Tag: Android

Munchd takes on Just Eat and Uber Eats with launch of new mobile app

Munchd, the disruptive online food ordering platform committed to empowering local takeaways and restaurants to save money, which launched in February 2024, has announced the launch of its highly anticipated mobile app for both iOS and Android devices. 

This custom-built app, developed over the past year alongside the expert digital team in award-winning, Dundalk based marketing agency ZOMA, marks a significant milestone for Munchd, and is poised to disrupt the food ordering industry, providing a direct and compelling alternative to established giants like Just Eat and Uber Eats.

Building on Munchd’s core mission of supporting local businesses, the app offers a seamless and convenient ordering experience for customers while maintaining its groundbreaking 1% commission model for restaurants.Typically the larger competitors charge 10% – 30% commission. Munchd’s unique approach allows takeaways and restaurants maximise their profits, reinvest in their businesses, and offer more competitive prices to consumers.

The Munchd app brings a wealth of features to users, including effortless browsing of a diverse selection of local restaurants and takeaways all in one convenient location. Users can enjoy streamlined ordering, placing orders quickly and easily with an intuitive and user-friendly interface. The app also provides access to exclusive deals, a loyalty program, and promotions available only through the app.

Since its launch in early 2024, Munchd’s prototype app has achieved an impressive turnover of nearly €2 million, highlighting its rapid growth and strong market demand. One of the demo takeaways on the Munchd platform managed to save over €100,000 on fees in 2024, which highlights the cost savings that takeaways and restaurants can achieve by switching to Munchd. 

“The launch of the Munchd app is a game-changer for the food industry,” said David Kieran, Managing Director of Munchd. “For over a year, we’ve been dedicated to developing a platform that truly benefits both restaurants and customers. This app represents the culmination of that hard work, offering a superior ordering experience while staying true to our commitment of 1% commission for restaurants. We believe this will level the playing field, help the already struggling hospitality sector and allow food businesses to thrive and give consumers more choice and better value.”

The Munchd app is now available for download on iOS and Android devices. Customers can download the app from the App Store and Google Play Store by searching for “Munchd”, or visiting www.munchd.io.

Restaurants and takeaways interested in joining the Munchd platform and benefiting from the 1% commission model can visit http://www.munchd.io/join for more information.

Jabra launches the PanaCast 40 VBS: the first 180° Android-powered video bar designed for small rooms

Today, Jabra, the world’s leading professional audio brand, announces the launch of the PanaCast 40 VBS, the only Android-powered video bar designed specifically for small meeting rooms that captures the entire room with 180-degree FoV. This latest innovation builds on the success of Jabra’s PanaCast 50 VBS, bringing the same powerful performance to smaller spaces in a more compact and cost-effective package.

As more organisations transition back to the office and hybrid work environments become the norm, the demand for efficient small meeting space solutions continues to grow. These spaces often pose unique challenges for video collaboration. Traditional solutions often struggle to capture all participants equally, particularly those seated closer to the screen, while some lack video conferencing equipment altogether. This imbalance can result in empty meeting rooms and gaps in communication, highlighting the need for solutions that provide clear, inclusive experiences for everyone, regardless of location.

The PanaCast 40 VBS bridges this gap by delivering an all-in-one solution that transforms small meeting rooms into high-performing collaboration hubs. With its wide field of view, exceptional audio quality, and seamless usability, the PanaCast 40 VBS ensures every participant is seen and heard clearly, enabling organisations to fully utilise their small spaces and bring collaboration to new heights.

Redefining collaboration for small spaces

Globally, less than 3% of huddle rooms are video enabled*, leaving millions of small meeting spaces underutilised and underserved. The PanaCast 40 VBS addresses this challenge with its innovative dual-camera systems, delivering a seamless180° field of view through advanced stitching technology. This ensures full room coverage, making every participant clearly visible on video.

The video capabilities are matched by the advanced audio performance, which stems from the GN group-wide unique sound processing capabilities. The sound is powered by a single high-quality speaker and six microphones with adaptive beamforming. Intelligent audio algorithms enhance sound clarity for exceptional voice pickup, so every word is heard clearly and accurately, fostering more natural and engaging virtual interactions and ensuring remote participants feel fully included.

By reimagining what’s possible in a huddle room, the PanaCast 40 VBS transforms a small space into a comfortable collaboration area, allowing facility managers to unlock the full potential of these underutilised spaces.

Designed for ease of use and rapid deployment

Designed with simplicity and ease of use at its core, the PanaCast 40 VBS offers a straightforward installation process—from unboxing to mounting to the first meeting. Its intuitive setup ensures that even first-time customers can get their systems up and running in seconds, making collaboration effortless.

New packaging enhances the deployment experience further by allowing provisioning without the need to remove the product from the box. The design also features easy cable routing, reducing installation time. The PanaCast 40 VBS is ideal for quick and easy installations in small rooms, such as Express Install for Microsoft Teams Rooms.  

It also ensures a consistent and seamless experience for small meeting spaces by sharing many of the same accessories as its medium room counterpart, the PanaCast 50 VBS. This enables simplified operations for administrators and flexibility across different room sizes, making the PanaCast 40 VBS a versatile and efficient solution for modern office needs.

A future-proof investment 

The PanaCast 40 VBS is built to adapt to the evolving needs of modern workplaces, particularly for small Android environments. With its certified compatibility for Android environments, it offers flexibility with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and BYOD deployment options.

To enhance usability and longevity, the PanaCast 40 VBS includes optional accessories such as a touch controller and a detachable faceplate for easy cleaning. It can also be purchased as a bundle, with both the PanaCast 40 VBS and the touch controller included. Furthermore, seamless integration with ecosystem partners ensures a future-proof investment, complemented by up-to-date manageability through Jabra+ software and the reassurance of Jabra Warranty+ services.

Holger Reisinger, SVP Enterprise Video Business Unit at Jabra said: “The modern workplace is undergoing a transformation, with organisations reimagining how their spaces can drive productivity and collaboration. Small rooms, phone booths and huddle spaces are a cornerstone of this evolution, yet they’ve often been overlooked by traditional video solutions. With the PanaCast 40 VBS, we’re addressing this gap by delivering a flexible, intuitive, and future-proof Android solution that empowers teams to collaborate seamlessly, regardless of room size or platform preference.”

Key Features of the PanaCast 40 VBS:

  • Full-room coverage – 180° field-of-view with dual cameras and 4x digital zoom.
  • Superior audio – 1 speaker and 6 microphones, enhanced by intelligent audio algorithms for crystal-clear sound and voice pickup
  • Streamlined setup – New packaging enables provisioning without removing the product from the box.
  • Consistent experience – Shared touch controller and stand with the PanaCast 50 VBS medium room solution for seamless integration across spaces.
  • Effortless installation – Simplified cable routing and protection for easy, clean setup.
  • Flexible deployment – Compatible with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and BYOD setups.
  • PanaCast 40 VBS is an MDEP-based solution (Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform), delivering strengthened security and enhanced meetings experiences
  • Intelligent Meeting Space enables users to personalise and set virtual meeting space boundaries—perfect for open-plan offices or glass-walled rooms.
  • Always up to date – Managed via Jabra+, ensuring the latest features and functionality.
  • Reliability – Backed by Jabra Warranty+ for added peace of mind.
  • Modern design – Clean, professional aesthetic that fits seamlessly into contemporary workspaces.
  • Practical features – Easy-clean cover and ADA compliance for enhanced usability.

Jabra PanaCast 40 VBS will be available from Mid-2025. MSRP $1,499 / £1,310.

Please find out more information at https://www.jabra.com/panacast40vbs.

See our Jabra reviews

BluePoint is A Free Irish Phone App to Combat Plastic Pollution

Created under the EU-funded BluePoint Project, the app leverages cutting-edge technologies to tackle marine plastic waste while fostering innovative solutions.

Co-director of the Centre for Robotics and Intelligent Systems at UL, Professor Gerard Dooly, said the new app, which is available for iPhone and Android, could also create a pathway for recycling plastic pollution collected along Ireland’s 3,172 kilometres of coastline – the longest coastline per head of population in Europe. “Employing drones equipped with sensors, the app leverages cutting-edge technologies such as infrared (IR), multispectral imaging, LiDAR, and artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and locate plastic waste in natural environments, particularly beaches and can scan vast areas to pinpoint the exact locations of plastic debris,” he said.

Prof Dooly said anyone with a suitable camera-equipped drone could scan any area and upload the data and disclosed that commercial partners plan to incorporate the project’s outcomes, using recycled raw materials to drive a circular economy and promote industry-wide sustainability. “In minutes, the BluePoint app identifies pollution hotspots and can even locate items as small as a bottle cap. BluePoint enables communities to keep their coastlines free of plastic pollution, and we can link them up with companies who can commercialise this waste – it’s a win-win for everybody,” he added.

Team member Mr. Jose Alvarez said the app features an intuitive user interface, making it easy for anyone to navigate and contribute to cleanup efforts. “On top of that, BluePoint offers an augmented reality (AR) mode, allowing users to visualise the plastic waste in real-time and better understand its impact on the environment.

Prof Dooly said BluePoint is more than just an app, describing it as a powerful environmental conservation tool. “By engaging the public and providing them with the necessary information and resources, we can collectively make a significant difference in protecting our oceans and beaches.”

BluePoint is available for download on iOS https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/blue-point/id6720749903 and https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glorystats.bluepoint&hl=en_IE

To learn more about the project and how you can get involved, visit  https://www.bluepointproject.eu/the-project.htm.

More tech news

Tech Review – EasySMX game controller

The EasySMX game controller for Android and iOS is a simple gamepad controller to set up and get going and now are a popular piece of tech in stores from what I see alongside game pads.

This might come as a surprise to some but there is no software or official app with the product and key layouts can be done using the controls on the game controller itself.

There is third party apps you can try if you are a bit more into the gaming hacks than me but I take things as they are out of the box.

The build quality is excellent and the ergonomics with it  with excellent key layout and thumbsticks the controls work really well and are well placed and all tactile all round making gaming seamless.

There is a vibration motor built in too making your gaming experience feel that bit more immersive depending on the game of course i how this will react but you can set the limits.

With the tactile keys Hall effects key placement and excellent weight distribution for the money it is not bad, though missing and app and software might  be a caveat for some and it cant be connected to a PC however look at the cost.

EasySMX M15 controls

Main Features:

Full-mechanical tactile buttons:

The M15 features fully mechanical tactile buttons, with a lifespan of up to 5 million clicks. With faster response times and a more comfortable tactile feel, the M15 provides an unparalleled level of consistency and enhances the gaming experience.

More Precision But No Drift

Equipped with a Quadruple Hall Effect Sensor System (Dual Joysticks & Dual Triggers), the M15 boasts superior durability.Not just featuring Hall triggers, the M15 also comes with a rapid trigger function that reduces the cooldown time of game operations, making your gaming experience smoother.

Universal Connectivity & Compatibility

M15 is compatible with Android and iPhone 15 and up series under direct USB-C connection and wired Bluetooth . The M15 features a flexible plug design, allowing the plug angle to be adjusted, which helps protect your phone. Compatible with the latest iOS and Android games to games on different cloud gaming platforms (Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Remote, GeForce NOW and more)

2 Back Paddles and Higher Vibration

The back paddles can be remapped or programmed, allowing gamers to perform additional actions. Upgraded with a high-speed micro vibration motor, the M15 delivers stronger and more refined vibrations. It offers six adjustable levels.( available on streaming games)

Unboxing

BUY

 

Tech Review – iWALK Portable Charger 4800mAh Power Bank

The iWALK Portable Charger 4800mAh Power Bank is a handy piece of kit if you suffer from battery anxiety and not only that it is portable and small and will fit in any travel bag or pocket and has enough power to give your smartphone a full days charge.

This comes in several colours too which is nice and gives the consumer choice which is something I always like to see over standard two colour launches.

This is essentially a docking battery and sits in the port where you traditionally charge your device be it the newer iPhones and Android phones with USC-C ports

It comes with a LED display and a tethered cap to keep the dirt out and one power switch on the side and is so simple to use and has a nice solid feel to it too with a matt Black finish in our unit.

There is also a USB-C port to charge the device too and this can also charge other USB-C products such as earbuds and headphones.

Check the video below for more.

 

  • High-Speed Charging:Output delivers maximized 12W to power bank, deliver the fastest possible charge for Phone.
  • Upgraded built-in Cable:Supports thicker cases ,no longer need to remove the case first to charge your iPhone.
  • LED Display:LED display shows current battery charge ,input and output status, no more guessing whether you need to charge it or not.
  • Upgraded Capacity: Light weight but big Capacity, an ideal charging companion for travel,4800mAh is big enough to fully charge your iPhone x 1 times.

See our other iWalk reviews

BUY

Video Review

First Look – EasySMX M15 Android and iPhone Game controller

EasySMX M15 is designed for Android and iPhone 15 and up series mobile gamers. Building on feedback from the previous models- the M05 and M10, the grip design has been upgraded to be more ergonomic, so even mobile gamers can enjoy a gaming console-level experience. With upgraded the buttons to fully mechanical tactile buttons and integrated dual Hall effect joysticks and triggers. Additionally enhanced the vibration with a high-speed micro-motor and added two back buttons. The button response, vibration intensity, and grip comfort have all been significantly improved to deliver a superior gaming experience.

Main Features:

Full-mechanical tactile buttons:

The M15 features fully mechanical tactile buttons, with a lifespan of up to 5 million clicks. With faster response times and a more comfortable tactile feel, the M15 provides an unparalleled level of consistency and enhances the gaming experience.

More Precision But No Drift

Equipped with a Quadruple Hall Effect Sensor System (Dual Joysticks & Dual Triggers), the M15 boasts superior durability.Not just featuring Hall triggers, the M15 also comes with a rapid trigger function that reduces the cooldown time of game operations, making your gaming experience smoother.

Universal Connectivity & Compatibility

M15 is compatible with Android and iPhone 15 and up series under direct USB-C connection and wired Bluetooth . The M15 features a flexible plug design, allowing the plug angle to be adjusted, which helps protect your phone. Compatible with the latest iOS and Android games to games on different cloud gaming platforms (Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Remote, GeForce NOW and more)

2 Back Paddles and Higher Vibration

The back paddles can be remapped or programmed, allowing gamers to perform additional actions. Upgraded with a high-speed micro vibration motor, the M15 delivers stronger and more refined vibrations. It offers six adjustable levels.( available on streaming games)

Stay tuned for a full hands on review soon here on techbuzzireland and YouTube

BUY

Unboxing

Google announces new settings and features to help parents, teens and families navigate safer experiences online

Parents  think deeply about how their children should use technology, including how to strike the right balance for time spent online. Every family has different needs and perspectives on this topic. Today, Google is announcing a new setting for Android phones and other devices that empowers parents to use a School time feature.

Helping students focus on learning during school hours

Google regularly engages with parents when designing products, and often hears directly from parents who do not want their children distracted at school but still want to be able to get in touch in case of emergency.

That’s why this year Google has introduced School time on Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatches. Over the next year, School time will be rolled out to even more devices including select Android phones, tablets and wearables including Samsung Galaxy Watches as part of ongoing work to promote productive learning environments.

School time enables parents to set their child’s personal device to a dedicated home screen with limited functionality during school hours, which helps reduce distractions during class. Parents can schedule and select which apps are allowed during School time in Family Link, the parental controls app for Google and YouTube. Parents will also have the option to allow calls or texts from specific contacts.

School time can also be turned on outside of class when it may be time to focus or take a break from screens. For teens who are not supervised by a parent through Family Link, Focus mode on Android devices can be used to prevent notifications and limit distractions during a specific time period.

Additional settings for teens and teen supervision

As children grow into teens, parents may want different supervision options to better reflect their teens’ understanding and use of technology. Recognising that the settings a family wants to use can differ by age and developmental stage Google is continuing to provide tailored settings and experiences:

  • New supervision features for parents of teens are coming to YouTube. In an update rolling out later this summer, parents and teens will be able to link their accounts, enabling parents to gain visibility into their teens’ activity and interests on YouTube.

  • In Family Link, supervision can be enabled for all ages. This helps give parents flexibility to determine the apps, products and experiences their teens can use, while also continuing to monitor their activity and set digital ground rules such as screen time limits or location sharing.

  • Default safety settings for all users under 18. This includes turning SafeSearch on, implementing content restrictions and turning autoplay off on YouTube. Recently introduced new safeguards limit recommendations of videos with content that could be problematic, especially for teens, if viewed in repetition –  such as content related to body image.

Ongoing investment in parental controls

Google is continuously investing in research and development to address the evolving needs of parents and children. By working closely with experts in child development, education and technology, with the goal to help ensure that time online and offline is time well spent.

Tech Review – emporia ME6 smartphone

The emporia ME6 smartphone is one with two faces you could say with more thrown in for those who want to keep things simple and play it up with just the normal Android skin.

emporia is known for their simple phones and with last year having their first full fledged smartphone so to speak the SMART 6 but still keeping it easy with this one you can pick which way you want to go and gear up for the full experience when confident enough too even the convoluted sub menus Android has to offer.

It is like any other smartphone when it comes to the specs for their price point which in this instance is very good after testing out and seeing it at launch so I will not bore you to tears with specs etc that are listed below and a detailed video walkthrough so you can see what you are getting into.

The build quality is excellent here in my view and looks more premium than one would expect with nice soft edges that do not dig into your palm and a nice camera array set-up on the rear and prying eyes will be asking questions especially with the red circled heart icon on the rear which we are custom to with emporia devices and that is the panic button that can be remapped to take photos if you wish you can also use it for a torch silent mode or have it do nothing. The camera set-up is just nice anyway and not a huge hump we tend to see to much of today and is annoying now.

You now have an information center on board too which keeps all in one place similarly to your standard phone today but kept simple however this is only on simple mode.There is talkback mode which reads all actions done on device which is really handy. You can see more in the video below on how to switch between modes and it is simple and a key feature thanks to that little man in the corner that I labelled.

Ok so daily tasks then, this phone performs rather well not that the target market would have the phone loaded to the hilt like me but I loaded it and it done as any other phone has done so there is plenty of power under the hood should you happen to have a lot going on like me which is OTT for most daily users.

The screen is vibrant by the way and excellent for media consumption and you have biometric options with face or fingerprint unlock which both worked well you also have audio description to let you know what is going on in supported movies and shows.

Multitasking is fine doing your social and emails is fine and any other taxing applications you might have on the go.

The camera is decent too even with low light shots it is not the best in the world of what you would expect from a 1000 euro plus phone It did a decent job with excellent audio on recording too again you can decide with the samples below.

If you like music well this phone has a trick up its sleeve too and the audio experince is excellent and helped me out alot when testing other product the last few weeks it also has a super voice input option for recording text and ASHA support which means you can stream audio directly into the hearing aids via LE bluetooth.

Overall this is a decent mid range phone for someone who wants that bit more but there is much more under the skin here packed with features for those with some difficulties and certainly something they need in their life.

Key use case scenarios 

1) The user makes the decision: clear, easy user interface or conventional Android mode.  The emporiaME.6 starts up in the familiar Android mode by default. The mobile phone can be switched to the clear, reduced easy mode with just two presses. Or straight back again. It is a conscious decision that YOU make.

2) The Info Centre, which is only available in simple mode.  This is where all notifications come together in one place. Whether it’s a missed call, new email, WhatsApp message or a notification from Facebook Messenger, you can keep an eye on everything here.

3) The external, directly accessible panic button. Press firmly once and help is automatically called. Good to know if you’re walking home alone at night, for example. Or if you are planning a lonely mountain tour. 360 hours (15 days!) of standby time should be enough even in this case.

Normal and easy modes on the emporia ME6

Features

  • 5G smartphone, 6.58-inch touchscreen
  • Physical panic button with 999 / Quick-key
  • Triple-lens 50+2+TOF-MP back camera
  • 8 MP selfie camera
  • Fingerprint sensor for biometric identification
  • NFC for contactless payments
  • Optional easy mode

Buy in Ireland

Buy in EXPERT

BUY

emporia ME6 walkthrough

Images and videos

The Gemini mobile app is now available in more countries

The Gemini mobile app is coming to more countries across Europe and the UK, empowering users to supercharge their creativity and productivity with our AI-powered mobile app.

Today Google is rolling out the Gemini mobile app to more countries and territories, so users can get help from Gemini on the go. With the Gemini app on your phone, you can type, talk or add an image for all kinds of help: you can take a picture of your flat tire and ask for instructions on how to change it, or get help writing that thank you note. It’s an important first step in building a true AI assistant — one that is conversational, multimodal and helpful.

Google Gemini app on the Pixel 8 pro and Pixel 8a – techbuzzireland

To access Gemini on Android, download the Gemini app or opt in through Google Assistant, and you’ll be able to use Gemini by corner swiping, hitting the power button on select phones, or saying “Hey Google.” This will enable a new overlay experience that offers easy access to Gemini as well as contextual help right on your screen. Many loved voice features in Google Assistant will be available through the Gemini app — including setting timers, making calls and setting reminders — and there will be more support in the future.

Google remains dedicated to making Gemini available to as many people as possible. By expanding our language support and reaching new countries, we’re ensuring more people can supercharge their ideas with Gemini. Try the latest features at: https://gemini.google.com/

On iOS, access is being rolled out to Gemini right from the Google app over the next couple of weeks. Just tap the Gemini toggle and chat with Gemini to supercharge  creativity, get help writing social posts and even plan a date night.