Tag: tech

A.I. predictions to tackle the ‘3 seconds rule’ in (digital) advertising

SAAS-tool Brainsight predicts viewing behavior and visual performance of (digital) ads and videos

New developments in artificial intelligence show that A.I. models are excellent predictors for viewing behavior. In today’s attention economy, consumers are time-poor and easily distracted, which is why the marketing industry often refers to the so-called ‘3-second rule’, indicating that advertisers need to get brand recall and their message across instantly; quite a challenge for creatives and digital marketers. With new A.I. tools entering the market it is possible to pretest ad-performance and tackle this issue.

Most digital ads are tested post-live, for instance with A/B testing. Researching performance of (digital) out-of-home is even more difficult and sophisticated. By combining neuroscience and A.I. research, visual attention and visual clarity can be predicted in advance.

Predicting viewers’ attention

In the past years, studies* have been conducted by renowned universities, like MIT, to research and map viewing behavior. It appears that instant visual attention is influenced by elements like color, size, contrast, shape, location, etc. With the help of A.I. and machine learning, predictive models have been developed, the latest with accuracy rates of 94% compared to live eye tracking research.

Now that visual attention can be made predictive, new commercial tools enter the (digital) marketing industry to help them with the 3-second rule.

Eye Tracking Heatmaps

Researching visual- and viewing behavior is generally conducted with eye tracking technology, where dozens of people (‘s eyes) are being tracked while they watch images and videos. With heatmaps, the consolidated data of their gaze-points are visualized, showing where people (do not) look, how their attention is distributed and whether they focus on only a few or many parts in the image. These are all indicators of visual attention. Did viewers see your logo? Was your ‘call-to-action’ button overlooked?

“Apart from qualitative research for large budget productions, data-analytics has become the norm for testing ad-performance. But data only comes in after a campaign has been launched. Predictive A.I. models are a cost-efficient way to pretest and optimize designs before starting a campaign,” says Roger van der Spek, Managing Director of Braingineers, an Amsterdam-based neuromarketing research/tech agency.

Predictive A.I. tools

Predictive models have found their way to the market with tools that can instantly create eye tracking heatmaps, without the need for extensive research. Pretesting viewing behavior will therefore become more common and with a fraction of the cost of live-eye tracking research, also smaller marketing agencies and independent professionals can use this method. Roger: “With online tools, pretesting or benchmarking ad content on clarity or attention can easily be done instantly, by one person and from any location.”

Brainsight

The latest tool in the market is Brainsight  by Braingineers.

Max van Kaathoven, founder and CTO, explains: “In the past years we’ve conducted hundreds of neuromarketing-studies for digital customer journeys, always including eye tracking. By combining the latest A.I. models with that expertise and data, we have been able to develop a front-running tool.”

Deloitte technology, media & telecoms predictions 2022

The technology, media and telecommunications practice at Deloitte has published a raft of predictions for the sector for 2022 and beyond. The report highlights how worldwide trends in the industry may affect business and consumers.

No mid-life crisis for the games console: Market revenues will top €71.5 billion as device reaches half century

Deloitte predicts that the games console market will generate €71.5 billion in 2022, up 10% from 2021.

By the start of 2022, Deloitte predicts there will be 900 million console players worldwide. Each will bring an average €81 of revenue per gamer to the industry; comfortably more than the projected €29 per PC gamer and €44 per mobile gamer.

Overall, Deloitte forecasts that console owners will have more than 200 million multiplayer and games subscriptions in 2022. By 2025, these subscriptions will likely generate more than €9.7 billion in revenue, up from €5.8 billion in 2020.

Daryl Hanberry, Partner and Head of the Technology, Media and Telecommunications Industry Group at Deloitte Ireland, said: “2022 marks the 50th birthday of the games console with the device now a veteran of the technology industry, outlasting camcorders and CD players, among others. We saw usage of consoles spike during lockdown, with many using their devices as a way to socialise when restrictions prevented people from meeting in person. Usage has remained high as, for many gamers, leaving the game may mean disconnecting from friends.”

Wearables to run rings around other digital device purchasing: 320 million wearable devices will ship worldwide in 2022

Deloitte predicts that 320 million consumer health and wellness wearable devices will ship worldwide in 2022, rising to 440 million units by 2024.

This comes as consumers are increasingly using smartwatches and fitness trackers alongside smartphones to track their health and wellbeing. There is also an increased focus on mental health and wellbeing and it’s predicted that global spending on mobile mental health applications will reach close to €440 million in 2022.

According to Deloitte’s Digital Consumer Trends research published earlier this year, smart watches saw the biggest increase in ownership out of any technology in Ireland in 2021: 24% have access to a smartwatch, up from 16% in 2020. Of those that own a smartwatch, 69% of people use them daily.

Suzanne McDonald, Head of Healthcare, Deloitte Ireland said: “The most common uses of wearable devices have been to help people get fit and beat their personal best or indeed compete with friends and colleagues on step count. But increasingly people are using these devices to monitor their health proactively, and the pandemic has accelerated that with 13% of those that own a smartwatch in Ireland using it to do so. However, data privacy remains a hurdle so it’s critical that companies integrate cybersecurity into every aspect of their product and business line. As usage of the devices continues to grow, we’ll likely see big investments in wearable device innovation in the few years ahead. As there is a particular focus on care in the community under the Sláintecare programme we can see multiple use cases for wearable devices in maintaining wellbeing and also in monitoring and managing a variety of health conditions.”

Smartphones will generate 146 million tons of CO2 or equivalent emissions (CO2e) globally in 2022

Deloitte predicts that smartphones will generate 146 million tons of CO2 or equivalent emissions (CO2e) globally in 2022.

The bulk of these emissions, 83% of the total, will come from the manufacturing, shipping, and first-year usage of the 1.4 billion new smartphones forecast to be sold in 2022. Usage-related emissions from the other 3.1 billion smartphones in use during 2022 will generate an additional 11%, and the remainder will come from refurbishing existing smartphones (4%) and end-of-life processes (1%), including recycling.

Deloitte’s analysis highlights that the single biggest factor that could reduce a smartphone’s carbon footprint is to extend its expected lifetime, with consumers keeping their handsets for longer.

Laura Wadding, Partner Risk Advisory and Sustainability Market Lead, Deloitte Ireland, adds: “With sustainability now firmly on the boardroom agenda, businesses across all sectors are striving to understand the impact of their industry and products on their carbon footprint. The smartphone industry will need to balance product innovation with educating consumers on how best to recycle and prolong use of current and old devices.”

Streaming platforms challenged to stop subscribers hitting the buffers: Deloitte predicts at least 150 million subscriptions will be cancelled in 2022

Deloitte predicts that in 2022 at least 150 million paid subscriptions to subscription video-on-demand services (SVOD) will be cancelled worldwide, with churn rates of up to 30% per market.

However, overall, more subscriptions will be added than cancelled as the average number of subscriptions per person will rise. In markets with the highest churn, many of those cancelling may resubscribe to a service that they had previously left.

Daryl Hanberry, Technology, Media & Telecommunications Industry Leader, Deloitte Ireland concludes: “Following blockbuster growth during the pandemic, the growth in new SVOD households is likely to slow across Ireland, the US and broader Europe. SVOD providers will use various plays to make their subscribers stay. They can team up with telcos to offer discounted bundles; they could offer additional types of content, from podcasts to mobile games; and they can release episodes of the most valued tentpole content weekly.”

VC firms to supersize chip start-up investment in 2022: More than €5.2 billion to be invested in semiconductor start-ups

Deloitte predicts that VC firms globally will invest more than €5.2 billion in semiconductor start-up companies in 2022, more than three times larger than it was every year between 2000 and 2016, although a slight decrease on investments estimated to have been made into semiconductor start-ups in 2021 (€7 billion).

Deloitte predicts that while the semiconductor shortage will endure throughout 2022, it will be less severe than in the last 16 months, and it will not affect all chips.

While in mid-2021, customers had been waiting between 20–52 weeks for multiple types of semiconductors, causing manufacturing delays or shutdowns, by the end of 2022 lead times will be closer to 10–20 weeks and to reach equilibrium by early 2023.

Peter Glynn, Partner Enterprise Technology and Performance, Deloitte Ireland said: “Rising demand for chips across almost every industry – from data centres, to auto, to healthcare – has led to this lengthy chip shortage, which has been further exacerbated by the pandemic. However, the end is on the horizon, with fresh investment in manufacturing capacity from chipmakers and governments helping to meet demand by 2023. The EU also recently announced the European Chips Act setting out a new framework to help EU countries develop a strong semiconductor industry to promote a resilient supply chain. Irish companies have a real opportunity to seize the opportunity and be part of the global chip shortage solution.”

Women in the tech industry: Gaining ground, but facing new headwinds

Technology companies will continue to close the gender gap in the years ahead and Deloitte predicts that large global technology firms, on average, will reach nearly 33% overall female representation in their workforces in 2022, an increase of 2% on 2019. The proportion of women in technical roles will also move upwards to 25%, but still lags the overall proportion of women in tech companies.

Drawing on lessons from the pandemic, companies should embrace truly flexible working models, to expand the available pool of diverse talent as well as continue to invest in STEM education creating a pipeline of talent. While it may take many years of sustained effort, some companies are aiming to attract and retain women through initiatives like ‘returnship’ programmes, providing training and mentorship to women resuming their careers after a pause.

Caroline O’Driscoll, Technology, Media & Telecommunications Tax leader at Deloitte Ireland said: “While this progress is a step in the right direction, it is clear that we need to continue to invest in the STEM pipeline to ensure that the most diverse talent pool is available. Furthermore, tech companies need to continue to prioritise gender balance in the workplace. Identifying a responsible executive to commit to a holistic diversity, equity and inclusion strategy which is embedded in the business is essential to achieve gender equity, while also holding themselves accountable through metrics, results reporting and tracking progress. Only then can companies take stock of what is and isn’t working and make improvements.”

NFTs for sports media to generate more than €1.7 billion in transactions in 2022

Deloitte predicts that non-fungible tokens (NFTs), unique digital identifiers that use blockchain to record ownership of an asset, will generate more than €1.7 billion in transactions for sports media in 2022, about double the value of NFT transactions for sports media in 2021.

Deloitte also predicts that between four and five million sports fans globally will purchase or receive an NFT sports collectible as a gift in 2022.

Daryl Hanberry, Partner and Head of the Technology, Media and Telecommunications Industry Group at Deloitte Ireland, said: “The 2021–2022 season could be the first in which NFTs start to make a major mark from a revenue perspective and by 2023 it is likely that most major football leagues in Europe will have launched multiple NFT related products. Locally we’ve seen the GAA enter the world of NFTs just last week, becoming the first Irish sports brand or rights holder to issue crypto content. NFTs have added rarity to sporting moments and, in the future, every game of every season could generate a new matchday moment solely available to the highest bidder via an NFT.”

AI and managing sensitive data

Deloitte predicts that there will be a great deal of discussion around regulating artificial intelligence (AI) more systemically, with several proposals being made – although enacting them into enforced regulation will likely not happen until 2023 or beyond.

David Kinsella, Partner, Risk Advisory, Deloitte Ireland, said: “We’ve seen detailed proposals from the EU on the regulation of AI as the technology becomes even more affordable and available to companies. Some jurisdictions are even looking at banning facial recognition. There are a range of concerns with the technology from fairness and discrimination to privacy and control. However, there are huge opportunities with AI and the next two years will be instrumental in forging the future of the technology across industries as regulation sets to increase.”

About TMT Predictions 2022

Deloitte’s annual TMT Predictions report provides an outlook on technology, media and telecommunications trends that may disrupt and transform the business and consumer ecosystems worldwide. Visit 2022 TMT Predictions | Deloitte Insights to learn more.

Irish family business Kefron to create up to 40 new jobs in 2022 as it reveals €1m investment

Leading Irish information management and accounts payable automation specialist, Kefron, has today announced a new partnership with Exclusive Networks. This partnership will support Kefron’s growth strategy as it seeks to create up to 40 new jobs within the coming year.

Kefron was selected by Exclusive Networks, a global trusted cybersecurity specialist and solution provider, as their global accounts payable automation partner. Using Kefron’s innovative software, Exclusive Networks can reduce the amount of manual data entry effort associated with processing their vendor and supplier invoices as the cyber security specialist enters new markets.

Today’s announcement will see Kefron provide Exclusive Networks’ global finance teams with a cloud-based platform that provides an accurate snapshot of Exclusive Networks AP department.  The Accounts Payable (AP) platform has been developed by Kefron’s in house development team while also benefiting from the latest advancements in machine learning technology, supported by a team of data engineering specialists based in Kefron HQ in Dublin.

With this new partnership Kefron will be able to pursue its own growth trajectory, investing €1m to bring its AP platform to new markets and expand its global customer base. This will result in the creation of 40 roles in the areas of emerging technology, customer experience and support. They will join the existing team of 120 at Kefron based out of Dublin and London. 

Paul Kearns, Managing Director, Kefron, said: “We are very excited to announce this partnership with Exclusive Networks today. As well as supporting Exclusive Networks as they seek to digitise their invoicing processes, eliminate errors and save valuable time, this partnership aligns with our own growth strategy as we look to enter new markets and expand our portfolio information management solutions. The new jobs being created will further enhance our capabilities and meet the needs of our global customers. We are very proud to partner with Exclusive Networks and look forward to working with them as they look to a future of enhanced transformation.”

“We chose Kefron as our global AP automation platform partner because they were one of few suppliers who could support both of our key requirements which include AP Automation and E-invoicing globally” said Stephanie Riera, Group Director of Finance & Transformation. “E-invoicing is fast becoming a mandatory requirement in European countries. This means that by law, clients will need to submit documents in specific formats approved by government to do business in that country. Kefron’s integration with Oracle NetSuite was also a key factor for us as we have invested in NetSuite to support our global growth”, commented Riera. Kefron is a “Built For NetSuite” verified solution and achieved the status from Oracle NetSuite in January 2021.

By 2024, it is estimated that the global e-invoice market will be worth more than €16 billion. This strong growth is being driven by digitalisation and government policy in countries across the world.

The new partnership between Kefron and Exclusive Networks will see Kefron’s AP software used in Singapore, Belgium, Denmark and Norway and in early 2022 will become available in a further 21 countries. As Exclusive Networks continue to scale their business, the intention would be that every location in which they operate in will eventually use Kefron AP as their invoice automation tool, creating further potential for expansion into new markets.

To find out more on Kefron’s AP automation solution log onto www.kefron.com/accounts-payable-invoice-automation-solution/

How Technology Has Reshaped the Sports and Entertainment Industry in Maryland?

Do you still wait for match updates to be read out to you from a newspaper or a magazine? Or you tap your mobile screen, navigate through a channel, and start watching live. Technology has transformed the entire world into a new place. No wonder why the sports industry has seen growing trends in recent years, with so much variation in introductory elements and shaping foundation, mechanisation has completely revolutionised the sports and entertainment industry. 

The world is stuck amid the riddles of the global pandemic and technology has played a vital role in reshaping the connection between the users and developers. The sports industry has seen a magnificent rise in terms of economy as well as user-base. Many technological aspects have been introduced in the domain of sports in Maryland. 

 

  • Better Vision

 

With live streaming content, virtual reality, and augmented reality becoming a boost-up for the online sports platforms, artificial intelligence has piqued its offering for facilitating the user’s experience and enlightening them with a real-time gaming experience. With digital enhancements, it has become easy for users to spend time in their homes with an enhanced virtual experience. You can sit in front of your PCs and install headsets and glasses and take the feel of traditional gaming space. 

 

  • Fantasy Sports

 

Technology has given rise to various fantasy sports that are played virtually by players worldwide. Players make their own teams and participate in imaginary professional sports. With updates in technology, it has become possible for the users to analyse the actual performance of the player and make teams accordingly. This is a new trend growing nowadays with the advancement of tech innovation relating to ongoing matches.  

 

  • Virtual Standing

Technology plays a pivotal role in shaping the virtual standing of any sport. Amid the growing online market, any industry be it sports or entertainment cannot sustain itself without online reach and social media coverage. The virtual base needs to be strengthened in order to make a developing future. Big names such as Maryland Fanduel have also collaborated with other giant operating businesses to expand their reach online. Good virtual recognition is very essential in today’s generation, users rely on your social standing more than its traditional base. 

 

  • Easy News Transmission 

 

With technology spreading its innovation and developing trends throughout the world, any news or any event update is ready to be covered just with a tap on your phone or with news on the screen flashing. You don’t have to wait for television or newspaper for story sessions or the latest news updates, all you need to do is get a network connection and start reading the latest news on your smartphones from anywhere anytime. 

 

  • Video Gaming Experience

 

Video gaming has become the newest gaming trend in the online gaming industry. Cloud gaming has facilitated various gaming offers for its new users as well as existing users to play trending video games, live streaming from computers, or streaming devices. These online video games are quite affordable and attractive for the youth, and it’s easy to install on devices or set up on PCs. Technology has helped gamers invest in the modern mechanics of video games. 

 

  • Detailed Information 

With various sports news apps and entertainment websites flourishing, it has become simple to acquire information from the internet. You can simply visit ESPN or any other channel and derive the latest sports information, match scores, athletes’ performance, and whatnot. Similarly, entertainment news is also popular and is forecasted in various channels from where you can gather detailed information and work accordingly. 

 

  • User Engagement on Social Media

 

Social media engagement is a necessity for any online platform to sustain. Youth today are investing most of their time in social media platforms, this can be taken as an advantage. Why not list your social media page amidst your user-profiles and create live sessions, webinars, etc., and engage fans worldwide at a massive scale. Platforms like Twitter uses hashtags to create separate individual content for their fanbase. These little innovative trends in social media help improve fans’ motivation and trustworthiness for a particular firm. 

 

  • Digital Sports Stadiums

 

The traditional sports stadiums are no more simple, they have transformed into smart places with wifi connectivity, seat locators, ticket scanners, online food services, etc., for the spectators. All these digital conveniences give the viewers a completely different in-stadium experience. Probably, the fans would be able to interact with the athletes, play quizzes, and start with live polls in the near future.  

Conclusion

Technology has not left any front unseen or untouched and has completely changed the way the sports industry performed earlier. With the advancement of augmented reality, virtual reality, mobile applications, esports, etc., everything seems so lively and new. Also, the entertainment industry has shifted its base to a completely new generation with new mechanics and efficient solutions. 

 

Tech Review – Twelve South StayGo mini USB-C Hub

USB hubs are a plenty today and a welcome addition as ports become less on many computers today and this has been the case for some years in fact but depending on the brand this differs and over the years we have tested out many USB hubs, with USB-C mostly a standard now it is time to up your game with the latest accessories and Twelve South are no stranger to help out here.

This hub is well designed and well built and this is even down to the cable you get with it that allows you to hide cables behind your laptop or whatever you might be using, this is also compatible with the latest iPads too and home PCs which does not leave it restrained to ONE brand or product as some tend to do.

When it comes to hubs there is not much to say except they offer more convenience and also not forgetting portability, this hub sports a headphone jack USB A and USB-C port plus a HDMI port which is just the right amount most folk would need and also ideal to have in your travel bag..  What is important about such hubs is keeping everything neat and tidy and offering some more depending on the gadgets you have or the extras you need. You could also add a keyboard here too which is handy for iPad users. You can also use power banks and more and this also has USB-C passthrough power.

StayGo from Twelve South techbuzzireland

Twelve South also have a bigger option which is the Original StayGo and this is a must for those with a heavy workload and multiple gadgets to connect..

Features

  • USB-C hub connects peripherals to your iPad or MacBook
  • Four ports: USB-A, HDMI, headphone/audio out and USB-C power
  • Pass-through power to charge or power accessories 
  • Connects directly to iPad or below with the included cable

See the video below for more.

BUY 

Video Link

 

Martha Is Dead’ Confirms Launches on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation Today

Indie games publishing label, Wired Productions, and leading Italian studio, LKA, can confirm their highly anticipated psychological thriller Martha Is Dead will launch digitally across PC, PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5 and the Xbox family of devices today.

Developed in Unreal® Engine 4 by LKA, the award-winning studio behind the celebrated psychological adventure The Town of Light, Martha Is Dead is a dark first-person psychological thriller set in 1944 Italy that blurs the lines between reality, superstition and the tragedy of war.

Play opens in the depths of the Italian countryside as Allied and Axis forces turn the nation into a pincered playground. On the shores of the lake lies the body of a young woman; Martha, drowned and desecrated. Now her twin sister must deal with the fallout from her murder whilst the horror of war draws ever closer.

Check out the launch trailer 

“Martha Is Dead was always the natural next step for LKA after The Town of Light,” offers Luca Dalco, Founder & Director, LKA. “The game builds upon our signature style of deep, multi-layered narratives to deliver a story that explores loss, relationships, and psychological distress, all while the mass hysteria that was the latter years of the Second World War plays out in the background. It’s been a long journey for everyone here at LKA – one specifically tied to the countryside around us and the history behind it – but we think it’s been worth it.”

“This is a milestone release for both Wired Productions and LKA,” says Leo Zullo, Managing Director, Wired Productions. “There’s never been a story like this before – one that touches on issues in quite the way Martha Is Dead does. It’s an important tale to tell, and one we think will stay with players long after the credits have rolled.”

The physical version of Martha Is Dead, available on PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5, contains a reversible sleeve, fold out double-sided poster, collectable sticker sheet and a digital download Tarot card pack, and will officially launch on Thursday March 10th, 2022 – please note, stock may be available in some stores in advance of this date. Both the digital and physical versions of the game are priced: £24.99 / €29.99 / $29.99.

The PlayStation 5 exclusive Collector’s Edition, which will be sold in limited quantities, with only 1,000 units set to be produced, is available to pre-order now exclusively via the Wired Productions Store with an SRP of £125.00. Each Collector’s Edition includes a bonus digital copy of Martha Is Dead for the Steam Store.

Fans can also pick up the Martha Is Dead triple Vinyl Soundtrack – which features 33 eclectic tracks, and will be available on triple 12″ white/black marbled vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve and limited to only 500 pressings worldwide – over here.

Dell introduces the new gold standard for entry storage – PowerVault ME5

Dell Technologies has today unveiled the new Dell PowerVault ME5, a series of three new entry storage models that are purpose-built and optimized for SAN & DAS and poised to address a wide range of business challenges for small and medium enterprises.

This includes keeping pace with data growth, improving operational simplicity, supporting newer and higher value workloads and delivering business outcomes much faster. PowerVault ME5 does this with a modern software design that offers twice the performance, throughput, capacity and memory of its PowerVault ME4 predecessor. PowerVault ME5 is set to help SMEs boost productivity and economic growth by improving their access to data and staying competitive.

“Our global Sales and Channel Partners have catapulted Dell Technologies into a leadership position within the entry storage segment with over 53,000 systems spread over 26,000+ very satisfied PowerVault customers” says Product Marketing Lead for Dell Technologies, Shannon Champion.

“Dell’s success can be credited to its legacy of knowing how to design cost-efficient solutions that can address numerous SMB challenges of data storage growth, management simplicity, performance and data protection. Significant technology investments coupled with a keen understanding of the customer’s business needs enables Dell to balance performance and cost for price conscious small and medium businesses.”

Champion continues: “PowerVault storage has always brought customers an all-inclusive experience of simplified operations, PowerEdge Server compatibility, rich data services, performance and cloud-based storage analytics. One of the reasons IT organizations will find PowerVault ME5 storage attractive is the overall management simplicity that starts with PowerVault Manager – a single ME5 array management (HTML5) GUI with intuitive user navigation and supported scripting with either a Redfish/Swordfish REST or CLI APIs.”

“PowerVault ME5 is also supported within Dell’s Open Management Enterprise (OME) framework that’s especially useful when PowerVault is installed alongside Dell networks, servers and other Dell infrastructure in a data center. Finally, customers with ProSupport Services for PowerVault ME5 can access CloudIQ at no additional cost. CloudIQ is Dell’s cloud based AIOPs that uses telemetry, machine learning and other algorithms to provide users with notifications and predictive analytics indicating the operational health of the array, remediation advice, anomalies, capacity projections, reclaimable storage, and more.”

PowerVault ME5’s design is highly suited to support a broad set of application workloads including High Performance Computing File Systems with BeeGFS, PixStore and NFS file systems, Safety and Security (CCTV at the Edge), Microsoft and VMware Virtualization, up to 500 Virtual Desktops, select Edge use cases (Oil and Gas Exploration and Cloud Gaming) and many more without compromising performance or availability SLAs. PowerVault ME5 is also well suited for the Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) with its OEM-ready design.

For SMEs looking to simplify their IT operations, reduce risk and deploy faster and more scalable storage platforms, the PowerVault ME5 arrays remain the simplest, most cost-effective way to meet their infrastructure requirements and desired outcomes.

Available now in various configurations, Dell PowerVault ME5 can provide a powerful, scalable and economical solution for businesses in need of an entry level storage.

Learn more by visiting: https://www.dell.com/en-ie/dt/storage/powervault-me5.htm#tab0=0

Public understanding of 5G benefits remains low with just one in 10 making use of it

56% of people in Ireland don’t understand the benefits of 5G, compared to 64% the year previous, according to Deloitte Ireland’s Digital Consumer Trends Report, which looked at consumers’ attitudes towards 5G. With just one in 10 using 5G at the time of the survey – the majority aged 18-24 (17%) – more than half (54%) of consumers said that they can’t tell the difference between 4G and 5G.

Although 61% of people think they will have better network connectivity (faster, more reliable) on 5G than on 4G, consumer adoption is slow and there is complacency towards switching with 15% of respondents saying they would switch as soon as it’s available in their region, 13% would switch if they hear good things about it, 18% say they would switch if was the standard offering and there was no alternative and 30% noted they would probably switch eventually. When it comes to network offerings, over a third (36%) said they would change network operator based on 5G coverage.

There has also been ongoing debate around health concerns with 5G and while people are less concerned about the health risks associated with 5G than they were in 2020 (16% vs 20%), 38% still feel that they “don’t know” if there are health risks associated.

The Deloitte Digital Consumer Trends report is an annual survey of 1,000 consumers in Ireland, aged between 18 and 75, which explores their digital usage and attitudes towards technology.

Commenting on the report, John Kehoe, Audit Partner at Deloitte Ireland said: “While the concept of 5G has been talked about for some time, the benefits are still not clear to consumers. Education on these benefits and dispelling the myths around health concerns will be essential as the rollout picks up, particularly as work moves to a hybrid model, because the current wired broadband network is not built for a sustainable work from home scenario. The opportunity here is for 5G to complement the wired broadband network.

“The government’s Digital Ireland Framework published earlier this month set out a target to have 5G coverage in all populated areas by 2030. Collaboration of key stakeholders will be a critical factor in enabling successful deployment across the country. There needs to be a significant investment and capital injection to support the rollout, from cell towers to power consumption tracking. Until this investment is clear, it may be some time until consumers can fully reap the benefits of 5G including improved health and wellbeing, enhanced entertainment and smarter, connected cities.”

Practicalities driving purchasing decisions

Aside from price, battery life is the top feature that influences consumers’ purchasing decision on phones, followed by storage capacity and camera functionality and quality. Ease of use features as the second most important factor for the 55-64 and 65-75 age cohorts (39% and 43% respectively). 5G only ranks number 10 on the list of priorities and is of similar importance, or lack thereof, for all age brackets with the 45-54 cohort caring the most about it (13%) and 55-64 caring the least (6%).

“Currently, most devices in Ireland are not 5G compatible which is naturally a key barrier to adoption. However, as 5G isn’t high on the agenda for consumers, it further highlights the need for education on the benefits,” concluded Kehoe.

Further expansion and 180 new jobs for Irish software company

Significant investment is being made in corporate expansion of Intact business in the UK and Ireland in the coming year, increasing headcount by over 180 over the next three years. The company currently employs 184 people. New recruitment will facilitate enhanced client service on the ground, locally, as well as European and global growth planning.

Intact this week officially opened its new UK headquarters in Hemel Hempstead, in the Greater London area. In December 2021, the company also opened a satellite office in Cork, with up to 20 Intact staff to be based there, supporting clients in the south west.

In 2016 the software company acquired Ramtac, one of its UK VAR partners, (value added resellers), which has facilitated expansion in the neighbouring market, alongside significant project growth on the island of Ireland.

Annual turnover, currently in the region of €17 million, has grown over 500% in the last ten years, with more than 60% growth anticipated in the coming year.

Intact is targeting around 5,000 new users annually in its target verticals of product-focused distribution and wholesale businesses.

Significant investment is being made in corporate expansion of the Irish business in the UK and Ireland in the coming year, increasing headcount by over 180 over the next three years. The company currently employs 184 people. New recruitment will facilitate enhanced client service on the ground, locally, as well as European and global growth planning.

A number of these roles each year will be via a new graduate recruitment programme, Intact Ignite, launched recently and operating in both territories.

CEO, Justin Lawless, says that dramatic consistent growth in the past ten years has established a firm base from which to roll-out the unique Intact ERP offering further, leveraging the company’s intellectual property in both domestic and global markets.

“Organic and acquisition growth is planned, and will be expedited with partnerships too, leveraging our IP globally. Complementary recruitment right across our locations will span roles from consultancy and software development to sales and marketing”.

Intact work largely with merchant, wholesale and distribution businesses, providing perfect-fit business software and technology solutions, known as ERP systems (enterprise resource planning), that enable businesses to optimally manage, automate and scale their operations.

Intact software is used across Ireland, the UK and parts of Europe, Australia and New Zealand by both large and small companies. While the business largely works directly with its customers, Intact also has a network of channel partners implementing software solutions, the largest of which is Micronet Systems, based in ANZ.

Investment specialist and growth strategist, Stephen McGivern of EIIS Management Limited recently joined the Board of Intact as a Non-Executive Director.