Category: Tech News

What did we watch on netflix in 2017, This infographic shows us netflix bingers. #Netflix

Monday, 16 October Was Day The Irish Watched The Most Netflix

2017 brought a lot of learning and also, A LOT of watching. Netflix members around the world watched more than 140 million hours per day (that’s a little more one billion hours per week in case you were wondering). The most popular1 of which fell on Monday, 16 October in Ireland – the day Hurricane Ophelia struck – schools and businesses closed and everyone needed a comfort binge during the official duvet day.

Even Antarctica got in on the watching action, where someone binged through Shameless (talk about Netflix and chill). Not to be outdone, Mexico takes the top spot for having the most members to watch Netflix every-single-day (#goals).

The ones we’re still scratching our heads about, the person who watched Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 365 days in a row (streamin’ me timbers?) while an Irish Netflix member watched “Just Go With It” 308  times during 2017.  Impressive feats, especially as the average member watched around 60 movies on Netflix this year.

There’s much to say about what we watched, but how we watched was also intriguing. Though bingeing was standard in 2017, not all series were enjoyed in the same way – there were those we devoured, those we savoured, those we cheated on, and those that brought us together…

The Shows We Devoured in 2017

Globally we took an escape from reality in 2017 by devouring (watching more than two hours per day) sci-fi series likes of 3%, Travelers and The OA. The question of ‘whodunit’ (and didn’t do it) in The Keepers and The Confession Tapes also had us watching with might.  While members in Ireland devoured crime dramas like Ingobernable, Marvel’s Iron Fist and Marvel’s The Defenders

  1. Ingobernable
  2. Greenleaf
  3. The Mist
  4. 13 Reasons Why
  5. Marvel’s Iron Fist
  6. Marvel’s The Defenders
  7. One Day at a Time
  8. Santa Clarita Diet
  9. Riverdale
  10. Frontier

The Shows We Savoured in 2017

We needed a laugh this year and Irish members found that solace by savouring (watching less than two hours per day) comedies like You Me Her, ASOUE, GLOW and Big Mouth.  We also took care to enjoy the splendour of The Crown (it is a visual feast fit for a queen after all).

  1. The Crown
  2. Ozark
  3. El Chapo
  4. Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father
  5. The Confession Tapes
  6. ASOUE
  7. GLOW
  8. Big Mouth
  9. Neo Yokio
  10. You Me Her

The Shows That Got Us Cheating in 2017

We couldn’t resist the thrill of a thrill and shamelessly watched ahead of our significant others on Narcos, Ozark, Black Mirror and more (don’t tell Marty).

  1. Narcos
  2. 13 Reasons Why
  3. Stranger Things
  4. Orange is the New Black
  5. Sense8
  6. Black Mirror
  7. Marvel’s The Defenders
  8. Marvel’s Iron Fist
  9. Ozark
  10. MINDHUNTER

The Shows That Brought Us Together in 2017

Whether for the adventure, Chief Hopper or bromance (#DadSteve), Netflix members ranked Stranger Things as the top show to watch together as a family. Nostalgia also scored top points for family watching via Star Trek: Discovery, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life and Fuller House.

  1. Stranger Things
  2. 13 Reasons Why
  3. A Series of Unfortunate Events
  4. Star Trek Discovery
  5. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
  6. Riverdale
  7. Fuller House
  8. Chef’s Table
  9. Atypical
  10. Anne with E

Methodology:

Popularity based on the average daily viewing hours per member between November 1, 2016 and November 1, 2017 Series viewed less than two hours per day were identified as ‘savored.’ Series viewed more than two hours per day were identified as ‘devoured.’ Data was inclusive of new show or new season launches of Netflix originals from November 1, 2016 – November 1, 2017 only. Additional information on the Netflix Binge Scale here.

Based on more than 60,000 survey responses from Netflix members between October 24-30, 2017. The sample is representative of an adult population who watch TV shows as a couple in 32 countries. The survey included new show or new season launches of Netflix originals from November 1,  2016 – November 1, 2017 only.

Based on more than 60,000 survey responses from Netflix members between October 24-30, 2017. The sample is representative of an adult population who watch TV shows with their family in 32 countries. The survey included new show or new season launches of Netflix originals from November 1, 2016 – November 1, 2017 only.

 

Sophos 2017 Malware trends and predictions. #Apps #Gaming #Wearables #Tech #Sophos

From online gaming, to mobile apps and wearable tech, technology is used at almost every touch point in people’s day-to-day lives. However, the downside of living in this hyper-connected society means that people are also extremely vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Our friends at Sophos has this important report to share with us.

This year’s Malware Report from Sophos reveals just how malware is being weaved into this everyday technology, and how, year on year, we are seeing cybercriminals become more intelligent in their attacks, making it increasingly important for consumers to be wary of the dangers out there.

Whilst many consumers may live in denial that an attack like this will ever affect them, Sophos’ research revealed the opposite. James Burchell, Security Specialist at Sophos, reviews the most prominent risks from 2017, and what we can expect in 2018.

  1. Ransomware is on every platform – don’t assume your mobile and tablets are safe

This year, WannaCry shook the world as the cyber hi-jack accounted for more than 45% of all ransomware tracked, closely followed by Cerber at 44.2%, according to Sophos’ most recentMalware Report.

In September alone, 30.4 percent of malicious Android malware processed by SophosLabs was ransomware. Sophos expects this to jump to approximately 45 percent in October. The majority of these attacks have targeted Windows users, but the number of attacks on other platforms is increasing, including those targeting Android, Macs and Linux.

Ransomware attacks have shifted in focus in the past two years, towards industries which are most likely to pay up, such as healthcare, government, critical infrastructure, and small businesses. Due to it being one of the most lucrative industries from ransomware payments or selling medical records, Healthcare has been a big target in 2017 and will without a doubt continue that way into 2018.

  1. Malware is hiding in Android Apps

When reviewing Google Play, Sophos found that the number of different threats had doubled since last year. One type of malware, dubbed ‘GhostClicker’, sat in Google Play for almost a year, disguising itself as part of the service library. It then request device administration permission, and actively simulated click-on advertisements as it delivered to earn revenue.

One of the more sobering finds was Lipizzan, spyware that infected up to 100 devices. Although this doesn’t sound like a large number, it seems this was a targeted, precision malware, which was designed to monitor phone activity and extracting data from popular apps including email, SMS, location, and voice calls, and media.

Malware such as this is showing no sign of reducing in the future, as cyber criminals know it works. Therefore, in order to combat being a victim of Android malware, Sophos would suggest consumers:

  • Stick to Google Play – Although it isn’t perfect, it puts plenty of effort into preventing malware arriving in the first place
  • Avoid apps with a low reputation – Be especially wary of this when using a work phone
  • Patch early, patch often – Check the vendors attitude to updates
  1. Online gaming is being used to spread Ransomware and Malware

In terms of online gaming, fake copies of the popular game, ‘King of Glory’ were used to spread ransomware this year. The warning screen used mimicked the one used during the WannaCry outbreak, directing individual to pay the ransom through the China-based Wechat, Alipay and QQ payment methods.

The number of malicious apps has risen steadily in the last four years, peaking at nearly 3.5 million in 2017, therefore we are likely to see this rise further in 2018, including more deceptive online gaming traps.

  1. Data breaches– they are not going away

The downside of living in this hyper-connected society means that people are extremely vulnerable to cyber-attacks, as shown in the past few weeks with the Uber Hack, which affected 2.7 million riders and drivers. Sadly, we don’t see these data breaches diminishing in 2018, and with GDPR coming into effect in May it will only continue to be a hot topic and something we are continuing to see.

  1. 2018 and beyond

It’s impossible to predict what will happen in 2018, however it’s a fair bet that Android and Windows will continue to be heavily targeted with ransomware and other Malware. Email will also remain the primary attack vector threatening corporate cyber security, especially in the case of targeted attacks.

Four trends that stood out in 2017, and will likely dominate 2018 are:

  1. A ransomware surge fueled by RaaS and amplified by the resurgence of worms;
  2. An explosion of Android malware on Google Play and elsewhere;
  3. Continued efforts to infect Mac computers; and
  4. Ongoing Windows threats, fueled by do-it-yourself exploit kits that make it easy to target Microsoft Office vulnerabilities.

Amazon Echo VS. Google Home: Face-Off! (Infographic) #AmazonEcho #GoogleHome

Pretty popular toys these two but the Amazon Echo was the first to hit the market, but the Google Home is gaining ground. Hopefully the infographic will help you understand some more about the Assistants. Tane Clark from http://www.halfprice.com.au/ has created this infographic and sent it over for you to read and we hope you like it.

 

Viber scam number to watch out for. +22222304969 @Viber ‏@ViberHelp ‏#scam #viber

It has been a while since I have been hit on Viber in particular but just now I got this call on my phone and from looking at the number knew it was a dodgy one, But these scams will never go away but this is one you can add to your block list and prevent it regardless and pass it on to family and friends. Prevention is not a bad thing and we can all help on this.

The call is originating in Mauritania and has several threads on the web about it. Here is the offending number here +22222304969.

 

TELLOWS have reports

Phone numbers.ie also have it reported on their database.

Unboxing and Review – The NC-60 Wired headphones with ANC from @LINDYUK

A refreshed version of old being the BNX-60 These offer much the same but wired and also quality

Last December we reviewed the BNX-60 headphones from Lindy and today they are still going strong and this refreshed model I expect to follow suit with the only difference being a wired connection rather than Bluetooth, Some folk prefer the Wired and some like wireless I am kind stuck between both and the argument that will crop up is sound quality which is debatable..

To be blunt nothing much has changed here apart from the wired offering and after wearing these for a few days the same quality and comfort is back and a well built headphone with a nice touchy feel to them that come packed once again in a hardcase and some extras to keep everyone happy.. Check out the video review below and image gallery and if you have any questions fire away.

UNBOXING AND REVIEW 

Build quality once again is identical to the older version with a nice soft touch finish and priced at an affordable rate which puts a good set of cans on your ears with ANC to boot,The ANC is powered by two AA batteries hidden under the left cup which you will see how to access in the video above. If you are wondering the old version is costing £89 whislt this version cost just £59 and trading off for a wired headset is certainly worth it in this case as the package is almost identical thoughout with the extras inside and with the hardcase to portect them when travelling or if not in use its a nice touch..

Comfort is once again as before which is important for folk that like to listen to music on their commute or whatever the case maybe, With the soft leather padding on both cups and the headband they really offer a soft touch and dont clamp onto your head and also they are light so you will almost forget they are not there over a period of use.

Controls are as before with an ANC button which is powered by two AA batteries on the left also on this side is the 3.5mm audio socket. On the right is the volume control,LED status light and ANC switch.Powered by two 40mm drivers the sound is spot on in all circumstances and for the average user they will be pleased not only with the sound but with the quality and and comfort and they outdo some headphones coming in at a higher pricepoint..

Features

  • Active Noise Cancellation technology delivers up to 85% reduction of ambient noise
  • 40mm high output drivers with neodymium magnets for smooth, solid bass and clear, sparkling treble
  • Features a fully adjustable headband and soft cushioned earpads for your comfort
  • Closed back design eliminates sound leakage
  • 2 year warranty

Package Contents

  • NC-60 Noise Cancelling Headphones
  • 1.5m audio cable with 3.5mm stereo jack plug
  • 1/4’’ jack adapter
  • Dual plug flight adapter
  • Hard carry case with mesh storage pouch
  • 2 x AAA battery
  • User manual

BUY HERE

PayPal hackathon helps Irish charities get with the programme. #PayPal #Charity #App

This event brought together 30 PayPal employees to create and develop digital resources and systems for Irish charities over a 24-hour period.There were a number of charities that benefited from digital solutions. One of the most innovative was an app developed for suicide and self-harm charity, Pieta House.

The app streamlines the registration and payment system for Pieta House’s annual fundraiser, Darkness Into Light. It will save the charity 5,000 volunteer hours and eliminate the handling of over €1.5m in cash.

Press Release.

PayPal today announces the success of this year’s Opportunity Hack, its charity hackathon held in Ireland. The event, which took place at the Castleknock Hotel in Dublin, brought together 30 PayPal teammates to create and develop digital resources and systems for Irish charities over a 24-hour period.

Led by Jonathan Davies, Manager of Small Business Integrations and Optimisations at PayPal, the teammates were drawn from various disciplines including coding, software development, customer support, risk and compliance. They were tasked with working with the charities to develop solutions for their most pressing digital needs.

Pictured (L-R) at PayPals Opportunity Hack are Guy Thompson Fingal Chamber president & GM Castleknock Hotel; Alison Pryce, PayPal; Kristina Fernandes, PayPal; Cian Delaney, PayPal; Francesca Placido, PayPal; and Anthony Cooney, CEO, Fingal Chamber.

A judging panel – which consisted of various members of the PayPal team including Maeve Dorman, Vice President of Merchant Operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Anthony Rafferty, Director of Merchant Services, as well as Guy Thompson, General Manager of the Castleknock Hotel and President of Fingal Dublin Chamber of Commerce – had the difficult task of choosing the best projects.

The team behind Chifundo, a charity dedicated to the education of some of the most underprivileged children in the villages of Zomba in Malawi, claimed the number one spot. The PayPal techies helped to create an online shop for the organisation to enable it to sell Malawi crafts brought back to Ireland by volunteers, the proceeds of which will be donated directly to the school. They also made it user-friendly so that Chifundo can update it easily.

Second place went to Pieta House which helps those in suicidal distress or engaging in self-harm. It was provided with an app allowing community centres to streamline the registration and payment system for its Darkness Into Light event, thus saving the charity 5,000 volunteer hours, allowing it to gather information on participants and eliminating the handling of over €1.5m in cash.

Junior Achievement Ireland, an organisation that encourages and supports young people to remain in education, and Outreach Moldova, which is dedicated to protecting the rights of vulnerable children in the Republic of Moldova, took joint third. Junior Achievement Ireland collaborated with PayPal to develop an integrated CRM system to digitise materials used in the classroom. Outreach Moldova’s collaboration resulted in a new online ticketing service to make it easier for people to purchase tickets for its dinner and lunch events.

Speaking about the hackathon, Maeve Dorman said: “At PayPal, we are committed to giving back to the local community where we do business. It’s been fantastic to see our team joining forces with local charities to tackle their digital challenges, and come up with solutions that can make a tangible difference to their work.

Maeve Dorman, Vice President of Merchant Operations EMEA, PayPal

“It is a tremendous event for all involved. Not only do the charities benefit but PayPal teammates get a great sense of achievement out of applying their expertise to new challenges. Now in its second year, the Opportunity Hack 2.0 has made a significant impact already and helps to address important issues such as social inclusion, education and wellness.”

Kieran Brady, Director of Funding and Advocacy, Pieta House, said: “As our flagship funding event, Darkness Into Light is the single biggest occasion that allows us to keep our doors open and continue to provide our life-saving service free of charge to people all over Ireland. Over the years, the event has grown from strength to strength, but with that, so have its needs, along with the challenges that come with managing such a large event.

“The app created for us at PayPal’s Opportunity Hack 2.0 streamlines the registration and payment processes, saving us countless hours, and protects both staff and volunteers by reducing cash handling. It will also help us adhere to tightening data protection legislation and maintain transparency, which is so important to us in remaining accountable to the many people who support us in doing our work. We are extremely grateful to the PayPal team for lending us their time and expertise for this project.”

Pictured (L-R) at PayPals Opportunity Hack are Tim O’Leary, PayPal; Darren Corley, PayPal; Slawek Smiechowski, PayPal; and Guy Thompson Fingal Chamber president & GM Castleknock Hotel.

 

Guy Thompson said: “Castleknock Hotel was honoured to be the partner hotel for PayPal’s Opportunity Hack 2.0 and the staff were delighted to host another hugely successful event. As President of the Fingal Dublin Chamber of Commerce, we strongly encourage CSR initiatives amongst our members and PayPal is leading the way, providing much needed expertise, support, enthusiasm and a genuine passion for helping the community.”

Lottoz Goes Live in Ireland! Opens large jackpots for the Irish. #Lottoz #Lottery

Before you try it out do gamble with sense folks or check GambleAware.ie 

Lottoz.ie, the new fully regulated global online lottery platform lands in Ireland today with a mission to eliminate geographical borders and give Irish lottery fans the chance to bet on jackpots from the biggest lotteries worldwide including the US Powerball Lottery which currently has a jackpot of €88.3million.

Lottoz is challenging the traditional way of playing lottery by allowing users of its mobile platform to bet on lottery results from 14 international lotteries from four continents including the US Powerball and Mega Millions, the EU’s EuroMillions and EuroJackpot, the UK’s National Lottery and Thunderball, Bonolotto, France Lotto and the Oz Lotto! By using a mobile platform to place bets and manage winnings, Lottoz removes geographical borders and the need to buy paper tickets and claim winnings in-person.

Owned and developed by new gaming and entertainment tech company Morpheus Games, Lottoz is licensed by Office of the Revenue Commissioners and is part of a new wave of digital-first brands that are changing the way people access the lottery.   From offices in Malta, Israel and Ukraine, all known for their up-and-coming tech and gaming sectors. Morpheus plans to continuously expand the number of international lotteries and games it offers Irish players for betting, and attract new digital and mobile-first audiences to this kind of gaming.

“The lottery business needs to evolve if it is to survive,” says Co-Founder Kfir Biton, who devised the idea for Lottoz when he was sent a link to play the $1,586Bn US Powerball Jackpot in January 2016 and found that he was not able to play. “Driven by our cutting-edge technology and mobile customer experience, we introduce new, younger, global audiences to lotteries, with instant access to bet on their lucky numbers and win jackpots.

In 2017, accessibility is everything. People order gadgets and even cars on eBay, sublet apartments on AirBnB and do it on their phone in an instant.  Still, they have very limited accessibility to global lotteries offering incredible jackpots. Its alien for these players to have to queue for tickets and head into newsagents or supermarkets to collect their winnings. This is a generation who pay with Apple Pay and trade in Bitcoins. They want to know that their winnings are already collected for them and in their account, ready to spend on the things they want. They want alerts for new games and instant access at the tap of a button.”

With these new audiences in mind, Lottoz is making it its mission to reimagine the way people play the lottery and connect to their dreams. “The global lottery market is worth $279.9M and is set to grow at a CAGR of 9.44% between 2017-2021, but the biggest challenge to growth is jackpot fatigue and the habit of playing predominantly offline. By taking the game online, expanding the jackpot opportunities and making it easy, secure and exciting to play for new mobile audiences, Lottoz is a brand that will spearhead a change in the market, and that is truly exciting!” says Morpheus Games CEO Dave Avila.

Kfir concludes, “Over the coming months we plan to educate and change consumer habits by digitising lotteries from around the world, making them available to bet on via mobile. We have a great product for the UK market and we’re ready for Irish players to place their bets, but we’re also in development and we have an incredibly exciting product pipeline lined-up.”  Ultimately, Lottoz offers choice; choice of lotteries from around the world, choice of odds, choice of jackpots and draw times whenever you want them, wherever you are. 

To bet on the biggest jackpots around the world, please visit www.lottoz.ie

Sony BRAVIA TVs compatible with Amazon Alexa. #Sony #Bravia #Alexa

Sony has announced today that thanks to a recent firmware update, Amazon Alexa-enabled devices can now control Sony 4K HDR BRAVIA TV models with Android. Alexa is now getting popular here in Ireland alongside similar products which are slowly trickling in,other than that we have to import them.

With this update users can ask Alexa to perform basic TV functions such as controlling the TV power, volume, play/pause/stop/fast forward controls, switch inputs and change channels. Voice control is a natural way to interact with technology in the home, and now owners of Amazon Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Show, and Echo Dot and a Sony 4K HDR televisions with Android can simply ask “Alexa, turn on my Living Room TV” or “Alexa, change channel to BBC One HD on my living room TV.”

“This is a great example of Sony’s commitment to delivering a wide range of innovative technologies to our customers.” said Mike Somerset, TV Marketing Manager, Sony UK. “Through our award winning BRAVIA range with the Android platform we are able to offer compatibility to consumers who have an Amazon Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Show and Echo Dot device in their home to use their devices to interact with the home entertainment experiences made possible by Sony BRAVIA.”

An Amazon Alexa-enabled device connected to one of Sony’s 4K HDR televisions with Android TV enables an easy path to joining the world voice-enables home automation and connected devices.

Selected models of Sony’s Android TVs will become compatible with Amazon Alexa via a firmware update available in November.

This functionality is currently only supported in the United Kingdom and the United States. For a complete list of supported models visit and detail about the firmware update visit: https://sony-eur-eu-en-web–eur.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/143558

Let your dream job come to you with @WorksApp_Me #Jobs #WorksApp

WorksApp was created for the new-age job seeker, offering personalised job alerts sent straight to your WhatsApp inbox. James from WorksApp tells us more below about the company.

Our tailored job search algorithm means that with one simple sign-up candidates can ensure the perfect job doesn’t pass them by – leaving them with more time to get on with the important things in life. Our ‘search and match’ approach is different from other spammy e-mail signups that other companies offer.

You won’t be sent a Director of Marketing role if you’ve just graduated; similarly, you won’t be inundated with Internship opportunities if you’re the HR Director for a large multi-national.

WorksApp is job seeking for everyone – whether you’re currently unemployed, a graduate starting out or just interested in keeping one eye on the market while you forge ahead with your career, WorksApp can take care of your job search so you don’t have to.

See more over at https://www.worksapp.me/