FREE NOW, Europe’s Mobility Super App, announces at the Web Summit 2022 a major milestone: users can now book public transport services through its app as well as taxis, private cars, eScooters, eBikes, eMopeds, and carsharing. As a result, FREE NOW offers all modes of transport from a single source, strengthening its position as Europe’s leading mobility platform with the largest amount of travel options in one app.
The first cooperation enabling access to public transport via the FREE NOW app was signed with Rheinbahn in Germany. FREE NOW users will be able to book tickets for buses, trams, and underground trains directly in the FREE NOW app for all tariff zones of the Rhine-Ruhr Public Transport Association (VRR). The integration completes FREE NOW’s offering of on-demand mobility in one of Germany’s most important metropolitan regions. In fact, with almost 1,100 lines, around 7.8 million inhabitants, and an area of around 7,300 square kilometers, the cooperation with FREE NOW provides access to Europe’s biggest transport network and the largest urban transport area. That includes major German cities like Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen, Bochum, Wuppertal, and Duisburg.
To begin with, users will be able to buy single tickets, day passes, and 48-hour passes. The technical integration has already begun. The ticket sales are possible thanks to a partnership with the Dutch aggregator Tranzer.
Further partnerships with other transport companies in Germany and across Europe are planned for 2023.
FREE NOW: Having expanded since 2020, this public transport integration completes urban mobility offering
FREE NOW has continuously expanded its own mobility offering for its users since 2020, in partnership with leading mobility players in Germany and Europe. Through this, the FREE NOW app brings together more than 400,000 vehicles in Europe. This consists of ride-hailing services like taxis and private cars, as well as carsharing, eScooters, eMopeds, and eBikes.
Thomas Zimmermann, CEO at FREE NOW, comments on the new partnership: “We’re pleased that we’re now the first private mobility platform to be able to offer our users public transport tickets in the biggest population and the largest urban transport area in Europe. This is an important next stage for us and, for the first time, we’re enabling end-to-end ticketing for different modes of transport in our app. Linking different mobility offers is crucial to succeed in transforming transportation in Europe. FREE NOW actively supports this as a partner of public transport. Our goal is to make urban mobility in Europe more sustainable, intelligent, and interconnected.”
Commenting on the announcement Niall Carson, General Manager for FREE NOW Ireland said, “The integration of public transport into the FREE NOW app in Germany is a key milestone for the business, and reflective of our ambitions to make multi-modal approaches to transport more accessible across the markets in which we operate. Our goal in Ireland is to mirror the multi-modal progress of our European counterparts like Germany moving forward – building on our first integration of micro-mobility in the Irish market this year with our TIER eBike partnership in Dublin. We intend to continue expanding our offering and transport solutions with eScooters on the horizon along with other mobility options, helping to support a shift in our national approach to daily transport – from car-centric to multi-modal, flexible and sustainable.”
The new travel option is primarily aimed at remote workers who only travel to their place of work occasionally, as well as business travellers or tourists. For example, almost 30% of all FREE NOW passengers use the app in cities they travel to occasionally. As a platform that’s active across Europe, the company can contribute to strengthening both public transport and the environmental alliance in the long term.
FREE NOW users do not need to create a new account to book and pay for public transport. They can simply use their existing customer account.
Microsoft Ireland employees successfully completed a month-long fundraiser in aid of LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, which saw the team raise over €270,000 – breaking the €150,000 fundraising target set for this year’s initiative. This brings the total amount raised through Microsoft’s annual cycle for LauraLynn since it began in 2014 to an incredible €840,000.
This year’s charity fundraiser – ‘The Microsoft Way’ – saw Microsoft Ireland employees take part in a number of activities, including walking, running, swimming, and a cycle along the Wild Atlantic Way. As part of this cycle, a group of 100 cyclists and support crew travelled 350km along the Wild Atlantic Way from Ballybunion, Co Kerry, to Clifden, Co Galway, over three consecutive days.
All funds raised go directly to LauraLynn to provide palliative care and supports for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. These include therapies such as music therapy, play therapy and counselling, as well as vital short stays at the hospice for families in need of respite or crisis care.
Announcing the news today, James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Vice President of Microsoft International Operations, said: “Our team at Microsoft Ireland continue to be inspired by the work undertaken by LauraLynn as it provides vital care and support to children and their families across Ireland. That’s why our employees once again organised a month-long fundraising challenge this autumn to raise much needed funds. Over 100 cyclists and support crew cycled 350km from Ballybunion to Clifden, while others played their part by walking, running and swimming.
“Since 2014, we have enjoyed a close relationship with the charity and raised over €840,000 in vital funds to empower LauraLynn to provide palliative care and supports to children with life-limiting conditions. We are very proud of all our employees for achieving such an incredible fundraising milestone.”
Kerry McLaverty, CEO of LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, said: “We are humbled by the continued support shown to LauraLynn by one of our closest neighbours, Microsoft Ireland. This is the nineth consecutive year that Microsoft employees have come out in force to fundraise for LauraLynn, and we are so thankful for their support. The generosity and commitment shown by the Microsoft Ireland team, year in and year out, has made a huge difference for children with life-limiting conditions and this year’s funds will ensure the continued delivery of vital hospice services to children and families across the country.”
The typical router as supplied by your ISP (contrary to their marketing literature), may be of basic quality and give a reasonable Wi-Fi range, but if a few of these are placed in the same areas, as your router, there may be congestion on certain frequency ranges and poor broadband speed or coverage. (Depending on the router and technical experience the frequency range may be changed but may require some specialised knowledge) The Halo H80X is a specialised kit to increase the range and allow a repeater of the signal.
Note: the Halo can only forward the signal going into the building, if the signal is poor at the junction box or default router to Halo, this will not increase this, while if the signal is good coming into the building, in theory, this should spread the signal evenly throughout the building ensuring no black spots or poor coverage in parts of the building. Albeit coverage may depend on the type of construction within the building, large thick concrete walls or tinfoil-backed walls or fireproof doors will diminish signal quality. The Halo will certainly improve this signal, allowing the option to place close to black spots to improve the broadband experience. The location of the Halo is also a key factor in terms of range and quality of the signal, this should be placed as far as practical in an open space away from large metal items or e.g., book cabinet which would diminish the speed dramatically, the app gives a guideline on the best locations for the Halo. The Kit came with a clear specifications called out on the packaging giving full detail of what the kit could do.
Package Contents see unboxing below for more
2-pack
2× Halo H80X Units
1× RJ45 Ethernet Cable
2× Power Adapters
Quick Installation Guide
Note this comes in a 2 or 3 pack Kit, this review has been using the 2-pack kit, The 3 pack could be used to extend the range further.
Features:
Dual Band WiFi 6 Speeds up to 3000 Mbps – 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz.†
Seamless Roaming with One Unified Network – Halo units work together to automatically switch between Halos as you move around your home with a single unified WiFi name and password.‡
Whole Home Coverage – Blanket up to 5,000 ft² (460 m²) with high-speed WiFi, eliminating WiFi dead zones at your home.†
Connect over 150 Devices – Provide fast and stable connections over 150 devices.†
Easily Mange Your Home Network – Use the MERCUSYS App to quickly set up and manage your WiFi. You can also manage your kids’ online time and contents.
Full Gigabit Ports – 3× Gigabit ports per Halo unit for lightning-fast wired connections.**
Reset Button:
The one option I always like in a product is the option to reset the system to ensure if issues on the setup etc, you can start from scratch,
Press 1 second to reset Halo to factory default settings.
Setup:
The first impression of the instruction guide was disappointing in that there is a manual included, there is one page of instructions in English, this shows a QR code, scanning allowed the app to be downloaded, but this did not give any circuit diagram for network connection. There was a help option, albeit the setup is logical, but would benefit from a basic diagram option to connect the devices.
Suggested setup option via Mercusys support links
1. Turn off the modem, and remove the backup battery if it has one.
2. Connect the modem to either Ethernet port on the router.
3. Power on the router, and wait for it to start.
4. Turn on the modem.
Login the web interface
1.Connect to the main router wirelessly using the default SSID (network name) printed on the main router’s label.
2.Open a web browser and enter the default domain name http://mwlogin.net in the address field to access the web management page.
3.A login window will appear. Create a login password when prompted.
Tips: For subsequent login, use the password you set.
App setup – MERCUSYS app
The app has over 100K+ downloads with a 3.3 star rating out of 5, the setup is standard for app given the functionality.
Android app setting –
There is a variety of different options within the functionality of the app this includes a very useful feature of network optimization. If the unit is used in a highly congested area with a lot of neighbour’s routers on the same frequency the network optimization can pick the best frequency and update as required, this works but does not tell you what frequency it is changed to. Alternatively, if required to blacklist a particular unit, a device can be easily achieved. A very useful feature is the parental controls this allows to prevent access to example over 18 sites or configure individual sites blocked, e.g., Facebook if not be required. This has options as used for a junior person, it may also be used for a child, preteen, or adult blocking social networking downloads blocked. If used in an office environment there is a website category with specific websites that can be blocked, most staff that work in a commercial environment will be aware certain sites are blocked by their local IT department. This can be achieved within the app by updating the website and blocking specific sites example Facebook. Or whatever sites are deemed inappropriate for staff, again for younger generations it could also be used to block specific areas that are not required.
Reporting features are available to give an idea of how much data is being used which can give an indication that may assist in security implications. Within the advanced features, there is a variety of technical settings that configures by specialised, teams. One feature which is quite useful is the LED, the LED can be turned off or set for a night mode to switch off at night-time if the unit is used in a bedroom.
The app has an option to easily see what devices are connected, for example, smartphones, home network laptops etc this is very handy to visually see if something is connected which should not be connected or unexpected, this is similar to having a review of your credit card bills to ensure everything looks in place having a look at your own network to see what’s connected is possibly good practise now and again.
Within the Wi-Fi settings on the app 2.4 GHz 5 giga Hertz functionality can be turned off and, on, the guest, the network can be enabled or disabled. The main network name can be changed, or the password can easily be updated
Compare mobile app (android) vs web link
Typically I would expect to be able to do the same function on the app as the website, ( http://mwlogin.net ) The web login has minimal practical use, in that changes, etc cannot be made only view the setting, Any changes to the network etc allow the guest network to be turned on, parental controls etc is required to be done via the mobile app. This may result in a lot of wasted time if searching on the web link for functionality.
The web link does allow the software to be updated via e.g., a memory stick or via the web.
Results:
As part of this techbuzz review, the H80X was set up as above. A speed test was done from various rooms in the house, with all doors closed and no other internet surfing etc turned on
In each room a windows laptop was connected to the initial network and a speed test was run 3 times, Download, Upload speed and latency were tested, the average rate was logged, in the same room the connection was changed to the Mercusys Ax3000 Halo H80X ( network called techbuzz ) and again the speed was tested an averaged from 3 readings, this was done in the rooms below.
Techbuzz speed tests comparison from ISP router to Mercusys Ax3000 Halo H80X (network called techbuzz)
Analysis of the data:
Within the same room as the router (Classed as the Sitting room)
Tested location
Standard internet provider router
Techbuzz – Mercusys Ax3000 Halo H80X
Download (Mbps)
Upload (Mbps)
Latency (ms)
Download (Mbps)
Upload (Mbps)
Latency (ms)
Sitting room (router placed)
270
51
13
360
50
14
The data showed an improvement from 270 Mbps to 360 on the Halo H80X which I believe is down to the app optimisation frequency picking out the best network frequencies or uncongested frequency.
There was no coverage from the ISP router in the indication the Halo expanded the coverage
Downstairs utility room
Not connect
Not connect
Not connect
11
14
16
The furthest room has the biggest increase in broadband speed going from initially 12 Mbps to 190 Mbps, and half the latency which would benefit gamers,
Upstairs furthest bedroom
12
4.1
32
190
47
16
Additional Test done:
As part of the testing, a windows laptop was connected to the Halo and walked to his furthest part of the drive until reduced coverage. subsequently walked to the back of the garden where the Halo in front would not have coverage, this worked seamlessly on the handover from one Halo to the next without any drop our loss in signal
Conclusion:
With the Halo a few minor niggles in terms of the lack of network diagrams, the colour of the White box with a black plug, (I would prefer from aesthetics to have all white or all back colours) The Web app is of little practical use.
Overall, the kit comes with many useful features in terms of, Dual frequency, security, Parental controls, and network optimisation but more importantly for anyone with blackspots / poor Wi-Fi coverage this kit does exactly as described and what it is designed to do as seen on the test results carried out by Techbuzz in a consistence manner and comparison to the ISP equipment.
Technology continues to advance and poor coverage can be fixed by the non-technical with this kit that works as broadband should, a Must for those with Wi-fi blackspots.
The acclaimed Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 gets even better with just a tap. The new firmware update, available via the Smart Control App (iOS, Android) enables multipoint device connectivity and a high-resolution sound mode for convenience and quality.
“Our latest update reflects the dynamic ways people want to use MOMENTUM True Wireless 3, including our most requested feature – multipoint. For example, one can switch from their favorite music streaming app to join an incoming conference call from their laptop – and back again – without having to reconnect manually,” says Frank Foppe, Sennheiser True Wireless Product Manager. “And our new high-resolution sound mode enhances the listening experience even further, letting customers enjoy wireless audio that rivals the rich and lively detail found in a wired connection.”
The power of connection
Now, the premium MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 sound experience is available on multiple devices with a simple tap. The latest update allows users to instantly switch between two paired devices for dynamic management of active connections. Examples include streaming a podcast on a smartphone before switching over to an incoming video call, shifting from a television series on your tablet to a mobile voice call, and balancing voice calls between work and personal phones. Multipoint also switches back to the original audio source device if a call is answered mid-stream, and otherwise allows for effortless switching between two Bluetooth audio devices. Lastly, the multipoint update allows for seamless switching through all mutually supported codecs, such as aptX Adaptive, and SBC – even across mobile operating system platforms from various manufacturers.
Next level performance
Bringing listeners even closer to the details in their music, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 update also introduces a high-resolution sound mode featuring 24-bit depth and 96 kHz sample rate capability, unlocking sound quality comparable to a wired headphone. By connecting MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 to an audio source also using the aptX Adaptive codec, this mode increases the Bluetooth bitrate up to 420 kilobits per second for optimum sound. In RF-challenged environments such as bustling public transportation, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 may utilise the codec’s data scaling capabilities to seamlessly adapt the connection integrity at any given moment. Users can enable the high-resolution sound mode via Sennheiser’s Smart Control App, making MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 the ideal companion for all popular music streaming services and their highest quality subscription tiers.
Availability
Multipoint and high-resolution mode are available after updating the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 to the latest firmware (Release 2.10.19 or higher) and updating the Smart Control App (App Store, Google Play; release 4.1.5 or higher). The release also contains numerous optimisations and enhancements for Bluetooth and touch control features.
Revolut, the global financial superapp with more than 20 million customers worldwide, has launched an instant messaging feature, where Revolut customers in the UK and EEA can chat as well as share fun gifs and stickers whilst sending and requesting funds to and from other customers.
A recent UK and European survey of 8,000 people, commissioned by Revolut, found that two thirds of people (67.5%) find it difficult to discuss money. The new chat feature in the Revolut app aims to make talking about money less awkward by keeping it in one place.
To access this feature, customers simply have to enter the ‘Transfer’ section in Revolut app. The chat window will open right after tapping on one of the contacts. The chat will be embedded in the ‘Transfer’ feature – so there’s no need to open multiple windows.
Sending a message is easy – all a customer needs to do is start typing and tap on the blue arrow icon. Once a chat message is sent, a notification will pop-up on one of the contacts.
Designed with a focus on security, all chat messages have end-to-end encryption. Customers are able to opt out of the chat function should they not want to use it, and they can either enable or disable it completely in the ‘Security & Privacy’ section. Additionally, users can block other users. The chat function is not available for Revolut <18 users. The chat feature can only be used between users who both have UK or EEA accounts, and have their phone number or have payment history.
Nikolay Storonsky, CEO of Revolut, said: “We’re delighted to bring instant messaging to our customers, moving us one step closer to being a global financial superapp. We listened to our customers who said they wanted to be able to discuss and clarify payment details within the app, rather than having to swap between Revolut and different messaging apps to send or receive funds.
“The new chat feature supports our customers with their fast, low-cost money transfers using Revolut. We want to give our customers more control over their financial well-being through the use of our technology, offering a service that addresses all their financial needs in one place.”
Customers will need to have the 8.72 update or later for their Revolut app on iOS or Android.
Another day a new pair of earbuds here at TBI where we cover the biggest range of earbuds in Ireland and you see them in our hands, yes stock image reviews does not cut it nor have context but we give you all this here and these earbuds have lots to show off including changeable shells and they also light up and can be controlled with an app these are super cool but how will they sound and is aesthetics enough to give them a free pass, Well we will find out soon with our full review and we cant wait to get testing these new earbuds from HHOGene and they are their new GPods.
A unique software system allows full control of emanating light. Dimness, brightness, rhythm response, shades, and colours are at beck and call through digital technology built into all GPods.
Artificial Intelligence（AI）with algorithmic capabilities allow for arranging photos and analysing the colour ratios found in stored photo images. Colours for each pixel point in an image are sorted in order to calculate colour blocks. These blocks are transformed into light which is then projected in colourful style from each earbud.
No matter how good your security measures are, you are always at risk of having your business data breached. Whether it is your work, documents or data about your clients or employees, all this valuable information can become someone’s target. And even though you are trying your best to prevent such incidents, sometimes, it is not possible. Therefore, knowing what you should do in such a situation is highly important. It will protect your business, employees and customers at the same time. Here are steps small enterprise owners should take if their business data were breached.
Invest In Tools That Will Reduce The Risk In The Future
Every business should have tools that will minimise the risk of data breaches. You should have software that will protect the computers of your employees, and you need to do your best to protect any data you have on your business, employees and clients. Companies such as SaaS Protection offer cloud storage that will reduce the risk of losing your data from Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. The data will be protected from malicious activity and other harmful elements in three backup points. And if by any chance you lose any data, there will be a higher possibility of their recovery.
Find The Cause And Extent Of The Breach
When your business data gets breached, you need to find the source and determine the extent of the malicious attack. The experts working for https://www.velocityit.net can explain how this step helps identify how the breach happened, what data was compromised, and whether it is still at risk.
Ideally, you should have in place tools and software that will notify you of any unauthorised log-ins and intrusions. With the information available, you will be able to address the problem as soon as possible and take other steps to prevent a similar incident in the future. You will be able to find out where the attack came from and which files were compromised. Based on the data you find, it will become easier to decide what you need to do next to resolve the issue.
Address The Problem As Soon As You Can
A solution to the problem will heavily depend on which files were attacked and how. However, no matter what you find out, you should immediately notify your IT experts, who know how to deal with data breaches. They will be able to act fast and control any damage. You might also have intrusion prevention systems that might be able to resolve the issue automatically. Nevertheless, you should still have your team involved. You also must remember that you should keep any evidence of the malicious attack that you can for your record and any legalities you might need to deal with.
Inform The Authorities And Anyone Affected By The Breach
In the event of a data breach, it is necessary for you to notify the authorities and anyone who might be affected. If your customers were affected by the malicious attack, you must ensure that they are aware of what happened and what was the extent of the breach. Telling them soon after the attack will give them enough time to protect their identities and take any measures they need. You should also tell the authorities who might be able to give you advice on any regulations you need to comply with.
Analysis from Inclusion & Accessibility Labs (IA Labs) and the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) has shown that nearly nine out of every ten job search sites are not digitally accessible – meaning that any individual with a disability would likely struggle to interact with the website, and engage with even its most basic functions. Such functions include applying for a job, navigating the scope of a webpage or searching for relevant employment opportunities.
Commissioned by the NCBI and prepared by IA Labs, the Irish Digital Employment Audit (IDEA) assessed Ireland’s leading job recruitment websites, performing a manual accessibility audit that used Google Lighthouse as its control. The report evaluated the employment websites according to a number of criteria, including whether the website published an accessibility statement. In addition, the Irish Digital Employment Audit provided an analysis of the critical user journey, taking account of navigation menus, interactive elements, tables, online forms and the colour contrast of images and text.
That 200,000 people who living with a disability but keen to work, could be missing out on job opportunities will be of particular frustration to businesses throughout Ireland, many of whom are grappling with acute shortages of staff, and persistent difficulties in recruiting and retaining talent.
Public sector websites are required to meet specific digital accessibility standards under the Web Accessibility Directive laid down by the European Commission and transposed into Irish law in 2020. Though there are currently no such mandates currently imposed on non-public sector websites, the adoption of the European Accessibility Act (EEA) will require private sector service providers to make their websites and mobile devices easily accessible. This is the first time that technical standards for private sector websites have been adopted under the EAA; and IA Labs contends that private companies should put themselves ahead of the curve, in advance of forthcoming legislation.
Co- Founder and Director of IA Labs, Kyran O’Mahoney said: “The findings issued today as part of the Irish Digital Employment Audit demonstrate the tangible barriers that people with disabilities face when trying to carry out basic tasks; such as searching or applying for a job. Diversity of experience and ability can be a powerful tool for any business – as time and time again, research shows that companies with an inclusive ethos tend to experience both increased profits and improved productivity.
Kyran O’Mahoney
The Irish Digital Employment Audit is particularly pertinent given the ongoing ‘War for Talent’, and in light of the fact that businesses throughout the country are struggling to recruit staff. Yet despite this, we have up to 200,000 people – most of whom are keen to participate in the labour market – who are prevented from seeking employment owing to the fact that the overwhelming majority of job search sites are inaccessible. Forthcoming legislation will require these websites to become digitally accessible; and so is it vital that businesses become proactive in this regard”.
Creative Technology today launched Creative Pebble Pro, the popular Pebble speaker series’ latest and best addition, which boasts a compelling mix of size-defying audio quality, minimalist elegance in form, and a subtle yet distinctive personable touch of RGB lighting to adorn any desktop setup.
This new 2.0 USB speaker system sees various improvements across its features set, headlined by its audio performance. With revamped full-range drivers, and featuring digital amplifiers with built-in audio processing, which replace analog ones used in previous models the Pebble Pro belies its diminutive form factor with more headroom for louder, clearer audio across the volume range, as well as up to 3.5 times more bass than the previous model Pebble V3.
Two of Creative’s proprietary audio technologies apply further audio shine:
BassFlex – delivers an extended low frequency response and deeper bass across all volume levels, without the need for a subwoofer
Clear Dialog – enhances vocals such that they sound more natural and are easily comprehensible; this is especially helpful when watching movies on the PC
Considering its tiny size, the Pebble Pro’s acoustic power output is capable of reaching a mind-boggling 30W RMS and 60W peak when connected to a 30W PD adaptor, which unleashes the full potential of its audio competence.
The visual appeal of the Pebble Pro is accentuated by a new RGB lighting feature, tastefully integrated at the bottom of each speaker. Users can take their pick from a wide color spectrum by conveniently dialing the volume knob to set the mood of the day, and illuminate their desktops creatively with 3 lighting effects (Cycle, Pulsate or Solo).
Other features which make the Pebble Pro a must-have desktop accessory:
A wide array of connectivity options that include Bluetooth 5.3 wireless technology, 3.5mm AUX-in port, USB-C port for audio streaming and power
Headphone and microphone ports to transform the Pebble Pro as a convenient communications tool, or for late-night private listening
Series signature 45-degree elevated angle for optimal audio projection to users’ ears
Long wire (1.8m / 5.9 ft) connecting both speakers; offers more flexibility in placement
Long USB-C cable (1.5m / 4.92 ft) for connection to the computer
Pricing and Availability
Creative Pebble Pro is priced at € 79.99, £ 65.99, US$59.99 and is available at Creative.com.
