Flexible working in Ireland boosts demand for Avaya communications solutions in the cloud. #Avaya #Cloud

Partners of Avaya Holdings Corp in Ireland have over the past 6 months signed more than twice the number of Powered by Avaya IXseats for unified communications than were signed in the first six months after the product’s launch in February 2018. This represents thousands of cloud seats being taken up by Irish businesses over the past half year alone. Avaya currently has 3.7 million cloud seats between its public and private offerings globally.

Demand for cloud-based communications comes as businesses are increasingly seeing demand from Irish employees for more flexible and remote working options. The job search engineIndeed revealed recently that the number of Irish people searching for jobs using the term ‘remote working’ surged 171 percent in 2017.

David Flood, Managing Director of Avaya Ireland, said: “It’s not just employees that are calling for the move to the cloud.  Businesses are also increasingly recognising the advantages of cloud-based working, including the growth of robust network infrastructure that underpins and facilitates remote working in Ireland and the savings that can be made through migration to cloud-based networks.”

The growth in cloud adoption strengthens Avaya’s lead in the Irish market. According to MZA Consultants’ report of the Irish Contact Centre Market, Avaya accounts for 91% of the market for contact centres with more than 100 agents.

Along with a long roster of Small to Medium Enterprise customers (SMEs), Avaya Ireland works with the country’s leading banks, emergency services, education institutions, government departments and global technology and pharmaceutical companies.

All of these organisations are looking to modernise their contact centre platforms and move to a more omnichannel environment to reflect consumers growing expectations of a seamless purchasing and customer experience.

The uptake in cloud adoption can in large part be attributed to the efforts of Avaya’s partner community that have been enabled by Avaya to build out competitive cloud offerings. The country’s largest operators, including BT, eir and Vodafone, are Avaya partners, along with a community of channel partners that includes Capstone, Damovo, Kaptec, Maintel, Telcom, WellTel and Rainbow Communications. The community has been expanded with a recent surge of regional-based partners, including Conversation Piece and Ripplecom, who have helped cloud penetration for organisations in locations outside Ireland’s main urban areas.

The successful growth in cloud adoption in the region, and its importance in developing Avaya’s market-leading contact centre technology are key reasons why Ireland was chosen as the location to host the 53rd Partner Community Council (PCC) Conference. For over 25 years, the Avaya PCC has been the best forum for authorised partners to engage with Avaya. A strong alliance of more than 1,500 members, the PCC has driven changes that have had a positive impact on sales and support tools, solution initiatives, services policies and more. Self-funded, partner-led and manufacturer-sanctioned, the PCC is a rare type of organisation which gives Avaya partners the ability to lead the conversation and improve their ease of doing business with the company.

Speaking from the conference, Flood said: “We’ve seen a growing trend among Ireland’s SMEs to consume contact centre services in an OPEX model. Avaya’s cloud solutions, especially

Powered by Avaya IX, are giving them the agility they need to succeed. On the other end of the spectrum, the public sector in Ireland, especially in health services, is making a committed move to use more digital channels to engage with citizens. Conferences like the PCC ensure Avaya is constantly improving its dealings with partners to make sure both SME and large scale public sector implementations with Avaya an easy choice.”

 Arnold Berends, PCC EMEA Chairman and Senior Sales Consultant at Dimension Data added, “The PCC is going from strength to strength and the conference is reflective of Avaya’s unique and extremely robust relationship with its partners. There really is no better way for new business partners and attendees to network with Avaya experts and collaborate on the best ways to serve the market.”

Avaya customers in Ireland will have a chance to explore the latest technological innovations from Avaya and ecosystem partners at Experience Avaya Dublin, the premier event for the future of intelligent communications and its impact on digital transformation, taking place May 2nd , 2019.

Avaya celebrates the graduation of the Avaya Academy Class of 2019 #Avaya #Tech #Cloud

Avaya today celebrated the graduation of the Avaya Academy Class of 2019. The 17 graduates, who have trained in Avaya’s market-leading training program for six months, filled various roles across the EMEA and APAC regions, supporting the company’s Sales, Engineering and Marketing organizations. They now enter the Avaya workforce as fully fledged employees ready to challenge their surroundings and contribute to Avaya’s continuing success as the leading global provider of innovative communications software solutions.

“I welcome our new recruits into the Avaya workforce, and thank them with all my heart for entrusting us with their future. Over the last six months, these 17 talented men and women have already made an impression on everyone who has worked with them, and I’m truly excited about the passion, determination and raw ability that they will bring to bear at Avaya,” said Nidal Abou-Ltaif, President, Avaya International.

Now in its second year, the Avaya Academy is an immersive development program for new hires in customer-facing functions that helps individuals enter the field with exceptional training, advanced industry knowledge, and a customer-focused mindset that will propel the company and its partners into the future.

3fivetwo Group receives multi-million growth capital investment from 57 Stars and Foresight Group. #Healthcare

Northern Ireland’s largest private healthcare group, the 3fivetwo Group, has secured a multi-million pound investment from a new fund dedicated to investing in Northern Ireland.

The fund, created by US-based 57 Stars LLC and leading UK SME investor Foresight Group, will be used to provide additional capacity, including beds and laminar flow theatres, at 3fivetwo’s Kingsbridge hospitals in Belfast and Sligo.

The investment will also enable the provision of more services in imaging, orthopaedics and specialist services. such as cardiac surgery, and the expansion of medical training and optometry services through acquisition and partnership.

57 Stars, a boutique independent asset manager, is partnered in the investment with Foresight, one of UK’s longest-standing private equity investment houses, who will manage the new fund locally.The investors, who will be seeking to support other ambitious small and medium sized businesses operating in Northern Ireland, will be taking a minority stake in 3fivetwo Group and both funds will be represented on the board of directors.

3fivetwo is the only private healthcare group on the island of Ireland to have hospitals in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as a presence in London.

Suresh Tharma, joint CEO, said: “57 Stars and Foresight believe in our vision and support our aspiration to be a world leading healthcare company. We realised that our goals were aligned from an early stage and we are immensely proud of the faith they have shown in us.

“They want to make a return on their investment for their investors, naturally, but they also want to make a difference to the lives of the people of Ireland in the process. Our plans are ambitious and set a path for achieving both objectives.”

Bernard C. McGuire Jr, Managing Director of 57 Stars, said: “As the private healthcare leader in Northern Ireland, 3fivetwo has built an institutional foundation for the future and is well positioned to complement the public healthcare sector as part of the solution for long hospital waiting lists.

“3fivetwo boasts a high-quality management team and a company-wide focus on service delivery to patients and 57 Stars is excited to be making a long-term growth equity investment to further enhance the Group’s capabilities and enable it to take advantage of multiple new opportunities.”

 

Chris Wardle, Senior Investment Manager at Foresight, said: “3fivetwo Group has a unique proposition with an entrepreneurial management team who have proven their ability to identify and address exciting opportunities, while improving the lives of thousands.

“Foresight has a long history of regional investing in the UK and Ireland to support SMEs to achieve ambitious goals and our new partnership with 57 Stars helps us continue to do this in the dynamic Northern Irish market.

“The new fund will be targeting both growth capital and majority stake investments in businesses with a material presence in the region, primarily supporting companies that generate EBITDA in excess of £1m.”

The transaction was brokered by corporate finance experts HNH Group. Director Craig Holmes said they were delighted to act for 57 Stars on the transaction, which connects US funding to one of Northern Ireland’s leading companies and is a significant development for the local market.

“Attracting US investment into a NI-based Company indicates further confidence in our local private sector and talent pool,” he said. “This investment will strategically enhance 3fivetwo’s offering and fund further growth opportunities across their markets.”

Ashok Songra, joint CEO of 3fivetwo Group, added: “Our ambitions are to extend our reach by providing 5-star medical services beyond this island to the rest of the UK and other parts of the world.

“57 Stars and Foresight are ideally placed to assist with the scaling up of our business and to open new opportunities which will help us exceed our goals. We have bonded very quickly as a team and look forward immensely to the journey ahead.”

Adrian Doran, Head of Corporate Banking for Barclays in Northern Ireland, said: “We have been 3fivetwo’s banking partners since 2011 and we are excited by the prospect of the next stage of their development.

“Attracting a multi-million-pound investment from a prestigious US fund such as 57 Stars, together with on the ground support from one of the UK’s leading private equity firms, gives a tremendous platform for future growth.”

3fivetwo were advised by A&L Goodbody, KPMG and Baker Tilly Mooney Moore. 57 Stars and Foresight were advised by Tughans, HNH Group, Luminii Consulting, Catalysis Advisory and Vista Insurance Brokers.

Unboxing and Review – The Edifier R1850DB Bookshelf speakers. #Edifier #Tech #Audio #Speakers

Following up from our XM3BT review we have the Edifier R1850 DB bookshelf speakers which are a real treat for those who like such and there is lots. These are quite heavy compared to the norm which means quality and that they are and they also look modern and pack a punch when it comes to sound, these also support Optical which in my opinion is great for a TV or gaming set up and of course we can just use the standard bluetooth, you have choices here.

You get a robust set of speakers just to start with and one thing notable is the long cable supplied to give you some great distance between the two I find many speaker manufacturers with cabled connection fall short here with distance limiting the experience in my book when it comes to giving a surround sound effect rather than pointed one direction.

Again the covers can be removed from the speakers for those who like them naked I kinda like them both ways so I have the choice to cover up or show it off, On the main speaker we have three quality dials this time for bass,treble and volume and the volume and all three are plenty aloud delivering you will see more in the video below. We have AUX ,RCA OPTICAL and COAX and of course bluetooth connection options so no shortage there apart from USB/SD support and will work with most peoples setups, I have several scenarios I can pick from so these suit well for me and I am sure for most.

Asides looking good they sound great across all sound stages and genres with great bass and treble to play with and decent volume loudness too which is important for me as I like it loud just like my headphones  For the price you pay here you cant really go wrong and you will certainly be pleased with what you hear. Also not to forget this time around you get a nicely shaped remote control too which makes life that bit easier.

  • INPUTS – RCA/Aux, Optical/Coaxial, Bluetooth for convenience
  • TREBLE/BASS CONTROL, SUB-LINE OUT – Adjust bass, treble, volume and toggle inputs on rear panel.
  • WIRELESS REMOTE – Handy compact remote control for input selection, volume adjustment and track control for Bluetooth devices.

BUY HERE

 

Unboxing and Review – The Edifier XM3BT Multimedia speakers. #Edifier #Tech #Audio #Speakers

Edifier have a serious range of Bluetooth speakers and from what we have tried so far they all deliver on the most important aspect which is sound and to throw some more goodness in they deliver on build quality too and style no matter what shape or form they come in.

We have two sets in for review and the first set is the XM3BT multimedia speakers. These come with an FM tuner  built in and are made with MDF and also have some nice lights on board which is something we don’t see too often these days.

These are well built solid and have a removable cover on the speakers for those who like to bare it all, this does not have a remote which I found odd but not a big deal, the beauty with these is the i/o factor as you will see in the video review below.

There is four buttons on the side of the central woofer and the satellite speakers have no functionality at all only sound and they emit an Orange light. The last of the 4 buttons gives you the option to change your source which is AUX/Line in /Bluetooth and Radio. You do have the options there to use SD cards and USB which is great to have and the speaker will play these directly.There is also two master controls high quality made dials for volume and bass and yes there is good bass folks trust me…

The overall sound here is what you want to know and I can tell you it delivers with all genres high and low volume it will shake those floorboards or press or where ever you have it situated and be pleasure on the ears no matter the soundstage. The only gripe I have is the omission of a remote control but you can look at that another way and stop being lazy and get up and change it yourself.

  • POWER OUTPUT :R/L: 8W+8W SW: 22W
  • SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO :R/L: ≥85dB(A) SW: ≥80dB/li>
  • FREQUENCY RESPONSE :R/L: 150 – 20,000 Hz SW: 50 – 180 Hz
  • BASS UNIT :5 1⁄4 – inch (148mm)
  • MID-RANGE + TREBLE UNIT:3 1⁄2 – inch (88mm) x 2
  • WEIGHT:5.31kg

BUY 

First Look – D-Link indoor/outdoor wireless home security system. #cctv #security #DLink

Another home security system has dropped in and once more this one is totally wireless which is ideal for the average consumer. This will not require any technical knowledge to install or set up and this package comes with two cameras and base station pretty like most out there on the market today.. Of course this comes with its own free app on Android and iOS.

This is a first look and we will have our full review soon on how it works and whats involved with this kit and we will have samples of how it performs overall and we look forward to checking it out. Any questions as always feel free to ask below or on our social channels.

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Sony Mobile Ireland launches Sony Xperia 10 Cinema. #Xperia10Cinema #SpiderManFarFromHome

Sony Mobile Ireland  is inviting families across Ireland to visit the Sony Xperia 10 Cinema for a chance to win the ultimate Spider-Man experience in London. Located in the Eir store at 37 Henry Street, the Sony Xperia 10 Cinema is a fit-to-scale movie theatre experience, showcasing the latest technology in mobile innovation. A second Sony Xperia 10 Cinema will also be on display in the Three store on Grafton Street, starting 1st May.

Featuring the 21:9 ultimate wide display ratio, Sony’s Xperia 10 smartphone offers edge-to-edge entertainment in a sleek and slender hand-fit design, perfect for bringing the movie viewing experience from the big screen straight into your hands. The Sony Xperia 10 Cinema will also offer a sneak-peak of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME, only in cinemas from July 3rd.

To celebrate the Xperia 10’s 21:9 ratio experience and the upcoming release of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME, enter for your chance to be the superhero of your family and save the day with a getaway they will never forget. For a family of four, the prize includes return flights and family room at a 4-star hotel in London, a 24-hour London City bus tour, tickets to the Tower Bridge experience and a private 2-hour Spider-Man inspired stunt workshop.

Step-by-step instructions for your chance to win below. The competition will run from today, 12th April until 31st May.  Good luck and remember “with great power, comes great responsibility.”

 The Sony Xperia 10 is available to buy at Eir and Three stores nationwide now and retails from free on a €39.99 bill pay tariff or €299.99 on prepay.

We are currently testing out both the Xperia 10 and L3 you can see the first look HERE and check our You Tube Channel HERE for some video and camera footage so far. So far I am very impressed with the Xperia 10 with what’s on offer for its price and the camera is certainly good and it is a good performer all round.

ENTRY INSTRUCTIONS:

1)    Visit the Sony Xperia 10 Cinema located in the Eir store at 37 Henry Street and Three Grafton Street from 1st May.

2)    Take a photo of yourself with the Sony Xperia 10 Cinema.

3)    Post the photo on Twitter or Instagram tagging @sonyxperiaie and using both hashtags #Xperia10Cinema and #SpiderManFarFromHome in the post.

4)    You’re now in the draw to win a weekend away for a family of four in London for three nights, to celebrate the release of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME, in cinemas from July 3rd.

For a full list of prize T’s and C’s click here.

Why sovereign public cloud is a game changer for the UK public sector and the citizens it serves

By Chris Huggett, Senior Vice President, EMEA & India at Sungard AS..

Spending £100m an hour or £28,000/second, is an immense responsibility for the public sector. How it chooses to distribute an approximately £817 billion annual budget impacts everyone living in the UK. Deciding how to squeeze out every bit of value is crucial, and wrong decisions will be mercilessly scrutinised by the media and electorate. Up until recently, most decisions have been made without the use of new technology such as machine learning and AI, powered by the public cloud, which the commercial sector has been doing for a decade. This has been due to the legal limitations of using sensitive data in such clouds.  This is changing, however, and the public sector now has access to the public cloud to process and store an increasing amount of its data. Providing a platform on which to better manage and use information will create a launchpad for innovation within the public sector. It’s an opportunity that will fundamentally improve the sector’s ability to provide services to UK citizens.

Chris Huggett, Senior Vice President, EMEA & India at Sungard AS

But there’s one more, big hurdle to get over and that is one of trust. Data-savvy citizens and the demand for more transparency have choked the public sector’s ability to capitalise upon the opportunities that public cloud can offer. We expect, even demand, the public sector to be incredibly diligent with our data. Unsurprisingly there is legislation in place to ensure that data with a level of sensitivity is both properly protected and kept sovereign by virtue of it remaining within the UK and only accessible by British citizens.

The introduction of new sovereign public cloud services like our own that allow the public sector to store Sensitive and Official Sensitive data on the public cloud is removing that hurdle. Providing the public sector with the ability to capitalise upon a secure, legally compliant public cloud means it can innovate at the same pace as industry and drives better decision making. Put into practice, these things could have huge benefits across the public sector.

The big decisions

Organisations with access to broader, larger data sets can make better decisions and all of this can be handled much more affordably in the public cloud. Decision-making processes such as where to build roads, hospitals and schools, through to identifying where to increase policing levels, even military deployments, can rapidly take into account a huge variety of disparate data. This creates insights that simply cannot be derived any other way in an acceptable timeframe or at acceptable cost. Ultimately, this can make the UK safer, better educated and healthier.

Who’s driving my car?

The information stored by the DVLA includes a huge amount of confidential data about the UK’s population and on the nation’s vehicles. With 8,500 cameras recording approximately 35 million number plates every day the possibility exists of being able to more quickly identify the location of a stolen vehicle. However, using techniques similar to the way banks identify fraudulent transactions, combining known data about the vehicle’s owner, other insured drivers and the vehicle’s information and location, it may be possible to identify a possible theft having happened even before the owner realises it has taken place. Imagine how that could reduce car thefts and lower insurance premiums?

Prevention not cure

The ability to look at diverse data sets, including sensitive patient data, could unleash a revolution in healthcare enabling advanced preventative medicine. Taking into account what the NHS already knows about its patients and adding it to other data such as that from the increasing adoption of wearable tech, we are approaching the point of being able to identify possible health scares for citizens with a considerable level of accuracy. The impact on the population and possible cost savings for the ever-strained NHS are considerable.

There is so much value to be gleaned from the huge volume of data that the public sector holds that could have an incredibly positive societal impact. This is just the tip of a very big iceberg that is increasingly visible thanks to new sovereign public cloud technologies.

 

Guest post. – 12 best apps for tracking health and fitness. #Apps #Fitness #Tracking

If you made some New Year’s resolution promises that you aren’t quite keeping up with, don’t worry — you’re not alone. In fact, 73% of adults fail at their fitness goals. Whether you decided to lose weight, exercise more, or eat healthier foods, it’s never too late to get back on track.

You don’t need a personal trainer or an expensive gym membership to live your healthiest life. Technology has made it easier than ever to get in shape, mainly through smartphone apps and wearable fitness trackers.

It’s now easier than ever to incorporate fitness into your everyday life. Since the latest and greatest technology is always changing, we wanted to know what the best, most up-to-date health apps were. This infographic sent to us from Bestow, which compares 2019’s 12 best apps for tracking health and fitness.

Author bio: Bestow is a smarter approach to life insurance using big data and technology to bring simple and affordable coverage to everyone.