Month: June 2022

Creative launches Zen Hybrid wireless headphones, we take a first look.

Creative Technology has launched its Creative Zen Hybrid, the latest wireless headphones to keep music-loving users plugged in far longer than they would normally. Featuring Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology, 40mm Neodymium drivers and up to 37 hours of battery life with a minimalist yet sleek design, Creative Zen Hybrid quite simply packs in the highlights as the go-to daily headphone solution for all.

Creative Zen Hybrid is built to help users be at one with themselves through their music, wherever they are – they are able to focus much better with the Hybrid ANC technology, driving out unwanted distractions from the environment. This technology is ‘hybrid’ through implementing feedforward and feedback microphones on each earcup. As a result, up to 95% of ambient noise is filtered out, enabling users to fully immerse in their favourite tunes while on the go.

Ambient Mode allows users to be conveniently aware of the environment without taking the headphones off, for example when listening out for train station announcements, ordering at a café counter or simply keeping users safe on busy streets. Rounding things off is a noise-cancelling microphone, which keeps calls clear for the other party as well.

To complement the noise-cancelling feature, these headphones sport 40mm powerful yet light Neodymium drivers. Expertly tuned by Creative’s in-house engineers for a warm sound signature with accurate bass and crisp, clean highs, the Zen Hybrid is well-balanced to suit a wide variety of genres while helping to prevent headphone fatigue.

With an impressive battery life of up to 37 hours, users can easily binge on their favourite playlists, even while in repeat mode. When needed, the Zen Hybrid can provide 5 hours of playback with only 5 minutes of super-quick charging.

Creative Zen Hybrid sports a sleek and lightweight design with a slim profile, with easy-to-use tactile control buttons conveniently located on the right earcup. It also features a foldable design and can be handily stowed in a carry pouch when not in use.

SXFI READY

Creative Zen Hybrid is specially tuned to support the exciting and upcoming expanded Super X-Fi ecosystem, where Super X-Fi Headphone Holography will be implemented in different devices such as TVs, PCs and mobile devices. Users of SXFI READY headphones like the Zen Hybrid will get to enjoy this award-winning technology on such devices.

In the meantime, users can benefit from the superior tuning of SXFI READY headphones. A free preview version of the award-winning Super X-Fi technology is available through the SXFI app. Users who are interested to be informed of these new SXFI-enabled devices compatible with SXFI READY headphones can sign up here.

Key Features of Creative Zen Hybrid

  • Hybrid ANC (feedforward and feedback mics on each earcup)

  • Ambient Mode

  • Battery life – up to 37 hours (ANC turned off), up to 27 hours (ANC turned on)

  • Up to 5 hours of playback with only 5 minutes of charging

  • 40 mm Neodymium drivers

  • Foldable design, with carry pouch included

  • SXFI READY

Pricing and Availability

Creative Zen Hybrid is priced at £ 99.99 and is available at the Creative online store.

For more information, visit creative.com/ZenHybrid.

Video link to unboxing

FIND LOVE AMIDST THE APOCALYPSE IN BRAND NEW DATING-ACTION GAME ETERNIGHTS

During Sony’s State of Play independent developer, Studio Sai, revealed a first look at their upcoming apocalyptic dating-action game debut, Eternights, coming to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC early next year.

In Eternights, players will make the most of life during the apocalypse, saving the world and finding love along the way. The reveal trailer gives a glimpse at the game’s unique blend of love story and adrenaline-driven combat, brought to life with beautifully crafted 2D animated cut-scenes.

A mysterious entity has infected humans, turning them into dangerous monsters obsessed with violence and power. As they stand between you, a cure, and the world you want, you must race against the clock to fight for your survival and for those you love. But with scavenging, dungeon crawling, and dating all on the to-do list, what will you do first? The choice is yours, but everything has a deadline, and the clock is ticking.

In Eternights, players will encounter perilous dungeons steeped with mystery and danger, overcoming traps, puzzles and dancing mini-games to beat their deadlines and make it through on time. When not exploring dungeons, choose a confidant from a cast of five quirky and loveable characters. As you grow closer, explore their unique stories, and unlock new skills and spells to aid you in battle.

Eternights will be available for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC (via Epic Games Store and STEAM) in early 2023. For more information visit http://www.eternights.com/

 

TEN – Ten Seconds, Ten Rooms, now on all major platforms.

Indie publisher Ratalaika Games is delighted to be working with developer The Bworg on their debut title TEN – Ten Rooms, Ten Seconds is now released  for PC (Steam) / Playstation 4 + 5 / Xbox One, Series X and Series S / Nintendo Switch for £4.99 / $4.99 / €4.99.

Are you looking for an addictive, satisfying and challenging game that you can pick up and play any time? Whether you’ve got a few minutes to spare or you’re in it for the long haul, TEN – Ten Rooms, Ten Seconds is the game for you.

Simply addictive – Don’t Judge a book by its cover

You have TEN seconds to live, or die.

TEN – Ten Rooms, Ten Seconds is a simple yet challenging single player game that takes place across ten floors of an underground facility. Each floor contains ten rooms, and each room seals the player in for ten seconds while various traps try to kill them. But there’s hope – the player can collect ‘tokens’ which can be spent in safe rooms at the start of each floor to unlock upgrades and abilities to help them survive.

The game’s focus is on a “learn from failure approach”. Each room is technically a puzzle, and as players learn from their mistakes, they’ll discover their own solution, overcome each floor’s gauntlet and make it to the next level. Although simple on the surface, it’s reminiscent of similar challenging games of its kind like Super Meat Boy, and also takes influence from more modern games such as those in the “souls like” genre.

For trophy hunters or casual players, there’s an easy/casual mode that allows for optional invincibility so you can simply enjoy the story (which really starts to take off around the midway point).

For players who really want a challenge, there’s an optional ‘Hell Mode’ which offers up more threats in each room.

 

Game Elements:

  • Fast-paced, adrenaline fuelled gameplay
  • Mysterious and rewarding story
  • Deadly and varied bosses
  • Upgrade and skill system
  • Killer soundtrack by dBXY Collective
  • An onslaught of cannon fire, bizarre monsters and more
  • Plus an epic and surprising conclusion

Workhuman announces number of workplace awards, including Best Large Workplace, Best Workplace in Tech and Best Workplace for Women in Ireland

Workhuman, the company revolutionising the way employees celebrate, connect with, and appreciate each other in the workplace, is today announcing a number of recent workplace award wins. These awards recognise Workhuman’s commitment to building more connected and human-centred workplaces

“After two years of disconnection, uncertainty and a lot of Zoom calls, the future of the workplace has been changed forever and one thing is clear, it is more human,” said Steve Pemberton, Workhuman CHRO. “Workhuman has always prioritised our people and we will always ensure that they feel connected, supported, heard and appreciated. These accolades are a great validation of our mission to bring more humanity to the workplace and we are proud to provide a great place to work for our 1,000 employees, and for our future humans.”

When people are recognised and celebrated at work, they thrive – and so does business. For more than 20 years, Workhuman has been building more human workplaces for organisations around the work by creating cultures of recognition that see lowered turnover, improved performance, and increased engagement. With the Workhuman Cloud technology and its people, the organisation is creating a better future for the workplace, community, and the world.

In addition to the workplace-focused awards, Workhuman co-founder and CEO, Eric Mosley, was named to the CEO 100 Index 2022 list by Business & Finance Ireland​.

Innovation. Determination. Imagination. Respect. At Workhuman, these are the values their humans live and breathe each day, and this is what they look for in future humans. The company is hiring across most departments in the US, Ireland, and Europe; open roles can be found here.

Great Place to Work® Ireland:

Why use SSD VPS hosting

VPS is an excellent hosting service option, which is chosen by an increasing number of website owners. A virtual private server can be rented at an affordable price, it is distinguished in reliability and several other advantages. But even when choosing a VPS, providers offer several configurations that differ in technical characteristics that determine the performance of the server. One of these varieties is an effective and promising technology called VPS SSD hosting. SSD servers are extremely popular in the IT world. The reason for this is the maximum speed of downloading information they provide. And if the provider offers you VPS SSD hosting, be sure to check this offer. What is interesting about servers running on SSD drives? Let’s see

Traditional HDD storage technologies, their weaknesses and an alternative to SSD

Over the past few years, there has been much progress in the world of computer technology. The engineers managed to reduce the size of processors while increasing their performance significantly. Servers have become smaller in size and simultaneously more cost-efficient. However the storage – the hard disk – has not changed much. Yes, its internal volume has increased, but the principle of operation remains the same. The mechanical magnetic hard disk drive (HDD) rotates, writes data, and outputs them through a movable read head.

Meanwhile, the storage is not only responsible for storing the information, but also ensures the operation of the entire software. After all, program files are stored on the hard disk, and the operating system constantly accesses them. Such accesses, accompanied by the movement of the head from one part of the disk to another, result in reduced performance of the machine.  This may negatively affect the operation of the website hosted on the server. When HDDs are overloaded with I/O requests, data processing speed is reduced and server malfunctions or even mechanical failure can occur. Over time, the hard drive may fail altogether due to the banal mechanical wear of moving parts.

To eliminate such risks, it is recommended to choose a server with an SDD. The technology of operation of this storage device is based on the principles of NAND-Flash memory. The SSD has no mechanical moving parts and uses integrated circuits and binary files for data storage, making for reliable and high-speed operation. 

Advantages of SSD VPS

  • Speed. SSD servers work faster than HDD counterparts. Solid-state drives have an average write time of 3-4 and read times 5-6 times higher than HDD drives. For the owner of a website hosted on a server with a hard disk, this means that they always find themself at a disadvantage against competitors on SSD hosting. 
  • Reliability. There are many mechanical moving parts in a HDD. This causes the disc to wear out quickly. SSDs are based on chips that have a much longer lifespan. Such a drive will last for many years without failures. In addition, many hosters update memory devices frequently, preventing the storage device from getting old. Technology is developing rapidly, with providers rushing to “sell” its benefits. 
  • Size. The mechanical component of the HDD physically takes up a lot of space and has a decent weight. SSD chips weigh no more than 100 grams and are compact. At the same time, the volume of the flash drive can hold up to 8 TB of information.
  • Economy. SSD drives are considered an energy-saving solution. If the mechanical analog of the HDD consumes up to 7 watts per hour, then with an equivalent load, the SSD requires no more than 2 watts. This has a positive effect on the cost of maintenance and the environment.

The only relative disadvantage of SSD is the high price of such a drive. However, in recent years, previously elite technology has become publicly available. And the still existing difference in the cost of hard drives and flash memory almost immediately pays off with the above advantages. 

Comparison of SSD and HDD

Parameter / type of storage device SSD HDD
Size Small size, light weight.  Large size, large weight. 
Economy Low energy consumption. High power consumption, which negatively affects the battery life. 
The speed of writing and reading information  High Low
Reliability The information is securely stored on the chips. The data is stored on round plates. 
Nature of the work There are no moving parts, the disk works without noise and vibration.  It works noisily, vibrations may be observed.
Price High  Low

Who is suitable for SSD VPS?

SSD VPS servers are recommended for owners of web resources that handle large volumes of data. For example, these may be WordPress-based e-commerce websites – popular online stores that face a periodic peak in traffic. Hosts with solid-state drives will provide a high level of interaction with visitors. That is, they are effective if a large number of disk operations are assumed.

SSD VPS servers are more attractive for SEO optimization of electronic resources. After all, search algorithms have made the speed of the site the most important factor for its promotion. Increased page loading speed and the correct display of text and images have a positive effect on conversion and help to reduce bounce. Web resources that use significant amounts of cache will also benefit from hosting on SSD VPS servers, also due to high computing power.

Who doesn’t need SSD hosting?

Owners of websites consisting of static HTML pages should not be overcharged for switching from HDD to SSD. They, as a rule, do not consume a lot of server resources, so there is not much difference (except for the difference in the subscription fee) you will notice. Also, for hosting sites with file archives (sites for long-term storage of rarely changing data) that do not require high download speeds, it is economically more expedient to choose servers with HDD. Budget servers with hard drives are suitable for single-user blogs-sites with a daily number of visitors of one or two thousand people. You won’t gain much if you transfer them to a high-tech SSD VPS host.  

When to choose SSD hosting?

So, for you, as a website owner, high speed, performance, scaling and stability are important. While your resource faces the need to process large amounts of information or daily high traffic. If all this is about your site, then it’s stupid to choose hardware that will work much slower. So, it’s time to choose a VPS SSD. Switching from HDD to SSD hosting, of course, will require certain expenses. But the benefits of such a move are so obvious that they should not be ignored by web resources (online shops, gaming sites, media sites) with growing traffic. For more information on SSDs, please contact the reliable VPS hosting provider HostZealot.

 

 

 

Tech Review – Redmi Airdots 3 earbuds from Hekka #letshekka #hekka

The Redmi Airdots 3 are an affordable pair of earbuds in an already crowded market even with the discount code we have with them you will want to know if they are worth the spend though and what is on offer, it has been a busy year so far with earbuds and will continue on for the rest of the year but these have the worst pair of earbuds I have ever tested to date.

The company that sent them called hekka  where told I am in Ireland and they will work, however there is an app you can avail of (MI AI) but does not work here as the video will point out below where all the faults rest with these earbuds, they are destined for china however available to buy from the company above which is fine however some finer print should be added to the products on sale to avoid disappointment.

Well for some the features that are available is enough if you are on a budget, you can pause and play music take calls and access your voice assistant, you can also use individually and that is it, there is no skip or reverse tracks, no volume control either which leaves them lacking no matter the price you pay. You also get auto play and pause which is not bad considering.

The sound is not bad though, between bright and flat no bass either present, they are fine for those who want a cheap pair of earbuds and they are loud to be fair, the touch controls are a bit hit and miss too but work ok in general considering the lack of features it has to manage at least from this side of the world. There is a user manual in the box which when translated with Google lens to translate brought up very little in features as mentioned.

Redmi Airdots 3 controls

 

Overall battery life is fine considering the price, they are as basic as you can get in earbuds from what I have tested to date so the choice is yours .

Features

Wireless connection: Bluetooth 5.2

Net weight of single earphone: about 46g

Total weight with charging box: about 51g

Talk time: about 5 hours

Battery life with charging box: about 30 hours

Single headset battery capacity: 43mAh

Charging box battery capacity: 600mAh

Headphone size: 28*16*21mm

Charging box size: 65*42*32mm

Headphone charging time: about 1.5 hours

Communication distance: 10 meters (barrier-free open environment)

Charging time of the charging box: about 3 hours

Bluetooth protocol: HFP/A2DP/HSP/AVRCP/BLE

 

BUY  use the discount code – Brientech10 to get an extra $10 off on orders over $29.99 at Hekka.com

Video Review Link

 

What Is a Residential Proxy and How Can It Be Useful for Business?

The use of residential proxies is a great way for businesses to collect and analyze data, compare prices and products online, and expand their market reach without being noticed or blocked by sites.

There are several advantages to employing a residential proxy, and in this post, we’ll go into greater detail about how services like proxy residential IP can aid businesses.

They Help in Obtaining Real-Time Data from Competitors’ Websites

Competitive intelligence is one of the most well-known uses for a residential proxy. Tracking and blocking requests issued by data center proxies have become easy in recent years. Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu are among several major online services that restrict access to IP addresses belonging to specific providers.

If you use a residential proxy, on the other hand, every request appears to have been sent by a real person. When several requests need to be sent from different IP addresses in different countries and cities, residential proxies allow them to be sent from local ISPs as well as different countries and cities.

They Increase Brand Security

Brand protection and the battle against counterfeiters are two further practical applications of residential proxy technology. For example, the makers of Vicodin may want to combat the sale of counterfeit versions of the drug.

As a general rule, these vendors restrict their websites to nations where the manufacturer has offices. This makes it more difficult to catch counterfeiters and take legal action. Residential proxies could be used to obtain an IP address from the same country as the imitation site and collect all relevant information.

Aids in Performance Analysis and Software Testing

Tests of new features for websites and mobile apps can also be performed using residential proxies. Users from all over the world can observe how their software performs. Utilizing various residential IP addresses to send a large number of queries is also useful for testing software performance under high load.

In addition, this technology can be used to keep tabs on performance. The speed of a company’s website for consumers in a given country is an important consideration for multinational corporations. So, obtaining relevant data is made easier with the use of residential proxies with IP addresses.

They Optimize Marketing and Advertising

To get the best possible results, it is essential to test ad campaigns. Residential proxies can be used to check how specific online adverts appear in search results for people from a specific place, as well as whether or not they are displayed.

If you want to see how effective your local SEO efforts are, you may use residential proxies to see if your website ranks at the top for your target keywords or not.

Using search engine infrastructure to gather data is not something search engines appreciate. Consequently, these businesses are constantly improving their anti-bot systems to make data collection directly from the search extremely challenging.

In contrast, using residential proxies to send several search requests makes it appear that real people in different regions are looking for something. A real user can’t be blocked by a search engine. As a result, the residential proxy is an ideal choice for ensuring that search engine results are accurate.

Residential proxies can also be used to monitor and analyze the success of your competitors’ marketing campaigns. Both in-house marketing departments and external marketing and advertising companies employ this technology.

Content Collection

Since Big Data is everywhere these days, several companies have formed their business models around combining many sources of data into a unified view that can be displayed on their platforms. Residential proxies are needed to keep their databases up to date with the aggregated content. For instance, it would be difficult to maintain current data on prices for a specific commodity on many e-commerce websites without this application. These types of actions are prohibited on these sites because of the potential for exceeding the requests of the company.

For instance, if you want to keep a comparison table of TV prices from 20 websites up to date, you’ll need a bot that visits and refreshes the pages. Anti-bot systems are likely to prevent such queries, but a residential proxy can get beyond these types of data protection measures.

Assists in On-Demand Data Gathering and Analysis

In recent times, there has been an increase in the number of organizations that specialize in on-demand data collection and analysis in recent years. Crawlers scour the web for data that matches specified profiles. It is then possible to market, sell, or gather competitive intelligence using this information.

Residential proxies help web crawlers circumvent filters like anti-spam and content filters.

Conclusion

Businesses can benefit from the ability to replicate requests from real users using a real, local IP address. This technology is frequently employed by businesses to collect data, conduct testing, and gain access to various web resources, among other things.

Microsoft launches their new Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2

Microsoft have today launched the next evolution of Surface Laptop with the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 available now on pre-order. The device offers a modern design with a vibrant 12.4” PixelSense™ touchscreen, comfortable keyboard and large, precision trackpad to help with navigating, scrolling, and selecting with ease.

Equipped with Windows 11 and the Quad-core 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 processor, Surface Laptop Go 2 provides all-day battery life and the device weighs only 2.48 pounds. Additionally, the device offers a clear video and rich sound for music, movies and shows, connection over video calls with an improved HD camera, and connection to other devices and accessories via a range of ports.

Pete Kyriacou, CVP, Microsoft Devices said: “We’re delighted to announce Surface Laptop Go 2. This product has been meticulously crafted to deliver our Surface signature premium design and features in an ultra-portable format.

While fashioning a beautiful product we are also committed to sustainability. In addition to SSD, replaceable components now include the C-Cover (Keyset and Trackpad), AB Cover (Display) and battery  and Surflink cable helping to extend the use of your device.

Beneath the sleek exterior, Surface Laptop Go 2 is the first Intel-based secured-core PC from Surface. With innovation from chip to cloud, customers at home or work can enjoy new levels of security. Whether deploying for a large-scale enterprise or your home business, Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a lightweight, manageable and functional device for any employee.”

See more HERE

54% of Irish SMEs say climate change is at least as important as price when buying IT

Datapac, Ireland’s leading technology solutions and services provider, today announces the results of a survey which found that more than half (54%) of SMEs in Ireland say the climate change agenda is more important than or equal to price when it comes to IT purchasing decisions.

Furthermore, only 15% of Irish SMEs said that impact on the environment is not a key deciding factor when making technology purchasing decisions.

The survey of 150 SME business owners in Ireland was carried out by Censuswide in association with Datapac and cybersecurity and backup specialist, Datto.

In relation to IT budgets for this year, over half (51%) of those surveyed said their IT budgets are increasing, with 35% of budgets remaining the same and 14% set to decrease.

With most workplaces open again, the survey found that 40% of SMB owners intend to continue to offer remote or hybrid working despite the immediate necessity of the pandemic having passed. Securing critical data can be a challenge for many within the context of these new ways of working, with a further 38% believing that remote and hybrid working has made it more difficult to secure critical data.

Karen O’Connor, General Manager, Datapac said: “The climate change agenda is something which ultimately affects all aspects of an organisation’s operations. To meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions, organisations must holistically examine all fundamental processes, including IT, to best chart a course for a greener tomorrow.

“The past two years have seen widescale digital transformations as organisations adapted to better face new challenges. As organisations have witnessed first-hand the value added through enhanced flexibility and productivity, trends indicate that IT investment will remain high. When strategically examining one’s IT position, it is important to fully consider how IT investment can enhance organisational processes, rather than just focusing on point-solutions to solve individual challenges.

“As we emerge from the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, organisations need to seize the opportunity to fully re-assess and strengthen their IT and security infrastructures and strategically plan how their IT can best support a greener, more sustainable hybrid future.”

Nicholas O’ Donovan, Sales Manager, Datto Ireland, said: “We have seen rapid digital adoption in organisations across the board over the last two years. At the start of the pandemic, many organisations were forced to enact changes under very tight time constraints and may not have had the opportunity to fully consider the security ramifications of such a shift or to seek expert assistance to guide their transformation.

“Threat detection and response capabilities remain key, yet the fact remains that the best recourse in the likely event of data theft is having the capacity to quickly restore operational data from a recent and uncompromised backup.”