FUJIFILM Corporation (President and CEO, Representative Director Teiichi Goto) has launched the new instax mini Evo Hybrid instant camera (mini Evo), available on 1st February 2022. With a sophisticated and classic look that is synonymous with Fujifilm’s iconic approach to camera design, the mini Evo’s unique hybrid format combines the excitement and enjoyment of analog instant camera functionality with the capabilities of digital photo technology to store, share, and print images.
Unique to the mini Evo is ten integrated lens modes and ten film effect filter options that offer 100 different combinations for photographers to express themselves and create one-off, unique shots. And when paired with instax mini instant film, the mini Evocreates the highest-ever quality instax instant prints to date, 600 dpi, when printed directly from the camera.
“The instax mini Evo is a unique, high-end addition to the instax family,” said Toshi Ida, President FUJIFILM Europe. “This hybrid camera and printer was designed to give photographers the flexibility to choose an analog experience or digital where you choose images to instantly print, which images to share and which images to store for later access. Offering 100 ways to capture images and the highest-ever instax instant print quality, all in a timeless classic design, the mini Evo is a unique companion for chronicling and sharing life’s milestones in an instant.”
The new instax mini Evo Smartphone App that comes with the mini Evo and utilises Bluetooth technology adds a number of new advanced features. Firstly, ‘Transferred Images’ allows for the transfer of any instax framed images captured on the mini Evo, to your smartphone. The mini Evo also doubles up as a photo printer with ‘Direct Print’; where you can print any photo from your smartphone camera roll. And that’s not it, remote shooting capabilities and image storage options are also included for the ultimate in versatility.
The main features of mini Evo include:
10 integrated lens modes x 10 film effect filter options = 100 ways of expression
mini Evo combines classic form with modern function, offering a variety of features that instax users have come to expect, with a few new twists. This camera features 10 integrated lens modes and 10 filter options, offering 100 different combinations for photographers to express themselves creatively with unique, one-off shots.
Selfies, Storage, and More
The mini Evo camera also features a 3-inch LCD screen on the back of the camera to allow users to select images, add frames, edit, print, and adjust image settings, supported by a built-in Lithium ion battery which powers the camera to take up to 100 shots. A Micro SD card slot ensures there’s plenty of room to store images for later enjoyment, while the selfie mirror helps users get that perfect selfie every time.
New Film Variety Available
Accompanying the launch of mini Evo will be the launch of the new instax mini Stone Gray instant film, a new contrast on the traditional white-bordered look. The stylish gray border provides eye-catching contrast against vividly printed images. Instax mini Stone Gray instant film will be available in a single pack with 10 exposures.
Pricing and Availability
mini Evo will be offered in a classic, black and silver combination finish and will be available for purchase on 1st February 2022 at €199.99 SRP. The new instax mini Stone Gray instant film is also expected to be available for purchase on 1st February 2022 €9.99 SRP. The mini Evo will be available at Fujifilm stockists nationwide. Find out more on instax.ie.
Fairphone, the Dutch social enterprise building a market for ethical phones and motivating the industry to act more responsibly and /e/OS, the privacy by design operating system that focuses on protecting user data, have announced /e/OS for Fairphone 4.
/e/OS and Fairphone have partnered to provide Fairphone users with a privacy by design operating system since Fairphone 3. Fairphone has always valued open source software as a way of reaching its goal of bringing more fairness to software. The collaboration between Fairphone and /e/OS is the first of its kind, providing users with the first 5G privacy conscious and sustainable smartphone. With /e/OS, Fairphone continues to provide its users with options when it comes to privacy, allowing them to choose from the standard Android OS and /e/OS, for those who value the protection of their personal data.
Similar to previous Fairphones, Fairphone 4 is built to last. Thanks to the modular construction and spare parts, anyone can make repairs with a standard screwdriver. Fairphone has also introduced a 5-year warranty, ensuring that the phones keep running smoothly (and securely) for years to come and lowering their environmental footprint. The device was given the highest iFixit score on the market – 10/10 – and has received a 9.3 in the French Repairability Index. Fairphone 4 is also the first modular phone with an IP rating. It has a rating of IP54, meaning that the device is protected from dust-ingress and protected from rain.
Fairphone 4 offers a step up in tech specifications. It has up-to-date specs such as three high-quality cameras, a future-proof 5G with dual SIM, a powerful processor, and a fast-charging battery. The camera comes with a pair of premium lenses — a 48MP main camera for all the details and a 48MP ultrawide camera for the bigger picture — and to top it off, a 25MP selfie camera. The device is also the only smartphone on the market with the Blue Angel certificate and the first smartphone certified according to TCO Certified, a third-party sustainability certification for IT products.
Eva Gouwens, Fairphone’s CEO comments: “We’re happy to be able to provide the users of our latest device, Fairphone 4, with the option of using privacy by design software like /e/OS. At Fairphone, we work to provide our users with alternative options for not only sustainability but also privacy conscious software.”
Gaël Duval, /e/OS founder states: “We are extremely happy to take our partnership with Fairphone one step further towards a more sustainable smartphone that cares about your data and is built to last. This combination of a modular design and built-in data privacy makes this phone a unique proposition on the market”.
The Murena Fairphone 4 is available to purchase on the Murenaonline shopfor RRP 629,90€ across Europe.
Looking for an old school pair or earphones but ones the deliver the Aurvana Trio LS might be a pair to look at, These come with the traditional cable with an inline remote control and also look more expensive than they are and not only this these can be boosted even more with having compatibility with the Super XFI AMP which just enhances the listening experince as a whole, we also have a review of this amp coming up and this is a must have for the audio fan simple as.
These earbuds though do sound good as is out of the box and if you do not have a phone with a headphone jack you can use the said AMP to connect to a USB enabled device though having the AMP is recommended from my testing but again out of the box they sound decent and are loud with a good balance all round even at max volume..
These are also equipped with sawtooth sheath cables to help minimize disruptive microphonic noise. It also offers fuss-free controls with a built-in microphone and inline remote control which makes it a breeze for users to pick up calls and control the music playback with just a simple press of a button. On top of that, it is compact and easy to carry around with a handy pouch provided along with magnetic earbuds to keep it tangle-free.
The Creative Aurvana Trio LS earphones where sent to us to review with no input,payment or preview and are seeing the review the same time as you.
HP Inc. introduced HP Fortis laptops, a new portfolio of PCs built to withstand the rigours of education environments.
Teaching and learning has forever changed. Before the pandemic, student PCs typically stayed in the classroom for occasional use. Today, learning is happening beyond just the classroom including the playground, on the bus, and at home. The PC is a critical tool for digital learning and students want devices that stand up to daily wear and tear, help them connect to the digital classroom, and make it easier to get more done.
“While hybrid work is the new standard for business, blended learning is the new standard for education. This requires technology with increased durability, enhanced connectivity, and large screens so content can be accessible and engaging from wherever learning happens,” said Bill Avey, General Manager and Global Head of Education, Personal Systems, HP Inc. “Designed with features that reduce accidental drops, keep keys and ports intact, stand up to heavy wear and tear, and make it easier to clean and sanitise, HP is committed to providing students with the devices and PC experiences they need to be successful in these new learning environments.”
Introducing HP Fortis – Built Tough, Designed for Blended Learning
When it comes to education devices, strength and durability reduces downtime which translates to increased instructional time. Built for active and mobile learners, the new HP Fortis portfolio embodies the strength and durability needed to help withstand drops, resist spills, and keep keys where they belong: on the keyboard. The textured surfaces make it easier for students of all ages to grip and handle the lightweight devices. The reinforced power and USB-C® ports limit damage from accidentally tugged cables, while the mechanically reinforced corners and co-molded rubber trims absorb shocks and reinforced hinges reduce stress on the hinges from repeated opening and closing. The full-skirted anchored keyboards prevent keys from being removed when students are fidgeting and may want to pick at them during class. The keyboard also resists spills up to 350 ml/11.8 oz.
With more students going back to the classroom, it’s important to keep devices clean. The chassis, keyboard, and display for the devices can be wiped down using commonly available household disinfecting and cleaning wipes. For enhanced safety and protection, the devices feature a new metal shield that helps protect the battery from external damage from daily drops or tumbles.
Large Screens for More Room to Work
Built for the greater demands being placed on today’s students, the HP Fortis 14 devices feature 14” diagonal displays giving students large visual screen space to stay productive – whether it’s taking notes while watching a lecture or creating visual stories with ease. Large screen space gives students the freedom to engage content while consuming it at the same time. Students can also see their work clearly with optional bright anti-glare displays.
The HP Fortis 14” G10 Chromebook is purpose-built for cloud-native learning. Powered by Intel® processors with optional 4G LTE for reliable connectivity, the Chromebook allows students to access their classroom from almost anywhere. The 180-degree lay-flat hinge combined with the 88-degree wide-viewing angle HD camera and dual mics provide an excellent collaborative learning experience. The integrated HP Privacy Camera provides peace of mind to protect users from malicious surveillance, while Chrome Education Upgrade makes the device easy to deploy and simple to manage.
Designed to provide students reliable access to digital classrooms, HP Fortis 14” G10 Chromebook is the world’s first 14” rugged Chromebook for education with 4G LTE.
The HP ProBook Fortis 14” G9 and the HP ProBook Fortis 14” G10 help students to confidently move through their day.
HP ProBook Fortis 14” G9 – Powered by Intel processors with Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 Pro Education or Windows 11 SE, students can easily collaborate and reliably access assignments with Wi-Fi 6[i] and optional 4G LTE connectivity.
HP ProBook Fortis 14” G10 – Powered with Intel 12th Gen Intel® i3/i5 processors and Windows 11 or Windows 11 Pro Education, students can transition quickly between writing documents, running STEM applications, editing video, and more. The latest in connectivity – Wi-Fi 6E – allows students to cut through crowded networks, while the battery learns students’ work patterns and optimises power consumption with intelligent charging. HP Wolf Security for Business makes it easy for IT to protect student devices with a hardware-enforced, always-on, resilient defense.
Built to stand up to tough handling, the HP ProBook Fortis 14” G9 is the world’s first rugged Windows laptop for education with 4G LTE and a 14” display. The HP ProBook Fortis 14” G10 protects student devices with HP Wolf Security for Business.
Adaptable to Support Multiple Learning Styles
The HP Pro x360 Fortis 11” G9 and HP Pro x360 Fortis 11” G10 embrace the different ways learning happens. The 360-degree design gives students the freedom to choose the mode that best suits them and their assignment. The optional world-facing 5 MP cameras and rechargeable pen with reinforced tip allows students to create, capture, and draw in laptop, tablet, tent, stand, or book mode. The rechargeable pen is stored and charged in an optional water-resistant garage so it’s ready to go whenever creativity strikes.
HP Pro x360 Fortis 11” G9 – Powered by Intel processors with Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 Pro Education or Windows 11 SE, students can access assignments and apps seamlessly with Wi-Fi 6 and optional 4G LTE.
HP Pro x360 Fortis 11” G10 – Powered with Intel 12th Gen Intel® i3/i5 processors and Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Pro Education, the device helps students tackle demanding assignments, like editing videos for media class or analysing lab data. Wi-Fi 6E delivers fast, dependable network connections for learning in the cloud. HP Wolf Security for Business provides a resilient defense against malware and hacking. Equipped with intelligent charging, the device’s battery learns students’ work patterns and optimises power consumption.
With a flexible 360-degree hinge, HP Pro x360 Fortis 11” G9 and HP Pro x360 Fortis 11” G10 allows students to learn in interactive and personalised ways
Designed for Mobile Cloud-Native Learning
The HP Fortis 11” G9 Q Chromebook, powered by the robust Snapdragon® 7c compute platform, is exceptionally equipped for cloud-native mobile learning and provides secure and reliable access to the classroom. This Chromebook is HP’s thinnest and lightest Fortis device built for the rigors of today’s students and providing ultimate portability. It boots in seconds so students can spend more time learning and less time waiting. The device’s 4G LTE connectivity makes education more accessible and equitable for all students to learn from virtually anywhere.
HP Fortis 11 G9” Q Chromebook is HP’s thinnest and lightest Fortis device built for the rigors of today’s students.
HP’s Commitment to Education
As part of HP’s Sustainable Impact strategy, HP is aiming to empower millions of people with what they need to participate in the digital economy. HP is committed to enabling better learning outcomes for 100 million people by 2025 and accelerating digital equity for 150 million people by 2030.
Pricing and Availability
HP Fortis 14” G10 Chromebook is expected to be available in March for a starting price of €245.
HP ProBook Fortis 14” G9 PC is expected to be available in March for a starting price of €358.
HP ProBook Fortis 14” G10 PC is expected to be available in May for a starting price of €478.
HP Pro x360 Fortis 11” G9 PC is expected to be available in March for a starting price of €358.
HP Pro x360 Fortis 11” G10 PC is expected to be available in May for a starting price of €478.
HP Fortis 11” G9 Q Chromebook is expected to be available in August for a starting price of €245.
The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN Alliance) today announces the establishment of methodologies and KPIs for a Global Green Networks Benchmark. The Alliance’s new initiative is part of its Green Future Networks Programme and is set for generating a global standard for the industry. While current mobile network benchmarks mostly concentrate on comparing service quality and user experience, the new Global Green Networks Benchmark will place the focus on green network operations.
Arash Ashouriha, SVP Group Technology Innovation, Deutsche Telekom and Chairman of the NGMN Board, states: ”Implementing concrete actions to mitigate climate action is a key priority for our industry. At Deutsche Telekom, our goal is to make sure that everyone can #takepart and connect over a green network. We are committed to ambitious net zero targets and are continuously optimizing our network to ensure the best quality for our customers while striving to systematically reduce the energy consumption. The Global Green Networks Benchmark from NGMN will certainly help the entire telco industry by providing transparency regarding the operators’ sustainability. In addition, it offers operators a unique opportunity to prove their sustainability credentials towards their customers and be recognized for the positive environmental and societal impact.”
Anita Döhler, CEO at NGMN, emphasizes: “There is a clear need for a Global Green Networks Benchmark. Being recognized for the operation of Green Networks will encourage Mobile Network Operators to engage even more in exploring innovative methods and solutions to implement their networks in an energy efficient manner and to increase the focus on reducing the E2E services’ environmental footprint, for instance, through improved eco-design of products and the implementation of new business models fostering a circular economy. Such efforts will also stimulate supplier innovation.”
The general objectives of this NGMN initiative are:
to establish globally applicable KPIs and methodologies,
to define a global evaluation methodology, and
to define the data sources for the assessment and how such data are obtained
In the first step, the benchmark will focus on high level sustainability indicators, followed by more detailed assessments at subsequent stages.
The networks’ traffic volume is expected to increase exponentially in the coming years and keeping the energy curve flat will be a challenge for the industry. In addition, climate change is becoming one of the major concerns from the end-user perspective resulting in more and more end-users looking for sustainable services from their network providers. Although many operators have committed to net-zero targets, there is a high potential in improving network energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which NGMN is addressing with all its Green Future Networks’ activities.
Cyrus Audio, the iconic British brand of audiophile electronics and Lenbrook International, the owner and developer of the market-leading BluOS high-resolution multi-room platform, announced a global partnership to bring the BluOS streaming platform into upcoming Cyrus Audio products.
“Music streaming remains complex with the wide variety and rapidly changing list of services and features that are demanded by the modern music consumer. We realised that being part of a well-established and class-leading ecosystem provided the best option for both our customers and dealers to minimise this complexity. As such, we always found ourselves coming back to BluOS. Throughout our conversations, Lenbrook made clear their strong commitment to providing all customers a premium user experience, combined with access to the best of the hi-res music streaming services. That aligns so perfectly with the Cyrus brand values that it became a rather straightforward decision for us,” says Nicholas Clarke, Managing Director of Cyrus Audio. “Our team is naturally excited as we go forward, planning the latest expansion of the Cyrus Audio product range.”
“Our goal with BluOS continues to be being highly selective about the brands we add to the platform since it is so important that the shared ecosystem model be represented by totally like-minded and committed partners,” explains Gordon Simmonds, CEO of Lenbrook International. “Cyrus Audio is one of those well aligned brands that the Lenbrook team has long admired. We’re pleased they have come on board to share our BluOS high res music vision again reaffirming the significant investment we continue to make into this platform.”
BluOS is an award-winning proprietary, but brand-agnostic platform meaning that any BluOS Enabled product connected to the same Wi-Fi network can share music libraries and playlists, regardless of the brand of speaker or audio component. Found in products that range from amplifiers through to powered speakers and rack-mounted installed audio, BluOS Enabled products satisfy a wide range of use cases and applications, making it the most versatile hi-res multi-room streaming audio platform available on the market today.
Singa modernises the last analogue bastion of the entertainment industry by building the first truly digital streaming service for karaoke. Since 2015, the company has expanded to 10 countries and grown into a 30-strong team perfectly aligned to do for karaoke what Netflix has done for movies and Spotify for music — to revolutionise the entire $15 billion karaoke industry and bring forth a user experience worth celebrating.
The company has launched its modern karaoke streaming service in North America and aims to ramp-up the go-to-market motion with a crowdfunding campaign set live at Invesdor platform 29 November 2021. The campaign has already attracted anchor investments from top Finnish investors as well as artists and music industry players. 1.4M€ anchor investment comes from Finnish Industry Investment Ltd, Ilkka Kivimäki‘s Maki.vc, Superhero Capital, Corporatum and Icebreaker.vc‘s partner Kristian Pentti. Frontline investors from the music industry include some of Finland’s biggest stars: JVG‘s record label PME Records, Pyhimys, Teflon Brothers, Mokoma, Stam1na and Pikku G.
On top of the new funding, Singa raised a 3M€ round led by Maki.vc at the end of 2018, making the total unreleased pre-crowdfunding amount to 4,4M€.
Singa drives change in all corners of the karaoke industry
Karaoke is a hugely popular and extremely fun form of entertainment, but also an untapped $15 billion business opportunity. While other entertainment industries have moved to digital distribution, karaoke is still stuck in the ’90s, with expensive and bulky equipment, 8-bit graphics, and dodgy karaoke videos. Singa believes singers, karaoke venues as well as artists and music rights owners across the world deserve better.
For consumers, the Singa karaoke app gives access to the largest licensed karaoke catalog today, on any device. You can sing on your own, make it a party with friends, or use our finder feature to spot the nearest Singa-powered karaoke venue and hit the stage or belt it out in a karaoke room.
On the B2B side of things, Singa helps bars and other nightlife venues grow their revenues with modern karaoke, background music, and display advertising software. We have a rapidly growing network of over 800 Singa-powered venues including some of the biggest hospitality companies in Europe, United States, Canada, and Australia.
Artists, record labels, and music publishers play a central role in making karaoke possible, but until today, have received very little compensation. Singa fixes the broken model by providing the music industry with a completely new source of revenue as well as a way for artists to connect with their fans in new ways.
“I’ve seen Singa relentlessly strive towards a digital and modern karaoke world and their journey has a lot of similarities to how streaming changed the music market back in the day. PME Records wantsto join Singa’s mission in deepening the connection between karaoke and music industries as well asprovide new ways of fan engagement”, Teemu Laitinen, CEO of PME Records (Home of some ofFinland’s biggest acts)
Singa is uniquely positioned to become the biggest brand in a multibillion-dollar global market. And bring more singing to the world while we’re at it.
Advantio, a Cybersecurity provider specialising in Professional Services, Managed Security Solutions and SaaS security and compliance solutions, has announced the establishment of its European Cybersecurity HQ in Sligo, with the creation of approximately 40 jobs over the next three years.
Established in 2009, Advantio is one of Europe’s leading privately owned Cybersecurity firms and is the Cybersecurity Partner of choice to the leading top fintech companies and payment service providers across Europe. It will be recruiting for full-time roles across a range of functions including Product Management, Security Consulting, Project Management, Customer Success and HR teams.
This project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, said: “I’m really pleased that Advantio has chosen to establish its new Cybersecurity HQ in Ireland, creating 40 new jobs in Sligo Town over the coming years. I was happy to have the opportunity to discuss this new expansion with the team at Advantio this week. Cybersecurity has only become more important in recent times and the fact that a leading firm in the field has chosen Ireland for its European headquarters is a real vote of confidence in us and our rich talent pool. I wish the team the very best of luck with this exciting new chapter.”
“Advantio’s mission is to increase our clients’ Cybersecurity maturity, on time and on budget so that they can focus on their core business,” said Marco Borza, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Advantio. “Our new Sligo operation and Security Operations Centre (SOC) allows us to enhance our Managed Detection and Response (MDR) capabilities, build further capacity for our aGuard Payment Cloud operation where we operate and keep our clients’ fintech applications secure and compliant and ensure that we’re able to continue to service our growing customer base across Europe.
Cybersecurity threats are growing at a rapid pace and our Sligo team will be at the heart of our strategy to help businesses succeed in such a challenging environment. Ciaran McGloin, a Sligo native and Managing Director of our advisors, Novacies Capital, was key in helping us spot this opportunity and spinning key operations into Sligo. Ciaran is also a non-executive director of Advantio. We want to give new graduates in the north-west an opportunity to pursue a career in Cybersecurity whilst staying close to their roots, and to attract talented and experienced people back to the region.”
The establishment of Advantio’s Cybersecurity HQ is a key step in furthering its international growth strategy. With over 500 enterprise clients and over 30,000 end users on its Zero Risk SaaS Security Solution across Europe, Ireland, and the UK, Advantio’s clients can continue to increase their cyber resilience as they grow their businesses thanks to the decennial experience of their trusted cybersecurity partner in assessing and enhancing businesses cybersecurity while monitoring and responding to cyber-attacks.
“We intend to position Advantio as a leading Employer of Choice for the Northwest Region,” said Cian Collins, Advantio Ireland Country Manager. “We’re hiring across a range of disciplines while also building links with local educational institutes to establish a next level graduate programme called the Advantio Academy. We’ve also helped establish the Cyber Ireland Northwest Chapter and we’re really excited for the next phase of our growth.”
IDA Ireland CEO Martin Shanahan said: “Advantio’s decision to establish its European Cybersecurity HQ in Sligo demonstrates the company’s confidence in the availability of a highly skilled and talented workforce across the North West Region. IDA Ireland continues to be committed to winning high-value jobs and investments for regional locations. I wish Advantio every success with this investment.”
Glofox, one of the fastest growing fitness business management software platforms, today announced it had been selected by Xponential Fitness, a curator of leading brands across a variety of verticals in boutique fitness including Club Pilates, Pure Barre, Rumble and CycleBar, to support its network of master franchisees as it expands internationally into new countries.
The innovative platform provides powerful and easy to use software for studio staff, a seamless and engaging multi-platform member experience, and network-wide reporting for franchise headquarters. “Partnering with Xponential Fitness is a real milestone for us; we’re excited to support their renowned portfolio of brands as they scale internationally,” said Conor O’Loughlin, Glofox CEO.
Glofox’s international support across payments, multi-language capabilities within its platform and global support teams will allow Xponential Fitness to successfully execute their expansion into new locations outside of the U.S.
“Working with Glofox gives me peace of mind as we undertake our global expansion. They are an innovative partner who we are confident will deliver a robust platform that will enable us to successfully scale into international markets and support our master franchisees in their businesses as they grow,” said John Kersh, Chief International Development Officer of Xponential Fitness.
The addition of Xponential Fitness further validates Glofox as the industry leading software management offering driving international growth for franchise businesses. They join Glofox’s burgeoning portfolio of some of the largest, fast-growing franchise operators as well as its growing network of independent businesses spanning over sixty countries.
