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 – Google Nest camera (battery) #GoogleNestCamera

Recently we checked out the Google Nest doorbell and next up is the Nest camera which can be used indoor and outdoors and it is that how we reviewed the product but we have another ordered and will come back to give a run what it is like on the indoor setting. Heavier and larger than its competition out there how does it stack up for your money..

Build and design

This is larger and heavier than some outdoor cameras on the market and comes in the familiar white flavour which is what Google do best and that is no problem for us but looks nice and is a clear warning you have security at your home and this time of year is the time to start securing your home if you have not already with the shorter days and longer morning approaching quickly, I say this every time this time of year and you really need to beef up your home for the obvious reasons.It is a solid build and looks nice and if you are invested into Google hardwear and services it is the one you need, check out the unboxing video below for more and see what you are getting..

Set up is easy once again here and even using existing holes from your old system might work to get you going you also get a cable in the box for charging which is a cool one at that and similar to other offerings out there today. Again we go through all the finer details in the video review below and we look at the app and the features and what you can use in the app to get the most of the benefits including all the smarts you get without a nest subscription and there is enough on offer for all here which is nice and worth noting.

Battery life

If you have the home hub you can get more value so if you do not have one get one right now as this only enhances the system setup and not only that the nest hub is really cool anyway as you can leave it on a live view feed, the same as the doorbell too should you need to keep an eye on things., again we show you this in the video.. The addition to the nest subscription is you get 60 days continuous recording which is great but you get enough out of the box.

Google nest app
Detection
Video capture notification

The battery life for me on the camera would typically last longer than the doorbell due to placement and most peoples would but that is subjective to the individuals use case here and where it is placed and the settings you apply,typically for me my side entry or back door camera lasts up to three times longer than the doorbell would and charge time is longer on this taking around 4.5/5 hours which is slightly longer than others out there which is fine by me.

Conclusion

Ok so it is expensive for just one camera for most and from what people have said to me and i get that however you are getting a decent camera that will not let you down here, this is placed on my side entry through thick walls and still has a strong connection where as some cameras had an issue keeping connected, this also is a great looking effective deterrent and does not look cheap either and will let people know you are being watched, the only thing missing out of the box is a siren like what is on my older system that is even more of a deterrent and works effectively and by that stage its too late for whoever might be trying to gain access to your property but then again not a bad thing as they can just give us a better laugh whilst they are caught in the act only to be caught around the next bend by another camera.

BUY HERE See the video below for more, cant see video? Click here

Google sent us this to review with no payment nor influence and are seeing this review the same time as you.

NGMN is paving the way for effective end-to-end operation of disaggregated networks

Today, the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance released a new White Paper: “ODiN – Operating Disaggregated Networks” – which explores the appealing opportunities and the expected challenges arising from the disaggregation of mobile networks. NGMN puts an emphasis on the perspective of mobile network operators for the expected benefits and challenges of Network Disaggregation: a more resilient ecosystem and supply chain, lower barriers to enter the market, enabled increased competition and innovation, agility and flexibility, hand in hand with expected challenges such as increasing complexities in interoperability, system integration, efficient and resilient operation. All these aspects lead to the need for a significant operating model transformation. Going forward, NGMN will develop blueprints for end-to-end operating models, enabling operators to make their individual choices, and to address the industry to develop solutions for the identified gaps. This White Paper is NGMN’s first deliverable on this topic. NGMN invites parties across the whole value chain to collaborate in its ODiN project on solutions for this extremely important subject.

Disaggregation demands a new way of working, most likely significant additional integration efforts, changes to the operational model to embrace new processes as well as new skills and tools. All such efforts are required to eventually ensure the expected service levels, operational efficiency, performance, resilience and security, plus the opportunities to offer new and affordable services in order to meet an ever-increasing demand for high performing and cost-effective mobile networks. Whether the benefit of lowering the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) can be achieved for operators, is yet to be proven.

Carlos Fernandes, VP Group Technology, Deutsche Telekom and NGMN ODiN project lead says: “Disaggregation is the biggest challenge and opportunity mobile operators face today. Eventually, each individual operator will need to make its own choices, depending on its strategy, its starting point – greenfield or brownfield, its geolocation, local competition and many more. However, there are many topics which need to be analysed and solved, which are possible and worth being addressed jointly in the pre-competitive area, to support global standards, economies of scale and hence to enable competition for the benefit of the end-user.”

Arvin Siena, Vice President & Head – Technology Strategy and Transformation Office, Smart Communications, Philippines adds: ”We are very excited to work together with the operators and the entire value chain on industry solutions, paving the way for disaggregation’s success.”

The NGMN ODiN project invites the entire NGMN Partnership – vendors, system integrators and other interested parties – to jointly analyse potential gaps and work on industry solutions to meet the identified challenges. The project will also work with other relevant organisations and submit requirements to the industry.

Bluesound Professional Announces New Distribution Partners and Expands Activities in Asia

Premium streaming commercial audio brand appoints new distributors in the Caribbean and Poland, and adds coverage in Asia

Bluesound Professional, the premium distributed audio ecosystem for commercial spaces, today announced the exciting addition of two new distribution partners, while also adding new Asian markets to the Lenbrook Asia portfolio. The two new distribution partners include BVD International Inc., a regional distributor in the Caribbean, and Linearic, a distributor in Poland. Meanwhile, Lenbrook Asia, a sister company to Bluesound Professional and fellow subsidiary of Lenbrook International, has been laying down operational requirements to extend their distribution of Bluesound Professional products to additional markets in Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Brunei, Laos and Cambodia.

“We are delighted to be able to welcome two new distributors to the Bluesound Professional team, as they are key leaders in the industry and in their respective markets,” says Graeme Harrison, Vice-President and General Manager of Bluesound Professional. “These new relationships and Lenbrook Asia’s expanded remit will bring our products into additional markets and help us to build popularity for our ground-breaking streaming audio solutions for commercial spaces.” 

Bluesound Professional is continuing to expand its distribution network. Since its launch at the Integrated Systems Europe show in February 2019, the company has expanded to over 25 international markets. As a growing commercial audio technology brand, Bluesound Professional encourages interested and qualified parties to submit an inquiry to the BluesoundProfessional.com website.

Sony introduces the SRS-NS7 – your wearable personal theatre

Sony has announced a new wireless neckband speaker, the SRS-NS7, for enjoying an immersive personal cinema sound experience, along with the WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter – which works with selected Sony headphones to enjoy a same experience as the SRS-NS7.

Lose yourself in your favourite movie or song

The SRS-NS7 is the world’s first Dolby Atmos® compatible wireless neckband speaker with Sony’s BRAVIA XR models. It delivers Sony’s unique 360 Spatial Sound experience that provides a perfectly optimised cinematic experience with the 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer app.

The SRS-NS7 works with the supplied wireless transmitter, and BRAVIA XR TVs[3], to create the ideal arrangement of virtual Dolby Atmos® speakers around you immersing you in the scene as if you were there in the action. To use it, connect the supplied wireless transmitter to the TV with an optical cable and USB cable, then pair the SRS-NS7 with the transmitter via Bluetooth® connection – simple!

For a truly personalised experience, use the 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer app to take photos of your ears, to analyse your unique hearing characteristics as a result, and to integrate these characteristics into your SRS-NS7 audio experience.

Aside from enjoying Dolby Atmos® content on your TV, on the music side the SRS-NS7 also supports 360 Reality Audio when used with a smartphone – so you can enjoy the atmosphere of a gig. Available via your smartphone from compatible music services such as Deezer, nugs.net and TIDAL, you can immerse yourself in music all around you.

In addition to being the perfect partner to BRAVIA XR TVs, the SRS-NS7 also pairs with devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones. This personal wireless neckband speaker lets you enjoy your favourite entertainment with 2-channel stereo for an even more immersive experience.

Thrilling sound, only around you

Using Sony’s renowned audio technologies, the SRS-NS7 delivers crystal clear acoustics and powerful sound pressure for richer, deeper sounds for the ultimate personal cinema experience. This is thanks to an X-Balanced Speaker Unit that provides the optimum speaker size in a compact body and increases sound pressure and reduces distortion for clear music and vocals. Alongside this, the upward facing speaker delivers clear sound directly at you without disturbing others, so you can be fully immersed in your movies and music even at midnight. Plus, the passive radiator increases low frequency response for clear bass sound delivering thumping music sound effects and deep beats.

 

Pictures and sound, perfectly in sync

The supplied wireless transmitter helps minimise audio delay for SRS-NS7 when connected with BRAVIA XR TVs so you can be fully immersed in Dolby Atmos® movies with sound and pictures precisely matched.

Comfortable fit for non-stop entertainment

If all-night movie marathons or binge-watching your favourite TV shows is your thing, the SRS-NS7 has your non-stop entertainment needs covered.

The SRS-NS7 provides hours of comfortable viewing of your favourite movies, TV shows or concerts thanks to its flexible and ergonomic design that fits securely around your neck. The flexible band on the back of the speaker help you find the perfect fit for total comfort while enjoying your entertainment.

Plus there’s no need to worry about battery life. The SRS-NS7 provides up to 12 hours of power and up to 5 hours at maximum volume so even the longest movies and TV shows just keep on playing.  If you do run low, a 10-minute quick charging with USB type-C gives you up to an extra 60 minutes of extra play .

It’s not just TV, movies and music where the SRS-NS7 excels, the wireless neckband speaker is also great for home working with easy hands-free calling. Optimal microphone placement allows the SRS-NS7 to capture and deliver your voice in excellent quality, while an X-Balanced Speakers Unit reproduces colleague’s voices clearly. Plus with echo cancelling minimising feedback, everyone on the call can hear and be heard clearly.

Designed with total convenience in mind, the SRS-NS7 also features Multipoint Connection. This lets you connect two devices at the same time, such as your laptop and smartphone. So if a business call comes in on your laptop while you’re listening to music on your smartphone, you can take the call with just one click of the Play/Call button on the left side of the neckband. Once the call is over, you’re automatically reconnected back to your favourite playlist.

The IPX4 splash-proof design of the SRS-NS7 lets you enjoy your favourite shows and tunes anywhere in the house without worry, even while doing your daily chores like washing up. Plus, the open-ear style allows you to watch and listen away from your device while still being aware of what’s going on around you.

 

Premium yet practical design

The SRS-NS7 features a fabric surface finish offering a comfortable feel that’s a pleasure to wear and own. With a silicone finish neckband and soft-feel rear coating, the SRS-NS7 is perfect for everyday use and easy to clean.

The SRS-NS7 is not only designed to be stylish, but also with the environment in mind. Less than 5% of the SRS-NS7 packaging is plastic, reflecting Sony’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its products and practices.

 

360 Spatial Sound experience with your headphones

Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound experience will also be available on selected Sony headphones when paired with the WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter and BRAVIA XR TVs.

 

  • The SRS-NS7 will be priced at approximately £270 / €299 and available from November 2021.
  • The WLA-NS7 will be priced at approximately £50 / €60 and available from November 2021.

For product specifications, please visit:

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/wireless-speakers/srs-ns7

https://www.sony.ie/electronics/wireless-speakers/srs-ns7

Tech Review – BuddyPhones Cosmos plus kids wireless headphones. #Tech #Kids

Recently on Tech Buzz we checked out the BuddyPhones School Plus wireless headphones for education for kids and now we check out the more advanced pair which for me are an excellent pair of headphones and well thought out for older kids and in fact offer more than you would expect when it comes to features, there is no app support or voice assistant however everything else is there including ANC and a detachable mic which is great and really gives kids an idea of what their parents might be wearing in the house as most of us work from home now but not only that it can be used for gaming and perhaps taking calls and so on and the quality is quite good on the mic too.

With more adjustments on this headset you get a great fit and these do not clamp onto your head either from both me and my daughter testing them we where both pleased with these headphones and even from the audio perspective they are really good and better than one would expect when it comes to music gaming and more, In fairness kids would not be that much bothered by the audio experience but they are really good, these are for kids remember but the audio is decent for all purposes.

ON one side you again have the controls for music and the other is power/on/off and the ANC button with the controls again you can skip and reverse tracks./play and pause music and change the volume and these controls work perfectly fine all the time everytime.

Buddyphones cups techbuzzireland
Buddyphones controls tehcbuzzireland
Buddyphones cups. techbuzzireland

The headset is comfortable to wear for long periods of time and lightweight too and I cant see any kids having issues with these. To block out distracting background noise, simply switch on the active noise cancellation which allows the child to listen clearly  without turning the volume up needlessly high.

To protect the child’s hearing, the BuddyPhones Cosmos+ has 3 SafeAudio levels  to choose from. Set the level to TravelMode: 94dB(max) KidsMode: 85dB(max) or ToddlerMode 75dB(max) depending on the child’s  age or environment such as when traveling by airplane. The BuddyPhones Cosmos+ are the world’s only headphones to combine active noise-cancelling technology,  volume-limiting circuitry, and 3 listening settings in one premium SafeAudio product for kids.

Features

‧ Active Noise Cancellation 

‧ 24-hour Battery Life (playback + ANC)  

‧ Works without Battery 

‧ Detachable Boom Mic 

‧ StudyMode™ 

‧ BuddyLink™ for Sharing  

‧ Super Durable Housing & Headband 

‧ Anti-allergic Earpads 

‧ Foldable & Compact 

‧ Hard Case Included

These have been sent to us to review with no compensation paid or input, and the company are seeing the review the same time as you,

 

BUY HERE cant see video – click here 

 

 

First look at the Skullcandy Push Active Skull-iQ

The all new Skullcandy Skull-iQ have landed and come with some cool new features, Users can simply  say, “Hey Skullcandy” to initiate seamless voice control. They can then give commands to play or pause  content, accept or reject calls, turn on Stay-Aware Mode for enhanced safety and even launch Spotify. This makes the earbuds more hands free friendly which will make life even easier for the user.

Skullcandy’s latest collection of true wireless earbuds is led by the new Push Active True Wireless Earbuds.  Serving as the ideal entry point to Skull-iQ hands-free voice control technology, Push Active is for those seeking  an adventure-ready, durable fit designed specifically for high-intensity activities. Push Active True Wireless Sport Earbuds are the ultimate audio partner, offering flexible over-ear hooks and water/sweat resistance.

Today we check out the new earbuds and will of course have a full hands on review soon so stay tuned for that and any questions fire them off below or on our You Tube channel where you get to see the products in real life and no stock images.

For more information on Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology as well as Push Active True Wireless Earbuds,  visit http://www.skullcandy.co.uk

 

Facebook Ireland Launches Free Christmas Training For Irish SMEs

As businesses recover from a year like no other, Facebook Ireland has launched its ‘Peak Season Prep Series’. This free online training will help businesses prepare for and utilise the busiest shopping season of the year to further boost their recovery.

Facebook’s latest State of Small Business report found that Covid-19 generated a shift in how SMEs around the world and in Ireland do business. Online sales became a lifeline during the pandemic to help keep many businesses afloat. The report shows that those who made the pivot to online are still reaping the benefits even as stores physically reopen. Half of Irish SMEs (50%) report that at least 25% of their revenue is generated by digital sales, up from 35% of SMEs in February, demonstrating that customers continue to support businesses online.

Facebook’s free training sessions will help businesses benefit from the pivot to shopping more online and will help them focus on how best to acquire and grow a large customer base. Topics include building an actionable business plan for Christmas, how to optimise creativity and influencer marketing tactics as well as covering key insights around sustainable gifting for environmentally conscious businesses. The next webinar will take place on 7th October at 10am and will guide businesses through a step by step process on how to create impactful ads for the peak shopping season.

Commenting on the importance of supporting businesses as they recover; David Harris, Director of Global Business at Facebook said:

“Last year, shoppers in Ireland were in lockdown for much of the peak holiday shopping season. Consumers had no alternative but to shop online and many businesses underwent a radical process of digital transformation in order to survive. This year, with physical stores reopened, we are expecting a big surge in both online and store sales as the pent up consumer demand that built up during the pandemic is released. Facebook Apps are now a key part of both the online and physical shopping experience. Our peak training series aims to help small Irish businesses utilise the Christmas season efficiently to help boost their post-pandemic recovery.

Further updates on the schedule for the free ‘Peak Season Prep Series’ can be found at https://peakseasonprep2021.splashthat.com/ or businesses can watch them on demand at https://www.facebook.com/watch/185130644919625/1680905325444658/

Skyports – Drone Deliveries Take Flight in First-of-its-Kind Trial in Ireland

Testing last-mile drone delivery of goods between Shannon Airport to Foynes Port begins

Last week, FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), and the world’s largest express transportation company, in collaboration with Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI) Air, announced the completion of its first scheduled drone last-mile delivery flight in Ireland. The delivery marks the launch of a trial service delivering goods from FMCI, based at Shannon Airport, County Clare, to Foynes Port, County Limerick, Ireland’s second-largest port operator and largest bulk port company.

The drone deliveries were conducted by Skyports, a world-leading operator of cargo drone deliveries, on behalf of the FMCI Air consortium which also includes Avtrain, Shannon Group and FMCI.

The delivery of the first FedEx Express package in Ireland via drone demonstrates the benefits of drone delivery for last-mile service and the commitment by FedEx to exploring the latest innovations in last-mile delivery.

The delivery is part of a month-long trial which will see a number of test flights conducted in the Mid-West region, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) between Shannon Airport and Foynes Port, with deliveries anticipated to be made in under 13 minutes. Clare County and Limerick City and County Council have shown their support for the project, highlighting the role that the councils are playing and leading from an innovation perspective.

Mike Roche, Operations Managing Director, FedEx Express Ireland, said: “We are always looking for new and innovative ways to deliver the world to our customers’ doorsteps and I’m delighted that this drone delivery trial is underway and an example of how we, as an industry, continue to explore new technology to help meet our customers’ evolving delivery needs.”

Julie Garland on behalf of the FMCI Air Consortium, said “The calibre of the partners involved in this trial ensures its success. To test the incorporation of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone freight deliveries into global supply chain logistics is the future happening now. The location of this trial from the FMCI base adjacent to Shannon Airport, in controlled airspace, with full air traffic control services demonstrates the integration of manned aircraft operations with simultaneous vertiport drone operations becoming the norm and paving the way for Advanced Air Mobility.”  

More information about FedEx technology and innovation is available at fedex.com/technology.

Google Nest Doorbell gets new seasonal tones for Halloween. Check them out here..

If you are bored with the stock tones on your Google Nest Doorbell you should now have a new update which will last until November 1st with 6 new spooky ringtones for Halloween, these tones will also play through your nest hub and speakers too so everyone gets to listen in on the new additions.

 

 

It is very simple to check and adjust your settings, first ensure you are on the latest app version and then go to settings then doorbell and you can toggle these on from here.. You can listen to the new Halloween inspired tones below and make your own choice if you wish to get in on the action, I did for anyone that wants to know.. You can also check out a real hands on review of the Google Doorbell HERE and our full hands on Nest cam review is up this week.