I love a good drone show. Probably one of the most impressive was following Biden’s victory in the US Presidential Race towards the end of last year. As we were coming to terms with the fact there’s no flatbeds and tractors pulling awful floats up the road, the St. Patrick’s Day Festival organisers, along with Tourism Ireland and Dublin City Council were organising a drone show. Yes! To celebrate our national day, we got a massive drone show and no one was told about it. Rightly so to be honest.
Watch The St. Patrick’s Day Drone Show From Ireland
Here’s the video in full, provided courtesy of Tourism Ireland.
How Was The Paddy’s Day Drone Video Shot?
Drone shows are growing in popularity for many reasons. They are breathtaking to watch, of course, but they’re also more environmentally friendly that loads of explosives going off. Not to mention what that does to pets. For this video, over 500 drones lit up to Dublin night sky. The drones are controlled from a central computer and programmed to fly synchronised routes. The result is stunning mid-air graphics, animations and sentences.
From chatting to a few people, it seems the recording of the drone show was kept quiet. The correct decision as bored Dubliners would have loved nothing more than to crowd around the Samuel Beckett Bridge. By the looks of the video, and by how exceptionally quiet the streets are, even in Covid-19 times, I’m wager this was filmed in the wee hours of the morning.
Cool though, eh? If you’re looking for some more Irish stuff to pass the day, check out what Netflix has to offer.
Well, we’re here again. Another parade-less St. Patrick’s Day. There’s not a whole lot to do is there? Well, we do have the RTE Virtual Parade I guess. If that’s not to your taste, perhaps some Irish-related stuff from the Netflix is in order?
The Siege of Jadotville
This is one of those movies that gets you so pumped to be Irish. You know that feeling, right?
The Siege of Jadotville tells the true story of Irish Soldiers who were besieged by overwhelming enemy forces while on a UN peacekeeping mission in the Congo. The heroes led by Commandant Pat Quinlan fought for five days and heroically defended their outpost.
The Irish who fought at Jadotville were shamed for their performance despite it being genuinely legendary levels of heriocs. More recently, those heroics have been recognised officially.
The Office: Season 6 Episode 19 – St Patrick’s Day
The Office is one of the all time greats. You can watch from start to finish or just dive in a grab an episode. This particular episode is, as the name suggests, about St. Patrick’s Day. Michael mistakenly believes that he impressed Jo while Dwight disrupts Jim’s first day back from paternity leave. Andy and Erin have an usual first date. Cute.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 11 Episode 8 – Charlie Catches a Leprechaun
It’s another one like The Office in the sense that nearly every episode is a classic. I’d argue the whole show is more than a bit Irish give the gang runs Paddy’s Pub. They run it badly, of course, but there’s a bit of Irish. in every episode.
In “Charlie Catches a Leprechaun”, Dennis plans to turn the fate of Paddy’s around. As you might imagine, right from the get-go, it seems to be a bad idea. Then, Charlie and Mac join forces to catch a “leprechaun”. It’s about as PC as you’d expect from Always Sunny. It’s also exactly what you think in general.
Bridgerton
I’d be surprised if you’ve gotten through most of the lockdown without watching Bridgerton. The romantic, scandalous, and quick-witted series celebrates the timelessness of enduring friendships, families finding their way, and the search for a love that conquers all.
The show also stars Galway-native Nicola Coughlan, who has famously confirmed she skipped loads of scenes in the raunchy show while watching with her Ma. Doesn’t get more Irish than that.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
We still managed to get a Eurovision last year. Ireland is a superstar at the European Song Contest, appearing 53 times, 43 of those being finals and winning seven times! It’s in our DNA. The Netflix movie follows two small-town singers chase their pop star dreams of emulating Irish success on the big stage.
For good measure, you also get Pierce Brosnan.
The Irishman
Arguably the longest film of all time based on “feel”. It’s not a bad flick, although it did feel a bit like pulling a hape of auld lads out of retirement to play young gangsters. Incredible CGI sometimes being undermined by questionable movements of the actors, but look. If you want a one-stop-shop to pass the bulk of Paddy’s Day year, watching a movie about hit-man Frank Sheeran wouldn’t be at the bottom of my list.
Derry Girls
But if you want something from the very top of my list of things to watch, Derry Girls would be up there. If you, somehow, haven’t heard about it, Derry Girls is all about a group of teens and their families during the Troubles in the early 1990s.
There is a whole host of other stuff to watch on Netflix this Paddy’s Day. Just search Irish and you’ll find the entire Irish Movies and TV category!
The right to repair has been a hotly debated topic in the world of tech and gadgetry for a long time now. Hotly debated insofar as a lot of consumers are in favour, while companies and lobby groups are opposed. Put very simply, the right to repair does what it says on the tin. You have the right to repair or modify your devices without going back to the manufacturer. It essentially demonopolizes the ability to fix anything from your phone to your lawnmower or your washing machine.
Now look, we’ve all broken a phone screen or two in our time and I’m sure we’ve all been to one of those shops, usually off the beaten path, for a cheap repair (or at least one that’s cheaper and faster than “official” channels). The issue with this is that going to these shops (or sometimes even repairing the device yourself) voided the device’s warranty so it could not be repaired by the manufacturer if something worse happened.
Let’s face it, we’ve all been there
That’s all due to change now thanks to a ruling by the EU in November 2020 which came into effect last week. This new ruling basically states that any company selling consumer electronics in the EU will have to allow their devices to be worked on with conventional tools and will have to be shipped with a repair manual to allow consumers to carry out their own handiwork. The news is good for our non-EU neighbours as well since this ruling also applies to companies operating in the UK. As well as making your electronics easier to operate on, the legislation also stipulates that spare parts for devices must remain available for at least 10 years after the initial manufacture date. For example, if you buy a brand-new Samsung TV tomorrow, you can be guaranteed that you’ll still be able to buy a replacement stand, remote, or even screen for it in 2031.
This sounds great, but what’s the catch?
This all sounds great, right? Unfortunately, there are a few small catches to this particular piece of legislation that are still being hotly “debated”. First and foremost, small electronic devices like phones, laptops, and tablets aren’t covered (yet). This means that if you crack your screen or if there’s an issue with charging, you’ll still have to go to the manufacturer or one of the “dodgy” shops. Thankfully this issue is being targeted by a large number of advocacy groups and politicians in the US where Apple, Sony, and Nintendo have already gotten in a lot of hot water over their warranty policies, so the tide is beginning to turn.
Right to Repair protests outside the European Commission HQ in Brussels
Secondly, there will still be some repair jobs that consumers cannot do themselves. Some repair jobs or part refitting will have to be done by professional companies. To me, though, this seems like a benefit in disguise. Hopefully, a bit of competition will drive repair prices down for certain jobs. Also, I’m not sure I trust myself with some more expensive or finicky repairs like a washing machine drum or a heating element in a hair straightener.
Will this have an environmental impact?
This is all good for you and good for me. But what about us? What about how this will affect the wider community, the EU, or even the planet? Well, it’s nothing but positives from that perspective! In 2016 the EU produced an estimated 12.3 metric tons of e-waste, and that figure is growing by 2% every year. As we’ve highlighted before, there are nearly 5 million unused phones in Ireland alone. This figure is only made worse by the fact that only about 20% of that waste is recycled. The rest is just sitting in landfills somewhere doing who knows what to the planet. Thankfully, this legislation will lead us to a more circular economy, one where people will be encouraged to repair their devices instead of replacing them.
The demand that there be replacement parts available for at least a decade will also cut down on planned obsolescence by large manufacturers. For example, a manufacturer may place a heating coil in a hairdryer that they know will only last up to 5 years, meaning the consumer would have to buy an entirely new unit after that time. Now, though, we can simply buy a new element and fix the device ourselves, saving us both money and a little bit of e-waste!
A look at the new efficiency labels we can expect to see on our goods
Finally, in conjunction with this legislation there has been a new framework for efficiency ratings introduced that will raise the standards for electronic good across the EU. Currently we have an A-G scale with A being the hypothetical most ecological device and G being the least. However, in recent years it became apparent that the overwhelming majority of goods were rated at an A or above (A+, A++ and the coveted A+++). This led to the EU passing legislation to raise standards and essentially reset the clock to push for more and more efficient and ecological goods. Essentially this means that goods that were previously rated at an A grade may be classified as a C or a D going forward.
Fight for what’s right!
So there you have it, a quick whistle-stop tour of what your new Right to Repair means for you and for our planet. Are you going to try your hand at some home repairs next time the dishwasher is giving you grief? Will you be hanging on to your telly for a little longer if some of the paneling is wearing out? If you want to know more about the ongoing fight for your Right to Party…er…Repair check out repair.eu to see what’s being done currently and what you can do to help out. Happy repairing!
Sebastian Vettel is asked about the 2020 season so far and why it’s going so badly. “We don’t have that much time to be honest. Next question”.
The Formula One season was something special. It felt like we shouldn’t have had a season at all with everything going on, but as they say – “Cash is King”. Against all odds, we got 17 races in the 2020 season and it was another somewhat predictable title for Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes. Record after record being broken, yet the sport is lacking some excitement. At least that’s on the track. Off the track, Ferrari fell apart, Racing Point was suspiciously fast, contracts ran to the wire and Bottas, well, he’s got a new side to him that is much more fun that I previously thought. I’ve seen that other side after watching Drive to Survive Season 3 on Netflix.
What Is Drive To Survive?
Drive to Survive has been one of Netflix’s standout homemade docu-series following the ups and downs of one of the most exciting sports on the planet; Formula One. F1 owners, Liberty Media, have always been eager to make the sport more accessible to existing fans while also growing interest amongst new potential fans. Drive to Survive provides the perfect platform with a balance of behind the scenes excitement, unprecedented access to the unseen storylines in and between team and info to get you up to speed with the sport.
Now in its third season, it’s hard to see why the dream team of Netflix and F1 would part ways. Season 4 is rumoured to be agreed upon and today, as testing kicks off in Bahrain, I’ll be keeping an eye out for the Netflix cameras.
I’ve watched some of Season 3 already and it’s possibly the most exciting to date.
First Four Episodes Of Drive To Survive Season 3
If you don’t watch F1 there will be some spoilers of assumed knowledge.
Covid-19
Season 3 kicks off with chatter of Covid-19 in the background of F1 drivers, team owners and team principles, going about their pre-season preparations. I mean that literally. Racing Point team principle Otmar Szafnauer is driving to the launch of the seasons car, or at least something that looked like the car, and on the radio we heard about Covid-19 spreading in China. This repeats itself a few times right up to Australia where the season plunges into doubt as a McLaren mechanic tests positive for Covid-19.
It’s so odd to look back at a year ago. It puts the past year into context. I remember being in Barcelona myself the weekend F1 testing began. The world felt like an odd place, but nothing like it is today. Looking back, there was a certain naivety about it all. Seeing media huddling around each other but distancing from the drivers. So weird to see it now. Odd to see back when we knew so little. Drive to Survive has, almost by accident, become one of the most unique pieces of sports history as it was one of the few international sports to survive Covid-19.
As I said, the 2020 season was unpredictable off the track. That makes for great telly. Having watched all of the seasons to date, this seems to be the best level of access yet. Which makes sense. The series has proven itself. Netflix gets to create content in a time where that’s next to impossible. F1 gets to make money when fans have been told to stay away from tracks. Team sponsors know they’re getting a massive boost to their visibility.
Drive to Survive has turned into an entertainment beast and, I’d argue, a very important outlet for the sport. As a result, the access the producers get is remarkable. The difference in Season 3 is that everyone seems more aware of this than previous seasons. Rather shockingly, it doesn’t mean less juicy storylines because everyone is being careful, but it’s like they know what they’re at.
Vettel discusses a potential return to Red Bull with Christian Horner, then glances at the camera. I’m still trying to work out if what Bottas does in episode two was public knowledge that I just missed or some of the juicest parts of this whole series.
Some of the most important people in the sport are wearing microphones and heard saying things which are, frankly, somewhat shocking.
Paddock Comradery
While rivalry is to be expected, a lot of the friendships behind the scenes is somewhat amazing. Of course, the big crash at the end of the season showed the respect everyone has for each other, but Drive to Survive shows there’s something else. In one scene, Racing Point’s Sergio Perez offers Haas’ Guenther Steiner a flight to a track in the private jet booked for him. Ok, so it’s fairly first world comradery but still.
F1 Dances With Morality
I’m a huge F1 fan so this section does hurt me a bit. Drive to Survive opens a small window into the moral questions the the sport needs to ask of itself. The episode “Cash is King” shows Lewis Hamilton famously stating his shock that the drivers were sitting in a room with media shortly before the last minute cancellation of the Grand Prix.
I’ve not got to the last episode yet which has a discussion with Lewis Hamilton and what it’s like being Black in F1, but I’ll be interested to see how much they cover. For example, will this episode touch upon the disorganisation of the anti-racism message before each race?
F1 also raced under the slogan of “We Race As One”, promoting diversity in the sport and a more sustainable future. From Hamilton being the lone Black driver to the massive carbon footpring the sport generates, one wonders just how dedicated to a sustainable future F1 really is. Some might even say the sport is rather hypocritical.
F1 still visits particularly rich locations such as Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Singapore where members of the LGBTQI community face persecution for simply being themselves.
Top it all off with the simply incredible fact that Nikita Mazepin managed to keep his seat despite, well, everything he’s done.
F1 needs to start having answers for all of this soon.
Drive to Survive Season 3: Is It Worth Watching?
Having just being able to binge through the first half of season 3 in time for this review, my answer is a resounding yes. The 2020 season was interesting for so many reasons, even if on the track was average. More and more it’s becoming apparent that behind the scenes of F1 is arguably better than the 50+ laps on a Sunday for those with a fleeting interest in the sport. For hardcore F1 fans, the level of access is mouth watering.
All ten episodes of Drive to Survive Season 3 are out now.
I don’t like using overly dramatic words, so I choose them carefully. But this is the time to use the term “shockwave”. Indeed a shockwave rippled through the Irish telecoms industry today when Vodafone announced they would be leaving Carphone Warehouse at the end of March.
Vodafone No Longer Selling In Carphone Warehouse
The announcement today effectively means that you will no longer be able to buy any Vodafone products in Carphone Warehouse. Today, you’re able to buy phones on Vodafone bill pay or prepay along with home broadband services and even TV connections through Carphone Warehouse. However, at the end of March that all draws to a close as the network is withdrawing from the Dixons Carphone owned retailer.
Vodafone Leaving Carphone Is Big
Carphone Warehouse has been struggling for some time. Despite what is a great idea, being an independent reseller of all networks to give unbiased help, Carphone Warehouse has still had it tough in Ireland of late. Perhaps the most notable turning point was the failure of iD Mobile, their own network which struggled to gain a foothold with the public. This latest news of Vodafone no longer selling their products in Carphone Warehouse is surely a big hit for the retailer too.
Vodafone has arguably been the jewel in the crown for Carphone Warehouse for many years. Of course, Three, after merging with O2, along with Eir are also important to Carphone Warehouse’s success, but Vodafone is one of the longest standing partners.
In the UK, Carphone Warehouse has already lost valuable partnerships with with EE and O2, yet they are still standing, possibly down to the fact umbrella company Dixons Carphone also owns Currys PC World.
Back home here in Ireland, this is means the network comparison store will now only sell Eir and Three of the big two. After seeing what’s happened in the UK that surely means there are large question marks gathering over them too.
What Does This Mean For Vodafone Customers?
Not much. Effectively, when you buy Vodafone from Carphone Warehouse, your agreement is still with Vodafone. You can still visit a Vodafone store and get help from directly from the network.
The bigger impact comes in the broader market and with the question marks over the other networks in Carphone Warehouse.
Time will tell how that pans out.
This is a breaking news story. More will be added as we learn more.
Generally speaking, we try to stick to helping out consumers with their shopping more than anything else. However, during COVID-19, we’ve touched upon a few stories aimed at helping people with their businesses. The reason for that is because many lines have been blurred over the past 12-months. Some people have lost jobs and bravely set up on their own. Some established businesses have moved everything online. Basically, we know that many Goosed.ie readers may be running a small business or know someone who is and this news might just be helpful to someone.
Pointy is an old flame of Goosed.ie too which helps. I’ve met them a few times and just love their product. Today, Point announced they would be offering free devices to help retailers build an online presence.
Point Offering Free Devices
Pointy, which was recently enough acquired by Google, is looking to give their devices to small and medium retailers in Ireland. The goal is to help more retailers, who had previously focused on physical stores, selling online.
As an added bonus, Irish retailers who connect with Pointy in the next six months will also get €100 ad credit to trial Pointy’s Product Ads feature.
Mark Cummins, General Manager at Pointy said, “being visible online has become critical for brick and mortar retailers throughout the pandemic, but that can be a challenge for smaller retailers who may not have the resources to build and maintain an e-commerce platform. Pointy creates an online presence for these retailers automatically, to help them showcase their product offering”.
The Challenge For Irish Retail
Irish retailers, traditionally, have been slow to adapt to online and the pandemic has caught many off guard. A recent study carried out by ourselves here at Goosed.ie found that 40% of people in Ireland still chose to shop on Amazon.co.uk, despite the additional friction and costs introduced by Brexit. Irish shoppers are seeking value and choice and if retailers have the perfect items in-store but not online they might be overlooked. Being “findable” is the first step in the battle with online giants like Amazon.
Irish shoppers want to support local retail with 66% of people who shop local say they are doing so in a conscious effort to support local businesses. That sentiment won’t last forever so now is the time to get your online presence up and running and start winning new customers, whether they purchase in-store or online.
How Pointy Works
Point integrates with many till systems already. As items scanned through, the system learns what the store has in-stock and populates online ads and placements. Displaying products on Google can help retailers make the most of current consumer sentiment and encourage more footfall to their stores, as consumers can see that the products they are searching for online can be bought locally. Indeed, customers are still going to stores, but they want to be more selective and precise, carrying out research online before either buying online or making a quick trip to a shop.
Pointy works by creating a connection between physical stores and Google so that their products can appear in local Google search results, which can help attract shoppers in the surrounding area to the store.
“Pointy is an essential tool for businesses in Ireland,” said Lorraine Higgins, Secretary-General, Digital Business Ireland. “Helping online shoppers find the products they need in their area is a new way for businesses to connect with their customers and boost their visibility in an ever-competitive digital marketplace”.
The Irish Cancer Society is teaming up with Revolut to launch a special bank card to help the charity raise much-needed funds. With 44,000 people set to hear the words “you have cancer” this year, the work of the charity is more as important as ever but fund-raising has be hit hard by COVID-19. New ways of raising funds like this are welcome, so here’s what you need to know.
Revolut To Launch Irish Cancer Society Bank Card
Late last year, Revolut launched the “Donations” section of their app. This meant 1.2 million Revolut customers in Ireland could now donate directly to Irish charities from within the app. The app functionality is great and allows you to either make a once-off donation, a recurring donation or to send your “spare change” from shopping in-store or online to your charity of choice.
Today, the Irish Cancer Society has partnered with Revolut to launch a special bank card that will support the charity. The best part is that 100% of the donation goes to the Irish Cancer Society. You might be familiar with SMS campaigns where you text to a five-digit number to make a donation. The charity doesn’t usually get all of this donation, making donations through Revolut a great solution for charities.
To unlock your “Daffodil card”, all you need to do is visit the donations tab on the Revolut App and donate a minimum of €4 to the Irish Cancer Society.
How To Get Your Revolut Daffodil Card
Make sure you’ve updated to the latest version of the app
Open the “Marketplace” tab in the bottom right corner
Tap on “Donations” and select the Irish Cancer Society
Donate at least €4 (but as much as you would like)
Order your card
One thing to note is that you will need to pay a €5.99 delivery fee, but 100% of the donation amount goes to the charity.
Importance Of Donations During COVID-19
Charities have been a heavily hit industry as a result of COVID-19. As Ireland went into our first lockdown in March 2020, the Irish Cancer Society was forced to cancel Daffodil Day. The society only gets 3% of its funding from the Government, so cancelling the day where thousands of volunteers take to the streets to raise funds had a massive impact. New ways of raising money are critical and one such way is Revolut.
Having lost my own father to cancer, The Irish Cancer Society does incredible work. Similarly, the charity is also close to the heart of Briain Curtin, Head of Growth at Revolut. He also lost his father Liam to cancer and says “Revolut is delighted to support the 2021 Daffodil Day campaign, in this most challenging of years. I have been proud to work with the Irish Cancer Society over the past year, but didn’t fully appreciate the value of their work until last week when an Irish Cancer Society Night Nurse helped to guide my family through the passing of my father, Liam”.
Rosemary Simmons, Irish Cancer Society Fundraising Lead says “we are so grateful for Revolut’s fantastic support for Daffodil Day this year, through the launch of the “Daffodil card”. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, our traditional fundraising efforts have been diminished. This platform gives our supporters an innovative and easy way to donate, and purchase a limited edition banking card. By making a donation, you can help ensure everyone affected by cancer in Ireland has access to the support they need”.
On Thursday, the legalisation of electric scooters passed a very important stage. Fine Gael TD, Alan Farrell, submitted the Road Traffic (Amendment) (Personal Light Electric Vehicles) Bill 2021. I must pass on thanks to Patrick Costello and Noel Rock too, two politicians who I’d have great discussions with regarding electric scooters of which they are great supporters.
That’s legal mumbo jumbo for the bit of paper that needs to be debated in the Dail to change the law so we can finally make electric scooters, and more, legal. This also means we get a first look at the laws and regulations the Government are planning to introduce.
Scope Of Road Traffic (Amendment) (Personal Light Electric Vehicles) Bill 2021
For the past few years, my main focus has been electric scooters. However, there are far more electrically powered personal vehicles than just scooters. The Road Traffic (Amendment) (Personal Light Electric Vehicles) Bill 2021 covers electric scooters, e-bikes and all those other small vehicles. These other vehicles might be electric skateboards, electric unicycles and the likes.
All of these have desperately needed legal clarification and it’s finally happening thanks to this bill. As an electric scooter owner, who hasn’t used his scooter in well over a year, I’ve been wondering for ages what approaches the Government would take. I’ve largely feared over-regulation which would lead to a reluctance from the public to adopt this modern way of navigating our cities. After reading the proposed Bill, I don’t think things are too bad at all. Here are the main points I’ve noted.
Bikes Or Cars? Defining Electric Scooters And E-Bikes
On my first read through, I totally missed some of the most important points which is sitting in the Bill’s definitions. Both “electrically assisted pedal cycles” or e-bikes and “electric scooters” are to be considered bicycle. This is a critical part of the overall definitions.
Over the past few months and years, I’ve spoken with countless members of the public who’ve been pulled over by the Gardaí while using an electric scooter. Their stories end with fines, days in court, penalty points and even losing driving licenses. The reason being that the only definition available that electric scooters could fit into was “mechanically propelled vehicle”. That’s the same as a car. If you were caught riding an electric scooter, it was “the same” as driving a car without insurance.
This Bill clarifies that electric scooters and other personal light electric vehicles (PLEV) should be classified, more or less, as bicycles first and work away from there.
Now, let’s dig into detail.
Proposed Irish Electric Scooter Law
Personally, I’m most interested in the electric scooter side of thing so sorry, I’m going to kick things off there. Looking just at the electric scooters, there’s nothing too surprising in the Bill.
Max Speeds
During a trip to Germany, a long time ago, I got to test out Lime scooters. They were pretty impressive, but I was left underwhelmed with their speed. This was due to Germany imposing a speed limit of 20 kmph on all electric scooters. I’m more used to scooters hitting their limit at 25 kmph so I did notice the drop. Also, cyclists were either stuck behind me or flying past me because 20 kmph is just too slow. that 5 kmph makes a bit difference and this new Bill suggests Irish law adopt a 25 kmph limit for electric scooters and all other PLEVs.
The proposed Lawes outline that scooters should have a device specifically limiting the speed of the scooter. It’s assumed that software limits are acceptable.
The Rider
Anyone can ride a bike on our roads and this is one area the law will differentiate between bikes and electric scooters. First of all, electric scooters must be designed to carry no more than one person. The Bill seems to leave a bit of a grey area here in terms of what happens if you do carry someone else, which is quite common.
Next up, to ride an electric scooter in a public place, you must be over the age of 16. This is understandable, but likely to cause some problems given these really were the Christmas present of choice in 2020.
The Motor
An electric scooter should only have one electric motor and no additional mechanical motor. That motor should be no more than 250 watts. This is the motor found in the extremely popular Xiaomi m365. This would, however, make the also quite popular Ninebot Max G30 an illegal scooter.
Ban On Cruise Control
The proposed Bill makes a specific reference to how the throttle works on the electric scooter. In short, scooters should be fitted with a throttle that, when released, power is set to zero. My Xiaomi m365 does have this, but it also has cruise mode. I’m not sure if this is legal, but it can be disabled in the app settings.
Proposed Irish E-Bike Laws
I’ve taken a shine to e-bikes too. The odd thing about e-bikes is that they’ve effectively just been accepted onto our roads without any question. Now, thanks to this new proposed Bill, there are actually more problems being created than solved.
E-bike Motor Limits
One of the most popular motors on the market is the Bosch Performance CX. This particular motor weighs in with 250w of power, so it’s on the money when it comes to the proposed motor limits for e-bikes. However, many other motors exceed this power range.
Because laws have taken so long to enact, there’s a remarkable number of e-bikes and electric scooters already on the road which exceed some of the proposed restrictions so it’s worth checking your ratings and seeing how your vehicle measures up.
E-Bike Speed Limits
E-bikes won’t have a speed limit per se. The reason for this is simple. Some people can just cycle faster than 25 kmph. However, the Bill does state that the motor must only assist the rider up to 25 kmph.
Other Restrictions
The only other considerations for e-bike, electric scooter of PLEV owners is that the rider is over 16 and that you don’t use a phone when operating your vehicle. Other than that everything is the same as a regular bike! For me, this is a very positive start. The biggest problem comes from situations where people have already invested in e-bikes, scooters or other PLEVs which do not conform with motor or speed limits. What happens in these scenarios should you be pulled over remains to be seen.
This is fresh in the Dail which means I think we’re looking at around 180 days for this to be made law. Why is that important? Well, electric scooters are still illegal and you can still be stopped, end up in court, get penalty points and even lose your license.
Four years, eh? Where does the time go? On the anniversary of possibly the most important Games console of our generation I thought I’d share a personal piece. Something that shows that while it’s likely halfway through its life-cycle it’s still the single greatest piece of tech in my life!
There isn’t really a lot that I can say about the Nintendo Switch that hasn’t already been said numerous times. From how it changed our perspective on handheld vs home console gaming to how it helped Nintendo recover from the failure of the Wii U, even to how it pays tribute to one of the most beloved figures in the games industry, no stone has been left unturned in discovering everything there is to love about the little machine. With so much coverage and exposure, you could be forgiven for growing bored with, or worse, indifferent towards Nintendo’s latest hardware release, but not me. Somehow the Nintendo Switch has remained my number one piece of tech since its launch in 2017 (possibly even before if I’m being honest). It’s by no means perfect, it will never live up to the raw power of the Xbox or Playstation families, nor is Nintendo’s online service anything to write home about, but all told, there’s nothing anyone can say to change my mind that this is the most important piece of gaming hardware we’ve ever seen.
Love at First Sight
Imagine the excitement of seeing this for the first time.
New gaming launches are always special, Nintendo consoles in particular. I remember the lead up to the launch of the Switch as clear as day. I remember being blown away by the October trailer, showcasing the possibilities that a hybrid console could bring. I recall waking up in the wee hours of a January morning (4AM!) to watch Yoshiaki Koizumi proudly bring us through his latest project in more detail, walking away from my desk in work to ring Gamestop about a pre-order later that same day. When launch day finally rolled around, I knew I had to take a day off work to dive right into this thing. My anticipation even got the better of me when I tasted (you read that right) the Breath of the Wild cartridge; that turned out to be a mistake. I couldn’t wait to get it home, fire it up and lose myself in Hyrule again. Once I’d gotten it out of the box and removed all the peelies (taking the time to savour the sensation) I knew that my relationship with this console would be a long and happy one. I remember sitting in front of my telly, daring myself to mimic the people in the reveal trailer and undock it and continue my gaming seamlessly with giddy excitement.
Seeing Double
I was never one to double-dip when it came to games. I always viewed one copy of a game as enough. Why would I need more than one anyway? You can only play one game at any one time so what’s the point? Well, that was pre-Switch Alex. Suddenly, I felt the need to re-buy any game I had the chance to. There were the obvious ones like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, games that were trapped on a console that practically nobody owned but were always going to be insanely popular whenever my friends were over. But I soon found myself desperately wanting to rebuy even the big genre-defining games. Eventually I ended up with games like Shovel Knight, Cuphead, Dark Souls and The Witcher 3 (ironically I still haven’t given in to the memes and bought the Skyrim port); each of which I’d already put dozens, if not hundreds of hours into but now felt I had to have again because of the boundless possibilities the Switch itself presented.
Two Shovels are better than one
My duplicate library would really come in handy when my girlfriend and I moved in together. No longer would I have to find ways to entertain myself when Love Island or Strictly Come Dancing was on (not hating on either, just not my thing). I had plenty of familiar, hugely fun games right on the small screen in front of me, waiting to be played. In fact, my Switch has really put its money where its mouth is where off-TV gaming is concerned. It’s been on every flight I’ve taken since 2017 and it’s always the first thing I pack if I’m heading home for a weekend. It even kept me company on jury service where I was able to knock out a few dungeons in Link’s Awakening while waiting to be called up!
Feast or Famine
A console lives and dies on the range of software it can offer and the Switch isn’t just living; it’s thriving, though not without a few hiccups. Coming right out at launch with the most ambitious Zelda game to date was an easy way to cement it as an instant hit and going from strength to strength with Mario Odyssey, Luigi’s Mansion 3 and even a new Animal Crossing (which lead to possibly my favourite friendship of 2020) only further solidified its place in gaming history. Throw the aforementioned ports of blockbuster games from years gone by into the mix and it’s plain to see that there really is something for everyone. But unfortunately, it’s not all good news. As I mentioned earlier, the Switch does have its problems, most notably the lack or any real backwards support for its predecessors. Nintendo’s refusal to bring their classic N64 or Gamecube titles to their retro collection series like they’ve done with NES and SNES games seems like a big, missed opportunity to score brownie points. Their alternative strategy to, in one case, bundle their older games together has even been met with some criticism for being anti-consumer. Similarly, the lack of any streaming apps (apart from YouTube), something that seems to be a given on any new web-enabled device these days, is baffling. And sure, it can be a little frustrating that ports of newer, more demanding games like Doom or The Witcher might not look as pretty on the little console that could, but you know what? None of these issues matter to me.
So what?
To me the Switch represents far more than the next generation of Nintendo consoles. It represents a new generation in gaming. A generation where freedom is valued over graphical prowess, being able to play best-selling titles wherever you are on the big or small screen. A generation where accessibility and player choice are at the fore (there are five different controller configurations for the Switch right now!). A generation where, admittedly not for the first time, we really don’t know what Nintendo will do next.
So sure, the Switch isn’t anything new at this point, and we’re already looking at what its mid-life successor, the Switch Pro might be. But right now, what’s not to love?
Also, just to prove to you that I did, here’s me tasting my copy of Breath of the Wild all those years ago. Enjoy.
It really is the most bitter substance in the world!
We’re still waiting for electric scooters to be legalised in Ireland, despite yet another seemingly false dawn. It’s no secret that shared scooter companies are circling with massive interest to see what’s happening. One such company is Bolt, who today has confirmed they plan to roll out a public scooter share system in Ireland.
For Or Against Shared Scooters
I’m wary of electric scooter share systems. They bring massive challenges with them, most of all for vulnerable pedestrians. However, those challenges aren’t with the scooters themselves but the users and technology is fast advancing to govern how scooters are used by members of the public, right down to where they’re parked.
For this reason, I’m leaning towards supporting shared scooter systems. After using them in Germany, they are an incredibly fun way to get around a city once the management of them isn’t forgotten. Bolt is a particularly interesting company too because they are more focused on the overall transport picture instead of just making money from scooters (which no doubt they will also do).
Bolt To Bring Shared Scooters To Ireland
Today, Bolt has announced that they plan to introduce a shared electric scooter system to Ireland. They join a long list of companies that plan to do the same, but are perhaps the company with the most interesting vision for an integrated transport and delivery system.
Luke Mackey from Bolt said, “our data from similar sized cities shows that offering micromobility services like scooters alongside ride-hailing can replace up to 11% of car trips under 3km. Integration with the wider public transport system would only increase the value add to the public who can mix between cars, micromobility, rail and bus in one app”.
The interesting thing here is the potential value for the customer. For example, you’ll be able to do part of your journey in a taxi, something that you can already do with Bolt, and complete it on an electric scooter. Overcome the M50 part but not waste money sitting in city center traffic.
Bolt is planning to provide 10,000 their electric scooters to Irish towns and cities. Along with being a sustainable transport solution, Bolt expects over 130 jobs are to be created on the successful roll-out of e-scooters in Irish cities.
These local operation roles would manage the charging, maintenance and distribution of the e-scooters.
For now, however, we simply wait for the legislation that will make the use of electric scooters on Irish roads legal.
