Category: Tech News

Twelve South introduces new entry-level Amazon exclusive Curve SE laptop stand for £39.99

Twelve South, a leading tech accessories designer, has today introduced a new, more affordable iteration of its best-selling Curve stand for laptops for just £39.99. Its appearance is in keeping with the original Curve and height adjustable Curve Flex, but comes in silver aluminium (rather than interior design inspired matte black or white finishes that complement your space) and requires some simple assembly, whereas Curve is a seamless single ribbon of shaped aluminium.

Curve SE offers users improved comfort and posture, elevating laptops to an ergonomic standard 6.5 inches above the desk to avoid the requirement of hunching or straining to see the screen, which can result in neck and shoulder tension. The elevation also offers a more flattering angle for video calls, giving users more confidence on important conference calls.

Pair with a full-size keyboard and mouse for a comfortable setup and for those who use an additional monitor or two, Curve SE can align a laptop to the same height as an external monitor(s) via the monitor’s adjustable stand or an external riser, for a seamless multi-screen setup.

The silver aluminium colour universally complements any setup and the slender arms offer robust support to keep devices in place without being too clunky for today’s lightweight laptops and MacBooks. Using lipped arms as a base also offers better ventilation for fans, which are usually located in the base of the laptop (which some stands cover and can cause hotspots).

Curve SE comes in three parts, which users simply snap together before using the stand. No screwdriver or other tools required. Once assembled, Curve SE is designed to be a permanent solution, so disassembly is not recommended.

Curve SE is available now exclusively from Amazon in the UK for £39.99 and Prime members can also take advantage of free shipping.

Data Edge optimises performance management for BT Ireland’s Network Operation Centre

Network optimisation specialists Data Edge today announces it has successfully delivered a new solution for BT Ireland to overhaul its Network Operating Centre (NOC) and allow it to resolve issues more quickly, enhance network reliability and improve the customer experience.

The solution, which is based on Broadcom’s DXNetOps, combines performance management, fault management, Netflow Analysis, and Virtual Network Assurance. It was designed and implemented by Data Edge with the aim of allowing for better detection of incidents in real time and to reduce false alarms to lower noise on the network, and ultimately better prevent outages.

The new performance management solution has achieved a number of key metrics, as the mean time to repair issues has decreased by 40%, meaning less downtime for BT Ireland’s customers.  The number of alarms has also come down, by 80%, freeing up BT Ireland’s team to focus on delivering the best customer experience instead of responding to erroneous alerts.

BT Irelands challenge was that its NOC was reliant on multiple systems and screens to provide up-to-date analysis and information on issues in its network. It needed a fully integrated and scalable performance management system. Data Edge was chosen to provide a Single Pane of Glass solution to show all network events in one place and grant BT Ireland the ability to easily connect and monitor all of its current and future platforms.

The solution, provided in partnership with Broadcom, has proved to be highly effective and also features full neighbourhood topology, triage functions, as well as third party access to better streamline BT’s services.

Paul Hackett, BT Ireland’s Head of Architecture, said; “Enabling digital customer experiences are of upmost importance to BT, and working with reliable partners like Data Edge makes those digital customer journeys much easier.

“Integrating BT’s systems into a single view, has streamlined our in-life processes, meaning we resolve issues faster than before. We’ve moved from reactive to proactive resolutions, which is critical in the modern marketplace.”

Martin O’Leary, Senior Account Manager, Data Edge, said, “Having worked with BT Ireland for over a decade, we have been by the company’s side as it has grown and developed its portfolio of network and communication services in Ireland. We are very proud to have delivered such a successful and impactful new solution and will continue supporting BT Ireland on its growth journey.”

Gerry O’Hara, BT Ireland’s Head of Network Assurance, commented; “The DXN functionality means we only see the relevant alarms which assists the NOC in resolving issues more quickly than we ever have before. Data Edge has a deep understanding of our networks and operations, and was able to design, implement and manage this highly integrated and effective network management solution for us. Ultimately, it helps us to provide even higher levels of service to our growing partner and customer base. Furthermore, the DXN functionality means we only see the relevant alarms which assists the NOC in resolving issues more quickly than we ever have before.”

Revolutionise your smart home with the LOQED Touch Smart Lock

Remember when we used to walk up to our car and use a key to unlock the door? These days, walking up to a car with your key still in your pocket will do the trick. Yet we still find using a physical key normal to let us into our home. Over the last couple of years many smart home solutions have been adapted into our homes, and just across the channel in the Netherlands, the LOQED Touch Smart Lock has been tried and tested on its home market and is now set to launch in the UK.

LOQED is committed to providing smart, secure, and convenient solutions for home access. Keyless locks have existed for some time, but what sets LOQED apart is that it is the first smart lock that opens and closes with one touch, while your smartphone remains in your pocket. You can even open your door with your knee or elbow for convenience while your hands are full. 

Forgot your phone or your battery has died? No problem. You can still unlock your door with a safe and secure personalised code. The smart lock runs on batteries for up to twelve months. Should the batteries die unexpectedly, you can jumpstart your smart lock with a 9-volt battery available at any local petrol station.

After locking himself out and paying for an expensive locksmith on several occasions, LOQED founder, Pierre van den Oord, had enough and wanted to exchange his old fashioned door lock with a more innovative solution. Together with friend and innovator, Jeroen van Oorschot, they began to develop the LOQED Touch Smart Lock in 2016. According to Statista 2023, 81% of Brits own smart home entertainment devices such as Bluetooth speakers and smart TVs, but only 30% own smart home security devices. Introducing the easy to use LOQED Touch Smart Lock with an eye-catching and robust stainless steel design, because what is a smart home without easy access?

CEO, Pierre van den Oord says: “Locks that open when a smartphone is nearby often aren’t accurate. These would open, for instance, when you’re still parking your car, or coming in through the back door. Our lock knows whether you’re inside or outside and doesn’t make that mistake thanks to geofencing and proximity detection on the inside and outside of the lock to ensure that this function works reliably.” 

 

The weak link in a front door is often the lock’s keyhole and cylinder which can easily be snapped by burglars. With LOQED, the original cylinder is completely replaced by a highly secure cylinder, removing the weak point and the need for a keyhole altogether. The lock has been awarded the highest achievable SKG*** certification. Combined with end-to-end encryption and digital signatures using the same standard as banks, hackers and burglars don’t stand a chance.

Send digital keys to friends, family and workers using the LOQED app, available for Android and iOS users. You can also easily assign and remove keys whenever you want, perfect if you own an Airbnb. The LOQED Touch Smart Lock can also be integrated with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and many other smart home ecosystems. The Matter protocol is set to follow towards the end of 2023.

To celebrate the new product launch, the LOQED Touch Smart Lock is now available in stainless steel on Amazon with a 10% introductory offer of £269 which lasts for one month. RRP after this time is £299. 

For more information, please check out the website and watch the product introduction video below. 

Features of the LOQED Touch Smart Lock:

  • Easy one touch access
  • Easy set up (around 30 minutes)
  • Personalised integrated code access with a jump start connector as a safety net
  • Secure decentralised key storage
  • Highest 3 star SKG, EN 1303, and EN 15684 certification
  • Battery life up to 12 months
  • LOQED app connectivity for Android and IOS to check if door is locked and receive notifications when the door is opened
  • Send digital keys to friends and family via the app
  • Guests without access to the LOQED app can open the door with a link provided by owner
  • Set timers to automatically lock and unlock your door
  • Set time schedules for staff and guests
  • Voice control with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant connectivity. The Matter protocol will also be available towards the end of 2023.
  • Get notified when the door is opened
  • Robust stainless steel design

GoMoWorld Adds 10 more Destination Plans, Connecting Irish Travellers to the World

GoMoWorld, a mobile app that provides international data through eSIMs, revolutionising the way Irish travellers stay connected abroad abroad, adds ten more destination plans, including Belize, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, French Antilles, French Polynesia, further expanding its global coverage.

According to the GoMoWorld team, the United States of America remains the most favoured destination for Irish GoMoWorld customers, constituting a staggering 45% of plans. This is followed by European destinations at 27% where ‘roam like home’ may not be available or if customers need a top up on their own roaming allowance.

With its value, coverage and simple setup GoMoWorld has become a go-to solution for data access while travelling overseas. Other top destinations include Canada and Australia, where soccer fans travelled to support the Irish soccer team in the World Cup. Irish globetrotters are also embracing the app in other locations like Korea, Israel, Mexico, and Serbia.

Travellers are using GoMoWorld to travel and work abroad and also to represent Ireland on a global stage. Irish international footballer Amber Barrett, used GoMoWorld while playing in Australia, and shares her experience, stating, “The GoMoWorld app has been so useful and easy to use abroad. It’s so beneficial to be able to use data with no worries about heavy bills when you come home. It is very accessible and easy to add on data whenever it’s needed.”

Heloise Abraham, Director GoMoWorld: “At the heart of GoMoWorld’s success lie its remarkable features, which we believe is what sets it apart from traditional roaming options. Not only is it great value and easy to use but unlike traditional plans it doesn’t tie users down with contracts. The feedback we’re getting from our customers is that it’s so easy that you almost forget about it, meaning you can stay connected, wherever you are in the world.”

GoMoWorld offers data roaming plans starting at just €3.99 per month. The app connects users to local partner networks in over 160 countries, granting them easy access to the internet through reliable local mobile networks. With no physical SIM card required, GoMoWorld offers a hassle-free experience and GoMoWorld lets travellers roam with no long-term contracts. Users can download the app from the App Store or Google Play, select their destination, and install their eSIM.

Finalists Announced for 6th Annual Diversity In Tech Awards

The Diversity in Tech Awards finalists for 2023 have been announced today. The event in association with J.P. Morgan is set to take place on Wednesday, 27th September 2023, at the RDS Concert Hall, Dublin. Over 400 executives from Ireland’s thriving international tech community will be in attendance. The evening’s programme will also include a keynote address by Norah Patten an Irish Aeronautical Engineer about her experience breaking the glass ceiling and a panel discussion entitled The ROI of DEI: Driving Business Profitability through Diversity and Inclusion featuring Steven Fuller of Race In STEM, Angelika Sharygina of Mindguardian, Kyran O’Mahoney of IA Labs and a representative of J. P Morgan.

Since launching in 2018, The Diversity in Tech Awards has highlighted the shift in companies making workplaces more diverse and inclusive, whilst also recognising their efforts to narrow the gender gap. This has been achieved through celebrating Irish women who are driving IT excellence, innovation, leadership and overall success in the tech industry.

This year, in recognition for the efforts of promoting diversity and narrowing the gender gap, the awards have been split into two categories, Diversity in Tech and Women in Tech.

Please see finalists and categories below:

Diversity categories and finalists

  • Diversity Role Model Award (sponsored by IAS Integral Ad Science) – Accenture (Dublin), Amnexis (Dublin), eBay (Dublin), Merck (Dublin), NCBI – Working for people with Sight Loss (Dublin), Tenable (Dublin), Trinnovo Group (United Kingdom).

  • LGBTQ+ Inclusion Award – Amazon Web Services (United States), Cognizant Technology Solutions (Dublin), eBay (Dublin), Experian Ltd (United Kingdom), Greenhouse Software (Dublin), Microsoft Ireland (United Kingdom), Oracle EMEA Ltd.(Dublin), Workday (Dublin)

  • Disability inclusion Award (sponsored by Carelon Global Solutions) – CPL (Dublin), Employers for Change, The Open Doors Initiative (Dublin), EY (United Kingdom), Fidelity Investments (Dublin), Inclusion and Accessibility Labs (Dublin), SAP SE (Germany)

  • Cultural Inclusion Award – Carelon Global Solutions Ireland (Limerick), Cognizant Technology Solutions (Dublin), eBay (Dublin), Fidelity Investments (Dublin), LinkedIn Ireland (Dublin), Version 1 (Dublin)

  • Health & Wellness Award – Axonista Ltd (Dublin), Carelon Global Solutions Ireland (Limerick), EY (Dublin), LearnUpon (Dublin), MongoDB (Dublin), Tata Consultancy Services (Dublin)

  • Social Impact Award (sponsored by ESB) – Chainlink Labs (United Kingdom), Deloitte (Dublin), Innovate Communities (Dublin), The Big Idea (Dublin), Version 1 (Dublin)

  • Diverse Company of the Year (sponsored by Oracle) – CPL (Dublin), eBay(Dublin), EY (United Kingdom), Fiserv (Dublin), Google (Dublin), MongoDB (Dublin), Salesforce Ireland (Dublin), SAP SE (Germany)

 

Women In Tech categories and finalists

  • Tech Leadership Award (sponsored by FTI Consulting) – Fiserv (Dublin), Inclusio (Dublin), KPMG (United Kingdom), Meta (Saudi Arabia), Microsoft (Dublin), Version 1 (Dublin), Vodafone Ireland (Dublin)

  • Entrepreneurship Award (sponsored by Fiserv)- EudaOrg (Dublin), Online Buzzing (Dublin), Platform55 (Dublin), ProMotion Rewards (Dublin), shareclub (Dublin), Technological University Dublin (Dublin)

  • Digital Transformation Award – Dell (Dublin), Carelon Global Solutions Ireland (Limerick), Citi (United Kingdom), EY (Dublin), J.P. Morgan Chase (United Kingdom) Meta (Saudi Arabia)

  • Trailblazer Award – Fidelity Investments (Dublin), Rent the Runway (Dublin), Johnson & Johnson (Dublin), Meta (Dublin), Mission Unstoppable (Dublin), MongoDB (Dublin), The Big Idea (Dublin), Women in AI (Dublin)

  • Young Female STEM Pioneer (sponsored by Mongo DB) – CodLad(Dublin), EY (Dublin), Open College Network (United Kingdom), University College Dublin (Dublin), Workday (Dublin)

  • Rising Star Award – ESB (Dublin), EY (Dublin), Fidelity Investments (Dublin), Galvia (Galway), Inclusion and Accessibility Labs (Dublin), Revolut (Dublin), Version 1 (Dublin), Version 1 (Dublin)

  • Data Scientist Award (sponsored by J.P. Morgan) – CodLad (Dublin), Ericsson (Dublin), EY (Dublin), EY (Dublin), Women in AI (Dublin)

  • Mentorship Award – Carelon Global Solutions Ireland (Limerick), Deloitte Ireland (Dublin), Fidelity Investments (Dublin), IADT (Dublin), IBM (Dublin), Tenable (Dublin), Verizon Connect (Dublin), Workday (Dublin)

Finalists for the Diversity in Tech Awards are chosen by a judging panel from a wide range of corporate, not-for-profit and consultancy organisations. Some of this year’s judges include Erica Ryan – Regional VP of MongoDB, Lorraine Deschamps – Head of Corporate Citizenship with Fiserv, Gráinne Bryan – Senior Managing Director of Technology with FTI Consulting, Vessy Tasheva – Founder & CEO of Vessy.com and Sheree Atcheson – Global Diversity & Inclusion Senior Exec with Valtech.

The Diversity in Tech Awards Programme also hosts the Grace Hopper Award along with the Diversity Impact Award sponsored by Tata Consultancy Services. The DIA accolade recognises not-for-profit organisations that have demonstrated exceptional initiative to promote inclusion in the workplace. The Grace Hopper Award honours a female STEM professional whose exceptional achievements and outstanding contributions have made a lasting impact on technology, society, and their profession.

To see the full list of finalists, please see HERE.

Announcing the finalists, Tracey Carney, Managing Director of the Diversity in Tech Awards said: “We are extremely excited to bring the Diversity in Tech Awards back to the RDS this year. Since the awards were created in 2018 as the Women in Tech Awards, the event focused on promoting better balance in tech. In 2020, we pivoted to the Diversity in Tech Awards, and while continuing to keep women in tech as a core part of the agenda, it has grown into a programme celebrating all facets of diversity within the tech industry. The event is not only about celebrating excellence, but also about sharing knowledge and experience. The calibre of finalists this year is exceptional, and we can’t wait to congratulate each and every one of the amazing finalists joining us in September.”

HONOR Announces Launch of the HONOR 90 Series in Ireland

Global technology brand HONOR today announced the launch of the HONOR 90 and HONOR 90 Lite in Ireland. Featuring an impressive 200MP Main Camera and an industry-leading Quad-Curved Floating Display with eye-comfort technology, the HONOR 90 packs groundbreaking hardware and software to empower the always-on generation to capture and share their vibes in outstanding detail. The HONOR 90 Lite is a stylish all-rounder, boasting an incredible camera system, display, and a range of smart features.

Nick Kyzer, Sales Director at HONOR UK & Ireland said: “Bringing our game-changing product portfolio to Ireland is something we are committed to delivering. With the success of the HONOR 70 Lite launched in Ireland earlier this year, we knew the HONOR 90 and 90 Lite were something the Irish market would love.”

He continued: “We’re thrilled Ireland are showing great support for the HONOR brand, and we look forward to continuing our growth in the market with strategic partners like Three Ireland and Harvey Norman.”

 HONOR 90: a Powerful and Versatile Camera for Capturing Stunning Photos and Videos

The triple camera system consists of a 200MP Main Camera with a 1/1.4-inch sensor, a 12 MP ultra-wide and macro camera with a 112° field of view, and a 2MP Depth Camera that helps the camera accurately gauge distance. Supporting multi-frame fusion, a noise reduction algorithm and pixel binning to achieve the light-capturing performance that is equivalent to having large 2.24µm pixels (16-in-1), the 200MP Main Camera produces excellent high dynamic range (HDR) photos and detailed, bright shots in low light situations.

HONOR 90 also introduces the new Portrait Mode, including 2X zoom portraits to deliver imaging results that better highlight the subject in frame. Portrait mode has also been upgraded to help users effortlessly create exceptional portraits with well-defined facial features, accurate skin tones and an authentic bokeh effect that naturally blends the background with the subject.

At the front, the 50MP Front Camera captures stunning selfies with exceptional detail, making the HONOR 90 an ideal choice for budding and seasoned content creators.

Designed to help vloggers streamline their workflows, the HONOR 90 also employs artificial intelligence (AI) for video denoising and video mode recommendations, as well as for AI Vlog Assistant that enables users to generate a social media-ready 15-second video with just a few taps. The HONOR 90 achieves omnidirectional noise reduction with a signal-to-noise ratio of 20dB, which is close to a professional recorder, allowing users to capture clear human voices without background noise.

Immersive Viewing Experience on Display

Equipped with a 6.7-inch Quad-Curved Floating Display the HONOR 90 supports a high resolution of 2664×1200, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and up to 1.07 billion colors, bringing visual content to life in stunning colors and vivid clarity. The HONOR 90 also supports a peak HDR brightness of 1600 nits, allowing for optimum display readability, even under bright light.

The display is fast and responsive with an adaptive screen refresh rate of up to 120Hz, this is dynamically adjusted according to the displayed content to strike the optimal balance between visual fluidity and battery life. With HDR10+ support and HDR certifications from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, the HONOR 90 ensures users can enjoy an exceptional multimedia experience in any setting.

Reflecting HONOR’s commitment to human-centric technology, the HONOR 90 is equipped with industry-leading eye comfort features. Equipped with TÜV Rheinland’s Flicker Free Certification and achieving the risk-free dimming level, the HONOR 90 is perfect for today’s content-hungry generation. The display supports the industry’s highest Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) Dimming frequency of 3840Hz, effectively minimizing the strain it puts on users’ eyes when it is set at low brightness. The display also features Dynamic Dimming that simulates natural light to alleviate eye fatigue, and HONOR’s Circadian Night Display technology which filters blue light and promotes natural melatonin secretion to improve user sleep quality at night.

Sleek and Stylish Design 

Inspired by haute couture and luxury jewelry, the HONOR 90 exudes class with its 7.8mm thin and 183g lightweight body. The smooth, rounded edges wrapping the smartphone make it as much a joy to hold as to behold, and the Deeply Reinforced Glass provides users with peace of mind knowing their smartphone is built to last. At the rear, HONOR 90 features the iconic N Series classic Dual Ring Design, with rounded elements crafted with precise cutting techniques to produce a brilliant shine that adds an extra touch of elegance to the smartphone.

Incredible Battery Life Matched by Fast Performance 

The HONOR 90 is embedded with a large 5000mAh battery to support all-day use. On a single charge, the smartphone can provide up to 19.5 hours of continuous local video streaming. When its battery is low, users can take it back up to 45% with 66W HONOR SuperCharge in just 15 minutes. Fast and battery efficient, the HONOR 90 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Accelerated Edition, which has a 20% better GPU and 30% better AI performance compared to its predecessor. The internal temperature is kept in check by a 147% larger vapor chamber, facilitating efficient heat dissipation that allows the HONOR 90 to stay cool.

A Truly Personalized Experience with HONOR MagicOS 7.1

Running the latest Android 13-based HONOR MagicOS 7.1, the HONOR 90 packs a raft of enhanced smart features like Magic Text which intelligently recognises text on an image and allows users to directly perform actions with important information.

Pricing and Availability

The HONOR 90 is available in Midnight Black from both Three and Harvey Norman and will be available in two storage variations, 8+256GB and 12+512GB.

At Three, the HONOR 90 12+512GB will be available from €40 a month with €139 upfront, with a limited offer of €100 off on the upfront cost for those switching over to Three in August and September. In the same period, for €50 a month, Three are offering no upfront cost (usually €29). The HONOR 90 is also available with no upfront cost on the €60 a month airtime plan. The HONOR 90 12+512GB will also be available to purchase SIM-free from Three for €529.

The HONOR 90 8+256GB is also available to purchase from Harvey Norman for €499 RRP in Midnight Black.

HONOR 90 Lite: an affordable all-rounder for content aficionados

HONOR 90 Lite, part of the HONOR 90 series family – a premium mid-range series that is made for creators – will be available in Ireland from today. The HONOR 90 Lite is a stylish all-rounder, boasting an incredible camera system, display, and a range of smart features.

Awesome Camera with Stellar Viewing Experience

HONOR 90 Lite features a rear 100MP Main Camera with a f/1.9 aperture, a 5MP Wide & Depth Camera and 2MP Macro Camera for capturing stunning landscape shots and intimate closeups. For selfie-lovers, the 16MP Front Camera delivers captivating self-portraits with defined features and enhanced colours. Additionally, the HONOR 90 Lite’s 6.7-inch Edgeless Display features an adaptive refresh rate of up to 90Hz, providing users with a buttery smooth visual experience. The display comes with TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification, and like HONOR 90, supports a range of HONOR developed human-centric eye care solutions including Dynamic Dimming and Circadian Night Display.

Fast 5G and Long-Lasting Battery

The HONOR 90 Lite is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6020 5G system and a 4500mAh battery. Users who enjoy keeping their media always accessible can take full advantage of the 8GB Memory and large 256GB storage drive, keeping up to 57,808 pictures, 22,322 songs or 892 HD videos downloaded. The HONOR 90 Lite is also equipped with HONOR RAM Turbo (8GB+5GB), an HONOR technology that moves a portion of flash memory to RAM, meaning 8GB RAM can be increased to 13GB RAM.

Pricing and Availability

The HONOR 90 Lite is available in Midnight Black and will be priced at €289 RRP from Three. Customers who switch over to Three from another network in August and September will benefit from €50 off, making the HONOR 90 Lite just €239. The HONOR 90 Lite also comes with no upfront cost on all pay monthly tariffs.

For more information, please visit HONOR online store at www.hihonor.com/uk or

3.ie/Honor90

 

Gen Announces AI Scam Detection App, Norton Genie

Scams are one of the most pervasive Cyber Safety threats of our time. The sheer volume is staggering – people are collectively wading through 3.4 billion phishing emails on a daily basis – and scams are becoming more sophisticated and harder to spot without help. Today, Norton, a leader in Cyber Safety and part of Gen™ (NASDAQ: GEN), is inviting people to join in the fight against scams by offering early access to Norton Genie, a real-time AI-powered scam detector, to provide an easy, fast and free way to check if texts, emails, websites and social media posts are a scam.

“Every day, we’re inundated with messages and scams that have become so believable that anyone, even the savviest of us, is just one wrong tap from becoming a scammer’s next victim,” said Ondrej Vlcek, President at Gen. “We want to give people Digital Freedom – the freedom that can only be achieved when you’re safe and empowered online. Genie is an always on, easy-to-use, trusted advisor that helps you stay ahead of highly convincing scams. By bringing together best-in-class scam intel from Norton with advanced AI, we can empower people to take full advantage of the digital world safely, privately and confidently.”

Norton Genie is a brand new innovation from Norton designed to be as simple as asking for advice from a friend that’s available 24/7. With just a few clicks or taps, Genie will give immediate guidance on whether the message, email, link or post is potentially a scam and what to do next. Genie is powered by a unique combination of Norton expertise and advanced AI that’s trained on millions of scam messages and the red flags to watch for. As scammers adapt to new technology to make their attacks more convincing, now more than ever, people need AI on their side to help stay ahead of today’s ever evolving scams. Norton Genie is constantly improving to help stop scammers in their tracks and help fight today’s scams and tomorrow’s.

Norton Genie is a comprehensive mobile app and web-based service providing scam detection with the following key features:

  • Fast, free and easy: You can upload a screenshot or copy and paste the text of a suspicious message and Genie will instantly tell you if a message or site appears to be a scam.
  • Norton technology: Genie combines advanced AI with best-in-class cybersecurity data and technology to help identify scams before you engage. As part of Gen, Norton tapped into the company’s investment and application of AI research and innovation, decades of experience uncovering and remediating scams, phishing attacks, and sketchy websites, and extensive library of known threats to create Genie.
  • Protection that evolves: The more people use Genie, the smarter it gets. Our AI powering Genie will continue to learn and adapt to detect new scams and help protect against emerging threats. While Genie gets better and better with scam detection in messages, emails and social media posts, we will be hard at work developing additional ways Genie can protect people from other types of scams they could fall victim to.
  • Trusted advice: Beyond telling you if a message is likely a scam, Genie takes it one step further by answering your most pressing follow-up questions. How did it know the message was a scam? What should you do next? Like a trusted advisor, Genie empowers you with the information you need to be safer in your digital life.

Norton Genie is still learning and in an early access phase. Genie is available now in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States, for free at Norton.com and the Apple App Store. Norton Genie is compatible with iOS 14.0 or greater, Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge and Firefox. Norton Genie is expected to become generally available, expand platform availability to Android, and enter additional markets later this year. To learn more, visit genie.norton.com.

RETN Unleashes 400G Across Europe

RETN, a leading international network services provider, announces the completion of its Pan-European upgrade, now offering 400 Gbps wavelengths across its extensive fibre network.

Through a long-standing cooperation with Infinera, RETN has installed cutting-edge technology and massively upgraded network capacity across all European routes. A high-performance optical transport solution, including the ICE6 optical engine, GX G42 compact modular platform, and FlexILS open optical line system from Infinera, are now deployed to meet the hyperscale bandwidth needs of customers, with lower power consumption, reduced cost and maximum spectral efficiency.
Tony O’Sullivan, CEO of RETN, expressed his confidence in the transformative impact of 400G technology, stating, “The Connectivity market has reached a tipping point with single wavelength 400G. With the latest generation Layer 1 capacity services, we are empowering businesses with high-availability 100% diverse fibre routes and industry leading services provision times.”

Nick Walden, Senior Vice President of Infinera commented: “Infinera is delighted to partner with RETN and provide industry-leading optical networking solutions purpose-built to address growing capacity demands and deliver an enhanced customer experience. With our ICE6-powered GX platform and FlexILS line system, RETN is equipped with an agile, high-performance and scalable transport infrastructure optimised for the evolving needs of its customers.”
Additionally, RETN upgrades its IP/MPLS network to 400G technology running on Juniper’s latest-generation equipment in proactive approach to satisfy global growing demand for IP traffic.

In one of its first deployments of 400G, RETN has successfully interconnected the Budapest Internet Exchange’s (BIX) Point of Presence in Vienna with its core infrastructure in Budapest. This supports the surging demand for cross-border data exchange from BIX’s 90 members. RETN seamlessly upgraded the Budapest (T-Systems/Dataplex Invitech DC10) – Vienna DigitalRealty (Interxion) wavelength from 100Gbps to 400Gbps in just a few weeks, ensuring a smooth service handover during a hot-cut. The enhanced infrastructure now enables BIX to scale its network and future-proof its operations.

Attila Miszori, Member of the Board, BIX, “BIX values RETN’s ability to deliver 400Gbps wavelength service with short delivery time and our required hot-cut service handover. We appreciate RETN’s professional, proactive, and quality-oriented approach. In an ever-evolving industry, it’s essential to partner with service providers like RETN who understand the market and deliver innovative solutions.”

AIMS API Launches Prompt Search – A Music Search Tool That Uses Natural Language

AIMS API, a company specialising in AI-powered music similarity search and music tagging, has launched Prompt Search – a new product that allows exploring music catalogues using natural language, phrases, and descriptions instead of traditional keywords and tags.

Prompt Search is revolutionary in that it makes finding the right tracks for audio-visual projects as simple and enjoyable as taking advice from a musically knowledgeable friend. All the user needs to do is type in a search describing what they are looking for; this could be a scene, location, time period, musical style or even an entire music brief. The AI developed by AIMS will then identify suitable tracks based on the audio only and deliver perfect results in seconds. Even catalogues with no keywords and tags can be searched this way, making it possible to explore entire music catalogues using natural language and discover suitable results that might otherwise stay hidden.

“It’s fast, it’s accurate and it works like magic. Unlike other attempts at this type of music search, ours genuinely works,” says Martin Nedved, CEO and founder of AIMS API. “We are confident that once people try Prompt Search, they will not want to go back. Traditional keyword searches will always have limitations placed upon them by the humans who initially tag the music. Prompt Search removes those limitations and makes searching much more enjoyable and accurate.”

Established in Prague in 2019, and now with representatives in West and East Coast USA, London and Copenhagen, AIMS was developed by music publishing and sync company owners with a deep understanding of the creative industries.

The introduction of Prompt Search takes the future of music search and discoverability to an entirely new level by providing a fast, reliable, and intuitive solution that benefits record labels, publishers, production music catalogues, broadcasters and TV and film companies. It also benefits content creators, playlist curators and music supervisors by maximising music discoverability and minimising the amount of time and effort needed to find the perfect track.

Several proprietary technologies were used in the making of Prompt Search, and its development builds on over five years of research undertaken by AIMS API.

Howie Ross, Music Taxonomy Researcher at AIMS API who played a key role in the creation of Prompt Search, says he was surprised by language AI’s ability to take a natural phrase and turn it into musical suggestions.

“It really is miraculous,” he says. “When I began experimenting with this technology, I typed in the phrase ‘tumbleweed rolling along an empty highway’. The machine immediately understood what I had in mind – a sort of Ry Cooder, Paris Texas vibe – and delivered a list of tracks that were ideal. I was amazed. I didn’t describe any instruments or moods – just scenery – and yet it was able to convert that simple command into something musical. From there I was able to skip through its suggestions until I found a track I liked. I then used Similarity Search to identify even more tracks that fitted my brief.”

“AIMS AI Music Similarity Search and AI Auto–Tagging are now established products that are serving the industry well and allowing people to thoroughly explore music catalogues and discover hidden gems that might otherwise be forgotten,” Martin Nedved adds. “Prompt Search is an evolution of the amazing search tech we already have, with the industry standard similarity search and tagging products. This new way of searching for music will benefit anyone in the creative industries who needs the right music.”