Keeping up with TikTok trends is tough. There’s something relatable to some of the more creative trends, but this latest TikTok Live trend is just bizarre. As bizarre as I find it, people love it; both creators and content consumers.
What is the TikTok NPC AI Trend?
Right now, TikTok creators are going live and broadcasting streams pretending to be an AI or NPC. NPC stands for “non-playable character, a character in a game that usually has odd dialogue. GTA is the best example of this. For this trend, TikTok creators “emote” when people give them rewards. These rewards are TikTok currency that can be traded in for cold hard cash.
The ignition point came with TikTok content creator “Pinkydoll”, who gained sudden popularity on Twitter as clips of her peculiar random catchphrases and exaggerated movements left commentators baffled. This discovery on Twitter shed light on the peculiar realm of TikTok “NPC” live streams.
Although Pinkydoll was the initial focus of widespread attention, inquisitive Twitter users later found that other TikTok streamers were also engaging in similar behavior
The general public seems to enjoy the trend. You donate to someone who has thousands of viewers and they react to your donation.
It reminds me a bit of fans at a recent Post Malone gig. They threw a range of things on stage throughout the show and enjoyed the moment when he wore their sunglasses, hat, or similar. This is a very similar interaction that seems to be driving the TikTok AI trend.
What the Creators Think
I had a quick chat with TikTok creator Opal. She was tired after a live where she was doing this trend, “emoting” for rewards. She says “It’s properly profitable if you have a fan base that sends you expensive gifts”. She believes it’s popular because “it’s easy to follow what everyone else is doing and is sometimes addictive”.
It’s not all good though. Because the trend is a bit on the odder side, Opal says comments can go astray. “People will hate on you and make rude comments”, she says, but it’s not all bad. These commenters “will still watch your live for a while and give you attention to only get more viewers”.
While profitable for creators and it might seem odd, Opal admits it’s a tough gig. While she enjoys it she does admit “it’s actually tiring”. “I was live for 4 hours and now I’m tired and my body is kind of sore”.
Opal’s stats, posted to her Instagram story shortly after performing, show that in a single 4-hour session, viewers spent approximately $1200 on rewards. TikTok takes 50% of all of that, but that means it remains a profitable business for creators.
There you have it. That’s the whole NPC trend explained if you come across it on TikTok live.
Twitter is dying? Since Elon Musk bought out Twitter, the social media landscape has started undergoing the biggest shift that we have ever seen. Zuck Versus Elon the battle that has been raging online and potentially in the ring has taken another step with the launch of Meta’s Threads, their alternative to Twitter. Here’s the thing, they aren’t the only alternative app to peek above the parapet in recent times with the intent of knocking the big blue bird off its perch.
Over the last 15 years or so, social media has become a huge part of our day-to-day lives, whether it be posting a pic of a bouji coffee place or catching up on the latest in the news, people like Fabrizio Romano to Donald Trump used the platforms to create their persona’s. Social media in general has revolutionised how we connect and engage with the world around us. Twitter over the last decade has been probably the most prominent platform alongside Facebook, however, since Elon Musk’s takeover the sharks have been circling. Poor Elon, his decisions since taking over Twitter have given rise to innovative alternatives like T2, BlueSky, Mastodon, and Threads. In this article, we will take a gander into the future of social media, focusing on Twitter and these emerging alternatives, and explore why the landscape is undergoing a transformative shift.
Why the Landscape is Changing:
There are a number of reasons why the landscape is changing. Partly it boils down to the evolving needs and preferences of users. While Twitter has thrived as a micro-blogging platform, some users desire a more robust and personalised experience. These changing expectations have paved the way for alternative platforms that offer unique features, catering to a broader range of user preferences. Basically, Twitter is a cesspit of the worst of humanity screaming for time and attention, saying inflammatory things or generally being controversial or downright incorrect for the sake of clicks, Piers Morgan anyone? And people want change.
There is also the demand for decentralisation. Current platforms like Twitter often face challenges related to moderation, censorship, and data privacy. Users are increasingly seeking decentralised alternatives that prioritise transparency, community control, and data ownership. This demand has prompted the development of platforms like T2, BlueSky, Mastodon, and Threads, which aim to provide greater user autonomy and control over their online presence.
The Competitors:
Twitter
Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, the platform has undergone notable feature changes aimed at “enhancing” user experience and expanding its reach. One of the significant updates introduced is the expansion of character limits, allowing users to express themselves more freely within a single tweet. This change has encouraged deeper engagement and facilitated more meaningful conversations. That’s what Elon is going to say anyway. A recent survey from Pew Research Center shows that the most active Twitter users are posting less frequently than they have in the past. Top users’ average number of tweets per month declined by around 25% following the acquisition.
Twitter Blue, Gold and Silver ticks have also been a source of contention. The Blue tick used to be the symbol of a verified account, it’s now a paid-for subscription and let’s be honest who wants that? The Blue tick has been changed by the Silver and Gold tiered ticks, so a company like a Spar would be Gold as it’s an official business but Ryan Tubridy would be a silver badge, had to throw in an RTE reference…sorry, not sorry.
Since Musk’s buyout, his influence has been obvious for the good of the platform too, improved video capabilities and enhanced live streaming options, making Twitter a more interactive and multimedia-rich platform. Furthermore, there has been a greater emphasis on combating misinformation and enhancing content moderation, with the implementation of robust algorithms and community-driven reporting systems.
T2
T2 is an American social media company founded by former Twitter employees Sarah Oh and Gabor Cselle. It provides an authenticated network where users can make posts and interact in communities. It is currently in invite-only beta, though the contents on the site are publicly visible. As an American company, they did recently showcase at the Canadian Collision Conference in Toronto where they announced 5,000 invitations to the attendees making it one of the places to be for those in the technosphere.
It’s an up-and-coming social media platform that puts emphasis on privacy and user control. Built on blockchain technology, T2 enables users to own and monetise their data. The platform utilises cryptographic algorithms to ensure secure communication and offers features like encrypted direct messaging and decentralised content storage. T2 aims to empower users while fostering a sense of trust and transparency within the social media ecosystem.
BlueSky
Bluesky is a decentralised social media initiative that was first announced by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in December 2019. The project aims to create an open and decentralised standard for social media that would enable users to have more control over their online presence and data.
By the looks of it, BlueSky is an ambitious project being developed as an open and decentralised social media protocol. It aims to address the limitations of centralised platforms by allowing users to choose from a diverse array of client applications and service providers while maintaining interoperability and preserving the social graph. BlueSky envisions a future where users have greater agency over their social media experiences and can participate in shaping the platform’s rules and governance.
There is no official word on how long it takes to get on the platform from the waitlist, it could take weeks or even months. You will get an email when it’s your turn to come off of the waitlist, so make sure you are watching your inbox.
Mastodon is a free, open-source social media platform that’s gaining popularity as an alternative to the likes of Twitter and Facebook. It allows users to post text, links, images, videos, and audio on their profiles or in public feeds Mastodon is a federated social network that operates on the principle of decentralisation.
Instead of relying on a single server or company, Mastodon consists of interconnected instances, each with its own rules and moderation policies. This decentralised structure fosters diverse and self-governing communities, enabling users to find spaces that align with their interests and values. Mastodon encourages open-source collaboration, making it a customisable and inclusive alternative to Twitter.
Threads
Threads is not yet available in Ireland or other EU countries due to concerns over GDPR and privacy rules but went live in the UK at midnight on Thursday. The launch of the platform, created by Facebook and Instagram owners Meta, was brought forward by 15 hours and made freely available in 100 countries and holy fuck a duck has it taken off.
Threads is Meta’s newly launched app that rivals Twitter, placing its primary focus on sharing short snippets of text on the free conversation-based platform. The Zuckerberg-backed platform is standalone, though, it is an online hub that’s linked to Instagram (and requires an Instagram account to sign up). Threads is a social media platform designed to enhance conversational engagement. It builds upon the concept of Twitter threads, enabling users to create threaded conversations that are easy to follow and engage with. Threads encourage meaningful discussions by providing features like topic-based categorisation, inline replies, and improved thread navigation.
With a focus on fostering in-depth conversations, Threads offers a refreshing alternative for users seeking a more interactive and engaging social media experience.
The Goosed Verdict
We can see the next era of social is coming, platforms like Twitter and Facebook are on their knees much like MySpace and Bebo were when these current big hitters came to town. TikTok is the obvious next-gen platform that has come to prominence in recent times taking some of the wind out of the sails of Instagram, so much so Insta Reels are more often than not a TikTok that’s been reposted. Now it’s Twitter in the firing line and in a world where users are sick of bots and misinformation alternatives are emerging that aim to meet the demands of the modern user.
Whether it is the quest for greater privacy, control, or more engaging conversations, platforms like T2, BlueSky, Mastodon, and Threads offer unique approaches and features, outside of Threads of course which is not EU GDPR compliant as of yet but still seems to have had major uptake. Which platform is going to take the crown is yet to be decided but what we do know is that the future of social media will likely witness a more decentralised, user-centric, and transparent ecosystem, where individuals have greater autonomy over their online presence.
Embracing these emerging alternatives, while recognising the core strengths of platforms like Twitter, will contribute to a more dynamic social media experience for all. Now if we could just get some regulation in place around news sourcing regulation and user verification it will be a whole new online world.
I had a voucher from Christmas burning a hole in my pocket earlier this year and decided to spend it on a watch. I wanted something that would help me keep a record of the exercise I was doing and also encourage me to be more active. As an Android user, the Apple Watch was out and as someone who goes on multi-day trips where charging isn’t guaranteed, I needed something that would track for days on end, which ruled out most of the Android-based Wear OS options. That left me with one stand-out brand to go for – Garmin.
The Garmin Venu 2 Plus strikes a balance between smartwatch and fitness wearable so it ticked lots of my boxes, it was also in budget at €449 but you can find it now for €399 from Harvey Norman. Garmin has a huge choice of watches with many specialising in specific sports like running, golf, and swimming with extremely detailed data, but the Venu 2 Plus is more of a generalist. I don’t focus on one particular sport, I ride bikes, run, swim in the sea, and kayak, so this is a good fit for me.
Design
The design of the Venu 2 Plus is fine. It’s not going to win any awards or be very memorable, but it does the job and looks well when you’re out on the trail or walking about town. I went for the 43mm model, a middle-of-the-road choice, it doesn’t look too small on my wrist nor is it too bulky. The AMOLED screen blends nicely into the back bezel and stainless steel body–overall I don’t think anyone will hate how this looks. The build quality is brilliant though, I’ve put it through its paces and had a fair share of tumbles and it’s still looking brand new.
Specs
Garmin Venu 2 Plus
Materials
Gorilla Glass 3 & Stainless Steel
Display Size
1.3”
Weight
51g
Screen
AMOLED
Smartwatch Features
The Venu 2 Plus is what I like to think of as a leave-your-phone-at-home watch because I can head off to the shops, pay for things through Garmin Pay and listen to music through Spotify without needing my phone nearby. And when I do have my phone connected by Bluetooth, I can take calls and use my voice assistant. Personally, this isn’t my cup of tea, but it’s good to have the option there thanks to the built-in speaker and microphone.
I’ve never been much of a watch wearer and expected to wear my Garmin when exercising and not too often outside of this, but the daily tracking of my steps, sleep, and body battery has me hooked and I’ve now got the dreaded watch tan. Garmin’s Step Goal is adaptive, if you exceed your target, it adjusts so your target is higher, and vice-versa if you don’t walk too much. Seeing my step counter a few hundred short of hitting my goal gives me the little nudge needed to walk instead of hopping on the bus.
The sleep tracking and body battery monitoring have been a surprise hit for me. I thought they were gimmicky when I first found out about them, but with five months of data, I can see patterns and how lifestyle changes (and a few pints) can impact both.
Fitness Features
Just three button presses are all that’s needed to start recording your activity and you’re ready to go. During the activity, you can set custom data fields so you get the info you need at a glance. I’m not too fussed with pace or heart rate as I’m not training for anything, so mine are set to show distance, elevation, and time. Once you’ve stopped recording, the watch displays a breakdown of the activity, syncs up automatically with your phone, and then goes back to monitoring your health in the background.
If you’re looking for a more regimented approach to your exercise and training, the Garmin Coach helps you train for a 5k, 10k, or marathon. The feature is pretty useful as it breaks down your goals and gives you a custom training plan of long and short runs, and the coach is with you during the runs alerting you to upcoming targets. All in, there are 25 preloaded apps for specific sports and on-screen workouts for the likes of HIIT and yoga.
Battery
The battery has blown me away. I don’t want to worry about charging my watch every night and I don’t want battery anxiety when I’m heading out on a long cycle or hike. Using it as a smartwatch where you’re not tracking any activities expect up to 9 days of battery life and 24 hours of GPS tracking when you’re recording. Compared to the Apple Watch Ultra which is over twice the price, it would be easy to be disappointed with its 36 hours of regular use. One caveat though is that Garmin devices use a proprietary charger, USB-C would be a great upgrade.
Garmin App
Connect, the companion app for Garmin devices is a bit of a love-hate affair. It’s got buckets of data, but not many insights. All the stats and numbers are there, but it can be hard to interpret what exactly they mean and how they’re linked to one another. The design of the app isn’t great either, it feels very dated and miles behind the glanceability and slickness of Apple. I tend to use Strava or Komoot to look back on my past activities.
There’s also the option of downloading additional apps and watch faces through Connect IQ. This is another aspect where Garmn falls behind Apple and watches using Wear OS. There are very few extra apps to download, there’s no WhatsApp, Headspace, or Audible here, instead the offering is more focused on mapping and music apps.
Think of watches as a spectrum. On one end there’s the hardcore activity user that needs weeks on end of tracking and navigation, on the other end is the person who wants a device on their wrist that’s got the same capabilities as their phone. Garmin devices tend to lean towards the former and this is clear once you look through the Connect IQ apps.
Verdict
The Garmin Venu 2 Plus has been a great purchase for me as it strikes the perfect balance between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker for my personal needs. I’d love it if the Connect app was fully redesigned, it feels so dated compared to the watch and is fairly uninviting to use. All the data is great to have, but improvements could be made to make it more useful with insights. The battery is brilliant and more than enough for the vast majority of people and it makes it feel like a useful tool rather than yet another device that you have to worry about charging.
I recently built a gaming PC. It wasn’t cheap, but I’ve wanted to do it for years. The main reason was Microsoft Flight Simulator. I’m a sucker for a flight sim. Over the years, I’ve dabbled in Flight Simulator, but the latest one needed a more powerful machine. I was also going to finally have to upgrade my flight controller too. As I pour one out for my mid-nineties SideWinder Joystick, I opened the package kindly sent over by Turtle Beach, and started testing out the VelocityOne Flightstick.
This is a massive upgrade on my Sidewinder, aimed at putting the perfect controller with a wide range of buttons and motion control in the hands of flight sim fans and even space flight games like Star Citizen.
Design and Build Quality
Out of the box, the VelocityOne Flightstick looks great. The Xbox controller-style button in the middle immediately makes me feel this is more aimed at console than PC, but in reality, that isn’t the case – I’ll discuss that later.
In the hand, the stick feels good. While the base is a little plasticky to look at, the stick itself feels premium and almost soft to the touch offering a lot of comfort. Turtle Beach were clever in their design here. The stick itself is quite long, and would be too long only for they’ve included a rest for your hand to lay on. This is both adjustable in height and can be moved to the left or the right of the stick. The beauty here means this stick is perfect for both lefties and righties.
From the base of the controller, you can plug in your wired headset. A surprisingly handy feature for cable management but not surprising that Turtle Beach, famous for gaming headsets, would think of this. There are also some additional USB-C ports on the rear for add ons like the rudder pedals which I’ve not tested out.
One disappointing feature of the design is the controller’s stability on my desk. You can mount this controller, and I recommend you look into it if you’re buying this. At the extremes of the axis, the controller does tend to tip over. Mounting solves this, but it will come at the extra cost of a flight simulator controller mounting solution.
Overall though, this is a minor hiccup. The VelocityOne Flightstick is ultimately, a nice addition to my desk and comfortable to use for fairly extended periods of time.
Performance and Precision
The spring-loaded resistance in the stick feels great to me. Control inputs feel deliberate which probably exacerbates the tendency of the controller to tip over, as I’ve mentioned. For flight sims, a great controller will support just how immersive your experience is. Airbus flights, which fly a sidestick, feel most immersive. But I didn’t feel that immersive experience was broken when flying the likes of Boeing or Cessna plans which are yolk based.
To get the absolute most from your experience, I recommend you spend a lot of time mapping surfaces to your sim of choice. Little things like understanding how to lock the rudder so you can control the nose tiller give you even greater control over your aircraft.
Button Layout and Functionality
Here, the stick absolutely excels.
There is an abundance of buttons on this stick. An almost overwhelming number of buttons, 27 in total. In addition to these buttons, the stick has two “throttle” controls, suitable for throttle and flap settings, a POV hat button and a control wheel. The stick even has a screen on it where you can change settings and get in-game data to display, though I never managed to get this to work on my PC for some reason.
Everything is laid out perfectly for comfort and functionality. The slider controls have great range and support reverse thrust too. By that I mean you can pull back to zero, feel some resistance on the throttle and then lock into reverse.
As I’ve mentioned, you’ll benefit from some time spent on mappings. The default mapping between the VelocityOne Flightstick and Microsoft Flight Simulator was good, but not perfect. Every sim pilot will have preferences for controls they want on the stick versus the keyboard too, so make it your own.
The biggest win for me with this controller is the rudder control. You can buy rudder pedals, but you can also control rudder surfaces by twisting the stick. This was an awesome upgrade for me.
To be honest, the control surfaces were a real treat for me. I came from 8 buttons and a single throttle. Having a quick look hat, pitch control and even rudders completely changed my flying experience.
Compatibility and Connectivity
I mentioned the Xbox logo earlier. I’m not sure there’s anything on PS5 you’d wanted a stick for, but it’s not officially supported anyway. The VelocityOne Flightstick is specifically made for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows 10/11 PCs.
I’ve also used my Meta Quest 2 VR headset for flight simming. I couldn’t really come to terms with trying to use the stick while in the headset. I’m sure it’s possible and delivers an even more immersive experience, but it’s not straightforward.
There are some other accessories you might be interested in using alongside this stick. The most obvious is the rudder pedals or the mount I mentioned earlier.
Additional Software
Turtle Beach offer an app that connects to your stick. It’s a bit underwhelming to be honest. You can control light profiles and a few other things, but I found myself using the app once and then forgetting about it. That’s about it for this section.
VelocityOne Flightstick: The Verdict
At around €130, the VelocityOne Flightstick is still a considered purchase. But, let’s be honest here. If you’re into flight simulators or the likes of Star Citizen, you’re going to be investing in a flight stick unless you already have one. I bought my Sidewinder back in the nineties and used it until this year. Controllers like this have staying power, and that’s to be considered when you’re buying.
Sure, we’d all love to have the Warthog HOTAS but that’s a pro-level controller. Also, it doesn’t have rudder control. Which is a massive plus for the VelocityOne Flightstick.
I can wholeheartedly recommend this stick. It’s plastic where it needs to be, but offers enough of a premium feel for me to know I’ll get many years out of this stick.
Amazon Prime Day 2023 is just around the corner. As much as we all give out about Jeff Bezos, the man knows how to run a pretty impressive online shop and an even more impressive online sale every year. With just a few days left until Prime Day 2023, I thought it would be a good idea to pull together a few tips and tricks from my years of being an Amazon Prime customer. Hopefully. this can help you make the most of your pre-Black Friday 48-hour shopping spree.
Disclaimer: See the orange links in this article? They’re affiliate links to Amazon. When you use them, you’re supporting Goosed.ie. You’ll pay the exact same for anything you buy, but Amazon might pay us a small percentage for sending you over there. We really appreciate when you use these links, but also understand you might not like the idea of affiliate links. We don’t let that affect our content, but we wanted to be transparent about it.
When is Prime Day 2023?
Amazon’s Prime Day will take place across July 11th and July 12th in 2023. Ahead of Prime Day, we survey more people in Ireland, asking them if they planned to buy anything during the upcoming sale. 9% of people said they would definitely be buying something. 19% said they were on the fence but would certainly be taking a look at what’s on offer while a further undecided 17% thought a purchase would be unlikely. The remaining 56% said they had no plans at all to buy anything.
With all of the perceived barriers to buying from Amazon.co.uk, 44% of people we surveyed were still weighing up the idea of making a purchase during the Prime Day sale. These are pretty remarkable numbers despite the fact that shops back here are reopening along with the persistent idea of “shop local” which often sits uncomfortably with those who do choose to shop with the UK online retail giant.
I’ve already seen some Prime Day Deals appearing because I’m an existing Prime customer. Actually, that’s the next point.
Amazon Prime Membership
One of the main reasons Amazon runs the Prime Day sale every year is to promote Amazon Prime Membership. Prime Day offers some of the very best deals you’ll find online throughout the year. But the very best value is held back for Amazon Prime members.
This membership has grown in popularity as Amazon focuses a lot more on Ireland today than they used to. First, they started using local delivery vans and now there’s a dedicated warehouse in Dublin. This means much faster delivery on thousands of products. I’ve placed orders on some items as late as 8 pm and had them delivered at 11 am the next day.
Beyond this sale, that membership gets you access to year-round discounts, faster, cheaper and usually free shipping along with Prime Video, Prime Reading and Prime Music subscriptions also being included.
During the sale, members also get to see Prime Early Access sales. As I said, I’m already seeing Prime Day discounts on items when I visit Amazon.co.uk.
How Much Does Amazon Prime Day Cost?
Well, Amazon Prime Day will cost as much as you can keep control during the sales! The only definite is how much the Prime Membership itself costs.
After that, you can either cancel your membership or continue it. To continue it will cost around €10 per month or €110 per year. I use Amazon quite a lot. I buy things that are just hard to find in my locality or when I just don’t have time to go shopping. So I actually have the annual membership. It means I get a free month on my membership too.
Watch Out for Lightning Deals
As the name suggests, lightning deals are time-sensitive, so it’s crucial to stay updated and act fast. Amazon releases new lightning deals every few minutes throughout the sale, so keep refreshing the “Today’s Deals” page to see the latest offers. You can also sign up for Amazon’s “Watch a Deal” feature, which sends notifications when specific deals go live.
To increase your chances of snagging a lightning deal it’s worth setting up alerts and reminders. Using Amazon’s mobile app will give you the biggest advantage here of grabbing the deal you want.
I also massively recommended creating a shopping list in advance. Tag up the items you’re looking to purchase and add them to your list. This way, you can quickly search for the products during the sale and check if any lightning deals are available for those items.
Remember, lightning deals are highly popular and tend to sell out quickly. I bought a Bosch cordless drill during the 2019 Prime Day Sale and I still use this every few weeks for DIY jobs. It was the top-selling product during that sale. While it was a bit of a lightning deal impulse buy, it’s paid off in the long term because I acted quickly on a great deal. For me, that’s the perfect example of buying something you know you’ll need at some stage for a great deal.
Use Your Revolut Account
From ASOS to Amazon, and some other stores that don’t begin with A, I do shop on UK websites from time to time. One absolutely shocking thing I’ve learned is that, where possible, pay in Pound Sterling. Many websites, both Amazon and ASOS being prime (sorry) offenders, will set their own exchange rate when you shop in Euro. The rates are ridiculous. Not that long ago, I saved €67 just by switching to paying in Pounds on ASOS.
But how?
Well, all you need is a Revolut account (note: this is an affiliate link). Once you set up your account, you can get a virtual card immediately while waiting for a physical card (like my nifty Irish Cancer Society card). Once you have a virtual card with some money in your Revolut account and these card details added to your Amazon account, all you need to do is select “Pay in GBP”.
Your Revolut account will then pay in Sterling.
This isn’t a dramatic saving by any stretch of the imagination, but here you would have just saved about 40c. The bigger the purchase, typically, the bigger the saving with this trick.
So there you have it – planning to make a purchase during Prime Day? Let us know on social media what’s in your basket and if you saved with our Revolut trick!
There has been slow, but growing, interest in eSIM here in Ireland. We have a more love/hate relationship with our smartphone than ever before and this is where Vodafone sees the big opportunity as they launch OneNumber to the Irish market.
What is Vodafone OneNumber?
Vodafone OneNumber is effectively eSIM or Embedded SIM. This new initiative from Vodafone allows Vodafone bill pay customers to use the same number and plan, along with allowances, from their mobile phone on a smartwatch.
When you get a phone call, both your phone and watch will ring. You’ll be able to access the internet on your watch via your regular Vodafone bill pay allowance or over WiFi.
This is not a free feature, however. The pricing for Vodafone OneNumber starts at €5 per month in addition to your regular phone bill usage charges and monthly rate.
The Benefits of Vodafone OneNumber
Just off the top of my head, I can think of so many benefits to Vodafone OneNumber. Imagine a music festival, where everyone said they just needed to be able to reach each other. Calls and texts are all handled on the smartwatch with no more need to carry around phones. This also means no more annoying phones at gigs.
To be fair, that’s a real personal one. Imagine going for a run but leaving your phone at home. Always contactable or able to make a call in an emergency.
The most practical win here is if your phone dies, you remain fully contactable on your smartwatch. Actually, on a similar point, more so for tablets, if you find yourself hot-spotting a lot, sharing a sim across two devices is better for your battery. However, Vodafone Ireland’s OneNumber doesn’t support tablets; just Samsung wearables.
So we’re into the negatives now.
The Downside of Vodafone OneNumber
While affordable, OneNumber will still cost you more per month. Vodafone has said from €5 per month so this will likely go up on a more expensive plan, or based on usage.
Right now, the biggest drawback of Vodafone OneNumber is the selection of supported devices. Right now, just Samsung cellular-enabled devices only; specifically 5th generation Samsung Galaxy Watches. Here’s the full list:
Galaxy Watch 5 Pro 45MM LTE
Galaxy Watch 5 44MM LTE
Galaxy Watch 5 40MM LTE
Galaxy Watch 4 40MM LTE
This means no Apple Watch support or tablet support. Seems a bit of a pity to me.
You also have to be on one of Vodafone’s selected bill pay plans, which means some older customers are likely not eligible. Here are the exact plans:
Red Lite
Red Unlimited
Red Unlimited Max
Red Unlimited Sim Only
Red Unlimited Max Sim Only
RED Business Unlimited Lite
RED Business Unlimited
RED Business Unlimited Max
RED Business Unlimited SIM Only
How to Turn Off Vodafone OneNumber
Stopping your Vodafone OneNumber connection is similar to any other add-ons you might purchase for a plan. Pop into a Vodafone store or visit the Vodafone website. Once cancelled, you’ll receive an SMS confirming the cancellation and you’ll notice your watch loses cellular connectivity (but remember it’ll still have WiFi).
Vodafone OneNumber is available now in Ireland for the Vodafone customers I’ve mentioned above. It’s still very restricted in terms of what it can deliver, but it’s early days. It’s exciting to finally see eSIM options landing into the Irish market. Three eSIM has also just launched in Ireland, expanding the range of options for customers.
I’ve deleted my personal Twitter quite some time ago. I jump onto the Goosed Twitter account from time to time still to see what’s trending. Today, I spotted #RateLimitExceeded. Turns out lots of Twitter users believed the platform was having technical issues meaning Bank of Ireland customer on Twitter are having an awful two days. But the truth is, Twitter has implemented a new limit on the number of posts users can read.
Twitter’s New Rate Limit Explained
Twitter’s ever-controversial owner, Elon Musk, took to the platform today to explain why users are seeing “rate limit exceeded” errors.
To address extreme levels of data scraping & system manipulation, we’ve applied the following temporary limits:
– Verified accounts are limited to reading 6000 posts/day – Unverified accounts to 600 posts/day – New unverified accounts to 300/day
Musk claims the platform has implemented limits on the number of posts that you can read based on the type of account you have. This is an effort to reduce data and content scraping by third parties on Twitter.
Now, this also nudges Twitter users towards paying for the platform, no matter how Musk tries to dress that up.
So, if you’re seeing the rate limit exceeded error, I’m afraid it’s probably not going away. It’s a new “policy”.
Bank of Ireland customers cannot access the online banking services right now. Bank of Ireland has stated that they “are aware some customers using our mobile app and 365Online are currently experiencing difficulties” and “are working to fix this issue as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused”.
Invalid Cert Causing Bank of Ireland Outage
Customers trying to access their online banking with Bank of Ireland are being greeted with this error.
Bank of Ireland is having an issue with an SSL cert; something a bank should never let get out of hand. SSL certs ensure the data transferred between you and your bank is safe and secure. For this to go wrong for Bank of Ireland is a real head-scratcher and quite embarrassing.
SSL certs expire on a regular basis and need to be renewed. Failure to do so leads to issues like this. There are other possibilities too, such as software developers pushing a self-signed SSL from a development environment to production. But as the Bank of Ireland app hasn’t been updated in three months this seems unlikely.
Ultimately, this is some rather large egg on the face of Bank of Ireland. Trust is essential in the world of finance. Banks moving away from physical to digital spaces too means things like this simply cannot be allowed to happen.
It’s a real shame that Ulster Bank and KBC have left the Irish market. It reduces the pressure on the remaining banks in the market to offer best-in-class services to retain customers. It leads to silly and very avoidable mistakes like this happening.
I understand they won’t be for everyone, but I grew up with toy guns. I had cap guns, water pistols, laser tag, pellet guns and even the classic spud gun. So my inner child was reborn when the people behind Gel Blaster sent over the new Surge for me to play with.
What is a Gel Blaster?
Gel Blasters are very similar to pellet guns, with one very important, safer, difference. Instead of firing hard plastic balls, a Gel Blaster fires a small ball of gel called a Gellet. The Gel Blaster Surge that I was sent to test out can hold up to 800 rounds, and offers single and full-auto firing modes with a max muzzle velocity of 175fps. So while this is a “toy”, so to speak, it comes with some responsibilities. You can fire up to 10 shots per second which means the Gel Blaster Surge really does offer some firing power.
Pros of the Gel Blaster Surge
I’m going to kick off with the positives.
Easy to Use
The Gel Blaster Surge was up and firing so quickly. It came with some hydrated gel pellets already loaded. All I had to do was screw the hopper onto the top of the blaster and turn it on after a quick charge.
Eco-friendly Gel Balls
The gel balls, or Gellets, are perhaps the smartest part of this whole system. Instead of buying plastic pellets, you buy a small sachet with 10,000 wee dots in it. After soaking these dots for 2 hours, you’ll have 10,000 gel beads to fire. These beads are made from a Super Absorbent Polymer. This is a fully natural, non-toxic, non-irritating, starch-based material.
This approach makes topping up your ammo very affordable too. The sachets of dehydrated pellets cost just €9.99 for 10,000 rounds.
This is another massive plus versus traditional pellet guns.
Good Battery Life
You’re buying this to buy yourself some peace and quiet, right? Well, the good news is that Gel Blasters will give you about 4-hours of distraction for your kids. When it’s time to charge, the Gel Blaster Surge fast-charges off USB-C. I’m not sure if others are like me, but seeing USB-C on products like this just make be trust them more. It’s a relatively simple sign of “modern” and not cheaping out. It somewhat underlines a little bit of confidence in the brand perhaps.
Adjustments on the Go
The Gel Blaster Surge can be quite scary to see in action. It’s powerful, fast and accurate. Now, these are also the most fun elements of the whole thing. But for parents, there is good news. If you don’t want your kids peppering each other at a full 175fps, there’s an included fitting to drop the muzzle velocity fown to 100fps.
You can also swap the gun between single and full-auto rate of fire. Both of these controls can, of course, be easily bypassed by your kids so you’ll need to manage that a little. Or just let them off.
Gel Blasters are Fun as Hell
When I fired this thing, I laughed a bit. It was fun. Even getting shot made me laugh. Then I turned on full-auto and I turned into an absolute giddy schoolboy again. The Gel Blaster Surge is so much fun. You get the feeling of paintball or airsoft at home, on a level much better than anything I’ve experienced with the likes of a Nerf Gun.
Cons of the Gel Blaster Surge
There are a few drawbacks.
The Gel Beads are Messy
It’s claimed that the gel balls will vanish after a few minutes. Apparently, like nothing ever happened. In fact, the packaging states the pellets leave “zero mess”. That just wasn’t the case for me. After quite some time, I did have to sweep up some remnants of gel balls in the living room.
It wasn’t the end of the world, but still. This is a big selling point for parents, so I’d rather you fully understand it’s just not “mess-free”.
Can Be Dangerous
Look, I’m not exactly the most careful person in the world. Within seconds of opening the Gel Blaster Surge, I was being fired at on full auto and laughing to myself. But the packaging states this is suitable for 14 years and up. Parents will have to make this call themselves because the Gel Blaster Surge has, as I’ve pointed out, some impressive, but scary, specs.
It’s not at all beyond the realms of possibility that someone could be hurt by one of these blasters, particularly if left unsupervised without the glasses for example. So while you might be trying to distract your kids for a few hours, you will need to keep an eye on them. These should never be aimed at the head, animals or used away from the home.
Are Gel Blasters Dangerous or Painful?
Personally, I consider the Gel Blaster Surge to be quite safe. I had my better half pepper me with rounds on full auto and while I felt them, I wasn’t hurt. I’ve been shot at point-blank range on full auto while playing airsoft – the Surge doesn’t even come near that experience.
In the box, you’ll find a pair of safety glasses included. I would say these are mandatory for anyone looking to play real-life Fortnite at home. While unlikely to do much damage, contact with an eye is the biggest risk.
Gel Blaster Surge: The Verdict
I love this. I’m not blind to the other narratives that surround “toys” or games like the Gel Blaster Surge. I completely understand that a lot of parents don’t want their kids playing with guns. And that’s totally fine and understandable.
Buy, I was a kid that grew up dreaming of a gun like this. While laser tag was fun, it just lacked the realistic feeling of being hit by a friend that targeted you. Pellet guns were never deemed to be safe enough in Ireland to shoot at anything other than cans on a wall.
The Gel Blaster Surge lets your kids, and let’s face it grown ups, play Fortnite, PUBG or COD in real life at home at a relatively affordable price.
I’ve been following Keilidh Cashell (keilidhmua on some socials) for years. I have no idea given I don’t wear make-up, but I’ve always found her posts incredible. I’ve been meaning to write an article on shooting higher-quality iPhone videos for quite some time too. Funny enough, she’s just posted about this herself so now seems the perfect time for a crossover.
Her post comes after a video she created at Harry Style’s playing Slane blew up with countless people asking just how she nailed the quality. You can see for yourself, it looks like she had a pro camera crew with her, but it was all shot on an Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max. You’ll get the same quality with any iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max and these are the best two phones for the job.
Tip 1: Up the Quality
First things first. When you take your phone out of the box, Apple doesn’t have the fundamental settings maxed out. This is the first thing Keilidh calls out because it “ups the quality like crazy”. And she’s right.
You can do this by:
Open the camera app
Select Video
Tap HD in the top right corner
Change it to 4K
Tap 30fps
Change it to 60fps
This is the single biggest thing you can do for your video quality.
This is the setting you’re looking for. Image courtesy of keilidhmua on TikTok
But a word of caution which Keilidh calls out too. Shooting at this quality will dramatically increase video quality and file size. So you’ll need to be offloading videos in original quality to your iCloud over a high-speed internet connection to make sure your storage doesn’t run out.
Tip 2: Zoom, then Record: Avoid Digital Zoom
The next tip she gives is to choose your zoom level before you start recording. When you use zoom while recording, it’s typically digital zoom. This means you’re not getting the most out of your phone’s hardware. The iPhone 14 Pro series, and all iPhone Pros have three lenses. These can all capture different levels of detail. When you use digital zoom, you’re losing out on these hardware benefits.
To overcome this, Keilidh recommends you set your zoom before you shoot. Better still, do this just be tapping 0.5, 1x, 2x, or 3x on your phone’s screen. This ensures you’ll be using the pretty impressive hardware that Apple has given you to shoot video.
Tip 3: Lighting
Now, sorry. I’m cheating here a bit because Keilidh didn’t call this out. But, lighting is so important. That doesn’t mean lots of lighting – it means the right amount of lighting. Keilidh’s Harry Styles video was fantastic because of how she set up her iPhone 14 Pro Max but also because the lighting was incredible.
Harry was perfectly lit with stage lighting and this meant that Apple’s software could easily identify the subject. Once it can do this, you get lots of post-shoot quality adjustments carried out by the iPhone’s brain – the A16 Bionic. Again, this chip is reserved for Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max so these will let you shoot the very best videos.
Now you’re ready to shoot your summer story. Shout out to Keilidh for doing the leg work on this one. I highly recommend dropping her a follow on Instagram and TikTok.
