Malling U3A Computer Group. Xmas Tech gift ideas. Chris Daly 3rd December 2018

Transcription

1 Malling U3A Computer Group Xmas Tech gift ideas Chris Daly 3rd December 2018

2 Tech Xmas ideas Some ideas for Tech gifts as Xmas presents. Could be for family, friends or you. Each year the cost of hardware reduces and specification improves. Sensors for movement, temperature, sound, light levels etc, improve in specification each year. All of these and more make the advent of Smart devices and equipment cheaper and more capable.

3 Tech Xmas ideas What are Smart devices A smart device is an electronic device, generally connected to other devices or networks via different wireless protocols, that can operate to some extent interactively and autonomously. Wireless protocols such as Bluetooth, (built in to devices, phones, laptops etc) Near Field Communication (NFC), Wi-Fi, (your home router) 3G/4G (uses phone system data measured in MB)

4 Tech Xmas ideas These products have been grouped :Smart phones Home devices Heating Alarms & Security cameras Lights Audio Health & Fitness Monitors Smart watches Tablets Motoring DIY

5 Budget Smart Phones There are some very good Android Smart Phones available from about 120 to buy or 12/mth contract.

6 Home Devices Heating These are intelligent thermostat based devices. Can turn off heating by detecting no one is there. Can adjust the on/off time based on outdoor temperatures Can be operated remotely via smartphone Some can detect when you are returning (via GPS) to turn on. Some can alter timing based on weather forecast

7 Home devices - Heating There are 4 main systems available Nest (3rd Gen) Integrated system Hive Integrated system Learns your routine & your presence Tado Learns your routine & your presence Location sensing and intelligent control from weather forecasts Netamo Remote access and intelligent control from inside & outside temperatures.

8 Home devices - Heating

9 Home devices Alarms & Security Smoke & Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarms These also can now communicate through the smart phone. The front runner is Nest Protect for both smoke and CO. Thinks, speaks and alerts your phone Detects fast and slow burning fires Security cameras can connect with your phone to alarm remotely. Cameras can record on built in memory and/or remotely.

10 Home devices Smoke/CO Alarms

11 Home devices Security Cameras

12 Home devices Security Cameras

13 Home devices Security Cameras

14 Home devices Video Doorbell

15 Home devices Lights & appliances There are many systems now that allow control of home appliances, lighting, motion sensors etc Most are designed to start with one unit and expand as required. They allow control within the house or remotely via an App. & also by voice command. They will integrate with Google and/or Apple The main manufacturers are : Belkin WEMO Centrica (British Gas) Hive Samsung SmartThings

16 Home devices Lights & appliances O

17 Home devices Lights & appliances O

18 Home devices Audio Speakers There are now smart speakers available to listen to audio through WiFI and with voice control. The commands you speak will operate the device. They will even do internet searches Main devices are : Google Home (Google assistant) Amazon Echo (Alexa assistant) Sonos ONE Apple HomePod (Apple Siri)

19 Home devices Audio Speakers You can ask your smart speaker to play a song or playlist. set a timer while baking. control your AV system. turn down the lights in your room turn up the heating ask for the weather report check the traffic book an Uber tell it to create a to-do list or get it to tell you a joke.

20 Home devices Audio Speakers What you can do with a smart speaker depends largely on which AI your speaker has inside Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant work in slightly different ways and work with different apps and services and the extent of your smart home. Alexa and Google Assistant both work with the big ones: Spotify (free and Premium) TuneIn Radio Philips Hue, Nest, Hive, Samsung SmartThings Kayak and Domino s Pizza.

21 Home devices Audio Speakers

22 Home devices Audio Speakers

23 Home devices Audio Headphones Noise cancelling headphones These will cancel out steady background noise for quiet & peaceful listening e.g. planes, trains What HiFI reviewed the market and listed the best in various price brackets. Under 100 Lindy BNX-60 Under AKG N60 NC Under 300 Sony WH-1000XM2 Under 400 Sony WH-1000XM3 In ear Sony WF1000X

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27 Home devices Smart TV & Audio You can make your HiFi or TV into a Smart device by using Chromecast There are three versions Chromecast for Video (Std HD or Ultra 4K) Chromecast Audio for music They plug into your receiver HiFi or TV - and see/hear the video or audio on your Smart phone. Operates through your home WiFi router Current price is 30 for standard units & 69 for Chromecast Ultra (4K video)

28 Home devices Smart TV & Audio

29 Health & Fitness monitors Smart Wristband monitors Setup, control and monitor via smart phone App. These will track and measure various activities and functions depending on the model. Steps Distance Heart rate Calories burned Active & sleep minutes Alarms to wake up Tracker using built in GPS

30 Health & Fitness monitors

31 Smart watches Many high-end smart watches try to emulate the success of fitness trackers, offering abilities such as heart rate monitoring, GPS and water resistance. The best smart watches rival cheaper sports watches for fitness tracking performance. Smart watches offer significant levels of connectivity with your smartphone from answering calls to voice control. More advanced models can offer 4G connection and contactless payments. They can quickly become obsolete.

32 Smart watches WatchOS: The latest WatchOS 5 for Apple smart watches. It is a great system, but is best used alongside an iphone. Android Wear: The 2.2 edition of Android Wear was a step up with new functions including Google voice control, Android Pay and the ability to make 4G calls. It is used on most new smart watches. Compatible with Android 4.4+ & ios 9.3+ TizenOS: Used for Samsung smart watches, it has an intuitive interface and design, but is best suited to Samsung devices. Compatible with Android & ios

33 Smart watches 299

34 Tablets The range and specification of tablets keeps improving. Screen & build quality improves Processing speed increases Memory cost per MB reduces Think what you want to use the tablet for. Cost reduces for a given spec. or you get much more for the same price. You definitely get what you pay for. Choose the wrong tablet and you could end up with a sluggish device that constantly needs recharging.

35 Tablets pcadvisor/techadvisor August

36 Tablets The Independent review 7.0 screen 8.0 screen

37 Tablets The Telegraph review

38 Motoring Dash Cams Dash Cams are very useful to record other drivers behaviour in the event of an accident. Price & specification can vary especially quality of picture. Prices can range from 30 to over 200 A review of the market by Auto Express & The Independent came up with a top 5 ranging from 120 to 269. Some insurers will offer premium reductions for fitting an approved brand.

39 Motoring Dash Cams Currys 96 Halfords

40 Motoring Dash Cams Amazon

41 DIY - Endoscope Endoscope to locate and see objects lost behind furniture, down drains. Look at broken equipment, cars etc Plugs into the USB port on your phone Some have various alternative connectors (USB C) Some are semi rigid to point upwards Adjustable LED lights to see where you are searching Different cable lengths 1.5m to 15m Different diameter cameras from 5.5mm to 8.5mm Waterproof to IP67

42 DIY - Endoscope