Tag Archive for: How To Kill An Hour
The Best Devices for Streaming TV
The Best Devices for Streaming TV
Streaming music, films and TV programs is the most popular way to view anything. High Street stores that sell CD’s and DVD’s are disappearing as streaming overtakes buying the physical items. There is more than one reason for this including the fact that they are cheaper to buy and instant, no matter what time of day or night you want to watch them. You can even stream things from other countries, although you may sometimes have to use a VPN to achieve this.
Just as an example, Netflix, which is one of the largest streaming platforms, has a library for each country. If you are a member of Netflix UK and want to watch something from Netflix US, you would need a VPN to fool Netflix into thinking that is where you are located. Whatever platforms you are watching, what can be more important is the device you are using. Like with everything in this life, there are some that are better than others.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K – Voted Best Overall
It seems that the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is rated the best by the experts and by consumers who buy more of this item than any of the other streaming devices. It lets you view more than 500.000 movies, TV shows from the likes of Netflix, Hulu and HBO, watch live TV, stream music and access sites such as Facebook and YouTube.
It also features Amazon Alexa, which is capable of many things including helping you to choose what to view. Team this with a good laptop and you can stream good quality programs, films and music wherever you are. Laptops such as Lenovo ones, which are durable and reliable, are great for this purpose, but it could be that you have never owned this sort of device before. Then you may want some expert advice on laptop buying, and this is available online. Do your homework and you won’t be disappointed.
As well as streaming, owning a laptop means that you can play games, shop, handle banking transactions and do many other things while on the move.
Chromecast Ultra – Best For Smartphones
If you are looking for the best way to stream things on your smartphone, the Chromecast Ultra could be for you. It offers streaming in HD and HDR as well as 4K Ultra. It plugs into your TV’s HDMI port and will then work with iPhones, iPads and Android devices.
Among the things you can watch or listen to are more than 30 million songs, 200.00 movies and TV programs, sports, radio games and more. Chromecast users can also put websites or their smartphone screen onto their TV.
Netflix Remote
Roku Ultra – Most User-Friendly
This is a great choice for streaming fans looking for lots of features. The very user-friendly menu is easy to navigate. Just speak the name of a film, TV program, actor or director into the controller mobile app and it will search them out for you. It has a night mode that will tone down loud noises such as explosions, so that you can watch late at night without disturbing the rest of the household.
The Ultra supports both 4K and HD streaming and with ones of the largest selections of things to watch, it has to be well worth considering.
Apple TV 4 – Best Apple Streaming
Although not the cheapest, Apple TV 4 does have the polished interface that you would expect from an Apple product. It has voice search with Siri and an excellent selection of films, shows, music and anything else you want to view. What will put some people off buying this item is that you have to be part of the Apple ecosystem for it to work at its best.
A notable omission is Google play, but that should not really be a surprise with the Apple versus Android war.
TiVO Bolt OTA With Antenna
This device has been developed for consumers who do not have connects via cables to their TV. It is wireless with antenna so that you do not miss out in all the free programmes from the normal TV channels. It has a memory of 1YB that will let you record up to 150 hours of HD content and can also stream all the services such as Netflix and Hulu.
To benefit the most from this, you have to purchase the box and then pay for the TiVO services, but if you love live sport and network shows, this could be the solution for you. One of its biggest advantages is that you only need one device for everything, although the pricing may deter some people.
Juice Pop Out Bluetooth Speaker
Ever want a portable speaker that’s cheap and has great sound? Always been priced out when looking for a speaker to use out on the road or at the beach? Well, we have found an incredible little speaker to save you all the trouble of exploring the internet for a perfect portable speaker. The Juice Pop Out Bluetooth Speaker. It has some of the best sound that we have heard from bluetooth speakers here at the studio. From a device this small, you cannot go wrong!
The Juice Pop Out Speaker, isn’t just a name. It’s a feature. The speakers literally pop out from the sides of the speaker. When you turn it on the speakers slowly reveal themselves from either side of the device. Allowing you access to all the important buttons such as play/pause and volume. The Juice Pop Out Bluetooth Speaker has an amazing battery life of 10hours. Making it ideal for when you are away from home for a weekend. For example the beach or a festival! The speakers are a small but punchy 6watt providing you with some crystal clear audio. Furthermore using the device is a breeze. Simply press the power button and then connect it to any mobile device. Be that via bluetooth or the included 3.4mm AUX cable.
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Ztylus M6 Revolver iPhone Case
As smartphone cameras get better and better, there is always something that can make them that little bit more impressive. That is lenses. As many keen photographers will let you know, many cameras are great, but it is the lens which undoubtedly makes the image so much more impressive. This is where the Ztylus M6 Revolver iPhone case steps in. Prepare to upgrade your iPhone photography with this incredible product!
The case has a magnetic back, a magnetic back in a very specific place. Near the camera. Why? Well there’s a special attachment which connects to it, this attachment holds a multitude of lenses. Therefore helping your photography work and helps users be a lot more creative! The attachment is light weight and is slim and is spring loaded, allowing for quick access to all the different lenses! What lenses we hear you ask! Well, there’s Macro, Super Macro, TelePhoto, Wide Angle and Fish Eye!
What we love about the Ztylus M6 Revolver case is that the lenses are protected when they’re not in use. They stay inside the mechanism, yet, they’re super easy to use next time as they have QuickFlip technology allowing the lenses to flip out and automatically align with your iPhone’s lens!
The embedded metal plate allows for quick attachment of accessories. We are developing more and more accessories to expand your phone’s capabilities
(Ztylus)
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Fun, Alternative Hen Party Ideas
Fun, Alternative Hen Party Ideas
If you’re not into the traditional hen night parties, but still want to celebrate your last days of single life in style, then you may be struggling to find something that’s still fun, will be enjoyable for everyone and that doesn’t fall into the typical party and crazy nights out that seem to be the tradition over the last few years.
The good news is there really are plenty of options out there if the party thing isn’t your scene, so in this post we’re going to share with you some cool ideas for hen nights that are fun and a bit different.
Murder mystery evening:
If you and your friends have a more adventurous side and enjoy a bit of mystery and teamwork, then a murder mystery evening is a really fun way to spend your hen night. You’ll find these being hosted all over the place and with many different types of themes. You’ll get to dress up and really feel like you’re part of a murder mystery game or movie, so it’s definitely a night none of you will forget in a hurry and is something that pretty much everyone will enjoy.
Treasure hunt:
You may think a treasure hunt is only for children at Easter or Christmas, but in the last few years they have been gaining much popularity with adults, and for good reason. Companies like Cluego are experts in providing a great treasure hunt experience for adults looking for something a little different than the typical party night out.
Ghost hunting:
If you’re into the supernatural side of things, then a ghost hunting experience could be just the thing you’re looking for during your hen night. You can choose from multiple experience types, such as castles, old buildings that are no longer in use, underground tunnels, or even hotels where you can stay overnight and enjoy a full-on creepy ghost hunting experience for your hen night which is definitely a lot different and more memorable than the traditional party.
Escape room:
Escape rooms and panic rooms have become hugely popular in recent years, and are such a fun and memorable way to spend time with friends, so would definitely be a great choice if you’re looking for a hen party with a difference.
Spa weekend:
If you’re looking for something different, but prefer relaxing over chasing ghosts or solving murders, then a spa weekend with your girlfriends is going to be a great choice. You’ll find many spa offers for very reasonable prices all over the country, so whether you prefer a trendy hotel in the city or a cozy lodge in the middle of the mountains, you’ll definitely find something to help you unwind and relax before the big day if partying isn’t your thing.
Mixing classes:
You certainly don’t have to have a wild night of partying to enjoy a few cocktails with your friends – and what could be better than learning from a professional how to mix your own? You can find mixing classes all over most towns and cities and it’s definitely a fun way to spend a night with your friends.
LEXUS ES – DRIVEN BY INTUITION: CAR BY LEXUS
Car companies release new cars on a semi regular basis. The way that car companies promote them do vary on the ‘cool’ scale. However, the Lexus ES has perked our interest. Why? As the film for the car was created and scripted using AI! Created in partnership with The&Partnership London and Visual Voice. It’s called Driven By Intuition and was created by Oscar-winning director Kevin MacDonald ( The Last King of Scotland, Whitney, One Day in September). The interesting thing is that the AI that was used to create this film was developed by IBM Watson. Using multiple data sources too! Such as past award-winning luxury adverts and intelligence on human emotional responses.
This way of producing content is a world’s first and highlights the ways in which humans and machines can work together. Consequently, in this fashion, it was done in perfect harmony. Highlighting the importance of intuition in the relationship between Man and Machine. Helping to promote the responsive features of the new Lexus ES.
Driven By Intuition is not just an ‘advert’ it is a minute long drama. It tells the story of a Lexus takumi master (Takumi is a Japanese word meaning artisan) craftsman. A craftsman who complete’s his painstaking work and releases a brand new Lexus ES to the world. However, it is taken away and threatened with destruction. Ruining all the hard work that he put into it. Yet, the car’s automatic emergency braking system cuts in to save the day. So to demonstrate the effectiveness of the intuitive tech that’s built into the Lexus ES.
How it was made: AI
Lexus’ creative agency The&Partnership London collaborated with technical partner Visual Voice to create the AI scriptwriter. Utilising IBM Watson to analyse a whole range of external audio, text and visual data. The AI then used this data to create a script. Which was not only emotionally intelligent. But entertaining as well! Then Kevin MacDonald was brought on to bring it to life.
The AI was fed with 15 years worth of car and luxury advertisements. Not just any advertisements either. These advertisements have won the prestigious Cannes Lions international awards for creativity! Unruly, a video marketplace, also fed the AI with emotional intelligence data. Consequently the AI knew and understood what moments in an ad connected most strongly with audiences. Therefore understanding how how actions, objects, locations and emotionality are used. Specifically, in different combinations & sequences to communicate the desired messages.
However, you would think that this would just produce a ‘copy cat’ style advertisement. To prevent this, data on Lexus as a brand was fed as a guideline. Thus keeping the script ‘on brand’ to what Lexus is about. AI was coached even further! With intelligence from MindX, the applied science division of the University of New South Wales in Australia. The data included important information, such as what makes humans intuitive! Plus how specific humans with an higher level of intuition respond to car adverts.
The result
The AI generated script is rich in genuine human emotion. However it does introduce some unexpected details. The AI script gives the car some sentience and emotional depth, while appearing to treat human behaviour differently. For example the habit of watching disasters unfold from behind a screen. Yet with a degree of healthy cynicism.
(Lexus)
Behind the scenes:
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED
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