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.

Pivo launches ‘Lock-On Tracking’ mode to track one person in busy environments

Pivo Inc, a leading developer of AI-technology for content creators, is upgrading its smart pods to include ‘Lock-On Tracking’ mode. Whether users want to capture themselves in a crowded place or record footage with more people in the shot, this new feature means Pivo will follow the star of the show’s movement, keeping them in the frame at all times, regardless of what is happening around them.

Using Pivo is like having a personal camera crew. Powered by AI-technology, the Pivo smartphone mount, which can rotate 360 degrees, automatically tracks a user’s face and body movements. It follows them at all times, zooming in and out, to make sure they are always in focus and in the frame. The new ‘Lock-On Tracking’ mode gives users even more control, by allowing them to manually select themselves in an environment where there are other people. This ensures the Pivo Pod stays locked on the correct person at all times.

“Our vision at Pivo is to become the creator-tech brand for the next digital era. Our community is at the heart of this — we want to support them to make sure they get the best experience. So when our users asked for single person motion-tracking, we prioritised it with our development team to get the feature ready as soon as we could. ‘Lock-On Tracking’ will make content creation even easier as you will no longer have to worry about who else is in the frame. This is a huge milestone for Pivo and we’re excited to share this with the world.” says CEO Ken Kim.

Pivo Pods enable users to capture videos and photos of themselves. With powerful app-driven motion tracking and easy-to-learn editing modes, creating content solo has never been so easy. Pivo has two models to choose from including:

Pivo Pod Active:

The Pivo Pod Active offers accurate tracking for faster movements, making it ideal for sports and fitness content creators and activities like dancing, athletics, skating and horse riding. Pivo Pod Active can be used in both portrait and landscape orientation, has four different speed modes as well as face, body and horse tracking, ensuring every moment of fast-paced content is captured, eliminating the need for a costly videographer or expensive camera and equipment.

The Pivo Pod Active comes with a companion remote and charging cable and is easy to use out of the box, no technical photography expertise required — users can focus on creating content they’re passionate about immediately.

The mount is compatible with tripods, including Pivo’s own standard Tripod and Tripod Mini (purchased separately) which both have a ¼″ UN thread universal mount, making them compatible with other devices including cameras.

Pivo Pod Lite:

For content creators whose videos don’t involve lots of high speed movement, Pivo’s entry level tracking mount, Pod Lite, uses the same AI tracking technology, freeing up their hands and allowing them to create content solo, without having someone else filming.

Pivo Apps:

In addition to the hardware, a free companion app, Pivo+, integrates with Pivo Pod Active, allowing creators to host live fitness classes and video calls using the same auto-tracking technology, taking fitness and sports content to the next level and allowing for more interactive content.

A second standalone free app, Pivo Play (available on Google Play and App Store) allows creators to create fun edits designed with social media engagement in mind.

Pivo Pod Active is available now for £124.99 from the Pivo website, Amazon and Currys. Pivo Pod Lite is just £69.99 and available in seven stylish colours. To use the new ‘Lock-On Tracking’ mode download or update the Pivo+ app which is available from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

TCS is New Title Partner of TCS London Marathon: Promotes Technology for Sustainability and Healthy Lifestyles

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) today announced its priorities and new innovations as title partner, to enrich the TCS London Marathon experience through technology, and to make the event more sustainable, inclusive, accessible, and enjoyable.

Through the six-year partnership, TCS will prioritise enhancing the participant and supporter experience of the event to deliver on TCS London Marathon’s vision of inspiring sports-related activities and charitable giving. TCS has launched several new features for its official race app, which in 2021 set a record by being downloaded nearly 500,000 times. It is now available for download on the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.

The new app features include:

  1. The Belief Booster feature enables supporters to share encouraging messages for participants. A selection of messages will be displayed on the finish line LED gantry as runners approach the famous TCS London Marathon finish line on The Mall. Messages will also be shared in a post-race email to the participant, along with an option to upload to social media.
  2. Event participants could already allow up to three spectators to find their live location on the course in London. This feature is now available for virtual participants too, so they can share their actual live location, as opposed to their distance run being shown on the TCS London Marathon course.

TCS will continue to promote the innovative use of technology to transform marathon experience for everyone. This year TCS is providing an enhanced data warehouse with conceptual data modelling, which has helped London Marathon Events (LME) derive customer insights from diverse datasets to support decision making and strategy.

The TCS Mini London Marathon and TCS in the community

This year, the first ever mass TCS Mini London Marathon, where children of all abilities aged 4 to 17 can run, walk or wheel a 1 mile or 2.6km course. TCS has pledged to donate £10 per participant to the schools taking part, to be used to buy new IT equipment. The new mass TCS Mini London Marathon will also include the traditional Championship events for the best young runners across the UK.

TCS is working with its chosen charity of the year, City Year UK, to register all 20+ of its schools for the Mini London Marathon this year. TCS is also partnering with City Year to help address education inequality in some of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities. The Mini Marathon events will be held on October 1st, 2022 in London, and between September 26th and October 21st in schools across the UK.

To enhance its sustainability, LME will be using the ReScore app for the 2023 TCS London Marathon, developed by TCS for the Council for Responsible Sport. This will help LME verify the event’s sustainability progress to help reach its goals of net zero carbon emissions across its own operations by 2024 and remove more carbon than it emits across all operations by 2025. ReScore is a TCS-designed, cloud-based application, which enables event organisers to measure, track, report, and verify their progress on a broad range of environmental and social indicators for sports events.

Amit Kapur, Country Head, TCS UK and Ireland, said: “In our first year as title partner of the TCS London Marathon, we will use technology to promote inclusion, sustainability, and healthier choices for communities. We believe in using technology to reimagine and transform companies and communities to drive a positive impact in society.”

Hugh Brasher, Event Director, TCS London Marathon, commented, “We are delighted that TCS is now our official title sponsor and are excited about all the different initiatives we have planned. As we build and develop our six-year partnership with TCS, we are working together to drive forward LME’s digital transformation, allowing us to inspire millions more to build a healthy, active lifestyle, as well as raising even more for charities.”

In addition to the TCS London Marathon, TCS is also the official title partner of other distance running events around the world, including the TCS New York City Marathon, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, the TCS Amsterdam Marathon and TCS Lidingöloppet.

TCS’ mission is to provide trusted and innovative, best-in-class consulting, IT solutions, services and digital transformation support to ensure enterprises achieve their key business objectives. TCS is the number one supplier of software and IT services to the UK market, by revenue. It currently employs over 20,000 people in the UK and Ireland, including over 1,000 people located at the TCS Global Delivery Centre in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.

Tech Review – Otterbox Symmetry case for iPhone 14 Pro (Don’t Even Chai Brown)

The iPhone 14 pro is our chosen device from this years Apple drops and of course we have plenty of cases coming in the review we will be starting with this case from Otterbox with a nice name to it as seen in the title. With the pro models costing plenty of money repair costs will do too so investing in a case is always best practice.

This case has all as expected from the company and does work with wireless chargers you will be glad to know.. Of course the device can be placed face down and still room for a screen protector and the back camera array is also safe from harms way. The keys travel well and ports accessible giving you a pretty decent layer of protection for your iPhone 14 Pro.

Check out the full video review below for more and how it looks on the device and we think we have a perfect match here and stay tuned for more case reviews very soon and other accessories for the iPhone 14 pro.

Both the iPhone 14 Pro and the case were purchased by ourselves. Check out the Apple Watch SE 2022 unboxing or the Apple iPhone 14 Pro unboxing

Features

  • Ultra-sleek design
  • DROP+ | 3X as many drops as military standard (MIL-STD-810G 516.6)
  • Raised edges protect camera and screen
  • Works with wireless and MagSafe charging pads (no magnets in case)
  • Made with more than 50% recycled plastic
  • 5G compatible materials
  • Lasting antimicrobial properties to protect the case*
    * Helps protect the case exterior against many common bacteria. It does not protect you or the screen. Active ingredient: silver phosphate glass.

Video Review 

 

Two-thirds of Irish adults attempt to offset cost-of-living crisis using online tools

Pure Telecom, the Irish-owned high-speed broadband company, today announces the results of a survey, which found that adults in Ireland are turning to online resources en masse as they battle the impact of soaring prices on their personal finances. The research found that 66% of adults in Ireland are resorting to tools such as internet banking, budgeting apps and cashback apps to combat the rising cost of living.

The online research, conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, surveyed 1,002 people as part of a nationally representative study and found that 94% of adults in Ireland are being negatively impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. As a result, 50% of respondents report that they have cancelled streaming or TV subscriptions in the last 12 months to reduce their outgoings.

The survey found that a quarter of adults in Ireland are now using cashback apps – which enable consumers to get discount codes and vouchers, or cash back, on select purchases – in an effort to offset the rising cost of living.

A similar proportion (24%) are using apps and websites that help them to find the best local deals for items on their shopping list, while 16% are using personal finance apps that can monitor their spending. Four-in-10, meanwhile, credit internet banking for helping them to keep track of their spending during the cost-of-living crisis.

Pure Telecom’s research found that the internet is also helping adults in Ireland to make more informed buying decisions. Some 61% of respondents said that they are spending more time researching prices online before making a final purchase.

The survey also found that remote working is helping workers to combat rising prices. Of those who are working remotely or on a hybrid basis, 44% say working from home helps them to reduce their cost of living. From this cohort, 69% say it is reducing their spend on fuel, 53% report that they are saving money on food and 42% are saving on public transport. A quarter of those working remotely or on a hybrid basis believe that remote working is increasing their cost of living.

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “With inflation and the ever-rising cost of living, we found that almost everyone is feeling the financial pinch and most are looking for ways to tighten the purse strings. Our survey found that adults in Ireland are getting creative and many are using multiple online resources to ensure they don’t pay a cent more than they need to.

 “It is natural that in this current climate, people are looking at their monthly outgoings and cutting back where they can, so it is interesting to see that half of all adults have cancelled at least one streaming or TV subscription in the past year. At Pure Telecom, we are always conscious of customer needs for great quality at an affordable price, which is why we are so proud of our extremely competitively priced Pure TV offering and broadband packages. We want to help people to reduce their cost of living without cutting back on the things they enjoy most.”

Zipp Mobility Statement on e-Scooter Legislation Developments in Ireland

Last night the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021 passed the Report Stage and Final Stage in Dáil Éireann and the Bill now moves to Seanad Éireann.

Charlie Gleeson, CEO and Founder of Zipp Mobility, Ireland’s leading micromobility provider said, “Last night’s approval by Dáil Éireann of the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021 was a significant milestone on the journey to legalising the use of Powered Personal Transporters, or e-scooters, in Ireland.”

“It is a development which Zipp Mobility, as Ireland’s leading shared e-scooter provider, warmly welcomes and we would like to acknowledge Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD and Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton TD, for steering the legislation through the Dáil. We now look forward to the legislation speedily passing through all stages in the Seanad before being signed into law.”

“Once this has taken place, we look forward to introducing shared e-scooter service in cities across Ireland. Our approach which we describe as ‘mobility done right’ prioritises sustainability, safety and community-centric design above all else. We hope to use this approach to help assist Ireland in its fight against climate change.”

Zipp Mobility, which has raised over €8 million in funding, was established by Charlie Gleeson in 2019 and is headquartered at NovaUCD in Dublin. The company is already a significant player in the European micromobility sharing market, having launched e-scooter and e-bike operations in nine cities in Ireland, the UK and Poland.

The company plans to launch in several Irish cities including Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford once the Road Traffic and Roads Bill 2021 is passed into law. The company is also planning to expand its European operations in the next 12 months.

First look – Jabra Elite 5 earbuds

The latest from Jabra has landed and it is their all new Jabra Elite 5 earbuds which came to us in the Gold Beige colour which is really nice and a change, the wireless charging case, buds and the tips all match and the whole presentation is really nice as usual from Jabra. Packed with features like ANC 6 mics aptX and more we are looking forward to testing the latest out from the company which is always nice and a pleasure.

As per usual if you need any questions answered feel free to ask on our social media handles and of course YouTube where we hang out mostly these days and we will have our full hands on review soon here and on YouTube where we delve more into the products and give you a real look at what to expect and what there is you need to know.

Read more about the Elite 5 here and watch the full unboxing below.

 Jabra Elite 5 key features and specifications:

  • Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) blocks more background noise, powered by the Qualcomm QCC3050 Bluetooth SoC
  • 6-microphone call technology with wind noise suppression
  • Powerful 6mm speakers for goosebump-inducing, heart-racing, soaring sound
  • Customizable EQ and Spotify Tap Playback
  • Up to 7 hours play time with ANC on (up to 28 hours with wireless charging case)
  • Qualcomm® aptX™ Audio
  • Google Assistant and Alexa Built In for hands-free assistance on-the-go
  • Easy pairing with Google Fast Pair* and Microsoft Swift Pair*
  • Bluetooth Multipoint keeps you connected to two devices at once
  • IP55-rated protection against dust and water

Unboxing video

Konftel Launches Lecture Mode

Konftel’s flagship conferencing speakerphone has been boosted by a new ‘lecture mode’ wireless headset feature, which creates more user freedom especially for teaching and training.   

The Konftel 800 is now capable of linking to an approved wireless headset – to provide a teacher or presenter with total freedom of movement and position within a room.

“Wherever they are located, perhaps facing a whiteboard, they can still have perfect microphone pick-up and be heard clearly by all remote participants,” says Konftel Product Manager, Torbjörn Karlsson.

“We are delighted to announce the Konftel 800 now has this valuable new feature via a free software upgrade. Lecture mode ensures total freedom of movement and an optimum audio experience for everyone.”

Total freedom

To take advantage of the new function an approved wireless headset needs to be connected to the speakerphone. The first release will only support the Jabra Engage 65. Support for other headsets will come with future firmware releases.

While the presenter is speaking, the Konftel 800 will automatically mute all its microphones and only keep the headset microphone open. 

Karlsson explained that when the person stops talking, the speakerphone microphones are unmuted and all participants in the room can be heard. But through the headset, the remote participants can always be heard.

He added: “Lecture mode gives the presenter complete freedom to roam around a room and break free from any traditional communication barriers. Wherever they are located, even with their back to the room, they can still be heard clearly.”

The Konftel 800 is an award-winning device which forms the audio centrepiece of several Konftel video kits. It boasts multi-connectivity, beamforming microphones and daisy-chain connection for audio expansion. It is linked to a wireless headset via a DECT base station, with lecture mode operating via all IP, USB or Bluetooth call connections.

Konftel 800

Further new addition

In addition Konftel has developed a special ceiling mount kit for the Konftel 800, providing an appealing alternative to traditional desktop placement. The new innovation addresses growing demand for smarter and more flexible room configurations, where up to three devices can be connected from above. 

Karlsson pointed out: “You can move furniture and rearrange the room every day without any technology hassle. It’s perfect for larger spaces and multipurpose rooms, where daisy-chain capabilities make sure every inch of the room is covered by audio.

“With the speakerphones mounted to the ceiling you’re clearing the table from devices and cables, for a really neat and tidy room appearance. It also elevates the video meeting experience. The user can forget about where the microphone is placed and focus on the interaction with remote participants on the screen. The audio pick-up and distribution works it’s magic without anyone noticing. It all comes natural.”

He concluded: “The addition of Lecture Mode plus the option of ceiling mount flexibility ensures the appeal of the Konftel 800 continues to grow.”

The Basics Behind Digital Encryption

Probably the first thing you should be asking when you sign up for an online casino is “how are they keeping my money safe?”. More and more, providers are looking to more advanced forms of security, and encryption is the lynchpin of the entire operation.

How does encryption work?

Essentially, every bit of information that goes through encryption gets scrambled up into a special code that can only be read by special systems. Anyone accessing the data illegally, without that specific software, would just see a useless set of numbers and letters. 

For example, in the world of iGaming, encryption forms a big part of a complex security system, which is essential as both money and personal information are required to pass through it.

That data could be deposited for anything from running random number generated systems that feed into key features on iGaming platforms, such as Paddy Power’s daily free spin wheel, to withdrawals after betting on specific sports matches, log-in details, or even support messages. Any time information of any kind is exchanged on a gambling site, it’s encrypted.

What types of encryption are there?

The current go-to for encryption and the most commonly used for online casinos is AES or Advanced Encryption System. It comes in 128-bit, 192-bit, and 256-bit versions, with the higher numbers used for the most secure data. For the moment, AES is effectively unbreakable and is used by even the US Government.

Source: Unsplash

Aside from this, you can get the public domain Twofish encryption, the upgrade to the original Blowfish encryption. It encrypts multiple layers for every data set, and it’s a symmetric system, meaning only the sender and the recipient can open it with a special ‘key’. This means the chance of a third party getting it is extremely small.

The last one of note is the more specialised RSA encryption, which is encryption based on an extremely complex and specific mathematical algorithm. This gives hackers trouble because it generates a huge amount of ‘waste’ output to sift through. It’s a bit slow for large data amounts but works great for digital signatures.

What is hashing?

Hashing is data encryption in the loosest sense. Any data or message encrypted with hashing creates a completely unique key which tracks the details down to the tiniest level. If you have two copies of a message, you can compare these keys to check if even one letter or number has been changed, as the key would be different. The only difference between this encryption and the other methods is that you can’t get the encrypted data back. That’s why it’s only really used for data verification instead.

So is my data completely safe?

The fact is, that hackers and data security are in constant cat-and-mouse competition. The old standard for encryption was DES or Data Encryption Standard. That got breached by hackers, so then TripleDES was created. Now, even that one is being phased out, with AES being the up-and-coming standard.

There’s no 100% bulletproof encryption method out there, but online casinos along with other major transaction sites are as close to that as we can possibly get.

First look – Sony Linkbuds S

The Sony Linkbuds S have arrived and at first look I am liking what I see, the case has a matt black sandy kind of finish and so do the earbuds themselves which is something different like their Linkbuds be we reviewed earlier this year. Today is a quick first look and unboxing of the latest from Sony and if you have any further questions do ask while we test them out and come back with a full hands on review without the stock images.

The world’s smallest and lightest, noise cancelling, Hi-Res Truly wireless headphones 

Sony have engineered these remarkably small and light truly wireless headphones, approximately 4.8 grams in weight, with comfort in mind. LinkBuds S combine a shape that perfectly matches the human ear with an ergonomic design for a more stable fit, so you can steer clear of annoying ear pain that gets in the way of you and your entertainment.  

Keep all your worlds on with natural ambient sound   

LinkBuds S provide you with the best of both worlds. These headphones combine LinkBuds innovative ambient sound concept that lets you interact with the world around you, with high-quality noise cancelling allowing you to focus on the content you love and nothing else. You can step into a coffee shop and quickly order with ease, then just as quickly sit back and enjoy your favourite entertainment distraction-free. 

The headphones integrate Adaptive Sound Control, a smart feature that adjusts ambient sound settings depending on where you are, creating the ideal listening experience. With this, you can seamlessly move through your surroundings all while letting your favourite artists and entertainment play on. 

A new sound experience for AR gaming   

Sony is collaborating with its partner company Niantic in the area of audio AR by developing an AR game that can be enjoyed not only visually but also audibly. When you play their game “Ingress” using LinkBuds S, the sensor and spatial sound technology will enable players to enjoy a new experience in which sound is delivered according to the direction they are facing.

Read more HERE

Unboxing