Revolut Business backs Irish businesses with new Point of Sale (POS) platform

Revolut POS, a Point of Sale iPad app, is now out of beta testing and is packed with clever tools and an easy-to-use interface that rivals the rest.

Aimed at every business from small boutiques to large restaurant chains, Revolut’s POS app streamlines operations, enhances customer experiences, and drives growth like never before.

Revolut is helping small businesses move beyond the cash register, needing only their iPad to take customer orders and payments — going a step further than Revolut Reader, which launched in 2022.

Jesus Romo, General Manager of In-Person Payments at Revolut, said: “Revolut values the trust from all our Irish account holders and we are actively working to simplify their financial needs. For businesses having to deal with multiple vendors on payments and POS software, we have created Revolut POS. Simple, and everything under the Revolut Business umbrella.”

For additional information about Revolut Business’ latest offering, read more below:

Revolut acquired London-headquartered point-of-sale software provider Nobly in 2021.  It has on boarded hundreds of thousands of monthly active businesses since.

Evolve IP Develops A More Powerful AI Voice With AI Studio Innovation

Cloud collaboration service provider, Evolve IP, is shouting about the launch of a new AI-powered in-queue, on-hold call solution, which can help transform the customer experience and dramatically increase reseller revenue streams.

AI Studio enables the creation of professional welcome greetings, auto-attendant, interactive voice response and call menu recordings, mixing them with licence-free music ready to play to queuing and holding callers.

AI Studio, part of the Anywhere Product Suite, is a dynamic white-label offering, developed from a new partnership with industry experts PromptVoice. It combines professional voice artists with AI voices as part of ‘light touch’ management, with recordings available in minutes.

Satisfaction

Evolve IP’s Solutions Director, Scott Rixon, says an improved caller experience plus new opportunities to market and upsell to a captive audience are some of the many benefits, along with simplified call management, particularly outside of business hours.

Increased customer satisfaction, more repeat business and more regular monthly reseller revenue streams can also be generated. 

“Anywhere AI Studio represents a major step forward to deliver a wealth of choice and AI recordings in minutes all from a simplified and streamlined management platform,” he explained. “This improves the caller experience, provides enhanced customer satisfaction and a lucrative monthly recurring revenue stream for resellers – where ‘freemium’ upgrades can help win more up-sell business.”

He added: “It’s a perfect fit for any business of any size and a welcome addition to our powerful Anywhere Product Suite, and work from anywhere ethos.”

Evolve IP’s Solutions Director, Scott Rixon

Impact

PromptVoice Head of Channel, Laura Maddocks says the new solution is designed to transform outbound communications in a fast, easy and effective way, delivering greater and more professional impact.

“It’s a solution that provides much more than just high-quality recordings,” she emphasised. “There’s a fully integrated AI scripting tool to speed up scripting, voice and music selection – plus over 10,000 professionally scripted and pre-recorded messages to simply use or tailor to exact requirements.

“In addition, AI Studio provides access to more than 50 languages and dialects from over 350 professional voice artists. There’s access to a vast library of licence-free music, unlimited bespoke recordings all from the very latest AI characters.”

More details can be found here: https://www.evolveip.net/en-gb/en-gb/solutions/ai-studio 

ABLIC Seeks to Reinforce Its Position in the European Automotive Sector with New Focus on High-Value-Added Products

Analog semiconductor manufacturer ABLIC Inc. embarked on a new start under a new company name in 2018, against the backdrop of a rich history spanning over 50 years. In June 2023, five years later, Seiji Tanaka took office as the new president. While focusing on planning and development capabilities as well as high-value-added products, Tanaka is also strengthening initiatives in the European market.

In November 2023, ABLIC obtained development process certification for the most stringent level ASIL-D under the automotive functional safety standard ISO 26262. Furthermore, by acquiring VDA6.3, which is an important process audit standard for German automotive-related companies, ABLIC has established a comprehensive setup. The company is now capable of handling numerous customer audits, which helps to steadily strengthen its foundation in the automotive market.

ABLIC’s Representative Director and President, Seiji Tanaka is an accomplished professional leader who has accumulated over 35 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, engaging directly with customers around the world and building experience in sales and management. Before joining Seiko Instruments Inc. (of which ABLIC was a division of) in 2012, Tanaka was in charge of sales at the semiconductor division of Japan Motorola and served as the head of sales at Freescale Semiconductor Japan Ltd. Tanaka became an executive officer of ABLIC in 2018 when it became an independent analog semiconductor manufacturer. Furthermore, since June 2021, Tanaka has been serving as Business Officer of Semiconductor & Electronics HQ at MinebeaMitsumi Inc., following ABLIC’s business integration into the company.

Since President Tanaka has taken office, he has been proactive in releasing new products. Presently, the company has been focusing on products for the automotive market, including automotive step-down switching regulators that are housed in the industry’s smallest package, window voltage detectors that realize advanced functional safety with the industry’s top-class high-speed detection, and high-withstand voltage LDO regulators that achieve the industry’s highest PSRR and the fastest transient response.

Tanaka has a clear vision for ABLIC’s future direction, stating,

“We will focus on developing high-value-added products that can functionally differentiate us from other companies. In 2023, we also integrated with Samurai Semiconductor Corporation (SSC), a collective of experts who have been expanding semiconductor designs in the global market. SSC is a group of engineers with abundant experience in both digital and analog engineering skills regarding semiconductors, as well as front-end and back-end processes. In addition to strengthening our engineering resources, we have appointed a Chief Product Officer (CPO) with an extensive background in leading semiconductor planning and development in the medical device field. In the European automotive market, we place a high priority on clear communication with the engineers, from the early planning stages to the final development of high-value-added products.”

For over half a century, ABLIC has developed products based on its corporate vision of ‘Small, Smart, Simple’. The company plans to continue under this adage, which stands for miniaturization and low power consumption, shifting from single-function products to multi-function products while focusing on development that closely meets customer needs. In addition, ABLIC is working towards realizing a more proactive support system by providing simulation data to solve customer problems.

As part of its high-value-added products, ABLIC offers automotive products that perform with high accuracy across a wide temperature range, such as those compatible with AEC-Q100 Grade 0, and high-function products that consolidate multiple features into a single chip. These products also contribute to enhancing the safety of ADAS and AD systems with industry-leading features.

ABLIC is also working on the development of medical ultrasound imaging ICs for medical equipment, which are already being used in ultrasound diagnostic equipment by major Western medical device manufacturers. Furthermore, ABLIC’s flagship technology, CLEAN-Boost®️, stores energy generated from minimal moisture or electrically generating bacteria, boosts voltage from that energy, and converts it into electricity to enable wireless communication. This technology holds infinite possibilities for IoT development and is expected to contribute to the SDGs. In Japan, this technology is already being utilized in ‘battery-less water leak sensors’ within several buildings and factories, with plans to expand this technology overseas.

ABLIC has established a comprehensive network utilizing online distributors, and a robust support system of Field Application Engineers (FAEs), which are now present in the European market. ABLIC’s products have been adopted by major Tier 1 suppliers in the automotive field in Europe, which support vehicle, medical, consumer, and industrial applications worldwide. ABLIC is actively preparing to introduce renewable energy in their effort towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

ABLIC plays an important role in the analog semiconductor business within the MinebeaMitsumi Group, which has set an ambitious target to increase its sales to 300 billion yen by 2030. ABLIC is taking steady steps towards achieving this goal.

Jewellery Meets Pixels: THOMAS SABO Make Gaming Debut with Pocket Styler In Exclusive Jewellery Collaboration

An exciting pairing collaborates this March to continue to fuse the realms of gaming and fashion together. Celebrated international jewellery brand THOMAS SABO becomes the latest groundbreaking real-life fashion brand to partner with innovative fashion game Pocket Styler.

Pocket Styler has already worked with highly regarded designer David Koma for his SS23 resort collection and esteemed German premium label Marc Cain to celebrate its 50th Anniversary in September 2023. With talks in progress for additional international fashion brands to join the gaming revolution.

Introduced by Nordcurrent in May 2021, Pocket Styler swiftly emerged as a trendsetter in the gaming realm, offering enthusiasts a gateway to the glamorous universe of fashion. This game doesn’t just let players dip their toes but fully immerse themselves in the experience. Bridging the gap between virtual style and real-life expression, players take on style challenges and compete with others at 10 venues in New York including iconic locations Central Park, The Met and Times Square.

In the vibrant world of Pocket Styler, players are not just players; they are style architects. The game encourages them to create looks with utmost precision, starting with a personalised avatar adding apparel, accessories, footwear and make up, as well as premium presets and consumables like perfumes and facial glitter. These elements contribute to the final submitted style challenge looks and an expansive array of rewards and bonuses, ensuring that every player’s journey is as unique as their sense of style.

 

 

THOMAS SABO is one of the leading international jewellery brands, offering versatile designs since its launch in 1984. Its iconic collections inspire season after season and its SS24 offering is no different. The focus of the in- game collaboration will touch on some of its seasonal collections as well as beloved favourites. A few highlights include pieces from collections below:

Cosmic Amulet collection, focusing on round pendants artistically designed with filigree cut-outs to imitate orbital paths and planetary rings. The focal point of these pieces is a raised and detailed eye that represents foresight and intelligence and is embellished with violet stones.

Heritage Glam collection, chokers, bracelets, necklaces, earrings and cocktail rings are adorned with lavish, hand-cut stones in octagonal, teardrop and round cuts. Distinctive cocktail rings are ideal for making a grand entrance and feature a central gleaming stone in an octagonal cut, with stones in teardrop and round cuts artfully placed around it in the shape of a flower.

The timeless elegance of the Heritage Glam collection features carefully co-ordinated pink zirconia stones and precious cuts, ensuring every piece of jewellery shines to its fullest.

Eyewear collection, THOMAS SABO’S eyewear combines metal hues of silver and gold, with acetate colours from Havana. Style statements complimented by comfort, UV protection and outstanding quality.

The collection will contain a total of 46 items including jewellery, sunglasses and watches. The collections are now available online via THOMAS SABO’S website and selected stockists and will be available in game from 18th March.

 

 

With the mobile gaming industry to bypass TV by 2025, mobile games have become a major visual entertainment category and Pocket Styler offers real life brands the chance to join its project. From brand awareness to an increase in sales the integration of real-life fashion brands into the game is an exclusive and innovative way to reach and engage with new audiences. Pioneering brands such as THOMAS SABO will see its collections engaged with via game play but also see players connected to its own e-commerce site with integrated in game shop links allowing players to buy products both in game and in real life. Redefining the intersection of fashion and gaming, this collaboration offers players an unprecedented opportunity to engage with the world of fashion in a truly immersive and creative way.

 

 

Victoria Trofimova, CEO of Nordcurrent comments that “the lines between digital and physical fashion are blurring. Pocket Styler’s mission is to provide a platform for its players to experience fashion, develop a sense of style, learn to make decisions, and make new friends. Introducing real fashion brands in Pocket Styler is a natural progression as the game evolves, and millions of players enthusiastically support it. Today we are proud and happy to host the marvellous THOMAS SABO on our fashion platform.”

Aurore Melot, THOMAS SABO Creative Director: “THOMAS SABO collections invite you to dream. Explore our jewellery in a playful and digital way through Pocket Styler, discover the symbolic nature of our designs, and the endless possibilities of personal styling.”

Pocket Styler has already amassed 22 million downloads since its initial launch along with players totalling up to 20,000 hours of game time daily.

QA Automation Testing Services: A Hands-On Approach

Making sure the products are of the highest caliber is crucial in the ever-changing world of software development. Even though they work, traditional manual testing techniques can be laborious and prone to human error. The solution is QA automation testing services, which provide a more efficient and productive way to test. This article explores the realm of QA automation testing with a hands-on approach, offering useful insights and doable implementation strategies.

Understanding the Basics of QA Automation

It’s important to comprehend the basics of automation testing before diving into its practical applications. Automation testing is the process of automatically executing pre-defined test cases using specialized tools and frameworks. Improved accuracy, more comprehensive test coverage, and quicker test execution are just a few advantages of this strategy. Teams can concentrate on more complex testing scenarios and improve overall product quality by automating repetitive tasks.

Setting Up Your Automation Environment

Establishing the required infrastructure is the first step towards implementing automation testing. This entails choosing the appropriate frameworks and tools in accordance with the team’s experience and the needs of the project. Reliable solutions for web and mobile application testing are offered by well-known automation tools like Selenium WebDriver and Appium, respectively. For smooth adoption, the automation environment must be configured and integrated into current workflows after the tools have been selected.

Creating Effective Automation Test Cases

Any automation strategy starts with well-written automation test cases. In order to cover important functionalities and edge cases while still being maintainable and reusable, these test cases should be carefully designed. Methods like parameterization and data-driven testing make test scripts more flexible and situation-specific. Furthermore, developing robust error handling mechanisms and managing dynamic elements are crucial for building robust automation scripts.

Executing and Analyzing Automated Tests

The next stage after setting up automation test cases is to run them and evaluate the outcomes. Test suites that are automated can be executed manually or integrated into pipelines for continuous integration (CI) to enable automated execution. Teams can swiftly identify failures and prioritize their resolution by analyzing test results. Debugging and troubleshooting strategies that work are crucial for quickly addressing automation problems and preserving test stability.

Enhancing Test Coverage and Efficiency

Increasing test efficiency and coverage is one of the main objectives of automated testing. This goal is attained through the use of techniques like risk-based test case prioritization, test execution time optimization, and parallel and distributed testing. Teams can increase overall test coverage while reducing testing time and effort by concentrating on high-impact test scenarios and utilizing automation capabilities.

Incorporating Automation into CI/CD Pipelines

For software to be delivered quickly and reliably, continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines must incorporate automation testing. To enable automated build verification and deployment testing, automation tools can be seamlessly integrated with continuous integration/delivery (CI/CD) platforms like Travis CI, GitLab CI, or Jenkins. In order to maintain software quality and stability, this makes sure that every code change is put through a rigorous testing process before being deployed to production.

Maintaining and Scaling Your Automation Infrastructure

Keeping a strong automation infrastructure becomes essential as automation efforts spread across teams and projects. Long-term success depends on following best practices for version control, dependencies, and automated test suite maintenance. Additionally, in order to maintain consistency and dependability in automation processes, scaling automation efforts necessitates meticulous planning and teamwork.

Addressing Challenges and Pitfalls in Automation

Teams still have obstacles to overcome in spite of automation testing’s many advantages. Managing dynamic test environments, test script maintenance, and test flakiness are common problems. The implementation of robust error handling mechanisms, frequent code reviews, and test refactoring are crucial strategies for mitigating these challenges and guaranteeing the success of automation endeavors.

Real-World Examples and Case Studies

Case studies and real-world examples offer insightful information about the useful uses of automated testing. These case studies highlight effective automation implementations, lessons discovered, and useful advice from professionals in the field. Teams can ensure that their automation initiatives are grounded in effectiveness and practicality by drawing inspiration and guidance from real-world experiences.

 

To sum up, QA automation testing services provide a practical means of optimizing efficiency and streamlining software testing procedures. Teams can leverage automation to expedite the delivery of high-quality software by comprehending its fundamentals, establishing the required infrastructure, and developing strong test cases. Maintaining an advantage in the competitive software market of today requires accepting automation as a necessary component of the development lifecycle and constantly improving automation techniques.

BOI Fraud Alert: Bank of Ireland warns about false articles online

Bank of Ireland is warning about an increasing number of false articles appearing online designed to defraud consumers through fake financial products, investments or cryptocurrency schemes.

The articles appear like news articles from genuine media outlets, but are false advertisements that fraudsters are paying for online. The advertisements feature fabricated news stories with claims about specific cryptocurrency trading platforms or designed to entice readers to websites where they can then be defrauded. The false articles/advertisements generally feature a well-known personality or celebrity, combined with a controversial headline to grab attention.

Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud at Bank of Ireland said: “Fraudulent advertisements are increasingly appearing online and on social media channels and are designed to steal consumers’ money through fake financial products, investments or cryptocurrency schemes. We see more and more fraud attacks starting from social media and tech platforms – these fake ads should be caught before they are published online, but many are not.

“Unfortunately, supervision of this is very inconsistent, at times it’s like a game of whack-a-mole trying to report the different scams to the social media companies and get them taken down. It’s unacceptable to see fraudsters operating so openly on social media. No company should be generating advertising revenue from criminals – social platforms really need to step up and crack down.

“Our advice to consumers is: Don’t click on these adverts, ignore them completely, and if an investment sounds too good to be true, it’s probably fraud.”

 

Examples of recent scam articles featuring Bank of Ireland:

For more advice and information on fraud, visit boi.com/security or www.fraudsmart.ie

Ireland Has Positioned Itself at the Heart of the VR Revolution

Virtual reality is expected to be the next major disruptive technology, and it could completely change the face of the online world. By 2030, around one billion people could be using VR devices, consuming new forms of entertainment within the metaverse.

Ireland has grown into one of Europe’s foremost tech hubs over the last two decades, and it is well positioned to be at the heart of this VR revolution. There are countless companies in the country that are making great progress with VR innovations.

VR Will Have Many Applications in the Future

VR is on the cusp of the mainstream already, and it will be helped by some of the leading online industries over the next few years. The online casino sector is likely to incorporate it soon, just as it did with live streaming. The blackjack at Paddy Power, for instance, now includes numerous immersive options with live dealers. Live Lightning Blackjack Live and Unlimited Blackjack are two games that put players right at the centre of the action.

VR will play a major role in the next stage of the evolution of casino table games. Live streaming already puts players at the centre of the action, but VR will add another element of immersion. Instead of viewing the action through a screen, players will feel like they have set foot into a virtual casino.

Countless VR Companies in Ireland

There are myriad VR companies operating within the vibrant tech scene of Ireland, and many of these have been recognised for their innovative contributions to the field. Due to the growing nature of the tech landscape here, there’s a lot of collaboration. This means that the industry can propel forward rapidly.

When it comes to immersive content, the VRAgency is one to watch. It focuses on virtual and augmented reality content and aims to offer video content for brands and adventurers. It’s listed by Futurology as one of the most innovative VR companies in Ireland.  

Mersus Technologies is another exciting start-up. The Athlone-based company has developed an immersive virtual reality platform that mirrors real-world environments. This is used for worker training in advanced manufacturing processes​ but could be applied to other fields as well.

When Will VR Become Mainstream?

All these Ireland-based companies are helping VR inch closer to the mainstream, and it feels like it won’t be long now before everyone is using the technology. Apple’s Vision Pro could be a major catalyst towards the boom if it is able to have the same effect as the iPhone had on the smartphone market.

Meta is also making excellent progress in the VR market, with an aim of making the technology more accessible to a greater number of people. Mark Zuckerberg expects the Metaverse to be fully operational by 2030, which could mean VR is mainstream by then.

The VR revolution is coming, and Ireland is going to be a huge player in its progress. Along with tech companies innovating with the technology, Ireland-based entertainment sites will integrate it soon as well.

 

 

 

 

 

This clever laptop accessories pouch has an integrated mousepad from Bellpont

Ever wanted to use a mouse with your laptop but always found carrying it separately too inconvenient?
Sydney based startup Bellpont just released its first product – Travel Pad. Like its name implies, it’s a travel mousepad with a side pouch that can hold accessories like mouses.
People love the notebook-like shape which fits snugly into backpacks while the zippable side pouch prevents anything from falling out. Most types of mouses, USB sticks and pens can now be conveniently carried with a laptop. It acts as a seamless addition to people’s laptops and brings the following design insights:
  • Microweave surface enables precision mouse movement.
  • The non-slip Neoprene base grips to whatever surface you’re working on and prevents skidding.
  • The padded Nylon edges prevents fraying and drastically increases the pads lifespan.

“Carrying a laptop by itself was simple and convenient. But there were just times like doing graphic design or making PowerPoint presentations where the trackpad didn’t cut it” said the designers. “We thought – what if there was a way where people could carry a mouse with their laptop and be able to use it effectively”?
Travel Pad ships free to most major regions, including Australia, the US, Canada, UK, EU and East Asia. A 3 year global warranty is offered as well as 30 day no hassle returns.

Cardano’s Path: The Next Generation Blockchain

The advent of blockchain technology has brought about a paradigm shift in the digital realm, ushering in decentralized systems characterized by transparency, security, and efficiency. In the vanguard of this technological evolution stands Cardano, a next-generation blockchain that distinguishes itself through a pioneering approach to scalability, sustainability, and smart contract execution. Originating in 2015 under the guidance of Charles Hoskinson, a co-founder of Ethereum, Cardano’s inception was marked by a dedication to rigorous academic research and a mission to foster a more inclusive financial ecosystem. This commitment propelled Cardano towards addressing the inherent limitations of previous blockchain iterations, positioning it as a trailblazer in the ongoing transformation of the digital landscape.In a constantly changing and intricate financial landscape Immediate Apex, an Investment Education Firm, stands out by offering vital advice and direction in investment education

Genesis of Cardano

Cardano’s development approach is firmly rooted in peer-reviewed academic research, which establishes a strong and secure foundation for the project. By drawing lessons from the earlier blockchain endeavors such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, Cardano places a significant emphasis on creating a modular and scalable architecture. This commitment to modularity and scalability positions Cardano as a third-generation blockchain, striving to address the scalability and sustainability issues that have posed challenges for its predecessors in the blockchain space.

Cardano’s Unique Architecture

Ouroboros Consensus Algorithm

Cardano’s distinctive structure centers around the Ouroboros consensus algorithm, which operates on a proof-of-stake (PoS) principle, distinguishing it from energy-intensive proof-of-work systems. This PoS mechanism not only promotes sustainability but also enhances energy efficiency. Ouroboros divides time into epochs and slots, providing a reliable and secure framework for confirming transactions, thus contributing to Cardano’s robust and eco-friendly blockchain ecosystem.

Layers of the Cardano Blockchain

Cardano operates on a dual-layered blockchain, comprising the settlement layer for handling transactions and the computation layer for executing smart contracts. This separation enhances scalability and allows for future upgrades without compromising the core functionality.

Smart Contracts on Cardano

Cardano’s smart contract platform, built on the computation layer, brings programmability to the blockchain. While Ethereum pioneered smart contracts, Cardano distinguishes itself by addressing some of Ethereum’s limitations. The Cardano team has taken a cautious approach, learning from past security vulnerabilities, and prioritizing formal verification to ensure smart contract reliability.

Cardano’s smart contracts bring advantages such as reduced gas fees, enhanced security, and increased flexibility for developers. Potential use cases range from decentralized finance (DeFi) applications to supply chain management and identity verification.

Governance and Sustainability

Decentralized Governance Model

Cardano’s governance model involves ADA token holders participating in decision-making processes. This decentralized approach ensures that the community has a voice in protocol upgrades and network improvements. ADA holders can propose and vote on changes, fostering a collaborative ecosystem.

Sustainability and Funding

Cardano recognizes the importance of sustainable development. To fund ongoing research and updates, a treasury system allocates a portion of transaction fees for future development. This self-sustaining mechanism allows Cardano to evolve and adapt without relying on external funding sources.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Academic Collaborations

Cardano has forged partnerships with renowned academic institutions worldwide, fostering collaboration in blockchain research and development. This commitment to academic rigor enhances the credibility and innovation behind Cardano’s technology.

Industry Partnerships

Strategic partnerships with industry players have strengthened Cardano’s position in the blockchain space. Collaborations range from technology integrations to joint initiatives, expanding Cardano’s reach and impact.

Challenges and Future Roadmap

Current Challenges

Cardano, like any evolving technology, faces challenges. These may include user adoption, interoperability with other blockchains, and regulatory considerations. However, the project actively addresses these challenges through continuous development and community involvement.

Future Roadmap

Cardano’s roadmap includes planned upgrades, such as the introduction of smart contracts, to enhance functionality and meet the evolving needs of users. The Alonzo upgrade, for instance, has positioned Cardano to compete more effectively in the decentralized application (DApp) space.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Cardano’s journey represents a significant leap forward in the realm of blockchain technology. Its commitment to academic research, unique architecture, sustainable governance, and strategic collaborations position Cardano as a leading contender in shaping the next generation of blockchains. As the project continues to evolve and overcome challenges, it remains a key player in the ongoing transformation of the digital landscape.