Samsung stops selling Galaxy Note 7 and issues recall after reports of spontaneous explosions September 2, 2016 South Korean smartphone manufacturer Samsung is pulling its latest handset off the shelves – due to a risk of spontaneous combustion. The product recall was prompted by reports of phone batteries exploding. “Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently [...]
From smartphones to smart homes: O2 launches subscription connected home service September 1, 2016 O2 is going from smartphones to smart homes with the launch of a new service that will let users operate their heating and lighting from their mobile. O2 Home will also offer connected plugs to control any device, cameras, intruder alarms and more all controlled via an app from whereever you are and which can react to your return home [...]
Amazon’s Dash button service launches in the UK today: Prime users can press a button to order condoms, dishwasher tablets, cat food and more August 31, 2016 Amazon has today launched its Dash button service in the UK, meaning British shoppers can order essential household items such as loo roll, dishwasher tablets, condoms and cat food using a physical button placed in the home. Launched in the US last year, Dash buttons are dongle-sized devices that connect to your home wi-fi network [...]
Apple is said to be planning three new iPhones for next year August 23, 2016 Beyond the upcoming iPhone 7 due to be unveiled soon, Apple is said to be planning three new smartphones for next year, including a premium device with a bold new design feature. The tech company will make a radical overhaul of the iPhone design with a curved screen on one of the models due in 2017, [...]
We’ve already spent more via contactless than in all of 2015 August 22, 2016 People are swiping their card rather than splashing the physical cash these days as new figures reveal payments made with contactless technology have already overtaken the amount spent in the whole of 2015. Just over £9bn was spent using contactless in the first half of the year compared to £7.75bn in the the entire of last year, the new [...]
Apple’s iPhone sales fall as Chinese brands gain ground August 18, 2016 Apple continues to lose ground to Chinese rivals in the global smartphone market, ahead of the highly-anticipated launch of its new flagship iPhone 7. People are buying fewer iPhones and increasingly turning to challenger smartphone brands from Asia, the latest figures from Gartner show, as Apple confirmed it plans to plough more cash into China. iPhone sales declined [...]
Driverless cars, artificial intelligence and blockchain: Meet the Gartner Hype Cycle of 2016 August 16, 2016 Driverless car technology is careering towards the trough of disillusionment after hitting the peak of hype, according to Gartner analysts monitoring the progression of the world's emerging technology trends. The firm's annual Hype Cycle tracks where trends such as virtual reality, robotics, personal voice assistants and, of course, driverless cars, are in their journey from talked-about technology to [...]
Why the £10bn surfing industry deserves its introduction as an Olympic sport in 2020 August 10, 2016 Once the epitome of sporting counter culture and the natural home to the mavericks and outsiders of the sports world, surfing has finally been accepted as an Olympic sport. With Brazilian pro surfers like Gabriel Medina and Filipe Toledo now superstars in a sport which is rivalling football in its appeal to younger generations, the [...]
The Apple Watch 2 might be coming this year August 9, 2016 An updated version of Apple's first ever wearable and its newest device, the Apple Watch, could be coming as soon as this year, one analyst predicts. The Apple Watch 2 is expected to hit wrists by the end of the year, said Ming-Chi Kuo, an analysts at KGI and known as one of the most well informed [...]
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 could be its best chance to pip Apple to the post August 8, 2016 Samsung versus Apple is one of the fiercest mobile tech rivalries ever and, with the right timing and its latest “phablet” device, the South Korean giant may have found the right formula to steal customers from the iPhone maker. Last week, Samsung released the Galaxy Note 7, a 5.7 inch “phablet” that comes with an [...]