Month: September 2018

Bitcoin will lose 50% of its market share to Ethereum in five years. #Bitcoin #ethereum #cyrptocurrency

Bitcoin will lose 50 per cent of its cryptocurrency market share to Ethereum within five years, states an influential tech expert and business analyst.

 

The comments from Ian Mcloed, from Thomas Crown Art, the world’s leading art-tech agency that he established with renowned art dealer, Stephen Howes, comes as Ethereum, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, began a price recovery on Friday after being hit hard with a major sell-off in recent weeks.

Bitcoin – the biggest digital currency – had also been in decline, but it bounced back quicker than its nearest competitor.Indeed, Ethereum had crashed 85 per cent overall this year.

However, Ethereum is regained ground late last week, jumping almost 14 per cent after its most recent plunge, only find itself trading again 10 per cent lower once more in the past 24 hours.

What is happening? And what does the future hold for Ethereum?

Mr Mcloed observes: “Turbulence is a regular, and sometimes welcome, feature of the crypto sector.  Therefore, the Ethereum rebound was, and is, inevitable.  “But not only do we think it will rebound considerably before the end of 2018, I believe that over the longer time it will significantly dent Bitcoin’s dominance.

“In fact, I think we can expect Bitcoin to lose 50 per cent of its cryptocurrency market share to Ethereum, its nearest rival, within five years.”

Why is he so confident? “Simply, Ethereum offers more uses and solutions than Bitcoin, and it’s backed with superior blockchain technology,” says Mr Mcloed.

“This is why we use Ethereum’s blockchain in our art business.  It has allowed us to create a system to use artworks as a literal store of value; it becomes a cryptocurrency wallet.  

“It also solves authenticity and provenance issues – essential in the world of art.  All our works of art are logged on the Ethereum’s blockchain with a unique ‘smART’ contract.”

Last month, Stephen Howes explained: “Using this cutting-edge technology, the art world can eradicate one of its biggest and most expensive problems – forgery – and can protect artists, galleries, and private owners and collectors.”

Ian Mcloed concludes: “Whilst there will continue to be peaks and troughs in the wider cryptocurrency market, due to its inherent strong core values, Ethereum will steadily increase in value in the next few years and beyond.

“Unless Bitcoin does more now to tackle scalability issues, and improves the technology it runs on, we cannot see how it can catch up with Ethereum over the next five years or so, when the crypto market will be even more mainstream.

“Ethereum is already light years ahead of Bitcoin in everything but price – and this gap will become increasingly apparent as more and more investors jump into crypto. ”

Google give over €500,000 to support Camara and Foróige to double TechSpace sites in youth clubs across Ireland #Google #Camara #Foróige

Camara Education Ireland, the Irish NGO which runs the national TechSpace network, has received a €530,000 grant from Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, to deliver computer science training, equipment, and ongoing support to over 300 youth workers and 48 senior managers in 60 Foróige youth groups around the country.

Camara Education’s TechSpace program  inspires young people to get creative with technology, and to gain new skills through ‘learning by doing’.   With around 400,000 young people engaged with the youth sector every year,  the partnership between Camara and Foróige is designed to have a major impact on how technology is used in youth groups  across the country.  60 new TechSpace sites – double the existing number – will be established in Foróige youth groups, including in Ringsend and Pearse Street, adjacent to Google’s EMEA headquarters. The youth groups will also receive a total of 360 computers to support the project’s implementation.


 Google to give over €500,000 to support Camara and Foróige initiative. Camara Education Ireland, the Irish NGO which runs the national TechSpace network, has received a €530,000 grant from Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, to deliver computer science training, equipment, and ongoing support to over 300 youth workers and 48 senior managers in 60 Foróige youth groups around the country.
Pictured are Sam McMahon, aged 17, Katherine Zappone TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Sean Campbell, CEO of Foróige, Marianne Checkley, CEO of Camara Ireland, Shane Nolan, Community Outreach Lead for Google Ireland.
Picture by Shane O’Neill, SON Photographic

The funding from Google.org will enable Camara to develop and deliver training and support in 2019 to 300 youth workers and 48 senior managers to facilitate Computer Science activities through the TechSpace programme.   Youth workers will also be offered a bursary to complete a Level 8 National University of Ireland Certificate in ‘Digital Creativity in Youth Settings’ which will include a module in Computer Science education. This is a special purpose program run in partnership with Maynooth University, designed to significantly impact the adoption of technology in the youth sector.  Additionally the project will create a Computer Science in Youth Work Toolkit to be made available to youth workers nationwide, containing best practices, activity guidelines and resources.

Speaking at the launch of the programme yesterday in Foroige The Big Picture Youth Club, Tallaght, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone said, “Opportunities for creativity are hugely beneficial to young people.  It allows them to express themselves in fun and innovative ways.  Creativity in technology has the additional benefit of allowing young people to develop skills in problem solving and critical analysis.  I welcome this wonderful initiative and look forward to seeing the TechSpace programme grow across the country.”

Shane Nolan, Director of New Business Sales for EMEA and Community Outreach Lead for Google Ireland said, “We are delighted to be supporting this innovative partnership between Camara and Foróige. There’s a great buzz of excitement around Computer Science these days, with its introduction for the first time as a Leaving Certificate subject earlier this month, and potentially soon to be available at other stages in the school curriculum. More than ever, it is critical that all students have access to Computer Science education – both in and out of school. Computer science education is a pathway to innovation, to creativity and to exciting career opportunities in the 21st century, and Google believes that all students deserve these opportunities. ”


Google to give over €500,000 to support Camara and Foróige initiative. Camara Education Ireland, the Irish NGO which runs the national TechSpace network, has received a €530,000 grant from Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, to deliver computer science training, equipment, and ongoing support to over 300 youth workers and 48 senior managers in 60 Foróige youth groups around the country.
Pictured are Sean Connaughton and James Lucas, both aged 14.
Picture by Shane O’Neill, SON Photographic

Marianne Checkley, CEO of Camara Ireland, commented, “We are really proud to be part of this innovative project that expands the use of technology as a catalyst for youth development. Digital media and new technologies can be wonderful tools to ignite young people’s curiosity, creativity and confidence. Used effectively they  can enhance social awareness and contribute to an ability to engage as active citizens. They can also help to build young people’s sense of agency and enable them to develop new knowledge and skills, and provide platforms for their voices to be heard. ”

Seán Campbell, CEO of Foróige, said “This exciting initiative will make it possible for over 3,000 young people across Ireland to develop a suite of computer science skills that will set them on the pathway for success in the 21st Century. It will challenge young people to harness their innate interest in technology for the betterment of their own lives, their communities and society. In many ways, computer science has become as important as reading, writing and maths, making this partnership between Camara Ireland, Foróige and Google hugely important.”

ISP Airwire in Ireland Boosts Network Speeds With RADWIN’s JET PtMP. #Radwin #Airwire

RADWIN (http://www.radwin.com), the global wireless broadband provider, today announced that Airwire, an ISP in the west of Ireland, has deployed RADWIN’s JET Point-to-Multipoint Beamforming solutions to connect towns and rural communities across Ireland.

Martin List-Petersen, CTO, Airwire: “We serve residential and business customers such as SOHOs that heavily depend on quality broadband services. 80% of our customers reside in rural Ireland and our aim is to provide them with similar speeds as delivered to customers in urban areas. With the AIR subscriber units we deliver 50 Mbps to customers willing to pay a premium price to get faster speeds, much higher than what our legacy network delivers. This also allows us to offload customers from our legacy network and improve service to all subscribers as there is less contention on the legacy network.”

Concluded List-Petersen: “What we appreciate about JET is that it operates in challenging environments and delivers fiber-quality broadband. This includes rural areas where heavy vegetation poses obstacles to direct line-of-sight, and in towns where the noise level is high due to multiple ISPs all working in the same area. Another major plus is that RADWIN’s professional support services are simply outstanding. From our experience, just buying a product is never going to do it in this business because issues always crop up, it’s unavoidable. Proper support after purchasing the product is a crucial component, and RADWIN’s support team makes all the difference.”

Raymond Forado, RADWIN GM Europe: “Our JET solutions are the optimal choice for service providers seeking to deliver high-speed services to underserved areas. Our mission is to provide people living in rural areas with high speed broadband that is as good as what’s available in urban areas.”

How many working days will you need to buy the new iPhone? #iPhone #iPhoneXS

On 12th of September Apple Inc. introduced their latest products, including the most expensive smartphone in the company’s history—iPhone XS Max.

The Analysis Department of Picodi decided to check how many days Irish people and citizens from other countries have to work to afford the novelty from Apple. The results of our research are based on iPhone XS 64Gb prices in various countries and official statistic data about average wages in each of them.

You could suppose that the best average wage/price ratio would be in the US—the most important market of Apple. However, it turns out that the ones who would be able to afford Apple’s newest product the fastest are people in the developed countries and the UAE. For example, an average Swiss would have to work 5.1 days, the citizens of Luxembourg—less than 7 days, and Norwegians—7 and a half day. Among the countries where you have to work the least amount of days are also United Arab Emirates—money earned for 7.6 days are enough to buy the newest iPhone. In the US, on the other hand, one would have to work 8.4 days.

It’s already known that in Ireland the latest iPhone will cost 1179 EUR. Under the assumption that average gross wage in Ireland—according to data from Central Statistics Office—amounts to 744.08 euro per week, it would take 10 days for an average Irish man to earn enough to buy the new iPhone. Of course, assuming that the other living costs would be zero.

The longest time to afford the iPhone XS would have to work the Filipinos—over 156 days. It won’t be so easy also in Pakistan—with the local earnings and prices an average Pakistani would have to work over 88 days.

 

Methodology

This analysis was based on the official prices of iPhone XS 64 GB in 42 countries and publicly available data about average wages in those countries for the year 2017 or the last period accessible.

Unboxing the Nokia 8110 4G & compared to the Original. #Nokia #Nokia8110

The Nokia 8110 4G  2018 has finally arrived and we will be going in-depth with it over the coming days. We also have the original 8110 from way back in 96 dubbed the matrix phone – Two of them actually! and have them side by side in this quick unboxing today. The Nokia 8110 is now widely available sim free or via operators and we as always have the latest up to date new on availability here on site anything Nokia related.

You can also check out more images we took at the official launch event here and stay tuned here for the latest Nokia news here in Ireland or just use the search bar on the homescreen to get the latest new. Any questions on this device as always feel free to ask below or on social media. So far it is a trip down memory lane especially with having to type in information and even that was fun setting up my twitter account but this phone could be the one to take a bit of a digital detox over the next few weeks.

 

 

#Biometric payments to take centre stage in Ireland, as 1 in 4 online sales will require further security next year

With new EU regulations coming into place next September 14th, Mastercard is predicting a significant increase in the use of biometric technology to authenticate who is paying.

With regards to card payments, currently just 1-2% per cent of online transactions in Ireland require cardholder authentication, through 3D Secure, to complete a transaction (mostly likely using a password), but this is set to rise to up to 25% or 1 in 4 payments from next autumn.

The European rules aim to tackle online fraud, by increasing the number of transactions subject to two factors of authentication by the payer, known as “Strong Customer Authentication” (SCA).Authentication for online payments and account access will be based on the use of two or more different factors in the future:

  • Something you know, such as a password
  • Something you have, such as a phone, or card
  • Something you are, such as a fingerprint
Phone with fingerprint sensor and face unlock. More phones today have biometrics built in even at cheaper pricepoints which will help.. 

This will mostly impact card payments made over the internet – be it a desktop or mobile purchase. It will also apply to some contactless transactions, as a periodic check to ensure the card is being used by its rightful owner. However, in store chip and pin transactions are already compliant and use two factors.

Although the heightened security measures are designed to protect consumers and retailers from being defrauded, Mastercard is working with banks and the rest of the industry to ensure they are implemented without ‘disrupting’ the convenience of payments for consumers.

 Sonya Geelon, Country Manager, Mastercard in Ireland said: “The use of passwords to authenticate someone is significantly outdated, with people forgetting them and retailers facing abandoned shopping baskets. In payments technology this is something we’re closing in on as we move from cash to card, password to thumbprint, and beyond to innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence. It’s far easier to authenticate with a thumbprint or a selfie, and it’s safer too.”

Mastercard has been leading the advancement of biometric technology in payments for years with a focus on improving both consumer experience and security online and offline.

Identity Check is one such example. This is an authentication solution that enables individuals to use biometric identifiers, such as fingerprint, iris and facial recognition to verify their identity using a mobile device during online shopping and banking activities. This solution dramatically speeds up the digital checkout time, improves security and reduces cart abandonment rates.

With this approach, Mastercard will help banks not only to comply with requirements set out in the new PSD2 legislation, but also to go further in optimising the checkout experience of their customers.

Speck Unveils a New Line of Protective Cases For iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR

Speck has just released its line of cases for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR which includes the all-new Presidio Pro, Presidio Ultra and Presidio Stay Clear. The entire line of cases for the new iPhones is Speck’s largest ever for a device launch, and features a wide range of fresh, fall colors and new patterns. If you have not tried this companies cases you should do they are really great and you can search for multiple reviews we have carried out here on site.

Presidio Pro is the new standard in all-around device protection, incorporating an antimicrobial treatment that inhibits the growth of bacteria on the case, in addition to Speck’s trademark 3 metre protection and raised bezel screen protection. The modern feel of the scratch-resistant, soft-touch exterior keeps the case looking newer, longer. Ridges of Speck’s proprietary IMPACTIUM™ rubber on the inside perimeter compress on impact to absorb and disperse shock.

Presidio ULTRA, Speck’s 2-in-1 ultra protective case now features a Presidio Pro as the base of the case. The removable ULTRA bumper protects the ports against dust and dirt, while defending the device against drops of up to 4,6 metres. With Presidio Ultra, users can customize the level of protection when they need it most.

Presidio Stay Clear is designed to show off the beauty of the iPhone. The case has a newly developed coating that provides a superior level of protection against yellowing and discoloration, to keep your case looking clearer, longer. It not only resists discoloration from the sun’s UV rays, but also oils that are in makeup, lotions and substances that cases often come into contact with. The inner layer of each Presidio Stay Clear case is made of IMPACTIUM Clear, a proprietary shock-absorbing material that helps protect against drops of up to 2,4 metres.

The full Speck Presidio line for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR includes:

  • Presidio Pro (£19.95 – £24.95) — Protective, slim case with antimicrobial protection tested to withstand drops of up to 3 metres
  • Presidio Stay Clear (£19.95 – £24.95) — Features a new innovative coating that resists UV-yellowing and discoloration caused by lotions and other oils
  • Presidio Ultra (£34.95) — Rugged, slim case with 4,6 metre drop protection and 360 degree port coverage
  • Presidio Grip (£19.95 –  £24.95) — Speck’s iconic angled grip geometry offers a tactile hold perfect for any device
  • Presidio Sport (£24.95 – £29.95) — Anti-microbial finish and 360-degree port protection perfect for gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts
  • Presidio Clear + Print (£24.95) — Embedded designs won’t fade or scratch
  • Presidio Clear + Glitter (£24.95 –  £29.95) — Glitter crystals embedded in the case add sparkle that won’t flake off
  • Presidio Folio (£24.95 – £29.95) — Functional, stylish folio case with a secure card slot and hands-free viewing stand
  • Presidio Folio Leather (£34.95) — Bonded leather exterior for an elegant look

The complete lineup for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR   is available now at speckproducts.co.uk

Stress free commuting: How Brits manage to do so! #Jabra #Commuting #Tech

September, the time of year when the summer holidays come to an end and millions of Brits restart their daily commute back to work. The 16 per cent of individuals who find commuting a constant cause of stress, might want to gain advice from their co-commuters who try to stay relaxed during the journey. Some tips included listening to their favourite music or audio book, or using technology, like voice activation, to make calls and stay energised (43 per cent). However, since only 5 per cent are open to chatting with co-commuters, you are likely to face a lack of response if you make conversation…

These insights into the behaviour of British commuters came to light following research from Jabra. Whilst commuting to work, most people listen to music (37 per cent) but surprisingly, only 7 per cent check emails or work documents. The likelihood of this, is people still see their journey to work as personal time and not a time to be thinking about work.

Despite all best efforts to make the daily commute as comfortable as possible, there are still several annoyances commuters have to deal with. The top five frustrations consisted of delays (29 per cent), crowded public transportation (11 per cent), the costs (8 per cent), wasted time and lack of productivity (8 per cent) and the constant noise levels (7 per cent). In particular, the generation of 18–34 year olds considers the lack of productivity irritating. In comparison to other parts of the country, Londoners get more aggravated by all the noises around them (14 per cent) – which is presumably not unexpected for a buzzing metropole like the capital.

Steven Evans, Managing Director, Retail and Online, Jabra EMEA North: Jabra said: “The research shows that when people are not using their commute to sleep or simply stare out of the window, technology driven activities, like making calls, reading an audio book or listening to music and podcasts, are essential for making the journey bearable.”

“Six in ten consumers are interested in using voice activation to control their smartphones – a feature we see as a major future driver for the adoption of this kind of wireless on-the-go communication. Together with Active Noise-Cancellation (ANC), voice activation is one of the key technologies in headsets that adds value to one’s commuting time by making it both more relaxing, productive and socially enriching.” 

Features such as voice activation, ANC and superior sound quality can be found in Jabra audio devices, with the Elite series and the Talk range providing the perfect commuter accessory. For more information, please visit www.jabra.co.uk.

New Entry-Level In-Ears and World‘s First Headphones with GAIT-Analysis. #headphones #soul #tech

The American headphone specialist SOUL Electronics came all the way from sunny California to Berlin to present its latest highlights at IFA. Absolute eyecatcher were the SOUL Run Free Pro Bio – the world’s first bluetooth headphones with GAIT analysis and real-time coaching. Using the BEFLEX Biomech Engine and the free SOUL Fit Companion app the Run Free Pro Bio measure parameters such as cadence, symmetry, step lenght and -width, balance and even head tilt angle.

If desired, the voice coach can support and advise during running and when finished, the runner receives a detailed analysis in order to minimize injury risk during running and to increase efficiency. The Run Free Pro Bio in-ears are available at Amazon from the end of September at 149.99 £ RRP.

SOUL also scores in the lower price segment – i.e. with the new SOUL Emotion headphones. These True Wireless in-ears are a stylish entry-level model with excellent price-performance-ratio. The handy charging box offers 6 hours playtime and is a real eye-catcher with its fancy design in black and white. As a stylish combination of style and sound the Emotion will be available in black and white at 49,99£ (RRP) just in time for Christmas.

Another convincing entry-level product is the SOUL RUN FREE PRO X – some wireless bluetooth headphones that offer the well-balanced SOUL sound quality with powerful warm bass and clear mids and highs even for a small purse. The RUN FREE PRO X In-Ears are particularly suitable for workout sessions thanks to their 10 hour battery life, the water- and sweat-repellent nanocoating and the reflective neck cable.

The patented Ear-Lock system with changeable Ear-clips guarantees a secure hold and prevent the headphones from slipping out the ear. In combination with different sizes of ear-tips the SOUL Run Free Pro X adapts individually to the anatomical conditions of the wearer. The Run Free Pro X will be available at the end of the year at a RRP of 49,99£.

More information about SOUL Electronics is available at: https://www.soulelectronics.com/.