Month: November 2019

New Google built AI-powered singing challenge – FreddieMeter – rates how closely fans can mimic Freddie Mercury’s voice #FreddieChallenge

Fancy a challenge to see how good you can sing? Well this is something you can try out yourself or at home with your friends or family over the next few days and all you need is your smartphone or laptop to give it a go.

New Google built AI-powered singing challenge – FreddieMeter – rates how closely fans can mimic Freddie Mercury’s voice

Take on the #FreddieChallenge now in support of the Mercury Phoenix Trust

freddiemeter.withyoutube.com

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is considered one of the greatest rock songs of all time, so it’s no wonder the music video recently hit 1 billion views on YouTube. For decades, fans have belted out the song’s iconic lyrics alongside Freddie Mercury’s one-of-a-kind vocals, but how many can really sing it just like Freddie? YouTube, Google Creative Lab, and Google Research, working in partnership with Queen, Universal Music Group and Hollywood Records, have built a new AI experiment called FreddieMeter to find out!

Released in support of Mercury Phoenix Trust, a charity founded by Brian May, Roger Taylor and Jim Beach to raise awareness and funds for the fight against HIV/AIDS, and in honor of the 44th anniversary of the band’s first-ever live performance of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” at the Empire Theater, Liverpool, U.K in November 1975; FreddieMeter was created to let fans around the world determine how closely their singing matches the voice of Queen’s legendary frontman, Freddie Mercury.

 

FreddieMeter shows users how closely their voice matches Freddie Mercury’s legendary range by analyzing the singer’s pitch, timbre, and melody to assign them a score of 0 to 100. Queen fans, killer impressionists, and anyone who enjoys a little karaoke and are ready to step up to the challenge can get started by doing the following:

 

  1. SING: Pick one of four QUEEN songs on the microsite (Bohemian Rhapsody, Don’t Stop Me Now, Somebody to Love or We Are the Champions) and sing your heart out!
  1. SHARE: Get your score and share! Download the custom scorecard asset directly to your device, then share it on YouTube Stories, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
  1. CHALLENGE: Using the hashtag #FreddieChallenge on social channels, challenge three friends to see how they measure up.
  2. DONATE: Encourage a charitable donation to Mercury Phoenix Trust in your post → http://www.mercuryphoenixtrust.com/donate

 

Google Creative Lab and Google Research created FreddieMeter using new on-device machine learning models, and it’s been trained on Freddie’s isolated vocals as well as samples of people trying to sing like Freddie. FreddieMeter is trained on and optimized for individual singers and works on desktop, Android and iPhone devices and the audio doesn’t get uploaded to any servers to be analyzed, so all vocals stay totally private unless shared by the user.

FreddieMeter continues YouTube’s celebration of Queen’s music and “Bohemian Rhapsody’s” 1 billion views milestone, which coincided with the release of a newly remastered HD version of the video. The achievement made history with the anthem being the first pre-1990s video to reach one billion views on the platform.

In partnership with Universal Music Group and Hollywood Records, YouTube also recently launched ‘You Are The Champions,’ a unique campaign that gave fans an exclusive chance to become a part of Queen history with a starring role in brand-new, user-generated videos for three of the band’s most celebrated tracks – “A Kind of Magic,” “Don’t Stop Me Now” and the iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The results were pulled from more than 10,000 submissions from more than 120 countries around the world, showing the depth and love for Queen and Freddie amongst their loyal global fanbase.

To take on the #FreddieChallenge now or find out more about FreddieMeter, visit freddiemeter.withyoutube.com

FUJIFILM to open two Wonder Photo Shops in Galway and Clare. #FUJIFILM #Photography

Everyone has special photographs they want to treasure forever, and now this is possible with the opening of two new worlds of wonder in Galway on Saturday, 30th November, and Ennis on Saturday, 7th December. Local Ennis Man, Niall Considine, in partnership with FUJIFILM, has announced the opening of two regional Wonder Photo Shops in Ireland just in time for Christmas. With so many services available, the Wonder Photo Shops in Galway and Ennis will offer everything from photo printing, personalised gifts and wall decorations, to a selection of frames and stationary. The Wonder Photo Shops will also carry the ever popular INSTAX cameras, which are on everyone’s gift list this Christmas.

 

“This is a very exciting time for photography fans in Ireland, as Wonder Photo Shop by FUJIFILM offers a wide range of products and services, making the concept of photo creation entertaining in a fun atmosphere”, said Kyran O’Kelly, general manager of FUJIFILM Ireland. He added, “On visiting, you are encouraged to explore the latest photo printing trends, gifting ideas, wall art concepts, cameras and film, and express your creativity by transforming treasured photo prints into beautiful creations”.

Niall Considine described the journey awaiting shoppers at the new Wonder Photo Shops, saying: “There are different areas designated for individual experiences, which are specifically designed to assist you on your creative journey. Have fun with photos by creating customised albums and prints, wall decorations and lots more. You can create an entire photo book by just using your mobile phone! There is also a photo gift area, where you can create one-of-a kind personalised gifts for family and friends this Christmas”.

FUJIFILM’s new Wonder Photo Shops will open in Galway’s Corbett Court Mall on Saturday 30th November, (open Monday-Thursday and Saturday from 9.15am to 6pm, Fridays from 9.15am to 8pm and Sundays from 1pm to 5.30pm), and in The Town Square in Ennis on Saturday 7th December (open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 6pm).

For further information on FUJIFILM and its new Wonder Photo Shops, please visit fujigalway.ie / fujiennis.ie. @FujiEnnis @FujiGalway

Speak easy while travelling with Google Maps New Feature & the essential Maps features you need to know about. #GoogleMaps #Travel

Is there a day that goes by whether you’re walking, cycling, using public transport or driving that you don’t open Google Maps at least once? It’s the app that’s made travelling and getting around easier and this month a new feature will make travelling even easier.

When you’re in a foreign country where you don’t speak or read the language, getting around can still be difficult, especially when you need to speak with someone. Think about that anxiety-inducing time you tried to talk to a taxi driver, or that moment you tried to casually ask a passerby for directions.

To help, Google is bringing Google Maps and Google Translate closer together with a new translator feature that enables your phone to speak out a place’s name and address in the local lingo.  Simply tap the new speaker button next to the place name or address, and Google Maps will say it out loud, making your next trip that much simpler.

As well as speaking the local lingo  on your travels get to know the other Google Maps features that will help take the hassle out of your daily commute as well as your travels.

Go Handsfree Keep your focus on the road by using voice commands on Google Maps. Just say “OK Google, find petrol stations” or “ Show alternate routes” to get the information you need, hands free.

Wait time estimates and popular times: Use Google Maps to find out what the estimated wait times and popular times are at your favorite businesses so you can beat the crowds and save time.

Offline maps: No data? No problem. You can still find your way even if you have spotty reception or an expensive data plans. Whether you’re on a road trip or traveling abroad, you can download a map of an area so you can see directions and use turn by turn navigation even when you can’t get online.

Remember where you parked: After navigating somewhere, use Google Maps to save your parking location so you never have a “Dude where’s my car?” moment again.

Add detours to your route: We’ve all been there – you’re on your way to a birthday party and you’ve forgotten to buy a present. Cue panic – or not. With Google Maps you can easily search for places along your route while in navigation mode, so you can find the nearest store and get back on the road as quickly as possible.

Never miss your stop again: Use Google Maps to get transport navigation times, ETAs and a notification that tells you when to transfer or get off your bus or train, so you can stop worrying about missing your stop and start enjoying the sights.

Create lists so you can keep track of your favorite places and share them with friends.

Find things to do and places to eat based on your unique interests and preferences.

Neurovalens Unveils Modius SLEEP, a Next-Gen Device Powered by Neuroscience to Optimize Sleep Health #Sleep #Modius

Global HealthTech company Neurovalens today launched Modius SLEEP, a drug-free solution powered by neuroscience to safely and non-invasively improve a person’s sleep health.

Modius SLEEP is a headset, worn for 30 minutes before bed. Unlike other sleep headsets that are limited to passively reading brain-wave activity, Modius SLEEP actively stimulates the key sleep neurons in the brain reducing the time it takes to fall asleep and keeping you asleep for longer.

The device works by sending a safe electrical pulse into the vestibular nerve, influencing the areas of the hypothalamus and brain stem that control circadian rhythm and sleep patterns.

Modius SLEEP has launched on American crowd-funding website Indiegogo, following the success of Modius SLIM, the company’s first headset, designed to help people lose weight, which raised £2million on the same platform.

Developed by neuroscientist Dr. Jason McKeown, a Northern Ireland native, the latest product innovation continues the company’s mission to improve global health and wellness by providing drug-free, neurological solutions for common health problems.

Dr. Jason McKeown, Founder and CEO of Neurovalens, said:

“After gathering feedback from thousands of SLIM device users around the world, what we found was that improved sleep was a welcomed bonus reaction and this became our motivation for making specific changes to our technology to create Modius SLEEP.

“Our new headset taps into the power of the brain’s hypothalamus, which acts as a mini computer and influences many areas of the brain, including weight loss and sleep. Our continued aim is to help people avoid sedatives and sleeping pills as they only mask the underlying problem and come with a host of nasty side effects.

“We use neuroscience to improve lives through safe, innovative, non-invasive products and we have complete confidence our SLEEP device is just as life changing as our SLIM device continues to be.”

In an initial 30-day study, 95% of Modius SLEEP users improved their overall sleep score with 85% claiming that they were more satisfied with their sleep patterns. Additionally, 71.3% of survey respondents with sleep issues reported positive changes when using Modius SLEEP.

Neurovalens has launched its Modius SLEEP campaign on Indiegogo. For the duration of the fundraising campaign, the product is available from $249 on Indiegogo and will eventually retail for £399 in the UK and Ireland.

The campaign can be found here: https://igg.me/at/modiussleep

Virgin Media Unveils Blockbuster ‘Red Friday’ Deals. #VirginMedia #RedFriday #Tech

Virgin Media is once again turning Black Friday Red with the launch of its Red Friday promotions. With offers available across TV, Broadband & Home phone bundles, and Virgin Mobile, there’s something for everyone.

Looking for a new phone or even a great Christmas gift? Starting this Thursday, November 14th, to Monday, December 2nd, new Virgin Media Broadband customers will get a FREE Google Home mini worth €59 while customers signing up to Virgin Media Broadband with TV & home phone will receive a Google Home worth €99 free of charge.

 

Virgin Mobile is joining the party with the unbelievable Unlimited Mobile for just €5 a month for 5 months and just €25 a month thereafter now available across the board meaning everyone can enjoy Virgin Mobile’s incredible deal.

Customers who select a brand new Samsung, Apple or Huawei phones are also in for a treat as Virgin Mobile will also be including a fantastic free gift. If you purchase one of the following  mobile phones, Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, Note 10,  Note 10+ an Apple iPhone Xr or iPhone 8 or a Huawei P30 Pro, you’ll also receive a FREE pair of JBL TUNE 120 truly wireless in-ear headphones with a RRP of €99.  

At Virgin Media our Smartphone deals aren’t just for Red Friday – these incredible mobile smartphone offers are available right through to January 3rd 2020.

Paul Higgins, Director of Consumer, Virgin Media said “Once again Virgin Media is turning Black Friday Red. We’ve got plenty of deals to tempt everyone.”

“No matter what you’re looking for – great entertainment bundles for TV, treating yourself to a new mobile phone or getting connected to Ireland’s fastest broadband network, we’ve got you covered.”

“New Virgin Media customers taking either a broadband package or a great TV & broadband bundle will enjoy a free Google Smart Home speaker when they sign up. For the first time everyone can pick up Unlimited Mobile for just €5 a month for 5 months. With our Red Friday deals starting early this year, Virgin Media customers can get a head-start on their Christmas Shopping with great gifts and still enjoy fantastic value.”

“Unlike most other mobile network offerings, Virgin Mobile’s offer gives customers peace of mind; they can be assured their phones will never be locked to our network; we’ll make it clear then their phone is paid off and we’ll let them upgrade their phone whenever they want.”

You can learn more at https://www.virginmedia.ie/

Poly’s Voyager Office Series Bluetooth Headsets Offer More Connectivity. #Poly #Office #Headsets #Tech

Plantronics, Inc.  a global communications company that powers meaningful human connection and collaboration, has announced the Voyager 4200 and Voyager 5200 Office Series. These Bluetooth headset systems are an extension of the popular Voyager 4200 UC and Voyager 5200 UC Series, designed for mobile office workers, and provide multiple connectivity options in the widest range of wearing styles to meet office mobility needs.

The Voyager 4200 and Voyager 5200 Office Series will have a version available with a dedicated Microsoft Teams button, both on the base and the headset, to instantly invoke the Teams app. This instant access to the Teams app makes scheduling a meeting, starting a call, or checking the calendar easy. The Teams versions also provide audio and visual alerts when a Teams notification occurs. The Voyager Office Series headsets are also supported by Zoom and other UC platforms.

“Open office floor plans require a certain amount of flexibility and mobility of employees,” said Tamara Lane, director of product marketing, at Poly. “To escape noise and distraction, you might duck into a huddle room for a call, take your next meeting in the lobby or join a meeting from someone else’s office which means you not only use a desk phone but a PC or Mac and your smartphone for collaboration. The Voyager Office Series delivers high-quality audio in a comfortable headset that performs in all of those scenarios.”

Multiple Connectivity options for Office Mobility

Poly Voyager 4200 and Voyager 5200 Office Series headsets can connect to a desk phone, PC, Mac, or a mobile phone. The Voyager Office Series Bluetooth headset systems give IT decision makers another wireless communication option in regions where DECT is not permitted and therefore helps boost UC adoption.

Amazon Alexa and Tile Built-In Support

The Voyager 4200 and 5200 Series headsets also feature Amazon Alexa Built-In and Tile integrations. Just tap-and-ask, and Alexa will respond so you can focus on your tasks at hand. Tile is integrated right into the headset which makes finding your Voyager headset easy – you can literally “ring” it.

Wearing Styles

The Voyager 4200 Office Series offers an over-the-ear, hi-fi stereo and mono headband wearing style. The Voyager 5200 Office Series offers a sleek and discreet over the ear wearing style for those working on the go in and out of the office. Both the Voyager 4200 and Voyager 5200 Office Series come with the option of a one-way desk phone only or two-way desk phone and PC/Mac office base, in addition to a mobile phone.

 

“In 2018, advanced UC-enabled Bluetooth headset revenue grew by a significant 56 percent with the segment holding the strongest growth opportunity in the professional headset world,” said Alaa Saayed, information and communications technology industry director and fellow, of Frost and Sullivan. “Poly’s unwavering commitment of designing mobile-first solutions for the modern office and helping people collaborate no matter what collaboration devices and platforms they prefer has resulted in the vendor offering the broadest advanced Bluetooth connectivity portfolio on the market.”

 

Remote Management for IT

IT teams can add the Plantronics Manager Pro software-as-a-service (sold separately) to a purchase to track every Voyager Office Series headset to help streamline the management of headset deployments, including device firmware updates and policy compliance. (Note: Plantronics Manager Pro is not supported by the desk phone only models.)

Pricing and Availability

For more information on styles, pricing and availability, please visit:

PayPal launches Xoom in Ireland for fast and secure international money transfers. #PayPal #Xoom #Payments #Money

PayPal today launched Xoom, its international money transfer service, in Ireland. It enables people in Ireland to quickly send money to, pay bills for and top up phones in more than 130 markets internationally.

Xoom’s launch is a significant milestone and serves as another example of PayPal’s efforts to make the movement and management of money more convenient, accessible, secure and affordable.

The global remittance market is an estimated $689 billion industry, with Irish people remitting over $2.5 billion annually. Ireland is home to more than half a million non-Irish nationals – many of whom support family members overseas for things like medical bills, education, utility bills and other financial needs

PayPal launches Xoom in Ireland for fast and secure international money transfers

According to the latest figures from the World Bank, the top destinations for money transfers from Ireland are Nigeria ($539M), the UK ($270M), Poland ($232M), France ($160M), Lithuania ($131M) and India ($115M)4.

Historically, the speed of securely and efficiently moving money across borders has been slow, but advances in digital technology—in particular mobile—are enabling a significant reduction in transfer time. The introduction of Xoom allows loved ones in these countries to receive money fast when sent to a bank account or for cash pickup.

Dan Schulman, PayPal’s CEO and President, said: “The way we move and manage our money has changed dramatically in the last few years. We have moved beyond the days when the only option for sending money abroad was to queue at a counter for hours. Even in 2019, it still takes too long to get money from European countries to a loved one in another country.

Dan Schulman, PayPal CEO and President

 

“We know how important these money transfers are in the lives of millions of people, and how crucial it is that money arrives swiftly so it can be used for things that matter. With Xoom, someone with a smartphone on a bus in Dublin, Limerick or Dundalk can send money that can be accessed quickly in Mumbai, Lagos or Nairobi to pay for a family member’s medical emergency or urgent financial needs.” 

A fast, convenient and secure way to support friends and family abroad. 

Xoom customers can send up to €25,000 in a single transaction. A Xoom account can be set up in a few easy steps via the Xoom iOS or Android app or Xoom.com. Existing PayPal customers can use their PayPal account to access Xoom’s services, making it even quicker and easier to send money abroad.

PayPal customers can also use bank accounts linked to their PayPal account to transfer funds in addition to the debit and credit card options available through Xoom. Depending on the receiver country, users can choose from a range of options: deposit money to a bank account, send cash for pick-up or have cash delivered directly to their recipient’s door. Xoom transfers can be tracked quickly and easily via text updates, email notifications or directly from the mobile app and website. Those who send money abroad can get their questions answered from customer support staff in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Filipino and Arabic.

Xoom partners with major banks and partners around the world to provide fast and more secure money transfers to key remittance corridors like India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Poland and China as well as to other European, Asian, North and South American and African countries.

To send money abroad with Xoom in a few simple steps, download Xoom’s mobile app on Android and iOS or go to Xoom.com and set up an account easily or log-in with a PayPal account.

Gaston Luga – Get a 25% discount on all products + free Ärlig travel bag #Tech #TravelBag

Recently we checked out a nice travel bag which caters for tech orientated folk but has lots of class and style and is different than the norm we see out there today. Check out the review HERE 

We have a special discount code to get you 25% off your purchase and get a free Arlig Travel bag too which is a nice sweet deal if you are on the hunt for a new stylish travel bag that caters for everyone.

  • Limited time only = Last day of Sale 1st of December.
  • Free shipping and returns applies.
  • 25% discount will be automatically applied on all products.
  • As long as stock lasts the free travel bag will be automatically added.
  • No other coupon code can be applied.
  • https://gastonluga.com/  

MY CODE FOR THE 25% BLACKFRIDAY DEAL IS  TECHBUZZ15  All other times allows you a 15% discount

Launch old whiteboards into the digital future with Rocketbook Beacons. #Tech #Rocketbook #Beacons

Rocketbook, maker of the popular endlessly reusable Everlast and Fusion notebooks, announces the availability of their latest product that’s launching whiteboards into the digital future: Rocketbook Beacons. The four restickable, reusable Beacons convert a dry erase surface into a smartboard by pairing with the free Rocketbook app. Beacons allow users to capture, organise and broadcast important notes and diagrams on any whiteboard or wall surface in real time, and share them to their favourite cloud services. Rocketbook Beacons are available now at www.getrocketbook.co.uk for £15.99.

“Remote teams are increasingly common, yet with all the communication options available, not being in the same room when there’s a brainstorm, lesson, or active presentation can make collaboration difficult,” said Jake Epstien, Co-Founder of Rocketbook. “We created Beacons with this in mind and, like Everlast, set out to bring something really commonplace into the digital future. The live Snapcast feature is especially unique and exciting, and since some of our best ideas come from our users, we’re looking forward to seeing how they put Beacons into action.”

With Beacons, capture and share perfect whiteboard images with a team of people in an instant. To get started, place the four Beacon quadra-triangles in each corner of a whiteboard, or preferred writing area such as a chalkboard or projector screen. Write as normal, and then use the Rocketbook app to capture content. The Rocketbook app recognises the Beacons and connects to the whiteboard – even from steep angles – and then automatically crops content to make it even more crisp and vibrant than on the board itself. Rocketbook Beacons are made with micro-suction technology, specially designed to stick to whiteboard surfaces that won’t deteriorate over time like other sticky adhesives.

Users can assign up to seven shortcut symbols within the Rocketbook app to easily blast notes to several cloud destinations including Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, Box, iCloud, Slack, email and more. Simply snap the whiteboard, choose the destination, and share content instantly. To save even more time, write a file name between hashtags (e.g. ## Brainstorm Session ##) on the whiteboard, and the Rocketbook app will automatically save the image as that file name for easy searching.

Snapcast mode in the Rocketbook app takes the digital whiteboard even further, enabling collaboration in real-time. To start, open Snapcast mode, and share the unique URL provided in the Rocketbook app. A private, real-time page is then updated each time users scan the whiteboard. Users can also prop up a phone to face the whiteboard, and set the app to auto-scan every five seconds for easy, ongoing sharing of live, easy-to-read content.