Tag: rail

Nokia 5G solution for next-gen digital railway operations supporting FRMCS

Nokia today announced its new 5G radio solution, designed to deliver high-capacity, high-performance and resilient real-time communications to rail operators worldwide, setting the foundation for the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS). As a cornerstone for smarter, safer and more efficient rail networks, the solution supports greater digitalization and automation, driving benefits for passengers, businesses and the environment. The launch features the industry’s first commercial 5G radio for the 1900 MHz (n101) band, along with Nokia’s Core Enterprise Solution for Railways, purpose-built to accelerate the sector’s digital transformation.

In the coming decade, FRMCS will upgrade the current 2G Global System for Mobile Communications – Railway (GSM-R) and become the next-generation global standard designed for all railways. Its 5G-based successor, with built-in security and high reliability, enables enhanced automation, new digital applications, improved passenger services, and secure cross-border communication.

Nokia is a global leader in railway communications with decades of experience in GSM-R deployments across more than 20 countries. The company has been at the forefront of FRMCS development, collaborating with rail operators, governments, industry, and standardization bodies to help shape the standard and enable its global deployment.

“The drive toward digitalization demands the kind of high-speed connectivity and data capabilities that legacy systems simply can’t provide, creating an urgent need for rail operators worldwide to modernize,” said Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia. “Our commercial 5G solution, backed by decades of proven rail industry expertise, reflects our commitment to laying the foundation for the next generation of railway operations. We offer a future-proof, flexible technology platform that supports a smooth transition to FRMCS while improving operational efficiency, safety and the overall passenger experience.”

Nokia’s new 5G radio is built for mission-critical communications and supports strategic coexistence, enabling railways to migrate to 5G alongside legacy systems like GSM-R with no disruption. In addition, its fully optimized, cloud-native 5G SA core supports the full suite of FRMCS functionalities for the transport stratum. Modular, flexible and scalable, the solution enables both regional and nationwide deployments. It will also be tested under the EU-funded FP2-MORANE-2 project, which builds on earlier FRMCS initiatives to advance the digitalization of rail operations across Europe.

The shift to a 5G solution introduces powerful capabilities that align perfectly with the operational needs of modern railways, particularly in border crossing scenarios. Here are some of the main benefits for rail operators and passengers:

  • Automated train operations: Enabling real-time control and monitoring of trains to improve safety and efficiency and decreasing energy consumption and emissions.
  • Passenger information systems: Providing real-time updates and information to passengers for a better travel experience.
  • Mission-critical voice communication: Integrating voice, video and data services in a single, standardized platform to enhance operations and infrastructure management.
  • Smart rail maintenance: Utilizing predictive maintenance and real-time monitoring to reduce downtime and maintenance costs.

Nokia is committed to driving the digital transformation of the railway sector through advanced, future-ready technologies. The new solution includes a commercial 5G radio for the 1900 MHz band from its industry-leading AirScale portfolio, paired with its railway-optimized Core Enterprise Solution. It is complemented by the company’s extensive portfolio of mission-critical IP, optical and data center networking products. Nokia’s solutions are also compliant with the highest standards and feature a best-in-class cybersecurity framework.

Multimedia, technical information and related news

Web Page: FRMCS

Web Page: FRMCS 5G RAN

Product Page: AirScale Radio Access

Product Page: Core Enterprise Solution for Railways

Product Page: Rail OT cloud

Product Page: Mission-critical railway backbone network

McLaren Applied helps Network Rail maintain the railway with 5G connectivity and new Active Antenna

McLaren Applied is helping Network Rail maintain the railway following the installation of its F1-derived Fleet Connect software and 5G Edge Active Antenna hardware on 14 of the railway operator’s infrastructure monitoring trains. This first implementation of Active Antenna’ technology in the UK brings a new, simplified approach to on-train connectivity infrastructure and an advanced capability for data offload on the move.

The combined tech solution delivers far greater connectivity and performance, with Network Rail registering upload data improvements of up to one thousand times faster than previous systems, meaning upload speeds of up to 70MB/s per train versus 76kB/s previously.

The UK’s infrastructure monitoring trains travel up and down the country, checking the condition of bridges, tunnels, and viaducts, as well as 20,000 miles of track including signals and level crossings. The New Measurement Train – the most recognisable of Network Rail’s infrastructure monitoring trains – records 60,000 miles of data a year, which can now be easily offloaded via the McLaren Applied solution.

Access to better and more stable connectivity is supporting maintenance, with the monitoring trains reporting back using live data streams, including sensor readings on the track, foliage, and network monitoring. The remote and automated monitoring helps to target maintenance work and run a safe and reliable railway for passengers and goods.

Originally developed for the pinnacle of motorsport, Formula 1, McLaren Applied’s patented Fleet Connect software splits data across networks in real time and reassembles it in the cloud en route to its destination, reducing blackspots and providing a consistent connectivity stream for any moving vehicle in any environment.

Pablo Garcia Lopez, Director, Connected Intelligence Business Unit at McLaren Applied, said: “The roll out of Fleet Connect software and cutting-edge Active Antenna hardware is a great example of how British ingenuity and engineering, along with cross industry knowledge, can solve prominent challenges in the transport sector. The combined technology ensures that infrastructure monitoring trains can quickly and reliably transmit data throughout their journeys up and down the UK.

“Network Rail has demonstrated an open, collaborative mindset in bringing Formula 1-derived software to the rail industry, and we expect further gains over five-year partnership,” Garcia Lopez added.

Skullcandy DIME 3 First Look Hands On

The Skullcandy DIME 3 just got announced recently and just when you think the DIME 2 where small you would think could they get any smaller, well they can by the looks of things and it is great to see, while the case itself is smaller the earbuds themselves look fractionally smaller but nonetheless it is a nice discreet pair of earbuds that are still packed with features at an affordable price and runs alongside their recent releases the RAIL and SMOKIN BUDS we just reviewed.

Any questions on the DIME 3 ask us and we will answer and stay tuned for lots of really cool tech reviews on the way and on the run up to Christmas.

 

Skullcandy DIME 3 earbuds – techbuzzireland

 

  • 20 Hours of Battery Life + Rapid Charge: Enjoy up to 8 hours of battery life in the earbuds and an additional 12 hours in the charging case, ensuring extended listening sessions without interruptions.
  • IPX4 Sweat and Water Resistance: Fearlessly embark on any adventure without worrying about sweat or water damaging your earbuds.
  • Multipoint Pairing: Seamlessly connect to two devices at once, regardless of platform or manufacturer.
  • Skullcandy Supreme Sound: Unique audio-tuning process enhances sound depth and detail, providing an exceptional listening experience.
  • Stay-Aware Mode: Stay connected to your surroundings without removing an earbud.
  • Built-In Tile™ Finding Technology: Easily locate misplaced earbuds using the Tile app.
  • Clear Voice Smart Mic: Enjoy crystal-clear calls with reduced background noise.
  • Preset EQ Modes: Select your preferred EQ mode for music, bass boost, or podcasts.
  • Full Suite of Media Controls on the Buds: Manage calls, change tracks, adjust volume controls, and activate native device assistants (Google, Siri, etc.) without touching your phone.
  • Integrated Lanyard Loop: Secure portability that protects the charge case and earbuds from accidental drops.
  • Noise-Isolating Fit: Ergonomically redesigned ear gels provide all-day comfort.
  • Microphones in Each Bud: Use either earbud individually without sacrificing call functionality.

Price: £34.99 – Buy the Dime 3’s here!

Unboxing Video

Tech Review – Skullcandy Rail earbuds non ANC

The latest earbuds have dropped from Skullcandy and once again well priced and great earbuds, the latest on offer is the all new RAIL and SMOKIN BUDS  and first up we check out the RAIL which are the non ANC version and having said that they have NO ANC does it matter, in short no because once these are tuned up to the max you cant hear what is going on outside anyway. Trust me, these are loud and how I like it

The design is familiar with small stems however we can see inside these at the top which is cool, and being able to see inside our tech is now becoming a bit of a trend these days and perhaps later down the road Skullcandy might give us a totally transparent pair and that would be extra cool if they did but for now we have these to poke our eyes into for now.

Comfort and fit is also fine here and sit well in the ears and look clean and will not budge and after wearing them for some time now out cycling and in the gym they have now budged and stay well put as they say, the right tips though is the key here and once applied they block out much of the outside world which is fine.

Controls work well as expected from the company and always have been consistent with their products we go through all these in the video review below so do check it out and the app which is up next. We once again have access to their fantastic app that allows you to change commands and more by just calling out “Hey Skulklcandy” – insert command here..  And as reviewed before this is an excellent feature and we have covered it in depth before but go over it again for newcomers to the channel and anyone looking for something new, it is a superb feature and you can even take photos by using this app which is Skull IQ.

The app is full of features as you would expect and you can change the controls to suit your needs, the you are best off doing the sound test to get the most out of your earbuds and using personal sound by Mimi and once complete you can later do it again if you wish over time on your profile.

As mentioned you can change the buttons features you have sound aware you have multipoint pairing and EQs built in and you can create your own, the volume is loud crisp and clear and calls also excellent too, when it comes to the audio though is where it is at nice bass highs lows and mids no lag latency no distortion when maxed out either and this is where many earbuds fail when turned up the max in some genres, You have spotify on tap however I you use YouTube music.

Overall these are a super pair of earbuds but have NO ANC so one can only imagine what they are like, with all the features packed in here and decent battery life and the price these come in at they are certainly earbuds to put on your list to check out.Check out the video review for more on the latest from Skullcandy.

 

Skullcandy Rail earbuds NON ANC – techbuzzireland

 

The App

 

 

Features

42 Hours Total Battery + Rapid Charge
IP55 Sweat, Water and Dust Resistant
Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology®
Personal Sound by Mimi®
Multipoint Pairing
Built-In Tile™ Finding Technology
Hands-Free Voice Control
Clear Voice Smart Mic
Adjustable Stay-Aware Mode
Sidetone
Spotify Tap™
Skull-iQ App Compatibility
Preset and Custom EQ Modes (Music, Bass Boost and Podcast)
Call, Track & Media Controls

Custom Button Functions
Use Either Bud Solo
Auto On/Connect
Bluetooth 5.2

BUY

Video review

First Look – Skullcandy Smokin Buds and Skullcandy Rail earbuds

Not long ago Skullcandy announced some cool new earbuds to their portfolio and they were the Skullcandy Smokin and Skullcandy Rail earbuds and we have a pair of each in to test over the next few week, Affordable in price the latest on offer again has all the features you need to go about your day whilst listening to your music and more.

The Skullcandy Smokin buds are the cheapest on offer and when I say cheap I have tested other models before and they sounded great for the price so there is not much to complain about here. The environmentally-conscious earbuds are made with 50% certified recycled plastics. Smokin Buds are equipped with a comfortable and ergonomic design, which guarantees ideal fit, appearance, and noise isolation, all wrapped up in a sleek package.

We will have a review soon so if you have any questions feel free to ask in the interim.

Features

Smokin’ Buds True Wireless Earbuds – £29.99 MSRP 

  • Up to 20 Hours of Battery Life + Rapid Charge – Listen longer with 8 hours of battery life in the earbuds and 12 hours in the charging case + With Rapid Charge, 10 minutes of charge equals 2 hours of playtime
  • IPX4 Sweat and Water Resistant – Go on any adventure without missing a beat ● Skullcandy Supreme Sound® – Unique audio-tuning process enables users to maximize the depth and detail of each sound. Premium audio quality features drivers that have been selected and expertly tuned
  • Music, Movie & Podcast EQ Modes – Delivers best audio quality for music, movies or podcasts ● Noise Isolating Fit – Ergonomic, ovalized design provides all-day comfort and a noise-isolating fit
  • Call and Media Controls via Capacitive Touch – Control volume, calls, EQ modes and activate your devices local Assistant with a tap on either earbud.
  • Microphone in Each Earbud – Allows use of either bud solo without losing the ability to take calls
  • Auto On/Connect – Enjoy automatic turn on and pairing with the last device used ● True Wireless via Bluetooth® 5.2 – Bluetooth® technology offering efficiency improvements and faster pairing
Skullcandy Smokin Buds and Skullcandy Rail earbuds – techbuzzireland

Skullcandy Rail.

These are the more feature packed earbuds and come in an ANC model two so you have choice, either way with the Skull IQ smart feature which if you have not tested is great you can find out how this works by looking back at our reviews and see how easy it makes life for the user. Again a small pair of earbuds with a small stem which I prefer these will sit nicely in your ears and allow you to get on with your day again with features packed in to make life easier, you also have multipoint pairing here which I also love to see and you get personal sound by Mimi.

Full reviews of both will be here soon and a hands on look at what to expect so check out the unboxing below for now and see what you get in the packages.

Additional details surrounding Rail ANC and Rail True Wireless Earbuds include:

Rail ANC True Wireless Earbuds – £99.99 MSRP 

  • Up to 38 Hours of Battery Life (ANC off) + Rapid Charge and Wireless Charging – Listen longer with 10 hours of battery life in the earbuds and 28 hours in the charging case ● IP55 Sweat, Water and Dust Resistant – Go on any adventure without missing a beat ● Adjustable 4-Mic Active Noise Canceling – Actively monitors the surrounding environment to filter out external noise, maintaining a crisp audio quality
  • Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology® – Issue simple, hands-free voice commands to turn on and adjust Stay-Aware Mode, activate device assistant, launch Spotify Tap, Take Photo and more ● Over-the-Air Updates – Earbuds become smarter over time when new upgradable features are released via the Skull-iQ App
  • Multipoint Pairing – Seamlessly pair to two devices at once, regardless of platform or manufacturer
  • Personal Sound by Mimi® – Tune your audio experience to your unique hearing ability by taking a real-time audio test to create a Personal Sound Profile for optimized audio levels ● Built-In Tile™ Finding Technology – If earbuds is misplaced, simply “ring” it from the Tile app ● Clear Voice Smart Mic – Experience a reduction in background noise to ensure calls are crystal clear
  • Preset & Custom EQ Modes – Adjust your EQ or create your own custom EQ modes
  • Customizable Button Functions – Personalize your earbuds by customizing your controls via Skull-iQ app
  • True Wireless via Bluetooth® 5.2 – The latest in Bluetooth® technology offering efficiency improvements and faster pairing capabilities

Buy – Skullcandy Rail   Buy the Skullcandy Smokin Buds

Unboxing Video

 

EPAM launches Generative AI orchestration platform, DIAL

EPAM Systems, Inc. , a leading digital transformation services and product engineering company, today announced the launch of its AI-powered DIAL Orchestration Platform (Deterministic Integrator of Applications and LLMs), which merges the power of Large Language Models (LLMs) with deterministic code — offering a secure, scalable and customisable AI workbench to streamline and enhance AI-driven business solutions.

Produced by EPAM’s Reliable AI Lab (RAIL), DIAL helps enterprises speed their experimentation and innovation efforts across an extensive range of LLMs, AI-native Applications and Custom Add-ons as well as provides a practical approach for engineering business solutions with reliable AI capabilities.

The DIAL Platform offers a unified user interface, empowering businesses to leverage a spectrum of public and proprietary LLMs, Add-ons, APIs, Datastores and Business Applications. This integration promotes the development of novel enterprise assets that co-exist seamlessly with an organisation’s existing workflows.

Moreover, Applications and Add-ons can be implemented through diverse approaches, encompassing LangChain, LLamaIndex, Semantic Kernel or custom code — all within an integrated, secure and scalable framework. The DIAL Platform aggregates multi-cloud assets libraries including components, routing, rate-limiting software, monitoring tools, load-balancing solutions and deployment scripts. This extensive, curated toolkit supports a wide range of business use cases and integration scenarios and offers approaches to significantly optimise the consumption of external LLMs.

“Since 2021, we have experimented with thousands of AI use cases, helping EPAM and our customers to identify and adopt Generative AI scenarios to power business transformation initiatives,” said Elaina Shekhter, Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer at EPAM. “The learnings from these efforts have led us to design and engineer a platform that accelerates the cost-effective development, reliability testing and operations of AI-embedded business applications.”

“RAIL, as part of EPAM’s broader R&D initiatives, concentrates on creating accelerators and components that encompass a full scope of advanced technologies, including Generative AI. These are designed to expedite the implementation of enterprise-scale solutions, embodying our commitment to innovation and our vision for a transformative future, driven by cutting-edge technology,” – added Ilya Gorelik, Head of EPAM’s RAIL Lab.

In keeping with EPAM’s long-standing commitment to Open Source, portions of DIAL will be released under an Apache 2.0 licensing scheme as part of its launch. This initiative encourages responsible use, community innovation and the adoption of responsible AI enterprise standards within the industry.

To learn more about EPAM’s AI-powered DIAL Orchestration Platform, visit https://epam-rail.com.

SKULLCANDY Packs Premium, Easy-To-Use Features Into All-New Collection: Rail ANC And Rail True Wireless Earbuds

Introducing two new True Wireless earbud models, Rail ANC boasting 4-mic Active Noise Cancelling technology and Rail True Wireless Earbuds, this line distills the best of Skullcandy. Offering premium features such as hands-free voice control via Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology®, Multipoint Pairing and Clear Voice Smart Mic, along with a redesigned ergonomic fit and other upgrades, all at an unbeatable sub-$100 price point. Rail ANC (£99.99 MSRP) and Rail (£69.99 MSRP) are available globally, exclusively on Skullcandy.com. 

Rail ANC and Rail present users with an elevated true wireless experience, enabling hands-free voice commands in five language options plus the ability to become smarter over time when upgraded features are released via the Skull-iQ App. A streamlined listening experience is further enhanced by multipoint pairing and capacitive touch controls that can be customized through the app. Personal Sound enables users to tune their audio to optimal levels based on their unique hearing profile. Rail ANC presents users with four-mic hybrid and adjustable active noise cancellation for a more reliable, easier to activate experience and also offers wireless charging. 

“When we sat down to conceptualize the Rail family, our goal was to pack the best of what Skullcandy offers into a sleek, innovative form factor,” said Jason Luthman, Director of Global Product Management, Skullcandy. “The premium Rail collection is fully-loaded with mind-blowing audio and the freshest features competing with the highest-end true wireless offerings on the market, at a price point our fans will appreciate.” 

Both Rail ANC and Rail were designed using cutting-edge technology, leveraging virtual reality to create a universally ergonomic fit, providing the most stable, comfortable and best-fitting experiences on the market. The accompanying charging case is equally streamlined and minimal. Rail ANC is available in a True Black colorway while Rail is offered in True Black and Bone. 

Additional details surrounding Rail ANC and Rail True Wireless Earbuds include: 

Rail ANC True Wireless Earbuds – £99.99 MSRP 

  • Up to 38 Hours of Battery Life (ANC off)1 + Rapid Charge and Wireless Charging – Listen longer with 10 hours of battery life in the earbuds and 28 hours in the charging case ● IP55 Sweat, Water and Dust Resistant – Go on any adventure without missing a beat ● Adjustable 4-Mic Active Noise Canceling – Actively monitors the surrounding environment to filter out external noise, maintaining a crisp audio quality 
  • Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology® – Issue simple, hands-free voice commands to turn on and adjust Stay-Aware Mode, activate device assistant, launch Spotify Tap, Take Photo and more ● Over-the-Air Updates – Earbuds become smarter over time when new upgradable features are released via the Skull-iQ App 
  • Multipoint Pairing – Seamlessly pair to two devices at once, regardless of platform or manufacturer 
  • Personal Sound by Mimi® – Tune your audio experience to your unique hearing ability by taking a real-time audio test to create a Personal Sound Profile for optimized audio levels ● Built-In Tile™ Finding Technology – If earbuds is misplaced, simply “ring” it from the Tile app ● Clear Voice Smart Mic – Experience a reduction in background noise to ensure calls are crystal clear 
  • Preset & Custom EQ Modes – Adjust your EQ or create your own custom EQ modes
  • Customizable Button Functions – Personalize your earbuds by customizing your controls via Skull-iQ app 
  • True Wireless via Bluetooth® 5.2 – The latest in Bluetooth® technology offering efficiency improvements and faster pairing capabilities 

Rail True Wireless Earbuds – £69.99 MSRP 

  • Up to 42 Hours of Battery Life + Rapid Charge – Listen longer with 8 hours of battery life in the earbuds and 34 hours in the charging case + With Rapid Charge, 10 minutes of charge equals 2 hours of playtime 
  • IP55 Sweat, Water and Dust Resistant – Go on any adventure without missing a beat ● Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology® – Issue simple, hands-free voice commands to turn on and adjust Stay-Aware Mode, activate device assistant, launch Spotify Tap, Take Photo and more ● Over-the-Air Updates – Update earbuds via the Skull-iQ App to add new features for enhanced functionality and to extend the life of the earbuds 
  • Personal Sound – Tune your audio experience to your unique hearing ability by taking a real-time audio test to create a Personal Sound Profile for optimized audio levels ● Multipoint Pairing – Seamlessly pair to two devices at once, regardless of platform or manufacturer 
  • Built-In Tile™ Finding Technology – If earbuds is misplaced, simply “ring” it from the Tile app ● Clear Voice Smart Mic – Experience a reduction in background noise to ensure calls are crystal clear 
  • Preset & Custom EQ Modes – Adjust your EQ or create your own custom EQ modes ● Customizable Button Functions – Personalize your earbuds by customizing your controls ● True Wireless via Bluetooth® 5.2 – The latest in Bluetooth® technology offering efficiency improvements and faster pairing capabilities