Month: May 2019

Irish Schoolboy’s Microplastics Project a Global Finalist at the Google Science Fair. #Google

An Irish schoolboy has made it to the global final of the annual Google Science Fair, the annual online science competition open to students between the ages of 13 and 18 from around the world.

Fionn Ferreira (18) from Ballydehob in West Cork will be flown to Google international headquarters in Mountain View, California, this July to compete in the largest science fair in the world. An alumnus of the BT Young Scientist Exhibition, Fionn is a student at Schull Community College who is about to sit his Leaving cert in June.

His project titled “An investigation into the removal of microplastics from water using ferrofluids” posits a novel way to filter microplastics from water by using magnets. It is one of 20 global finalists chosen from a shortlist of 100 regional entries competing for the top prize of a $50,000 bursary, with category winners each receiving $15,000 grants and exclusive STEM-related experiences.

The Google Science Fair has been running annually since 2011 and is held in partnership with Virgin Galactic, LEGO Education, National Geographic, and Scientific American.

In addition to becoming a finalist in one of the most prestigious STEM competitions for students, the 18 year old polymath is also about to undergo his Leaving Cert this June. Not content with an already busy schedule, Fionn also works as a curator at the Schull Planetarium, has won 12 science fair awards, speaks three languages fluently, plays the trumpet at orchestra level, and has even had a minor planet named after him by the MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

Speaking about the announcement, Fionn Ferreira said, “It’s an incredible honour to reach the global final of the Google Science Fair. My project came about as I was constantly hearing about plastic pollution on the news, and as I live by the sea in West Cork I was also seeing the real effects on our beaches every day. I discovered to my dismay that at present no screening or filtering for microplastics takes place in any European wastewater treatment centres, so I started looking around for a solution.

“Seeing that there was none I decided to investigate further, eventually finding a way to use ferrofluid, a magnetic liquid which sticks to the plastic allowing it to be removed using magnets. I was inspired by an article I read about how non-toxic iron oxide powder can be used to clean up oil spills by making a ferrofluid from the spilled oil. So to adapt this for microplastics I used a mixture of magnetite (iron oxide) and waste vegetable oil, and the resulting ferrofluid sticks to and attracts plastic particles. After over 1,000 tests I have proved that my method would remove 87% or higher of microplastics in sample tests.

“I can’t wait to get to Google HQ in California to talk about my project, and I look forward to applying my findings and contributing towards a solution in tacking microplastics in our oceans worldwide.”

Read more about “An investigation into the removal of microplastics from water using ferrofluids” here.

Read more about Fionn via his personal website here. Read more about the Google Science Fair here.

Review – The Jabra Elite 85h and Jabra Sound+ App. #Jabra #JabraElite85h #Headphones

I am a long time user and fan of Jabra products and when they announced the 85h I was eagerly waiting to see what was on offer here to see if there is any competition to the Bose QC 35s and Sony WH1000MX3s which are the rave these days and having tried them both Jabra are giving them a good run for their money and something else for the consumer to think about when they are looking for their next set of noise cancelling headphones.

First up if you missed it check out the unboxing experience below and the great presentation on offer from Jabra.

Before I go any further YOU NEED TO USE THE SOUND PLUS APP. This app is excellent and I have been using it some time now and this underpins the excellence with your Jabra experience as a whole and I have said it many times all manufacturers need their own EQ app at least to enhance the experience and you can see more on the app in the review below.

The colour I have may not be the best for some as it easily gets dirty but the materials used makes them easy to clean which has water resistance then again you have a protective case to keep them out of harms way when not in use which as always is a bonus and something all manufacturers need to consider as part of the package.

Build quality is great and I do expect a few years of life out of these once they are treated right ,Ok they are plastic but so are most headphones at this price point and this also keeps the weight down. Comfort is great and can be worn for hours I would wear mine easily two hours a day and no issues here with discomfort or sweat I actually use my cans for watching You Tube and listening to music for long periods in the evening or during the day when wandering around the house and put them to the test and this goes for and earbuds or headphones I use its not your typical 30/60 mins try em out situation and give a score.

The cups are really soft and sink onto your ears and block put much of the outside world without ANC turned on and the soft underside of the headband adds to the comfort levels and after a while you would almost forget they are on your head this is a win win.  I also like the slider mechanism to lengthen the arms this is cool and does not have that clicky sound you get on many headphones.

The fabric material is nice and complements the leather and looks well and almost has a two tone effect.

The cups as I said cover the ears nicely and the headphones do not clamp on your head and the controls are easy to use and kept simple compared to what you find on earbuds these days. On the left side is the ANC button if you will which turns ANC on/off gives you the hear through option this can also be done in the soundplus app..

On the right we have a bit more action with the Assistant button be it siri or Google this works every time and we also have our USB-C charge port,3.5 mm jack and an indicator LED for status, On the outside of the cup we have controls for volume,call answer/reject play/pause and these also have on ear detection which is great and a feature again needs to be seen more often. Another great feature is how they power on/off which is a simple twist of the cups.. You can also skip tracks and restart but no skip back to previous track.

You now also get plenty of voice commands here with a better sounding voice than older models this I like as it’s not robotic and kind of easy on the ears.. YKWIM..

Battery life is on par with what Jabra claim (36 hours) which is pretty good and call quality is again excellent which is always a feature of Jabra products I have used these extensively over the last while and more so than other headphones putting in some 60 hours before I came to my conclusion and call shine on this a I did take quite a few and another thing to note there is no lag latency( for those that do not know, the lips do not fall behind the visual) on calls or consuming media such as you tube or netflix

The sound, I guess this is the vital bit. Lets just say this…. Its top notch and plenty aloud and as I said with the soundplus app you can make it your own, When listening to all genres,highs,lows and mids they excel and with the bass and treble you are in for a treat end of story Bose and Sony have met their match here with the audio experience and then with SmartSound which uses AI to get your surroundings this is also a great feature and has worked all the time for me and you also get the voice command to let you know you have changed environment.

All in all the Jabra 85h are a win coming in at a good price and cheaper than its main competitors. I am huge headphone and earphone fan but don’t claim to be an audiophile expert but I can honestly say from testing countless pairs of both now over the years and owning a huge collection these will not disappoint you if you can shell out the price, You have to pay to play as they say and these will play music to your ears in one the best audio experiences out there. With the ANC turned on they shine..

Key features of the Jabra Elite 85h

  • SmartSound: Audio that automatically adapts to your surroundings
  • One-click access: Voice Assistant access at the push of a button
  • Four colour variations: Black, Titanium Black, Gold Beige and Navy
  • Battery: Up to 36-hour battery with ANC activated and 41 hours without ANC
  • Microphones: 8 microphones in total. 6 dedicated for calls, 4 for ANC and 2 hybrid mics for both calls and ANC.
  • Speakers: 40 mm custom-engineered speakers
  • Durability: Unique IP52 dust and rain resistance, backed by a 2-year warranty against water and dust

VIDEO AND APP REVIEW

Amazon Introduces Echo Show 5.Compact Design, Rich Sound,Built-In Camera Shutter for €89.99 #EchoShow5

Today, Amazon announced the newest addition to the Echo family—Echo Show 5. With its compact design, 5.5-inch display, rich sound, HD camera, and built-in camera shutter, Echo Show 5 lets Alexa show you things in every room of your home—all for only €89.99.

 “Since we launched the first Echo Show device, customers have told us that they love asking Alexa to show them things—whether it’s asking for their favourite recipes to cook along with or adding items to their shopping lists. With Echo Show 5, we’ve made it even easier and affordable for customers to add a smart display to every room of their house,” said Jorrit Van der Meulen, VP Amazon Devices EU. “The compact form factor is perfect for a bedside table or desk, plus it has a camera shutter for added peace of mind, and new Alexa privacy features that are coming soon for even more control.”  
 

Compact Design for Rich Entertainment

With rich and full sound, Echo Show 5 is great for watching music videos from Vevo or for listening to your favourite songs from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, TuneIn and more. Simply say, “Alexa, play my dinner playlist” to play music for your dinner party.

 

Echo Show 5 makes it easy to catch up on your favourite shows from Prime Video, or short news clips from Reuters, BBC News, RTÉ and more. Coming soon, a new integration with wikiHow allows you to access hundreds of how-to videos by voice—all you have to do is ask to learn how to meditate, how to cut up a mango or how to open a tight jar.

 

New Ways to Control Your Smart Home

A new smart home dashboard on all Echo Show devices gives you even more control over compatible smart home devices and groups. You can also view your smart home camera feed and thermostats, access recently used devices, and manage smart devices by group.  

 

With the Arlo baby camera, just say, “Alexa, show me the nursery camera,” to check on your baby when your hands are full. Echo Show 5 also has two-way talk functionality with Ring doorbell cameras. Simply say, “Alexa, answer the front door,” when the doorbell rings or the camera detects motion and you’ll be able to see and talk to whoever is at the front door. 

 

Wake Up and Wind Down with Alexa

Now, there are even more ways to customise your morning and evening routines with Alexa. Set a nighttime routine that turns off your bedroom lamp and starts playing sleep sounds for relaxation. When your alarm goes off in the morning, wake up to an Alexa Sunrise—the screen on Echo Show devices will naturally brighten and display a sunrise animation before your alarm goes off. You can also create a routine that starts your coffee machine 10 minutes after your alarm goes off, or one that gives you weather forecast and morning news when you say “Alexa, start my day.” 

 

Personalise Your Experience

Choose from all-new clock faces or add a personal photo from your latest vacation to make the home screen unique to you and your family. Plus, the new ambient lighting mode auto-adjusts the brightness of the screen based on the brightness of the room—so it’s never too bright or too dark. To get even more from your Alexa experience, swipe left from the far right side of the screen to access shortcuts and discover all that Alexa can do—from smart home controls to recipes, reminders, skills and more.    

 

 

Connect with Family and Friends 

Stay in touch with your closest friends and family with hands-free video calls to those who have an Echo Spot or Echo Show device, the Alexa App, or Skype. Plus, with Echo Show 5 in multiple rooms of your home, you can easily drop in on another room or make an announcement that dinner is ready. 

 

Skills for the Screen 

There are already thousands of visual skills from third party developers available on Echo Show devices. Play your favourite TV game shows like Pointless or Deal or No Deal, discover what to watch on TV with the TV Guide skill or get help studying for your driving test with the Driving Theory Test skill. To learn more about skills, you can say “Alexa, show me skills”. 

 

Privacy by Design

Echo devices are built with multiple layers of privacy protections. As with all Echo Show devices, the new Echo Show 5 includes a microphone/camera off button that electronically disconnects both the microphone and camera, and a clear visual indicator that shows when audio or video is streaming to the cloud. Plus, Echo Show 5 has a built-in camera shutter so now you can easily cover the camera, while still being able to talk to Alexa.

 

Amazon is also introducing new, even easier ways to delete your voice recordings on all Alexa-enabled devices—all you have to do is ask. Coming soon, customers will be able to say “Alexa, delete what I just said” or “Alexa, delete everything I said today” and the respective recordings will be deleted. Plus, a new Alexa Privacy Hub will offer a single source of information on how Echo devices are designed as well as the controls you have over your Alexa experience. 

 

Pricing and Availability

Echo Show 5 is available in Charcoal and Sandstone for €89.99. You can also choose to purchase a magnetic stand that lets you tilt the device to adjust the viewing and camera angles for only €19.99. Both are available for pre-order today at www.amazon.co.uk/echoshow5 and will start shipping in the U.S., United Kingdom & Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia next month, and to India in July. Coming soon, it will also be available in Mexico

Take Your Instagram to the Next Level With These Expert Photography Tips. #SocialMedia #Instagram

Since its launch in 2010, the rise of Instagram has been meteoric. Over 60% of adults online have an account, sharing over 100 million photos per day. But despite the competition, Instagram is still a great place to be noticed.

Three professional photographers who owe some of their success to their Instagram accounts recently got together to share their secrets with O2 Sessions. Quitting their day jobs to follow a shared passion for photography, Bal Bhatla, Vicky Grout and Neil Andrews have learned how to stand out from the crowd.

Getting their hands on some of the best smartphone cameras around in a series of tutorials, they are spreading the message that everybody has the power to take great photos with just a smartphone.

How to take better pictures and stand out on Instagram

 

  • Find the right light

 

Bal Bhatla went from the advertising industry to a low light photography master. He says: “Start with a light source. It could be a streetlamp, a lit shop front, or even the reflection in a puddle. That should give you an interesting image.”

Tech tip: If you’ve taking pictures in low light, set the shutter speed to 1 second and keep ISO low to avoid a grainy picture. When you have a good light source, increase shutter speed.

 

  • Focus on the background

 

It might be tempting to put all your attention onto your subject, but don’t forget about the background. Music lover turned portrait guru Vicky Grout knows this all too well: “If the background isn’t done right, you can ruin the image. You don’t want a background that’s too cluttered or noisy.”

Tech tip: For a focused subject and blurred background, you’ll need to have a small depth of field. You can achieve this by widening your lens. Go for a f-stop number like 1.8 or 2.8.

 

  • Find a new angle

 

Neil Andrews found a fresh perspective when he ditched his job selling greetings cards and started living life through a lens. He learned to stand out from the crowd by capturing familiar London landmarks from new angles. He says that experimentation is key: “Stand in the centre, stand to the side, get symmetry, get asymmetry. Try all kinds of angles. The beauty of today’s devices is that they can store loads of images that can easily be deleted, so take lots of shots until you catch something special.”

Tech tip: For the lowest angle shot possible with a mobile phone, turn your phone upside down so that the camera is close to the floor.

 

  • Be community minded

 

The number of people posting may seem overwhelming, but Instagram is really a platform made up of many small communities. By being an active user, you’ll get more engagement, more followers and more exposure. Engaging with likeminded photographer will also help you develop your skills. Joining in 2011, Neil Andrews quickly joined a London photography group: “It was great to go and talk to them, be inspired by them, see what they did, find out what apps they used, what was their style of photography and meet people with the same passion as me.”

Tech tip: Hashtags are how most people search Instagram. Make yours specific to each picture so that people can find your work.

 

  • Go manual

 

While most modern smartphones have the kind of AI that can take great picture just on automatic, they also let you tinker with the settings on Pro Mode. By playing with ISO, shutter speed or aperture, you can find ways to make your pictures truly your own. Having your own distinct look and feel is essential for standing out from the crowd.

Tech tip: Most flagship phones will have custom settings slots where you can save your perfect set ups.

Start off with these tips and you’ll soon make a name for yourself on Instagram. For more in-depth tutorials from Bal, Vicky and Neil check out their O2 sessions video tutorials.

RICOH – 57% of Irish office workers eye up four-day work week. #4DayWeek #Office #RICOH

Over half (57%) of Irish office workers believe that a four-day working week is likely in the near-future as technology makes work practices more efficient, according to a new survey by Ricoh. The study also found that 43% of Irish workers expect all or part of their roles to be automated within the next five years as a result of technological advancements. I for one would certainly be up for a 4 day week but how about you???

The research, commissioned by Ricoh Europe and conducted by Coleman Parkes, involved 4,580 office workers from across 24 countries, including 150 from Ireland.

The survey also revealed that salary (54%), flexible working hours (39%), learning opportunities (38%) and a work-life balance (37%) are the top priorities for workers when looking for a job.

In terms of flexible working, more than a third (38%) of those surveyed cited it as an approach that would increase productivity in the workplace. Moreover, 35% revealed that the opportunity to work remotely more often would also boost output, with 31% identifying better tools to facilitate seamless remote working as an impactful strategy.

The findings showed that Irish employers are lagging behind their UK counterparts in facilitating flexible working options for employees. Only 41% of Irish workers feel that their employer frequently adapts its working practices to their needs, in comparison to 54% of their UK counterparts.

This sentiment is felt across all generations of the workforce in Ireland with less than half of workers agreeing that their employers are doing enough to keep up with evolving employee needs. The most recent generation to enter the workforce (Generation Z) is least impressed, with only 36% agreeing that their employers frequently adapt to meet their requirements.

Chas Moloney, director, Ricoh Ireland and UK

Chas Moloney, director, Ricoh Ireland & UK, said: “There is no doubt that the concept of the traditional workplace has changed significantly in recent years. Interest in and appetite for a four-day work week is growing – people want to work less hours but be more effective and productive with the time they spend working.

“Therefore, it’s very disappointing that Irish business leaders are not recognising this trend and adopting more flexible ways of working to motivate, encourage and retain staff. After all, a happier workforce often equates to increased employee productivity, business performance and company growth.

“Understandably, it is more complex nowadays for employers as they have to meet the expectations of four different generations in the workplace. However, it is crucial that they do so and it’s clear from our research that every generation wants to work smarter.

“If Irish business leaders are to succeed and make the concept of the four-day work week a reality, they need to enable individual workstyles with the right technologies and agile approaches. Otherwise, they could find themselves struggling to attract, keep and empower people.”

Review – The Urbanista Stockholm True Wireless Earphones. #Earphones #Urbanista #TrueWireless

As many know I have been testing Urbanista some time now and they always deliver, The best however to date was the Tokyo True wireless and this is the scene now with earphones and once I was not too fond of such earphones but now love them.

Many folk consider the pencil design silly looking and I agree to a point which depends on how they look and the shape and these are quite nice and most importantly comfortable to wear and will not fall out like Apples overrated overpriced Airpods. Best again these come in much cheaper offering great sound.

The Urbanista True Wireless did not disappoint either when it comes to sound quality and features which for me is great and they are plenty aloud too. A well balanced music profile across the board would best describe and they even have a decent punch of bass which many folk like however you will never get the same as a pair of over ears or enjoy the same experience but overall these deliver on highs,lows and mids and no distortion on max volume.

Build quality is great and I love the case they come in which is where you get extra battery life when on the go should you need it. Pairing up is simple,once removed from their case they are in pairing mode and you just select them from your phones bluetooth menu and you also get voice commands to let you know the status.

Calls work on both sides and calls are crystal clear which is welcome as some only offer one side to use, You can use them independently but only the right side.ie you can take the left one out and place it in the box and the right side will stay alive but funnily enough not the left side so if you take the right side out it will disconnect the left. This is only info for those who chose to use them in such a manner ie a bluetooth headset.. The touch controls also work well despite being small and as for your voice assistant if you use it thats present and works fine too. There is no lag latency either here which is great when watching You Tube or Netflix for example.

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGES

Also note there is dual mics on the right side which cancels outside noise they are not ANC earbuds but they do block out a good bit of the outside world and sound great when in use. Would I recommend them?? An easy yes from me compared to others out there at their price point which is just €89 and free shipping and come in nice colours. My only gripes…. Micro USB…No EQ App.

Total Playtime: 14 hours
3.5 hours per charge
Slim charging case with 3 charges
Dual microphones on the right earbud
which cancels the surrounding noise
Stereo phone calls
Bluetooth 5.0
Touch control
Volume and music controls
Voice control (Siri, Google Now)
Compatible with Android and iOS

BUY HERE 

Review – The Sudio TOLV True wireless earbuds & 15% discount. #sudio #sudiosweden #truewireless

This is the second pair of true wireless from Sudio Sweden and have they improved of the Sudio Niva from last year??

Looking almost the same as before they have and for the better. With a super presentation as always the TOLV come in a smaller package inside and out but well presented and delivering on performance.

The new TOLV come in a variety of colours to start with which gives the customer choice and not left stuck with the typical Black and White versions we tend to see at launch but we went with White this time as I thought they looked nice and fit the bill for me this time around as I have several colours now and wanted to change the scene.

The TOLV come in a really nice shaped case which gives you the ability to charge your device and gives you up to 35 hours of playback which is average, The case is a real nice touch with its rubber texture and shape and it fits nicely in the hand or pocket and by no means bulky its literally a similar size to an egg but flattened on two sides and to top it off it comes with a nice leather strap.

Inside we get all the extras we expect but I would like to see sudio partner up with Comply foam as their tips are now widely used and a better fit for all, There is nothing wrong with the earbuds you get extra sizes but having comply foam on board would sweeten the deal for me.

Pairing is a simple process,once out they are in pairing mode you just find Sudio Tolv on your device and you are good to go. On two occasions I lost connection the left ear which was odd but this can happen anytime to any earbud,dropouts are not uncommon.

The controls are easy to use and to navigate blindly after a few minutes use you will have no issues to control the earbuds as both sides have functions. You also get your virtual assistant here too and this works all time with no issues.

When it comes to sound is where it matters for most but another thing I would like Sudio to do is build their own EQ app and these earbuds do not have apt-x but overall the sound is good and better than their first set of earbuds with bass in particular and mids.lows and highs came through crisp and clear and overall a great balance in sound but an app with an EQ option would really make them shine even more, You can use a third party app or if your device has an EQ on it but like I say for many their own app would seal the deal even more with support like that.Phone calls are also great and you get sound in both sides,not just one which is a great advantage. Also no lag latency seen here with my usual tests.

Specs

– Features a graphene driver for enhanced sound clarity
– Automatic pairing between earbuds and device
– Features a microphone on both earbuds
– Features a single, multipurpose button on each earbud to control music/phone calls
– Weighs 4.5 grams per earbud

GET AT 15% DISCOUNT USING THE CODE ( techbuzzirelandsudio)

BUY HERE

VIDEO REVIEW

 

 

 

Review – The Google Pixel 3a. The disruptor. #TeamPixel #Pixel3a #Tech #Google

The Google Pixel 3a is what i will call the disruptor device with what’s on offer for its pricepoint which is mainly the camera, The camera is what people tend to look out for but its not all about the camera either as a whole, Given its chomped down some internals its a phone worth its money with a smashing camera and one to let others take note and gives it the best contender spot in the mid-range section.

OK.. I have a gripe with the build quality that’s because I am more suited to better built phones but you can let go of some of that with a case as most people will buy and not only that you will add some weight to the phone as it is very light but get the right case you are sorted and you are protected as the polycarbonate shell will only take so much.

Most of us folk today seek a great camera and google uses computational photography and it is simply the best. OK we have a race now to has the most cameras on board when we just want to point and shoot and get a result the 3a does this and its night sight again is unbeatable. So for all the people saying it has only ONE camera lens…. Give it a rest.

You can argue the competition has more cameras but look at the price the time has come for 1000 euro plus phones to die there is simply no need for it anymore. The P30 pro for example and the Nokia 9 pureview are two examples here which annoys me greatly. We want to take a photo and share it,not sit around with settings and fiddling afterwards with post processing look at the price difference between those two devices and see what gives the better results, Ok the P30 pro is a good phone and not a one trick pony but the price you pay is ridiculous and the same applies to iPhones which for me and always will be an overpriced locked down device lacking customisation.

Battery life for the 3a is pretty good however with me being a power user and I mean a power user not like some claim they are I live on my phone night and day for work and personal use and sometimes use two phones to keep work and personal use seperate so for the testing period I threw it all at the Pixel3a and I might get to 5pm in the evening from 8am in the morning and then I need to charge up again, On weekends easily two days as I stay away from most things I do during the week for downtime and family time so for the average user two days is possible here.

Multitasking is no problem on this device,, Again being a poweruser with some 30 apps on board,my wordpress etc it jogged on no problem for my personal use and media consumption is pleasant given its a smaller screen, The 3a actually is the perfect sized device given I have come custom to using bigger devices I have trimmed down and like it mainly for one handed use I am quite happy to use smaller phones so this and my blackberry key 2 which has the smallest screen I have used are enough even for watching youtube or Netflix.

OK it is better on bigger phones I cant argue there but its a trade off I can accept especially when carrying such in your pocket but I will get the Pixel 3a XL and see due to its polycarbonate build it will be lighter and at times I thought I had left my phone at home the Pixel 3a is that light, that can be a bad or good thing with some. On a side note one thing I noticed I was able to get a better signal with the Pixel 3a than other phones I own and this is a good thing for those on the go who rely on their smartphone for work or business.

The 3a looks boring I will just get that up front it has bezels which many manufacturers are shying away from but you don’t judge a book by its cover what it offers underneath the hood for its price point is what matters if you can live with bezels and a boring design it follows on from its older siblings but delivers pretty much else on everything else and its got great speakers which is something I am a fan of but they could have been front firing.

The OS is pure and I have been using the 3a on Android 10 beta 3 and it has been fine, You can customise your device to your hearts content with a pretty easy to follow menu system and no skin on top nor operator rubbish which thankfully seems to be a thing of the past aside their own apps if you buy it from a provider.

1 / 12

Another gripe some might find is the storage element with just 64GB on board and no option to expand but you do get cloud storage but for those shooting in 4K is where they might run into trouble later down the road it might leave you limited but not a huge deal for most I think.

Overall I have grown to like the Pixel 3a despite the few shortcomings and where Google has traded off here they have disrupted the norm in that department where corners are cut to get the price down and it certainly opens the door to cheaper better phones which is a trend these days but when it comes to the camera nothing under 500 lids comes near it yet, The performance is also good overall and if you are in the market for a new smartphone not laced with junk and want a good point and shoot camera this is one you need to check out..

BUY ON GOOGLE STORE

BUY ON VODAFONE

BUY ON ARGOS 

 

 

Paradyn launches high-speed connectivity service set to deliver €1.5M revenue boost. #IT #Paradyn

Paradyn noted an increased demand for improved network connectivity amongst its customers, as businesses utilise a growing number of cloud-based applications. Traditional networks are unable to maintain the strong speeds and optimised connectivity required to facilitate the growth of cloud computing. Scaling legacy network solutions to overcome this challenge is time-consuming and costly. Paradyn designed its SD-WAN service as a cost-effective alternative which can deliver a high-speed, secure, and reliable connection across multiple locations.

Paradyn’s new service can cut businesses’ wide-area network costs by up to half in comparison to traditional configurations. Automated network changes reduce the number of people required for installation, management and support, with specialist hardware no longer needed, and a range of efficiencies stemming from improved performance all contributing to lower network costs.

Several of Paradyn’s customers are already piloting the technology and there is particular interest amongst companies who prioritise data security. Paradyn has built in security across every aspect of the service, including a range of managed security features. Connections to a company’s network made remotely and across different office locations can all be managed and secured centrally. This also enables users to easily define, implement and manage network policies that make the most sense for each location, with the deployment of policy changes reduced from a matter of months to days.

Cillian McCarthy, CEO, Paradyn, said: “At Paradyn, we receive consistent feedback from customers that connectivity speeds and consequent sub-optimal application performance are some of the greatest barriers to their digital transformation projects. SD-WAN can overcome these challenges seamlessly and we’re thrilled to bring to the market a managed network solution that will greatly enhance our customers digital experience.

Cillian McCarthy, CEO, Paradyn

“Now is the perfect time for businesses who need to connect multiple locations to consider how to do so in the most efficient and cost-effective way. While there are many significant benefits to SD-WAN, there are also many elements at play and many decisions to be made which can make adoption seem complex. That’s where a managed service provider like Paradyn comes in. We can manage every aspect according to the customer’s needs, with all the work taking place in the background so end-users can simply enjoy a seamless experience with all applications and services working exactly as intended.”