Over half (57%) of Irish office workers believe that a four-day working week is likely in the near-future as technology makes work practices more efficient, according to a new survey by Ricoh. The study also found that 43% of Irish workers expect all or part of their roles to be automated within the next five years as a result of technological advancements. I for one would certainly be up for a 4 day week but how about you???
The research, commissioned by Ricoh Europe and conducted by Coleman Parkes, involved 4,580 office workers from across 24 countries, including 150 from Ireland.
The survey also revealed that salary (54%), flexible working hours (39%), learning opportunities (38%) and a work-life balance (37%) are the top priorities for workers when looking for a job.
In terms of flexible working, more than a third (38%) of those surveyed cited it as an approach that would increase productivity in the workplace. Moreover, 35% revealed that the opportunity to work remotely more often would also boost output, with 31% identifying better tools to facilitate seamless remote working as an impactful strategy.
The findings showed that Irish employers are lagging behind their UK counterparts in facilitating flexible working options for employees. Only 41% of Irish workers feel that their employer frequently adapts its working practices to their needs, in comparison to 54% of their UK counterparts.
This sentiment is felt across all generations of the workforce in Ireland with less than half of workers agreeing that their employers are doing enough to keep up with evolving employee needs. The most recent generation to enter the workforce (Generation Z) is least impressed, with only 36% agreeing that their employers frequently adapt to meet their requirements.
Chas Moloney, director, Ricoh Ireland and UK
Chas Moloney, director, Ricoh Ireland & UK, said: “There is no doubt that the concept of the traditional workplace has changed significantly in recent years. Interest in and appetite for a four-day work week is growing – people want to work less hours but be more effective and productive with the time they spend working.
“Therefore, it’s very disappointing that Irish business leaders are not recognising this trend and adopting more flexible ways of working to motivate, encourage and retain staff. After all, a happier workforce often equates to increased employee productivity, business performance and company growth.
“Understandably, it is more complex nowadays for employers as they have to meet the expectations of four different generations in the workplace. However, it is crucial that they do so and it’s clear from our research that every generation wants to work smarter.
“If Irish business leaders are to succeed and make the concept of the four-day work week a reality, they need to enable individual workstyles with the right technologies and agile approaches. Otherwise, they could find themselves struggling to attract, keep and empower people.”
As many know I have been testing Urbanista some time now and they always deliver, The best however to date was the Tokyo True wireless and this is the scene now with earphones and once I was not too fond of such earphones but now love them.
Many folk consider the pencil design silly looking and I agree to a point which depends on how they look and the shape and these are quite nice and most importantly comfortable to wear and will not fall out like Apples overrated overpriced Airpods. Best again these come in much cheaper offering great sound.
The Urbanista True Wireless did not disappoint either when it comes to sound quality and features which for me is great and they are plenty aloud too. A well balanced music profile across the board would best describe and they even have a decent punch of bass which many folk like however you will never get the same as a pair of over ears or enjoy the same experience but overall these deliver on highs,lows and mids and no distortion on max volume.
Build quality is great and I love the case they come in which is where you get extra battery life when on the go should you need it. Pairing up is simple,once removed from their case they are in pairing mode and you just select them from your phones bluetooth menu and you also get voice commands to let you know the status.
Calls work on both sides and calls are crystal clear which is welcome as some only offer one side to use, You can use them independently but only the right side.ie you can take the left one out and place it in the box and the right side will stay alive but funnily enough not the left side so if you take the right side out it will disconnect the left. This is only info for those who chose to use them in such a manner ie a bluetooth headset.. The touch controls also work well despite being small and as for your voice assistant if you use it thats present and works fine too. There is no lag latency either here which is great when watching You Tube or Netflix for example.
CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGES
Also note there is dual mics on the right side which cancels outside noise they are not ANC earbuds but they do block out a good bit of the outside world and sound great when in use. Would I recommend them?? An easy yes from me compared to others out there at their price point which is just €89 and free shipping and come in nice colours. My only gripes…. Micro USB…No EQ App.
Total Playtime: 14 hours
3.5 hours per charge
Slim charging case with 3 charges
Dual microphones on the right earbud
which cancels the surrounding noise
Stereo phone calls
Bluetooth 5.0
Touch control
Volume and music controls
Voice control (Siri, Google Now)
Compatible with Android and iOS
This is the second pair of true wireless from Sudio Sweden and have they improved of the Sudio Niva from last year??
Looking almost the same as before they have and for the better. With a super presentation as always the TOLV come in a smaller package inside and out but well presented and delivering on performance.
The new TOLV come in a variety of colours to start with which gives the customer choice and not left stuck with the typical Black and White versions we tend to see at launch but we went with White this time as I thought they looked nice and fit the bill for me this time around as I have several colours now and wanted to change the scene.
The TOLV come in a really nice shaped case which gives you the ability to charge your device and gives you up to 35 hours of playback which is average, The case is a real nice touch with its rubber texture and shape and it fits nicely in the hand or pocket and by no means bulky its literally a similar size to an egg but flattened on two sides and to top it off it comes with a nice leather strap.
Inside we get all the extras we expect but I would like to see sudio partner up with Comply foam as their tips are now widely used and a better fit for all, There is nothing wrong with the earbuds you get extra sizes but having comply foam on board would sweeten the deal for me.
Pairing is a simple process,once out they are in pairing mode you just find Sudio Tolv on your device and you are good to go. On two occasions I lost connection the left ear which was odd but this can happen anytime to any earbud,dropouts are not uncommon.
The controls are easy to use and to navigate blindly after a few minutes use you will have no issues to control the earbuds as both sides have functions. You also get your virtual assistant here too and this works all time with no issues.
When it comes to sound is where it matters for most but another thing I would like Sudio to do is build their own EQ app and these earbuds do not have apt-x but overall the sound is good and better than their first set of earbuds with bass in particular and mids.lows and highs came through crisp and clear and overall a great balance in sound but an app with an EQ option would really make them shine even more, You can use a third party app or if your device has an EQ on it but like I say for many their own app would seal the deal even more with support like that.Phone calls are also great and you get sound in both sides,not just one which is a great advantage. Also no lag latency seen here with my usual tests.
Specs
– Features a graphene driver for enhanced sound clarity
– Automatic pairing between earbuds and device
– Features a microphone on both earbuds
– Features a single, multipurpose button on each earbud to control music/phone calls
– Weighs 4.5 grams per earbud
GET AT 15% DISCOUNT USING THE CODE ( techbuzzirelandsudio)
The Google Pixel 3a is what i will call the disruptor device with what’s on offer for its pricepoint which is mainly the camera, The camera is what people tend to look out for but its not all about the camera either as a whole, Given its chomped down some internals its a phone worth its money with a smashing camera and one to let others take note and gives it the best contender spot in the mid-range section.
OK.. I have a gripe with the build quality that’s because I am more suited to better built phones but you can let go of some of that with a case as most people will buy and not only that you will add some weight to the phone as it is very light but get the right case you are sorted and you are protected as the polycarbonate shell will only take so much.
Most of us folk today seek a great camera and google uses computational photography and it is simply the best. OK we have a race now to has the most cameras on board when we just want to point and shoot and get a result the 3a does this and its night sight again is unbeatable. So for all the people saying it has only ONE camera lens…. Give it a rest.
You can argue the competition has more cameras but look at the price the time has come for 1000 euro plus phones to die there is simply no need for it anymore. The P30 pro for example and the Nokia 9 pureview are two examples here which annoys me greatly. We want to take a photo and share it,not sit around with settings and fiddling afterwards with post processing look at the price difference between those two devices and see what gives the better results, Ok the P30 pro is a good phone and not a one trick pony but the price you pay is ridiculous and the same applies to iPhones which for me and always will be an overpriced locked down device lacking customisation.
Battery life for the 3a is pretty good however with me being a power user and I mean a power user not like some claim they are I live on my phone night and day for work and personal use and sometimes use two phones to keep work and personal use seperate so for the testing period I threw it all at the Pixel3a and I might get to 5pm in the evening from 8am in the morning and then I need to charge up again, On weekends easily two days as I stay away from most things I do during the week for downtime and family time so for the average user two days is possible here.
Multitasking is no problem on this device,, Again being a poweruser with some 30 apps on board,my wordpress etc it jogged on no problem for my personal use and media consumption is pleasant given its a smaller screen, The 3a actually is the perfect sized device given I have come custom to using bigger devices I have trimmed down and like it mainly for one handed use I am quite happy to use smaller phones so this and my blackberry key 2 which has the smallest screen I have used are enough even for watching youtube or Netflix.
OK it is better on bigger phones I cant argue there but its a trade off I can accept especially when carrying such in your pocket but I will get the Pixel 3a XL and see due to its polycarbonate build it will be lighter and at times I thought I had left my phone at home the Pixel 3a is that light, that can be a bad or good thing with some. On a side note one thing I noticed I was able to get a better signal with the Pixel 3a than other phones I own and this is a good thing for those on the go who rely on their smartphone for work or business.
The 3a looks boring I will just get that up front it has bezels which many manufacturers are shying away from but you don’t judge a book by its cover what it offers underneath the hood for its price point is what matters if you can live with bezels and a boring design it follows on from its older siblings but delivers pretty much else on everything else and its got great speakers which is something I am a fan of but they could have been front firing.
The OS is pure and I have been using the 3a on Android 10 beta 3 and it has been fine, You can customise your device to your hearts content with a pretty easy to follow menu system and no skin on top nor operator rubbish which thankfully seems to be a thing of the past aside their own apps if you buy it from a provider.
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Another gripe some might find is the storage element with just 64GB on board and no option to expand but you do get cloud storage but for those shooting in 4K is where they might run into trouble later down the road it might leave you limited but not a huge deal for most I think.
Overall I have grown to like the Pixel 3a despite the few shortcomings and where Google has traded off here they have disrupted the norm in that department where corners are cut to get the price down and it certainly opens the door to cheaper better phones which is a trend these days but when it comes to the camera nothing under 500 lids comes near it yet, The performance is also good overall and if you are in the market for a new smartphone not laced with junk and want a good point and shoot camera this is one you need to check out..
Paradyn noted an increased demand for improved network connectivity amongst its customers, as businesses utilise a growing number of cloud-based applications. Traditional networks are unable to maintain the strong speeds and optimised connectivity required to facilitate the growth of cloud computing. Scaling legacy network solutions to overcome this challenge is time-consuming and costly. Paradyn designed its SD-WAN service as a cost-effective alternative which can deliver a high-speed, secure, and reliable connection across multiple locations.
Paradyn’s new service can cut businesses’ wide-area network costs by up to half in comparison to traditional configurations. Automated network changes reduce the number of people required for installation, management and support, with specialist hardware no longer needed, and a range of efficiencies stemming from improved performance all contributing to lower network costs.
Several of Paradyn’s customers are already piloting the technology and there is particular interest amongst companies who prioritise data security. Paradyn has built in security across every aspect of the service, including a range of managed security features. Connections to a company’s network made remotely and across different office locations can all be managed and secured centrally. This also enables users to easily define, implement and manage network policies that make the most sense for each location, with the deployment of policy changes reduced from a matter of months to days.
Cillian McCarthy, CEO, Paradyn, said: “At Paradyn, we receive consistent feedback from customers that connectivity speeds and consequent sub-optimal application performance are some of the greatest barriers to their digital transformation projects. SD-WAN can overcome these challenges seamlessly and we’re thrilled to bring to the market a managed network solution that will greatly enhance our customers digital experience.
Cillian McCarthy, CEO, Paradyn
“Now is the perfect time for businesses who need to connect multiple locations to consider how to do so in the most efficient and cost-effective way. While there are many significant benefits to SD-WAN, there are also many elements at play and many decisions to be made which can make adoption seem complex. That’s where a managed service provider like Paradyn comes in. We can manage every aspect according to the customer’s needs, with all the work taking place in the background so end-users can simply enjoy a seamless experience with all applications and services working exactly as intended.”
Pocketalk™, the portable, AI-powered instant voice translation device, is coming to the UK to empower travellers to converse quickly and easily with people in a multitude of languages. With the ability to translate 74 different languages bidirectionally, Pocketalk makes it easy for users to understand others and be understood by others. The Global SIM embedded, “Built-in Data” model is available with two years of all-you-can-use mobile data coverage in 128 countries and regions. Pocketalk “Built-in Data” model is available on Amazon for £259.00.
The winner of the ‘Innovation Award in Mobile Computing’ at IFA 2018, Pocketalk allows people to converse naturally, not just in stilted statements or phrases and with no dictionary in sight. Small and compact, the device comfortably fits in the pocket, so it can be taken anywhere, eradicating the need to pass a smartphone back and forth.
Designed with simplicity in mind, Pocketalk combines the best speech-to-text, translation and text-to-speech engines from around the world. Using Wi-Fi, mobile data or a personal hotspot to connect to the internet, Pocketalk is able to provide the most accurate translations possible with a push of a button. It uses the most robust language engines and cutting-edge cloud technologies for highly accurate translations.
Unlike many smartphones, Pocketalk comes with dedicated dual noise-cancelling microphones to pick up every word even in noisy environments making it perfect for use outdoors or in restaurants, train stations or airports. Additionally, whilst having no lag time and a simpler interface than a smartphone, users no longer have to waste the battery on their phone to use it. Pocketalk has around seven hours of battery life whilst being used intermittently or around five hours if it is in constant use. There is also the option to put the device into sleep mode to preserve up to 10 days battery life with the touch of a button.
Noriyuki Matsuda, CEO and founder of master company Sourcenext, stated, “The need to connect cultures and make the world feel a little smaller is stronger than ever and that’s exactly our goal with this device. We developed Pocketalk to help people of all backgrounds providing them with an instant open line of communication and foster a mutual understanding and respect among different cultures. When you have the right tools, language is a gateway and not a barrier.”
With its easy-to-use interface, Pocketalk is a great device for people who are constantly travelling, working with colleagues of different nationalities or those who wish to fully immerse themselves in a country’s culture. The device is available in white, black and gold with its own global sim for two years so, unlike with mobile data on a phone, there are no hidden charges.
The Pocketalk two-way voice translation device is available with a two year global sim for £259.00 from Amazon UK and $299.00 from Amazon US.
Protecting your vehicle against cybersecurity attacks is surprisingly painless — if you know where to begin. In order to protect yourself against a potential car hacker, you need to think like a hacker — which starts with knowing your car’s vulnerabilities. Points of entry can include your entertainment system, keyless entry remote, and even USB ports.
Once a hacker has gained control of one or more of your car’s electronic control units, they can control anything from basic dashboard functions to the engine and brakes. Thankfully, this isn’t common — but it is possible, as demonstrated in 2015 by white-hat hackers.
Want to learn more? This animated infographic outlines five different ways a car can be hacked and steps you can take to protect your ride.
It’s taken little more than a decade for smartphones to become indispensable. Since the initial explosion in the UK in 2008, smartphone ownership has risen from 18% to 78%, as high as 95% among 16-24 year-olds. 40% of adults look at their phone within five minutes of waking up; they’re a fundamental part of orientating ourselves to go about our day.
We rely on our smartphones to keep us connected to work, family and friends – so why do we accept their consistently inconsistent connectivity on the train, in the office, or waiting in line to grab our lunch? Ofcom’s 2018 Connected Nationsreport found that almost one in every four buildings (23%) endures poor 4G from all network providers. Vilicom’s own research suggests that poor connectivity is affecting up to 1.6m businesses with 83% of employees struggling to secure full-bar coverage.
This is an alarming threat to business reputation and profit margins, as well as an obstacle to procuring talent, as both customers and staff wrestle with the frustrations of securing mobile coverage. Businesses haven’t had to solve this issue independently before, and so most simply aren’t prepared to overcome the obstacles in providing extensive, high-quality mobile data in their own buildings.
Businesses need professional advice on how to get full bar mobile signal if they’re to make a significant change to their employee and/or customer experiences. However, their inexperience is often exacerbated by a lack of guidance on effectively addressing the problem with businesses not knowing where to turn . Vilicom’s own research shows that 19% of businesses in the UK have tried and failed to deploy an indoor coverage solution because they couldn’t find a provider or had no idea where to start looking for help.
Fortunately, there are some simple steps organisations can take to help them keep productivity and revenues high.
Construction
Businesses first need to examine their own premises. Old buildings are made up of brick, concrete and/or stone, all of which are notorious mobile signal blockers. On top of this, if many such buildings are packed into a dense urban area, it becomes even more difficult to secure consistent mobile signal from the outside.
Some new builds are designed with mobile signal in mind, but many face similar issues. Health and safety requirements, and standardisation for qualities like soundproofing or energy efficiency, create buildings designed to let as little energy in or out of the building as possible. While modern insulation and building techniques further heighten the difficulty that mobile signal has in effectively penetrating them.
It’s often assumed that changing network provider is a panacea for mobile coverage. However, when it comes to buildings that aren’t conducive to mobile penetration, it makes little difference, as the same signal from a different tower will likely have the same result. Reconstruction to address this is both a massive logistical burden and extremely expensive, or a business might be renting office space, and this isn’t an option anyway.
As a result, if businesses can’t make a change externally, they need to look at internal solutions and eliminate the solutions that don’t suit them.
Elimination
Many organisations may immediately think that Wi-Fi is the answer. It’s easy to set up andaccessible to anyone familiar with technology. For a family home it may be the best solution, but conventional Wi-Fi isn’t the best option for businesses that need to have good connectivity for their voice and data.users i.e. those that need to make mobile calls and use smartphone apps often on different devices.
Modern enterprises rely on software that demands consistent connectivity at high speeds whether on the move or in the office. Wi-Fi usually struggles to match enterprise speeds and network reliability is often variable.However, it will still lack the national reach of data coverage and requires users to navigate cumbersome processes such as password barriers and often leads to frustrated users attempting to circumvent performance problems due often to these systems not being dimensioned correctly for the right capacity. This can manifest in estremely erratic connectivity, sometimes good, but sometimes bad , depending on user numbers and user profile.
Wi-FI password portals have been a concern for IT security departments for many years.; a Wi-Fi password can be obtained simply by asking at reception, and the accessibility of Wi-Fi networks to malicious operators is well established. For businesses that value their cybersecurity, Wi-Fi is a weak link.
Resolution
A dedicated internal mobile network addresses all indoor mobile coverage problems, offering comprehensive security alongside far greater capacity and consistency. This sort of hardware used to be available from network providers, but the diversification of the mobile market means it’s simply no longer financially or logistically viable.
Network-neutral specialist system integrators are now filling this gap, providing the equipment that businesses need to guarantee signal for mobile devices regardless of their choice of operator. Employees in offices benefit from vastly improved mobile signal, as do customers and visitors to commercial premises.
For example, a financial trading firm approached us after renting a floor in a shared workspace building without considering indoor mobile coverage before they committed. This was despite the fact that they spend 99% of their time on their mobile devices to do business. They soon found they had poor network coverage, impacting the volume of trades they could convert, and so we installed a high-performance coverage system throughout the office within weeks to rectify this.
Indoor mobile coverage solutions have huge potential to save businesses money, confusion and frustration. The time is now to revolutionise connectivity and reap the commercial benefits. All that is required is to share some simple information such as a building’s landscape and nature of business with a specialised systems integrator today, tobe safe in the knowledge that a secure reliable solution indoor mobile coverage is in place with minimal fuss.
With Father’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about what your old man wants! Gone are the days of Dads who enjoy socks and aftershave. Whether he’s an outdoor adventurer, a fitness-fanatic, a minimalist or just an all-round cool Dad, Speckhas got you covered this Father’s Day!
COOL DADDY
This Father’s Day, unleash your Dad’s inner style icon with a SpeckGrabTab! With over 90 unique GrabTab designs to choose from, there’s a print to suit every Dad’s style. GrabTab is a slim grip-assist accessory that provides a secure hold on your device without adding extra bulk or impeding wireless charging. As dynamic as it is cool, it even doubles up as a phone stand, which is handy for on-the-go entertainment.
Some Dads enjoy the subtle, more refined things in life… If this sounds like your Dad, the Presidio Stay Clear from Speck is ideal. This dual-layer phone case features a newly developed innovative coating that safeguards against yellowing and discoloration caused by UV rays and oils. Speck’s IMPACTIUM Clear shock-absorbing material will also help to protect Dads phone against drops of up to 2.4 meters.
Eat, Sleep, Gym, Repeat!
If your Dad is a fitness buff, or always planning his next marathon, why not gift him the Presidio SPORT or Presidio PRO case? Not only do these case have 3 layers of protection for drops of up to 3 meters – they also have an anti-microbial coating. This prevents the growth of bacteria and staining on the case when setting it down to time sets or throwing it into gym bags.
Outdoor Adventurer
For Dads that never seem to lose their flair for the outdoors, the Presidio ULTRA Case is perfect! It has four layers of protection for drops of up to 4.5 meters. And if this wasn’t enough, it also has 360-degree port protection, a removable front bumper, and a holster clip for attachment onto belts, bags – you name it! This clip also doubles up as a phone stand. For Dads who love to hike, run, or cycle in the great outdoors, this case will go down a treat!
