Latest news with #SimonHill
BBC News
15 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Lake District National Park pays influencers for 'be kind' drive
A national park is paying social media influencers to help discourage people from fly camping and Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) has set aside £6,000 for a pilot project to work with influencers to spread the message to be "Lake District Kind".Emily Rushworth, digital content officer at the LDNPA, said influencers had large audiences which the park was not normally able to reach."This as an opportunity to educate more people about how to visit the Lake District responsibly, such as by leaving no trace, parking responsibly and avoiding social media 'hidden gem' hotspots," she said. The LDNPA said more than 18 million people visited the Lake District each year, but staff were tackling regular issues such as littering, disposable BBQs being left and fly about the Lake District are incredibly popular on platforms such as Instagram, with about 6.4m tags for the location used, compared to 2.4m for the Peak District and 1.9m for Northumberland. Ms Rushworth said influencers were being "supportive" of their campaign."Some [are] offering significantly reduced partnership costs as they believe in the importance of spreading the Lake District Kind messaging as far and wide as possible."Simon Hill, visitor management lead for the LDNPA, said the issues were not only a "blemish on the beautiful scenery", but also a threat to habitat and wildlife."The Lake District isn't just a beautiful holiday location, its landscape is home to thousands and is relied upon for livelihoods," he authority is also displaying digital signs on key routes into the national park and working with other bodies including councils and the police. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Massive loss': Voice of Australian football Simon Hill quits commentary role
Legendary football commentator Simon Hill has announced he is leaving Australia, bringing an end to a decorated career behind the microphone on these shores. Hill announced on Tuesday that this weekend's A-League Grand Final between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory will be the final domestic Australian fixture he commentates. Watch every game of The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. He will call the Socceroos' World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia in June before moving home to the UK. 'As some of you may have seen, Saturdays' Grand Final will be my last A-League match,' Hill wrote on X. 'I have made the decision to return to the UK, where I hope to continue my commentary career (I'm not retiring - can't afford to!). 'I've spent 22 brilliant years in Australia, most of them covering this wonderful, crazy (& at times, infuriating!) competition and I'll miss it & my colleagues at 10, but I feel now is the right time. 'I'll still be around for the WCQ's in June - but a big thank you to everyone in the community who (largely!) accepted me as one of their own. I hope I paid that back by working hard & fighting for this beautiful game that we all love!' Hill told 10 News: 'I feel a pull towards home. My parents are elderly. 'It will be sad (leaving Australia). It's been a huge part of my life.' Over the past two decades, Hill has become known as the voice of Australian football through his calls of the A-League and Socceroos matches and World Cups on Fox Sports and Channel 10. His famous calls include John Aloisi's penalty to send the Socceroos to the 2006 World Cup and Tim Cahill's two goals in a shock win over Japan at that World Cup. He also called Andrew Redmayne's penalty shootout heroics against Peru that secured Australia a spot at the 2022 World Cup, as well as countless A-League classics during the late 2000s and 2010s. Just last weekend, Hill led the praise for Ange Postecoglou after the Tottenham boss became the first Australian manager to win a European Cup. Hill was inundated with messages from Australian football fans thanking him for his contribution to the game Down Under. The official A-League account posted: 'Thank you for your service to the A-Leagues and Australian football, Simon. The voice of countless magic moments in our game. 'Wishing you all the best for your return home.' Sports reporter Mark Gottlieb said: 'This is terribly sad news for Australian football Simon. Thank you for being a great colleague to work with and for being one of the voices of football for much of my life. Good luck mate.' Tennis legend Paul McNamee said: 'Well played Simon… top commentator and voice of reason… thank you for your services to Australian football.' Sebastian Hassett said: 'Well, this is very disappointing news... Simon's been the voice of Australian football for more than 20 years now. 'A most robust advocate for the game and the finest caller we've ever had. Let's hope we're hear him call the Premier League and World Cup finals - he deserves it..' One fan wrote on X: 'Jeez this is up there with losing Les Murray - actually for me it's even more considering you've been here most of my life! 'Good luck with the move back home and thank you for all the memories - you've literally been there for every big moment in Australian football since you've been here.' Another said: 'A massive loss to Australian football. Simon has consistently stood up for the game and its' fans in a way that few people have been brave enough to do. 'Hopefully more people in the UK get to experience his brilliance. Those big A-League games won't be quite the same without him.'
WIRED
23-05-2025
- WIRED
The WIRED Travel Tech Guide to Family Vacation Harmony
Prepare for your next family trip and keep everyone online and fully charged with these WIRED travel tech tips. Courtesy of Acer; Netgear; Simon Hill All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. Ah, the joys of a vacation. A little time to unwind and put your feet up. Or if you have kids, a chance to get moaned at in a new time zone. The nagging kicked off before my family left the airport on our last holiday and didn't let up. 'Dad, my internet isn't working.' 'Dad, where can I charge this?' 'Dad, what's the Wi-Fi password?' 'Dad, are we there yet?' Luckily, this year I planned ahead, and you can too with our best travel tech guide to a harmonious family vacation. Disclaimer: I'll show you how to keep everyone online and fully charged, but I can't accept responsibility for non-tech-related family arguments. The Internet In theory, it would be great to leave your phones and tablets behind and immerse yourself in the vacation experience to 'live, laugh, love' your way around the world. In reality, travel has dull moments and downtime, and teenagers cannot be separated from the internet for long. You can save yourself a lot of trouble by ensuring that everyone can get online. My top tip is to set up a travel router before you go. Plug it into your existing router and then connect all the devices you are taking on vacation, but most importantly, you, your partner, and your kids' phones. Now, when you arrive at your apartment or hotel, you can plug in, connect the travel router to public Wi-Fi, or even connect your phone to the router and use it as a hot spot, so everyone is securely connected without needing any login details. Here's the one I recommend in our Best Wi-Fi Routers guide. You should check your roaming options based on where you are going, but it's a safe bet that roaming charges will be a hefty unwelcome extra expense when you get home, especially if you allow your kids to connect to foreign networks. You have a few options to avoid this issue. Use your phone as a hot spot : I have certain roaming travel allowances on my phone contract that my wife and kids don't have, so it made sense to use my phone as a hot spot for them to connect to when we were out and about. Check your contract before you do this, but even if you don't have specific benefits, you'll find it cheaper to get data for one device than more. Here's how to use your phone as a hot spot. It will drain your battery faster, but I have a tip for that below in the charging section. Remember to turn off cell service or mobile data on the rest of your family's phones. : I have certain roaming travel allowances on my phone contract that my wife and kids don't have, so it made sense to use my phone as a hot spot for them to connect to when we were out and about. Check your contract before you do this, but even if you don't have specific benefits, you'll find it cheaper to get data for one device than more. Here's how to use your phone as a hot spot. It will drain your battery faster, but I have a tip for that below in the charging section. Remember to turn off cell service or mobile data on the rest of your family's phones. Buy a Travel SIM or eSIM : You can snag international SIM cards to switch into your phone when you land abroad. This can be a cost-effective way to make sure you have plenty of data and can connect to foreign networks, although it does mean using a different number for the duration of your stay. We have a guide on how to use an eSIM for international travel. : You can snag international SIM cards to switch into your phone when you land abroad. This can be a cost-effective way to make sure you have plenty of data and can connect to foreign networks, although it does mean using a different number for the duration of your stay. We have a guide on how to use an eSIM for international travel. Buy a hot spot: Instead of using your phone as a hot spot, you could always snag a purpose-built one for everyone to connect to. These portable devices need a SIM or eSIM and enable you to connect multiple gadgets via Wi-Fi. Some portable hot spots even come with service included. I recently tested the excellent but pricey Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro ($800) and the cheaper but inferior Acer Connect Enduro M3 5G ($356). To prepare for the journey, you should download maps in advance and plot your routes. If you use Google Maps, you can tap your profile icon at the top right (bottom right if you use Apple Maps) and choose Offline maps to get started. Downloading a map of the area you are visiting is a good way to save data and serves as a backup in case there are connection issues when you arrive. If you're looking for directions in Google Maps, say for public transport from the airport to the hotel, remember you can tap the Leave drop-down box (Now in Apple Maps) and select a day and time to get the correct directions for your arrival. It's also a great idea to ensure you and your kids have some entertainment on your phones before you go. Pick a few movies or episodes of a favorite show and download them the night before. Here's how to download videos to watch offline. Some of the best mobile games can also be played offline (I recommend Mini Metro ). Entertainment Speaking of entertainment, you should take some with you. At the end of a busy day sightseeing or roller coaster riding, you might want to unwind with an hour of TV, and the novelty of Spanish soap operas or French debate shows will wear off quickly if you don't speak the language. I always pack our Chromecast, but any of the picks in our Best Streaming Devices guide will do. This Roku stick is our favorite and plugs easily into any available HDMI port. Just make sure that you are logged into all your streaming services and that you connect them to your travel router before you go. That way, you have all your favorite shows and the correct next episode lined up. If you get blocked by those annoying login screens for hotel Wi-Fi, you can always connect to Wi-Fi on your phone and log in, then use it as a hot spot for your streaming stick to connect to. Travel Charging It's crucial to pack charging gear when you travel. You'll want travel adapters, charging cables, and power banks. Make sure you have the right adapters for the country you are visiting, make sure you have a charging cable for every device you are taking, and test them all out before you leave home. Don't forget about your smartwatch, fitness tracker, or smart ring. I also recommend taking at least one spare travel charger just in case. I run through various options in my Best Travel Adapters guide, but the top pick is ideal for family trips. The top pick in our Best USB-C Cables guide will charge any device with a USB-C port, but this Nomad cable is a handy option for folks with an Apple Watch. You can also find several options for different devices in our Best Portable Chargers guide, but this is the one I recommend for travel. Security One of our favorite password managers, 1Password, features Travel Mode, enabling you to delete any sensitive data from devices before you travel and restore it with a click after you've crossed a border. This prevents anyone, including law enforcement at international borders, from accessing your complete password vault. You may also be interested in how to protect yourself from phone searches at the US border. If you are staying at campsites or rented accommodations and have concerns about anyone rummaging through your stuff, or you feel there's a risk of theft, it might be worth packing a portable security camera. For Airbnbs and places with Wi-Fi, try a camera from our Best Indoor Security Cameras guide. Our top pick is compact and affordable. If you need something that can go outdoors or connect to a mobile network because there's no Wi-Fi, I recommend this Arlo camera in my Best Outdoor Security Cameras guide. But it is expensive and requires a cell service plan when Wi-Fi isn't available. Bonus Travel Tips Here are a few bonus tips that might help your family trip go a little more smoothly. Bon voyage! While it's always a good idea to carry a little cash just in case you run into a store or service that doesn't accept cards, you can also get plastic that's widely accepted and enables you to change money with a couple of taps. I love the Wise card and use it on all my trips because it offers instant electronic currency exchange in the app with decent rates for many major currencies. You also get a contactless Visa debit card you can use on your travels. Remember, it's usually best (cheaper) to pay in the local currency whenever you get a choice. Photos and videos can help you preserve the highlights of your vacation to bore your extended family and friends with, but they're also nice to have and look back on in future years. The best camera is the one you have with you, so probably your phone, but if you want to up your game, consider our Best Compact Cameras, Best 360 Cameras, and Best Action Cameras guides. We always travel light because it means no waiting for bags at the airport and makes it much easier to hop on and off buses and trains. Check out our Best Carry-On Luggage guide for recommendations, but always check the airline's rules for bag size before you go. On our last trip, I used the Ekster TravelPack Vacuum Kit ($129) to compress my clothes and squeeze more in. If you're staying at an Airbnb or rented apartment, you can always wash clothes, so you don't need to pack as much.
Mid East Info
02-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
EDGE Group Partners with Wazoku to Launch Global ‘Drone in a Box' Innovation Challenge - Middle East Business News and Information
New open innovation challenge seeks cutting-edge, autonomous UAV deployment systems for real-world defence and security applications Abu Dhabi, UAE:May 2025 – EDGE, one of the world's leading advanced technology and defence groups, has announced a strategic partnership with innovation scale-up Wazoku. Their first collaboration launches a global open innovation challenge via the Wazoku Crowd platform to identify next-generation 'Drone in a Box' solutions. Open to innovators, start-ups, universities, and established organisations worldwide, the challenge seeks fully integrated systems that combine a drone, docking and charging station, ground control platform, and operational software into a single, scalable unit. EDGE is offering a total prize fund of USD 20,000—awarding USD 15,000 to the winning entry and USD 5,000 for the runner-up. Finalists will be invited to EDGE to demonstrate their solutions, with the potential for further development or acquisition. The challenge addresses rising global demand for autonomous UAV systems that are cost-effective, rapidly deployable, and resilient in harsh environments. EDGE is particularly interested in solutions requiring minimal human intervention and featuring AI-driven autonomy, predictive maintenance, advanced navigation, and mobile or remote deployment. 'This challenge represents a significant opportunity to help shape the future of defence technology,' said Ahmed Al Khoori, SVP – Strategy & Excellence, EDGE Group. 'By partnering with Wazoku, we're engaging a global community of problem-solvers to define the next evolution of unmanned systems—solutions that could transform ISR, logistics, perimeter security, and more.' The initiative has been led and coordinated by the EDGE Innovation team, reflecting the Group's commitment to open collaboration and rapid capability development. It supports EDGE's Learning & Innovation Factory (LIF) strategy, which invests in advanced technologies, fosters innovation, and builds national capacity. LIF aims to strengthen collaboration across the UAE's advanced technology ecosystem and establish EDGE as a centre of excellence and innovation within the wider community. Wazoku Crowd connects more than 700,000 solvers worldwide, including engineers, scientists, technologists, start-ups, and academic institutions. It has previously delivered successful outcomes for NASA, the UK Ministry of Defence, and the US Navy. 'EDGE is one of the most forward-thinking defence and advanced technology groups, and we're proud to partner with them on this and future challenges,' said Simon Hill, CEO of Wazoku. ''Drone in a Box' solutions are critical enablers for autonomous operations, and we're confident the Wazoku Crowd will surface bold, innovative solutions that meet EDGE's ambitions.' The challenge closes on 7 July 2025. Submissions must include a detailed technical proposal and supporting video demonstration. Finalists will retain intellectual property rights and may enter negotiations with EDGE for further development or acquisition of their solutions. About EDGE: Launched in November 2019, the UAE's EDGE is one of the world's leading advanced technology groups, established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond, and to be a catalyst for change and transformation. It is dedicated to bringing breakthrough innovations, products, and services to market with greater speed and efficiency, to position the UAE as a leading global hub for future industries, and to creating clear paths within the sector for the next generation of highly-skilled talent to thrive. With a focus on the adoption of 4IR technologies, EDGE is driving the development of sovereign capabilities for global export and for the preservation of national security, working with front-line operators, international partners, and adopting advanced technologies such as autonomous capabilities, cyber-physical systems, advanced propulsion systems, robotics and smart materials. EDGE converges R&D, emerging technologies, digital transformation, and commercial market innovations with military capabilities to develop disruptive solutions tailored to the specific requirements of its customers. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, EDGE consolidates more than 35 entities into six core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Space & Cyber Technologies, Trading & Mission Support, Technology & Innovation, and Homeland Security.
Zawya
02-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
EDGE Group partners with Wazoku to launch global ‘Drone in a Box' innovation challenge
Abu Dhabi, UAE: EDGE, one of the world's leading advanced technology and defence groups, has announced a strategic partnership with innovation scale-up Wazoku. Their first collaboration launches a global open innovation challenge via the Wazoku Crowd platform to identify next-generation 'Drone in a Box' solutions. Open to innovators, start-ups, universities, and established organisations worldwide, the challenge seeks fully integrated systems that combine a drone, docking and charging station, ground control platform, and operational software into a single, scalable unit. EDGE is offering a total prize fund of USD 20,000—awarding USD 15,000 to the winning entry and USD 5,000 for the runner-up. Finalists will be invited to EDGE to demonstrate their solutions, with the potential for further development or acquisition. The challenge addresses rising global demand for autonomous UAV systems that are cost-effective, rapidly deployable, and resilient in harsh environments. EDGE is particularly interested in solutions requiring minimal human intervention and featuring AI-driven autonomy, predictive maintenance, advanced navigation, and mobile or remote deployment. 'This challenge represents a significant opportunity to help shape the future of defence technology,' said Ahmed Al Khoori, SVP – Strategy & Excellence, EDGE Group. 'By partnering with Wazoku, we're engaging a global community of problem-solvers to define the next evolution of unmanned systems—solutions that could transform ISR, logistics, perimeter security, and more.' The initiative has been led and coordinated by the EDGE Innovation team, reflecting the Group's commitment to open collaboration and rapid capability development. It supports EDGE's Learning & Innovation Factory (LIF) strategy, which invests in advanced technologies, fosters innovation, and builds national capacity. LIF aims to strengthen collaboration across the UAE's advanced technology ecosystem and establish EDGE as a centre of excellence and innovation within the wider community. Wazoku Crowd connects more than 700,000 solvers worldwide, including engineers, scientists, technologists, start-ups, and academic institutions. It has previously delivered successful outcomes for NASA, the UK Ministry of Defence, and the US Navy. 'EDGE is one of the most forward-thinking defence and advanced technology groups, and we're proud to partner with them on this and future challenges,' said Simon Hill, CEO of Wazoku. ''Drone in a Box' solutions are critical enablers for autonomous operations, and we're confident the Wazoku Crowd will surface bold, innovative solutions that meet EDGE's ambitions.' The challenge closes on 7 July 2025. Submissions must include a detailed technical proposal and supporting video demonstration. Finalists will retain intellectual property rights and may enter negotiations with EDGE for further development or acquisition of their solutions. About EDGE Launched in November 2019, the UAE's EDGE is one of the world's leading advanced technology groups, established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond, and to be a catalyst for change and transformation. It is dedicated to bringing breakthrough innovations, products, and services to market with greater speed and efficiency, to position the UAE as a leading global hub for future industries, and to creating clear paths within the sector for the next generation of highly-skilled talent to thrive. With a focus on the adoption of 4IR technologies, EDGE is driving the development of sovereign capabilities for global export and for the preservation of national security, working with front-line operators, international partners, and adopting advanced technologies such as autonomous capabilities, cyber-physical systems, advanced propulsion systems, robotics and smart materials. EDGE converges R&D, emerging technologies, digital transformation, and commercial market innovations with military capabilities to develop disruptive solutions tailored to the specific requirements of its customers. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, EDGE consolidates more than 35 entities into six core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Space & Cyber Technologies, Trading & Mission Support, Technology & Innovation, and Homeland Security.
