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.
Next week on Saturday, 16th February, EStars featuring Fortnite will be taking over Dublin’s Croke Park to host the ultimate Fortnite battle. The Irish leg of the tournament will see fans and gamers of all levels compete against each other to secure a coveted place at the Grand Final at Stamford Bridge, London in March and win €25,000.
The EStars featuring Fortnite tournament is open to everyone from the age of 12 upwards and they will all be in with a chance to compete for fantastic prize money with over 600 individual cash prizes to be won. Fans will have the opportunity to experience the fantastic entertainment on offer, including dance contests, VIP meet and greets and opportunities to win esports swag.
Speaking on the tournament, Maeve Finnegan of EStars said, “We are delighted to bring the most popular game in the world to life to Ireland. EStars featuring Fortnite is for fans of Fortnite to play together. It promises to be an engrossing extravaganza that will be spectacular for the gamers.”
EStars aims to grow and promote esports at a grassroots level, creating an inclusive gaming environment for all players through the provision of major tournaments. It aims to give players at all levels the chance to compete in major gaming tournaments and continue to bring fun, community gaming events to players across the globe.
Tickets are on sale at www.estars.pro and are priced at €30, no surplus fee charges will be applied.
For more information on EStars featuring Fortnite, visit www.estars.pro
I love how things have changed with fixed alarm systems at home over the years and I have tried out several connected options in that time and prefer them despite having a complete system set up in house I love the better affordable options due to their simplicity and great apps behind them which gives you everything at your fingertips via your smartphone anywhere in the world. I have tried many from the likes of Y-cam, Blink, Honeywell and more and even a more local camera from Smartfrog.
SIZE COMPARISON
The EZVIZ Mini O is a new player in town and they offer great products and this fella is a breeze to use and a breeze to set up and the app is also excellent which is of course important and you can also store data locally on an SD or you can use cloud storage and EZVIZ NVR.
Portability is a key factor with such devices at home as you can move them freely anywhere and this unit is small and non obtrusive and can blend in with furniture or surroundings too not being the eyepiece of the room like some cameras can. With a 111 degree 720p HD lens you are covered in a large or small room be it day or night with IR infrared lights nothing will be missed with instant alerts. Set up will vary per person and there is an array of settings in the app to choose which suits your needs which will be seen in video below.
Installation is simple.You can either place on a surface or fix it but the fixing process too is simple with a magnetic plate requiring just two screws to fix in place however I find most will leave it sat on a surface to suit their needs. It’s also small and light but wired which is the only downside on this unit nonetheless though it works a charm and done everything it said on the tin and most of all its affordable compared to wired in house CCTV systems out there today. Having said that you know they saying ” You get what you pay for” with the EZVIZ Mini O you get value for money,security and peace of mind that it works.
To top it off this also works as a two-way speaker so you can also chat to people from anywhere or perhaps a pet if you are worried and away longer than expected and its compatible with Amazon devices.
Compatible with Alexa via Echo Show and Echo Spot
Compact 720p camera with a magnetic base
Two way audio and 5m night vision
View anywhere and anytime through the app
Multiple recording options – local (up to 128gb MicroSD), EZVIZ cloud or EZVIZ NVR
Works on 2.4ghz WiFi only – if you have a dual band router please set to 2.4ghz network to pair
Sungard Availability Services® a leading provider of information availability through managed IT, cloud and recovery services, is further boosting its presence in Ireland with the appointment of Noel O’Grady as the new Senior Sales Director in Ireland, to lead the organisation’s growth in the country.
O’Grady will work closely with the commercial and public sector in Ireland, helping them strengthen their resilience and expand Sungard AS’s presence in several vertical markets, including finance, SaaS, transportation, manufacturing, retail, insurance and healthcare.
The appointment follows Noel’s three years as Senior Business Development Manager at Sungard AS Ireland, where he supported some of Sungard AS’ biggest customers with their production and recovery infrastructures; workplace facility and business continuity needs and delivered tailored services to help them achieve their desired business outcomes.
Calling on over 18 years’ experience working in consultative roles for several IaaS and information security firms, Noel will help clients plan their IT architecture roadmap, secure their data and help them to move mission-critical business applications to the cloud.
Speaking of the appointment, Carmel Owens, Sungard AS’s Director, Sales and Strategic Services and Country Manager for Ireland said: “We are delighted to welcome Noel to the leadership team in Ireland. Resilience is more and more important for today’s organisations to thrive in the face of continued disruptions across the business landscape. His deep expertise in IaaS and information security will be invaluable for helping our customers’ to address these challenges and opportunities.”
Remarking on his new role, Noel O’Grady said: “We’ve continued to achieve consistent growth in sales over the past few years, fueled by our ability to understand the needs of our customers and deliver cutting-edge solutions to meet them. We live in uncertain times, and as technology continues to permeate every aspect of modern-day business, it is more important than ever for organisations to be resilient to sudden change. In the short-term, the global economic and political situation is turbulent, so I’m thrilled to enter this new role to strengthen the resilience of our Irish customers.”
Jabra recently announced some cool products at CES this year and we have their all new Jabra Move Style Edition and have been testing them out. Since the last pair of Move we had these are a great improvement in every aspect but keeping things original from the past so for those looking to upgrade it will be a simple process.
Build quality to start with is excellent and with metal arms they are robust and stealthy looking, The headband is fabric coated and has very comfortable padding on the underside and will be easy to wear for long periods with the cups also being soft.
Connectivity is simple as always just switch them on and your phone will find them instantly and pair and you will get that lovely Jabra voice prompt to tell you that you are connected you will also get a battery low warning voice prompt at 50% which is a bit premature?? . Controls are simple as before yet on the small side but we go through that in the video review below.
On the left we have our music controls skip/pause/stop and volume, redial and we also have the 3.5mm headphone jack should you run out of juice on the go but with battery life on these up to 14 hours you should easily get two days or more on long commutes but Jabra are always spot on with battery time if not better than slated.
On the right side is the power on/off and bluetooth settings along with two led lights for status. The main thing though people want to know is how they sound… As a whole they are great with great soundstage and balance however not very loud nor much bass but with an equaliser you can fix that. For the music lover on the go they will be pleased with the performance having tried highs,mids and lows the sound was crisp and clear and balanced well with no hissing or tinny at max volume, You can turn these up full blast and enjoy and also the leakage is minimal too and most of the external noise is isolated despite being on-ears which was better than I expected.
Two gripes with these is they are Micro USB and short a carry case which is now becoming the norm but I can live with it..
Key features of the Jabra Move Style Edition:
Sound: Superior wireless sound with music control
Battery life: Enjoy up to 14 hours of play
Design: Ultra-light headband tested to withstand life on the go
Stylish: New colour shades – Titanium Black, Gold Beige and Navy
Internet users in Ireland score highly in relation to password security but fail to maintain good online safety habits, a survey by YouGov commissioned by Google has found. As scams are an ongoing thing and get more realistic looking by great landing pages they will continue to catch people out and we have featured many of such scams here before which has been featured in the media. One thing to note too for your own benefit is passwords to,A poll has been conducted and you get check this out and get some tips below..
The poll was conducted in advance of Safer Internet Day which occurs tomorrow, Tuesday 5th February. Safer Internet Day is an EU-wide initiative to promote a safer internet for all users, especially young people, and is promoted in Ireland by the PDST Technology in Education and Webwise. Last year saw 100,000 young people get involved in the initiative.
The Google/YouGov survey found that majority of Irish people (39%) state that they follow the recommended practice of using different passwords for each of their online accounts, with only 4.5% admitting the more risky approach of using one password for all services. However a significant proportion (45%) claim to only to change their password either less than every 6 months or never, thereby considerably reducing the effectiveness of the multiple password approach.
Similarly, half of Irish internet users use two-step verification for ‘some but not all’ of their online accounts, with a further 20% claiming to use this highly secure method of log-in for all their internet services. But again, a majority (33%) of people have never used an online tool such as Google Security Checkup to review their online security settings, with another 13% only referring to them less than every 6 months. By not using an online security auditing tool, users are exposed to a number of risks such as remaining logged in on old devices or not maintaining the correct account recovery details.
Safer Internet Day is the ideal opportunity for people in Ireland to review their online security credentials, especially in light of the Google/YouGov survey which found that three quarters of Irish users have experienced some sort of online scam or security breach: 54% of people have been the target of ‘phishing’ scams; 23% have been victims of viruses or malware which has stolen personal data; 17% have had their social media accounts hacked; and 15% have parted with money for goods or services that did not exist.*
Commenting on the findings, Ryan Meade, Public Policy Manager at Google said, “It’s great to see that so many Irish people are aware of good security techniques such as multiple passwords and two-factor authentication, and more importantly the YouGov survey shows that we actually follow these good practices too. However all this good work can easily be undone by not staying on top of security settings and regularly monitoring permissions and account activity. Services such as Google Security Checkup are clean and simple one-stop-shops for a regular “internet security NCT”, which will significantly reduce the risk posed by ever-changing and increasingly sophisticated attacks on your personal information online”.
Tips on How to Stay Safe Online this Internet Safety Day
Ensure your browser is up to date. The internet security community is a collaborative one, with developers on the most popular browsers such as Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox working together to keep web surfers safe. One way they do this is by using the open-source Google Safe Browsing platform, which they all contribute to continually, so as new threats and scams develop it is important that your browser is the latest version available. Thankfully, half the world’s online population is protected by Safe Browsing today.
Check the URL. Many online scams stem from websites that are posing as legitimate services – such as a bank, insurance company, or even Google – which ask you for sensitive information such as passwords or financial details. The best way to avoid this is to check the URL, otherwise known as the web address. Unless it’s clearly belonging to the website in question – for example Google, not Go0gle or Goggle – then it’s most likely fraudulent. The better browsers, such as Google Chrome, should alert you to this, but it’s always worth double-checking to be sure.
Vary your passwords. Thankfully, the majority of Irish people follow the recommended practice of using different passwords for each of their online accounts, according to the survey by YouGov. However almost half only change their password either less than every 6 months or never, effectively undoing most of this good work. This may be driven by a fear of forgetting new passwords, something which most browsers such as Chrome can easily resolve thanks to Password Manager, which automatically enters usernames and passwords for your favourite sites, and can even offer highly secure suggestions.
Self testing is a touchy subject for some in some circumstances and this topic today is one of those subjects. For me this is an important topic and many others and a gadget like this should be in every drivers arson for their own safety yet alone others.
OK.. Here is where I have an issue with the current law recently set. Lets take a look at the limits.. There is two…First of all this is wrong and leaves a window of opportunity leaving one to think they will get away with just the one drink. (The second test conducted proves for me I can drive under the higher limit but not on the lower,this is where the problem is with ZERO TOLERANCE and how we react differently on an individual basis to alcohol intake)We are all different and have different metabolism levels and some can handle their drinks better than others it has always been that way and always will.. So lets look at these levels..
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limit is 50 milligrams (mg) for all drivers, and 20mg for specified drivers, defined as learner or newly qualified drivers (for a period of two years after passing their driving test) or professional drivers (of buses, goods vehicles and public service vehicles).
The problem I have with the above is the limit should be the same for all and ONE limit.If you are licensed to drive a vehicle you should abide by the rules simple as and two BAC limits is rather stupid. As is when we pass our test it is a lifetime ticket to drive I also have an issue with that but that is a discussion for another day.
Recently in the news it has been said we should avoid self testing as it is not accurate and I find this reactive when people are willingly trying to be pro active and a simple test like this can ultimately stop you being banned from driving or killing someone. OK it might not be accurate according to calibration levels set by the garda but lets be honest here they have not had a great run either when it comes to figures either,its the world we live in.
So what is Alco sense which has recently hit Ireland..
The Alcosense Excel senses the volume of breath exhaled during the test and takes a reading after 1.2 litres of air – ensuring the most accurate and consistent sample is always taken. Easy-to-read on-screen prompts coach you on how to, and when to, stop blowing. If you make a mistake, it tells you that too. And if you’re using your breathalyser in low light, such as a dark Winter morning, there is a light to ensure you put the blow tube into the machine correctly.
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To improve accuracy even further, readings are fine-tuned according to temperature so even if there is the biggest snowfall for 30 years, the Excel will compensate to ensure the correct reading.
The AlcoSense Excel can also be set to any worldwide limit. With detailed, clear readings in traffic light colours, the Excel will clearly alert you not to drive if you are close to or over the limit.
OK so that is AlcoSense and it is really meant for the morning after which is when many people get caught out thinking it is ok to drive which is fine. For me you should test before you go to bed so you can allow more time next day if required So I tested this out over a period of time and tested before I drank and had a meal and after my meal at both allowances here in Ireland to see how effective it is on both sides of the fence and I found it to be accurate with one small issue but nonetheless it works and results conclusive.
Set up is simple and its slide form factor reminds me of slider phones and its also a very portable unit. Once set up and to your PERSONAL limit of 20 or 50mg you will blow into the tube,there is several provided in the box and blow for around 6 seconds,don’t worry if you get it wrong it will tell you. Then you await the result to your set limit and your faith awaits you.
One issue I found was a Sensory Overload where by the manual it tells you have consumed more than a human can take in which is a false negative and means you just blew into the tube directly after having a drink and this will lock you out of the system for 24 Hours and acts as a sensor saturation repair so if you are not familiar or unsure how to use it and want to test before you go to bed don’t because you will not be able to use it the next morning which what the product is designed for but as mentioned there is no harm to check the night before either. Other than that it just works and would certainly recommend one even though they might seem pricey its a cheap price to pay if you have to use your car or drive a vehicle when you think about it.
The AlcoSense breathalyser range is available in Ireland from Halfords or direct from the company’s website –www.alcosense.ie
Note. This test was based purely on my Alcohol intake over an 6 hour period between a meal. 2 pub shots baileys and 5 pub measure shots of Captain Morgans with Orange. Results will vary per person.
Cadoo, a leading Irish provider of messaging services, today announces a €250,000 investment in its new free messaging app, also called Cadoo. The funding will lead to the creation of 20 new jobs over the next two years.
The company has received a €250,000 from the founders of IT services company, Paradyn, along with a grant from Enterprise Ireland. Currently, Cadoo is recruiting software developers, user support personnel and business development executives.
The Cadoo app aims to reach one million users by the end of 2020, including 700,000 internationally. To realise its global growth targets, the company plan to open a UK office later this year.
Pictured announcing 20 new jobs and a €250,000 investment in Cadoo’s new free messaging app are (L-R) Mike Basile, product director, Cadoo; Cillian McCarthy, CEO, Paradyn; and students from St. Mary’s National School, Lamb’s Cross, Sandyford, Dublin 18.
The app is aimed primarily at schools and universities with 4,000 active users currently signed up to the Cadoo platform following a successful pilot programme. The app enables educational institutions to send unlimited free messages such as school closure alerts, notification of events, and appointment reminders to an unlimited number of contacts.
The user-friendly dashboard means that users can manage contact lists, create messages and monitor responses, with the ability to send rich media files such as JPEG and PDF, for free. Uniquely the Cadoo platform allows receivers to respond to the sender privately, on a one-to-one basis. There are no set-up costs, download charges, monthly charges or flat fees.
The messaging platform also offers senders the option to identify communications as high priority and in circumstances where the Cadoo message hasn’t been opened within a specified timeframe, the app resends the message as an SMS. For recipients who have not signed up for the service, the platform sends the message as an SMS. Recipients can easily unfollow organisations they no longer wish to hear from.
Pictured announcing 20 new jobs and a €250,000 investment in Cadoo’s new free messaging app are (L-R) Mike Basile, product director, Cadoo; Cillian McCarthy, CEO, Paradyn; students from St. Mary’s National School, Lamb’s Cross, Sandyford, Dublin 18.
Mike Basile, product director, Cadoo, said: “We have ambitious growth plans for Cadoo, which include opening an office in the UK later this year, the app reaching one million users by 2020, not just in Ireland but in overseas markets, such as the US, the UK and Australia.
“The free Cadoo app gives schools, colleges and universities more control over their communications, whilst cutting both their costs and admin time spent managing these communications. Educational institutions have the option of sending media-rich messages to large numbers of students or students’ parents for free and Cadoo also gives them the ability to send and receive communications in one app.
“Recipients also benefit by getting immediate and important updates, as well as being able to respond directly and privately.”
Investor, Cillian McCarthy, CEO, Paradyn, said: “We’re very excited to invest in Cadoo, there is huge potential for the app, not just in Ireland but globally. The pilot programme has shown that the user-friendly platform saves schools and colleges both time and money managing phone messaging. We expect strong uptake from the educational sector worldwide.”
If you are looking for a professional website that will help you create posters and flyers in a completely free way, you will realize that the web is full graphics programs easy to use even by beginners. So you have to select the best ones that can offer you reliable service and give you a wide choice of different models and available resources. The leading software of this category is definitely Canva. But today, we have tested DesignCap for you. I have used canva multiple times to create headers for posts on my own site and other things.
Why you should give DesignCap a try?
– Registration is free.
– No download is required. – Many professional templates. – Full poster and flyer customization.
– Posters and flyers to meet every need. – Choose elements and retouch the way you want. – Unlimited possibilities. Just unleash your creativity on DesignCap.com. Many people prefer to try their hand in the realization of graphic design projects, and that is why they are always looking for the simple, intuitive and fast services. DesignCap is suitable for those unfamiliar with the professional graphics programs but wants to create something beautiful and professional.
As you can see from the image above, the DesignCap interface is straightforward and intuitive; through the left section you can choose between: Template – where different templates are divided into categories; Photo – where you can upload a photo taken from your computer or Facebook album; Text – to add texts to your own works; Clipart – to add icons and similar elements; BKGround – to choose the background of your creations. Each design can be downloaded to your Windows or Mac computer, but it is also possible to save the project and edit it later, so you must register with the service to keep your projects in memory. DesignCap is a totally free service and to use it you only need to go to the official website https://www.designcap.com and eventually register. You can get inspiration by looking at hundreds of professional templates for various occasions and events offered on the website. DesignCap offers users a wide range of editing tools that help to customize posters and flyers with just a few clicks of the mouse, ensuring satisfactory and professional results.
To make your design even more unique, you can search for the right image among those available on the site, or upload the most beautiful and original photo suits. On Designcap.com you can also find an extensive library full of fonts, clip-art images, shapes and touches of various kinds.
If you want to embark on a journey in poster and flyer designs, DesignCap is the ideal site available. You can create graphics projects to meet various needs and cover different themes such as sales, advertising, sports, marriage, holidays and much more. Overall, you can customize the posters and flyers as you like in DesignCap. Just take a try and have fun making fantastic posters and flyers to amaze your audience.
Mozo have sent us their latest cases for the Nokia 7.1 and for those who are familiar with the company they make really stylish simple cases for smartphones giving them a really nice look and feel. The Nokia 7.1 is a tad slippy but these case sort that issue out and give you some form or protection too.
These cases are minimalist yet offer some protection with a small lip on the front of the device and all the corners are catered for. All ports and keys are easily accessible and there is not much thickness added to the device yet you gain extra grip. The two tone look is really nice and stands out sat on a table or flat surface yet will last some time depending on the person themselves.
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Designed in Helsinki, this case is a classic example of Mozo design and represents Mozo’s long legacy and passion for Nokia devices!
Created to be the perfect fit, this handmade case with light grey texture and beautiful Spanish leather seamlessly styles up your Nokia 7.1. Slim yet protective, it adds extra grip which is essential in everyday use.
Minimal and sophisticated.
Ultra slim & a perfect fit for Nokia 7.1
Material: textile, premium Spanish leather, non-toxic water-based edge paint, and PU
