Home Blog Page 132

How to lose weight using tech – A Motivating Marty update

0

Just about a month ago, I kicked off ‘Motivating Marty‘. All in all, it’s a bit of a mad notion where I share as much information publically about my efforts as possible. With one month complete, I wanted to give a quick update on my progress and offer some tips on how to lose weight using tech.

How has the first month of Motivating Marty been?

I picked a really interesting month to kick off a fitness kick. There was a lot going on, not to mention two Bank Holiday weekends. Still, I can’t argue with the results I’ve seen so far. Over the past week or so, my drive has waned a little. That’s left me fairly worried about the next weigh in – but that’s future-Martin’s problem.

Standing on the scales for day one, I was 107kg. Over the past few years, I’ve been in or around this weight. In the month since starting Motivating Marty, I’ve lost 5.9kg.

how to lose weight with tech

Typically, this is where I should say what else weighs that much. Well, it’s nearly 6 bags of sugar.

What tech will help you lose weight?

Just a month in, I’ve far from exhausted every piece of helpful tech. This first check in will just look at some of the tech and services I’ve been using.

Withings Smart Scales

Withings was recently acquired by Nokia and will be churning out great fitness gear in the coming months. It’s strange having such a cool gadget that you use so rarely. That’s just the nature of weighing scales. The Withings Smart Scales I’m using is a full Smart Body Analyser packed full of features. It obviously tells you your weight, but then it goes even further. The scales also measures body mass index, heart rate and air quality. Every time you step onto the scales, your data syncs up to the Withings app. You can then access this through an app or through their website.

This will surely sound fairly gimmicky to most people, but there are genuine benefits to having a scales like this. Take my fears about the next weigh in. If things don’t go well, I’ll see the weeks of progress that I did have. The trend map is also a constant reminder of where I started from. There’s also the ability to then connect your scales to other services. This is one of the most interesting aspects of Motivating Marty.

A post shared by Goos3D (@goos3d) on Apr 3, 2017 at 1:13pm PDT

Using IFTTT

I’ve been rattling on about IFTTT for ages now, a service that connects loads of smart tech. IFTTT lets me connect my Withings Smart Scales to other services. Now many will use this to upload weights to Google Sheets or something, but not me. I decided to connect the bloody thing to Twitter. Yup, every time I weight myself, that weight get’s tweeted out from a dedicated account I’ve set up. I’m not joking, look:

Now I’ve wondered for years, asking myself “how to lose weight in a way I’ll enjoy”. I’ve failed a rake of times. This time, I figured the public humiliation of failing might drive me on. The funny thing is that there’s also the public support of my efforts driving me on. There have been comments, both public and private, supporting my efforts. Sure enough, most also say they couldn’t imagine something worse than tweeting out your weight. Which leads me to social media.

Social media

I’ve been fairly critical of those lads in the gym that Instagram themselves working out, but I totally get it now. I’m motivated to hit the gym because the world is watching (to a certain extent). While I feel silly posting some of the stuff and still totally think some people are over the top, I get it now. Even still, with some people over doing it, what’s the harm really? Don’t follow them or don’t tap those hashtags. It’s that simple. If something as simple as a gym post gets me off my arse, then I’ll be posting it, trust me.

How to lose weight with tech: Top tips

Over the month, I’ve learned these few bits and piece.

  • You will forget to use MyFitnessPal more than you remember
  • Instagram is addictive
  • Smart scales are not a gimmick
  • IFTTT is one of the most flexible things on the internet

That’s it for the first update. There will definitely be more of these as there’s are so many other tips I can now give on how to lose weight with tech. I haven’t even touched upon some of the best apps I’ve used in the first month, so be sure to follow Motivating Marty. You can keep up on Twitter and Instagram.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are finally here

29

Oh Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. How do I love thee. Let me count the ways.

Last year, Samsung had one of the worst PR disasters ever seen in the mobile phone industry. Exploding batteries = recalls = massive brand damage. Sad faces in Samsung HQ? No. Recovery was on their minds. And oh boy, have they come back with a bang.

Introducing the “Infinity” Display

Samsung S8 and S8 Plus side by side

One look at the Samsung Galxay S8 and S8 Plus, and you will see the major change. The Infinity Display is the thing of dreams. A full edge to edge display.

The screen has increased from 5.1″ on the Samsung S7, to a massive 6.2″ on the Samsung S8 Plus. A little less on the S8, where the screen measures in at 5.8″ and is thinner than its older brother.

Yet the handsets themselves hasn’t increased much in size by comparison. The Samsung S8 Plus is roughly half an inch longer, and less than a tenth of an inch wider. The result? You have a phone where 86% of the front is the screen. If words will not do it justice, this video will.

You see what I mean? The Infinity Display is unlike anything you’ve ever seen on a smartphone before. A game changer. Something that you expect to see in Tony Starks basement.

Military-Grade Security

Information Security is a massive buzz with everyone these days. We’ve written some articles on how to keep your data safe. The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus take security to Trump levels of security.

Fingerprint scanners are the norm nowadays on high-end smartphones. Samsung has gone that bit further. Both the S8 and S8 Plus come with facial recognition and an iris

Fingerprint scanner is conveniently located on the back of the phone

scanner. Facial recognition is nothing new, it was a key feature of the Samsung S4. Iris scanning is a new innovation. Every person is born with a unique iris in their eyes, more so than a fingerprint. This can now be used to unlock both handsets.

Sceptical? So was I. Using iris scanner alone, you need to position your eyes correctly for the device to recognise you. The trick is to use fingerprint and iris scanner in tandem. Using both at the same time, and your phone unlocks straight away. Magic!

Iris scanner also unlocks the secure folder functionality. It’s like having a mini vault on your phone for all your ‘personal’ apps and files. You can even have a second WhatsApp number tucked away, but don’t let your significant other find out. That could be a very awkward conversation.

Other Key Features

There are so many features on the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus,

that we could write a novel. Some more of the good features include the camera. This is the same award-winning camera that came with the S7. For any Snapchat fans out there, both come with some built-in smart filters that can be used through the camera app.

Samsung S8 review
Great fun was had testing some of the new camera features on the Samsung S8

 

The front facing lens now has autofocus, for anyone who has serious notions about themselves! Some nice tweaks to what came with the Samsung S7, but nothing revolutionary.

Multitasking has been enhanced as well. While basic functionality remains the same, Samsung has introduced something called “snap window”. This allows you to keep a specific area from an app at the top of the screen, while you use another app at the same time. Think of it as having your own football ticker tape across the top of the screen, and you get the idea.

Football scores while reviewing tech? Heaven!

Samsung also released its own virtual assistant on the S8 and S8 Plus. Bixby is not designed to compete with Siri or Google Allo. It’s is more designed to work in tandem with everyday functions that you use on your smartphone. Unfortunately, it has the same level of useful as a chocolate teapot. At least for now. We live in hope that Samsung develops it further.

As an added sweetener, both the Samsung S8 and S8 Plus come with headphones tuned by AKG in the box. Samsung recently purchased Harman Kardon, including the AKG and JBL audio brands. The headphones are worth approx €99, so not a bad gift to get with your new phone.

Final Thoughts on the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus?

Samsung is on to a massive winner here. Both phones are exceptional. Everything you have on the Samsung S8 comes on the S8 Plus. The differences are the obvious ones. Bigger screen, and a bigger battery life. Other manufacturers in the Android space will need to deliver something special to compete. HTC may have some tricks up their sleeve with their latest flagship. We’ll be interested to see what comes out, but for now, the Samsung S8 and S8 Plus represent the best that is available.

The biggest challenge may yet come from Tim Cook and the lads at Apple. This year is the 10th anniversary for iPhone. This may have motivated Samsung even more, to produce a near perfect device. And they have as I even prefer it to my Nokia N95.

Handsome Devil: Irish film just keeps on going

Handsome Devil is an Irish movie about two opposites coming together. One is a loner and the other is a top athlete at a rugby-obsessed boarding school. We take a look to see if it’s any good.

Irish cinema right now

The Irish film industry has consistently lived by the code “quality over quantity”. Unlike the American film industry which is in a constant state of production cranking out new films what feels like every day. Only a handful of homegrown Irish movies come out regularly. It’s hard to deny for the last decade and a half Irish cinema has been going through a renaissance period. Irish directors, like John Michael McDonagh, have reached their peak. Animation studios are producing gorgeous masterpieces like The Secrets Of Kells. The Guard, What Richard Did, Sing Street… it’s hard to deny today we’re living in what could be a golden age of Irish cinema. A large part of that might be down to new freedoms for Irish filmmakers that older RTE produced movies wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.

For example, homosexuality among private school students.

review of irish movie handsome devilWhat’s the story?

Ned (Fionn O’Shea) is disenchanted with his father (Ardal O’Hanlon) and his stepmother (Amy Huberman) about wanting to leave his school. You see, Ned’s school, Wood Hill, is a private school. Just like any private school in Ireland the staff and students are rugby-obsessed. This is despite the fact the team lose every year. Not a fan of rugby, Ned is a target of abuse from his fellow students.

Actually, he’s the exact opposite of the vast majority of the school population. He spends much of his time reading or practising the guitar so naturally, he’s a prime target for bullying. So, of course, Ned tries to keep himself to himself. As you can imagine he’s not pleased when Conor (Nicholas Galitzine), a hotshot rugby player turns up. Conor had left his last school under mysterious circumstances.

The verdict

It isn’t hard to tell where exactly director John Butler’s inspiration came from. But bits and pieces could easily have grafted together from a number of sources. Either way, this is a tale of an unlikely friendship, a story about sensitive confused teens forced to live in surroundings they don’t belong to. It’s a story that generations have identified with.

But the film approaches its characters and its story with a lot of charm. While the end results are reasonably predictable, it doesn’t make the movie any less entertaining. O’Shea in particular throws in an extremely likeable performance. He keeps the movie light-hearted yet keeping a faint vulnerability in regards to the character.

Is it now illegal to have an Android box in Ireland?

It all started with sneaking your own snacks into the cinema. You save a few pound and it’s a victimless crime, right? Well, that mentality now has a modern twist in the shape of dodgy boxes. You can buy an Android box in Ireland fairly easily, but the Court of Justice of the European Union has had something to say about that.

Court of Justice of the European Union versus the Android Box

So this all kicked off because of a Dutch chap – classic Dutch right? He, like many countless othes, was flogging these Android boxes to punters trying to skip the bill on premium entertainment. The EU has found that these boxes are being sold purely to breach copyright. Now, everyone knows that but usually, you need a fairly iron-clad case to make something stick. Who’s to say you didn’t just buy an Android box for streaming Netflix?

So its illegal to have an Android box in Ireland?

No, this is the funny part. It’s illegal to sell a dodgy box. We’re now going to draw a line in the sand on this. Android boxes are just like your Android smartphone. They come with the basic apps to get you up and running, but you need to download the rest. A dodgy box comes preloaded with the likes of Kodi. Kodi, to be fair, really does facilitate illegal streaming of premium content.

We now have this hilarious situation where you can buy bullets and you can buy guns. But if anyone is found to be selling both of them together, they will feel the wrath of the EU. By this, I mean you can buy the Android boxes and you can still download Kodi. You just can’t buy these already combined.

That’s not entirely true either

Amazon and eBay have started removing dodgy boxes from their listings. Which won’t make a massive difference as the best Android boxes come from China. I can’t see any of those sellers being too bothered by the EU ruling nor can I see how they’ll be stopped.

 

 

 

Buying Phone Insurance: Who Offers the Best Gadget Insurance in Ireland?

0

Variety is not much of a problem when it comes to gadget insurance in Ireland. Fear of losing your €800 smartphone usually justifies the protection to most. But with so much choice on the market, just who provides the best gadget insurance in Ireland?

Key Things You Need to Know About Gadget Insurance

Many people will take the purchase of gadget insurance much more lightly that car or home insurance. It’s important you realise that successful claims to depend on your policy meeting your needs. To get the ball rolling, here are some important things you should look for in your policy:

What is a Premium?

Your premium is the amount you pay to be insured for a period of time. It’s usually paid monthly by direct debit, or annually in a lump sum. There is no saving for paying in a lump sum.

What is an Excess?

In the event of you making a claim, you must pay a portion of the cost yourself. This is known as an excess and is a standard part of all insurance policies.

Are There Exceptions?

Almost as important as knowing what you’re covered for, is knowing what you’re not covered for. Unattended theft, loss, unauthorised use and events happening outside of Ireland, are the most common things to look for:

  • Unattended theft: If you are having a drink in a pub and leave your phone at the bar during a bathroom break, you’re unlikely to be covered. You basically have to be within reach of the phone to have a successful claim.
  • Unauthorised use: Would be thieves also tend to make some expensive phone calls if they can. Some, if not all, policies will cover you for a certain amount of unauthorised use, but be sure to check that out.
  • Number of claims per year: Most gadget insurance in Ireland will only cover you for two claims per year. Sometimes, your excess may increase with the second claim.
  • Holiday cover: Always make sure you’re covered internationally. If not, some form of travel insurance might be a good idea. If you are, be sure to check how long abroad you’re covered for and if you need to get local reports of theft etc.

Know How To Claim

The claiming process is the most important thing to note. What is the point in paying a monthly fee and then not having a successful claim? Typically, your policy will require you to:

  • Have an incident number from the Gardai
  • Blacklist the IMEI with your network
  • Block or replace the SIM

These requirements are often time sensitive too.

Who provides gadget insurance in Ireland?

Mobile phone insurance is usually available in two key places. If you are buying your phone from a network, they will likely offer you some form of cover. Alternatively, you can insure your device with an independent insurance company. There isn’t a massive difference between the two, but the latter might be the only option if you bought your phone online.

Chill Gadget Insurance

Chill offer two mobile phone insurance plans: Gadget Insurance Complete and Gadget Insurance Extra, costing €14.99 and 10.99 respectively (based on a Samsung Galaxy S7). The extra €4.99 means the policy includes loss protection. Both policies also cover accessories.

Chill immediately provide a great example of why you should be careful when purchasing mobile phone insurance in Ireland. At no point throughout our purchase was the excess clearly stated.

Mobilecover.ie

With just a brief look at Mobilecover.ie you might think it looks a little familiar. Chill Gadget Insurance is the exact same as Mobilecover.ie except for the names. For this reason, the prices are the same and the same pitfalls exist where items like excess are a tough piece of information to find.

Protect Your Bubble

Bizarre name aside, Protect Your Bubble provides some of the best gadget cover on the market. A Trust Pilot rating of 8.5 out of 10 would suggest Protect Your Bubble is doing something right to keep customers happy. Interestingly, they are not an Irish company but do provide cover in Ireland.

€9.99 per month will cover a Samsung Galaxy S7 including loss protection for €1.50. Claims cost €50 unless it’s loss which will cost €75. Protect Your Bubble is also a great option should you have several devices, allowing savings up to 15% when you insure three devices.

Quote Devil

Along with having an annoying jingle, Quote Devil are a cheaper insurance provider. You can insure a Samsung Galaxy S7 for €6.99 per month. That’s a saving of €4 per month versus a €10.99 plan from Chill Insurance and Mobilecover.ie. You do lose accessory cover with Quote Devil, but at the same time, can add €1 to add loss protection.

Quote Devil will charge you an excess of €40 for smartphones under €400 and €75 for anything above.

Blue Insurance

You are likely to have heard of Chill Insurance but not Mobilecover.ie. Similarly, you are more likely to have heard of Quote Devil thanks to their jingle, but not Blue Insurance. Blue Insurance are the provider for Quote Devil, so the prices are the exact same.

Three SOS

Three provide mobile phone insurance in Ireland as Three SOSThree offer insurance under the name Three SOS. With Three SOS you can cover a Samsung Galaxy S7 for €12.99 per month. Should you need to claim, you will pay an excess of €65 on this type of policy. Three SOS is a very comprehensive service, but you must have purchased with Three.

Vodafone Stay Mobile Insurance

Like Three SOS, Vodafone Stay Mobile Insurance is only available to customers purchasing from Vodafone. An interesting point on their insurance is that your first claim will cost €75 with the second costing more. Again, you are permitted to make two claims per year.

Team Knowhow

When purchasing a smartphone from Carphone Warehouse, you can insure your new phone on any network with Team Knowhow (formerly Geek Squad). This policy, for a Samsung Galaxy S7, costs €15.99 per month. In the event of you needing to claim, you will pay an excess of €70. Geek Squad Insurance also includes Tech Support and does not limit your claims per year. 

Can I Claim for a Phone on My House Insurance?

using house insurance as mobile phone insurance in IrelandThis is the conclusion the majority of people will reach. Sure enough, you can claim on your house insurance and you’ll have the peace of mind knowing you’re covered. The problem is the cost in the event of a claim. Many house insurance policies that cover contents will charge a full excess for a claim. House insurance policies have higher excesses, usually around €500. Plus, should you make a claim, you will see your premium increase and too many claims could make you uninsurable. However, should your home insurer have specific stipulations around gadgets, it’s likely to be a very good option.

Who Is the Best Provider of Gadget Insurance in Ireland?

After all of that, it’s quite tough to narrow down who the best provider is. Whoever you are buying your phone from is likely to offer insurance and this may be the most convenient. From comparing all providers, Protect Your Bubble appears to provide the best care, once you’re happy knowing you can’t talk to anyone face-to-face.

Gadget insurance in Ireland comes with lots of pitfalls. Once you know your terms and conditions, exclusions and how to claim, you should be fine.

Have you had experience with some of these insurers? Let us know what you think below.

5 reasons Dublin’s Token arcade is going to kick ass

One of Dublin’s most loved spots is The R.A.G.E on Fade Street. The R.A.G.E is home to all things retro and man is retro hot right now. Building on the tidal wave of popularity, the team behind The R.A.G.E are opening Token. Here’s what you’ll need to know about Dublin’s Token arcade and the 5 reasons we’re extremely excited about it.

What’s an arcade?

You might think we’re starting off with the basics here, but just to be on the safe side. Arcades were massively popular in the 1970s throughout America. Like, seriously popular. These buildings were full of standing games consoles you would feed with coins to play. All the classics were in there like Donkey Kong, Pacman and Space Invaders. Even today, you can watch documentaries on Netflix about guys trying to break longstanding high scores. Take a look at Man vs Snake to see what arcade games mean to people.

Where is Dublin’s Token arcade?

To be fair to the team being The R.A.G.E, they’ve picked a cracking spot. Dublin’s hottest new venue for everything will be just north of the Liffey in the heart of Smithfield.

Any I honestly mean the hottest venue for everything. Without further adieu, here are the 5 reasons I’m ridiculously excited about Token opening up.

The line-up of arcade games is amazing

Seriously, if it’s a classic arcade game, Token will have it. Dodge Donkey Kong’s barrels, hum the Tetris tune while neatly stacking shapes and get some shots off with Time-Crisis. That should give you a fair idea of the depth on show in Token, but here’s the longer list which is still to grow even more:

.tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;}
.tg td{font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;}
.tg th{font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-weight:normal;padding:10px 5px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;overflow:hidden;word-break:normal;}
.tg .tg-yw4l{vertical-align:top}

Donkey Kong

Pac-Man

Space Invaders

Tekken Tag Tournament

Street Fighter 2

Mortal Kombat 2

Ghosts ‘n Goblins

Sunset Riders

NBA Hangtime (NBA Jam 2)

Superman

Mario Kart GP

Point Blank

Time Crisis 2

Tetris

The Simpsons

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

X-Men 4 player

Marvel Vs. Capcom

Metal Slug

Metal Slug 2

Spiderman 4 player

WWF Royal Rumble

Final Fight

Double Dragon

Crazy Taxi

 

Token will also boast a rake of classic pinball machines with retro themes like Baywatch.

Yeah, you’re getting pretty excited too right? We’ll there’s more. There’s lots more.

Token will have not one, but two bars – one with a twist

Arcade games are for kids – said noone ever. The team behind Token know their market. While promising abstaining from alcohol won’t affect the craic, there’s going to be quite the selection. Token’s downstairs bar will host brewery takeovers – take a moment to enjoy that thought. Yup, different companies will pop in every forthnight allowing patrons to sample staple brews and experimental stuff.

Dublin's Token arcade will servce beerYou’ll also get facetime with the people behind the brews. Just writing this is already giving me an idea of the welcoming atmoshpere you can expect from the Token arcade and there’s even more to come.

Where there’s beer there’s food

Isn’t that like some sort of legal requirement? Anyway, Token will be serving up great grub on top of games and grog (I expect royalties if that gets adopted). Whether it’s a legal requirement or not, Token’s food offering will be anthing but a token gesture. Taking note of food truck movements in America, Australia and pop-ups in London, there’ll be class food for everyone including gluten free, vegan,  and vegetarian options.

Token arcade offers foodThey’ve even promised food eating competitions which is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to events.

They’ve promised a geansaí load of events

So, obviously they’ll have gaming competitons and the likes to accompany eating competitions. But, the team from The R.A.G.E have always been a creative bunch. To give you an idea what that means, in July the Token arcade will host the second ever Emoji Spelling Bee.

It won’t take long for Token’s function room to be worn in. They’re fans of reality tv, wrestling, board games, podcasts, vinyl records, Dungeons and Dragons, and bad movies. This place is going to be a grown-ups wonderland.

Their Kickstarter campaign was hilarious

Technically, this doesn’t fit into the list but it really does say a lot about what looks like Dublin’s best new venue. We were going to get the Token arcade. The successful Kickstarter campaign was to refurbish the building’s lift. Without it, certain areas of the building would have been wheelchair inaccessible. Now, everyone can enjoy what looks like a stunning venue. But let’s not brush over the Kickstarter campaign either. Some of the rewards were bloody hilarious and will live on with the arcade forever. No, literally. Some of the rewards will effect the place forever:

token arcade kickstarter dublin

I’m counting down the days to this place opening…

When is Token open?

They are flat out prepping the place and aiming for mid-May. Facebook looks like the best place to get updates. Actually, this post in particular is the best spot. Subscribe to this and they’ll post the official opening date when it’s ready.

Token is clearly going to be immense craic when it opens. The team driving Dublin’s latest attraction are totally dedicated to this place being inclusive, fun and developing a huge community. So, go on. Like their facebook page and don’t bloody miss it.

 

HTC’s answer to Samsung’s Edge

0

With all the hype that the new Samsung Galaxy S8 has been getting, and with MWC last month, a lot of people seemed to have forgotten we still have another player yet to announce their new flagship this year (no it’s not Apple). HTC, and they don’t seem like they’re not going to roll over and die after their last 2 flagships have been major flops.

Starting over

To be fair, with the quality of phones and innovation we have been getting the passed couple of years, it’s easy to see why HTC have fallen behind the pack. But this year might be different. HTC seem to be pulling out all the stops. They released their high end phablets, the HTC U Ultra and the U Play. But they still have something else up their sleeve.

What’s inside

Codenamed Ocean, the new HTC is said to have 5.5″ QHD screen. Straight away this tells us HTC probably won’t be entering the smartphone VR market anytime soon as UHD seems to be the standard for a high quality VR experience. But they still have their own awesome VR set up, so we won’t begrudge them for it. Even if it does cost a scandalous amount of cash.

Moving on, it’ll be available in black, white, red, blue and silver. It is meant to have a 12MP camera which seems to be the sweet spot most manufacturers have on their phones these days. And the front snapper will be 16MP. This does not mean the front camera is better than the standard camera. With cameras, it’s all about the sensors and the amount of aperture the lens’ allow in. Hopefully this year their front camera is a bit better than their previous attempts.

The new HTC will have expandable storage up to 256GB and will come in 64GB and 128GB. And all this will be run on the new Snapdragon 835. We have only seen the 835 on the new Galaxy S8 so far so this is definitely a plus they’ll have a ver other rivals such as LG, who only have the 821.

There has been no word on whether or not it’ll have a headphone jack but odds are it’ll probably go down the same route as the Ultra and ditch it.

A new toy

But the most impressive thing about the new HTC is a pretty new technology similar to Samsung’s Edge. HTC aren’t going down the curved screen route. But if they’re going to have bezels, they might as well do something. It’s rumoured to be called the Edge Sense. They have inserted sensors into the sides of the phone which, when squeezed, they will do different functions on screen. It’s definitely something new.

The leaked trailer below shows the Edge Sense in action as it brings up a list of short cuts.

https://youtu.be/-fSPvl8UMy4

Whether it’s groundbreaking like the Edge or Apples 3D Touch is yet to be seen. And how useful it will be and how app developers will jump on board with it is another story in itself. But it should be interesting to see how it plays out. It’s definitely something fresh their phones have needed for awhile now. And it’s something most of they’re rivals don’t have.

And lastly, what the phone will be called has yet to be officially announced . Although it looks like they’re keeping it in line with their ‘U’ series and are going ahead with the HTC U 11.

As a previous HTC owner I can appreciate their phones. They’re honest and don’t try to sell you on gimmicks like an Edge or like LG’s Friends range from last year. But they definitely needed something fresh, and hopefully this new Squeeze is what can push them back up the ranks as an industry giant again.

The HTC U 11 will be unveiled on the 16th of next month.

The 5 must have Alexa Skills for Irish Echo Dot owners

Ok, so now that you’ve settled on the Amazon Echo Dot as your assistant of choice and you’ve got it shipped to Ireland. Now, you’ll need some Alexa Skills to get the most out of it.

What are Alexa Skills?

Alexa Skills are Amazon’s fancy name for apps. You install the Skills that you thing you would like to use the most. The cool thing is that most apps can be activated by you simply asking Alexa to do so. Here are my favourite Alexa Skills for Irish users.

Fitbit

You don’t really need a Fitbit to use the fitness service. Once you download the mobile app, that will actually track your daily progress. I’ve been looking into lots of stuff like this for my Motivating Marty efforts. The Fitbit Alexa Skill means when you get home, simply ask “Alexa, ask Fitbit how I’m doing today” and you’ll get all your step data read out to you. With an actual wearable, you can go further and get sleep tracking data read out too.

4NextBus

The guys over at Zarley LTD get massive attempt marks for their 4NextBus Skill. This is currently the closest thing you can get to a Dublin Bus Alexa Skill right now. The Skill runs on publically available Dublin Bus data and all you have to ask is “Alexa, ask 4NextBus”. You’ll then be greeted with the latest live bus data from your preferred stop. You can also ask from particular stops once you know the numbers.

To be honest, this app goes in the pile of brilliant idea that needs a little work. Definitely, one to watch.

RTÉ Flash News Briefing

Alexa Skills have a category called Flash News Briefing. These are specifically for the latest news bulletins delivered from your preferred news network. A massive well done goes out to RTÉ who are extremely early adopters of the Alexa platform. Once you install the RTÉ Alexa Skill, just ask “Alexa, what’s new” and you’ll get the latest Irish news read out to you. A must have for Irish Echo Dot owners.

Beat the Intro

Not all Alexa Skills are totally serious. There are some cracking games in there too. Beat the Intro will play a few seconds of six music hits. The aim of the game is to name the songs. It’s not overly complicated right now and you can’t shout the names out or anything. Still, another Skill added to the pile that will surely be improving as this platform grows.

7-minute workout

Now, this is what technology is all about. Clear a little space in your sitting room and utter the words “Alexa, start seven-minute workout.” Seven-minute workouts have been scientifically proven as the ideal to increase metabolism, improve energy and lower stress. Of course, there’s also the additional benefit that these types of workout can remove fat. Just throw seven minutes of your day at this Alexa Skill and you’ll reap the rewards.

Bonus: Goos3D is available as an Alexa Skill

We’re super excited to announce that Goos3D is now available as a Flash News Briefing Alexa Skill. You can now get the latest Irish tech news read out to you by simply asking “Alexa, what’s new?” We’ve just launched this new feature and would love to hear what you think. We’ll be developing this in the coming months to work in some improvements.

 

 

 

Echo or Echo Dot? – Which should Irish shoppers go for?

I honestly remember thinking the voice controlled home was such a cool idea. From a young age, I had some sort of voice recognition software installed on the family PC. Man, has it come a long way in just a few years. I recently took a close look at the Amazon Echo and the Echo Dot to see which one you should buy.

What is the difference between the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot?

This is one of the most asked questions when it comes to these devices. The biggest differences are the price and the speakers. The Echo is considerably more expensive that the Echo Dot:


Normally, such a large price difference is justified by some fairly hefty hardware upgrades. I’ll admit the speaker on the Echo are great and plenty loud. But, the Echo Dot does have a speaker built in that’s likely to meet your needs. Even if not, just use your savings to buy a better speaker for it to run on. Honestly, the Echo just has a better speaker, but not a large wad of cash better.

Well, that’s pretty straight forward then?

Yup, it really is. The Echo Dot does everything the Echo does. It just doesn’t pack the punch in the speaker department. Even with that said, in a small apartment, the Echo Dot will hold it’s own playing dinner time Spotify playlists. You can also connect the Echo Dot to other devices by Bluetooth, a feature not available on the Echo.

How can I get the Echo Dot in Ireland?

There are a few options available to you. It’s not officially supported in Ireland, but you can still get the Echo Dot and get it up and running. You can read our article dedicated to getting your hands on the Echo Dot to learn more.

Bonus: Martin compares the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot

 

Parking Tag App: If You Have a Car in Dublin You Need This App

Dublin City parking can be a nightmare at the best of times. If you’re lucky enough to find a spot, there’s always the chance you won’t have change for the meter. Or what about if you don’t but enough in? Or worse still, put too much in. Disaster. That’s why the Parking Tag app is probably one of the best apps for Irish smartphone users.

What is the Parking Tag app?

Parking Tag is a service from Payzone that makes parking your motor much easier. It solves one of those terrible first world problem type problems. Like you know, the parking meter is a 30-second walk away from the car. So, you have to walk to the meter, then back to the car and then go to your meeting or whatever. Ugh, horrible right?

The Parking Tag app lets you control your parking through your phone. I feel somewhat smug as I park up, lock the car and sort my parking as I walk directly to where I need to be.

But that’s not a great reason to use the app

That just one of the reasons I like the app. It can also save you money. If you’ve ever paid for more parking than you need, you’ll know where this is going. Usually, to feel some kind of justice, I’ll run around the car park offering my ticket to others if I’ve overpaid my parking. That craic stopped once I started using the Parking Tag app. If you’re not sure how long you’ll be away, you can low-ball your parking time. The app will then let you know your time is nearly up so you can update it if needed. Simply genius.

The other glaringly obvious benefit is you not needing change. In a world of Android Pay and contactless cards, who carries change? You’ll never be caught out again with this app.

How does Mr. Clamper know to leave me alone?

Ah yes, those guys. Don’t worry, your reg number is registered through the app. Dublin City’s parking wardens have computers with them to check your plates.

Is this parking app just available for Dublin City parking?

Most of Dublin is covered by this parking app. Here’s a full listing:

It’s just one of those really handy apps to have on your phone for emergencies. It’s a little annoying that you have to top your account up and that it auto-renews. But, if you’re parking in Dublin City on a regular basis, this is a must have app.

Get Parking Tag for Android and iOS