Tag Archives: smartphone

USB Juice Jacking Is New Way Hackers Attack Travelers

October 3, 2024 The Silo Leave a comment

How to avoid being hacked during this Fall’s travel season.

According to a recent study by cybersecurity firm NordVPN, one in four travelers has been hacked when using public Wi-Fi while traveling abroad. However, unsecured Wi-Fi is not the only factor travelers should be worried about.

Last year, the FBI published a tweet (see below) warning users against smartphone charging stations in public places (airports, hotels, and shopping malls). Hackers may have modified the charging cables with the aim of installing malware on phones to perform an attack called juice jacking.

“Digital information, although it exists virtually, can also be stolen using physical devices. So it is important to take a 360-degree approach and secure your device from both online and offline threats,” says Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity advisor.

What is juice jacking?

Juice jacking is a cyberattack where a public USB charging port is used to steal data or install malware on a device. Juice jacking attacks allow hackers to steal users’ passwords, credit card information, addresses, names, and other data. Attackers can also install malware to track keystrokes, show ads, or add devices to a botnet.

Is juice jacking detectable?

Juice jacking attacks can be difficult to detect. If your device has already been compromised, you may notice some suspicious activity – but that won’t always be the case.

For example, you may notice something you don’t recognize on your phone — like purchases you didn’t make or calls that look suspicious.

Your phone may also start working unusually slowly or feel hotter than usual. Chances are you may have picked up malware. For a full list of signs to watch out for read on and find out how to know if your phone is hacked.

How to protect yourself

Since no sign of juice jacking is 100% reliable, it is best to avoid falling victim to this attack by using the following the advice:

Get a power bank. Power banks are a safe and convenient way to charge your device on the go. Getting a portable power bank means that you’ll never have to use public charging stations where juice jacking attacks occur. Always ensure your power bank is fully charged so you can use it on the go.
Use a USB data blocker. A USB data blocker is a device that protects your phone from juice jacking when you’re using a public charging station. It plugs into the charging port on your phone and acts as a shield between the public charging station’s cord and your device.
Use a power socket instead. Juice jacking attacks only happen when you’re connected to a USB charger. If you absolutely need to charge your phone in public, avoid the risk of infected cables and USB ports and use a power outlet. This is typically a safe way to charge your mobile device and other devices in public.

For the Silo, Darija Grobova.

Culture

Retailers Preparing for Imminent Hyper Experiential Renaissance

May 30, 2024 The Silo Leave a comment

Retail is on the precipice of a renaissance, which will be characterized by great advancement and economic rebirth.

To get there, businesses need to start by acknowledging that no matter where they operate in the world there is a pressing need to exercise commercial discipline. And a recognition that the metrics of yesterday’s retail will not fuel the growth of tomorrow. However, this non-negotiable commercial pragmatism must be balanced with an appreciation that while exciting technology innovation still dominates C-suite and elevator conversations, the next big evolution is an imminent renaissance of hyper-experiential retail.

The Commerce Department in the US announced that consumer spending rose in February by its biggest margin in a year, while in the UK inflation was at its lowest level in two years as retailers compete for customers, here in Canada RBC reports that “consumer spending data marked a stronger start to Q2 than we expected. But one month does not make a trend. We are cautiously optimistic that consumer activity will improve this year- as adjustment to higher rates hits households less hard in 2024.”. However, whether conditions are favorable or challenging, brands simply must perform, and perform well, in an environment where there are more competitors than ever before.

Beyond this, consumers can easily be described as fickle

For example, if they are not happy with one experience they’ll move on and there are dozens, hundreds, and if we think globally, thousands of other brands waiting in line to capitalize on their spend. While many consumers are traveling far and wide to experience the best from all around the world, TV and content across platforms is resetting what consumers want, need, and expect from brands by exposing them to new lifestyles and ways of living.

An example of how this brand we all know is re-inventing how customers experience their products…..museum exhibition style!

Retail dominated at CES earlier this year, and almost all conversations revolved around artificial intelligence (AI) technology to drive seamless and frictionless retail, personalization, and much more. Technology is enabling user experience that wouldn’t have been imagined a decade ago. However, rather than being seen as an end, technology should be understood as the means for giving consumers what they want.

The NRF’s Retail’s Big Show this year showcased the best of technology, yet some key themes to emerge were that customer interaction in-store is as imperative as the transaction and that Generation Alpha, while not yet capable of earning money, has immense influence on their parents who do. While these true digital natives are technologically adept, they value in-store and physical experiences. Do not for a second underestimate their influence on their parents.

Gen Z, the first generation to have had a smartphone their entire lives, are also known to be digitally savvy.

While generalizations across entire generations are never helpful, it is widely agreed that this cohort researches brands and products online but – and here’s a surprise to those focusing only on technology – according to global management consulting firm Kearney, 81% of Gen Z prefers to shop in stores, while more than half of them do so because they say it helps them disconnect from the digital world.

All the signs are there for retailers willing to see them. Our two youngest generations are telling us what they want. What does this look like in practice? Amazon launched its Just Walk Out technology a mere six years ago, accompanied by hyper-advanced ceiling-mounted cameras, shelf sensors and algorithms. Amazon has announced it is removing the technology because it alienated shoppers who felt that a trip to the grocery store felt like they were stepping into a high-tech vending machine. This speaks directly to what consumers want from an in-store experience.

Retail’s next big opportunity is hyper-experiential retail, and we are at the precipice of this explosion of customer experience driving consumer choice and loyalty because of a confluence of a few big forces at play.

Shifting of the tectonic plates

The first is technology, which is enabling innovative and effective experiential retail. Another is that as the pandemic fades into memory, people want to be out, they want to spend moments with other people outside of their homes. According to insights from Canvas8 looking into what they call experience hunters, 58% of consumers believe that immersive experiences will influence their next purchase. In other words, six out of ten people place a high value on how retail makes them feel.

Artificial Intelligence will be used to supplement customers shopping experiences.

The third is that there is no longer a clear line between where retail starts and where it ends. Almost everything is a retail experience now, no matter if you’re at an airport, a fuel station, or commuting – retail is everywhere, meaning there are hundreds of different competition points for retailers across millions of different journeys. The last big force is that e-commerce has slipped into a holding pattern. Effective, efficient, and convenient, but boring and predictable. Influencers have taken over product choice even leading the conversations on behalf of brands. But consumers want more fun, they are seeking discovery – the magic of retail past.

This all has very real permutations for brands that have built their market presence on legacy retail experiences. They need to innovate quickly to keep up with pioneers who will keep raising the bar of experiential shopping. In addition to this they will be competing directly with startup brands and businesses that were direct-to-consumer, but are moving into the realm of retail experience without the baggage of the past. This area alone will likely see exponential growth in the next few years.

From purpose to experience

Defining brand purpose has been front and center for a number of years, which is right because purpose is foundational. However, purpose doesn’t tell you everything about how a customer will experience a brand. In light of this, brands will be challenged to define how their brand is experienced across all dimensions. In other words, not just their voice, not just the words that they’re using or their personality and identity, but how they’re physically coming to life, how they’re meeting customers at the important moments across the retail journey and creating value, intrigue, excitement, attraction, and desire.

This type of discovery is crucial for brands to drive longer-term loyalty in a hyper-competitive landscape. It starts with dimensionalizing the brand, in other words thinking about how it should look, feel, sound, smell, and taste – this is the cornerstone of an experience vision. Once a brand has done this it needs to be precise in how it chooses the moments where it wants to explode into life for consumers. Much of this precision will come from a deep understanding of consumer insights and experience barriers and how to overcome them, but also from creativity, imagination and innovation – a true path to differentiation.

Agencies and consultants need to help retailers by mapping out a diagnostic journey of consumers. This enables brands to understand a consumer’s entire journey, not just within an experience, but within the moments and choices leading up to an experience. How do they make choices, what drives them, what motivates them, what distracts or pushes them away from brands? When do they make these choices?

The best technology can aggregate multiple data sources to help diagnose brand issues as well as predict where and why brands are losing consumers along their journeys. It is important for retailers to find answers about where they are not maximizing consumer desire in key moments. However, landing on the right answers requires asking the right questions.

The seeds to these questions were planted at CES earlier this year, when some of the biggest retailers and tech giants in the world made it abundantly clear that their vision of sustainable, long-term growth lay in marrying technology with humanity, signaling a return to appreciating the value of humans and how we feel. We all know what experiential retail is, and the world is awash with various case studies of highly successful campaigns. Expect this to turn up a notch to become hyper-experiential. Especially that according to Canvas8, quoting Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, 8 in 10 people globally are willing to pay more for elevated shopping experiences.

Genuine human connection and personal interactions are going to drive retail growth, innovation, and brand loyalty this year and beyond. Brands need a plan to thrive in this renaissance of hyper-experiential retail. The rules of the past aren’t going to work in the new era of modern retailing where consumers are telling us what they want, we just need to listen, see around the corner and bravely walk through the door. For the Silo, Rhonda Hiatt

Rhonda is the global CEO at Clear, part of M&C Saatchi. Featured image: Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan Italy- using historic storefronts and buildings in newly realized enclosed mall retail spaces.

Sci-Tech

A New Poetic Role Of Technology In Our Homes

April 25, 2024 The Silo Leave a comment

Digital Domestic Dialogues

“Digital Domestic Dialogues” stages a near future in which technology has acquired an emotional and sensitive intelligence: it is capable of exciting itself and others through everyday gestures as an analog and primordial archive of human communication, culture and social dynamics.

Robots and users interact with a range of seemingly familiar objects through simple and natural gestures, triggering scenarios of everyday wonder. The collection, born out of a design exploration within the Habits Design Studio team, is a reflection on the poetic role of technology in the digital evolution of the domestic scenario. Technical Partners: Laminam, Giovanardi

COSMO

“Cosmo” is a lamp born from the desire to infuse new life into the act of lighting; the idea is to return to the primordial concept of fire, which through propagating from one body to another expands the quantity and at the same time transfers the luminous qualities of the flame.

“Cosmo” is able to learn the characteristics of the light source placed below it, detecting its intensity, color, movement, returning the effect to the environment and creating dynamic light scenarios.

The user is called upon to create the desired atmosphere himself by experimenting with direct sources, such as a candle flame or telephone flashlight; or by showing the lamp a video of a sunset, or another special moment he can evoke a light scenario. Turning it on thus becomes once again an exciting moment of awe and wonder.

The design of the lamp draws inspiration from scientific representations of black holes, the only phenomenon found in nature able to absorb light radiation. The captured light, is then returned to the environment dynamically and three-dimensionally by the spherical diffuser, allowing the creation of a 360° light scene, similar to HDRI images used in digital rendering software.

“Cosmo” redefines the boundaries of properties normally attributed to lighting fixtures with its ability to learn, imitate and stage emotions through light. Project by Selma Antonellini, Habits Design

RITO

The coat rack, a familiar but often overlooked object, is the subject of this project, which offers a contemporary reinterpretation of it with the product “Rito”; no longer just a support point, but an active companion that enriches the daily routine and transforms the experience of entering the home.

Thanks to artificial intelligence, “Rito” reacts to the presence of inhabitants, and recognizes when clothes and objects are hung or removed, interpreting the situation and animating the entrance area with dynamic projections on the wall.

The name “Rito” stems from a reflection on the fact that moments of entry and return home, though fleeting and temporary, are precious fragments of our lives, each with its own unique meaning and value. While some may be more ordinary and repetitive, such as returning after a day’s work or a morning walk with the dog, others can be more special and emotional, like returning after a long journey.

Regardless of the nature of the return, “Rito” aims to transform every entry and departure from home into a moment of warmth and hospitality. Its projections bring the wall to life, animating it with contextual content.

Before leaving the dwelling, “Rito” transforms the wall into a dynamic and inspiring space, offering motivational content, helpful tips, and personalized reminders. Upon return, it welcomes with tailor-made evocative scenarios, reigniting the surrounding environment and making the return even more pleasant and familiar. Project by Ilaria Tarozzi and Ilaria Vitali, Habits Design

VISIONARIA

VISIONARIA is a digital device that combines literary tradition with artificial intelligence, offering an innovative reading experience. Digital integration enhances the potential of printed material and opens up new imaginative horizons, transforming reading into a visual and artistic experience.

By swiping across the lines of a page in a book, similarly to how we would underline a beloved or noteworthy phrase, VISIONARIA recognizes the text. The selected phrase is then instantly input as a prompt into a dedicated AI generator, aiming to create an image of the book scene that can be viewed in real-time.

This mode of consumption, aided by the product’s pencil-like shape, introduces a new dimension to the reading experience, encouraging increased engagement that can be intimate and profound or shared on larger devices such as smartphones, TVs, and more, ensuring flexibility depending on the context – be it at home for relaxation and entertainment, in education, enhancing the consumption of educational content, or in public settings, stimulating imagination in artistic installations.

With VISIONARIA, literature evolves and broadens the spectrum of an age-old activity through an extremely accessible mode, towards unexplored scenarios in the world of culture and entertainment. Project by Alberto Milano, Michele Poggi, Marco Rissetto, Habits Design

1g1lm

1g1lm represents the unusual marriage of two seemingly incompatible units of measurement: “g” for weight in grams and “lm” for luminous flux in lumens. This lamp was born from a simple but fascinating question, “What would be the effect if light had a tangible weight?”

To visualize the weight, the lamp uses an elastic fabric on top. By placing an object on top of it, the fabric deforms, generating a unique and unrepeatable aesthetic because it is shaped directly by the weight, not predetermined by the designer. In addition, as the deformation increases, so does the intensity of light. Due to the light diffusion of the fabric, the light seems to take shape and weight. In the act of placing and taking objects, an impossible interaction with the very essence of light is realized, made solid and tangible for a moment.

1g1lm writes a new equation between light and matter, giving birth to a new ritual rich in poetry and at the same time exploring new alternative scenarios: proposing, in contrast to the digitization of the real, to make, through technology, concrete experiences that were once ephemeral and intangible.

Habits Design

Habits is a multidisciplinary industrial design studio, founded in 2004 by Innocenzo Rifino and Diego Rossi in Milan.
The work of the studio is focused on technological and interactive projects of international relevance, partnering with companies to design timeless products and experiences.

Habits-Portfolio-Design-Stories-2024 Download

The team is composed of industrial designers, electronic and mechanical engineers, model makers, interaction and visual designers, and interior designers with a global point of view.  Recognizing the unique Asian technological know-how, Habits started a branch in Bangkok in 2021. With over 20 years of experience in a wide range of industries, today Habits mainly covers digital products, home appliances, automation, lighting, UX/UI, and phygital interfaces.

The team awarded more than 180 international design prizes such as Red Dot, IF, Compasso d’Oro, Design Plus, Good Design, and German Design Award.
“We study science and art. We design new habits. Prototyping our ideas, embedding electronics, we reduce the gap between physical and digital.”

Laminam

Pioneers since the beginning.

Laminam was born in the early 2000s, following the invention of production technologies to create ultra- thin ceramic surfaces of large dimensions. A pioneering company, it was the first to revolutionize the ceramics market, giving new impetus to a mature sector, betting on the intuition of creating large architectural surfaces and launching innovative sizes and thicknesses on the market. Over the years, the company has developed a production process characterized by innovative methods and highly automated technologies typical of Industry 4.0 such as digital decoration systems, dry cutting systems and internal logistics managed by automatic laser-guided vehicles. These are methods and technologies that increase energy efficiency while reducing environmental impact.

Today Laminam produces and offers a range of eclectic and versatile large ceramic surfaces used in many applications – from traditional and advanced architecture to furniture and design – distributed in over 100 countries worldwide. Over the years, the series have been enriched with new textures and finishes to enhance the creativity of designers, architects and anyone who wants to give a new connotation to their spaces.

Giovanardi

Giovanardi designs, industrializes and manufactures supports for in-store communication (displays, merchandising, shop windows, shop in shop, technical packaging) and for art.

Giovanardi’s history began in 1919 as a manufacturer of plaques and dials: today Giovanardi SpA is an advanced, certified company, structured to process projects of increasing complexity, according to up-to-date technologies, with a network of accredited partners and an attentive, flexible, punctual client-service. For 100 years it has been shaping ideas. For the Silo, Elena Assante.

Culture

How to take care of yourself at night?

July 27, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

After a long day of work or school, it’s important to take care of yourself before bed.

Taking care of yourself at night ensures that you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead. Here are some tips on how to take care of yourself at night:

Take Care of Your Skin

Taking care of your skin is an essential part of self-care. Before bed, make sure you remove your makeup and cleanse your face thoroughly. Apply a moisturizer that suits your skin type to keep it hydrated and prevent wrinkles and other skin problems. Don’t forget to use an exfoliating soap for the perfect beauty routine!

Unplug and Disconnect

We are constantly connected to our smartphones, laptops, and other devices. Before you go to bed, switch off all electronic devices or keep them away from your bedroom to ensure a peaceful and restful sleep. The blue light from electronic devices can disrupt our circadian rhythms and affect the quality of our sleep.

Create a Relaxing Environment

Your bedroom should be a peaceful and relaxing environment that promotes restful sleep. Make sure your room is dark, cool, and quiet. Use comfortable bedding and pillows that support your neck and spine. You can also use aromatherapy candles or diffusers to create a calming ambiance that helps you relax.

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Good sleep hygiene is essential for a good night’s sleep. Make sure you stick to a regular sleep schedule and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals before bedtime as they can interfere with your sleep quality. Also, try to establish a bedtime routine that helps you unwind and relax, such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, or meditating.

Do Relaxing Activities

Engage in relaxing activities before bed to calm your mind and promote a restful sleep. You can try reading a book, listening to calming music, practicing yoga or meditation, or taking a warm bath. These activities help reduce stress and anxiety, which can interfere with your sleep quality.

In conclusion, taking care of yourself at night is crucial for your overall health and well-being. By following these tips, you can create a peaceful and relaxing environment that promotes restful sleep and helps you wake up feeling refreshed and energized. For the Silo, Bill Gordon.

Finance

Pi- crypto, mined Via Smartphones is Getting Noticed

March 3, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

Pi Network increased its team member headcount by nearly 33% over the past year, debuted new developer features and KYCd 3.8M community members to-date

PALO ALTO, Calif., March, 2023 /– Pi Network, a community of tens of millions of humans mining Pi cryptocurrency to use and build the Web3 app ecosystem, today announced a series of milestones for the growing organization, including a notable spike in full-time Core Team members, multiple app developments and new improvements to its native KYC ID review algorithms.

Despite the overall crypto market contraction, the Pi Core Team continues to grow, signaling the speedy development of the Pi Network ecosystem and its long-term vision.

Since February of 2022, full-time team member headcount has increased almost 33% in critical areas such as product, engineering, and community. Pi Network’s most recent hires include a new Senior Engineering Manager who will add more bandwidth to its technology management. The Pi Core team now stands around 40 strong and continues growing as the network expands and the ecosystem evolves.

“Given the breadth of work at Pi Network, the Core Team’s growth will continue to enable more decentralized efforts from our community of over 35 million engaged members who collectively build this network. Pi Network’s work is to empower those members in alignment with Pi’s vision of an ecosystem that is built on the blockchain to support a new Web3 social network of a large community, all of whom are empowered to create and use utilities through its developer’s platform and Pi apps. Building for that ambitious vision requires an all-hands approach from Pioneers, community developers, external partners, and the Core Team together,” said Chengdiao Fan, a Founder and Head of Product at Pi Network.

“By prioritizing the human aspect, focusing on building substance and adopting non-consensus long-term strategies, we’ve taken a more careful and deliberate path. We know that patience isn’t a strength in the crypto space but we’re confident in our approach: that’s why we’ve been able to continue the Network’s steady growth despite the downturn we’ve seen impacting some other crypto projects.”

In addition, Pi Network has taken great strides in the product and ecosystem fronts with numerous updates and developments.

Pi’s current Enclosed Network period of Mainnet allows Pi to focus on completing KYC and Mainnet Migration for the majority of the network, and bootstrapping the Pi ecosystem with meaningful apps and utilities, without undue influence from external factors.

To that end, Pi has been diligently improving its KYC ID algorithms to expand access to its native KYC solution, officially launched March 14, 2022, as the primary mechanism to validate Pioneers’ identities for Mainnet Migration. Since enabling mass KYC in June of last year, Pi has successfully validated over 3.8 million Pioneers to date.

Simultaneously, Pi has made significant efforts in building Developer Platform features and expanding community collaboration to foster Pi ecosystem growth, including the launch of PiOS, Pi’s Open Source Software License which allows Pi Community Developers to create open source applications and tools and exclusively extends to use within the Pi Ecosystem. Recent ecosystem-related updates include work on App-to-User payments and Developer Wallets for improved Mainnet payment flows, the Pi “Brainstorm” app (where “Pioneers” can propose and explore various ideas and pair up with like-minded Pioneers to build real Pi platform apps, and more.

Moreover, Pi has emphasized app development through Core-Team-developed apps, external business partnerships, and the most recent Pi Hackathon which hosted over 6,400 participants, all to better source talent, concepts, and utilities for the community.

“With the much-anticipated ‘Pi Day’—which celebrates the 4th anniversary of Pi’s official launch—happening this March 14, we have some exciting programs in the pipeline that we are eager to introduce to the Pioneers and developers for our decentralized efforts to build the Pi ecosystem,” said Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis, a Founder and Head of Technology. “At Pi, we’re creating things and solving problems in a way that the world hasn’t seen before.”

To learn more about Pi Network, please visit minepi.com.

ABOUT PI NETWORK

Pi Network is a community of tens of millions of humans mining Pi cryptocurrency to use and build the Web3 app ecosystem. Founded in 2018 by Stanford University PhDs with specializations in blockchain and social computing, Pi Network is a utilities-based ecosystem for third-party apps on a mobile web platform, with widespread (rather than concentrated) token distribution. The blockchain platform offers a mobile-first mining approach, with low financial cost and a light environmental footprint within the crypto space.

Culture

Sixty Six Percent Of Canadians Take Smartphones Into Bathroom

April 20, 2022 The Silo Leave a comment

Study: Lots of Canadians use smartphones while on the toilet

A digital privacy expert provides tips on protecting your phone on and off the john:

A recent survey by the cybersecurity company NordVPN revealed that as much as 65.6% of Canadians bring their smartphones with them into the toilet. That’s a bit less than the average of all surveyed countries. While most Canadians (60%) scroll through social media during that time, barely anyone thinks of growing threats online and hackers’ attempts to compromise people’s phones.

“Canadians seem to need smartphones a lot.”

“Our previous survey already showed that Canadians spend a lot of time online- more than 22 years per lifetime which is a third of their lives,” says Daniel Markuson, a digital privacy expert at NordVPN. “Even though the majority (83%) name smartphones as the device that tracks their online behavior the most, Canadians still haven’t developed good cyber habits to protect their online lives,” he says.

Using social media and gaming — top activities for Canadians while on the toilet

The majority of Canadians admit that their time on the toilet is mostly spent scrolling through social media (60%), gaming (40%), and reading or listening to the news (35%). This shows that Canadians like entertaining themselves while in the bathroom.

Among other activities, Canadians also watch videos, movies, or television programs (33%) check work email and other tools, for example, Slack, Microsoft Teams (33%), and call or message other people (31.5%).

“While most of Canadians’ time on the loo is spent on social media, people also feel concerned about Facebook (80%) and Instagram (40%) collecting the biggest amount of their users’ data. Social media networks, ISPs, third-party organizations, websites, and governmental institutions regularly collect users’ personal data and track browsing habits for marketing or other purposes,” says Daniel Markuson.

Cybersecurity refresher for Canadians

Smartphones are evolving at a rate that is beyond belief, making us stay connected even while on the loo. However, Canadians are encouraged to not forget about their online safety, even while immersed in social media, conversations, games, or the news.

Daniel Markuson, a digital privacy expert at NordVPN, shares key tips on protecting your phone on and off the john:

Keep apps and the phone’s operating system (OS) up to date. Don’t skip software updates.
Do your research. Never download unknown apps — read up on them first.
Avoid unofficial app stores. They’re more likely to contain malware-ridden apps.
Avoid using unknown Wi-Fi. And always use a VPN when you do.
Be vigilant. Don’t click on suspicious links, don’t give out your number to strangers, and be wary of unknown numbers.

Methodology: The survey was commissioned by NordVPN and conducted by the external company Cint on January 19-26, 2022. The survey’s target group was residents of France, USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, Lithuania aged 18+ (nationally representative), except for Lithuania (18-74) and the sample was taken from national internet users. Quotas were placed on age, gender, and place of residence. 9800 people were surveyed in total, made up of 800 people from Spain and 1000 people from each of the remaining countries.

Culture

SubPac Lets You Wear A Subwoofer And Listen In New Way

October 27, 2021 The Silo 1 Comment

If you’re a fan of body shaking bass frequencies and missed our article from waaaay back in 2016 about SubPac, read on because you’re in for a treat.

SubPac is a pioneering technology from Los Angeles, California that is defining the physical-sound category where music, VR, games and film can be experienced in a whole new way. Through its patent-pending immersive physical-sound technology, SubPac transcends the traditional audio experience by allowing users to actually feel sound throughout their body.

Wear a subwoofer? Sounds like fun!

SubPac is creating its own physical-sound category through two unique products; the SubPac M2, a wearable vest, and the SubPac S2, a seatback device. Both create a new form of expression for musicians and sound designers to connect with their fans on a deeper level by using innovative technology that allows consumers to physically feel sound. This tangible connectivity captivated GRAMMY-winning producer Timbaland to come on board as a partner and introduce the brand to the music industry.

“SubPac is a game changing experience for both artists and fans,” said Timbaland. “It lets you feel the music like never before. It’s the feeling that’s been missing, until now.”

The SubPac vest is getting a lot of attention and its clear that listeners on the go are ready for an immersive experience, especially one that works while being active- jogging, playing basketball, cycling etc. It’s a logical step to add a wearable to our listening routines and the idea now is to connect your smartphone to the SubPac control unit via the headphone connection. This allows for an audiophile hookup of headphones for the mid and high frequencies and vest for the bass frequencies.

Now you can feel deep bass wherever you go and wherever you choose to enjoy your music.

Finance

Ecommerce Is Evolving And Here’s How

July 23, 2021 The Silo Leave a comment

Thanks to the digital technology, we can carry out commercial transactions online. We can buy and sell items or services, pay bills, make orders, and so much more.

Online enterprises are heavily relying on this commodity. This is why we have numerous online businesses nowadays.

The infographic below from Subscriptionly will inform you about the current and future tech trends that will influence the ecommerce sector. Some of the main trends are as follows.

Personalized Experience

Technology has enabled online businesses to give their customers personalized shopping experiences. For e-shoppers, this has engendered an engaging and satisfying shopping experience.

Businesses recorded an increase in revenue by employing this concept, since 48% of customers spend more when their experience is personalized.

Automated Customer Service

AI has transformed the way customer queries and complaints are attended to. Consumers now have their issues promptly resolved. It was reported that, this year, AI handled 45% of customer queries on its own. And it does this swiftly and effectively, which is definitely a factor that makes customer support a positive experience.

Excellent customer service is essential to building customer loyalty. In fact, 42% of customers buy more when they are served properly.

It is projected that, by 2020, AI will handle 85% of customer interactions.

Cryptocurrency

Soon, commercial transactions will be carried out with cryptocurrency. Via the use of cryptocurrency (such as Bitcoin), customers will get to make secure payments quickly and conveniently.

Also, businesses that add cryptocurrency as a payment method will make better sales. One retail outfit did and in 5 months, it generated $2million alternative currency sales and a 60% boost in new customers.

Drone Delivery

In the nearest future, e-shoppers will possibly have their purchased items delivered the same day. When this become reality, customers will be happier and businesses will undergo a rise in brand awareness and sales. The 72% of shoppers stated they would shop and spend more if same day delivery was available.

A method that is being considered to initiate same day delivery is the drone delivery. DHL tried it and recorded a 70% improvement in first-attempt deliveries, and a 90% success in resolution of customers’ critical cases. When popularized, 40% of parcels will be drone-delivered in 2 hours by 2028. For the Silo, Josh Wardini.

Sci-Tech

High Tech Houseplants That grow air

January 15, 2021 The Silo Leave a comment

Clairy is an astounding handcrafted object that monitors your indoor air quality and when VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds such as cigarettes, solvents, pesticides, copy machine chemicals etc.) levels are bad, eliminates pollution in your home. It makes you and your beloved ones breathe better and live better. It is much more than a pretty houseplant.

How is that possible?

Following an 80s NASA Clean Air Program research project, Clairy uses the power of specific species of plants to trap the air pollutants into their roots. That’s why it doesn’t need filters: the plant is the filter!

Clairy has also tech sensors that communicate with an app, so you can check directly the levels of humidity, temperature, and VOCs of your home with your smartphone.

What makes Clairy so beautiful?

It’s 100% Made in Italy by the artisans of Nove, near Vicenza, where the techniques of working with ceramics have been transmitted from father to son for centuries.

You can choose from four different colors: Corallo, Alabastro, Acquamarina and Blu Mare.

You should also consider our Premium Edition, Nero and Rame, made with the special technique called “Terzo Fuoco”. A masterpiece of Italian design you must have in your home. Holiday time is approaching, and we all want to give a gift that can be beautiful and useful at the same time. Clairy is the answer. For the Silo, Andrea Passador.

Sci-Tech

Why Smart Speakers Were Popular Gift Idea Again This Holiday Season

December 30, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

Smart Speakers 101 The trendy devices can help you with everything from appointment reminders to grocery shopping lists to playing your favorite music and podcasts. It’s that last item that has the radio world excited. Find out why all the buzz is good news not only for broadcasters but also importantly for you.

A recent trend has shown an increase in radio listenership through popular smart speakers such as Google Home and Amazon Alexa. So what can broadcasters do to take advantage of this trend? Steve Goldstein of Amplifi Media and Sonic Ai aims to help.

A broadcaster by trade, most recently as EVP at Saga Communications, Steve saw a shift to on-demand content, and in 2015 launched Amplifi, a firm focused on developing on-demand audio—the intersection of podcasting and broadcasting. Earlier this year, Steve partnered with Jacobs Media on Sonic Ai, who develops smart speaker skills (more on skills later) for podcasters and broadcasters.

So what is it about smart speakers that make it easier for people to listen to radio? Steve explains, “There are a number of factors. For starters, the number of radios in the home has been on a steady decline. By some estimates, two-thirds of homes do not have radios. Generationally it’s even fewer.” Steve says the notion that it’s a choice between a radio and something else isn’t really true anymore – in some homes, there is no radio.

While it may be hard for those of us in the broadcast industry to imagine, the smartphone has replaced the radio and clock radio in many homes. “The smartphone is an entertainment hub,” Steve says. “It’s where people listen to music, get the news, watch videos, and so on. It’s transitioned from a telephone to a full-fledged hub. Part of that hub can be radio, but very little listening to radio occurs through the device.”

Steve says radio stations need to think beyond the transmitter and audio stream. While there are only so many radio stations in a market, there are 100,000 radio stations available via the TuneIn Radio app, streaming services like Spotify and Pandora, and 400,000 podcasts. “You’re talking about an awful lot of audio,” he asserts. “The focus needs to be on-demand content. That’s the trend. The expectation today is that content is available on-demand.” The ability to listen whenever and wherever a listener desires—in the car, while they’re walking the dog, when they’re exercising—is in step with today’s lifestyles.

It’s the same arc we’ve seen on the video side with on-demand services such as Netflix, Hulu, and others. While adoption has been slower on the audio side, the conversion is happening rapidly among millennials.

An Edison Research study from NPR earlier this year showed that somewhere between 7-11% of homes in the U.S. have these devices and the largest group of users is millennials (18-34). And we should expect this trend to continue, especially with the holidays upon us. “We should expect these devices are going to sell like hotcakes over holiday season,” Steve says. He points out that some analysts predict that market penetration may increase to 15-18% by the end of the year.

Smart Speaker

With the trend toward radio and audio consumption through smart devices, it’s apparent the way forward for broadcasters is to develop new ways to connect audiences to their content.

Got Skills?
You’ve probably heard the term skills thrown about when smart speakers are discussed. So what exactly are skills? And how do they relate to broadcast audio consumption via smart speakers? Steve explains. “Think of smart speakers as computers… They don’t know what to do until you teach it. In this case, Amazon refers to the learning aspect of the device as a skill. We develop skills and invocations for the stations we work with.”

As an example, Sonic Ai built a skill for WMMR in Philadelphia called ‘Open MMR.’ The listener hears a greeting from the morning show, then is offered a menu of choices. Listeners can choose to listen to the live stream, the latest podcast of the morning show, or the show’s top feature, called ‘The Bizarre Files’—an 8-12 minute piece of audio you can listen to without sitting through the entire morning show. Steve says WMMR has seen significant traction from listeners who missed the segment on the morning show tuning in to listen at a time convenient to them.

For a top-performing morning show, this is huge; for the first time, there’s a retention strategy, with the ability to repurpose and reuse audio. Additionally, in PPM markets, listening to content within 24 hours of the original broadcast is accretive to a station’s ratings.

Steve points out that when it comes to a radio station’s invocations and skills, getting it right is essential. Depending on the name or phrase used to identify a station, the invocation might not provide the audio stream you’re looking for. Steve cites the phrase ‘Lite FM’ as an example. “If you say ‘Play Lite FM’ as your invocation, you’re going to get Lite FM in Beirut, Lebanon, or an Inspirational station in Albany, NY. So you need to get your name and invocation correct, and register it.”

Steve suggests however that if stations are only doing this for streaming purposes, that’s not enough. “The real opportunity is with on-demand audio, which is what we’re focused on.”

The capabilities of smart speakers are constantly being enhanced, and they’re used for a variety of tasks, but audio is by far the top option. That’s the good news, Steve says, but the challenge for broadcasters is that that audio is coming from a variety of sources. “The linear AM/FM notion is going away, but the notion that broadcasters create relevant content is not, so they need to be more flexible about where content is being consumed, less focused on the transmitter, and more focused on devices that can play audio.”

It’s a new challenge, but with booming sales of smart speakers and potential for a measurable increase in listeners, it’s a challenge broadcasters need to embrace. Steve sums it up. “Broadcasters need to get out of the radio business and into the audio business. That will change your thinking about everything.” For the Silo, Dave Sarkies/Telos Alliance.

Supplemental-
For more about the impact of smart speakers on the broadcast industry, check out TWiRT 372 – Tom Vernon on Smart Speakers

Culture

These Classes Help Your Kids Explore Their Creative Side

September 10, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

Kids love to make things. Everyone is born creative – if you feel like you don’t have a creative bone in your body, it’s not because you lack some inherent trait. It’s because your natural instinct to imagine was educated out of you by a school system that values standardized testing over creativity. That’s something you can help your kids avoid.

Creativity isn’t a mysterious trait only possessed by artists and entrepreneurs. It’s something that can be encouraged and cultivated, like any skill or body of knowledge. And business today is hungry for innovation. Businesses are looking for leaders who can think outside the box and come up with their industry’s next Big Idea. That takes creativity.

Signing up your kids for classes that foster creativity helps them continue to explore and nurture their imaginative side.

1 Photography

The technology in smartphones and tablets means that kids have more access to cameras than any time in the past. A photography class can give kids skills way beyond your average selfie. Photography classes teach kids about timing, focus, perspective, and framing. They may also learn how to use editing technology and bring their digital photos to new heights.

Photography is an outlet to share their creative perspective and refine their skills.

2 Video Game Coding Classes for Kids

Learning how to make a video game combines creativity with math and problem-solving skills. All creative endeavors come down to problem solving one way or another: how do you use the materials you have to create the effect you want? When it comes to making video games, the solutions lie in the coding language and what you can tell a computer to do.

You can find coding classes at Real Programming 4 Kids for a wide range of ages and ability levels. From age 7 up, coding courses for kids introduce the logic and language of coding. Intermediate and more advanced levels begin teaching kids the coding languages used by professional video game developers today.

Coding is a great way for students who are more mathematically inclined or interested in computers to exercise their imaginative muscles.

3 Painting and Drawing

Visual art requires specialized skills and learning how to use the tools of the medium: paint, brushes, pencils, charcoal. It takes discipline and patience to learn how to use your materials and transform it into the vision you see in your head on the page.

Painting and drawing starts with the imagination, but it becomes about the process of making something come to life.

Behind every creative pursuit is a valuable lesson. Not only are kids being taught skills that help them bring their projects to life, they’re also learning the patience and discipline it takes to master those skills.

An arts education is far more than time to play or imagine. PBS reports that kids who participate in the arts regularly (three hours a day at least three days in a week) are four times more likely to excel at academics and receive some kind of recognition for it.

Arts are an important part of childhood development from a young age to the teenage years. Sign your kids up for creative classes today. For the Silo, Mila Urosevic.

Travel

Travel Friendly Solutions That Will Enhance Your Experience

August 4, 2017 The Silo Leave a comment

As one who is exposed to new product innovations as a regular course of business, I’ve seen my fair share cool gear and smart solutions that’ll make the rigors of travel, well, that much less rigorous. From leading-edge technology to killer fashion and keepsakes to helpful health and wellness resources to things that just make jaunting more fun, here’s an awesome assortment of things I’m absolutely loving right now.

V-MODA Remix – Premium Bluetooth Speaker (www.V-Moda.com) – $300.00USD
Nothing beats a picnic or beach outing, or a killer backyard soiree, like your favorite tunes playing in the background. Now that’s super easy with the Remix Premium Bluetooth Speaker from V-MODA—the company’s first Bluetooth portable speaker boasting a built-in amplifier and hi-fi sound quality. As the world’s first 3D-printed custom speaker, all six sides of REMIX can be personalized (patent-pending). Using V-MODA’s renowned jewelry-grade 3D-printing expertise, owners can add new sides, change the front grill or even replace the main “C-shell” housing for the ultimate in bespoke appearance. Built on the foundation of V-MODA’s multi-award-winning audio technology, Remix projects precise and vibrant sound at all listening levels. Available in two finishes–minimal CNC aluminum and luxurious vegan leather–this premium speaker exemplifies the work of V-MODA’s Milano-based design studio. It’s classically styled, beautifully proportioned and completely customizable on all six sides to reflect the personality of its owner. Led by Chief Visionary Officer and professional musician Val Kolton, V-MODA blends analog renaissance age inspiration, Italian design and precise Japanese engineering. V-MODA products have reportedly won 40-plus editors’ choice awards and have become essential gear for the world’s top professional DJs.

Cotton Junkies (www.CottonJunkies.com) – Starting at $31USD

Whether touring with family and friends or knocking around town, a great way to keep cool and comfortable, while still being fashionable, is with Cotton Junkies. This company’s super comfy tees are great year-round! They offer a nice range of tees and tank tops for both him and her in the softest of cotton–and the standout designs are super cool. Centered around an ethos of natural style, sex appeal and comfort, this brand new label combines cotton, the most comfortable of materials, with modern designs in eye-catching colors from charcoal greys and electric blues, to volcano reds and sage greens. From V-necks to crew necks, their secret is in the way the cotton is treated. All of their merchandise is handpicked, and uses a blend of organic cottons with other natural materials that are U.S. made and pre-washed for a true-to-you fit and style. This means they don’t shrink in the wash! What’s more the brand has a unisex feel, so a lot of the tees for him can be worn by her!

Grayton Automatic Watches ‘Radiance’ Collection (www.Grayton-Watches.com) – Starting at $200USD
For any travel itinerary, keeping time is of the essence. And, the ‘Radiance’ Collection from Grayton Automatic Watches is a way to do this in fab form. They feature a classy design and advanced quality reflecting the company’s exceptional experience of crafting automatic watches—and offering them at a reasonable price. Like the prayer flags that sway eternally in the breeze, the colors of the Radiance collection watch dials are said to be inspired by the unique color palette of Shangri-La: green alpine pastures, white-silver mountain snows or brown wooden Tibetan chalets in the old city itself. The elegance of the Radiance collection makes it the perfect combination between traditional and modern. Grayton choose top-quality materials for watch cases, straps and bracelets, and integrates a Japanese movement by Seiko—a respected standard in the watch industry and a token of quality. One of its finest features is its transparent backside design that allows you to see the detailed mechanical movements operating within the watch. Its super luminous colored hands will also tell you the time no matter how dark it is. Whether for style, quality or utility, This and other Grayton Automatic Watch designs can be handed down from one generation to another as valued family treasures.

Grafo Maps (www.GrafoMap.com) – $49USD – $168USD
Here’s something great-looking and fashionable for your walls! Remind yourself of the place you grew up, went to college, your honeymoon location, or that unforgettable vacation spot with a beautifully designed custom map poster from Grafo Maps. These posters are an artful decor piece designed by you. The company’s easy-to-use online poster editing tool lets you design anyplace you love—you can even search by address. Once you have found the perfect spot you want to map, simply choose a color scheme that will add even more personality to your piece. Within days you will receive your unique one of a kind poster printed on acid-free 180g matte paper made to not only to look great, but also last a lifetime. You can order it framed or unframed. Place it in a special location as a reminder of that place you love or a special event. It’s sure to spark conversations with family and friends.

tech21’s Impact Clear Urban Edition Case (www.Tech21.com) – $44.95USD

It’s imperative to keep that iPhone safe while out and about. Clear protection meets urban design with the Impact Clear Urban Edition Case from tech21. Inspired by minimalistic streetwear, The Urban Edition offers a unique geometric pattern with sleek and clean lines, fit for the fashion-conscious smartphone user looking to coordinate their case with their outfit in a subtle manner. tech21 products feature a highly advanced impact protection material called FlexShock, which is an ultra-thin and lightweight material that absorbs and dissipates force and can withstand drops up to 6.6 feet. With enhanced UV yellowing resistance and a durable, scratch resistant finish, your phone, and your case, will look better for a longer period of time. It’s available in two different styles and two colors (Brushed Black or Clear White) for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Combining urban design with clear materials and advanced drop protection, the Urban Edition can keep your phone as beautiful as the day you took it out of the box.

Kardia Mobile (www.AliveCor.com) – $99USD
Here’s a way to stay heart healthy all year through and no matter where you are (however near or far from your doctor): the Kardia Mobile personal EKG. Sadly, more people die from heart disease and stroke each year than any other disease- but did you know that 80% of strokes are preventable? Kardia Mobile is a consumer EKG monitoring device that allows you to quickly access, track and analyze your heart health. Taking a clinical-grade heart rhythm reading in just 30 seconds, results are delivered right to your smartphone! Now you can know anytime, anywhere if your heart rhythm is normal, or if atrial fibrillation is detected—helpful data that can reduce your risk of stroke. Smaller than a credit card, it provides a way for people to easily take their health into their own hands. Kardia Mobile gives you peace of mind right from your pocket.

International Hyperhidrosis Society ‘Fan Faves’ Products (www.SweatHelp.org) – Prices vary
Excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, is a serious medical condition that affects approximately 5% of the population. This means that nearly 367 million people worldwide—including throngs of travelers—struggle with extreme, uncontrollable sweating…be it on their hands, feet, face, underarms, torso, lower extremities, or any combination of these—which greatly impacts their quality of life. From stress and embarrassment to depression and isolation, hyperhidrosis takes its toll; but there’s help! Since 2003, The International Hyperhidrosis Society has been providing information, resources, expert perspective, and support to those struggling with this condition. It’s is the only global non-profit organization dedicated entirely to improving the lives of those affected by hyperhidrosis while also supporting healthcare providers and researchers to improve hyperhidrosis treatments and understanding. From the International Hyperhidrosis Society’s website, SweatHelp.org, you’ll find up-to-date information on treatment options, U.S. insurance codes, clinical trials, a physician finder, an award-winning, useful blog, and much more. IHhS also maintains a useful product guide called “Fan Faves” where you can receive special discounts and discover ingenious, cutting-edge products to help handle even the sweatiest situations.

Image: The International Hyperhidrosis Society

WeCool Kits for Kids (www.BuyBobbleBitz.com) – $7.99USD – $29.99USD
For some crafty portable fun for kids I love the Compound Kings Makin’ Station from WeCool! This activity set lets kids make their own slimy mixture in just two quick-and-easy steps – and get it perfect every time. There’s no mess or long list of ingredients that need precise measuring. All they have to do is add water to the special powder mix in the activity center and the stretchy compound is ready within minutes! It yields more than one pound. Compound Kings offers a range of slimy mixes from single packs to activity sets, including glittery, fluffy, and crunchy slimes in addition to make-your-own varieties. Also awesome is WeCool’s Bobble Bitz Creation Station, an activity set featuring an irresistibly squishy, squeezy and crunchy medium that doubles as a molding compound. It’s a textured product kids have called “oddly satisfying” – like playing with bubble wrap. The set includes molds, tools and accessories so kids can make their own unique designs that air-harden overnight for cool 3D creations they can wear, share and display.

For the Silo, By Merilee Kern, ‘The Luxe List’ Executive Editor.

As the Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List,” Merilee Kern is an internationally-regarded consumer product trends expert and hospitality industry voice of authority–a travel, dining, leisure and lifestyle expert who spotlights noteworthy marketplace innovations, change makers, movers and shakers. She identifies and reports on exemplary travel destinations and experiences, extraordinary events and newsworthy products and services across all categories. Reach her online, on Twitter , on Facebook and on Instagram.

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided or sponsored at no cost to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***

Sci-Tech

WatchBox App By Govberg Curates And Helps Source Watches

June 23, 2017 The Silo 2 Comments

In 2016, consumers spent an estimated $14.3 USD billion on gifts for Father’s Day alone, not to mention billions more on gifts for other occasions like birthdays and winter holidays. Traditional “guy gifts” include things like power tools and sporting event tickets. However, if you’re looking for a quintessential men’s gift that’s truly timeless, then you may want to turn to the WatchBox by Govberg app for an assist with what to get for the deserving dudes in your life.

This apt app serves as a resource for locating the exact gift-able watch he’s sure to love. Or, if you also enjoy beautiful timepieces, then this app can help you discover what’s currently available in the marketplace. Whether for yourself or as a gift for another, WatchBox by Govberg is an elegant and streamlined way to curate collection-worthy watches—something the folks behind this app know a great deal about. Established a century ago, Govberg Jewelers is a premier purveyor of luxury timepieces, known for their unrivaled offerings that include limited-production models by leading watchmakers; an extensive pre-owned inventory; and decidedly service-minded industry experts.

The app offers several different features a true timepiece enthusiast will find useful. This includes access to up-to-date news from the watch world. This information is gathered in real-time from all over the globe, aggregating and delivering articles and video reviews from a myriad of popular blogs and magazines devoted to Swiss watches, including all of the industry’s leading brands.

Users can also discover the worth of different watches. Whether you want to sell a watch, buy a new or pre-owned model, make a trade, or are just curious about what a new or used (secondary market) watch you own is currently selling for, the WatchBox by Govberg app boasts pricing tools like a database packed with information on over 80,000 watch models. This includes a 12-month price history for each. With this foundational and in-depth knowledge base, you can intelligently buy, sell, and trade luxury timepieces and generally communicate with other users—or even Govberg’s own watch buying experts—right from the app.

The advent of this app’s secondary market watch pricing tools, in particular, is significant. According to Danny Govberg, CEO of Govberg Jewelers, “Prior to the WatchBox by Govberg app, dialogue about the value of pre-owned watches wasn’t addressed elsewhere in a consistent, transparent manner; nor was it designed to support and educate the consumer. While manufacturers establish MSRPs for primary (new) watches, there was no resource, no Kelley Blue Book or Zillow, for the pre-owned, or secondary, market watch category to help consumers feel at ease. That changes with this app…For the first time in the watch category, Govberg is providing transparency into what pieces trade for on the secondary, or pre-owned, market.”

Quite fascinating is the proprietary algorithm the app uses to estimate and compute market value. Govberg explains, “It evaluates historical and active sales records spanning the secondary market–online sales platforms, auction sales and Govberg’s own data. The data represents final sales to end users, and is not an appraisal nor offer to buy, but rather an educated starting point to assess the secondary market value of a particular model. All pricing makes assumptions on the quality, service history and completeness of a timepiece with original box and paperwork. The data strength takes into account the number of data points captured, the variability of the prices seen on the secondary market, how current the data is and the quality of the source/vendor within the market.”

Impressively, this app will even store information and photos of your existing watch collection. This can be a useful tool to keep up with warranties, service history and to maintain a record for insurance purposes. Also of practical use, you can even schedule watch maintenance and repairs from within the app.

According to Govberg, “As more customers see watch ownership less about having a time-telling device and more as a hobby for collecting the world’s most intricate instruments, WatchBox by Govberg supports the growing watch enthusiast with instant access to valuable information so he can make the best decisions to begin, grow, trade or sell his collection.”

Relative to gift-giving, instead of spending hours upon hours hunting for an idea in general—or for a specific timepiece—that the recipient might like, you can simply turn to this easy-to-use tech. You’ll save time, money and the guesswork often involved in finding the perfect present for those “special someones.”

Govberg perhaps summarizes the usefulness of this technology best, noting, “Whether you want to keep up on the latest industry news and product releases, manage your watch collection for social sharing or insurance purposes, or buy, sell or trade a new or pre-owned watch, WatchBox by Govberg is the ultimate toolbox for today’s watch collector.”

The free WatchBox by Govberg app is available for download for iOS devices on the App Store and Android devices in the Play Store.

For The Silo, By Merilee Kern, ‘The Luxe List’ Executive Editor.

Sources:

https://nrf.com/media/press-releases/fathers-day-spending-reach-record-high-143-billion

Featured image & all photos courtesy of Govberg Watches.

Sci-Tech

Auto Clean Your Grill With Advanced Bluetooth BBQ Robot Available Now

May 1, 2017 The Silo Leave a comment

Keep grime at bay with the perfect, must-have holiday gift for every busy person who loves gadgets and useful technology. Grillbot is the world’s first automatic grill cleaning robot.

Grillbot makes life much easier for BBQ chefs. It saves them time and lots of dirty work cleaning grills and letting them get back to spending more quality time entertaining family and friends. The award-winning Grillbot takes the time and effort out of cleaning even the dirtiest grills.

Designed for use on any style grill, simply place the Grillbot on the grill’s surface, press a button, and the robot does all the cleaning. The device is driven by a powerful CPU that controls movement, speed and direction of brushes. It comes with an LCD alarm and timer that can be set for a light scrub, deep clean or something in between, and notifies when cleaning is done.

The innovative Grillbot comes in four colors and includes the following features:

Three high-power electric motors
Smart Brain that controls movement, speed and direction of the brushes
Brushes pop right off to put in dishwashers for easy cleaning
Rechargeable lithium ion battery

The Grillbot comes as a standalone grill cleaner, or an optional bundle with a carrying 3 brass brushes installed and a carrying case. Grillbot has already sold over 100,000 units globally, including in new markets such as Russia, Australia, Canada and Brazil. The Grillbot is $99.95USD and comes with a one-year warranty.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 2017, Grillbot demonstrated its advanced technology with the Bluetooth-enabled Grillbot Pro. It comes with the same, great features as the original plus the addition of Bluetooth technology, giving BBQ chefs even more freedom and leisure time to watch games, relax with family or cater to guests.

Grillbot is now available at over 500 Home Depot stores nationwide. It’s also available at a wide variety of other retailers such as ACE Hardware, True Value, Sur La Table, Lowe’s, and at websites Amazon.com, Bedbathandbeyond.com, Walmart.com and more or contact marketingdirector@thesilo.ca. For the Silo, Jennifer A. Marca.

About Grillbot
As with most inventions, Grillbot began with an idea. One day, founder Ethan Woods was getting ready to use his grill and did not have a brush available to clean it. While trying to clean a stubborn grill with a wire brush, he wondered if a robot could be created to do the job. He took a power drill, attached a brush and cleaned the grill. He put together a design team and that makeshift drill became the sophisticated computer-driven Grillbot! Since then, Grillbot has sold over 100,000 units and has received many awards and accolades for its innovative design. Grillbot continues to expand its line and is developing two new home robotic solutions designed to simplifying your life one robot at a time in 2017.

Gaming

Its Called The PGS And Its A Smartphone That Runs Almost All PC Games

April 19, 2017 The Silo 2 Comments

PGS – It’s the first “smartphone/portable game console/UMPC” hybrid ever created in the world. With comprehensive support for the Steam game library, this device is a game changer and is now available in for pre-ordering through the official website.

The device runs Windows 10, as well as Android in the Dualboot mode, simultaneously. Highly efficient mobile SoC Intel Atom X7 Z8750 is at the core of the Windows part of the device, while the versatile MediaTek Helio X2X chip is responsible for the Android part. The hybrid console will be released in two versions, Hardcore and Lite. The Lite version will come out a little later. Hardcore will be equipped with 8GB RAM for Windows and 3GB RAM for Android. External storages are supported thanks to a Micro-SD slot. Performance level of the device is more than enough to provide smooth operation of most PC games in HD-resolution.

PGS has an innovative side slider which houses the gaming control surfaces. Very, very slick. One of the key features of the device is two high-resolution displays with 5.9″ and 5.5″ diagonal for the main and for the auxiliary displays respectively. The battery, which capacity is 6800mAh, provides around 5 hours of work for demanding games. Among other features of the device are: LTE module, high-quality audio speakers, front and rear cameras, wireless charging, Smart Active Cooling System (allows the chips to work at maximum frequencies). For the Silo, Alexander Arjannikov.

Comics

New TREADWATER Graphic Novel Will Have Augmented Reality Cover

September 30, 2016 The Silo Leave a comment

Last year’s indie best-selling graphic novel set to release the next installment in the breakthrough series. The second novel features an augmented reality app and introduces the character of actor Chad L. Coleman.

When TREADWATER Vol. 1 was released in comic book stores in July 2015, it was just another self-published indie title among many others. At the end of the month, this was no longer the case.

When the sales figures came in a month after its debut, TREADWATER found itself on equal footing with the likes of The Walking Dead when they first started out. According to Diamond Comic Distributors TREADWATER managed to achieve 90% of Walking Dead’s sales, while outperforming other popular franchises like Dark Matter in their respective opening months.

Explore the TREADWATER Interactive PDF…click here.

TREADWATER is best described as a dark and mature sci-fi action drama. It is a pre-apocalyptic story that takes place in a plausible dystopian future, where a global economic crisis splinters political alliances and plunges the world’s nations into crime and disorder. As the dual forces of anarchy and totalitarianism sweep over the world, six antiheroes are recruited into a privately funded special operative program in an attempt to keep the world from tearing itself apart.

Part of the ugly charm of TREADWATER lies within its ability to predict current events. The isolationist politics of the world’s leading nations, as exemplified by the rise of Trump in the US and BREXIT in the UK; the attempted coup in Turkey, along with its backlash in the form of a dictatorial powergrab; the increasing civil unrest in the US and the terrorist attacks in Europe – all these developments find their parallels in the world of TREADWATER.

Yet Morgan Rosenblum and Nat Prinzi, the creative minds behind the TREADWATER franchise, take no pride in the accuracy of their grim predictions. Their primary goal is to create an engaging and believable superhero story, which avoids the pitfalls of the genre, while staying true to its roots. This is why the story of Treadwater is driven by its larger-than-life, yet deeply imperfect characters, rather than merely a clever premise or unlikely plot twists.

The new installment of the graphic novel, TREADWATER Vol. 2, will be released in late 2016. Along with the novel, the TREADWATER team will debut its own augmented reality app for smartphones. When pointed at the comic book, the app will immerse the readers into the world of TREADWATER by bringing its characters to life in front of their eyes.

The AR app is not the first step that Rosenblum and Prinzi have taken in the direction of interactive storytelling. The TREADWATER franchise already consists of a motion comic, a video game and an interactive website, which lets its users “hack” into Treadwater’s secret database, allowing them to explore their coveted network.

The ability of the creative duo to inspire and impress their audience has led to the inclusion of TREADWATER Vol. 1 into the curriculum of West Aurora High School in IL. It is now being taught in their creative writing class alongside of Orson Welles.

The appeal of the TREADWATER franchise goes beyond high school students, as actor Chad L. Coleman has become a character and a partner in the TREADWATER franchise. Best known for his roles as Tyreese in The Walking Dead, Dennis “Cutty” Wise in The Wire and now Tobias Church in Arrow, Mr. Coleman’s character will see significant development in the second volume of the graphic novel. The new installment will also introduce the character of Holly Wolf, a celebrity cosplayer and 2015 Geek Fantasy Woman of the Year, who also joined the TREADWATER franchise as a supporting character.

Key Dates in 2016:

October 6-9: Come visit us at New York Comic Con. You’ll find us at booth 2314, where you’ll be able to interview the creators of TREADWATER, actor Chad L. Coleman and cosplayer Holly Wolf among others. You’ll also be able to experience the entirety of the TREADWATER franchise, including the Beta Version of our very own PS4 video game.

October 1-21: Special pre-order promo period for TREADWATER Vol 2. Each pre-order will come with a digital copy of the bestselling graphic novel TREADWATER Vol 1 to help the new readers get caught up to speed with the story. Additionally our readers will get a limited edition single issue, signed by its writers, creators and artist. Thirdly, they will also receive a digital collector’s edition of the “Treadwater Dossiers” Character Art Book.

Sci-Tech

Limelens Smartphone Lenses Take on the Traditional DSLR Camera

June 23, 2016 The Silo Leave a comment

Due to rapid advances in technology, the quality of smartphone cameras is now on a par, if not better, than some point-and-shoot cameras and entry-level DSLRs. With the increasing demand for smartphone accessories to maximize users’ photographic potential, Limelens offers superior quality smartphone lenses at a price within reach of the masses. Limelens lenses capture intricate detail that a smartphone camera could not achieve on its own.

Limelens product range includes The Thinker, a dual macro/wide lens and The Captain, a 190 degree fisheye lens, with more smartphone camera accessories to follow. The lenses boast incredible framing capabilities, removing the limitations of the smartphone camera to produce stunning photographs with a greater choice of photo angles, framing and composition.

Available at www.limelens.com for $99 USD, the Limelens introductory Set includes both lenses as well the Limeclip attachment that fits over 40 devices including leading smartphones and tablet brands.

(See compatibility here) Limelens is taking advantage of the exponential growth of smartphone users and their insatiable desire to share their pictures on social media platforms.

Faye Jones, the Communications Director of Limelens says “While purists may argue about the limitations of smartphone camera capabilities, stand-alone cameras cannot compete with the portability of the smartphone and the public’s desire to share their photos instantly. Online photo sharing has become a way to express identity, rather than compete”. Jones says

“Limelens has recognized that people are choosing smartphones over conventional cameras and we have responded to this trend with the introduction of Limelens, a range of sleek, intuitively designed smartphone lenses that are compatible with major smartphone brands”.

The quality of smartphone camera images, and the features they offer, means that less people are spending money on regular cameras. According to data from Japan’s Camera and Imaging Products Association, camera sales have been steadily declining. In 2010 sales were at a high of 120 Million units but sales have reduced to 30 Million in 2015. For the Silo, Dawn Ryden.

Limelens offers a versatile attachment compatible with 40+ devices whilst ensuring the lens is stable and is easily attached and removed.
Limelens offers users the ability to take photographs with wider angles, in order to capture all elements of their photograph.
Limelens offers users the ability to capture incredible details of their subject, of which a smartphone camera alone could never accomplish.
Limelens provides smartphone photographers with a sense of community, encouragement and inspiration for their projects, no matter their distance, experience level or ability.

About Limelens:

Limelens was founded by UCT (University of Cape Town) student and entrepreneur Tyler Bodmann and has been in development since August 2014. The Limelens team includes Joel Bronner, Faye Jones, James Badenhorst and Michael Dickens. Limelens is driven to create products with the intention to intrigue and enable its ever-evolving photographic community to see, capture and create differently. The Limelens philosophy implores a vision of adventure and discovery through this new creative medium to accumulate to a movement so aptly called The Limelife. Launched in the Spring of 2016, Limelens smartphone accessories offer users the ability to take photos with wider angle and incredible detail while maintaining image quality. Compatible with over 40 smartphone and tablet brands, Limelens is the most versatile lens attachment available to smartphone camera users.

Vintage

UK Firm Offers Modern Tech To Heat Old Homes

March 1, 2016 The Silo Leave a comment

NOTE~ As of today’s date, 1 Pound Sterling = $1.88 CDN or $1.39 US dollars Modern Technology to Warm an Old Home by Cast Iron Radiators 4u.

Gaming

Hashtag Roundup App reaching 100,000,000 Twitter “Hashtag gamers” weekly

June 29, 2015 The Silo 1 Comment

Have you been playing hashtag games on Twitter? Hashtag games are fun and free word games where Twitter users contribute funny or clever responses around a common theme, like #RejectedPrezCampaignSlogans or like #Things20SomethingsSay.

Hashtag games can often be found in the “what’s trending” area of Twitter but to discover all of them there’s a new app called Hashtag Roundup (www.hashtagroundup.com) that creates and hosts its own creative games, recruits comedians and Twitter celebrities to host live games, and aggregates the best trending games, making Twitter easy and accesible for everyone.

The Hashtag Roundup app, now available for Apple and Android, provides game alerts, peer-to-peer awards, and exclusive leader boards to serve the rapidly expanding global hashtag gaming community. Hashtag Roundup is the leading creator, promoter, and aggregator of hashtag games in the US, Canada, and UK, with a cumulative weekly reach now exceeding 100 million Twitter users.

We ( @thesiloteam) had fun with a recent game called #MakeAFilmSkeptical

Hashtag games are word games where Twitter users contribute often clever or funny responses to a common theme. For example, a recent game promoted by Hashtag Roundup was #4BestWordsEver, and contributions included tweets like “Open bar, free food” (@2p2TrollCat), “School is finally out” (@trjx1d), “Mom got us pizza” (@Broganza16), and “You’re the best mommy” @darksidedeb).

Brands get in the game as well, with submissions like “We’re going to Universal” @UniversalORL), “No soup for you!” @Seinfeldtv) and “a dozen original glazed” @krispykreme). The “winners” are the ones with the most retweets and favorites. Hashtag games provide a fun diversion and creative outlet for individuals and a marketing channel for big brands.

Hashtag Roundup recruits comedians and Twitter celebrities to host and create games. Users download the app in order to see what games are running and what the best responses are. Hashtag Roundup shares both original games and trending games on Twitter.

Hashtag Roundup is a joint venture of @TheHashtagGame and @absrdNEWS. In February 2012, @theHashtagGame was launched by Scott Fischler (@fastlaugh) and quickly established itself as the leading 24/7 hub of hashtag gaming. Meanwhile, @absrdNEWS and absrdCOMEDY.com were launched in February 2014 by Jeff Dwoskin (@bigmacher), immediately gaining recognition and followers for its sharp news parody and frequent, funny Top Ten Lists. Fischler and Dwoskin, both comedians, joined forces in 2014 to jointly develop the Hashtag Roundup app for iOS and Android. Hashtag Roundup delivers a consistently great Twitter experience, with engaging hashtag games and hosts.

“We love watching the hilarious and creative answers our fellow Twitter users come up with in hashtag games, but as hashtag addicts ourselves, we struggled to keep track of all the games, and all the responses,” said Jeff Dwoskin, founder of absrdCOMEDY.com.

“Hashtag gaming is rapidly becoming a significant marketing vehicle for brands, celebrities, major league sports teams… even political candidates. All are now frequently playing our games, and recognizing the massive positive exposure to new audiences that hashtag gaming provides,” said Scott Fischler, founder of @TheHashtagGame.

App Download links

iPhone/iPad https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hashtag-roundup/id985741893?ls=1&mt=8
Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.touchtitans.hashtag_roundup

Sci-Tech

SipSup mobile linked Drinking Glass disrupts Conventions of Communication

June 22, 2015 The Silo Leave a comment

SipSup is a new beverage drinking glass that communicates with smart phones via app technology to become an interactive media display and storage unit. When you have finished drinking your beverage of choice, digital photos and videos you have dropped into your glass via the SipSup app are left behind. The SipSup app enables you to keep your special moments only for yourself (private) or to make them visible to every person who happens to tap their phone to your glass (public). The social interaction possibilities are endless- many of us already spend a lot of time at coffeehouses or pubs, consider bringing your glass along- it would be a great way to meet new people and discover new forms of interaction- all via your hi-tech SipSup glassware. If that wasn’t enough, another feature called “post-it”, allows your guests to leave photos or videos on your glass and even write on a fun message. Hydration will never again be boring. A Slovenian start-up that prides itself on ‘out of the box’ thinking, the SipSup team have taken an object we all use on a daily basis and given it new functions. SipSup will stand out from the other glasses in your kitchen because of it’s distinct curved shape designed to naturally fit your hand. It’s base resembles the ripple effect of a drop falling into water and was inspired by the notion of “dropping moments into a glass”. You can get this great looking piece of smart glassware on Kickstarter. For more information email: marketingdirector@thesilo.ca

Sci-Tech

Gadget Autopsy Smartphone Versus Smartwatch

April 10, 2015 The Silo Leave a comment

At time of posting 1 pound = $1.84 Cdn & $1.46 US

Infographic design via- http://www.viking-direct.co.uk/

Sci-Tech

Live in the Future: Weiser’s ‘Smart Lock’ and app turns smartphones into home key

January 14, 2014 The Silo Leave a comment

It won't be long before "Open Sesame" does the trick ;) CP — It won’t be long before “Open Sesame” does the trick 😉 CP

TORONTO -WeiserR, a leading brand of the Hardware & Home Improvement (HHI) division of Spectrum Brands Holdings (NYSE:SPB), answers consumer demand for both convenience and security with its Kevo smart lock.

The highly anticipated Bluetooth enabled deadbolt is now arriving at home improvement and electronics retailers across Canada. By simply installing Kevo and downloading the mobile app, your iPhone becomes your key. Convenient and versatile, Kevo gives owners the ability to unlock the door with their smartphone and a simple touch; send electronic keys (eKeys) to family, friends and service people; and receive notifications whenever a user enters or exits their door.

“Kevo is not just another lock, it represents a shift in lifestyle for busy homeowners. Whether keeping track of your teenage daughter, granting temporary access to a housecleaner or monitoring your front door activity while on vacation, Kevo redefines the meaning of smart, simple security,” said Mark Wallace, Senior Group Marketing Manager of Spectrum Brands – Hardware & Home Improvement.

A Total Key Management Solution
Using the Kevo mobile app, homeowners can send eKeys to family, friends or service people, anywhere, anytime. Once an eKey is sent, recipients can simply download the mobile app, if they don’t already have it installed, keep their iPhone in their purse or pocket and unlock the door with a simple touch. With several levels of permissions, Kevo Owners and Administrators have authorization to send, delete and disable eKeys within seconds. After distributing eKeys, they can choose to receive notifications when a user locks or unlocks the door, for convenient home security management. Homeowners agree, eKeys are the answer to every-day challenges in key (and home security) management:

“Using Kevo is like living in the future. My new smart lock, and therefore my home, now magically recognizes me by touch. Being able to issue (and revoke) virtual keys to family members or service providers is priceless. Install was a breeze, even for a guy like me who’s never replaced a deadbolt, and only required a single screwdriver.” – David Zatz, blogger at “Zatz Not Funny”.

“I have two dogs that I walk and two children, ages four and two. I am always carrying the kids, groceries, my bags from work; holding the dog’s leashes, etc.,” said Kathy Z. of “3 Boys and a Dog” blog. “This device is invaluable to me because instead of fumbling for keys (that I inevitably drop), I can simply touch my lock with one finger and gain access to my home. I always have my phone on me, either in my pant pocket or in my purse, and I can just leave it in there, touch my Kevo and I am in. The convenience factor is huge!”

Weiser’s Kevo mobile app includes a simple interface that delivers much more than eKey management. After setting up a Kevo account, owners can customize and control everything through their app, including:

. Managing eKeys and settings associated with each given lock;

. Receiving notifications when a user enters or exits the door;

. Monitoring lock activity and tracking user history;

. Updating Kevo lock software directly from a smartphone;

. Instant access to Kevo’s Help Center; and

. Kevo web portal offers the same management features as the app via a browser.

Kevo combines UniKey Technologies, Inc.’s (UniKey) secure touch-to-open technology and Weiser’s 110 years of experience engineering and manufacturing residential door locks. This combination of expertise translates to unmatched convenience and security features that include:

. Inside-outside technology – Kevo offers patent-pending intelligent positioning technology that detects whether an authorized user is inside or outside of the home before granting access, to help prevent unauthorized entry.

. Touch-to-open convenience – Users can keep their phones in their pocket or purse. No more fumbling for keys, simply touch the lock to open for the ultimate in convenience.

. Kevo fob – No smartphone? No problem. Users can enjoy the same touch to open convenience with the fob. A single fob can be authorized to work with up to 25 Kevo locks.

. Multiple levels of encryption – Kevo uses multiple levels of encryption to increase digital security and is continually reviewed by industry leading independent security experts.

. SmartKeyR technology – Weiser’s patented SmartKey re-key technology provides superior security and re-key convenience unlike any other smart lock on the market.

“History has shown that extremely powerful solutions that deliver a simple and elegant user experience are what evolve industries. Combining forces with Weiser, we are able to deliver a complete, mass market product that will truly revolutionize the way we gain access to our homes,” said Phil Dumas, founder, UniKey.

Compatability, Pricing and Availability
Kevo is compatible with smartphones that support Bluetooth Smart Ready/Bluetooth 4.0 hardware and have the Kevo mobile app available. The app is currently available for iPhoneR 4S, 5, 5c and 5s, as well as the fifth generation iPodR touch, third generation or higher iPadR and iPad mini. The app will become available for additional platforms such as Android, pending software upgrades, to fully support Bluetooth Smart Ready/Bluetooth 4.0 technology. Homeowners can purchase their Kevo deadbolt for the suggested price of $249.99 at a wide range of retailers nationwide. For additional information on what is included in the Kevo package and a list of on-line retailers, please email marketingdirector@thesilo.ca .

Sci-Tech

Most Exciting Sci-Tech Electronics Of 2013

December 6, 2013 The Silo Leave a comment

2013 will be remembered for many things, but in the world of consumer electronics it will be remembered as a year when techpreneurs proved that innovation lives and the spirit of enterprise still burns strong.

The technologies propping up the gadgets on display in this infographic are a product of incremental development, iterations of ideas that have been gestating for many years and are slowly being integrated into products that we use daily.

Take fingerprint authentication, for instance, on the new iPhone 5s. For close to ten years, the technology has been commercially viable but Apple made the bold move of finally putting an end to the forgotten password woes of its customers.

HTC finally incorporated the technology Full HD displays on a smartphone with amazing results. The images on HTC one remain unmatched for clarity and color accuracy.

Leap Motion made a leap of faith by investing in technology that changes the way users interact with their devices. Instead of the keyboard, mouse, or screen, we can now use gestures to make devices do our bidding. All for less than a hundred dollars with technology packed into a device no bigger than a bubble gum pack.

Google Glass is setting imaginations on fire with its unique first-person perspective for recording visual images. Is it ethical to photos and videos
of people without their permission and without them noticing that you’re actually doing it? Will the technology be abused? Will it change the way users live their lives?

For many, the questions won’t be as complex or thought-provoking. It might simply be, “Will I get an Xbox One for Christmas?”

Silo sci-tech writer Alex Hillsberg.

How to avoid being hacked during this Fall’s travel season.

What is juice jacking?

Is juice jacking detectable?

How to protect yourself

Retail is on the precipice of a renaissance, which will be characterized by great advancement and economic rebirth.

Beyond this, consumers can easily be described as fickle

Gen Z, the first generation to have had a smartphone their entire lives, are also known to be digitally savvy.

Shifting of the tectonic plates

From purpose to experience

Digital Domestic Dialogues

COSMO

RITO

VISIONARIA

1g1lm

Habits Design

The team awarded more than 180 international design prizes such as Red Dot, IF, Compasso d’Oro, Design Plus, Good Design, and German Design Award. “We study science and art. We design new habits. Prototyping our ideas, embedding electronics, we reduce the gap between physical and digital.”

Laminam

Pioneers since the beginning.

Giovanardi

After a long day of work or school, it’s important to take care of yourself before bed.

Take Care of Your Skin

Unplug and Disconnect

Create a Relaxing Environment

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Do Relaxing Activities

Despite the overall crypto market contraction, the Pi Core Team continues to grow, signaling the speedy development of the Pi Network ecosystem and its long-term vision.

In addition, Pi Network has taken great strides in the product and ecosystem fronts with numerous updates and developments.

ABOUT PI NETWORK

“Canadians seem to need smartphones a lot.”

Using social media and gaming — top activities for Canadians while on the toilet

Cybersecurity refresher for Canadians

If you’re a fan of body shaking bass frequencies and missed our article from waaaay back in 2016 about SubPac, read on because you’re in for a treat.

Wear a subwoofer? Sounds like fun!

1 Photography

2 Video Game Coding Classes for Kids

3 Painting and Drawing

Canada's 'biggest little blogspace'

The team awarded more than 180 international design prizes such as Red Dot, IF, Compasso d’Oro, Design Plus, Good Design, and German Design Award.
“We study science and art. We design new habits. Prototyping our ideas, embedding electronics, we reduce the gap between physical and digital.”