Creating a Custom Payment Gateway: A Step-by-Step Guide

In today’s digital economy, businesses rely on payment gateways to facilitate secure and efficient online transactions. While many companies use third-party solutions, creating a payment gateway can provide unique advantages, such as tailored features, enhanced control, and reduced transaction fees.

Building a custom payment gateway is a complex process requiring technical expertise, compliance with regulations, and robust security measures. However, with proper planning and execution, it can be a valuable investment for businesses looking to scale or offer a distinctive payment experience.

Why Create a Custom Payment Gateway?

While third-party payment gateways are convenient, they come with limitations like high fees, lack of customization, and dependency on external providers. By creating your payment gateway, you gain control over the payment process, allowing you to:

  • Customize features to meet specific business needs.
  • Reduce dependency on external providers.
  • Minimize transaction costs.
  • Enhance security by implementing tailored fraud prevention measures.

Custom payment gateways are particularly beneficial for businesses with unique payment requirements or those processing high transaction volumes.

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Custom Payment Gateway

Before diving into development, it’s essential to outline your business goals and requirements for the payment gateway. Consider:

  1. Who will use the gateway? (e.g., e-commerce businesses, subscription platforms)
  2. How many transactions do you anticipate handling daily?
  3. What payment methods will the gateway support? (e.g., credit cards, digital wallets, cryptocurrencies)
  4. Will it integrate with specific platforms like e-commerce websites or mobile apps?

 

Understanding your objectives will guide the development process and help prioritize features.

Payment gateways must also adhere to strict regulations to secure sensitive data handling. Key compliance requirements feature PCI DSS compliance, GDPR or regional regulations, and 3D security.

Furthermore, include encryption, tokenization, and fraud detection mechanisms to protect transactions and build customer trust.

Design the system to facilitate secure transactions between customers, merchants, and banks. It should handle authorizations, captures, and settlements efficiently.

What’s more, develop APIs that enable businesses to integrate the payment gateway into their platforms. Ensure the APIs are well-documented and easy to use for developers.

Support multiple payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets (like Apple Pay or Google Pay), and alternative options like buy now, pay later (BNPL) services or cryptocurrencies.

Integrate machine learning algorithms to analyze transaction patterns and identify potential fraud. Tools like address verification systems (AVS) and real-time risk assessments can also help minimize fraudulent activities.

Collaborate with acquiring banks and payment networks (e.g., Visa, Mastercard) to facilitate transaction processing. These partnerships are essential to ensure that funds move securely between customers and merchants.

Additionally, establish relationships with payment processors for backend support, such as handling chargebacks and managing transaction settlements.

Once testing is complete, launch your custom payment gateway. Monitor its performance continuously using analytics tools to track transaction success rates, error occurrences, and customer satisfaction. Regularly update the gateway to incorporate new features and address emerging security threats.

Challenges and How to Overcome Them

High Development Costs

Creating a custom payment gateway requires significant investment in development and compliance. To mitigate costs, prioritize essential features during the initial phase and plan for iterative improvements over time.

Regulatory Complexity

Staying compliant with evolving regulations can be challenging. Work with legal experts and compliance officers to ensure your gateway meets all necessary standards.

Security Risks

Cybersecurity is a critical concern. Invest in robust security measures and partner with experts to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.

Conclusions

Creating a payment gateway is a complex but rewarding endeavor for businesses looking to enhance their payment processes. By following a structured approach—defining objectives, ensuring compliance, building a secure infrastructure, and partnering with financial institutions—you can develop a solution tailored to your needs. While the journey involves challenges, the benefits of increased control, cost savings, and a superior user experience make it a worthwhile investment. A custom payment gateway not only empowers businesses to manage payments effectively but also positions them for long-term growth in an increasingly cashless economy.

Dublin student’s design for the vision impaired wins SciFest National Final 2024

5th year student, Maura Moore-McCune representing The King’s Hospital School, Palmerstown in Co. Dublin has won the title of SciFest STEM Champion 2024 with her project ‘VIPMOD: Vision Impaired Person’s Moving Object Detector’. Maura Moore-McCune will represent Ireland at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.

Now in its 19th year, SciFest is Ireland’s largest, most-inclusive all-island STEM fair programme for second-level students. The National Final, held in Marino Conference Centre in Dublin today, was attended by students from every corner of the island, with 62 students qualifying to participate this year. Since 2006, the programme has continued to evolve and expand, reporting an average increase of over 20% year on year. This has been helped by the tremendous support offered by Intel Ireland, Boston Scientific, EirGrid and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.

Maura Moore-McCune, who is vision impaired, developed an app to detect fast moving objects, so that vision impaired people can live safer and more independent lives.

This project evolved through six prototypes. The first three prototypes used Micro:bits. Prototype 4 uses GPS technology. Prototype 5 is an app which uses TensorFlow.js Image Classification model to detect oncoming vehicles and other objects. The app displays the object’s name, vibrates and issues a text-to-speech warning. Finally, Prototype 6 is an application that estimates the speed of oncoming objects. It uses a YOLOv8 model to analyse input footage.  Prototype 5 was tested in a controlled setting, with 95% accuracy (316 trials).  Vision Ireland will be testing VIPMOD in the WayFinding Centre – an indoor environment replicating the real-world experience of using public transport for vision impaired people.

Maura was presented with the SciFest STEM Champion 2024 Award by Sheila Porter, SciFest Founder and CEO. Maura rose to win the top prize, following her success at the regional final in SciFest@TU Dublin Tallaght.

Founded in 2006, the programme’s primary aim is to encourage students’ participation in STEM in an enjoyable and interactive way. SciFest is free to enter and open to everyone across the island of Ireland, no matter their background or circumstance.

Speaking today at this year’s National Final, CEO and Founder of SciFest, Sheila Porter commented: “On behalf of everyone here at SciFest, I would like to extend a warm congratulations to all the winners, particularly to Maura for winning the title of SciFest STEM Champion 2024. SciFest has been providing opportunities in STEM for students for nearly two decades, and I am proud to have watched it evolve during that time. And while every year, we continue to grow, our core mission remains the same: to inspire and empower the next generation to engage with and explore the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

This year saw a big uptake in projects focusing on the environment and sustainability – critical areas for shaping a better future. I want to sincerely thank everybody who has been involved – from our students, teachers, and parents to our wonderful sponsors – all of whom have contributed to this extraordinary event. Together, we continue to drive progress and spark the creativity that will lead us into the future.”

Other award winners at the SciFest 2024 National Final were:

  • Lily Cahill who won the SciFest STEM Champion 2024 Runner-up Award for her project on ‘Investigating Whether Childhood Imaginary Companions Impact Social Competence and Coping Skills in Teenage Years’
  • Fionn Campbell who won the Berlin Long Night of Science Award for his project on ‘A Crystal-Clear Way to Slow Down Ireland’s Energy Crisis’
  • Maura Moore-McCune who won the Boston Scientific Medical Devices Grand Award for her project on ‘VIPMOD: Vision Impaired Person’s Moving Object Detector’
  • Gráinne Ní Chrónín who won the Boston Scientific Medical Devices Grand Award Runner Up for her project on ‘No More Ice, Ice Baby!’
  • Matthew Daly and Rory Maguire who won the EirGrid Cleaner Climate Grand Award for their project on ‘How “Green” are the Local GAA Clubs? Comparing the Carbon Footprints of our Rural GAA Clubs’
  • Lillie Li and Miles Bueno who won the Intel Technology Award for their project on ‘Finding Habitable Exoplanets on the NASA database with the Help of AI’
  • Orlaith Connors who won the Mallinckrodt STEM Excellence Award for her project on ‘MITES BEE GONE! An Investigation of Irish Honeybees and Their Natural’
  • Micheala Gillooly who won the STEM Outreach Video Award for her project on ‘Own your Cycle, Own Your Game’
  • Áine Ní Fhearraigh, Muireann Haicéid and Kerry Magner who won the SciFest Social Sciences Award for their project on ‘Cé Mhéad Leictreachais is Féidir le Roth Uisce Simplí a Ghiniúint, agus an Leor é Chun Roinnt Soilse a Lasadh?’
  • Emmalise O’Boyle and Cara Mullen who won the SciFest Life Sciences Award for their project on ‘Investigating the Effect of Microplastic Concentrations on Plant Growth and Nutrition’
  • Megan Bohan and Ríona O’Farrell who won the THEA Award for their project on ‘Feathered Frequencies: The Invention of a Bird Deterrent Sound System to Eliminate the Threat of Bird Strikes Involving Jet Engines and Turbine Blades’
  • Séana Dunne, Miriam Senior and David Fitzpatrick who won the ISTA Award for their project on ‘Extracting Latex from Dandelions and Using it to Make a Glue to Find a Sustainable Alternative Source for Latex’
  • Robyn O’Hanlon, Emilia Aherne and Elodie Wallace who won the SciFest Junior Scientist of the Future Award for their project on ‘Mushrooms vs Normal Building Material’
  • Addison Carey who won the SciFest Junior Technologist of the Future Award for her project on ‘Enhancing Data Security in AI Training using Zero-Knowledge Proofs for Secure Methodology Development’

Centric360 acquires Irish managed services provider HCS

HCS – the managed services provider with offices in Dublin, Waterford and Cork – today announces that it has been acquired by Centric360. Centric360 is an investment vehicle owned jointly by Pamela Farrell and Brian Larkin, former directors of the Evros Technology Group which was acquired in 2020 by eir. The acquisition will be followed by further investment in HCS throughout 2025, including the expansion of its service portfolio and team.

Over the past 30 years, HCS has become a highly successful managed services business spanning cyber security, cloud, digital transformation and telecoms. HCS has an impressive customer base across financial services, healthcare, hospitality, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing sectors.

Since 2020, HCS has increased its turnover from €3.5 million to a projected revenue of €8 million in this financial year and more than doubled its team from 24 to 50 employees. The company has also invested heavily in automating its systems across sales and services, providing a foundation for long-term growth and innovation.

Building on this acquisition by Centric360, both Larkin and Farrell see significant scope for further investment in the business in 2025. This will include enhancing and scaling the existing HCS service portfolio and expanding the sales and professional services teams to deliver an end-to-end offering with a best-in-class customer experience.

The vision is to build on the company’s impressive growth and foundations by extending the range of products and services to meet the rising demands of existing and future customers. Furthermore, the business intends to shift its focus beyond the SME and midmarket space to include larger enterprises.

To support these plans, HCS will add additional expertise and resources to its experienced team in the coming months. In addition to creating jobs across its three Irish offices, the company will invest in the professional development and progression of the existing team.

The acquisition also includes the purchase of the HCS headquarters in Waterford, where the business intends to strengthen its presence further. The current HCS owners and directors – Seán Hegarty, Dan Hegarty and Neil Phelan – will continue in their vital roles, contributing significantly to HCS’s ongoing growth and future success.

Meanwhile, Larkin will become Chairman and Farrell will assume the role of Managing Director. Together they bring extensive knowledge to the organisation, having been key contributors to building the Evros Technology Group to revenues of over €100 million and a 400-strong team.

Speaking about the acquisition, HCS CEO Neil Phelan said: “It was important for us to join forces with people who understand our brand and history. Together, we hope to continue driving growth not just for the business but for our employees and customers too. Pamela and Brian bring extensive industry experience, strong professional reputation, and a proven track record in leadership and business expansion. Combined with our high-quality services, excellent client relationships and talented team, we look forward to elevating HCS to the next level.”

Pamela Farrell added: “It was clear from the moment we met with HCS that we shared similar values and vision for business. With the alignment of culture and expertise, we look forward to further investing in operations, expanding the company’s capabilities, and bolstering the team. In turn, we intend to open up new opportunities while building on the organisation’s existing legacy of delivering transformational, innovative services which customers can trust.”

Square Kiosk launches in Ireland to make restaurant ordering faster and more intuitive

Square unveiled Square Kiosk, a fully integrated software, hardware, and payments solution that enables self-serve ordering for quick-service restaurants.

Designed to help fast-moving and fast-growing restaurants deliver a smooth service experience and keep queues to a minimum, Square Kiosk empowers guests to customise and place orders in under 60 seconds through its sleek and intuitive design, an easy-to-use interface, and embedded contactless and chip payment technology.

Amid concerns about increased costs in the hospitality industry and difficulty finding skilled personnel, Square Kiosk also untethers restaurant staff from the counter, freeing them to focus on other tasks.

For customers, using Square Kiosk is a sleek and simple experience that lets them bypass lines and easily customise their orders.

According to the 2024 Future of Commerce report, 78% of customers prefer to place orders through self-serve kiosks or online, and Square Kiosk’s intuitive UI and built-in payments lets diners quickly and easily order their food.

Guests are able to select exactly what they want, with customisation options being sent directly to the kitchen, and restaurants can grow their check sizes by offering upgrades and add-ons on every order without any awkward exchanges.

“With the evolution of technology in the hospitality industry, Irish diners have come to expect speed and convenience when ordering, and Square Kiosk delivers on that,” says Róisín O’Brien, Head of Product Marketing for Square in Ireland.

“Amid staffing challenges, growing costs and shrinking margins, Square Kiosk also gives operators the ability to staff up other areas of their businesses while streamlining service and cutting down on wait time for customers. Our goal is to help restaurateurs adapt to new market demands while optimising their resources, allowing them to focus on what they do best: providing an exceptional dining experience.”

Square Kiosk works seamlessly with Square for Restaurants and Square’s broader ecosystem of customer engagement and business insights tools. It’s easy for restaurants to set up, saves precious counter space, and can be placed anywhere – from the wall to flat on the counter to mounted on a floor stand or swing-arm.

Square Kiosk tracks sales data and instantly syncs menu updates, ensuring that customers have real-time visibility into what’s currently available.

The new Square Kiosk is available online at the Square Shop, starting at EUR119 (iPad not included) with an additional EUR 35 monthly software fee per device – this fee will be waived for early adopters through the end of December 2024. The Bosstab Floor Stand is also available as an optional add-on. For more information visit https://squareup.com/ie/en/point-of-sale/restaurants/kiosk-software

Detection Technology introduces revolutionary all-in-one CT detector system

Detection Technology, a global leader in X-ray detector solutions, introduces a game-changing all-in-one CT (computed tomography) detector system, purpose-built for X-ray system manufacturers and integrators. Designed to simplify system architecture and data transfer while delivering unprecedented performance, the solution represents a major leap forward for static and rotating CT systems across medical, security, and industrial applications.

The all-in-one CT detector system integrates key components, including detector modules, data combiner boards, data control boards, and optimized slip ring interfaces. It debuts with static CT systems, with plans to expand into rotating CT systems and advanced modalities like photon-counting CT (PCCT).

The detector system handles data at rates of tens of gigabits (Gbps) per second, enabling wider imaging coverage and reduced view times. These features enable more robust X-ray imaging systems that meet the increasing demand for high-resolution, low-dose imaging. The platform is designed to be seamlessly scalable, with data rates scaling up to hundreds, paving the way for photon-counting CT technology and next-generation imaging solutions.

“This platform brings unmatched efficiency and innovation,” said Tuomas Holma, Director of Product Management at Detection Technology. “Our all-in-one detector system minimizes risks, interfaces, and supply chain complexities while unlocking new imaging possibilities across industries.”

By combining hardware, firmware, and software in a modular and scalable platform, the detector system offers seamless integration. It reduces the need for multiple contact rings in slip ring interfaces, cutting costs and enhancing reliability. Its compatibility with the GigE Vision protocol and versatile support for slip ring interfaces ensures streamlined data communication.

Additionally, the platform supports dual-energy imaging and photon-counting CT, enabling improved spatial resolution, superior material discrimination, noise reduction, and wide imaging coverage. These benefits extend across security, medical, and industrial applications, providing a faster time-to-market for manufacturers.

The all-in-one CT detector system is designed to power a variety of high-performance X-ray applications:

  • Security CT: Enhanced 3D security screening systems for baggage and cargo.
  • Medical CT: Static and rotating systems with low-dose imaging.
  • Industrial inspection: High-speed, high-resolution 2D and 3D imaging for demanding applications.

“Our invention paves the way for transmitting up to 100x more data within a single CT system rotation period. This milestone brings us closer to fully unlocking photon-counting applications and meeting the industry’s need for high temporal and spatial resolution,” added Tuomas Holma.

Detection Technology will highlight the key features of its revolutionary all-in-one CT detector system at RSNA 2024 in Chicago, USA. Visit Detection Technology at Booth 4133 in the South Hall, Level 3, from December 1–4.

Winners Announced for the 2024 Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards

The Great Southern Hotel was abuzz with excitement and celebration tonight as the winners of the prestigious 2024 Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards were announced. The awards recognised outstanding achievements across the tech sector in the South West of Ireland, shining a spotlight on the innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders driving growth and innovation in the region.

This year’s winners represented the leadership and dynamism of the tech community, ranging from pioneering start-ups to established enterprises. The awards ceremony brought together business leaders, policymakers, and academic luminaries to celebrate the achievements of this vibrant sector.

Speaking at the event, Gerry Murphy, Chairperson of Tech Industry Alliance, said:
“Tonight, we celebrate the visionaries and changemakers shaping the future of the tech industry in the South West of Ireland. These awards are not just about recognising success; they’re about inspiring the entire community to push boundaries, innovate, and make a lasting impact. Congratulations to all our winners and finalists—you are the driving force behind our region’s tech excellence.”

Sean Ryan, Board Member of Tech Industry Alliance, added:
“The calibre of entries this year was nothing short of exceptional, highlighting the remarkable talent and innovation that exists within our region. Each of our winners embodies the spirit of collaboration and ambition that defines the South West tech ecosystem. We’re incredibly proud to support their journey and look forward to seeing their continued success.”

The 2024 Tech Industry Alliance Leaders Awards Winners:

  • Tech Person of the Year Award: The McCarthy Family, Fexco
  • Tech Start Up of the Year Award: Stingray Labs
  • Scale Up of the Year Award: Green Rebel
  • Environmental Sustainability Award: Astellas Pharma Ireland
  • Multinational of the Year Award: ENERCON
  • Tech Industry Alliance Skillnet Best Learning Workplace Winner: Aspen Grove
  • Smart Technology Innovation Award: BioAtlantis
  • Diversity, Inclusion and Social Impact Award: NetApp
  • Chairperson’s Award: Tír na nÓg Children’s Foundation 
  • Excellence in Education Award: Coláiste Gleann Lí

 

The Tech Industry Alliance extends its gratitude to all sponsors, partners, and attendees who made this event a resounding success. Special thanks to the judging panels and to all those who joined in celebrating the achievements of the tech community.

For more information about the winners or to learn more about Tech Industry Alliance initiatives, see below or visit www.techindustryalliance.ie

 

Winner Smart Technology Innovation Award: BioAtlantis

BioAtlantis is a world leader in stress mitigation technologies. Extensive research and collaboration with leading research institutes worldwide has enabled the company to develop the AgriPrime Range. AgriPrime products nourish crops form soil to harvest, helping them cope with various stress and growth limiting factors, allowing them to reach their genetic potential.

Winner of the Tech Start Up of the Year Award: Stingray Labs

Stingray Labs is a technology startup developing products to streamline and digitise legal and financial services, meeting the needs and expectations of tech savvy customers. Stingray Labs route to market is through partnerships, working with existing legal and finance organisations to offer streamlined products to the market. 

Winner of the Excellence in Education Award: Colaiste Gleann Lí   

Coláiste Gleann Lí is a multicultural, multi-denominational, coeducational post primary school based in Tralee which operates under the patronage of Kerry ETB. Coláiste Gleann Lí is a school for all. Coláiste Gleann Lí believe in harnessing and nurturing technology in their approach to provide students with a rounded education.

Winner – Chairperson’s Community Award: Tír na nÓg Children’s Foundation (Louise Quill)

Louise Quill began working in Tanzania in 2006. Whilst there she could see a great need for a facility that would provide a family unit for the orphaned and abandoned children of Tanzania. The Tír na nÓg Children’s Foundation was created to alleviate the suffering of Tanzanian children and to provide a home where they would be nurtured in a loving, safe environment. The aim of Tír na nÓg is to educate these children according to their abilities.

The foundation believes in developing not only schools to create the leaders of tomorrow, but also long-term sustainable projects to provide employment for local people. The foundation has been established and operated from Tralee & Tanzania. Louise who lives and teaches in Kerry divides her time between both locations, striving to provide the conditions, training and resources needed to help children grow mentally, physically and spiritually in those values that assure a fruitful and happy future. 

Winner of the Tech Scale Up Award: Green Rebel

Green Rebel is a dynamic Irish company specialising in data delivery, analytics, and consultancy to support offshore renewable energy developments. Green Rebel was founded by environmental advocate and entrepreneur, Pearse Flynn, to provide an Irish based, complete offshore survey service, support offshore wind energy projects, and help Ireland achieve its climate objectives.

Winner of the Diversity, Inclusion & Social Impact Award:  NetApp

NetApp is the intelligent data infrastructure company, combining unified data storage, integrated data services, and CloudOps solutions. NetApp creates silo-free infrastructure, harnessing observability and AI to enable the industry’s best data management. 

Winner of the Best Learning Work Place Award:  Aspen Grove

Aspen Grove Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS) optimises workflow enabling automation, tracking, and managing of any process to enhance responsiveness and productivity while controlling costs and minimising risk. 

Winner of the Environmental Sustainability Award:  Astellas Ireland

Astellas Ireland (Kerry Plant) is a finished goods pharmaceutical facility based in Killorglin, Co. Kerry, and headquartered in Japan. The Kerry plant manufactures and packages lifesaving products for the global market including lifesaving immunosuppressants and biologic treatment for cancer patients.

Winner of the Multinational of the Year Award:  ENERCON

ENERCON is a pioneer of wind energy technology and a partner of the energy transition, that specialises in turbine and technology development, production, sales and servicing of onshore wind turbines. Pursuing its mission of ‘Energy for the world’, ENERCON has driven sustainable energy generation from onshore wind for over 40 years. 

Winner Tech Person of the Year Award : The McCarthy Family, Fexco

The McCarthy Family have contributed significantly to the development of the South West region not only in terms of economic development, employment creation but also in leading the way as a global Technology leader in their space. Their focus on technology – enabled innovation is underpinned by their collaboration with the Science Foundation of Ireland and UCC where they aim to discover and develop the next generation of Financial Services Technology. 

Their organisation, Fexco, from its beginnings in 1981, when it was the first to get a foreign exchange license as a non-bank in Ireland, when it established itself as the Foreign Exchange Company of Ireland it has grown from strength to strength winning many prestigious awards. It is a global leader in the payments and FX technology sector, providing its solutions and services globally with operations in over 50 countries and employing over 2,900 employees worldwide, yet it still remains a very strong family affair over its 4 decades of existence. 

Emporia Mobile Black Friday Deals – now live

Black Friday is here and there is deals all across the web and if you need a new phone to purchase for the elders in your life who want to dabble with a new smartphone without the fuss Emporia have a full range of devices for your to pick from.

From simple button phones to entry level mid tier and higher tiered smartphones that stand out alone just with their looks you have plenty to pick from with their latest deals.

Having tested most of their range with real hands on reviews and demos there is something for all here be it a simple button phone or a smartphone without the convoluted mess you find with menus check out the sale now on at Expert Electrical and see if you can pick up a device for a loved one in your Family this weekend or even for the Christmas season.

emporia offer a wide range of products at all price points delivering a simpler experience when it comes to using smartphones for the elders in our lives without the fuss and embracing technology for those who want to learn some more even at the older stage in their life.

See our wide range of reviews here and check out the sale on Expert Electrical here.

Currys Black Friday Deals

Currys, the UK’s largest tech retailer, has launched its Black Friday deals with offers on over 3,000 products, with huge discounts on big brands including SAMSUNG, LG and Oral B.

For those looking to upgrade their phone this Black Friday, look no further than the flagship foldable SAMSUNG Galaxy Z Fold6 – 256 GB, Silver. Now reduced from £1,799 to just £1,499. The device has a 6.25-inch outer screen which gives you plenty of space for all your apps and a 7.6-inch main display, making it ideal for watching films and TV. The 50MP triple camera system means you can capture amazing pictures day and night. See our review

Been deliberating over getting a new laptop? Now is the perfect time to pick up the LENOVO Yoga Slim 6 14″ Laptop – Intel® Core™ i5, 512 GB SSD – Storm Grey with £300 off (was £799, now £499). The laptop has a sharp 2.2k IPS display with Dolby vision, so working on a design project or bingeing all your favourite shows will be an absolute joy with this device.

For the food lovers, check out the TEFAL Easy Fry Dual Zone EY905D40 Air Fryer & Grill – Stainless Steel, with a saving of £90 this Black Friday (was £199.99, now £109.99).  Choose from eight presets for fries, chicken or desert with no preheating required, so you can start cooking straight away.

Looking to make the most of nights in this winter with films and TV? Telly fans will delight at saving £600 on an LG C4 65 inch OLED evo 4K HDR Smart TV – OLED65C44LA (was £2,299, now £1,699). The LG uses self-lit pixels for perfect blacks and brilliant highlights, so you’ll be able to pick out every star in a night sky.

The HISENSE U7N 55 inch Mini LED 4K HDR Smart Freely TV – 55U7NQTUK also has an incredible saving of £300 this Black Friday (was £999, now £699). The TV comes with IMAX Enhanced, which brings home the thrill of the cinema thanks to its brilliant picture and immersive audio.

Want to look your best ahead of the party season? The Babyliss Rose blush hair straightener is the perfect choice for a good hair day, every day, at a reduced price of £34.99 (was £84.99). The Advanced Ceramic heating system maintains consistent heat on every section, so you can kiss goodbye to frizz. Plus, the straighteners can heat up in just 10 seconds.

Keep the party going with the JBL Xtreme 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker – Black with £120 off this Black Friday (was £299, now £179). The speaker has a battery life that can last up to 15 hours on a single charge, making it the ideal companion for any event this festive season and beyond.

Currys has also launched its new minimum standard for Black Friday Deals this year, which ensures customers can shop with confidence knowing that every Black Friday deal has not been cheaper at any point in the last six months. In fact, more than half of products are at their lowest price ever. Currys also discloses the price a product was before it went on sale, and the date it was at its previous price, both in-store and online for added reassurance for customers.

Currys Black Friday deals also come with the Currys Price Promise, which price matches against any other UK retailer, online or in store price if customers claim within seven days. Terms and Conditions apply, please see here.

Savvy shoppers can get four months Apple TV+ with any transaction at Currys over Black Friday*. With no minimum purchase, customers can even buy just a pack of batteries to take advantage of the offer

Shoppers can also save with Currys perks with benefits such as discounts on entertainment, shopping and more.

To browse the entire range of discounted products, see the Currys website.

FULAIM X5M Wireless Lavalier Microphone review

The FULAIM X5M Wireless Lavalier Microphone is an affordable kit for those who want to up their game in the audio area for podcasts, videos and more.

Coming in a super cool case in comes with plenty of accessories and will be kept secure and charged in the case which alone garners attention and anyone that has been in my house spotted this a mile away not realising how much the technology has changed over the years when it comes to mics.

You have 4GB of on board storage and will store in WAV format and you can then transfer via USB-C however not compressed there is one click noise cancelling too which is hand and it is easy to set up with no software installation required and is widely compatible with other products such as phones and tablets and of course cameras and it is a plug and play set up, in fact the easiest ones to use full stop making it ideal for anyone in a rush or stuck on time.

You get all the attachments in the box along with the three main components here and is securely held in the case when not in use and you get around 9 hours of use and a killer feature is the range it has which is said to be 656ft which is remarkable.

The transmitter itself can be mounted anywhere including you under your shirt or top and not visible and no wires visible giving it a professional look.

There UI is easy to read and there is not an ocean of buttons to play around with and the display is clear and looks well on the unit and in colour.

Compared to other models out there this is the best one stop shop and easy to use mic out there now and worth every penny, see more in the video below and some audio samples.

 

  1. One-touch noise reduction function 
  2. Onboard Memory: Built-in storage function to prevent audio frame drop, loss, and other issues. 
  3. Long press the SET button of the TX for 2 seconds to start/end the recording. b. This function is only be used for audio backup. 
  4. Recording files are automatically saved/deleted in cycles. 
  5. Storage space is about 4GB and it can store audio in WAV format. The audio files will not be compressed. The recording files are exported by using the Type-C cable. 
  6. Magnetic attachment: The transmitter can not only be worn on clothes through the clip but also has a magnetic attachment that can be worn at any position. 
  7. Charging case design: Intelligent management of TX/RX power switch, no need for manual operation (automatic shutdown with the lid closed, automatic power on with lid open) 
  8. 18 Hours Long-Lasting Power Supply, easy for outdoor use 
  9. 6 hours of each TX + 6h2 The charging case can fully charge the microphone device twice. 
  10. Vastly compatibility 
  11. Equipped with 3.5MM, Type-C/lightning adapters. 
  12. Multi-mode audio output 
  13. Mono 
  14. Stereo 
  15. Ms(safe track output): The right channel output is 6 dB less than the left channel. 
  16. Support cell phone external monitoring: When using the microphone on a cell phone, in addition to the traditional way of plugging a 3.5mm headphone into the receiver for real-time monitoring, it also supports cell phone external monitoring. 
  17. The audio sample rate and audio bit depth of X5 mics are 48000Hz and 16 bits.

Fulaim website: https://bit.ly/45GDxP4  10% off code: FULAIM
Amazon.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D4LN468M

Video Review