There is no shortage of scams today and recent being the broadband scam. The revenue scam is also a recurring one but today I managed to get a quick clip of the said scammers. Given he knew I was onto him he hung up soon enough in the call…The typical situation here is they ring and hang up..
He requested my PPS number (obviously fishing for information) then I asked him why are you calling and that you should have this information and he kindly said “I don’t have that information” You’ve been warned folks.. Pass it on..
XPLORA (www.myxplora.com), the Norwegian company known for its range of best-selling smartwatches for children, is today announcing its newest product the XPLORA GO ahead of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week. The XPLORA GO is a single device that can be relied upon by people of all ages, with five different everyday use cases: children, elderly, pets, bikes and assets (such as suitcases, bags, laptops etc.).
The device will be available to purchase from April 2019 at www.myxplora.com, Amazon, and selected retailers from £69.99 and emulates a typical XPLORA smartwatch face, with additional accessories/covers available to purchase in different bundles starting at £17.99. Connected to the new XPLORA mobile app, the XPLORA GO comes preloaded with different interfaces for each function, which can be accessed and selected with a simple swipe on the screen. Each XPLORA GO comes with core standard features, including GPS and location tracking, geofenceable areas, an SOS button, WiFi connectivity and mobile connectivity.
XPLORA Founder and Chief Brand Officer Sten Kirkbak, and CEO Jesus Llamazares, will be at Mobile World Congress if you had plans to attend. They would love to meet for a quick chat at Hall 8.0, Stand H37. You will also be able to try out the XPLORA products on the stand including its range of smartwatches for children and adults, as well as its accessories such as hover shoes, speakers, cameras and chargers. Watch out for our review soon here on techbuzzireland.com
Earlier this month, XPLORA announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Sony Interactive Entertainment Spain to develop the very first video game that syncs with a smartwatch and enables children to turn physical activity into in-game perks such as level-ups, new powers, and new characters that are redeemable in the upcoming PlayStation®4 title ‘Aces of the Multiverse’.
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
A new report released by Civica, the market leader in business-critical software, digital solutions and managed services for the public sector and regulated markets reveals Northern Ireland has reached a digital tipping point, with 90% of citizens surveyed stating public services in the region are now ripe for digitisation. Civica’s latest Changing Landscape report, Strengthening Northern Ireland’s digital identity, is based on key findings from senior leadership forums and new research from more than 1,000 citizens across Northern Ireland. It outlines the challenges and opportunities ahead for leaders in driving collaboration across the country, communicating benefits and progress, boosting the skills gap and using data to better fuel the economy to improve local outcomes and create a stronger digital Northern Ireland for the future.
The report recognises the nation as a UK digital technology leader, but whilst digital technology, from cloud-enabled services to connected devices and machine learning offer a huge opportunity to re-shape the delivery of services, organisations across the region are facing a rapidly evolving environment. A challenging political and economic landscape has seen further progress stall at a time when traditional saving approaches are becoming exhausted and technology-driven change could unlock additional sectoral efficiencies. Strong progress has been made with the NI Direct strategic partnership programme transforming more than 25 significant services and delivering more than four million new on-line transactions. But there is still a pressing need to build on this successful foundation.
CIVICA Belfast – GROUP SHOT OF PANELLISTS – (L-R) Mark Owens, MD Civica NI; Paul Wickens, Chief Executive, Enterprise Shared Services; Tanya Anderson, Head of SME Business Development, NI Chamber of Commerce; Paul Murnaghan, Regional Director, BT Business NI; Wayne Story, Group CEO Civica and Dave Vincent, Chief Digital Officer, Tourism NI.
Further findings reported from new, exclusive research highlight:
Over one third (39%) of people expect 24/7 services from government to be the norm – but only 2% currently believe public services make good use of digital technology
Only 18% of citizens in the region trust the government to handle their data, while 86% cited privacy concerns over the sharing of personal data
Over half (51%) believe a lack of clear leadership and vision from the devolved government is the biggest barrier to delivering full online digital services
Just one fifth (20%) believe Northern Ireland is currently recognised worldwide for superior digital services
Mark Owens, Managing Director, Northern Ireland, Civica commented: “It’s clear that Northern Ireland has taken a lead in the way we deliver services in a digital economy, however we must ensure that we listen to our citizens and customers, collaborate more across the region to ensure success, harness and share data and educate our children with technology to maintain a leadership position. “If we, as a small nation, adopt and execute these beliefs, there is a great future for our economy, even in uncertain times, and working together we can strengthen Northern Ireland’s digital identity.”
The report also suggests that organisations need to support the Government’s regional employment and retraining schemes to help ensure that the existing workforce, rather than being left behind, plays a significant role in Northern Ireland’s digital future. Civica is a leading partner for Northern Ireland’s organisations across government departments, policing, health and care, housing and public safety, together with commercial organisations. The company has helped deliver improved business outcomes for a wide range of customers, including NI Direct, BT Ireland, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Belfast and Southern Health and Social Care Trusts.
Strengthening Northern Ireland’s Digital Identity is the latest instalment in Civica’s Changing Landscape series of reports. You can download the full report here: www.civica.com/digitisingni
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.”
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.
Need a job in IT or tech? Click the image below
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.
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.
For the gamers we have two new products in from HYPERX. We have the Pulsfire Core RGB gaming Mouse and to match it we also have the Alloy Core RGB keyboard which when lit together both look really cool under dark conditions. Today is a quick first look and unboxing of the pair and we will have a review in the coming week or two, If these are something that you might be interested in head to the links below to check em out.
