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Sapphire Eyewear Review: Should You Buy Blue Light Glasses?

Marty
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0
Sapphire Eyewear Review: Should You Buy Blue Light Glasses?

There’s a range of cliches I could kick this article off with given the world we’re living in right now. You know, like “new normal” and all that jazz. Right now, we’re staring at screens more than ever. A recent study by Sapphire Eyewear claims that our screen time has increased by 45% as a result of isolation during Covid-19. If your office job, from time to time you’d get up from your desk and have a face to face meeting from time to time with a fellow human. Those meetings are now video calls and combined with the rest of your workday, you’re eyes are taking a pounding. Some people end up with low prescription glasses but others with perfect vision have turned to blue light filtering glasses. These are a relatively new trend but the big question is, do they work and are they worth spending some money on? I got a pair of blue light glasses from an Irish company called Sapphire Eyewear and I’ve been testing them out to see if they’re worth it.

What Are Blue Light Glasses?

To understand blue light glasses I guess we need to understand blue light itself. Blue light is often attributed to the screens we sit in front of all day, but it’s around a lot longer than that. First, we get blue light from the sun and second comes the gadgets. This invisible light is produced by televisions, laptops, smartphones and tablets. All those kind of things.

Blue light causes an apparent issue by being a higher energy light which leads to particularly highly strained eyes. Overexposure to blue light also impacts our ability to sleep. The solution is blue light filtering glasses. You wear them during the day while working in front of a computer and at night to prevent the blue light from screens from keeping you awake.

These come in both prescription and non-prescription lenses and a wide variety of styles. Indeed, many spreadsheet toting business folk believe the blue light glasses market is set to exploding in the coming years. However, many still doubt whether these things work at all. Jon tested out Ambr glasses before and found them great, so I was interested to see how I got on with Sapphire Eyewear’s take.

Who Is Sapphire Eyewear?

Sapphire Eyewear is based out of Galway and Cork, founded by Dr Dearbhaile Collin and her husband Seamus Flynn. The story is awesome. The couple spent their honeymoon in Zambia and were shocked to learn a country with a population of 16 million people had just 48 qualified opticians. During the honeymoon, Dearbhaile noticed headaches she was having while researching had stopped. It was the starting point for a connection being made between screen-time, blue light and the impact on both the human mind and body.

Seamus is an optician with over 20 years experience. Over the past five years, he noticed an increase in eyestrain complaints. The result was all of this coming together with an offering of blue light glasses where a portion of the profits fund eyewear in the developing world.

To get tested, the Sapphire team sent over this lovely looking pair of blue light filtering glasses.

Rubino Transparent Blue Light Filtering Glasses

Let’s break down these glasses a bit.

Design

I can’t help but feel that Jurgen Klopp has made transparent frames the best looking frames on the market. The Rubino look quite similar to the Liverpool manger’s frames so that’s a good start for me!

In terms of design, these glasses are pretty cool. They are obviously only going to appear to certain people but the range Sapphire has on their website is broad to say the very least. The big test was taking part in various Zoom calls and I can confirm, compliments were had. Personally, the design on the temples wasn’t really for me but I only saw that when opening the box and it never occurred to me again.

The glasses are very comfy, stay in place requiring very infrequent adjustment. As you might expect, they’re shipped in a tidy glasses case and come with a cleaning cloth. Standard stuff so far.

Function

This glasses are suitable for people with or without prescription. If you do wear glasses normally, you can include the strength of lens you need and get a pair that meet your needs.

The big question is really about the blue light blocking. So does it work?

Do Blue Light Blocking Glasses Work?

Yes. Blue light blocking glasses absolutely do block blue light. Just check out this test.

The real question here is whether or not this has an impact on eye-strain and headaches. The answer to that question has stumped people much smarter than me.

Take Jon for example. He’s worn similar glasses and found they’ve worked for him. But let me place devil’s advocate here. This could be the placebo effect. I generally look at the larger picture. If you’re researching and buying eye strain and blame your computer screen, you’ll end up at blue light glasses eventually. When you buy a pair, you’ll likely also be trying to cut back on screen time and see results.

After digging around for some supporting science I found an article from The Texas Medical Centre concluding that there’s no data to support blue light filtering glasses work. It’s a common conclusion I’m uneasy with. In trying to leave the church I’ve discovered I’m agnostic and I think that’s how I feel about blue light glasses too. There’s no science to prove they work, but there also seems to be a lack of science disproving blue light filtering glasses. I said this to the guys in Sapphire who pointed towards a study where, in a study of twelve adults, wearing blue light filtering glasses, experienced improved “sleep efficacy and sleep latency”.

I’m waiting to be convinced either way.

“The concern with blue light has really gotten to another level,” says Sunir Garg, a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology who seems more concerned with the surge in interest in an unproven solution more so than the solution itself. And that’s a fair concern.

Whether these glasses work or not, it’s crucial that they are not sold as a miracle cure and that’s why I really like Sapphire Eyewear.

Should You Try Blue Light Filtering Glasses

Here’s the simple truth about blue light glasses. I can’t tell you, beyond scientific doubt, that blue light filtering glasses will solve your tired eyes or headache issues. From what I’ve read researching this article, from Jon’s experience and my own, the best I can come up with is “they might”. The phrase is “anecdotal evidence” points to some sort of positive impact but that’s the best I have to offer.

Here are some more facts though.

You Always Wanted Glasses Didn’t You?

I used to wonder what life with glasses would be like. Eventually, I got a pair because I was slightly, and I mean slightly, longsighted. I probably didn’t need glasses at all but I was happy to get a pair. Why? I thought they looked cool. They’d suit a certain look, an aesthetic, that I liked. With these glasses from Sapphire Eyewear, the lenses don’t need to be prescription so you could buy these purely because they look cool and they make you look smart.

As an added bonus, they might make using a computer that little bit better and help you sleep too.

You Will Help People In The Developing World

I already detailed how Sapphire Eyewear came about. Not only did the wife and husband team want to address modern eyewear issues but they also wanted to help the developing world. They’ve teamed up with Mission For Vision which means when you buy a pair of blue light filtering glasses another pair will be donated to people in need of eyewear in developing countries.

Once again, as an added bonus, these glasses you buy might make using a computer that little bit better and help you sleep.

The 20-20-20 Rule

If you want to reduce your headaches and eye strain without taking a chance on the glasses, try these steps:

  1. Take regular breaks and…
  2. Every 20 minutes, stare at an object at least 20 feet away from you for 20 seconds

Sapphire Blue Light Glasses: The Verdict

You can be sure that you’ll soon be hit by Instagram ads being run by some snake oil salespeople promising you the sun, moon and stars with blue light glasses. Many will oversell the benefits completely with assurances these glasses will change your life. Unfortunately, I just can’t tell you if they work or not.

What I can tell you is that Sapphire Eyewear is offering you

  • some really nice looking frames
  • at a very attractive price
  • which might reduce eye strain and
  • help you sleep
  • a way to help developing countries get eyewear they need
  • all put together by an experienced doctor and optician

You can pick up a pair to try for yourself over on the Sapphire Eyewear website with a non-prescription pair setting you back €55. A good price for a potential solution and knowing that you’ve helped someone in need.

Marshall Uxbridge Smart Speaker Review: Guitars And Google Home

Marty
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Marshall Uxbridge Smart Speaker Review: Guitars And Google Home

It feels like you can buy anything and everything with a Google Assistant built into it now. Looking around my sitting room, I have a Google Assistant-powered soundbar, a Google Home in the kitchen and Google Nest Wifi which has an assistant in the bedroom too. In such a small space adding another smart speaker meant it needed to be different. The Marshall Uxbridge landed on my desk for review and I fell in love immediately.

Classic Marshall Look And Feel

I need to get this out of the way early. I’m totally biased in this review. Back in the day, I used to be in a band. I didn’t have the best gear in the world. My guitar was a Fender knock-off, my amp was a fourth hand little-known brand and my effects peddle, well I actually invested in a really good peddle. We used to do the odd gig, starting off playing at a teenage disco where I forgot the words to a Blink 182 song. A year or so later we were playing proper gigs where the headline act brought their rigs and we just plugged in. Here was when I fell in love with Marshall.

I was plugging into a Marshall half stack amp. Even if that means nothing to you, you probably know what I’m talking about. These are the guitar amps that feature on most rock stage concerts.

Isn’t that pretty. The funny thing about that gig where I got to plug into this for the first time was that I nearly blew the thing up. My really good peddle was turned up to ten and so was the amp so when everything got connected, everyone in the room gasped because of the deafening squeal. By the time the Mike Got Spiked guitarist made it to the stage everything was fixed and I was laughing away to myself. He wasn’t.

But that’s the amp that I fell in love with. I never got to own one, but this is what made my super biased when opening my Marshall Uxbridge smart speaker.

The Marshall Uxbridge Smart Speaker

Marshall has started to produce several smart speakers in different sizes. The Uxbridge is one of the most living room friendly designs. While it’s quite small and nowhere near the size of the speaker on the stage of rock shows, the sound is brilliant. It’s not the most remarkable speaker on the market but given the relatively small size of the box the sound outperforms expectation. I’m sure there are plenty of audiophiles out there who will dismiss the audio quality, but this is bringing charm and sound to the table.

marshall uxbridge smart speaker
The Google Home alongside the Marshall Uxbridge speaker

What it may be lacking in sounds for some, it may make up for with connectivity. The Uxbridge comes in two different models, so be careful to pick the one that best suits your own setup. The one I tested is the Google Assistant-powered speaker but it can also be bought with Alexa brains. The two speakers are not interchangeable, so make up your mind and stick to it. You can connect directly to the speaker by Bluetooth but most will play tunes by asking their assistant to play from Spotify or another music service. If you live in an iOS world, you’ve also got AirPlay too.

The Goosed Verdict

At the outset, I said it feels like everything can be bought with a smart assistant built-in, and I stand by that. In this case, the assistant is installed in a bit of nostalgia and great design. There are plenty of other speakers on the market which will deliver equal, if not better, sound quality. But few will look as awesome on your shelf as the Marshall Uxbridge smart speaker. The Google Home itself is a great speaker but it’s design is a bit vanilla.

You can pick up the speaker for about €200 straight from Marshall. If you’re after an Alexa-powered speaker you might even save a few bobs on Amazon.

New on Netflix: The Social Dilemma

Marty
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New on Netflix: The Social Dilemma

The entire internet is now built for one reason. To catch your attention. In running this site, I’ve resisted for years adding ads to the site. But I’m trying to build a business which can bring more and more people the best tech news on a daily basis. So I caved. Unless you’re using an ad blocker, this page has ads. That’s because companies will pay to get in front of you. It’s a bit of an unfair battle given until I said that, you might not have even noticed what was happening. That’s why The Social Dilemma on Netflix is absolute must-watch TV for you, your family and your kids.

What Is The Social Dilemma?

Computers were born to be tools. Right back to the early calculators to more modern computers, technology was designed for us to be used as a tool. Something changed a couple of years back in a Harvard dorm room as Mark Zuckerberg began compiling code for The Facebook. A “the” later and one of the biggest platforms in the world has been at the core of international conflicts and question marks over how democratic democracy really is.

Technology’s promise to keep us connected has given rise to a host of unintended consequences that are catching up with us. If we can’t address our broken information ecosystem, we’ll never be able to address the challenges that plague humanity.

TheSocialDilemma.com

Social media platforms are growing faster than ever and when I say that I’m not talking about users. No, I’m talking about the algorithms and smart methods used to get you hooked on apps and platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more recently Tiktok. This is what our social dilemma is and this whole story is the core of Netflix’s new documentary of the same name.

So, I run a tech site and I view my job as keeping people like you in touch with what’s going on. As that’s the case, a lot of the stuff in this new documentary isn’t startling to me. I already knew it. However, it’s not been packaged up in this need hour and a half documentary filled with experts who have left high paying positions from the world’s biggest tech companies. Many of these people left on ethical grounds. One expert even tells of how he uses tools to avoid the very systems he himself helped to build.

From watching this documentary, it becomes real clear real fast. People who know a lot about the inner workings of these social media platforms are very worried about their power.

Is Social Media Evil?

Straight off the bat, social media isn’t evil. There’s nothing inherently wrong with cat videos or posting a birthday message on someone’s Facebook feed. Humanity has evil tendencies and where evil is given an opportunity it will thrive. Social media is one such breeding ground and that’s what The Social Dilemma sets out to make abundantly clear.

Does My Phone’s Microphone Listen To Me?

Take Facebook as an example. Facebook started out as a directory but then they hired someone to monetise the platform. He stared at it until he worked out how this thing makes money. The answer is obvious; it’s advertising. Now, I know you’ve thought about this. You’ve had a conversation about iPads with a friend and within a few hours, you’re seeing ads on Instagram for iPads. Must be your phone’s microphone listening in on you right?

Digital Marketing

I’ve worked in digital marketing and seen teams of people working out how best to target you with ads for shoes. Ads that follow you around the internet because you or people displaying very simiilar behaviour to you hit a certain score on a score card. This score suggests a high likelihood to purchase certain items at certain times from certain places. For advertisers, it’s money well spend. We’ll bid €1.20 to appear in front of this person because there’s 12% of people like you who buy €90 shoes. That efficient.

I’d even argue that to a certain extent, that’s not evil. That’s business. For some, they feel that they are been shown the ads they want to see so they can buy items them like.

If you started out being worried about Facebook listening into your conversations so they can advertise to you then I’m afraid there’s something much more worrying. Facebook doesn’t need to. The platform uses incredibly powerful algorithms to determine your influences and match to with other users on the platform and even in the real world by using your smartphone to ping other devices. With this information, they can build an incredible profile of who you are and predict what ads you’ll react to and in turn make them money.

Is this evil? For me, at worst, this is ethically unfair but probably not evil. But, as I said, people are evil.

Hack The Planet

Social media has been hacked by bad actors for personal or collective gain. Think Trump, Brexit, Brazil or convincing people not to vote at all in some elections, swinging numbers to minority interests. Here, social media becomes evil. Beyond these events, social media has another evil side to it. Instead of sitting idly by and waiting for an opportunity to advertise to you, through apps, notifications and an amazing understanding of human behaviour these new technologies are designed to hack the human psyche.

Have you ever noticed the impact a red notification dot has on your mind? The phantom pocket vibration as you hope for a message from someone you like? The shiver the message ding sends down your spine knowing someone wants to connect with you online? All of these characteristics of online platforms are designed to grab your attention and keep you on the platform for longer. The longer you stay, the more content you consume and the more likely you are to be of worth to advertisers.

The Social Dilemma: Worth The Watch?

Like I said at the outset, I’ve created a mini version of this. I write about tech to inform and to help people understand whats going on out there and what the best gadgets to buy are. I also knew you’d Google search about this documentary to see if it was worth your while giving it a watch. In doing so, I’ve created an opportunity where you might click and ad while you’re here and make Goosed.ie some money.

But this documentary has another reason for me recommending it. This really should be essential viewing for everyone, of all ages and all experience online. This documentary is people who’ve built the world’s biggest tech platforms telling us that things are getting out of control and that we all need to take stock and, at the very least, we aware of how these platforms work.

Do I think you should watch The Social Dilemma? I don’t think we, as a society, can afford not to watch it. Recently, I’ve started to ask questions like “how are we arming kids to navigate a digital world” and I think we all need to start asking similar questions as adults assessing our own behaviour and exposure to media.

The Social Dilemma is streaming now on Netflix. Visit the movie’s website to learn more about their cause.

Bonus: Make A Stand

After watching The Social Dilemma, I was thinking about how we can all do our bit to try and fight back. To try an reclaim our own digital identity. Here are five things you can do right now to regain control.

  1. Turn off notifications. Use “Do Not Disturb Mode” on your phone so only calls get through to you. I’ve done this and felt great. I felt like I genuinely took back control over my time. Not having a constant ping of a tech company trying to grab my attention did my mental health wonders.
  2. Budget how much time you spend on social media. Delete apps from your phone so that when you spend time on something like Twitter, you need to be at your desk or similar. Force yourself to have greater control over your own time.
  3. Use an adblocker. I know there’s an irony here, but I would be happier knowing no one reaching this site ever sees ads because they’ve taken back control. You can use ad blockers to block lots of things beyond ads including tracking software too. Search engines like DuckDuckGo leave tracking at outside. They advertise based on the search query, not your behaviour.
  4. Buy an alarm clock. Use a proper alarm clock and leave your phone in the sitting room to charge at night. You don’t need the last and first thing you do in the day being targeted advertising.
  5. If you have kids, talk to them. Sit down together and watch this documentary. There’s nothing bad in here, just some hard truths. It’s not like watching a horror movie where Freddy is going to haunt their dreams. Instead, this is a piece of TV that will arm them with an understanding of how influence works.

Watch The Social Dilemma Trailer

EA Sports – Madden 21 Review

Jon
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EA Sports – Madden 21 Review

As with pretty much every EA game, there is a new sports game release every year just ahead of the new season…most of the time it’s pretty much the same game with a new trick or two up it’s sleeve. Well to be perfectly honest since the era of Ultimate Team games in and micro-transactions I’m starting to get a bit sick of EA and their BS so you can imagine the mixed feelings when Madden 21 landed on my desk for review. On one hand the game does just enough to keep the series chugging along and on the other it’s a so underwhelming it’s not even funny.

Same S*#t Different Day

I love my sports games, Fifa, UFC, Fight Night, F1, you name it and I’m all over it. However, it’s becoming easier and easier to dismiss the latest renditions for being overly similar to the previous years. Yes there are updates and changes being made and maybe this years games are being made with the next-gen consoles in mind but since the move to the Frostbite engine a couple of years ago, most EA Sports games feel the same year after year.

In fairness the Frostbite engine means that as ever Madden 21 looks bloody fantastic, the stadiums are gorgeous, players are hyper realistic and the move to the latest consoles like the PS5 is primed and ready to rumble. As ever the fans are gloried cardboard cut outs, which is a minor complaint but it would be amazing to see EA flex their muscles to create a real immersive experience.

When it comes to American sport, the pomp and ceremony is part of the parcel of the game and when it comes to Madden 21, the pre-game show of players dancing about the place is just cringy and with a game as technical as this, wouldn’t we all prefer them sexy stat blocks that they typically use in the American broadcasts? It just feels like Madden 21 was released before it was finished.

Buggy Ball

Speaking about the game not feeling finished, Madden 21 is buggy as hell. The performance issues across the board are really annoying and things like the game freezing or frames dropping means you might actually have to close the app and restart. Sure visual glitches are down on last year but they are more than made up for with a rake of performance issues and to be honest in a game of this standard the amount of bugs is unacceptable. Watch this now Madden will make a fool of me with a new update which will resolve these problems.

Gameplay

When the game isn’t glitching out the gameplay is actually very nice, it’s smooth and actions feel on point. Using the right analogue stick or “skill stick” helps to feel the gliding and turning moves you need to avoid a big hit, even when the blocking feels much more realistic this time around. Playing some exhibition games was great to get a feel for the offensive and defensive systems and I remember last year it felt like you could just steamroll through people but this year if you don’t use your blockers for protection you will get nailed. So much more realistic if you ask me.

The Skill stick dynamic is rightly interesting and getting to grips with it will make it so much easier to pop together evasive combos to avoid tackles. For example hit your spin but you can already be ready with the hand off mid spin rather than having to wait to complete one action to begin the next. While defensively there is a new Pass Rush system that includes new moves to help navigate blocks.

Two of the best additions from Madden NFL 2020, X-Factor and Superstar abilities, are back again this year, these are the attributes a player is known for and I like this because it makes you feel the need to use your super star player, not unlike real life.

Face of the Franchise

This years story mode is now named Face of the Franchise: Rise to Fame and it’s pretty rubbish. You start back in High School and like many of these type story modes, its a wafer thin story, a bunch of choices that don’t matter and some cringeworthy character interactions, that all lead to you eventually making the big time.

From school, you move to the college game and then onto the NFL draft, regardless of whether you actually do anything or not. I tested it out to see and low and beyold after a couple of appearances, with no passes complete and no actions taken, no touchdowns etc, I was still getting picked. The only upside this year is that the story doesn’t just end when you reach the NFL so you can can continue your career while your character discusses the key moments as a narrator in an interview.

The Yard

Madden 21: The Yard is Madden for a new generation - RealSport

We do like a new game mode and this year we’ve got one in The Yard. Madden 21 has taken a leaf from a few other game methods namely Fifa Street to create a 6 aside backyard bash. The only way I can describe this is a fun little game mode that allows you to play the pros in a way that you may have done yourself as a child in the garden. No rules, no time limits, no messing around.

In The Yard, Madden 21 sets up two sides in an 80 yard field, no kickers and every time there is a turnover you start with a 1st and 20 from your own 20 yard line.You can hike the ball to any player on your team and you can throw behind the line of scrimmage multiple times. You even get bonus points for interceptions or for throwing a TD after already passing it once.

Very similar to the likes of Fifa Street, The Yard is a cool distraction from the norm but it’s not enough to play on its own.

Franchise Mode

Franchise mode should be a staple of Madden 21, but it’s essentially an exact replica of last years model and the year before that. 3 years and no changes. Sure they expanded the wild card rounds, but that’s only to match changes to NFL rules but apart from that everything else is the exact same.

It’s a crying shame because a game mode that allows you to be a player, coach or owner and is the most fun in the series has been relegated to the bench in favour of Ultimate Teams, micro transactions and milking the cash now that is online gameplay for every cent that it’s worth without any regard to the actual enjoyment of the game.

The Goosed Verdict

Madden 21 is going to get a similar review to UFC 4 in that if you like the sport, then this game is going to be right up your alley. Having said that this is the exact type of game that could do with some competition in the market to help get the skids up EA to make some major innovations for the good of the series. For me personally Madden 21 is a let down for this reason alone. As the only major NFL game on the market, it’s become lazy, relying on micro transactions and the support of the sport to keep selling titles. Madden, like FIFA and a few other EA titles has become stagnant and while The Yard is a fun game mode and there are one or two tweaks to the overall gameplay, Madden just feels the exact same as last years game with a new hat. But then again if you’re an NFL fan and enjoy the Madden series (like me and FIFA) enjoy spending your dollars and get to the grid iron.

48 Launch Best In Market €7.99 Per Month Phone Plan: What’s The Catch?

Marty
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48 Launch Best In Market €7.99 Per Month Phone Plan: What’s The Catch?

Update: This plan has now increased to €10.99 per month

Not that long ago, I looked at Gomo’s unbelievable launch in Ireland. With parent company Eir looking to mop up the younger mobile market they offered unlimited calls, texts and data for €9.99 per month. Today, Three’s youth network 48 has undercut this even further with €7.99 for all calls, all texts and 100GB of data. So again I ask, what’s the catch with 48?

The Plan

The plan seems pretty straight forward. You pay €7.99 per month and in return, you can make all the calls you like to Irish landline and mobile numbers. Texts are included too. These are subject to fair usage as is the case with all mobile providers. A “fair use policy applies where your use of the 48 Services is deemed by us to be excessive or unreasonable”. On the 48 network, the “fair use threshold currently set at 3,000 minutes and 5,000 text messages for every monthly period”.

Unlike Gomo, 48 have stayed away from the ever problematic “unlimited” terminology. You could argue “all” is more confusing, but what they’re saying with “all” is more than you’ll need.

Again, with data, there’s no unlimited term here so 48 is avoiding one of the modern advertising pitfalls and clearly stating you get 100GB of data. Is that plenty? Well, you’ll know yourself. If you have WIFI you’re grand. If you’re hot-spotting a house, that’s not a lot of data. If you’re travelling, which I guess you shouldn’t be, you also get 10GB EU/UK Roaming.

The “membership” or monthly plan lasts for exactly one month. That means if you buy your membership on May 2nd, you’ll need to buy another on June 2nd.

What’s Different

48 is claiming to be changing up mobile and they certainly do have a fresh approach. First of all, the €7.99 is the cheapest in the market and for your money you get a lot in your plan. Eilis Fitzgerald of 48 said the network has “revamped our plans earlier this year with the intention of changing up mobile. We wanted to co-create a mobile network alongside our customers that truly works for them. We listened, listened again and then listened some more! We believe that we have created a membership plan that delivers the goods; loads of data, unlimited minutes and text with the flexibility to use it how they want to”.

But what does different mean? Well, the big one for me is that you can donate unused data. For every unused 1GB of data you have leftover at the end of the month, you can donate 50c to FoodCloud, 48’s chosen charity which tries to reduce food waste. You can also carry allowances into your next month, save 5GB for an emergency, share it with friends, swap minutes for data or borrow from a friend.

Is It Worth A Lash?

Simply put, it would seem that this is worth a go. The best part about 48 is that you can try out the network for free. Fill in your details and order a 1GB sim card to see if it tickles your fancy. If not, nothing lost. If it works out, you’ve got your phone fuelled for €7.99 per month.

The offer is available for all new people joining 48 before 10.11.2020.

The Last Stand Of The QR Code

Marty
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0
The Last Stand Of The QR Code

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

What Is A QR Code?

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

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

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

Uses For QR Codes

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

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

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

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

QR Codes And COVID-19

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

To Get A Menu In Sprezzatura Restaurant

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

qr codes in sprezzatura restuarant

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

Virtual Queuing In Kildare Village

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

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

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

Is Now The Time For QR Codes?

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

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

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

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

Alcatel 3T 10: Review

Jon
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0
Alcatel 3T 10: Review

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

Design

Alcatel 3T 10 Launched: An Entry Level Android Tablet

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

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

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

Audio Station

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

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

Alcatel 3T 10 Performance

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

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

Battery

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

Spec Sheet

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

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

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

Is The Skerries COVID Video Real?

Marty
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0
Is The Skerries COVID Video Real?

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

What Is The Skerries COVID Video?

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

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

Is The Skerries COVID Video Real?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Marty
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0
Revolut Junior: A Bank Account For 7 To 17-Year-Olds

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

What Is Revolut Junior?

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

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

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

Features of Revolut Junior

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benefits Of Revolut Junior

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

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

Revolut Surging Forward

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

Fitbit Launches Sense Smartwatch And More

Marty
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0
Fitbit Launches Sense Smartwatch And More

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

Fitbit Sense

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

Health Insights

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

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

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

De-stress

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

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

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

Fitbit Sense Launch Date In Ireland

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

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

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

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