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Why Aren’t You Using Gmail’s Two-Step Verification?

Marty

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19th January 2018

Why Aren’t You Using Gmail’s Two-Step Verification?

Ever had your house broken into? Whenever you hear victims recount their feelings after a break in, you hear how violated they felt at someone being in their house. Naturally, after something like that happens, security in the home gets beefed up with some extra locks and the likes. But getting your email hacked can be pretty violating too. That account is linked to your social media, your friends and family, your financial information and quite likely holds years of correspondence. Even so, 90% of Gmail users aren’t making use of a completely free feature that will make their accounts infinitely more secure. This article is all about two-step verification.

What is Two-step Verification?

This is a Ronseal moment as two-step verification does exactly what it says on the tin; it takes two steps to identify you as you, the owner of your Gmail account. Gmail is one of the world’s most popular email providers with 15% of users opting for it. This also makes it a tasty target for hackers. Should you be in the 10% of users using two-step verification, a hacker could get your email address and password but still not be able to access your email.

How Does Two-step Verification Work?

After you try to sign into your Gmail account, if you have 2SV set up, you’ll then be prompted to enter a code. You’ll get this in the form of a text message, a voice call from Google or using Google’s Authenticator app. The latter is definitely my choice as it’s a little cool. With a little imagination, it’s kind of like having your own nuclear codes.

When prompted for your 2SV code, open the Authenticator app and you’ll be greeted with an access code for the account your trying to log in to. You might have to be quick though as these access codes refresh every minute.

Google has also developed the Authenticator app so you can add an extra layer of protection to other sites too. Personally, I use 2SV for Gmail, Trello, and Twitter and will be setting it up for Facebook too. An extra layer of protection for your personal data and it doesn’t cost you a penny.

Why Wouldn’t You Do This?

Setting Up 2SV

The quickest way to set up 2SV is to use Google’s “Security Check-Up” feature. In here, you can review a few bits and bobs around your account and enable 2SV. You’ll need to download the Google Authenticator app for either iOS or Android, scan a barcode and then you’re done. Your Google account is now infinitely more secure than it was a few minutes ago.

Apple Plans and Predictions for 2018

Neal

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19th January 2018

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We always have a vigilant eye on the future of tech, especially for new products that are coming our way this year. Jon’s review of CES 2018 gave us a look at what some of the world’s biggest companies are plotting for the year ahead. Apple of course no longer attend CES, probably out of spite in having to share the limelight with others. But also that they like to do things their own way these days. So, those of you interested in all things Apple or are planning to purchase a new iPhone or other Apple product this year, here is a brief overview of Apple products planned and predicted in 2018.

Apple HomePod – Due Early 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hw9skL-IXc

This is Apple’s answer to the current zeitgeist for smart speakers in your home. Currently, the Amazon Echo, Google’s Home and Sonus One have the market pretty much sewn up.

Apple hopes to get ahead of the competition by positioning their speaker as having the best sound of all rival products, surpassing even the current leader Sonus One. Add AI interaction via Siri, integration with Apple services such as Apple Music and Home devices e.g. lights, heating etc. they hope to have a winner on their hands. Whether they can pull all of this off remains to be seen. Apple originally had planned to release the HomePod in time for last Christmas but was forced to delay until early 2018. Latest rumours suggest it could be out very soon. We in sunny Ireland(sic) may not be in the initial launch countries, so our wait could be a little longer. Expect to price around €250-300.

Apple iPhone SE 2 – Early 2018

Apple released the current iPhone SE in March 2016 to cater for customers who prefer smaller phones and who don’t like the current trend for large sized phones. The 4” iPhone SE has proved to be a big hit. Unsurprising it is expected that Apple will release a refresh this year with new and improved internals, camera and possibly wireless charging. If Apple keeps to the same release time-frame as the original, then it could be released as early as March 2018.

iPhone XI, iPhone 9 and iPhone 9S – September 2018

Apple has for the past many years released new iPhones in September each year. We have yet to hear naming conventions for the new phones, so we are working on guesstimates at the moment. Don’t expect major design or form factor changes this year. It will likely be an iterative update cycle. Current rumours point to improved internals for all the new iPhones, such as more powerful chips, better battery and camera.

There is a rumour that Apple may have cracked how to integrate the Face ID InfraRed Camera into the photo Camera. This could mean a smaller “notch” at the top of the iPhone XI, which would be welcome news and could point to Apple’s plans to eliminate the notch completely in future updates. Other rumours suggest Apple may introduce a larger sized iPhone XI Plus also. The tension is building already!

Apple Air Pod 2, Watch 4 and Air Power wireless charger – 2018

The Air Pod has been a big seller since it’s launch last Summer. Even now, they are still hard to come by in stores and online. Some rumours suggest a new model later in the year but this could be more likely for 2019.

A new Watch 4 is expected later in the year. Very little in the way of rumours exist at the moment bar some additional features such as Glucose sensor and EKG heart rate sensor. A design change is possible but not expected.

Apple has already announced they are working on the Air Power wireless chargers for the iPhone X, 8, 8Plus and Watch. It will allow for two items to be charged simultaneously. No specific date announced beyond “2018”.

iOS12, WatchOS 5, Mac 10.14 and TVOS 12 (Demoed June 2018, Release Autumn 2018).

Apple traditionally announces upgrades to their software at the annual WWDC conference, held in June. Expect Security updates with some new features and functionality.

iPad Updates – Mid to Late 2018

Apple is expected to deliver updates to their iPad lineup this year. Rumours at the moment suggest updates to the low-cost iPad in early to mid-2018. An iPad pro update is also expected with some internal improvements later in the year.

Apple Car

OK, I just added this in because it would be cool to see an Apple car however unlikely it is. Apple has though admitted that they are working on autonomous driving and potentially delivering the software behind this for other vehicles to use. They already have autonomous test cars on the road in the US. It’s unlikely we will see anything this year, but we may get hear details on what exactly Apple is working on.

More likely might be Apple’s CarPlay getting some new features as smartphone companies start entering more spaces you find yourself in every day.

Best of CES 2018

Jon

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16th January 2018

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And that’s a wrap for CES 2018. The annual Consumer Electronic Show is probably one of our favourite events every year as we get the chance to look at the latest tech from around the world. In fact it’s the largest consumer gadget showcase of the year. So every January tech companies big and small converge on Las Vegas to show us all the new toys that will soon be part of our every day lives. Pretty cool right? So without further adieu here is our Best of CES 2018:

HTC Vive Pro & Black Box VR

In case you didn’t know we are huge fans of the HTC Vive. So it should come as no surprise to anyone that the brand spanking new HTC Vive Pro makes our Best of CES 2018 list. Ok we have to admit that VR has really not taken off as we had anticipated, but the Vive is far further along than any of the competition. I’ve even managed to get the fright of my life last year at the DTS when we reviewed AnotherWorldVR. Don’t believe me here’s the proof!

Anyway, the new Vive Pro was one of the biggest announcement at CES 2018, with improved graphics and integrated headphones. Oh and it has a new wireless adaptor which brings us as close to a fully wireless system. This allows the player to play without getting tangled in all the wires, that’s a big win in my book. Right now we have no prices available at this point in time but when we can get a closer look at this cool piece of kit we will bring you the full review.

Wi-Charge

Not exactly a consumer product but holy crap is this cool! Just imagine popping into Maccy D’s and your phone will charge the whole time your there. Without plugging it in, without cables and without actually doing anything. You might think this is some BS gimmick but it’s real, true wireless charging is happening.

The Wi-Charge, uses infrared to enable full-room charging and it impressed so much that the product actually won the CES 2018 Best of Innovation Award. Now that’s something you can’t turn your nose up at.

The cheeky buggers really pushes the boat out at this years even as the company allowed people to chill out in their demo space and charge their phone at the same time. Talk about proving a point.

L’Oreal UV Sense

This one is a bit different but well deserving of out Best of CES 2018 list. The L’Oréal’s UV Sense is a small sensor that fits on your nail and detects ultraviolet exposure. Probably not overly relevant in Ireland but hey we get summer one week a year so Im counting it.

The small, stylish sensor is completely battery free and includes a temperature sensor, UV sensor and an NFC antenna for easy connection to your smart phone. The L’Oréal’s UV Sense can store up to three months of data, passing the information to the app on your phone. This app will then keep track of your UV exposure levels and will also provide tips for managing sun intake. This technology is trying to solve a problem pro-actively which is something we like as most tech we get the chance to see is traditionally trying to help you after the fact. It is for this reason alone that the L’Oréal’s UV Sense makes our Best of CES 2018 list.

Blocks Modular Smartwatch

This is one of my personal favourites, I love watches and tech so any opportunity to merge the two with a bit of style always gets my full attention. Ok it might not be the flashiest piece of kit that was showcased at CES 2018 but this began as a humble Kickstarter program around 18 months ago. The Blocks has come such a long way in such a short space of time and is actually already for sale!

The idea is simple, build your own smartwatch that suits your needs. Buy the modules as you need them, whether that’s a GPS unit or a simple torch. These modules actually then make up the watch strap with a clever interlocking system. Blocks will work with iPhones and Android and will cost around $259, with extra modules for $35.

For that kind of money and customization I felt the need to include this in my Best of CES 2018 list.

Aflack Duck

Last but not least in our Best of CES 2018 is the My Special Aflac Duck. This one is guaranteed to make you say awh!

While so many robotic toys built for education, the Aflac Duck was created to provide comfort to children with Cancer. Kids can mirror their care routine on the duck and can express their emotions through the toy by holding the badge in the middle of it’s chest. By holding the token with a smiley face the toy will be able to respond accordingly. This is meant to bring the kid a sense of companionship as they undergo therapy.

The Aflac duck is expected to be available for kids diagnosed with Cancer for free by the end of the year. Yes you read that right, free! Tech doesn’t have to be futuristic or overly innovated, we can simply use it to help and that’s why the Aflac Duck makes our Best of CES 2018 list.

When can I get these?

So that’s it for another year. We found so many different products that could have easily made our Best of CES 2018 list, these are just what we thought were pretty cool. There were some stinkers too and we are putting together a list of some of the worst tech we discovered. Because we can and seriously you should see some of this nonsense.

Right now most of these products are not available to buy, but trust us when we know so will you.

PSD2: Why Banking in Ireland Is Set to Change Forever

Marty

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13th January 2018

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PSD2: Why Banking in Ireland Is Set to Change Forever

It’s been fairly obvious for the past few years thank banking in Ireland has been undergoing significant change. There’s barely a sinner left in physical banks these days and you don’t even need to use banks to transfer money to friends. Even with these changes, you’ve seen nothing yet with PSD2 set to be the biggest shakeup Irish banks have ever seen.

Happy new #PSD2! 🎆 Remember those annoying fees when booking a ticket online? Starting tomorrow they will be gone on most card payments.

Better consumer protection, higher security and much more, thanks to the new #PSDII.

Find out more: https://t.co/HpxLtWfVCg pic.twitter.com/8jaN39PUtq

— EU Finance 🇪🇺 (@EU_Finance) January 12, 2018

What is PSD2: Explained in plain English

First of all, PSD2 stands for Payment Services Directive 2 and has been designed by the European Union. Financial regulation is a boring and often difficult topic to simplify, but I’ll try. Banks don’t like external parties accessing your data, to which you might say, ‘fair enough’. PSD2 paves the way for third-parties and online stores to access your details. Obviously, access is only granted with your permission and will remove the reliance on Visa and PayPal for online payment. There’s also an immediate impact for online shoppers.

PSD2 Means No Annoying PayPal or Card Fees

If you’re normally conscious of cost you’ll be aware of the additional fees you pay online for goods and services. Ordering a takeaway on Just Eat or booking flights through Ryanair will include a processing fee which you pay to cover costs to the business. Here’s how you’ve been charged these fees so far on Just Eat, visible in this order for a healthy salad I totally ate.From today, thanks to PSD2, that card fee for €0.50 is no longer allowed under EU regulations. While you can expect that to disappear in the coming days, don’t be surprised if, like has happened in the UK, online services like Just Eat introduce blanket €0.50 fees on all orders.

PSD2 Will Make Managing Finances Easier

For me, the most exciting innovation which will accompany PSD2 is how you manage your finances. If you have two bank accounts, you’ll be able to manage these accounts in a central third-party account, like popular service Mint in the US. You’ll also be able to plug your finances into budgeting apps like Wallet from Budget Bakers. This already works with N26 and makes saving and budgeting easier as everything is automated and updated live based on your own data.

You’ll also be able to share your banking financial data with businesses under PSD2. This means you can open your information up to third parties who can then advise you on products which better suits your needs.

The Second Payment Services Directive Also Means More Security

Another element of the Payment Services Directive is added security for the accounts of EU citizens. This will likely come in the form of two-factor authentication. This is actually extremely practical and won’t be too mad a notion for security-aware Gmail customers. In practice, two-factor authentication might mean real-time identity verification through your smartphone when transferring money. This may require security levels including voice or fingerprint recognition, but the full security spec for this will be released later this year.

What is the PSD2 Timeline?

There are plenty in the financial services none too pleased about PSD2, as it’s quite expensive to implement. Still, there’s pretty much feck all they can do about it and they must make tracks into implementing the new directive. To soften the blow, the EU has given those affected until 2018 to make the necessary changes. That’s still a fairly ambitious deadline if you ask me, but it’s good to know there’s a date on the table.

If you’re looking for a detailed look at PSD2 but aren’t looking for jargon, check out PSD2 in Plain English.

4 Times Black Mirror Predicted the Future

Entertainment News

Marty

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11th January 2018

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4 Times Black Mirror Predicted the Future

If you’ve ever watched an episode of Black Mirror you’ll almost certainly have felt quite uncomfortable. Black Mirror is not only great at tuning into the elements of technology that make us feel uneasy but at portraying the future as being right around the corner. In fact, Black Mirror is so good at picking out potentially true and scary innovations that some have already come true. Here are four times Black Mirror actually predicted the future correctly.

Spoilers for all Black Mirror seasons ahead

The British Prime Minister’s Fondness for Pigs

The fact Black Mirror alluded to this scandal is nothing short of stunning. Like, it’s mind-boggling to the point where some of the writers must have known something.

In the first episode, “The National Anthem”, a member of the British royal family is kidnapped. To return the royal to safety, demands are issued to the Prime Minister of Britain to have sex with a pig on TV or else the princess will be killed. Succumbing to public pressure, the Prime Minister gives in is broadcast on TV ‘makin’ bacon’.

A 2015 book on former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, made uncorroborated claims that while Cameron was in college, he placed his genitalia in a dead pig’s mouth. While Cameron claims this story is utter nonsense, the fact it led to a “hameron” hashtag makes this good enough to make the list.

iPhones, Animojis and The Waldo Moment

Apple launched the iPhone X this year and with it came Animojis. You know, once upon a time, Apple was a straight-laced company with very serious design principals and the likes. Now, you can use their phones which cost over a grand to pretend you’re an animated fox. What a time to be alive.

When Apple launched Animojis they were also making another Black Mirror prediction come true. In “The Waldo Moment” a comedian becomes popular in Britain behind the guise of a computer-generated bear called Waldo. The comedian ends up running in an election to promote his new TV show based on the animated avatar. Waldo comes surprisingly close to winning and ultimately leads to the downfall of society.

pic.twitter.com/kFF9lEMtzZ

— Black Mirror (@blackmirror) September 12, 2017

How could that happen? Well, populism is a real problem in the world right now. People are voting for politicians like they vote for reality TV shows. Just like people voted for Waldo, people voted for Donald Trump and led the United Kingdom to a Brexit scenario. Even now, the debate rages about who’d win an election between Trump and Oprah. Will they ever learn?

Let’s All Rate Each Other

For season three, Black Mirror moved to Netflix but the accuracy of their predictions didn’t suffer at all. The first episode from the Netflix era depicts a world where we all review and rate out interactions with each other. All of these reviews add up to give individuals a score, a score which has a huge impact on your lifestyle and opportunity. Are you a two-star person? Well, this four-star housing estate is off limits for you I’m afraid.

Now, you might think this is going the way of Facebook or something, right? Well, no. In China, there’s an actual initiative that is even closer to the world that Nosedive shows us. Scary close. It’s called the Social Credit System and this is a genuine proposed initiative in China which plans to assign a rating to citizens based on government data. Yup, Black Mirror gets it crazy right yet again.

CES 2018: Self Driving Pizza Trucks

This one is hot off the presses at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show. In the latest season of Black Mirror, the episode Crocodile shows a world where we can tap into the memories of people to hunt down criminals. In the episode, a man is struck by a self-driving pizza delivery truck. Self-driving cars are on some roads today, so obviously this idea isn’t too far into the future but for a season which just debuted at the end of December, they walloped the nail on the head with this one.

At CES 2018, Pizza Hut and Toyota unveiled a concept pizza delivery truck and yes, you guessed it. The truck drives itself and delivers pizza all on its own. Now, sure enough, the idea that a giant van can make pizzas on the move and then deliver it when it’s in your neighbourhood is awesome but how the hell does Black Mirror keep doing this?

It’s possible that the writers are being tipped off by companies that are due to make announcements. It’s also possible that we’re simply innovating so fast these days that every idea is on the table. Who knows. Either way, Black Mirror is a fantastically creepy show that hopefully keeps our adoption of tech in healthy check.

How to Buy Apple Products on the Cheap

Neal

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5th January 2018

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Maybe you got socks and underwear for Christmas but not that iPhone you had your eyes on. Perhaps you’re a victim of the iPhone Battery Gate and your old iPhone is as slow as walking with your grandmother after her hip operation. Or maybe after dropping it for the umpteenth time, it now looks like it has done 12 rounds with Mike Tyson? Maybe your cherished Apple device is just getting on in life and should really be consigned to a museum by now.

Unless you want to sign yourself up to a long contract with a network for an iPhone (and still shell out large sums of cash) you’re fairly stuck. That’s because as you no doubt already know, Apple products in the Apple store or in stores are kinda scary price wise and you’ll need deep pockets or very generous parents/partners/friendly Lotto winners.

The good news is that there are cheaper options to getting your hands on a new Apple iPhone, iPad or Laptop. So, sit back, relax and below is some advice on how to get the best deals on Apple products.

Recycle/Renew or Sell your old Apple product for Cash

If you already have an Apple product that you don’t need anymore or want to upgrade, you can either receive either cash or an Apple gift card in return for it taking it on a trip to the recycle motel. All you have to do is enter in the serial number, answer some brief questions about the current state of your device and you will either be offered a Gift card or a cash figure for your device.

Be prepared to be a little disappointed with the price offered. My old MacBook Air purchased for €1,100 in early 2014 is now only worth €256 recycled. Ouch. However, once you pick yourself up from the floor, then every little helps I guess and this is also probably a more profitable way to make some cash than the likes of CEX.

The alternative is to sell your old device privately on a private buyer/seller website like DoneDeal or Adverts where you will likely receive a much better return.

Apple Certified Refurbished Macs, iPads and iPhones

Apple offer refurbished products in their online store which are generally offered at a discount varying between 15-20%. These are either previously owned devices or devices which failed a post-manufacturing test. They’ve all been through Apple’s refurbishment process i.e. cleaned, fully tested, non-working parts replaced and come with a one year warranty. If you do have any doubts, maybe consider Apple Care which gives you limited protection past that one year warranty.

Check back regularly on the site as Apple adds new refurbished products frequently. If you don’t find the particular model and price point you are looking for, then you may be lucky the next time.

The cheapest Laptop listed as of early January 2018 is a 12” MacBook at €1,129. This includes 8GB memory and a 256GB SSD. This represents a 20% saving over the new model.

It’s worth checking out eBay, Carphone Warehouse and Amazon.co.uk who offer manufacturer refurbished iPhones, iPads and Macs. Make sure you choose manufacturer certified refurbished devices to ensure they are Apple refurbished rather than seller refurbished. If a seller only offers delivery to a UK address, you can use Parcel Motel to deliver to a virtual UK Address before shipping onto your Irish home address. Also, don’t forget to consider the impact of Sterling’s value versus Euro.

Online Auction Sites.

eBay offer some great deals for Apple Products through their auction sites. Check back regularly and have a good idea what price you should be paying like checking Apple or various stores such as Harvey Norman, PCWorld etc. Place your bid and be patient and do not be tempted to bid higher than the item is worth just to ensure you win the auction. Remember, you’re hunting for a bargain.

You may be need to partake in numerous auctions before landing the deal you want. Good luck!

High Street Store Sales/Promotion Events.

Check stores such as Harvey Norman, PC World/Currys, Power City regularly for weekend or mid week flash sales. There are New Year sales on at the moment and there are some big discounts available if your quick. Just be aware that Apple rarely allows discounts in retail but you can always chance your arm. There’s no harm in asking is there?

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds: Why Everyone Loves PUBG

Marty

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5th January 2018

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PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds: Why Everyone Loves PUBG

It’s been a long time since a new game came onto the market that people flocked too. When Call of Duty first emerged, it quickly became the goto as the must-have multiplayer game. If you were a gamer, you had to have it. Well, this just happened again with a mental but little-known game called PUBG.

What is PUBG?

How do you explain it. PUBG, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds shortened, is a single map fight to the death between 100 gamers. It’s as insane as it sounds too. Every single player starts each round of PUBG without any weapons, ammo or accessories. After a bizarre loading period where everyone just jumps around and unleashes pain on each other, the game starts with all 100 gamers, unarmed in a plane. The first decision you have to make is where you jump out on the 64 square kilometre map.

How Do You Win a PUBG Game Round?

PUBG is a battle royale. The goal is simple. Be the last man standing. Well, it’s simple to define the goal, not so simple to achieve it. In single player, that means you have to see off 99 other gamers. You can also play in Duo or Squad modes if that’s more to your liking. Once you’re the last gamer standing, you’ll get yourself a chicken dinner. This is a long-running quote from the game and something you’ll be familiar with if you like the movie 21.

What’s a PUBG Game Round Like?

Largely, how the round plays out is up to you. With some experience, you’ll learn what areas of the map are quieter at the start of a game round. Depending on your game style, you can parachute into a quiet area and loot buildings for weapons, ammo and accessories or go hell for leather in a busier area of the map. Just remember, you’ll start the round with nothing more than the clothes you picked out. If you bump into someone before you loot some weapons, you’ll be stuck with just your fists.

The weaspons themselves are even hilarious at times. The frying pan has become a fan favourite but it also protects you when holstered. Regardless, frying pan kills are most rewarding.

Now, there are two other pretty major things you need to know.

The Danger Zones

Every now and then red circles appear on the map. Within these circles, a geansai load of bombs will be dropping and killing loads of gamers, so best steer clear.

The Blue Wall

This is the most unique and best part of the game. About five minutes in, the 64 square kilometre map starts shrinking. This appears in the game as a blue wall or circle, closing in on the game area. If you’re caught outside the blue area, you’ll start slowing dying until you get back into the playable game area.

Is PUBG Fun?

This is the critical point. Gaming is about fun. I’ve played so many online games of COD and just felt shite after it because longtime gamers wipe the floor with me. Gaming isn’t my strong point. But one thing I love about PUBG is that the playing ground is level (not literally). Every round starts with equally equipped players. Sure, some are better than others, but there’s no special traits or equipment that puts you at a disadvantage.

Right now, PUBG is available for PC and Xbox, but be warned. PUBG is currently in early access. That means it’s a little buggy but also means it’s great value to nip in and pick up the game for €29.99. It’s currently the top selling game on Steam for PC gamers with just under 21 million players at the time of writing. That’s not even counting the number of Xbox gamers!

Finally, if you want to see how mental and fun PUBG really is, just check out the fan videos that are emerging. It’s fast becoming a phenomenon, so if you’re a gamer, you might want to start getting your Battlegrounds practice in.

Bonus: The PUBG Anthem

Got an iPhone and Some Paper?

Marty

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5th January 2018

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Since Apple went and made augmented reality all cool and mainstream late in 2017, I’ve been a little underwhelmed by what’s become available. Sure, you can measure rooms with without a measuring tape, but isn’t that a little boring? Thanks to an indie app developer by the name of Hart Woolery, we can finally start boasting about how cool AR is.

Hart created the InstaSaber. This is a simple app which lets you live out your childhood fantasies by placing a lightsaber into your hand. Yup, just like Luke Skywalker, you can run around the house waving your lightsaber around. How the app works is absolute genius because it’s completely accessible to everyone; that can afford an iPhone that is.

All you need to live out your Star Wars dreams is an AR compatible Apple device and a piece of paper. Roll up the latter and then view through the InstaSaber app and kablamo, you’re a Jedi. Easier than ever right?

While this is currently limited to Apple right now, we can only hope it’s not too long until this gets launched on Android. Give it a download, have a play and send us your videos. We’d love to see the lightsaber wielding population of Ireland.

Computer Science to Become a Leaving Cert Subject

Jon

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4th January 2018

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Computer Science to Become a Leaving Cert Subject

Yup, you read that right. Computer Science and coding is going to be on the Leaving Cert from next year onwards. The news brought to us by Richard Bruton brought a sigh of relief to all of us here as we think it’s about time we start to teach the next generation these skills which are becoming more and more important in the techno logic world we now live in.

Hows it going to work?

The new subject will be taught from September 2018 and initially 40 schools around Ireland have been selected to trail run this initiative with the first Leaving Cert exam to take place in 2020. The exam itself will be 30% project work and 70% final exam, which doesn’t sound too bad to me personally. Look, we all had that one subject we hated in school and for me Computer Science on the Leaving Cert would have been far more beneficial versus oh I don’t know Irish or Religion (personal pet peeve subjects because I was awful).

Anyway, I digress, here is what Richard Bruton had to say:

“There is a digital revolution taking place, which is having a transformative effect on our economy, workplace, and lifestyle. In order to be the best in Europe, our education system must respond to these changes,” Mr Bruton said.

“The introduction of this new subject will teach our young people flexible, solution-oriented thinking. It will teach them to be creative, adaptable learners,” he said.

The announcement is only one of a range of actions the Minister hopes to make in this area as he aims to create the best eduction service in Europe by 2026. A big part of this plan will be practical subjects that enhance problem solving skills as well as developing real world skills sets. In comparison to the Leaving Certs of my day which was essentially a memory test. Seriously remember the booklet of pre written English and Irish essays we all had stashed away in the hope the theme of Romeo and Juliet came up on the exam. Ah the good ole days….. making way for better days we think.

A generation of computer genius’

Maybe, hopefully, well more thank likely but to be honest they will all probably be better in a year or two than any of us could hope to be. This current crop of students will learn about programming languages and how to read, write, test and modify computer programs. Interestingly Computer Science in the Leaving Cert will include being thought computational thinking, creative design and how to analyse problems in computational terms. Now that’s a big change for any one who has ever sat the exams, creativity and thinking in the one place? Tis a long way from the shut up and listen approach we all had.

Students will also be learning how to design computational artefacts such as web pages, digital animations, simulations, games, apps and robotics. Ya, Robotics in school!

The reason for all of this is to teach the next generation a vital set of skills as well as understanding how computational thinking can be used to solve problems. How technology has had an impact on human life will also be covered, but sure we got that pretty much down, God forbid the day something Dean or I writes ending up on a Leaving Cert exam.

As I said the first round of exams will be sat in 2020 with next years fifth year students taking the plunge.The main end-of-course exam will be computer-based and worth 70% of the marks. The other 30% will be course work or project similiar to TCG, Wordwork or any of them subject but the difference here is it could be a web page, digital animation, game, simulation, app or robotic system. Please please please let me see some teenager created robots, that I want to see.

What does this mean going forward?

It means that getting kids involved in programs such as CoderDojo is now more relevant than ever as skill is more important than memory we can give the next generation a headstart and develop computer skills from an early age. In the past we even mentioned a few toys and gadgets that could help teach coding from an early age. For now we just hope the current batch of transition years have been getting some coding practise. Who knows one of these young guns may fancy joining team Goos3D in a couple years. After their Leaving Cert of course.

By the way here are the list of 40 schools that have been selected to test out the new Computer Science Leaving Cert program. If you know anyone in these schools who will be doing the subject next year we would love to hear from them.

The selected schools are:

Abbey Vocational School, Donegal

Adamstown Community College, Dublin

Breifne College, Cavan

Bush Post Primary School, Dundalk

Carrigaline Community School, Cork

Castleblayney College, Monaghan

Christ King Girls Secondary School, Cork

Clongowes Wood College, Kildare

Coláiste an Chraoibhin, Fermoy

Coláiste Bríde, Dublin 22

Coláiste Chiaráin, Croom

Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig

Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar

Coláiste na Ríochta, Listowel

Coláiste Phadraig, Lucan, Co Dublin

Coláiste Pobail Setanta, Dublin 15

Creagh College, Gorey

Dominican College Sion Hill, Dublin

Ennistymon Vocational School, Co Clare

Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG, North Monastery, Cork

Le Chéile Secondary School, Dublin 15

Loreto College, Swords

Luttrellstown Community College, Dublin 15

Mayfield Community School, Cork

Moate Community School, Co Westmeath

Mount Sion CBS, Waterford

Mount Temple Comprehensive, Dublin

Presentation Secondary School, Clonmel

Rice College, Westport

Sacred Heart, Clonakilty

St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny

St Aidan’s Comprehensive, Cootehill

St Brigid’s Mercy, Tuam

St Joseph’s, Rush, Co Dublin

St Mary’s CBS, Enniscorthy

St Vincent’s, Dundalk

St Finian’s Community College, Swords

Stratford College, Dublin 6

Synge Street CBS, Dublin; Terenure College, Dublin.

Please don’t do it Snapchat

Jon

-

4th January 2018

0

As our avid readers will already know, we here at Goos3D don’t do ads. We don’t like them, we think they ruin the enjoyable experience of reading our lovely stories. Shame isn’t it that most other companies don’t feel as passionately about this as we do. Recently my favorite app, Snapchat could be getting unstoppable ads. Ya i’m not happy about this either.

NOOOOOOOOoooooo

Snapchat has been so revolutionary in terms of social media in recent years that plenty of companies have copied them. Think stories! Since Snapchat had great success letting people share their day to day lives with all their contacts live and in the moment, other platforms such as Faceboook and Instagram have “borrowed” this idea. As a result Snapchat have had a few issues keeping their users.

More and more people are sharing their moments on Instagram and Facebook over Snapchat. That god dam Boomerang has ruined everything! Maybe the already existing ads have contributed to Snapchats downfall and things are about to get worse, much worse indeed.

At the moment we can all skip the ads, so they aren’t too noticeable or intrusive but as ever money trumps experience and the fine idiots at Snapchat are rumored to be making a few changes in their next update.

Yup, unskippable ads… already the bane of many a YouTube binges or general online video content. We all hate them so why force us to watch them?

Well the answer is simple, money. Just check out this quote from Ad Age:

“Advertisers are not spending as much as they have previously with Snapchat.

“They have to do something that draws more interest from advertisers, and they are getting more aggressive to address the market’s needs.”

So basically because we as the users don’t want or like ads we are going to be forced to watch at least 3 seconds of an ad before we can skip, if we will be allowed skip at all. Whatever about me and you but the younger generation are even less likely to deal with the BS of in-bedded advertising hence this idea of forcing engagement to keep their attention for as long as possible. That’s if they don’t switch off the app completely.

Good Bye Snapchat?

This bothers me because surely innovation, customer feedback and creating an app that increased interaction through choice rather than force is more beneficial to both Snapchat and its users. Try telling that to the bean counters I guess.

Well I for one will not bother my arse watching that crap and if I feel this way I can only imagine plenty of you feel the same. At least on Facebook and Twitter we can scroll past the ads right?

Probably better off following us on them then. 😉

What is Two-step Verification?

How Does Two-step Verification Work?

Setting Up 2SV

Apple HomePod – Due Early 2018

Apple iPhone SE 2 – Early 2018

iPhone XI, iPhone 9 and iPhone 9S – September 2018

Apple Air Pod 2, Watch 4 and Air Power wireless charger – 2018

iOS12, WatchOS 5, Mac 10.14 and TVOS 12 (Demoed June 2018, Release Autumn 2018).

iPad Updates – Mid to Late 2018

Apple Car

HTC Vive Pro & Black Box VR

Wi-Charge

L’Oreal UV Sense

Blocks Modular Smartwatch

Aflack Duck

When can I get these?

What is PSD2: Explained in plain English

PSD2 Means No Annoying PayPal or Card Fees

PSD2 Will Make Managing Finances Easier

The Second Payment Services Directive Also Means More Security

What is the PSD2 Timeline?

The British Prime Minister’s Fondness for Pigs

iPhones, Animojis and The Waldo Moment

Let’s All Rate Each Other

CES 2018: Self Driving Pizza Trucks

Recycle/Renew or Sell your old Apple product for Cash

Apple Certified Refurbished Macs, iPads and iPhones

Online Auction Sites.

High Street Store Sales/Promotion Events.

What is PUBG?

How Do You Win a PUBG Game Round?

What’s a PUBG Game Round Like?

The Danger Zones

The Blue Wall

Is PUBG Fun?

Bonus: The PUBG Anthem

Hows it going to work?

A generation of computer genius’

What does this mean going forward?

The selected schools are:

NOOOOOOOOoooooo

Good Bye Snapchat?

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