Month: May 2020

Poly introduces the Blackwire 8225 headset with Hybrid ANC. #Poly #BlackWire8225 #Office

Plantronics, Inc a global communications company that powers meaningful human connection and collaboration, today announced the latest addition to its Blackwire line, the Blackwire 8225, which offers new hybrid ANC capabilities. This premium corded plug-and-play USB headset is an extension of the popular Blackwire 3300, Blackwire 5200 and Blackwire 7225 series, which combines advanced audio features to significantly reduce background noise, further enabling today’s need to work from anywhere.

The Blackwire 8225 is easy for IT to deploy and manage and is designed to drastically reduce the noise and distraction that comes with every style of workplace – from the home office to the traditional office. Three settings of advanced hybrid active noise cancelling (ANC) technology allow users to adjust to fit their work environment and seamlessly tune out distracting household noises such as vacuum cleaners, or workplace chatter from colleagues. A noise-cancelling microphone enhanced with Poly Acoustic Fence technology ensures users sound crisp and clear from wherever they work by automatically reducing distracting background noise, like nearby talkers or dogs barking, so that the only sound heard on the other end of the line is clear, premium audio of the speaker talking.

Blackwire 8225 Teams USB-A VVX450 Situation
Blackwire 8225 USB-C Laptop Situation

“A consistent complaint we hear from our customers across various workspaces is the challenge of dealing with noise and distractions that can make you less productive,” said Roger Ogborne, global solutions marketing at Poly. “The new Blackwire 8225 joins our extensive suite of headsets, designed for everyday wear, with the latest acoustic innovation so IT leads and end-users can feel confident in their experience, no matter where they are.”

For IT managers looking to outfit their workforce with the right devices to drastically reduce distraction and noise, the Blackwire 8225 series is an easy to use, plug-and-play solution. Along with its intuitive, stylish design, the Blackwire 8225 delivers exceptional enterprise grade audio performance – even in the noisiest environments. To oversee and improve workforce fleet deployment, IT teams can remotely manage the Blackwire 8225 with Plantronics Manager Pro, a software as a service solution sold separately.

For Microsoft Teams users, Blackwire 8225 offers a Microsoft Teams version to support an easy collaboration and communication experience. A dedicated Teams button provides instant access to the Teams desktop application for a seamless call, meeting, or collaboration opportunity.

“Today, more than ever before, workers are desperately in need of tools that allow them to concentrate during calls and meetings, block-out background noise, and enable one’s ability to work and communicate, effectively,” said Alaa Saayed, information and communications technology industry director and fellow, Frost and Sullivan. “Poly’s Blackwire 8225 uses Acoustic Fence technology to shield any sounds besides the speaker’s voice, and its hybrid active noise cancellation technology provides the user with a much more advanced noise blocking experience, leaving both the end-user and the far-end with a premium audio experience.”

For more information on Blackwire 8225 and the Blackwire headset portfolio, please visit: poly.com/Blackwire-8225

PayPal rolls out QR Code payments in Ireland for a Touch Free way to buy and sell in-person #PayPal

PayPal Holdings has today rolled out the ability to use QR Codes to buy and sell goods in Ireland and 27 other markets around the globe. From local takeaway coffee shops to selling secondhand goods – the rollout of the QR code functionality in the PayPal app allows customers to buy or sell in in-person, safely and securely, and touch free.

“We know that in the current environment, buying and selling goods in a health-conscious, safe and secure way is front of mind for many people around the world. As the coronavirus situation has evolved, we have seen a surge in demand for digital payments to transition to include new in-person environments and situations,” said John Kunze, Senior Vice President of Branded Experiences, PayPal. “The rollout of QR codes for buyers and sellers not only incorporates the safety, security and convenience of using PayPal in-person, but also takes into consideration ongoing social distancing requirements, even as we start to see some restrictions be lifted around the world.”

Maeve Dorman, Vice President of Global Merchant Services, PayPal, said: “Covid-19 has changed the shopping experience in Ireland as we know it. Not only do people need security and convenience, as always, they now need to be able to sell and buy in a way that is quick, safe and involves limited social contact. Digital payments, and this QR code functionality, allow for this and could be the means through which small Irish businesses survive during the crisis and potentially thrive in the future.”

Additionally, to continue PayPal’s efforts in assisting our customers during this difficult period, for a limited time, we are waiving our standard seller transaction fees incurred on for sales conducted using a QR Code.

Safely buying and selling touch free – from takeaway coffee shops to selling secondhand goods:

Using the QR code functionality in the PayPal app is a quick and safe way to complete a transaction in-person utilising a PayPal wallet, eliminating the need to handle cash. For example, customers who are selling items in-person at local coffee shop can print a QR code, place it on their table and have their consumers simply scan, enter the amount they’re paying and send money immediately. This allows the seller to minimise physical interactions with the customer, while also limiting the customer’s interaction with checkout technology. There is no technology to touch or purchase – just aim a smartphone camera at a QR Code that is printed or present on another screen.

For a buyer looking to pay, customers can go to the PayPal app, click ‘Send’ and tap the QR code symbol in the top right-hand corner. The camera will open and customers can scan a seller’s QR code and follow the prompts to complete the transaction. Sellers can create a PayPal-generated QR code for by following the steps outlined here.

PayPal is rolling this functionality out to 28 markets around the globe including: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, United Kingdom, and United States

Review – The Tronsmart Element T6 Plus bluetooth speaker. #Tronsmart #Tech

If you are in the market for a new bluetooth speaker this is one to look at easily. This one is on the bigger size from their range but let me tell you it packs some sound and easily can fill a big open environment or room you will hear this no matter where you are in your house even with doors shut it is that loud.

Also good here is the bass level and bass fans will love it with three levels to choose from with an EQ button on the rear. Again this is comes with soundpulse technology offering a 40w output which is great and packs a real punch and for me it was surprising how loud this is and how effective the technology is without the loss of clarity. Full max volume will at times sound distort depending on what you listen too.

On the back you have an array of buttons. From the top you have play pause and skip track and tws paring on one segment,next is the EQ button which has three modes complemented by an LED a the end to let you know what mode you are in, then you have a mode button and power on/off one.

Under all this is your i/o options which is USB-C Micro USB port, UAB-A port and a 3.5mm port so you can directly connect your device if it supports a headphone jack given it is being killed off slowly. All this is in a rubber texture with the flap covering the i/o ports for waterproofing. The top of the speaker has a nice circular button with the tronsmart logo and illuminated sides which looks nice in a darker room and this controls the volume level,play/pause music call control and voice assistant.. Underneath there is rubberised feet and the rest of the unit is constructed with fabric and housed in rubber in general and a really solid build.

Controls are simple to use and once you are paired up get ready to enjoy really loud bass driving music sit back and enjoy. This will offer a 360 degree experience so it is best placed standing but you can use it sat down on its side. Overall this offers some punch for its size and is certainly worth a look and you can also pair another one to it and if you have two of these you can put your old speakers away and enjoy these as they are portable and can be taken anywhere.

 

BUY 

Diaceutics unveils name and initial plan for €26M global precision medicine diagnostic network. #DXRX #Diaceutics

Diaceutics PLC, today announces DXRX, the world’s first Diagnostic Network for precision medicine which will enable the company to scale its business to meet fast growing demand in the precision medicine market. It represents the culmination of a €26m million investment by Diaceutics in software and data.

DXRX addresses stakeholder collaboration problems which have led to a suboptimal testing ecosystem and has resulted in most precision medicines reaching only 50% of eligible patients in oncology.

The new platform enables Diaceutics to meet the need for a global standardised diagnostic process by offering an end-to-end solution for the development and commercialisation of precision medicine diagnostic testing. It will significantly enhance Diaceutics’ service offering and enable it to meet the increased market demand being created by 1,000 new precision medicines currently in pharmaceutical company pipelines.

Diaceutics has spent the last 10 years building relationships with more than 2500 laboratories worldwide. DXRX enables these laboratories to be integrated into a network providing a global flow of testing data, thus placing those labs at the centre of precision medicine.

The need for stakeholder collaboration has been addressed by building alliances with industry leading service providers in areas such as pathology training, health economics, reference standards, EQA and digital enablement. DXRX will make these alliances and its real-world data repository available to its network of pharmaceutical, laboratory and diagnostic partners.

Ryan Keeling, Chief Innovation Officer, Diaceutics

Diaceutics’ Chief Innovation Officer, Ryan Keeling, commented, “Given the richness of the data we have, Diaceutics has been uniquely positioned to identify that, as an industry, we have been getting it wrong when it comes to patient testing for precision medicines.

“Our evidence, our partners and our experience tell us that there is a better way and that the time for that better way is now. We believe that DXRX is the model that can deliver significantly more value for all stakeholders, and most importantly, a model which enables every patient to get the treatment they deserve.

“The era of a therapy being launched with a single companion diagnostic option is behind us. We need to consider the global needs of our patients and the regional restrictions commonly faced. This calls for pharma to think beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to testing and embrace the democratisation of testing.

“Our experience of working on every precision medicine currently on market puts Diaceutics in a unique position to advance a significantly better industry model and deliver significant new value for all stakeholders in precision medicine.”

Onboarding of laboratory and diagnostic partners to DXRX will commence in Q3 2020, with pharmaceutical clients gaining access in Q4.

DXRX is industry shorthand for diagnostics and therapy. For more information visit dxrx.diaceutics.com.

Review – The TCL 10L, There is a new player in town. #TCL #TCL10

TCL is a brand most of us would be familiar with when it comes to TVs and so on and their dip into other smartphone brands on the manufacturing side but now they have got into the game themselves with a few new handsets and after testing the TCL 1O L others should be paying attention. This phone costs just €249…..

One Plus began their journey to success with cheap handsets offering an alternative for users but had a terrible logistics issue and over the last few years they increased their price which was noted each year and now they are in the $999 territory which does not bode well for consumers however they have a fan base now and they are no longer known as the flagship killer they once where.

Having said all this the cost to performance ratio has dropped too on the flip side of the scale and it is a very saturated market and the TCL brand is one to look out for in the coming years, in fact I read recently TCL took over the sales of Samsung TVs for a period last year and they could also eat into the smartphone revenue too and this applies to other brands and they need to watch out if TCL keep at it with their devices on offer now and how they price them.

When you pick up the 10L you notice three things immediately,the camera array on the rear,the weight,its not heavy and the screen which is a 6.53-inch LCD panel with a mid range 665 processor, 6GB of RAM, 64GB (also comes in 128GB) of storage, The quad-camera setup is a main 48MP shooter, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth sensor with a dual flash and finally a 16MP selfie camera.

We have the usual keys on the device that are a volume toggle unlock on the right and also a smart key on the left which can be used for whatever purpose you like and not locked unlike we have seen from other manufacturers that is another little bonus. A little let down perhaps is the single firing mono speaker on the bottom but it is quite loud. We micro SD support but sadly no wireless charging considering the glastic backing.

This is not your typical glass sandwich either but it has metal rails and a glastic type backed finish which changes colour in the light and at angles which looks nice and we also have a headphone jack present which certainly will be welcome and a big 4000 mAh battery. Also to note the biometrics here with face unlock and fingerprint sensor on the rear there is alot going on here at this pricepoint which varies per region.

On my daily use which I would consider a power user I was able to get a day easily out of this device which is good and not often seen and my average screen on time at the moment is 7 hours which might be something to take note. You get Android 10 out of the box but I am still on the Jan update so I hoping this is addressed soon.

There is a light skin on top of Android 10 with some bloatware but some other useful apps from TCL which you will see in the walkthrough of the device but overall a good skin with some other handy optimisations thrown in,the apps tray is a swipe up from the bottom which is all listed and you can rearrange in the order you desire and add or remove this is nice to see.

When it comes to multitasking it is a breeze on this phone like I said earlier I have alot of apps on my phone and work on it more so than my laptop when possible this is how I generally work daily with apps like WordPress, Email,social media, documents on the go, browsing the web, and of course Netflix and You Tube which I spend too much time on and this phone has not lagged on me yet and it was a joy to switch between all these seamlessly and get things done..

The camera is probably the most important for some, I am not an image expert nor claim to be but the camera is great and with the options at hand it changes things at what is on offer at this pricepoint thats out there from others you can look at the image and video samples below so for a point and shoot it is all good then all the other options at hand, again seen in the unboxing and first look video. Sound came across a bit odd on recording video footage possibly due to location but not seen it happen since..

For media consumption this device is a treat too with the large screen and NXTVISON technology really enhances the display and the content you are watching, I did mentiont single firing speaker however it is plenty aloud but corners have to be cut somewhere and TCL in fairness thought about this,either way you will enjoy media consumption no matter what.

Overall the TCL 10 L is a great new entrant to the market however it is a saturated market right now with lots of competition but this a another company that can give you more than enough for your money to buck the trend of $1000 mobile phones which at this point is getting a bit much now and people are starting to realise this, for less than half price you may loose out on some features but they are not features many regard as important and can live without and the prices right now might seem a little high depending on your locale but look at what you get, A solid performer with that quad cam set up that everyone has asked me about when they seen it, that alone is a good trait.. Getting noticed.

BearingPoint//Beyond expands operations & opens new technology centre in Dublin, creating 50 new jobs. #IDA #Jobs #BearingPoint

BearingPoint//Beyond, a rapidly growing SaaS-based digital platform solution provider announced that it is expanding its operations with the opening of a new Centre of Excellence in Dublin. The new centre will draw on Dublin’s diverse and highly skilled technology talent base to create 50 new jobs over the next three years.

The aim of BearingPoint//Beyond’s expansion in Dublin is to support its growing sales and to improve support for new and existing BearingPoint//Beyond clients in the Nordics, Europe, Americas and Asia. The company intends to enhance its capabilities in engineering, quality assurance, customer engagement and service delivery management.

Companies in the Telecommunications, Media, and Technology (TMT) and also Automotive sectors, use BearingPoint//Beyond’s digital technology platform to create partner ecosystems that accelerate innovation, launch and monetise new services and grow revenue at speed.

 

BearingPoint//Beyond’s telecom customers include Irish quad-play service provider Eir, BT in the United Kingdom, Austrian telco A1 Austria, Australian ISP iiNet, and NTT Group in Japan.

Commenting on the news, Barry Keane, COO of BearingPoint//Beyond, said: “During such uncertain economic times due to COVID-19, it’s important to support enterprise growth wherever possible. Around the world, communication service providers and blue-chip tech companies are turning to BearingPoint//Beyond to help them grow revenue and transform their operations to better compete in the digital economy. Ireland is a globally recognised source of skilled and talented technologists who are a perfect fit for BearingPoint//Beyond and our culture of collaboration, entrepreneurship and innovation. We’re excited to establish our new Centre of Excellence in Dublin and look forward to seeing the positive contribution it makes to our company.”

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD, said: “I warmly welcome this announcement by BearingPoint//Beyond to create an additional 50 high quality jobs. Companies like BearingPoint//Beyond choose Ireland because of our skilled and talented workforce and our innovative culture. As we begin to reopen our economy, announcements like this one show that Ireland remains an attractive location with much to offer investors. I wish them every success with this expansion.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO IDA Ireland commented: “It is great news that BearingPoint//Beyond are expanding their operations with the opening of their new technology centre in Dublin. This is a time of innovation and growth for BearingPoint//Beyond, and this Centre of Excellence will play an important role in the company’s global operations. I wish them continued success and growth here.”

Swing your best shot with PGA TOUR 2K21, arriving August 21 on Stadia. #Stadia #Golf #PGA

Nothing feels quite as fulfilling as walking onto fresh-cut grass, hitting a clean drive, and landing the golf ball on the putting green with thunderous applause from the crowds. Experience the best of professional golf when PGA TOUR 2K21 arrives for purchase on the Stadia store on August 21.

Justin Thomas is the cover athlete for PGA TOUR 2K21, a 2017 FedExCup Champion, PGA Championship winner, and former World #1 on the Official World Golf Ranking. PGA TOUR 2K21 will be available for purchase on the Stadia store in Standard edition ($59.99 / €59.99 / £49.99) and Deluxe edition ($69.99 / €69.99 / £59.99).

Play against the pros. Play with your crew. In PGA TOUR 2K21, you can play by the rules or create your own. Featuring an all-new PGA TOUR Career Mode with real courses and top pros to compete against on your road to win the FedExCup. Create and personalize your MyPLAYER with equipment and apparel from brands you love. Design your ultimate course with 1,000s of custom options and share with other players. Hit the links with friends in local and online multiplayer and run full seasons and tournaments like a boss with Online Societies. Learn more info at pgatour.2k.com.

Features:

  • NEW PROS AND COURSES – Play against Justin Thomas and 11 top pros on stunning, real-life courses including TPC Sawgrass, East Lake Golf Club, and more.
  • DOMINATE THE GREEN AT ANY SKILL LEVEL – Rookies can take advantage of real-time tutorials, tips, and shot suggestions. Already a pro? Master your game with Pro Vision, Distance Control, Putt Preview, and other innovations.
  • GET THE PARTY STARTED – Hit the links with friends by playing local and online matches, including Alt-Shot, Stroke Play, Skins, and 4-Player Scramble.
  • THE MOST REALISTIC COURSES EVER – Real-world scanning brings the fairway, green, bunkers, trees, lakes, and ponds to life! True-to-form PGA TOUR broadcast presentation features slick graphics, dynamic cut-scenes, and a seamless replay system, all anchored by the play-by-play commentary of Luke Elvy and Rich Beem.

More games are coming to Stadia this year, including Marvel’s Avengers, The Elder Scrolls Online, and SUPERHOT. Keep your eyes on Stadia’s Twitter and Facebook for more news on upcoming games and other up-to-the-second announcements.

Sony to Release World’s First Intelligent Vision Sensors with AI Processing Functionality

Sony Corporation today announced the upcoming release of two models of intelligent vision sensors, the first image sensors in the world to be equipped with AI processing functionality. Including AI processing functionality on the image sensor itself enables high-speed edge AI processing and extraction of only the necessary data, which, when using cloud services, reduces data transmission latency, addresses privacy concerns, and reduces power consumption and communication costs.

These products expand the opportunities to develop AI-equipped cameras, enabling a diverse range of applications in the retail and industrial equipment industries and contributing to building optimal systems that link with the cloud.

Model name Sample shipment date Sample price (excluding tax)
IMX500 1/2.3-type (7.857 mm diagonal) approx. 12.3 effective megapixel intelligent vision sensor (bare chip product) April 2020 10,000 JPY
IMX501 1/2.3-type (7.857 mm diagonal) approx. 12.3 effective megapixel intelligent vision sensor (package product) June 2020 (planned) 20,000 JPY

The spread of IoT has resulted in all types of devices being connected to the cloud, making commonplace the use of information processing systems where information obtained from such devices is processed via AI on the cloud. On the other hand, the increasing volume of information handled in the cloud poses various problems: increased data transmission latency hindering real-time information processing; security concerns from users associated with storing personally identifiable data in the cloud; and other issues such as the increased power consumption and communication costs cloud services entail.

The new sensor products feature a stacked configuration consisting of a pixel chip and logic chip. They are the world’s first image sensor to be equipped with AI image analysis and processing functionality on the logic chip. The signal acquired by the pixel chip is processed via AI on the sensor, eliminating the need for high-performance processors or external memory, enabling the development of edge AI systems. The sensor outputs metadata (semantic information belonging to image data) instead of image information, making for reduced data volume and addressing privacy concerns. Moreover, the AI capability makes it possible to deliver diverse functionality for versatile applications, such as real-time object tracking with high-speed AI processing. Different AI models can also be chosen by rewriting internal memory in accordance with user requirements or the conditions of the location where the system is being used.

Main Features

 

■ World’s first image sensor equipped with AI processing functionality

The pixel chip is back-illuminated and has approximately 12.3 effective megapixels for capturing information across a wide angle of view. In addition to the conventional image sensor operation circuit, the logic chip is equipped with Sony’s original DSP (Digital Signal Processor) dedicated to AI signal processing, and memory for the AI model. This configuration eliminates the need for high-performance processors or external memory, making it ideal for edge AI systems.

■ Metadata output

Signals acquired by the pixel chip are run through an ISP (Image Signal Processor) and AI processing is done in the process stage on the logic chip, and the extracted information is output as metadata, reducing the amount of data handled. Ensuring that image information is not output helps to reduce security risks and address privacy concerns. In addition to the image recorded by the conventional image sensor, users can select the data output format according to their needs and uses, including ISP format output images (YUV/RGB) and ROI (Region of Interest) specific area extract images.

■ High-speed AI processing

When a video is recorded using a conventional image sensor, it is necessary to send data for each individual output image frame for AI processing, resulting in increased data transmission and making it difficult to deliver real-time performance. The new sensor products from Sony perform ISP processing and high-speed AI processing (3.1 milliseconds processing for MobileNet V1*2) on the logic chip, completing the entire process in a single video frame. This design makes it possible to deliver high-precision, real-time tracking of objects while recording video.

MobileNet V1: An image analysis AI model for object recognition on mobile devices.

■ Selectable AI model

Users can write the AI models of their choice to the embedded memory and can rewrite and update it according to its requirements or the conditions of the location where the system is being used. For example, when multiple cameras employing this product are installed in a retail location, a single type of camera can be used with versatility across different locations, circumstances, times, or purposes. When installed at the entrance to the facility it can be used to count the number of visitors entering the facility; when installed on the shelf of a store it can be used to detect stock shortages; when on the ceiling it can be used for heat mapping store visitors (detecting locations where many people gather), and the like. Furthermore, the AI model in a given camera can be rewritten from one used to detect heat maps to one for identifying consumer behavior, and so on.

Key Specifications

 

Model name IMX500 (bare chip product) IMX501 (package product)
Number of effective pixels 4056 (H) × 3040 (V), approx. 12.3 megapixels
Image size Diagonal 7.857 mm (1/2.3 type)
Unit cell size 1.55 μm (H) × 1.55 μm (V)
Frame rate Full pixel 60 fps
Video 4K (4056 × 2288) 60 fps
1080p 240 fps
Full/video+AI processing 30fps
Metadata output 30fps
Sensitivity (F5.6 standard value) Approx. 250LSB
Sensor saturation signal level (minimum value) Approx. 9610e-
Power supply Analog 2.7V
Digital 0.84V
Interface 1.8V
Main functions AI processing function, ISP, HDR shooting
Output MIPI D-PHY 1.2 (4 lane) / SPI
Color filter array Bayer array
Output format Image (Bayer RAW), ISP output (YUV/RGB), ROI, metadata
Package – Ceramic LGA

12.5 mm (H) × 15.0 mm (V)

Ricoh delivers greater production flexibility and broader service offering with the Ricoh Pro™ C5300 series

Print Service Providers (PSPs) can harness greater production flexibility, higher print quality and broader service offering with the Ricoh Pro C5300 series sheet fed colour press.

Building on the success of its predecessor, the Ricoh Pro™ C5200, the Pro C5300 is ideal for small to medium size PSPs, print on demand environments, Corporate Reprographics Departments (CRDs) and print shops.

Ricoh Pro C5300

Key benefits of the enhanced system include:

  • High image quality with Ricoh 2400 x 4800dpi VCSEL technology and new gloss control to address different image output demands.
  • Greater productivity with a speed of up to 80ppm and an increased monthly duty cycle of 450,000.
  • Vacuum feed Large Capacity Tray supporting a wide range of substrates.
  • Improved front to back registration due to a new paper pass control system.
  • Broad media handling of substrates up to 360gsm, non-carbon paper, textured media and envelopes.
  • A wider variety of post press capabilities enabling responsive service delivery supported by peripherals, including an enhanced booklet finisher capable of 30-sheet booklet production at 80gsm. Versatile end to end production is further aided by its high capacity stacker and efficient fore-edge trimmer.

The Pro C5300 incorporates a 10-inch touch screen colour panel for fast and easy set-up and uptime is maximised with simple to change operator replaceable units (ORUs).

“The Pro C5300 colour sheet fed press is an evolution of Ricoh’s tried and tested technology and has been developed to support responsive print production for small to medium volume demands,” says Eef de Ridder, Vice President, Commercial and Industrial Printing Group, Ricoh Europe. “Encompassing all the successful operational elements of its predecessor while adding new capabilities has resulted in a system that offers great usability, flexibility, and productivity.”

The Ricoh Pro C5300 will be available across Europe from May 2020.