Category: Tech News

G2 Accelerates European Growth with Expansion into Dublin

G2, the world’s largest and most trusted software marketplace, today announced it has expanded its European presence into Dublin to grow its workforce while expanding reach to new customers and partners. Dublin marks G2’s fifth location, in addition to its Chicago headquarters and offices in London, Bangalore, and Singapore – along with many employees working remotely across the globe.

Based in Dublin, Gordon Tobin, G2’s Vice President & General Manager, EMEA, is responsible for leading the local team as the company looks to continue its investment in Europe — and in Ireland specifically. Tobin has spent the past 15+ years leading teams in North America and APAC at companies like LinkedIn, Headspace, and G2, and has recently returned to his native Ireland — offering the perfect perch to help G2 grow in EMEA.

“At G2, we want to be the place you go for software. This is a global vision, building upon our U.S. roots and expanded presence in EMEA and APAC,” said Godard Abel, co-founder and CEO, G2. “Having spent time in Dublin recently, I’ve seen first-hand how ripe the region is for software-as-a-service (SaaS) innovation. With our presence in this market, I’m confident we’ll be able to grow our business globally, with Gordon Tobin at the helm leading our local team.”

G2’s software marketplace features over 2 million verified reviews on 150,00+ software products and services across 2,100 different categories. Those looking to buy, sell, or invest in software can all leverage G2’s data, insights, and solutions to make smarter decisions and grow their businesses.

“EMEA regions drive 17% of the total reviews for G2 as well as 17% of our revenue,” said Gordon Tobin, Vice President & General Manager, EMEA, G2. “As we look to continually increase EMEA’s impact on our business over the next few years, we plan to grow our employee base in Ireland – tapping into the local tech talent – in addition to our already large presence in the UK. On a personal note, it’s been a wonderful opportunity to return to my native Dublin to establish a new home for G2’s EMEA operations. I’m appreciative to the IDA for their continued partnership as we look to effectively scale our presence in the region.”

G2 has already onboarded some new team members in Dublin across sales, marketing, revenue strategy and operations roles. The company plan to continue growing its headcount to meet customer demand in EMEA.

G2’s EMEA hub is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney TD said: “I am delighted with G2’s announcement that they have expanded their EMEA presence into Dublin. It is a pleasure to welcome a global leader in software marketplace solutions, which reaffirms Dublin as a centre of excellence in the sector. Our location and workforce continue to be a driving force in attracting FDI. I wish to thank G2 for their investment and confidence in Ireland by choosing us for this exciting expansion. Good luck to the team at G2.”

Dónal Travers, Head of Technology at IDA Ireland welcomed the announcement, noting, “G2’s decision to locate in Ireland is very welcome. Ireland’s established base of tech companies, its skills pool and overall business environment are what fast-growth companies like G2 find attractive, to support future international growth.”

ZHIYUN WEEBILL 3 Wins iF Design Award 2023

ZHIYUN proudly announces that its WEEBILL 3 has won the iF Design Award 2023 in the TV/Camera category. The iF Design Awards recognized ZHIYUN’s WEEBILL 3 is an all-in-one gimbal solution with a unique ergonomic design that delivers light, sound and image-stabilization, while also providing 40% energy savings.

ZHIYUN WEEBILL 3 won over the 133-member jury made up of independent experts from all over the world. The iF Design Awards represents a seal of quality for excellent design; acknowledged by the fact the 2023 competition received almost 11,000 entries from 56 countries.

ZHIYUN CEO, Yilun Liao, commented, “ZHIYUN is delighted to have received this internationally recognized design award from the iF International Forum Design GmbH. It reflects ZHIYUN’s commitment to creativity and innovation in our products that are designed to inspire everyone from amateur to professional filmmakers. The WEEBILL 3 redefines high-end cinematography with its support for DSLR cameras and lenses, enabling all day shooting with easy from a single battery charge, light weight design, and our unique ergonomic design.”

ZHIYUN WEEBILL 3: Professional, Convenient With a Leading Ergonomic Design

Built from lightweight, ultra-strong materials, ZHIYUN’s 3rd generation WEEBILL offers improved ergonomics with an optimized SLING 2.0 system, providing more wrist support for extended use comfort with its new handle design. The grip includes thumb buttons, mini control stick for movement, plus finger trigger and wheel that can be customized according to preferences of shooting modes and action parameters, such as camera paras, movement along axes, follow focus, and more. With compact, powerful motors, the WEEBILL 3’s L-shaped body is exceptionally stable when self-standing, provides more flexibility for customizations, and includes a larger internal battery than previous versions, for up to 21-hours use. The quick release system includes a dual quick-release plate with embedded magnetic wrench. The camera requires balancing just once, and it can be repeatedly mounted and secured easily, fast and conveniently without needing to rebalance.

Learn more about the WEEBILL 3 https://www.zhiyun-tech.com/en/product/detail/617

Fairphone calls on smartphone industry to embrace true sustainability with its 2022 Impact Report

Fairphone, the Dutch social enterprise building a market for ethical smartphones, has released its 2022 Impact Report, showcasing the company’s progress towards a more sustainable electronics industry for both people and planet.

The annual report highlights the most recent developments across all four of Fairphone’s core areas of impact, including device longevity and the avoidance of electronic waste, the sourcing of fair and recycled materials, as well as the company’s ongoing efforts to improve the working conditions of people in the supply chain.

It also shows that Fairphone was able to achieve all its targets for 2022 in the different impact areas – a first time milestone. Overall, in 2022 these efforts resulted in avoiding 999 tons of CO2 and 15 tons of electronic waste, with over 54,000 people benefitting (adding up to over 83,000 people since 2017) from Fairphone’s measures.

In a preface to the report, Fairphone CEO Eva Gouwens emphasizes that swift action is needed to bring about change in the electronics industry, calling on industry peers to stop delaying reforms and to follow Fairphone’s example to embrace true sustainability, meaning the well-being of both the planet and its people.

Some other highlights of this year’s report include:

  • Being profitable for the third year in a row, despite a difficult market situation.
  • In 2022, 40% of Fairphone’s 14 focus materials could be sourced from fair or recycled sources, meeting the company’s targets for 2022.
  • A worker in the Fairphone 4 final assembly factory received almost an extra month of salary through Fairphone’s living wage program. In total, 305,000 USD was paid to factory workers of Fairphone’s suppliers in 2022 to support living wages in the supply chain. This includes the workers of an indirect component supplier, an industry first.
  • Fairphone co-developed a pilot project on Fairmined Gold Credits that was applied to account for part of the gold used in the Fairphone 4 and Fairphone’s TWS earbuds.
  • Fairphone made significant progress towards reducing the company’s carbon footprint. Committing to reach net zero by 2045 – five years ahead of the suggested timeframe – Fairphone successfully reduced Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) greenhouse gas emissions by 100% by the end of 2022.

The full report, as well as a summary document highlighting the most important takeaways, can be found here.

EY Technology Leaders Outlook 2023

Irish technology leaders are investing heavily as they focus their organisations on accelerating growth amidst global economic disruption, a dynamic landscape of rapidly advancing technology and shifting operating models. That’s a key finding of EY Ireland’s Technology Leaders Survey 2023, which also found that leaders are prioritising the development and retention of key talent in their organisations as they put people at the heart of the digital transformation journeys.

More than two-fifths (44%) of the 150 senior technology leaders surveyed by EY say they are currently planning or executing a digital transformation or change programme, indicating significant room for growth across digital and IT spend and talent acquisition. The momentum Irish tech leaders are delivering during their companies’ transformation journeys is supported by resilient IT budgets with tech leaders indicating they expect to increase (46%) or maintain (49%) current levels of spending over the next two years.

When it comes to staffing, the picture is also bullish, with 93% of Irish technology leaders planning to either increase or maintain current IT staffing levels, and only 2% saying they expect to reduce IT staff headcount over the next two years. In fact, the IT skills shortage remains a top concern for technology leaders, with more than a third (32%) naming it as the number one challenge to growth over the next two years, placing it above global recession fears (27%) and supply chain disruption (12%).

Irish tech leaders are firmly focused on delivering long term value for their organisations through technology but are slow to devote resources to what some see as nascent technologies. Instead, they are investing in the technologies seen as most likely to deliver immediate value, such as process automation (46%), data analytics (39%) and the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G (38%).

39% of leaders consider data analytics a critical technology for driving value creation and yet just 11% of respondents say their organisation is data-centric – that is, fully leveraging data analytics capabilities to be predictive, drive innovation and continually improve every aspect of the business.

“The focus for businesses in Ireland right now is firmly on adding value and future growth, and that is very welcome. Cost reduction is almost a by-product. It’s clear that Irish technology leaders do not view transformation programmes through a pure technology lens and are instead seeing them as enablers of growth and value creation across the entire organisation. But huge opportunities still remain when it comes to technology adoption and innovation, especially in relation to managing and harnessing the power of data, ” said Ronan Walsh, Consulting Partner and Head of Technology Consulting at EY Ireland.

Continuing Journey ahead for cloud adoption

Enterprise-wide cloud adoption remains some way off – indeed, only 15 per cent of respondents indicate that all their IT systems are already on the cloud, while only 26 per cent are pursuing a full cloud strategy and in the process of migrating.

“Irish organisations recognise the need to migrate their core systems to more modern, cloud-based IT architectures but they also know this transition will not be easy. While not without risk, it is ultimately a high reward journey that requires buy-in from the very top of the organisation. We need to see more Irish organisations leveraging their data to maximum effect given that almost 39 per cent of Irish leaders consider data analytics such a critical technology for driving value. Irish organisations must capitalise on the power of data, or we risk falling behind our global counterparts when it comes to innovation,” added Ronan Walsh.

Value drivers key to investment plans; Metaverse and Blockchain not a big focus in the near term

Interestingly, a number of technologies which have attracted and generated significant interest over recent years, such as Blockchain, the Metaverse, 3D Printing and Quantum Computers, are viewed by Irish tech leaders as capable of delivering some value, however, widespread adoption is still some way off.

Colin Reilly, EY Ireland Partner, SAP Practice Leader and Technology Consulting CIO said “This may well be a case of hype failing to survive first contact with reality. We are already seeing some of the main proponents of the metaverse pulling back on investments in the new virtual realm and the paucity of use cases for the majority of businesses will probably see it remain a fringe technology for some time to come. That is not to say that it will not deliver value to organisations at some point in the future, but for the moment at least, that point seems a long way off.”

Storm Technology partners with NaviPartner to distribute specialised retail solutions

With a strong reputation for the successful design and implementation of ERP software solutions, Storm Technology is one of Ireland’s preferred suppliers of Microsoft Dynamic 365 Business Central.

By partnering with NaviPartner, Storm Technology is now able to offer four new specialised omnichannel solutions to all existing and new clients, further enhancing its current solution range and reenforcing its commitment to the retail sector.

NaviPartner has a long history as a Microsoft Dynamics 365 partner on the Danish market. Its many years of expertise has led the company to funnel its knowledge of its clients’ needs and challenges into a strong product innovation focus. The result is four well-documented and tested omnichannel solutions – namely NP Retail, NP Ecommerce, NP WMS and NP Entertainment.

NP Retail is a cloud-based retail software solution (SaaS – Software as a Service) for all types of retailers that combines point-of-sales (POS), financial management, bookkeeping, order management, inventory management, reports and statistics in one complete package.

The solution supports more than 250 payment methods, delivering payments across online, mobile, and in store. That makes NP Retail a future-proof solution that is easy to implement in multiple countries, when a business expands into new markets.

Speaking on the partnership, Karl Flannery, CEO of Storm Technology, stated: “We are very excited about this new partnership. NaviPartner has built an excellent reputation for the supply of high-quality POS, e-Commerce, Warehousing and Ticketing solutions built on top of Microsoft Business Central and we are confident that this partnership will deliver considerable advantage to both new and existing clients.”

Closely connected to NP Retail is the online e-commerce solution NP Ecommerce based on Magento. NP Ecommerce seamlessly integrates into Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and is the backbone that ensures real-time integration between the online store, the ERP system and the physical store and makes sure the inventory is always up to date. As an extension of the NP Retail solution, the NP Entertainment solution is aimed at the entertainment segment with specialized modules perfect for ticketing and membership.

To complete the omnichannel offering, NaviPartner has also developed a fourth solution – NP WMS, which is intended for the effective management of warehouse operations. NP WMS is a 100% mobile WMS solution with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology for Dynamics 365 Business Central. The implementation process is extremely cost-efficient, as customers can configure the solution themselves and thus get started in a matter of hours. End users will only need a minimum of training for this easy-to-use app. All that customers need to get started is the NP WMS app and access to Business Central SaaS.

NaviPartner is happy to see their product portfolio brought to market with extra manpower. “We have spent a lot of time and resources on developing and refining these solutions, and we are proud to be able to offer them worldwide through strong partnerships. We find that Storm Technology with their expertise and client base is a perfect match for us, and it will mean that our solutions can be presented to a whole new segment of customers,” says CEO of NaviPartner, Mark Stewart Pedersen.

One WhatsApp account, now across multiple phones

Mark Zuckerberg just announced that you can now use the same WhatsApp account on multiple phones. Finally says WhatsApp users including myself so check out the details below for more.

Last year, they introduced the ability for users globally to message seamlessly across all their devices, while maintaining the same level of privacy and security.

Today, they are now improving multi-device offering further by introducing the ability to use the same WhatsApp account on multiple phones.

A feature highly requested by users, now you can link your phone as one of up to four additional devices, the same as when you link with WhatsApp on web browsers, tablets and desktops. Each linked phone connects to WhatsApp independently, ensuring that your personal messages, media, and calls are end-to-end encrypted, and if your primary device is inactive for a long period, we automatically log you out of all companion devices.

Linking phones as companion devices makes messaging easier. Now you can switch between phones without signing out and pick up your chats where you left off. Or if you’re a small business owner, additional employees are now able to respond to customers directly from their phones under the same WhatsApp Business account.

This update has started rolling out to users globally and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.

Also rolling out over the coming weeks, we’re introducing an alternative and more accessible way to link to companion devices. Now you can enter your phone number on WhatsApp Web to receive a one-time code, which you can use on your phone to enable device linking, rather than having to scan a QR code. We look forward to introducing this feature to more companion devices in the future.

Boom Gemini – Expandable Wireless Audio Is A Sound Idea From Boom Collaboration

Fast-growing video conferencing manufacturer, Boom Collaboration, has developed a wireless and expandable audio solution for smarter and more flexible meeting experiences.

The portable Boom GEMINI is a dual unit system, where each device features four omnidirectional microphones each with an impressive reach of up to eight metres.

Dynamic noise reduction and automatic echo cancellation are combined with wideband audio for supreme plug-and-play performance. It provides the ability to double the audio and microphone capacity for medium to large meeting rooms, as well as more adaptable spaces.

Boom Collaboration was created in 2020 by founders Fredrik Hörnkvist and Holli Hulett, in a bid to disrupt the sector and stand out from the crowd – creating high performance, high value advanced products.

The ambitious Texas-based business has quickly developed an extensive conferencing portfolio and operates in 20 countries, with plans for major expansion to 30 more this year including the UK and central Europe.

Flexible spaces

Hulett explained: “Our latest innovation signals the end of messy wires ruining office aesthetics. The Boom GEMINI is a perfect solution and represents the future of audio devices for virtual meetings.

“The main stylish unit benefits from five easy control buttons and can be discreetly connected via daisy chain to its’ twin’ for expandable audio which effectively doubles the range. It’s designed for medium to large rooms, flexible spaces or even meetings on the go.”

The Boom GEMINI boasts 10 hours talk time plus 90 days in standby. It charges over USB and can also connect and call over USB as an alternative to the battery. Bluetooth 5.0 comes with a BT dongle for easy pairing.

She concluded: “Enjoy professional, wireless audio in conference rooms and meeting spaces on any meeting platform. The Boom GEMINI twin speakerphones make meetings better, simply. Wireless connectivity with Bluetooth ensures attractive cable-free audio in an ideal centralised location without the expense of running cables under flooring.

“When paired with our MAGNA or MIDI PTZ cameras it creates a very powerful complete conferencing system which is both flexible and high performance.”

BLUETTI To Roll Out New Expandable Mobile Power AC60 & B80 For Outdoor Adventure

BLUETTI, the leader in the clean energy storage industry, will launch its new AC60 & B80, the smallest solar generator with expandability, in mid-May. 

The latest innovation comes as BLUETTI noticed a gap in its market: Though there are many power stations, small ones comes with less capacity while high capacity comes in big and heavy structure. What about a power station that combines flexibility and extensible capacity to meet different needs in different scenarios?

Enter the BLUETTI AC60&B80. 

What is the BLUETTI AC60?

The BLUETTI AC60 is a solar generator with a 600W inverter and a 403Wh LFP battery that can add B80 for capacity boosting. With a compact size (11.4 x 8.1 x 9.2 inches) and lightweight (18.9 lbs), it is portable enough to carry outdoors. Equipped with 7 different outlets including two AC outputs, one USB-C port with Power Delivery with up to 100 W, one cigarette lighter port, two USB-A ports and a wireless charging pad, the AC60 can charge various devices. While it features a 600W pure sine wave inverter, it is able to carry a device of 1200W for a short period in its Power Lifting Mode. 

Water and Dust-proof

Its internal structure is significantly upgraded from BLUETTI’s previous models: its circuits are isolated from the fan vents and all external materials pass water and dust-proof testing. BLUETTI AC60 is rated IP65 for water and dust protection, making it a perfect power source for various outdoor activities such as overlanding, beach camping and more. 

Fast Silent Charging

The AC60 supports four charging methods including adaptor, car, solar and generator charging. With a 600W AC Turbocharging, it takes just 40 minutes to recharge AC60 from 0 to 80%. The unit operates quietly at 45 dB, or below 40dB under Silent Charging Mode, ideal in confined spaces such as a room or tent. 

Smart Power-Saving

Featuring advanced ECO mode, the AC60 will automatically shut off to save power if no loads are connected. For powering small loads, AC and DC outputs can be adjusted separately to 10-30W and 5-20W respectively on the BLUETTI App. That can reduce its self-consumption and keep it running for 1-4 hours. Moreover, it has ultra-low stand-by loss when not in use.

Easy Monitor & Control

It is both high-tech and user-friendly, with an intuitive colour LCD screen that displays battery percentage, charge/discharge time remaining, output/input power and other helpful information. Plus, the BLUETTI App offers real-time monitoring and control from anywhere for ongoing management. 

 

What is the B80 Expansion Battery? 

Designed to complement the AC60, the B80 uses the same reliable LFP cells, the most stable and safest battery for energy storage that deliver over 3500 cycles. Two B80s, 806Wh each, can expand the capacity of AC60 to a maximum of 2,015Wh. The B80 can also work as a stand-alone DC power source with three DC ports: a USB-A, a USB-C, and a car outlet. It can also be recharged on its own via its input ports or in connection with the AC60.

 

Reliable and Safe Quality

As reliable and safe as the AC60, the B80 comes with an advanced battery management system to ensure maximum efficiency and prevent over-voltage, over-temperature and short-circuit and other safety problems. BLUETTI also provides a 6-year warranty for worry-free use. 

 

Compact Size for Outdoor

The AC60 and B80 are roughly as compact as a normal shoebox. They both have a solid fold-down handle, making them easy to carry and store during RV trips or outdoor activities. Both IP65 rated, they are weather-proof and ready for any outdoor adventure. 

Availability & Price

The AC60 and B80 will be available on BLUETTI’s official website and in its Amazon stores by mid May, with the debut price remaining undisclosed, although relevant staffs leak that it will be budget-friendly. Additionally, BLUETTI is proud to offer a 6-year warranty on these products, providing customers with peace of mind and ensuring their long-term satisfaction with their purchase.

About BLUETTI

With over 10 years of industry experience, BLUETTI has tried to stay true to a sustainable future through green energy storage solutions for both indoor and outdoor use while delivering an exceptional eco-friendly experience for everyone and the world. BLUETTI is making its presence in 70+ countries and is trusted by millions of customers across the globe. For more information, please visit BLUETTI online at https://www.bluettipower.com/. 

Viatel Technology Group partners with Cisco to offer sustainable networking solutions for Irish enterprises

Viatel Technology Group, a leading provider of networking solutions and digital services, has announced an initiative to help its customers reduce their carbon footprint and be more sustainable when refreshing their networks. Viatel customers can now return used hardware to be responsibly reused and recycled. By recycling end-of-life equipment, companies will reduce e-waste, helping them to achieve their sustainability goals and reach their targets for a circular economy.

Access to this takeback scheme is a result of Viatel recently being awarded Cisco’s Sustainability Certification. The certification recognises that Viatel, a Cisco Partner, is committed to providing sustainable networking and IT infrastructure solutions that are not only good for the environment, but also reduce operational costs and increase efficiencies. Cisco, the worldwide leader in technology that powers the internet, has committed to achieving 100 % product return on end-of-use hardware globally, a goal that Viatel has now pledged to support.

Eilish O’Connor, CTO with Viatel Technology Group, said “We are very proud to have been awarded the Sustainability Certification by Cisco and to be in a position to help our customers to be more sustainable in their network refresh efforts. Like so many companies, our customers have become more environmentally conscious. When discussing network refreshes and updating IT infrastructure, the sustainability of our proposed solutions has become part of the conversation for the first time. Achieving this specialisation allows us to operationalise environmental sustainability practices in a meaningful and practical way.”

Eilish continued, “Viatel Technology Group’s commitment to sustainability is part of its broader mission to deliver reliable, cost-effective, and innovative network solutions to our customers. By prioritising sustainability, the company is not only reducing its impact on the environment but also helping our customers to do the same.”

Viatel Technology Group CEO, Paul Rellis, congratulated the team on this latest accreditation, “Our team is constantly upskilling to stay on top of the latest innovations from our global partners. The sustainability certification is special because it resonates so strongly with our own company values. As a responsible corporate citizen, we are committed to our communities and our environment and to reducing our own carbon footprint.”

Viatel Technology Group delivers its award-winning fully managed SD-WAN service exclusively on Cisco Meraki technology. Earlier this year, Viatel published Ireland’s first SD-WAN Report, supported by Cisco.

 

For more information about sustainable networking options, visit www.viatel.com.