Life & Technology – 2GB 23rd August, 2014

This week started with some pretty interesting news – sharks are eating the internet. Specifically, they're eating the undersea fibre cables that connect various countries. As such, Google are having to reinforce some of theirs with kevlar! Sounds like these sharks just need some more fibre in their diets.

 

We're living in pretty amazing times – gadgets are getting smarter and making our lives easier, and we're learning about new "smart products" every week! We even found a pair of smart socks when doing some research for a father's day gift guide!

 

One of the coolest products on the horizon is Worx's Landroid, a robotic lawnmower similar to a Roomba. I sat down with Ben Dalziel, Worx's Managing Director for Oceania, to learn some more about the Landroid. According to Ben, the idea behind the Landroid is that it's essentially set and forget. After you set a perimeter, plug it in and power it up, you never have to worry about your lawn again, and you get a few extra hours to yourself on the weekend!

 

Another smart product coming to Australia is the Kwikset manufactured Kevo Smartlock. I had a chat with Andrew Rumbelow, Product Manager for Hardware and Home Improvement at Spectrum Brands, the company bringing the Kevo over to our sunny shores. Kevo differs from many of the other smart locks available in that you can still use a real key with it, which is a great way to bridge the old and the new. To learn more about Kevo and check out a few photos, check out our write up on CyberShack.

 

Despite how convenient the future is getting, it's also getting a bit creepy. A little known part of Google Maps was uncovered this week that shows just how much Google knows about where you've been. Fortunately, there's also an option to wipe your history!

 

We’ve had even more leaks from Samsung this week – this time it's about the Galaxy Note 4. An Indonesia retailer accidentally put the phone up for sale early, spilling the beans on its specifications. Click here for a detailed look at what's inside Samsung's new phablet.

 

I also had the chance to talk with Justin White, Toshiba's Product Marketing Manager, about their latest tablet – the successor to the Encore. We really liked the first Encore, so it was great to find out the Encore 2 was heavily influenced by user feedback. What's even more impressive is that the Encore 2 runs the full version of Windows 8.1, includes a year's subscription to Office 365 and only costs $399! We reviewed the Encore 2 on CyberShack, click here to see what we thought.