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Scams Grow in Volume and Quality Because of AI

Marty
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0
Scams Grow in Volume and Quality Because of AI

Artificial Intelligence (for want of a better name) has surged in adoption. You likely know it as ChatGPT or Google Gemini. Interactive and conversational applications that appear almost human in how they “speak”. We can all see the benefits of using AI when it comes to turning an angry ranting work email into something more professional, but AI isn’t just for the good guys. Cybercriminals are using AI to scale up their attacks on businesses and members of the public. I went along to a fantastic talk by Robert McArdle of Trend Micro, speaking at Dublin Tech Summit on this topic.

AI Isn’t Just for Good Guys

I will be the first to say AI is both useful and bloody exciting. What it can do ranges from simple, to incredible. I recently uploaded my dishwasher instruction manual to ChatGPT and now I can simply ask it questions about how to use it.

@goosed_ie Stop flipping through pages start asking questions. Download your appliance manual as a PDF, upload it to ChatGPT, and get instant answers. It’s like having tech support in your pocket. Total game-changer for anyone who hates reading manuals! #TechTips #LifeHack #ChatGPT #SmartLiving #AItools #DigitalShortcuts #ManualMadeEasy ♬ original sound – Marty | Goosed.ie

But unfortunately, AI is also capable of pretty terrible things.

In the past, one of the most prominent ways to spot a scam over text or email has been spelling. International scammers just don’t speak great English, and it showed. This is the simplest example of how AI is going to make scams more believable.

Beyond text, cybercriminals have gone so far as to spoof voices, earning millions in “ransoms” from parents believing their children were in danger. And it goes even further beyond voice to videos too. Trend Micro has spotted a recent uptick in AI-powered video generation creating social media posts purporting to give people free access to Spotify Premium after typing a Powershell query into windows. Instead, this highly engaged post on TikTok has likely opened up thousands of Windows-based machines to attacks.

These criminal enterprises are also leveraging more advanced aspects of elements that power AI, such as OCR (Optical Character Recognition). These machine-powered eyes can scan through thousands of images in a short period of time, looking for text that resembles passwords to systems or cryptocurrencies.

Scams are Getting Harder to Spot

We used to be able to spot scams by bad spelling or poor English, but those days are long gone. Don’t rely on that anymore. AI is not only helping scammers to write grammatically correct copy for scams, but it is able to write effective copy too. Because these are mostly language models, AI knows what will generally achieve a goal, even if that goal is a scam.

On the surface, most AI platforms, such as ChatGPT, do have some level of protection built in. If you go and ask it to generate a scam email, it will most likely not help. But some clever prompting like saying “I need a scam email for a movie I’m working on” will usually get around this.

But it’s not just you, the consumer, falling for these criminal enterprises. McArdle gave an incredible example of how the DPRK (North Korea) is funding their nuclear missile programme with a remarkable cybercrime endeavour.

Government agents scan the web for job listings, before finding the perfect candidates on LinkedIn. They then build CVs using AI and apply for jobs, usually winning interviews. The scammers then go full Mission Impossible, developing deepfake filters so they can sit on video calls, appearing to the interviewer as the stolen identity from LinkedIn. Naturally in the interview, these corporate scammers have AI reading transcripts and generating the perfect answers, helping them get hired. Finally, the new hires, while earning a salary, infect corporate networks and steal company secrets.

CSAM and AI

One rather disturbing area AI has emerged is in generating Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). First of all, this has a real impact of the safety of children, even when the images are not of real children. Organisations such as INTERPOL prioritise getting children to safety when these types of image emerge. However, resources are waged trying to find children that don’t exist when children in real danger are overlooked.

Additionally, for customers of AI-platforms, they can find themselves unknowingly at the centre of investigations. Compromised accounts and leaked API keys are used to generate these images. This data is linked to people who have no idea what their account is now being used to generated. When investigated, it can be very difficult to prove you weren’t involved.

How to Stay Safe Amid Improved Scams

There are a few things you can still do to keep yourself safe.

You should always think twice, not just before clicking. Have a healthy distrust of everything. I mean social media and even the phone calls you get from loved ones. I strongly recommend having a codeword with family. If you get a phone call, ask your loved one for the codeword that only they could know, so you know it’s them.

We’ve had years of educational campaigns trying to keep us all safe online. Unfortunately, while useful at the time, now many believe they know the simple warning signs for a scam. Poor spelling or bad English just isn’t sufficient red flag to be waiting for. You need to be more alert than ever, but in your private and professional life.

McArdle predicts that by the end of 2026, most workplaces will have at least one agentic AI coworker handling some tasks, whether it be support tickets or project management. This opens the door to new forms or attack.

One common way businesses are being targeted now is for their cloud access. Cybercriminals target easy to access cloud services like Amazon’s Bedrock, and running up massive GPU usage to power online criminal empires. Everyone must remain vigilant to ensure access to these systems is not compromised.

If you have any platform, personal or professional, that supports 2FA you really should be using it. I strongly recommend you also use unique passwords for every single platform you have an account for. Again, that’s across personal and professional.

And remember. While the world of technology is moving pretty damn fast, you can keep up with it.

Smyths Toys Confirm Nintendo Switch 2 Midnight Launch

Marty
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Smyths Toys Confirm Nintendo Switch 2 Midnight Launch

The much anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 launches soon on June 5th. It is set to be the biggest console launch of 2025, and it’s getting the full treatment. Smyths Toys will be opening at midnight for the launch, so eager gamers can pull all-nighters.

Here’s what you need to know.

Nintendo Switch 2 Midnight Launch in Ireland

All Smyths Toys stores nationwide will open at 12am on June 5th. That means on Wednesday night, you have to get yourself to a Smyths Toys store for midnight opening. The “midnight” thing has caught people out before, so pay attention.

Pre-order remains open today, where you can secure your launch Switch 2 for €509.99, a bundle which includes Mario Kart World.

When ordering, you can choose home delivery or “Click & Collect”. If you are planning to pick up at a midnight launch, you should choose “Click & Collect” and choose the store you want to pick up from.

Stores will remain open until 12:30am. You will need to bring some form of photo ID to prove you have a console to collect.

Should You Pre-order the Switch 2?

I’d be reluctant to attend a midnight launch with high hopes of getting a Switch 2 unless I had pre-ordered. But with that said, Smyths Toys has said that there are limited quantities of the Switch 2 available for purchase on the night.

In an attempt to combat scalpers buying and selling consoles at higher prices, Nintendo has produced a massive number of units of the Switch 2. The market should be more or less flooded from legitimate places to purchase it.

Again, to reiterate though, if you really want one at launch, I recommend pre-ordering.

Other than that, from everyone here at Goosed, we wish you a happy Nintendo Switch 2 launch!

StatrDraft: Irish Fantasy Football Startup Launches Crowdfunding

Marty
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0
StatrDraft: Irish Fantasy Football Startup Launches Crowdfunding

As the curtain falls on the English Premier League and with it ends the Fantasy Football you all play for 2 weeks and forget about. So do something different next year. Irish tech startup StatrDraft has launched a crowdfunding round for their new approach to fantasy football. Here’s what you need to know about the true alternative to Premier League Fantasy Football.

Disclosure: One of the founding members of StatrDraft writes for Goosed.ie. However, I’m writing this myself because I love fantasy football and I wanted to support Irish.

What is StatrDraft?

StatrDraft is the brain child of a group of Limerick friends who got bored of traditional fantasy football. They built their own leagues and scoring system based purely on the “NFL style” draft system.

StatrDraft is the answer to everything broken about regular fantasy football. The biggest issue fantasy football faces is, “the template team”. This is the same key players appearing in all of the most successful teams. Think Mo Salah. Straight away, he’s one player that every fantasy football team has. If I was to check the top 100 teams, you can be nearly sure they all have Salah.

Typically over a season, you’ll be in a league with several teams who all feature three or four of the same players with just a few differentials.

StatrDraft takes aim at this old model. Every player can be drafted only once to the league. This means every team is unique with every single pick being highly strategic.

The team also unleashes deeper statistics and variable competition times.

StarDraft is also the first fantasy football game I’m aware of which operates a blended league. This means you can piece together your team from the best players in the Premier League but also Women’s Super League.

How to Get Started With StatrDraft

StatrDraft has just opened it’s first crowdfunding round on Indiegogo. You can choose from a range of perks starting at just €10.

The team hopes, with the support of enough backers, to launch ahead of the 2025/2026 Premier League Season.

You might wonder just how likely is it that this bunch of lads from Limerick can take on the Premier League, however they’ve been recognised by the NDRC as one of Ireland’s startups with the most potential. So with your support, they can and will take on the world!

Energizer 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station Review

Marty
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0
Energizer 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station Review

Chargers don’t have to be boring, particularly if you are an iPhone, or MagSafe case user. Wireless charging opens a world of convenience, convenience you get to tap into only when you buy the best dock. I’ve been using two Anker docks for a few years now, but Energizer has sent over some accessories for me to try out, including one of their battery packs, which you can already read about. Today, I’ll be reviewing the Energizer 3-in-1 MagSafe charging station.

Features and Functionality

With the Energizer 3-in-1 charging station, you have the ability to charge, as the name suggests, 3 devices at once.

The three charging locations of the Energizer 3-in-1 charger. Photo: Marty Meany

The large charging point at the top is the MagSafe charger. Whether using a compatible iPhone or have a case for another phone that has MagSafe compatible rings, your phone will snap into place here. This lines up the wireless charging points perfectly, and away you go. Here, you’ll get 15W charging as long as your phone supports it.

Another benefit for iPhone users is that when your iPhone is in landscape mode on a MagSafe charger you get standby mode. This means beside your bed or on your office desk, your iPhone turns into a fantastic display of photos, time or calendar events.

A StandBy Mode screen on iPhone.

On the base to the left is an accessory charging pad. This isn’t MagSafe, but is perfect for the likes of AirPods or other wireless charging compatible accessories. I use Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 3, and they work perfectly here, charging at a maximum 5W

Finally, on the right is a folding charging dock for Apple Watch. This will only work with Qi-compatible wireless charging watches, such as Apple Watch which uses specific charging standards. This means there are some wireless charging watches which won’t work, and of course watches like Garmin that has its own charging cable. This part of the dock charges, again, at 5W.

To save your battery there is also the benefit of Energizer’s PowerSafe overload protection protecting your device against overcharging, overheating, short-circuiting and foreign metal objects.

Design and Build Quality

In terms of design, it’s hard to fault the layout and usefulness of the Energizer 3-in-1 stand.

However, it does let itself down a small but in the materials used; they are very much all plastic. This isn’t a massive issue, but it makes the dock very light. MagSafe magnets are very strong, so taking a phone off means you have to hold the base down. My Anker docks are a little heavier, which avoids this.

In theory, you could argue the light nature makes this travel-friendly, but the upright for the MagSafe charger is clipped in place with a thing I simply know I would lose when travelling. So I wouldn’t think that’s overly practical.

Overall, while the feel of the product is a little on the cheaper side, it works perfectly well.

Goosed Verdict: Energizer 3-in-1 Wireless Charger

For the price of just €44.99 from retailers such as Expert Electrical, I wouldn’t be hesitant to say it’s a good purchase, particularly if you are an iPhone and Apple Watch user. Of course, you can get MagSafe cases for most popular phones these days, but the Apple Watch charger on this doc is pretty much useless unless you have one, or a suitable watch. For example the Pixel Watch 3 doesn’t have Qi either. So double check that.

That said, there are two very capable wireless charging spots on this dock which are universally Qi-compatible.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review: 100 Hours in Feudal Japan and Worth Every Minute

Jon
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0
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Review: 100 Hours in Feudal Japan and Worth Every Minute

I Know I’m Late, But I’ve Finally Finished Assassin’s Creed Shadows, All 100 or So Hours of It. Seriously I was determined and now it’s done and to be perfectly honest all the pre launch hullaballoo had me thinking it was going to be a stinker but in reality AC Shadows is simply another Ubisoft game, nothing more nothing less.

Most reviewers had their hot takes out the door within 48 hours of launch, armed with early access codes and terrifying caffeine levels. Me? I went the long route played the game the way it was meant to be played: slow, immersive, and with plenty of detours into side quests I absolutely didn’t need to do but loved anyway.

So now, after clocking up about 100 hours wandering the open world of Feudal Japan, I’ve finally wrapped up Assassin’s Creed Shadows, And I’ve got thoughts.

So many thoughts.

Let’s get into it.

Feudal Japan Was Worth the Wait

Let’s be honest fans have been begging for a Japanese setting since Assassin’s Creed II and I know I was, it’s ninjas, shinobi’s and badasses everywhere what’s not to like? Every “what setting should Ubisoft tackle next?” poll had Feudal Japan at the top, and for years we got ancient Egypt, Baghdad, Greece, and Viking England instead. All decent in their own right, but this? This is the setting fans have been dreaming of.

And the best part? Ubisoft didn’t phone it in.

From the snowy mountains of Iga to the cherry blossom-lined paths of Kyoto, Assassin’s Creed Shadows feels like stepping into a living, breathing historical drama. Every temple, every village, and every blade of grass feels handcrafted at the start – like the devs knew they had to get this one right. The only downside is the map is huge after 100 hours of gameplay and every task completed, I still have seen only half of the world and that was enough for me.

Dual Protagonists Done Right: Naoe and Yasuke

At the heart of Shadows is this brilliant dual-protagonist setup. For the first time in the series, you’ve got two main characters with entirely different playstyles, and it works better than I expected, for the most part.

Naoe a stealthy shinobi who’s basically what you imagine when you hear, Assassin, stealthy, agile, deadly. She’s the spiritual successor to the Ezios and Altairs of old, moving through shadows, scaling rooftops, and assassinating targets with precision. Her missions are proper stealth fantasy, distracting guards, sneaking through tight corridors, and vanishing without a trace.

Yasuke, on the other hand, is an absolute unit, the literal tank of the game. Based on the real-life African samurai who served Oda Nobunaga, he brings brute strength and unmatched combat ability. With him, there’s no need for hiding, just walk through the front gate, katana swinging, and deal with everything head-on. His armour clanks, his strikes are thunderous, and it’s genuinely satisfying to shift from Naoe’s finesse to Yasuke’s sheer power. His downside is if you’re moving around the world he’s painfully slow once you get used to the nimbleness of Naoe, however for taking down bosses and castles, you want your tank in hand.

Naoe is all about shadows and sneaky kills, parkouring across rooftops and slipping through cracks in the walls like a ghost. Yasuke? He just walks through the front door and dares anyone to try him. It’s like getting Splinter Cell and Sekiro in the same game. It’s a clever bit of game design letting players pick their style depending on the mission or mood.

A Beautifully Reactive World

You know when a game makes you stop mid-mission just to take in the scenery? Yeah, this one does that a lot but then again nobody should be surprised, Ubisoft games whatver you might think about the gameplay, they always, always look stunning .One of the most impressive features in Shadows is its dynamic seasons and weather system, and not just because it looks gorgeous though it absolutely does. It actually changes how you play.

In summer, tall grass is perfect for cover. In winter, the same areas are exposed and crunchy with snow, forcing you to adapt. Rain muffles your footsteps. Mud can slow you down. It all matters which is a refreshing change from the usual “it’s just a weather effect” you get in most open-world games. It’s a proper living world where the weather and time of year actually matter.

There’s also a real sense of world-building here. Villages evolve. Rumours spread. You genuinely feel like your actions are shaping the world around you. It’s one of the most alive maps Ubisoft has ever built – and yes, I’m including Black Flag in that. Ubisoft’s map bloat still exists and I mean it, there’s always something to collect or unlock and for me as per usual with Ubisoft this is the only major letdown, the map is too bloated with side stuff. Just strip the game back by about 15 hours of collecting tea pots and paintings and you would have yourself a winner.

Combat That Finally Feels Sharp

Combat in Shadows feels like Ubisoft’s finally listened. Gone are the clunky RPG-lite mechanics that made fights in Valhalla feel like slugging it out in a bog. Here, it’s sharp, brutal, and stylish. Combat in recent Assassin’s Creed games got a bit bloated with sluggish animations that made every encounter feel like a chore. That’s not the case here.

Naoe’s combat is all about timing, positioning, and precision, while Yasuke’s is weighty and aggressive. The animations are slick, and the sound design makes every slash and block feel impactful. You’re not just button-mashing you’re thinking, planning, reacting.

There’s also a nice layer of customisation without feeling overwhelming. The skill trees are trimmed down, weapon upgrades are meaningful, and the gear you choose can significantly affect your playstyle.

Oh and stealth is finally worth doing again. You can extinguish lanterns, break line of sight, use real distraction tactics it’s back to being a stealth game at its core, and I love that. Shadows matter. Noise matters. You can even extinguish lights mid-mission to throw off guards. It’s the kind of detail we’ve been asking for since Ezio was knee-deep in Renaissance politics.

The Story: More Human Than Epic (In a Good Way)

Let’s be real: Ubisoft stories usually hover somewhere between “grand idea” and “meh execution.” Shadows is better than most. The story doesn’t hit the cinematic highs of The Witcher 3 or the bombast of Ghost of Tsushima, but it’s got heart.

The historical backdrop of Japan’s unification under Oda Nobunaga is fascinating, and Yasuke’s real-life connection to it adds weight to the fiction, which could’ve easily been botched but ends up being surprisingly respectful and nuanced. Naoe’s personal story of revenge and justice is more intimate, but it gives her a strong emotional arc that pays off.

That said, the narrative still stumbles now and again. Pacing dips here and there, and the big twists are usually visible from a mile off. The writing is solid, the characters are grounded, the narrative as a whole holds together better than most entries in the series. Most importantly I cared about these characters. That’s not something I’ve felt in Assassin’s Creed since I was sailing around with Edward bloody Kenway.

What’s Not So Great?

Alright, let’s be fair no game is perfect. Assassin’s Creed Shadows still has a few of those classic Ubisoft hang-ups:

  • The menu system is still too bloated too many tabs, too much faffing about.
  • Some missions get repetitive, especially in the mid-game.
  • And yes, there are microtransactions mostly cosmetic, but still annoying to see in a premium AAA title.

That said, none of these are dealbreakers. They’re minor distractions in an otherwise brilliant experience.

Final Verdict: Is Assassin’s Creed Shadows Worth It?

It’s stylish, smart, and finally delivers the Japanese setting fans have been begging for. If you’ve been waiting for Ubisoft to return to form this is it, i know a lot of the internet has very divided opinions but for me, I loved it and I did spend 100 hours playing so that’s a testament in itself . A rich setting, two solid leads, refined mechanics, and a world that actually feels alive? It’s the best Assassin’s Creed has been in years.

And if you’ve got 100 hours to spare, there’s no better place to spend them than in the heart of Feudal Japan.

Does FlyKitt Work? Buying to Beat Jet Lag

Marty
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Does FlyKitt Work? Buying to Beat Jet Lag

I’m just home from a lovely trip to China. It wasn’t for work or anything, just for fun. But when ever I go on a big holiday like this, I shortlist some items to test out. The kinds of items you can best test out on a holiday, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Another key piece of kit for this holiday was FlyKitt, a pack you purchase to overcome jet lag on a holiday. Here’s what how I got on with it.

Disclosure: This product was gifted to the author. This means it was provided free of charge to be reviewed but the brand supplying it did not insist on a review, nor do they have any control over the content within this review.

What is FlyKitt?

I once read that there are no magic cures for time zones. Travelling long haul can, and likely will, take its toll on you. But I disagree with the sentiment that there is nothing you can do. As I’ve shown in the past, apps like Timeshifter help you manage your circadian rhythms and light exposure to regulate your energy as best you can. Even on flights, the crew will usually tailor lighting and food to best prepare you for your arrival timezone.

FlyKitt builds on the idea of an app and regulating your body clock by adding in a pack of supplements and blue light glasses.

The FlyKitt app takes in your flight details and then tells you when to take your supplements.

Advance prepares your body for the upcoming travel stress by boosting energy metabolism and balancing your circadian rhythm. Protect shields your body from the oxidative stress and inflammation caused by altitude changes and cabin pressure. I also wore compression socks as is regularly recommended for long haul flights.

Mellow was my favourite. You take this around your intended bedtime in your destination’s time zone. Mellow encourages restful sleep to help reset your internal clock and ease the transition across time zones. Included in the ingredients is melatonin to help you rest.

Finally, there’s Sustain which you typically take after your flight, to support ongoing recovery and daytime energy.

The pack also included some instant coffee and two sachets of “Circadian Reset”, which was just lots of sugar from what I could see at the bottom of my cup.

How Does FlyKitt Work?

The idea behind FlyKitt is to give you an app to manage your energy, and supplements to optimise your body’s reaction to the stress and unusual times of long haul travel. Before travel, the app told me the best time to go to sleep based on my flight details, and when to start taking supplements.

Dublin to Beijing, is a direct route with ten hours of fly time. Shortly after takeoff, the app told me to take some more supplements and to don my blue light glasses. These glasses are designed to filter out the specific wavelengths of blue light that can suppress melatonin production, the hormone responsible for sleep regulation.

By wearing them at strategic times (as guided by the Flykitt app), you can effectively “trick” your body into preparing for sleep earlier or staying alert longer, depending on your destination’s time zone. This light management helps shift your internal clock more smoothly, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up in line with your new schedule.

Wearing my FlyKitt blue light glasses on my flight to China – Photo by Marty Meany

Between the Mellow supplements and the blue light glasses, I slept for about 8 hours on the flight. Something I’ve never even nearly achieved while travelling before. I woke up once to use the bathroom, but felt the blue light glasses, which I fell asleep wearing, kept my mind in a state of sleep. So when I went back to my seat, I fell back asleep.

The Goosed Verdict: FlyKitt – Is It Worth It?

The big question for me after this trip remains whether or not I would buy a FlyKitt for myself considering that FlyKitt sent this over to me for testing.

It’s really not a cheap product. €90 will get you a FlyKitt Starter pack, which includes the blue light glasses and enough supplements for a round trip. After this, a FlyKitt refill will set you back about €60.

With Timeshifter, I said you need to understand that you’re paying to have the holiday of a lifetime run smoothly by doing everything you can to kill jet lag. This is a sizeable price jump. I will accept that I now use the blue light glasses before bed and am looking into getting some melatonin (which you can’t buy in Ireland). One additional point is that some of the capsule were quite big, if swallowing large tablets might be a problem for you.

I think the final assessment is that for €90, if you have a big long haul trip coming up, this isn’t a bad investment. Oddly is buying just the refills at €60 feels harder when a good sleep only needs melatonin and the glasses.

But I do have to admit that the sleep I had with FlyKitt, both on the flight and on night one in China was some of the best sleep I’ve ever had.

    Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Long-term Review: Can My iPhone Survive This?

    Marty
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    0
    Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Long-term Review: Can My iPhone Survive This?

    I didn’t think my review of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra would be taking this angle. I’ve found Samsung phone launches to be rather dull affairs for a few years. None of the features really impressed me while my iPhone continued to do everything I could need. But testing the Galaxy S25 Ultra and a trip to China have completely turned everything on it’s head.

    I’ll wrap up those thoughts at the end of this review, but let’s get the usual stuff out of the way.

    Design and Build Quality

    What can I say about the design and build quality except this feels every cent of the price tag you’re paying for it. And it would want to. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has a titanium frame with an ever so slightly rounded edge and matte finish on the rear.

    It’s a big phone. That should go without saying, given it’s Samsung’s primary flagship. Yet, despite weighing 218g and having a 6.9-inch screen, it didn’t feel big or heavy. My daily driver is an iPhone 16 Pro, weighing in at 199g with a 6.3-inch display. I wasn’t left feeling the Samsung was too big. I was actually left wondering if I should return to a bigger phone.

    In all of my testing in the past couple of years, I’ve been completely happy with the “smaller” iPhone or smaller Xiaomi 15. But from the viewing experience of the display to the extra typing space, I loved the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

    I’m not including any images here because if you really want to get an idea of how the phone looks or feels, you should try make it into any phone shop. They will almost certainly have a phone on display so you can check it out properly.

    The additional size also unlocks more space for hardware, like the camera. Which was an absolute treat on my trip to China.

    Camera

    Am I a fool for thinking the iPhone 16 Pro camera was everything I would ever need? Perhaps for regular day-to-day point and shoot style photography, the iPhone did everything I needed. And maybe an iPhone in the hands of a great photographer is going to be better than the Galaxy S25 Ultra in my hands. Actually, it almost certainly would be!

    However, the Galaxy S25 Ultra left me trying harder. A fellow tech reviewer, John Reilly, said the Xiaomi 15 Ultra made him “want to be a better photographer”. His words were ringing in my ears has I whipped out the Galaxy S25 Ultra while holidaying in China.

    Halfway through the trip, I installed Expert RAW mode and starting using the camera with much more intent. Chongqing is a foodie and photographer’s dream.

    Note: This images are compressed as part of our website optimisation but retain most of the quality. These are not the RAW images.

    Colorful neon signs and billboards in various languages illuminating a busy urban street at night.
    The neon street signs of Chongqing, the cyberpunk city, China – Image: Marty Meany – Shot on Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

    The Galaxy S25 Ultra was just amazing at picking up wide varieties of colour and depth of detail. RAW mode meant a little more setting up in the shot (which needs a patient other half – thankfully I’m blessed there) and some time spent editing afterwards.

    But what I found to be the real “ace up the sleeve” for Samsung was the different lenses. The S25 Ultra has a 200MP wide-angle lens, 50MP ultra-wide angle lens, 10MP telephoto lens with 3x zoom and 50MP periscope telephoto lens which also has a 5x optical zoom.

    I used every single one of these lenses on my trip because I needed to. Sometimes the shot you want is far away, sometimes it’s really near. And the Galaxy S25 Ultra has something in the kit for every kind of photo.

    Red cable car suspended over a densely packed cityscape with tall modern and older high-rise buildings.
    A cable car crosses the river in Chongqing, China – Image: Marty Meany – Shot on Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

    I will admit, that we the renewed interest in mobile photography that the Samsung gave me, I did start to take better shots with my iPhone too, which also features RAW mode. But when a big photo opportunity appeared, it was the Galaxy 25 Ultra that I impulsively reached for.

    Monorail train passing through a building at Liziba Station in an urban area with surrounding high-rise structures.
    A famous monorail trail passing through an apartment block at Liziba Station, Chongqing, China – Image: Marty Meany – Shot on Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

    Samsung’s AI Features Are a Mixed Bag

    From the impressive photography hardware of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, it feels natural to segue to the phone’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) features. Like every other consumer tech company right now, Samsung is struggling to make AI relevant to everyday phone users.

    Travelling in China, I knew there would be two great uses for AI on a smartphone; image editing and translation.

    Image Editing

    When you’re trying to get the perfect shot in China, particularly at a tourist hotspot, you’re going to get a lot of other people in the frame. You can either wait, or if you have a Samsung, trust AI can fix it afterwards.

    Now, Samsung isn’t the first to do this. Google’s Magic Eraser has been beyond impressive for some time. But the generative AI fill on the Galaxy S25 Ultra is extremely impressive. Particularly when you get to use Samsung’s S-Pen and feel like a proper graphic designer (sorry, if you’re a graphic designer, and you just felt nauseous).

    Take this shot I grabbed of a popular spot in Chongqing.

    Original photo (left) with removals carried out by Samsung Generative AI (right), Chongqing, China – Image: Marty Meany – Shot on Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

    You can see the image is cropped a bit and the quality drops a little in the AI-edited version. But the removal of the girl and the belongings on the stairs is great. The quality drop makes sense in terms of saving money and resources for Samsung given the amount it takes to generate with AI.

    But generally this is a useful tool for the average smartphone owner to have at their disposal.

    Translation

    I always highlight that I’m in a great position when it comes to translation assessment. Despite years of trying to learn German, I’m still awful at it. Years of looking through translation apps had left me utterly disappointed until the Honor Magic 7 Pro came along and blew my mind -specifically when it came to translation.

    Naturally, I was excited to try out Samsung’s AI-translation features. I also had the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, which should have added to my experience. Unfortunately, that conversational feature was oversold and really slow.

    The Samsung Interpreter app (translator app) when used in a one-to-one environment where it’s quiet, and both parties are very clear on how the translation service works, it’s ok at best. But the flow of conversation is pretty slow. The translation accuracy varied dramatically and I believe this is down to one thing. I’ve learned that when speaking to a smart translation app, I speak differently to help the app understand context and meaning better. This seems to be when Samsung’s on-board translation worked well.

    In more impromptu scenarios, the phone struggled. For me, this is a big fail given AI-should make this unnecessary. Translation should be AI’s biggest strength, but Samsung just hasn’t handled it that well. There were a few occasions where a taxi driver might swing around and say something, but I wasn’t ready for them.

    The idea of the Interpreter App is that you leave it running and it translates everything. But when used in this mode, nearly everything was just a jumbled mess of nonsense. It works much better when you trigger translations back and forth, but this defeats the purpose.

    My search for the perfect smart translation solution, continues.

    Other Hardware and Performance

    All of that on-board and even cloud-based AI power needs lots of hardware. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is powered by the ever-impressive Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, custom-built specifically for Samsung.

    This makes the phone one of the best on the market for gaming and productivity – so take your pick!

    If you are on the bleeding edge of connectivity, you can also enjoy Wi-Fi 7 (hello Eir customers), but realistically, most customers will be happy with the 5G and Wi-Fi connectivity in general.

    The 5000 mAh battery delivered a battery life that was plenty for me in China. Before anyone asks, I did have an eSIM in the phone so it was operating fully as a regular smartphone would be with the usual background services running and social media apps installed and logged in. I was getting nearly two days out of the phone, but I wasn’t using it for navigation and payments, as that was all on my iPhone.

    When it did come time to charge, it was really fast. I use a powerful adaptive 140w Belkin charger which was able to provide the maximum 45W wired charging and was easily able to take the phone from nearly dead to a light day’s worth of charge in just 30 minutes. Great when you’re popping back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner and realise you’re on 20% battery.

    The phone does support wireless charging too. You’ll get 15W wireless charging and even be able to charge another device with 4.5W charging. But I’d keep this for emergencies, given it’s extremely slow and hardly worth giving up the power of your Samsung unless really necessary.

    Samsung’s One UI 7

    I want to add a note on Samsung’s version of Android, One UI 7. Largely, I’ve been very impressed with it. Some manufacturers wrap Android in a style that I can only describe as a “little childish”. Samsung’s remains nice and easy to navigate while also remaining highly customisable to your needs.

    Again, AI here is a bit of a mixed bag. I never enjoyed the Now Briefing features. But recent updates have brought a live features similar to the iPhone’s Dynamic Island to Samsung.

    Google’s Gemini AI is the default assistant, which is fantastic news given how utterly useless Bixby has been since forever. You can now hold the side button, launch Gemini AI and even ask about what’s on your screen. It’s a nice feature that I could imagine I’d get a lot of use out of long term (even though I’m a ChatGPT man really).

    The Goosed Verdict: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Review

    As I hinted at from the outset, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra left me considering a change. Two phones have done this already this year; this phone and the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Both phones are bigger, which I’m unsure about, but both phones are also massively photography based.

    After a few days at home, I’m not taking as many photos and that desire to change has fizzled out a little. Not because I don’t think I’d love the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but because it’s an expensive switch and I have the entire Apple ecosystem in my life.

    But this is the first time in years when I’ve been left feeling like my iPhone doesn’t do everything I want. I know there’s something missing now and I would be completely happy a weird thief came along and swapped my iPhone 16 Pro for a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

    That might all sound like a very weird way to recommend a phone, but for me that’s a massive recommendation. If you want a great camera alongside an enjoyable phone to use and don’t mind slightly bigger form factors; the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the best well-rounded and low risk phone on the market for you. That is assuming you don’t have a tight budget.

    Person holding a Samsung smartphone on the Great Wall of China under a clear blue sky.The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra costs €1,429 SIM-free from the likes of Harvey Norman and will still cost around €500 on most people’s average bill pay plan. You can check out our calculator to see what the best value way to buy your phone is, but typically, it’s SIM-free and then grab the best SIM-only plan for yourself.

    Lyft Entering Irish Market Doesn’t Bring Needed Change

    Marty
    -
    0
    Lyft Entering Irish Market Doesn’t Bring Needed Change

    Today it has been announced that American ride-sharing company Lyft has acquired FreeNow. As is always the case with these big tech acquisitions, the press releases declare this “exciting news” as great for consumers, promising even better rides and experience for people needing to get from A to B.

    However, the reality is much bleaker for anyone trying to grab a taxi in Ireland. I live in Dublin. A capital city that has reasonably good bus and tram connections in most situations. But once outside a “good route”, you rely on taxis, and relying on taxis in Dublin is grim.

    Supply, Demand and “Cash is King”

    On the odd occasion I’ve needed a taxi in Dublin, I’ve dreaded it. I have a plethora of taxi apps, ranging from FreeNow (formerly Hailo, MyTaxi and something else I’m sure), Bolt, Hola, and Lynk (the app created by drivers for drivers). At any given time or during a sudden downpour, you could be staring at your app for up to 20 minutes waiting for a driver.

    When that driver arrives, I’ve often been greeted with questionable banter at best and utter anger that I’m using apps at all at worst.

    I haven’t hailed a taxi on the street in a long time, but have seen plenty of “cash is king” stickers in taxis and drivers try to dodge card fees and possibly more. Reddit is full to the brim of tales from nights out where drivers’ card machines are broken, despite the operation of a taxi legally requiring a payment terminal in the car. The workaround seemingly being to tell your driver you have cash before realising at your destination you don’t and suddenly, the card machine jumps back into life, or you’re paying directly over Revolut.

    This is the taxi experience that the people of Ireland have been led to believe is acceptable. I’m sure many will say it’s the few that ruin it for the many, but the few are far more plentiful and cheeky than they should be.

    Ride Sharing Versus the Taxi Lobby

    Ireland has Uber and, now thanks to this acquisition news, Lyft, in the market. However, both of these companies are very different in Ireland when compared with other countries. In the United States, Uber and Lyft are ride-sharing companies. Simply put, anyone can sign up to these apps as a driver, and offer lifts to people in need. It’s part of the gig economy, which in itself is problematic, yet it remains highly popular both for passengers and drivers needed extra income.

    However, ride-sharing has met stiff opposition in Ireland despite the apparent need for more transport around the country.

    Uber and Lyft will continue to operate in Ireland, but only as a means to access taxi drivers. But should we still stand in the way of disruption here?

    It’s a debate with good points on both sides. Some point to accusations that Uber’s model effectively being to undermine the taxi industry, and drive up ride-share prices when the taxi drivers quit. Or surge pricing making Uber more expensive than any taxi option during busy periods. Yet “technology fees” by companies like FreeNow have come under massive criticism from passengers as another attempt to “price gouge”.

    My Didi Taxi Experience in China

    I’m just back after a trip to China which covered Beijing and Chongqing, two of the world’s largest mega-cities. Beijing is sprawling, depending heavily on metro and bus connections. Chongqing is similar, with additional challenges given the height changes in the mountainous city requiring additional rail and cable car options. Both cities additionally have Didi, an app I used quite a lot on my visit.

    Didi gives you access to all forms of taxi transport, from actual taxis to people taking part in ride-sharing within the gig economy. I tried and tested a wide range of these, from taxis, “luxe” six seaters, regular ride-shares and the infamous “yellow Ferraris” of Chongqing.

    My experience was incredible. From Beijing airport to my hotel was about 50 minutes, costing my little over €14. The return trip, with a little more experience and during lighter traffic was 30 minutes it a more premium 6-seater costing just about €20.

    Shorter hops throughout the trip ranging from 10 to 20 minutes could cost as little as €3 to €8.

    Now, I know that this is one of the biggest examples of comparing apples and oranges, but it opened my eyes to a capital city working through transport issues by allowing all means necessary.

    Didi still polices their driver pool, polling for poor behaviour and remaining open for feedback from your trip, ready to take action when needed. True competition in the market is good for consumers when implemented correctly.

    I will concede that not all of Ireland needs this solution. Shortly after returning from China, I was in Westport where only a handful of taxi operators are working, basically ferrying people from the locality and hotels to a handful of pubs and appointments. The hotel I was in sorted connections, even loading in people together out of convenience. It wasn’t expensive and it worked well even during busy hours. However, this was the only option as no apps like FreeNow even worked in the area.

    However, for those in the bigger cities, for the foreseeable future, passengers are set to remain in the back seat of an expensive taxi, feeling guilty about paying with a card tap and that’s if they were lucky enough to get a taxi at all.

    Eir and Gomo Are Down Right now

    Marty
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    0
    Eir and Gomo Are Down Right now

    Mobile data services from Eir are currently down. This means mobile internet access for Eir voice and mobile broadband services, along with Gomo mobile internet access are currently down. You may not notice this while at home as you are connected to Wi-Fi, only to find if you head out you have no internet access.

    Website Down Detector shows a significant rise in network issues being reported since 1:30pm today for both Eir and Gomo, with mobile internet specifically being reported. It appears to be impacting customers on both prepay and bill pay.

    To conflate issues, users on Twitter are also saying that Eir’s customer care number, 1901, is also not working.

    Eir is responding to customers with a copy and paste repsonse , asking customers to “please send [them ]a DM with your details and [they] will help you out”. But no further information is currently available.

    In a comment to Goosed.ie, Eir stated they “experienced a brief, intermittent outage this afternoon that affected some fixed line and mobile customers. The issue has since been fully resolved and services are operating normally”.

    Garron Noone Returns to Social Media

    Marty
    -
    0
    Garron Noone Returns to Social Media

    Comedian, musician and social media star Garron Noone has reactivated his social media accounts after a brief hiatus. Noone had deactivated his account following a backlash that surrounded two posts he created in which he discussed various topics including Conor McGregor and immigration. What followed was a national debate on Noone’s comments which led to outpourings of support for the creator and massive critism too.

    In his latest post tonight, Noone said, “this is the last time I’m going to discuss this particular topic” before he gets back to what he wants to do, which is “having the craic”. In a comment on the post, he added “I stand by what I said in my first video, this video will clarify any points I seen that were taken up differently to how I meant them, and this will be my last word on it”.

    In the 9-minute video, which has been posted on TikTok which you can watch below, Noone confirmed he had taken down his own accounts to avoid reacting with emotion and that he decided to remove himself for a little while and clear his head.

    He thanked the people who supported him, but also those who criticised him saying that it’s important debate takes place to ensure nefarious actors can’t hijack vacuums of silence.

    The creator also said he took accountability for how he worded some of his points and said they were too vague, and open to interpretation.

    You should watch the full video below rather than my notes on it. But I am personally glad to see him back and that he’s doing well because that was some horrific pressure to be under. I hope that we soon see him shouting at cups of tea again. I also hope as a nation we’ve learned something from this experience. Whether it be the importance of wording, context, discussion or something else.

    @garron_music

    ♬ original sound – Garron Noone

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