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Apple iPhone Launch Event: What To Expect

Marty
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0
Apple iPhone Launch Event: What To Expect

Later today, Apple will host its big 2021 smartphone launch event. Dubbed the “California Streaming” launch, this Apple event will launch the 2022 iPhone Series. Unlike the likes of Google, Apple runs a tight ship around launch so all we have is sparse rumours. Still, here’s what I personally think we’ll see later today.

An Impressive Streamed Apple Event

This is pretty much nailed on. Over the past few years, I’ve grown tired of these launch events because they’re a bit dull and scripted. While this evening will no doubt remain scripted to the hilt, it won’t be dull. Because of pandemic restrictions, Apple has invested heavily in the production values of their streamed events. The result for the past few events has been a mind-blowing show. Honestly, just wait and see how they transition from one scene to the next. It’s worth tuning in for a few minutes to see that alone.

The 2022 iPhone Family

I’d be outright shocked if Apple doesn’t repeat last year’s family approach of four phones. The iPhone 12 mini brought small phones back into focus. For me, the iPhone 12 is the right size, but I get why not everyone wants massive screens. Apple’s approach makes sense, offering an iPhone for everyone. For that reason, I’m expecting to see Apple’s iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max all get the iPhone 13 treatment.

The New iPhone 13

So, yes. It’ll be the iPhone 13 series.

There have been a few occasions where Apple bucked trends and changed names, but I really doubt today is going to be one of those days. We’ll get a new iPhone 13 later today. I don’t expect this to be a groundbreaking step up from the iPhone 12 I’ve been using myself for the past few months.

iPhone 13 Design

Apple’s big redesign normally comes every two years. The iPhone 12 being a significant design change from the iPhone 11 is the reason I don’t expect anything major. In fact, you should in theory, be expecting older iPhone 12 cases to fit the iPhone 13 such is the lack of change. But obviously, that’s just my opinion and absolutely not set in stone.

iPhone 12 in hand after booting
The iPhone 12 is my daily rider

There are some small design changes still expected.

To align with some iOS 15 Safari tweaks, a smaller notch is expected to add to an increased viewing area on the screen. The refresh rates of the screens are expected to be a talking point whether they are increased or not. Apple will either align with the competition norms or continue to keep the lower refresh rate screens.

An In-screen Fingerprint Reader

One absolute nuisance with my iPhone for the past few months has been using it to pay in shops. Apple Wallet requires that I verify my identity before being used. A couple of taps later and I’ve paid, but it ruins the flow Apple initially designed with Face ID. Face ID is really good and works excellently. That is until you wear a mask. So when a global pandemic hit, Apple’s perfect system was ruined by a piece of cheap cloth.

Many have speculated that this will lead to Apple introducing an in-screen fingerprint reader. It will kill Apple’s design team to row back on this, but with masks now likely to be part of our lives in the long term, I can’t really see how Apple will introduce the iPhone 13 range without an in-screen fingerprint reader.

One possibility is that this will be a premium feature, only available on the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, or even limited to just the latter.

If this does happen, I look forward to Apple’s spin on why they’re introducing this tech, years after the cheapest smartphones included it as standard.

Camera Upgrades And Night Shooting

It’s tough to keep wowing people with tech specs, but Apple manages to “big up” their camera every single year. I actually quite like the iPhone 12 camera and for me it’s at least on par with the likes of the Google Pixel 5 camera. This year, there’s going to be more upgrades and a night sky mode has been teased by Apple’s marketing head, Greg Joswiak.

iOS 15 To Launch At The Apple Event

iOS 15 is currently in public beta. Basically, that means it’s already out for those who are either brave or stupid enough to have somewhat buggy operating systems on their phones. That said, if you’re and iOS 14.8 user, be sure to hit update as soon as you can. Not to get iOS 15, but to avoid a security vulnerability that Apple has just patched.

I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I have to say I like it. There are a few interesting features being introduced around Facetime video calling and notification updates. There are also update to Apple Maps, but I’m not aware of anyone using that considering Google Maps remains far superior.

The biggest update is Focus Mode, which may also be referred to as just Focus. This mode lets you take back control of your phone. You can read about my experience using Focus as I believe this is the biggest thing launching later. I feel like I’ve got more control over my phone. I choose when I interact with my phone and how it’ll look to minimize my distraction when I do so. It’s genuinely great.

What Apple Won’t Launch At The Apple Event

There’s a long list of stuff that we won’t see later. While you can expect to see some new AirPods and a new Apple Watch or two, there’ll be no tablets, Macs or MacBooks. There may be an Apple TV box and some teases of something for Apple TV+. I’m also calling it right now that there may be a cameo from Ted Lasso.

There won’t be a sudden change of heart from Apple on their charging ports either despite one long-standing rumour and one new.

Lightning Charging To Remain

Despite the entire world and even some Apple products adopting USB-C, the iPhone 13 range will continue to require a Lightning charging cable. I despise Apple for this. Nearly every product in my life requires USB-C, but I still have to carry an extra cable for my iPhone.

No Portless iPhone

I think it’s still a bridge too far for Apple to kill all ports on a phone too. Last year was Apple’s biggest leap towards wireless-only technology with the iPhone 12 series. The Magsafe range is a great solution to needing wires at all, but I still cannot see Apple making a phone without a charging port. At least not this year.

I could, however, see the iPhone 14 Pro Max being made in a completely wireless variant.

The main reason I doubt this will happen in a teetotal way is down to the iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max series being great film-making smartphones. I’m not just talking about your friend’s wedding. These iPhones are being used to film blockbusters, at least, in parts. That means lots of accessories that plugin and a requirement to download files from the phone quickly. The wire often being the fastest way to do so.

When Is The Apple Event?

The Apple iPhone 13 event kicks off this evening at 6pm Irish time. Bookmark this page and pop back then to watch it. The stream below will go live later.

Onesonic Wireless Headphones Review: Irish Audio Tech That’s Worth A Punt

Marty
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0
Onesonic Wireless Headphones Review: Irish Audio Tech That’s Worth A Punt

With no shortage of great headphones on the market these days, it’s understandable if you being to look for what makes a company unique. Nothing makes me happier than getting to test Irish products and that’s what Onesonic offers. This Irish company has carefully designed a great value pair of wireless headphones and they’re great. I’ve been testing out the Onesonic BB-HD1 wireless headphones with noise-canceling for a few weeks and here’s what I’ve learned.

Sound Quality

I’m going to start with the headphone’s strongest point; the quality of audio. I’m always quick to point out that assessing sound quality is very subjective, both to your ears but also the size of the hole left in your pocket by a pair of headphones. I enjoyed using these headphones on a recent train ride to Ennis for a couple of reasons. First of all, I knew these were a great value pair of wireless headphones that you can buy for less than €75.

For the price, the sound quality is brilliant but I don’t want that to mislead you. The sound quality you get with these Onesonic headphones is akin to that you’d expect for something in the €100 to €130 range. I was blown away with the return you get on your investment here with plenty of volume and clear tones throughout regardless of your chosen music genre.

Active Noise Cancelling

I love active noise-canceling headphones. It’s just a few years ago I tried out my first ever pair with this feature. They were great but cost over €300. The level of noise-canceling on-board here is quite remarkable. As I mentioned, I took these on a train ride recently and was able to totally zone out for the trip. Not bad considering I was surrounded by people watching videos without headphones and taking calls at full volume.

onesonic headphones anc on a train

Sure enough, the noise-canceling side of things is better the more you pay, but the level of return gets smaller the more you pay. These are a great pair of ANC headphones to start you out.

Design

Given the price of the Onesonic headphones, I was on the lookout for where they cut the costs. The materials used to build the frame of these headphones arguably aren’t as impressive as some other models on the market. Still, when I think back to the Sennheiser Momentum Headphones I’m reminded very quickly that all those expensive materials can deliver a pricey unit that sounds no better than the cheaper alternatives.

I put these Onesonic headphones side by side with my beloved Bose QC-II headphones and I think I found where they took quite a few cues. The ear cups aren’t quite as soft and comfortable but they’re not bad at all either. The headband is has a nice soft cushion that I can’t fault. Ultimately, in terms of built quality and design materials, these Onesonic headphones are, once again, delivering far beyond what you would expect from the price range.

A Tale Of Two Ports

There’s good and bad news on the port side of things. The good news is that these headphones have a 3.5mm jack. Lots of high-end headphones lean towards their own smaller headphone jacks which means if you lose the cable you’ll be out of pocket. The bad news is that in a world where USB-C has fast become the norm, these headphones require a micro USB cable to charge them. I only highlight this because more and more I find myself struggling to dig out a micro USB cable when needed.

What Makes Onesonic Irish?

When all was said and done, I liked the headphones. But I was left with one question. What makes these Irish. At the end of the day they are still made in China, right? Well, this is very much like the Apple approach to products: designed in California, assembled in China.

While all the parts are put together in China, the parts are all picked by the design team in Ireland. Onesonics research and development team is based in Tallaght. Here, they do all the development work, leaning on the team’s experience in acoustic and audio design. This is where all the testing and optimisation, testing various configurations of parts to get the best audio experience for you. Once the prototyping is completed in Tallaght, it’s sent to China for mass production.

Dan from Onesonic says “sound quality is our number one priority as we believe that enjoying music should be the number one deliverable for the customer”.

Onesonic Wireless Headphones: The Verdict

I love these. They’re an Irish product, delivering great quality far beyond the cracking price you can get them at. Are there flaws? Yes, but they’re all tiny little things that don’t make me think any less of the product. If you’re in the market for a pair of headphones and always wanted ANC without the headphones, look no further.

Buy the Onesonic Wireless Headphones from their website and Three.

Amazon To Open Irish Fulfilment Centre In 2022

Marty
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0
Amazon To Open Irish Fulfilment Centre In 2022

A friend send me a picture of an Amazon delivery van the other day. It was a fully branded van with Prime logos, the works. I’ve noticed when my packages get delivered now, they’re usually from delivery guys wearing Amazon vests. All of this lead me to say “that fulfilment centre must be close” only yesterday. Today, it’s been confirmed. Amazon is opening a fulfilment centre in Spring 2022.

Update: Amazon.ie is now live, giving shoppers in Ireland access to 200 million products from the Irish distribution centre with faster deliveries and easier returns

Amazon’s New Fulfilment Centre

Many expected, and maybe even hoped, Brexit would impact Amazon’s popularity in Ireland. We’ve been surveying the Irish public about that and it just doesn’t seem to be the case. 40% of people we asked said they had bought from Amazon shortly after Brexit. Amazon has handled the transition well. I’m a Prime customer myself and have to say that when I can’t find something local at a reasonable price, I turn to Jeff and the gang. The deliveries are quick and the customer care is great. I do try and limit my usage given there are some shadowy parts to Amazon’s business, but they’re an undeniably great online store for shoppers.

Google Maps view of Baldonnell Business Park in Dublin. You can see Amazon’s construction site

My point here is that Amazon is a massive retailer operating in Ireland and until now only had a very limited presence with a distribution centre. Today’s news means that Amazon will instead begin storing products in Ireland and shipping directly from this new base. The 630,000 square foot centre will be located at Baldonnell Business Park in Dublin and operations will begin in Spring 2022. The base is expected to 500 new jobs with Amazon specifically pointing out it’ll be a “safe work environment” for “employees to help meet our growing customer demand”.

What Does The New Amazon Fulfilment Centre Mean?

For you, as a shopper, this means faster deliveries. As a Prime customer, I get free next day delivery. However, those packages are shipping from the UK. This simply means my packages take an extra day to get here. The new Amazon Fulfilment centre will likely mean the vast majority of packages bought today, will be delivered next day for Prime customers and generally faster for all customers.

Until now, Amazon has simply routed packages through a distribution centre, but now they will store “millions of items to be picked, packed and shipped to customers across Ireland as well as the rest of Europe”.

It won’t be welcome news for many Irish businesses who are still finding their feet following a pandemic. If Brexit put into consumer confidence shopping when on the Amazon UK website, this will surely resolve the issue for many.

Will There Be An Amazon.ie Now?

It would make sense given Amazon confirmed this new fulfilment centre will be delivering to wider Europe too. Countries like Germany, France and Spain have their own websites so why would Ireland be any different.

There’s the very practical matter of currency involved too.

When shopping on Amazon UK, if you use Amazon’s exchange rate you’ll nearly always pay significantly more. This is because they use an awful exchange rate. The quick solution is Revolut. Simply pay in Sterling and let Revolut do the exchanging for you. I’ve saved a fortune doing this.

If Amazon does start a dot ie website, how will the Euro prices compare to Sterling? There are loads of questions I have like this. And look, maybe Amazon has no plans to open an Irish website at all.

The official line from Amazon is that for now, they are focused on getting this centre up and running. The benefit will be faster delivery times across Ireland along with one-day delivery for hundreds of thousands of items. You’ll still be able to order from beyond the Irish fulfilment centre too.

New Amazon Logistics Centre

Along with the big news today, Amazon also announced that they would be opening a second Amazon Logistics Delivery Station this Autumn in the Northwest Logistics Park at Ballycoolin. This centre will deliver to customers in Dublin and the surrounding areas. The first delivery station in Ireland opened last October in Rathcoole, creating more than 20 permanent jobs and working with 10 independent delivery companies that hired more than 150 drivers.

The new centre will create a further 20 permanent jobs, in addition to dozens of driver opportunities for Amazon Logistics’ delivery service partners and Amazon Flex delivery partners. The 83,500 square foot building is expected to be fully operational this Autumn.

Featured image by Rodrigo Alonso.

Shakesphere Bottle Review: The Best Protein Shaker?

Marty
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0
Shakesphere Bottle Review: The Best Protein Shaker?

There’s so much about this post I never thought I’d be writing. Well, mainly the fact I’m writing about a protein shaker is enough. I’m on the most serious fitness kick of my life. You may remember a few of these in the past, but this time feels different. With my Whoop band on one side and a Shakesphere protein shaker on the other, I’ve been eating proper and hitting the gym. I didn’t realise that there was even different types of shaker out there, but here we are. This one is great!

What Types Of Protein Shaker Are There?

There are two main types of protein shakers. One that uses mesh at the top to break up your protein and another that uses a big metal ball. Both work well but I always thought these shakers looked flimsy. After some research, it turns out lots of people thing they’re useless. They either lose parts of the shaker or the shaker opens and spills everywhere. This is why I was drawn to the Shakesphere bottle.

The Shakesphere Protein Shaker

I was given a goal of 160g of protein to consume daily. Apparently, protein promotes weight loss through improved metabolic activity. It’s fuel on the fire of weight loss. I’d been eating turkey everything but still falling short of my goal so I buckled. I finally bought a massive tub of protein and became everything I’d judged for years.

Next up, I was going to need a shaker. After the aforementioned research, I landed on the Shakesphere protein shaker.

How Does It Work?

The primary goal of a shaker is to let you make a nice, lump-free, smoothie from water and your protein mix. The Shakesphere bottle does this be design. A curved top and bottom naturally make liquids and solids mix in the container. You just need to shake the hell out of it. It’s a bit of a workout in itself really.

Once done, you have a nice protein smoothie to drink. It’s that simple.

My Shakesphere Shake Recipe

It’s only fairly I tell you how I’ve been using this so you get an idea for yourself. Here’s what I mix:

  • 35g protein power
  • a really ripe banana
  • 1 cup water
  • a few ice cubes.

To mix it up, I start with just the banana and give it about 15-seconds of shaking while avoiding eye contact with everyone. Next up is the rest. Personally, I don’t like room temperature shakes, so either some cold water or added ice into the mix. Personally, I do prefer the ice because I think it bates more lumps out of the banana.

Finally, enjoy. Log in MyFitnessPal and Bob is your mother’s brother.

Other Features

There are some other great features too. The locking slide lid means no leaks. The big oversized grips make it easy to open. There’s a measurement window on the side, that to be honest, I didn’t find all that helpful yet. And then there’s a wee ring for you to hold your bottle with.

One thing to be careful of is not to press the ring when closing or opening the shaker. Mine seems to have cracked a little bit after just a week but I did but pressure on the ring.

Cleaning The Shakesphere Shaker

I hate washing up. I don’t have a dishwasher so this was an important win for this shaker. It’s super easy to clean. That’s a double win. The bottle itself is nearly always completely empty when I’m done with it. This is down to the material it’s made from. That means less wasted protein. The second point is that the thing is just really easy to clean. Water in, quick shake, maybe some suds and a rinse. Clean as a whistle.

Shakesphere Shaker: The Verdict

It’s hard to find fault with a product like this that just does its one job really well and was received well on Dragon’s Den when it featured. There’s a lot of gimmicky products coming onto the market with built-in battery-powered blenders, but I’d wager they’ll all break after a week. This is a mega way to make a quick smoothie on the go. Even when I’m at home it’s saving me from getting the blender down. Sure, if I had frozen fruits on the brain I’d have to go for the blender again. But just getting a quick protein hit in between meetings or jobs? This is a winner.

You can buy the Shakesphere protein shaker from Amazon.co.uk, delivered, for €30.

JBL Live Pro+; The Best Earbuds I’ll Never Use

Alex
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0
JBL Live Pro+; The Best Earbuds I’ll Never Use

Over the last five years, wireless earbuds have gone from being a cutting-edge novelty piece of tech (or Technovelty if you will) to being completely commonplace and ordinary. The rise of Samsung Buds, Apple Airpods, Huawei Freebuds, and hundreds of others has seemingly justified the removal of the headphone jack from most phones nowadays. Among the many third-party audio offerings are the JBL Live Pro+ which I’ve been able to play with recently. While JBL have really made a name for themselves with incredible audio quality at affordable prices I have to say that these earbuds leave me conflicted. While they are fantastic in so many areas, there are a couple of massive shortcomings that mean that they probably won’t be able to contend with the big hitters of this generation.

The Setup

The App really does let you customise everything about these buds

Like all wireless earbuds, the JBL Live Pro+ buds can be connected to your phone directly via Bluetooth and used right out of the box, no hassle. However, as with many big-name brands, JBL have their own proprietary app that you can use to really unlock their potential. It’s through this app that you’ll program any and all commands you may need into the buds. From letting them know that a single tap means “Play/Pause”, or a long press means “Activate Bypass” or “Turn on Noise Cancelling”. These commands can even be mapped to either the right bud or the left one so a double tap on the right may mean “Volume Up” while a double tap on the left will mean “Volume Down”. This is the kind of customisation range that, to me, just makes sense. You’ve got two “buttons”, so why should they automatically do the same thing? So far, so impressive.

The Sound

Once I was all set up, I fired up a couple of songs and podcasts to get the full experience. Royal Blood for the low-end, Joe Satriani for the high, and rounding it all out with some Fake Doctors; Real Friends for the Pod experience. The JBLs really pulled it out of the bag here. The sound was crisp and very well-rounded. The bass was booming without cracking at all; the highs were crystal clear and not at all tinny. The fact that the app also lets you choose from a variety of Equaliser settings (as well as setting your own custom one) goes a long way here. Listening to some 90’s Metallica? Set up a profile with the mids turned down. Going for some noughties pop? Turn the mids up again to make the most of it.

The Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), like the app, is a feature that there’s no turning back from once you’ve experienced it. We’ve all been in a situation where no matter what you do you can hear some level of background noise through your earbuds. Whether you’re on a plane, in a crowded place, or walking past roadworks there’s always a point where you debate whether it might be worthwhile to pause what you’re listening to until the disruption passes. Not with ANC. Now you can just activate one setting and the buds will use the built-in mics to cancel out most of the outside world (anyone who did Leaving Cert Physics will remember constructive and destructive sound waves). On the flip side, the bypass mode (which is a feature on most earbuds and headphones now) is a dream. If you’re in a shop or ordering a coffee, you just flip a proverbial switch, and you can hear everything that’s going on around you. No need to take the buds out and fumble around with getting them into the case or your pockets.

The Style

While it boasts a lot of charging potential, the case isn’t any bigger than a Secrid wallet

There’s no denying it, these earbuds look every bit as swish as some of the premium brands. The matt black with JBL’s signature orange splashes is a very strong look. They certainly wouldn’t look out of place in a line-up of even the most high-end pieces of tech. The charging case is small enough to go mostly unnoticed in all but the skinniest of jeans. An impressive feat considering that it’s able to boost the playback time of the buds to up to 28 hours.

The Struggle

However, once you get past the superficial pieces of the design the real trouble with the JBL Live Pro+ buds emerges. They don’t fit in my ears. Now I know this is more about me than it is the buds, but I doubt I’m the only one who will have this problem. My ears are slightly different sizes, meaning I sometimes need different-sized tips for each ear. This isn’t a problem because the JBLs come with a wide variety of tips that can be used in place of the standard-sized tips. But no matter how I twisted, turned, or cajoled them with all possible permutations of tips in use I could not get them to stay in place. If these were wired buds this would probably be less of an issue because at least when they fall out, they won’t go too far. Wireless earbuds are a different kettle of fish. If you’re out for a run and one falls out, who knows where it might go? Down a drain, into the road, underfoot? None of these are good scenarios. Even stationary I’m sure nobody wants to have to adjust the fit of their earphones every 30 seconds.

Compare them to the Samsung Buds, which have a little wing that sits in the conchus of your ear, completely anchoring them in place. I’ve been using them as my go-to listening devices for the last two years and I have never had an issue with them. I’ve been running, cycling, and hiking with them. They even survive jumping jacks and burpees in the gym. I’ve used them for hours on end without having to adjust them once, all the while never feeling any discomfort or pressure. They’ll happily stay put while the JBLs decide to go for a dive on a whim.  This is why I’m so conflicted about the Live Pro+s. How can you be applauded for all your innovations when the fundamentals aren’t up to snuff?

This issue is made even more irritating when you notice that the mid-tier earbuds from Samsung and Huawei (the Buds 2 and Freebuds 4 respectively) both have ANC as well as a proper, secure fit. These cost in or around the same as the JBLs so there’s nothing here to set the third-party buds apart from the competition. It pains me to say that while the sound quality is fantastic, and the utility in the app is second to none, I wouldn’t feel good about recommending these over one of the other big-name brands.

The Goosed Verdict

When it comes down to it, the JBL Live Pro+ earbuds are a great piece of kit with speakers and features that will certainly stand shoulder to shoulder with their competition. Unfortunately, their poor ear-fit and comparable price to the competition means that they just can’t quite compete with the big boys yet. Hopefully, we’ll see a revision with a more snug tip but for now, I’d say to stick to what you know.

Focus Mode Could Be The Best Feature Of iOS 15

Marty
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Focus Mode Could Be The Best Feature Of iOS 15

For many many reasons over the past 18-months, I’ve become acutely aware of the impact my phone has on my mental health. More specifically, it’s the effect apps and notifications have on your mental wellbeing. I’ve dramatically dialled back my usage of several apps and feel all the better because of it. I’ve been testing out the iOS 15 Beta on my iPhone 12 and, for the very reason of my own mental wellbeing, I love it.

What Is Focus Mode?

The idea of Focus Mode, as is so often the case, first appeared on Android 10 within your Digital Wellbeing settings. You decide which apps you typically find most distracting and when Focus Mode is active, you’re told the app is paused. Of course, you can bypass that but the more important development with Focus Mode was the silencing of notifications. For years, phone and app makers have been engineering technology to make you pick your device up. Now, reducing your usage and having more meaningful phone usage is the goal.

Focus Mode For iOS 15

Out of the box options for Focus Mode in iOS 15 are just the tip of the iceberg.

We need to talk about Apple’s take on Focus Mode separately because it’s very different and much better. The feature will roll out with the new iPhone launch as this is when the new iOS gets released too. Apple is positioning this as offering “less distraction” when using your phone. This is largely down to the addition of customisable home screens based on your selected Focus Mode. Out of the box, you’ll get some of the basic modes like:

  • Do Not Disturb
  • Sleep
  • Personal
  • Work

For me, the real power of this mode comes from making my own custom modes. This is due to a combination of notification management but also the built-in automation that Apple has added into the mix.

I’ve created my own focus modes, including:

  • Home
  • Out and About
  • Gym
  • Morning

My Home focus mode triggers based on location. This means, when I get home all my email notifications are disabled but I can still receive Signal messages from family and friends. I also get easy access to my smart home controls and other apps I use, typically while sitting on the couch. I love the automation aspect of this feature as I can trigger my phone’s behaviour based on time, location, app usage or just let Apple’s built-in smarts decide what’s best.

Once I leave the location, my phone defaults to “out and about” mode. Now, Google Maps, Dublin Bikes and my Wallet app along with weather take priority. When in the Gym, it’s all about my fitness apps and music along with just my closest family being allowed to contact me.

Benefits of Focus Mode

For me, the big benefit of Focus Mode is a real feeling of taking control back of my own phone. As I said, for years the idea for app and phone makers was to make me use my phone as much as possible. Now, I’m able to choose what apps I use more or less and when. You’d be amazed how less you check Twitter when the app isn’t sitting there. You might unlock your phone to read a message and just tap into Twitter for a second. Two hours later, your day is gone.

I’ve dramatically reduced my wasted time on my phone

Focus Mode does help.

Combined with my Screen Time controls over my social media usage, I’ve dramatically reduced my wasted time on my phone.

But this setup also means you get to make more of the time you have with your phone. Creating a social focus mode means you can quickly get through all your platforms if you want to. I’ve also created “Morning”. I’m sure there are loads of smarter people out there who’ll tell me you shouldn’t look at your phone first thing but I do. RTÉ News, Twitter, TikTok, Weather and Email. All of these happen as I wake up. So now, my phone has a home screen for just these apps, set to show between 7 am and 9 am.

Apple’s Focus Mode will launch soon with iOS 15. It also supports cross-device functionality if you have iPhone, Mac or iPad.

Netflix Drops Trailer For Michael Schumacher Documentary

Marty
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0
Netflix Drops Trailer For Michael Schumacher Documentary

There are few bits of telly from my childhood that I can say really impacted me. Watching Michael Schumacher race in Formula One is definitely one of them. He was an icon for me growing up, despite my lack of desire to ever get into racing or anything. Beginning with a short stint at the Irish Jordan team, moving to Benetton and then Ferrari. Hearing of his retirement and return to Mercedes was an emotional rollercoaster, followed by the devastating news of his life-changing injury.

And then silence

Respectful and understandable silence. Not much has been heard from Michael or the wider Schumacher family, with the exception of his son Mick, of course, now racing in Formula One himself.

Until now.

Off the back of the success of Drive to Survive, the streaming giant has worked closely with Michael and his family to produce a documentary about his life and career. Today, the trailer for “Schumacher” landed and you can watch it here.

Schumacher begins streaming on Netflix on September 15th.

Revolut Stays Launches In Ireland

Marty
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0
Revolut Stays Launches In Ireland

Interest in travel has increased quite a bit over the last two months. It makes sense given we’re one of the most vaccinated countries in the world. We’ve taken the approach of give me the jab and lets get on with life. Revolut, an digital-only bank I sing the praises of on a regular basis, is ready to pounce on the interest. After a successful launch in the UK last year, Revolut is launching “Stays” in Ireland so you can book your holidays with the bank and save.

What Is Revolut Stays?

Revolut Stays is the latest feature to launch from the online-only bank that now has 1.5 million customers in Ireland. Stays will allow Revolut customers to browse for a trip away within the banking app. Beyond just browsing, you’ll also be able to book free from fees and nab yourself up to 10% cashback.

Revolut is launching Stays as part of their wider vision to go beyond being a bank, instead being an app for all things money.

Marsel Nikaj, Head of Savings and Lifestyle at Revolut, says that “as the world begins to cautiously open up, we know Irish users are desperate to get away whenever they can. We’ve built Stays to make it easy for people to find and book their perfect break in their ideal destination. After 18 months of endless restrictions and lockdowns, we want to give people more and make their money travel further”.

Getting Back To Travel

It’s a really interesting time for Revolut to launch a product like Stays. While it may not attract a massive amount of new users, I can definitely see this increasing app usage for existing users.

Looking at Google Trends shows that interest in the COVID-19 vaccine has increased steadily this year. Alongside this interest is travel.

Google Trends data showing interest in vaccines and travel in Ireland for 2021

The Irish public would seem ready to somewhat return to travel. The short term might very well be staycations, but Revolut Stays will cater for both holidaying here at home and abroad.

It’s a lucrative business too. Back in 2019 when we knew little about what was around the corner, people were still travelling like normal. Irish Revolut customers spent, on average, €215 on accommodation, €131 on flights (suggesting lots of European flights) and €679 on food, drink and entertainment living the local life.

Revolut and travel, for me, go hand in hand. I’ve used my card in cities like Barcelona and Hamburg but also New York and Seoul. For countries where you lose the nice comfy blanket of the Euro, your Revolut card gives you access to live foreign exchange. You can pay for dinner with your card in New York just like back home. Revolut automatically converts your Euros to Dollars without charging you a cent.

How To Book With Revolut Stays

Stays is available to Revolut customers in Ireland from today and offers accommodation options across the globe with options ranging from bargain B&Bs to unique, luxury lodges. Revolut plans to later add even more travel related products like flights, car hire and travel experiences.

You can sign up for Revolut today. Important to note that if you sign up with that code, we both get a pressie from Revolut. Just FYI.

CES To Require Proof Of Vaccination For 2022 Event

Marty
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CES To Require Proof Of Vaccination For 2022 Event

The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES for short, has announced it “will require in-person attendees to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination”. This is big news as it’s one of the world’s biggest events and one of the first to insist on vaccination as a requirement to attend.

CES 2022 Plans

Tech events, like many other events, have experienced massive disruption as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While I do keep context in my mind and understand I’ve gotten through the past 18-months lightly, I’ve missed tech events. While some, including CES, moved online and did their best to re-create the in-person experience digitally, it just wasn’t the same.

For this reason, it’s exciting to see CES 2022, and hopefully events like IFA 2022, going ahead and that they will be full in-person events. It’s even more promising to see the organisers taking the necessary steps to ensure the event has every chance of proceeding.

CES To Require Proof Of Vaccination

Today, the organisers of CES 2022 confirmed that in-person attendees will be required to present proof of vaccination. For those who are unable to attend or who cannot present this proof, they will have the option of attending a digital event running in parallel to the physical event where “digital audiences will have the opportunity to share the spirit of the in-person event”.

Consumer Technology Association CEO Gary Shaprio says that “based on today’s science, we understand vaccines offer us the best hope for stopping the spread of COVID-19. We all play a part in ending the pandemic through encouraging vaccinations and implementing the right safety protocols. We are taking on our responsibility by requiring proof of vaccination to attend CES 2022 in Las Vegas”.

CES 2021 went online to mixed reviews

Will CES 2022 Accept Proof Of COVID-19 Recovery?

As we’ve grown accustomed to EU Travel Certs and the like, this brings one question to the surface around antibody testing. If you’ve recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months, you can travel in Europe the same as if you have been fully vaccinated. Organisers have confirmed they are “also assessing the acceptance of proof of a positive antibody test as an alternative” but nothing has been said about testing and attending. More will be shared on antibody testing prior to the event with organisers confirming they are following “state and local guidelines and recommendations by the CDC”.

When Does CES 2022 Take Place?

CES is an annual event. The next event will take place between January 5th and 8th. As is the case every year there has been an in-person event, CES 2022 will run in Las Vegas, Nevada and over 2000 companies are expected to attend.

Google Pixel 5a Might Be Here Sooner Than Expected

Marty
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Google Pixel 5a Might Be Here Sooner Than Expected

Google really is a funny old company when it comes to its smartphone range and launches. The Alphabet company leaked the Pixel 6 themselves last month. Now, with very little notice, it looks like the Pixel 5a is about to hit shelves globally.

Pixel 5a Coming Soon?

Android Police got its hands on some shots of what is apparently spare parts for the Google Pixel 5a landing in US repair shops. As a result of this leak, many now expect the Pixel 5a, which is arguably Google’s best chance to make a dent in to the phone market, will be on sale as early as tomorrow.

Pixel 5a: What To Expect?

The Pixel 5a will be loosely modeled on my beloved Pixel 5. It really is a shame that the Pixel range isn’t widely available in Ireland. While it’s on sale from Vodafone and directly from Google, it’s rare you find someone out in the wild sporting a Pixel phone.

The Pixel 5a really might change that. The reason being that the Pixel 5a will likely feature a lot of why the Pixel 5 is brilliant, but will a smaller price tag. In fact, one major upgrade will be the battery. Thanks to the leaks we know the Pixel 5a is likely sporting a 4680 mAh battery. That’s the biggest battery to date. It’s welcome considering battery was the one area that Google’s flagship really did feel like a letdown.

This might very well be the best of Pixel 5 with the worst area being fixed.

Also seemingly confirmed is that the phone will have a dual-camera lens on the rear. Personally, I’d wager that the camera will be more or less the same as the Pixel 5.

Google tends to roll the dice with new phones taking the lion’s share of interest with their souped-up upgraded version of last year’s flagship doing the rest. Of course, if you put the Pixel 5a and Pixel 5 up against each other, toe to toe, the Pixel 5 will win. Unless you’re focused on price.

Here, the Pixel 5a will win. You can expect the Pixel 5a to be available for less than €400. That’s a bit of finger-in-the-wind price guessing, but we won’t have to wait much longer to find out for sure.

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