Techfest 2021 launches, with first speakers announced. #TechFest2021

it@cork has today officially launched TechFest 2021, which will take place virtually from 25th to 27th May. The three-day technology festival will include speakers from around the globe, interactive panel discussions, technical workshops and one-to-one networking opportunities. Marcus Weldon, former President of Bell Labs and former Corporate Chief Technology Officer of Nokia; and Caroline Dowling, Non-Executive Director at UNICEF Ireland and former Business Group President at Flex will deliver keynote addresses.

Other speakers confirmed include Cathal Wilson, COO of Nexalus; Steve Fleming, CEO of Voxxify; and Dr. Fiona Edwards Murphy, cofounder of ApisProtect, with more to be revealed over the coming weeks. it@cork will be closing the open call for speakers shortly as slots are filling up fast. Visit www.itcork.ie for more information.

Speaking on the launch of TechFest 2021, Gillian Bergin, it@cork Chairperson and Senior Consultant with DELL Technologies said: “The way we work and live has been transformed over the last year. The pandemic has forced us to rethink ourselves and our businesses. Business models have been reinvented and multi-year workforce transformation programmes have happened in days and months. When we exit this pandemic, that evolution will not stop. There is a new normal now. We need to always think about what’s next and how can we stay relevant?


TechFest Committee Chair-William Dalton, Trendmicro, Keynote Speaker Caroline Dowling, Director UNICEF and Chairperson of IT@Cork Gillian Bergin, Dell,
Pic Darragh Kane

“At it@cork, we are excited to bring back TechFest as a three-day conference this year, to help answer some of those questions and give access to some of the brightest minds in the tech sector. Attendees will hear from speakers that have transformed and adapted to succeed, as the world around them has changed.”

Tickets for TechFest 2021, priced at €20 for it@cork members, €30 for non-members and free for students, are on sale now at bit.ly/TechFest21. Broadcaster Jonathan McCrea will MC the event.

Ms Bergin added: “Over the three days, we have selected themes, topics and speakers that will inform, challenge and energise attendees. Our Innovate track on Day 1 will showcase the disruptive technologies that impact us all and feature those who are innovating for people prosperity and planet. With the theme Transform, Day 2 will explore how current and future transformative technologies will impact the nature of work, from immersive technologies and mixed reality to artificial intelligence and future networking.

“To Inspire on Day 3, we will be challenging attendees to think big, explore possibilities and push limits, hearing from start-up founders who are changing the world, cybersecurity gurus and communications strategists.”

The conference is supported by partner organisations Trend Micro, Glandore, it@cork skillnet, KPMG, Cork City Council, Berkley Recruitment, Springboard Communications and Dell Technologies. it@cork is one of Ireland’s most established and connected technology clusters representing over 220 companies in the South-West of Ireland. A not-for-profit organisation, it@cork works with academia, private sector and state agencies to promote the region as a technology excellence hub.

Evernote announces Home for iOS and Android. #Evernote

Following the launch of Home for desktop and web earlier in the year,  Evernote, the productivity app that lets users remember everything and accomplish anything, is now rolling out this new feature for iOS and Android (OS 10 and up).

Home is a one-stop dashboard that gives users immediate access to their most recent and relevant information from one convenient location. Important notes, tags and shortcuts are instantly available and neatly organised upon opening the app, making Home the fastest way to get to things that matter.

As well as iOS and Android, Evernote Home is available to Mac, Windows and Evernote Web customers. iPhone and iPad users can get home today by updating their Evernote app from the iOS App Store.  It will be rolling out through the Google Play Store over the next few weeks.

About Home:

Home provides users with more than one way to organise their content, giving them the freedom to shape their Evernote experience and see the information they want, the way they want it. This new feature will enable users to work faster and stay focussed, helping them to keep on top of everything without feeling overwhelmed.

When opening Home, Evernote Basic and Premium users will find three default widgets:

  • Notes: Users can select “Recent” notes to quickly pick up where they left off with any project; or choose “Suggested” notes and let Evernote’s powerful AI surface the content needed
  • Scratch Pad: Users can stay in the zone by jotting down quick notes on Home’s scratch pad. Notes can be left there forever, erased or converted into a note at any time.
  • Recently captured: This widget shows users all the rich content saved recently, taking users straight to their web clips, images, documents, audio and emails.

Evernote Premium and Business subscription users also have access to widgets for Notebooks, Pinned Note, Tags and Shortcuts as well as the ability to customise their home background image to fit their personal style. The combination of these widgets provides a powerful way for Evernote users to see their content and manage it all.

3 Easy Ways To Start Investing In Stocks

Stock markets can be a great way of getting your money to work for you. However, the market is very unpredictable. Getting started can feel intimidating and overwhelming for beginners, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll realize the benefits are worth the headache. 

Here’s how to get started:


1. Determine How Much You Want To Invest

Deciding how much money you have to invest in stocks is one of the most critical decisions every investor must make. Why is that? For starters, the stock markets are very volatile, which means the value of your investment could shrink within days. This could put you in a terrible financial situation if you invested with the wrong money.

Which is the wrong money? You should always invest with money that you won’t be needing for the next five or so years. Stocks are a long-term game, so don’t invest with the tuition that is due in a few months. 

You should also avoid using your emergency fund for investment. 

2. Figure Out A Good Investment Approach

Once you have your investment kit in place, sit down and come up with a great investment strategy. This is where you need to ask yourself critical questions like what stocks to pick. This is not a problem for seasoned investors, but beginners are likely to have a harder time navigating the market. That’s why options like money market funds are ideal for newbies.

In a money market fund, an experienced investor shall pick the stocks for you, so your inexperience with the market won’t matter. Additionally, MMFs allow starting investors to have diversified portfolios without spending too much. 

Another great way of being a passive investor is through Robo Advisors. These are brokerages like titan invest that invest on your behalf. The advisors will carry out the market research for you and develop an effective strategy to build a portfolio that’s in line with your investment goals.

Passively managed funds are without a doubt a great option for beginners with limited knowledge or time to spend learning the stock markets. However, if you can learn the markets and are willing to do the intensive research involved, active investment can give you decent returns quickly.

 

3. Open Your Investment Account And Get Started


You need a brokerage account to trade stocks. Luckily, there are dozens of brokerages on the market, and opening an account usually takes a few clicks. However, finding good brokerages is the most challenging part. 

This is what you need to consider when looking for a brokerage: 

a. Costs And Fees

You must know the exact fees and commission to expect from the brokerage. This is especially important if you have a limited budget and don’t want most of your earnings to disappear in fees.

Some of the common types of fees charged are: 

  • Account opening – It’s a one-off payment, but it’s important to calculate the impact it’ll have on your investment kitty.
  • Minimum deposit – Investment accounts may also have minimum deposit amounts. Money market funds are known for charging high deposits.
  • Account maintenance – A few brokerages charge monthly or annual account maintenance fees. Others will waive the fee under certain conditions, e.g. if you maintain a given balance in your account.
  • Withdrawal fees – These are charged whenever you want to make a withdrawal from your account. Some brokerages may also limit your withdrawal if it drops your account balance below a set minimum.

You should know that commissions can change depending on the securities you are trading. Therefore, consider the different commission rates from the brokers if you are planning to venture into other options besides stocks.

b. Tools And Features

As a beginner, it’s best to work with a brokerage that supports your learning process. This means getting an account with educational resources that can help you understand how to analyze the market and trade the stocks you want. Find a broker with a demo account and practice with dummy funds before getting into live trading.

Intermediate and advanced traders should focus on the analysis tools on the platform. Go through all the tools and determine whether they are what you want before opening your account. 

In addition to the features, check the responsiveness of the platform, ease of navigation, trading hours, etc.

c. Ease Of Transacting

How easy is it to deposit and withdraw funds? Check how you can fund your account and how long it takes for the money to settle. You also inquire about withdrawing procedures and how long it takes for the funds to reflect on your bank account.

d. Customer Service

Customer support is essential regardless of your skill level. As a beginner, make sure you can reach the customer support team with ease in case you are experiencing difficulties finding or using certain features. Advanced investors should be able to get technical assistance as quickly as possible to avoid costly inconveniences.

Learning how to trade stocks is an ongoing process that demands patience, resilience, and continuous practice. It won’t be easy, but you can definitely get good at it with time. Countless investors have done it before, so there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t.

How You Can Use Instagram To Sell Your Products And Promote Your Business

Instagram is one of the social media networks that has billions of users and is, therefore, a good channel to sell your products and promote your business. The more people that a platform has, the more your products are seen and it is a great way to improve the exposure of your brand. A study that was done by Facebook, reported that more than 80% of the people that were interviewed discover new items and services on Instagram and they prefer shopping here than on any other social media network.

 

 

Because today most people search for items online before they shop for them, your business needs to have a social presence like on Instagram. You will meet potential customers here who you can turn into actual buyers of your products. To run a thriving business on Instagram, you can follow the guidelines given below.

How to Sell Your Products on Instagram

The first step in running your products online is having an Instagram account. To create your account, visit instagram.com or download the Instagram app from your play store or AppStore and then click on sign up. Enter your email address and then choose a username and password for your Instagram account. This will create your account but this will not help to promote your business.

 

If you want to sell your products online, switch your account into a business account by clicking on the edit profile, and then you can select “Switch to a Business Account”. The next step is to complete your bio and make it catchy to add its value so that people know what your business is about. Ensure that you also add your business website to your profile. Here are some tips on how you can sell more products on your Instagram;

1. Frequently Post Your Products

 

One of the secrets of selling your products on Instagram is by posting your products regularly on your Instagram feed. It is also advisable to create your own URL for all Instagram posts that link to your listings and products that you are selling. Choose a specific day of the week when you will be posting the products so that your customers can know when to look for them. When posting the items, ensure that you post a variety of them, that is, different colors, sizes, and types of products that your customers can choose from.

 

Use backdrops like white walls when taking photos of your products so that they can stand out. The type of backdrop that you choose depends on the color of your products. It is also important to regularly post products on your Instagram stories and highlight them so that they do not disappear after 24 hours which is the set time for stories to disappear.

2. Create Tutorials

 

Another way to sell your products online is to create videos that teach your customers how to use your products. You can take short clips or long ones on IGTV. You can also create videos showing the process of creating your products and the hard work that you put into the process. Allow your customers to ask questions to promote interaction and feedback about your products.

3. Share Stories that Customers Post about Your Products

 

When customers are impressed with your products, they will post them on their Instagram and they can tag your business. This goes a long way in promoting your business.You can request these customers for permission to share these posts and their feedback on your Instagram page and using an Instagram hashtag generator to find the perfect hashtags is a great way to get attention by your audience.

How to Promote Your Business through Instagram

 

 

There are different ways that you can increase the exposure of your brand on Instagram. They include making use of Instagram influencers and ambassadors who have a huge following and when they post your products or review them, they can influence their followers to buy them. You can also promote your business by doing exclusive giveaways to your followers who are excited by such offers and may purchase more of your products.

Running contests on your Instagram page is another way to create awareness about your brand where you give the winner of the contest gifts from the products that you are selling. You can also promote your business on Instagram by using Instagram Ads that are not too obvious or boring.

In summary, Instagram has billions of users and it is, therefore, a good platform to sell your products online to a large audience. To sell your products on Instagram, you need to create an Instagram business account and complete your bio with a catchy description of your business and even your business website. Posting regularly on your Instagram feed, stories and highlights, creating tutorials about your products, and sharing posts of your customers are some ways to sell on Instagram. You can then promote your business through Instagram Ads, using influencers, give-aways, and running contests among your followers.

Sony launches new limited edition WH-1000XM4 Silent White. #Sony #WH1000XM4

Designed in a new Silent White colour to reflect the concept of silence and serenity of the noise cancelling headphones WH-1000XM4 Silent White includes all the great features of the critically acclaimed WH-1000XM4 Industry leading noise cancelling technology

 With the same award-winning and industry leading noise cancelling technology as the much loved WH-1000XM4, Sony is excited to announce the new limited edition WH-1000XM4 Silent White to coincide elegantly with the 75th anniversary of Sony in May 2021.

The new white colour has been developed to embody the concept of silence and serenity and a limited quantity of the WH-1000XM4 Silent White will be distributed across Europe between May and August 2021.

The WH-1000XM4 Silent White includes a pearlescent finish to the topcoat of the headphones to create a sense of depth and a luxurious touch. With an additional coat of paint than the standard black and silver colours, the WH-1000XM4 Silent White headphones are even more stain-resistant and retain the high-quality white colour.  Plus, all accessories come in the same white colour so your carrying case and cables seamlessly match the serene white of the headphones.

 Only music. Nothing else

The latest design offers all the much-loved technology from the hugely popular WH-1000XM4 in a new stylish white colour, allowing you to further personalise your listening experience.

Like the black and silver WH-1000XM4 that was announced last year, the new WH-1000XM4 Silent White headphones deliver Sony’s best ever noise cancelling performance, reducing high and mid frequency sounds. This is achieved by the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 with Dual Noise Sensor Technology which features a new algorithm, plus a new Bluetooth® audio System on Chip that adapts to noise, music and acoustic characteristics in real time. Using Edge-AI, DSEE ExtremeTM more accurately rebuilds audio lost during digital compression for a full fidelity experience by analysing music in real time to create a richer, more complete listening experience.

Seamless, hands-free listening experience

The WH-1000XM4 Silent White also features an array of smart technologies to create a seamless, hands-free listening experience. For example, simply start speaking to automatically pause your music with the ‘Speak-to-Chat’ feature or enjoy adaptive playback thanks to proximity sensor and two acceleration sensors that detect whether your headphones are being worn or not.  Adaptive Sound Control is another smart function that senses where you are and what you’re doing, then adjusts ambient sound settings for the ideal listening experience.

Wear all day in total comfort

Similar to the other WH-1000XM4 colour variants, the new Silent White version blends sophisticated styling with an exceptional comfort and light-weight design. Designed for those who are always on the go, the super-soft, pressure relieving earpads evenly distribute pressure and increase ear/pad contact for a stable fit.

Multipoint Connection is also available on the WH-1000XM4 and allows you to connect your headphones to two Bluetooth® devices at the same time. In addition, the headphones are NFC compatible, offer up to 30 hours battery life[3] and are optimised for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa[4].

The WH-1000XM4 Silent White limited edition model will be priced at approximately £400 / €459 and available from May 2021 until stock lasts.

Smart Strategies Bloggers Can Use To Take Their Craft to the Next Level

With hundreds of millions of blogs on the web currently, competition in the world of blogging is always a challenge to bloggers, especially the newbies. Some bloggers have thrown in the towel after a few non-viral posts. You may have the best ideas and content and still lack an audience. But the big question is, what do successful bloggers have that you don’t? Well, probably not much if not nothing. Forgive the tongue twister, but the major difference could be that they have mastered the art of packaging and desirably presenting their work!

Are you tired of your work not getting the attention it requires? If yes, you need to check out this piece. It highlights some strategies you can use to take your craft to the next level.

1. Use Catchy Headlines for Your Content 

No matter how great your content is, a reader will decide whether to read or skip it by just checking out the headline or title. Remember, your title is your first selling point. You should put yourself in the readers’ shoes. An overly professional and somewhat put-together title puts off some readers. A person has been busy all day so they don’t have time to play guesswork.

A mind-blowing title, on the other hand, can get most readers clicking the page without much thought, thus boosting traffic to your blog from various sources. Jon Dykstra from fatstacksblog.com highlights this as among the strategies to skyrocket traffic from Google search as well as social sites like Facebook and Pinterest. It works best if you cover the topics that readers want to read, which brings us to the next important point.

2. Keep Your Topics Fresh

Most bloggers start off writing because they are passionate about a particular niche, subject, or industry. Keeping people invested in the same topic for a long time can be difficult. You do not want to be obvious. Switching things up will help keep the interest and attract more fans. Choose topics from suggestions or comments made by others. If you are bold, use a post that stirred great social media reactions and write a blog. By using relatable keywords, you will have people flocking your page. Therefore, it helps not to be limited to your own ideas. Keeping it trendy will help bring a fresh audience while keeping the existing ones engaged.

3. Use an Alluring Image

In your blog content, remember to include eye-catching images that draw people in. After spending your time creating great content, images as an added opportunity to shine. Your work needs that picture that screams “click me”. Some of us have landed on some pages just because of the header image. What’s more, getting the right image does not need you to have an art degree. If you can’t take photos or create your own, sites where you can get impressive royalty-free images can help.

4. Pose Questions

Why should you do that? This first raises the curiosity of the reader. Questions make an audience more invested in what you are sharing. Their mind will be guessing possible answers to your query. Most readers will continue reading to confirm if you share a similar school of thought. Questions help a blogger connect deeply with a reader. They both dive into the journey of exploring various options hence creating a bond. However, do not use questions in a way that makes your audience intimidated. They should be casual and well crafted just to spike interest.

5. Diversify Your Presentation Technique

A blog does not put you into a box. There is no gun to your head that you should follow a particular theme or formatting style. Explore the many options and get what works for you. Introducing stories and metaphors is one way of presenting your content. Before writing, imagine a good story that is also informative. Who can resist it? This format keeps people entertained and is easier to understand. If storytelling is not in your forte, you can consider using infographics. Keep your readers on the hook by using visuals that showcase your ideas. A bit of text to act as pointers and boom your content is most searched. While diversifying, remember to only use what people can’t resist.

6. Keep Your Audience in Mind

When writing something we are passionate about, it is easy to lose track. To avoid this, concentrate on major points that are relevant to your audience. The blog is not an avenue to brag about how witty you are. Readers love a down-to-earth writer. Aim to connect with the readers and you will get more traffic. Use words and sentences that are not complex. It is not a literature class, so, short, witty, and informative sentences are ideal.

Every blog writer has the potential to become the next big deal. Creating content that will leave people yearning for more requires consistency. With these strategies up your sleeve, your blogging should scale up. Put aside the wallowing and write that game-changing blog that will get readers talking. the few tips above can help propel your craft to newer heights.

Lemnis Gate is the mind-bending turn-based combat strategy shooter where time is the ultimate weapon. #LemnisGate #Gaming

Frontier Foundry confirmed today Lemnis Gate, the pioneering, turn-based combat strategy shooter featuring revolutionary four-dimensional gameplay will be launching on PC, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One in Summer 2021.

Developed by Ratloop Games Canada, in conjunction with Frontier Developments’ visionary games label, Frontier Foundry, Lemnis Gate suffuses the cerebral intricacies of chess into a heart-pounding, 4D FPS. In it, players disrupt the past to change the future. The rules are simple: defeat opponents across five, 25-second rounds. The twist is they’re the same 25 seconds; repeated. Within them, players take turns to execute an action, whether blasting enemies, capturing targets, or stealing objectives. After all turns have been taken the next round begins.

This ingenious time loop mechanic lets players progressively build strategies, whether online or local, in both 1v1 and 2v2 matches. As more operatives enter the fray, the potential for creative cunning rises. There are seven operatives in total, each bringing a distinct primary weapon and special ability. Since every operative is available right from the start, players can start strategizing straight away. This subversive and skilful 4D FPS rewards non-linear logic and abstract thinking, challenging players to both plan ahead and change the past as they build up to victory.

Strategy is just as important as skill in Lemnis Gate. With the freedom to devise unique game plans, and countless ways to execute them, no two matches are ever the same. Players will need careful observation and forward thinking to master this original experience designed to be played time and time again.

Lemnis Gate is available to wishlist on PlayStation and Steam now, and will be launching in Summer 2021 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

House of Marley is celebrating Earth Day by encouraging people to live more sustainably #EarthDay2021 #Tech

22nd April marks Earth Day 2021, an annual event to celebrate and support environmental protection. This year’s theme is ‘Restore Our Earth’ with a clear focus on the idea that “as the world returns to normal, we can’t go back to business-as-usual”.

The House of Marley, an eco-conscious audio brand, created in collaboration with the Marley family, is one brand doing its bit for the environment. All House of Marley products are consciously crafted from mindfully sourced materials including FSC certified woods, bamboo, consciously harvested cork, REGRIND™ silicone and Marley’s own signature blend of REWIND™ up-cycled fabrics (made from organic cotton, reclaimed hemp and recycled plastic bottles).

Aside from using eco-conscious materials, House of Marley is also helping to spread awareness of global reforestation needs via Project Marley. This charitable initiative contributes to the planting of trees through non-profit organisation, One Tree Planted. As a result, over 242,000 trees have already been planted, with a further 85,600 trees due to be planted over the coming months. Project Marley also supports ocean preservation through its collaboration with The Surfrider Foundation, to aid with maintaining their global mission to protect the world’s oceans and beaches.

House of Marley has created some simple ways that people can help to live a more sustainable lifestyle, find out more here. What’s more, to celebrate Earth Day 2021, House of Marley will be offering 25% off all products on its website, from Thursday 22nd April to Sunday 25th April.

AIRPULSE has increased its high-resolution audio offering with the A100. #Airpulse #Tech

The A100 has been created to deliver a High-Fidelity audio system with intoxicating sound quality and stunning visual appeal; the perfect combination of certified Hi-Res digital audio processing technology and an aesthetic of understated elegance. Using the same XMOS core as the more powerful A300, this unassuming cabinet delivers a sound far beyond your expectations. 

Available in classic black and white, and a dazzling poppy red, the A100 is finished in an impeccable piano lacquer appearance, giving it a high-grade shine and sleek feel. The overall style of the A100 was inspired by the flagship AirPulse 7001 near-field monitor speakers, which were exclusively developed by Phil Jones. 

This plug-and-play speaker utilizes the brand’s signature horn-loaded aluminium ribbon tweeter. Inheriting the mechanism from the 7001, the thin aluminium ribbon diaphragm has excellent transient response, high sensitivity, an increased frequency range and well-defined sound details. This meticulously formulated horn shape produces directional and optimized high frequencies, directing the sound to the listener and reducing unwanted room reflection. The result is a superior, three-dimensional sound with an excellently defined sound stage. 

The mid woofer is a 5 inch unit, featuring a hard anodized aluminium alloy cone suspended in a heavy, ultra-rigid cast magnesium alloy frame. Designed using meticulous testing, the 35mm diameter voice coil is larger than most found in similar sized speakers. It has been shown that larger voice coils have less power compression because they run at a cooler operating temperature. Sonically, this means a more realistic and dynamic representation of the music, really allowing the listener to be totally immersed. 

The cabinet is built using 18mm thick, high-strength MDF and is fully lined with professional waved sound absorption material. The oval shaped vent tube at the back of the unit has been specifically designed to minimize wind noise. This vent, along with the cabinet lining, keeps sound coloration and audio distortion to an absolute minimum. 

The A100 supports multiple inputs, including AUX, PC, USB, optical and Qualcomm’s Bluetooth v5.0 chipset, resulting in minimal interruptions. The well – known American TRANSPARENT cable is used for internal connections to ensure minimum signal loss, producing a reliable sound quality. 

Bass, treble and volume controls are located on the back panel. Easily brighten the highs-frequency to your taste and adjust the amount of bass according to the listening environment. Included with the pair of speakers is a wireless remote that allows you to switch between inputs, adjust volume and mute your speakers from a distance.  

Specifications 

Tweeter:  Horn Loaded Ribbon Tweeter 

Mid-Woofer:  5 inch Aluminium Cone Underhung Design Neodymium Power 

Total Power Output: L/R(Treble):10W+10W, L/R(Woofer): 40W+40W 

Signal to Noise Ratio: L/R: ≥90dB(A) 

Frequency Response: 52Hz –40KHz 

Input Sensitivity:  AUX:450±50mV 

PC:550±50mV

USB:400±50mFFs

Optical:400±50mFFs

Bluetooth:500±50mFFs 

Inputs: AUX, PC, USB, Optical, Bluetooth.

The USB, Optical Inputs Support Up to 192KHz Input Sample

Mains Voltage: 100-240 V AC/50-60 Hz

Active/Passive:  Active 

Cabinet Size: 160x283x255mm

Price & Availability

Available on Amazon.co.uk for £659 – https://www.amazon.co.uk/AirPulse-A100-Bookshelf-Bluetooth-Signature/dp/B07DC9TMFP