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.

4 Games We Are Looking Forward To In 2026

Thirteen years. That is exactly how long fans have had to wait for the latest instalment of Grand Theft Auto. The hype is so off the charts that the game won Most Anticipated Game at the Game Awards for 2024 and 2025. Developer, Rockstar, describes the game as “the largest game launch in history,” and right now, other games will just avoid GTA VI’s launch day, week, and even month.

However, 2026 is more than one particular game. No doubt, GTA VI will be the focus of most of the attention of game launches in 2026. Yet, the coming year also brings an incredible lineup for the gaming world. From epic fantasy adventures to monster-hunting expansions and console exclusives, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years in gaming history. Let’s break down what’s coming.

1. The Game Everyone’s Waiting For: Grand Theft Auto 6

Grand Theft Auto VI will now be released on Thursday, November 19, 2026. This is after several delays resulting from a widely publicised security breach, Rockstar’s own perfectionism, and the game’s sheer complexity and technical scale. The initially scheduled release period for the game was 2025, then May 26, 2026.

Grand Theft Auto VI is positioned to be the most culturally significant game of 2026. Rockstar continues to push the genre they built through innovations such as density, realism, and dynamics that improve over time. All the parts of the common reiterations that felt unfinished are expected to be revamped and improved. The fact that there were no car-stealing side missions, the NPCs were unexciting, and the Diamond Casino was unavailable in story mode. Even though available in GTA online, there were no real stakes, as the money wagered was in GTA dollars because of the regulatory hiccups that surround gambling in different parts of the world. 

Gamers hope that GTA VI will use a special currency that can be converted into real-life currencies. They believe that emulating the same principles already being used by crypto casino sites like the many top Ethereum casinos, for instance, will enhance the gameplay. Using cryptocurrency allows for improved access without dealing with the regulatory hurdles that come with using different fiat currencies in regions around the world. While it is unlikely that Rockstar will incorporate real money gambling on gaming software, fans are hoping for a similar experience.

2. An Epic Fantasy Awaits in Crimson Desert

Crimson Desert marks a significant leap for Pearl Abyss, shifting toward more cinematic, story-driven open-world design. The game combines large-scale exploration with intense, skill-based combat. It takes place in the fictional continent of Pywel, which is dealing with numerous conflicts and mysterious occurrences. The protagonist, Kliff, undertakes a mission to reunite his separated Graymane friends, in the process rallying all the forces of Pywel against the evil that threatens to engulf the world. 

Crimson Desert’s defining characteristic is its active combat system, which is supported by the BlackSpace Engine. The game was initially a prequel to Black Desert Online, but it eventually became a standalone single-player game. Making it standalone allows Pearl Abyss to focus on greater specialisation and polish its storyline.

3. Raccoon City Makes a Return in Resident Evil Requiem

After the story of Ethan Winters in RE7: Biohazard and RE8: Village, Requiem returns the franchise to Raccoon City, the ground zero of the deadly T-Virus. Since RE has always been a classic survival horror game, there’s a strong emphasis on exploration, solving various environmental puzzles, and prudent resource usage. 

Combat is purposeful, not constant, prompting players to weigh when to fight and when to evade. Raccoon City is a dense, interconnected place, merging old and new, with some sections now abandoned or inaccessible due to years of decay. The lighting and sound design are also integral. Limited visibility heightens tension and encourages players to move cautiously, observe their surroundings, and survive by wits rather than brute force.

4. Monster Hunter Just Keeps On Growing

On March 13, 2026, a new Monster Hunter spin-off, Twisted Reflections, is scheduled to drop for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, as well as PC via Steam. Prior to that, though, there’s still a lot to enjoy in the current instalment. 

Capcom recently announced that a fourth major patch for Monster Hunter Wilds is set to arrive in December, wrapping up major updates on that title. The company is also set to release a performance patch exclusively on PC in January 2026. This release features graphics settings, CPU options, and memory presets to help free computer space. This series appeals to fans of turn-based RPGs for its engaging experience and several exciting additions introduced with each new instalment.

The upcoming year brings big sequels, exciting new IPs, and a shiny new console crammed with exclusives. So, whether you’re a monster hunter, vice lord, or island tycoon, there’s something phenomenal waiting for you in the year 2026

How Ireland’s Casino Scene Stacks Up To Some Of The World’s Biggest Gambling Hotspots

If you live in Ireland and have been visiting its member-only casinos, then you must be wondering what the other gambling locations in the world are like. Especially now that Ireland has its own gambling regulatory authority, which will soon liberate the casino industry in the region making it more customer-friendly. 

Since you will get a world-class gaming experience soon, you definitely need to know what the world is offering and what you can expect to get from your casinos now. For you, we have created a detailed analysis between the casinos in Ireland vs the world below. 

Legality of Casinos in Ireland

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) officially came into force on 5 March 2025. The GRAI is tasked with enforcing and overseeing the new Gambling Regulation Act 2024, which the Irish parliament passed on 16 October 2024. 

Under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, all gambling bodies must obtain a licence to provide certain gambling activities, including online gambling. There will be licences for gaming, betting, and some lottery activities. A separate licence will be required for gambling for charitable purposes.

Ireland’s Online Casino Experience vs the World

Irish people are very particular when it comes to gaming, and the same goes for online gambling. The great online casino for Irish players all offer different types of games, from slots to table games. These betting sites available in this part of the world are all licensed by UKGC. Thus, gaming is safe and fun.

When we compare the online casinos of the world to the ones available in Ireland, we will find some fundamental changes, such as the gaming licenses. Many betting sites in the world do not have proper gaming licenses, which can lead to scammers scamming players on the site. Also, the games sometimes have unfair strategies that are rigged in a way that you will slowly lose all your money. 

Offline Gambling in Ireland vs the World

If you look at the casino business in the north of Ireland, which is part of the UK, you will see that there are no major casinos in the region. People mostly visit the horse racecourses established in this region for betting. Some of the top ones are:

  • Drumbo Park Greyhound Stadium
  • Downpatrick Racecourse
  • Down Royal Racecourse

If you look down a bit on the map, you will see that the number of casinos is increasing dramatically. Especially the economic hub, Dublin, is the casino capital of the region. It does not belong to the UK but to the European Union. 

In this region of Ireland you will find fully furnished hotels which have options like food, stay, and casinos. It’s a complete deal, and you can plan out your perfect weekend. Some of the casinos popular in Dublin are listed below. 

 

If we compare Ireland’s casino selections with other gaming hotspots in the world, like Las Vegas, then we will find many similarities. Dublin and Las Vegas both have a huge number of big and small casinos which offer you the complete experience. You can enjoy great food, drinks, and casino games under one roof. 

Most of the casinos in both cities have an open bar system where you can enjoy your favourite drink in between your games. Listed below are some of the top casinos running in Las Vegas, USA. 

 

  • Wynn Las Vegas Casino
  • Casino at Bellagio
  • The Linq Promenade
  • Paris Las Vegas
  • Ellis Island Casino & Brewery
  • The Cosmopolitan Casino

 

Compared to any gambling hotspot around the world, Ireland does not fall short in any way. While traditional casino games remain popular across Ireland, many players also explore lower-commitment ways to understand how modern gambling formats work in practice. For those curious about trying bingo without depositing money upfront, it can be useful to see how different rules, wagering requirements, and withdrawal conditions apply across platforms. This overview of no deposit bingo formats from TheBingoOnline explains the structure in a clear, informational way, helping readers understand what to expect before deciding whether this type of play suits their preferences. The focus is on clarity rather than promotion, making it useful for casual and first-time players.

 

The casinos in Ireland have all the top games available in any casino around the world. Here you can enjoy the games which are listed below. 

 

  • Slot machines
  • Card tables – Blackjack, Poker, etc.
  • Roulette
  • Bingo
  • Carps

Bank of Ireland warns customers of “smishing” scams this Christmas

Bank of Ireland is urging customers to stay alert to ‘Smishing’ scams over the festive season, as fraudsters try to exploit consumer behaviour by sending them fraudulent text messages during the busy shopping period.

With online shopping and parcel deliveries at peak levels, scammers are sending texts that look like they’ve been sent by trusted delivery companies, motorway toll services, utility providers, Government agencies or even from the banks themselves.

These fraudulent messages often include links to fake websites designed to steal card or online banking details or trying to pressure consumers into paying a delivery or customs charge or update bank account details. Other “smishing” texts will contain a fake phone number that, when called, connects you to a fraudster posing as a representative of the company or from your own bank.

Bank of Ireland is also reminding customers that its dedicated fraud support team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week throughout Christmas and into the New Year. Last year Bank of Ireland’s fraud prevention team received over 10,000 calls from customers during the peak holiday period (23 December to 29 December), with 550 calls received on Christmas day alone.

As part of Bank of Ireland’s four-point plan to prevent fraud, it has called for the introduction of legislation to allow an SMS scam filter to be deployed in Ireland. This filter would help stop SMS fraud attempts before they happen. Ireland is currently out of step with other English-speaking countries in not having an SMS scam filter in place. This filter would operate like the spam filters that are applied to email inboxes by detecting and blocking harmful links or content.

Key advice for consumers:

  • Do not click on links or reply to text messages looking for payment.
  • Remember toll operators, banks, delivery companies, utility providers and Government agencies will never send a text linking to a website that asks for your online banking details or full card details.
  • Check the identity of the sender. Call the company in question using their legitimate phone number.

Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud, Bank of Ireland said: “Unfortunately fraudsters see the Christmas holidays as an opportunity to exploit the consumer rush to get all the festive shopping done, and at this time of the year Bank of Ireland’s fraud team always sees a wide range of “smishing” scams impersonating well-known companies.”

“Our advice to consumers remains the same, keep your guard up and treat every unsolicited call, text, or email as a potential fraud attempt. Our dedicated fraud team is working around the clock, even over Christmas and into the New Year, to protect and support our customers. If something feels suspicious, trust your instincts and contact us straight away.

“Ireland is out of step with other English-speaking countries in not having an SMS scam filter, leaving Irish consumers more exposed to fraud attempts. We would strongly support the introduction of an SMS scam filter in Ireland, which requires legislation, as it would help block many of these fake text messages.”

Bank of Ireland customers can call the Fraud Team 24/7 on the Freephone line 1800 946 764.

How to Automate Outreach with AI Staffing for Faster and Smarter Business Growth

In the modern digital landscape, companies are increasingly looking for ways to automate outreach with AI staffing in order to save time, reduce costs, and scale communication without losing quality. By leveraging intelligent automation platforms like AI Staffing by GoPerfect, businesses can transform how they connect with prospects, customers, and partners—making outreach more efficient, personalized, and results-driven from day one.

Understanding Outreach Automation with AI Staffing

Outreach automation goes beyond simple email scheduling tools. When powered by AI staffing, it combines artificial intelligence with trained virtual professionals who help manage, monitor, and optimize communication workflows. This hybrid approach ensures that automation works intelligently while humans maintain strategic control.

AI staffing tools can assist with:

  • Drafting personalized outreach messages
  • Managing follow-ups automatically
  • Segmenting leads based on behavior
  • Updating CRM systems in real time
  • Handling initial conversations before escalation

Instead of replacing teams, AI staffing acts as an extension of your workforce, allowing employees to focus on high-value tasks such as strategy, relationship building, and closing deals.

Why Businesses Are Choosing AI Staffing for Outreach

1. Higher Productivity with Less Effort

Manual outreach requires significant time and consistency. AI staffing automates repetitive actions, enabling teams to reach more people in less time without sacrificing accuracy.

2. Personalization at Scale

AI analyzes user behavior, past interactions, and preferences to tailor outreach messages. This allows businesses to deliver relevant communication that feels human—even when sent in bulk.

3. Improved Lead Response Time

Fast responses can be the difference between winning or losing a lead. AI-powered outreach systems can instantly reply, qualify prospects, or route conversations to the right team member.

4. Consistent Brand Messaging

With predefined tone, templates, and rules, AI staffing ensures all outreach aligns with your brand voice across emails, social media, and other channels.

Real-World Use Cases of AI Outreach Automation

AI staffing solutions are being used across multiple departments, including:

  • Sales Teams: Automated cold outreach, follow-ups, and pipeline nurturing
  • Recruitment Teams: Candidate sourcing, interview scheduling, and reminders
  • Marketing Teams: Personalized email campaigns and lead nurturing journeys
  • Customer Support: Proactive check-ins and feedback collection

For example, an AI assistant can automatically send follow-up emails based on a prospect’s activity, while a human team member steps in once the lead shows interest.

Addressing Common Concerns About AI Staffing

Some businesses hesitate to adopt AI because they fear losing the human touch. In reality, AI staffing enhances human interaction rather than replacing it.

  • Human-in-the-loop approach: AI handles repetitive tasks, while humans manage decision-making and relationships.
  • Customizable workflows: Businesses can define rules, escalation points, and messaging styles to maintain authenticity.

When implemented correctly, AI staffing makes outreach more thoughtful, not robotic.

How to Get Started with AI Staffing for Outreach

If you’re planning to automate outreach with AI staffing, follow these steps:

  1. Audit Your Outreach Process: Identify tasks that are repetitive and time-consuming.
  2. Choose the Right AI Staffing Platform: Look for solutions that blend automation with skilled human support.
  3. Define Clear Guidelines: Set tone, templates, response times, and quality benchmarks.
  4. Train Your Team: Ensure your staff understands how to collaborate with AI tools.
  5. Track Performance: Measure open rates, replies, conversions, and engagement to refine your strategy.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to automate outreach with AI staffing is no longer optional—it’s becoming a competitive advantage. Businesses that adopt AI-driven outreach gain speed, consistency, and scalability while empowering their teams to focus on meaningful work. By combining intelligent automation with human expertise, companies can build stronger connections, improve conversion rates, and grow sustainably.

If you’re ready to modernize your outreach strategy, platforms like GoPerfect’s AI Staffing solution offer a powerful starting point to help your business work smarter and reach further.

Toast announces 120 new Dublin jobs

Toast, the cloud-based restaurant technology platform, announces plans to create 120 new roles in Dublin thanks to a multi-year R&D investment project. This new project is supported by the Irish government through IDA Ireland.

The investment will drive platform innovation with a strategic focus on AI and represents the next phase of Toast’s expansion in Ireland. The investment, which will create 120 new roles at Toast’s Dublin headquarters, will allow the company to advance its work in AI innovation to embed intelligent agents across the platform, enhance AI-powered productivity for its R&D teams, and unlock global scalability for its customers worldwide.

Toast’s technology is developed to seamlessly connect every aspect of Irish hospitality businesses, from kitchen to customer. Toast is the restaurant technology partner of choice for many of Ireland’s leading hospitality businesses, including Bewley’s, Kicky’s, OAKBERRY, and the Eclective Hospitality Group.

The new, multi-year R&D program will accelerate Toast’s AI-forward vision for the hospitality industry, with the company’s Dublin team leading the charge on critical aspects of this innovation.

At the heart of the initiative is a commitment to reimagining how technology empowers the hospitality sector. Toast is focused on embedding intelligent, autonomous AI experiences across its platform to help businesses work smarter, serve guests better, and make faster, data-driven decisions

To support this transformation, the company is modernising its global platform architecture – investing in modular, scalable systems built for new regions, verticals, and customer segments. These enhancements aim to strengthen Toast’s cloud foundations for AI readiness, resilience, and rapid global expansion.
Internally, Toast is also harnessing AI to change how it builds, deploying advanced AI-powered productivity tools to accelerate product development and increase engineering velocity.
Together, these efforts mark a major step forward in Toast’s mission to create an intelligent, scalable platform that powers the future of hospitality worldwide.

Toast first established an engineering presence in Dublin in 2017 and has since grown to include teams across all key business functions. The company is recognised as a Certified Great Place to Work in Ireland.

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke said: ‘’Toast’s decision to expand its R&D operations in Dublin and create 120 new high quality roles is a clear vote of confidence in Ireland’s position as a global hub for innovation and technology. This investment, with a strong focus on AI, aligns with our national ambition to lead in digital transformation. I thank Toast for their continued commitment to Ireland and wish the team the best for the future.’’

“From our early feasibility work to this new investment, IDA Ireland has been instrumental in helping Toast scale and innovate in Ireland,” said Dave Fleming, Global Head of Engineering  & Ireland Site Leader. “This programme represents a step-change in the scope and ambition of our Irish operation, as our Dublin team will spearhead end-to-end platforms for our global customers, leveraging AI to shape the next generation of technology for the hospitality sector.”

Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland said: “This decision by Toast to develop their R&D offering with a focus on AI in Dublin is a testament to Ireland’s reputation as a global leader in technology and innovation. The creation of 120 new jobs in Dublin will help strengthen Ireland’s capability for AI development, which is a key focus in IDA Ireland’s strategy for 2025-2029. I would like to wish Toast every success with this R&D project.”

Dowdetector by Ookla: Largest Outages of 2025

In 2025, digital services proved both indispensable and fragile. This year’s largest outages were defined by platform-level disruptions, particularly across video, gaming, and communication platforms, that impacted millions of users. However, given how many individual platforms rely on the same few cloud providers and core systems, the role of centralized infrastructure also played a key role, demonstrating how a single point of failure can still cause disruption to cascade across multiple services simultaneously.

Downdetector® data from 2025 Ookla could analyze millions of user reports and identify the largest website and service outages of the year.

The World’s Biggest Outages of 2025

2025 saw a combination of major outages across gaming, streaming, and social media services, but none were more impactful than the cloud services outages that affected companies across the globe. These large-scale incidents underscored how failures in core infrastructure can ripple outward to millions of users. Here is a look at the largest global outages of 2025, according to Downdetector data.

 

In Europe:

 

  • PlayStation Network global issue topped the EU list with 1.7 million reports.
  • Snapchat saw the second-highest outage activity in the region with 989,559 reports submitted by users.
  • Vodafone’s UK-wide internet outage generated 833,211 reports.
  • WhatsApp caused significant disruption for its users with 621,763 reports.
  • Spotify’s outage recorded 468,334 reports, making it a major non-video streaming event.
  • Odido experienced, within 10 days, two separate outages that totaled 357,685 reports (June 15th) and 382,003 reports (June 25th).

See more 

Twelve South Curve Mini Review

Universally compatible with iPad, tablets and e-readers, the Twelve South Curve Mini raises devices up to 6 inches for optimal viewing comfort and usability, whether streaming a show at home, working in a cafe, or having a second screen at hnad at your desk, conference calling or sketching, the precision hinges ensure a smooth transition to any desired angle. The hinges are strong and will not move to where you set them at.

Easily adjustable in both portrait and landscape modes, the stable slip-resistant base and silicone padding ensure sturdiness and prevent scratches.

The Curve Mini is made of anodised aluminium weighs just 0.24kg and folds completely flat so it can slip into the included travel sleeve for easy portability which can be tough to remove at first but will loosen up over time. It’s the perfect travel companion for creatives, remote workers or those who use their tablet for gaming and entertainment. Also this can hold laptops which I actually tested it with or you could use a foldable phone too and will have no issues with either.

In addition to its functionality, it also makes a stylish accessory. Available in three different matte colours: dune, slate and coastal blue to complement Twelve South’s Curve Nano Qi2-compatible smartphone stand.

Available now for £49.99 from Twelve South UK.

See our Twelve South Reviews

Video Review

Factors that detract from the gaming experience

What has the most significant negative impact on online gaming? Recent online gaming data revealed that in-game advertising was the most critical drawback for users in 2023. A total of 55% of players felt that excessive in-game ads had a considerable negative impact on their gaming experience, while only 23% considered it a minor issue. 

Bugs and crashes ranked second among issues, with 42% of players citing a significant negative impact. This is four percentage points higher than the number of players reporting poor optimization and performance issues. 

On the other hand, only 13% of players believe that launch delays have a significant negative effect on their gaming experience. This suggests that gamers are willing to wait longer for games to be released if the final product has fewer bugs and issues.

In addition to the above reasons, gamers also highlight disadvantages such as microtransactions (small digital payments to unlock game features) and games that can be played only on a specific console.

          BETER Esports: top content and accurate statistics

It is also worth noting that audiences are often dissatisfied with the lack of opportunities to use statistics or follow news about esports competitions outside the game itself. This data can be provided by a brand specialised in diverse content delivery and in combining content and analytics.

BETER Esports offers a vast portfolio of esports tournaments and cutting-edge solutions. The brand BETER offers robust in-play and pre-match trading services, covering a wide range of in-house and over 400 global esports tournaments from Tier 1 to Tier 3.

At ICE Barcelona 2026, BETER is set to captivate audiences with its dynamic portfolio of fast, data-driven sports and esports content. With over 700,000 thrilling sports and esports events taking place each year, the team proudly offers 24/7 live streams and robust data feeds that keep fans engaged and informed. To learn more about tools and solutions, iGaming leaders are invited to visit stand 4F10.

myFirst Voice 2 wireless speaker with mic review

This all-in-one wireless fun machine combines a powerful speaker and a dynamic microphone to transform any gathering into a delightful karaoke session. Seamlessly connect to your phone or computer for a wireless speaker experience, while your little stars take center stage with the microphone.

myFirst Voice 2 offers three modes – BT, Memory Card, and AUX, catering to all your audio needs. Create cherished memories, boost confidence, and nurture a love for music with myFirst Voice 2!

The product is great for family time and sounds good with the ability to connect your phone or tablet or insert an SD card to listen to your music and more

The mic is great fun for kids with AI powered voice changes on it and you can see it all in action in the video review down below and you will have fun and cn test your singing skills.

The product is great for kids and family be it having fun with voices or just listening to music and also affordable roubst and portable.

Features:

  • Ultra-clear sound quality
  • Fun voice effects
  • Compact and portable
  • Wireless music playback

BUY

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