Month: September 2021

New smart parking solution to curb stress of return to office launches. #Parking #ParkOffice

Leading parking management system ParkOffice launched its new solution, Spotshare. The feature, which has been dubbed ‘the stock exchange of employee parking’ will enable multitudes of companies to share, swap and trade parking spots based on demand. It is hoped Spotshare will help reduce the levels of stress associated with parking as Irish people return to offices from the 20th of September. ParkOffice is a leading parking management software solution that enables employers to optimise employee parking.

Park Office’s new Spotshare data-powered software relieves the pressures experienced by employees and companies in multi-tenant office buildings by allowing them to seamlessly share parking spaces when demand allows. The key benefits include reducing space wastage and stress through guaranteed parking spots for employees and enabling employers to offset the cost of parking. With hybrid working tipped as the way of the future, Spotshare identifies the requirements of other tenants on a supply-demand basis and enables companies to trade parking spots.

Spotshare is underpinned by ParkOffice’s ‘Newton’ a smart employee parking algorithm. Newton allows companies to automate all aspects of the sharing process from security to payments, and conditions about where and which spaces can be shared. To date, ParkOffice estimates it has reduced the amount of time staff spend on the road by at least 600,000km.

According to statistics from the CSO, 61.4% of Irish workers travel to work by car. In addition to this, in the wake of the pandemic, research from Ibec suggests 74% of respondents have adopted some form of hybrid working over the past 12 months, meaning there will be days where parking spots remain underutilised.

Speaking about the launch of Spotshare, Garret Flower, CEO and Founder of ParkOffice, said:

“The launch of Spotshare comes at a time when commuters feel extremely anxious about returning to the workplace. Our new feature aims to relieve the headaches and stress associated with navigating workplace parking by encouraging companies within the same buildings to share spaces with others. Through Spotshare we hope to make the return to the office as stress-free as possible with minimum disruption to employees and employers.

Tech Review – Targus Cypress 15.6” Hero Backpack with EcoSmart.

Our next bag in from Targus is one that can do many jobs at once with multiple storage options and multiple pockets and options making it a bag that has maximum use cases. This bag was designed with the environment in mind. By using GRS-certified recycled materials, 26 plastic bottles were kept out of our waterways and landfills, shredded into small flakes, re-polymerised into plastic chips, then heated and spun into yarn that was woven, and sewn into the fabric of this EcoSmart bag.

For someone who wants pockets and zippers this is a bag to certainly look at and it very comfortable to wear too and of course has a carry strap up on top that is also padded like the straps on the back and also a curved backplate on the bag so there is no pressure on your back either and overall makes this bag nice a comfortable to wear no matter how much weight you might get into it.

With multiple pockets inside and storage compartments it is ideal for those on the go or anyone in fact and for tech heads like me the ideal bag to have at my disposal with having the ability to store things where I want and not having to look like a fool diffing my hand in looking for something as you often see people doing. Also what I like about this bag is the passthrough trolley strap that makes life easier at airports now that we can travel again..

Targus sent us this bag to review and are seeing the video the same time as you,no compensation was paid nor any input given to my review.

BUY HERE

See video below for more.. Click here if you cant see video

 

Tech Review – Targus Classic Clamshell Laptop Bag.

A couple of bags coming up for review as travel is now starting again and you need to right bags for the equipment you may be carrying and for me it has to be something solid useful and full of pockets to stow things away in order be it travelling locally abroad or for tech events the correct bag is always a priority for me.

First up to house my new chromebook is the Targus classic clamshell laptop bag which does the job for me travelling locally for work or meetings or my hotel stays, small and sturdy with great padding inside and organised compartments this is the perfect fit for such. This is an over the shoulder bag and can be carried with a nice sturdy handle that is comfortable to hold and the same applies to the padded shoulder strap.

With pockets inside you also get a compartment for your laptop/ chromebook which is secured with a velcro strap so it remains in place and then the nice part of this bag is the front compartment which is a multifuncional station that has a clever hinge on it so things will not fall out that may have come loose during your travels.

This is not an expensive purchase and can hold laptops up to 17 inches the one we have is the smaller of the range as it suits my chromebook perfectly.. The range is 13.4 to 17 inches so most people are covered here by choice and you are not tied to one bag here either and given a choice of colours and options, there is nothing worse than having a huge bag to cater for smaller items if you are an organised person.

  • Designed to protect up to 17 Inch laptops with additional internal sleeve
  • Durable Polyester material with reinforced rigid case
  • Multi-functional front zipped workstation for mobile phones, cables, earphones, business cards, and pens
  • Re-enforced adjustable padded handle for extra comfort
  • Velcro laptop security strap

This bag was purchased by techbuzzireland and Targus are seeing the review the same time as you and have had no input nor paid any compensation.

BUY HERE  

Cant see the video click here 

ITSKINS is now an official partner with Samsung

Reaffirming its commitment in bringing innovation and the latest technology to their customers, ITSKINS, a world leader in protective mobile cases, announced today that they’ve become a Legally Authorized Samsung Partner.

This new partnership allows the company to continue to offer best-in-class service to customers, and cements ITSKINS’ devotion to continually redefining the boundaries of smartphone case design while meeting the demands of today’s consumers.

“In the simpler way, this partnership allows us to include the ‘Designed for Samsung’ logo (DFS) on our product packaging, that will be used to communicate that ITSKINS offers a product that is compatible and optimized with Samsung mobile phones. But in a more profound way, being Samsung’s partner for us is a recognition not only to the quality of our cases and designs but as a company that’s lead by innovation and sustainability” said Christophe Jakobuco, CEO & Founder of ITSKINS.

Samsung’s choice to partner with ITSKINS is based on the company’s track record of innovation, impeccable customer service, and commitment to sustainability in production and manufacturing in addition to ITSKINS’ ability to deliver a broad range of high-quality products for Samsung cellphones and tablets.

The DFS logo can only be used on products that have been identified as ‘enabled products’ in a licensing program signed by Samsung. The logo is an added-bonus for Samsung customers who want to make sure they are getting an authentic and high-level product.

By becoming a legally authorized Samsung partner, ITSKINS cases are now customized to complement the innovative designs of Samsung’s revolutionary devices. Additionally, the new agreement distinguishes ITSKINS from other case manufacturers and will allow them to produce better products faster, access more brand partnerships in order to offer a wider selection of products while conducting business with total transparency.

ITSKINS is an ISO 9001 Certified company — this distinction is given only to businesses that show they have complete control of their supply chain, implement safe production practices, and have processes in place for continual quality control and improvement. The company’s sustainability efforts also include using plant-based ingredients to manufacture the cases, planting a tree for each case purchased, and making the cases carbon neural, biodegradable, and fully compostable.

All ITSKINS case collections cases designed for Samsung devices are available here.

Grow Your Audience On Spotify With These Helpful Tips

Spotify has become one of the most popular music streaming services in recent years. Spotify has millions of users, and Spotify’s audience continues to grow each day. Spotify is available on a variety of platforms, including iOS and Android devices, computers, and even smart speakers like Google Home. This means that you can listen to your favorite tunes from Spotify no matter where you are! This blog post will discuss how you can grow your Spotify audience with some of the most helpful tips

 

Create a Spotify account and upload your music 

The first step in garnering an audience in Spotify is by creating an account and uploading your music. Spotify users can listen to Spotify music for free but will have advertisements in between songs. Spotify also offers a premium version that costs $11.99 per month and allows Spotify users to remove all ads from their playlists! 

 

If you want your audience to buy Spotify streams make sure they are getting the most value by going with Spotify’s paid Spotify program Spotify Premium.Spotify is a great way to gain exposure and build your audience, so make sure you upload all of your music! Make sure all of your song titles are clear so people know what they’re listening to when browsing through the list.

 

Create Spotify playlists

 

Another step in growing your Spotify audience is by creating Spotify playlists that highlight not only the best songs from your album or mixtape but also include some of the most popular tracks from Spotify as well. This will increase your exposure on Spotify. Spotify users can create their playlists, and if you have a playlist that includes popular songs from Spotify it will allow Spotify listeners to find your music more easily! This is particularly helpful for artists who do not already have an audience but are trying to grow their Spotify following by using the Spotify platform.

 

Add an album cover photo 

It is also a good idea to add an album cover photo with one or two members of your band. This will make it easier for listeners to identify which artist is performing each song. Spotify allows you to upload photos in the About section of your Spotify profile.

 

Include a link to your Spotify music

Another way that Spotify can help get more listeners and shares is by linking each song back to your Spotify artist page. This will allow users to click on the album cover, which takes them directly to specific songs. Spotify allows you to insert links on the Spotify platform into each song, which can direct listeners back to your Spotify artist page or any other site that you want them to visit.

 

Follow other artists on Spotify

When you follow other artists on Spotify, you will most likely get their attention. From there, ask them for feedback about your music or to answer a few questions. Spotify is all about community so networking with other artists can be very helpful!

 

  • Spotify fans

Creating Spotify playlists dedicated to your music, and sharing them on your page lets people know that you are an artist they should listen to. Also, by adding people as followers or playlist listeners it shows Spotify that you are an artist people listen to! Spotify will then promote you and your music more often.

  • Spotify promotion

Use Spotify playlists for your benefit by adding all of your songs on certain Spotify lists that contain similar artists or musicians, which could help boost the number of listeners to each track. This is a great way to get noticed! Spotify is all about finding new and great music, so using Spotify playlists for your benefit can help you grow a bigger audience!

 

  • Spotify listeners

Last but not least, Spotify recommends artists similar to the ones that are already on your playlist. If those artists have an active fanbase or following it would be smart to add them as well! Spotify is all about community and letting music lovers listen to different types of genres or artists. You can even use the “Browse” function to find new artists that you might like or be interested in.

 

If you want to get more likes and followers on Spotify, your music must be professional and well-produced. Even if you can’t afford a producer or don’t have access to expensive recording equipment, there are still plenty of things you can do yourself to create better-sounding tracks. It all starts by making sure everything about your account looks as good as possible. This, plus the tips listed above, are all geared to ensure that you effectively increase your audience in Spotify.

Artificial Intelligence a key driver of economic growth and high value jobs in Ireland. #AI

Artificial Intelligence will be a key driver of future economic growth in Ireland, delivering high value jobs and a competitive advantage, according to Liam Cronin CEO of RDI Hub, speaking at the launch of this year’s John McCarthy AI Summer School.

RDI Hub is a not-for-profit partnership between Fexco, Munster Technological University and Kerry County Council, and is hosting the event the two-day event which starts today (September 2nd).

Leading academic and entrepreneurs in the field of AI will gather virtually, and at the RDI Hub in Killorglin, Co Kerry, in a hybrid event to discuss how it can be harnessed for the benefit of societies, with a particular focus this year on the application of AI for wellness.

The Government’s recently published AI – Here for Good national strategy stresses the importance of collaborative research and innovation within the sector and stated that AI has huge potential to help the healthcare sector improve patient experience and provide more accurate diagnosis and intervention.

The second John McCarthy AI Summer School seeks to support Government in realising the ambition of Ireland’s AI Strategy by sharing best practice and fostering further AI research and partnerships. By bringing leaders from academia and business together, the AI Summer School can support the growth of a sector which, according to estimates by PwC, has the potential to boost Ireland’s GDP by 11.6% or €48 billion by 2030.

AI adoption in Ireland is continuing at a rapid pace, with a recent Eurostat report showing that Ireland is the leading country in the EU for AI adoption in businesses. The report found that 23% of companies employing at least 10 people were using some form of AI application, over three times higher than that of France, Germany and the Netherlands.

The real-world application and benefit of AI wellness is becoming more apparent, with several Irish companies using their innovative solutions in the sector. Speaking at this year’s AI Summer School will be:

  • Conor McGinn, co-founder and CEO of Akara Robotics whose smart cleaning and assisted living AI-powered robots have gained international acclaim.
  • Alison Darcy, co-founder of Woebot Health and inventor of the Woebot mental health chatbot.
  • Omar Salem, from Field of Vision, is assisting the visually impaired to enjoy an immersive matchday experience with their AI-powered device which allows people to literally feel a match’s biggest moments.

The John McCarthy AI Summer School is jointly powered by founding partners by RDI Hub, Microsoft, Munster Technological University, the ADAPT Centre, along with new partners Tangent and AI Ireland.

Robert Troy TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, said:

“The John McCarthy AI Summer School is an excellent initiative that marks the latest stage in the strong tradition and track record we have in Ireland for innovation and research in the area of AI.

The Government’s new national strategy “AI – Here for Good” serves as a roadmap to how Ireland can leverage the potential of AI for unlocking productivity in our enterprise base, for addressing societal challenges and for delivering public services. We have an ambitious vision for Ireland – to be an international leader in using AI to the benefit of our population, through a people-centred, ethical approach to AI development, adoption and use. It is through collaboration, knowledge sharing and forums such as the John McCarthy Summer School that we can best achieve our vision and continue to improve and respond to the changes that disruptive technologies, such as AI, will make to our economy and society.”

Reidin O’Connor, Community Manager, CEO RDI Hub, said:

“The application of Artificial Intelligence will be a key driver of future economic growth in Ireland. Whilst there are understandable concerns about automation and the impact on jobs, if Ireland can maintain a leadership position, we can build a competitive advantage that supports the creation of thousands of exciting high value jobs. The Summer School is a gathering of the brightest minds in this field, with this year’s event taking a deep dive into the area of AI for health and wellness with both core research and real-life applications of how it is reshaping our future.”

Professor Vinny Wade, Director of the ADAPT Centre and Chair of Artificial Intelligence at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Computer Science and Statistics, said:

“Digital Health is a key research focus for the ADAPT Centre. Our researchers span Medicine, Biomedical Science, Computer Science and Engineering and they are collaborating to drive forward research in rare diseases and eHealth. We are combining cutting edge data science and semantic web technologies to support data integration, data analytics and machine learning for applied clinical research. The AI Summer School provides a platform to drive collaboration and accelerate innovation and we are delighted to be a founding member of this great event now in its second year.”

Dr Kevin Marshall, Head of Education at Microsoft Ireland, said:

“From helping businesses to transform to addressing many of the pressing societal issues that we face, AI has the potential to drive an inclusive recovery. However, in order to harness its full potential, we must increase collaboration between industry and academia and increasingly showcase the many ways in which Ireland is at the forefront of AI and new technologies. 

“That’s why Microsoft Ireland is delighted to once again support the AI Summer School which provides a forum to explore the cutting-edge research in AI and the positive impact it is having on our society.  By working together, we can ensure Ireland develops the in-demand skills and strong innovation ecosystem that is required to become an AI leader internationally.” 

The John McCarthy AI Summer School will feature appearances from some of the leading minds in AI from across the world, and representing industry, academia and state bodies. The full line up consists of:

  • Dr Conor McGinn, Trinity College Dublin, “Data Driven Cleaning – New approach to room disinfection to improve wellness”
  • Dr Heidi Christensen, University Sheffield, “How speech signal technology could be used to advance healthcare”
  • Dr Morten Goodwin, University of Agder, “The obvious secret to making AI for wellness”
  • Dr Lydia Kostopoulos, United States Special Operations Command, “The Emerging Artificial Intelligence Wellness Landscape: Opportunities and Areas of Ethical Debate”
  • Sohini De, Founder of Empeal
  • Dr. Sean McSweeney | Head of Department of Computer Science, MTU
  • Dr. Haithem Afli | NLP/ML Lecturer, ADAPT Funded Investigator and PI at MTU
  • Dr. Siobhan MacSweeney| Head of Research, MTU
  • Brid McElligott| Vice President for Research, Development and External Engagement at MTU
  • John O’Donoghue | Technologies Emerging Technologies Lead, Dell
  • Jon Anthony | CEO and Founder of Adappt technology partners
  • Eugene O Connor | Chief Medical Officer in Altada Technology Solutions
  • Dr. Breda O Dwyer | Head of CEED, MTU
  • Dr. Bruno Andrade | Post-Doctoral Research, MTU
  • Dr. Andrew Shields | Lecturer and Principal Investigator, MTU

John McCarthy, who the RDI Hub building in Killorglin, Co Kerry was named in honour of, was a second generation Irish American and is considered as the father of artificial intelligence through his work as leading computer scientist at Stanford University computer scientist.

Founding partners of the event, the ADAPT Centre, is also launching the ADAPT AI Community Club as a forum to bring AI enthusiasts, researchers and leaders together as a community, to power collective innovation.  This forum is a virtual extension of the Machine Learning Dublin Meetup which already has over 6,000 followers.

Top 5 Latest Trends In HR

Navigating workplaces amidst the pandemic has become more difficult and unique than ever. COVID-19 has left a lasting impact on almost all aspects of our lives and workplaces have specifically been affected the most when we had to switch to a new mode of working. The backbone of these workplaces and organizations are its employees, the HR department works day and night to ensure that these resourceful employees are on the right track. This is why the human resource department has to keep up with the latest trends in the market so that their employees have a comfortable experince and employee retention increases. 

The top 5 essential trends that all HR departments should be following this year are:

1. Virtual Hiring And Onboarding

Ever since work from home has become the new normal the hiring processes had to change too! The conventional interviews, technical tests and onboarding procedures in the office can no longer be continued. The hiring of these new employees when done through virtual interviews has to be followed up in a similar manner. HR can send employee handbooks and other recruitment requirements in a soft copy and over time develop an automated system that sends these essential documents to the new hires. Similarly, a meeting with all the relevant people in the organization may not be possible so video introductions of the management teams and CEO should be recorded as a warm welcome for the employees. This will help mundane working for each new hire and save costs in the longer run! 

 

2. Virtual Learning And Upskilling 

Frequent training and workshops may not be possible anymore; however, the development of skills and learning is needed for the growth of your employees and organization. Our favorite HR trend is to appreciate and enroll employees in online courses on websites like course era and Udemy. This is essential for retaining employees and making the people you already have even more useful. Virtual learning can also be done via company-organized video lectures, meetings, and interactive learning activities. This will help keep the employees engaged even as they stay home.

 

3. Data-Driven Strategies 

HR serves as one of the key departments in the day-to-day working of an organization, making hiring and firing decisions, deciding upon employees’ benefits, employee evaluation, and much more. These decisions can change the dynamics of an organization drastically so incorporating data analysis and trends can help make the best decisions. Decisions will now be made based on metrics and analysis from computer software which have almost no errors. Data-driven strategies can be used by HR to retain employees, design training courses or enrollment, determining the risk areas, insight into employee engagement and motivational behaviors. As the organization progresses based on these strategies the chances of success would become greater. 

 

4. Emphasis On Mental Health

This pandemic has been very vicious to all of us. Companies that recognize the kind of peculiar and extremely difficult time we are going through have the best chance at retaining their employees. Everyone is suffering from distinct problems and support from their organization can help them a lot! The role of HR can be as such that they encourage employees to talk about the things affecting them, organize virtual meetups to keep them engaged, show more empathy and allow them to take breaks, and allow long-term work from home. If the organizational budget allows then mental health applications shall be provided to employees for free to talk to professionals and get the help that they need. Most importantly, create a safe and healthy environment where the work-life balance should be prioritized. 

 

5. Promotion Of Inclusion And Diversity 

Even though more employees may be working from home and interaction between them may be limited; nonetheless, creating an inclusive and diverse environment is necessary to become a well-respected organization. Issues like wage gaps, bias, race discrimination, and sex discrimination are persistent issues that should be addressed frequently. The company should be proactive in putting out their policies against an equal hiring employer, anti-racism, and discrimination this will help the company gain a better public image and increase their popularity. Moreover, the employees will feel safer expressing their concerns and more people would be encouraged to apply for jobs. Addressing D&I issues as a core policy of HR 

 

The future of work has finally arrived and caught up with all these trends is important for any successful company! If you run your own company or you’re an HR professional join the bandwagon now and start your journey to becoming a successful company. 

 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 unboxing and walk-through.

The all new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 has just landed and can this be the one that converts people into the flip game? It has been some time since I have used a Samsung device and this one grabbed my attention so we decided to purchase it ourselves and I will now take this for a good test run over the next few weeks and see can it make me switch to a foldable device which reminds me of the old days when they where popular and I did own and still have quite a few flip phones in my collection..

On first impressions the device is solid and has a better build this time round and a great screen and the cameras seem to quite good too but lets see how all this fairs out over the next few weeks, comparing to the previous model it has more to offer and a better outer display yet still small and they could have utilised the space better on the front to give us a bigger screen to play with but maybe next time that might happen but it is also more functional this time around too and I guess it is welcome..

Check out the unboxing and walk-around of the device below and if you have any questions feel free to hit us up in the comments and we will gladly answer them.. Also if you want to protect your new device, you can find a rich offer of phone accessories online.

Cant see video – click here 

 

Cleanfeed Launches New Studio Tools for Podcasters and Broadcasters

Cleanfeed, a collaboration tool for high definition, live audio and recording in your browser, takes feedback and experiences from the professional radio industry and launches its enhanced studio tools, improving the service for podcasters and broadcasters, globally. 

Cleanfeed has become an established go-to service for broadcasters, podcasters, journalists, radio and just about anyone that requires the need to broadcast or record in high-definition audio, straight from their browser. Striving to continually improve the user and guest experience, Cleanfeed today announce the launch of their enhanced studio tools. The tools, all housed in your web browser with no requirement for any external hardware or software include: enhancements to our existing Clips feature, and a new Player for longer cuts of audio.

The tools give podcasters and broadcasters the functionality of a professional radio studio, straight out of their laptop. Features now give users the opportunity to give their listeners and guests a finished production experience, including the ability to play intro and background music, host a panel show or quiz with sound effects, review music, have guests comment on interviews or even play voxes from the public. 

Cleanfeed continues to be everything you would expect from their service, high quality audio, very responsive yet straight forward in appearance and incredibly powerful. 

Marc Bakos, co-founder of Cleanfeed comments: “As business owners we are continually striving to take feedback directly from our users, as well as industry professionals, to ensure we are servicing our community with the best user experience possible. The new enhanced tools really reinforce that creativity is only ever limited by our imagination and we are excited about the possibilities that these features open for everyone who uses them.”

Mandy Morrow, Director at Crew Radio, comments: “Cleanfeed has been powering our radio station and it keeps getting better! The new Player and updated Clips allow us to produce our recorded shows as if they were live, giving us a finished sound which our audience loves. Its simplicity and ease of use means we’ve not had to look elsewhere to integrate audio into our remote shows, we can do it right from inside Cleanfeed!”