Nokia has today launched the Beacon 10, its first gateway supporting Wi-Fi 6E to provide seamless, high-capacity mesh networking. The Beacon 10 is a true tri-band device which can provide Wi-Fi throughput of 10Gbps. It includes a 10G WAN interface to pair with 10 Gb/second fiber modems for multi-gigabit services to the home. The new gateway is shown for the first time at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona.
Widespread roll-out of 10G fiber powered by XGS-PON requires upgrades to home and business Wi-Fi to deliver super high speeds to enabled devices. The ‘E’ in Wi-Fi 6E means faster speeds and lower latencies, ideal for the latest office applications, home entertainment and home working experiences.
Additionally announced at the show, Nokia has upgraded its Nokia WiFi Cloud Controller to act as a User Services Platform (USP) controller. USP is the industry standard protocol (also known as TR-369) to manage services and configurations in network devices (either remotely by a cloud application or locally by a mobile app). Nokia’s USP agent in the Beacon 10 is based on the open-source OB-USPA so it can be managed by any USP controller, including the Nokia WiFi Cloud Controller.
Nokia’s presentation at MWC also highlights its newly developed, all-in-one console for Wi-Fi management and optimization. The console will be available to customer care operators, network administrators, onsite technicians and level 3 support staff to provide advanced WiFi optimization, troubleshooting and management.
Nokia has established a complete eco-system of app developers to ensure CSPs can offer the value-add services they need to their customers on their Wi-Fi units. The Beacon 10 supports the latest, fully integrated cybersecurity application from F-Secure which is delivered as a containerized application.
Dirk Verhaegen, VP Broadband Devices, Nokia, said:“We are proud to introduce Nokia’s first Wi-Fi 6E product for premium, high-performance Wi-Fi in the home and office. Not only does it offer faster speeds, but it also supports 3rd party applications and a USP agent to be fully compatible with multiple controllers, making it much easier for operators to manage. Third party apps and USP are both of strategic interest to Nokia and we will include them in all new broadband devices we introduce, as well as retro-fitting to select existing equipment”
Michael Philpott, Research Director, Digital Consumer Services at Omdia, said: “Vendors like Nokia are paving the path for the next generation of in-home broadband devices with a container application framework that separates the application from the operating system. F-Secure is the first partner to fully leverage Nokia’s application ecosystem to bring its cybersecurity solution to Nokia broadband devices using this innovative and open environment.”
Sony has announced two new headphones – the WH-CH720N and the WH-CH520 – giving music lovers the option of on-ear or over-ear wireless headphones packed with Sony’s critically acclaimed audio technology.
The over-ear WH-CH720N wireless headphones incorporate Dual Noise Sensor technology and Sony’s Integrated Processor V1 chip to provide noise cancelling. In addition, a lightweight design and up to 35 hours of battery life let you enjoy music for longer without background interruptions.
The on-ear WH-CH520 wireless headphones provide up to 50 hours battery life with all day comfort and enhanced call performance to meet the demands of your day. Plus choose from four colours – black, blue, white and beige – to match your style.
Both models also feature Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) to produce high-quality sound exactly as the artist intended as well as Multipoint connection for easy connectivity between devices.
All day comfort, without the noise
Whether you’re flying long-haul or relaxing in a café, the over-ear WH-CH720N headphones deliver Sony’s advanced noise cancelling performance thanks to the Integrated Processor V1 chip and Dual Noise Sensor technology, so you can enjoy more music and less background noise.
The Integrated Processor V1 helps eliminate external sound, with a low processing delay to make the noise cancelling more effective than ever. The WH-CH720N also features two microphones in each earcup which, coupled with Dual Noise Sensor technology, captures ambient sound. This lets you block outside noise everywhere you go, so the only thing you hear is your music.
Plus with the Sony| Headphones Connect app, you can adjust the ambient sound across 20 different levels for when you’re on the move.
Stay comfortable, however long you listen
You’ll never need to take a break from your favourite music with the WH-CH720N. The over-ear headphones are ergonomically designed to be comfortable for even longer periods. At just 192g, the WH-CH720N are Sony’s lightest overhead wireless headphones with noise cancelling. Comfortable synthetic leather and urethane materials combine with optimum ear pad structure and dimensions for exceptional wearability. With up to 35 hours battery life with noise cancelling on, you’ll have enough power to keep listening all day and into the night. You can stay comfortable at home too watching TV and who remembers the old TV ears?
The WH-CH520 have also been carefully designed with everyday use in mind. You can stay powered up for days with up to 50 hours of battery life. So you can listen to your favourite music without worrying about running out of charge. Plus the on-ear headphones feature an adjustable headband with padding, soft earpads and lightweight design so you can find the perfect fit and stay comfortable for longer.
Superb sound for every song
Enjoy natural vocals, crystal clear sound and balanced tuning on both the WH-CH720N and WH-CH520 Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE), producing a high-quality sound exactly as the artist intended. When the original music is compressed, it loses the high-frequency elements that add details and richness to a track. Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine faithfully restores these to produce high-quality sound that’s closer to the original recording.
The Integrated Processor V1 included within the WH-CH720N also produces an authentic listening experience by reproducing the detail in your music with minimal distortion. The sound tuning is intentionally designed to be well-balanced from low to high frequencies with natural and clear vocals.
Whether you’re listening to electrifying pop or bassy rap, the WH-CH720Nand WH-CH520 allow you to tailor your sound using the Equalizer in the Sony | Headphones Connect app. You can choose from a variety of settings to match sound quality with the music genre you’re listening to or even create and save your own settings.
Crystal clear conversations
Improved technology features on the WH-CH720N mean you can enjoy even better call quality. Beamforming microphones with Precise Voice Pickup technology are smartly positioned to pick up your voice more clearly and accurately in a range of environments. A newly developed Wind Noise Reduction Structure around the microphones reduce background noise for you, keeping conversations and music clear and uninterrupted.
Whether you’re joining an online class or a work meeting, the WH-CH520 also provides easy hands-free calling and great call quality. Simply answer calls with one click of the buttons on the earcup so there’s no need to take your phone out of your pocket. Built-in high quality microphones and noise suppression processing mean the WH-CH520 collects sound and reduces ambient noise during calls so you can make clear calls even in noisy environments.
Both the WH-CH720N and WH-CH520 feature Multipoint connection, easy button operation and can be controlled with your voice. Since the connection is easy with Swift Pair and Fast pair, these headphones are ideal for everyday use.
Designed with sustainability in mind
Sony has designed these headphones with the environment in mind. There’s no plastic in the WH-CH720N and WH-CH520 packaging which is designed based on low toxicity design principles and towards Sony’s “Road to Zero” environmental plan. Both headphones also use recycled plastic materials.
Pricing and availability
The WH-CH720N is available in black, blue, and white and will be available to purchase from March 2023 with a suggested retail price of £130 / €160.
The WH-CH520 is available in black, blue, white, and beige and will be available to purchase from March 2023 with a suggested retail price of £60 / €70.
The national finals of the 2022 VEX IQ Robotics Competition supported by Dell Technologies and Munster Technological University (MTU) took place today in Cork with over 170 primary school students from across the country bringing STEM learning to life by taking part in a game-based engineering challenge to design, code and build robots.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the VEX Robotics Competition in Ireland. Since its introduction in Cork the competition has expanded nationwide with over 250 primary as well as secondary students from all corners of Ireland this year engaging in STEM at the earliest opportunity.
Supported by Dell and MTU, the robotics challenge provides students with a fun, hands-on opportunity to build and programme robots in teams and face off with other competing schools across the country. Team members from Dell volunteer their time to support the VEX Robotics Competition.
Out of the 250 participating students in this year’s VEX IQ Robotics Competition, 24 schools qualified through to today’s final where teams competed for a spot at the global VEX Robotics Competition in Dallas.
The VEX IQ Robotics Competition begins in the classroom each year, with school children across Ireland working from September to December with their teacher to design, build and programme a robot. This process is assisted by members of the education community, local councils and industry stakeholders who collaborate and support the schools in the preparation stages of the competition.
Through their participation in the programme, students learn many technical skills, including robotics, engineering, design, programming and coding, but also skills and knowledge in other areas such as teamwork and financial planning.
Commenting on the final instalment of this year’s competition, Bob Savage, Vice President Regional CIO for EMEA and Cork Site Leader, Dell Technologies Ireland, said:“STEM learning is central to inspiring the next generation of developers and engineers whose skills will help shape our future as an innovation island. That’s why our team at Dell have come together with MTU to support the national finals of the VEX IQ Robotics Competition in Cork. As we celebrate 10 years of the robotics challenge in Ireland, we are proud of our long-standing partnership with VEX which provides young people with a fun way to engage in technology and foster their creativity. I want to congratulate the finalists and all the studentswho put on a powerful demonstration of their problem solving and computational skills at this year’s national finals.”
This year, the programme encouraged students to look more closely at the world around them through a STEM project with the theme of ‘Mathematics in Nature’ leading students to explore many varied applications.
In its latest 6G publication, “6G Requirements and Design Considerations”, the NGMN Alliance (NGMN) has defined several important requirements for 6G. By providing this guidance to the industry, NGMN takes on a leading role in avoiding fragmentation of future 6G standards and achieving affordable deployments and services valued by end users.
The publication offers guidance and input to Standards Development Organisations (SDOs) working towards realisation of the vision of communication systems for 2030 and beyond, currently being developed by ITU-R. It has been developed on the understanding that there will be an evolution towards 6G without distinction between any new 6G technology, an evolution of 5G or a combination of both.
New approaches have been identified within this publication covering digital inclusion, energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and flexible deployment. Potential new capabilities related to prospective use cases are discussed qualitatively as well as new paradigms to address traffic growth, capacity needs, minimise complexity and provide alternatives to densification.
Luke Ibbetson, Head of Group R&D, Vodafone and NGMN Board Member, says: “This important contribution reflects how evolution towards 6G needs to deliver customer led outcomes whilst maximising efficient use of resources and ensuring the practical deployment of software-driven networks.”
Anita Döhler, NGMN CEO, states: “As a global mobile operator driven organisation, reflecting the entire ecosystem in its membership, we are well positioned in submitting 6G Requirements and Design Considerations to SDOs and the industry. Our objective is to guide and support the mobile industry in achieving a global 6G standard and with already over 50 companies participating in this specific project today, we look forward to driving industry alignment around 6G architecture in the future.”
Following NGMN’s publications “6G Drivers and Vision” in 2021, “6G Use Cases and Analysis” in 2022, the latest publication “6G Requirements and Design Considerations” marks the next step towards a deeper understanding of 6G architecture.
Collaboration is key to driving the industry’s most important topics such as NGMN’s strategic pillars: Green Future Networks, Operating Disaggregated Networks, and 6G. NGMN therefore invites all parties across the entire value chain to join the Alliance in this important endeavour.
Further information and all publications of the NGMN Alliance can be found on their website at www.ngmn.org.
Pioneering software companyfourTheorem has secured exclusive access to intellectual property rights – focusing on the application of AI in software architectural transformation – developed by Dublin City University and Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software.
The deal enables fourTheorem to commercialise all Future Software Systems Architectures (FSSA) project output.
The programme ‘Fission’ examined the application of AI to software architectural transformation, notably in microservices extraction from monolith-based architectures. The consortium behind the FSSA project, led by fourTheorem and directed by Dr Paul Clarke and the late Professor Rory O’Connor, comprised leading-edge researchers from DCU and Lero. Dr Andrew McCarren from DCU and Insight, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Data Analytics, was co-Principal Investigator on the research programme.
Established to embrace the disruption of serverless computing, the FSSA project was jointly funded – to a total of €2.1M – by fourTheorem and the Disruptive Technology Innovation Fund (DTIF). DTIF, a €500 million challenge-based fund established to drive collaboration between Ireland’s world-class research base and industry, is managed by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and administered by Enterprise Ireland.
The project set out to address a vital issue in the world’s software market: How to reduce the risks and costs associated with migrating existing ICT systems to modern, microservices-based architectures – traditionally a manual, expensive and error-prone process.
Over the past three years, FSSA researchers have built a Machine Learning-based Automatic Architectural System that systematically identifies and extracts services from monolithic architectures. ‘Fission’ significantly cuts the time and risk associated with transforming to a modern cloud architecture.
Speaking on the agreement, fourTheorem CEO Peter Elger said: “As we enter the next wave of cloud-based software, more and more companies wish to migrate from their traditional software architecture to serverless microservices to benefit from reduced costs and increased scalability and agility. However, untangling such monolithic systems can be a complex, time-consuming process that often carries significant associated risks – for most, the biggest fear factor is knowing where to start without risking the entire system grinding to a halt because of unidentified dependencies.
“With Fission, we can rapidly accelerate the uncoupling of structures and dependencies within existing monolithic platforms – saving our clients time, money, and crucially, de-risking those first steps away from the monolith environment into a microservices and serverless future.”
Dr Paul Clarke of Lero at DCU and Director of the FSSA project, added: “Evaluations to date indicate that this technology can radically reduce the time and cost associated with software architectural transformation. Since Fission incorporates so many data capture points, including detailed internal system run time information, the risk of service judgement error is also significantly reduced.
“All that wonderful technology aside, it has simply been a great project to work on, and the fourTheorem team have been beyond excellent as partners, bringing an impressive combination of experience, ingenuity, and productivity to the project.”
OPPO has unveiled its first foldable smartphone for international users, the OPPO Find N2 Flip. With this flip device, OPPO is officially expanding the foldable product line to overseas markets after the great success of the OPPO Find N and OPPO Find N2 series in China.
Combining the largest cover screen on any flip phone with all-day battery life and SUPERVOOC flash charging, the OPPO Find N2 Flip takes foldables from the fringes to the forefront in a compact, sleek way.
The new OPPO Find N2 Flip puts an industry-leading cover screen into palms and pockets, challenging what users have come to expect from small form-factor foldables. Together with its light weight and pocketable size, the OPPO Find N2 Flip’s vertical cover screen turns the company’s debut flip phone into an incredible photography tool. The large cover screen also features powerful widgets that help users stay on top of up to six notifications at a time and handle other simple tasks without needing to open the phone.
Empowered by world-class hardware, a flagship camera system with a Sony IMX890 sensor, powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9000+, ultra-fast dual-SIM 5G connectivity, and best-in-class charging speeds, the OPPO Find N2 Flip marks the start of a new chapter for OPPO’s foldable product portfolio and flip phones on the whole.
Redefining the Cover Screen
Measuring at 3.26 inches, the OPPO Find N2 Flip’s cover screen is the largest of any flip phone on the market. Its generous size makes everything easier to do whether taking selfies or checking notifications.
The vertical orientation is a game changer, allowing the Cover Screen to display up to six notifications in one view, which is industry-leading. Quickly reply to messages in mainstream messenger apps, toggle settings, record a voice note, answer a call and more – all without opening your phone.
Balancing useful features with fun, playful moments, the OPPO Find N2 Flip’s cover screen lets you customise your home screen in interactive ways. Pet lovers can choose between a bird, cat, dog, hamster, or rabbit, and you’ll have company whenever you fire it up. From playful to laugh-out-loud, set a GIF as your cover screen wallpaper for memes on loop, and if you’re a Bitmoji fan, your sticker pack can be your AOD (always-on display). In addition to Bitmoji, the AOD also displays helpful insights including the time, date, power status, and notifications.
Rather than creating a loud, attention-grabbing aesthetic for the OPPO Find N2 Flip’s design, OPPO went for a sleek look, so the phone’s style acts as a backdrop for the cover screen to shine.
With polished aluminum sides, a fingerprint-resistant glass cover and a unique micro-etched wave pattern across the hinge, Find N2 Flip has a simplified design, which feels premium in the hand and is available in two colours: Astral Black and Moonlit Purple.
Weighing just 191g and measuring only 7.45mm in thickness, the OPPO Find N2 Flip is thin and light, and with its micro-arc, precision curved glass back cover, it is a comfortable fit in your hand, whether open or closed.
It’s the immense 6.8-inch E6 AMOLED display is picture perfect, with its cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio and smooth 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. Viewability is excellent in different environments thanks to an advanced anti-reflection film and up to 1600 nits of peak brightness.
The Best Flip Phone Camera
The OPPO Find N2 Flip’s flagship 50MP main camera features a large Sony IMX890 sensor with an f/1.8 lens – a strong foundation for incredible imaging.
See more and capture with confidence, as the largest cover screen of any flip phone gives you the clearest selfie preview available. And if you’re taking a photo or video of someone else, fire up Dual Preview so they can see how they look.
The OPPO Find N2 Flip’s 17:9 aspect ratio cover screen is the same vertical orientation as your phone’s camera sensor, keeping cropping to a minimum for maximum detail.
Unlock even more creativity with FlexForm Mode, made possible by the second-generation Flexion Hinge, as the OPPO Find N2 Flip holds its position mid-fold between 45-110 degrees for waist-level dynamic angles and evocative 4K time-lapse video.
FlexForm Mode also turns your flip phone into a tripod-steady, hands-free camera. Just part-fold it, place it on a surface and then trigger the shutter release with an open palm gesture – perfect for group shots. It also harnesses the power of the 32MP selfie camera. With its Sony IMX709 sensor, autofocus, and wide-angle lens, rest the phone down for a high-quality hands-free video call, with FlexForm mode optimized for apps like WhatsApp and Zoom.
Co-developed with legendary camera manufacturer Hasselblad, the OPPO Find N2 Flip captures pro-grade colours, a fully featured Professional Mode, and its unique XPAN mode freezes time in a wide, cinematic frame.
Much more than just a photography champion, the OPPO Find N2 Flip’s in-house imaging NPU, MariSilicon X, boosts night video to capture ultra-clear 4K footage in low light, and you can also hold the phone part-folded and sideways, just like a camcorder for a steadier grip.
Tested to Over 400,000 Folds
Much of what makes the OPPO Find N2 Flip outstanding is its second-generation Flexion Hinge, which works in harmony with the main display to create a robust folding screen with an incredibly subtle crease.
The hinge’s miniaturised design is made up of fewer components than the first-generation Flexion Hinge used on the OPPO Find N, and in its intricate simplicity, OPPO has achieved a new standard of mechanical stability. The second-generation Flexion Hinge is more compact than ever, creating extra space for a larger cover screen and a higher-capacity, faster-charging battery.
Just as with the OPPO Find N and OPPO Find N2, there is no hinge gap when you close the OPPO Find N2 Flip, so it keeps dust out to better protect the inner display. The phone has also been independently certified by TÜV Rhineland to withstand over 400,000 folds and unfolds at standard room temperature. That’s equivalent to opening and closing the phone around 100 times a day for more than ten years, and it’s also tested up to 100,000 times at 50 degrees Celsius and 95 per cent humidity, and at -20 degrees Celsius.
OPPO iterated its second-generation Flexion Hinge to guide the screen into the gentlest folding angle possible, creating a waterdrop-shaped fold that results in a significantly shallower, narrower crease than other flip phones when unfolded. In addition to being incredibly subtle to the eye, it also feels virtually imperceptible to the touch for an uninterrupted flat-screen experience.
The Longest Lasting and Fastest Charging Flip Phone
The OPPO Find N2 Flip fits a large 4,300mAh battery in its compact body. This is the biggest battery in any flip phone by a huge margin, resulting in reliable all-day battery life.
OPPO worked closely with MediaTek to create an optimised version of its flagship Dimensity 9000+ chipset for the OPPO Find N2 Flip. These efforts have resulted in over one hour of video calling, more than two hours of social media and five hours of music streaming.
The OPPO Find N2 Flip is the first flip phone to confidently offer a full day of use on a single charge – resolving one of the most critical pain points among existing and potential users of flip smartphones.
OPPO has included the fastest charging of any flip phone in the OPPO Find N2 Flip – 44W SUPERVOOC – taking the battery from nearly empty to 50% in just 23 minutes and up to 100%in less than one hour.
ColorOS 13 with the longest OS and security support in Android phones
In addition to world-class hardware, the OPPO Find N2 Flip is a huge step forward with the software experience for flip smartphones. It runs OPPO’s latest ColorOS 13 specifically optimized for the new form factor, taking full advantage of the large cover screen, Flexform Mode and a lot more. It is also OPPO’s first phone to offer four years of major ColorOS updates and five years of security updates, joining the ranks of the longest support in any Android phone.
In summary, the OPPO Find N2 Flip breaks through barriers with the largest cover screen on any flip phone. With it, world-class selfies and flagship photography experiences are made possible.
Robust enough for over a decade of folding, and with all-day battery life and fast charging, durability and battery anxiety will be a distant memory as the OPPO Find N2 Flip marks the start of a new chapter for foldables and smartphones.
Price and Availability
The OPPO Find N2 Flip will be available in Ireland later this year. Stay tuned for more information on available colours, pricing and further details but you can still buy from the UK from March 2nd if you do not want to wait.
Cyber security provider F-Secure today releases a new version of its premium cyber security service Total. Total now enables users to protect themselves from complex cyber threats with one simple solution. Integrating previously separate F-Secure SAFE, FREEDOME and ID PROTECTION into a single easy-to-use app, Total offers users the very best in online protection.
Recent F-Secure research found that 60% of people find managing security of all connected devices impossible. By launching one app that offers complete security and privacy on desktops, phones and tablets, with no complicated set-up and jargon free, F-Secure is making security simpler for their customers.
What’s new?
Same app for every family member adapts to individual protection needs
Optimised child user experience (including own UI scheme)
Family rules enhanced with VPN
People & Devices for easy license, user and Family Rules management
New iOS Safari extension for browsing protection
On Windows Banking Protection prevents untrusted network connections from happening during the online banking session
New remote Access Protection blocks use of remote access tools during banking session
The launch of Total comes alongside a new look F-Secure as it sets its sights on simplifying cyber security for consumers who face confusion around what protection they need for their devices.
Getting started with F-Secure Total is easy. Thanks to the online management portal (my.f-secure.com) or the People & Devices view inside the Total app, users can have all their devices protected in a matter of minutes without the hassle of multiple installations, license keys and credentials.
F-Secure Total provides:
Malware Protection – Offering award-winning Malware protection, Total is built on the same antivirus protection technology as SAFE. It protects devices against viruses, trojans, ransomware and other harmful apps that may collect, steal or lock personal data, credit card numbers, banking credentials and other valuable information. Total brings the fastest response times to new threats with a combination of the new behaviour-based protection technology, DeepGuard, and the latest AI-enhanced cloud technologies (Windows and Mac).
Browsing Protection – Browsing Protection allows users to browse the internet safely, automatically keeping them away from malware and phishing sites.
Banking Protection – Banking Protection gives users added security for online shopping and banking. It prevents access to known malware and phishing sites and a VPN encrypts all internet traffic to protect security and privacy.
Privacy VPN – Privacy VPN enables online security and privacy even on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks such as hotels, restaurants and airports, encrypting all data traffic to the internet and keeping online activities safe from hackers and trackers.
Family Rules – F-Secure Total has been designed to protect the whole family, from small children to adults, adjusting to individual protection needs. Total lets parents set healthy boundaries for children’s device use without forgetting the core online security and privacy. With Total, children can explore the internet, install apps and communicate with family and friends safely.
The Time Limit feature helps in setting boundaries for screen time and bedtime whilst a content filter prevents access to unsuitable online content. Family Rules can be managed through parent’s Android or iOS app or through the online management portal.
Gaming Mode – Gaming Mode optimises many security and Windows settings and functionalities for optimised and uninterrupted gaming. In Gaming Mode, Total updates are paused to save bandwidth and CPU load, prompts, notifications and PUSH messages are not shown, and automatic or scheduled antivirus scans are not started. Total PC has been optimised for the best gaming performance.
Password Vault – Good password practice lowers the risk of personal information falling into the hands of criminals. Password Vault enables easy creation of strong and unique passwords and synchronises them across all devices. Password analysis pinpoints improvement areas like use of common, weak or even re-used passwords while autofill of passwords simplifies daily use of the vault.
ID Monitoring – F-Secure comes with integrated ID MONITORING which helps to respond to account takeover and identity theft threats. It relies on F-Secure’s breach detection and underground web monitoring. If personal information is found among breached or leaked data, users will receive a warning email. Instructions on what to do next are available in the app.
Cyber Help – The Cyber Help service aids with user’s online identity related concerns and in case of an identity theft incident, will help with remediation.
F-Secure Total is available from www.f-secure.com now with prices starting from £44.99.
Tile, a Life360 company and the pioneer in finding technology, today announces the launch of Anti-Theft Mode—a feature designed to protect valuables from theft by increasing the chances of recovery. This is accomplished by making Tile Bluetooth trackers operating in Anti-Theft Mode undetectable by Scan and Secure, an in-app feature that allows both iPhone and Android users to scan for and detect nearby Tiles and Tile-enabled devices. Tile users can activate Anti-Theft Mode on any Tile tracker in use now, including Tile-enabled partner products. Anti-Theft Mode will begin rolling out to Tile users today and be available to all users in the coming weeks.
Tile’s new feature is designed to protect users’ valuables and has been developed in response to customer demand and following a period when theft rates have increased (by 20% in the UK in the year ending September 2022), with economic uncertainty likely to drive robbery rates even higher. Anti-Theft Mode makes it easier to recover stolen valuables by making it harder for thieves to know an item is being tracked.
Unlike other Bluetooth trackers on the market, namely AirTags, Tile does not notify nearby smartphone users when an unknown Bluetooth tracker is travelling with them. These proactive notifications can communicate to thieves that a tracker is on the stolen item, allowing them to remove it and making recovering the item less likely. Some competitor products go as far as to issue an audible beep once the tracker has been separated from its owner, making it clear that a tracker is present and enabling thieves to find it with precision. The proactive notifications found in the Bluetooth tracker industry were designed to prevent stalking; however, these anti-stalking measures have been criticised for being insufficient for victim protection. Instead, these alerts have the possibility of making Bluetooth trackers easily identifiable by thieves.
Users can choose to activate Anti-Theft Mode on any Tile, rendering the tracker invisible on Scan and Secure. This feature, in addition to Tile’s existing lack of proactive alerts to nearby smartphones about a tracker in the vicinity, makes it much harder for thieves to locate Tile trackers on stolen goods.
“Anti-Theft Mode is the only solution in the Bluetooth finding category designed to make it harder for thieves to get away with valuables,” said Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Life360 Chris Hulls. “We know that families don’t have time to misplace their items and certainly don’t have the time or money to replace belongings when they get stolen. We’re giving our users a solution that empowers them with a choice. The choice to make their devices invisible to Scan and Secure if they wish, and sleep a little easier at night knowing Tile is doing everything we can to protect their valuables.”
To activate Anti-Theft Mode, users must submit and apply for an advanced ID verification process that includes a biometric scan to accurately detect fake IDs. Once ID verification is complete, the user will be registered with Tile, and Anti-Theft Mode will be activated across all of the user’s Tile Bluetooth trackers. Syncing a government-issued ID, such as a passport or driving license, with a Tile user’s account is a proactive measure to deter the feature from being used for nefarious purposes, such as stalking. Anonymity is directly linked with abusive behaviour both in person and online so Tile is eliminating anonymity and bringing in the latest ID verification technology to its Anti-Theft Mode offering.
In addition, the company is taking a highly collaborative stance with the police and Anti-Theft Mode users must acknowledge that personal information can and will be shared with them at Tile’s discretion, to aid in the investigation and prosecution of suspected stalking.
Anti-Theft Mode’s strict usage terms and verification process are progressive safety measures at the product level to protect against unintended uses, like stalking, by holding bad actors accountable and providing victims with actionable resources against their stalkers. Multi-factor ID verification, defined consequences and clearly established cooperation with police forces are crucial steps in deterring stalking—as well as halting unwanted future conduct5.
“Location sharing and finding have become a part of our daily fabric, and it’s not going anywhere. We develop products for the vast majority of people who use them as intended, and for those who do not, we are committed to cooperating fully with the police,” said Hulls. “To meaningfully address stalking with technology, we must implement safeguards like ID registration of all location-enabled devices that are small enough to be planted on a person so police forces have information to pursue justice for victims. In the meantime, we’ll do what we can at the product level to keep people safe from the outlying cases of bad actors while increasing the likelihood of recovering stolen items with Tile to help people live more relaxed lives.”
Users wanting to keep track of valuables in an under-the-radar manner can choose to activate Anti-Theft Mode for any Tile in the brand’s product line of Bluetooth trackers. Tile products come in various shapes, sizes and styles, including the Tile Pro, Tile Mate, Tile Slim, and Tile Sticker. Users must be 18+ to activate Anti-Theft Mode.
For more information about Tile’s Anti-Theft Mode, approach to theft, and stance against stalking, visit tile.com/blog/tile-anti-theft-mode.
The latest release of /e/OS, the deGoogled and pro-privacy smartphone operating system (OS) includes the privacy-focused independent search engine Mojeek, offering customers concerned about privacy more options to search online without being tracked.
As two human-centric independent technology products, Mojeek and /e/OS are both excited about the new ways in which this combination can help those looking to leave the surveillance-heavy walled gardens of Silicon Valley far behind.
The founders of these two alternative tech projects, Gaël Duval and Marc Smith (of /e/OS and Mojeek respectively) have built sustainable businesses which are competing with Big Tech and providing people with real choice.
With the coming of the latest update of /e/OS 1.8, Mojeek search engine can now be found among the list of other privacy search options in the /e/OS Browser app.
Individuals with smartphones running /e/OS can change the default search engine, in the Browser app, by clicking on the three-dots button (top right corner) then navigating to Settings > Search engine.
/e/OS is a deGoogled mobile operating system which goes to great lengths to remove all of the unnecessary and privacy-invasive aspects of Google’s long-running mobile platform. Through this work, Gaël and his team have made the move to privacy as simple as possible for the end-user.
Whereas with most similar operating systems you have to have sufficient technological knowledge to unlock and re-flash your previously Android-running device, with their trading arm users can buy Murena smartphones, including Murena One, with the /e/OS operating system already running on them out of the box. On top of this, pre-flashed /e/OS smartphone models include the anti e-waste electronics manufacturer Fairphone, offering an ethical and environmentally-friendly smartphone alternative.
Mojeek is a non-tracking search engine that is truly and transparently independent, unlike most allegedly “alternative” search engines which still continue to source results from either Google or Microsoft’s Bing.
Started in 2004, Mojeek now has a web search index of over 6.5 billion webpages. After becoming the first ever private search engine back in 2006, Mojeek has grown sustainably by leveraging the investments of committed private investors who believe in Mojeek’s aims. Their team has also grown steadily, bringing in individuals that share its values of privacy and support for human rights. This includes experienced tech entrepreneur, Colin Hayhurst, who stepped into the role of CEO in 2020.
Gaël Duval – /e/OS and Murena
“It’s a pleasure to collaborate with Mojeek to bring their pro-privacy search engine to Murena users. It brings a lot of value, and shows that working together, we can build a strong and new proposal for users. Like the organic food market became real in the 2000s, together we are pioneering this emerging and super dynamic ‘fair-IT’ market, that offers a real answer to consumers who are seeking products that offer guarantees for their privacy, and are more sustainable.”
Colin Hayhurst – Mojeek “People and businesses should be able to search and then navigate the web without having their tracks followed or data harvested. Mojeek search results are provided based on the search query you enter, only on settings you control, and can even be customised without any cookies. To provide that we built our search infrastructure, index and algorithms from the ground-up. Our mobile users want a platform from an entity that practices similar principles, and is an alternative to Big Tech companies like Google, Apple and Huawei. Murena and e/OS/ is the ideal complementary smartphone platform for using Mojeek.
“This release has for the first time combined a web search engine and operating system with both being truly alternative pro-privacy products. With both projects having aspects of their offerings which are environmentally-friendly (Mojeek being a green search engine, /e/OS being available on the Fairphone 3 and 4) and both having been built outside of the assumed home of software, Silicon Valley, this is a completely unique opportunity for people to take back their privacy and support alternatives. After years of domination by US business and venture capital, two dynamic European companies are showing the world that they still have a choice when it comes to their tech.”
