Category: Tech News

Chris Wylie, Cambridge Analytica whistleblower, to address technology event in Dublin

Dell Technologies has announced that its annual conference – the Dell Technologies Forum – will take place in Dublin on September 27th with a focus on helping businesses enhance their cybersecurity strategies to unlock new possibilities for growth.

The annual conference, which has been held virtually for the past two years, will return to an in-person experience at the Convention Centre in Dublin. By engaging in breakout sessions, interactive experiences and connecting with technologists and industry experts, attendants will gain valuable insights focused on everything from multi-cloud strategy delivered as-a-service, sustainability and hybrid working to modernised and secure technologies and enabling AI decision making at the edge.

Over the course of the event, a series of keynote speakers, including Chris Wylie, Cambridge Analytica whistleblower, Aongus Hegarty, Dell Technologies President of International Markets, Tara Gale, Dell Technologies Client Solutions Country Lead, Alex Rice, Dell Technologies Client Solutions Field Marketing Manager, and Jason Ward, Dell Technologies Vice President and Managing Director, will discuss some of the most exciting trends in the world of technology today.

Commenting on the launch of Dell Technologies Forum 2022, Jason Ward, Vice-President and Managing Director, Dell Technologies Ireland said: “Over the past two years, we have witnessed first-hand the impact that technology has had in empowering businesses and spurring growth at a level we hadn’t imagined before. But for organisations of any size to succeed into the future, they’ll need to avail of a comprehensive cyber resilience strategy and invest in new and emerging technologies as they grow.

“The Dell Technologies Forum provides the opportunity to discuss how businesses can achieve this while gaining valuable insights into how they can manage and analyse data through our latest case studies and keynote speakers. We will also highlight the investments Dell Technologies is making in different solutions, including multicloud environments and cybersecurity, to help ensure that companies can secure their data while gaining a competitive edge. 

“By accessing the insights and solutions from the team of experts at this year’s Dell Technologies Forum, leaders across Ireland can harness new growth opportunities, unlock the true value of data and accelerate the pace of digital transformation in 2022 and beyond.”

The Dell Technologies Forum is run in partnership with Intel and Microsoft. For more information and to register for this free event, visit: https://events.dell.com/event/14f9f60b-bbb9-4e58-bbef-ab6206452026/summary

New project pulls digital and physical worlds together for better product design

Researchers at the University of Bristol’s Department of Engineering are improving the way digital and physical design tools can work together to make products more quickly, cheaply and by anyone.

The £425k funded Engineering and Physics Research Council project brings together expertise from the University of Bristol and Bristol Digital Futures Institute with industry specialists Ultraleap, Autodesk , The Product Partnership,  the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in a new two-year project that aims to redefine the prototyping toolchain.

‘21st Century Prototyping Technology’ will address the challenges faced by product designers when navigating physical and digital prototypes at the same time to save both time and money

It will also look at how end-users can be brought into the prototyping process, letting them play an active role in the design process even when designing complex products, and making sure that future products are exactly suited to their own bespoke needs.

Engineers will use a combination of immersive technologies including mixed reality, haptics, physical tracking and more to develop a toolbox of cross-domain prototyping tools that simultaneously draw out the benefits of physical and digital working.

Example applications include allowing designers to physically hold and manipulate digital designs without waiting for manufacture, augmenting physical objects with virtual styling or materials while running user studies and gathering opinions without making every prototype, or embedding advanced digital analysis straight into prototyping, letting designers make the right decisions, right at the start.

University of Bristol Principal Investigator Dr Chris Snider said:

“Despite its huge potential and although proven in technical capability, the use and value of immersive technologies for product design is yet to be fully explored. We want to know if they can achieve their promise to designers and if so, how.

“I’m hoping that this project will set the tone for how products are designed in the future.  We want to cut through the vast complexity and cost that straddles virtual and physical worlds to make a streamlined process to benefit both designers and users.”

Chris’s team will be working with Bristol Digital Futures Institute to access its network of community, industry and governmental collaborators for workshops and dissemination. They could also make use of BDFI’s new facilities, such as the Reality Emulator – a large scale, multi-sector advanced digital twin at the heart of the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus.

BDFI Institute and Partnerships Manager Hayley Shaw said:

“BDFI’s mission is to transform digital innovation for more sustainable, inclusive and prosperous futures. End-user involvement in the process of design is an important part of the suite of methods BDFI will deploy to achieve this mission, and we are delighted to support Chris and his team in this pioneering project.”

HP expands product portfolio in the Irish market to Make Hybrid Work, Work

At the HP Amplify Executive Forum, HP Inc’s annual partner roadshow, the company announced a new device which is now available in Ireland to help people thrive in their hybrid work environments.

 “Ways of working have changed significantly over the past few years, with people seeking the flexibility to collaborate and create wherever they need to be, and the technology they use is fundamental to this,” said Neil Dover, Country Manager of HP Ireland. “HP is in a strong position to support the hybrid working world through hardware, software, and services, and we are thrilled to bring this new PC to the Irish market; the HP Dragonfly Folio G3 – the hybrid-ready convertible PC for business.”

With nearly half of workers having at least some flexibility in where they work in 2023, workers want devices with personalised experiences that enable them to securely collaborate, create, and be productive no matter where they get work done.

 

Your new mobile office

HP continues to deliver premium experiences in its expanded Dragonfly portfolio. With a pull-forward design that seamlessly transitions from laptop to tablet, the HP Dragonfly Folio G3 empowers collaborative thinkers to create, capture, and share ideas whenever they strike.

The PC combines laptop productivity with the convenience of a tablet in one device to enable true productivity when working from anywhere. The PC makes brainstorming and whiteboarding ideas a personalised experience with natural and intelligent inking with the HP Dragonfly Folio Pen. The pen magnetically attaches to the device, features three programmable buttons, and can wirelessly charge to 100% in 30 minutes. Users can unleash even more creativity by using their pen on the display of the PC to ink on a secondary connected display with HP Indirect Inking.

Never miss an opportunity to whiteboard and naturally capture ideas on with the HP Dragonfly Folio Pen.

Enhanced by HP Presence, the PC offers collaboration features for more productive and engaging video conferencing experiences. The 8MP camera ensures users show up naturally and the 100-degree field-of-view makes it easy for another teammate to join on screen when collaborating in person. When users want to think on their feet, HP Auto Frame keeps them in frame when they want to stand, stretch, or move around – perfect for days with back-to-back meetings. It also automatically adjusts voice volume to maintain consistency whether users are close or far from the microphone. When working remotely, users can worry less about background sounds with AI-based noise reduction that filters outbound and inbound noises. For added security, the HP Privacy Camera allows users to disable the webcam with the touch of a button.

The PC is built with recycled magnesium, aluminum,and ocean bound plastics.

HP Wolf Security for Business provides a resilient defense against malware and hacking, while new seamless firmware ensure 50% reduction in update time and allows users to stay productive and continue working during updates. To go one step further, HP Privacy Alert lets users know when prying eyes are viewing their screen so they can quickly switch on optional HP Sure View to blur the screen from unwanted eyes.

The new thermal solution optimises PC performance without adding significant weight or thickness and the new dimming features helps conserve battery power for long work days.

When it comes to personalising the mobile office experience, the myHP application provides a single dashboard to control and customise PC settings for excellent video, audio, and more.

Pricing and Availability

  • The HP Dragonfly Folio G3 is available now in Ireland for a starting price of €1,499.

Huckletree to open UK’s first workspace tailored for Web3 companies and innovation

Huckletree, a UK and Ireland workspace innovation business is expanding its London presence with a new hub on Oxford Street themed around Web3 and the metaverse – the first of its kind in the UK. This milestone will mark Huckletree’s fifth opening in the capital and grow its footprint to 175,000 sq ft.

Jubilee House, comprising 22,000 sq ft, will be transformed into a new workspace concept, bringing together Web3, creatives and investors in one place. This announcement also comes at a record time for Huckletree as the company announces its intention to double its footprint across the UK whilst recording occupancy rates at an all-time high of 94 percent at group level.

Huckletree has a track record of building communities and will look to mimic the successes of its existing themed co-working spaces, such as its VC hub in Soho and Govtech hub in Westminster.

The expansive new office features spaces specifically designed and curated for businesses operating in the Web3 world, including an NFT Creator Gallery, VR/Gaming pods and decompression zones. The hub will also support new ways of flexible working with a range of spaces designed for different modes of work as well as breakout areas for collaboration, socialising and wellbeing, including a rooftop open terrace.

Huckletree, as part of its curated membership model, is targeting anchor tenants actively working in Web3 and the metaverse space. The remaining available workspace will be open to complementary sectors, with memberships set to open for enquiries in August.

As part of its commitment to the ecosystem, Huckletree has established an advisory council to oversee businesses moving into the space, with representatives across venture capital firms seeding European unicorns, Web3 entrepreneurs and the digital fashion space

The decision to locate the new hub on Oxford Street was influenced by the changing behaviours of office workers and subsequent demand for offices in central, convenient, and destination-like locations. According to CBRE, office take-up in the West End has reached 4.9m sq ft in the second quarter of this year, an increase of 149 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Reflecting these figures, Huckletree’s hub in Soho, which opened in 2019, has seen the strongest demand in the Huckletree group over the past 12 months with occupancy sitting steadily over 90 percent.

This demand is due to the area emerging as a key destination for businesses and investors thanks to its unrivalled lifestyle offering, including a buzzing alfresco dining and bar atmosphere as well as brilliant connectivity, thanks to the opening of the Elizabeth Line Crossrail.

Gabriela Hersham, Co-founder and CEO at Huckletree, said: “This latest opening for Huckletree not only marks a major milestone in our journey but also demonstrates our commitment to innovation and our ambition to back the most transformative emerging thinkers and players in the ecosystem. Web3 and the metaverse have the potential to transform every industry as we know it, and the community working behind the scenes, be they on the investment or business side, are in need of a space to call home that can also be a platform for funding, deal-flow, ideas, talent, and togetherness. 

Oxford Street is an iconic address in London that has suffered financially and culturally. We want to help drive the re-imagination of the area, to create a vision where emerging hybrid communities meet heritage and tradition.” 

Huckletree was advised by Situu.

Sony introduces the new SRS-XV900, its loudest and most powerful wireless party X-series speaker

Sony today announced the launch of the new SRS-XV900, the most powerful and loudest Bluetooth party speaker in the wireless speaker X-series range. The speaker forms part of the “LIVE LIFE LOUD” vision to deliver exciting sound entertainment experiences to music lovers around the world. Life should be lived at full volume and that means being able to enjoy clear, rich sound from Sony’s new SRS-XV900 speaker to make the most of every single moment.

Fill your home with high sound pressure with Omnidirectional Party Sound 

Enjoy Powerful omnidirectional sound with the SRS-XV900. This wireless speaker is designed to fill the space with sound. The speaker comes with the X-Balanced Speaker Unit and its non-circular diaphragm gives more sound pressure and reduces sound distortion by maximising the area of the speaker as well as the Jet Bass Booster port to deliver deep, punchy, powerful bass. The midrange drivers provide excellent vocal clarity and the 6 tweeters front, side and back spread high-frequency sound all around.

Long lasting battery life

You can now take your sound anywhere around your home with 25-hour[1] battery life on the SRS-XV900that will keep the music going day and night. If you find your speaker running out of battery, there’s no need to worry. With the speaker’s quick charging, you can get 3 hours of playing time from just 10 minutes of charging. With the Battery Care Mode feature, you never have to worry about overcharging your speaker, making it more dependable for longer.

Convenient handle and wheels to easily move the speaker around your home 

The product comes with a convenient handle and wheels.  Whenever you want to move the speaker, take hold of the carry handle and tilt it back. Sturdy castors let you roll all the way to the party!

TV Sound Booster connectivity to enhance your TV sound experience

The SRS-XV900 speaker features Sony’s unique function, TV Sound Booster that lets you enjoy enhanced sound when watching TV. Deep bass and realistic high-frequency sound from the SRS-XV900 fills the room and boosts your TV’s sound to provide a rich audio-visual experience, whether you are watching live performance videos or movies. Simply connect the optical cable (included) and select TV Sound Booster mode to any TV brand or model.

Fun and Entertaining features

Love karaoke? Then you and the SRS-XV900 speaker will make a perfect double act. Plug in your microphone, pick a song, and give it everything you’ve got. And don’t stop at singing. With two inputs (mic & guitar), you can even plug in a guitar and use the speaker as an amp. By using the Fiestable mobile app and its new Double Tracking karaoke function, your singing vocals will be enriched to make the singing voice more comfortable.

And if that wasn´t enough, you will always have complete control of the speaker with the intuitive top touch panel that allows you to change function, settings and lighting with just a touch.

MEGA BASS and LIVE SOUND

The MEGA BASS feature allows you to dial up the bass on your speaker, providing you with deep and punchy bass. With the new SRS-XV900 speaker, you can enjoy your music like it is live whilst the LIVE SOUND mode lets you recreate that unique atmosphere and re-live your favourite music experiences, over and over again. LIVE LIFE LOUD and create memorable moments with the SRS-XV900.

Easy connectivity and Bluetooth pairing 

Party Connect via Bluetooth® allows you to connect up to 100 compatible Sony Bluetooth speakers[2] to enjoy synchronised sound and lighting for an extra large party and to make sure everyone’s dancing to the same beat. In addition, the speaker allows you to plug in and play music with USB connectivity. And if your smartphone is running low on battery, you can even plug it into the speaker and have it charged directly.

The SRS-XV900 also allows you to instantly connect the speaker to your smartphone using Bluetooth fast pair for Android.

Sony | Music Center and Fiestable

The new SRS-XV900 is compatible with both Sony | Music Center and Fiestable apps. With Sony | Music Center you can select playlists, cue the next song, change lighting patterns, and sound modes all from the dance floor. Fiestable allows you to access fun features to help create the ultimate party atmosphere, such as making a party playlist, karaoke functions including Voice Changer and Echo, plus DJ control to add sound effects.

Sustainability matters

Sony´s products are designed to deliver industry-leading sound quality and also to consider the environment. Sony’s originally developed recycled plastic is used in the front and rear panels and internal parts of the SRS-XV900 speaker, reflecting how Sony strives to reduce the environmental impact of its products.

Price and availability

The SRS-XV900 speaker will be available for purchase in Europe from October 2022 for an estimated retail price of €1199 / £999.

New Research Report From Presidio Shows Cloud-Advanced Organisations Are Better Positioned to Stay Ahead of Market Conditions

Cloud adoption is a top priority for enabling innovation, becoming more agile and scaling growth, according to the 2022 Cloud Transformation Benchmark Report, commissioned by Presidio, the global digital services and solution provider that operates its European hub operations out of Sandyford in Dublin.

With inflation and the possibility of a recession, organisations have turned to cloud technology as a competitive edge and driver for operational efficiency. Companies with mature cloud adoption have demonstrated a greater ability to scale to meet demand and grow ahead of price increases, labour shortages, cybersecurity attacks and supply chain challenges. In fact, Presidio’s research found that cloud-advanced organisations experienced greater efficiency (69%) and increased speed to market (68%) from cloud adoption. The report also uncovered the biggest opportunities and challenges in digital transformation, including:

  • Top Drivers: maintaining compliance (53%), becoming more agile and supporting innovation (45%), and scaling and growing the company (43%) are top factors driving organisations to the Cloud. For healthcare and financial services organisations, compliance (56% and 57% respectively) and saving money (52% and 48% respectively) were the top two drivers.
  • Data Struggles: 70% of IT leaders report difficulties with too many disparate data sources, and 65% are challenged in providing timely actionable data and dashboards to the right users.
  • Top Roadblocks:security concerns (44%), skills gap (36%) and finding the right partner with the right experience (35%) are the biggest roadblocks to cloud adoption.
  • Influence of IT varies widely:many (42%) say they have little to no influence on their business initiatives while 22% say they play an important role in business decisions.
  • Expectations vs. Reality: 60% of IT decision-makers indicate experience in building cloud-native applications, but only 17% believe their team is proficient with DevOps and automation.

“Digital transformation is more than just moving applications and workloads to the Cloud – it’s curated disruption in traditional thinking that drives competitive advantage,” said Robert Kim, Presidio’s Chief Technology Officer. “This report validates our viewpoint that companies who successfully adopt cloud strategies will drive increased long-term growth and be better positioned to weather the storm of geopolitical and socio-economic concerns – whether from global health issues, supply chain disruptions or dramatic fluctuations in the labour market. The key is finding the right partner to accelerate cloud initiatives to extract organizational value faster.”

Skills gaps range widely with over a quarter (27%) of organizations acknowledging that they are not skilled or are just getting started in building cloud-native applications, and less than a fifth (17%) of IT decision makers say their team is currently proficient with DevOps and automation. Additionally, only 19% say their teams are proficient with cloud operating models, and just 14% say they are proficient in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

To accomplish their goals, many organisations rely on partners that can address some of IT’s biggest concerns, such as looming cybersecurity threats and advanced attacks. In fact, 95% of IT leaders value partners who understand data and access security, threat protection and recovery. Additionally, the majority (94%) also say it’s essential for partners to have experience in modern network technologies that handle different types of data both on premise and in the cloud.

For more information on how to solve the biggest challenges download the report here.

Introducing Zyler – Smart & Realistic Virtual Clothing Try-On

Anthropics Technology presents Zyler – AI-powered virtual fitting technology for shoppers and retailers that allows customers to try on hundreds of outfits quickly and easily on a smartphone, desktop or in store. A selfie and a few measurements are all that is needed. Simple and fun, Zyler transforms customers’ shopping experience, creating a virtual fitting room. Customers can discover their style and fit remotely. Zyler’s patented technology uniquely produces personal results.

Shoppers can use technology on their phone, desktop and in-store try on clothes from hundreds of brands or a certain brand
find the best fit and style save time shopping

Fashion brands and retail improve shoppers’ experience increase intent to purchase and sale conversion increase social media shares improve brand engagement minimize returns.
Try On Displays, Catalogue and Product Style Discovery, Sales Assistant Helper, and a Quick Try-On Scanner are some of the solutions

Zyler enables shoppers to try on clothing in a variety of styles right on their phones or desktops, before making a purchase. Users test different outfits on themselves virtually – to see what suits them, to find their style, and to save time shopping – uniquely, all with their own shape and size taken into account. With a large proportion of clothing purchases and sales made online now, consumers and retailers can enhance their shopping experience by using Zyler.

Zyler’s patented technology, based on the latest cutting-edge research, has precision and accuracy down to the hips, legs, waist, chest, arms, and even shoulder and head measurements. Clothing details from the original image (e.g. texture, colour, hem, or sleeve length) as well as facial features, skin tone, body shape, and overall fit are uniquely taken into account for a realistic try-on experience. Shoppers can try on hundreds of outfits – from casual wear to evening gowns and wedding dresses. These features have not been seen in virtual try-on technology before. Zyler is the most realistic clothing try-on solution to date, utilizing state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence.

CEO of Anthropics, Alexander Berend, leading the development of the product, says: “Zyler continues to evolve and succeed in enriching the ecommerce industry”.

Try-On Displays, Catalogue and Product Style Discovery, Sales Assistant Helper, and a Quick Try-On Scanner are some of the other uses of the technology.

HealthBeacon launches HB Smart Pills Solution

HealthBeacon plc (“HealthBeacon”), the leading digital therapeutics company for injectable medications, has extended its platform to manage complex and critical pill regimens with the launch of its new HB Smart Pills Management System (“HB Smart Pills”).

 The announcement will be made at HealthBeacon’s inaugural Vision Event in Boston later today where CEO Jim Joyce will share the Company’s vision from 2022 to 2024, with an interactive product showcase of the Company’s medication adherence technology following talks by global industry leaders and patient advocates on healthcare innovation using digital health technology.

The launch follows the Company’s recent addition of the integrated HB Smart Scale and the partnership with the American Pharmacists Association Foundation.

The HB Smart Pills solution is an elegant device designed to fit into a patient’s home managing up to nine oral medications and integrates seamlessly with the Company’s existing technology platform. The innovative HB Smart Pills solution notifies the patient when prescription refills are required and records visual images of pill containers to ascertain medication adherence.

Adherence to pill regimes is a significant challenge for people with chronic illnesses managing multiple critical medications at different intervals, with up to 60% of patients globally failing to take their medications as prescribed. The U.S. oral solid dosage pharmaceutical market was valued at $214.1 billion in 2021 and is expected to exceed $420.3 billion by 2032.

Expanding the Company’s product offering to now include Pill Management enables HealthBeaconto continue to roll out its technology and services through pharmaceutical companies, specialty pharmacy and governments, deepening its existing relationships and increasing its customer base.

 HB Smart Pills will be available through the company’s existing distribution channels in 2023.  To learn more contact HBSmartPills@HealthBeacon.com 

 

Commenting, HealthBeacon CEO and co-founder, Jim Joyce, said: “Today’s launch of the HB Smart Pills at our inaugural Vision Event is a significant milestone for the Company on its path to becoming the world’s leading digital therapeutics platform for patients managing medications in the home. Broadening our product offering and connecting HealthBeacon members to better health with digitally enabled solutions is an important step on this journey. The recent new product announcements of the HB Smart Pills and integrated Smart Scale build on the significant momentum in the business as leading pharma companies and health systems adopt our technology.”

 

 

 

EnerMech invests €9.2 million in first Irish facility to support growth in new markets and announces the creation of 170 new jobs in Athlone

EnerMech has today officially opened its first facility in Ireland, creating approximately 170 jobs opportunities over the next three years. The base cements the integrated solutions specialist’s commitment to the area and its growth drive across new sectors and geographies.

Bringing its five decades of engineering and manufacturing experience to bear, EnerMech has already delivered several campaigns from the site, including providing its services to a large semiconductor project for a world-leading North American company.

Located in IDA Ireland’s Business and Technology Park in Athlone, the company has been delivering its range of specialist services from the base for the past year. This project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Tánaiste & Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment, Leo Varadkar said: “I’m really pleased to welcome EnerMech to Ireland and in particular Athlone, which is a fantastic choice of location for this substantial investment. These 170 new jobs will be a real boost, and really underline Ireland’s growth as an international advanced manufacturing hub. EnerMech has a remarkable 50 years of experience with a global presence in 23 countries. We will continue to work hard to create the right environment to attract such world-class companies to all parts of the country. I wish the team all the very best and trust they will be very happy in their new community.”

Minister of Trade Promotion, Digital & Company Regulation Dara Calleary TD said: I’m delighted that EnerMech have chosen Ireland for this expansion which will create 170 jobs over the next three years. EnerMech’s new facility in Athlone is well positioned to serve the thriving engineering, biopharma and MedTech clusters in the region and beyond. These roles, across a range of specialist engineering disciplines, will provide a fantastic opportunity for the highly skilled and talented workforce our country has to offer. I wish the team every continued success in this new chapter.”

Building on the long-term sustainability of its business in the region, the company now employs over 110 employees locally, including five local apprentices on the Pipefitting Apprentice Scheme, delivering a broad spectrum of capabilities across specialist engineering disciplines to support project construction and deli very. These numbers are expected to rise to a further 60 full-time job opportunities including a further 10 apprentice openings in the near future.

In addition to growth in core markets, the move further supports the company’s global diversification drive as it eyes expansion in infrastructure, renewables, power, energy, and hi-tech industrial sectors, a key growth area for EnerMech across the globe. The Ireland base is another step forward for the company in this goal, as the facility is home to the company’s first ISO-certified cleanroom. This additional capability supports high purity welding and pipework manufacture, a key element in the semi-conductor, pharmaceutical and food industries.

Christian Brown, Chief Executive Officer at EnerMech, said: “The launch celebrations mark the end of a successful first year for EnerMech in Ireland. Our new facility opens a number of doors for us as we look to deliver more projects from this base as well as build on our existing work across a diverse mix of end markets.

“This healthy mix of business progression demonstrates our multi-discipline capabilities are being more widely recognised and valued in new ways across the board.

“Coming together with IDA Ireland the Irish government, and clients to officially launch the site is a proud moment for the company and staff.”

CEO of IDA Ireland, Martin Shanahan said: “The establishment by EnerMech, a global integrated solutions specialist, in Athlone is terrific news for the Midlands region and beyond.  This investment is strongly aligned to IDA Ireland’s strategic pillars of Impact and Regional Development.  I wish EnerMech every success with this investment.”