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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.
In today’s technology-driven world, OnePlus understands the power of technology to encourage deep and meaningful connections. For this reason, the leading smartphone maker is unveiling its astonishing creation, the OnePlus Phone Piano.
YouTube sensation Karim Kamar will be tinkling the ivories on the Riverbank by Tate Modern to kick off a European tour. Will his Christmas song be a classical No.1?
Designed to help people connect with what really matters – each other – through music, the OnePlus Phone Piano features keys made with 17 OnePlus 7T Pro handsets arranged in a line, creating a seamless and smooth keyboard.
The OnePlus Phone Piano takes full advantage of the OnePlus 7T Pro’s notchless and class-leading 90 Hz Fluid Display, as well as its superior performance, to deliver a truly realistic piano experience.
Using music to connect people with each other, the OnePlus Phone Piano will be visiting four cities as it travels across Europe. Gifted pianist Karim will be on hand to bring songs to life in the smoothest way and help set the mood.
The public will be encouraged to participate by visiting the locations listed below and trying the piano for themselves. They can also request a song dedicated to a special someone to be played by Karim on the day.
The OnePlus Phone Piano will be visiting the following cities:
Sunday, November 10 from 12pm: Riverbank outside Tate Modern, London
Tuesday, November 12 from 10am: Champs du Mars, Paris
Thursday, November 14 from 12pm: Herrngasse 1, 91541 Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
Saturday, November 16 1pm: Central Station, Helsinki, Finland
Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the global interconnection and data centre company, today published the findings of an independent survey exploring the views of senior enterprise IT professionals in Ireland on the future of the Channel industry.
The results show cloud is now the number one driver of Channel engagement in Ireland, with almost half (45%) of the 103 IT decision-makers surveyed using the Channel to access cloud-based services. With Gartner highlighting that by 2025, 80% of enterprises will migrate entirely away from on-premises infrastructure to colocation and the cloud[1], these findings suggest companies are utilising the Channel to reduce the complexity of such a critical infrastructure upheaval.
Along with the shift driven by cloud, the study highlighted other areas where services traditionally managed in-house are beginning to move to the Channel. Security management – an area that enterprises have previously been reluctant to outsource – was the second highest-ranked service for which Channel partners are being utilised, named by 35% of Irish respondents. More than one-third of decision-makers (34%) in Ireland are using Channel partners to access interconnection, making it the third-highest priority service – an ongoing trend that is reflected in the growth of Equinix’s own Channel Partner Programme.
Enterprise IT decision-makers were also asked why they choose or might consider working with Channel partners. Cost was the number one priority, with over half (59%) of Irish respondents stating they choose to work with Channel partners because it’s more cost-effective than other routes to market. Convenience came in second (51% of respondents), while gaining access to a better breadth of services was cited by 38% of those surveyed.
Kevin O’Connor, Channel Manager for Ireland, Equinix
Highlights/Key Facts
On average, enterprise IT decision-makers across Europe spend just under a quarter (24%) of their budget with the Channel. In Ireland, IT decision-makers spend on average 20% of their IT budget via partners.
The average number of Channel partners engaged per enterprise across EMEA is nine, although this varies significantly by country. France and Germany are both above average with 12 and 11 Channel partners per enterprise, respectively, while the UK (7) and Finland (6) are the countries where companies work with the fewest Channel partners on average. Meanwhile, over half (52%) of IT decision-makers in Ireland work with more than four channel partners.
The multi-partner use cited by respondents shows a need for vendor-agnostic platforms that enable businesses to address IT challenges in today’s digital economy. Equinix’s Channel Partner Programme is based on joint value propositions developed together with partners. Resulting solutions utilise the technologies of multiple vendors and the unique skills of the partner to comprehensively meet customer requirements. This collaboration is critical for success as the Channel industry shifts in line with new enterprise needs. This is particularly noteworthy given the findings in Equinix’s third annual Global Interconnection Index (GXI Vol.3), a market report which this year shows that interconnecting to multiple providers across multiple edge locations is the most prominent use case for interconnection bandwidth and is expected to grow 4x by 2022.
Nearly 4 in 10 (38%) respondents across EMEA highlighted that Channel partners have room to improve in providing seamless solutions that are easy to implement without disruption to enterprises. This need is only going to continue to grow with the expansion and complexity of enterprise infrastructure. The GXI Vol.3 shows that to manage increasing volumes of data, enterprises are on average deploying in 9 locations, with a total of 340 interconnections to networks clouds and business partners.
More than a third (37%) of Irish IT decision-makers believe their Channel partners are currently missing a support structure that helps develop knowledge of the product/service. Furthermore, 32% expressed a desire for a clearer sales process.
When asked about what will differentiate Channel partners and lead enterprises to work with them, quality of service was universally named the most important differentiator by all of the 8 surveyed markets, with 52% of responses overall. Demonstrating an understanding of the customer’s business was the next most important (33% of respondents).
85% of IT decision-makers in Ireland consider interconnection to be important to their business and 34% of those surveyed agree that Channel partnerships drive innovation for their organisation.
“The move to the cloud has been incredibly exciting to see. By 2021, European spend on cloud will hit £100 billion. Enterprises must make critical decisions on IT infrastructure as they adopt cloud services or fail to compete in the digital economy. The speed of demand and consumption of cloud services is both a huge opportunity and a threat for many resellers. Channel players have to be ready to support this, and for many that means making significant changes, from accelerating the development of consulting and ‘cloud-complementing’ services to adapting to a monthly billing system or changing compensation plans to match new purchasing patterns.”
Kevin O’Connor, channel manager Ireland, Equinix:
“Analyst firm IDC has stated that at least 30% of Channel industry players will not exist in the format we know them today by 2021. As the findings of this study suggest, many of these changes will be driven by cloud, and it will be the Channel players that are agile and respond to these changes, that will survive and thrive.It’s vital they provide cost-effective, convenient and varied services to help Irish organizations interconnect and innovate.”
Gordon McArthur, CEO, Beeks:
“As enterprises continue to move to the cloud, shifting their IT infrastructures in line with new digital demands, Channel players are joining forces with other partners and vendors to be able to offer a complete solution to this development. Collaborating in this way allows us to create unique and flexible services that cater to the needs of the modern digital business. The Equinix Channel Partner Program has enabled us to create these tailored end-to-end solutions, developing joint offerings which allow us to bid for new business.”
“Our Channel Partner Program is one of our main assets and has grown steadily since its inception in 2015. We are constantly looking at ways to expand the program further because we see it as a key way to serve the increasing interconnection needs of the enterprise market. The fact that one-third of the enterprise leaders we surveyed named interconnection as a core reason for working with Channel partners, underlines why this has been such an important strategy for Equinix, and why our Channel Partner Program will continue to be a key area of focus for our business in 2020 and beyond.”
About the study
The independent study surveyed 836 IT decision-makers from enterprises across 8 EMEA countries (UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Finland, Turkey and the UAE). 103 IT decision-makers across Ireland-based enterprises were involved in the survey. Respondents were selected for participation from Dynata’s online panel. The survey was conducted online between 01 and 16 August 2019.
Pure Telecom today announces a deal worth up to €12M with Enet, Ireland’s largest open-access network operator. By leveraging a partnership that grants Enet access to SIRO’s infrastructure, Pure Telecom can offer high-speed broadband to 242,000 potential premises in regional towns across Ireland.
Delivering speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second, this deal will drive further competition in the broadband market by giving Pure Telecom access to additional locations equipped with 100% fibre-optic technology. In doing so, it will extend Pure Telecom’s ability to provide the fastest possible broadband speeds to more communities across Ireland.
Pictured announcing Pure Telecom’s 12M Enet deal to deliver ultra-fast SIRO broadband are: (L-R) David Eyre, Chief Commercial Officer, Enet; Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom; and Ronan Whelan, Chief Commercial Officer, SIRO.
Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “Demand for high-speed internet connections for consumers and businesses in rural and urban areas is at an all-time high. As a national service provider, we offer the best possible connection for every single customer in Ireland. This deal significantly increases the number of customers we can provide ultra-fast and reliable broadband to and gives customers a wider range of internet speeds that they can choose from for their specific needs.
“We are delighted to announce this deal with Enet, which has direct access to the SIRO network, through which we can extend the reach of our high-speed fibre broadband offering. It allows us to leverage the huge broadband investments made by Enet and SIRO and ensure that we can now deliver the fastest available internet connections to even more homes and businesses.”
David Eyre, Chief Commercial Officer, Enet, said: “We have made massive efforts to support retail service providers in the provision of superfast broadband to end users. Underpinning this, Enet has made a multi-million-euro investment in the development of an automated software platform that aggregates Enet’s own network as well as third party infrastructure. The new platform supports retail service providers in the provision of superfast broadband to end users, ensuring consumers have access to more choice, better reliability and faster broadband speeds.
“By gaining access to almost a quarter-of-a-million fibre-enabled premises, Pure Telecom can continue to deliver high-speed broadband to an increasing number of regional locations. We are delighted to be working alongside Pure Telecom to ensure our investments in cutting-edge technology benefit more people across the country.”
Ronan Whelan, Chief Commercial Officer, SIRO, said: “SIRO’s network delivers the most powerful full fibre broadband in Ireland. This latest agreement highlights how SIRO is driving competition in the broadband market and helping to reverse the digital divide in Ireland. Pure Telecom’s commitment to provide customers with the best connectivity, competitive pricing and better service through our wholesale network is great news for home and business customers.”
BT today unveiled Halo – the UK’s best converged plan, providing customers with ultra-reliable, ultrafast broadband at home, unlimited data and 5G on their mobile, and expert home service like they’ve never experienced, with BT’s new Home Tech Experts.
Customers signing up for Halo enjoy the best of BT, with a wide range of benefits available including:
In-home support from BT’s Home Tech Experts
The fastest speeds from BT at home and on the go, with Fibre and 5G
Complete Wi-Fi – the UK’s fastest Wi-Fi speeds guarantee
BT’s latest Smart Hub with Wi-fi Controls to help family’s manage screen time
BT’s Keep Connected Promise
Unlimited mobile, home phone and broadband calls and data
Dedicated UK & Ireland customer service teams
And BT’s price promise, with no end of contract price rises
Pete Oliver, Managing Director of Marketing BT said,“We’ve designed the ultimate converged plan to meet the needs of the modern family. Halo really is the best of BT – it offers unlimited, reliable 5G and fibre connectivity, and a host of other great features, including dedicated tech specialists who will come to customers’ homes, aimed at taking the stress away from our customers – and allowing them to spend more time on the things they love. A bonus for those of us who spend needless hours trying to get to grips with home tech issues and wrestling with the connectivity in our homes.”
Halo – the UK’s best customer service
BT’s new dedicated team of 900 Home Tech Experts can give customers a helpful hand to set everything up – perfect for the 7.3 million Brits who spend more than 70 hours (nearly 10 working days) annually trying to fix their home tech, allowing them to save time so they can get on with what matters the most to them.
Home Tech Experts offer friendly, expert support for customers at home – providing a stress-free set up for BT TV, broadband, home phone and mobile services, and help repairing any problems they may have. What’s more, Home Tech Experts will provide Halo customers with a free ‘Tech Health Check’ to make sure a customer is getting the best Wi-Fi connection in every room of their home
BT’s Home Tech Experts can be booked to come to a customer’s home, with 2-hour appointment slots, 7 days a week. They are trained on a wide range of issues, including helping vulnerable customers where access to technology is more important than ever.
Halo customers will also be supported by BT’s dedicated UK and Ireland customer service teams whenever they need to speak to someone on the phone. BT has accelerated its promise to answer all customer calls in the UK and Ireland, with 100% being answered in the UK and Ireland from January 2020, a year ahead of original schedule.
Halo – Ultra-reliable Ultrafast Broadband
As well as BT’s ultra-reliable ultrafast unlimited broadband, Halo customers can also make sure they’re getting the best connectivity in the home thanks to:
BT’s latest Smart Hub – the award-winning Smart Hub 2 provides the UK’s most powerful Wi-Fi, now with extra Wi-Fi controls so customers can manage the family’s screen time
Complete Wi-Fi – the UK’s fastest Wi-Fi speed guarantee. Providing customers a fast, reliable Wi-Fi signal in every room of their home. Poor wi-fi signals topped the list as the most common home connectivity issue (43 per cent) with one in 10 Brits experiencing problems daily.
A new and improved Keep Connected Promise. With Halo, if a customer has a problem with their broadband or move home – a 4G Mini Hub will be sent out to them straight away to keep them online – all included in the package
Halo customers also benefit from no out of contract price rises – so their bill won’t go up when their contract ends. And they’ll never pay more than a new customer for their service.
Halo – More from your Mobile and Home Phone
With Halo, customers can take out BT’s new ‘No Limits’ plan giving them unlimited data and calls on their mobile and home phone – so they can use them as much as they like without worrying about running out of data or running up unexpected bills. They can also choose to move to BT’s 5G service – giving a faster, more reliable mobile connection – even in the most crowded places.
All BT mobile customers within a Halo household will benefit from a double data boost.
Halo – Pricing and Availability
Halo is available from today to new customers from £57.99 per month. Existing BT customers will receive the best deals on Halo and can contact BT to discuss options.
Over one million existing BT Plus customers will automatically have their package upgraded to Halo for free, with the Keep Connected Promise, no out of contract price rises and double mobile data at no extra cost. Customers can upgrade for a small monthly fee to receive inclusive Home Tech Expert visits and the BT Smart Hub 2.
To find out more about Halo from BT, customers can visit www.BT.com/halo
A bit late to post this evening but important to watch out for and pass it on. These two SMS scams came in over the last two days on one of my phones and are important to note and coming up to the festive season we will probably see more of them,all the info you need to look out for is below.
The first one is a text labelled CENTRA but no other information is available on it but it will read they have tried to reach you to claim a prize and the prize is a Samsung Galaxy S10 of course this not true and Centra is not running such a competition. See below for the details.
My phone message
My phone message
Centra Irl Tweet
The second scam just has SMS on the title and it is the usual photo message,this leads you onto Google to win an iPhone of all things which made me laugh out loud Google giving away an iPhone of all things. Check the image below for a good laugh. Centra advise to report to comreg. Good luck with that.
Below we go onto the Google SMS. Centra have been pro-active about the scam but nothing from Google yet..
Source,my phone
Source – My Phone
Source – My phone
Enjoy the weekend folks.. Pass it on. We are now working on our Christmas Review season and watch out for cool tech products over the next few weeks to cater for all pockets.. We just don’t talk about tech, we review it both in video and images and we have drones, earphones, headphones, security cameras, projectors, escooters, accessories, dashcams and lots more including kickstarter tech.
DressCode, The Cambridge-based high-tech fashion start-up, today announced the launch of the world’s first smart shirt. The CashCuff enables contactless payments from the cuff – no wallet, phone or app required.
DressCode designs and sells beautifully tailored shirts, that reflect our digital, eco-caring and high-tech world. These designs now come with a unique bonus, the CashCuff, a contactless payment capability that is discretely embodied in the shirt cuff. A young company, DressCode’s design team was inspired by technology for the design of its shirts, and uses pixels, screen glitches, binary, cursors and other techie themes to create shirts that are truly unique.
“The love of tech had the team itching to create a ‘smart’ shirt,” explained DressCode CEO and founder, Andy Boothman. “We designed CashCuff for the fashion conscious high tech lover, it’s hidden away out of sight, but always there when you want it. This is chic geek. CashCuff is defining fashion-tech, a marriage of the simplicity of contactless payment with exquisite tailoring. Designed with slow-fashion and the environment in mind, DressCode shirts will withstand hundreds of washes making them eco-friendly and extremely good value.
“With a CashCuff shirt from DressCode, our customers have one less thing to worry about. They have money available on-demand, no wallet…no phone…no problem. It’s perfect for going about your daily routine safe in the knowledge that you have cash on hand whenever you need it.”
DressCode worked closely with DIGISEQ, a wearable enabler to realise the CashCuff concept, as well as MuchBetter, the payment application behind the CashCuff payment functionality.
“Our technology enables any brand to turn their product into a payment product,” said MuchBetter co-founder, Jens Bader “We make ordinary payments much more rewarding for users and, to date we’ve turned watches, keyfobs, shirts and even Lucozade drinks bottles into payment devices, to suit whatever use case our customers need. DressCode is a fascinating demonstration of our technology in action, and represents the perfect intersection of fashion and technology. There’s a reason more than 300,000 people use MuchBetter as their preferred payment service today, and that number is growing every day.”
DressCode is on a mission to update the suit and tie, recognising that today’s smart men demand simpler clothing that looks formal enough without a tie yet luxuriously comfortable to wear. DressCode customers are making a subtle statement with their clothing choices: less intrusive, with smart tech that feels natural when used.
FAQ’s
Where can I buy it? How much does a CashCuff shirt cost?
DressCode is online retailer, all products are exclusively available from www.dresscodeshirts.co.uk. A CashCuff shirt costs £135 delivered in the UK, it comes gift boxed complete with a matching pocket square.
What tech is involved?
The CashCuff uses NFC (near field communication) technology connected to a Mastercard prepaid card. Using the award winning MuchBetter® digital payment platform, users allocate funds to the shirt.
Can I switch it off?
Yes, via the MuchBetter platform, CashCuff can be switched off in seconds, rendering it completely useless. It can then be reactivated just as quickly, using MuchBetter.
What about washing and ironing the shirt?
In the same way you wouldn’t wash your credit card and expert that to keep working, the CashCuff is removable. We believe this creates a more convenient solution for our customers – allowing them move the chip from shirt to shirt.
Can I Iron it? Just as you would remove collar stays or cufflinks from your shirt to iron it, you remove your CashCuff chip to iron the shirt.
Is the CashCuff® a ‘wearable’?
The CashCuff could be described as passive wearable technology, in the form of smart clothing, using EMV waves from POS terminals for power generation. We prefer to describe the CashCuff as smart clothing, offering technology within the construction of the garment without the need for external devices or controls.
Security
Working with three globally recognized financial technology (fintech) companies ensures that CashCuff cannot be skimmed, should the customer loose the chip it can be deactivated in seconds, in the unlikely event that someone did manage to use your CashCuff without your knowledge, because it is a pre-pay system that you control, the financial exposure to you and your money is contained.
We have reviewed multiple tech bags here and one thing in common is they do serve their purpose but some look a bit plain and boring but this bag is different. It will stand out and it looks more expensive than one would think and Gaston Luga reached out to us to check one out of our choice and I picked something that looks really nice and fashionable and does the job but looks even better doing it and it would not pass for a tech bag a such but it is in one sense but can be used for multiple things asides just the tech user who likes to travel.
Gaston Luga backpacks are unique as they feature highly structured internal divisions and a clean, streamlined shape – typical Scandi design. They are also assembled from strong, resistant fabrics such as cotton canvas and metal buckles. In addition, their backpacks are made from vegan leather that maintain a high quality feel.
The company has a fantastic range of bags and priced well and something for everyone with a range of accessories to match. They have included unique details like a concealed passport pocket, address tags, subtle colors, metallic hardware, and metallic feet and combined them with elements of Scandinavian minimalism like smart storage and the use of long-lasting materials. In this way, they have created a collection of backpacks that are perfect for any occasion.
There is a MEN and WOMENS section to narrow things down you should check out what is on offer. Check out our video review below.
Need a job in IT or tech? Click the image below
We also have a discount code for our reader so ladies and gents shop away and tell your friends there is also free shipping and returns, what is there not to like. Check out the hash tag #anywherewithGL too on social media
Osteoporosis is a big problem in the UK and Ireland and further afield and this new piece of technology could change that which has been 35 years in the making.
Technology commissioned by NASA to help astronauts deal with bone loss while weightless in space is now set to help hundreds of thousands of people living on planet earth with the ‘silent disease’ of osteoporosis. Why ‘silent’? Because although over 3 million in the UK have osteoporosis, they can’t feel it or know they have it until they break a bone.
Osteoporosis is a big problem in the UK:
Over 500,000 people receive hospital treatment for fragility fractures each year as a result of osteoporosis
It affects around 3 million people aged 50+
It carries an economic burden with new and prior fractures costing the NHS £3,496 million each year
At this rate, by 2025 the burden will have increased by 24 % to £ 5,465 million
Of those affected:
86% are more likely to experience a fracture in the future
60% require assistance one year after a hip fracture
40% are unable to walk independently after a hip fracture
In the year after experiencing a hip fracture, risk for death increases by 33% in men and 20% in women, with this risk continuing to persist for 10 years
A broken hip has a higher risk of death (1 in 6) than breast cancer (1 in 9)
35 years in the making
The history of the Marodyne LiV device started 35 years ago when Professor Clinton Rubin from the Stony Brook State University of New York was commissioned by NASA to understand how mechanical signals can influence the musculoskeletal system. Astronauts’ bones don’t experience loads while they are weightless in space and this leads to the loss of bone mineral density, just as in osteoporosis. On average, an astronaut loses as much bone in space in one month as a perimenopausal woman does on earth in one year.
Professor Rubin and his research teams broke the code and found that low intensity vibrations that deliver a precise and targeted low-magnitude mechanical signal at a frequency of exactly 30 Hz per second will stimulate and regulate critical stem-cell processes to trigger the body to regenerate bone tissue. It took many years to perfect the technology and make it accessible to all in the form of the Marodyne LiV device.
How it works
Marodyne LiV is a low vibrating platform that looks like a set of bathroom scales. You simply stand on it for 10 minutes a day and allow the low intensity vibrations to stimulate your body’s cells to reform bone and muscle tissue. When you step onto the Marodyne platform, its ‘smart’ technology automatically adjusts to your weight, mass and movement to produce low acceleration, high frequency vibrations that send signals to re-activate the bone building cells in the body.
Recognised by the Royal Osteoporosis Society
“The Royal Osteoporosis Society is encouraged to see the results so far from the Marodyne LiV research and its potential as a safe and effective tool for the prevention of osteoporosis,” says Henry Mace, Head of Clinical Partnerships, Royal Osteoporosis Society. “We look forward to working with Marodyne LiV and will be watching with great interest to see the difference it makes to people living with the condition.”
Certified and safe
Marodyne LiV can be safely used alongside all prescription drugs currently available to treat osteoporosis and is set to change the way consumers and medics deal with the bone-thinning disease. Certified as a safe and effective tool to help people with osteopenia and osteoporosis it is supported by a number of clinical studies that show LiV can assist in the prevention of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and promote bone and muscle growth in younger osteoporotic women.
Pearl Abyss today released a free update to Black Deserton PlayStation 4 that adds the Striker and Tamer character classes. While Striker is perfect for those who favor melee combat, Tamer is an expert in powerful AoE strikes together with her divine beast companion. The content additionally features a new world boss, Karanda, known as the Queen of the Harpies, and a skill upgrade for experienced adventurers.
Striker: Trained by a martial-arts master, Striker became a close-quarters combat expert through countless years of gruelling training. Striker is highly skilled in hand-to-hand attacks, utilizing devastating punches and sweeping kicks to overwhelm his opponents.
Tamer: Hailing from the beast filled Haemo island, Tamer and her loyal divine beast companion Heilang fight side-by-side to defeat their foes. Together they deliver a series of powerful AoE strikes to their opponents while remaining mobile and evading counter-attacks.
World Boss
Karanda: The leader of the ferocious harpies, Karanda protects her species from foreign invaders by utilizing unparalleled speed and incredible strength. With the aid of her harpies, Karanda plans to invade Delphe Knights Castle. Adventurers brave enough to take on this formidable foe can find the Queen of the Harpies at Karanda Ridge.
New Skill
Rabam Skills: Upon reaching level 56, adventurers can use this new gameplay feature to combine two skills together into a more powerful ability.
Black Desert on PlayStation 4 is featured within the PlayStation Double Discount event, with 25% off all three game bundles and PS+ members receiving 50% off until November 22.
