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.
Today, Oakley® drops its newest Gaming Collection, featuring the new Prizm Gaming ™ 2.0 technology. This launch represents the celebration of the brand’s continued pursuit to support the gaming community and empower the next generation of gamers.
Oakley’s newest lineup of gaming-centric eyewear including NXTLVL and Admission combined with existing headset compatible frames such as Pitchman R, Holbrook™ and Holbrook™ XS, all come equipped with the newest generation of Prizm Gaming™ 2.0 technology. Uniquely optimized to attenuate light from the newest of OLED and LED screens, Oakley’s proprietary technology reduces by 30% the blue light exposure from LED within the 400–500 NM range. Doing so, it helps eyes stay comfortable during long gaming sessions and it is engineered with specific Oakley lens designs that help you see more clearly. These upgrades add up to a new level of performance, giving gamers enhanced visual contrast and sharper vision for an optimized performance on the field of play that will help players react faster and play longer.
The new Oakley Gaming Collection featuring Prizm Gaming™ 2.0 is available with Oakley Authentic Prescription lenses or without, for all wearers to enjoy the benefit of Oakley’s gaming lenses. The full collection can be found on Oakley.com and in select Oakley retail stores worldwide.
Check out the latest Be Who You Are chapter, “Play: It’s Real”, featuring Team Oakley Seth “Scump” Abner (Optic Gaming), Hector “Hecz” Rodriguez (Optic Gaming), Nick “Maniac” Kershner (Optic Gaming), Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro (Optic Gaming), Sebas “Sebas” Beron (Optic Gaming), Yuli “Yuli” Morozova (G2 Esports), Karl “Alem4o” Zarth (G2 Esports), Jake “Virtue” Grannan (G2 Esports), Sergen “Broken Blade” Çelik (G2 Esports), Liza “Liza” Fiona (G2 Esports), Romain “Romain” Bigeard (G2 Esports), Daniel “Amenyah” Amenyah (G2 Esports), Ilya “M0nesy” Osipov (G2 Esports) , Michaela “Mimi” Lintrup (G2 Esports) and Rasmus “CaPs” Borregaard Winther (G2 Esports).
For more information on Oakley’s gaming collection and Prizm Gaming™ 2.0 technology, please visit Oakley.com.
We all know how to walk like an Egyptian, but can you spin like an Egyptian in the world of online Slots too?
Whether you’re looking to play Slots online at Paddy’s virtual casino, or on another provider’s platform, one thing is for sure – there will be a slot or two filled with Pharaohs, pyramids and Egyptian wonder, ready and waiting for you to unwrap.
Read on to find out more.
Temple of Iris
Welcome the land of the Valley of the Kings, set all the way in ancient Egypt, to a time when Pharaohs and pyramids were the norm.
In your quest, you’ll be joined by Iris — messenger to the gods — as they help translate the hieroglyphic symbols across the five reels and three rows at play, hoping to uncover the mysteries and prizes hidden within.
As you can imagine, the symbols found spinning around these sandy reels carry an Egyptian theme as well as various values – these include:
Iris – can award up to 9500x your wager
Scarab beetle – can award up to 950x your wager
Eye of Horus – can award up to 950x your wager
Cobra – can award up to 450x your wager
Cat – can award up to 250x your wager
Ankh – can award up to 250x your wager
Playing card symbols K and A – can ward up to 125x your wager
Playing card symbols 9, 10, J and Q – can award up to 100x your wager
Pyramids – activates the free spins bonus as well as an instant prize worth up to 450x your wager
Will you and Iris make the perfect team and crack open the reels to unearth treasures worth up to 9500x your wager? Or will you simply walk away in a style of an Egyptian?
Eye of Horus
How about a slot that pays homage to the all-seeing eye, an iconic symbol we all associate with ancient Egypt?
With cartoon style graphics, enter Egypt like you’ve never seen before, where the aim of your trip is to spin the five reels and three rows at play, hoping they form a winning combination to unlock historical treasures worth up to 10,000x your wager.
To unlock the tomb reels and unearth the treasures from within, you’ll need to create the perfect hieroglyphic symbol combination, worthy of the Egyptian gods, comprised of the symbols offered within the game grid. These symbols include:
Playing card symbols J, Q, K and A
Birds
Ankh keys
Flowers
Scarab beetles
Jackals
Eye of Horus (wild)
Entrance to a pyramid (scatter)
It’s good to note here, that the wild symbol, the Eye of Horus, can only appear on reels two, three, four and five. It holds the power to substitute for lower paying symbols to help you create further potential matches.
There is, of course, also a chance for you to unlock some free spins with the help of the scatter symbol, the entrance to the pyramids, where you could see yourself activating up to 12 free spins and the chance to claim a prize worth up to 100x your wager.
Do you think you have what it takes to time travel back to ancient Egypt, unearth the mummified Slots and claim the forgotten riches? There’s only one way to find out.
Today, Jabra, leaders in personal sound and office solutions, launches the Jabra Evolve2 Buds, the newest product in Jabra’s Evolve series. In an age where hybrid working is standard for most professionals, having the freedom and flexibility to work from anywhere is important. The top-of-the-range, new Evolve2 Buds are designed to boost concentration and improve collaboration for professionals working on the go. Evolve2 Buds are certified for leading virtual meeting platforms, including Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and use the latest technology to reduce disruptive background noise and enable clearer calls.
Minimised distractions
When working from home, the office or in a public space, we are often wrought with distractions everywhere: from the sounds of our washing machine churning to the sound of a barista working the coffee machine to colleagues chattering in the background. For this reason, the Evolve2 Buds come with an Adjustable Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology which hybrid-working professionals can use to personalise the ANC to their listening preferences, blocking out any external sounds and minimising distractions. The Evolve2 Buds also come with a sealing test feature called MyFit, as well as SafeTone™ with PeakStop, which ensures enhanced hearing protection and the most optimal seal for the best, personalised ANC experience
Greater call quality and crystal-clear conversations
It’s more important than ever for employees to be heard on calls and to be able to talk freely with their co-workers without being interrupted, especially as virtual meetings become the norm. With many of us now used to the true wireless earbud form factor, Jabra developed the Evolve2 Buds to enable users to have high-quality conversations with Jabra MultiSensor Voice™. It uses a unique combination of four microphones, bone conduction sensors, and advanced algorithms to block out as much of the surrounding noise as possible so the user can be heard clearly by those on the call, contributing to more focused conversation experiences.
Extensive range and connectivity for flexibility
For those seeking stable connectivity and increased mobility, the Evolve2 Buds feature a long wireless range, owing to the unique, in-case dongle that can be plugged into your PC. With a wireless range of up to 20 metres/65 feet, the Evolve2 Buds give employees the ability to move around their home or hybrid/remote work environments without compromising call quality.
Certified for leading virtual meeting platforms including Microsoft Teams and Zoom, the earbuds come with 5 hours of talk time and a total of 33 hours of battery including the charging case, avoiding the inconvenience of your earbuds running out of charge mid-meeting.
“The world we live in today has made us crave freedom and flexibility to work from anywhere. At the same time, we also learnt from our Hybrid Ways of Working 2022 research about the role that technology plays in increasing employee inclusion in hybrid work. With all that in mind, we sought to create a product with our new Jabra Evolve2 Buds to empower professionals to look, sound and be professional on the go,” says Holger Reisinger, SVP at Jabra.
Key features of the Evolve2 Buds:
Certified for Microsoft Teams and leading UC platforms – for enhanced collaboration experience
MultiSensor Voice technology – ensures professional call performance by using multiple mics and Jabra algorithms to block out noise
Plug-and-play USB adapter for enhanced connectivity – 20 metre/65 feet rangeallows users the freedom to move around their work environment
Advanced Multipoint connection – connect to two devices at one time
Adjustable Active Noise Cancellation – filters out background noise allowing for increased focus
HearThrough and single earbud use – allows the user to hear surrounding sounds through the earbuds whilst wearing them
Increased battery life – with 33 hours of battery, including the case and wireless charging
Ultra-discreet design – for ultimate comfort and a professional look
The Evolve2 Buds will be available from end of November at MSRP £233. Find out more about the Jabra Evolve2 Buds at www.jabra.co.uk/evolve2-buds
TORRAS have sent us over some cases to check out for the iPhone 14 Pro which is one of the devices I am using at the moment, The iPhone is an expensive piece of kit and needs protection and cases from TORRAS is one place to shop for them and they have an nice range of cases and more on their website.
Guardian Pro Magnetic
This case is pretty cool and one of my favourites from the range and comes with MagSafe compatibility, this case protects all corners has a lip around the front and your camera array is well protected too, additionally it gives you a better grip too and will work with wireless charging. You also get a selection of coloured buttons to make your case pop. Check the video review for a closer look
This case is also a cool case with an aluminium kickstand rather than plastic ones which we tend to see, this gives the user the benefits of viewing media either vertically or horizontally without the need to remove the case and keeping your hands free the kickstand is super solid and the same protection levels provided as above with the camera array well protected and giving you additional grip. Again this still works with wireless charging which is a must for many and overall will give your device the protection it needs. Check the video below for a closer look at both cases.
Bone conduction headphones are getting popular to some extent now and we have covered several pairs to date here on the site and our YouTube channel, they do all look familiar due to limitations I guess but they are often overlooked as an alternative to earbuds, if you have not checked out a pair of these yet you might be in for a surprise with how well they actually work and they are better for your ears tpo and not only that you can hear your surroundings no matter how you chose to wear them or at what sport you play.
As mentioned yes the sports fan will like these and can be worn anywhere and will not fall off your neck either they are really light and simple to use with a clean design too with one side doing all the control work with just three buttons that gives you all you need to do on the go.
You can use these as an MP3 player which is great and means you do not have to carry your phone with you and there is 32 GB of storage on board to load up to 5000 tracks which is more than enough for most people. You can toggle between your mobile and phone on the headset in one simple step skip and reverse tracks and higher/ lower the volume, there is no voice assistant access from my testing which is fine and not a deal breaker.
Battery life is pretty stellar too and you have no app access or EQ built in so nothing to draw down the battery bar your volume levels and for me around 11 hours was the average max volume. For the sound it will not be like TWS earbuds or headphones by any means a however it is crisp and clear it must be said and the same for calls, no lag latency noted either during testing and overall pretty much mid range throughout with no overlapping audio, highs lows and mids came through pretty clean and a touch of bass they do a better job than you would think and for me an easy suggestion for those who want something robust and still delivers decent audio and they are great for lying in bed too which is where I spend a lot of time testing headphones and earbuds as well as outdoors.
The built quality is solid here and again easy to use controls so overall a simple to use bone conduction headset executed well. See the video review below for more details and how these work.
Features
【Healthier&safer way to enjoy music】Wissonly wireless bluetooth bone conduction headphones made by the lastest bone conduction tech,which delivers audio through the cheekbone instead of air,it will protect hearing without damaging tympanic membrane.It is an open ear design head phone, which helps you maintain your awareness of the surrounding environment and is safer for outdoor use.
【High grade sound quality】Wissonly bone conducting earphones one of the few bone conduction earphones with hifi sound quality.It has a wider range, and we perfectly solve the problem of sound leakage.
【IPX8 waterproof headset】Wissonly over ear sports headset certified with IPx8 waterproof grade,it can still work under 20 meters of water.Its excellent water resistant and sweat resistant performance makes it suitable for swimming, running, workout,cycling, mountaineering, diving and other outdoor sports.
【Both Bluetooth earphones and MP3 player】The earphone provides Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity , which can be adapted to most brands of mobile phones, computers or other devices.It has 32g built-in memory and can hold 5000 songs. You can use it as an MP3 player when there is no mobile phone or computer. It is very suitable for outdoor use.
【Excellent battery life】The battery capacity of wissonly bone conduction headphones is 230mAh,it can play music continuously for 12 hours(for 50-60% volume).The headphones adopts magnetic suction and fast charging technology, which can be fully charged in 2 hours.
Creative Technology today announces the launch of Creative MUVO Go, its latest addition to the long-standing and well-loved MUVO series of portable speakers. Sporting full-bodied audio performance, robust wireless connectivity and enduring battery life in a waterproof and portable package, it is poised to be a favourite for those seeking the right soundtrack for their adventures.
Creative MUVO Go is built to last. IPX7-certified waterproof, and with up to 18 hours of battery life per charge, it is the ideal audio companion for long mountain hikes or all-night pool parties. Slim and lightweight at 570g, it scores high on portability; with a lanyard attachment, it is an easy grab-along for users on their bikes or backpacks. With the latest Bluetooth 5.3, users enjoy not just effortless pairing, but a strong and stable wireless connection with their adventure soundtrack.
Creative MUVO Go
Creative MUVO Go pumps every tune up, thanks to its thumping combination of dual full-range Neodymium drivers and passive bass radiators which produces 20W of power, and up to 40W of peak power. Users with hungrier ears have the option of pairing two units together via Wireless Stereo Link to bring the house down with fuller stereo imaging. Additionally, the bottle-shaped design offers versatility – whether it is standing upright (space-saving, very useful for cluttered party tables) or when it is laid flat, Creative MUVO Go delivers clear, well-balanced and room-filling audio.
Pricing and Availability
Creative MUVO Go is priced at £65.99 and is available in Midnight Black, Pine Green and Cloud Blue at Creative.com.
Ireland is searching the most for Halloween on Google this October worldwide which may be no surprise given Ireland is the birthplace of Halloween, so Google wanted to share Google trends and data on what exactly Ireland has been searching for when it comes to Halloween 2022.
For starters, what are the kids up to these days? Watching Blippi it seems! Overall, the most searched costume for Halloween 2022 in Ireland is Blippi. If you don’t know Blippi, he is known for his blue and orange outfit and educational videos for young children. He’s a phenomenon, who knew?
Other popular children’s costumes searches this year are heavily influenced by TV and film including Pennywise, Ghostbusters, Batgirl, Hocus Pocus, Jack Skellington, Belle, Sonic and Freddy Krueger…the kids are not holding back!
TV and Film has had an influence on adult costumes too with the release of the Hocus Pocus sequel perhaps having something to do with Sarah Sanderson being the third most popular costume search and Winifred Sanderson not too far behind. Netflix continues to be a source of inspiration with searches for Cobra Kai costumes and of course, crowd favourite, Stranger Things making an appearance across top costume searches, couples costumes and DIY costumes.
The nation’s love for baking is alive and well with breakout searches this month including “Halloween Cake” and “Halloween Cupcakes” ,it looks like Halloween Parties are well and truly back and will be fueled by home-made delicacies! For those opting for a Halloween night of scary movies instead of parties, the trending Halloween movies in Ireland this month include Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey slasher film, Smile, Sleepy Hollow, and the classic Friday the 13th.
And, of course, it’s nice to see that we haven’t forgotten our heritage as searches for oiche shamhna poem have spiked over 250% over the past 7 days. Surely everyone knows that Halloween first started in Ireland, right?
PayPal’s new Thrills & Bills study reveals that nearly six in ten (59%) of Irish people are extremely worried about the cost-of-living crisis, rising to 65 per cent for those between 25 to 44 years of age.
PayPal polled 1,000 adults across Ireland to explore changes in spending habits that people are making in order to navigate the crisis, from adjusting their lifestyles to savvy money management.
Lifestyle changes that help save money
The research revealed that two thirds (66%) of Irish people are planning to cut back on going out and eating out, making this the top lifestyle change in response to the cost-of-living crisis. Female respondents were found to be more open to this (72%) than male respondents (49%).
Irish people are also trying to make more conscious choices when it comes to their shopping habits, with 63 per cent planning to buy fewer items and less often, and 62 per cent opting to switch to cheaper brands.
Furthermore, the study found that some 31 per cent say they will buy second-hand items and nearly four in ten (37%) plan to change utility providers for the best deals on energy (including electricity and gas).
Switching to alternatives is also proving to be a popular trend in order to navigate inflation as a third (33%) plan to turn to online shopping for what they need to limit temptations instore, 32 per cent will host friends for drinks rather than going out, and 27 per cent intend to take up outdoor exercise rather than having a gym membership.
Importantly, savings were top of the list for what Irish people refuse to compromise on. Nearly half (44%) of consumers will continue to focus on building up their savings. Other priorities people are not prepared to eliminate are maintaining a healthy lifestyle such as a gym membership and healthy food options (24%), and buying coffee, drinks and snacks from cafés or coffee shops (23%).
Money well spent
Over three quarters of people (79%) agree that while changes to spending habits are necessary due to the cost-of-living crisis, it’s still important to occasionally spend money on a treat. Females agreed with this more than males – 83 per cent compared to 68 per cent.
While 72 per cent of Irish consumers have had to slow down or pause lots of plans which were making up for lost time during the pandemic, there are some niceties they will continue to spend on this year as a treat, such as:
Occasional meal at a restaurant (43%)
Food takeaways (42%)
Night outs with friends or family every now and again (37%)
Cinema trips (30%)
Beauty and grooming treatments (30%)
The survey reveals that nearly half (47%) of people are open to splitting costs with friends, family or housemates to enjoy more group experiences over the coming months. Those aged 16 to 24 are most likely to do this (58%), while those over 55 are least likely (17%).
Flexing money-management muscles
The report revealed that Irish people are doing more than simply cutting back and making thrifty swaps, with nearly six in ten (58%) planning to regularly track their spending and creating budgets to stick to (53%). In addition, almost two-thirds (65%) of people plan to look for discounts, coupons and promotions where relevant, and 39 per cent plan to track their spending habits via banks, credit card accounts and digital wallets like PayPal.
The survey found thatnearly half (49%) of respondents are more likely to split the cost of a meal at a restaurant in response to the cost-of-living crisis. Some 44 per cent said they are more likely to split costs on taxis and transport fares, and 43 per cent are more inclined to do so on food takeaways. Nearly a third are even more likely to split the cost of a group drinks or dinner cooked at someone’s home (29%).
Speaking about the findings, Maeve Dorman, Senior Vice President, Customer Success at PayPal, shared: “The cost-of-living crisis is impacting everyone. Without a doubt, it’s a challenging time and people are adapting quickly and making changes. While some are taking more ownership of their spending, others are sharing expenses to enjoy shared experiences.
“Splitting bills appears to be the perfect antidote for a lot of people because it allows them to manage their budget and still do the things they love. Through PayPal, we make it easy with our send and request money feature. At times like these, it’s about people being able to have control of their money day-to-day and being better prepared for the future.”
Are you looking for ways to streamline your hotel’s operations and make your guests’ stays more enjoyable? The hotel industry is always looking for new ways to improve its guests’ experience. To keep up with the competition, hotels are turning to technology to help them streamline their operations. From check-in and checkout to room service and housekeeping, there are several ways that technology can help your hotel run more smoothly. This article will discuss ways that tech can help you improve your hotel operations. Let’s get to the list.
Manage the Front Desk
Technology can help you manage the front desk more efficiently. You can use it to track guest information, manage reservations, and process payments. You can also use it to create a digital concierge that can help your guests with their needs. However, you need reliable front desk software for hotels that can handle all these tasks without problems. You can get such a system from reputable companies with experience in providing software to the hospitality industry.
When choosing technology to manage your front desk, it is important to consider its features, ease of use, and price. You also must ensure that it is compatible with your hotel’s existing systems. Besides this, ensure that it’s cost-effective to use in the long run and will not require much maintenance.
Improves Housekeeping Operations
Another way that technology can help you streamline your hotel’s operations is by improving your business operations. You can use it to track room status, manage guest requests, and communicate with Housekeeping staff. You can also use tech to create an automated housekeeping system that can help you save time and money.
Ensure that the technology you choose is user-friendly and can be integrated into your existing systems. For instance, if you are running a huge hotel, you will need a system that can handle a lot of data. You can choose a simpler system if you are running a smaller hotel. You can also use tech to create an automated housekeeping system that can help you save time and money.
Smart Energy Management
Technology can also help you save money on energy costs. You can use smart energy management systems to monitor and control your energy usage. These systems can help you adjust your settings based on occupancy levels and weather conditions. They can also help you track your energy usage over time so that you can make changes to reduce your costs.
To get the most out of these systems, it is important to choose ones that are user-friendly and can be easily integrated into your existing systems. You should also look for systems that offer data analysis to make informed decisions about your energy usage. For instance, if your energy usage increases during the summer, you might want to change your cooling system.
Better Communication with Guests
Technology can also help you improve communication with guests. You can use it to send automated messages, manage reservations, and keep track of guest preferences. You can also use tech to create a mobile app for your hotel that guests can use to book rooms, check in, and request services.
When choosing technology for communication, it is important to choose systems that are easy to use and offer various features. For instance, you might want a system that allows you to send automatic messages to guests when their room is ready or when special amenities are available. You might also want a mobile app system so guests can easily access your hotel’s services from their smartphones.
Smart guest experience
Technology can also help you create a more seamless and personalized guest experience. You can use it to track guest preferences, send automated messages, and manage reservations. You can also use tech to create a mobile app for your hotel that guests can use to book rooms, check in, and request services. In addition, hotel distribution software plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall guest experience. This software allows you to manage room availability and rates across various online distribution channels efficiently.
When choosing such technology for your guests, focusing on those that will truly improve their experience is important. For instance, you can consider installing digital check-in kiosks to make the process more efficient. If you want to focus on creating a more personalized experience, you can integrate guest data from various channels into one CRM system, and this integrated approach offers a comprehensive understanding of guests, allowing you to provide them with highly tailored services.
Predictive Maintenance
Hotels have a lot of machinery, and keeping them running smoothly is essential to streamlining your operations. Technology can help you do just that. This technology uses data to predict when equipment will need maintenance or repairs. This can help you avoid costly downtime and keep your hotel running smoothly.
When choosing predictive maintenance technology, it is important to look for systems that offer data analysis, and that can be easily integrated into your existing systems. You should also look for user-friendly systems so you can easily manage your maintenance schedule.
Big Data and Big Data Protection
As a hotelier, you are probably aware of the importance of data. You use data to track guest preferences, manage reservations, and keep track of your energy usage. You can also use data to create a more personalized guest experience.
Nowadays, so much data is available that it can be difficult to know what to do with it all. That’s where big data comes in. Big data is a term used to describe businesses’ large volume of data. This data can be used to improve your hotel operations in several ways.
When it comes to big data, one of the most important things to consider is data protection. With all of this data comes the risk of data breaches. That’s why it’s important to choose technology that offers data protection. When looking for such technology, you should look for systems that offer encryption and secure storage.
Remote Check-In/Check-Out
Another way to streamline your hotel operations is to offer remote check-in/check-out. This service allows guests to check in and out of your hotel without coming to the front desk. Guests can use their smartphones or other devices to do this. For instance, they can book a hotel while at home or in their car.
When offering remote check-in/check-out, it is important to choose secure and user-friendly technology. You should also consider how this service will fit into your overall operations. For instance, you will need to have a way to manage keys and keep track of guest preferences. Besides this, be mindful of security features and those that will improve the guest experience.
Overall, technology can help streamline hotel operations in several ways. It can create a more efficient check-in process, track guest preferences, and even predict when equipment will need maintenance. When choosing technology for your hotel, it is important to focus on systems that will benefit your guests and staff the most.
