BackgroundÌý

Music streaming hardware start-upÌýElectric Jukebox launched in its home UK market in 2016 before rebranding toÌýROXiÌýin 2017.Ìý

A portableÌýentertainment console includingÌýa microphone, itsÌýplatform includesÌýmore thanÌý55 million songs as well as music trivia games, radio stations,ÌýkaraokeÌýandÌýmore.Ìý

The set-top box plugsÌýinto a TVÌýand can also be connected to external Bluetooth-enabled speakers,ÌýwhileÌýthe service was also recently made available onÌýSkyÌýQ viaÌýsubscription.Ìý

ROXiÌýCEO Rob Lewis claims that by the end of 2022,ÌýROXiÌýwill be available to 500 million TVs worldwide.Ìý

Quick startÌý

Anyone used toÌýwaitingÌýan age to play on their PlayStation or Xbox will be pleasantly surprised to find that once you hit the ‘on’ button,ÌýROXiÌýloadsÌýwithin seconds – and you can simply press the button again to turn it off.Ìý

MicÌý

The microphone is used to navigate the menu system. Cleverly, you point it at the TV to control an on-screenÌýcursor, in the style of a WiiÌýRemote;Ìýbut unlike Nintendo’sÌýground-breaking console,Ìýit is not necessary to balance aÌýreceiver barÌýon top of your telly.Ìý

MusicÌý

The main menu allows you to choose from saved music, curated playlists, official singles and album charts plus ‘tastemakers’Ìý–ÌýtheÌýfavourite music of stars including Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Sheryl CrowÌýandÌýAlesha Dixon.ÌýThese musiciansÌýare all investors inÌýROXi.ÌýFor example, Aussie pop queen Kylie’s ‘All-time Favourites’ playlist including tracks from Electric Light Orchestra, Sly & The Family Stone andÌýDonna Summer.ÌýÌý

SearchÌý

The main way you will find music is the search button on the mic.ÌýHolding it in and saying the name of an artist, song or album is easy and the results auto-correct so they are almost always spot-on.ÌýOften several versions of the same song areÌýfound:Ìýfor example, ‘All Along the Watchtower’ brings up different recordings from Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix – including live and remixed, previously unreleased versionsÌý– while a scroll reveals covers from Neil Young, The Grateful Dead, Brian Ferry and U2. You can filter yourÌýsearchÌýresults by songs, albums, radio stations, saved music and karaoke.Ìý

KaraokeÌý

In an era of multiple devices,ÌýROXiÌýis billedÌýas a way toÌýbring the family together to enjoy music. However, a big selling point is the 60,000-plus tracks available to sing along with. Practically every song IÌýfancied belting out was available, from Bryan AdamsÌýand Bon JoviÌýto Radiohead, Muse andÌýOasis.ÌýThe words are available on-screen – with the occasional amusing typo – and includes a timing indicator to keep you at the right place.ÌýA smaller selection of tracks is available as pure karaoke – just the backing tracks with no singing at all.Ìý

QuizzesÌý

Multiple-choice ‘name the song’ games are great fun, especially for the kids, and available across genres. There are tracks from Disney filmsÌýand TV shows as well as more general music.Ìý

FamilyÌý

My seven- and eight-year-old boys lovedÌýsearching for tracks – especially music from Fortnite!Ìý–ÌýandÌýsinging alongÌýto songs.ÌýIt isÌýpossibleÌýto plugÌýyourÌýconsole into a friend or family member’s TV,Ìýconnect to theirÌýWiFiÌýandÌýuse with your own account.ÌýOn my sister-in-law’s slowÌýWiFi, the karaoke timing indicator wasÌýoff, but I have suffered noÌýsuch problems at home.ÌýÌý

MoreÌý

AÌývastÌýslideshow ofÌýimagesÌýis shownÌýwhen you leave the music playing for a short while.ÌýYou canÌýconnect your Facebook albums to show these instead. 10,000 radio stations from around the worldÌýare available whileÌý‘therapeutic soundscapes’ to accompany meditationÌýor yoga are very relaxing.ÌýSongs labelled asÌý‘explicit content’Ìýcan be hidden from search results via the settings.ÌýÌý

CostÌý

TheÌýROXiÌýbox with one mic and all necessary cables is around £100ÌýandÌýcomes with a one-year premiumÌýmusicÌýpass. After a year, you will have to payÌý£52Ìýfor a new 12-month subscription orÌýcontend with adverts.ÌýTheÌýSky versionÌý–ÌýwhichÌýwasn’t tested here –Ìýincludes a free 30-day trial then monthly cost of £6.99.Ìý

Overall rating:Ìý5/5

The post Under Review:ÌýROXi appeared first on ÀϾÅÆ·²èCloud.

BackgroundÌý

Busby, developed by K-Safe, is trusted by thousands of cyclists and has monitored several hundred thousand journey miles since its launch in November 2019.ÌýÌý

The inspiration for the app came when co-founder Barry Green was involved in a serious cycling accident. It uses sensors in a mobile phone to automatically detect a crash or a fall, geolocate the user and alert their emergency contacts.ÌýÌýÌý

Available for free download on any iOS or Android smartphones, it is used by cyclists, walkers, horse riders, runners and road users to predict, prevent, detect and analyse road accidents. It does not collect or store the riders’ data.ÌýÌý

Now active in 32 countries across six continents, the co-founders say it has already saved three lives.Ìý

Tough terrainÌý

I fired up the app during an hour-long ride around the Lee Quarry mountain bike trails in Lancashire. These are known locallyÌýand further afieldÌýforÌýproviding a stern test, with rocky terrain and routes which vary in difficulty fromÌýtricky to downright dangerous.Ìý

GPSÌý

The GPS kicked in without fuss and lasted for the duration of the rideÌýin a fairly remote and hilly setting. When I’ve used exercise apps in the past such as Strava andÌýRunkeeper, the GPS has dropped out when entering the quarry itself, with the result that the sessionÌýautomaticallyÌýends early.Ìý

RecordsÌý

The screen shows the distance you have ridden, which isÌýfairly accurate, although it doesn’t store your activityÌýfor future referenceÌýas an exercise app would.ÌýBut then, that’s not its purpose.Ìý

MountedÌý

I mounted my phone on the frame of my bike so I could see how the app updated throughout.ÌýThe only frustration was when the screen went toÌýsleepÌýand I had to stop to bring it back up.ÌýHowever,ÌýBusby’s tagline isÌý‘Safety in your pocket’ –Ìýit is there as a safety mechanism, not to keep track of how far you have ridden.Ìý

G-forceÌý

The key feature of the app isÌýhow it tracks the g-forcesÌýacting uponÌýyour phone, with the idea that if you are in an accident,Ìýit willÌýidentify thatÌýthroughÌýinterpretation ofÌýtheÌýimpactÌýcreated.ÌýDuring the ride it could tell when I was cycling; when I stopped, it took a few seconds to sense that I had become still; and when I threw my phoneÌýinto a hillside, it knew something was amiss.Ìý

EmergencyÌý

The screen turned red, the phoneÌývibratedÌýand it gave me a clear 30-second countdown to cancel the sending of a message to my emergency contacts. Having mentioned this to my wife earlier, I let the message go throughÌýand it did so, smoothly.Ìý

False alarmÌý

The one downside to using the app was when I took the bike down aÌýlong andÌýprecarious ‘black’ trail, the shaking of the bike again triggered the alarm. AsÌýI was concentrating on staying in one piece rather thanÌýlooking at the appÌý– and could not feel the vibration –ÌýmyÌýwife was again notified. You can extend the 30-second delay, should you wish,Ìýwhich would have helped here.ÌýAnd better safe than sorry…Ìý

Extra servicesÌý

Busby FlareÌýallows users to send out an SOS message to surrounding users within a five-mile radiusÌýand alsoÌýconnects them to nearby bike stores.ÌýThe premium version of the app allows for more emergency contacts to be added.ÌýGroupRideÌýallows users to set a safety radius around everyone in their group and receive a notification if someone falls behind.ÌýDifferent activities can be selected, including walking/hiking, running, horse riding, motorbiking and skiing, although these were not tested.ÌýA recent update also rewards users by offering coins per mile which they can spend on in-app discounts or enter monthly competitions. Fingers crossed for that Go Pro 8…Ìý

Busby is available to download for free atÌýÌýor by searching for the app in your app store.Ìý

Overall rating: 4.5/5Ìý

The post Under Review: Busby appeared first on ÀϾÅÆ·²èCloud.