Tech

Geeky gadget gift ideas for Christmas!

Published

2 months ago

December 2, 2021

Exciting times for the all the “techheads” out there as the silly season approaches, many are embracing the trend of gaming.

The festive season has arrived! And online orders, video games and streaming services continue to thrive in a pandemic world.

With Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X shortages set to continue, there are still plenty of options available. So let’s consider what’s on offer from top tier tech through to those fun little secret Santa gifts.

Content creator and tech reviewer Emily Dalton (1upEmily) jumps in to provide some ideas on ticker gaming this week!

LEGO MEETS NINTENDO

A recent partnership between a couple of toy giants saw the creation of one of this years hottest toys, The Super Mario LEGO collection! A clever take on the adventure game characters merged with the imaginative play that LEGO offers.

The Mario and Luigi starter sets are your first stop. The characters come complete with their iconic sounds and colours in charming LEGO brick bodies.

One of the most impressive things about the series is the integrated lights and sounds that change depending on where the toys are placed and what they jump on.

LIGHT UP YOUR HOME SETUP!

Working from home gave some the opportunity to understand just how unprepared our home office spaces were for a comfortable and well lit experience.

For gamers, getting the perfect set up is part of the process. Decent lighting and themed backgrounds are a must for streamers and content creators looking to stand out and the Nanoleaf breed of lighting options are as fun as they are stylish!

STOCKING FILLERS AND SECRET SANTA

Most workplaces will try to inject at a bit of festive fun into the team, no matter how many employees actually want to participate there’s usually a kris kringle of some sort.

Rushed and ill-prepared gifts are never fun to receive. But! there are some great little pieces out there that won’t break the bank.

Fun ideas that might help put a smile on that one colleagues face, you know the one who you’ve matched with but have no idea what to get them.

FOR THE BIG KIDS AND COLLECTORS

A good game room celebrates the beloved characters and video games that originate from. Posters are quite common but there are some incredibly detailed statues and artwork available.

From big names in anime through to the gaming characters we all know and love. Collectors are always on the lookout for the next limited edition piece to decorate their home and office so keep an eye open if you’re happy to splash out.

Hopefully some ideas have been generated from our geeky gift guide and be sure to tune in and check out more from Ticker gaming and of course be sure to see what Emily Dalton and Team Retro are up to right here!

Tech

Ukraine suspects group linked to Belarus in cyberattack

Published

5 days ago

January 17, 2022

ticker NEWS

Kyiv believes a hacker group linked to Belarusian intelligence carried out a cyberattack that hit Ukrainian government websites this week

The group used malware similar to that used by one tied to Russian intelligence, a senior Ukrainian security official said.

Kyiv believes a cyberattack that hit Ukrainian government websites this week was carried out by a hacker group linked to Belarusian intelligence, according to a senior Ukrainian security official.

The attack used malware similar to that used by a group tied to Russian intelligence, defacing government websites with threatening messages.

Serhiy Demedyuk, deputy secretary of the national security and defense council, told Reuters that Ukraine blamed Friday’s attack on a group known as UNC1151, adding that the attack was cover for more destructive actions behind the scenes.

The attack splashed websites with a warning to “be afraid and expect the worst” at a time when Russia has amassed troops near Ukraine’s borders, and Kyiv and Washington fear Moscow is planning a new military assault on Ukraine.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki:

“We have information that indicates Russia has already prepositioned a group of operatives to conduct a false flag operation in eastern Ukraine. The operatives are trained in urban warfare and is using explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against Russia’s own proxy forces. Our information also indicates that Russian influence actors are already starting to fabricate Ukrainian provocations in state and social media to justify a Russian intervention.”

Russia has dismissed such fears as “unfounded”.

Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly is set to travel to Ukraine’s capitol, Kyiv, next week to reaffirm support for Ukrainian sovereignty and to reinforce efforts to deter “aggressive actions” by Russia, according to Ottawa on Saturday.

Joly released a statement, saying in part (quote):

“The amassing of Russian troops and equipment in and around Ukraine jeopardizes security in the entire region. These aggressive actions must be deterred.”

Canada, with a sizeable and politically influential population of Ukrainian descent, has taken a hard line with Moscow since the annexation of Crimea in 2014 – imposing punitive measures on more than 440 individuals and entities.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office said that he spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday and “emphasized that any military incursion into Ukraine would have serious consequences, including coordinated sanctions.’

Tech

Apple becomes world’s first $3 trillion company

Published

3 weeks ago

January 4, 2022

Anthony Lucas

Apple has become the first US company to hit $3 trillion in market capitalisation

The tech giant has praised investor confidence that the iPhone maker will keep launching best-selling products.

The company is exploring new markets such as automated cars and the metaverse.

On the first day of trading in 20-22, the company’s shares hit a record of $182USD in mid-day trading.

It’s the first to reach the milestone as investors bet that consumers will continue to shell out top dollar for products.

Apple now accounts for around 7 percent of the S&P 500, which is up from as little as 5 percent in June and back in line with where it started 2021.

Media

YouTube reaches deal with Disney amid rocky negotiations

Published

1 month ago

December 20, 2021

ticker NEWS

YouTube has reached a deal with Walt Disney to distribute all Disney-owned channels on its platform

YouTube has reached a deal with the Walt Disney Company to distribute all Disney-owned channels on streaming service, YouTube TV.

The agreement comes two days after talks broke down and led to a blackout.

As a result of the deal being reached, YouTube stated that the monthly price had reverted back to $64.99.

The streamer, owned by Google’s Alphabet company, dropped the price to $49.99 earlier, after initial talks broke down.

“We are pleased to announce that after a brief disruption, we have reached a new distribution agreement with Google’s YouTube TV for continued carriage of our portfolio of networks,” Disney said in a statement. “We appreciate Google’s collaboration to reach fair terms that are consistent with the market, and we’re thrilled that our robust lineup of live sports and news plus kids, family and general entertainment programming is in the process of being restored to YouTube TV subscribers across the country.

YouTube TV said that it has started to restore access to the Disney-owned properties on its service, including local ABC stations, which will return “over the course of the day.”

YouTube TV stated that those who have cancelled their subscription due to losing access to Disney-owned channels, “hopes to welcome them back” due the agreement.