Category: Tech News

Microsoft Ireland & FIT mark One Year Anniversary of Digital Skills Training Programme, #StepIn2Tech

Microsoft Ireland today announced that more than 6,000 people have taken their first StepIn2Tech by signing up to participate in the digital skills training programme that was launched in collaboration with Fastrack to IT (FIT) just over one year ago.

StepIn2Tech was initially developed by Microsoft Ireland in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in an effort to equip 10,000 learners over a two-year period with the digital skills required to gain in-demand jobs in the digital economy. The initiative also supports those who have either recently left school or college or are mid-career and interested in developing their digital skills.

Through StepIn2Tech, learners can participate in up to five starter courses focused on productivity, coding, infrastructure, cloud, and design, helping to deepen their knowledge and skills levels in these areas. Each StepIn2Tech course is free to access and can be completed online at the learner’s own pace and with the guidance and support of FIT’s team of digi-chaperones.

On completion of one or more of the StepIn2Tech starter courses, graduates are invited to participate in the StepIn2Tech mentoring programme, which Microsoft Ireland employees are delivering, in order to develop the soft skills that are required to maximise new employment opportunities. As part of the programme, Microsoft Ireland employees provide one-to-one advice and guidance on interview techniques and CV writing. Over 400 learners have completed the mentoring programme so far with 84 Microsoft employees volunteering almost 3,000 hours between them to date.

Free training places remain available through StepIn2Tech as the initiative embarks on its second year.

James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President of Microsoft International Operations, said: “It’s hugely encouraging to see that over 6,000 people have engaged with StepIn2Tech, one of a number of education and training initiatives that Microsoft Ireland has developed to empower learners – irrespective of their age, background or experience – to participate fully in Ireland’s digital economy.

“With the World Economic Forum predicting that 90% of all jobs will require digital skills by 2030, it’s crucial that dedicated pathways are made available for people to acquire the training and skills needed to access the increasingly technology-based job opportunities of today and tomorrow. It’s inspiring to hear about the experiences of StepIn2Tech graduates, such as Ilona, and to see how their lives and career paths have been enhanced through this programme. By empowering people to acquire digital skills, StepIn2Tech is aiding the transition to a digital-first economy, which must be inclusive for all.”

 

Speaking about her experience of StepIn2Tech, Ilona Tkachenko, said: “Quite soon after the pandemic hit, I was made redundant from my job and found myself at home with my family minding my two kids. As we navigated our way through that strange time, I came across this advertisement for total IT beginners to start a cyber security course. That turned out to be StepIn2Tech. The course worked brilliantly for me as I was able to do it at my own pace and, with the support of the FIT digi-chaperones. I really surprised myself with everything that I learned, and how much I wanted to keep learning and keep discovering. At the end of the course, I graduated with certificates in security fundamentals and CompTIA Security. I also engaged in the Microsoft mentoring sessions, which have been invaluable in helping me to prepare for job opportunities. I’m currently interviewing for a number of security operations analyst positions and am hoping to secure a job very soon. StepIn2Tech has opened up a whole world of opportunities for me and I’d encourage anyone who is out of work or looking to change career to take that first step.”

Peter Davitt, CEO, Fastrack to IT, said: “We’re delighted that more than 6,000 people have signed up to, quite literally, take their first step into technology since the launch of StepIn2Tech one year ago.

“With learners coming from a diverse range of backgrounds and sectors that had been negatively impacted by the pandemic, such as hospitality and retail, StepIn2Tech has proven that it can help people to develop their digital skills and avail of either new career opportunities in the digital economy or take further steps on their learning pathway. We’re very grateful to Microsoft Ireland for collaborating with us on the development of this programme and look forward to supporting many more learners through the StepIn2Tech course and mentoring programme over the coming year.”

For more information on #StepIn2Tech or to register to participate in the programme, visit: https://fit.ie/stepin2tech/.

CWSI redefines the retail experience for ŠKODA with managed mobility solution

CWSI, one of Europe’s most experienced mobile and cloud security specialists, is today announcing that it has redefined the retail experience for ŠKODA UK with a fully managed and highly secure Ivanti mobile solution delivered to its approximately 130 retailers in the UK.

ŠKODA is one of the world’s oldest car manufacturers, with its origins dating back to 1895. Since joining the Volkswagen Group in 1991, it has become one of the most successful automotive brands, having established a presence in more than 100 markets worldwide.

To support the growth of the brand and the ever-adapting automotive markets, ŠKODA UK wanted to increase customer satisfaction throughout the car purchasing process with the use of digital tools. It needed an integrated and mobile digital solution to present sales collateral such as brochures and informational materials to customers, as its processes were primarily paper based. The brand was also developing Digital Assistant, an iOS-based app used by sales teams to view and provide detailed information on every ŠKODA model.

CWSI won the contract and designed a Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solution based on Ivanti Cloud technology. This has enabled the seamless rollout and management of nearly 1,000 iPad devices across ŠKODA’s 130 UK retailers. As well as providing a collaborative, centrally managed platform for these point-of-sale devices, the secure solution underpins the company’s revolutionary retail experience for customers – the Digital Assistant app. CWSI worked closely with the development team in the creation of the app and its insights were crucial and shaped how the app was developed.

Following the rollout, retailers can host virtual appointments via the iPads with customers who may not wish to visit the showroom, or give vehicle tours to customers from the comfort of their homes. Additionally, ŠKODA saw an uplift of +0.4 in the customer experience score when an iPad was used. It also saw a similar uplift in salesperson knowledge scores. CWSI’s deployment saves valuable time for employees by providing all necessary information at their fingertips. The mobile and adaptable nature of the managed iPad solution is also ideally placed to support remote or hybrid working.

CWSI manages the lifecycle of the fleet of iPads from procurement right through to decommissioning. CWSI has Ivanti Premier Partner status as well as one of the largest in-house teams of accredited Ivanti engineers and support analysts in the UK. CWSI also provides point of contact support and manages repair should a technical issue arise, ensuring business continuity.

Chris Batty, Digital Experience Manager, ŠKODA UK: “ŠKODA is known for producing some of the best cars on the market and we needed a customer experience to match that. We required an all-encompassing solution and through leveraging modern technologies, we have built an industry-leading sales tool. Enabled by CWSI’s management solution, customer satisfaction scores have increased and sales teams are more empowered.

 “Ultimately, the solution is helping to drive profitability for the brand and is now an integral part of the ŠKODA customer journey.”

Ronan Murphy, CEO, CWSI: “Having previously worked with CWSI, ŠKODA knew we could be trusted to deliver the next phase of its journey. CWSI provides a fully managed proactive service for the devices which requires no action on ŠKODA’s part, which is something retailers appreciate as they can focus on their core business.

 “This leading mobility solution with best of breed security, compliance, device management controls and functionality has amplified the customer experience for ŠKODA. It has future proofed the company’s retail operation, underpinning the Digital Assistant app and truly allowing sales employees to be product experts. Our own product team is continually monitoring potential enhancements to Ivanti’s products and any other changes that may affect ŠKODA’s solution. The adaptable, scalable deployment was built with the future in mind.”

Restaurant technology platform Toast celebrates opening of new office in Dublin

Toast, Inc., the all-in-one digital platform built for restaurants, today celebrated the opening of its new office on St Stephen’s Green in Dublin. Toast CEO Chris Comparato and Senior Vice President of Engineering Robert McGarry were joined by Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Damien English TD, IDA Ireland, guests and Toast staff members to launch the new office and to welcome the news that the company is on track to create 100 jobs in 2022 across several functions including software development, sales and customer support.

Toast is a cloud-based, all-in-one digital technology platform purpose-built for the entire restaurant community. Toast provides a single platform of software as a service, or SaaS, products and financial technology solutions that give restaurants everything they need to run their business across point of sale, operations, digital ordering and delivery, marketing and loyalty, and team management. Headquartered in Boston, Toast was founded in 2012 and today employs over 3,000 people across the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada and India. Toast established its first international technology and product development centre in Dublin in 2017. Toast has enjoyed a partnership with the Irish government through IDA Ireland, and Ireland continues to strategically contribute to the growth of the company’s talent base and innovation capabilities.

Welcoming the news Minister of State Damien English said “I am delighted to welcome this announcement from Toast, which will see the creation of 100 new jobs as part of their Irish expansion. I am happy to hear that the jobs will be in a range of areas including software development, sales and customer support. It shows that Ireland continues to be a location of choice for FDI thanks to the large pool of highly skilled workforce we have and can attract. The concept of a one stop shop for restaurants to manage all their digital needs shows great innovation and I’ve no doubt it will be welcomed by many companies in the industry. I wish Toast all the best with their new office in Dublin and with their future endeavours in Ireland.”

Robert McGarry, Senior Vice President of Engineering for Toast and leader of Toast Dublin office said “Toast originally chose to invest in Ireland largely for its concentration of high level technical capability; over the last several years, we’ve come to reap so many more benefits from our strategic investment here–ease of collaboration with other Toast teams, Irish hospitality, and more. We look forward to more fruitful days to come for Toast in Ireland.”

Commenting on the announcement Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said “This expansion underlines the company’s commitment to Ireland. It builds on Ireland’s reputation as both an established software hub in Europe and as a strategic location of choice for driving international growth. I wish the team at Toast every success in the new office here in Ireland.”

The new Dublin office will include elements such as:

  • Spaces to facilitate open collaboration and socialisation, and flexible “neighborhoods” to support growth;
  • Top of the line technology to better connect our Toast employees whether at home or across the globe;
  • Reception design inspired by an open market; and
  • A community gathering area (cafeteria) designed to resemble a restaurant.

To learn more about current opportunities at Toast, visit the company’s careers site.

Dell Technologies Transformation Made Real Event to Focus on ‘Making Your Business Cyber Resilient’

On June 30th, Dell Technologies will host the latest event in their Transformation Made Real Series focused on theme of ‘Making Your Business Cyber Resilient’.

As business leaders look back over the last two years, it’s clear there has been a seismic shift in how organisations perceive technology and its role in shaping a do-anything-from-anywhere economy.

However, with new technologies shaping a data-driven economy, there is a growing need for businesses to place cyber resilience at the heart of their digital transformation journey. After all, success in a digital economy relies on the ability of businesses to secure data and maintain trust in their IT systems.

To truly thrive in the digital era, leaders must focus not only on the power of new technologies to transform their business but also on the importance of putting in place measures to mitigate against, respond to and recover from the growing threat of cyber-attacks.

With cyber-attacks occurring every 11 seconds globally, what steps can Irish businesses take to strengthen their cyber resilience and ensure they can continue transforming at speed in the months ahead?

Connected and The Business Post, in association with Dell Technologies, will host a Transformation Made Real hybrid event on Thursday, 30 June.

The hybrid event will reveal the growing focus on cybersecurity amongst Irish business leaders. With the cyber risk front of mind for everyone right now, speakers will map out the steps leaders can take to make their business cyber resilient.

Speakers will include Jason Ward, Vice-President and Managing Director and Tom Digan, Cyber Security Director, both of Dell Technologies Ireland. Further members of the panel will be announced in the coming days.

To register, visit: https://partnerships.ie/

 

Dell launches a new wave of Inspiron PCs designed to keep you connected to what matters most

Dell today unveiled the new Inspiron family – with 13-inch, 14-inch and 16-inch sizes available – providing an immersive experience while streaming videos, browsing social media, creating content or connecting with friends and family around the world.

“We live in a world where people – especially the younger generations – want to creatively and easily connect with friends, families and the rest of the world – all with the click of a button while showcasing their personalities,” said Kevin Terwilliger, vice president, Inspiron and Vostro, Client Product Group, Dell Technologies. “This is what inspired our latest Inspiron portfolio, all while keeping productivity and quality at the forefront of our products so individual expression flows freely.”

 Meet the New Inspiron Plus

Designed to provide extra performance to power passions, the new Inspiron Plus laptops are built for those who want to bring their creative projects to life and share with others.

The Inspiron 16 Plus, presented in a Dark Green color, is a powerful laptop that features the latest 12th Gen Intel® Core™ H-series processors and optional NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics, which allows for quick photo and video editing. When configured with a GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, it provides access to a powerful suite of NVIDIA Studio tools including Broadcast and Canvas apps. Load and switch between apps effortlessly with the new 4800 MHz DDR5 memory, which has 1.5x more bandwidth than the previous generation of 3200 DDR4 memory. And with a 15% increase in the area of air outlet vents over the previous generation, the laptop can circulate out more air, keeping it running fast and smooth.

The Inspiron 16 Plus has a larger 16:10 aspect ratio active area with up to a 3k resolution display, allowing consumers to see more content while working and playing. Video chats get even better with Inspiron’s latest technologies. The built-in FHD webcam with temporal noise reduction and wide dynamic range work together for crisp detail. Dual microphones capture voices distinctly, while echo cancellation and AI-based noise reduction cuts down on background noise. And a mechanical camera privacy shutter provides peace of mind.

Inspiron 16 Plus levels up viewers’ front-of-screen experience with Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®. With Dolby Vision, take full advantage of HDR content’s superior dynamic range with infinitely deep blacks and dazzling brights. Entertainment recorded with Dolby Atmos allows you to experience sound exactly the way the artist wanted. Quad speakers, two of which are up-firing and two are down-firing, provide loud, clear, and unmuffled audio.

With everyone spending more and more time in front of their screens, it is essential to keep your eyes comfortable. The Inspiron Plus series comes equipped with ComfortView Plus hardware, a low blue light solution that reduces harmful blue light emissions without sacrificing true-to-life color. Coupled with dimming technology that reduces flicker, extended screen time is easy on your eyes. Additionally, there is plenty of space for navigation with a roomy touchpad, that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Edge-to-edge material stretches across the palm rest and touchpad for a modern and smooth work surface.

The Inspiron 14 Plus is a new member of the Inspiron family, designed to meet the needs of those who want an Inspiron Plus but prefer a smaller form factor. The Inspiron 14 Plus comes in light (Platinum Silver – available only in China) and dark (Dark Green) and provides impressive performance in a mobile design, allowing for connectivity on the go. Select configurations of both the Inspiron 14 Plus and Inspiron 16 Plus are Intel® Evo™ certified.

 Inspiron 13, 14 & 16 and Inspiron 2-in-1

Inspiron laptops and 2-in-1s provide fast and smooth performance for everyday needs, whether it’s checking email, posting on social media, or streaming music and movies. The experience is customizable, making it easy to pick and choose the features that are most important, with optional colors, fingerprint readers, backlit keyboards, and more.

The new Inspiron family is powered by Windows 11 and includes more options to meet customers’ diverse needs, with 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors or AMD Ryzen™ 5000 Series processors with AMD Radeon™ Graphics. The Inspiron family also provides a choice of color options – Platinum Silver, Pebble Green or Light Pink (check models for specifics).

The new portfolio has an immersive front-of-screen experience, with products featuring a 16:10 aspect ratio and 4-sided narrow borders for more viewing room.  Panels start at FHD+ resolution and offer DC dimming and low blue light solutions such as optional ComfortView Plus hardware, helping ensure comfort even when viewing the screen for extended periods.

Aiming to keep family and friends close, the new features allow for even more connectivity. Products are equipped with a built-in FHD webcam and dual microphones with noise reduction technology.

And for added flexibility, the new Inspiron 14 2-in-1 features a 14% larger touchpad, providing extra room for navigation. An optional active pen offers a natural and accurate writing experience with no pairing required.

In line with Dell’s 2030 Goals, the company incorporates environmentally-friendly solutions, materials, and packaging. The new Inspiron laptops and 2-in-1s feature and 100% low volatile organic compound (VOC) waterborne paint on all painted parts. Our laptop and 2-in-1 packaging components are comprised of up to 90% recycled materials.

Services

Software, support and services are available for all new Inspiron PCs, with Premium Support Plus option available on Inspiron Plus. There is also the option to upgrade to Dell Migrate.

  • Dell Premium Support Plus offers support features under one comprehensive plan, including 24X7 phone support, automated issues detection, virus removal and automated PC optimization. Repairs for accidental damage and onsite support following remote diagnosis are also included.
  • Dell Migrate makes it easier than ever to move the hard to replace data, photos, personal records and important files to your new Dell PC. Bring your whole digital life with you using our simple, automated tool.

 

Product pricing & availability

  • The new Inspiron line is available in Ireland today, with pricing available on the Dell website here.

 

 

 

 

Refurbed Champions EUREFAS: Aiming to enable a strong circular economy throughout Europe

Refurbed, Ireland’s leading online marketplace for refurbished electronics, is today announcing its pledge, along with 16 other members of the European Refurbishment Association (EUREFAS), for a responsible refurbishment market. The goal of this pledge is to standardise renewed products with quality standard seals by 2023. With their active role in EUREFAS, refurbed are helping to shape a greener future as they encourage consumers to move towards environmentally friendly products.

In May 2022, refurbed attended the EUREFAS general assembly in Brussels where a new pledge was discussed. Members of EUREFAS pledged to take necessary actions to improve their business models in order to create a high-quality refurbishment sector for electronic devices in Europe. This includes standardising newly processed products with quality standard seals by 2023.

During the event members also had the opportunity to meet with crucial EU stakeholders from the European Commission. Members discussed key topics such as the Sustainable Products Regulation and the Right to Repair movement, both of which aim to influence industry and encourage consumers to change their consumption habits towards greener products.

Kilian Kaminski, Chair of the Working Group Communications and co-founder of refurbed, said:

“As a member of EUREFAS, we have the chance to define structures and guidelines for a relatively young industry together with competitors and partners. And not just on a local or national level, but across Europe. This creates transnational cooperation with members who pursue a similar mission. As co-founder of refurbed, it was important to me from the very beginning to be able to offer customers products of the highest quality – but this requires regulations and standards that also hold manufacturers accountable in order to make the refurbishment market trustworthy in the long term.”

He continued:

“I am delighted to see that the refurbishment market is growing increasingly popular among many countries in Europe. It is clear that there is a shift in consumer habits in many of refurbed’s markets, particularly Ireland where the number of Irish consumers buying refurbished devices is continuously increasing.”

The new EUREFAS member commitment is as follows:

EUREFAS members commit:

Towards a qualitative electronic equipment remanufacturing sector.

By signing this pledge, EUREFAS (European Refurbishment Association) members commit to take the following actions to improve their business models in order to create a high quality refurbishment sector for electronic equipment and high quality end products in Europe.

 

  • EUREFAS members commit to enabling a strong circular economy in Europe to combat climate change by reducing e-waste, carbon emissions and over-consumption of raw materials and aiming for carbon neutrality, as well as maximising the reuse of electronic equipment through refurbishment.

  • EUREFAS members are companies headquartered in the European Union that commit to comply with applicable EU and national laws.

  • EUREFAS members are committed to participating in certification schemes in order to provide the highest quality to their partners and customers and to continuously improve their systems to meet new challenges for their companies.

  • EUREFAS members undertake to use or allow the use in their electronic equipment and refurbishment processes of only original or compatible spare parts that have the same functions and technical specifications as the original parts.

  • EUREFAS members commit to ensuring privacy and consumer safety at every step of the reprocessing process.

  • EUREFAS members are committed to providing the best end-user experience by offering a commercial warranty on every electronic device sold and quality after-sales service.

  • EUREFAS members ensure the full functionality of all electronic equipment sold to the end user by testing all key control points.

 

By committing to the pledge, the refurbishment industry and the quality of the products will be structured and the interests of consumers will be safeguarded. The association has set itself the goal of providing this new quality seal by 2023 with the help of its internal members and experienced external experts.

Augustin Becquet, President and founding member of EUREFAS, says: “As there are still no pan-European standards in the market for remanufactured electronics, this commitment signed by all EUREFAS members is an important step towards making the industry more reliable, enabling a circular economy and empowering consumers to make informed, sustainable purchasing decisions.”

The current scope of countries represented in the association currently includes 9 countries and 17 members. In addition to refurbed, Recommerce, ReWare, Tech2Com, Foxway, Olinn, Omocom, Panzerglass, Asgoodasnew, Backmarket, ReBuy, ITC (ReCall First Hand), Swappie, AfB Group, Enjoy Recondizionati/Prestige Group, FixFirst and Remarketed are also

Part of EUREFAS. According to the Commission, a circular economy like remanufacturing can create 700,000+ jobs in Europe by 2030.

Best Tips to Optimize your Website for Google’s Page Experience Update!

Recent studies indicate that Google processes 3.5 million searches per day and processes 40,000 searches approximately every second.

Research also indicates that 75% of the users never go beyond the 1st page of the SERPs (search engine result pages). 

These figures are enough to specify the impact of search engine ranking on digital business. Google constantly keeps on expanding its criteria for a better user experience. Introduction of Page Experience Signal is one of the new criteria announced by Google.

 

Decoding Google Page Experience Update:

Page experience is a set of rules that quantify the user experience during a web page visit. Last year (Nov 2020), Google announced page experience as a ranking signal implemented in April 2021 in the Google Search Criteria. 

The motto of page experience update is to provide an improved web experience for all users, be it for desktop or mobile. Of course, multiple factors will impact the same, so let’s check them out.

 

Factors to be Included in Page Experience Update:

Apart from an enjoyable and memorable user experience, page experience is also measured by factors like website performance, page/site load speed, mobile-friendliness, visual stability, secured browsing, HTTPS (Hyper-text Transfer Protocol Secure), and display of intrusions (Ads). Also if you are a wordpress user check out the best WordPress theme for core web vitals.

In a nutshell, a page experience update will check the user experience and rank the same in the search results accordingly. Undoubtedly the good experiences have an advantage over bad ones. Though a few of these factors already exist in SEO, there are some new additions for gaining better precision in user experience. 

Five signals cover the entire Google Page Experience Update, as shown in the below image.

 

 

1: Core Web Vitals:

Core Web Vitals measure the page performance with the help of 3 basic aspects. 

  • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): 

LCP measures the complete page load time, including the content, images, if any, videos, etc. 

An LCP of 2.5 seconds or less is ideal. 

Removing any unused CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) or shifting them to another style sheet may also help reduce LCP time.

  • First Input Delay (FID):

FID tests the time between the user’s first interaction or the first click on a web page and the actual page response time. 

An ideal FID score is 100 milliseconds or less. 

  • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS):

Visual stability of your content is important, which is measured by CLS. Unstable visuals or site layouts are responsible for a weak user experience. Ensure a CLS score of 0.1 or less to be in the ranking game.

2: Mobile-Friendly: 

This signal verifies your page responsiveness for mobile devices.

3: Safe Browsing:

This signal checks the page’s security in terms of viruses and malware and verifies whether the same is free from other malicious content, links, bad downloads, etc., or not.

4: HTTPS: 

This signal checks whether HTTPS security is present on your page or not by checking whether SSL certificate is installed on the website or not. 

5: No Intrusive Interstitials:

This signal checks the ease with which your content is displayed to the end-users. For example, intrusive interstitials like ads, while the page download process is on, will be checked and confirmed before the ranking for page experience update takes place.

 

Expectations from the Page Experience Update

Google gives an advance intimation of approximately six months regarding every update, and this portrays its sincerity and desire to web developers, business owners, SEO/IT team for making the necessary changes in their digital infrastructure before the update is finally rolled out in the market. 

Example: For page experience update, the announcement was made in November 2020 and went partly live from April 2021, though it would take a few more months (August 2021) to be completely intertwined with all systems. 

So slowly and steadily, page experience updates will start playing their complete role in SEO.

 

How to Prepare for the Page Experience Signal?

After this announcement, there has been a phenomenal rise in the usage of page performance tools like Google Page Speed Insights and KeyCDN Speed Test, etc.

You can also monitor the Core Web Vitals of your website with Core Web Vitals Report (on Google Search Console), which portrays your page performance and picks out the pages which need improvement. Fix these issues by using any page performance tools, and you’re back in business. 

Mobile-Friendly Test to check out the site and page performance on mobile devices and Security Issues Report for checking the page for security issues can help in better page optimization.

 

Tips to Optimize your Website for Google’s Page Experience Update:

 

  • Make sure Your Site is Secured With SSL Certificate:

In an online business, if you wish to provide a memorable user experience to your visitors, website security is a must. No one likes to ponder on unsecured sites or risk purchases by punching in card details when unsure about their data privacy. Security lapses in site security can harm your SEO ranks.

Apart from using web security check tools like WPScan or Sucuri SiteCheck, for checking security issues on the website for fixing them, installing an SSL certificate for site and data security is a must. 

SSL certificate encrypts all the website data (browser-server communications) by converting it into ciphertext, which looks like gibberish language. As a result, hackers cannot penetrate or misuse encrypted text, and hence customer and site data privacy is maintained.

This digital certificate transforms your website from HTTP to HTTPS, thus enhancing the page experience update signal. 

 

I would recommend purchasing an SSL certificate from ClickSSL, which provides web securities at nominal rates for a decade. Offering all global brands as a choice to customers, this platinum SSL certificate provider provides top-notch quality customer service, money-back options, and other VAS (value-added services).

  • Make sure Your Site is Responsive to Mobile and Other Devices:

Since mobile users cover almost half of the entire web traffic, your website and web pages need to be responsive to mobiles and tablets. 

Statistics indicate that in the first quarter of 2021, mobile devices accounted for 54.8% of the global web traffic and are increasing every year.

 

One section of page experience update needs your website to be mobile-friendly for a better ranking. As stated above, Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool helps test your website’s responsiveness and pinpoint other page load issues.

It’s simple. Just click “view details” near the page loading issues and fix them as suggested by the tool.

WordPress plugins like OBox Mobile help in making your site mobile-friendly.

  • Make sure Your Site Speed is Swift:

Since page load time is one of the major factors of Core Web Vitals, being a site owner, you need to ensure that the faster the page load time, the better the user experience. Therefore, Google, too, condemns slow load time and gives priority to fast-loading sites.

An ideal page load time is less than 2 seconds. But, unfortunately, 40% of the customers abandon sites that take more than 3 seconds to load. 

As stated above, Google’s Page Speed Insight Tool helps determine your site speed and scores your website from 1-100 where 0-49=poor, 50-89=improvement, and 90-100=good.

 

  • Make sure Your Site is Free from Intrusive Interstitials:

Ensure that your visitors are not displayed intrusive interstitials when they click your site from Google. These intrusions are pop-up ads that make site content inaccessible, specifically in mobiles, since they are visible on the entire screen. 

To be more specific, interstitials that are not blocking the content are still fine, but Google does not favour interstitials that block the primary content.

The below image clearly states that in the 1st image, the pop-up is at the top of the screen, making the page content visible, whereas, in the 2nd image, the pop-up covers the entire screen, which creates a negative website impression and provides a bad user experience, which Google disapproves of.

 

Avoid these intrusions for a better Google page experience update.

Wrapping Up:

Ample variables are responsible for gaining a successful SEO rank. After all, everything ends up giving a good user experience. The same rule applies to Page Experience Update too. Checkout on the metrics which Google uses for the same and ensure that your site is up to the expectations set by Google. 

Your SEO is bound to be successful if you secure your current rankings and follow all the Page Experience Update signals so that when the same gets rolling, you are ready to maintain your current SEO position.

DAACI AI Tech Sets Out to Revolutionise Music Composition

Award-winning DAACI has developed and filed a series of patents for its ground-breaking AI core tech which is set to revolutionise the creative process of music composition, democratising music creation for the metaverse masses.

Informed by the core principles of musical composition and three decades of doctoral music research, DAACI is a fully formed AI system that composes, arranges, orchestrates and produces the highest-quality original music. Unlike other AI music tools, there are no pre-recorded tracks or ready made samples. Instead, musical elements and textures are written in real time, infinitely generated on demand as DAACI dynamically responds to the creator’s brief.

The patents relate to the proprietary core tech of the DAACI framework, which dynamically adapts to user inputs and captures compositional intent. Developed to power the evolution of music creation, DAACI has multiple potential applications from movie scores to gaming in the metaverse.

Rachel Lyske, DAACI CEO said: “The demand for original music has never been greater. Whether we’re discovering new artists online, immersing ourselves in a favourite MMO game, watching a must-see TV show or browsing the internet’s infinite scroll of content, music is the constant soundtrack to modern life.

Image: Rachel Lyske, DAACI CEO

“DAACI does away with ‘computer generated’, ‘random’ sounds. It raises the standard of AI composition by creating structure and form that has exceptionally high quality, is endlessly adaptive, and generates emotionally fulfilling originality in seconds.”

DAACI can satisfy the demand for limitless composition and will power music creativity for the next generation of composers, content creators and producers, who are already realising applications for its framework tech:

Gaming: 

Whilst today’s gaming music is recognised by static and generic soundtracks, metaverse users are demanding a dynamic approach. They want to choose their own unique soundtrack in real time, to fit their story and emotions.

DAACI can provide games developers with high-fidelity contextual and situational music. From the endless creation of bespoke audio skins and NFTs to adaptive in game soundtracking, DAACI creates a truly immersive and emotional connection between players and games like never before.

Composition Ally:

DAACI doesn’t intend to replace composers. Instead, it provides an easy-to-use tool to enhance the productivity and scalability of their work. For artists and production companies, DAACI is an ally that offers the perfect combination of innovative technology and music composition axioms – delivering the best of both worlds. A true virtual composer, DAACI learns to think and dynamically respond using compositional principles and rules, delivering authentic, rich music composition at a speed and scale well beyond the limits of human possibility.

DAACI’s composition science stems from the notable team of professional musicians and composers behind it, who between them hold an enviable list of credits spanning performing, musical direction, vocal coaching, writing, producing, sound mixing and sound design. The team anticipates the landscape for how music is created and experienced is changing, so they are bringing the DAACI AI software to life as a tool for users whilst respecting and protecting the knowledge musicians have acquired.

Having successfully completed a seed funding round, DAACI is extremely excited to be launching its new round. They are raising an EIS eligible £4m which will close in September – https://www.daaci.com/daaci-deck

WBA OpenRoaming Enables Dublin’s Smart City Vision with Seamless, Secure, High-Performance Wi-Fi #WorldWiFiday

The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) and City of Dublin today announced a successful proof-of-concept trial of OpenRoaming™ in Dublin, Ireland. Initially deployed at Bernardo Square, Dame Street and the City Council’s Amphitheatre, WBA OpenRoaming enables residents and visitors to log in only once and then maintain seamless connectivity as their smartphones, tablets and other Wi-Fi devices automatically switch between different public Wi-Fi hotspots. The success of the trial will pave the way for a larger city-wide deployment. 

Dublin is a high growth city. It currently has a population in the Greater Dublin Area of around 2.02 million and is anticipated to grow to 2.2 million by 2031. It houses 30% of the country’s working population and attracts over 6.6 million overseas visitors a year.  It is anticipated that OpenRoaming will be initially rolled out on over 150 AP’s across Dublin city. 

Now available at over 1 million hotspots worldwide, WBA OpenRoaming frees users from the need to constantly re-register or re-enter log-in credentials — all while maintaining enterprise-grade security and privacy. The WBA OpenRoaming standard also enables enterprises, device OEMs, service providers and others to provide performance guarantees and — with Wi-Fi 6 and 6E— a carrier-grade experience as users roam between different public Wi-Fi venues.

The trial, initiated by Dublin City Council’s Smart Dublin programme and supported by the WBA and Virgin Media, also involved participation from CommScope and represents a key a milestone toward achieving Dublin’s smart city goals, which include:

 

  • Providing communities, residents and businesses with seamless access to services online, as well as high-quality connectivity
  • Giving tourists and other visitors free, secure, high-performance Wi-Fi access. Once they arrive and log on to an OpenRoaming-enabled hotspot, their device is automatically authenticated for use every time it switches to another OpenRoaming-enabled hotspot. This convenience makes it easier for them to find what they need, such as restaurant recommendations, transit schedules, directions and more.
  • This seamless, secure experience ensures that they have the broadband connectivity they need for interactive immersive learning, research, hybrid study and more.

 

Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, said: “Wi-Fi is the foundation for smart cities. This successful proof-of-concept trial shows that that the City of Dublin and its residents, businesses and visitors all can depend on the WBA OpenRoaming standard to ensure that they always have convenient access to seamless, secure, carrier-grade Wi-Fi connectivity.” 

Jamie Cudden, Smart City Lead, for the City of Dublin, said: “Dublin is at the forefront of a digital transformation that is serving as a model for other municipalities across Ireland and the world. Collaborations like this are key to the delivery of convenient, reliable and ubiquitous connectivity which is critical for achieving our smart city goals such as closing the digital divide and ensuring that government is responsive to the needs of citizens and businesses. This successful trial of WBA OpenRoaming is a milestone toward achieving all those goals.”

Bart Giordano, SVP Ruckus Networks, CommScope, said: ““As a founding partner in the OpenRoaming framework, we are pleased to announce with the WBA the successful launch of the OpenRoaming initiative and network for the City of Dublin.  OpenRoaming brings the promise of seamless and secure connectivity to users and IoT devices all over the world.  The core elements of OpenRoaming are in line with those of the Ruckus Network portfolio: cloud federation, cybersecurity, policy and automation.  We look forward to expanding the City of Dublin’s network and capabilities and supporting OpenRoaming deployments worldwide. “

Aidan Darcy, VP Business & Wholesale at Virgin Media Ireland said: “It’s fantastic to be working with Dublin City Council on such an important initiative. Given the fact that we are the official provider of both the Wi-Fi and broadband infrastructure, we are able to offer cutting-edge broadband speeds and an exceptional Wi-Fi experience for residents and tourists availing of the new Dublin City Wi-Fi Zones. We’re passionate about connecting communities and, with this new initiative, we really feel we’ll be creating connections for good.”

Launched in May 2020, WBA OpenRoaming is now in Release 3, which will make the business and commercial aspects of roaming easier than ever before and importantly, cut back on hundreds of hours of legal and administrative time when establishing roaming settlement agreements.

 

World Wi-Fi Day – 20th June 2022

This announcement comes just before World Wi-Fi Day (an annual WBA initiative), a global platform to recognize and celebrate the significant role Wi-Fi is playing in getting cities and communities around the world connected. 

It is a unique opportunity to reflect on how we can reduce digital poverty through innovative projects that will connect the unconnected. 

About the Wireless Broadband Alliance

Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) is the global organization that connects people with the latest Wi-Fi initiatives. Founded in 2003, the vision of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) is to drive seamless, interoperable service experiences via Wi-Fi within the global wireless ecosystem. WBA’s mission is to enable collaboration between service providers, technology companies, cities, regulators and organizations to achieve that vision. WBA’s membership is comprised of major operators, identity providers and leading technology companies across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision. 

WBA undertakes programs and activities to address business and technical issues, as well as opportunities, for member companies. WBA work areas include standards development, industry guidelines, trials, certification and advocacy. Its key programs include NextGen Wi-Fi, OpenRoaming, 5G, IoT, Testing & Interoperability and Policy & Regulatory Affairs, with member-led Work Groups dedicated to resolving standards and technical issues to promote end-to-end services and accelerate business opportunities. 

The WBA Board includes Airties, AT&T, Boingo Wireless, Broadcom, BT, Cisco Systems, Comcast, Deutsche Telekom AG, Google, Intel and Viasat.  For the complete list of current WBA members, click here.

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