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The Last Stand Of The QR Code

Marty

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7th September 2020

User experience is something that changes dramatically as technology changes. Developers and designers quickly adapt and adopt to what consumers like you start to do. It’s your real world actions that shape the services you interact with. At least, that’s how the good services operate. In a world where we’ve been told we’ll likely have to learn how to live with COVID-19 for quite some time, there are user experience trends emerging very specific to a world living with a pandemic. One such trend is the return of the QR code. I personally believe this is the final stand of the QR code for the Western world, a world which has oft-rejected this analogue bridge into a digital world.

What Is A QR Code?

A QR code is very similar to the barcode you’d find on your groceries. It’s a machine readable code. This means that when it’s scanned by a reader, the machine (eg. till system or smartphone) can convert what you scan into information that makes sense to the computer. It all happens quick as a flash and for that reason, these codes get the title of Quick Response codes (QR codes).

QR codes have been around since 1994 and were originally developed for the Japanese automotive industry. They were popular for manufacturing lines where automated processes need quick access to more information than traditional barcodes could hold. You’ll have seen and probably used QR codes if you’re familiar with services like WhatsApp Web which uses a QR code to log in.

Today, they are also somewhat popular for the same reason.

Uses For QR Codes

Outside of their foundational industry QR codes have had varying adoption worldwide. In Asian countries, they have grown extremely popular. On a recent trip to Seoul in South Korea, nearly every store I visited had a QR code where people could pay for goods using their KakaoPay, an integrated feature of South Korea’s WhatsApp equivilant.

Back here in the West, QR codes have undertaken a very uncertain journey when it comes to their adoption. Generally speaking, they do appear in a surprising number of places. One popular spot is the cinema. When I pop into Cineworld, I don’t print tickets. Instead, I have an email on my phone with a QR code. The attendant just needs to scan this and we’re in. It’s a great solution for situations like this because QR codes are easier to read on screens versus traditional barcodes.

Now, while this is a fairly common application the big point here is that the cinema attendant is doing the scanning, not me, the customer. And this has been QR codes biggest issue to date. People simply don’t use them. QR codes seem to the be best solution to a problem we just don’t have yet. If you’ve got four minutes, check out this marketing talk on how humanity is generally using QR codes terribly.

The perfect solution to a problem we don’t have. At least that was the situation until COVID-19 hit and that’s why it’s now or never for QR codes.

QR Codes And COVID-19

I hope you had the time to watch that video because it does outline how QR codes were the wrong solution at the wrong time for many businesses. With COVID-19, I’ve genuinely scanned QR codes because I had to. Here’s when I’ve had to scan a QR code.

To Get A Menu In Sprezzatura Restaurant

My partner and I went for a walk one evening because the weather was stunning. We hadn’t planned to dine out, but after hearing about how amazing Sprezzatura was we said we’d grab a bite. We sat down outside and on the table was a piece of paper with all the instructions we’d need to get some grub. To see the menu, we could either go into the busy restaurant or scan a QR code.

I did the latter. The QR code was linked to a page on the restaurant’s website where I was able to view their menu and even order food if I wanted to. I ordered from their staff but still, this was a fantastic use of QR codes in a world where sharing menus and crowded spaces should be avoided.

Virtual Queuing In Kildare Village

After a night away we were on the road back to Dublin. Realising we were passing through Kildare and after restrictions were lifted, we made a stop in Kildare Village. The transformation this place has undergone to stay operating during COVID-19 is incredible. As you walk in, you’ll have your temperature automatically read. Anything over 38-degrees means you’re going straight back to the car. Thankfully, we got straight in.

The next think to catch my eye is the virtual queuing systems outside every store. Depending on the unit size, each store has a maximum capacity. We were visiting on a Friday so it was relatively quiet. At least most stores were. The Nike store on the other hand was heaving. Their solution is a brilliant queuing system. You walk up to the door, scan a QR code which loads a web page and you fill in a form.

When you fill in the form, you’ll join a virtual queue and you can then go venturing around the other stores until it’s time for you to stroll into the Nike store. Nearly all stores are capable or adopting this system and even in Dublin I’ve seen a few places doing something similar. Some marry the two concepts and allow you to scan a QR code outside, order your food for takeaway and have it brought out to you.

Is Now The Time For QR Codes?

So the big question remains. Is now the big moment for QR codes? Well, if it’s not now it’s never. QR codes are finally the perfect solution to a very real problems traditional retail stores, bars and cafes are experiencing. Draft plans for pubs reopening suggest that table service will be the norm. With COVID-19 we should be limited unnecessary movement of staff and technology can help with that. A QR code which lets you order straight to your table reduces excessive staff movements and if you integrate payment solutions in here too, no more cash or contactless faffing about.

Already in Dublin, craft beer big house Brewdog lets you order to your table like this and it works really well. No more messy splitting bills when you know your one mate without Revolut is tagging along. You just order and pay for your own bits.

The big advantage that QR codes have right now is their widespread integration in smartphone cameras. Generally speaking, if you open up any smartphone camera and point it at a QR code, the phone will automatically know what’s going on, read the QR code and load up what’s needed. Whether it be a menu, a place to order or somewhere to sign up for reminders or newsletters.

There’s absolutely no guarantee that now is the time for QR codes to shine. But if this isn’t the making of them, I think it’s safe to say they’ll never catch on over here.

Alcatel 3T 10: Review

Jon

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7th September 2020

0

Alcatel owned TCL are historically known for making good products at great prices. They have been a brand that know exactly what they are all about, finding that sweet spot between specs and spend. Lately I’ve been reviewing the Alcatel 3T 10 tablet and like most products from these budget busters it’s got a great spec sheet at a price that won’t break the bank. The version I was using came with the speaker stand but there are two other models on the market, one with a bluetooth keyboard and the standalone model.

Design

When it comes to design the 10″ Alcatel 3T 10 looks like…well a tablet. Design when it comes to tablets that aren’t Apple is pretty bog standard if we’re being totally honest. When it comes to the Alcatel we have a front facing “selfie” camera, volume controls, power buttons and a slot for a SIM and Micro SD car, oh and a 3.5m headphone jack. Which actually gave me a surprise and I wen’t to pull out an old pair of headphones to check it out but low and behold no longer do I even own a set of 3.5’s…madness!

On the back of the Alcatel 3T10 we have the standard camera, a standard 2MP but tablets aren’t for selfies are they?

Anyway where the Alcatel 3T 10 stands out from the crowd is the integrated audio dock. On the base of the tablet there is a connection point that matches up with the dock and these are only for power sharing and giving the tablet a place to stay because the dock connects to the tablet via Bluetooth.

Audio Station

To be honest the model of the Alcatel 3T 10 I got was all about the audio dock. When it comes to the tablets built in speakers, they are grand but the audio dock really makes up for it. It’s loud and the quality is clear. For me this was ideal to have playing my podcasts, radio or Spotify on during the work day.

On the design of the dock, the Alcatel 3T 10 is a simple black plastic tube with a flip out arm to help stabilize the dock when the tablet is mounted so that it doesn’t topple over.

Alcatel 3T 10 Performance

When it comes to performance the Alcatel 3T 10 is rocking 2GB of RAM, which is fine but it’s a tad laggy for running Android 9.0. Also with this amount of RAM having a pile of apps and tabs open isn’t the best move in the world, it does hamper performance but if you make sure you’re only running one or two things at a time then you’re flying it. Again we have to take price into consideration we have to say it’s perfectly acceptable and the screen quality is grand. My set up was audio dock, tablet, Spurs All Or Nothing….job!

On the screen, the display is a 720p so you will have to stick to the lower quality videos instead of looking at 1080p but again for the price this is the quality to expect. Literally no complaints about the quality of the screen for what most of us would be using it for.

Battery

The Alcatel 3T 10 boasts a nice 4080 mAh battery and the audio station ads another 2000 mAh or so. This means you get plenty of life juice with about 6 hours use without the docking station and 8 hours with it. So no complaints here from me, like Ronseal the Alcatel 3T 10 does exactly what it says on the tin.

Spec Sheet

Connectivity	Wi-Fi+4G
OS	Android 9.0
RAM	2 GB
Display Resolution Type	HD
Processor Type	MediaTek Quad Core (MT8765B)
Additional Features	Face Unlock, FM Radio, Dual Speakers, Far Field AI Voice Control, Wi-Fi Display
Display Size	25.4 cm (10 inch)
Display Resolution	1280 x 800 Pixels
Camera	2 Megapixels 5 Megapixels
Internal Storage	16 GB
ROM	16 GB
Expandable Storage Capacity	128 GB Micro SD
Battery Capacity	4080 mAh

The Goosed Verdict

In fairness to Alcatel, these guys know how to build a good product. I’m actually currently using the TCL 10 Pro phone which will have a review up shortly and in both cases I’m pleasantly surprised of the quality versus the price. It’s not perfect but for €250ish it’s better than I expected. The speaker is brilliant and I find that in my new work from home life having this as a small desktop screen to watch the news (and if my boss is reading I totally mean the news and not Netflix). I’ve also hooked it up to the Alexa in my room so it’s become an almost reluctant smart home hub, which if you ask me is fairly handy.

There are better tablets on the market. But if you want to spend between €200-300 then this is perfect.

Is The Skerries COVID Video Real?

Marty

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31st August 2020

0

A video has begun to circulate on social media today regarding COVID-19 and Skerries. Whether or not the video is real is the subject of some debate with some wondering if it’s real at all. So, is the Skerries COVID video real?

What Is The Skerries COVID Video?

The video which was started to appear early on Monday shows several girls talking about COVID-19. The video seems to be taken from the relatively new social media platform, Tiktok. In the video, a girl states that a friend has had a COVID-19 test returned as positive. She then says she and her friends are going to guess who else has tested positive. One of the girls even says she likes to “lick and share drinks with people” when she is drunk.

The video began to be forwarded on WhatsApp with an explainer message saying the girls were actually had a COVID party to see how many people they could infect. This message also names businesses in Skerries where the girls work or frequent and that customers might be affected by a potential outbreak or cluster.

Is The Skerries COVID Video Real?

I’ve done a bit of digging into the usernames on show in the Tiktok videos and am unable to determine if they are real or not. The first username doesn’t seem to have an account connected, though it remains possible that the account was deleted.

The second account does exist but has no posted videos. They may have never existed, could be limited to followers-only or may have been deleted.

One look at Twitter is enough to make me worried about a few things. I’m worried about the businesses who are being named, the girls in the videos and people who might be concerned off the back of all of this. It’s also extremely concerning that all of this is spreading while there has been no public verification of the video or its contents. One discrepancy already apparent is that the posts to accompany this video say the girls were hosting a COVID party to infect people. However, in the video, the girls are guessing who might have been infected. There’s an important difference here between a group who is trying to harm others or who are being immature. Both of which could yet turn out to be incorrect conclusions.

Without knowing what the actual story is, Skerries Town FC has already taken precautionary, but undeniably wise, step to suspend all club activities until further notice.

I don’t want to colour facts with opinion, but the very reason I’m writing this article is because I know people are frantically Googling to fact check this video. The reason is because many are looking for an outlet for their COVID anger. Fed up of being restricted, we need to vent. My two cents is that the very worst thing we can do is vent on a group of potentially teenage girls. For all I know the video isn’t real but is a clever social experiment. In the even it’s real, sure it’s foolish. But let’s remember that we’re dealing with some teenagers who have made a very foolish mistake.

Ultimately, we need to wait for facts to emerge and stop trying to find a target for pent up rage.

Richard Chambers took to Twitter to voice the sentiments I’m hoping to get across here.

Would warn against snap judgements on WhatsApp material.

I'm aware of some really harmful, misleading info spreading which absolutely needs to stop.
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) August 31, 2020

So, I know you’ve found this article because you want to know if the unbelievable is true or not. I don’t have that answer. But I would ask that you take a moment, breathe and think about why you searched for more info on this Skerries video.

You’re going to see a lot of people commenting on social media with the same amount of information I have. However, these comments will be much worse and they’ll be jumping to conclusions. It’s time we all started to be more critical of the media we consume and thoughtful before we share or comment things online. The people you’re posting about are people and even if you think you have all the facts, you should really be asking if you need to post what you’re about to post. Being trigger happy on Twitter has real impacts on real people and businesses.

Revolut Junior: A Bank Account For 7 To 17-Year-Olds

Marty

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26th August 2020

0

Revolut Junior: A Bank Account For 7 To 17-Year-Olds

Banking in Ireland often leaves a lot to be desired. While KBC is leading the way in terms of the traditional banks, Revolut is gaining ground quickly. Not only are they gaining customers, but the online-only bank is also offering unique features like rewards and quick ways to split bills. Revolut has also been offering a Junior account for customers in Ireland which has quickly grown to serving 40,000 young people in just four months.

What Is Revolut Junior?

Typically, Revolut customers in Ireland still have a traditional bank account. The primary reason is the perceived volatility of the fintech and startup markets that the public sees Revolut operating in. There’s also the lack of a credit functionality. By that I mean there are no credit cards, loans, over drafts or mortgages. Pretty much all of these drawbacks are little or no problem when it comes to meeting the needs of young people and banking.

Revolut Junior launched in May of this year realising that this was a perfect market for them to play in. Strategically, this means the bank is getting young people, aged 7 to 17 years old set up on their platform. In the coming years, as the platform develops and additional features are added to the online-only bank these growing youth customers will be able to avail of more. It’s all very clever.

The Junior arm of the bank is also just a great digital experience.

Features of Revolut Junior

Revolut Junior isn’t just another card on your account. It’s a special offering to benefit parents and their kids alike.

First of all, and many kids will say most importantly, Revolut Junior offers three uniquely designed cards just to junior accounts. These cards have the typical functionality of contactless payments along with chip and pin security too. They will also work with online payments so you can add pocket-money which in turn pays for services like Xbox Live and the likes.

Jody Walsh with his Revolut Junior card and brother Harry. PHOTO: Justin Farrelly

Next up in parental oversight. Within your Revolut app, you’ll be able to check where the money is being spent and apply some additional controls. You’ll be able to disable contactless payments remotely and even get an alert for every transaction on the account.

There is a Revolut Junior app too for your kids to use. In the app they’ll be able to check their own balance and get transaction alerts. If they’re a little on the younger side they don’t need to have their own phone.

There is a monthly top-up limit of €40 per month for Revolut Junior accounts. If you want to top-up by more, the parent who set up the junior account will need to subscribe to Revolut Premium. This raises the limit to a maximum of €4000 per year.

Benefits Of Revolut Junior

The big benefit of Revolut Junior is giving younger people some experience in banking. The unique thing Revolut brings to the table is their fantastic app which lets you oversee and manage your kids’ spending. Sending your kids pocket money for doing jobs around the house couldn’t be easier. I think the example I gave earlier of paying for something like Xbox Live or Disney+ is a great use of this new found financial independence.

As we all get used to a new COVID-19 world, Revolut Junior also overcomes a practical issue. Many places no longer want to accept cash but many parents only have cash as an option for kids to pick up a bite to eat on lunch. With Revolut Junior you can give them a nice handy card to pay with and you can make sure they’re spending it on lunch too, even if they’re sneaking out for a McDonalds. This would have been a disaster in my day.

Revolut Surging Forward

Revolut itself seems to be unstoppable. The 40,000 new junior users in just four months echo the general performance of the online-only bank. Also in May this year, the company announced that they had already signed up over one million users in Ireland. Sign up for Revolut today and if you do it through that link there I might even get a wee kickback or a free card or maybe nothing at all. They change referral rewards a lot!

Fitbit Launches Sense Smartwatch And More

Marty

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25th August 2020

0

Fitbit Launches Sense Smartwatch And More

There comes a time for a select few brands when they pass through a process called “genericisation”. This is when a brand becomes to generic term for their product. Think all 4x4s being called Jeep, all tablets being iPads or your internet search being called a Google, regardless of the search engine. When it comes to fitness trackers, Fitbit has done so much for the space that you’ll hear a whole host of trackers being referred to as Fitbit, but there can only be one. Today, the fitness tracking specialists have evolved from step counts to a full health tracker as they launch the Fitbit Sense along with some other new wearables.

Fitbit Sense

I was never a big fan of the Apple Watch. My wearable of choice has been Huawei since their first watch purely because they’ve always looked like watches, right up to my current wearable, the Huawei Watch GT 2. One thing Apple introduced which really piqued my interest was the transition towards being a whole health monitor instead of being a fitness tracker that gives you your notifications.

Health Insights

Fitbit Sense marks the same evolutionary moment for Fitbit as they move from counting your steps to providing you with much deeper and constant health analytics. The Fitbit Sense is the company’s first device with an ECG app which constantly monitors your heart rhythm. This level of tracking can provide us all with some very useful health insights. Our tickers going out of sync impacts 33.5 million people globally, though some dispute the relevance of fitness trackers in the space given the older age profile of people who suffer from atrial fibrillation. Even if that was the case it would be a realistic market given elderly people with heart problems are amongst the fastest adopters of e-bikes.

We typically think of fitness trackers for young people but their application is much broader

Even so, I personally would like to have this kind of health insight beyond the usual tracking most fitness wearables offer. I’m a regular blood donor and used to be a platelet donor. After a false-alarm, I was left a few months waiting for heart tests after a nurse thought they had detected an irregular pusle. All that time I considered buying an Apple Watch to keep an eye on my heart. Now, all was well and it was a false alarm, fit as a fiddle me, but wearable need to make these steps forward. Looks like the Fitbit Sense is going to make leaps forward for the fitness tracking giant.

De-stress

I was discussing COVID with someone recently. We were trying to weighing up all the risks it poses. We weren’t just talking about the obvious either. The conclusion I arrived at was that we must all look after our physical health, as long as there’s no impact on our mental health. And look after our mental health as long as there’s not impact on our mental health. Basically what I meant with this was stay isolated until you need to be social. Be social in a way that’s responsible.

The Fitbit Sense not only helps you look after your physical health but also your mental health. Identifying stress as a massive issue, Fitbit puts the tools onto your wrist to help manage your stress levels. The health benefits here are very real as heightened stress levels can lead to increased risk for high blood pressure and heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and mental health disorders like anxiety or depression.

You can track your overall stress through the app’s Stress Score. Within the Fitbit app you’ll also be able to explore a range of mindfulness tools. You can set a weekly mindfulness goal and reminders, reflect on your stress, log your mood after sessions, and meditate as a part of your mindfulness practice. Fitbit Premium members can choose from more than 100 meditation sessions from popular brands like Aaptiv, Aura, Breethe and Ten Percent Happier.

Fitbit Sense Launch Date In Ireland

Of course, the Sense will do all the other Fitness tracking you’re after too, including skin temperature, heart rate variability and SpO2.

I would fully expect the Fitbit Sense to be the big Christmas gift of 2020 this year. At €330 it’s not cheap but the wearable offers enough bang for your buck that will justify it to most understanding it’s the perfect gift. If that’s a bit spicy, Fitbit also announced the Versa 3 and Inspire 2.

All of these devices are not available to pre-order on Fitbit.com and will be in Harvey Norman from 01.09.2020

Google To Help 60,000 Irish Businesses Recovering From COVID

Uncategorised

Marty

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24th August 2020

0

Google To Help 60,000 Irish Businesses Recovering From COVID

For many businesses who have the luxury, online trading has become a crucial element of keeping the lights on and businesses afloat. Google has today announced a suite of commitments they will provide to Irish SMEs (small and medium enterprises).

The Alphabet-owned company, which came under fire for an update which impacted Ireland’s COVID tracking app, announced a commitment to help 60,000 Irish SMEs recover by helping them grow online. The online search engine giant will provide free digital skills training to 40,000 people by the end of 2021. An additional €4 million worth of advertising credits and grants will be distributed to small businesses, government agencies and NGOs. These commitments come as businesses across Ireland have been rocked by barriers to trade as a result of sweeping restrictions attempting to tame the spread of COVID-19.

The virus has altered consumer behaviour and led to restrictions when it comes to face to face interactions, particularly those involving large groups. This has posed real challenges for the many businesses who previously relied on face to face interaction. Google is committed to supporting Irish SME’s succeed, and today announces ‘Grow with Google’ supports to enable businesses to adapt and thrive by learning how to operate online. This could mean reaching new customers online, selling online for the first time, expanding to international markets or learning how to run a team virtually.

Through the Grow with Google website, people can access hundreds of training courses for free, learning everything from how to get your business visible online, to how to scale your business internationally and how to collaborate with your team online. 8,000 people in Ireland have already enhanced their digital skills through the program, and Google commits to helping an additional 40,000 people by the end of 2021. Google will also partner with Irish organisations such as The Dublin Chamber of Commerce and The Gaelic Players Association to make additional digital skills training free and easy to access for Irish businesses.

Learn more about how Grow with Google can benefit your business.

EA Sports UFC 4 Review

Jon

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22nd August 2020

0

Ever since Fight Night, I’ve been enamored by fighting games, so when UFC 4 landed on my desk, bet your ass I was excited to throw off a few slaps. Anyway UFC 4 recently hit the stores after a 2 year hiatus since UFC 3. Adding big name boxers into the mix in Tyson Fury and Joshua was always going to get people to stand up and take notice. Personally, I thought oh here’s a cash cow that’s going to be so bad they’ve decided to pull in two big name boxers to prop the title up. EA are the kind of company that find a formula that works (like FIFA) and stick to it. UFC 4 is no different. UFC 4 doesn’t shake up the system but it’s a fine update of the previous titles by mixing slick graphic, famous fighters designed with a lot of care and realistic physics to bring together a game that UFC fans are going to love.

Gameplay

Many people who played UFC 3 found the control system difficult to get their head around. I was one of them. UFC 4 doesn’t dramatically revamp any of the systems from the previous iteration. However, it does do some tweaking in order to make its existing mechanics simpler and more approachable. EA have done a full update of the ground game, clinches and virtually all wrestling transitions to make it a far more graspable area of the game.

There have also been changes to the submission system. Once a submission is triggered, you the attacking player will have to try move a small bar around a circle or line in order to cover up the other player’s bar. By covering up the bar the attacker will grow their submission meter, but if the defender can avoid the attacker’s bar they will grow their escape meter. Whoever fills their bar up first wins. Simple enough right?

The striking setup is the same as ever, catch someone with the right timing and watch them drop like a sack o spuds. Not unlike UFC 3, momentum, head movement and blocking are majorly important things to get your head around if you wish to survive in the octagon. Not going to lie it took me some time to get to grips with but on PS4, R2 will protect your head, R2 and L2 together will protect your body from punches, kicks and check kicks to your legs.

All in all, UFC 4 is much the same as UFC 3 with an improved ground game, which if we’re being totally honest was the area of the game play that needed the most TLC.

Career Mode

The biggest part of UFC 4 is the Career Mode. It’s pretty much the focal point unless you prefer fighting online. What’s good here is as a new player you have to learn from the get go with the start of the story line essentially acting as an in game tutorial designed to help you get up to speed before you even start making waves in the UFC.

This extended tutorial brings you in contact with Coach Davis, who teaches you the game and gets you on your way to the UFC via the WFA (World Fighting Alliance) and Dana White’s Contender series.

Once you pass these tests, you can then join the UFC and start on your way to becoming the world champ. To become the champion you have to train, develop your boxing, muay thai, wrestling and Brazilian ju-jitsu. Then when it comes to your actual fights, post on social media to build hype, the more interest you can generate for a fight then the more fans you get and the better contracts you can earn.

As you train, you earn skill points that you can use to improve areas of your game such as stamina, head and body health and attack speed. You also want to avoid injuries as much as you can. A long term injury will see your stats drop and you’ll need these skill points to improve all over again. Which to be fair is not unlike getting a real life injury, you gotta train them skills back up.

Finally, you can create rivalries via social media with other fighters, you can invite fighters into your camps to teach you a move and there are some in game decisions that help this from becoming a tedious slug from fight to fight.

The Goosed Verdict

To be honest I’m not the biggest UFC fan in the world but I can see this as a title that will delight fans of the sport. If EA are listening, please bring back Fight Night because that was one of the best fighting titles that I’ve ever seen. But look we’re here to talk UFC 4 and to be fair in typical EA fashion it does improve on the previous titles weak points without making any major overhauls to the game.

If you are a UFC fan you’ll be able to get hours of fun out of the Career Mode and fighting with your mates online. If you aren’t a fan of the sport getting to grips with the in game mechanics might not be for everyone. The Career Mode is the big win in my book and would keep me playing a bit longer but once you have it complete the only thing left to do is change styles or change weight classes and do it all over again. being totally honest are most people going to do that?

In fairness UFC 4 is the best MMA title on the market. Which isn’t hard considering I think it’s the only MMA title on the market and for fans of the sport get on it. UFC 4 is an enjoyable run out but if MMA ain’t your thing find something else to play.

Kygo A11/800 Review: For The Dance Music Fans Not The Audiophiles

Marty

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21st August 2020

0

Kygo A11/800 Review: For The Dance Music Fans Not The Audiophiles

There’s a whopper volume of headphones hitting the market these days. It’s well-timed too. Not all office workplaces encourage headphones, but with more people working from home and seeking the ability to “get in the zone” with noisy surroundings, people want good audio equipment. The Kygo A11/800 headphones are one of the latest pairs of noise-cancelling headphones to land on my desk. I’ve given them a test drive and here’s what I think about them.

Who Is Kygo?

Truth be told, these are the reviews I hate. I hate them because they make me realise I’m getting on in years. I’d never heard of DJ Kygo, a Norwegian DJ and music producer, real name Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll. Let’s face it, I’m pretty sure I won’t like his music. And even though he bounded to fame back in 2013 for remixing an Ed Sheeran song, I was going to be judging his headphones purely based on their audio quality and not his clout. So, after getting that rant off my chest, I realise I’m going to enjoy this review because it all comes back to the tech!

X by Kygo is a range of headphones which the Norwegian producer is happy to put his name to. I doubt he was in his bedroom with a soldering iron making them, but he was heavily involved in their creation process. More specifically, his input really shaped the app. More on that later.

In a spiel on the box, the creator says the headphones are an extension of his approach to everything, “always driven to improve”. I won’t lie. The whole thing struck me as a modern-day product with lots of talk and nothing to back it up. That fear was largely instiled with one look at the perfectly crafted Instagram page that supports the brand. It’s all very pretty and Insta-friendly. But is it all very good?

Sound

Let’s not mess about and get straight into the sound. The A11/800 sound great out of the box, while not as crisp as some other headphones I’ve tested with a bit of bleed between treble, mid and bass. Still, nothing that would make most users fire the headphones off in disgust. I listen to a diverse range of music, from Queens of the Stone Age to The Scratch and I found the headphones to deliver everything I would expect from this price range. I got a bit adventurous in the app which allows you to tweak sound preferences. Not an unusual addition and usually quite welcome, but Kygo’s input here is obvious.

Changing Sounds In The App

The app allows you to customise the sounds to four locations: Bergen, Los Angeles, New York and Ibiza. Why you might ask? I know I did. The four locations are places which influenced Kygo the most. The Bergen setting represents his hometown and is stripped back and best suited to chilling with some acoustic sets. If you’re getting more into dance, flick over to Ibiza.

At first I thought this a novel idea but also a bit gimmicking. I found it outright awful when it came to listening to Irish music like The Scratch and just left the headphones in default mode where they were best suited for this. However, when you play music from the genres Kygo has tailored these equaliser settings the headphones come alive. Again, showing my age, when you say electro-house, I can only think of things like Wolfgang Gartner and Anthem by Miles Dyson. These were tracks I would mess around with on a set of decks I bought with the money from my 21st before I started DJing the birthdays of others.

For The Few Not The Many

When you get into tracks like these, the audio quality is excellent. Take my ever-trustworthy benchmark for audio, the Bose QC35 II. These are incredible and I, to this day, cannot fault them. Every song I listen to them sounds great. I thought those classic electro tracks sounded great on them too, but when I set the Kygo A11/800 to Ibiza and cranked out Anthem I experienced something special. These cans are not for the audiophiles but for the dance music and hip-hop lovers. They are for a niche, to please the few not the many and that’s a very good thing.

One additional tick in the box of good vibes is that these headphones support Qualcomm’s aptX.

Design

Let’s step away from the important stuff and focus on what Kygo probably thought to be equally as important as sound; design. As I said, these are very Instagram friendly in terms of their branding. The black headphones I tested were quite subtle but they do come in a much more, visually, loud white colour too.

They’re a bit plasticky if I’m honest considering you’re paying a premium price for these headphones. Now, no more plastic than the Bose cans but the aforementioned JBL Club One headphones do give you a bit more premium for your buck. The headband is a slim profile and offers generous cushioning which makes them comfy. In fact, they’re very comfy. They sit snugly on your head and while I didn’t run test these myself they would be a somewhat acceptable headphone for a quick morning job. Especially if you’re a good looking Scandanavian. You may hear the joints creaking a little the more you move but overall, you’re not buying these as a running headset. You just might go for a jaunt with them.

The ear-cups, while nice and soft aren’t the biggest. I don’t think I have particulary big ears, but if you know you do these might not be the comfiest.

Functionality

The last port of call for these headphones is functionality. I’ve already discussed the app and don’t really have anything else to say about it. It’s a unique way of helping you improve your sounds and once you’re looking to enjoy the music that aligns it’s excellent. Otherwise, you can just keep it middle of the road and you’ve still got a great pair of headphones. Some other features.

Active Noise Cancelling

Normally, I’d be throwing this into my backpack along with my Bose cans and on a flight to somewhere giving them a quick noise-cancelling test. For obvious reasons, the ability to do flight tests has been dramatically curtailed these days. But I found a way when reviewing the excellent Huawei FreeBuds 3i. The extractor fan in my kitchen is ancient and very noisy. Hello there jet-engine substitute.

The active noise cancelling is ok. The “MacGuyver jet engine test” is very fair because it’s a droll monotonous sound. Exactly the kind of sound active noise cancelling should be able to wipe out. It does a decent job of this but it doesn’t compare to the likes of the Bose or the surprisingly brilliant JBL Club One ANC headphones, more on them soon.

On-Headphone Controls

I usually look at a pair of headphones and prefer to see more buttons. Less buttons means a gesture pad and gesture pads are typically horrible to use. The Kygo A11/800 has a gesture pad and sure enough, it’s not that intuitive at the start. The good news is after you figure it out or read the manual (not my strength) it’s quite a good gesture pad. Swipe up from the centre to increase volume. Down to decrease, left to skip back and right to skip forward. Tap in the centra to pause and play.

In addition, there’s a power button and buttons to control active noise cancelling and awareness mode. The latter is great if you’re walking through the city or going for a jog as you can still hear bits of the world around you. A nice feature that.

Finally, you have two additional ports. One for USB-C charging and ther other for an options 3.5mm headphone jack.

Battery Life

The headphones are advertised with a 40 hours battery life or 19 hour playtime battery life. As with all battery ratings, I didn’t that from them but the reality is that you’ll rarely feel a battery life which really only achieves 14 to 16 hours. These will get you through most long-haul flights and their noise cancelling will do enough to take the edge off those engines. Whenever we’re allowed do all of that again.

Everything Else

Final few bits to mention. As you’d expect at this price point, you do get a nice carry case with a carabiner to clip onto your backpack. In the case, you’ll find a USB-C charge cable and 3.5mm cable with an in-line mic for calls. The last feature I didn’t really call out was the auto-pause feature.

There’s a proximity sensor which detects if the headphones are on your head. Take them off and auto-pause kicks in. These a similar feature on the Sennheiser Momentum 3 which is awful but I do think the Kygo A11/800 actually pulls this feature off a little better. My concern is that if you do have smaller ears or wear glasses and have issues with the sensor, there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to disable this feature. On the Sennheisers, I could turn it off but if you have trouble with it here, you’re stuck with it. Thankfully, I didn’t have any issues so hopefully it’s the same for you.

Kygo A11/800: The Verdict

At €249 these are not aiming to be a quick cash-in on Kygo’s fame. I say fame there assuming he’s fairly well known. Instead, these are a very real attempt at a premium pair of headphones. They deliver on quite a few areas and are a great pair of headphones in their own right. However, when you look at the market – it’s vicious. Right now you can get the stupendous Sony WH-1000XM3 for the same price. If you’re an all-round music lover, they’ve still got to be your first choice but if you’re big into your electro-house and want a bit more style than substance (and I say that with no disrespect intended), the Kygo A11/800 are not a bad pair of headphones at all.

The Kygo A11/800 are available directly from their dedicated website and often have discount codes on their Instagram page.

Virgin Media Launches 1 Gigabit Broadband Network

Marty

-

20th August 2020

0

Virgin Media Launches 1 Gigabit Broadband Network

The internet has come a long long way. I still remember sitting in my bedroom on a DELL desktop running through a phone line and using Limewire to download music for hours, if not days. Back then, the internet was the trickle of water coming through a teeny tiny pin-sized hole in a bucket full of water. Today, the hole in the bucket is the size of a Pringles can. Internet speeds have gone crazy fast for people living in built-up areas. Standard 4G speeds are stronger than ever and, while it’s early days, the other day I tested Vodafone 5G on my Huawei P40 Pro and got speeds as fast as the fibre in my house! Even in this landscape of internet leaps into the future, Virgin Media has launched one of the most significant leaps forward in modern broadband with 1 Gigabit speeds being rolled out to nearly one million homes nationwide.

Gigabit Broadband In Ireland

Gigabit broadband is all about speed, specifically speeds up to 1,000 megabits a second. That means you can download an Xbox One game or 4K movie in about three minutes. I’m a Virgin Media customer myself and I’ve been checking up on my data usage since COVID hit the nation. My internet usage has nearly doubled, between video conferencing and staying in to watch things like The Fall on Netflix or downloading games like Fall Guys to beat the boredom. Two strangely related titles there. Paul Higgins, Vice President of Commercial at Virgin Media, said, “we know our customers are using their broadband more than ever before with data usage increasing by 40% since March”.

Customers are using their broadband more than ever before with data usage increasing by 40% since March

Gigabit broadband means more people in the home can do even more with better quality. It enables things like 4K video streaming to be as normal as HD streaming. While your internet might be fast enough for you today, our world is ever-evolving and what you want to do online tomorrow could very well need Gigabit broadband.

Gigabit broadband isn’t new to Ireland. SIRO, a joint effort between Vodafone and the ESB, was launched in 2015. It’s a clever solution which saw fibre lines being laid alongside electricity wires instead of burying them. The end goal was a rollout of Gigabit broadband to homes which, traditionally, were unable to avail of fast internet speeds. SIRO, by its direct nature, takes time to reach individual homes and so there are still many left wondering when either the National Broadband Plan or SIRO will reach them.

Virgin Media’s launch today, unfortunately, won’t address the issue of rural areas with poor broadband. At the same time, the reach of Virgin Media’s network shouldn’t be underestimated. According to the CSO, over 50% of all occupied premises in Ireland are capable of connecting to the Virgin Media network and can access speeds of to 1Gb. Of the entire network, 1Gb speeds will be available to 97.5% of installation points.

However, it does mean that nearly one million homes now have the choice of Gigabit broadband and that’s simply got to be one of the biggest network leaps in the past few years.

Virgin Media Gigabit Broadband

You can now sign up for Virgin Media’s Gigabit broadband, over on their website. When you order, you’ll need to be sent your new modem, the V2. Generally speaking, the Virgin Media systems simply plug and play and rarely require a technician visit. The package will set you back €85 per month which gives you access to 1Gb download speeds and 50Mb upload speeds.

There is also a launch offer in place which reduces the package to €60 per month for the first six months giving you a saving of €150, but this is an online-only offer. Buy in a Virgin Media retail space and you’ll be paying full whack.

Hot Octopuss Pulse Duo Lux – Sextech Making Masterbation More Than A Solo Activity

Uncategorised

Jon

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18th August 2020

0

Hot Octopuss Pulse Duo Lux – Sextech Making Masterbation More Than A Solo Activity

Every once in a while a gadget lands on our desks here in Goosed Tower where every single one of us does a double take and says “What are we meant to do here” and of course a wonderful part of being Irish is the squimishness and awkwardness people feel when the topic of sex is brought up. Luckily this is changing and now onto my second Sextech review I feel obliged to say, chill out and enjoy the ride…literally. Anyway the toy that recently got us all going full Catholic guilt was the Hot Octopuss Pulse Duo lux, a couples’ vibrator that claims to do it all.

I can hear it already, you’re a tech website why are you talking about a sex toy? Bear with me this has a bit more tech going on than you might think, and that includes it’s double motor pulse plate technology.

Pulse Plate Technology

Right straight in no kissing here. The key bit of kit involved here is the Hot Octopuss’s PulsePlate. This means that instead of the toy using traditional vibrations, it actually uses oscillations that are located on a raised plate designed to hit a key spot for maximum pleasure while the flip side contains a second plate for her enjoyment. As I said this is a couple’s toy primarily but if you don’t have a partner you can still use it alone or save some money and buy one of the brands solo model’s like the appropriately named PULSE III SOLO which is essentially just the guybrator version of the Duo Lux.

Beyond that this toy contains all the usual bits of tech you would assume in a gadget, like USB charging (although C-Type would make a faster charge), it’s totally waterproof (which is always a good thing) and there are 3 touch buttons to operate speed controls and at the base there is the magnetic charging plate.

Charging the Duo Lux is simple, attach the magnet and the toy lights will come up red until it’s fully charged at which point the lights will turn to green. Charging time takes about 3 hours for an hour of usage.

Finally with the Duo Lux there are also two wearable remotes for independent control. So basically control your own vibes or your partners through the watches.

Controls

Controlling the Duo Lux is very very simple. On the device we have three buttons, the plus and minus for vibration control and a single button on the other side called the function button. To turn on the device simply hold down the button on the vibe with just a single dot for two seconds. Once the device is firing you can then use the buttons or the remotes to increase oscillation speed, and for the external lady vibe you’ll need the controller.

There are 9 different oscillation levels and 6 different patterns modes that respond to the oscillation speeds and if you’re feeling real ballsy hold down the plus button for about 3 seconds which will put the Duo Lux into Turbo mode.

The buttons on the device and watches are:

Lightning or crown logo – TURBO MODE!
Circle – long press to turn on/off or short press to cycle through speeds.
Plus – increase speed
Minus or wavy line – decrease speed and intensity

When it comes to getting into the action, adjusting the pace is easy peasy. Use the on device buttons or fiddle the remotes until you find your ideal setting. Oh and it packs a punch, the Pulse Solo has 3950 RPM whereas this Duo Lux is rocking 4,450 RPM.

The Wearables

I’m calling it a watch even though it doesn’t tell the time, and this little bit of kit is what runs the show. Wear your own and control your own vibes or swap with your partner and control each others speed.

The Duo Lux straps are made from silicone and the central ‘coin’ is a hard piece of plastic you can remove to change out the batteries, which is a simple watch battery, if and when the time comes. Maybe don’t bring this into your local jewelers for a new battery and just buy them yourself but hey whatever you’re having.

The strap itself is designed to fit pretty much anyone, ranging from 7″ to 10″ but do take not, the device itself is fully submersible (yano incase shared bathtub time is on the menu) but the remotes are only splashproof aka don’t drop that in the tub it won’t be coming back.

How does it feel?

K, now to the meaty stuff and I’m honestly very happy I’ve got this far sticking to the tech and not mentioning boners. But that’s where we are at now. When it comes to the Duo Lux, one partner can use it as a masterbator while herself mounts and grinds on the reverse side.

Essentially here the penis is inserted into the toy while the woman rests their clitoris against the back so both can be stimulated simultaneously, and when the woman is on top they can shift their weight across the plate to increase clitoral pressure. Ride it like you stole it, but it’s 100% not made for penetrative sex, its a little too bulky for that.

When it comes to sex, everyone is different so when it comes to the Duo Lux there is going to be some learning as to what works for you. Having said that some when will come by stroking, others with the stationary vibe oscillations and others by grinding within the device while she is on top.

When it comes to partner play, you need the remote to activate the pulse plate on the “bulb” side and once you’re up and running cycle through the vibration strengths to find what works best for both parties.

As I mentioned earlier the Duo Lux packs a punch. The noise is quite deep and well buzzy (yes not very technical but that’s all I got) and this gives you and idea of the difference between the vibration and oscillation patterns. The fact one side is oscillating and the other vibrating does mean this is quite loud as far as vibrators go. Having said that, the male pulse plate is really the loud part and almost drowns out all the smaller vibrator’s movement.

Women can also use this alone, but it’s very much a straddling product, so either press it against the clit or find out where on the curve is the sweetspot for you and again everyone is different so depending on where you are sensitive and what gets you off is where the testing and learning comes into play.

The Goosed Verdict

Are we all over our Irishness yet? If you’ve got this far then fair play. For about $150 this ain’t exactly cheap so if you’re in the market for a guybator maybe check out one of the brands solo products.

Overall this is a pretty cool product both for the single and the couple, albeit if you live with housemates and thin walls, the noise level is fierce enough to give them a bit of a surprise. Also battery life isn’t amazing but then again would you really be using just this for over an hour at a time?

The Duo Lux is absolutely a gadget designed to improve foreplay and I can only assume it would be a game changer for couples where there are issues with penetrative sex or erectile dysfunction. In short, get rid of that wonderful Catholic guilt, get your sexy on and try something new.

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