If you are in the market for an affordable pair of true wireless these are something to check out, Lightweight well built and sturdy these will not fall out of your ears and are comfortable from the get go. Aimed at the sports minded these have all the features you would expect to find from a pair of true wireless earbuds with IPX4 rating these can be used in the gym and with the ear hooks they will not budge even for the more intensive workouts or jogging.
Controls are simple to use with clicky buttons which I prefer but do mind mind touch sensitive options either,the controls work well and caused no issues all the features required are present and we go through these in the video review below. Sound is quite balanced across the board not mind blowing but decent overall and for the price they come in at you cant complain. Call quality is great too,Sports earbuds tend to be more on the expensive side but with these you cant go wrong and are also ideal for the commuter and with the 1800 mAh battery capacity can also be used as a power bank for other devices.
If you are looking for a simple beside lamp that has some RGB this is one to check that is affordable and easy to use with not set up or app needed to control it, small light and robust it is ideal for a bedside locked or even a shelf in you kitchen or bedroom and it just blends in well and sets the right move with the colour tuning.
The lamp comes with a touch sensitive area on top and a power switch on the underside with a rubber ring if you want to leave sat on table it can also be hanged anywhere and comes with to magnet rings inside the box and it does hang perfectly straight, You can control the light options too by the multifunction switch underneath which also provides the power on/off you also get a carabiner in the box too and overall it is a simple minimalistic product that sets a nice tone to any room and requires no tech knowledge to make full use of it, I have several lights in the house that come with apps to do similar functions as this light does where this one just uses touch sensitive area for dimming and brightening and even more you get an IP65 rating to take it with you on camping events or similar.
MOOD CHANGE: this brightening RGB lamp always ensures a comfortable atmosphere. The RGB mode or the continuously adjustable brightness of the white and yellow light mode can be set manually via the fast-reacting touch control (color temperature: 2700K – 6500K)
PORTABLE AND IP65: With the included carabiner you can hang the AUKEY mini table lamp anywhere or just take it with you. It is also possible on a magnetic metal plate on the wall. Thanks to the IP65 water and dust resistance, this lamp can even float on water
200 HOURS OF OPERATING TIME: The built-in 2200 mAh high-performance battery offers 5 hours of continuous operation at maximum brightness, and 200 hours at dimmest brightness (charging using the included micro USB cable)
SCOPE OF DELIVERY: AUKEY mini RGB lamp, micro USB cable, two round metal plates, carabiner, user manual, 24-month replacement guarantee and friendly customer service
Aukey sent us this to review and are seeing this the same time as you with no copy approval,influence or compensation paid..
Having put the Pixel 4a through its paces the last couple of weeks I can safely say this is a phone for all,even power users, given the size of the phone which is something much smaller than I typically use I have got use to using it, shot hours of video reviews on it and it has not let me down once bar the odd freeze which can happen to any phone, One has to question the constant One Plus promos but when it comes to the best bang for your buck the Pixel 4A WINS..
I did a first impressions some time back so I wont be boring you with the specs we all know about now but there is some shortcuts taken to get the device to this price it will go on sale for which are not bad but some might get in the way but for a cohesive phone you can forgive the shortcomings and look at the overall package on offer here with the Pixel 4a.
You have no face unlock,no wireless charging,one size for all and no wide camera or telephoto but does it matter?? With the shots the pixel devices take and are known for most people use their devices to take snaps and you can be guaranteed a great shot almost every time with this device and it has been a trend on the pixel devices for some time now. Given they have the obvious looking camera hump on the rear it has ONE LENS not a set up like a spider looking at you on the back which is getting a bit silly looking now these days.You also have no SD card expansion but you get massive storage here (128GB) for your troubles which at this price again is not seen too often.
When it comes to multitasking it worked a treat from my heavy usage and I used this as my daily driver fully loaded with my usual apps which is quite a few being a tech enthusiast but for the average user you will see a day but for a power user you will need to look for a charge in the evening,my phone typically goes on around 7am and by 6pm on a good day I would need to be looking to charge the device but its not an issue as I have power banks and alway near a plug. Battery life does vary day to day but overall for the size of the battery it aint that bad but it is something to consider especially if you are a power user but as mentioned this can be easily overcome depending on your usage and your personal needs, My daily routine changes all the time and some days I might not be so heavy on the device and would shift to evenings instead but having said that I am a power user in general..
Groov-e, a leading UK tech brand, today launches its latest product, MusicBuds. These sleek True Wireless Earphones combine hassle free listening with clear, powerful audio.
Freeing users from wires or neckbands the MusicBuds feature a unique Bluetooth feature that provides true stereo sound quality. Combined with advanced Bluetooth 5.0 technology, the MusicBuds provide exceptional clear sound and a powerful bass meaning there is no longer a compromise for audio for those looking for wireless earphones.
Users can control music by pushing gently on the earbuds, enabling them to play and pause, skip forward and back through tracks, alter the volume and even activate Siri or Google voice assistant. Being able to just speak a command such as play favourite music, dial and answer calls or even ask for the weather forecast makes life even easier. The MusicBuds also feature a built-in mic for clear hands-free calls.
Stylish and ultralight, the MusicBuds are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. They are the ideal option for working or exercising. Extra earbuds ensure users get the perfect and most secure fit. To pair, simply take the MusicBuds out of the charging case and they will automatically connect to the selected smart device (after being paired the first time).
The MusicBuds provide up to four hours of music playback from a single charge – and an additional seven hours using the portable intelligent charging case.
Kunal Patel, Director, Groov-e said: “Over the years we’ve seen some great Bluetooth innovation, but they’ve often meant a compromise of audio quality or a hefty price tag. The MusicBuds combine wireless features with great sound but at a price that’s more accessible. We are sure people will love listening to their favourite tracks when out and about with their MusicBuds”.
As a nation continues to work from home, with many not seeing a return to office life until sometime in 2021, if at all, it would seem our while technical abilities as a nation are standing to us, poor broadband in areas throughout the country is letting us down. In the latest Taxpayer Sentiment survey conducted by tax refund specialists Taxback.com, 51% of over 2,500 respondents from all over Ireland said they had experienced technical issues due to poor quality broadband in their home since lockdown was first implemented back in March.
Speaking of the findings, Marian Ryan, Consumer Tax Manager at Taxback.com,
“Many of the working population have had to adapt to a new way of working, with the lockdown resulting in 34% of the workforce having to work from home and 12% increasing their number of hours remote working from home[1] since April. This has led to an increase in the use of technology for work, with far more video conferencing and online meetings and training being used now than ever before in many workplaces. As we no longer have the office IT department on hand, or even a colleague who we deem a bit more tech savvy than ourselves to ask questions of when our tech lets us down, we were interested to get a glimpse into how the nation was coping with this adjustment.”
The Taxback.com survey sought to gain insight into how differing levels of broadband provision around the country is impacting people’s experience of working from home. Respondents were asked the following:
Have you experienced technical issues due to poor quality broadband in your home since the start of lockdown?
Yes – I live in a rural location – 20%
Yes – I live in a small city or town – 17%
Yes – I live in a major city – 14%
No – I live in a small city or town – 21%
No – I live in a major city – 16%
No – I live in a rural location – 12%
Ms. Ryan commented,
“One area that is really letting many of us down at the moment is poor quality broadband services, which the pandemic has brought into sharp focus. The results are split almost 50:50 between those who say they have experienced issues and those who haven’t, but what is interesting is the breakdown of where those who experience issues are located. 37% of those who reported issues were located in rural areas and towns, and a further 14% were located in major cities. Unsurprisingly, it’s our colleagues who live outside the major cities who are most likely to suffer. This shows just how the unequal distribution of broadband around the country works to facilitate and create opportunity for some, but not for others. The ability to work or learn from home effectively is very much determined by where you live.”
The survey also asked the following question:The lockdown has led to an increase in the use of technology for work, with more mobile conferencing and video software etc. being used – people have had to adapt to using new tech that they may not have been using before – how tech savvy do you think you are?
I have enough to get by – 45%
I have the basics but should learn more – 26%
Very savvy I’m a tech whizz – 18%
I have upskilled during this time – 6%
I’m not savvy at all – a total technophobe – 5%
Ms. Ryan commented,
“Working from home has meant that more of us have had to get through the tech obstacles that we all too often avoid or ignore because we have another space to go to with better infrastructure or services. On the whole however, it seems Ireland has a pretty technologically minded workforce, with survey results revealing that the majority (45%) of people feel they have enough IT skills to get by, and 26% of us feeling ‘we have the basics, but need to learn more’. Up to 18% believe that they have excellent IT skills and deem themselves a ‘tech whizz’, and only 5% felt they were ‘total technophobes’. Interestingly, 6% of respondents said that they had upskilled during the lockdown period.”
Ms. Ryan concluded,
“Our communications infrastructure around the country is the big challenge, and this is not something that an individual can, or can even be expected to, tackle themselves. But from a wider standpoint, it gives weight to the argument that rural and local economies will continue to suffer if we can’t put the structures and systems in place to allow business to carry out fairly basic, but very necessary, functions like operating online. The need for quality rural and regional broadband is clearer than ever in light of Covid-19, and the National Broadband Plan, which is currently in Phase 1 of its roll out, will go a long way to tackling and hopefully reversing this inequality into the coming years.”
Planet Buddies, an environmentally conscious brand announces their lineup of products designed and created specifically for children. The Planet Buddies brand was born out of a dedication to raising awareness for endangered animals all over the world and educating children on what they can do to help.
The product range includes a family of headphones, wireless speakers and tablet cushions, all representing endangered, vulnerable or threatened species including ‘Pepper the Penguin’ and ‘Olive the Owl’. The products each have a story about its character, why they are endangered and practical tips on what children can do to help protect all life on our planet such as turning off lights when they leave a room.
Headphones
Planet Buddies have launched three types of headphones to kick start the range. The headphones are all suitable for children aged 3+ with adjustable headbands and safety limited to 85DB to protect hearing as recommended by the World Health Organisation. The child-safe audio limit on the headphones helps to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. Listening at a maximum level of 85 decibels makes it safe to enjoy up to 8 hours of audio a day. The headphones are designed with children in mind and are made from high quality materials to withstand handling, knocks and drops they are bound to endure. Including an in-line microphone and multi-function control button, Planet Buddies headphones allow you to answer/end calls, pause and play music, skip tracks, and activate Siri/Google Now.
Get Creative
The DIY “colour and swap” headphones allow your kiddies to get creative with 24-character cards and 4 crayons to customise and change their design. Accompanied by an eco-friendly travel case, the headphones are foldable and portable in design allowing minimum bulk and easy transportation. Price: £24.99
Choose Your Favourite Endangered Animal
Representing ‘Noah the Whale’, ‘Milo the Turtle’, ‘Olive the Owl’ and ‘Pepper the Penguin’, the Planet Buddies wired headphones are designed to be fun, stylish and ultra-comfortable with super-soft padding on the ear cushions and headband. These headphones are also foldable and compact and come with an eco-hemp travel case so you can take your entertainment, wherever your adventures take you. Price: £19.99
Fancy Dress
The third in the range are created to spark the imagination. ‘Charlie the Tiger’ and ‘Pippin the Panda’ are headphones designed with a furry headband with animal print and ears so that children can get into character. The headphones have soft padded earcups for maximum comfort and are equipped with two 3.5mm jack ports so you can connect any second pair of wired headphones and share what you’re listening to! Price: £19.99
Key Features:
Child-safe limited to 85db to protect hearing
Adjustable headband suitable for children aged 3+
In-line mic and mute/play functions
3.5mm jack compatible with most audio devices
100% recyclable packaging, with no plastic used
Foldable, portable design (excluding Pippin the Panda and Charlie the Tiger)
Eco hemp carry pouch included (excluding Pippin the Panda and Charlie the Tiger)
The ‘Pepper the Penguin’ wireless speaker is perfect for children to listen to music, reading along to their favourite audiobook or to add that extra entertainment to a day trip or a holiday. With 4 hours playtime and 60-day standby time, Pepper is ready for his next adventure whenever you are. Connect wirelessly to any Bluetooth 5.0 compatible device, including tablets and smartphones. When connected to your smartphone, Pepper the Penguin wireless speaker allows you to answer and end calls at the touch of a button, while the built-in microphone lets you talk hands-free. The multi-speaker pairing function allows you to connect Pepper the Penguin speaker with any other Planet Buddies wireless speaker to achieve a full surround-sound effect.
Priced at £29.99 the wireless speaker is designed in exquisite, adorable detail with Pepper’s own unique story printed on the packaging to help educate children on the environmental issues that impact endangered penguins.
Key Features:
100% recyclable packaging, with no plastic used
Bluetooth 5.0 compatible with iOS and android devices
Up to 4-hour total playtime (60-day standby time)
Full-range sound system with 3w output power
Built-in microphone for hands-free call handling
Matching the rest of the products in the range, Planet Buddies have launched four tablet holders, which in vibrant printed colours, also represent the endangered species. Priced at £19.99, the tablet cushions allow children to comfortably watch their device handsfree in landscape or portrait mode, whilst improving posture and reducing neck and upper back strain. Designed to be ultra-lightweight, the tablet stand is the perfect travel accessory for optimum viewing everywhere you go. The cushion stand also features two discreet and convenient pockets for storing small items such as your smartphone or charger.
Key Features:
100% recyclable packaging, with no plastic used
Promotes good posture and reduces neck and upper back strength
Holds universal mobile devices in portrait and landscape mode
Ultra-lightweight and suitable for travel
Includes two convenient pockets for storing small items
Soft, high quality fabric made from 100% polyester
Doing their bit to help the environment, the packaging for each Planet Buddies product is made from 100% recyclable cardboard, with NO plastic window, and is printed with soy-based inks. None of the products or packaging in the range contain any single-use plastics and customers are encouraged to recycle wherever possible.
Michael Bartlett Managing Director at Planet Buddies comments:
“We are excited and proud to launch the Planet Buddies range of products. We hope parents and children alike will enjoy getting to know our products and characters whilst learning about how we can help preserve the future of our planet.”
Vicon, a world leader in motion capture, today publishes a new vision paper identifying the key trends and developments that will determine the future of motion capture technology in sports over the next five years — discussing how the technology is now quickly becoming part of the fabric of sport.
Drawing on Vicon’s own experts and industry voices from across academia and professional practice, the report provides a range of perspectives on and predictions for the future of motion capture technology in sporting contexts, touching upon just some of the ways the technology will bring new value to the industry — helping athletes, coaches and sport scientists enhance performance, accelerate development and prevent injury from the elite to the grassroots.
Some of the key trends for the next 12 months and into 2025 include:
The rise of inertial and wearable sensors
Advances in technology over the last few years means that wearables and inertial sensors — used to measure and analyse athlete movement in minute detail without the need for cameras —have become more accessible than ever.
Not only are they now more affordable and light-weight for portability, in combination with intuitive apps, they make it easier for anyone to be able to analyse and understand the data being captured — from elite performance analysts right down to grass roots coaches and consumers.
With this in mind, we’re likely to see the use of wearables and inertial sensors move from the fringes of sports to the mainstream.
Tracking athletes in-competition
Wearable sensors will give physios and sports scientists access to athlete data away from training — which is especially important when it comes to monitoring for injuries and minimising the risk factors. Simply put, athletes can fully expect 24/7 tracking to become the norm.
But an even greater prize for researchers and athletes is the possibility of extending data collection to in-competition tracking — a level of detail that we have limited access to today.
By 2025 however, it’s likely we’ll see real-time video tracking become available for in-competition monitoring to extend data collection from beyond athlete training scenarios to full competitive environments.
The new vision paper also looks in detail at the use of motion capture within app-based tracking solutions, the use of virtual reality (VR) for next-gen training and the synchronisation of optical and inertial tracking to enable more powerful insights than ever before.
Imogen Moorhouse, CEO at Vicon, commented: “Technology has a huge role to play in enabling a greater understanding of athlete performance. But despite the growth in the use of motion capture, we are still a long way from extracting maximum value from motion tracking technology.
“As a company that is focused on innovation – working closely with researchers and teams to push the boundaries of what is possible with motion capture – we want to ensure we continue to lead the way in the future of sports science and biomechanics. As such, we have published this new vision paper to not only identify the key trends impacting sports, but also to suggest pathways that will set new standards and goals within the industry.”
48, Ireland’s first digital-only youth mobile network, is changing up mobile once again as it unveils Ireland’s best priced and most generous ever mobile plan at just €7.99per month.
The new membership plan, which is available to all new customers who sign up, includes 100GB OF DATA, ALL CALLS and ALL TEXTS as well as 10GB of roaming data, making it the most generous mobile offer currently on the market.
What’s more, there is no limit on the number of new customers who can avail of the new membership plan who sign up before 10th November 2020.
As well as the lowest ever monthly price, new customers can also enjoy a host of market-leading flexi-data features that are a first for any mobile network in Ireland. 48 customers can CARRY, SAVE, SHARE, SWAP AND DONATE their data each month meaning they can continue to do all of the things they love like talk, text, internet without having to worry about cost.
From the get-go, 48 has been a brand that seeks to change up mobile and encourage its customers to question things! Since its launch earlier this year, 48 has been listening to its customers and is committed to co-creating a mobile network that works them.
Speaking about the new membership plan, Eilis Fitzgerald, Marketing Manager, 48 said; “We revamped our plans earlier this year with the intention of changing up mobile. We wanted to co-create a mobile network alongside our customers that truly works for them. We listened, listened again and then listened some more! We believe that we have created a membership plan that delivers the goods; loads of data, unlimited minutes and text with the flexibility to use it how they want to. All for only €7.99!”
For customers wanting to change up their mobile experience, it’s simple to join; new customers can visit 48.ie or download the My48 app, fill in their details to receive their new SIM through An Post to any address in Ireland.
QDOS, a leader in screen and smartphone protection, today reveals the latest product in its award-winning range: The UV Sanitiser, a handy 2-in-1 UV sanitiser and Qi wireless charger. Not only does the QDOS UV Sanitiser eliminate up to 99.99% of common surface bacteria from smartphones, tech devices and accessories, Qi functionality means users can also charge their smartphone simultaneously.
With the current situation, it has become increasingly important to sanitise regularly. As summer draws to a close and we head into the autumn/winter season, it’s inevitable that we’ll see an increase of cold and flu viruses. With devices such as smartphones being a notorious carrier for germs consumers are now, more than ever, looking for solutions to conveniently keep their gear bacteria free.
The QDOS UV Sanitiser makes disinfecting tech and accessories effortless. Devices such as iPhones, smartphones (up to 6.7”) earbuds, fitness trackers and much more will fit easily into its spacious compartment. Simply close the lid and choose from a rapid three-minute clean or a more intense ten-minute sterilisation. At the click of a button, UV-C light safely eliminates up to 99.99% of common surface bacteria.
What’s more this clever 2-in-1 device also allows users to quickly charge their wireless enabled gadgets with fast and secure wireless charging. Users simply place their smartphone on top of the device to charge while disinfecting their most used possessions simultaneously. Additionally, a USB-A output port means multiple devices can be charged using standard cables. A handy LED indicator lets users know when sterilising and charging are complete.
Susan Lazareff, Managing Director, QDOS, said: “Our heritage at QDOS has always been in providing consumers with the best solutions for what they need right now. The UV Sanitiser is our next extension of this. We know for many consumers that keeping devices clean and charged is now more important than ever and we are thrilled to offer a convenient, seamless and affordable solution.”
Specifications
UV-C light sterilisation (245nm&185mn) eliminates up to 99.99% of common surface bacteria
Offers two sterilisation modes: 3-minute rapid clean to eliminate up to 99.9% of common surface bacteria or 10-minute intensive sterilisation
An automatic safety features switches off UV light when opened
Fast and secure Qi wireless charging (5W, 7,5W, Max 10W)
Includes 1xUSB-C port for charging the UV sanitiser from mains power and 1xUSB-A to port charge additional devices
QDOS UV Sanitiser is available now from QDOS for £59.99.
