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.
Google is honouring Aussie icon Steve Irwin with a dedicated Google Doodle tomorrow, Friday 22 February, which would have been Steve’s 57th birthday.
The Doodle will run for 24 hours from midnight on Google homepages around the world including Ireland, Australia, the US, Europe, Asia, Middle East and South America (from 12:01AM on February 22 in each country).
The Doodle features an animated slideshow illustrating Steve’s journey as a zookeeper, conservationist and father. A guest blog post from Steve’s wife Dr. Terri Irwin is also available, in which she remembers the achievements of – and life with – the Aussie icon.
There is a dedicated Google Assistant prompt to mark the day, as well as a host of wildlife and conservation-related Google Trends data.
We are now into 2019 and Nokia now have quite a slew of devices on the market with an odd naming structure that in some cases overlap even with the timely gap between predecessors I have seen some instances in store with two devices from the same series and then you have plus models on top of that.. In short they need to deal with this. The 7.1 also falls into that and is the upgrade to the 7 plus.. BUT IS IT??
The 7.1 looks great from any angle with the chamfered edges and rounded corners and glass front and rear it feels good to hold in the hand, A little on the small size for my taste but I got to like it quickly though I think the 7 plus was a better sized device but the 7.1 looks better as a whole but that is my personal view
With cost to performance ratio coming down in price now on smartphones Nokia and HMD are well placed here but again its a saturated market and competition is tough but design is one factor to step back and look at and this is nice in this case but just dont keep repeating it like Samsung and others have over the years and from an aesthetics point of view it is not good to have a portfolio of devices all looking the same.
Main features below. I wont bore you with specs..
Out of the box the 7.1 will meet most peoples needs but for a power users like me the battery let me down, Remember I am a power user there is a difference between that and your average user this is big when it comes to comes to battery drain and I have alot going on on my phones which is annoying sometimes. I would not get a full day on one charger but we have USB-C and fast charging,which is great but no wireless charging which is not so great despite the glass back on this phone…
The camera is what everyone talks about on Nokia phones and with ZEISS optics and an array of settings to play with you are covered overall even low light is not too shabby compared to others in this price range but overall you can in short point and shoot and get results which is what people want without the need to be messing about with settings even though there is many here to try out do most people actually use them?? If you do they are there and they can improve your photography game if that is your thing. See samples below of all options…
When it comes to multitasking I was happy with how it handled things with multiple pages open and switching between apps all was fine and smooth, Web browsing, social and emails all a breeze but I did see some freezing particularly on Twitter however this is common on several phones including the 7 plus and 8. Screen freeze was present on a few occasions but a quick lock/unlock addressed this. Gaming was fine I am not a massive gamer but for the heavier games I did notice some lag here and there but for your average game you will be fine.
I loaded up my SD card which is full of photos,videos and games and music and I did notice a small slowdown in performance. I am an old school person who has a few sd cards copied and full of stuff I like to use and look back on and never have much need for them these days but there is quite an amount of material on these and it did hamper performance slightly.Like I say I am a power user and have more than your average needs than the typical user would have.
With specs on board here at the pricepoint you cant complain really for what you get, The screen is great for media consumption,the speaker is decent and for the most the battery will last and it fits that sweet point in general. For point and shoot folk you are on a winner and photos are great with the right conditions and no over saturated or grainy images. I think the 7 plus was perhaps better overall but this comes in cheaper than last years but lets see how it gets on after a longer period of use and lets hope that we have not a repeat situation like the Nokia 7 plus we had last year and seems to be an issue. Also I have noticed issues with bluetooth connectivity with my car that is keeps disconnecting and having to pair it back up and the same on some headphones or earphones.The support forum lacks help which i have tried to address and is something that needs to change and for me it is a gripe I personally have that needs to change compared to the former NSD forum. There’s a certain level of ignorance which needs addressing when it comes to support and more and I’m not the only one to point this out.
Would I recommend this phone?? Yes if you are on a budget this is an easy recommendation for the price and what you get for your hard earned cash you get value for money. With the likes of Xiaomi around and other players in the market there is marginally better but the issue at hand for them is availability in stores here and support and you are left to do your business online and returns are a problem and time consuming. The 7.1 is priced well against its competition here in Ireland giving you a well built phone and specs though.
The 7.1 is now widely available in Ireland but your best deal is through your operator starting at €269, Argos at €229 sim free and most likely that price will drop soon enough with more new handsets coming at MWC 2019.
HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., and brand leader in gaming and esports, today announced it is the official peripheral, memory and SSD partner of the inaugural ESL Katowice Royale – Featuring Fortnite. All tournament PCs and PlayStation®4 gaming stations will be equipped with HyperX peripherals, including gaming headsets, keyboards, mice, mousepads, memory, and SSDs. The HyperX esports Truck will also be onsite in Katowice, Poland, entertaining fans on the mobile esports stage for the first time in the history of the global circuit.
“We have a longstanding relationship with HyperX and are thrilled that they are partnering with us for ESL’s first international Fortnite competition,” said Paul Brewer, SVP of Brand Partnerships, ESL North America. “As the official peripheral and memory partner, HyperX will be able to showcase their world-class gaming experiences for players and fans alike.”
The first-ever ESL Katowice Royale – Featuring Fortnite, taking place at the IEM Katowice Expo 2019 across two weekends, will showcase 200 of the world’s best Fortnite players and influencers. Players will battle it out for the lion’s share of a $100,000 USD prize pool at the Polish Edition on February 23-24 and a $500,000 USD prize pool at the International Edition, taking place on March 1-3. HyperX sponsored team Navi will be one of the teams competing.
While fans will have the opportunity to spectate the competition, they will also be able to try their Fortnite skills through integrated competitions in the free-to-play area. Systems will be equipped with HyperX peripherals, including gaming headsets, keyboards, mice and mousepads. ESL Katowice Royale – Featuring Fortnite will offer every participant of the free-to-play area the chance to win material prizes worth more than $50,000 USD.
“HyperX values its relationship with ESL, and we are excited to be part of history by sponsoring the company’s first Fortnite integration at the IEM Expo this year,” said Paul Leaman, vice president, HyperX EMEA. “By providing our peripheral products onsite, we hope to emphasize the benefit of using top-of-the-line equipment to enhance gaming.”
Additionally, HyperX will exhibit products within the IEM Expo, the leading esports-centric tradeshow, located adjacent to the Spodek Arena. For a chance to try out the newest HyperX peripherals and experience the award-winning HyperX Cloud headsets, fans can stop by the HyperX booth.
The HyperX esports truck, an 18-wheeler truck that converts into a full-size five on five player mobile gaming stage, will be onsite hosting gaming competitions, giveaways, listening stations showcasing HyperX’s latest products, Polish influencers, Cosplay competitions, and more.
To celebrate the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival, Ireland’s premier film event, Virgin TV customers will be able to get FREE Virgin Movies on demand for the weekend! You can watch up to ten top titles across the weekend from Friday 22nd February – Sunday 24th February. No excuses for saying you will be bored now!!
Over the past seventeen years, the festival has showcased the work of Ireland’s very talented producers, directors, screenwriters and actors. Today, Virgin Media wants to bring our customers a little closer to all the action and is gifting a whole weekend of top class Irish and world cinema for free.
Building up a repertoire of top notch entertainment, Virgin Media TV customers can settle in with some popcorn and select our premiere offering – The Little Stranger; or switch across to some of the Oscar Nominations BlackkKlansman or First Man; and let’s not forget our Superheroes – Antman & the Wasp, Venom and Once Upon a Deadpool.
There will also be Blockbusters on offer with – Mission Impossible, Fall Out, The Equalizer 2, The Predator, Mile 22, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – available across the weekend. Viewers will also be able to select from a range of Critically Acclaimed titles including – Black ’47, Yardie, American Animals, Mandy The Happy Prince, On Chesil Beach and Making the Grade.
Paul Higgins, Director of Consumer at Virgin Media, said:“We love surprising our customers and for an exclusive weekend in February, we’re inviting all our TV customers to experience a FREE Movie Weekend on us. Virgin TV customers can sample and explore from our On Demand service which contains a wide range of popular films and fan favourites that are sure to appeal to all tastes.”
The brand new FZ1000 II is a camera for every occasion. Boasting a large 1-inch sensor and a 16x optical LEICA certified zoom lens, it is the perfect bridge camera for photo enthusiasts. Taking high-quality photographs in a wide range of different conditions is easy with advanced specifications designed to help you get the best shot. When speed is of the essence, the FZ1000 II has you covered, while 4K Photo and Video give you added flexibility. Use either the free-angle rear screen, or the high-resolution Live View Finder (LVF) to compose your shots.
Key Features
The FZ1000 II is equipped with all the best specifications you need to help you get your shot.
At the heart of the camera is a large 1-inch 20.1-megapixel High Sensitivity CMOS sensor, which boasts a high signal to noise ratio – in other words, it’s the ideal choice for capturing clear images, even in low light conditions. The 16x optical LEICA zoom lens gives you a 35mm camera equivalent of 25-400mm, making it perfect for everything from scenic photography to distant subjects. The newly added Zoom Compose Assist assures, that you do not lose your subject when it suddenly leaves the frame. An aperture range of f/2.8-4.0 is available for creating beautifully blurred backgrounds, while a new minimum aperture of f/11 is useful for highly detailed landscape shots. Additional specifications include the following:
5-axis Hybrid O.I.S.+ (Optical Image Stabilizer) to compensate for handshake to achieve blur-free images at every focal length.
Photo Styles for creative , including the newly added L.Monochrome D mode for enhanced monochrome images.
Bluetooth Low Energy (4.2) and Wi-Fi connectivity (IEEE802.11b/g/n) for instant sharing via Panasonic Image App.
Long-Life Battery with AC- or USB Power Charging on the Go.
Capture every moment with LUMIX FZ1000 II
Fast operation and Light Speed autofocus
High-speed burst shooting
4K Photo and video to capture the fastest movements.
To complement the high sensitivity sensor, the FZ1000 II has been equipped with a quick start-up time and an ultrafast autofocus of approximately 0.09 seconds. A burst rate of 12fps (AFS), plus a high-speed (electronic) shutter sporting 1/16000 seconds round off this package.
LUMIX’s famous 4K Photo capabilities help you get the shot in difficult situations. Fleeting moments can be captured at a stunning 30 frames per second, giving you the option to choose the best frame later. A newly added Auto Marking feature helps you to find the right shot quickly and easily.
Other exciting 4K Photo functions include Post Focus, Focus Stacking and the ability to combine multiple images for a fun “stromotion” effect.
Video enthusiasts can record stunningly smooth, high-resolution QFHD in 3840×2160 pixel resolution at 30/25/24p.
Perfect design
The ergonomics of the FZ1000 II have been designed to make it a comfortable shooting experience. A high-speed and high-precision 0.39-inch OLED Live View Finder has a 2,360k-dot resolution and 0.74x magnification. The eyepoint of 20mm allows for high visibility – even for photographers wearing glasses. Meanwhile, the 3.0-inch, 1,250k-dot free-angle rear monitor includes touch-control and can rotate 180 degrees to the side and 270 degrees up and down for shooting from every conceivable angle. Intuitive controls, including a front/rear dual dial system and a total of 13 function buttons puts everything you need at your fingertips.
The Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II has a recommended retail price of £769.99 (UK) / €849.99 (Ireland) and will be available from the end of March 2019.
New data has revealed that, despite being a generation of selfie lovers, over half (51%) of millennials actually choose a phone case based on how protective it is, in contrast to only 33% that choose one based on how it looks. For me personally I like to have both and in general I do as I have access to pick and choose what cases I like and we review quite a few here on site.
The study by Tirita, manufacturers of phone cases, discovered that millennials are putting a lot of consideration into the accessory that protects their phone, with 61% reading customer reviews before making their purchase.
These findings may surprise some with millennials being so active on image led social media channels such as Instagram. But in spite of this desire to look good, they are actually putting a lot of consideration into the protection of their devices.
The majority (63%) actually go to general retailers such as Amazon, which are driven by customer reviews to make their purchase, whereas less than 4% go to fashion retailers or designers to purchase their phone cases.
The second most popular choice was to purchase directly from phone shops (20%) – suggesting that, where millennials are not relying on customer reviews, they are enlisting the advice of experts that know more about the phone itself before making a purchase.
Enrique de Juan, founder and managing director of Tirita, said: “As phones are increasing in expense and have become more of a life line for most millennials, it is no surprise that the idea of having a phone case for the sake of fashion alone is outdated.
“Millennials are looking for the best way to protect their valued devices, but many are still hoping for the best of both worlds, a phone case that delivers on look and function.”
Sophie Calverley, fashion photographer and blogger at One Unique said: “I like to have a phone case that represents me or shows off the phone, but I also want a phone case that’s going to protect my phone.
“Even then, I don’t want it too thick and bulky, so it takes a lot of research to find an option that suits me.”
Going to have to brush up on my drone skills here… We have teamed up with Banggood and they have sent us out some tech to check out and watch out for lots more and other partnerships we have made recently so in short it means much more tech coming your way.. First out the door is the PRIVATE EYES Quadcopter Visuo..
You would not be mistaking if you think it looks like the DJI drones we are familiar with but this is loaded with specs for the specjunkies but can it stand up to others for the price it comes in at which is less than a 100 notes?? Check out the unboxing and if you have any questions in the meantime feel free to ask. You can check the product out itself HERE
Features:
– With foldable arm, small size, easy to carry.
– GPS positioning mode provides a more accurate flight.
– Surround action will enable the aircraft flying in a circle, providing cooler shooting perspective.(outdoors only)
– Follow me: the aircraft will fix the controlling cellphone and follow the operator whichever direction he moves.(outdoors only)
– Waypoint route mode, just draw a route on the screen, the copter as the given path.(outdoors only)
– With altitude hold mode function provides stable flight.
– With 5G wifi function can be connected APP, APK system to take pictures, video, real-time transmission through the phone camera image.
– Optional 2MP / 5MP HD camera give wide range high denfinition pictures and video.
– With 3.7V 1800mAh battery, the fly time up to 15 mins.
– With Headless Mode,no need to adjust the position of aircraft before flying .
– With One key to return function makes it easily to find the way home.
– with low power protection overcurrent protection.
– 2.4GHz Technology Adopted for Anti-Interference.
– 4 Channel which can do ascend, descend, forward, backward, left sideward fly, right sideward fly and rolling 360°.
– 6-axis gyro which can have more stable flying and be easy to control.
– It has 3-level flight speed to switch that can make more fun with the flying.
– It can realize 3D tumbling 360°rolling in four directions with 4 LED lights.
– The quadcopter fuselage is made of high strength and resistant engineering plastics,lightweight and durable resistance.
Smart home security specialist, brand Moobox is today pleased to announce the availability of its ProXT 1080p wireless, weatherproof, outdoor security system with PIR camera and DVR/Hub. The ProXT, a fuss free, all-in-one Cloud CCTV system is available for just £117.77 from Amazon with no additional monthly costs to pay.
Comprising of a cordless and weatherproof (IP65 rating) 1080p HD Wi-Fi home security camera with a 120° wide angle lens, 2 way audio, PIR motion sensor and infra-red night vision to 16 feet as well as a DVR, the ProXT security system is set apart from other outdoor security cameras. The Moobox ProXT cam has a rechargeable battery so can be installed virtually anywhere, so there’s no wiring holes to drill and thanks to the extremely low power consumption, the battery delivers up to 4 months usage running on one charge.
With the PIR motion sensor, as soon as movement occurs, the Hub records 10, 15 or 30 second video clips to the built-in DVR (pre-installed with a free 16Gb micro SD card) and also sends copies of those clips to the Moobox cloud servers. Unlike many other smart security systems on the market, Moobox has no subscription fees or extra charges with free seven days rolling cloud storage, meaning movement notifications are instantly sent to a user’s phone, so they are instantly aware when something happens. Together with the DVR, this allows for potentially weeks and weeks of footage.
The free MooboxCam app (for iOS and Android only) lets Moobox users install the Moobox system in just a few clicks. Using the app, it is possible to view live, playback clips from the cloud account or Moobox DVR, control, manage and schedule PIR activation, control video stream quality, enable 2-way talkback, take live snapshots and select video recording duration as well as much more. The app is also backed up by a dedicated UK based tech support team and users can click “Help” in the Moobox Cam app to get one-to-one support when required.
If more than one camera is required, the included DVR/hub is able to support up to four Moobox cameras which are available for just £64.99 each. For further cameras, multiple hubs can be added to a single Moobox account to grow a home security system to 5 or more cameras.
Leading mobile device accessories manufacturer, Adonit, is broadening its range and appeal launch of the Adonit PhotoGrip Qi; a multi-use phone grip to charge smartphone anytime, so you have more time to take the perfect shots. The PhotoGrip Qi can also be mounted on the mini tripod and is accompanied by a Bluetooth shutter and camera remote to create a perfect group photo. The Adonit Photo Grip is a great tool to have for any mobile photographer and this is a great addition to their line up of products, Check out our Photo Grip Review
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 for USD $59.99
