Month: September 2021

FREE NOW goes electric in Cork, Galway and Limerick

New Eco booking option allows more passengers across Ireland to book hybrid or electric taxi on FREE NOW app at no extra cost.

Ireland’s leading multi-mobility app FREE NOW, today announced the expansion of its Eco booking service in Cork, Galway and Limerick. From today passengers in these cities can choose more sustainable transport options by selecting a hybrid or electric taxi on the app at no extra cost. Today’s announcement forms part of FREE NOW’s sustainability strategy – Move to Net-Zero programme – which includes immediate offsetting and long-term Net-Zero efforts with the goal of achieving 50% fully electric vehicle rides by 2025 and 100% zero emissions by 2030.

The national expansion of the new Eco booking service into major cities across Ireland coincides with European Mobility Week 2021 which takes place from the 16th-22nd September to support sustainable transport across Ireland. Following the initial launch of its Eco booking option in Dublin last year, FREE NOW has experienced a huge demand from the public for environmentally friendly transport choices with eco trips in Dublin soaring by 146% between September 2020 and July 2021.

According to new research conducted by FREE NOW, 87% of passengers are worried about climate change and 60% would like to have sustainable transport as a default booking option on the app. Furthermore, 58% believe that there are too many private cars on the road, and 17% stress that private vehicle dependency is one of the main transport difficulties in their area. The vast majority (97%) also think that businesses should make it easier for consumers to adopt greener habits through their services.

Niall Carson, General Manager at FREE NOW Ireland: “We are delighted to announce the launch of Eco bookings for drivers and passengers across Cork, Galway and Limerick. Supporting the national effort to develop a more sustainable transport system across Ireland is a crucial part of our sustainability strategy, and the expansion of our electric offering is a key milestone in reaching our target of a 50% EV fleet by 2025, and 100% net zero emissions by 2030.

The demand from our passengers for more environmentally friendly transport is extremely positive with 84% saying they would choose a sustainable booking option if it was available, so we are delighted to make this a reality at no extra charge for people as we continue to expand our electric offering. 

It is crucial that our drivers are also enabled to make the switch to an EV vehicle in order to support our national expansion. We have developed a dedicated EV expert team which provides our drivers with ongoing advice, webinars and support throughout their switch. We have also invested 6 million euro this year to help taxi drivers across the country purchase home chargers for EVs – making charging easier and encouraging more drivers to go electric.

A smart and sustainable transport infrastructure will play a vital role in our journey to reach the government’s target of carbon neutrality by 2050, and we hope to build on today’s Eco booking launch in Cork, Galway and Limerick in the coming months with continued expansion nationwide.” 

FREE NOW sustainability commitment across Europe

FREE NOW has integrated almost 130,000 new electric vehicles in the app in order to widen its green mobility offer and become the mobility platform with the biggest vehicle choice in Europe. By the end of 2021, FREE NOW expects to complete 4 million rides with multi mobility partners such as TIER & VOI (Scooters , EMMY & Cooltra (Mopeds), Miles & ShareNow (car sharing) on the app.

FREE NOW is also working with ClimatePartner to develop offset projects to compensate for the current output of CO2 emissions produced by both the company and its services.

In total, FREE NOW is offsetting 173,000 tons of CO2 emissions with three projects in Madre de Dios, Peru (dedicated to protecting a threatened piece of the Amazon); in Indonesia (extending wind energy in the region and developing rural areas); and in Europe (supporting the afforestation and the change of local forests by regional tree planting).

Managing HR Services: How To Build A Smarter Business

Having a smart HR strategy is one of the fundamentals of a successful business. In order to develop a constructive HR strategy, the managing team should be able to align business needs with the properly implemented strategy. A successful HR strategy has the ability and vision to help organizations achieve their goals, objectives, and growth in the market. HR strategies are long-term plans that orchestrate all organizational practices such as recruitment, managerial performance, and onboarding processes. This strategy acts as the steering wheel that guides employees and senior management towards a unified goal and the desired future for the company. Building a smart and successful business requires an HR team that believes that the employee is the greatest asset a company owns. Providing employees with encouragement, support, and substantial benefits enables organizations to attract and retain the best of them. Read through our article for the best managing HR services in order to build a smarter business.

 

Employees’ Satisfaction

Nowadays, advanced technologies are playing a great role in business enhancement and growth. Despite the technological revolution that we’ve witnessed throughout this era, the employee remains the optimum resource of any successful organization. Organizational strategies are becoming more focused on employee satisfaction and facilitation. HR consulting services should be based on building a structured approach that adopts a cultured perspective in terms of employees’ satisfaction and motivation. The demotivation and dissatisfaction of employees and workers result in turnover that costs companies money, time, and productivity. Many organizations are working towards implementing improved HR strategies and extended budgets for their employees’ satisfaction. The greatest challenge for any HR team is to work on enhancing the advocacy of employees, treating each as a real person rather than just a number on a spreadsheet.

Defined Workflows Integration

The main functionality of the HR department is coordinating the work among various departments, like sales, finance, IT, and other business departments in all areas. When business structures and employees are distributed over various locations, coordination becomes much more challenging; this is where quality human resources businesses can come in to organize the confusion. The coordination and functionality of an HR department are well-conducted and implemented through the integration of a well-defined workflow. Instilling an HR portal will facilitate workflow integrations with greater feasibility. An HR portal or automated system can be customized according to business needs and includes self-service options for employees. It also facilitates the job of the HR team allowing their administrators to monitor performances and efficiency. You could also check out HRMS software.

Transparency 

In many organizations, HR plays the role of the mediator that delivers the company’s policies, rules, and strategies to the employees. What is expected from the company and HR should be clearly delivered to the employees without any deceiving promises or even misunderstandings. Any respectful organization should implant transparency policies; the responsibility of ensuring that all employees have full visibility of the company’s policies lies on the HR department’s shoulders. Any announcements, requests, and updates must also be carried through an automated HR system to avoid any miscommunication and ensure that all employees are updated with recent activities and work development. Keeping an employee aware of what is expected from them and what to expect from the company will result in a more satisfying and professional work environment.

Analytics of Workforce

One of the main tasks carried by the HR department is performance tuning. It should be able to recognize the appropriate talent for any position in an organization. Placing employees who are properly qualified for their role will ensure success and productivity in the workplace. Regularly and periodically running and analyzing the analytics of the workforce will also help identify the weaknesses and strengths of each employee. Finding ways to elevate employees’ performance is also the job of the HR department; they are expected to conduct training sessions to enhance employees’ skills and increase their achievements and capabilities. A smart HR strategy must address the development of an automated system for running workforce analytics and performance tuning activities. Creating such a system will help achieve greater and more efficient results for business growth and competence in the market.

 

 

While there are many ways to design a smart strategy for bettering the performance of the workforce, the focal points are always based on powered processes of workflow integration. This will help in adapting significant parameters, such as placing the right talents in the right positions and regular analytics of the workforce. Another important aspect is having a transparent policy that delivers a clear image of what the company has to offer to all employees. HR plays the role of the mediator between the company and employees to ensure communicating this policy to everyone.

‘Ireland’s Future is MINE’: Microsoft & RTÉjr launch exciting new digital skills competition for primary schools.

Microsoft Ireland and RTÉjr today announced they are joining forces to launch an exciting new national digital skills competition which will challenge primary school students across the island of Ireland to use Minecraft: Education Edition to help shape Ireland’s sustainable future.

This week, every primary school in the Republic of Ireland will receive a unique code in the post so they can register for a Minecraft: Education Edition account to take part in this exciting initiative. Primary Schools in Northern Ireland will also be invited to participate and will be able to use their existing Minecraft: Education Edition accounts to compete in this first-of-its-kind competition.

Primary Schools are invited to tune into rte.ie/learn from 30th September where they will be able to watch Dream Space TV which features amazing Minecraft: Education Edition Lessons that will run for six weeks. Delivered by the teachers of Microsoft’s Dream Space, the lessons are designed to support teachers to deliver digital learning experiences in the classroom.

Throughout the six weekly online episodes, students will be learning how to use Minecraft: Education Edition through the medium of fun challenges! These challenges will be aligned to both the Republic and Northern Irish curriculums covering subjects from English, Maths, Science, Geography, SPHE and more. Microsoft’s Dream Space team will also provide each school with comprehensive teaching guides to ensure that participating schools are supported throughout the episodes and for their competition submission.

Microsoft Ireland and RTÉjr today announced they are joining forces to launch an exciting new national digital skills competition which will challenge primary school students across the island of Ireland to use Minecraft Education Edition to help shape Ireland’s sustainable future.
Pictured participating in a special Minecraft session in DCU were Amy Byrne and Conor Gannon from 5th class in Glenasmole National School participated in a special Minecraft session in DCU St. Patrick’s Campus. Full details can be found at http://www.rte.ie/learn. Pic:Naoise Culhane

With the necessary skills to participate in the competition developed during the first five episodes in the sixth and final episode details of the nationwide competition will be revealed. It is during this episode on November 11th that full details of the competition will be revealed, and students will be challenged to shape Ireland’s sustainable future through the medium of Minecraft. Schools will go head-to-head with the finals expected to take place in April 2022.

Speaking about the launch of the competition, James O’Connor, Vice President of Microsoft International Operations, said: “At Microsoft, we believe in the power of technology to inspire young people, ignite their imaginations and help them to see the world in a variety of new ways. Our Dream Space experience is one of the ways in which we make this possible. We’ve been delighted to work with the team at RTÉ to make Dream Space available to more students over the past year as the country navigated different stages of the Covid-19 emergency from home schooling and hybrid learning models. We’ve since reached over 40,000 students via our virtual offerings and at Microsoft we’ve been excited to see the impact that the experience has had on students and teachers right across the country.

 “We’re now growing this collaboration with RTÉjr through the launch of this nationwide competition for primary schools today. This inclusive competition will help ensure that young people across the country can experience how technology can shape their world and how the skills they develop can reshape Ireland’s future. I know the Dream Space team have an exciting series coming up which will introduce students to the amazing world of Minecraft: Education Edition and guide teachers on how to introduce this educational tool into the classroom. We hope all primary schools will avail of this opportunity and we look forward to supporting you all on this learning journey over the coming months.”

 Suzanne Kelly, Group Head of Children’s and Young Peoples’ Content said: “Today’s kids are Digital natives and its vital that their experience of the global online community is a positive one. When the opportunity arose for RTÉ to connect with every kid in Ireland and show them how to code through gaming, we jumped on it. Everyone in the school yard knows what Minecraft is and now thanks to Dream Space TV & Minecraft: Education Edition, we’re bringing it directly to every school in Ireland. It’s coding, innovation, creativity, and teamwork, all wrapped up in one incredibly exciting experience. There’s something for everyone here.

 “This competition will really challenge our school kids and give them a platform to amaze us.  It’s very exciting and it’s never been done before here in Ireland. We’re very proud to be able to play an equal part in this with our colleagues in Microsoft Dream Space.”

To participate in the competition schools will need a Minecraft: Education Edition account. Primary schools in Northern Ireland already have access to a Minecraft: Education Edition account but Microsoft will be making accounts freely available to participating primary schools in the Republic of Ireland for a nine-month period to allow pupils to take part. Minecraft: Education Edition is a game-based learning platform that allows teachers to deliver a variety of curriculum lessons to promote creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. The learning platform offers teachers an alternative teaching and learning tool to engage pupils and ignite their passion for learning.

Using the code provided in the post, primary schools in the Republic of Ireland can register for their Minecraft: Education Edition accounts at www.irelandsfutureismine.com. The Microsoft Dream Space TV episodes and a full range of accompanying teacher guides containing direct links to specific curriculum areas, worksheets and extension tasks will be available at www.rte.ie/learn.

Creative launches Live! Mic M3

Creative Live! Mic M3 offers users greater versatility across different use cases as it is designed with two 14mm condenser capsules for dual polar pattern types, Cardioid and Omni, which can be easily switched via the control knob. With the Cardioid pattern, it is most suitable for single-person recordings, like streaming a gameplay, as it is a front-focused mode and is best used to capture sounds made directly in front of the mic. On the other hand, the Omni pattern is an all-angle mode that works better to capture sounds equally from all directions and is great for use with groups, like a podcast recording with two or three hosts.

With up to 24-bit / 96 kHz high-resolution recording, Creative Live! Mic M3 offers clearer recordings to add that dash of audio oomph to the user’s livestreams, podcasts, conference calls, or even just everyday conversations. Adding to that, the microphone also comes with a dedicated mute button and real-time mic monitoring, which allows users to easily make adjustments on the fly.

Equipped with a built-in headphones port, detachable pop filter, and an adjustable table stand, Creative Live! Mic M3 serves as the perfect microphone for budding content creators and even those working from home as it offers crystal clear and studio-quality audio without the hefty price tag.

Pricing and Availability

Creative Live! Mic M3 is attractively priced at £54.99 UK and US$59.99 and is available at Creative.com.

For more information, visit www.creative.com/LiveMicM3.

The Top 5 Threats to Cyber Security

Regardless of whether you love, hate, or have mixed feelings about technology; you cannot doubt its impact on your daily life. The current digital world continues to expand as more people, businesses, and companies adopt remote working. However, as digital activity surges, the criminal desire to take advantage of modern technologies also increases, evidenced by advanced cyber security threats and a rise in digital crime.

In recent years, several major companies have fallen victim to various cybercrimes, ranging from phishing attacks to data breaches. Below are the five major common cyber threats to watch out for.

  1. Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks are the most common and damaging cyber security threat facing small businesses. These attacks account for an estimated 90% of data breaches facing organizations and cost businesses up to $12 billion in losses. A phishing attack occurs when cyber criminals pretend to be trusted contacts and entice users to click malicious links or download malicious files that give them access to your computer or sensitive information.

Current phishing attacks are more sophisticated, as attackers devise new convincing ways of pretending to be your real business contacts. Phishing attacks are very damaging since they are difficult to combat. Unlike other threats that leverage technological weaknesses, these attacks target humans in a business through social engineering.

However, businesses can take some measures to mitigate these attacks. Using a reliable email security gateway, installing post-delivery protection, and training your employees on identifying phishing emails can reduce the risks of falling prey to phishing emails.

    2. Malware Attacks

Malware threats are the second serious cyber security threat facing both small and large businesses. Malware attacks include various cyber threats, such as viruses and Trojans, used by hackers to gain access to business networks, destroy or steal sensitive data. Malware attacks often stem from malicious downloads, connecting to insecure devices or networks, and spam emails.

Malware attacks have significant damaging effects on small businesses since they can cripple computers and other devices that require expensive repairs and replacements. Hackers also access sensitive customer data, putting your company at risk for legal issues. Fortunately, businesses can mitigate malware threats by installing strong and reliable technological defenses, such as Endpoint Protection, which protects devices from malicious downloads.

Taking advantage of the correct threat intelligence tools allows businesses to stay ahead of emerging threats, providing real-time insights into potential risks. These tools help identify vulnerabilities, enabling businesses to act quickly and prevent attacks before they cause major disruptions

     3. Ransomware

Ransomware is another common cyber threat affecting thousands of businesses every year. Unfortunately, they have grown to become one of the most lucrative executable attacks. Ransomware attacks have some similarities with malware attacks. With these threats, cybercriminals encrypt company data and demand a ransom or give conditions that should be met for the data to be unlocked.

Like other cyber security threats, small businesses are specifically targeted due to their average cyber security framework. Hackers also target small businesses because most of them haven’t backed up their data. So to say, 71% of Ransomware attacks in 2018 were directed to small businesses with ransom demands averaging at $116,000.

That said, businesses should adopt strong cyber security measures, such as Endpoint Protection, to mitigate these attacks. You should also back up company data in the cloud to avoid data loss.

    4. Insider Threats

Insider threats are a serious yet mostly overlooked cyber security threat by most companies. A Verizon analysis found that insider threats accounted for 25% of cyber threats in 2017. As the name suggests, these are risks caused by the actions of your employees, bitter former employees, or your business associates. Since these persons can access company information, greed or malice can steer them into causing disastrous actions.

These threats are a significant problem that can put your employees and customers at risk. It can also expose your company to hefty financial damage. While this cannot be prevented, you can reduce insider threats by developing a strong company culture within your business. You should also increase cyber security awareness since some insider threats are caused by employee ignorance or carelessness.

    5. Cloud Jacking

Cloud computing is a fast-rising trend that most companies have adopted for collaboration, communication, and storage. Unfortunately, while the cloud is deemed safe, this is not always the case. Cloud jacking occurs when cybercriminals infiltrate your cloud computing system. Once they access your business cloud, hackers can reconfigure your cloud code, eavesdrop on company communications, and conduct other damaging actions.

Most cybercriminals use information gained from cloud jacking to run other cyber threats, specifically phishing schemes. With the information gained from eavesdropping, they can create fake memos or instructions that appear to have been approved by the management, tricking employees into clicking or downloading malicious files. To stay safe, businesses should look into staying CMMC compliant, as the goal of your CMMC SSP is to provide a readable overview of your security requirements and the controls you have in place to meet those requirements to anyone looking into your cybersecurity posture.

Conclusion

While these five cyber threats aren’t everything that businesses face, they are arguably the most threatening. As cybercriminals increasingly become smarter and strategic, businesses should advance their cyber security measures. You should ensure that your organization has updated cyber security measures to protect your network and sensitive company data from vulnerabilities.

Ecommerce Medical Supplies: How Can Wholesalers and Distributors Sell Online?

Due to B2B eCommerce, interest in medical and pharmaceutical wholesalers has been reignited. As the population ages, and the number of medical innovations grows, it appears the growth in the medical devices sector and B2B eCommerce is now palpable. Further, medical wholesale and distribution companies have now realized that eCommerce medical supplies are increasingly popular and are being used to sell their products to other businesses. Take a look at the statistics below:

 

Regarding B2B marketplaces, 67% of wholesale businesses allow customers to place orders online, making having your B2B marketplace essential. (b2bwave.com)

The B2B eCommerce market will be twice the size of the B2C market by 2020. (PricewaterhouseCoopers)

Within the next two decades, 85% of all B2B buyer-seller relationships will be carried out entirely without human intervention. (Forrester)

Only 11% of medical supply and pharmaceutical businesses currently offer a B2B eCommerce option, so wholesalers have a significant opportunity to benefit from B2B eCommerce. (b2bwave.com)

Regarding eCommerce, it is crucial to consider all nuances of a specific industry. The responsibility of healthcare supply providers is much bigger than in any other niche. Medical supplies may need additional investments in software development for healthcare to create a system where users can track details like meds expiration dates, logistics details, cooperation records with different medical institutions and trusted distributors.

Invariably, consumers are already looking for specific products they want to buy online, so wholesale medical companies are focusing on finding new customers and new markets. When taken into consideration, a B2B eCommerce site works as your 24/7 sales representative. It helps to note that to expand your business and sell your products, you can use eCommerce to reach worldwide markets far beyond your physical location.

Undoubtedly, customers’ decisions when purchasing products online are heavily influenced by accessible product data. Yet, with eCommerce, you don’t have to invest extensive resources, and it helps you expand your customer base and sales without setting up new offices.

Moreover, bolstering brand awareness is crucial. When wholesale eCommerce B2B is added to selling medical devices and services, it is essential in enhancing content marketing and social media marketing. One way to increase your rank in search results is to optimize your products and pages for SEO. By using digital marketing, you can identify and maximize your marketing ROI.

Retain Your Customers

It is critical for any business to keep customers, and the consumer experience plays a major role. Loyal customers are indeed a vital component of wholesale medical supply and distribution. eCommerce stores help bring in new customers, and they also help enhance the customer experience for clients already shopping with you.

Primarily, your wholesale medical distribution eCommerce site gives your customers round-the-clock, annual and 365-degree access to your services. Customers can add new orders, follow their order statuses, and access real-time purchase information. Wholesale medical buyers will genuinely appreciate the time savings from this type of self-service.

Offer Instant Access

Typically, customers visit eCommerce sites using a mobile phone or computer. Since it’s in an online format, eCommerce wholesale medical and distribution businesses are much more accessible relative to brick-and-mortar stores. Therefore, consider ways to penetrate new markets and increase revenue by using eCommerce solutions. You can support B2B customer demands with an eCommerce presence and centralized admin dashboard to manage all your sites from one place. 

Also, improving operational efficiency is critical for any B2B medical supply eCommerce business. With automation, you can mitigate errors caused by human input easily. You won’t have to hire new employees, because with eCommerce, there are no additional tasks necessary to manage your business. When you automate time-consuming manual tasks, then your staff can focus on making customer service improvements.

Make the Most of Your Data 

Data and analytics have the potential to transform your wholesale medical business if used correctly. By increasing overall digitization, certain aspects of your business can be evaluated and measured more easily. eCommerce businesses are wise to incorporate marketing campaigns, customer service effectiveness, product mix, and customer service effectiveness.

Nonetheless, figuring out how much to spend and where to spend it can be a challenging task. It is often difficult for organizations to choose between these two pressing options. Additionally,  eCommerce can be a much more complex undertaking for business-to-business (B2B) customers than business-to-consumer (B2C) customers. 

The most pressing needs of B2B eCommerce include customized product catalogs, multiple approvals, and financing. Still, there are solutions that can meet your online medical distribution needs.

Thus, it would help if you focused on maintaining a few critical functions while looking for scalable alternatives. Consider using a platform that can provide permissions and roles for different users. Further, the checkout must accommodate various payment methods and include the ability to buy. External gateway managers may be helpful for your B2B eCommerce operation.

It’s essential to select a user-friendly solution and a more straightforward method of ordering and reordering to keep your customers happy. Actually, to make the shopping experience easier, implement a one-page checkout. Don’t forget to capture and analyze data.

Remember to Integrate

To provide high levels of flexibility, it is critical to evaluate B2B capabilities, such as integrating with existing ERP and other back-end systems. While B2B eCommerce is an online ordering system, it offers the potential for so much more than that. Customers’ expectations have evolved over the years, and they demand self-service and instant gratification.

A solid technical support department and an extensive partner network are invaluable resources for eCommerce businesses. When you trace the growth of both the B2B eCommerce sector and the medical sector, you can easily find a clear line of convergence. By fully taking advantage of this, you can effectively offer your products and support via the Internet.

Enhance Brand Recognition

Losing out on brand awareness is a serious issue. When eCommerce B2B is added to selling medical devices and services, it is essential in sprucing up content marketing and social media marketing. 

To increase the likelihood of your prospects visiting your medical B2B eCommerce website, optimizing your products and pages with SEO so search engines can index is crucial. Also, by taking advantage of your platform’s digital marketing features, you can identify and maximize marketing ROI.

Consider Vital Features

It would help if you focused on maintaining a few critical functions while looking for something scalable. The platform must also provide permissions and roles for different users. In addition, the checkout must accommodate various payment methods and include the ability to buy at any time. External gateway managers may be helpful for your B2B eCommerce site. 

To retain a competitive advantage, a user-friendly solution and an easier method of ordering and reordering should be included. Actually, to make the shopping experience easier, implement a one-page checkout. 

If you want to provide high levels of flexibility, it is critical to evaluate B2B eCommerce capabilities, such as integrating with existing ERP and other back-end systems. As customer behavior has shifted, so has how customers research, buy goods and services through eCommerce. A solid technical support department and an extensive partner network are invaluable resources for medical wholesale businesses.

eProcurement and Punchout.

If you’re a medical supplier and sell to large organizations, you’re likely going to need to have a punchout catalog. A punchout catalog connects to their eProcurement system which is like an eCommerce intranet where they can purchase from all their providers from a centralized platform. This saves them time and money because they can have a centralized purchasing intranet they can order all their supplies from. Green Wing Technology is one of the leading punchout catalog providers and can help you develop your punchout catalog fast.

Tech Review – Google Nest Doorbell (battery) #GoogleNestDoorBell

Google have launched new home smarts as we know and they are a welcome addition and if you are already invested in Google hardwear even better in my eyes and as mentioned on launch day I would be swapping over to this kit throughout my home and have ordered extra hardware to complete a full set up..

The Nest Doorbell is the first product we look at today and we will go through all the features and what you can expect to get for your money as they are on the pricey side for some folk.

Build Quality

The Nest Doorbell is tall and thin compared to my old setups here, I have went through several video doorbells over the years and find them a must have in the home and the Google Nest doorbell is no different.. This is white and noticeable and anyone into tech would know it is a Google product with their stand out colour. It is also robust and it stands out with a big black circle up top holding all the hardware and a big white circle on bottom that illuminates once activated and there is a gap in between. It does blend in better on your wall if the right colour but not really a huge deal as many folk have such products on their wall no matter how silly some do look..

 

 

There is no chime with the doorbell so this may be a problem for some, if you have a Goolge nest hub at home you are in business as you can watch a live feed or get notifications on the hub itself so you can see who is at the door if you do not have your phone at hand which is great, if you do not have a nest hub you need one in your house.

Battery life 

You can use the nest doorbell wired or wireless which gives everyone an option, wired being better however I prefer wireless and you will get a decent run on battery life, on seeing results it seems average to the others I own but cant predict how long exactly but calculating so far it seems on par but we can come back to it in a few months and see how well it does, your traffic will of course impede on the battery life like with any tech product but you can use battery saving tips such as sensitivity and area zoning to minimise notifications this is something you should use if you have a busy pathway, we go through this in the video review down below. I would wager once a month here for the average user.

The App 

As seen above the app is quite good, you do need to navigate around the app though to get the full benefits on the product and the best part most of the stuff anyone needs is free however you do need a Nest subscription if you want more but for the majority of people the package as is will be fine, there is lots to fiddle around with to get what your needs are and again we go through this in the video

Speaker and video 

The video and audio quality is good here and on par with other known brands, tested both on my pixel 5 and Galaxy flip 3 and all worked a treat, I also tested from the Nest hub and again we can see this in the video review from our phone and nest hub both inside the house and outside and what you can expect to hear and see, you can toggle in the settings the quality you require the time frame and more and also pre-record messages if you like, the choice is yours here.

Things to try with Nest Doorbell 

Set up visitor announcements: Visitor announcements use your Google Assistant-enabled speakers and displays (sold separately) to announce when someone rings your doorbell. If you have Nest Aware (sold separately), your visitors can even be announced by name. To set up visitor announcements, make sure you have a Display already set up with your

Google account. Open the Google Home app, tap on your doorbell and select “Settings.” From there, select “Doorbell” and toggle “Visitor announcements” on. 

Optimize your video stream: In the Google Home app, you can choose to optimize your camera stream for battery life. Open the app and tap on your Doorbell, then tap the Settings wheel. From there, tap “Battery,” and “Battery usage” to adjust your setting for more recording, more battery life, or default, which balances the two. There’s also an option to turn on “Automatic battery saver,” which automatically conserves power when the battery life is less than 7 days. 

Use quick responses or set quiet time: When you can’t get to the door or you’re away from home, use Quick Responses in the Google Home app to respond to someone, like “Just a sec, we’ll be right there,” or “You can just leave it. Thanks!” Tap on your doorbell in the Google Home app, then tap “More.” From there, choose your quick response. You can also set Quiet Time from the same place if you don’t want your doorbell to ring during a specific time. 

Create Activity Zones for more tailored alerts: Nest Doorbell can identify packages as close to 8” from your door, and if you’d like the camera to focus on a specific part of what’s in view for extra-relevant notifications, set up an Activity Zone. To add an Activity Zone, tap your doorbell in the Google Home app, then tap the Settings wheel. From there, tap “Events,” “Seen Events,” and add a new Activity Zone. 

View your 3-hour event history in the Google Home app: In the Google Home app, tap your doorbell, then tap “History.” From there, you can view your most recent event, or tap “Full history” to see what’s happened over the course of the last 3 hours. 

  • WIth a Nest Aware subscription, you can view 30 to 60 days of event video history. 

Filter your events by type: When you tap “Full history,” you also have the option to filter your events by type. Tap the “Filter” icon (an upside down triangle) in the top right corner to filter your events by device type if you have multiple cameras or doorbells, or notification, such as “Package,” “Vehicle,” “Person,” or “Animal.” 

Add a Nest Aware subscription for up to 60 days of event video history: On our new cameras and doorbell, many intelligent features are available at no additional cost, but a Nest Aware subscription adds: 

  • More video history (30 or 60 days) 

Navigate to https://store.google.com/us/product/nest_aware to subscribe.

Conclusion

Some may find this product a little expensive in comparison to what else is on offer out there today however if you are already invested into Google it is worth the spend, for example I have moved to a chromebook and no matter where I am I can get notifications on it whilst working anywhere if my phone is not on it and it is all how things sync up together and overall as a home security feature it works well with all the features required for most without the need for a subscription and during my testing it has worked flawlessly when it comes to notifications and using all the features including the two way audio which has little or no lag compared to others I have tried in the past.

Notification feed
Image feed
Desktop on chrombook

 

BUY HEREBUY HERE      Watch the video below for more and what you get for your money. Cant see the video click here

 

 

You can now Explore the Emirates A380 or Boeing 777 in VR

Experience Emirates’ fully-enclosed Gamechanger First Class Suites, explore the airline’s signature A380 Onboard Lounge, or check out the cabin around your own seat in row 77 from the comfort of your home, with the airline’s award-winning and industry-leading virtual reality (VR) experiences.

Available on emirates.com to anyone with an internet connection, via the Emirates app, and now on the Oculus Store for Oculus Rift users, Emirates has taken the next step in its ambition to reach and engage audiences around the world with cutting-edge VR technology. Learn more about the Emirates VR experience on Oculus Rift here

Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand, said: “Emirates aims to provide innovative and outstanding customer experiences whether onboard, on the ground, or in the digital space. In 2018, we were the world’s first airline to introduce advanced web VR technology on our digital platforms, offering our customers an immersive opportunity to learn about the fantastic Emirates experience that awaited them before they stepped on board. We’ve continued to invest and develop that experience, and today we are delighted to be the first airline to launch a fully-fledged Oculus VR app.

“This initiative expands our global reach and ability to engage with our audiences across digital platforms. It is also particularly relevant right now, as many people have not travelled for a while due to the pandemic, and are seeking inspiration and researching and rediscovering their flight options.”

Created in partnership with technology company Renacen, Emirates’ customers can navigate through Economy, Business and First Class cabins, explore their seats, as well as the iconic Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa on the Emirates A380 using navigational hotspots. Emirates is working on an updated version featuring its Premium Economy cabin and latest A380 aircraft interiors.

In future developments, Emirates plans to offer customers the ability to explore destinations, select a cabin, and book and pay for their Emirates flight from within the Emirates Oculus VR app.

Currently, users can explore the following Emirates’ VR experiences via:

  • Emirates Oculus VR app on the Oculus Store: offering users accurate, life size and interactive cabin interior experiences onboard Emirates’ flagship A380 aircraft and Boeing 777-300ER Gamechanger aircraft. For instance, users can “pick up” items from the Onboard Lounge, “turn on” the Shower in the Shower Spa, or close the private suite doors behind them. They can even explore the cockpit.
  • Emirates.com on PCs, mobile devices or the Emirates app for iOS and Android: An immersive 3D, web VR and 360 degree view of Emirates’ Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft cabin interiors (all 20 different configurations across the airline’s fleet). Customers can explore their seats before checking in online with the 3D seat map. The tool allows customers to navigate from one seat to another, and even allows would-be customers to book their preferred seats from within the 3D environment. Users can also enjoy hands-free cabin navigation and seat selection by using any VR headset like Google Cardboard. This award-winning technology is compatible with all devices without the need for external applications or plugins.

Husband and wife renovation team announce PC house building game Hometopia

Real-life home renovator and longtime game developer couple at The Isn’t Company today announced their upcoming house building PC game, Hometopia, with an official trailer.

Build, design, and renovate beautiful homes across five unique neighborhoods, or freely build dream houses and neighborhoods from scratch alone or with friends online. Hometopia is participating in the Steam Next Fest from October 1st – October 7th with a free playable demo of the game’s Sandbox building mode available on Steam.

Features:

  • Build entire homes from scratch – foundation to rooftops
  • Create homes and neighborhoods with others in online multiplayer
  • Play in First Person or Overview camera modes
  • Design furniture and change materials for everything for full customization
  • Grid-less designing and 360 degree item rotation
  • Lay out the floorplan and designate where every room goes
  • Create plots of any size
  • Build entire neighborhoods with roads, street lights, trees and more
  • Steam Workshop support – share your creations and upload custom items and textures
  • Renovate, buy and sell homes across 5 unique neighborhoods (Trailer Park, Suburb, City, Beach, Mansions) in Career mode
  • Free-build in creative Sandbox mode
  • Multiple biomes (Forest, Lakes, Desert, Beach) to select from
  • Thousands of items to design and build with at launch with more available through modding
  • Adjust time of day and sun direction to take the perfect shareable photos
  • Take before/after photos automatically in-game
  • Advanced lighting system
  • Build elaborate gardens and exteriors
  • Paint color wheel to use any color


Hometopia can be played in First Person or in an Overhead perspective and offers two different modes:  Career and Sandbox.

Sandbox:

In Sandbox, build your dream home without the pressure of market conditions or the limit of resources. Create a cozy bungalow in the forest, a modern marble and glass mansion on the beach, or a massive over-the-top palace overlooking estate grounds and share your creation with the world on Steam Workshop. Need even more items to design with? Hometopia offers full modding support for limitless additions.  In multiplayer, create entire neighborhoods with other players – from planning the plots and laying down roads to creating parks and designing homes – there’s no limit to the worlds you can build.

Career:

In Career mode, players renovate 30 different homes across five distinct neighborhoods that range from a run-down mobile home park to a posh beachside community with lakefront gated mansions.  Buy rundown properties and fix them up to earn top dollar…after cleaning the space, start by improving the layout and flow. Think buyers in this neighborhood would prefer three bedrooms with a garage and nursery instead of a large master closet and sunroom? Use the Floorplanner tool to designate what every space in the home is intended for, then get down to renovating!

Paint the walls, install new flooring and premium appliances, put in new doors and windows, add high end fixtures, or create a beautiful outdoor space for good curb appeal. Feeling ambitious? Build out a fancy multi-car garage, expand the footprint of the home, create a third level, or even demolish the entire property and rebuild it from scratch – foundation all the way up to the roof! Stage the property from a massive collection of over 2,000 unique pieces of furniture, lighting, decor and accent pieces (or make your own unique pieces using hundreds of materials available to customize each item) before putting it on the market. Fulfill all the needs of an ever-changing market and you could have a bidding war on your hands!


“We’re a small, independent team of five, but we’ve been developing games for the past two decades,” said Alex Ahlund, founder of The Isn’t Company.  “We had a lot of success with our mobile games; Design This Home and Design This Castle, attracting over 20M players and igniting our love of home design.”

He continued, “After my wife and I fully renovated our 120-year-old former fraternity house by ourselves, we knew we wanted to bring that same experience to others in a more accessible but less exhausting format.  There aren’t really any games out there that let you build and renovate realistic homes from scratch with other players online, either, so we knew that was an important feature we wanted to incorporate.”

Builder. Designer. Renovator. What’s your Hometopia?

Hometopia launches in January 2022 and will be available in English, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Polish.

 

Design your own dream home by grabbing the free demo of Hometopia on their Steam page from October 1st to October 7th and wishlist the game to be the first to hear when it launches, and don’t forget to join their active Discord community of passionate home designers, builders and renovators.