An Post Mobile has launched ‘€15 Unlimited’, the new pre-pay offer with unlimited data, calls and texts to any network for as little as €15 per month. Customers switching to An Post Mobile can avail of their first month for free with a top up of just €15 each month thereafter. The ‘€15 Unlimited’ deal also offers customers excellent connectivity with 99% 4G population coverage and the benefit of no contracts and no bills.
For anyone in search of Christmas gift ideas – whether it’s a handset for the chatty Dad who needs the unlimited calls, a phone for the niece who always needs more data or for anyone who just fancies switching because €15 a month for unlimited calls, texts and 4G data is great value, An Post Mobile offers a range of quality phones at price points to suit every pocket including the Samsung A21s for €129.95 as part of the ‘€15 Unlimited’ package for new customers.
Additional handsets in the‘€15 Unlimited’ offer with discounts on selected handsets for customers who switch their number include:
MINT + iPhone X (64GB) from €549.00
MINT + iPhone 8 (64GB) from €299.00
MINT + iPhone 7 (32GB) from €199.00
Huawei Y6 2019 from €99.95
Alcatel 20.03 only €39.95
Additional An Post mobile customer benefits include the new Auto Top-Up service which allows customers to automatically buy credit on a day of their choice each month.
Joining An Post mobile has never been easier – join online at www.anpost.com/mobile or at a local post office.
For further information on An Post Mobile’s Christmas products, pop into your local post office or visit: https://www.anpost.com/Mobile
This Christmas, it’s more important than ever to stay connected to our loved ones. No matter where you’re spending the holidays. Tesco Mobile wants to help you find the perfect gift with an amazing range of handsets at great prices, available online and in Tesco Mobile Phone Shops nationwide.
You can shop from the comfort and safety of your own home or in store, the choice is yours and enjoy great savings on smartphones, with something for everyone on your list. Give the gift of connectivity, upgrade or switch to Tesco Mobile.
TESCO MOBILE IRELAND BILLPAY CHRISTMAS OFFERS
Dates available: December 1st – December 28th
Including the very best Android and Apple handsets, Bill Pay customers will enjoy great seasonal savings on all the leading smartphones from just €30 per month. Running from today (Tuesday December 1st), right through the festive period, these great value price plans start with 15GB of high-speed 4G data with 500 texts and 500 minutes on our €30 per month plan.
Huawei P30 Pro now only €49.99. Save over €190 (Pay €30/Month)
Capture the best things in the moment and create your vision for the future. Featuring the Leica Quad Camera and an immersive 6.47-inch curved OLED screen, take breath-taking portraits and night shots, all with the Leica quad camera. This unmatched super camera system includes a Super Zoom Lens, a 40 MP Super Sensing Camera, a 20 MP Ultra-Wide-Angle Lens and a HUAWEI TOF Camera, giving you the freedom to capture your incredible moments. Allowing you to record exciting videos while on the go, the professional AIS plus OIS makes handheld video seamless and steady. Capture and relive your precious family memories as you have always wanted with the Huawei P30 Pro.
Apple iPhone XRnow only €49.99. Save over €245 (Pay €40/Month)
Featuring a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display, advanced Face ID lets you securely unlock your iPhone, log into apps and pay with just a glance. Featuring a 12MP camera system with portrait mode, portrait lighting, enhanced bokeh and all-new depth control as well as a 7MP true depth front camera, an A12 Bionic Chip uses real-time machine learning which will transform the way you experience photo’s, gaming and more. The iPhone XR is brilliant in every way.
Samsung Galaxy S20FE 4G now only €99.99. Save over €195 (Pay €40/Month)
This is the phone for people who want it all. Whether you’re a fan of photography, gaming or filling your feed with all that inspires you. This is the phone that gives you what you want, to do more of what you love. The 6.5-inch Full HD+ Infinity-O Display with a more immersive screen that makes your gaming, streaming, and video calling way more fun. With a stunning rear-mounted triple camera array featuring 12MP wide angle, 12MP Ultrawide and 8MP Telephoto Camera allows you to get closer to the action. Also allowing you get that professional #nofilter-worthy shot with ease. When there’s a 32MP Front Camera, your selfies and vlogs are taken to a whole new level. Be the star of the shot and enjoy more detail in your photos and videos with the Galaxy S20FE battery packs in 4500 mAh, that’ll keep you going – cleverly using power to save it for when you really need it.
TESCO MOBILE IRELAND PREPAY CHRISTMAS OFFERS
Dates available: December 1st – December 27th
With up to €50 off great Tesco Mobile prepay offers this Christmas, you or your loved one will have the freedom to pay what you want when you want. Clubcard customers will also earn double points on all prepay top ups, with 30GB of 4G data and unlimited* any network minutes when they top up by just €15.00.
Alcatel 1. Only €39.99!
This all-in-one device offers everything you could need! A compact and light-weight handset boasting a 18:9 5” display with high-grade design and smooth system performance, made only better with Android Go- featuring a camera complete with all social media sharing features stay connected with your Christmas festivities.
Nokia 2.3. Now only €78.36. Was €98.36. Save €20
The Nokia 2.3 is guaranteed to get you the best snap, with a feature-packed camera fueled by AI technology and an impressive 6.2” HD+ 19:9 screen. The battery will last up to 2 days and unlocks with just a glance! The gift they want and at a price you’ll love, the Nokia 2.3 is ready for Android 10 and beyond, so you can look forward to 2 years of Android upgrades and 3 years of monthly security upgrades.
Samsung Galaxy A20E. Now only €117.23. Was €167.23. Save €50
Including all the essential features you need on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, the A20e has you covered with a large 5.8” infinity screen, dual rear camera, huge 3000mAh battery and rear mounted fingerprint scanner.
Check out all these unmissable Christmas deals and more on www.tescomobile.ie
I have multiple smartphones here in for review and this one out of the bunch is the beast of the lot, when it comes to size and weight and this is not a bad thing either, with light phones you think you may have lost them from time to time but you will certainly know and feel this in any pocket and that is down to the build quality too of the device..
I have been a big fan of big devices for some time now but having tried this I do miss the screen estate here which is great for media and more, when it comes to the camera though this is an excellent camera as you will see in the videos and images taken below and to top it off the cool flip up camera which everyone I have shown loves and think its cool and James Bondish but they then ask is it a gimmick, well the answer is no when you think about it because you can get great front facing images and videos traditional phones cant offer via their holepunch or pill type front facing cameras.
We are not going to bore you with specs because we all know them now and you can read them all here as covered in the first look at the device..
This phone is fast and an excellent device for multitasking and to top it off it has excellent battery life to boot which today is still a thorn in the side for some users, power users like me like to see a phone last a day at least and this easily does this, lacking wireless charging was a caveat for me but it does support fast charging at 30W, there has been discussions over fast charging and how it can effect your battery life but you can charge normally if you will, with 5000 mAh on this you will be fine. The screen which has a 90hz refresh rate on this device is excellent at any angle and great for media consumption and more combined with dual speakers given the top speaker does not perform as well as the bottom firing speaker but overall a very passable experience and not much to complain about, for me I use earbuds or headphones when using the device for media consumption and very rarely I would use it in a stand for example beside my bed but overall it does well..
Key attributes to the USP of this device is its power, screen size and camera potential especially for creators who want more from their camera, this set up is new and we have seen a sea of phones with pop up cameras which are quite lame compared to this however this brings up another topic of longevity and how long will this camera last and will dust and dirt get into it which is valid but take care of your device and it will last and just be extra careful after all you are spending you hard earned money on this and not me and it is an easy device to recommend if you want something different but has the prowess of more expensive devices coming in a couple of hundred euro cheaper.
Using this device in my capacity over the last while has proven it is a worthy device for anything you throw at it and with the amount of work I do on mobiles that can be challenging at times for some phones but with this it was a breeze. With the Snapdragon 865+ you get speed, If you are worried about the camera it is good for some 200,000 flips which even for the most demanding should last them a couple of years..
Having both reviewed the Xperia 10 last year myself and Liam Burke have been looking forward to seeing what improvements Sony have made over its predecessor the Sony Xperia 10 ii. Today Liam and I collaborate and share our opinions on the device and Liam will talk about it below whilst I go through it in video format.
Its approximately the same dimensions as the Xperia 10 but the weight is 11grams lighter and you can definitely feel how light the phone feels when you hold it. The screen is now an OLED and protection has been bumped up to Corning Gorilla Glass 6.
An upgraded processor and more internal storage and memory is added but the two biggest jumps is with the camera going from a dual lens to a triple lens setup and the battery now has gotten a big increase from 2870 mAh to 3600 mAh.
When you hold the phone it feels extremely well built from the aluminium frame to the Corning Gorilla Glass 6 on the front and rear of the phone and its IP65/68 certification so its water resistant for up to 30 minutes (in 1.5m of fresh water) and also dustproof. And having the 21:9 screen ratio makes the phone more slender in your hand so its a lot easier to hold than other wider 6’’ screen phones.
The rear is very slippy and the triple camera lenses stick out a bit so you definitely would want to have the phone in a case to protect it. The side mounted fingerprint sensor was always very accurate for me and having it on the side of a phone is very natural way to unlock the phone its a pity face unlock was not included. Above the fingerprint sensor is the volume rocker or in the camera app it can be used to zoom.
The 3.5mm headphone jack is at the top of the phone along with one of the phones microphones.
On the top bezel there is an earpiece, a front facing camera and a notification led, which is very handy to have so you dont need to unlock your phone to see if you have a notification. On the bottom bezel is the forward facing mono speaker, while at the bottom of the phone has the USB-C connection and the other microphone. In the box you get a quick start guide, Basic Sony Earphones (MH410c), USB-C cable and Quick charger UCH-20 High Power Fast Charger.
The Xperia 10 ii runs Android 10 and I found it very snappy when switching between applications thats due to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 CPU and the 4GB ROM. Sony have not added too much bloatware and the apps that Sony added can be uninstalled. The launcher is nice and clean. Sony have again added the side sense feature which gives you a quick shortcut to other apps it seems to work a bit better on the Xperia 10 ii than other Xperia’s. Sliding up will enable the Multi-Window Mode which is very handy for using two apps simultaneously, you can also enable it on the lock screen or enable One-handed mode.
I was very impressed with the 6.0 FHD+ OLED screen of the Xperia 10 ii the colours were bright and vibrant and the videos were sharp even in bright daylight the screen was visible watching content in 21:9 was an added bonus.
The triple rear camera in the Xperia 10 ii setup is
The Camera App is the standard Sony one and the default mode that uses Sony AI to figure out what the scene is of the photo that your taking gets it right very quick. There’s also other modes like Night mode, Google Lens, Panorama , Manual, Slow Motion and Creative effect which uses a live filter in your photos.
Photos Options included are HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo, LED, Photo flash, Photo light, Video light, 2x Optical zoom, up to 10x digital zoom, up to 10FPS burst shooting, Superior Auto, Manual mode, QR code reader, Creative effect, Night mode, Panorama, Bokeh effect
As can be seen from the photos the Xperia 10 ii did a good job at taking pictures and matching the actual colours of objects and didn’t over saturate them and in low light conditions the pictures remained sharp.
The Xperia 10ii supports 4K Movie recording and Slowmotion video recording (120fps).
Again the front selfie camera is a 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0″ with a 84 Degree Field of View. In low light it will use the screen as a Flash, HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo Portrait Selfie, Automatically takes your pictures when your Smile or you can wave at the camera to take a photo and again there is also a Manual mode, if you want to tweak the camera settings yourself.
There’s plenty of options in Portrait mode you can soften your skin tone, add a Bokeh effect, change your skin brightness, make your eyes lager and add a slender effect to your face.
The Battery life on the Xperia 10 ii is excellent, Sony always know how to maximise the battery of their phones. And if your battery does go low Fast charging 18W is supported, as is Fast Charge 3.0 and USB Power Delivery. Sony also make use of their Xperia Adaptive Charging which monitors the phone as it charges to make sure the battery isn’t overworked. Which is important as we keep our phones for longer and the better the battery is maintentained the longer it will last for you.
The main speaker is a single front facing speaker at the bottom of the screen. The Xperia 10 ii supports High-Resolution Audio Wireless4 and with DSEE HX audio upscaling and native High-Resolution Audio playback. If you want a lightweight camera phone with a big bright screen and not have to worry about charging it during the day the Sony Xperia 10 ii fits the bill.
Sony’s new Xperia 10 is definitely something new from them it has their new “cinematic” 21:9 6’’ inch display which is aimed at multi-tasking and viewing video. It’s a long tall phone and Sony have slimmed down the bottom bezel so there is quiet a lot of that 21:9 cinema screen in the phone. Its great value for money for a mid-range device.
It’s a bit of an unusual shape to hold in the hand as its more narrower than current phones and taller but after a few days of use you do become accustomed to it. Making a welcome return from previous Sony phones is the side-mounted fingerprint sensor which I found very ergonomic to be able to unlock the phone with my thumb also on the side of the phone is a separate power button and a volume rocker.
On top you find the headphone jack and one of two microphones, on the side is a flap which covers the nano sim tray and also a microsd tray (Supports up to 512GB). And on the bottom is the now standard USB-C connection and the monospeaker. The rear surface is a metal surface with led flash and the dual camera lens just a millimetre raised above it.
Screen:-
The screen is the main item that sets the Xperia 10 apart from the competition is its 6’’ Full HD+ LCD but with the ultra-widescreen aspect ratio 21:9 the ultra wide display is certainly different. Sony has commented that as more and more content is being shot in that ratio (nearly 70% of new Netflix and Amazon Prime) so you will get the full effect of it with its 21:9 display. When viewing new content from Netflix its great not to have the any of the screen wasted also as it’s a HD+ screen I found it gave plenty of detail and videos looked sharp. Using the outside in sunlight the screen was quiet readable. The screen is made with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 so it should withstand drops and scratches.
Audio :-
As there’s a headphone jack on the phone you can use your own wired headphones and if they have in-line controls that worked for me without any problem. Also included is an FM Radio it preformed quiet well but it will need headphones plugged into the phone as it uses them as the FM antenna. The Xperia 10 only has one music speaker it performed reasonably as Sony have added High-Res Audio.
Camera:-
The camera setup is a dual 13 Mega Pixel (1/3.0 sensor size, Pixel Pitch 1.12 μm, F2.0 Lens) and a 5 Mega Pixel (1/4.0 sensor size, Pixel Pitch 1.4 μm, F2.4 Lens) The updated camera app is very quick to launch and the layout of the settings is clear and easy to understand. In daylight conditions it took decent shots and while zooming the pictures didn’t introduce too much noise also included are modes Bokeh, Portrait Selfie which is an artistic selfie with Bokeh included with other face effects , Panorama and a Manual setting which allows you to tweak the photo settings to your personal tastes, for most of my pictures I let the Auto mode chose which were the correct settings to use. 5 x Zoom is quiet good with the dual camera setup. In indoor conditions with less light I did find the pictures were a bit grainy.
Video records in 4K and while outside videos shot in daylight recorded in good quality I found indoor videos with less light to be a little grainy the colouring to be slightly off the actual colours and zooming does introduce some loss of detail.
120fps Slow Motion Video is also a nice video recording feature. The front camera in outside light took good quality pictures while inside in dark conditions it took decent selfies as uses a screen flash. Front video records in Full HD it also has Sony’s Steadyshot feature for videos recording so they aren’t too bumpy.
Battery:-
The battery capacity in the Xperia 10 is good sized 2870mAh. Some battery features are “Battery care” which learns your battery charging habits and adapts how the phone charges again this helps increase the lifespan of the battery.
Smart stamina and Stamina mode are also included which you can enable to restrict some background activity and increase your battery life, and if you need it there is an Ultra Stamina Mode which enables only a few apps like phone and camera to giving you an extra long battery life. I found the battery able to handle a day of heavy use no problem.
Performance:-
The Xperia 10 runs Android Pie out of the box Sony uses it own lightly skinned version of Android the updated homescreen app is a bit of mix of iOS and android with the swipe up gesture to see your running apps. As the phones runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor with 3GB RAM its quiet fast and overall the phone was quiet responsive.
Internal memory is 64GB so you may need a memory card as installed apps (of which there isn’t too many) took up 16GB. Also included is the Side sense feature which allows you to select a part of the screen to bring up shortcuts, I found this feature a bit of a hit-or-miss. Split Screen feature is a feature that all Google apps like YouTube, Chrome, Messaging, Phone etc allow you to split the screen in two so the top part of the screen can be one app like YouTube and the lower part can have another app open like Chrome.
Creative Technology today announced the release of Creative Stage V2, an upgraded successor of the well-received Creative Stage which packs some nifty new features. Debuting with new audio technologies powered by Sound Blaster and sporting bigger dimensions, it offers users not only better and clearer audio, but also wider surround soundstage that delivers more bang for the user’s buck with high-quality audio at a pocket-friendly price.
The Stage V2 packs a bigger audio punch and features better connectivity than its predecessor.
With the new Clear Dialog audio technology, users can hear each syllable clearly without cranking up the volume as the spoken dialogue is extracted and amplified without compromising the ambient effects. On top of that, the Surround technology adds an expanded soundstage to offer the ultimate movie experience right at the comfort of one’s home. Fitted with two custom-tuned mid-range drivers along with a powerful subwoofer, the Creative Stage V2 can fill the living room with rich audio and impactful bass that will bring users closer to the action.
Creative Stage V2 also comes with a wide range of connectivity options — TV ARC, optical, AUX, Bluetooth, and even audio streaming via USB — making it a one-stop audio entertainment system for devices including TVs, computers, mobile phones, or even gaming consoles. In addition, the soundbar is conveniently accessible via remote control, and users can switch input sources, adjust treble and bass settings as well as toggle Surround and Clear Dialog on or off with a simple press of a button. With a sleek and minimalistic design, the Creative Stage V2 can fit right into any room and be wall-mounted to deliver a truly immersive audio experience.
Pricing and Availability
Creative Stage V2 is attractively priced at GBP99.99 and is available at https://uk.creative.com/.
To mark the arrival of OPPO in Ireland, the hotly anticipated Reno4 Pro (RRP €799) and Reno4 Z (RRP €379), with the latest 5G technology are now available to buy at eir and Three across the country. In addition to this tech spec heavy line-up, OPPO is launching the A53 – the most affordable on-the-go mobile entertainment device.
The OPPO A53 (RRP €179), boasts a lightning fast 90Hz refresh rate, with an immersive and smooth viewing experience and technology that rivals flagship phones – making it a perfect device for seamless streaming and gaming.
On top of this, the A53 also includes a 18MP Front Camera for perfect selfies and a 13MP AI Triple Camera on the rear of the phone, with a 13MP Main camera and a 2MP Depth camera and a 2MP Macro camera. These products are the beginning of an exciting expansion for OPPO into the Irish market. Irish consumers will now have greater access to the latest OPPO smartphones and technology.
“We’re thrilled to bring the latest devices from OPPO to the Irish market,” said Thomas Mason, general manager, OPPO Ireland. “We set up OPPO’s business in Ireland to offer Irish consumers greater access to the latest technologically advanced smartphones and devices. Irish customers will now experience some of the latest tech OPPO has to offer with the Reno4 Series, between our industry-leading Super VOOC Fast Charging technology and renowned Ultra Steady Video. We’re incredibly excited about what the future holds for OPPO in Ireland.”
OPPO Reno4 Pro – RRP €799 – available in Galactic Blue or Space Black.The Reno4 Pro Galactic Blue variant will be available exclusively at eir, while Three will be stocking the Space Black Reno4 Pro variant. Please check directly with the operators for the best offers.
OPPO’s 5G handset with Ultra Night Video and Ultra Steady Video providing unparalleled low light shooting on the move
Sony IMX708 ultra night wide-angle video lens, users can capture wider angle shots with far more detail
360° shooting is made simple with the Front Steady Video, Hyperlapse features and anti-shake capability of the rear facing video, delivering a super stabilised and smooth experience
6.5” AMOLED FHD+ for the crispest picture
12 GB RAM and 256GB for best performance
The fastest flash-charging capability on the market, OPPO’s SuperVOOC 2.0 technology
Exceptional 5G power that lets users download full moves in seconds and enjoy the most performance-demanding mobile apps
OPPO Reno4 Z – RRP €379– available in Ink Black from eir and Three. Please check directly with the operators for the best offers.
OPPO’s most affordable 5G handset on the market, it packs 8GB RAM and 128GB storage
Stylish case with powerful all-round performance
OPPO A53 – RRP €179 – available in Electric Black from eir and Three. Please check directly with the operators for the best offers.
OPPO’s most affordable on-the-go mobile entertainment device
Blazing-fast 90Hz Neo-Display refresh rate delivers greater multi-media use such as gaming & streaming
5000mAh capacity battery gives all day-usage capability
3D-curved iridescent wave design with 8MP front camera and 13MP AI Triple back camera
Irish people check their phones on average 58 times per day, according to the first publication of Deloitte Ireland’s Digital Consumer Trends 2020 report (previously known as the Global Mobile Consumer Survey). The survey was carried out between May and June this year, as the country began to exit COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The survey also found that 50% of respondents would support the Government’s usage of information generated by smartphone or other devices for contact tracing and 63% would support the use of heat sensitive (thermal) cameras in well-populated areas.
Think about it though for a minute, Any time you are on a bus,train or any mode of transport or in a coffee shop or food outlet, even people walking down the street their head is buried in their phone and I think this number is more than what the survey finds like lets be honest are you going to admit your bad habits??? Check out the survey below to see how bad we fair out.
Commenting on the report, Harry Goddard, CEO, Deloitte Ireland said: “Technology has provided a huge array of opportunities for individuals, organisations, communities and even governments to adapt to new ways of working and living during the COVID-19 crisis. Despite the challenges associated with the pandemic, technology has increasingly become an integral part of all of our lives, and will continue to have a significant role to play in the fight against COVID-19 at home and across the world.”
In this first of five publications arising from the report, we look at trends in respondents’ digital usage and the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on device usage.
Device usage
Smartphone ownership in Ireland saw a slight decrease for the second year in a row at 90% (compared to 91% in 2019 and 94% in 2018). This is consistent with trends across Europe. Notably, ownership of standard mobile phones increased by 5% (from 9% in 2019 to 14% in 2020).
Ownership of laptops also saw a slight decrease at 83%, compared to 84% in 2019. Tablet devices saw the biggest year-on-year increase in ownership, from 43% in 2019 to 64% in 2020. There was also an increase in ownership of fitness bands (from 24% to 29%) and virtual reality headsets (from 5% to 8%). Ownership of desktop computers remained the same at 41%.
A third (33%) of all respondents report that they look at their phone within five minutes of waking, an increase of 2% on 2019. 87% look at their phone within the first hour of waking, up 3% on last year. When it comes to the number of times we are checking our phones during the day there were significant differences between age groups: 17% of 18-24-year-olds report checking their phones over 200 times a day: this falls to 10% among the 25-24 bracket; 8% among 35-44s; 7% among 45-54s; and once a day or less among the 55 – 75 age group.
Perception of smartphone usage also varies with age, with younger respondents more likely to feel that they are prone to over-usage. Overall, 46% of respondents feel that they are using their smartphones too much; this rises to 65% of 18-24 year-olds and 66% of 25-34s. The 35-44 and 45-54 age groups are also more likely than average to believe that they overuse their smartphones at 63% and 52% respectively. Meanwhile 37% of 55-64s admitted to overuse, and 32% of 65-75s.
The most popular financial activity carried out on mobile phones is checking bank balances (62%), followed by browsing shopping websites or apps (52%), buying products online (43%) and making banking transactions (41%). This year mobile has replaced laptop as the preferred device for making online purchases among the 18-24 and 35-44 demographics. 26% of all respondents use their mobile phones to make reservations while 16% do their online grocery shopping on mobile.
Daryl Hanberry, Partner and Head of Technology, Media and Telecommunications at Deloitte, said: “While smartphone penetration appears to have plateaued across Europe, our reliance on these devices has not faltered, with almost a third of us now checking our phones more than 50 times a day, and usage rates even higher among younger consumers. As mobiles begin to replace laptops as the preferred device for making online purchases – not just browsing – and especially as remote engagement becomes even more important, businesses must prioritise their mobile offerings or risk being left behind.”
While a total of 91% reported owning a smartphone, these devices are used daily by 93% of all respondents. Daily usage of laptops has increased from 69% to 76% year-on-year, while daily usage of desktop computers is down from 66% to 59%, reflecting the work-from-home mandate that was introduced in March of this year.
COVID-19 impact
45% of all respondents reported that they were working from home during the COVID-19 lockdown period. 40% of those working from home reported that they found it easier than working at the office or on site; 37% found it more difficult; while 23% reported no difference in difficulty.
Being distracted by other members of the household was cited as the biggest barrier to working from home by respondents at 33%. This was followed by the lack of face-to-face interaction with colleagues (30%); working longer hours as a result of working from home (28%); and not having a comfortable work space at home (25%).
Access to technology was also a barrier to home working for respondents. 22% stated that they were used to working on more or larger monitors while in the office; 17% stated that the online systems they were using were very slow from home; 13% couldn’t access the files they needed; and a further 13% experienced difficulty in having to use technology they weren’t familiar with.
The reliability of technology was also a factor, with 21% stating that calls or video conferences kept dropping out; 19% encountered problems with their broadband dropping out; and 15% found that their computer was too slow or stopped working.
Smartphones and laptops were the most popular devices bought by respondents as a result of spending more time at home during lockdown, at 11% each. This was followed by tablets (8%), televisions (7%), printers (6%), fitness bands (6%), gaming consoles (5%) and desktop computers (5%). 61% of respondents did not purchase any devices as a result of spending more time at home.
“While lockdown did cause a notable uptick in the purchase of devices, spending more time at home did not result in the purchase of a new device for the majority – close to two-thirds – of respondents,” noted John Kehoe, Audit Partner, Deloitte. “This may reflect a lack of budget or unavailability of devices – and some households may have dusted off formerly unused devices, such as gaming consoles.
“A number of issues around access to and the reliability of technology were noted by respondents as barriers to working from home. As we look towards living with COVID-19 in the short- to medium-term, employers need to ensure that their employees’ basic technology requirements are being met, as working from home will continue to be widespread for some time to come.
“Over and above issues with technology, many respondents report that they do not have suitable home working environments and over a quarter found themselves working longer hours as a direct result of working from home. As we are now more than six months into this crisis, employers urgently need to address these issues or risk significant decreases in staff motivation and, ultimately, loyalty.”
Use of technology in the fight against COVID-19
When asked whether they would support the government’s usage of information generated by smartphone or other devices for the purpose of contact tracing, 50% of respondents agreed that they would support this; 27% said they would oppose this; and 23% weren’t sure. Support was highest among the 65-75 age group at 68%; this dropped to 42% among the 18-24 and 25-34 cohorts.
Respondents were also asked whether they would support the government’s usage of technology and surveillance to establish the level of risk of individuals to catch or spread the virus, and restrict movements accordingly, as an alternative to blanket restrictions. 48% of respondents indicated that they would support such a move, while 26% were opposed and a further 26% weren’t sure. Again support was highest among older demographics, at 62% among 65-75 year-olds and 55% among 55-64s; and lowest among younger cohorts, with support dropping to as low as 38% among 18-24-year-olds.
On methods of technological surveillance, 63% of respondents said they would support the use of heat-sensitive (thermal) cameras in well-populated areas to identify those with high temperatures; 50% supported the use of information generated by smartphones or other devices such as smart watches to track their location and contacts, so that those contacts could be automatically notified if they became infected; and 48% supported the use of such information to establish their level of risk to catch or spread the virus and restrict their movements accordingly.
JOBY, creator of award-winning mounts, stands and grips designed to elevate the potential of the latest mobile and imaging devices, announces the launch of FreeHold – a protective smartphone case series with built-in finger loop and modular attachment system. With FreeHold, JOBY now provides a complete ecosystem of products for run-and-gun content creators, further solidifying itself as a leader in smartphone accessories.
Designed for mobile content creation, FreeHold empowers you to easily view and use your smartphone in new and fun ways. Capture and share the most creative images and videos.
FreeHold’s built-in stretch-elastic finger loop hugs your fingers, giving you a dependable hold while snapping pics or vlogging – so, you know your phone isn’t going anywhere! Say “bye bye” to scuff marks and broken screens. See our review soon here on techbuzz where we give real hands on reviews.
emporia telecom is delighted to announce yet another retail partner to its growing UK list. Established telecoms provider, The Phone Co-op will now retail three of emporia’s hero handsets from this week.
Chris Millington, UK and Ireland MD of emporia comments: “This partnership is another recognisable milestone for emporia. Our strategy for the UK and Irish markets was to reach the wide audience group in many familiar ways that mirror our different consumers’ habits and platforms. To have such a credible organisation like The Phone Co-op retail our devices is another success since our European expansion and launching here at the start of 2020.”
“We’re especially delighted about working with The Phone Co-op even more so because of its trusted membership model and growing reach in terms of customers and geographical locations. This partnership will see some of our devices available to their members and customers; of which we share a similar older demographic. A huge focus in the interface of our devices is around use ability and independence; enabling our users to learn at their own pace with handset training books and to have a phone that meets their needs. We hope this partnership will enable more retirees to access our devices and technology,” Chris adds.
Lizzie Hieron, Chief Operating Officer at The Phone Co-op comments: “We’re the UK’s only co-operative telecoms supplier and an established MVNO. As part of the Midcounties Co-operative we’re committed to working ethically, treating our people fairly, and caring for our customers and our communities.
“Working with emporia means we have now positively expanded our product portfolio to bring on three new devices that are easy-to-use and enriching for customers that need simple communication.
“Supporting older people in our local communities has never been so crucial with many people feeling isolated or lonely following months of shielding because of Covid-19 and we hope that our new partnership with emporia will be a great help in keeping families and communities connected during these difficult times where face-to-face visits are unfortunately restricted”.
The Phone Co-op will be stocking the following three emporia devices:
Smart S3
Simple is the new smart with emporia’s latest smartphone. Running on Android 9.0 operating system, and with an impressive 5.5” HD display and 13MP camera, this easy-to-use smartphone combines modern and sleek design, with a simple user interface. Like all emporia devices, it is complete with large text and icons, clear sound, and an emergency button; making it completely user friendly for retirees.
TOUCHsmart
The popular TOUCHsmart operates like a traditional feature phone; with an easy-to-use keypad and large buttons. It gets the name TOUCHsmart as the clamshell phone’s display can also be used as a touch screen to navigate the device and it comes complete with some smart features like internet or built-in WhatsApp, but without all the overwhelming complications that a smartphone can pose for some customers. It has a camera, is HAC (hearing aid compatible), has loud and clear sound, and a built-in emergency call button on the back for assistance.
emporiaACTIVE
This feature phone is a bar design, with a beautiful, wide, clear display and wonderful shape to fit comfortably and confidently in the palm of the hand. It has 4G, 3G and 2G connectivity for best connectivity and coverage. Like all emporia’s phones, it is suited to retirees with its loud and clear sound and hearing aid compatibility.
A charging cradle is included, but it also works with the usual USB-C charging for the easiest way to plug in; the lead can go in any way around for ease. The ACTIVE has a 2MP camera, and of course emergency button for those “just in case” moments.
Like all emporia devices, these three handsets come complete with the right training books and guides to give their users complete support and confidence in their purchase. The S3 smartphone has a comprehensive training guide, the TOUCHsmart has a 10-page WhatsApp guide to introduce users to the world of messaging, and the ACTIVE comes with a comprehensive instruction manual.
These all enable customers to purchase from a store or retailer like The Phone Co-op and be able to understand and learn their device, apps and smartphone terminology at their own pace. emporia prides itself on creating phones that are intuitive for retirees, give confidence, and are responsive to this generation’s needs. Individual training books in the smartphone range offer exactly that and are the tool to empower customers to become digitally connected; even more so at a time when covid-19 and social distancing restrictions are meaning many customers in emporia’s audience group are left isolated.
