If Jack’s account isn’t safe, well then, just who’s account is? Twitter CEO and co-founder, Jack Dorsey had his account hacked today which led to a plethora of racists tweets from his account.
Jack Dorsey’s Account Tweeting Racist Stuff
Today at about 19.30 Irish time, Jack Dorsey’s Twitter account blew up into a barrage of racist tweets.
Some of the tweets mentioned another Twitter user’s account who claimed responsibility for the hack.
Less that two hours after the tweets were sent out, Twitter confirmed their CEO’s account was compromised from their comms account.
We're aware that @jack was compromised and investigating what happened.
How Could The Twitter CEO Have His Account Hacked?
It’s difficult to understand just how his account would have been compromised. I would have imagined that the CEO of Twitter would have enough sense to enable two-factor authentication. That means, to gain access to the account, hackers would have needed Dorsey’s password and his mobile phone or at least a cloned version of his SIM.
Tech Crunch spotted that the rouge Tweets were sent from a service called Cloudhopper. This means it’s entirely possible that it was an approved third party app which was compromised and not the core account.
Anyway, it’s a fairly embarrassing thing to happen for a social media platforms CEO. We all know Facebook hasn’t covered itself in glory and Twitter themselves have been under the spotlight for their leniancy towards Donald Trump. Here’s hoping we get some more detail on what actually happened here and that Twitter locks things down.
Last year was the year of the Huawei. The P20 Pro landed into the Irish market followed by the Mate 20 Pro. While the former was brilliant the latter was sheer perfection. 2019 should have seen more of the same and everything seemed to be sticking to form with the sublime P30 Pro. Now, with the launch date of Huawei’s Mate 30 Series getting closer, a well-documented issue caused by President Trump and a frosty standoff with the Chinese government means Google is no longer permitted to do business with Huawei, causing serious launch issues for the new series.
The American Ban On Google Working With Huawei
As seems to now often be the case, it’s all largely been caused by Trump. I’ve written about this ban in-depth before and also covered the ban, as expected, being lifted at the time. Trump claims this is all about national security, but what really happened was a Chinese phone manufacturer got caught in the crossfire of a trade war. As a result of a trade ban, Google was no longer allowed to trade with Huawei. In short, it meant that Huawei devices would no longer receive security updates and Huawei phones would no longer ship with standard Google apps like the Play Store, YouTube and Gmail.
Things calmed down and the U.S. Commerce Department granted a ninety-day license was granted to Huawei and the P30 series started rolling off the production line again with all the goodness of Google including the latest version of Android.
What Does Google Not Supporting The P30 Series Mean?
While things blew over, problems remained around the license.
First of all, the initial ninety-day license extension granted to Huawei has expired. This isn’t a big problem as it has already been extended by a further ninety days.
The bigger problem is that the extension only includes existing Huawei devices. Huawei will continue to ship and sell the P30 series with all the bells and whistles, but the soon the launch Huawei Mate 30 Pro isn’t covered. Officially, that means if you are looking to buy one of the Mate 30 Series phones, it will ship with an open-source version of Android but none of Google’s official apps, including the Play Store, YouTube and Gmail.
Now, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll be able to sideload APK files onto the phone, and that’s well and good for customers comfortable doing that, however not everyone will be.
Will The Mate 30 Pro and Mate 30 Series Still Launch?
Huawei confirmed that regardless of whether or not the license they currently use is amended, they will push ahead with launching the Mate 30 Series.
When Does The Mate 30 Series Launch?
Huawei will be hosting a press conference at IFA 2019 in Berlin. I’ll be there lapping up the latest innovation Huawei has to offer. I’m afraid, you won’t get to learn anything about new smartphones on that day. Instead, like last year, Huawei will use IFA to launch their latest processor, the Kirin 990. This will be the processor which drives the Mate 30 Series, the series which will launch in Munich on 19 September.
Once again, I personally think this will blow over. It’s turning into a bit of a catchphrase when it comes to this whole situation, but I standby those words. I’d be surprised if the Mate 30 Pro doesn’t launch with full Google support and goes on to become the best phone of the year, much like its predecessor
5G is coming. Actually, the fifth generation of mobile internet is already here thanks to Vodafone. With 5G in Ireland, I’ve seen there’s a sharp increase in people searching Google with one simple question. Is 5G dangerous and does all this innovation come with unannounced health hazards?
Welcoming the New 5G Network
5G stands for the fifth-generation wireless network. We’ve gone through lots of change to our mobile networks over the past few years. The big benefit has been data speeds increasing while data costs are decreasing. Right up to 4G, all of these networks operated on the same radio frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. I’ve also written about everything you need to know about 5G, which you might find handy.
If you’ve ever been trying to use your phone in a crowded stadium or even on a DART platform during busy commuting hours, you’ll know the problems that come with networks running on these spectrums. Over time, these networks have become incredibly congested. For mobile providers, the solution is moving towards high-frequency spectrums. This is what drives 5G technology. Providers are moving towards new networks running on a built on frequencies of millimetre waves.
I really don’t want to get too bogged down in the science, but these new millimetre waves come with both pros and cons. While we’ll benefit from reduced congestion, this new 5G network produces a signal which is more easily absorbed by our physical world. By that, I mean buildings, trees, bushes and other infrastructure. All that means is that we need more or what we commonly refer to today as masts. The good news is that 5G masts are much smaller and require very little power so you’ll find them in odd and unusual places. At this year’s Dublin Tech Summit, I saw some tape created by Siemens which can actually carry signal like a mast. It’s mad stuff. Mad, but very cool, stuff.
However, all this talk of different frequencies and increased numbers of masts combined with our still incomplete knowledge of how mobile phone signals impact our health have, very naturally, led to people asking a simple, understandable question.
So, Is 5G Dangerous?
Do you remember the little stickers with lights we used to put on our mobile phones? They only worked on 2G handsets which would send bursts of energy to cell towers from your phone. I always felt uneasy knowing that a sticker with some lights could be powered by the energy generated during a phone call. “That can’t be good for human health”, I always thought to myself. Surely that’s electromagnetic radiation and it’s right beside my head!
Now, those little stickers don’t work any more because 3G and 4G networks don’t work the same way. But, considering how many of us have smartphones, I’d wager there’s a tiny percentage of us out there that actually know the fine details of how mobile networks work. So it’s no surprise that people are worried about the biological effects of this new technology and are now Googling if 5G is dangerous.
Much of the fear comes down to a single word; radiation.
The problem with radiation is that for years we’ve heard radiation comes with public health risks, including potentially causing brain tumours. It might be a stretch, but I’d even guess that the hit HBO show Chernobyl has but this front and centre of people’s minds. But I digress.
The important thing to know with radiation is that there isn’t just one type and most important when it comes to phones are both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation is a dangerous radiation. Falling into this category is UV light, the reason we wear sunscreen.
The radiation emitted by 5G is non-ionizing. These millimetre waves don’t have the power to damage our cells directly, much like they don’t have the power to penetrate buildings. For example, unassisted 5G signal won’t be great indoors but will be stronger outdoors.
Ultimately, a result of all of this, the incredible technological benefits of 5G will far outweigh what, to me, appear to be negligible risks.
Should You Be Worried About 5G?
Did you know that you’re supposed to wear sunscreen every day? Recently, I tested out a little gadget from La Roche Posay which showed me how much UV light I was being exposed to on a daily basis. I was shocked by the amount, quickly realising that the advice to wear sunscreen every day was far from fear-mongering. It’s extremely important.
Yet, some studies have shown that less than 20% of people wear sunscreen on a regular basis. People don’t care about this radiation despite how dangerous it is because it’s always been around.
People are far more concerned about 5G because it’s new. People are afraid of 5G for many of the same reasons we’re afraid of the dark. It’s the unknown. Yet, it poses a fraction of the risk that the sun does. If you want to worry about radiation exposure, start wearing more sunscreen and less tinfoil hat.
I’m a born again hipster. After years of fighting the urge to enjoy things like craft beers and avocado on everything, I realised it was the hipster life for me. I expanded my horizons and I tried new things. That led to lots of new foods and flavours I never enjoyed before. When I combined all of this with quitting smoking and the rebirth of my tastebuds, guys, I was in flavour country. I turned into the kind of guy who wanted to make sure when he cooked dinner, he was pairing the right wines with the right dishes. The problem was, I had no idea what I was doing.
So I did what I always did. I turned to technology to find a way of picking the right wine, every time. That’s when I found Vivino.
What is Vivino?
Vivino is basically Amazon for wine. It’s the biggest online marketplace for wine, but also boasts a mighty community of wine enthusiasts, a community with over 30 million users. From everyday grape drinkers to the finest sommeliers, Vivino’s community has them all. So what? Well, Vivino’s community means you can not only buy a huge range of wines online and get some help from people that know a lot more than you. You can also use the app to scan barcodes in the local off-license and get an expert opinion on the wine in front of you before you hand over your hard-earned cash.
How Does Vivino Work?
Over the past few years, Vivino and its app users have been rating and reviewing wines. Vivino also cleverly built an app which is not only insightful but incredibly user-friendly. If you want to pair wine with food, you’ve probably already thought about the simple choices. Having fish? Pick white wine. Having steak? Pick red wine. But food pairings can be much more complicated than that.
For example, would you put a sauvignon blanc with pork? Or should you pop a pinot grigio in the fridge to compliment your roast chicken? I’ve Googled it, and I don’t think either of those is supposed to work. Ultimately, I have no idea and that’s why I love Vivino.
So, when you’re in the off-license pondering foods and wines, ponder no more. Just crack open the Vivino app, and scan the label of the wine you’re looking at. The app will quickly be able to tell you the exact wine you’re looking at, before going into absolute overdrive on the information you’ll need to buy the right wine for dinner.
Buy The Right Wine Every Time
The principles behind Vivino are very simple. Every wine goes into a big database and then gets reviewed by a worldwide audience of wine fans with opinions. Because there’s a large number of aggregate reviews, you’re generally safe enough if you want to trust the public more than yourself. I know I do.
Buying the right wine every time is much easier when you use an app like Vivino because the sheer volume of information it gives you, but in a digestible manner, is incredible.
Review and Price
Once you scan the label, you’re first greeted with a star rating for your wine of choice and the average price you can expect to pay for it. Straight out of the gates, you’ll know if you’re buying quality or plonk and more importantly if you’re getting a deal or being robbed blind.
For me, this is the quick flash validation. I do rummage through the off-license for the right wine, but I don’t consume all the details. Instead, I’ll rapidly scan a few labels looking for a high-rating and price I’m happy with.
Further down the screen, you’ll also be able to read through individual reviews and, if you prefer, reviews of people you’ve friended within the Vivino community. You’ll also be able to see how the wine ranks globally.
Hint of Hipster
Scrolling down the screen, you’ll quickly start to see the information gets much more in-depth. You’ll get insights into the taste characteristics of the wine you’re looking at. Even if you’ve never taken part in a wine tasting in your life, you’ll be able to lean on the taste buds of people who do this week in and week out. The app also breaks down what people said about the wines.
Were they full-bodied wines? What was the sweetness of the wine? Which fruits, flavours and aromas were available. This is the real genius of the app if you’re a wannabe hipster like myself who likes to impress at the dinner table. You get a headstart and can call these features out yourself if you want to be that guy. I always want to be that guy.
A little further down, you’ll also see lots of facts and insights about the wine region your wine comes from. If all that’s not enough, beyond the styles of wine, you’ll even be able to see which grape varieties were used in the making of many wines. This type of granular detail won’t always be available, but when it is, you’ve got the ultimate collection of wine knowledge conversation fodder for the dinner table.
Food Pairings
We’ve arrived at one of the most important elements of the Vivino app. You’re serving up a cracking bit of steak, but the wine you’ve scanned is better matched with chicken. Move on and scan again. The app will tell you which foods are considered a good pairing with the wine you’ve scanned.
Vivino: The Verdict
Vivino is one of those apps that’s been on my phone for years. I don’t pay for it, but there comes a moment or two every month, where my mind immediately turns to the app. I’ve often been seen scanning ten or more wine labels, looking for the best food pairing I can. People don’t always compliment the subtleties of my work, but I always notice how well everything compliments each other.
So if you consider yourself a bit of a foodie, download Vivino this weekend. It’ll empower you to enjoy food in a fun and effortless way and give you lots of stuff to impress your next set of dinner guests. Well, either impress or convince them you’ve now gone, full hipster. One or the other.
There are a number of phone grip products in the world, PopSockets, iRings, Kickstands and many more. The reason is simple, phones are getting bigger, possibly too big for many of our hands and nowadays we watch more content on our pocket-sized devices than ever before. That’s why people want a better way to securely hold their phone or prop it up to watch a bit of Netflix. Until a phone manufacturer decides to incorporate a stand into their device we will continue to hunt for the best products on the market that will let you do just that. Recently we stumbled across a brand called Speck, they make cases and a few other phone accessories including their GrabTab a cheaper, flatter alternative to the PopSocket. If you like the idea of having a stand and convenient handle on your phone but don’t like the bulk and still want something flat enough to work wireless charging, then the GrabTab might be just what the doctor ordered.
What is a GrabTab
The Speck GrabTab is a new style phone holder that takes a different approach to a PopSocket. Unlike the pop-out mushroom handle or the iRing metallic flip-up ring, this is a credit card-sized sticker you attach to the back of your smartphone. On the sticker, there is a slide-up tab you slip your finger through.
There are two locking points on the tag, one to keep it open and the other to keep it closed, which you can see in the image here:
As I said it’s a credit-card-sized sticker and about as thick as two credit cards stacked on top of each other and the back is a super sticky adhesive
Speck’s GrabTab is roughly the height and width of a credit card, and about as thick as three credit cards. A strong adhesive on the back allows it to stick in place, no matter the case.
The centre panel of the GrabTab slides up and locks gently into place. This creates a loop you can slide your finger into for a comfortable and secure way to hold onto your phone. It looks flimsy but the material is strong enough to use as a sturdy stand for viewing videos. Just push the loop down when not in use, and your phone will slide easily into your pocket or bag.
The Good Stuff
Sometimes I like to lay in bed and watch something easy and sometimes I’ll be holding my phone above my head and splat, I’ve dropped in on my face, we’ve all done it lets be real here. Being the clumsy sort any help I can get to prevent myself dropping my phone is see as a win and to in fairness the GrabTab does just that.
It’s comfortable to hold and when you open the loop there’s a satisfying click that just lets you know your phone is secure. It’s the little things. The GrabTab is compact and when you aren’t using it doesn’t add much bulk to your phone and best of all, considering I’m also rocking the Speck Presidio Otterbox style case, I can still wirelessly charge my phone, something that’s not possible with most of the competitors on the market.
Also, they have some fairly funky designs, 90 in total which is cool because you can find something to suit your style and personality. Speck’s website has the entire collection divided up into categories: Fine Art, Fun with Food, Cosmic, Neon Nights, Basics, Chakras, Animal Kingdom, and Camo.
The Not So Good Stuff
It’s only a minor issue but with the GrabTab the wee tab doesn’t always return to a perfectly flat position. Minor but an annoyance if you’re an OCD head it may annoy you. Oddly enough if you normally keep your phone in your pocket the pressure alone seems to do that job for you but if you are the type to leave your smartphone on a desk or in a bag throughout the day it doesn’t seem to have the same flattening effect.
Sure it’s not a big deal really, it’s just something cosmetic rather than functional but I know that will bother some folks. My main issue is that it takes up real estate on the back of your phone than a PopSocket does. Being around the same size of a credit card sticker means it takes up a decent chunk of space, even if this is offset by the slim design. Now if they ever make a narrower model we are onto a real winner but to be fair for under a tenner these are really small issues to moan about.
Vs the PopSocket
The most obvious question people will ask is, “are these better than a PopSocket”. Well no but they aren’t worse either, it’s just a different solution to the same problem. If you want a holder that’s totally customisable (including sticking your face on it), your not too bothered about wireless charging and you just need something simple and effective then a PopSocket is going to do the job just fine.
On the flip side, the GrabTab has 90 different colour and design options aren’t bulky, offers a more secure stand and still allows wireless charging. So for me it comes down to what you are looking for, realistically it’s just a stand for your phone but for me the PopSockets bulky nature meant I can’t put my Google Pixel 3Xl in and out of my pocket without looking like a gowl (a Limerickism for those of you from outside the Treaty County).
The Goosed Verdict
Despite the minor flaws, I really like this product. The 90 different colourful options ad a more personal touch to that black or white box we do be carrying around all day. The slide to open-loop locks into place to create a secure kickstand to watch content without holding your smartphone, perfect for those upcoming Disney + binges in the near future. Costing around 10quid the GrabTab is definitely a sleeker alternative for anyone who would prefer to live without the bulk of a PopSocket or the protruding ring of the iRing. If you don’t like it sure it’s only a tenner but for me, the fact it’s cheap and I can still wirelessly charge through it has me sold.
OK we’re all on Instagram here right? Well, then you know the beauty industry is absolutely rocking it right now. In Ireland we have some of the most talented Make-up Artists and Beauticians around the world..they do say Irish Women are the most beautiful in the world so it should come as no surprise. Here’s the thing how are they all looking to find business now? Instagram. imua is a new directory website launching at the end of September to help people all over Ireland find a hair or beauty service, course or event near them. Think of it like a JustEat but for the beauty industry!
imua is very clever, we order takeaway from a JustEat, UberEats or Deliveroo, we all know the process. This Limerick-based company has basically taken this app and brought it to the beauty industry.
The way it works is that MUAs, Nail technicians, lash and brow technicians, hairdressers, aesthetic clinics and more can promote themselves on the platform. Both the Salon or Artist advertise their services and users can search imua to find services in their area.
“We just want to connect the beauty, make -up and hair industry and make it fairer and more visible for all. That way the incredible undiscovered talent in Ireland can finally get the publicity and recognition that they deserve” Brenny wood – CEO
It’s a cool concept and the fact it’s coming out of Limerick is an added bonus for me. You might recognise Brenny’s name there, we’ve written about a few of his ventures in recent years including CyberSmarties and Horsesales.ie. I want to be clear this isn’t a sponsored post, even if they have sponsored a couple of episodes of our new podcast in recent times. We just think it’s a really cool concept and they already have over 300 registered artists registered, even though they don’t launch until the end of September. For each of these businesses, a customer will be able to see the following:
Beyond just booking appointments and finding new artists in their area users will also be able to find classes or events being held by the salons, artists & influencers. imua screen all new publishers and events being published and they also manage the ticket sales.
It’s simple, it’s literally JustEat but for haircuts, eyelashes and nails.
If you follow me on Twitter, I don’t need to tell you that I’m a big advocate of electric scooters in Ireland. While they are a green mode of transport that can whizz by rush hour traffic in congested cities like Dublin, they do find themselves in a legal grey area. Today, The Irish Times published an article which finally provided some insight into a report carried out by the RSA on electric scooters on our roads. Early indications would appear to be positive.
The Legal Grey Area of Electric Scooters
I’ve been using an electric scooter myself since January; the Xiaomi m365. Unfortunately, electric scooters find themselves in a legal grey area. In fact, in recent months Gardai seems to be hardening their stance on these and have begun calling them out as being illegal on our roads, categorising them as mechanically propelled vehicles. The problem is that you cannot insure or tax a scooter and as such they are illegal on our roads.
I know they are hardening their stance, because I was pulled over myself. A member of Garda Traffic pulled me over and informed me my scooter was illegal and that he had been informed to seize them on sight. Because of the grey area this modes of transport find themselves in, I was let go on my way without an offical warning.
It would appear that the government is edging closer to making a decision on electric scooters on our roads, at least according to today’s article in The Irish Times.
The RSA Report on Electric Scooters
While details of the report have yet to be seen publically, it’s believed that the government-commissioned report will recommend that electric scooters be made legal on our roads. After reviewing how scooters have been handled in other countries, the report is also believed to have highlighted significant safety concerns with these devices too.
In The Irish Times article, a source with close knowledge of the report said the findings were incredibly favourable towards electric scooters being allowed on Irish roads. They also highlighted that the report found it would be crucial for strict conditions around licensing, speed restrictions and visibility.
The Next Steps for Electric Scooter Legalisation
So what happens next? The Minister for Transport is expected to announce a two-month public consultation process starting on September 1st, concluding on October 31st. I myself am hoping to participate in this process.
It’s expected that people from all walks of life will feed into this process, including the Gardai, who according to the Irish Times article, are not best pleased with scooters on our roads. Frankly, I’m not sure where this is coming from and I’m not entirely convinced that it’s the wider Gardai that are all that bothered. Instead, it could be some top brass in Traffic which specifically dislikes electric scooters. But I’ll caveat that as being speculation at best.
What I Hope To See From Scooter Legislation
There are several things I’m hoping to see emerge from scooter legislation that I plan to bring forward to the public consultation.
1. Wider Personal Electric Vehicles
One important thing that needs to be addressed is the fact there’s more than just scooters on our roads. Personal electric vehicles includes electric scooters, skateboards, unicycles, bikes and one-wheels to name but a few.
Each will need specific laws to be addressed around speeds etc.
2. Speed Limits
I’m very much in favour of speed limits for all erides. For electric scooters, my biggest fear is that a really low-speed limit will emerge. This isn’t because I’m a speed demon, but instead because I’m into safety. Driving 50kmph on the motorway is dangerous and similarly, being limited to a low speed can be dangerous when you run out of bike-lane.
For me, 30kmph is the sweet spot for scooters anyway. My reasoning behind that is very practical. I often travel comfortably at 25kmph – the limit of my Xiaomi m365. Some might want a little more, but at 25kmph I can travel at the speed of an average cyclist. I will highlight that I’m overtaken by cyclists more often than I overtake cyclists.
3. Sensible Visibility Rules
It’s all well and good saying we need visibility rules, but these are not clear cut. There’s no need to make hivis mandatory as many studies show these can have negative impacts on cyclists.
However, lights should be a legal requirement, both on front and back.
4. Location Location
Electric scooters must be allowed to use both roads and bicycle lanes. I’ve discussed this with many cyclists and it’s an extreme minority who say electric scooters in bike lanes bother them. The general consensus is, “I’d rather have you on a scooter than facing me in a car”.
5. Shared Scooter Rentals
I’m fairly against the idea of shared electric scooter schemes. These are services like Dublin Bikes and are run by companies like Lime with Free Now also considering an entrance into the space. For me, electric scooters should absolutely be encouraged for private ownership. It’s critical that legislators also cater to shared scooter schemes. If they fail to, Lime and Bird will drop hundreds of scooters on Dublin streets and ruin electric scooter sentiments for private owners.
6. Logical Licensing
I’m not entirely sure what is meant my licensing. Needing a drivers license would be absolutely ridiculous. Requiring to pay road tax, while also leaning towards silly, I can get over. However, this, for me, would start to open a debate around cyclists being needed to do the same.
This last point is critical for me. The reason behind that is simply that scooters should be considered closer to bikes than cars, and any legislation should reflect that.
Like I said, I’m hoping to be involved in the process of bringing electric scooters into law. Keep following the old Goosed.ie machine to see what happens next!
Being a Kilkenny man and a tech reviewer, it was only a matter of time until I found something that would cross over from both things close to my heart. While the colours Denis Byrne wears drums up a lot of animosity between Kilkenny and Tipperary, I’d wager that the growing popularity of composite Cultec hurls versus traditional ash hurls sparks up as much debate amongst players of the game.
I made a dramatic comeback to hurling last year and while I’m taking a season out again, I did have time to play with both an ash hurl and a Cultec hurl. Here’s everything you need to know about making a choice yourself.
Wait, is it hurl or hurley?
I want to put one issue to bed before we kick off this review. While discussions of Denis Byrne and the material used to make a hurl rages on, another debate kicked off in the run up to the 2019 All Ireland Hurling Final. Here follows one of the most geographically challenged sentences on the internet. In a recent letter to the Irish Times, Cork native Ned Monaghan, now living in Connecticut, took exception to an article which called the stick used within the sport of hurling being called a ‘hurl’.
Ned said, “Yet we will all be familiar, I assume, with the words of the song Bould Thady Quill, who as I remember, “Hurled the ball right and left in their faces. To do that, he used a hurley, not a hurl. Hurl is a verb, not a noun.”
Lads, I’ve never in my life called that stick a hurley. It’s a hurl. I also call it a hurling ball, not a sliothar. If you found that hard to digest, you wait until I start saying good things about modern non-ash Cultec hurls.
History of Plastic Hurls
Cultec were not the first to venture away from ash, seeking out a new material to make hurls from. Back in 1977, Sean Kennedy along with Wavin, launched a plastic hurl. It caused quite a stir in terms of news and marketing value for the Balbriggan based piping manufacturer. The title on the video below speaks volumes…
In terms of replacing ash in hurls, it made much less of a stir. Within 18 months the idea was dead in the water and ash hurl makers could rest easy. Anecdotally, I remember sitting in the pub as a young lad with my father, hearing the locals chat about Eddie Keher testing out one of these Wavin hurls, laughing at the fact he couldn’t even reach the end line from his attempts at a 65-meter free. I couldn’t find proof of this, but the story was doing the rounds. A story which could have killed off plastic hurls alone.
What are Cultec Hurls Made From?
Back in 1977, even with Wavin involved, the science involved in ash-alternatives was limited. Today, non-ash hurls go far beyond simply being plastic. Cultec hurls are made from a composite synthetic epoxy, graphite and nylon. All that scientific jargon aside, the Cultec hurl feels much closer to an ash hurl than those old Wavin plastic hurls did.
What I’m getting at is, I guess Eddie Keher would have pointed a 65 with a Cultec if given the chance.
Unique Benefits of Cultec Hurls Versus Ash Hurls
What might surprise many people is the fact Cultec hurls come with some huge benefits over traditional hurls. I know I’ve just lost half my readership now, but if you’re still with me prepare to have your mind blown.
Cultec hurls have a few benefits of traditional ash hurls. The bas is covered in a special material which offers you great purchase on the ball when you strike. They’re also quite considerably lighter than ash hurls while, although still breakable, being more durable than traditional ash too.
Ask any player of the game about their favourite hurl, and they’ll likely be able to tell you that they have two or three hurls right now, but one is the favourite. When that hurl breaks, there’ll be a short period of mourning after the game. The reason for this is because finding a great hurl is almost a spiritual journey.
You just know when you strike a ball sweetly that your hurl feels brilliant. For me, I used to love using a hurl that was spliced. For some reason, I always felt it improved the sweet spot of the bas.
But anyway, when that hurl which has been through the wars with you breaks, there’s a moment of devastation. There’s also the fear that your next hurl won’t be as sweet. All of this is only of course if you don’t use Cultec hurls.
Because they go through a more automated manufacturing process, each Cultec hurl feels just like the other. The design of the hurl also gives it a generous sweet spot which means it’ll feel all the better from the word go. It’s important to note that Cultec hurls do break for safety reasons, but many believe they break less than traditional ash hurls.
How Do Cultec Hurls Compare With Ash Hurls?
So this is the big one. How do they compare with traditional ash hurls? I didn’t give them an easy ride from the world go as my traditional ash hurl of choice is the famous Ramie Dowling Hurl. Also known as All-Star Hurls, these Kilkenny-made hurls are widely considered the best in Ireland with names like Henry Shefflin, DJ Carey and Richie Hogan all having been written on the middle of the handle.
Cultec Versus Ash On The Pitch
While I’m far from ever making county, or anything above Junior B, I’ve held many hurls in my time. I truly believe there’s not much in it between Cultec and traditional ash hurls. I couldn’t see any limitation in distance of drive. Control was equally sweet on both hurls. Again, equally sweet was the spot on the bas for connecting with a ball.
My weapons of choice. The Star Hurl (left) and Cultec Hurl (right).
As expected, it was when I asked friends who still play at a much more competitive level than I do, did the negative vibes start to appear. The funny thing is, most dismissed Cultec without trying it. They wouldn’t dream of straying from ash hurls for fear of a drop in performance. I think there’s probably a bit of “I don’t want to be seen using the new thing” going on here too.
Cultec Versus Ash: The Price
The Star Hurls have a waiting list as long as the Nore. They’re really hard to get and it usually helps to know someone who’s got an order in with them to pin yours on too. When I was shopping around for “my comeback”, I discovered The Hurley Depot in Kilkenny who could deliver me a hurl to Dublin. In fact, they’ll deliver to anywhere and also stock accessories you’ll need too including grips and helmets.
Right now, only the Cultec is in stock which speaks a lot towards the advantages of being able to mass-produce a hurl like this while maintaining impeccable consistency. You know what you’re getting. Sure, you know what you’re getting from Star too and I love my Ramie Dowling hurl, but when caught short a hurl and in need of one in a hurry, Cultec offers a great alternative.
If you want to get down to the fine detail, Cultec hurls also come with a grip already wrapped around the handle and just above the bas, so you do save a few bob.
The Big Point: Sustainability of Cultec
While I’m unsure of the materials which go into the Chinese-manufacturered Cultec Hurls, and as such have some question marks over their environmental friendliness, there is one massive advantage held by Cultec over ash hurls.
Over 70 per cent of the 350,000 hurleys used every year in Ireland are made from imported ash. The reason for such heavy imports comes from our own stock of ash being depleted in recent years as a result of Ash Dieback Disease.
Ash Dieback Disease is a serious disease found in ash trees caused by a fungal pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. Lots of fun words there which in short mean our native ash trees are currently at risk of dying since this disease came to our shores in 2012.
This isn’t an attempt to instil panic, but instead is highlighting a very serious issue which the GAA could face over the next few years. Traditional hurl makers will face extra costs for importing ash and generally speaking, getting a quality hurl could become harder and harder. Cultec could find themselves in the right place at the right time.
Who Uses Cultec Hurls?
Beyond the great Kilkenny hurler, Marty Meany, who else uses Cultec hurls? Unfortunately, many of the players Cultec list as users have since been dropped from their intercounty panels.
Some of the most notable mentions are Dublin’s Ryan O’Dwyer who was nominated for an All Star while hurling with a Cultec hurl. The synthetic hurls are also popular amongst goalkeepers with former Kilkenny goalkeeper David Herity using one during the 2011 All Ireland final, giving Cultec their first medal.
Cultec Hurls: The Verdict
Hurling is a 3,000-year-old sport. It’s the fastest field sport in the world and arguably the most skilful game in the world. With all of that said, change in the sport moves slowly. Rule changes are often fought and adoption of new ideas is slow. Hawk-eye, a system which verifies scores in real-time, has shown the good technology and advancement can do for the game. I feel Cultec can bring similar benefits to the sports ever-growing appeal.
Cultec is playing the long game. Today, hurlers turn their nose up at the thought of non-ash hurls. Given time, I believe many will shift over to lighter and stronger synthetic hurls. It’ll be for practical reasons too. With the two having little or nothing between them in terms of performances, it’ll come down to a kid’s first hurl simply being a Cultec. Over time, it’ll become the norm to have a synthetic hurl and even more so as the materials that go into them get better and better.
If you hurl at my level, a Cultec will do the business just as well as any. Get one in your hand and give it a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
5G is actually turned on in Ireland right now. Vodafone beat the other networks to the punch and have activated 5G in selected areas around Ireland. It’s a pretty big deal, but at the same time, it’s very easy to completely miss why. For that reason, I’m going to lash through some of the key points on 5G and demystify the great unknown in next-generation connectivity.
Q. What is 5G?
We’ve been racking up the Gs in recent years. It feels like only yesterday we were treated to 4G. 4G brought mobile speeds that made video and music streaming on the go actually enjoyable. 5G is the next generation of connectivity on the go. Like 4G, entertainment lovers will benefit as HD movies can be downloaded in a matter of seconds.
5G will also change how much data is shared from our devices and lead to much bigger data being available about our daily lives along with being able to power a bigger than ever world of Internet of Things.
One of the biggest advantages of 5G is the ability to overcome contention. Have you ever been at a concert, sporting event or even a train station during rush hour? Contention on the networks can leave you waiting for internet connectivity. 5G has a much bigger network capacity and as such can overcome contention. Yay!
Q. How fast is 5G?
Over in the States, users have reported speeds of over 1 gigabits per second. That’s a HD movie in a second. Rollout in the US has been problematic with some carriers cloaking their 4G network in a guise of 5G. Given 4G’s theoretical speed limit of 300 megabits per second, it’s not hard to understand how customers noticed fake 5G networks.
5G networks will also allow users to enjoy less latency on their mobile connection. With the likes of Google Stadia launching later this year, this is very exciting news for gaming on the go.
Q. When will 5G arrive in Ireland?
5G has already landed! Vodafone launched 5G on 13.08.2019 in selected spots around the country. It’s expected that Eir and Three will also roll out 5G before the end of 2019.
Q. What do I need to start using 5G?
A 5G compatible phone
a 5G activated phone plan
Be in a 5G supported area
Q. Where is 5G available?
Vodafone has only rolled out 5G to selected areas in Ireland. Among the counties involved in the rollout are Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
Q. Will 5G work on my phone?
It’s very unlikely that you have a 5G compatible phone. Put it this way. If you bought one, you’d have known you bought it. 5G will only start appearing as standard on phones, from the absolute earliest, next year.
Q. Is iPhone 5G ready?
I’m afraid not. If you want to adopt technology earlier, I’m not sure why you’re using iPhone. It will likely be late 2020 before we see a 5G iPhone.
Q. Which phones are 5G ready?
The first 5G phone in the Irish market will be the Huawei Mate 20X. We’re waiting for particulars on the price, but the Chinese manufacturer will take the title of first 5G handset in Ireland.
They’ll be followed by the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, a special variant of their flagship smartphone.
Q. Will 5G be more expensive?
If we look at history, networks generally start to add the latest signal power to their plans be default. This was the case for 4G anyway. Vodafone isn’t planning price increases but will offer 5G on their existing €40, €60 and €80 plans.
Q. Will I use more data on 5G?
I was working in a phone shop during the 4G rollout and this was the most asked question back then too. 5G won’t enable you to use more data. A 1GB movie is still 1GB. In theory, you can probably stream more but 5G itself won’t cause you to use more data.
Q. Will I need a new SIM card?
Another win here. Back during the 4G launch, many networks required you to change your SIM card. For Vodafone and 5G, you’ll just need to put a call into care to activate the plan.
Got more questions? Pop them in the comments below and we’ll update this article as we go.
As we all know, pretty much everything you do online is tracked. This isn’t even limited to just what you do online. Google has a service called “Google Latitude” which tracks your movements through your phone as long as you are connected to mobile data or wifi. In the new Netflix documentary, The Great Hack, we get an insight into the Cambridge Analytica and Facebook scandal and see how they used peoples own data to manipulate them for their own gain.
What is The Great Hack?
They also took data from everyone in the friends lists of those individuals without their permission. About 5,000 data points to be exact.
In the Great Hack, we saw how Cambridge Analytica used over 50 million peoples data to manipulate both the Brexit vote and the US presidential election. We learn that Cambridge Analytica took data from users who signed up for certain third party sites through Facebook against their knowledge. Not only that, but they also took data from everyone in the friend’s lists of those individuals without their permission. About 5,000 data points to be exact.
Cambridge Analytica even admitted to coming up with the term “Crooked Hilary” in the documentary.
Cambridge Analytica took those data points and narrowed down their target group to what the called, “The Persuadables”. The Persuadables were a group of people in which Cambridge Analytica felt they could target certain content towards in order to sway their votes in the 2016 presidential election. This content included videos and articles along the lines of the “Crooked Hilary” which was one of Donald Trump’s many tag lines during his campaign. Cambridge Analytica even admitted to coming up with the term “Crooked Hilary” in the documentary.
A lot of people began getting concerned about their online data and what is being done with it following the release of this documentary. Have you ever wondered how much data Google has on you? Well, if you click this link, you will be able to download all the data they have on you.
“When I downloaded my data, there were over 100 recordings of private conversations I’d had.”
So what does Google collect?
I did it myself, and thankfully, there was nothing too concerning. For example, they had history on youtube videos I looked up as far back as 2012, comments I left on videos and locations I had been. Another thing that you may not know is, when you make voice commands, Google records those. If you visit https://myaccount.google.com/ and then data & Personalization -> Voice & Audio Activity -> Manage Activity, you will be able to listen to voice commands you have made in the past. These voice commands went back as far as 2015 on my account. There were easily over 100 recordings.
Reddit user r/AlleKeskitason asked the question “People who downloaded their Google data and went through it, what were the most unsettling things you found out they had stored about you?” And there were some unsettling responses, to say the least.
“There is a map of everywhere I went in the last couple of years that’s accurate to the hour.”
“My purchase history on websites like eBay, Amazon and other companies that (I guess) all sell their data about me to Google. I had no idea of it and although I share things like my location to Google, seeing my purchases is kind of scary because I never allowed it.”
“When I downloaded my data, there were over 100 recordings of private conversations I’d had in the office. Pretty sure the recordings were captured from my smartwatch because I only used it at work.”
So ya, Google has a lot more data on you than you think. If someone were to get access to your Google account, they could find out almost everything about you by simply downloading this data. But the good thing is, you can delete all of this data if you choose to. You can also control what data they collect on you.
Don’t believe everything you read online.
But as me and Jon said on last weeks podcast, don’t believe everything you read online. Propaganda is more alive than ever in today’s world. Governments and companies can, have and will use your data to push their own agendas. If there is an important world event or vote happening that may affect you, do your own research. Don’t go by what articles and videos are presented to you on Facebook. Find your own sources. Google will know you’re biased, even if you don’t know it yet. They will push certain sources on you based on your search history. Be responsible and be careful with your online activity.
Also, there is no need to be afraid of the internet. The internet can be a beautiful thing. It is arguably humanities greatest invention and should be enjoyed by all.
