It’s coming. PlayStation 5 will be launching in Ireland this year. Exciting right? Ahead of Sony’s next-gen console launching in Ireland, here’s everything you need to know about PlayStation 5. We’ll be updating this post in future too.
PS5: Key Specs
CPU: AMD Zen 2-based CPU with 8 cores at 3.5GHz (variable frequency)
GPU: 10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (variable frequency)
External storage: USB HDD support (PS4 games only)
Optical drive: 4K UHD Blu-ray drive
Spec
PS5 Standard
PS5 Digital Edition
Optical Drive
4K UHD Blu-ray drive
No
Internal Memory
825GB SSD
825GB SSD
Expandable Memory
Yes. NVMe SSD slot.
Yes. NVMe SSD slot.
CPU
AMD Zen 2-based CPU with 8 cores at 3.5GHz (variable frequency)
AMD Zen 2-based CPU with 8 cores at 3.5GHz (variable frequency)
GPU
10.28 TFLOPs 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (variable frequency)
10.28 TFLOPs 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (variable frequency)
GPU Arc.
Custom RDNA 2
Custom RDNA 2
PS5: Your Questions Answered
When will PlayStation 5 launch in Ireland?
Update: Sony has confirmed the PS5 will launch in Ireland on November 19th. That’s in line with most of the world with a few exceptions launching a week earlier on November 12th.
How much will PlayStation 5 cost?
Ok, so we knew the PlayStation 4 cost €399 at launch in Ireland and expected the PlayStation 5 to cost a wee bit more, around the €499 mark. Turns out were kind of right. The PlayStation 5 will cost €499 in Ireland but there’s also a PlayStation 5 Digital Edition which will be €399, €100 less.
Will Covid-19 delay the launch Of PS5?
That’s a very fair question. Sony is really committed to the Christmas 2020 launch and to date the company “estimates that there will be no material impact on this business for the current fiscal year.” As things stand, it all looks good.
Will PS5 play PS4 games?
Sony has confirmed that the PS5 will launch with the top 100 PS4 games fully supported. Beyond that, the console will likely support backwards-compatibility for most PS4 games.
I have a PSVR. Will that still Work?
Yes. Sony has confirmed that PSVR will live on. It’s also likely that an upgraded PlayStation Camera will lead to an improved PSVR experience. Full detail has yet to emerge on this, but the good news is that Sony is still all in on VR.
What will be the big launch titles on PS5?
During their live event, Sony showed off 27 gameplay demos. Some of the big titles in here include a new Spiderman game, Gran Turismo 7, a new Ratchet and Clank adventure, a cute game called Sackboy and news that an expanded version of GTA V would be launching too.
Will GTA 6 be available on PS5?
It will, but not at launch. Rockstar games will instead be launching an expanded version of GTA 5 for the PS5 launch. This will be free for everyone buying the PS5 too.
What is the GTA 5 special offer for PlayStation owners?
If you currently play GTA 5 on PlayStation 4, you will get $1,000,000 for GTA Online every month until the PS5 launches. PS5 owners will get a new and expanded version of GTA 5 for free.
Why are there two versions of the PS5?
The PS5 will launch with a standard and Digital Edition console. The standard will have a CD-drive, a Blu-ray drive to be more exact. The Digital Edition will not have a place for you to insert physical discs. Games can only be downloaded directly to the console. This could spell the end of how shops like GameStop largely trade but rural-broadband will likely see the standard PS5 console remains popular in Ireland.
Will the PS5 be available in black?
It looks like there will just be the white and black console for launch. But it’s early days. Hopefully a black edition emerges to suit more sitting room entertainment centres.
Owing to “growing levels of targeted abuse, hatred, and racism on Reddit” moderators of the subreddit r/ireland have made the decision to close the subreddit during temporarily between midnight at 8 am GMT every day.
Reddit is an American social news aggregation and discussion website. The site is divided into popular subreddits and, as you might imagine, one of the most popular of these threads in Ireland is r/Ireland with over 280,000 members. The discussion on the website is policed by volunteer moderators and these moderators have noted a sharp increase in racism on the platform. As a result, moderators have taken steps to close the Irish subreddit during late hours.
The reason for this closure, especially during specific hours, is very much driven by “a multitude of sockpuppet accounts (typically posting in American hours), who will spam the subreddit with racist, or hateful comments.” Sockpuppet accounts are multiple accounts being run by an individual or group of individuals to overrun online platforms.
Until now, the moderators have been working hard to maintain decorum in the subreddit, however, racism is rife. Mods have spent several nights constantly monitoring content and taking actions where required. With dozens of accounts and sockpuppet accounts banned, the team reached a breaking point and arrived at the conclusion that temporary suspension of the entire subreddit during U.S. hours was required.
They are currently seeking additional admins to operating during high volume non-GMT timezones.
While many may feel this pales in comparison to the anger and vitriol in “the real world”, much of that “real world” hate stems from anger generated online. The fact the moderators are seeing sockpuppet accounts confirms fears many, myself included, have that much of the anger is being driven by the few, not the many. However, platforms have been slow to react. Here’s hoping this is the start of more platforms the following suit.
While losing access to the platform sucks, starving hate and racism of oxygen is amazing.
Vodafone Ireland is currently experiencing a network issue. So if you can’t call or access the internet from your smartphone, we’ll there’s your reason.
We are currently experiencing an interruption to our mobile services in some parts of the country,
Our service teams are currently working on resolving this issue and we will provide updates here. We thank you for your patience as we work to get this fixed.
According to Vodafone Ireland, this might not be a national outage and could be restricted to specific areas. The best thing to do is to follow the Vodafone Ireland Twitter account for updates.
Over the past six months, a rather enjoyable page appeared on Instagram. It’s called Influencers in the Wild. However, after some doxing within the past few days, the man behind the profile has decided to shut it down for the time being
What Is Influencers In The Wild?
You’ve seen them. You’ve thought to yourself “they’ve lost the plot”. Chances are, you could have ended up on this page yourself at least once. Influencers in the Wild is an Instagram page dedicated to documenting the modern culture of social media content production. Basically, the page shows videos of people going overboard to make the perfect TikTok or Instagram post for us all to laugh at.
The page was created by the self proclaimed, Michael Jordan of Memes, Tank Sinatra. I don’t believe that’s his real name.
So It’s Harmless Fun?
It kind of was harmless fun really. Some videos of people posing in over-the-top scenarios went viral and many, including myself, were entertained by something we can all see in everyday life. However, in the past week, some posts appearing on the site showed people posing for photographs in front of Black Lives Matter protests.
The page’s founder described how some people had “co-opted the BLM movement to create content” in the “single most egregious act of cultural appropriation you could possibly imagine”. While people marched and protested for equality, some decided to simply make content.
While this was bad enough, it led to doxing of those using the Black Lives Matter protests as photo-ops.
What Is Doxing?
Doxing is a relatively modern phenomenon because the internet makes it both easier to find and spread people’s information. In short, doxing is using online records or social media profiles to extract people’s personal information before sharing it online. While this can obviously be harmful when the information is accurate, doxing also led to the incorrect dispersal of this man’s information, leaving him fearing for his own safety.
While the actions of these “content creators” is despicable, it’s often down to complete ignorance that they do what they do. This hardly leaves putting them in physical dangers as being justified.
Why Is Influencers In The Wild Closing Down?
As the Influencers in the Wild page shared people posing in front of Black Lives Matter protests, followers of the page began to dox the “influencers”. People’s names, numbers and home addresses were shared in some circumstances.
The founder of the page describes one exchange with a follower who claimed it “only took a few hours to find”. That’s concerning for two reasons.
Personal data is easy to reverse engineer
People will spend hours trying to find it
Tank Sinatra stated in a video published on the Influencers in the Wild Instagram page that his reason for creating the page was to expose the behaviour, not the individuals.
What’s Next?
The Instagram page has grown incredibly quickly in the past six months and today has three million followers. Sinatra states he has no idea what he’ll do with the page now but considering the following, it’s unlikely he’s close it completely.
We’ve all been adapting to a new way of life. One of the things we’ve had to adapt is how we all stay connected. I’ve been testing out the Facebook Portal for the past few weeks when chatting with family. Here’s what you need to know about it.
Keeping Connected While Staying Apart
Yesterday, I undertook a trip to do some essential work around the house for my cocooning mother. On the way, I had to stop off and pick up tools from my sister’s place. For the first time in months, I got to see my family in 3D. What was such a mundane thing a few months ago suddenly felt like that special occasion that brings the family together. The strange thing is that I didn’t feel like it had really been months since I saw everyone at all. The reason is simple. We’ve been seeing each other more than ever as a family thanks for Facebook Messenger calls.
Thanks to technology, staying connected with family over long distances has become easier these days. What we consider to be “long distances” has changed dramatically of course, whether it be 2km, 5km, 20km or within county lines. Regardless, technology has kept us all connected. Each family is different. Some are using phonecalls, others Zoom. Google Search data shows that WhatsApp video calling is the most popular of the lot, alongside Facebook Messenger.
I’ve taken some of these family calls on my phone and others on the Facebook Portal.
What Is Facebook Portal?
Facebook Portal is a range of communication solutions from Facebook. While Portal itself is a software solution, the main focus for this range is the hardware that houses the smarts. Of the four devices, all have screens with the exception of Portal TV which instead uses your TV as the screen.
The suite of Facebook Portal devices. Facebook Portal Mini, Portal TV, Portal and Portal+.
I’ve been testing out the 10-inch Facebook Portal. This is the third in the image above. While it’s primary function is communication, the Portal also has some apps and games. Let’s break this whole thing down.
Portal Design
Tech is most clever when it’s designed to sit in a stylish home and not need to be hidden. For example, this is why Google Nest Wifi works so well. You don’t need to hide the modem and can let it sit where it provides the best signal.
Portal is styled to look like a typical picture frame. It can sit on a shelf and not look out of place at all. Dare I say, it may even complement to the stylings of your living room.
I also thing the power cable on the back is quite clever. It doubles as a stand and allows you to stand the Portal in both portrait or landscape mode. But if you want to talk about clever and cables, there’s no LAN option to wire this directly to your modem. Not that this caused a specific issue for me. You’ll just need to make sure where you’re installing this has the required wireless internet connection.
Portal Functionality
The primary function of Portal is to help connect you with friends and family through video chatting. To do this, Portal allows you to log into both your Facebook and WhatsApp account. Both of course are owned by Facebook. Once logged in, you can video call directly with friends and family one a one-to-one basis or through group calling.
Having a quick chat with my brother in law.
It’s impossible to fault Portal for doing what’s it’s built to do fantastically well. The hardware is brilliant. The speaker is incredibly clear for both voice and music. The touch-screen display is crystal clear, though you will see quality drop if someone is on a slower internet connection. The 13MP camera offers a 114° field of view and thanks to onboard AI, the camera can zoom in on your face and track you as you move. Ok, I know that sounds creepy but for video calls, it’s really handy. I’ll come back to privacy later.
For additional functionality, Facebook has integrated Portal with Amazon Alexa. You get all the benefits of having an Echo device with a screen in your Portal. You can also link your Portal to popular services like Spotify and as I mentioned, the speaker is a whopper for batin’ tunes out.
The final bit of functionality I want to mention is the Portal as a photo frame. You can link up to your Facebook and Instagram profile and have your latest pictures display on your Portal. You can also display pictures uploaded to your Portal which aren’t on your Facebook.
Memories: A picture of me and my auld lad.
Is Facebook Portal Secure And Private?
I’m addressing this outside of functionality because this is what the whole idea of Portal hinges on. Facebook has a terrible track record when it comes to privacy. From Cambridge Analytica and Brexit to Trump’s election, Facebook as a platform has understandable privacy questions lingering over it. That’s apparent from how hard the Portal design team has laboured over bigging up the privacy features on this gadget.
A physical button on the side lets you disable the microphone if you slide it up one notch. Slide it up another notch and you disable the microphone and cover the built-in camera with a physical cover. This is some similar tech that I’ve seen on the Amazon Echo Show and HP Spectre.
Am I convinced? No.
I really like the Portal because it doubles as a display for your memories. But there’s no setting which allows you to keep these photos on all the time. Instead, you can on set your Portal to keep photos displaying as long as the device detects motion. If you have the Portal’s camera disabled for privacy reasons, you can’t keep the photos displaying. Is this a small thing? No. For me, this means functionality is hampered for those who opt for additional privacy. For me, that’s behavioural hacking by the Facebook design team. Here’s why.
They’ve designed this to be a communications device but also to be a photo frame. For all the calls you do, the vast majority of the time it’s going to be a photo frame. Unless you leave the camera open, the maximum time you’ll see photos is one hour. This is not privacy by design. At best, it’s bad design. At worst, it’s Facebook designers knowing exactly what they’re at, nudging users towards keeping the camera open. I would imagine, if questioned, Facebook would say this is a power consumption and environmental feature. But motion would keep the Portal on for a long time too so I’m not buying that.
The problem is, with Facebook’s track record you naturally lean towards the latter. It takes a lot to make me uneasy about my privacy. The Portal doesn’t make me feel uneasy because I can disable the camera. What makes me uneasy is that core functionality disappears if you do this. Another important privacy point. Portal will only work if you have a Facebook account to log in with. There’s no workaround for that. You turn it on and straight away you need to log in.
Facebook Portal: The Verdict
It was going pretty well wasn’t it. The Portal as an idea is great. Having a dedicated spot in the house for video calls harkens back to the days of the landline. The hardware is brilliant too. As I said earlier, for what it’s designed to do, Portal is fantastic. But Facebooks is shouting about Privacy by Design so loudly I just had to hold them to account on it.
This is privacy where it suits Facebook. I’ve got to assume there was a very clear decision made one day to remove an “Always On” option for displaying photos. I can’t shake that uneasy feeling that this was deliberate and not a decision made in the name of privacy.
I like the idea of Facebook Portal. I can still see some great applications too. I would love to pop one in my Mam’s sitting room once she was happy enough without privacy concerns. Having a pictures frame with memories of friends and family which turn into a live Portal to those same people, is a pretty cool idea. Rather predictably, the last word here is on privacy. While they tried, one decision ruined it.
It’s a bit pricy for what it is and a cheaper alternative worth checking out is the Amazon Echo Show range. A family of Alexa app users can keep in touch using this. Not that Amazon is all that better with privacy issues!
Facebook Portal FAQs
Does Facebook Portal work with Zoom?
No. I’ve tested this. If you want video calls it will need to be Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp. Zoom won’t work, even through the pre-installed browser.
Does Portal work internationally?
Yes. Portal will work with anyone who is connected to Facebook and WhatsApp and in markets where you can access these platforms. That means restricted markets like China will need VPNs and other workarounds.
Is there a monthly charge for Facebook Portal?
Nope! Once you pay the upfront cost, you’re up and running.
Can Facebook Portal be used as a tablet?
Not really. While there are some apps and a browser and it is touchscreen, it always needs to be plugged in. It’s a very specific device for specific uses.
Can Portal call Amazon Echo Show?
No. I tested this using the Portal and my Echo Show and the Drop In command. The response I got was this device doesn’t not support Alexa calling.
Can Facebook Portal auto answer?
Surprisingly no. Which is unfortunate given one of the best use cases for Portal is with elderly, less tech savvy, users.
Which Facebook Portal is best?
That’s really down to your own personal needs. I found the 10-inch portal to be brilliant, but maybe a little bit on the big side for how much I used it. Then, for others, the Portal TV is the ideal solution. Everyone is different. Some won’t see the need for one of these at all.
Does Facebook Portal work with Ring?
The Amazon Alexa integration can be rather misleading with Portal. Despite Ring themselves saying it should work, many seem to have problems with the integration. I can’t confidently say it will work because there’s no official support.
Where can I buy Facebook Portal in Ireland?
Facebook Portal is available from Currys/PC World and Amazon.co.uk.
Part of running a website like this is understanding how search engines like Google works. That makes you notice things. One thing I’ve noticed in the past week is that some webpages now highlight text yellow when you click a Google search result. It’s a good thing for you as an internet user but it does look a bit odd. Here’s the explanation anyway.
SERP: The Search Engine Results Page
Google is a search engine, but searches engines are not Google. There are loads of search engines, but Google is by far the best known and most used in most regions. That’s why I’m using Google from here on out.
When you search for something on Google, you are shown a wide range of results. Out in the online world, this is referred to as a Search Engine Results Page (SERP). Here’s what I get when I look for “best .
Let’s break down what you’re seeing here.
1. Featured Snippets
Featured snippets aim to provide you with a nice and short but detailed result to match your search query. Featured snippets are scraped from websites, so Google doesn’t create this content. It takes the content from websites and adds it to the SERP. These can be lists, instructions or just copy.
The images you see might not necessarily be from the same website.
2. People Also Ask Boxes
These are similar to Featured Snippets in that they take content from websites and bring it into the SERP. The difference is that Google takes related questions to your query and answers them. When you click a related query, you’ll see even more queries appear.
3. Organic Search Results
Back in the day, these would have been the first thing you see after Googling something. These are the websites and pages which Google believe are the second-best answer your query. Just a few months ago, Google stopped repeating a website here if it was used as a featured snippet above.
Google Now Highlights Content From Featured Snippets
With that brief introduction to search engine results pages completed, I can explain why some webpages are highlighted yellow when you visit them. Google us all about user experience. They want to find you the information you want as quickly as possible. That’s why so much content now appears in the SERP. Google believes it’s faster if they just give you the answer and you don’t need to visit the website at all.
To make things even faster when you do have to visit a website, Google has introduced featured snippet highlighting. This is something they’ve been playing with for a long time but it’s just now apparently gone mainstream.
This means when you click that top featured snippet result, Google will bring you to the website from which they’ve taken the content. The difference now is that Google will highlight the content they’ve used in the featured snippet in yellow on the website and scroll straight to it. Also, If you were to click any of the People Also Ask boxes and click through to a website from there, the yellow highlighting doesn’t happen. That’s reserved purely for featured snippet clicks.
Here’s this whole thing in action using Goosed.ie as an example. First, I Google looking for the price of Huawei FreeBuds 3i in Ireland which returns our site. Notice that this is still a featured snippet even though it looks quite different from the first example I gave above.
If you click on that featured snippet featuring our content, you’ll then be brought to Goosed.ie. It’ll be the full review but the browser will automatically bring you straight to the part of the article which discusses price. It’ll be highlighted in yellow too, just like this:
Not very exciting, but there you have it. That’s why some websites have their text highlighted yellow when you visit them.
I was a driven anti-AirPod guy. I was against everything they stood for. The death of the headphone jack, the commercial monster that is Apple and the style of them. Everything irked me. Then, I realised it was time to say goodbye to the headphone jack. Apple actually builds some pretty great products. And the design of AirPods means pretty damn good call quality. By now I’m sure you’ll know I’m starting to live within the Huawei eco-system and have been testing out the Huawei Watch GT 2e and the Huawei FreeBud 3i. This review is the second half of this combo.
Design
My absolute favourite earbuds right now are the Huawei FreeBuds 3. I adore them and they’ve set the bar for earbuds really high for me. They’re lightweight, comfortable, sound great but also offer fantastic call quality. This last point has become more important than ever as I work from home and have a lot of meetings I use these for. In terms of design, I can’t deny that it looks like Huawei has taken the lead from Apple here. I mean, look at them.
Side by side comparison of the Apple Airpods (left) and Huawei FreeBuds 3 (right)
So the natural comparison for the Huawei FreeBuds 3i is their bigger brother. The FreeBuds 3i to depart considerably from the earlier model. The FreeBuds 3i move away from the hardshell plastic earbud and adopt a silicon bud to fit your ear more snugly. The result is even more comfort and less noise leaking in from your surroundings. The silicon earbud also gives you a bit more confidence when running with the FreeBuds 3i. It just feels more secure.
FreeBuds 3i (left) and FreeBuds 3 (right)
For those of you who absolutely don’t want to be seen wearing AirPods, these new buds from Huawei are far enough removed to ensure you don’t get mistaken as an Apple fan. Honestly Apple fans, that’s a thing.
Also deserving of a mention is the charging case. Instead of the Babybel style case of the FreeBuds 3 you now get a coffin case for your buds. This means the buds are easier to grab from the case and it fits a little easier in the pocket. It’s a bit more standard if that’s a good thing.
One element of the design that gets lost with these new buds is the mic cover. The FreeBuds 3 have stunning call quality even in some pretty hefty winds. This is largely down to a clever little cover on the end of the bud. While this doesn’t feature on the FreeBuds 3i, call quality is still brilliant in windy situations.
Functionality
I can’t really fault the Huawei FreeBuds 3i anywhere when it comes to functionality. They’ve worked brilliantly for as long as I’ve had them. I’ve paired them with several devices from the Huawei P40 Pro and Google Pixel 4 to my MacBook and they’ve performed perfectly fine. What changes between devices is how much functionality you get to enjoy. For example, the auto-pause functionality doesn’t work unless you have an EMUI 10 device. As is the case with most devices of this nature, you get the most out of them when you use them within their eco-system.
I experienced some connectivity issues, but all is resolved with a firmware update. We’re in the realm of really pay attention to updates here people.
Noise Cancelling
The FreeBuds 3i, like their bigger brother, offers Active Noise Cancelling. The great news is that while this was ok on the earlier earbuds, the silicon buds make improves the noise-cancelling even more. I’ve devised a test at home in isolation which I’m so proud of for judging just how good headphones and earbuds are when it comes to noise cancelling. The extractor fan over the cooker makes a decent substitute for a jet engine.
Out and about with the Huawei FreeBuds 3i
In my test, I stood with my back to the cooker and turned on the extractor fan. Using the Bose 35 QCII as my noise-cancelling base, I cycled through the three sets of head and earphones. To my surprise, the FreeBuds 3i wasn’t just better than the FreeBuds 3, but they were actually just a fraction shy of being on par with the much bigger and much pricer Bose cans. That’s some serious noise cancelling from a pair of €99 earbuds. Yeah, I know. I’ll come back to that price later.
Buttons
The touch controls on the FreeBuds 3i is more important for me because my main use for these buds is listening to music while running. The controls work, but they are a little finicky. Long press to enable or disable ANC, double-tap to pause or play. Straight forward, but I feel some additional functionality could be included with a single tap. Left to go back and right to go forward a track perhaps?
Battery
I was a little disappointed to see the Kirin A1 chip doesn’t feature in these buds. That’s because everything that chip has touched has been amazing. The Kirin A1 chip is awesome for battery life and noise cancelling processing. However, both of these features remain brilliant on the FreeBuds 3i. That means leaving the chip out saves money but apparently has had little or no impact on quality. The battery on these buds is definitely better than the FreeBuds 3 which struggle to hit their advertised 3 hours.
The FreeBuds 3i advertise 3.5 hours and I’ve had them running 3 hours pretty comfortably. Always take advertised battery lives with a pinch of salt. This is because they test them in perfect circumstances.
No Wireless Charging
Flagship Huawei phones like the P40 Pro support reverse wireless charging. The Huawei FreeBuds 3i do not have a wireless charging case. I’m telling you this so you don’t have the awkward three minutes I had trying to position the case to charge on the back of my phone.
By comparison: The FreeBuds 3 in the wild.
Sound
Why do I always leave this until last? It’s honestly not a suspense thing. I just find the audio the most boring part of this. Sorry.
Huawei FreeBuds 3i
Huawei FreeBuds 3
It’s hard to not compare the FreeBuds 3i to my own buds that I love. On their own, the FreeBuds 3i are mighty. They’re not quite as loud as the bigger brother, largely down to the smaller driver. They FreeBuds 3i also give off a little bit more false bass to me. This could be down to the lack of a bass tube with software trying to overcome hardware all the while overcompensating for the lack of the Kirin A1 too.
You should normally expect to pay a lot more for this quality.
At €99 these are great value
Being totally honest, I’m more fawning over the incredible quality of the FreeBud 3 than I am any shortcomings of the new FreeBuds 3i. I need to point out that price again. For the price, these are remarkable buds. Heck, forget the price. You should normally expect to pay a lot more for this quality.
Huawei FreeBuds 3i: The Verdict
Let’s face it. If you’re a complete audiophile, you’re going to be picking a brand dedicated to audio. If you’re an iPhone user, I’d wager you’re more likely to fork out the extra dough for Apple AirPods to stay in the Apple eco-system. But if you’re an Android phone owner, and especially if you’re a Huawei phone owner, in the market for buds, these are a no brainer.
For just €99 from Three, these buds are really punching above their weight.
Should I buy the Huawei FreeBuds 3 or the Huawei FreeBuds 3i?
If you are looking for the real heavy-hitting alternative to Apple AirPods and love pristine sound quality, you might see the value in shelling out for a pair of Huawei FreeBuds 3. But, at just €99, the FreeBuds 3i will tick nearly every box and far exceed expectations for many.
Do the Huawei FreeBuds 3i have Active Noise Cancellation?
Yes. Not only do the FreeBuds 3i have ANC but we’ve tested it against some of the best in the business and it’s extremely impressive for an in-ear bud.
I’ve been lucky enough to have every Huawei Watch on my wrist. I remember buying the original Huawei Watch because it was the most watch-like smartwatch on the market. It was a thing of beauty. Since then, a few things have changed. Huawei now uses their own operating system instead of Wear OS and designs have evolved too. But at their core, Huawei Watches are amongst some of the best wearables on the market. They’ve just released the Huawei Watch GT 2e and I’ve been testing it out. Here’s what I think.
Huawei Building An Eco-System
As I said, I’ve had every Huawei Watch. The early watches were powered by Android’s wearable operating system. It wasn’t bad, but to be honest, the watches looked better than they performed. I say that with the benefit of hindsight because at the time I was smitten with them. With the Huawei Watch GT, the Chinese phone manufacturer made the decision to use their own wearable operating system called LiteOS. Now, this switch was Huawei’s choice, unlike their move to HMS because of Trump’s ban.
At the time, I found the move odd. It took certain core functionality from my wrist. Google Pay or Android Pay was no more. Syncing Spotify with my watch a thing of the past.
It’s only now I realise what’s really happening with Huawei. They’re building the eco-system. Think of Apple. If you have a MacBook, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV, everything works together seamlessly. And when I say seamlessly, it’s something special altogether. Huawei has their eyes set upon building the same eco-system. Their logic would appear to be if that can’t have Google, they’ll build something better. A whole new alternative with the freedoms of Android phones, but the eco-system akin to that of Apple.
The Huawei eco-system will feature everything that Apple does. Earlier this year, I got to head over to Barcelona to see Huawei launch phones, tablets and laptops. I’ve seen the eco-system and it’s mighty. The Huawei Watch GT 2 is probably the lesser-known of the lot but one of my favourites. And now there’s a sporty sequel.
The Huawei Watch GT 2e
Why has Huawei launched another wearable? My money would be on the fact that they need to pad out their portfolio of non-cellular products given the who Google thing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m using the Huawei P40 Pro which runs Huawei Mobile Services without Google, and it’s brilliant. Though, full transparency, I have managed to put Google on it. But it’s going to take time for Huawei to assure people their eco-system and more importantly, their app store meets everyone’s needs.
While that’s all happening, every product helps. The Huawei Watch GT 2e enters the market to give people a new Huawei Watch at a lower price. But there’s more to it. The Huawei Watch GT 2 and Watch GT 2e are for slightly different users. The latter being more focused on sports.
Design
The Huawei Watch GT 2e is minimalist in it’s design. The model I’ve been testing out is the black watch with a black strap. The watch face isn’t recessed at all which might cause a little anxiety if you tend to tip watches off walls and the likes. I’ve given mine a few nervy smacks already but I seem to be getting away with it. The 1.39 inch 454 x 454 HD AMOLED is crisp and clear but does get a little washed out in sunlight. Believe it or not, a problem I’ve experienced in Ireland but a wee tilt of the watch and it’s clear as day again.
Around the side are two buttons which keep a low profile. I think I prefer this to the buttons of the Watch GT 2 which stick out a little further. The lower profile buttons certain lend themselves to fewer accidental presses while you work out. Another tick in the box of the Watch GT 2e targeting fitness buffs.
Comparison of the Huawei Watch GT 2 and Watch GT 2e
With that aside, it’s the usual. The Watch GT 2e is really comfy to wear, largely down to its lightweight design and curved design which sees the strap flow into the watch and match the curve of your wrist. Also, swapping straps is rather simple with the always present quick release strap pins. The catch is that while other 22mm straps will fit the watch, the curve means they’ll look silly. That curve also causes a bigger problem when you need to charge your watch.
The curve means it can’t sit flush on a bedside locker while charging. It has to lie on its side. An unusual design oddity from Huawei who’s been pretty on fleek to date.
Curved strap brings comfort but awkward charging
Huawei has also been busy adding new watch faces and I love some of the new ones. It’s important you keep things fresh you know?
Functionality
When it comes to functionality, many focus on the lack of support for third-party apps. I know I used to. Things have just started to get really exciting. Just like I’ve been calling for patience with the Huawei AppGallery, Huawei Watch is starting to deliver functionality within its own eco-system.
Music on Watch GT 2e
Music is the prime example. Many dislike the idea of a watch incapable of syncing with Spotify. Again, this was something that bothered me. This year, Huawei launched their own music service, creatively called Huawei Music. Now, it’s not Spotify or Apple Music, but like everything else Huawei does it’s improving fast. Because I’ve got Huawei Music I can sync music from that service to my watch. It does have a certain “work around” feel to it with music being downloaded and converted for your watch. But it’s a start and it’s works, even if the transfers are a little slow.
The watch makes one sacrifice from the Watch GT 2 which I actually did use. There’s no speaker now. I used this when running with my partner and we wanted to both hear the watch fitness instructor. You can still link your Bluetooth earbuds with your wrist for when you’re out breaking a sweat though.
And now that we’re talking about fitness, it’s the perfect time for a segue.
Watch GT 2e Fitness
Huawei has one massive angle with the Watch GT 2 Series. Fitness is amazing on both. Both watches feature more or less the same fitness tracking, but the GT 2e just has more of a fitness look and feel. I’ve been out for a few runs with the Watch GT 2e and love some of the fitness functionality, which I’ll admit I’ve spent more time playing with. Why? Because this feels like a fitness watch.
Going for a run, I can choose from set workouts or build my own. I prefer to set my own. Saying I want to hit 5km and even pop in a target pace. The watch then sets up a virtual running companion who keeps me on my toes. I really found this useful. I haven’t run in ages and set myself the goal of achieving 5km in less that 40 minutes on my first night back. I needed a lot of breaks, but because of virtual companion I was able to keep on pace. I treated the companion like a knife-wielding murderer who I needed to stay at least 10 meters ahead of.
Lads, it actually worked.
So, first attempt at a 5km. Didn't go to plan but did manage my sub-40 minute goal. My prep was a huge chipper last night so there's room to improve. pic.twitter.com/aJVzkTB4uT
And just like that, I have a method. I can try shave thirty seconds off every night by staying ahead of the data. And data really is key. I get live feedback on things like my heart rate and to top it off, the Huawei Health app has a nice map of my route with all the usual info like calories burned ready for me to review. The Watch GT 2e is up there with the best of the best when it comes to Fitness Trackers.
There’s a whole wealth of workouts the Watch GT 2e can help you out with too. The watch is also water-resistant and works well in water, even supporting triathlon mode. Because the watch is GPS enabled, even without a phone connected, it’s clever enough to change modes as you change discipline. Here’s a small selection of the most popular workout modes featured.
The entire experience of working out with this watch was nice. This is in no small part to being able to run untethered. All I need is my watch and my earbuds for fitness tracking and music.
Watch GT 2e Battery Life
This is once again the Huawei Watch party piece. Since the first Watch GT, Huawei has blown minds with their battery life. Instead of a wearable that needs to be charged every night, with the Watch GT 2e you’ll only need to charge every two weeks. This is down to a few factors. Dark colour schemes and defaulting to screen off when not in use, shows that Huawei is boxing clever and reducing strain on the battery where it’s least noticed. But it is more than that. I’ve been harping on about the Kirin A1 chip for quite some time now but anything that little chip touches seem to be awesome. This chip is specially designed for wearables and has featured in earlier watches and the Huawei FreeBuds 3.
The Kirin A1 chip also means you get high performance with lower power consumption.
To be frank, as brilliant as the battery life is on the Watch GT 2e, it’s almost the minimum that the entire industry should meet. For me, that’s the frustration with the whole Google scenario. It feels like we’re keeping the most innovative markets shackled.
Huawei Watch GT 2e: The Verdict
If you’re an Android or Huawei phone owner, in the market for a smartwatch and are into fitness, this purchase is a no-brainer. It’s between this or the Huawei Watch GT 2. Both will work with iOS, but I struggle to see why you’d not buy yourself an Apple Watch if that’s your eco-system.
The perfect setup for me, and I’m fortunate enough to live it, is the Huawei Watch GT 2 with a leather strap for when I need to look fancy and the Watch GT 2e for workouts. I’ve been won over by non-Android operating systems and can see the Huawei eco-system challenging that of Apple. Right now, if you buy a watch likes this I do wonder if it will meet your every expectation or what they may be. But with an incredible battery, ability to let you run untethered and impressive suite of workouts, I can’t see it disappointing.
Huawei Watch GT 2 versus Huawei Watch GT 2e
Huawei Watch GT 2e
Huawei Watch GT 2
Weight
43g without the strap
41g without the strap
Display
1.39 inch AMOLED 454 x 454 HD
1.39 inch AMOLED 454 x 454 HD
GPS
Supported
Supported
Memory
4GB
4GB
Sensors
Accelerometer sensor
Accelerometer sensor
Gyroscope sensor
Gyroscope sensor
Geomagnetic sensor
Geomagnetic sensor
Optical heart rate sensor
Optical heart rate sensor
Ambient light sensor
Ambient light sensor
Air pressure sensor
Capacitive sensor
Water Proof Rating
5 ATM water-resistant
5 ATM water-resistant
Android Support
Android 4.4 or later
Android 4.4 or later
iOS Support
iOS 9.0 or later
iOS 9.0 or later
Battery
Typically 14 days
Typically 14 days
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.1，BLE / BR / EDR
Bluetooth 5.1，BLE / BR / EDR
Huawei Watch GT 2e FAQ
Does the Huawei Watch GT 2e work with iPhone?
Yes. While not all features are compatible, generally the watch will work with iOS devices.
Ireland has a fair share of phone manufacturers come and go. Some, I watch from afar, wondering if they’ll ever come here in force. I’ve noticed some movements in Ireland which suggests we’re going to get another soon. Their name is OPPO and here’s everything you need to know about them.
The Irish Smartphone Landscape
For a long time, your selection of phones here was quite limited. Phone manufacturers have gone through several waves of dominance. The early days were Motorola, followed by Nokia until the dawn of the smartphone. That brought the Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy. More recently Huawei was the disrupted until the controversy with the United States meant Huawei phones could no longer ship with Google support. While some other great brands like Xiaomi are available, they’ve ultimately been a bit of a damp squib in the Irish market. However, there’s a new brand in town and they’re called OPPO.
Who Is OPPO?
OPPO is a Chinese technology manufacturer. They specialise in smartphones but also have produced the OPPO Enco W31 wireless earbuds. While relatively new in Europe, the company was founded way back in 2001 and is a subsidiary of the much lesser-known BBK Electronics Corporation. While I say they are lesser-known, you’ll likely have heard of some other brands under this parent company, including Vivo and OnePlus.
Can You Buy OPPO In Ireland?
OPPO is not available to buy from any of the big phone shops in Ireland. By “big phones shops” I mean the network shops and Carphone Warehouse. However, you can buy OPPO phones from Currys/PC World, with a smaller selection available from Littlewoods Ireland. However, I don’t believe it’s going to be too much longer until we see OPPO in Irish shops. Where exactly, I have no idea. It would make sense if Three stores began to stock them given that they are the only place in Ireland you can buy OnePlus and Xiaomi. The first of course being a sister company of OPPO.
What Phones Do OPPO Sell?
OPPO stocks three primary ranges of phone. They are the:
X Series
Reno Series
A Series
OPPO has the potential to disrupt the market in a similar manner to how Huawei did a few years back. They offer great spec at extremely competitive pricing. Here are some of the best they have to offer
OPPO Find X2 Pro
It’s like the Samsung Galaxy S20+ and Huawei P40 Pro.
The OPPO Find X2 Pro is the Chinese phone company’s heaving hitting flagship smartphone. On paper (because I’ve yet to really play with an OPPO phone) the Find X2 Pro is a mighty impressive smartphone. It’s capable of largely holding it’s own when compared with the likes of a Samsung Galaxy S20+.
In fact, if you compare the Find X2 Pro DXOMARK camera ratings, the only phone that beats it is the brilliant Huawei P40 Pro.
Currently, it’s only available to pre-order in the UK. While you get a cracking pair of Band & Olufsen headphones included, the phone itself is a spicy €1200+ SIM-free from the UK. While good on paper, I can’t say go buy one until I test it. But early signs are good.
OPPO Reno 2
It’s like the Samsung Galaxy S10 and OnePlus 7
The OPPO Reno 2 is one of those cool phones that, despite a reasonable price point, packs in specs and a bit of wow-factor. The wow-factor comes with the clever bit of engineering that hides the phone’s selfie camera. To allow users to enjoy a completely unobstructed view, the selfie camera folds out of and into the top of the phone.
Shark Fin Pop-up Camera on the Reno 2
OPPO A Series
Within the A Series you have both the OPPO A9 and OPPO A5. With these, you’re into the entry level phones.
OPPO A5
It’s like the Huawei P Smart Z and Nokia 5.3
The battery. Lord above. They’ve squashed a 5000 mAh battery into this thing. There’s also a quad-lens primary camera. This kind of spec for sub €160 is just madness.
OPPO A9
It’s like the Samsung Galaxy A10 and Huawei P Smart 2019
Again, with the 5000 mAh battery. For this price range it’s genuinely stunning. I do need to repeat, I’ve not gotten hands on with any of these phones but the specs and prices versus what’s in the market right now is very interesting indeed.
Watch this space because I believe we’ll be seeing OPPO in Irish phone shops much sooner rather than later.
OPPO: Frequently Asked Questions
Where do OPPO phones come from?
Oppo is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer. They are based in Dongguan, Guangdong, China.
What does OPPO stand for?
There’s nothing to deep about it! OPPO is a Chinese company and in Mandarin their name is Guǎngdōng Ōupò Yídòng Tōngxìn Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī. This translates to Guangdong Opper Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. So you can see where OPPO comes from in the middle there.
Are OPPO phones good?
I have to hold my hand up here and say I’ve had VERY limited time with an OPPO phone in my hand. However, on paper and from what I’ve seen from other reviewers I trust, OPPO make very good phones. They are packed full of specs and wrap it all up in a neat packages for a very reasonable price.
Are OPPO and OnePlus the same?
Actually, yes. Kind of. OPPO’s parent company is BBK Electronics. They’re the same parent company of OnePlus.
On a high level, there’s no reason Fortnight wouldn’t work with an OPPO smartphone. However, the game itself does have some specific requirements. So make sure you check out what specs your phone has and that it is supported.
What OPPO phone is the best?
Currently available for pre-order, OPPO’s flagship smartphone is the Find X2 Pro.
Which OPPO phone has the best camera?
The OPPO Find X2 Pro promises to not only be the best OPPO smartphone camera, but it will also be one of the best smartphones on the market full stop. According to DXOMARK, the only smartphone camera in the Irish market that’s better is the Huawei P40 Pro.
Will OPPO be affected by a similar ban to the Huawei ban?
It’s hard to know what’s around the corner and the US and Trump are quite unpredictable. However, for now, OPPO is fully supported by Google and will be for the foreseeable future. If that is to change, existing phones which have already been approved by Google will likely continue to be supported regardless.
One of the great things about gaming these days is free Playstation games! Yes, you read that correctly. Free. Well, not completely free. In order to avail of these free games, you need to sign up for Playstation gaming subscription service, “PlayStation Plus“.
What is PlayStation Plus?
For a very reasonable monthly fee of 9.99 a month, you gain access to a library of over 500 Playstation games which can be downloaded directly to your PS4. This saves you the hassle of buying individual discs in-store and allows you to start gaming instantly.
gguy/Shutterstock.com
Now, back to free things. Every month, the library is updated and includes games a discounted prices and also some FREE games. And once you download the game, it’s yours! So let’s take a look at what games are free to download this month, shall we?
Star Wars Battlefront 2
In a galaxy not so far, far away, EA absolutely bottled Star Wars Battlefront 2 when it was launched. When gamers got their hands on one of the most highly anticipated games of 2018, they found that EA had inserted loot crates which acted as the game’s main form of progression. In other gaming titles, loot crates mainly offer cosmetic upgrades and do not hinder you from progressing.
Also, in order to play as some of the main characters, such as Luke and Darth Vader, you had to pay money! When this happened, the gaming community lost their minds. EA’s reputation over the years has been dwindling and this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Eventually, EA upgraded to the game so that this wasn’t the case.
Now? The graphics in the game are great, and who doesn’t love to hear the “pew pew pew” of blasters? The space battles alone are worth downloading it. And you’ve got the campaign. Some of the multiplayer game modes include Starlight Assault, Heroes and Villains, and Galactic Assault.
You can play online co-op with your friends and also enjoy offline space battles, similar to the original Star Wars Battlefront game. And hey, if it doesn’t tickle your fancy, remember, it’s FREE. So you can just uninstall it and try out…
Call of Duty: WWII
Hell. Yes. Who doesn’t love Call of Duty? It’s one of the biggest gaming franchises in the world and its online mode is one of the best out there. Along with the great campaign beginning on the beaches of Normandy, you also get 9 maps to play on in multiplayer. Within the campaign are different game modes such as Free for all, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag and Domination.
You also get War Mode, which you don’t get in other COD’s. War Mode is a multiplayer game that requires you to complete specific operations against an opposing team which takes place over multiple stages. The variety of game modes honestly makes the game so much fun and I’ve found getting on the headset with the lads to be one of my favourite things to do during the lockdown.
You also get a choice of 31 guns which you can customise yourself in order to inflict maximum damage on your opponents and pick up those vital W’s. If you are into your shooter games, this free download is not to be missed.
So there you have it, 2 AWESOME titles that can be yours for free this month. Give them a go and join next month for our July edition of what can be yours for free on Playstation.
