While the resident Apple heads here have been all about Apple’s annual WWDC (World Wide Developer Conference) some us have been keeping an eye out of what the kind fellows of Google have been up to. During the Google annual developer conference held a couple of weeks ago the company previewed Google Duplex. Some have said it’s creepy, others have debated the privacy implications and others have talked jobs, while there is a lot we still need to learn about artificial intelligence it is clear Google Duplex is a truly fascinating technology.
So What is Google Duplex?
Ok, so basically Google Duplex is the tech behind the latest Google Assistant feature. It’s a completely automated system that has the ability to make calls on your behalf. While that sounds impressive by itself, this new tech will do it all with a completely natural sounding human voice.
Remember the frustrations you had the first time you used Google Assistant, the monotone voice of Siri or the specific commands of Alex? These days could already soon be a thing of the past as the humanoid voice assistant will not only sound like the real deal, it can understand human speech better than anything we have seen before. According to the Googlers, Duplex is able to understand complex sentences, faster speech, colloquial interactions and longer remarks. AKA talk to the machine like you talk to your mate, Duplex will understand.
Right now Google Duplex can only do 3 tasks, schedule a hair appointment, make reservations at a restaurant and get holiday hours of a business. Though that might not sound like much right now, the possibilities in the future are endless, just think about it all those phone calls to banks or customer care lines will eventually be done without you, just tell Google to take care of it. Finally a true personal assistant in your pocket, EPIC!!!
Beyond that, if the business you want to make an booking with accepts online reservations you can get the Assistant to do it for you, just say when.
And how does it work?
Well we could go into the detail and talk you through it……or you could just watch the clip below for yourself. Just skip in about 45 seconds ????
That’s a bit creepy
Ya you would be right to say that Google Duplex seems a little creepy. The little things like the Mmm-hh’s, Ah’s and Oh’s just make the robot seems more human and that can be a little unnerving. The idea of not knowing whether your’e talking to a computer, a robot or a real person can seem a bit too Westworld for some people and this has raised some privacy concerns. In fairness to Google, they have said they will be informing those on the other end of any call in the interest of transparency.
While it may seem creepy right now, the fact remains that this type of technology is going nowhere and we are bound to become more accustomed to interacting with Artificial Intelligence as is develops. But don’t worry that time is not now, at the conference Google said that the Duplex addition of Google Assistant will only be launching as a beta version this summer. So for now I guess i’ll be making my own calls.
Just over a year ago I took the plunge and bought myself a fitness tracker. Finding the right one was no easy task and after three months comparing style, size, battery life and activity tracking I settled on a Nokia Steel HR. One year later I’m still extremely happy with my watch and here’s why.
Style
A big plus for the Steel HR is that it isn’t a chunky digital wristband – it’s a hybrid. This means that it looks like a traditional watch, and quite a stylish watch I might add, but it also does most of what you would expect from a traditional fitness tracker.
Before buying I wondered whether it would suit a smaller ladies wrist – it does, perfectly. The Steel HR comes in both white and black and at 36mm it is 7mm smaller than the Garmin Vivomove HR. I opted for the white version and coupled it with a brown leather strap. There are plenty of generic straps available on Amazon so it can be easily customised to suit your own style.
There are two additions to the watch face which in no way clutters the traditional look. The first is a small circular LCD screen which fits neatly between the 11 and 1 marks on the watch. It isn’t obvious that it is a screen and it remains off until you get a call, text or calendar notification. There is also a second circular dial between the 5 and 7 which tracks your daily steps up to 100% of your goal.
I didn’t think to compliment someone’s watch was a thing but I’ve gotten a lot of compliments from colleagues and friends. Of course, I enthusiastically show them it’s not just a watch which then leads to lots of “Oh wow cool!”.
Functionality
Ok, so the Steel HR looks like a watch but does it live up to being a fitness tracker? It does, and it doesn’t.
Session Tracking
The way I view the tracking functionality of the Steel HR is that it records that you’ve done certain activities and is useful for keeping track of the fact that you’ve done something active. This is what you could call “session recording”. However, the data recorded is not going to show your progress in enough detail for you to analyse.
Let me explain what I mean: I am an avid runner and I like to challenge myself, improve my times and track my run so I can see where I speed up or where I fall behind my average pace so I know what to work on. Unfortunately, this is not something you can do with the Steel HR. Although it automatically tracks running, there is no GPS built in so it is not 100% accurate. For example, a recent 5km run was recorded as 4.5km. While my Heart rate was tracked throughout the run and charted on a graph, my speed wasn’t recorded in the same way. In order to track my progress in the detail, I want I still use an independent app on my phone.
Another “session” I record with the Steel HR is weights. To record something like this, you just hold down the little button on the side of the watch which starts a manually recorded session. The watch vibrates to let you know the session has started and a timer appears on the small circular LED screen. When you’re finished you simply push the button again. The session is uploaded to the app with detail such as length of time and heart rate. Any time afterwards you just go to the app on your phone and pick the type of session it was. There are currently 36 activities to choose from which include the likes of basketball, golf, yoga and Zumba.
Step Counting
One of the most useful functions the Steel HR has is step counting. While this is the most basic function that every fitness tracker can do, the advantage that the Steel HR has over other fitness trackers is that you don’t take it off because it is your watch.
Fitness trackers often end up in the bottom of a drawer after a few months but you become dependent on the actual watch function of the Steel HR so you don’t take it off.
Steel HR Battery Life
Also encouraging you not to take the Steel HR off is the battery life. The fact that a single charge only takes around two hours and lasts almost a full month is kind of refreshing and removes your feeling of dependency of always having to be near a power source. As the battery nears 0%, it will start dialling down some tracking functions such as heart rate so that the battery will last another few days.
Sleep Tracking
The Steel HR also has a sleep tracking functionality which breaks your sleep down into deep and light sleep. I’ve noticed that I feel tired during the day if I only get a certain amount of deep sleep the night before regardless of whether my total sleep was seven hours or four hours. I’ve found the breakdown of types of sleep to be quite accurate and although the watch doesn’t improve my sleep, being able to track it has made me realise the importance of “quality sleep”.
The only issue I have is that sometimes it doesn’t record the start of my sleep accurately – if I am lying on my bed watching Netflix it thinks I’ve gone to sleep and while you could forgive it for this, there is no ability to edit the recorded sleep data in the app.
Heart Rate Tracking
As the name suggests, the Steel HR tracks and graphs your heart rate throughout the day and night as well as during workouts. While I liked checking my heart rate at first, the novelty soon wore off and I don’t really find the Heart Rate function useful at all.
Notifications
Remember the small LCD screen I mentioned earlier? This displays text, phone and calendar notifications and a subtle vibrating buzz alert you to new notifications. It’s unfortunate that there is no integration with the likes of WhatsApp or Gmail but then again do you really want all those WhatsApp groups buzzing on your arm every 2 minutes?
The small button at the side of the watch can be pressed to display and scroll through metrics such as steps, current heart rate, distance and battery life.
Health Mate App
Nokia has greatly improved on the original Withings design of the Health Mate App and the Steel HR syncs with it seamlessly in the background. The app itself is easy to navigate and there are daily and weekly summaries of sleep tracking, steps tracking and heart rate and workout sessions. Where the app could be improved is in providing more in-depth statistics about workouts. The Health Mate App also syncs with any of the Nokia Body Scales but you can also manually track your weight with it if you want. If you have friends that also have a Steel HR or a Steel then you can link them through the app and compete in a steps challenge.
Verdict
Why a Nokia Steel HR? Simple, it doesn’t look like a piece of tech but still records workout and sleep data. Just be comfortable with the fact that you won’t get in-depth detail about your workouts. It looks great on both men and women and it’s easy to customise with interchangeable straps. It has a vibrating alarm and receives call and text notifications, however, there is no WhatsApp or Gmail integration yet.
The heart rate function works but I found it to be a bit of a novelty. The battery life is better than any other fitness tracker on the market with one charge keeping you going for a month. It’s also waterproof so it doesn’t matter if you forget to take it off in the shower or when you go swimming.
Nokia Steel HR: Pros and Cons
Pro’s
Con’s
At least 25 day battery life and only 2 hours to charge.
Have to use the special charger that comes with the watch.
Records exercise sessions with Heart Rate detail. Easy to start / stop workouts.
No GPS and does not record enough detail for fitness advocates to analyse.
Handy vibrating alarm function.
Can only set 1 alarm.
Notifications of incoming calls and texts.
Does not link with any other messaging app eg. WhatsApp / Gmail
Records and charts deep and light sleep.
Can’t edit sleep data afterwards – sometimes sees inactivity in the evening time as sleep.
Clear LCD mini display (updated when Nokia started making the watches – previous Withings versions had an issue with condensation).
Syncs with phone no problem via Bluetooth.
Stylish, looks like a watch and suits small wrists.
Interchangeable watch straps.
App much improved over the last few months and constant updates
Can record plenty of different activities.
Can manually record weight in the app or use one of the Nokia Body Scales.
You can challenge friends with Nokia tracking devices eg. Steps challenge.
Summer is finally here, and the reason we know that for sure is that Apple has just opened the doors to their annual June WWDC (World Wide Developer Conference). In the opening keynote speech, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and his fellow Apple Execs announced a myriad of new software features coming this Autumn across all platforms. This year’s keynote only focused on new software features so unlike some previous years, we had no new hardware announced. Don’t go anywhere just yet hardware fans. There was plenty to get excited about on the software front and below is a summary of all the main announcements:
iOS 12
Apple traditionally has a great record in supporting their products with free software and security updates for many years, far beyond their Android rivals. iOS 12 is no exception. It is due to be released this Autumn and will be available on the iPhone, iPad and iPod and the same devices that run iOS 11 will run iOS 12; here’s the full list of supported devices.
This year Apple has promised iOS 12 will have a big focus on performance and responsiveness, promising apps will launch 40% faster and the camera app will launch 70% faster on older phones. Of course, all of this is very welcome news, but we do like new toys to play with and thankfully we did see plenty of new features announced. Here are the best bits :
Siri
A new feature called Shortcuts. Any app can expose quick actions to Siri e.g. say “I lost my keys” and Siri will automatically open your Tile app to find your keys. You can create your own shortcuts using the new Shortcuts App. Siri will also offer suggestions based on your schedule, app usage, emails etc.
Notifications
Updated with new tuning tool & grouped notifications, finally.
ARKit 2.0
Performance improvements, multiplayer support and improved face tracking.
Multi-user AR Augmented Reality also arrives i.e. two users can see the same object and share the AR experience together.
Apple worked with Pixar to create a new file format for AR called USDZ bringing features such as Optimized for sharing, Open-file Format, Compact single File & Universal Scene Description.
Apple showcased a new in house developed App called Measure which allows you to easily measure real world objects. Pretty useful for the amateur DIY enthusiasts no doubt and takes inspiration from a popular existing AR app.
Screen Time
A new App thatprovides a weekly overview of your iPhone usage. You can set time limits for certain apps and it will tell you when you have reached this limit. Parents will be given tools to monitor their children’s phone usage and can set allowances/limits and various other controls.
Group FaceTime
Up to 32 people can participate. It automatically expands the tile of the person speaking or you can manually highlight a person to make their tile larger. Facetime is beginning to have features found in dedicated telecommunication products/services.
Photos
Improvements to the Search tool making it much more powerful. A new Tab called ‘For You’ with suggestions using AI to identify your friends in a photo and share it with them easily.
Animoji updates
Memoji means you can create an Animoji of yourself. There are also new messaging effects.
Car Play
Now supports 3rd party navigation apps e.g. Google Maps.
Apple Books
Reading Now feature & a redesigned Books Store.
Do Not Disturb
Updated with bedtime feature so you can turn notifications off.
Apple News and Stock App
Updated and Integrated together.
But it wasn’t all about phones.
macOS 10.14Next version is called Mojave
Very much an iterative update with the emphasis on Security/Privacy updates and some new features. Tim Cook said, ‘Apple loves the Mac’ and despite what many analysts predict, he explicitly said they have no plans to merge macOS & iOS.Here’s the list of the main new features in MacOS Mojave:
Dark Mode
Expanding on the existing limited dark mode, It not only turns the UI dark, it also switches the wallpaper, the window chrome, and the content of windows(where 3rd party apps support it).
Security Controls and Safari Privacy
Greater protection on how apps handle/use your data, similar to controls within iOS. Much more control over your privacy whilst browsing in Safari e.g. you can turn off social media links within websites.
Redesigned App Store
Mirroring the redesigned app store from iOS11, new features such as app preview, curated apps and app of the day now appear in a much more modern UI.
Desktop Stacks, Dynamic Desktop, Quick Look, Finder updates, Apple News, Stocks & Voice Memos apps.
Homekit App
Now at last on the Mac. This means you can control your Homekit devices form your Mac without having to pickup your iPhone.
Watch OS Announcements
watchOS 5 is big on activity and connection improvements. Best bits include:
Podcasts App
Syncs across all your apple devices.
Activity App Updated
Yoga, hiking and automatic workout detection along with start and end.
Walkie Talkie
New App allows you to chat to a friend like a walkie talkie!
Siri Watchface Updated
Siri Shortcuts – Similar to the iOS new feature
Along with all these innovations, Apple Watch users will also enjoy:
3rd Party apps on watch face
Raise your wrist to talk to Siri. No more “Hey Siri”
Notifications improvements
Apple Watch app support Students ID’s
Customizable Control Center
And If You’re An Apple TV Owner – tvOS 12
tvOS 11.4 brought Airplay 2 just recently but Apple saved some new features for their next major update with tvOS 12. Here are the highlights:
Dolby Atmos
Now supported. Apple TV is now the only streaming device that supports both Dolby Atmos & Vision.
Zero Sign-on
New feature which works in supported apps.
Aerial Screensaver
Featuring footage from the ISS(International Space Station).
It’s January and in the football world that means one thing. Transfer window. Unless your me of course. I have spent the last month or so fascinated by the new movement within the game and yes I’m talking VAR. After years of calls for video tech to be brought into the sport… something us Irish were calling for since “That French Incident”, we are finally starting to see VAR.
Currently the video assistant referee is in use in both the Bundesliga and Serie A, while it has been tried in recent Carabao and FA cup games in England. The success to be fair has been varied but it’s not going anywhere soon.
So what exactly is VAR? here is all you need to know about the big tech change coming in football.
What is Video Assistant Referee or VAR?
Ok, so let’s start with the basics here. VAR is made up of a team of three who’s job it is to work together to review decisions made by a match referee through video replays. Nice and simple really.
Each team is to be made up of a current/former referee, an assistant and a video operator. Rather than being touchside and the fourth official, these guys will be in the safety of a nice warm room full of video equipment for them to review any of the four following incidents:
Goals or violations in the play prior to the goal
Penalties
Red Cards
Mistaken identity when awarding a card
A referee will still have the overall power though as for a decision to be overturned it will have to be a “clear error”. Something like this for example:
Still hurts every… single…time! Anyway the process for reviewing a decision can work in two ways; either the referee can request a review after making a decision or the VAR team can recommend one. This is where it get’s a bit sticky for me, when reviewing an incident made by the VAR team, the ref will watch the incident themselves on the touchline. I personally think taking a leaf from other sports and using the big screens in the stadium would be a better idea. Fans can see the incident for themselves, the delay in play wouldn’t feel the same as players and fans alike view the tape and everyone feels better about the referee decision, but hey what would I know.
Is VAR in use right now?
Yup, it sure is. Before the big wigs at FIFA write VAR into the rule book it needed to be tested. The first nations to adopt the tech were Australia (A- League) and the States (MLS) while the recent underage national tournaments all showcased the new technology.
The idea is to slowly but surely integrate it at the top level of football, working out all the bugs before this Summers World Cup. Currently the German Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A are using VAR and the English FA are using it in the Carabao and FA cups before the Premier League begins using the new age technology from next season.
After a bit of digging we found out that VAR is currently in use in the Premier League, well kind of. The head referee (not his official title) Mike Riley had this to say:
“We have trialled using video assistant referees for a number of Premier League games so far this season. This has been in a non-live environment, which means there has been no contact with the match officials at the games. We will continue with these trials throughout the season.”
So does it work?
Right now, that depends on who you ask. During the Confederations Cup the system picked up 35 incidents, 6 of which would be deemed game changing. Basically without VAR results would have been determined through errors or false refereeing decisions and the outcome of the tournament as a whole could have been completely different.
However, it isn’t all positive as there have been a number of players and coaches who have complained about the time taken to review decisions and the way that causes confusion and brings a halt to the play. Again as I said earlier delays wouldn’t seem so bad if the stadiums big screens were used…..just saying.
It is early days for VAR and teething issues are always to be expected so rather than explaining this myself here’s a quote by legendary Italian ‘keeper Gianluigi Buffon:
“They are overusing it and making mistakes. I don’t like it this way, it’s not good, It’s something which, if used sparingly, could give us excellent results and be a good thing for football.”
Conclusion
The video assistant referee or VAR is here to stay, that much is a given. Having seen plenty of huge sporting occasions ruined by the human error, I for one think this the use of technology in football is well over due. Yes, there are bugs in the system that need to be fleshed out but at the end of the day Ireland would have been to another major competition if this tech had been in use sooner. I really need to let that one go but you get my point.
If you have a card in your wallet that has a VISA logo on it you are likely unable to make payments right now.
The service is currently down across Europe. ATM cash withdrawals are reportedly still working. You are unable to use your card in stores or to complete online purchases.
I called in to a well known Dublin drinks retailer who did say they were having some major issues accepting payments but not all services were affected. If you’re interested, I bought a bottle of Jameson IPA Caskmates using KBC Google Pay. This operates on Mastercard and seemed to be unaffected.
I couldn’t help but notice that there were queues starting to gather at ATMs in the capital as I continued my walk home. At least if this is an economic crash, I have a bottle of whiskey to keep me going, right?
On a serious note, just remember: ATMs are working fine and you can still try your card. Apparently, contactless payments do have a better chance of being processed for some reason so try that. We are no closer to Armageddon than we were this morning.
Update: Visa has blamed a hardware issue for the outage and now says systems are back to near maximum efficiency.
If you’re a dog owner, bringing your beloved pet on holidays isn’t always an option. Your destination might not be dog-friendly, maybe you don’t like the idea of travelling without your dog being in your sight at all times or maybe you just don’t want to mind your dog when you take a break. All legit reasons why you might be looking for a dog boarding option before you fly off into the sunset. Traditionally, this is where the parents come in or you would turn to Google and start searching for dog kennels in your area, but did you know you can give your dog a vacation while you travel? That’s exactly what HouseMyDog is all about.
What is HouseMyDog?
It’s pretty obvious that dog owners really love their dogs but would you believe almost 70% of people have put off making holiday plans because of their furry friends? I’m going to come clean; I’m a dog person and I would absolutely give up holidays for a few years if it meant I could have a dog again. Luckily, you don’t have to choose between holidays and having a dog thanks to an Irish company called House My Dog.
You probably know Airbnb right? Well, you guessed it; HouseMyDog is Airbnb for dogs. Once you have your flights booked and your Majorcan accommodation booked the only thing left to do is find someone offering one-to-one dog sitting; because you wouldn’t see your beloved pup going into a public kennel.
Right now, you can get HouseMyDog vetted one-to-one dog sitters in these cities:
Dublin
Galway
Limerick
Waterford
Cork
Belfast
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Liverpool
Manchester
London
What is One-to-One Dog Sitting?
One-to-one dog sitting simply means you find an individual to look after your dog when you’re away. The only dog they’ll be looking after is yours; unless they own a dog themselves of course. Naturally, the first question that comes to mind has to be “is HouseMyDog safe”. Funnily enough, you wouldn’t ask that about most situations you’d put yourself in but such is the love we have for our dogs!
The team behind HouseMyDog carefully select the dog sitters that are available on the website but don’t take their word for it. Part of the deal is that you get you meet and greet your dog sitter before agreeing to pick them. Just like Airbnb, there’s also a great rating system so you can already pick out the power dog sitters. If you’re thinking about becoming a dog sitter, act early and join up because people are already taking over as the “must have” dog sitters of Dublin!
Why Pick HouseMyDog Over Dog Kennels?
I’m not for one second suggesting that dog kennels in Ireland and further afield are not run well, but gathering lots of dogs in one area can be a bad thing. Whether it be fighting or ‘kennel cough‘, the stress on your pet might only be surpassed by the stress you’ll feel leaving them there. Plus, there’s just no way a kennel with loads of dogs will be able to pay your pet the attention you’d like them to have.
With HouseMyDog, you’ll be leaving your pet with a dog sitter whose focus will only be your dog and maybe their own dog should they have one. This reduces the risk of fighting and infections spreading.
In terms of price, you’ll likely get more for your money with HouseMyDog though the cost between the site and traditional dog kennels seems to be negligible. The big difference is the ratio of minders to dogs.
How to Become a Dog Sitter
Right, let me get this straight:
get to play with dogs
get paid
I’m failing to see the catch. If you’re a dog person with some free time, you can register with HouseMyDog to become a dog sitter. Once you sign up, you can set up a free profile and even pick out the size of dog you’re comfortable looking after. Your profile will then show the verification steps you’ve completed, more the merrier, and you can pick how much you charge. The going rate appears to be between €15 and €30 per day for your doggy to stay with a HouseMyDog sitter.
Why Use HouseMyDog?
Just think about it. You’re away in Majorca, enjoying the sun while your dog is chilling with a family of people that adore dogs. Maybe they have their own dog. You can use the filters on the site to find the kind of owner and situation that suits you. Before long, your good boy is enjoying new smells and maybe making a new friend or two.
62% of people worry that their pet will miss them and the family home if they’re put into a kennel. If you give your dog a vacation to another home of dog lovers, the attention they get will have their minds of you pretty quickly.
Whether your a dog owner going on holidays or a dog lover with some free time, HouseMyDog is one of those amazing online communities that just seems like a brilliant no-brainer. I’m currently fighting the temptation to register as a pet sitter. A one-bed apartment just wouldn’t work, right?
The last Sony smartphone I looked at was an absolute beauty; the Xperia XZ Premium. At the time it was one of the best phones on the market with plenty of features that set it apart from competitors. Sony’s latest flagship smartphone is the Xperia XZ2 and I took it on the road to Majorca to test it out.
Well, where else could I test it out?
Xperia XZ2: Design
Sony has been known for their radical approach to phone design. While Samsung is busy being sued by Apple for infringing on the iPhone design, Sony wandered down a completely different path. As companies are trying to eradicate bezels, the Xperia XZ didn’t apologise for having a chunkier frame. Again, the Xperia XZ2 isn’t afraid to stand on its own and do things differently, but does it pay off this time?
Fingerprint Scanner
I have to start with the fingerprint scanner for one simple reason; I bloody loved it on the recent Xperia XZ, XZ Compact and XZ Premium. The positioning was incredible and in such a natural position that I often unlocked my phone when picking it up without even trying. But they’ve changed it and they’ve changed it terribly.
Instead of it being in a great, natural position, Sony has decided to place the Xperia XZ2’s fingerprint scanner on the back, right below the camera lens. Not only is this an unnatural position, but the camera lens also feels like a fingerprint sensor. This means not only did I keep missing the fingerprint sensor but I was dirtying the camera. I’ll talk about the camera again later, but even the positioning of the camera is really weird. So weird, in fact, I was unable to use the XZ2 with my gimbal – say hello to the new first world problem.
Sorry for kicking this review off with something that might seem trivial, but Sony had the perfect fingerprint sensor and they ruined it.
Body
By modern standards, the XZ2 has rather wide bezels but compared to Sony’s past flagships, they’ve trimmed them down a wee bit. Still, the XZ2 doesn’t look like any other phone on the market right now. While everyone races to slim down on everything, the XZ2 is a little potbellied; and that’s not a bad thing.
I’ve no idea what material the phone is made from, but it’s quite slippy. Be really careful when you leave it on a table or if you have shallow pockets. In one sitting at a Majorcan cafe, the phone nearly slid off a table and did slide out of my pocket onto the ground. As always, this problem is easily negated by buying a case and who doesn’t buy covers these days?
The ‘potbellied’ design makes the Xperia XZ2 a little chunkier but giving the phone is a slippy, this makes the phone easier to grip. While it’s not the biggest phone on the market anyway, the design does make it really comfortable to use; even one-handed.
Headphone Jack
I’m not saying this to be controversial, but within five minutes of having the Sony, I missed the headphone jack. Now, as I’ve said in the past, I do believe that the days of headphone jacks are numbered. It just so happened that my hybrid wired/wireless headphones were dead when I booted up the Sony. Fortunately, it does come with an adapter, but the phone needed to be charged.
My point? Well, get ready for a world where having wireless headphones is bloody important. It’s an investment I guarantee you’ll be making in the coming years. When you do, check back here because we have some reviews coming soon.
IP68 Certified
I’m a desperate swimmer. Like, ever being underwater for two seconds scares me. It’s my kryptonite, but in the interest of science, I dunked myself with the Xperia XZ2 and it survived. I swear, look:
As uncomfortable as I felt about going underwater, I felt twice as bad about having a phone anywhere near water. The Xperia XZ2 is IP68 certified which means it will survive in 1.5 meters of fresh water for thirty minutes. All the happens, which also happens with my Note8, is the operating system warns you not to charged the phone until it dries out.
Xperia XZ2: Camera
Right, bloody weird positioning aside, the camera on the XZ2 is pretty impressive. The primary 19MP camera and 5MP selfie camera absolutely competent cameras for the average mobile photographer. The only problem Sony is facing is the fact nearly every smartphone manufacturer has brilliant cameras right now, so why should you pick Sony?
Well, one aspect of the Sony Xperia XZ2 camera that I simply adored is the 960 frames per second slow motion video mode. You start recording video like normal, at a slightly reduced quality level. Then when something fast happens, just tap a button and the camera kicks in to capture the moment in 960fps. In my experience, there are two ways to use slow motion:
capture something moving past the camera at speed
capture something the camera is passing at speed
Here’ll you see a good example of the second one, while at the bottom of the article in the full video, you’ll see some fountain shots as an example of the first.
I thought slow motion video would be the definition of a gimmick, but once you get into the creative flow of shooting a holiday video like I did in Majorca, it really does give you another string to your bow. I absolutely love it. Sure enough, Samsung does offer slow motion and arguably, it’s implementation is less restrictive than Sony’s, but it’s streets ahead of how the Huawei P20 Pro does it and that is perhaps the best camera on the market right now.
Finally, the dedicated camera button is one Sony innovation which remains. I cannot fathom why all manufacturers don’t include a dedicated camera button considering we’re twice as likely to use our phones for pictures as we are to make a call.
Xperia XZ2: Battery
I can have no complaints with the latest Sony battery. The 3180 mAh is perfectly matched with the screen and processor to deliver all-day smartphone usage. Even if you are caught out, you have fast charging too so you won’t be left hanging around for too long. The only complaint I have, especially given the chunky design of the phone, is the fact there’s no wireless charging. It’s becoming a more common feature these days and I can only imagine there was plenty of room on this phone for the charging coil.
This is especially important when you consider the charging port might be taken up with your headphones. Wireless charging is the most logical solution for people looking to charge and listen at the same time.
Xperia XZ2: Performance
The camera loads bloody fast. The phone reacts incredibly quickly to all commands and can handle anything you can throw at it. This is because it’s packing one of the most powerful processors on the market. This is great news if you love jumping between social platforms, while snapping shots on the run and using Google Maps to find your way around; all at the same time. You’re unlikely to feel any lag at all.
Sony has also minimised the amount of shite software that ships with the phone too which you might hear others refer to as bloatware.
Xperia XZ2: Other Bits
I’m not entirely sure why this exists, but you can once again use your flagship Xperia to create 3D models of things. Whether it be your head or your favourite mug, you can create a 3D model of it and then even pay to get it printed out. Or, if you’re like me and get nosey with tech, you could start playing with Unity and making some 3D augmented reality apps.
As you can see, this is an incredibly niche feature on a smartphone!
Speaking of which, Sony introduced something called Dynamic Vibration which makes the phone vibrate along with whatever you’re listening to. I honestly don’t know what they bothered. The sound on the phone itself is great with some great software customisations on-board too, but all I could think of when the Dynamic Vibration was rattling through the phone was ‘my poor battery life’.
Xperia XZ2 Review: The Verdict
I love it. I genuinely think the Xperia XZ2 is one of those great rounded phones both in terms of style and specs. I was putting down my Note8 to test the Sony though and I have to be honest; I couldn’t wait to get back to using my Samsung. I still can’t quite put my finger on why exactly that was.
I think it’s a culmination of several things which leaves the Note8 slightly ahead of it, but to be honest; this is a real personal thing for me. Don’t let it put you off picking what is a great phone should it be the best-priced one laid out in front of you; as it is one of the most competitively priced flagships on the market.
We all know the moment, your sitting chatting with a group of people and a word gets mentioned that you have never heard before and you’re screwed. We here at Goosed try to minimize the buzzwords, jargon and acronyms that normally plague the tech industry. However these days it seems that whenever technology gets mentioned in the media, there always seems to be a new tech buzzword to confuse and discombopulate. Navigating these can be a bit of minefields so you would be forgiven for not knowing the difference between your blockchain and IoT. So we have decided to put together a list of our top ten favourite tech buzzwords to help you bluff your way through your next meeting.
Augmented Reality – Ironman’s helmet
So if you have used Pokemon Go, Snapchat filters or seen Tony Starks view inside his helmet then you know what Augmented reality is. AR is is essentially putting a computer generated image, sound or video over the real world. This is traditionally done through your smartphone or if you are truly unlucky a pair of Google Glass or Snapchat Glasses.
The best and most obvious form of AR is definitely Snapchat, so the next time you see someone sending you a picture with a dog filter then you now know you’ve received some Augmented Reality magic.
Artificial Intelligence – Smart Robots
We have probably all heard the term AI before, but what exactly is it?
Well AI or artificial intelligence is a broad term given to machines that display human like intelligence. It works by focusing on a machines ability to capture information from its environment and adapting the data to make a decision. Developments in AI have seen machines learn to talk, beat people at chess and it won’t be long before machines will be more intelligent than people when it comes to performing specific tasks. Self driving cars are a form of AI which we will start to see more of in the next few years.
Net Neutrality – Paid Pornography
Another term that has been stumping people over the last year or so is Net Neutrality. The image above really described what the term means in the best way possible. Net Neutrality is the concept that a government or an Internet Provider should treat all data on the internet the same way, no matter where it comes from, where it is going, or what it contains. Basically it means that internet providers cannot charge users a premium to visit sites online. This is only a conversation that has taken place in the States so far but who knows what the future might bring.
Virtual Reality – Another world in a headset
Virtual Reality is similar to AR but it usually encompasses more of the user’s senses. Mainly because unlike Ar where you use your phone, VR requires a bit more kit.
In VR a use will wear goggles, headphones and might have some hand controls. Similar to Marty above. This setup full immerses the person into the virtual world created by the program. Examples of VR include the PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and the Google Daydream. There are also a number of cheaper alternatives if you ever want to give it a try on the cheap.
Virtual Reality has become one of the most promising trends in the gaming industry but it can also be used to train people who operate in complex procedures, such as flying a plane or performing a surgery.
Internet Of Things – Stuff that connects to the internet
This one is a bit more simple. The Internet of Things is basically any products that connects everyday devices to the internet. They work by exchanging data between each other to send information from one place to the other. For example smart home technology, be it a kettle, thermostat or even a key ring can be classes as an IoT product.
Cryptocurrency – Online cash money
Until recently, we required banks and governments to fully understand the value of money. Governments decide how much all those coins and notes in your pockets are worth. Banks keep track of how much you have and also play a big part in keeping track of transactions between you and either shops or other people.
In recent years, you may have noticed that a lot of technology has started to challenge norms. The local chipper now relies on JustEat for home delivery, taxi offices have been replaced by MyTaxi and hotels are under siege from Airbnb. Cryptocurrencies challenge the idea that governments and banks need to be involved in the management of our currency.
Blockchain – Fancy new databases
This is one word you are bound to hear more and more in the near future. Blockchain is basically a new type of database which is encrypted by default.
Unlike a traditional database, a blockchain will record every change created in a new record, that is timestamped and contains a link to the previous version of the record. This means you will be able to see all the transactions that have ever occurred since the chain was created. This technology has made it popular crypto-currency, it’s so secure that the system is being evaluated for use in medical and banking records.
Big Data – Lots of information
A lot of the buzzwords we hear these days have to do with data, the most common being Big Data. This buzzword is used to describe very large amounts of data collected by companies or institutions.
Big Data typically refers to a set of data so big that traditional analysis software struggles to analyze it.
This could be data about what users click on a particular website or user’s watching habits on Netflix. This type of data can be useful for companies, but only if they know how to glean information from them.
Robotics – Building machines to do things we don’t want to
Robotics is very different to AI, while AI is the software that makes the machine learn and understand, robotics is the hardware. Essentially robotics is the field which focuses on designing, creating, and building robots. While robotics have been around forever it is the developments in AI that have really seen this field push to the forefront of technology.
Robotics have a multitude of uses ranging from the military to commercial products or to manufacturing or even replacing pets… just look at this crazy critter from Boston Dynamics.
And Finally GDPR – Data protection with an iron grip
And last but certainly not least is GDPR or the General Data Protection Regulation. If you have logged into your email anytime over the last month you will have seen a small stack of emails from companies asking you to opt back in to their marketing, or just letting you know they have updated their privacy policy.
Basically GDPR is a new set of rules governing the privacy and security of personal data laid down by the European Commission. The new single data protection act will make major changes to all of Europe’s privacy laws and will replace the outdated Data Protection Directive from 1995. These changes have been a long time coming and they have been designed to give power back to citizens over how their data is processed and used. I would love to give you more information about GDPR and we will after May 25th.
And there you have it, the 10 biggest tech buzzwords. Hopefully our bluffers guide is more than enough to help you lie your way through the conversation the next time you hear one of these magic words.
You may have noticed that the OnePlus 6 was recently announced, if not you can catch our article on it right here. However we failed to mention the other piece of kit they launched at the event because we felt it needed an article all of its own. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless, featuring quick charging, magnetic earbuds, and Google Assistant integration, are the first wireless headphones from OnePlus.
But I thought they kept the headphone jack?
First things, the OnePlus did keep the now rare headphone jack in this years model. However unlike most of the competition, wireless headphones are being offered not to compensate for a lack of jack (hey that rhymed).
The new wireless headphones by OnePlus are not exactly wire-free though. In these incredibly modern looking headphones there is a single wire connecting the two buds. This cable hosts the control systems and in built battery. So unlike Apple’s AirPods you can just let them dangle around your neck when your not listening to TechYurt, our podcast for those of you who don’t know.
The new wireless
The brand new OnePlus Wireless Bullet headphones are going to be water resistant. Something which will come in handy in Irish weather, but note water resistant not waterproof so don’t go swimming with them. It will end badly.
Style wise they are built from aluminium with built in silicon fins for a high quality stylish finish that should ensure they will stick in your ears. Even during the most vigorous workouts. Interestingly the sides of the earbuds are magnetic so that you can click the buds together to create a fancy high tech necklace. Take that Tiffany!
If having a high tech fashion accessory wasn’t enough, snapping the earbuds together will turn them automatically. A nice little battery saver if there ever was one. For owners of the OnePlus range, snapping the magnets together will automatically pause your music. Pull them apart to automatically resume your music. OnePlus says you will also be able to pick up and hang up phone calls in the future.
The cool bit
Now we have all heard about fast charging but that has traditionally been for smartphones only. Until now that is. The new Bullet Wireless headphones by OnePlus will also incorporate the companies fast charging tech. They claim that a 10 minute charge will be enough to give you 5 hours of continuous listening. That’s actually pretty good if you are the type that will only realise your stuff needs to be charged minutes before you leave the house. Better again, you won’t need the official OnePlus Dash Charge charger brick, any USB Type-C charging cable will do.
Apart from fast charging, these wireless headphones will also have Google Assistant integration. Now that doesn’t mean that the Bullets will have the assistant built in. With one simple click of a button the wireless headphones will activate the Google Assistant on the paired device.
Conclusion
The OnePlus Bullets Wireless will go on sale through the official OnePlus website come the 5th of June. If you want a set for yourself they will cost €69 before delivery charges apply. At this price these wireless headphones will be far cheaper than anything the competition is doing. The new Google Pixel Buds and the Apple AirPods are both approximately €100 more expensive.
We reckon that these sleek, semi-wireless and fast charging headphones are just another string to add to the OnePlus “giant killing” bow. Not only do they look great but they are set to challenge the competition on more than the smartphone front going forward. Hopefully as a result we will see the likes of Apple, Sony and Samsung step up their game because if not OnePlus will be ready to pounce.
OnePlus the self-styled “giant killers” are back having recently announced the brand new OnePlus 6 at a recent event in London. It’s no secret that we here at Goosed have been big fans of the brand as they look to compete with the big boys of Samsung and Apple. Since arriving on the scene back in 2014 they have shown time and time again that top line specs can be done on a budget. Over the last year or two, the company has probably been victims of their own early success . Expectations have grown beyond what a small company is capable of. However the term “flagship killer” may not last much longer. It now looks like OnePlus are ready to go toe to toe with the heavy hitters or the Google Pixel 3. Boasting an all-glass design, similar to the Samsung S9 or the iPhone X, a whopping 6.3-inch display and 256GB of storage. This is a phone ready to take on the big boys. So what do you need to know?
When can I get the OnePlus 6?
Ok, so firstly to answer the question on everybody’s lips. The official release date of the OnePlus 6 is going to be the 22nd of May, this is going to be for the Midnight (matte) black and Mirror (glossy) black models. They also have an almost ceramic looking Silk White edition. If you want this you will be waiting until the first week of June.
They have also announced a very pretty Marvel Avengers edition which we are hearing will only be available in Asia. A shame because personally, I would love it.
Right now the OnePlus 6 is not available to pre-order so you will need to have the card ready to rumble on the morning of the 22nd of May. That brings us nicely to the next question…
How much?
Before I answer this question let me ask, how much would you pay for a phone with equal or better specs than an iPhone, Samsung or Sony?
Right, so take that number and probably half it because the OnePlus 6 will be starting at €520. This price is for the 64gb model, but if you want more memory you will be able to get 128gb for €569 or 256gb for €620. To be perfectly honest the 64gb model is probably more than enough for most people. If you really like your music and movies or don’t fancy cloud storage then at least it’s nice to have the option.
As we said earlier, the OnePlus 6 boasts the largest screen of any OnePlus handset to date. It will also be rocking the now standard notch feature at the top of the screen for added style. If you could call it that, but hey a notch is so hot right now. The display itself is 6.3 inches of pure Gorilla Glass 5, which means screen cracks should be at a minimum. Interesting the back of the phone is also Gorilla Glass, something that is a first for OnePlus.
The OnePlus 6 has also taken the controversial decision to keep the headphone jack for the OnePlus 6, and it’s also made the handset more water resistant in comparison to the previous editions.
Apart from that, there are a few other visual changes of note. The alert slider has moved over above the power key while the SIM tray is now tucked away above the volume bar. Although these changes are minimal the re-positioning has shown that OnePlus have listened to their customers and as a result, it should feel much better in the user’s hand.
Speaking of in the hand
The new OnePlus 6 contains not one but two forms of biometric security. This might not sound groundbreaking considering Samsung are already doing the same, but it’s a first for OnePlus.
Firstly the phone is equipped with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. It’s an oval shaped button that reports say will unlock your phone as quick as anyone else on the market. Apart from that, the OnePlus 6 will also have a face unlocking system.
OnePlus says face unlock takes 0.4 seconds to recognize you and allow you access to the handset, while the fingerprint scanner is quicker at 0.2 seconds.
But what about the Camera and Battery
To be fair, the most important specs for most people when buying a new phone these days are the battery and camera. The OnePlus won’t let you down on either.
The OnePlus 6 comes with dual rear cameras, the main camera is 16MP and the selfie cam is 20MP. Interestingly the main camera has increased it’s like the intake for a better quality image and can also shoot up to a minute of slow-mo footage. Because what doesn’t look better in slow motion.
Portrait mode returns on the OnePlus 6, but it’s now faster and in the coming weeks a software update will be issued that brings the feature to the 16MP front facing the camera as well.
In terms of the battery, the handset is rocking a 3,300mAh battery with a cool new Dash Charge feature which should give you a full day of power is just 30 minutes.
Feel the power
You bet your sweet ass it is. The OnePlus 6 is using the nifty Snapdragon 845, which is the same processor as the latest Sony Xperia’s. It will also be running the latest version of Android Oreo straight from the box. If you are willing to be a bit more out there you can also use the new Android P Beta version available from Google.
Early Opinion
In reality, the OnePlus 6 looks to be the most polished smartphone the firm has made. This edition could finally be the model that removed the tag of “flagship killer” and finally brings them into the conversation alongside the iPhone or Samsung Galaxy. The spec sheet looks incredible and while a price tag of €520 might seem steep, it’s a damn sight cheaper than anything the opposition is creating. The only downside for me is this until OnePlus make agreements with mobile networks to range their products the upfront cost versus what you can get a bigger brand on a contract means they will always be playing catch up.
Having said that, if you have that kind of money hiding down the back of the couch and you want a top of range smartphone that costs less than a grand, then the OnePlus 6 could well be the phone for you.
