Pure Telecom, the Irish-owned high-speed broadband company, today announces the results of a survey that found that 48% of adults in Ireland would like to have a job as an online influencer, either as their main source of income or in addition to their existing job. The research also found that one-in-five (21%) people would choose recognition on social media over kudos from their boss.
The survey of more than 1,000 adults across Ireland, carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, found that men (58%) are more likely than women (45%) to aspire to become online influencers. In fact, 21% of men would like it to be their main source of income, versus 11% of women. The broadband company also found that at 78%, Gen Z adults are significantly more likely than all other generations to want a job as an influencer. However, there are also considerable aspirations among the older generations – Millennials (47%), Gen X (34%), and Baby Boomers (25%).
The survey also highlighted the value that adults in Ireland place on likes and comments on social media platforms versus the value they place on recognition from their boss for a job well done. Interestingly, at 29%, men are considerably more likely than women (19%) to favour online recognition. Meanwhile, Gen Z (39%) is the most likely generation to choose recognition on social media.
Geographically, Meath (60%) and Carlow (60%) have the highest proportion of residents who would like to be influencers, followed by Wexford (57%) and Laois (53%).
Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “The online world now forms a significant part of our daily lives. So much of what we do is now online – socialising, shopping, learning – so it’s natural that many people want their careers to be online, too. We always expect the younger generations to be more drawn to the digital world, but it is interesting to see that even the older generations have aspirations of becoming influencers. And, our research shows that a significant proportion of all generations believe that recognition on social media trumps praise from their boss!
“Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have created even more opportunities for people to share content, go viral and build an audience, making the idea of earning a living online more achievable and appealing than ever. As an Irish-owned broadband company, Pure Telecom is proud to provide the best value high-speed broadband to support aspiring content creators in Ireland.”
Konftel has been making waves with supply specialist Transparent Communications by showcasing its latest conferencing technologies, aboard a ship moored in Portsmouth.
Dozens of visitors attended the Transparent IT EXPO 2022, hosted on the Princess Caroline boat. They witnessed hands-on product demonstrations from a mix of leading industry names and also enjoyed a trip on the Solent.
The day-long eventat Gunwharf Quays, was hailed a resounding success by Jeff May, UK Sales Director at Konftel.
“We had a fabulous day exhibiting with a mix great visitors and decision-makers in a wonderful and unique venue. It was all superbly organised and the weather was even kind too!
“Konftel’s latest video solutions generated lots of high interest especially our C2070 and C50800 Hybrid systems plus the Konftel Personal Video Kit which is ideal for meetings at home or in the office.”
He added: “We even spotted a huge aircraft carrier and several other vessels on a trip out into the estuary. It was a very successful event, blending product demonstrations with networking and exceptional hospitality.”
Flourishing Transparent Communications has seen a 20% rise in business over the lasttwoyears.
Director Richard Warwick said: “Our expo was a great way to engage with our customer base and demonstrate the many ways the world of technology continues to evolve, from numerous market leaders.
Jeff May demo
“We were able to showcase the latest innovations in the IT, AV, cloud, storage and computing world. Visitors learned from the experts and gained a valuable face-to-face understanding of their products.”
Transparent Communications is a growing UK supplier of IT, AV and networking hardware with a headquarters in the maritime city. It has been operating for 20 years and has a portfolio spanning over 100,000 products.
Fellow Director Steve Warwick concluded: “Our annual IT Expo brought the latest innovations together through a series of hands on demonstrations, specialist partner stands and event speakers.
“The event provided a great mix of fun, unique experiences and new technology as well as the opportunity to talk to the people behind the brands and gain a deeper knowledge of their product offerings. It was a positive experience for all who attended.”
Lepros a NFT (Non-Fungible Tokens) collection, founded by young blockchain and crypto enthusiasts Niamh Coleman and Keith Finn have partnered with Kinsale Spirit Company to create three one of one NFT pieces which are inspired by the Kinsale Spirits Whiskey bottles: Red Earl, Spanish Earl and the Great Earl. These will be auctioned on St. Patrick’s day with a redeemable physical signed bottle from Kinsale Spirits and will have bespoke access/ privileges in the metaverse.
Kinsale Spirit company has previously embraced the NFT marketplace by auctioning off the first ever Whiskey Cask represented by an NFT (A non-fungible token) and auctioned on the NFT marketplace OpenSea.
Lepros’ aim is to build an Irish inspired Virtual Land powered by blockchain technology. With a vision is to recreate the Irish cultural experience in a virtual land and provide a space for people to be connected to Ireland no matter where they are based in the world. Holders from their NFT collection can experience, trade & connect with Ireland & Irish businesses virtually in the Metaverse.
This virtual land, named LeproLand, will provide a platform for Irish diaspora with Irish roots worldwide to connect online and experience Ireland through immersive gaming, music, sport, tourism, education, social events and more. It will also provide a platform for Irish businesses to connect, advertise and provide goods/services to their end users directly in the Web3 space.
Co-founders of Lepros, Niamh & Keith say, “In a world where people become more accustomed to digitalization and technology through the growth of new technologies like the metaverse, it’s important not to lose sight of the real world and that is why we wanted to combine the two.” adding “The inspiration came from many things, our shared fascination & passion for decentralised ecosystems/applications, and of course our love for Ireland & connecting with people.”
On the involvement of Kinsale Spirit Company, Ernest Cantillion says “ Kinsale Spirit Co was delighted to partner with the Lepros NFT project, it was a great fit for us. Not only are they embracing this emerging new technology as we are, but are also using it to leverage the global Irish diaspora . That diaspora makes up a huge part of the works market for Irish whiskey and we are happy to connect with them at every opportunity “
Coupled with LeproLand, Lepros are dedicating time and resources in creating an exclusive clothing store, secondary NFT collection with utility for holders and creating an innovative concept to teach people in all things Web3.
Red Earl Whiskey is part of the innovative Kinsale Spirit Company’s Battle of Kinsale Series which is themed around historic characters who fought on the Irish side in the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. Released in April last year, Red Earl Whiskey is already being exported to several countries, including strong sales in the US and China. Work is under way in their distillery for the delivery of two more whiskeys later this year: Great Earl Single Grain Irish Whiskey named in honour of Hugh, The Great O’Neill, and Spanish Earl Single Malt Irish Whiskey, in honour of Juan del Agula, representative of the King of Spain who fought alongside the Irish.
Kingspan Group, the global leader in advanced insulation and building solutions, has released its second annual report for its 10-year sustainability programme, Planet Passionate.
Highlights include a 4.3% reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions and a 29% reduction in carbon intensity year-on-year, against a background of 42% total revenue growth for the period.
For the second year running, the Group has made absolute reductions towards its 2030 net zero carbon manufacturing goal. This is underpinned by a verified SBTi target to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 90% by 2030, from a 2020 base year.
Achieving this will require the decarbonisation of Kingspan’s energy sources and processes across its existing 198 manufacturing sites (up from 166 in 2020), while supporting newly acquired businesses to decarbonise as quickly as possible.
To accelerate the Group’s decarbonisation strategy, the report has announced the introduction of an internal carbon charge of €70 per tonne of CO2e, which will be implemented throughout the business in 2023.
The 2021 Planet Passionate report illustrates the positive progress made to date against the majority of the programme’s 12 measurable targets in carbon, energy, water and circularity. Notable achievements include:
Energy: An increase in the direct use of renewable energy from 19.5% to 26.1%, and an increase in the percentage of wholly-owned facilities with solar PV from 21.7% to 28.4%. The Group also achieved a 15% reduction in energy intensity[4] year-on-year.
Carbon: An increase in the percentage of zero emissions company funded cars from 11% to 29%.
Circularity: A reduction in company waste to landfill of 13%, as well as 843 million PET bottles recycled into our processes.
Water: The Group announced its second ocean cleanup project: a partnership with cleantech startup SeabinTM, to deploy their unique technology first in Sydney Harbour followed by LA later in 2022. This follows a three-year partnership with the ECOALF Foundation which works with a network of 2,000 artisan fishermen to remove around 150 tonnes of marine debris each year from the Mediterranean.
In addition, Kingspan’s science-based targets were updated in 2021 and are now in line with a 1.5°C future. Limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C means that the world must achieve a 45% reduction in global CO2 emissions versus 2010 levels by 2030.
While Kingspan did not make progress in 2021 against its target to halve the product CO2e intensity from its primary supply partners by 2030, the report highlights ongoing collaboration with suppliers to this end.
Moreover, during the year Kingspan invested in H2 Green Steel, a company pioneering new production methods for lower-impact steel manufacturing using green hydrogen. Use of lower-emissions steel could help Kingspan reduce the embodied carbon of its insulated panel products by up to 45%.
The report also presents the impact of Kingspan products sold during 2021. The built environment is responsible for roughly 39% of global carbon emissions[6], and high-performance insulation is one of the most important ways to increase energy-efficiency in buildings. The insulation systems Kingspan sold during 2021 are projected to save 193 million tCO2e during their lifetime. That’s equivalent to the emissions from 42 million passenger vehicles in a year.
In addition, Kingspan announced a new initiative called Planet Passionate Communities, a programme that will support people and communities around the world. The report unveils the programme’s flagship project: a five-year partnership with GOAL, the international humanitarian response agency, to support them in their transformative work in areas of most need.
Gene Murtagh, CEO of Kingspan Group, said: “The climate crisis, the pandemic, and now recent global events all serve to concentrate the mind on the need to build a more resilient and equitable world while ensuring energy security. Planet Passionate is our contribution to a future that uses resources efficiently, protects the natural world and delivers high-performance, energy-efficient products and solutions to our customers and global communities.”
Bianca Wong, Head of Sustainability of Kingspan Group, said: “Delivering a programme of this scale against a background of rapid business growth takes huge effort and determination and I would like to thank and commend the incredible efforts of our people across the world to achieve positive progress against the majority of our targets for the second year in a row.”
View the full version of Kingspan’s Planet Passionate Sustainability Report at:
Ford has announced significant strides toward an all-electric future in Europe, which will see the company transformed and offering a new generation of seven, all-electric, fully-connected passenger vehicles and vans by 2024.
Today’s announcement builds on the recent news that the company has created a new global business unit – Ford Model e – focused on the design, production, and distribution of electric and connected vehicles. Together with Ford Pro, the business unit focused on Ford’s commercial vehicle business, these two business units will define Ford’s future in Europe.
“I am delighted to see the pace of change in Europe – challenging our entire industry to build better, cleaner and more digital vehicles. Ford is all-in and moving fast to meet the demand in Europe and around the globe,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO.
“This is why we have created Ford Model e – allowing us to move at the speed of a start-up to build electric vehicles that delight and offer connected services unique to Ford and that are built with Ford-grade engineering and safety.”
With its extended range of electric passenger and commercial vehicle models, Ford expects its annual sales of electric vehicles in Europe to exceed 600,000 units in 2026, and also reaffirmed its intention to deliver a 6 percent EBIT margin in Europe in 2023. The acceleration in Europe supports Ford’s goal to sell more than 2 million EVs globally by 2026 and deliver company adjusted EBIT margin of 10 percent.
“Our march toward an all-electric future is an absolute necessity for Ford to meet the mobility needs of customers across a transforming Europe,” said Stuart Rowley, chair, Ford of Europe. “It’s also about the pressing need for greater care of our planet, making a positive contribution to society and reducing emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.”
Together, these efforts will support Ford’s global plans to significantly reduce carbon emissions. The company today announced it is targeting zero emissions for all vehicle sales in Europe and carbon neutrality across its European footprint of facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035.
Seven new electric vehicles by 2024
Following the successful European introduction of the all-electric Mach-E in 2021 and Mach-E GT this year, plus the launch of the E-Transit in the next quarter, Ford today unveiled plans for seven all-electric vehicles to join the Ford family in Europe – three new passenger vehicles and four new commercial vehicles.
Starting in 2023, Ford will begin production of an all-new electric passenger vehicle, a medium-sized crossover, built in Cologne with a second electric vehicle added to the Cologne production line-up in 2024. In addition, Ford’s top-selling passenger vehicle in Europe, the Ford Puma, will be available as an electric version made in Craiova, Romania, starting in 2024.
Reaffirming its leadership as Europe’s top-selling commercial vehicle brand, Ford’s iconic Transit range will include four new electric models – the all-new Transit Custom one-tonne van and Tourneo Custom multi-purpose vehicle in 2023, and the smaller, next generation Transit Courier van and Tourneo Courier multi-purpose vehicle in 2024.
“These new Ford electric vehicles signal what is nothing less than the total transformation of our brand in Europe – a new generation of zero-emission vehicles, optimized for a connected world, offering our customers truly outstanding user experiences,” said Rowley.
EV production and investment in Cologne
Ford confirmed today that the first volume all-electric passenger vehicle to come out of the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre will be a five-seat, medium-sized crossover. In 2021, sports utilities and crossovers accounted for 58 percent of all Ford passenger vehicle sold in the continent, up nearly 20 percentage points from 2020.
The all-electric crossover breaks new boundaries for Ford. Capable of a 500km driving range on a single charge, the vehicle and its name will be revealed later in 2022, with production commencing in 2023.
Today’s confirmation that a second, all-electric passenger vehicle – a sports crossover – will be built at the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre means that electric vehicle production at the facility will increase to 1.2 million vehicles over a six-year timeframe. Investment in the new electric passenger vehicles to be built in Cologne is expected to be $2 billion. The investment includes a new battery assembly facility scheduled to start operations in 2024.
New joint venture aims to increase battery production in Europe
To support Ford’s ambitious vehicle electrification plans, Ford, SK On Co., Ltd. and Koç Holding have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding for a new, industry-leading joint venture business in Turkey. Subject to execution of a final agreement, the three partners plan to create one of the largest EV battery facilities in the European wider region.
The joint venture would be located near Ankara and will manufacture high Nickel NMC cells for assembly into battery array modules. Production is intended to start as early as mid-decade with an annual capacity likely to be in the range of 30 to 45 Gigawatt hours.
The investment the three partners are planning in the battery joint venture – including support from the Turkish Government – will directly benefit large and small commercial vehicle operators across Europe, reducing energy and running costs and providing a significant contribution to CO2 reduction.
Boosting EV manufacturing capacity in Craiova
Ford’s manufacturing plant in Craiova, Romania, will play a significant role in the company’s electric and commercial vehicle growth plans in Europe.
From 2024, European customers will be able to purchase an all-electric version of the Ford Puma, Ford’s popular compact crossover. The Puma was Ford’s best-selling passenger vehicle in Europe in 2021, and the all-electric Puma will bring this successful new nameplate to an even wider group of European customers when it goes into production in Craiova in 2024.
Additionally, the all-new Transit Courier, the popular light commercial vehicle, and Tourneo Courier, a compact multi-purpose vehicle, will also be produced in Craiova from 2023, with all-electric versions coming in 2024.
To further boost electric and commercial vehicle capacity, Ford announced this morning that Ford Otosan will assume ownership of the Craiova plant and manufacturing business, subject to regulatory approval and consultation. Ford Otosan, a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding, is one of the longest running and most successful joint ventures in the global auto industry.
“We welcome this opportunity to grow our joint venture with Koc Holding and leverage this strategic partnership to better utilize our resources and know-how in Romania,” Rowley said. “Ford Craiova is today a strong success story, and we believe that through Ford Otosan’s experience and expertise in electrification and commercial vehicles it can reach even higher levels of achievement.”
Independent research commissioned by Gas Networks Ireland shows that three out of every four households in Ireland now own a carbon monoxide alarm, an increase of 212% on 2014 when Gas Networks Ireland first introduced the animated canary character, Tommy McAnairey, in its carbon monoxide awareness campaign.
Gas Networks Ireland’s Networks Safety Manager, Owen Wilson, said the goal must be to get to 100%.
“We are delighted to see the increase in ownership of carbon monoxide alarms, however not every home has one yet,” Mr Wilson said.
“Statistics indicate that, on average, six people die in Ireland every year from carbon monoxide poisoning.
“A carbon monoxide alarm can alert you to the presence of this deadly gas and potentially save lives.”
Most homes in Ireland use gas, oil or solid fuels for cooking and heating. Boilers, cookers, solid fuel fires and other fuel burning appliances can produce dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide if they are not installed properly, are faulty or are not used correctly. The research indicates that awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide is now as high as 92%. Last year, Gas Networks Ireland advanced the safety campaign to remind the public to give their carbon monoxide alarm a monthly test.
“Carbon monoxide is an odourless, colourless gas that can be produced when any fuel is burned, including coal, turf, oil, gas and wood,” Mr Wilson said.
“At low levels carbon monoxide can cause sickness and at high levels it can kill in as little as three minutes, so it is important to have an alarm and test it monthly.
“Carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable and that’s why we’ve been using our loveable singing canary, Tommy McAnairey, and his catchy songs to make people aware that while having a carbon monoxide alarm in your house will significantly reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, it needs to be working correctly for it to be effective.”
With Tommy’s help urging people who already have an alarm to check their device on a monthly basis to ensure it’s still in working order, the research shows that 40% of adults checked their alarm within the past month, up from 25% in 2018. The number who tested their alarm in the last 6 months at 61%, up from 55% in 2020. Altogether the campaign has won over 25 advertising industry awards to date, including winning three Shark awards and a further two Art Directors of Europe Awards in 2021.
Earlier this year, Gas Networks Ireland introduced the fourth part of its carbon monoxide safety campaign, again featuring the iconic Tommy McAnairey, this time advising on the steps to take if your carbon monoxide alarm goes off. To find out more about the causes, signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and how to protect yourself and others, visit https://www.carbonmonoxide.ie/ or call the Carbon Monoxide Awareness Line on 1800 89 89 89.
Gas Networks Ireland also promotes public safety through the gas escapes emergency service, Dial Before You Dig, meter tampering and using a registered gas installer campaigns.
Signify Health a leading U.S. value-based healthcare platform that leverages advanced analytics, technology, and nationwide healthcare provider networks, today announced the opening of a new technology centre that is expected to create more than 125 new technology innovation roles in Galway during the next two years.
The technology centre – which will be located in Galway City – will drive technology innovation for Signify Health as it changes how U.S. healthcare is paid for and delivered so that people can enjoy more healthy, happy days at home.
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment, Leo Varadkar TD said: “I’m really pleased Signify Health has chosen Galway City for its new Technology Centre. It’s a real boost to the city and will create over 125 new jobs by 2024. This investment is a testament to all Galway has to offer and the company can expect to draw from a deep pool of talent and expertise when recruiting for these new jobs. I wish the Signify Health team the very best in this exciting new chapter.”
Founded in 2017, Signify Health is a technology-enabled services company whose mission is to lead the transformation of the U.S. healthcare system to one that aligns payors, providers and patients to achieve the best health outcomes for individuals. Signify Health currently employs more than 2,000 people in the U.S., and has a national mobile network of approximately 10,000 credentialed physicians and nurse practitioners.
“The team at our Galway technology centre will be designing solutions that solve some of U.S. healthcare’s most difficult and elusive problems,” said Josh Builder, Chief Technology Officer, Signify Health.“Our success will depend on being able to apply a diverse set of experiences to the challenges we face in enabling a patient-centric, cloud-based environment that brings healthcare wherever health happens. We know first-hand that Ireland is home to professionals who not only have the experience we need, but who are energised by opportunities to make a meaningful difference in healthcare, and we are excited to now also call the West of Ireland home.”
For its first phase of recruiting, Signify Health is seeking candidates to fill a range of roles in product management and software engineering as well as scrum masters.
IDA Ireland CEO Martin Shanahan said: “Today’s announcement by Signify Health is a significant one for Ireland’s growing InsureTech sector and is an endorsement of the high quality of talent available in Galway and the West Region. This announcement is an exemplar of IDA Ireland’s continued commitment to winning jobs and investment in regional locations. I wish Signify Health every success with this investment.”
To explore career opportunities at Signify Health’s new technology centre go to signifyhealth.com/ireland
What started out as an innocent name, ‘Karen’ is now a pejorative term used to describe ‘an uptight, middle-aged woman that wants to speak to the manager’*, according to definitions online. But is this really accurate? Are Karens the worst of us all when it comes to online complaints?
MrQ has analysed almost 80,000 negative reviews on Trustpilot and TripAdvisor for some of the most popular brands, dining venues, tourist attractions, and supermarkets, to reveal the people most likely to submit a complaint.
The top 10 names most likely to leave a negative review online
Over the last few years ‘being a Karen’ has turned into an online meme, with people posting videos on social media of people lashing out at others for no good reason. But when it comes to leaving negative reviews on the Internet, which names top the list?
Davids rank as the biggest complainers on the Internet
Male names dominate the top 10 list when it comes to complaining online, with David taking the lead with a total of 1,028 reviews. This is followed by Paul and John, with 969 and 967 reviews respectively. Sarah rounds off the top 10 and is also the top female name most likely to leave a scolding review, with 0.6% of all reviews analysed coming from a ‘Sarah’.
Results show Karen’s really do complain one of the most online, coming in as the second-highest female name to leave a bad review
Overall, men are 131% more likely to complain online than women, but which female names leave the most negative reviews?
Rank
Name
Gender
No. of one-star reviews left
1
Sarah
Female
508
2
Karen
Female
373
3
Emma
Female
335
4
Julie
Female
320
5
Lisa
Female
297
6
Susan
Female
287
7
Laura
Female
260
8
Claire
Female
259
9
Michelle
Female
249
10
Jane
Female
242
While there are people that object to being called a ‘Karen’, the trend does in fact live up to its name as it comes in second place for most likely to complain online (with 373 negative reviews). Interestingly, more old-fashioned names such as Julie, Susan, and Karen rank as the biggest complainers, compared to more millennial names such as Daisy.
Lakeland, Home Bargains and Oak Furnitureland rank as the most loved brands according to reviews data
Rank
Brands with the LEAST negative reviews
% of one-star reviews
Brands with the MOST negative reviews
% of one-star reviews
1
Lakeland
1%
Hamleys
89%
2
Home Bargains
3%
Early Learning Centre
84%
3
Oak Furnitureland
4%
Disney Store
80%
4
Toolstation
4%
Peacocks
78%
5
Vision Express
4%
Build-A-Bear Workshop
69%
Lakeland is crowned the UK’s most loved brand on the internet, with just 1% of over 77,000 reviews receiving one star, closely followed by the discount store Home Bargains (3%). On the other end of the scale, toy retailer Hamleys has the least satisfied customers, with an astounding 89% of all reviews being negative with just 1 star.
The supermarkets with the biggest complaints online, with Asda receiving the most scolding reviews
Rank
Brand
Total reviews
% of one-star reviews
1
Waitrose
3,262
52%
2
Morrisons
6,427
57%
3
Tesco
10,580
60%
4
Aldi
4,372
62%
5
Iceland
3,921
62%
6
Lidl
2,802
67%
7
Sainsbury’s
7,661
71%
8
M&S
314
73%
9
Asda
9,870
75%
Asda takes the lead as the UK’s supermarket with the most negative reviews, with an astonishing 75% of reviews (out of almost 10,000) receiving just one star. Meanwhile, Waitrose revealed to be the least complained about supermarket, however 52% of all reviews were still negative.
Once again, men are more likely to leave one-star reviews for supermarket brands, with people named John leaving the highest number of complaints.
Fast food chains lead the way as the worst-reviewed dining venues
Rank
Brand
Total reviews
% of one-star reviews
1
KFC
2,492
79%
2
Burger King
857
74%
3
Papa John’s
1,582
73%
4
McDonald’s
3,750
72%
5
Harry Ramsden’s
73
70%
A large percentage of customers visiting some of the world’s most famous establishments were clearly very unhappy with their visit with KFC topping the list with almost 80% of all reviews being negative. Burger King followed closely at 74%, and the pizza chain Papa John’s at 73%. On the other hand, Krispy Kreme and Frankie & Benny’s had the lowest ratio of one-star reviews, with 30% and 32% respectively.
Big Ben is the most complained about tourist attraction
Compared to supermarkets and fast food chains, tourist attractions were found to have a fairly small amount of negative reviews. Big Ben has the most one-star reviews (31% of all reviews), whereas the likes of the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Edinburgh Castle saw just 1% of negative reviews:
The Konftel C2070 came in a complete kit which comprised of a conference speaker ( Konftel 70) and a 4K video resolution Camera ( Konftel Cam20) with a Konftel OCC Hub which connects the kit to the laptop by one USB cable to provide Audio and video, this is suitable for a Huddle to Medium room size.
Specification:
SPEAKERPHONE
Product name: Konftel 70
Technology: OmniSound® with support for HD audio, full duplex, automatic echo cancellation and noise suppression
Microphone: 4 digital MEMS microphones. Beamforming audio pick-up.
Connectivity: USB 2.0 micro-B, Bluetooth 4.2 Class 1 (HFP/HSP/A2DP),
NFC for easy pairing
CAMERA
Product name: Konftel Cam20
Resolution: 4K Ultra HD/30 fps
Zoom: 8x digital zoom
Focus: Auto
Field of view: 123°
Wall bracket: Included
Remote control: Included
Mounting: 1/4″-20 UNC
HUB
Product name: Konftel OCC Hub
USB: 3.0
Driver: DisplayLink
UNBOXING THE KONFTEL C2070
Setup:
The setup is easy, follow the quick guide instructions as given or connect the wires as shown visibly on the Konftel OCC Hub, one connected, connect the Yellow USB direct to a Laptop, On windows 10 and above the drivers are downloaded within a minute or 2 and ready to use the kit. As with all connections when using various conference software, Teams, Zoom, and video meet initial set up is important to ensure the correct speaker, and the camera is connected as the default. Again if using e.g. Google meet the mute button does not change the icon on the screen. The Camera can be configured via the 8x digital zoom to ensure the whole room is captured or specific teams as required. The remote ( supplied with batteries ) works instantly for slow or fast zoom.
Konftel 70 Layout
Once set up the colour options are great to see when the volume is increased or decreased or red to view on mute on a call.The Konftel OCC Hub has a spare HDMI socket to allow the use of a dual monitor which is great as an extra within the hub.
Demo recording:
We have tried this with our colleagues for a podcast using the Konftel 70 (recording after 1 minute into this podcast ) situated on the desk to give an idea of the audio mic picking up the conversation to an iPad recording. Red Rhino Radio #Episode three with Actor, professional body piercer and Martial artist Baz Black
Overall:
This is great to have all the kit supplied by one manufacturer to ensure no compatibility issues are observed, all the kit is connected via one hub. The kit came with all the required accessories, cables, remote, battery to ensure easy setup. Konftel experience from 1988 knows the disappointment of setting up a kit only to find additional cables or accessories are required, 5 minutes before an important conference call. Konftel got the complete kit spot on.
The speaker is large and has an excellent audio mic quality throughout the room, this has superseded many other units in terms of blocking out unwanted audio distortion with the typical keypad typing minimised on tests. The speaker has its internal battery to allow direct connection to e.g. a phone /laptop via Bluetooth to ensure ease of use when setting up quickly as required no cables. This in theory can be used as a speaker for your music albeit a bit of an overkill for this use.
Overall for ease of setup, quality audio and the zoom option of the camera, with the multipurpose option of the speaker as part of the kit or stand-alone kit, this is a remarkable option for any conference room or makeshift conference call.
