Latest news with #Wi-Fi
Business Wire
an hour ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Mapxus and Ricoh Partner to Optimize Indoor Mapping Workflow Using 360-Degree Cameras
HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mapxus Technology (Founder and CEO: Dr John Chan, hereinafter "Mapxus") has entered into a technology partnership with Ricoh Company, Ltd. (President and CEO: Akira Oyama, hereinafter 'Ricoh') to transform the fields of indoor digital mapping and 360-degree panoramic applications. Through this collaboration, users will be able to efficiently create indoor navigation systems and virtual tours using Mapxus services, streamlining workflows and enhancing operational efficiency. Mapxus & RICOH join forces to revolutionize indoor mapping with RICOH THETA 360° cameras! Discover smarter indoor navigation & virtual tours in Asia. By integrating with Ricoh's "RICOH360" platform, which leverages images and videos captured using the 360-degree camera "RICOH THETA," Mapxus aims to deliver a superior user experience in indoor digital mapping for navigation, virtual tours, and spatial data collection. Background Digital twin technologies that enable real-time monitoring of facilities and construction sites are gaining attention. Traditional spatial capturing methods typically require significant effort, involving video shooting, data export to PCs, and subsequent uploads and editing. However, due to their comprehensiveness and ease of use, 360-degree cameras and related mapping technologies are playing an increasingly important role. Since launching the world's first one-shot 360-degree camera 'RICOH THETA' in 2013, Ricoh has expanded its business leveraging 360-degree image and video technology. Currently, Ricoh is strengthening its "RICOH360" platform, which integrates devices, software, and cloud services to streamline the entire workflow from image capture to data utilization. Mapxus is a leading company in the field of cutting-edge indoor mapping technologies. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the company develops scalable solutions that integrate multi-sensor technology, Wi-Fi fingerprinting-based indoor positioning, and artificial intelligence. Joint Initiatives Through this technical partnership, Mapxus and Ricoh will drive innovation in indoor mapping solutions using 360-degree cameras. Mapxus will expand its navigation and data capture services across various industries in the Asia-Pacific region. The partnership aims to achieve the following: Efficient indoor data acquisition using 360-degree cameras Intuitive shooting capabilities via automatic data upload using THETA Twin, and flexible data utilization through RICOH360 Cloud. Real-time data processing and visualization via a cloud-based platform Development of adaptive mapping technologies Enhanced user experience for end-users browsing indoor navigation or virtual tours, and practical insights derived from spatial data This collaboration leverages the strengths of both companies to continuously drive innovation for the future. About Mapxus Mapxus is a leading provider of cutting-edge indoor mapping technology. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the company offers scalable solutions that integrate multi-sensor technology, Wi-Fi fingerprinting-based indoor positioning, and AI. Mapxus empowers individuals, businesses, governments, and NGOs to reimagine indoor spaces and improve accessibility, safety, and operational efficiency through innovative mapping solutions. About RICOH360 RICOH360 is a cross-industry platform brand focused on 360-degree image and video applications. By integrating devices, software, and cloud services, it streamlines the entire workflow from capture to data utilization, delivering an enhanced user experience.
Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I ditched my aerial for a Freely TV and I don't regret it one bit'
Get live BBC, ITV, 4 and 5 without an aerial with this Freely TV - and a whole lot more besides TV has changed a lot over the past few years, from flicking through channels to find something to watch, to now getting everything on demand and over the internet. That's extended to those programmes you used to get through an aerial, thanks to a service called Freely. Freely takes BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and delivers those over the internet, meaning that you don't need an aerial. As long as you can connect your TV to your home Wi-Fi, you can stream all that content instead. I'm a TV review and tech expert and I ditched my aerial for a Freely TV and I don't regret it one bit. Freely is supported on a range of TVs, like this great-value Hisense E6N model. This 50-inch TV is £249 on Amazon for a 4K TV with Dolby Vision, giving you access to those terrestrial channels via the internet, as well as the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube. The best thing about the Hisense E6N is that it was double the price when it launched in 2024, so it's a huge discount and a lot of TV for the money. The advent of Freely means that you can put a TV anywhere that you have Wi-Fi, without worrying about connecting to the roof aerial, or using a fiddly indoor aerial. If you want a TV in your kitchen, you can just make a space, mount it on the wall, or put it wherever you want. If you want a TV for a bedroom, again, there's no stress about aerials or limiting what people can watch. You just connect to your Wi-Fi and let Freely do the rest. Hisense has been making a big impact on TV across the UK over the past few years. It's a brand that packs a lot of technology into its TVs, from affordable models like the E6N here, right up to OLED and Mini-LED TVs, like the 75-inch Hisense U7 ( £999 on Amazon). It's not the only brand offering Freely: it's also available on some Amazon Fire TV models, like the Fire TV Omni QLED (£359.99), as well as being a feature of affordable models using the new TiVo platform. The great thing about this 50-inch model is that you're getting the full benefit of 4K resolution, so there's loads of detail on the screen. If you're watching Blu-ray discs they will be upscaled, while for Prime Video, 4K HDR content is standard, but for Netflix you'll need the Premium plan. There's support for Dolby Vision for amazing colours and HDR highlights as well as HDR10+, which you'll find a lot of on Prime Video. Hisense uses a platform called VIDAA, which has loads of streaming apps and is fast and smooth to use. It even supports Alexa, so you can use voice searching from the remote. If you don't want to use Freely, there's a standard Freeview tuner built in, but if you can't connect an aerial, you just have to setup Freely when you first turn on the TV and you'll get those essential broadcast channels via Wi-Fi instead. It is worth noting that like standard ariel TV it's reliability can be affected in bad weather. Back in May this year, Freely had to issue a statement to users.
Stuff.tv
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Stuff.tv
These Focal Diva Mezza Utopia speakers take streaming hi-fi to a whole new level
In the lingo of musical instruction, 'mezza' means to play softly or at half volume, but there are absolutely no half measures when it comes to these Focal Diva Mezza Utopia speakers. Following on from last year's Diva Utopia, which would set you back a hefty £29,999, the Mezza require even deeper pockets at £55,000 per pair. So what do you get for your gigantic pile of cash? Standing slightly taller than an Emperor penguin at 50in, each speaker has a frankly ludicrous 500W of total amplification inside, with 90W going to the tweeter, 130W to the 6.5in mid driver, and 280W shared between the four 8in bass drivers (two on either side of each speaker). Never mind bothering the neighbours, there'll be flightless birds in Antarctica who'll be annoyed with you if you crank these right up. You can feed them (the speakers, not the penguins) wirelessly using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and if you've got a hi-res source the ultra-wide band connection between them allows for playback at up to 96kHz/24-bit without needing to use a cable. Tether them together using ethernet and that jumps to studio-level 192kHz/24-bit. As we said at the start: no half measures. There's a companion app you can use to control music playback, but the Focal Diva Mezza Utopia also support various Wi-Fi standards, including AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and Spotify Connect. With so much sonic power on offer the speakers need a little taming, so you can also run sound tests via the app that will calibrate them to the acoustics of your room. If you'd rather hook up your kit the old-fashioned way you also get a good array of physical connections on the primary speaker too, including optical, RCA, HDMI eARC and USB. The Focal Diva Mezza Utopia aren't the kind of speakers you can just order on Amazon, so if you're interested in a pair you'll need to head to Focal's website to find a dealer near you. And don't forget to warn your credit card of what's to come.
Business Insider
15 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Meet Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ, the Nigerian entrepreneur building Africa's fast-growing public Wi-Fi network — and making it profitable
Nigeria's internet infrastructure is under pressure. Mobile networks are congested, data remains expensive, and for millions of Nigerians, access to reliable, high-speed internet is still a daily struggle. While telcos battle spectrum limitations and rising costs, one startup is taking a different route, literally. Wave5 Wireless is betting on public Wi-Fi as the future of last-mile connectivity in Africa. Led by founder and CEO Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ, the company is building a neutral-host infrastructure that enables telcos, fintechs, and content providers to deliver services over shared Wi-Fi access points in busy public spaces, including markets, schools, and bus shelters. With its proprietary AMPPS platform and a strategic offload partnership with Globacom already underway, Wave5 is now raising $3 million to expand its reach. In this exclusive interview with Business Insider Africa, Adálémọ shares why Wave5 could be the key to unlocking affordable internet at scale, how its model creates multiple monetization paths, and why investors should take notice. BI Africa: Wave5 Wireless has positioned itself as Nigeria's first public Wi-Fi infrastructure provider. What was the original problem you set out to solve, and how big is the market opportunity you see today? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: I and Biola Akinyemi set out to solve a major problem: affordable, high-quality internet access is still out of reach for millions in Nigeria. Mobile networks are congested, data is expensive, and digital services remain inaccessible for those who need them most. Our goal was to offload traffic from overstretched mobile networks by building a dedicated public Wi-Fi infrastructure layer that's open, affordable, and smart enough to support more than just connectivity. That led to the creation of AMPPS, our Atmosphere Multi-Protocol Provisioning System, which allows us to layer streaming, education, fintech, and e-commerce services on top of Wi-Fi access. The market opportunity is enormous. If even 10 million people spend ₦500–₦750 a week through Wave5 access points, we're looking at a recurring revenue engine worth over ₦370–400 billion (~$250M) annually, and that's just Lagos. BI Africa: For potential investors, what's the simplest way to explain Wave5's business model and how it generates sustainable, recurring revenue? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: Wave5 monetizes connectivity + services at scale. We deploy public access points in high-traffic locations and sell bandwidth wholesale to mobile networks and retail access to end-users. Our AMPPS platform bundles services like streaming, learning, ads, and fintech into each user session, creating multiple monetization layers per user. We support both microtransactions and B2B partnerships (e.g., telcos, banks, creators, governments), creating recurring revenue streams. It's sustainable because the demand for affordable data and local digital services keeps growing, and AMPPS ensures we can dynamically deliver and monetize those services anywhere we deploy. BI Africa: Your neutral-host approach is a key differentiator. Can you talk about why this model is especially well-suited for Nigeria and other African markets? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: Nigeria, like much of Africa, has limited broadband infrastructure, high spectrum costs, and low ARPU. Our neutral-host model solves this by letting one Wi-Fi network serve multiple operators and services at a fraction of mobile network costs. With AMPPS, we make this seamless. It enables telcos to plug in, offload traffic, and authenticate users. At the same time, fintechs, edtechs, and content platforms can launch services directly to users via our captive portal without building their own networks. This model lowers the barrier for digital inclusion and makes infrastructure collaborative, not competitive. That's essential in price-sensitive, underserved markets. BI Africa: Investors often ask about scalability. How replicable is the Wave5 model across different cities in Nigeria and other emerging markets in Africa? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: Very replicable. AMPPS makes it possible. Once we secure rights-of-way in any city, the rest of our system deploys rapidly in clusters: markets, schools, parks, or transit hubs. AMPPS serves as our control tower managing user access, partner services, payments, and analytics across thousands of nodes. Whether in Lagos or Kano, AMPPS ensures consistency in user experience, service provisioning, and revenue tracking. It supports multi-tenant environments, remote updates, and plug-and-play integrations with telcos, banks, content platforms, and government portals. It's not just Wi-Fi, it's programmable infrastructure. And that's how we scale, city by city, country by country. BI Africa: Tell us about the traction you've achieved so far. What are the most important proof points you'd highlight to someone considering investing? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: We've moved well beyond pilots: 15 LAMATA bus stops and 2 major markets (Sabo and Iponri) in Lagos already connected. A Proof of Concept with 40 SMEs delivered over 2 million ad impressions in 150 days via our captive portal. AMPPS is live, powering content, payment, and ad services for thousands of users across our network. We've signed a strategic offload partnership with Globacom, Nigeria's second national carrier. These proof points validate our infrastructure, revenue model, and most importantly our platform's ability to integrate and monetize digital services at the edge. BI Africa: You recently announced a partnership with Globacom. How does this collaboration serve as validation for your model, and what door does it open for expansion? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: Globacom's partnership is a game changer. It affirms the carrier-grade quality and economic logic of our network. Through our trial, they're offloading mobile traffic onto Wave5's public Wi-Fi zones, reducing pressure on their licensed spectrum while enhancing user experience. AMPPS handles seamless user authentication, session management, and reporting, making it easy for telcos to trust and use our infrastructure. This success sets a precedent for integration with other operators and opens up state-level collaborations and nationwide scale. It's a clear signal to the market: public Wi-Fi offload is commercially viable and Wave5 is ready. BI Africa: Funding is critical for scaling infrastructure. How much are you seeking to raise currently, and how will those funds be deployed? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: We're raising $3 million as part of a $50 million rollout plan. This first tranche is focused on: Infrastructure expansion: scaling to 500+ new access points in Lagos. AMPPS development: enhancing API integrations, analytics, and fintech features. Operations & growth: local teams, regulatory approvals, and platform partnerships. AMPPS is a core investment area because it turns infrastructure into a multiservice platform. Allowing monetization not just of bandwidth, but of every interaction on the network. BI Africa: Connectivity is often seen as a social good but can be tough to monetize. How does Wave5 balance affordable access for users with strong returns for investors? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: We drive revenue through volume and value-added services, not high per-user pricing. Users pay as little as ₦100 for a daily session, or access content for free via ads or bundles. But AMPPS lets us monetize each user multiple times via ads, fintech transactions, or embedded services from partners. Investors benefit from this multi-sided platform model. We own the pipe, the captive portal, and the provisioning engine so we capture value from access, services, and data. Affordable for users. Scalable for partners. Profitable for investors. BI Africa: Beyond simply delivering Wi-Fi access, what role do you see Wave5 playing in enabling other digital services and supporting local businesses? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: Wave5 is a launchpad for Africa's digital economy. Through AMPPS, we deliver streaming, education, e-commerce, and payment solutions at the edge of the network directly to users in public spaces. Each hotspot becomes a bank branch, media hub, and digital storefront, especially for informal workers and SMEs. We empower: Traders to sell digitally. Creators to earn from video, music, or education. Fintechs to serve unbanked users with wallets, loans, and savings. In doing so, we create a virtuous loop where digital services fund the network, and the network enables more services. BI Africa: Looking ahead 3–5 years, what's your vision for Wave5 Wireless, and what would success look like to you and your investors? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: In five years, Wave5 will be Africa's largest public access infrastructure and digital services platform, serving tens of millions daily. Success means: AMPPS managing 100,000+ hotspots across Nigeria and beyond. Seamless offload partnerships with major MNOs, MVNOs, and global platforms. A thriving local economy where small businesses, creators, and institutions grow over Wave5 rails. We'll be the default digital layer for cities powering inclusion, services, and opportunity. For investors, this translates to exponential growth, platform defensibility, and long-term infrastructure value. --
Tom's Guide
20 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
You can speed up your Wi-Fi by moving your mesh router to these spots
Struggling with slow Wi-Fi, dead zones, or random drops? Before blaming your internet provider, take a look at where you've placed your mesh router. Mesh systems are designed to spread your connection across your entire home, but they only work well if each device is in the right spot. Unlike single-point routers, mesh networks rely on the positioning of multiple nodes to keep signals strong and consistent. Put them in the wrong places, and even a top-tier setup can underperform. That often means the places you work, stream, or game are the ones with the worst signal. You can improve your Wi-Fi dramatically just by rearranging your mesh devices. It's simple, effective, and completely free. Here's how. Start with your primary mesh router, which connects directly to your modem. Place this device as centrally as possible within your home's layout. Since routers broadcast Wi-Fi signals in all directions, a central location maximizes coverage and ensures the strongest possible signal reaches your satellite nodes. If your modem's location makes this challenging, consider using a long Ethernet cable to move the router away from the modem. Even if you can't achieve perfect centrality, avoid tucking the router into a corner or closet where its signal will be immediately compromised. Height matters significantly for Wi-Fi performance. Place your main router and all satellite nodes on shelves, tables, or wall mounts rather than on the floor. Avoid hiding devices inside cabinets, behind furniture, or in enclosed spaces. The more open air around your mesh devices, the better they can broadcast their signals. If aesthetics are a concern, consider mesh systems with more attractive designs, but resist the urge to camouflage them behind decorative objects that will block their signals. When positioning your mesh satellites, maintain no more than two rooms of distance between any devices in your network. This guideline helps ensure strong connections between your main router and each satellite node. In homes with particularly thick walls or multiple floors, you might need to place satellites closer together to maintain good connectivity. Keep your mesh devices away from potential sources of electronic interference. Microwaves, baby monitors, wireless speakers, and other devices operating on similar frequencies can disrupt your Wi-Fi network. In kitchens, resist placing nodess on top of refrigerators or near other large appliances. Similarly, avoid positioning devices directly next to televisions, gaming consoles, or computer equipment that might create interference. Water can also block Wi-Fi signals, so keep mesh devices away from aquariums or large houseplants. This seems counterintuitive, but placing a satellite node in a complete dead zone rarely solves the problem. If an area has no Wi-Fi signal, your satellite likely won't be able to connect reliably to your main router either. Instead, position satellites adjacent to dead zones in locations where they can maintain strong connections to your main router while extending coverage into the problematic areas. You might need to experiment with different locations to find the sweet spot that provides both good connectivity and coverage extension. Most mesh systems include companion apps with signal strength indicators and placement guides. Use these tools to verify that your satellites are receiving strong signals from your main router. Many apps display connection quality with color-coded indicators or numerical values that help you optimize placement. Some systems even include built-in speed tests that let you check performance from different locations in your home. Take advantage of these features to fine-tune your setup. Download a reliable speed testing app like Ookla Speedtest and check your internet speeds from various rooms in your home. Document the results to identify areas where performance drops significantly. Remember that your mesh system can only provide speeds as fast as your internet plan allows, but you should see relatively consistent performance throughout your coverage area. If you notice dramatic speed variations between rooms, consider adjusting your satellite placement or adding additional nodes to fill coverage gaps. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
