Sheffields Top Ten Takeaways

Best Takeaways in Sheffield

Do you enjoy a takeaway?

Your usual from the Chinese? Don't forget the prawn crackers! A pizza with friends? Or how about a kebab on your way home from drinks in town? Mobile technology and the internet is changing everything, this posts looks at how technology is delivering results for the takeaway business.

In collaboration with JUST EAT, here is a run down of Sheffield's Top Ten Takeaways...

Technology - smartphones

Over the past 100 years technology has increased at a significant rate, queue the Moore's law reference.

I do stop and wonder, where will it take us in our lifetime - let's say by 2085.

Let's start with Smartphones....

Smartphones
Smartphones are they good or evil? Very useful or the loss of all privacy? 😨

Combining cameras, satnavs, video cameras, the family pc, entire cd or vinyl collections, photo albums, phone books, maps, all under one roof is pretty impressive. Voice commands and being waterproof take them up a notch.

But phones pick out trends and analyse data, data about you. From telling you how long a commute may take to showing you where you parked your car. (no input from yourself, it has this information readily available)

In a race of intelligence, I think smartphones have now overtaken their owners.

Without your phone could you...
- List phone numbers of loved ones? tell me the quickest way to Eastbourne, direct me there and keep me updated with the best route? Could you also list the birthdays of your friends and family along with ages? Or answer questions from knowledge, rather than suggesting Google it? What is a rock hopper penguin?

Smartphones are constantly evolving both through the handset technology but via the software and app stores. In contrast games consoles  are released in generations, years apart - with big differences when compared with the previous model. With smartphones it is a blur and very clear when you change phone or upgrade. In 2 years time, 4 or even 10 years time what will your phone be capable of?

The next steps
- Flexible handsets (like paper)
- Personal assistants (like the film Her?)
- IoT (Internet of things) - complete control of your home and possessions
- Less input from the user will be required , as the phones continue to collect and analyse the data about you - more and more information will be presented to the owner. Predictive text may be exactly that...
- Health apps and sensors
- Daily routine mapped out and controlled, from being woken up by your phone, which controls the Internet of things devices in your home. From opening the curtains, to preparing your breakfast and morning coffee, maybe even pulling your on demand car or driverless car round to the front of your house. Probably briefing you on your day, the latest news, birthdays and reminders or to what you missed whilst you were asleep. Everything will be synced and tailored to your routine and the data you generate.

A step beyond this and a more extreme step, is integrating technology into the human body. Chips and sensor implants. The topic of the next call of duty game. No doubt in testing in labs around the world. If you could upgrade your vision, memory, knowledge - would you?

So where do rock hopper penguins live again?

Entrepreneurs Scrapbook

An Entrepreneurs Scrapbook

#whynot?

More soon....

2015

Happy New Year & good luck for any resolutions you may have set for 2015. 

The blog has been quiet recently as I have focused on other things, mainly working, enjoying the festive season and thinking ahead to 2015. (As well as fixing I.T problems for friends and family and helping people pick new laptops)

The blog is an ongoing experiment and has exceeded 9000 views, which is good going. Individual posts are being views 100's of times - demonstrating the power of the blogger!

I have a few food posts pending, which will tie in with my recent #socialsheffield related post - as a number of Sheffield photographers and bloggers share the best of Sheff.

Last year I tried a number of side projects, a few of which didn't take off as I had hoped, but I am glad I tried. After a relaxing Christmas, it is time to start the new year full of energy and make the most of every opportunity.

2014 has highlighted just how difficult it is to gain momentum in a business idea, attract attention to a website, blog or other form of social media.

If anyone else is in similar boat, perhaps a budding entrepreneur, keen to try out a business idea of your own, why not comment below? It would be good to talk!

I have added some new photos to my instagram.com/theitguydoes recently, check them out!

-theitguy

Future Learn - Free Online Courses

Some of you may be interested in some FREE Online Courses!

Future Learn is a private company owned by the Open University, working with over 20 partners - including Universities, they are offering a number of free online courses, some even result in certificates!

So if you are looking to learn something new, want to add to your C.V or want to just see what courses there are, take a look at:

https://www.futurelearn.com/

- theitguydoes

Future Tech v1.0

Here is a short list of some emerging and future technology:

1) 3D printing opens up a whole host of possibilities. From printing food to life forms. (Covered in detail in a previous blog post)

2) Drones will replace fighter pilots.... Sorry Maverick & Goose! Drones will be limited by technology, tolerate higher g-forces & if solar powered - won't need to land.... Amazon are already trialing parcel delivery by drone (previous post)

3) Virtual Reality - I think this tech will change the world. Facebook purchased Oculus and Sony is developing Morpheus, it is only a matter of time.....neo ;p (gadget show post)

4) Robots - hopefully more Johnny 5 than Terminator.... Amazon already sell Robot hoovers and lawn mowers! But what happens when robots can do your job...

5) Holograms and tablets that can be folded into your pocket like a piece of paper

6) Wireless charging - replacing the need to constantly charge your phone/tablet

7) Driverless cars - hopefully affordable & improving road safety - expected in the U.K as early as 2015 

8) Human upgrades - implants and robotics are already being developed to restore the senses such as hearing & sight. Robotics and 3D printing are also helping rebuild humans. Quite amazing & the best type of technology in my opinion, technology that helps people. But what if you could upgrade your memory, vision, intelligence etc ... 

9) The Internet of Things - on its way & fast. This is essentially every day items, but networked. A fridge that re-orders an item the moment it is finished, or an app that let's you control and monitor your central heating and home security systems. 

10) AI - Artificial Intelligence. You may have seen the film Her? A man falls in love with his operating system, lol! Or the Big Bang Theory, when Raj falls in love with Siri....

Joking aside, it's going to happen the world over. Computers, smart phones and possibly Androids with a personality, sense of humour and memory. 

I have a lot more to say on these topics, but will gauge interest first. What do you think? What are you looking forward to, or perhaps not looking forward to? 

-theitguy

#shefftech Sheffield Technology

#shefftech

Technology is advancing very quickly and I believe Sheffield could and should be making more of the digital age and the untapped potential that the city has to offer.

With two Universities, developing transport links and lower house prices - it is a shame that the tech giants perhaps overlook the city, or that the startups have not been encouraged or supported enough to grow.

I picked up my information technology degree in Sheffield & have lived in the city ever since. In the years that have followed, course mates have eventually left the city for jobs elsewhere or to return home during the search for work.

Having worked in the computing and technology industry for a few years, I can summarise the following:
- companies in the Sheffield area struggle to recruit employees with technical computing skills (especially networking, servers, information security, service desks)
- a high number of employees commute outside of Sheffield for computing work, but would much rather work in the city!
- the computing / technology job market in Sheffield seems limited and sadly...
- computing and technology jobs gravitate around London (higher living costs and the tube...)

I have more to add on the topic, but in the meantime #shefftech

I'd like to introduce #shefftech to help network computing and technology students, employees and employers - via Twitter and even in the comments section below. Once there is interest there can be events and even new opportunities. Don't be shy, if you want to get involved use #shefftech

-theitguy

Security Software and Apps

Free Security Tools

AVG:
http://free.avg.com/gb-en/homepage 

F-Secure Free Tools:
http://www.f-secure.com/en/web/home_global/free-tools

Malware Bytes:
https://www.malwarebytes.org/

Sophos Free Tools:
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools.aspx

(Others: McAfee, Symantec, Kaspersky, Microsoft Safety Scanner, Komodo, Trend Micro, Lookout)

 

Free Online Security Advice:

https://www.getsafeonline.org/

 

Lost your iPhone?

Find My iPhone
https://www.apple.com/uk/icloud/find-my-iphone.html

• Lock your screen
• Display a message
• Get notified
• Track location

Special Ops Technology Headphones

"Powered by patent pending military special ops bone conduction technology"

You sir, have my attention.

I first heard about "bone conduction" headphones online and had never heard or seen them before. I was quite intrigued and very grateful to receive some at Christmas (thanks Dad!)

So what are they?

To keep it simple, they are headphones that do not plug in to your ears. They sit between your temple and earlobe. The use of bone conduction technology enables you to hear music with nothing in, on or covering your ears!

Features:

- Unblock hearing for safer outdoor sports

- Sweat proof and splash resistant

- For iphone, ipod, ipad, smarts phone and mp3 players

Aftershokz Bone Conduction Headphones

Cost: £35 - £75 depending on model

Brand: Aftershokz

ITG Rating: 4/5

Are they any good?

From a runners perspective, I think they are great and will cover running related points below. For general use, the sound quality is not revolutionary, but is perfectly acceptable. I must admit I have a big head, and they fit fine. They cannot be adjusted, so they may not suit everybody. They are a comfortable fit and you may be glad to know that they don't look like a prop from a sci-fi film or Call of Duty mission. It's a strange experience at first to be able to listen to music, but also hear your surroundings and even hold conversations mid One Direction - I joke! Or do I??

I've passed them around and other people have been fairly impressed. It is difficult to tell what volume level you should use on the mp3 device, so that you can listen to music clearly - whilst not disturbing anyone around you. There are different models of the Aftershokz. The model I use includes mobile phone compatibility, with an in line mic.   

The main benefit is safety, especially if you are travelling or exercising whilst listening to music, podcasts or chatting via the hands free. They enable you to listen out for dangers or hazards around you, which can only be a good thing.

The headphones are recharged via USB. I've not tested the battery life to the limit yet, but it has lasted a few hours so far.

The only downside is protecting them whilst not in use. They come with a cloth bag, which helps keep them clean. However, I'd prefer a hard case so that I can throw them in a bag and not have to worry about them being damaged.

For runners:

As a runner - having the wrong headphones that fall out your ears every 5 minutes can be extremely irritating. Due to the Aftershokz headband design, which hooks over your ears - you can now focus on your run. I've recently covered 13km with them on and found them comfortable and no hassle at all. I'm still getting used to the volume setting that I should use on my mp3 player, but I'm glad I can now hear my favourite songs and also the traffic around me. If you do like to listen to music whilst exercising, this is a safer option, but probably more hygienic as well. No more re-use of waxy or sweaty ear phones! 

I am genuinly impressed. Hopefully I will be able to find, craft or 3D print a hardcase. I will also keep an eye out for the latest models to see how this technology develops. If you are interested, see the link below for further details and the latest price. If enough people click through the link and buy a pair, I may just be able to buy myself a coffee!

Drones from the Amazon

What do you think to this use of technology?

This is Amazon.com's Prime Air, something they are working on in their Research and Development lab. The aim of this technology is to deliver packages to Customers in 30 minutes or less! The footage below is from a recent test flight. Don't expect to see these UAV's (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) or Drones in your neighbourhood for a few years though. This is because of laws and standards that will need to be met to ensure that these things are safe flying above our heads! It is still quite an impressive and innovative use of tech. I think Amazon started as someone selling books from their garage, now this!

Add your thoughts below. Personally, if neighbours don't shoot my package down (almost a lucky dip!) and if this can stop missed delivery notes - Amazon have my vote.

See the Amazon website below for further details.

3D Printing

In 2012 I supported a science challenge at Sheffield City College, where I spotted a stand on 3D printing.

Since then I have been intrigued by 3D printing and have been keeping an eye on the topic. Friends and colleagues have looked at me in disbelief when I have talked about this topic. I think it's fair to say that the technology is gaining momentum, but few people are aware of it. So here are a few points that may surprise you:

What is 3D printing?
Using an electronic file, but instead of printing to paper a 3D printer can produce an item in 3D from a variety of materials.