It’s Party Time on Dartmoor – Hello Fibre

Tech News

Living in a rural location has many advantages that far outweigh the disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is internet speeds and TV. 

To give you some idea, about 9 years ago it was only possible to receive 4 TV Channels. That’s right only 4. Channel 5 wasn’t possible. There was no freeview either. A year later freeview arrived and offered 32 channels. An update occurred a month later that reduced that to 19 removing ITV3 & ITV4 and other popular channels. 

So consequently streaming services were needed to provide a better range of TV entertainment.  To my frustration the only broadband provider is BT. There are a few places in the UK where BT is the only allowed and the only possible connection service. Princetown, Dartmoor is one of those places. 

So how come fibre broadband has arrived suddenly. Well a small company had worked out another way to deliver fibre broadband to the village and was due to start installing the necessary equipment in a few months time. So BT responded out of the blue, and rushed around the village upgrading the necessary equipment. So from the 1st August 2016, Infinity 1 goes live and I’ll connected on the same day. 

So what’s the difference in speed likely to be. Currently I get on average 6mB down and just 0.3mB upload. From the 1st August that changes to 40-50 mB download and 7-9mB upload. 

Twitter just made verification one step simpler – details

Social, Tech News

A number of twitter uses have a blue tick in their logo. This means they are a verified user and hold potentially some important in a particular field or are just mega popular.

You can now head over to http://verification.twitter.com and apply for verification. Good luck though as unless you are famous you are unlikely to succeed.

BBC+ puts all the BBC’s best content in one personalised app on iOS & android

Android, Apple, Tech News

“BBC+ puts all the BBC’s best content in one personalised app.

Between news, TV, radio programming and more, the BBC is constantly producing a vast array of content. There’s far too much for any one person to consume, and on top of that it’s all distributed across various websites, iPlayer and the like. As a public service broadcaster, the BBC is required to accommodate a broad range of interests, and BBC+ — a new iOS and Android app launching today — is all about highlighting what’s relevant to you, the licence fee payer that funds it all. Load up the app and you’ll be greeted by the “At a glance” homepage, which offers you a quick look at the weather and a couple of big stories that are capturing the public’s attention. Beyond this, though, it’s a fully personalised experienced based on topics that interest you. You can add any of a long list of editorial themes to the simple horizontal carousel: From local and regional news, specific sports, science, gaming, music, business, politics, health, food, faith, and many, many more. The idea isn’t just to surface news stories, though — the personalised section of the BBC News app does that already — but all kinds of content related to that topic. You might be interested in a specific sport, for example, but would never turn to Radio 5 Live on your morning commute. If, however, there was a particularly good interview or debate on said sport on the previous morning’s breakfast show, it’ll pop up in BBC+. It could be a news story, of course, or it could just as easily be a clip from a TV broadcast you may never have seen otherwise.”

Even though you have to sign in to use the app this does appear as a good way to get the existing personalised desktop experience now on your smartphone.

 BBC+ App on iTunes

BBC+ app on Google Play Store
More at Engadget

LG has a new Friend in the LG Action Cam LTE

Android, Tech News


“LG has a new Friend in the LG Action Cam LTE.

The new LG Friend is an action camera with built-in LTE connectivity – handy for streaming directly to sites such as YouTube Live via wireless 3G or 4G networks.It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor, and has been rated IP67, meaning it can be immersed in up to one metre of water for up to 30 minutes, along with being dust and sand-proof.In terms of specs, it’s got a 12.3MP camera with a 150-degree wide angle lens, and can record 30FPS video at 4K resolution, 30-60FPS at 1080p and 30-120FPS at 720p. It can also be used as a CCTV camera for home monitoring, with images and videos going straight to your smartphone.Though release dates for Australia, US and UK have yet to be announced, the LG Action Cam LTE has already started rolling out in South Korea, meaning its international release should be right around the corner.”

Great to see another LG Friend but where are the other friends that connect to the bottom part of the modular LG G5? Something tells me that as the G5 has not been a sales success these modules may be lacking. However it does mean you can buy the LG G5 at low prices and bag yourself a smashing phone.

More at Techradar

Apple iPhone 7 – Front and Back Photos – Plus Changes

Apple, Tech News, ,

id50580060_iphone-7-pro-leak

If these photos of the new Apple iPhone 7 are correct then we are in for a few changes.

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First up, the larger Plus version has a smart connector on the rear, so Apple can sell you lots of new accessories. Second the Plus version seems to have a dual camera setup, whereas the smaller version has a larger sensor.

The headphone jack is removed on both new iPhone 7’s. The last quarter of the year sure looks like it will be interesting 🙂

More at 9to5mac

Preparing for the 8 week Blood Sugar Diet – Just 800 calories per day

Diet, Tech News,

On Saturday 16th July 2016, I started a bold move to make myself healthier. Part of this plan is starting with the 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet by Dr Mosley. This is a 800 calorie diet per day for 8 weeks. It is using medical science and food types to reset your blood sugar levels / insulin. More on that later.

A quick bit of housekeeping. All these posts will have links added to the main menu link, found HERE. You can also find it using the menu, “The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet”.

Why do people use this diet? For a number of reasons, mainly reversing type 2 diabetes, or reducing /resetting high blood sugar/insulin level in the body and liver/pancreas, to providing more energy and losing weight quickly all in 8 weeks. It is important that you discuss this with your doctor before starting this diet. And that you have read the book completely.

Before you scream at me that 800 calories is too low. STOP. Read the book by Dr Mosley. Remember this is not something dreamed up in the pub, this has been medically proven to work. Now fortunately, I am not diabetic but like 35% of all the people living in the UK, my blood sugar levels are too high which eventually would lead to type 2 diabetes. I am also overweight. So how did I prepare for this change and what technology am I using? Where possible, I have provided Amazon UK links to the items for ease.

Why all the measurements? Well I want evidence and a record of what changes and by how much. This will be shared with you when I take a second set of readings next Saturday.

1) First of all, I cleared out any foods that weren’t going to help. Instead these were replaced with healthier type snacks. My tip is to use the book and forums, plan your whole weeks meals and the ingredients required. I am adding my food into myfitnesspal app. Garmin Connect app syncs data from the Garmin Fenix HR and Garmin Index Scales. It also sync with myfitnesspal.

2) I read the book by Dr Mosley, “the 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet.” It is available on Kindle, Paperback, Hardback and as an audio book. Click HERE. Everyone should read this book. I think you all will learn something about diet. I did.

3) Buy a measuring tape if you don’t have one. Measuring Tapes on Amazon UK. – Click HERE. The measuring tape is for recording waist, neck and chest measurements.

4) I am using the new Garmin Index Smart Scale. Click HERE. These scales are meant to measure weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat and water percentage, bone and muscle mass.

5) Omron M3 Blood Pressure Monitor – Click HERE. This is used to measure blood pressure and heart rate. This has really good reviews.

6) Accu Check Mobile Blood Glucose System – Click HERE. This is a blood glucose measuring system. From my research this was one of the best all in one systems. After taking my first measurement, my blood sugar levels were high.

7) Garmin Fenix HR – Click HERE. I am using this fitness watch to track my exercise. The Garmin Fenix HR also keeps track all day of my heart rate. It also measures VO2. The Fenix HR has tons more features too.

You of course can use other devices, but these are what I am using.

So on Saturday, I took my body measurements (waist etc), weighed myself, took a blood pressure reading and lastly got my first blood glucose reading. I will be tracking all the results once a week and will provide details of the improvements as and when they occur.

Some stats from the book. 4 million people in the UK have diabetes. 35% of the UK population have high blood sugar levels that will lead to diabetes and yet they don’t know about it. That’s scary. Blindness and amputation can all occur from diabetes. Plus high sugar levels make you feel tired, lacking energy and hungry. The side effects of high blood sugar levels is endless.

So back to Day 1. Saturday, I had 2 meals. A brunch and dinner. By having 2 meals at the weekend, allows for a higher calorie dinner. I also drank 3 litres of water. I drank water using Sainsburys 2L bottles of economy still mineral water. I found this an easy way to track my consumption. Daily intake of water is meant to be 2-3 litres.

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So what were my meals. Brunch was a large portobello mushroom with baked beans and a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Dinner was a seasoned steak on a plate of lettuce. This was lightly coated with olive oil prior to grilling. I had an apple after the steak. That was my 800 calories in total for Saturday. In terms of exercise I walked for an one and a half hours.

So how did I feel. Until I ate brunch at 11am, I drank water. I felt hungry. After brunch I walked for an hour which felt fine. I ate the steak at 5.30pm. I really enjoyed the steak. Around 9pm, I really felt hungry and my brain was telling me to eat something. I didn’t. Instead I drank a little water. Saturday night wasn’t easy. But I survived.

So Sunday, yesterday I woke up and the first thing that struck me was I didn’t feel starving. This did change towards dinner time. Brunch was a 2 large portobello mushrooms with creme fresh/mustard topping, small slice of smoked salmon and a poached egg. Dinner was chicken with a plate of salad and healthy extras, see below.

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Not bad for 400 calories and a decent size portion. I also drank 3 litres of water yesterday.

Anyway, its very early days and this is certainly going to be tough at times.

PS. I will tweet the odd meal or what I am having during the week as well. My Twitter is @gavinfabiani

Withings Activite Steel – Swiss Styled Watch with Activity Tracking / 8 months battery – Review

Android, Apple, Tech News, Wearables, ,

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Welcome to my review of the Withings Activite Steel watch. The key features are –

– Automatic activity tracking – Steps, runs, swims (water resistant – 50m) and calories burned
– Sleep monitoring – Sleep cycle analysis (light and deep sleep) plus silent vibrating alarm
– Automatic synchronisation – Visualise trends and data on your smartphone with the free Health Mate app available on iOS and android
– Premium materials – Stainless steel, chrome hands, silicon sport strap
– No charging – Up to 8-month battery life

The Withings Activite Steel smartwatch is a breeze to setup. You download the Health Mate app, and follow the simple instructions. I was all setup within 5 mins. Syncing is done periodically during the day using Bluetooth Low Energy. This is an analogue, swiss style watch. The watch strap is easily removable with a built in slide pin. Withings sell leather straps made from quality Barenia leather from Haas Tanneries, the supplier of the finest French Haute Couture houses. Choice of black or tawny brown colours. A single leather strap is £100. The silcone strap is also replaceable with other colour straps. Withings sell a 3 pack of coloured silicone straps for £25. The colours are orange, plum and teal.

The watch has a dial for the hands and minute hands. The other dial moves from 0 to 100% of step target. On the app you set how many steps is you goal. The Health Mate app displays a whole range of data.

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The Health Mate app is elegantly designed, displays all your data, auto tracks exercises and shows the data for that exercise. GPS is not included.

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You can share your data, get competitive with friends and view different stats over various time periods.

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The first thing I noticed is the comfort of the strap. Next the watch size is much smaller than expected. In fact, I decided it was too small to look at on my wrist and lost interest in wearing it. In my mind a watch that is meant to look like a watch, needs to look cool and smart first. However, I think changing the strap for orange or black leather would be a better choice. I cannot believe this doesn’t need charging and lasts 8 months. This takes all the pain out of charging a tracker. In fact it never needs charging. It uses a standard watch battery which you replace after 8 months. Again, my main issue is the watch costs around £139 but just doesn’t look expensive enough. There is a Sapphire version which does look smarter. Some people will prefer the smaller size watch face. The strap is 18mm.

Despite its size, it is a wonderful activity / sleep tracker. I love how the analogue dial moves round showing you the percentage of your goal. Your step goal is set in the app. This is the first tracker that I didn’t feel the need to know my actual number of steps. This is shown when you open the app. I also like the simplicity of the watch. One last option is a silent alarm. Notifications are not possible.

Conclusion

For me the negatives were its small watch face and strap which made it look wrong on my wrist. For others this could be ok. As a tracking it worked well.

More info & latest pricing on Amazon UK

Pokemon Go – Live on Dartmoor National Park – My Experience – Is it really that popular!

Android, Apple, Tech News,

Anyone for an ice cream #Dartmoor tonight

Dartmoor National Park – 328 square miles of national park and moors. One ice cream van that appears everyday in summertime.

So what does the ice cream van have to do with Pokemon Go. Well, the ice cream seller was chatting to a customer while serving me a 99 ice cream with flake. Somehow, the conversation drifted and before you could count to 5, discussions on Pokemon Gyms, Pokemon stops and more. The conversation opened out into a huge branch with a vast amount of people clearing playing the game in other towns. This was my first insight into just how crazy popular Pokemon Go has become. Secrets were revealed as to where all the best places where to visit and catch more Pokemon.

So Dartmoor National Park is rural and a rugged landscape. I didn’t expect there to be anything to catch or many Pokemon stops. But OMG there are loads. I am not sure how the number of items to catch vary to other places but I certainly can’t complain.

Dartmoor Prison is a Pokemon Gym. Ironic that! The Pokemon Gyms are places you go to fight other Pokemon. Prison , fighting. Maybe its a good fit!

Now in my rural village on Dartmoor, called Princetown, there are another 2 Pokemon Gyms. Plus Princetown is a historical village so there are lots of Pokemon Stops. There are also 2 churches with activity. In fact, come and visit Princetown and get your Pokemon!

Whilst visiting make sure you visit the 2 pubs (The Plume of Feathers / Prince of Wales), the 2 cafes (Fox Tor Cafe, Old Police Station), the National Park Visitor Centre, the Dartmoor Prison Museum and stroll up to South Hessary Tor!

Now as to how long this fad will last is anyones guess. But for now, I ended up walking an extra hour catching Pokemon! And I only bumped into one hanging flower pot!

DJI launches new Zenmuse Z3 drone camera with built-in optical zoom

Photography, Tech News,


“DJI launches new Zenmuse Z3 drone camera with built-in optical zoom.

Drone maker DJI has launched a new aerial camera for its range of UAVs — the first from the company to offer a built-in optical zoom. The Zenmuse Z3 costs $899, weighs 262 grams, and has the same Sony-built 1/2.3-inch camera sensor found in DJI’s Inspire 1 and Phantom 4. It can shoot video at 4K at up to 30 frames per second and captures images at a resolution of 12-megapixels. And, of course, there’s that zoom. The Z3 has up to 7x zoom, combining a 3.5x optical zoom and a 2x digital zoom. DJI is positioning the Z3 primarily as a tool for “industrial applications.” If you use a drone for surveillance or surveying, then normally the only way to get a closer look is to physically fly closer.”

This new drone from DJI looks fantastic. And with optical zoom recorded footage will look even better !
More at the Verge