Month: July 2022

Burren Ecotourism Network secures 12-month sponsorship with Calor Ireland

Calor Ireland has been announced as the main sponsor for the Burren Ecotourism Network as part of a 12-month partnership where Calor will collaborate on a number of key marketing campaigns planned for the coming year including the Burren Food Fayre, an annual food themed event in Lisdoonvarna over the October bank holiday weekend at Halloween.

The Burren Ecotourism Network is made up of 67 businesses in the North Clare region, committed to the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark Code of Sustainable practices for tourism. The networks’ philosophy is to work with tourism businesses to help them maintain and protect the environment, while helping them to promote the region as renowned Geopark.

Ciara Toomey, Business Excellence Manager for Sustainability at Calor, was on hand to officially launch the sponsorship with Sharon Malone from The Falls Hotel, a Calor BioLPG customer and member of the Burren Ecotourism Networks. Sharon discussed the sustainability initiatives at the hotel, being part of the Burren Ecotourism Network and the benefits of Calor BioLPG.

“Tourism and hospitality businesses can lead the way in sustainable tourism by switching to lower carbon intensive renewable energy solutions”, that’s the message from members who considerably reduced carbon emissions with Calor BioLPG.

Focusing on the overall membership of the Burren Ecotourism Network, almost 20% are Calor BioLPG customers. By switching to Calor BioLPG, the businesses have made a combined saving of 630 carbon tonnes over the past 12 months – this is the equivalent of meeting the energy needs of an average citizen in Ireland for 83 years.*

 

Jarlath O’Dwyer, CEO of the Burren Ecotourism Network said:

 “We are delighted to welcome Calor Ireland on board as network sponsors for 2022/23. The Burren Ecotourism Network has worked with Calor Ireland for the past four years through the Burren Food Fayre and the Burren Slow Food Festival. We feel that with their commitment to renewable energy through Calor BioLPG and its sustainability strategy Futuria makes them an excellent fit with our ethos of environmental protection.”  

The partnership represents an opportunity to begin a new and exciting chapter, Mr O’Dwyer explains that several members of the network in the accommodation sector, visitor experiences, food production and food service, had already made the switch to Calor BioLPG, and appreciated the value of this partnership.

Introducing renewable gas into the processes at tourism enterprises, allow the companies to deliver on their business sustainability objectives.

Clare based Ciara Toomey, Business Excellence Manager for Sustainability at Calor’s parent company SHV Energy said:

“We are delighted to partner with the Burren Ecotourism Network as main sponsors for the coming year. This is a commitment to support businesses in the region that are determined to make a difference to the local community and the environment. Tourism and hospitality are high energy intensive sectors by nature, as a leading rural energy provider, we are dedicated to help businesses on their sustainability journey by providing lower-carbon alternative solutions. 

Calor believes that small changes, taken together, can make a big difference. As a company we are evolving to provide more sustainable products. We introduced BioLPG in 2018 and our ambition is that all of our energy products will be from renewable sources by our centenary year 2037. The carbon savings of Calor BioLPG customers in the Burren region is an example of the impact that can be achieved, and the journey we are all on together.” 

Calor was the first company on the island to make a certified renewable form of LPG available to homes and businesses in 2018.  Calor Ireland, and its parent company SHV Energy, is partnering with leading, innovative players to help make sustainable fuel advances possible through its Futuria Sustainability Strategy. Calor Ireland’s ambition is that all its energy products will be from renewable sources by its centenary year 2037.

Almost 9 in 10 Irish Organisations Will Be Impacted by Google’s Cookie Changes

Marketing departments of organisations throughout Ireland are undergoing a fundamental shift in the way they use and capture data as a result of changes to how businesses can use 3rd party cookies. However, a survey from Compliance Institute of 144 compliance professionals within Irish organisations throughout the country, has found that although the oncoming changes from Google around the use of 3rd party cookie data will have implications for almost 9 in 10 businesses, there’s a widespread lack of awareness, with 74% of respondents say there’s little to no awareness of the issue within their organisation.

The survey also looked at whether or not marketing and compliance teams were working together to prepare and develop new data collections strategies in advance of these changes – more than half said there was no coloration at all, while a further 14% say they would like to be working more closely with the marketing department.

Michael Kavanagh, CEO of Compliance Institute (formerly Association of Compliance Officers in Ireland (ACOI), said the results point to a communication issue within Irish organisations that requires attention.

“In 2023, Google Chrome will block third party cookies and ca. 65% of the market globally, it will force marketers to consider other options. However, these findings point towards a lack of awareness, a lack of preparation, and possibly a lack of collaboration. All of which are concerning from a compliance perspective.

What this tells us is that organisations need to look at the area of data from a more holistic viewpoint. This is not just the domain of the marketers within the business – anything that relates to the collection or capture of data contains a GDPR element, which of course, is led, in the main, by compliance professionals.

It wasn’t all that long ago that the Data Protection Commission (DPC) issued a guidance note titled “Cookies and other tracking technologies”, which outlined what the DPC  considers best practice, and intended to ensure greater levels of adherence across Irish organisations. At the time, Irish organisations were required to review their cookie policies to ensure they met the standards as set by the EU.  It was at that stage collaboration between marketing and compliance teams was necessary to ensure that the organisation had all its t’s crossed and I’s dotted.

We need the same type of collaboration now”.

The Compliance Institute survey asked:

How much awareness is there in your organisation around the forthcoming changes from Google, and are actions being taken as a result?

 

                                                                                                                                                           %

  • A lot of awareness and we have made/ are making changes                                        8
  • A lot of awareness but we have yet to make any changes                                              5
  • A little awareness – some actions taken/ planned                                                         13
  • A little awareness – no actions taken/ planned                                                               24
  • No awareness that I know of                                                                                               37
  • It doesn’t apply to us                                                                                                             13

How closely are you working with your marketing department in the development of alternative data strategies to replace third party cookies?                                                                         

 

                                                                                                                                                         %

  • Very closely                                                                                                                           18
  • We are working with them a little                                                                                      17
  • Not at all                                                                                                                                 51
  • We would like to be working more closely with the market department on this       14

Mr. Kavanagh concluded,

“It is evident from our survey that greater cross collaboration and communication is needed marketers need to do more to engage with their compliance colleagues and vice versa.”

 

How to Get Started With Kodi App on Amazon Fire Stick?

Kodi is one of the best open-source media players that helps you stream online content and manage the offline media library. Several people are yet to find out the actual usage of the Kodi app. 

Kodi comes with a compelling media player that can stream various media formats. In this article, I’ll tell you everything about Kodi and help you get started. I’ll also tell you a little about some decent add-ons and builds.

What is Kodi, and how to get started with it?

As mentioned earlier, Kodi is a media player which allows you to play offline and online content. One of the most significant selling points of Kodi is that it is an open-source media player. There are no media included in the Kodi app. 

You can customize Kodi by going from options after options or by using existing builds. Builds are one of the best options to set up your Kodi without hassle.

A Kodi build gives you pre-installed add-ons, plugins, skins, etc. You can customize all these things whenever you want. These builds might slow down the streaming device for a little(at the time you install them), but they save a lot of time for you. You might want to check this article about some decent builds along with add-ons they have.

Installation

Kodi is not on the Amazon App Store, so you have to sideload it on your Firestick. Sideloading means downloading a third-party app unavailable on your App Store.

To do that, you might need an app like the Downloader app that allows you to download and install third-party apps from their APKs. You can enter the URL from Kodi’s official website and install it. Make sure to grant third-party installation permissions before downloading it. 

What to do after installation?

If you are now on the home page or the main interface of Kodi, you will see several options like

 

  • Music Videos,
  • TV,
  • Radio,
  • Add-ons,
  • Pictures,
  • Videos.

 

If you want to add media to the Kodi player, you might need to select the Videos option available on the home page. After that, click on the Files option, and after that, Add Videos option. Now, browse through your hard drive and select the video you want to play.

You can also install third-party or official add-ons from Kodi’s repository. First, you might need to permit to install add-ons. 

To do so, you might need to click on the settings tab and find the system option. After clicking on the system option, you will find the add-on option on the bottom left side. After you click on the add-on option, click on the Unknown Sources option to turn it on. Click yes, and your device is ready to install add-ons.

To add an add-on, go to the Settings option on the Kodi app and click on the File Manager option. Here, you might need to click on the Add source option and click the None option after that.

Enter the source URL(add-on’s URL from its site), and click OK. Now, name this add-on, and this step is completed.

To install the repository, go back to the add-on option on Kodi’s home screen. After that, click on the open-box icon and then on the Install From Zip File Option. Now, find the add-on you added, and click OK.

After installing the repository, it is time to install the add-on. Go to the install from the repository option, and find the repository you just installed. Click Video add-ons and install the add-on of your choice. 

Conclusion

Kodi might be a bit difficult when you use it for the first time, but after following decent guides and using it for some time, you will get used to it. It is one of the best-open-source media players because of its features. Keep learning about those features and how to use them, and you will get the best out of the Kodi.

 

Big Savers Tighten their Belts while Shopping Online

As the cost of living rises online shoppers are becoming more prudent. The survey has found that the majority of adults will shop around online to find the most pocket-friendly option before making a purchase. According to the survey over half (51%) of all adults will spend less on online shopping with 83% of respondents admitting they will shop around more given the current increase in the cost of living.

Dmac Media Director, Dave McEvoy commented:

“This survey shows that shoppers are willing to spend more time browsing for the best price and delivery, which means more opportunity for retailers to compete.   People are definitely tightening their belts, shopping around and thinking longer before making a purchase.  This makes it vital for businesses with an online store to monitor closely how their items are selling and adjust accordingly.  Retailers also need to highlight delivery time and cost to take advantage of the increase in more frugal visitors”

When shopping online, certain factors heavily influence adults spending habits with the majority (80%) admitting product prices are they biggest influence. Free or discounted shipping was the second highest factor with 71% of respondents admitting making their purchase decision when these were available. The survey results show that in the next six months, 75% of online shoppers are likely to make an online purchase of clothing or apparel. This is on trend with the overconsumption of fast fashion and although there is a significant emphasis being put on the impact fast fashion has on the planet it does not seem to deter people from indulging in new attire online. Other than clothes, gifts or giftware, home and garden supplies, groceries, food and takeaways will be top of the online shopping list of Irish consumers in the coming months.

The results of the survey carried out by Dmac Media show the average spend online per month overall is €149.93 and the average number of Online stores visited is 3.2.

The convenience and options are endless which makes shopping around and saving money easier than ever before. The overall increase in living costs will be a factor in how much disposable income is there to be spent and will force online shoppers to shop around and find the best offers that suits their needs. Overall online shopping has a part to play in the everyday lives of adults across Ireland and will continue to do so.

The survey was conducted iReach Insights for Dmac Media. The research report provides insights into online shopping influences and purchase triggers. The report also provides insights into future online purchase plans and the average spend online per month and websites visited.

Research results now available online at https://dmacmedia.ie/industry-insights

$5.7bn-valued Workato to hire 50 at its Dublin Office

Workato, the leading enterprise automation platform, plans to ramp up hiring at its Dublin office in Ireland after a year of record momentum, which included launching its first European data centre in Germany in May 2021, raising over $420 million in total funding to date with a $5.7 billion valuation last November, and recently being named to the 2022 CNBC Disruptor 50 List.   

The Irish base opened last September and has hired 10 people since opening the Dublin office at the WeWork building.  The new office will result in the creation of 50 jobs over the next 3+ years approximately, with predominantly sales, marketing and engineering staff. Their focus will be to support Workato’s current customers in the region and the business expansion in the European commercial and enterprise segments.   

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in California, United States, Workato supports customers throughout EMEA with operations currently in Spain, UK, Germany, France, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands and Italy. Workato’s current customer base comprises companies from the tech, financial services and fintech, transport and logistics, ecommerce and retail industries. Customers include Nokia, FreeNow, Adevinta and Web Summit. As part of the company’s mission to improve the way enterprises work, Workato is also forming  new strategic partnerships with local organisations such as Softcat in Ireland.   

This expansion is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland. 

Robert Ekstrom, EMEA GM and VP Sales at Workato commented: “Ireland is fast becoming a leading global technology hub and with Workato’s aim to help organizations work faster and smarter without compromising security and governance, it allows us to support businesses in a new region. Not only this is an exciting opportunity to scale Workato’s operations, but to be partnering collaboratively with IDA Ireland. We look forward to continuing and building on this partnership.”  

To learn more about Workato and the future of automation, please visit www.workato.com.  

NEFF celebrates 20 years of the Slide & Hide

NEFF celebrates 20 years of the Slide & Hide feature, the first and only fully retracting oven door. It is now 20 years ago that NEFF broke the rules with an oven door. Until that day, every oven door in every kitchen worked in the same way: by folding open. Instead of doing what everyone did, our engineers and designers at NEFF followed their own bold idea to create a different opening mechanism.

Ralf Grobleben, Head of Design now and then, remembers: “In the very beginning, the Slide&Hide® door was just a vague vision but with more and more ideas on how to make it happen, the vision became clearer. As with many things that challenge the norm, the idea was not initially received with great enthusiasm, the reactions were a bit more reserved. Our designers and engineers had many challenges to overcome; one that caused us to scratch our heads for a while was the mechanical stress of the door mechanism. In the end, it was realised, partly through an attitude of openness and the art of seeing what does not exist yet. The vision was always to achieve something that slides smoothly, is practical and also fun to use.”

With each evolution, Slide&Hide® was improved, soon not compromising on cavity space and today, over 2 million people enjoy the feature that was first launched 20 years ago.

Instead of just celebrating an oven door this year, we also want to celebrate something much bigger: the boldness, creativity and open-mindedness that made Slide&Hide® possible. We want to inspire people to break free from common rules around eating, cooking and kitchen – and instead open their minds, unleash their cooking passion and let nothing block their creativity – whether that is old-fashioned kitchen rules or an oven door. To find out more about the campaign, visit: https://www.neff-home.com/about-neff/why-neff/slide-hide

Tech Review – JBL Live Pro 2 True Wireless

It is great to see some new tech from JBL and the first review we have is their latest true wireless earbuds the all new Live Pro 2 and there is plenty more to come from the brand this year and it all looks good from seeing it hands on at their launch event last month in Dublin, for the last few weeks I have been testing the latest true wireless and I have been very impressed with them.

The presentation is as always great with JBL products especially their earbuds which come in the traditional box we are all familiar with and you can see the full unboxing on our YouTube channel where we go hands on with all our tech for better context check out the presentation and unboxing HERE 

Again these can easily be an airpod alternative and most likely better due to the new features provided and again Apple have a serious competitor on their hands here given the love they get and for me these are again better and cheaper, better build looks and design too so an all round winner in those departments.

They fit really well too and again like any earbuds check out the tips and get the right fit to get the full audio experience as within the app you get to ensure the fir is right and it might take a few goes to get this right which was a bit annoying however it is worth it in the end trust me, the fit is snug once you pick the right tips great noise isolation that is notable straight away and you cant really ignore that fact when trying them out. After that you are good to go once you check out the app and we go through this in the video review so you can see what you are getting.

The app itself has plenty of features which are great and you can control your earbuds from there or from the buds themselves, also I must point out take the left side out first then the second to get both going do not take both out at the same time as I have had several ask about not being able to connect one side.

The sound is where it matters most for people and they are fantastic, they are loud punchy nice bass highs lows and mids are fine and direction, they for me are one of the best earbuds so far this year and up there a the top tier costing less money competitors and giving better sound and app options to play around with to get the right notes for you.

You have 11mm drivers in these guys and six mics so calls are also great and during my testing both ends clear, noise cancelling on these is also pretty good and one of the best ones in this area this year and you have other options to play with with ambient and hear your own voice which is not present in many earbuds today. One thing missing that could of been included was the support for aptx codec but with the app you can fine tune to your own needs and still get an excellent audio experience at a great price.

You get extra niceties with wireless charging and quick charge too which helps and also what is cool is the use of Google assistant again we demo this in the video below so do check that out for more details. You also get dual connect and you have an IPX5 rating. On a budget of the asking price then? Pick these up you will not be disappointed.

 

JBL LIVE Pro 2 Features:

●      JBL’s Signature Sound from 11mm drivers

●      Up to 40 hours of playback time (10 hours in the earbud; 30 hours from charging case)

●      True Adaptive Noise Cancelling with smart ambient

●      6 microphones with noise and wind isolation technology

●      Dual Connect + Sync with Google Fast Pair

●      Hands-Free Voice Control with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

●      All Access Touch Control or use via the dedicated JBL headphone app

●      IPX 5 rating (waterproof and sweatproof)

●      Speed charge 15 mins = 4 hours

●      Qi compatible charging

●      Price: €149

Video Link 

 

PSB Launches Passif 50 Speaker to Celebrate 50 Years

PSB Speakers, innovator of high-fidelity speakers since 1972, releases the Passif 50 Anniversary Edition Standmount Loudspeaker in celebration of its 50-year milestone. The design and technologies of the Passif 50 model leverage five decades of dedicated research and pay homage to the early Passif II model first released in 1974. The Passif 50 will be available to pre-order online the first of August with shipping this September, and it retails at USD $2499/GBP £2499/EUR €2999/CAD $3299. As a show of gratitude for the brand’s devoted fanbase, the first 500 units sold of the Passif 50 will contain a handwritten letter from Paul Barton and includes a QR code with an offer to receive a gift pack that includes a cotton canvas backpack, double-walled water bottle, and commemorative keychain.

Capturing a Legacy

In 1974, PSB Founder and Chief Designer Paul Barton developed the Passif II at a time when his initial acoustic research had led to the establishment of PSB’s design philosophy. The Passif II was the first model to incorporate those principals and demonstrate what is now praised as the brand’s signature “True to Nature” sound. Paying tribute to the Passif II, the Passif 50 represents the PSB legacy that has remained strong over 50 years of speaker innovation – a series of products marked by tonal accuracy, spatial realism and freedom from distortion.

Retro-Modern Aesthetic

The Passif 50 features 1970s inspired elements like an open-grained walnut veneer cabinet, magnetically attached woven cloth grilles and dedicated stands. The loudspeaker evokes a sense of nostalgia with its retro details while being constructed with modern materials that align to current tastes. Other unique embellishments include a pull tab on the front grille, which sports the retro PSB logo – originally hand drawn by Paul in his high school geography class – and a rear-panel plaque adorned by a maple leaf with an inscription that reads, “Passif 50 – 1972-2022.”

A Landmark Design

The design of the Passif 50 mirrors its famous 1970’s forefather but incorporates the most current flagship level components and benefits from 50 years of acoustic research. The result is a loudspeaker with classic 70’s looks but achieves a level of performance well beyond the capabilities of its ancestors.

The titanium dome tweeter employs a powerful neodymium magnet and ferrofluid damping, for higher output, improved power handling, and reduced distortion. A phase plug in front of the tweeter’s dome directs the tweeter’s output to ensure a wide and consistent dispersion well beyond the traditional listening window. The result is a speaker which creates a wide and deep soundstage with very acute imaging which isn’t reliant on a precise listening position. A felt pad surrounding the tweeter minimizes edge diffraction for improved transparency and more stable imaging.

The woofer and passive radiator have cast aluminum baskets that resist flexing, and filleted rubber surrounds that dampen cone resonances, resulting in smoother response and reduced distortion. Considerable engineering effort was invested in refining the interaction between the woofer and the passive radiator. The result is a state of perfect balance of their opposing forces.

All joints in the heavily braced enclosure are mitred for improved fit and finish and reduced cabinet vibration. Featuring dual five-way binding posts, the Passif 50 can be bi-wired or bi-amped.

Features and Details:

1″ titanium dome tweeter with ferrofluid damping and neodymium magnet
6.5″ woofer and 8″ passive radiator with cast aluminum baskets, paper cones, and filleted rubber surrounds
Retro-styled open-grained walnut veneer enclosure and dedicated speaker stands
Magnetically attached woven cloth grilles
50th anniversary design touches, including original PSB logo and pull tab on the grille, and rear-panel plaque that reads “Passif 50 – 1972-2022,” adorned by a maple leaf
Felt surrounding the tweeter minimizes edge diffraction
Bi-wirable/bi-ampable five-way gold-plated binding posts
Speaker alone dimensions: 660mm H x 280mm W x 2540mm D (26” x 11” x 10”)
Speaker with stand dimensions: 870mm H × 280mm W × 254mm D (34” x 11” x 10”)