Remote workers suffer ‘digital anxiety’ over cyber security fears.

Working from home has spiked since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March of 2020. This effort to reduce health risks may have limited the spread of the virus, but according to a new analysis by cyber security provider F-Secure, it may also have helped increase digital anxiety for those working remotely.

In a recent survey, 67% of internet users who work from home reported they increasingly worry about their online security and privacy even if nothing is wrong, compared to 58% of other users.

Senior Lecturer in Cyberpsychology at Nottingham Trent University Dr. Lee Hadlington, who’s research interests include employees’ adherence to workplace cyber security practices, said it makes sense that people’s sudden shift to telecommuting increased their anxieties about online threats.

“It is not surprising that individuals have started to worry more about cyber security, particularly when working from home. Many individuals were thrust into the ‘new normal’ of home working with very little preparation, training, or equipment. Let’s not forget, for most individuals in a workplace environment, cyber security is generally a second thought, and is usually something that is seen as the responsibility of someone else in the company. This, coupled with the fact that many home workers have less than perfect home working environments (e.g. desks in busy parts of the house, limited/poor internet connection, limited working knowledge of internet-based technology), means that these cyber security fears could be symptomatic of a combination of factors,” he said.

While worries about online security and privacy were prevalent among all survey respondents, remote workers reported elevated concerns about a myriad of issues, including:

  • 65% of those who work from home said the internet is becoming a more dangerous place, compared to 54% of other respondents.

  • 63% of remote workers said concerns about data privacy have changed how they use the internet, compared to 48% of other respondents.

  • 71% of remote workers said they worry that new internet connected devices—such as wearables and connected home appliances—could lead to a violation of their privacy, compared to 64% of non-remote workers.

  • 70% of remote workers felt increasingly uncomfortable connecting to public WiFi due to security risks compared to 63% of other respondents.

“Working from home could also have meant that individuals may have had more time to focus on other aspects of their working life and spent more time engaging in self-reflection and aspects of self-improvement; this could have included a re-assessment of cyber risks in their daily lives. The pandemic also meant people were isolated, with many turned to the one thing they did have access to – the Internet. Of course, spending more time engaged in one activity could lead to an increase in perceptions of risk, particularly when people are being subjected to negative news stories about cyber security related issues,” Dr. Hadlington explained.

According to F-Secure Security Consultant Tom Gaffney, managing security while working remotely takes technical security measures that protect data and devices, but also steps to keep people’s personal and professional lives separate.

“Steps everyone can take to secure themselves and their privacy when they work from home include updating their devices and software, ensuring their personal devices have security software installed, and some other basic infosec measures,” said Gaffney. “But keeping your personal and professional online activities separate from one another may be as important as any of these tips. Restricting what sort of things you do on each device and during which times can be an essential way to ease digital anxiety.”

To find out more about how reduce digital anxiety when working from home, check out https://blog.f-secure.com/digital-anxiety/.

SciFest launches 2022 programme with a call for entrants to regional competition #STEM

SciFest, Ireland’s largest and most inclusive STEM fair programme for second-level students has announced its return for the 17th consecutive year. The competition attracts 10,000 student participants annually and organisers have kicked off the 2022 competition with a call for entrants to the 16 SciFest@College regional fairs.

SciFest is free to enter and open to everyone across the island of Ireland, no matter their background or circumstances. The goal of SciFest is to help students develop research, problem solving, critical thinking, and presentation skills while fostering an interest in STEM fields.  Project entries will be accepted across a range of scientific disciplines. The deadline for completed entry forms for SciFest@College 2022 is 11 March. The competition is eyeing a return to in-person fairs having successfully hosted the previous two years’ programmes online due to COVID-19 restrictions.

SciFest is local, regional and national with international opportunities for winning projects. Overall winners from each regional STEM fair will go on to compete at a national final in November 2022. The winner(s) of the SciFest National Final 2022 will be presented with a trophy and will represent Ireland at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2023 in the USA.

Speaking at the launch of SciFest 2022, Sheila Porter, SciFest Founder and CEO said: “I’m always so pleased to launch SciFest, and this year is no different. We are now entering the 17th year of SciFest, and I continue to be staggered by the high standard of submissions we receive each year. We’re immensely proud of this competition and the opportunities it offers students. These kids are the doctors, scientists and innovators of tomorrow and we are calling on all students, regardless of their circumstance or current STEM abilities to join us for SciFest 2022.”

At last year’s national final Clare Reidy, a sixth-year student from Our Lady’s Bower school in Athlone, Co. Westmeath was named SciFest STEM Champion 2021, for her innovative research project which explored Cosmic Radiation Protection, investigating effective building materials for future exploration of Mars. Clare will represent Ireland at Regeneron ISEF in Atlanta, Georgia, USA this May.

Speaking about her award, Clare said: “I loved every minute of the SciFest experience last year and winning the competition was a source of great pride for me and my family. SciFest enabled me to research something that intrigued me, and it helped sharpen the skills I needed to investigate it. Winning SciFest means I get to travel to Regeneron ISEF in the United States and I’m really looking forward to representing Ireland. I’d encourage students with an interest in STEM subjects to give SciFest a go because it will give you the tools to come up with ideas and solutions for real problems and existing issues.”

For more information on SciFest visit www.scifest.ie.

Virgin Media commits to eliminating black spots around your home with the launch of their Wi-Fi Guarantee service

Virgin Media has today launched their new Wi-Fi Guarantee service which ensures a seamless connection in every room around your home, including areas which were previously Wi-Fi blackspots. The Wi-Fi Guarantee promises minimum speeds of 30Mb in every room, for working, gaming, and for show-streaming power, right where you want it.

Using Virgin Media’s next level Wi-Fi mesh technology, the Smart Wi-Fi Pods connect with the cloud to understand how each household uses Wi-Fi. This allows for constant adapting to create the best conditions for the network.

The Smart Wi-Fi Pods work together with the Virgin Media Hub to create a Wi-Fi bubble that covers your entire home, eliminating blackspots in the process. The two also work together to automatically change settings to manage interference ensuring the connection is fast, and reliable.

Orla Kelly, Proposition and CVP Manager from Virgin Media said: “Fast and reliable broadband is a priority for our customers and Virgin Media. Our Wi-Fi Guarantee is just another demonstration of our dedication and commitment to that.

“Blackspots, in those hard-to-reach places, like a new home office in the attic, are a real source of frustration for many households, but Virgin Media is committed to eliminating them and thanks to our Smart Wi-Fi Pods, we can make working, gaming, or simply browsing seamless.

“No more running cables across the landing or sitting on the stairs to get a signal for your Zoom call, Virgin Media’s Wi-Fi Guarantee gets Wi-Fi everywhere in your house, so you don’t have to!”

The Wi-Fi Guarantee includes a Smart Wi-Fi Pod, plus up to 2 additional pods and a technician visit if needed, to ensure customer get a minimum speed of 30Mb in every room for an additional €5 a month. If black spots persist, Virgin Media guarantees €50 credit.

The Official Paper Plane World Championship is Ready for Takeoff

The world’s largest paper plane championship returns to Ireland. In Red Bull Paper Wings, across three categories, participants must retreat to simplicity without fuel, machines or engines and design a paper plane from a sheet of A4 paper and, dependent on the category, make it fly as far, long, or as artistically as possible, visit RedBullPaperWings.com to learn more and sign up.

Ireland will host three Qualiflyers and a National Final where the Distance and Airtime categories will be judged in person. Participants can alternatively submit an online entry in the Aerobatics category via TikTok. The national winner from each category (including Aerobatics) will be invited to compete at the Red Bull Paper Wings Final in the iconic Hangar-7 in Salzburg, Austria where the 2022 World Champions will be crowned.

Applications are now open with entries accepted across the following three categories;

  • Distance: Simple, whoever throws their paper plane the furthest, wins. At the last World Final in 2019, the USA’s Jake Hardy topped the field with 56.61m.
  • Airtime: Pilots must fold their planes for just the right aerodynamics to achieve the longest flight time. In 2019, Australia’s Cameron Clark snatched victory with 13.33 seconds!
  • Aerobatics: This category is all about sensational aerobatic tricks – in the 2019 finale, Ukraine’s Kateryna Ahafonova scored the only perfect 10 with her creative paper plane performance. Pilots don’t need to show up at a Qualiflyer, instead, they can get creative with their paper planes at home and share their mastery on TikTok using the hashtags #RedBullPaperWings #Ireland and tag @RedBull when submitting their entries. The pilot with the most votes from a national judging panel – which considers the criteria of social engagement, flight performance and creativity of the performance and video – will make it to the World Final.

Applications for Qualiflyer events close 30 minutes before each event start-time, with online Aerobatics applications closing on 22nd April. Qualiflyers will be hosted at the following dates and locations;

  • March 15th: TUD Grangegorman, East Quad (12:30pm – 2:30pm)
  • March 16th: DCU, The Venue, U Building (12:30pm – 2:30pm)
  • March 23rd: IT Carlow, Sports Hall, Barrow Centre (12:30pm – 2:30pm)

How The Video Production Industry Is Leveraging Cloud Computing

The video production industry is leveraging cloud computing to increase its product value, decrease costs, and maintain streamlined operations. Using cloud-based services can help businesses in the visual effects (VFX) sector reduce time delays in rendering processes, which allows companies to deliver high-quality videos faster than ever before. Here is how it does that.

1. It ensures scalability

In the visual effects industry, there is a need for high-performance computing to process complex tasks. In order to render a 3D animation sequence in high-quality video footage, VFX experts use complex mathematical calculations that require large amounts of time and processing power. Cloud computing provides scalable resources that can be used as needed. For instance, cloud environments can automatically scale up when cloud workflow is taxing the available computational resources. If there is an increase in the demand for rendering services, servers can be added to handle the increased workloads. This results in lower costs and faster rendering times because there are no wasted resources during the entire course of the production cycle—which is usually over several months. 

2. It earns greater revenue

Cloud computing can also help companies in the visual effects industry increase their product value. With cloud-based solutions, businesses are able to create higher production quality by using increased compute resources that can be provided at a lower cost through the adoption of economies of scale. This way, businesses are able to spend less on expensive hardware and software licenses while saving time by being able to deliver videos faster. Instead of buying costly servers for local storage or licensing high-end software, video production houses now have access to virtual machine instances which offer processing power as needed.

When you call this commercial video production company, you can easily enhance your business offerings and take on more complex projects without significantly increasing costs.

3. It ensures effective management 

With cloud computing, companies in the visual effects sector also have better control over their infrastructures with tools that allow businesses to automate processes. Automated storage allocation, for instance, allows companies to manage their storage space more efficiently by having the ability to scale up or down the utilization of servers depending on the current workload demands. This way, cloud computing can help companies in visual effects save time and money during production cycles because they are able to focus on what is most important—creating top-quality videos. It also gives video production houses the freedom to focus on creating content without worrying about infrastructure management.

4. It has more personalized services and advertising 

The video production industry is also leveraging the use of cloud-based services to help marketers connect with their audiences by offering more personalized services. Cloud computing offers an unlimited capacity for data storage, making it easier for companies to create visual experiences that are customized according to audience preferences or specifications. Video production houses can now offer video content specifically tailored towards a target market without having to spend much on creating extensive data sets. Advertisers can now easily combine various types of media—including text, voice, graphics, and moving images in order to deliver attention-grabbing messages across multiple platforms. 

5. It has seamless geo-redundancy 

With cloud computing, companies in the video production sector can also ensure that their data is safe and secure because of geo-redundancy. This means businesses can easily manage data redundancy by adding more servers in different geographical regions to handle increased workloads during peak periods without having to worry about downtime or latency issues. Instead of investing in extensive hardware and software, companies in visual effects now have lower costs and greater bandwidth with the adoption of cloud computing solutions. Cloud computing also frees up time for business owners because they do not need to spend much on hardware and software licenses when they use the services provided by public cloud providers.

6. Easier managing nPVR and VOD services 

Companies in the video production industry are also able to leverage cloud computing to launch and manage interactive television (IPTV) or personal video recorder (PVR) services. Video production houses can use public cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform to host personalized applications that enable users to view their favorite channels and videos on any device, anytime and anywhere. This is made possible through digital rights management technologies that allow content owners or producers to limit access depending on location, so they can meet local programming requirements.  Cloud computing has also become the preferred choice of many companies in the visual effects sector because it offers greater reliability, which helps them to create high-definition videos without worrying about infrastructure downtime or bandwidth issues.

 

So, with the increasing use of video and visual effects in business and education, cloud computing has become a great way for these companies to create top-quality content without worrying about high costs. This also helps with the management of large amounts of data or storage, as it allows businesses to scale up or down as needed. If your business is looking at how they can use cloud computing, consider partnering with a trusted cloud services provider. Good luck!

Tech Review – Jabra Elite 7 Active

Jabra is a brand that we have been using and reviewing for some years now and they are a favourite here in techbuzz because they are consistent and the brand is strong and they like to innovate and each year for any brand it gets harder to improve on the previous and with competition rife and in an oversaturated market for true wireless earbuds it is a tough game to play and with three new pairs of earbuds this year from the brand it did give others something to think about having all tiers covered at entry mid tier and high end.

The Jabra Elite 7 is one of their high end offerings and quite similar to the Elite 7 Pro and for me always an exciting time to test a product as I have been a huge fan of their earbuds and they have been a high end offering but as mentioned Jabra have tackled the entry and mid level tiers, they have been always a strong winner in the high end market so how does the new Elite 7 stack up this time..

UNBOXING THE ELITE 7 ACTIVE 

 

Design, build and fit.

Jabra have changed the design language here and all of their new earbuds, it is clean simple and works and nothing too outlandish either, the profile is also good for size and they fit well with a good seal once using the right tips which is a must wearing any earbuds. They have a more flat appearance than older models however they have a good seal.The buttons are clicky and tactile and work 100% and some prefer this over the touch option for me either is fine but I tend to lean towards the buttons option.

 

Setting up

The setup is simple as always, in almost all cases an update is due out of the box which takes a few minutes and you are good to go to get the latest features on your earbuds and you should update anytime you are prompted to do so, then head through the app to personalise to your needs, you have headset settings My Fit which is important My Sound My Controls etc. See below for what you will expect to find. And with them latest update you can now get multipoint connection. This is crucial for those who work on two devices.

Controls

Controls are quality and work each time, again Jabra have the clicky button effect which I like but the thing is you can change the settings to what suits you best and this is great as there is many settings here available which makes it much better than custom defaults you tend to get on other earbuds this should be the same for all earbuds in my opinion.

Sound

The sound is always the key factor in these reviews and one argues everyone’s ears differ which is correct but when testing earbuds on such a regular basis it is not hard to find what is rubbish and what is not, the Jabra soundstage has always been a great one, highs lows and mids are great and with my usual testing regime they have done a really impressive job with no lag latency noted, again you have the custom EQ here to play with, they can be used individually too which is great, the ANC is also now adjustable and to the max is the way to go but I found the ANC not quite as strong as previous models and perhaps a software update might fix that but overall strong enough and better in quiet environments. It was hard to tell the difference here between these and the 7 Pro being honest.

Jabra Elite 7 Active techbuzzireland
Elite 7 Active Techbuzzireland

Conclusion

If you want a great pair of earbuds check these out the days of overpriced alternatives are long gone and the same applies to Apples prowess here, some still might find these still too expensive but you have to pay to play here given there is cheaper earbuds out there now with much of what you find here but it is the overall experience here in one package you will get here that wins for me. However with the 7 Pro out there and the new Elite 4 there is much on offer at all price tiers here and the 7 Pro has a slight bit more to offer.

Buy

Video Link

 

 

BGFG Launches AgencyGMR in Game-Changing Move for Tech and Gamer Brands

Tech, gaming and esports digital publisher By Gamers For Gamers (BGFG) is launching AgencyGMR in February 2022. The full-service digital agency will provide creative, content, and strategic services for brands in the tech, gaming, and hardware industries, with plans to move into the wider consumer electronics market.

As an official TikTok partner, AgencyGMR aims to help brands reach new audiences across the globe via live commerce, playing on BGFG’s existing connections and credibility to attract clients and outpace the competition.

“We bring experience and credibility from our digital publishing arm. With our owned IP we know how to create content that resonates with gaming and hardware audiences,” said Craig Kirkcaldy, AgencyGMR’s Managing Director and COO of BGFG Group.

“With a growing global audience of gamers and hardware enthusiasts, we have unparalleled strategic data and insight…We’re a recognised player within the sector and in our network, putting us in a great position to help brands create content that resonates,” said Roddy Burns, AgencyGMR’s Head of Partnerships.

AgencyGMR also plans to host product experience workshops in its dedicated event space, providing brands with a physical hub to showcase their products. AgencyGMR is also working closely with SODA (School of Digital Arts) at Manchester Metropolitan University, and HOST Salford, to help develop the next generation of industry talent.

BGFG was founded in 2019 by brothers Andrew and Craig Kirkcaldy & William Blears. Today it’s one of the most exciting publishers in the tech and gaming sector, following investment in 2021 from Bill Holroyd – one of the original investors of global appliance firm, AO.com. With this financial backing, paired with a significant global audience, BGFG intends to become one of the leading businesses in the digital publishing and agency space.

BGFG is made up of passionate and experienced gamers and tech lovers, providing unbiased reviews, buyer’s guides, and answers to FAQs, designed to keep its global audience abreast of the latest tech and gaming trends.

Datapac’s managed IT solution helps Special Olympics Ireland to go the distance

Datapac, Ireland’s leading technology solutions and services provider, today announces that it has implemented a fully managed ICT solution and security upgrades for Special Olympic Ireland (SOI). This represents an evolution of the long term-relationship between SOI and Datapac who, since 2006, has provided managed print services to Special Olympics Ireland, as well as a host of additional volunteering services including personnel, logistics and warehousing facilities.

SOI identified the need for a fully outsourced and integrated managed ICT solution to enable ongoing benefits for almost 8,000 athletes in 293 clubs nationwide. Datapac was successfully awarded the contract through a competitive tender process. Key integration of Datapac’s service management team and SOI stakeholders ensured a seamless onboarding process for staff transitioning to the new system.

The managed services solution designed by Datapac has been implemented across SOI’s five locations, with a dedicated IT helpdesk solution available to the head office in Blanchardstown, Dublin, and bases in Cork, Sligo, Belfast and Abbottstown, Dublin.

The flexible and scalable service provided by Datapac helps to facilitate SOI events around the country such as sporting fixtures and charitable functions. Access to Datapac’s customer support centre through a variety of convenient media allows SOI staff to receive the ongoing support that they need, including access to a 24-hour support service.

Datapac provides a complete and proactive approach to managed security, underpinned by industry leading Sophos™ firewalls, cutting-edge HPE Aruba secure wireless technology, and a range of managed services including vulnerability testing of devices across the organisation. This ultimately protects and provides peace of mind to all who engage with SOI, including almost 8,000 athletes in 293 clubs across the country.

This solution is helping SOI to securely roll out services such as virtual training courses and online ‘Together at Home’ video sessions as part of its Young Athlete Programme, which is a play and sports activity programme for children aged four to 12 years with an intellectual disability.

The advanced managed solution supports in excess of 200 devices, enabling employees to safely work from home. Provision of advanced communications technology in the form of the Microsoft Office 365 suite and remote working hardware ensures that the great work done by SOI never skips a beat, no matter where their staff are located. Datapac’s proactive monitoring of the organisation’s IT infrastructure allows swift responses to potential issues or threats, ensuring minimal staff downtime and business disruption. Regular Disaster Recovery (DR) tests are carried out, which play a vital role in providing business continuity. The fully managed IT support helpdesk, with dedicated phoneline, ensures that a team of experienced engineers are always on hand to assist with day-to-day IT queries, further enhancing the employee experience while working remotely.

The Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held in Kazan, Russia in January 2023, while German capital Berlin will host the next Special Olympics World Games in 2023.

Matt English, CEO, Special Olympics Ireland: “Datapac’s proactive approach to our technology needs provides peace of mind to Special Olympics Ireland, benefitting not only our employees, but all those who interact with the organisation. Problems are often resolved before we are aware there was an issue to begin with.

“It was hugely important to us that the service had a human touch, and the reassurance of knowing there is an expert available 24/7 to assist with any IT challenge is invaluable as our needs evolve and change depending on whether it’s a Games year, or whether other events are taking place.

“Datapac’s solution is far-reaching and facilitates the organisation’s endeavours far beyond our expectations, underpinning everything from events to online resources, which are increasingly important in today’s climate.”

Christine Fortune, Sales Manager ICT Services and Solutions, Datapac: “Special Olympics Ireland is an incredible organisation that provides such a vital service for people throughout Ireland. By outsourcing IT management to Datapac, it frees up their teams to carry out even more vital services. We designed and delivered a tailored helpdesk and security solution across SOI’s five bases, which in turn, has helped the organisation to enhance its service delivery and support secure home working for employees.

“We will conduct strategic reviews of the IT environment, in consultation with Special Olympics Ireland, to ensure the solution is continuing to underscore organisational success. Our proactivity provides confidence to them in the increasingly challenging IT and security landscape.

“Datapac has a long history of supporting Special Olympics Ireland beyond professional services and we’re happy to offer our facilities, volunteers and become involved in any way we can. We were delighted to be chosen to work with Special Olympics Ireland on this project and continue to build on our valued relationship.”

Dell Technologies makes ‘Digital Futures in Healthcare’ programme available on-demand

Dell Technologies today announced that it is making its pioneering ‘Digital Futures in Healthcare’ educational programme available on demand due to the significant demand amongst those working within the healthcare sector.

The programme which provides healthcare professionals in Ireland with the tools and knowledge to apply new technologies within healthcare settings has been rolled out in partnership with the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Since its launch in September of last year, the online course has provided 1,400 healthcare workers and leaders with the opportunity to develop much sought-after skills to accelerate the digital transformation of Ireland’s healthcare system.

Due to the significant demand for the programme, everyone involved in providing healthcare services in Ireland will have the ability to upskill and play an active role in transforming the way healthcare services are designed, developed and delivered into the future. To register for the on-demand content, visit: https://dell.to/3pNLugL.

This comes as the Government this week unveiled its new National Digital Strategy, entitled ‘The Digital Ireland Framework’, which sets target in the provision of digital public services. The strategy includes the phased deployment of electronic health record systems, telemedicine, remote care monitoring solutions and the greater use of ePharmacy and ePrescribing.

Participants of the ‘Digital Futures in Healthcare’ programme to date have gained unique insights into the importance of cyber security, data analytics, next-generation remote imaging, diagnostics and machine learnings as well as the organisational change required to adopt technology in healthcare. These insights will help healthcare workers at all levels to support the roll-out of emerging technologies, connected health, and personalised health solutions which will help to improve patient outcomes.

Speaking about the course, Jason Ward, Vice President and Managing Director of Dell Technologies Ireland, said: “The past two years has demonstrated the benefits of embracing technology to empower our frontline workers while meeting the needs of patients. We now have an opportunity to accelerate the pace of digital transformation to meet the goals of Sláintecare.

 “That’s why we’re delighted to see so many people from across the healthcare system take part in our ‘Digital Futures in Healthcare’ programme in the past five months and gain the skills to help Ireland become a European digital leader. By gaining the skills to apply digital tools withing GP surgeries, hospital settings and many more, our healthcare workers can become digital change makers. 

 “To ensure that every person in the healthcare sector has an opportunity to take part in the ‘Digital Futures in Healthcare’ programme, we are making the course available on-demand for free. I would encourage anyone interested to register and help unleash a new era of healthcare transformation in Ireland.” 

Included among the subject experts delivering the programme include Ryan Heynes, Healthcare leader for Dell Technologies Ireland; Paul Reid, CEO of the HSE; and Neil O’Hare, CIO and Professor of Health Informatics at Children’s Health Ireland. The final two sessions of the programme focused on ‘Emerging Technologies in Healthcare’ and ‘Connected Healthcare’ will go live on February 16th and March 24th respectively.