Audio Archives - The Gadget Man - Technology News and Reviews

In the latest episode of The Gadget Man, I joined Lorna Bailey on BBC Radio CWR to explore a topic that’s close to all our smartphones — apps. From checking our health and managing our money, to securing our homes and snapping hundreds of photos we never quite get around to backing up, apps have become the digital wallpaper of our lives. But here’s the big question: Have we become too reliant on them? And are there risks lurking in our seemingly innocent app folders? During this episode, we chat candidly about the app overload many of us experience. Whether it’s a dozen different parking apps or a folder full of CCTV apps just for one house (guilty as charged), we’ve all felt the weight of digital clutter and the anxiety of deleting an app in case we “might need it someday.” We also talk about the very real risks of having so much of our data connected to apps and the internet — and how tech companies benefit from our every tap and swipe. While some of this data helps deliver useful services, like live traffic info, it also opens doors to targeted ads, invasions of privacy, and even scams. Tips for Staying Safe in an App-Heavy World: Only download apps from reputable sources like Apple App Store, Google Play, or Amazon’s App Store. Avoid sideloading apps from unknown third-party websites — that’s where trouble can start. Keep apps up to date — security patches are often part of these updates. Use antivirus apps to scan for threats, especially on Android devices. Be mindful in public when making payments with your phone — contactless tech can be abused. Back up your photos and data regularly to avoid heartbreak if your device is lost or damaged. There’s also a moment of digital self-reflection: Are we hoarding apps the same way we hoard random kitchen gadgets — “just in case”? You’re not alone. I’ve got folders of unused apps, too. And while we’re talking about clutter, let’s not forget the thousands of photos we store and forget — until it’s too late. If there’s one takeaway from this episode, it’s this: Back. Up. Your. Photos. Whether it’s to iCloud, Google Photos, or any other cloud service, it could save your most precious memories. Listen to the full episode to hear all the laughs, insights, and a few home truths about our app obsessions — and maybe get inspired to finally sort out your own digital drawers! Want to chat more about this topic? Drop a comment below or ping me on social media @gadgetmanblog — I’d love to hear about your app habits, fears, and favourites! The post The Gadget Man – Episode 183 – Are We Addicted to Apps? appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

In this post, we utilise Google’s LM Notebook to create a Deep Dive into this article. Listen in to the deep dive and let me know what you think!!! This article explores the surprisingly captivating experience of watching a 3D printer at work, delving into the perspectives of both the creator of a 3D model and casual observers. It questions whether this act is genuinely satisfying or simply hypnotic, examining the emotional, practical, and psychological elements at play. Key Themes and Ideas: Dual Perspectives: Creator vs. Viewer: The Creator: For those who have designed a 3D model, the act of watching it print is a deeply personal and often emotional experience. It’s likened to watching a sculptor carve marble and it’s directly tied to their creative vision and anticipation of the final product. Quote: “For those of us who have spent hours—sometimes days—designing a model, watching it come to life can feel akin to witnessing a sculptor carving marble. The experience is deeply personal, tied to the creative process and the anticipation of seeing your vision materialise.” Practicality for Creators: Beyond the emotional aspect, watching a print can also provide invaluable insight into potential design flaws, allowing for refinement of the process. The creator can observe issues like poor filament flow or miscalculations. The Viewer: For those not involved in the design, watching a 3D printer can be a mesmerising experience due to the rhythmic movement of the print head and the slow transformation of filament into a physical object. This is often compared to watching a campfire – soothing and meditative. Quote: “For the uninitiated, the spectacle of a 3D printer at work can be downright mesmerising. There’s something hypnotic about the rhythmic movements of the print head, the hum of the stepper motors, and the slow but steady transformation of raw filament into a tangible object.” The Element of Satisfaction: Creator Satisfaction: For creators, satisfaction can stem from witnessing the culmination of their design efforts and from the troubleshooting and learning aspects of observing the print. It is also admitted that the novelty of watching a large print wear off and can become monotonous after a while. Viewer Satisfaction: Viewers find satisfaction in the precision of the printing process and the visual transformation, often condensed into time-lapse videos on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. The real-time experience is described as relaxing, if not always engaging for long periods. Quote: “These videos are undeniably satisfying, combining the visual appeal of precision engineering with the gratification of seeing a project completed in record time. But is the live experience equally captivating?” The Role of Time: Patience vs. Anticipation: Watching a print in real-time requires patience, and the article compares this to “watching a pot boil” where anticipation can sometimes outweigh the actual event. Time-lapse vs. Real-Time: Time-lapse videos significantly enhance the viewing experience for casual observers, condensing hours of printing into seconds or minutes, therefore providing an instant gratification. The live experience, while relaxing for some, might not hold the same level of engagement. Remote Monitoring and its Impact: Convenience: Remote monitoring via webcams or software like OctoPrint allows creators to oversee the printing process without being physically present. This is a practical benefit but potentially removes the immersive aspect of watching in-person. Enhanced Time-lapse: Modern printers often feature built-in cameras and time-lapse functions, and open-source tools like OctoPrint enhance the quality of time-lapse footage by homing the print head during capture. This also allows for cleaner and engaging footage to be shared. Connecting Creators and Viewers: Remote monitoring and live streaming open up opportunities to share the process with a wider audience, bridging the gap between creators and viewers. The Subjective Nature of the Experience: No Definitive Answer: Ultimately, the article concludes that whether watching a 3D print is satisfying or not is subjective. It depends on individual perspectives, personal interests, and the context of the print. Quote: “So, is watching a 3D print satisfying? The answer, unsurprisingly, is subjective. For creators, the process can be a blend of satisfaction, anticipation, and anxiety. For viewers, it’s often a mix of curiosity and relaxation, with the level of engagement varying based on personal interest.” A Shared Appreciation: The real value is perhaps found in the shared appreciation for the technology, whether you’re a maker looking for flaws, a viewer enjoying the process, or someone enjoying the condensed versions of the prints online. Conclusion: Watching 3D prints is a multi-faceted experience that engages different emotions and interests depending on whether you are a creator or a viewer. While creators find satisfaction in seeing their design come to life and spotting potential issues, viewers are captivated by the precision and mesmerising process. The use of time-lapses and remote monitoring adds another layer to how individuals experience the act of 3D printing. Ultimately the article concludes that appreciation for the process lies in the intersection of art and engineering and is down to the individual viewer.   The post Deep Dive : The Art of Watching 3D Prints with LM Notebook appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

The We Love Hitchin Interviews 2024 were conducted by Gadget Man, Matt Porter, the founder of We Love Hitchin. Matt took the initiative to interview each candidate running for the Hitchin Constituency in the General Election, providing an in-depth look at their visions and plans for the community. Welcome to the We Love Hitchin Interviews 2024! As part of our series, we are sitting down with each candidate running for the Hitchin Constituency in the upcoming General Election on the 4th of July 2024. In this interview, we have the pleasure of speaking with Will Lavin, the Green Party candidate. Join us as we delve into Will Lavin’s vision for Hitchin, exploring his plans for sustainable development, environmental protection, and community well-being. Discover his stance on key issues such as climate change, local economy, and social justice. Will shares his passion for creating a greener, fairer future for Hitchin and beyond. Interview Breakdown 00:00 Opening Titles 00:12 Introduction by Matt Porter, Founder of We Love Hitchin 01:07 Welcome Will Lavin 01:19 Background and Motivation: Will Lavin discusses his background and what motivated him to run as a candidate for Hitchin. 03:10 Cost of Living Crisis 03:26 Q1: What new policies will the Green Party introduce to help families struggling with the cost of living? 03:30 A1: Will’s response detailing the proposed measures. 06:40 Q2: NHS and Healthcare 06:56 A2: Will outlines the Green Party’s plans to address issues within the NHS, including appointment wait times and staffing shortages. 09:35 Q3: Economy 10:00 A3: Strategies to address inflation, unemployment, and ensure economic stability. 13:10 Q4: Climate Change and The Environment 13:30 A4: Measures to promote environmental sustainability in Hitchin. 17:54 Q5: Crime 18:10 A5: Plans to enhance public safety and improve law enforcement effectiveness. 21:03 Q6: Housing 22:01 A6: Measures to address housing affordability and availability, especially for younger people and those on lower incomes. 24:36 Q7: Roads 25:09 A7: Addressing the appalling state of the roads and infrastructure improvements. Community Questions 26:55 Andrea’s Question on Water Companies 27:31 CQA1: Will’s response to bringing water companies back into public ownership. 29:11 Nyland and Lauren’s Question on Gaza War 29:26 CQA2: Will’s stance on providing arms or assistance in the Gaza conflict and recognizing Palestine. 30:36 Jeremy’s Question on Digital Currency 30:48 CQA3: Will’s perspective on digital currency and its implications. 32:03 Vanessa and Nicola’s Question on Special Education Needs 33:00 CQA4: Will addresses concerns regarding SEN provision and pledges improved support and resources. 35:38 Will Addresses the Voters 35:47: Will makes his closing appeal to the voters, explaining why they should vote for him on the 4th of July. 36:47 Thanks and Wrapping Up 37:49 End Titles Election Results for Hitchin Constituency 2024 The General Election results for the Hitchin Constituency have been announced. Here are the final tallies: Bim Afolami (The Conservative Party Candidate): 14,958 votes Charles Bunker (Reform UK): 6,760 votes Sid Cordle (Christian Peoples Alliance): 181 votes Will Lavin (Green Party): 2,631 votes Chris Lucas (Liberal Democrats): 4,913 votes Alistair Strathern (Labour Party): 23,067 votes – Elected Congratulations to Alistair Strathern, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Hitchin! His victory marks a significant shift in the constituency, and we look forward to seeing his plans for Hitchin come to fruition. The post The Gadget Man General Election Special Part Five – We Love Hitchin Interviews – Will Lavin Green Party Candidate for Hitchin Constituency appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

The We Love Hitchin Interviews 2024 were conducted by Gadget Man, Matt Porter, who is also the founder of We Love Hitchin. Matt took the initiative to interview each candidate running for the Hitchin Constituency in the General Election, providing an in-depth look at their visions and plans for the community. You can view the interview below or listen to the podcast episode by clicking the play-head above. Introduction and Background The interview kicked off with Matt Porter, the Founder of We Love Hitchin, welcoming Alistair Strathern. Alistair shared insights into his background and explained why he decided to run for this seat. His motivations are rooted in a deep commitment to the community and a desire to bring meaningful change to Hitchin. Key Issues Discussed Cost of Living Crisis Alistair addressed the pressing issue of the cost of living crisis, outlining his plans to alleviate economic pressures on Hitchin residents. He emphasized the importance of creating a sustainable economic environment that supports all citizens. NHS and Healthcare Healthcare was another major topic. Alistair spoke passionately about his vision for improving NHS services, ensuring that healthcare is accessible and efficient for everyone in the constituency. Economy Discussing the economy, Alistair highlighted strategies for economic growth and stability. His plans focus on supporting local businesses and creating job opportunities to boost the local economy. Climate Change and Environment On environmental issues, Alistair shared his approach to tackling climate change and promoting sustainability. His vision includes implementing green initiatives and supporting eco-friendly policies. Crime Alistair also talked about measures to enhance safety and reduce crime in Hitchin. He stressed the need for a robust policing strategy and community engagement to create a safer environment. Housing Addressing housing issues, Alistair discussed his plans to increase affordable housing and improve living conditions for all residents. He highlighted the importance of providing quality housing to support a thriving community. Roads Infrastructure and road maintenance were also on the agenda. Alistair outlined his proposals for improving the condition of roads and ensuring better connectivity within Hitchin. Community Questions Public Ownership of Water Companies Andrea, a community member, asked about Alistair’s stance on bringing water companies back into public ownership. Alistair expressed his support for this move, emphasizing the importance of keeping essential resources under public control. AI Safety Martin raised concerns about artificial intelligence and its safe use. Alistair acknowledged the potential risks of AI and advocated for stringent regulations to ensure it is used responsibly. Gaza War and Palestine Recognition Nyland and Lauren asked about providing assistance in the Gaza conflict and recognizing Palestine as an independent state. Alistair shared his views on international policy and humanitarian aid, emphasizing the need for a balanced and compassionate approach. Support for Special Needs Children Vanessa and Nicola, who have special needs children, asked about support for SEN families. Alistair pledged to improve resources and funding for special needs education and social care, aiming to provide better support for these vulnerable families. Closing Remarks In his closing remarks, Alistair Strathern appealed to the voters, highlighting his dedication to representing Hitchin and addressing its key issues. He urged the community to vote for him on the 4th of July, promising to work tirelessly for a fairer and more inclusive future. Election Results for Hitchin Constituency 2024 The General Election results for the Hitchin Constituency have been announced. Here are the final tallies: Bim Afolami (The Conservative Party Candidate): 14,958 votes Charles Bunker (Reform UK): 6,760 votes Sid Cordle (Christian Peoples Alliance): 181 votes Will Lavin (Green Party): 2,631 votes Chris Lucas (Liberal Democrats): 4,913 votes Alistair Strathern (Labour Party): 23,067 votes – Elected Congratulations to Alistair Strathern MP, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Hitchin! His victory marks a significant shift in the constituency, and we look forward to seeing his plans for Hitchin come to fruition. Watch and Listen Don’t miss the full interview with Alistair Strathern! Watch it on our YouTube channel and listen to the podcast episode available on all major platforms. Your support and engagement help us bring more insightful content and coverage of important local issues. Stay tuned for more updates and interviews on The Gadget Man and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe. The post The Gadget Man General Election Special Part One – We Love Hitchin Interviews – Alistair Strathern Labour Party Candidate for Hitchin Constituency appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Today I had the pleasure of chatting with Trish Adudu on her drivetime show on BBC Radio CWR about Jailbroken Streaming Devices. In the golden era of television, our choices were simple, defined by the limited channels available through traditional broadcast. Fast forward to today, and the landscape has dramatically shifted. The digital revolution has ushered in an age where streaming platforms are king, offering a cornucopia of content that was once unimaginable. Yet, with this abundance comes a new set of challenges for consumers navigating the costs and legalities of accessing their favorite shows and movies. Enter the controversial world of jailbroken or “dodgy” fire sticks. These modified devices promise a world of free content, bypassing the subscription fees of mainstream streaming services. At first glance, the allure is undeniable. Who wouldn’t want access to endless entertainment without the hefty price tag? But as we peel back the layers, the darker implications of these devices come to light. The Legal Grey Zone First and foremost, it’s crucial to acknowledge the elephant in the room: jailbroken fire sticks are illegal. Despite their widespread availability and the somewhat cavalier attitude some may have towards using them, they pose significant legal risks to users. Beyond the risk of fines or legal action, there’s a deeper issue at play here—the ethics of content consumption. In our quest for convenience and cost-saving, we must ask ourselves: at what price does this come to the creators and distributors of the content we consume? The Cost of Convenience The debate over streaming platforms’ pricing structures is valid, especially in a world grappling with rising living costs. However, turning to illegal alternatives like jailbroken fire sticks isn’t a victimless crime. It undermines the very industry that entertains us, potentially stifling the creation of new content. Moreover, the risks extend beyond legal ramifications. Using these devices can expose users to cybersecurity threats, including theft of personal and financial information. Trusting one’s digital safety to the hands of unknown, potentially criminal entities is a gamble few should be willing to take. A Fragmented Marketplace The current streaming landscape is indeed fragmented, with exclusive content spread across numerous platforms. This exclusivity can lead to subscription fatigue, as consumers find themselves subscribing to multiple services to access all the content they desire—a costly endeavor. This fragmentation fuels the temptation to seek out illegal alternatives. Yet, it also calls for a discussion on the sustainability of the current model and the need for more consumer-friendly solutions. Looking Forward As we navigate the evolving world of digital content consumption, it’s clear that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. While the allure of free content is undeniable, the risks and ethical implications of jailbroken streaming devices cannot be overlooked. It’s a reminder of the need for a balanced approach that respects the rights of content creators while also considering the affordability and accessibility for consumers. Perhaps the future will bring more innovative solutions to this dilemma, but until then, the debate rages on. The gadget world is vast and ever-changing, but as we venture into its depths, let’s tread carefully, mindful of the legal and ethical boundaries that govern our digital playground. The post The Gadget Man – Episode 179 – Navigating the Murky Waters of Jailbroken Streaming Devices: A Cautionary Tale appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Note: Listening to the attached Podcast is a must for this article. *UPDATE* Correct link updated! Hello, fellow gadget lovers and tech enthusiasts! It’s me again, your friendly neighbourhood Gadget Man, diving into another thrilling tech adventure. Today, I’m stepping into the futuristic realm of text-to-speech technology. But hold onto your hats, because this isn’t just any text-to-speech; we’re talking about cloning your own voice using the latest AI systems! Remember those sci-fi movies where characters would replicate their voices using high-tech gadgets? Well, guess what? That future is now, and I’ve just had a mind-blowing experience with it. Imagine creating audio that sounds almost 100% identical to your real voice. Sounds like something out of a dream, right? But it’s real, and I’ve done it! https://www.thegadgetman.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/animate_seed6898830117836334_upscaled.mp4 I used a cutting-edge tool from Eleven Labs – yes, the name already sounds like it’s straight out of a sci-fi novel. This technology is so advanced that it can capture the unique nuances of your voice, and then, using AI, it replicates it to create eerily accurate audio. The result? A voice clone that sounds just like me! Now, you might be wondering, “Is he pulling our leg? Is this for real?” Well, to prove it, the audio you’re hearing in this blog post was created using this very technology. That’s right, you’re not actually hearing me but my digital voice twin! Amazing, isn’t it? But here’s the kicker – if you’re as excited about this as I am and want to clone your own voice, you can do it too. And here’s how: through our unique affiliate link. That’s right, we’ve teamed up with Eleven Labs to bring you this fantastic opportunity. By using our link, you can jump straight into creating your voice clone. https://www.thegadgetman.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/animate_seed3950021203508335_upscaled.mp4 A little heads-up, though. If you decide to sign up for their paid subscription, we may earn a small commission. But hey, that’s just a small part of supporting our journey to bring you the coolest, most cutting-edge tech insights. So, why would you want to clone your voice? Well, the applications are endless. From personalizing your digital assistant to creating your podcast episodes, even when you’re too busy to record – the sky’s the limit! And the best part? You don’t need to be a tech wizard to do it. The process is user-friendly and quite intuitive. In conclusion, stepping into the world of AI voice cloning has been an absolute thrill. It’s not just about the fun or the novelty; it’s about embracing a technology that’s reshaping how we interact with our digital world. Voice cloning might sound like a small step, but believe me, it’s a giant leap in the realm of personal digital expression. https://www.thegadgetman.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/animate_seed7246279345379017_upscaled.mp4 So, what are you waiting for? Click on our affiliate link and start your voice cloning adventure. Who knows, maybe your AI clone will be writing the next blog post for you! Until next time, this is the Gadget Man, signing off – or should I say, my digital twin is signing off! For more information, click or scan the QR Code below or simply visit https://revw.uk/elevenlabs https://revw.uk/elevenlabs The post The Gadget Man, Episode 177 – My Incredible Journey into Text-to-Speech and Cloning My Voice with AI Magic. appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

This morning, I had an enlightening discussion with Tammy Gooding on BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester regarding the ongoing broadband infrastructure enhancements, particularly in light of the Copper Switch-off as announced by Openreach. This move is all about transitioning from the traditional copper wire systems to a more robust and faster digital infrastructure, aiming to future-proof our towns and villages. However, not everyone seems to be on board with this tech transition, as exemplified by the recent uproar in the picturesque Worcestershire village of Broadway. The crux of the matter unfurled as broadband poles started sprouting up, much to the dismay of the local populace. It seems Full Fibre, the provider spearheading this initiative, hit a nerve when their wooden poles, standing tall at up to 11 meters, started altering the village skyline. The discontent among the residents morphed into a full-blown protest, with nearly 80 individuals rallying to halt the erection of these broadband poles in Avrill Close. The agitation escalated when a 75-year-old villager, David Owen, took a stance quite literally by spending more than four hours in one of the lorries brought in by the contractors. This brings us to the question – is the infrastructural overhaul a necessary leap towards a digital future or an imposition disregarding the public sentiment? I tend to lean towards the necessity of upgrading our digital infrastructure, especially when the world is rapidly shifting towards a more connected existence. The Copper Switch off, as discussed on Openreach’s blog post, is a significant stride towards ensuring that the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure is not left in the digital dust. The saga in Broadway sheds light on the teething issues that such infrastructural transitions entail. On one side, we have Full Fibre asserting their commitment to addressing concerns and emphasizing the critical nature of their work in upgrading the UK’s digital skeleton. On the flip side, the residents feel slighted, their concerns seemingly brushed under the rug, as they see these poles as nothing more than “ugly eyesores” marring their beautiful village. Lisa Kelly, a villager, encapsulated the general sentiment by stating that they already have satisfactory broadband speeds and do not see the need for these poles. The word “disenfranchised” was used, painting a picture of a community feeling left out of a decision that directly impacts them. The episode also invited the presence of West Mercia Police officers to ensure the situation remained under control, illustrating the extent of discord between the advancement of digital infrastructure and public approval. These infrastructural enhancements are a double-edged sword. They promise a digital leap but at the cost of unsettling the communal harmony, at least temporarily. The Broadway scenario is a microcosm of the broader dialogue between technological advancement and community consent. The future is exciting, but the path there should be paved with understanding and cooperation. The post Gadget Man – Episode 175 – The Copper Switch Off: A Necessary Evil or a Step too Far? appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

I’m back again for a new episode of the podcast which features me chatting to Lesley Dolphin at BBC Radio Suffolk about Apples plans to allow their devices to be repaired. Pretty much everyone is in shock at this decision, which isn’t quite as welcome as it could be. Listen in to the stream to find out more!   The post Gadget Man – Episode 173 – Repair your own Apple devices? appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of talking to Tim Shepherd, Senior Director of Bullitt Group. Bullitt is the sole manufacturer and license holder of CAT Smartphones and Feature-phones. You can also read the announcement of the CAT S42 Smartphone The S42 can be cleaned with soap and water During the interview, Tim talks in-depth about the ‘Anti-Microbial’ CAT S42 Smartphone which is the world’s first Anti-Bacterial Phone. You can listen in to the interview in full and if you would like to read about the new device, read out blog-post here. The CAT S42 Smartphone is currently available to purchase for £228 from Rugged Mobiles the new Anti-Microbial version will be available in early 2021.   The post Gadget Man – Episode 172 – Cat S42 Smartphone appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

It’s a day of celebration for gaming fans as Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) launches its next-generation console, PlayStation®5 (PS5™), in the UK. Today, I spoke to James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk about the new console, listen in to the attached audio to hear more, otherwise, read on! “Today marks a historic moment for the PlayStation brand, and all of us at SIE are pleased to celebrate the release of PlayStation 5 together with our community of fans, game developers, and industry partners,” said Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. Spiderman Mile Morales PS5 “PS5 is a truly next-generation console representing the beginning of a new era for gaming. I’m thrilled for the new worlds that players will begin to experience today, and I’m equally excited for the lineup of games still to come for PS5 that will continue to propel the gameplay experience forward. We are humbled to work with a talented community of world-class game developers. Their creativity will bring limitless possibilities to what the future of gaming can look like on PS5.” Fans and Sony Celebrate as the PS5 Launches in the UK SIE is welcoming this new generation of gaming by lighting up iconic buildings and popular sites in 25 territories around the world, projecting images of the PlayStation® shapes, the PS5 console, the DualSense wireless controller, and other PlayStation brand imagery. The projections which started on the 12th November saw activations in cities including  Tokyo, New York, Auckland, Toronto, Seoul and Mexico City, with more iconic sites being lit up this week to celebrate the launch. Playstation 5 Digital Edition The PS5 Digital Edition will be available for a recommended retail price (RRP) of £349.99 and PS5 with an Ultra HD Blu-ray™ disc drive will be available for an RRP of £449.99. . With the exception of the Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive, both PS5 models offer the same specifications, so players will enjoy the same transformative gameplay experiences regardless of which PS5 they choose. Playstation 5 The breadth of PlayStation 5’s game library represents the best lineup in PlayStation console history, led by launch day titles from SIE Worldwide Studios, including Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and Astro’s Playroom. PS5 owners can enjoy more than three dozen new games this holiday, including highly anticipated games from SIE’s publishing partners such as Call of Duty®: Black Ops Cold War (Activision), Fortnite (Epic Games), FIFA 21 (EA), NBA 2K21 (2K), Godfall (Gearbox Publishing), Watch Dogs®: Legion and Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla (Ubisoft), and many more. Meanwhile, new titles from independent developers, such as Bugsnax (Young Horses) and The Pathless (Giant Squid/Annapurna Interactive) demonstrate the breadth of diverse content coming to PS5. Spiderman Mile Morales PS5 PS5 owners can look forward to even more incredible games coming soon. Upcoming Worldwide Studios exclusives include Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Returnal, Destruction AllStars, Horizon Forbidden West, Gran Turismo™ 7, and a new God of War game. Additional games launching first on PS5 include DEATHLOOP™ from Arkane Studios/Bethesda Softworks, Ghostwire™: Tokyo from Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks, Project Athia (Working Title) from Luminous Productions/Square Enix, and Final Fantasy® XVI from Square Enix. Resident Evil™ Village from Capcom and Hogwarts Legacy from Warner Bros. Games round out the lineup of highly anticipated PS5 titles. Sackboy on PS5 At launch, this November, PlayStation Plus members can enjoy a curated lineup of 20 PlayStation®4 games that defined the generation with the PlayStation Plus Collection*, available to download and play on PlayStation 5. The PlayStation Plus Collection features critically acclaimed games, including Batman™: Arkham Knight, Bloodborne, Call of Duty®: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicle Edition, Fallout® 4, God of War, Monster Hunter: World™, Final Fantasy®XV, Resident Evil®7 Biohazard, Persona 5, The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and more. Spiderman Mile Morales PS5 Inspired by a global community of creators, PS5 will bring players into game worlds with unprecedented speed, visual fidelity and sensory immersion. Gamers will enjoy near-instant load times thanks to PS5’s ultra-high-speed solid-state drive (SSD), as well as breathtaking 4K graphics and silky-smooth gameplay up to 120 frames per second. With the enhanced haptic feedback and adaptive triggers of the DualSense wireless controller and the immersive soundscapes made possible by Tempest 3D AudioTech, PlayStation 5 heightens players’ senses, making them feel transported into their game world. PS5 Dual Wireless Charging Station In addition to transformative gaming experiences, PlayStation 5 offers plenty of entertainment experiences, with a curated lineup of some of the most popular streaming services** available at launch, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, Peacock, Spotify, Twitch, YouTube, and more. There will be a dedicated space exclusively for media entertainment on PlayStation 5, making it fast and easy to switch between games and movie/TV. We may earn a commission from sales when you click on our links. The post Gadget Man – Episode 171 – Fans and Sony Celebrate as the PS5 Launches in the UK appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Welcome to Gadget Man Episode 170, here I talk to James Hazell at BBC Radio Suffolk about the CAT S62 Pro mobile phone with FLIR thermal imaging camera, the Humax Aura Android TV 4K Freeview Play Recorder, and the issues that some owners of Ring doorbells have been experiencing due to incorrect installation. Cat S62 Pro FLIR Lepton Thermal Imaging Camera I will be adding full reviews of the CAT S62 Pro and Humax Aura over the coming days. The Humax Aura 4K Freeview  can be purchased through Amazon here The CAT S62 Pro can also be purchased from Rugged Mobiles We earn a commission from Amazon for sales made through our links. Stay well Matt The post Gadget Man – Episode 170 – Cat S62 Pro with Thermal Imaging, Humax Aura 4K Freeview Box and problems with Ring appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

In this episode, I chat to James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk about the ban on locking mobile phone handsets in the UK. Mobile phone companies will be banned from selling ‘locked’ handsets, under a range of new rules from Ofcom that will make switching even simpler. Some companies – including BT/EE, Tesco Mobile and Vodafone – still sell mobile phones that can’t be used on other networks unless they are unlocked. But this is a potentially complicated process which can also cost around £10. Ofcoms research shows that more than a third of people who decided against switching said this put them off. Switching between mobile networks should now be simpler following Ofcom ruling Almost half of the customers who try to unlock their phone have difficulties doing so. For example, they might experience a long delay before getting the code they need to unlock their phone; the code might not work, or they could suffer a loss of service if they did not realise their phone was locked before they tried to switch. So, following consultation, Ofcom has confirmed that mobile companies will be banned from selling locked phones. This will allow people to move to a different network with their existing handset, hassle-free. The new rules will come in from December 2021. The post Gadget Man – Episode 169 – Ofcom orders Phone Networks to Stop Locking Phones + Advice and Tips about Switching Networks appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

This is the slightly delayed episode from 15th October 2020. Packed with lots of news and comment. Here I discuss the Snakebyte E-Sports Starter Kit Package , Covid Track and Trace, the Ordo Sonic+ Toothbrush and the iPhone 12 (in four different sizes!). You can listen in to the recording above or subscribe using your favourite podcast player. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, share or comment! See you presently! Matt. Ordo Sonic+ Toothbrush Snakebyte E-Sports Starter Kit Apple iPhone12, iPhone12 Pro, iPad Air – Image Apple Inc   The post Gadget Man – Episode 168 – Snakebyte E-Sports Starter Kit – Covid Track and Trace – Ordo Sonic+ Toothbrush – iPhone 12 appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Having spent the summer starting new businesses, building websites and gadgets, as well as building global distribution networks and running the home for a short while, I return with my latest review and podcast episode. This week I am talking to James Hazell at BBC Radio Suffolk about the NHS England Track and Trace App (part ii) and most excitingly, my experience with the Kebao Air 3 which is a truly futuristic gadget! Listen in to the stream and read on to find out more about the Kebao Air 3 Air Purifer. Kebao Air 3: Game-Changing air purification comes to the UK! Poor air quality has become one of the largest environmental risks to the health of people of the United Kingdom and with the Coronavirus Pandemic, it has become more important than ever that we breathe healthy air that is free from harmful particles and unpleasant viruses. So, it was incredibly timely that I was recently contacted by Kebao to test their new ‘filterless’ air purifier, namely the Kebao Air 3. The Air 3 combines sleek design with cutting edge technology, which in turn completely eliminates 99.99% of airborne pollutants, viruses, bacteria and allergens and consequently provides ‘Surgical Grade’ air and deodorisation. Instead of using standard High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters that can capture particulate matter of 0.3 microns or larger with 99.95% efficiency (a human hair is between 17 and 181 microns), the Kebao Air 3 is capable of eliminating particles down to a size of 0.01 microns. This is a big deal because COVID19 particles are around 0.12 microns in size, small enough to pass through a HEPA filter, but the too big to pass through the Air 3! The Kebao Air 3 does this using a brand-new type of 5-stage filtration. Stage 1 is a pre-filter which removes larger particles from the air and can be cleaned and reused for the lifetime of the product. Stage 2 uses a high-voltage negative charge to deactivate viruses and bacteria and retains the debris on charged plates stopping re-release. Stage 3 using a mind-blowing ‘Photocatalytic Oxidisation’ based on Albert Einstein’s ‘Photon Energy’. UV light initiates a stepwise free radical decomposition of organic compounds, which produces water and carbon dioxide as a by-product. The Air 3 has 48 LED bulbs and a Ti02 alumina ceramic photocatalytic ozone-free filter. Stage 4 uses 4kg of loose granulated carbon, impregnated with amines which absorb and decomposes any harmful gasses. Stage 5 Surgical grade, deodorised air is circulated through you room clear of 99.99% of harmful particulates! The display shows air quality in two readings, the first two numbers are the temperature and humidity, the second set are PM2.5 and TVOC readings. PM2.5 is a measure of the number of particles less than 2.5 microns in size and are caused by burning fuel, chemical reactions and forest fires. PM2.5 particles are very unhealthy, causing eye, nose and throat irritations, coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath. They can also cause asthma, chronic bronchitis and heart disease. In the UK, air must remain below 25, the WHO recommends below 10, London’s average is 10, my house is currently 1 after having the Air 3 running for over a week! The second setting is TVOC (Total Volatile Organic Compound) which is another way of measuring air quality, again this was negligible at 0.02 after a week of running. All of this amazing technology comes at a price. The unit is aimed at commercial enterprises who want to keep their staff and customers safe, so it would suit a restaurant or office space as it is actively cleaning the air the whole time. The price of £1600 reflects a premium commercial product, but I can honestly see it becoming something of a norm in the UK especially due to the current crisis! The Kebao Air 3 is available to buy directly from Kebao Stay safe The post Gadget Man – Episode 167 – Kebao Air 3 – Game Changing Air Purification arrives in the UK appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Following up on my previous blog post avoiding phishing emails, I present the audio version, but is it really me at all? Tune in and listen, and do let me know what you think? See you next time! Stay Safe, Matt   The post Gadget Man – Episode 166 – Is that really you? Three ways to avoid phishing email, the audio version appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Today, I spoke to Rob Dunger on Radio Felixstowe about getting going with video calls using Zoom, Houseparty, Skype, Messenger or Google Meet! You can listen to the segment via the attached file or read the Is was great to catch up with Rob after so long! Matt Porter: [00:00:00] Well, we, we start with, I think familiar, tools that we might already be using. So we’re a Facebook user. We can use messenger and that will allow us to have video chats on a one to one basis. We can also do that in, FaceTime if you have an iPhone or an iPad. But if he wants to talk to more people, then there are other options such as zoom and Houseparty. [00:00:32] And both of those allow you to have, a number of people in a chat. At the same time, Google also unlocked their, group video chat functionality, which I believe can give up to a hundred people at a time. Into into, into a group chat or a mix. I’m not sure how well that would work. [00:00:51] Rob Dunger: [00:00:51] I can imagine the [00:00:53] Matt Porter: [00:00:53] same time. [00:00:55] Rob Dunger: [00:00:55] Do they have individually advantages and the different zooms and the Skypes and these sort of things? [00:01:00] Matt Porter: [00:01:00] Yeah, I think, Oh yeah. Skype. For instance, he’s very well known, so it’s a trusted brand in a sense. It’s the same as zoom. Lots of people are talking about zoom at the moment. it’s getting lots of positive press, some negative, but it’s a familiar brand, so people are more likely to trust that it’s a safe place to go. [00:01:22]so. Yeah. There’s, there’s, there’s good and bad on all of these things. Houseparty I’ve used a little bit. you do have to lock the door on that. Effectively. There’s an option to lock the door to stop people just wandering into a conversation, which I believe you can do on that. I [00:01:37] Rob Dunger: [00:01:37] didn’t know that. [00:01:38] Zoom. Zoom is private, isn’t it? Is it just your own, your own group or can anyone join in your [00:01:43] Matt Porter: [00:01:43] conversation? There was discussions about potentially people can, jumping to conversations. I’m still not entirely clear how they go about doing that sort of malicious way, and I believe that it’s been locked down, but generally you would. [00:01:59] With zoom, you’d be sent, you know, set your own meeting up and then send out an invite to your, your friends, trusted friends, and then they can use that invitation code to join the meeting. Or even just add them in. if you have them set up those contacts within zoom so you can aggregate group of people that you trust, that you add to a, add to a meeting or to a conversation. [00:02:21] Rob Dunger: [00:02:21] A lot of people trying this for the first time and they’re, they’re learning by like, I do like making mistakes. For, for novice, what do we need to do? What’s the equipment we need? If they’re just someone, say, a retired person now and they’ve got a computer, what do they need to have? [00:02:37] Matt Porter: [00:02:37] Ideally, they need to have a relatively modern computer. [00:02:41] Say the last five or six years old needs to have a web cam. Many laptops or notebook size computers have built in webcams. that can be beneficial because the software will generally. recognize them, from the start so you don’t have to mess around trying to configure things. and you need to have something that could, it’s got the pair of speakers on it. [00:03:02] Normally, again, laptops, notebook type computers will have speakers on them. Or you can use an iPad or a tablet, because it’s going to have a reason to be decent size screen and decent sound and microphone and everything. [00:03:14] Rob Dunger: [00:03:14] There’s no special connection you, you need for this, just so it’s just on your ordinary internet connection. [00:03:19] Matt Porter: [00:03:19] Yeah. When we say ordinary internet connection, I mean, yeah, it’s broad band. you know, reasonably high speed. I think most, most households appear to have this. I know there are some that don’t. but yeah, broadband, 30 megabits per second or something like that would be sufficient to have a video conversation because your video is actually going out to another server and then being served back to you using complicated things so you’re not having like 20 people connecting into your computer or anything. [00:03:46] It’s all done from a centralized set of servers based on whichever provider is is you’re using. [00:03:55] Rob Dunger: [00:03:55] But as an ordinary user, we don’t have to be bothered with those things. Do we? With the governance that goes on behind and let you let you boffins do it like that. [00:04:03] Matt Porter: [00:04:03] Oh, that’s right. I think simplicity is the key. [00:04:06] And if these things are too complicated, then that’s the stumbling block. People become frustrated and they out of what they’re doing. And I have to be honest, I find that sometimes I use a piece of software. Someone says to me, try and try this out, and I just think, what is going on here? Why is nothing. [00:04:22] Where it should be. This is really difficult to use and you know, people’s concentration or their patients, especially at a time like we’re going through at the moment, it’s low. So it needs to be simple to set up. Funnily enough, the, the phone and the tablet apps tend to be much easier to use, in my opinion, than the, PC based. [00:04:43] I think it’s because they’re simplified. From the start anyway, so they can’t get too complicated. So there’s a lot of swiping to the left and right to get options or stuff like that, but it’s fairly easy to use. [00:04:55] Rob Dunger: [00:04:55] Okay. Take me through like a typical couple. Today in Dover court or in , they’ve got their PC and they want to set up a zoom meeting. [00:05:02] What do they need to prepare. [00:05:05] Matt Porter: [00:05:05] I think they need to find somewhere where they’re going to be comfortable, where there’s not going to be glare glare on their screen. And consequently, if there’s glare on the screen, it’s probably going to glare on there. A camera as well, and obscure the other person’s, view of them. [00:05:25]and also what’s kind of useful is if you’re going to have something like this running, is to try and position. Is the device that you’re going to be looking at sort of as close to head height as possible. otherwise, because you really, you get better results, you get nasal hair picking up somebody’s nose. [00:05:49]And, and it, and it’s a lot more, and it’s a lot kinder as well. You know, you don’t, even if you don’t have a double chin, if you have, the, the camera too far down, it will extend you those kinds of things as well. So you, you know, this is why you see lots of selfie photographs where they’re holding them up high and looking down. [00:06:08] It’s because it has that slimming effect on them. [00:06:11] Rob Dunger: [00:06:11] So if you put your laptop on your table and probably put it on some books and have it higher up, so almost. [00:06:18] Matt Porter: [00:06:18] Yeah, I mean, if I’m, where I’m sitting at the moment, I’ve got, a like a scanner printer and I could effectively lift my laptop up on top of that and that would lift it up by six inches and give a nice, a nice, pleasant framing of me if I was on a video chat. [00:06:34] So yeah, just a couple of books, a couple of big books, so it’s nice and stable and that would just lift it up if it’s a, and again, if it’s, if you’re using a device, you don’t have to hold that device in your hand. You can lean it up. Against something, you know, or secure it somewhere so it’s nice and steady and then you can, you’ve got your hands free to, to be comfortable. [00:06:55] Rob Dunger: [00:06:55] And how far away should it be? I mean, we, we can see a tiny little picture of herself, but often we forget that picture and we forget that. What’s what they’re looking at other people looking at. That’s important, isn’t it? That we look good. [00:07:07] Matt Porter: [00:07:07] Yeah. If you’re too close, then the camera on these devices going again is going to make you, cause they’re quite wide angle. [00:07:13] You see going to get a bit of a fishbowl effect if you’re not careful. If you’re too far away, then you’ll get your, your sound is going to be affected as well. So you kind of need to be in a comfortable sort of position. I know maybe a foot two foot away from whatever you’re looking at. Just a. You know, you don’t want to be completely filling the, the frame, but you also don’t want to be so far away that you’re just a little tiny spot on someone’s screen because these chats, systems will have multiple people on the screen at the same time sometimes, and therefore they’ve got to recognize who you are. [00:07:48] So, yeah, you just got an experiment really, and get comfortable and feel comfortable with what you look like, or it sounds like we’re being super, Obsessed by how we look, but you’ve got to be comfortable if you’re going to do these things because it can be scary to people, you know, when they first start using them. [00:08:05] Rob Dunger: [00:08:05] When I’m watching interviews on tele, I love looking in the background. That’s important as well, isn’t it? Make sure you tidy up and puts, put certain things away. Don’t leave Matt on show for everybody to see what you’ve got. [00:08:15] Matt Porter: [00:08:15] This happens to me all the time. I do quite a lot of video stuff where I’m recording myself and I’ll sit there, set myself up and record and get everything set up, and then I’ll suddenly realize that there’s a clothes dryer in the background with a pair of underpants hanging out or something, and you’re suddenly rushing around trying to move everything out of the way. [00:08:36] So have a think about where you’re going to sit. You can actually, with a lot of these systems, you can actually pick her back. Ground, which it uses a bit of trickery the last it lasts you to get to effectively get out of shot. So we can just see the background and then it takes a kind of picture of the background, and then there’s like a blue screen effect on it so you can put some other background behind you, but that’s, sometimes it doesn’t work at great. [00:09:02] If you’ve got long hair and things like that, you’re, you can find your hair disappears. And reappears again. but if then you can do that if you want to, if you really want to completely disguise where you are, you can put your own backgrounds in. [00:09:14] Rob Dunger: [00:09:14] I’ve tried that. I was on the beach last week, and that looked really good, but it’s sounds should be careful as well, because we’re on at the moment. [00:09:21] I noticed when I was on the air today, I’ve got a really creaky chair and you can hear that. So again. Watch what sounds you’ve got and watch what counts, what a surface you’re working on, because you can hear, you can hear every knock. Got you. [00:09:32] Matt Porter: [00:09:32] I’ve got exactly the same problem. The chair that I’m sitting on at the moment. [00:09:35] Every time I move, there’s a nice little Creek. [00:09:39] Rob Dunger: [00:09:39] so that was back [00:09:42] Matt Porter: [00:09:42] when it was really, so you know, again about those, some of the things, it’s really about what I tell one of them. Big issues is that when you get into these conversations, I saw it yesterday. I was somehow started watching, a competition where these people had to eat a particular biscuit. [00:10:02] How  did you say? And, yeah. There was a one guy on there, they did say, can everyone mute their microphones, please? And this one guy hadn’t. And you could hear him, him clattering around in the background. And of course what happens with especially zoom is that it’s triggered by sound and motion. So if you make a noise or if you speak, it gives you the floor, if you like. [00:10:26] So you become center stage. And because this guy was clattering around quite a bit, he kept. Jumping to him. so yeah, be aware that all the noise you make around your computer is going to be picked up by the microphone. [00:10:38] Rob Dunger: [00:10:38] It can be quite inappropriate sometimes when you’re watching the church service. [00:10:42] Matt Porter: [00:10:42] So can you imagine, [00:10:44] Rob Dunger: [00:10:44] and of course, make sure that. [00:10:46] Other people in the household know what you’re doing, so they don’t shout out to you, your dinner’s ready or walk, walk in or that. That’s fun as well. [00:10:52] Matt Porter: [00:10:52] Yes. I was on zoom the other day, which was a blue shot at six other people were in and normally we’d meet up. But this was the first time that they tried to do it remotely and there were grandchildren walking in, in the background asking for a drink. [00:11:08] There was someone knocking on the door and getting up and all of these kinds of things were going on. And I think we started out with about seven people, and by the end of the meeting, there were about three of us left because everyone else had acted off and do all these other things. So yeah, make sure that you sort of apply yourself or you’re going to go and do it, especially if you’re hosting it, you know? [00:11:26] Don’t try not to get too distracted. [00:11:29] Rob Dunger: [00:11:29] It’s fun though, isn’t it? I mean, unless it’s a business beat in which it’s different, but it’s fun and it’s a different way of communicating and it is crucial this time that we have something like this. It [00:11:39] Matt Porter: [00:11:39] is, it’s incredible where we’re, it’s such a drastic, time in all of our lives. [00:11:46] We’re so lucky that technology has. In some way saved us from, a much worse fight in as much as we have all this technology, all these ways of doing things that we didn’t have 20 years ago. So we, you know, we can order our food, we can do all of these, I think, and we can communicate with our loved ones, which is really, really important. [00:12:09] And especially when we’re being honest. Try and distance ourselves from people. Keep socially distance. You know that by being able to have that interaction with our family and friends via video is great. Friend of mine has had quiz nights with his family where they actually set up quiz boards and they all sit in there and asking questions and answering questions. [00:12:32] It’s incredible how inventive and creative people have become with something that probably wasn’t initially designed for this, for this, this kind of thing. You know, it was intended for business meetings and stuff like that, but actually the family gets together is great, [00:12:49] Rob Dunger: [00:12:49] and it’s not scary to try the first time, try it with some friends or family or, or maybe some coffee mates to bring them up and say, Oh, to Skype him or zoom and say, should we ever go? [00:12:57] It’s worth trying, isn’t it? Yeah. [00:12:59] Matt Porter: [00:12:59] Of course it is. And you know, I was trying out with my dad the other day and he was talking to me and I ended up bringing him on the landline and saying that, you’ve got your microphone muted. Can you just unmute it? Well, we’re doing that then. So I’m trying to talk him through unmute and his microphone so I could hang up on him and him. [00:13:18]I think it was face-time actually at the time, but yeah, it was fine. You know, if you’re doing it with people that your family and friends and you should be comfortable enough to, to. You know, take, take direction from them and everything like that without feeling daft. And it’s great fun. I know that there’s lots and lots of people involved. [00:13:36] I, I’ve noticed a lot of church services actually. I’ve started doing zoom, church church services, which I think is great. I did ask my mom the other day, I said, are you standing in the living room singing the hymn? but she didn’t, she just, she thought I was joking. [00:13:52] Rob Dunger: [00:13:52] Allegations are bigger on the, on the, on the, FaceTime and zoom than ever they had in the church. So it’s just good. It’s a new way. [00:13:59] Matt Porter: [00:13:59] It is a new way of doing things. And, and we seem to be able to find a way around these difficulties. And that seems, this seems to be one of the amazing things. And it’s also interesting to see how, TV, programs have now started using the same technology and how you can see the. [00:14:17] They’re used to doing things a particular way and they’re suddenly having to use a new technology. And somehow, sometimes it doesn’t work that well because you don’t get that audience feedback that you would, they would only be used to. Whereas you have the people that are used to using YouTube and most those kinds of platforms all the time, they’re much more comfortable with that whole thing, and then they come across bear. [00:14:42] So it’s a very interesting time. [00:14:44] Rob Dunger: [00:14:44] This is only part of what you do. You’re your gadget mad, aren’t you? Absolutely addicted to gadgets. [00:14:49] Matt Porter: [00:14:49] All kinds of things. Technology and gadgets, everything. Yeah. [00:14:53] Rob Dunger: [00:14:53] What are you working on at the moment then? What sort of things? [00:14:56] Matt Porter: [00:14:56] well I’ve, I’ve still got a business to run and I’ve still been doing things relating to that. [00:15:02] I’ve been lucky that. my customer base hasn’t been terribly affected so far by what’s been going on. So that’s been going on as normal. But I’ve also been doing lots of different pet projects at the moment. I started, a few weeks ago building a website to give people the ability to print signage for social distancing and, and, and information, and it’s all free and things like that. [00:15:27] And it’s turned out, but, it’s become really, really busy. I’ve got. At any one time I’ve got 10 or 11 people all tying to make their own signs on the website. So, that’s been really, really challenging. And also from just having some, basic posters that I designed myself, now people can go on there and design their own and put their own texts on there and then download it as a PDF, print it and put it on their walls or wherever else they need to. [00:15:53] So that’s kind of trying to give it back, give something back to. Community and society, you know, rather than, find a way of making money off the back of it, but actually do something that’s creative and good for [00:16:10] Rob Dunger: [00:16:10] skills that we can learn at this time. It would take for us when we, when we do eventually get better times. [00:16:15] Matt Porter: [00:16:15] There is, yes, I’ve been bit, I’ve also made some, some gadgets, some, some electronic gadgets and, and built, cameras, which can, do film, film stars and things like that and all kinds of different things I’ve done since. Just because I’ve had the time to do it. I’ve always wanted to have these things, for other reasons. [00:16:35] But because there’s been so much spare time to be able to sit, and it’s an excuse, you can kind of excuse yourself. So don’t you worry about what there’s lots of people, [00:16:44] Rob Dunger: [00:16:44] don’t you worry about Australia and on inside your head. [00:16:48] Matt Porter: [00:16:48] I tell you lots of things. You know, I, the other day I, I, I made a, built a very, very simple website that could, generate. [00:16:57] 1980s t-shirt slogans like Frankie, say, relax or choose life, but have all the text align correctly and resize in a site there for our evening doing that and and able to do it, you know? And then you can look at the logs to see what other people might be doing and you find out that they are all making their own t-shirt slogans. [00:17:17] Yeah, it does worry me really why I thought that was an important thing to do, but I’m sure I tried to find an excuse for. Doing that project to solve another problem on something else. [00:17:27] Rob Dunger: [00:17:27] You better tell people where to find you, then [00:17:30] Matt Porter: [00:17:30] yes, you can go to the gadget man.org.uk, which is my gadget review site. [00:17:39] And from there you’ll be able to link to the other websites as well, which is. tshirtslogans.uk and socialdistancingsigns.uk The post The Gadget Man – Episode 165 – How to get going with video calls with Rob Dunger from Felixstowe Radio appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Yesterday myself and industry expert, Dario Talmesio, Principal Analyst & Practice Leader at Omdia spoke to James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk about the COVID-19 / 5G Conspiracy Theory. You can listen to the stream above or read on to find out more. 5G has been under attack by conspiracy theorists for as long as it has existed. Every conceivable disease, illness or cancer has been blamed on the technology. It has been open-season for several years. During this time, every single theory has been repeatedly debunked by teams of scientists and experts throughout the world, but still, it prevails. Enter Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the highly infectious disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) first discovered in December 2019 Wuhan, China. At the time of publication, COVID-19 has infected more than 1.36 million people in 184 countries. Sadly, resulting in the death of an excess of 76000 people. This virus has become a global killer on a scale not seen since the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918. Dario Talmesio Principal Analyst & Practice LeaderCountry UK – Image Credit OMDIA At a time when our highly advanced telecommunications networks are one of the saving graces of the crisis, the last thing we need to hear is that people are beginning to try and link COVID-19 to the building of the 5G network. Worse, there are now acts of vandalism being enacted upon the newly installed equipment, damaging expensive equipment and putting peoples lives at risk. This damage and continued encouragement from high profile celebrities have resulted in the UK providers issuing a joint letter to customers asking for the damage to stop. Frankly, I continue to be exasperated by the need for every single thing that happens on our planet to be blamed on technology, government or secret societies! The sooner we knuckle down and work together to defeat this appalling virus in every way we can, the better! Stay at Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives Open Letter to Customers from EE, O2, 3 and Vodafone Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, SHARE and COMMENT. See you next time, Stay Safe Matt The post Gadget Man – Episode 164 – Debunking the COVID-19 / 5G Conspiracy Theory appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

The Coronavirus / Covid-19 crisis continues to affect the entire world. With the newly introduced restrictions of movement of people in the UK, today I spoke to James Hazell at BBC Radio Suffolk about how such a large increase in people at home can affect our Broadband Speeds and what we can do to get the best out of our connections. In the second half, I talked about how to keep in contact with your family and friends using the likes of FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Skype and Zoom. Listen in to the audio stream and let me know what you think? Don’t forget to like, share, subscribe and most importantly stay safe and healthy To raise the awareness of social distancing, download our free ready to print A4 or A3 posters by clicking here and remember Social Distancing Saves Lives Social Distancing Saves Lives The post The Gadget Man – Episode 163 – Improving Broadband Speeds and Setting up Video Calling appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Such are the strange times we live in, many of us now face working from home for the first time along with caring for our children. I have worked from home extensively over the past 20 years and I thought I would try and share some tips on how I have been able to work effectively in a home environment. This morning I spoke to James Hazell at BBC Radio Suffolk about the trials and tribulations about working from home. Listen in to the stream to hear what I had to say and especially the advice at the end. Stay Safe and Healthy If you have been given a laptop to use at home, then there is a danger that you may find yourself sitting in an armchair trying to work and you will soon find this isn’t going to work well. Set up a work environment in a spare room or even your bedroom where you can away from disturbances and distractions as best as possible. Find a comfortable chair and if possible sit near a window so you can get fresh air while you are working. Set up your computer, so that is a semi-permanent environment and will allow you to separate work from home and give you a place to ‘go to work’ Get dressed, you don’t go to your place of work in your pyjamas, so again, getting dressed gets your prepared for work. Take plenty of breaks. If you have children at home, you will need to be able to give them attention. If you can set specific times during the day to stop work, get up and walk around and make yourself a drink. Try to begin and end your work-day as you would if you were going to your place of work. Let your employer know that these are your work times. Setting these boundaries will mean that you aren’t on-call 24/7. Most home-working requires an internet connection. Over the coming months, our communications links are going to be under a great deal of strain. The video streaming services are going to be used extensively and this will put a great deal of pressure on internet connection speeds. Home internet is very different to work internet due to what’s called ‘contention ratios’, so you should be prepared for slower than normal connection speeds. Ask your employer to provide you with a mobile device that can be used as a ‘tether’. This means that should traditional broadband experience issues, you can fall back onto connecting to the internet by connecting via a ‘personal mobile hotspot’. Make sure all of your internet-connected devices are up to date. This means ensuring anti-virus is updated where applicable and any operating systems updates on your computers, set-top boxes, TV’s, IpCams etc are updated Keep all of your battery-powered devices charged up, but don’t leave mobile phones plugged in all of the time as the batteries don’t work as effectively if they all continuously charged. Use a trusted VPN connection to secure your broadband connection further. I recommend Ivacy VPN. Using a VPN or Virtual Private Network secures your connection. Finally, regardless of whether you are working at home or not, you WILL find the number of scam calls you receive will increase, mainly because you will find yourself at home so much more. NEVER give out any personal bank details over the phone including PIN numbers or passwords. Ignore all automated calls and just hang up. These people care little for the health or financial wellbeing of their victims. If in doubt, speak to a trusted friend or member of your family before taking any action that will cost you money. Stay Well and see you soon! Matt www.thegadgetman.org.uk The post The Gadget Man – Episode 162 – Working From Home During the Coronavirus / Covid-19 Crisis appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

In this week’s Gadget Man, I talk to James Hazell about phantom phone calls when phones are set to silent, Zombie Bot Networks, Dyson Hair Straighteners and VAT is finally removed from eBooks! You can listen to the stream (above) or play the video (below) James Hazell: [00:00:00] It’s time. We looked at technology, several things to discuss, not least of which can scammers really make your phone ring when it’s set to silent cause mine just did that is find out more from the gadget guru Matt Porter of Matt thought a web designer. Hi Matt. Matt Porter: [00:00:23] Hi, James Hazell: [00:00:24] good to speak to you. As always, my friend. Now I’ve just read this and I don’t know if it’s true or not, but my phone, Jeff definitely just rang in the middle of an interview and it is set to silent and this particular website says, Oh yes, banners can do that. They can make your phone ring even if it’s on silent. Is that true, Matt? Matt Porter: [00:00:44] I’ve certainly heard of strange things occurring with phones and things like that. there are. I think particular codes, which can override these kinds of silent system so that you are contacted if necessary, in an event of an emergency. What happens James Hazell: [00:01:03] despite it said, yeah, emergency call. but it was just an ordinary number, some, you know, a one, three, three or something. So, you know, Matt Porter: [00:01:12] interesting. It’s, James Hazell: [00:01:13] yeah. Matt Porter: [00:01:14] It’s similar to the traffic. the traffic alert system on cars that even if you have them switched off, there are certain, instances where they will switch on even if you don’t want them to. So then you can, the idea of being, you can be alerted to something that’s very urgent. James Hazell: [00:01:30] Well, I guess what we can learn from this is that if your phone rings. And it’s set to silent and you don’t recognize the number. Then as every Bob possibility could be spat, but then if I go say that people won’t answer the emergency calls, so ignore that advice. Matt Porter: [00:01:44] Well, this is the problem yet. James Hazell: [00:01:46] Yeah. Okay. anyway, look, yesterday the budget and that map included a VAT scrap. On eBooks and newspapers. It’s quite specific that, Matt Porter: [00:02:00] yeah, this has been something that’s been going on for quite a while where, the, the, I mean there’s, it’s very contentious, the sale of eBooks and things like that, or eat publications. But the fact that we. don’t have to pay VAT. If we buy newspapers, books, journals, magazines, et cetera. It’s VAT exempt, I believe, but eBooks and eat papers and all of those other things aren’t. This has been, now overturned or, or abolished so that from the 1st of December, we won’t have to pay VAT on our eBooks, magazines, et cetera, which is. A great thing. What it doesn’t cover, unfortunately, is audiobooks. So you still pay VAT on audiobooks, the nib set. That was disappointing. James Hazell: [00:02:40] Yeah. They, have, issued a statement to say that they find that very disappointing. Is this, do you think an oversight? Because I, I can’t imagine any politician is going to want to deliberately upset a group of people such as the IB. Matt Porter: [00:02:55] It, it surely must be an oversight, I guess. and I, I, I listened to audio books all the time. I’m not disabled. However, I’m still having to pay a 20% premium on my audio book that I wouldn’t be if I bought the book from a store. So I think that maybe it needs to be looked at. we’ve got a bit of time before this comes into effect of the 1st of December, so hopefully it will be. but yeah, I don’t see there’s any difference between, reading something online or reading in a book form. In fact, it’s probably. Less, environmentally damaging to read it online, hopefully. James Hazell: [00:03:27] Yeah, absolutely. And that’s the basis behind this a VAT Carson environment thing, right? Yeah. Matt Porter: [00:03:34] Hopefully. Yeah. Gotcha. Alright. James Hazell: [00:03:35] from Matt Porter: [00:03:36] the bedroom James Hazell: [00:03:37] to the bathroom and specifically hair straighteners and something new from Dyson. Matt Porter: [00:03:43] Yes. Dyson, wanting to be the forefront of all things, domestic with their vacuum cleaners and all kinds of other things. Hand dryers, they’ve now, announced a cordless hair straightener, which apparently, requires less heat, so it’s less damaging on, on the person’s hair. And it also. apparently the straighteners are 65 microns thick, which is the width of a human hair. And thus, can effectively, from what I understand, it almost straighten each individual follicule or each individual hair individually so you don’t have to keep going over and over and over and over the hair repeatedly and thus damaging it. so it’s made from. Ah, goodness me. I did write it. And McEleney manganese, copper alloy. It’s slightly flexible as well, guys. Yeah, James Hazell: [00:04:32] they, I had no idea how important has straighteners were until quite recently. Actually. I failed to Matt Porter: [00:04:40] pack them James Hazell: [00:04:41] and then I said, why or what do you need those for? Put them in the bag now won’t go anywhere without the hair. Straighteners Matt Porter: [00:04:48] wow. We live in a, we live in a world where looks and appearance are very important to people. And you know, some people, it helps them with their self confidence. So you can’t really argue against these things. If it makes people feel better, I’m sure they feel delighted to know that this is around 400 pounds less hair straightener but 400 pounds. Yeah. But conveniently just to lessen that blow. It’s available apparently in dark nickel and fuchsia, or purple and black. So that should make people fill out all the holes. It better make one purchase James Hazell: [00:05:20] a difference. Vic, would you spend 400 pounds on air? Straighteners. Matt Porter: [00:05:24] Well, Joe. James Hazell: [00:05:25] Oh my goodness. She’s thinking about an Matt Porter: [00:05:28] eight. James Hazell: [00:05:28] I do have a Matt Porter: [00:05:30] inexpensive pair of straighteners James Hazell: [00:05:31] and they’ve lasted me Matt Porter: [00:05:32] years and they are brilliant. James Hazell: [00:05:33] So I would consider that what? Consider yes hundred pounds on her splints. Matt Porter: [00:05:39] Yes, but then I would on my own a flight if that much, James Hazell: [00:05:42] here’s what’s going to be the problem though, Matt. People are going to be straightening their hair like on the bus and on the tube and things like that. Only now if they are going to be cordless. Matt Porter: [00:05:50] Maybe, who knows? James Hazell: [00:05:52] if they do, I’ll start saving. I’ll start shaving. That’s what I’ll do. Matt Porter: [00:05:55] Yeah. I may be going to have people having, instead of having the expensive headphones stolen on the tube, they’ll be having their hair straighteners stolen James Hazell: [00:06:02] out. That’ll be the next crime wave. Yeah, Matt Porter: [00:06:04] that’s right. You will not, in no way, even in fact, because the  crime straight James Hazell: [00:06:13] on a crime, which I’m finally in Microsoft have said they are part all they are responsible. for dismantling a large international network of zombie bots that were causing 9 million computers, problems accessing or facilitating crime. And goodness knows what is this story man. Matt Porter: [00:06:37] Yeah. This is a, this is something that’s been apparently eight years in the planning with 35 countries, partners in 35 countries around the world. Basically, there were these, automated systems. A botnet is an automated system that does generally unpleasant things. In this case, it was finding and registering domain names automatically building websites and then uploading. Infected software onto those websites. The emails would then be sent out to people unsuspected saying, please connect to your X, Y, Zed, and reset your password. They would unwittingly click on those, which would send them to these. Malicious websites, which would then do things such as steel, identity, gain, access to your bank accounts, and all of those kinds of unpleasant things as stinging passwords, sell you pharmaceuticals and all of that kind of unpleasant stuff. what Microsoft managed to do here was they used an algorithm, which I assume was some kind of artificial intelligence, which could. In advance, predict the domain names that were going to be registered next and block them before in advance so that people actually couldn’t access them at all, which is really, really good use of technology where you’re blocking stuff before even becomes a problem. And apparently this has resulted in the dismantling of this, this zombie botnet. So they’ve James Hazell: [00:08:06] obviously had some success. I do worry though, and Microsoft, I’m by no means alone in this, but their product outlook will frequently put emails from my producer Vick into the spam folder. And you know, there’s, there is a, a balance to be drawn. If we’re too strict with all of this stuff, we end up missing stuff. Matt Porter: [00:08:27] Yeah. Listen, I, I manage, email delivery for, for dozens and dozens and dozens of customers and many, many times I’m having to contact different providers and not pleading with them, but trying to sort of explain to them that this email shouldn’t be put into spam. That’s billions of emails are sent. Spam emails are sent on a daily basis, and the fact that these systems are in place that can, you know, we would have, our mailbox is absolutely full with rubbish. Yeah. Well more rubbish to the normal. if the systems weren’t in place and he’s just, you know, you’re chasing your tail because you get these folks positives all the time. And I get them, I get people, I’m fat. I had a company ring up and berating me saying, why did you delete our email when you asked? You told us we were interested, and I go look in my spam and it’s sitting in there.  absolutely. Yeah. James Hazell: [00:09:21] That’s right. So Matt Porter: [00:09:22] that is great news that they’re working against these things. James Hazell: [00:09:24] The advice, never click on a link unless you are absolutely certain it is a genuinely, right. Matt Porter: [00:09:30] Yeah. These malicious, you know, there’s popups that come up on websites, anything like that, saying, your computer’s infected, all of those things, please, please, please don’t ever click on any of those links. Don’t ring any of those numbers. They are not there to help you. They’re there to steal your money and they don’t care a jot about what situation you might be in financially or in health. They just want your money. So don’t click on anything like that. Don’t ring any numbers. Just go to go to the, you know, go to your nearest supplier or something and speak to somebody you trust. James Hazell: [00:10:02] Matt bought it of Matt bought at web design with the tech update for this week. Might have a great week. Thank you my friend. Matt Porter: [00:10:08] You too. Thanks. The post Gadget Man – Episode 161 – Phantom Calls – Zombie Bots – Hair Straighteners – VAT Free eBooks appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

This morning was the final of my Mix Tape tracks played by James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk. I’ve attached the YouTube playlist yet again below which will play the interview followed by the track. Two Tribes, by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, is a truly incredible track which absolutely blew the music scene away back in 1984 and launched the band into super-stardom. “From the railway station in the distance came the sound of shunting trains, ringing and rumbling, softened almost into melody by the distance.” – H. G. Wells – War of the Worlds   Transcript of the interview is below. James Hazell: The mixtape all this week has featured Matt Porter, our very own gadget guy from Matt Porter web design. We’ve been chewing the cud of technology all this week and the fascination with gadgetry and life in the future. Is there one thing, Matt, we talked yesterday about, uh, where the technology may have gone down the wrong route. Is there one area where you think it might be behind and needs to pick up? The pace of it? Is there. A strand of life that technology Matt Porter: has yet to improve. I’ve got very poor eye sight to where we’ll go out very thick glasses for years and I now wear contact lenses and therefore when I use things like a virtual reality headset, so when I play with them, unless I’ve got my contact lenses in, I can’t because I’ve got a pair of glasses that get away in all of this sort of stuff. And it seems like a first world problem. I think that they’ve, there have just been developments made in. Putting displays on building displays into a contact lens, and when that finally becomes mainstream, that would just be amazing. I mean, I’ll wear contact lenses and have anyways on use to put in them in my yard. James Hazell: It’s odd, isn’t it? Wearing glasses does seem very. Victorian almost way beyond that. We’re still doing it. That can be, I’m not, all right. You can have a call, Tina Mark three air filter over your face like they haven’t stopped. Yeah. Yeah. Apart from that, Matt Porter: Yeah. I think that it’s, that would be super, but I think that you know, I absolutely love the fact that I could, um, uh, shut my eyes and watch your film. James Hazell: Um, it feels like it’s a natural extension to the smartphone. Matt Porter: I mean, I, I was, I had a, a virtual reality headset on. I can a head-up display. I had a hit. I actually had a headset on, um, a couple of years ago, and I was looking for stuff that supported it so you could turn your head around and it would. Turn your head around and it would, um, uh, move accordingly. And, um, and I was watching these things and YouTube supports it. If you say you’ve got a headset on, it’ll show you stuff. So you can see it will move things around. And I remember sitting there and, um, suddenly. It was a, it was someone doing yoga and I didn’t know what could do with myself and where to put myself because suddenly I’m looking like real. Yeah. I’m looking at this woman in some strange yoga position and I couldn’t cover my eyes because they were covered by this. Certainly. If it’s done well, you know, it’s fantastic. And yes, so contact lenses with built-in displays would be, that’s the future James Hazell: Right there. Alright. We’ll wrap up with a set of questions, which we may have borrowed from a certain TV show. We don’t need to go into that. So, Matt Porter, uh, your all-time favourite word. Difficult. Yeah. We never tell guests about these questions. Matt Porter: Um, sarcasm. Sarcasm. James Hazell: Okay. Your least Matt Porter: a favorite word or least favourite phrase is “This One”. Really? Yeah. Everybody seems to be putting pictures on social media and saying had a lovely afternoon. People James Hazell: refer to Matt Porter: people as this, this one. Yeah. James Hazell: What would you say was your best Matt Porter: quality? I’m very caring. Very caring. James Hazell: Good for you, and your worst quality. Matt Porter: Um, I don’t pick up some social cues when it’s time to stop and go. Yeah. So from around someone’s house. Yeah. Don’t get that social cue that it’s now they’re standing there in their pyjamas, within the lights out, James Hazell: and I’m still Matt Porter: talking like that. James Hazell: Uh, ‘Trek or ‘Wars. Careful how you answer. Matt Porter: Well, isn’t it? Isn’t it? It’s so divisive because they are so entirely different. James Hazell: They are entirely Matt Porter: Different because in fairness, Trek is, is utopian. James Hazell: Trek is a nice place. Matt Porter: Yes, utopian, clean air, pleasant, a bit more space, that’s why Star Wars is all kind of dirty and used. So it’s difficult to say, Oh, I’ll say Trek at the moment, because there’s a particular because a Picard’s just come on and it’s nice to see it back. James Hazell:  You’re right. Yes.  A sound that you love? Matt Porter: Trains Passing in the Night in the Distance! That’s a great noise! Oh my God! James Hazell: Always loved the reference in Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds. Uh, trains, uh, in the distance, softened almost into melody by the disc. that’s a lovely phrase. Matt Porter: I used to hear the trains at night when I was young and I think I did actually look it up. And apparently it is a ‘thing’, most people find than the sound of trains passing in the night calm. James Hazell: It is a thing. Yeah. Most surprising. A sound or noise that you hate. That ‘dong’ that windows used to make when something went wrong. Matt Porter: The Blue Screen of Death. Yeah. James Hazell: Uh, and if heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates. Do we need a website? Matt Porter: No, God. Oh no! That’d be the worst thing! I’m glad you are here. My computer’s got a problem. Yeah., I think, um, uh, you’ve done a great job. James Hazell: You are a caring guy. Matt Porter: Welcome and great. Yeah. Yeah. Brilliant. Yeah. James Hazell: Matt Porter. Great to catch up. And you will know that, again, beyond the show with us talking technology as the weeks go by of Matt Porter Web Design, final song. is an app salute stonker, it’s Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Two Tribes, for what reason, Matt? Matt Porter: Um, when Frankie Goes to Hollywood, appeared, it was in 1984, 83-84. That time was quite frightening for people. Eh, you know, we have scary now because we’ve, it’s all to do with the doomsday clock, and we’re closer than ever now. But back then there was a real, uh, it seemed like it could happen. There were broken down relationships between the Soviet Union and the United States. Reagan had just come in and he was quite boisterous at the time. Um, and. It was a scary time. It really felt I think there were a few movies came out, threads the day after they all kind of nuclear war movies, which are quite frightening. Threads were very, very scary because it was so much more real. Um, so there was this feeling of impending doom that we really didn’t have much time.  summed it up, some great lyrics in it. Um, and. I, it was a tough time around that time for me. You know, I’d have, we had a bereavement. My sister died a year or so before. And, uh, it was pretty tough going and, and you kind of become involved listening to particular music and really, really enjoying it. So it was kind of a bit of escapism listening to this band. So. It was, and this track, you know, it was one of the first ones to be sort of heavily remixed and different versions. James Hazell: 4 different mixes? Matt Porter: Different 12” version, Annihilation, Carnage, Hibakusha and Cassette and things like that. It was a fantastic, fantastic track. Nine weeks at number one, and I actually speak to, a couple of the members of the band as well now. Yeah. Um. Holly Johnson, not so much now. I used to have a bit of communication with him on Facebook. Brian Nash, the guitarist, he’s a real, real, real nice guy and had a few conversations with him as well. James Hazell: Interesting. Mark O’Toole. He was another one was Matt Porter: Mark O’Toole was the bass player. He lives in America. He’s kind of quite out of the public eye now. It doesn’t really have much to do with anything social media. Paul Rutherford was the backing singer. He lives in New Zealand. Yes, Ped was the drummer who lives in London. I think I’m friends with him on Facebook, but he doesn’t say very much. His son’s quite an avid, surfer. James Hazell: But back in the day, they all got together with the help of Trevor Horn of course. Matt Porter: Trevor horn, who James Hazell: did a remarkable job. Matt Porter: I went to his house, actually. Yes. So to his house for a Christmas party, 27 years ago. Yeah. So, one of my friends, her uncle. Worked for Stiff Records, right. And stiff was bought by ZTT Records, which was owned by Trevor Horn and Jill Sinclair, they were invited to his Christmas party, which was a place called Hook End Manor in Oxfordshire, right, which was owned by Dave Gilmore, he had just bought it from Dave Gilmore. James Hazell: You hang about with all the big guys don’t ya! Matt Porter: They said, we know you’re a great fan. Will you drive us? My friends and her family said, you drive us and you can come along. So, I did. I drove. I drove out, and it was, um, Wendy and Lisa were there from Prince and the Revolution. Yeah., and Wendy, I think Wendy or no, Lisa Coleman has got a twin, so she was there as well. So there were sort of two Lisa’s and then there was Lol Crème. James Hazell: They are big mates. Matt Porter: Stephen Howe from, Yes. Was there, there was a few other people’s, Seal was meant to be there, but he didn’t come. Um, same record label. Of course. Yeah. He was, yeah, he was time. Uh, yeah, it was, it was, it was James Hazell: It was a great night that was? Matt Porter: Day. Yeah, a whole day thing. Yeah. Well, playing table tennis in the recording studio and played pool and snooker. There you go. James Hazell: Final song from Frankie goes to Hollywood with the genius of Trevor Horn behind it and Matt Porter on the mix tape. Great to speak to you, Matt. We’ll speak soon. Thank you.   The post Gadget Man – Episode 159 – James Hazell Mix Tape Part 4 – Two Tribes – Frankie Goes To Hollywood appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

“I think that there are great ideas which sometimes are rolled out by the wrong people.” This morning was the third of my Mix Tape tracks played by James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk. I’ve attached the YouTube playlist again below which will play the interview followed by the track. This is a track which I find I go to when I need to wind down and relax. It’s great reflection music, good to chill out to. Transcript of the interview follows. James Hazell: The mixtape. All this week featuring Matt Porter of Matt Porter Web Design our gadget guy, who regularly is on the show talking about technology and the like. We spoke yesterday about, cars and autonomous vehicles and, and changes in our attitude to technology. Matt. It’s everything. Is every advance in technology, in your perspective being a welcome and violence? Are there routes that we’ve gone down that have not sat come to me with you? Matt Porter: It’s a very interesting question. Rarely. Yeah, sure. I think that, James Hazell: right. Obviously medical technology is always to be applauded and you know, any technology, I guess that makes our lives easier. I just don’t know if it’s all been.., ..in the right direction. Matt Porter: I think that there are great ideas which sometimes are rolled out by the wrong people. James Hazell: That’s a good response. Matt Porter: They don’t necessarily understand what the implications of fact technology is or the decisions about which equipment to use may not have been made for the. Right reasons, rather than our thought maybe a financial reason. So you might not be getting the best results that you could be because of their strengths of budgets and other things. So James Hazell: You think of the gaming, which is massive in this country, in many countries in the world, the gaming profession, which it is. but many people are now citing that. As the reason behind obesity in children not getting exercise and daylight and friendships. Would that be an example of where technology has let us down a bit? Matt Porter: I think so. I think one of the things that. Many of us would agree with that, although they’re all seem to be a double edge sword to everything and smartphone technology, mobile smart technology is an amazing invention. However, the, negativity, negative sides of, there are so many people becoming so antisocial through something that’s meant to make you. So it’s almost as if you’ve channelled your… James Hazell: Towards bringing out personal something in us rather than the technology itself Matt Porter:  into something and like, yeah, so you’re sitting there with a phone stuck against your face, ignoring people whilst talking to somebody else who’s a hundred miles away or a thousand miles away, and it’s actually caused this seems to have caused people to become less social. People are less happy to pick a phone up and speak to you. They’d rather message you, or they’d rather send a, a text message. And I did actually watch it. It was a  documentary or a piece of a news piece about, the traditional telephone effect that people aren’t using plugged in landline, no, no phones anymore. And they interviewed people and, and people were, people were saying, well, actually making phone calls makes me anxious, so I’d draw this and now what happened there? You know where I think it James Hazell: Probably always has. Some people just don’t like going on the telephone and do the button. So if there’s, and I don’t suppose there ever was a real alternative, so they had to do it. Matt Porter: I think that now there is that telephones are fantastic. Voice communication is fantastic, that you don’t have to have this tech tennis match of emails and texts me example conversation. You can hear somebody how they actually mean something. You don’t have to look at it and try and read into what they’re saying. And then through James Hazell: Arguments in the workplace are caused by, so, you know, text, not conveying a smile. Matt Porter: Communication beats. Exactly. James Hazell: Yeah. Okay. When you see documentaries about the future and obviously into Sci-Fi stuff, there’s always a dystopian kind of future that we seem to be headed for. Because we become slaves to technology. Do you think that’ll ever be the case where we become so entwined with it that Matt Porter: Actually without it, we stop James Hazell: Functioning as a, as a species? Matt Porter: I mean, you James Hazell: Could argue that Matt Porter: That day is already around you. I was going to say, I think that we, I think we might’ve even passed that tipping point now where we become so reliant on, on this technology that we would struggle James Hazell: to without, Matt Porter: without it, that a dangerous place to be. I think it probably, yes, I think he is. I think James Hazell: That one CME from the sun, all the power goes off and we’re back to the stone age. Well, that’s very Matt Porter: True! And we’ve seen that to a smaller extent where you have power cuts and we had a power cut last year and trains stopped running. Everything just stopped running. Whereas, you know, there was a time when there were power stations running specifically to back up the electricity on the railway and the underground systems in London and things like that. Purely for that reason, that reason. and we had a situation where people just suddenly didn’t know what to do. And the first. The alternative they had was to be angry and upset and stamp their feet and say, why am I late home now? This is not on. Well, it’s what would happen if there was a, an outage which wasn’t quite as easily read. It didn’t have such an easy remedy as, yeah, it’s a failure in some, protects, it was a test that went wrong and shunned down. So, yeah. How would people cope without these things? I think we would struggle. I guess James Hazell: We are the last generation who can remember life before the internet. Matt Porter: Yeah. So we could James Hazell: Probably just about, you know, go back to our child. I think, well when we were child children, this is what we did. Matt Porter: Yeah. James Hazell: But children now have no idea of life without the internet. And it just worries me that they’re not such suggesting for one moment that it will ever all go off. But you don’t know. You know, that could be a major, massive fault one day, and all of a sudden. It’s off for a week and you wonder how people are going to cope. Matt Porter: I always, always think of the Truman show. Yeah. The film, the Truman show where if anyone hasn’t seen it, where it’s like a giant, almost like a world, a town-sized, version of big brother really isn’t aware whereas someone’s born and grown up in a, in a reality show and doesn’t know they’re in that reality show. But has, I, I think. Feeling they might be. but the thing that always made me chuckle is at the end of that,  then effectively, it finishes and that’s the end of the show. They switch it off and everybody just carried back to something else. Went back to their normal lot. Alex James Hazell: Is on the telly. Yeah, exactly. Oh, right. A song choice for this Wednesday. Matt Coldplay. What if for what reason? Matt Porter: This is, Interesting one, because I used to take our children to nursery when they were younger, and one day, I particularly liked the album that this distracts on. but I remember dropping them off one day. My wife taking them in and I was standing outside the car and it was quite a sunny day and the doors were open on the car, and then this came on and it kind of grew. Echoed around the street where we were parking, but it was kind of quite a nice, it was a lovely, lovely song. and this particular verse in that, in this song, which is really thought-provoking, you know, it, it’s one of those songs where you could read into your, something out. You could put something out of your, something that’s happened to you in your life, and maybe draw it out of this song. “Every step that you take Could be your biggest mistake It could bend or it could break That’s the risk that you take What if you should decide That you don’t want me there in your life That you don’t want me there by your side” I think it kind of encompasses everything. And my son James has a sleep disorder. bless him, terrible trouble getting him to sleep since he was born and he’s nearly 10. We used to have sleepless nights over and over again. And one of them, if I look at my playlists on, on my phone, I, it shows which track has been played the most. We used to play music, all kinds of music, but this one, this one’s just this one has been played about 796 times or something to him. it’s a great track. Yeah. “What if?” by Coldplay? Brilliant. Yeah.   The post Gadget Man – Episode 158 – James Hazell Mix Tape Part 3 – Coldplay – What If? appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

This morning was the second of my Mix Tape tracks played by James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk. I’ve attached the YouTube playlist again below which will play the interview followed by the track. This is probably one of my favourite pieces of music ever, I don’t know quite where I first heard it, but it is a very, very, very popular dance track. I went on holiday with my parents and some friends in Portugal. We had a villa and I brought this CD that someone had lent me, which was free on the front of Ministry Magazine, Hooj Choons. I took that with me and it was a beautiful Villa and I went in and dragged the stereo system out beside the pool and put this on and had it blasting out sitting by the pool, and it was, it was like being in Ibiza when I was 20. It was fantastic! Great Tune! This doesn’t include the abrupt ending broadcast today on air!! Below is a playlist which includes the track after the interview.     The post Gadget Man Episode 157 – James Hazell Mix Tape Part 2 – Energy 52 – Cafe Del Mar appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Motor manufacturer, Kia, have today released a report detailing two pieces of customer research in November 2019 and January 2020, speaking to 3000 UK residents between 16 and 60 about their views on moving to Electric from Petrol or Diesel cars. The research revealed that almost half of those interviewed admitted to over-exaggerating their green credentials to family and friends on subjects such as going ‘plastic-free’ and adopting zero-emission vehicles. It transpired that 65% of parents make green decisions after pressure from their children, with 46% of parents saying they felt pressured by them to go green. However, only 60% of Brits say they are ready to make the move to fully electric cars. Image Credit: Quentin Willson This morning, I spoke to motoring expert, Quentin Willson, who has been an electric car advocate for over a decade. He spends time lobbying the government to provide greater incentives to move to zero-emission vehicles and also has led way in getting fairer fuel charges for drivers. You can listen to the interview in full, by clicking the play button above. You can also read the transcript of the interview below. Matt Porter: Welcome to The Gadget Man Episode 156 – Is Society Ready to Adopt Electric Cars? This morning I’m going to be speaking to Quinten Wilson, motoring journalist, TV, presenter and parent, and find out what his views on whether we are ready to adopt electric cars. the first question I have is from Maniel. He is concerned that if he buys an electric car, it will be less eco-friendly than his diesel because of the manner in which the electric motor is manufactured. Quentin Willson: Well, that’s, that’s kind of nonsense really. and there’s a lot of myths surrounding this and, and the, the key research, pick this up that. People don’t know enough about electric cars, and there’s an informational issue here. But if you’re talking about mining in a democratic Republic of Congo, cobalt and things like that, it’s not brilliant, agreed.  But electric cars are made usually in green factories. With renewable energy, and your, your diesel car will have been made in a factory that it’s power probably, or was prior, probably by coal and, and, and, and very intensive. Then you’ve got to get the diesel out, the ground, the oil out of the ground. You’ve got to refine it. You’ve got to then ship it. You’ve got to transport it to the station. So. The idea that that, an old diesel or petrol car can be greener than a, an electric car is just nonsense. I mean, the numbers, it worries me that I possess his information. But over 80,000 miles, a petulant diesel car will emit 32.2 tons of CO2. And, an electric car over the same mileage age, we’ll do 23 tons of Sierra, and that’s before you cost in all the transportation and refining of petrol and diesel. So, sorry, Maniel, it just, doesn’t apply. Matt Porter: Yeah. He, what he started is, is as, as is quite common, with, with these kinds of forums is he cited a report which is on a, a website, which is difficult to, confirm. The validity of it. So he’s talking about German, battery manufacturer, which is being powered by coal. but far as I’m aware, Tesla’s plans, for instance, are to build a Giga-factory in Berlin, which I assume will, their aim is to make it, from using renewable energy. Quentin Willson: Oh, completely. Yeah. And I mean, look, if Elon Musk knows one thing, he knows how important it is, but you can’t replace, pollution and put it in another place by powering electric cars, by coal-fired power stations, that’s impossible. Then he’s on the absolute Vanguard of all this with the solar and everything. So, it’s interesting though that we’ve got these myths being almost propagated and there is this kind of. Strange. Now fake news thing about electric cars that, you know, you can’t use them in car washes. That’s just so duff and the fact that, you know, the batteries are going to be a toxic hazard for generations to come. Where does this sort of thing come from? And I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but there’s quite a body of, of, of pushback against the whole, the whole industry. And it, it, it does worry me that this stuff still has credence. Matt Porter: Yeah. Is a concern. I have been driving and testing electric cars, alternative fuel cars for the last five or so years myself. And I find it difficult to understand where these, where this information comes from as well. So, I’m, I’m with you on that. Chris has asked, “Do you think that the technology such as the autopilot type technology is likely to roll out into, electric cars, as a standard in the next, in the next few years, or will it be restricted to high-end models?” Quentin Willson: I think it’s all about cost and I think, the autopilots OK, but the idea that we’ll all be driving around in autonomous cars, that’s a long way down the road. And that’s what people really think autopilot is, is, is the precursor for even Musk says, it’s at least 10 years away. I think everybody, I talk to it all the, all the car companies say it’s probably longer, 15 years, and then you’re going to get the idea, the infrastructure worker, you can’t have rubbish signs and, and poor lines on the ground because the LIDAR and the radars have got to kind of pick all this stuff up. So, I don’t think we’ll see autonomous cars for a long time yet. And I think, you know, your, your autopilots will, they’ll percolate down. Sure. But I don’t think there’ll be as Musk. Matt Porter: Thank you. Graham has as asked “He lives in a terraced house with no drive or off-road parking. How is he going to be able to reliably charge his car, on a nightly basis if there is nowhere for him to plug into in his own home?” Quentin Willson: This is a great question, and it concerns 30% of people in the UK. It’s 70% in London. if you haven’t got off-street parking, or garaging, then, you can’t really have an electric car. So what we need to do, and again, I’ve been pushing hard, with the government for this is EV hubs that you have, in communities, in schools and supermarkets. These rapid charging hubs that people who don’t have the on-street a charging facility can take their car, plug it in for half an hour, 40 minutes, and then it’s ready to go and they can have batteries, large batteries, the size of shipping containers as well. So, you can modify the demands of all this kind of infrastructure technology. It’s there and it, you can, you can string it all together, but we just need the political will. And here’s the thing, the understanding Matt, from government ministers that we need to do this and that for me and, and, and the care research picked us up as well. The democratization of the electric car, which is so important. We cannot carry on having them as a middle-class plaything where you’ve got your electric car and then you’ve also got Range Rover for long journeys. Everybody must have the right and the ability to drive a zero-emission car. And I’m absolutely adamant on that, and at the moment it’s skewed. You know, really, to large income earning people. And we need to bring it right down to communities who want to be, you know, zero mission and help the environment. Matt Porter: Do you think that that could be achieved by, government, grants or more, generous group government grants? I know there was the plugin grant, which was reduced, wasn’t it? Which was a real shame. but do you think, that needs to happen as well, or do you think it’s not affordable by the government to do that? Quentin Willson: You can’t have it both ways, Matt, you, if you want, you know, this fantastic electric car revolution, then you’ve got to understand that it’s going to cost a lot, and we may be talking about in hundreds of billions. Matt Porter: A bridge from Scotland to Ireland perhaps? Quentin Willson: Yeah. Maybe two! What we want to certainty the public wants certainty. Comment of fractures wants certainty. I want certainty. I want to know that they are going to build an infrastructure fit for the 21st century. That is future proof for the bigger, larger car batteries that are coming. A 100 kilowatt, 150 maybe even 200-kilowatt batteries and they aren’t marooned with this kind of poor thinking. The biggest problem I have with, with the government is that not enough people drive electric cars. I’ve been in a House of Commons, meeting in the House of Lords when I said, “Right, okay, how many people here actually drive an electric car?” And there’s nobody. It’s just, you know, me and a little Baroness, who, who’s always in the slow lane because she’s afraid of running out of juice! So. I get that understanding is so important and Kia have really flagged this up in this research, which is 3000 people and it’s robust that, you know, we are anxious about this and we do want to have much more certainty and security from the government and they’re giving us these cliff edges. Choices, you know, no more new cars, petrol, new vans, or, or, or diesel cars by 2035 or maybe even 2032 will give us an option, you know, give us, give us a reason to change our behaviour and then we will. But the two most significant things in this survey are. Your fear of not having an infrastructure and your fear of running out of batteries. So that proves that despite all the virtue signalling, the government has to do better than this Matt Porter: There also seems to be, from what I can gather from again, from my questions, is a lack of understanding about what this switchover will be, that people. I get the impression people tend to think that they’re going to have to suddenly stop driving their existing cars on a particular date. When the, if you like, the band comes in into, In into, into policy. And it, you know, even though when I’ve explained that no, you can carry on keeping your own car. And then we also have people that are saying, but it’s surely going to drive the price of petrol up. It’s going to be expensive for us to keep our existing cars at that point, but too expensive to buy new ones. So we’re stuck in a rock and a hard place. So there is this kind of the whole mix of concerns. Quentin Willson: And it’s not being properly explained to people. Absolutely. Right! The ban, and here, let’s do this for the record, Matt. The ban concerns new Vans and cars powered by diesel and petrol after 2035 or earlier 2032 you will still be able to drive your petrol and diesel car. Nobody’s going to stop you. There may be an increase in fuel due to discourage use, but then that’s another thing I do with my “fair fuel” campaign and that that affects the cost of living and we need to keep the cost of living right down. The thing that worries me is that the government have said that they are not going to permit the sale of hybrids after that cutoff date. And I think that’s wrong-headed, but, what, what do I know? So, people must feel that, you know, they don’t have to stop driving their cars, that you will be using these petrol and diesel cars for decades to come. Probably. and you may even see a spike in their values. Who knows? Electric car values have certainly gone up secondhand ones because of demand. Matt Porter: The certainly seem to retain their value. Quentin Willson: Absolutely. You look at some of the market-leading ones, and they’re up 17% in January, I think. 24% in February so far. So yeah and there’s another myth that they cost more. than petrol and petrol and diesel. Cause actually if you factor in all the tax breaks, the benefit in kind the fact that you, if you’re a company, you can claim 100% of the cost back against the corporation tax and profits, and salary sacrifice, then the money you’ll save on fuel and, and servicing. I think we passed a watershed moment where an electric car could even be cheaper than a petrol or diesel car. Nobody’s really done the sums cause of that depreciation thing that the way you see these cars hanging on to their value and the replacement cycles are much, much longer. You keep your electric car for four, five, six, seven, eight, nine years. then I think it’s really interesting, some to have done if you look at currently. Matt Porter: one thing is that my wife, Highlighted to me was that with hybrid cars, that there seems to be this whole mix of hybrids that are now being promoted. So, we have mild hybrids, Plugin hybrids, Self-charging hybrids. Do you not think that in some way that might confuse people that, okay, I want to buy a hybrid in there in the short term, or lease a hybrid, but, hang on a second, I’m being told that there are a whole number of different hybrids that I can have. do you think that that makes it slightly unclear to people when they look into buying a car that, are they buying the right kind of hybrid? Quentin Willson: Absolutely you’re right, people don’t understand enough and you know, the point of sale of where you buy your electric car isn’t the right place. Usually, the salesman wants to sell you a diesel. So, we, we really do need, as a society and as a government to start communicating these messages better and getting people to understand which is the best, the best car for you. And everybody’s needs are different and there is no charging infrastructure in certain areas. So why would you buy a battery-powered car or buy a hybrid? And that makes perfect sense. But getting this stuff across, I think he’s really important. And yeah. Here’s the irony. Kids seem to know much more about this than parents. They really, in this research there, they are, they at the if you’ll pardon the pun, the drivers behind this, this, this moment of change. And, and parents are reacting to the pressure from their kids. And I get it from mine. that, you know, you’ve got to do something and you’ve got to be as green as possible. And then in a way, that’s that. That’s great. Really, because it comes from innocence and our generation have kind of used up the resources of the world. So profligately. And, and, and these kids want to change it all. And that’s, I think, a great social force that we mustn’t ignore. Matt Porter: That’s right. there was one final question I mustn’t miss, which is important to most people, which is, Grant has asked me, “So if we all move to electric cars, how on earth will the infrastructure cope with the demand for electricity?” Quentin Willson: Well, I, I’ve spoken to the National Grid at length about this because it’s an obvious question. and they say, when you get to say 50% penetration, we will still be okay because we will have grid management. And don’t forget that there are offshore, wind is now. Renewables is probably 55% of electricity generation. You will need to, rebuild what is known as the ‘local circuits’, which are the wires that come into your house and into your lamppost on the streets. And that’s going cost quite a bit. That’s going to cost about 4 billion quid because they will need to take much more power. They will be able to generate enough because if we spend enough to, to, to have more renewables, more offshore, and a couple more, nuclear power stations, yes, but that’s kind of a long way off. 100% EV utilisation may never happen. Matt, it’s going to be a slow transition just because it is. and I see 30, 40, 50% by maybe 2040 and then as we get to 2050 zero-carbon, you might get 60 70% EV penetration. It just depends how we roll up the infrastructure, but everybody in the electricity generating industry and their district network operators say that we can cope if we kind of just regenerate some of the old wiring, the old substations. Matt Porter: I think that is really important as well for people to understand, that the responsibility rests on our shoulders as much as it does, government shoulders and the, you know, if by simply looking at installing a solar panels on our homes and battery storage in our homes as well there where we can hold, we can re, we can charge three, we can hold our own power, to charge our vehicles ourselves. Or we can run our households. We’re not putting the strain on the grid at these high peak times ourselves because we’re storing energy ourselves. I think that’s a really big thing that people need to start thinking about is it’s battery storage really in their homes and solar energy. Quentin Willson: Oh, I agree. My 21-year-old son, he never stops talking about it and showing me pictures of battery walls and, and the fact that we can, we can be completely independent of the utility companies that the big villains. And I think that’s absolutely right. And they’re all people who have these battery walls and the solar and are, are just, you know, completely pairing their house and their car on renewable energy and, Whoa, that’s just such a great goal. Matt Porter: Quentin, thanks ever so much for your time this morning. It’s extremely interesting and I know my listeners will be happy to hear those answers and yeah, thanks ever so much for your time. Quentin Willson: Pleasure Matt. Matt Porter: So that was Quentin Wilson giving us his views on the impending adoption of the electric car in the next 15 years. So, until next time, this is Matt Porter, The Gadget Man signing off.   The post Gadget Man – Episode 156 – is Society Ready for the Electric Car with Quentin Willson appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

This morning was the first of my Mix Tape tracks played by James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk. I’ve attached the YouTube playlist below which will play the interview followed by the track. The transcript of the interview follows below. Gadget Man Mix Tape – Part 1 James Hazell: The mixed tape all this week features the gadget man himself, Matt Porter of Matt Porter web design, our regular guide. You man. Now choosing tunes for us. Matt, great to see you Matt Porter: Great to see you as well. James Hazell: How are you? Matt Porter: I’m alright, I’m good, very good. Thank you. James Hazell: Now you’re a man. Of course. We know now is very much involved in the latest technology and all of that. You regularly report for us on the latest by way of gadgetry and all that. Have you always been that “guy”? Matt Porter: for technology, I suppose I have. Actually, when I was at school, I had a Commodore VIC-20. That was interesting because the budget for that present was the Commodore VIC-20 on its own without the tape drive. So, I would spend a lot of time programming and writing programs to do things. Either leaving the VIC-20 switched on because if you switched it off, it’s gone forever. So, it was a good way of learning to program because you kind of had to memorize a lot of what you did or write it down. So, when you wanted to do it again, you had to re-type it all in. It was a painful thing. But, we’re not talking about writing a copy of Microsoft Word, there was a very limited amount of memory in a VIC-20, so the programs were never that long, but it was still a good start. James Hazell: So, what was it, 10 PRINT “HELLO”, 20 GOTO 10? Matt Porter: With Commodores, it was POKE 36879,22 or something like that! James Hazell: Yeah. We’ll talk more about this as the week goes by, but we want to find out more about the man himself. So, Matt Porter, who are you? Are you a local? I get the sense you’re not Suffolk born, are you? Matt Porter: I was born in Hitchin in Hertfordshire. I lived in that area for around 33 years and then I met a young lady on an online dating site called Udate, which is long gone. I met her on Udate and we got to know each other and fell in love. I then sold my house in Bedfordshire at the time and moved to Ipswich to be with her. We got married and we had two children and we’re still together. James Hazell: It’s good to hear of an online success story because they can be frowned upon in use by some people, Matt Porter:  Certainly and as usual, I have to jump into something right at the beginning, it was good. James Hazell: You were one of the first, I reckon, cause I had no doubt. Matt Porter: Yeah, it was 2002 or 2003 James Hazell: That’s got to be early days. It’s got to be pioneering! Matt Porter: So there you go, that’s what brought me here. James Hazell: So your Missus must’ve been on it as well, so I suspect she’s a bit of a tech-head as well? Matt Porter: She’s not actually, she’s not massively, almost certainly she’s not a tech head. She’s not as enthusiastic as I am, but we run Matt Porter Web Design together. James Hazell: She won’t go out and buy a gadget just because it’s just been released by somebody. Matt Porter: Absolutely not. No, she’s not interested. Her smartphone battery will last for days because she doesn’t use it that much. James Hazell: When you moved to Suffolk, was there a concern with your technology minds that you’re moving to a place it’s not, shall we say, renowned for technology. It wasn’t at the forefront, I guess? Matt Porter: I guess not. Yeah, it turns out I ended up having an office on, on the BT campus for a number of years, and it’s a super place, not many people know what a vibrant technology community is there. But when I came here, actually, I handed my notice in for my full-time job in Hertfordshire and sold my house. I came here and started Matt Porter Web Design when I arrived, which was madness. I didn’t know anybody personally or in business. James Hazell: So, you’ve come here this week to choose some songs for us. You’re going to start with Satellite by The Beloved. Matt Porter: This track came out in 1996 and at that time I was house-sitting for somebody in Stevenage. During the time of the housesitting was Euro 96, which was England played absolutely amazingly! It was one of the most fantastic tournaments with classic players. James Hazell: We were supposed to win that one! Matt Porter: It was an amazing tournament. But I was house sitting there. So obviously I remember, watching the games and every time we scored, I think we played The Netherlands winning 4–1. Every time we scored, I kept ringing my mate up and screaming down the phone. At that time, they also had satellite TV with MTV, and I was watching that and hadn’t really watched it before. This particular video for Satellite by The Beloved came on and it’s quite memorable. If you ever watch it on YouTube, it’s quite a memorable video, quite groundbreaking I guess, and the song’s fantastic as well. I actually have contact vaguely with Jon Marsh, who’s the singer with The Beloved by being a member of The Beloved Facebook Group. He regularly posts on there. It’s quite geeky, I guess. (Cue Satellite by The Beloved)   The post Gadget Man Episode 155 – James Hazell Mix Tape Part 1 – The Beloved – Satellite appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

More and more businesses are being targeted by criminals who are hijacking there websites and online accounts in order to blackmail them. Here I am talking to Georgie Jameson on BBC Radio Suffolk about what small businesses can do to protect themselves from these kinds of attacks. The post Gadget Man – Episode 154 – Protecting Small Businesses from Cyber Attacks appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

This morning I spoke to James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk about the benefits of Dash Cams in cars. During the interview, we discussed both the negatives and positives of these devices and how they can be used as an Independent Witness of an accident or other car-related crime. I’ve been reviewing the Nextbase 422GW Dash Cam over the past two weeks, which will be published soon. In the meantime, listen into the stream via my podcast link above or by playing the embedded video below. Enjoy this episode and see you next time!! Matt The post Gadget Man – Episode 153 – Talking about Dashcams appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

This week I travelled to London to take part in the Hyundai Drive Different Test. In my previous post, I provided details on the thinking behind this initiative. Today, I spoke to James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk about my experience and what I think made driving each car different. Listen to the stream above and view the cockpit videos below to see some of what I experienced during the day. Hyundai Drive Different Results for Matt Porter [videopress h9uiJhtw] [videopress 35zbNsRv] [videopress DsOjCdKO]     The post Gadget Man – Episode 152 – Hyundai Drive Different Test – Radio Interview appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

I was hugely excited to be invited to London yesterday to take part in the Hyundai Drive Different Test. During the day, I had the opportunity to drive both a Petrol and Electric powered Hyundai Kona around the streets of Finsbury Park and Highgate. You can watch the video below or listen in to the podcast episode! During the test, my eyes and head were tracked by specialist cameras, my heart rate was measured and the pressure-sensitive steering wheel was monitored. The cars themselves had custom-built computers on-board monitoring the vehicle itself and all this data was fed back to Hyundai’s servers to give me two driving scores for the petrol and electric cars. Kona Electric – Photo Credit: Hyundai This was following research by Hyundai which revealed that there are 36,750 different ways to drive a vehicle! The company got together with University of Warwick’s Dr Mark Hadley and driving expert Gary Lamb in which they devised the Drive Different Test (DDT). The test was to mark the growth that Hyundai has made in the alternative fuel marketplace of hydrogen, hybrid and pure electric vehicles. Hyundai’s Drive Different Test – Photo Credit: Hyundai The test compares a variety of driving styles in a range of vehicles including alternative fuel models. By using pupil tracking, facial recognition and of course artificial intelligence (AI), the test can accurately measure drivers skills under different conditions. Hyundai researched 2000 drivers habits and have produced a report that identifies common styles with the top five listed below. Confident – 28% Fair and measured – 24% Calm  – 19% Nervous  – 7% Aggressive  – 7% Men were more likely to label themselves as confident drivers (31%) than women (25%), while women were more likely to describe themselves as ‘nervous’ behind the wheel.  “We’ve found we all drive differently, with thousands of different styles, but we all can be united by a common cause of driving cleaner and preparing our cities for a zero-emission future.” – Sylvie Childs, senior product manager at Hyundai – Photo Credit: Hyundai The survey also looked at AFV owners specifically, and their attitude to driving, and found that; 92 per cent say they never beep at another driver Over two-fifths (42%) slow down and let buses move in front of them Over one third (37%) always ensure they thank other drivers on the road But it wasn’t all generosity and courtesy on the road for AFV drivers. One fifth (20%)  ‘amber gamble’ and speed up on an amber light to get through the traffic lights. Gary Lamb said: “There are many things that impact someone’s driving style, their technical skill of course but also confidence, experience and even the music they listen to and until they actually get behind the wheel you can never predict which way it will go. Over my 25 years as a driving instructor, I’ve seen them all. What’s interesting now is that alternatively fuelled vehicles are also affecting our driving style.  “As 2040 draws nearer, and our cities and motorways fill with zero-emission capable vehicles, I’m excited to see how the way we drive will change, hopefully for the better.” Sylvie Childs, senior product manager at Hyundai added: “Our research, along with the growth in sales figures, shows there is a real appetite for low and zero-emission vehicles in the UK. With this campaign, we hope to educate the public on how they can drive cleaner and more efficiently, whether they keep their current petrol vehicle or are in the market for an electric model like the KONA Electric or IONIQ Electric.  “We’ve found we all drive differently, with thousands of different styles, but we all can be united by a common cause of driving cleaner and preparing our cities for a zero-emission future.” The post Gadget Man – Episode 151 – Hyundai Drive Different Test in London appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Apparently using your Laptop in a Cafe at the weekend is no longer a ‘thing’. According to the Daily Mail, a cafe owner in Belsize Park has placed a ban on the use of laptops during weekend hours because it takes up valuable space during busy periods. The ban has caused a regular customer to accuse the owner of bullying. Francesca Specter said, “the ban amounts to bullying of those who want to spend time alone”, she continues ‘I live by myself and part of my weekend routine is I go and get some headspace and enjoy breakfast and brunch by myself at one of the local cafes. The owner took one look at the iPad I was reading my paper on and said you can’t do that in here. I thought it was a situation where I was being bullied and I was by myself so I was in this minority. I had to leave and haven’t been back since.’ The owner, Mojgan Mohajer said ‘My cafe is quite small,’ she explained. ‘I received a lot of complaints from customers during the weekend that lots of people were coming with a laptop and sitting and they couldn’t have a table.’ Let’s all go to the Cafe and moan about our civil liberties being breached because we aren’t allowed to use a laptop while we share 1/2 a cup of coffee between us! Computers and tablets are used widely, in fact anywhere you can find somewhere to sit, be it train, bus, park bench or cafe, you will find staring at a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Personally, I’m siding with Mojgan. She does have a small cafe and although during the week she would like to attract people to her establishment at quieter times, the weekends will be much busier and she, of course, would like to maximise her income on the busiest day. With regard to the bullying accusation, I’m speechless. You can listen in to my chat with Mark Murphy on BBC Radio Suffolk where we talk about using devices on public WiFi hotspots. See you next time Matt The post The Gadget Man – Episode 150 – Should we use our Smartphones, Tablets and Laptops in Cafes? appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Welcome to Episode 149 – It’s all go again with the mobile phone market in the UK, the confusion surrounding Mobile Virtual Network Operators and actual network operators becomes confusing again! Virgin Mobile is currently carried by EE which in turn is owned by arch-rival BT, so now Virgin is moving to Vodafone. It shouldn’t affect your service, but you should check your coverage as EE and Vodafone may differ! Britbox has now launched in the UK, although it was launched in the USA some time ago. Britbox offers BBC and ITV material and will also offer Channel 4 and Channel 5 stuff to in time.  It becomes confusing when much of the material is still offered on BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4 and My5, you can even pay for some of these services to remove the adverts with ITV Hub+, 4+. I’ve signed up to check it out, so more on this later. I’m not terribly sure it has room to operate alongside global players such as Netflix, Amazon and Apple TV.  Time will tell. UK Drone registration is now compulsory for anyone flying an aircraft over 250g.  Operators have until the end of the month to register their drones. It requires the payment of a £9 annual fee and you must affix your Operator ID to any drones you choose to fly. Listen in to the stream to find out more, Matt The post The Gadget Man – Episode 149 – Virgin goes from EE, via BT to Vodafone, Britbox launches and Drone Registration is now compulsory appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Yikes!!! From a few weeks back! Here is Episode 148 where I spoke to James Hazell about Three, Vodafone and Samsung… Oh, I also got cut off from Facetime during the conversation. All the issues are resolved now, but it should make informative listening. From Thur 18th October 2019 Image Credit: By comedy_nose under CC BY License   The post The Gadget Man – Episode 148 – Better Late than… Matt got cut off, Three was down, Vodafone had billing problems and Samsung’s Fingerprint Sensor was bust appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

In the final episode of my Retro Gadget of the Week, I bring you the Nintendo Game Boy. This is an exclusive episode which was never broadcast. I’d like to be able to say it was too hot for broadcast, but in reality, it never made it because of time constraints on BBC Radio Suffolk. But here it is in all its glory, exclusively available to your pleasure! Nintendo Game Boy in front of Assorted Games Cartridges Nintendo Game Boy The Game Boy was an 8-bit portable games console designed and built by Nintendo, it was released in Japan in 1989 and then 12 months later made it to the USA and Europe. The console featured a green, greyscale screen, but excelled in battery life against its arch-rivals, the Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx. Along with an extremely durable case, both these features went towards beating it’s technically more advanced rivals. The Game Boy came with the puzzle game, Tetris with later bundles including the legendary Super Mario Land, both were excellent games with fabulous soundtracks which didn’t become irritating. The original Game Boy was a smash hit with gamers and went on to sell almost 65 million units. Nintendo kept gamers attention by releasing backwardly compatible upgraded units such as the Game Boy Color, Game Boy Light and Game Boy Advance. As will other format wars, the gadget you least expect to win on paper is the victor and the Game Boy was certainly that, a truly great retro gadget which deserves to round off this series. If you haven’t already, listen in to the stream as it contains 6 minutes of discussion about the Game Boy and its rivals and a little bit of history behind them. Thanks to Matt Marvell at BBC Radio Suffolk for hosting my segment for the last 12 weeks and for producing this final one. Don’t forget to Like, Share, Subscribe and Comment!!! [amazon_link asins=’B0000296ZL’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’thgama03-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’9b5139f4-ec68-4b4b-9e25-314c5d916d66′] The post The Gadget Man – Episode 146 – Retro Gadget of the Week – Part 10 – Nintendo Game Boy appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

So what has been happening in the Electric Car market over the past couple of years? Well, since my slew of Electric and Hybrid car reviews a couple of years back and our mega-exciting East-West Road Trip in the Tesla Model S 100D, we’ve been quiet on that front.  The absolute opposite of what has been happening in the EV marketplace. I spoke to Graham on BBC Radio Suffolk about what’s happening with regard to charge points and speed of charging, you can listen in to the audio stream above to find out more. However, something super-exciting is happening in motorsport. Now that Formula-E fully electric car racing has established itself, it’s now time to turn up the power even more and with a new sport created by the father of Formula-E. Extreme E – A radical new racing series.  Extreme E is a radical new racing series, which will see electric SUVs competing in extreme environments around the world which have already been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues. The five-race global voyage highlights the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the world’s most fragile ecosystems and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles to help preserve the environment and protect the planet. Extreme E is operated in association with Formula E – the organiser of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Extreme E is committed to sustainability and minimising environmental impact – as well as playing its part in rebuilding and restoring areas already impacted by climate change A new breed of racing means a new breed of the motorcar. The car, named ODYSSEY 21, will feature in Extreme E’s radical new racing series which will highlight the impact of climate change on some of the world’s most fragile ecosystems, and promote the adoption of electric vehicles to help preserve the environment and protect the planet. So, that’s just one thing that’s happening in the electric car market. Image Credit: Extreme E Some Content: Extreme E     The post Gadget Man Episode 145 – Electric Car Update? appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

In our penultimate episode of Retro Gadget of the Week, we take a look at one the most revolutionary moments in computer history,  where an explosion of homegrown talent changed the very face of the personal computer marketplace and faced up directly the power of Silicon Valley with low-cost home computers designed in the UK Commodore VIC20 Personal Computer, my first computer in all it’s 3.5k glory and 22 columns display I was very lucky to receive a Commodore VIC20 personal computer for one of my birthdays in the 80s and proceeded to embrace coding head-on! Unlike other home computers, the VIC20 only supported it’s own tape drive, so instead of using our portable cassette play like my mates with Sinclair ZX Spectrums, I had to wait until I save enough money to buy my own Commodore Datasette.  This meant that every single program I wrote on the Vic was lost when the power was switched off, I either needed to write down my code or memorise it! Alongside the American VIC20, a slew of other devices was released by UK based companies. The most famous was the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and ZX81. However, other notable UK made systems included the BBC Model B (built by Acorn), Dragon 32,  Amstrad CPC464, Apricot F1, Camputers Lynx, Gundy Newbrain, Jupiter Ace, Memotech MTX, Tangerine Oric 1 and many others. The Dragon 32 used the Motorola 6809 CPU Almost all home computers of the era were based on the Zilog Z80 or MOS 6502 microprocessors with a small number going with the Motorola 6809 (which was more advanced that the Zilog and MOS processors). The computers were generally self-contained devices, combining keyboards and computers as one with connectivity with colour or black and white TV’s which the user was generally expected to supply. Other peripherals were available such as tape drives, floppy disk drives, printers, joysticks and light-pens. Some models also supported plug-in cartridges which generally allowed the owner to play pre-programmed games. The Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48K was the darling of the 80s market due to it’s price and range of games The first to the market came with minute amounts of programmable RAM in the region of 1K to 5K, later entrants from the UK market settings with 16K or 32K with some stretching even further.  If I compare this to my Sony Xperia 1 mobile that I use today, this comes with 6 Gigabytes of RAM which is roughly 1,700,000 times more than my Commodore VIC! The higher-end Commodore 64 Personal Computer with its sprite graphics, outstanding sound and award-winning games had a longer stay than most in the market An example of Commodore BASIC Code – Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code Almost every computer came preloaded the BASIC (Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) programming language which allowed a new breed of programmers to begin crafting their own code. Although the basics of each version of BASIC remained similar, that’s where it ended, different hardware and firmware made each machine incompatible with the other. Having a market saturated with different devices which didn’t speak the same dialect was the architect of their demise. The BBC Micro Model B, built by Acorn as a joint venture with BBC. It found it’s way into schools as the staple computer for education. After 3 to 4 years, the majority of these computers had become obsolete and fell out of use leaving the BBC Model B surviving through use in UK schools, colleges and universities and the Commodore 64 which had become a glorified games console rather than a way for young people to gain computer experience. The IBM_PC_AT and it’s lower cost clones swooped in and stole the market Along came affordable IBM PC clones from Dell, Compaq, AST and Gateway which WERE compatible with each other. Users began migrating across to these PC compatibles and the market was replaced at home and office. It was the end of an era. Without the likes of Commodore or Acorn, my life would have been very different, so I have to tip my hat to the 80s Home Computer!. Listen in to the podcast above to find out more and don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, SHARE and COMMENT!!! See you next time Matt The Gadget Man (Former Programmer of CBM Basic, BBC Basic, DataGeneral Basic, Testpoint Basix and Visual Basic) Image Credits: Wikipedia     The post Gadget Man Episode 144 – Retro Gadget of the Week – Part 9 – 80s Home Computers appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

All intelligent science is informing us that it is now past the time to start thinking about our planet and how we should be treating it before we reach its tipping point, the time when we can no longer begin to undo the damage that the human race has inflicted upon it. Our oceans are strewn with millions of tons of plastic, so it is good to read that the big car manufacturers are stepping up to the plate and looking for alternative materials and techniques which avoid the continues use of non-biodegradable plastics which have been the go-to material for decades!. Image Credit: By Siyuwj – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 In this podcast, I chat to James Hazell from BBC Radio Suffolk about bio-plastics and their growing use in the manufacture of car interiors. It’s interesting listening, so don’t forget to tune in and Like, Subscribe and Comment.   The post Gadget Man – Episode 143 – Green Manufacturing Using Bioplastics appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

We’re now on the home straight with the Retro Gadgets Series and what better classic gadget to feature but the legendary Nokia 3310 mobile phone. This is certainly a gadget that needs very little introduction, after being introduced in 2000, the handset went on to sell more than 126,000,000 units. What’s more, the handset continues to be used in many households today.  I previously discussed the handset in Episode 98 with James Hazell. Nokia’s new owners HMD relaunched the device in 2017 with a homage to the original device, attempting to capture a new market of low-cost mobile phones. This too was covered in Episode 102 with Mark Murphy. The Original Nokia 3310 and the the 2017 HMD Nokia 3310 reboot Today, however, it was the turn of Matt Marvell to listen to my lament about this classic piece of technology history. You can listen in to the recording by clicking at the top of the post. Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, SHARE and most importantly COMMENT. I’ll catch up with you next time Matt Porter The Gadget Man The post Gadget Man – Episode 142 – Retro Gadget Part 8 – Nokia 3310 Mobile Phone appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

The UK Government’s ‘Department for Health and Social Care’ have today announced a collaboration between themselves and Multi-Billion Dollar tech firm Amazon to provide NHS website information via the popular Alexa platform. Amazon Dot running Alexa can now assist with NHS based medical information With immediate effect, UK owners of the Alexa based devices such as the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot will now be able to request medical information by asking their devices. This morning, I spoke to Mark Murphy from BBC Radio Suffolk about the devices and their potential uses in health. You can listen in via the link about. Don’t forget to Like, Share, Subscribe and Comment!! [videopress NgjTfiDu] The press release is as follows:- Press Release – 10 July 2019 The NHS is collaborating with Amazon to provide reliable health information from the NHS website through voice-assisted technology.  The technology will help patients, especially the elderly, blind and those who cannot access the internet through traditional means, to get professional, NHS-verified health information in seconds, through simple voice commands. Amazon’s algorithm uses information from the NHS website to provide answers to voice questions such as: “Alexa, how do I treat a migraine?” “Alexa, what are the symptoms of flu?” “Alexa, what are the symptoms of chickenpox” The technology has the potential to reduce the pressure on the NHS and GPs by providing information for common illnesses. Voice search has been increasing rapidly. By 2020, half of all searches are expected to be made through voice-assisted technology. NHSX will look at ways of making more NHS services available to all patients through digital technology. The announcement supports the commitment in the NHS Long Term Plan to make more NHS services available digitally. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said: We want to empower every patient to take better control of their healthcare and technology like this is a great example of how people can access reliable, world-leading NHS advice from the comfort of their home, reducing the pressure on our hardworking GPs and pharmacists. Through the NHS Long Term Plan, we want to embrace the advances in technology to build a health and care system that is fit for the future and NHSX will drive this revolution to bring the benefits to every patient, clinician and carer. Matthew Gould, Chief Executive of NHSX, said: The public need to be able to get reliable information about their health easily and in ways they actually use. By working closely with Amazon and other tech companies, big and small, we can ensure that the millions of users looking for health information every day can get simple, validated advice at the touch of a button or voice command. Part of our mission at NHSX is to give citizens the tools to access services and information directly, and partnerships such as this are an important part of achieving this. The post Gadget Man – Episode 141 – Amazon Alexa is now providing NHS Medical Advice appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Before the age of privatisation of utility companies in the United Kingdom, the General Post Office (GPO) of the United Kingdom was responsible solely for the provision of telecommunication services for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The notable exception was Kingston Upon Hull which has been granted the licence to provide it’s own telephone services in 1906. Alongside its telephone services, the GPO also issued a variety of telephones for use on this service. Although handsets were supplied in different forms, it wasn’t until 1937 when a new line of ‘portable’ telephones was introduced using the Type 332 code number. These telephones used the rotary dial system with the handset sitting directly on top of the unit. [videopress xXW5tGFk hd=”true” autoplay=”true”] During 1959, the 700 series was released by the GPO. This was launched after public demand for handsets similar to those featured on US television shows. These devices were modern in design with anti-tangle cord and came in very smart two-tone colour schemes. This was the design which is still found in many homes some 60 years after launch (although some modification was necessary to bring them in line with current BT sockets). The 706 models came in two-tone green, topaz yell, concorde blue, two-tone grey, topaz yellow, lacquer red, ivory and black. The red models being in great demand still today. Such was the popularity and demand for the Model 706 and later the Model 746, several manufacturers were contracted for its manufacture with both table-top and wall mounted version was available to rent. GPO Type 746 Telephones – Image Credit: Wikipedia In 1981, the GPO was privatised and the New Plan Socket was introduced for all new handsets, this allowed for approved 3rd party telephones to be either rented or purchased for use on the British Telecom network. The public was quick to drop this rotary dial phone in favour of new Tone-Dialing push-button models and the 746 was consigned to history and in many cases rubbish-skips and land-fill. However, I think every house needs at least one Model 746. Listen in the audio attached and listen to me talking to Matt Marvell on BBC Radio Suffolk about this amazing retro gadget Thanks for reading and listening, don’t forget to LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE and I will see you next time. Matt The Gadget Man [amazon_link asins=’B00XN9OX4E,B008MV41CC,B008MV7O8K,B00YAE5K48,B01BHVYXJ4′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’thgama03-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’9250b249-d0c2-46b7-949c-700bedd1d19d’] The post Gadget Man – Episode 140 – Retro Gadgets Part 7 – The GPO Telephone Handset appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

We’re now at part six of the Retro Gadget series. This week I spoke to Matt Marvell at BBC Radio Suffolk about the absolutely amazing Breville Sandwich Toaster! Many a Saturday lunchtime in my youth was provided by this gadget. Where I would mostly find my toasted sandwich contained ham, cheese and tomato, I found in later years there was a myriad of ingredients that could provide fillings to tantalise your taste-buds. Toasted Sandwich A great idea, place two buttered slices of bread in the toaster with the filling of your choice ‘sandwiched ‘ between them. Lock down the plates and wait for the light to turn green. Hey Presto! The meal of your dreams. You can listen in to the audio stream to find out what I thought above the Sandwich Toaster and it’s cousin, the Waffle Iron. In the meantime, I’ve done a bit of research into more adventurous Toasted Sandwich fillings:- Takeaway Curry Sandwiches – Now this appeals to me, I used to be a great fan of Curry-on-toast, the night after a takeaway, so taking the idea a step further with a Curry Sandwich, sounds delicious! Spaghetti Bolognese Sandwiches – Similar to the former, I’ve tried this on toast too! I bet it tastes amazing! Cheese and Marmite Toastie – I’ve tried this and can confirm it’s lovely! Assuming you like Marmite. Peanut Butter and Marmite Toastie – I love Peanut Butter and Marmite on toast for breakfast and can imagine having the ingredients toasted in a sealed package would be very nice indeed. Cheese and Pineapple Toastie – This sounds divine! OK, I’m off to make one for myself, where’s the pineapple? If you enjoy a toasted sandwich? Let me know, what’s your favourite filling, comment below and let me know. Don’t have a Sandwich Toaster? You can buy one at our Amazon Store by clicking below Don’t forget to Like, Subscribe and Share and I will see you soon. Happy Toasting!! Matt Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay Image by Rebecca Humann from Pixabay The post Gadget Man – Episode 139 – Retro Gadgets Part 6 – The Breville Sandwich Toaster appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Keeping backup copies of your data has never been so important and only this week it has been revealed that a fire at Universal Music has resulted in the loss of the original master tapes of some of the worlds most famous artists. To compound the issue, the backups were kept in the same vaults and seemingly perished resulting in the total loss of the original recordings of the likes of Buddy Holly, Eminem, Sheryl Crow, Tupac and Tom Petty (to same but a few!). With digital photography now the primary method of capturing images, it is now more important than ever that these sometimes precious images are also kept safe. Hardware failure or loss of devices is more common than ever before, so multiple backups are extremely important! Hardware failure is a real and present issue Today I spoke to James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk about backups and my experience of how to keep your data safe. To find out more, listen into the stream above. Don’t forget to Like, Subscribe and Comment with your experiences of backup successes and failures. See you in the next episode!! Matt The post Gadget Man – Episode 138 – Universal Music and the Importance of Backing up Your Data appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

We reach the fifth part of our series on Retro Gadgets and in this one, we focus on the 1st Format Wars where VHS fought Betamax for dominance in the VCR format battle for supremacy. During the ’80s, video entertainment came home with the introduction of the Video Cassette Recorder and with it came competing standards. The Format Wars – Betamax vs VHS The main standards were Sony’s Betamax and JVC’s VHS. Both were looking for market dominance, but who was to win? Find out what happened and how we still witness mega-corporation format rules today. Click on the play button above and don’t forget to subscribe using the widget above and I will see you very soon. Matt The post Gadget Man – Episode 137 – Retro Gadgets Part 5 – VHS vs Betamax appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Apple has now officially announced that they are splitting the iTunes app into THREE different services in the next few months. The 3 apps will focus on Music, TV and Podcasts and will finally separate these services from the iTunes app which was initially written synchronise copy-protected music to and from the first iPods. Apple WWDC19 – Image Credit: Apple Inc Listen in to my interview with James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk to find out what iTunes was and what it will become in the near future. Don’t forget to Like, Subscribe and Share and I will see you very soon Matt The post Gadget Man – Episode 136 – What is happening to iTunes? appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

In this episode, I talk to Matt Marvell at BBC Radio Suffolk about the SodaStream. The SodaStream is a fizzy drink machine which uses CO2 gas forced under pressure into an attached bottle of fresh water. After fizzing has taken place, the user adds their choice of flavoured concentrate to the water and thus create their own home-made carbonated drinks. SodaStream SodaStream was popular in the ’70s and ’80s with big-named brands such as Irn-Bru, Tizer and Fanta licensing their concentrate, with many other brands and flavours available. The product has been modernised over its lifetime with Samsung building the product into some of its refrigerators. In this episode of the podcast, we chat about our childhood memories of the SodaStream. You can listen in my click on the link above or subscribing using your favourite podcast platform. Don’t forget to Like, Share and Subscribe! Thanks for listening Matt The post Gadget Man – Episode 135 – Retro Gadget Part 4 – SodaStream appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Now we have reached the third part of our Retro Gadget series, we go left-field by selecting something that has been a part of peoples dining rooms for many many years. Hostess Trolley Yes, I’m talking about the Hostess Trolley, a dining gadget that has been keeping our dinner party food warm for many years. Listen in to the podcast by clicking on the play button above and subscribe using your favourite podcast app using the widget. Don’t forget to Like and Share and I will see you very soon Matt The post Gadget Man – Episode 134 – Retro Gadget Part 3 – Hostess Trolleys appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

In this podcast episode, I speak to Mark Murphy at BBC Radio Suffolk about reports that Smart Speakers are now taking parents places by reading stories to children. Intelligent Smart Speakers are now taking over parental responsibilities in some cases. BookTrust surveyed 1000 parents and discovered that 25% have used Alexa or Siri to read stories to their children. Here I discuss the survey with Mark and how the changing face of parenting has lead to the use of smart speakers to step-in when parenting becomes too busy. You can listen in to the episode by clicking on the play button above, or subscribe using your favourite podcast app by clicking the subscribe button. Thanks for reading and listening in and see you next time. Matt The post Gadget Man – Episode 133 – Alexa is now reading Bedtime Stories appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

In the second of my 10 Retro Gadgets of the Week, I talk about arguably one of the most important inventions of the 20th century! Don’t forget to listen in to the podcast link above where I talk about the gadget and its functions. Sony Walkman The Sony Walkman was a portable cassette player launched in 1979, it started a revolution in personal audio cassette players and altered the listening habits of people and brought music to the masses wherever they might be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH2T94XWqck   Soundabout, Freestyle and Stowaway Originally invented as the Sony Pressman to allow journalists to record interviews using a compact device, it became a personal entertainment device shortly after, settling on the name Walkman after being names the Soundabout, Freestyle and Stowaway. It very quickly became very popular and Sony began marketing it under a single brand-name, the Sony Walkman was born. Originally the Walkman came with two headphone sockets with individual volume controls and a Hotline button which lowered the volume levels and opened the microphone to allow for station announcements to be heard or the user to have conversations with other people. Sony Walkman Hotline and twin Headphone sockets Other manufacturers such as Aiwa, Toshiba and Panasonic soon followed suit launched competing products, but the devices all became known as a “Walkman” as the brand-name crossed over into popular culture and entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 1986. Walkman Effect The Walkman was used when walking, exercising and running. Sony launched the ‘Sports Walkman’ which offered a degree of waterproofing and allegedly drove the fitness craze of the late ’80s. It was during this time that cassettes began outselling vinyl as millions of people chose the Walkman for their entertainment. As music delivery advanced forwards, Sony was quick to adapt the brand to suit new formats, thus they launched the Sony Discman for the CD marketplace, the Sony DAT Walkman, MiniDisc Walkman and Sony Watchman TV. Without the Sony Walkman, we wouldn’t have modern personal music players and most certainly would never have seen the Apple iPod. Sony continued the brand of Walkman into the modern smartphone marketplace. Don’t forget to listen to the podcast above! Like, Share and Subscribe and I will see you next week for the Retro Gadget No.3 Thanks to Matt Marvell at BBC Radio Suffolk for having me on his show as a guest again this week. Matt Porter The Gadget Man The post Gadget Man – Episode 132 – Retro Gadgets – Part Two – Sony Walkman appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

This week begins a 10 week series of Retro Gadgets. Technology which has featured in my life and evokes childhood memories. Listen in on the audio recording above. I have included a surprise at the end which wasn’t recorded at the time.  If you grew up in the  ’70s or ’80s, you may have experienced some of these gadgets. You might be still using them or maybe they are gathering dust in a drawer. The first of these is an absolutely awesome gadget. A gadget which opened up the national curriculum to the use of calculators. It also introduced us to mobile gaming.  Leading thousands of young people to huddle around each other in the schoolyards of the early 1980s. Casio MG-880 Released in the summer of 1980, the Casio MG-880 was ostensibly a calculator aimed at young people. The 1980s saw a revolution in the teaching techniques applied to mathematics in schools. Initially seen as a way of ‘cheating’. Soon, however, it was accepted as a legitimate means to ‘check’ calculations, whilst continuing to show workings-out’ in answers. Casio had something up their sleeve though. Their customers not only received a calculator, but they also received a musical instrument and game. This was genius marketing, Casio tapped into the school market and rewarded the kids at the same time. The Calculator The calculator functionality allowed for addition, subtraction, multiplication and addition. In addition to this, results could be written to memory, recalled and directly subtracted or added to further calculations. Percentage calculations were also included. It was a beautifully designed device which hasn’t aged at all. The Casio MG-880 – a creation of a timeless design that hasn’t aged over its 40 years! Music MG-880 provided musical entertainment by either a preprogrammed ‘Oh When the Saints’ or by users composing their own music. Musical keys illustrated by the relevant Solfège above the enabled buttons allowed for simple compositions. Musical keys on the MG-880 were illustrated by the relevant Solfège above each key The sound came from a piezoelectric speaker. The result was a fine 80s sound that comfortably sits alongside games to follow. I was fond of playing the Star Wars’ theme. For for those interested is 1-5-4-3-2-8-5-4-3-2-8-5-4-3-4-2. IYou can hear this being played at the end of the attached podcast.  It was no secret that switching the calculator to ‘music’ mode in a lesson would result in its swift confiscation. The Game (Digi-Invaders / Space Invaders / Invaders) The ace in the pack was in the inclusion of the Game. This took the form of a button mashing invaders themed game utilising the simplest of graphics, the number display itself. The invaders game required the using decimal-point to cycle through 0-9 and n which denoted the mothership. Digits slowly advance across the screen from right to left. The player matches the number and presses ‘fire’ to remove it. Each level became faster and more difficult. Lives are lost when invaders reach the base. [videopress IB3JRLz0] The game was an instant hit across the planet, from my school in Hitchin, England to schools in New Zealand, every child wanted to own one and more-so, they wanted to excel at the game. Millions of the devices must have been sold with a substantial amount of them confiscated by over-enthusiastic teaching staff! As with all fads, the MG-880 fell out of favour to be replaced by more advanced handheld games and creating a new boom in entertainment. Perhaps thousands of them still exist in boxes on the shelves of staff-rooms around the world. This was the beginning of Casio’s boom. Relentlessly creative, they produced some the most ingenious of technology of the 80s. From calculators to watches with built-in calculators and melodies, they were the kings within their marketplace. Don’t forget to listen to the audio using the link above. It was recorded at BBC Radio Suffolk & broadcast on the 11 May 2019. Listen to the VERY END! I have included something geeky and special. Thanks to Matt Marvel at BBC Radio Suffolk for inviting onto his show. Keep tuning in for the next 10 weeks for more gems!   The post Gadget Man – Episode 131 – Retro Gadgets – Part One – Casio MG-880 Music and Game Calculator appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

Many of us will remember the halcyon days when upgrading our mobile phone handsets was a six-month event. No so now it would seem, instead, we are waiting much longer and are clearly looking for greater incentives to part with our beloved devices and even more importantly, our money. You can listen into my interview with James Hazell on BBC Radio Suffolk where I talk about why the smartphone market is slowing down. Click on the link above to hear what I had to say.  A Short(ish) History My first mobile phone was bought in 1993 (some 26 years ago) from Dixons in Derby. It was an NEC P100 and I think it cost me £50 and then £7.50 per month for the contract with Vodafone, no calls were included, so I paid 50p per minute if I did need to call anyone. The phone itself ran on the old 1G analogue network at 900MHz which was very quickly superceded by the digital 2G networks split between 900MHz for Vodafone and Cellnet and the alternative 1800Mhz for Orange and Mercury One2One. Note: if you don’t recognise many of these names, it’s because due to buyouts, rebrands and mergers, Vodafone remained, Orange became EE, Cellnet became BT Cellnet, then O2. Mercury One2One became just One2One and then changed to T-Mobile which in turn is merged with Orange to become EE. Then of course 3 launched a 3g service later on and of course, two dozen or so ‘piggy-back’ operators such as Giffgaff, Sky Mobile, Virgin etc, who don’t, in fact, run their own networks but instead using the Big Four’s network.  So my first phone was relatively cheap in today’s terms and in fact in ‘yesterdays’ terms too. the NEC P100 was meant to be a durable portable phone which it was and I kept it for some years until the analogue network was phased out and I had to get a more modern phone. The 2G network roll-out in the UK caused a market explosion and along with it came the Nokia 5110 and then 3310 phones which completely dominated the marketplace. This explosion in popularity came with reasonably cheap phones with cheap and short contracts, this meant that phones could be renewed quite regularly and soon cupboards would start filling up with unwanted and out of date devices, fuelling development and in reality, a war between manufacturers and networks to provide more and more functionality. Heading this surge was Orange and O2 who had struck up a deal with little known manufacturer HTC to produce the very first Microsoft Windows CE based ‘Smartphones’, long before the birth of the iPhone. HTC was at the time manufacturing the Compaq and HP iPaq Pocket PC and by adding cellular functionality, the Orange SPV (Sounds, Pictures and Video) and O2 XDA (extended PDA) began to be sold and the Smartphone was born. Suddenly our dumb phones became ‘Smartphones’ and with it rapidly increasing prices. These costs had to be passed onto consumers via increased contracts with longer minimum terms (mainly to allow for the handset and network infrastructure costs to be absorbed ). Minimum six-month contracts became twelve, then eighteen, then twenty-four months. All of this was necessary to pay for the device and network overheads! The phone networks began bundling minutes (and later, data), in part to placate phone users who were starting to become caught up in the ever increasing contract times.  Subsequently, devices became more expensive, resulting in more expensive contracts. With the launch of Apple’s iPhone, O2 and T-Mobile began offering ‘all you can eat’ data plans in order for these data-hungry devices to take advantage of the vast amount of content appearing. Once the iPhone 3G was launched, with its ability to consume vast amounts of bandwidth and data, the all-you-can-eat model was scrapped or altered with ‘acceptable usage’ policies to limit data consumption, unless you were prepared to pay more. Now that the smartphone had become established as a Super-Gadget, the manufacturers began an ‘Arms-Race’ to establish themselves as the Go-To brand in the multi-billion dollar marketplace, the likes of Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, LG, Sony and HTC began pumping billions into product development, patent registrations, cross-licensing and all-out war! In turn, the Smartphone industry has driven bigger, better, faster and more costly devices into the consumers’ hands! Meanwhile, in China, Xiaomi, Huawei and Honor are producing comparable and in some cases, better products, the market is now awash with products that were once competing with each other but are now blurring their differences making it difficult to see the differences Summing Up We now have a smart-device marketplace with astoundingly high-quality handsets costing £1000 plus! How can we justify paying over £100 a month for a mobile phone contract, when we are struggling to differentiate between ‘last-years’ model? What is needed now is for the manufacturers to take a breath! They need to find out what their customers really want. Maybe we are becoming tired and bewildered of being told what functions we need by these companies and it’s time for them to start listening to their consumers. Matt Porter The Gadget Man         The post Gadget Man – Episode 130 – Why are people not upgrading their phones as often? appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.

It was great to be on BBC Radio Suffolk this morning, talking with Wayne Bavin about Gadgets used in the home. Following the first episode of Hard to Please OAP’s on ITV1, I spoke to Wayne about Gadgets which are used regularly and less regularly in our homes. It was fun to chat about Soda-Stream, Amazon Alexa, Sandwich Toasters, Waffle Irons and all the good and bad tech now found in our homes. You can listen in to the latest podcast to hear what I had to say and also how I managed to link this to watching an old episode of Terry and June. Enjoy listening and don’t forget to Like, Share, Subscribe and I will see you next time! Matt Gadgets Featured in this Podcast on Amazon   The post Gadget Man – Episode 129 – Gadgets in the Home appeared first on Matt Porter, The Gadget Man - Creative Technologist - AI & Tech News and Reviews.