Search here...
Subscribe
Home Blog Page 67

3D Moments – Personalised 3D Printed Gifts

Jon
-
0
3D Moments – Personalised 3D Printed Gifts

Not gonna lie, I fucking love 3D printing! It’s one of those things that we have all seen down the years, whether it be on tv shows like Big Bang Theory or have randomly seen some bits on Facebook clips. But 3D printing is about much more than just making whistles or models. It’s one of them technologies that is used for high performance manufacturing, being researched in biomedical circles and in this case can make some lovely custom gifts. Recently we hooked up with the folks from 3D Printing Moments to discuss their business and how they make magic memories in 3D, so here’s the scoop!

About 3D Moments

3D Moments is a brand new Irish company that specialises in creating one off 3D printed gifts, these printed designs are perfect presents for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, christenings, graduations and many many more.

Put it like this, 3D printing has been about since the 80’s but it’s still a technology that is in it’s infancy and it couldn’t be further away from standard printing! This type of printing works by pulling melted material through a nozzle, not unlike icing a cake. The nozzle moves up and down the plate created layer over layer controlled by the computer, raising each layer one after the other until your print is complete.

For 3D Moments a single print can contain over 1500 layers​ to ensure that each piece prints clearly and can create the fine detail to make your printing pop. Oh and they can take up to 26 hours per piece to create.

How it Works

To get a 3D Moment created, just send these guys the picture you want printed, pick the product you want and let them do the rest…. well pretty much. They will do any touchups required to your pic to get it print ready, but before you go full steam ahead to get something made do note a few things:

1. The photo should be of good quality and not blurry

2. Close up photos and selfies look best in 3D

3. There should not be any strong shadows on the photo, especially on faces.

4. People should not be wearing sunglasses

5. Faces should not be cropped or half missing

Pricing & Products

Cool, so now we know a little bit about how these pretty little keepsakes are made you need to know what you can get done and how much right? Well here ya go:

3D Moments also ship internationally so if you are looking for a thoughtful gift for someone near or far, give them a shout and see what they can do because for us we love to see tech and thoughtfulness merge to create something unique and meaningful.

What Is OnlyFans? Right Time For This Social Streaming Platform

Marty
-
0
What Is OnlyFans? Right Time For This Social Streaming Platform

On many popular social media platforms these days you might have seen reference to OnlyFans. In this brief article, I’ll give you a quick insight into what this social media platform is all about.

What Is OnlyFans?

OnlyFans is a video content app. It’s quite similar to other social media platforms that you’re familiar with. Creators create and the public consumes. The big difference with OnlyFans is that creators can also offer one-to-one chats with viewers in exchange for money. The big thing with OnlyFans is that it’s grown popular with people because of the one-to-one chats combined with policies which allow creators to upload and stream any video content.

Who Is On OnlyFans?

While the platform has been around since 2016, it’s grown in popularity during COVID-19 as people are at home and often out of work, seeking new forms of income. Daily, the platform was seeing over 200k new users daily and between 6,000 and 8,000 creators joining. Even famous artists like Cardi B and Bella Thorne use the platform as a channel of income.

Basically, you’ll get a mix of harmless content and highly sexualised content on OnlyFans. But come on people, it’s 2020. That’s the internet.

As I said, you’ll often find OnlyFans creators on several other social media platforms, especially TikTok. They use these platforms to gather interest and drum up new subscribers.

Is OnlyFans Safe?

Is the internet safe? OnlyFans does have a share of regular content and sexual content. It also has an interactive element which always warrants special care online. We do need to challenge a lot of what we immediately think when we hear of a platform like OnlyFans. While the relationship between creator and viewer is somewhat artificial, it might be positive.

In South Korea, many people live alone but despise dining alone. This is where Mukbang comes in. While the origins of Mukbang are in a creator streaming themselves eating massive quantities of food, there’s a very social aspect. Dining with a Mukbang streamer removes the dining alone from people’s evening ritual.

In a COVID-19 world where loneliness is a very real problem, technology can provide solutions. There’s a space for OnlyFans to provide income to those out of work and some sort of companionship to those feeling lonely.

We’ll be keeping this post up to date with future updates on OnlyFans in Ireland.

Facebook To Ban QAnon Across All Platforms

Marty
-
0
Facebook To Ban QAnon Across All Platforms

Facebook is a powerful platform. If you’ve watched The Social Dilemma, you know how it works despite Facebook disagreeing. But for along time, a debate has raged and a question has been left unanswered. Is Facebook a publisher? You might wonder why it matters, but this is huge. If Facebook is considered a publisher, they are responsible for what appears on the platform. If someone says something racist or threatens to murder someone, is Facebook responsible? Tonight, Facebook has banned QAnon from all of the companies platforms: Facebook Pages, Facebook Groups and Instagram accounts. So why is this important, who or what is QAnon and what will the fallout of this all be?

What Is QAnon?

How do you even answer that question? Is QAnon a person? Is it a thing? Perhaps the best way to describe QAnon is a collection of outlandish conspiracy theories. Personally, I love conspiracy theories. I find them fascinating. I also find them fictional, but I’ve always loved the train of thought that sits behind a good conspiracy theory. Was 9/11 an inside job? No. But I do find it fascinating that there was a rogue flight training exercise set to take place just after two planes hit the World Trade Centre.

The important thing is I’m capable of separating a conspiracy theory from reality. Do I think Hal from Malcom in the Middle went on to be Walter White in Breaking Bad? No, but just as I love conspiracy theories, I love fan theory too! Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.

But that’s all this is. A story.

QAnon, while a collection of conspiracy theories, is also something else at its core. It’s a tool for Trump and he’s even retweeted some QAnon theories. Now, I’m unsure how much Trump was involved in the foundations of QAnon, but it does have a bit of a Cambridge Analytica vibe off it. I feel like we’ll be looking back at a documentary in a few years about how Trump activated the often forgotten outcasts with an all-encompassing conspiracy called QAnon.

At it’s core, QAnon purports that America is run by a load of Satan-worshipping paedophiles. We’re talking the media, Hollywood and politicians. The only person that can stop them is Donald Trump. If you’re into staying up until 3AM digging through Wiki Pages and YouTube videos, then QAnon is the rabbit hole you’ve been looking for. For all the frankly ludicrous theories and tales spun by QAnon, very real harm has come into the world from QAnon. Simply put, the whole movement is all very far-right, white supremacist and very Trump. You know the way all these things tend to go hand in hand these days.

Does QAnon Impact Ireland?

Now, while these things might all seem to be very much “America’s problems”, I’m afraid the stupidity has reached Ireland too. Being a collection of outlandish conspiracy theories means you’ve seen any number of people influenced by QAnon in the news lately. This whole thing is the force behind anit-mask Covid-denial, extreme media-scepticism, 5G conspiracies and believing movements like Black Lives Matter are all government constructs. Given recent form, our government’s ability to organise a piss up in a brewery, such complexity should be a punchline in a comedy club and not a belief anyone gives a second thought to.

Think back to recent “protests” on Grafton Street, outside RTÉ and by the Custom House in Dublin. When you look closely at the signs, the calling cards of the QAnon movement are all there.

There are lots of fringe minority beliefs in Ireland and QAnon brings them all together. Anti-mask protests, anti-5G mast attacks and protests outside RTÉ are smokescreens for racism, misogyny and other general far-rightery. QAnon makes those who felt excluded feel a part of something. And those who lead movements that tap into these “outcasts” know they can profit from gaining them as a follower.

All of these people who have been brought together under one umbrella are not simply peaceful protesters out for a quiet chat. They are dangerous and even violent. Granted, the far-right in Ireland is fairly weak and it’s important to point that out, it only takes one member of it to do real harm to an innocent bystander.

This is why, Facebook banning QAnon pages and accounts across their platforms is huge. QAnon is quiet simply, the reason many of us end up getting really angry at really stupid people.

Facebook Banning QAnon

Facebook banning QAnon is somewhat confirming they are a publisher. They are choosing what shows on their platform and even kind of taking responsibility for it. I’m not sure of the legal side of things, but for me, the fact that Facebook has an algorithm which dictates the content shown to you while browsing the social media network, made it a publisher already. It curates content, news and events for you much like a journalist would.

Facebook choosing to ban QAnon is significant because it’s another tick in the box that the social media platform is starting to realise their true publisher status. Semantics aside, it also means an online movement perpetrating massive harm in the real world has lost a massive stage to speak from.

The social media giant stated that this ban is an update to a policy which previously removed QAnon accounts specifically discussing violence. This resulted in 1,500 pages, groups and profiles being shut down. It will be interesting to see just how far Facebook will go here. Given QAnon is so far-reaching and broad in definition, it’s difficult to see what kind of pages will be cracked down on. A Facebook spokesperson said they were “not going after individual posts” but instead focusing on the accounts that spread the theory.

Will this new policy include the “Irish” Facebook group behind last weekend’s Grafton Street protest? This group is anti-mask and anti-lockdown. Dig a little below the surface and you’ll find a plethora of followers sharing QAnon theories. This specific group has over 8,500 members, with over 1,200 joining in the past week. While some will be there purely for morbid curiosity others will be exposed to the group’s ranting and raving over other fringe beliefs. In fact, just yesterday saw 189 new posts in the group.

Censorship vs Right to Protest

Banning QAnon is an interesting topic. There’s a fine line Facebook needs to tread here, along with what I personally want to see too. I was furious to see the “protests” last weekend. The nation is now in Level 3 COVID-19 restrictions and most of us are doing our bit to save lives. These “protestors” do nothing but put more people at risk. As Neil deGrasse Tyson said, “the good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it”. Sure, people have a right to protest and one of the more divisive protests in recent times was the Black Lives Matter march. The cause is absolutely worthy, but should it have taken place during COVID-19 restrictions?

But people sitting in on Grafton Street because an online group told them some fanciful lies is just dangerous. Government and Gardai can really only do so much when things end up in reality like that. The truth of the matter is that Facebook must do more and maybe, just maybe, banning QAnon is the start of it.

Amazon Prime Day 2020: A Guide For Irish Shoppers

Marty
-
0
Amazon Prime Day 2020: A Guide For Irish Shoppers

Celebrating 5 years in existence and being right up there with Arthur’s Day when it comes to made-up holidays, it’s nearly time for Amazon Prime Day 2020. It’s a day to bag a bargain and buy that thing you’ve been thinking about for quite some time. I once bought a drill that took me well over a year to find a use for, but I’m still glad I got it! I’m after taking a look at the 2019 Prime Day Guide and feel it needs some sprucing up before you go shopping.

Does Amazon Prime Day Matter In Ireland?

For many reasons, this is a valid question. Amazon never setup an Irish website so we’ve had to run of their UK. Now with Brexit and COVID-19 it’s fair to wonder if Prime Day is even something that Irish shoppers can benefit from. The good news is that it absolutely is! Some delivery times are slightly longer and you might need to use a virtual UK address for some things but there will be bargains to be had for shoppers in Ireland.

When Is Amazon Prime Day?

Calling it a day is a bit of a lie. Amazon Prime Day 2020 takes place on 13 and 14 October 2020. More specifically, the Prime Day sales kick off at 00.01 on Tuesday, 13 October and runs through to 23.59 on Wednesday, 14 October. If you’re at a loose end, the good news is that some of the best Prime Day Deals are already live and available to buy over on Amazon.co.uk.

Is It OK To Shop On Amazon?

You can only answer this question for yourself. I’ve personally been trying to shop locally whenever possible but I do still buy some things on Amazon.co.uk. Sometimes it’s the price, sometimes it’s a choice and sometimes it’s just convenience. Given the year businesses have had, please do try and shop local when you can. At the same time, Prime Day means massive discounts and can often mean buying something being a lot more affordable. Don’t feel bad about buying something you really want or need and saving substantially.

Before you can bag a bargain, there are a few things that are nice to have and things you’ll absolutely need.

Amazon Prime Membership

This is essential. Amazon Prime Day discounts are reserved exclusively for Prime members. Along with the discounts, a Prime Membership brings various other benefits.

Benefits Of Amazon Prime

  • Next Day Delivery
    • To Ireland this will usually take two days when using a virtual UK address
    • Still really quick
  • Amazon Prime Video access
  • Limited Amazon Prime Music access
  • Limited Amazon Prime Reading Access
  • Amazon Photo storage

New Amazon Prime Customers

If you’ve not had an Amazon Prime Membership before, there’s a free trial you can make use of. You can sign up for this, enjoy Prime Day discounts and then cancel your membership if you don’t think you’ll continue to get value from it.

Get Prime Trial

Existing Prime Customers

If you’re already an Amazon Prime customers you’re good to go. The membership costs £79 per year or £7.99 a month which means there’s a wee saving to be had by paying annually if you think it’s a sound investment. I’ll touch on this later, but pay with Revolut and you’ll save even more versus Amazon’s exchange rate. That should work out at about €90 per year or €9 per month.

There are benefits for existing customers too. Until 14 October existing Prime members can get four months of Amazon Music Unlimited for £0.99.

Get Prime Music

What Are The Best Prime Day Deals To Look Out For?

There will be some deals that spring up on the day but there are also annual favourites, some of which I’m repeating from last year’s guide but others are very much new for 2020.

Echo Devices

Amazon has announced a new suite of Amazon Echo devices and you can be sure they’ll all be discounted for Prime Day. These voice assistants are great for helping with little jobs around the house. I use timers and reminders a lot but you can also download various skills and even use them for video and voice calls. There’s never a better time than Prime Day to pick up a new Echo device or your first one.

Shop Echo Devices

Amazon Fire TV

Another Amazon device that tends to be really popular during the Prime Day sales in the Fire TV stick. I use mine probably more than my Chromecast. The Fire TV stick is powered by Android and can have loads apps installed on it like Netflix, Prime Video and even Apple TV. It’s a handy little thing to have.

Buy Fire TV

Home WiFi Mesh Booster

We’ve spent more time than ever at home this year and not all of it was for fun. Loads of us are working from home these days are that’s left us needing some things we’ve never thought of before. One of these things is a WiFi mesh system. A mesh system can also be referred to as a WiFi extender or WiFi booster. Basically, the modem you get from your internet provider is usually pretty crap. Mesh systems let you spread your WiFi to more of your house and even property. That means you can get WiFi in the garden if you link enough mesh modules together.

I’ve reviewed a few of these and the lies of the Google Nest Wifi is fantastic but pricy. You’ll find plenty of these systems on sale for Prime Day, including this Tenda Nova mesh system I’ve used in my mother’s house which works brilliantly.

The key thing to look out for is the area the mesh system covers and the are you’re trying to cover too.

Shop WiFi Mesh Systems

Eufy Robovac

I tipped this last year and I have to do the same this year. I have a Eufy Robovac and I love it. There are loads of robotic vacuums on the market but Eufy seems to get the balance of quality and value just right versus the industry leaders like Roomba. Again, spending more than at home than ever means we’re probably making more of a mess so this is a great way to get some of your time back. Automate that task you really hate with a Robovac.

Buy Robovac

Other Tips For Amazon Prime Day

I’ll be checking out other offers on the day so follow me on Twitter to get updates on the day. There is two other big things you should know about making sure you get good value on Prime Day.

Using Revolut

I was shocked recently when shopping on the ASOS website in the UK. I was shopping with the site set to Euro. I knew you can sometimes get a better rate if you pay in Sterling so I swapped it over. What I couldn’t believe was that I saved nearly €67 on €330 order by doing so.

https://twitter.com/martinmeany/status/1293259578466082816

This is because the ASOS website uses its own currency conversion. The Amazon.co.uk website is the very same and you can save a couple of Euro by paying in Sterling and not Euro. The reason for this, at least for me, is that I’m paying with Revolut. When paying with Revolut, I can pay in Sterling and use their exchange rate not Amazon’s. Being a kind of a bank, Revolut has access to the interbank exchange rate and always gives you the best rate in that instant. So if you can, pay in Sterling on UK sites and save yourself some money.

Virtual UK Addresses

Another favourite of mine is using a virtual UK address. These allow you to get your package delivered to a UK address of a courier company like Nightline, DPD or even An Post. They’ll then bring your package to Ireland and deliver either to a locker, to your address or the local post office.

The benefit of using a virtual UK address is manifold! They let you get faster shipping, sometimes cheaper shipping and even let you order some products which aren’t shipped to Ireland at all.

That’s it for now, but we’ll be updating this article in the countdown to Amazon Prime Day 2020, so hit that wee bell in the bottom left corner for push notifications. We normally only send them for new articles but will include push notifications for updates here too.

Amazon Prime Day: Frequently Asked Questions

Will there be an Amazon Prime Day in 2020?

Yes, there is. Amazon’s annual Prime Day event is taking place on 13 and 14 October, 2020.

Does Amazon Prime Day work in Ireland?

It does indeed. Amazon Prime works all year round in Ireland. Sometimes you might need to use a virtual UK address but you can nearly always benefit from Amazon Prime in Ireland. For that reason, you can also bag a bargain during the Prime Day Event.

Is it bad to shop on Amazon instead of supporting local business?

There’s no easy answer to this question. It’s tough to justify paying more money locally if you can save money on Amazon.co.uk. If the prices are similar, we recommend shopping local as much as possible, especially given the year businesses in Ireland have had. But if you are saving significantly and can’t afford to spend more, you should take advantage of the discounts and enjoy your purchases.

How much does Amazon Prime cost?

Amazon Prime £79 per year or £7.99 a month. That means you’ll save a bit by paying the lot upfront. Pay with Revolut and save even more on the exchange rate. That should work out at about €90 per year or €9 per month.

The item I want to buy says it does not ship to Ireland. What can I do?

Most of the time, in order to buy these products you’ll need to use a virtual UK address from someone like Parcel Motel, DPD or An Post. If it still doesn’t work, make sure you’ve tried An Post. They have a mainland UK address which nearly always works versus the Northern Ireland addresses.

Note: When you click a link on this page, head over to Amazon.co.uk and make a purchase, we may get a small percentage of the sale. It doesn’t cost you anything extra but it’s one of the ways you can support us in continuing to bring the latest tech news to the masses. Thanks in advance!

Sony L4 Review

Jon
-
0
Sony L4 Review

Sony…when you hear about the company nowadays the first questions people ask is about the PS5 and that means their phone range is currently going under the radar. Well it turns out Sony have a few new phones in their arsenal and we are lucky enough right now to be working our way through the range, starting with the affordable Sony L4. The L4 is the Xperia device coming in at about €150 a fair bit cheaper than the Xperia 10 or 5II for example. Here’s the thing up until this year the entry level pricepoint has been a bit light on competition with only really Sony, Alcatel and Huawei servicing this market but now Nokia and Oppo are back in the mix. So the big question is, how does the Sony L4 stack up.

Design

Sony phones have always been a lovely design, hard edges, black and just clean. The Xperia L4 is no different in that it takes elements from the upper tiers of Sony’s range, even have the same 21:9 display. On the rear of the phone we see the 3 tier camera setup in the top corner, again following the same layout to the brands flagship phones.

As ever we have to take the price point into consideration and while the plastic body doesn’t scream premium, that’s not uncommon for €150, for that price the matte finish is slick and overall it is a very neat and tidy design. Here’s a mad one, no longer do I own a set of 3.5mm headphones but guess what the headphone jack lives on. The time is probably at an end for the humble headphone port but by god I do love to see it.

As is Sony’s prerogative we get the fingerprint scanner on the side of the L4, to be honest it works fine but I did find myself still reverting to using the Pin since becoming accustomed to the Pixel 4a’s rear side scanner.

Camera

Sony's new Xperia™ L4 joins its entry series, bringing 21:9 viewing... - Sony Europe

Sony always do a bang up job with their camera. Their digital camera range is some of the best gear on the market and traditionally their smartphone camera’s hold their own despite some serious work by competitors on the market. At this budget you aren’t likely to find something like the Xperia L4 rocking a triple cam, with 13mp, wide-angle 5mp and a depth 2mp lens. On the front we are also using an 8mp so overall that’s some good stats for €150.

As I mentioned on the rear there is the triple camera setup, really it’s only two and the third ( the 2mp) is there just to be used with the software-derived bokeh system for blurred backgrounds in shots. Oddly enough the Xperia L4 is missing HDR that seems to be given in pretty much all phones these days, yes there is and auto HDR system of sorts but the L4 really struggles with high contrast photography as a result.

The wide angle lens is very good I must admit and it gives a lovely expansive view, you just need to make sure you have your lighting on point as the phone doesn’t handle very bright or very dark well at all. Couple this lens with the 4x digital zoom you can get some pretty nifty pics but again at €150 I shouldn’t expect to be blown away, I just expected a little better.

Display

Xperia L4 | Android smartphone by Sony | Sony IE

Sony love a good display and this for me is the best part of the Sony design. On the L4 we get the now standard 21:9 aspect ratio on the 6.2″ LCD display. This means the Xperia L4 is rather tall and narrow, great for holding and watching clips on the full screen. The display itself is a nice 720p HD display which for this price is actually pretty decent in terms of detail in this format.

I did find it was a little dark at times and the setup wasn’t too well able to handle darker videos to bring through that quality viewing experience but that’s not too uncommon for the money, so that’s just me expecting more from Sony displays.

Hardware & Performance 

So far what I’m experiencing from the Sony L4 is that for the price it’s grand but there’s an element of we all Sony can do better and again I think we get that feeling when we look under the hood. The Xperia L4 is running with 3GB Ram with MediaTek MT6762 processor hardware, again grand but there is something that says the Snapdragon processors at the same price point will edge the power battle.

We do get some decent storage space with 64GB Internal with a micro SD expansion available. We also get USB-C charging for the 3,580mAh which again for €150 is more than acceptable and should get you through the day no bother. The only downside is that the Realme 5 and Samsung Galaxy A21 both offer nearly 5,000mAh batteries at the same value. See what I mean, the Sony Xperia L4 is good, nothing wrong with it but it could be better.

Despite the screen being setup for mobile gaming, you will want more power and better graphics, so if you are looking for the gamer phone go to the next model up in the Sony range.

Software

Normally I won’t even bang on about software unless it’s something new or really bad but this one took me by surprise. The Sony Xperia L4 is running Android 9 rather than 10, which for me gives the impression that this was either meant to be out much earlier than it is or the company really don’t care about the price point in the market and just wanted something to fill the gap. Like Android 10 is out since what about March?

But that’s only minor right? Well yes and no. It’s minor in the sense it’s still Android and it can be updated but on the flipside it means you don’t get the new gesture controls from Android and a few other bits which you presume should just be standard by now. On the upside Sony are finally reducing the amount of bloatware on their phones and Sony still changes a lot of the Android experience, with a makeover to the launcher and other areas, which is always a good look.

The Goosed Verdict

The thing with the Sony Xperia L4 is that it really is an entry level phone, it’s not exactly dripping in cool extras or fancy bits. What the L4 is simply is a good value for money smartphone and it would be ideal for someone’s first phone this Christmas or as a tie over when you’ve mangled your expensive flagship. I’m very happy with the overall design which is very Sony and the price point.

Sadly that’s about it, there is no wow factor with the L4 bar the 21:9 screen, but all features you can find on any phone in this range now and that means things like the running the old version of Android out of the box is all the more noticeable while there is nothing that makes me go hmmm I’ll buy this over that, if you get me. Personally I believe the Xperia L4 is going to struggle for sales, there are other phones on the market that are a touch more expensive that offer much bigger batteries, processors and are running the new software (which you can upgrade to but still). Having said that as per the norm Sony won’t let you down so if you’ve got a youngun who loves watching Youtube on your phone and you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful smartphone that is build for video viewing the L4 is well worth the look.

Why Are Electric Scooters Still Illegal In Ireland

Marty
-
0
Why Are Electric Scooters Still Illegal In Ireland

I’ll be the first to admit that 2020 has indeed been a bit of a rollercoaster. I’m also fairly patient. I’ve been waiting over two years for the Data Protection Commission of Ireland to actually address the Church believing they’re above GDPR. Another area I’ve been really patient is the legalisation of electric scooters in Ireland. My patience is wearing thin, especially now that we have a pandemic, crowded buses and a Green Minister for Transport doing less for electric scooters than Shane Ross did. I honestly, cannot believe I just wrote that.

Electric Scooters In Ireland: The Story So Far

I’m an electric scooter owner myself. I have the Xiaomi m365 scooter and got great usage out of it for about 12 months or so. See, electric scooters used to operate in this neat little grey area.

The Early Scooter Grey Area

The Xiaomi m365 can go nowhere unless you push it to start. For this reason, it was believed that it could not be classified as a mechanically propelled vehicle (MPV). In fact, the website of An Garda Siochana even had a document from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) stating this very mechanism exempt certain electric scooters from being classed as an MPV.

The Garda Website

Then, essentially overnight and very quietly, the Garda website was updated with new information contradicting this understanding. I submitted a Freedom of Information request to the RSA to uncover how all of that came to be. The problem now was thousands of electric scooters had already been bought in Ireland and people were using them for their commutes. Others saw scooters and thought they were a handy way to get around cities with some even using them in conjunction with public transport for “last mile” trips. This started an adoption cycle and popularity of electric scooters boomed, particularly in Dublin. Sensing their popularity increasing, Gardai began to crack down on these newly clarified MPVs.

Cracking Down On Electric Scooters

I was going down Nassau Street on my scooter one morning when Garda Traffic stopped me. It was because my electric scooter was an MPV that required tax and insurance to be paid. I was let off with a warning and rather cheekily, was back scooting for a few days as soon as the Garda left. Because I thought it was nonsense. The Garda in question that day said he thought the scooters were great but that a memo was circulated from the base in Dublin Castle to start seizing electric scooters. A few days later the seizures started as electric scooter owners were stopped and had their scooters loaded onto flatbed trucks. To get them back, they would need to drive to the Garda storage area for seized vehicles. Amongst all the illegally parked cars you would find a few electric scooters. You’d be able to get it back once you pay the €125 fee for light vehicles (the same as a car).

Electric Scooter Rider Gets Penalty Points

Many of the scooter riders thought that was the end of their woes. Unfortunately not. In the eyes of the law, these scooter riders had been driving a motor vehicle uninsured and that’s a pretty serious law to break. A few months later they received their summons to go to court. One scooter riders court date ended in 5 penalty points and a €300 fine. On the same day, an electric unicycle rider received no penalty points and a €200 fine. A bizarre outcome for many reasons but either way it was the final straw for me personally. I put my electric scooter into storage and started contacting the relevant legislators to try and get electric scooters legalised.

Shane Ross and Noel Rock

Two big names from the Government at the time that are central to the early days of this discussion are Shane Ross and Noel Rock.

Noel Rock was a Fine Gael TD at the time and actually an electric scooter rider. He voiced concerns several times in Dáil Éireann. Unfortunately, his questions were inadequately handled by the then Minister for Transport Shane Ross. Now, anyone who follows me on Twitter knows I’m not the biggest fan of Shane Ross. I personally believe he’s more interested in photo ops than actually getting the job done. At the same time, he did actually get a bit of work done on electric scooters, even if that was kind of just kicking the can down the road.

The biggest piece of work was getting the RSA and the Department of Transport to commission a report into micromobility solutions. That came back and after reading it I can’t disagree with much of what it said and suggested. Next up was a public consultation on electric scooters and other similar vehicles. That’s all long done and dusted, so now we’re just left with the action of the back of it.

It was at this point the Irish political system fell apart, we went into a general election just because COVID-19 landed. Limbo commenced.

Eamon Ryan: A Green Minister For Transport

And then there was hope. Out of the many months of no Government came an unlikely three-party coalition. Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party. The real hope came from Eamon Ryan getting the big one for electric scooter riders. He was made Minister for Transport. I was celebrating, naively thinking I’d be back on my scooter in no time. With COVID-19 hitting hard, public transport was less appealing than ever. People wanted public transport alternatives and I’d seen more scooters on the roads than ever.

Nothing. Actually, less than nothing. Back in 2019, electric scooters were on Eamon’s mind. He even asked Shane Ross about scooters in the Dail. But when he himself was asked about them as the new Minister for Transport he didn’t have anything to say much different to what Shane Ross was at. Fianna Fail’s Marc MacSharry asked the Eamon Ryan for an update on the “steps taken to legislate for e-scooters in accordance with the Programme for Government”. He also wanted the Minister for Transport to outline “his plans to recognise the role e-scooters play as part of Ireland’s sustainable transport mix”. Minister Ryan replied with effectively the same delay tactic response that Shane Ross deployed. He gave the usual line on “any changes to the legal status of e-scooters require primary legislation” which of course takes time. He continued by asserting that “the work must be carried out in such a way that it does not undermine the overall framework of Road Traffic Law or Road Safety in general”.

While I believe that to be absolute bureaucratic nonsense, the more worrying part is that Minister Ryan then said “the Government’s current legislative priorities are the necessary measures to manage the COVID-19 crisis and to address its social and economic consequences”. To me, that means he’s totally missing the potential benefits scooters offer here. People are crammed into LUAS trams because getting around Dublin is a nightmare.

The transport system simply doesn’t work and the fact that thousands of people are on scooters already suggests the solution is there staring us in the face. But the solution, being electric scooters and other modes of transport like e-bikes, isn’t that clear cut. Some e-bikes have their own grey areas and electric scooters are straight-up illegal. Gardai did seem to be turning a blind eye but just last week, an electric scooter rider confirmed my worst fears.

It left me angry. Angry because another scooter rider is facing into paying a fine, potentially going to court and getting penalty points. Technically, if they don’t have a license, they’re facing into a huge fine for driving without one. The laws simply don’t cater for modern modes of transport at all. Which led me to a thought. Are the laws really as bloody hard to update as Eamon Ryan is making them out to be?

The Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

It turns out, the answer to my question is no and much to my shock, it looks like Shane Ross once again might have paved the way. Back in 2019 a proposal for The Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill was put forward by the then Minister for Transport Shane Ross. This piece of legislation was to allow for the testing of self-driving vehicles on Irish roads. Now that’s a significant change to laws in Ireland considering we’re talking about cars driving themselves here.

At the time, Shane Ross said the priority is always going to be safety, but also adding that this was a developing sector. Yet, thousands of people adopting illegal electric scooters has been left on the back burner for years, leading to several people ending up in court facing penalty points and fines.

No Reason For Inaction

I can’t for the life of me understand why something cannot be done as quickly to legislate for electric scooters. On another occasion in September, Minister Ryan stated that “it is not possible to provide a detailed timeframe for legislation at this time” and frankly that’s just not good enough.

This isn’t a small issue. It affects thousands and is a ticking time bomb. The scooters are already on roads and footpaths. We need laws to dictate where these things can and cannot go and remove all grey areas once and for all. Depending on a flakey interpretation of what an MPV is just doesn’t cut it. Why? Because treating the rider of an electric scooter the same as someone who is driving a 2-tonne plus car without insurance or a driving license is nothing short of ridiculous.

The Hospital Pass

I’ve been emailing the Minister for Transport’s office for some time and last week I got a response. Unbelievably, the Minister has chucked this out the window and onto to the desk of Hildegarde Naughton. Naughton is Minister of State for International and Road Transport and Logistics and in writing this article I’ve reached out to her for comment and will update if I hear back.

It’s hard to know what level of priority electric scooters will be given. Despite the massive benefits they bring in a pandemic world, many are still focused on perceived negatives which I’ve mythbusted already.

With The Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill set to be prioritised for finalisation this Autumn I’m left wondering why this has to roll on any longer. According to Fianna Fail Chief Whip Jack Chambers, “the programme is an exciting and ambitious legislative agenda which will deliver on many of the commitments outlined in the Programme for Government”. It makes sense that this is the time to introduce the legalisation fo electric scooters once and for all.

OPPO To Launch In Ireland With Reno 4 Series

Marty
-
0
OPPO To Launch In Ireland With Reno 4 Series

I love it when something really exciting happens in the Irish smartphone market. A few months back, I introduced you to OPPO after spotting some people being hired for the Irish market. OPPO is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer and today they have confirmed they’re launching in Ireland with the Reno 4 Series.

Who Is OPPO?

Oppo is very much a flagship-making challenger brand to enter the smartphone industry. Expect to get top specs at very reasonable prices. I’ve already run through OPPO in more detail so take a look at that when you can.

Is The Reno 4 A Good Phone?

I’ve yet to get to play with any OPPO phones but they launched in the UK a while back and received a great response. I’m hopeful they’ll be a big shake up to the market. My gut tells me they’ll also hit the market running unlike Xiaomi, which was a bit of a damp squib.

OPPO positions the Reno 4 as a phone for “young trend-setters and future creatives in mind”. The truth is that the Reno 4 series is going to bring some of Ireland’s best value 5G smartphones to the market, interesting given that Three’s recent launch means every county has 5G, along with every major operator.

Reno 4 Series Specs

The specs are might impressive, even on the mid-range Reno 4 Z. It even comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, making it the perfect mobile gaming phone.

The Reno 4 Pro is genuinely a best in class smartphone featuring incredible specs. The camera is an exciting prospect and I’m looking forward to matching it up against the likes of the Leica-powered the P40 Pro.

RENO 4 Z – €379
RENO 4 PRO – €799
120Hz 6.57” LCD FHD+90.4%90Hz 6.5” AMOLED FHD+AA 92.1% / VA 93.4%
163.8 mm x 75.5 mm x 8.1mm184g159.6 x 72.5 x 7.6mm172g
MediaTek Dimensity 800Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
16MP + 2MP Hole Punch Selfie48MP (Main) + 8MP (Ultra Wide) + 2MP (Mono) + (Retro) 2MP32MP Hole Punch Selfie Camera48MP (Main) + 12MP IMX708 (Ultra-Wide) + 13MP (5 Hybrid Tele) + LDAF
Side Fingerprint ScannerUnder Display Fingerprint Scanner
Ink BlackGorilla Glass 3+OPPO Reno GlowGalactic Blue/Space BlackGorilla Glass 5
8GB RAM + 128GB Storage12GB RAM + 256GB Storage
4000mAh4000mAh
18W Charging65W Super VOOC 2.0
Dual SIMDual SIM

Where To Buy OPPO In Ireland

A confirmed list of operators supplying OPPO has not yet been made public. They have said that all handsets will be available on bill pay, and I would imagine prepay, through local operator partners in November. We’ll need to wait and see who confirms they’re teaming up with OPPO but hopefully the big three in Eir, Three and Vodafone pick them up. You’ll be able to take your pick of the Reno 4 Pro in Space Black and Galactic Blue, while the Reno 4 Z will arrive in the Ink Black colour from November.

Three Launches 5G In Every County In Ireland

Marty
-
0
Three Launches 5G In Every County In Ireland

Today marks the launch of the Three’s 5G offering to customers nationwide. At launch, the network has said they’ll have 35% population coverage, expanding that to 50% before the end of the year. I’m currently back “home home” as I call it, in Kilkenny. Where it’s extremely hard to get fast broadband. I’m excited because according to Three’s 5G coverage checker I’m in a 5G area. Never thought I’d get to say that any time soon!

What Is 5G?

There’s more to 5G than those weird people in the street who think the world is flat while also believing our government managed to plot COVID-19. 5G is the next-generation mobile internet and promises to deliver speeds up to 1000 Mbps or 1Gbps. Yep, that means 5G is theoretically as fast as the likes of Virgin Media home broadband! Last year, Vodafone and Eir delivered their packages while Three held off stating there wasn’t much demand for 5G.

Three’s 5G Plans

Three’s launch hints at offering the biggest 5G footprint in Ireland. From launch, the network will reach 35% population coverage with adding further sites coming in 2021. Three will also be the first Irish network to offer 5G to prepay customers in addition to their bill pay customers. Prepay customers on certain plans will have access to a €5 5G add-on. Bill pay customers will either have 5G included (on higher plans) or be able to pay for a €5 5G add-on.

Three’s 5G Phones

Three is offering several 5G phones in stores and online today, including Samsung S20 Ultra, Samsung S20 Plus, Samsung S20 5G, Huawei Mate Xs 5G and Huawei P40 Pro.

Who Is 5G For?

This is the big talking point about 5G. When we made the jump from 3G to 4G, it was pretty much seismic. It enabled us all to stream Netflix on our phones. 5G lets us do that faster, but the jump won’t feel as big even though I’d argue it’s the biggest jump in technology yet. Beyond faster internet, 5G will also let us develop smarter solutions and Three have called out the one industry that always adopts technology early; farming.

For me, I’m off to check out if Kilkenny really does have 5G and you can learn more about Three 5G over on their website.

Bookapitch – Book Your Weekly 5-A-Side Online

Jon
-
0
Bookapitch – Book Your Weekly 5-A-Side Online

How many of us play a weekly 5 or 6 a side? Probably plenty. It’s painful to organise at the best of times, let alone these days. Trying to arrange a pitch, collecting cash to pay the venue and all that, whoever has ever been the coordinator for a group game knows the pain. Then when it comes to venues, there are a load who let themselves down by not being searchable online or simply don’t provide online booking, meaning unless you know the venue is there and free, it doesn’t get booked. We recently found a solution that works for both the venue and the group to make booking a pitch, court or hall easier than ever before. Bookapitch, simply allows you to find a local venue, book it and pay for it in one place.

Bookapitch

Nowadays, especially thanks to Covid, local sports facilities like many other businesses are turning to technology to find new ways to increase their visibility and revenue. Bookapitch allows a venue to manage their facilities, book slots online, take online payments and advertise their offerings rather than relying on the old school methods of word of mouth, phone calls and cash payments. Now Bookapitch isn’t exactly a new idea, they have been tipping around for awhile but right now they are primed to strike when the iron is hot and from our perspective, anything that makes life for booking the weekly kickaround to get a bit of exercise done can only be a good thing. 

I was looking at the site and right now there is nothing available in Limerick on the site but the do have 146 venues and 977 facilities (pitches, courts, etc.) available to accept online bookings and payments from teams, clubs, local 5-aside groups, etc. So far, over 22,956 bookings have been made here in Ireland with 7,650 individuals and teams to now be able to book a pitch online. Which is a fine start if you ask me.

Using the Site

https://goosed.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/image-2-1024x448.png

As a company, Bookapitch’ main aim to help 20 million people have the ability to exercise regularly. The site itself form a customer standpoint is very easy to use (there is also a login for venue providers). Literally all you have to do is pick your sport, city and time that you are looking for and the site will find the local venues that can support your game. 

https://goosed.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/image-3-1024x717.png

You get the dropdown list of venues as well as choices for pitch size and surface. From here scroll the available locations, pitches and price until you find the one that suits your needs. Finally pay online and that’s a wrap you are ready to go. 

https://goosed.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/image-4-1024x700.png

This is for more than just football by the way, if you play Tennis or need a hall for yoga, you will be able to find a facility to suit your needs. Making life easier to book your game, taking the stress away from money management and helping local sports facilities find a way to stay open. It’s all good stuff in my books. 

If you are part of a local club or venue that rents out a pitch, hall space or anything like that, Bookapitch will give them a demo on how to use the platform.

RTÉ Is Bringing Back The Den This November

Marty
-
0
RTÉ Is Bringing Back The Den This November

There’s been a really interesting trend that’s already poking its head out because of COVID-19. We’re craving retro stuff. According to Krystine Batcho, a psychology professor in New York, sees a resurgence of nostalgia during COVID-19 as a natural response. We’re all experiencing mega-stress and people generally “find comfort in nostalgia during times of loss, anxiety, isolation, or uncertainty”. I guess that’s why, when you’re having a bad day, a good dose of Reeling in the Years always helps. Well, RTÉ is hot on the tails of this trend after announcing that The Den is making a return this November.

What Is The Den?

While it had countless hosts over the years, The Den was a mainstay of many kids’ childhoods in Ireland. The two hosts which most people remember are Ian Dempsey and Ray D’arcy. There were even more characters who made the show so special. To think there’s a generation that don’t know who Dustin is or just thought he went to Eurovision. A generation who didn’t feel the pain of Zig and Zag “selling out” with a move to the UK. And a generation who didn’t fear Ted jumping across the room, love Zuppy like their own dog or see the team trying to catch a real-life Sock Monster.

Let’s not forget Snotzer either.

Much like how Tom and Jerry can’t smoke any more or bate each other up, The Den is a memory of kids shows being different. And now it’s coming back.

When Is The Den Back?

At a recent charity TV show, the cast of The Den came back for a short while and managed to anger a large number of One Direction and Niall Horan fans. I think it was probably around then that RTÉ realised they were on to something. Today, it’s been confirmed that The Den is coming back to our screens.

On 1st November at 6.30PM the team is back on RTÉ 2, which personally I still refer to as Network Two. 33 years after meeting Zig and Zag for the first time, we’re going to have them all back on the small screen. The 6.30PM time slot absolutely insisting that this is not really going to be a kids show. No, this is targeting the grown ups who need a bit of nostalgia. And I can’t wait.

1...666768...183Page 67 of 183

About Goosed

Welcome to Goosed.ie! We test the latest consumer electronics and tech from around the world to help you find gadgets that make your life just a little bit easier.

Must Read

Xiaomi 3L Multifunctional Smart Rice Cooker Review

Gadgets 0
Everyone is so obsessed with air fryers. I'll never...

Pete the Irish Pilot Teams Up With Carl Mullan to Land a Plane

Entertainment News 0
I blew the minds of a few lads recently...

Oasis Drone Show Kicks Off Music Weekend at Croke Park

Irish Tech News 0
It's become somewhat of a tradition before Oasis even...

Subscribe

© 2024 Goosed. All Rights Reserved.