Participate in weather reports with #EWOB – European Weather Observer app. #Weather

We have a quite alot of weather apps to choose from today and most of them do the job and it would be hard to pick which is the best app although some like to think their judgement is gospel. There would be a handful you could perhaps say are the top ten app which is something I am not going into today. This app is however different when users can upload their weather reports from where they are and also submit images and share on social media too,This is a good idea and crowd sourced so there perhaps might be an element of trust here to legitimate reports but there is plenty of weather fans out there than can easily dictate reports and of course current apps can confirm too.. Also we have some communities here in Ireland which I actively participate in too as I have an interest in Weather.

 

Using EWOB you can report the weather right where you are and see what people in your surroundings are reporting. You can upload and see pictures and read descriptions of the weather at different places in Europe. With EWOB reports of a variety of weather situations and severe weather phenomena such as snow, rain, floods or damaging winds and displays them on a map. The app allows you to zoom into your region or see areas as large as Europe. The map can be animated, so that you can follow the evolution of the weather.

 

 

By monitoring the map, you can get an idea of how the weather near you is behaving and be aware early when severe weather approaches. By reporting, you are helping scientists who study severe weather and are giving valuable information to weather forecasters and severe weather warning services. Scientists will use the data to find out how they can best use data from meteorological satellites and radars to best predict severe weather. Weather observations by human beings are indispensable to develop relationships between what satellites and radars see and what kind of weather is actually happening on the ground.

 

Weather forecasters have to deal with the problem that satellites cannot see what happens under a storm cloud, radars do not scan close to the earth’s surface and that measurements from observation stations are far apart. EWOB helps them to be aware when a thunderstorm starts to produce wind damage, or when rain suddenly starts to freeze on the road: that is crucial information for issuing timely weather warnings.

 

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Sky VR headset and app review. #SkyVR #googlecardboard #VirtualReality

Recently Sky launched their very own Virtual Reality app which is free do download on Android,iOS and Oculus so pretty much anyone can download the app which is quite good. The app has plenty of content available now and it will be interesting to see what Sky will bring to the fore in the coming months,no doubt being Sky we will not be disappointed.

 

 

Having used the app since its launch I was impressed with it anyway there is plenty of option available right now and the app had nice content featured at its launch.. Initially Sky had been testing this for some time and had been teasing us with it but finally now its here and you need to try it.

 

 

 

At launch there was the following available.

  • Star Wars: Red Carpet (Sky Cinema) – get closer to the red carpet at the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens
  • Anthony Joshua: Becoming World Champion – see Anthony as you have never seen him before, as he becomes IBF world heavyweight champion
  • Disney – two VR experiences from The Jungle Book, enabling viewers to get up close and personal with King Louie and Kaa
  • Fox Innovation Lab – The Martian Sneak Peek – transports viewers to Mars to follow the film’s protagonist Mark Watney after he has been stranded on the planet
  • Warner Brothers – Suicide Squad: Squad 360 – viewers can see what it’s like being a member of the Suicide Squad during a scene from the film
  • Team Sky – Journey to the Tour – follow the team preparing for their third Tour de France
  • F1®  – Team Williams – lets fans go behind the scenes of the Williams team, in the pit lane and in car viewing
  • Sky News – Calais: The Jungle – taking viewers to the centre of the refugee crisis with footage from inside ‘The Jungle’
  • Baobab Studios – Invasion – a VR animation about a duo of aliens aiming to take over the world, but needing to overcome two fearsome white bunny rabbits
  • Jaunt – Paul McCartney: Dance Tonight – Paul takes viewers through the charming creation story of this song, and its music video

 

 

 

The headset is simple to set up like any other cardboard offering out there today however this feels quite robust and as mentioned its literally a few seconds to get going, you can see how to in the video above..The absence to focus on these type of headsets is only obvious but in general they work well ,Once set up is  complete you will need to download the apps which are linked below depending on what your device or platform is there is three available so anyone can basically avail of the app and give it a shot. If you are a VR fan you will enjoy what is there now and will be certainly looking forward to what is down the road, We certainly cant wait and we will update on any new content from Sky in the future…

Download the app below from the respective stores and enjoy…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learn to read with the Mario Alphabet App #Kids #Apps #Mario #Learning

Set the stage for reading success with this cool interactive game.Kids will have so much fun learning their ABCs with the 24 adorable monsters and superheroes in Mario´s Alphabet. Each level features one talking letter and one funny character. Before you know it, your child will have built a strong foundation in reading readiness and have a blast doing so!

 

 

Mario’s Alphabet is the NEW App which can make the difference in education!  Letters are introduced according to the Montessori methodology. Surprisingly, with this order children will learn faster to read than with the traditional alphabet’s order.

Camila tells us

We are 2 sisters! Camila is the creative part (concept game designer)
and Elisa is the marketing girl!  We are moms of 3 kids (each), And
know that Technology and apps are really effective in education!. We
work from our homes while kids are at  nursery and schools.

 

 

• Mario´s Alphabet includes all the letters of popular platforms, but it incorporates significant educational value.

• Each new level introduces a new letter, it’s phonetic sounds, and words that start with that letter.

• Roll, jump, fly, or sail around Mario´s Alphabet, in a delightful world filled with early reading.

• Tap and slide the letters and discover funny animations and sounds.

• Translated to 6 different languages (English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese)

• 25 super funny and cool characters will reinforce learning.

• Delightful animations help children learn the individual sounds of letters in a fun and engaging way

• Ideal for kids 4-7

• 168 challenging levels

• COPPA compliant, no ads, no in-app purchases

 

PAID APP – See http://www.appalphabet.com/ for more

 

 

 

Fly through a carbon nanotubes and more with #CarbonsVR. #EduChemVR #VR

If you are into carbon atoms and similar this is a must have VR app for you to test out which is free to download on Android right now and its pretty awesome.. You can fly through nanotubes,graphene,graphite or Diamond this is a must have app especially for the VR fans out there.. Having tried it out for a while its pretty cool..

Jonas Boström and Magnus Norrby founded EduChem VR the summer of 2016 in Sweden. Magnus Norrby is a professional software developer (in finance) and Jonas Boström is a drug designer (in big pharma) with a track recordof investigating molecular shapes and their characteristics.

Magnus and Jonas have a history of delivering powerful and user-friendly tools to enhance drug discovery. An example is the Oculus Rift based virtual reality molecular visualizer. H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf, the Sports Minister of Chile, the Executive Vice President at AstraZeneca and the Head of Business Development at EA Sports have all experience atoms and molecules using our previous virtual reality tool.

 

 

 

Carbons VR – an educational chemistry virtual reality app

Background
The carbon atom is special. A carbon atom is tetravalent, with four electrons available to form four bonds to other atoms. Carbon atoms frequently bonds to other carbon atoms in different ways. The different forms that the carbon atoms arrange themselves into are called allotropes. Examples of allotropes are graphite, graphene, fullerenes (e.g. buckyballs and nanotubes) and diamond. The carbon-carbon bonds in diamond are all single-bonds (sp3 hybridization), whereas in graphite, graphene and fullerenes all the carbon-carbon bonds are of double-bond character (sp2 hybridization).

 


The 3D structure of many allotropes can be determined by experiment. For example by X-ray diffraction analysis of crystalline matter. Carbon can also exists in an amorphous form. This is not crystalline, and not available in 3D.
The physical properties vary widely between the allotropic forms, and they are thus used for different purposes. The unique properties of carbon nanotubes makes it a candidate for applications in biomedical fields (drug delivery, biosensors, etc.). Many of today’s tennis racquets are made by graphite (and a few by graphene), which is opaque and black/grey. Diamond on the other hand is transparent and one of the hardest naturally occurring material known. Graphite is soft enough to draw a line with a pencil, whereas graphene is even harder than diamond. Carbon is special indeed. In this app you get to experience the different forms of carbon at the atomic level allotropes in a virtual reality.

Instructions:
There are a few options in the main menu. In “Carbons” there is some background information. In “Settings”, one can toggle music on/off, change the speed in which you travel in, set the carbon atom color, as well as how the atoms and bonds are displayed (ball-and-stick, stick, and CPK). In the “Explore VR” mode you can select which allotrope to experience, or go on a virtual tour following a predefined trajectory in auto-pilot mode. In the “Game” mode you can compete to collect the five allotropes. This is done by flying through the golden atoms as quick as possible. The Google Cardboard button can be used to start moving (one click), and to freeze the virtual experience (one click), making it possible to look around. When moving around, it is set up so that you travel in the direction you are facing.

See http://www.educhem-vr.com/  for more

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Urbanista Launches its Stylish Berlin Wireless Earphones. #Wireless #Earphones #Berlin

Swedish lifestyle brand, Urbanista, today launches the new Berlin range, the latest in its beautifully designed portfolio of Bluetooth wireless earphones. With a sleek Scandinavian design and comfortable fit, the Berlin is the ideal choice for those looking for an easy to use earphone to fit in with their busy lifestyle.

 

Berlin brings wireless sound to the masses with a simplistic, easy to use design

Available in white, black, rose gold and blue petroleum, the Berlin has a unique construction with soft silicon ear buds and a flat cable which gives users an ergonomic and tangle free fit. The earphones offer a playtime of up to 4 hours and the hands-free microphone means users can easily take phone calls without having to reach for their phone.

 

 

Whether it’s between meetings, relaxing on a plane or commuting on a crowded bus or train, the Berlin earphones are the perfect everyday companion. Compact, easy to use and easy to enjoy!

Berlin is available in stores and at www.urbanista.com now for £39

Pre-order #XperiaEar and get €50 off the next phone you buy from the Xperia Store.

If you have missed it the Xperia Ear is a new earbud if you will that was recently launched and its now up for pre-order and due to dispatch sometime in November.. Take note though this is not a PAIR of earbuds but just ONE which is set to rival the likes of the Apples air-pods or the Jabra Sports Elite both of which come in pairs.. Xperia Ear which is a personal assistant you can send and receive messages, check your schedule, search, navigate, and more. All without picking up your phone which is handy to say the least.

 

 

However the price might not favour some coming in at €199 but if you are a Sony fan you can claw back €50 if you intend to purchase a new smartphone.. The offer ends on November 13th so if it is something you had in mind and want a new phone later on head over and check out the offer HERE

 

 

 

Key product features:

  • Voice commands* for hands-free phone use
  • Get personalised info straight into your ear
  • Intuitive motion and gesture control
  • Charging case included

 

 

 

US Firm Black Duck software creates 58 new jobs in Belfast. #BlackDuck #Jobs #Belfast

Black Duck, a global leader in automated solutions for securing and managing open source software, today announced the formation of its Belfast-based Open Source Security Research Group during an event at Invest Northern Ireland’s headquarters in Belfast.

Black Duck worked closely with Invest NI on the initiative, and Black Duck said it expects to add almost 60 jobs in Northern Ireland over the next four years.

The Northern Ireland group is a component of Black Duck’s global Center for Open Source Research and Innovation (COSRI).

COSRI is based at Black Duck’s Massachusetts headquarters. The Northern Ireland group will play a major role in COSRI’s research work by analyzing open source security issues and attack patterns, and by providing customers with actionable information on vulnerabilities, corrective actions to reduce risk and strategies for effective, secure use of open source.

Black Duck CEO Lou Shipley attended the event and said “Since creating COSRI earlier this year, we have been increasing our strategic investments in open source security research and innovation worldwide. Northern Ireland has the depth of security research talent to meet many of our needs in the near term and in the future.  

“Invest NI very quickly proved to us that Northern Ireland had both the high-quality tech professionals to meet our open source security research needs and an impressive array of cybersecurity-focused businesses that will continue to attract more attractive candidates to the region. Invest NI’s guidance and support played a vital role in making this engagement happen. They will be a key strategic ally as we scale our research activities, grow our business and support Black Duck customers in the UK and Europe,” said Shipley.

 

 

 

Simon Hamilton, Northern Ireland’s Minister for the Economy, praised Black Duck’s investment and said “Our local software industry is fueled by a pool of high-quality software engineers working in a range of leading technology disciplines. In recent years Northern Ireland has made significant investments in cybersecurity research and in growing computer science student numbers at both Queen’s and Ulster universities.  We also have a growing cluster of world-class companies involved in cybersecurity, making Northern Ireland a very attractive location for projects of this type.”

Use of open source software is ubiquitous worldwide and it is an essential component in application development today, often comprising 50 percent of the code in an application. The rapid growth in open source usage has created significant security and management challenges.

Shipley noted that open source use will continue to grow because of its economic, productivity and innovation benefits. “Our intent is to support that growth by helping organizations use more open source more securely.”

Microsoft Ireland calls for a holistic approach to improving Europe’s digital literacy. #Microsoft #Coding

This Europe Code Week, Microsoft aims to help more of Ireland’s young people explore computer science and hone their digital skills

Microsoft is encouraging more European students to get engaged in computer science and boost their coding skills this week. Students and teachers will be joining in a series of events taking place across 14 European countries as part of Europe Code Week 2016.

 

Pictured at the event were Sam (8), Charis (10), Molly (6) and Jack (12) Howell all from Dunleer Co Louth.
Photo Chris Bellew / Fennell Photography


 

 

 

Digital skills are essential for anyone to thrive in our digital economy and for Europe to realize its Digital Single Market vision. In Europe, 90 percent of jobs will require some level of digital skills by 2020. Including computer science education into the curriculum in every European country is one clear path towards closing the digital skills gap. Helping more young people to learn the basics of coding and get inspired by the possibilities of computer science at a young age will help to instil the computational-thinking and problem-solving skills that are critical for today’s digital environment.

 

Progress is underway. 19 European countries have integrated computer programming and coding in their curriculum or plan to do so in the near future[1]. However, there is still a significant need for computer science to remain on top of the education policy agenda to make digital literacy and skills fundamental components of education at all levels. Education reform must happen faster to ensure the current generation doesn’t get left behind.

 

“Computer science is now a building block for all modern jobs and should be an essential part of foundational learning in the classroom,” said Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland. “Although we are making great strides when it comes to sparking interest in subjects like coding, we mustn’t lose sight of the other tangible ways we can help young people to think in a more digital way. Europe Code Week reminds us that, by opening up more opportunities and teaching coding and computer science both inside and outside of the classroom, we can continue to nurture greater interest and engagement across the region.” 

Envoy is Ireland’s newest parcel delivery service. #Envoy #Parcels #Delivery #IrishBiz

The courier industry is a cut throat business today and with a myriad of  well established options available across the land and having worked in the industry for some 20 years myself it is not going to change anytime soon and with the huge increase in eCommerce over the last few years there is now a strain showing and pressure mounting on companies with Christmas and Brexit online sales already are increasing now and it will be interesting to see how companies will cope with the huge volume expected this Xmas season…Once was what was inherently a B2B  (Business to Business) industry its changed and now has now evolved into a B2C  (Business to Customer) business too thanks to the eCommerce boom. Also you have the other known service C2C  (Customer to Customer) Envoy have entered the market perhaps just at the right time here to avail of the pickings available in the industry but they do have a partnership with  known carriers called GLS whom have multiple hubs across the country like its competitors Nightline,Fastway and DPD etc.. The company offers similar services to what it is on offer by others..The standard service offers two-day delivery if you book before 4pm..

 

 

Envoy are an Irish company dedicated to creating a premium delivery service accessible to SMEs and consumers. They offer the first real alternative to the the post office for parcels, packages and registered post, with some key advantages.Anyone with access to a computer or a smartphone can use our simple site to arrange to have a parcel collected from any location in Ireland and delivered to anywhere in Europe.

 

How it works..

  1. Choose the weight of parcel you want delivered.
  2. Enter collection and delivery locations.
  3. Confirm your order and enter your payment details (one time only!)

Standard service offers two-day delivery. If you book before 4pm (and usually after), the driver will arrive with a pre-printed label to collect your parcel the following working day, with delivery the day after that. For your peace of mind, all of our deliveries are signed for.

Envoy deliver to 35 countries around Europe, offering great rates such as €20 (+ VAT) to send up to 20kg to the UK.

 

 

 

See | Online Selling | Returns |

Delivery is a key component of online selling, whether through Adverts.ie, eBay or any custom platform. With Envoy you have access to a low-cost, door-to-door delivery service with transparent pricing and reliable two-day turnaround. You also get that all-important signature as proof of delivery.
For those returning goods bought online, within Ireland, the UK or anywhere in Europe, we can take the hassle out of the process. Envoy will collect the item you want returned and deliver it to any Returns Department or store in Europe.

Check out the FAQ for more info.

 

| Enterprise Deliveries | Registered Post |

We also have a business solution, called Envoy Enterprise. If you send a lot of parcels or if you need next day delivery, our bespoke solution allows you to book deliveries, print custom labels and have your parcels collected that day. Simply pay for your labels as you book them.
Similarly, our Registered Post solution collects and delivers your registered items. We’re cheaper than the Post Office that you no longer have to visit.

Conor also tells is what’s on the roadmap . . 

An app is one of the enhancements we’re currently working on! You can still book via smartphone in the interim.

Also on the roadmap are other features to make our service even better:

* Parcelshops for pick-up and drop-off.
* Collection/delivery from anywhere in Europe.
* API integration.

Via

 

See Envoy.ie