Island Traffic Authority Charging for Services - Road Traffic Act Backs ITA as HD CCTV Cameras, Rear-View Cameras, JDF, JCF Special License Plates Coming

“We have found that the number of requests made in several of these categories have put the Authority in a position where it will no longer be feasible to provide these services without some level of cost recovery. Services such as Garage/Estate Visits are time-consuming and costly exercises for the Authority,”

Director of the ITA, Ludlow Powell on the idea of the ITA (Island Traffic Authority) charging for its services

The Island Traffic Authority is soon to become an enshrined part of the Road Traffic Act once amendments to the same are completed by December 2014 as I’d predicted in my blog article entitled “Island Traffic Authority to be part of the Road Traffic Act - How HD CCTV Cameras and Rear-View Cameras reduce Vehicles fatalities”.

So it comes as no surprise that the Island Traffic Authority is now charging for previously free Services as reported in the article “Traffic Authority starts charging fees for services”, published Tuesday, November 25, 2014 4:52 PM, The Jamaica Observer.

They’ve been considering it for some time, having footed the bill to provide most of its services free of cost, to quote Director of the ITA, Ludlow Powell: “For a long time, the Authority has grappled with the idea of charging for many of the services it provides to the public but a decision on the matter has had to be deferred until a proper analysis of the situation could be done”.

And what are those planned charges? After consultation with the Ministry of Finance, the ITA's arrived at the following charge regime:

1.      JA$10,000 Engravement 

2.      JA$12,000 Verification of Year of Manufacture

3.      JA$15,000 Garage/Estate Visit for up to ten (10) Vehicles

4.      JA$2,500 Special Permits Processing Fee

5.      JA$20,000 Structural Verification of Integrity

6.      JA$3,000 Driving History and Substitute License

7.      JA$500 for every additional Vehicle beyond ten (10) Vehicles for a Garage/Estate Visit 

8.      JA$7,000 Chassis Verification

9.      JA$7,000 Customs Verification 

10.  JA$7,000 Insurance requests 

Road Traffic Act, Police and Soldiers - Special License plates and Regular Fitness coming

Interestingly too, as part of the amendments of the Road Traffic Act, the thorny issues of JDF (Jamaica Defense Force) and JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force) aka the Jamaican Police being legally able to drive Vehicle without License Plates issued by the Tax Administration of Jamaica is now being looked at as stated in the article “Joint Select Committee Looks Into Non Registration Of JCF Vehicles”, Published Thursday October 9, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This as currently, the JCF do not take their Vehicles in for Fitness and Registration and basically drive around scot-free among civilians on Jamaican Roads, making taking them to the RM (Resident Magistrate) Court in the event of a Traffic Accident a nearly impossible affair.

Like the JCF, they merely have a nameplate affixed to their Vehicles that identify the Division from which the Vehicle originated and their Vehicle Pool. Thus motorists aren't able to identify the Vehicle in the event of an accident and cannot claim motor Vehicle insurance.

That is, unless they had the presence of mind to have a dashboard Camera installed, had their smartphone running to capture the incident on their smartphone or had an ICWI (Insurance Company of the West Indies) Policy App to take a photo of the Vehicle in question as noted in the Geezam blog article entitled “ICWI Jamaica Launches Accident Alert BlackBerry App”.

Road Traffic Act and Driver’s License Exams - Anybody can take the Exam but ITA needs to stamp out corruption

The committee has also removed the intended amendment to the Road Traffic Act to make it mandatory that persons planning to take the exams at the ITA to obtain their Driver’s License had to have gone to a registered and licensed driving institution as stated in the article “Committee Removes Driving School Provision To Obtain Licences”, Published Thursday October 23, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This provision would have extended to Motorcycle riders, which currently cannot carry a pillion Rider if they only have a learner's, making teaching them how to ride a Motorcycle a tad difficult.

Member of the Road Traffic Act Joint Select Committee Fitz Jackson and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Audrey Sewell apparently dislike this amendment as both of them chimed in to state that going to a registered and licensed driving institution should be an option, as Jamaica and the rest of the World have always upheld the tradition of being taught how to drive by their Family or peers.

The focus should be placed on the ITA's Driving Exams to weed out those who aren't able to drive and stamp out the incidence of people paying for Driver's licenses and producing more competent driers.

Since the net effect is safer roads and a reduction of Road Fatalities, then I’m all for it, personally!

ITA and Road Traffic Act - HD CCTV Cameras, Rear-View Cameras, Radar and Sound Generators for Electric Motorcycles

I hope too they'll also include amendments in the Road Traffic Act that state that it be mandatory that Vehicles be fitted with Rear-view Cameras as stated in my blog article entitled “Island Traffic Authority to be part of the Road Traffic Act - How HD CCTV Cameras and Rear-View Cameras reduce Vehicles fatalities”

Ditto too motorcycles and bicycles be fitted with Radar or Lidar based Technology such as BackTracker to detect Rear Collisions and regulation governing Electric Motorcycles as it relates to their quietness and having them fitted with Noise Generators be put in place as opined in my blog article entitled “Electric Bicycles and Motorcycles next Big Jamaican trend by Christmas 2014 - How Backtracker and Rear View Cameras in the Road Traffic Act can help”

You can barely hear Electric Motorcycles Behind you, so there is need for Regulations in the Road Traffic Act to guard against Rear Collisions by making these necessary adjustments to the Road Traffic Act. 2015 is the year of the Sheep.

Apparently the Minister of Transport and Worlds Dr. Omar Davies is getting the shearer ready to trim down incidents of Road fatalities by giving the ITA more power through theses still-to-be-fully-worked-out amendments to the Road Traffic Act.

Jamaican Broadcasters and Disaster Risk Management Act JA$200,000 Fine for National Alert System

As if the JA$15 million dollar fine for Payola wasn't enough as explained in my blog article entitled “Broadcasting Commission's JA$15 Million Payola Fines - Show Me The Money on The Road to Damascus, the Broadcasting Commission has even more fines that it can impose on Broadcasters”.

Apparently, they can be fined JA$200,000 in a Resident Magistrate's Court, under the Disaster Risk Management Act for not immediately broadcasting certain News releases or Dispatches from the ODPEM (Office of Disaster Management and Emergency Management) as stated in the article “'Emergency' Fines For Broadcasters”, Published Sunday November 16, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This new Disaster Risk Management Act cleared the House of Representatives in October 2014 and was passed into law by the Senate with eight (8) amendments. Once the Governor-General's John Hancock goes on the Bill, it becomes Law.

This means that Broadcasters, particularly Radio and Television, will be required to immediately broadcast any News releases or Dispatches from the ODPEM (Office of Disaster Management and Emergency Management) once it's designated as “urgent” or “emergency”.

The speed of the implementation suggests that the GOJ is worried about a potential Ebola Outbreak as Travelers coming to Jamaica increase for Christmas as noted in the article “Health Ministry Prepares For Xmas Ebola Threat”, Published Sunday November 23, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner and “Ebola surveillance may cause airport delays — Ferguson”, published Sunday, November 23, 2014 2:52 PM, The Jamaica Observer.

Not to mention the fact that Jamaica hasn’t yet reached 60% infected for the Chikungunya Virus Infection to peak as predicted by Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Kevin Harvey as I'd mentioned in my blog article entitled “Minister of Health comes clean on Chikungunya Virus Epidemic - 35 Official Cases as 60 percent possibly Infected and Medicines running low”, as clearly, we’re not prepared.

Which suggests that if the Ebola Virus were to come to Jamaica, to run its course, we might see 60% of the population infected before enough Serum could be made to inoculate the rest of the Jamaica as opined in my blog article entitled “No Ebola Virus in Jamaica, claims Ministry of Health - 3,091 Dead in West Africa and how 60% of Jamaica's population can die from Ebola”.

Broadcasters and the Disaster Risk Management Act – Ebola This Christmas means National Alert System Needed

Preceding and ending the Broadcast must be a National Alert Tone if requested by ODPEM and those News releases or Dispatches from the ODPEM have to be read in their entirety. Interestingly, the News releases or Dispatches from the ODPEM are NOT going to be read by the Presenters at the Radio or Television Station.

Rather, what will happen is that during the event that an Emergency Broadcast from the ODPEM needs to be made, it will be read in its entirety from a National Emergency Operations Centre, which is basically a Broadcast Center that's controlled by the Government of Jamaica.

Basically, it'll be like an outside Broadcast type of setup; whenever an Emergency Broadcast is to be made, the Radio or Television Station is contacted and immediately the Broadcaster hands over access to their Radio and Television channels to the National Emergency Operations Centre.

Then the National Alert Tone is sounded, the News releases or Dispatches from the ODPEM are read, and then the broadcast ends with the National Alert Tone. At the end of that final National Alert Tone, the Broadcaster then retires back to regular Programming.

Refusal of the access to immediately and simultaneously broadcast News releases or Dispatches from the ODPEM on all Radio and Television Stations is what will attract a fine of JA$200,000 by a Resident Magistrate.

National Alert System needed – Increased Travel means Ebola and Chikungunya Virus coming this Christmas

There is also a need for a National Siren System i.e. like Air Raid Sirens in Public places. Jamaicans would be alerted via these sirens of imminent Natural Disasters such as hurricanes earthquakes and conceivably Tsunamis a I'd predicted in my blog article entitled “Tsunami watch needed urgently for real this time”.

All of these above mentioned systems i.e. the National Alert Tone, National Emergency Operations Centre and the National Siren System are a part of the National Alert System which is needed for Emergency Broadcast, whether the Broadcasters like it or not.

The National Alert System is needed, whether or not Ebola is coming to Jamaica this Christmas or not as predicted in my blog article entitled “Trinidad PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar's CARICOM Meeting - Preventing Caribbean Chikungunya Virus and Ebola Virus Epidemic by Christmas 2014”!

My only confusion is that the fine is less than Payola. Then again that may have to be amended before the Governor-General signs the document.

US$299.95 Solo2 Wireless coming November 2014 - US$249.95 Hello Kitty Solo2 and US$149.95 Hello Kitty UrBeats launches as Beats Audio coming to iOS 8.0

Fans of Hello Kitty who’ve been waiting to get their paws....or mittens on the Hello Kitty Solo2 Blue and the Hello Kitty UrBeats as reported in my blog article entitled “US$249.95 Hello Kitty Solo2 Blue and US$149.95 Hello Kitty UrBeats - Hello Kitty x Beats headphones Collection to debut Worldwide in November 2014”, the wait is over!

The US$249.95 Hello Kitty Solo2 Blue and US$149.95 Hello Kitty UrBeats went on sale on Wednesday November 19^th 2014 as per this post on their Facebook Page that gave a link to the Hello Kitty Solo2 Blue and the Hello Kitty UrBeats.

Post by Beats by Dre.

Interestingly, a few days prior, Beats by Dr. Dre launched the US$299.95 Solo2 Wireless headphones that stream your music via Bluetooth from your smartphone or other MP3 Player as stated in the article “Beats debuts Solo2 Wireless, $299.95 on-ear Bluetooth headphone”, published  November 12, 2014 5:16 PM PST by David Carnoy, CNET Reviews.

Like the US$249.95 Hello Kitty Solo2 Blue, the US$299.95 Solo2 Wireless headphones are an on-ear Headphone that's shipping later in November 2014. No word if it'll come with Noise Cancelling tech that'll put it on par with the over-the-ear US$299.99 Bose Quiet Comfort 25 Headphones as described in my blog article entitled “US$299.99 Bose Quiet Comfort 25 Headphones - Why the QC25 improves on the QC15 despite no Inductive Rechargeable Battery”.

US$299.95 Solo2 Wireless coming in November 2014 - Bluetooth Tech as Apple bakes Beats Audio into Apple iOS 8.0

At least it'll have Bluetooth Tech that works from 30 feet away with the capability to answer phone call and an included cable should the rechargeable batteries run out of power. This new product is very similar to their over-the ear US$379 Beats Studio Wireless headphones as described in the article “Beats Studio Wireless Headphones review: A pricey Bluetooth headphone with premium sound”, published March 26, 2014 by David Carnoy, CNET Reviews.

A move to Bluetooth is a signal that Beats by Dr. Dre, in their final product is embracing Wireless point-to-point Device streaming.

Quite fitting coincidence, as Apple has plans to make Beats Music Streaming Service a Native App baked into Apple's latest update of Apple iOS 8.0 as reported in “Apple to push Beats to all iPhones according to FT”, published 20 November 2014 Last updated at 15:45 GMT, BBC News and “Apple said to be embedding Beats music service into iOS”, published November 19, 2014 10:58 AM PST by Roger Cheng and Joan E. Solsman, CNET News.

Just in time for the Christmas holidays and Black Friday, coming up this Friday November 28^th 2014!

So whether you get the US$299.95 Solo2 Wireless headphones, US$249.95 Hello Kitty Solo2 Blue or US$149.95 Hello Kitty UrBeats, you'll probably be Streaming Music from Beats Audio this Christmas.

That is, if you hadn't already invested in a HD Audio player like the US$1,249 Cowon Plenue 1 as described in my blog article entitled “US$1,249 Cowon Plenue 1 - The Rolls Royce of HD Audio Players defines High End Music with Sony Walkman NWXZ-ZX1 as Christmas Competition”, as HD music is gonna be a big trend come 2015, the Year of the Sheep!

Here's the link to get these great Headphones:

US$249.95 Hello Kitty Solo2 Blue or US$149.95 Hello Kitty UrBeats

US$379 Beats Studio Wireless headphone

US$299.95 Solo2 Wireless headphones

 

£1 Million Pounds to give Tower Bridge Glass Walkway - Europe Catches American love for dizzying heights may spread to Saudi Arabia and Asia

Glass Walkways seem to be the thing these days.

Probably explains why one is already in  the Tower Bridge, a 120-year-old crossing over the River Thames, finally decided to have one installed as declared in the “Glass Walkway offers breathtaking views from London's Tower Bridge”, published November 11, 2014 By Barry Neild, CNN.

This Glass bottom Walkway joins the Grand Canyon and Chicago's Willis Tower in the US of A.

The Europeans, not to be outdone, had one installed in the Eiffel Tower in Paris as reported in “Eiffel Tower gets dizzying glass floor”, published Mon October 13, 2014 12:55 PM EDT By Barry Neild, CNN.

At 42 m (138") high and costing some £1 million pounds, it's a dizzying drop that's not for the faint of heart. A second is to been installed at the East end of London Bridge by Monday December 1^st 2014 and represents the first structural upgrade to London Bridge since the 80's.

It's an added attraction for the city of London and is going well for London Bridge, which on average attracts some 600,000 visitors daily.

Here's a video showing what it's like to walk on the Glass Walkway of the Tower Bridge.

Monday December 1^st 2014 is only a week away before the next Glass Walkway is installed on the London Bridge! It'll be interesting to see which structures, possibly in Saudi Arabia or East Asia i.e. Japan or China, will be next to incorporate this marvel of architectural wizardry that's not much different from a Glass Bottom Boat!

Skype for Web Beta allows Skype Calling in Google Chrome - Skype for Business replaces Lync as Skype for Web Beta finally allows Chromebooks to use Skype

Great news for Skype users who use Lync at work but love Skype anyway! Microsoft is finally killing off Lync.

However, it’s not a total homicide; Microsoft will merge the easy to use features of Skype with Lync and thus rebrand Lync as Skype for Business in the First Quarter of 2015 as stated in the article “Microsoft kills Lync name in favor of Skype for Business”, published Nov 11, 2014 6:00 AM by Mark Hachman, PC World.

Skype for Business will have your Lync features in a Skype-like interface that you’ve come to known and love. Good to note I’d predicted this back in November 2012 around the same time news had trickled out that Skype was set to replace Messenger as noted in my blog article entitled “Microsoft replacing Messenger with Skype by First Quarter of 2013AD - A Solid Pitch Perfect (2012) Tablet and Smartphone Ecosystem for the Corporate Road Warriors”.

Sky is and still remains one of Microsoft’s best acquisitions to date. Its replacement of Messenger in 2013 and now Lync in 2015 proves its worth.

Now it’s got yet another surprise up its sleeve; it’s coming to the Browser in the form of Skype for Web Beta as stated in “Microsoft starts rolling out Skype for Web beta”, published November 14, 2014 -- 15:01 GMT (07:01 PST), by Mary Jo Foley, ZDNET.

Skype replaces Lync – Skype for Web Beta rolls out allowing Google Chromebooks to use Skype

Microsoft has now adopted the ORTC API for Web RTC (Real Time Communications) Protocol, the HTML support for VoIP Communications on the Internet, allowing Skype to be used without the need to download a plugin as announced in a Blog post on their Skype blog entitled “Bringing Interoperable Real-Time Communications to the Web”, published 10/27/2014 by Garage & Updates by Senthil Velayutham, Skype Blog.

Skype for Web Beta differs slightly from the update in March 2014 to the Skype Plugin that allowed you to initiate a Skype call from within your Chrome Browser as described in my blog article entitled “Skype-ing from your Browser now possible as WhatsApp conspires to kill International Calling”.

Skype for Web Beta, with the adoption of ORTC API for Web RTC (Real Time Communications) Protocol, eliminates the need for annoying downloads of their cumbersome Plugin. Instead, it'll be baked into your favorite Browser, be it Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome of Microsoft's own Internet Explorer. You'll just go to a Web interface for Skype just like you currently do for Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft OneDrive, login and start skyping.

Chromebook users must also rejoice, as it's a final solution for them living without Skype. In fact, it might be one more reason to get a Google Chromebook, now on their way to triple their less than 1% of the PC market come 2017 as stated in my blog article entitled “Chromebooks Sales to Triple by 2017 – How Rapid Sales Heaven for PC Makers means Apple iPad and Microsoft Surface Pro 3 under attack”.

I'm pretty excited about Skype for Web Beta and I’m especially excited by the idea that you'll be able to make Group Calls for free in your Browser, a feature Skype had rolled out in April 2014 as explained in my blog article entitled ”How to make a Free Group Call in Skype – Google+ officially a Ghost Town Again as Microsoft gears up for WhatsApp free VoIP Calling in June 2014”.

Here's the link:

Skype for Web Beta  

Jamaica's Local Internet Exchange Point - Why IXP makes browsers load faster and Jamaican Domain Name Registration easier

“When you send an email now, it goes to your provider, then to Miami, then back to the provider before it reaches the recipient. That is time and cost. A switch within the same country means savings in foreign exchange and is a lot quicker”

Director for Quality Management at the OUR, Leighton Hamilton

Its official folks!

Jamaica finally has its own IXP (Internet Exchange Point), something which was long needed in Jamaica as reported in the article “OUR Touts Local IXP For Internet Traffic - Switch Installed In September”, Published Sunday November 16, 2014 by Avia Collinder, Business Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner, and which most Server Administrators understand makes a whole lot of different when it comes to Website Hosting.

The implementation of the IXP is thanks to the work of the IXP Working Group established in January 2014 that consists of the following Telecom Interests and Jamaican Government entities:

1.      eGov

2.      Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce

3.      Ministry of Science Technology Energy & Mining

4.      OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation)

5.      Telecom Provider Digicel

6.      Telecom Provider LIME

7.      Triple Play Provider FLOW

8.      University of the West Indies

The OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) is excited about it and so am I, already going out of their way to promote its usage as per the article “Content, culture and control - A Local Internet Exchange Point makes access better!”, Published Sunday November 16, 2014, by Gordon Michael Swaby, Contributor The Jamaica Gleaner. Triple Play Provider FLOW has already connected to the IXP and the other Telecom Providers will soon follow suit!

But what exactly is this IXP and why should you really care?

Jamaica's Local IXP - Lower Routing and Web Hosting costs encourages Local and International Jamaican Domain Names

The New IXP located in Papine, St Andrew, will now mean that persons interested in Local Streaming Services, Email and Social Networks can now do so more cheaply. This as the IXP is basically Jamaica finally getting its own physical Server for our Jamaican Domain “.com.jm, .org.jm, .edu.jm”, making it possible to have Local Domain name Hosting for Online Services.

For example, currently when you access Gmail, you're really accessing their Cloud Servers that host you email all the way in the US of A that routed through the Gateway Switch here in Jamaica, depending on your ISP i.e. Telecom Provider LIME or Digicel or FLOW and then routed unto the Gateway switch in Miami, Florida and then passes on over their Telecoms Networks to their Servers in Mountain View, California or elsewhere.

It also has implications for businesses and individuals applying for a “.com.jm, .org.jm, .edu.jm” Domain name.

With a Local IXP, we now have a Local Server to host our “.com.jm, .org.jm, .edu.jm” Domain name for Local Websites, making it possible for both Local and International Companies to rent space to set up their Cloud Servers and provision wholly Jamaican Services without having to pay for the additional cost of routing their Internet traffic to their Websites all the way to their Servers in the US of A.

It'll also mean that the “.com.jm, .org.jm, .edu.jm” Domain name Services, which are actually free being offered by Third Party Website Hosting Companies at added on costs as high as US$65 per year may also fall.

The current free process, which requires filling out a cumbersome text-only form which is being handled by a single person at UWI (University of the West Indies), the guardians of the “.com.jm, .org.jm, .edu.jm” Domain name may also be automated as noted in the article “How To Register .com.jm Jamaican Domain Name”, published May 24, 2011 by Paul Allen, Paul Allen. That means hours to register a “.com.jm, .org.jm, .edu.jm” Domain, not months as is currently the case.

Thus Services such as Netflix may be finally motivated to improve their Services here in Jamaica as per the criticism of Geezam writer Ramano in his Geezam blog article entitled “Is Netflix a Netjoke?”, knowing that they don't have to pay the additional costs of Routing Traffic from Jamaica to their Cloud Servers in the US of A by simply hosting their Server at the IXP Facility!

Not to mention being a lot easier and professionally done!

Jamaica's Local IXP - Faster loading times for 3G Internet users as MNP, LNP Approaches

Localizing their Websites with the unique “.com.jm, .org.jm, .edu.jm” Domain reduces not only the cost of Hosting and associated Internet connectivity costs but also the time take to fetch information from Websites, which will be especially noticeable by persons and 3G Wireless Broadband connections on smartphones and Tablets.

To quote Director for Quality Management at the OUR,  Leighton Hamilton, for Telecom Providers the IXP, which is really a Gateway Switch for Broadband Internet will “significantly reduces network latency due to improved bandwidth and shorter distances for the data to travel because domestic-bound traffic does not have to be routed via International links before being delivered”.

That last part is the benefit to Local Telecom Providers, who are being invited to run their own Fiber Optic Cables to the IXP located at the Papine, St Andrew and connect for free and possibly discontinue paying for the IXP that they and 1000 other Telecom Providers pay to access in Florida.

This doesn’t mean they'll abandon the IXP in Florida totally; they still have to use it to terminate International Voice Calls as described in my Geezam blog article entitled “How to set up an International Calling Plan for Digicel or LIME Prepaid and Postpaid”. Jamaican may be late to the IXP game, with Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, St Lucia, and Dominica having gone ahead of us, but we’re finally got a good reason to have it in place: the coming of MNP (Mobile Number Portability) and LNP (Landline Number Portability) by May 2015.

Especially as the OUR has already put out a TPPR (Technical & Price Proposal Requirements Request) document for a Number Portability Administrator in Jamaica as detailed in my blog article entitled “OUR issues TPPR for a Number Portability Administrator in Jamaica - How Number Portability will get us NANP's NPA and Third 4G Competitor”, signaling Jamaica's readiness for MNP (Mobile Number Portability) and LNP (Landline Number Portability) come May 2015.

Exciting times ahead for Website admins, as the new IXP not only means cheaper Web Hosting  as American Web Hosting companies set up Servers at the Papine Facility provided by the OUR, but also a more efficient  “.com.jm, .org.jm, .edu.jm” Domain name Services. This means Third Party Website Hosting Companies may also fall in cost as well as the expansion and possible automation of the process of getting a Jamaican Domain name, making the process that much easier.

Aura Wireless Christmas Lighting System Kickstarter - Wireless Power Transfer for Christmas Tree Lights in 2015 needs to get Kid-Friendly design

The Internet of Things is coming your way this Christmas to light up your Christmas Tree. That is, Christmas 2015 I'm afraid!

I'm of course referring to the Kickstarter Project for the Aura, billed as the World's first Wireless Christmas Lighting System as detailed in the article “Tired of tangled Christmas lights? Nab yourself a set of wireless ones instead”, published November 21, 2014 by Drew Prindle, DigitalTrends.

Aura is the brainchild of Chris Higgins & Hardeep Johar of Santa Monica, California. Their kickstarter which started on Wednesday November 19^th 2014 aims to raise some US$50,000 over the next sixty (60) days by Sunday, January 18 2015 1:36 PM EST to start full-scale production of their Aura Wireless Christmas Lighting System.

So far as of Saturday November 22^nd 2014, they have some 51 backers who've already pledged some US$$7,942 towards this project; not a bad start so far!

Looks like they're yet another one of those dreamers chasing after the idea of Remotely controlled lights, with LG Electronics being the first with their Internet-controlled Light Bulb as I’d reported in my blog article entitled “LG Electronics Internet Controlled LED Light Bulb - Li-Fi’s Standardization of Alexander Graham Bell’s First Invention powered by Powerline AV 500 and Homeplug AV”.

With fifty six (56) days left for you to get in on the chance of getting some Wireless Christmas Light by October 2015, it would seem a tad out of place. Timing was apparently not one of Chris Higgins & Hardeep Johar strong suits; it took them quite awhile to develope the Wireless charging technology to power the LED Lights.

So what makes their product so special and worth supporting anyway, even if you won't get in it time for Christmas 2014?

Aura Wireless Christmas Lighting System - Wireless Power Transfer for Christmas Tree Lights

As per the description in their Aura Website, the Aura Wireless Christmas Lighting System uses a magnetic loop to induce power into the LED Light bulbs.

This suggests that it gives off a high frequency fluctuating Magnetic field as described in my blog article entitled “KAIST developes DCRS, a long-range Wireless Charging Technology - IEC Charger Standards now obsolete as KAIST makes an Earth based Magnetar”.

One wonders if they could have just opted to use Wi-Fi wireless signals instead, being as their strong enough to power LED, instead of making a customized Magnetic Loop and Magnetic Induction System for their Wireless LED Christmas Lights. This as Wireless Power Transfer, albeit reducing the need for wires, actual is power inefficient.

The majority of the electricity radiated out in the fluctuating Magnetic field is wasted, with only the part of the magnetic field focused upwards actually inducing electrical power into the Bulbs. The Rest that radiates downwards actually goes nowhere, resulting in a level of inefficiency that may be as high as 80%.

Also I’m not comfortable with the fact that they’re made of glass with no options for Plastic albeit I love the fact that they’re controlled via a Bluetooth connection using a smartphone App.

To that end, if you ordered the Aura Wireless LED Christmas Lights, makes sure to order the Multi-coloured ones, as those will give you loads of fun customizing their lighting options.

The options for the Aura Wireless LED Christmas Lights aren't as bad as I thought:

1.      Clear Glass (White)

2.      Frosted Glass (White)

3.      Crackle Glass (White)

4.      Clear Glass (Multi-Colour)

5.      Frosted Glass (Multi-Colour)

6.      Crackle Glass (Multi-Colour)

Aura Wireless Christmas Lighting System - Wireless Power Transfer needs to get Kid-Friendly design

Great for someone who’s single; what about the man married with kids?

They're probably take them off the tree and turn the kitchen into a bowling alley, glass splinters all over the lace when they break a few of them. Not to mention the dog jumping up at the light in the trees of even the Cat who likes to chase lizards up inside and who may inadvertently knock them off the Tree, breaking them in the process.

The kids in this family in this videos is a bit too well-behaved, making me doubt that they’d actual see this wireless wonder and not wanna run off with them to see if they still work in their rooms!

Still the LED are power efficient...using what little of the 20% of the power that radiates in their direction. It’s also a great educational toy to get for the Christmas 2015 for your children. Plus I’m an optimist; by then they may have opted to use Wi-Fi or ambient Terrestrial Electromagnetic Radiation from Radio Waves to ambient lighting in the room to power the LED lights, being as they are so power-efficient and require little in the way in electrical power to be lit.

I'll wait for these improvements.....as well as the plastic unbreakable kid-friendly versions of the Aura Wireless LED Christmas Lights, an otherwise great concept for the Christmas 2015!