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.

2 in 5 people are content creators according to new study.

More people than ever are sharing their talents by creating podcasts, making music, streaming, and gaming. According to the latest research from Futuresource, long-term partner of Shure, 2 in 5 people across the globe are content creators, with more than 40 million people in the world identifying specifically as audio content creators – individuals producing content that requires studio quality audio.

These individuals spent more than 75% more money on their passion projects in 2020 compared to 2019. And, even as the world has slowly reopened to more typical routines, creators aren’t slowing down.

Based on Futuresource’s data, most content creators (65%) shared that they expected the time they spend on their work to increase over the next 12 months. More than half (59%) of those same individuals are already spending more than three hours a week crafting content.

The study also found that creatives are bringing their passions to life through all types and styles of content. The 40 million+ audio content creators are making music, DJ’ing, beat-making, crafting social content and videos, podcasting, and streaming their video gameplay.

When making great content, it is paramount that creators understand how to capture the best quality audio. That’s why nearly half (45%) of creators have invested in new equipment to improve their audio over the last year. To make this vitally important decision easier, Shure has developed an easy-to-follow visual guide to direct anyone to the best mics for their specific needs, including the new MV7X and MV88+ Stereo USB microphones, detailed below.

MV7X Podcast Microphone
– Best For: Podcasters, Streamers, Radio hosts, and Musicians with Audio Interfaces – Perfect for Professional and Home Recording Studios
– Price: £159
– The MV7X Podcast Microphone is an XLR-only dynamic microphone with a cardioid pick-up pattern that features Voice Isolation Technology, is compatible with all audio interfaces, and serves as a professional solution for podcasters and musicians.

 MV88+ Stereo USB Microphone
– Best For: Musicians, Beat Making and Sampling, On-The-Go Producers and Sound Engineers
– Price: £179
– The MV88+ Stereo USB Microphone is a compact, easy-to-use, and versatile microphone that can record vocals and a variety of instruments directly to a Mac or Windows computer. Using the free ShurePlus MOTIV™ Desktop App, users can select from various pick-up patterns (Mono, Stereo, Bi-Directional, and Raw Mid-Side) as well as set Gain, Limiter, Compression, EQ, and Monitor Mix.

MV7 Podcast Microphone
– Best For: All Content Creators, especially Podcasters, Gamers, Streamers, and Musicians who already own a mic stand or boom arm
– Price: £259
– The MV7 Podcast Microphone is a dynamic microphone with both USB and XLR outputs for use with computers and professional interfaces. The MV7 easily connects with a USB so users can explore additional features. With Auto Level Mode, the MV7 will adjust gain in real time to give a consistent output level, no matter if recording or streaming.

MV7 Podcast Kit
– Best For: Podcasters, Gamers, Streamers, & Musicians looking for a full-package solution
– Price: £269
– The MV7 Podcast Kit is a premium, all-in-one solution designed to address the versatility required by modern creators. With the same great features of the MV7 Podcast Microphone, including the ShurePlus MOTIV™ Desktop App, XLR and USB connectivity, USB-A/USB-C cables and a Manfrotto PIXI mini tripod included, creators have all they need to get started right out of the box.

MV88+ Video Kit
– Best For: Bloggers, Videographers, Adventurers, Mobile Content Creators
– Price: £219
– The MV88+ Video Kit transforms any smartphone into a professional-level mobile audio and video rig. The kit includes a Manfrotto® PIXI tripod, phone clamp, and mount, as well as iOS and USB-C cables for next-level compatibility and connectivity. Download the ShurePlus MOTIV Audio or Video App to configure the MV88+ and select from various pick-up patterns, as well as set Gain, Limiter, Compression, EQ, and Monitor Mix.

For more information on Shure’s collection of premium microphones for all types of content creation, visit shure.com.

Tech Review – Creative Chat USB-C headset.

Many of us now are working from home and it looks like it will be the new norm but working in the office is als not entirely ruled out either post pandemic but having said all that you need the tools that can be used in both and this new headset from creative is one to look at which is affordable and lightweight too, being wired though may put some off but there is still a large cohort of people out there that do like wired headsets and for me either is fine.

This headset has USB-C which is the new norm and can also be used with your mobile phone which is handy and can be used in a personal capacity to take calls do zoom calls and listen to music too so you are not confined to your PC either so in effect you could save money here to with one headset and remember it is lightweight too.

Build

The build quality is decent enough too and being lightweight makes it even better especially for long term use the cups are soft too a nicely settle on the ears which make for a comfortable experience overall.

Controls

This is a simple plug and play unit but it does have an inline control panel built in you also get some software to play around with that can enhance the experience and we show you this in the video review below with a standard set up and one connected with the software running, the controls are simple to use and nothing is complicated here at all.

Smarts

The headset comes with a built-in noise-cancelling boom mic and swivel-to-mute function along with SmartComms Kit’s auto-mute and two-way noise cancellation features that make online calls a breeze for users. From webinar presentations to conference calls, the Creative Chat USB offers quality audio and effective noise-cancelling capabilities that works to prioritize voice pickup over unwanted background noises

Audio

Built with a pair of 40 mm Neodymium drivers, the Creative Chat USB has been intricately designed to deliver excellent audio performance that precedes its price by offering a much bigger audio bang for the buck. So, be it for work calls or entertainment, users can expect nothing but high-quality and crystal-clear audio playback all day.

Multiplatform

The Creative Chat USB also works with gaming consoles such as PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch so again you are not tied down to one product to use this headset on so it is a win if you have all the above including a phone or tablet.

Conclusion

Overall this is a great affordable headset that is not restricted with it use case scenario and gives decent audio too and being light it is comfortable and even though it is wired it still offers more options than others out there with connectivity

BUY – creative.com/chatusb.

Creative sent us this to review and no compensation paid nor any input given and are seeing this review the same time as you.

Watch the video below for more

 

 

Belfast founded company CattleEye crowned KPMG Ireland’s top tech innovator

CattleEye, a company which has harnessed the capabilities of advanced AI in video analytics to deliver the world’s first academically verified autonomous livestock monitoring platform, has won the inaugural Ireland leg of the KPMG Global Tech Innovator competition.

The Belfast-founded company was shortlisted from almost 50 entries of early stage Irish and Northern Irish tech start-ups, and took home the prize after pitching to an esteemed panel of judges including; Gareth Lambe, Head of Facebook Ireland; Nicola McClafferty, Partner at Draper Esprit; serial entrepreneur Mark Cummins, Fiona Gallagher, CEO of Wells Fargo International Bank UC and Managing Partner of KPMG in Ireland, Seamus Hand.

CattleEye will now progress to the final at Web Summit 2021 in Lisbon in November, where they will compete with the finalists from 17 other countries for the title of KPMG Global Tech Innovator. Other finalists include companies from the US, Great Britain, South Africa, Brazil, Germany, India & Spain.

The prize also includes travel and accommodation to Lisbon, tickets to Web Summit as part of KPMG’s delegation, an exhibition stand for 1 day, and access to exclusive networking events and mentoring opportunities.

Speaking after the pitch competition, Terry Canning, CEO of CattleEye said:

“We’re delighted to win the KPMG Tech Innovator award for Ireland, and to progress to the Web Summit 2021, where we’re very proud to represent the country at the global finals. Our technology platform provides a completely new way of monitoring and gaining insights on dairy cows. Through machine learning, the platform can alert farmers to problems before they’re aware of them, by walking cattle under a security camera that uses a number of neural networks, enabling them to intervene. This will improve the lives of animals, while allowing farmers to become more efficient and reduce carbon emissions.”

Anna Scally, Partner and Tech Sector Lead at KPMG Ireland added:

“Irish tech companies are amongst the best and most innovative in the world, while our agricultural sector is renowned the word over. CattleEye has married the two by using AI technology to monitor  livestock and provide important data to farmers and dairy managers. CattleEye has progressed to the global finals after demonstrating the impact of their disruptive technology to the market, while also highlighting very exciting plans and growth ambitions. I’d like to congratulate them and wish them all the best as they go on to represent Ireland.”

Coca-Cola Launches First eSports Partnership

The Coca-Cola Football Manager 2021 Copa Challenge kicks off on October 1st with leading gamers, Just Eat to offer weekly discounts & giveaways to reward viewers

With an increased focus on expanding its ecommerce and digital footprint, Coca-Cola is pleased to announce its first competitive gaming tournament The Coca-Cola Copa Challenge, which will see gaming influencers compete against one another at the prominent Football Manager 2021 title.

Fuelled by the lockdown environment, gaming in Ireland is experiencing exponential growth, both in revenue and viewership, and is set for further acceleration in the coming years. Today, 2.7 million people make up the gaming community in Ireland.

Managed by a world-leading gaming company Gfinity, this esports partnership is the first of its kind for a leading drinks brand in Ireland and will see Coca-Cola engage gamers in new and exciting ways, with a focus on sponsorships, collaboration, and experiential moments.

From October 1st, leading gaming influencers will broadcast their Football Manager 2021 fantasy draft tournament series to entertain this captive audience. Hosted by Richie Sheridan and Chris Tunn, participants will include FIFA esports commentator and host Brandon Smith, TikTok stars Ryan Mar and Kyle Kehoe, and eSports influencers Conran Tobin and Paddy Murphy, to name but a few!

The tournament will span four weeks, with each of the influencers broadcasting their player selections on Fridays and games each Saturday, on Twitch. Each player will have an 18-man squad with each game lasting 90 mins with penalties deciding any draws. Players will accumulate points throughout the four weeks, with the Coca-Cola Copa Challenge Champion crowned in the finale.

The event will offer opportunities for engagement and entertainment for the viewership. A Coca-Cola microsite will host weekly challenges for the audience to vote on, along with the leaderboard and other tournament updates.

A partnership with Just Eat will also be key feature across the tournament, offering exclusive weekly discounts and giveaways for viewers at home who tune in to the action.

In addition to promotions across the microsite and Just Eat’s landing page, Coca-Cola’s marketing activation will focus primarily on Twitch; with Moobots, clickable broadcast adverts, and ad hoardings throughout the game.

To drive continual engagement, there will be competitions and giveaways by the hosts, participating influencers and across Coca-Cola social media channels.

Influencers will also stream the action on their own preferred social media channel, extending the organic reach through Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Tom Greenlees, Head of Digital Media & Influencer Strategy at The Coca-Cola Company said, “At The Coca-Cola Company, we are always looking at new ways to connect with our with our audiences and to bring them together through new and exciting experiences. That’s why we are really excited to partner with GFinity to launch the Coca-Cola Copa Challenge.

“We have a great selection of talent taking part in what we hope will be an exciting experience for both competitors and the audience. Initiatives like this provide a great opportunity to innovate and I’m really excited to see what we, and our partners, can learn from this to deliver more immersive and rewarding experiences like this for our consumers in the future.”

Head of E-Commerce for Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland, Annmarie Markey explains, “esports has become equally as powerful as sports, media, or music as a vehicle to communicate and engage with consumers – and in 2020 there were twice more people watching esports globally than Superbowl, NBA and NFL combined! With a gaming community of 2.7 million in Ireland, eSports offers exponential opportunities for growth for the Coca-Cola system and our portfolio.”

“We are therefore immensely proud to be the first leading drinks brand to launch an esports sponsorship in Ireland. To create a full experiential ‘in-home’ occasion, our partnership with Just Eat will also offer viewers the opportunity to snap up their favourite dishes and Coca Cola drinks from local restaurants, with weekly promotions and gift card giveaways.”

Senior Marketing Lead for Just Eat Ireland, John Carey said, “Just Eat is a technology business, so we’re always looking at new ways to innovate our approach and transform how we talk to our customers. The esports industry in Ireland is estimated to be growing by 5% per year and we are keen to ensure that they choose the leading food delivery platform in Ireland when they are looking to refuel.”

“We’re delighted to deliver value to entertainment fans taking part in this year’s Coca-Cola Copa Challenge, connecting esports enthusiasts and casual gamers alike with a diverse range of over 3,300 restaurants now available for delivery on Just Eat.”

For information on how to follow the action, visit http://www.coca-colacopa.com/ie.

Creative launches the Stage 360 soundbar for an elevated entertainment experience

The Creative Stage 360 makes it simple for users to enjoy rich and powerful surround sound at the comfort of one’s home.

Creative Technology today announced the release of Creative Stage 360, the latest addition to the well-established Stage series. This soundbar takes the home entertainment experience up a notch with better audio clarity and surround sound immersion with the integration of Dolby Atmos technology. On top of that, the soundbar also features newly developed system drivers, dual sound placements and an array of new connectivity options, making it the perfect all-in-one home audio upgrade for an elevated music, movie and gaming experience.

The Creative Stage 360 makes it simple for users to enjoy rich and powerful surround sound at the comfort of one’s home.

Indulge in Cinema-Like Audio

With the integration of Dolby Atmos technology, the Creative Stage 360 allows users to enjoy three-dimensional, cinema-like audio with realistic surround and height reproduction by simply playing any supported Dolby Atmos content from popular streaming platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video and many more. The latest soundbar also boasts all-new, custom-tuned racetrack drivers along with a dedicated long-throw subwoofer as well as a total peak power of up to 240W to deliver a stronger audio punch with every beat.

Adding to that, this soundbar is optimized for both near-field and far-field listening – regardless of whether it is placed in the living room or at the desktop, users can easily switch between either setting with the newly-designed IR remote control.

Stay Connected, Stay Stylish

Upgraded with both wired and wireless connectivity options like HDMI ARC port, two HDMI 2.0 ports, an optical-in, as well as Bluetooth 5.0, the Creative Stage 360 offers a one-stop home audio solution for devices including TVs, computers, mobile devices, or even gaming consoles. With a sleek and compact form factor, the Creative Stage 360 fits right into any room and delivers a hefty audio punch for the price, making it the ideal all-in-one home audio solution to support every entertainment need.

Pricing and Availability

Creative Stage 360 is attractively priced at US$229.99, €229.99, £199.99, PLN99 and is available at Creative.com.

Dropbox Introduces New Capabilities – Dropbox Capture, Dropbox Replay, Dropbox Shop

The sudden shift to remote work accelerated existing trends like the rise of the creator and freelancer economies, expansion of distributed teams and the increased use of rich media and video files. As more work is done in more places using more types of files, distributed teams and creatives need solutions that allow them to work anytime, from anywhere, across all their workflows. That’s why we’re introducing three new product experiences that help you do more with your content in Dropbox.*

Communicate clearly and save time with Dropbox Capture

For many, remote work has meant endless hours of video meetings, constant chat messages, and long emails in place of the kind of dynamic communication that comes from being in the same room. Customers who work across time zones have told us they need new ways to provide context for their content without adding more meetings and emails.
Dropbox Capture is an all-in-one visual communication tool that helps team members share their work and ideas asynchronously.
  • Replace lengthy emails and documents with short video messages to communicate with your team in less time
  • Bring clarity to your message by visually presenting your work through easy-to-take screen recordings, GIFs, and screenshots
  • Convey context and connect more deeply with personalized messages
  • Free up your calendar and avoid impossible meeting scheduling across timezones by recording and sharing status updates and work-in-progress with your team
Today, Capture is in beta across personal and business plans and can be accessed at dropbox.com/capture [LINK to https://www.dropbox.com/capture]
“I often struggle with time zones at my company because we operate internationally. It’s hard to share ideas, because there’s only so much you can get across over written messages. With Dropbox Capture, you can actually show the person what you’re looking at, point things out, and convey it with your own voice. This is so important in the workplace, where it’s easy to misunderstand text.”—Mackenzie Davis, a Dropbox customer in the consulting industry

Simplify video feedback with Dropbox Replay

Over the past two years, we’ve communicated over video more than ever. Billions of video files are added to Dropbox each year. And between 2019 and 2020, there was a nearly 50% increase in the number of video editing files added to Dropbox.
Meanwhile, getting sign off on video content has become more difficult when collaborators are working remotely. Large files, different video formats, and low bandwidth all add to the complexity. Teams tell us they need a tool to gather actionable feedback in one place so they can respond faster.
Dropbox Replay is a video collaboration tool that makes it easier to collect, manage, and respond to feedback, all in one place.
  • Easily share videos with your teammates so they don’t need to download the video or take separate notes in an email or a doc to provide feedback
  • Leave frame-accurate comments and annotations, even if you don’t have a Dropbox account
  • Avoid having to search email and chat threads from different collaborators—all feedback is documented in Replay
  • Bring the viewing room experience to life virtually through the Live Review feature, and bypass choppy playback on video calls
  • Confidently manage and track progress on all video projects
Replay is coming in beta soon. To join the waitlist, apply by signing up at experience.dropbox.com/form/replay-sign-up. [LINK to https://experience.dropbox.com/form/replay-sign-up]

Sell your digital content with Dropbox Shop

For years, content creators have relied on Dropbox to make remote collaboration easier. With the rise of the creator economy and new platforms for monetizing content, there’s even more opportunity for us to support the work of creators. If you have content you’re creating for a side hustle, hobby, or potential new business, why not take the first step and put it out there for sale?
Dropbox Shop lets you sell digital content creations you have stored in Dropbox.
  • Easily create product listings in three clicks. Add content directly from Dropbox or your computer, set a custom image, audio, or video preview, and determine your price
  • Automatically deliver content upon payment so you don’t have to manage facilitating payments and delivering content with customers
  • Share product listings directly with customers or via social media and maintain 100% ownership over your customer base
  • Keep your content safe with required customer email validation for additional downloads
  • Evaluate your listings with aggregate-level sales, views, and revenue analytics
Shop is coming in beta soon. To join the waitlist, apply by signing up at experience.dropbox.com/form/shop-sign-up. [LINK to https://experience.dropbox.com/form/shop-sign-up]

Groov-e adds the Jazz Buds to its affordable true wireless range

Groov-e, a leading UK tech brand, today adds the Jazz Buds to its range of affordable true wireless earphones. Perfect for daily use, the Jazz Buds allow users to stay connected and enjoy up to 25 hours of their favourite music in true stereo sound quality anywhere, anytime. Featuring the latest tech without the high price tag, the Jazz Buds are available now for £29.99 from Tesco or www.groov-e.co.uk.

Freeing users completely from wires or neckbands the Jazz Buds are the latest addition to Groov-e’s true wireless range.  Compatible with all Bluetooth enabled devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and audio players, they deliver high quality clear sound with powerful bass.

Touch control enables users to play and pause music, skip forward and back through tracks and alter the volume just by gently pushing on the earbuds. Voice-assistant enabled, users can even activate Siri or Google without removing their device from a bag or pocket. The Jazz Buds also feature a built-in mic for clear hands-free calls.

Jazzbuds black techbuzzireland

Featuring a modern yet ergonomic design, the Jazz Buds are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time whether working or out and about. To pair, simply take the Jazz Buds out of the charging case and they will automatically connect to the selected smart device (after being paired the first time).

The Jazz Buds come with a portable intelligent charging case which means they can provide up to four hours of music playback per charge and up to an additional 21 hours using the charging case. A Type-C USB charging cable is also included in the box.

Kunal Patel, Director, Groov-e said: “The true wireless market has exploded over the last few years and consumers are certainly spoiled for choice where entirely wireless earbuds are concerned. With our range we’ve shown that you don’t need to spend a ton of money to get a decent pair of true wireless earphones. Our latest edition, Jazz Buds, delivers quality audio and useful extra features for just £29.99, making them perfect for those looking for more affordable, truly wireless headphones.” 

 

Choose your own adventure with A Little Golf Journey from Okidokico and Playtonic Friends

A relaxed, playful experience built around a stripped back version of the game of golf, A Little Golf Journey is all about the journey, not the driver.  Explore diverse biomes, uncover each course’s secrets and tee off on the most relaxing round you’ve ever experienced.

A Little Golf Journey will be launching on Steam for PC, GOG and Nintendo Switch on 14th October and just like the real game, you can take your time to soak in the natural beauty of the course, spend all your time out of bounds – but who knows what you might discover – or shoot straight for the hole!

Born from a desire to break away from the hyper-specialisation of AAA game development, A Little Golf Journey took the team at Okidokico on their own journey as they had to master all the disciplines to create their take on Golf whilst creating a relaxing, intriguing narrative with puzzles a plenty and flexibility in play which allows you, the player, to chart your own course through the world.

Wish lists are open right now on Steam and the Nintendo eShop will go live later this week.

DTS and Vestel Bring DTS:X Immersive Audio to New Generation of Televisions

DTS  a global leader in next-generation audio, imaging and sensing technology and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Xperi Holding Corporation  today announced Vestel, the leading Turkish electronic company, has gained DTS:X certification for their new range of televisions.

DTS:X for TV is a comprehensive immersive audio solution designed for single and dual-core TV SoC architectures and is fully backward compatible with all existing DTS-encoded content, including DTS:X and DTS-HD® Master Audio Blu-ray Discs and DTS Digital Surround. The solution also features the latest high-efficiency DTS:X immersive streaming decoder for streaming content from OTT services.

“We are proud to be one of the first European TV manufacturers certified for DTS:X” said Barış Altınkaya, deputy general manager of marketing and product management, Vestel. “At Vestel, we continuously strive to enhance TV sound quality, and with DTS:X, we can now further push the boundaries of what is possible to deliver a transformational, multi-dimensional surround sound experience, straight from the TVs themselves.”

“Bringing DTS:X to a mainstream television audience through our collaboration with Vestel is a landmark moment for immersive TV audio in Europe,” said Gabriel Cosgrave, general manager, EMEA, Xperi. “Millions more consumers now have the ability to experience fully immersive audio directly from their TV, meaning their home entertainment experience can truly come to life.”

Televisions featuring DTS:X are compatible with any DTS content connected to the TV from HDMI, USB and OTT streaming services. The solution includes a DTS:X transcoder capable of outputting DTS Digital Surround over S/PDIF and ARC (audio return channel) and can output a DTS:X lossless bitstream via eARC (enhanced audio return channel) to connected devices such as DTS:X-enabled A/V receivers or sound bars for a seamless DTS home entertainment experience. The DTS:X solution for TV is a must-have for the IMAX Enhanced program, and it has also been adopted in the Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) spec for Europe. DTS:X for TV is compatible with the DTS® Virtual:X™ audio post-processing solution to deliver the best possible audio experience from immersive content played over a TV’s internal speakers.