Tag: series

From isolation to connection: Cork couple stars in online video series about digital skills for older people

Patrick and Liz Downes, a couple from Mitchelstown in Cork, are featured in a new online video as part of the Consumer Technology Association’s ‘The Human Component’ series. The video showcases their journey with the Hi Digital programme in partnership with the Irish Girl Guides, Vodafone Foundation, and ALONE.

The video follows 76-year-old Patrick, who rediscovered his passion for woodworking by embracing the digital world through the Hi Digital programme. With the support of his wife Liz, an Irish Girl Guides Leader and Hi Digital Champion, and the local IGG Unit, Patrick learns to use the internet to find woodworking tools and stay connected with his granddaughter.

Initially feeling disconnected and uninterested in modern technology after his multiple sclerosis diagnosis, Patrick’s life underwent a transformative change with the introduction of the Hi Digital programme. His resilience shines as he navigates the digital world, guided by Liz and the local Irish Girl Guides. To watch the video, click here.

Since 2023, Vodafone Foundation has partnered with the Irish Girl Guides to roll out the Hi Digital programme across Ireland. This initiative aims to help older adults, and above, feel comfortable with digital usage and skills, thereby combating isolation and loneliness.

IGG has provided Hi Digital classes in 25 of their units around Ireland and has trained over 2000 older adults. IGG Guides, Senior Branch members, and Leaders participate in this mutually beneficial programme by tutoring older community members. The course is divided into short lessons, teaching participants how to access the internet, use smartphones, stay safe online, and identify and avoid scams and fraud.

Liz Downes, Irish Girl Guides Leader, talking about her involvement with Hi Digital, said: “It’s about more than just teaching digital skills, it’s about fostering connections and breaking down barriers that can leave older generations feeling isolated. Through Hi Digital, we’re building bridges between generations and creating a sense of belonging for everyone.”

Jenny Gannon, Irish Girl Guides Programme and Training Commissioner, adds: “Today’s world is one dominated by tech and it is important that we learn to support each other to navigate the challenges that brings for all generations. This programme allows our young people to help older members of their community to learn how to use different aspects of their devices, while our younger members have also learned new skills while working on Hi Digital. This programme offers real opportunities for intergenerational learning and has been a hugely positive experience for all involved.”

Judy Collins, Vodafone Retail Advisor in Oliver Plunket Street, said: “I am delighted to see this video come to life, showcasing the fantastic impact the Hi Digital initiative has on the older generation. It’s heart-warming to witness stories like Patrick and Liz’s and see first-hand how Hi Digital is empowering older people with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital world, reclaim their passions and stay connected with loved ones. We are thrilled to be able to provide this support”.

Explore the full series here: www.thehumancomponent.org

For more information about Hi Digital, visit: Welcome to Hi Digital

UCD Centre for Digital Policy Unveil AI Video Series

The UCD Centre for Digital Policy, with the support of Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation Dara Calleary TD and Microsoft, today announced the release of a newly created AI video series to help build AI policy understanding and capabilities among policymakers, developers and others.   

Bringing expert academic, legal, industry, political and policy expertise and insights together, the five short videos provide a solid base for anyone interested in deepening their knowledge and understanding of this dynamic technology and social policy space.  Contributors include Minister Dara Calleary; AI Ambassador, Patricia Scanlon; Drs. Elizabeth Farries and Susan Leavy from UCD; AI Advisory Council member, Barry Scannell; and TrialView’s Stephen Dowling.

The video series builds on a collaboration between UCD and Microsoft, which saw the introduction of the Microsoft-UCD Digital Policy Programme at UCD in 2020 with the goal of building digital policy capability amongst the public and private sector in Ireland and across the wider EU.  

The announcement was made at the Digital Ireland Conference organised by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment today in Dublin Castle. The event sought to underline Ireland’s position as a digital leader at the heart of European and global digital developments and demonstrate Government’s commitment to drive greater clarity, coherence and cooperation in digital in Ireland.

Welcoming the release of the AI video series, Minister Dara Calleary TD said: “Ireland can lead in responsible AI and innovative AI and be at the core of AI innovation in Europe. As we look ahead, skilling up in AI will give people the skills and confidence to deal with and manage AI. Skills are also crucial to understanding ethical AI and person-centred AI which are two key principles of Ireland’s national AI strategy.”

Dr. Elizabeth Farries from the UCD Centre for Digital Policy said: “Communication and comprehension needs to occur along every point of the AI supply and development chain. We need communication and understanding of ethics from researchers and developers to Governments embracing these technologies. That is why we recommend capacity building for policymakers and developers alike through education including the programmes offered at UCD Centre for Digital Policy.”

James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President of Microsoft Global Operations Service Center said: “AI is a transformative technology that has huge potential to empower workers, businesses and communities across Ireland. As the use of AI tools and technologies accelerates, it is important that both the policy opportunities and challenges created by the technology are well understood. By providing insights from a wide-ranging set of experts across academia, policy and industry, the new AI video series produced in collaboration with the UCD Centre for Digital Policy can help to deepen understanding in these key areas and ensure responsible AI principles are put into practice.”

The AI Video Series, along with a similar series on Cyber Security produced last year, are available to view at www.digitalpolicy.ie.

Tech Review – Creative Pebble X

The Creative Pebble X and Pebble X Plus are here for review and over the last while we have put both to the test but today we are looking at the Pebble X which are the cheaper of the two, recently we checked out the Pebble V3 Artisan Edition here and these are quite a bump up from them when it comes to sound and slightly larger packing a serious punch.

These have enhanced custom-tuned 2.75″ full-range drivers for a truly immersive listening experience. The two models boast the iconic 45° elevated design, meticulously angled for an optimized listening experience and are slightly larger giving more space to thump out the tunes and if you like bass you are in for a treat.

There is rubber ring underneath and an option to mount them if required the build quality is excellent and there is simple controls up front as before being an RGB control and a switch mode between bluetooth and PC connections also the volume dial acts as a voice control to turn it on or off. On the rear is the two USB-C ports one being PD which we had no charger to test, I do have one somewhere in the house but it has gone for a walk and there is also an aux port.

Once set up on your PC this is where the games changes, there is options on the mobile app but too however the PC app is where it shines most you will most likely get an update when connected, be sure to install the app first then the connect your speakers via cables provided.

In the app you will see below all the features at hand to custom tune the looks and sound and the sound is what people want to know about here.

They pack a serious loud punch highs lows and mids are great and for the concerning person who likes to customize things the app allows you to do so.

In short these are an excellent pair of speakers and well worth the money here and better than previous models and takes things to a new level you will not be disappointed with the sound and the features even for the most concerning audio folk.

Creative App offers the following features for the Creative Pebble X series.

  • Ability to apply different Sound Modes, Equalizer and Acoustic Engine settings.
  • Configure the lighting effects on the speaker.
  • Configure the Microphone Equalizer.
  • Perform firmware or software upgrades.
Creative Pebble X software – techbuzzireland

There are 6 modules in Device:

  • Sound Mode
  • Acoustic Engine
  • Equalizer
  • Mixer
  • CrystalVoice
  • Lighting

See the full list of features here there is that many to feature however we go through them in the video review below.

To unlock the full potential of the speakers, users can easily download the Creative app on Windows. This app grants users’ access to the Sound Blaster Acoustic Engine audio technologies, such as Surround, Smart Volume, Bass, Crystallizer and EQ. Users can also personalize the RGB lighting and other features using the Creative app’s modules, which are available on Windows, the Apple App Store, and the Google Play Store.

Pricing and Availability

Creative Pebble X is priced at US$89.99, UK£84.99, EU€99.99 and is available at Creative.com

For more information, visit creative.com/PebbleX

Video Review 

Tech Review – Poetic cases lineup for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

The Poetic case line up for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is here and there is several cases here to check out today to keep your shiny new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in good order, there is the new NEON series from Poetic which has several cases and colour choices to pick from which is excellent and good for the consumer giving them choice in what they want to pick from.

Being an expensive device there is still folk out there who like to go naked with their phone and learn the hard way when dropped but with the new line up of cases from Poetic there is a case for everyone here and they all do an excellent job protecting your new device.

All cases are dual layered offering extra grip with tactile keys and one offering more than another as we go through the case line up below.

Check out the hands on review of all the cases below and check the corresponding links to the cases linked below too where you can decide for yourself what type of case and what colour suits you best.

Poetic case lineup for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra techbuzzireland

 

POETIC GALAXY S24 ULTRA MAGNETIC RING STAND CASE [NEON SERIES]

  • [Magnetic Ring Stand] – Pop opens the ring to form a vertical or horizontal stand. Alternatively, it also functions as a ring holder
  • [Strong Magnetic] – N52 Strong Magnetic is built underneath the stand. Therefore, It attaches to the car mount and other MagSafe accessories more securely. Wireless charging is compatible with most wireless chargers in the market
  • [ShockProof & Drop Tested] For Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G Case – EXCEED US MIL-STD drop tested & used by law enforcement agencies. Ultra rugged preferred by athletes to protect your Galaxy S24 Ultra from accidental drops, bumps, dust and scratches
  • [Dual Layer Protection] Case for Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G – Flexible, Impact absorbing TPE + Hard, Durable PC with reinforced corners, side body bumper, raised lips around screens and camera. This Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G Case is Shockproof/Drop-proof/Impact resistant/Scratch-proof

BUY 

 

POETIC GALAXY S24 ULTRA CAMERA STAND WITH MAGSAFE COMPATIBLE CASE [NEON SERIES]

  • [Built-in Camera Foldable Stand] – Camera Foldable Stand can be adjusted from 0º to 120º, and fold up to 10k times in its life cycle. With this handy stand, you can prop up the case whenever, wherever you want
  • [Strong Magnets] – Strong N52 Magnet Circle on the back makes it more secure to any car mount and other MagSafe accessories. Wireless charging is compatible with most wireless chargers in the market
  • [ShockProof & Drop Tested] For Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G Case – EXCEED US MIL-STD. Drop tested & used by law enforcement agencies. Ultra rugged preferred by athletes. Protect your Galaxy S24 Ultra from accidental drops, bumps, dust and scratches
  • [Dual Layer Protection] Case for Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G – Flexible, Impact absorbing TPE + Hard, Durable PC with reinforced corners, side body bumper, raised lips around screens and camera. This Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 5G Case is Shockproof/Drop-proof/Impact resistant/Scratch-proof

BUY

POETIC GALAXY S24 ULTRA CASE [NEON SERIES]

  • [ShockProof & Drop Tested] For Galaxy S24 Ultra Case – EXCEED US MIL-STD drop tested & used by law enforcement agencies. Ultra rugged preferred by athletes to protect your Galaxy S24 Ultra from accidental drops, bumps, dust and scratches
  • [Slim Iconic Design with Accent] For Galaxy S24 Ultra Cover – Ultra thin and slim design without adding any bulk or weight to the sleek Galaxy S24 Ultra. Easy to slip in and out of bags & pockets
  • [Dual Layer Protection] Case for Galaxy S24 Ultra – Flexible, Impact absorbing TPE + Hard, Durable PC with reinforced corners, side body bumper, raised lips around screens and camera. This Galaxy S24 Ultra Case is Shockproof/Drop-proof/Impact resistant/Scratch-proof
  • [Anti Slip Back Pattern] Galaxy S24 Ultra Phone Case – Prevents slipping from moving vehicles, counter/desktop. Secure, grippy feel in the hands to prevent accidental drops

 

BUY 

 

GALAXY S24 ULTRA WITH SLIDE CAMERA COVER CASE [SPARTAN SERIES]

  • [Slide Camera protection] – make the spartan series even better with slide camera cover. The camera slider protects your camera lens from scratches, bumps & shocks
  • [Military Grade Drop Tested Case] – protects your Galaxy S24 Ultra 6.8 inch from all angles. Shockproof/Drop-proof/Impact resistant/Scratch-proof
  • [Built-in Pull out kickstand] – for hands-free viewing in portrait or landscape mode
  • [Two front frames] – one with film, one without film. Enjoy the case with a built-in screen protector or use the front frame without film with your own tempered glass. Both choices should work out perfectly

 

BUY 

Video Review

Microsoft Announces details of new AI Dream Space TV Series: brAIn_waves

Today Microsoft announced details of a newly produced Microsoft Dream Space TV series: brAIn_waves. The series, which is freely available online from today via rte.ie/learn, is designed to develop both AI (Artificial Intelligence) literacy and the skills required for the era of AI in young people.

Microsoft Dream Space TV is an innovative initiative that combines the expertise of the Microsoft education team with RTÉ’s commitment to engage young people in the world of technology and, in this case, AI.

This latest series of Microsoft Dream Space TV is the fifth to be produced in collaboration with RTÉ Learn, with previous episodes focusing on developing digital skills through themes of inclusivity, sustainability, and health and wellbeing.

brAIn_waves

brAIn_waves is comprised of six episodes, two of which have been designed for upper primary school students and four for post primary students. For upper primary school students, the two-part series explores computational thinking, algorithms, data, and how AI works at a basic level. For post-primary students, the four-part series explores the fundamentals of AI and its impact on our everyday lives with specific lesson areas including algorithms, data, machine learning, and ethics.

Post-primary students will have the added opportunity of participating in the Microsoft Dream Space and RTÉ Learn brAIn_waves series competition and will be in with a chance of winning incredible team prizes and competing for the All-Ireland title. The competition element simply focuses on putting the learnings from each episode into practice. Students will be encouraged to work in teams and develop their own AI for Good solutions, which they can then enter into the national brAIn_waves competition. Entries will be evaluated on innovation, data collection, machine learning, impact, creativity, and ethics. 20 teams will win a prize for their school and one overall winner will take home the grand prize and brAIn_waves All-Ireland Title.

Microsoft’s Commitment to Skill Up Ireland
This new online series builds on Microsoft’s recent commitment to help ‘Skill Up Ireland’ for an AI future by way of its national AI skilling programme. The programme is comprised of three initiatives targeted at providing access to industry recognised certificates for adult learners, including in Generative AI, and Microsoft Dream Space AI certificates for student learners.

Commenting on today’s announcement, James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Vice-President Microsoft Global Operations Service Centre: “We’re delighted to join the team at RTÉ Learn to announce the fifth series from Microsoft Dream Space TV – brAIn_waves. The series’ focus on AI is particularly important given the technology itself is central to many discussions across business, our education sector, and wider society. Through our STEM education experience, Microsoft Dream Space, we are helping the next generation to develop the skills that are required to succeed in our digital society and economy. AI is no longer a future technology, it is rapidly becoming accessible to all, and therefore it’s really important that we seek to immerse students in all things AI, helping to develop their understanding of and skills in this technology“Our commitment at Microsoft to empower people of all ages, backgrounds and experiences to gain the skills that are required to participate in our AI-enabled economy is the driving force behind our national AI skilling programme, which we launched late last year. As part of this commitment, we are providing every student across the island of Ireland – almost 1 million in total – with the opportunity to engage in Dream Space, our STEM-based learning experience.

“Our aspiration is that teachers and students leverage this free learning resource to bring AI to life in classrooms around the country. Critically though, I hope at the end of the series that the students are inspired to learn more about AI and cultivate their skills in this area. Congratulations to everyone involved in making this series a reality.”

Speaking about the initiative Suzanne Kelly, Group Head of Children’s & Young People’s Content at RTÉ said: “RTÉ are excited to once again team up with Microsoft Dream Space, this time to explore the latest frontier in technology – AI.  AI technology touches almost every aspect of our lives and is continually evolving at breakneck speed, this incredibly timely series showcases how best to harness and understand where AI is going next.

“The Dream Space team have created informative, thought provoking, free learning materials to be used in classrooms across Primary and Post Primary schools and RTÉ Learn are delighted to work with Dream Space to deliver these resources.”  

Microsoft Dream Space TV series: brAIn_waves is available from today via rte.ie/learn. A support guide for educators is being made available to support the delivery of the episodes to students and young people in classroom settings.

DAACI Announces Natural Series: a highly anticipated product roadmap launching with their first editing tool ‘Natural Edits’

DAACI launches ‘Natural Series’, a comprehensive product portfolio, that will see the release of plugins, music tools and editing technology released over the next year, kicking off with ‘Natural Edits’, a powerful music editing tool for the global sync market to make any track instantly adaptive.

The Natural Series has evolved from DAACI’s development of patented AI and musician-led core technologies. Each element will satisfy the needs of different audiences and use cases, from creators who want to enhance their process, to Music Rights Holders looking for solutions that satisfy the rapidly growing demand for creating personalised music experiences.

The first element in the Natural Series is Natural Edits, now available to Rights Holders within the global sync market. Future elements of the series will include Natural Sync which will enable any type of user, with any ability to create new track edits against films, to supercharge the creative process. DAACI is also beta testing their first plugin for producers and composers.

DAACI’s CEO Rachel Lyske comments: “From the beginning of our journey, we have been on a mission, working on our core technology, the brain of DAACI, to build a solid, ambitious ecosystem. Our ethical, artist-led approach has been welcomed by our partners and the music industry and we’ve been eagerly asked when there will be products to test, ‘buttons to press’. Now we have them. The time is right to put these tools into the hands of users and introduce people to ‘the DAACI way’, and we can’t wait to hear what people will create with them.”

About Natural Edits

Natural Edits brings powerful, patented music editing technology to Rights Holders and their Licensees within the global sync market. By embedding Natural Edits into their entire catalogues within their existing web-based platforms, Rights Holders can enable internal and external users to engage with a track at a level of detail and control as never before. Natural Edits can also be added to web-based platforms incrementally with functionality initially added to a small number of test tracks, then smoothly scaled up. To support this, DAACI will provide a fast, simple API that Music Rights Holders’ web-based platforms can use to dynamically query which tracks are supported and place an ‘Edit’ button on them.

From the moment they begin considering a track, users will be exposed to the track’s latent potential to fit countless contexts from looping beds for background music, to topped-and-tailed snippets for adverts, extended pieces for arbitrary length videos, and precise edits matching specific narratives and music briefs.

Natural Edits enables any user of any skill level to create and deliver a personalised edit of any track in a few simple clicks, driving discoverability and, just as importantly, licence potential of a track.

Natural Edits has already been adopted by music platforms including Pure Sync. Julian Goodkind, CEO of Pure Sync says: “Pure Sync are delighted to be incorporating Natural Edits. We see this as a pivotal moment in our adoption and utilisation of Ethical AI tools. This elevates and amplifies our creative capabilities as Music Supervisors within the Sync world, to deliver more creatively, efficiently and cost effectively.”

DAACI invites Music Rights Holders to enquire about Natural Edits integration at hello@daaci.com.
To find out more, or to sign up for future beta testing visit: daaci.com

PSB Speakers Announces New Generation of Imagine Series

PSB Speakers, surpassing five decades of excellence in hi-fi loudspeaker design, announces the launch of a new generation of the highly acclaimed Imagine Series speaker line at Toronto Audio Fest. The latest edition of the Imagine Series consists of the B50 Bookshelf, T54 and T65 Tower speakers. The Imagine Series represents the best value no-compromise performance in the PSB Speakers’ line-up. The advanced crossover design and driver complement is directly inherited from the flagship Synchrony Series, while the chamfered edges and polished aluminium accents match those of the premium PWM Series, and clever value engineering is borrowed from the Alpha Series to deliver the brand’s signature “True to Nature” sound to a broader audience. The T65 Towers (CA$2,699 / US$1,999 / €1,999 / £1,699 a pair MSRP), T54 Towers (CA$2,099 / US$1,499 / €1,499 / £1,199 a pair MSRP) and B50 Bookshelf Speakers (CA$899 / US$699 / €699 / £599 a pair MSRP), will be available to purchase on November 7, 2023 and come in Satin Black and Satin White finishes.

Imagine T65
Floorstanding Tower Speaker

The T65 stands as the pinnacle within the Imagine Series as the tower speaker of the collection, harmonizing advanced technology, elegant design, and unparalleled performance. Boasting a driver array with a 1” tweeter, 5.25” midrange, and dual 6.5” woofers, the T65 showcases a 3-way dual bass reflex configuration, integrating paired rear slot ports and meticulously tuned woofer chambers. Its crossover design leverages the natural roll-off points of each driver with precise control of the sound. The outcome is an exceptional capacity to dive deeper into low frequencies, while presenting an expansive soundstage.

Imagine T65 front view.

Imagine T54
Floorstanding Tower Speaker

Disguised in a slender and modest form, the Imagine T54 Tower showcases a meticulously crafted 1” tweeter, 4” midrange, and dual 5.25” woofers. Embracing the 3-way dual bass reflex architecture reminiscent of the T65 and featuring dual rear-firing slot ports from the PWM Series, the T54 challenges its compact dimensions to present a wide frequency range and pin-point imaging for an immersive listening experience.

Imagine T54 rear view.

Imagine B50
Bookshelf Speaker

The Imagine B50 Bookshelf harmonize a 1” tweeter, and 5.25” woofer within a compact footprint. Featuring a 2-way bass reflex design and rear-facing slot port, they are more than capable to fill any space with harmonious true-to-nature sound and unexpectedly deep bass extension. 

Imagine B50 front view.


Seamless Integration with PWM Series


The PWM On-Wall speakers are designed to support the Imagine Series as centre channels or surround channels in any multi-channel application. The aluminium trim rings and chamfered edges of the Imagine Series not only enhance the visual aesthetics but ensure a harmonious visual match with the PWM Series to complete any home theatre.

PWM2 above PWM3 in black.

Decades of Refinement

The Imagine Series encapsulates PSB’s unwavering commitment to world-class speaker design. All three models inherit flagship-grade technology from the prestigious Synchrony and PWM Series, ensuring each component meets the highest standards of quality and performance. Each speaker is scientifically measured, tested and fine-tuned by PSB’s esteemed design and engineering team. Bringing together refined true-to-nature sound and an exceptional performance-to-price ratio, the Imagine Series enables music enthusiasts and audiophiles to enjoy premium sound without compromise.

Key Features of the Imagine Series

  • Woven carbon fibre cones (woofers and midrange)
  • Mass-loaded rubber surrounds and premium magnet structures
  • Linkwitz-Riley 4th order crossover design
  • Low-resonance MDF cabinet with extensive bracing
  • 1×1” (25mm) titanium dome tweeters with Ferrofluid damping and neodymium magnet
  • 3-way dual bass reflex design*
  • Acoustically transparent magnetic grilles
  • Satin White and Black finishes

Healthier cooking and baking – with the new Series 8 ovens from Bosch

Anyone looking for a new oven for their kitchen should consider a Series 8 oven from Bosch.

Create flavoursome dishes in your oven

Steam cooking up to 120°C is possible with the Series 8 ovens. The clever combination of hot air and steam prepares, for example, potatoes, beet or beans faster than with classic steam cooking. In addition, up to 54 percent more nutrients and up to 25 percent more vitamin C are retained. Steam cooking leads to a perfect taste experience in every respect and saves time at the same time. In addition, the Air Fry function is part of the basic equipment of all Series 8 ovens – this means that foods that previously required a lot of fat in preparation can now be crispy and aromatic even with little fat. Simply place the prepared food on the specially developed Air Fry and grill tray, select the Air Fry function and enter the desired temperature. The oven does the rest.

The perfect cake at the touch of a button

Whether cake, muffin or quiche – in addition to a delicious taste, the right consistency is also an important criterion. Thanks to PerfectBake Baking Sensor Plus in the Series 8 ovens, this is easy to achieve. For example, “cake in shape” can be selected in the display and the oven does the rest on its own. This means that there is no longer any need to worry about the heating mode, temperature or baking time. The highly sensitive sensor continuously measures the moisture content in the oven and switches off automatically as soon as the cake is perfect. Thanks to artificial Intelligence, the oven tells you how many minutes the kitchens still need.

Smart assistance from the app

Anyone who links their Series 8 oven to the Home Connect app benefits from practical options. The oven assistant quickly and easily finds the right program for many dishes – matching the functions of the new oven. And it does so both in the Home Connect app and via Alexa voice control. In addition, the associated settings on the oven can be started directly from the diverse recipes in the app with one click. In the meantime, you can monitor and control the baking process in the app if you want to move on to the next course.

Premium design and operation

These premium ovens also set standards when it comes to convenience and design: they feature an eye-catching large TFT Touch Display and grooved Digital Control Ring. Together, these two features are an extremely simple and intuitive way of operating the appliance. They enable you to fully maximize the potential of the premium models: all the available appliance functions can be selected using the Control Ring, while the TFT Touch Display continually provides a perfect overview of which function is currently active. There’s no need to worry about fingerprints: Both the all-glass surface of the display and the control ring can be easily cleaned with a wipe.

See more 

Skullcandy’s New Net-Zero ‘Transparency Series

Skullcandy, the #1 selling brand in Stereo Headphones and True Wireless Earbuds under $100, announced today its limited-edition Transparency Series, designed to create visibility around environmental impact, while progressing an overarching commitment to carbon reduction. The series is available exclusively at Skullcandy.com with a portion of proceeds helping fund the critical climate advocacy of Protect Our Winters. 

Skullcandy has partnered with EcoChain to assess, minimize and publish associated carbon emissions, setting the bar for future carbon reduction. A partnership with TerraPass has enabled Skullcandy to invest in certified carbon-capture programs to offset impacts, resulting in a net-zero footprint for products in the Transparency Series. 

“From materials and manufacturing to packaging, shipping and infrastructure, everything produced or consumed has an adverse effect on the environment,” said Nelson Fortier, Senior Director of Brand and Product Marketing, Skullcandy. “The Transparency Series serves as a platform to educate and empower our consumers, while raising awareness for environmental responsibility. By divulging our products’ impact, Skullcandy is raising the bar for accountability as we work to decrease our impact with each new product.” 

Insights from Skullcandy’s partnership with EcoChain have not only enabled the brand to better understand the carbon footprint of the Transparency Series but its entire brand portfolio. In addition to helping Skullcandy set accountability benchmarks and direct eco-friendly product improvements, EcoChain’s analysis is helping inform a new generation of eco-conscious products slated for 2023.  

Like all Skullcandy products, the Transparency Series comes in 100% recyclable packaging. Tech specs tied to each product include: 

Limited-Edition Skullcandy Transparency Series Hesh Evo Wireless Headphones – £99.99 MSRP

  • Net-Zero Carbon Footprint

    • Contains a carbon emissions equivalent of 12.14 kg, neutralized via carbon offset credits

  • Up to 36 Hours of Battery + Rapid Charge

  • Built-in Tile™ Finding Technology

  • Call, Track & Volume Control

Limited-Edition Skullcandy Transparency Series Jib True 2 Wireless Earbuds – £44.99 MSRP

  • Net-Zero Carbon Footprint

    • Contains a carbon emissions equivalent of 5.70 kg, neutralized via carbon offset credits

  • 33 Hours Total Battery

    • Skullcandy was able to find efficiencies that led to an increase in battery life without adding to the battery’s physical size

  • Built-In Tile™ Finding Technology

  • IPX4 Water Resistant

  • Call, Track & Volume Control

Skullcandy also recently unveiled its limited-edition Take A Hike collection, which also gives back to Protect Our Winters. Featuring Dime 2 (£34.99 MSRP) true wireless earbuds and Riff Wireless 2 headphones (available Fall 2022), Take A Hike products pay homage to the outdoors, complete with a topographic design and retro colorway. Dime 2’s compact design and small, 12-hour battery equate to less waste and a smaller carbon footprint.   

Protect Our Winters exists to help passionate outdoor people protect the places they live and lifestyles they love from climate change. The nonprofit is made up of athletes, scientists, creatives and business leaders dedicated to advancing non-partisan policies that preserve the world for future generations. 

Alongside continuous improvements to products to decrease carbon footprint, Skullcandy has a variety of notable sustainability initiatives in motion: 

  • 1,000,000 Pound Pledge – Promise to keep 1,000,000 pounds of e-waste from landfills by 2025

  • Upcycling Program – Upcycles returned products from retailers to enable an extended product life with a portion of proceeds benefiting Protect Our Winters.

  • 100% Recyclable Packaging 

  • Recycling Program – Empowers customers to do their part by sending in any brand’s old headphones or earbuds for proper recycling

  • Carbon Checkout Program – Allows Skullcandy.com customers to round up their purchase, making their order carbon neutral 

  • Product Lifecycle Analysis – Leverages carbon footprint insights from EcoChain to inform future manufacturing and design decisions

  • Lean, Green Manufacturing Process – Reduces labor, materials, energy usage and waste to ensure Skullcandy production has the least environmental impact possible