Local software companies deliver dedicated Northern Ireland Covid-19 App. #Civica #Covid-19NI

The Department of Health today launched a new Covid-19 information app which was commissioned and delivered in just two weeks by locally based cloud software specialists CIVICA in partnership with Big Motive.

“Covid-19 NI is one of the first dedicated tool of its kind in the UK and Ireland and demonstrates that our local Department of Health and the HSC were well ahead of the game in knowing exactly what they wanted and securing it in record time,” explained Mark Owens, Managing Director of CIVICA Northern Ireland.

Photo by Aaron McCracken

 

“The App is simple to download and use and has three core functions, firstly an in-app symptom checker for Coronavirus (COVID-19) leading the user to appropriate medical advice and onward links to further information; secondly a chat bot with natural language interface to answer users’ questions which will be enhanced and expanded with time, usage and feedback; and thirdly a push notification service with the ability to push messages out to user’s devices very similar to text messages alerting people to things like significant changes to official status or advice.

“Our brief was to provide a trusted single source of information dedicated to providing the population of Northern Ireland with immediate advice that should ease pressure on GP surgeries, pharmacies and of course Hospitals.

“ I cannot stress how unprecedented it is in our industry to produce an App of this nature so quickly and we could not have done it without the skills and dedication of our developers who were determined to do their best to support our amazing NHS.

“We all know the pressure on our medical services is going to be extraordinary and we believe this is going to be a critical tool for those who need local information immediately.

“It is the duty of every business in Northern Ireland to do their bit to support the Executive, the Government Departments and to realise that it is vital we all work together to beat this Pandemic, use our skills, our ingenuity and retool where necessary to support each other and our economy,” concluded Mark.

The App is available on Google Play store, Apple store, Windows 10 app store.

GungHo’s Ninja Gum Action Game Ninjala is Coming to Nintendo Switch on May 28. #Gaming #Ninjala

GungHo Online Entertainment (GOE) today announced that its newest title for the Nintendo Switch, Ninjala, will be released worldwide as a free download on the Nintendo eShop on May 28, 2020. A new trailer featuring gameplay, the world setting of Ninjala, and a release date was shown during the official Nintendo Direct livestream.

The trailer revealed that Ninjala will be available on Switch consoles worldwide, allowing players across the globe to face off against each other. Players can choose from a selection of colorful ninja kids and jump into eight-player free-for-all slugfests, or join forces with friends for 4v4 team fights. Test your inner ninja skills by morphing ‘Ninja-Gum’ into unique weapons on the fly, and use ninjutsu and super parkour mechanics to jet around the battlefield. A Nintendo Switch Online subscription will not be required to play matches online, and players can look forward to a variety of skins and emotes to give even more personality to their ninjas.

“Ninjala is unlike anything we have ever created before,” said Kazuki Morishita, President & CEO of GOE. “How many other games let you battle your opponents with bubble gum while running up buildings as a colorful ninja? We believe Switch players will really connect with Ninjala’s compelling online PvP experience and become the ninja they always knew they could be!”

Design and Build the Ultimate Metro Station in STATIONflow, Launching 15 April on Steam. #Gaming #Steam #StationFlow

DMM GAMES and legendary game producer Tak Fujii (Ninety-Nine Nights II, Gal Metal), announced today the launch date for its latest project, STATIONflow. Currently in Early Access on Steam, STATIONflow will launch worldwide on Steam on 15 April 2020 – and challenges players to manage the continuous non-stop flow of passengers by designing and building the ultimate and most efficient metro station.

Build complex 3D layouts, guide passengers to their destinations with signage, keep customers happy by meeting their needs, and don’t forget to stay within budget! With a free-form building system, the only limits to your ideal station is your imagination. Drag and adjust size and shapes of corridors and platforms with no limits from a grid structure and build your ultimate dream subway station!

“I am excited to share our latest project today,” said STATIONflow producer Tak Fujii. “This is a game created by a small team with big ideas and a big heart – and wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and hard work from game director Szabó Marcell. I hope players enjoy it, and I challenge everyone to make over one million passengers happy!”

 

Significant rise in COVID-19/Coronavirus cyber-scams. #Scams #Cyberscams #tech #covid19

SophosLabs researchers have published a new Uncut blog, “Facing down the myriad threats tied to COVID-19.” that tracks how the use of “COVID-19” and “coronavirus” in domain names, spam, phishing attacks, and malware has skyrocketed. The article is a “live report” that SophosLabs Uncut will update as findings unfold.

Specifically:

  • The article shows that the volume of “COVID-19” and “coronavirus” email scams have nearly tripled in the past week – see the below chart (high res version attached).

  • Attackers are also increasingly impersonating the WHO (World Health Organization), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, North America) and the United Nations (UN), as evidenced in scams tracked by SophosLabs.

“Cybercriminals are wasting no time in shifting their dirty, tried and true attack campaigns toward advantageous lures that prey on mounting virus fears. It’s easy to see, for example, that the attackers behind a new Chloroquine scam are the same as those behind a recent herbal Viagra scam,” according to Sophos Principal Research Scientist Chester Wisniewski.  

“With global spam volumes estimated to be in the hundreds of billions, for 2-3% of those to be COVID-19 themed is significant. Similar to A/B testing of advertisements and web pages, criminals often dip a toe in the water when there is a new or sensational topic in the news. If the new topic proves a more effective lure than the previous scam bait they begin switching to new lures.

 

“In fact in one of the spam campaigns we tracked this week, there was evidence of exactly that. These particular criminals had been using fake shipping and delivery emails to convince unsuspecting victims into opening attachments and infecting their computers with the Kryptik Trojan. Now the main body of the email pretends to come from erecruit@who.int with “health advice” in the attachment, but when we carefully inspect the plain text body, we see it matches a previous spam campaign from this same criminal using a lure pretending to be about invoices and deliveries.

 

“The increases we are seeing are likely due to two important factors. First, as time passes more and more criminal groups are joining the party on using all this interest in COVID-19 to steal money from people. Secondly, it takes time. Any given criminal group has to handcraft the spams to convince the recipient to take an action. In the research community we call this the call to action. The call to action might be to open the attachment, visit the website or, in the case of the WHO Bitcoin scam (attached), to donate cryptocurrencies to criminal controlled Bitcoin wallets. Crafting these messages takes time, especially for those who are not native English speakers.

 

“Even the most innocuous mention of something by a politician or a celebrity can lend a scam credibility or present a new business opportunity. Two recent examples come to mind. One is a spam campaign offering to tell you about a government cover-up and attempting to sell you a COVID-19 survival guide allegedly used by the celebrity Gwyneth Paltrow as a lure in its subject line. A clue that the email is a fake is the incorrect spelling of her first name as Gwenith (attached), but this could easily be missed or glossed over. A few days ago President Donald Trump mentioned the possible efficacy of a drug called Chloroquine against the coronavirus, immediately leading to WordPress blog comment spammers switching from pitching herbal Viagra to instead attempting to sell you Chloroquine, which can be quite dangerous when not taken under the supervision of a doctor. And within only two days of the WHO creating a charity called the Solidarity Response Fund, criminals were soliciting Bitcoin donations pretending to be the charity, even implying your donation is fully tax deductible in the US or Europe.”

 

Additional Sophos Resources Related to COVID-19 themed cyber-scams:

SophosLabs has uncovered a variety of different malicious email campaigns connected to COVID-19, including:

  • Phishing scams impersonating the WHO, CDC, and other healthcare organizations to deliver malware via malicious documents disguised as official information on how to stay safe during the pandemic
  • Cybercriminals impersonating charities and relief organizations like the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund to trick victims into sending them Bitcoin
  • SophosLabs is updating its Uncut blog with new findings in real time
  • Follow the SophosLabs Twitter feed for breaking SophosLabs discoveries: @SophosLabs

Sophos News is providing tips and free resources as people navigate the work-from-home tech/security gauntlet:

  • Cybersecurity guidance during the coronavirus pandemic

Naked Security is providing security tips and industry news:

  • Remote working during Coronavirus? Here’s how to do it securely
  • Extortion emails threating to infect families with the coronavirus
  • All Naked Security coronavirus-related articles

Review – The Aukey Desklamp with touch controls. #Aukey #Tech #Home #Office

I have several desk lamps in the house and two have been used for tech and often seen in the background in some of my reviews and they would be on my review table for several reasons. Light being one and other functions too be it wireless charging or bluetooth speaker and of course the light factor as to what it can offer..

The said lights above have been more or less a fixed affair with not much movement but had dimming or brightness controls but the actual lights did have some ability to move around offering a wider use case range and for me that is important.

This light has a touch panel on the base which is solid supported by four rubber stoppers underneath which keep it fixed in place. You have a timer,power switch a mode switch and then a night switch which allows you to see in the dark to turn on the light by emitting an orange dot on the panel.

The lamp can twist,turn from the base and also extends at an angle then the main LED section can rotate either way which is the additional bonus here for me to give you better control for lighting which for me is important and will also be of benefit to those who would use one to give them better light set ups for their personal use case. Also this lamp has a USB port on the rear which allows you to attach another item to it which saves on plugs and I have done that with mine by attaching my RGB desklamp to it as it sits with it in my set up at home. This lamp again is clean and effective with a simple to use control panel and ideal for any office or home and cheap.

  • Dimmable Eye-friendly Lighting: offers 5 different lighting modes and 7 levels of brightness, all on the seamlessly integrated touch panel. Generates a soft, evenly diffused flicker-free LED light for work, reading, relaxation
  • Multi-Angle Adjustments: Adjustable arm, rotating base, and swiveling lamp head for perfect positioning and lighting angle
  • USB Charging: Conveniently charge your devices with the built-in 5V/1A USB output; keep your smartphone or tablet within reach while charging
  • Auto-Off Timer & Memory Function: Turn the light off automatically with 1 hour auto-off timer to save on your electricity bill before you are going to sleep. Also, the lamp always remembers the last brightness and color setting used
  • Package Contents: AUKEY LT-T10 LED Desk Lamp, AC Adapter, User Manual, 24-Month Warranty Card

BUY HERE

All-in-one beer brewing machine helps turn beer lovers into craft beer brewers. #CraftBeer #MiniBrew

Dutch food tech start-up, MiniBrew, has today launched its first home brewing product, MiniBrew CRAFT, to the European market. The all-in-one, automatic beer brewing machine has been created to transform beer lovers into craft beer brewers.

Designed to inspire the brewers of tomorrow, MiniBrew’s CRAFT machine offers beer enthusiasts an innovative, yet remarkably simple way to create a variety of quality beers in the comfort of their own home, or even pub shed. Brewers can enjoy quality beers, made by their own hands, which come fresher than any beer you can buy from the supermarket and can be preserved up to three-months with the product’s built-in cooler.

The beautifully constructed MiniBrew CRAFT appliance features a real wooden back, a transparent mashing tun and a copper coloured keg for a traditional look. The product can be used to make recipes from all over the world while helping consumers understand the brewing process step by step.

MiniBrew’s brewing portfolio features 10 different recipes crafted by its in-house brewologist and beverage scientists using its signature beer style, as well as natural flavours and herbs that are precisely measured in each Brew Pack. The appliance also calculates the precise amount of water needed and defines a mashing, boiling and fermenting scheme for each individual Brew Pack, helping to deliver an exceptional experience every time.

Commenting on the launch, Bart van de Kooij, founder of MiniBrew, said: “CRAFT is for consumers who love beer and want to explore their true, inner beer-making soul.”

“We started with a clear vision: to transform the home-brewing experience, which is traditionally very time-consuming, expensive and messy. Now that vision is a reality, our next step is to expand our brewing portfolio and help more beer lovers fulfil their brewing potential.”

The MiniBrew CRAFT machine starts at €1199, and Brew Packs start at €17. The MiniBrew CRAFT Pro is the same machine but gives experienced brewers powerful software with the opportunity to pilot and create their own recipes, while also giving professional breweries the opportunity to collaborate and share their recipe as a Brew Pack.

The MiniBrew CRAFT and MiniBrew CRAFT Pro can be purchased via authorised retailers and at www.minibrew.io.

Hydrogen fuel cells are being dubbed the fuel of the future. So how does a hydrogen car work? #Motoring #Hydrogen

Hydrogen cars are being called the fuel of the future. So how do they work? 

Unlike gasoline-powered cars, hydrogen vehicles (H2) use hydrogen fuel to power the motor. This hydrogen fuel is produced through a REDOX process that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. 

Similar to a gas-powered car, hydrogen vehicles can be refueled in about 5 minutes and can travel 300-400 miles before they need to be refueled. Because the hydrogen cells emit only water and heat, driving a hydrogen vehicle eliminates concerns around air pollutants and greenhouse gases. 

Because hydrogen vehicles will need their own refueling stations, the biggest obstacle facing mass production is infrastructure. Despite these hesitations, major automobile manufacturers such as Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, and Mercedes are investing big in the technology. By 2030, the U.S. plans to have 1 million hydrogen vehicles on the road.  

To learn more about hydrogen fuel cell stacks generate electricity, check out this visual from The Zebra below! 

https://www.thezebra.com/resources/driving/how-do-hydrogen-cars-work/

 

Moshi Twilight – Sleeping experts work with Goldie Hawn to combat children’s anxiety in the time of crisis. #Kids #Moshi

Moshi Twilight – the #1 sleep and mindfulness app for kids has partnered once again with Hollywood legend Goldie Hawn to launch a new ‘Brain Break’ to help families around the world improve the mental wellbeing of their kids and reduce anxiety during worrying times.

 Put together by the BAFTA award-winning Moshi team, Goldie’s Brain Break is an important resource that can be used by parents to help stabilise emotional thinking and help kids refocus when there is a need to bring balance and reduce family stress.  Recorded with the Moshi team, this Brain Break is a short wind-down exercise – set to calming music – that takes heightened emotions down to a sense of calm.  

Anxiety in children is continuously on the rise, affecting 30% of children and adolescents, yet 80% never get help according to Child Mind Institute. As world events create more uncertainty and stress, this growing issue affects millions of families around the world, especially during this unprecedented crisis.

 

Sleep expert and psychologist, Dr Azizi Seixas, who works alongside the Moshi team, says:

 

“Feelings can be overwhelming sometimes, especially for children who haven’t learned how to react and respond to them. Managing emotions, even more so during stressful situations, can be difficult regardless of age. This is especially true when routines are disrupted. Routines play a key role in promoting feelings of safety and security in children and when boundaries are broken they can feel more vulnerable and unsettled.”

 

As part of her philanthropic work, Goldie Hawn is actively committed to empowering children and families through acts of mindfulness, and has also lent her voice to a Moshi bedtime story, “Goldie the Mindful Moshling”, which has already been listened to millions of times by kids around the world.

 

Goldie shared the news of the launch of her Brain Break in the Moshi app with her 2.1M Instagram followers, saying: 

“In these times of uncertainty and fear, it is important to calm your brain to help reduce stress and anxiety. Please enjoy this Brain Break with your child and your family every day. Please visit @twilightmoshi to get this free Brain Break (and a really fun sleep story I narrated) on their app.”

CEO of Moshi Twilight, Ian Chambers said:

“School closures, self-isolation and quarantine is unfortunately becoming an unavoidable part of our everyday vocabulary and behaviour, and even as adults, the feelings associated with this are overwhelming.  We hope that Goldie’s Brain Break will help families achieve a sense of calm during moments of stress and anxiety.

 

“Against a backdrop of uncertainty, we are thrilled to be able to give this to families around the world for free via the Moshi app.”

Goldie’s Brain Break is free to use on iOS, Android and Amazon Fire and is now part of the Moshi Twilight app that has played over 75 million stories since launch. The Moshi Twilight app also includes: Moshi Stories, Guided Meditations, Moshi Moments, Music and Sounds to help kids wind down, relax, de-stress and sleep.

Ms Hawn concludes: “All children in the world are our most precious resource for a happier, healthier tomorrow. They deserve all we can give them to thrive and succeed in this sometimes challenging world.”

Review – The Urbanista Athens Sport True Wireless earbuds. #Tech #TrueWireless #UrbanistaLife

Urbanista have been busy of late with new products and they are certainly most welcome,from testing them the last few years they remain consistent with delivery of great quality Audio products and the new Athens Sport geared towards the more active people are no different.

Recently we tested their new True Wireless Paris earbuds with the stem design and they have been great and deliver on all aspects at the price point they come in at and they also look good too and come in a range of colours,check the review of the Urbnanista Paris and then if you need a new speaker to go along with it that also gives a great punch for its size check that out Sydney speaker review.

There are a few differences here with the Athens which are geared towards the more fitness type and the first thing is there is no wireless charging which is a bit disappointing coming from the Paris I recently tested but they do come with USB-C and a really nice matt Black finished charging case which looks really well and these buds have a totally different design language than the previous ones which we tested.

 

These come with built in wings to keep them in your ear and they are not going to budge with a nice secure with also offering some good noise isolation too and no stem, they remain flush with the ears and do not stick out or look abnormal like some earbuds can. They look well but only come in the one colour for now but it is nice.

The controls here are great and simple to use with a rubber finish to boot,again different to the touch sensitive are on the Paris you would find there perhaps easier to control blindly,they have a nice clicky feel and have a light that spans the circle on them which looks cool in the charge case.

Controls are the same as the Paris for those wondering…

TURN OFF VOICE ASSISTANT – Touch the R logo twice.

ANSWER A CALL – Touch the logo twice on the right (R) or
left (L) earphone.
END A CALL – Touch the logo twice on the right (R) or left (L)
earphone.
REJECT A CALL – Touch and hold the logo on the right (R) or left
(L) earphone for 2 seconds
PLAY MUSIC – Touch the logo twice on the left (L) earphone
PAUSE MUSIC – Touch the logo twice on the left (L) earphone
ADJUST THE VOLUME (+) – Touch the logo once on the right (R)
earphone
ADJUST THE VOLUME (-) – Touch the logo once on the left (L)
earphone.
SKIP A TRACK FORWARD – Touch the logo on the right (R)
earphone for 2 seconds.
SKIP A TRACK BACKWARD – Touch the logo on the left (L)
earphone for 2 seconds.
The Audio is what you are hear for and I am happy to report it is clean, it is a bit brighter than the Paris and not the same level as bass on my testing but overall balanced,clean,bright good separation and instruments clearly heard, they do offer a better seal in my opinion than the Paris giving you a better overall experience and testing my usual Netflix and You Tube they do very well there with direction and no lag latency which of course is a bonus.
Overall if you want the same as the Paris but a but brighter with a better seal isolating the outside world a bit better,these are the ones to go for especially if you are the more active person, In a quite environment you will notice the difference between the two if you have a pair of the Paris and enjoy the listening experience.
Need a job in IT or tech? Click the image below.
Key features
IP67 waterproof rating
8 hours per charge
Total Playtime: 32 hours
Slim charging case with 3 charges
Stereo phone calls
Bluetooth 5.0
Volume and music controls
Voice control (Siri, Google Now)
Compatible with Android and iOS
USB Type C