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.

Tech Review – The Edifier X3 TO-U TWS earbuds

Edifier have been another one of my favorite brands here and they deliver a range of audio products at affordable prices which is great for all, they have all ends of the market covered and even with entry level products they do not skimp on quality especially with their earbuds as these come in at the under 50 euro range and it is not their first either and once again they execute this.

Build Design and fit

These are a simplistic pair of earbuds that look clean and fit well and robust and comes in two colours, the charge case is small and compact too and will fit in any pocket and they are stylish

Controls and features

OK so here is where you are missing some bits however remember the cost, they have no volume control auto play and pause and do not work individually, skip and reverse tracks is here your voice assistant and call control and these all work fine with the large area to tap to make the command you wish and they work both sides too and overall a great experience.

Sound

They sound good being honest and anyone who picks them up will be happy, there is some bass present here and loud volume too and overall a genuine great audio experience with highs lows and mids fine too and no distortion at max volume either, no lag latency noticed either from my ususal test loop.

Edifier X3 TO-U series techbuzzireland

Conclusion

These are an easy recommendation here for anyone even for a gift this christmas, they sound good and look good and execute what is real value for money for what they cost and the audio experience is great.

Main Features:

Qualcomm aptX audio decoding delivers highly defined sound tuned by a professional acoustic team.

Bluetooth V5.0 provides a better signal transmission for minimal interruptions.

Lower power consumption for 6 hours playback time and extra 18 hours with charge case.

Easy operation by touch control.

Ergonomic, compact design with IPX5 rating for comfort and long periods of wear.

One-Step Pairing for a faster connection.

The X3 To-U is available from Amazon at £39.99 in Pink or Blue 

Video Link 

How to Deal with Friendly Fraud and Chargebacks

In order to have successful business operations, every company or organization needs to keep an eye on every element that makes those operations a success. From marketing, sales, engineering, accounting, HR to security, business can’t be successful if all of those elements are not doing as well as the others. While most of the businesses try to keep all of them in balance, a lot of them still don’t pay as much attention to the area of security as they should. Fraud and cyber attacks have become an ever present threat that can impact any business or organizations, which is why it is no longer possible to keep your head in the sand and ignore the threats. Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, the volume of cyber-crime and cyber-attacks has become significantly more prevalent around the world with the rate of attacks skyrocketing by over 600% compared to previous figures.

 

Protecting their business from the threat of fraud should become everyone’s priority, but ecommerce shops are under bigger risk than any other sector as they are one of the favorites targets. There are various types of fraud that can impact ecommerce shops from triangulation, transaction fraud, card testing or even an account takeover, but the one ecommerce businesses find hardest to deal with.

What is Friendly Fraud?

Even though this type of fraud is called friendly , it is nothing friendly in any type of fraud as they all cause significant damage to the ecommerce store. It is called friendly because it is conducted by legitimate cardholders and not by fraudsters using stolen card or payment details. SEON’s view on friendly fraud separates them into 5 different categories ranging from accidental to malicious fraud.

Unintentional Friendly Fraud: This happens as a genuine mistake as the customer either didn’t recognize the transaction on their bank account or they completely forgot about the purchase.

Intentional Friendly Fraud: This type of fraud happens when a customer deliberately requests a chargeback from their card provider even though they have knowingly made a purchase. 

Merchant Error: According to Braintree, this happens when a customer requests a chargeback because of merchants issues like a delayed delivery, missing products or even unclear merchant descriptors.

Shared Card Fraud: Also known under the name family fraud, CNBC explained that this type of fraud happens when unauthorized purchases are made with the shared card, often by the child that is using parents devices.

Policy Abuse Fraud: This happens when customers take advantage of flexible return or refund policies which is why it is imperative your return policy is accessible and easy to understand.

Protecting your business from friendly fraud

Main problem with friendly fraud is that customers don’t try to contact the merchant in order to resolve the issues but they go directly to the bank requesting a chargeback. This can cause even bigger financial damage to the merchant than just losing a revenue from sale, as they would have to pay a chargeback fee and in the worst case scenario the bank might terminate their account as they consider them a high risk. This is why it is extremely important that merchants are easily reachable and their contact info is clearly stated on their website. 

Second step you need to do is to update your return policy and clearly state all the terms and conditions that the customer is required to follow in order for you to process a refund. It needs to be easily understandable and more importantly accessible to prevent unwanted chargeback just because customers didn’t have access to your return policy. 

Next, you should implement a cybersecurity protocol that will help protect your business from different types of fraud, including friendly fraud.

86% of chargebacks are likely causes of friendly fraud which means 86% of chargebacks could’ve been prevented by clear return policy and open communication between merchant and customer.

Free Movie Weekends this Christmas with Virgin Media

To say a big ‘thank you’ to our TV customers, Virgin Media are running TWO Free Movie weekends this December to make the Christmas celebrations a little brighter. During these two amazing weekends, Friday 10th – Sunday, 12th December and Friday 17th – Sunday, 19th December –  Virgin Media TV customers will get access to movies on demand for a full weekend! They can choose from a huge catalogue of Christmas crackers, classics and blockbusters. What better way to get into the mood for Christmas?

To avail of the offer, customers will just need to follow these simple steps and they’ll be on their way:

  • Click the On Demand button on their remote control, browse the movie catalogue in Virgin Movies, select their movie and click “Rent”.

  • Input their PIN code (Every Virgin TV customer has one) If they haven’t change it, the default PIN will be 0000. Their rental will NOT show up on your next bill (once they have booked it during the promotion period and they keep their viewing to 10 movies!)

They can find more info on the On Demand homepage on Horizon, or by going to Channel 100 on their Digital TV (D4A) or multi-room box and click “Messages” or the On Demand Homepage on TV360.

Customers can also find out more about all the great movies we have to offer by browsing On Demand on their Set Top Box.

Benefits Of Integrating TV Advertising Into Your Marketing Strategy

TV advertising is an often overlooked marketing tool. It may seem outdated to some, but it can be a powerful way to reach your target audience and get your message across. If you want more information on the benefits of TV advertising, read this blog post.

Introduce your business to potential customers

One of the primary benefits of integrating TV advertising into your marketing strategy is that you can introduce your business to potential customers. TV advertising is a great way to get in front of a large audience and make an impression. You can also use TV advertising to educate potential customers about your products or services.

However, you have to be creative in the ads that you will show your potential customers. In this case, the seasoned creative animators behind https://www.wearefrantic.com/ suggest that you invest in advertising that is high-quality and engaging. This means that the ads should be fun, creative and use entertaining content that customers can’t help but watch.

Reach a larger audience

Another benefit of using TV advertising is that you can reach a larger audience. This is because TV advertising allows you to capture the attention of a wider range of people, including those who are less tech-savvy and may not use social media or search engines regularly. However, many consumers remain cynical about this type of marketing tactic as they have been exposed to too many ads that are irrelevant or annoying. This means it is important to produce high-quality ads that are relevant to your target audience and will capture their attention.

Generate leads and sales

TV advertising can also help you generate leads and sales. This is because TV advertising offers a direct way to reach customers who are interested in what you have to offer. You can also use targeted TV advertising to reach specific demographics that are likely to be interested in your products or services.

TV advertising is also useful for increasing sales because it offers an immediate return on your investment (ROI). With traditional marketing campaigns such as print or online advertisements, you may have to wait months before seeing any results. However, with TV advertising you can see a significant ROI in just a few weeks. 

So, if you’re looking for an effective way to introduce your business to potential customers and generate leads and sales, consider using TV advertising. Just be sure to produce high-quality ads that are relevant to your target audience. Also, keep in mind that you can maximize the ROI for your TV advertising campaigns by using digital marketing strategies in combination with TV ads, such as social media posts and website banners that link back to the television commercial or related content on your company’s website.

Create a brand identity

With an ad on TV, you will be able to create a brand identity for your business. In the same way that TV shows have themes, so too will you be able to create a specific theme and tone for your ads. This makes it easier to get across what your product or service is all about without having to use words to convey this message.

In addition, when you produce high-quality TV ads, you will be able to create a positive image for your business. This is important as it can help you attract new customers and keep existing customers loyal to your brand. So, if you’re looking for some of the benefits that come with using TV advertising in your marketing strategy, look no further. TV advertising can help you create a brand identity for your business.

Increase customer loyalty 

You will also be able to increase customer loyalty with TV advertising. As mentioned earlier, when you produce high-quality and relevant ads, you can create a positive image for your business that will attract new customers. However, existing customers will also appreciate the effort you’re putting into marketing your business. This means they are more likely to remain loyal to your brand and recommend it to their peers.

TV advertising can be an effective way to increase customer loyalty, especially if you produce targeted campaigns that are relevant to specific demographics. So, if you’re looking for a way to attract new customers and keep existing ones loyal to your brand, consider using TV advertising in your marketing strategy.

 

 

The benefits of TV advertising are many and varied. From generating leads and sales to reach out to new markets, there’s a reason that the most successful companies invest in this marketing strategy. It may be time for your business to take advantage of what television ads have to offer as well. Keep in mind that with just one commercial you can reach millions of potential customers.

 

YouTube’s growing creative ecosystem supports over 1,600 full-time equivalent jobs in Ireland

YouTube today launched its first ‘From Opportunity to Impact’ report in Ireland. Developed in partnership with Oxford Economics the report assesses the economic, societal, and cultural benefits of the world’s most popular video hosting website in Ireland.

Around one billion hours of YouTube videos are watched every day across the world. With a low bar to entry, in terms of cost, and access to a global fanbase, YouTube offers Irish creators the opportunity to build a business on the platform.

The report, commissioned by YouTube, found that the platform’s creative ecosystem supported the equivalent of 1,600 full-time jobs in Ireland in 2020. Oxford Economics also estimated that the total contribution of YouTube’s creative ecosystem to Ireland’s GDP was €30 million in 2020.

As well as measuring the economic impact, the report outlined the value of YouTube as a place to learn, as an amplifier of diverse voices and creative entrepreneurs and, as a source of relevant information during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A place to learn

Every day YouTube empowers people of all ages across Ireland to develop their personal and professional skills. It has become an unrivalled learning repository with 91% of Irish users accessing the platform to gather information and knowledge. Users turn to YouTube to learn new hobbies and solve practical problems with 68% regularly watching ‘how to’ and DIY videos for example.

Discerning this desire for educational content led Irish design engineer Brian McManus to leave his job in 2016 to pursue a career as a YouTube creator. Five years later, his two channels Real Engineering and Real Science have 3.1 million and 518,000 subscribers respectively. Brian employs four people full time and regularly hires freelancers who work as editors, animators, and writers in his production team.

Commenting on the report, Brian McManus said,

“I could see that people watched a lot of educational content on YouTube, but I could not find anyone creating engineering videos that represented how important the career was to the world. I began to teach myself animation and video editing in my spare time, and when I felt I was ready, I quit my job to start the channel.

“The channel grew rather quickly and within 6 months I had replaced my income. I’m now doing something I love and I’m also employing a vastly talented production team as well as hiring many more freelancers – and all based from the West of Ireland.”

YouTube provides a vehicle for Irish creators, like Melanie Murphy to find opportunities and economic success by sharing content with audiences, locally and internationally. Melanie’s videos on health, culture, and motherhood have been viewed more than 71 million times and she has earned a full time income for the past seven years from her YouTube presence. While Melanie describes herself as a ‘one man band’ she has, in the past, hired staff like camera crews to help in the development of content for her channel – further demonstrating the knock-on economic impact of the YouTube creator community. You can also find US on YouTube for hands on tech reviews

Commenting on the report, Pedro Pina, Head of YouTube EMEA, said,

“It is inspiring to see the many ways YouTube is touching the lives of Irish people, including those of Brian and Melanie. As the only open platform that allows people to both share their voice and the revenue  derived from their work, we’re bringing to an entire new generation of creative entrepreneurs — regardless who they are or where they come from — the chance to build thriving businesses on YouTube.” 

Ireland’s creators have cultivated a diverse audience with over 95% of time watched on content produced by channels in Ireland coming from international users. The global success of Ireland’s creators represents a real export opportunity with the potential to further increase the already significant number of jobs as well as the sizeable contribution to Ireland’s GDP – generated by the creator ecosystem here.

The number of Irish creator channels with over 1 million subscribers has increased by 20% year over year, with over 70 channels attracting those audience levels. There has also been growth in the number of channels that have 100,000+ subscribers reaching 450 further indicating the potential revenue growth opportunities that exist for creators.

Diverse voices and relevant content

On YouTube, viewers can find voices in every accent, creators of every colour, and people from every age and background on their screens. A key finding from today’s report is that 74% of Irish users agree YouTube is home to diverse content. The diversity of the creator population means that more viewers can be served content that’s familiar and important to them with 68% of users agreeing that they feel YouTube has relevant content for them.

In Ireland YouTube is valued by users as a trusted source of information. The research carried out by Oxford Economics finds that  69% of users agree that YouTube allows them to view content they can’t access through traditional media with over half of users agreeing that the platform has been a reliable source of information since the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Tech Review – Haylou GT7 TWS review

Recently here we reviewed the companies other earbuds the W1 true wireless which are a really nice affordable pair of earbuds which also look well but the latest on offer the GT7 came in for testing so how did they do over the last while is the question people want answered..

Design Build and Fit

These are a familiar shaped pair of earbuds with a small enough stem and have that airpod look for those who want it, they are light finished in matt white and fit really well and they will not fall out of the ears, as always the right tips matter when using earbuds to get the best seal and these have no problems there.

Controls

The controls work really well here as you will see in the video review below, there is some features missing here but it is not a huge deal, we have no volume control no auto play/pause and no reverse track but the rest is there, voice assistant, play and pause, skip tracks and call control.

Haylou GT7 earbuds techbuzzireland

 

Sound

These are for the bass lover, there is no app or EQ here however out of the box they are quite good and again better than I had anticipated they are loud and punchy well balanced and do not have any distortion at max volume there is no lag latency either,highs lows and mids are good and overall a really good listening experience we also have got AI noise cancelling for calls here and to top things off we have got low latency mode for gaming.

Conclusion

These are a really nice pair of earbuds that deliver on sound with some extra bass they are a clean looking pair of earbuds too and look well and not stansoutish looking and overall you cant complain even if some features have been omitted..

BUY 
VIDEO LINK

 

Tech Review – Airthings Mini Wave air quality monitor

Most people have plenty of tech in their homes like smart speakers,bulbs and so on and these are great but what protection do these give you in the home? ZERO protection to be frank about it and whilst there is tech out there and we will be touching on a few products that do so and the first up is the Airthings Mini Wave air quality monitor which is a simple easy to use and set-up product that can be placed anywhere in the house.

This is a simple small puck shaped device in which you simply download an app set up then just leave it sat in the best placed position you might find it in your own home this can be put anywhere and you will see this in the app set-up as you go through the process, you can also have more than one of these in your home too, you can also get pollen levels thrown in for good mix in the app, the app is simple to use too which is great and that is all there is to it.

In the app you will see in the video below is what you will be given and what the app does for you, on the top you will see 4 icons then further down you can get a daily breakdown and more and the activity feed will be across the bottom. The product measures air quality VOC, temp and mold risk which is really important.

You can simply wave across the front of the device too if you like to get a quick idea of what the air quality is like and you get a light on the bottom of the unit this indicates the current status there and then, the app has a dashboard which is easy to understand and here is where you can get all the stats in one place.

Notifications on your smartphone for Airthings.

About the product

Airthings Wave Mini is your indoor air quality companion, allowing you to visualize the health and comfort levels of the indoor air quality in every room. Monitor mould risk, temperature, humidity and airborne chemicals (VOCs) to help with asthma, allergies, sleep and overall health.

When a room’s environment becomes less than optimal, Wave Mini will provide insights into the VOCS, chemical’s and odor levels in your air. The Wave Mini is the perfect, cost-effective first step into understanding your indoor air quality. Air quality and temperature vary drastically from room to room and the only way to reach optimal comfort and health is to measure in every room, luckily this lightweight device is wireless and portable so you can move it freely around your home getting the most from your wave mini.

BUY 

Video Link

 

 

7 Tips to Develop Strategy to Enhance Your Productivity at eLearning

If you are getting yourself started to study remotely, keeping your productivity at its highest level should be one of your top priorities and concerns. Far away from the vigilant eyes of lectures and professors and from any form of direct peer pressure, it is only natural that you are afraid of leaving yourself far too loose and not getting anything done in time.

Below digital experts from application development company JatApp break down 7 tips on how to enhance your productivity and succeed at eLearning.

1. Remove any distractions

First thing that you will have to do is to create the right atmosphere for you to study and remove all distractions from your home or any other place of your choice. It has to give the idea that it is study time and have available everything that you might need, from a laptop/desktop and a reliable internet connection to books, notebooks, and pens.

You will have to tell yourself that you cannot turn on the TV and that constant visits to the kitchen won’t help you to learn any faster – keep a thermos nearby with your coffee or tea, or a jar with the drink of your choice so as to avoid excuses.

2. Get to know your biological clock

Every person is different when it comes to the biological clock. Some of us are at our best in the morning while others are hyper around midnight. And one of the advantages of distance learning is that it gives you the opportunity to study whenever you want, so you can plan your study hours to happen when you are at your best.

So forget everything you have heard about early birds catching the worm if you are a night owl. You will just get stressed and drag yourself during the morning while you could have got everything done in half of the time by doing it in the evening time.

3. Get a schedule organized

Another way to keep yourself productive is by getting your schedule very well organized. Have a careful look at your syllabus, check all possible deadlines, and make sure that you know what you have to do when and that you also write your summer program.

This way you will be able to figure out how many hours of study you will need daily and see how you can fit it with your other tasks, professional and personal. A timetable is always useful, plus a calendar to make sure that you will know what to do on any given day with just a quick look at it.

4. Keep your goals in mind

It is true that eLearning can feel solitaire and hard to some people, so if you want to keep yourself productive, you will have to ensure that your goals are in your mind all the time. Why did you decide to study in the first place? And why online? What will be the impact of this course to your life in the future?

The answers for these questions will help you to stay focused and understand the real purpose of your education so you won’t feel like messing around or procrastinating. You will also want to have it written down somewhere visible, maybe even placed on the wall if possible.

5. Learn to prioritize

With so many things to do in our life, it is easy to get a bit lost and not be able to get things done. The same could happen with your distance learning as you might feel a bit confused about how much you have to do and where to start first.

The solution here is to learn to prioritize, so you will know what you should spend more time doing. That is to say that if you are feeling overwhelmed, go back to your syllabus, to your study plan and schedule, and check if you are doing the most important and urgent things first. You might need to rearrange your schedule after this evaluation, and maybe use some educational tools to help you out, so be ready to adapt.

6. Keep yourself healthy

If you want to be productive, you will also need to stay healthy. So forget about drinking extra cups of coffee to stay awake longer, skipping exercising, or eating out of cans to keep up with the demand. These are extreme solutions for extreme moments, and they should never become a norm in your life.

As you might know, a lack of vitamins, minerals, and many other nutrients will decrease your ability to learn, to be creative, and to be productive in the long term. In other words, pushing your body to the limit will help you for a while, but it won’t save you from serious consequences in the future.

7. Make the most of the resources for elearning available

No matter which kind of eLearning you have signed for, you certainly got some sort of support with it, from a simple email to forums and catch-up classes.

So make the most of them and ask your peers and teachers about anything that can be useful to you. Share your thoughts and concerns as they might be the same for other people, so you can come up with solutions together and make everybody’s life much easier.

In Conclusion

eLearning is a trend and a great way to study for many people. It is flexible, cheaper, and offers several opportunities to improve a significant number of skills. But it does require a high level of commitment so as not to procrastinate and end up achieving absolutely nothing at the end of the course, or having to rush away at the last minute.

So get yourself organized, make the most of the tools that you have, keep yourself motivated, healthy and with your goals in mind. Also, eliminate any distractions and respect your body clock.  This way you will be able to organize yourself better, be more productive, and achieve the level of learning that you are hoping for with any stress involved.

PayPal study shows Irish people will spend 33% more on Christmas gifts this year

With Christmas fast approaching, PayPal’s Gifting and Giving 2021 study – involving over 1,000 Irish consumers – shows that Irish people are planning to spend 33 per cent more2 on Christmas gifts this year.

Compared to Christmas 2020, where the average spend on Christmas gifts was €541, those polled in Ireland plan to spend an average of €721 on gifts this Christmas. As for the most generous counties, these were revealed as Offaly (€1,004), Kildare (€928), Sligo (€890), Tipperary (€888) and Clare (€843).

 No Late Late Shoppers

It seems the majority of respondents aren’t hanging around either when it comes to ticking items off their list, with 32 per cent having a head start and finished with their Christmas shopping by the end of November. Furthermore, a quarter (25%) expect to have theirs completed by this first week in December.

However, a fifth (20%) of Christmas shoppers did admit that they usually leave their shopping until the last minute. Men are more prone to this than women with 30 per cent of male respondents leaving shopping to the last minute, compared to just 17 per cent of female respondents.

When it comes to how people are shopping, over half (53%) of Irish consumers Christmas shopping this year are doing more of their Christmas shopping online in order to avoid crowds. Meanwhile some 37 per cent plan to head into stores during quiet times for the same reason and almost a fifth (17%) intend to buy fewer physical gifts as a result of COVID-19.

Christmas with a COVID twist

The pandemic is causing some consumers a concern with 31 per cent worried about presents not arriving in time due to supply chain issues. Another main worry is that lockdown restrictions could prevent people from celebrating with family and friends in person (52%).

On a more positive note, 38 per cent of Irish people agree that it feels like Christmas will be back to normal this year and 56% of Christmas hosts are not anxious about hosting people over the holidays. Although, more than half (57%) of Christmas hosts said they will only invite double vaccinated guests for celebrations at home.

The Gift of Giving

The PayPal study also revealed that more than a third of Irish people (38%) say the pandemic has caused them to be more generous with their time and money in relation to charitable causes, with 92 per cent saying they donated to charity by giving money, donating items, offering raffle prizes or giving to a food bank.

According to the research, Irish people donate an average of €87 a year to causes dear to their hearts. Based on donations during the average year, the most generous givers are from Carlow (€178), Wicklow (€106), Sligo (€103), Meath (€102) and Wexford (€100).

Speaking about the findings, Maeve Dorman, Senior Vice President at PayPal, commented: “It’s that magical time of the year when people want to give back to their loved ones and their communities. After all, being generous to others makes us feel good and – something that is ever more important these days – helps us stay connected. Irish people in particular are known for their generosity and thoughtfulness, so it’s not surprising that they are going above and beyond this year when it comes to buying gifts for family and friends, and making donations to causes they care about.”

“At PayPal, we want to make it easy to support charities this Christmas and beyond, which is where ‘Give At Checkout’ comes in. It enables people to add a micro donation when they shop online with PayPal.”

‘Give at Checkout’ allows people to make micro donations of €1 when they do their Christmas shopping online with PayPal by selecting their favourite charity on this website or via the mobile app.