Month: November 2022

Petoi launches Bittle STEM kit – learn to code with the world’s first palm-sized robot dog

Petoi, the maker of futuristic robotic pets, today launches the Bittle STEM kit, a lower cost version of its palm sized robot dog that can help teach tech enthusiasts, young and old, about robotics and coding. Small but agile, Bittle can be programmed to walk, do tricks and roll around just like a real dog. Differing slightly from Bittle V1, the STEM kit contains plastic-gear servos instead of metal making it lighter and more flexible with different movements.

The Bittle STEM kit is available at www.Petoi.com from £223 ($269, RRP), but in the run up to Christmas, it will be available at a promotional price of £180 ($214). The Bittle STEM kit will also launch on Amazon UK mid-December.

The Petoi Bittle STEM kit is ideal for kids and adults with an interest in STEM, coding and robotics. It’s also perfect for those who just want to have fun and play with a robot pet companion. Bittle operates on OpenCat, an open-source quadrupled robot platform that offers endless programming and customisation possibilities. Educational, users can learn coding as they teach Bittle to run, jump, roll over, sit and lay down, just like a real dog.

Users bring the Bittle STEM kit to life by assembling its puzzle-like frame which is made up of plastic 3D interlocking components. The bionic construction of legs rather than wheels means that Bittle is able to move more freely over unstructured terrain. With a simple and beautiful design, Bittle can be easily configured and controlled using Petoi’s official mobile app, the included remote control or a number of different programming options. Users can also program Bittle to do tricks with Petoi Desktop App’s Skill Composer.  Petoi plans to release a free C++ four-legged robot curriculum by mid December.  Bittle is a great STEM learning tool and perfect for anyone interested in robotics and programming.

Evolving with an open-source gene, Bittle is built on Petoi’s OpenCat open-source platform which was first launched in 2018 by Petoi’s founder Professor Rongzhong Li specifically for quadrupled robots. Bittle’s dynamic manoeuvrability and behaviours are features typically seen on luxury robots but Petoi’s technology is now making it accessible to everyone.

With a customised Arduino board coordinating all instinctive and sophisticated movements, users are able to clip various smart sensors onto Bittle or mount a Raspberry Pi or other AI chips through wired/wireless connections to inject perception and artificial intelligence capabilities.

Features include:

 

  • OpenCat framework

  • Arduino compatible motion controller & wireless connectivity

  • Impressive running speed and agility

  • Interlocking plastic frame

  • Shock reduction joints

  • Programmable gaits and behaviours

For more information, please visit https://www.petoi.com.

How to Build a Successful Cryptocurrency Blog in 2023

Cryptocurrency is one of the best niches for blogging right now for a variety of reasons. One of them is a large number of projects in the space and all the different angles that you could take. Running out of subjects is almost impossible in crypto and you could either start a general blog or choose a very specific niche. People in the crypto world also tend to have money to spend, and there are so many different ways to monetize a blog in that niche. The best part is that a crypto blog is super easy to make. Let’s take a look at how you can build a successful cryptocurrency blog in 2023.

Start Doing Your Research

The first thing you’ll need to do is gather a list of blogs that you actually like. Look at the first and latest posts, and look at the progression. Also start looking at some of the features of the blog, and the way they monetize it. All of this will give you inspiration.

Another thing you should do is check which social platforms they are the most active on. Look at the type of posts they publish, and how often they post. Also, check if they have a YouTube channel. This is very important as they may be drawing a large portion of their audience from there, and if you want to replicate their success and formula, this is something you’ll need to emulate.

Choose to Niche down or Not

As it was mentioned earlier, you can decide to start a specialist blog or speak about everything that’s going on with crypto. Both approaches can work, but there are some advantages to niching down.

If you have expertise in one particular area of crypto, like decentralized apps, then you could let that expertise shine through a blog that speaks specifically about DApp projects, platforms, and tokens. You could go on a site like OKX.com, for instance, and offer the latest quotes on ETH and various other coins in the DApp space. 

There are tons of other ways that you could specialize too. You could speak only about ICOs, or NFTs, or have a site catering to beginners specifically. Or you could help people learn how to mine cryptocurrency.

So try to look at as many different ways that you can specialize your blog. This could allow you to stand out and corner an underserved audience.

Get Hosting and WordPress

Once you have an idea of what kind of blog you’re going to build, you can start looking at a hosting package and installing WordPress. If you don’t know what WordPress is, it is the world’s most popular CMS and is used to power the vast majority of blogs on the internet. It is the gold standard for CMSs and will allow you to build a great-looking blog in minutes. It’s also incredibly easy to customize and manage.

If you can, try to pick a service that will offer both hosting and domain registration as it will make things simpler for you. Also, check if their plans have 1-click WordPress installation. You could always install it by using FTP, but that could be a bit complicated if you’re a beginner. Going for 1-click installation will be much easier, and will reduce the chance of bugs.

Pick a hosting service that is known for offering great live support, and make sure that you pick a dedicated hosting plan. Do not pick the cheapest option as this usually means that you’ll have to share the server with other people and traffic on their site could affect yours. Instead, you need to at least pick a virtual private server that will give you the autonomy of a private server without having to invest in a physical one.

If you are worried about the design, don’t be. WordPress allows you to use premade themes that will give you a professional-looking website without having to hire a specialist. You still can if you want something over the top, but you could get a perfectly fine theme from a place like ThemeForest and make slight modifications if you want to personalize it, so don’t obsess over that part.

Look at Monetization Options

Before you start posting, you need to decide how you will monetize your site. One of the most important things you need to do here is to have a system to capture people’s emails. This can be done through a simple form or a pop-up. Try offering something worthwhile like a free report to entice people to sign up. This will allow you to build a list that could be all that you need to make money.

You should also look at things like affiliate programs and Adsense, which can be very lucrative since people pay a lot of money to advertise crypto projects and products. Other options include selling books, plugins, or sponsored posts, among others.

Another popular approach is to install this WordPress monetization plugin. A content network, such as Backlink.Cafe is a great and easy way to get extra income for your blog by accepting relevant guest posts and backlinks in your existing content. The best part is that you can fully control what goes live on your website and approve or reject offers in just one click. You can set your own pricing. They currently support payouts in Bitcoin and PayPal.

Start Posting

Now that you have everything in place, you can finally start posting. Do not go live unless you have around 10 to 15 posts minimum. This will be the foundation for your blog and will provide enough substance for your first readers to be interested.

Make sure that you post at least once every two days, and monitor your results. Also, make sure that you prune out content that doesn’t get reactions, as these posts could hurt your results. Research top keywords and integrate them naturally within your content.

Once your website is established you can try forming partnerships with other blogs and see if you could get a guest blogging spot. Get active with the community on places like Discord, Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. The more you get involved in the community and the more you release great content on various platforms, the more your authority and presence will grow.

This is all you need to know if you want to build a successful cryptocurrency blog in 2023. Everything else is a question of hard work and perseverance, so stay consistent with your efforts, and don’t get discouraged if your blog is not an instant success.

Tech Review – Bose QC 45 headphones

Bose have been a popular brand here in Ireland and with a range of headphones and earphones there is a selection of products for everyone but the most prominent pair of headphones for the brand has been the QC 35 which many reviewers raved about, I have not owned a pair of the QC 35 but did try them for a day and they were quite impressive it has to be said so how does the latest pair of cans hold up and in general how are they and are they worth the money, well lets have a look..

The presentation is good so that is a good start and you can see the unboxing and full review below to see more but the product itself is really nice and feels solid and I do like the colour we have here although over time I would be interested to see if this fades or gets dirty but so far so good and I always take case of my earbuds and headphones using the cases provided which is probably why I get good distance with my huge collection..

They are comfortable very comfortable and light and can be worn for hours on end with no issues and for me that is great as I tend to watch alot of movies and listen to music at home and on the go and it is part of my daily routine with the amount of earbuds I test every day of the week.

The cups are super comfortable as is the headband and they sit nicely on the ears and block out pretty much all the outside world when on the head. there is a ratchet style extension arm each side which is made of plastic and metal the entire headset is mostly plastic but solid.

Ok so onto the app and here is where I get pissed off straight away with the amount of information they require however this is now becoming a common feature with headphones and earbuds and over time I can see this getting on peoples nerves and perhaps move to other products but it is common today and Bose are not the only ones looking for TMI to use a product you pay big money for as is..

 

The app is easy to use and all you require is present inside for you to use the headphones along with the physical buttons on the cans themselves. Again we go through this in the video review below it is a simple straight forward process overall and you will be up and running in no time, you can access your voice assistant, skip and reverse tracks, higher and lower the volume and control your calls, all is good here.

How do they sound then.. Well good as a whole and depending on your personal taste there was some overlapping in certain songs from my playlists overall good but the volume not the loudest for me, I like my music loud and have louder headphones but again this is personal. For music in general and movies they provide a decent balance and great vocals and direction so for anyone who is in the market and not an audiophile looking for new cans they are worth the look.

Are they worth the price? No in short, Bose like other brands have a fan-base but in this day and age there is great value costing less and more of it we have seen this with earbuds and headphones no different. The Bose QC 45 are widely available for 349 euros.

Video Review

 

Top Binance Competitors: Bitcode

The bankruptcy of FTX and the lawsuit against its CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, have made investors look at other exchanges. Not with a desire to transfer their funds at another website but with a question about who is next. With the famous crypto trading companies experiencing trust issues from the community, it is time to learn more about smaller yet more secure places. Tiny scale in comparison to mastodons like Binance or Coinbase let these companies to get under the radar of the people manipulating the market.

The centralized exchange Bitcode Method is one of the recently opened places like this. Looking at its features is the best way to learn about smaller trading places. By using the information about the inner workings, an investor can find any other exchange if Bitcode Method will not be to your liking. It is important to find a place worth the trust outside of the Top 10, and this article will help to do this!

What a front page may say

The first look at the front page can tell you more useful information than you think. Let us take the landing page of the Bitcode Method as an example of any other small exchange that can use. At the topmost position, all the popular trading pairs with the percentage of a price change happened in the past 24 hours. It helps people start the day from opening the exchange to check out the latest trends.

Central features of the project listed just below that. Here you can check out the core principals comes from the company’s philosophy. A small starting guide is also a welcome sight for people logging in to the exchange for the first time. Some mentions from trusted news outlets and user review can help differentiate a legit exchange from a freshly opened one.

A list of features would help you to see the direction project was taken. What they think is the most important quality for a customer. For Bitcode Method these core features look like these:

  • low minimal deposit to start trading easily;
  • even the tiniest starting capital is enough to join the market;
  • a great number of currencies is a key to increase potential earnings;
  • high accuracy;
  • fast transactions;
  • demo trade system for beginners or analysts.

A section with a frequently asked question will be helpful for a newcomer as it often contains some useful tips. Do not skip it even if it is not your first exchange as some of the answers may explain how some of the unique features work.

High security here

The safety of the customers is what an exchange should put in front of all other priorities. To ensure the money of its clients is safe Bitcode Method implements KYC policy, two-factor authentication, and encryption on both sides.

An interface is also an important feature is look for while looking for a place to trade your blockchain tokens. A positive attitude is key for precise and profitable trades. Join Bitcode Method today to try the most promising exchange to this day!

Companies Leading the Way in Pensions

Setting up a private pension fund sooner rather than later has long been the advice of financial experts. But with more and more businesses offering private pension services, which are the leading companies, and how do you distinguish between the options? 

Starting a Private Pension Fund 

Distinct from the public pension contributions or those offered by workplaces, personal pension funds are assets put into investments, like stocks and shares. Most workplaces now offer enrolment automatically into a pension fund. Choosing a private pension provider gives you a chance to consolidate your pensions together, making it easier to manage and track.

Tax is a significant consideration when looking into private pension investments. Regardless of which company you choose to invest with, any earnings on pension fund investments are tax-free. Also, income tax paid on money allocated to private pension contributions has a certain percentage of tax relief. Tax relief and allowance are, of course, limited and assessed on individual circumstances. Pension providers generally work best for self-employed individuals or those who don’t have a workplace pension or are working towards an early retirement goal. 

Top Pension Providers

Depending on an individual’s circumstances, one pension provider may be more attractive than another. This can be due to the size of the pension pot, how active the pension contributor will be in investing, and employment status But who is the best pension provider in the UK? The top-performing pension providers include Prudential, Invesco, Phoenix, Moneyfarm, and Vanguard. It should be noted that each has pros and cons for particular circumstances. 

For example, many opt for a company that offers ready made personal pension solutions and are suitable for anyone with no previous investment experience. This type of pension means that it is possible to contribute regularly monthly payments as well as lump sum payments. Ready made options are straightforward to manage, and the pensions company takes all tax relief. Moneyfarm, for example, offers a ready made personal pension service with a very low minimum contribution.  

Assessing Personal Pension Providers

There are many pension providers in the UK and Ireland, so how do consumers assess each company’s services? The entire point of a private pension fund is to invest the maximum amount in the most profitable way possible. For this reason, the first consideration should be fees. Carefully assess administration fees, transfer fees, penalties, and management costs of each pensions provider, as this will, over time, make a massive difference to your bottom line. 

The private pension provider should be registered with the appropriate financial and regulatory body. Who regulates pensions in the United Kingdom? The Pension regulator (TPR) regulates workplace pension schemes, and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates private financial firms. This is an essential criteria for a company providing pensions funds to meet, protecting themselves and their customer’s money. 

Before making a decision, it is always best to seek advice from a regulated financial adviser and do plenty of homework on each company. 

Spot Trading: What Is It and How Do Businesses Profit?

Spot trading is a type of trading that involves arbitrage opportunities. It occurs in two main ways: on exchange-based markets or over-the-counter markets. In both cases, prices are constantly changing. This creates opportunities for trading because players can work with volume according to how the market feels. By contrast, fixed contracts make it difficult to work with the book in response to how the market feels. Spot trading allows people to participate in a market with profit potential, and it’s regulated.

Easy to Understand

Spot trading is a way for businesses to buy and sell foreign currency. Unlike futures, spot prices are based solely on supply and demand. This means a company can trade its assets for cash on the spot market and still enjoy a healthy profit margin. Spot trading is also advantageous for investors, allowing them to hold investments without making payments for interest or maintenance margins. In fact, spot trading can help a business earn significant profits in as little as 2028!

Spot prices are created by different people in the market and fluctuate with demand and supply. This creates opportunities for trading and arbitrage. Spot prices differ from fixed contracts because they allow players to work with volume by market feel. They also enable businesses to get in on the ground floor with profits from arbitrage opportunities.

Spot trading is a popular investment strategy that enables traders to easily invest in and trade financial assets. Spot trading in cryptocurrencies involves purchasing and selling digital assets at current market rates to make a profit. A spot transaction will frequently be a crypto trader’s first experience with cryptocurrency. In this case, they will carry out a spot transaction in the spot market, such as buying Bitcoin at the going rate and hoarding the coin until its value increases. This is where the OKX trade spot could help you.

Spot Markets Are Exchange-Based or Over-The-Counter

Spot markets are public financial markets in which financial instruments, including cash, are exchanged for assets, commodities, and other financial instruments. Although not always instantaneous, a spot trade occurs when a buyer and seller agree to a price and delivery. Spot trading is distinct from futures contracts, which require delivery at a future date.

Spot markets are exchange-based or over-the-counter markets in which businesses profit from the liquidity of these markets. The spot price fluctuates based on the inflow of orders. In a liquid spot market, the spot price is determined by a market maker and a buyer. This is different from futures trading, where buyers and sellers negotiate prices and deliver commodities in the future.

Provide Arbitrage Opportunities

Spot trading offers arbitrage opportunities for businesses in a variety of situations. For example, an arbitrage opportunity may arise if a company is undergoing a merger and acquisition. This deal is usually short-term and involves buying or selling a company’s stock at a price below what it is actually worth. The difference between the two prices is usually only a few points, and traders must trade in high volumes to take advantage of these opportunities.

The logic behind these trades is the same as in regular employment. In a typical case, a trader would sell a futures contract at a premium and buy shares of the same quality from the spot market. The difference between the two prices would represent the arbitrage trader’s profit. This difference is the basis and is used to create arbitrage opportunities.

They’re Regulated

If you are unfamiliar with spot trading, it is a type of trading where you buy or sell a financial asset in hopes of a price increase. After the price rises, you can then sell it on the spot market and make a profit. You should be conscious of the dangers and rules, though.

Spot trading is not regulated similarly to futures or options trading. However, the CFTC has jurisdiction over futures contracts. It holds the exchange of sensitive information and the coordination of trading plans. The proposed DCCPA would grant the CFTC such jurisdiction.

They’re Easy

Spot trading is a form in which a buyer or seller agrees to accept the physical delivery of a commodity. This type of trading is not complicated and involves minimal risk. Unlike other trading methods, no margin is required, meaning the buyer or seller cannot lose more than their initial investment. This type of trading is also easy for new investors because it is very liquid.

Businesses can profit from spot trading in several ways. For instance, if a company wants to purchase bitcoins worth $1,000, it can place a market order with the exchange and receive BTC immediately. Another way of trading is to short a financial asset. When the price drops, you can sell it for a profit.

 

Ireland Football Heroes Go Head to Head at Turners Cross Stadium For Virgin Media’s ‘A Game’ for Ireland

Virgin Media are hosting ‘A-Game’ for Ireland in Cork City FC’s Turner’s Cross Stadium on 29 November 2022, which will see Irish football legends David Meyler and Stephanie Roche take on Ireland’s top FIFA players and WYLDE esport athletes, Ciaran Walsh and Tyrone Ryan.

The game, which is a League of Ireland first, will be streamed live from 5pm on Virgin Media’s Twitch channel, with commentary and analysis from Virgin Media Sport pundit, Damien Delaney and esports caster and football commentator, Darren Gibson.

Virgin Media is the official sponsor of Usain Bolt’s esports organisation and Ireland’s premier esports team WYLDE;  this event is part of their ongoing ‘Gamers are Athletes’ campaign, showcasing e-sports players as elite athletes in need of the speed and reliability Virgin Media broadband provides to bring their A-game.

The popularity of esports has rapidly expanded and the pandemic has acted as a catalyst for that growth with 52% of adults in Ireland who game saying they play online, according to research commissioned by Virgin Media and carried out by Coyne Research. Research also shows that 72% of people would choose to play a football game online over participating in a physical game.

Ahead of the game, Virgin Media Ireland Marketing Manager, Clare Quinlan said: “Our research shows us that 1 in 5 young people in Ireland are watching FIFA tournaments. In future, online tournaments could be as popular as the World Cup, so we want to make sure that just like other athletes, e-sports players have access to the best equipment so they can play and compete at the highest level. Virgin Media’s 1Gb speeds and 99.9% reliable broadband helps the WYLDE team and gamers across the country to bring their A-game.”

Stephanie Roche added: “Ireland may not have made it to Qatar, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have Irish international players we should be celebrating. Ciaran and Tyrone are athletes, just the same as me and David, and now thanks to Virgin Media people across Ireland will see that and get behind them.”

Back in his home turf of Turner’s Cross, and former professional midfielder, David Meyler said: “Having started my career playing for Cork City, it is great to be back now to take on the WYLDE e-sports team, another great Cork based team giving players the support and resources they need to develop and to compete internationally. I am an avid online gamer myself, so I understand the level of skill and dedication gaming at his level takes and am looking forward to taking them on.”

Speaking on behalf of WYLDE, Chief Executive Steve Daly said: “We all know how good David and Stephanie are on the pitch, but this is a great opportunity to showcase just how talented Ciaran and Tyrone are too. We’re really excited to see what happens when you bring together four Irish internationals for a head to head.”

First Look – Xiaomi Redmi 10 from Tesco Mobile

Today we take a first in depth look at one of tesco mobile latest handsets on offer and it is the Xiaomi Redmi 10 which is also a first for me to see, in the hand this handset feels nice and is solid and it is not an expensive device by any means and loaded with a decent spec sheet too, it has got a decent rear camera system on the back with a not so large hump like other brands insist of having there now and moving them around. We have got a 50/8/2 and 2 MP array of cameras on the rear and a front facing camera at 8MP. We also have a large 6.5 inch display and the speakers are decently loud too.

If that is not enough for the camera fans this has also got a 5000mAh battery to power it which is ample enough in today’s standards and also we have got 128GB storage which can be bumped up to 512GB with an SD card. We also have a headphone jack which is not seen much these days, also this has a fingerprint sensor on the side and comes with a charger in the box and a case so you are protected straight away which all in all seems like a decent package..

Check it out here at tescomobile.ie

Unboxing and walkthrough of the Xiaomi Redmi 10

Over 200 free Wi-Fi access points in public spaces across 61 towns nationwide now available from Magnet+ thanks to EU backed initiative WiFi4EU

A total of 201 free Wi-Fi connectivity access points in public spaces across Ireland have now been installed by Magnet+, Ireland’s largest independent connectivity network, as part of the WiFi4EU initiative.

The demand for the free Wi-fi connectivity service, which was first introduced in Galway city in October 2020, has grown exponentially over the last two years, with a 30% increase in users nationwide in the last year alone and a total of 8,369 users recorded for the month October 2022.

The WiFi4U scheme offers free high-speed access to Wi-Fi connectivity for citizens in public spaces such as parks, squares, public buildings, libraries, museums and in towns and cities throughout Europe. It is an initiative of The European Commission funded by both The European Commission and Department of Rural and Community Development.

The areas with the Wi-Fi access points include:

  • Dublin
    • 47 Access Points installed across 17 different towns including Fingal, Blanchardstown, Mulhuddart, Lucan, Castleknock, Portmarnock, Howth, Malahide, Portrane, Donabate, Swords, Balbriggan, Naul, Garristown, Rush, Lusk and Skerries.

There were 6,146 users in Fingal alone across September and October this year which is an increase of 15% compared to this time last year.

  • Tipperary County
    • 52 Access Points installed across 6 different towns including Clonmel, Carrick on Suir, Nenagh, Tipperary Town, Roscrea & Thurles.

    • There were 3,030 users in Tipperary County across September and October this year which is an increase of 66% compared to this time in 2021.

  • Galway City
    • 61 Access Points installed across 13 different towns including Ballinfoile, Galway City Centre, Roscam, Ballyloughnane, Liosban, Doughiska, Mervue, Knocknacarra, Blackrock, Salthill, Westside, Tuam Road & Renmore

    • There were 5,358 users in Galway City across September and October this year which is an increase of 88% compared to this time last year.

  • Galway County
    • 41 Access Points installed across 25 Different towns including Kinvara, Portumna, Killimor, Loughrea, Gort, Mountbellew, Ballygar, Ahascragh, Aughrim, Ballinasloe, Moylough, Headford, Dunmore, Tuam, Athenry, Oranmore, Barna, Oughterard, Carraroe, Spiddal, Moycullen, Aran Islands & Clifden.

    • There were 3,991 users in Galway County across September and October this year which is an increase of 239% compared to the same time last year.

Under the WiFi4EU scheme, successful local authorities are issued with vouchers worth €15,000 to install Wi-Fi hotspots, which must be free of charge to the user, free from advertising and with no commercial re-use of data.

To date 28 of Ireland’s 31 local authorities have now secured WiFi4EU vouchers, with 23 securing the maximum of four available and 12 still to go to tender.

The Department of Rural and Community Development is providing matched funding of €15,000 for every voucher awarded to Ireland by the EU, effectively doubling the value of the investment.

Commenting on this landmark milestone, Philip Clapperton, Sales Director at Magnet +, says: “Magnet+ is delighted to have brought connectivity services to so many towns across Ireland. The multi-location WiFi4EU service will provide previously unavailable Wi-Fi service in these community locations, which will enhance the user experience when visiting these locations. Areas previously affected by a lack of Wi-Fi services can now access reliable, fast and secure internet services at no cost providing incredible ease of access for these areas and boosting all the local economies in these areas. We’re excited to grow these networks further to even more areas in the country.”