Avaya Holdings Corp, a global leader in enterprise & business solutions to enhance and simplify communications and collaboration, today announced the appointment of Steve Joyner as Managing Director of the UK and Ireland (UK&I). Reporting to Ronald Rubens, Vice President, Europe, Joyner will champion Avaya’s customer-first culture and lead his team to help build experiences that matter for their customers in their digital transformation journey.
Joyner will also lead the company’s evolution into a cloud-centric communications provider and help to drive excellence in executing Avaya’s global cloud strategy in the UK&I region.
Joyner began at Avaya following the acquisition of Nortel in 2009 and has held multiple engineering, sales and channel roles in the UK and the Middle East over his successful, 30-year career. Prior to being appointed UK&I Managing Director, Joyner was the company’s European channel lead. In this role, he led a team of regional channel managers to drive significant growth through an extensive, diversified network of business partners and resellers across Europe. He played a critical role in improving the company’s various channel programs globally and expanding its channel business.
“Steve’s appointment comes at an exciting time for Avaya with our transition to cloud and the strategic partnership with RingCentral & introduction of Avaya Cloud Office. The company is poised to offer a real competitive advantage by providing our customers with a seamless journey to cloud communications. With his extensive industry experience, Steve will be instrumental in delivering our global cloud-first strategy in the region.” – Ronald Rubens, Vice President, Europe, Avaya
“I am very excited to be taking on this role at such an important time in the Avaya story. The company has continued to lead the market in customer and employee experience in recent years and we’re ready to go even further in 2020. I look forward to working with the team here to drive growth and bring even more value to our partners and customers in the UK and Ireland with our full suite of cloud-first solutions.” – Steve Joyner, Managing Director, UK&I, Avaya
The Dell G Series laptop, that Dell will make available online in mid-April, will be the first to feature 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ 4000 H-Series Mobile Processors. These two AMD chips work seamlessly together to optimize performance by automatically and intelligently shifting power between the Ryzen™ processor and Radeon™ GPU as needed, giving gamers exactly what they want at each moment of gameplay. The new “Game Shift” macro key will allow one key quick launch of game-ready settings for enhanced performance that reduces latency and sharpens images for fast, immersive gaming.
The thin, sleek redesigned G5 15 SE features a modern “fighter plane” look wrapped in am=n iridescent silver finish with metallic accents. Along with a 15.6” FHD display panel, the new G5 15 SE has an optional blazing 144Hz refresh rate, optional 4-zone RGB keyboard with WASD and optional 68WHr battery.
The new Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor (AW2521HF) was also announced at CES and will be become available online in mid-March. With a 240Hz refresh rate, Alienware 25 is twice as fast as most gaming monitors on the market and is coupled with a true 1ms gray-to-gray response time1 that ensures every pixel is frame-ready, thanks to the new fast IPS technology. AMD FreeSync™ Premium technology2 and NVIDIA G-SYNC® Compatibility provides a smooth gaming experience with virtually no screen tearing or blurring. This monitor starts at $499.99 USD and will be available from March 11th.
Matt McGowan, Director of Dell Gaming, Dell Technologies said: “We’re really excited to unveil these two new products that showcase our continued commitment to gaming innovations. The new redesigned Dell G5 15 SE Special Edition is the latest product in Dell’s G Series portfolio for new and price-conscious gamers. Fans of Alienware can now game on the Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor in the iconic Legend ID, that was built using feedback from our community as well as eSports players from Team Liquid. With the G5 15 SE laptop and the Alienware 23 Monitor, players will get top tier gaming performances and will be easily able to keep everything within their field of vision, letting them be truly immersed in the game.”
Shopping online has increased Year on Year for the last several years and now is king, No matter what part of the world you are from it is the way most of tend to shop rather than go into a store which has its own caveats and the biggest problem for retailers is returns and having worked in the logistics industry for over 25 years since the inception of eCommerce these two things are a problem and it is down to colour and size in most instances, Free returns is also another issue which we will probably see phased out as it is costing money.
This applies to the world over but there is many other statistics to enjoy which LiftnGift has sent us over so check it out below. Many people here in Ireland always say shop local which is fine but if you can get the same thing half price on the internet with 24/48 delivery why would you??
Written by Alastair Lockwood, eye health specialist and ophthalmologist at Feel Good Contacts
We already know that the overuse of computers and smartphones can cause significant strain to our eyes, but with changes to work and daily life meaning we are now more reliant on screens than ever before (such as the one you’re looking at right now), it’s integral you take precautions to protect yourself once you have put your smart device away.
For tech lovers, taking care of your eyes is even more important to combat the hours spent on your phone, computer screen or console. Optometrists are finding an increasing number of tech-related eye strains in patients, demonstrating the threat devices pose to our long term eye health.
To maximise your health and maintain your vision as close to 20/20 in the upcoming year, we have compiled tips, nutritional advice and guidance on how to really see better in 2020.
Take regular breaks from your computer screen
Using a computer too frequently can cause computer vision syndrome (CVS), where the eyes become tired, dry and even strained from the glare. To prevent this, employees are advised to blink regularly during the day when working on a computer to avoid dry eyes.
Taking regular breaks is imperative when sitting in front of a screen, where the famous 20-20-20 rule can come in handy. Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break from your screen to look at something 20 feet away. This vital break will give your eyes a chance to rest and is an effective way to reduce eye strain.
Adjust your technical environment
Having a high-quality resolution and adequately bright screen can significantly ease the pressure on your eyes to focus on the computer. Working with a dull screen or glare forces eyes to strain more, making it important to regularly check the screen brightness and resolutions of your equipment.
Employees should request anti-glare screens from their employer, reducing the everyday strain on their eyes. Sufficient lighting is required around desks for equal brightness since shadows and light glare can cause eye fatigue. Computer screens should rest at least 25 inches away.
A clean environment with minimal dust is important will cause less irritation. Artificial tears can help supplement your natural tear film.
Need a job in IT or tech? Click the image below.
Reduce smoking intake
Smoking exposes your eyes to high levels of oxidative stress and has been linked to the risk of cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes and dry eye syndrome. Quitting smoking at any stage of life can be beneficial, reducing the risk of developing eye threatening conditions.
Go on 20-minute walks, four times a week
Exercising regularly is a recommended way to keep your eyes in check. Exercising will lower the pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure), helping to protect retinal ganglion cells. It may help in glaucoma patients, but autoregulation, ie independent of exercise is the main control here for blood flow.
Try to sleep for 7-9 hours a day
For most people, sleeping is the one period during the day when their eyes are not required to focus. During sleep, the eyes are rehydrated with a supply of natural tears, a process which requires a minimum of 5 hours to replenish.
If sleeping is an issue, taking the above steps of exercising regularly are helpful tips to tackle this. Relaxing in bed without using a screen can also help, as well as hot baths, light yoga or reading a book. If your sleep issue persists, visit a doctor to assess if there are any underlying issues to your sleeping patterns.
Eat a balanced diet
To maintain healthy eyes, eating foods rich in vitamins c and e, omega-3 fatty acids, lutein and zinc are highly recommended. Kale, spinach, salmon, tuna, eggs, nuts, beans, oranges and oysters are some of the many foods crucial to this balanced diet.
Change your eye makeup regularly
With the eye-watering prices of high-end makeup, it is not uncommon for consumers to continue using their eye makeup until it completely runs out. Liquid and cream eye makeups do, however, collect bacteria which can harbour in brushes, lids or the product itself. Eye makeup and mascara should be replaced every 3 months to minimise the risk of infections and products should never be shared with others.
Wear sunglasses with the correct protection
Although sunglasses make an excellent accessory in the summer, their importance for eye protection should not be underestimated. Fast fashion retailers do not always produce sunglasses with the correct materials to avoid harmful ultraviolet (UV) light. This makes it imperative for consumers to ensure they purchase glasses which cover both UVA and UVB protection.
Get your eyes checked regularly
Regular eye examinations are crucial to spotting sight loss or damage before it worsens. Optometrists can help detect conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration which can lead to sight loss, so visiting your optician is an important step in maintaining good eye health.
The roundup
To tackle the increasing use of screens in our daily lives, try out these eye health tips to keep your vision as close to 20/20 as you can. Perhaps thought of eating salmon every day and cutting out coffee might not be your ideal news, so trying a balanced approach with work, exercise and food habits may be just the trick to improve your eyesight for the year ahead.
Element Case, the creator of original premium grade smart phone accessories, has announced the introduction of Holster, a new “universal design” phone case carrier that securely attaches to a belt or waist band, and holds a wide variety of phone cases. Holster is being introduced in two sizes, each with the ability to fit multiple devices: medium (includes Samsung Galaxy s9/S10/S10e, iPhone 8/X/XS) and large (includes Samsung Galaxy Note 10/10+, Samsung Galaxy S9+/S10+, iPhone 8 Plus/XR/XS Max).
“Holster has been created to offer the user plenty of convenience plus security,” said Ethan Nyholm, chief executive of STM Brands, the parent company of Element Case. “You can clip this handy accessory to a belt, grip it to a backpack, or flip it into kickstand mode. With the Holster, there is always a variety of options that securely allow you to keep your phone in ready reach.”
The innovative Holster features an adjustable body with silicone grips and a spring mechanism that allows for a wide variety of phone cases to fit. “If you change your phone case,” added Nyholm, “there is no need to change your Holster.”
Boasting a versatile attachment, Holster conveniently clips and fastens to most belts, including 2¼” duty and tactical belts. The 180-degree swivel belt clip makes it possible for the case to be turned quickly and aligned with a belt for a comfortable seated position. Holster also includes a kickstand that enables the phone (while in case and holster) to be viewed in portrait and landscape mode.
The new Holster is making its public introduction at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The world’s preeminent exhibition of new products and technologies returns to the entertainment capital of the world from January 7-10, 2020. Element Case will be at Booth #31558 in the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 3.
Sonarworks, the award-winning audio-tech specialists, announce SoundID – enabling personalised audio perfected for each listener across any device in 2020.
An early demonstration of SoundID will be debuted at CES, and starting today Beta version will be available on the iOS App Store and Google Play Store, ahead of the full roll-out in Q2 2020. Headphone manufacturer 1MORE will also be showcasing SoundID integration at CES, ahead of further 1MORE hardware and software integration in 2020.
This transformative SoundID technology has been developed by the same Sonarworks team that is behind the precision audio software used by Grammy-Award winning producers in over 45,000 professional recording studios in the world. Based on the biggest ever research into sound preferences – a 39,000 sample size – Sonarworks have developed a unique method of analysing and augmenting sound using machine learning and big data based sound preference and hearing tests. By comparison, conventional audio-tech companies would develop their software solutions based on a pool of a few hundred respondents.
SoundID solves a long-standing problem in the audio-tech space. Until now, manufacturers have applied a ‘one size fits all’ approach regardless of the many variables – hardware options, audio formats, while not taking into account the variable of the end user – all of whom hear differently and have their individual preferences.
Subsequently audio manufacturers have targeted sound profiles that are favoured by less than 20% of the overall market as the latest identifiable group. By contrast, SoundID enabled audio is favoured by over 78% of listeners in blind testing.
SoundID will transform the way listeners enjoy audio – a quick one-time in-app hearing test that includes age, musical preferences, and hardware configuration will create your SoundID profile. That profile will eventually be automatically enabled across all your devices – including portables, creating a seamless listening experience for the end-user that is individually perfected every time.
Martins Popelis, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Sonarworks, said: In 2012 we transformed the professional audio market with our products that are now used wider as a key tool of the creation process. Now, we are putting a stake in the ground to do the same in the consumer audio sector. Bespoke audio personalised to each listener is now a reality with Sonarworks’ SoundID. Audio profiles have been an issue for the market for decades, having to target the preferences for less than 20% of the market. Now we have a seamless experience in SoundID that is measurably better than the current products on the market.
Withings, pioneer of the digital health movement and connected analog watches, unveils ScanWatch, the world’s first clinically validated hybrid smartwatch to detect both risk of arrhythmia (AFib) and sleep apnea – all from the wrist! Developed by cardiologists and sleep experts, it is Withings’ most medically advanced wearable to date, helping users and their physicians monitor overall health with a smartwatch that identifies highly prevalent, yet largely underdiagnosed cardiovascular and sleep issues early.
“ScanWatch is our most ambitious medical tracker and purposely designed to detect the early presence of AFib and sleep apnea – two related issues that are extremely common yet largely undiagnosed, despite their known impact on multiple health conditions,” said Mathieu Letombe, CEO of Withings. “Worn throughout the day and night, ScanWatch provides an early warning system, collecting and sharing critical health data with users and their physicians.”
As a current Withings user of several of their products this is the new line up below and the one on the right hand side will be my pick from them.
With an impressive 30-day battery life, ScanWatch shares the elegant analog look of previous Withings’ hybrid watches with a number of enhanced design elements. It features a larger digital display than previous models as well as improved navigation through a newly created crown dial. It is slated to be available in Europe and the United States in Q2 2020 for €249/£229/$249 (38mm), €299/£279/$299 (42mm), pending CE and FDA-clearance.
In-depth Cardiovascular Health Monitoring
AFib is the main form of irregular heart rhythm that is often underdiagnosed as it can be intermittent and easily missed if symptoms are not occurring during infrequent doctors’ visit. ScanWatch can detect if a user has AFib or if their heart rhythm is slow, high or normal thanks to its ability to take a medical grade electrocardiogram (ECG) on-demand as well as its proactive heart scanning feature.
Since AFib symptoms are irregular or may not even be known to users, ScanWatch offers a new early warning detection capability. Through its embedded PPG sensor, the device has the ability to continuously monitor heart rate, which allows it to alert users to a potential issue even if they don’t feel palpitations. When ScanWatch detects an irregular heartbeat through its heart rate sensor, it will prompt the user via the watch display to take an ECG reading.
When users do experience symptoms or have been alerted of an abnormal heart rate, they can easily take an ECG, in just 30 seconds, through three built-in electrodes by simply touching both sides of the bezel.
During the measurement, users can see the live electrocardiogram displayed on the watch screen or in the accompanying Health Mate app. Once the reading is complete, the results can be viewed both directly on the watch screen and in the app. A history of all recordings, their associated classifications and any noted comments or symptoms are stored in the app. All data collected can easily be shared with a doctor or healthcare professional.
Sleep Apnea Detection
One billion people are estimated to suffer from mild to severe sleep apnea, a serious condition that can lead to major cardiovascular issues. However 8 out 10 people don’t know they have it.1 For the first time, ScanWatch is able to detect the presence of night sleep apnea episodes through an SpO2 sensor that emits and absorbs a light wave passing through blood vessels. All night long, it measures oxygen saturation levels to identify when levels are inadequate due to breathing disturbances such as sleep apnea.
In addition, ScanWatch provides sophisticated sleep monitoring and analysis of sleep patterns, including the length, depth and quality of sleep. Each morning, users can access their Sleep Score in the Health Mate app that is based on sleep duration, depth regularity and interruptions. Additionally, like Withings other activity and sleep trackers, ScanWatch has a Smart Wake-up capability that wakes users with vibration alarms at the most optimal time in their sleep cycle.
Enhanced Display Design and Features
In keeping with Withings’ reputation for elegant style, ScanWatch’s high-end craftsmanship includes a waterproof, 316L stainless steel case and sapphire glass watch face. Its face shows the time as well as a sub-dial that shows the percentage of daily step goals achieved, which are set and managed within the Health Mate app.
The PMOLED display shows important health and sports data such as daily and previous day steps and sleep score as well as calories, distance and heart rate. Users can scroll through each screen thanks to a newly designed digital crown on the side of the watch. The digital crown also allows users to launch an ECG record and SPO2 measurement, start workout modes and deactivate/set alarms. The watch’s display shows smartphone notifications, which appear along with a discrete vibration.
Like all Withings devices, it connects to the dedicated Health Mate app that provides data and
insights, as well as the ability to schedule activity reminders and set goals. Health Mate
connects with more than 100 third-party apps such as Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava, or
MyFitnessPal to help people manage their health and wellness from multiple sources.
Activity & Workout Tracking:
ScanWatch, like all of Withings trackers, is a sophisticated activity monitor able to track
parameters such as steps, calories, elevation, workout routes (via connected GPS) and can
automatically recognize more than 30 daily activities such as walking, running, swimming and
cycling.
In addition, it offers Fitness Level assessments through an indicator called VO2 Max, which
measures the heart and muscles ability to convert oxygen into energy during physical exercise.
This fitness metric will help users to optimize their training, increase performance and achieve
long-term fitness objectives.
CES & Availability
Demonstrations of ScanWatch, which has been honored with three CES Innovation awards, will
be available during CES January 7-10, 2020 at the Sands Expo Center, Hall A-D booth #44831.
Dublin is named as one of the most forward-looking in Europe, ranking particularly highly on sustainability measures.
HomeToGo, the world’s largest accommodation search engine, has conducted it’sannual report into the most forward-looking cities in Europe. As we are at the turn of a new decade, this study reveals which tech-focused, sustainable and connected metropolis’ are likely to be relevant in the coming years.
The index assesses 29 cities around Europe, rating them across three core pillars – technology, sustainability and connectivity– to come up with an overall score.
Zurich achieved the highest scores overall. The Swiss finance capital has the highest proportion of technology-led companies out of any cities in the ranking.
Progressive Scandinavia features heavily in the study, with three countries, Denmark, Sweden and Norway making the toplist.
The United Kingdom is the country with the largest number of forward-looking cities – with six in the final list. London was the most sustainable city in the ranking with a score of 74%
These are the top five most forward-looking cities in Europe for 2020:
Rank
City
Technology
Sustainability
Internet Connectivity
Average Score
1
Zurich, Switzerland
47%
68%
92%
69.6%
2
Stockholm, Sweden
32%
72%
96%
66.6%
3
Copenhagen, Denmark
35%
66%
96%
65.6%
4
Oslo, Finland
34%
67%
96%
65.5%
5
Munich, Germany
36%
67%
92%
65%
Please refer here for more information and the full study:
Edifier, prominent designer and award-winning manufacturer of consumer audio electronics for both the lifestyle and multimedia markets, announces the addition of the TWS NB, TWS6, GM6 and G7, to its ever-expanding audio and gaming accessory lineup.
The Edifier TWS NB headset has been designed to fill a gap in the market place. With its sleek, truly wireless earphone design, the TWS NB combines Active Noise Cancelling technology, which is usually found in over ear headphones, with affordability to give a fully noise-free, immersive listening experience. Equipped with a Knowles tri-frequency balanced armature driver, the TWS6 delivers a rich and powerful, all-encompassing sound in a compact and elegant design. In terms of gaming, the GM6 offers a truly portable mobile gaming experience with the security of listening to every sound in tandem with the visuals, while the G7 brings high quality, surround sound audio in a heat regulating, easy-to-use and stylish headset.
“There is an ever-growing need for premium audio devices, and we wanted to be able to provide these at an affordable cost without compromising audio quality” said Stanley Wen, Edifier’s CTO. “We are bringing our users an unrivalled audio experience in a more convenient and travel friendly package for everyone’s gaming, music and video enjoyment needs. Now, great audio can be with you wherever you go.”
TWS NB
Distinct from other noise cancellation headphones on the market, the Edifier TWS NB is based on analog noise cancelling technology, which has an extremely high standard for acoustic components and brings over-ear noise canceling headphone technology to a mini, truly wireless earphone package. With extensive testing, all components of the earphones are certified to block medium to low environmental frequencies while giving the user a completely balanced sound with no outside interruptions. Complete with unmatched audio quality and Bluetooth 5.0, the TWS NB is equipped to be your companion on your busiest days. Environmental monitoring function can be enabled by a single tap to make you aware of your surroundings while crossing a busy street.
Thanks to the Qualcomm low power-consumption chipset, users can take advantage of the five-hour playback with the active noise cancellation on or 11 hours with it off. There is also the added security of knowing that the travel friendly charging case gives an additional 10- or 22-hour of playback time. The TWS NB also utilizes lightning-fast charging, which allows your device to be fully charged in one hour. With the seamless and sleek design of the earphone and charging case, comfort, style and great technology are at the user’s disposal.
TWS6
The TWS6 is designed for audio lovers who are in need of a durable, ultra-light and compact earbud which offers impeccable sound quality. The design of the TWS6 is the epitome of small but mighty. Paired with an electroacoustics structure, the earphones create an outstanding sound experience while still maintaining a slim and travel friendly size. Organize any purse, pocket or travel compartment with the earphone’s wireless and credit-card sized charging case. With its credit-card sized charging case, the TWS6 easily fits into any pocket or travel bag.
With the LG scratch-resistant finish, you know that your earphones will stay in tip top condition. This finish has the added bonus of being environmentally friendly as it avoids the need of paint, electroplating and post-production surface treatments.
GM6
With the GM6’s 10-hour playback time combined with Qualcomm AptX low-latency technology, level after level can be completed without any lagging or low battery notifications for gamers. With mobile gaming being top of mind, countless trials and tests were made to ensure that the truly wireless earbuds would meet the specific needs for gamers.
With its environmental noise canceling technology (ENC) and dual microphones, mobile gaming is now truly portable as you can clearly communicate with any team member while playing in any area such as a moderately noisy coffee shop or a crowded bus. With 3 different audio profiles, your listening experience is enhanced and modified to further engulf yourself in the game, video or even podcast. When coming back to the real world, simply pause by taking off an earbud.
G7
While being Hi-res audio certificated, the G7 elevates your PC and console gaming dude in part by the headset’s advanced acoustic customization feature. While playing first person shooter or online battle arena games, the headset’s smart technology will identify and adjust its audio levels to bring out key audio profiles that is needed in that moment, giving the user a competitive edge in gameplay simply by enhanced audio cues.
Comfort is critical when it comes to extended game play, especially for professional gamers. The G7 is made with an ice-sense gel earmuff to regulate heat, ensuring consistent temperatures during extended gameplay sessions. Furthermore, know that teammates will clearly hear every word with the headset’s ENC technology in its retractable microphone. When finished, the headset can easily be tucked away when not in use making gaming setups organized and always ready for the next game.
Price & Availability:
At a suggested retail price of $119 for the TWS NB and G7, $99 for TWS6 and $79 for the GM6, all headsets are available to purchase in 2020, at Edifier.com with availability on Amazon following thereafter. For more information on the headsets and other Edifier products, please visit Edifier.com.
