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.

Address pal not so much a pal now. #AddressPal #AnPost

The Virtual shipping address scene has changed rather quickly over the last month or so but no not all is lost just yet as discussed here before. With Brexit done there is plenty of things to consider when shopping from the UK where things will be now more expensive for consumers which is not good for the consumer or indeed Amazon. There is an extensive guide you can find HERE which explains what the new costs are when purchasing items from the UK but having said that we are not limited to shopping from the UK either. However shopping on other Amazon sites like FR and DE has seemed to gone up plus more delivery charges and with electrical goods a different plug so you need to be aware of what you are buying and if electrical goods have the option to use both two pin/ three pin plugs I am sure you have plenty at home.

With Parcel motel what I can see happening is setting up a base in other EU countries and this will work for the likes of Amazon DE/FR going forward and it is said UPS hope to get this sorted as soon as possible and it will be better for business for both Amazon and the consumer going forward and you can also think about the infrastructure of lockers here in Ireland which perhaps are all paid for now they where not cheap and I am sure they will not want them sitting there doing nothing as do the buildings they are attached to so lets think about the other possibility of Amazon lockers which again is up in the air…It is also said that AMAZON are seeking more premises here in Ireland to hold inventory but I am sure we will hear about this soon..

Address pal have just announced they are introducing new fees which are on the hefty side. You can see their terms and conditions here and shipping arrangements  here

You will now be hit with the €3.50 admin fee plus €6.50 on top to be delivered to your home which will not bode well for customers and An Post see this as a filler due to other Virtual address companies get their house in order as reported in the Indo today, Note that some services are suspended which means as mentioned above they are working on resolving this by most likely using an EU option instead. Still a tough pill to swallow for the new charges and ones An Post might regret.

Another thing to watch out for is how you shop online,just because the website may have an Irish store does not mean the product is here in Ireland,You may have noticed time to time shopping online you land on a web page and your given the option to change to ie. Dig deeper here and see where they are actually based..

Check out if you have a package or not with An Post with all the scams now here is how to check..

 

 

Lenbrook International Appoints OLEX Communications as its Exclusive PR Agency of Record in North America and the United Kingdom

Lenbrook International announces changes to its public relations team effective January 6, 2021, as consumer electronics veteran Peter Hoagland retires after representing Lenbrook’s North American distribution business, Lenbrook Americas, for nearly ten years as an independent PR consultant. Hoagland has been instrumental in building a strong market presence for NAD Electronics, PSB Speakers, Bluesound, and DALI Loudspeakers amongst specialist audiophile press in North America. 

“Peter has been respected colleague of Lenbrook’s in the audio industry since the early 1980s when we first met him – his reputation is unparalleled,” remarked Stephen Baker, Senior Director of Sales for Lenbrook Americas. “I speak for the entire senior leadership team at Lenbrook when I say that his professionalism and upbeat attitude will be missed, and that we will reflect on how very fortunate we’ve been to have had his marketing and PR expertise working for our brands over the past decade.” 

Peter Hoagland retires after decades working in the consumer electronics industry, leading the marketing efforts for a number of high-end audio brands as an in-house resource, as well as in a consulting capacity. Hoagland joined Lenbrook’s extended marketing team as an independent PR consultant in 2011, representing NAD Electronics, PSB Speakers, Bluesound, and DALI Loudspeakers. He ends his career with an accomplished track record for building deep relationships with specialist media and enhancing brand reputations.

With Hoagland’s retirement, Lenbrook International will continue the work it started at the beginning of the pandemic to consolidate its global PR operations, bringing oversight of Lenbrook Americas’ PR operations under its purview. For over three years now, OLEX Communications has represented Lenbrook’s own brands in the United Kingdom, helping to grow brand awareness with consumer lifestyle and gadget and tech audiences. Earlier in the year, OLEX Communications was appointed in the US to complement Hoagland’s specialist audiophile work, covering lifestyle and gadget and tech publications, and to grow the market presence of the new Bluesound Professional brand within the commercial integration media landscape. Now, OLEX Communications will become the exclusive public relations agency of record representing Lenbrook International brands in the UK and Lenbrook Americas’ brands in North America, across all media verticals.

“It has been a pleasure working with Peter on our distribution business over the years and I have nothing but the utmost respect for him and the tireless work he has invested into our brands in Canada and the United States,” says June Ip, Vice President of Marketing for Lenbrook International. “Fortunately, we have a reliable and knowledgeable partner in OLEX Communications that can take on the work that Peter leaves behind.” 

End of year offers from Urbanista and CLCKR #Tech #Headphones #Cases

With gyms closing and 2021 goals being set, more of us are taking to outdoor sports, running, walking and cycling. These true wireless sports headphones are designed to give you total freedom, no matter what your sport. They are ultra rugged, exude durability and have all the features you need to keep you going through your workouts.

Athens offer an amazing 8 hours play time with a total of 32 hours play time, with an additional three charges from the small and sleek carry case.

They are completely waterproof with an IP67 rating so it really doesn’t matter your sport – swim, ski, surf, shower or sweat all you like and these headphones will stand up to the test. They are smart too, featuring touch controls and connect to your voice assistant.

Available at www.urbanista.com/athens RRP – £119 – currently £83.30 with 30% off – offer ends 10th January 2021

MAKE YOUR HOME WORKOUTS EASIER WITH A CLCKR STAND AND GRIP

No more propping your phone up against your water bottle! Whether you are trying to follow your programme, see the stopwatch or record your workout, CLCKR’s phone stand means you can position your phone in landscape or portrait mode, handsfree. SEE OUR REVIEWS –  https://techbuzzireland.com/2020/11/03/clckr-stand-and-grip-case-review-for-the-iphone-12-clckr-iphone12-tech/

https://techbuzzireland.com/2020/06/26/review-clckr-stand-and-grip-case-carbon-fibre-clckr/

Available at www.clckr.com up to 40% off – offer end 10th January 2021

How Tech’ Has Impacted Furniture – Infographic #AR #EZLiving #Tech #Furniture

Tech can be used in many ways today and it can be fun for the most part but now with AR it just enhances life and with mobile phones it is already happening.. Recently EZ Living launched their own AR app which you can read about HERE .

EZ Living uses AR technology on their websites to allow customers to see what a piece of furniture will look like in their home and they have received excellent feedback on the issue which is of great benefit to customers and have sent us this infographic on the Role of Tech in Furniture. Fancy some comfortable beds? Check out contemporary beds.

 

Tech Review – JAM Audio bookshelf speakers. #Audio #Tech #JAMAudio

JAM audio are a well known audio brand who have a vast range of audio products at affordable prices such as earphones and true wireless earbuds you can see a range of them on site by searching. This time around though they have introduced some bookshelf speakers to their portfolio and a welcome product too.

These are well built and look great with a matt finish and deliver a good punch too especially with the bass end of things so bass fans will certainly want to check these out, these will fit in anywhere in the home or you can place them beside your TV or indeed on a bookshelf once it has the height free, I don’t sport books of any sort so my set up will be different and have them placed either side of my TV and they blend in quite nice with their simple clean design.

When it comes to the tech inside we have  4 internal speakers (2 x bass drivers, 2 x tweeters), Bluetooth compatible 5.0 , Speaker diameter 10cm,  Frequency 80Hz-15Hz, Bass reflex, 3.5mm AUX in,  Mains operated, 30 watts and a 2 year warranty. Below we unbox and go through the features and then give a sound test and I think you will like it. 

JAM Audio sent us this to review with no compensation or copy approval and are seeing this review the same time as you.

Available in three different and stylish colourways: Black, Wood and Dark Wood, the speakers will fit with any décor, and on any shelf. The Bookshelf Speaker is available for £79.99 from uk.jamaudio.com and select retailers nationwide.

 

 

 

Tech Review – The GGMM N2 (battery base) for your google nest mini 2nd Gen. #GoogleNest #Tech

A simple product that solves a minor problem for those with Google Nest mini has arrived and it is a great idea to break the restricted length of your cable length with placing it in your home this allows your to place your Google Nest anywhere in the house and it also looks really neat and will blend in anywhere in the home and again a simple product that is easy to use and just works and no tech know how to get going either it is a simple plug and go job and you are sorted.

This also has a really good build quality too and will last you simple charge the device for a few hours then you can place our next mini into it and then place your nest anywhere in the house so this means you are free from the cable length restriction at home or in the office / bedroom.

On the front there is some LED lamps to tell you how much battery life you have left which handy overall it is a clean well thought design and looks great anywhere and hides the cable, you can bring it anywhere if you like too it comes with a 10.000 mAh battery and will keep you cable free no matter where it is placed, this only works with the 2ND gen nest so keep this in mind. This does not effect how the nest mini will work at all. Check out the review below..

BUY HERE 

Tech Review – House of Marley Champion True Wireless. #Tech #TWS

House of Marley recently announced their latest TWS earbuds called the “Champion” and I have been testing them out for a few days now and as expected I was impressed given the price the come in at. However there is bargains to be had in the true wireless market these days and great value for money these days and the cost to performance ratio is getting better all the time which is great for the consumer overall.

This time around we get an affordable pair of earbuds built around the same idea of the Redemption which are an excellent pair of True Wireless but more expensive however worth the money. We get that bamboo touch again and an in ear style this time around rather than stems, they did at first look like they would not stay in my ears but the right tips and they offer a snug fit and have not dropped out and give good isolation off the bat. The charging case is really nice and pocketable and has a touch of bamboo on top and this complements the earbuds which have a really satisfying click and make for easy commands too which is nice and one of the best controls I have used in a while and due to the surface area you will not make mistakes or accidental clicks.

When it comes to sound this is what most folk are here for and overall really good with a level of bass thrown in and these are loud too, you have most controls at hand here, they can be used independently too which is important for some and you get quick charge thrown in which is an added bonus they do have a decent battery life too. The sound though overall good and no distortion on high volume found in my testing highs,lows and mids good and good direction and crisp voice, same applies to calls which where fine on both ends and clear so overall there is no complaints here.

When people see the word “eco” or “sustainable” sign on tech they fear a loss of quality but that is not the case and something to expect going forward from all manufacturers of tech..

CHAMPION PRODUCT FEATURES

  • Materials: Bamboo, natural wood fibre composite, REGRIND™ recycled silicone
  • 8 hour battery life, 28 hours of total playtime
  • Ear housing touch control
  • IPX4 certified water and sweat resistant design
  • USB-C quick charge technology (15 min = 2 hours)
  • Bluetooth™ 5.0 + BLE
  • RRP: £59.99

 

BUY – thehouseofmarley.co.uk.

Tech Review – Zendure Zenpods with ANC and ENC #Zendure #Zenpods #Tech

Over the last year there has been many examples of new earbuds on the market and I love to get my hands on what is new and what is different that is why we have the biggest range covered in Ireland to suit all pockets and suit everyone. These new earbuds are the latest on offer from Zendure who ran a successful Indiegogo campaign and people who invested in these will be happy with their investment.

These are light and have one of the best fits this year with the curved stem that rests around your ear lobe and they will not fall out end of story. The controls are also excellent too and one of the better ones when it comes to touch based TWS. Controls are simple to use and can be done so on both sides in most instances with the usual single and double tap approach and of course voice assistants controls too, there is no volume control or auto play or pause but this is fine when you see the cost other than that the controls present works a treat every time. You will see how they work in the video below.

Once in the ears you will notice a great seal too and here and noise isolation straight away but fear not you have got ENC built in which means environmental noise cancellation which is great for calls and these where fine for me on my testing both ends, you also get transparency mode and ANC all which is controlled on the left earbud. The ANC is quite good even outdoors and in a quite environment even better and for the money one of the best in class. Transparency mode works well too for those who commute or jog and is a vital feature today for safety. Battery life is also great on these and are on par with the most on offer today and you also get and additional 15.5 hours from the case and in total you get around 22 hours normal use, with ANC on around 18 hours with max volume which is how I use my earbuds to immerse myself, Also to note there is no distortion on max volume here either and 10 mins charge gives you 40 mins play which is decent. No lag latency noticed either during my testing.

When it comes to sound they deliver, loud, nice bass centred and good direction and from doing my usual testing on my music list, Netflix and You Tube I was impressed across the board they sound good to put it simple and if it is your first or second pair of earbuds you will not be disappointed. If you want a pair of earbuds that deliver there is no need to spend silly money on Apple alternatives these do a great job and perhaps better.

BUY HERE

 

Tech Review – JAM Audio TWS with ANC #Tech #JamAudio #TWS

JAM Audio recently just launched an affordable pair of TWS with ANC on board and for the consumer it is good times for buying TWS earbuds as the prices are coming down with more features on offer, However what features you want might vary from others but ANC is one to have these days letting you get more immersed in your music and forgetting what is going on outside.

These come in at 99 quid which is not bad for a pair of earbuds with ANC on board and you have most of the features you come to expect from any pair of earbuds at this price, the sound is punchy loud and the controls work really well here too, overall the music experince is generally good with 10 mm drivers on board you can expect a decent listening experience no matter what you listen to here and in my usual testing they did rather well overall and if it is your first pair of TWS you will be pleased overall with what you get, Check out the video for more below as we go through how they work and the features..

 Features include

·       True Wireless – True Wireless means no wires. Anywhere. Ever. Whether you’re working, working out, or taking calls. Compatible with Bluetooth® devices and voice assistants.

·       Active Noise Cancellation – Superb Active Noise Cancellation lets you tune out distractions and focus on your music, podcasts, or whatever you’re listening to.

·       Battery Life – Up to 7 hours of playtime (Bluetooth only), or up to 6 hours of playtime with Bluetooth and ANC. Up to 28 hours total with case.

·       On-the-Go Touch Controls / Hands-Free Calling – Control the Convo. Convenient touch controls mean you never have to stop taking calls no matter where you are in your day.

·       Premium Sound – Premium sound performance combined with Active Noise Cancellation lets you appreciate every lyric, chord, and heart-pounding beat.

·       No-slip tip – 4 sizes of soft, anti-slip ear gels provide a comfortable fit for your 8-hour + day.

 The JAM Audio TWS ANC are priced at £99.99 and available from uk.jamaudio.com.