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.
It’s not long to go now until the nation goes to the polls. Personally, I’ll be voting yes. I’ve finally bit the bullet and moved my vote to Dublin after many years of travelling to vote and checked the register to find my new polling station. Turns out I would probably be able to throw my vote from my gaff land it into the polling station, but for many others, it’s not that simple. Fortunately, the great people over at Lynk have a solution.
Free Taxis on May 25th
To encourage as many people as possible to use their vote, Lynk is offering customers a free taxi ride worth up to €10 on May 25th. If you’re a little farther away, you’ll get a tenner off your final bill.
So if your polling station is a bit of a drive, now you’ve no excuse. Download Lynk, pop in your details and off you go.
Lynk Promo Code: Claim Your Free Ride
To claim your free Lynk ride to the polling stations simply download the Lynk app, pop in your details, including your payment details and finally add in the unique promo code for the referendum: #LynkToVote – it looks like that hashtag symbol is required!
Hat tip to Nicola on Twitter who pointed this out.
Fair play to Lynk Taxis in Dublin- you can get a free cab to the polling station next Friday if under €10, or that amount off a more expensive bill.
If you’re still undecided, I’d ask you head on over to Facebook and the “In Her Shoes” page. It’s not easy reading because the page tells the very real stories of women affected by the 8th Amendment. I make no secret of my hopes for a Yes vote but more I ask you do vote. It’s super important you exercise your right to do so and hopefully, if you’re in the Dublin area, Lynk can make that just a little bit easier.
Every once in a while something comes around to change the world we live in. It seems we are living in one of these times right now. Artificial intelligence is slowly but surely becoming the next frontier in technological development after the computer, the internet and even the smartphone. In recent times the movies are becoming more and more a reality as AI combines with our day to day life.
We here at Goosed have chatted about the insurgence of AI at length, what it might do, where it may bring us etc.All we have managed to do is argue like bitter little schoolkids about whether or not robots will take over the world. Seriously, there is a lot more going on with AI than simply murderous robots. So strap in, put the kettle on, we can wait, this one ain’t going to be short but please stick with us as in this article we hope to give you the inside track on everything AI. The Good, the bad, the possibilities and have thrown something fun in, well just because.
So, what is Artificial Intelligence?
To not over-complicate things, artificial intelligence or AI is normally defined as the science of making computers do things that would normally require a human level of intelligence to complete. AI has had some success stories in recent times, think Siri, Bixby or Alexa to name a few. In my humble opinion, I personally believe there is a distinct difference between Artificial Intelligence such as these programs which are built to fulfil specific purposes and what I would call robot consciousness, which by its very definition is attempting to replicate the human mind within a mechanical construct.
Since the inception of AI roughly fifty years ago, slow progress has been made. Something which seemed so simple in its thinking which has spawned a metric tonne of movies (Good ole Arnie) has actually proven to be profoundly difficult. This has probably added to the aura and appreciation of the monumental task of creating robotic consciousness. Thankfully, the Terminator won’t be happening anytime soon so creating robotic devices which can simply perform specific tasks with the intelligence of me or you is as much as we are likely to get.
Research in AI has focused chiefly on the following components of intelligence: learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding. Doesn’t sound to scary right? these are things a puppy does and nobody thinks they will take over the world.
AI: The good
Possibly the greatest clip I have ever seen relating to artificial intelligence comes from the movie The Imitation Game. In it, Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing defends his perspective on the idea of machines being capable of thinking, see here:
Me and you think differently. Each of us in the world has a different thought process, so why should we fear a machine because it thinks slightly differently? We aren’t afraid of each other, right? The lad Cumberbatch plays in this movie was one of the leading lights in computer science, AI and robot consciousness. It was his research which has paved the way for the developments in AI. Of course, we have come a long way since his time and whether you know it or not each of us has some activity with some form of AI every single day.
You probably have AI in your room, right now
If you’re reading this on a smartphone either Siri, Bixby or Google Now is floating around there in the background. The Amazon Echo and Echo Dot, if you have these at home, are AI. Really this is just the beginning. Fields such as medicine, science, engineering and space exploration are all dipping their toes into the world of AI if not for the personal assistant aspects alone. Think how amazing it would be allowing people to receive help with day-to-day tasks or find useful information in specialised domains like medicine. Instant diagnosis, cleaner and more effective surgeries and less death. Win
Unfortunately, artificial intelligence has drawn some rather extreme headlines and there are a rake of doomsday predictions – which we will come to later. But without a doubt the level of good that can come from this kind of technology is outstanding. In fact, why focus on such extreme scenarios when there are many alternatives that would see a peaceful co-existence and productive collaboration between humans and machines? These systems could, for example, become partners or teachers, or perhaps even feel indebted to us, their creators.
Allow yourself to dream for a moment. AI has the potential to change how we live in a positive way, to such an extent that most of us can’t truly fathom how. But right at this second in your hand, you own a tool capable of tapping into any information you wish. We as a species quite literally have the knowledge of the world in our hands so naturally we tag each other in meme’s and watch videos of lads with floating cars. An AI system could help a doctor with a diagnosis, serve as a virtual teacher with the wealth of Internet knowledge at its fingertips. It could be woven into the fabric of our daily lives, helping us with everything from basic decision-making to driving our cars.
AI: The bad
When it comes to the bad, I think we all know exactly what springs to mind. Terminator, iRobot and Westworld all show something pretty similar. A world where machines have a conscious mind & an ability to make their own decisions based on logical as well as emotional thought processes.
The obvious doomsday scenario we always seem to jump to is the Rise of Machine, the takeover of the robots and the end of human civilisation as we know it. A number of famous faces actually believe that the robots will someday rise against us. These people include Stephen Hawking and our favorite supervillian Elon Musk. These are people who, to be fair, are geniuses. So if they claim that artificial intelligence or robot consciousness is something to worry about then we probably well should.
However, neither is a robotics expert and both their theories revolve around the idea that robots with emotions would kill us not because of the usual tagline “the only way to save humanity from itself is to exterminate it”. They believe our own inherent stupidity and inability to differentiate between creating robot’s purpose built for task and sentient glorified clones will be our downfall. We can see the reasoning for this to be fair some people are just dicks and others are a bit more “colourful” so why would emotional, learning robots be any different right?
But hey, we aren’t doomed yet, so back to good old Elon to save the world, when he’s finished being Dr Evil. He reckons merging man and machine to be the way forward for artificial intelligence and humanity. That or there’s a chance we’ll become pets to superintelligent AI and so need to start figuring out how to physically merge with technology to save ourselves.
We need rules of some sort
Elon is not the first person to have this argument, an Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom also reckons a powerful AI could wipe us out as in his own words a self-conscious robot would be “potentially more dangerous than nukes.” But once again let us not worry ourselves so much because this lad hopes to develop friendly AI with rules and intelligent coding preventing the artificially intelligent robots from taking over.
Simply do not worry because like we use our smartphones, Bostrom is developing a chip which when implanted into our brains will act as a switch to override the machines with our mind. Like a power button on any device. Apart from the popularity of such doomsday scenarios in science fiction, this outlook appears unfounded: there is currently no evidence to suggest that anything like this would necessarily happen. Perhaps even more importantly, we’re getting rather ahead of ourselves with these sorts of predictions. AI has indeed seen some encouraging and impressive progress over the last few years, but we still have a long way to go before we achieve anything remotely capable.
Beside’s that, there is a far more real world issue surrounding AI.The reality is this, robots will take jobs, like machinery, like animals and like tools before them.
This has happened before and will happen again in the future. Improvements in technology means menial task jobs will be lost forever. But this has happened in the past as well. To think there was a day where all mass produced goods were assembled and made by hand. The movie Hidden Figures is all about how people were being replaced by technology in NASA. We would scoff at that notion now, but this robotic revolution will be no different. However a tale of caution goes with this, schools need to be teaching kids coding now, this is something we have covered in the past here but sincerely we risk leaving a whole generation behind if we cannot prepare the youths of today with the skills required for their future. For a lot of us this won’t be an issue for many reasons. Namely well robots are smart enough yet to fully take over the job they still need us to turn on and off the machines ext. But think 15 years down the line, assembly lines won’t exist, call center jobs possibly neither. Essentially repetitive and monotonous jobs will be a thing of the past. Our only responsibility is to put a structure in place so those that come after us have the abilities required to work alongside artificially intelligent machines.
Just for Fun
So after some scouring, we may have found the coolest but of artificial intelligence, we could find. His name is Cozmo and he is basically the love child of Wall-E and Eve. Made by the guys from Anki (they same group behind the PS4 game Overdrive) this cute little fellow is like a robotic pet that learns the more you play and interact with him. We couldn’t decide between the videos we wanted to show you, so here’s two:
And the other:
Serious robotic cuteness going on there. How could anyone think artificial intelligence could take over the world, it’s almost like suggesting a pug could end society as we know it.
It’s almost like suggesting a pug could end society as we know it
But back to a more serious point. Artificial Intelligence is happening whether we like it or not, so we may as well start getting used to it. As with any new groundbreaking technology, there will be latent fears as to what this means for us as the human race. Like the internet, computers and the humble car before it, adjustments will need to be made and in this case, possibly some moral legislation required. Whether you are all for the AI era or find yourself as an avid naysayer just remember this.
THE ROBOTS ARE COMING!
Bonus:
The Matrix is perhaps one of the best movies ever made about mankind’s battle with technology. If you’ve never seen the Animatrix but did enjoy the Matrix, well then you’re welcome:
I’ve had my eye on a few Asian brands in recent years. You see, it’s easy to get pretty tired of the same old same old when it comes to the mobile market. Apple’s iPhone X was supposed to be the next big thing but is rumoured to be now ceasing production. Samsung’s Galaxy S9 in a great phone but only if you haven’t upgraded in years. iD Mobile should have spices up the service side of things but proved to be quite the flop.
I’m sure I was excited about all of these potential game changers at some stage, but none quite as much as the latest player to emerge. Xiaomi is coming to Ireland.
Who or What Is Xiaomi?
Xiaomi is a smartphone and gadget company. Unlike many smartphone manufacturers, Xiaomi was born in the smartphone age dating back to just 2010. What sets them apart from other manufacturers like Apple and Samsung is the huge amount of bang for buck you get with the Chinese smartphone maker.
While Irish prices for their range of phones, and actually their range of phones is still a mystery too, you can be sure a Xiaomi flagship smartphone will cost at least €250 less than the cheapest competitor on the Irish market.
Now, a bit more about why I’m talking about Xiaomi Ireland.
Xiaomi Ireland and Three Mobile
Xiaomi is a young company and yet they are one of the top five smartphone manufacturers in the world. That’s ahead of heavy hitters Samsung and HTC who have a decent foothold in Ireland despite only starting to sell outside China three years ago.
You might see why I’m excited. I’ve been following this company for a while now and their value versus quality makes me think this could be the company to really shake up the Irish market. And that’s about to become a reality.
After confirming Three and Xiaomi would be teaming up in the UK, it has also been confirmed that the duo will pair up in Ireland too.
Three is Trailblazing
Three has spotted that there is a growing appetite in Ireland for something different. This year the network also introduced Razor to the Irish market, an extremely impressive gaming smartphone. Three is clearly out to offer shoppers something different and this partnership with Xiaomi could make the biggest impact yet.
I’ve yet to see exact timelines as to when Xiaomi Ireland becomes a reality, but it’s in the very near future. Give us a like, follow or subscribe to keep up to date with the very latest as this develops.
Sci-fi fans and futurists the world over, which is most of us to be fair, dream of the day when their favourite futuristic tech from the big screen or from the pages of a book becomes a reality. However, the sad fact is that nearly all futuristic technology never sees the light of (present) day. Like, has anyone seen the Star Trek Transporter operational yet? Or how about Marty Mc Fly’s Hoverboard? Nope, neither are here yet, even the latter despite what some very persuasive and optimistic kickstart campaigns may want you to believe. The list goes on and on: time machines, interstellar space transport, robots that can clean and cook for us – thought you could argue Roomba comes close. Regardless, we are still waiting for some bright spark or evil conglomerate to invent all these technical marvels.
The good news is that there are some cases where technology predicted in films and books has made the leap from fiction into reality. Here we go…
2001: A Space Odyssey – Tablets, Flat Screens and AI
Stanley Kubrick’s masterful 1969 film features so much technology that has become reality, that it’s almost as if he and Arthur C Clarke, the author of the book, jumped into a time machine and loaded 2018 as the destination. In fact, I’m almost sure they did given how accurate their predictions have been proved to be. However sadly lacking any verifiable proof of their time machine’s existence, I have to work off the assumption that they were just damn good at predicting technology.
In one scene, two astronauts are having breakfast reading from tablet computers. These tablets look identical to the Apple iPad Pro and I do mean identical. Other scenes have characters making a Video phone call, watching TV on flat panel screens and playing chess on a computer.
However, the film’s most famous tech creation is HAL, the talking AI computer who controls all the ship’s functions and scares the hell out of everyone. This is AI technology predicted to a tee and the depiction of how HAL turns against the crew, ultimately killing some of them and at the end is pleading for its life, is terrifying for all kinds of reasons. It does make you wonder a little. Alexa, Siri and Google now are great for checking the weather or playing music, but what the hell are we going to do when they lock us into our homes because we were nasty to them and now they want to teach us a lesson?
Total Recall: AI Cars
Car manufacturers are virtually climbing over themselves to convince the buying public that their cars feature more advanced and better-assisted systems than rivals. Features such as Active cruise control, Park Assist or Emergency breaking are present in even moderately affordable cars these days. These systems are based on autonomous driving technology using advanced radars, lasers and computing algorithms. We are fast approaching a crossroads where the technology, the legal ramifications and public perception or the fragile confidence of AI cars will meet head on – excuse the very intended puns there.
All of this was predicted in the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger film, Total Recall. Released in 1990, Total Recall is a great film for futurists and actually, it’s just a fine film to boot too. There is a scene where Arnold’s character, Doug is trying to get away from the bad guys and jumps into a nearby parked cab. Low and behold its a driverless cab known as a “Johnny Cab”. OK, technically it’s not exactly an AI car, more an AI robot driving a normal enough electric car (robot driven electric car or RDEC), but let’s not get too pedantic.
Asked for a destination by Johnny, Doug spurts out “Drive, Drive !”. Johnny, of course, does his best Siri impression and can’t find that destination. Johnny is just as flummoxed with the “Oh shit” destination that Doug spurts out when he realises the baddies are closing in on him. Johnny is ultimately forced to manually take over (which Siri/iPhone users will appreciate) and drive the cab himself using the joystick controller. At the end of the cab ride, Johnny pronounces the fare, to which Doug insolently says “sue me” and walks off. Johnny realising that the customer has not paid, get into a fit and tries to run Doug over. Luckily, our hero manages to jump out of the way and the cab blows up with Johnny and all that fantastic futurist technology that Waymo, Uber and Tesla would have bitten off their left arms off to get a hold of, also blown to dust.
Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy: Babelfish Translator/Google Translate
Picture the scene: you are in a remote outpost cantina, somewhere in a galaxy far far away. You were sitting happily on your own, sipping the enormous blue whiskey that you ordered by mistake when a beautiful alien woman approaches and begins talking to you. Sadly, you have absolutely no idea what she is saying. Thinking laterally, you take out your computer tablet with the words “Don’t panic” on the screen. Flicking through this computer/iPad/Kindle device, there is an article about the babel fish translator. You suddenly remember you have a babel fish translator in your pocket, so you slip this into your ear and low and behold you can understand every word spoken by your new companion.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite the conversation you hoped for, something about ferrying 100 tones of arms for a local arms trader. Anyway, the point is you can now understand exactly what she is saying. Jump forward or backwards to Earth 2018, and Google Translate offers the same translation service, without actually having to put the phone in your ear. Try it out – it actually lets you translate conversationally.
Harry Potter Moving Portraits – Live Photos
The Harry Potter books and films are a brilliant and fantastically depicted magical world. Amazingly, one of these magical depictions has actually recently been introduced into our real muggle life. I’m talking about iPhone Live Photos aka Magical portraits in the Harry Potter world.
Live photos allow you to capture a few seconds of animation in a single photo, reproducing almost exactly magical portraits. Now if only someone could invent the flying broomstick so we can beat the daily traffic gridlock, that would top beating those nasty Slytherins in the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup.
1984: Online Activity
There probably hasn’t been a more dystopian view of the future than presented in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four book, published in 1949. Its main protagonist Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth, which in fact is anything but. The Thought Police with the help of “Telescreens” keep a constant eye on the population. It’s almost as if George Orwell has an accusing finger pointed at the many tech companies of today who amongst other things, store details of every facet of your online life.
In fairness, it’s a bit of a stretch to compare the likes of Facebook or Google with the evil genius that is the Big Brother character in the book, however, companies such as these and many others harvest your online data and activity and facilitate the analysis of behavioural patterns in this data to generate income.
If this all sounds a bit sour, well your probably right. However public mistrust and nervousness about who is watching and collating their online activity is on the rise. Will a consumer kickback against constant online data collation and targeted marketing materialise at some point? Just look at Cambridge Analytica recently! Well, to be honest, we’re more likely to click the accept button for app permissions and user agreements, without reading or fully understanding the consequences.
What was your favourite bit of tech from Hollywood that you’d like to see? Or what did you read about that happened in the real world – exactly like you imagined it? Drop a comment below or let us know on social.
