With Christmas shopping ramping up, ebay.ie has revealed its most searched-for products over the past 4 weeks to show what’s on the nations’ wish list this festive season. The PS5 tops the charts..
The 10 most searched for items over the past four weeks were:
PS 5
iPhone 11
Pokémon Cards
Nintendo Switch
Xbox Series X
Laptop
iPhone 12
Murphy Models (model trains)
Gaming PC
Lego
Gadgets, tech and gaming
70% of the most searched-for products on ebay.ie are electronics and gadgets, with gaming consoles, iPhones and laptops all making the top 10 searched list
The PlayStation 5 is the most searched for games console, making the no. 1 spot, followed swiftly by the Nintendo Switch in 4th place.
The iPhone 11 is the most popular Apple product on ebay.ie, coming in at number two on the list, while the iPhone 12 was close behind making it into the 7th place
For those looking to shop Irish this Christmas, ebay.ie has it covered with over 2,400 small Irish businesses operating on the marketplace, offering a huge variety of goods at a range of price points, with speedy delivery to boot!
These specially selected gifts from Irish businesses on eBay are just the ticket if you’re in need of some tech inspiration for your loved ones:
Nearly three quarters of Irish adults (68.6%) rely on their smartphones while working, at least some of the time, according to new research revealed by Samsung Ireland. This research highlights a change in work habits, especially when it comes to how people leverage technology. Almost sixty per cent of Irish people (59.5%) need technology to multitask, while the survey also revealed that the majority of Irish respondents never leave their house without their smartphone (62%).
With this research, Samsung wanted to explore the role technology plays in enabling the transition to better ways of working, including the ability to work from anywhere, multitasking and better productivity. The national survey of over 1,000 people, conducted by Opinion Matters found that the use of technology made users more productive and even became a source of inspiration to many respondents.
Smartphone Reliance
Samsung’s research revealed that people still rely heavily on their smartphones, particularly in the world of work where 7 in 10 (68.6%) rely on their smartphone devices to work, at least some of the time, with:
Almost one in four (23%) said they consistently use their mobile devices throughout a workday
A further 13% claiming they are on their devices all of the time, and
While 32.7% rely on their device at least some of the time
This also rings true in younger demographics, with three quarters of Millennials (76%) saying they rely on their smartphones to do their job, 26.3% consistently check in on their devices while working, and almost half (49.3%) claim they would feel lost without their smartphone device.
Multitasking
More than half of Irish people (60%) say they need technology to multitask. Interestingly, 35-44 year olds are 10% more likely to multi-task than their next generation, 45-54 year olds. The research revealed due to reliance on smartphones, multitasking has become easier for respondents with most Irish people revealing they regularly watch or play something on their devices even while they watch TV (63%). Over a quarter of 16–25-year-olds admit to using their phone while at the cinema (30.6%) or a friend’s birthday party (42.1%), while they are least likely to sneak a text at a christening (12.9%).
Paul Toland, Ireland Sales Lead for Samsung’s IM Division commented, “It’s incredibly interesting to see the increased adoption of technology in work environments. Our research proves that there’s a demand for more innovative devices, and we are proud to have made huge strides in this area recently through the launch of our latest range of Foldables. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 blends smartphone and tablet functionality, where users can easily run three apps on screen at the one time. Through products like this, we can see the technological advancement for productivity is becoming a priority in new device design.”
“Our customer feedback helps us deliver the best devices possible, particularly inspiring us to incorporate innovative smash-proof solutions such as Gorilla Glass Victus and Armor Aluminum frame, in our latest Flagship range. While mobiles are more prevalent, in Ireland Samsung saw a 15% increase in tablet sales in the first three quarters of 2021, highlighting consumers love for multi-device usage.”
A Source of Inspiration
Smartphones are now one of our greatest companions for both work and life, with over 82.4% of respondents claiming that the content they see on their device brings them inspiration. The research revealed that the majority of Irish people never leave their house without their smartphone (62%), while 30.3% of 16-24 year olds claim that their smartphone means more to them than most of their possessions.
When it comes to purchasing smartphones, there’s a keen interest in innovation with people wanting more from their devices. Over 70% of respondents want a device that stays charged for longer (72.8%), while other key requirements include wanting a smash-proof (61.3%) and water-proof device (59.8%) that has access to the internet from anywhere (54.5%). It is clear that respondents don’t want to spend a minute without their smartphones regardless of location, accidental drops or even if they’re out in the rain.
Quentin Doran O’Reilly, Head of Product Management said, “At Samsung we have seen first-hand a transformative change in the world of work thanks to technology, which is why we developed, and are constantly refining, the Samsung Ecosystem. Our goal is to empower people with technology, be it smartphones, tablets or wearables that integrate seamlessly. The Samsung Galaxy Ecosystem, thanks to app continuity, pursues a connected lifestyle that makes it easier and more comfortable to use Galaxy devices simultaneously or switch between them easily. From experience, it is invaluable to be able to seamlessly connect your collection of devices to your phone without spending five minutes in the settings. When working from home, I can easily join calls whilst walking using my Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Buds”.
NagleCommunity College was today revealed as the winner of The Excellence in Education award at the annual it@cork Leaders Awards, winning €5,000 to promote STEM activities within their school for teachers and students. Eight other winners were awarded on the day, recognising standout innovation, growth and impact in the south west technology sector.
Award-winners included Trustap, which received the Scale Up of the Year award, and Clearstream Global Securities Services, which was recognised as the Multinational of the Year for 2021. The Smart Technology Innovation award went to BioMarin while the it@cork Skillnet Best Workplaces award was awarded to Cloudera. Excellence in social impact saw the Diversity, Inclusion and Social Impact award go to Wisetek while Tech Start Up of the Year was awarded to Limerick-based, WrxFlo.
Paul Hourican of PFH was awarded Tech Person of the Year after being selected by the it@cork Executive Board for his commitment to developing and growing the tech sector in the region throughout his career. Chairperson of it@cork Gillian Bergin presented the Chairperson’s Community Award to the Cork Migrant Centre at Nano Nagle Place for their commitment to supporting migrant families in the region through outreach and upskilling programs.
Speaking about the awards, Ms Bergin, said: “Despite a tough year, we have seen world-class innovation and agility throughout the technology sector, in the south west region and beyond. We were hugely impressed by the standard of this year’s submissions; their energy, passion and optimism shone through and each finalist should be immensely proud. The 2021 Leaders Awards winners and finalists exemplify the best in our sector and I am confident that the future is bright for technology in the South West.”
it@cork Treasurer, Aiveen Hyland, who led the project team behind the event said: “It has been my honour to oversee the awards process this year and I would like to thank all at it@cork, our sponsors and our judges for their time and dedication and indeed to our valued members for their support throughout 2021.”
The sponsors of this year’s awards included Enterprise Ireland, C.H. ROBINSON, Springboard Communications, Deloitte, TREND MICRO, KPMG, Altada, it@cork Skillnet, and Cork County Council. All awards winners received bespoke glass sculptures created by Fermoy artist Suzanne O’Sullivan.
The annual Leaders Awards is one of two flagship events for it@cork each year designed to showcase the best of technology leadership, innovation and excellence in the region. A not-for-profit organisation, it@cork works with academia, private sector, and state agencies to promote the region as a technology excellence hub and provides a click-and-connect ecosystem for new and established companies to connect and participate in the region.
Tech Person of the Year Award – Paul Hourican, PFH
Tech Start Up of the Year Award– WrxFlo
Scale Up of the Year Award–Trustap
Multinationalof the Year Award- ClearstreamGlobal Securities Services (CGSS) (Deutsche Börse Group)
Smart Technology Innovation Award–BioMarin
It@corkSkillnet Best Workplace Award–Cloudera
Diversity, Inclusion and Social Impact Award–Wisetek
Chairperson’s Community Award – Cork Migrant Centre
Excellence in Education Award – Nagle Community College
Spotify is the world’s largest music streaming service with more than 165 million premium users. It offers the best music suggestion you could ever find in any streaming service like Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, YouTube Music, Tidal. For music artists it is one of the most suitable platforms and Spotify promotion service is a very helpful tool to increase engagement quickly.
As a music lover, do you want to download all Spotify songs and playlists for offline listening on any devices, but Spotify is a music streaming service, and Spotify uses DRM to protect its over 75 million songs, even though you can download Spotify songs for offline playback with a Premium account, the songs you downloaded comes with DRM protection and you can only play them within Spotify App. To remove the DRM protection from Spotify music, you will need to use a professional Spotify Music Converter. Fortunately, you can use the UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter to remove Spotify DRM and convert Spotify music to MP3, either Free or Premium users can use it to convert Spotify music to DRM-free MP3 format. Now you can use this downloaded MP3 format for listening to it in an offline mode, sharing it with your friends, and using it as background music for your PowerPoint presentations.
The UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter application works on both Windows and Mac computer, with this Spotify to MP3 converter, you can download and convert Spotify music to MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC or any other format, whether Free or Premium subscription. UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter is a very simple and easy-to-use the software. It has an intuitive and clean UI as well. It is perhaps the best and most effective converter software we have ever used. Here are all the features the application provides.
Main Features of UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter
Convert Spotify songs into various formats such as MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC, OGG and AIFF.
Either free or premium subscribers can download Spotify songs, albums or playlists for offline listening on any devices.
Remove DRM Protection from songs downloaded from Spotify.
Download Spotify music to PC and Mac for easy playback.
Convert Spotify music with 100% audio quality as the original.
Preserve all the metadata tags like song title, artist, album, cover photo, track number, genre, etc. in the converted songs.
Batch convert Spotify songs at a single time.
Enjoy Spotify music offline even with your free account.
Copy music to USB drive to share with family and friends.
How to Convert Spotify Music to MP3?
For getting started, you first have to download the Spotify Music to MP3 Converter on your Mac or PC. The steps shown here are for Mac. But the steps for Windows are also similar. Step 1. Installing the UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter on a Mac
To initiate the installation process, you can download the UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter for Mac first. Then click on the icon to run it. You can use the application for free or register now. Do note that the free version only gets you about 3 minutes of conversion for every audio file. To convert full songs, you have to register.
Step 2. Launch the Spotify Music to MP3 Converter To launch the Spotify Music Converter, simply click on the icon. Spotify will launch at the same time.
Step 3. Add Music to the Converter
Now you have to import all your songs and playlists from your library. To do so, just drag songs, playlists, albums, tracks, etc. from Spotify to UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter (Mac).
Or, you also can click on “Add Files” button present on the top-left area, then add songs by copying the Song/Artist link and pasting them into the search bar.
Step 4. Select Music to Download
The songs you’ve added will be now displayed. You can select songs which you’d like to convert by selecting them individually or selecting all of them at once (batch select).
On the next screen, all the songs selected for conversion will be displayed. You can also see the original metadata which will be retained into your converted songs.
Step 4. Select Output Format Now select the format you would want your songs in. Go to Options > Advanced and select among the formats MP3 (default), M4A, WAV, FLAC. You can also edit the sample rate and bitrate of your songs here.
Tips: If you want to change the output format, you can also do so. Go to Options > General and browse to the folder you want your songs in.
Step 5. Download and Convert Spotify Music to MP3
Hit “Convert” button and relax. The conversion process has begun. After the conversion process stops, all the songs will be added to the folder you specified (or the default one) in your favorite format.
Manually Activating UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter
You can use the free version of the application but that restricts you to just 3 minutes of audio. This is why purchasing and registering is recommended.
Step 1. To register, launch the application and click on the “Register” button. Now, enter the registration code. You will get the registration code in your email inbox once you have successfully purchased the software.
Step 2. After entering the code, click the drop-down button next to the activation button, click “Activate“.
Step 3. Once you have successfully activated the software, you will see the message “Activation Successful!”
Great. You have successfully registered and activated UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter.
Pros
Easily convert Spotify music into other audio formats
Keeps all the metadata intact after the conversion process
100% quality of the music retained
Cons
Need to install Spotify application on computer.
Not compatible with iOS and Android.
System Requirements
Operating System – Windows 8, 8.1, 10, 11 (32-bit & 64-bit)
Operating System – Mac OS X 10.6 and above
Processor – 1GHz processor or above
Monitor – Monitor with 1024×768 pixels or higher resolution
RAM – 512MB or higher of RAM
Support Languages – English, French, Japanese, Deutsch, Espanol, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.
Final Verdict
This is a great tools can help you convert Spotify to MP3 for offline listening, it’s a must-have tool that all Spotify users need to own one. Technically, the best Spotify to MP3 Converter you can choose is UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter, we have tested other brands of Spotify downloader, only the UkeySoft will help you convert Spotify music to MP3, M4A, FLAC, AIFF, or WAV with lossless quality at fast speed, and the the output quality is almost as the CD quality; Moreover, all the ID3 tags are saved on the output MP3 or M4A files, so that you can easily to handle your songs while playing on other MP3 player, or burning them to a CD.
In a word, you can keep using Spotify for free as it is a freemium service. And at the same time, keep downloading and saving your favour songs using the UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter for offline listening on any device
Just like a new car starts to lose value the second you drive it out of the dealership, phones start to depreciate as soon as you take them out of the box – and some depreciate in value much faster than others.
musicMagpie’s Annual Phone Depreciation Report uses our own trade-in data to compare the values of the most popular phones from Apple, Samsung, Google, OnePlus and Huawei, for three years from the date the device was launched, creating a definitive guide to phone depreciation.
We’ve crunched the numbers to help you reduce the amount of money you lose from depreciation and help you make smarter choices for the environment too.
Of all the 5G phones released, the iPhone 12 Pro, one of Apple’s first 5G-enabled models, managed to retain its value the best in the six months after release, dropping by just 32%. Samsung’s first 5G-enabled phone release, the Samsung 10 5G, lost a higher 55% of its value in the first six months.
The 10 phones which held the most of their value at 12 months are all iPhones – making them the better investment for people who are likely to trade their device back in every year to upgrade.
The iPhone 11 has held onto its value the best, depreciating by 33% in the first 12 months. The iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 8 Plus take the 2nd and 3rd positions, losing 36% and 38% of their value respectively after 12 months.
The OnePlus 7T and the Samsung S7 Edge are the best performing non-Apple phones, losing 50% and 52% of their value in their first 12 months on sale.
The Huawei Mate 30 Pro was the worst performing phone in our 2021 report, losing a huge 87% of its value in the first year. The Huawei P20 and OnePlus 8 were the next worst performing phones, losing 84% and 83% of their value after just 12 months.
Apple’s worst performing model was the iPhone X, which lost 51% of its value 12 months after launch. The Samsung models which depreciated most in the first 12 months were Samsung Flip, which lost a substantial 83% of its value, and the Samsung Fold, which lost 75%.
With scores of shoppers on the hunt for the best bargains this Black Friday, a new consumer study, conducted by Uswitch, has analysed Google search data to reveal which fake brands are most in demand.
The research shows counterfeit Rolex, Yeezy and Louis Vuitton are the top three most searched for designer fashion labels. Fake Beats takes the top spot for the most wanted tech brand, and in the world of beauty, Olaplex is the most in-demand brand that people want fake versions of the most.
The Most In-Demand Fake Tech
Black Friday is when many people try to get the latest tech releases at a discounted price, so Uswitch also looked into the number of searches for the most sought after counterfeit tech brands.
Beats by Dr Dre – considered to produce the ‘best headphones on the market’ – is the most searched for tech brand with 8,400 annual searches for ‘fake beats’.
Xbox is joint third on the list, with a total of 6,000 searches for a cheaper, unverified version of the iconic games console. Also with 6,000 annual searches for fake versions of its products is Apple. Xbox’s rival, Playstation is sixth on the list, receiving 3,600 searches for a knock-off version.
Top 10 Most Searched For Fake Tech Brands
Rank
Branded Bag
Annual Searches
1
Beats
8,400
3
Xbox
6,000
3
Apple
6,000
6
Playstation
3,600
6
Fitbit
3,600
6
JBL
3,600
7
Samsung
3,000
8
Dyson
1,200
9
Nintendo
1,080
10
Wii
840
When it comes to the most in-demand tech products, ‘fake iPhone is searched for almost 2,000 times a year, which is the highest of all tech products in the study. Ring’s doorbell is second on the list and Dyson’s innovative Airwrap is third.
JOBY Bum Bags – Custom-made for today’s vloggers and influencers Get your creative career started with a Bum Bag that’s designed to take your JOBY kit on the move. Designed with feedback from our customers for a tailor-made 3-in-1 carrying solution. Roomy design works with JOBY GorillaPod TelePod or HandyPod .Convertible design that adapts to your needs Enhance your JOBY collection with a JOBY Bum Bag.
This clever 3-in-1 combination of a sling bag and convertible pouch/backpack is just the thing content creators need to carry their equipment. For content creators venturing into the world of online vlogging, a bag that holds all their essential JOBY equipment and still lets them keep their hands free is a must. We worked closely with our users and listened to exactly what they wanted from a Bum Bag. The design we came up with was inspired by real-life users, which is why it’s practical, adaptable, and stylish.
Two new GorillaPod kits bring a world of customizing possibilities to the iconic JOBY GorillaPod range. Interchangeable feet can be swapped for different colours or designs. Fun and functional custom feet for the GorillaPod range. Adaptable designs allow users to use the Grip It, Wrap It, Stand It features Funky feet or trendy trainers? Quazy quacky duck’s feet or practical suction cups? The GorillaPod Custom Kit is now available, letting vloggers and content creators have a little fun while still getting outstanding results from our legendary GorillaPod.
Skyports, the world-leading designer, developer, and operator of vertiports (landing sites for eVTOL aircraft) is developing Europe’s first test vertiport in France, as a significant step towards launching commercial Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) services in time for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The programme is part of the Re.Invent Air Mobility initiative led by French airport operator Groupe ADP, global mobility company RATP Group and Choose Paris Region, a French agency for business and innovation.
This is the first development of its kind in Europe and is being supported by DGAC, the French Civil Aviation Authority and EASA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.
The vertiport will be designed, built, and operated by Skyports at Groupe ADP’sCergy-Pontoise Airfield in Paris, initially serving as a technology testbed to provide a safe and realistic environment for Skyports and members of the initiative to integrate and test the critical technologies required to enable AAM in Europe.
The integration of a vertiport within an existing airport site is challenging and complex. Skyports’ expertise in ground infrastructure and Groupe ADP’s remit in infrastructure planning, provision and permitting are an ideal partnership to implement the solution that will successfully address this challenge.
Augustin de Romanet, Aéroports de Paris SA – Groupe ADP Chairman and CEO said: “Our Pontoise airfield brings together a unique ecosystem around new air mobility and the trial platform we are launching today is unprecedented in Europe. It will function as a concrete experiment to explore the field of possibilities of a decarbonised and innovative aviation, and to develop the low altitude aviation market (below 300 metres), which has been largely unexplored until now. In Pontoise, we will test all the components of Urban Air Mobility. Groupe ADP will fully play its role as an aggregator of activities to facilitate the surge of new uses that reconcile a smaller environmental footprint, innovation and common utility.”
The test vertiport will be equipped with a suite of technologies including biometric identity management, re-charging equipment, situational awareness capabilities and weather stations. The data collected during the testing phase will be essential for the development of AAM regulatory frameworks.
Ankit Dass, Chief Technology Officer at Skyports said: “Technology will play a critical role in ensuring the safety and operational efficiency of vertiports. The integration of technology is at the core of our vertiport design, development and operation. At Skyports we are developing our systems in collaboration with vehicle manufacturers, operators and leading aviation tech companies.”
The operational testbed will be used by leading eVTOL vehicle manufacturers such as Volocopter, Vertical Aerospace, Airbus, Pipistrel, eHang and others to conduct test flights and demonstrations over the next three years in the run-up to the 2024 Olympics.
The Skyports vertiport will be constructed using modular technology so that it can easily be relocated to a new location at the end of the programme, serving as the first commercial vertiport in France.
Tesco Ireland has partnered with food sharing app OLIO to help reduce food waste in stores in Dublin by redistributing more of its perfectly edible surplus at the end of each day amongst members of the local community.
The pilot programme involves nine Dublin stores, with 250 volunteers already signed up to OLIO in Ireland.
A global initiative, the OLIO scheme works with over 35,000 volunteer ‘Food Waste Heroes’, who visit stores to collect surplus food nearing its best before or use-by date and redistribute it to the local community. Tesco is the first major Irish grocery retailer to join the movement.
The new partnership builds on Tesco’s existing surplus food donations programme, powered by FoodCloud. OLIO will operate where food related charitable organisations are unable to collect.
Tackling food waste has been a major part of Tesco’s sustainability strategy since 2009, when it made a commitment to stop sending food waste to landfill. To date, the equivalent of over 14 million meals in surplus food has been donated to almost 400 charitable organisations and community groups from Tesco stores and distribution centres, in Ireland.
The existing in-store food surplus programme will continue to benefit FoodCloud causes. However, in some areas, there are limited charitable organisations to take food surplus. This new partnership, where OLIO Food Waste Heroes will come to the rescue and collect surplus food, will help to further reduce the amount of food going to waste. The partnership comes a month from Christmas, when causes and communities groups are even more in need of support through surplus food.
Tesco Communications Director, Rosemary Garth said: “We are very proud of our pioneering food waste strategy, leading the way since 2014 when we became the first retailer to partner nationally with FoodCloud to roll out an innovative surplus donations programme which now helps hundreds of community groups every week.
“We are acutely aware that food waste is a major contributing factor to climate change, and in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, we are committed to tackling food waste from farm to fork by 2030.
“We want to make sure that all surplus food is being managed, that it shouldn’t go to waste and where people who need it have access to it. I am confident that our partnership with the OLIO movement will help us further achieve our goal of making sure that no good food goes to waste at Tesco.”
OLIO Co-founder, Tessa Clarke said: “Our partnership with Tesco means that more people than ever before will be able to benefit from access to surplus food, and we are happy to expand our programme into Ireland.
“They will also be joining our community of neighbours who not only support one another, but also believe that every little bit helps in the fight against food waste.”
With two weeks of the trial underway, the work with OLIO and its Food Waste Heroes has resulted in an average 46% increase in suitable edible surplus food being redistributed in the Dublin area.
Tesco Ireland, through its partnership with FoodCloud, works with almost 400 charity partners and has donated over 14.5 million meals to people in need since 2014, saving 19.5 million kilograms of carbon emissions from being produced through the transport and processing of this food as waste.
OLIO recruit local teams of Food Waste Heroes, who are then trained on safe collection, storage & distribution of surplus food. The Food Waste Hero collects surplus food from their local Tesco stores at a scheduled time. The food is brought to the Food Waste Heroes’ home, where it is offered to the local community via theOLIO app.
Stores involved in the OLIO trial are: Aungier St, College Green, Leonard’s Corner, Parnell St, Pearse St, Temple Bar, Thomas St, Dorset St, and Jervis St.
