Month: June 2021

Irish Fintech Strikepay Acquires UK Competitor Gratsi. #Fintech #Gratsi #Strikepay

Strikepay, the fast-growing Irish fintech company delivering a revolutionary patent-pending cashless tipping and payment solution, today announced that it has acquired UK competitor Gratsi (Gratsi Ltd). The acquisition will complete this month with the Gratsi founder, Jack Spargo, joining the Strikepay team as Vice President of Engineering. Working with founders Oli Cavanagh and Charles Dowd, Spargo will bring his complementary technology solution to the Strikepay platform, broadening the reach of the revolutionary cashless tipping, payments and donations proposition.

Gratsi has been operational in the UK since 2020 and has been growing its customer base in the hospitality and beauty industries. The acquisition will ensure that the synergy between the two companies can be maximised with existing Gratsi customers transitioning to Strikepay.

Strikepay was founded in late 2020 as a direct response to the challenges posed by the rapid acceleration to a cashless society. Consumers want to tip and to donate to charities but often cannot because so few now carry cash. Strikepay  fixes this problem for consumers and is rapidly growing across a number of industries including retail, tradespeople, hospitality and beauty. It is also supporting a significant number of large charities, helping them to increase cashless donations from people in a much easier way, with a simple tap of their phone.

Gratsi was launched with similar ambitions during the height of the pandemic. The company focused on facilitating contactless gratuity and tipping for workers in the hospitality and food industries and has built a loyal client base in the UK.

Speaking about the announcement Oli Cavanagh, CEO and Co-Founder, Strikepay said: “We are delighted to be making this announcement with Gratsi today and that they are as excited as we are about joining the Strikepay team to help drive our product development and innovation. The technology they have built is incredible, and they had begun to carve out a great business in the UK so by joining forces we will be able to accelerate our expansion plans beyond Ireland.

“Consumer behaviour has changed dramatically following the shift to a cashless society over the past year. Gratsi were focused on solving the same problems as we were at Strikepay and together we are well positioned to run quickly with our combined solution for both businesses and for consumers. Our unique proposition will allow us to tap into new opportunities that are opening as a result of the rapid shift to a cash free world.”

Gratsi founder Jack Spargo said: “Gratsi and Strikepay share a similar mission and when the opportunity to join forces was presented we were delighted to take it. Working together we are stronger and will be able to double down on our efforts to solve this problem positioning ourselves as the leading cashless tipping and giving solution in Europe. The reopening of society over recent weeks has demonstrated the need for this solution as well as the potential for growth. We are really excited about the opportunities ahead as part of the Strikepay team.”

Further information at www.Strikepay.co.

Ulster University, Dell Technologies & Seagate join forces to power research into COVID-19 treatments.

Ulster University, Dell Technologies and Seagate have combined their research and data storage capabilities in a collaboration which will allow advanced analyses of COVID-19 patient data.

 

The Ulster University research team will examine large volumes of medical datasets to establish if there are links between COVID-19, genetic make-up and the severity of the disease. The findings will also inform decisions around drug treatments for those with severe symptoms and possibly Long COVID, as well as providing an insight into how genes may influence vaccination efficiency.

 

Data storage company, Seagate, and multinational IT company Dell Technologies have delivered the infrastructure required to store patient information for this major research project at the Northern Ireland Centre for Stratified Medicine based at C-TRIC on the Altnagelvin hospital campus.

 

Seagate donated 100 x 12TB Hard drives and Dell Technologies donated critical equipment and expertise to help deliver a complete solution. 

 

The collaborative partnership is part of the Data4Good initiative aimed at data usage for the benefit of humanity. It created a petabyte of data which is the equivalent of over 1000 large home computers working together or the capability for an individual to store 4,000 digital photographs every day for their lifetime.  

 

Professor of Genomics, Tony Bjourson, Director of the Northern Ireland Centre for Stratified Medicine at C-TRIC at Altnagelvin, and the Project Lead on the UU THRIVE City Deal project said: “We are delighted this crucial infrastructure is now set up, thanks to Seagate and Dell Technologies as without this data storage and IT capacity we could not undertake this work. We recently completed the recruitment of the 500 Covid19 patients for whole genome sequencing. It means reading the sequencing of the 3.2 billion chemical letters that make up each of our genomes.  This generates huge amounts of raw data that has to be stored to allow very advanced computational genomic analyses.

 

“This collaboration, which came about when Seagate and Dell Technologies responded to our call for assistance, offers a good example of how research transforms lives and how technology acts as a catalyst for innovation. We will pursue more of these kind of collaborations through the Derry and Strabane City Deal in the years ahead through data analytics via CARL and health innovation via THRIVE and of course industry partnerships such as this one will be key. For now, as our work during COVID-19 continues, we are so grateful to partners such as Seagate and Dell Technologies for coming together in this way.”

 

Jason Ward, Vice-President and Managing Director, Dell Technologies Ireland said: “We’re proud to build on our strong partnership with Ulster University through technology and expertise to help their researchers unlock insights into COVID-19 and uncover treatment options for those impacted by the virus. With the latest Dell Technologies storage systems and back-end infrastructure, the team at Ulster University will have immediate access to the data and applications needed to drive their research forward.”

 

Fergus O’Donnell, Plant Manager and Site Lead at Seagate said: “This collaboration involved a huge effort from the teams at Seagate, Dell Technologies and Ulster University working together to overcome the many logistical and organisational arrangements to help deliver a complete solution. It is important to support these advanced analytics capabilities which enable progress in this vital area of research and bring benefits for local and global communities”.  

How To Recognize Good Multi-Layered Protection Against Online Threats

Today’s online threats come in a variety of forms. They can be as mundane as a virus that attacks a particular program on your system. They can be as exotic as ransomware that locks all your information in return for money. Hackers and other malicious actors online target different parts of your computer system and Internet activity. Because of this, multilayered protection is a must.

What is multi-layered protection?

Multi-layered protection against online threats is essentially protecting your computer against Internet threats in all the forms they may take.

So you won’t only have the basic protection of your machine. You’ll get good quality Antivirus software to protect against threats. You’ll get good malware and spyware protection too and a firewall. You’ll protect your passwords. You’ll protect your credit card information by making sure your browser can recognize fake websites.

This way you are defended against multiple kinds of attacks

How To Recognize Good Multi-layered Protection

Good multi-layered protection will contain at least the following:

 

  • A firewall

 

  • Email encryption

 

  • Email Filtering

 

  • Data encryption

 

  • Mobile security

 

Firewall

A firewall is the first line of defence between your computer and online threats. Your firewall monitors the traffic between your computer and the Internet. Its job is to distinguish between harmless everyday activity and attempts to hack or infect your system. They come with varying levels of sophistication.

Email encryption/filtering

As the mainstay of global communications, emails are the subject of attacks. You can see why. Much sensitive information is contained in them and if they were intercepted and read, the contents could prove to be a goldmine to the wrong people.

Getting a system to encrypt your emails can prevent important information from being stolen this way. Encryption disguises the information in a way that makes it unreadable to someone who intercepts it.

You should also be able to tell whether an email has malicious links embedded in it designed to lead you to websites that will steal your information. This is why you also need an email filtering program. These will move suspicious emails to your junk folder.

Data encryption

In the event a hacker or malicious program gets past your firewall, encrypting your data is another layer of security you can add. Encrypting sensitive files means that even if the attack reaches your computer, the data will be unreadable.

Web content filter

This piece of software blocks sites that contain potentially malicious programs or where they can be downloaded. This is a good idea for business owners, whose employees surf the Internet while they are working, opening the company’s network to threats. If even one gets through, it can cost your company money and time in lost hours while the problem is repaired.

Mobile security

Because mobile phones these days are subject to the same threats as computers, they should be defended like computers. You use your mobile phone to do everything you would with your computer, so it holds a number of valuable pieces of information. There are apps that offer a suite of protection for mobile phones.

Taking the step of putting on layers on your online security is a smart and necessary one. Don’t be caught by malicious actors because you failed to do so.

Mio Launches MioWORK A500s Android Device Series for Professionals. #MioWork #A550s #Tech

MiTAC Digital Technology Corporation (MDT), a subsidiary of MiTAC Holdings Corporation, today announces the global release of its new MioWORK™ A500s series 5″ handheld Android™ 10.0 devices for enterprises. The rugged A500s series models replace the A500 series released in 2018 and complement the already available 7″ F740s tablets and the larger 10.1″ L1000 series tablets.

A 5″ Mobile Computer Optimized for Professional Use

All devices of the A500s product line are GMS certified for enterprise use, allowing for straightforward implementation of enterprise mobility management solutions. The series contains three models, the standard A500s, the A505s with a Honeywell 1D/2D LED aimer, and an 8 megapixels camera on the back. The A545s model features a Honeywell Laser Aimer instead of the LED aimer, with GPS/AGPS + GLONASS for navigation, and LTE Cat.6 connectivity.

An Excellent Solution for Warehousing, Logistics, and Restaurants

MioWORK™ A500s handhelds provide businesses the option to integrate a small and light device for frontline staff in warehousing, logistics, hospitality. With IP67 water and dust protection, the devices withstand exposure to the elements by logistic delivery staff and endure up to 1.8m drops with the optional protective caps following military standards. The integrated NFC / HF RFID readers allow for payment processing by delivery services and restaurant order management.

 

Unique Antibacterial Housing

The COVID-19 pandemic enhanced awareness of the importance of hygiene. The material of the A500s series housing has antimicrobial properties and passed Japan’s JIS Z 2801 certification. While not protecting against viruses, the housing shields against many microbes, supporting corporate efforts for increased hygiene.

A Wide Selection of Accessories Support Special Usage Scenarios

To supply enterprises with a complete package for many different usage scenarios, MioWORK™ developed an extensive ecosystem of accessories for all MioWORK™ products that remain compatible over product generations. Multi-unit cradles and multi-slot battery chargers ensure that staff never runs short on devices. The hot-swappable 4,100mAh battery permits 10h+ use and seamless 24/7 use of the device through consecutive shifts. Custom detachable hand straps secure the A500s but still allow quick battery exchange under time pressure. An optional pistol grip with a BCR trigger key permits fast and effective data collection without tiring the staff during long shifts. A 9-pin pogo connector for secured charging and data transmission is included in the box.

 

Quality Components for Product Reliability and Longevity

As a Taiwan manufacturer supplying leading brands and enterprises, MDT uses the best components for the MioWORK™ product lines to prevent unnecessary product failures and replacement worries. All devices are equipped with a HD quality wide-angle capacitive multi-touch IPS panel with glove support. At 450nits with optical bonding for enhanced sunlight readability, the display is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. The low-voltage Octa-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 625 processor provides solid processing power for business applications without draining battery life.

 

Customers requiring higher front camera resolution can opt to upgrade to 8M.

 

Enterprise-Grade Mobile Device Management Solution by MDT

MSP and corporate IT departments can benefit from MiDM™ (MiTAC Mobile Device Management), the optional device management suite. MiDM™ provides secure remote management that is tailor-made for MioWORK™ products. OS, app updates, and support are managed remotely, greatly saving maintenance time and the need for spare devices. More importantly, the application was developed to reduce data transfer, with customers reporting high reductions in telecom data charges.

 

The MiDM™ suite can be customized for clients that require unique functions and settings. Enterprises with enhanced security requirements can deploy the suite on their own on-premise IT infrastructure as well. MiDM™ is developed in-house and includes a professional customer support team. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dscHnJ7H0qk

 

Hospitality and other businesses with devices accessible to the public can take advantage of the free MiLockTM add-on, a Kiosk Launcher that prevents users from switching apps or accessing the device settings.

 

Complemented by Sibling Tablet Series

Enterprises looking for a total solution provider can combine the A500s series with 7″ tablets of the F740s tablet series and 10.1″ tablets of the L1000s series. Both series feature the same quality as the A500s series, have special enhancements and custom accessories like vehicle cradles and docking stations for use in the medical field, fleet management and logistics, field services, and retail and hospitality. Find out more about the entire MioWORK™ product line at https://enterprise.mio.com/en_us/miowork/

 

Nokia X20 arrives in Ireland #NokiaX20

HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, has announced that the new Nokia X20 is available to buy in Ireland along with the launch of the new Irish website where customers can buy Nokia phones directly. The Nokia X20 is part of the refreshed Nokia smartphone portfolio unveiled last month. 

With one in two (55%) people worrying about how their constant mobile phone upgrading affects the environment and 48% concerned about the excessive electronic waste produced, Nokia phones are made and built to last the test of life with durability and longevity at their core. The new Nokia X20 has undergone over 50 rigorous tests, from force measurement to wear and scratch, as part of Nokia’s Standard Product Requirement tests. The assessments are known to be some of the most stringent in the industry and have been tried and tested over the years. In addition to durable design, Nokia X20 comes with an extended warranty of three years – exceeding the industry standard – and a free 100% compostable case. The case is designed to be tough on the ground but soft on the Earth, helping to make the X-series go the distance, instead of the landfill. 

In a recent survey[1] commissioned across 30 countries globally, it was revealed that ¾ of people want a phone that they can keep for longer with 79% of respondents admitting they would if the devices maintained their performance over time. The signature Nordic design is matched with three years of software updates, three years of monthly security updates for extra piece of mind. 

All new Nokia phones purchased to help plant one million trees. 
HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, is delighted to announce its partnership with Ecologi, a climate action change company that helps to reduce corporate carbon footprints, funds climate-positive projects and responsibly plants trees. 

Buyers of the Nokia X20 will be given the gift of 20 planted trees via Ecologi. As a target milestone, HMD Global has committed to facilitating the planting of one million trees, amounting to 308,000 tonnes of carbon avoided over 25 years. The combined effort from customers will be equivalent to over 700 million miles driven in a car or 37,465,935,100 smartphones charged. 

The wall charger and headphones have been removed from the sales box, helping to tackle the 12,000 tonnes of e-waste[2] generated by mobile phone chargers in the EU.  

 
HMD has listened to its customers wants. 
The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted retail globally with a big shift to online shopping. A recent report from KMPG, found that 68% of Irish consumers do more online shopping now than before the pandemic, with 99% of Irish consumers saying that a good website is important to them. HMD has listened to its customers and in response has launched the new Nokia.com/phones Ireland website, offering guaranteed next day delivery nationwide, 30 days return, shipment from an Irish warehouse and exclusive offers. 

Speaking about the newly launched Irish website, Lisa Higgins UK Marketing Lead and Country Manager for Ireland says, ‘We are listening to our customers. We have seen how much they are shopping online, and we wanted to create a dedicated space especially for our Irish consumers, to shop with ease.” 

Pricing and availability 
The Nokia X20 is available in Ireland from Nokia.com/phones in Midnight Sun and Nordic Blue. The 8/128GB variant is exclusive to Nokia.com priced at €329.99.  The gift to plant 20 trees via Ecologi will be activated using your device IMEI code visiting https://www.nokia.com/phones/lets-plant-together 

Pricing and availability 
The Nokia X20 is available in Ireland from Nokia.com/phones in Midnight Sun and Nordic Blue. The 8/128GB variant is exclusive to Nokia.com priced at €329.99.  The gift to plant 20 trees via Ecologi will be activated using your device IMEI code visiting https://www.nokia.com/phones/lets-plant-together 

  
*https://home.kpmg/ie/en/home/media/press-releases/2021/03/retail-consumer-trends-covid.html  

What Does The Future Hold For Online Gaming?

The gaming industry has seen huge changes in the last couple of years. But don’t think that it’s going to stop there. As gaming technology becomes more and more advanced, the industry will continue to change and grow. This guide will examine what the future holds for the gaming industry.  

 

More Platforms will Support Cryptocurrency

 

Cryptocurrency isn’t a flash in the pan. According to most experts, it’s going to continue to grow and become more widely accepted. That trend is definitely going to have an effect on the gaming industry. Gaming and cryptocurrency go hand-in-hand, so it’s likely that more platforms will support cryptocurrency. That means you could need to buy into Bitcoin to play. 

 

Video Games in the Olympics

 

This one might seem like a long shot, but it’s not as crazy as it sounds. With e-sports become increasingly popular, it’s not that far-fetched to say that they might eventually be incorporated into the Olympics. 40 years ago, it would have seemed crazy to include BMXing in the Olympics, but now it’s widely accepted. 

 

More Online Mobile Gaming

 

Smartphones are only going to get more powerful and more popular. That means mobile gaming is going to continue to get bigger. However, the future of mobile online gaming isn’t going to be two-dimensional games that you could play on a console 20 years ago. Mobile gaming will become so impressive that it could rival console and PC gaming. 

 

People Betting on E-Sports

 

People have always placed bets on sports. It makes the game more exciting and gives neutral spectators something to watch for. Therefore, it stands to reason that as e-sports become more popular, more people will place bets on them. In many ways, this will be similar to traditional sports betting. Many of the rules will be the same, and traditional sports betting advice will still be applicable. 

 

More Focus on VR Gaming

 

VR hasn’t caught on like many people thought it would. Just like 3D TVs didn’t become as popular as expected, the technology just wasn’t ready for the market to react in a big way. However, that doesn’t mean VR is not going to make a comeback. When technology catches up with gaming, VR could become a huge part of online gaming. 

 

More Professional Gamers

 

Professional gamers have the best jobs in the world. They get paid a lot of money to sit and play games all day. There are multiple ways to get into professional gaming, including testing new games, creating online content about the games, and playing in e-sports competitions. This industry will continue to grow, and it could become easier to get into professional gaming. However, it’s never going to be easy, simply because of the demand. 

 

More Responsible Gaming 

 

Online gaming comes with its own set of dangers. From online predators to physical conditions from sitting for too long, there is plenty that can go wrong. The future is likely to hold a world where responsible gaming is pushed even harder. This can only be a good thing for the gaming community. 

 

First look at the new Pixel buds A series. #Pixelbuds #Aseries

Since their launch the Pixel buds have only got better over time with software updates and have been in my top 5 in my earbuds collection ever since and with the market saturated today giving the consumer choice it is giving consumers a wide variety of options when it comes to spending money, the original pixel buds will set you back €199 which some might find steep considering the value that is out there now but the new pixel buds cost only €99 slashing the price in half and at first glance it is hard to tell the difference between both..

Today we take a quick first look and unboxing and quickly compare both earbuds and will test them out in the coming weeks and if you have any questions feel free to comment below or ask us on our social channels but I am excited for the new PIxel Buds A-Series and look forward to what they have to offer, could they put a spanner in the works for other manufacturers? We will find out soon..

Tech Review – Gamesir X2 Mobile Gaming Controller. #Gaming #Tech

I have checked out several game controllers over the years and this one is easily the best I have tried out to date, Yes it does resemble a Nintendo Switch but so what this works and looks great and makes gaming on mobile a joy. I am not a massive mobile gaming fan but with this it changes everything for me. It is simple to use and set up it is comfortable in the hand and makes gaming much easier than using on screen controls which I m not a huge fan of.

Designed to provide a full array of controls and minimise lag to maximise your gaming, the GameSir X2 uses a wired connection. Using an innovative, movable Type-C plug which has an adjustable range of up to 51° allowing you to plug and unplug your mobile phone with ease to protect it from damage, the GameSir X2 virtually eliminates delay input allowing you to stay in control of any gaming situation at all times.

gamesir X2 techbuzzireland

The GameSir X2 features a split design – on each side there is a single joysticks along with a set of 4 buttons. The control buttons come with a service life of up to 3 million pushes – you can be sure that your thumbs will get worn out before the GameSir X2 does! The simple design ensures that your phone is held securely thanks to the durable stretch design, and the well thought out features – such as the soft rubber grips and gap between the phone and X2 unit to ensure air circulation will make sure that you get the best gaming experience at all times.

The X2 supports Microsoft xCloud, Google Stadia, Vortex and so on.

Available from Amazon.co.uk for £69.99

Cleanfeed Introduces Product Features Inspired by TV & Film Sound Engineers. #Cleanfeed

Cleanfeed, a collaboration tool for high definition, live audio and recording, in your browser – is today proud to announce their latest product feature; Aux outputs, designed specifically for the tv, film and broadcast industries.

When it comes to recording, Cleanfeed’s built-in recorder is a league above the rest. Whether it is a single recording or a more granular Multitrack recording, the Cleanfeed community has enjoyed recording millions of hours of high-quality content with their remote guests. Linear recording, recording continuously without pausing, is great for the majority of people who edit their audio after the recording process is complete.

However, what happens when you want to break the trend and record multiple takes or do overdubs? Perhaps you want to mix your audio live in a separate environment? That brings you into a non-linear workflow, and that is where Aux Outputs will help.

Aux Outputs opens up new non-linear workflow possibilities for recording, live performances and more. It allows you to assign a unique audio output device for each remote guest connected to your studio. This ground-breaking addition to Cleanfeed allows creatives all around the world to run more customisable workflows. Now you can route your remote audio wherever you want to.

Marc Bakos, Founding Partner, Cleanfeed, comments: “We’re excited about the new possibilities Aux Outputs opens up to creatives working with remote audio, especially broadcast producers. We have already seen production houses taking advantage of this new tooling, and the results have completely blown us away!”

By Broadcasters, For Broadcasters

TV and Film sound engineers rely on high-quality audio for every production. A process of post-production techniques for sound design, Foley and ADR is required to complete each and every project. During the lockdown, Cleanfeed Aux Outputs has helped countless award-winning sound engineers to connect to remote actors to complete their productions.

With more flexible routing, broadcasters and producers have already taken advantage by speeding up their creative workflows. Recording show content, voice-overs* and celebrity guests has become a more fluid experience with Aux Outputs. Cécile Janet, Sound Editor, Fitzrovia Post, comments: “Cleanfeed has become our favourite browser-based audio streaming platform at Fitzrovia Post. Their new ‘Aux outputs’ feature has been a game changer for remote crowd ADR. The ability to route multiple actor feeds into individual record tracks in ProTools has removed the need for unpacking and editing takes at the end of the session, streamlining the whole process.” Cleanfeed is now the perfect companion for broadcasters working with remote audio.