Technology giant IBM Ireland today announced a new investment that will create up to 800 high-tech jobs across Ireland, helping build advanced software underpinned by the latest Artificial Intelligence technologies to advance Security, Automation and Hybrid Cloud. The AI technology will include foundational and Large Language Models that are key for Generative AI.
The investment will create hundreds of roles in research and development, as well as digital sales and consulting; and see Ireland continue to be among IBM’s strategic locations globally. The roles will be created across IBM sites in Dublin, Cork and at IBM’s subsidiary, Red Hat, located in Waterford.
The new staff will join IBM’s and Red Hat’s vibrant and diverse workforce, and help enhance Ireland’s rich and highly skilled technology talent pool that supports employment in knowledge-intensive and high-technology sectors. As the EU leader for the number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates per capita, Ireland has a talent pipeline fuelled by skilled young people while educators collaborate with industry to provide the skills needed in the future.
IBM has been in Ireland for more than 65 years during which time it has continually evolved its operations and capabilities to support the company’s global strategy. Today, IBM’s operations in Ireland help clients across key sectors such as financial services and healthcare streamline their business processes, increase productivity and gain competitive advantage through technology. Ireland is also host to IBM Research’s only facility in the EU.
The three-year investment is supported by the Government of Ireland through IDA Ireland.
Speaking of the announcement Taoiseach Simon Harrissaid, “I very much welcome IBM’s announcement today which not only reinforces the company’s deep-rooted commitment to Ireland as a strategic location but is also set to deliver real impact to the Irish economy through job creation and by strengthening specialist skills and expertise. Furthermore, this news demonstrates Ireland’s continued attractiveness as a preferred location for global companies to build out their digitalisation, research and innovation capabilities.”
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke said: “This is fantastic news. Today’s announcement that IBM Ireland are to create 800 skilled tech jobs between Dublin, Cork and Waterford, is hugely welcome. IBM is a world leader in Technology and has been a long standing high value employer in Ireland for almost three quarters of a century. Ireland is now ranked as the fifth most advanced digital economy in the EU, and having IBM choose Ireland for this new project is another vote of confidence in our country. The Government fully supports advancements in AI and Digital Transformation, and these roles will allow for exciting innovative opportunities for many of our skilled workforce throughout the country. Thanks to IBM for your continued investment here and best of luck to all involved in this exciting new initiative.”
Speaking of the announcement James Kavanaugh, IBM senior vice president and chief financial officer, said, “As IBM continues to help organizations transform their businesses with hybrid cloud and AI, attracting, developing, and retaining talent remains a key priority. Today’s announcement is a result of our strong relationship with IDA Ireland and the Irish government, but is also a testament to the calibre of talent here in Ireland, one of many reasons Ireland continues to be a strategic location for IBM.”
Deborah Threadgold, IBM Ireland country general manager, added, “We’re thrilled to announce this landmark and transformational initiative that will position the Irish operation at the cutting edge of next generation technology development within IBM globally.”
Speaking of the announcement, Michael Lohan, IDA Ireland chief executive officer, said “This is a remarkable initiative by IBM Ireland that will not only drive transformation within IBM and Red Hat’s operations but will deliver strong impact in Dublin, Cork and Waterford. It is also set to deliver real uplift in the Irish technology ecosystem by advancing capabilities across key growth areas for IDA Ireland such as Cloud, AI, Quantum and Cybersecurity. IDA Ireland has partnered with IBM for more than 60 years and we look forward to continuing to do so throughout this exciting project.”
For the latest information and to apply for the currently open roles at IBM and Red Hat, visit:
In advance of the European Anti-Financial Crime Summit taking place in Dublin tomorrow at the RDS, the Compliance Institute is calling on Ireland’s financial services organisations to ramp up their efforts in getting up to speed on their obligations under new EU rules and the enforcement of the Digital Operations Resilience Act (DORA).
Published in the Official Journal of the EU on December 27, 2022, DORA is set to be fully applicable from January 2025 onward and establishes a regulatory framework for digital operational resilience in the financial sector. This Directive addresses the digital operational risk of financial entities regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and is the first of its kind aimed at preventing and mitigating cyber threats.
According to a recent survey from the Compliance Institute, almost one in three (32pc) financial service organisations in Ireland have not yet begun to prepare for new EU rules which will help them prevent and mitigate cyber-attacks – one of the most prevalent types of financial crime in Ireland, despite it being only seven-and-a-half months before the new rules come into force.
Commenting on the findings, Michael Kavanagh, CEO of the Compliance Institute said:
“This Summit is an important date in the financial services sector calendar for 2024. The forum fosters and prompts discussion and debate on some of the biggest challenges facing Ireland’s financial organisations.
Ireland is now Europe’s largest data hosting cluster, putting the need for elevated cybercrime and data protection systems into sharp focus. Regulators need to ask themselves how they can regulate and supervise without stifling innovation. Businesses and organisations need to ask how they can best prepare and respond, and the general public also needs to know what measures they can take to protect themselves”.
Cybercrime
In a separate survey conducted by the Compliance Institute of 230 compliance professionals in financial services organisations nationwide at the end of 2023,hacking, phishing, online scams, and other variations of cybercrime were found to be the most prevalent financial crimes in Ireland (See Appendix).
Mr. Kavanagh went on to say,
“Cybercrime is developing and advancing at a pace so fast that organisations and legislators cannot keep up. These attacks can have catastrophic consequences not just for those whom they are perpetrated against, but for the wider public. We only have to look at the devastation that was caused to patients following the 2021 hacking of the HSE to understand the severity of the crimes.
Regulators in Ireland, and around the world, are constantly updating and issuing new guidance to firms in response to emerging cyber security issues, such as fake documentation and the reliability of information sources”.
DORA
Mr. Kavanagh explained,
“The main objective of DORA is to prevent and mitigate cyber threats and ensure that financial entities can withstand, respond to, and recover from all types of ICT-related disruptions and threats. So, there are clearly huge benefits and protections in store for both financial institutions and consumers alike as a result of these new rules coming on board – provided the rules are complied with”.
Other headline findings from the Compliance Institute survey reveal that:
More than half (54pc) of compliance professionals in the financial services sector have limited awareness of the new rules
About one in eight (14pc) have no awareness of the new rules
Less than half (46pc) are familiar with the new rules.
Mr Kavanagh added:
“Figures published by the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) earlier this year show there was a 26pc jump in fraudulent scams in the first six months of 2023. The particular scams involved here were authorised push payment (APP) fraud, involving online and mobile banking transfers, with victims conned out of a total of €8.6 million in the first half of 2023.
While the internet and tech are woven into the very fabric of our lives and have brought untold benefits to how we live our lives, they have also brought many dangers. And it’s incumbent on all financial institutions to educate themselves on – and take – the steps necessary to protect themselves and their consumers as much as possible from the dangers of cybercrime. The rules laid out under DORA have been designed with this objective in mind. We would hope that the next few months will see a bridge in the knowledge gap that currently exists around DORA and what it means for Irish organisations. It is important that all businesses and financial services organisations play their part and follow the lead of regulators so that they – and the wider economy – are in a position to withstand the growing incidence and severity of cybercrime.”
A year ago on the I/O stage Goolge first shared plans for Gemini, a family of natively multimodal AI models that could reason across text, images, video, code, and more. When we launched the Gemini era in December 2023, it marked a big step in turning any input into any output — an “I/O” for a new generation.
Google I/O showed how Google is fully in the Gemini era, showcasing AI innovations across products, research, and infrastructure, and how it brings us close to our ultimate goal of making AI helpful for everyone. Sundar Blog Post.
All Google products with more than two billion users are built with Gemini. Today we shared how that helps us to create new experiences and make our products even more helpful:
Expanding AI Overviews in Search. With a new customised Gemini model — capable of multi-step reasoning, planning and multimodality — combined with best-in-class Search you’ll soon be able to ask complex, multi-step questions, customise search results, and even ask questions with videos [Blog Post]
Introducing Ask Photos. Over six billion photos are uploaded every day to Google Photos. With Gemini’s multimodal capabilities, we’re redefining how you can search your photos and videos. Want to find a specific memory or recall information hidden in your gallery? Just Ask Photos. [Blog Post]
New ways to engage with Gemini in Workspace. Gemini’s capabilities will expand to more users and integrate into the side panel of Gmail, Docs, Drive, Slides, and Sheets. Gemini features will also be added to the Gmail mobile app. [Blog Post]
Gemini for Android. We’re building AI right into the Android operating system. Students can now get homework help by circling problems with Circle to Search. And Gemini’s overlay will provide dynamic suggestions related to what’s on your screen — summarise a PDF or “ask this video” — while TalkBack with Gemini will be capable of even more detailed image descriptions. [Blog Post]
We’re also bringing Gemini 1.5 Pro to Gemini Advanced subscribers in more than 35 languages, along with a 1 million token context window — the longest of any widely available consumer chatbot in the world. This means it can understand more information than ever before, like a 1500-page PDF and soon, 30,000 lines of code and an hour-long video.
Gemini Advanced subscribers will also soon get access to Live, a new mobile conversational experience. With Live, you can talk to Gemini and choose from different natural-sounding voices. You can speak at your own pace and even interrupt with questions, making conversations more intuitive. [Blog Post]
All of this work is underpinned by our technical leadership in building the world’s most advanced AI.
And we’re looking ahead too, to the next models: we shared more details about Gemini 1.5 Flash, a more cost-efficient model built based on user feedback, with lower latencies; and Project Astra, our vision for the next generation of AI assistants, a responsive agent that can understand and react to the context of conversations. [Blog Post]
We’ve also been working closely with the creative community to explore how generative AI can best support the creative process, and to make sure our AI tools are as useful as possible at each stage:
Today, we’re introducing Veo, our most capable model for generating high-definition video, and Imagen 3, our highest quality text-to-image model. We’re also sharing new demo recordings — with global artists — created with our Music AI Sandbox. [Blog Post]
Of course, these advancements in AI are only made possible by truly cutting-edge infrastructure technology. Training state-of-the-art models requires a lot of computing power.
Today we unveiled the 6th generation of our TPUs, called Trillium, which delivers a 4.7x improvement in compute performance per chip over the previous generation, TPU v5e, and which we’ll make available to Cloud customers later this year. [Blog Post]
Bold innovation must be underpinned by responsible innovation. So we’re developing a cutting-edge technique we call AI-assisted red teaming, that draws on Google DeepMind’s gaming breakthroughs like AlphaGo and expanding our technical watermarking innovations like SynthID in two new modalities — text and video — so AI-generated content is easier to identify. [Blog Post]
By using the power of Gemini, we plan to make AI useful for everyone. Google’s mission is to organise the world’s information across every input, making it accessible via any output, and combining the world’s information, with the information in YOUR world, in a way that’s truly useful for you. Gemini will help us towards that goal.
Sony introduces the premium smartphone, Xperia 1 VI, equipped with a telephoto optical zoom lens that enables long distance shooting in superb detail up to x7.1 zoom, using a wide and user-friendly focal length from 85mm to 170mm. The advanced lens of this camera means you get undegraded images at every focal length and ensures the creation of captivating professional portraits with exquisite bokeh effects. The 24mm wide angle lens is equipped with the image sensor “Exmor T for mobile”, offering excellent low-light performance, high speed AF (autofocus) using AF tracking with human pose estimation powered by AI.
Entertainment is pushed to the next level with Xperia 1 VI’s display is enhanced using AI image adjustment technology “Powered by BRAVIA®” that reproduces the image quality of Sony’s TV BRAVIA on its display, whilst the speakers have been upgraded for superior quality.
With Sony´s expertise in display, audio, and mobile gaming to exceed your entertainment expectations, and two days of battery life. The Xperia 1 VI delivers the complete premium smartphone experience.
Pro photography, AI-assisted
Developed by Sony, the Exmor T for mobile sensor on the Xperia 1 VI on the 24mm lens, together with AI processing, delivers picture quality equivalent to full-frame cameras. Enabling less noise and wider dynamic range in low light and videos full of cinematic colour expression.
Now offering x7.1 zoom – the telephoto optical zoom lens has a focal length of 85mm to 170mm and telephoto macro photography with a maximum magnification of approximately 2x and a minimum focus distance of 4cm, even without a dedicated macro lens.
This lens utilises optical zoom, facilitating significant magnification and the capture of high-definition images of distant subjects with uncompromised image quality for both tele-macro and portraiture photography. Additionally, telephoto macro photography, leveraging the zoom lens structure for close-up shots, empowers users to seize images characterised by crisp detail and pronounced bokeh, surpassing the visual acuity of the naked eye. This capability extends to capturing intricate details, such as a flower’s centre delivering powerfully expressive results for the user.
Newly equipped with AF tracking with human pose estimation – an AI feature cultivated with Alpha™ series cameras
The rear camera integrates AI technology to recognise the human skeleton, enabling precise AF tracking even in challenging shooting scenarios due to potential obstructions that conceal the subject’s visibility. This advanced functionality ensures consistent and accurate tracking, optimising image capture in a diverse series of environments.
A new camera app that allows users to express themselves in a simple and intuitive manner
The Xperia 1 VI camera app has undergone a significant update, featuring a user-friendly interface designed for seamless navigation. This enhancement prioritises convenience without compromising on the array of creative tools available, such as special shooting modes like PSM and customisable colour presets like ‘Creative Look’. Moreover, with touch tracking now capable of automatically setting brightness and colour adjustments, alongside the introduction of the new Pro video mode offering detailed settings control for video capture, users can effortlessly capture both photos and videos with intuitive control and precision.
A new smarter, brighter display
The Xperia 1 VI’s display is Powered by BRAVI, and uses AI remastering technology to improve contrast, colour, and clarity. This technology works for your own content and even streaming services.
For ease of watching in bright conditions, the new display is 1.5 times brighter than the previous model. Furthermore, the new Sunlight Vision delivers improved visibility in outdoor environments, not only brightening the image, but also performing AI image processing to prevent overexposed highlights by analysing the frames and the environmental brightness in real-time.
Premium sound, out loud or with headphones
Featuring a new Premium Audio Circuit for 3.5mm wired headphones, a new higher-performance speaker, and innovative audio technologies, the Xperia 1 VI gives all your music the space, clarity, and quality it deserves, through wired or wireless headphones, or the full-stage stereo speakers.
The speaker unit’s performance has undergone significant enhancements. Through the reduction of distortion at high volumes and optimisation of low-frequency output, there’s been a marked increase in the sound pressure level, resulting in a more impactful and immersive audio experience.
Xperia 1 VI allows you to explore the latest audio industry technologies and formats, including High-Resolution Audio, High-Resolution Audio Wireless, LDAC, Bluetooth LE Audio (Low Energy), and Snapdragon Sound When paired with select wireless headphones, activating the AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) Connection’ mode enhances sound quality further, even in bustling urban environments, ensuring uninterrupted music enjoyment.
Best battery performance in Xperia 1 series
The large and efficient 5,000 mAh battery is designed for two days of typical use, all within a lightweight body which is thinner than the previous Xperia models. The use of a vapour chamber heat-dissipating component, a new display with low power consumption and unique power efficiency technology combine to enable continuous video playback for over 36 hours approximately twice as much as previous modelsix
Not only does it support rapid charging, achieving approximately 50% capacity in just 30 minutes, Battery Care and Xperia Adaptive Charging ensures the battery isn’t overworked as it charges, giving you four years of healthy battery lifex. Additionally, Xperia 1 VI supports the new wireless standard Wi-Fi 7.xi, this latest communication standard enables high-speed data exchange, enhancing the user experience.
Performance to unleash your creativity
The ultra-intelligent Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform unleashes a new era of possibilities. This powerful processor enhances the Xperia 1 VI’s AI capabilities, offering unrivalled camera, audio, gaming, and display performance.
New feature of Game Enhancer: “FPS Optimizer”
FPS Optimiser dynamically optimises CPU usage and frame rate based on the gaming environment. Touch input has been refined, offering three tracking speeds and two levels of tap accuracy, ensuring an unparalleled gaming experience for both gameplay and live streaming where the swiftest of reactions are a must. Snapdragon® 8 Gen3 Mobile and its Snapdragon Elite Gaming supports fast and smooth gameplay and video viewing.
Tactile and sophisticated design
The Xperia 1 VI features a textural rear panel finish for comfort, functionality, and beauty. It provides improved grip and the convex microfabrication of toughened glass, alongside a frosted finishing makes it more resistant to fingerprints and surface scratches than other materials.
The camera is built with a sturdy metal base for both ruggedness and compact functionality, using design and colour to blend seamlessly with the device for a consistent, premium look.
It comes in a choice of colours to suit your style: Black, Platinum Silver, and Khaki Green.
Environmentally conscious and inclusive
The product box and main tray of Xperia 1 VI are made from Sony’s Original Blended Material, comprising bamboo, sugar cane, and recycled paper, making it possible to achieve individual packaging that is completely plastic-free. In addition to Sony’s ongoing efforts to reduce plastic, plastic tape used to seal shipping cartons has been replaced by paper to make packaging more environmentally friendly.
Furthermore, approximately 85% of the raw materials for some of the parts used inside and outside the main body are environmentally friendly resins (recycled resins, plant-based resins, etc.), including SORPLAS™, a flame-retardant recycled plastic developed by Sony.
We are working to help the planet and the people who live on it. From Voice Control to increased text size, the Xperia 1 VI includes a range of accessibility features, enabling everyone to communicate freely, whatever their individual needs. For example, Xperia 1 VI includes a function that uses sounds to inform users the camera’s horizontal measurement information during shooting. Additionally, Sony has introduced unique enhancements to Android’s ‘TalkBack’ function, ensuring menus on the display are read out in a user-friendly sequence, enhancing accessibility for all users.
Style Cover with Stand for Xperia 1 VI (XQZ-CBEC)
Xperia 1 IV’s dedicated cover features a bottom grip for effortless handling and steady shooting. With the newly bundled ring strap that can be attached to the cover, stability is further enhanced. Moreover, the stand supports both horizontal and vertical orientations for added convenience. The back of the cover mirrors the functional tactile design found on the back of the Xperia 1VI, ensuring that even with the cover attached, the device’s original design remains uncompromised. There are 3 colours to match the main body. SORPLAS is used as part of the raw material for this cover.
Pricing and Availability
Xperia 1 IV will be available to buy from early June for approximately £1299/€1399. Pre-orders start from the 15th May, please visit: www.sony.co.uk for more details.
Sony Introduces a Stamina Specialist Smartphone: Xperia 10 VI with long-lasting 2 days battery life
Sony has revealed the new mid-range Xperia 10 VI smartphone. Equipped with a large-capacity battery capable of two-day use and featuring a lightweight body, it is designed for both comfort and easy operation with one hand. It boasts a water-resistant display, using Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® for long-lasting use and durability. Thanks to advances in chipset performance and optimisation of battery power, continuous video playback time has been extended by approximately 10% compared to the previous model. Furthermore, the Xperia 10 VI is equipped with a new “Video Creator” app that allows you to easily edit and shoot content to create videos quickly. The front stereo speakers have been improved compared to the previous model with increased volume capacity and wider dynamic range, providing improved bass and treble performance for clearer sound.
Durable and compact with long battery life and lightweight design
Xperia 10 VI is equipped with a large-capacity battery providing a battery life that extends beyond your daily needs for viewing, listening, and content capturing, paired with an exceptionally lightweight and compact design, weighing in at just 164g.
Xperia 10 VI’s battery stays healthy for three years thanks to Sony’s charging technologies which are designed to preserve the battery’s health over time. Battery care prevents overcharging, while Xperia Adaptive Charging continuously monitors your phone’s charging process to prevent any unnecessary strain on the battery. Enhanced charging speed has also been introduced.
The body size is 155mm long and 68mm wide, making it easy to operate. The back panel uses a matte, milky-white semi-transparent resin material, giving the main body a soft design. In addition to IP65/68 waterproof and dustproof performance, the display uses Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus®, a highly drop-resistant and scratch-resistant glass, for increased durability and a worry-free experience.
Equipped with the Snapdragon® 6 Gen 1 Mobile Platform, the improved chipset performance and optimisation of battery power consumption reduces power consumption, improving continuous video playback time, extended by approximately 10% compared to the previous model.
Equipped with “Video Creator” that allows you to easily create short videos using gallery photos and videos
The ‘Video Creator’ app enables effortless creation of short videos from your captured photos and video footage. Simply choose your desired files and adjust playback time to generate a video in less than a minute.
The dual rear camera lenses provide versatility, offering three focal lengths (16mm, 26mm, 52mm) for shooting. Equivalent to 2x optical zoom, you can get closer to subjects without worrying about image quality deterioration. It is also equipped with a colour effects function that allows you to take pictures using a selection of preset colour options so there’s no need for any editing and can be uploaded straight to social media.
Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) isn’t limited to still photography; it’s equally effective for videos and is available on both the wide-angle 26mm and 52mm lens. When capturing videos on the move, our exclusive Optical SteadyShot™ technology guarantees clear and steady results.
The Xperia 10 VI simplifies the shooting experience by incorporating AI-driven scene detection technology, which autonomously selects optimal settings for capturing the perfect shot.
With Xperia, for simple self-portraits in any location you simply need to show your palm to the camera, which will automatically start a 2-second self-timer, giving you time to prep for the shot.
Pocket-sized theatre experience
The front stereo speakers have a wider dynamic range than the previous model, allowing you to enjoy naturally balanced sound quality with improved treble and bass. In addition, the 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display is equipped with ‘Triluminous® Display for mobile’, which incorporates technology cultivated for Sony’s BRAVIA® TVs, allowing you to create an immersive pocket-sized theatre.
Experience quality entertainment, anywhere with Xperia 10 VI’s premium audio, display, and camera capabilities, all powered by a powerful battery for uninterrupted enjoyment.
The Xperia 10 VI naturally supports the Bluetooth® connectivity including LDAC™ and includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can enjoy high-resolution high-quality sound with both wired and wireless headphones. In addition, DSEE Ultimate™, which uses Sony’s proprietary AI technology, reproduces sound sources such as streaming services with sound quality equivalent to high resolution.
Sony’s commitment to Sustainability
The Sony Group has set an environmental plan “Road to Zero” aiming for zero environmental footprint by 2050. In order to achieve this, we are taking action while setting medium-term environmental targets in stages. As part of this mid-term environmental goals, we are aiming to eliminate plastic packaging materials for newly designed small products by 2025.
The product box and main tray of Xperia 10 VI are made from Sony’s Original Blended Material, comprising bamboo, sugar cane fibres, and recycled paper, making it possible to achieve individual packaging that is completely plastic-free. In addition to Sony’s ongoing efforts to reduce plastic, plastic tape used to seal shipping cartons has been replaced by paper to make packaging more environmentally friendly.
Furthermore, approximately 50% of the raw materials for some of the parts used inside and outside the main body are environmentally friendly resins (recycled resins, plant-based resins, etc.), including SORPLAS™, a flame-retardant recycled plastic developed by Sony.
Accessibility
From enabling voice control to increasing text size, you can customize your Xperia 10 VI to suit your needs, using accessibility settings and apps.
Accessories
Style Cover with Stand for Xperia 10 VI
The XPERIA 10 VI has three colour matching optional covers with a built-in stand, convenient for live streaming and video chats. This slim cover is designed to perfectly fit the shape of Xperia 10 VI body combining ease of holding and functionality. A new ring strap is also included for additional comfort. In addition to providing a stable grip on your fingers, you can also wear it around your neck by combining it with a neck strap (not included). The covers also use Sony’s recycled SORPLAS™ as part of the raw material.
Availability
Xperia 10 VI will be available in Blue, Black and White from the middle of June onwards for £349 / €399. Pre-orders start from the 15th May, please visit: www.sony.co.uk for more details.
It is Google Pixel 8a time and it is time to begin checking out some cases and first up it Tudia Products and their DualShield MergeGrip case in several colours for the all new Pixel 8a.
I actually still have one of their cases on my Pixel 8 Pro and you can see the reviews for those cases here. Nothing has changed to the structure of the dual layered cases which is fine as they are a case I can vouch for as I use them all the time and have done for some time now, being dual layered gives you optimal protection and the softer TPU which is always a favourite of mine ensures full protection all round.
You have additional grip here with a textured back and grips on the sides and there is a nice lip on the front giving your screen some protection the raised camera bar on the back is also protected really well which will stop it getting marked as it is prone to them so with your new Tudia case on deck here your phone is in safe hands.
The cases also work with wireless charging which is great meaning there is no need to remove the case to charge your phone and if like me and have wireless chargers all over the house it is a win.
Overall you can’t go wrong with these cases and as mentioned I am a long time user and can certainly with ease recommend them to people no matter what device they have. Check out the Pixel 8a first look here too and check out the video review below.
Features
[Compatibility] Case compatible with Google Pixel 8a (2024) Only
[Drop Protection] Certified military grade protection and ToughRhino Technology for dual layer protection against drops and scratches
[Raised Edges Protection] Protects your camera and screen with raised lip and edges
[Enhanced Grip] Non-slip textured design on both sides and back provide additional grip while holding your phone
[Precise Design] Tactile and clicky buttons designed for stress-free usage
[Seamless Access] Gesture tap and wireless charging compatible
Next up in our case reviews is the Official Google Pixel 8a case in BAY to match the colour of our device which we have a first impressions of here.
Again the case comes in familiar packaging and kept simple. The case is made with stain resistant silicone and has been drop tested by Google.
The case according to Google is made with 38% recycled plastics and will not interfere with calls USB or wireless charging or audio and also has has a polycarbonate shell made with 75% recycled plastic and gives you a better grip.
There is a small lip on the front of the device and the camera bar on back is protected though dust might gather in the corners the keys are tactile and work well and finally with the color itself it is hard to see how long the color lasts with dirt and fading but we will report in a few weeks.
Dell Technologies expands the industry’s top-selling server portfolio with performance and efficiency upgrades for wherever Dell PowerEdge is deployed. These servers represent the latest generation of server innovation for Dell’s largest and smallest customers.
Built with versatility in mind, these new Dell PowerEdge servers offer efficient configurations that will simplify operations for organizations including CSPs of all sizes, small business owners and those operating at the edge. With performance improvements across the new servers, customers have the compute power to handle a range of workloads.
“Our customers are turning to our newest servers to run more compute-intensive workloads while trying to manage power and emissions,” said Travis Vigil, senior vice president, Infrastructure Solutions Group Product Management, Dell Technologies. “This builds on our 30 years of experience where Dell PowerEdge has been the backbone of IT infrastructure, helping customers adapt to evolving business needs and supporting workloads across edge, core data centres and the cloud.”
Enhanced performance and efficiency for cloud service providers
New Dell PowerEdge R670 CSP Edition and R770 CSP Edition servers offer cloud service providers optimal performance for high performance computing, including high-density and scale-out cloud workloads like virtualization and data analytics. Additionally, through the Dell Early Access Program, customers can evaluate these new server designs so CSPs can scale production from day one of availability.
Designed with Smart Cooling technology, these servers are energy efficient and intelligently adapt to changing environments. The compact form factor with front I/O for cold aisle serviceability and versatile configurations makes these servers simpler to deploy and service, making them ideal for specialized data centres.
Bringing the Intel® Xeon® 6 Efficient core processor to market first, customers will see up to 2.3x more performance per rack compared to the previous generation.1 These servers are equipped with Dell Open Server Manager built on OpenBMCTM to simplify management in an open ecosystem for large, heterogeneous environments.
These new CSP Edition servers mark the debut of the Data Centre – Modular Hardware System (DC-MHS) architecture in the Dell PowerEdge portfolio. This DC-MHS specification supports easier server integration into existing infrastructure by standardizing servers, improving design and customer choice. Part of the Open Compute Project, DC-MHS is a collaboration between six companies, including Dell Technologies and Intel, focused on redesigning hardware technology to make data centre, edge and enterprise infrastructure more interoperable.
“Intel is excited to have Dell Technologies at the forefront of our development on the latest generation of Intel® Xeon® 6 processor, enabling customers across industries to quickly and seamlessly deliver on the promise of high density, efficient compute for AI data centres of the future,” said Ryan Tabrah, Vice President & General Manager of Intel® Xeon® Efficient-core Products, Intel Corporation.
Smaller footprint, double the performance
The Dell PowerEdge T160 and R260 servers bring compact computing to small businesses and remote offices looking for powerful, dense configurations. At almost half the physical footprint (42%), the stackable T160 offers a lower carbon footprint via the increased use of sustainable materials including an unpainted metal chassis. The server is up to 23% more power efficient compared to the previous generation.2 The R260 also has a reduced physical footprint (24%), increasing its versatility.
Both servers feature the Intel® Xeon® E-2400 Processors, offering double the performance compared to the previous generation.3 The T160 is ideal for organizations looking to do real-time data processing at near-edge installations. The R260 works well for deploying near-edge virtualisation, minimizing latency up to 50%.4 For those working in harsh environments, the T160 and R260 are equipped with filter bezels, shielding the inner hardware from dust and grease particles, helping ensure unobstructed airflow for better performance and acoustics.
“Technology that maximizes energy efficiency and infrastructure density without compromising performance is critical for modern sustainable data centre operations,” said Kuba Stolarski, research vice president, IDC Enterprise Infrastructure Practice. “Dell’s portfolio offers organisations of all sizes innovative server solutions to meet their sustainability goals while simplifying management and upleveling performance with the current generation of technology.”
Availability
The Dell PowerEdge R670 CSP Edition and R770 CSP Edition will be globally available to qualified Cloud Service Providers in July with general availability soon to follow.
The Dell PowerEdge T160 will be globally available in May.
The Dell PowerEdge R260 will be globally available in May.
Quside, a quantum technology company, is working closely with Equinix, the world’s digital infrastructure company®, to enable access for businesses in Ireland to the latest quantum random number generation (QRNG) technology. This will help Equinix customers to build the strongest cryptographic foundation to defend against increasingly sophisticated attacks. True QRNG and quantum cryptography provides a vital defence for businesses as AI advancements lead to a new era of cybercrime.
Equinix has led the way in facilitating access to quantum computing for businesses in Ireland recently, announcing partnerships with Oxford Quantum Computing and Alice & Bob in 2023.
The unusual concept of randomness in cybersecurity is known as entropy. In cryptography, entropy creates completely unpredictable strings of random numbers, making it exceptionally difficult for bad actors to predict patterns and hack into systems. Entropy, which can only be produced by hardware, is at the foundation of security, but poorly generated entropy can lead to insecure and vulnerable systems.
Through its globally interconnected Equinix Fabric network, Equinix enables businesses worldwide to connect with this highly innovative and robust cybersecurity solution on high-speed, low-latency, and private network connections. By allowing seamless communication between quantum entropy systems and operational data processing infrastructure, Equinix and Quside are lowering the barrier to world-class security for businesses in Ireland, as well as thousands of businesses across the globe.
Equinix already supports a number of quantum businesses as part of its network of over 10,000 customers worldwide. It is well-placed to support businesses such as Quside on their growth journey and lead the transition towards a range of quantum technologies for multiple sectors, including enhanced cybersecurity options and improved power efficiency.
Peter Lantry, Managing Director, Equinix Ireland, said: “Advanced cyber defences such as Quside’s quantum cryptography are becoming increasingly necessary to defend businesses in Ireland, and around the world, from bad actors. Equinix is proud to be a leader in providing businesses in Ireland with access to quantum computing to help them to explore and unlock its potential. Access to this latest cutting edge solution comes at a time when the need for strong, reliable cybersecurity is at an all-time high.”
Carlos Abellan, CEO & co-founder, Quside, said: “Equinix plays a crucial role for customers in facilitating global access to Quside’s unique quantum entropy technology. To truly harness the benefits of Quside’s entropy solution in their cloud transition, customers require secure, private, and scalable infrastructure. Equinix’s IBX data centres offer the perfect scalable solutions that can easily adapt to changing computational demands, allowing our customers to effortlessly connect to and expand their quantum entropy capabilities as needed.”
Operating in the heart of Europe’s bustling interconnectivity network, Quside focuses on key sectors including government, finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and cloud computing. Quside products deliver highly performant, scalable, quality, and measurable quantum entropy and can be used in conventional, post-quantum, and quantum cryptography systems.
Equinix data centres provide the essential infrastructure, security, and connectivity required to support the development and deployment of quantum cryptography and entropy generation systems, enabling organisations to leverage the power of quantum technologies for enhanced cybersecurity and data protection.
Revolut, the global financial app with more than 40 million customers worldwide, and over 2.7 million in Ireland, has crunched the numbers on Irish consumer spending over the last month, revealing that a showery April has given Revolut customers in Ireland itchy feet — with spending on travel up nearly 10% YoY versus April 2023.
With figures adjusted for user growth, Revolut’s consumer spending analysis tracked more than 50 million card payments in April, indicating real-world spending trends by Ireland’s Revolut account holders, who spent more than €1.1 billion across a very damp month of April.
Money spent on airlines rose again by close to 4% (MoM increase) as the wet weather saw holidaymakers continue to plan overseas trips — up nearly 25% on April 2023 (YoY increase). People are spending more at the airport this year than last, rising a notable 12% (YoY increase).
Travel agencies were the beneficiaries with a small rise in spending versus the previous month (1.58% MoM increase), up 24% on a more fair weathered April 2023 (YoY increase). Similarly, spend on timeshares shot up by over 16.28% (MoM increase) as Revolut customers in Ireland looked to get away — a steady near 4.5% rise on last April (YoY increase).
Cruises also proved a popular escape, with over 15% more spent on voyages than in March (MoM increase), and more than 23% when compared with April 2023 (YoY increase). Not all were deterred by the wet weather though, with a considerable 34.5% rise in trailer park and campsite spending compared with March (MoM increase) and April 2024 (22% YoY increase).
Maurice Murphy, General Manager at Revolut Bank UAB – Ireland Branch, said: “Our continued push into the travel sector has helped make spending on holidays, short breaks, and last-minute getaways even easier for our customers in Ireland. One-click checkout with Aer Lingus, the introduction of eSIMs to avoid overseas roaming charges, and our super competitive foreign exchange rates have meant more people are trusting Revolut on their trips away. Revolut is Ireland’s preferred way to manage money on a daily basis and these strong spending figures highlight how more customers are using us as their primary bank account.”
Revolut was recently recognised by financial comparison site Bonkers.ie as ‘Ireland’s Best Consumer Business’ and ‘provider of the Best Current Account’.
