Jim O Brien/CEO - techbuzzireland.com

Tech Review – CHIVALZ Air Purifiers

The CHIVALZ Air Purifiers are a simple to use product to keep your home smelling fresh and give you clean air, we have the two pack configuration here and tested in two areas in the house one being a hallway and which is central in the home and my own bedroom, this product uses 3-in-1 Filtration with the combination of the H13 True HEPA Filter and high-efficiency activated carbon filter effectively filtration of dust, smoke, pollen, pet dander and unpleasant smells.

The unit itself is about the size of a projector or speaker and not too cumbersome to be placed in your home there is plenty of precautionary measures to ensure safe use which you can see in the video review below.

On the front there is one button which controls the unit, there is no app but the one click operation as they call is quite sufficient and simple to use in fairness and you can set it on a timer if you wish and it is best to use with windows closed in the desired room to get the job done efficiently.

These can cover a large area which is good in one sense so two could to the entire home if your build allows it, there is several modes to pick and the full speed one is on the noisy side but the sleep mode is fine in fairness and will not disturb you trying to sleep again you can see this in the video below.

Overall it is a nice product that is simple to use and set up and just leave it there to do its job giving you clean air and a nice fresh smell in your home and is cost effective doing several jobs at once. After testing it here for two weeks I am happy with the result knowing the air I breathe is better and you can pick your own flavours of smell and not only that they are energy efficient.

2-Pack High Efficiency: CARB Certified and FCC Certified. This compact air purifier for bedroom features a 360° air intake system, ensuring that every corner of the room is effectively purified from all directions. Its portable design allows for flexible use, you can use a single purifier in bedroom or two at the same time in living room, bringing fresh and clean air closer to you.
3-in-1 Filtration: The combination of the H13 True HEPA Filter and high-efficiency activated carbon filter effectively filtration of dust, smoke, pollen, pet dander and unpleasant smells. It is recommend to replace the filter at least every 3-6 months to extend the life of the air purifier! Search ASIN: B0CF1F7MYM to buy the original filter of HY1800 air purifier.
One-Button Control: With its user-friendly design, this portable air purifier for the bedroom offers a simple one-button operation. You can easily switch between 3 different speeds and activate the 4-hour timer mode by long-pressing the button for 3 seconds.In sleep mode, air purifiers for bedroom runs at 24 dB, provide you with a quiet and comfortable sleeping/working environment.
Aromatherapy: Enhance the atmosphere of your bedroom by adding 2-3 drops of your preferred essential oil (essential oil not provided) to the aroma pad. Soak in the soothing and fragrant atmosphere while breathing in the fresh air, great for bedrooms, dorms, apartment, medium rooms, small rooms, offices, desk, desktop, living rooms, kitchens, indoor or bookroom.
Energy Saving & Gift: At 10 cents kWh in the city, High Fan Speed Mode power is 5W – only $0.08 per week for continuous operation (24 h/7 days). CHIVALZ HY1800 HEPA air purifiers for home is suitable for pet families, but also as a gift for friends and family.

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Video Review

How Ireland ‘spent’ St. Patrick’s Day — 4% rise YoY, 5m+ card payments

Revolut, the global financial app with more than 40 million customers worldwide, and now over 2.7 million in Ireland, has crunched the numbers on Irish consumer spending over St. Patrick’s Day weekend and revealed that spending via Revolut rose by 4% YoY versus 2023 with over 5.25 million card payments made over March 16-18th.

Since last St. Patrick’s Day weekend (March 17-19th), more than 400,000 customers have joined Revolut from across Ireland, meaning over 2.7 million Irish people trust Revolut as their bank, with the financial app the best solution for the public to manage their finances everyday.

Revolut is recognised as the very best in Ireland with financial comparison site Bonkers.ie recently naming Revolut ‘Ireland’s Best Consumer Business’ and ‘provider of the Best Current Account’.

With figures adjusted for user growth when comparing YoY versus 2023, spending in bars, cafes, night clubs, and restaurants fell by a collective 6.75% (YoY decrease) on a weekend that saw Ireland’s rugby side clinch the Six Nations Championship but not the Grand Slam.

However, Irish consumers were still very much out and about over the weekend with spending on commuter transport (13.66% YoY increase) and taxis (7.49% YoY increase) rising considerably from 2023.

Whilst fewer spenders were heading to bars and restaurants, many hit the shops instead. Spending in men’s and women’s clothing stores rose 2.5% (YoY increase), with department store spend rising a substantial 11.7% (YoY increase).

Meanwhile, some Revolut customers chose to spend their bank holiday differently, opting for a night in. Demand for fast food rose 5.7% (YoY increase) while spending on meal delivery shot up by 6.5% (YoY increase).

For others, an increase in family get-togethers coupled with inflation might explain the steady rise in grocery store and supermarket spending (5.33% YoY increase), while spending on beer, wine, and liquor was at a rate similar to that of St Patrick’s Day 2023, with the amount customers spent on alcohol rising just 0.88% (YoY increase).

Nearly 1 million (936,615) more Revolut card payments were made on St. Patrick’s Day weekend 2024 than the celebrations of 2023 — an unweighted difference of 21.5%, highlighting the financial app’s continued growth in Ireland.

Maurice Murphy, General Manager at Revolut Bank UAB – Ireland Branch, commented: “It’s brilliant to see that a bumper St. Patrick’s Day weekend saw an increase in consumer spending from our customers all across Ireland. Our growth in this country is signified by the whopping 5 million card payments we recorded over the recent bank holiday weekend and illustrates that we remain Irish people’s preferred way to manage their money on a daily basis.

We plan to add even more new and innovative products to our offering later this year across savings, credit, and more, as we continue growing our existing customer base. Since introducing local IBANs in Ireland, an increasing number of our Irish customers trust Revolut as their primary bank account, which is proven by our recent wins at the Bonkers.ie awards.”

National Strategy for Open Education Practices Strategy would widen access to education in Ireland – OER24

A national strategy for Open Education Practices is needed to address current and future access and equity issues in the Irish higher education sector. That’s according to the N-TUTORR programme, a collaboration across the Technological Higher Education sector focused on transforming the student experience and fostering more inclusive and sustainable learning environments for all. The call for a national strategy came at OER24, the 15^th annual Association of Learning Technology conference for Open Education Research, Practice and Policy. The event is taking place in Munster Technological University’s Bishopstown Campus in Cork today and tomorrow.

Open education seeks to widen access to and participation in education by removing barriers and making learning accessible through the likes of digital technologies and modern education practices.

At the event’s opening reception, N-TUTORR published a sectoral white paper on Open Educational Practices outlining a number of recommendations and actions which will diminish barriers to accessing education, and foster equity and inclusion across the technological higher education sector.

Speaking today, Dr Gearóid Ó Súilleabháin, Head of the Department of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), MTU and Co-Chair of OER24, said: “While there is no official national policy document on open education in Ireland, numerous reports and initiatives have highlighted the importance of developing open education principles and institutional repositories for research outputs and teaching resources.

“We are urging the Government to prioritise developing a National OEP Strategy aligned with UNESCO’s Recommendation on Open Educational Resources. OEP can have a transformative impact on the technological higher education sector, enhancing accessibility and data privacy, promoting participatory learning and student engagement, and supporting pedagogical flexibility and innovation.”

Topics discussed at OER24 will include:

Ethical considerations surrounding the use of generative AI for open education resources, and its potential in making educational content more accessible;
The connection between Open Education, Open Data, the Open-Source movement, and digital scholarship/librarianship
The role of Open Educational Resources (OER) in serving marginalised groups and in promoting inclusivity, diversity and equity in open education.

Keynote speakers include:

Dr. Rajiv Jhangiani, Vice Provost, Teaching and Learning at Brock University in Ontario, Canada. The architect of Canada’s first zero textbook cost degree programs, his work focuses on open educational practices, student-centred pedagogies, and ethical approaches to educational technology.
Dr. Catherine Cronin, an independent scholar focusing on critical and social justice approaches in open, digital and higher education. Catherine actively interweaves work in the higher education and community education sectors.
Laura Czerniewicz, Professor Emerita at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, previously the founding director of its Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching. Her professional life has engaged in education from many perspectives including researcher, teacher, publisher and open education advocate, with a consistent focus on equity, digital inequality and justice.

Further information on OER24 is available here: https://www.oer2024.co.uk/; and information on the N-TUTORR project is available here: https://www.transforminglearning.ie/.

Tech Review – Edifier Hecate GX05 Ultra-Low Latency TWS gaming earbuds

The Edifier Hecate GX05 Ultra-Low Latency TWS gaming earbuds are a product that looks like you would find in a sci-fri film and that is not a bad thing either so for the looks alone they get a ten out of ten there in my book but what else do these have and who are they for exactly.

Ok so out of the box these look great in every respect, the look and feel is screaming premium here and that includes the package in a nice solid hard case with a nice lock thrown in, inside you get your cables tips dust caps and a nice carry pouch to store it all in so another win here.

As described up top the case is one to behold with a weighty feel and a nice solid click everytime you turn it this is a piece of art and one of if not the best cases I have seen to date. Also on the underside of the case is a MFB to control the RGB lights which gives a nice effect, these is also lights on the earbuds which can be turned on/off.

The earbuds themselves are also slightly different with their shape but fit well in the ears and look good there is a decent seal and there extra tips provided in the box there is no ANC here or access to the connect app which is disappointing however these are not aimed at music and I get it but still would of been nice so I will let them away with it this time.

The earbuds as mentioned are for gamers with dual connectivity via BT or the dongle provided in the box went with the dongle route and tested on Xbox PS5 and of course my phone, I am not one to spend hours gaming but when I do I like to have good quality tech to do so and these do well in that respect but also in fairness not so bad on listening to music in general.

You have some controls of course but missing some features again these are features more so related to music you can manage call on them you can also manage the lights the modes, play and pause and skip and reverse tracks which is fine. There is no voice assistant or volume control on them.

On the gaming from they set out what they aim to do putting you right in the game you are playing not missing a beat, you will find it hard to get zero latency on earbuds but we are getting there and these are a step in the right direction.

Sound is great powered by Hi-Res Audio with 10mm drivers on board under the Hecate name which is Edifiers professional audio brand for gamers and a new one to me too, on the music from highs lows and mids all came across fine and some bass in there there was no latency on audio on listening to my usual test tracks the audio was crisp and clear and you do have modes to change the audio like gaming and music mode, On a gaming front as mentioned it is excellent putting you in the centre not missing footsteps directional sound and so on making it an enjoyable experience overall.

Features

· Dual Wireless Convenience. Simultaneously connect via Bluetooth 5.3 and 2.4GHz wireless dual-mode for gaming and calls, enhancing multitasking comfort.

· 15ms Ultra-Low Latency. 2.4GHz technology offers 15ms ultra-low latency for wireless and seamless gaming immersion.

· Hi-Res Audio Excellency. 10mm dynamic driver with LHDC 5.0 HD decoding delivers detailed Hi-Res audio for competitive gaming.

· Universal Compatibility, Plug-N-Play The GX05 comes with a USB-C adapter and USB converter and works with Mobile Phones, PCs, Switch, iPad, PS5, and VR, starting instantly upon plug-in.

· Full-Soundstage Position Identification Mode. Under the game mode, players may accurately grasp sound details such as footsteps and gunfire in the game to identify the enemy position easily keeping you ultra-focused on the game.

· Crystal-Clear Communication. The built-in dual MIC noise cancellation ensures clear calls and in-game communication.

· Fast Charging for Extended Play. 16-hour battery life to last you throughout most of the day. Rapid QC2.0 and USB-C charging ensure uninterrupted gaming sessions.

· Dynamic RGB Lighting Effect. 11 unique RGB effects illuminate the GX05 and take you into a fantasy in light and shadow, adding vibrancy and enhancing the gaming experience.

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Video review

Portal Art Installation will connect Dublin to New York in Real-Time

A ground breaking public art installation known as ‘The Portal’ is set to form a visual bridge between New York City and Dublin, launching this May.

‘The Portal’ installation is part of programme of events that will be taking place as part of Dublin’s recent designation as European City of Smart Tourism 2024. The official handover will take place this evening in the CHQ in Dublin city-centre.

Conceived by Lithuanian artist and entrepreneur Benediktas Gylys, these Portals are an invitation to meet fellow humans in a way that transcends borders and differences to experience our world as it really is – united and one. The livestream of Portals provides a window between distant locations, allowing people to meet outside of their social circles and cultures.

‘The Portal’ in Dublin will be installed facing the capital’s main street, O’Connell Street and will capture the iconic vista of both Dublin’s famous GPO building and the Spire together offering the public a real-time, visual livestream that connects these two iconic cities.

In New York City, the Portal will be installed on the Flatiron South Public Plaza at Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 23rd Street, next to the famed Flatiron Building, and will be presented by the Flatiron NoMad Partnership in collaboration with the New York City Department of Transportation’s Art Program (NYC DOT Art) and the Simons Foundation.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de Róiste announced the partnership, highlighting its importance as Dublin embraces the title of European Capital of Smart Tourism 2024:

“As we celebrate our official handover for the EU Capital of Smart Tourism designation, the Portals project symbolises Dublin’s commitment to connecting not just within the EU but also with cities like New York, which we share a deep historical and cultural bond with. This project exemplifies the fusion of technology and engineering to bring communities from across the world closer together. One of our key objectives in Dublin is to improve innovation in tourism through a number of initiatives, and this project is an example of the exciting things to expect during 2024 and beyond.”

James Mettham, President of the Flatiron NoMad Partnership in NY commented:

“We are honoured to host the Portal’s North American debut on the Flatiron Public Plazas, at one of New York City’s most dynamic intersections. This real-time connection between two iconic public spaces in global cities on either side of the Atlantic will bring people together, both physically and digitally, becoming a captivating attraction for New Yorkers and visitors alike.”

Ya-Ting Liu, New York City Chief Public Realm Officer commented on the importance of the collaborative installation:

“Two amazing global cities, connected in real time and space. That is something you do not see every day! We are so excited to have The Portal as a public interactive art installation, showcasing the vibrancy of our city streets and providing a new point for human connection between New Yorkers and Dubliners. We thank the City of Dublin, NYC DOT Art Program, the Flatiron NoMad Partnership, and the Simons Foundation for bringing this vision to life.”

Benediktas Gylys, shared his perspective on the project’s significance:

“Portals aim to be a bridge to a united planet. I am grateful to the cities of Dublin and New York for pioneering innovation and welcoming their Portal sculptures, which is a significant milestone after years of work. From the initial two cities of Vilnius, Lithuania and Lublin, Poland, Portals are now expanding to be a global network. This is just the beginning and our team will continue bringing Portals to large cities and little towns of planet Earth.”

The ‘Portal’ New York City and Dublin Ireland connection will be from spring 2024 through the Autumn of the same year. In addition to the real-time connection, there will be scheduled programming, including cultural performances at each city’s Portal that will be enjoyed by people in the other city via the livestream. Programming will kick-off in mid-May with a visual program to celebrate the New York Design Week Festival.

‘The Portal’ is made possible through the collaborative efforts of Dublin City Council, the EU Capital of Smart Tourism, Flatiron NoMad Partnership, Simons Foundation, DOT Art, and portals.org team. Their support and dedication have been instrumental in bringing this visionary project to life.

For more information and to find out what’s happening and will be taking place in Dublin for the 2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism visit here.

The Fintech Corridor and ATPC launch one-of-a-kind transatlantic exchange

(Dublin/Belfast/Atlanta, GA) – The Fintech Corridor (TFC) and the American Transaction Processors Coalition (ATPC), today announced a new partnership to offer a one-of-a-kind exchange driving transatlantic workforce development, policy best practices, investment, and internationalization between Belfast and Dublin, and the United States of America.

American companies continue to invest in Ireland due to a strong historical relationship and its unique access to both Europe and UK following Brexit. The transatlantic exchange was set up to strengthen these relationships, develop common goals and create structured initiatives to enable fintechs in the US, EU, and UK access to new global value chains.

The Fintech Corridor and ATPC will explore these relationships, policy themes and regulatory schemes in a summit which takes place in Dublin and Belfast between May 13-16, 2024. The venues will for the events will be the Guinness Storehouse, Belfast City Hall and Killeavy Castle, not Hillsborough Castle and Leinster House and will serve as historic and interactive backdrops for the conference which will see senior leaders from the finance and technology sector as well as government development agencies to explore collaboration and hot topics like cybersecurity and AI.

The 2024 Transatlantic Exchange will focus on ‘elevating fintech; to drive a program that goes beyond mere policy and economic transactions. Instead, the goal is to build real relationships and understanding among an exclusive group of fewer than 75 industry executives, government representatives, and academic institutions. The organisation expects to announce multiple formal Memos of Understanding during the conference that will forever change the fintech and payments processing industries.

“Our organizations established a desire to build connectivity between payments and fintech corridors and drive visibility; foster relationships; share technology and policy best practices; and bolster international investment,” said TFC CEO Hilary Moran. “A successful program of events will drive greater connectivity and collaboration within the US, EU and UK, while allowing participants to build meaningful relationships in a relaxed ‘exchange’ environment.”

“This unique cross-border proposition connects US, EU, and UK fintech ecosystems and will help drive deeper understanding of opportunities in each governance zone,” said ATPC Executive Director H. West Richards. “Brexit profoundly changed how EU and UK fintech companies interact with each other, and access to companies in both jurisdictions will enable us to work closely to develop common solutions and increase cooperation and opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic, especially as US regulators work on cybersecurity, data privacy and other critical issues.”

The ATPC, founded in 2014 and headquartered in the State of Georgia’s “Transaction Alley,” served as a blueprint for The Fintech Corridor’s work. And the two organizations became acquainted during the pandemic as TFC sought to build an education workforce development platform modeled on the Georgia Fintech Academy. A relationship grew from there and the conference was born in order to promote the spirit of cooperation, networking, education partnerships, new business opportunities, and knowledge sharing using the power of the most unique business cluster on the island of Ireland (Republic of, and Northern Ireland).

More conference details are available at www.atpcoalition.com and www.thefintechcorridor.com.

Jabra adds Cutting-Edge Updates to Flagship Earbuds

In January, Jabra, a global leader in true wireless sound and hybrid work solutions, announced a suite of experience-enhancing updates to its latest Elite wireless earbuds, the Jabra Elite 8 Active and Jabra Elite 10. The experience-enhancing feature-updates are live via update in the app today. These updates not only elevate the audio quality but also enhance the overall functionality and usability of Jabra’s latest generation earbuds.

Jabra Elite 10

Jabra’s most comfortable earbuds now have enhanced sound with new AI-based distractor suppression algorithms that improve the noise reduction in the human voice frequency range. This means that voices from people around you will be more effectively blocked out, resulting in improved call quality.

Furthermore, Jabra has added Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) during calls to make the call experience much better. Users can expect up to 2X better background voice blocking, optimising call clarity for bustling environments like offices, restaurants, and busy streets, ensuring uninterrupted conversations.

Jabra Elite 8 Active

The world’s toughest earbuds get enhanced ANC and HearThrough performance for windy conditions, thanks to a software upgrade that uses dual-microphone technology to detect wind-noise more accurately. With the new software release both external mics are used to detect wind levels and ensure smoother transitions to wind mode.

The improved music listening experience and awareness makes running or working outdoors more enjoyable.

Updates are pushed out via the Jabra Sound+ app, and are available to all users, existing and new, via a hassle-free over-the-air update at no cost.

Tech Review – Skullcandy GROM Wireless headphones for kids

The Skullcandy GROM Wireless headphones for kids are a new range of headphones that also come in a wired version for kids that want the best in audio and simplicity to use with no fuss and these super lightweight headphones do all this and keep it simple. They are very comfortable to wear too by the way and no clamping effect like some headphones suffer with.

The presentation is as we expect from Skullcandy and that is one that will stand out and kept simple too and the same for inside the box with some leaflets cables and we also get some stickers now which is nice and destined for my new laptop.

The headphones could not be easier to use with all the controls on one side and you can tap the cup to make some commands which is super simple and means no buttons for kids to be fooling around with, I like this idea and we have seen gesture controlled headphones before but this idea work just as well. You also have a port to share your audio with someone else too which is neat.

All the controls are on one side of which allows you to pair up, use your voice assistant skip and reverse tracks and volume control you can also control your calls here too. With the volume wheel you can override the volume and you need to give a slightly more hard push to move it along and get to the max volume which is decent and of course safe protecting kids ears.

There is no app here again kept simple and they just connect via Bluetooth and job done if you run out of juice you can still use the traditional route of the 3.5mm cable provided in the box.

When it comes to sound well they are for kids and I have to take into consideration my thoughts and the thoughts of others and being honest it is perfectly fine and with the Skullcandy signature sound kids will not be disappointed and the music is crisp and clear with no distortion or lag latency noted during my testing, highs lows and mids all fine too and any genre of music will sound great and for all the family and relations kids that tested them where happy.

Check the video below for all the details and how to use the latest kids headphones from Skullcandy.

GROM WIRELESS KEY FEATURES

SUPREME SOUND TM:

Premium sound quality for music, movies, and podcasts
Comfortable over-ear kid-sized fit
Share Audio Port for shared experiences
Removable aux cable included

FEARLESS USE TM:

Up to 40 hours of battery life
Designed for kids age 6+
Volume limited to 85dB for safety
Adjustable fit headband strap
Collapsible design with kid-safe hinges

SIMPLIFY YOUR LISTENING TM:

Easy-to-use button on the earcup for calls and media control
Power button for entering Pairing Mode
Volume Limit Override on the Volume Wheel for clear audio in louder environments

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Video review

Why A New Working From Home ‘Boom’ Is On The Horizon

Video conferencing manufacturer, Boom Collaboration is predicting a surge in demand for home working equipment, fuelled by major UK employment law changes.

From April 6th new flexible working legislation mean millions of employees will have more choice over where and when they work, from day one of a new role.

Under the new regulations, people will be entitled to request flexible working arrangements from the very first day of their employment rather than after 26 weeks as is currently. This includes requests for part-time, term-time, flexitime, compressed hours, and varied working locations.

Employers need to be aware that, under the new rules, before they reject any request for flexible working arrangements, they have to explain the reasons behind their decision. Previously, employers could deny any request for flexible working without explanation.

Spike

Employers are also obliged to respond to flexible working requests within two months, compared to three months previously. In addition, employees can also make two statutory requests for flexible working in any 12-month period, as opposed to one request previously.

The new Flexible Working (Amendment) Regulations 2023 will trigger a further spike in demand for video conferencing equipment according to Boom co-founder Holli Hulett, who explained that the changes are about to come into full force.

“In many ways the Covid lockdowns were a game-changer which triggered huge demand for video conferencing and a dramatic shift in working patterns. These trends continue to evolve on a global scale.

“This latest UK legislation represents a compelling opportunity for all those working in the industry to engage with their customers and re-evaluate their flexible working needs,” she emphasised.

Array

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Boom Collaboration develops conferencing and collaboration hardware solutions for the complete array of meeting environments, from personal devices to full room systems. Boom was created by founders Fredrik Hörnkvist as well as Hulett, and operates via distributor Westcoast in the UK.

Hörnkvist highlighted how ‘jumping on a conference call’ has now become part of daily life for many employees and their organisations.

“There’s no doubt video conferencing is a proven alternative to face-to-face meetings and the quality of equipment continues to rise with ever more sophisticated and intelligent AI-based capabilities. Lots of workers enjoy the freedom and flexibility of working from different locations and in different ways. Remote meetings are also kinder to the planet too, saving not just time but lots of business travel.”

Boom Collaboration Founders Fredrik Hörnkvist and Holli Hulett.

He added: “Dedicated working from home kits continue to accelerate in popularity, whilst video bars and powerful PTZ cameras provide the optimum meeting room experience. But there’s no one-size-fits-all as every business has bespoke needs and requirements.”

Hulett concluded: “We expect to see demand grow for personal conferencing as well as wider meeting room investments, where high quality audio as well as pristine picture performance make conferencing engaging, intuitive and easy to use. In many cases people can work in more flexible ways from almost anywhere without any detrimental impact to business performance. The new UK legislation further reflects this.”

This article is based on various independent research including speaking to employment law solicitors plus information from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development as outlined here:

https://www.cipd.org/uk/views-and-insights/thought-leadership/cipd-voice/new-employment-legislation/

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