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.

Review – The Hohem iSteady X Smartphone Gimbal. #Gimbal #Smartphone #Tech #Hohem

The Hohem smartphone gimbal is a lightweight ideal tool for beginners and more, With the use of social media and other ideas this gimbal fits the bill for most people especially newcomers to using such tech,the accompanying app you get with it makes it even easier to use and is one of the better apps out there to get started with all the tutorials on board,you also get other features in the app too which you may or may not want to use to enhance or add to your creations.

The design and build is nice and an off white colour which I like over the typical black colour we tend to see much of and the functions are easy to use too again described well in the tutorials on the app, We go through the app in the video below anyway.

You have a simple zoom button to the left and a navi key that is circular to direct the gimbal in any direction however I did find it did not tilt backwards too much compared to another model I have here but you can change the axis on the back. This is a 3 axis gimbal with four shooting modes with anti shake and face tracking, In the video I am testing a new Sony xperia L4 and you will see the difference here between handheld and using the gimbal whilst walking around and it is quite impressive for the price, Overall it is an affordable way to up your game and try something new using such technology and it has only been recent I have started using gimbals myself and they are a handy tool to have at your disposal.

The company sent us this to review and paid no compensation they are seeing this the same time as you and had no influence on my findings.

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Review – MNML case line up for the Google Pixel 4a. #Tech #MNML #Pixel4a

Recently we checked out the iPhone 11 case line up and last year the Pixel 4 now this time around it is the all new Pixel 4a case line up from our friends at MNML, Again these are simple clean cases with no branding and access to all ports and a minimal design hence the name. One thing to keep in mind is you will need a screen protector as the front will be exposed to the elements but overall a nice clean case for your phone that is thin..

The Pixel 4a was made for minimalists. Compliment your Pixel 4a with a MNML Case for the ultimate one-two combo.

. Slim, sleek design preserves the original look and feel of your phone without adding excess bulk
. Raised back camera bump protects your world-class camera from scratches
. Precision cutouts around curved glass screen and speakers allow for unhampered media consumption

See the video for more and image samples..

 

BUY HERE 

T-Pain and Herman Li To Rock Dream Laptop In Battle Of The Hands. #ROG #Tech

The ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 is no ordinary laptop. So when Republic of Gamers (ROG) were thinking about the best way to showcase their machine’s abundant high-end abilities, it was always going to take something a little less than ordinary to fulfil the brief. Enter stage left our two teams: fronted by T-Pain and Herman Li, who — alongside animation talents Rafael Varona and Kingdom of Something — have been tasked with creating a mini-masterpiece with their new toys.

Herman Li is a British Chinese musician and co-lead guitar with London’s premier power metal band, Dragonforce. His co-conspirators are the Amsterdam-based animation team, Kingdom of Something. Hoping to dash the hopes of these European dreamers is American rapper, songwriter and record producer, T-Pain. His artistic ally being Rafael Varona — a South American animator based in Western Europe but with roots firmly planted in his native Peru.

Both teams have within their ranks huge community engagement on social media platforms like twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This support will be key to the success of their projects and will also see two lucky winners score their very own ROG Zephyrus Duo 15s — as well as the chance to collaborate with the teams on their projects. Runners-up prizes also include high-end ROG hardware (detailed below).

The battle lines are drawn, the two teams are tasked with creating an animated short film with accompanying musical score; with the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 offering all the creative firepower they’ll need. The laptop behind each team has a patented ROG ScreenPad, a secondary display, innovative liquid metal cooling and a groundbreaking thermal design unleashIng peak power from a 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i9 CPU and NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2080 SUPER™ GPU; it will also run 48GB of the fastest 3200-DDR4 RAM. Meaning our creative teams certainly shouldn’t encounter any issues when collaborating across their respective music and animation projects.

Industrial designer, Adrian Godin-Bernard, suggests the ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 will easily handle the demands placed on it by the two teams: “The laptop can handle any kind of 3D rendering for hours without any problems at all. In terms of its music-making abilities there are also zero latency issues. The cutting edge specs mean this baby eats even the most resource-sapping music production projects — for breakfast, lunch and dinner!”

Angela Chang, ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 product manager explains how screen choices will be set up for ‘Art of the Duo’ teams: “For the main display we have two different alternatives that both balance the needs of gamers and creators. The first option provides a 300Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time; perfect for pro-level gaming. The second option, is a more professional creator-oriented set-up with a 4K display — this is the one our two creative teams will be using here.”

Battle commences on August 13.

Tesco Mobile drop back to school deals in store and online. #TescoMobile #backstoschool

The financial pressures of a new school year can be challenging to navigate at the best of times. As families and students across the country prepare to return to a learning environment, Tesco Mobile, Ireland’s most recommended network has great value plans and offers on leading brands, available online and in Tesco Mobile stores nationwide until October 7th, 2020.

 

 

Whether you’re a parent preparing your family for a transition to the new norm, or a student seeking out the best deals on smartphone technology to stay connected on campus, there’s something for everyone.

TESCO MOBILE PREPAY BACK TO SCHOOLS OFFERS

Register your Tesco Clubcard to your Tesco Mobile account and enjoy DOUBLE DATA on the new €15 prepay plan, giving you 30GB of Data and unlimited calls to any network – all for 28 days.

 

Alcatel 1. Now €39.99. Was 69.99. Save €30 (offer available until December 27th)

The perfect all-in-one Android, the Alcatel 1 has everything you need in a smartphone and now for under €40! Compact and lightweight with a sizable screen and comprehensive social media sharing features, surf the web, connect with friends or share photos with ease.

 

Huawei Y6 2019. Now €99.99. Was 129.99. Save €30 (offer available until October 7th)

Featuring a massive 6.09″ Dewdrop Display, the Huawei Y6 2019 delivers a superb audio entertainment experience with signature Huawei Supersound and allows you to capture wonderful moments with its 8MP front selfie toning flash, as well as a 13-megapixel rear camera. With a whopping 32GB of memory, you’ll have plenty of space for snaps will all your back to school buddies!

 

Samsung Galaxy A20e. Now €139.99. Was €169.99. Save €30 (offer available until October 7th)

The Galaxy A20e is the perfect companion for back to school or college. The HD+ infinity-V display gives users access to a full screen of content, whether that’s enjoying games, watching shows, or rereading your last assignment. The Galaxy A20e’s dual camera has a 13MP main camera and 5MP ultra-wide camera, meaning your shots will be crystal clear.

 

Alcatel 1SE. Now €79.99. Was €99.99. Save €20 (offer available until October 7th)

The Alcatel 1SE has an impressive triple-camera for capturing those all-important socially distant memories! The ultra-fast processor means advance performance for a better user experience. The Alcatel 1SE also has a dedicated Google Assistant Button, allowing for easy and quick access to managing simple tasks and getting directions, so you won’t get lost on campus.

Check out all these great back to school deals and more on www.tescomobile.ie

Review – The Sharp Party Speaker PS-919 #Sharp #PS919 #Tech #Speaker

Need a new speaker for the summer or what is left of it well this speaker is one to check out with all the features on board and some really thumping bass to go along with it, Joking aside about the summer this is an ideal house speaker too and will certainly fill a large room easily and it looks well and built well and will get those tunes going in no time,this is loud it packs a punch WITH A 130W and has other features thrown in for good measure.

Bigger than many portable speakers it is still portable and can be used anywhere and it has really nice lights on the front and sides too to spice up the effects,most speakers come with no lights so this one is different, there is easy to use controls too and it is IPX5 rated and can also act as a powerbank should you need to charge your phone or tablet which is handy especially outdoors if you are streaming from your smartphone or tablet. This has 14 hours of battery life so it will easily last a good night in the back garden or house or even at a picnic somewhere.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

 

The controls are great and place well on top of the speaker where you can skip,reverse,play pause and change your volume with nice rounded buttons that sink into the top of the speaker which is easy to navigate, on the underside you have rubber footing too and a tripod mount should you wish to use one, the build is solid and will take a beating by the looks of it and you have a handle on the rear which makes it easy to pick up,, check out the video below for a full tour and sound test and hear that bass go. One thing I might add if you have the money I would buy a second one just to enhance things even more.

Sharp sent us this product to review and no compensation paid nor influence and are seeing this the same time as you..

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Review – ClutchIt – The ideal phone accessory that can be used anywhere. #Wiplabs #ClutchIt #Tech

I have countless phone accessories here in the house some of which still to be reviewed but this one tops the list including some of the reviews I have done before due to several factors, It has a top notch build quality and it has something missing from many phone holders as such which is the ability to manoeuvre. Yes others do have the ability to do so but this has ball joints both ends,it is not made from plastic not does it have expandable grips or dials to tighten or loosen the gadget to get that right fix not will it break in a few weeks use,even days as some have done.

It is made with 7000 series aluminium and Neodymium  magnets which are at both ends and boy they are strong and have a great grip,this can be used anywhere you have a flat surface, You get extra tags and 3M stickers in the box so you can place them wherever suits and use it in more than your home you can use in your car,the back garden in the shower if you are one of those,use it for selfies or videos,put it over or beside your cooker or even place it beside your laptop or pc if you have a set up at home where it works it is that portable.

What I like best is the pivot movement both ends which makes it simple to set at any angle so it suits everyone and one fixed its not going to budge once placed,it is best to let the magnet settle for a day or so for ultimate grip and the more of these you have the better you can move it around the house and bring it into your car too, I have just bought two new vehicles and it will be a welcome accessory replacing the window mount because they do not last are too messy and clunky and you just need to rest your mobile on the magnet with no hassle at all and it has not fallen off yet having tested for a few days. See their own video here and check out ours below.

Click to enlarge

Tech Specs:

  • Powerful Neodymlum magnets on both ends
  • Height 3,25in Diameter 1,5in
  • Made of 7075 Aluminum
  • Two Articulated base
  • Rubber padding top avoid scratches
  • 100 Degrees Pivoting Movement
  • Weight 5oz

WIPLABS sent us this product to review and no copy approval given nor influence and are seeing this the same time as you..

BUY HERE 

VIDEO REVIEW 

First look – The Groov-e wireless sportsbuds offer true wireless solution for workouts. #SportsBuds #TWS #Tech

Groov-e, recently launched the Sports Buds which are completely free from wires, providing a secure fit and featuring True Wireless Stereo (TWS) technology to generate perfect audio, the SportsBuds are ideal for sport as well as for everyday wear.

Delivering crystal clear sound and a powerful bass the SportsBuds will help to keep users motivated whether they’re doing a home workout, at the gym doing weights or running their first 10k. Providing a secure and comfortable fit with an ear hook design and rated IPX4 sweat resistant, the SportsBuds were built to endure the toughest workouts.

Featuring advanced Bluetooth 5.0 technology, the SportsBuds connect automatically with a compatible device (after being paired the first time) and have a wireless range of 10-metres. They provide up to four hours of music playback and an additional 24 hours using the charging case. The clever charging case has an 1800 mAh capacity and can also be used as a power bank for other devices.

 

The SportsBuds feature a built-in microphone for convenient calling. Pressing gently on the earbuds lets users answer or reject incoming calls without having to reach for a phone as well as enables them to play and pause music, alter the volume and even activate Siri or Google voice assistant while on the move.

Kunal Patel, Director, Groov-e said: “Now more than ever we are seeing people get into exercise and our SportsBuds were developed to enhance the experience for users. At a time when people are also cash conscious, we are pleased to offer the latest technology at an accessible price. We are sure our customers will love the SportsBuds when working out.” 

Watch out for our review soon – The Groov-e SportsBuds are £34.99 and available from www.groov-e.co.uk

Expleo invests €100K in free consultancy services for COVID-19 impacted firms. #Expleo #COVID19ireland

Expleo, the technology partner for innovative companies, today announces that it is investing €100K in helping businesses to get back on track following the disruption caused by COVID-19. The company’s specially-designed COVID-19 recovery package includes free consultancy services in areas that will be critical to business stimulation, including business strategy, digital transformation, change management and business agility.

Expleo’s investment will cover initial assessment of businesses’ needs, referral to a leading consultant and in-depth business analysis to establish a clear plan of action. Services will be offered to businesses of any size operating in all sectors including financial services, retail, manufacturing, travel, insurance and IT.

Irish firms continue to suffer from the fallout of COVID-19 and the disruption it has caused to day-to-day functions, supply chains and their ability to operate to full capacity. Business group Ibec anticipates that investment will fall by as much as 40% this year and the economy will continue to be impacted by the pandemic ‘well into 2021’.

With Government restrictions easing, organisations are now looking to the future and the key areas they need to address in order to limit the pandemic’s impact on their business. And with digital transformation expected to play a central role in economic recovery, Expleo believes its services can give Irish businesses a vital boost.

Phil Codd,pictured above, Managing Director for Ireland, Expleo, said: “At Expleo, we feel very strongly that the business community needs to work together to overcome the challenges set by COVID-19. We wanted to make sure that we played our part and believe that our experience in helping enterprises across all sectors to digitally transform and manage change will be of great assistance to businesses as they look ahead and prepare for a drastically more digitised world.

“Economic hardship can inspire great innovation and entrepreneurial thinking. We want to embark on that journey with Irish businesses to help them thrive in the years ahead and make our economy stronger as a result.”

Businesses who wish to avail of the COVID-19 recovery package and speak to one of Expleo’s leading digital transformation experts can register their interest here.

The Derry Group launches new employee engagement and communications app @_ThriveApp

The Derry Group, a one stop shop for the distribution, storage and order picking of chilled and frozen products has today announced the launch of its new employee engagement app, Thrive.App.

Their flagship company Derry Refrigerated Transport is a leading service provider for chilled and frozen distribution throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe. Derry Refrigerated Transport is the first haulage company in Ireland to sign up to the newest self-service, rapid deployment Thrive.App which brings together the key features needed for businesses to power up their internal communications for their frontline teams.

With hundreds of employees working across multiple locations in Ireland, communication, organisational engagement and information sharing is essential for the growing business.

In order to meet the additional challenges presented by the current global pandemic and the fact that the company works out of various locations throughout the country The Derry Group recognises the need to look at new ways in which all employees can more effectively communicate and share information with each other.

Commenting on the deployment of the new Thrive.App, Patrick Derry, Managing Director, said,

“We have worked hard to build and transform our business to what it is today, and our employees are key to our success. It is important to us that we give them everything they need to carry out their roles successfully as well as feeling supported and recognised for what they do. With the Thrive.App our employees can now easily access the information they need to support them in their role, they see important updates as they occur, and they know what is happening across all areas of the business.

The launch of Thrive.App will bring everyone closer together, which is particularly important during the current challenges of Covid19 and the fact that we have teams in various parts of the country.

The Thrive team have provided the best support and guidance in helping us to launch the employee app and we are confident they will continue to support us to make it a success across our organisation.”

James Scott, CEO, Co-Founder of Thrive, adds; “We are delighted to help and welcome The Derry Group as a new client and look forward to working together to ensure their employee communications and engagement app is a success and loved by their teams within the Group structure whether based in Armagh, Dublin or Cork. 

Our goal is to help organisations in shifting their communications from traditional methods such as printed newsletters, notice boards and team briefings to instant, modern apps and we have loved helping The Derry Group do this. We look forward to seeing the direct positive impact the app will have on their employee communications and engagement.”