Leading real hands on tech review site in Ireland with technology, business news and more. Jim O Brien Tech.
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.
Lots of things to plug in in your gaff? Well most do now with the rise of technology entering our homes and over time you will notice this and see you need a new multiplug adapter or extension lead. For someone like me keeping things in order or having several things needing to be charged in one area is a problem even with doubling up on products that can charge your device and have a light built and bluetooth speaker I am out of plugs and sockets and only because of what I do and I have a need to have the capacity to do more but many homes are gathering tech and running out of sockets due to speakers, phones, clocks, IoT devices and one thing that annoys me is smartwatches as they are another thing to charge but I still use and love them.
For example on my bedside locker I have an Echo ShowGoogle Nest HubTrue Wireless earbuds X 5 at any one time headphones, and at least two mobile phones, yes an overkill for most but you get the idea and having the capability of charging all at one time is annoying yet alone the cable management, but this can help and you can sort your cables out afterwards behind the locker.
This is an ideal product to manage plugs and USB cables all in one place and a welcome addition to my place for sure and anyone in a similar situation or that has many plugs in one area. Check out the video below for more.
Features.
ENERGY SAVING: Each layer has an independent switch which helps you to save electricity when the other outlets are not in use. Due to different voltages in different areas, this surge protector power strip tower is designed to support 110V-240V. If it is used under 125V, the max power will be 125V x 13A = 1625W; if under 240V, the max power can reach 3000W.
SPACE SAVING: With the vertical tower design, JACKYLED charging station helps you to save space and you don’t need to worry about big plug blocking the other outlets.
SMART USB PORTS: The 4 USB ports (max total 5V/ 2.1A, each port up to 2.1A), can charge two cellphones together, or one iPad, MP3, digital camera, tablet at fast speed. (Note: USB charging may not work if the total current exceeds 2.1A).
SAFE & RELIABLE: RoHS, CE & FCC Certificates. This power strip with USB has surge protection (900J), overload protection, short-circuit protection, over current protection, over voltage protection and overheating protection. It will automatically cut power to protect connected devices when voltage surge is overwhelming.
RETRACTABLE CORD: With the 6.5ft pure copper retractable cord, you can roll up the cord by rotating the tower, which can make your desk tidy and you can set the cord length to your need. A durable handle on the top for convenient carry.
Typically the cables we get with our phones are crap to put it blunt although the USB-C cables seem to be more durable these days but anything else is pretty much short lived and in particular Apple cables they are the worst offender and they make a lot of money out of it. Lightning cables are woeful break at several points and in general your standard cable breaks and is an all too common scene, In Short you should invest in a much tougher cable that will last albeit more expensive in the long term it is worth it, I have tested cables similar from the likes of Otterbox too and they last and offer more longevity than your typical cable.
Anchor cable has been tested for 180K plus bends and are 30 times stronger than your average cable and I just put these to the test by brute force of my own and can easily snap your standard cable myself so in this real life test they are tough, they are thicker than the average cable too and have a nice coating with end to end cable jackets which again is a weak area on many cables. It is worth investing in such cables and I have said many times in the past steer clear of those cheap cables you see in euro shops and petrol stations as they are rubbish and the same applies to the plugs that go with them..
IDA Ireland welcome today’s announcement that Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, will establish a Research and Development facility in Cork City. The multimillion-euro four-year investment is expected to create hundreds of highly skilled engineering roles. The project, which is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland significantly enhances the reputation of the Irish semiconductor industry, adding to Ireland’s strong reputation in microelectronics R&D.
Ajay Bawale, VP, Engineering, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. said: “We are excited about the new workplace in Penrose Dock. Not only are the offices state of the art, but they also have specially purposed and designed labs to enable continued ground-breaking security and validation work.”
Paul Kelleher, Sr. Director, Engineering for QT Technologies Ireland Limited and the site lead for the new facilities in Cork added: “This city centre location will help us to attract the world-class engineering talent needed to fuel our continued success.”
Qualcomm Technologies’ local affiliate moved into the new 4,600 m2 facility at Penrose Dock in Cork City Centre in October and is recruiting for roles in the ASIC areas of Digital, Analog, Machine Learning, Automotive, CAD, Automation, System Validation, Advanced Design for new Technologies and Software Engineering using leading-edge technologies to work on the next generation of ASIC Chips. For more information visit Qualcomm.Com/Careers
Commenting on the announcement, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said: This is really welcome news for Cork. Ireland is known for being one of the leading Research, Development and Innovation locations in the world and today’s announcement is further evidence of our strength in this area. This announcement from Qualcomm to invest €78m to establish a new Research and Development centre in Cork, is expected to create hundreds of highly-skilled roles over the next four years. Our skilled and talented workforce allows companies like Qualcomm to embed and grow their operations here. I wish them every success with their expansion plans.
CEO of IDA Ireland, Martin Shanahan said: “Qualcomm’s new Research & Development Centre in Cork will operate on the cutting edge of technological innovation in Ireland. It is a terrific project for Cork and the South West region, and demonstrates IDA Ireland’s proven record of winning investments for regional locations. This investment also significantly enhances the reputation of the Irish semiconductor industry, adding to Ireland’s strong standing in microelectronics R&D. I wish Qualcomm every success with today’s announcement and assure them of our continued support.”
HealthCare Compare (HCC.ie) has today, launched its new platform which aims to remove the confusion and overpaying associated with health insurance plans. The Dublin based company hopes to help consumers make informed decisions on reviewing cover at the renewal stage. HCC.ie is unique in that it helps users identify the most suitable healthcare plan to suit their requirements and budgets through its advanced comparison tools and advice from health insurance specialists.
The launch comes during one of the busiest periods for the sector (November to March) which sees thousands of policies up for renewal. According to the HIA, 2,289,000 Irish people currently have health insurance policies. With over 320 on the market and 2 in 5 Irish people purchasing health insurance, many consumers are becoming overwhelmed with options, resulting in many overpaying. In addition to this, research has revealed an inertia or fear when it comes to changing providers. According to recent figures from the ESRI, 14% of Irish people claim it is too much hassle to switch insurers with 11.2% saying they couldn’t be bothered. It was also found that 7.2% of people said they failed to change providers as it was too difficult to compare plans.
HCC.ie offers a wide range of easy to navigate plans from Ireland’s three providers, Irish Life Health, Laya Healthcare and VHI. HealthCare Compare enables consumers to choose the right insurance premium for them through conducting a full review of their insurance wants and needs and providing users with alternative plans that are a better fit. Through the site, consumers can compare all insurance plans through selecting the type of cover they require, whether it be a basic, corporate or high end plan. They can then select their annual budget, outline the level of excess they would be willing to pay and tailor their premium through selecting which benefits are most important to them. Some of the benefits they can select include cardiac, maternity, fertility, back pain and prescriptions among others. HealthCare Compare also hopes to recruit at least 10 insurance experts across Ireland over the next six months. This opens the idea for those looking for insurance coverage a bit more scope.
The concept for HCC.ie came from young female health insurance expert Barbara Sheahan. She developed the concept for a personalised insurance premium comparison platform following her years of experience within the industry. Sheahan noticed a sizable gap in the market for a health insurance policy comparison platform that would better inform consumers on the best plan for them and their families.
Commenting on the launch of HealthCare Compare, Managing Director Barbara Sheahen said:
“We are delighted to have launched our personalised health insurance comparison site to give consumers better insight into the benefits and cost savings associated with selecting a health insurance plan. December to March is when most consumers renew their health insurance, and we understand it can be difficult to sieve through the endless options available. Although many would like to review their options, fear of change and inertia prevents them from doing so. Through HCC.ie we hope to be able to help consumers identify the most suitable plan for them at the best rate, whether that includes fertility benefits, maternity, cardiac, health screening, counselling. Our team of experts will help advise on the most suitable options available, helping them navigate their way through the huge, often-confusing maze of options available to them. We offer a personal service and ensure everyone fully understands the benefits of their plan by simplifying the overwhelming amount of information into their key requirements.”
I have been using Pixel devices since year one and they tend be devices I hold onto longer than any other smartphone due to their great clean software experience and camera, Over the years thought they have got expensive and followed the Apple and Samsung trends of €1000 plus phones and this did not work out too well for them and with the Pixel 4 XL the battery and price was its demise but they have turned this around completely with the 4a and now their latest flagship the Pixel 5.
I moved directly from the Pixel 4a to the 5 alongside some other devices I am testing but my main sim always remains in the Pixel phone once the testing is done most of the time I carry two phones and have the iPhone 12 ordered and they will be my two main devices bar the test units we have here now and what is coming and I will most likely swap the sim in the iPhone as I am so use to using the best android experience with Pixel phones. This time around they have added more to the already great pixel 4a which I have used since it launched and thrown everything at it and still works a treat today and when the 5 arrived I was excited to see what was new and how the device performed over the 4a and overall it is a win and the question people ask most is it worth moving up from a device only released a few months ago and the answer is yes.
You have a better build quality to begin with ( aluminium) and that finish is really nice too and of course the colour, Under the hood is also better with the 765G chipset 128GB of storage which is handy and expected at the price, 8GB of RAM a 4080 mAh battery which is lasting me a day with heavy use, The rear camera is 12.2-megapixel (f/1.7) + 16-megapixel (f/2.2) ultrawide and the front facing camera is 8MP f/2.0 whilst we have no face unlock which by the way is convenience we have a finger print sensor on the back which is perfectly placed and works all the time, also 18W fastcharge , wireless charging and reverse wireless charging.
Throwing my usual daily tasks at this phone where no problem at all and it flew at anything thrown at it from multitasking to some gaming whilst testing products, of course the camera is the order of the day here for the Pixel 5 which never fails to impress and it is a simple point and shoot device with great results guaranteed almost every time check out the samples below in the video and overall I was impressed just as I was with the cheaper Pixel 4a , the device being small like the 4a did not bother me as I am custom to using bigger devices but since using the 4a smaller devices do not bother me so much and it is better than having a weighty chunk in your pocket.
In regards the camera there still seems to be a race as to whom can pack the biggest hump on the rear and the most lenses which is getting a bit lame now and you can only use one lens at a time and Google has done both here in a nice subtle way and still delivers with LESS hump and lenses which for me proves a point many fail to include and with many options in both camera and video modes there is more than enough to get the job done.
The days of €1000 plus phones are over with mobile phones and it reminds me today of yesteryear when phones cost a lot of money and was nothing but a status symbol and we have reached this era again with the cost to performance ratio coming down some time now on mobiles there is plenty on offer that does the same thing for half the price and the Pixel 5 sits right in the middle and is a nicely packed clean device that puts it up to the competition, it seems like Google have ditched the bigger device for good now but with prices and parts coming down I would like to see a slightly bigger device next time around but for now it is one of if not the best Android experiences you can buy now for the money and a phone that works on any task effortlessly.
Having both reviewed the Xperia 10 last year myself and Liam Burke have been looking forward to seeing what improvements Sony have made over its predecessor the Sony Xperia 10 ii. Today Liam and I collaborate and share our opinions on the device and Liam will talk about it below whilst I go through it in video format.
Its approximately the same dimensions as the Xperia 10 but the weight is 11grams lighter and you can definitely feel how light the phone feels when you hold it. The screen is now an OLED and protection has been bumped up to Corning Gorilla Glass 6.
An upgraded processor and more internal storage and memory is added but the two biggest jumps is with the camera going from a dual lens to a triple lens setup and the battery now has gotten a big increase from 2870 mAh to 3600 mAh.
When you hold the phone it feels extremely well built from the aluminium frame to the Corning Gorilla Glass 6 on the front and rear of the phone and its IP65/68 certification so its water resistant for up to 30 minutes (in 1.5m of fresh water) and also dustproof. And having the 21:9 screen ratio makes the phone more slender in your hand so its a lot easier to hold than other wider 6’’ screen phones.
The rear is very slippy and the triple camera lenses stick out a bit so you definitely would want to have the phone in a case to protect it. The side mounted fingerprint sensor was always very accurate for me and having it on the side of a phone is very natural way to unlock the phone its a pity face unlock was not included. Above the fingerprint sensor is the volume rocker or in the camera app it can be used to zoom.
The 3.5mm headphone jack is at the top of the phone along with one of the phones microphones.
On the top bezel there is an earpiece, a front facing camera and a notification led, which is very handy to have so you dont need to unlock your phone to see if you have a notification. On the bottom bezel is the forward facing mono speaker, while at the bottom of the phone has the USB-C connection and the other microphone. In the box you get a quick start guide, Basic Sony Earphones (MH410c), USB-C cable and Quick charger UCH-20 High Power Fast Charger.
The Xperia 10 ii runs Android 10 and I found it very snappy when switching between applications thats due to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 CPU and the 4GB ROM. Sony have not added too much bloatware and the apps that Sony added can be uninstalled. The launcher is nice and clean. Sony have again added the side sense feature which gives you a quick shortcut to other apps it seems to work a bit better on the Xperia 10 ii than other Xperia’s. Sliding up will enable the Multi-Window Mode which is very handy for using two apps simultaneously, you can also enable it on the lock screen or enable One-handed mode.
I was very impressed with the 6.0 FHD+ OLED screen of the Xperia 10 ii the colours were bright and vibrant and the videos were sharp even in bright daylight the screen was visible watching content in 21:9 was an added bonus.
The triple rear camera in the Xperia 10 ii setup is
The Camera App is the standard Sony one and the default mode that uses Sony AI to figure out what the scene is of the photo that your taking gets it right very quick. There’s also other modes like Night mode, Google Lens, Panorama , Manual, Slow Motion and Creative effect which uses a live filter in your photos.
Photos Options included are HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo, LED, Photo flash, Photo light, Video light, 2x Optical zoom, up to 10x digital zoom, up to 10FPS burst shooting, Superior Auto, Manual mode, QR code reader, Creative effect, Night mode, Panorama, Bokeh effect
As can be seen from the photos the Xperia 10 ii did a good job at taking pictures and matching the actual colours of objects and didn’t over saturate them and in low light conditions the pictures remained sharp.
The Xperia 10ii supports 4K Movie recording and Slowmotion video recording (120fps).
Again the front selfie camera is a 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0″ with a 84 Degree Field of View. In low light it will use the screen as a Flash, HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo Portrait Selfie, Automatically takes your pictures when your Smile or you can wave at the camera to take a photo and again there is also a Manual mode, if you want to tweak the camera settings yourself.
There’s plenty of options in Portrait mode you can soften your skin tone, add a Bokeh effect, change your skin brightness, make your eyes lager and add a slender effect to your face.
The Battery life on the Xperia 10 ii is excellent, Sony always know how to maximise the battery of their phones. And if your battery does go low Fast charging 18W is supported, as is Fast Charge 3.0 and USB Power Delivery. Sony also make use of their Xperia Adaptive Charging which monitors the phone as it charges to make sure the battery isn’t overworked. Which is important as we keep our phones for longer and the better the battery is maintentained the longer it will last for you.
The main speaker is a single front facing speaker at the bottom of the screen. The Xperia 10 ii supports High-Resolution Audio Wireless4 and with DSEE HX audio upscaling and native High-Resolution Audio playback. If you want a lightweight camera phone with a big bright screen and not have to worry about charging it during the day the Sony Xperia 10 ii fits the bill.
Sony’s new Xperia 10 is definitely something new from them it has their new “cinematic” 21:9 6’’ inch display which is aimed at multi-tasking and viewing video. It’s a long tall phone and Sony have slimmed down the bottom bezel so there is quiet a lot of that 21:9 cinema screen in the phone. Its great value for money for a mid-range device.
It’s a bit of an unusual shape to hold in the hand as its more narrower than current phones and taller but after a few days of use you do become accustomed to it. Making a welcome return from previous Sony phones is the side-mounted fingerprint sensor which I found very ergonomic to be able to unlock the phone with my thumb also on the side of the phone is a separate power button and a volume rocker.
On top you find the headphone jack and one of two microphones, on the side is a flap which covers the nano sim tray and also a microsd tray (Supports up to 512GB). And on the bottom is the now standard USB-C connection and the monospeaker. The rear surface is a metal surface with led flash and the dual camera lens just a millimetre raised above it.
Screen:-
The screen is the main item that sets the Xperia 10 apart from the competition is its 6’’ Full HD+ LCD but with the ultra-widescreen aspect ratio 21:9 the ultra wide display is certainly different. Sony has commented that as more and more content is being shot in that ratio (nearly 70% of new Netflix and Amazon Prime) so you will get the full effect of it with its 21:9 display. When viewing new content from Netflix its great not to have the any of the screen wasted also as it’s a HD+ screen I found it gave plenty of detail and videos looked sharp. Using the outside in sunlight the screen was quiet readable. The screen is made with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 so it should withstand drops and scratches.
Audio :-
As there’s a headphone jack on the phone you can use your own wired headphones and if they have in-line controls that worked for me without any problem. Also included is an FM Radio it preformed quiet well but it will need headphones plugged into the phone as it uses them as the FM antenna. The Xperia 10 only has one music speaker it performed reasonably as Sony have added High-Res Audio.
Camera:-
The camera setup is a dual 13 Mega Pixel (1/3.0 sensor size, Pixel Pitch 1.12 μm, F2.0 Lens) and a 5 Mega Pixel (1/4.0 sensor size, Pixel Pitch 1.4 μm, F2.4 Lens) The updated camera app is very quick to launch and the layout of the settings is clear and easy to understand. In daylight conditions it took decent shots and while zooming the pictures didn’t introduce too much noise also included are modes Bokeh, Portrait Selfie which is an artistic selfie with Bokeh included with other face effects , Panorama and a Manual setting which allows you to tweak the photo settings to your personal tastes, for most of my pictures I let the Auto mode chose which were the correct settings to use. 5 x Zoom is quiet good with the dual camera setup. In indoor conditions with less light I did find the pictures were a bit grainy.
Video records in 4K and while outside videos shot in daylight recorded in good quality I found indoor videos with less light to be a little grainy the colouring to be slightly off the actual colours and zooming does introduce some loss of detail.
120fps Slow Motion Video is also a nice video recording feature. The front camera in outside light took good quality pictures while inside in dark conditions it took decent selfies as uses a screen flash. Front video records in Full HD it also has Sony’s Steadyshot feature for videos recording so they aren’t too bumpy.
Battery:-
The battery capacity in the Xperia 10 is good sized 2870mAh. Some battery features are “Battery care” which learns your battery charging habits and adapts how the phone charges again this helps increase the lifespan of the battery.
Smart stamina and Stamina mode are also included which you can enable to restrict some background activity and increase your battery life, and if you need it there is an Ultra Stamina Mode which enables only a few apps like phone and camera to giving you an extra long battery life. I found the battery able to handle a day of heavy use no problem.
Performance:-
The Xperia 10 runs Android Pie out of the box Sony uses it own lightly skinned version of Android the updated homescreen app is a bit of mix of iOS and android with the swipe up gesture to see your running apps. As the phones runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor with 3GB RAM its quiet fast and overall the phone was quiet responsive.
Internal memory is 64GB so you may need a memory card as installed apps (of which there isn’t too many) took up 16GB. Also included is the Side sense feature which allows you to select a part of the screen to bring up shortcuts, I found this feature a bit of a hit-or-miss. Split Screen feature is a feature that all Google apps like YouTube, Chrome, Messaging, Phone etc allow you to split the screen in two so the top part of the screen can be one app like YouTube and the lower part can have another app open like Chrome.
More than six in ten (62%) consumers are worried about being targeted by online fraudsters and over four in ten (43%) feel more exposed to online fraud threats due to being online more since COVID-19, according to research by Bank of Ireland. The survey also found that almost six in ten (58%) intend to shop more online this Christmas compared to last year and nine in ten consumers are now banking or shopping online. In recent weeks we have seen several scams which we posted here and now you need to be more vigilant than ever and always remember if it looks to good to be true it probably is as the saying goes
The study of 1,000 consumers was carried out as Bank of Ireland launches the most extensive public awareness campaign on fraud by any bank in Ireland. Fronted by TV personality Baz Ashmawy and running across TV, radio and social media through November and December, the campaign aims to remind consumers to be alert for potential fraud and provides guidance in the lead up to Christmas. Fraud awareness and prevention is a critical part of Bank of Ireland’s Financial Wellbeing Programme for customers.
Pictured above – Gavin Kelly, CEO, Retail Ireland, Bank of Ireland and Baz Ashmawy.
The research also shows that over half (53%) admit to spending more time shopping online since the onset of COVID-19, rising to two thirds (66%) of 18 – 34 year olds. Four in five (80%) consumers are opting to use debit and credit cards in place of cash during the pandemic. More than half (55%) of consumers indicated they have received a fraudulent email, text message or call claiming to be from their bank in the past, while seven in ten (69%) say they regularly consider the threat of fraud when online.
Commenting on fraud, Gavin Kelly, CEO Retail Ireland, Bank of Ireland said: “Due to COVID-19 we’re all spending a lot more time online – for work, keeping in touch with people, and shopping – which means we are more susceptible to fraud. As we head towards the Christmas period, at Bank of Ireland we are ramping up our efforts to remind people to remain vigilant, particularly when online.
“With Level 5 restrictions now in force and many retail outlets shuttered across the country, online activity will spike even further in the coming weeks. Our research shows that over half of us have received a fraudulent email, text message or call claiming to be from our bank, and this trend is very likely to continue as our use of cards, online shopping and digital banking continues to increase. Our new nationwide fraud awareness campaign will help protect customers’ financial wellbeing and emphasises that by working together we won’t let the criminals win.
“Fraudsters target customers of banks, utility companies, postal, taxation and social welfare services and other organisations. They are active day in, day out, 24/7. We see the stress it causes for consumers and businesses on an ongoing basis. As a bank we have a responsibility to be extremely vigilant to these attacks and to advise our customers how to deal with the various threats. We will never text, send emails or call a customer looking for their confidential banking details. You can forward any suspicious emails or texts to us at 365Security@boi.com and if anyone is concerned that their account or personal information has been compromised, they should call our 24/7 freephone line 1800 946 764.”
The research also revealed:
66% believe they know the kind of tactics used by fraudsters in attempting to steal their money.
95% said they would have little or no trust in receiving a text message or e-mail from their bank with a link requesting them to login to internet banking.
One in four (25%) feel comfortable sharing their personal information, rising to one in three (33%) of 18-34 year olds.
The research was commissioned with RED C and the survey was conducted from 8th to 13th October 2020 with a national representative sample of 1000 respondents.
Groov-e, a leading UK tech brand, today adds the Ultra to its headphone range. These stylish and affordable Bluetooth headphones allow users to experience crystal clear audio and the freedom of being completely wireless, even when it comes to charging. The Ultra headphones are available now in black or gold from www.groov-e.co.uk for £34.99.
Featuring 40mm drivers, the Ultra headphones provide superior sound and Super Bass for an immersive listening experience every time. Whether users are listening to music, an audiobook, or watching their favourite TV show, these headphones have been designed with comfort in mind. Soft ear-cushions and a padded headband ensure they are comfortable and easy to wear for long periods of time.
Users can enjoy up to 30-hours of wireless audio playback with any Bluetooth enabled device within a ten-metre range. What’s more, the removable 3.5mm headphone jack offers a corded option for unlimited playback and ensures compatibility with older devices.
When the battery does run low, charging couldn’t be easier. Simply place them on a wireless charging pad (not included) and they will be fully charged within 2-3 hours. The included micro USB charging cable means they can also be charged without a wireless charging pad. The LED light indicates when they are fully charged or if the battery is running low when in use.
A built-in mic and voice assistant functionality allow users to place calls and control their listening experience completely hands-free. The folding design offers a compact storage solution which is ideal for travel purposes or the daily commute.
Kunal Patel, Director, Groov-e said: “We pride ourselves in being able to offer stylish and affordable products with the latest technology. By integrating wireless charging into the Ultra headphones, we are providing a completely cable free experience.”
The Groov-e Ultra headphones, which come in gold or black, are £34.99, available from www.groov-e.co.uk
