bermuda living
a special advertising section of the bermuda sun
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december 18, 2012
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page 31
How the digital age is increasing the need for speed By Terry Roberson Bermuda CableVision
If your current Internet service meets your household’s needs for browsing, downloading music or streaming standarddefinition video content, you might find yourself asking, ‘Why the roberson need for speed?’ Most people in Bermuda are on a service with a speed of somewhere between two and 10 megabits per second (mbps) at the moment, which is certainly sufficient for this kind of usage. You have probably noticed, however, that the international telecommunications industry has been working hard in recent years to continually increase the speeds available to consumers.
Pace of change
Indeed, in October, Bermuda CableVision launched two new Broadband Link Internet services, with speeds of up to 15 mbps and 25 mbps respectively — the fastest offered in Bermuda to date. The reason? The pace of change continues unabated on the ‘information superhighway’, and along with that comes demand on bandwidth, while we want to ensure we can continue to satisfy our customers’ growing needs well into the future. Most homes already operate several electronic devices, such as desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, TV streaming devices, games consoles and e-book readers, using a single Internet connection. The number of appliances that require a web connection in the coming years is expected to explode even further. It’s hard to get excited
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information superhighway: The growth of tablets and smartphones is fuelling our need for greater speeds. about upgrading mundane household items like fridges, washing machines and cookers, but if you haven’t been in the market for one of these recently you may have missed out on the fact that even these appliances are taking gigantic technological leaps. According to Siemens, in as little as a couple of years’ time, your fridge will be able to tell an app on your smartphone what it’s got inside, and from that list of ingredients, offer you a choice of recipes for dinner. If you are missing vital components it will also compile you a handy shopping list so you can stock up on your way home. Then the same app will tell your oven what temperature it needs to be set at and for how long in order
to cook your meal. This is what is known as converging technologies, where they all — essentially — start talking to each other. Connected devices are also taking over from more traditional appliances. For instance, the growing popularity of Voice-OverInternet Protocol phones will surely mean the eventual death of the landline telephone. This connected appliances invasion could happen in your home sooner than you might think. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) in the US forecasts that sales of tablets, such as Apple’s iPad, will more than double this Christmas, with 32 million sales expected in the US alone over the festive period (a 112 per cent increase from
last year). The CEA also revealed that tablets topped the wish list of 16 per cent of people, followed by smartphones (eight per cent), laptops (seven per cent) and e-readers (four per cent). There has also been an influx of new tablet products designed especially for children, in time to meet Santa’s orders deadline, such as the market-leading VTech InnoTab 2. So what does this mean for your Internet service? Well, all of these devices operating at the same time eat into your bandwidth, which will therefore decrease the connection quality for each device. With the ‘Connected Home’ phenomenon likely to move the average household into the power
user bracket, the need for connection speeds of at least 10 mbps will become more common. In order to avoid the frustration and annoyance of what Bermuda Cablevision terms ‘Bufferitis’, with symptoms including sluggish video content and broken audio playback, why not reassess your Internet requirements today and upgrade your service accordingly. Don’t let the converging technologies revolution leave you behind. n
Terry Roberson is general manager of Bermuda CableVision. For more information see www. cablevision.bm, or ‘Like’ us on Facebook to keep up to date on all the latest news, special offers and tips.
‘Most homes already operate several electronic devices, such as desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, TV streaming devices, games consoles and e-book readers, using a single Internet connection. The number of appliances that require a web connection in the coming year is expected to explode even further.’ terry roberson Bermuda CableVision general manager
Cleaning right by your side.
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bermuda living: a special advertising section
december 18, 2012
THE BERMUDA SUN
Home gadget trends and multi-room music technology As you get older, it’s the little chores that will get you. Peeling potatoes and opening jars are likely to leave you with those funny little muscle cramps or chafed skin. michele But smith home Sun columnist gadget designs to make things easier are flying off the shelves. Designers are constantly trying to come up with effective, stylish and easy-to-use gadgets for the kitchen, garden, home maintenance or healthrelated items. Ergonomic, you might say, and they’re becoming the trend for the kitchen and throughout the home. This is great news for those of us who are getting a little older and who are finding that what was once a simple task has become a real challenge. Typically I buy a gadget because it will help to make work easier but sometimes, making the gadget work properly becomes work in itself. As we get older it can get harder to do simple but necessary tasks like opening cans and jars, peeling vegetables and even opening a door. Companies like OXO and Zyliss have become innovators in making gadgets for the kitchen that are easy to use and get the job done.
The handles are easier to grip because they are bigger, made from non-slip materials and are very comfortable to hold. There are wonderful vegetable peelers available with angled, ergonomic handles that reduce the strain on hands and wrists, and the grips are made of non-slip plastic. An automatic jar opener is a useful kitchen gadget to have for arthritis sufferers or anyone else who has trouble opening any type of jar, from apple sauce to dill pickles. No strength is required. The gadget opens jars by use of a single button.
Magnet fasteners
Turning small objects around the house can be a problem for many people. A key turner will provide the leverage that you need to easily turn a key in a lock. Your key fits into the key turner and the key folds into the handle when not in use. Lamp switches are another thing that it can be difficult to grip. The small and tiny ridges on them hardly provide any grip at all. Lamp switch enlargers will make it easy for anyone to turn lights off and on. They fit over the existing small switch to enlarge it and give it a shape and size that is much easier to grip and to turn. There are similar devices that fit over door knobs as well to make them easier to turn too. Fastening jewellery can
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surround sound: Whole house music systems, or multi-zone stereo systems, are becoming more popular in the home and garden. be frustrating for anyone. Adding magnet fasteners for your necklaces is the way to go if you have trouble fastening those little tiny clasps. Simply fasten the magnetic clasp onto the existing clasp and the problem is solved. Easy on and easy off. Expandable cordless phone sets are great for your home. They come with a main phone base and up to five remote phones. They can be placed strategically throughout your home, and make it easier to hear and reach a ringing
telephone. Rushing to answer the phone can result in trips and falls for even the most able-bodied. For seniors it means that a phone will always be close by if they need to call for help. Large Button Universal Remote controls are great. There is one available that features an easy-to-grasp ‘T’ shape, lighted keypad, with large buttons and bold, easy-to-read characters. And best of all, it retains its code information when you change the batteries. Have you ever had a scald because the tap water was hotter than you thought? Anti-Scalding Devices, also known as a Temperature Activated Flow Reducers (TAFR) are great gadgets for anyone who has lost the ability to tell when the water is too hot. They’ll be no more accidental burns when installed in the bathroom and kitchen sinks and in the shower. This device automatical-
ly turns off the water flow when the water temperature gets too hot. They are great for child safety as well. An electric tea kettle with automatic shut-off will boil water quickly and safely. Boiling water on a stove or using a microwave to heat water for a cup of tea, oatmeal, or soup can be dangerous for seniors, especially if their hands shake or if they forget they turned the stove on. An electric tea kettle sits on the counter, plugs into an outlet, stays cool to the touch, and shuts off automatically when the water reaches the proper temperature.
Music in the home
Whole house music systems, also known as multi-zone stereo systems, are becoming very popular in new homes and renovations. There are several ways to distribute music throughout your home — wired and wireless, powered and non-powered. You can use your stereo
receiver or a home theatre receiver as the centre of your system, or install a dedicated multi-room music system. Wireless multi-room music systems are quickly catching up to wired systems in terms of sound quality, control and flexibility. Installation is considerably easier because no additional wiring is required between rooms. However, if you’re starting installation with new construction, a wired system may be the best solution because audio, video and network wiring can be installed easily before the walls are in place. To plan a whole house audio or multi-room music system, first consider the number of rooms or zones. A simple two-room system can be installed using the Speaker B switch on your receiver and an additional pair of speakers. Some AV receivers have multi-room features to control as many as four zones. Larger systems require additional hardware, speakers, planning and labour. The most challenging part of installing a multi-room system is running wires from one zone to another and often requires a professional installer. How many sources will you need? This is a key question. Do you want to listen to the same source in each zone (example: CD) or would you prefer different sources in each zone (example: CD in the den and FM radio in a bedroom). A multisource system is usually preferred because it allows each person to listen to the music of his or her choice in each zone. Make a list of the sources you want to include, such as CD, AM/FM tuner, satellite radio, computer audio or music server, tape, etc. Additional sources add to See music, page 33
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bermuda living: a special advertising section
THE BERMUDA SUN
december 18, 2012
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How to beat the burglars in your neighbourhood By John Doherty Argus Group
The most recent crime statistics show an encouraging five-year downward trend for residential burglaries. While we never really know for sure which factor doherty is most responsible for driving down the number of break-ins, I would argue that increased homeowner vigilance has played a key role. Unfortunately, would-be burglars are still likely to break into a home where they see an opportunity, so we need to remain vigilant and remove those invitations to criminals.
Checks
As one of the island’s leading home insurers, Argus encourages all home owners to carry out regular security surveys of their property. This means going around the property and checking that all windows and doors and any smaller entry points such as air vents etc. are secure. Also, inspect the perimeter of your property and make it as difficult as possible to enter your grounds unseen. Once you’ve considered the security details, take
a step back and consider whether your house looks well-maintained. A new lick of paint, a kempt lawn and good outdoor lighting will let potential thieves know that you care about your home and have likely made it difficult for them to break in. Having done all you can to guard against burglary, it is time to seek strength in numbers through your neighbours. The extra pairs of eyes on your street are a strong line of defence against intruders. Why not take a tough stance on crime by joining or launching a Neighbourhood Watch group? The Neighbourhood Watch programme originated in the US and arrived in Bermuda in 1983. Today there are more than 50 groups spread across the island. The Bermuda Police Service’s Crime Prevention Unit, which supports such groups, has seen crime decrease and, in some instances, it has been substantially reduced in areas with a Neighbourhood Watch group. Typically consisting of 15-20 households in Bermuda, these groups, with the support of the police and CrimeStoppers Bermuda, work within the law to prevent crime on their street. This is not limited to house break-ins; the groups have also proved success-
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menace: Join a Neighbourhood Watch group to keep an eye on your home and your neighbours’ properties.
music Continued from page 32 the complexity and cost of the system. You have two choices of speaker installations. You can choose to have them built right into the walls or in the ceiling, or you can have bookshelf speakers or wall hung. In-wall and in-ceiling speakers are often preferred because they virtually disappear in the wall, especially when the grilles are painted to match the room décor or mudded into the ceiling. They do require more installation than a book-
shelf speaker and careful consideration should be given to placement and running speaker wires behind the walls. The advantage of bookshelf speakers is flexibility of placement and speakers can be replaced or upgraded easily. Programming a system for easy operation and installing keypad controls in each room are jobs best left to an installation professional with the right tools and knowledge. n
Michele D Smith is managing director of OBM International/Bermuda. Contact 278-3550.
ful in tackling anti-social behaviour, crimes against persons and violence. Members commit to meeting regularly and to keeping an eye out for unusual behaviour in their road or around their neighbours’ properties so it can be reported immediately to the local police station or confidentially to CrimeStoppers Bermuda on 800-TIPS (8477) or at www.crimestoppers.bm. If there is not currently
a Neighbourhood Watch group operating where you live, but your neighbours express interest in forming one, it’s easy to get started. Simply identify an enthusiastic person to coordinate the new group, set up the first meeting and invite a police Crime Prevention Officer to brief the group, by calling 299-4246. Sadly, no prevention plan is foolproof, so my final piece of advice is to invest in home contents insur-
ance. This will help you to replace your belongings if you do suffer a break-in. From experience, people are often surprised at how much their contents are worth when combined. The sum total of electronic equipment, designer clothes and accessories alone amounts to a value that most people would have to save for a considerable time in order to have enough money to replace them. n
For more information on securing your home and its contents, contact Argus at 298-0888, visit www.argus.bm or go to 14 Wesley Street, Hamilton. John Doherty is executive vice president of Property and Casualty at the Argus Group. He is a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter and holds Associates in Risk Management, Reinsurance, and diplomas in general insurance.
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december 18, 2012
bermuda living: a special advertising section
THE BERMUDA SUN
Bermuda Gas ‘How To’: Find last-minute gifts Members of the Bermuda Gas team are here to help you tackle a variety of issues in the monthly Bermuda Gas ‘How To’ column of the Bermuda Living supplement. This month, sales manager David DeSilva explains how the knowledgeable staff at Bermuda Gas can help you to find those great last-minute gifts. If you have been struggling to find great gifts for the loved ones on your list, Bermuda Gas can help. From small kitchen wares to complete kitchens — our showroom on Serpentine desilva Road has the perfect presents to complete your shopping list.
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Christmas gifts: Today’s gas and electric appliances are sleek and elegant.
Great things in small packages
In festive colours with unbeatable design and
performance, KitchenAid countertop portables are ‘must haves’ for any kitchen. Not only do their range of blenders, mixers, food processors and countertop ovens add a pop of colour and a dash of style, they can help any cook — from amateur to chef — to create delicious dishes.
Grand gestures
A major appliance is another great way to say: “I love you and I appreciate you” in any language. Today’s gas and electric appliances are elegant, sleek and, dare we say… sexy. These are the gifts that
keep on giving for years to come with design elements that can raise your esteem with love ones, not to mention the value of your kitchen. Choose from styles in stunning stainless steel, to traditional white and everything in between, from top brands such as Viking, Sub-Zero, KitchenAid, Whirlpool and Frigidaire. And up to December 22 you will receive a free turkey with any major appliance purchase. You may even win your purchase. So, why not stop by at our 25 Serpentine Road, Pembroke, showroom today? Happy Holidays from your friends at Bermuda Gas! n
For more information call 295-3111/298-6113. Website www.bermudagas. bm