magazine
21
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01732 759725
Remote control for
cleaner air and better
tasting coffee
Smartphone apps are increasingly
used to monitor and control all
aspects of daily life including brown
and white goods in the home or small
office.
At IFA 2014, Philips announced two
new consumer/small office products
that come with their own apps offering
additional functionality.
The Philips Smart Air Purifier, already
available in China, has a smartphone
app that lets users pre-programme and
control the device remotely and monitor
air quality in their home and city in real-
time. A connected Smart Air Purifier can
even send alerts when air quality reaches
unsafe levels.
The Smart Air Purifier uses a
chemical-free filtration technology,
VitaShield IPS, to remove indoor
contaminants from the air, including
bacteria, gases, fine dust, pollen and
pet hair.
Another new Philips product, the
Saeco GranBaristo Avanti espresso coffee
machine, also comes with an app.
Initially available in Germany, Russia
and Benelux countries in a limited
edition of 500 individually numbered
units, the Bluetooth-enabled coffee-
maker has an associated app that lets
tablet users learn how to make 18 types
of coffee, from an intense ristretto to
the perfect cappuccino, and customise
settings so that a drink is made exactly
how they like it.
In addition, coffee aficionados
can share their favourite creations
across social media, take part in coffee
connoisseur classes via the Saeco Brand
Ambassador program and receive handy
tips for effortless machine maintenance.
One touch conferencing with
a mobile
Citrix claims it has made on-the-go audio conferencing
easier than ever with its new OpenVoice mobile app.
Joining an OpenVoice conference from a mobile can
now be done with one touch and there’s no need to
enter access codes or memorise call ID information.
The free app can also be used to organise and schedule
meetings and generate an email calendar invitation with
the conference call information all in one place.
Citrix OpenVoice, formerly marketed as Citrix
HiDef Corporate audio conferencing, is a standalone
audioconferencing service, offering easy set-up and
scheduling, high quality sound and in-session recording.
Open Voice also provides the toll-free audio technology
used by Citrix GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar and
GoToTraining collaboration services.
•
Sat nav for Foyles
Bridging the online and offline worlds, Foyles Book
Search is a smartphone app that helps book lovers find
specific titles in the new flagship Foyles bookshop at
107 Charing Cross Road, London.
The app developed byWhite October appears
automatically in a smartphone web browser when a
customer connects to the store’s WiFi. Users can search for
a book by title or author and find its exact location on an
interactive map, with directions on how to get there.
The new Foyles flagship stocks 200,000 book titles and
has four miles of shelving spread over four floors.
A tight grip
As its name suggests, the
Grippy keeps a tight hold
of gadgets such as phones,
sat navs, lighters and
tablets.When used on a car
dashboard, for example, the
anti-slip mat will stop a phone
from sliding about when going
round corners. The Grippy
costs £7.95 and can be moved
and repositioned without
leaving any residue.
Swich hit
Slovenian design company Lutman Design Studio has
created a Qi compatible wireless charging stand made
fromAmerican walnut and fine ceramics that floats
elegantly above the desktop.
A big hit when it was announced on Kickstarter.com in the
summer, the Swich gets its name from a rotating head that
enables a device to be used in portrait or landscape mode
while it recharges. It is available in a range of colours.
According to theWireless Power Consortium, there are Qi-
enabled wireless chargers in more than one million locations
and 30 countries and more than 65 models of Qi-enabled
phone.
•
Another new air
purifier unveiled at IFA
2014 was the stylish
and colourful Blueair
Blue. Recipient of an
Innovation & Design
Award, it is suitable
for cleaning the air
in homes and small
offices of up to 50 square metres.
Turning the air Blue
