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The Best Electric Scooter For Commuting Is No Electric Scooter

Marty
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0
The Best Electric Scooter For Commuting Is No Electric Scooter

That headline hurts me to write. As we re-open our workplaces and people start to try some days back in the office, interest in electric scooters has never been higher. For months, people in towns and cities around Ireland have seen more and more electric scooters on our roads. They’re easy to buy. You can buy an electric scooter in Argos right now. This is despite them being illegal to use on public property without insurance. Government inaction has led to this point where there are very real consequences should Gardaí decide to pull you over when using an electric scooter.

Electric Scooters Are Illegal To Use In Ireland

This section of this article is straightforward. For a long time I believed there was a grey area, but there’s not. It is illegal to use an electric scooter in Ireland, unless you are on private land. That means, as soon as you ride in a bike lane or on the road, you’re breaking the law.

The reason for this is that Irish law has never been updated for this category of vehicle. So we’ve been left trying to find where electric scooters fit. Unfortunately, they are classifed as Mechanically Propelled Vehicles. It doesn’t matter it they request some human force to get them moving, they are an MPV. In Ireland, MPVs must pay motor tax and insurance. I’ve tried to get both of these for my electric scooter but it’s just not possible.

The conclusion is that electric scooters are effectively illegal to use in Ireland for commuting.

Why Are So Many People Using Electric Scooters?

Despite their illegality, you’ll have noticed that electric scooters are everywhere. Even smaller towns have started to bare witness to them zipping up the road. I was in Ennis recently and saw someone getting from A to B using one.

It’s no surprise they are popular as they can both be an alternative to public transport, saving money and reducing exposure during a pandemic, and compliment public transport. This is called last mile commuting where Ireland’s generally poor public transport systems don’t really link up or bring you to where you need to be.

Ireland has just progressed with our latest set of restriction lifts which sees people testing out going back to the office. Public transport has returned to 100% capacity a few weeks ago to support the additional movement, but we can all agree the last place you want to be is a packed bus. Cycling and electric scooters offer a great alternative, the latter being particularly attractive if you don’t have showering facilities at your office.

What Can Happen If Gardaí Stop You Riding An Electric Scooter?

The ramifications for riding an electric scooter can be serious. While they seem like a simply joyful way to navigate your commute, should Gardaí decide to abandon discretion you can be landed in serious trouble. I was stopped on my scooter early last year and was let go with a warning. I haven’t used mine since but have heard plenty of cases where people have been stopped and not been so lucky.

One case resulted in an electric scooter rider ending up in court and losing their license. Fortunately, the case was overturned on appeal but this isn’t an isolated incident. From fines to penalty points there’s a range of punishments you could face for riding an electric scooter in a public place. Simply put, Irish law doesn’t differenciate between a car and an electric scooter. Both are MPVs so you are liable to be punished for using an electric scooter as if you were driving a car without tax and insurance.

I’ve been saying it’s just around the corner for years. But the Irish government moves at a snail pace on things like this. There are a large number of scooter share systems lobbying the government too. Whether this is having a positive or negative impact is hard to tell.

bolt electric scooter in ireland
There are several scooter share systems eyeing up Ireland.

There are on-campus scooter trials taking place in DCU at the moment but it doesn’t feel like this is really anything to do with government legislation, despite politicians loving turning up for photoshoots.

The Best Electric Scooter For Commuting

And that’s why I wrote the headline. The best electric scooter for commuting is no electric scooter. Get a bike or maybe even an ebike. Ebikes still operate in a bit of a grey area themselves but I don’t believe they’ve caused any hassle at all. Personally, I just use Dublin Bikes now. The exercise is a plus, right?

Google Nest Hub Review: Affordable Smart Entertainment Hub

Marty
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0
Google Nest Hub Review: Affordable Smart Entertainment Hub

There are three kinds of household these days. You’ve either completely rejected smart accessories or gone down the route of picking Google or Alexa accessories. You could probably argue a few went all in on Siri and the likes, but they’re a minority. I personally went fairly full on into Alexa before finding Google’s Assistant-powered devices to be just a touch better. One of the key devices in my home setup is the second generation Google Nest Hub. So, if you’re thinking of investing, here’s what you need to know.

What Is Google Nest Hub?

The Google Nest Hub is a surprisingly affordable voice-controled Google Assistant with a 7-inch touchscreen display. Google has made the logical choice to brand all home-related products under the same “Nest” umbrella. The Google Nest Hub sits at the very centre of this eco-system, acting as your control panel for the lot.

I’ve actually got two Nest Hubs; first and second generation versions. I’ve got one in the kitchen and one on my desk where I work. I mainly use the one in the kitchen for streaming Netflix while washing up or setting timers when cooking. The one on my desk controls my smart lights and keeps me sane during the week, playing different kinds of music I need to keep myself motivated.

my desk with the google nest hub
My desk with the Google Nest Hub and other bits and bobs.

Based on my personal experience, is the Nest Hub worth buying?

Is Google Nest Hub Good For Streaming Shows, Movies and Music?

The 7-inch display isn’t the biggest thing in the world, but it’s plenty big for binging the US Office while doing the dishes. Perhaps most surprising is the quality of the audio. It’s loud and clear despite being a very compact device. You can link your Nest Hub to the services you’d expect from Google. That’s YouTube, YouTube Music and the likes. You can also connect Netflix and Spotify amongst other services.

The Nest Hub will also appear in your Chromecast compatible devices when you try to Cast from another smart device. This is handy if you’re hopping from the big screen in the living room to the small screen in the kitchen.

If you do decide to go all in on a Google Assistant-powered eco-system and end up with a few speakers that support Google, you can also link them in the Home app. This is possibly one of my favourite features of them all. I can ask my assistant to “play The Scratch everywhere” and all speakers in all rooms will play the same music in perfect sync. If you’re having a bit of a spring clean and moving from room to room, this is an awesome feature.

Is Google Nest Hub Good For Smart Home Controls?

Another main use for my Nest Hub is the smart home control side of things. Mainly, I’m controling smart lights but I’ve started recently testing out Google’s new Nest Camera and Nest Doorbell. More on that in a few weeks. For now, it’s mainly lights around my home. You can control your smart accessories with your voice or using the touchscreen on the Nest Hub. Honestly, I nearly never use the screen, mainly down to voice being a lot more intuitive.

I do, however, have to point out that the voice-control interface isn’t perfect. A common action I request is “Hey Google, turn off the lamp”. In response, I often get “Power controls are not supported”. The reason for this is that the Nest Hub hasn’t heard my request properly and thought I wanted to turn the hub off, not a lamp. A second, clearer command in a slightly more annoyed tone usually does the trick. This is such a common occurance that I cannot ignore it, but it doesn’t destroy the experience thankfully.

Other Google Nest Hub Features

The bulk of this review is based on what you’ve read above. My reason for this is simple. In my very real-world experience, that’s what I’ve used the device for. The one exception being setting timers when I cook, which the device really is a game changer for, and the odd time getting a recipe. Sometimes, it’ll struggle with the latter because I’m picky with my recipes.

There are other features though that Google probably wants you to know about in case you might want to use them.

Quick Gestures

I thought Quick Gestures was going to be a big feature for me. When your playing music, a quick flick of your wrist to show the palm of your hand will pause playback. I used this on my desk but it was very sensitive. I was in the middle of a meeting and one gesture to my colleagues started Slipknot. Not ideal. It’s handy if you’re cooking and don’t want to use the touchscreen, but it’s not perfect.

Sleep Sensing

I’ve not used this at all. Being honest, I don’t understand why Google integrated this into the Nest Hub. Probably not want Google want to see given this was a headline feature for the launch of the second generation Nest Hub.

Sleep Sensing uses radar to detect minor movements during the night to monitor your sleep health. That means no cameras to worry about.

This feature wasn’t all that important to me given that I usually wear my Fitbit Sense to bed which offers sleep tracking. It’s good to know there’s an alternative out there for those who find wearables distracting in bed. But if this feature is one that you believe is a game changer for you, I’d recommend reading another review that covers it in more depth.

Google Duo Calling

As I mentioned, there’s no camera on the Nest Hub. That’s great for privacy but not so good if you wanted a device for video calling. Still, you can use Google Duo to call other Nest Hub devices or people with the Google Duo app installed. If you call someone with a camera, like someone using a smartphone, you’ll be able to see them but they won’t be able to see you. So if you were to buy one of these for an elderly family member, they could still see you even if you can’t see them.

Second Generation Google Nest Hub: The Verdict

Despite being a second generation device, the Nest Hub is still a lot of imperfect solutions to problems that most people probably don’t have. At the same time, there’s a lot of tech to be bought here for just €99. The sound quality is extremely impressive and the ability to link apps and daisy-chain devices means this is the modern core of home entertainment.

If you feel like you need a Nest Hub, you won’t regret the €99 outlay. If you feel confused by the device’s existence, it might not add much to your life that a simpler Google Nest Mini device would cover. Still, there’s just €30 in the difference and the Nest Hub offers so much more making it worthy of consideration as long as you’re in the market for a smart assistant at home.

Ray-Ban Stories: Odd Brand Choice And Data Protection Nightmare

Marty
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0
Ray-Ban Stories: Odd Brand Choice And Data Protection Nightmare

I have a pair of smart sunglasses made by Huawei. I love them. For years I pondered picking myself up a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses, but the Huawei Eyewear II ticked all the boxes for me. Still, I was briefly interested to hear that Ray-Ban Stories had hit the market. These were the first smart glasses from the world’s most famous eyewear brand. My excitement was short-lived as I soon learned they have been built in partnership with Facebook.

What Are Ray-Ban Stories: Overview

Ray-Bans Stories are smart sunglasses and smart glasses from Ray-Ban. They’ve been designed to look fairly similar to the classic look you’d expect from Ray-Ban. The glasses were announced by Mark Zuckerberg during Facebook Connect last year. While the glasses more or less look like Ray-Bans, they are packed with tech.

Just like my own smart specs, there’s an open-ear speaker in the temple of the glasses. This lets you listen to music or podcasts on the go and, of course, take a call if you need to. There are touch controls on the temple for skipping tracks and turning the volume of your tunes up and down.

You can pick them up with sunglasses lenses or blue light lenses in a variety of colours and a couple of styles too.

Oh, then there’s the big thing I nearly forgot. Unlike my Huawei glasses, the Stories have two 5MP cameras built into the frames that connect directly to a Facebook App on your phone for posting to social media. These cameras are capable of capturing high-quality photos and standard quality 30 fps video. In a lot of ways, they’re quite similar to Snapchat Spectacles. There’s a small LED that illuminates to tell others the cameras are active.

Now, let’s get into everything that’s wrong with these glasses.

Why Facebook, Ray-Ban?

The partnership with Facebook is weird for many reasons.

Privacy

Facebook is hardly a bastion of privacy protection. Over the past few years, the company has found itself at the centre of the Cambridge Analytica scandal and huge leaks of personal data. So, when I see that Facebook is connected to a pair of glasses that has two cameras installed in the frames, I get a bit concerned. I’m not alone there either.

The Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) is the regulator of Facebook under the EU’s GDPR because the social media giant is based in Dublin. The DPC has raised concerns that the small LED may not be a great way to inform others that they are being filmed. In a statement, the DPC said, “there is a very small indicator light that comes on when recording is occurring. It has not been demonstrated to the DPC […] that comprehensive testing in the field was done by Facebook or Ray-Ban to ensure the indicator LED light is an effective means of giving notice [that the glasses are filming]”.

I’ve deleted WhatsApp and Facebook completely from my life because I just don’t like Facebook’s approach to privacy. The last thing I want to hear is that Facebook is powering a load of cameras wandering around the streets.

Odd Brand Association

Beyond the very real privacy threat here, I just cannot get my head around Ray-Ban opting to link their own well-known brand to Facebook. The biggest drawback of VR platforms like Oculus now is that you need a Facebook login to use it. That’s enough to put many off buying the tech, but at least Facebook owns Oculus, somewhat justifying the connection.

Ray-Ban is the sunglasses choice of pilots around the world. They’re a pretty cool looking pair of glasses and even make their way into countless blockbusters. In fact, it was Tom Cruise’s Risky Business and Top Gun movies that saved Ray-Ban from vanishing completely during some tough times. They’ve also massively benefitted from other associations, like being the beloved iconic choice of Casey Neistat.

Now, after just a few seconds being worn by Mark Zuckerberg, they feel infinitely less cool. Sorry, Mark.

Mark Zuckerberg launching the Ray-Ban Stories

Are Ray-Bans still cool? Ultimately, yes. I can’t see this partnership being enough to destroy the brand. But it’s just an incredibly odd move.

I can only assume Facebook has dished out massive amounts of cash to make this worthwhile for Ray-Ban. Facebook has effectively ceased to be cool for a lot of reasons and because of the privacy issues I don’t think Ray-Ban benefits from technology credibility here either. Money has to be at the core of this partnership with Facebook really being the bigger winner.

Are Ray-Ban Stories In Ireland?

Yep! You can buy Ray-Ban Stories on their website, where they’ll set you back €329 regardless of which frames you pick. You can also try them on virtually to get a feel for what they might look like on you.

Between me and Mark wearing them, they never stood a chance.

If you’re knocking about Dublin, don’t forget there’s a Ray-Ban store on Grafton Street where you can get up close and personal with them.

Sex Tech – Satisfyer Sex Toys

Dean
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Sex Tech – Satisfyer Sex Toys

Being a member of the Goosed team can have some of its advantages. We get to go to tech events such as Ces, collab with some interesting people, and test out some cool products. The products range from the latest phones on the market, smart wear, audio products, and best of all, sex tech.

We are no strangers to sex tech here at Goosed. Last year, Jon tested out the Myhixel and the Hot Octopuss Pulse Duo Lux (what a name). Now, thanks to the good folks over at Playblue.ie, they’ve given us a couple of smart Satisfyer sex toys to test out and see what the “buzz” is about.

Satisfyer – Sexy Secret

First up, the Sexy Secret. The Sexy Secret is a smooth, silicone, wearable vibrator for the vagina owners out there. You slip it into your underwear and clamp it on with a magnet, and nobody knows any better. The toy can be used solo or you can have a partner control it for you by using the app. This can spice up your sex life as you can be downstairs going about your business and your partner can turn the vibrator on and control the vibration strength and tempo directly from their phone.

An important factor of wearable sex toys is comfort. And from what I’ve been told by my better half, the Sexy Secret is very comfortable to wear due to it’s shape and is fixed firmly in place. And most importantly, it’s waterproof, so you don’t need to worry about damaging the toy during clean up.

One of the biggest worries generally with toys that vibrate is the noise level. When people use sex toys, two things they want are privacy and discretion. A loud vibrator is usually a deal breaker for most people and after a few uses, they can end up in the bin. With the Satisfyer Sexy Secret, you will not have that issue. If you have the vibrations turned up high, it’s obviously a bit louder, but compared to some other toys out there, it’s still very quiet. So if you want something subtle, the Sexy Secret is for you.

Another worry with sex toys, or more of an annoyance, is when the batteries go dead. Well, with this toy, thankfully there are no batteries as they are charged via a wall socket. However, it does have a specialised magnetic charging port, so do not lose the charger, as a standard USB charger will not do the job and you’ll have to go and buy a new one online

If you decide to go with the Sexy secret, it’ll set you back, a very very reasonable, €39.95 on Playblue.ie.

Our rating, (or my missus’ rating I should say): 8/10.

Satisfyer Double Love Luxury Couples Vibrator

Next up for the couples out there, we’ve got the Satisfyer Double Love Luxury Couples Vibrator. The Double Love can be used individually or as a couple. The vagina owners out there can use it as an internal and external vibrator, whilst the penis owners can use it as a stroker. We wouldn’t recommend buying this as a stroker for solo use alone, as it is built to be used as a couples toy, hence the same.

Similar to the Sexy Secret, the Double Love is a waterproof, silicone toy in the shape of a C. It has one wider end to be worn externally, and a narrower end for internal use. Once in place, the toy comfortably holds itself in place so, again, it can be used hands free. Not only also be used via the app on your phone, but you also get a little remote with some more basic functions on it such as turn the vibrations on and off and pulse mode. If you are going to use this simultaneously with a partner, we recommend using some lube so that you don’t end up pulling the thing out with your lad.

Again, like the Sexy Secret, discretion is top priority for the folks at Satisfyer who are developing these products, so the noise levels are very quiet. And the Double Love also has a charger in the pack, so you don’t need to worry about replacing batteries.

Our rating on this? My missus: 8/10. Myself: 7/10. Although my other half thoroughly enjoyed the Double Love, it didn’t do a lot for me by itself, but as a couples toy, it’s a very fun addition to the bedroom.

And you can pick this up on Playblue.ie for again, a very reasonable, €59.95.

Satisfyer Royal One Cock Ring

Lastly, we’ve got ourselves the Satisfyer Royal One Cock Ring. Unlike a standard cock ring, this one has a vibrating motor in it, which comes with a charger similar to the previous two. As a result of the motor, the toy is much thicker than your standard cock rings. But thanks to the highly flexible silicone and waterproof material, it should be good to fit most penis sizes. Before you put it on, apply some lube, stretch it and slide it on. You might be afraid that it’ll snap (the toy, not your lad), but we have tested this out and you should be just fine to stretch it without doing any damage to the toy.

Thanks to the design of the toy, you can use it solo, and place it on facing it downwards, applying vibrations to your testicles. Or you can place it on upwards if you have a partner where it can please both you and them. Although, as mentioned it is a big chunkier than your standard cock ring, you don’t have to worry about it getting in the way. In fact, the more contact you get with it, the better.

And just like the other two, noise levels with this are minimal. It is absolutely a non-issue with this cock ring and you can be almost guaranteed of your privacy when using it. My rating? 9/10. my significant other also gives it a 9/10 as it hits the right spots and is a bit more comfortable to use than that Double Love. And this is the cheapest of the lot, coming in at €29.95.

The Satisfyer Connect App

Just like a normal sex toy, each of the above toys can be used by themselves. The thing that makes these toys “smart”, is the free app available on the Play Store and Apple Store. Once your account is created, the Satisfyer app allows you to control each toy once in place.

When using the app close range, you can connect via bluetooth. So if you are in the same room or house, you can control the vibrations you or your partner experiences. “Program Play” has some preinstalled vibration patterns which you can control and adjust by swiping your finger on the screen which also controls the intensity of the vibrations. You can also set your own sequences and download more directly onto your app.

Another fun mode you can set your toys to is to music. You basically select this mode and it opens up your music app, Spotify for example. Then when you select a song, the vibrations and sequences pulse to the beat of the music. Personally, I’ve found that the sequences can be a bit off from the music, but after a minute, you’re not even focusing on it. However, I’d still recommend using one of the preinstalled sequences or manually setting your own ones.

If you’re not near your other half, you can still play by using “Remote Partner”. On this mode, you connect the toy over wifi and control the vibrations and sequences from distance. So if you’re out and about, or in another house, you can still play with your partner via the app. A great option, especially back during the lockdown days.

If you do find a specific pattern that you particularly enjoyed, you can upload it via Community Share on the app for other users of the Satifyer app around the world to use too. You can also sort by Most Popular to find some sequences that have been downloaded by thousands of users. And if you don’t have a partner of your own, you can actually allow other users of the app to control your toy via your username. This can be completely anonymous but allows you to connect and give up control to other sex positive people from around the world. You can even connect your toy with others toys and enjoy the same sequences and sensations together.

If you’re feeling particularly curios, you can switch over to the Ambient Noise option. So you can stick on the toy (The Sexy Secret is probably best for this) and your phone picks up noises via the mic which controls the sequences. Although this might be fun when out on a walk, we wouldn’t recommend wearing it to a nightclub!

The app and toys are really fun and innovative. The Satisfyers really are the next stage of sex toys and we highly recommend checking the out over on Playblue. And if you needed any further persuasion to try one out, just enter GOOSED for a 15% discount at the checkout!

Free Deliveroo Plus For Amazon Prime Customers In Ireland

Marty
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0
Free Deliveroo Plus For Amazon Prime Customers In Ireland

I’m expecting we’re going to see a lot of cross-border value for Irish Amazon customers now that there’s a full-on Amazon distribution centre opening in Ireland next year. The first bit of value since that announcement is great news for anyone who loves a bit of grub arriving at their front door courtesy of Deliveroo. Amazon and Deliveroo have teamed up to give Amazon Prime customers free deliveries on all orders over €25 for a year.

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

What Is Deliveroo Plus?

The one criticism I have of Deliveroo is that their delivery prices are spicier than the curries they deliver. It’s for a business reason though; they also offer Deliveroo Plus. Basically, by committing to a monthly subscription you no longer have to pay for your food deliveries.

It’s clever. Because if you’re paying for Deliveroo Plus, you’re less likely to order with Just Eat and more likely to order food full stop. I’m constantly saying that I’m trying to be good, so I’ve avoided paying for Deliveroo Plus despite the fact it would have paid for itself a few times over during lockdown.

Deliveroo Plus Pricing

To really understand this offer, first of all you need to understand the pricing. Deliveroo knows there are two kinds of households. Usually single occupant or dual/family homes. For that reason, you can pay a little more for your membership and have to pay less on your delivered dinner to get it cycled across town for free. Or, you can pay less monthly based on the understanding that you’ll only get free delivery if your dinner order is over €25.

In these scenarios, the more expensive plan is €10.99 per month and the cheaper plan with the higher minimum order limit is just €3.99 per month.

What Is Amazon’s Deliveroo Offer?

Now, for the offer. If you are an Amazon Prime customer, you can get the €3.99 Deliveroo Plus membership for 12 months. This is great news if you’re already an Amazon Prime customer who enjoys tucking away the odd takeaway. I love stuff like this for consumers because memberships and subscriptions often feel like death by a thousand cuts. Everyone wants their part of your wallet.

Now, by paying for one companies subscription, you’re getting access to another.

Why Is Amazon Partnering With Deliveroo?

It’s hard to know why, but I guess it just benefits both companies. Amazon customers get the “value add” while Deliveroo may get some new customers trying out their service for the first time. For Deliveroo it’s also a great way to show customers the benefit of having the premium account for a year in the hope customers keep it longer.

How To Get Free Deliveroo Plus With Amazon Prime

To get free Deliveroo Plus for a year, you just have to be a paid-up Amazon Prime customer. If you meet that criteria, head on over to Amazon.co.uk and link your Deliveroo account. Simple as that. Enjoy your dinner.

Riley Eco-Friendly Period Products Partner With Vodafone

Marty
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Riley Eco-Friendly Period Products Partner With Vodafone

I’m going to be honest. I was looking at this press release when it landed in my inbox wondering what do I do with it. I believe we need to start lending our voices and platforms to great initiatives that make the world a better place. The tech angle here is thin but because it’s Vodafone, I’m going to run with it. Too often, despite half the country dealing with them, we shy away from talking about periods. That’s why I think it’s great to see Vodafone announce a new partnership with Riley to provide free period products to all employees at its head office in Dublin and in retail stores.

Period Products In Ireland

Ireland is the only country in the European Union not to impose a tax on period products like tampons. But we’re far from perfect. Some countries still apply a VAT rate on these “luxury” items. I’m sure you’re aware there’s nothing luxurious about a period. Simply put, tampons should be made available to all who need them. Period poverty is another serious issue where people going through a period simply cannot afford period products.

There are also new period products on the market which are not eligible for lower or zero tax rates. Products like period cups that can be cleaned and reused are a sustainable solution. Great if you can afford them with their base cost and additional tax on top as they are not treated the same as tampons.

For all of these reasons, private companies are taking steps themselves. Lidl recently offered free period products within their Lidl Plus app, meaning free period products were available to those who need them every month.

Now, Vodafone is going to offer products to all staff in Ireland.

Riley Period Subscription Box

Vodafone will offer free period products to all employees in their Irish head office and retail estate. This has been made possible by teaming up with Riley. Riley is a Cork-based business born out of the pandemic, spearheaded by three female entrepreneurs, Aine Kilkenny, Fiona Parfrey and Lauren Duggan.

With the average sanitary pad containing about 90% plastic, Riley is an eco-friendly alternative that doesn’t harm the planet. All of their products are made a Global Organic Textile Standard certified material ensuring there are no added chemicals or toxins. The majority of packaging is compostable, and the tampon applicators are bio-based and made from sustainable sugar cane.

Anne O'Leary, CEO of Vodafone Ireland and Fiona Parfrey of Riley pictured at Vodafone Head Office, Leopardstown in Dublin, announces partnership with sustainable period product subscription service, Riley, and will provide free period products to all employees at its head office in Dublin and in retail stores. The announcement marks another significant step in Vodafone’s commitment to ensuring employees are supported through every life stage.
Anne O’Leary, CEO of Vodafone Ireland and Fiona Parfrey of Riley pictured at Vodafone Head Office, Leopardstown in Dublin.

Fiona Parfrey, Co-Founder of Riley outlined the Riley mission as being “ultimately to improve women’s lives. With our eco-friendly period products made from 100% organic cotton, women are getting sanitary products that are better for their bodies and better for the planet”.

The partnership with Riley will help Vodafone meet its ambition to be recognised as the world’s best employer for women by 2025.

Anne O’Leary, Vodafone Ireland’s CEO believes “today’s announcement highlights our ongoing commitment to creating a more inclusive culture for our employees. Vodafone values innovation and it is fantastic to see a small Irish business like Riley, see a problem and find a sustainable solution through the development of their eco-friendly period products”.

Be More Aware Of Period Issues

My ask to you, as you read this, is be more aware of period issues in Ireland even if you feel they don’t affect you. Not that long ago a period ad was banned in Ireland because people found it offensive. We need to grow up and realise this impacts everyone, either directly or indirectly.

Apple iPhone Launch Event: What To Expect

Marty
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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.

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