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.
Just announced the all new Instax Square SQ40 camera from Fujifilm has dropped in for review and we take a hands on first look at the latest on offer today, this camera is by no means small however these cameras are popular and will fly off the shelves and we love their retro look and finish which is also solid, there is also a new camera film launched to coincide with the launch of the camera and we will of course be testing both these out during our testing over the coming week or two.
First impressions of the new camera is solid and simple to use as is all cameras from the company and this runs on two batteries so no cables required which is a nice bonus these days as there is just too many lying around. The camera itself is not that heavy either and you get a neck strap to keep secure, there is a flash of course a viewfinder and that twisting lens which I love and you can see the camera in action and how it works by twisting the lens and this also gives you you two shooting modes. And yes guys we can take selfies with it.. Think back to the Instax Mini 40 for a similar camera
Check out the hands on unboxing below and feel free to ask any questions, as far as a point and shoot goes you cant ask for anything easier and then to have an actual photo in your hand.
Key SQ40 features include:
Automatic Exposure function
The SQ40’s Automatic Exposure function automatically senses the level of ambient light when the shutter button is pressed, optimizing the shutter speed and flash output according to the scene. It allows even novice INSTAX instant camera users to take photos that are automatically adjusted regardless of interior or exterior conditions, producing high-quality photos on-the-spot.
Selfie Mode for quicker and easier selfies
Users can activate the Selfie Mode, perfect for taking selfies and close-up shots, by simply twisting the lens after powering the SQ40 on. Using this mode to take amazing selfies and close-ups is incredibly easy and convenient.
New Film Variety Introduced:
Also accompanying the launch of SQ40 is Fujifilm’s launch of the new INSTAX SQUARE “Sunset” variety of instant film. The design of this new square format instant film is inspired by the gentle gradation of the colors in the sky during a sunset. As with all INSTAX SQUARE instant film varieties, Sunset will be available in a single pack with 10 exposures.
Pricing and Availability:
Fujifilm’s INSTAX SQUARE SQ40 instant camera will be available at Fujifilm stockist’s nationwide at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price EUR 150.00 (incl. VAT) and is expected to be available for purchase on 29th June 2023. For more product information, visit www.instax.ie/cameras/square-sq40/
INSTAX SQUARE Sunset instant film is also expected to be available on 29th June 2023 at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of EUR 11.00 (incl. VAT) per pack (10 sheets). For more information about this new INSTAX SQUARE instant film variety, visit www.instax.ie/film/#film-selector.
Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has created an LGBTQ+ Pride Month digital StoryMap. The map highlights ‘The History of Pride in Ireland’ and features a full schedule of Pride celebrations across the country that will last all summer long.
Using the interactive map, developed with Esri’s ArcGIS digital mapping system, embark on a captivating journey that follows the story of the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland. Discover pivotal historical moments, significant locations, and transformative events that sparked a profound societal shift towards a more diverse and inclusive Ireland. The map also features LGBTQ+ Resource Centres that offer support, guidance, and meetups across the island of Ireland.
As citizens from every corner of the country prepare to unite in a radiant display of rainbow hues, the Summer of Pride Map is your guide to the vibrant tapestry of Pride festivals and parades that are happening around Ireland. This year, the iconic Dublin Pride Festival (19th – 25th June) celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first Dublin Pride Parade. From Belfast to Galway to Cork there will be theatre, live music, quiz nights, rock & roll bingo, parades, and more. To top it all off, this year Laois is making history with its first-ever Pride Festival on September 14-17th.
Belfast cyber security firm ANGOKA has been accepted as a member of Geneva-based Global Uncrewed Traffic Management Association (GUTMA).
ANGOKA, which specializes in securing the safe passage of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) and remote and automated road transport vehicles, says joining the group will enhance the firm’s international reach in this fast developing sector.
GUTMA represents organizations involved in innovative drone services and smart mobility solutions enabled by services that keep drone operations at all altitudes safe and efficient. It engages in impactful research and development and in technical, regulatory and political processes to foster a global ecosystem in a fair global drone services market.
Martin Hawley, ANGOKA Head of Business Development for AAM (advanced air mobility), says GUTMA membership brings ANGOKA into a new sphere of influence at a time when the drone industry is on the cusp of explosive development.
“Cyber security in the uncrewed traffic management (UTM) space will cement the industry’s reputation as being serious about safety as well as the security of its cargo,” says Dr Hawley.
“As cyber is seen as a driver of IoT (internet of things) adoption, it will in the same way drive market adoption of drone and uncrewed aerial vehicles solutions and AAM. I’m looking forward to meeting other members of GUTMA to see how we can support the industry.”
“We are moving faster than ever towards the commercialization of automated flight across many sectors ranging from search and rescue to logistics and traffic management,” he says.
GUTMA members include Boeing, Airbus, the Federal Aviation Administration and many other leading aviation, electronics and aeronautical businesses.
ANGOKA has a proven record of creating impenetrable security systems to protect UAVs. The firm has partnered with a number of projects in the UK Research and Innovation’s Future Flight Challenge including Skyway in which air traffic corridors in the south of England have been designated for drones and unmanned aircraft. ANGOKA supplies the Future- Proof security for automated, teleoperated and uncrewed aircraft using these corridors.
The FiiTii HiFiDots are the latest earbuds from the company which we have been testing for around a month which gave us plenty of time to get our ears around which is an excellent lead time it must be said to go over a product inside out and that is what we did with these having came on several trips which included one to Milan and here is where it all began and it was with the ANC alone that gets these in my top 5 earbuds this year.
The case is one of many things, how it opens and how it is built, the case has a small button to release the lid and it pops upward which is really cool and something new compared to most earbud cases out there today, the case is one of the most solid earbud cases you will find and due to its build and the materials used you are missing out on wireless charging which for me is no huge deal because of the product overall although I do prefer cases with wireless charging I will let them away with it.
The earbuds themselves are small but mighty they look cool fit well and are simple to use when it comes to the controls and being so small I thought my clunky fingers would be an issue but this was not the case at all. They are simple to control and easy to use and we go through this in the video review below along with a look at their app.
FiiTii HiFiDots by MIFO – techbuzzireland
How these sound of course is the main course for these and these are simply fantastic. When at first I got these I was delighted to see they had an app to go with the earbuds and something I suggested before with the MIFO S Active we review which again where tiny but might and these had no app so does the app make a big difference? Indeed it does and these sound great, the volume the highs lows and mids and the ANC is one of the best yet I have tried this year and gearing toward headphones status.
Once these are turned up to the max you can forget about what is going on around you even on a plane train or a bus, yes I have been on them all in my testing this time as lots of travel was going on which came in handy for testing these and another pair of earbuds and these clearly won right out in most aspects. Calls also excellent on these as at the time I again had to take many and clear both ends, no lag latency either noted.
The App
The earbuds feature a bass dynamic driver that is 10mm, with 2 layers of diaphragm, PU-DLC. This double-layer structure allows magnetic flux to increase by a significant 20%-resulting in lush, full mids and potently dynamic bass.
HiFiDots’s meticulously designed internal structure features 2 exclusively customised BA drivers. These BA drivers are placed closer to the opening of the sound tube for less treble loss. Overall, thanks to its design, not only do the A’s 2 BA drivers sound transparent, they also work perfectly with the bass dynamic driver for a cohesive sound, without disjointed treble and mids.
With Passive Crossover processing technology(2 years of audio debugging by audio engineers), it not only achieves strong balanced performance on treble, mids and bass, but also has no frequency division trace feeling. It meets the requirement of Hi-Fi digital, to be capable in recognition of its ability to bring you accurate high-fidelity audio as the artist intended.
Overall these earbuds are a clear winner for me and does what they say on the tin and the lack of wireless charging or auto play and pause can be easily forgiven. Check the unboxing below and we also check out the app and go through the earbuds in detail.
Features
2BA-1Dynamic speaker drivers
Lossless audio
Bluetooth 5.3
MAdaptive active noise cancellation
6H battery life 30H with case
2C/3C fast charging
Noble metal case design
APP support
Personalized sound
IPX7 waterproof
Specs
Transmission profiles: HSP/HFP/A2DP/AVRCP/SPP
Battery life: Moderate ANC 6H Strong ANC: 4.5H
Transparency: 4.5H
Bluetooth codec – SBC/AAC/Aptx-Adaptive/ Aptx-Lossless
Weight(earbuds): 4.2g 2
Waterproof: IPX7
Speaker Frequency: 20Hz-40KHz
SPOR Full Charge(earbuds) -45 mins (2C fast charging)
Battery capacity(the case): 460mAh
Bluetooth vers 5.3
Battery life with the cases Approx 30 hrs
Full Charge(the case) -1 hrs (3C fast charging)
Battery capacity(earbuds) 35mAh
Weight(the case): 98g
Product size(earbuds) 20.4 26 17.3mm the case 52 62.5 32.6mm
Are you a business owner who wants to make your brand more available to internet users? Do you struggle to find the right way to boost your website’s viewership? There are many ways to optimize your website to make it more appealing to potential customers.
These useful tips on how to make the most of your online presence can be implemented one by one or simultaneously. Check out each one and decide which tasks will work best for the benefit of your website.
Optimizing Your Site With SEO
Whether your business is large or small, one of the most important tools you have at your disposal is SEO, which stands for search engine optimization. This is the process of maximizing traffic to your site by ensuring that your website appears high up on search engine results pages.
Almost nobody browses page two of search results pages on Google or other popular search engines. So, if you want your business to be discoverable, you need to make sure your site comes up at the top of page one. Employ SEO techniques like keyword use and link building, professional web design, and the creation of relevant, high-quality content across multiple channels to achieve this goal.
Keywords and Link Building
A couple of classic SEO optimization techniques are the use of keywords and link building. Keywords are words and phrases that are relevant to your business and feature on the sites and blog posts of your competitors. You can use online tools to discover which keywords are most relevant to your business and make sure to use them in natural ways throughout your web pages and in your content.Furthermore, understanding the intricacies of SEO and link building can be challenging, especially for businesses new to the digital landscape.
For those seeking guidance, resources like those offered by Digital Spotlight AU, a specialist in SEO strategies, can be invaluable. Their insights and expertise can help demystify these concepts, ensuring your SEO efforts are both effective and aligned with the latest industry practices.
Meanwhile,link building is the process of generating a lot of backlinks to your site from well-reputed blogs, news sites, and other relevant websites. This improves your search engine ranking as it associates your page with reputable and trusted sites. You can also create internal links to other pages on your site to encourage readers to visit your site and learn more. If you are mentioned in any large publications, make sure to feature this on your site, as it makes your company look more legitimate.
The Power of a Well-Designed Website
If you want to optimize your online site for maximum traffic, you first have to understand the importance of a well-designed website. Experts at Paddle Creative highlight the power of a fully-optimized website that is responsive, boasts relevant compressed visuals, and advanced animations, for generating new leads and making sales. Only when your website is designed by professionals with search engine optimization in mind can you achieve a wider global audience and business growth
Webflow is software used by companies for website building and hosting. Its online visual editor platform allows users to design, build, and launch websites without a lot of previous experience in web design. It is easy to use and produces great results in terms of creating a usable, reliable, and appealing website that ranks well on search engines.
Create Relevant and High-Quality Content
Another essential technique for improving your on-page optimization is the creation of relevant and high-quality content. You should generate informative blog posts about your products or services and related topics. Then, visitors to your site will see that you are an authority in the field and a great source of useful and up-to-date information.
You can also createengaging videos about hot topics in your field. Just make sure that your videos are concise, informative, and meaningful to your target audience. The idea is to grab the attention of potential leads and turn them into paying customers. Include a call to action in your videos and blogs to subscribe to your newsletter, try out a product, or visit another page on the site so you can retain the viewer’s interest.
An important thing to remember with this kind of content is consistency. High-quality content is only considered high-quality if every post is of the same caliber. A consistent message will give your brand a good reputation and lead to customer loyalty.
Use Multiple Social Media Channels
Once you have generated content like informative articles and entertaining videos, you can upload them onto popular sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Make sure all of your content features your business name and logo clearly and there is a link to your site in the description. This way, you will attract a wider global audience to your well-designed and SEO-optimized site.
You can even feature some of your TikToks or Instagram reels on your website to hook visitors and encourage them to explore your social media channels in more depth. One of the great things about social media posts is that they are shown to social media users who are most likely to want to engage with your products or services. This is due to the clever algorithms that govern social media “for you” or “discover” pages.
By using multiple social media platforms to disseminate your engaging, relevant, and high-quality content, you can maximize your reach to various corners of the planet, build a following online, develop a strong online presence, and encourage conversations about your business and its products or services.
Having a positive online presence and an easily-recognizable brand will be very beneficial for attracting new leads and retaining customers. Highlight your presence on social media on your website so people know that you are a transparent company, easy to get in touch with, and have a large following.
The optimization of a web page can be tackled in many different ways, as highlighted by this article. The key to really knowing how to optimize your viewership is to know what works for your brand.
Any number of these suggestions can be put into place in order to bring more people to your website and usually, the key is a combination of all of them. Keep these tips on hand and see how they can make your business grow its online presence.
A survey from Irish IT service provider Auxilion has revealed that less than half (44%) of business leaders in Ireland think their organisation is adequately prepared to respond to a cyber breach.
The survey of 100 C-suite executives in larger companies or enterprises (more than 250 employees) across Ireland, carried out by Censuswide, also revealed that more than a third (36%) of businesses fell victim to a cyberattack in 2022 and 44% of business leaders think their company will fall victim to a cybersecurity breach this year.
Moreover, some 42% don’t believe they have enough skills within their organisation to guide it through a cyber-attack and a similar proportion (41%) don’t believe their cybersecurity budget is adequate to protect against all risks.
Furthermore, 34% of respondents don’t believe their leadership team or board is doing everything it can to safeguard the company’s digital assets and data. Despite these concerns, just 20% of business leaders expect to invest in cybersecurity solutions in 2023.
The research also revealed that only 36% of business leaders think their organisation upholds governance adequately and 43% have had to abandon a project due to poor governance. The average cost of failed IT projects during 2022 came in at €840,671.
However, a little over half (51%) undertake an annual self-assessment of performance relating to governance or compliance. To improve governance, 43% said outsourcing to a third party would improve their company’s governance, with 44% already using a managed services provider.
The top benefits of working with managed services providers were found to be 24/7 assistance (21%), increased project delivery (21%), cost savings (20%), plugging the skills gap (20%), and improved productivity (19%). Eighteen per cent said supporting compliance, while enhanced security was cited by 17% of respondents.
Commenting on these results, Philip Maguire, Auxilion CEO and founder, said: “The survey highlights the need for organisations to identify and implement IT strategies which directly support business goals and address concerns – some of which could prove, or are already proving, to be quite costly.
“Not only are companies facing the possibility of cyber breaches due to inadequate safeguards, but failed IT projects are also impacting the bottom line. That’s not to mention the worries business leaders have around plugging the skills gap and achieving company objectives.
Organisations really need to look at what digital solutions and services they can deploy today to overcome such obstacles and capitalise on potential opportunities. As well as rectifying the areas of poor governance and inadequate cybersecurity, these technologies can also boost efficiency, support productivity and drive growth.”
Pivo Inc, leading AI technology developer that aids self-improvement by turning smart devices into a user’s personal camera crew, has launched their new premium offering: Pivo Max. Building on the success of their hero products Pivo Pod and Pivo Pod Lite, Max offers compatibility with tablets and cameras for the first time.
Pivo Max, named an Innovation Awards Honoree at CES® 2023, builds upon Pivo Pod’s existing capabilities. By simply attaching the smart mount to their tripod, users can capture stunning 360° footage with Pivo’s AI-powered technology. When synced with the Pivo+ and Pivo Play apps, Pivo’s Face and Body Auto-Tracking feature means users can move freely, never having to worry about leaving the frame.
The all-new Pivo Max has a wide range of uses – much like the Pivo Pod and Pivo Pod Lite models, it is ideal for fitness, coaching, equestrian and sports practice. With its larger, 2kg payload and tablet and camera compatibility, Pivo Max has a wider professional appeal, perfect for established creators, real estate agents and even those in education or business settings.
Like the Pivo Pod, Pivo Max maintains horse and dog [now out of beta] tracking capabilities, so users can capture training routines and coaches can join remotely.
Pivo Max comes equipped with six different rotation speeds: Slower, Slow, Normal, Fast, Frenzy, Turbo. Whether users are recording a presentation in-class or a dance tutorial at the studio, they can rest assured Pivo Max will keep up with them.
Pivo Max comes with an integrated LED status, so users can easily view power, pairing, connection, charge, capture and recording statuses. Also new is the Pivo Max Power Bank, available for purchase separately. The Power Bank allows users to simultaneously charge their Pod and personal device during use.
Ken Kim, CEO of Pivo says of the release, “Following the success of our other mounts – the Pivo Pod and Pivo Pod Lite, we wanted to offer a model that not only offers more premium features, but is also geared towards professionals in their field. Pivo Max is a game changer for markets like real estate and education, and we’re excited to see the technology that worked so well for our earlier models continue to reach new heights.”
Pivo Max, which comes with a remote control and is compatible with both Pivo apps, is available in the UK now from uk.pivo.ai with an RRP of £239.99. Between June 19th – 30th Pivo will be offering up to 30% off Pods as part of their Summer Flash Sale.
The Maynooth University Foundation is delighted to announce the creation of a state-of-the-art robotics lab, which will be supported by a donation from Intel Ireland. The lab will provide MU students with invaluable hands-on learning experiences using cutting-edge robotic technologies.
The establishment of the robotics lab at a total cost of €150,000 will equip Maynooth University students with access to innovative robotic technologies and equipment used by engineers from Intel and other companies. This hands-on experience will enable them to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application, empowering them to develop and refine their skills in robotics.
The new robotics lab is set to become a hub of innovation, where students can explore and experiment with robotics, pushing the boundaries of technology and unlocking new possibilities. This new lab will support students in MU’s current degree programmes in Robotics and Intelligent Devices, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science.
The gift from Intel is coupled with an investment from the University, demonstrating the power of public-private partnerships to fuel innovation and improve student learning experiences.
The establishment of the robotics lab further strengthens the ties between Intel and Maynooth University.
Dave Selkirk, the Director of Advanced Analytics MSO Automation at Intel Ireland, said: “We are very proud of our close partnership with Maynooth University, a close neighbour of ours here in North Kildare. The development of key infrastructure in the area of robotics will provide an important opportunity for students to gain practical experience in an evolving technology field that has massive potential in Advanced High-Volume Manufacturing.”
Vice-President External Affairs at Maynooth University Rebecca Doolin said: “We are tremendously grateful to our neighbour and partner Intel for supporting the development of a new robotics lab, which will give Maynooth students hands-on learning opportunities to work with the same robots Intel engineers down the road are using, bringing their classroom learning to life.”
Doolin noted a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Maynooth University and Intel in 2019, and its significance in creating a strategic research and innovation partnership.
“Over the years, Maynooth University has developed a strong partnership with Intel that has fostered collaboration in various areas, including student skills and experiences, research, innovation, and community engagement. As neighbours in a vibrant and fast-growing region of Ireland, today’s announcement not only deepens the ties between Intel and MU, but also demonstrates the positive impacts on student learning and innovation that such partnerships can yield.”
Prof Gerry Lacey, Head of Engineering at Maynooth University, said: “Robotics and AI are creating new industries, making agriculture more sustainable and revolutionising transportation. We are excited that Intel’s support will help our students to become leaders in creating this new future.”
The last pair of earbuds reviewed from Soundcore was the Liberty 3 pro which was one of my top earbuds at the time for that year and still remain high on the list still today and a pair of earbuds which can be now got fairly cheap which is something you could do if on a budget and when the Liberty 4 arrived I was really interested to see how these would sound coming off the back of the Liberty 3 pro even though the shape and style is different with no wings either. These earbuds however come packed with technology for those into fitness and of course sound which is important but there is much more tech in this pair and are an ideal for those who want to log fitness data which being honest is not me but the tech is there and there is many who will certainly take the company up on thes featured more aligned with smartwatches.
These are stem styled earbuds and look clean and fit well and before you get moving you need to download their app and do the HearID ANC test to get them set up properly for the best quality and they certainly deliver on the ANC aspect. They are comfortable to wear for long spells and will not fall out and once the right tips fitted you are good to go. The ANC is not up with the Liberty pro 3 but still good overall. Rather than having a touch sensitive are here or button these earbuds operate by squeezing them and there is different squeeze forces you could apply but this is down to the individual user to set up.
The fitness aspects of the app are great and they use your mobile phone to set some things up like the calibration for example which you will see in the video review below. As mentioned above these are more targeted at people into fitness however the audio is for everyone but with the fitness element thrown in they offer super value for money.
The app is packed with features and settings and you should explore them all to get the maximum effect out of them, for me all instances not used plus I have so many earbuds into test but I go over what is on these which you will not find on other earbuds, these earbuds would need be in your ears quite a lot to use the full suite of features and get the results you want..
When it comes to sound there is lots on offer and they sound great for the money and overall give other more expensive offerings a run for their money but again not up their with the Liberty Pro 3 however still excellent overall..The sound is in short great loud and punchy with no lag latency no distortion when maxed out and overall just spot on and with the app these deliver excellent value for the money and put it up to the rest that are more expensive, so if you are a fan of the brand and need new earbuds and on a certain budget put these on your list to check out.
The App
Features
Crisp, clear sound via ACAA™️ 3.0 Coaxial Acoustic System
360° immersive spatial audio with music and movie modes
