Creative Technology today announced the launch of the Creative SXFI TRIO, triple-driver USB-C in-ear headphones, designed to deliver high-quality holographic audio with all-day comfort on Android phones, PCs and laptops.
Implemented with the latest Super X-Fi Gen2 technology, users can expect greater accuracy in personalisation and a better all-round audio experience. Powered by the same triple-driver system as the well-received Aurvana Trio and fitted with a custom-designed Kevlar USB-C cable, SXFI TRIO sets to exceed expectations with balanced, accurate, and natural-sounding digital audio for users on the go.
Wired for Pristine Digital Audio
SXFI TRIO delivers pristine digital audio and great performance powered by an in-house tuned, hybrid triple-driver system. Each of the three drivers (two precision balanced armature drivers for detailed mids and highs, and a bio-cellulose driver for powerful yet clean bass) plays an important part to achieve maximum audio fidelity. Yielding up to 100 dB SNR and 0.008% IMD, SXFI TRIO offers users exceptional audio clarity with balanced and accurate audio that is natural sounding.
Intricately designed and engineered, SXFI TRIO is also fitted with a custom-designed, Kevlar-reinforced cable for exceptional tensile strength, and wrapped in an aluminium and copper shield for higher durability. Its all-round superior quality makes it perfect for use on mobile devices while on the go.
The cream of the features crop is the critically-acclaimed Super X-Fi technology, which is incorporated through an attached in-line SXFI WIRE, which is a 40% smaller version of the already finger-sized SXFI AMP, the first-ever Super X-Fi product and an icon in its own right. Users can enjoy holographic audio which is personalized for an all-natural surround audio experience, that can rival a high-end 7.1 surround sound system.
Work-Learn-Play from Home All Day
SXFI TRIO truly sets itself apart with a new level of audio realism for calls, and makes video calls with family and friends more intimate. It’s also excellent for long calls, where the spatialisation of Super X-Fi eliminates the fatigue associated with conventional headphones.
As such, SXFI TRIO is the perfect companion to Work-Learn-Play from home with, instead of bulky headphones.
SXFI TRIO’s angled earbuds are intricately designed and fine-tuned for long-lasting comfort, and it comes with 6 pairs of different silicone ear tip sizes, so it will be a breeze to find the perfect fit.
Creative’s CEO Sim Wong Hoo said, “The SXFI TRIO is an all-rounder, ideal for all day in all places. It’s a miniaturised wonder. The triple-driver performance can rival high-end, bulky headphones; with Super X-Fi integrated, I believe it will be very hard to match. Moreover, you are getting two products for the price of one, because it basically integrates the SXFI AMP and the Aurvana Trio into one – their combined price is twice that of SXFI TRIO.”
Pricing and Availability
SXFI TRIO is priced at £124.99 and is available at Creative.com.
Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), today announces that a new COVID-19 data hub, compiling official figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and the Health Service Executive (HSE), is now publicly available to view.
The data hub is a result of a collaboration between Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi), the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) and the Department of Health, with Esri Ireland providing technical support for the hub built using its GIS technology and platform.
All figures and data on the hub are updated in line with the latest national figures. In addition to headline figures on total confirmed cases and total deaths, the hub makes large swathes of entirely new information for the public, including testing figures, ICU admissions and hospital capacity.
Furthermore, the hub presents confirmed COVID-19 case counts by electoral division, enabling detailed analysis of the location of cases and for the first time, bringing geography to the forefront in the management of the virus in Ireland. People can now view accurate and up-to-date information on COVID-19 cases in their locality.
A group of major mobility providers in Ireland have written to Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party to welcome the commitment in the Programme for Government to legislate for e-scooters, but have also called for a radical rethink in how Ireland manages transport.
FREE NOW, Lime, Bleeperbike, Zip Mobility and Zeus have said any new incoming government must make legislation for e-scooters and other forms of Powered Personal Transporters (PPT) an immediate priority in the wake of COVID-19.
In an open letter sent to the leaders of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party, the providers highlighted the need to radically rethink how Ireland manages transport and the requirement for new forms of micro mobility: “Now, more than ever, we can encourage a shift into alternative forms of transport. Other countries have made the deployment of micro-mobility a key step in supporting their re-opening, it is time for Ireland to do the same. COVID-19 has changed how people will travel and many are seeking alternatives that allow social distancing. E-scooters and other forms of micro-mobility can support this.”
Alan Fox, General Manager of FREE NOW said: “We have brought together the major mobility providers in Ireland and are calling on any incoming government to prioritise the legislation of e-scooters and other micro mobility as a matter of urgency. While we welcome the commitments made in the new Programme for Government, we urge any incoming government to make this legislation a top priority. Ireland needs to radically rethink how we manage the traditional transport modes such as buses and trains to reduce clustering of commuters at peak times. Taxi drivers have been working throughout the pandemic to get essential workers to where they need to be. Taxis will continue to offer the potential to transport passengers in an effective, socially-distanced way, but we now see people looking for greater mode diversity and alternatives to public transport as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We need to offer alternative modes of transport that enable people to get around without putting more private cars on the streets, which would ratchet up congestion again and increase harmful carbon emissions. Now is the time for any new government to allow for more choice and encourage people to leave their cars at home and use e-bikes, e-scooters and other forms of micro mobility.”
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport ran a public consultation on Personal Powered Transporters (PPTs) last year, but no recent progress has been made to introduce new legislation that would permit the use of e-scooters in Ireland. The commitment to legislate for e-scooters was included in the recently-announced Programme for Government.
The mobility providers also said in the letter that: “We believe that we can help people travel responsibly and we will help usher in the return of economic activity. This is a great opportunity for a new government to encourage passengers to get out of private cars and onto bikes, scooters and other forms of micro-mobility.”
Electric scooters, an efficient and carbon-friendly transport mode that is tailor-made for the new socially-distanced normal, are already an integral part of the transport mix in many European countries like Germany and France that are easing restrictions with measured transport circulation.
Kick back, relax and shop online whether you’re looking to upgrade your TV to watch the football back on display or you’re interested in a new camera after reigniting your love of photography during lockdown. For those planning a summer staycation, listen to music on-the-go with Sony’s award-winning range of portable speakers.
How to take advantage of the offer
To obtain a special summer promotion code, visit www.sony.co.uk or www.sony.ie and click on the banners on the homepage. You’ll be given a promotion code to use online via retailers participating in the deal. To access great savings, redeem the promotional code at checkout.
What products are included in the Sony Summer Sale?
There’s something for everyone in Sony’s Summer Sale, with 43 products on offer across audio, television and digital imaging.
Bring your favourite TV shows and movies to life with immersive surround sound from Sony’s new 3.1 channel HT-G700 soundbar, featuring Dolby Atmos and a new, dedicated centre speaker for clearer dialogue. To block out distractions or stay focused while working from home the award-winning WH-1000XM3 noise cancelling headphones are the perfect choice.
Get creative with a summer photography project using α6100 APS-C camera with its fast AutoFocus; the perfect purchase for summer snaps. With its 180° tiltable LCD touchscreen, it allows for easier self-portraits and high- and low-angle shots. For those capturing important family memories at home or gatherings with friends at a nearby park, the RX100M5A is the perfect premium compact camera. Pocket-sized offering 20.1 Megapixels; it captures the glorious detail as well as up to 40x super slow-motion. The camera isalso equipped with a 1.0-type stacked CMOS image sensor, a ZEISS lens for creating DSLR like portraits and an enhanced image processing system.
Watch sport as though you’re there with Sony’s range of 8K, 4K, OLED and LCD sets. Featuring incredible Acoustic Surface Audio, the Sony A8 OLED 4K TV turns the TV screen into a speaker; making a truly immersive viewing experience. Experience breath-taking detail with the Sony XH95 4K HDR Full Array LED TV which features the latest X-Motion Clarity™ technology; keeping everything smooth, bright, and clear – so you won’t miss a thing when watching your favourite moments of summer sport. What’s more, Acoustic Multi-Audio™ technology includes two sound positioning tweeters at the back of the TV that enable sound to follow the action, transporting you to the pitch from the comfort of your living room.
For further information on the Sony Summer Sale, visit:
Available to order now from retailers across Ireland, the new Xperia 10 II lets you lose yourself in entertainment, with more Sony technologies in a super-mid-range device than ever before.
With IP65/IP68 water and dust resistance[i] and Corning® Gorilla® Glass 6, the slim 69mm width lightweight 151g body fits perfectly in your hand, so at a time when entertainment has never been so in demand, you can consume in comfort no matter where you are.
Plus, with Xperia 10 II you can get closer to the action and immerse yourself in the 21:9 Wide 6.0” OLED display. With TRILUMINOS™ display for mobile technology, found in BRAVIA® TVs, and video image optimisation, you can enjoy your movies and TV shows with deeper blacks and enhanced colours for the ultimate viewing experience. You can also take your gaming to the next level with the dramatic 21:9 ratio allowing you to see more gameplay then before.
Further benefits of the 21:9 6.0” inch OLED display include use of Sony’s unique multi-window UI, which allows you to run two apps simultaneously, as well as the Side Sense function which lets you switch between your favourite apps effortlessly.
Xperia 10 II is packed with Sony audio technology and features a 3.5mm jack, for an authentic High-Resolution audio experience either wired or High-Resolution Wireless Audio.
But the entertainment doesn’t stop there; Xperia 10 II is equipped with a new triple lens camera offering 12MP, and two 8MP lenses: ultra-wide-angle (16mm), wide-angle (26mm) and telephoto (52mm), so you can get creative and experiment with photography. You can also easily tailor your photography with pre-set settings for Food, Portrait and a new Night mode, ensuring high quality images even in low-light situations.
No matter the subject or conditions, you can trust that Xperia 10 II will produce a beautiful image every time, due to the improved colour reproduction thanks to Sony’s leading digital imaging know-how. You can even capture images in the 21:9 ratio and record film in high quality 4K.
Xperia 10 II also comes equipped with a large 3600mAh battery you can consume and create all day knowing your creative juices will likely run out before your phone does.
For reliable performance and fast connectivity, Xperia 10 II features a Qualcomm® Snapdragon 665 Mobile Platform and comes equipped with Android 10.
Xperia 10 II is now available in black from select retailers across Ireland priced at €369 SIM-free. Please check with local operators for stock information.
Full specifications can be found on the Sony website.
Today marks the official launch of NowLight, a London designed product which creates instant light and power just from pulling a cord. It can be purchased online here and retails at £99.
Revolutionary and award-winning tech charges phone and tablets, and illuminates gardens and campsites just from pulling a cord
Through pulling on NowLight’s cord for just one minute, you can create up to two hours of light to illuminate rooms and outdoor spaces, or enough power for 15-minutes of talk-time on a mobile phone. A fully charged NowLight will provide up to 50 hours of light. The kit includes a whole host of extras including a SatLight to spread light even further, a solar panel to create easy energy when its sunny and a charging cable to power your NowLight from the mains.
As we enter the summer months, NowLight is great for the garden, from finding tools in the shed and to brightening up a family BBQ. It is also perfect for outdoors adventures like camping and hiking. In a power cut or other emergency, NowLight is always ready, just pull the cord for light and power.
NowLight has also been designed to support households who live without electricity or who have been displaced by natural disasters or conflict, providing a reliable source of lighting and power for mobile devices. In fact, through partnerships with humanitarian organisations, you have the option to donate a NowLight when you buy one for yourself.
Purchase your NowLight here today we will have our review soon.
New research from PayPal, conducted by Ipsos and involving 2,000 consumers in Ireland, reveals that cashless will be crucial as Irish consumers look to support local businesses following the Covid-19 lockdown.
The survey revealed that 81% of Irish consumers believe supporting the local economy is key to emerging from the current crisis and 66% of Irish consumers plan to buy more local or regional products in the future.
However, while the trend looks set to be shopping locally and in-person for the foreseeable future, with over half (57%) of respondents preferring face-to-face services, cash appears to have fallen out of favour for the majority of people.
A cashless approach is important for almost two thirds (65%) of Irish shoppers. In fact, 39% do not want to use cash going forward – that translates to more than 1.9 million people.
Some 67% of shoppers revealed they are open to trying new contactless methods in shops, with 61% preferring to avoid touching a card reader pad when making purchases.
The influence of community spirit on purchasing behaviours
Despite the increasing popularity of online international shopping in Ireland in recent years[3], the study showed that people have chosen to support local shops and smaller businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Smaller businesses and stores were found to be the most popular option for consumers throughout the lockdown, with almost two thirds (62%) choosing them in order to support their local and the national economy. Other popular reasons cited for doing so were that consumers had made purchases in these shops previously (38%) and it was faster to get the product (29%).
Three quarters (75%) of people are more conscious of the importance of community and working together, with older respondents (81%) more mindful of this than younger ones (69%)[4].
Clearly, the importance of community has been heightened recently and is having an impact on behaviours with almost one in six people in Ireland doing grocery shopping for relatives or neighbours during the Covid-19 crisis. Furthermore, one in 20 people have taken to making or selling products, such as face masks, due to the emergence of Covid-19.
Annette Hickey, Vice-President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Customer Services, PayPal, said: “The Covid-19 lockdown impacted everyone and many uncertainties still remain, but there is a silver lining in that communities are coming together in Ireland and supporting each other – not just people helping others but also spending with local businesses and retailers.
“This will continue to be vital as we move forward and take steps towards economic recovery, but change is needed. As our research shows, consumers want to invest in the regions where they live but there is a demand for new ways of shopping and paying, as can be seen with the large proportion of people who don’t want to use cash or touch a card reader.
“With more than 1.35 million customers in Ireland, we know how important it is for people to be able to manage, move and spend their money how they want and via the methods they choose. So, as well as implementing measures to help facilitate socially distanced shopping, businesses need to enable people to purchase goods in different ways in-store or, alternatively, buy online.
“In doing so, together we can overcome the obstacles posed by the pandemic and create a brighter future, a safer experience and a stronger Ireland.”
Irish technology company Workhuman has announced that London-based alternative asset manager Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) has become an investor in the organisation, as part of its European investment strategy, acquiring a minority stake in the company from existing shareholders. Morgan Stanley acted as exclusive financial advisor to Workhuman in a highly competitive process. The transaction values Workhuman at $1.2 billion.
Workhuman, the world’s fastest-growing social recognition and continuous performance management platform, develops pioneering technology to make employees feel more appreciated and socially connected at work, creating happier and more productive workplaces for some of the world’s biggest organisations including LinkedIn, Procter & Gamble, Cisco and Eaton. Over five million employees around the world are on Workhuman’s platform, across 160 countries.
Workhuman continues to support organisations globally in building human connections and increasing productivity in the workplace, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first half of the year, more than 300,000 employees have started taking advantage of Workhuman’s Social Recognition and Life Events cloud products. The company has built out its suite of human applications with new features in existing products, and introduced Moodtracker™, an always-free employee survey platform that focuses on making real changes within organisations. In addition, Workhuman is offering special editions of two of its Workhuman Cloud products – Life Events®and Conversations® – free for any organisation to use until March 2021.
“We are excited to welcome ICG as a strategic investor, while providing liquidity to some of Workhuman’s earliest supporters,” said Eric Mosley, Workhuman co-founder and CEO. “ICG’s support helps put us on a great path forward as we get ready for the next phase of Workhuman’s growth. If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we all need human connection. Our continued double-digit growth and ongoing business momentum is a sign that organisations are craving a way to build better relationships and foster trust with their employees, no matter where they are.”
“Workhuman is a truly unique HR platform provider that we are excited to be in partnership with,” said Benoit Durteste, CIO and CEO of ICG. “The business’s historic performance is testament to the results it delivers for clients and their employees, reaching organizations in more than 160 countries. In the past couple years, and even more so as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations have begun to realize the power and value of their people and have been forced to innovate and thrive in new ways. Workhuman provides them with progressive tools to understand, engage with and better utilize their employees in ways they never could before.”
As part of Workhuman’s strategy to drive growth, three accomplished executives have recently joined the company’s leadership team. Chris DeMeo, formerly of Staples, took the role of VP of Customer Marketing; Dr. Patti Fletcher, who comes from SAP SuccessFactors, joins as VP of Brand Marketing; and Jason Griggs, previously at Workday, takes the reins as SVP of Global Sales.
For more information about Workhuman, please visit www.workhuman.com.
Today, Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com company (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Formula 1 (F1) (NASDAQ: FWONA, FWONK) are introducing six new, real-time racing statistics that will roll out through the 2020 season, beginning with the launch of “Car Performance Scores” at the season opening Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria July 3-5. “Car Performance Scores” isolate an individual car’s performance and allows race fans to compare its performance to that of different vehicles head-to-head.
The new set of statistics to be released this season will use a range of AWS services, including machine learning, to give fans the ability to compare their favourite drivers and cars and better predict race outcomes. Learn more at: https://aws.amazon.com/f1/.
With 300 sensors on each F1 race car generating more than 1.1M data points per second transmitted from the cars to the pit, Formula 1 is a truly data-driven sport where much of the thrill comes from extracting exciting details on performance statistics. F1 relies on the breadth and depth of AWS services to stream, process, and analyze that flood of data in real-time, and then present it in a meaningful way for F1 global TV viewers.
The new “Car Performance Scores” insight will display as an on-screen graphic that provides fans with a complete breakdown of a car’s total performance using four core metrics: Low-Speed Cornering, High-Speed Cornering, Straight Line, and Car Handling. The new graphic will illustrate how those metrics compare from one car to another, enabling race fans to gauge a given car’s relative performance in those different areas and see where each team and driver is leading the pack or losing crucial time to their rivals.
F1 and AWS previously announced six F1 Insights, including Exit Speed, Predicted Pit Stop Strategy, Pit Window, Battle Forecast, Pit Strategy Battle, and Tyre Performance and will roll out the following six additional “F1 Insights powered by AWS” stats as on-screen graphics from July through December of this season, offering fans more visibility into the split-second decision-making and action on the track, as well as behind the pit wall where the team strategists operate:
Car Performance Scores: Isolates an individual car’s performance and allows race fans to compare its performance to that of different vehicles head-to-head (debuts July 3-5 at the FORMULA 1 ROLEX GROSSER PREIS VON ÖSTERREICH GRAND PRIX 2020).
Ultimate Driver Speed Comparison: Allows race fans to see how their favorite drivers compare to other drivers in history, dating back to 1983, to help determine the fastest driver of all time (debuts August 7-9 at the EMIRATES FORMULA 1 70th ANNIVERSARY GRAND PRIX 2020).
High-Speed/Low-Speed Corner Performance: Allows fans to see how well drivers tackle the fastest bends on the track travelling at more than 175 kph/109 mph and slow cornering (below 125 kph/78 mph) compared to other vehicles, which is critical to lap time (debuts August 28-30 at the FORMULA 1 ROLEX BELGIAN GRAND PRIX).
Driver Skills Rating: Breaks down and scores driver skills, based on the most important factors for overall performance, to help identify the best “total driver” on the track. By calculating varying subsets of qualifying round performance, starts, race pace, tire management, and overtaking/defending styles, this insight will provide an overall driver ranking (debuts the second half of the season).
Car/Team Development & Overall Season Performance: As the season unfolds, this will plot a team’s cumulative performance from race to race to uncover the development rates of each team (debuts the second half of the season).
Qualifying and Race Pace Predictions: Gather data from practice and qualifying laps to predict which team is poised for success ahead of each race session. These predictions will create heightened intrigue and excitement for the Saturday qualifying session and Sunday race (debuts the second half of the season).
To create these new insights, Formula 1 will use 70 years of historical race data stored in Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), combined with live data that is streamed from sensors on F1 race cars and the trackside to the cloud through Amazon Kinesis, a service for real-time data collection, processing, and analysis. F1 engineers and scientists will use this data to leverage machine learning (ML) models with Amazon SageMaker, AWS’s service for building, training, and deploying ML models.
F1 is able to analyze race performance metrics in real-time by deploying those ML models on AWS Lambda, which runs code without the need to provision or manage servers. All of the insights will be integrated into the international broadcast feed of F1 races around the globe, including its digital platform F1.tv, helping fans to understand the split-second decisions and race strategies made by drivers or team strategists that can dramatically affect a race outcome.
“Over the past two years, Formula 1 has embraced AWS’s services to perform intense and dynamic data analysis. The F1 Insights we’re delivering together are bringing fans closer to the track than ever before, and unlocking previously untold stories and insights from behind the pit wall,” said Rob Smedley, Chief Engineer of Formula 1. “We’re excited to be expanding this successful relationship to bring even more insights to life, allowing fans to go deeper into the many ways that drivers and racing teams work together to affect success.”
“Formula 1 racing mixes physics and human performance, yielding powerful, but complex data that AWS is helping them to harness. Our existing relationship with F1 has already produced statistics that have brought fans into the race paddocks, and our study of race car aerodynamics is influencing vehicle designs for the 2022 season,” said Mike Clayville, Vice President, Worldwide Commercial Sales at AWS. “This year, we’re thrilled to extend the power of F1 data in the cloud and unlock new insights that help fans understand more of F1’s rich complexity.”
To learn more about the first 2020 F1 Insight, Car Performance Scores, please click here. For more information about AWS and its involvement with Formula 1, please visit: https://aws.amazon.com/f1/. For additional news on how AWS is helping Formula 1 develop the next-generation race car, visit: https://aws.amazon.com/f1/news/.