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.
Recently here we reviewed the JBL TUNE 120 which are bass heavy and give off a great sound and bass fans will like them and today I still use these personally along with some others for my daily listening routine. New in from JBL is the Reflect Flow True Wireless which come presented really well and are fully featured and this time around we have Ambient aware and walk through present which is an additional bonus..
We will be testing these out in the coming weeks as it has now hit the festive season we are very busy with reviewing products so if you have any questions feel free to ask in the interim.The JBL Reflect Flow are IPX7 rated with 30 hours battery life and speed charge so there is plenty on offer here check them out HERE
Singles Day is a Chinese festival that is popular with our young population. It is not only the officially recognized public holiday in China but it has also been a large offline and online shopping festival. As Singles Day approaches, all the online shopping retailers are beginning to prepare the best shopping celebrations for the people during Singles Day.
Banggood, one of the most important international e-commerce retailers in China is going to launch a grand shopping feast named “Banggood 11.11 Shopping Festival 2019” in which they plan to celebrate this fantastic day. The shopping event is now live until November 11th, 2019.
We have a big shipment of tech coming from the guys at Banggood so stay tuned for that coming very soon and just in time for Christmas.
Every Singles day, Banggood will try its best to offer the best celebration for their customers by providing them with a wonderful shopping carnival. There is no exception for the 11.11 Shopping Festival 2019. Brand upgrade and fashion category creation is the main task of Banggood to satisfy you with a better shopping experience in 2019. Banggood 11.11 Shopping Festival 2019 will be regarded as one of the most important chances for Banggood to deepen the plan of brand upgrade and fashion category creation. According to Banggood company, this sale will try to help the Banggood good partner brands to achieve a higher level in every aspect of brand development and spend more efforts on fashion category creation.
Based on the last brand upgrades of the Banggood 13th-anniversary sale, Banggood will join hands with its partner brands to lift brand grade to a higher platform during the Banggood 11.11 Shopping Festival 2019. To provide a completely new shopping experience both in visual effect and user experience, all the graphics, buttons, navigation, typography and color will be upgraded to the lastest Banggood featured design to make it perfectly match to the Banggood 11.11 Shopping Festival 2019. What’s more, single promotion pages will be designed for Banggood partner brands to offer the best brand deals in the Sale.
For another, a high discount rate and new product release will pay an important part in brand upgrade. To make their customers benefit more from the Sale, Banggood will provide you with big discounts in a variety of discounting ways including big coupon, flash deals, snatch up, gifts and so on. According to Banggood officials, $100000 of gifts will be available in the Sale. During the warm-up period, the first 100 orders will gain a gift from our partner brands every day. More than that, there will be a much bigger discount rate in the blowout stage of the Sale. Worth to notice, $11.11 snap ups that will be available is also one of the most important measures taken to fulfill the goal of our branding upgrade and also to show you the upgrades made on the product quality and product advantages. More new product releases will be available from Banggood partner brands. For example, Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 pro will be released to you during the blowout period of the Sale. To our surprise, high discounts will be given to you to get the latest products.
Fashion is the second important category of the Banggood site. Since its establishment, Banggood has concentrated more on the fashion category development. In 2019, fashion category creation has also been regarded as a top priority of the development of the Banggood 11.11 Shopping Festival 2019 is a golden time to promote the category creation. During the Sale, Banggood will put more effort into fashion category creation. Not only do a series of high quality latest fashion items will be offered but also humanized service and affordable luxury experience on the package, shipping, and after-sale service will be offered by the top valued brands about men and women clothing, lingerie, shoe, and bag.
More importantly, focusing more on autumn and winter fashion, the fashion sale of the event will provide you with more latest fashion clothing and accessories. And a high discount rate will be given for you to get them. For instance, during the warm-up period of the Sale, you can get a full reduction offer of $40-$20. Not to mention the discount of the blowout sale that brand flash deals will be offered to you. The discount rate of 80% off will go in this part.
Banggood 11.11 Shopping Festival 2019 is not only a grand shopping carnival which can make your all the shopping fantasies come true with the ever-biggest discounts, but it also gives you the chance to enjoy the best shopping experience offered by upgrading Banggood. Want to join the Sale now to experience what I mentioned? If you do, please visit the Banggood site now and have fun on the Banggood 11.11 Shopping Festival 2019.
Last year we tested out and reviewed the Adonit photo grip which enables users to get a better grip on their smartphone yielding better results and also giving the user to use their device remotely with a small remote control that comes attached to the unit, This time around the Grip has got bigger,better and now comes with Wireless charging built in too so you will be sure you will not run out of juice on the go with the 3000 mAh battery on board, the same features have not been removed bar there is not Adonit pen on board, You can still capture video and images remotely on the go using the tripod that comes in the box, This is really a great idea giving you more flexibility on the move in one small package.
Product Features:
One-handed Hold：
Ergonomic design and a non-slip finish keeps your hand steady. Say goodbye to blurry photos!
Qi Wireless Charging :
Eliminate power worries. Photogrip Qi is also a power bank with wireless Qi charging.
Bluetooth Shutter Remote：
Slide off the Bluetooth shutter remote to take photos from up to 10 meters away. No need to set a timer, just click to snap the perfect shot.
Self-Standing Base ：
Shoot portrait and landscape images without a tripod.
5.Bonus Travel Pack:
PhotoGrip Qi comes with a mini tripod, carrying pouch and neck strap.
ADONIT PhotoGrip Qi is available in Black and white at Amazon and Adonit
SQUID App, the first personalized news app for Millennials available all over Europe, is now launching in Ireland. Users can choose the topics they really care about, follow the latest news and creatively interact with the most exciting articles – all in one app.
SQUID is free and does not require registration
More than 100 news categories and more than 20 000 sources, (techbuzzireland.com included)
Features for personalization such as choosing and sorting topics, saving articles and blocking sources
SQUID makes relevant news easily accessible and usable. The app offers a wide range of topics that users can choose from to create their own personalized and image-centered newsfeed. SQUID’s algorithms collect, sort and prioritize news from the most exciting sources on the internet, enabling users to keep up with the most important and interesting events. At the same time, SQUID is driving traffic from the popular Millennial target group to the news sources. “We want to help younger generations rediscover news reading as a fun, valuable and engaging daily activity,” says Johan Othelius, CEO and founder of SQUID App.
About SQUID: SQUID App is developed by Njuice AB, a media company based in Stockholm, Sweden. It is a fast-growing news media app targeting millennials in Europe and from now in Latin America. The company is growing its userbase with double digit percentages month on month. SQUID App is available for free in the UK, Italy, Poland, Spain, France, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, Portugal, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Greece, Finland, Norway,Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Ireland, Romania, Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovakia, Croatia, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkey, Lithuania, Slovenia as well as an International English and Spanish version. The app has received very good consumer reviews in App Store, Google Play Store and Huawei AppGallery and very positive coverage in media in all markets where launched. Find more information onwww.squidapp.co.
Interview with Rebecca Versteegh country manager in Ireland of SQUID App
What do you hope for with Squid Ireland?
My hope is that we will attract young readers and introduce them to qualitative journalism. I am a millennial myself and I love the Squidapp. Many of my friends spend a lot of time on social media today. They don’t always no that there is a lot of interesting news out there, that would interest them. We want to show them all that.
How much traffic do you drive to publishers.
Quite a lot actually. In countries where we have been live for a while, such as Poland and Italy we have close relationships with publishers. They often reach out to us with news they find interesting. if we agree we are happy to boost and help spread the articles. We want to do everything we can to help publishers. We also help publishers connect with readers that they otherwise have difficulties finding.
Which are the most popular topics? Tech is actually one of our most popular topics. Sports is popular, as is Health & Training. and Top News of course.
What are your favorite topics?
Top News and Politics
More info: –SQUID is free and does not require registration –More than 100 news categories and more than 20 000 sources –Features for personalization such as choosing and sorting topics, saving articles and blocking sources
Superior video experience for huddle and small conferencing rooms.
The CAM340+ is a portable high-quality HD intelligent camera that allows a user to communicate from anywhere. Compatible with all common applications, it connects to a computer via a single USB cable and provides a superior video communication experience.
With a versatile monitor mount, which can accommodate displays up to 4cm thick, easy-to-carry size, and durable construction, the CAM340+ gives users the flexibility to make any room or space a huddle room. A performance-quality multi-glass lens with deep focus and impressive 120° FOV gives an ultra-wide field for view video conferencing, allowing everyone at the table into a meeting with minimal distortion. An optional wall mount and remote control is available.
Meetings can be in 4K, giving a picture technology that quadruples the pixel count of Full HD, creating sharper images. With a 4X zoom, the CAM340+ scans the room with no moving parts and no loss of quality. AVer uses SONY EXMOR sensor, features ePTZ (electronic pan tilt zoom) and built-in microphone ideal for the huddle room and small conference room.
Once registered the CAM340+ carries a five-year warranty, considerably more than the industry norm and in line with AVer’s superior customer service.
Rene Buhay, AVer Europe Vice President of Sales & Marketing, comments: “The CAM340+ is the ultimate in huddle room cameras. No more people having to crane their necks to be in the picture or struggling to be heard. AVer makes conferencing easy.”
As I have mentioned on Twitter some while ago the product that arrived does not match the product in the description which was a pair of the said earbuds with a charge case but just one arrived in a shitty plastic pack with no English at all on the leaflet or instructions.
An amazon tech seller asked me to review a pair of true wireless earbuds, charge case and all. However this is what arrived. 😂😂😂😂 Last time I checked I'd two ears. Fucking lol. pic.twitter.com/Hgsos9TfCa
— Jim O Brien Tech 👨💻techbuzzireland.com (@techbuzzinfo) July 8, 2019
Now I do understand people do use just one earbud and you can buy such but this has vanished from Amazon at the time of post and there is so many variations or rebrands of these they are easy to find as PAIRS with or without the charge case,in most instances WITH the charging case.
Let’s not mistake the rip off of Apple Airpods which are a rip off in price anyway these are clearly just that with other colour options available but there is so many types labelled as with other names and brands of course it came from a china seller which might explain I can’t find it anymore on Amazon even from the link of the seller I was actually surprised it arrived in the first place.
There is One button on the side that in fairness is clicky and you can find it easily blindly and you know you have pressed it and it boasts a silver trim at the end and very light and it does stay in my ear oddly enough and a small LED light for connection and charge status but how does it perform? Well it does not do a whole lot unfortunately and at least they are honest in the main features section listed below. The sound was loud enough and ok on normal levels but after that forget it, tinny central is all I can say muffled and distortion. Calls the same and broke up after about ten feet away from my phone or laptop. Battery life is horrific with between 1 -1.5 hours.
It might be a good throwaway piece for whatever reason there is to have one here you can do so with lots of tech today like 10-20 euro dumbphones but other than that I can’t recommend it at all,well they might be good for younger kids if you do not want to splash out they have nice colour variants I won’t even bother listing the product on other sites where PAIRS are also available but none on their own I have found but watch out for variants with similar names there is plenty of them and if the seller happens to read this, I have two questions. 1- Should I got two and a charge case? 2 – Where is your Amazon listing gone?
This is what I was meant to get via the email sent for review..
Perhaps the experience might have been better should I have got an actual pair and the charge case but on this basis if you do get offered a one pack offer,ignore it like the plague. I might also suggest if you do buy the advertised products with case included ask the seller and check their feedback on respective sites where available. If an amazon seller has a genuine pair they want tested do get in touch as I feel this one seller listing these as the name they did leaves a question mark for others who have the item on sale or perhaps branded with another variant like the i7s for example it is not fair.
Similar on offer to beware of with high cost in Dublin stores..Can be bought for 10 euros online.
Main Features:
High fidelity music for you – NOT TRUE
English voice prompt, convenient for operation TRUE
One key to switch songs and answer / end call – TRUE
Works with all kinds of Bluetooth devices ( supports iOS and Android system ) TRUE
1.5 – 2H continuous playing time, longer duration than the most prevailing headsets – FAIR ENOUGH.
Looking for a job in IT or Tech,click the image below.
Data hosting industry initiative, Host In Ireland, has teamed up with the Native Woodland Trust and the Irish National Biodiversity Centre as part of a long-term initiative to help save Irish bees. Today’s launch will see over 100 members and associates of Host In Ireland plant indigenous Irish trees in County Wicklow to help create safe habitat and food for bees.
One-third of Ireland’s bee species are threatened with extinction. At the current rate of decline, 90% of our bumblebees in Ireland will be wiped out by 2050. Not only are bees an indicator of healthy biodiversity, but they are also crucial in the production of more than 70% of our food.
This launch is the beginning of a broader initiative that will include a toolkit to enable Host In Ireland members, and the industry as a whole, to make an impact on their premises, in their community and within their global companies. It aims to support education, advocacy, awareness and meaningful action to improve bee populations.
It’s the first time such an initiative will have taken place by any industry group, with the involvement from all sides of the industry, including competitors working together, to help tackle bee depletion. By creating this industry-wide initiative, Host In Ireland hopes to influence other industries to get involved and reach a far greater audience than Native Woodland Trust or National Biodiversity Data Centre could do working with individual companies.
Commenting on today’s launch of the ‘DC’s for Bees’ initiative, Host In Ireland Founder and President Garry Connolly said:
“The people in the Irish data centre industry told us that they wanted to do something impactful, but individually, it’s hard to make a difference. We saw an opportunity to bring them together, working collaboratively, alongside competitors to do something for the greater good. Today marks the first step in this initiative that will deliver a plan for our entire industry to support the health and survival of bees through action, advocacy and awareness.”
Speaking about the partnership, Jim Lawlor from the Irish Native Woodland Trust said:
“We are delighted with the partnership between the Native Woodland Trust and Host In Ireland as part of their new programme to promote biodiversity in Ireland. This is the first time that we had a call from an industry willing to work together on such a project. It’s fantastic to be able to take this opportunity to promote native woodland habitat for our wildlife – particularly birds and insects. We are grateful to Host In Ireland and their members for helping to create two entire acres of new tree groves on our reserve here in Laragh, County Wicklow and we are looking forward to watching them grow for years to come.”
Pearl Abyss is today soft launching Black Desert Mobile for Android via the Google Play Store in seven countries after more than two million users pre-registered for the game just within 2 weeks. Now available to download in Canada, Chile, Sweden, Malaysia, Turkey, Ireland and Australia, the open-world action MMORPG will be launching on iOS and Android across the world later this year.
Black Desert Mobile offers fast-paced action combat and deep character customization that differentiate from other mobile MMORPGs. Experience an open-world filled with relaxing life skills and more, including:
Combat – Explore a deep combat system that allows players to experience the same core action of Black Desert on their mobile phone.
Customization – Discover your potential through a detailed character creation system. Design a unique adventurer by choosing from five classes and distinct skill sets to reflect your personal playstyle.
Life Skills – Hone your skills by fishing, gathering, trading, horse breeding, and camp managing your way to riches.
Leveling – Grow your character’s strength with different attributes including Equipment Enhancement, Accessories, the Black Spirit, and various Pets.
In-Depth Gameplay – In-game systems offer an immersive gameplay experience, such as social Guilds, weather changes, Black Spirit Mode, and a real-time marketplace environment.
Players can begin their new adventures by choosing from five character classes: Warrior, Ranger, Giant, Witch, or Valkyrie. Pick from masters of melee combat to those who attack from afar with range, or select a magic-based class for offensive and defensive skills.
By Liam Burke. Thanks to the nice people in Tp-link I got their Deco M4 Whole Home Mesh WiFi sytem (3 pack) to try out. It offers a single Mesh WiFi Network to cover an area of “up to 4000 sq ft” and will get rid of those nasty wifi blackspots in your home.
The system works by plugging in a base WiFi station into your existing router (using a supplied ethernet cable) and then adding the other satellite units around the house to blanket your home in lovely wifi and if you want more wifi i.e. down to a shed in the bottom of the garden you would just need to add an extra unit. Another advantage of using the Deco Mesh WiFi system is if your internet service provider is using a mobile network usually the best place to get the best LTE connection is upstairs or in a higher location, so by placing their router in the best signal location you get the most internet speed you can get and then using the Deco the best wifi over your home.
Each unit is finished in a stylish white cylinder approximately 91mm x 91mm x 190 mm with a power port, reset button and 2 ethernet ports at the rear, it would be nice if there was more ethernet ports on the Decos. The top of each Deco has a ridged effect and has a TP-Link notification light which will alert the user to issues with the unit this is configurable on/off at certain times via the app which is handy if one is located in a bedroom where you may not wish to have extra lights.
The Deco system can handle up to 100 devices, so enough for the busiest of homes.
The setup was super easy thanks to the Deco app available from the Google Play Store or via the Apple App Store
Once the app is installed it guides you through the setup process, you will need to create a Tp-Link account first then register with it.
So for each of the Deco units you just need to plug it in and open the Deco app and add another Deco to setup the whole network, you will be up and running in no time. During the setup the app will check if there is an update to the Deco unit and prompt you to install it.
The great thing with mesh networks is that your devices just see one network as opposed to a using a wifi extender where you will have to add that network to each device individually. Also as the Deco support IEEE 802.11e and k/v your device will switch seamlessly to the fastest Deco in your network whereas if you use a wifi extender your device will have to negotiate a connection to it so that will take sometime if your moving around . Another trick the Deco units has is adapative Path selection which means the Deco’s will chose the best route and band for your data.
The Deco units support self healing, so that if one of the deco units develop a fault, the system will re-configure itself.
To get even better results with the Deco units its best to connect them via Powerline plugs, as if you use wireless mode and say your connected to the last Deco, your signal has to travel to the intermediate Deco units first before going to your router.
My set up
There are plenty of options in the Deco app i.e. enabling only a 2.4 or 5Ghz network or
Setting up a Separate Guest network.
Blacklist to stop a device accessing the network.
Option to Update and also a virtual WPS button for each Deco unit.
The Deco can be configured in either an Access Point or Router mode.
A great feature is the parental controls will allows you to assign each device to a profile and then restrict that profile to general websites or specific ones and also restrict their time online.
Some other extras allow you to define A Quality of Service (QoS) so you can ensure specific devices always get the best internet and a Monthly Report so you can see how your network is behaving for the last month, what websites are most accessed etc. It would have been nice if there was more advanced features on the web based interface to allow for even more tweaks.
Its also compatible with Alexa which worked quiet well when I added the TPLink Router skill on my Amazon Echo Show 5 , for a list of Alexa keywords see
From the above table you can see the Decos gave increased speed to the locations that were furthest away from main router (Bedroom 3 and 4) where before I had very low speed or no internet at all and the signal strength was 100% in all of the house.
When I ran a speedtest in my back garden approximately 8 metres (25 feet) away from the kitchen I got 160 MBs and 4/5 Signal Strength, and I had no signal on either the 5ghz or 2.4ghz router, so if you use your wifi outside the Deco is a good solution for you.
For the advanced users, there are options like
Overall it’s a great piece of kit which spreads Wi-Fi all over your house and gives a lot more user options than the basic modem you would get from your service provider, and if you switch service providers you just need to plug the deco into the router that they supply to you and your up and running with no need to enter wifi passwords into all your devices.
