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Netflix has just started A/B testing their content

Netflix is not afraid of stepping to the front when it comes to innovation. Their latest development has effectively introduced A/B for viewers if their kid’s show – Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale.

Wait, what is A/B testing?

Sorry, we did get a little nerdy there. When building websites and web pages that you see everyday, developers often use a concept called A/B testing. This requires two versions of the page being built before directing people to both to see which performs better. It’s also known as split testing.

Right. What has that got to do with Netflix?

Well, it might sound mad, but Netflix is now A/B testing kids programming with something called “branching narrative episodes“.

puss in book ab testing

These “branching narrative episodes” are designed to immerse Netflix viewers into the story. Viewers occasionally make one of two decisions which impacts the narrative of the story.

Netflix has been researching what kids and parents expect to see when watching TV shows. With the content created, they are now going to go further and monitor the public’s decisions in the show. In a release, Netflix’s Director of Product Innovation, Carla Engelbrecht Fisher, outlined how she is eager to learn “which choices or storylines will be the most popular? Will the mean bears or the friendly bears be more popular? Are members more compelled to rewatch and uncover all of the different storylines?”

See, they really are A/B testing with video content now.

But, that’s just like…

Yeah, I hear you. It’s just like…

abominable snow man choose your own adventure… those classic choose your own adventure books. It’s exactly like that, but it’s a modern twist on it. Netflix stated they are eager yo create new non-linear storytelling platforms, so expect to see more grown up versions of these shows appearing too.

How you can play Netflix’s choose your own adventure titles

Right now, this is limited to two Netflix titles:

  1. Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale
  2. Buddy Thunderstruck: The Maybe Pile

To enjoy the interactive features, you’ll need to play these Netflix titles on:

  • Many newer devices, including
    • Smart TVs
    • Streaming media playersG
    • Game consoles
    • iOS devices running the latest version of the Netflix app

Unfortunately, Android, Chromecast, Apple TV and the Netflix website do not support interactive shows. You can still watch on these platforms, but you’ll just have to watch the boring old episode without choices.

BleeperBikes or Dublin Bikes? – What’s the difference?

Dublin Bikes has been a resounding success since their introduction in 2014. These Coca-Cola sponsored bikes are an affordable and fast way to zip around Dublin City. But now, building on a popular concept from China, Dublin has a new way to rent bikes called BleeperBikes. Here’s how the two systems stack up against each other.

What are Dublin Bikes?

Dublin Bikes is a public bike rental scheme powered by several stations around Dublin. Since the introduction of the service, there have been almost 19.5m journeys using Dublin Bikes. Members can grab a bike at any station and cycle to another station or actually lock-up the bike anywhere at all. The only catch is, once away from the station, that bike is ‘in-use’ and liable for charges.

How much do Dublin Bikes cost?

First of all, you pay an annual subscription of €25 for Dublin Bikes. This fee also includes the first half-hour of any journey you take. Here are the full range of costs:

€25 Pricing-Structure-CCZDB_referenceV2

You can see that the Dublin Bikes pricing system generally encourages users to get from A to B and to dock back at a station to save some money.

What are BleeperBikes?

BleeperBikes isn’t a million miles away from the core concept of Dublin Bikes. The main difference is that there are no stations. Instead, you park the bike up using a fixed smart lock. Dublin City Council were none-too-pleased with this idea fearing a repeat of what this system led to in China. There was a blatant abandonment of bikes everywhere, with bikes locked to anything and everything imaginable.

Despite opposition, BleeperBikes launched and simply emphasised the importance of proper bike parking. This is reinforced by a points system which rewards correct usage of the bikes.

How much do BleeperBikes cost?

There’s no annual charge for using BleeperBikes. Instead, you pay by the ride. €5 will get you 5 rides with a €25 top-up getting you 27 rides. By the way, one ride is up to one hour of usage.

Which is better? Dublin Bikes or BleeperBikes?

That’s a really tough question. Each has a unique selling point that the competitor doesn’t have. It all depends on which suits your personal needs best. Here are the pros and cons:

What’s the craic with Dublin Bikes:

Pros Cons
Free half hour with annual  membership Stations can be either full or empty
Consistent location for bike stations around Dublin Full station? It’ll cost you unless you find another one
Useless if there’s no station near where you’re going

What’s the craic with BleeperBikes:

Pros Cons
Park anywhere once parked properly  Anyone can take your parked bike
Consistent location for bikes  No free rides included
You can earn free rides

 

As you can see, it’s a fairly tight race between both Dublin-based bike-sharing options. The most important thing for users of both services is that competition brings value. Both services also have unique selling points to benefit users at different times so there’s no harm in the likes of BleeperBikes challenging Dublin Bikes for the public’s interest.

Sign up to Bleeper Bikes now and get your first ride free to see if it’s the kind of service that suits you.

Roaming Charges in the EU are gone – but beware of data roaming

Yes, the day has finally arrived. Roaming charges in the EU are gone. But there are still things that you’ll need to watch out for, especially around data roaming.

Back in February, we posted about how roaming charges for customers travelling within the EU could be gone by June of this year. As it turns out, today is the day that these charges are finally gone, but only for calls and texts.

Fees abolished for calls and texts

That’s right. From today, any call or text message made while travelling in the EU come from your monthly allowance. Providing you are making a call to an Irish number of course as international charges still apply. No doubt, this is great news, but there is still a grey area around data roaming.

What to know about Data Roaming?

Much like calls and texts, data usage depends on your network having a roaming agreement. This allows you browse the internet, post on Facebook,  or, if you’re like Jon, spend your day sending silly Snapchats to everyone.

What’s different, you ask? Data you use while abroad doesn’t always come out of your normal monthly allowance. This is significant, and it’s something to be wary of. Most bill shock stories nowadays relate to data usage.

Remember the White Moose Cafe hoo-hah with Eir? That was caused by using Snapchat abroad. Fortunately, the Irish networks have data roaming options available to you.

What is each network offering?

Lets start with the best offering out there. Vodafone have kept things simple. For anyone who is on a contract, you can use your data allowance within the EU just like you would at home. No stress. Any out of bundle charges are the same as if you were in Ireland as well.

Meteor and Eir are doing things a little differently to Vodafone. Depending on your monthly plan, your data roaming allowance can change significantly. Allowances range from 5GB up to 9GB. You’re best to check what you’re allowances are with Meteor or Eir before travelling.

To find out what you’re entitled to from Three is a bit of a minefield. Best to quote directly from their site:

Take the sum of your monthly mobile tariff, take the Vat away, divide it by 7.7 (€7.70 is the agreed EU inter-operator price per gigabyte of data) and multiply it by two.
For example, if you are on a bill pay plan our Sim only plan is €30 per month. The ex-Vat price of that is €Y. So divide €Y by 7.7 and you 2.1. Multiply it by two to get your EU data allowance – ZGB.

It breaks down as 6GB if you are on a €30 or €45 per month plan, and 9GB if you are on the Unlimited €60 per month plan.

ID data roamingare offering up to 6.3GB of data allowance while roaming, dependent on what data package you have signed up for.

Remember, before travelling, always check what you’re signed up for and that roaming is active. Happy roaming!

Trump is blocking celebs on Twitter and we’ve got the solution

Trumps presidency has already been one awash with childishness to-date. It doesn’t look like it’s going to get much better any time soon.

Trump is blocking celebs on Twitter

Today, Trump blocked Stephen King from reading his tweets. No, I shit you not:

The second tweet by King is a great point. The entire internet is pulling Trump’s tweets apart, also who the hell tweets and then wants it to be kept a secret? To be honest, we didn’t put too much time into thinking about Trump making sense as we know this is all par for the course.

Always being up for some divilment, we got to thinking: just how easy would it be to bring Trumps tweets those he blocked.

Trump.Goos3D.com

Yeah, we turned it around pretty quickly, but there’s now a site that publishes all of Trump’s tweets. We’re going to say it’s in BETA for now, but it works.

@Trmplstltskn

And you can also follow out Trump-clone Twitter account.

The whole idea here is that he’s probably doing more harm than good with his Twitter rants, so we want to make sure everyone can read his non-sense. We’re not alone in this logic either:

 

The DC Universe continues to grow with Wonder Woman

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The DC Universe has had a shaky start, to say the least, but how will ‘Wonder Woman’, the latest instalment, fare?

The DC Universe so far

It’s fair to say that the launch of the DC Universe has been shaky. The Summer of 2016 should have been the first great steps in their cinematic universe. But what should have been easy critical and audience approval with ‘Batman vs Superman’ and ‘Suicide Squad’ turned out to be massive blunders with both films criticised across the board for nonsensical plots, minimised screen time for major characters and an overly stylised gritty dark tone that contrasts sharply with the source material. With the ambitious Justice League film looming closer and closer (along with several individual Justice League movies before then) there’s been a growing fear that the DC Universe will fail to live up to expectations. Wonder Woman was the best response to that doubt they could have possibly given

Wonder Woman

Directed by Patty Jenkins, this beautiful origin story tells the story of Diana (Gal Gadot). From her childhood in the land of Themyscira as the child of Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) and trained as an Amazon warrior under, General Antiope (Robin Wright). Living an idealistic life unaware of the world of men, or at least until one washes up on her shores.

Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), a spy who tells the Amazons of the Great War that has claimed countless lives across Europe. Believing The God Of War Aries to be the reason behind it, Diana leaves Themyscira with Steve, travelling towards the world in the hope of finding and defeating the Amazons’ sworn enemy thus stopping his influence from spreading.

Quite simply this is the best Movie DC has made since The Dark Knight. You’d almost be forgiven for thinking that an entirely different studio had taken over in the direction of Wonder Woman when you compare it to the overly complex mess that was ‘Superman Vs Batman’. No cheap tricks, no perceived “edginess” for the sake of being gritty. Just pure simple story telling and it solved the mystery as to why such an iconic heroine had to wait seventy-five years for a feature film.

Genuine Wonder Woman

It was waiting for Gal Gabot. Utterly perfect fit for the role, especially after stealing the show in Batman versus Superman.Fitting the character as Diana perfectly, seamlessly flowing between Tough, determined, to soft and empathic at the drop of the hat. Totally believable as a girl who would run fearlessly into no man’s land, kicking Nazis through windows, but at the same time marvelling at ice cream with wide-eyed curiosity. Her and Chris Pine as Steve Trevor have a wonderful chemistry going between them.

A major theme of this movie are the general the horrors of war and the self-destructive nature of mankind. Diana living such an idealistic life. Sheltered and somewhat innocent, she has to deal with the cruelty of man and if they’re worth the effort, a subtle yet powerful theme that’s a far cry from anything achieved by Superman versus Batman.

Is the DC future bright?

We can only hope that this movie and not Batman versus Superman turns out to be the blueprint for all DC films in the future. Films that aren’t gloomy and dark and devoid of any joy but rather hope and doesn’t feel the need to make the audience miserable. It seems like DC is only now discovering what Marvel had known for years: people come to these movies for fun, not to see moody, ego driven, and needlessly melodramatic heroes.

With Justice League coming up at the end of the year, how long this lasts remains to be seen.

We’ve been to Token in Dublin. Spoiler alert, it’s amazing

I remember a few years back when Lyrath, a five-star hotel in Kilkenny, opened for the first time. Joe Dolan played and the crowds swarmed into an unfinished venue. It was a disaster, with door handles coming off and cars getting beached after parking on grass. In Dublin, there’s a brand new bar currently in a Beta phase after only opening on Monday. I went along on Thursday after they opened their doors and I’m delighted to say their opening week is going a lot better than poor old Lyrath’s did.

What is Token?

It would be very easy to just brand Token as a nerd’s paradise, but it’s so much more. Token is a really happy little part of Dublin that’s thrown their arms wide open to the public. On the surface, Token is a restaurant and bar that’s stuffed with authentic arcade gaming machines and I really do mean authentic. These are proper old-school versions of Mortal Kombat and Pac-man that you can challenge for top scores on.

I was taken aback by the mix of people in the venue. Some might have feared that it would be hard-core gamers, but there were as many people who were trying out pinball for the first time as were going for top scores. Let’s dig a little deeper into how Token operates.

The service in Token

I want to start with the service because the humans are often forgotten about. Everyone in Token is incredibly friendly. From the bouncer on the door, right through to the bar staff, everyone is just happy to help you out. So, to the people of Token, you’re amazing.

The food in Token

Dublin can be an expensive place to eat and often you don’t get what you pay for. First of all, Token has an impressive range of food, all with names that will likely make you giggle:

food available in token

I went for the Sneaky Juan while my better half nabbed a Quick Juan. Just because we were starving we opted for a No Juan too – honestly, I laughed too much at that option. We also threw on some fries. While the portions initially looked a little small, I was stuffed after my grub. The tacos and fries tasted gorgeous and the garlic mayo is a definite highlight.

food in token dublinThere really is something for everyone with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too.

The beer in Token

Pardon the pun, but the beer sums up the spirit in Token. There’s a wide selection of beers from your classics to crafts and they all come at a standard enough price. The gas part is the fact they haven’t really got the proper bar license yet. With a classic ‘can-do’ attitude, they are playing a loop-hole which allows you to serve alcohol in a restaurant to people once they are served at a table. This is why you order your beer and collect it from a table in front of the bar. Genius.

Here’s my food and drinks receipt for two people. I think you’ll agree it’s very fair indeed.

how much does food cost in token dublin

The games in Token

And then we get to the important part; the games. You’re barely in the front door and you’re playing a crane-arm game to try and win some free food and drinks. On the floor, there is an amazing selection of games on show, many of which I’ve never had the chance to play before visiting Token. I love retro gaming, but I just wasn’t around the last time arcades like Token were thriving. I was a bit of a dab-hand at the G-Con gun powered Point Blank game, while the likes of Mortal Kombat left me feeling more than a little humbled (I’m used to the Sega controller, I swear). Like, just look at my face, the face of a broken man:

I took a beating from my other half on Street Fighter and after a period of sulking, I got stuck into other classics like Pac-man. The one genuine fear I had about Token was that it wouldn’t be good value. With the food and beer not being silly prices, I was delighted to see the great value gaming tokens on offer. I grabbed 50 tokens for €20 which kept four of us entertained for the night. You even get a cool little Token bag for your gaming tokens – I don’t know why, but it’s just a really nice memento to get.

Token: The verdict

As soon as I heard about Token, I knew it would be a great spot but it really is one of Dublin’s most unique and enjoyable venues. The atmosphere is great and you’ll just be in a good mood after visiting the place.

 

Yer grand! Plynk it to me: Irish money messaging app Plynk is a big deal

Banks are sweating. How we handle our money is dramatically changing with the imminent arrival of PSD2 and the growing popularity of smartphone payments. Still, transferring money is a bit of a pain in the arse, which is why Irish startup, Plynk, has just raised €25m in funding.

What is Plynk?

In short, Plynk is a less awkward way to get that cash your mates owe you. It’s a money messenger app that lets you transfer cash using only the app on two smartphones. If you’ve been paying close attention, it’s not a million miles away from the French-based Lydia app.

Why is Plynking so great?

To really appreciate the convenience, think back to the last time you split a bill. It’s all awkward with one person paying with cash, another with card and then the waiter moaning that you’re splitting at all.

Plynk helps you avoid all that. Instead of sending money to an impossible and annoying IBAN, you just send it to a contact. It’s better than a bank transfer as it’s instant regardless of your friend’s bank. No more being judged for being with Ulster Bank.

Plynk prepaid Mastercard

Plynk will also give you a what is effectively a prepaid Mastercard. Once topped up, you can use your virtual card online. This is great for a couple of reasons, including the fact you’re adding an extra layer to your online shopping security. You can spend money on your virtual card once you either top it up or have received money from a friend.

What’s next for Plynk?

Arguably, they Ireland’s hottest startup right now. It’s really important that the app gains the momentum that Lydia totally failed to gather in Ireland.

Ireland’s hottest startup right now

Personally, I can see Facebook swooping in and buying the lot. For now, the app will make your life easier so give it a download and text that friend that owes you a few bob.

Plynk is available now on Android and iOS

Tech to the Rescue: Father’s Day gift ideas

Of all the Hallmark makey-uppy celebrations, Father’s Day probably gets the least attention. Sure all your auld lad wants is socks really. Still, there’s time to order from Amazon still so here are some more creative Father’s Day gift ideas.

Socks

Aw, god damn it. Not even one gift in and it’s socks. To be fair, it’s not just any old pair of socks. Let you dad embrace his inner summer-dad regardless of the weather or footwear: sandal-socks.

sandal socks are a great fathers day gift idea

Gift cards

Usually, gift cards are a last-minute solution when you’ve been caught of guard. Well, to be honest, they actually always are. But gift cards are a great Father’s Day gift idea and because Dad’s are simple creatures, they’ll be delighted with the few bob to spend in Gamestop or on Amazon. Plus, just thin about it logically. That country CD will be great for a few minutes, but a Spotify membership gives an endless amount of music. We’ve written in detail about this in the past so check it out.

TomTom Go is a brilliant sat-nav app

Is your auld lad the kind of man that rather get lost than ask for directions? Yeah, they all are. TomTom is one of the world’s best-known sat-nav makers. Smartphones came along and destroyed demand in their hardware. Finding themselves in an ‘adapt or die’ situation, TomTom created a fantastic navigation app. Sure enough, Google Maps does a fairly good job, but TomTom Go just has a more polished finish to it. Read the full review we did on this a while back, but at €19.99 it’s a great pressie for Dad. It’s also a handy one if you find yourself without a present at short notice.

Sony WS620 Bluetooth Walkman

earphones for father's dayYeah, Walkman. Go on, admit it, you just got all nostalgic. These Sony earphones are a serious piece of kit and will surely tick a few boxes for Dads out there, particularly the active ones. Dustproof and waterproof, the Sony W620 can even be used while swimming. For cyclists and people trying to hear instructors, they’ve also got an ambient mode that lets you tune into your surroundings. These Sony earphones have built-in storage to have a few tunes but, of course, can also be connected to a smartphone. You’ll find these at a load of electronics retailers, just check out the Sony site.

So, when is Father’s Day?

I’ve already had a mini-heart attack because of the Lidl catalogue advertising Father’s Day last week, but you still have time. This year, Father’s Day falls on Sunday 18 June, but just bear in mind you’ll need some extra time if you’re ordering from Amazon.co.uk. You could always pick him up and Echo Dot.

 

iOS 11 is here and it has a few new tricks up its sleeve

Yesterday, Apple held this year’s WWDC keynote and we were introduced to some of their new toys. This includes their new OS platform iOS 11. The great thing about phone today as opposed to a decade ago is that every year we get a system update that gives us new and improved functionality to play with. It’s almost like getting a new phone without the cost.

iOS 11 got a fairly big overhaul on all products. Between new functions on your iPhone to developers being able to do a lot more in game development and picture editing. Here’s the down low on what’s new with iOS 11.

Siri

Siri has gotten an upgrade. It now sounds a bit more natural and can change the tone of its speech based on the context of what is being said. It can also translate now for you, which can come in handy when you’re on holidays and need directions somewhere or are ordering food. They also have a new concept they seem to be excited about called ‘Machine Learning’. This means that Siri can make more proactive suggestions and provide information based on what you are doing on your iPhone and iPad.

Apple Pay

Apple Pay is still being rolled out in Ireland and if your bank doesn’t support it, don’t forget to try out Boon. But, for those of you who have the real deal, it’s gotten a pretty cool upgrade. Nothing too fancy, but it is useful. Let’s say you’re out for dinner with friends and ye are splitting the bill three ways. It’s always awkward, someone doesn’t have the right cash or gets left short a few quid. With the messages app, you can now send and receive money on Apple Pay. You can then choose to keep it on your Apple Pay ‘card’, or transfer it straight to your bank account. Right now this isn’t a big deal for Ireland, but more banks are now starting to use Apple Pay and in the next year or two we will be using it a lot more. It does seem to offer the same convenience of Lydia, but of course, Apple would be a heavy hitter here.

iPhone

Rather disappointing on the iPhone front when it comes to iOS upgrades. But given the fact that it’s the ten year anniversary of the phone this year, we might see more changes towards the end of the summer.

The camera app has gotten a slight improvement. There are better editing options and settings that offer better pictures in low light conditions. Maps got a new upgrade too, offering maps of airports and shopping centres. Of course these will be limited at the start but they will be rolling out new maps every month for the next few months.

The Control Centre has also gotten an upgrade. It’s a bit less cluttered and relies a bit more on 3D touch to bring up more options.

iPad

iOS 11 on iPad has gotten far more upgrades than on the iPhone given the fact that the new iPad Pros that were announced along with it. It now has a dock, similar to on your Mac. It allows for better multitasking with split screening. And you can now drag and drop, which makes adding pictures and attachments to emails easier. Searching for notes has been made easier too. It now recognises notes you have written with the Apple Pencil in your own handwriting, even if it’s poor, which is pretty impressive. Apple is calling this ‘Deep Learning’ to recognise your handwriting.

iOS 11 comes to the world of AR and VR

As Apple are throwing their hat into the AR and VR ring, they have shown off some very impressive tools for developers. One of these is an app called AR Kit, which Apple are calling ‘The largest AR platform in the world’. They did a demo of how developers can make different scenarios and it was flawless. Of course, this was a demo they were probably working on for awhile. I’m sure in the real world it won’t be as smooth until you’ve caught a real grasp of it.

They are also dipping their toes into VR. Rather than making their own VR headset, they are more set on developing VR support. Because why not? If Samsung users have to use Apple software to get the best out of their headset, I reckon that’s definitely a win for Apple. They showed us a demo of Darth Vader on Mustafar and a couple of Tie Fighters overhead. Thanks to their new graphics card which they will be selling to developers, it looked sleek, lag free and awesome.

Mac

Their newest iOS system you’ll be getting on their Mac’s is High Sierra, which Apple SVP Craig Federighi described as ‘Fully baked’. Heh heh. It’s not a major update. They said they spent the year trying to perfect your Mac OS, so nothing to get too excited about. It includes a better filing system, better photo editing, and updates to Safari. The Safari updates ‘Intelligent tracking prevention’ which will cut back on ad trackers. And on the new Mac’s their stronger updated graphics card will support your VR development and support for the Unity and Unread gaming engines. For gaming developers out there, Apple seems to be the way to go moving forward.

Apple TV

On the tvOS side of things there isn’t anything major. The main talking point is that Amazon Prime is now coming to Apple TV, but Tim Cook has promised more updates on tvOS later this year.

Apple Watch

And last but not least, watchOS4 is here, but there is only so much you can do with a smart watch. They bragged about how it’s the world’s number one selling watch and is the highest in customer satisfaction. Siri now uses machine learning to customise the content shown in real time such as traffic, meetings, news and smart home controls. Toy Story is also coming to Apple Watch, with the option of having Woody and Buzz as a watch face.

It has some fitness-focused updates which encourage the user to exercise in order to achieve monthly challenges. You can also use NFC to tap your watch on gym equipment, presumably a treadmill, to keep track of how fast you’re going and how many calories are burned. I reckon it’ll be awhile before Irish gyms bring in the required equipment to even use this feature. My advice? if you’re looking for an Apple Watch, maybe stick to the Apple Watch 3 for now.

So what do we think of iOS11? Some big updates and some small updates. For the big Macheads out there we have seen some big developments. If you’re in the gaming industry I would be rather excited. For the everyday user on an iPad, we have some very nice updates. If you were looking forward to some major updates on your iPhone, you may be disappointed. But don’t be surprised if we don’t see some updates when the new iPhone range is unveiled in a few months.

Infographic: Apps to spice up your love life

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We’ve covered some of the weird and wonderful things from the modern world of love and romance. So far, that’s included a look at unusual apps like Hater, Tinder based on similar hates and Rumuki, a safe way of making a sex tape. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sex tech as today, spicing up your love life has never been easier.

Democratisation of sex tech

There was a time when spicing up the love life meant a mandatory trench coat and a quick dip into the local store that might as well be selling shady curtains and neon lights. Today, ordering items online and downloading apps, often for free, makes it easier than ever to heat things up in the bedroom. This interactive infographic has a plethora of apps to get you started.