Month: February 2023

Virgin Media launches brand new marketing campaign ‘It’s Playtime

Virgin Media has today launched a brand-new integrated marketing campaign, ‘It’s Playtime’. The new campaign celebrates all the things that Virgin Media customers can do with the power of their services, connecting to the things they love to do and unleashing their play.

Following extensive customer research, the insight was uncovered that often the serious side of life can get in the way of enjoying life’s experiences.

The new campaign features toys in a box that, quite literally, have forgotten how to play. But these aren’t your typical type of action figure toys. These toys represent all of us who’ve become trapped in the everyday grind. With the power of Virgin Media however, they can break free from boredom and get back to what they love – everything from scrolling through social media to bungee jumping.

The campaign was created by Publicis Dublin, directed by Chris Balmond and produced by Antidote Films. With the media strategy by OMD, the campaign is live across AV, OOH, radio, digital and social from today.

 

Commenting on the launch, Paul Higgins, Vice President of Commercial, Virgin Media said: “We’re launching our playtime platform at an exciting time for the business as we expand our footprint of services nationwide. The campaign is a culmination of over 12 months of research, development and ideation with the Publicis team and we’re delighted to launch it in an integrated through the line campaign.”

Sinead Dennis, Business Director, Publicis, “We worked collaboratively with the Virgin Media team over the past 12 months to understand and unlock what play really means to our customers and, importantly, what role the brand can play in helping to facilitate that.”

Ger Roe, Board Creative Director, Publicis, says, “We know that being connected 24/7 can sometimes be more of a hindrance than a release so we wanted to turn our phones and TVs back from tools into toys. Playtime looks different for everyone and with this campaign we had a lot of fun showing the benefit of being a Virgin Media customer and what that means for the little and big things in your life.”

To find what Virgin Media services are in your area, visit virginmedia.ie

Over a quarter of organisations in Ireland to be carbon neutral by 2030

Sidero, Ireland’s software, cloud and digital transformation specialist, today announces the results of a new survey which found that over a quarter of organisations in Ireland (27%) have set targets to become carbon neutral by 2030.

The survey of 111 IT decision-makers* across the island of Ireland revealed that environmental considerations play a significant role in business decisions for 44% of respondents, while a third said the same about purchasing decisions. Some 35% of those surveyed have made changes to their supply chain to become a more sustainable organisation.

However, the research found that a significant proportion (19%) of tech leaders do not view sustainability as a priority right now, with 14% saying the road to sustainability is too costly. And, while sustainability is playing an increasing role in business decisions, a significant 42% of those surveyed admitted that they are yet to measure their business’s carbon emissions. An additional 10% have measured their business’s environmental footprint, but haven’t acted on it.

The survey also provided insights into how technology is being viewed as an enabler of more sustainable business practices. Almost a third (31%) of those surveyed will begin, or increase, their usage of sustainable technologies in the next 12 months. These include technologies that are more energy efficient, reduce harmful emissions, or streamline business processes to decrease their strain on resources.

The findings are part of Sidero’s new report Head above the Clouds. Increasingly, organisations are using the cloud as a means to reduce the carbon footprint of their IT strategy. Sidero’s research found that, in the next 12 months, Irish enterprises intend to invest an average of €883,000 in cloud and digital technologies and the majority (80%) expect their business to move more applications or workloads to the cloud. Organisations also plan to begin or increase their usage of digital transformation (67%), automation (47%), cloud native applications (46%), AI (31%), and machine learning (26%).

Despite the mass movement towards the cloud, almost a fifth (19%) of organisations say their cloud strategy is outdated or limiting their business. Nearly half (48%) of IT leaders believe their digital transformation strategy is just adequate or a work in progress, while only 18% feel their organisation’s strategy is enabling business success.

Carmel Owens, CEO, Sidero: “Sustainability is a business imperative. Organisations are facing increasing calls to examine their environmental impact; not only from government and other industry stakeholders, but from their own customers and employees. It’s encouraging to see that a growing number of businesses in Ireland are taking this call seriously by setting carbon neutrality goals and leading by example. However, with a significant one-in-five IT leaders saying sustainability is not a priority for them right now, businesses must work to ensure they have buy-in (and budgets) across the board to ensure success.

“The necessity to become more sustainable comes at a time when businesses are pushing to become increasingly digitalised. These goals do not need to be mutually exclusive and our research shows that technology can support sustainability targets. Cloud, in particular, is now being used by organisations to reduce their emissions as it provides them with greater efficiency than alternative on-site solutions. In addition, it is enabling businesses to quickly scale up and down their operations, expand virtually into new markets and innovate at speed. Given these benefits, there is no doubt that the future of work is in the cloud, and the businesses embracing this will be the ones to succeed in the digital and hybrid workplace.”

Digital pharmaceuticals: The benefits and the risks

We spend our lives online. From our day job, where we spend time answering emails and doing research, to our social lives, where we send messages to friends and scroll through Instagram. We’re always connected. 

In fact, in the UK they have spent around four hours per day on our smartphones in 2021. This reflects just how often we look at our apps. These stats are just for our phones. They don’t look at other ways we access the internet. 

With this digital revolution being such a big part of our lives, it makes sense for the health sector to also capitalise on our connectivity. As such, we’re seeing more and more digital pharmacies. But what do these online chemists offer? And what do we need to consider?  

The impact of digital pharmacies

There are plenty of positives to come out of the move towards digital pharmacies. Advancements in tech have made processes smoother.

For instance, digitised health records make it easier to match the patient to the medication they need. Robotic and barcode drug dispensing make getting treatment to people easier. It’s now possible to have video consultations, which saves patients from having to visit their nearest chemist. 

Additionally, it’s possible for patients to manage their repeat prescriptions. Thanks to services like click and collect, they can order what their doctor prescribed for them online and pick it up when it’s ready. This does away with standing in a busy chemist waiting to see if medication is ready for collection.

Patients frequently look for a certified pharmacy in Canada that operates online to ensure they receive genuine medications conveniently and securely. This allows them to streamline the prescription process while maintaining trust in the quality of their treatments.

The use of big data

As well as helping patients, the use of big data to build digital pharmacies is helping to make improvements across the field. For instance, data can be collected and forecast which medication will be needed. This tech also lets pharmacists know when supplies are running out. 

The risks

With new tech comes risks. As with anything that uses data, there’s a risk of information being hacked by cybercriminals, so protective measures are needed to secure patient information. Here, it’s imperative that authentication and other safety measures are in place to protect data and keep in line with GDPR rules.  

Also, without human judgment in place, automated systems can make mistakes, meaning patients might not receive the right medication or their order may be missed.

For pharmacists moving into digital services, it might be worth investigating the details of their pharmacy insurance policy to see what remains relevant.  

Big changes

While there are risks to consider, we must accept the changes that are taking place. Everything is digital and there are plenty of pros to taking up digitised pharmaceutical care.

Have you moved your pharmacy operations online, or do you use digital chemists? Share your experiences in the comments section!

Creative Outlier Free Champions Aural Freedom with Bone Conduction Technology

Creative Technology today launched Creative Outlier Free, its latest wireless headphones which integrate bone conduction technology with the characteristics of the well-loved Outlier series, such as long battery life, water resistance and lightweight comfort.

The use of bone conduction technology revolves around transducers on the headphones, which, through vibrations on the user’s cheekbones, transmit sound waves into the inner ears. With their ears freed up from in-ear or over-ear headphones, users feel safer through heightened environmental awareness while enjoying high-quality acoustics – this is especially useful for joggers or cyclists on busy streets, or gym enthusiasts who like to chat with their workout buddies.

Thanks to this benefit of open-ear listening, the Outlier Free is also ideal for leisure activities such as singing on mobile karaoke apps, where users would enjoy being able to hear their own voices, just as they would in a natural environment.

The Outlier Free is equipped with a slew of handy features for wireless headphones – up to 10 hours of battery life per charge (10 minutes of quick-charging provides 2 hours of playtime), IPX5 water resistance, Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint connectivity (up to 2 Bluetooth devices at a time), low-latency mode to minimize audio-visual lag, built-in microphone and Siri / Google Assistant support. It is constructed using lightweight silicone and titanium memory alloy for optimal comfort and fit.

Considering these features against its irresistible price of UK£79.99, the Outlier Free is quite simply a steal.

For more information, visit creative.com/OutlierFree.

Creative Outlier Free Pro: This One’s for the Pros

Creative Technology today launched Creative Outlier Free Pro, its latest wireless bone conduction headphones equipped with all the features desired by pro-level sporting enthusiasts who love a soundtrack. Built to be tough yet comfortable in fit, unstoppable in the heaviest of rains and even underwater, indefatigable battery life and without the need for a device to play music, the Outlier Free Pro is simply at the top of its game.

Thanks to bone conduction technology, where sound waves are transmitted into the inner ears through vibrations from transducers on the user’s cheekbones, the benefits of open-ear listening are realized. With a much-heightened level of environmental awareness, users can enjoy a safer listening experience as compared to in-ear or over-ear headphones – joggers and cyclists can make their way down busy streets with ease; gym buddies can chat effortlessly during workouts. Additionally, for leisure activities such as the use of mobile karaoke apps, users can enjoy the better experience of singing while hearing themselves naturally.

The Outlier Free Pro stands out even more with its 8GB (stores 2,000 MP3 songs) built-in music player (also compatible with FLAC, WAV and APE file formats); it enables users to enjoy their favorite tunes without the need to carry their mobile phones. Thanks to its IPX8 rating (the highest waterproof rating for water immersion), swimmers can even swim underwater in the pool.

Trail runners and hikers who love to go the distance would always have their soundtrack on, as the Outlier Free Pro offers up to 10 hours of battery life per charge (10 minutes of quick-charging provides 2 hours of playtime).

The Outlier Free Pro is also an excellent all-rounder as a daily go-to headphone, offering multipoint connectivity with Bluetooth 5.3, delivering robust connections for up to 2 Bluetooth devices at a time. There is also a low-latency mode to minimize audio-visual lag for movie-watching; users have the added convenience with a built-in microphone for calls, and Siri / Google Assistant support. Lightweight silicone and titanium memory alloy are used to construct the Outlier Free Pro, translating to all-day comfort and fit.

With the price of UK£99.99, the Outlier Free Pro presents great value which is hard to beat for its comprehensive features set.

For more information, visit creative.com/OutlierFreePro.

IDEATE Ireland Searching For Next Cohort Of Irish Entrepreneurs

After the success of last year’s programme, IDEATE Ireland is returning for 2023. The initiative uncovers and empowers Ireland’s next generation of entrepreneurs, helping to turn their brilliant ideas into thriving international businesses.

IDEATE Ireland is now seeking applications for its 2023 competition, where candidates can develop their business ideas through mentoring and workshops, apply for start-up support and pitch for cash funding. Applications open on Wednesday, 15th February and will be accepted until midnight on Tuesday, 21st March. Last year’s winners were Dr. Mark O’Sullivan and Dr. Alison O’Shea of Neurobell, which is developing a pocket-sized brain monitor with automated seizure detection for new-borns, while the first runners-up were Sarusha Pillay and Dr. Fergus McCarthy of pHetalSafe, which seeks to detect and prevent fetal hypoxia and assess fetal well-being during labour.

As great ideas can come from anyone and anywhere, IDEATE Ireland is open to undergraduate, postgraduate or research students from any academic institution or research centre on the island of Ireland. The ten best submissions will be invited to participate in a 10-week mentoring and support programme and compete for a €27k prize fund. 

“Last year’s cohort of IDEATE showed us the extraordinary potential that entrepreneurs in this country have”, said Helen Fullen. “We’re looking forward to finding and working with this year’s participants and to continue inspiring future business leaders through the programme. We believe ideas can change the world; that’s why we’re just as excited and ambitious about our entrepreneurs’ projects as they are. Through IDEATE Ireland, entrepreneurs are provided expert guidance and support in a focused, motivational and hands-on environment, making it an invaluable and rewarding experience.” 

“We’re looking forward to writing the next chapter of Ireland’s leading third-level start-up competition with IDEATE Ireland”, added Chairman of IDEATE Ireland David Moffitt. “The competition’s success over the past 11 years highlights the importance of providing entrepreneurs across Ireland with education, mentorship, and a robust business network. The initiative is going from strength to strength, with exciting new partnerships since last year. Our mission is to capture the imagination of Ireland’s brightest minds, enabling and empowering them to make a lasting contribution to the global economy, employment, and society. We have a deep bench of alumni who are ready and willing to engage with the next generation of Irish entrepreneurs, offering them support and feedback; it’s also great to have the support of PWC and Key Capital as pillar sponsors for this year’s programme. We’re determined to sustain and grow this network to ensure IDEATE Ireland continues to be the best kick-start entrepreneurs can get on the island of Ireland.”

Adding to this, Emma Scott, People Partner at PwC, said: “With IDEATE Ireland, we have a great opportunity to develop talent, as well as engage with PwC graduates and encourage them to participate in the competition. We look forward to seeing even greater innovation in 2023, discovering what ideas entrepreneurs around the country are working on, and providing them with a structured insight into how to progress their business.”

Conor Killeen, Chairman of Key Captial, is looking forward to supporting entrepreneurs throughout the competition: “We aim to develop commercial know-how and allow entrepreneurs to engage with like-minded people so that their business can have a global impact. Entrepreneurs can speed up their learning through exposure to the best in the business.” 

This year’s IDEATE Ireland sponsors are PwC, Key Capital, Guinness Enterprise Centre, Irish Life and Each & Other.

Website: www.ideateireland.ie

Tech Review – ESR iPhone 14 Pro cases Classic Hybrid and Kickstand with HaloLock

Not picked up the iphone 14 Pro yet due to the hype of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra well here is some new cases to check out from ESR and also stay tuned to see more from them very soon for your iPhone 14 pro but the company also does not just cater for iPhone users and of course cater for Samsung.

Today we check out two cases from the company which are simple and effective and do a super job keeping your phone out of harms way and not only this they look good and give you addition gripping power too.

ESR Classic Hybrid Magnetic Case with HaloLock

This is a simple and effective case with HaloLock, clean all round and transparent which allows you to see your device in its natural colour which many people like this case also has anti yellowing which transparent cases have been known to suffer from but not the case here, the buttons work really well with good travel and also all ports accessible and not only that you can still wirelessly charge your phone without having to remove the case it is a win win.

  • Stronger Magnetic Lock: powerful built-in magnets with 1,500 g of holding force enable faster, easier place-and-go wireless charging and a secure lock on any HaloLock or MagSafe accessory
  • Compatibility: only compatible with iPhone 14 Pro; full functionality maintained via precise speaker and port cutouts and easy-press buttons
  • Military-Grade Drop Protection: rigorously tested to ensure total protection on all sides, with specially designed Air-Guard corners that absorb shock so your phone doesn’t have to
  • Screen and Camera Protection: raised screen edges and Camera Guard lens frame provide enhanced scratch protection where it really counts
  • Stay Original: scratch-resistant, crystal-clear acrylic back lets you show off your iPhone 14 Pro’s true style in stunning clarity that lasts

ESR Classic Kickstand Case with HaloLock

This case is more or less the same as the one above however with an additional kickstand thrown in and high quality which enable the user to use the phone for media consumption without having to remove the case to do so which is real handy and common today with case manufacturers not only that you again get additional grip here with a raised front and you can place the device down either on its face or rear without the the camera lens or screen damaged. There is air guard on the corners which give extra protection if dropped and the phone can be used in several ways to consume media on the go or at home, it is a must have case at an affordable price which will save you an expensive bill if you drop the iPhone 14.

 

  • Stronger Magnetic Lock: powerful built-in magnets with 1,500 g of holding force ensure a secure lock on any HaloLock or MagSafe accessory
  • Adjustable Camera Guard Kickstand: fully adjustable between 0 and 85° to ensure the perfect angle for catching up on your favorite shows
  • Built to Last: robust and durable zinc-alloy construction ensures stand stays looking like new while hinge is lab tested to retain its strength after more than 3,000 uses
  • Military-Grade Drop Protection: Air-Guard corners, scratch-resistant acrylic back, and raised edges combine to keep your phone protected from drops, bumps, and scratches

Video review

Irish consumer sentiment improves but many still feeling the pinch of rising prices

Irish consumer sentiment is on the up, but inflation remains a key concern, a new Deloitte survey shows. More than three in four respondents are concerned that the prices of everyday purchases will increase – 2% down on last month – but the highest of 24 countries surveyed.

The Deloitte January Global State of the Consumer Tracker benchmarks the sentiment and beliefs driving consumer behaviours in Ireland and 24 other markets throughout the world. The Tracker team engages with 20,000 consumers to understand their perspectives on their financial wellbeing, where they spend their money and how they select and purchase their products.

The Irish survey found that six-in-ten Irish consumers have no extra money left at the end of the month and half of all Irish respondents feel their financial situation has worsened over the past year.  However, a quarter of respondents said they expect their situation to improve in the next 12 months.

Daniel Murray, Partner and Head of Consumer at Deloitte Ireland said today: “The results from the Deloitte Consumer tracker remind us of the importance of ongoing and consistent surveying of consumer attitudes. Once again, this month we see that Irish consumers are the most concerned about inflation, with 76% =concerned about the prices of everyday purchases. While this is the same percentage as Australia, it marks a consistently high level of concern about inflation in the minds of Irish consumers.

“Those countries that were least concerned were China (37%), Saudi Arabia (52%), Brazil and India (53%).  80% of Irish consumers expect prices to rise in restaurants (verses 72% average across the 24 countries) and 78% expect to see further rises in household utilities (verses 70% average across the 24 countries) The number who expect fuel to increase increased 4% to 68%.”

Murray continued: “We are also seeing some interesting demand increases which will require continued and careful contingency planning to avoid potential issues. 40% of Irish respondents said they planned to take an international flight in the next three months. This is an increase of 3% on this time last year. We also expect to see similar level of rail travel to this time last year with 34% of respondents expected to travel by train, rather than by rental car (13%). 51% of respondents expect to stay in a hotel in the next three months, which is the same level of demand to last year. Interestingly, just 25% would choose to book private accommodation, such as Airbnb.”

Murray concluded: “There are some interesting trends in several grocery categories. In the meat category, own brand and low cost have seen a quarter-on-quarter decline of -6% and -3% respectively, while purchasing premium meats has not declined at all. “This may suggest that Irish consumers are once again focusing on the food quality when selecting their meats in particular. Having said that, only 23% have bought several ‘nice to have’ items which shows caution remains when it comes to their purchases.”

Envisage wins Sage Irish Partner of the Year Award

Envisage, Ireland’s largest Sage partner, a division of the Noledge Group, today announces that it has been recognised as ‘Sage Partner of the Year for Ireland’, as revealed at Sage’s 2023 Partner Kickoff event.

Sage – the leader in accounting, financial, HR and payroll technology for small and mid-sized businesses – awarded Envisage the accolade for its success in generating strong revenue and in boosting the industry standard for software implementation.

By implementing Sage accounting and ERP solutions for its customers, Envisage focuses on automating and streamlining processes, reducing time, and making it easier for them to do business. For more than twenty years, the team at Envisage has served customers such as Tour America and Mr. Price, while more recent customer additions include Jump Juice Bars and The Institute of Education.

Ray Ryan, CEO of Envisage, said, “Envisage has had a successful few years, so it’s wonderful to see Sage recognise the effort of our growing team and our dedication to offering the best accounting and ERP solutions and services to our customers. This accolade acknowledges our amazing team, so we are thrilled to receive this prestigious award.

 “From sales and marketing to project execution, development, customer support and accounts, we have a remarkable group of talented individuals. We pride ourselves in delivering quality projects and ongoing services to our customers to make their businesses more profitable.

“Supporting our clients in a friendly and helpful way is at the core of what we do. Our business model depends on establishing sincere, honest connections with our customers and demonstrating that we care. We greatly look forward to the year ahead and the opportunities it may bring.”

Photo – (L-R) Paul Struthers; EVP & Managing Director UK and Ireland, Sage; Steve Boyes, Customer Care Director, Envisage; Amy Hughes, Sales Manager, Envisage; Sinead Galligani, Marketing Director, Envisage; Roger Gribbin, Sales Director, Envisage; and Brian Habanna, Former South African Rugby Player. Envisage received the award at Sage’s 2023 Partner Kickoff event for its success in generating strong revenue and in boosting the industry standard for software implementation.