Posts filed under 'Technology'
These days you can save time and make life easier by using the latest technologies such as the internet. According to swiftcover.com seven out of ten people are now doing their banking and setting up their insurance online, whilst four out of ten people are doing their shopping via the internet. However there are still those things which people find a waste of time.
According to car insurer swiftcover.com these are the UK’s biggest wastes of time:
• 29% of people said commuting to and from work
• 26% of people said telephone sales callers
• 25% said doing chores or the housework
• 23% said long queues in shops were the biggest waste of time
• 16% said doing paperwork, i.e. banking, filling out forms etc
• 14% cited slow drivers as the biggest waste of time
Tina Shortle, marketing director for swiftcover.com, said:
We live in a fast-paced world where we want things to happen immediately and demand instant gratification, which is why the growth of online retailing has been so quick – the internet is fast, simple and convenient, letting us decide what we want to buy and when we want to buy it.
August 4th, 2010
More than 6 years has passed since the ban of using mobile phones whilst driving and if caught using a mobile phone you could have to pay a fine of up to £60 and get three penalty points, but this doesn’t seem to be stopping the distraction of mobile phones. A recent survey by Autoglass found:
More than half of drivers say that texting whilst driving is the biggest distraction for motorists.
71% admit that it is easy to become distracted at the wheel.
2 out of 10 people admit they have had an accident or momentarily lost focus while on the road.
Other distractions which made it on the list were eating and drinking, singing along to the radio, checking hair and make up, sneezing, lighting a cigarette and staring at an accident.
For tips on how to minimize distractions at the wheel visit
www.autoglassnews.co.uk
June 21st, 2010
The festival season is underway and as everyone knows the weather is always unpredictable, so when packing for a festival it’s always important to remember to pack your wellies.
This summer your wellington boots will not only keep you dry but will also charge your mobile phone. A new kind of wellies have been created and will be able to charge your phone as you dance, they have a power generating sole that coverts heat from your feet into electrical current. Mobile phone company, Orange will launch the eco-friendly wellies at the Glastonbury Festival in Somerset later this month. Charging a mobile phone is always difficult to do at festivals but this won’t have to be a worry anymore, and the new wellies will just give everyone a good excuse to dance more!
Click here to see swiftcover.com’s festival survival tips. 
June 18th, 2010
The Apple iPad has finally launched in the UK after a long wait for gadget lovers. Eager customers started queuing outside apple stores yesterday afternoon, waiting throughout the night to ensure they got their hands on the gadget. The doors of many stores opened at 8:00 this morning, creating much excitement amongst the crowds. Some customers, however, could have an even longer wait after iPad suppliers warned that there are a limited number of iPads available and this limited supply could last until September. The iPad will cost up to £699 in the UK for a top of the range version. There are 3500 applications available to buy or download for free, including the popular app called Stuck, you can also download videos, books, newspapers and music on the go.
May 28th, 2010
A new technology of hands free tweeting has been developed for Ford cars. The system has already been fitted in Ford Fiesta cars in America, and will be fitted into Ford Focus cars in the UK from next year. The system will be able to read twitter updates out load while you are driving so you won’t need to take your hands of the wheel and your eyes can stay on the road.
Future developments of the system will include voice recognition where the driver will be able to add tweets by saying them out load. The system will also include the ability to read text messages out loud while you’re driving, and you will be able to control your MP3 player using voice commands. Hopefully this will encourage motorists to avoid using their mobile phones while driving.
May 11th, 2010
Have you seen the new iPhone application called STUCK? It’s a new app where you can tell friends, family or the entire world where and why you are stuck. Whether you are stuck in traffic, have a song stuck in your head or even if you are stuck in love, you can share your situation with everyone.
The iphone application, which was launched by swiftcover.com, can be downloaded for free on your iPhone or iPod touch. You can also join the stuck facebook group to share your stuck experiences, the group has over 49,000 fans and is growing every day.
Stuck is available on the app store or alternatively you can access it from your iTunes software.
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/stuck/id351658914?
February 16th, 2010
Nintendo have announced that they will launch the new Nintendo DSi XL in March this year. The hand held consol will be a bigger version of the DSi consol and will feature two 4.2 inch LCD screens.
The DSi XL, has been designed due to customer demand and will come in two colours, wine red and chocolate brown. According to the Times Online Robert Saunders of Nintendo said:
We find that families like to play games together huddled around one console, and the smaller screen was making that difficult. The new screen also brings a level of detail to the graphics that has never been seen before.
The Telegraph reported that it will come pre-loaded with two games, including Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: Arts Edition and Dictionary 6 in 1. If you find the Nintendo DS too small then this DS could be ideal for you.
January 21st, 2010
Google are in the process of scanning millions of out of print books, which will be added online to form the biggest online library. The idea has recently been approved by British publishing groups and authors. Readers will be able to go online and read extracts from books or buy the full copies. The idea has been a controversial one and according to the Times Online there are concerns that it will breach the copyright of some international authors. Others welcome the idea as it will be an important source of revenue for authors.
Although there are pros and cons to the idea, it certainly would make access to books easier and quicker and it may even encourage people to read more.
November 25th, 2009
Seatbelts are an important safety feature in every car, however some people can still suffer from bruising or even broken ribs when in an accident due to the force of a seatbelt. Most of the time these injuries are minimal compared to what could have been, but could these injuries be avoided as technology and safety improves?
Ford has launched an inflatable seatbelt which is based on airbag technology. In the event of an accident the seatbelt will inflate and expand in the space of only 40 milliseconds. It will stay inflated for a few seconds after the crash, and then it will slowly deflate as the air escapes out of the pores in the airbag.
The inflatable seatbelts will initially be introduced in the backseats of the latest Ford Explorer 4×4 model, which goes into production in the United States next year, and according to whatcar.com, Ford would like to use the seatbelt in more of their products in the future.
This could possibly be the future of the seatbelt, and if the trial works well, then we could see a decrease in the number of injuries caused by seatbelts.
November 12th, 2009
In November 2007 Amazon launched their Kindle, an electronic hand-held reader that allows users to download books, newspapers and magazines giving them more freedom to read at their own leisure without being loaded down, great for commuters.
It had very good write ups with some stating that it is a “breeze to use” but it has only been available in the US. Well this is about to change.
The latest version of the Kindle will be going on sale in more than 100 countries around the world, including the UK. There will be over 200,000 English language titles on offer through the Kindle store with many publishers already on board, including, Penguin, Faber and Faber and HarperCollins.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said:
We have millions of customers in countries all over the world who read English-language books. Kindle enables these customers to think of a book and download it in less than 60 seconds.
Watch this video on You Tube “Amazon Kindle Video” to find out all about the Kindle.
October 8th, 2009
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