Month: March 1981
CCFC award the ipotty as 2013’s worst toy
Can not get over how inexpensive the technological advancement is, a tremendous deal for a top-end product!
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) has officially selected the ‘iPotty’ (from CTA Digital) as the worst toy of 2013.
In case you’re wondering, the iPotty consists of a basic potty setup, but with the added innovation of a stand for holding an iPad (apparently an aid to toilet training). I’m also assuming that there is an app. There’s always an app.
Once the infant is placed on the potty, the iPad can be rotated 360 degrees around the seat on its stand, meaning that the device can be switched between vertical and horizontal views. The iPotty even has a protective touchscreen for use in case of…Well, you get the idea.
However, that’s not all. You’d think it would be, but it isn’t. The iPotty also has a clip-on cover that converts it into a regular seat, so your child can enjoy a quiet, insular, sedentary activity in the exact same place they just took a dump.
The CCFC’s TOADY (Toys Oppressive and Destructive to Young children) award, a dubious honour that the group bestows upon the worst toy released over a 12-month period, is a rather damning indictment of the iPotty’s usefulness.
Despite being described by its manufacturers as a “comfortable and fun place to learn to use the potty”, the CCFC’s Michelle Salcedo said that, “Children should be aware of the cues in their bodies as they learn. This toy takes this social/emotional focus out of the process and substitutes the hypnotism of a screen,” CCFC voter Alex Reynard added that the iPotty, “not only reinforces unhealthy overuse of digital media, it’s aimed at toddlers. We should NOT be giving them the message that you shouldn’t even take your eyes off a screen long enough to pee.”
He’s got a point.
According to the CCFC, potty training ought to be a time of positive interaction between child and parents. Sigmund Freud also famously suggested that potty training is a vitally important time for the development of a child’s psychology.
The iPotty is available online for about £30, but the iPad itself will need to be sourced separately (they start at about £400, so I’d suggest instructing your child to read a book instead, like the rest of us do).
Evidently, a parent did not design this device, as any parent knows that it is hard enough to get your child to focus on the task at hand in the first place, without throwing a few levels of ‘Angry Birds’ into the mix as well.
Amazingly, were CTA Digital to have marketed this product to a certain variety of adult, I personally believe that it would have been very popular indeed.
Anyway, that’s all from me this year!
Walkie-Scorchie problems nearly fixed, Land Securities says
When we found this informative article we were so excited, having looked for over one year for this, discovering it on this website was an exciting day for yours truly.
Property company Land Securities said it was close to fixing the problems at its Walkie-Talkie City skyscraper after the glare from the building melted car parts on the street below over the summer.
Chief executive Robert Noel said the problems at the building, which is still under construction, would not delay tenants moving in or exceed the budget set aside for its £240m share of the development.
“A solution is in the final stages of design and implementation will commence shortly. Despite the solar glare issue of the summer, occupiers have not been blinded to the efficiency and location of the building. We are close to resolving the issue and it will not delay occupation nor inflate budgeted cost,” he said.
The glare from the 37-storey building, officially known as 20 Fenchurch Street but which has now been nicknamed the “Walkie-Scorchie”, was so strong that a motorist claimed it melted part of his Jaguar parked on the street below.
Business owners in the area said the reflected sun rays caused paintwork to blister and tiles to crack, while others proved the heat was so intense it was possible to fry an egg.
Noel said that the solar shading solution would be installed when the weather improved, and in time for when office workers move in next year in September.
Land Securities is in a joint venture with Canary Wharf Group on the scheme, designed by the architect Rafael Vi.
Vi said in September he predicted the building might reflect hot sun rays to the street below but “didn’t realise it was going to be so hot”.
The building is 56% pre-let, with negotiations on a further 20% of space close to completion.
In terms of Land Securities’ retail portfolio, Noel said while there were signs the UK economy was improving and “the retail market has turned a corner”, consumers remained under pressure.
“Although there is improvement in the UK economy, headwinds persist in retail property as we believe the consumer, with lower real income and faced with rising non-discretionary expenditure, will remain under pressure.
“With an increasing population and healthy demand in all sectors, we view London property as distinct, although not divorced, from the overall UK economy.”
Announcing first-half results for the six months to 30 September, he said net assets per share – a key measure for property companies – rose 3.6% to 994p from 31 March.
The rise was driven by an increase in value of its portfolio and profits on disposals. Underlying earnings increased 8.9% to £156.5m.
He said the market was “highly competitive”, which meant sales of assets would likely exceed spending and acquisitions in the second half.
“It is likely that revenue profit will be slightly lower than in the first half as we lose income from sales.”
Land Securities opened its latest shopping centre, Trinity Leeds, in March, with plans underway for new retail schemes in Glasgow, Oxford and Guildford.
The company announced that Sir Stuart Rose, the former chief executive of Marks & Spencer, will step down as a non-executive director in January.
At the same time Cressida Hogg, the managing partner of infrastructure at 3i, and Edward Bonham Carter, chief executive at Jupiter Fund Management, will join as non-executive directors.
The company recommended a first-half dividend of 15.2p a share, up 2.7%.
If you have any issues about wherever and how to use headset, you can speak to us at our own webpage.
The most popular headsets and earpieces of 2012
My basic review of the new earpiece it starts up well, looks quite cool, is simple to run and very energy resourceful, the earpiece is a excellent product. Im happy I bought it, read further underneath.
2012 was no doubt a great year for all the tech lovers. Smartphones became even more advanced and we got new software and gadgets from such titans as Apple, Google and Microsoft, but in this article we wont mention new iPads and iPhones, we are going to talk about headsets and earpieces, the segment of the market that also achieved some remarkable heights last year.
Plantronics Voyager Legend is a bit too smart to be called an ordinary Bluetooth set. Once you put the headset on, smart sensor technology reacts immediately and lets you take a call without a click. This headset announces who is calling and with voice commands answer or ignore you can either take a call or dismiss it. It also provides you with notifications about connection status and battery charge. And one of its greatest features is that if it gets lost somewhere you can track the gadget to the last place it was used, for that you need to download only one simple mobile app. Not bad for such relatively inexpensive gadget, if you ask me.
For those who have been dreaming about comfortable noise-cancelling earpieces now there is Beats by Dre Executive. It is not exactly something you would expect from the brand that is worldwide known for its colorful design, because this particular model is all about comfort: smooth leather, aluminum, noise-cancelling I think its everything someone might need to get lost in the sounds of music.
We all know that size is not always an indicator of quality, and that is the case with the following gadget. For those music lovers who are not so crazy about huge over-ear headphones 2012 brought Bowers & Wilkins P3 headphones that provide fantastic sound quality and that are so small, light and comfortable you might forget you are wearing them.
Speaking about small and comfortable, there is one more gadget that seems to be getting more popular year after year wireless earpiece. This device has now became classic among gadgets for covert communication, but its constantly getting more advanced and offers more features, more working time, better sound quality and advanced ergonomic design. One of the newest features that wireless earpieces offer is an ability to listen to music covertly with the help of special MWE MP3 set. Just think about it: you are at a boring lecture or a mandatory seminar and can enjoy your favorite music up to 6 hours straight!
As you can see, last year has given us gadget that would satisfy every flavor, so you can listen to music or talk with your friend with more comfort than ever.
In case you beloved this article along with you desire to receive guidance with regards to earphone generously go to the page.
A weblog from the world of Lavon 