Leading real hands on tech review site in Ireland with technology, business news and more. Jim O Brien Tech.
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.
There has been plenty of scams of late mostly via your mobile or landline by way of sms or a phone call. The call would be a missed call and you would be inclined to ring it back,This is what they want you to do which ends up costing you money. As per norm anything that looks suspicious just ignore and delete and do not click any links.
The latest scam reminds me of what happened Meteor before with the link dropping you to an almost identical page which would fool some. See HEREfor what that particular incident looked like. Also see over hereon our recent post about the latest scams
eir simply follow suit in what precautions and action to take..
It has come to our attention that a fraudulent eir billing email is in circulation at moment. This mail specifically advises of refund. You can view information about phishing attacks here and here.
Please note that the correct secure URL address for My eir will always being with HTTPS and the link below can be used if you are unsure. Also, please do not click on any links in an email you are unsure of and please report the email as spam to your mail provider by clicking on “mark as spam” within the email.
Good morning everyone, please be aware and be vigilant of a phishing scam targeting eir customers. https://t.co/TKGzEZGlb3
Remember… • Never disclose any information particularly personal or financial information. • Delete the SMS/MMS or email message immediately • Never click on web links contained within such messages or download content associated with the message • Do not respond to calls or messages from an unknown source. • If you have provided personal bank account or credit card details please contact your bank immediately to advise that details have been compromised. The financial institution will be in a position to advise regarding cancelling bank or credit cards.
Tinder has been around a good while now and plenty of other apps have come off its back since bringing dating to a new level and in fact making it easier to hook up with people than ever before which could be worrying for some.
This app has its own approach though and it is perhaps not a bad idea after all,Considered some apps already can provide a similar alternative native within their apps this app is for those who are about to travel and hooks you up with others at an airport lounge and perhaps a little longer than that.
Might sound a bit on the creepy side for some but often the case we can be sat in the airport bored out of our heads with nothing to do but either look in shops,drinks beer ,bury our heads in our phones,gaze at aeroplanes or perhaps the opposite sex passing by,this app comes in to the latter…You can find a date,perhaps even a partner to sit beside on the plane to make the journey more interesting and less boring as long flights can be… Regular plane hoppers might even know people in their travels and this is another way you could hook up too and spice up that flight…. Welcome to btrflylounge
Like most people, we were tired of sitting around lifeless airport terminals, watching the seconds tick past before and during each flight. We wanted to transform air travel into a valuable opportunity to make new friends and business contacts.
We built btrfly to connect with those who feel the same way – and it’s grown into a lounge where air travelers can truly make the most of their travel experiences. Btrfly team serves you from 2 locations in Canada and United Kingdom.
About the app and features
To join btrlfy, simply:
– Download btrfly
– Create your own account
– Check in with your flight info (or your airport)
Once you’ve done that, you can:
– Browse btrfly user profiles
– Send connection requests to btrfly users
– See who’s on your flight or in the airport
– Chat and meet up
– Coordinate flight seating arrangements
– Get real-time flight status updates
– Share travel experiences
What do you think of this idea,it will make the journey and airport lounge wait less boring surely!!!
Freshteam is an app that would be very useful for companies who for example run an outdoor business in field sales or door to door sales reps for example.leaflet distribution or the likes which typically have a Team Leader to monitor and co-ordinate such groups. Yes we have location services on our devices and there is a few apps out there that can do similar but this is more targeted at this particular field.. Not only can you keep an eye on things you can message each other create groups and make group calls share notes,videos and files.. In short you put your team on a map it allows you to co-ordinate,communicate and make life simpler sure thats what we all want right!!
Connect with colleagues with your FreshTeam username. Phone numbers are not necessary.
View where team members are now, down to the address. No time wasted figuring out who is where.
Control who you share your location with and when. FreshTeam is private.
Text and call one-on-one and in groups. Share unlimited photos, videos, voice notes and files.
Features
TOTAL TEAM AWARENESS
· Use the map tab to view where your team is located right now.* You only share your location when you want and with whom you want.
· See at a glance from your chats tab when friends are online, on FreshTeam calls, and more
· Know when your messages are sent (one check), delivered to your friend’s phone (two gray checks) and read (two blue checks)
BUSINESS-GRADE GROUP CHAT AND CALLS
· Create groups to chat and have conference calls with HD sound. No more dial-in numbers and pins.
· The group creator names the group, adds members, and more. The group creator can give other group members these powers by making them administrators.
· New group members see the group’s discussion from before they joined. It’s easy for new group members to catch up.
GREAT TIME-SAVING FEATURES WHEN ON THE GO
· Send voice notes when you can’t type. Tap the mic button in a chat.
· Make a phone or video call to any user in one tap. One tap to start or join a conference call. No more worrying about phone numbers and dial-ins.
· Send files, photos, and videos from any other app to FreshTeam users and groups. Just open the file, and tap the open-in icon.
You will find IAPS in the app and you will require compatible handsets in order for this to work this would mean the entire team not just one or two members/Leaders
Aside tech I have a great interest in Weather and Aircraft.Yet I have to experience the insides of an Airbus 380 which I will do in the near future..
If you are an Aircraft enthusiast this is something you should check out and using Google cardboard its even better,the video is not too long either but gives you a detailed look around the cockpit of an Airbus 380..
It simple to set up on any compatible VR headset or cardboard offering,You simple start the video then hit the cardboard icon on screen and away you go.
Watch our pilots give an immersive 360-view tour of the flight deck controls of an Emirates A380, the world’s largest commercial aircraft. To enjoy the 360-video experience, move your mobile device or navigate by touching the screen. If you are using a desktop, click and drag the video to view from any angle.
John Lewis are clearing out their Moto 360 range,both the leather and steel strapped models starting from €104 with the leather strapped version or you can pay €131 for the steel strapped model,these are good prices to pay if you are hunting for a smartwatch,Some will complain about the flat tyre still which is fine but overall its a really good buy giving much of what the newer more expensive options offer for little money. Something to keep in mind this model will not get the Android Wear 2.0 update but its still a very good price and it has not aged much at all to be honest and you can customise the face with plenty of options to pick from,there is some really cool looking watch faces out there…
You will have to use parcel motel or similar to get it at this price shipped to Ireland…
Durable design
Scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass will help keep the Moto 360’s screen safe from scrapes, while IP67 water and dust resistance means that it’s durable enough to wear on rainy days, on sandy beaches or by the pool without worrying.
Ready for everyday
Thanks to an all-day battery life, the Moto 360 will keep up with you throughout your day. When it’s time to recharge, the wireless charging dock makes life simple: just put the Moto 360 on the dock and it’ll begin to charge. It’ll even show the time while it does, making it ideal for use on a bedside table.
What you need, at a glance
Moto 360 uses Android Wear to tell you the time, weather, traffic, flight alerts and more depending on where you are and what you’re doing. Android Wear organises your information, predicts what you need, when you need to see it and show you a notification before you even ask. Incoming or missed call, text message and email alerts all pop up on the screen too, so you can always keep track of your personal notifications.
Cases come in all sizes,builds and design,It is safe to say nothing like this has passed our hands and we have reviewed more than enough cases for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge to date. Welcome Punkcase Metallic to the review section,Is it the biggest and baddest? We think so given the minor caveats though overall we cant complain really..
Lets get one thing straight,this case is big,its bulky and its heavy…..Are you out already??? No lets take a look then….
With a spec sheet to match a high end smartphone when it comes to cases this has lots to offer.
The packaging screens goodness front and back with specs Ballistic Bezels – Impact Turrs and so on with corning gorilla glass to boot and more its got everything including a lanyard strap for those who still use them,Given that you would want a hard neck for this bad boy….
Cons
Heavy – Big – Cumbersome – You need to screw it together.
Pros
Ports covers – Rubberised internals – Rubberised outer layer and protection all round and protective glass..
My thoughts
Its big so lets put that aside for now,People say size matters this will add bulk to your device but having said that it will protect it that is a given and big in this case might not all be that bad to be fair,The fact its big might be an issue for some but it is comfortable to hold to be fair very comfortable actually but more so for the folks with big hands..
Installation took about a minute which is not bad,we all have become use to just slapping on a cover in less than a second and thats fine,this requires some work and comes in several sections but the process is easy just requiring the provided allen key and 6 screws its simple,nothing to it..
The buttons actually work well too,I was not expecting them to be perfect but they worked a treat,not stiff and they had good travel,this goes for all of them. On placing the device face or back down you will also find you are fully protected either side,especially the front with the raised bezels and corning glass protector built in..
Image Gallery
Left side Volume keys
Right side power key
Camera area
Back view
Lanyard eyelet
Top front
Bottom front
Contents
Packaging front
Packaging back
Front view
Bottom view
Ports open
Top view
1 / 14
The ports is where issues might arise,The headphone socket and Micro USB port are buried deep but there is room cutout inside though some headphone sockets and cable might be an issue,this to be fair even happens with some regular cases and we wont mention names here.. Another thing is the speaker grille which is entirely covered up and as mentioned in the video there may be some sound loss but it worked fine to be honest and not really any distortion noticed so happy out here in that department if you are one to listen to music on your device via the speaker,On testing phone calls etc it was loud enough not to miss…
On using the device it did take a few mins to become custom to the thickness though but as mentioned before it was a comfortable experience,with silicon surrounding the outer casing all the way around and a pad on the back it was like using a small tablet but you get use to it,The screen sensitivity too was not an issue with swiping either direction,up down or just typing it all went smoothly,again I was not expecting it so all in all a good experience with no loss of functionality..
Overall the case was impressive albeit bigger than what we are use too and given the time to set it up its worth it,it was a comfortable experience but it wont be for everyone,small handed folks especially unless you have used big devices before you will however get comfortable quickly….
The price
Its going to set you back €61.88 reduced from €105.72
Features overview
Punkcase METALLIC Case Is Made with a Strong Aluminum Alloy Bumper, a Heavy Duty Scratch-Resistant Touch Sensitive Screen Guard, a Non-Slip Grip & Protect Port Openings.
The Punkcase METALLIC comes with a TEMPERED Glass Armor 9H 0.33mm thick glass screen protector built in
All Buttons, Ports, & Controls Are Easily Accessible With No Distortion of Speaker or Microphone, Touch ID Compatible
It Is Dust-Proof, Snow-Proof, Mud-Proof, & Shock-Proof Case
This Case Has 6 Different Colour Alloy Bumpers with Clear Backs to Choose From To Help You Personalize Your Case without Hiding Your Phones Beauty
To simplify this review its pretty easy,The cases are a simple and in our review units clear….. Simple but effective,they do the job they have been made to do which is give your device some form of protection,However with the Galaxy S7 edge this was always going to be an issue without going to any extremes bar one case we have which does just that..
These are simple TPU cases which have shock absorption throughout and on a personal level I prefer this gel type case over hard shells,hard shells seem to just divert the shock elsewhere whereas the gel case does absorb,over testing so many cases this is my theory anyway and from the amount of cases tests I have conducted I am qualified to have this opinion,which we are all entitled to..
Empire case in gold Samsung S7 Edge
Bumper on corner
Camera and flash
Power key
Volume keys
Bottom view
Top front
Bottom and home key
Apps edge access
Top view
Back view
Front overview
2 / 11
The cases are clear and flexible and comfortable to hold and grip is one strong point here,style though lacks compared to others and some just like that simple effect and again some prefer to have a nice design,I would be between both here and have the choice of both.
Empire case Clear. Samsung S7 Edge
Front view
Camera area
Back view
Bottom view
Power key
Top view
Power keys
Apps edge
Top front
Menu key
3 / 10
When it comes to functionality the keys all worked perfectly fine and not stiff,Some cases can give that feeling of the need to press harder when new which can be expected but these cases worked fine out of the pack,all ports are easily accessible and no issues here either,camera and flash areas again covered giving just enough room to place flat on a surface,On the front though the four corners are raised slightly a,lowing the device to be placed face down comfortably..
Video Review
The cases colours we had are see through which means you cans till see your natural device colour but being transparent with any case means longevity is an issue as to how long it can retain from going off colour, A wipe of a cloth now and then will suffice in the interim but I can see people holding on to cases that are discoloured for long,but for the price you really cant complain $8.99 with free shipping worldwide. And shipping for us was 5 working days after talking to the good folks at empirecase.com . Check out their full range of cases..
The last week or two has seen a big increase in scams by means of phone calls either to landlines or mobile,not only myself but users on several local forums such as boards.ie have been posting about the same. Perhaps its just a phase but these tend to come and go and for weeks on end you hear nothing but now its an issue.
The first number is based in Nigeria second from Somalia and finally the last one is India… As per usual do not answer if you see these numbers and most importantly do not call them back. Block them from you device if it allows it.
SMS is a huge form of communication and has been for years and we use them to do everything,literally everything..However the thing is SMS or the humble text as we know is dying year on year and has been for a few years now with thanks to messaging apps like Viber or WhatsApp and now we have Facebook Messenger and so on. We also use social media to communicate via DM on Twitter is another way to communicate,then of course we have the traditional email or phone call available to us.. Fear not the SMS will be around for a long time to come as we have to consider the demographic here and who uses this form of communication..
On Second Thought which is now on Android and iOS in the works reminds me of the other app “Unsend It” so here once again we see choice.Choice is what the consumer wants and apparently get these days… These apps would be now more useful than ever and what is good here you can stop something you say thats really bad before it happens,especailly when one has had a few beverages on the weekend which is when we tend to a bit more honest than midweek… Unlike social media when we do say things we can delete but if someone gets that screenshot………You have been caught…..
On Second Thought has the following features to offer though…
Send and receive SMS and MMS messages
Undo and/or edit messages before they get to the recipient’s phone
Curfew
Group Messaging
Send Photos
Automatic sync of contacts
Automatic sync existing conversations
We understand, mistakes happen. Whether we’ve accidentally sent our boss a message meant for our spouse, or auto-correct has made us look like a jerk, we’ve all been there. With On Second Thought we can undo those mistakes before anyone knows we’ve made them. All you have to do is swipe your message left or right within moments after hitting “Send.”
See On Second Thought where you can sign up for notification on iOS or download on Android below…
