E-bikes are growing in popularity both in Dublin and nationwide. With the environment and health at the top of people’s mind, alternatives to both cars and public transport are much sought after. Without any previous experience with e-bikes, I set out to learn more about them. In the process, I met with Green Aer in Dublin to review the Riese & Müller Charger 3 and also take new e-bike share company, Moby Move, out for a spin.
Riese & Müller Charger 3 And Moby Move Review
E-bikes: FAQs
What are e-bikes?
E-bikes are largely like regular bikes. The big difference is that they have battery packs and a motor which assist you while cycling.
Are e-bikes legal?
Mostly yes. Last year, when emphasising that electric scooters were illegal, e-bikes were singled out as being legal in Ireland. This meant they should be treated the same as regular bicycles. However, some e-bikes are in a legal grey area. The reason for this is that some e-bikes are capable of doing speeds in excess of 45 kmph.
Are e-bikes worth it?
This is a very subjective question. E-bikes, while expensive, can empower people who’s had to quit cycling for health reasons. They are also popular for people who want to swap out long commutes by car or public transport but who don’t have shower facilities in their workplace.
Are e-bikes waterproof?
Living in Ireland, it’s understandable to wonder whether or not you can get an e-bike wet. The vast majority of high quality e-bikes are waterproof. It’s worth asking the shop you’re buying it from to confirm.
Can e-bikes go on footpaths?
No. E-bikes can be used just like regular bikes. You shouldn’t use either or these on footpaths.
Are e-bike conversions worth it?
No. E-bike conversions are often quite dangerous. These are regular bikes fitted with a motor to assist the rider. The problem is that these bikes are often fitted with assistance part but not upgraded brakes or chains. This makes them quite dangerous as they are not able to handle the power, in particular, under braking.
Today, Revolut launched Open Banking. I’ve been scrolling through the reaction on Twitter and it appears to be lukewarm at best. Privacy is a big issue for most customers, but what is Open Banking and can you trust Revolut with extra data?
What is Revolut?
Revolut is one of the world’s leading online-only banks. With over ten million customers worldwide and one million customers in Ireland, they are also one of the fastest-growing financial companies in the world. The bank was founded in 2015 to overcome excessive fees for everyday banking including foreign exchange. I’ve personally used Revolut in loads of countries from the US to South Korea. You don’t have to worry about foreign exchange or any of that craic. It is great.
However, Revolut hasn’t had a completely smooth transition into our wallets.
The company has come under scrutiny for its tough workplace practices and startup-style approaches to data privacy. Late in 2019, Revolut issued a change to their privacy policy which would allow the bank to share user data with social media, analytics companies and credit bureaus to “help Revolut better assess your financial circumstances”. The privacy settings section of the app now lets you opt-out of sharing your data and banking behaviour with social media platforms, but understandably people still have apprehensions.
Which doesn’t help Revolut when launching a product like Open Banking.
What Is Open Banking?
Way back in 2015, Revolut wasn’t the only change to banking. A new payments directive was introduced too called PSD2. This EU-wide initiative promised to bring:
More and better services
More control over your finances
Better protection against fraud
As part of more control over your finances, allowing third-party access to your banking data is also included. This means you could let a budgeting app or mortgage advisor review your data with the click of a button and entering of a few passwords.
While this sounds like it’s against your best interests in terms of privacy, it really is to benefit customers by removing the stranglehold over your data your bank has.
Another benefit of PSD2 is being able to manage one bank account through another bank. KBC already introduced this feature but they did remove functionality again. Today, Revolut also introduced the same feature. You can now view AIB, Permanent TSB, Ulster Bank and Bank of Ireland accounts in the Revolut app. This is Open Banking.
Benefits of Open Banking
Typically, customers of Revolut in Ireland use the bank as a secondary account. Without credit facilities like credit cards and mortgages, people still need, and generally have more trust in, traditional bricks and mortar banks. Revolut is seen by many as a secondary account for day to day banking and spending.
As an app, Revolut is fantastic. It offers some incredible services and options. While you can trade stocks, buy gold and even deal in cryptocurrencies. But there are some nifty day to day banking tools too. You can set budgets and categorically track your spending to better understand your own spending habits. With Open Banking, you’ll not be able to monitor your own spending behaviour from these four Irish banks from a central location in the Revolut app. While KBC and EBS are currently not available, when I asked Revolut they said: “We don’t have a timeline to share at the moment, but we are working on adding more banks in the near future.”
Naturally, while handy, this functionality also brings with it privacy concerns. These are not without reason too given the privacy notice update I mentioned earlier.
While customers can easily opt-out of marketing in the app, to opt-out of additional data sharing you need to open a chat within the Revolut app and request they do not share your data with third parties. The fact this is opt-in by default has left a bad taste in customers’ mouths, and I agree that’s a poor approach. Typically you would expect such a feature to be opt-in.
At the same time, traditional Irish banks do report on your financial well-being to the Central Bank. For example, Bank of Ireland state that they “share your data with the Central Credit Register in order to comply with our legal obligations under the Credit Reporting Act 2013”.
Can You Trust Revolut?
And this is the big question. Can you trust Revolut? The honest answer is I don’t know. On the one hand, can you trust tradition Irish banks? I know that shouldn’t be the bar, but at the same time, Revolut shouldn’t be cast out purely because they’re new and challenging banking norms.
I reach out to Revolut who assured me “Revolut does not share any Open Banking data with third parties”. Also, “at no point does Revolut have access to a customer’s security credentials for their bank account, so it’s completely secure”.
Regards their approach to data protection, Revolut states: “We are confident that we are fully compliant with all relevant data protection regulations, including GDPR. There are several legal bases for processing consumer data under GDPR, of which consent is only one. We are processing data under the legitimate interest criteria and undertook a Legitimate Interests Assessment (LIA). We also obtained advice from external counsel before designing the revised policy, and they approved our approach.
We have also made it as easy as possible to opt out and are doing everything we can to inform customers well in advance of the changes taking effect”.
I would like them to take more privacy-first steps. But the big thing that’s often overlooked here is typical user behaviour. Why do people let Facebook and Google log them into things? Convenience. Convenience often outweighs privacy concerns for people. I absolutely don’t endorse that approach, but I can see the benefits and appeal of a central banking app empowering me to understand my complete banking life. I can also understand how it makes people uneasy. It’s early days and much will be decided by the early adopters.
Well, there’s a headline I’ve been looking forward to writing. After months without a government and no sign of what one may look like, a programme for government is pending sign off with Fine Fail, Fine Gael and The Green Party. Within this programme are some key policies that I’m keen to keep a close eye on. Personally, seeing an end of Direct Provision would be most welcome once we develop a system which welcomes those who desperately need our help. There’s also finally some movement on legislation for electric scooters and e-bikes. But what will that look like in reality?
Electric Scooters And The Law
How many times have I written that line and talked about grey areas? You wouldn’t know it looking at the roads of Dublin in particular, but electric scooters remain illegal in Ireland. They cannot be insured and are classed as mechanically propelled vehicles. Combined, this makes them illegal. Still, there are thousands of people in Ireland riding electric scooters.
It was a ludicrous result that didn’t really get much notice nationally and as a result, electric scooters are still popular in built-up areas like Dublin. Especially now that public transport is under unique pressures with a country reopening in-line with easing Covid-19 restrictions. People are looking for viable alternatives to public transport.
But now, there’s finally some hope. The programme for government specifically states that as part of the decarbonisation of road transport, the government would “legislate for e-scooters and e-bikes”. So what’s all that mean then?
The Road Towards Micromobility Policy In Ireland
I hate to say something like Covid-19 presented an opportunity. It’s a tragic virus that has killed many. But technology has bridged many gaps in society because of Covid. One such gap has been micromobility. While I’m slow to hold up the UK as an example of much these days, I will admit that they’ve taken some impressive steps in the micromobility space.
With that said, the policies introduced in the UK will, in reality, be a little less fun that it first appeared. The UK Department for Transport wants e-scooters rental schemes – similar to those seen in European cities to be trialled. While insurance won’t be needed, riders would need a driving licence of some sort. Once hired, scooters would only be allowed to be used within set geographical boundaries.
This is quite removed from recommendations made by a report commissioned by the Irish Road Safety Authority and the Irish Department for Transport.
TRL: The Future Of Transport Report
In 2019, the Road Safety Authority requested a report be created to investigate how personal electric vehicles would impact road users. Already that’s one massively important note. This isn’t just about electric scooters. There are many other forms of transport which need to be legislated for. Beyond electric scooters and even e-bikes, there are still electric skateboards, unicycles and single-wheel boards.
The report addressed all of this and made some logical conclusions too. The report admitted that there are limited examples of these vehicles being legislated on in other countries simply because they are so new. Still, the report recommends that:
Encourages the use of personal protective equipment (PPE, e.g. helmets), possibly
through targeted public awareness campaigns and by placing responsibility with
powered transporter sharing companies to promote safety
Provides (or prescribes) training for operators of powered transporters prior to their
use in public;
Creates clear safety standards that powered transporters are required to meet (e.g.
weight or size restrictions or minimum lighting/conspicuity standards), and possibly
enforcing these standards through a type-approval system or certification process;
Clarifies who exactly is permitted to use different devices (e.g. age limits and licence
requirements) and
Provides clear guidance on how and where different devices can be used (e.g.
footways vs. cycle lanes vs. roads, and the rules which apply to each).
On the surface, it all seems logical and promising but it was also worryingly vague. Shane Ross was the Minister for Transport at the time and this report landed on his desk. The whole process went to public consultation and that’s where it stopped because of the general election and all that followed.
My fear is that an incoming Minister for Transport will read these points within the report and make decisions themselves. At least my fear was that was what Shane Ross would do. The important note is that the report also states that “refinement of the details of these points should be based on clear evidence from further investigation and robust research trial”.
Earlier in the report, the TRL described how various countries have introduced speed limits on electric scooters. These limits vary from country to country, but in some countries, it can be as low as 20kmph. Having ridden a limited scooter in Germany, I can tell you that’s too slow. Cyclists can easily go faster and the speed limited actually ends up creating a situation where cyclists must overtake scooters, increasing risk.
Will we need license plates like Germany?
I appreciate a limit must be introduced as these vehicles belong on roads but also bike lanes. This limit needs to be logical. I recommend around 30kmph is plenty and it aligns with an average cyclist.
Before you go saying that’s too fast, I’ve busted many myths on this. Just today I was testing an e-bike and while a scooter overtook me, a cyclist overtook the two of us easily.
This report will be a crucial piece in the micromobility puzzle in Ireland, along with the public consultation that took place. I’m looking forward to seeing who the new Minister for Transport is and getting their email address. I’m sure on some level, Shane Ross will miss me.
Further Afield
There’s one other massive thing that we must consider when it comes to legislating for micromobility in Ireland. What will the EU do? I spoke with Green Party MEP Ciaran Cuffe who informed me that a plan for sustainable mobility is expected later this year from the European Commission.
Until then, as is visible from the TRL report, European laws on micromobility will remain fragmented. It’s impossible to predict what comes next, but one would imagine in a world where we now need to keep people out of closed spaces, alternatives to public transport will gain favour.
What Lies Ahead For Ireland?
Today, as good as the news is, we’re a lot closer to being able to ride electric scooters or other modes of personal electric vehicles in Ireland. However, we’re no closer to knowing exactly what that will look like. If the new government gets the legislation wrong, these new vehicles will remain as attractive as five penalty points. Get it right, and the roads of Ireland will never be the same again.
Here’s hoping for a Green Minister for Transport.
PS – What About E-Bikes?
The unusual thing to appear in all of this was e-bikes. To date, they’ve been outside of micromobility, instead they are classified as simply normal bikes. Why they would need to be legislated for, I’m not sure. However, there are hopes the new government will introduce new grants to support people buying these very popular means of transport.
For years, I’ve liked the potential of smart lights. Like, they should be awesome but using your phone to turn on and off a light is a bit crap. You’ve got to be smart about how you use your smart light. Honestly, this review gets easier to understand as we go. I’ve been testing out the LIFX range of colour smart lights after I met them at IFA in Berlin last year. Specifically, this review is about the LIFX Beam.
Who Is LIFX?
In the smart light world, there are a few major brands. Wemo is probably the best-known brand but even IKEA has gotten in on the act too. LIFX is the challenger brand. That usually means the little plucky brand but The Aussie company LIFX has taken this whole category and done it right. You can kinda see that this review will be positive. It’s positive because LIFX is making smart lights genuinely smart.
What Is LIFX Beam?
LIFX Beam is a smart strip light. In the kit, you get six Beam pieces which are connected by magnets. Overall this is six-feet of customisable LED lighting. Included is also a corner piece which connects to the mains and joins the light bars together. Unlikely other smart light brands, there’s no hub required for LIFX lights which makes the whole setup a little cleaner.
Here’s the kit that I got to test out.
LIFX Beam Kit
It’s worth noting, that they aren’t all coloured. The strips themselves are just clear and all the colours you see simulated here are created by LED lights in the strips.
There’s no real ideal way to set up your kit. You can get quite creative. I’ve got mine in the bedroom behind a cabinet. The strips are connected in an “L” shape and even left one in the box because I didn’t need it. The flip side is that you can expand the kit with up to eight beams and two corner pieces.
That’s what I mean about being creative. How you set your lights up takes a bit of creativity. How you use them is creative too, but LIFX does all the work here. This is where the smart lights get really smart.
What Can LIFX Beam Do?
Right, so I’ve been harping on about these lights being genuinely smart, but what does that mean? Well, through a combination of smart assistant integrations and the LIFX app, these lights can help out with creating a party atmosphere, adding some personality to a room and even help you waking up more naturally.
Colours
The technical jargon. LIFX Beam supports 16 million colours and is powered by polychrome tech. What that really means is that all the colours and combinations you could imagine can emerge from this kit. There are preloaded setups and scenes but you can also choose your own. The lights can dance and move across the Beam strips you’ve connected together too. Speaking of dancing.
LIFX: Moving To The Music
When my partner had her 30th, I knew tech could help. I set up a jukebox app where party-goers could vote for music and brought my LIFX Beam along too. The idea was that we could replace expensive DJ setups with a light from the bedroom and an app. Sure enough, it worked.
L is for Laura
The light wasn’t static either. Within the LIFX app, you have several settings for your lights. One of them is called Visualiser. This mode uses the mic from your phone to “feel” the music and animate the lights to move in sync with the beat. Colours change and pulse to match the music. The result is awesome and far beyond what you’d expect from a smart light bulbs like these.
A Natural Awakening
Another area of the LIFX app lets you set up what your daily routine is. You set what level you would like your lights to be at during stages of the day and the system will adjust the led bulbs to align with your day. The result is a mini day to dusk simulation. Why is this awesome?
Well, when you have the curtains drawn, specifically blackout curtains, your body doesn’t wake up naturally. That’s because our minds and bodies are naturally designed to wake up with light. Studies have shown that returning to this way of waking up, even with simulated natural light, can improve your mental health.
I’ve set the system to start my wake-up routine at 7.30am with my actual wake-up time is 8am. At this time, the lights gently kick in with a warm orange light. Gradually, the LIFX Beam gets brighter, transitioning to brighter white light. So I usually wake up naturally even before my alarm goes off. Even if I don’t, my mind is already prepping for waking up because of the light. Over the past few months, I’ve found getting up so much easier and it’s got to be the LIFX Beam.
Amazon Alexa And Google Assistant Integration
Earlier, I showed you a shot from my partners birthday. She’s also the reason I realised smart assistant integration is a massive deal. I used to love smart lights anyway because I’m a nerd. However, she thought they were stupid because the light switch on the wall is actually easier than opening an app. And she’s right.
I’ve had my first smart lights since before there was an Amazon Echo in every house. And looking back at it, smart lights were a little useless back then.
However, with Alexa and Google Assistant integration, smart lights just come into their own. “Alexa, I’m heading out”, turns off all the lights in our apartment. “Alexa, it’s bedtime”, turns off everything except the small LIFX Beam which goes to a warm reddish white colour. There’s a huge list of personalised settings that you can play with and personalise. But the one thing I will say is, frankly, if you’re buying smart lights, make sure they integrate with your smart assistant and make sure you have a smart assistant.
LIFX Beam: The Verdict
Alongside the LIFX Beam, I was testing regular LIFX bulbs too. The entire kit is amazing. My favourite part is that there’s no hub required. Hubs are an extra plug in the wall and LAN port on my modem gone. And that’s a pain. LIFX lights are just much easier to get up and running because it’s just the light you need to worry about, not a hub.
LIFX Beam, specifically, is right up there at the top of the list when it comes to my favourite gadgets. There’s something about smart lights. Watching movies when I was a kid, the rich people had clapper lights. The rich nerds had voice controlled lights. While I don’t have a clapper light, I do walk in and request Alexa turn on the lights I need.
While many smart light kits can achieve that, none have managed it with the ease that the LIFX has. LIFX Beam impressed even more. The kit’s automation leaves me feeling refreshed because I’m waking up in a more natural pattern, They’re also a bit of craic and would complete and man-cave as much as providing incredible ambient lighting too.
8 individual beams and 2 corners Ships with 6 beams and 1 corner
Colour Temperature
2500K to 9000K
Dimming
Software dimming 1% – 100%
LED Life-span
22.8 years
Wi-Fi Router Requirement
802.11b,g,n standards compliant
Security
WPA, WPA2
Product Dimensions LxWxH
Beam: 300 x 35 x 20 mm
Cable Length
0.5m cable from Power Plug to Controller. 2.0m cable from Controller Unit to Beam.
Single Unit Weight
96 g
Packaged Dimensions LxWxH
400 x 120 x 135 mm
Packaged Weight
876 g
LIFX Beam FAQs
How many LIFX Beams can I connect?
You can connect a total of 8 beams together using 2 corner pieces. The pack ships with 6 beams and 1 corner piece.
Is LIFX Beam worth it?
It’s pricey and it is a “nice to have” gadget. However, if you do struggle with your mornings the Beam can absolutely help and might be worth its weight in gold. Also, the life-span of the lights is over 20 years.
Which is better? LIFX or Philips Hue?
Both are brilliant brands. While Hue is supported by more 3rd party apps and services, LIFX is the world’s fastest growing lighting company. Also, LIFX doesn’t require a hub which is an awesome difference.
It’s a bit of a cliche but cycling is going through a bit of a golden age in Ireland right now. People are flooding to bikes to avoid public transport. It’s nothing but great news and I’ve been keeping my eye on some tech for cyclists. In the coming weeks, I’ll be checking out a few bits and pieces. To start, I’m after testing out the Livall BH51M Neo smart helmet.
What Is The Livall BH51M Neo?
First of all, I always think it’s a shame when cool gadgets have silly names. Thankfully, that’s one of the very few complaints I have about the Livall BH51M Neo. I met Livall for the first time at IFA in Berlin last year. I was impressed by the range they had on show. Livall is the, self-proclaimed, world’s first smart and safe cycling helmet brand. To be honest, back then I was more interested in their helmets for use with my electric scooter, but times have changed given the legal grey area around scooters remains.
Instead, I’m now jumped on my Dublin Bike and Bleeper Bikes to test out Livall’s latest bluetooth smart helmet. Here’s what I thought about it.
Livall BH51M Neo: Functionality
I’ve been sitting here for a few minutes trying to work out how best to discuss the features of this helmet. The problem is that nearly everything about the helmet comes down to functionality. The reason for that might be obvious. This helmet is the Batman utility belt of bike helmets.
Not Your Usual Safety Features
Bike helmets have some obvious safety features that you’d expect. Like, protecting your head if you fall. Pretty obvious. But the BH51M Neo packs some features you wouldn’t normally see on a helmet.
The stand out feature is the led lights that feature around the helmet. These lights are both controlled by a wireless remote and movement of the helmet. More on the remote control later, but the smart detection means when you brake your helmet knows you’re slowing and flashes red to warn those behind you. Also included are LED turn signals. With the press of a button, your helmet indicates your intention to turn up ahead. This is an amazing feature for electric scooter riders, just saying.
Finally, when it comes to unique safety features, they don’t get better than this. If you do have an accident and are alone, you’re helmet can fire an SOS alert to your emergency contacts. All of this can be set up in the Livall Ride smartphone app. Together, all of these features make this much more than a cycle helmet with lights. And now onto all the features that make the Livall helmet a market leader.
Built-in Bluetooth Speakers
There’s a point often debated when it comes to cycling safety. Should cyclists wear headphones when cycling? Personally, I don’t feel safe losing that sense. At the same time, it’s not illegal, so cyclists do get quite a bit of grief over it. I’ve seen motorists driving with headphones in and the truth is cars are designed to keep as much external sound as possible out. All of this is an argument for another day. This bicycle helmet has some tiny built-in speakers beside your ears.
I’ve tested these out in a range of scenarios. I’ve taken phone calls while cycling in the Phoenix Park, listened to music while cycling across the city and issued voice commands to my Google Assistant, all completely hands free. The highlight here for me was that all the while I did these things, I was fully aware of my surroundings while still enjoying some tunes or a chat with the mother. All of this is made possible by the helmets Bluetooth connectivity. You connect to your phone and can play music from apps like Spotify or chat with your Google Assistant.
Additional design attention was paid to the microphone too. Even cycling in somewhat windy conditions and I could be clearly heard on the other end of the line.
The Bluetooth Remote
I want to give the remote a specific shoutout because it’s a sign of the thoughtful design that Livall bring to their smart cycling helmets. The remote means you can safely control your helmet’s lights and also trigger your Google Assistant. You can even use a walkie-talkie style system to chat with other cyclists using the same technology. Most importantly, the remote fits securely onto your handlebar with a heavy-duty rubberband. Why is this good?
Easy attach and remove remote
Bike sharing is really popular around Ireland. Many cyclists won’t necessarily even own a bike. The remote control being quickly removable and attachable means you can still get the most out of these smart bike helmets even while sharing. I’m big into thoughtful design and that’s a wonderful example.
Helmet Design
That’s all the bells and whistles of a Bluetooth cycle helmet. All the bits and bobs than aren’t standard. But what about the basics? Well, I didn’t go over the handlebars to test how it handled. But the helmet is extremely comfortable. It doesn’t slide around on my head the same way my €20 skateboarder helmet does that I bought for using on my scooter. As a result, this helmet is safer. A helmet that slips back will not protect you and possibly do more harm.
One of the reasons the helmet fits so nicely is the adjustable fit system. Put the helmet on, fasten your chin strap and then you can twist the knob on the back to get a nice snug fit. It’s a bit of genius that.
There is one small failing. When it comes to charging your helmet it’s pretty straight forward. But the cable is a unique cable just for this helmet. That’s one thing that makes me uneasy. One cable pull and it’s broken. One charge in the office and your cable is missing for ages. Either of these things happens, and you need to hunt down a new cable or your helmet is just a helmet. All of those features are gone. If you’re careful, this problem will never be a problem, but it’s something to be aware of.
Livall BH51M Neo: The Verdict
I love this helmet. It’s not all the gadgets and winky bits that made me love it. It was actually how comfortable it was. But I’ll admit, the incredible range of features left me falling head over heels with the Livall BH51M Neo. Not literally thankfully. For many, at €189 it’s a very pricey helmet. For daily commuters looking for a safe way to listen to their morning radio show with some additional lighting, it’s money well spent.
Livall BH51M Neo: FAQs
Can the BH51M be used on motorbikes?
No. This helmet is not certified for use on a motorbike. It’s suitable for cyclists and electric kick scooters, but remember they’re currently illegal.
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.
