Jim O Brien/CEO - techbuzzireland.com

Microsoft Announce Collaboration with Irish Pharmaceutical Blockchain Disruptors ServBlock

ServBlock, a Blockchain and pharmaceutical compliance company is collaborating with Microsoft’s Early Access Engineering programme to produce a novel business case for the use of NFT technology in meeting compliance standards.

Servblock translates the current human to human based quality assurance process to a digital first trust system underpinned by machine to machine interactions and blockchain technology, providing verified data that is automatically checked for compliance.

Pharmaceutical compliance entails a multitude of processes requiring manual checking of data and tasks which require detailed attention, passing numerous levels of scrutiny often multiple times. ServBlock automates this process in a much more secure, timely and cost-efficient manner than the current status-quo with the use of blockchain technology.

The use of blockchain helps create validated digital traceability systems for pharmaceutical parts by recording data in real-time throughout a supply chain. With blockchain solutions, pharmaceutical-based transactions and processes can become secure, cheaper, and quicker than usual. For new biotech facility start up projects ServBlock can save 14,400 commissioning hours resulting in an average saving of 1.5 million euros per project.

As well as cost reduction ServBlock’s technology:

Eliminates fraud in the pharmaceutical supply chain
Eliminates the risk of counterfeit or contaminated drugs entering the market
Greatly reduces human error in the supply chain.

Blockchain is most commonly known for its uses in the financial industry and being particularly rooted in cryptocurrency over the last decade, but its fundamental data integrity properties means it is particularly suited to regulated industries, such as pharmaceutical production and distribution.

In collaboration with Microsoft, ServBlock has developed a novel use of non-fungible token (NFT) technology. NFTs are unique cryptographic tokens that exist on a blockchain and cannot be replicated, normally bought and sold. This model presents the perfect framework to ensure transparency for all stakeholders from beginning to end.

John Ward, CEO and founder of ServBlock, said: ‘Implementing new technologies to aid in the continued improvement of compliance standards is a core pillar of what ServBlock does. To have Microsoft on board gives further validation to the work we have been doing since founding the company and blockchain as a powerful business tool. NFTs have gained recognition and popularity for their use in selling art and a new internet culture, but we are glad to be starting the adoption of real world use within an enterprise setting.’

Quality assurance data is tokenized and in this way shows an end-to-end business use case for NFT use in the pharmaceutical industry. Every business process is signed by business participants, stored then shared through a ledger which itself shows ownership of assets from their creation. Every business process is shared among business participants ensuring traceability at every stop.

Small, Medium & Corporate Lead for Microsoft Ireland, Peter Lougheed said: “NFTs are one of the most exciting concepts to emerge from blockchain technology, and have grown to be hugely significant. It’s great to see a Microsoft Founders Hub member, like ServBlock, continue to scale and expand. We, at Microsoft, are excited to collaborate with ServBlock in developing their technology to better enable the pharmaceutical industry to meet their, often very complex, compliance standards.”

This collaboration presents the first use case of NFTs within a pharmaceutical manufacturing setting and therefore uncovers great potential for the use of blockchain technology in a variety of areas which rely heavily on secure, transparent ownership of assets.

Urbanista launches the Urbanista Copenhagen earbuds

Urbanista, the Swedish lifestyle audio brand, announces the launch of Urbanista Copenhagen, their latest and most stylish true wireless earbuds, inspired by the city renowned as the capital of Scandi cool.

Priced at 69 EUR / 69 USD / 69 GBP / 699 SEK MSRP, Copenhagen boasts full compatibility with iOS and Android devices.

Effortless motion

Designed for life in motion, Copenhagen’s minimal true wireless design gives you the freedom to listen to your favourite audio on the move without the hassle of wires. The stylish Copenhagen earbuds are powered by up to 32 hours of truly wireless playtime with a sleek charging case that holds up to 3 extra charges.

The earbuds are supported by Urbanista’s mobile companion app, available on both Google Play and Apple App Store. The app provides customisation options to personalise your listening experience such as EQ settings, touch control preferences and monitoring battery levels.

Effortless style

With their simple yet elegant aesthetic, Copenhagen subtly elevates your every look. Inspired by the city’s soft colour palette, the earbuds are priced at 69 EUR / 69 USD / 69 GBP / 699 SEK MSRP and are available in 4 stylish colourways: Midnight Black, Pure White, Sage Green and Dusty Pink, that instantly recall effortless Scandi chic.

Tuomas Lonka, Brand and Marketing Director at Urbanista comments: “The Urbanista Copenhagen earbuds are a truly beautiful product inspired by Scandinavian design. They are one of the most stylish earbuds we have launched, with elegant seasonal colours, the Urbanista Copenhagen product is as much a fashion accessory as it is a fantastic audio product.”

Effortless comfort

Urbanista Copenhagen brings the perfect balance between form and function, the earbuds sit weightlessly in the ear for comfortable all-day use. With their stable, barely-there fit, the earbuds are the perfect accessory for life in motion.

Urbanista’s Audio Engineer Axel Grell comments: “Urbanista Copenhagen are earbuds designed to compliment your everyday travels, routine and style. That goes for the sound too, using Urbanista’s sound signature, Copenhagen are a pleasure to listen to. While understated, they boast strong bass without being too overpowering and provide crisp and clear mids and highs.”

Watch the full Urbanista Copenhagen “Effortless Flow”

Urbanista Copenhagen is available now at: www.urbanista.com/copenhagen

Key features:

● Total playtime 32 hours

● Noise-reducing microphones

● Touch controls

● Voice assistant support

● Water resistant (IPX4)

● USB Type-C charging

● Bluetooth© 5.2

● App support

Specifications:

● Driver type: 12 mm dynamic, moving coil

● Driver sensitivity: 115±3 dB SPL/mW @ 1kHz

● Driver impedance: 32 Ohm ±15 %

● Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz

● Microphone type: MEMS

● Microphone noise cancelling: Dual-mic ENC

● Bluetooth© version: 5.2

● Bluetooth© profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP and HSP

● Audio codecs: SBC and AAC

Tech Review – JBL Tune Flex

The JBL Tune Flex is the last pair so far in for review and at the budget end of the spectrum with price here is where one will ask about performance and features, as I have said many times here on site and in my videos this department has changed rather swiftly with the cost to performance ratio getting better things are now better for the consumer and the same applies again here in short for JBL with the Tune Flex.

With having the most earbuds reviewed in Ireland on site and by that I mean hands on you see them and we also do a video review rather than stock images with little context we test our earbuds check out the apps when available as some earbuds still do not have apps but in some cases do not require on we have a good feel and taste for the audio for the price be it high or low and as mentioned this applies now to earbuds in the sub 100 euro department and we have actually had some in to check out in recent times and the competition is just getting better and that means better value for the consumer.

I usually do not fob off one brand against another in my reviews as we like to stick the the product in question but there is good value to be had under the 100 euro price point these days and the days of spending up to 300 euro on earbuds is long gone for me unless you are a brand loyalist which I am not and like to see what is out there for all prices which we do… Yes we have more earbuds of course in and coming soon.. Even recently JBL announced probably the best looking phone case coming soon and it did cause a stir as to why and what features will be on offer but again we have an example of JBL Tour Pro 2 upping the game here bringing something new to the table and even after checking out the latest pairs of earbuds they have all the market covered when it comes to prices and what is on offer.

The JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds which I seriously can’t wait to see.

So back to the Tune Flex. OK so we will not keep you here much longer but do watch the video for more, We have gone over their app multiple times but here is some of what is inside in case you missed it from out previous reviews and again it is good and delivers and lets you be in control rather than having a default option you have an EQ so all the bells and whistles are here in their app even at this price point.

Features

JBL Pure Bass Sound

Active Noise Cancelling (2-Mic) with Smart Ambient

4 microphones for crisp, clear calls

JBL sound fit – open ear and sealing ear tips

3 sizes of sealing ear tips

Up to 8H in the earbuds + 24H in the case with ANC off

Speed charge

IPX4 splash proof certified

Hands-Free Voice Control with Google Assistant

Customisable all-access touch control through the JBL Headphones App

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Video Review

TCS Launches Sustainathon Competition for University Students in Ireland to Tackle Environmental Issues with Digital Innovation

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced the launch of the 2022 UK and Ireland Sustainathon, a problem-solving competition that challenges university students to address corporate sustainability problems through innovative digital technology, creativity, and teamwork.

Registrations are now open for the 2022 Sustainathon, which invites university students to work alongside TCS and its partner network (via a virtual online portal) during a two-week sprint to devise digital solutions that can help businesses overcome their most urgent sustainability challenges.

“TCS is fully committed to addressing environmental challenges in the countries and communities we operate in, and to building a sustainable future through innovation and adoption of digital technologies,” said Andrea McBride, Head of TCS Global Delivery Centre, Letterkenny.

She added, “This is the first year that the TCS Sustainathon is available to students in Ireland. The competition has had great success in the UK and other regions over the last number of years and we are delighted to be able to offer Irish students the opportunity to be involved this year.”

TCS is engaging with universities across the UK and Ireland, including Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and North West Regional College (NWRC), Derry, to launch the competition, as part of its ongoing commitment to promote STEM skills, nurture young talent and support sustainable enterprise. TCS will work closely with its clients and supporting organisations as the challenge partners for 2022, including Phoenix Group, Lloyds Banking Group and Marks & Spencer.

Participating teams will be given a unique opportunity to join a series of interactive masterclasses, virtual mentoring sessions and online webinars with business and community leaders who will guide them through each stage of the ideation process and help to turn their concepts into a reality.

Irish academics partnering with TCS on this year’s competition, include Dr. Mark Kelly, Head of ATU Galway and Mayo Centre for Sustainability who will deliver an online ‘Sustainability Masterclass’ to all participating students from Ireland and UK and Francine Moran, Lecturer in Science and Sustainable Technologies at NWRC, participating as a guest panellist for a discussion session on ‘Sustainability and Career Paths’.

After presenting their solutions to the judges, the winning teams will be rewarded with sustainable prizes and an opportunity to showcase their ideas at the grand finale event on Tuesday 6^th December. The judging panel will be comprised of representatives from UnifAI Technology, the Rail Delivery Group, a selection of not-for-profit organisations, and sustainability experts who are independent from the competition process. The members of the Grand Finale winning team will be offered one month paid internships with TCS.

Last year, the winning team ‘Biophilic’ from University College London was challenged to increase community engagement around sustainability by enhancing the digital functionality of Scotland’s National Entitlement Card (NEC) app. Biophilic was invited to present their winning concept to an audience of business leaders at TCS’ Innovation Forum in London, which resulted in the companies working with the students to develop their ideas into a real solution.

For more information and how to register, please visit:

https://www.sustainathon.tcsapps.com/events/ongoing/UKI2022

Esri maps spooktacular events around Ireland this Halloween

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has created a digital map of some of the most fun, spooky and frightful happenings across the country this Halloween.

Using Esri’s ArcGIS digital mapping system, the interactive map highlights both popular events and hidden gems to suit all tastes. For those who want to get into the spirit, keep the kids entertained, or have a fun fright, our island has something for everyone to make this Halloween a spooktacular night.

From terrifying train rides in Belfast and haunted hayrides in Cork, to pumpkin trails in Offaly and family-friendly fall fests in Wexford, this map will help witches and wizards of all ages and interests plan their weekend for Halloween 2022.

Link to map here

Tech Review – Andobil Easyfly double sided mag phone grip

A nice new accessory has launched for iPhone which is the Andoblil double sided mag phone grip, not only does it work with non mag safe iPhone accessories it includes a magnet inside that in effect will make it, you will understand more in the video review below how this works which is really cool.

Keeping your phone out of your hands during the day when working cooking or whatever the case maybe can be a challenge and this is where this accessory comes to the rescue which is neat. It has a really strong magnet too which is important and effective and one of the better magnet based products I have seen for iPhone over recent times.

In the well presented package you get two magnet pads and another two for non magsafe which is really cool and also you get the ring grip which is self explanatory these days, this allows you to leave your device down on a surface without having to remove the case and watch content and so on. The pads can be placed anywhere in your home to act as another way to keep your grubby hands of your device which is a good thing and overall a clever well made package that I would see as an investment and not expensive either, see the video below for more and how it works.

The magsafe ring holder can snap directly to magsafe cases, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 pro, iPhone 14 pro max,13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 13 Mini, iPhone 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 12 Mini. Magnet will stronger if use metal ring. If use Non-Magsafe regular iphone case, you can use metal ring to enhance magnet.

Andobil ringholder magnet – techbuzzireland

You can switch or turn your fingers to suit the grip, and when trying to take a photo, hold with one finger to switch lenses. By the way, Grip also lets you hold your phone in one hand while holding your coffee. Hold your phone with just one finger[Multi-Angle Viewing] Easily rotate your ring holder 360° and flip to 125° for a comfortable viewing position when watching a movie, YouTube or facetime someone on any flat surface. Smooth 360° rotation, without disassembly, without stuck fingers

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Video review

Virgin Media announces wholesale deal with Vodafone Ireland

Virgin Media Ireland and Vodafone Ireland have today agreed a wholesale network access deal, which will see Vodafone offering their customers fixed line broadband services using Virgin Media’s superfast fibre broadband network.

The Virgin Media network passes 1 million premises across Ireland, offering broadband speeds of 1Gbps (gigabits per second). Virgin Media’s ongoing €200m network upgrade to full fibre over the next three years will support speeds up to 10Gbps. Virgin Media has already upgraded over 150,000 premises to fibre across the Virgin network.

Through this new wholesale network access agreement between the companies, Vodafone’s customers will now have more choice and will be able to avail of Virgin Media’s expanding Fibre network.

Tony Hanway, Chief Executive of Virgin Media Ireland said, “We’re very pleased to provide network access opportunities to other operators for the first time and we welcome Vodafone as our first wholesale network partner. It’s all systems go as we continue to expand our network nationally and bring ultrafast fibre connectivity to over 240,000 homes by the end of 2022, and over 1 million homes by 2025. Our entry into the wholesale market will support more competition while improving service delivery for consumers, businesses and communities across Ireland.”

Amanda Nelson, CEO of Vodafone Ireland said, “As Ireland’s largest Fibre to the Home market provider in Ireland, and the fastest growing broadband provider over the last 12 months, we are always looking for new and innovative ways to bring the best products and solutions to our customers. Our new broadband partnership with Virgin Media means Vodafone customers will be able to avail of their Fibre to the Premise network, as they continue to upgrade to fibre around the country. Having recently celebrated 21 years in Ireland, we are looking forward to supporting our customers and businesses across the country long into the future, ensuring balanced regional development and a resilient and strengthened economy. Partnerships such as this, demonstrate our continued focus on our significant network investment strategy, as we look to continually upgrade and refresh our capabilities in Ireland.”

First Look – Jabra Engage 50 II headset

Speech clarity is an important attribute for contact centres as it directly impacts the customer experience. Bearing that in mind, the Jabra Engage 50 II uses advanced algorithms to create a beamforming pickup of users’ voices and analyses the noises in the background. Its 3-microphone system surpasses the standards of Microsoft’s Premium Microphone for the Open Office with its ability to remove up to 36 decibels of noise, enabling the clearest call experience and spot-on call transcriptions.

The Engage 50 II headset also introduces an adjustable, audible SmartRinger feature that alerts the user of incoming calls even when they are not wearing the headset. It is on a detachable link controller with a volume wheel designed to sit on the desk next to the keyboard to give a no-look access to all controls. The feature makes hybrid work easier on the go as agents will never have to stress about missing a call if they are ever away from the desk.

Today we take a quick first look at the latest headset and if you have any questions feel free to ask and watch out for our full hands on review soon.

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Unboxing

Fujifilm’s New INSTAX SQUARE Link Smartphone Printer brings Augmented Reality and digital image sharing to instant photography fans.

Fujifilm Europe has today announced the launch of its FUJIFILM INSTAX SQUARE Link Smartphone printer (SQUARE Link). Available from 16 November 2022, the latest addition to the popular series of Link Smartphone printers, SQUARE Link creates INSTAX SQUARE format instant prints at 1.5 times the size of its INSTAX mini counterparts.

SQUARE Link features a variety of new, unique features designed to encourage creativity, including AR (Augmented Reality) Print and INSTAX Connect™, both of which allow instant photography and smartphone printing fans to individualize and share their images in brand new ways. Like all products in the INSTAX Link Smartphone printer lineup, SQUARE Link includes a variety of frame templates, digital stickers, and print mode options that allow the image maker to boost creativity with the free, downloadable app.

Shin Udono, Senior Vice President, Imaging Solutions, Fujifilm Europe said:

“Designed with instant photography and smartphone printing fans in mind, we are excited about the introduction of the new INSTAX SQUARE Link. The new SQUARE Link combines everything that existing customers love about the existing Link formats, now in a SQUARE format – with the addition of exciting new features including AR Print and INSTAX Connect, presenting even more options for users to connect, customize, and share images.”

Key features of SQUARE Link include:

AR (Augmented Reality) Print:

SQUARE Link offers the ability to add Augmented Reality features to images, including special effects, text, images, background colours, doodles, and animations. A QR code printed on the photo unlocks the augmented reality content that users can then view on and around their print by simply scanning the code with their Smartphone to see the effects in action.

INSTAX Connect:

Using the SQUARE Link App, the INSTAX Connect feature allows users to share INSTAX images digitally by selecting a smartphone image, adding text content and/or effects, and sending it to any connected device (i.e. smartphone, tablet, etc.). Users can add text to their images and get text responses sent back directly on the image. Recipients who are also SQUARE Link users can even print a copy of the image with or without the text included.

Ability to customize your INSTAX prints with Image Modes, Design Frames, and Stickers

Like all products in the INSTAX Link Smartphone printer line-up, SQUARE Link includes a variety of frame templates, digital stickers, and print mode options that allow the image maker to creatively enhance the image. Users can choose between two print mode options – INSTAX-Rich Mode for deep, enhanced colours and INSTAX-Natural Mode for a more classic look. Smartphone images can also be enhanced with artistic filters or by adjusting brightness, contrast, and saturation of the image. Users of SQUARE Link also can combine up to nine pictures into a single INSTAX print collage via the collage feature of the App.

Lightweight Portability and Speed

Compact, lightweight, and finished with a striped texture, SQUARE Link transfers an image from the user’s smartphone and commences printing in about 12 seconds, supports continuous printing, and is capable of printing about 100 INSTAX prints per charge seamlessly via Bluetooth.

SQUARE Link will be available in Ash White and Midnight Green and is expected to be available for purchase at Fujifilm stockists nationwide on 16 November 2022 at a manufacturer’s SRP of EUR 150.00.

For more information about the INSTAX SQUARE LINK, visit https://INSTAX.ie/printers/square-link

INSTAX SQUARE LINK specifications

Recording method	3-color exposure with OLED
Film used	FUJIFILM INSTAX SQUARE Instant Film (sold separately)
Image size	62 mm × 62 mm
Exposure pixel count	800 × 600 dots
Exposure resolution	12.5 dots/mm (318 dpi, 80 μm dot pitch)
Exposure gradation	RGB gradation of 256 colors
Interface	Bluetooth Ver. 4.2 (BLE)
Printable image format	JPEG, PNG, HEIF, DNG
Printing time	Image recording – photo output (fed out): Approximately 12 sec.
Possible number of printed images	Approximately 100 (from full charge; number of prints depends on usage conditions)
Power supply	Rechargeable lithium ion battery (internal type: not removable)
Charging time	Approximately 80 to 120 minutes (depending upon environment temperature at time of charging)
Power consumption	Approximately 3 W
Operating environment	Temperature: +5 ºC to +40 ºC Humidity: 20% to 80% (no condensation)
Main unit dimensions	105 mm × 37.5 mm × 127.5 mm (excluding projecting parts)
Main unit mass	Approximately 236 g (excluding film pack)
Supplied accessory	USB cable (Type-C, Length: 30 cm)
* The above specifications are subject to change for performance improvement.

INSTAX mini 11 PASTEL GREEN – Available now

At the same time as the launch of the new SQUARE Link, Fujifilm Europe is also launching the new INSTAX mini 11 in a new Pastel Green colourway. An enticing addition to the INSTAX line-up, the new INSTAX mini 11 Pastel Green is the sweetest of colours – designed with the latest fashion trends in-mind.

Like the rest of the INSTAX mini 11 family, this new colourway also features the “Automatic Exposure” function, in which the camera automatically senses the level of ambient light when the shutter button is pressed, and optimizes the shutter speed and flash output according to the condition. It allows users to take photos optimally exposed to the main subject and the background in a variety of situations including a bright sunny day outdoors and a dark indoor condition at a restaurant or a party venue, producing high-quality instant photo prints on the spot.

Another INSTAX mini 11 feature that makes taking instax photos easier than ever before is the Selfie Mode, which is ideal for selfies and close-ups. The Selfie Mode can be activated by simply pulling out the front end edge of the lens after powering the camera on. INSTAX mini 11 pastel green is available now at a manufacturer’s SRP of EUR 90.00.

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