Tech and Auto
HIPOJI is Bringing ‘Trendy’ Back to the Emoji Market
Are Jeremy Corbyn, a Pug and an Avocado the new-age emoji’s we’ve been waiting for? It’s already hard to resist not ending every text message with an emoji. But now we have even more reason to get excited, with a fresh new batch of modern images ready to depict our everyday conversations. The birth of the mini graphics came about in 1998 when Japanese employee Shigetaja Kurita was working on a mobile internet platform. While many people could be forgiven for presuming...
Driverless Cars: How to Avoid a Bumpy Route to an Autonomous Future
By Professor Antonios Tsourdos, Head of the Autonomous and Cyber-Physical Systems Centre, Cranfield University A new House of Lords select committee inquiry is looking at how the smart technology around driverless cars and drones can evolve into a smart, autonomous transport system for the UK. The economic benefits from a world-leading industry around autonomous vehicles (AVs) have already been mapped out: a potential £51 billion for the UK economy each year. With the legislation making AVs legal for use on...
Driverless cars hit the UK for the first time
You can now fall asleep at the wheel, as driverless cars have arrived on our shores for the first time. Google and Uber are already busy developing this technology and the race to launch the first fully functioning driverless car is hotting up. The self-drive cars were being trailed for the first time, and they were also carrying human passengers. The cars looked very similar to Smart cars and it was a great success. However, don’t expect to get anywhere...
How to charge your phone in a remote place
This week I tested the Powermonkey Explorer 2, a powerpack device that allows you to charge your phone or laptop anywhere... Leaving for our annual ‘Dad’s on tour’ trip to Snowdonia, filled with the joyous prospect of a good night sleep away from my two toddlers, I practically skipped down the path to the waiting camper van full of my mates. Yes we all had a box of beers and crisps, but we also came prepared with eyemasks and ear plugs...
45% of London drivers think cyclists are most irritating road users
A new road rage survey from the car leasing company, Lease Car, has revealed that 45% of drivers in London think cyclists are the most irritating road users, followed closely by school run mums! The top 5 most irritating road users in London Cyclists 45.00% School Run Mums 30.70% White Van Drivers 25.10% Taxi Drivers 18.50% Lorry Drivers 23.30% The survey asked more than 1,200 people in the UK a series of questions about their road rage experiences and found...
The Skyrim Soundtrack is Getting the Live Orchestra Treatment
Get your a capella version of Dragonborn all sung out now (I know you're all doing it), Skyrim in Concert is coming! The first ever orchestral concert dedicated to the music of The Elder Scrolls® V: Skyrim, will premiere at the London Palladium on 16th November. Based on the award winning score by Jeremy Soule, Skyrim in Concert takes concert goers on a nostalgic, musical journey through the landscape of one of The Elder Scrolls’ most popular installments. Performed live by the Winterhold Philharmonic...
Top 5 Gaming Moments that Hit You in the Feels
I have been watching too many countdowns on Youtube. Too many. So many I could probably write a Top 100 countdown of the best Youtube countdowns ever. The recommendations algorithm has me ensnared. The little load wheel between videos has become self-aware. It can see me slouched in my chair, just out of reach of my mouse. It can sense my defeat by swirling numbers and static shots of grainy gameplay. What is it? What is number one? Tell me,...
Is it really best to pay for a new car in full?
Motorists love the thrill of getting their hands on the steering wheel of a new car – but less than ever before are actually doing so. According to research from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in the Financial Times, used car sales outstripped new sales three-fold in the first half of the year at 4.18 million. That still means that 1.42 million new cars were purchased in that time. What are the advantages? Firstly, you’re driving a car...
ANOTHER state sponsored attack – 500 million Yahoo users hacked
Another day, another hack into huge data banks. This time Yahoo has said that a “state-sponsored” group of hackers managed to steal information from around 500 million users. If this is found to be correct it would be the largest cyber-breach in history. The hackers were able to gather personal data from Yahoo’s customers including names, e-mails and possibly bank details, however the tech giant has denied these claims. The worrying news is that this happened in 2014 and the...