Tech Review – Pioneer DJ HDJ-CUE1 headphones review

I test many headphones here and when Pioneer asked me to check these out we just had too and before I go any further I am by no means a DJ, never was or will be one but I am familiar with the equipment and what is involved and I do have some DJ friends and that is as far as it goes but these headphones can also be used in a personal capacity with simple things you may have at home and they work, work really well in fact. I would have preferred the Bluetooth option to check out as there would be more to talk about but we shall tell you what is going on here with these bad boys.

Build

These are built really well it must be said and for DJ headphones this must be the case with strengthened stress points on these they are built to last, joints is one of the main areas that go on headphones but these are built here and it is visible in comparison to your standard headphones. The ratchet style extensions are made with metal rather than plastic and the headband is tough too also so is the arms holding the cups.

Comfort

Now these are comfortable given the smaller cups than I would like they isolate much of the noise once placed on the head and there is no clamping feeling either and this is for long term use too however this may vary per person as all our heads are not the same lads. Comfort is important and for the DJ especially so and they will be happy here at the level of comfort I would think..The cups can swivel 90 degrees which is great, the headband is also comfortable here and overall a great wearing experience.

As mentioned these are a standard plug in job and nothing technical when it comes to apps and buttons which for me is a new experince and feeling left out but having said that headphones still are made this way and sometimes the case is you do not need the extras but this is for a certain market and niche set of individuals..

Sound

Well this is the one part people will be interested in and in the capacity I tested them in they are quite good, I have some amps at home and a good home sound system and also test on my phone and overall the sound was quite good in all cases, due to the fact they cancel out most noise when even just placed on the head they deliver a rich audio experience. They will not deliver what other high end headphones will do with all the usual attributes applied however they isolate the outside world pretty good audio experience and it is kept simple really and you must take into account they are not headphones designed for music but mixing and all that jazz that comes along with DJ stuff and even if you just wanted a pair to listen to music and no bothered by buttons and apps and all that these will certainly do, but remember you might need a headphone jack which is far and few between on phones today but if you have a sound system at home or cinema set up yeah by all means check them out they are not expensive.

Read more about them HERE 

Unboxing

 

Tech Review – Boom UNO

The Boom UNO is solid, looks modern and is available in black or white for Professional video conferencing meetings. This comes with a  USB 2.0 cable that connects to your computer and fits directly on the bottom of the kit, The length of the cable can be expanded via the supplied extension cable ( In the box: UNO, USB 2.0 cable, USB extender, quick guide Cable length: USB cable: 152.4cm USB extension: 183cm) allowing for additional distance from your laptop. The kit is designed for areas in Huddle Room, Executive Office, Telehealth but can be used in any area required for conference calls as with Pc Mac laptop Desktop. It has a cylindrical shape with a wide-angle camera on the top and a speakerphone on the bottom. The device Dimensions are 181mm x 62mm x 62mm) Weight: is 465g while solid on a surface. The device is designed as a collaboration solution with HD video and omnidirectional speakerphone

 

 Package Contents

  •         Part number: BM03-0016 (black), BM03-0017 (white)
  •         UNO all-in-one
  •         USB 2.0 cable
  •         Extension cable
  •         Quick guide

UNBOXING

Features:

  •       Full HD 1080p @ 30fps
  •       Wide angle: 120° field of view
  •       Multi codec
  •       Full Duplex HD audio
  •       Omnidirectional microphone
  •       High-quality CMOS sensor
  •       Dynamic Noise Reduction (DNR)
  •       Echo cancellation
  •       Plug & Play
  •       USB 2.0
  •       3-year warranty

 

Setup & use:

The Boom UNO is easy to set up and use as required no additional software to be manually downloaded, Once this is plugged into the Laptop USB port the installation of the drivers and software is done in the background. You can then use it with any video conferencing platform such as Zoom, Teams, Webex, Meet, Bluejeans, GoToMeeting, Skype etc.  The device supports multiple resolutions up to 1080p at 30 frames per second and has a plug-and-play feature that makes it compatible with Windows, Mac OS X and Chrome OS.

 When in use the green light indicated use,  or the Red light when muted, The lens can be slightly adjusted manually up or down. Once connected to eg a team call the kit defaults on the system to the Audio/video settings. The process of connections worked seamlessly and efficiently.

Once connected which was simple and easy the basic in terms of volume up, down mute worked.

 

 

 

A niggle in terms of the connections was noted in Teams & Youtube, On turning up the volume on 2 separate modern Windows laptops, the volume was increased/decreased but not shown on your tube or Team calls, When the mute was pressed on a team call, the call muted & change to red but again the mute symbol within the team call did change to advise muted. ( Technically this worked as expected but not the indication we have become familiar with )

The Audio when increased/decreased via the Uno up/ down buttons, had an effect of a step down of the volume rather than a liner approach noticeable when going from a low volume to 0 volume quickly, typically the frequency of calls on other devices gradually fade away while with Uno this audio when from low to zero.

The Brand: Boom Collaboration is a company that specializes in video conferencing and collaboration tools founded in 2020 with their  Headquarters in Austin, Texas, they also offer a range of high-quality cameras for video conferencing. Their logo boasts “We are on a mission to make Meetings Better. Simply.” Their Specialties include Videoconferencing, Collaboration Hardware, Video conferencing cameras, Webcams, Hybrid work solutions, Work From Home Solutions, All-In-One devices, PTZ 4K cameras, Distance learning, Telehealth, Huddle rooms, Intelligent AI solutions, Audio Visual Installations, NDI compatible cameras,

Warranty:

Boom Collaboration have got this right in terms of a 3-year warranty and an optional 5-year Boom Care plan which is an indication of their confidence in their brand.

Conclusion

The Boom UNO is a compact all-in-one high-quality audio and video device for use in small meetings, home or setting that required a video conferencing option. The kit is compact and I would like to see an option of a USB C cable and an option to connect to a phone, Bluetooth or via the USB C cable to increase the flexibility/option of the kit. The extension cable is excellent allowing to extend of the distance of the cable as required,

The colours of the screen are great to see in terms of Green and Red, but on testing on a team’s call, the mute does as required on the call but does not change the software mute icon to show mute. Similarly, the volume up/down features works but again the software does not show the increase on eg YouTube or MS Teams.

The setup and use are easy requiring no technical skills in this area with the extension cable a bonus to facilitate the placing of the kit further away from the laptop.

The audio experience in terms of moving away from the mic a distance worked quite well for calls where users did not experience a major deterioration  of the call quality as I moved further away from the 360° omnidirectional microphone, This was superior to many tested before due to the dynamic noise reduction and echo cancellation features.

The camera has a View angle: of 120° with a Resolution: of 1920 x 1080. This gave a good quality picture while when tested with one person on the call or a team the autofocus of a team’s call did not appear to have much of an effect.  The camera can be manually slightly tilted up and down while not a PTZ camera nor does it zoom in out to focus on an area. The camera cannot be manually blocked out rather have to do this via the laptop etc The quality from the  CMOS  Image sensor ( (1/2.8)) gave a good quality picture at @30fps.   The kit works as required with a simple-to-use setup with clear features colour coded for effective calls and audio

BUY 

Video Review

Paysend launches new European Hub in Dublin to drive EU growth strategy with plans to hire 30 employees

Paysend, the UK-based fintech with a rapidly growing market share in card-to-card consumer payments, today announced the opening of an EU office in Dublin to drive its expansion into the European market. Having recently received an Electronic Money Institution licence (EMI) from the Central Bank of Ireland, the new location will be used to expand the simple card-to-card payment service provided by digital payments company Paysend into new European corridors.

Led by European CEO, Céline Singleton, the office is in the process of recruiting a team of up to 30 employees to take the strategy forward.

The Dublin office will be one of four global hubs run by Paysend, alongside Miami, Edinburgh and global head office London. Paysend already operates in over 170 countries worldwide serving more than 7 million customers.

Paysend Europe CEO, Céline Singleton commented, “Dublin has become a great operating hub for tech companies, with a skilled workforce and a thriving business community. We have an excellent opportunity here to attract top talent to help drive our growth into more locations in Europe.”

Group CEO of Paysend, Ronald Millar added, ‘This is a key strategic move for us. We have built an impressive global footprint since we launched in 2017, and the opportunity we now have, with the support of the Irish Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and the European EMI License that we have been granted, to expand further into Europe is exciting. As the former Head of Payments at Ulster Bank, Céline is well placed to take our ambitions forward as she builds the team and drives the growth of Paysend Europe forward.’

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance said: “I am delighted that Paysend has chosen Dublin to grow its EU business.  They are joining a thriving export focused international financial services ecosystem in Ireland. Government is committed to growing the financial services sector across the country, through the Ireland for Finance strategy that I lead, and where fintech and digital finance is a key theme.

The expansion by Paysend is a valuable endorsement of the future growth potential for firms in Ireland based on sound regulation and the availability of talented people here. I look forward to working with Paysend in the future and wish them every success.”

Adding support for Paysend’s initiative, Mary Buckley, Executive Director IDA Ireland said, ‘Ireland has a proven track record of being an attractive location for global companies to access a well-established talent

Expleo targets £130K for charities in Tech Cycle Challenge

Expleo, a global technology, engineering and consulting service provider, is today announcing its fifth annual Tech & Engineering Teams Cycle Challenge. The company plans to raise £25K for NSPCC and Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (AANI) at this year’s event on Saturday, 27th May, bringing the total sum raised through the cycle challenge to £130K.

After a three-year hiatus, Expleo’s biggest annual charity fundraiser is back. This year’s event features more than 100 cyclists from technology companies based in Northern Ireland, with esteemed cyclist John Madden leading the group. With the choice of a 40km or 80km course, participants will start and end their journey in Ballygally, Co. Antrim, while taking in the breathtaking views of the Causeway Coastal Route and The Glens on the way.

Since its inception in 2016, the Cycle Challenge has raised £105K, with all proceeds going directly to NSPCC. This year’s challenge will also see AANI benefit from the initiative. To date, the funds raised have allowed NSPCC to deliver its Speak Out, Stay Safe message to 60,521 school children in Northern Ireland, providing them with knowledge to stay safe from abuse and neglect. Additionally, the funds will sustain AANI’s rapid air response services, aiding in urgent medical assistance to save lives in the NI region.

The sportive will see local pharmacy chains providing aid and a local retailer supplying nutrition. Spirit AeroSystems, Liberty IT, Energia, PwC, Allstate Northern Ireland and Telefónica Tech are long-term supporters of the event and will be involved. Additionally, Splash Community Projects UK, Pharmacy Plus and Championship Ireland have recently joined to lend their support to the event.

Event organiser, Rob McConnell, is Expleo’s Director, Head of Expleo NI and an NSPCC Northern Ireland ambassador. He said: “We are thrilled to bring back our annual charity cycle event and are delighted to have renowned cyclist John Madden join us once again on this ride. This is a community event for the whole family, and we’re proud to have the support of local businesses and organisations.

“Charities have faced unprecedented challenges in recent years, with the pandemic hitting them hard. Our cycle provides an opportunity for participants to not only raise funds for important causes, but also to prioritise team bonding and personal fitness. Our goal is to expand this event to an even larger scale and encourage other companies to join us in giving back to our communities. Every little bit helps, and we hope that this event will raise awareness, help answer more calls, and provide vital support to those in need.”

Stefani Mearns, Supporter Fundraising Manager, NSPCC NI, said: “We are delighted to have the support of Expleo for the fifth year with their Tech Team Cycle Challenge. The event has gone from strength to strength and is a testament to Rob and the team at Expleo for all their work hard and commitment.”

“Thank you also to all the teams who participate and support the event and in turn, all raise crucial funds to enable the NSPCC to be there for children and young people right here in Northern Ireland when they urgently need our support. We are so grateful to Rob for his continued support to NSPCC Northern Ireland and for joining us in our Fight for Every Childhood.”

Grace Williams, Area Fundraising Manager for Air Ambulance NI said: “We are so grateful to Rob and the team at Expleo for organising such an incredible event – A lot of hard work and effort has gone into planning this cycle and we are so touched they have chosen to support us in this way. We are really looking forward to the event and would encourage anyone thinking about taking part, to get a team together and sign up today!”

“The funds raised will help the medical team lift off by helicopter to reach future patients, wherever that may be in Northern Ireland.  This is very much a service that no one wishes to need but is there for every one of us. As a service we rely heavily on charitable donations to keep the medical team in the air, delivering critical care to patients who have suffered trauma throughout Northern Ireland – without this type of support, the team simply couldn’t fly.  Every single penny counts.”

Expleo welcomes all technology and engineering teams in Northern Ireland to take part, regardless of their cycling experience. To register for the Expleo Tech & Engineering Teams Cycle Challenge 2023, email cycle@expleogroup.com.

Meta partners with Puma to launch new Avatar outfits

Meta has announced some improvements to Meta Avatars that will help freshen up your look just in time for spring. They are adding a handful of new avatar body shapes to help you better express yourself — especially if expressing yourself means dancing along to “Hips Don’t Lie.” Meta also have partnered with PUMA to bring seven outfits to the Meta Avatars Store.

And they are  continuing to make your avatar look better in smaller and subtler ways as well, because those details help your personality shine through. Literally shine, as they are adding a bit more sparkle to your eyes, brushing some volume into your hair and making clothes look more realistic and textured. You’ll see these changes when you use your avatar outside of virtual reality (VR).

Read more below on what to expect.

Introducing New Body Shapes

Everybody’s different, and every body’s different. Until now, though, the body shape options available when creating your avatar were all pretty similar. Maybe a little rectangular.

We created them as a good jumping-off point when we launched this iteration of Avatars back in 2021. But, we’ve heard feedback that not all of you can see yourselves in the current options.

So we’re adding more choices, simple as that. Starting this month, you’ll be able to choose from a wider range of body shape options, including two curvier body shapes. We’re refining some of our existing options to help differentiate them as well.

Self-expression and representation matter — it’s what makes your avatar feel like you — and we’ll continue adding more options over time, working toward a future where everyone can create an avatar they love.

New PUMA Looks

Last year we introduced the Meta Avatars Store, a one-stop shop for customizing your avatar across Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and in VR. Since launch, we’ve brought in outfits from some of the world’s leading fashion, sports, and lifestyle brands — including Madhappy, the NBA, Prada, and Thom Browne.

Add PUMA to the list. We’ve partnered with the sports brand to offer seven of its lifestyle looks starting May 1.

Hair and Clothing Textures

Lastly, we’ve overhauled how your avatar’s hair, clothing and eyes appear in stickers, profile pictures, cover photos and more.

Sparing you the nitty-gritty technical breakdown, we’ve added additional detail and realism to both hair and clothing — meaning whether you’re rocking a clean fade and suit or bedhead and sweats, your avatar should pop a little better than before. Solid glow-up, right? We’ve also tweaked our lighting model to add a little more of a reflective gleam to your eyes, making them sparkle and bring your personality to life.

G2 Accelerates European Growth with Expansion into Dublin

G2, the world’s largest and most trusted software marketplace, today announced it has expanded its European presence into Dublin to grow its workforce while expanding reach to new customers and partners. Dublin marks G2’s fifth location, in addition to its Chicago headquarters and offices in London, Bangalore, and Singapore – along with many employees working remotely across the globe.

Based in Dublin, Gordon Tobin, G2’s Vice President & General Manager, EMEA, is responsible for leading the local team as the company looks to continue its investment in Europe — and in Ireland specifically. Tobin has spent the past 15+ years leading teams in North America and APAC at companies like LinkedIn, Headspace, and G2, and has recently returned to his native Ireland — offering the perfect perch to help G2 grow in EMEA.

“At G2, we want to be the place you go for software. This is a global vision, building upon our U.S. roots and expanded presence in EMEA and APAC,” said Godard Abel, co-founder and CEO, G2. “Having spent time in Dublin recently, I’ve seen first-hand how ripe the region is for software-as-a-service (SaaS) innovation. With our presence in this market, I’m confident we’ll be able to grow our business globally, with Gordon Tobin at the helm leading our local team.”

G2’s software marketplace features over 2 million verified reviews on 150,00+ software products and services across 2,100 different categories. Those looking to buy, sell, or invest in software can all leverage G2’s data, insights, and solutions to make smarter decisions and grow their businesses.

“EMEA regions drive 17% of the total reviews for G2 as well as 17% of our revenue,” said Gordon Tobin, Vice President & General Manager, EMEA, G2. “As we look to continually increase EMEA’s impact on our business over the next few years, we plan to grow our employee base in Ireland – tapping into the local tech talent – in addition to our already large presence in the UK. On a personal note, it’s been a wonderful opportunity to return to my native Dublin to establish a new home for G2’s EMEA operations. I’m appreciative to the IDA for their continued partnership as we look to effectively scale our presence in the region.”

G2 has already onboarded some new team members in Dublin across sales, marketing, revenue strategy and operations roles. The company plan to continue growing its headcount to meet customer demand in EMEA.

G2’s EMEA hub is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney TD said: “I am delighted with G2’s announcement that they have expanded their EMEA presence into Dublin. It is a pleasure to welcome a global leader in software marketplace solutions, which reaffirms Dublin as a centre of excellence in the sector. Our location and workforce continue to be a driving force in attracting FDI. I wish to thank G2 for their investment and confidence in Ireland by choosing us for this exciting expansion. Good luck to the team at G2.”

Dónal Travers, Head of Technology at IDA Ireland welcomed the announcement, noting, “G2’s decision to locate in Ireland is very welcome. Ireland’s established base of tech companies, its skills pool and overall business environment are what fast-growth companies like G2 find attractive, to support future international growth.”

Tech Review – Zox Apple Watch Bands

When we buy a new phone we most likely go look for a new case if you do not get one in the box and it is a huge industry with lots of money to be made and now choice and choice is a win for the consumer and not only that we can now personalise cases too, alongside that we also can now do the same for our smartwatches and is now a huge industry.

When I get a new phone or watch I tend to get new cases and now I am the same with my smartwatches, currently I use the Google Pixel watch and Apple watch ultra and already I have changed their look with new straps..

Zox is a brand that can help out here with a different take on new watch straps and not only that they look nice and stand out and each strap has a story behind it, the straps are well built and feel really nice on your arm too and very comfortable and easy to adjust and lets your wrist breathe too.

Like all ZOX, each Apple Watch band is individually numbered on both the band and matching collectors card to ensure no two are ever the same. Numbers 00001 – 00100 are stitched in gold and include Gold Cards that can be redeemed for special, limited edition rewards.

 

Each strap has a custom message written on it and a card with the same message which can all be seen in the description of the strap on site. The company also makes other items with the same idea behind it such as wrist bands dog leads bags and clothing and you should check them out they are really nice and fashionable.

The company also has an app where you can shop and also check out their website HERE

Like all ZOX, every watch band we produce is made using elastic we mill from recycled water bottles with our friends at Repreve. Each one takes the equivalent of one 8oz water bottle out of our ecosystem, meaning you’re changing the world with both kind words and a brighter tomorrow.

Check out the watch bands below we have checked out and do check out the company who are doing something really nice and thinking of the environment and you as a customer with personal messages.

Video Review

Skills shortage and low budgets considered biggest challenges for managing incident detection and response

Integrity360, Ireland and the UK’s largest cyber security services specialist, has today announced findings from a Twitter poll gaining visibility into the value of managed detection and response services (MDR). The poll, with 2,000+ responses and conducted between 8-10 March, highlights the pitfalls of existing detection and response, with the skills shortage and low budgets cited as the biggest challenges when it comes to managed detection and response – 28% respectively.

Furthermore, a third (33%) of respondents believe that threat detection is lacking most when it comes to cyber security and incident detection and response. This was closely followed by training and testing (27%). Meanwhile 26% of respondents said slow response times and 18% selected lack of visibility.

Richard Ford, CTO, Integrity360, comments: “Preventative measures, to protect and prevent threats targeting our critical systems and data are important, but not enough in this increasingly sophisticated cyber threat landscape. Organisations need security solutions and services that are effective peri-incident, that can detect, analyse and respond to threats that have bypassed preventative controls – threats both internal and external. Training and testing of these solutions, including platform tuning and training employees, is equally critical to maintaining a strong security posture.

“There remains a huge skills shortage in the cyber security industry, and particularly in high value skills and experience such as threat detection and incident response. MDR helps close the gap. In fact, organisations bridging the skills gap and utilising MDR services have a 62% reduction in the average number of security incidents per year”.

The poll did reveal that respondents look set to take action to address issues around incident detection and response, agreeing that MDR should be prioritised and highlighting that they will allocate the most cyber security budget to managed security (29%). A further twenty five percent noted that cyber security testing (25%) would receive a budget boost.

This is positive given that four in ten (40%) believe cyber security testing is best outsourced over handling in-house. Additionally, over a third (35%) believe a service provider better manages cloud computing security.

It appears in-house approaches may also require investment or improvement with the poll revealing that almost a third (31%) of respondents said that thirty percent of their cyber security budget is allocated to tools and solutions that are not used to their full potential.

When it comes to what people see as the most damaging impact of a cyber security breach, financial loss came top of the list (46%), followed by loss of trust (28%). Meanwhile, reputational damage was selected by twenty percent of respondents.

Ford adds: “We’re currently experiencing a time of economic downturn, when cyber security budgets are tight, and risks are heightened. However, slashing cyber security budgets can put a company at risk of losing their cyber security professionals which are already in short supply and can result in gaps in an organisation’s defences. Organisations are visibly assessing the value and efficiency of their security solutions and it’s great to see that they are looking to put budgets to good use by investing money and trust in service providers.”

Further, the poll found that over a third (36%) see increased defences as the most significant benefit of cyber security collaboration, with (36%) also seeing faster response times as being the biggest benefit of a managed detection and response service.

Integrity360’s MDR offering delivers real-time threat detection, proactive threat hunting, incident containment and response, security incident analysis and threat intelligence, compliance reporting, and 24/7 monitoring to businesses across Ireland and the UK. As well as enhancing organisations’ detection and response capabilities and enabling the protection of systems and data, the service provides businesses with access to on-demand and proactive support via Integrity360’s experienced security team.

Integrity360 leverages the latest threat intelligence and state-of-the-art solutions to deliver its MDR service to identify new threat actor Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) across networks, endpoints, servers, and the cloud.

Integrity360 has also recently announced that it has been named as a Representative Vendor in the 2023 Gartner Market Guide for Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Services.

Ford added: “As cyber threats continue to evolve in frequency, sophistication and efficacy, companies must roll out a comprehensive service to meet their security needs. That’s where MDR comes in. Through our offering we aim to deliver even deeper technical expertise and innovative technologies which enable companies to secure their operations and allow us to serve as an extension of their team.”

ZHIYUN WEEBILL 3 Wins iF Design Award 2023

ZHIYUN proudly announces that its WEEBILL 3 has won the iF Design Award 2023 in the TV/Camera category. The iF Design Awards recognized ZHIYUN’s WEEBILL 3 is an all-in-one gimbal solution with a unique ergonomic design that delivers light, sound and image-stabilization, while also providing 40% energy savings.

ZHIYUN WEEBILL 3 won over the 133-member jury made up of independent experts from all over the world. The iF Design Awards represents a seal of quality for excellent design; acknowledged by the fact the 2023 competition received almost 11,000 entries from 56 countries.

ZHIYUN CEO, Yilun Liao, commented, “ZHIYUN is delighted to have received this internationally recognized design award from the iF International Forum Design GmbH. It reflects ZHIYUN’s commitment to creativity and innovation in our products that are designed to inspire everyone from amateur to professional filmmakers. The WEEBILL 3 redefines high-end cinematography with its support for DSLR cameras and lenses, enabling all day shooting with easy from a single battery charge, light weight design, and our unique ergonomic design.”

ZHIYUN WEEBILL 3: Professional, Convenient With a Leading Ergonomic Design

Built from lightweight, ultra-strong materials, ZHIYUN’s 3rd generation WEEBILL offers improved ergonomics with an optimized SLING 2.0 system, providing more wrist support for extended use comfort with its new handle design. The grip includes thumb buttons, mini control stick for movement, plus finger trigger and wheel that can be customized according to preferences of shooting modes and action parameters, such as camera paras, movement along axes, follow focus, and more. With compact, powerful motors, the WEEBILL 3’s L-shaped body is exceptionally stable when self-standing, provides more flexibility for customizations, and includes a larger internal battery than previous versions, for up to 21-hours use. The quick release system includes a dual quick-release plate with embedded magnetic wrench. The camera requires balancing just once, and it can be repeatedly mounted and secured easily, fast and conveniently without needing to rebalance.

Learn more about the WEEBILL 3 https://www.zhiyun-tech.com/en/product/detail/617