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Author: Jim O Brien/CEO
CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.
The NLI is collecting websites to ensure a record of the online life of Ireland is preserved. This year they are asking for your help to archive the commemorations of this year.
Suggest a website for inclusion in the web archive that you feel best reflects the events of 1916 and also a website you think best records life in Ireland in 2016. These websites will be preserved and will be an invaluable resource for generations of researchers to come.
Please note the deadline has been extended until the 4th December.
Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, today took part in a Minecraft Hour of Code at Microsoft’s offices in Sandyford. The Minister joined Microsoft, CoderDojo and 6th class students from St Olaf’s National School, Sandyford as they prepared for the global Hour of Code campaign taking place from the 5th – 11th of December.
Microsoft is supporting the campaign by inviting every school in the country to take part in a free Minecraft Hour of Code on Wednesday, December 7th at 11am. Microsoft is delivering a tutorial through Skype and schools can log on to www.microsoft.ie/HourofCode2016 to sign up to take part. Those who can’t make that time can download the tutorial for free and take part at a time that suits at Code.org/Minecraft.
To coincide with the Hour of Code campaign, Microsoft today released the findings of a new study of 1,000 Irish girls and young women aged between 11 and 18 focused on the area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). The study shows that girls in Ireland become interested in STEM subjects at age 11 with interest beginning to fall at age 15, highlighting the importance of engaging girls in primary school cycle.
Research also found that 54% of girls can imagine themselves pursuing a career in one of the STEM disciplines. 53% of those polled believe there are encouraging role models out there for them. However, 30% of Irish students don’t understand how STEM is relevant to their lives.
2-12-2016 Picture shows from left Cathriona Hallahan,MD,Microsoft Ireland; with Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, who took part in a Minecraft Hour of Code at Microsoft’s offices in Sandyford. The Minister joined Microsoft, CoderDojo and 5th class students from St Olaf’s National School, Sandyford as they prepared for the global Hour of Code campaign taking place from the 5th – 11th of December. Microsoft is supporting the campaign by inviting every school in the country to take part in a free Minecraft Hour of Code on Wednesday, December 7th at 11am. Microsoft is delivering a tutorial through Skype and schools can log on to http://www.microsoft.ie/HourofCode2016 to sign up to take part. Those who can’t make that time can download the tutorial for free and take part at a time that suits at Code.org/Minecraft. Pic:Naoise Culhane-no fee
Speaking at Microsoft today Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD said: “I’m delighted to join Microsoft to take part in an Hour of Code this morning. For the generation of children recently born and starting to enter primary school, creative thinking and problem-solving skills will be absolutely key to how they develop and achieve their potential. In particular, their ability to think critically and develop solutions in the digital world will be vital for their prospects in life. I am determined that we should continually improve the education system in this area. That is why I have asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to consider approaches to introducing the teaching of coding in primary schools. This will ensure that every child has an opportunity to develop the computational, and flexible and creative thinking skills that are the basis of computer science and coding. I am acutely conscious that we need to give all children the best start in a world where such skills will be key to participation and success. Computer science, which will include coding, will be offered as a full leaving certificate subject from 2019, and a coding short course is now available at junior cycle.”
The Minister continued, “The success of the CoderDojo project is a fantastic example of the benefits of teaching coding to young children – hugely popular with children, it teaches creative problem solving skills in a manner that engages and excites them. I believe that we must learn from successful programmes like this to improve the experience and outcomes of the education system for our children.”
The Minister concluded by saying “I hope that next week all schools in the country take the opportunity to engage students on one of the free tutorials Microsoft is offering.”
The research shows that girls reject the idea that boys have a natural aptitude and superior skills in STEM, with 60% of Irish girls disagreeing with the jibe “I will never be as good in STEM subjects as boys.” 50% of girls feel that there are encouraging role models out there, but 44% stated that when they picture a scientist, engineer or mathematician they still picture a man first.
“Digital literacy is a core skill required for the future – whether you are an artist, a doctor, a retail assistant, a care giver – access to information and being connected is critical. Increasingly we are also seeing the need for skills such as problem solving and computational thinking. These will be essential skills for the future for many jobs that have not yet even being imagined. We need to encourage more young girls to sustain their initial interest in science and technology, and to build capabilities in computational thinking,” commented Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland.
“We’re partnering with Code.org and CoderDojo again this year for the Hour of Code to make coding more accessible to hundreds of students in Ireland and help more young girls nurture their interest in technology. Schools across the country are invited to join us in participating in the Hour of Code, which is the perfect opportunity to give coding a try for the first time.”
“The research findings we have announced today show us that girls at age 11 are interested in STEM subjects and we have a five to six year window to nurture this interest. It’s our responsibility to engage with girls at a primary school age and continue to deliver the message to them around the opportunities a career in STEM disciplines can offer. The introduction of coding into the secondary school curriculum in 2019 is a step in the right direction however we now need to begin to look at how we engage earlier at a primary level and with more regularity. I hope all schools, parents and teachers will support the Hour of Code campaign and help students across the country to take part in the free Minecraft tutorial we have created.”
Encouragement and mentorship are key
The insights gained from this research can help educators, policymakers and companies like Microsoft understand the challenges young Irish women face when it comes to pursuing STEM subjects, and take practical steps to overcome them.
The research revealed six statistically important drivers which impact girls’ interest in STEM subjects, listed in order of importance:
Dispelling gender-stereotypes in STEM careers
Gaining practical experiences and hands-on exercises in STEM subjects;
Peer approval;
Having a father who encourages them to pursue STEM;
Having teachers who encourage them to pursue STEM;
Feeling more confident that men and women are treated equally in STEM careers.
Speaking today Giustina Mizzoni, Executive Director at CoderDojo Foundation. “The Hour of Code is a campaign aimed to engage all students and introduce them to coding. With this campaign we aim to dispel stereotypes associated with the tech industry, provide access to relevant role models and get young people excited about the endless possibilites available to them when they learn how to create using technology.”
Developing next generation skills
Recognising the need to equip more people with the right skills for our digital era, Microsoft recently published a book entitled A Cloud for Global Good, which includes policy recommendations for creating a more inclusive cloud-based society – whether that’s getting computer science on curricula, fostering public-private partnerships, or investing in lifelong skills training. The company believes that all citizens should be able to take full advantage of the benefits and opportunities promised by a new generation of innovative cloud services.
More information about Microsoft local activities and plans for Hour of Code are available on the Microsoft Ireland Twitter feed @MicrosoftIRL. Log onto code.org/Minecraft to download free Hour of Code tutorials or register for the Skype tutorial on Wednesday 7thDecember from 11am – 12pmwww.microsoft.ie/HourofCode2016.
Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, will tomorrow join Microsoft to take part in a Minecraft Hour of Code at Microsoft’s offices in Sandyford. The Minister will be joined by Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland; Giustina Mizzoni, CoderDojo and 6th class students from St Olaf’s National School, Sandyford as they prepare for the global Hour of Code campaign taking place from the 5th – 11th of December.
The Hour of Code is a global campaign which provides students with a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify “code”, to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts. Microsoft is a key supporter of the campaign.
There is a newcomer in the world of neuromarketing and human behaviour research.
The ability to know where an individual is looking has been sought after for hundreds of years. As the saying goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul. To put it slightly more scientifically, it seems that one of the best ways to discover what’s going on behind someone’s eyes is simply to look into them.
Research into eye movement has been performed scientifically for decades in laboratories across the world. Utilizing eye movement, researchers have investigated topics as diverse as cognition, emotion, and social issues such as stereotypes, as well as both typical and atypical child development.
Nowadays, the recently minted field of neuromarketing has joined the fray, using rigorous scientific methods to study consumer decision-making.
For a long time, however, the apparata required for performing eye tracking research was large and clunky, and required research participants to become immobilized in much the same way as a trip to the optometrist. Research often required expensive laboratories, elaborate in-house methodologies, and serious man power.
However, with newcomer iMotions, a new wave of eye tracking research is upon us.
iMotions is a research technology company headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Boston MA, USA.
The primary technological innovation provided by iMotions is not only to present new biometric sensors that are sleeker and more unobtrusive than ever before, but also to offer an integrated software platform that allows for live data collection from various different sources. iMotions even supports remote and mobile data collection, allowing for unprecedented access to real data.
With iMotions, researchers are able to integrate information not only from eye movements, but also from other biometric sensors including skin conductance, electroencephalogram (EEG), as well as facial expressions. What this means is that researchers gain the ability to collect data from several different biometric sensors simultaneously using inexpensive and unobtrusive methodologies.
And once a researcher gains the ability to know where an individual is looking and when, as well as some biometric data on how they might be feeling when they look there, they gain a much greater understanding of human behavior, be it for purely academic interests, or for consumer science purposes.
For more information on eye tracking research, check out the following infographic presented by our friends at iMotions. You’ll find information on:
The amazing features of the human eye
The process by which eye tracking occurs
The technical specifications of modern eye trackers
The best practices to follow in performing eye tracking research
Netflix members worldwide can now download in addition to stream great series and films at no extra cost.
While many members enjoy watching Netflix at home, we’ve often heard they also want to continue their Stranger Things binge while on airplanes and other places where Internet is expensive or limited. Just click the download button on the details page for a film or TV series and you can watch it later without an internet connection.
Many of your favourite streaming series and movies are already available for download, with more on the way, so there is plenty of content available for those times when you are offline. For example, Orange is The New Black, Narcos and The Crown are available for download today.
The new feature is included in all plans and available for phones and tablets on Android and iOS.
To start downloading today, you will need to update your Netflix app to the most recent version and take it with you to enjoy Netflix everywhere you go. If you have any questions, please visit their Help Center.
With the dark nights drawing in and expensive Christmas presents bought, it’s the perfect time to take extra measures to keep your home secure during the dark winter months. The newly launched UFO Panoramic Camera from award winning smart home brand, smanos, not only offers three different viewing options but it’s sleek, unobtrusive design blends effortlessly into any stylish home.
Smart home security experts, smanos, today launch the UFO Panoramic Wi-Fi HD Camera as a new addition to its comprehensive range of easy-to-use smart home security products. smanos were recently awarded ‘Best Smart Home Brand’ by the Distree Diamond Awards at the event in March 2016, gaining recognition and praise from retailers and distributors alike.
Available separately or as an add-on to existing smanos home security systems, the new UFO Panoramic WiFi HD Camera utilises surveillance-grade fisheye lens technology, superior night vision and accurate motion detection to bring clarity, immersive vision and ease of use to home monitoring.
The smanos UFO can be mounted on the ceiling, on the wall or any flat surface (with a desk stand) and provides three selectable HD views: a 360-degree bird’s eye view, a 180-degree panoramic view and an auto-corrected 90-degree quad view. By using an iPhone or Android smartphone, homeowners can zoom in and out digitally and view the scene anywhere, anytime. The footage is stored on-site (via an optional microSD® memory card), and can be accessed, shared and archived remotely via the cloud. Fee-based cloud storage options will be available shortly after the launch.
“Our new camera has a sleek and discreet design that blends in well with typical home furnishings, and adds a powerful security option to the existing smanos system,” said Brian Borghardt, General Manager of smanos. “Today’s homeowners live versatile and mobile lifestyles, so we are constantly innovating exciting new products to provide convenience and also peace of mind that their homes are protected both inside and out.”
The smanos UFO Panoramic Wi-Fi HD Camera is now available in the UK at an RRP of £149, from GetSmanos.co.uk and other retailers.
Your days of passive spectating are numbered with the launch of the new Cygnett Gateway VR Headset. You can now easily immerse yourself into the world of Virtual Reality Entertainment by simply placing your smartphone into the device. A whole world awaits you full of new, innovative viewing and entertainment fun as you utilise VR technology in a simple to use yet effective form. Step into the latest VR technology by being able to see what is happening all around you – behind you, above you, beside you and of course, right in front of you, with the clearest of vision.
Immerse yourself in the world of Virtual Reality Entertainment with the New Cygnett VR- GW 360° Headset
Slip the comfortable Gateway VR headset over your head, adjust the elasticated straps to fit you perfectly, adjust the dual lenses according to your eyes and start to lose yourself in this new world of virtual reality. The lenses are fully adjustable both vertically and horizontally as well as from a dual focus stand point allowing a clear and fully immersive experience and the breathable face cushioning ensures comfort for extended viewing sessions.
The Cygnett VR headset enables you to feel you really are part of the environment like never before with a full 360° viewing angle, whether you’re feeling the rush of adrenalin skiing down the slopes of a black run or the thrill of plummeting from 12,000ft with only a parachute on your back. Still feeling adventurous? Tour places you have never visited whilst you travel round the globe – stand at the top of The Grand Canyon, gaze up at The Eiffel Tower or support your child’s learning with a trip to the Natural History Museum. You can even virtually walk through your new home before it’s built using the Gateway VR headset.
No need to go to the expense or hassle of visiting your local cinema either; you can watch 3D videos and movies in a perfectly clear high-resolution image from the comfort of your own couch. Feel like Rihanna standing on the stage almost able to reach out and touch your audience or view the goings on in a TV recording studio as you watch everyone from the audience to the TV crew react to the presenter.
Used in conjunction with your favourite interactive VR games, gaming fans will find themselves completely absorbed from every angle and can experience the excitement and pressure on a whole new level. Through the new Gateway VR Headset you will also be able to access your phone files, photos and videos through the linked App like never before. This new feature is set to become increasingly popular and an area of huge growth and expansion.
The Gateway VR headset features a flip down hatch with a magnetic closure system so that your smartphone can be easily loaded into the headset. This flip down system also allows easy access to charging at either end of the device. When your smartphone is placed inside the unit it is supported by a rubberized, slightly adhesive pad to give your phone extra support and grab whilst sitting within the unit. The Gateway VR headset fits most smartphones from a 4 inch unit such as the iPhone 5 through to a 5.5 inch Samsung Galaxy S7.
Samples of phone compatibility
This affordable VR headset is ideal for those who are looking for a more immersive and interactive viewing experience, for those who want to enhance their child’s learning and for gaming fanatics who want to bring their favorite games to life. It is now available to purchase from UK.Cygnett.com and Amazon UK for only £24.99. We will have our review soon on this new headset and share our thoughts then…
Barry Walshe is the owner of screenshelf.ie along with top-quality mobile parts and accessories, they provide an outstanding customer support. It has been Barry’s passion to make sure that customers get the best accessories and parts for their Smartphones and iPhones. Today he talks to us about One Plus devices and how they can be kept in top shape.
Whether you have the One Plus One or One Plus 3 smartphone, you are probably wary of any kind of scratch or damage that it might get, not with standing its relatively cheap price. One downside of these phones is that they are metallic and have a unibody, meaning they are more likely to slip from your grasp. Of course, for any smartphone owner, this would definitely be nothing short of disastrous (screens that become cracked and bodies that end up getting scratched are but the most common scenarios). It’s for this reason why we have taken the liberty to
Protective Cases
Without a doubt, if you’re a consumer who bought a One Plus One phone, your basic instinct is to buy the accessory directly from the maker, right? After all, who would know what’s best for these smartphones better than them? What’s good is that we can vouch for One Plus One official protective cases. They offer a variety of colors, a flexible shell, and it’s sturdy and thick enough to prevent scratches and damages from minor falls.
There are variations of protective cases that you should consider as well One of these is a TPU case, which is best for users who want the natural look of their phone to stand out There are plenty of choices for One Plus 3 smartphones that fit these kinds of cases, and what’s good is that they are often thin, lightweight, and the necessary grip for better handling, besides providing protection, of course.
For people who don’t mind cases that make their One Plus One phones appear thicker or chunkier for added protection, then they should definitely consider ElBolt’s Aegis Case or the Poetic Revolution Case. The former has a look that is similar to tire tracks and is pretty heavy-duty when it comes to protection because of its hard polycarbonate shell and TPU interior; it comes with a bonus screen protector too. The latter has the same increased capability to safeguard your phone, but with completely different aesthetics. These are but some of the excellent protective cases you can get for your One Plus phone.
If you’re a lover of leather, though, then you should definitely give the OnePlus 3 Flip Cover a closer look as well as the Olixar Leather-look Wallet and Stand Case. The latter, besides being made of genuine leather that adds lots of protection from scratches, also covers your phone’s screen entirely; it also has the ability to serve as a stand for you to conveniently prop your phone anywhere you like. The former, on the other hand, leans more towards being stylish (thanks to its exquisite PU leather finish) and practical at the same time, since it can function as a wallet too.
Glass Covers
One Plus One accessories that center on protection are not limited to cases as well For one, if you only want to prevent scratches from being formed on your screen, then you can opt for a tempered glass protector for it instead. The Asmart Tempered Glass Screen Protector is one brand that is worth recommending for it can be seamless added to any One Plus 3 phone and prevents any unsightly bubbles from forming on the screen. This is all thanks to its tempered glass technology. It not only protects but smoothly integrates itself into your phone as well Another brand that’s worth looking into is the APLUS Tempered Glass Screen Protector, which has practically similar perks. A glass cover, with its comparative minimalism, greatly retains the form and design of the phone as well.
Car Mounts
If you’re always on the go and want to ensure that your phone won’t any way be placed in any precarious position inside your vehicle, then you may want to consider getting a car mount for it. Most of these mounts are magnetic, which pretty much ensures that your phone would stay in place as you travel. This makes it perfect for safely using One Plus phones to play music or while you are trying to navigate through traffic or areas you’re unfamiliar with. The TechMatte MagGrip Air Vent Car Mount is one brand that exemplifies all the qualities said above.
Skullcandy, Inc., the performance and lifestyle audio brand founded at the intersection of innovation and creative culture announced today the launch of Crusher® Wireless, the most immersive multi-sensory experience in Skullcandy’s offering. Crusher Wireless is an evolution of one of Skullcandy’s most celebrated products, the original Crusher® headphones, and has been completely rebuilt from the ground up with elegant industrial design, premium materials, Bluetooth® functionality and a suite of innovative technologies that enable an immersive audio experience.
“We want provide users a more immersive experience with music, movies, and really all media content. We want them to feel like they are in the front row of the concert or inside the movie experience,” said Hoby Darling, Skullcandy President and Chief Executive Officer. “Through our research and development efforts, we have worked to provide an enhanced audio and tactile experience that makes nearly all forms of media more fun and engaging for users. The new Crusher Wireless is a game changer in how people experience media content.”
Crusher Wireless delivers a premium acoustic experience while integrating refined Crusher Technology and stereo sound. This expansion of the Crusher family includes a proprietary built-in amplifier that powers both audio and stereo immersion drivers, enabling a dual-sensory and dual-channel bass experience. The result is a stereo haptic bass response that delivers directional bass you can feel, without sacrificing audio quality, and is a unique offering in the market today.
Crusher Wireless is also loaded with features that support the premium, immersive, multi-sensory experience: Bluetooth® functionality, customizable haptic experience through adjustable bass controls, noise-isolating fit, elevated audio quality, built-in microphone, track and volume controls, and an upgrade in aesthetics, including memory foam cushions and travel-friendly collapsible design. Furthermore, up to 40-hours of rechargeable Bluetooth battery life enabled by an auto on/off smart circuit, ensures you can go for days before needing to plug in. At £119.99, Crusher Wireless delivers a premium, immersive, multi-sensory experience, Bluetooth functionality, and days of battery life among other remarkable features.
Crusher Wireless is available now online and at select retailers globally. Learn more at: Crusher Wireless and we will have our review soon.. These look pretty sweet indeed…..
