Toyota GT86

Toyota Gt86

Toyota GT86

February is the Month of Cars for #HowToKillAnHour – 'Pure Driving Pleasure' is what Toyota UK promised with the GT86 Club Series: Blue Edition – does it deliver? Find out with our full review by clicking here: http://www.howtokillanhour.com/gadgets-tech/toyota-gt86Keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here: http://www.howtokillanhour.com/newsOur website is here http://www.howtokillanhour.comOur podcast is here http://www.howtokillanhour.com/showsTwitter: https://twitter.com/HowTokillAnHourFacebook: https://facebook.com/HowTokillAnHourInstagram: https://instagram.com/HowToKillAnHour

Posted by How To Kill an Hour on Tuesday, 12 February 2019

We here at How To Kill An Hour are also reviewing CARS! We like cars, people kill a lot of time driving their cars in the most luxurious of places, and the Toyota GT86 is no different.

GT86

The Club versions of the Toyota GT86 focus on the coupe’s style and performance, with the new GT86 Blue Edition offers an option of a performance pack for even sharper handling!

The car is a beautiful blue, with an Electric Blue Bodywork contrasting black styling details and including front grille, rear spoiler and diffuser, door mirror housings and front fog light surrounds. Inside, the cabin is finished in sporting black leather and Alcantara.

If a customer was to go for the optional Performance Pack, the car will deliver a more focused drive. Consequently due to the introduction of a Sachs-tuned suspension upgrade. It includes Sachs Performance dampers, larger Brembo brakes which provide a supreme stopping ability and an improved pedal feel. The car has some incredible, beautiful large 17 inch black alloy wheels, which compliment the large red Brembo callipers wonderfully.

The Toyota GT86 Blue Edition has a poised and balanced chassis with a low centre of gravity and low set driving position. It has a front engine – a 197bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder boxer unit – and rear-wheel drive.

The car comes in either manual or automatic transmission, both options come with a total of 6 speeds, the Toyota GT86 has a top speed of 140mph while the automatic is 130mph. It can hit 62mph in 7.6seconds of acceleration, while automatic will take a little slower at 8.2seconds. Yet, it is still really quick!

Tech

TECH! We love tech, we are a tech brand after all and the GT86 doesn’t let us down. It comes with a Toyota Touch 2 Multimedia system, dual zone climate control, dusk sensing headlights, heated front seats and cruise control!

(Toyota)

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Shure MV88+, THE tool for vloggers

MV88+ and Lexus RX F 450h Sport!

The Lexus UK RX 450h F Sport is a fantastic car, a real powerful SUV. It's the 4th generation of Lexus' range of the Lexus RX Luxury SUV. We captured it using the incredible Shure UK MV88+ Vlogging kit!

Posted by How To Kill an Hour on Thursday, 16 January 2020

We’ve been testing the Shure MV88 microphone for a while now and have used it on a number of projects. We recently got a chance to give it’s big brother a spin. The MV88+. An upgrade on the MV88 as the + has a whole host of kit which is perfect for the vlogger!

It’s a portable audio and video recording kit, which is just the right size and weight for all vloggers. It gives you all the tools you need right out of the box. Including a really sturdy and easy to hold tripod. The Manfrotto Pixi Tripood. A phone clamp and mount to securely hold your smartphone. iOS and USB-C cables for compatibility and connectivity. It really is as simple as plug and play. Plus, we cannot forget the incredible MV88+ microphone! You’ll be capturing content as quickly as we were!

We’re not kidding when we say that the audio on this device is incredible. It really is. Creates high quality crisp audio and it’s all connected to a smartphone! Furthermore the Shure Motiv Video App, allows you to change video settings right from within the app. You can also check and monitor your audio right in front of you on the app!

Shure MV88+ Features:

  • Includes industry leading Manfrotto PIXI mini tripod, phone clamp & shoe-mount, USB-C & lightning cables
  • Includes neoprene roll-up bag to keep all your accessories in one place
  • Built-In Headphone Output for real-time monitoring
  • Pristine audio for multiple set ups
  • Included phone mount is also compatible with any tripod with a ¼” connector
  • All metal construction
  • Detailed stereo capture, five DSP preset modes
  • Shure MOTIV Audio App for pro-level recording
  • Shure MOTIV Video for onscreen control
  • Allows for phone charging while mic is in use (requires USB-A cable and Apple USB3 camera adapter)- iOS users only

Download:

Motiv Video App – Apple / Android

Motiv Audio App – Apple / Android

(Shure)

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Marcus Bronzy

FORD EDGE: Ice Driving

 

Ice Driving with the Ford Edge ST Line

Well Feburary is the month of love for some…..but for #HowToKillAnHour it is the month of CARS!As well as our usual talk around the world of tech we will be looking at a few whips that are packed full of tech….Kicking off with the new Edge ST Line from Ford UK which we took for an icy spin in temperatures as cold as minus 15! See the lin in the comments for more info!

Posted by How To Kill an Hour on Saturday, 9 February 2019

Recently, thanks to the lovely guys over at Ford, Marcus wrapped up warm and traveled to the Icy heights of Northern Sweden to experience ice driving to test their brand new motor, the Ford Edge.

Tech Heavy

The Ford Edge not only looks amazing, but it drives wonderfully well too! Not only that but it’s packed with tons of amazing tech! Just what we love here at How To Kill An Hour! For example, the Ford Edge comes with adaptive cruise control, radar sensors which help you see your blind spots, lane centering and Ford Co-Pilot 360, a driving assistant.

Plus, what’s really cool, the Ford Edge has Ford’s FordPass Connect. Which allows for everyone in the car to stay connected through it’s in-car Wifi hotspot that connects to 4G! Therefore saving all that precious phone data! FordPass Connect also gives drivers up to date live traffic information and the chance to make an eCall if you were ever to get in danger. In the case of a serious accident FordPass will automatically make a call to the emergency services and ping them your location! However, the Edge will also do it’s best to avoid situations like this, as the Edge has a Pre-Collison assist. The Ford Edge keeps everyone safe and sound by anticipating your next move and the cars around you. Intelligent and impressive stuff!

Each Ford Edge also comes equipped with B&O tailor made speaker systems. Now B&O are a huge name in the audio industry and they bring 1000 watts of power to the car’s speaker system. Don’t turn it up too loud will you!

When is it available?

The Ford Edge is available in 8 colours: Oxford White, Ingot Silver, Magnetic, Chrome Blue, Shadow Black, Ruby Red, White Platinum and Burgundy Velvet. It comes with a 4 cyclinder 2.0L diesel EcoBlue engine and is available in both manual and automatic transmission. Furthermore the Ford Edge also comes in 3 different models: Titanium, ST-Line and Vignale & is available now!

Please see our gallery of our amazing time in Sweden below!

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Chrome DARK MODE

In what seems to be another program/OS adopting the beautiful dark mode phenomenon. Let’s be honest it does look GOOD! Apparently there will be a Google Chrome Dark Mode!

According to 9to5Google reports there will be a dark mode for everyone’s favourite browser. Allegedly macOS and Windows10 will get this feature and is currently in the testing phase in the Canary development builds of the latest build of Chrome. Furthermore the dark mode is said to be enabled by default, as part of your system settings on either OS. Though this is not entirely clear, with the Verge reporting that on some of thier builds it respected the dark mode on the system and others it did not. (Click the featured image above to get a good view of it!)

This new dark mode looks glorious and enables a dark default page for brand new tabs, introduces darker chrome borders and context menus. According to the Verge, the dark mode version of Chrome is said to be rolled out in April. We shall soon see! However, we for one are very excited!

(The Verge)

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ESkate Hub

ESkate Hub

Eskate Hub

Eskate Hub

We’re big fans of electronic skateboards here at How To Kill An Hour! We’ve been informed about an incredible website dedicated to one of our favourite ways of getting around. It’s called Eskate Hub. Eskate Hub has got a LOT of information on Electronic Skateboards.

For example, it details what exactly an E-Skateboard is. Plus it has a ton of reviews on the latest and greatest E-Skateboards that are available to buy today. Furthermore there’s a section dedicated to the best E-Skateboards available on the market! Not entirely sure which one to buy? Look at the handy comparison table to peruse over before you go ahead and make a purchase.

We especially love the guide! It’s very interactive and gives anyone, especially an absolute novice to the E-Skateboard community what the different parts of an E-Skateboard does. It’s definitely a website that we will be taking a look at when looking for our next E-Skateboard to review on the show!

So, why not head on over to Eskate Hub by clicking here!

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Pure Siesta Charge

Pure Siesta Charge

This brand new DAB radio from PURE will bring you some incredible sound AND charge up your phone! We don’t know why anyone else hasn’t thought of this before! It’s called the Pure Siesta Charge and is available for £130

The Siesta Charge combines all the great features of Siesta range from Pure but there’s a twist. It comes with the added convenience of a wireless charging pad. The sound quality on it too isn’t bad either. Infact it’s incredible. It comes with stereo sound built in, furthermore you get Bluetooth music streaming built in! Listen to all your favourite DAB/FM stations, as well as all your personal playlists via Bluetooth.

 

Features:

  • DAB/DAB +
  • FM
  • Qi Wireless Charging
  • Bluetooth
  • Alarms via Radio Station or Tone
  • USB Powerpoint charging
  • Auto Dimming display that won’t emmit bright lights
  • 40 Station Presets
  • Sleep Timer, Kitchen Timer
  • Headphone Out

 

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HulkBot

HulkBot

This is the Method 2 prototype, a massive robot from Gunpo, South Korea. It looks like ED 209 from Robocop. (Younger readers Google ED 209, then go watch the incredible movie Robocop movies from the 1980’s and 90’s! While they’re vintage, they’re amazing!) We’re coining it the HulkBot!

The guys from VICE went to Gunpo and tested out this giant mech bot. It’s made by a company called Hankook Mirae Technology and weighs 1 and a half tons and stands at a giant 13ft tall!

The reason as to why it looks like something out of a movie? Well, this super cool mech bot was designed in collaboration with a Hollywood designer.

Yang Jin-Ho is Hankook Mirae’s chairman and used a lot of his own money ($200m) to fund the Method-2 project and it’s called a bipedal robot.  The robot mimics a users arm movements and is kept upright by two metal cables attached to the ceiling. While this damages part of the fun and look of the Method-2, it certainly shows what can be created and can be used as a prototype for future versions of the Method-2.

Yang Jin-Ho told Vice: “It’s more likely it’ll be used in fires and disaster relief situations…But also find application in military operations.”

So, therefore even though it looks super cool, it’s not useable…..yet. In whatever form it takes, be it relief or military based, we’re certainly interested in the future of Method-2.

VICE

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Pico Projector

Pocket Pico Wireless Projector

There is a super cool, super small projector from Kodak that we just HAVE to tell you about. It’s called the Pocket Pico Wireless Projector and it just works.

It’s got a simple plug and play feature as it works straight out of the box. No headaches! The Pocket Pico Wireless Projector, easily connects to any mobile device for seamless screen mirroring.

The device is incredibly small as it is a 2.1inch cube and weighs a very lightweight 6.1oz’s! The Pocket Pico Wireless projector emits a 100 lumins display at a 854 x 840 native resolution. It can display a 100 inch display from 8 feet away and a 56inch display from 5 feet away. The focus is even adjustable!

This little device even has a built in speaker and 3.5mm headphone jack! It has a HDMI input, microSD and USB inputs. Comes complete with a Tripod, Remote control, built in rechargeable battery and is PC/Mac Compatible.

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Ambeo Smart Headset

Ambeo Smart Headset

Firstly. this headset from Ambeo is INCREDIBLE. What’s different about these headphones than every other headphones? Not only does the Ambeo have active noise cancelling and Transparent Hearing. It also has special microphones built in to each earpiece. So, what do they do? Well, they allow for the capture of 3D sound to compliment the videos that you create with your iOS device. While, resulting in an truly immersive audio experience, created by just an iOS device. Yet, it can be listened back to by ANY headphones.

Features

  • Record every sonic detail, from every angle, to transport your audience to the exact moment your video was captured.
  • Comfortable to wear. Effortless to operate.
  • Choose whether to plug and play or access advanced features with the app.
  • High-quality on-ear microphones for immersive 3D recording
  • 3D recordings you can listen to with any headphones.
  • High-quality headphones with signature Sennheiser sound.
  • Set up your storytelling with intelligent, user-friendly features powered by cutting-edge audio.
  • Transparent Hearing allows you to stay aware of your surroundings. Active Noise Cancelling blocks out unwanted environmental noise. While, Situational Awareness control allows instant switching between Transparent Hearing, Active Noise Cancelling and Off.
  • Features industry-leading Apogee technology, including proprietary Soft Limit and mic preamp, plus precisely tuned A/D and D/A conversion.
  • Works with your device’s default camera function.
  • Easy music and call management.
  • Apple MFI-certified Lightning connector.
  • Earbud size options provided for maximum comfort and effective Noise Cancelling.
What is Binaural Recording?
Your ears and brain work together to create a 3D audio Landscape of your surroundings. The AMBEO Smart Headset captures this landscape with high quality microphones utilize the actual outer structure of your ears to replicate the same 3D sound image that you hear naturally. (Sennheiser)

App

Download the free AMBEO Smart Headset app to access a whole host of advanced features and customization options.

  • Control your input level for 3D recording
  • Toggle between EQ presets
  • Configure Transparent Hearing settings
  • Customize the Smart Slider function
  • Disable or enable voice prompts

iOS Only

(Sennheiser)

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Lexus Design Award Finalists

Lexus Design Award Finalists 2019

2019 LEXUS DESIGN AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Lexus Design Award Finalists

First of all, these designs are amazing! So, the finalists for the 2019 Lexus Design Awards have been announced! There’s a total of 6 of them, chosen from over 1,500 entrants. They’ll now get to develop their ideas with the help of Lexus. The Lexus Design Award highlights how inventors address some of the worlds future challenges. Most importantly with innovative and imaginative use of renewable energy sources.

The finalists:

Arenophile, by Rezzan Hasoglu

Arenophile

This project explores new applications for desert sand, a naturally abundant substance that is not widely used. While creating new composite materials by combining sand with non-toxic binding material. Which therefore can be used for new products identified through experimentation and research.

 

 

 

Algorithmic Lace. Lisa Marks

"<yoastmark

This is a bra for women who have undergone a mastectomy, crafted in a three-dimensional lace fabric. Which is woven using a new algorithmic patterning method. Furthermore helping avoid discomfort after surgery. While, it can give women confidence about making a new beginning.

 

 

 

Baluto. Jeffrey E. Dela Cruz

Baluto

The project looks to provide a housing strategy suitable for low-lying areas prone to flooding. While, providing habitable space that can withstand a sudden rise in floodwater levels.

 

 

 

 

Green Blast Jet Energy. Dmitriy Balashov

"<yoastmark

This amazing design enables collection of the jet blast energy from an aircraft take-off, consequently using it to meet different power needs at airports.

 

 

Hydrus. Shuzhan Yuan

"<yoastmark

Hydrus is equipment for emergency treatment of offshore oil spills. While addressing a specific problem, it also encourages people to deal with changes in the earth’s environment.

 

 

 

Solgami.  Prevalent/Ben Berwick

"<yoastmark

The Solgami uses origami geometry to bring flat-dwellers closer to the world outside. For example, it can be used for a window blind, this geometry provides privacy. While letting the user choose between letting in more light, or using the blind to generate electricity.

(Lexus)

The Home Straight

The six finalists attended a Lexus-Sponsored 2 day workshop in New York City. It is here where they were given hands on guidance from 4 top class mentors; Jessica Rosenkrantz, Shohei Shigematsu, Sebastian Wrong and Jaime Hayon.

“The finalists’ ideas are very interesting and some are truly breaking boundaries. Through the mentoring workshop, I was also inspired by interacting with a different generation who look at technology for the 21st from a fresh angle.” (Jamie Hayon)

Most importantly, the finalists will get access to their mentors until April’s Milan Design Week. In addition to the help, they will get the chance to continue to develop their ideas. While all the hard work will come to fruition when the winner is announced on 8th April.

(Lexus)

For a more indepth bio of all the finalists please click here!

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