Tag: #mobile

How to Tell When it’s Time to Buy a New Smartphone…

Some people buy a new smartphone as soon as Apple, Samsung, or other manufacturers release their latest products. However, for most of us, we like to keep our mobile devices running for as long as possible and put our money into other things. Plus, putting off upgrading devices until it’s necessary also means no need to worry yet about transferring data onto a new phone or spending time on the other facets of this process. When days are busy, it’s tricky fitting in all the must-do tasks, let alone adding tech issues to the mix!

However, sooner or later, all phones start to play up and eventually need replacing. You don’t want to be left in the lurch with no smartphone to use for a time, but you also don’t want to jump the gun and buy something new before you have to. If you’re not sure how long you might get out of your current gadget, or whether you could perhaps simply book in for an affordable cell phone repair instead, here are some signs to look out for. 

Super Slow Touchscreen Response Time

All smartphones misinterpret or miss taps or swipes at points. However, if your touchscreen is driving you crazy because it’s ridiculously slow to respond or register actions or simply ignores them altogether, it’s likely time to go shopping for a new device. This issue is a sign that the tech is at the end of its life. Plus, you won’t have much luck getting many tasks done on the phone, which renders it pretty obsolete anyhow. 

Power Button Doesn’t Work

Another problem is if your phone won’t power on or off. If you leave your phone on all the time, this may not be the biggest deal at first, but over the long-term, this can cause considerable issues if you can’t turn the phone off to reboot it or update software, or can’t turn it back on again after taking such steps. Newer smartphones have only a few buttons on them, but the power switch is critical. When this starts playing up, your phone may be on the out. 

The Phone Gets Too Hot

A common issue many users have with their smartphone is that after a while, the tech tools overheat. If this starts to happen with your device, especially when you’re not even using the gadget for calls or other tasks, you should get it checked out by a repair service person or a manufacturer’s rep. 

This problem – when it overheats to a high level, and you’re worried it’s dangerous – can stem from a variety of small and large things going wrong. You don’t want the item to burn or explode on you, so it’s best to investigate the matter ASAP. Some causes can be solved relatively inexpensively, but others will show you it’s more economical to buy a new product instead.

Strange Lines or Other Issues on the Screen

Have you noticed that there are weird happenings on your device’s screen? For instance, there might be strange lines or bands that make it hard to read, or other anomalies such as flickering or jumping lights, or dead pixels on the screen. When this happens, it’s time to have the phone checked out by a qualified technician. It could have damaged components that need repairing, but often these screen occurrences point to more expensive faults that may not be possible to or worth fixing. 

Phone Keeps Shutting Itself Down

Another regular problem with smartphones after they’ve been in use for a few years (or earlier, in the case of broken or faulty gadgets) is that they shut themselves down unexpectedly. If this happens as a once-off, don’t stress, but if it is a regular point of annoyance for you, you could face an issue with the phone’s battery. 

You may expect that you can quickly and affordably replace the battery if this is the case, but in reality, some phones have easily-accessible batteries while others do not. If your tech tool falls in the latter category, it may cost you too much in labor costs to bother fixing it. 

Buying a new smartphone can be a fun task if you love technology and having the latest machines to use. However, upgrading to a new device is also costly and time-consuming. As such, consider the factors mentioned above, along with other common phone issues, to see if you truly need to replace your gadget or can try other fixes first. 

Irish millennials lead the swing towards cashless payments. #Payments #Cashless

The Irish are – per capita – leading the globe towards a cashless system. Unfortunately for us, this might not be a good thing. 

Irish business and consumers alike are more cashless than ever thanks to the latter’s expectations of commerce. The fact is cash is diminishing as a payment method globally, and indeed Ireland might just be the number one nation employing digital payments within the next few years. By all credible accounts, Sweden currently carries the title of the world’s most cashless society based on GDP, but adoption in Ireland is continuing apace. 

When it comes to future predictions of which nation will emerge as the one most at home with cashless payments, uptake rates and practical application are key, and Ireland is at the forefront. This has produced some interesting (and challenging) scenarios for business at large, and there’s a palpable perception that so-called ‘old school’ business practices – especially in retail – are going to lose or are already losing customers if they’re not implementing digital payment methods.

Cashless convenience is a ‘sidegrade’ for Irish business

Rather than a downgrade (losing tech, capacity or the ability to service clients) or an upgrade (spending extensively on rebuilding customer management systems from scratch), going cashless for Irish businesses is a ‘sidegrade.’ In other words, the ‘problem’ of going cashless in business is a nice problem to solve. For those businesses taking the plunge, it’s relatively easy to effect and a continuous joy to use thereafter. After all, it implies doing less – no cash box, drop safe, or banking of cash; and it removes the prospect of being swindled with counterfeit or robbed when carrying cash.

Oddly enough, it’s often very large and very small businesses that still need to enact a cashless option. Furthermore, specific sectors or industries tend to lean towards cashless payments or, on the other hand, lag in their implementation. Retail is the most seamless in application, being the coalface for interaction with consumers. That said, B2B transactions often quickly adopt modern consumer conveniences, too. As any IT company in London, Dublin, or New York can attest, implementing systems to render cashless transactions is a regular and growing component of their daily work. For example, UK cash payments have dipped from above 60 percent in the noughties to around 40 percent today. If this trend continues, only around 20 percent of payments will be cash in the country by 2030. Ireland might race ahead a little, being predominantly cashless within five years.

Are there really advantages for a cashless business?

The short answer is yes. 

Whatever the reasons driving cashless transacting – if you offer it, you’re not alienating potential clients. As cashless payments become increasingly commonplace, any business (especially those dealing with consumers) will want to offer the facility of doing so to avoid losing sales. With online shopping being the flagship that’s driving expectations around purchases, consumers are used to super-fast and hassle-free buying.

Adding cashless payment options provides needed and good diversity, rather than the typical ‘fluff’ businesses often add on to themselves when jostling in the marketplace. It’s easy to see how in the next decade or two, every retailer – from the local newsstand to SuperValu – will likely offer all payment options possible, and this will become the norm and standard expectation. Remember when online shopping was a dangerously unfamiliar arena and involved waiting up to three weeks for delivery? Commerce has been working furiously to narrow that gap, and has done so fairly successfully by (partly) driving the swing to cashless transacting. 

Amazon might be the epitome, launching a drone to ship goods speedily, but they’re nothing if not indicative of the consumer service ethic that’s pushing businesses all over the globe. That push seems symbiotic with being cashless and helps to inform it. Some obvious commercial beneficiaries of a cashless economy would be restaurants and those in hospitality who no longer need to keep cash on the premises late at night. Any business with a busy supply chain needed to produce its product or service could win back several hours in their day, too, and all businesses that see large volume will see their insurance premiums dip if there’s no cash on premises.

The significant benefit to all business is that mobile, digital payment potentially provides plenty of customer data to use at your discretion (within GDPR guidelines, of course). Not only will it deliver what payment option they prefer, but what they bought, how often they’re in-store, what they’re buying and how much their overall spend is. That’s meaty intel for any marketer, and will go towards refining presentation and ultimately the consumer experience. As a wholly immersed generation carries their digital acumen into their daily lives, more businesses will need to offer cashless options in order to serve the majority coming through the doors.

Review – CLCKR Phone stand and grip. #CLCKR #Tech

Phone cases are a must in my book and rightly so especially when you have an expensive device and there is plenty to pick from in all shapes and sizes however having a case with additional functionality is another matter and this product from CLCKR is one to look out for, Given there is similar ideas out there like attachments you can add to your phone which CLCKR also does this idea incorporates both making it an all in one kit to not only make using your device more safe but it ads more to it than that by protecting it and being able to use it in portrait or landscape mode without having the remove the case itself and is a neat idea.

As you can see this gives you more functionality than you would get from your typical mobile phone case and makes life that bit easier and will still fully protect your device, check out the video below for more and you can see the full range over at https://www.clckr.com/eu/

Review – The emporia smart 3 mini. #Tech #Emporia #Smart3Mini

We have an abundance of smartphones to pick from today however when it comes to phones for the older generation there is not so much out there and we have a huge demographic here too with the older population and the market potential is huge here for manufacturers to tap and emporia have a range of mobiles to just do that.

Ok so we have Doro which we do not see much of anymore and Nokia who recently released some detox phones which keeps things simple but emporia have gone about it in a different way which makes like much easier for the older generation who now want access to smartphones but with the current offerings out there they are to complex or be it a sales person will try shove an iPhone down your neck. First look at the walkthrough below and see what we are dealing with.

To start you get everything in the box including really good user guides and you also have tutorials on the device, The phone has a light skin on top with a tiled effect which reminds you of Windows Phone plus you have access to the play store too and here is how it differs from your standard Android experience with no convoluted mess or sub menus or having someone look for a feature buried in a sub menu and simplicity is key here as well as the big tiled visual approach.

Build quality and looks are typical however it is a sturdy device and feels solid in my opinion it does have bezels all round which is a step away from the current trend but it is not a phone to make a statement with and is well balanced and in line with low to mid tier devices on the overall look.

The phone is not a powerhouse but mid tier with a decent camera and video function that will do fine for the target market but is no way near flagship but this is not a flagship device but a device to make life easy, I did try load some heavy apps on this to see if they would buckle the device and they did some would not even open but for the likes of social media,email general browsing and a few apps you will be fine with a full days battery too, Again this would depend on user.

The menu layout is really simple to follow and again you have a really good user guide included in the box should you have issues or check the video above for more, On the top you have a battery status indicator and a settings wheel with a notch effect and your signal bar then you have a big wallpaper box which can be changed and you four shortcuts and of course these can be changed to whatever suits you best.

Swiping to the right gives you four contact spaces again tiled and an option for your own number and to finish off that page you have a voicemail and emergency contact tile which is where you place what number suits you best and this is complemented by a button on the rear of the phone to call someone quickly in an emergency. Swiping to the left gives you a list of apps and again you can change these if needed to suit your personal needs.

Your “all apps tile” will give you access to the apps drawer and here is where you can pick if you need to make one into a shortcut on the previous screen.  When it comes to performance I did find the device laggy sometimes but there is updates coming for it so hopefully that might iron that out. Performance overall was fine sometimes the camera was laggy too and I would advise buying an sd card for storage if you plan to take many photos or video. You can see the performance of the camera below and judge for yourself.

1 / 7

 

Whilst this phone is not flagship and can be laggy at times it does what it is meant to do for its target market and more with all the mods and cons you tend to find on your typical smartphone today but in a simpler format for a generation that is moving to smartphones to stay connected with family and friends around the world without the convoluted mess you find in your average smartphone today. It does the job really well makes life easy with big tiled icons and numbers and a simple menu structure and offers security with a one push button to call an emergency number on the back,decent battery life and camera to boot. It is a job well done and executed.

BUY HERE

We are reviewing an eSim that works in Ireland but what exactly is it? Find out more. #eSim #Tech #Mobile

What is an eSIM?

An eSIM (“Embedded Subscriber Identification Module”) is a small chip that is embedded inside a wide range of newer devices – everything from smartphones and smartwatches, to laptops and tablets. It works just like a second SIM card in a phone, but unlike a physical SIM, an eSIM cannot be removed and can be programmed to any mobile network that supports eSIM service.

 

 

How do you use an eSIM in your smartphone?

An eSIM comes embedded as-standard in many of the latest devices. However, to activate the eSIM you will need to purchase an eSIM plan from a traditional mobile network provider (like Vodafone), or purchase an eSIM plan online. This plan, depending on who you purchase from, can give you access to voice, SMS and/or data services through the eSIM on a second mobile phone number. The plan is often installed via a QR code or by downloading an app. 

 

Does Ireland support eSIM?

Right now, Irish domestic operators (like Vodafone and Three) do not support eSIM. This means you can’t visit one of their stores and request an eSIM plan to activate the eSIM within your device. However, customers can purchase global roaming eSIM plans from a number of online stores that will activate the eSIM in their device and allow them to use their eSIM in Ireland. The eSIM will ‘roam’ onto mobile operators’ networks and can be used at home or abroad. 

 

What are the benefits of using a global roaming eSIM?

An global roaming eSIM purchased online can be used at home or overseas, giving the user a range of different benefits.

 

Using an eSIM in your home country:

  • Make use of two mobile phone numbers on one device – great for those who have a personal line and a business line
  • As a global roaming eSIM can roam on any network, users may be able to switch network providers to access better coverage in remote locations
  • Affordable international calling rates

 

Using an eSIM overseas:

  • Affordable roaming voice, SMS and data plans – often cheaper than traditional network providers
  • No need to remove your current SIM card and replace it with a local SIM
  • Your primary SIM number can be used at the same time as your eSIM

What devices work with eSim..

Apple Phone iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, XS, XS Max, XR
Tablet iPad Mini (5th gen.), iPad (7th gen.), iPad Air (3rd gen.), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd gen.), 11-inch iPad Pro
Wearable Apple Watch Series 3, 4, 5
Samsung Phone S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, Z Flip, Galaxy Fold
Wearable Gear S2, S3 Frontier 3G, S3 Classic, and Galaxy Watch and Watch Active 2
Google Phone Pixel 3, 3 XL, 3a, 3a XL , 4, 4 XL
Motorola Phone Razr
Microsoft Tablet Surface Pro X, Surface Pro with LTE Advanced
Huawei Wearable Huawei Watch 2 Pro
Xiaomi Wearable Smartwatch

First look and detailed walk through of the emporia smart 3 mini. #emporia #tech #emporiasmart3mini

With a saturated market today in mobile we have never had a better choice when it comes to picking up a smartphone at any price-point. All this is well and good but when it comes to smartphones for the older generation we have problems. The older generation like things simple and with the majority of today’s phones they are convoluted in my opinion leaving it a difficult task for the older generation to find their way through the menus and so on..

 

Doro would be a brand most people are familiar with and recently Nokia have released some devices that aim to either detox the overuse of phones or give older people a chance to get familiar with feature phones emporia does this too and is dedicated to give these people an option in many form factors but with ease of use.

I feel that more and more of the older generation want to get into the connected world though as mentioned above the typical smartphone is just to complicated for them and one look at one and they put it down this is where this company differs and will offer people to migrate to a smartphone with ease and there is several levels to pick from which then enables the user to move up a gear or two once they become familiar and simplicity is a key factor here for that to serve its purpose. Today we take a first look and walk through the UI on this device and its features and we will be testing it out over the coming weeks so feel free to show your family or friends this new entrant to the Irish market and if you have any questions feel free to ask as always and we will gladly answer.

BUY HERE

emporia partners with Effective Distribution Ltd for distribution in Ireland. #emporia #EDL

Austrian-based mobile phone and telecoms brand emporia has appointed Effective Distribution Ltd (EDL) in Ireland for distribution of all its retiree-focused handsets.
European mobile phone brand for retirees is now available to Irish retailers
The new distribution deal follows the leading European mobile phone brand’s expansion into the UK and Ireland markets at the start of 2020; bringing total number of operating countries for emporia to 32.
Chris Millington
Chris Millington, the UK and Ireland MD of emporia says: “This is an exciting time for emporia – we have ambitious goals in Ireland for this year to reach Irish seniors, and partnerships like this are crucial to our success and growth.”
“We’re proud to partner with EDL in the Irish market as they fully understand our audience and brand proposition, and I’m looking forward to a long-term partnership with Damian and the team. EDL are extremely credible in the retail channels and completely align with our strategy. They have the experience to expand our distribution territory and help drive sales for emporia in this key market. Their leading position will enable a greater number of retailers in Ireland to stock our range of corded and cordless phones, feature phones and smartphones, bringing connectivity and simplicity to retirees across the country,” adds Millington.
The new distribution partnership is effective immediately and will see emporia’s devices and phones now available to retailers in Ireland.
Damian Grant, MD of EDL says: “Being the distributor for emporia in Ireland is an honour. We’re delighted to be working with a brand with such heritage, popularity, and specialism in the retiree demographic. The range of telecoms products make a great addition to our expanding electrical products portfolio. We look forward to building emporia’s presence with retailers and customers in Ireland.”
For more information on emporia’s products, please visit: www.emporiatelecom.ie

Client Solutions powers Tesco Mobile Ireland into the cloud in €2.5 million deal. #TescoMobile #Cloud #ClientSolutions

Client Solutions, one of Ireland’s leading technology partner companies, is proud to announce the latest development in its ongoing partnership with Tesco Mobile Ireland. As part of a recent three-year digital transformation deal, Client Solutions will migrate key Tesco Mobile customer-facing systems to the cloud on Microsoft Azure, to enable the telecoms network to reach its ambitious potential. The project, which is already underway, is estimated to be worth around €2.5 million and scheduled for completion by July 2022.

Tesco Mobile Ireland currently has over 400,000 customers, making it the country’s fourth largest mobile service provider. It is also Ireland’s largest Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO).  As competition increases in this sector, Tesco Mobile Ireland has engaged the teams at Client Solutions on several occasions to stay ahead of the curve.

Pictured at the annoucement was Leo Murphy, Sales Director, Client Solutions and Geoff Byrne, chairman, Tesco Mobile Ireland.
Pic Orla Murray SON Photo

Having built up an expert knowledge of Tesco Mobile’s business requirements, Client Solutions devised an ambitious plan to re-platform and transform the operation. Among the elements being addressed are:

  • Improved Customer Self-Service Care: Mytescomobile.ie, the public portal that allows customers to access account balances, top-up, switch plans and manage their account
  • Enhancement of Award-Winning Mobile Virtual Network Analytics – Business Intelligence platform including data management, analytics and forecasting
  • RETAIN – A rich suite of applications used by Tesco Mobile’s Waterford based Care Team to serve customers
  • Introduction of Hosted Finance System – SAP for financial management

For Tesco Mobile customers, this transformation means the public-facing portal mytescomobile.ie will offer increased control and transparency while enabling the customer care team to further improve their ability to serve customer needs. For Tesco Mobile Ireland, the suite of solutions will allow their teams to better understand the user experience and ultimately improve the service to their growing customer base.

Sales Director at Client Solutions Leo Murphy said: “It’s fantastic to be part of Tesco Mobile’s continued growth. Their ambition matches our innovative approach to designing future-proof solutions and this cloud transformation programme in conjunction with Microsoft Azure, is truly transformative for them and their customers.”

Geoff Byrne, chairman, Tesco Mobile Ireland said “We’re pleased to continue our ongoing relationship with Client Solutions. The innovation, creativity and value for money products that Tesco Mobile brings to the Irish market means our customer base continues to grow. We look forward to working with Client Solutions to continue to serve our mobile customers a little better every day.”

“Client Solutions is a great example of an innovative partner who understand the challenges of digitally transforming organisations,” said Denis Meade, Partner Lead, Microsoft Ireland. “They fundamentally understand how to help organisations manage this complex process, with a consultative approach that will ensure their client’s successful digital evolution. This announcement with Tesco Mobile demonstrates their capability to successfully deliver value and change for their customers.”

Review – Ringke Fusion and Onyx cases for the iPhone 11 #Ringke #iPhone11

Ringke have sent over some of their cases to check out for the iPhone 11 and this company is another company I recommend checking out if you are in the market for a new case for your shiny new smartphone.

Ringke cases are affordable and come in many variants for you to pick from which is nice and they have a vast array of cases and more for most smartphones out there today. Both these cases are ideal for your smartphone with two different styles at hand.

 

2 / 14

The Onyx has a really nice metal brushed finish and the Fusion offers more with impact protection but both cases are made with TPU and have the drop test standard today we see in most phone cases from reputable case makers. Check out the video and image below for more and click the link in description to see what Ringke have on offer for your smartphone.. There is lots.

RINGKE