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I met the love of my life 12 years ago. She’s the world to me. She’s also made me grow up quite a lot. That said, when I saw her grab our Dyson and start vacuuming the mattress, I did think she’d lost it. I was brought up to believe the vacuum was for the floor. But my better half was yet again (and as always) right. Dyson has provided some scientific data to prove her right too. Not that I needed it.
Why is There a Need to Vacuum a Mattress?
Every year, Dyson surveys over 30 thousand people to produce their annual global dust survey. I know that doesn’t sound very exciting. But now that lots of us spend a lot more time at home. According to the study, 95% of people are cleaning just as much, if not more, as they did during the pandemic. However, 40% of people only clean where dirt is visible.
Back to my missus vacuuming the mattress.
When I saw her do this first, I was worried. For her mainly. But then I saw the numbers on the Dyson vacuum. You see, I have a Dyson v12 Detect. On the back of this vacuum, there’s a wee screen that shows me the volume of dust being collected. As the vacuum ran across the mattress I could see the numbers increasing dramatically.
Dyson Detect display showing particulate matter being vacuumed
Basically, there was loads of invisible dust sitting there, where we sleep.
“It is a cause for concern if people only clean when they spot visible dust on the floors as many dust particles are microscopic in size”, says Monika Stuczen, Research Scientist in Microbiology at Dyson. “In fact, by the time people spot visible dust in the home, it is highly likely that there are dust mites in your home”.
How to Vacuum Your Mattress With a Dyson
So obviously, you can do this with any vacuum. I’m sticking with Dyson because it’s what I have and the range of fittings I have make it a doddle. There’s also the nimble nature of Dyson with a small fitting turning into a wireless handheld vacuum so quickly.
The first thing you need to do is remove all the bedding and give it a wash. I’ve also learned that this includes mattress toppers too. Well, I didn’t learn that because I’ve gone most of my life without one. As I said, she’s made me grow up a lot. Check the instructions, but wash as hot as you can.
If you’re using a Dyson, grab one of your mini-motorised tools. My weapon of choice is the hair screw tool. We use this a lot around the house. Handy for stairs and mattresses alike. If you don’t have a Dyson, grab whatever head for your vacuum that will let you get in close. You want good suction and make sure you get in everywhere.
Remember, if you’re using a Dyson Detect, keep an eye out for the numbers proving you’re cleaning up.
It’s a good idea to flip your mattress too, but remember to turn it back if it’s a “no flip” mattress.
Every now and then it’s a good idea to tackle visible stains from time to time too. Go easy with it, but bleach-based products can help you here.
How Often Should You Vacuum Your Mattress?
You’ll find lots of people online saying you should change your sheets once a week. Do people really have time for that? Now, again I’ll admit before my other half, I wasn’t the best at this. Now, I do sleep on fresh sheets fairly regularly. Realistically, changing every two weeks is good enough. If you have time, aim for weekly.
When you’re changing your sheets, just take 2 minutes to run the vacuum over the mattress. Do a proper deep clean and flip twice a year.
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of test driving the latest of Google’s mid-range wonders, the Google Pixel 6a. The 6a is the latest of the brand’s mid-range smartphones offering similar performance as the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro at a lower price. Sure yes, it’s smaller than the other two models but sure with its amazing performance, camera and price, sure what else could we want?
The Pixel 6a keeps most of the best features but trims the fat to bring the price to a rather reasonable €459. In a year where the new iPhone SE 2022, Samsung Galaxy A53 and other brands like the OPPO Nord are starting to close the gap in the mid-range race, Google has reclaimed the crown. If you’re like me and value the camera and battery over most other specs then I would recommend the Pixel 6a as still the best in class.
Design
The Pixel 6a essentially looks like the standard Pixel 6, just smaller, with a glass front, aluminium frame and plastic back, the Pixel 6a is lighter than the competition and probably second in class versus the iPhone SE for overall oompf factor.
Look, the Pixel 6a is still a sizeable phone but in comparison to the Pixel 6 Pro it’s perfectly small in comparison, the design in itself fits perfectly with the Pixel range, continuing with the boxy stylings of the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 6. Some might say the standard Black (charcoal) colour is a bit unremarkable. Personally I like the black plastic look and if that’s not for you then we have Sage and Chalk. In common terms mint green and white/grey colour options which both offer some vibrancy to the handset.
The only major difference here in comparison to the other handsets in the Pixel range is the camera setup. The 2 camera sensors on the Pixel 6a are almost hidden on the left of the black bar that’s camouflaged by also being black. The flash on the other side whereas on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro the array of cameras is spread throughout the bar.
The Pixel 6a is a very well-rounded build for a smartphone that truly looks more expensive than it really is and sure you can’t go wrong with an IP67 water resistance rating for good measure.
Battery
The Pixel 6a is rocking a 4410mAh battery which is very good at this price point and should do you the day. There’s no charger in the box, only a USB-C to C cable. If you don’t have one handy, you’ll have to buy a charging brick with a USB-C output or use another charger that you might have laying about. The Pixel 6a can get from 0 to 22% in about 15 minutes and can get to about 45% in under 30mins. When it comes to the battery life it’s worth noting what Martin mentions in his Pixel 6 Pro review.
It’s impossible for me to avoid reviews considering how widely covered the Pixel 6 series has been. I’ve noted many reviewers saying the battery life is much improved for Google’s flagship. To be fair, it has. The downside of that statement is that it’s only measuring against Google. There are plenty of better batteries on the market and charging just isn’t that fast despite Google saying it is. Adaptive Battery is clever, powering your phone more when you need it and slowing charge to 100% based on your alarm, but it’s still just an ok battery.
The likes of the OPPO smartphones and the One Plus Nord 2T still come with all the chargers in the box. Some include chargers offering up to 80w. They are capable of getting a phone to a full charge in 30 minutes. C’mon Google! This is the only place where you let down the side on this one. Right now, the Pixel 6a’s battery is holding the day easy, but it does seem to run a little hot when charging. The Pixel 6 Pro did show some heating issues during reviews too. It will be worth keeping an eye on over time if this leads to battery degradation long term, but for now, I’m getting to the end of the day without getting into the final 10%.
Software
When it comes to software if anyone knows how to run Android the right way it’s always going to be Google. Better yet Google is offering 5 years of security updates for the phone so there is a chance that we’ll get security updates until mid-2027. Pretty nice if you ask me.
We will also get 3 years of Android updates meaning the phone will get the latest version of Android until mid-2025. With the phone launching with Android 12 from the box, which is pretty good as the Android 13 update will happen sooner rather than later. Before I forget, with the Pixel 6a being Google and all, we’ll get new versions of Android before any of the other manufacturers.
Right now my wallpaper is the live space map, which is pretty class hovering above Ireland and whatnot. It doesn’t seem to use too much just a light bit of action and movement that is just lovely, while you can choose the pantones for icons, text font etc which adds a level of flexibility that really makes this variation of Android pop.
There is also Voice to Text and Live Transcribe which you can use in the recorder app which is streets ahead of the competition while there is a currently playing type feature that listens to whatever music is playing and displays the track and artist, all from an offline database stored on the phone. You can tap the song and start streaming it from several streaming services, not just Google’s own YouTube Music.
Camera
If there is something else that the A series is renowned for it’s the cameras. Traditionally the A range would get the same camera as the Pixel and Pixel Pro but low and behold with the Google Pixel 6a we get a change of approach. Sure this year we get the same chip as the flagships but this is the first year we didn’t get the same camera array.
Bit of a shame not going to lie, but having said that while the 50mp sensor on the Pixel 6 is nuts the main camera on the 6a really really good, yeah not as good as the big boys but the software for processing pics is of such a high level most of us wouldn’t notice the difference.
So what camera line up are we getting?
Simple, the Pixel 6a uses a 12.2mp f/1.7 Sony IMX363 sensor with optical image stabilisation which you might know is the same as what the Pixel 5a was rocking. The Ultrawide lens luckily is the same as the flagships this year with a 12Mp f/2.2 Sony IMX386 lens. That means the picture quality is still top-notch and comparable to phones that cost more than double what you would pay for the humble Google Pixel 6a.
To be fair the camera on this is so good you wouldn’t know it’s not a top-of-the-range handset and its streets ahead of anyone else in the same price point, even if the main sensor doesn’t have the biggest number in the world. Yeah there is no zoom lens (You get Google’s Super Res Zoom feature instead) but then again who does under €500.
Now in today’s TikTok era, if it wasn’t already a big deal, it’s time to look at the selfie cam! The big build-up for what is a standard 8Mp f/2.0 selfie camera. No bells and whistles and will do exactly what you need, clear straightforward point-and-shoot pics. We also get 4K video recording at 60fps. But wait there’s more, we also get a speech enhancement mode that isolates vocal audio and cuts out background noise. As far as camera setups go for the price we are onto a winner.
There are a couple of cool additional features too which include:
Face Deblur
Top Shot, which records a short video to go along with your photo
Camouflage changes their colour to better blend into a scene rather than cutting
Magic Eraser
Real Tone
The Goosed Verdict
The Pixel 6a is safe as houses and for under €500. It’s a dinger. Martin rightly said the Pixel 6 Pro is a contender for the phone of the year and if you want that power at a reasonable price the Pixel 6a is for you. Sure I’ve used the previous A-range models but I’ve moved from my OnePlus Nord to this as my daily driver.
Previous A-series handsets ran a little cheaper, normally tipping under the €400 price point but for a small increase, we are getting a hell of a phone. The only real downsides for me are the 60hz display and the slightly hot charging but when it comes to running Android as it should be. It is a Google Pixel after all and with the camera, software and styling of the handset well there’s no one else in that price range is going to beat them.
Sky has confirmed an Irish launch date for Sky Glass. The service will launch here next month on August 25th. If you’re a Formula One fan, you’ve no doubt heard Crofty mention Sky Glass in every single race. In fact, it’s become a bit of a meme, but what is Sky Glass? Who can get it and is it worth it?
What is Sky Glass?
Sky Glass is a TV from Sky. We all know Sky as a provider of TV channels, but with Sky Glass they now turn to producing the physical television that sits in your living room. Sky Glass comes with a built-in Sky Box too. The TV will come in a range of colours and sizes and is the world’s first TV to be certified carbon neutral.
One of the big benefits of Sky Glass is that the entire system runs over your internet connection. This removes the need for an installed dish. This is good news for people living in apartments. I did have Sky in the past in an apartment, but it was after much wrangling to try and get a communal dish installed.
The Sky Glass TV
The Sky Glass TV itself promises to be quite high quality. It delivers your favourite entertainment via a 4k Ultra HD display and supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The TV adjusts output settings based on whatever it is you’re watching too, for an optimal experience.
Sky believes Glass is “smarter than a smart TV”. Their TV comes with built-in voice control. Just say “Hello Sky” and ask for what you need. I’ll reserve my judgement on how practical this is until I get to play with the service properly.
Live Restart is the feature that drives a lot of the mentions in Formula One. Here, you can start a show you’ve missed right from the start. Watching live sports, you can quickly cycle through the big moments and get up to date before joining the live feed.
Is Sky Glass Worth It?
Sky Glass starts from just €15 per month for a 43-inch Sky Glass TV. €20 per month gets you a 55-inch Sky Glass TV and for the 65-inch TV, it costs €26 per month. There is good and bad news here. The good news is that the TV you get is actually worth slightly more than you pay over four years. Four years is important here as it’s one of two contract options you have.
Alongside this four-year option, Sky will also launch a two-year contract at a higher monthly rate. Given that a TV will likely be in your living room for longer than four years, it’s an interesting proposition. However, you do just get a 24-month warranty regardless of choice.
Sky Glass Two-Year Pricing
43-inch
55-inch
65-inch
Monthly
€30
€40
€52
Up-front
€31
€31
€31
Total
€751
€991
€1279
Normal TV Value without Sky
€755
€999
€1299
Sky Glass TV’s are worth slightly more than what you pay over the course of a contract
Sky Glass Four-Year Pricing
43-inch
55-inch
65-inch
Monthly
€15
€20
€26
Up-front
€31
€31
€31
Total
€751
€991
€1279
Normal TV Value without Sky
€755
€999
€1299
You often have TVs for a lot longer than two years, so four years is a tempting option
The obvious “catch” here is that this monthly cost doesn’t include your Sky subscription. That’s Sky’s play here. Give people the TV at a good price and tempt them towards a Sky subscription.
If you’re already a Sky customer and in the market for a TV, well then. This might be a bit of a no-brainer. I’ll reserve judgement until I get up-close and personal with Sky Glass. So be sure to throw us a follow on TikTok where we’ll have all the latest Sky Glass news.
Understanding a trend on TikTok takes a few things to align. The awkward thing is that you sometimes get comments under videos as a kind of guerilla under-the-radar trend. These are usually in-jokes of some sort. Funny to those in the inner circle but utterly confusing to the uninitiated. “Protein Bor” has started to appear under various fitness videos on TikTok, seemingly out of the blue and unprovoked. But there’s a story to be read here. Here’s the story of “Protein Bor”.
James Doyle Fitness: The Protein Bor
One overarching trend on TikTok is straight-shooting fitness instructors. The kind of personal trainers who focus on calorie deficits and facts more than shaming chocolate bars. Everything in moderation is sound (Marty says as he refuses to share a share-bag of crisps once again). But the advice isn’t just coming from full-time professional fitness heads.
James Doyle runs a fitness-focused TikTok account and his takes have gained over 75,000 followers. His particular area of expertise is protein bars. In a stitch with James Smith, he admits that protein bars probably aren’t great three times a day, but his volume of consumption makes him an expert of sorts.
The Mullingar-based man has a strong accent, and that’s where we get to the crux of this story.
When James pronounces “bars” it sounds like “bors”.
And the people of TikTok decided that this man deserves global recognition for it. Now, under random videos across TikTok, you’ll find the comment “protein bors”.
Sorry. If you were expecting a big dramatic story there, it’s not really coming.
His takes on protein “bors” are fairly good so if you’re in the market for a bite, definitely give him a watch.
A new phone is coming. I mean a properly new phone with some new ideas. This happens every now and then. Perhaps OnePlus is the most recent example of it. That’s the same OnePlus that was co-founded by Carl Pei. The same OnePlus that was bought up by OPPO and the same Carl Pei behind this new brand, Nothing. But is the Nothing Phone (1) really able to take on Apple? Is it actually different or just being driven by clever marketing. Will it be available in Ireland? I’m off to answer your questions now.
Is Nothing Phone Coming To Ireland?
I’m trying to make a habit of answer the big questions early in my articles. Where will you be able to buy the Nothing Phone 1. The Nothing Phone 1 is not coming to any Irish networks at launch. This immediately makes grabbing one of these phones a bit tougher. If you’re in the UK, there will be limited availability from July 16th.
The easiest way to buy a Nothing Phone 1 in Ireland is going to be online, direct from Nothing. The Nothing Phone 1 starts at €469 and appears to be shipping to Ireland.
What Is Nothing Phone 1?
Nothing Phone 1 is a new challenger smartphone to enter the market. It’s the brainchild of Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus. The company, which is really called Nothing, has lots of well-known investors, including Casey Neistat.
Nothing Phone 1 is trying to stand out in a market of phones that all look the same. To be fair, they’ve hit the problem right on the head. Phones are boring. To combat this, Nothing Phone 1 packs in decent specs, at a fair price, and wraps it in a unique skin.
The uniqueness of the phone is the back. The transparent phone shows the inner workings of your smartphone and more importantly the Glyph Interface. Despite plenty of chatter around the phone taking aim more at iPhone and other Androids, the phone’s operating system, Nothing OS, is just a custom Android skin.
Glyph Interface
So what about that Glyph Interface. This is a series of lights on the rear of the phone. You can customise these to play different light dances based on who’s calling. The one cool part I like is that the light next to the charger doubles as a charging-progress bar.
The truth is, this isn’t totally new. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge featured custom colours for contacts calling. You could see the glow when your phone was face down. I had that phone and never used the feature.
It’s left me wondering if the Glyph is just marketing. It’s great marketing, mind. People will be posting their Tik Toks no doubt. But ultimately, this wouldn’t be a big selling point for me.
Targetting iPhone or Android?
I’ve been a bit surprised to see quite a lot of talk about Nothing Phone 1 taking aim at iPhone. Sure enough, they’ve taken some design cues from Apple, but iPhone has a lot more than just looks keeping people coming back for more. Apple’s eco-system is the stickiest thing about iPhone. It’s the fact iPhone users will likely have another Apple product that works seamlessly with their phone. Adding another brand into the mix causes friction. Noone has time for friction.
Nothing themselves know their really targeting Android users. Yes, they’ve said they’d like to take on Apple someday, but who wouldn’t. At the end of the day, this is another Android phone that won’t use AirDrop or work perfectly with AirPods.
But that’s not to say it’s not going to be a great phone.
Nothing Phone 1 Specs
I’ve only seen one Irish journalist getting their hands on a Nothing Phone 1. I’ve not got to see one in person yet, so I only get to go on what I see on paper. The dual-lens 50MP camera should be good and is using a senor seen in other OPPO and OnePlus phones. They’re generally good shooters.
The Snapdragon 778G+, again, is the choice of OnePlus and offers plenty of power. There’s also a 120Hz display, but to be totally honest, that’s fast becoming a new standard. Don’t fret too much about getting caught in the rain. The Nothing Phone 1 is IP53-rated. That means a splash is fine, but don’t try filming underwater.
As you checkout on the Nothing website, you’ll see you also have the option to add RAM, ROM and even a pair of Nothing earbuds for €99.
All in all, the specs of the Nothing Phone 1 are…grand. I mean that in the most Irish way possible. The specs are ok. Solid. They’re not quite flagship though. And this is where it gets interesting.
Nothing Phone 1 is not trying to be the best phone on the market. Nothing Phone 1 is trying to be the best mid-range phone on the market. It wants to put a fun, affordable, phone out there for the Tik Tok generation. That’s obvious from the Glyph Interface and, arguably even more so, the price tag of €469. Will it be a massive success? I don’t think it will revolutionise anything major, and definitely not in Ireland. Despite their energy, Nothing is just going to be another phone. Nothing special.
I likely won’t be getting hands-on with the Nothing Phone 1 for some time, but chuck me a follow on Tik Tok and you’ll know fairly quickly if I do get one.
Is Nothing Phone 1 Waterproof
No. The Nothing Phone 1 is IP53-rated. This means it is protected from limited dust ingress and protected from water spray. It should not be submerged
Does the Nothing Phone 1 Come With A Charger
No. When checking out on the Nothing website, you can add a 45w charger for €35.
Can I Buy Nothing Phone On An Irish Network?
No. Nothing hasn’t partnered at launch with any Irish mobile network. You’ll have to buy directly from Nothing and get yourself a SIM-only deal instead.
There seems to have been an odd update to Revolut lately. When you open the app your balance is blurred. It’s not obvious how to reveal your account balance either. But it is simple. Here’s how and how to turn this new feature off.
How To Reveal Revolut Balance
For privacy reasons, Revolut now hides your main account balance by default. To reveal your balance, simply flip your phone over and back. Now you’ll be able to see your balance, even if you’d rather you didn’t just check it.
Flip your phone over and back again to hide the balance again.
Revolut now hides your balance by default.
Disable Revolut Balance Hiding
This appears to be a relatively new feature in Revolut. If you don’t like it, the good news is you can turn it off.
Open the Revolut app
Click on your profile picture
Scroll down to “Hide Balances”
Toggle feature on or off as desired
If you like the extra privacy, toggle this feature on. If you find it annoying, toggle it off.
I’m not going to beat around the bush. The answer to that question is yes.
I’m just back from attending Huawei’s Berlin product launch. As the company pivots away from mobile, these product launches have taken on new importance. For a few years now, particularly since the FreeBuds 3, Huawei has been knocking audio accessory making out of the park. The Berlin launch saw Huawei unveil some new laptops, smart office tech, a monitor and a new cool backpack and indeed some new earbuds. While there was a lot on show, this review will focus on the new earbuds; the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2.
What’s New?
It’s been quite some time since I tested out the first rendition of the Huawei FreeBuds Pro. They were a total departure from the in-ear buds Huawei had previously made. Away from the hard plastic bud, the FreeBuds Pro went for silicon tips. There was no shortage of innovation on show from Huawei with those buds, and the sequal continues that trend.
First up is a big partnership for Huawei. This has been the secret to a lot of their success in the past, particularly with mobile. The Huawei mobile range is still considered to produce the best cameras on the market. A large contributor here is the Leica lenses. Now, for the FreeBuds Pro 2, Huawei has teamed up with the incredible audio company that is Devialet.
Devialet has made some of the world’s most impressive, blockbusting audio accessories. For me, it’s a natural partnership for Huawei, trying to increase market share in the audio market.
The FreeBuds Pro 2 also brings Active Noise Cancelling upgrades with ANC 2.0, battery boosts and the ability to tune the audio experience to your own ear canal. I’ve been fortunate enough to be in lots of scenarios where I tested the bejaysus out of these buds in the past few weeks. Here’s what I think.
Testing
It’s not that long since I picked up these buds, but I’ve had a manic two weeks. I’ve been flying from city to city, attending gigs that have been cancelled for two years, and travelling, quite literally, on planes, trains and automobiles. These have provided a great testing environment for a new pair of earbuds, from sound quality and ANC to battery life and beyond.
Audio
The fact that Huawei has been making great audio without a partner for years is exciting. Now that they’ve teamed up with Devialet, things can only get better.
When it comes to the audio quality of the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2, it’s really hard to fault them. With the wild range of gigs I’ve been going to, my playlist has been diverse. Lewis Capaldi, Greenday, Rammstein and classic piano versions of Rammstein. All of these have been funnelled into my ears through the FreeBuds Pro 2. Every single note has been pitch-perfect.
I’m sure there are some absolute audiophiles out there that can tell you the intricate details about bass, mids and treble. I can tell you they’re all really good and the general sound quality is amazing.
Not only is that for listening to music. I’ve been using the FreeBuds Pro 2 for calls too and they’re excellent. That goes for both being able to hear others and how clearly they’ve been able to hear me. They are quite brilliant at blocking out background noise too. In one test call, I had my iPad on the desk in front of me streaming Formula One and you couldn’t hear engines or commentary coming through.
I never play with EQ that much but I did with these buds. I had a lot of fun tweaking the settings to suit my listening, so I recommend you do the same.
When it comes to calls, there’s another massive trick up the FreeBuds Pro 2’s sleeve. It’s not new, but it’s fast becoming an essential feature for me when picking earbuds.
Connectivity and Compatibility
The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 offer dual-device connection. In a work-from-home world, this is so important for me. I can have my buds paired with both my phone and my laptop. If I’m listening away to music on my phone and get a Teams call, my earbuds I can move from one to the other without much hassle. I did have to pause Spotify on my phone myself. The good news is that there’s no fiddling around with pairing or swapping buds. Just pause and take the call.
In terms of compatibility, one question I’m always asked about Huawei watches and audio accessories is, will they work with iPhone? My daily rider is an iPhone 13 Pro and I’m testing a lot of Huawei gear at the moment. All of it works really well. From the Huawei Health app to the Huawei AI app, iPhone compatibility has gotten really good.
I’ve been able to pair the FreeBuds Pro 2 in the Huawei AI app on iPhone, customise the EQ, control all the gestures, everything. Hard as I tried, I haven’t been able to find anything that doesn’t work. So if you’re an iPhone user pondering about Apple’s AirPods Pro, this is a worthwhile consideration.
Design
I like the look of the FreeBuds Pro 2. It’s a highly subjective thing, so here’s a picture of them for you to decide for yourself.
The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 look lovely
What I can vouch for is comfort. I used these out of the box immediately after getting them. I was boarding a flight from Berlin to Dublin. It was a brave move because I wanted a nap on the flight. I’m often wary of buds on a flight because I fear them falling out. However, the FreeBuds Pro 2 were super snug. I did a quick fit test in the app and that was confirmed.
The comfort comes down to Huawei’s engineering efforts, the silicon tips and the buds weighing in at just 6.1g.
I’m going to cover gesture control here too. At first, I was going to class the gesture set up as a negative. You pinch the stalk of the buds to control them or your connected device. Initially, I found this counterintuitive. But after just the first flight, I’d gotten used to the controls. While not many buds take this approach, the physical pinch is easier to remember.
A single pinch will play/pause or answer/end a call. Pinch twice during a call and you’ll reject it.
Pinch and hold adjusts the ANC level or enables awareness mode.
A double pinch on left bud goes back one track, on the right, it’ll bring you forward one track.
Volume is simple too; just swipe your finger up or down either bud.
Battery
I always say it. I’m blown away by how small buds with ANC can pack in so much battery life. During my trip back from Rammstein I ended up getting a bus from Cardiff to Bristol and a delayed flight from Bristol to Dublin. Actually, now that I think of it, the flight over from Dublin to Bristol can all be counted in this one single charge of my FreeBuds Pro 2.
I just want to give you a more real feeling of how much living these buds keep up with, without you needing to plug in. The buds will give you nearly the full advertised 4 hours of playback with ANC turned on.
Realistically, you’re unlikely to ever go four hours straight with buds in your ears. You’ll pop them out into their case for a few minutes at some stage. During this time, the FreeBuds Pro 2 will power up really quickly. It’ll take 40 minutes in the case for a full charge, but just a few minutes will give you plenty of listening time too. One feature that iPhone users might miss is MagSafe charging. While the Freebuds case supports wireless charging, it won’t charge on the back of your iPhone.
With everything combined, Huawei state that you’ll get 30 hours of listening with ANC off, listening at about 50%. For me, you have loads of power to get through lots of travelling or work.
Are The Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 Worth It?
To determine whether or not these earbuds are a good purchase boils down to a few things. If you use earbuds every day for work and music with lots of travel, then absolutely. If you normally just wear €20 wired earphones and don’t care about bells and whistles or audio quality, well all high-end earbuds will be underwhelming for you.
Now, if you’re an iPhone user weighing up a pair of Apple AirPod Pro buds, this is where things get very interesting. The AirPods Pro will set you back €279. When the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 launch here in Ireland later in July, they’ll be just €199. As I’ve said, all my testing was with an iPhone 13 Pro and they work brilliantly.
Comparing Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 and AirPods Pro
Here’s a cheeky little comparison between Huawei’s FreeBuds Pro 2 and Apple AirPod Pro.
Spec
Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2
Apple AirPods Pro
Form Factor
Hard shell + silicone tip
Hard shell + silicone tip
Listening Time (No ANC)
6.5 hours
5 hours
Listening Time with ANC
4 hours
4.5 hours
Weight (each)
6.1g
5.4g
Charging
USB-C QI Wireless
Lightning MagSafe
Colours
Silver Blue Silver Frost Ceramic White
White
Bluetooth
5.2
5.0
Waterproof Rating
IP54
IPX4
Price
€199
€279
Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2: The Verdict
The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2 achieve in the audio category what Huawei achieved years ago with phones. Huawei is delivering incredible quality and specs at a fraction of the cost of their most obvious competition. In the mobile space, jumping from iPhone to the likes of a P30 Pro back in the day was a big ask. The jump eco-system loss from AirPod to FreeBud just isn’t as great.
If you’re in the market for a great pair of earbuds, these are a fantastic purchase. Even if you’re an iPhone user.
The FreeBuds Pro 2 will be on sale in Ireland from the end of July. Check out the Huawei website and socials for further updates. You’ll most likely be able to pick them up in more than a few high street stores.
What feels like many moons ago, I wrote about Ireland’s best digital bank. I rated KBC as one of the best banks bank then, and still do today. The problem is that KBC is ramping up their exit from the Irish market. I’ve just confirmed they are waiving maintenance fees on accounts too which means they are pushing people away. People like me, who are now in the market for a new bank account. Obviously, I want a good value bank with lots of digital experience too offer. So where am I off to?
I recently caught up with Daragh from Bonkers.ie to discuss banking apps in Ireland. I’ve had an account with them all at some stage, though some have since been closed. I’ve not used some of them in years but have been watching from afar to see how they’re getting on. y first ever bank account. I still have an account today and use both it and by Bank of Ireland app regularly.
I don’t think you should choose a bank purely based on app, but it is an important thing to consider. A good app keeps you informed of your finances. A good app makes you want to use it to keep an eye on your money. All in all, a good app helps ensure better financial health.
Revolut
For me, Revolut is a near slam dunk when it comes to being the best banking app in Ireland. The online-only bank has been pushing countless features out to improve the user experience for the past few years. Today, Revolut stands as a genuine alternative to traditional banks. The bank got a massive boost recently by officially becoming a proper bank. That means your money is as safe in Revolut as it is Bank of Ireland.
I also spotted loans in my Revolt app recently. I can now borrow up to €30,000 and apply for that within the app.
There are lots of great features that come with choosing a digital-first bank. Virtual cards protect your data when shopping online. You get cash back on purchases and discounts when buying from Revolut partners. You also get the features you’d expect like Google Pay and Apple Pay.
However, it’s not all good news. There are some issues beyond Revolut’s control. The bank uses Lithuanian IBANs which may still pose a problem for Irish customers. Some employers can’t or won’t pay wages into non-Irish bank accounts, despite this being illegal. It’s called IBAN discrimination. The same goes for utility companies not allowing you to set up direct debits with non-Irish IBANs.
The big issue some will have is the limitations that come with online-only banks. While Revolut is slowly rolling out credit products, there are no mortgages. There’s also no branch when you have an issue and sometimes, care over chat can be frustrating.
But Revolut is about to become my primary bank. The one the monthly money goes into. What I’m most looking forward to is the analytics and insights I’ll get into my spending. Well, I’m both excited and terrified.
AIB is probably the best of the bunch when it comes to the remaining traditional banks in Ireland. AIB has been an innovator in the Irish market, offering Google Pay and Apple Pay before many of the competition. The AIB banking app also introduced innovative features like Quick Balance that proved a real hit with customers.
AIB does charge you fees for using your card in a machine, specifically when you insert your card to enter you pin. It’s an odd time to charge, but I guess it’s because the fee makes more sense on higher-value transactions.
When I spoke with Bonkers.ie, I laid it on thick that it’s really important that your banking app welcomes you in to use it. Again, the more you use it, the more financially healthy you should be. AIB is the only traditional Irish banking app to let you login using biometrics. That means no fumbling around for a pin or password.
The Good
The Bad
Trusted Bank
Fees You Wouldn’t Expect
Biometric Login
Quick Balance
Mortgages
N26
I was going to say that once we finish up with these two banks, things start to go downhill a bit. But that’s not really fair. N26 offers a great banking experience. N26 is a German online-only bank that used to be far superior to Revolut. However, the bank has been hampered by Revolut’s success and struggled to rise to the same level.
N26 is a fully operational bank but doesn’t offer credit in Ireland, or at least it’s not available in my account.
The Good
The Bad
Good App
It’s Just Not Revolut
Spending Insights
No Credit Products In Ireland
An Post Money
And again, before things start to get negative, An Post Money deserves an honourable mention. It’s likely An Post Money benefits from the old An Post image not being built on old banking systems. Because of this, it offers a decent digital experience. On paper at least. I’ve not got to try it out yet, but it’s worth a punt.
Because I have a credit card with KBC I might actually give An Post Money a go until Revolut offers one.
The Good
The Bad
Offer Credit Cards
An Post Is Unproven
Irish IBAN
Google, Apple and Fitbit Pay
Bank of Ireland
So, I’ll probably always have a Bank of Ireland account. But it’ll upset me every day I do. Bank of Ireland is a solid bank. I can’t argue with that. But the Bank of Ireland app leaves a lot to be desired. Even when the bank announced exciting updates to their app, it was all a bit underwhelming. The app’s design and features are still rather poor.
There’s still no biometric login and a lack of modern features within the app itself. My Bank of Ireland account and the app that goes with it isn’t something I like having. So once I can, I’ll be moving products out.
You absolutely join Bank of Ireland for the bank part, not the online experience.
The Good
The Bad
It’s Very Trustworthy
App Is Ugly
Finally Offer Google and Apple Pay
No Biometric Login
No Insights
Permanent TSB
The less said about this the better. Permanent TSB is another reputable bank. However, online or app experience isn’t their forte. Like Bank of Ireland, there’s no biometric login. Straight away, there’s that barrier to your banking. Permanent TSB does offer Google and Apple Pay but they have to be shamed here as the last bank to do so. They were dragged, kicking and screaming into the digital age.
While I rate Bank of Ireland pretty low, Permanent TSB doesn’t really offer any redeeming qualities. Full disclosure, I used to work here. But that’s water under the bridge. I can justify having a Bank of Ireland account, but struggle to see why I’d ever have a Permanent TSB account again. Unless, of course, I need a mortgage and they offer an amazing rate.
The Good
The Bad
Google and Apple Pay
Very Few App Services
Not Much Else
Digital Laggards
Choosing A Bank After KBC
Finally, we come to the point where I tell you what bank I’m choosing. It’s a rather easy choice really, but it comes with caveats. I’m moving most of my major day to day banking to Revolut. Tapping in shops, getting paid my salary and sending money to friends. All that good stuff will be done through Revolut. I might even apply for a loan if I need to. Most people I’ve told seem pretty at east with my choice. And that surprises me. Maybe it’s because I’m the tech guy, but I think people are generally more at ease with the idea of banking more with Revolut.
But my savings will likely just transfer to Bank of Ireland. Bank of Ireland has bought KBC savings accounts. I’ve been informed it will just move over unless I do something about it.
I might look to keep a credit card, though I don’t use it very often. It did come in handy recently when I had to rent a car in Crete. An Post Money offers an interesting alternative there.
I guess the fragmented approach does make sense. No one bank offers the perfect solution. No one solution fits everyone. So don’t be afraid to shop around and not do what the family has done for years.
TikTok is truly throwing up some wonderful randomness into the world. The latest TikTok star to go viral isn’t an influencer or some kid who did a dance. No. This time, it’s a random chip shop that’s blowing up on the social media platform. Binley Mega Chippy is filling everyone’s TikTok feeds, even here in Ireland which is leading to some confusion. So just where can you find Binley Mega Chippy?
Where is Binley Mega Chippy?
Binley Mega Chippy can be found on Binley Road in Binley. I’m not joking, that’s the address. If you’ve seen Binley Mega Chippy and are tempted to make a bank holiday road trip, I have some bad news. Binley isn’t in Ireland.
I’m afraid Binley and the chipper in question is to be found in Coventry, over in the UK.
Now, that’s not to say it’s impossible.
How to Get to Binley Mega Chippy from Ireland
You could jump on a flight from Dublin to Coventry. It’s pretty cheap. A return flight to Coventry would set you back about €44. A taxi from the airport to the chipper and back would be about €40. The price of the chipper itself would be anywhere from €10 to €20, depending on what you’re in the mood for.
So it can be done, if you really want to.
Why is Binley Mega Chippy Going Viral?
The funny part of Binley Mega Chippy going viral for me is that I’m not even sure if the chip shop has a TikTok account. Seemingly hundreds of parody accounts have sprung up on the platform alongside a little song dedicated to the chip shop.
The people of TikTok just decided it was all too perfect to not accept it into their lives and now it’s viral. Owners are probably both confused and delighted as now they are constant queues out the door. I’m sure it’s leading to a crisis of potato supplies for chips.
It’s making me more broadly crave a bag of chips. But for now, I’ll have to dream of a trip to Binley.
You might well wonder why we’re writing about this. Here at Goosed we’re keen to try and explain the latest random things on social media platforms such as TikTok. You can follow us on our Twitter or Tiktok.
Remember back in 2006 when Wii Sports took was the biggest gaming craze of the year. Just the mention of the word Wii sports reminds us all of the motion controlled chaos that was bowling with mates in a college gaff during an break hour. Firing up the Nintendo Switch with Wii Sports was possibly one of the biggest blast to the past moments I have had in my adult life. The motion control is still as simple and as fun as any one would remember and it’s this elegant simplicity that brings out the fun factor in this reimagined title.
Funnily enough Nintendo Switch Sports is first follow up to the 16 year old Wii Sports, Yeah 16 years old, I didn’t believe it either. Anyway Switch Sports is jam packed with old favourites we all remember as well as three new game types. Sure it’s not perfect, it never was back in the day and some of the new game modes are a bit boring, the old reliables bring back all the joy of putting your house at risk for the perfect serve. We already know Nintendo intend to release additional content and extra sports in the near future, so if six game modes don’t tickle your fancy, there is more due soon.
Now let’s get into it:
Overview
Switch Sports as I mentioned is about fun not function, back in the day Wii Sports wanted to be more of a fitness based product, however they now no their place. In Wii Sports, you could see a graph of how well you were doing in certain sports, and you could see your progress over time, this is now swapped out online with a grading system where after a while playing any game you’ll be given your rank and over time winning or placing higher in online games will help you rank up. The higher the rank the higher the reward.
As of now you can play any 1 or 6 game modes:
Volleyball
Badminton
Bowling
Soccer
Chambara
Tennis
Volleyball, Badminton and Soccer (with a leg strap too) are all new game modes for Switch Sports with some of our old favourites due to come in later updates. These can be played on your lonesome, with mates in person and online and now of course you can play online globally against strangers. Each game is fun in its own way and I’ll go into more detail on these shortly but for now all you need to know is that they all work in their own right both for local single and multiplay as well as for online gameplay. Personally I thoroughly enjoyed the online game mode, unlocking new clobber for my character and all that but it wasn’t until I played in a room with friends where the nostalgic music brings you back 15 years and you’re swinging your arms like a maniac to hit the back hand. That’s where Nintendo Switch Sports excels, bringing family and friends together for short lived but epic fun.
Graphics and MII Options
Would it be Nintendo without a sharp, vibrant and colourful world? Switch Sports is no different, each game is set in a beautiful stadium with plenty of Mii Amibos in situ to watch the action unfold. In order to play you will need to create your player, and you and either import your own Mii which always looks kinda terrifying or your can use a Nintendo template with a range of hairstyles, eyes, clothes etc etc etc.
This is really fun if you ask me especially online, as there aren’t a lot of choices right now, Nintendo has said that you can unlock more customisation options online, which offers up a great incentive to keep playing, not too dissimilar to games like FallGuys where over time more users will have a wider variety of outfits and styles going on which will mean everyone will in time look totally different. Which is great and adds a level of personality not seen before in a game like this.
The New Game Modes
As I mentioned earlier there is are 6 sports on offer right now that you can play both locally and online. As we mentioned earlier Switch Sports relied on motion controls meaning you won’t be playing on the Switch Lite and this year there are 3 new game modes that have very very different ways to play than what we’ve dealt with in the past.
Volleyball
Let’s start by looking at volleyball. To be completely transparent this was the game mode I didn’t really enjoy at all. It’s the only turn based play system within Nintendo Switch Sports, where players take turns to bump, block, setup and spike. It’s slow, its clunky and the timing just isn’t right, after plenty of hours of gameplay I can only get the spike right with every other motion early or later, no matter what you do. Maybe that’s just me and maybe others will find this game mode fun but for me I found volleyball a bit to turn based to be enjoyable.
Football
Yano what the football is a new concept using the leg strap so I’m going to give it a bit more wiggle room than volleyball, solely because you can see something different in Switch Sports. Whether playing online, single or shooting mode you will need to Joy cons per person and this is probably what ads a layer of confusion initially.
With standard mode, playing online or in person as I mentioned you will need the 2 Joy Cons to play, the left hand controler manages direction, sprinting, these are done through the top and analogue buttons while swishing the controller allows you to kick the ball, the right controller manages camera direction through the analogue stick, a button allows you to jump, while also a swish of the controller allows you to kick, now swish both controllers at the same time and of you go with a diving header, which in fairness is quite comical, if unpredictable.
Then you have the shooting mode, where you get to wear the leg strap supplied in the box. We fully expect new game modes to incorporate this within the DLC because if this shooting mode is the only reason for the leg strap, it’s a bit pointless. Anywho, shooting mode is a bit of fun…just stand far enough back so you don’t boot a coffee table, it happens trust me.
Basically the ball flies by and you have to swing a big boot at the oversized ball on the volley to direct the ball towards goal. That’s really it for the football mode, online feels like people based Rocket League while shooting mode is a bit of craic allbeit short lived. Let’s see what the update holds.
Badminton
Badminton in fairness is a bit of a laugh, especially when playing locally with friends. Of the new games it’s by far the easiest to figure out, 1 Joy Con and swing, need more info??? There is none it’s that simple. What I loved about this game mode is the variety of shooting, so far it feels smooth and with the ability to perform drop shots you can force an opponent real or online into making mistakes you can capitalise on.
From my playing of Badminton so far, it’s much much faster then both soccer and volleyball, while those who will remember the chaos swinging of tennis from the older game, this feels far smoother and refined where rallys can seem to last a life time, with timing, alternating shots and feeling out your opponent more prevalent than in other game modes in Switch Sports. It will be interesting to see what the update bring but right now it’s only 1-1 unlike the 2-2 tennis, maybe there is something in that?
The Old Reliables
When it comes to the old reliables in Chambara, Tennis and Bowling, Nintendo Switch Sports brings back old game modes that we know and love, with very little change to what made them great. Light tweaks to the motion sensitivity and a lovely new arena’s but beyond that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Bowling
Bowling is bowling, very simple and basically a carbon copy of what we had back in the day, bar the rolling head if you threw the ball backwards by accident. In Nintendo Switch Sports you can play both locally and online (versus up to 16 people) across 2 game modes.
Bowling is probably the best game of the lot, anyone can play it and the online lobby always fills up nice and quick. Motion controls are so simple, pick the direction and angle you want to throw, hold down the back button as you swing and that’s it. Well you can add spin and stuff like that but we’ll leave you master those mechanics yourself.
In special mode, mastery of these techniques is the key, every lane can have a range of obstacles in place, whether this is bridges, uneven flooring, moving pillars and more, learning how to curve the ball around or master a different floor bend all makes this mode utter carnage….and I’m all here for it.
Chambara
Chambara has three modes: Swords, Charge Swords and Double Swords. In the first two, you play with one controller and use the back button to block and swing the control to strike your opponent. Of course this is Switch Sports so you’re trying to knock your opponent off the platform and into the drink below.
You can also use double sword mode which requires 2 Joy Cons to play, which is the exact same as the above in terms of controlling, just with two swords instead of one. In fairness it’s really quick to play and it’s best of 3 so if a game to play in 2minutes or less is what you’re after this could be for you, take a few swings, drop your opponent in the water and walk away…easy.
Tennis
Tennis and Badminton are much the same when it comes to gameplay, although tennis possibly a little slower and more methodical as the ralleys won’t be as long as they would be when you play badminton. Now we all know and love the tennis mode from back in the Wii days but Switch Sport brings this mode back with a control system so basic anyone can play. Swing over head, backhand, forehand, topspin, just swing your JoyCon as if you were holding a racket and that’s tennis in a nutshell.
You can play this mode on your own, with one or 3 mates and the game is always 2 on 2. You can also play online and when it’s 2 people versus just you, you’re bound to have some fun.
The Goosed Verdict
If I’m being totally 100% honest with myself here, Nintendo Switch Sports is good without being great. It was never in a million years going to be able to succeed just because of how popular Wii Sports was back in the day, however taking expectations aside, Switch Sports is a fun title lacking in quantity not quality, sadly missing old memorable games like golf, boxing, baseball and basketball…….all of which could be coming as free updates later in the year alongside a an enhanced soccer mode with more leg strap support.
If you loved Wii Sports, then this latest rendition is right up your alley, Switch Sports is fun, fast and downright mental when you have a friend or group to play with. Sometimes we don’t need the sharpest of graphics or the detailed storyline, sometimes gaming can be simple with a smile and Nintendo more than anyone else understands this and Nintendo Switch Sports delivers just that.
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