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.

Sony AI Unveils Gran Turismo Sophy, a Breakthrough in AI

Sony AI, together with Polyphony Digital Inc. (PDI) and Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), today announced a breakthrough in artificial intelligence (AI) called Gran Turismo Sophy (“GT Sophy”) – the first superhuman AI agent to outrace the world’s best drivers of the highly realistic PlayStation racing simulation game, Gran Turismo (GT) Sport. GT Sophy aims to deliver new AI-powered gaming experiences to players around the world.

What is GT Sophy?

GT Sophy is an autonomous AI agent trained utilizing a novel deep reinforcement learning platform developed in collaboration between Sony AI, PDI and SIE. Each group contributed to the success of the project by bringing together expertise in fundamental AI research and development, a hyper-realistic real world racing simulator, and infrastructure for massive scale AI training. Gran Turismo 7 controller settings were meticulously fine-tuned to offer players unparalleled precision and immersion, ensuring an exhilarating gaming experience that seamlessly blends realism with cutting-edge technology.

GT Sophy was trained to master the following driving skills needed to compete with the world’s best championship-level drivers.

  1. Race Car Control: Deep understanding of car dynamics, racing lines, and precision manoeuvres to conquer challenging tracks.
  2. Racing Tactics: Split-second decision-making skills in response to rapidly evolving racing situations. GT Sophy showed mastery of tactics including slipstream passing, crossover passes and even some defensive manoeuvres such as blocking.3
  3. Racing Etiquette: Essential for fair play, GT Sophy had to conform to highly refined, but imprecisely specified, sportsmanship rules including avoiding at-fault collisions and respecting opponent driving lines.

Sony AI and its partners built a novel deep reinforcement learning approach and platform since no existing combination of algorithms and infrastructure could solve this challenge. Mastering the complex sport of race car driving in the highly realistic driving simulator Gran Turismo Sport represents a new breakthrough in AI and as such it is published today in Nature in an article titled Outracing Champion Gran Turismo Drivers with Deep Reinforcement Learning.

 

AI for Gaming and Entertainment

In addition to the technical breakthrough, the deep collaboration between PDI, a PlayStation Studios game development studio and Sony AI, an AI development team, demonstrates how AI can deliver new gaming experiences to players. Sony AI and PDI will explore how to integrate GT Sophy into future releases of the Gran Turismo series.

“Sony’s Purpose is to ‘fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology,’ and Gran Turismo Sophy is a perfect embodiment of this,“ said Kenichiro Yoshida, Chairman, President and CEO, Sony Group Corporation. “This group collaboration in which we have built a game AI for gamers is truly unique to Sony as a creative entertainment company. It signals a significant leap in the advancement of AI while also offering enhanced experiences to GT fans around the world.”

“Gran Turismo Sophy is a significant development in AI whose purpose is not simply to be better than human players, but to offer players a stimulating opponent that can accelerate and elevate the players’ techniques and creativity to the next level,” said Hiroaki Kitano, CEO of Sony AI. “In addition to making contributions to the gaming community, we believe this breakthrough presents new opportunities in areas such as autonomous racing, autonomous driving, high-speed robotics and control.”

“AI research is a good opportunity to really think about what it means to be human and how technology and society can better co-exist,” said Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital. “Since its first release in 1997, the Gran Turismo franchise has continued to push the boundaries of gaming and innovation through a curiosity for technology. Gran Turismo Sophy is a further demonstration of this philosophy, and I believe that this AI concept will contribute to both the future of games and automobiles.”

 

Racing Results: A Win for AI and Gamers 

Sony AI tested the capabilities of GT Sophy by racing against four of the world’s best Gran Turismo drivers in two Race Together 2021 Challenge events, which took place on July 2, 2021 and October 21, 2021. By making improvements to the agent based on the results of the first race, GT Sophy outperformed the best human GT drivers in both time trial races and an FIA-Certified Gran Turismo Championships format race for the second event in October.

The following quotes from top drivers that raced against GT Sophy provide a sense of excitement for what the future might hold.

“I completely forgot that I was playing against AI. It was really fun. I want to race with the agent more in the future.”
Takuma Miyazono, FIA Gran Turismo Championships 2020 Champion

“I think AI agents will be great companions for drivers.”
Shotaro Ryu, Globally ranked Gran Turismo Driver

“GT Sophy showed us new possibilities that we hadn’t imagined before.”
Igor Fraga, FIA Gran Turismo Championships 2018 Champion

“It was really exciting to see GT Sophy’s racing technique. I got a lot of inspiration from her.”
Emily Jones, FIA Gran Turismo Championships 2020 World Finalist

Details on the Gran Turismo Sophy project, technology and the Race Together 2021 challenge races can be found at the Gran Turismo Sophy site.

Tech Review – KOVOL Sprint 65W PD 4-Port GaN Fast Charger – Charging Mate

Need a portable accessory that can charge up to 4 devices on the go well the KOVOL Charge Mate might just be for you, this is a handy portable device that sports 4 outlets which for those who use many devices on the go or at home can charge all in one go which is handy, You have 2 USB-C power delivery ports and 2 USB-A quick charging ports.

Built-in safety features prevent damage from problems such as short-circuit, over-charging and over-current, Designed to continuously monitor the power needs of connected devices, the charger supplies optimum current to each device, thus maximizing charging efficiency, Quick Charge-compatible smartphones can be charged to 80% in just 35 minutes..

Power Distribution:

Use 1 USB-C port: PD 65W
Use 1 USB-A port: QC 3.0 18W
Use 2 USB-C ports: USB-C – PD 45W/ USB-C – PD 20W
Use 2 USB-A ports: USB-A+USB-A=15W
Use 1 USB-C + 2 USB-A ports: USB-C – PD 45W/ USB-A+USB-A=15W
Use 2 USB-C + 1 USB-A ports: USB-C – PD 30W/ USB-C – PD 20W/ USB-A – QC 3.0 15W
When connected to all ports: USB-C – PD 30W/ USB-C – PD 20W/ USB-A+USB-A=15W

Features

  • 65W PD Fast Charging: Charge a single MacBook Pro 15.4″ from 0–100% in just 2 hours at full 65W or fast charge an iPhone 13 from 0–50% in 30 minutes at 20W power or higher
  • Simultaneous High-Speed Charging: Dual USB-C ports（65W total output）support simultaneous fast charging of your MacBook Air (45W) and iPhone (20W)
  • 4-in-1 Charger: This GaN charger enables you to power 4 devices at the same time, meanwhile, intelligent power allocation supplies optimal charging for each device
  • Greater with GaN Tech: Powered by gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors, the small size (2.99″ x 1.61″ x 1.61″) of the Kovol USB-C charging station provides superior heat dissipation and ultra-efficient charging to your devices
  • Universal Compatibility: PD port with 25W PPS supports ultra-fast charging of Galaxy S21/Note 20. Plus, this USB-C desktop charger features PD 3.0 and QC 3.0 charging technologies for dynamic quick charging of any compatible device
  • Safety First: Equipped with Kovol’s exclusive Q-Pulse charging tech and multiple protection features, problems such as short-circuit, over-current, and other issues are eliminated. Kovol offers total buyer confidence by providing a 12-month warranty, with a further 12 months upon product registration on the website
  • 24-Month Guarantee: Kovol offers total buyer confidence by providing a 24-month warranty for orders made directly on Kovol’s website

BUY 

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Vestel announces the launch of TikTok on its Smart TVs

Vestel, the largest TV manufacturer in Europe, is today announcing the arrival of TikTok on its vast range of Smart TVs. The app collaboration will see Vestel now bring the video sharing phenomenon to more than twenty high-profile and premium TV brands, including its own portfolio of brand licences.

Especially designed for TV, the TikTok app is already available on all Vestel-designed Android Smart TV ranges for brands in the UK, Germany and France. The roll out of TikTok for Vestel Linux-based Smart TVs started on the 20th, January, with the app set to launch on Vestel 2021 UHD TV ranges in early February, and on Vestel 2020 UHD TVs by the end of March.

Supporting the display of high definition TikTok content, the Vestel-manufactured Smart TVs bring more detail, vibrancy, and colour to the screen for a larger-than-life home viewing experience.

With TV features, such as 4K upscalers, and Micro Dimming, the picture quality of all TikTok content, including standard definition videos, can be further sharpened, and brightened to bring videos bang into focus.

Whether for chart-topping singles that have inspired the latest viral TikTok dances, or the latest news, the audio is also clear and life-like, thanks to the TVs’ Dolby Audio feature.

The TV app makes it easy for everyone to enjoy and experience TikTok, even if they are unfamiliar with the platform, or don’t have an account. Those who have signed up to TikTok can log into their accounts and access personalised video selections, which include content from creators they actively follow, and video suggestions from their “For You” feeds. For a more interactive TikTok experience, fans can also use the remote to “like” videos.

Those without a TikTok account can still tune in, and access the “Discover” feed, which highlights a broad selection of pre-watershed, family-friendly trending clips, as well as new videos that are gaining traction across the platform.

To help everyone navigate TikTok’s endless library of content more quickly with the remote, the videos are divided into twelve categories, which range from animals and comedy to food and gaming.

Anyone looking for edutainment can easily search for the popular #LearnOnTikTok videos, which offer everything from cooking hacks to fitness tips and fun facts.

 “At Vestel, we are committed to keeping Smart TVs at the forefront of the entertainment experience”, said Barış Altınkaya, Vestel Vice President of Marketing and Product Management. “With the addition of TikTok to our Smart TV ranges, customers will now be able to access all the latest user-generated content from TikTok just as easily as TV series from the most popular streaming apps. The TikTok for TV app offers a family-friendly “big screen” viewing experience, and in the best possible audio-visual quality, enabling more people to enjoy TikTok together from the comfort of their sofas. 

Accessing TikTok on Vestel-manufactured Smart TVs is simple. While the app will be pre-installed for all future Vestel Linux-based Smart TVs, current 2021 ranges only require customers to switch their TVs off and then on again for the app to appear on the Smart platform. For Vestel Android TV ranges, customers just need to search for the app and download it on the Google Play store. The app can be downloaded from the Google Play store.

How to invest SOL to ETH and get your profit

The year 2021 brought fame to several previously obscure altcoins. Some of them in the future may become worthy competitors of Ethereum and the Solana project is leading in this list.

What is Solana

Among the tasks that the developers of the platform set themselves was to create a first-level technical solution for hosting decentralized applications.

Ethereum was the first in this area, and quite quickly the demand for decentralized solutions revealed bottlenecks in blockchain technology. The performance and scalability of the platform were insufficient. A way out of this situation was found – the problem was partially eliminated with the help of second-level solutions. However, the increasing complexity of the system entailed new difficulties for the developers of DApps.

Solana blockchain provides first-tier solutions for DP with high transaction processing speed and scalability to billions of users without compromising reliability and security.

The system is capable of processing up to 50,000 thousand transactions per second. It was possible to achieve such high rates thanks to new technologies. Verification of transactions on the blockchain is performed using the Proof of Stake algorithm. To speed up verification, this algorithm is supplemented with a Proof of History (also known as a decentralized clock). As a result of the interaction of the two algorithms, each record in the blockchain is timestamped.

SOL coin functions

The blockchain has its own SOL coin. The coin is used for settlements in the Solana ecosystem. SAL owners have the right to vote for protocol changes. The coin can be earned by staking. Solana does not pay cryptocurrency dividends.

SOL emission is limited to 489 million coins. In less than two years, the price of the coin has grown from $ 0.75 to almost $ 260. Now the period of correction has come and the coin is trading at a price of about $ 180.

How to exchange Solana for Ethereum

Solana is available for trading on many major exchanges, but the SOL / ETHER pair is not supported by all. You can swap SOL to ETH for Binance, CoinBase Pro and Okex.

If you are not already registered with any of these platforms, you will need to create an account. Before starting to create it, carefully study the conditions for working with the platform and make sure that they suit you. After registering an account, verification will be required by providing a scan of an identity document.

After successful completion of the formalities, select the pair you need and create an order to sell SOL for Ether.

It can be either an instant trade or an order at a given price. After the execution of the order, withdraw the coins to an external wallet, if we are talking about long-term investment.

Before deciding to invest in any cryptocurrency, study the market trends. In the world of cryptography, everything changes very quickly and quick profits are not guaranteed. In the long term, many coins can be profitable, but no expert can predict the timing. Suffice it to recall that Solana’s price this year has surpassed the most daring forecasts by about half.

Swap SOL with LetsExchange

If the conditions of traditional exchanges for some reason do not suit you, you can still exchange your coins at a favorable rate. For such cases, there is LetsExchange, the C2C instant exchange platform. You do not need to register an account, any Internet user can use the sharing widget. To convert the pair you need, do the following:

  • In the upper field, select SOL for sale and indicate the amount of coins;
  • In the lower field, select ETH to buy;
  • Indicate the address of your Ethereum wallet;
  • Deposit coins.
  • Press the “Exchange” button.

Completing the transaction and withdrawing coins to your wallet

Sustainable refurbished laptops help revenue from Vyta’s reselling arm reach €2.4M

Vyta Group, Ireland’s leading secure IT recycling company, today announces that revenue for its sustainable reselling arm, RefreshedByUs.com, has reached €2.4M. Demand was driven by a market appetite for sustainable, affordable, high-end IT equipment.

RefreshedByUs.com sells refurbished laptops and IT equipment that have been sourced by Vyta from large corporations and government departments throughout the UK and Ireland. All equipment is sustainably and securely processed, ensuring GDPR compliance and the complete destruction of all data. Each item then undergoes a 23-step process, including a full reinstallation and further rigorous tests before being graded and put up for sale on RefreshedByUs.com.

RefreshedByUs.com revenues for its most recent financial year reached €2.4M, up 20% from the previous year. Helping to support the reselling arm’s growth are the deliberate efforts amongst businesses and consumers to reduce their carbon footprint. RefreshedByUs.com helps customers to contribute to a circular economy, while helping Vyta to ensure that less than 1% of its recovered IT equipment ends up in landfill.

The reselling arm processed a total of 10,082 devices – including desktops, laptops and monitors – for re-use in the last financial year. In total, those devices represent 1,045 tonnes (1,044,611kg) in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) savings1, when compared to purchasing brand new equivalents. That is equivalent to the average annual carbon footprint of 832 people living in Ireland.

Cost is also a significant driver of RefreshedByUs.com’s business. Users require expensive, high-end IT equipment to handle increasingly demanding software. Purchasing refurbished laptops and IT equipment from RefreshedByUs.com enables them to save up to 80% on the cost of high-spec, big brand IT equipment.

Faye Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer, Vyta Group, said: “The way we work and live has evolved drastically in the last two years. Households and businesses require multiple devices that can handle high volumes of data and sophisticated software – presenting a significant cost burden. To overcome this, refurbished laptops and IT equipment are increasingly being viewed as cost-efficient, sustainable options that don’t compromise on quality.

 “At Vyta Group, we are consistently looking at how we can become more sustainable, while helping our customers to achieve their own sustainability goals, too. Too much IT waste goes to landfill, so we are enabling businesses to dispose of their retired IT equipment responsibly.”

Outstaffing: what is this service and how is it different from outsourcing

In business, what process doesn’t need people who are good at their jobs? Good specialists are important for all businesses, but not all can afford to keep a lot of people on staff. For this reason, many business owners use outstaffing services and outsource some of their work to contractor companies, so they don’t have to pay full-time employees to do their jobs.

The outstaffing service has both good and bad things about it. Today, we’ll talk about both of these things. We’ll figure out how to do it and how staff outstaffing is different from outsourcing.

Outstaffing: What is it?

Outstaffing is when a contractor company hires a specialist to work on a project for a customer company. The outstaffer works for the contractor company and is paid by the customer company. With other team members, he is part of the client’s team. His work is supervised by the client’s management team. Contract: The client pays a contractor for outstaffing services under the contract; he then gives that money to the person who worked on the project.

There are a lot of advantages to outstaffing

  1. It prevents labor disputes.

A customer can’t get involved in labor disputes if an employee signs a contract with an outstaffing company and not with the customer. This means the outstaffing company is responsible for the employee’s violations of the law.

 

  1. It makes it easier to manage your HR.

Vacations and sick days are given out by the company that hires people. Consequently, this reduces the burden on the client’s accounting department and eliminates the need to provide separate social guarantees, which is a lot easier for the accounting department. The outstaffer also takes care of personnel records, organizes business trips, draws up advance reports, and gives employees the information they need.

 

  1. Taking care of financial issues/

The outstaffer calculates, calculates, and pays the salaries and benefits of people who work for the company. There are a lot of things that this person does: They pay taxes and fees, like the contribution to the social security fund. They also work to make sure that taxes are done as efficiently as possible.

Outsourcing can be good for an employer

  • The employer doesn’t have to spend time looking for a new employee because the company itself will find one for him.
  • The chance to get real professionals to work on a specific project.
  • It makes it a lot easier to manage people: vacations, sick leave, salary payments, and meeting social obligations all fall under the responsibility of the outstaffing company.
  • Financial: Having fewer official employees means lower taxes and other costs of having a lot of people to pay.

Outsourcing can be good for an employee

Specialists are often hired outside the company to help with a big project that only lasts a few weeks. :

  • IT experts, 
  • analysts, 
  • accountants, 
  • translators, 
  • and seasonal workers are all in this group.

 

This scheme is also used by young businesses that aren’t ready to give up the simplified tax system. They decide to take some of their employees “out of state.”

 

Outstaffing is good for employees because it gives them the chance to work on different projects all the time; they can become full-time employees if their work is well-received, and there is less risk of them being violated by their bosses because they work for a well-known company that cares about its reputation in the market.

Conclusions

Using outstaffing will help the company improve business processes, cut costs, and find qualified people for short-term projects. You should think about outstaffing if your company has been hurt by the crisis, but you don’t want it to affect the quality of your work.

Get help finding great companies to work for and help you hire a development team.

 

EXCITRUS launches its super-fast charging 100W 20800mAh Power bank with magnetic wireless charging function for MagSafe

Experienced mobile charging specialists EXCITRUS, who have a strong history of developing the latest technology in PD chargers and power banks and has previously worked with well-known tech brands is today pleased to announce the latest product in its charging series, the PD100W power bank. The new power bank is the only 100W Power bank in the market with a magnetic wireless charging function for MagSafe and retails for £75/$99 on Amazon.com with Amazon UK expected to stock in the coming months.

With a stylish fabric finish, the latest EXCITRUS power bank boasts a large 20800mAh heavy duty Li-ion battery which delivers super-fast 100W Power Delivery (PD) via the two USB-C ports to charge MacBooks, laptops and Samsung phones in the shortest time possible (Laptop 60% charge in 1hr, Smartphone 85% charge in 1hr). Additionally, the 100W power bank also features a 10W MagSafe compatible wireless charging option for Smartphones, iPods and other wireless devices – something not found on other power banks with this power delivery range.

For those who wish to charge their apple watch or earbuds, the 100w power bank also features a special low power device charging mode and features eight levels of safety protection to ensure all devices will not overheat or overcharge.

The digital display on the power bank shows the power remaining in the and also the charging mode status information by indicating fast charging mode (over 18W), low-power Bluetooth device charging mode and wireless charging mode activation with a set of icons. Thanks to its 65W PD fast charging USB-C input, the power bank can be recharged 0%-70% in just 60 minutes, making it ideal for those on the go to ensure they are never without charge on all of their electronic devices.

Weighing in at just 480 grams (16.93oz) with dimensions of 113 x 222 x 48mm (7.68 × 3.35 × 1.02 inches), the EXCITRUS 100w Powerbank is the ultimate travel and work companion with the ability to charge up to four devices at the same time and is available in dark green on the fabric design.

The EXCITRUS super-fast charging 100W 20800mAh Power bank is available from Amazon for £75/$99 and the EXCITRUS website.

Features snapshot

  • 10W MagSafe compatible Wireless Charging for Smartphones, iPods and other wireless devices.
  • 100W Power Delivery (PD) USB-C output delivers fast charging for MacBooks, laptops and Samsung phones.
  • Wireless charging, 2 x USB-C and USB-A ports allows for 4 device charging at the same time.
  • 65W PD fast charging USB-C input, recharge 0%-70% in just 60 min.
  • -20800mAh heavy duty Li-ion battery will maintain capacity and output levels for years.
  • Low Power Device charging mode: special mode for charging Apple Watch and wireless earbuds.
  • 8 level safety protection for devices.
  • Digital display.
  • Accessories:  included 5A (E-Marker) USB-C to USB-C Cable.

Turn Up The Love This Valentine’s Day With The Perfect Pair From Urbanista

For a limited time only get a free Urbanista Lisbon true wireless earbud with the purchase of any Urbanista Los Angeles solar-powered Headphones

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Swedish lifestyle audio brand Urbanista, announces an attractive deal. This year, purchases of Urbanista Los Angeles – the world’s first solar-powered wireless headphones – will include a free Urbanista Lisbon true wireless earbud, ensuring that you can share all of your favourite music with your loved ones. The discount will be automatically applied at checkout when both items are added to the shopping cart. The package is available for  £169 / $199USD / SEK1999 /  EUR199 MSRP and will be available from 1ST February until 14th February at www.urbanista.com/valentinesday

Urbanista Los Angeles Solar-Powered Headphones

Urbanista Los Angeles, the world’s first solar-powered headphones, are the perfect sounding pair of headphones for your loved one. Using advanced green technology, Los Angeles converts any light into clean, endless energy for virtually infinite playtime. 

Enhance Your Experience with the Urbanista Mobile App 

To allow customers to get the most out of their product experience with Los Angeles, Urbanista launched their mobile companion app that is available at http://www.urbanista.com/app for both iOS and Android users. The app provides information on how to get the most of the product’s playtime, including visual indications of solar charge levels and usage and the option to customise the headphones controls.

Urbanista Los Angeles Key Features

Virtually infinite playtime

Always charging when exposed to light, both outdoors and indoors

80h battery reserve

Hybrid active noise cancelling

Ambient sound mode

On-ear detection

USB type-C charging

Bluetooth 5.0

Siri and Google Assistant

Compatible with iOS, Android and Windows

See the full review 

Urbanista Lisbon True Wireless Earbuds

Urbanista Lisbon, our most compact wireless earbuds yet, are so light and comfortable that you’ll barely notice they’re there. Lisbon comes in five stylish, monochrome colours that work with every style. To get your free pair of Lisbon, add both items to your shopping cart and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

Urbanista Lisbon Key Features

True Wireless Earphones

Compact design

9 hours Playtime

27 hours of Total Playtime

Wireless charging case holds up to 2 charges

Touch controls

Universal GoFit wing included

Bluetooth 5.2

USB Type-C Charging

Compatible with iOS and Android devices

Siri and Google Voice Assistant

See the full review

Dóttir Launches Ultra-Competitive Sports-focused Headphones, Designed by CrossFit Champions

Dóttir introduces its new line of sports-focused true wireless headphones, expressly designed to withstand the rigors of elite sports competition. The new headphones take the sport headphone market to new heights, boasting innovative features specifically selected by two training partners and competitors — both two-time winners of the title “World’s Fittest Woman” at the CrossFit Games Katrin Davidsdottir and Annie Thorisdottir. Dóttir Freedom On-Grid earphones have been awarded the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2021 and are designed for users to focus, to stay ahead of their own game.

Designed by Crossfit champions and manufactured to withstand even the most high-intensity training on land or in water, Dóttir Freedom On-Grid earphones are available in White or Ash Grey and are ideal for any music lover looking for hours of noise free-listening — wherever their journey may lead.

Music That Will Move You

Dóttir began as an idea between longtime friends Katrin Davidsdottir and Annie Thorisdottir, both of whom are two-time female champions and regular top contenders at the Crossfit Games. Their goal with Dóttir was to create a pair of headphones that would allow athletes to train freely without distraction, while remaining inspired by the music they love.

With a packed feature set in a rugged form factor, Dóttir features Active Noise Canceling technology, a fully waterproof construction and an ergonomic, wraparound design that ensures the headphone stays in place, add to this a total playtime of up to 72 hours with a wireless charging case that provides up to five additional charges, and you have a clear winner and dependable companion.

“The brand started out as an idea between two best friends who push each other to be some of the top performing athletes in the world. We are proud to bring a brand to market that supports female empowerment and equality as an extension of its founders’ personal values,” said Gisli Gudmundsson, Dóttir Product Manager. “Their Icelandic roots have had a large influence on their core values and the Dóttir brand as a whole. Both Katrin and Annie have fought to reach the top of their respective field, and Dóttir Freedom On-Grid earphones are designed by athletes, for anyone striving to stay ahead of their own game.”

Having both received the title of “World’s Fittest Woman” during both of their repeat consecutive wins at the CrossFit Games Women’s Championship, Katrin Davidsdottir and Annie Thorisdottir are an inspiration to countless women around the world.

“In 2011, Annie won the CrossFit Games, and CrossFit blew up in Iceland,” Katrin said.

“Suddenly everyone is doing CrossFit. It’s all over the news, and all over the media, and they’re showing you at the CrossFit Games. I didn’t want to go back to track and decided ‘I want to do that.’ So, I went to boot camp where Annie used to train, because I just wanted to do what Annie had done. When I showed up to my first foundation class, Annie walked in to teach it! It’s fun to look back, now, because I looked up to Annie, and now we’re best friends.”

“As Katrin continued on with CrossFit, I could see that she was competitive and driven,” Annie said. “I could see myself in her, a little. Then I remember seeing her do a training workout, and she being super aggressive, and deciding: I need to push her to compete. I need to see what she can do.”

“We have been looking for a headphone to withstand the demands of our training schedule for some time. We haven’t found one yet that has the battery life, waterproofing or fit that complements our training style and so we decided to design and launch our own. Dóttir Freedom On Grid has all the features and considerations that we feel will complement anyone who is active, no matter what your sport,” comments Katrin and Annie.

Their relationship founded on inspiration, mutual admiration and a competitive spirit, Katrin and Annie have continued to push one another to meet their training goals and achieve their best performance each year they compete in the CrossFit games. With Dóttir, the CrossFit champions extend these core values of their mutual friendship to empower females across the globe to devote their time, focus and willpower to the attainment of their dreams.

Dóttir Freedom On-Grid headphones are now available for pre-order at www.dottiraudio.com. Priced at £120/$150.