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.

Why Dynamic Design And Crystal Clear Sound Matter When Video Conferencing. #Konftel

The art of sound and striking design are just as important as pristine picture performance for pioneering conferencing manufacturer Konftel.

With more professionals returning to offices over the coming months, Konftel is keen to stress the vital role of alluring aesthetics and crystal clear audio, wherever people are communicating – from huddle rooms and boardrooms to home working.

Konftel created the first conference phone in the 1980’s. Whilst styles have changed, the power of form as well as functionality remain more compelling than ever, inspired by consumer driven technology trends, says Konftel UK Sales Director, Jeff May.

“The look and style of a product is hugely important to its user. Great design is part of our DNA.”

Aesthetic appeal

He emphasised: “A demand for style and aesthetic appeal has its roots in the consumer market, but people want that experience in the workplace and at home as well too. 

“Of course, the functionality and the quality is where any product starts but, for us, the design is not a second thought. The conception, the innovation, the manufacture: the process has a critical design imperative running right through it from beginning to end.

“For us, it is always about the combination of cutting-edge technological performance and understated elegance. Both are given equal focus. It’s simple: our products have to be beautiful as well as functional.”  

Jeff May, Konftel

Konftel’s multiple Red Dot award-winning range of devices bear testimony to striking visual appeal and usability. The latest innovation – the Konftel 70 speakerphone – was codenamed internally ‘Stingray’ by virtue of its striking sleek lines. The company’s acclaimed OmniSound technology inside all of its carbon neutral devices play another crucial role – matched by dynamic design.

Emotional impact

“When we design, we are always thinking of the environments our products will occupy and the emotional impact they will have on the user,” says May.

“Organisations are investing significantly in high-quality, high-design new office spaces to take account of the new post-pandemic hybrid model of increased remote working and video conferencing.

“We believe it is hugely important for our products to look good in those crisp, contemporary new environments; to complement the space and help create a certain mood. Our products make a statement. They say this is an organisation which values quality and sophistication. It helps send a message to employees that they are valued.

“It’s no longer just very senior people who take part in video conferencing. Today, everyone is in and out of conference calls and using conferencing equipment.”

As video conferencing continues to redefine the way the world does business, it’s high quality audio on which people rely – in many ways even more so than exceptional picture quality.

May highlighted: “For whilst cameras can be turned on or off, a video call is nothing without good sound, without which the meeting cannot continue. And that means quality really matters. Mobility, audio sharpness, reduction of background noise – these are all factors which greatly influence the overall quality of any call, whether voice or video.”

He added: “In the beginning, most people just used whatever kit they were given. Now, people want choice. They want top quality audio and video in every online meeting they attend. We can cope with video going fuzzy by just turning off our cameras. Without audio, nothing works. The act of communication has changed beyond recognition; hastened this past 18 months due to the pandemic. Call environments are now hugely varied.

Discerning demands

“Users are far more discerning and will continue to be so going forward. They are also much more aware as to what the options are and the differentiators that exist.

“Those with the best audio and video on a call stand out. Their contribution to the call is accentuated as a result of the way they sound. It’s the way we make the best impression nowadays. Of course, the sound and video quality is paramount, but significant added value is also derived from the equipment being beautiful.”  

Touch, too, is part of the mix, as May concluded. “Our designers are encouraged to be free and to express themselves. They understand that their contribution to the success of any product is huge. In today’s evolving and demanding world, products have to look as good as they perform.”

Explosive vehicle combat game KEO kicks off the road to release with three open beta weekends, starting on 24th July #KEO #Gaming

An exclusive Seeker vehicle skin is available for those who take part in the beta, and signups are open right now ahead of the first weekend. An exclusive one-of-a-kind artwork can also be won by those who share their content from the game.

 

Publisher Digital Matters and developer Redcatpig have revealed that their new high-octane vehicle combat game KEO is kicking off the first of three consecutive Steam open beta weekends on 24th July. Each weekend will feature its own game mode for players to drive, fight, and survive in with a number of vehicles and devastating customisable weaponry.

Players who sign up for the beta will not only get access to the exclusive Seeker skin for use in the full game on release, but those who share content from the beta using the hashtag #KEOCraze will also be in with the chance of winning a unique artwork from the team at Redcatpig. This will be signed by the developers and sent to the winner as the ultimate prize for KEO players.

 

Key features of KEO:

  • Heart-pumping vehicle-to-vehicle combat: Put pedal to the metal to blast through opponents and secure victory, whether you’re a casual cruiser or a hardened gamer
  • Three fierce game modes: Deathmatch, Domination, and Racing await those who are brave enough to enter the battlefield
  • Expand and upgrade: From weapons to cosmetics, each vehicle can be personalised and upgraded to deliver flair and ferocity
  • Multiple vehicles: There are many war machines of all shapes and sizes to utilise on the battlefield, varying in abilities, speed, armour, and more

 

KEO will welcome players when it launches into Steam Early Access later this year, but players can sign up for the beta right now at this link. The full game will release in September 2021, and a brand new trailer showcases what players can expect from KEO. For more on the game, players can join the Discord.

Targus launches EcoSmart tablet cases made from recycled waste and with biodegradable materials

Targus today announces its new portfolio of EcoSmart® tablet cases, with lifetime warranty. The cases are made from recycled post-consumer plastic and 30-40% biodegradable materials, without compromising the high-performance military-grade protection the brand is trusted for.The new range consists of three cases for Apple iPad and one for Samsung tablets.

The new family of EcoSmart tablet cases are created from a variety of sustainable materials, pioneering the brands vision to power the circular economy. The base trays are designed using bio & fossil based degradable materials that are sustainably designed to decompose.  The cover and lining are all recyclable and made from post-consumer plastic, saving water bottles and other plastic materials from countless landfills and oceans. Taking it one step further, the packaging for all EcoSmart products are also 100% recycled and exclusively use hemp rope and recycled sealing tape.

Targus are evolving their business from the inside out. Recently named as a finalist for the Sustainability Vendor of the Year at the CRN Tech Impact Awards, Targus is committed to creating more products from waste, with their entire laptop bag portfolio now 100% recyclable.

VersaVu EcoSmart® Tablet Case

Targus signature tablet case, VersaVu, is now a part of the EcoSmart family.It features a patented 360o rotation for seamless switching between portrait, landscape use, and anything in between. This is particularly useful for those in hospitality or retail professions as it allows you to show what’s on the screen via a simple rotation, without having to touch the interface of the tablet.

Pro-Tek EcoSmart® Tablet Case

The Pro-Tek EcoSmart tablet case has a flexible tray with reinforced corner bumpers that offer ultimate impact protection. Precise design allows full access to all ports, controls, and the camera lens, so you can use all of your tablet’s features without removing it from the case and an integrated sleep/wake feature to reduce downtime and saves battery on those tablets.

Click-In EcoSmart® Tablet Cases

With custom-moulded trays to secure and protect the device, the case offers precision cut access to controls, ports, and camera. Audio-enhancing sound scoops direct sound towards the user and a non-slip lining holds the device in the perfect viewing angle whether you’re traveling, sitting on your sofa or have the case standing on your desk. Available for both the Samsung Tab A7 10.4” as well as the iPad 8th and 7th Gen 10.2”, iPad Air 10.5”, and iPad Pro 10.5”.

In addition to the sustainability efforts of each product, all four EcoSmart tablet cases pass a military-grade 1.2m (4 feet) drop test, providing peace of mind  for your tablet device. Each tablet case also comes with a convenient sleep/wake function. The three Apple tablet cases additionally feature an Apple Pencil/ Stylus holder and support Apple Pencil charging, allowing you to get the best use out of your tablet whenever you need it. Endless use is guaranteed by a lifetime warranty.

Raphael De Perlinghi, Director of Consumer Business EMEA, Targus said: “In 2008 Targus launched its first line of eco-friendly laptop bags and established the EcoSmart trademark.​ A few years on and we have continued to accelerate along the road to sustainability responding to the increased demand from consumers and businesses alike. Our new EcoSmart tablet range looks towards powering a circular economy – something our world urgently needs. I am extremely proud that we are creating tablet cases from waste, providing real sustainable options for people, all whilst maintaining the style and quality we stand for at Targus.”  

Pricing & availability

The cases are now available at selected retailers.

  • Click-In EcoSmart®case for iPad (8th and 7th Gen) 10.2”, iPad Air 10.5”, and iPad Pro 10.5” (THZ884GL, black) SRP £39.99
  • Pro-Tek EcoSmart®case for iPad (8th and 7th Gen) 10.2”, iPad Air 10.5”, and iPad Pro 10.5” (THZ885GL, black) SRP £39.99
  • VersaVu EcoSmart®case for iPad (7th Gen) 10.2”, iPad Air 10.5”, and iPad Pro 10.5” (THZ886GL, black) SRP £59.99
  • Targus EcoSmart®Click-In case for Samsung Tab A7 10.4” (THZ883GL, black) £39.99

Targus has also been named as a finalist for the Sustainability Vendor of the Year award at the CRN Tech Impact Awards, as a result of their demonstrated commitment to building a circular economy and creating sustainable products.

New ‘360 by Deezer’ cast now available on Sony’s SRS-RA5000 & RA3000 speakers. #Deezer #Sony

Give your headphones a break and let your speakers transport you to the universe of 360 Reality Audio. Global music streaming Deezer is giving our music fans a chance to experience spatial music at home with our new ‘360 by Deezer’ cast feature. Now, HiFi subscribers can play their favourite tunes in full surround sound with Sony’s SRS-RA5000 or RA3000 wireless speakers. HiFi users just need to open the ‘360 by Deezer’ app, pick their favorite track, and select the ‘cast’ button in the top right hand corner to begin.

Different parts of the song as many independent sound “objects” like vocals and instruments are placed in positions in a virtual auditorium to create a truly immersive experience for the listener. Playing 360 Reality Audio through the SRS-RA5000 or SRS-RA3000 wireless speakers really gives you the illusion that the artist is performing right there in front of you.

The ‘360 by Deezer’ app offers a growing library of music and albums from artists such as Doja Cat, David Bowie and Alicia Keys. They have all been remastered in the 360 Reality Audio format. Fans can also discover dedicated 360 editorial playlists in the app’s recommendation page. This includes the new Deezer “360 Sessions” playlist featuring live performances from global stars like Dua Lipa, Anne-Marie and Circa Waves.

“We know our HiFi fans appreciate every detail and emotions that can be felt through 360 Reality Audio. Now, with Our ‘360 by Deezer’ app, all they have to do is hit cast to have the home experience of their dreams,” said Franziska Schwarz, VP Partnerships. 

For HiFi fans who don’t have the SRS-RA5000 & RA3000 wireless speakers, music from ‘360 by Deezer’ can be cast to other regular speakers, but in regular premium sound quality.

The ‘360 by Deezer’ cast feature is available worldwide on iOS and Android.

Note: ‘360 by Deezer’ will only work with an active Deezer HiFi subscription.

How Have Mobile Apps Changed The Way We Bet On Sports

There are mobile apps for everything these days, and for the majority of people, they rarely go a day without using them. The sports betting industry, in particular, has seen a massive surge in recent years of punters preferring to have a flutter on the go. This article takes a look at the most popular types of betting apps and how they’ve changed the way modern customers wager on sports.

Horse Racing Betting Apps

Alongside football, horse racing is the most popular sport for betting in the UK. The majority of horse racing betting apps, which you can find if you go to horseracingbetting.co.uk, are integrated into the bookmaker’s full sportsbook. However, there are a couple of dedicated apps now available purely for racing enthusiasts. 

Sports Betting Apps

Sports betting apps provide punters with thousands of betting opportunities at their fingertips. They offer dozens of sports, with events coming from all over the globe. Previously, these apps were viewed as an optional extra as most online bettors tended to use PCs and laptops, but that isn’t the case anymore. This shift in consumer behaviour has led to the leading betting sites putting more emphasis on improving the user experience for mobile punters.

Benefits of Mobile Betting Apps

Every bettor is an individual, and they value the benefits of mobile betting apps independently. However, here are some of the advantages we associate with these apps, and by default, it’s altered the way thousands of people bet on their favourite sports and racing events.

Convenience

Rarely are we without our phones. They go with us everywhere – many even take them to the toilet, which highlights how attached we have become to these devices. The benefit of this from a sports betting perspective is that punters never have to miss a great betting opportunity. As long as you have an internet connection, you can have a flutter whenever and wherever you choose. This convenience and freedom are what many punters crave. 

Sociable

All high street betting shops have their regular crowd. These punters mainly bet on horse racing and greyhounds because there are races every day, which normally start in the late morning and run through until the afternoon. The regulars will often share tips and predictions with one another and watch the action on the TV screens. It is a sociable experience as you are enjoying this pastime with others who also share the same interest.

Online betting at home on a computer eroded the social aspect of having a punt. It became sterile and solitary. For most bettors, myself included, much of the enjoyment of betting is sharing the highs and lows with others. This component is not present when sat at home in the corner of your living room.

Mobile betting apps have helped reintroduce this social side as many customers place their bets while out with friends. With live betting, you can be in the pub watching a game with your mates and chat about what bets to place for the second half. You may decide to all chip in on a punt. Apps have made betting fun and friendly, which is how it should be.

Additional features

Although the fundamentals of placing a bet haven’t changed, betting operators now focus on the user experience. This is understandable because punters in the UK can choose between 50 – 100 licensed betting sites, and it only takes a couple of minutes to create an account.

Betting apps are at the forefront of this new and improved customer experience as they offer several additional perks compared to regular online betting via a PC.

  • Tailored alerts – most betting apps allow users to set alerts. These can be messages about their bets or general sports alerts, such as a goal being scored in a specific football match.
  • Personalised displays – if you’re only interested in one particular sport, you can customise the display to show what matters to you, which makes finding the right bets easier and faster.
  • Extra form guides – the amount of data now available for sports bettors and horse racing punters is phenomenal and the latest betting apps have it all ready at the tap of a button.
  • My teams / horses – several apps have features where customers can create lists of their favourite football teams and virtual stables for their favourite horses. They then receive updates about when the teams/horses are in action, and what betting odds you can get.
  • Push notifications – a huge advantage that betting apps have is push notifications. Customers can set these in the preferences settings of the application so that they receive real-time updates directly to their device. The type of notifications includes new bonuses and promotions, price alerts, odds boosts, and live scores. 

3 ways to make working from home easier

The pandemic ushered in a new and unprecedented era of home working, with most offices closing their doors. 

No matter what the future holds, this appears to be a trend that’s set to continue.

#1 Differentiate home from work

This is the most important tip, but perhaps one of the hardest to implement. Even though you’re working from home, you need to carefully divide your home/working environment. This has productivity and mental health benefits. Doing all your work in the main family rooms, with the television blaring and children playing, isn’t a good idea. You’ll find it harder to concentrate, tasks will take longer and stress will inevitably build. Similarly, when the working day comes to an end you need to be able to leave work behind and relax.

Try to design a home office that has your computer, files and an ergonomic office chair. This is your workroom. Ask that people only disturb you if it’s urgent and make sure that the whole household is aware of your office. When the day comes to an end you can close the door and leave work behind. This psychological differentiation means that work doesn’t saturate your home life, safeguarding mental health and providing a routine.

#2 Take scheduled breaks and find ways to relax

Since you’re already at home, the home/work balance can become blurred. Working hours tend to elongate and you can lose sight of taking time for yourself. Always schedule breaks and get away from the computer screen. It’s tempting to spend the break flicking through social media, but use it to go for a walk, exercise; even just stepping away and brewing a cup of coffee can make a big difference.

When the working day comes to an end, don’t dip back in. Instead, find ways to relax and destress. Treat working from home exactly as you would working at the office. Spend time with family and friends when the day ends, prepare dinner and generally do all that you can to maintain a healthy balance. Working from home encourages a certain amount of absorption, but don’t let your job come to dominate your family life.

#3 See if you can work a hybrid model

Many have relished the change to work from home, but for others, the lack of support and sensation of isolation has been less than appealing. Employers are flexible, and many are now offering some kind of hybrid model that fuses home with office work. Hybrid working takes many forms, but there are broadly three types.

The first and most common has you work a part of your week at home and then another portion in the office. This gives you a set routine and most employers will be flexible about the days. A similar model involves working one week in the office and another week at home. Finally, some companies will allow you to base yourself at home but keep the office open for enquiries, advice or simply as a place to go when you need some quiet.

 

Tech Review – Tronsmart Apollo Air Plus earbuds #Tronsmart #ApolloAirPlus

The tronsmart Apollo air Plus are near identical to the Apollo air we just recently checked out, They come with a nice sized case too and fits in any pocket giving you around 20 hours in total playtime with case and around 5 hours with one charge this is less when you use ANC and high volumes, there is wireless charging here which is great as I have adopted wireless charging around the house.

The earbuds are a comfortable fit but slight protrude from the ears with a long chamber but this is normal and there is others out there that stick out much more and this to be honest doesn’t bother me. For calls these are also good but it is the music and how it sounds is what is most important. When it comes to modes we have three options here and they are ideal for indoors outdoors and commutes and so on giving you ambient mode ANC on/off.

Tronsmart Apollo Air Plus techbuzzireland
Tronsmart Apollo Air Plus techbuzzireland

These really do get loud highs lows and mids are good, listening to music is great and also for films You Tube and Netflix etc they really shine in action movies with great direction and they give a near like headphone experience. The app as mentioned above really enhances the overall experince here with choices like 3d,deep bass,vocal,rock and much more to choose from you will see the full details in the video review. There is no lag latency to be noted either during my testing.

Controls are a breeze to use here given you might find them sensitive to begin with, everything is here from skip and reverse tracks .volume control and voice assistant and you can adjust the settings to your requirement in the app. There is no difference between the app set up here with the Apollo air all things remain identical throughout.

Features

  • 35dB full frequency hybrid active noise cancelling.
  • Industry-leading Qualcomm QCC3046 chip.
  • High-quality Qualcomm® aptX™ audio decoding.
  • Customized graphene driver for better sound quality.
  • Three modes switching designed for different usage scenarios.
  • Six mics with cVc 8.0 technology for crystal-clear calls.
  • TWS+ binaural synchronous transmission technology.
  • Bluetooth 5.2.
  • Ear detection
  • Wireless charging

Buy here  

First look at the Edifier NeoBuds Pro – The First Hi-Res ANC Earbuds. #NeoBudsPro #Edifier

The latest from Edifier has landed and it is the all new NeoBuds Pro which is the latest product from the company which I have been a keen fan of and using their products some years now and they have set a high standard when it comes to sound and quality.

Edifier’s innovative research team conducted hundreds of tests that led to electronic-acoustic technology breakthroughs in the development of the NeoBuds Pro. The earbuds bring premium audio quality traditionally found in speakers and over-ear headphones to a more convenient, compact and wireless package. Its bi-amping with DSP-based active crossover technology ensures the dynamic driver and the armature driver are working in tandem to provide users with premium sound quality, deep bass, and crisp treble frequencies all with truly unique technological advancements.

A higher, more accurate sampling frequency, leading to higher sound quality and truer tones over traditional earphones, earned the Neobuds Pro a Hi-Res certification. The Neobuds Pro supports the LHDC+ACC codec transmitting 96kHz 24Bit HD audio over Bluetooth, to present a full and comprehensive range of sound with the truest, purest tones of each musical note and instrument.

Edifier TWS NB2 vs Edifier NeoBuds Pro techbuzzireland

The Neobuds Pro also has advanced noise-cancelling feature, which outperforms the previous TWS NB2 with deeper, smarter and a more upgraded algorithm. It offers the user a quieter environment to enhance the music listening experience while protecting the user’s hearing from the outside noise. We compare both of these in the unboxing below so if you have any questions feel free to ask in the usual spots while we take these on a test run…

Back them over at Indiegogo

 

What Do Organizations Need for an Affective API Governance?

Today, businesses have embraced the use of Applications Programming Interfaces (APIs) to meet the changing demands of their customers. Due to advancements in technology, customers are looking for customized services that are tailored to meet their requirements. Businesses know that it would be difficult to offer these services without implementing APIs, something that has led to the growth of the use of APIs.

However, this has brought with it a new need for shared standards and governance of APIs to complement the value of business data and the strategies used in the business platforms. However, getting the right approach to governance and standardization is a challenge for most organizations. Most of them get this wrong, meaning that their API strategy is likely to fail in one way or another in the future.

Organizations need to come up with directives that balance with the requirements of their developers. They need to figure out ways through which they can have data structures updated and implement API standards that conform to future customer requirements. In addition, they need to enforce all the required styles and make sure that they align with globally accepted standards such as open banking standards, GDRP, and FIHR.

Affective API Governance

There are a number of things that organizations need for effective API governance. The most important best practices in API governance include;

Using Abstract Designs to Manage APIs

Using abstract designs to manage APIs makes it easy for organizations to apply API governance. For instance, organizations that have their APIs held in the form of abstracted designs with all the required technical details such as headers and payloads placed in the right specifications find it easy to enforce governance policies.

Managing APIs with a Service Catalog

In other situations, some organizations hold their APIs together with all dependencies, lineage, mappings, and documentation aligned to the right taxonomies in a service catalog. This makes it easy for them to rationalize and visualize their APIs, as well as gaining control and insight into the people using their APIs, where the APIs are, how their (APIs) data flows, and the rate of data transfer. This aids the process of enforcing governance regulations.

Using a Single Set of Governance Rules

Organizations need to make sure that the set of rules they are enforcing on their APIs are globally accepted. They should desist from using any rules based on an individual project or set of APIs. Even though some organizations might feel like this forces them to only use a certain set of coding standards, it also means that they should adopt standards that meet the requirements of their business models. Finally, they need to make sure that all these rules are centrally located to ensure that everyone can easily access and implement them on their projects.

Applying Governance Throughout the API Lifecycle

When building APIs, some organizations tend to overlook some things in the early stages of an API lifecycle. These things become bigger in the later stages of the lifecycle, making such organizations think that API governance is responsible for bringing issues into development. 

However, organizations need to apply governance policies throughout the stages of the API lifecycle, starting from the first stage to the last stage. This will make sure that they are able to avoid these issues that might arise later, and in return, build applications faster and standardize all outputs.

API Versioning

When building APIs, organizations need to keep in mind that there might be times when they might need to add new features, modify the APIs, or even deprecate them. When this happens, they need to find a way through which they can let everything continue working without affecting the end users of applications implementing the APIs.

This is where API versioning comes in. Versioning ensures that users will keep using the APIs, depending on the version that they need. They can even use the later versions without compromising their data. In addition, versioning ensures that APIs are well documented and standardized.

API Governance Benefits Organizations

The pandemic has accelerated the rate of digital adoption among businesses the world over, making data one of the most important assets of any business. Looking at the continued rise of the importance of data, the ways through which such data is exposed becomes quite important as well. 

This means that things such as inconsistencies in code, data leaks, and poor system organization can affect the experience of developers negatively. In addition, APIs’ performance – keeping in mind that APIs depend on this data – will be affected directly. This can be avoided by making sure that organizations implement effective API governance.