Yup you read that headline correctly, Google Maps has just turned 15 years old! Back in 2005 Maps was created to help us get from point A to point B with ease, and guess what? It works and now today its probably one of the most used and most useful apps we have on our Android phones. To celebrate this big occasion Maps is getting a facelift and update based on user feedback. So what’s the story?
A Fresh New Look
From today onwards we will see a freshly skinned Google Maps App on both iOS & Android, starting with the logo.
Within the app we are getting 5 tabs, Explore, Commute, Saved, Contribute and Updates with a few cool and handy features.
Explore: Linking in with Google My Business, if you’re looking for a place to eat or shop, here’s where you can get information, ratings, reviews and more for about 200 million places worldwide.
Commute: Simple enough tool where you can check to see that you’re on the most efficient route and get real-time traffic updates for your daily commute.
Saved: Found a place restaurant or museum that you need to visit on your holiday, save it for later.
Contribute: With the new Contribute tab, you can easily share local knowledge, such as details about roads and addresses, missing places, business reviews and photos. Each contribution goes a long way in helping others learn about new places and decide what to do.
Updates: Kind of like a twitter for maps. Updates is a feed of trending places or business’ in your area made by local publishers. You can also interact with business’ to get questions answered.
Alongside the new look and the new features, Google has also decided to celebrate the birthday by creating a limited time party-themed car icon that will be used when you’re navigating on Maps.
On The Go
Taking public transport? Stay informed in real-time. A year ago Google introduced crowdedness predictions to help you see how crowded your bus or train will be based on previous journeys. You can also get insights from previous passengers so you can check out important details like:
Temperature: Check-in advance how hot or cold the journey is based on previous passengers feedback.
Accessibility: If you have special needs or require additional support, you can identify public transit lines with staffed assistance, accessible entrance and seating, accessible stop-button or hi-visible LED.
Security Onboard: Feel safer knowing if security monitoring is on board—whether that’s with a security guard present, installed security cameras or an available helpline.
That’s some pretty interesting stuff and it’s the beginning of a user-driven platform where you can see the experiences of previous passengers from March, with availability varying by region.For our Limerick readers imagine the craic reading the user experience of the famous 304. You will also be able to provide your own experiences for other peoples benefit.
Live View
By combining Street View’s real-world imagery, machine learning and smartphone sensors, Live View in Google Maps shows you your surroundings with the directions overlaid in augmented reality. Pretty handy for when you’re not sure what way to go to get started on a walking route with Google Maps.
Guess you could say our little Google Maps is growing up.
Anyone who knows me will know I’m a big personal fan of the Sony brand, namely their phones and games consoles but did you know they are one of the biggest names in audio? Well, they are. A couple of years ago, Sony released their critically acclaimed WH-1000XM2’s headphones. Most critics and ourselves were left in awe of the sound quality and didn’t want to leave the “warm and safe world of wearing the Sony WH-1000XM2”. Well now fast forward a couple of years and Sony launched their new heavy hitters in the Sony WH-1000XM3 which I was lucky enough to test run over the last couple of weeks. Powered by serious tech these headphones pack a serious HD Noise Cancelling Processor and you can quickly tell the WH-1000XM3’s are designed to pack a punch for €300.
Design
Sony, Sony, Sony…these guys know how to build a product. The second I got my hands on these I felt like it was just an extension of the Sony range if that makes sense. Like it was PlayStation controller, slick, smooth and just built for purpose. They just know how to make stuff that feels good to hold, wear, and use. The WH-1000XM3 share a very similar style to their predecessor with some minor changes.
The headphones are available in Black and Champagne Gold and the black is perfect, now I used the black headphones and the fabric around the ear cups is so soft I feel the Champagne colour would be more sensitive to scuffs. But anyway they are genuinely gorgeous and very ergonomic.
The head strap is thin yet sturdy and lightweight, making wearing and carrying while the new swivel on the ear cups means you can hang them around your neck without chocking or looking like a knob. The playback and call controls are as ever designated to the touch panel on the right ear and thankfully they are also rocking a new USB-C charge both just beneath the control panel. It’s the right ear where the action happens also housing the NFC chip, audio jack, power and all the good stuff.
For me it’s the little things that matter, see those embossed Sony logos and copper trip, it just screams style without losing class. The carry case is a nice touch too with plenty of storage space to place the headphones and all other bundled accessories: the auxiliary cable, airplane adapter and USB-C charging cable.
Comfort
The WH-1000XM3’s weigh around 250 grams…nothing really. That makes them lighter than the previous models but slightly heavier than their Bose counterparts. Because of how they are designed these Sony headphones offer a cosy fit due to the breathable aesthetics incorporated into the design. The changes to the design are built for comfort, the padding is thicker and they just sit nicely on your head.
Essentially the WH-1000XM3’s are built for long term listening, ideal for people like me who will sit in an office listening to podcasts for 8 hours a day. Inside the ear cups they have a new larger oval for bigger ears. I have a couple of ear piercings (tragus to be specific) and I’ve found down the year’s certain headphones earcups will catch on this. Talk about 1st world problems.
Bluetooth & Setup
The WH-1000XM3’s can be paired through NFC and Bluetooth and setup is so easy that with my Pixel 3XL I was connected in a couple of seconds and no lag! Winning.
The Bluetooth range is said to be 30 feet and it seems fairly accurate during my trials but I would recommend staying as close as possible for a reliable and steady connection. To pair takes no longer than a minute top, just enable pairing mode on your phone and hold down the power button for about 5 seconds and on your phone select WH-1000XM3 and boom done. Oh, and when your smartphone registers the headphones you can connect from the app too.
The App
Speaking of the app, the Connect App, available on both iOS and Android is totally free and gives you a rake of sound customisation options. If you’re a bit of an audiophile you will love this as you can adjust the sound quality to just your liking.
Here’s some cool tech for you, the Adaptive Sound Control works by analyzing your activity and the sounds of the world around you. That means you can go on a train or out for a run and these things will automatically adjust to your movement. So without taking off your headphones you can get a better sense of your surroundings and avoid getting a slap of Martin on his e-scooter.
Another cool feature is the NC Optimizer that will measure atmospheric pressure and other bits like glasses and hats to determine wearability and modify the noise cancellation accordingly. There’s also a Sound Quality mode to prioritize sound or stable connectivity but I didn’t need to play with this as I found both perfectly fine throughout my experience.
As we said earlier the WH-1000XM3 is rocking the new Sony QN1 processor which improves audio quality and noise cancelling. For most listeners, you won’t tell the differences between the old model and these but real audiophiles and those with stellar hearing will pick up on the ever so subtle upgrades.
Most people buy big headphones for commuting and the gym so naturally, these were my testing grounds. Turning on the noise-cancelling mode was able to totally drown out the noises of a spin class that was going on just beyond my treadmill which was ideal because I could work out in my own world, with my own tunes without still hearing some of that super happy bouncy stuff they play during a spin class. I also gave it a shot on a train and no word of a lie I could have napped while listening to Martin nailing our latest podcast such was the lack of background noise (shameless plug but get it anywhere you get your pods – The Goosed Podcast).
I also found the Ambient Noise mode worked very well after trying this on the train I was able to hear the train audio with my stop, which is fair handy if you ask me. I found the WH-1000XM3 let in just enough audio to understand what was going on around me without disrupting the experience. Overall the quality is solid as you could as for and it’s a step up for the series.
Audio Quality
In terms of sound quality at this price point, you can tell that Sony have been in the game a long time as the sound quality is so smooth it could rock you to sleep like a newborn baba. The companies upgraded bass profile and the stereo system really gives the WH-1000XM3 and edge over the competition.
Swap between the different sound modes wisely, it can go really good or really bad. The Noise Cancelling feature will boost bass whereas the Ambient boosts vocal clarity and both work perfectly on hi-res files so you know your music taste and choose accordingly. That or just stick to the standard profile.
The WH-1000XM3 also supports five codecs for music playback —aptX, aptX HD, AAC, LDAC and SBC — each engineered to maximize sound quality over Bluetooth.
Battery Life
Beasts!!! I could actually end this section on that note. 30 hours playback and not a single problem insight. Put it like this the Bose QC35 II only gives your 20 hours playback. Genuinely I was able to get through about 4 full workdays using them throughout the day before a charge was needed.
Also USB-C, it’s taken forever and a day to see the new area charging port used in headphones and it’s about time. It makes a huge difference for the WH-1000XM3’s and with a 5-minute quick charge you will get just over 5 hours of playback. The automatic power-off feature is also clutch for neglectful listeners looking to save juice when the headphones are inactive.
The Goosed Verdict
Honestly, I loved these so much it nearly broke my heart to put them back in the box to send back to Sony. Remember we don’t get paid for any of these articles so we can give you the open and honest review. But Sony has upped their game with the WH-1000XM3’s.
The audio quality is on point and the sound optimising features in the Connect App open a world of opportunity with punchy bass sounds all the way to an ambient mode which really makes live recorded music pop. The new process as well just proves Sony is driven to be best in class when it comes to noise-cancelling and honestly, it’s brilliant, just stick on the headphones and the world becomes just you and your tunes (even if there’s a spin class going on less than five yards away). It’s like being in a cocoon of music and I found that both the Ambient and Noise-Cancelling modes are better at reducing external noise than the previous models.
I think in the same price point you’ll only find the Bose QCII’s that are comparable, but for €300 they are comfortable, well build, have a brilliant battery, good call quality and touch control, the only real negative for me was giving them back. If you plan on buying flagship headphones give these serious considerations, you won’t be disappointed.
Well, I’ll be honest. That’s probably the most no-messing headline I’ve ever written for Goosed.ie. There is a new four-episode Netflix docuseries called The Goop Lap with Gwyneth Paltrow. Ironically, I’d just watched Supersize Me 2 on Amazon Prime Video where fast food joints were under the spotlight for using misleading terms. When I see Gwyneth Paltrow and “lab” in the same sentence, my suspicions were spiked. I’ve watched the four episodes to let you know if it’s a load of science of a load of shite.
What is the Goop Lab?
Most people I hang around with consider me to be a bit of a notion-loving hipster. I totally get where they’re coming from but the likes of the Goop Lap makes me feel like I’ve never been further away from avocado lattes.
I'm two minutes into @goop and I fucking hate humanity.
The foundation of all of this is Goop. This is a wellness and lifestyle company founded by actress Gwyneth Paltrow. To say Goop has had more than its fair share of odd headlines is an understatement. After being criticised for offering nothing but ridiculously expensive products, Goop employees tried a “food stamp” challenge that they were forced to quit after four days because it wasn’t happening. Gwyneth herself has made headlines while representing Goop and recommending vaginal steaming. While Paltrow said the process had real rejuvenation values, gynaecologists who are actually trained in this area (literally) believe “there’s no scientific evidence that shows it works”.
Before watching The Goop Lab, I thought about as much of these guys as I did the late Derek Acorah. Trust me, you know who he is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8MXYCfLyVw
With the four episodes under my belt, is there any science here at all?
Episode One: The Healing Trip
I wasn’t long into this episode before I started shaking my head in disbelief.
In this episode, some of the Goop Lab team decide to trip balls on mushrooms as a method of therapy. I’ll stop with the light language now. The correct term for this is psychedelic-assisted therapy and this has become a very serious area of psychotherapy. Late last year Johns Hopkins University research centre raised $17 million from donors to found the Psychedelic Research Centre.
In this episode, the Goop Lab is supported by experts from the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. While I’ll admit I’m not in much of a position to vet these guys, they’ve got a Ted Talk so that makes them somewhat credible.
I do struggle with the guys in Jamaica who run the literal mushroom trip. To my eyes, there was little or no science, per se, on show here. I’d rather a few lab coats but hey, I guess I’m a traditionalist.
Episode Two: Cold Comfort
The Goop Lab were off to a good start with this episode because I’ve heard of “The Iceman” Wim Hof. Wim is actually very well known with no fewer than 18 Guinness World Records under his belt for various physical endurance tests.
In this episode, the Goop Lab team investigate how much the “Wim Hof Breathing Method” can help you get through the day to day or save you in extreme circumstances. This method is effectively the same as hyperventilating and does hold quite a bit of scientific merit.
My biggest qualm with this episode is the testing and evaluation that the Goop Lab team apply and the low level of acceptance they have for concluding that this method works. They jump into some freezing water. Admittedly, that would suck and be really hard, but then they attribute their paddle out of the icy water purely because of the “Wim Hof Method”.
Episode Three: The Pleasure Is Ours
Technically, because I’ve never taken psychedelic drugs, that’s going to be one of the episodes I have the least experience with. I also don’t have a vagina, which means this episode about women’s sexuality doesn’t strictly apply to me. My fellow men and anyone who is sexually attracted to women: if there’s one episode of the Goop Lab you can afford to skip, it’s not this one because you’re going to learn some things about women’s sexual needs.
if there’s one episode of the Goop Lab you can afford to skip, it’s not this one
This whole episode is dedicated to female sexuality, self appreciated and orgasm. Is it science? I’m not really convinced, but the episode is filled with harmless, and most likely beneficial, methods of self-appreciation and generally positive vibes for women to take away about themselves. Actually, if you apply a bit of lateral thinking, men can take a few bits and pieces away from this too.
I would argue this episode is the least risky in terms of science, but the most relatable for people in general. In fact, this episode highlights one of the big positives from the whole series. In a later episode, one of the Goop Lab team describes how she’s feeling during a diet experiment and mentions that she feels run down and that she’s on her period. There’s not enough openness in the world about things like women’s sexuality and periods so The Goop Lab, at the very least, achieves talking about these things in a very matter of fact way.
Episode Four: The Health-Span Plan
Next up, the Goop Lab team take a look at how diet can help battle signs of ageing. Using some experimental science, the team go through tests to determine their biological age instead of their chronological age (you know, your age in years). Once the tests are completed, the test subjects now have their actual age and their biological age stats before taking on different diets to see if they can reduce their biological age.
I tried hard to see past the idea of “eat healthy be healthy”. Like, Gwyneth Paltrow, herself goes on a box of dust diet designed to simulate fasting. This just looks like a smoothie diet to me. Eat dust and lose weight. Shock horror, it works. Anyway, scepticism aside, I watched the rest of the episode and to be fair, the goal here isn’t to lose weight, it’s to reduce the body’s biological age.
Other guineapigs in the test included someone doing a vegan diet and another person taking on a pescatarian diet. They do undertake some methods of reducing the signs of ageing too, including sticking 100 pins into the skin. Not really sure what the benefit of this was in the episode. One of the women stated that she wouldn’t inject anything like filler into her skin, but this whole section felt like filler for the episode.
That, by the way, is the sassiest line I’ve ever dropped on this site.
The results were positive, but the problem is measurement. We’re looking at a really small sample-size here and again I felt that the show is just playing it safe. Don’t smoke, exercise and eat healthy being offered as a way of living longer sounds like bollocks to me. Bollocks in the sense of “no shit Sherlock”.
This was the episode that left me begging to have 30 minutes of my life back.
Episode 5: The Energy Experience
Four episodes under my belt and I’m not going to lie. This show hasn’t been a complete load of shite or science. Going by the reputation Goop has in general, I’d say the show is far surpassing what I thought it would be like. Thankfully this episode came along and rectified this.
There’s a lad who claims he can move energy around your body without touching you using the double-slit experiment. This is actual science and I’m 99% sure this was in my secondary school physics book.
Disclaimer: I failed higher-level Leaving Certificate physics.
Now, when I read further into this and find out this all relates to quantum physics, it’s possible this didn’t come up in the Leaving Cert and I might be thinking of a similar light experiment, but I digress.
Three people are brought in to test this for the Goop Lab and I have to call bullshit on this. When I was younger, I watched a lot of behind the scenes shows. You know, like The Masked Magician in Breaking the Magicians Code and Penn and Teller’s Bullshit. I can’t remember the exact show, but one of them exposed the secrets behind psychic surgery. Man oh man does this shit feel like psychic surgery. We have arrived everyone. They’ve kept these bits to the end in the hope you’d have stopped watching already.
Just because something isn’t proven doesn’t mean it doesn’t work
Just because something isn’t proven doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. The battle cry of a snake-oil salesman. These are the exact words from one of the lads who came into the Goop Lab to explain the benefits of this energy moving nonsense. If you watch closely you can even see one of these scam artists moving his hands just after one of the women’s bodies moved in an effort to make it look like he was controlling her body.
At the start of the episode, one of the “experts” explains why he’s never let himself be filmed before. I can’t remember what he said, but here’s the truth of it. He’s a fraud and he didn’t want to be caught. This dude knows if you’ve reached episode five of The Goop Lab, you’ll probably pay for this shit anyway.
The language this dude uses is like that of a dodgy medium. After finding out something about someone he worked on vomited, he says “it’s not surprising she purged” and surrounded this with lots of words sprinkled with science. If you’ve seen The Report on Amazon Prime Video, his techniques are eerily similar to those of the two guys who won CIA Enhanced Interrogation Technique contracts in the post-nine-eleven United States.
Fair play to the sceptic guineapig dude who pretty much said this didn’t work too. He didn’t get much air time. When describing his experience, he more or less looked like he was giving this whole thing the minimal amount of credit without being in a position of being fired.
Episode Six: Are You Intuit?
I’m exhausted and I haven’t even tripped on shrooms, eaten dust for a week or had my energy pulled through a slit. But I made it. I’m onto the last episode. I did this. For you, so please finish reading the article. Follow us on Twitter, join us on Instagram.
The final episode of Gwyneth Paltrow’s The Goop Lab is all about psychic mediums.
Oh come on now. Seriously? You’re going to blatantly keep all the most off the chain shit to the end and just assume we won’t notice you were conditioning us?
At the start of every episode of this Goop stuff, there’s a disclaimer. It states:
The following series is designed to entertain and inform – not to provide medical advice. You should always consult your doctor when it comes to your personal health, or before you start any treatment”.
The only argument I can make for this episode existing is that it’s kind of entertaining, maybe? This whole episode just brings the classic bullshit that you see from “psychic mediums” to Netflix. I never know how to feel watching this stuff. Is it entertaining? Yes, kind of until you realise these dickheads prey on the desperate for their own financial gain. Even the wonderful Derek Acorah just faked it about long-dead strangers most of the time.
Then I see her making someone cry
When I find myself muttering “oh fuck off” to the TV you know it’s all striking a nerve. Then I see her making someone cry based on the act the medium is delivering and I’m done. Seriously, these people are the worst.
Once you’re in any way familiar with cold and hot reading methods, it’s impossible to take people like these shitheads seriously. Mediums only work because people want them to work.
The highlight of this episode is the girl who just doesn’t believe this shit. She shoots the medium down so badly it’s hilarious. Thoroughly enjoyed that bit and, you know what, it’s worth a watch for that bit. They try to spin it as that she was actually reading the producer by mistake. It’s good TV but in truth, it’s peak medium theatricals. She’s a grade-A bullshit artist.
The GoopLab: Load of science or load of shite
Given the ropey past and reputation of Goop, the first four episodes have very little science in them. At best they have some nice ideas and stuff that’s harmless, but there’s very little that we can prove as fact. The energy episode is where everything goes wild. The defining moment for me was when one of the energy dudes says “just because something isn’t proven doesn’t mean it doesn’t work”.
Goop, like the overall brand itself, spreads itself wide in the hope it resonates with someone on some level to the point where you’ll spend some money. That’s pretty much what I’ve seen with most of these episodes. The series is heavily front-loaded with the most credible attempt at science with the psychedelic therapy and even the breathing techniques of episode two. After that, the series starts to unravel. It’s a clear and deliberate attempt to hook you early and make you more open to the wilder ideas that come later.
It’s great when you spot it but no doubt many people will be sucked in by this method.
If you want my opinion, you’ll gain little from watching this. If you do gain a little look on the plus side. You’ll have gained more than I did.
Well, we’re well and truly on the way towards a general election. All of a sudden, politicians are getting as many photo opportunities as Shane Ross. There are TV debates and policies and promised being thrown around left right and centre. The funny thing is, that you’re about to be asked for a vote by someone you’ve not heard from in years. Yep, that’s how politicians roll. Regardless of the lack of facetime until now, it’s still important that you vote and that you vote for someone aligned to your own personal beliefs. Typically, there’s some tech to help with that.
Hopefully, you’ve already registered to vote because that deadline has now passed. If you have, that’s the first hurdle overcome. I’m afraid that’s the easier hurdle because now you’ve got to sift through the candidates and pick who you’re going to vote for. RTÉ has reported that there were 531 candidates at the close of nominations. That’s a lot of choices which means it’s very easy to let old habits die hard.
For me, growing up, I tended to support Fine Gael. They were my Dad’s party so I just kind of towed the family line. The older I got, the more my own political interested started to grow and I found myself leaning further left of centre. Personally, I found it difficult to depart from the done thing in the family, but today more than ever voting your own way is incredibly important. Opinion polls ahead of the 2020 General Election would suggest people are starting to consider their options far more than they did in the past. With social and environmental issues rising up on people’s list of priorities, the likes of Sinn Fein, the Green Party and the Social Democrats are getting much more attention.
But departing from the done thing and ploughing your own political track is tough. The whole reason many just follow their parents vote is that they might now have time to research everything or watch the debates. That’s where the team from the Department of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Limerick come in.
WhichCandidate.ie helps pick who to vote for in the 2020 General Election
To help you navigate the 2020 General Election minefield, Rory Costello, a lecturer in politics in UL, and John Costello, a software developer, created WhichCandidate.ie. It’s kind of like Tinder for politics. Ok, it’s nothing like that, but I wanted a catching hook that sounded sexy. Oh, watch out! That sexy hook comes in giant letters too.
It’s kind of like Tinder for politics
All joking aside, WhichCandidate.ie is a brilliant idea and it’s one I’ve been following for years. The guys describe their website as being a “voting advice application”, allowing voters to compare their own political wants to the promised actions of candidates standing for election. The ultimate goal is to inform voters and to help voters make decisions which are more aligned to their wants and needs than towing the family line.
How does WhichCandidate.ie work?
Prior to the General Election, the WhichCandidate team along with a panel of political advisors will outline relevant policy issues. Each of the nominated candidates are contacted to complete a questionnaire on the same issues. In return, they are given a public profile on the WhichCandidate website which also contains their questionnaire answers.
All pretty simple so far, but then comes the genius part.
When you visit the website, as a voter, you can undertake the same questionnaire sent to the politicians. Upon completion, you’ll be shown a page specially made for you. On this page will be a ranked list of candidates, ordered by how closed aligned your beliefs are.
It’s a proper modern matchmaking tool for politics. You can also trust the website as they are not aligned to any political party. They receive funding from the Irish Research Council.
If you want my advice, please have a proper thing about who you vote for in the upcoming election. Don’t blindly vote for your local TD because they bought you a skinful of pints one night. Don’t vote for the TD who’s been re-elected for years because no-one really ever challenged them. Take ten minutes and actually find a politician who’s going to stand for what you believe in.
WhichCandidate.ie is currently gathering information for the 2020 General Election and will be available to help users pick who to vote for from January 28th 2020.
Apple is generally quite predictable. You know when their launches are and you have a fair idea what they’re going to update. A few years back, they caught everyone off guard when they released the iPhone SE. Well, it’s happened again. Apple is rumoured to be starting mass-production of the iPhone SE2 in February with an eye to launching in mid to late March. Here’s everything that we know about the new phone so far.
What will the new iPhone be called?
Many believe the most likely name for the new mobile phone from Apple would be the iPhone SE2. I think I agree with this guess, but I also can’t rule out iPhone 9. I think we would all agree that filling that gap would be brilliant. However, given that the new iPhone won’t be a true flagship, I’m not sure it would suit Apple brand requirements.
For now, if someone wants to place a bet with you, go with iPhone SE2.
When will the iPhone SE2 launch?
Unlike Samsung and Google, Apple seems to be quite good at remaining tightlipped on their phone launches. As a result, this iPhone launch has kind of snuck up on us. Mass production of the iPhone SE2 is set to start in February and the actual launch could be as early as mid-March. Because it’s an iPhone, you can be sure it will be available, not only directly from Apple Ireland, but also from all major Irish networks.
Why will Apple launch an iPhone SE2?
Apple is very much about the premium flagship smartphones. Last year, the Californian smartphone maker launched three phones. These were the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. While all the other smartphone manufacturers generally split their flagships into three too, they also launch entry-level and mid-range smartphones. Apple doesn’t do this, instead of relying on their older phones to appeal to those looking for a bargain iPhone.
However, last year Apple stopped selling the iPhone 6s, as was expected, and the iPhone 7, slightly surprising. This has left a small gap in Apple’s portfolio of phones, a gap they’ll now fill with the iPhone SE2.
The iPhone SE 2 will likely be unique compared to other iPhone’s on the market. The original iPhone SE was a clear attempt to cater to the needs of those who didn’t want a massive phone, much like the Google Pixel 4. In fact, while the Pixel 4 remains to be of little interested in the Irish market, the iPhone SE 2 could be a direct response to this phone in the United States where’s it’s more popular.
So what can we expect from the iPhone SE2?
Rumoured and leaked iPhone SE2 specs
I’ll start with the obvious caveat here that these are all leaked and rumoured specs from around the internet. Nothing has been officially confirmed by Apple.
iPhone SE2 screen
While the original iPhone SE had a now tiny 4-inch screen. Even that’s too small to be considered a “small option” these days. I would imagine the new iPhone SE2 will be closely aligned to the design of the both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8. That means you’ll get a 4.7-inch screen and the return of bezels and a Touch-ID fingerprint reader.
iPhone SE2 camera
We’d be traveling back in time again on some of the numbers here. You can expect to see the iPhone SE2 with a 5MP or 7MP front facing camera, also known in the Apple world as a FaceTime camera. On the flip side, expect to see a 12MP primary camera.
iPhone SE2 battery
By modern standards, the mAh rating of the iPhone SE2’s battery is, on paper, likely to be a letdown. The Pixel 4 showed me just how much battery power can impact what you think of a phone. Without being smart, I guess there are not too many iPhone users that expect the incredible battery life that Huawei P30 Pro owners get.
You can expect the iPhone SE2 to have a battery rating of something like 1700 mAh.
How much will the iPhone SE2 cost?
Estimates place the U.S. price of the iPhone SE2 to be around $399. However, by the time it gets to Ireland, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that rise up to around €499.
Key leaked iPhone SE2 information
Display
4.7inch
Processor
A13 chip
RAM
3GB
Internal Storage
64GB of internal storage
Colours
Space Grey, Red and Silver finishes
Estimated Price
Starting at €400
Security
Touch ID (not face ID)
There’s not much else to say now until Apple officially announces the iPhone SE2. Watch this space and we’ll be updating this post once we know more.
We’ve got great news Disney, Pixar & Marvel fans of Ireland! Disney have just announced that their new streaming service Disney + is going to launch in Ireland a week earlier than they previously announced. The service which launched in the US back in November and gave us the Baby Yoda meme will launch in Ireland on March 24, with Disney confirming that its streaming service will cost €6.99 per month for Irish subscribers.
So we are being promised the full catalog of content from across the Disney brand and unlike Netflix it seems like this won’t be country specific. That also means we will get all of the Disney + originals based on some of their existing portfolio such as a modernized Lady & The Tramp, The Mandalorian, a western set in the Star Wars universe, and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
Better yet, Disney + will be a totally advertising free regardless of whether you’re on mobile, TV, console or laptops….unlike the disaster that is our very own RTE player.
At any point in time Disney + will allow 4 users to stream at the same time and will include unlimited downloads on up to 10 devices. The app also comes with personalised recommendations as well as the ability to create seven different profiles, including kids profiles with access limited to age-appropriate content. Sounds very similar to Netflix right?
So what does this mean for Netflix?
Well Disney have already confirmed that Disney + will be the only place to stream the entire back catalog and will be the home for films released by them in 2020 and beyond. That means that any Disney titles found on Netflix or Now TV won’t be sticking around for long.
We have already seen Netflix Ireland stripped off all it’s Disney/Pixar content in the lead up to this release as Disney try to gain a foothold in household entertainment within the thriving streaming market. What’s interesting is that the Disney + release did have a knock on effect for Netflix, sure they 58.3m paid subscribers at present, but 10m people reportedly signed up to Disney+ on the first day of launch in the US in November, growing its domestic audience to more than 30m by the end of 2019 with a good portion of these people claiming they have wiped their Netflix account in favour of Disney +.
Netflix are expected to release their annual financial results soon, it will be interesting to see how much of an impact had Disney on their streaming service and whether it’s a trend we should expect to see in Ireland.
I’ve been walking to the office again for the past month or so. Last month, I learned that an electric scooter rider had been given five penalty points for driving uninsured. For me, that was the final straw. I could no longer risk riding to the office on my scooter because the legal precedent had been set. But has the person who’s received five penalty points and a €300 fine been hard done by? I’ve submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Road Safety Authority of Ireland and can confirm the website of An Garda Siochana did display incorrect information which suggested electric scooters were legal on Irish roads.
A quiet change
From the Freedom of Information request I submitted to the RSA, I found that on 16 July 2019, the Principal Officer from the Department of Transport wrote to An Garda Siochana, informing them that the Garda website was displaying information that was “not correct” and that “may cause confusion” with the following information regarding the use of eScooters:
“The use of these types of scooters has become very popular in recent years, especially with children. The legal position is that if one of these scooters can be powered by mechanical or electrical power alone, and does not require pedalling or scooting for propulsion, then the scooter is considered to be a mechanically propelled vehicle (MPV) in terms of road traffic legislation, irrespective of engine capacity. If such scooters are to be used in any public place, they require insurance and road tax as with any other MPV. The driver would also require a driving licence and is obliged to wear a crash helmet. If the user of such a scooter cannot fulfil these legal requirements, then the scooter should only be used on private property”.
The bold text was specifically highlighted and the “correct position: outlined as the following:
“The Road Traffic Act 1961 defines a mechanically propelled vehicle as a vehicle intended or adapted for propulsion by mechanical means, including a bicycle or tricycle with an attachment for propelling it by mechanical power, whether or not the attachment is being used. It also includes a vehicle the means of propulsion of which is electrical, or partly electrical and partly mechanical. eScooters and suchlike vehicles fall into this category and are therefore considered to be mechanically propelled vehicles. Any users of such vehicles in a public place (as defined in the Road Traffic Act 1961) must have insurance, motor tax and a driving licence, with penalties under road traffic laws (including fixed charge notices, penalty points, fines and possible seizure of the vehicle) for not being in compliance with these requirements. As it is currently not possible to tax or insure eScooters etc., they are not considered suitable for use in a public place”.
A copy of this mail was also sent to the CEO of the RSA.
The website was then quietly updated which posted a problem for electric scooter riders who were already carrying slips of paper from the Garda website to show them why scooters were road legal.
Here’s one such slip of paper getting an electric scooter rider back on the road.
What’s the significance?
The Road Safety Authority doesn’t make the laws. I was informed of this one day when a member of Garda Traffic pulled me over while riding my electric scooter. I discussed electric scooters with the Garda and the grey area I believe they operated in because of the requirement to scoot for propulsion. He disagreed with me, but he still told me to go along my way and that another Garda might have have been so lenient.
This same grey area is where another electric scooter rider found themselves debating with a Garda on the roadside. Their outcome was very different. They had their scooter seized and, after their day in court, they were given five penalty points and a €300 fine.
I’ve used the term grey area, but I think I’m being unfair on myself and other scooter riders prior to the Garda website being updated. That highlighted line more or less allows for certain models of scooters which require a human start.
and does not require pedalling or scooting for propulsion
But I don’t want to simply argue about that grey area any more.
The problem here is not the RSA, electric scooter riders or even the Gardai. The problem here is that there are thousands of electric scooters on our roads today with many users not even knowing they are deemed to be illegal. In fact, many riders would have bought their scooters last year after reviewing the Garda website only to find information on this site saying that electric scooters fall outside the classification of MPV because you need to scoot to start them. This was quietly removed, leaving these scooter riders without a leg to stand on.
So what now?
What we need is action from the Department of Transport and Shane Ross. Consider this by public plea, during election times, for Minister Ross to get a move on as he has been sitting on that electric scooter report for months and public consultation has closed but still he has taken no further action.
Poor air quality in Dublin has been linked to poor health. I regularly pass bus and Luas stops heaving with people. Sometimes, buses just won’t stop because they’re full. While I love the exercise I get walking, I would probably get the Luas only for it’s a horrible experience. It’s unreliable and overcrowded.
The electric scooter isn’t a scourge. It’s arguably one of the most logical modes of transport for inner-city workers like me. How it’s taking this long to legalise them when countries like Sweden, Germany and France have already taken the leap is beyond me.
Ultimately, it’s only a matter of time until more scooter riders and stopped and given penalty points and fines because our laws are archaic.
Saturday February 8th..the date of the big General Election. By the sounds of it on social media, most of the country seems rather done with Leo and his Fianna Gaelers while there seems to more of an appetite towards voting than we have seen in a long time. Homelessness, Universal Social Charge, Teachers & Farmers strikes, Healthcare and more, people want better and deserve better but if you aren’t registered to vote than you are missing out on your chance to make a difference. Remember this, your name must be entered on the Register of Electors, which is compiled by your Local Authority and contrary to belief, you are not automatically registered when you turn 18. So how do you make sure you are registered to vote and more importantly how do you get registered if you aren’t already on the list?
Check The Register
There are two different ways to check the register, one is to ask to see the Register of Electors at your local post office, Garda station, library or city or county council offices but obviously we’re a tech site so let’s focus on that side of things. Checktheregister.ie is the place to go and check if you are registered to vote. Simply key in your province, County/County Council, Eircode and your name. Then bish, bash, bosh, the system will tell you if you’re good to go.
All residents of the Republic of Ireland regardless of nationality or citizenship must be at least 18 years of age on 15 February, the day the Register comes into force. You must also have been ordinarily resident in the State on 1 September in the year before the Register comes into force.
How To Register
If you aren’t on the register and you intend on voting then it’s time to get registered. Don’t tell us “oh sure it doesn’t matter, X will just get in anyway” well yeah sure they will if there are enough people who feel disillusioned and don’t bother voting. So every vote counts and if you want a change or things to stay the same (whatever you’re having) then it’s really important that you get on the register.
Registration forms can be found online through this link on Vote.ie or of course, you can get them from you’re local post office, library, county council and Garda station. Worst case scenario, you can get yourself on what’s called the Supplementary Register until 14 working days before polling day. There’s a form you can get from any of the usual places called the RFA2 which needs to be witnessed by a gaurd, grand same as passports and the likes so nothing to worry about. What’s important to note is that the closing date for the receipt of these is 14 working days before the Election and is published in local and National Newspapers in the run-up to the General Election.
For a better country for all of us, we all need to use our right to vote, regardless of our beliefs, teams or thoughts and we hope that this teeny tiny article helps make sure you’re registered in time for the 2020 General Election.
I’ve been a massive fan of Google Pixel phones for years. On paper, they are probably one of the best all-round smartphones on the market. After years of waiting, last year, the first Google Pixel, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3XL, finally launched in Ireland. Later, the simply remarkable Pixel 3a launched too to round off a great year for Google coming to Ireland. In the latter half of 2019, Google brought the Pixel 4 to market and I’ve been testing it out ever since. Here’s what I thought of it.
Pixel 4 Design
Google has taken some radical approaches to design with its latest flagship smartphone. The first thing I noticed was the lack of a fingerprint scanner anywhere on the phone. I looked on the back, on the power button and was left assuming it was under the screen, as is all the rage these days. But no, there isn’t one. Instead, the Pixel 4 relies on facial recognition – more on that later.
Picture of the Google Pixel 4 taken in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, South Korea.
The standout design feature for me is Google’s approach to the notch. Rather unusually, they’ve just killed it completely. Now, given the requirement for serious tech to recognise faces, this makes sense. The result is a phone with a big forehead and chin. To be honest, much, like I was surprised by being blind to notches, the inclusion of a forehead and chin really made no impact to my use of the phone. I was testing the slimmer version of the two Pixel 4 phones and I’ve got to say it’s a lovely looking phone even with this unusual design choice. If you’re after a slimmer phone, design-wise you’re onto a winner here.
Beyond these key features of the design, The Pixel 4 does have a rather unusual camera array with a corner quadrant. Again, while it initially looks unusual, it’s not at all off-putting. All in all, The design of the Pixel 4 shows Google is willing to stand along on certain elements of smartphone design, an important point in a world where phones are struggling to be unique.
Pixel 4 Camera
As was the case with previous Pixel phones, Google promised big with the Pixel 4 camera. Personally, I couldn’t see much improvement from the Pixel 3XL I reviewed last year. Now, that’s not a bad thing because the Pixel 3XL camera was incredible. Google did add a telephoto lens but didn’t add an Ultra-wide angle lens which has almost become a must-have feature in smartphone photography these days.
My mobile shooter of choice is the Huawei P30 Pro and it’s hard to hold any smartphone up against that phone’s camera. Here’s how the two stack up against each other.
One mighty feature on the Pixel 4 is Night Mode. While Huawei does have this feature too, Google manages to make this shooting mode lightning quick. The P30 Pro night shooting mode always feels like it takes an age which can lead to bad shots of moving objects. Here’s a comparison of the two modes on both industry-leading smartphone cameras.
I feel the P30 Pro does capture more detail and even arguably delivers a better shot, but the speed the Pixel 4 delivers this shot at is important to note.
The only additional point I’d make here on camera is that the same camera could very well feature in a Pixel 4a this year. If it does, you’ll once again have the chance to get a great camera at a great price.
Pixel 4 Hardware
When it comes to hardware on the Pixel 4, we’ve got to discuss the screen. The Google Pixel 4’s 5.7-inch screen boasts an impressive 90Hz refresh rate for silky smooth screen transitions. For many, this is a nothing feature but considering this phone supports the new Google Stadia gaming platform, it’s a must-have feature for gamers.
The Pixel also features a very random feature called Quick Gestures. This means that waving your hand in front of the phone can skip through Spotify tracks without touching your phone. It’s a bit gimmicky and I feel it inclusion only came thanks to the extra space afforded by going notchless.
Which brings me to the lack of a fingerprint sensor. It’s a brave move by Google and I can confirm it’s largely paid off. I think it was only once while testing the phone that I needed to type in my pin as a result of the phone not registering that I was staring at it.
Finally, we come to what I have to describe as the most disappointing feature of the Pixel 4 – battery. The Pixel 4 has a 2800 mAh battery and when I saw that number I was worried, left hoping Google has some smart battery management up their sleeve. Unfortunately, they don’t. I was struggling to get a full day from my Pixel with it really only delivering mid-range battery performance. It’s an aspect of the phone which, for me, really leaves the Pixel 4 teetering on the edge of being a flagship.
Is The Google Pixel 4 a Good Phone? The Verdict
In short, yes. The Google Pixel 4 is a good phone. But it’s not a great phone. Last year’s Pixel was a great phone. I’m conscious of the fact that I tested the regular Pixel versus the XL this year, but for me, that was actually a positive. If you’re after a smaller phone with big spec, the Pixel 4 might be exactly what you’re after.
If you’re a power phone user who wants a phone that does it all, I’m afraid the Pixel 4, and likely even the Pixel 4 XL, will pack enough punch for you. Considering the fact the Google Pixel 4 remains quite pricey when weighed up against nearest competitors, it’s a much harder sell this year versus the Pixel 3 series, unless you want that smaller flagship which Google now owns.
This past week, TikTok announced that they would be creating 100 jobs in Ireland. Naturally, this led to headlines and left people scratching their heads as to what the hell TikTok is. Here’s everything you need to know about TikTok.
What is TikTok?
TikTok, formerly known as musical.ly, is a social media platform. On TikTok, users can create videos up to 15 seconds long and combine these videos with music or other audio. The goal is to generally create a funny video and you can combine 4 videos to make a combined 60-second clip.
Picture taken November 7, 2019. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
What is the point of TikTok?
TikTok borrows from several entertainment concepts to create the core attraction of the platform. It combines elements from the now-defunct Vine, Instagram stories and, believes it or not, karaoke. Yep, music and singing, or perhaps more so miming, make up a massive part of TikTok.
Is TikTok safe and is TikTok safe for kids?
Well, all social media platforms come with inherent risks. People pretend to be people they’re not and the platform does have underage people. So you can see the risks already. With adult usage or adult supervision, like all social media platforms, TikTok can be perfectly safe and a hell of a lot of fun.
When you join TikTok just remember your account is public, so if you prefer, I’d recommend you set it to private. Also, according to the app’s guidelines, remember that TikTok is intended for use by kids 13 years and older.
Can you make money on TikTok?
There’s no direct way to make money on TikTok. However, as is the case with a lot of social media platforms these days, users can promote products. These “influencers” are an attractive way of advertising for many companies due to the authentic way of connecting with groups of people.
How many Irish users does TikTok have?
TikTok is reported to currently have 90,000 Irish users.
Where is TikTok based?
TikTok is a Chinese-based company. Today, they either have or will be opening offices in London, Los Angeles, Mountain View, Singapore, New York, Dublin, Mumbai, Sydney, Palo Alto, Berlin, Moscow, Warsaw, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Culver City, Chicago, Jakarta
San Francisco, Dubai, Tokyo, Ho Chi Minh City, Munich, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Menlo Park, Mexico City, Paris, Gurgaon, Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok, Washington D.C., Beijing and
Shanghai.
Despite being a Chinese company, TikTok itself is not available in China although an alternative version of the app called Douyin is popular.
How do I get a TikTok account?
If you’re over the age of 13, you can setup a TikTok account by downloading their app. Once you open the app, you’ll need to enter your birthday, your emails address, verification code and your marketing preferences for the service. Then you’ll need to set a password. Remember, I always recommend using a password manager and creating a unique password just for TikTok.
Is TikTok banned in some countries?
TikTok’s parent company ByteDance has stated that the app is not available in China and its data is stored outside of China. The app has also found itself in hot water in some other countries too. TikTok was briefly banned in Indonesia and, while it wasn’t banned in the U.S., they did have to pay a multi-million dollar fine for collecting personal information of kids under the age of 13.
Does TikTok pay money for videos?
TikTok does allow people and brands to pay for placements within the app. This means paid videos appear in peoples feeds as they scroll through content.
Who is the most famous person on TikTok?
Celebrities have started streaming, no pun intended, to the platform. Will Smith, Cardi B, The Jonas Brothers, 5 Seconds Of Summer, Post Malone, Liza Koshy, Britney Spears, David Dobrik and Meghan Trainor are amongst the most famous people on TikTok.
Who Has Highest followers on TikTok?
Loren Gray is the most-followed person on TikTok with nearly 38 million followers.
Who is the most popular Irish person on TikTok?
It’s tough to find specific users by country on the platform, but one of my own personal favourite social media funny guy has a massive following on TikTok. You might remember me going on about Tadgh Fleming. This social funny guy has been creating some of the funniest videos online I’ve ever seen and even made it as far as Ellen thanks to him and his dad, Derry, chasing a bat around the kitchen. He’s tear-inducingly funny and that’s garnered him nearly 800,000 TikTok followers.
How many people are on TikTok?
Tiktok is in over 150 countries, used by people speaking 75 languages. It’s estimated that there are 500 million TikTok users around the world, suggesting there’s plenty of room for growth in Ireland given our relatively low number of users.
Does TikTok take and store data?
TikTok does take certain amounts of data and, where required, stores that according to national laws. For example, U.S. data is stored in the U.S while Irish data would be stored somewhere in the EU. We’ve reached out to TikTok to confirm where Irish user data is stored.
Which country uses Tik Tok the most?
India is the biggest base of TikTok users with nearly 120 million users. Next up is the United States with nearly 40 million users and Turkey with 29 million users.
What happens when you delete your TikTok account?
When you delete your TikTok account, your account will appear as deactivated and your videos will be unavailable. 30-days later, everything is deleted.
Is Tik Tok inappropriate?
I’ve found myself browsing through TikTok in public a few times and feeling content was a little inappropriate. You do need to be careful about the accounts and trends you follow as some content may be offensive of inappropriate for your age. That works both ways in terms of content for young people but also young people creating videos which are then viewed by people in a much older age-group.
How many followers do you need on TikTok to go live?
Going live on TikTok is only possible once you have a minimum of 1000 followers.
What is the average age of TikTok users?
The majority of TikTok users are young social media users with two-thirds of users being under the age of thirty. 60% of the app’s users are between 16 and 24 and a slight majority of 52% are iPhone users.
