Category: Tech

The S-Charge – A must-have battery case for the popular Nintendo Switch. #Nintendo #Gaming

The S-Charge has been devised based on user feedback, allowing them to never worry about losing charge and maintain the optimum gaming experience for up to 12 hours.Perfect as a last-minute stocking filler or the latest addition to any avid gamer’s arsenal

The ultimate accessory for non-stop gaming fun on the Nintendo Switch has arrived – S-Charge. Incorporating a high capacity battery, improved kickstand and two game card slots, the S-Charge is an extension to your existing device that easily clasps around it.

The creators of the S-Charge, InDemand Design, launched the product on crowdfunding platform, Indiegogo, achieving its fundraising goal in 48 hours of going live. The campaign was supported by over 4,000 backers making it the best-selling crowdfunded Nintendo Switch accessory. With more than 5,000 units sold across 60 countries, the S-Charge has gone from strength to strength with the aim of being a must-have for all gamers.

Aiming to limit the number of accessories when on the move, the S-Charge is portable, slim-line and lightweight and can not only charge the Nintendo but also other devices. The 10,000mAh battery offers up to 12 hours of additional power which means that users can stay entertained when travelling, commuting or having a long gaming session at home – even when playing the most power hungry games. Here is how the Switch performs when playing the most popular games:

  • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: 10 hours 40mins
  • Mario Kart 8: 10 hours 45 mins
  • Mario Odessey: 10 hours 55mins
  • Diablo: 11 hours 20mins
  • Splatoon 2: 10 hours 15mins
  • Fortnite: 10 hours 35 mins

The S-Charge also has an improved kickstand which offers greater stability and can be used in multiple angles to change the way you play. As the charging port has been moved to the right-hand side of the case, the S-Charge is one of the only ways to charge while playing in table top mode.

No need for extra carrying cases, the S-Charge not only protects the Nintendo Switch™ but also has slots for 2 extra game cards to bring along with you on the go. The S-Charge has been built to combat the problems of overheating and potential warping of the device. A bundle version is available with two free screen protectors and a hardshell carry case at an RRP of £64.99 from Amazon, John Lewis and Currys.

Sign PDF and Use AI with the New Able2Extract Professional 14. #PDF #AI #Digital

Some time ago, we showed you how to convert PDF to Word using Able2Extract Professional 12, a PDF solution renowned for its conversion capabilities. And now, the latest iteration of the software, Able2Extract Professional 14, is out. It brings novel and compelling features such as PDF signatures and PDF to Excel conversion templates that utilize Artificial Intelligence.   

Let’s take a closer look and inspect what these new implementations bring to the table.

Electronic and Digital Signatures

To start off, Able2Extract Professional can now sign PDF files with electronic and digital signatures.

An electronic signature is basically an image that you insert into a page. You can add it to a PDF by typing it in, drawing it or by inserting a signature image.

Adding an electronic signature using Able2Extract Professional 14 can be done in a couple of clicks. First, you need to open the signatures panel located just below the annotations. Then click on the Choose signature option. There you can apply existing signatures, if any, or create new ones using the appropriate options. Finally, click on the Sign button and insert your signature to the PDF page.

Digital or cryptographic signatures, unlike electronic ones, leave a digital footprint. Essentially, these signatures are coded, and they carry information about the signer that can be inspected by the viewer of the signed PDF document.

For instance, if you receive a PDF contract that was signed with a valid digital signature, you can verify the authenticity of the signature and detect if any changes were made to the document after it was signed.

To add a digital signature with Able2Extract Professional 14, you have to check the Digitally Sign the Document option in the Signature window and specify the digital certificate. From there, click on the Sign button and insert the signature to PDF.

AI-powered PDF to Excel Conversion

As we already explained in our previous article, Able2Extract Professional is the go-to tool for PDF to Excel conversion because it enables users to customize the conversion output to their specific needs.

Now, with the newly added Smart and Master conversion templates it got even better. The latest version is equipped with a Machine Learning engine that can significantly speed up individual and batch PDF to Excel conversion.

These functionalities can prove to be very useful if you work with a lot of PDF documents that don’t have consistent table data. For instance, two monthly reports can have tables with the same structures, but the tables might not be of the same size or even on the same page.

You can input 5-10 samples of the relevant table structures you need and train a Smart template to locate and extract relevant data from PDF tables no matter where the table sits in the document.

The same training process applies to Master (Batch conversion) templates, as well. You can create specific document categories and corresponding conversion templates and let Able2Extract Professional do the rest. It will identify each PDF file in the queue and automatically apply the matching conversion template.

To sum it up, with these new functionalities, Able2Extract Professional 14 looks like a worthy successor to the previous version. If you want to try out the new features, you can download a trial version and test it out for 7 days.

Apple AirPlay 2 Arrives December 11, 2018, to Bluesound. #Apple #Airplay2 #Bluesound

Bluesound, a leading developer and manufacturer of wireless multi-room music systems, today announced that all Generation 2i streaming music players will receive a much-anticipated software update that will enable Apple AirPlay 2, allowing users to stream audio from their iPhone, iPad or Mac computer to Bluesound.

On December 11th, all Bluesound customers will be prompted to update their players to the latest version of BluOS, Bluesound’s award-winning, proprietary hi-res multiroom platform. For customers with Bluesound’s newest Generation 2i players, the software update will enable AirPlay 2. Gen 2i users can then stream music services, podcasts, audiobooks, movies, games, YouTube audio, TV sound and stored music from their iPhone, iPad, or Mac computer to any Bluesound Gen 2i player on the same WiFi network. The integration also gives Apple Music listeners the ability to control playback on their Bluesound Gen 2i using Siri voice control.

From streaming music to a NODE 2i in a hi-fi system to driving the latest Netflix movie soundtrack to a PULSE SOUNDBAR 2i, AirPlay 2 seamlessly integrates the power of iOS devices with the high-fidelity audio performance of Bluesound. Multiple Bluesound Gen 2i players can synchronously play the same stream, or users can opt to push different content to individual players around the home.

The good news continues for Bluesound Gen 2i users with older Bluesound products in their home network. Using the BluOS Controller app, previous generation Bluesound players can be grouped with a new Gen 2i unit, allowing them to play the same AirPlay 2 streamed content.

With AirPlay 2, Bluesound Gen 2i has become the ideal solution for Apple users looking for premium sound quality and seamless multi-room convenience.

See https://www.bluesound.com/

YouTube Rewind: What Was Ireland Watching on YouTube in 2018? #YouTube #Ireland

YouTube today announced YouTube Rewind 2018, the annual list of Ireland’s top trending videos and music videos for the past year, offering an insight into what caught our interest and imaginations these past few months. We also post on you and if you are not following us you can do so HERE where we bring you hands on tech videos every week.

At the top of the list is this year’s ‘person who broke the internet’, 12-year-old Mason Ramsey, who performed an a cappella version of the Hank Williams country and western classic ‘Lovesick Blues’ for customers of the Harrisburg, Illinois branch of Walmart. The video became a viral hit almost overnight, making young Mason an instant celebrity: soon afterwards he appeared on talk shows, met movie stars, signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and released his first single … all within a month of appearing on YouTube.

Three amateur Irish musicians dot the list this year, with 12-year-old Cork busker Allie Sherlock appearing on the immensely popular Ellen show in the US; Westmeath’s Fr. Ray Kelly giving a stirring rendition of REM’s ‘Everybody Hurts’ on Britain’s Got Talent; and a version of Send In the Clowns by 81-year-old Evelyn Williams from Tallaght ensuring there was not a dry eye in the house on Ireland’s Got Talent. Rounding off the list was our first Eurovision finalist for five years, Ryan O’Shaughnessy, and his emotive song ‘Together’.

Both unity and division were also evident in 2018’s list: Kylie Jenner and her boyfriend Travis Scott introduced the world to their daughter Stormi via the moving video ‘To Our Daughter’, while vlogger David Dobrik had somewhat less positive news in ‘We Broke Up’, a video with actress Liza Koshy in which they announce their tearful split to the world.

Finally, 2018’s version of “The Dress” was the “Yanny vs. Laurel” debate, which was solved using science by the AsapSCIENCE YouTube channel (spoiler: it’s laurel); Carpool Karaoke kept its perennial spot in the Top 10 with Ariana Grande’s energetic appearance on the show earlier this year; and before we beat the All Blacks last month, Irish rugby fans couldn’t get enough of Johnny Sexton’s epic last-minute drop-goal to secure the rugby Grand Slam for Ireland.

YouTube was also pleased to announce the Irish launch this year of both YouTube Music, the company’s new streaming music service that allows ad-free and offline access to YouTube’s extensive music catalogue, and YouTube Premium, which gives similarly ad-free and offline access to YouTube’s entire video content, including its exclusive YouTube Originals productions. The services are priced at €9.99 and €11.99 per month respectively – visit YouTube.com for more.

Top 10 YouTube Videos in Ireland 2018 (excluding major label music videos)

  1. Walmart Yodelling Kid
  2. Kylie Jenner: To Our Daughter
  3. 12-Year-Old Irish Busker Brings Her Amazing Talents to Ellen
  4. Britain’s Got Talent 2018 – Ireland’s Father Ray Kelly Sings a Version of REM’s ‘Everybody Hurts’
  5. Do You Hear “Yanny” or “Laurel”? (SOLVED with SCIENCE)
  6. “We Broke Up”
  7. Ariana Grande Carpool Karaoke
  8. Eurovision 2018 – Ireland’s Ryan O’Shaughnessy Sings ‘Together’
  9. Rugby Six Nations 2018 – Sexton kicks incredible 45m drop kick to win the match
  10. Ireland’s Got Talent 2018 – 81-year-old Evelyn stuns the judges

SJCAM Gimbal 2 – Capture judder free, smooth videos with the new Gimbal 2 #vlogging #tech #SJCAM

SJCAM, the action camera manufacturer,has announced the new Gimbal 2 is now available worldwide. Perfect for recording action whilst being immersed in it, the Gimbal 2 is compatible with SJCAM models such as the SJ8 Plus, SJ8 Pro, SJ8 Air and other popular action camera brands such as the GoPro Hero, YI Cam and Sony RXO.
The much-improved SJ Gimbal 2 comes with brushless motors and, unlike most gimbals, is able to perform 4 different functions:
:: Basic Follow Mode – this is the default function; a smooth horizontal-only rotation will occur towards the same direction as the Gimbal handle
:: Lock Mode – this keeps the gimbal locked in one particular direction. You can easily change the direction, pan and tilt using the joystick.
:: Free Follow Mode – gimbal will follow according to the direction at which the handle is pointing, including up and down
:: Selfie angle – Pressing the mode button twice switches the camera direction toward the person holding it – excellent for vlogging!
Where traditional servo gimbals are slow to react and can result in jittering in videos due to mechanical limitations, the brushless motors in the SJ Gimbal 2 rotate smoother and react instantly. This means the Gimbal 2 is very responsive, which results in judder-free, stable-looking videos. The 3-axis stabilization gives you more range of motion (320° tilting, 320° rolling and 640° panning) – and the third motor greatly reduces vibrations as it helps to counter any unwanted movements in the yaw axis.


The Gimbal 2 battery will last up to 6 hours on one charge, and the LED lights easily show you how much battery is left at a glance – each of the 4 LEDs accounts for 25% of battery charge. Any action camera mounted on the Gimbal 2 can be charged using the Gimbal’s battery – simply attach the included cable and you can add up to 90 minutes recording time. Finally, SJCAM’s Gimbal 2 can be seamlessly controlled via a Bluetooth-capable smartphone via the SJCAM Zone app.


The Gimbal 2 is now available on discounted sale from Amazon.co.uk at RRP £77.60 or in a bundle with the SJCAM SJ7 Star action camera for RRP £222.59.

SJCAM’s SJ Gimbal 2 is now on a discounted sale when purchased as a bundle. One notable camera that it is currently bundled with is the SJ7 Star, a high-quality camera that shoots 4K videos and takes 16MP pictures. The focus on high quality build and the aluminium body makes the SJ7 Star stronger than other plastic action cameras on the market. Together with the ability to record in 4K, you can shoot videos in full HD 1080p at 120fps and any slow motion shots can also be recorded in full HD. The Star includes a waterproof case inside the box, which means you can take photos and videos up to 30m underwater for those activities that involve swimming. Its built in WiFi means you can immediately share photos and videos. Ideally paired, this bundle of action camera and gimbal costs just RRP £222.59.
For more information please visit www.sjcam.com/product/gimbal2/

Google Launches Santa Tracker. #SantaTracker #Christmas #SantasVillage #Apps

It is that time of year again when we see all things Santa only this time around Google has something up their sleeves called Santa Tracker and lots more.

This is a message from Mrs Claus to children (young and not so young) and families in Ireland reminding them about Google Santa Tracker!

It’s the 15th year of Santa’s Village, an interactive holiday hub where you can play games to learn coding skills, create original artwork, exercise your geographic chops, and more. Here’s what’s new this year:

Entertain yours-elf with a new game🧝

With our Elf Maker, you can customize an elf from head to toe to make sure they’re stylin’ for all of the holiday shindigs happening on the North Pole this year. Choose an outfit, accessories, hairstyle, and even facial hair to add some flair to your little friend.

Giving you a better way to follow Santa

One of the hardest parts about being married to Santa is that he always forgets to let me know where he is. This year, I’ve enlisted our elite team of cartographelves to let everyone know where he is as soon as he takes off from the North Pole. In the days leading up to Christmas, Santa will share his location with you on Google Maps so you can see his travels as he moves across the map. Follow along with him there or on our Santa Tracker dashboard on December 24—so you don’t miss his visit.

Going global for the holiday season

From beaches to blizzards, you can get a better glimpse into how people all over the world are spending the holidays. You’ll see holiday photos from Local Guides and you can test your knowledge of holiday traditions with a festive quiz powered by Google Earth and Street View. Curious about how to say “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy New Year” in other languages? Check out our Translations game to take your snowmenclature to new heights.

These and other educational games, lesson plans, PDFs and instructional videos can be found in Santa’s Village starting today. If you want more holiday fun, make sure to tell the Google Assistant to tell you a holiday story or starting December 23, ask, “Hey Google, where’s Santa?”. And make sure to keep things festive with new Gboard holiday stickers found on iOS and Android, and in the Santa Tracker Android App.

@GBRSedicii named on Global RegTech100 List of Companies to watch in 2019. #CyberSecurity #RiskManagement

Sedicii is announced among the most pioneering companies transforming compliance, risk management and cybersecurity.

The world’s most innovative technology solution providers that address the challenges of dealing with regulatory issues within financial services, were announced today by RegTech Analyst, a specialist research firm. “To receive this global recognition is truly rewarding at the end of what has been a tremendously successful year for the Sedicii team”. says Robert Leslie Sedicii Founder and CEO “Our innovative technology is creating waves globally as it allows two parties to prove to each other that they both have the same information without revealing the information they hold. It has the potential to solve the Cybersecurity threats associated with placing sensitive information in the public domain.” Says Leslie.

The RegTech (regulatory technology) industry has seen huge growth in the last two years as banks and financial institutions grapple with the unrelenting pace of regulatory change across all jurisdictions. Over $4bn has been invested in RegTech companies since the beginning of 2016. Sedicii technology uses a technology known as Zero Knowledge Proof(ZKP). Through a method of real-time and anonymised identity verification it delivers significant benefits for governments, enterprises and individuals.

As a result, this year’s process to identify the leading 100 companies in the RegTech space was even more competitive than last year. A panel of analysts and industry experts voted from a longlist of 824 companies produced by RegTech Analyst, compared to a list of 416 last year. The finalists were recognized for their innovative use of technology to solve a significant industry problem, or to generate cost savings or efficiency improvements across the compliance function.

Fifty-five new companies entered the RegTech 100 this year. The risk management category saw the biggest increase with an additional 10 companies gaining RegTech 100 status to occupy 47 places on the list, while companies offering solutions that address MiFID II regulation in Europe saw a 10% increase in their number to take a total of 38 places.

European and North American companies still dominate the RegTech 100 with 60% and 29% of places, respectively. Within Europe, UK companies enhanced the country’s leading position on the list with 30 representatives compared to 26 last year. The emergence of a thriving global RegTech ecosystem has seen companies from another 21 countries make the list, including Ireland, Switzerland, Singapore, India and Luxembourg.

“The impact of the most innovative RegTech companies will be measured in billions of dollars over the next few years,” according to Mariyan Dimitrov, head of research at RegTech Analyst. “RegTech 100 companies offer solutions that enhance processes across the entire compliance function, including onboarding verification, risk management, communications monitoring, information security and reporting by using the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, natural language processing and biometrics.”

A full list of the RegTech 100 is available at www.RegTech100.com. More detailed information on all companies as well as in-depth industry analysis is available in the Global RegTech Review (www.GlobalRegTechReview.com).

Genuine Solutions Ltd brings leading consumer peripheral range to UK #tech #peripherals

Genuine Solutions Ltd, a leading provider of mobile peripherals, is proud to announce the UK and Western Europe launch of the ttec range of quality mobile accessories. A household name across many parts of the world, ttec has an extensive and varied range of well-designed, innovative and competitively priced products, with more than 70 million units sold in 15,000 stores across more than 20 countries.

The ttec product range is exclusively available in the UK from Genuine Solutions and features power charging accessories, headphones, car smartphone holders, cables, smartphone cases and many other peripherals. Quality manufacturing and safety are key attributes of the ttec range with some of the products boasting as much as a five-year warranty. All products are manufactured to a very high standard and come in high quality retail packaging.

Jim Alsop, Sales Director of Genuine Solutions comments: “We are thrilled to be bringing the ttec range to the UK and elsewhere in Europe through our extensive channel of independent retailers. ttec is an established global brand, having sold more than 70 million units. When we tested the ttec products we were amazed to see the quality and features which, together with competitive pricing and long warranty terms, will make the range successful in the UK.”

Maximising Machinery, Minimising Emissions: 3 Tech-Cities of the Future #techcities #emissions #machinery

Smart roads, robots controlling the underground and renewable energy. All these technologies, and more, are coming to a city near you.

Technology is has already revolutionised every part of our lives, but PowerTools2U have uncovered that we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg. With the world’s population set to skyrocket, cities are having to think big and they are turning to technology to help them out.

The size of the problem should not be under-estimated. Between now and 2050, estimates suggest the world’s population could grow from 7.53bn to 9.7bn. New cities are being built and existing ones are expanding rapidly to fit all those people in, and to do so they are developing a host of exciting new technologies. These are the smart cities and they could end up changing pretty much everything.

New Clark City, Philippines: An eco-friendly disaster resistant city.

Up in New Clark City in the Philippines, they are making the most of their natural environment. Life can be tricky in what is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Earthquakes, floods and typhoons can all cause problems – not to mention the volcanoes. But by using lava, New Clark will turn the produce of disaster into a new environmentally-friendly materials. When combined with concrete, it becomes Lahar – a sturdy, disaster resistant material which will minimise the city’s carbon footprint.

The capital of Philippines, Manila, is well known for its traffic jams, its one of the reasons why the city has a concerning air-pollution problem that affects 98% of the residents. To tackle this growing problem, the Philippines wants to build a city that doesn’t rely on cars. That’s where New Clark City comes in. This futuristic city will be largely pedestrianised with effective public transportation, cutting down the need for cars.

Pena Station Next, Denver, USA: A truly smart city

Smart technology can be used to help keep people fit. Working with Panasonic, Pena Station will have it’s a new headquarters but this time, it will be a wellness centre, complete with smart scales and blood pressure monitors to help people maintain their own health.

Pena Station also takes the award for having the smartest tech running throughout the city. The roads will be able to talk to the vehicles, which they hope will not only keep the traffic down but help make road traffic accidents a thing of the past – or at least reduce them considerably.

Clean energy and sustainability are on the cards too. With having Colorado’s sun to its advantage, there will be an abundance of rooftop solar panels. As well as the city’s own microgrid that will store excess solar energy for backup. The new headquarters will be decked in solar panels – powering more than 300 employees.

 

Quay Side Toronto, Canada: Big tech for big ideas    

Working with Google’s sister company, Sidewalk Labs, Quayside is creating new, environmentally-friendly affordable homes. These are designed to reduce their carbon footprint and to be quicker, easier and less expensive to put up.

The community also plans to be self-sufficient, generating 10% of its own power. Half of the roof space will be covered in solar panels, fuelling the technology and electric cars in the city.

Meanwhile, the city will employ weather tech to heat pathways for snow conditions as well as using retractable canopies for other climates. High tech won’t just stop at the surface, exciting mechanics will run underneath the town too. Robots will serve underground corridors, carrying utilities and waste.

Technology is changing the world. Cities of the future show what can be done, but there are plenty of things we can all do to kit out our homes with the latest smart technology.