Tech Review – House of Marley Little Bird Earbuds

The House of Marley Little Bird in-ear earphones are the latest earbuds on offer from the brand and next up from the Redemption ANC we tested, they look similar but come in at two different price points and one will ask is there much of a difference between the two which of course there is but how they sound is always that important question.

The Little Bird does not have the same appealing aesthetic looking finish as the Redemption and is missing features and first up is the lack of app access, there is no wireless charging but fast charging is present here. You can expect about 23 hours in total with the case at maxed out volume which is how I listen to my earbuds for the average user with their 75% volume you will hith there 24 ht playtime which is good at this price-point and 15 mins will give you an additional two hours play if you are running low which is pretty decent, there is an indicator on the case to let you know the battery status which is done in flashes from 1- 100%  the case is stylish and small and fits into any pocket. They come with an IPX4 rating too.

They sit well in the ears and look good, I always have like the bamboo look on Marley products and these still do not look cheap, they are secure and offer some passive noise isolation when the right tips are used and fitted into the ears. They are light and do not stand out too much but the Bamboo finish does draw attention.

House of Marley Little Bird earbuds – techbuzzireland

We have our controls all present on these little guys, we have play and pause, skip and reverse tracks,volume control and call control there is no auto play or pause and you can toggle between game and movie mode which is neat.

Ok so these are powered with 10mm drivers so you would think the sound might be a tad poor, well this is not the case and they sound much better than one would expect at their price which is dam good and surprised me to be honest and the lack of an app these days is a bug bear for many but with these there is no app required with how they are tuned, they are loud, nice bass highs lows and mids and punchy with no lag latency no distortion and really deliver an excellent audio experince even for those that might be used to having several pair of earbuds, I can safely say these are great for the money.

 

 

Crafted from bamboo and recycled plastics, these eco-friendly earbuds offer 6 hours of playtime, and up to 24 hours of listening with 3 additional charges. Intuitive touch controls make music management swift and simple, and the built-in microphone ensures clear calls. Enhance your audio experience with movie and gaming modes and enjoy quick charging via USB-C. The Little Bird Earbuds bring conscious craftsmanship and superior sound together with a natural aesthetic that speaks for itself.

 

Features 

  • Crafted with sustainable materials
  • 24-hour playtime (with case)
  • 6-hour playtime (without case)
  • Intuitive touch controls
  • Built-in microphone
  • Movie and gaming mode
  • USB-C Quick Charge
  • Small, medium and large color-coded ear gels included
  • 2-year guarantee

BUY

Video Review

Nordcurrent launches UGC platform enabling gamers to earn currency

Nordcurrent, the award-winning games developer and publisher, is reshaping the future of fashion gaming with the launch of its new UGC platform Pocket Styler Studio – the first platform where users can design entire clothing collections down to the last detail and then sell them in-game.

The online studio allows players to live their fashion-designer dreams, creating garments and entire fashion collections, including shoes and accessories, to their desired specifications. The studio currently has over 310 trillion possible outfit combinations!

Players can promote their completed designs under their own ‘designer label’ and sell them in the Pocket Styler game to millions of players globally, earning in-game currency, which has never been feasible in a mobile fashion game before. In-game earning potential is extremely high, with eight percent of global consumers already buying digital fashion, almost 50% of players buying skins with in-game currency and around 40% buying skins with real money.

How do you create your first design?

Powered by browser-based tools similar to those found in Photoshop, Pocket Styler Studio is an easy-to-use platform, whether you are designing coats and dresses, or sunglasses, gloves or hosiery.

 

Simply start by choosing a colour palette or partnered ‘fabric’ and then go to work! Choose from thousands of design details, such as the neckline style, sleeve design, skirt length silhouette and fit, and visual details like buttons or visible stitching.

No outfit is complete without bespoke accessories, so why not uniquely customise shoe styles, patterns, colours and heel heights too? Once the garment or accessory is completed, the platform renders it to fit on Pocket Styler avatars perfectly.

 

Images generated in Pocket Styler Studio

Sell sell sell!

The final collections are saved in the designer’s profile until they are ready to be marketed in the Pocket Styler app game. Designers can track their brands’ success by ‘Publishing’ items and assessing how many sell. Players can fully brand their designer label, even create their logo, and earn ‘Gems’, the in-game currency, for every item sold to other players.

Victoria Trofimova, CEO of Nordcurrent, comments: “Pocket Styler Studio gives anyone anywhere in the world a chance to become a fashion designer and build their own virtual fashion brand.

“The only limit to what you can create is your imagination. By designing their garments, players are transformed into designers, shaping the gaming universe – and potentially the real world of fashion.”

Fashion industry insiders say the launch of Pocket Styler Studio will revolutionise fashion forecasting, providing instant real-time data on the best-selling new styles. It will also allow fashion houses and designer labels to spot up-and-coming new creatives. Several big-name fashion brands have already expressed an interest in the new feature and the potential for designers to craft and showcase their items within the game. With 70 percent of users aged over 25 and 85 percent female, Pocket Styler Studio is expected to provide a hothouse of new talent for the global fashion industry.

Launched in May 2021, Pocket Styler is already a global gaming phenomenon, with over 21 million downloads and 100,000 fashion lovers spending 10,000 hours on the app daily.

Watch the Pocket Styler Studio video HERE

Download: Pocket Styler Studio HERE

McLaren Applied helps Network Rail maintain the railway with 5G connectivity and new Active Antenna

McLaren Applied is helping Network Rail maintain the railway following the installation of its F1-derived Fleet Connect software and 5G Edge Active Antenna hardware on 14 of the railway operator’s infrastructure monitoring trains. This first implementation of Active Antenna’ technology in the UK brings a new, simplified approach to on-train connectivity infrastructure and an advanced capability for data offload on the move.

The combined tech solution delivers far greater connectivity and performance, with Network Rail registering upload data improvements of up to one thousand times faster than previous systems, meaning upload speeds of up to 70MB/s per train versus 76kB/s previously.

The UK’s infrastructure monitoring trains travel up and down the country, checking the condition of bridges, tunnels, and viaducts, as well as 20,000 miles of track including signals and level crossings. The New Measurement Train – the most recognisable of Network Rail’s infrastructure monitoring trains – records 60,000 miles of data a year, which can now be easily offloaded via the McLaren Applied solution.

Access to better and more stable connectivity is supporting maintenance, with the monitoring trains reporting back using live data streams, including sensor readings on the track, foliage, and network monitoring. The remote and automated monitoring helps to target maintenance work and run a safe and reliable railway for passengers and goods.

Originally developed for the pinnacle of motorsport, Formula 1, McLaren Applied’s patented Fleet Connect software splits data across networks in real time and reassembles it in the cloud en route to its destination, reducing blackspots and providing a consistent connectivity stream for any moving vehicle in any environment.

Pablo Garcia Lopez, Director, Connected Intelligence Business Unit at McLaren Applied, said: “The roll out of Fleet Connect software and cutting-edge Active Antenna hardware is a great example of how British ingenuity and engineering, along with cross industry knowledge, can solve prominent challenges in the transport sector. The combined technology ensures that infrastructure monitoring trains can quickly and reliably transmit data throughout their journeys up and down the UK.

“Network Rail has demonstrated an open, collaborative mindset in bringing Formula 1-derived software to the rail industry, and we expect further gains over five-year partnership,” Garcia Lopez added.

Why Evolve IP Is Ready To Roar In 2024

Evolve IP (EMEA) is primed for another record-breaking year after laying solid foundations for success over the last 12 months.

The white-label cloud collaboration service provider generated unprecedented growth and attracted record numbers of new partners during 2023.

Now the company is hailing 2024 as the ‘year to sell’ with new product innovations and enhanced levels of reseller support aiming to accelerate overall performance.

Paul Harrison, EMEA’s Managing Director of Evolve IP, says reseller traction is set to be propelled further forward especially across the UK and the Netherlands.

“Our ethos has been to land and expand in different regions, attract more resellers, grow where we can and develop relationships with existing partners to take them further forward.”

Paul Harrison, Evolve IP’s EMEA MD

Largest operators

Harrison explained: “We’ve grown into one of the largest operators in the UK. New partners come to us because of the innovation we offer and the channel-focused technologies we provide – recognising it’s not a one size fits all market. Equally, as an international business, we deliver services far and wide. This is becoming more and more important to our resellers. 

“We offer in-depth vertical expertise from hospitality to automotive to retail to healthcare and even finance. We have also really focused on our hardware offering as we still recognise its importance within a business’s communication strategy. We like to keep things simple and make sure that we’re easy to work with and remain competitive. We try and tick every box and understand that our partners need to make good margins.” 

Double-digit growth

Evolve IP’s carrier grade platform and expanded team of skilled sales and technical support specialists ensure customers are never let down, Harrison emphasised.

“We’re doing well and double-digit growth is very impressive in such a competitive space. For us 2024 is very exciting. It’s the year to sell. Over the last two years, the team behind me has been busy onboarding new products and streamlining our technologies, as well as automating internal processes such as in-house ticketing systems and developing enhanced online partner training.

“We’re primed to roar in 2024. The platform is in place and all the ingredients have been added to give each of our partners the ability to go to market with confidence and surety.”

Harrison highlighted how PCI 4.0 regulation changes take place in March, where Evolve IP’s Anywhere Secure Call (the latest addition to its Anywhere Product Suite) can help give resellers an advantage.

“We also have a partner day in April at Williams Racing which will further galvanise and invigorate our customer base.”

Bigger rewards

Harrison concluded: “Cloud technology is moving quickly but in an increasingly saturated market resellers need to stand out from the crowd to continue to win new business and nullify the threat of a commoditised channel. We understand the dangers of a ‘race to the bottom’ where the cheapest tender always wins purely on price alone.

“Many providers can make a phone ring but it’s about applying different layers of service and tools that can streamline business operations to make them more productive and successful. Surviving in a saturated market is getting harder but the rewards can be bigger than ever.”

Cybercrime is the number one threat when it comes to financial crime in Ireland

Hacking, phishing, online scams, and other variations of cybercrime are thought to be the most prevalent financial crimes in Ireland, as found in a new survey by the Compliance Institute, which polled 230 compliance professionals working primarily in Irish financial services organisations nationwide.

When asked what they consider to be the most prevalent financial crime in Ireland, respondents to the Compliance Institute Financial Crime answered as follows:

  • Cybercrime (hacking, phishing, online scams)                                                      34%
  • Tax evasion                                                                                                                    21%
  • Fraud                                                                                                                               21%
  • Money laundering                                                                                                         19%
  • Bribery and corruption                                                                                                  4%
  • Insider trading                                                                                                                 1%

Michael Kavanagh, CEO of the Compliance Institute commented on the findings:

“While financial crimes from tax evasion to insider trading could be classed as the “traditional” criminal pursuits, cybercrime is more new-age and is developing and advancing at a pace so fast that organisations and legislators cannot keep up.

From the mid-term review of the 2019-2024 Cyber Security Strategy launched in the middle of 2023, we learned of the Government’s plans to create a national anti-ransomware organisation and offer cash subsidies to small businesses to help fight cybersecurity threats. The timelines for this are unclear, but there’s no doubt that the move would be laudable and welcomed with open arms by many businesses that continue to be plagued by ransomware attacks.

These attacks can have catastrophic consequences not just for those whom they are perpetrated against, but for the wider public. We only have to look at the devastation that was caused to patients following the 2021 hacking of the HSE to understand the severity of the crimes”.

Fraud

Mr. Kavanagh continued, “Banking & Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) stats show fraudsters stole nearly €85 million (€84.6m) through frauds and scams in 2022, an increase of 8.8% on 2021. As a New Year commences, there’s a real concern that we will see an uptick in these figures”.

Mr. Kavanagh concluded,

“Ireland is now Europe’s largest data hosting cluster, putting the need for elevated cybercrime and data protection systems into sharp focus.

Regulators in Ireland, and around the world, are constantly updating and issuing new guidance to firms in response to emerging cyber security issues, such as fake documentation and the reliability of information sources.

Regulators need to ask themselves how they can regulate and supervise without stifling innovation. Businesses and organisations need to ask how can they best prepare and respond, and the general public also needs to know what measures they can take to protect themselves”

UPS customs fee sms scam to watch out for

There is plenty of scams knocking about now and if you are one to regularly get packages like me it seems like an easy target for scammers be it coincidental or not these scams are getting better all the time and catching people out and even some high profile individuals have took to the press here which was a silly move in my eyes they should know better.

When it comes to scams they are with all courier companies and in the form of looking for some form of payment such as customs fees and they do have tell tale signs from the offset such as a bad URL and incorrect spelling in the text itself.. See  below what the situation is with the UPS customs fee scam is.

In all cases if you do get an sms or email and not sure you can always check if these are real or fake by checking the tracking code with the courier website or using 17 track as we have shown above and in the video below and you will swiftly get the result, in all cases you should always ask and check before proceeding any further as it is most likely a scam and this one with UPS is a new one on me and for the most looks original.

Video

Dublin Tech Summit Partners with Pegasus to Host First Ever Irish Leg of the Startup World Cup

The Startup World Cup, the world’s largest startup pitch competition, will make its debut in Ireland, with the semi-final taking place at Dublin Tech Summit 2024. Powered by Pegasus Tech Ventures, the tournament consists of over 50 regional startup competitions across over 20 countries, providing an unmatched opportunity to access Ireland’s startup ecosystem and global tech companies.

The contendants will be judged at the event by a panel of venture capitalists, with the winner attending the grand final in Silicon Valley to compete against 50 other semi-finalists from across the globe for the $1,000,000 investment prize. The judging panel will consist of esteemed venture capitalist organisations, aimed at supporting startup growth. Featuring partners and directors from, VC Seraphim Space, Sure Valley Ventures, Techstars Sustainability Paris, Anamcara Capital, and The Launch Code.

“The Startup World Cup Grand Finale 2023 in San Francisco was more than just an event; it was a celebration of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Martin Tantow, Partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures. “Each pitch brought something unique to the table, elevating the competition to new heights of excitement. To be able to bring such an arena to a highly receptive audience in Ireland, has been a long awaited affair for Pegasus Tech Ventures, and we are honoured to partner with Dublin Tech Summit to bring the first ever leg of the event to Ireland, given the nation’s esteemed tech prowess in Europe”

Dublin Tech Summit 2024 will also be expanding its Accelerate initiative. Accelerate provides an opportunity for Irish start up & scale-up brands to expand internationally and get noticed by technology movers and shakers, to maximise investment opportunities for the Irish startup scene. Dublin Tech Summit will exhibit all entries in its Accelerate hall for the duration of the summit.

“Dublin Tech Summit is thrilled to announce not only the expansion of our Accelerate programme to empower local innovators but its commitment to empowering those very talents on a global stage as host to the Startup World Cup. To be able to utilise our position as a seminal voice in the mainstream techworld to provide opportunities to the next generation of changemakers, is something Dublin Tech Summit and our Accelerate programme take great pride in. In a world of ever changing corporate tax receipts, nurturing our local and start-up economy is as vital now as it ever was”, said Tracey Carney, Managing Director, Dublin Tech Summit.

To compete on the pitch stage at the DTS24, startups must register online to participate in the Accelerate programme and founders must have formed a legal business entity. The startup can be at any stage of development, from pre-seed to scale-up, and each entrant will submit a 90-second video pitch. 50 startups will be selected from the video pitches to compete in knockout presentation rounds on day one of the summit, with finals on day 2 for those who advance in the competition.

“It is an unprecedented opportunity for Irish startups to get their idea in front of expert investors, and the chance to be in the global grand finale competition in Silicon Valley. Entrepreneurial dreamers are the life of the innovation economy. Providing Irish expertise to the world is a key feature of the Accelerate programme, one which has the potential to see significant dividends in the economy as wider society in dynamic times”, said DC Cahalane former GCMO for Dogpatch Labs, and now Venture Partner at Sure Valley Ventures, and DTS Accelerate stage MC.

Tech Review – OpenRock S Open-Ear Air Conduction Headphones

Last September we checked out the OpenRock Pro Air conduction support headphones and now they have introduced their latest offering the OpenRock S Open-Ear Air conduction Headphones which is is all the rage now with many brands jumping on board the Air Conduction tech.

The design is familiar and will sit on the ears well and will not fall off so ideal for commuters and gym goers any sports enthusiast actually.

It can take a bit to get use to the controls once fitted, there is no tips here which is great and out of the box you are good to go, we discuss the controls below in more detail you have just about enough to stop you taking your phone out to get things done.

Controls.

You have to music modes here one being relax mode and one being Rock mode which oddly enough cannot be changed with music playing but there is a notable difference between the two, you also have other controls on board such as voice assistant obtained by tapping either side for three seconds, you can also skip and reverse tracks by holding for two seconds and answer and hang up calls, there does not seem to be a volume control option built in, you can play and pause tracks with a double tap.

The sound quality out of the box is pretty decent, there is no app access here which is disappointing and something they might work on in a future pair but overall the sound is decent it is loud crisp and clear no lag latency noted and no distortion maxed out on volume or tinny sound either testing all genres and with Rock Mode you can feel that bass kick in.

Overall if you are into sports or just want something new being air conduction technology you might want to check these out, they look clean and fit well and do an excellent job overall and sound good which is important.

 

  • Excellent Bass Capabilities – OpenRock S open-ear headphones adopt a new generation of TubeBass bass enhancement technology that concentrates and transmits the energy emitted by the speaker to the ear canal, achieving far-field silencing, reducing sound spillage, and allowing music to surround only the user’s ear canal. Paired with a 16.2mm dynamic driver, it provides unprecedented bass capabilities in open-ear headphones.
  • 60 Hours of Playtime – The earphone’s powerful battery can provide up to 19 hours of listening and talk time at 70% volume on a single charge, plus a 750mAh charging box that can last for 41 hours, and the OpenRock S can provide 60 hours of playback time on a single charge.
OpenRock S Open-Ear air conduction sports earbuds – techbuzzireland
  • Bluetooth 5.3 plus IPX5 Waterproof – OpenRock S wireless earbud’s latest Bluetooth 5.3 further achieves low energy consumption and high transmission rate on the basis of Bluetooth 5.2, shortening the delay time and making the headset connection smoother. It is also IPX5 sweat-proof and waterproof, allowing you to enjoy music worry-free while exercising.
  • Open-Ear Design, Adjustable Earhook – OpenRock adopts the global exclusive titanium alloy ear hooks, the shape of the ear hook can be adjusted according to the size of each person’s ear. Compared with in-ear earbuds, they fit the human ear better, disperse gravity, and are stable and comfortable to wear.
  • AI 4-Mics Call Noise-Canceling – Four high-quality microphones use beam-forming technology to form an array to assist the AI call noise reduction algorithm, achieve four-mark AI call noise reduction, and eliminate environmental noise. Even if the wind is strong around you, the other party can still hear your voice clearly.
  • Rock/Relax Dual Mode – The rock mode emphasizes low-frequency, rhythmic sports sound effects, aiming to reduce sports fatigue and activate your sports potential. The Relax mode emphasizes three-frequency natural and comfortable sound effects, aiming to help individuals relax their body and mind and reduce pressure.

 

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Video Review

 

Dyson releases major data study of indoor pollution levels in Irish homes

Dyson unveils the results of its first Global Connected Air Quality Data project. The project analyses indoor air quality information collected by 2.5m Dyson purifiers from 2022 to 2023 to measure air quality in real homes across the world, to a high degree of granularity, breaking down pollution into gas and particle pollutants, and profiling trends over days, months, seasons and the full year. The data comes from Dyson purifiers connected to the MyDyson app; the volume of data exceeds half a trillion data points and paints a precise picture of indoor air quality in cities and countries globally to help build understanding and awareness of indoor air pollution.

From a wealth of data, this project focuses on two types of pollutant – PM2.5, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

PM2.5 refers to particles as small as 2.5 microns in diameter, 1/25th the diameter of a typical human hair. These particles are invisible to the naked eye, can be inhaled and are an area of increasing scientific and health research. Sources include combustion, wood burners, or gas cooking and heating – pet dander, ash and dust.

VOCs are gas pollutants including Benzene and Formaldehyde which can be emitted from activities like cleaning or gas cooking as well as from products including deodorants and body sprays, candles, furniture and furnishings.

“Our connected air quality data allows us insight into the real problem of indoor air pollution in homes across the world. This gives us a direct understanding of the challenges Dyson purifiers face in real environments and the knowledge to engineer ever-better machines to tackle those challenges. But the data we capture isn’t just an engineering tool – on an individual basis, this data is shared back through the MyDyson app in real-time and via monthly reports, to help our owners improve their air quality understanding.” – Matt Jennings, Engineering Director for Environmental Care

“We all think of air pollution as being an outdoor or roadside problem. Indoor air pollution research is growing but continues to be underdeveloped. Dyson’s findings give us a valuable insight into the real pollution levels in homes across the world, helping us to understand the patterns of pollution daily, monthly, and seasonally. The Dyson data is an incredibly powerful education tool and the opportunities for positive impact are boundless – understanding the pollution around us is the first step to reducing our pollution exposure.” – Professor Hugh Montgomery, Chair of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London, and Chairperson of Dyson’s Scientific Advisory Board

Nearly all homes experienced indoor air quality worse than outdoor with Ireland peaking in December and March but Dublin city specifically peaked in January and March.

All but four of the countries studied exceeded outdoor PM2.5 levels for six months or more. In February, most countries experienced the largest gap between indoor PM2.5 as compared to outdoor, where indoor exceeded outdoor levels by the highest proportion compared to all other months.  All but four countries studied exceeded outdoor PM2.5

Ireland ranked 28th globally for indoor/outdoor ratio of PM2.5 levels with China, Austria, and Spain at the top.

DUBLIN CITY SHOWED NEARLY DOUBLE WHO GUIDELINE PM2.5 LEVELS   

The city of Dublin had slightly higher levels of PM2.5 than the rest of the country with the average being 9.81 µg/m3 PM2.5, which was still below the global average.  However, this measurement still exceeded the WHO long term exposure guidelines of what is deemed safe long term PM2.5 levels.  In fact, Dublin came out as having nearly double the amount of what WHO guidelines for PM2.5 levels are. In Dublin city in January 20022, 12.54 µg/m3 PM2.5 levels were documented, which is 2.5 times over what the WHO guidelines suggest.

December and March saw the highest spike of PM2.5 levels in homes in Dublin.

Dyson air purifier data showed that winter across all countries was the most polluted season indoors overall. Given that 90% of our time is spent indoors, the results showed PM2.5 peaked throughout the colder months with January being the most polluted month globally.

Evening pollution was higher than any other time of day in most countries, including Ireland, with spikes between 7pm and 11pm recorded on Irish Air Purifiers. This stat coincides with the time of day that many people spend in their homes.

Exposure is the measure of air pollution concentration over time, which within the air quality research community is a key consideration – a spike of air pollution (a very high level for a short period of time) is not necessarily worse than prolonged exposure to ‘poor’ or even ‘fair’ air quality. Therefore, data from Dyson purifiers suggests that this longer, more polluted period may account for increased exposure to PM2.5 in homes.

Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) levels in Ireland

European cities also top the rankings of VOC levels indoors: Munich takes top spot, followed by Beijing, and then its fellow German cities – Cologne in 3rd and Berlin 4th.

Dublin and Madrid are particularly high – occupying spaces 11 and 12, both higher than Shenzhen, Busan, Tokyo, Manila, Hong Kong SAR and other larger EMEA cities like Paris, London and Amsterdam.

Dublin, Paris and Milan rank above megacities like Tokyo and Seoul, and above all US cities as well as London.