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Where and When You Can Buy the Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in Ireland

Marty
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0
Where and When You Can Buy the Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in Ireland

For the first time, Apple held a keynote in the Steve Jobs theatre and to be fair, the event didn’t disappoint. Here’s everything that Tim Cook and his team announced today at the most watched consumer technology keynote on the calendar. Meet the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus:

Apple iPhone 8

Skipping the next model in the logical sequence, the main announcement from the Steve Jobs Theatre was the Apple iPhone 8. Physically, the iPhone 8 is not a dramatic departure its predecessor, the iPhone 7. Day to day usage is also unlikely to leave iPhone users’ jaws on the ground. Even so, there are some great unique features that appear on this next generation iPhone.

Augmented Reality

Ok, so I’m starting with the party piece. The iPhone 8 is the first smartphone to ship with augmented reality in mind. Augmented reality (AR) involves overlaying computer generated images over real world images viewed through your camera.

We could, and will, dedicate a full article to the uses of AR and how Apple going big on AR means this is a very big deal now. For now, you just needed to know it’s very cool indeed.

Wireless Charging

While some first reacted to the glass back of the iPhone 8 with horror at how easy it would be to break, others knew this meant wireless charging was on the way. Powered by Qi, the world standard in wireless charging, you can now simply rest your iPhone 8 on a charging pad to replenish the battery. Years ago, people laughed when Nokia tried out wireless charging, but just a few year later it’s becoming the standard.

Maybe Apple will say goodbye to ports altogether next?

A11 Bionic Chip

Yes, that is indeed the coolest name for a processor ever. While there are camera improvements and the likes, you’d expect that. The iPhone 8 will take slightly better pictures than previous models. Standard. This processor on the other hand powers the iPhone 8 to do great things like the AR we already mentioned.

This improved processor will also bring slightly increased battery life too.

Apple iPhone 8 Plus

The iPhone 8 Plus comes with all that good stuff you find in the iPhone 8, but with the extra real estate to enjoy it. Instead of the 4.7-inch screen seen on the iPhone 8, the iPhone 8 Plus boasts a 5.5-inch screen. Of course, there is more to it than that.

The iPhone 8 Plus also has dual camera lenses, giving you some more style options when you shoot. Included with this upgrade is the ability to unlock Apple’s Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting.

Apple iPhone X

In typical Apple style, there was still more to come. It’s appropriate at this point to highlight Jon’s stunning predictions back in February. When he went full foaming at the mouth in Goos3DTower and started spluttering out iPhone related gibberish, little did we know he was having a full on premonition. Just check out his predictions.

Of Jon’s predictions, one of the most exciting was the possibility of an iPhone X, so when Tim Cook brought up this slide, we knew what was happening:

The iPhone X is, again, a little bit bigger than the iPhone 8 Plus, with a 5.8-inch screen. This screen looks like it was poured onto the front of the iPhone X and surpasses the closest thing we’ve ever seen like this; the LG G6.

Apple also jammed in some extra tech which unlocks your phone by recognising your face. This was needed as the iPhone X’s screen means there’s no home button. To manage with facial recognition, additional sensors a dot projector and high-quality front facing cameras were needed:

With all that front-facing magic, Apple decided to use that power for good and created Animojis. Yeah, you can now chat to people using your own expressions projected onto an emoji. I hear what you’re asking yourself right now and the answer is yes:

When will the Apple iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X Launch in Ireland?

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus is available for pre-order from 15 September. Irish networks will be under embargo until that date which is why you’re not seeing much from them at the moment. You’ll then be able to buy the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus from the 22 September.

The iPhone X won’t be available until 3 November with pre-order opening on 27 October.

How Much Will the Apple iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X Cost in Ireland?

We’re waiting for confirmation of Irish network pricing. If you want to order direct from Apple, you’ll get the iPhone 8 for €829 and the iPhone 8 Plus for €939.

The iPhone X is going to be the most expensive smartphone on the market weighing in at €1179 direct from Apple.

Over the next few days, we’ll have members of team Goos3D looking at why Apple killed it with this launch and why they are lagging behind. Sign up to the Goos3DLetter below if you want to hear all about it.

Goos3D Live Blog

You can still read through our live coverage of the main 2017 Apple Event:

 

Supermac’s, Google and All Ireland Sunday: People Go Mad for Snackboxes

Marty
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0
Supermac’s, Google and All Ireland Sunday: People Go Mad for Snackboxes

Did you feel it? During the All Ireland Final and the homecoming celebrations? You must have, surely? It’s that uncontrollable urge to go a Smokey Bacon Burger and maybe even a cheeky muffin and ice-cream from Supermac’s. That, my friends, is the power of sports sponsorship.

People Went Mad Searching for Supermac’s

We took our time in looking at this because Google’s data takes a few days to settle. Unlike the Galwegian population the data has settled and now we can finally dive into the psyche of Ireland on one of the biggest sporting dates on the calendar.

Using Google Trends, we looked at both average search volume and day-by-day search volume for the term “Supermac’s” during the weeks build up to the All Ireland Final. After a quick bit of research on the GAA website for key match dates, it became fairly clear that when Galway play matches, interest in Supermac’s increased.

Here are the key dates to check out on that graph:
  • 3 September – All Ireland Hurling Final
  • 6 August – All Ireland Hurling Semi-final
  • 2 July – Leinster Hurling Final
  • 18 June – Leinster Hurling Semi-final

These key days on the hurling calendar saw the greatest volume of searches for Supermac’s as the Galway jersey reminded people how much they wanted a Smokey Bacon Burger. I know for a fact that I was one of those people.

All Ireland Sunday saw demand for Supermac’s grow 104% above average. This was followed by the Leinster Semi-final with a demand 92% above the norm. Both the Leinster Final and All Ireland Semi-final rounded off the top three, both drawing an 84% increase in interest for Supermac’s.

Supermac’s Took Over Social Media

Not only were people Googling Supermac’s like crazy, they were tweeting and hashtagging it up too. The western fast food chain topped out at fourth spot of All Ireland Sunday Twitter trends:

And people were genuinely concerned for the staff in Eyre Square:

Apparently, they ran out of chicken at one stage but there are no tweets to support that. Nobody was in a fit state sure.

That’s the stunning impact GAA advertising can have on the people of Ireland. Now, go get yourself a Smokey Bacon Burger. You know they deliver right?

 

 

 

InvizBox 2: Democratising Online Privacy for Everyone

Marty
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0
InvizBox 2: Democratising Online Privacy for Everyone

Back in February, we reviewed one of our favorite gadgets; the InvizBox Go. This little black box makes browsing the internet on open WiFi connections much safer. Just a few months ago, we said the InvizBox Go was bringing online privacy to the masses. Simply put, no other device on the market was making online security so easy.

As simple as the InvizBox Go was, you would still need a small bit of technical know-how to run the device. Unfortunately, that’ll always be a side product maintaining online privacy, right?

The Democratisation of Online Privacy

Online privacy is a bit like an intermittent toothache. Thinking about it makes you sweat but you have an amazing ability to tune it out too. TV shows like Black Mirror and Mr.Robot are making people more aware of online privacy, making them less likely to tune out their online anxieties. Instead, people are looking for solutions they understand and this is where the next InvizBox project will excel. In simplifying online privacy, InvizBox is democratising online security for everyone.

InvizBox 2

InvizBox 2: Democratising Online Privacy for Everyone

The InvizBox Go, designed to be a mobile device, requires a certain level of setup; connect to box, connect the box to WiFi and make sure everything is set correctly. It’s incredibly simple, relative to the amount of privacy that offers.

The InvizBox 2, designed for use in the home, is plug and play. Yes, the most beautiful words in the techie’s language; plug and play. Pop an internet cable from your modem into the back of the device along with a power cable and the InvizBox 2 is up and running. All the privacy settings are already preloaded in the box itself, meaning as soon as it’s up and running, you’re protected.

What Does InvizBox 2 Do?

What you do online is nearly always being tracked. For example, while it’s anonymous, we track how long you read this page so we know how good our content is. While harmless, you should have the right to opt out and that’s what InvizBox 2 offers. InvizBox describes using their product as being along the same lines as putting mail into an envelope. It’s all about blocking prying eyes.

With all of the privacy features, InvizBox 2 also includes DNS based ad blocking. That’s a really fancy name for reducing the number of ads you see online without having to install anything in your internet browser. Think of it being like pausing a show in Sky and then later, remembering you can fast forward the ads.

Why Get the InvizBox 2

The Dublin-based startup has made waves in the online community with their easy to use security devices. Right now, the team are finalists in the Mobile World Congress 4FYN in San Francisco and were recently chosen as one of thirty finalists in Google’s Adopt a Startup. These are ringing endorsements for a young company creating gadgets that will be in every home within a few years.

We’re not just saying these because we’re on a big fire safety buzz lately, but online privacy devices will become as commonplace as smoke alarms. Putting off learning how to secure your internet connection at home was, to a certain extent, understandable until now. The InvizBox 2 makes securing your home internet connection so simple, there are no more excuses.

How to Get the InvizBox 2

InvizBox has just launched their latest crowdfunding campaign to get this product off the ground. This will be their third campaign after successfully crowdfunding the first InvizBox and the InvizBox Go. You can back the Invizbox 2 on Kickstarter now.

Fleet: The new way to rent a car in Ireland or make money on your second car

Marty
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1
Fleet: The new way to rent a car in Ireland or make money on your second car

That title is probably the most first-world problem ever, right? So many cars, you don’t know what to do with them. Still, there are plenty of people out there who might be availing of public transport for their commute which leaves their car sitting in the driveway. How we book accommodation has changed completely because of AirBnB. How you rent a car in Ireland is set to change too thanks to Fleet.

What is Fleet?

First of all, Fleet is Irish. Yay! Another cracking Irish app with the potential to take on the world. Fleet is a peer-to-peer car rental app that lets you rent a car from a stranger. The idea came about when the app’s creators grew frustrated with the amount of paperwork involved in car rentals.

frustrated with the amount of paperwork involved in car rentals

So the next time you think, ‘why can’t there be an AirBnB for anything’, how bout you go make it happen?

How does Fleet work?

The process is really simple whether you’re looking for a car or renting yours out.

Looking for a car to rent

If you’re looking for a set of wheels, it’s fairly straight forward:

  1. Download the app and set up your Fleet account
  2. Pick out a car
  3. Meet the owner

Make some money from renting your car out

  1. Download the Fleet app and set up an account
  2. List your car
  3. Receive bookings and meet the drivers

What’s the catch?

There’s no real catch. Like everything these days, it easier to do a lot of things because of disruptive tech like Fleet. There are some rules though, which are mainly for people renting their car out:

  • Car can’t be older than 13 years old
  • Motorbikes are not allowed
  • Car must have a valid NCT
  • Use checklists whether renting or renting out a car

It all sounds like an insurance nightmare

Of course it does, which is why Fleet sorted that out. Their insurance supersedes the private insurance policy of the car owner. Drivers will pay an insurance premium when renting a car through the app. Drivers of rented cars are also responsible for all parking, toll and speeds costs incurred during the rental.

The verdict

If you’re looking to rent a car in Ireland, there are now loads of options you can pick over the likes of traditional providers. Fleet is one of the best options out there and they’ve covered of key concerns like insurance. It’s still early days for the app, but once the database of cars up for rent grows, this should take off.

Download the app for free and see what motors are in your area.

 

How to Get a Google Home in Ireland

Marty
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0
How to Get a Google Home in Ireland

Update: While much of this is still true, you can now buy a Google Home or Home Mini directly from Google or many Irish retailers as it’s officially on sale here now. Here’s the latest news on how to get a Google Home in Ireland.

Ireland is great for many reasons. We’re great craic in big tournaments, we’re on our own island and generally speaking, we’re liked in other countries. One downside to Ireland is how long it takes Irish retailers to stock the latest tech. We’ve already looked at how to get smuggle an Echo Dot into the country, but now we check out how to get a Google Home in Ireland.

What is Google Home?

Google Home is a smart speaker built by powered by Google’s smart assistant. You catch its attention by saying “Ok, Google…” and either issuing a command or asking a question. Google Home is somewhat similar to Amazon’s Echo and Echo Dot. The main difference is the Echo and Echo Dot being more Skill (read app) based than Google’s Home device.

The appeal of voice-controlled speakers has increased in recent years with a sharp increase in smart devices in the home. For example, with a Google Home, you can use your voice to turn up the temperature if you have a Nest heating system.

Where to Get a Google Home in Ireland?

As was the case with the Echo and Echo Dot, getting these voice-powered devices in Ireland can be quite a task. Unlike the Echo and Echo Dot, there are a few Irish retailers that have the Google Home, even though Google doesn’t officially support the device in Ireland yet.

Littlewoods Ireland

One of the top places to pick one up is Littlewoods Ireland. They’ve stepped up their smart home section in recent years and you can pick up a discounted Google Home from them for €140. Have a look around when you’re there as they now have some great smart home tech from smart plugs to smart bulbs.

Maplins

If for some reason, you need a Google Home in a hurry, Maplins is your best bet. While they’re far from nationwide, they do have a great selection of gadgets, so put aside an extra half an hour for browsing.

If you pop into one of Maplins’ Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Louth, or Galway stores, you can pick up Google’s smart assistant for €130.

Amazon.co.uk

While not always the case, Amazon.co.uk would work out to be the more expensive option to pick up a Google Home in Ireland. The exchange rate is up and down, but with Parcel Motel factored in the Google Home would likely set you back €150. If you’re shopping on Amazon though, why not give a Refurbished Echo a shot? As always, here’s our guide to shopping on Amazon.co.uk with Parcel Motel and how to use that ‘free UK delivery‘ trick.

In short, voice search is only going to get more important in Ireland. We’re slowly getting over our awkwardness of talking to gadgets. But as that rewards us with more and more convenience, people won’t be embarrassed for much longer.

Is KBC’s App the Easiest Way to Open Bank Account in Ireland?

Marty
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0
Is KBC’s App the Easiest Way to Open Bank Account in Ireland?

I’ve got a few bank accounts. There’s an Ulster Bank account I don’t use, a Permanent TSB account that I’ll be closing soon, my main account with Bank of Ireland and finally, an account with N26. Despite me having nearly every bank account in Ireland and one floating in the cloud, I don’t have access to Android Pay without using a service like Boon. Granted, Ulster Bank does offer it and that happens to be the account that I don’t use. Even so, many Irish banks are way behind in terms of technology.

KBC launched an app this week which promises fast and simple bank account creation. I put this claim to the test.

https://youtu.be/nx6Ixmo75CI

Snap, Snap, Tap, Tap, Boom?

KBC is currently recruiting new customers by promising to sidestep all those horrible banking processes that come with setting up an account. New customers can open a KBC Extra Account through the banks ‘revolutionary new app’ allowing you to set up a bank account without paperwork. You’ll even need to take a selfie and get them a fiver for your troubles.

Setting Up the Fastest Bank Account in Ireland

So, KBC had my attention and was about to get my business. I sat down to open an account in minutes and see if there’s substance to their claims.

Getting Started

Full disclosure time. I’ve worked in banking and telecoms, two paperwork heavy places to work. I was pretty well prepared which should speed up the process a wee bit. I had my driver’s license and a phone bill downloaded to my phone all ready to go. Turns out, you’ll need more than that, which seems excessive. Regardless, you’ll need two proofs of ID and two proofs of address.

Despite KBC’s promotional videos stating you’ll need either a passport or driver’s license, I needed both. Despite the same videos outlining a need for one proof of address, yup, I needed two. The only thing to note here is my onboarding to the new account wouldn’t go smoothly and I didn’t get to take a selfie. Sadface.

Downloading the App

Probably don’t have to highlight this part of the process, but because we’re pure sound, here are the links for both Android and iOS apps.

Starting the Process

This is the really fun part. You know when you’re usually talking to a pane of bullet-proof glass after queuing for hours in a bank? Well, the app starts chatting with you as if you’re texting a mate. This is how KBC get your personal details like name etc. It feels totally natural and really suits the mobile app. Good job KBC, I’m liking this.

SMS Verification

The last thing you enter in this ‘chat’ section, is your number. KBC ping you a text message with a unique number to place that phone with you. The message came through for me no problem. but something happened here which kicked me out of the app.

This is where the wheels started to come off the process. Something happened which kicked me out of the app. When I went back in, I had to start over. This created a duplicate application and locked me out of the app process. Crap.

Phonecall From KBC

Ok, it’s not all bad. KBC is on the phone and I’ve explained what happened. I’m offered the option of completing the process on the phone, but I opt to return to the app for research purposes. After a brief supervisor’s query, I’m informed the app won’t be an option for me anymore but the application can be completed over the phone. I begrudgingly agree, so you’ll have to test out the app yourself from that stage on.

I begrudgingly agree, so you’ll have to test out the app yourself from that stage on.

Setting Up a KBC Account Over the Phone

Right, we’re off the plan here but let’s keep going. The KBC video promises that I’ll be able to have Android pay once I get through this. About ten minutes on the phone with their sales team and a few legal questions later, it’s nearly all done. There are just a few emails that need to be sent over with my proofs. This was where I found out that this process would require twice as many proofs as going through the app. Boo!

What’s Android Pay Like?

I’d love to be able to tell you. I received the emails and asked the salesperson if I would have Android pay available as soon as I sent everything over. They responded by informing me that there’s a three to four-day turnaround on getting an account live. If I’m totally honest, I haven’t even sent over my proofs yet because the sign-up process is just so far away from what KBC is advertising.

Here’s where KBC are missing the mark:

  • Their message right now is “banking in minutes”, yet it looks like that will vary between 4320 and 5760 minutes for me
  • They’re also bigging up a sign-up process that takes little more than snap, snap, tap, tap. That’s missing answer, answer, email, email, wait, wait. Admittedly, that’s not as catchy.
  • KBC are asking for different documents through the app and over the phone.
  • I’m sitting here with no Android Pay and not holding out hope for getting my fiver either
  • While they say no paperwork, you do have to take a photo of a posted proof or print out a digital proof. Both of these are equally silly.

Do KBC Have The Fastest Bank Account in Ireland

This was a really tough article to write. I was genuinely delighted to see KBC trying something so innovative in the Irish market. The bank had built up this account opening process so much that it genuinely had me excited – possibly the most boring thing you’ll ever do is set up a bank account. KBC’s vision for attracting new customers is bang on. We’re all ridiculously impatient these days and KBC is turbo boosting a mundane, boring task. Or at least, they’re claiming to be.

While the idea KBC put forward is brilliant, in practice, it’s disappointing. While many may open an account through the app without a hitch, it didn’t take much for my application to be derailed. What’s the point in an app and digital process if it ends up in required phone calls? I use Just Eat because I hate calling in take aways. I used this app because I hate paperwork and going to the bank. KBC has built up an expectation far beyond what they can deliver right now.

Only for the promise of a fiver to use the app, I’d have thought the app was little more than another way to get potential customers into phone calls.

The Verdict

Hopefully, these are just bugs that can be ironed out and the app genuinely is a way to signup and not just another way of getting customers into phone calls. KBC has the potential to shake up the Irish banking space with this app, but only if it works and works as advertised.

well done to KBC on trying something different

As frustrating as this process was, the last word here has to be well done to KBC on trying something different.

 

You’ll Float Too: Spoiler Free Review of Stephen King’s IT

Dean
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0
You’ll Float Too: Spoiler Free Review of Stephen King’s IT

When describing his take on the reboot of IT, Stephen King, arguably one of the greatest writers of all time, said that he ‘wasn’t quite prepared for how good it was going to be’. And how right he was. After years of development and nearly being scrapped on numerous occasions, Andy Muschietti’s IT has finally made it to the big screen, appealing to all types of fans. If you’re looking for a good movie to watch, here’s our review of IT to put forward a case. Whether you’re a Stephen King fan, a horror movie fan or just a movie buff, this is a must see movie right now.

Stephen King: Serial Storyteller

King’s books have been adapted for film over 60 times. Some are fantastic, such as The Green Mile, Misery and Shawshank Redemption. Other were pretty awful and fell right into the B movie genre. As a massive King fan, when I watched the original IT mini-series after reading the book, I thought it was a ball of shite. Aside from Tim Curry, the three-hour mini-series just doesn’t scare audiences in this day and age. And as for the only book, I’ve only ever had to put down because it genuinely creeped me out.

The 2017 adaption of IT really does the book justice. After being released worldwide for only three days, it’s still earned 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, impressive for most movies, let along a horror movie. IT is still expected to break all kinds of records over the coming days and weeks.

What’s IT About?

IT follows a group of kids called ‘The Losers’ Club’ in the fictional town of Derry, a town unlike ordinary towns. People go missing six times the national average in Derry and it’s mostly children. The Losers’ Club decides to do some digging. They discover Derry has a dark history and start seeing visions of things that scare them individually. One thing they all have in common is a dancing clown called Pennywise.

Don’t go in there, why did you go in there?

The film builds tension that makes you say ‘Don’t go in there’, ‘Why did you go in there?’ ‘I told you not to go in there’. This tension building is spread out even more as the movie goes on, really leaving you on the edge of your seat. I even found myself covering my eyes a couple of times.

Meet Pennywise

Bill Skarsgard plays Pennywise amazingly on the big screen. He combines humour and fear to captivate the audience in a way that leaves you looking forward to seeing the clown on screen again. Of course, you dread it too. Tim Curry’s Pennywise was good but leaned more towards the funny, manipulative side of his character. The true horror of Pennywise is very much reflected through Skarsgard performance. We’ve seen a lot of Pennywise in the trailers, but he has a lot more to offer on screen. As a big King fan, I have to tip my hat to Skarsgard in his portrayal of Pennywise.

Review of IT by Dean

The Loser’s Club

The Losers’ Club is a group of seven friends who are all experiencing the horror’s of IT. They band together after kids in Derry start to go missing in order to try and kill IT. The great thing about them is that one of them will probably remind you of yourself when you were in school. Bill, Beverly, Mike, Stan, Richie, Eddie and Ben are all battling their own demons, which IT feeds off of. We get good back stories on the characters and after only an hour in, you are rooting them on to win and destroy IT. The chemistry between the characters is great and the actors did a great job creating a bond in the group.

We see a lot of humour between the characters, particularly from loud mouth Richie Tozier who is very quick off the mark with his one liners. These scenes are what separates IT from standard horror movies. Instead of being held in suspense from start to finish, the witty humour breaks this tension enough so that we can relax. But it’s never too long until we’re thrown back onto an emotional roller coaster.

Not only are they being pursued by IT, but they also get a lot of hassle from Henry Bowers, the school bully who also struggles with his own demons at home. As the film goes on Henry seem’s to get crazier and you are really hoping he dies. The point of his character is to build camaraderie between the Losers and get you on their side. Since everything seems to be going against them, Henry only drives them on more.

Perfect Imperfections

But not every movie is perfect. There are maybe a couple of cheap jump scares, but they are there to show that IT can be anywhere and at any time. This also compounds the fact that the children of Derry are never safe. If you can get passed these scares and understand why they are there, then you will enjoy this movie a lot more.

Also, maybe a couple of characters got a bit more of a backstory then others. I felt like maybe one character in particular who plays a big part in the film didn’t get the back story they deserved. But again, as a film on its own, it’s easy to overlook unless you’re picky enough to let something like this get in the way of enjoying what is a great movie.

The Verdict

IT is fantastic, doing a great job of reflecting the different personalities in the Losers’ Club while Pennywise was absolutely fantastic and I loved every bit of him on screen. The film had a good mix of humour and suspense and scares makes it stand out from most horrors today. For maybe the first time ever, I walked out of the theatre of a horror where I thought ‘I can’t wait for the sequel.’

 

 

Firemole Review: Reducing Housefires Caused By Smart Devices

Marty
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0
Firemole Review: Reducing Housefires Caused By Smart Devices

We first introduced you to Firemole back in May and recently brought you the great news that they had kicked off their Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. The team down in Cork has sent us a Firemole to have a closer look and here’s what we thought.

What Is Firemole?

Firemole is a simple device that you can attach to phone, tablet or laptop charger or even directly to a smart device. Should they start to overheat, Firemole will detect the rise in temperature and warn you by beeping. It’s a simple idea that will certainly reduce the number of house fires in Ireland.

How Are Chargers Causing House Fires

In truth, all phone chargers can be dangerous. Official, manufacturer approved chargers, are much safer than those cheap chargers you find in markets and dodgy looking phone shops. Even so, leaving a phone charging on a bed can lead to devastating if not fatal consequences:

While genuine chargers pose a risk, this risk is dramatically increased when using knock-off phone chargers. These cheap chargers usually skip several quality control processes, hence the low cost.

Why Firemole is a Great Idea

Every home should have a smoke alarm. This is pretty basic home safety, but this still means a fire has to start before you can detect it. Firemole is designed to alert you when there is a higher risk of a fire because of a smart device, beeping as soon as your device or device charger exceeds 54 degrees. This is the temperature at which human skin can be damaged.

Testing the Firemole

After opening the packaging of the Firemole, it struck me that testing might be tricky and I didn’t really want to increase the likelihood of a fire in my apartment. I did find a way to test it out though, a test you can watch here:

While not quite as loud as a traditional smoke alarm, when activated, Firemole can be heard from 15 meters away. After testing it out, I can vouch for it; it’s hard to ignore it going off. The big plus here is that traditional fire and smoke alarms have to wait for ignition and fire to spread before alerting people to the danger. Firemole can begin alerting people when there’s an increased likelihood of fire.

But, There’s No App?

This is actually one of the best ideas the Firemole team had. While fire safety is important for everyone, it’s particularly important for older, vulnerable generations. Firemole doesn’t have an app, making the setup more appealing to all users. Here’s how to set the Firemole up:

  1. Remove from packaging
  2. Pull the plastic tab
  3. Remove the double-sided tape strip
  4. Stick to your device or charger

That’s how simple it is to install. While it’s possible that Firemole will develop an app down the line, for now, it’s a great fire prevention gadget with very low barriers to trying it out.

Should You Buy A Firemole?

This is, quite literally, a lifesaving gadget built in the heart of Cork. You can pickup a Firemole on Indiegogo for less than €15 each when bought in a pack of three, totalling €45. A small price to pay for such huge piece of mind.

 

4 ways to Spot Fake Facebook Competitions

Marty
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0
4 ways to Spot Fake Facebook Competitions

We’ve got 300 lightly scratched PlayStations to give away. We just need you to like our Facebook page.

Ridiculous right? Yet, every single day people I know on Facebook like and share fake Facebook competitions. After a brief facepalm and muttering that they should know better I move on, but a little part of me dies inside. It always seems like such common sense, but as that’s never all that common, here’s how to spot fake Facebook competitions by fake Facebook pages.

What are Fake Facebook Competitions?

When people trust big brands, it’s fairly common that they’ll give them a like on Facebook. This signs them up for the latest news from the brands they love. This is also why there are so many fake Facebook pages. These pages are ‘like farming’ by offering what appears to be amazing prizes for minimal effort. These fake pages grow quickly because of the ‘like and share’ mechanism and once they’re big enough, they’re flipped to promote other products or services. All the fraudsters want is access to your eyeballs and when you like a fake Facebook page or enter a fake Facebook competition, at the very least you’re feeding the scammers.

All the fraudsters want is access to your eyeballs and when you like a fake Facebook page or enter a fake Facebook competition, at the very least you’re feeding the scammers. I’ll admit that it’s easy to get caught out and some of the pages are very convincing, but here are a few telltale traits of fake Facebook pages:

  1. No blue verified tick
  2. There’s something fishy about the title
  3. You land on a weird website after you click
  4. It all seems too good to be true

Let’s dive in and add a little more info to this.

1. No blue verified tick

While nothing in this list is iron-clad (use some common sense too), the verified tick is one of the best ways to spot a genuine page. Here’s what they look like:

blue ticks on facebook help you spot fake facebook accounts

Facebook is pretty tough on who they hand these seals of approval out to. This means it’s a great sign that a page is genuine, but also genuine pages may struggle to get it, so let’s go deeper.

2. There’s Something Fishy About the Title

While being verified is a great way to spot genuine accounts, fake Facebook pages also have some clear traits to help you spot them. One of the most obvious ways is using a well-known, loved and trusted brand name and simply adding a full stop to the end. Here’s an example of how scammers created a page to farm likes by using Disney Cruises:

fake disney cruise

People just go mad for stuff like this. Not only did thousands share it, they liked it, liked the page, clicked the link and handed over their email addresses. If only they knew how far away from that cruise they were. Actually, while we’re on the topic of clicking links and landing on web pages…

3. You Land on a Weird Website After You Click

I’m already a little disappointed you clicked the link, but you can still redeem yourself. That fake cruise post is a great example of a third telltale sign you’re being duped. Think about this logically. Disney is a huge company that can afford to design nice websites. If you do get duped into clicking that post, you really have no excuses when you see the state of the web page you land on. It probably looks terrible on mobile, has misspellings here and there and just generally looks ugly.

You should be hearing alarm bells, but if you’re not, the biggest giveaway has yet to be mentioned.

4. It All Seems Too Good to be True

It’s a complete cliché but if it seems too good to be true, well it probably is. Use some common sense and if you have any doubts at all, just close the window and walk away.

Example of a Fake Facebook Competition

Ok, so let’s bring it all together with this fake Aer Lingus Facebook page. First of all, we’ve already shown you that Aer Lingus do have that elusive blue verification tick. A quick search on Facebook would have set off alarm bells in your head when you saw this competition.

fake facebook post

Next up, the name itself, even with the tick missing should make you think twice. A brand as big as Aer Lingus will nearly always have “Aer Lingus” as their Facebook name. That extra Ireland at the end, again, should be set the alarm bells ringing.

Finally, isn’t it all a bit too good to be true? Do a couple of things on Facebook and you’ll be one of thirty to get this amazing prize? Well, that “limited” number of prizes adds the urgency which leads to people dropping their guard. Actually, it’s so effective that you can see Sinead there didn’t pay any attention to the warning we were issuing to the public and jumped right in with her entry to the competition.

For the Love of Jebus: Pay Attention to What You Like

As funny as it was to have someone enter a competition on our Facebook page while we were warning them about the dangers, this is a very serious problem. Our readers informed us that this example also asked people for their phone number, leave missed calls and then charge a fortune when calls were returned.

Even when being extremely careful, I know for a fact I’ve had my own personal data leaked online – you can read all about it. With so many companies not looking after your data, don’t go feeding fraudsters with the same. When you ‘like and share’ you’re not only passing your account over to scammers, you’re also enticing your own friends and family to do the same.

 

The Best of Dublin Culture Night: Top Tech Things to See in Dublin

Marty
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The Best of Dublin Culture Night: Top Tech Things to See in Dublin

Culture Night has become one of the best dates on the Irish calendar. For one night only, museums, galleries, historic houses, artists’ studios and cultural centres around the country, throw open their doors to the public. With most of what’s on show celebrating the old, we’ve dug out our top techie things to do for Dublin Culture Night 2017.

MAKESHOP

This place is possibly one of the coolest spots in Dublin for tinkering and gadgetry. MAKESHOP is run by the Dublin Science Gallery and brings some of best in DIY tech under one roof. From the small computers used to hack ideas together called Rasberry Pi to app development workshops, you can find it all in MAKESHOP.

MAKESHOP will be offering free entry into their store on South Leinster Street, showing off the scientific side of culture. There are sure to be some amazing gadgets as the MAKESHOP team show off their favourite innovations from the past 12 months. It’ll definitely be a hands-on experience too.

Connector Studio

Connector Studio is a Templebar-based design studio. Over the past few years, they’ve come to the fore for running the Snapys. The Snapys is one of Ireland’s first smartphone photography competitions, focusing on Instagram and sponsored by Huawei.

Dublin culture night connector

On Culture Night, Connector will host a free pop-up photo gallery based on Instagram photos. This truly is the cross over from classical culture to the modern take on the art gallery. On the night, you’ll get to enjoy a wide range of entries in categories like Travel, Dublin, Ireland, Pets, Food and more. You might even get to enjoy time with VR headsets.

The event kicks off at 5pm and runs to 11pm.

Introduction to Geocaching

This one might be stretching our tech category just a little bit, but let’s just include it as our wildcard pick. Geocaching is a simple game where players hide and then seek containers called ‘geocaches’ at specific locations. The tech element is that these locations are tracked online within geocaching communities.

This is a little-known past time enjoyed by millions around the world who leave and collect gifts and trinkets from within these containers, leaving something for the next person who comes along.

If nothing else, the page for the event says “bring a torch” which adds an irresistible layer of intrigue to the Pheonix Park event. If you really get into it, check out the Geocaching Junkie, a blogger who shares their Irish geocaching adventures.

The Docklands Tour

The Docklands was once the world’s largest docks and a key economic location for Ireland through the ages. It seems only fitting that it’s here, Ireland’s modern economy has emerged from. In the Docklands, you’ll find some of the world’s biggest companies.

The Docklands Tour, hosted by Liam Cowley, a Trinity history graduate, will bring you through the history of the area right through to its modern technological rebirth.

Through to 10pm in the Dublin Science Gallery, you can enjoy SOUNDCHECK. If you’re on the look out for a really hands-on experience, SOUNDCHECK is for you. You’ll become a performer in the show, inventing instruments and exploring the world of sound.

dublin culture night

Check out their mad site but just be ready for your laptop to make loads of noise.

When is Dublin Culture Night 2017?

Culture Night, which Dublin Culture Night is a part of, will take place on Friday, 22 September 2017. There’s always a great buzz around town for the night so even if it’s not tech, get out and enjoy a bit of culture.

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