Welcome to the Radcomm UK’s Weekly Tech Roundup. Here, you will find the latest and greatest tech stories all in one convenient spot; ensuring you are kept up to date with current events. If you wish to join our mailing list, feel free to drop us an email at sales@radcommuk.co.uk and we’ll sign you up straight away. Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for news updates and exclusive online deals.

1. Radcomm UK Video: Paxton Access Control + HikVision ANPR Integration

2. Report suggests that automation will replace 1/3 of workers in northern centers

Outside of the south of England, areas are at serious risk of high unemployment as tech advances result in more automation. Workers in Wakefield and Mansfield are believed to be two of the worst affected areas.

According to the Guardian, cities and towns in the North as well as the Midlands that have historically struggled financially are most at risk of automation. It is thought that a total of 3.6m UK jobs could be replaced by machines.

A thinktank named The Centre for Cities anticipates that Nottinghamshire’s Mansfield could lose up to one-third of their workforce.  Current job roles that are at the highest risk of being replaced by machines are those in retail sales, customer services, administration, and warehouse work.

About 16% of jobs in Mansfield are currently in retail. Furthermore, approximately 10% of jobs in Mansfield are warehouse based. Ben Bradley, MP for Mansfield, had the following to say:

‘It’s vital that places like Mansfield, where automation could have a big impact, are the focus for skills and investment in education.’

‘It is exciting times for Mansfield and the next few years will demonstrate this,” Mansfield council added.

– RADCOMM UK Promotion –

TC-620 Analogue Radio 

January buy price: £̶1̶3̶9̶.̶9̶9̶   
Now only     £114.99!

• Superior Audio Clarity

• Reliable Mechanical Design

• Enhanced Speaker Protection

• Added Benefit for Your Business

Grab yourself a bargain this January with the fully licensed TC-620 for an amazing £114.99!

If you were considering adding an additional radio to your fleet this new year, now is the time to do so. The TC-620 is available in both UHF or VHF and is therefore fully compatible with your licensed radio fleet. Don’t miss out on this great offer and take advantage today.

Email us at sales@radcommuk.co.uk or give us a call on 0115 952 2777 for further details.

– RADCOMM UK Promotion –

3. Addictive design expert thinks tech industry needs new ethics

A Stamford professor who has previously released books on how to design addictive products now believes that displaying addictive behavior towards our devices is not always a good thing. 

Nir Eyal, author of the 2014 book titled ‘Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products’ has now challenged the tech industry to consider the impact of their product design choices in an open letter on his blog.

Eyal proposed what he is referring to as ‘the regret test’ in order to determine the ethical impact of a product. You can read Eyal’s conditions below:

The post comes only days after Facebook announced its plans to change what their users see on their newsfeed; prioritising posts from friends instead of those from corporations and liked pages.

Comments from Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, echo those that Eyal proposed, stating ‘We feel a responsibility to make sure our services aren’t just for fun to use, but also good for people’s well-being.’

4. Jackpotting: Jackers force ATMs to give away cash

Cybercriminals are targeting ATMs to give out cash in what is being called ‘jackpotting’, according to Diebold Nixdorf and NCR. The US secret service have also confirmed that these attacks have taken place. 

An alert was sent out by the ATM giants to their customers over the weekend, however, did not specify who the victims of the crime was – or – how much was stolen. Jackpotting started trending in Mexico in 2017, however, multiple attacks have been confirmed across the US over January.

According to the secret service, criminals have been targeting ATMs in pharmacies, retailers and drive-throughs. According to the Guardian, ‘Hackers require physical access to the cash machine using specialised electronics and malware to take control, including an endoscope.

Once taken over, the machines can be forced to dispense money at a rate of 40 notes every 23 seconds until it is empty, according to the Secret Service. The only way to stop the machine spitting out cash is to press the cancel button on the keypad.’

The malware – which is known as Plotus – has been around since 2013. ‘Once deployed to an ATM, Ploutus-D makes it possible for a money mule to obtain thousands of dollars in minutes,’ wrote Daniel Regalado, manager of research science for the security firm FireEye.

5. Amazon’s top-selling mice: 2018

Every week, we’ll take a look at the highest trending products on the net, to let you know the hottest gizmos and gadgets out there. This week, we’ll be taking a look at the top 5 computer mice on Amazon, highlighting the model, the price, and the people’s verdict.

See below the top 5 most sold mice currently on Amazon including features, price, rating and a hand-picked review from the Radcomm UK team.

5. VicTsing Wireless Mouse 

Price: £7.99

Rating: 5 Stars

• 【Extremely Comfortable & Noiseless Click】 ❤Lifetime Warranty❤ Less noisy with Quiet clicks free your worry of bothering others and keep you stay focused while working or studying. Streamline & Ergonomic design offers your hand maximum support for lasting comfort. Anti-fingerprint and sweat-resistant finish makes it skin-friendly for constant use
• 【2.4G Wireless Transmission】 Plug and Play! 2.4G wireless allows working distance of up to 50ft/15m, no interference with other device. Perfect DPI-1600 set for you and virtually no delays or dropouts ▲▲▲USB receiver is stored at the bottom of the mouse
• 【Slim and Portable Design】Compared with the similar pieces on the market, VicTsing mouse is dramatically lighter and thinner. Perfect for Travelling carry and it can be easily put into your laptop bag and ultra-space saving.
• 【Multi-stage Energy Saving Modes & Durable】24-month of battery life eliminates need of replacing batteries frequently. To save energy, it will auto turn off separately within 3 seconds/10 seconds/30 minutes of inactivity. Real 8 million times keystroke test (Please be careful of the exaggerated data on the market).
• 【Wide Compatibility】 Can work with Windows7/8/10/XP, Vista7/8, Linux and Mac OS. You can use it for PC, Laptop, Notebook, Tablet, Computer, and MacBook. It’s ideal for work or entertainment in home and office.

Radcomm’s top review – stony811

4. Logitech B100

Price: £6.16

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Radcomm’s top review – K. A. Newton

I have carpal tunnel syndrome in my right wrist – this can vary greatly in severity. On my bad days this wired mouse is my saving grace. If I drop the mouse I can just use the cable to bring it to hand.

The size is just right for my hand and being ambidextrous I can use it with my left hand too.

In conclusion, this is a great little product and I would recommend it. I waited a few weeks to review it to see how I got on with it, and it only loses a star because of its clunkiness / speed.

3. Patuoxun Wireless Mouse 

Price: £7.99

Rating : 5 Stars

Radcomm’s top review – D B

2. Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo14.1″ Full HD Laptop Computer Lapbook Intel x5-Z8350

Price: £19.99

Rating: 4 Stars

• Enhanced 2.4 GHz wireless with 10 m range
• Includes optical portable mouse with tiny Logitech plug and forget receiver
• 24-month keyboard and 12 month mouse battery life

Radcomm’s top review – David

1. Patuoxun Wireless Mouse

Price: £7.99

Rating: 5 Stars

Get the job done on the go with the sleek HP Stream 14 laptop. Designed for cloud computing, the HP Stream 14 features a thin, lightweight design and long battery life, making it ideal for travel. Access apps and store your documents, photos, videos and more on Microsoft’s OneDrive.

• 【5 Adjustable DPI Switch】 2400, 2000, 1600, 1200, 800, control your own speed freely. No need any driver, plug and play directly. ✪✪Lifetime Warranty!✪✪
• 【Auto Sleeping & Super Energey Saving】 Up to 15 months battery life with a single AA battery, if mouse is not used for over 8 minutes, it will turn to power saving mode to save energy.
• 【Strong Durability and Long Working Distance】 500,0000 Times keystroke Test and perform well. 2.4GHz Wireless – increased working distance of up to 15m
• 【Hand-friendly Design】 Designed for right-handed, the contoured shape and soft rubber grips keep your hand comfortable even after long hours. You would love its portability during mobile working
• 【Great Compatibility】 Compatible with most systems including microsoft Windows 7 / 8 / 10 / XP, Vista 7 / 8, Mac and Linux. Fit for Notebook, PC, Laptop, Computer, Macbook and other device. Note: Side buttons are invalid in Mac OS

Radcomm’s top review – S Wilkins 

Mouse turned up before the day stated and was very well packaged. Mouse was easy to set up and use. No problems with set up and you can change the CPI to suit. Will see how it fares in a couple of months. All in all a mouse that does what is says on the tin.