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
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.
Globoforce co-founder and CEO Eric Mosley.
“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/.
Zero Latency Dublin is out to prove an old adage: a lot can happen in a year. Between March 2019 and 2020 over 20,000 players have saved the world and slayed millions of zombies and robot invaders behind the doors of their slickly decked out warehouse in Sandyford. They won Best Leisure Business at the Sandyford Business District Awards and were on the verge of starting a series of monthly tournaments.
And then the lockdown happened.
Like everyone else, Zero Latency hit the pause button and put zombies on hold until the pandemic passed. But Zero Latency’s owners didn’t let lockdown slow them down. Aside from making their arena Covid ready, they’ve also taken time to create new socially distant policies and, most excitingly, test their newest game ‘Undead Arena’.
And now they are excited to announce their reopening on July 2for which bookings are already open.
“Everyone wants to shoot zombies and test their survival capabilities in a zombie apocalypse,” explains Managing Director Ronan Cunningham, who started the venture with his wife Susanna Murphy last year. “With over 80% of our players trying at least one of our current zombie games, we thought it would be a good time to release Undead Arena, our best zombie game yet.” The new game pits teams of up to 8 players against waves of undead in an ‘80s inspired, post apocalyptic game show setting and promises to be a new favourite of guests.
Zero Latency sits just off the Stillorgan Luas stop, alongside Sandyford’s high- tech office buildings. Inside players battle zombie hordes, rogue robots, each other, or their own senses in a variety of out of this world virtual reality games. Unlike other virtual reality options, Zero Latency’s unique, free roam VR system allows players to explore game worlds untethered by wires or walls.
And after three months of being restricted to our own homes, who doesn’t want to explore a spaceship or take out some pent up aggression on stumbling zombie hordes.
For those less enthused about zombies, their non-shooter game option, Engineerium, is an award winning VR experience that allows players to traverse beautifully crafted, mind-bending pathways in an ethereal puzzle game. With something to offer every player, Zero Latency’s arena has welcomed corporate events, children’s parties, hen and stag dos, and school trips as well as casual gamers.
“Playing at Zero Latency is the closest thing you will get to being inside a computer game,” explains Cunningham, “The immersion is such that even our most regular players still forget that they are standing on flat ground in a warehouse in Sandyford, and that is the beauty of Virtual Reality. Not only are players untethered by wires, but the games create unique pathways and a sense of distance not possible in other games”.
As Cunningham reflects on an important successful first year in business, he is keen to thank his customers for playing and “hopes that they will continue to support this exciting business in the years to come as it releases bigger and better titles and upgrades hardware to meet gaming demands. It’s an exciting time to be involved in an emerging tech that is firmly finding its place in the market.”
As they take bookings for their reopening on July 2, Zero Latency’s future looks as untethered as their players. For more information see http://www.zerolatencyvr.ie
Plantronics, Inc. (“Poly” – formerly Plantronics and Polycom) a global communications company that powers meaningful human connection and collaboration, today announces its global sneak peek at the Poly products working together to deliver a seamless Microsoft Teams Rooms experience.
Poly is embarking on a Poly & Microsoft Collaboration Virtual Roadshow 2020 — a virtual webinar series across Europe, North America, Latin America, Australia, and Asia, where customers will get the chance to learn about the latest, easy to set-up solutions that are powered by Poly MeetingAI. Poly augments the Teams Rooms experience and delivers the same familiar native Microsoft experience underpinned by clever AI.
Taking place throughout June and July, the Poly & Microsoft Collaboration Virtual Roadshow 2020 will feature one of the richest and most complete range of audio and video solutions to drive optimal employee collaboration experiences using Teams.
“Poly is showcasing how businesses can optimise their use of Microsoft Teams. With an end-to-end portfolio of desk phones, headsets, videoconferencing solutions and managed services, Poly brings together one of the world’s strongest product portfolio aimed at enhancing your Teams collaboration,” said Christophe Herrerias, Senior Manager – Alliances Go To Market, Poly.
Poly’s portfolio of solutions brings flexibility to every Teams experience, supporting productive collaboration for everyone:
Create flexible and collaborative meeting spaces:
Poly G10-T, Poly G40-T and Poly G80-T, which will be available later this year, offer audio and video tools that deliver high-quality meeting experiences for users on Microsoft Teams, and give IT managers the ability to easily scale for meeting rooms of all sizes. Poly Room Solution for Teams Rooms will begin shipping upon Microsoft Teams certification in the coming months to select regions.
Poly Studio X collaboration bars are purpose-built, integrated solutions that will offer a native Microsoft Teams meeting and calling experience.
Poly Studio, a plug-and play USB video bar, offers clear, high-fidelity stereo audio and dynamic video experiences with group framing and speaker tracking technology.
Poly Trio C60 conference phones are centre of all types of meeting rooms, and the conference phones deliver quality audio and innovative features such as Poly NoiseBlockAI that reduces distracting background noise.
Poly Calisto 7200 has exceptional conferencing performance for huddle rooms.
Optimise the meeting experience for every participant:
Poly CCX series Teams edition desktop phone combines a native Teams solution and premium voice and audio quality so teams can be their most productive in no time.
Poly Voyager 4200 and Poly Voyager 5200 office series can connect to a desk phone, smartphone or computer and have a dedicated Teams button to instantly invoke the Teams app. Audio and visual alerts mean you’ll never miss anything and scheduling a meeting, starting a call or checking your calendar becomes quick and easy.
“Microsoft Teams is a hub for teamwork for millions of workers around the world who use the platform every day to share ideas, create content and collaborate on projects. We are pleased that our partnership with Poly is delivering a wide variety of easy-to-use Teams devices and solutions that offer best-in-class audio and video experiences, helping people get work done,” said Kurt Petersen, General Manager Device and Partner Sales, Microsoft.
Poly solutions offer speed and responsiveness for a native Teams experience and a dedicated Teams button. Features also include Poly HD Voice and Poly MeetingAI.
Contact Poly to attend a virtual session and be one of the first to learn about the portfolio of desk phones, headsets, speakerphones, video bars and Teams Room Solutions.
The Irish Medtech Association, the Ibec group that represents the medtech sector, is putting a spotlight on the Irish medtech community’s critical role in helping healthcare professionals work safely and treat patients affected by COVID-19 as well as support Ireland’s reopening.
Acting Director of the Irish Medtech Association, Nessa Fennelly said “We are proud of how our sector has made an impact in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. From Cork and Galway, to Athlone and Dublin, this is a national effort. In the coming weeks, the Irish Medtech Association will be offering insights of how medtech leaders in Ireland are assisting the frontline fight against COVID-19 here, and across the world. Ireland’s medtech community has stepped-up to the challenge in the face of unprecedented need to deliver diagnostic tests, personal protective equipment, respiratory support equipment and digital health solutions to tackle COVID-19.”
Fennelly added, “This week, to start our Medtech Good News campaign, we are delighted to focus on digital health. Digital health solutions are an exciting area of innovation that are playing an increasingly important role since the start of the pandemic by offering vital insights and supporting remote care. A fantastic example of how these technologies are at the vanguard of combating COVID-19 is the ACORRD clinical support tool developed by S3 Connected Health, with the support of consultants from the Royal College of Surgeons. This medical technology helps clinicians using a web-based application on their smartphone, to track disease progression, assist in the early identification of patient deterioration, and provide timely advice to the care team.”
Commenting on the Assessment of COVID-19 Risk of Respiratory Deterioration (ACORRD) tool, President of S3 Connected Health and Chair of the Irish Medtech Digital Health Working Group, Jim O’Donoghue said “ACORRD has had a real impact in the fight against COVID-19. By building on our existing Affinial platform we managed to accelerate development and bring ACORRD from concept to deployment in just ten days after receiving a rapid response on a derogation from the Health Products Regulatory Authority. We are proud to see ACORRD already in use in major Dublin hospitals, as well in a pilot programme in Northern Ireland. We are grateful to our frontline healthcare workers for their tireless efforts to protect us from the virus, and we’re honoured to play a part.”
