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Who is Yuno Energy and How Does it Work?

Marty
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Who is Yuno Energy and How Does it Work?

Energy pricing in Ireland has left consumers with an appetite for something new. Yuno Energy is hoping to whet that appetite a little with a relatively new approach to how you pay for your electricity. In this article, I’ll look at everything you should consider when it comes to deciding whether or not Yuno Energy is a good option for you.

Who is Yuno Energy?

Yuno Energy launched in Ireland in Augusy 2023 as a pay-as-you-go energy provider, owned by PrepayPower. So in terms of the wider energy market, Yuno Energy is indeed relatively new.

How Does Yuno Energy Work?

Unlike Prepay Power, which requires customers to prepay for their electricity and includes a prepayment service charge, Yuno Energy employs a more traditional billing model with a standard standing charge. They also charge ahead of time using what they called personalised prediction. Which leaves me seeing this as a hybrid of paying a electricity bill and opting for prepay power. I understand you will need a smart meter to get the most from Yuno Energy and they can assist you in getting this installed.

Overall, Yuno’s innovative and fresh approach genuinely give it some of the lowest prices in the market right now. But that may not always be the case. It’s possible, if not likely, that Yuno Energy is operating at a loss to establish a strong customer base. It’s a common strategy for new entrants in competitive markets to initially offer lower prices. The hope is that you forget about your energy provider and after 12-month they lift you onto higher charges while hoping you don’t notice.

While that’s my inner skeptic, Yuno does promise lots of insights for smart meter customers which should give you more control over your energy usage and, in theory, cheaper bills over time.

Yuno Energy’s Environmental Impact

One massive question mark I have over Yuno Energy is the greenness of its electricity. Yuno Energy’s electricity has come under scrutiny for being particularly “dirty” compared to other providers on the market. Customers can find greener options for only slightly more money per kWh—approximately 0.2 cents more—offering 100% renewable energy along with better customer service. This marginal cost difference has prompted some environmentally conscious consumers to switch to greener alternatives.

While all electricity ultimately comes from the grid, which includes a mix of renewable and non-renewable sources, the choice of provider impacts the overall contribution to green energy initiatives. Yuno Energy and its affiliate Prepay Power have a higher reliance on fossil fuels compared to the national average. By opting for providers that source 100% renewable energy, customers can contribute positively to the overall energy mix and support the development of sustainable energy infrastructure.

Critics also highlight that many green energy claims in the market are based on purchasing green certificates rather than actual renewable energy generation. However, some smaller providers in Ireland own their own wind farms and genuinely guarantee that every kWh sold is green. These providers often come at a higher price premium, reflecting the true cost of renewable energy. Despite the challenges, the availability of these options allows consumers to make more environmentally friendly choices, even if it involves paying a bit more for their electricity.

With all of that said, there is a much wider issue when “green energy”, which has, in general, become an obscure concept and extremely difficult for consumers to make a clear and easy decision on.

Goosed Verdict: Is Yuno Energy Legit?

Navigating Ireland’s energy provider landscape can be tricky. But if you’re a saavy consumer, you can get the best deal right now. At the minute, that genuinely does seem to be Yuno energy. The sacrifice you make to get that cheaper rate with them is risking the long term cost if you don’t keep an eye on your agreement with Yuno. You are also likely paying for dirtier energy, but it has become nearly impossible to quantify that as part of any decision making.

Temu Review in Ireland: Is Temu Legit?

Marty
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Temu Review in Ireland: Is Temu Legit?

Temu has ramped up its marketing in Europe over the past year, leaving many tempted to dip their toe into this massive alternative to Amazon. I’ve bought some items from Temu to test out the platform and bring you an insight into what Temu is and whether or not it’s safe for you to follow suit. I’ll also have some tips on how to shop safely with Temu if you are going to try it out.

What is Temu?

Temu is a Chinese online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers, offering a wide range of products including electronics, fashion, and home goods. Founded by tech enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, the platform aims to enhance the online shopping experience through a user-friendly interface, advanced search filters, and personalised recommendations.

Temu’s main draw is the wide variety of low priced products it offers.

Interest outside of China grew as Temu expanded focus on markets like the US and Europe, with massive funding of sponsorship around events such as the Superbowl and the Olympics.

Temu in Ireland

Temu’s expansion ramped up in 2022, with Ireland operating as the company’s European Headquarters. Temu’s marketing launch in Ireland was muted, with general interest being increased from global advertising and advertising on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

While many rushed to position Temu as a massive threat to Irish retailers, the truth is that massive online retailers such as Temu and Amazon usually offer a wide range of products that you simply won’t find on the high street. While these platforms do usually offer many high street products for lower prices, Irish shoppers do tend to support local businesses as much as possible, with as many of 60% of shoppers saying they’ve not shopped on Amazon.

Temu’s offering of an incredible range of products and extremely low prices is the main draw for Irish consumers, often starved of competition, variety and even simple access to certain ranges of products.

Product Range and Quality

Which brings me onto the products I bought. Most of them were just random things I know I was unlikely to find on the Irish high street, or something I’d been thinking about for some time and didn’t want to spend much on.

I’m a big coffee fan and wanted some accessories for my Sage coffee machine. I grabbed a coffee tamper, a portafilter rim, some filters along with a grounds distributor thing.

I also grabbed an extra meat thermometer for cooking, a holster for beer bottles, a Back to the Future license plate, cable management thing and a nosehair trimmer.

Honestly, the variety can’t be beaten, but the quality is very hit and miss, particularly anything with electronics. The nose hair trimmer worked, but I was terrified using this on a sensitive part of my body and haven’t used it since. The meat thermometer was ok, but not as good as a similar one I got from Amazon at the same price that’s much better built.

The test of the stuff is perfect and the coffee tamper I use daily, while some of the other coffee accessories were impulse nerd buys that I really didn’t need.

There’s also a massive part of me wondering where a lot of Temu products come from. The quality of electronics being quite low is worrying, leaving me wondering how many electronics on the site would be genuinely passing EU inspections. In the past, travel adapters were available which left live power ports reachable while plugged in. This product has since been discontinued.

I have to say the silliest thing I bought was the beer bottle holster. It was incredible quality and I ended up giving it to a family member as a joke gift. It got a massive laugh because we always enjoy a beer together and it was quite unique.

Pricing and Value for Money

Price and value for money are two very different things in my eyes. You’ll rarely pay a lot in total on Temu for what you get, but you might pay a lot per use of what you buy.

When I bought, Temu had lots of promotions and mechanisms to encourage me to make a purchase. €20 off when I spent €50 left me adding stuff to my basket I didn’t want because I was losing money by not buying more items. Temu gamifies the purchase experience too, adding a spinning wheel for discounts when you log into your account.

It’s tough to resist some of the stuff on Temu, let me tell you

But when the products arrived, I was left using about half of them regularly, and the rest I couldn’t even tell you where they are. So my opinion of the value is mixed. In truth, your ability to control yourself will determine your own experience.

In simpler terms though, buying some items on Temu versus the Irish high street, will be cheaper. You could find items for the home like this knife sharper, 75% cheaper than most shops. These products often come from the same factories and just get a logo put on them at some stage that inflates the price.

Saavy shopping on Temu will bring savings and good value, once you avoid the tactics to suck you into buying tat.

Shipping and Delivery

One of the biggest pities with Temu is that they use An Post. This is an issue exacerbated by the fact I live in Dublin City, but I hate companies using An Post. In my experience, I’ve just had the most issues with them while companies like DPD are flawless.

Typically, I had issues with this delivery too. I was home and a slip was left with no effort to contact me. Basically, An Post regularly just doesn’t carry packages and drops slips instead. Eventually I got the package after a few weeks but only when I flipped to my day time address across the city.

Delivery times are long. While free, don’t order anything expecting Amazon Prime like delivery times. You’re generally looking at weeks, not days and that’s not just because of An Post.

Oddly, a few weeks after my order arrived, my order was refunded because Temu thought it hadn’t arrived. They had also given me a discount on my next order for the delay before the refund. Temu, in general, does seem to be dealing with such cheap products that they are happy enough to offer refunds in the event of issues.

Beyond this though, how can you shop safely on Temu?

How to Shop Safely on Temu

Temu has been the source of many controversial headlines already. Weeding out genuine concerns from xenophobia can be tough when it comes to Chinese companies.

There were concerns that the Temu app was running around in the background absorbing your data, but in my own opinion, quite a few apps do this without getting headlines – because they’re not Chinese.

Regardless, I’m not an app security specialist. But I can give you some tips to stay safe when shopping with Temu, and indeed any other online platform. In general, I recommend a zero trust approach. Take as much control of your data back into your own control.

First of all, I use Revolut. Revolut let me create a disposable card that I could destroy effortlessly after my transaction. Now, I don’t care what happens to that card number. No more charges can be applied to the card, but I can still receive refunds. Absolute security.

Next, I used a “burner email”. Because I use quite a few Apple products this is really easy. Apple lets me create an email for every account I create and routes mails back to my primary mail. Gmail has similar functionality with email tagging, but it’s not quite as good as Apple’s approach. My advise, set up an iCloud email account just for scenarios like this.

Finally, if you have concerns about the app, just don’t use it. Use their website and only use it while incognito or private browsing. When creating your account, make sure your Temu password i unique to Temu, strong and not used anywhere else. This isn’t just advice for Temu, this is what you should be doing all the time, while using a password manager like 1Password.

The Goosed Verdict: Is Temu Legit?

Temu is legit in terms of, you can buy products and you will get them. If there are issues, there’s a way to engage with Temu to get a resolution.

But I do understand concerns around the platform in general. We’ve seen similar concerns about Huawei in the past, leaving quite the bit of confusion as to what is genuine concern and what is politics. But as I look at the news and see divisions being sown over immigration along with rioting, I do hold many concerns about what world superpowers could be doing with technology installed on our phones, and social media platforms that we use for hours daily. Just look at how Facebook impacted the 2016 Presidential Election in the United States.

My advise is, as much as possible, support your local shops on the high street. But if you find something you want on Temu, don’t feel bad about buying it. Take precautions and look after your privacy and card details and you’ll be just fine. You’ll be even happier if you buy this beer holster which is definitely the highlight of my Temu haul.

Jamaican Patois Amongst 110 Languages Added to Google Translate

Marty
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Jamaican Patois Amongst 110 Languages Added to Google Translate

Google Translate recently added 110 new languages to Google Translate with Jamaica Patois to its growing list of supported languages, bringing the total number of languages in Google Translate to 243. This is one of Google’s biggest Translate updates, powered heavily by advances in AI language processing. The update not only marks a milestone for Google and the Jamaican diaspora but also represents a broader commitment to preserving and promoting diverse languages and cultures globally.

The Importance of Jamaica Patois

Jamaica Patois, also known as Jamaican Creole or simply “Patwa,” is a vibrant and expressive language spoken by millions in Jamaica and among Jamaican communities worldwide. Rooted in English but infused with African, Spanish, and indigenous influences, Jamaica Patois is more than just a dialect—it’s a cultural identity and a rich oral tradition.

Photo by Rock Staar on Unsplash

For years, speakers of Jamaica Patois have navigated the digital world with limited tools to translate their language online. The addition of Patois to Google Translate addresses this gap, providing speakers with the means to communicate more effectively in their native tongue. Browsers like Google Chrome will now be able to translate websites into Jamaican Patois. This development is especially beneficial for educational purposes, preserving the language for future generations, and promoting its use in global conversations.

The Impact on Communication and Culture

Adding Jamaica Patois to Google Translate goes beyond mere translation; it fosters cultural appreciation and understanding. This tool will help bridge the gap between Patois speakers and the rest of the world, enabling more people to access Jamaican culture, music, and literature in its authentic form.

The journey from “Cool Runnings” to “One Love” reflects Jamaica’s cultural growth and global influence. “Cool Runnings,” while iconic, faced criticism for its inaccurate portrayal of Jamaica Patois. In contrast, Bob Marley’s “One Love” is celebrated worldwide for its authentic use of Patois, with the director placing a key focus on genuine representation.

Moreover, this update could significantly impact various sectors. For instance, the tourism industry in Jamaica can offer more personalised and accessible experiences for visitors, enhancing cultural exchange and boosting the local economy. Similarly, businesses looking to tap into the Jamaican market can now communicate more effectively with their audience.

Embracing More Languages in Technology

Google’s decision to include Jamaica Patois is part of a broader trend of embracing linguistic diversity in technology and is a step towards greater inclusivity for the Jamaican diaspora. As tech giants like Google strive to make their platforms more inclusive, the addition of underrepresented languages plays a crucial role. This move aligns with global efforts to protect linguistic heritage and promote multilingualism in the digital age.

It’s another example of how tech can help the Jamaican diaspora maintain connections to home. Another popular platform promoting this is Ding. Ding enables diaspora to send Digicel and Flow phone top-ups back home to Jamaica along with eGifts for groceries and paying the JPS light bill. Tech is now playing a part to ensure language and distance do not stand in the way of family connections.

The inclusion of Jamaica Patois in Google Translate is a testament to the power of technology in bridging cultural gaps and preserving linguistic diversity. The use of language models in translation is proving incredibly effective. This update not only empowers Patois speakers but also enriches the global linguistic landscape. As we move forward, it’s exciting to imagine how continued advancements in language technology will further connect our diverse world, one word at a time.

PSVR 2 Price Reductions Aren’t a Good Deal

Marty
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PSVR 2 Price Reductions Aren’t a Good Deal

Lots of people are excited to see the likes of Smyths Toys reducing the PSVR2 from €599 to €389. A €210 saving is financially a fantastic deal, and for some gamers this is a must have bargain. But the gamers I’m talking about are PC gamers, not PlayStation 5 gamers.

Sony is Retiring PSVR

It’s almost certain that reports of Sony retiring PSVR are true. The platform has just never taken off despite the PSVR 2’s hardware being arguably the best VR experience available to the average consumer. Seeing prices get slashed like this offer in Smyths, further confirm that Sony is trying to clear out stock of PSVR before completely retiring the platform.

What will that mean for people who buy PSVR 2? You’ll still have a fairly sizeable catalogue of PSVR 2 games on the PlayStation 5 you can play. These would be expected to keep working for as long as you have them. But that’s it. You’ll never seen new games being released with PSVR 2 features or modes.

Which is a massive consideration, even if you are paying quite a bit less for the PSVR 2 now that Sony is trying to clear them out.

However, there is one cohort that is getting very excited about all of this news.

PSVR2 is Coming to PC

Despite early suggestions Sony had no interest in making PSVR 2 compatible with PC, that is exactly what is happening. In the coming months, Sony is launching an adapter in August which lets you connect your PSVR 2 headset directly to your PC. Now, the best pound-for-pound headset on the market will be compatible with thousands of Steam VR games and future games released to the wider VR market.

So if you are a PC gamer with a high-spec machine capable of running VR games, the PSVR 2 headset is an incredible deal. Given the top-notch specs it offers, this could quickly become the most sought after VR headset for PC gamers around the world. But if you’re a PS5 gamer, this is just a dead duck waiting to happen.

There’s even better news now as some gamers are reporting that the PSVR2 is working on GPUs with VirtualLink USB-C ports.

Ultimate Amazon Prime Day Guide in Ireland

Marty
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Ultimate Amazon Prime Day Guide in Ireland

It’s a pretty significant Prime Day in Ireland. This might very well be the last Prime Day where we’re all depending on Amazon.co.uk as the online sales giant is launching Amazon.ie in 2025. For one last year, let’s take a look at everything you need to know about Amazon Prime Day 2024 in Ireland.

Disclaimer: This article contains multiple links to Amazon. These are affiliate links. You will not pay by clicking these links, but Jeffery Bezos will pay us a small fee to say thanks for sending you over there. We appreciate you clicking through to Amazon from Goosed.ie!

What is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day is a two-day sales event run by Amazon. During these two days, the company reduces a wide variety of products for various time frames. Some offers will last for the two days, others just a few minutes. Either way, all special offers are exclusively available for Prime Customers. This is, of course, a way for Amazon to promote Prime Membership, make some extra money but also reward customers for shopping with the online retailer.

Amazon introduced Prime Day back in 2015 with the mission to “offer a volume of deals greater than Black Friday, exclusively for Prime members”. However, it’s also believed that this “shopping spree” was introduced to encourage sales during an extremely quiet trading period for the company.

When is Amazon Prime Day 2024?

Amazon Prime Day takes place on 16th and 17th July 2024. It’s worth keeping an eye on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.de already if you’re in the market for something. Reason being that prior to Prime Day a few discounts are usually to be found as “Early Deals“. For example, you can already pick up a 2 for 1 Ring Indoor Cameras offer.

In fact, if you’re in the market for any of Amazon’s own brand products, Prime Day is the time to study the sales pages. You’ll almost certainly pick up a bargain.

Make the Most from Amazon Prime Day 2024 in Ireland

The frustrating thing about shopping on Amazon.co.uk is the massive range of products that refuse to ship to Ireland. That’s both the Republic and Northern Ireland. This is due to a multitude of reasons including Brexit, customs, shipping costs and general restrictions. One annoying example is how hard it is to get anything with a battery from Amazon.co.uk, owing to batteries being banned on air freight.

Shop on Amazon With Revolut and Pound Sterling

With that said, Amazon does ship an incredible amount of stuff to Irish homes, even more since the distribution centre opened here a few years ago. One piece of advice that I always have for shoppers is to shop with Revolut. Revolut lets you pay in Pound Sterling and sidestep Amazon’s own exchange rates in the checkout. Amazon’s exchange rates can be a shade extortionate some times, so by paying Sterling you take the guessing out of it.

Amazon will charge you customs fees too, but refund these where applicable after a few days.

Make a Shopping List

I strongly recommend you make a list of items you want to buy during Prime Day 2024. Not because you’ll forget something, but to give you something to stick to. It’s easy to lose the run of yourself given that Amazon has mastered FOMO and making you feel like you need a lot of stuff that you don’t need at all.

Amazon has built in features to help you make wish lists and other category lists. Make one for Prime Day and make sure you just get the essentials that you really. Otherwise you risk this turning into the Lidl middle aisle on steroids.

Google Before You Buy

Because Amazon is an absolutely massive company, 90% of the time it will have the very best prices. It’s the economy of scale and the sheer buying power of Amazon means they can pass on great prices to you, the customer.

However, it’s not a fool proof tactic to simply shop on Amazon.co.uk to ensure you’re always getting the best price.

On occasion, I’ve seen products on the high street or in my local shops beat Amazon for value. It could be anything from electronics to beauty products. What ever you’re adding to your Prime Day shopping list, always double check that it’s not cheaper elsewhere.

And do the same for opinions. The reviews you can read on Amazon products can be helpful. I particularly like the little AI-summary of all reviews into a simple blurb. However, over the years more than a few reviews on Amazon have been found to be somewhat bogus. To spread your opinion seeking out across many sites, along with Reddit.

By following these tips you’ll be able to avoid overpaying for something that’s just not worth it.

Look for USB-C

If you want the cheapest deals of the lot, ignore this advice. But companies will generally try to offload their older devices with harder to find cables and fittings like micro-USB.

While the initial price might be lower, the inconvenience of hunting down specific cables and chargers in the long run can be frustrating and costly. I myself am already finding it harder to find a micro-USB charger at home for the two or three devices I have left.

USB-C, on the other hand, is becoming the standard for charging and data transfer, offering faster speeds and more versatility. Investing in a device with USB-C will likely save you hassle and money in the future as it becomes increasingly ubiquitous.

Best Prime Day Deals

Every year, I pick up a few bits in the Prime Day sales. Here are some of the best products I’ve ever bought during the sales. These are products I’ve bought which, to this day, I love and use regularly. They are a great example of how controlled purchases during these period can be just about bagging a bargain and not impulse purchases.

Power Tools – Bosch Power for All Cordless Power Drill

I love this Bosch drill so much. I use it for everything. It’s light enough for small jobs, like screwing together IKEA furniture, but also has hammer function for drilling walls. It’s an absolute work horse that I picked up in the 2019 Prime Day sale and still adore.

The Power for All system is a stroke of genius too. This system means I can guy any of Bosch’s tools in the range and use the same batteries for them all. So I don’t need to have 7 different batteries for 7 different tools. This is why I also bought the Bosch Multi Sander last year for a song.

Fitness – Massage Gun Deals

Massage guns are amazing for two reasons. First, when I do bother to work out (see my recent Limbo Review) a massage gun makes recovery that little bit easier. Second, when herself wants a massage it’s easier with a massage gun! I can avoid hand cramps and complaints about uneven pressure, and she gets a consistent, deep-tissue massage that leaves her feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. It’s a win-win situation for both of us!

The massage gun is one of those amazing things that everyone that calls over and see it, wants one. They’re not even that expensive these days, starting at about €30 on Amazon. It’s one of those purchases I find it unlikely you’ll ever regret.

Wi-Fi Extender

Chances are you know yourself there is one area of the house that doesn’t have Wi-Fi and you’re just living with it. Wi-Fi extenders have made running an internet connection throughout your home a doddle. Deco is a reliable brand that offers a strong balance of value and quality. I installed one of these and was happy with the app that came with it, the speeds, range and extra LAN ports that I got around the gaff.

Electronic Candle Lighter

Right up there on my list of cool thing that could be a gimmick, but isn’t are electronic candle lighters. You keep these charged and you no longer need lighters or matches to light a candle.

They are surprisingly easy to use and reliable. Just press a button, and a small electric arc appears, creating enough heat to light a candle wick instantly. No more burnt fingers or sooty hands reaching down into the bottom of a nearly finished candle.

This is a big one to keep an eye out for USB-C connections on as companies try to clear out their older stock in the sales.

What I am on the Lookout For

Because it’s a good time to buy things, I’ve kept a few random things in my basket for sometime. Things I want or need but am in no rush to actually get.

Socket Organiser

I need to tidy up some tools back home. My auld lad used to always give out about sockets rolling around in a poorly designed case and for that reason I’m eager to grab one of these socket organisers.

With a decent organiser, I can finally put an end to the socket chaos and hopefully earn a posthumous nod of approval from himself.

Solar Panels

Again, back home, I recently installed a solar panel for some Eufy security cameras I had put up. While the battery was reasonably good, they took an age to charge. Not ideal when I’m home visiting the mother, take the cameras down but need to get them back up again. These home security camera solar panels are great for keeping the battery constantly topped up.

Shower Speaker

I’m also have one or two shower speakers added to my basket in the hope they knock a few Euro off them during the sales. It’s something I’ve wanted for some time, but I’m happy to be patient with. Genuinely, this solves a problem for me. Our shower pump is incredibly loud and I like listening to music or a podcast while I shower in the morning but right now, I can’t hear a thing!

This has a suction cup so I can stick it to the wall and easily take it down to charge every few days. I’d rather get one without RGB but it seems nigh on impossible.

Octobuddy

I’m going to be honest. I’m not after one of these myself, but I know lots of people are. The Octobuddy is an incredibly popular phone accessory that lets you stick your phone anywhere. It’s ideal for watching movies on the go or filming Tiktoks with friends. I’m going to say this could be one of the must-have accessories of 2024.

This is one of those guides which could go on forever. Amazon is a massive retailer that will have nearly something for everyone. But as I said, tackle Prime Day with a plan and a budget and you could end up beating the Bezos.

Limbo Weight Loss Review: Can CGM Promote Weight Loss?

Marty
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Limbo Weight Loss Review: Can CGM Promote Weight Loss?

I am pretty disciplined when it comes to Instagram ads and buying random stuff. But Limbo finally got me. It’s a new fitness program promising the sun, moon and stars in very convincing ads. There’s a lot of hype, but I’m here to tell you it doesn’t live up to it all.

Disclaimer: Limbo gave me a 50% discount to test this out. I paid €147.50 to use the service for one month. Limbo did not gain any sign-off or editorial control over this review.

What is Limbo Revolution?

Limbo Revolution, or simply Limbo, is a new fitness wearable. Well, really it’s a source of in-body data. It’s called Continuous Glucose Monitoring or CGM and is the same technology that people living with diabetes may choose to use. Limbo claims to be the “world’s most effective weight loss program” that can give you control over your metabolism.

Limbo does this by combining the data from your CGM with generative AI feedback to monitor your blood sugar and give you feedback on your diet. The general idea is that you learn how to make better decisions with eating certain foods to get the perfect energy levels, or to stay in Limbo.

I loved the idea of gamifying fitness with in-body data. But I was really sold by the countless stories on Instagram ads and eventual emails from a range of sources telling me how amazing the results Limbo could deliver were.

It seemed like such a sure thing.

How Does Limbo Work?

Limbo utilises the same technology used by people living with diabetes. These are small implants that you can administer yourself. They are pretty easy to apply without any help, but word of warning. If you’re squeamish about injections, the marketing of Limbo does omit that there’s a little needle prick needed to get this set up.

It’s genuinely not bad at all though and I wouldn’t let that put you off. I mention this because my other half saw the device used to install the CGM unit and she said it would make her not use Limbo at all.

Once you have the sensor installed, it connects to the Limbo app. The sensor is supposed to last for up to 14 days and will constantly monitor your blood sugar, relaying regular measurements to the Limbo app on your phone.

The Limbo app works best when you engage regularly. You submit the meals you’ve eaten and can also connect heart rate data from other sources. The app will also let you log weight, but only if you have a smart scale. Luckily, I did so I can tell you Limbo didn’t work for me. Sorry for the spoiler. More on that later.

I thought one of the best features was going to be Limbo’s use of AI with the data the app collects on your diet and blood sugar. Limbo uses this, along with some human interactions too, to give you constant feedback as long as you’re logging food.

But Does Limbo Actually Work?

Limbo didn’t work for me.

Back to that scale. I started out at 111kg, went to 112kg and finished up my time with Limbo at 111kg. From all the amazing marketing stories, which I have no doubt are true and are the stories of very happy Limbo customers who’ve achieved great things, this didn’t work for me for many reasons. Naturally, Limbo sold me on success and I didn’t find a single person saying they didn’t get some sort of result. But if needs be, let me be the first.

Limbo isn’t a magic weight loss pill and the app doesn’t claim to be. It still takes a lot of work and discipline to get results from Limbo. I’ll be the first to admit that I was slow to get up to speed. The learning curve for what you are supposed to do with Limbo and how to get the most from the experience is steep.

It took me one entire sensor to realise what Limbo was. Limbo is a Keto diet. I’m not a dietician, by any stretch of the imagination, but after a while I realised I was Googling “keto diet” recipes nightly trying to manage my carb intake and my blood sugar.

Did I need to fork out so much cash to do keto and cut out carbs, taking on a completely different diet to what a personal trainer had told me to do two years ago?

I have to mention at this point that the science behind Limbo is far from irrefutable. ZOE, another CGM-based weight loss program in the UK, has come under criticism for claims about weight loss being an unproven science. I will admit I knew this before joining and was still interested enough to give Limbo a go.

Limbo Onboarding Experience

I felt the onboarding could have been a lot smoother. For the price, I would have liked a bit more hand-holding. Instead, I was sent a kit with some instructions in the box, a link to some videos and to download the app. From the start, I felt like I was scrambling. I have a busy life and Limbo was quickly becoming a new thing that just didn’t fit my day because I had to learn too much.

Because the app is a bit basic in terms of user experience, it was two or three days before I realised there was a course inside the Limbo app to help me learn about my Limbo line and what food I’m supposed to be eating. They will likely claim this is part of baselining, but for me, it just left me feeling like I was already in over my head and not understanding the science behind this.

The community app was ever odder. This seems to be an absolute cornerstone of Limbo, but it’s just a third-party app that Limbo gives you access to. You could join some other unrelated service that uses this as a community app too.

When my Limbo arrived, some of the patches that I was supposed to get to protect my sensor were missing. I asked sales about this, but never heard back. My first sensor actually stopped working after 11 days. To be fair, I was sent a replacement free of charge but this only arrived days after my last sensor expired so I was already finished with the experience.

On that point, the sensors, like the community app, is from a third party. The Limbo packaging has to go through pains to tell you not to download their app because it’ll break your Limbo experience.

Everything had left me feeling that for the price I had paid, even the discounted rate, everything was a bit amateurish. I can accept I’m being an early adopter here, but there’s a basic level of experience I would want for a premium price that Limbo didn’t reach. And that’s before we even get to my biggest critism and the moment I said this wasn’t for me.

The Pitfalls of AI Feedback

For the first few days, I found the feedback insightful, helpful, funny at times and generally just really direct. But on occasion it just became borderline, at best, aggressive and, at worst, mentally detrimental to any weight loss efforts.

I will admit I did Limbo at a not-so-perfect time in my life. But in a way, I feel that gave me an ever more real test, because life happens. But some days were good, some were bad and feedback was mixed. The worst bit of feedback I got came after one of the first times I nailed two meals in a row that I really enjoyed. This piece of feedback slammed my keto muffins saying “every food choice you’ve made has contributed to ongoing weight gain. Snacking isn’t beneficial”. I understand it was the timing of a keto muffin, but I was logging them because they were baked and I wanted to try one to see if it would be a good breakfast.

The feedback loop in Limbo giving unclear feedback.

Now I get that this is being factual, but a proper human piece of feedback here would have recognised there was some positive momentum to build on. Instead, I was left utterly demotivated by a piece of AI feedback. The next day, I wasn’t hurt by the words, but I was angry that this service could give this kind of feedback to people in a much more fragile position than me. And that left me a little worried.

Whatever way you look at this feedback, it’s just contradictory.

This is a fitness approach with few studies done to back it amongst people without diabetes, using data from your body with a fairly rogue AI feedback system. It’s a bit of a recipe for disaster. And ultimately left me in a position where I can not recommend this to anyone.

Is Limbo Worth It?: The Verdict

No. You can do keto without Limbo. And that’s what Limbo is. It’s a keto diet. Sure enough, I learned some things about what I was eating and the impact carbs have on my blood sugar, but that was it. At one point I said this reminded me of using a meat thermometer for the first time. It changed my understanding of how meat is cooked. I did get some learnings into how my body processes food, but nothing that I could consider “a life-changing nudge”.

You do not need to spend €295 for month one and then €195 per month after that to use Limbo. It’s a wild price, which I assume is linked to the fact that Limbo uses medical devices meant more typically for medical settings.

Whatever the reason for the price, it’s just impossible to justify. Add to that how poor the customer experience was for me throughout this and that I genuinely believe the AI feedback can say some pretty outlandish things at the wrong time to people trying to lose weight, and Limbo absolutely lost me.

The financial commitment to Limbo might well be a large part of why it works. Again, please don’t let me take from the stories of people who have succeeded with Limbo. And don’t take this as me saying Limbo won’t work for you. My recommendation would be to look into how Limbo works and try to achieve your goals without handing over such a massive sum of money first.

One final note on my keto comments. If you are in a relationship, sticking to a keto diet can be really tough. Any diet in a household of people can be tough. So factor that into your decision-making too.

All iPhone 16 Set to Share Same A18 Bionic Chip

Marty
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All iPhone 16 Set to Share Same A18 Bionic Chip

Many years ago, Apple launched new iPhones with the exactly same processor on board. However, with the iPhone 14 series this practice changed. Apple began reusing older processors in the entry level new devices. So the iPhone 14 launched with the processor from the iPhone 13 Pro.

This seems set to change again with leaks suggesting all new iPhone 16 devices will share the same A18 Bionic chips.

Some of Apple’s code revealed unused model numbers that follow Apple’s usual naming conventions for flagship devices.

The discovered model numbers are:

  • iPhone17,1
  • iPhone17,2
  • iPhone17,3
  • iPhone17,4
  • iPhone17,5

The fact that all five model numbers start with “17” strongly suggests that they will share the same chip. This differs from the iPhone 15 lineup, where different model numbers were associated with different chips (A16 and A17 Pro).

Will this make choosing the new iPhone 16 that suits you best a little bit harder? Possibly. However, it’s likely that Apple is moving back to normality after years of chip shortages led to reusing older chips in the first place.

Where to Buy Mr. Beast Bars in Ireland

Marty
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Where to Buy Mr. Beast Bars in Ireland

I jumped in the car and set off on my trip back to Dublin. I was peckish, so I pulled into the petrol station. Rather shockingly I saw Mr. Beast bars beside the till. About 4 different flavours. I was at the launch of Mr. Beast Burger so I was shocked to see these land without similar pomp and fanfare. Here’s where you can get them, and what I think about them.

Where to Buy Mr. Beast Bar – AKA Feastables

The first place has to be where I spotted it myself. It was an Applegreen Petrol station. I’m a bit taken aback by it all to be honest that this is where I first get to pick up one of the most internationally sought after chocolate bars. I was so surprised I picked up two without even really thinking about it. There seemed to be no shortage of the bars and for something that could be in massive demand, they cost just €3.50.

Don’t get me wrong. For a 60g chocolate bar, that’s a lot.

I’m still left wondering if Applegreen really put any marketing behind this because Mr. Beast Bars have similar social potential to the likes of Logan Paul’s Prime drink. They did post about it on Facebook, but that’s just not the right demographic is it.

Anyway, there you go. The bars in are Applegreens across the country. It might be worth noting though, that these are only the old packaging Feastables that are available.

Munchdiddleys

Online and retail sweet shop, Munchdiddleys offers up a wide range of Beast Feastables. The range far exceeds those of Applegreen. But so too do the prices.

Similar looking 60g Mr. Beast Bars will set you back up to €8. So I’m not going to be dwelling here much because that’s silly money.

Sweet Boutique

Another online shop selling the same bars you’ll find in Applegreen is Sweet Boutique. Two negatives here though. They are €1 more expensive and they’re out of stock.

Are Mr. Beast Bars Worth the Hype?

I bought two bars from Applegreen. Absolute impulse buy. Didn’t really think about what I was getting but here’s what I thought.

Mr. Beast Bar – Original Chocolate

This is gross. It’s like Hershey’s chocolate in that it tastes, literally, a little like sick. This isn’t too surprising either. American chocolate contains butyric acid. This isn’t so common in Irish chocolate but it does exist in vomit. So that might seem a little familiar, unfortunately.

Mr. Beast Bar – Crunch

Then oddly, this one is lovely. It’s still not an amazing chocolate bar, but it’s enjoyable. This does contain the same chocolate, but it seems to taste better. The flavour is offset with some puffed rice which seems to help big time. I don’t think for €3.50 I’d be rushing out to pick this up again, but I would eat it again if I was given it.

What do you think? Over hyped or worth the hype?

Feastable Mr. Beast Bar FAQs

Where can I buy Mr. Beast Bars in Ireland?

Mr. Beast Bars are available in Applegreen stations nationwide. It’s the most reliable place to get them.

Are Feastables the same as Mr. Beast Bars

Yes! Mr. Beast is so famous that he tends to be more memorable than anything else. But the brand is actually called Feastables, despite most people searching for Mr. Beast Bars.

Why are Mr. Beast Bars so expensive?

Feastables are expensive because they are still relatively rare here in Ireland. They cost more to import and come much further. They aren’t special beyond that. You could argue you’re paying for the Mr. Beast brand to a certain extent too, which funds his content creation empire!

Can You Replace Your MacBook with iPad?

Marty
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Can You Replace Your MacBook with iPad?

This year Apple launched the new iPad Pro with an M4 Processor. It was heralded as a laptop beater. So when I was in Japan, just as this launched, I bought one. I also bought a new MacBook Pro and ever since I’ve been wondering if I should have picked one instead of the other. Join me for a wander into my mind which will hopefully help some people choose between picking an iPad or a MacBook.

I’m going to write about MacBooks and iPads because that’s what I have, but this could largely apply to all laptops and tablets.

Can iPad Replace MacBook?

The only honest answer to whether or not you can do everything you do on a MacBook with an iPad is; “it depends”. This will sound stupid, but the biggest reason I bought both was Football Manager 2024. Sure enough, I’m deep into a Football Manager save, but it’s not the only reason I bought both – it was the general scenario that game presented.

Football Manager has two different versions for iPad and MacBook, with the iPad one being much “lighter”. This left me knowing that not everything on iPad will be as “full fat” as it is on MacBook. So that’s my one use case that left me buying both.

But you might have a totally different set of uses. For example, if you like editing photos and just simple writing, I could see a world where the iPad, perhaps specifically the iPad Pro, is more than enough for you.

If you get the iPad Pro’s Magic Keyboard, it’s just a small MacBook that runs iPad OS instead of Mac OS. This limits certian apps, but some mobile apps are superior to their desktop apps.

My iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard

Photoshop is a great example. Adobe has destroyed the experience of Photoshop in my eyes. But Procreate, once you get used to everything, is a great piece of editing software.

I could easily shoot some photos for an article, edit them and type up the piece on my iPad Pro.

So it depends. you might be able to completely replace your MacBook workflows with an iPad Pro. But you’ll need to make sure the difference between iPad OS and Mac OS doesn’t limit you too much.

For now, I’m still glad I have both but I am a bit like that current meme. I need the laptop for big purchases. Not everyone is going to be like that.

An iPad Could Replace MacBook

The one thing to watch out for is creators on platforms like YouTube saying they are now thinking about replacing their MacBook with iPads because they are so powerful. These comments come out every year yet the same creators are often back one year later just saying that they could do it – yet they haven’t.

As I’ve alluded to, the most important thing you can do it make a big list of things you want to use your machine for. Then see if it can be done easily on iPad OS.

What I will say is that if you should find everything you need to do is possible on iPad OS, the experience is very laptop like these days. The iPad Pro in particular is incredibly powerful. More powerful that you’ll ever really be able to get from the device because Apple insists it cannot overtake MacBook in terms of overall usability.

But that said, iPad is incredibly powerful these days. The Magic Keyboard is one of the most premium (but expensive) iPad accessories on the market, but it delivers an experience to boot.

Should You Buy Both?

And then we arrive at me. I bought both. Why?

I recently discovered a lot of people don’t realise you can use your iPad as a second screen for your MacBook. Duet even lets you use your iPad as a second screen for Windows too. When I’m traveling for events, these comob gives me a wild amount of flexibility. At an event like IFA, I can bring the iPad, pop into the press room, type up a quick article and get back out again. No need to carry around a big heavy laptop for the day.

But when I get back to the hotel, I can fire up the MacBook alongside the iPad as as second screen and have an office like workspace on the road.

Incredibly valuable set up for me. Even at home, I sometimes like siting downstairs at the dinner table working on my MacBook and iPad as second screen. It’s a wildly expensive setup and I don’t use near 100% of the power at my fingertips, but I do like it. If you don’t mind the price, like seamless integration and premium experiences – don’t rule out both.

What is what3words and how to use it

Marty
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What is what3words and how to use it

Fans of Clarkson’s Farm may have heard many people trying to explain how what3words is to Jeremy. The good news is that he now understands it. Now I’m here to introduce you to this new way of speaking about locations which will make life easier for you and could save your life some day.

How Does what3words Work?

Traditional maps aren’t all that accurate. I’ve had countless delivery drivers come to the street behind where I live or drive around in circles trying to find my front door. The issue is that addresses are a very old way of locating things. what3words is the solution to pinpointing any location around the world in an extremely userfriendly way.

The team at what3words have divided the entire world into a grid of 3m by 3m squares. They have then assigned each of these squares with a unique combination of 3 words that never changes. For example, Dublin Airport is defections.digest.overslept.

At least that’s the main what3words location for Dublin Airport, but it’s not the most useful use-case for what3words. Let’s look at a better example.

Why and When to Use what3words?

Let’s stick with the example of Dublin Airport. If you’ve ever parked in Dublin Airport’s car park, you’ll know it can be tough to find your car after a week away in the sun. Because what3words is accurate down to a 3m by 3m space, you can note the 3 word location you’ve parked in.

what3words locating a parking space in Dublin Airport’s Express Red Car Park

This is also extremely handy if you find yourself in a situation where you need someone else to pick up your car somewhere. Instead of just saying the Red Car Park, or even including Row Z, you can give them a what3words location and they’ll get straight to the car door.

Or, imagine you’re meeting a friend at a gig. No longer do you have to “meet by the hotdog stand” and hope you both mean the same one at the same side. You can just share a three word location code and meet on the spot. It has similar benefits for meeting someone off Adverts for a purchase. You can see there’s a range of times this is a great idea.

These are just some of the many use-cases for what3words, and possibly some of the most mundane by comparison.

what3words, Emergency Services and Farming

what3words is fast being adopted by emergency services that need to find people and locations quickly. While Ireland does have Advanced Mobile Location which will pinpoint your location to emergency services to within 10m, there’s no harm in knowing how what3words work in an emergency too.

The mention of Clarkson’s Farm also shows a valuable situation for a service like what3words. Farmer’s can quickly note down a location on their land where there’s an issue with crops or animals and get someone to come address it later.

what3words: The Verdict

what3words isn’t a perfect solution, and again Clarkson’s Farm shows why. The fact Jeremy doesn’t know the service and didn’t really get it at first, is the solutions biggest issue. Because what3words hasn’t been officially adopted by the Irish Government for emergency services, there very well could be a scenario where a patient wants to use it but responders are not aware of how the service works. There are also some potential language issues, but what3words does support a wide range of global languages.

I am absolutely convinced that the world needs what3words. It’s too clever a solution to some really frustrating location issues that come with modern life. It’s not perfect yet, but I believe the service will only get better over time. So it’s worth having the app on your phone and giving it a whirl the next time you travel or need to meet someone.

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