Category Archives: Mobile Tech

UK “goes green” following record-breaking month for sustainable tech brand Juice

Tech accessories manufacturer Juice is celebrating its most accomplished month to date, with more people opting for their green products over any other mobile accessories brand in the UK.

The latest data from consumer analytics provider, Growth from Knowledge (GfK), confirms that Juice has retained its position as market leader in the UK for the fourth year in a row.

 

GfK’s August 2024 ‘Market Update’ revealed that it was the best ever month on record in terms of Juice’s overall market share. The forward-thinking brand is dominating the lightning mains market, having doubled its volume share from last year, whilst its market share for wireless charging is also at the highest it has been.

The business is steadily growing when it comes to charging – not only did its volume and value share for power banks increase by 7.9% and 5.8% respectively, but Juice has now successfully overtaken a major competitor in the mains charging market.

 

The Banbury based manufacturer is also the number one seller in the UK for cables, selling almost three times more lightning cables than Belkin!

In addition to its growing market presence, 2024 has been an exciting year for Juice, following its ongoing commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. Earlier this year, Juice launched an exclusive range in partnership with wildlife charity, the Born Free Foundation, and is donating 20% of all profits to help end animal exploitation.

 

Juice founder and CEO, Jolyon Bennett, commented: “This year has been an unforgettable one for Juice. Everything we’ve done – and continue to do – is for the consumer. We strongly believe in “doing the right thing” and this is a mantra we promise to always live by!

“To remain the market leader for another year proves that we are going above and beyond to keep our customers coming back for more. We’re working on a number of exciting projects behind the scenes here at Juice, including our international sales strategy across Europe, India and Australia – and we can’t wait to share more with you.”

 

Jolyon Bennett founded Juice on the principle that everything the business does is kind to the planet. After becoming the first mobile phone accessories manufacturer in the UK to eliminate all virgin plastic from its products three years ago, Juice has saved 261 tonnes of plastic. Having focused specifically on its sustainability efforts over the last few years, Juice is now collaborating with like-minded organisations to try and make the world a better place.

FourNet’s ANTENNA goes mobile: Audit-friendly hybrid-working era mobile service for public sector

Digital transformation experts, FourNet, have moved into the mobile phone market with the launch of a unique, one-number, audit and governance-friendly SIM and mobile service.

ANTENNA Mobile will provide business-class mobile communications fit for the hybrid-working era.

It will enable public sector customers, including a range of Whitehall departments, to access full call and text recordings plus comprehensive data analytics on usage, when the mobile phone is equipped with an ANTENNA SIM or eSIM.

FourNet’s government customers using the award-winning ANTENNA Community Cloud service include the Prime Minister’s Office, the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, HMCTS and many other departments. FourNet also powers Connecting Wales – a shared communications and contact centre platform for local authorities in Wales.

The new service can eliminate or restrict access via government phones to gambling, adult content, or even social media sites.

The use of ANTENNA Mobile will allow customer compliance teams to have access to SMS messages and call recordings for compliance or training purposes. Handsets can also be blocked from installing apps like WhatsApp and other encrypted services which might elude audit trails.

Stuart Williams

Stuart Williams, Chief Technology Officer at FourNet, said: “Customers with compliance or governance obligations need to be able to access call recordings and analytics across all their devices be they landline, soft phone or mobile. They want true one-number solutions so that employees can receive calls wherever they are, at home, working remotely or in the office and they need to allow the same auditability regardless of which device is used.

“We’re delighted to offer our new mobile service to customers – whether central government, local government, public sector or enterprise customers – who want to keep track of what is being said and done on employer-issued mobile phones.”

The new FourNet Mobile Service also captures billing and performance data, including costliest call details, most frequently dialled numbers, international calls and premium services.

ANTENNA offers a comprehensive range of communications, collaboration and contact centre solutions to FourNet’s central government customers and is hosted in government accredited data centres. The service has already helped deliver key government targets on cost savings, increased collaboration and improved citizen experience.

FourNet Enterprise customers can also enjoy a similar service using the FourNet Mobile network leveraging FourNet’s Agile Cloud service, which also enables compliance and call recording features.

Manchester-headquartered FourNet is partnering with Tango Networks to deliver its new mobile service.

Andrew Bale

Andrew Bale, Executive Vice President for Tango Networks, said: “We’re thrilled to be joining forces with FourNet to deliver this next-generation mobile solution, which will enhance the capability for ANTENNA customers and those on FourNet’s Agile Cloud service.

“The world has changed. Hybrid working requires business quality communications that work consistently as an extension of the office in any location. This means office-style compliance controls need to cover mobiles and remote working too. The ANTENNA service delivered with Tango Networks’ ground-breaking mobile Unified Communications technologies provides a communications solution that maximizes mobility and flexibility while still remaining compliant.”

Remote and hybrid working has made compliance issues more complex over the last few years, where employees work from home typically without desk phones or the call recording facilities used with in-office landlines.

FourNet’s Mobile service will benefit public sector organisations, particularly those which are subject to FOI and GDPR requests, as well as businesses in the financial, legal and insurance sectors, where audit trails can be crucial to operations and governance

In particular, financial services firms are required by government regulation to archive and retain communications related to financial transactions. The new service enables voice and text communications on mobiles to be captured and recorded for complying with these requirements.

juice® celebrates double shortlisting at the Mobile Industry Awards 2022

Tech accessories manufacturer juice® is thrilled to have been shortlisted at the Mobile Industry Awards 2022 for the second year running.

Not only has the fast-growing and dynamic brand been named as a finalist in the ‘Accessory Manufacturer of the Year’ category once again, but it has also made it to the finals in the newly introduced ‘Sustainability Initiative of the Year’ category as a result of its ongoing sustainability initiative.

The ‘juice® Made Mindfully’ campaign which launched earlier this year has been designed to help reduce the amount of virgin plastic being produced and to utilise recycled post-consumer waste collected from oceans, beaches and landfill sites instead.

Now celebrating its 20th year, the Mobile Industry Awards – in partnership with Sky Zero – showcase the gold standard of excellence in the industry. From the boardroom to the grassroots, all entrants represent the best and brightest the UK mobile sector has to offer.

 

CEO of juice® and ambitious entrepreneur, Jolyon Bennett, commented: “Being shortlisted at the Mobile Industry Awards 2022 against industry giants such as Samsung, Zagg and Belkin is incredibly humbling yet affirming for both myself and the whole juice® team.

“2022 was always going to be an ‘interesting’ and exciting year for juice® as we have followed what we all believe to be the right thing in removing all single-use plastic across all of our products – something that no other tech brand has yet achieved.

“Six months in, this decision has proven to be the right one as not only are our Eco products flying off the shelves, but juice® is being recognised again and again for our sustainability initiative, and this award shortlisting further compounds that we are, in fact, doing the right thing. We will be keeping our fingers crossed for the finalist’s announcement later this year.”

All winners will be announced during this year’s Mobile Industry Awards ceremony on Thursday 22nd September at the stunning Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, which is set to be a night of fine dining, networking and industry celebration.

This double award shortlisting is yet another accomplishment for the Banbury based firm, with the last six months proving extremely successful. In January 2022, juice® was named the number one brand for all charging cables (Lightning, Type C and Micro USB), selling four times more Lightning cables than Belkin and even out-performing tech giant Apple*. In May, juice® took home the titles of ‘Best Accessory Manufacturer’ and ‘Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative’ at the Mobile News Awards 2022, beating a number of multi-national industry giants including Belkin, Zagg and Reboxed

Having already removed all single-use plastic from its packaging in July 2020, juice® is now focusing its efforts on the products themselves in a bid to be kinder to planet Earth and is currently on track to eliminate all virgin plastic from its entire range by the end of 2022.

 

Podium Analytics App Built on OutSystems Helps Reduce Sports Injuries

Helping teachers, coaches, and sports medics to log and monitor sports-related injury data in 11- to 18-year-olds, is now easier thanks to an app developed on OutSystems by Podium Analytics, the NGO and charity committed to reducing injury in sport. This important data, which is currently unavailable, delivers greater oversight over the volume of sporting activity being undertaken by young people and any injuries that they sustain.

While it would have taken approximately four months to develop a mobile app with the depth of capability Podium required, OutSystems was able to fast-track the process to create one in six weeks. A further advantage of OutSystems is that it gave Podium the option to offer users different ways of capturing the data, from entering it manually via a device’s screen or keypad, using speech recognition as an interface, to video upload.

The captured data is anonymised, gathered in a secure data lake, and made available to researchers within the Podium Analytics Institute for Youth Sports Medicine and Technology at the University of Oxford, who will deploy the latest AI and modelling techniques to identify causes of injury, how to reduce the long-term impact of injury, as well as potential preventative measures against injury.

Podium established that a mobile app would be the most effective method for capturing details of sports injuries sustained by athletes. With its cloud-first, cloud-native, multi-cloud strategy, Podium selected OutSystems for its ability to build high-performance apps quickly and within sight of the intended users, ensuring that their feedback could be incorporated on-the-fly.

Podium also recognised OutSystems ability to scale as the apps and user needs evolved, and to iterate quickly and at pace with the development team’s demands. A further advantage of OutSystems is that it gave Podium the option to offer users different ways of capturing the data, from entering it manually via a device’s screen or keypad, using speech recognition as an interface, to video upload. By simplifying the process for logging information about the injury in real time, Podium will be able to analyse the data and create interventions, insights, advice and training programmes that aim to minimise future injuries, while also improving the return-to-play process for those recovering from injury.

Commenting on its decision to use OutSystems, Damian Smith, Chief Technology Officer of Podium Analytics, said: “We are delighted to have partnered with OutSystems. While there are many app development platforms available, OutSystems stands apart for marrying ease of use with enterprise grade capabilities. We have been able to develop an app which is simple to use and powerful enough to capture the breadth of data we need in order to reduce injury in sport. OutSystems enables us to fail fast and iterate quickly, which has helped to dramatically speed up the pace at which we can make a difference on the ground.”

OutSystems pioneered the low-code category, having introduced its first platform in 2002. Since then, the company has amassed a global install base comprising high-performance development teams who are building mission-critical applications designed specifically for their business. OutSystems customers span large enterprises to small- and medium-sized businesses across nearly all industries – from banking and manufacturing to energy and healthcare.

Colin Ferguson, OutSystems’ Regional Vice President, UK&I, added: “OutSystems is proud to be part of this ground-breaking initiative centred on understanding more about sports injuries – why they happen and how to reduce them. This particular application is a shining example of how OutSystems enables high-performance apps to be created and amended quickly during the development process to result in one that’s easy to use both on and off the sports field.”

Podium’s Injury Insight platform will be live in 200 schools and 250 sports clubs by the end of the 22/23 Academic Year.

 

What is the difference between casino websites and casino apps?

Conventional casinos have been in existence for decades, providing people throughout the world with a source of entertainment and amusement. Because of technical advances that have made gambling sites increasingly popular, the casino business has evolved throughout the years. This has also had a significant impact on the casino sector, which has grown dramatically as a result.

People may play games at these online casinos whenever and wherever they wish. Playing their favorite casino games is no longer delayed by huge lines.

Gambling has always been a popular kind of entertainment, but it has grown in popularity exponentially since it was made available on the internet. Casino games were solely available on desktop computers before they were made available on mobile devices. Because of this, online casino games were only able to play on their computers. Mobile-friendly games are becoming more common in online casinos.

Downloadable casino games are also available for those who choose to play at a later time or on a tiny screen through browsers. Nowadays, the most popular ways to play casino games are through casino applications and mobile casinos. Most folks are still baffled as to what the main difference is.

 

Casino Apps

Tablets and smartphones are becoming increasingly important in the online casino industry as a result of the growing trend of digitalization. For those who enjoy gambling, it has one of the most well-liked diversion options.

Thus, it is not unexpected that it adapts well to the current smartphone technological advances. Online casino applications have become increasingly popular due to a more humane attitude to online gambling that has emerged in various countries.

The fundamental reason why the software development of online casino applications is simple and easy to use is to provide convenience and appeal to a broader audience.

The gaming business has undergone a radical transformation as a result of the explosive rise of internet technologies. As long as you have a connection to the internet and a computer or smartphone, you don’t need to dress up and go to the casino anymore. As a result of these applications, gamers may enjoy themselves wherever they are, no matter where they are in the world. Online casino applications allow you to play at any time and from any location. If you are interested in learning more about casino apps you can check out this source of info about the best online casino applications for UK market, coveringthe best online casino apps in the UK, explaining how you can claim a special bonus just for using your casino mobile app and important rules you need to be aware of.

 

Benefits of casino apps

Personal data should be protected

Online casino applications are licensed and controlled by an authorized gaming organization that tries to provide a secure place for its customers. There are also additional severe restrictions imposed by Google Play Store, which serve as an additional layer of security for casino apps featured in their app store.

 

A wide range of possibilities

Online casino applications may be used on a variety of devices as long as they all run the same OS. As an example, if you already have a casino app installed on your iPhone or iPad, you may use it on the iPad, too.

 

Bonuses for mobile devices only

To entice users to install their mobile casino applications, several online casinos provide a variety of incentives. Many of these mobile-only deals are substantial, which is one reason for the app’s ubiquity.

 

Entertaining and interactive

It is the goal of casino applications to provide their users with the greatest possible gaming experience by accurately simulating the real-world environment.

In casino games, tilting or shaking your phone or tablet allows you to exert greater control over the outcome of the game. Instead of simply typing away at your smartphone, you may actually participate in the game and have more pleasure doing so.

Difference between online casinos and casino apps

On-the-Go Gambling

While a laptop may be carried anywhere, it lacks the portability of a smartphone or tablet. In a reception area or on a bus, it’s more convenient than needing to start up a laptop to play a game of poker.

It’s easy to see the variations in portability. Even if you share a computer at home, you’ll likely have to battle for access to your phone because it’s always with you.

Even while laptops at work are usually banned, with a cellphone, you can gain control of how much you can browse and participate in a little portable betting over your lunch break.

 

Intuitive Hands-on

Traditional casino games have been given a new lease of life thanks to online gaming. Because of this, players have been able to feel more connected to the game.

For mobile casinos, this level of involvement goes a step further. It is possible to use touch screens on smartphones and tablets.

Even while mobile phone controls are still regarded to be restricted, internet games offer a more evolved and sophisticated gaming experience. This means that some games may be reduced in difficulty.

The range of games accessible for mobile play is also limited since each game requires a separate app to be downloaded to the phone, which means that the number of games on the Apple app store is smaller than for internet play.

 

Everything You Need to Know About the eSIM

eSIM is the next evolution of SIM cards. With an eSIM, you no longer need a physical nano-SIM to activate a cellular plan. Instead, your carrier can provision your eSIM with a plan remotely. This makes it more convenient than ever to sign up for and use a cellular plan.

Simply put, an eSIM is a digital SIM that allows you to activate a cellular plan from your carrier without having to use a physical nano-SIM. The eSIM is embedded in your device, and you can store multiple eSIM profiles on your iPhone. You can switch between them as needed without having to go through the process of activating and deactivating each one individually.

 

What Is an eSIM and Why Does It Matter?

So first off, you may be wondering what is an eSim and why does it matter. Well, an eSIM is a digital SIM card that allows you to activate a cellular plan from your carrier without having to use a physical nano-SIM. The eSIM is built into your device and can’t be removed.

eSIMs are currently only available on select iPhones, but they will become more widespread in the future as carriers begin to support them. 

Advantages of the eSIM

Multiple Plans

One advantage of using an eSIM is that you can have multiple plans active on your iPhone at the same time. For example, you could have a business line with one carrier and a personal line with another carrier, and easily switch between the two depending on your needs. T

his is especially useful for international travelers, who can simply purchase a local prepaid SIM card at their destination and activate it on their phone using an eSIM. No more fumbling around with tiny SIM cards or carrying multiple physical SIM cards with you when you travel!

Nothing to Lose!

Another benefit of an eSIM is that it’s much easier to keep track of than a physical SIM card. If you misplace your physical SIM card, you’ll need to contact your carrier in order to cancel or suspend your service. With an eSIM, however, your cellular plan is linked to your device rather than a physical card, so if you lose your device, you can simply deactivate the eSIM and activate it on a new device.

Frees Up Space in Your Phone

Also, using an eSIM means freeing up space inside your phone for other components, such as a larger battery or additional storage. Physical SIM cards are quite thick (about 2 mm) and take up valuable space inside your phone that could be used for other purposes. You regain this extra space inside your device by switching to an eSIM.As if that’s not enough, you don’t have to worry about losing an eSIM because they are digital.

 

How Does an eSIM Even Work?

eSIMs are just like regular SIM cards, but they’re embedded into your device. They’re usually found in phones, tablets, and smartwatches. Because they’re built into the device, you can’t remove them or lose them.

ESIMs are best for customers who frequently travel internationally or who need to have multiple phone numbers (for work or personal use, for example). They’re also more convenient than traditional SIM cards because you can activate them without having to physically remove and insert a card.

If you think an eSIM might be right for you, check with your carrier to see if it’s available on your iPhone model and whether you need to update your carrier settings.

 

Drawbacks to using eSIM

There are a few potential drawbacks to using an eSIM. One is that not all mobile phone networks support them yet, so you may not have as much choice in providers if you go this route. Additionally, eSIMs can be more difficult to troubleshoot if something goes wrong, since there’s no physical card to remove and replace.

Overall, eSIMs are a convenient option for those who don’t want to deal with the hassle of carrying around multiple physical SIM cards. However, they’re not perfect-make sure you do your research before making the switch!

 

Does eSIM drain the battery?

It’s a common misconception that eSIMs drain battery life more quickly than traditional SIM cards. However, this is not the case. In fact, eSIMs are actually more energy-efficient than their older counterparts. This is because eSIMs use less power when transmitting data, and they also have a lower standby power consumption. So, if you’re worried about your battery life, there’s no need to worry about using an eSIM.

 

Can eSIM be hacked? 

ESIMs are becoming more and more popular as a way to store data and connect to mobile networks, but can they be hacked? While it is possible for criminals to access the data stored on an ESIM, it is not easy to do so. In order to hack an ESIM, a criminal would need physical access to the device as well as sophisticated knowledge of how the technology works. Even if a criminal was able to successfully hack an ESIM, the amount of data that could be accessed would likely be limited.

Overall, while there is always a risk that any information stored electronically could be hacked, ESIMs are relatively secure. The best way to protect data stored on an ESIM is to keep the device in a safe location where only authorised individuals have access.

 

What Phones Can Use an eSIM?

The list of phones that can use an eSIM is constantly growing, but there are already a few models that support the technology. The iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR were the first Apple phones to offer eSIM support, and all subsequent models have followed suit. Google’s Pixel 3 and 3a are also compatible with eSIMs, as is the Samsung Galaxy S20. Other Android phone manufacturers such as LG, Sony, and OnePlus have announced plans to add eSIM support to their devices in the near future.

Conclusion

eSIMs are becoming increasingly popular as carriers move away from traditional physical SIM cards. eSIMs offer a number of advantages over physical SIM cards as mentioned above. Additionally, eSIMs can be activated remotely, meaning you don’t have to go through the hassle of physically exchanging SIM cards when you want to change plans. So if you’re considering having an eSIM there’s no better time than now to learn and finally start using them to communicate efficiently.

 

Panasonic Introduces the Ultimate Rugged Notebook: The TOUGHBOOK 40

Designed for Defence and ideal for Police and Utilities this high performance 14 inch notebook takes rugged computing to another level with the flexibility to meet mission critical operations and every day challenges.

BRACKNELL, UK. 24th May 2022 – Panasonic today introduced the ultimate 14-inch rugged notebook designed for Defence and ideal for Police and Utilities. Taking rugged computing to another level, the TOUGHBOOK 40 has a modular design that allows mobile workers to modify the device quickly and easily for different challenges by equipping 7 expansion areas. The powerful new all black model is built for use in the most extreme conditions, with military-grade security and communications capabilities to support mission critical operations.

Flexible device management

The TOUGHBOOK 40 notebook is the perfect field companion adaptable to any task. As well as user replaceable battery, RAM and SSD, the device also has four other expansion areas for smartcard and fingerprint readers, including a multi-user authentication for when the notebook is being used by a team. The expansion areas can also be used for a second SSD, DVD and Blu-ray Drives and configurable ports (VGA, True Serial, USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, and a second HDMI or native GLAN).

The device is designed for Defence, including operational use on foot and in vehicle, as well as for vehicle diagnostics and maintenance and for training. For Police and border control the device is ideal for operational service, such as routing, numberplate or suspect identification. In the Automotive and Agricultural sectors, it’s the perfect tool for technicians running diagnostics and repairs on trucks or large machinery at the roadside or in the field. In the Utilities sector, engineers can use the TOUGHBOOK 40 notebook for inspections of pipelines, solar panels and power stations and for maintenance programs.

Performance to meet extreme challenges

This high-performance device can meet the computing needs of any user. The Windows 11 Secured-core PC is equipped with an Intel® Core™ i5-1145G7 vPro® processor (Intel® Core™ i7 vPro® processor optional), 16GB RAM (up to 64GB optional), and a quick release 512GB NVMe OPAL SSD as standard (up to 2TB optional). The TOUGHBOOK 40 notebook is also designed for use with quick release NATO approved VIASAT self-encrypting secure drives, MIL connectors and docking stations. To immediately kill light and electronic transmissions when on operations, it also has a one touch Concealed Mode function.

The high brightness, Full HD touchscreen ensures perfect viewing clarity at night and in the brightest sunlight. For easy use in any conditions, the touchscreen auto-detects between pen, finger, gloved or wet hand and automatically switches to the most appropriate mode. The newly designed Touchpad provides two physical mouse buttons and works with gloves and rain functionality and two-finger operation to allow users to undertake the most complex tasks in the field.

Battery life is designed to support mission critical operation with approximately 18 hours from one battery and 36 hours from two, with hot swap capabilities meaning the device remains fully operational when batteries are switched.

Built to communicate

The TOUGHBOOK 40 notebook has all the latest communications capabilities required on operations, including options for eSIM to switch mobile carriers without changing sims and LTE, as well as 5G options this summer. It is designed for use with all the major GPS navigation systems and offers WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. To ensure effective communications in the field, the Waves MaxxAudio® Stereo Speakers emphasises the human voice to ensure smooth conversations even in noisy environments. The new Quad array microphone with AI noise reduction also removes ambient noise from the microphone input.

The most rugged

The TOUGHBOOK 40 notebook takes rugged to another level with IP66 resistance to dust and water, meeting military standard (MIL-STD810H) for temperature, humidity and vibration and is 26-side drop tested from 180cm*.

“From the soldier on operations and the police officer in the car to the technicians at roadside and the engineers in the field, the new TOUGHBOOK 40 takes rugged computing to a new level with its adaptability for different tasks, computing power, communications and security,” said Dirk Weigelt, European Product Manager at Panasonic Mobile Solutions Business. “With its incredible capability to be tailored for tasks, we expect the TOUGHBOOK 40 to become the de facto rugged device for these specialist operators.”

* Tested by an independent third party lab.