an on-board computer (though you can mount one of those instead if you prefer).
Adding to the leisurely feel of the step-through e-bike was the Nexus Inter-5, which is an internal hub that figures out when to make gear changes. It works a treat and, if you're in need of some help or just plain lazy then the system is a must. Out and about on the roads the whole thing works to great effect and, even if you're currently limited to a top power-assisted speed of 15mph/25kmh using the battery, the feeling of propulsion provided by an e-bike is a good one.
Choose your own adventure
Moving from the step-through model to the crossbar bike, the fun factor clicked up a notch or two. This setup is the one to go for if you want the ultimate in flexibility. There’s the full set of derailleur gears, which can be controlled with tabs on the right side of the handlebar. Over on the left, there’s a small button control for selecting the electric mode you’re in the mood for.
And therein lies the magic – you can tailor your ride to suit the conditions, terrain and how enthusiastic you feel and make use of a combination of electric power and/or manual gearshifts. It’s a brilliantly innovative and highly infectious tech cocktail.
Even on an extremely wet day in Oslo the bikes were great fun. Sure, they’re still pricey but e-bikes are evolving rapidly. Armed with the Shimano Steps E6100 system and some funky new designs on the horizon e-bike manufacturers have every reason to be excited about the future. If we can get a few more buying incentives then perhaps we, as consumers, should be too.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/shimano-delivers-a-simple-but-effective-new-e-bike-experience
You can travel the world with this Amazon Alexa-powered board game
If you love that classic combination of travel, board games, and smart speakers, the round-the-world trivia game, When In Rome, could be the perfect post-dinner activity to whip out next time you have friends over.
Developed by Voice Originals, the game works with Amazon Alexa, so you will need an Alexa-powered device like the Amazon Echo to play, which we used to test it out. To get going, you will also need to enable the free When In Rome skill in the Alexa app.
In the box you’ll find a world map board, player tokens, ‘friend’ tokens, ‘upgrade cards’, and five ‘souvenir’ objects – all of which is helpfully explained by Alexa as you play, so you never feel unsure about how to play.
Price and availability
When In Rome is available on Amazon at a reduced price in the US of $19.99, but is still at full price in the UK and Australia for £24.99 and around AU$43, respectively. Whether you consider this to be good value for money really depends on how much use you’re likely to get out of it – for us it was more of a one off novelty, but if you have kids or have friends round for dinner regularly, it may be a smart purchase.
How it works
If you’re not a fan of reading through rule books, you’ll probably appreciate the fact that Alexa guides you through the entire process, meaning you can kick back and enjoy the game without arguing over opposing interpretations of the rulebook.
The game is designed for two teams of between two and four player, but we found it worked just fine with just two players if you’re having a couples night in. To start the game simply say ‘Alexa, open When In Rome’, and you’ll be prompted to get into your teams and select a team token.
One fun feature is that the first turn of each round is determined by a head-to-head question, meaning the stakes are high from the get go. Then, you can start your adventure with a destination of your choice – we started in San Francisco, where a real local asks you a trivia question about the city.
Making friends
With every question your team answers correctly, you can earn a ‘friend’ in that city, preventing the opposing team from doing the same and creating easier connections so that you can get around the map and earn more points.
Some cities have special ‘souvenirs,’ which you can claim if you answer that city’s trivia question correctly – an they're worth more points than correct questions alone. The more souvenirs you can get your hands on, the more likely your team is to win. The game is over after twelve rounds, or when every souvenir has been found.
Although issues with the voice recognition element of the Amazon Echo could have made this experience extremely stressful, we found it couldn’t have gone smoother, and in fact, any time Alexa didn’t pick up our voices just added to the hilarity of it all.
Throw out the rulebook
Not having to read through a rule book was really refreshing, and it was great to sit back and let Alexa guide us through the game – although at times it did feel like the game was ‘over’ explained and it was sometimes frustrating to sit through the long explanations at the beginning of the game.
We found the questions to be a great mix of the kind of general knowledge most players will be able to answer, and more left-field questions that required a bit more thinking. With multiple choice answers it didn’t feel too difficult, and we think children will enjoy this just as much as adults.
We loved how Alexa was able to lead us through the game, giving less instruction as we became more comfortable with the rules – although small children may become bored by the amount of listening required.
Having the questions read out by real locals was a nice touch as well, making the game feel super interactive and authentic, with each local speaking in a regional accent and discussing what it’s like to live in their city.
Overall, playing When In Rome was a really fun experience – silly enough to be entertaining, but with questions cerebral enough to actually give you a decent challenge.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/you-can-travel-the-world-with-this-amazon-alexa-powered-board-game
Tuesday, 25 September 2018
You can now get a Spotify playlist inspired by your ancestors
As genetic profiling has become increasingly accessible over the past few years, consumer DNA tests have grown in popularity, with a number of companies providing detailed breakdowns of everything from your ethnic heritage to your dietary nuances.
One of the most popular services is Ancestry, which started out as a family tree database and can now estimate your ancestral origins in exchange for a saliva sample.
Now, as well as telling you about your family history, Ancestry has teamed up with Spotify to create customized playlists based on the regions from which your DNA sample suggests your ancestors originated.
Spit it out
To get your personalized playlist along with a rundown of your genetic heritage, you have to send a saliva sample to Ancestry in the post, with the service costing $99 (£79 / AU$129) plus shipping.
After around six weeks your results are emailed to you, not only telling you the regions your ancestors came from, but also allowing you to connect with potential family members on Ancestry’s 10 million-strong user database.
Once you have your results, head to the dedicated webpage and enter the regions that came up in your DNA profiling – the website then generates a playlist of songs associated with those regions via Spotify.
Musical tradition
Consumer DNA testing isn’t for everyone – you might be worried about your personal data or not be willing to pay to find out what you may already know about your heritage – and if you do have a rough idea of your ethnic origins, you can still generate a playlist: simply select the regions you think your family is from and your playlist will be generated.
We tried it out with an educated guess about our own ancestry and we received an interesting and varied mix of traditional and modern songs from around the world, which is a pretty novel way of discovering new music, and maybe tuning in to your unique ancestral descent.
Of course, making a guess as to your ancestry will never be as accurate as legitimate DNA profiling, but it does make for an interesting way to create your next favorite music playlist.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/you-can-now-get-a-spotify-playlist-inspired-by-your-ancestors
Sunday, 23 September 2018
Thursday, 20 September 2018
Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2018 in the US: our deals preview on the biggest sales holiday
Find the best deals and lowest prices on Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2018 is easier said than done because there are so many good discounts on those days.
We're here to list the biggest price drops on everything you want to shop for: 4KTVs, new laptops, headphones, cameras, iPhones, and video game consoles like PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. There's almost too much on sale to list.
Stores across America – Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, GameStop, Kmart and so on – are going to offer deep discounts in store and online, so your hard-earned dollar goes a long way during this pivotal holiday weekend.
The date for Black Friday is November 23. It's always the day after Thanksgiving, and some US retailers start deals early. The date for Cyber Monday November 26, and we often see a spike during this prominent before-Christmas sales event.
We're going to begin amassing pre-Black Friday deals on this page and be among the first publications to post Black Friday ads of what will be on sale on November 23.
Why start so early? Well, US retailers, earned $7.9 billion on Black Friday last year, according to Adobe Analytics. That's a nearly 18% increase from the year prior. That doesn't even account for the 6.6 billion earned on Cyber Monday.
This means we expect even bigger deals for 2018 in the US, and in turn, you'll need our expertise to suss out the best prices. There are good prices and great prices for a lot of the things you want to buy, especially electronics.
You could walk away with a brand new 4KTV at a supposedly cheap price without our help, or get the same 4KTV at $100 cheaper with the absolute lowest price with our help. That's usually how Black Friday and Cyber Monday work. There are often low prices and lowest prices, and we'll do the digging for you.
When is Black Friday 2018 in the US?
The first thing you may ask is: when is Black Friday? The actual date shifts year-to-year, but it's always the Friday after Thanksgiving.
This year, Black Friday is November 23, 2018. Of course, retailers begin hours and even days ahead of time with pre-Black Friday deals. We'll be running those, too.
When is Cyber Monday 2018 in the US?
Cyber Monday is November 26. It's always the Monday following Black Friday, and one of the best ways to find online deals without the hassle of showing up in a store. It's one of the biggest days for TechRadar when it comes to referring people to deals.
What’s the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
The Black Friday vs Cyber Monday debate is an important one. You don't want to buy something for Black Friday only to have it become cheaper on Cyber Monday.
Or do you? Our best advice is to buy everything you need on Black Friday and keep a watch on additional price drops on Cyber Monday. If it's all cheaper on Cyber Monday, return your Black Friday item (or cancel it if that option is still available) and walk away with the cheapest price possible.
But, in advance, Black Friday usually offers steep discounts in stores, while Cyber Monday is almost strictly an online sale. Retailers, like Walmart and Amazon are very keen to keep you shopping all weekend long, so they often slowly roll out deals (with 'rollback prices' in Walmart's case) to keep you browsing throughout the Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates.
Why do Black Friday and Cyber Monday matter?
There are two reasons why Black Friday Matters and why Cyber Monday is beginning to matter even more in 2018 than it did a few years ago.
First, Black Friday is when we save up to spend our money on gifts for others (and of course merchandise for ourselves). It's for good reason: almost everything we want is on sale, thanks to retailers who have an interest in selling us on as much of their products as possible. Best Buy will gladly discount a PS4 console bundle by $100 if you're going to buy two or three games with it.
Second, it's when everything comes out. Notice that new GoPro cameras come out right before Black Friday every year and so do new Apple iPhones – the tech product cycle is almost geared toward this invent sales holiday weekend.
It's more of what you want at the prices you've wanted all year. Even better, all of the old versions (so the prior GoPro action camera and year-old iPhone X) will be remarkably cheaper in 2018. You can find the deepest discounts on year-old items.
What sort of deals will we see on Black Friday 2018?
Black Friday prediction are easy to make in 2018 because the sales follow a pattern:
- Amazon will heavily discount its own stuff
- Apple will offer something small, such as gift cards or Beats headphones
- 4KTVs are going to get massive discounts
- There will be really big price drops on laptops
- Some accessories will be brilliant value
- You really don’t want to take out a phone contract in the months leading up: networks' Black Friday deals slash the up-front and monthly costs
- DSLRs and mirrorless camera be cheaper and so will lenses
- eBay will run Black Friday deals on new products, not just second-hand items
What sort of deals will we see on Cyber Monday 2018?
Like Black Friday, Cyber Monday has become pretty predictable too. You can expect:
- iPads are routinely on sale, especially at Target and Best Buy
- Fashion retailers such as ASOS to offer site-wide discounts
- Electrical retailers to offer deals on small appliances and white goods
- A continuation of many retailers’ existing Black Friday promotions
The top deals of Black Friday last year
It was hard to find Nintendo Switch last year, never mind find it on sale. But we did manage to exclusively discover some price drops a year ago. That made it an instant top-seller.
We also found the iPhone 7 deal ever, a discount on the iPhone X that chipped away at its $1,000 price, and tempting unlocked Google Pixel 2 and Samsung Galaxy S8 deals.
PS4 and Xbox One bundles continue to be big sellers during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It seems like every year, as they age (and get better games), retailers are more willing to drop prices on these consoles. That's win-win for consumers.
Amazon continues to mark down its own products: Kindle, Fire tablets and, of course, Echo speakers see dramatic price cuts. We won't see these discounts again until Amazon Prime Day 2019.
The top deals of Cyber Monday last year
Listing the best Cyber Monday deals last year started off with cheap iPads. Apple's iPad Pro is wildly expensive for the average consumer. But on that special Monday date last year, you could get up to $120 off the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad.
Sonos speakers and the Microsoft Surface Pro 2-in-1 were also big sellers thanks to price cuts. Yes, Apple's HomePod had just launched and MacBooks do remain very popular, but Sonos and Microsoft have offered better prices (and better value). That was true last year and may remain true in 2018.
What to expect from Black Friday 2018 and Cyber Monday 2018
Expect more pre-Black Friday deals than ever and for Cyber Monday to actually begin on 'Cyber Sunday' and even 'Cyber Weekend' as Amazon and others like to call it.
US retailers are stretching out the Black Friday-Cyber Monday sales period in an effort to keep you shopping. It's like a supermarket putting the Milk and the cereal several asiles apart. There are loads of goods in between that will distract you.
But that's good news because while you may buy a bit more, you'll do so at far cheaper prices. In 2018, with the US economy on the rebound, shopping during Black Friday may be a bit easier for the American consumer.
Top deals to expect on Black Friday 2018 and Cyber Monday 2018
It's not Black Friday just yet, but we can tell our deals predictions ahead of November 23. We have a good track record year to year.
New iPad 2018, iPad Pro, and iPhone XS
Apple's cheaper New iPad 2018 may be even cheaper several months after it came out. It's $329 right now, and that could easily be $299 at Walmart, Best Buy or Target, if the retailers are vying for every dollar you have.
An even bigger price drop may come from the iPad Pro. No, not the iPad Pro 2018 that will launch right before Black Friday, but the iPad Pro from mid-2017. Especially on eBay, we see older iPad Pro models get big discounts, and really, they're almost as good except for a few new features.
Will the iPhone XS be on sale for Black Friday? Yes and no. It just launched, so you may not see dramatic price drops, but expect US carriers like Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint to offer incentives for signing up for contracts. A lot of times, they'll pay you more money for your older phone when you trade it in to buy a new iPhone.
Samsung Galaxy S9
Bad news for Samsung is good news for you on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Since the Samsung Galaxy S9 didn't sell well when it launched earlier this year, the company needs to move inventory. That means we fully expect the Samsung Galaxy S9 unlocked to be far cheaper at the end of 2018. That lines up well for the holidays. The Galaxy Note 9 may also see some discounts, but it won't be as steep.
PS4 and Xbox One
There's no more Toys R Us anymore, but we expect other US retailers to pick up the slack on PS4 and Xbox One console bundles. They often pair games you were going to buy anyway with the game system at a cheaper price.
Sony's PS4 has been a particularly hot seller whenever TechRadar posts deals about it. Yes, the Nintendo Switch is popular, too, but gamers find PS4 deals to be even more tempting, and Walmart readily discounts it. In 2018, the PlayStation VR headset may be pushed with the console again, so keep that in mind, especially for Cyber Monday. Games like Spider-Man PS4 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are the ones to watch out for.
Microsoft needs to move more Xbox One consoles to catch up. That's equally good news for you, since the price could use a drop between now and Black Friday. There are some excellent games on the system as we approach five years with the console, so you're in for good prices and great entertainment.
Cheap 4KTVs
If you don't own a 4KTV yet, then 2018 is the time to buy it because we fully expect, Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart to lead the charge on price drops in this area.
4KTV deals are almost certainly going to be where we see the deepest discounts on any product category. They started out expensive – tens of thousands of dollars – but even new 4K OLED TVs have come down in price. You can even buy a big, smart 4KTV for $500.
Our favorite retailer brand in the US has been TCL. Specifically, the TCL Roku TV 2018 has become a great value for everything it offers: 4K resolution, HDR, at a great screen size at a low price – our top recommendation is $650 for a 55-inch TV.
Amazon Echo, Fire TV sticks, Kindles and Fire tablets
Amazon is smart. It's offering cheap electronics to gain a wedge into your budding smart home. Amazon Echo with Alexa are a great example of this. Once you get one – with a hard-to-dismiss price of $29.99 for the Echo Dot – you'll be more inclined to buy something else that's Alexa-compatible for a higher price.
Amazon's tablets and ereaders work the same way. Buying into their Fire HD 10 Tablet and Kindle Paperwhite, typically with $40 to $80 discounts, puts you into the Kindle and Amazon Video ecosystem. But that's okay if you're a Prime member anyway.
Why is Black Friday called Black Friday?
The first known mention of Black Friday was in November 1951, when the journal Factory Management and Maintenance used it to describe the issue of people calling in sick the day after Thanksgiving so they could have an extra day off work.
At the same time, police in the US were using the phrases 'Black Friday' and 'Black Saturday' to describe the horrendous traffic jams that occurred at the beginning of the pre-Christmas shopping season. In 1961 some retailers tried to market the day as 'Big Friday' instead, but that one didn’t take off.
Why is Cyber Monday called Cyber Monday?
The term was coined by Ellen Davis and Scott Silverman, and it was a deliberate move to promote online shopping back in 2005, when the internet was made of wood and powered by steam.
It was intended to help smaller retailers compete with the big names who were banging on about Black Friday, although of course those big names promptly jumped on the Cyber Monday bandwagon too.
Are Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals real?
Oooh, the big question: and generally speaking, yes they are – although in some cases the discounts have been negotiated well in advance with suppliers, so they’re not as spontaneous as the sellers might have you believe.
As with any sales event you’ll see a mixture of genuine bargains, discounted end-of-line stock and strange things found in the back of a warehouse somewhere. In 2016, consumer magazine 'Which?' accused retailers of some pretty dodgy behavior.
If you avoid the slightly-shifty stuff, though, you can get some really great deals. For example, last year we got tons of money off 5K iMacs (end of line stock), Hi-Res audio players (deep discounting in the hope of selling headphones), wireless headphones (from another retailer hoping to sell Hi-Res audio players) and tons of Christmas presents.
And some TechRadar writers were physically restrained from spending all our savings on electric guitars, which were getting some serious discounting on high-end models.
How is TechRadar showing the best Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals?
On our Black Friday 2018 deals page and on our Cyber Monday 2018 deals page. We scour all the top retailers’ Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on your behalf, with the aid of serious amounts of caffeine, and we’ll tell you whether the deals are worth getting excited about. So whether it’s a 4K HDR OLED TV or a PSVR, if it’s discounted we’ll have the details here.
How should I prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Homework really helps. Some retailers up prices in October so they can offer supposedly amazing discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so don’t be fooled by such shenanigans.
They’re particularly prevalent on expensive consumer electronics such as TVs or laptops with product numbers rather than names, with products worth a few hundred pounds apparently having MSRPs of a million jillion dollars. Tools like CamelCamelCamel and PriceSpy can help you detect both shenanigans and tomfoolery.
It’s also a very good idea to be flexible. For example, if you fancy a Samsung UHD TV it’s best to think about the features you want rather than a specific model number – the BRV553ABD34-82C-9218-X may not be discounted on Black Friday 2018, but an almost identical set with the specification you want probably will be.
How can I stay safe on Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday bring out the fraudsters and fakers as well as the sellers, so be wary of any unsolicited emails or any links to deals being shared on social media, no matter how legitimate they look; as ever with the internet, anything asking you for card details or login details is a scam.
Phishing sites rake in big piles of cash on Black Friday, so be extra suspicious, and if you’re on a PC, make sure your anti-malware software is up to date – many security suites automatically block known scammers, fraudsters and phishers.
What about physical safety? Wasn’t everybody kung fu fighting on Black Friday?
Yes, they were. In fact, it was a little bit frightening. The combination of bargain-crazed shoppers and poor crowd control has long made Black Friday synonymous with injuries and the odd scuffle, and sometimes much more serious trouble – in 2011 a woman pepper-sprayed rival bargain hunters in a California Walmart, while in 2016 a shopper was shot outside a Macy’s in New Jersey.
Cyber Monday didn’t attract the same kind of trouble as it’s always been an internet event, and the more Black Friday moves online the fewer fisticuffs we're seeing.
- Check out our tips to avoid scams on Black Friday
source http://www.techradar.com/news/black-friday-cyber-monday-2018-in-usa
Wednesday, 19 September 2018
Google Assistant is rolling out for Android TV and Auto in Australia
Whether you’re cruising through your favourite series or across the great open road, Google’s Assistant will soon be able to help you out with its voice commands.
The company announced that Assistant support has begun rolling out to Android TV and Android Auto in Australia from this week, so expect to see both apps update with voice support in the coming days – whether it’s in your car, on your Android smartphone, or on your TV.
Android Auto is an app designed to work with both smartphones and select models of cars with integrated touch displays, and offers up a vastly simplified version of the OS with all of its core driving-relevant features (music, maps, and so on) intact.
Assistant’s voice commands will be able to help you with such functions as navigating via Google Maps, sending voice-to-text messages, playing certain songs or playlists via Spotify, and more.
Main screen turn on
For compatible tellies or media players running the Android TV OS, the addition of Assistant voice control will mean you’ll be able to issue a number of commands to play you your favourite shows, search for something to watch, keep up to date with the news, change the volume, or even turn the devices off.
According to Google, “With Netflix, Stan and YouTube, you can instantly watch something by asking for it by name, or, if you aren’t sure what to watch, try “show me movies about climbing Mount Everest.” You can also ask your Assistant to “play some music” or listen to a specific song on YouTube Music, Google Play Music, Spotify or Pandora.”
Google’s official blog post states that Assistant has already landed on Nvidia Shield TV, and will come to Sony Bravia, TCL and Kogan TVs in the next month or so.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/google-assistant-is-rolling-out-for-android-tv-and-auto-in-australia
Sony’s robot puppy Aibo is looking for a US forever home
Whether you’re a golden retriever fanatic, a pug admirer, or a chihuahua enthusiast, you have to admit that being a dog lover can be a little frustrating at times. As much as we adore our canine companions, they wreak havoc on our homes, shedding fur, chewing slippers, and having ‘accidents’ on our freshly vacuumed carpets.
Well, Sony may have the answer to mess-free dog companionship with their endearing little robot puppy, Aibo, which is now available to buy in the US for the first time. The limited ‘First Litter Edition’ is an all-in-one bundle, which includes the robo-pup, a three-year AI Cloud plan, a pink ball, an ‘aibone’, a charging station, and an “individually numbered commemorative dog tag”.
If you’ve already melted into a puddle of puppy-love induced goo, be warned: the Aibo First Litter Edition is vastly more expensive than your average pup at $2899.99, and if you pre-order now, your new family member could be with you in time for Christmas.
Not just for Christmas
The newest version of the Aibo has previously only been available in Japan, and it’s far smarter than its predecessors, with more artificial intelligence and powerful sensors that help it to understand and interact with its environment and its two accessories: a pink ball and chew toy.
Designed to act like an untrained dog, you can teach Aibo like you would a new puppy, using positive reinforcement and voice commands, which it responds to with varying degrees of accuracy depending on how well it’s been trained.
With the ability to recognize up to five people at a time and emotive responses to affectionate actions like petting and vocal reassurance, Aibo is sure to mollify even the grouchiest family member with its adorable OLED display eyes.
The Aibo First Litter Edition is available to pre-order from the Sony website, with early purchasers set to receive their new bundle of joy in December 2018.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/sonys-robot-puppy-aibo-is-looking-for-a-us-forever-home
Certification for AI technology could soon be a reality
Can AI survive without public trust? The Foundation for Responsible Robotics thinks that without official quality control, the technology will never truly succeed – which is why it has teamed up with professional services network Deloitte to create a certified mark of quality for machine intelligence technology.
Co-directed by Professor Noel Sharkey, the FRR recognizes the positive impact artificial intelligence could have on society, including “monitoring and repairing climate change destruction” and the “early diagnosis of disease”.
Despite the conceivable benefits of AI technology, the FRR believes that “cracks are beginning to appear”, with the gender and racial biases of developers and society at large influencing the way the technology works, as well as issues with privacy causing concern among the general public.
Responsible robotics
The teething problems that AI technology is experiencing in this early stage of its development is why the FRR feels that a certified measure of quality is needed. Sharkey thinks this is crucial to the success of the fledgling technology, as “society could reap enormous benefits from AI and Robotics, but only if we get it right.”
He continues: “We need to counter the scare stories, and the hype, or risk a public backlash. We must offer the public a mark of quality that helps them to make informed decisions.”
Fellow co-director of the FRR, Aimee van Wynsberghe echoes this as she says, “our goal is to shape a culture of responsible development of AI and Robotics to promote public good and a better life for us and generations to come.”
Quality control
The FRR and Deloitte have released the short animation above to explain some of the possible risks of AI technology becoming more ingrained in our everyday lives.
Following a mother and daughter as they walk through a busy street, we see news broadcasts about AI data breaches, shops where human assistance is only offered as a premium service, and robots serving customers coffee in a bustling cafe.
With robots mingling freely with humans, the little girl spies an adorable robot puppy companion and urges her mother to buy her one – but when they come to purchasing it, they are met with a request to accept some unseen terms and conditions.
Although the overall tone of the animation is one of foreboding, the FRR is offering a tangible solution to fears that AI robots could lead to “job losses, the exposure of intimate data, emotional manipulation, and unfair discrimination” through its quality mark initiative.
So far, no manufacturers are officially signed up to the scheme, but with some companies lined up for pilot case studies, the regulation of AI technology looks like a very real possibility.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/certification-for-ai-technology-could-soon-be-a-reality
Monday, 17 September 2018
Amazon is reportedly working on eight new Alexa-powered devices
Most manufacturers of consumer electronics follow a yearly cycle of releasing new products – if smartphone makers can do it, why not Amazon?
In fact, around this time last year, Amazon launched its Echo Spot smart speaker, so it comes as no surprise that the online shopping giant is gearing up to announce eight new Alexa-enabled smart home devices, according to CNBC.
CNBC reports that Amazon is expected to officially reveal the new devices at an event to be held later this month, with a microwave amongst the potential gadgets.
Bezos needs money, so please buy this Alexa microwave
According to the report, the devices are wide-ranging but details are sparse – other than the aforementioned microwave, we could potentially see the launch of an automotive gadget and a high-end home audio set which would include an amplifier, a receiver and a subwoofer.
If these new devices are launched, it would be Amazon’s first foray into the home appliances market, and will place it in direct competition with the likes of Sonos, GE and Garmin who already offer Alexa-enabled products for the home and car.
The release of the new devices also builds into Amazon’s plans for making Alexa a quintessential part of a smart home setup. In July, CEO Jeff Bezos said, “We want customers to be able to use Alexa wherever they are."
"There are now tens of thousands of developers across more than 150 countries building new devices using the Alexa Voice Service," Bezos added in the July earnings report, "and the number of Alexa-enabled devices has more than tripled in the past year."
However, as The Verge points out, the CNBC report doesn’t mention if the new devices will be Echo branded or not, leaving room for Amazon to work on making Alexa a brand name.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/amazon-is-reportedly-working-on-eight-new-alexa-powered-devices
Nearly half of all UK payments are contactless
The UK is continuing to lead the way as a global leader in payments technology, according to new data from Mastercard.
The firm has revealed that almost half of all in-store card transactions made in the UK use contactless technology, making it the most widely-used form of electronic payment in Europe.
Overall, Mastercard found that contactless already represents 46 per cent of all transactions being made in the UK each month.
UK contactless payments
The research also revealed that the number of contactless transactions has increased 95 per cent over the past year, with the proliferation of the necessary hardware and software systems continuing to spread across the country.
Transport is one of the biggest areas of growth, with the likes of TfL seeing millions of contactless transactions every day,
This number is only set to grow, Mastercard notes, as by 2020 all payment terminals across Europe will need to be contactless-enabled.
“The UK is a global leader in its use of contactless. The technology has fast become synonymous with our everyday payments. It is faster and easier to use than cash and yet it affords more security. As such the adoption and trust in contactless can only increase from here,” said Mark Barnett, President of Mastercard in the UK.
- Starting your own business? These are the best ecommerce platforms of 2018
source http://www.techradar.com/news/nearly-half-of-all-uk-payments-are-contactless
Saturday, 15 September 2018
Friday, 14 September 2018
Best vacuum cleaners: 11 best vacuums from cordless Dyson to robot Roomba
If you want the best vacuum cleaner on the market, you need to find one that busts dirt and dust, leaves your floors and carpets looking shimmery, filters the air it pumps out and, most importantly, doesn't add any more stress to what is already a tedious chore.
As it happens, some of the best vacuum cleaners are happy to do all of the hard work for you, and because there's so much choice these days, we're here to point you in the right direction.
We've tested every one of these machines in our own dusty abodes to find the best vacuum cleaner of 2018, so you know you're getting the best of the best recommendations.
With these vacuum cleaners, it's easier than ever to suck up unwanted dust and debris – and of course the less time you spend cleaning means more time to enjoy your home with family and friends.
Over the past few years, the best vacuum cleaners money can buy have gotten smarter and lighter, as well as simpler to use, and with this list finding the best vacuum cleaners 2018 shouldn't be a chore. We can tell you first-hand that these vacuums suck, and we mean that as a good thing.
[Update: Two more Shark vacuum cleaners have been added to our list: the Shark ION Robot 750 and the Shark IONFlex 2X DuoClean. Both vacuums offer incredible power and truly eye-catching designs. We wish the battery life on the DuoClean was longer and the bin in the ION Robot 750 bigger, but aside from these drawbacks, both are worthy considerations for adding to your cleaning collection.]
- The best cordless vacuum cleaners and best robot vacuums around!
As you read through the list, you'll note many of today's best vacuum cleaners do away with the massive cord that was always a tripping hazard, and instead feature a cordless design.
As a sign of how outmoded corded vacuums have become, Dyson, one of the biggest vacuum manufacturers on the planet, vowed to stop developing corded vacuums all together after the release of the cordless Cyclone V10 (which sits on our list).
Not only are vacuum cleaners today much slimmer than the monstrous vacuums of yore, but some even have brains of their own: choose a robot vacuum cleaner and you don't have to lift a finger. You can even set them off when you're not at home.
Whether it’s a lightweight cordless, a super-powerful upright or a “who needs humans anyway?” super advanced robot cleaner you’re after, these are the best vacuum cleaners TechRadar has used. Now no more excuses – it's time to clean house!
Dyson's newest cordless vacuum cleaner is so good, the company is no longer producing new corded vacuums. That's how confident Dyson is that the Cyclone V10 and the vacs that follow will meet all your cleaning needs.
Simply put, the Cyclone V10 is the best vacuum Dyson has ever made. Dyson has redefined its cyclone technology to produce more suction power than ever; the new V10 digital motor is 20% more powerful than the previous V8, and, we can assure, it sucks a lot (we mean that as a compliment).
You'll notice a number of crucial changes between the V10 and older V models. For example, the barrel is now front-facing, and all attachments connect here directly. The design allows for greater suction efficiency, according to Dyson. The V10 is smarter than ever before, too, and can even detect differences in altitude, air pressure and temperature, and adjust itself for maximum performance.
Prices and models vary across regions, but you do pay for the Cyclone V10's souped-up suction. And while the Cyclone V10 is more powerful than ever and boasts a more energy-dense battery than previous models, putting it on the highest setting will drain the battery in about five minutes. At the lowest setting, however, you'll get up to 60 minutes of use, and that should be plenty for your everyday messes.
Read our full Dyson Cyclone V10 review
Don't want a Dyson? This Shark IF250UK is a cheaper and rather decent alternative to some of the top-end products from Dyson that sit in this list. It's another cordless cleaner that can run for 22 minutes from a single charge – but the best bit is there are two batteries in the box, so you can just hot swap out mid-clean and get 44 minutes in total.
We really like the design of the Shark IF250UK, although it is a little on the heavy side. It comes with Shark's Flexology technology that means you can bend the cleaner at the mid-way point, so you can get those hard to reach places like under your sofa without having to get down on your hands and knees.
It's not as lightweight as the Dyson listed above, but we still found it easy enough to carry and suitably portable.
This thing is powerful too. If you own a pet, you can get a special edition version that comes with in-built pet cleaning features, but in an animal-free home we found the Shark IF250UK cleaned up easily when using its maximum suction mode.
For a lower price than the Dyson V10, the Shark IF250UK is a very good pick for your next vacuum cleaner: it's just as powerful as the competition and easy to use to boot.
Read the full Shark IF250UK review
Formerly the best cordless vacuum experience that money could buy, the Dyson V8 Absolute is still a top-of-the-line battery powered vacuum cleaner, even as the Cyclone V10 has dethroned it as the very best. It also remains an absolute joy to use.
First, the design. With a removable extender pole and equipped with six different heads for different surfaces and use cases, the V8 Absolute is lightweight and easy to run around the house. With the suction motor in the pistol-grip handle area, you can also easily clip a head directly onto the main unit, turning the whole thing into a portable cleaner – perfect for going up the stairs or decrumbing the car.
A full charge will give you around 40 minutes of use, which is really impressive for a cordless cleaner – though mileage will vary once you start using on the motorized heads, or switch on the V8 Absolute’s MAX mode. You'll rarely need it though – for a handheld, this cleaner will rival even an upright for sheers dirt-sucking power. Its large bin will take in plenty of trash too before needing emptying – another convenience not often seen in a cordless.
Best of all though, it genuinely is fun to use. The sci-fi aesthetic makes it one of the few "white goods" gadgets you'll happily leave on show in the house, with the transforming design as useful as it is clever. It's worth saving the cash for.
The Gtech AirRam MK2 blends the flexibility of a cordless vacuum with strong suction performance and easy use, making it a great choice for those looking for a vac they can quickly whizz around the home.
It's super easy to setup out of the box, and after the the initial charge (it takes four hours to fully charge from flat) you're ready to go. The need to charge however can be a hassle, especially if an accidental spillage has occurred and you want to quickly clean it, only to find the AirRam MK2 is out of battery. You could use it if plugged into the wall, but with such a short charging cable supplied that'd be wholly impractical.
An hour on the charger will give you a short burst of power to address a spillage, but if you're planning on doing a general clean you'll want a fall charge, which gives you around 40 minutes of use – similar to what you'd get from Dyson's V8 Absolute.
While charging may be a little inconvenient at times, it means you're never tethered to a cord when using the Gtech AirRam MK2, and that's where it comes into its own. The lightweight and highly manoeuvrable body allows you to quickly and efficiently move round your home.
Meanwhile, Gtech's Airlock technology automatically adjusts the head for different flooring types, and suction is generally very good - without being the best on offer.
The collection bin may be a bit on the small side too, but it's incredibly easy to empty and ensures you don’t get your hands dirty, with the removable cylinder featuring a sliding lever that pushes out all the nasties.
The vacuum cleaner is easy to carry up and down stairs, but with no hose or attachments you can’t easily clean stairs or other hard-to-reach areas of your home with it. Its price tag makes it a more approachable option than the Dyson however, so if you're on a budget it's well worth a look.
If you want serious suction from your vacuum cleaner, Dyson is the market leader. Its cyclone technology has long been touted as the best sucker around, and on the Light Ball Multi Floor we can safely say this thing sucks big time. In a good way.
With 90AW of suction power the Dyson Light Ball Multi Floor tackles carpet, wood floors, laminate and more. Each pass hoovers up dust, hair and other particles struck inside your carpets too, not just those sitting on top.
We were surprised and impressed with the amount of stuff it picked up during the first few trips around our house – clearly our previous vacuum wasn’t doing the job as effectively.
When the large bin fills up, it's just a simple one button release from the body of the Light Ball, and then another one button press to dispense its contents into the bin – although with the large flag that opens at the bottom you'll need to angle the cylinder accordingly.
As well as acting as a standard upright cleaner, the Light Ball also comes with a built in hose and tools, allowing you to tackle hard to reach places, ceilings and stairs with relative ease.
It's still a bit of a beast to carry up and down stairs though, and at times the long 9.4m cord does get in the way, making you wish this was a cordless vacuum – but the trade off will be inferior suction.
If you're in the market for a vacuum cleaner that will give your floors a seriously good seeing too, then the easy-to-use, highly maneuverable and surprisingly quiet (considering the suction) Dyson Light Ball could be right up your street.
With AI smarts improving all the time and robotics increasingly at home in the home, the sci-fi dream of having a little robot helper to potter about the house is fast becoming a reality. The Dyson 360 Eye is the vacuum cleaning company's first effort in the space, and makes a good account of itself.
After a relatively painless app-powered set-up process, the camera-equipped Dyson 360 Eye is able to navigate your home, weaving around obstacles on a cleaning routine you again establish through the app.
Considering its small size, it's surprisingly capable at sucking up the rubbish in your home, and when the battery gets low and it's time for a recharge, the 360 Eye will intelligently return to its charging station without any prompting.
It's a premium product, commanding a high asking price that's best used as a supplement to your usual cleaning rota rather than a replacement. With the 360 Eye doing the rounds once every day, you'll find that your home will need a "deep clean" vacuum session by your own hand far less often.
But there's still room for improvement if the company ever make a second generation – the tall clearance makes it difficult for the 360 Eye to fit under furniture, a bigger bin would lessen the need to keep emptying it out, and a larger battery would give it a better chance of completing a whole-house sweep in one pass without a recharge session.
The limitations of the wider product category taken into consideration, this is a solid luxury cleaning product regardless.
Dyson’s not the only company working with robotics in the home space, and many rate iRobot and its Roomba 980 vacuum cleaner very highly, too.
A low-clearance, dirt-sucking disc, it’s likewise intelligent enough to go about its business in your home without much prompting from its human owners. The Roomba 980 will intelligently map your home for problem spots, kicking into a high-power mode when carpets are identified, and weaving around chair legs and other potential obstacles.
With a two hour battery life, it will manage a longer cleaning cycle than the Dyson before it too heads back to its charging dock.
Other smart features of the Roomba 980 include its battery-powered “Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barriers” which signal to the bot which area to avoid if placed across a doorway, and more granular control over its cleaning procedures through its accompanying app.
However, the Roomba 980 has room for improvement as well, with its app not always terrible intuitive, and the robot itself sometimes getting bamboozled by cables.
It's another pricey cleaning luxury, and making the choice between it and its Dyson rival will be a tough one. But for those that can afford it, the Roomba 980 is another excellent cleaning convenience.
Read our full iRobot Roomba 980 review
You may not have heard of the name Eufy before, but this more affordable robot vacuum cleaner offers some fantastic value and it comes from the sister brand of Anker, which is the closest thing to a household name in the world of portable chargers.
The RoboVac 11 has lots of cleaning settings included an automatic mode, maximum power, edge cleaning, single room cleaning or a mode that specifically focuses on one small area.
The problem is, unlike the two vacuums above, you can't connect the RoboVac 11 to an app – and so you can't monitor or set your robot cleaner to go when you're not in the house.
Instead it's all activated through a remote control that comes in the box with the RoboVac 11. You can set it up on a timer so the cleaner will automatically head on its journey once a day, but it's not as useful as having an app to do it from anywhere in the world.
There's also no mapping technology built-in, and instead the RoboVac 11 will just make its own way around your home until the battery runs out. It uses infrared sensors to avoid bumping into furniture in your home, but it can be quite frustrating if you're sit and watch it work – it doesn't clean quite as efficiently as some other cleaners.
With a 0.6 Lm bin this will keep going for multiple cleans. We found the battery life to last around 90 minutes on the automatic mode, and a little bit less if you're using the maximum power suction.
The Eufy may not be the most efficient or powerful robot vacuum cleaner on the market, but considering its super low price point, it's impressive how much value for money you get with the RoboVac 11.
Read our full Eufy RoboVac 11 review
While not quite as familiar a name as Dyson or Roomba, with the Neato Botvac Connected, Neato managed to create a vacuum cleaner that definitely gives the others a run for their money.
At 10 cm tall, it comfortably manages to shuffle under most items of furniture, and uses laser guidance to map the room. It's very satisfying watching it figure out which items of furniture it can navigate under and around.
A little frustratingly, it doesn’t seem to factor in the little protruding circle on top of the unit that houses the Neato logo, and so does occasionally get caught on items that it only just clears.
You can control the Neato Botvac Connected using your phone, set up routines for when you want it to clean, and even pause mid-clean. There are also convenient buttons on the unit itself: one for 'spot clean' that will do one room, or 'house clean' that will do your entire home before guiding itself back to its base station.
At 0.7 Lm, the bin size is bigger than both the Dyson 360 and the Roomba, but is still small in comparison to a standard vacuum cleaner, and will need emptying mid-clean if you have a large (or particularly dirty) home.
There is the option to either have the Neato clean in Eco or Turbo mode, which will give you quieter or deeper cleaning, depending on your preference. From the time that we have spent with it, the deeper cleaning mode provides a very thorough level of cleaning – although it invariably miss areas that require moving of obstacles, so you'll still need an occasional once-over with a hand-held vacuum cleaner.
We've been testing the Shark ION Robot 750 robot vacuum for some time now, and it never ceases to impress us.
The first thing we noticed is its design; this isn't a boring black puck, but rather a sleek machine with lovely accents and a mix of shine and matte elements that make it stand out from the competition.
As for performance, the Shark ION Robot 750 cleans like a dream. We were amazed that it picked up that much dirt in our home, and was even able to pick up larger pieces of debris that other robot vacuums simply brushed to the side.
It has a great sense of its surroundings, rarely bumping into things or getting stuck. It's fast, too; you may be surprised to see it on the other side of your living room when you've turned your back for just a second.
We wish the bin was a little bigger as it fills up fairly quickly, but then again we have two dogs, so there's a lot of dirt, hair and other detritus to lap up. The battery life is long-lasting, and it's never run out on us during our testing.
The Shark IONFlex 2X DuoClean is a beautiful beast: it's a lovely shade of metallic blue and shimmery black, and is so powerful, you may be a bit taken aback.
We love how this vacuum can switch from hardwood floor cleaning to carpet with the push of a button. The detachable motor lets you use it as a handheld too, great for cleaning furniture. It comes with an assortment of attachments for different kinds of cleaning, such as a head specifically designed to clean fabric.
It's a bit on the heavy side when you slide in the lithium-ion batteries, so you'll definitely get a workout when using this vacuum. But, you'll be cleaning a lot of surface area because it moves so fast and efficiently.
The bin is big enough, so you should have plenty of room to clean a large room or a few smaller ones before needing to dump it out.
The biggest drawback with the IONFlex 2X DuoClean is the battery. It doesn't last long at all, probably close to 10 minutes or so, before you need to swap out another one. The good news is that the batteries are rechargable – the bad news is that they take a lot longer than 10 minutes to recharge fully.
That means you'll likely find that you've burned through two batteries quickly, then need to wait a few hours before both are back to full charge. You can use one after it's only charged for a short while, but don't expect it to last very long.
Still, this cordless vacuum has a lot going for it, so it's well worth considering adding to your cleaning collection.
source http://www.techradar.com/news/best-vacuum-cleaners