Category: Gadgets
Turn off children’s gadgets an hour before bedtime, parents advised
Parents should avoid letting their children use gadgets such as mobile phones, tablets or computers an hour before bedtime and agree screen time limits, according to new official guidance. Experts say that looking at screens such as phones, tablets or computers in the hour before bed can disrupt sleep and impact children’s health and wellbeing.…
Edinburgh Premier Inn becomes first battery-powered hotel in UK
The trial is expected to save the hotel £20,000 a year in energy costs (Premier Inn/PA) An Edinburgh hotel has become the first in the UK to be battery-powered. The Gyle Premier Inn at Edinburgh Park has installed a five-tonne battery which will charge from the national grid during off-peak periods…
Intel uses AI to create anti-poaching camera for wildlife reserves
Artificial intelligence (AI) created by Intel is to be used in cameras to detect poachers entering wildlife reserves and alert park rangers before they kill endangered animals. The technology firm has announced its software is to be used in TrailGuard AI cameras that are capable of object detection and image classification remotely, and which can…
Halfords to sell ‘world’s first’ connected smart bike with Amazon Alexa
Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant is continuing to move beyond the speaker and on to two wheels for the first time, with the launch of a new connected smart bike in the UK. The Cybic Legend will allow riders to ask Alexa anything as they cycle - from traffic updates to directions. “Adding Alexa functionality expands…
Hackers take over Google Chromecast devices to support YouTuber PewDiePie
PewDiePie (Hannah McKay/PA) Hackers have taken control of Google Chromecast smart TV devices around the world in a stunt to raise awareness of cyber security and to promote YouTuber PewDiePie. They claim to have gained access to more than 70,000 Google Chromecast devices – used to stream content on a TV…
Fortnite streamer Ninja reportedly earned nearly £8m in 2018
The world’s most popular Fortnite streamer, Ninja (pictured above), estimates he earned almost 10 million dollars (£8 million) from playing the video game in 2018. Tyler Blevins, better known as Ninja, broadcasts himself playing the battle royale game on YouTube and streaming platform Twitch and now boasts millions of subscribers to his various channels, thousands…
Video games now account for over half UK entertainment market revenue
The video games sector now accounts for more than half of the entertainment market, according to new figures. The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) said the gaming market’s value rose to £3.864 billion, more than double what it was worth in 2007. It now makes gaming a larger market than video and music combined for the…
Four major events in 2019 that could transform the internet
Harmful content and privacy are some of the issues that will be addressed by landmark decisions this year, as governments across the world look to make tech giants and social networks more accountable. The UK will decide whether to regulate the likes of Facebook – and if so, how – while an EU-wide crackdown on…
Twitch faces challenging year ahead after successful 2018
Video game streaming service Twitch faces a challenging 2019 in Europe but is determined to build on its steady success of the past 12 months. Jamie Harris, Press Association Science Technology Reporter writes... Each month, the Amazon-owned site attracts more than 100 million gaming enthusiasts who want to watch other gamers play hit titles such as…
Futuristic micro-robots could make roadworks a thing of the past
Image: Press Association The Government is investing millions of pounds in the development of futuristic micro-robots designed to work in underground pipe networks and dangerous sites like nuclear decommissioning facilities. It is hoped that devices developed in British universities will spell the end for many disruptive and expensive roadworks, as…
