Jim O Brien/CEO - techbuzzireland.com - Page 857

UX Design Institute course sign-ups surge by 220 per cent. #UX #IrishBiz #UXDesign

Irish company, the UX Design Institute, saw a 220 per cent increase in student numbers during the height of the lockdown when compared to the same period last year.

As people looked to upskill, change careers or enhance their employability, the leader in UX education and certification recorded its highest ever student enrolments in March, April and May.

Switching to another career was the impetus for 60 per cent of new students, with many working in digital marketing, recruitment, HR, sales, customer experience, product and design.

UX designers are one of the most sought-after tech professionals today, with the current crisis creating even more demand as companies look to improve their online presence.

UX design or User Experience design, combines aspects of psychology, design, marketing, business and technology to provide a better experience for a product’s end-user. This can include apps, websites or even everyday items like your computer mouse.

“We’ve had a really positive few months in terms of student enrolments,” said Colman Walsh, CEO, of the UX Design Institute. “Some people have taken on the course because they find themselves in a precarious position at work and are looking for a more future-focused career, others have just decided that it’s a good time to commit to studying because they have more time on their hands.”

UX Launch Picture Conor McCabe Photography

UX post-Covid-19

This week the company produced a report looking at the impact of Covid-19 on the UX industry, featuring insights from Deliveroo, Morgan McKinley, cxpartners, Fathom and the UX Design Institute.

The report points to very positive career opportunities in UX as companies expand their online capabilities, not just to remain competitive but to remain viable.

Mark Campbell, Consultant with Morgan McKinley and contributor to the report said: “When it comes to UX, this crisis has meant that user research has become more critical and UX skills more sought after. We’ve seen a big focus on development and data roles as companies focus on improving their online products.”

According to the report industries that were slow to adopt newer technologies will be looking to evolve their model or become obsolete. Competitive advantage will be won by the companies that offer better UX than their rivals.

Conor McCabe

Quoted in the report, Walsh said: “As more and more industries and companies improve their online capabilities in the aftermath of Covid-19, this can only be good news for anybody working in technology, including UX designers. The overall consensus is that UX presents a more future-proof, rewarding and meaningful career for our students – one that we see flourishing far beyond this crisis.”

The UX Design Institute’s Professional Diploma in UX Design is delivered entirely online over 6 months. The next course start date is July 1^st and costs €2550.

The company, set up by UX design veteran Colman Walsh in 2013, recently reported a doubling of revenues in 2019 to €2.67 million with steady growth in the UK, Germany, Switzerland and South Africa.

Review – SIMCAM 1S. #SimCam1S #Security #AI

Security cameras are available in all forms today and we havetested countless on the market over the last two years that come in all price points but now they are coming down in price giving you more features for you money and even more some now come with no subscription fee to maintain the device which is an added bonus.

Unlike other security cameras, SimCam uses on-device AI detection to avoid false alarms or alert delays This also effectively protects the users’ privacy, because the camera data is stored in the SD card or NAS. SimCam can be integrated with other smart home devices, works with IFTTT, Google Home and Alexa. The device can be placed anywhere in the house and has a 360 degree rotation axis but no movement on the horizontal however it does capture with a massive feild of view and with no lag and excellent clairty on the playback videos on your smartphone.

The build quality is also good two and a simple installment should you wish to mount it on a wall or you can leave it sat in a corner of the home where it does not look anyway intrusive,there is LEDs on the device at which are noticable but this is not an issue and not only that a deterrent for anyone looking in or has gained access to your property.

The app itslef is really quite good with many settings and options at hand for you to pick from and set up to your needs it is one of the better apps I have seen in a while too and easy to use we go through this in the video below to make it easy to understand yet it is easy to navigate the app which I have tested on both Android and iOS

The camera can be also used to detect many things including outside your home by facing it out the window some cameras do not work so well in this manner but this one works fine you can also detect objects and pets and using AI it also has facial recognition and home automation.

At night this camera works particualry well too offering a really good look at what is being captured,The 1080p starlight night vision allows up to 50ft in complete darkness and has has literally no motion blur this is where i found the camera great and the daylight captures also top quality and no blur.

1 / 8

Another benefit of this camera it works on both 2.5/5G WiFi many cameras I own only work on the latter this is a great bonus for those with a big house or many devices on the go, you also have a two way audio set up,local storage and a decent alarm buzzer at 100dB and you can geo fence. You can also share the app with someone else and add an emergency contact number in the app.

For your money here you are getting features seen on more expensive cameras and it is something for others to watch out for and consider,this is a great value security camera and one to check out.

CLCKR Announces a new range to add to its line-up of phone cases and stands. #CLCKR #iPHONE

CLCKR, the mobile phone accessory company, announced today a new range of designs to add to their line-up of phone cases and stands, including Studio (clear), Carbon Fibre effect, Perforated and Saffiano finishes in a range of colours. The products are available to order from https://www.clckr.com/uk/clckr-case

The brand-new range includes phone cases with an in-built CLCKR stand and grip are available for iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 11 Pro, as well as a universal CLCKR stand and grip that fixes directly to the device. All the cases are drop tested up to 2.2m and are compatible with QI certified wireless chargers.

Protect Your Phone in Style – Available in two colours, Black and Navy Blue, the phone cases or universal stands are available in a choice of four materials:

Carbon Fibre – A stylish and modern effect which also gives extra grip and protection for your device. Priced at £34.99

Saffiano – Made using a PU Saffiano material, the crosshatch effect gives this case a sleek, smart and classy feel. Priced at £29.99

Perforated – Boasting circular perforations give the perfect mix of edgy and sporty and is ideal for everyday use. Priced at £34.99

Studio – The clear design of the case allows you to show off the colour of your device whilst the CLCKR is made from a soft PU material for comfort when using. Priced at £24.99

CLCKR: The accessory you didn’t know you needed

CLCKR is a gadget designed for those who love to live a life of convenience. The universal stand or CLCKR stand cases allow you to watch your favourite TV show or series, hands free, in portrait or landscape mode. You can video call your family and friends or turn your phone into a home office companion.

“We’ve designed CLCKR to be a truly universal accessory which can allow anyone to get the most from their mobile device,” said Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Direct of CLCKR Phil Mullholland.” We’re pleased to announce our four newest designs which are sophisticated, stylish, and robust, complying with military drop test specifications to protect your device while effortlessly making everyday tasks easier.”

Microsoft device donation empowers Barnardos to continue providing vital support to vulnerable children and families

Microsoft today announced a donation of devices to Barnardos in order to empower the organisation to work remotely as it continues to provide vital support to vulnerable children and families.

The provision of eighty-four refurbished Microsoft Surface and other devices has ensured that the inspiring team at Barnardos can now support over 800 children and families across Ireland by providing much needed help, advice and support at a time when they need it most.

Suzanne Connolly, CEO of Barnardos said: “The support from Microsoft will mean the world of difference to our frontline teams across Ireland – over 80 Barnardos staff will receive devices that will enable them to continue providing vital and necessary support to some of Irelands’ most vulnerable children and families in the months to come.”

Cathriona Hallahan, MD of Microsoft Ireland said: “Microsoft’s mission is to help every person and every organisation to achieve more. We are all too aware of the additional challenges that many social services and charities are navigating due to the restrictions that were put in place, with many unable to maintain their regular work in the community. That’s why we’ve made a special donation of devices to Barnardos, who have been on the frontline making sure that vulnerable children and families have the supports they need. Through technology, the charity’s project workers are empowered to continue providing essential services to some of our nation’s most vulnerable from their own homes.

“The team at Microsoft Ireland is committed to doing all that we can to respond to the evolving needs of people, communities, families and organisations as we journey along the road to recovery.”

Amazon launches Echo Auto in Ireland. Available to buy today. #Amazon #EchoAuto

Amazon today announced Echo Auto is coming to Ireland and the UK. Echo Auto is the first Echo device designed for use on the road, giving you an easy and affordable way to add the power of Alexa on the go. Echo Auto is available from today on Amazon.co.uk as well as Argos, Dixons and Very.co.uk for just £49.99.

“Customers tell us they want to take Alexa with them everywhere they go. We’re delighted to offer them an easy way to add Alexa to the car they already own.” said Eric Saarnio, Vice President, Amazon Devices EU. “With Echo Auto, customers can now enjoy the convenience of Alexa on the road, giving them the ability to play music, make calls, continue their audiobook, play games, manage their reminders and more—all just by using their voice.”

Echo Auto features a custom-designed eight-microphone array which has been designed to account for challenging in-car acoustics, enabling Alexa to hear commands over music, air conditioning and ambient road noise. Powered by your car’s 12V power outlet or integrated USB port, Echo Auto connects to your stereo system through a 3.5 mm audio jack or Bluetooth. Echo Auto connects to Alexa through the Alexa app on your smartphone, iOS or Android, and uses your existing phone’s data plan for connectivity and to access a range of Alexa features such as music, calling and more.

With Echo Auto, just ask Alexa to hear your morning news, listen to an Audible audiobook and more. You can also set reminders to pick up your dry cleaning on your way home, control your smart home devices, build your shopping list or manage your calendar—all while your eyes stay on the road.

With tens of thousands of skills and counting, Alexa is always getting smarter. Skills are like apps and help you do more, such as play relaxing sounds or test your music knowledge. Just say, “Alexa, what are your top skills?”

Echo Auto is available from today, June 17^th, from Amazon.co.uk as well as Argos, Dixons and Very.co.uk. For more information please visit www.amazon.co.uk/echoauto.

The GameSir F4 Falcon Simply Insert Your Phone and Immediately Start Gaming! #Gaming #Mobile #Gamesir

Gamesir, a leading provider in innovative, high quality game peripherals are pleased to announce that the F4 Falcon Mobile Controller is available in the UK.

Mobile gaming is bigger than ever. It started with simple games such as Angry Birds or Candy Crush but now you can play your favourite game on the go. With games like Fortnite and PUBG developing their own mobile versions, you can continue to play your favourite game without the need for a PC or console.

Gaming on smartphones can sometimes be limiting – touchscreens mean it can be easy to make mistakes, and precision can sometimes be lacking. Additionally, mobile games won’t let you utilize hacks and cheats very easily such as PUBG hacks for PC for example. There are plenty of mobile gaming controllers that enhance gameplay using Bluetooth – the GameSir G6S included, but what if you want a controller where there is no lag or latency because Bluetooth is not used?

Enter the GameSir F4 Falcon Mobile Gaming Controller.

The F4 Falcon doesn’t rely on Bluetooth for a connection – instead, thanks to the fact it is a mechanical controller, it directly presses the buttons on your screen which means zero latency and also no possibility of losing connection midway through a game. It taps the screen as fast as you can use your fingers, enhancing your in-game play.

The unique design is minimalistic – the arms fold down to the central column meaning that has a small footprint – perfect for taking with you to game on the move. Despite the small size, it extends out to accommodate most of the smartphones on the market. The design means that the F4 compliments the look of your phone and doesn’t add a lot of bulk. It features a two-button configuration with a pair of triggers on the right and left side which allows for easy play with most mobile games. You have the option of choosing up to 4 different burst modes – default mode (one click, one shot), 3-burst mode, 6-burst mode or 9-burst mode to make sure that you can customise your shots according to the battlefield.

The F4 is compatible with all smartphones and will give up to 30 hours of gaming on a single charge. The buttons have been tested to ensure a lifespan of approximately 5 million clicks so you can continue gaming without the worry of whether the buttons will withstand your skill!

Finally, thanks to the F4’s mechanical set up, you won’t get banned from your favourite game – it uses your physical movements to play your game.

The GameSir F4 is available for RRP £29.99 from Amazon.co.uk. For more information head to https://gamesir.hk/collections/hot-sale/products/gamesir-f4-falcon-mobile-gaming-controller

New A.I. artist discovery platform connecting artists to the music industry. @AndrsonMusic partners with @MakeAWish_ie #Andrson #AI #Music #Uploaded

Andrson, an A.I. artist discovery platform, has launched Uploaded – an international song competition offering emerging musicians the chance to win a grand prize of €10,000. Open to artists globally, the competition runs until 30th November 2020 with monthly prizes available and will culminate in a live event showcase to declare the eventual winner – due to be held in Dublin, February 2021. Uploaded will not only reward unique musical talent, but will showcase some of the world’s best undiscovered artists.

Launching this week, Andrson invites all aspiring and emerging musicians, across all genres of music to enter by submitting an original song which will be judged by top level music industry execs. With no limit on the number of submissions, artists can enter up to one song per month until the competition closes in November – creating as much music as they like.

Each month, twenty-three artists will be chosen to advance to a semi-final whereby eventually the long list of semi-finalists will be whittled down to a shortlist of 10 talented finalists – chosen by a leading panel of handpicked judges from the music industry. The 10 finalists will then be invited to perform live in Dublin next year for a chance to battle it out to win €10,000. Additionally, a second prize will be available at the event offering the public a chance to vote for their favourite artist in the People’s Choice award and a cash reward of €2,500.

To enter the competition, artists can simply download the Andrson app from the App Store or Google Play, then upload their chosen song and lastly complete the entry form on the contest landing page. The grand final will take place in Dublin, in February 2021. The 10 finalists will be invited to perform their songs live in front of fans, music industry execs and a select panel of judges. Winners will be announced during the evening.

Neil Dunne, Co-Founder of Andrson, commented: “We want to be a source of inspiration and support all budding musicians globally. By launching Uploaded, we hope we’ve created a space whereby not only can their music be heard by the right people but we will hear the incredible talent from some of the best undiscovered musicians.”

To launch Uploaded, Andrson has partnered with children’s charity, Make-A-Wish Ireland. Twenty percent of sponsorships and donations from the competition will be committed to the charity – raising vital funds to help grant wishes to seriously ill children.

Uploaded is an opportunity for all budding songwriters to showcase their talents whereby their music will be judged on originality, lyrics, melody, composition, production and the potential to be a ‘smash hit’.

A sound-driven A&R platform, Andrson is a brand new A.I.-powered tool which connects emerging artists to the right industry professionals, helping them to become discovered. For more information and to enter Uploaded, head to andrsonuploaded.com.

CRU first to market with innovative Google Home & Alexa Campaign launch. #CRU #AI #Energy

Recent events have driven unprecedented levels of creativity and agility within the marketing sector, with brand communications teams and agency creatives pivoting rapidly to deliver transformational digital campaigns to address an entirely new set of consumer needs.

As such, CRU (The Commission for Regulation of Utilities) has launched the first ever Google Home and Alexa centred AI campaign in Ireland, aligned to the roll out of its ‘Switch On to Savings, Rights and Safety’ communications campaign.

This unique digital activation involves the development of an app which effectively ‘trains’ smart home devices, namely Google Home and Alexa, to deliver specific responses to any consumer questions on the theme of savings, switching energy suppliers, energy safety and rights, whilst also driving awareness of the role of CRU, its services and guiding consumers to CRU branded information portals such as the CRU website and social media channels.

This ‘smart home conversation skill’ activation is the first of its kind to be developed and rolled out in Ireland by any organisation and was developed by the CRU in close collaboration with PR agency AMPLIFY@Drury Porter Novelli and Granite Digital.

The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities ‘Switch On’ campaign calls on the public to switch on to their rights, safety and savings as an energy consumer, and is fronted by long standing Campaign Ambassador Maia Dunphy. As part of a broader communications campaign, Maia will work closely with several high-profile Irish influencers to engage in an online challenge to see how much money they can save, by following the simple steps suggested by CRU. Over the coming weeks the influencer collaboration campaign will see participants using their smart home devices to put the CRU app to the test, when comparing costs from different Irish energy providers. The influencer campaign will roll out across Instagram, but will be amplified across all channels.

The way people are connecting with businesses through technology is constantly evolving. Surveys from 2019, found that 15% of Irish households now have smart speakers, while over 50% of Irish people are expected to own a smart speaker by 2023. In further research, ComScore forecasts that over half of all search will be via voice by 2020, showing that voice is poised to become the next big channel for marketers.

With the disruptive effects of the pandemic currently dominating our daily lives CRU was forced to pivot its ‘Switch On’ campaign online. CRU Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Karl Richardson said “The current COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to stop in their tracks, quickly re-strategise, and change the ways in which they operate. Given how consumer behaviours to switching suppliers have been impacted due to Coivd, we are delighted to be the first to introduce this innovative AI technology and reach Irish consumers in a way that compliments their busy on and offline lifestyles and provide them with the information they need to switch on to savings, their right and safety.”

As Ireland’s independent energy and water regulator, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is central in protecting Irish consumers’ energy savings, rights and safety, and wanted to scale the advice previously provided by its consultants.

Launching this latest digital activation, Nicky Crichton, Brand Communications Lead at AMPLIFY@DruryPN said “Like many brand communications agencies, we’re pushing boundaries and pivoting fast to ensure effective, impactful, digitally led solutions for our clients, and the campaign for CRU is one that we’re particularly excited about given that its first to market, and perfectly timed given the ever increasing use of in-home AI technology”

Ivan Adriel, Creative Strategy Director of Granite added “AI assistants are rapidly taking over consumers’ homes, soon to become the primary channel through which people get information, goods, and services. We were delighted to co-create this solution for CRU, anticipating the future and exploring a striking new opportunity for connection between brand & consumers.”

Switch On To CRU is now available on all Google Home and Amazon Alexa devices in Ireland. To start a conversation simply use the prompts below:

Google: Hey Google, start Switch with CRU

Or

Amazon: Alexa, start Switch on CRU.

To find out more about CRU visit www.cru.ie

workair expands remote-working services to support businesses hit by Covid-19. #workair #cloud

Leading Irish cloud-communications company workair has expanded its suite of remote-working services to enable Irish businesses to continue to work in a distributed way and survive the Covid-19 crisis.

The company’s move to grow its offering comes as details of the new Programme for Government’s measures for remote working emerge.

workair is providing a new unified communications platform which supports remote, mobile, and home-based workers to collaborate and connect with customers at any time and on any device. It follows workair’s recent support for leading health insights company LetsGetChecked, which enabled the latter to continue its development of critical new Covid-19 testing services that confirm patient results within 48 hours. LetsGetChecked has just raised $71m in funding as the start-up sees huge demand for its at-home health testing kits.

In parallel with its partnership with LetsGetChecked, workair has been ramping up its services to meet surging demand for distributed and remote working solutions since the Covid-19 outbreak. It has enabled other companies challenged by the recent national lockdown restrictions, such as travel agency Hannon Travel, law firm Whitney Moore, HR software company Intelligo, and Eden Recruitment, to continue servicing customers in an innovative, efficient and cost-effective manner.

Stephen Mackarel, Managing Director of workair Ireland, said: “With countries, economies and the whole business world grappling with the unprecedented challenges of Covid-19, companies need remote solutions to help sustain their businesses, reduce costs and drive efficiencies in what is the toughest of times. Already focused on cloud-based solutions for every type of business, we have been ramping up our fully-functional remote-operation services since the outbreak, and now our unified platform will further enable our clients’ staff to continue to be productive and customer-focused remotely in this incredibly challenging environment. Companies of all sizes in Ireland are dealing with massive financial, operational and CRM challenges and business managers are having to work out totally new ways of leading. Our single, unified technology solutions will drive efficiencies, keep costs down, provide performance metrics and ultimately support enterprise recovery in the new Covid-19 business world.”

LetsGetChecked is a leading health insights company that allows customers direct access to a wide range of testing options and clinical services from home. The company recently announced it is to offer innovative new testing services to those working within the healthcare system and to at-risk groups as part of the fight against Covid-19.

Since partnering with LetsGetChecked 12 months ago, workair has been helping the company to provide 8×8’s unified communications solution across its worldwide base. The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated LetsGetChecked to make a more rapid deployment to enable remote-working solutions for its staff following the closure of its Dublin and New York offices. Within 10 days, workair helped LetsGetChecked to re-activate its call centre operations, enabling its customer-support staff in Ireland and New York to operate remotely and continue critical work enabling testing services for the Covid-19 disease.

Mark Donaghy, Product Manager at LetsGetChecked, said: “It’s been great to be a part of such a tangible example of businesses pulling together like this. LetsGetChecked has seen a huge increase in test orders because our customers can safely test from home without putting themselves or others at risk. Thanks to the quick turnaround from the workair team, we have been able to keep this vital medical service going at a time it is needed most and we are now actively testing and supporting healthcare workers with our coronavirus testing solution.”

With more than 30 existing clients already using its cloud-based technology to support employee productivity and customer engagement, workair is leveraging its expertise to help many more companies support their staff to make the transition to effectively work from home easier in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis. Since the outbreak in Ireland, the company has been working closely with existing clients, as well as providing solutions to new customers, enabling SMEs of all types to continue to effectively run their day-to-day business, ensuring their staff can work remotely to service customers in Ireland and abroad.

workair provides unified communication platforms for businesses of all sizes through various communications, meeting, project management, customer engagement and analytics tools. workair provides a seamless and easy to use experience by providing all of these services in one central location, increasing efficiency and reducing costs in a manner that connects effectively with existing CRMs.

workair has well-established partnerships with leading, award-winning communications providers with a global footprint. Unified platforms from 8×8, Ring Central and LogMeIn enable workair to provide customized solution to meet specific businesses’ needs. workair is making enterprise grade solutions affordable to businesses of all sizes, future proofing businesses in their transition to the cloud. Voice, video, Instant messaging, analytics and meetings removes the need for employees to switch between multiple platforms and applications, bringing all services onto one user-friendly platform. workair’s offering reduces both complexity and cost while fostering a collaborative work environment by enabling employees and customers to be connected anywhere and on any device.

Since its launch, workair has worked with businesses in many sectors including the motor, auctioneering, law, recruitment, travel, financial service, and healthcare industries with cloud-based solutions benefitting management, employees, and customers.

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