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Dare to Care: Nokia 3310 versus Apple iPhone 7

Marty
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Dare to Care: Nokia 3310 versus Apple iPhone 7

Fate has intervened, taking my Nokia 5110 from me before it’s time. Thankfully I got upgraded to the Nokia 3310 with the help of the guys over in Cash Encounters of Parnell Street, Dublin.

Weighing up the Nokia 3310 versus Apple iPhone 7

Apple iPhone 7 has just launched, so it seems fitting to compare my latest phone to it. The key features of Apple iPhone 7 were announced at Apple’s keynote and some are on Apple’s Irish website has the key features of their latest flagship, so let’s see if the Nokia can stand toe to toe with the iPhone 7’s innovations.

Apple iPhone 7 design

Apple iPhone 7 boasts a two new colour finishes, bringing the range of colours to five. Apple finally introduced water resistance to this year’s flagship, making the iPhone 7 splash and water resistant to a rating of IP67. Finally, in terms of design, Apple redesigned the home button.

Nokia 3310 design

Colour and customisation is at the heart of the appeal behind the Nokia 3310. While not the first Nokia to feature Xpress-on covers, the 3310 was arguably the first to perfect the use of interchangeable covers. The Nokia 5110 suffered as the battery stood in the way, but the internal battery of the 3310 allowed users to customise the entire shell of their phone.

IP ratings weren’t really used for phones back in the day, but the design of the Nokia 3310 and lack of a touchscreen, makes it a little resistant to the elements anyway. Apple simply cannot compete in terms of the home button. Nokia practically invented the home button which was known as the Navi Key.

Apple 0 : 1 Nokia

Apple iPhone 7 camera

Apple has revolutionised the iPhone’s camera, especially the iPhone 7 Plus which features dual lenses. Improved sensors, software and a 7MP Facetime camera mean iPhone users are sure to enjoy the best camera on the go from Apple yet.

Nokia 3310 camera

Eh, it doesn’t have one.

Apple 1 : 1 Nokia

Apple iPhone 7 gaming

At the launch event, Apple went heavy on gaming. Super Mario will make his iPhone debut and Pokémon GO will now enjoy Apple Watch integrations. Rumours are also rife that VR will find its way onto iOS soon with Google Cardboard announcing compatibility. Massive games including Formula One 2016 will be playable too thanks to the massive GPU and processor on board. Still though, gaming with a touch screen?

Nokia 3310 gaming

Yeah, you see where this is going. Snake 2 was perhaps the greatest sequel since Toy Story 2, The Dark Knight and Aliens 2. You could fly through walls, eat bonus mice things – and actually that’s about it. The beauty was the simplicity. Everyone in school wanted to have the highest score, to the point where state-sponsored doping could have been an option. There were a few other games, but honestly, they were only played once or twice after a frustrating Snake 2 session.

Apple 1 : 2 Nokia

Apple iPhone 7 battery

The introduction of the A10 processor does more than provide power for console-like gaming. The more brains you give a smartphone to process, the less energy it takes to solve the daily problems it faces. Apple expects the iPhone 7 to have the longest battery life in an iPhone ever – up to twice as long as iPhone 6. That means you might enjoy a whole day and a half without charging – maybe.

Nokia 3310 battery

Nokia 3310 versus Apple iPhone 7 battery

Once you charge up a Nokia 3310 it could probably run an area the size of Longford for two and a half weeks. It can power itself for at least three or four days.

Apple 1 : 3 Nokia

Apple iPhone 7 audio

Apple opted to rid their leading smartphones of the 3.5mm audio jack. Because of this they could fit more in and provide a next level audio experience through amplifier powered headphones. iPhone 7 is the first iPhone to come with stereo speakers and has also sent shockwaves through the mobile world with the crazy AirPods.

Nokia 3310 audio

One word. Composer. As soon as I got home with the Nokia 3310 I remembered the composer. Then I found a website that lets you programme your own monophonic ringtones into the phone. Everyone within a ten-meter radius was likely irritated by this discovery as the evening then turned into me playing the part of a mobile phone Mozart.

Beat the intro time. Can you work out what song I’m programming before it gets played at the end?

Apple 1 : 4 Nokia

A landslide victory for the reliable Nokia 3310. Then again, I’m biased. I’m using the Nokia 3310 as I give up my smartphone to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society. Goos3D.ie is taking part in TodayFM’s Dare to Care. You can find out more below and donate to a fantastic cause.

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Gogglebox Ireland: Our verdict on the first episode

Marty
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Gogglebox Ireland: Our verdict on the first episode

Gogglebox Ireland is here. The long awaited reality TV show finally made it’s long awaited appearance on Irish television. With the first episode down, just how did this British hit translate onto Irish TV?

What is Gogglebox about?

Gogglebox is a simple concept. Families around Ireland watch a selection of evening TV shows while being recorded themselves. The results are often humorous but strangely familiar. The original British version of the show was hugely successful, owing to the wide range of TV shows and extremely candid reactions of the viewers.

What did Gogglebox Ireland get right?

Things kicking off with the Angelus was funny if not a little calculated. Calculation will be a running theme throughout. With that said, the Angelus is something likely to resonate with most people watching. Ultimately the most important thing that Gogglebox had to achieve was finding sacrificial lambs for social media to shred to bits.

The Cavan twins

The Cavan twins certainly fit the bill. The two farmers hold a dislike for American culture which many will be familiar. Their description of America’s Got Talent summing this up nicely.

One of the brothers reached peak hilarity as a fly decided to come between him and the TV.

And finally, the great debate raged over Gingernut versus Jaffa Cakes.

Auld wans everyone knows

Two darling old ladies with barely a bad thing to say about anyone (save for automated cars) also made us giggle with their “Michael Tea Higgins” tea cosy. Much like Nidge’s Nikes were in demand after Love/Hate, the ladies could be knitting overtime following the show’s airing.

Other than that, the best one-liner of the night goes to the lad who said the only “white lion” he’s ever seen was the “white line” on the road.

What did Gogglebox get wrong?

Unfortunately, Gogglebox Ireland just wasn’t as funny as the UK equivalent. Deirdre O’Kane hasn’t really been funny for a while now, and unfortunately, Gogglebox doesn’t seem to help her, despite her hopes otherwise.

Given the success of Gogglebox Britain, Irish candidates were likely to have known exactly how to impress the editors. As mentioned earlier, large portions of the show just felt a little calculated and it does feel as if the participants know what they’re up to. The show creators don’t get off scot-free either. As funny as the Angelus intro was, it was a little lazy joke that was always going to spark off a few laughs on Twitter.

The calculation continues with the lead sponsors of the show. Virgin Media’s obvious product placement of their Horizon boxes and Horizon remotes felt incredibly forced. We’re just wondering if any BT Sports coverage will make the show later on.

Gogglebox Ireland: The verdict

Some parts felt forced, others made it feel like a gigantic ad for Virgin Media and TV3. Given how much we enjoyed the UK version of the show, we hoped the Irish version would be better. Thankfully, the show is created as we go along. One week could be brutal while the next one could be gold.

We won’t lie, there were laughs throughout but the laughs were just followed by a feeling of guilt that we’d been duped into a joke. For now, the best we can hope for is the whole thing to get better. Unfortunately, there is one element of the UK show which can’t be replaced: the late Caroline Aherne.

Irish online shopping to double by 2021

Marty
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Irish online shopping to double by 2021

Online shopping is widely considered a slow burner in Ireland, but a report released today by Virgin Media would there are some misconceptions about the online shopper in Ireland.

What is the Virgin Media Digital Insights Report

Formerly carried out by UPC, this is the third report of it’s kind. The report captures a snapshot of the average online digital user. Naturally, as it’s created by an Irish broadband and TV provider, there is a certain spin put on the report. With that said, it has been completed by a third party company, Amarach, so there is no reason to doubt the findings.

The online shopping opportunity in Ireland

Underestimate online shopping in Ireland at your peril. Since 2014, the average monthly purchase amount per month has increased from €71 to €80. The report outlines an expectation that Irish online shoppers will almost double their spend by 2021, with 10% shopping weekly and 60% returning monthly.

Irish businesses are missing a huge chance to make easy money. 41% of Irish shoppers are buying from Irish sites with the rest going to foreign sites seeking better value. 53% of Irish shoppers bought online as they were unable to find particular items in local shops. 72%, unsurprisingly, believe shopping online provides greater value. Interestingly, 60% of shoppers said they would buy locally should bricks and mortar stores be able to provide the same range and value.

Let the internet entertain you

Remember when missing your favourite show meant you actually missed it? That was linear TV viewing. We now live in a world of on-demand entertainment. According to the report, by 2020 nearly half of the 24-hours worth of entertainment consumed within the EU will be time-shifted.

On-demand is taxing on internet providers. Over the past few years, the majority of providers are been improving the internet infrastructure. Unfortunately, many rural areas remain unchanged. Demand has surpassed the internet provided as fewer users believe their internet meets expectations

internet-satisfaction

…and how advertising works these days…

Advertising is extremely targetted these days. Companies can benefit from your online footprint by targeting you with more relevant advertising than ever. The result is more profit for them and more relevant products for you. Online advertising is only going to grow because let’s face it, when was the last time you didn’t change the channel during the break?

Still, online advertising is not without its own problems. 61% of users are aware of adblocking while 32% actively block ads. This is likely to grow as users realise the power is really in their hands these days. You choose whether or not you see ads, and when you watch your favourite shows.

The Irish online shopper has rather unfairly been painted as a bit of a neanderthal. The Virgin Media Insights Report paints a very different picture. Irish online shoppers are craving value and online stores while they want to consume more information than ever. The real question to emerge from this report is whether or not Irish businesses will recognise the potential and commit.

Microsoft using tech to stop cancer

Marty
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Microsoft using tech to stop cancer

Microsoft today announced their plans to use tech to stop cancer. Using computer science, the technology giant believes they can view cancerous cells as lines of code. Once you have lines of code, they can be reprogrammed into a healthy state.

Biology and computing are actually remarkably alike, sharing several deep connections. Microsoft is developing molecular computers built from DNA which destroy cancer cells, patrolling the body like a doctor. Imagine a world where you could receive live notifications about cells developing within your body. In the UK, almost 10,000 live could have been saved by earlier diagnosis, a future which Microsoft are working towards.

Microsoft does not look at cancer as a disease, but instead, a problem that can be solved. By using technology, we can learn to understand cancer and the processes that turn a cell cancerous. What Microsoft is attempting to do is extremely complex and harnesses computing ideas such as machine learning. You can read more about the inner workings on the Microsoft News site.

As Microsoft use high-tech to beat cancer, we here at Goos3D.ie are using low-tech. The team is downing their smartphones in aid of the Irish Cancer Society by taking part in TodayFM’s Dare to Care. How long they go for is in your hands. Once the team reaches €750 they will be going a full month without their smartphones. Get involved below.

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Dare to Care: One week without a smartphone

Marty
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Dare to Care: One week without a smartphone

It has one week without a smartphone. I’m almost certain the last time I went this long without a smartphone was before I ever had a smartphone. I’ve made some observations.

Is it actually easier than it looks?

Honestly, I think it is. Sure, I’ll regret saying that in two weeks, but at the moment it’s not too bad. And that’s not to say I haven’t been tested. I’ve been driving around finding places without using the TomTom Go app on my smartphone. A combination of road signs and people who work in the toll bridges seem to get me to where I’m going.

The Littlewoods Ireland Blog Awards

blog awards silver

For Goos3D to attend an awards night, win silver and barely be able to talk about it online – that was tough! At the same time, the event was full of circus acts, clowns, and stunts. We got to enjoy the lot without trying to catch a trendy Instagram post. Getting to the venue was interesting.

Bus strikes meant a taxi to Dun Laoghaire was the only option. Hailo doesn’t work great with the Nokia 5110, but I didn’t have it that bad. Jon and Dean had to make their way from Limerick to Dublin. The most use their phones had on the way up was the celebratory call from Jon to say he’d made it to the hotel!

What has changed after one week without a smartphone?

People seem to prefer calling me now. This may be down to the fact that the Nokia 5110 doesn’t even have a T9 dictionary (that’s predictive texts). The result is me sending short, snappy replies, usually in shouty caps lock. This leads to people saving me the misery and just calling me, avoiding ten minutes of WhatsApp messages by choosing a 30-second call.

I do, however, miss the use of a speaker phone button. If someone calls when I’m driving and I haven’t got the handsfree kit plugged in (review to come), pulling over or breaking the law are my only choices.

Nostalgia corner

I have fully fledged butt dial paranoia. Already, I’ve had a call go for quite some time in my pocket without knowing about it. It’s been years since that happened. Also, after receiving about ten text messages, the Nokia 5110 was completely full and showed a flashing SMS logo in the top left corner. The result is me frantically freeing up space by deleting messages. Memories.

You can help fight cancer by getting involved with Goos3D’s Dare to Care campaign in aid of the Irish Cancer Society.

One week without a smartphone

Dare to Care: Day three daring to use an old Nokia

Dean
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Dare to Care: Day three daring to use an old Nokia

When the idea of this challenge started going around the team, I thought to myself “this will be easy. The break from my smartphone will be good”. Two days using the old Nokia 2730 is a little tough, I’ll admit, but I’m getting used to it.

Being pretty much out of touch with the live goings on in the world it is weird. When I get home in the evening, I sit down and jump on the laptop to catch up with everything. The next day, I’ll be chatting with people in work asking if “I’d heard the latest news”. Of course, I haven’t a clue what they are talking about – I’m twelve hours behind everyone around me.

loving my old nokia

Contact

I have a couple of group chats on WhatsApp and Facebook. I do feel like I’m missing out on a bit of the craic. Both of these chat apps inject a bit of life into dull days. For the duration of the challenge, I’m using a temporary number and while I’ve forwarded the calls, maybe I’m missing a text message. Most people don’t have my temporary number. Or is the mother looking for me and getting worried? These are the thoughts you have when you are using an old Nokia instead of your smartphone.

I’ve found myself taking the Nokia out of my pocket when I’m bored. “Yup, still 2.27”, I think to myself. Martin has talked about muscle memory, and the struggle is real. I’ll admit to trying Facebook access on my Nokia. No, the browser does not support it.

New Habits

Ironically enough, I’ve started playing more games on my phone. I never played games on my smartphone, or consoles in general. I just get bored too easily. Then I rediscovered Snake – arguably Nokia’s greatest achievement. It really is the perfect game. It’s simple, anyone can play it. You can play against yourself, trying to beat high scores, or try to beat your friends (or my three friends in this instance) high scores. Currently, I’m on about 1500, but I’ll keep you posted as I improve.

On lunch breaks, I’d usually watch something on Netflix or just browse through Reddit. Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I bought a newspaper: The Star. After looking through it page to page, I realised it’s practically Facebook. There is some sports news, a couple of breaking news headlines, then a load of stories you don’t care about, about people you don’t know. After briefly reading an article on Jordan and her ex, dealing with his sex addiction, I decided I’d never buy a tabloid again.

Not hating the old Nokia yet

So far, I don’t think I’ve struggled massively, but it is only day three. With at least 12 days and possibly 28 to go, I’m not sure how it’s going to go. The old Nokia will either get worse as time goes on. Hopefully, I’ll slowly get used to it, and maybe even ditch my smartphone altogether once it’s all over. It was only a matter of time until one of us said it, though it’s unlikely. If you want my suffering to continue, follow the link and donate to the Irish Cancer Society. The more we raise, the longer we go without.

support-cancer-reserach

Google Cardboard app for iPhone just launched

Marty
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1
Google Cardboard app for iPhone just launched

After previously making virtual reality affordable to the masses, Google Cardboard app for iPhone is finally available.

Just last week, Apple filed patents for a potential iPhone virtual reality headset. Now, Google has announced their Cardboard app is available on iOS. While Google Cardboard for iPhone won’t reach the level of immersion seen through the likes of the HTC Vive, the incredibly low cost means everyone can try it out.

Google Cardboard viewers are available for less than €20 online. You’ll often grab one for free from tech companies innovating within the virtual reality space. Recently, we spotted a great deal in Flying Tiger. Insanely, you could pick up a set of Google Cardboard style viewers for just €2.

What can Google Cardboard app for iPhone do?

Google Cardboard for iOS and Android does have limitations in terms of the user experience. Once you expect the viewers to be the very first step in your virtual reality journey, you are unlikely to be disappointed by them.

YouTube 360 videos, Google Map’s Photo Spheres and third party applications such as VRSE are likely to be the most interesting to iPhone right away.

Would you like a free set of Google Cardboard viewers?

We’re giving away some of the simply gorgeous cardboard viewers from Flying Tiger. Simply Like our Facebook page and we’ll pick a winner in the coming weeks.

Flying Tiger Virtual Reality Headsets €2 for Google Cardboard app for iPhone

 

Dare to Care: Day one living without a smartphone

Marty
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Dare to Care: Day one living without a smartphone

I am considering this to be a successful first day living without a smartphone. I might even go further to say it was somewhat enjoyable.

The morning of a man living without a smartphone

Half asleep through blurry eyes, I could see a flashing screen. Memories were flooding back to me of the simple alarm sound.

My morning routine is usually to flick through the news and my emails while still lying in bed. I wasn’t tempted to replace this with a game of Snake. The only notifications I could have had were calls and messages, but there were none. While I’m using a temporary number for the duration of the challenge, I worked out call forwarding last night. I was showered and out the door quicker than ever as my smartphone wasn’t there to delay me.

Getting to the office

It’s a funny feeling walking around with a Nokia 5110. While I know it’s for charity, the feeling is very familiar. It’s like Movember that I’ve done in the past. Basically, you look a little silly for a good cause, hoping most people understand what you’re at. Using a Nokia 5110 isn’t as obvious as a growing a moustache. People are confused but also delighted to see old faithful.

Nostalgia runs rampant as people see the Nokia 5110, but there’s laughter in the office as I get a phonecall.

The phone call was a family member, confirming they had donated to the cause this is all in aid of. The same family member texted me moments later, simply because everyone now knows every communication puts me in a slightly embarrassing position. Is the Nokia 5110 actually a more social phone?

What else have I learned from day one?

Your muscle memory is ridiculous. Without thinking, my fingers are flying across the keypad of the Nokia 5110 using little shortcuts to get the most out of the pre-T9 dictionary. More muscle memory can be seen in how many times I reach for the Nokia to check useless notifications. You know like when you check Facebook, close the app and immediately open Facebook again.

It’s going well so far, but do keep it tuned to hear more tales from myself, Jon, Dean and Gary. Also, please donate to the cause. We are aiming to raise €1000 for the Irish Cancer Society by living without a smartphone. Right now, we’re downing our phones for one week, but should we hit all our goals, that could be a whole month!

 

Call Forwarding: Prepping for our Dare to Care challenge

Marty
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Call Forwarding: Prepping for our Dare to Care challenge

So it turns out some modern networks don’t work on older mobile phones, leading to me looking into call forwarding.

I’m currently using one of Ireland’s MVNO networks: iD Mobile. Unfortunately, MVNOs such as Tesco Mobile, iD Mobile and Virgin Media don’t work with older Nokia phones. To overcome this problem, I just got myself a SIM on a different network. Not wanting to miss any calls on my old number, I investigated if I could use call forwarding to redirect incoming calls to my new mobile number.

Why don’t all networks work with older phones?

Mobile phone providers have changed a lot since the Nokia 5110 first emerged onto the market 18 years ago. Most importantly, our phones are now smart and connect to the internet via 4G. In Ireland, we also have MVNO networks and other technical aspects that we have to consider. Long story short: our networks got modern and older phones are old.

Which networks work with older phones?

Call forwarding network testing showing Nokia with Eircell and Digifone

To be safe, you’re best just going with Vodafone for older phones. Three operate purely on 3G signals. Irish MVNOs run on Three, meaning they are all ruled out too. I also tested out eir which initially didn’t work, though that was possibly down to the Nokia 5110. When searching for networks I was greeted with Eircell and Digifone – neither of which had any involvement with Meteor or eir. I can only vouch for Vodafone now.

Setting up call forwarding on Irish mobile networks

Setting up call forwarding is actually really simple and useful. Redirecting phone-calls is far from sexy stuff, but there are several times you can use it. For example, if you are going on holidays and want someone to handle your calls. Also, if you are giving up your smartphone to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society, it helps to keep in touch.

What you will need for call forwarding

  1. Access to your current phone number
  2. The phone number you want to forward your calls too
  3. A code to tell your network what to do

How to setup call forwarding on an Irish mobile network

  1. On the phone you are looking to forward, dial **21*(number you want to divert to without the brackets)#
  2. Would you believe that’s it? All your calls are now forwarded to that number you punched in.

When you are finished, hit ##21# and everything goes back to the way it was.

There you have it. A super simple way to redirect mobile phone calls. This was all part of our Dare to Care campaign. Getting ready to go smartphone free involves lost of testing and prepping. Just like checking out the alarm!

Support Goos3D in reaching our €1000 goal for the Irish Cancer Society.

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Dare to Care Drag Race: Nokia 5110 versus Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Marty
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Dare to Care Drag Race: Nokia 5110 versus Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

The Goos3D Dare to Care kitty is creeping towards €100. Of course, once €100 is hit, we will be turning off our smartphones are moving our lives onto Nokia’s. For myself, it’s a Nokia 5110 but we’ll hear from the others as we go on.

To celebrate, for want of a better word, giving up my smartphone, I decided to have a little drag race. On the left is the gorgeous Nokia 5110 and the right is the mighty Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. The drag race is to determine which boots faster. Simple.

The drag race

Dramatic stuff.

You can make Martin and some other members of the Goos3D.ie team suffer longer by donating to the Dare to Care campaign below. You’ll also be supporting the Irish Cancer Society and their fantastic work.

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