Month: February 2021

Konftel 800 Hybrid Conference Phone Earns Official Atos Seal Of Approval #Konftel #Tech

The acclaimed Konftel 800 hybrid conference phone has been officially certified to work seamlessly across key Atos Unify communication platforms – broadening its appeal to an even wider audience.

The flagship device has been fully tested to be compatible with the latest Atos Unify OpenScape 4000 V10 hybrid UC platform, Atos Unify OpenScape Voice V10 and Atos Unify OpenScape Business V3 solutions.

“The Atos Unify portfolio is one of the world’s leading names in unified communications and collaboration. We are proud and delighted the Konftel 800 meets Atos Unify’s exacting standards following rigorous testing,” says Torbjörn Karlsson, Product Manager at Konftel.

“Our strategy is to optimise and certify our products to ensure complete compatibility so users can connect and collaborate seamlessly. As an Atos Unify Advanced Technology Partner, Konftel has access to tools, documentation and test environments we use to exceed the highest demands of Atos customers for convenient meeting room solutions.”

The Konftel 800 offers ‘best in class’ performance and design. The hybrid device acts as a flexible and powerful device for communication and collaboration services, whether in the cloud, on premise or in hybrid environments. It connects via SIP, USB and Bluetooth.

Leading analysts Frost & Sullivan have recognized the Konftel 800 with a Product Leadership Award, highlighting how effortlessly the conference phone delivers outstanding sound in video solutions for medium to realty large meeting rooms. In addition the Konftel 800 has earned a Red Dot design award.

“Meeting room communications technologies like the Konftel 800 will become essential to bringing together hybrid workforces that have built up over the course of the early 2020’s. The Konftel 800 is an ideal solution to support the Atos range of Digital Workplace Collaboration and Communications technologies in meeting rooms,” said Mark Smith, Head of Marketing and Communications, Atos Unify. “We’re excited to see vendors like Konftel bring their technology leadership together with Atos’s leading design and delivery skills in the meeting rooms space.”

More details can be found here: https://www.konftel.com/en/compatibility/atos-unify

Poly Rove Wireless Phones are the First and Only Phones to Bring Microban Antimicrobial Technology to the Frontlines. #Poly

Poly (NYSE: PLT), today announced the new Poly Rove DECT IP phone is the first and only phone solution to exclusively feature built-in Microban antimicrobial product protection. Microban is a global leader in antimicrobial technology, and when combined with Poly’s new wireless phone system, gives you the confidence you need to collaborate in high-touch work settings and in the most critical of conversations.

The Poly Rove Family, including Poly Rove 30 and Poly Rove 40 phones, are designed to stay cleaner longer and come with Microban’s antimicrobial technology built-in for a 99% cleaner phone surface. As warehouses and shift floors around the world continue to open, this technology not only actively helps fight the growth of product damaging bacteria, it also offers antimicrobial protection without affecting the appearance, functions or durability of Poly’s devices. The antimicrobial technology is integrated during manufacturing, which inhibits the growth of bacteria and germs for the lifespan of the device. This means complete defence against bacteria on Poly Rove phones integrated with Microban in high-touch workplaces.

“Microban is incredibly proud to partner with Poly to bring to market phones and conferencing devices that feature our patented antimicrobial protection,” said Michael Ruby, vice president of global built-in business at Microban. “With Microban’s ‘always on’ technology now incorporated into Poly’s most popular pro-grade solutions; we’re delivering product protection that empowers Poly customers all around the world.”

Poly Rove Family

Poly Rove devices are designed to outfit critical and essential workplaces for the ultimate confidence in collaboration and communication. Poly Rove devices can be taken on the move, even in the largest facilities, and can be scaled to support up to 1,000 handsets. In addition to exclusively featuring Microban technology, Poly Rove phones are ruggedized with an IP65 rating to be dust-proof and water-resistant, making them tough enough for industries like healthcare, manufacturing and retail where employees often share phone handsets throughout the day. With the Poly Rove R8 DECT repeater, you’ll maintain DECT encryption without sacrificing security when you need to move about and talk at a greater range.

Poly Rove phone systems come with Poly’s pro-grade audio with HD voice and enhanced background noise suppression for premium call clarity. Programmable line keys and a large display screen provide easy navigation so no one misses a critical call, whether from a warehouse floor or an emergency room.

“According to our research, businesses across industries are looking for ways to improve their workplace and employees rated antimicrobial treatment as the most necessary feature among a list of safe-office solutions,” said Irwin Lazar, president and principal analyst, Metrigy. “We expect to see demand for these types of features will only increase.”

“Our partnership with Microban is a prime example of our commitment to prioritising the well-being of our customers and employees in every workplace, including our own,” said John Lamarque, vice president and general manager of voice collaboration and professional headset business unit, Poly. “By combining Microban’s product protection with Poly’s expertise in wireless DECT security and audio, our customers and employees can feel confident while using our devices as they get back to work in warehouses, retail centre’s, and hospitals around the world.”

For seamless management of devices for IT, Poly’s cloud-based device management software, provides a central, secure portal for IT professionals to stage, deploy and manage devices from anywhere. This cloud management software is available through select service providers (some services sold separately).

For more information on Poly Rove device pricing, availability and for additional details on the exclusive partnership with Microban, please visit: Poly Rove and Poly Performance + Microban Protection.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat to serve up culinary chaos on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam, and Xbox One

Team17 and Ghost Town Games have today announced that Overcooked! All You Can Eat will be coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam, and Xbox One on 23rd March. First launched on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation5 in 2020, Overcooked! All You Can Eat plates up all 200 + levels from both games, including all DLC, seven new levels, and a brand-new assist mode, fully remade in up to 4K, and running at a smooth 60fps (30 frames per second on Nintendo Switch). Cross-platform multiplayer will also be made available for chefs playing on all platforms in a free post-launch update.

 

Not only do players get three new and exclusive chefs, they can also choose from the entire back catalogue of over 80 calamitous chefs, each enjoying at least one brand-new alternate skin variant. For a limited time only, The Muppet’s Swedish Chef is available to download for free for all Overcooked! All You Can Eat players.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat also includes new accessibility options and an assist mode, which adds the option to increase level times; boost scores awarded for each meal; lengthen recipe times, and the ability to turn off order expiration. The accessibility options include colour-blind friendly chef indicators, a scalable user interface and the ability to enable dyslexia friendly text.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat Key Features:

  • Every mouthful: Includes every piece of Overcooked! and Overcooked! 2 content, remastered and available in 60 frames per second in up to 4K resolution
  • Multiple multiplayer courses: Levels originally from Overcooked! are playable with online multiplayer support for the very first time, with every Overcooked! All You Can Eat kitchen also featuring cross-play functionality in a post-launch update
  • Exclusive new kitchens & cooks: New levels, new chefs, and additional skins for every single chef – all exclusive to Overcooked! All You Can Eat
  • Trophies/Achievements: Brand new trophy and achievement sets for players to unlock
  • Cooking for all: Accessibility options and a new assist mode opens the game to more players than ever before

Overcooked! All You Can Eat will be available digitally on all platforms for £30/$40/€40 and will also be launching physically on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on the 23rd March.

Celebrate 25 years of Pokémon with PowerA’s Latest Enhanced Wireless controller and Protective Case.

PowerA – an industry-leading developer of high-quality, licensed gaming peripherals – is proud to announce that the new Enhanced Wireless Controller and Protection Case for the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite – Pikachu 025 are now available. Commemorate 25 years of one of gaming’s most beloved franchises by taking home a controller that harkens back to the series’ roots. You can catch both the stylised case and Enhanced Wireless Nintendo Switch controller right now in at Argos for £39.99. Find additional EU retailers here.

This officially licensed controller from PowerA elevates your play across Nintendo Switch games featuring motion controls, mappable Advanced Gaming Buttons and Bluetooth® 5.0 technology for wireless play. With up to 30 hours of gameplay from the internal rechargeable battery, the Enhanced Wireless Controller gives you the edge you need in competitive play as well as flexibility and comfort during long, relaxed gaming sessions.

To go alongside the Enhanced Wireless Controller, PowerA’s officially licensed Nintendo Switch protective case is the ideal accessory to keep your console and games safe. On the outside, a sturdy outer shell and durable zippers make sure any damage to your valuables will be avoided, while the moulded interior and felt lining keeps your screen from scratching.

Both of these products come with unique and playful designs, including an eye-catching black and yellow colour scheme with series favourite Pikachu prominently featured on both case and controller. Labelled “025” to commemorate Pikachu’s place in the Pokédex, these PowerA products are a must have for anyone with a place in their heart for classic Pokémon titles.

January Spending Levels Plummet as Lockdown Restrictions Hit Home.

Bank of Ireland debit card spending analysis for January has revealed a steep decline in consumer spending activity, as the spike witnessed before and during the Christmas period declined significantly. Some issues I have noted is the lack of transparency with stores here online and from contacting around ten Irish retail stores here asking about where their products shipped from they did not respond be it on social media or email which does  not bode well with any customer when now is the time for them to be up front and honest and try capitalise on their web shops here. I am one to support the shop local initiative however this is dwindling by the day and I will make my purchase elsewhere online outside Ireland.

Whilst charitable donations rose steeply in the final month of 2020, these levels suffered at the beginning of 2021, with a 53% month on month drop. Purchases of sporting apparel in January fell by 66% even though the first month of a new year is often seen as the best time to kick-start a fitness programme.

January spending trends also revealed that the fizz has gone out of spending on beer, wine and liquor as shoppers bought less of these items at the beginning of 2021, with a 57% drop recorded. This was in stark contrast to December as people stocked up for the Christmas festivities, with spending on beer, wine and liquors rising sharply.

Elsewhere the tightening of belts remained constant across the wider retail sector in January, with spending on clothes dropping a massive 70%, spending in hardware stores falling over a third month on month (-37%), while consumers appeared to be satisfied with their December purchases of electronic and software items as spending levels in this area dropped by 24%.

Commenting on these debit card spending patterns, Ger Thompson, Head of Current Account Banking at Bank of Ireland said: “January saw the majority of people ease back on their spending, which was to be expected after the series of spending spikes we witnessed across various retail sectors in the run up to Christmas. Notably in January we saw a drop of 41% in retail spending, including falls in purchases of sporting equipment and electrical equipment.

In addition and perhaps not surprisingly, we also saw “social” spending half in the month of January – with fast food outlets witnessing a spending decrease of 34%, restaurant spend down over 60% and pubs suffering a massive fall off in purchases (88%) as the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions really hit home.

 The hope amongst consumers must be that the current restrictions will be eased in the coming months and that some sense of normality can resume. Spending on memberships only dipped by 17% in January, which is a low figure relative to the drops we’ve seen elsewhere. So it is clear that plenty of people still retain hope in this early stage of 2021 that they will resume the sports or social activities they enjoy sooner rather than later.” 

 Bank of Ireland debit card transactions – January 2021 versus December 2020

Down ↓
Pubs                                        -88%
Clothing                                  -70%
Sporting Goods                     -66%
Restaurants                           -62%
Charity donations                 -53%
Bakeries                                 -46%
Bicycle shops                         -45%
Electrical & Software           -24%

Sades launch their new gaming headset the A2. #SADES #Tech #Gaming

Sades, manufacturer of quality gaming peripherals is pleased to announce the release of their new headset – the A2. Capable of connecting to a variety of devices, the new A2 from Sades is the ultimate companion for your gaming – no matter what console you favour. 

The swivel-to-mute microphone is uni-directional which reduces ambient noise for excellent voice clarity, especially when playing in teams and the microphone flexibility means it can be adjusted to suit you and the game being played. 

With a simple yet trendy design that features ergonomic oval earcups to maximize the ear space for improved comfort and balanced acoustics, the A2 will be the perfect companion for long gaming sessions. The easy to use, on ear controls make on-the-fly adjustments without distracting you from the game, whilst the braided cable improves wire longevity.

Compatible with the PS4 / PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, PC and mobiles, you can rely on the Sades A2 to enhance your gaming sessions.

Features:

Simple design

Multi-platform compatibility

Uni-directional mic for clearer voice pickup

Breathable and comfortable oval earmuffs

Adjustable headband

The Sades A2 is available in 2 colours from www.amazon.co.uk for £25.99. Watch out for our review soon..

Youth mobile network 48 raises €25K for FoodCloud through its data donation feature and #DoGoodWithData campaign

48, Ireland’s first truly digital-only youth mobile network, has raised a whopping €25,000 for environmental social enterprise, FoodCloud through its unique data donation feature which allows customers to donate up to 5GB of their data each month. For every GB donated, 48 turns that data into cash on behalf of its customers for the chosen charity. Simples!

The public were also given the opportunity to take part and raise money through the #DoGoodWithData campaign, which ran in the build-up to Christmas 2020. Recruiting some of Ireland’s soundest and sustainably-minded social content creators to kickstart the campaign, 48 asked that they make the ultimate sacrifice by going offline for a 24-hour period. That meant no surfing, no posting, no linking, and no scrolling (eeeeek!), whilst encouraging the youth of Ireland and nominating others to join in and participate in the #DoGoodWithData campaign.

Speaking about the donation, Iseult Ward, CEO of FoodCloud commented;

“In 2020, FoodCloud  redistributed over 2,990 tonnes of surplus or excess food to over 600 community groups across Ireland. This figure was a 70% increase in food distributed in 2019. By redistributing this surplus food, FoodCloud’s activities have meant an avoidance of estimated 9,670 tonnes of Co2 emissions equivalent. We were so delighted to partner with 48 for this innovative and creative campaign, and are very grateful for such generosity from 48 customers. ”

Clare Aughney, Marketing Manager, 48 said; “We are so proud to announce 48 will be donating €25,000 to FoodCloud as a result of our customer’s generous data donations on the back of the #DoGoodWithData campaign. This generosity means 75,000 extra meals will be redistributed through the FoodCloud network of community groups across the country. 48’s Donate Your Data feature continues to be extremely popular among our customers, with more and more people choosing to donate a portion of their data each month to a good cause.”

It is evident customers are really happy with this unique feature as 48 were recently awarded ‘Best Mobile Operator for Data’ as voted for by the public and ‘Best SIM Only Pay As You Go Plan’ voted by a panel of judges at the Switcher.ie awards

48 membership plans start from just €10.99 per month and customers have the choice to do more with their data by choosing from a selection of flexi-data features including sharing, swopping, saving and donating data. Our plans, your rules.

PayPal study reveals 88% of Irish online shoppers bought from international websites over the last year. #PayPal

New research[1] from PayPal reveals that 88% of Irish consumers who shop online bought something from a website outside of Ireland over the last year.

The study, conducted by Censuswide and involving more than 1,000 consumers in Ireland, found that almost four in five (78%) of those who bought from websites outside of Ireland spent with UK retailers during this time.

Some 43% bought from websites based in Europe, while 38% spent with websites based in China and more than a fifth (21%) purchased goods via websites in the US.

On average, those who shop online spent €385[2] with retailers outside of Ireland in the last year. This amount was higher than the average amount spent by respondents via Irish websites during the same period, which was €357 on average.

The top three reasons as to why people bought from a website outside of Ireland were cited as better pricing (65%), more choice (51%), and greater availability (46%). Meanwhile, the top drivers for online shopping in Ireland were found to be faster delivery (48%) and supporting local businesses (44%).

Moreover, the survey revealed that over half (56%) of Irish consumers expect to buy more products than before from international retailers over the next year.

Joachim Goyvaerts, director of Benelux and Ireland for PayPal, said: “Our research shows that the demand for online shopping has never been greater and that many people are eager to support the local businesses they know and love.

“As a result of the pandemic and recurring lockdowns, it is no longer just important but absolutely necessary that Irish businesses provide a digital offering. Of course, they shouldn’t look at this as a short-term investment because the growing dominance of online shopping won′t ease – even when restrictions do.

“Irish retailers are known for the quality of their products, and currently there’s a huge opportunity to attract more customers and grow sales – especially as consumers, both at home and abroad, seek out more choice and convenience in a post-Brexit world. However, in order to take full advantage, it’s essential that businesses fully embrace the digital commerce revolution.”

[1] Statistics are drawn from a survey of 1,008 members of the general Irish population, conducted by Censuswide on behalf of PayPal in November 2020. All statistics are taken from this source, unless listed otherwise. All statistics refer to respondents from this survey who shop online.

[2] This total and the total relating to the average amount spent by respondents on Irish websites are annual totals – estimated by respondents for a 12-month period.

Pre-order Boxed Physical Starts on 21st Feb – Speed Limit (PS4/Switch) #Gaming #SpeedLimit

Strictly Limited Games, in conjunction with Croatian developer Gamechuck and indie games publisher Chorus Worldwide, is happy to announce that their exciting old school action game, Speed Limit, will be released as a physical box version on both Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation 4 (also playable on PS5).

The exclusive pre-order for this unforgettable arcade experience will start from Strictly Limited Games on February 21st.

 

 

Fast, faster, Speed Limit

Speed Limit is a super-fast-paced genre-morphing arcade-style action game with beautifully animated pixel art. When a disheveled stranger hands you a gun during your daily commute, everything goes horribly wrong, fast. Speed Limit is an old-school action extravaganza that will raise adrenaline levels, and test all reflexes to the max.

 

The gameplay and perspective change radically every two stages as you jump into ever faster modes of transport; starting with a commuter train, through a convertible sports car and all the way to a fighter jet. As the speed of the vehicles ramps up, so too does the intensity of the action. Speed Limit is fast, and it is hard. You will certainly die a few too many times but the excitement constantly mounts as you progress further into what is a game that has already garnered many awards for the development team.

 

 

Speed Limit is a must-play for all retro gamers:

  • A thrilling genre-switching rollercoaster that will test your reflexes

  • The gameplay transitions seamlessly between six different retro genres

  • Unlockable endless mode

  • Race against the clock in time trial mode

  • All graphics are hand-drawn frame-by-frame

  • Fast and gritty synthwave soundtrack

Exclusive, physical editions

The Limited Edition is available for €29.99, limited to 3,300 copies for Nintendo Switch and 1,700 copies for PlayStation 4 worldwide.

The Limited Edition is also available as a bundle with the OST for €44.99, limited to 700 copies for Nintendo Switch and 350 copies for PlayStation 4. The OST bundle will also include a sticker and a poster.  An aluminium art card is also available for €9.99 – limited to 149 copies.