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.

PSB Speakers Flagship Synchrony Series Now Available Worldwide

PSB Speakers, reaching a 50-year milestone this year for excellence in hi-fidelity loudspeaker design, is pleased to launch a new generation of the acclaimed flagship series, Synchrony, to global markets. The latest edition of PSB’s flagship series consists of the B600 bookshelf speakers, as well as the T600 and T800 towers. Regarded as PSB’s most advanced speaker line to date, the Synchrony Series delivers outstanding performance, excellent value and carries the finest application of the brand’s acclaimed ‘True to Nature’ acoustics. The T800 Premium Towers (US$11,999 / €12,999 / £9,999 a pair MSRP), T600 Towers (US$8,999/ €9,999 / £7,999 a pair MSRP pair MSRP) and B600 Bookshelf Speakers (US$2,799 / €2,999 / £2,499 a pair MSRP pair MSRP), is available for purchase worldwide and come in Satin Walnut Veneer and High Gloss Black finishes.

Synchrony T800 

The Synchrony T800 Towers are the largest speakers of the series with a wider frequency bandwidth and the largest power handling capacity amongst Synchrony speakers. Equipped with an all-new 5-way transitional array employing three 8″ woofers, a 5.25″ midrange driver, all featuring cast baskets and woven carbon-fibre cones, and a 1″ titanium dome tweeter in a heavily braced MDF cabinet, the T800s are capable of filling large rooms with detailed bass right down to the lowest register.

The driver platform results in a dramatic reduction of non-linear distortion, allowing for higher sound pressure levels without compression or increased THD and IM distortion. This can be immediately recognized by a more open midrange and deep bass impact. Small gradations in sound, or micro-dynamics, are vastly improved over previous driver platforms. The crossover in the T800 Premium Tower is this is the most advanced amplitude-perfect Linkwitz-Riley 4th order crossover that PSB Speakers has ever utilized, featuring high-voltage poly film capacitors and oxygen-free interconnect wire for complete driver control.

Synchrony T600 

The driver platform of the T600 consists of three 6.5″ woofers and a 5.25″ midrange driver, all with cast aluminium baskets, woven carbon fibre cones and rubber surrounds, and a 1″ titanium dome tweeter with Ferrofluid and Neodymium magnet. As a result, a dramatic reduction of non-linear distortion allows for higher sound pressure levels without compression or increased THD and IM distortion. The advanced driver assembly features four elements (Faraday ring, shorted turn, longer voice coil, symmetrical magnetic drive) that all work in harmony to reduce driver distortion.

Synchrony B600

Using the same driver platform as the Synchrony towers, the B600 Bookshelf Speakers can be an easy complement to the towers or a standalone stand-out compact listening option. The 2-way bass reflex design features a 6.5″ woofer with cast aluminum basket and woven carbon fibre cone, and a 1″ titanium dome tweeter with Ferrofluid and Neodymium magnet. The light and rigid nature of woven carbon fibre cone delivers wider bandwidth — about half an octave deeper bass response over other PSB driver designs — with greater efficiency (88dB at 1m), higher power handling, and lower distortion.

Centre Channels – PWM Series

The PWM is designed to support the Synchrony Series as centre channels and effect channels in multi-channel applications. Incorporating advanced driver and cabinet design, the PWM series offer open and constant dispersion, tonal balance and bass extension of a truly refined loudspeaker many times their size. The PWM’s can be oriented either vertically or horizontally and be used as a front left, right, centre or surround channel speakers. Whether as part of a complete on wall system, a basic TV application or as an on-wall centre channel solution for floor standing speakers; the PWM Series exceed expectations in every way

Exquisitely True to Nature

Whether used in a multi-channel set-up or in stereo listening applications, the Synchrony series represents PSB’s signature, True to Nature acoustics, marked by superb tonal accuracy, thrilling dynamics, impactful bass, transparent midrange, pinpoint imaging, and exquisite detail. Each speaker is scientifically measured, tested and fine-tuned by a team of highly regarded acoustic specialists under the direction of PSB Founder and Chief Acoustic Designer, Paul Barton. Design and built with 50 years of experience, the Synchrony series is the clearest expression of PSB’s design philosophy to date.

 

Key Features of the Synchrony Series

  • Woven carbon fibre cones (woofers), cast aluminum baskets, mass-loaded rubber surrounds, and advanced motor structures
  • 1 x 1″ (25mm) titanium dome tweeters with Ferrofluid damping and neodymium magnet
  • Amplitude-perfect Linkwitz-Riley 4th-order acoustic crossover with high-voltage poly film capacitors and oxygen-free interconnect wire*
  • Five-way transitional array design*
  • Low-resonance MDF cabinet with extensive bracing and decoupled aluminum-clad front baffle
  • Individually tuned chambers with rear-firing ports for each woofer
  • Outrigger stabilizers with integrated IsoAcoustics GAIA II isolators*
  • Satin Walnut Veneer and High Gloss Piano Black finish options, with acoustically transparent magnetically attached grilles

*T600 & T800 only

Creative launches Sound Blaster X1

Creative Technology today launches Sound Blaster X1, the ultimate USB DAC and headphone amplifier which offers the heralded Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine technology, together with the multiple award-winning Super X-Fi Headphone Holography first seen in the iconic SXFI AMP. As small as a finger, it serves up a huge treat of multi-channel, high-resolution and immersive audio, with authentic reproductions down to the last detail, powered by a high-end 128dB AKM4377 32-bit DAC and Ti/Burr-Brown INA1620 dual audio operational amplifier.

Sound Blaster X1 is best used with PC and Mac, and with the Creative desktop app, users gain access to the Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine, where they can tap on the full suite of sound processing technologies to enhance their experiences for both work and play.

With Sound Blaster Surround Virtualization, users get to enjoy a phenomenal mesh of depth and range in audio immersion across movies, music and games. CrystalVoice technology caters for a host of smart adjustments during conference calls with features like SmartVolume and Acoustic Echo Cancellation; there is also SmartComms Kit which helps to reduce background noise effectively and auto-mute users when they are not speaking. There are professionally-tuned audio and game presets to further please gamers; Scout Mode detects subtle audio cues and makes them obvious to keep gamers one step ahead of their competitors all the time.

Users also get to enjoy Super X-Fi headphone holography, an acknowledged game changer which redefines headphone listening by recreating the soundstage of a premium multi-speaker system for an expansive experience. Furthermore, ear-mapping via the SXFI app tailors to users’ ears and helps them immerse in all their audio, especially movies and games, in the most natural way.

Sound Blaster X1 is quite simply a compelling audio solution that is impossible to ignore for discerning users.

Pricing and Availability

Sound Blaster X1 is priced at £ 64.99 and is available at the Creative online store.

For more information on Sound Blaster X1, visit creative.com/SoundblasterX1.

Sennheiser announces the RS 120-W

Sennheiser’s TV Listening portfolio is being enhanced with a powerful addition. The RS 120-W wireless on-ear headphones offer no less than three different sound modes for a customised listening experience, working with advanced LE audio transmission for crystal-clear and undistorted sound powered by Bluetooth. In combination with the usual long-lasting battery life and an improved design for optimal comfort while wearing, the new Sennheiser headphones serve as the ideal foundation for binge-worthy TV sessions.

​”High-quality sound and an engaging televisual experience are essential for the Sennheiser brand,” said Irene Strüber, Sennheiser Product Manager TV Listening. “The new RS 120-W is designed to make the sound experience even more individual and versatile. Users can tailor their sound settings according to their preferences, whether they like more bass or speech clarity. A pair of headphones should not be limited to one type of entertainment. That’s exactly the philosophy we’re putting into practice with the RS 120-W.”

Designed for high-quality entertainment
​Depending on the preferred type of entertainment, users can choose between ‘Speech’, ‘Music’ and ‘Neutral’ sound modes to adjust the soundscape to their respective requirements. To ensure a detailed, balanced, and undistorted sound, the RS 120-W uses advanced LE audio, which enables audio streaming via Bluetooth® Low Energy transmission technology. LE audio includes a new high-quality LC3 audio codec. This technology not only convinces listeners through its delivery of crystal-clear audio, but also offers a very low latency, which guarantees immersive entertainment sessions.
​
​Meanwhile, the enhanced design of the RS 120-W makes controls even more intuitive. For example, users can now adjust the volume independently of the TV by using the control on the headphones’ ear cup. The comfortable on-ear design with light ear pads and a soft headband pressure contributes to the RS 120-W’s all-day wearing comfort, making it ideal for extended periods of TV viewing.
​
​Enjoying the sound of Sennheiser together
​With a battery life up to 20 hours and wireless transmission in a range of 60 meters, the RS 120-W also provides the technical foundation for unlimited entertainment sessions. As usual, the transmitter included in the scope of delivery serves as a charging station and transmission centre in one. Meanwhile, the new ‘Broadcast Mode’ feature can pair the transmitter with multiple sets of headphones, so that the breath taking sound can be enjoyed by several people at the same time. Those who like it loud can increase the volume up to 100 dB, without having a negative impact on their surroundings.
​
​Pricing and availability
​The Sennheiser RS 120-W will be available for pre order on 16th August and will go on sale on 30th August with an RRP of £119.99 / €129.90.

JBL Reflect Aero earbuds – First Look

Next in from JBL is their latest earbuds but stay tuned for more from JBL and if you are a JBL fan check out our last review which for me is in my top 5 earbuds of the year so far which is the JBL Live Pro Plus so it will be interesting to see how these sound and I look forward to testing these on my holidays. A full review of course hands on and a look at the app to come.

The JBL Reflect Aero earbuds deliver sound that fits you with the perfect fit for every lifestyle – whether you’re out and about or hitting the gym. JBL Reflect Aero earbuds are engineered to keep listeners motivated with 6.8mm dynamic drivers delivering the perfect playlist. Featuring an adjustable POWERFIN ear tip design, a secure fit and comfort is guaranteed – even in the most intense workouts. A partner you can rely on, with IP68 dustproof and extreme waterproof rating, your performance is never compromised, even in salt water.

For sound without bounds, True Adaptive Noise Cancelling blocks out background noise for zero distractions, while Smart Ambient technology keeps you aware of surroundings. Pop them open and pair – you’re instantly connected for calls, music and more. With Dual Connect, you’re good with one earbud or both, plus 24 hours of playback so you can get more out of your day. Listen your way with the JBL Headphones App and customise the ANC and earbuds to suit your needs and personalise your workout with ‘Check my Fit’.

Connect with your surroundings using the hands free voice control with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant or pick up from where you left off with ‘Find my Buds’. Built to last but with little impact on the planet, the JBL Reflect Aero features a much smaller charging case and uses 54% less plastic compared to its sports TWS predecessor. The JBL Reflect Aero also come in JBL’s latest eco-friendly packaging and are available in blue, black, mint and white.

Any questions you know the drill. We answer them all. Stay tuned for the full review soon.

BUY

Unboxing

 

Irish Tech Firm Xtremepush Wins ‘Online Initiative of The Year’ for “Outstanding progress in the fight against phishing” At Europe FinTech Awards 2022

Irish tech firm Xtremepush has won Online Initiative of the Year at the Europe FinTech Awards, 2022, for the work they did with one of Ireland’s biggest financial institutions to reduce online fraud.

CELEBRATING EUROPE’S FINEST FINTECHS

Irish tech firm Xt

remepush has won Online Initiative of the Year at the Europe FinTech Awards, 2022, for the work they did with one of Ireland’s biggest financial institutions to reduce online fraud.

The Europe FinTech Awards 2022 in association with ID-Pal is the benchmark by which financial services modernisation and technological progress in the world’s premier financial services centres are judged by an independent panel of experts.

“Outstanding progress in the fight against phishing”

The independent panel of judges voted Xtremepush “The winner of Online Initiative of the Year because they presented an excellent solution to a very real problem, utilising its technology to achieve a significant reduction in fraudulent activity. This initiative also demonstrates the solution’s ability to scale up in the future. Outstanding progress in the fight against phishing.”

Commenting on the award CTO Dr Kevin Collins said “We are delighted with this significant win. Phishing scams and identity fraud increased by 184% in 2021, costing the Irish economy €1 billion every year, so our objective was to quickly put in place a failsafe that would make it significantly harder for fraudsters to gain access to customer bank accounts. Based on research, €8,000 is defrauded for every 1,000 people in Ireland. Our innovation led directly to a circa 50% reduction in phishing attempts as part of a wider strategy to reduce fraud.”

He added “Our innovation allowed the bank to provide customers with a secure notification and reliable verification alerting solution that didn’t require adding any complexity or multi-stage processes to their banking experience. The result is a robust level of protection from fraud and cyber-criminals.”

Working with the financial institution, Xtremepush developed a revised verification process to reinforce the existing anti-fraud measures. The company developed and deployed a solution within six weeks to significantly reduce fraudulent activity.

Dr Kevin Collins added “We needed to utilise the existing technology and deliver an effective response to the issue of fraud that wouldn’t significantly impact the user experience for the bank’s 2 million customers.”

The solution allowed the bank’s customers to confirm the validity of device registration and add new account payees by leveraging a multi-channel communication strategy. This allowed the customer to either confirm or reject the request and alert the bank to take steps to re-secure their account if this was required.

Xtremepush faced several challenges: the solution needed to work the first time, said Collins. “Because we were taking direct action against fraudsters and cyber-criminals, a miscalculation on our part would have allowed them to find a way around the solution”

Secondly, the company needed to work fast: comments Xtremepush CEO Tommy Kearns “We were approached by our client at the end of 2021 with an urgent request to help combat fraud. We needed to respond quickly and decisively with a solution that could be rolled out with minimal disruption alongside other anti-fraud measures the bank was deploying.” He added, “we had to work within the existing infrastructure and compliance requirements of our client to avoid any disruption to banking services via the mobile app and to ensure we were fully compliant with guidelines and regulations. And of course, any solution we proposed had to operate within established security standards of the bank as well as GDPR and other data protection legislation.”

Xtremepush goes global

Xtremepush will more than double its workforce here in support of the global roll-out of its award-winning enterprise customer intelligence platform and recently announced it has created fifty new roles this year, with plans to add another 120 in the next three years, and a new purpose-built Dublin HQ in Clarendon Street, Dublin 2.

“We are already becoming a global category leader, working with leading enterprise clients from offices in Ireland, the United Kingdom, North America and Eastern Europe. Our new Dublin flagship headquarters, in this prime location, is a marker of further growth acceleration” said CEO Tommy Kearns.

Reflecting this push into the US market, the company has recently invested in a new office in downtown Manhattan in New York to meet that ambition and support the firm’s accelerated growth in North America, where they recently won Marketing & Services Provider of the Year at the SBC North America 2022 Awards.

The SBC Awards recognize the achievements of operators, affiliates and suppliers from all the major disciplines including payments, marketing, platform providers and data. The 2022 SBC Awards North America also celebrate the companies surviving and thriving 2022 through these unprecedented times.

About Xtremepush

Founded in 2014 in Ranelagh in Dublin, by CEO Tommy Kearns and Dr Kevin Collins, its Chief Technical Officer, Xtremepush has been placed in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards for three consecutive years.

Xtremepush works with a global portfolio of clients across several key verticals including banking & financial services, eCommerce, sports betting & gaming, travel & transport and publishing & media. The company owns its technology, end-to-end, supporting a single customer view, with ‘one platform’ serving all marketing needs.

Deep data & real time capabilities make Xtremepush a go-to multichannel marketing hub for enterprise brands. It enables businesses to acquire new customers and communicate with existing customers through automated, real-time and personalised messaging.

Clients include leading Irish financial institutions, McDonald’s, INM Plc, RTÉ, Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), Big Bus Tours, Wowcher, LiveScore, Oddschecker, Paddy Power Betfair and more. Xtremepush is an employer in Ireland, the UK, the US, Ukraine, Lithuania, Turkey, Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania.

Rethink Ireland award €530,000 to 28 Social Enterprises across the country

Rethink Ireland has announced the 8 Awardees of its Social Enterprise Development Fund and 20 Awardees of its Social Enterprise Start-Up Fund at a lunch event at Airfield Estate, Dublin. These Funds aim to support and develop social enterprises across Ireland who work primarily to improve the lives of people and communities.

The Social Enterprise Development Fund (2018 – 2023) is a €4.4 million Fund created by Rethink Ireland in partnership with Local Authorities Ireland and funded by IPB Insurance and the Department of Rural and Community Development through the Dormant Accounts Fund that aims to discover and enhance social enterprises that are already creating a social and economic impact on their communities.

To date the Social Enterprise Development Fund has helped over 500 people gain employment through 112 social enterprises and has mobilised over 16,507 volunteers.

The Social Enterprise Start-Up Fund, now in its second year, is an €800,000 Fund developed by Rethink Ireland in partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund. The Fund aims to support social enterprises at the startup and early stage of existence, with organisations from 10 counties throughout Ireland recognised as Awardees.

 Awardees include:

  • An Mheitheal Rothar: An Mheithal Rothar focuses on providing bicycles to those who do not have access to cycling, particularly those who are unable to participate in the Bike to Work program, while also creating an impact on the areas of employment and sustainability. Their one-of-a-kind approach combines recycling and waste reduction with delivering affordable bikes, as well as personalised information sharing and problem solutions for each user.
  • Carrickmacross Toy Library: Carrickmacross Toy Library tackles the problem of toy waste by offering a toy lending service to their local area, and offering an affordable and sustainable service to families.
  • Common Ground: Common Ground Community-Led Housing has been working in response to the housing crisis in Ireland since 2018. The project offers a win-win solution for State bodies, households and the wider community for developing a new housing sector for our country. Their replicable and internationally proven model makes housing more attainable, community-focused and sustainable, for the benefit of everyone. They offer a viable proposal for a pilot scheme in North County Wicklow which aims to be the first of its kind in Ireland and to offer a template for other groups around the country to help achieve a similar goal.

Richard Gavin, Assistant Principal at Department of Rural and Community Development stated: “Recipients of this funding and support are playing a key role in developing communities nationwide and I want to extend my congratulations to all Awardees. With their commitment and dedicated work, these enterprises are making a true social and economic impact on their local communities, while also tackling key social issues that we face today. They are inspirations for the next generation of social enterprises and we look forward to continuing to support them as they progress and develop further.”

CEO of Rethink Ireland, Deirdre Mortell commented on the Awardee announcement stating: “This year Rethink Ireland published our 6 Year Impact Report, detailing the level of progress that has been made towards developing a more sustainable and fairer Ireland by supporting social enterprises.  I’m delighted to announce that Rethink Ireland is awarding additional support and funding to 28 social enterprises who are on their journey to creating a lasting positive impact on communities across the country.

“Social enterprises are part of the social fabric  of our communities as they play a key role in developing solutions to the biggest challenges we face on a daily basis. From a toy library that offers rental toys to families to reduce waste, to a therapeutic adventure group focused on tackling youth mental health difficulties, or a heart-warming community centre that is integrating and including immigrants and refugees into Irish society through support and learning opportunities, social enterprises show a deep level of care for everyone in a community across Ireland. We are so thankful to our supporting partners and are delighted to have the opportunity to support these wonderful organisations.”

IPB Insurance Chief Executive Michael Garvey said: “Working alongside our local authority Members, our collaboration with Rethink Ireland and the Department has proven hugely successful in attracting and supporting social enterprises that are making a real difference in addressing social needs in their communities. The social enterprise sector in Ireland is going from strength to strength and is playing an increasing role in strengthening the sustainability and resilience of communities across the country. It is important that social enterprises continue to be nurtured by recognising the importance of the sector and providing assistance through financial and business supports.”

Michael Nicholson, Deputy Chief Executive of Local Authority Wicklow County Council said: ‘We would like to extend our congratulations to each Awardee on their success in receiving a Social Enterprise Fund Award from Rethink Ireland. Coming out of an extremely challenging period for Irish society, we’re delighted with this good news story for Wicklow. Social enterprises have an important role to play in guiding Ireland to become a more inclusive and equal society. Organisations like Common Ground and Rise at the Cove are leading the charge by not only creating jobs but working towards bringing about positive social change.“

For more information on each Awardee please visit https://rethinkireland.ie/our-funds/social-enterprise/

Social Enterprise Development Fund

The Social Enterprise Development Fund is a €4.4 million Fund being delivered from 2018 – 2023 and has been developed by Rethink Ireland in partnership with IPB Insurance and the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund. The Fund aims to find and support social enterprises that add to the social and economic fabric of their community by way of social impact. Since the Fund began in 2018, it has supported social enterprises in each county of Ireland and has helped to enable 500 people to access employment and to mobilise 16,507 volunteers.

Awardees are:

Name County
Common Knowledge Clare
Together Razem Centre Cork
No Barriers Foundation Donegal
Books at One Dublin
KASI Kerry
Way 2 Work Dublin
An Mheitheal Rothar Galway
Generation: You Employed Meath

Social Enterprise Start up Fund

The Social Enterprise Start-up Fund is an €800,000 Fund to be delivered over two years: 2021 – 2022 and has been created by Rethink Ireland in partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund. The Fund seeks to support social enterprises at the startup / early stage of their life cycle and will support them to embed strong business principles and, in turn, deliver social impact, create jobs and inspire emerging, next generation Irish social enterprises.

Awardees are:

Name County
Clare Community Energy Agency Clare
KindFolk Cork
Saoirse Ethnic Hands on Deck Cork
The Dialogue Code Cork
Trauma Responsive Education Cork
Pocket Forests Dublin
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality Dublin
The Bike Hub Dublin
The Good Summit Dublin
The Sustainable Life School Dublin
Community Retrofits Ireland Galway
New Wave Wild Project Kerry
Gorm Media Limerick
Health Hub Limerick
Carrickmacross Toy Library Monaghan
Open Food Network Monaghan
Cycle Up Roscommon
Common Ground Community-Led Housing Wicklow
Rise at the Cove Wicklow

An Average of $189K Was Lost Daily to Crypto Scams and Hacks Since the Beginning of the Year

The crypto scam epidemic has worsened recently, costing investors billions of dollars. According to a BanklessTimes.com analysis, as of August  2022, crypto scams had lost roughly $42B. That translates into a daily loss of an average of $189K a day.

“While there are many legitimate players in the cryptocurrency space, there are also many scammers looking to take advantage of unsuspecting victims,” says BanklesTimes CEO Jonathan Merry. He adds, “These incidences will continue growing as the crypto asset market becomes increasingly popular. This alarming trend results from scammers taking advantage of unwitting investors looking to make a quick buck or oblivious to the threats lurking in the space.”

Leading Forms of Crypto Scams

Crypto scams come in all shapes and sizes, but the most common ones in 2022 are exit scams and exploits. Exit scams are when a company suddenly disappears with its investors’ money, while exploits are when hackers take advantage of security vulnerabilities to steal people’s cryptocurrency.

This year’s largest heist was the Terra Classic Bank Run, which netted scammers $40B. The Ronin and Wormhole exploits are the other significant crypto scams that have happened this year. Scammers made away with crypto worth $625K and $326K from the projects.

Other common crypto scams include phishing attacks, Ponzi schemes, and fake crypto exchanges. Phishing attacks are where scammers try to steal people’s passwords and personal information by sending them fake emails or texts.

Protecting Yourself From Crypto Scams and Hacks

These scams have one thing in common: They’re designed to exploit people’s trust and greed. So if you’re considering investing in crypto, be sure to do your research first and always be aware of the risks involved.

Additionally, be vigilant when checking emails and texts. Make sure that the senders are who they say they are. Don’t click on any links or attachments unless you’re sure they’re safe.

Also, use strong passwords and two-factor authentication whenever possible. Moreover, Be careful if someone is trying to sell you a “hot” coin or investment opportunity. Finally, be careful when trading on crypto exchanges – only use trusted exchanges with good reviews online. Full story and statistics can be found here: An Average of $189K Was Lost Daily to Crypto Scams and Hacks Since the Beginning of the Year

 

Guidelines For The Perfect eCommerce Hero Image

If you visit a new website today, chances are that among the many metrics that you might use to judge it, visual appeal is one of them. It will not even take you more than 0.05 seconds before you have formed an opinion.

This means that as a website owner or even a web developer, you need to ensure that the hero image of your website – this is the first image people see when they visit your website – is perfectly designed to avoid losing website visitors.

The perfect eCommerce hero image plays a crucial role in creating a good impression on your customers. You should use this image to show your brand identity, the theme of your business, and what your business deals with.

But how do you create the perfect eCommerce hero image? What are some important tips for you to follow?

Be Effective With Image Color

As an eCommerce business, you have selected a color or a number of them in the process of building a brand for your business. This is the color that your eCommerce website visitors will use when judging your brand.

This means that when creating a hero image for the eCommerce site, you need to make sure that the image reflects the colors of your brand. For instance, if your brand color is blue, you do not need to have yellow hero images. You can, however, mix the colors.

However, you can also use color to create an emotional appeal or create a certain character using your hero image. When doing that, consider mixing colors with your brand color. For example, you can use red to create passionate emotions.

Clarity is Very Important

One of the main reasons for including a hero image on your eCommerce website is to ensure that your site visitors will immediately understand what the image stands for. It is also supposed to let them (the site visitors) understand what you do.

This brings us to clarity. You need to ensure that your hero image is clear and easy to understand. A site visitor should not start reading other things to find out more about your site because of a poor hero image.

In addition, if you have more than one image, it is recommended to stick to a single idea for every image. For instance, if your hero image shows one of your products, then the focus should be on that particular image.

Consistency is Key

Imagine visiting an eCommerce website that deals with football merchandise to buy a jersey from your favorite club. However, the first image you see shows a person playing basketball. Chances are that you will think that you are on the wrong site and look for another one.

This means that it is important for you as an eCommerce site owner to ensure that your hero image is related to what your business deals with. It should relate to the site content and the product images on your site.

In addition, ensure that there is consistency between the hero image and the other images on the site. If you deal with football merchandise, then ensure that by looking at the hero image, a site visitor will see that you deal with football merchandise.

Collages Make Great Hero Images

Did you know that you can use image collages as your hero image on your eCommerce website? Well, most eCommerce websites deal with multiple products. For instance, taking the example of football merchandise above, you might be dealing with jerseys, socks, shoes, and balls, among others.

So, what do you do when you want to create a single hero image that shows more than one image of the products that you deal with? One of the best ways is to use a free collage maker to create collages for your product images.

When doing that, it is important to observe all the other tips discussed in this article. For instance, ensure that the image colors reflect the same colors of your brand. In addition, they should be clear and easy on the eyes of your site visitors.

Add Text to Hero Images

If you follow all the tips discussed in this article, you might not need to add text to your hero images. This is because the perfect eCommerce hero image is enough to persuade your site visitors to do business with you.

That notwithstanding, adding text to hero images can also be used to highlight your brand and its message. However, you need to be careful when using text on hero images to ensure that the text serves the purpose it is supposed to serve.

If you follow these tips, you will create a great eCommerce hero image that converts and persuades site visitors to engage with you.

Laying the Foundations for a Cyber Resilient Future – Jason Ward, Vice President and Managing Director, Dell Technologies Ireland

With citizens, governments, and businesses more dependent than ever on digital connectivity, one of the most pressing sectoral issues for this decade is cybersecurity.

While this issue has been in the public consciousness for some time now, there is still a wide perception gap in Ireland between business leaders who consider cyber security a priority, and the lack of implementation of security strategies within their own organisations[1].

The reality is that cybercrime is showing no signs of slowing down, posing risks across all aspects of society. In 2021, ransomware attacks were up 150% and more than 80% of experts say this growth is now threatening public safety[2]. Here in Ireland, the Garda National Cybercrime Bureau has seen a significant increase in the number of ransomware attacks in 2021[3]. These statistics demonstrate the gravity and prevalence of cybercrime today. The question is, as we focus on global recovery, and a new era of economic growth, how do we protect against cyber threats?

In order to deliver on globally ambitious designs of digital inclusion, sustainability, improved health outcomes, defence, and much more for the economies of tomorrow; cyber resiliency is a key building block and enabler.

The adverse financial impacts involved with cybercrime are seismic, and unsustainable for economies to absorb long-term. It’s no secret that advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and IoT are the key building blocks for future progress, but perhaps ironically, it’s these same technologies that can present new opportunities for cyber criminals.

The ultimate challenge will be securing such technologies and enabling more resilient, long-term solutions to the threats posed by cyber criminals. To make this vision a reality, the need for collaboration and support between the public and private sectors has never been more vital.

SME Cyber support vital for wider economy

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of local economies. Yet they increasingly find themselves the target of cyberattacks. Almost one in three small and medium firms in Ireland say they have experienced some form of cybercrime in the past year, according to an EU survey. Irish SMEs recorded above-average levels of incidents with ransomware compared to other EU countries[4].

It is essential that we work to support and protect such businesses, particularly as we look to build more resilient, balanced societies. SMEs, unlike other businesses, often require and are entitled to greater government support and nurture. Governments that recognise SMEs as integral to a truly flourishing society will empower and deliver the most economic progress. Helping these smaller organisations protect themselves against the ever-growing cybersecurity threat must be a priority for public sector recovery strategists, in the months and years ahead.

The convergence of proactive and reactive digital resilience strategy is now imperative across organisations, businesses, and industries – cybersecurity defences alone are no longer enough. Organisations need to integrate resilience into all areas of their businesses’ digital transformation planning and operations[5]. This will be a key focus of the Dell Technologies Forum, which we will be hosting at the Convention Centre on September 27th.

Public to Private Sector Empowerment

It is now more important than ever that public sector infrastructure empowers business resilience to help identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover from a cyberattack and enable a rapid return to fully functioning operations. Even with strong cyber defences in place, it’s impossible for companies to avoid all cyber disasters and their resultant, adverse impacts on data, privacy, and trust. Therefore, the key objective should be developing a cyber resilience strategy that can anticipate and quickly recover from significant disruption.

One essential component of such resilience is to create and implement thorough cybersecurity training exercises amongst workforces. This not only prepares employees to identify security risks and lures, but also heightens awareness and reinforces the need for teamwork, skills, and collaboration across the whole organisation.

From the development of a baseline security standard to be applied by all Government Departments and key agencies through to the creation of a Public Sector IT Security Forum to facilitate information sharing and support the deployment of the baseline security standard, it’s positive to see Government prioritise a top-down and unified approach to cyber security within our public services.

However, given the fast pace of digital transformation and the ever-evolving nature of cyber threats, there is a need to ensure even closer links between Government and industry so that Irish businesses and the public sector remain one step ahead of any cyber threats before they emerge.

As innovation transforms our economy, helping it to meet pressing challenges in areas ranging from education to justice to health, so too should our cyber resilience strategies be evolving to ensure the continuity of these vital services.

By adopting a proactive, collaborative and unified approach to cyber resilience, we can turbocharge our long-term economic prosperity and innovation, creating a more agile and resilient infrastructure that provides the digital defences crucial to modern Ireland’s recovery.

 To register for the Dell Technologies Forum on September 27th at the Convention Centre, visit: https://events.dell.com/event/14f9f60b-bbb9-4e58-bbef-ab6206452026/summary

[1] https://www.delltechnologies.com/asset/en-ie/products/data-protection/briefs-summaries/cyber-resilience-survey-ireland-2022.pdf

[2] https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-cybersecurity-outlook-2022/

[3] https://www.garda.ie/en/crime/cyber-crime/increase-in-the-number-of-ransomware-attacks-in-2021.html

[4] https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2280

[5] https://www.echosec.net/blog/data-breach-detection#:~:text=The%20length%20of%20a%20data,vulnerable%20for%20over%209%20months