mophie, a leading brand in power and innovator of intelligent charging solutions for mobile devices, today announced a refresh of its powerstation® the plus mini, and the powerstation plus. These updates allow for extended battery life, enhanced speed, and elevated design to keep users’ devices fully charged wherever life takes them.
“Our reengineered and redesigned powerstation plus line moves these products into an ultra-premium direction,” said Justin Tacy, head of marketing for mophie. “This next generation line includes elevated materials, including an aluminum frame with a soft-touch silicone exterior, enhanced convenience through a refined integrated cable management system, and the latest in fast charging technology which together reflect mophie’s commitment to delivering intelligent, artfully designed, and user-focused charging products.”
The mophie powerstation plus lineup includes:
powerstation plus mini (£49.95 MSRP) – Perfect for those on the go, the powerstation plus mini packs a punch in a compact, portable design. With the ability to charge two devices simultaneously at up to 20W via a USB-C port and cable, the powerstation plus mini contains a 5,000mAh internal battery and can charge a phone up to 50% in as little as 30 minutes.
powerstation plus (£69.95 MSRP) – Elevate your charging experience with the powerstation plus, offering even greater capacity and sleek design. Delivering up to 30W of power, this power bank contains a 10,000mAh internal battery that can fully charge your phone twice. The long-lasting, premium braided silicone charging cables (one USB-C; one Lightning) are tested to withstand up to 30,000 bends, ensuring durability that matches performance. Use the port and both cables to charge up to three devices at once.
Each new powerstation plus is made with premium materials, including soft touch silicone, an aluminum chassis, and no-memory cables. They feature two-way charging, allowing users to charge the power bank through the same USB-C cable or port they use to charge their device. The powerstation plus line also ensures pass-through Priority+ charging to intelligently ensure your device receives power first. Once a user’s device is fully charged, the power banks will charge second.
Availability:
The powerstation plus mini and powerstation plus are available now on mophie.com and through select retail stores worldwide. ZAGG warrants these products against defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of two (2) years from the date of retail purchase by the original end-user consumer.
The Vodafone Foundation in Ireland has announced the launch of a new guide for parents and guardians which aims to provide resources to ensure children are kept safe in the digital world.
The ’Parenting in a Digital World’ guide has been designed to empower parents and guardians in navigating the complexities of devices and digital safety. It is available for free, both in Vodafone stores nationwide and online at www.vodafone.ie.
The new resource provides practical advice and insights on key topics such as setting up parental controls, building digital resilience and addressing cyberbullying. Recognising the growing concerns around children’s online activities, the Vodafone Foundation has developed this guide to help parents make informed decisions and take proactive steps to protect their children online.
Key Features of the Guide Include:
Advice on building digital resilience to help children cope with negative online experiences.
Guidance on navigating cyberbullying: How to recognise the signs and what actions to take if a child is a victim.
Tools for safe connectivity: Options for basic phones with limited internet access for children.
Partnership resources: Information on additional support available through Vodafone’s partnerships with the ISPCC and Dublin City University Anti-Bullying Centre.
Step-by-Step instructions on how to use parental controls and the Vodafone Secure Net app to manage a child’s online experience.
Speaking about the new parents’ guide, Head of the Vodafone Foundation, Liz Roche said: “Connectivity brings many benefits. Yet, we know that the decision as to when a child is ready to access the digital world on their own devices can be a difficult one.
Our parents’ guide is designed to make it easier for parents and guardians to manage their child’s online activities while fostering a safe and positive digital environment. Whether it’s understanding the importance of digital resilience for their child or learning how to set up parental controls, this guide has everything parents need to feel confident about their child’s online safety.”
ISPCC Childline Chief Executive John Church said“ISPCC is delighted to support the Vodafone Foundation in Ireland as it launches this timely guide for parents to keep their children safe online.
The online landscape is ever-changing, and that’s a scary prospect for even the most tech-savvy of parents. The pressure on young people is ever present. This guide will be an extremely useful resource for parents wanting to equip their children with the necessary skills to navigate the online world safely.
At the ISPCC we are proud to partner with the Vodafone Foundation as we strive to support parents to ensure that children and young people have positive experiences online.”
The Tozi app – An additional online resource for children:
The Vodafone Foundation has also reminded parents and guardians that among the resources available to them is the Tozi App which helps children understand the impact their digital lives may be having on their mental wellbeing.
In partnership with Dublin City University’s Anti-Bullying Centre and the ISPCC, the Tozi App offers support for children and young people by educating them on how to be safe and well online, while offering instant support if they need it. The Tozi app is available for free download and usage from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
The STM Goods ChargeTree Mag 3 in 1 MagSafe Charger is an ideal product to have at your disposal and their latest product for charging solutions after their CHARGETREE GO.
If you have multiple device that are compatible this is an ideal kit to safe not only space but having to carry cables with you, this not only works with Apple devices but others as you will see tested in the video review below.
Neat and portable this has a small footprint and ideal for your bedside locker or hotel room locker and your office set up where you have it sat beside your laptop and have easy access to your smartphone where it is kept charging with your watch and earbuds.
The product is robust and clean and looks well with all the tech goodies stacked on it, there is an LED light for each to let you know that it is sat correctly on the product.
This folds away nicely too and will fit in any travel or tech back there is sadly no pouch with it but again this is ideal if you have the tech to use it and very portable saving you space and annoying cables at home or on the go it is a win win for MagSafe devices.
Features
Compactly folds to a slim, flat form for easy storage and travel
3 – 1 charging station, charge 3 devices at once
Phone platform works with MagSafe, AirPods charge on the back platform, watch arm swings out to charge the Apple Watch
Plugs into power with USB-C to USB-C (1m cable included)
Must be used with a minimum 20W wall plug (not included)
ZAGG, a global leader in accessories and technologies that empower mobile lifestyles, today announced XTR4 screen protection and protective cases strengthened with graphene for pristine durability, now available foriPhone 16,iPhone 16 Plus,iPhone 16 Pro, andiPhone 16 Pro Max. The product lineup includes the following:
ZAGG InvisibleShield® for iPhone 16
Elevate your device’s defense with Glass XTR4 (£44.99), the most advanced screen protector available. Engineered with Hexiom2 Impact Technology and now infused with graphene, one of the strongest materials on earth1, Glass XTR4 is now 10% stronger2 than Glass XTR3 and offers unparalleled protection against impacts. Beyond durability, XTR4 also features Eyesafe® RPF60 technology to filter blue light, to improve eye comfort and sleep, while delivering exceptional clarity and touch sensitivity. Crafted with up to 30% recycled glass, this eco-friendly screen protector ensures a flawless fit and simple installation with ZAGG’s EZ Apply® system.
Glass XTR4 still includes features consumers know and love, such as anti-reflective technology, anti-dust adhesive, and maximum touch sensitivity courtesy of an advanced nano-coating.
ZAGG InvisibleShield will also offer its core lineup of screen protectors for iPhone 16, including Glass Elite (£29.99), Glass Elite Vision Guard® (£34.99), Glass Elite Privacy (£34.99), Glass Elite Privacy Anti-Glare (£39.99), and Glass Elite Privacy 360 (£49.99). The ZAGG lineup for iPhone 16 features an anti-dust adhesive, so there’s no need to worry about dust during install, and an anti-microbial treatment that protects the screen protectors by guarding against degradation from microorganisms.
ZAGG InvisibleShield for Apple Watch
ZAGG will also offer its core lineup of screen protectors for the new Apple Watch Series 10, including Ultra Eco (£19.99) and Glass Elite 360 (£24.99).
ZAGG Cases for iPhone 16
Building on the success of previous case collections, ZAGG is excited to introduce the next evolution of its lineup. The latest options feature vibrant designs to reflect your unique personality and include improved magnet strength in all MagSafe-compatible cases, and a newly designed integrated kickstand for improved stability and hands-free viewing. ZAGG’s commitment to cutting-edge graphene technology ensures superior protection. Additionally, our focus on incorporating post-consumer recycled materials means you can feel good about choosing ZAGG products that are innovative and environmentally responsible.
Highlights from the new product lineup for iPhone 16 include:
Crystal Palace Series – Elevate your clear case experience with ZAGG’s redesigned Crystal Palace Series that ensures the best clear case experience on the market. Made with up to 66% post-consumer recycled materials, Crystal Palace is designed to showcase your phone’s sleek lines and features ZAGG’s new co-molded design, eliminating the typical look of a PC plate welded to a TPU side.4 Each case in this series stands out with ZAGG’s ClearGuard™ Anti-yellowing Technology, including a specialized dye- and stain-resistant coating and a color-filtering additive that ensures long-lasting clarity, guaranteed by ZAGG’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.
The all-new grip texture provides a secure hold where you need it most, minimizing the “cloudiness” common with other grip solutions. Combining elegance with exceptional durability, the Crystal Palace Series, including Crystal Palace Lite (£19.99), Crystal Palace Lite Snap (£24.99), Crystal Palace Snap (£34.99), and Crystal Palace Snap with Kickstand (£39.99), delivers unparalleled device protection.
Milan Snap (£34.99) – The dramatically expanded Milan line is designed for those who aren’t afraid to stand out. With device-complementing, photo-ready style, these cases offer 360° fashion in a variety of stunning options, including iridescent, glitter, floral, and geometric designs, each available in a range of captivating colors. The slim, lightweight profile ensures a comfortable fit in your pocket or hand, while up to 93% post-consumer recycled materials underscores a commitment to sustainability.4 The stylish Milan Snap collection is compatible with MagSafe.
SoHo Snap (£39.99) – New for the iPhone 16, the SoHo snap is a vibrant fusion of style and protection inspired by NYC’s iconic SoHo neighborhood. The SoHo Snap case merges urban sophistication with innovative protection and features a striking two-tone design that echoes the area’s dynamic spirit; this case is as stylish as it is resilient. Engineered with advanced shock-absorbing materials, it ensures your device is shielded against life’s hustle and bustle, even drops up to 13 feet (4m).5 These fashion-forward cases encompass form and function, are compatible with MagSafe, and come in three colors: black, navy blue, and currant.
ZAGG will also offer its core case lineup for iPhone 16, including the sustainable Luxe Snap (£24.99), made with up to 100 percent post-consumer recycled materials Manhattan Snap, a premium silicone case that slides in and out of your pocket without tugging or pulling (£34.99), Santa Cruz Snap with its with pops of stylish color around the border, camera ring, and snap magnet (£39.99), Santa Cruz Snap with Kickstand (£44.99) and Denali Snap with Kickstand, the peak of protection with its rugged design (£44.99).
“ZAGG screen protectors and cases are made to protect the investment people make in their devices,” said Brad Bell, senior vice president of global marketing for ZAGG. “We’re taking screen protection to the next level by incorporating graphene into Glass XTR4 and continuing to push the industry standard for protection, innovation, and design with our cases.”
Availability:
ZAGG InvisibleShield screen protection and ZAGG case accessories for the iPhone 16 range are available beginning today on ZAGG.com, Amazon.com, and at leading stores.
ZAGG backs its mobile accessories with an industry-leading limited lifetime warranty and will replace the product if it ever gets worn or damaged for the life of the device.6 With more than 400 million screen protectors sold worldwide, ZAGG InvisibleShield is a leading brand for smartphone screen protection in the U.S. and has set the industry standard for screen protection.
Dell Technologies and Red Hat, Inc., the world’s leading provider of open-source solutions, are bringing Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI (RHEL AI), a foundation model platform built on an AI-optimised operating system that enables users to more seamlessly develop, test and deploy AI and GenAI models, to Dell PowerEdge servers. This joint effort establishes RHEL AI as a preferred platform on the Dell PowerEdge R760xa server.
This collaboration helps organisations more readily implement successful artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) strategies to scale their IT systems and power enterprise applications across their businesses. Dell and Red Hat are providing a more consistent AI experience on optimised, AI-enabled hardware solutions, all delivered on the trusted platform of RHEL AI on Dell PowerEdge. This initiative aims to simplify the AI experience for users by continuously testing and validating hardware solutions, including NVIDIA accelerated computing, with RHEL AI.
RHEL AI brings together open source-licensed Granite large language models (LLMs) from IBM Research, InstructLab model alignment tools based on the LAB (Large-scale Alignment for chatBots) methodology and a community-driven approach to model development through the InstructLab project. The solution is packaged as an optimised, bootable Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) image for individual server deployments across the hybrid cloud and is included as part of Red Hat OpenShift AI, Red Hat’s hybrid cloud machine learning operations (MLOps) platform, for running models and InstructLab at scale across distributed cluster environments.
Joe Fernandes, vice president and general manager, Generative AI Foundation Model Platforms, Red Hat said “AI by nature requires extensive resources spanning enabled servers, compute power and GPUs. As organisations evaluate and implement GenAI use cases, it is imperative that they build on a platform that is able to scale with their business while also providing the agility to experiment and develop AI-driven innovations. By collaborating with Dell Technologies to validate and empower RHEL AI on Dell PowerEdge servers, we are enabling customers with greater confidence and flexibility to harness the power of GenAI workloads across hybrid cloud environments and propel their business into the future.”
Arun Narayanan, senior vice president, Dell Technologies said “Validating RHEL AI for AI workloads on Dell PowerEdge servers provides customers with greater confidence that the servers, GPUs and foundational platforms are tested and validated on an ongoing basis. This simplifies the GenAI user experience and accelerates the process to build and deploy critical AI workloads on a trusted software stack.”
Bob Pette, vice president, Enterprise Platforms, NVIDIAsaid “In today’s fast-paced market, it is critical for organisations to be equipped with validated and trusted AI-enabled solutions to kick-start their GenAI use cases. Red Hat and Dell will extend GenAI capabilities for customers with an optimized experience for NVIDIA accelerated computing, including NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs, with Dell PowerEdge servers and RHEL AI.”
Limerick woman Olivia Humphreys (24) witnessed how upsetting it is for patients who face losing their hair during chemotherapy when her mother went through it in 2019.
65-99% of patients going through chemotherapy will be affected by hair loss*. Scalp cooling can help prevent this by shrinking the blood vessels and is done by applying cold temperatures to the scalp during chemotherapy treatment. Scalp cooling is intended to help prevent hair loss, known as chemotherapy-induced alopecia, for people undergoing chemotherapy. It works by limiting blood flow to the scalp. This can reduce the amount of the chemo treatment that reaches your head, protecting your hair follicles from the chemo drugs.
Olivia noticed the shortage of scalp-cooling machines aimed to minimise hair loss in the hospital her mother was in, as well as how limited the existing solutions were.
Current products require the patient to arrive 30 minutes early and stay for 90 minutes after infusion for pre and post scalp cooling. With Athena, patients can manage this aspect of treatment themselves and seamlessly integrate into an infusion appointment with no extra time or attention required, using this device from the comfort of their own homes.
The Problem:
Current chemotherapy scalp cooling devices are either heavy duty hospital-only machines which cannot be moved easily and require patients to sit in a ward for long periods of time.
On the other hand, there are cheaper, manual cooling alternatives available used to cool the heads of chemo patients to prevent hair loss, yet these prove to be less powerful, ineffective and they don’t last long enough for maximum benefit. Athena aims to offer an effective hospital standard device that gives control to a patient in a time of little control.
The Invention:
University of Limerick graduate Olivia Humphreys, witnessed firsthand how much of an impact chemotherapy induced hair loss can have on a person, when her mother was sadly affected by cancer in 2019 and from spending time with her during treatment experience, was inspired to reimagine the way scalp-cooling can be done.
How does it work?
Athena works by utilising low-cost thermoelectric semiconductors called peltiers, and these cool a tank of water, which circulates the cold water around the head with the smartly designed headpiece. The battery powered device allows patients to bring the device home and control it themselves, making it more accessible to the consumer market.
The estimated cost for Athena would be around €1000, according to Olivia Humphreys, compared to industry machines which come in at around €40,000 or more. Weighing around 3kg, Athena is more portable than the current leading products on the market, which use refrigeration technology requiring constant plugged in power. Athena, at full battery power, can run for 3.5 hours, allowing the patient to commute to and from the hospital while cooling and move around during infusion for bathroom visits, etc.
Speaking about Athena, Olivia Humphreys said: “I decided to build a working prototype to test the capabilities of the Peltier semiconductors. Using a Peltier computer cooling fan system, a diaphragm pump, my mum’s old suitcase, and my dad’s plane battery, I was able to create a strong proof of concept to gather valuable feedback to develop the concept. Following this, I focused on the product’s form, creating cardboard and foam models and determining functionality aspects and touchpoints to ensure the best user experience. Ultimately, I arrived at my final model, Athena, which was crafted using SolidWorks 3D CAD modelling.”
The future of Athena:
Speaking about what is next for this invention, Olivia says: “To elevate Athena to the next level, extensive research and development is required. While working on this project, I have been fortunate to network with Luminate Medical, a company in Galway, Ireland, dedicated to building a better future for cancer care. They have extended an internship offer to me as a research and development engineer. I have accepted and am very eager to apply the insights gained from my own research and development to contribute to their mission.”
Speaking about Athena, Lead Design Engineer at Dyson James Gilchrist who was part of the judging panel, said: “Hair is a deeply rooted symbol of our identity. Losing it can be one of the most difficult side effects of chemotherapy. Currently, only 8 of Ireland’s 26 hospitals offer scalp cooling as a treatment[1], partly due to the expense of the equipment and the additional time required to deliver the treatment.
The genius of Athena isn’t just in increasing access; it’s in taking the patient out of the clinic. Instead of spending an extra two hours in the treatment centre, Athena allows patients to precool their scalp on the way there and continue the cooling process post-treatment in the comfort of their own home. That’s not just a win for patients but also for clinics, enabling them to treat more patients each day.
Olivia impressed us with her first prototype—a ‘cut and shut’ computer cooling fan and diaphragm pump built into her mum’s old suitcase. Once that proved the concept, she went on to develop a high-fidelity prototype, leveraging recent innovations in battery-powered coolers.”
Olivia is eager to see how her work can inspire further innovation in cancer treatment and patient care and continue contributing to advancements in the industry.
Athena will now progress to the international stage of the James Dyson Award and Olivia will aim to commercialise this product by producing a fully functional, technologically integrated prototype.
The Runners Up:
Suas designed by Ko Kallewaard, a student in the University of Limerick
The Problem: People with reduced mobility who need to travel with their wheelchair, encounter problems such as having to check in their wheelchair at the gate and get assigned the airline wheelchair, which is often not suitable and doesn’t offer independence to people with disabilities. On landing, many wheelchair users have experienced lost wheelchairs or worse, completely broken wheelchairs, leaving them in a terrible predicament.
The Solution:
Suas enables wheelchair users to travel with their own chair and is encouraging airlines to fit specially engineered seats with Suas’s universal wheelchair lock as well as offering a connecting lock to the wheelchair user for their chair. Any plane supporting SUAS allows you to board and fly in your own wheelchair meaning no more damage to customer equipment, no more discomfort or humiliation for wheelchair users– just the freedom to travel independently. SUAS consists of two parts- the lock on the wheelchair and the redesigned seating system on the plane. The lock is a tool steel part that attaches to the rigidizer bar situated on the back of all rigid manual wheelchairs.
The newly designed seating system is a plane seat that can be set up in two ways – a traditional seat or a wheelchair space. There is a small stainless steel and aluminium lock inside the frame of the seat that automatically locks into either the traditional seats or the SUAS lock. The frame is designed so that any sized wheelchair can fit over it and lock into the space.
The SUAS system is equipped with a turbulence control module which uses a pendulum to trigger the adjustable arm to tighten, keeping the wheelchair or the seats in place.
Swoop created by Sean-Jameson Galvin from the University of Limerick
The Problem:
Many people have conditions such as dyslexia, dysmusia and dysgraphia, making music more difficult and meaning a lot of people just give up if they can’t engage creatively in music practice at foundation level. Swoop is a way of connecting early music learners with the music by making it more visually interesting, accessible through sight, sound and sensation by way of a projector on a wall or screen. Music is then learned through hand movements and colour codes.
The Solution:
Swoop is a new and accessible way of learning and creating music. Using hand movement, it enables the user to create, feel and learn music both individually and in group settings. Swoop aids in helping to bridge the gap between traditional and digital music. The product includes two gloves with embedded haptic motors . These motors provide haptic feedback relative to the note and volume intensity and aid gesture recognition software in distinguishing the user’s hand from the background. all works in tandem with a companion app allowing the user to change parameters based on their experience.
The product system enables learners to engage with music concepts transferrable to traditional music learning. It functions using 3 axes of movement:
– X Axis (Octave Displacement): Moving the hand left and right shifts the octave, mimicking guitar or piano movements. The accompanying parameter app controls the number of octaves.
– Y Axis (Note Pitch): Moving hands left and right transitions between seven notes, with the left hand for lower and the right for higher notes, mimicking a traditional music stave.
– Z Axis (Volume Variation): Moving hands forward and back adjusts volume, teaching sound intensity through pressure.
Speaking about creating Swoop, Sean-Jameson Galvin said:
“Throughout the development of Swoop, I learned so much about accessibility when it comes to music. What works for one may not work for another in a linear learning system. It is for that reason I believe the user should have autonomy over their learning direction. It is with this principle in mind that I aim to further the development of Swoop by making music learning and creation a more enjoyable and expressive experience.”
The international top 20 shortlist will be announced on October 16th and the international winners on November 13th.
How to enter
Candidates enter through an online application form via the James Dyson Award website.
The PlayStation5 Pro (PS5Pro) console is the latest hardware innovation to enter the PlayStation®5 (PS5®) family of products from Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). Revealed today, the PS5 Pro console aims to provide players with richer gameplay experiences through super sharp image clarity, high frame rate gameplay, and advanced ray tracing and it has been a while since the PS5 launch.
PS5 Pro enables the world’s greatest game creators to develop enhanced gaming experiences by taking advantage of the console’s more powerful hardware and system architecture. PS5 Pro delivers the most impressive visuals and performance to date on a PlayStation console, with new features that include:
Upgraded GPU with 67 percent more Compute Units than the current PS5 console and 28 percent faster memory. This enables up to 45 percent faster rendering for gameplay, making games run even faster.
Advanced Ray Tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light at more than double the speed of the current PS5 console.
AI-Driven Upscaling with PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, a machine learning-based technology that provides super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.
“We are proud of the impact that PS5 has made on the gaming industry, providing an opportunity for game creators to realize their vision and reach millions of players around the world,” said Hideaki Nishino, CEO, Platform Business Group, Sony Interactive Entertainment. “But we’re always pushing ourselves to innovate so we can meet, and hopefully exceed, the evolving needs of our players. We’re pleased to offer PS5 Pro alongside the current PS5 console this holiday, and we look forward to seeing continued gameplay innovation from our talented game creators that unleash the possibilities of the PS5 hardware for years to come.”
The PS5 Pro console comes in a familiar look that blends perfectly with the PlayStation 5 family of products.It also provides an option for players to add an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive (sold separately).
Games that take advantage of the PS5 Pro features will include a “PS5 Pro Enhanced” designation within their title. Sample games that will be PS5 Pro Enhanced include blockbuster titles from PlayStation Studios and SIE’s partners, such as Alan Wake 2, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, Demon’s Souls, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Gran Turismo 7, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, The Crew Motorfest,The First Descendant, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and more.
Games that are playable on the PS5 console will be playable on PS5 Pro, utilizing the same user interface and online community for multiplayer gaming and network services. Other features include PS5 Pro Game Boost, which can apply to more than 8,500 backward compatible PlayStation®4 (PS4®) games playable on PS5 Pro. This feature may stabilize or improve the performance of supported PS4 and PS5 games. Enhanced Image Quality for PS4 games is also available to improve the resolution on select PS4 games.
Current accessories available for PS5 will also be compatible with PS5 Pro, including PlayStation®VR2, PlayStation Portal™ remote player, DualSense Edge™ wireless controller, Access™ controller, Pulse Elite™ wireless headset and Pulse Explore™ wireless earbuds.
Launching in time for the holiday shopping season, PS5 Pro will be available at participating retailers and directly from PlayStation at direct.playstation.com. Pre-orders will begin on September 26, 2024.
*Features only available on select PS5 games that have been enhanced for PS5 Pro when compared with the PS5. PS5 Pro enhanced features will vary by game.
The PS5 Pro console launches on November 7, 2024, at a recommended retail price (RRP) of $699.99 USD, £699.99 GBP, €799.99 EUR, and ¥119,980 JPY (includes tax). It features a 2TB solid state drive and includes a DualSense wireless controller. PS5 Pro will also launch with the latest wireless technology, Wi-Fi 7, in territories supporting this standard.
Jabra has announced the launch of Jabra ClearSpeech, an AI-driven solution to remove unwanted noise for a better and clearer audio experience. The quality of the audio experience is paramount to contact centres, and this innovative technology provides an AI-driven solution to mitigate distracting noise, enhancing speech on calls.
Launching as an integrated part of Engage AI, Jabra ClearSpeech is being introduced to help users focus on what really matters – the customer conversation at hand, rather than repetition and mistakes. By enhancing speech in the far end and removing background noise it helps headset users better understand what is being said.
Getting to the core of contact centre conversations
The audio quality in contact centres greatly impacts key metrics like customer and agent experience and average handle time. In fact, background noise hinders 76%* of interactions, causing frustration on both sides of the call. Improving far-end audio quality can reduce average handle time by more than 30%*, as clear communication minimises the need for repetition.
Jabra analysed 1.5 million calls and found that 2/3** of the far end audio is non-speech. In addition, another study showed that 69%*** of agents reported that noise negatively impacts their wellbeing, adding to their cognitive load and reducing call satisfaction. Jabra ClearSpeech was specifically designed based on such data, with the aim of mitigating these factors with high-quality technology, in turn helping to reduce agent attrition, and ultimately save costs.
Optimising calls with AI speech enhancement and noise suppression
Jabra ClearSpeech is an AI speech enhancement and noise suppressor that aims to improve agent wellbeing and motivation by removing far-end noise, as it is ‘taught’ to distinguish between speech and non-speech, such as echoes, music from the radio in the background, barking dogs or traffic. The feature will be available directly within Engage AI Voice Coaching Software. It will improve the agent experience and show that with better audio, AI will improve speech to text accuracy too, for all-round optimisation.
Jabra aims to give full control of the conversation quality to professionals through this new feature Jabra ClearSpeech coupled with a Jabra headset, improving employee wellbeing, productivity, and overall comfort.
Anders Hvelplund, SVP for Headsets BU Enterprise at Jabra said: “We have analysed millions of conversations; the quality of a conversation can only be as good as its lowest denominator. If the ‘other side’ is calling from a busy street corner, a bad connection, or while driving a car and listening to the radio, your conversation will inevitably be impacted by those conditions. And that’s what Jabra ClearSpeech can help you with. Facilitating clear speech through our technology is a big focus for Jabra, which we work very hard on, particularly as voice becomes increasingly important when it comes to AI prompts.”
Jabra ClearSpeech will be available in all markets and will work with any Jabra headset. Engage 40 and Engage 50 II users have the possibility to control ClearSpeech directly on the hardware through control units.
Jabra ClearSpeech is available today via a free upgrade for current Engage AI customers.Please find out more information at https://www.jabra.com/engageai
An Post Mobile, the value prepaid mobile network from An Post, has extended its market-leading €12.99 mobile plan until October 31st. Plan benefits include 50GB of data, 500 any network minutes, 25GB EU and UK Roaming data and 300 minutes and texts to An Post customers all ‘locked in’ for life. An Post Mobile operates on one of Ireland’s most reliable mobile networks, with unrivalled 99% 4G coverage nationwide ensuring An Post Mobile customers are always connected.
According to Amanda Campbell, Director at An Post Mobile “The average Irish mobile phone user consumes 13.6GB of data per month and our prepay plan has been designed with peoples actual usage in mind, offering 50GB of data which is three and a half times the average monthly usage. Inflation might be slowing but costs are still extremely high across the board for Irish consumers – this plan gives them everything they need and more at prices they can afford. The plan is easy to set up, with no set-up fees, bills, or contracts meaning our customers are always in control, with peace of mind that the €12.99 price is locked for life with no hidden fees or increases.”
‘Locked for Life’ Benefits
Includes 50GB of data and 500 any-network minutes in addition to 300 minutes and 300 texts with other An Post Mobile customers as well as 25GB EU & UK roaming data and 300 minutes. Customers can watch video content, listen to music, keep connected in their group chats, make Zoom calls, and browse Instagram and Twitter – all for €12.99 per month, for life.
Ease of topping-up
An Post mobile also makes topping hassle-free with their ‘Auto Top-Up’ option allowing customers to pick a day in the month when their account can be automatically topped up. This can be cancelled or changed anytime, and An Post is offering €10 free credit to customers on their first top-up.
Roaming Benefits
The plan ensures that customers can stay connected to loved ones overseas or when travelling abroad with 25GB EU and UK Roaming data and 300 minutes included in the deal. If required customers can also easily add on international minutes to their plan with 100 international minutes available for €5, or 400 international minutes for €15.
Customer Care
An Post Mobile customers have quick and easy access to An Post’s Dublin-based Customer Care experts by phone, email or Web Chat should they need help with their plan or handset with support and advice also available through the extensive Post Office network.
The €12.99 sim-only preplan is available as a limited offer until October 31st online or at any of the 900+ post offices across the country, open 6 days a week.
Further information about this plan and other An Post mobile plans on AnPost.com/Mobile.
An Post also offer a suite of mobile handsets which can be ordered in all post offices nationwide.
