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.
Twelve South, a leading designer of premium tech accessories, today launches the PowerCord, a first of its kind, all-in-one charging solution. Putting an end to tangled cables and confusing adapters, PowerCord combines a 30W fast charging wall adapter with an integrated USB-C cord, creating one seamless solution that simplifies charging. Users can just plug in the PowerCord and power up their devices, without having to scrabble around for separate blocks, adapters or cables.
Universally compatible with all USB-C devices, PowerCord will charge the latest iPhones, Google Pixel, USB-C iPads, Android devices, earbuds, gaming controllers and even smaller laptops like the MacBook Air. Designed to charge quickly with high-speed 30W charging, it’s perfect for use at home, in the office or on the go.
Thoughtfully engineered with a slim plug and cable that angles downwards, PowerCord will easily fit into tight spaces without users having to move furniture around. Compact and lightweight, it also has a flat, durable, tangle-resistant, braided cable that makes it ideal for remote work setups, travel and commuting. It comes in two lengths – four feet, or 10 feet for extra reach – helpful for using in a bedroom or behind a couch where outlets aren’t as accessible.
Bringing style and substance to everyday charging, the Twelve South PowerCord is available now in either Slate or Dune, from £39 from Twelve South UK and Amazon UK very soon
Memes and doomscrolling aren’t the only things an iPhone’s good for. This is the rundown on the top game genres dominating iPhone screens in 2025. Some will outlast your battery, some won’t. Whether you’re spinning reels, chasing leaderboard glory, or unwinding with match-3 sugar bombs, you’ll find them all here.
Gambling Games
There’s never been a wider choice of mobile casino options for iPhone. It’s not just the tired one-armed bandits your uncle used to hammer away at down the club. You can spin the reels on proper old-school 3-reel classics, take on modern heavyweights like Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, and Book of Dead, or go all-in on video slots stacked with bonus features.
And this is where Djordje Bogdanovic’s verdict matters. He’s tested enough apps to spot when a “top pick” is little more than marketing gloss. His recommendations focus on titles that launch quickly, run flawlessly on iOS, and don’t leave you in a three-day stalemate with the banking system. The gameplay is clean, the RTPs are high, and the interfaces are free from unnecessary clutter or fine-print tricks.
Battle Royale & Shooter Mayhem
Free Fire is still holding the crown for quick-fire sessions and long-haul ranked play. With 6.5 million daily log-ins and 36.8 million monthly iOS players worldwide, it’s proof you can top the leaderboards in a lunch break or settle in for a proper grind.
PUBG Mobile hasn’t budged either. Sitting at 32.4 million monthly users and matching Free Fire’s 6.5 million daily log-ins, it’s clear tactical, squad-based shooters aren’t going anywhere. Matches are immersive, pacey, and can turn on a moment. The sort that’ll have you cursing if you hit the wrong button mid-firefight.
And then there’s Fortnite. It’s finally back on iPhones earlier this year after a five-year legal stand-off. It’s not just a quiet return. The new Blitz Royale mode has pulled in four times the player base of its classic battle format. It’s live, it’s fast, and the drop zones are filling quicker than a pub on match day.
RPGs & Strategy
Genshin Impact continues to be a heavyweight on mobile, taking up storage space and battery life without apology. It’s generating over $1 billion annually on mobile alone, with millions logging in daily to chase that perfect artifact drop. As of June 2025, it’s holding 15.2 million monthly active users exploring Teyvat at any given time.
League of Legends: Wild Rift brings the MOBA experience to mobile without the marathon desktop sessions. The Patch 6.2 update landed in mid-July, introducing the new champion Aurora, fresh game modes including AAA ARAM, Arena, and ARURF, plus a new Space Groove Lux skin line for those who like their battles with a bit of style.
For players after tactical thinking without a long commitment, Clash Royale remains the go-to for quick-hit strategy. Now in its ninth year, Supercell’s card-and-tower hybrid boasts over 14 million monthly active iOS users in the US. An impressive feat for a title with such longevity.
Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, launched on May 20 as an HBO-licensed spin-off, offers open-world combat and manual swordplay featuring fan favourites from Season 4. Despite pulling in around $1.1 million in its first 36 days, revenues began to slide by June. This is a concerning sign for a game with such a strong brand behind it.
Puzzle & Casual
Candy Crush Saga still wears the crown. Even in 2025, it generates over $600 million annually from players who insist they only play to relax. Its spin-off, Candy Crush Soda Saga, adds new mechanics and enough microtransactions to fund an actual soda factory.
Gardenscapes and Homescapes stick to the match-3 template but build it into storylines about renovating gardens and mansions. Each has amassed hundreds of millions of downloads and a dedicated fan base that blends puzzle fans with design enthusiasts.
Coin Master straddles genres as half slot machine, half village-building sim. It brought in $650 million in revenue last year. Best of all, its social mechanics keep players engaged while raiding friends’ villages and defending their own.
And yes, Subway Surfers is still running strong. With over 4 billion lifetime downloads and a consistent place in the App Store’s top charts, it proves that dodging trains hasn’t lost its appeal.
R & VR Games on iPhone
AR gaming has moved well past being a novelty. Apple has been pushing ARKit for years. And with Vision Pro now in the spotlight, developers are using the iPhone as a genuine portal into interactive worlds.
Pokémon Go remains the flagship title. The game is sending millions into parks, shopping centres, and the occasional awkward social encounter. It generated over $900 million in 2024, showing that the blend of nostalgia and GPS-based gameplay continues to pay off. Ingress keeps the dedicated crowd occupied with global turf wars, while The Walking Dead: Our World transforms familiar streets into zombie-filled gauntlets.
As for VR, the iPhone might not be ready to strap a headset on you just yet. Still, it’s already part of the ecosystem. Companion apps for devices like Meta Quest allow players to manage loadouts, track stats, or even stream a live casino floor in 360°. Whether it’s spinning reels, lining up headshots, sinking hours into RPGs, or sprinting through an AR zombie run, it’s all available on your pocket device.
Dell Technologies, the world’s No. 1 provider of AI infrastructure, today announced updates to the Dell AI Data Platform to help customers better support the full lifecycle of AI workloads from ingestion and transformation to agentic inferencing to AI-powered knowledge retrieval.
Why it matters
Enterprise data is massive, growing rapidly and increasingly unstructured, but only a fraction of it is usable for generative AI today. To unlock its value, organisations need continuous indexing and a vector retrieval engine that converts content into embeddings for fast, precise semantic search. As workloads grow, organizations need infrastructure that streamlines data preparation, unifies data access across silos and delivers end-to-end enterprise-grade performance.
The latest updates to the Dell AI Data Platform enhance unstructured data ingestion, transformation, retrieval, and compute performance to streamline AI development and deployment – turning massive datasets into reliable, high quality real-time intelligence for generative AI.
Accelerating AI inferencing and analytics
The Dell AI Data Platform helps customers quickly move from AI experimentation to production by automating data preparation.
At the core of the Dell AI Data Platform’s architecture are specialized storage and data engines that help seamlessly connect AI agents to high quality enterprise data. Together, the Dell AI Data Platform and the NVIDIA AI Data Platform reference design provide a validated, GPU-accelerated solution that integrates storage engines and data engines with NVIDIA accelerated computing, networking and AI software to power generative AI systems.
Expanding the capabilities of the Dell AI Data Platform is the new unstructured data engine, designed to provide real-time, secure access to large-scale unstructured datasets for inferencing, analytics, and intelligent search. This engine, made possible through a new collaboration with open-source Search AI leader Elastic, will offer customers advanced vector search, semantic retrieval and hybrid keyword search capabilities—key capabilities for powering AI applications. Additionally, the unstructured data engine will leverage built-in GPU acceleration to deliver breakthrough performance.
The unstructured data engine works alongside the platform’s other tools, like a federated SQL engine for querying scattered structured data, a processing engine for handling large-scale data transformation, and storage designed for fast, AI-ready access.
Powering enterprise AI discovery
As AI becomes increasingly crucial for business-as-usual operations, Dell PowerEdge R7725 and R770 servers featuring NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs provide the mainstream computing foundation for accelerated enterprise workloads, from visual computing, data analytics and virtual workstations, to physical AI and agentic inference. These servers are ideal for running NVIDIA AI reasoning models such as the latest NVIDIA Nemotron models for agentic AI, as well as NVIDIA Cosmos world foundation models for physical AI.
Offering better price for performance for a wide range of enterprise use cases, these air-cooled systems make flexible high-density AI compute more attainable. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 offers enterprises up to six times the token throughput for LLM inference,[ii] double the capacity for engineering simulation performance[iii] and can support four times the number of concurrent users compared to the previous generation with support for MIG.
The Dell PowerEdge R7725 server will also be the first 2U server platform to integrate the NVIDIA AI Data Platform reference design. When the Dell PowerEdge R7725 server featuring NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs is paired with the Dell AI Data Platform and its new unstructured data engine, enterprises can take advantage of a turnkey solution without the need to architect and test their own hardware and software platforms. The combination of the two delivers faster inferencing, more responsive semantic search and support for larger, more complex AI workloads.
See innovation in action at SIGGRAPH 2025
Dell Technologies is showcasing how customers can accelerate media production pipelines and power intelligent asset management at scale using the Dell AI Data Platform, NVIDIA Omniverse software and Dell infrastructure at this year’s SIGGRAPH conference (August 10-14) in Vancouver, Canada. Dell will also feature the new Dell Pro Max high-performance PC portfolio, including laptops, desktops and the upcoming Dell Pro Max with GB10, a compact AI developer workstation.
“The key to unlocking AI’s full potential lies in breaking down silos and simplifying access to enterprise data,” said Arthur Lewis, president, Infrastructure Solutions Group, Dell Technologies. “Collaborating with industry leaders like NVIDIA and Elastic to advance the Dell AI Data Platform will help organizations accelerate innovation and scale AI with confidence.”
“Enterprises worldwide need infrastructure that handles the growing scale and complexity of AI workloads,” said Justin Boitano, vice president of enterprise AI at NVIDIA. “With NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 GPUs in new 2U Dell PowerEdge servers, organizations now have a power efficient, accelerated computing platform to power AI applications and storage on NVIDIA Blackwell.”
“Fast, accurate, and context-aware access to unstructured data is key to scaling enterprise AI,” said Ken Exner, Chief Product Officer at Elastic. “With Elasticsearch vector database at the heart of the Dell AI Data Platform’s unstructured data engine, Elastic will bring vector search and hybrid retrieval to a turnkey architecture, enabling natural language search, real-time inferencing, and intelligent asset discovery across massive datasets. Dell’s deep presence in the enterprise makes them a natural partner as we work to help customers deploy AI that’s performant, precise, and production-ready.”
Availability
Unstructured data engine in Dell AI Data Platform will be available later this year.
Dell PowerEdge R7725 and R770 servers with NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 GPUs will be globally available later this year.
Global leader in precision measurement solutions, Hottinger Brüel & Kjær (HBK) is proud to introduce digital connectivity to its trusted U2B and C2 force transducers, now available with an IO-Link interface.
This enhancement makes it easier than ever to integrate tensile and compressive force measurements directly into control systems.
For years, the U2B (tensile and compressive) and C2 (compressive) series have been essential tools in production, monitoring, and testing environments worldwide. With a nominal force range from 500 N to 200 kN, these sensors are known for their reliability and precision.
Now, in addition to analogue outputs (4 – 20 mA and 0 – 10 V), users can opt for a digital output via IO-Link – which ensures smarter data handling and improved system integration.
The IO-Link Integration provides engineers with many benefits:
Sensor Health Monitoring: Real-time diagnostics compare applied forces and temperature conditions against sensor limits. If thresholds are exceeded, warnings are issued to help prevent damage.
Enhanced Accuracy: Improved measurement precision and integrated temperature sensing.
Universal Compatibility: IO-Link is standardised and works seamlessly with all major fieldbus systems.
Simplified Integration: HBK provides function blocks to streamline sensor setup within control systems.
HBK also offers IO-Link-enabled sensors for torque and weight, expanding the possibilities for smart, connected measurement solutions.
The Jabra Speak2 75 professional speakerphone is an ideal kit for those who use teams and more not only that it is a great personal speaker.
The Speak2 75 features a sleek, modern “puck” design with a brushed aluminum finish and a premium fabric speaker cover. It feels robust and well-built, giving it a professional aesthetic that fits seamlessly in any office or home setting and a nice upgrade to previous models. Weighing around 466g, it’s portable enough to put into a travel or tech bag with the included felt carry pouch, There is also an integrated USB-C cable with a built-in USB-A adapter, which makes it highly versatile and prevents the hassle of losing adapters. The capacitive touch controls on the top surface are intuitive and responsive, lighting up when in use which I really like.
This device is clearly tuned for voice, and it delivers as you will see in the video review compared to the laptops speakers. It features a full-range 65mm speaker and Jabra’s “Super-wideband audio” technology, which is designed to capture a wider range of frequencies for more natural-sounding conversations. For conference calls, voices come through crystal clear and rich. While it can also be used for a personal speaker it sounds good as you will see in the review also.
Microphone Quality
This is where the Speak2 75 truly shines. It is equipped with a four-microphone beamforming array that works with advanced digital signal processing (DSP) to effectively isolate voices and reduce background noise. The full duplex audio allows for natural, two-way conversations without participants cutting each other off. A standout feature is the “Microphone Quality Indicator,” a 360-degree light ring that provides real-time visual feedback on how well your voice is being picked up. This innovative feature is a game-changer for hybrid workers, as it removes the guesswork of whether you’re being heard clearly.
Connectivity and Battery Life
The Speak2 75 offers flexible connectivity options, including Bluetooth 5.2 and a dual-connector USB-C/USB-A cable. It also comes with a Bluetooth dongle for a more stable wireless connection to a PC, and supports Microsoft Swift Pair and Google Fast Pair for quick pairing with mobile devices. The battery life is impressive, with Jabra claiming up to 32 hours of talk time making it a reliable device for long workdays without needing a constant charge. It is also IP64-rated, providing protection against dust and water splashes.
Overall Verdict
The Jabra Speak2 75 is an excellent professional speakerphone. Its superb audio and microphone quality, combined with smart features like the Microphone Quality Indicator and full duplex audio, make it a top-tier choice for professionals who need reliable, high-quality communication. It’s ideal for a variety of use cases, from individual use at a home office to small group meetings. While the price might be a barrier for some, its performance and feature set make it a worthwhile investment for those who depend on clear, professional communication.
Jabra Sound Plus App
Features of theSpeak2 75
· Super-wideband audio and full range 65mm speaker
· Microphone Quality Indicator
· Up to 33% sustainable materials (from mechanical parts)
The PanaCast 40 VBS (Video Bar System), the newest meeting room camera in the premium collaboration portfolio from Jabra, is shipping from today.
PanaCast 40 VBS boasts advanced audio technology for exceptional voice clarity, as well as quick and easy installation, ensuring a seamless setup experience. This solution is a future-proof investment with flexible deployment options on Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or permanent BYOD setups and managed seamlessly with Jabra+.
The PanaCast 40 VBS delivers an all-in-one solution that transforms small meeting rooms into high-performing collaboration hubs. With its wide field of view, exceptional audio quality, and seamless usability, the PanaCast 40 VBS ensures every participant is seen and heard clearly, enabling organisations to fully utilise their small spaces and bring collaboration to new heights.
The sound is powered by a single high-quality speaker and six microphones with adaptive beamforming. Intelligent audio algorithms enhance sound clarity for exceptional voice pickup, fostering more natural and engaging virtual interactions and ensuring remote participants feel fully included.
Designed for ease of use and rapid deployment
New packaging enhances the deployment experience further by allowing provisioning without the need to remove the product from the box. The design also features easy cable routing, reducing installation time. The PanaCast 40 VBS is ideal for quick and easy installations in small rooms, and is a great Express Install for Microsoft Teams Rooms.
“By leveraging the strength of Microsoft Teams, the PanaCast 40 VBS provides an easy to install experience, reduces IT-complexity and enhances productivity. It’s a practical, versatile solution for organisations navigating the demands of hybrid collaboration in smaller rooms,” says Albert Kooiman, Senior Director Partner Engineering and Customer Experiences, Microsoft.
A future-proof investment
The PanaCast 40 VBS is built to adapt to the evolving needs of modern workplaces, particularly for small Android environments. With its compatibility for Android environments, it offers flexibility for installations such as Zoom Rooms.
“With the launch of PanaCast 40 VBS, it will be even easier to design Zoom Rooms that deliver a big impact, even in small spaces. PanaCast 40 VBS is built to allow for seamless integration and high performance, which underscores our shared commitment to advancing video technology for modern meeting spaces,” said John Stearns, Head of Zoom Spaces at Zoom.
PanaCast 40 VBS includes optional accessories such as a touch controller and a detachable faceplate. Furthermore, seamless integration with ecosystem partners ensures a future-proof investment, complemented by up-to-date manageability through Jabra+ software and the reassurance of Jabra Warranty+ services.
Key features of the PanaCast 40 VBS:
Full-room coverage – 180° field-of-view with dual cameras and 4x digital zoom.
Superior audio – 1 speaker and 6 microphones, enhanced by intelligent audio algorithms for crystal-clear sound and voice pickup.
Streamlined setup – New packaging enables provisioning without removing the product from the box.
Consistent experience – Shared touch controller and stand with the PanaCast 50 VBS medium room solution for seamless integration across spaces.
Effortless installation – Simplified cable routing and protection for easy, clean setup.
Flexible deployment – Compatible with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and BYOD setups.
PanaCast 40 VBS is an MDEP-based solution (Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform), delivering strengthened security and enhanced meetings experiences.
Intelligent Meeting Space enables users to personalise and set virtual meeting space boundaries – perfect for open-plan offices or glass-walled rooms.
Always up to date – Managed via Jabra+, ensuring the latest features and functionality.
Reliability – Backed by Jabra Warranty+ for added peace of mind.
Modern design – Clean, professional aesthetic that fits seamlessly into contemporary workspaces.
Practical features – Easy-clean cover and ADA compliance for enhanced usability.
Certa, which is part of DCC plc, is expanding to 25 HVO fuel sites across Ireland as it responds to soaring demand from thousands of diesel drivers who are choosing the renewable fuel to reduce their carbon emissions while they hold back on switching to an electric vehicle (EV).
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is produced from waste plant matter and can be used as a direct replacement for diesel without any need for engine modifications to help motorists lower their carbon emissions by up to 90%.
Demand for HVO is being driven by diesel drivers who want to ‘go green’ but who have put off switching to an electric vehicle (EV) for a variety of reasons, including the cost of buying an EV, the lack of charging infrastructure across the country, and not having their own driveway or off-street parking where they can install a home charger.
Certa is expanding its HVO offering at a rapid pace and its new HVO fuel site in Portlaoise, which opens to the public this week, is the 25th such site to open over the past 18 months across 17 counties, marking a significant milestone for the company and the fuel industry in Ireland.
Certa opened Ireland’s first fully fledged HVO fuel station in Liffey Valley in late 2023 at a cost of €1 million. 15 of the 25 HVO fuel sites that Certa currently operates have opened over the past eight months and the company has plans to open five more HVO fuel sites over the coming months.
Certa operates a total of 54 forecourt sites and is now the largest supplier of HVO to motorists across Ireland. Demand for the renewable fuel has also been helped by Certa’s decision to provide the new HVO pumps alongside its diesel and petrol pumps. The fuel is distinguished by a pink nozzle to stand out from the traditional black diesel and green petrol nozzles.
“Certa is delighted to open our 25th HVO fuel site in Portlaoise this week and to continue leading the way in making HVO more widely available to motorists across Ireland. Our goal is to make it easy for motorists to transition to HVO as a renewable alternative to diesel to help them to lower their carbon emissions.
‘Diesel and petrol cars accounts for 84% (2.14 million) of the cars on Irish roads. 17% of all new cars sold in Ireland so far this year were diesel. Diesel drivers are holding off on making the switch to EV driving for a variety of reasons. HVO provides an alternative solution and diesel drivers are switching to this biofuel where it is available to them.
“The demand for HVO has grown as we have opened each new HVO fuel site across our network and our plan is to complete the upgrading of our entire network into next year as we continue our journey towards a net zero future.”
The Certa and Emo forecourts selling HVO include Liffey Valley, Finglas (Clearwater), Dundrum, Clarehall, Tallaght and Greenogue in Dublin; Lee Tunnel in Cork, Corofin in Clare, Letterkenny in Donegal, Ballinasloe in Galway, Maynooth in Kildare, Killarney in Kerry, Portlaoise in Laois, Moyne in Longford, Dundalk in Louth, Ballyhaunis in Mayo, Trim in Meath, Kilcormac in Offaly, Clonmel in Tipperary, Waterford city in Waterford, Athlone and Mullingar in Westmeath, and Castlebridge, Gorey and Wexford town in Wexford.
Cutting edge portable projector tech from the Vali 1 offers best in class sound and vision performance at £269 / $319 while T2 Ultra offers a step up in entry level performance at just £229…
Vali 1
Wanbo officially introduces the Wanbo Vali 1 – a truly flexible, portable, and intelligent home cinema projector, packing big screen performance into a compact form factor.
Featuring a 200° adjustable gimbal stand, 900 lumens of brightness, Android TV 11, smart auto-calibration and a screen size of up to 130 inches, the Wanbo Vali 1 offers all the features you need at a price point that aims to shake up the market in 2025.
All the viewing angles
The Wanbo Vali 1 boasts a integrated flexible stand that rotates through a full 200° range. Users can pivot the image onto walls, ceilings and dedicated projector screens. Complemented by ±30° auto-keystone correction, it instantly straightens any image in a few seconds, making projection alignment effortless.
Whether it’s transforming a blank ceiling into a star-studded night scene or shifting from lounge based gaming to a movie night in your bedroom, the Wanbo Vali 1 allows you to enjoy your TV, movies and gaming with no mounting or manual set up required.
Double the brightness
With 900 ANSI lumens – almost double the amount of rivals, the Wanbo Vali 1 delivers vivid and vibrant visuals even in brightly lit daytime rooms. Paired with native 1080p resolution, detail pops with exceptional clarity, enabling easy viewing without the need to dim lights.
Stereo sound
A built-in pair of 6W full-range stereo speakers ensures punchy audio, creating an immersive soundstage that matches the picture quality. A headphone socket allows you to connect headphones or an external speaker.
All your favourite apps
Powered by Android 11, Wanbo Vali 1 grants easy access to over 7,000 Google Play apps including Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, HBO Max, and many more. Official Netflix certification ensures reliable, high-quality playback.
Integrated Google Assistant allows voice control hands-free, while Chromecast built-in makes wireless screen mirroring easy. A dedicated remote is included with one touch access to key streaming services.
Smart AI set up
The Wanbo Vali 1’s ASA 3.0 (Auto‑Focus + Keystone + ScreenFit + Obstacle‑Avoidance) is an intelligent projection assistant. It detects the screen’s boundaries, focuses sharply, squares the image and notes interference automatically. The advanced level of automation enables stress-free set-up across different surfaces and angles.
Quiet cooling
A standout among compact projectors, the Wanbo Vali 1 features Wanbo’s largest cooling fan to date (10 cm diameter, 3.3 cm height), optimised to maintain quiet operation at all times.
Compact Design
The power socket is mounted directly on the gimbal bracket rather than the projector, eliminating cable clutter and offers unrestricted viewing movement. Multiple mounting options including ceiling, wall, stand and bracket are supported.
Game mode and ambient art walls
For gamers, the Game Mode activates low latency and high refresh responsiveness. Artistic Ambient Wall mode casts ambient visuals (think tranquil ocean waves or starfield animations) transforming any space into a living art canvas
The Wanbo Vali 1 is out now priced £269 / $319.
UK retailers include HMV, Amazon and Robert Dyas.
If you can use the following links it would be appreciated. Review samples available now.
Wanbo officially launches the T2 Ultra, a bold reinvention of the portable projector that promises to redefine home entertainment with superior brightness, immersive audio, and seamless usability, all in a sleek, compact package.
Built around Android TV 11, viewers can effortlessly stream in 1080p from services like Netflix and Disney+, ensuring vibrant, high-definition playback at home or on the go.
The T2 Ultra raises the bar for visual performance too: delivering 500 ANSI lumens – this projector enhances color accuracy and contrast for truly immersive imagery.The inclusion of ASA 3.0 auto‑alignment technology guarantees pristine focus and alignment instantly, even when projecting from unconventional angles.
On the sound front, the T2 Ultra features 10W dual full-range speakers, enriched by dual bass diaphragms that extend bass respons.
Its integrated 120° gimbal stand effortlessly adapts to any projection surface (even ceilings) liberating users from the constraints of rigid projector setups.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION: T2 Ultra
Operating System
Android TV 11
Brightness
500 ANSI lumens
Alignment
ASA 3.0 for instant clarity
Audio
10W speakers, dual bass diaphragms, 40 Hz bass.
Bluetooth 5.0.
Form Factor
120° adjustable gimbal stand
Noise
30 dB operation
The Wanbo T2 Ultra is out now priced £229.
UK retailers include HMV, Currys, Amazon and Robert Dyas.
If you can use the following links it would be appreciated. Review samples available now.
In today’s data-driven world, managing storage infrastructure efficiently has become increasingly complex for IT professionals. The challenge of configuring RAID arrays while balancing performance, capacity, and data protection often leads to time-consuming calculations and potential errors. Enter the UGOS CloudRAID calculator – a powerful tool designed to streamline storage planning and eliminate the guesswork from RAID configurations. This innovative solution helps IT teams optimize their storage infrastructure while reducing the risk of miscalculations that could impact system reliability. Whether you’re building a new storage array or expanding existing infrastructure, this calculator empowers you to make informed decisions quickly and confidently, ensuring your storage solutions meet both current needs and future demands.
What Every IT Pro Should Know About RAID Basics
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) technology forms the backbone of modern storage infrastructure, offering various approaches to balance data protection and performance. At its core, RAID combines multiple physical drives into a single logical unit, with different levels serving distinct purposes. RAID 0 stripes data across drives for maximum performance but offers no redundancy, making it suitable for non-critical data requiring high speeds. RAID 1 mirrors data between drives, providing excellent redundancy but at the cost of 50% storage efficiency. RAID 5 introduces parity for fault tolerance while maintaining better storage efficiency, though write performance can be impacted.
RAID 6 adds a second parity block for enhanced protection against drive failures, particularly valuable in large arrays. RAID 10, combining striping and mirroring, delivers both high performance and redundancy, though at a higher drive cost. Understanding these configurations is crucial as each level’s capacity calculation follows different principles—a key consideration when planning efficient and reliableNAS storage systems. This foundational knowledge enables IT professionals to make informed decisions based on their specific requirements for performance, redundancy, and storage efficiency.
Common RAID Configuration Challenges
Storage administrators frequently encounter significant challenges when configuring RAID systems manually. Calculation errors can occur when determining usable capacity across different RAID levels, potentially leading to undersized storage arrays or overestimated available space. Drive compatibility issues often emerge when mixing drives of different speeds, capacities, or manufacturers within the same array, resulting in reduced performance or system instability. The complex tradeoff decisions between performance and redundancy present another crucial challenge – while RAID 0 offers maximum performance, its lack of redundancy makes it unsuitable for critical data storage.
Conversely, implementing RAID 6 provides excellent data protection but impacts write performance and requires additional drives. Disaster recovery planning becomes particularly challenging when considering rebuild times for large arrays, especially in RAID 5 configurations where the failure of a second drive during rebuild could result in complete data loss. These technical hurdles underscore the importance of careful planning and precise calculations in RAID implementation to ensure optimal system performance and data protection.
Tired of Manual RAID Math? Let UGOS Cloud Handle It for You
The UGOS Cloud RAID Calculator revolutionizes storage planning by providing a comprehensive solution for IT professionals struggling with complex RAID configurations. This powerful tool seamlessly integrates with the broader UGOS Cloud ecosystem, offering real-time calculations and automated validation checks that eliminate human error. Unlike traditional manual methods that require multiple spreadsheets and complex formulas, the calculator instantly processes drive specifications and RAID level requirements, delivering accurate results in seconds. The tool excels in practical applications, from designing new storage arrays to expanding existing infrastructure, by offering dynamic visualization of capacity utilization and performance metrics.
IT teams can leverage its predictive analysis capabilities to model different RAID configurations before implementation, ensuring optimal resource allocation. The calculator proves particularly valuable during storage upgrades, allowing administrators to simulate various drive combinations and RAID levels to achieve the perfect balance between performance, redundancy, and cost-effectiveness. By streamlining the decision-making process, it enables organizations to implement storage solutions confidently while maintaining high availability and data protection standards.
Step-by-Step Guide: Using UGOS Cloud RAID Calculator
Inputting Drive Specifications
Begin by accessing the UGOS Cloud RAID Calculator’s intuitive interface through your dashboard. In the drive specification panel, enter the total number of drives in your array. For each drive, input the capacity in TB or GB, ensuring accurate representation of your hardware. The interface allows you to specify drive parameters including rotational speed (RPM), interface type (SATA/SAS), and manufacturer details. The calculator automatically validates input consistency to prevent configuration errors.
Selecting RAID Configuration
Once drive specifications are entered, explore the RAID configuration matrix displaying available RAID levels. The calculator’s smart recommendation engine analyzes your input and highlights optimal RAID configurations based on your drive count and capacity. Each RAID level shows projected performance metrics, redundancy levels, and space efficiency. The system automatically flags incompatible configurations and explains why certain RAID levels may not be suitable for your specific drive setup.
Analyzing Results
The results dashboard presents comprehensive metrics for your selected configuration. View the total raw capacity alongside usable storage space after RAID implementation. Performance indicators display expected read/write speeds, taking into account your drive specifications and RAID level. The redundancy analysis shows fault tolerance levels, providing clear insights into how many drive failures your array can withstand. Interactive graphs visualize capacity distribution, helping you understand storage allocation across the array. The calculator also generates detailed reports including rebuild time estimates and recommended hot spare configurations for enhanced reliability.
Compatibility Considerations for Hard Drives
When implementing RAID configurations, drive compatibility plays a crucial role in ensuring optimal system performance and reliability. Storage administrators must carefully evaluate interface specifications, as mixing SATA and SAS drives within the same array can lead to communication bottlenecks and potential system instability. Drive capacity matching is essential – all drives in a RAID array should have identical capacities to prevent capacity loss and performance degradation. Speed synchronization demands equal attention, as combining drives with different rotational speeds or performance characteristics can force the entire array to operate at the speed of the slowest drive.
Many IT professionals turn to trusted manufacturers like UGREEN for their network-attached storage solutions, as they provide specific compatibility matrices for their enterprise drives, recommending matched sets for optimal RAID performance. Additionally, firmware versions should be consistent across all drives in the array to prevent unexpected behavior and ensure seamless operation. The UGOS Cloud RAID Calculator automatically validates these compatibility requirements, alerting administrators to potential issues before implementation.
Advanced Storage Management with UGOS Cloud
The UGOS Cloud platform extends beyond basic RAID calculations to provide comprehensive storage management capabilities. Through intelligent capacity planning features, administrators can model future storage growth patterns and receive proactive alerts when systems approach capacity thresholds. The platform’s performance optimization engine continuously monitors I/O patterns, suggesting configuration adjustments to maintain peak efficiency as workloads evolve. For future-proofing storage infrastructure, UGOS Cloud enables seamless integration of new storage technologies and expansion options without disrupting existing arrays.
The system’s predictive analytics help identify potential bottlenecks before they impact operations, while automated storage tiering recommendations ensure optimal data placement across different storage media. By leveraging machine learning algorithms, UGOS Cloud adapts its optimization strategies to your specific usage patterns, providing increasingly refined recommendations over time. This forward-thinking approach to storage management helps organizations maintain operational excellence while preparing for future storage demands.
Make Your Storage Setup Stronger with the Right RAID Solution
The increasing complexity of storage infrastructure management demands sophisticated tools that can eliminate human error and streamline configuration processes. The UGOS Cloud RAID Calculator addresses these challenges head-on by providing IT professionals with an intelligent, automated solution for RAID planning and implementation. By automating complex calculations, validating drive compatibility, and offering detailed performance metrics, this tool significantly reduces the risk of configuration errors while saving valuable time.
The integration with the broader UGOS Cloud ecosystem further enhances its value, offering advanced features like predictive analytics and capacity planning that help organizations stay ahead of their storage needs. For IT professionals seeking to optimize their storage infrastructure while ensuring data protection and system reliability, the UGOS Cloud RAID Calculator represents an essential tool in their technical arsenal. Take control of your storage management today by leveraging this powerful solution to build more efficient, reliable, and future-proof RAID configurations.
