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Government Set To Begin Process To Legalise Electric Scooters in Ireland

Marty
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Government Set To Begin Process To Legalise Electric Scooters in Ireland

If you follow me on Twitter, I don’t need to tell you that I’m a big advocate of electric scooters in Ireland. While they are a green mode of transport that can whizz by rush hour traffic in congested cities like Dublin, they do find themselves in a legal grey area. Today, The Irish Times published an article which finally provided some insight into a report carried out by the RSA on electric scooters on our roads. Early indications would appear to be positive.

I’ve been using an electric scooter myself since January; the Xiaomi m365. Unfortunately, electric scooters find themselves in a legal grey area. In fact, in recent months Gardai seems to be hardening their stance on these and have begun calling them out as being illegal on our roads, categorising them as mechanically propelled vehicles. The problem is that you cannot insure or tax a scooter and as such they are illegal on our roads.

I know they are hardening their stance, because I was pulled over myself. A member of Garda Traffic pulled me over and informed me my scooter was illegal and that he had been informed to seize them on sight. Because of the grey area this modes of transport find themselves in, I was let go on my way without an offical warning.

It would appear that the government is edging closer to making a decision on electric scooters on our roads, at least according to today’s article in The Irish Times.

The RSA Report on Electric Scooters

While details of the report have yet to be seen publically, it’s believed that the government-commissioned report will recommend that electric scooters be made legal on our roads. After reviewing how scooters have been handled in other countries, the report is also believed to have highlighted significant safety concerns with these devices too.

In The Irish Times article, a source with close knowledge of the report said the findings were incredibly favourable towards electric scooters being allowed on Irish roads. They also highlighted that the report found it would be crucial for strict conditions around licensing, speed restrictions and visibility.

The Next Steps for Electric Scooter Legalisation

So what happens next? The Minister for Transport is expected to announce a two-month public consultation process starting on September 1st, concluding on October 31st. I myself am hoping to participate in this process.

It’s expected that people from all walks of life will feed into this process, including the Gardai, who according to the Irish Times article, are not best pleased with scooters on our roads. Frankly, I’m not sure where this is coming from and I’m not entirely convinced that it’s the wider Gardai that are all that bothered. Instead, it could be some top brass in Traffic which specifically dislikes electric scooters. But I’ll caveat that as being speculation at best.

What I Hope To See From Scooter Legislation

There are several things I’m hoping to see emerge from scooter legislation that I plan to bring forward to the public consultation.

1. Wider Personal Electric Vehicles

One important thing that needs to be addressed is the fact there’s more than just scooters on our roads. Personal electric vehicles includes electric scooters, skateboards, unicycles, bikes and one-wheels to name but a few.

Each will need specific laws to be addressed around speeds etc.

2. Speed Limits

I’m very much in favour of speed limits for all erides. For electric scooters, my biggest fear is that a really low-speed limit will emerge. This isn’t because I’m a speed demon, but instead because I’m into safety. Driving 50kmph on the motorway is dangerous and similarly, being limited to a low speed can be dangerous when you run out of bike-lane.

For me, 30kmph is the sweet spot for scooters anyway. My reasoning behind that is very practical. I often travel comfortably at 25kmph – the limit of my Xiaomi m365. Some might want a little more, but at 25kmph I can travel at the speed of an average cyclist. I will highlight that I’m overtaken by cyclists more often than I overtake cyclists.

3. Sensible Visibility Rules

It’s all well and good saying we need visibility rules, but these are not clear cut. There’s no need to make hivis mandatory as many studies show these can have negative impacts on cyclists.

However, lights should be a legal requirement, both on front and back.

4. Location Location

Electric scooters must be allowed to use both roads and bicycle lanes. I’ve discussed this with many cyclists and it’s an extreme minority who say electric scooters in bike lanes bother them. The general consensus is, “I’d rather have you on a scooter than facing me in a car”.

5. Shared Scooter Rentals

I’m fairly against the idea of shared electric scooter schemes. These are services like Dublin Bikes and are run by companies like Lime with Free Now also considering an entrance into the space. For me, electric scooters should absolutely be encouraged for private ownership. It’s critical that legislators also cater to shared scooter schemes. If they fail to, Lime and Bird will drop hundreds of scooters on Dublin streets and ruin electric scooter sentiments for private owners.

6. Logical Licensing

I’m not entirely sure what is meant my licensing. Needing a drivers license would be absolutely ridiculous. Requiring to pay road tax, while also leaning towards silly, I can get over. However, this, for me, would start to open a debate around cyclists being needed to do the same.

This last point is critical for me. The reason behind that is simply that scooters should be considered closer to bikes than cars, and any legislation should reflect that.

Like I said, I’m hoping to be involved in the process of bringing electric scooters into law. Keep following the old Goosed.ie machine to see what happens next!

Cultec Hurl Review: What Lies Ahead For The Clash of the Ash?

Marty
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Cultec Hurl Review: What Lies Ahead For The Clash of the Ash?

Being a Kilkenny man and a tech reviewer, it was only a matter of time until I found something that would cross over from both things close to my heart. While the colours Denis Byrne wears drums up a lot of animosity between Kilkenny and Tipperary, I’d wager that the growing popularity of composite Cultec hurls versus traditional ash hurls sparks up as much debate amongst players of the game.

I made a dramatic comeback to hurling last year and while I’m taking a season out again, I did have time to play with both an ash hurl and a Cultec hurl. Here’s everything you need to know about making a choice yourself.

Wait, is it hurl or hurley?

I want to put one issue to bed before we kick off this review. While discussions of Denis Byrne and the material used to make a hurl rages on, another debate kicked off in the run up to the 2019 All Ireland Hurling Final. Here follows one of the most geographically challenged sentences on the internet. In a recent letter to the Irish Times, Cork native Ned Monaghan, now living in Connecticut, took exception to an article which called the stick used within the sport of hurling being called a ‘hurl’. 

Ned said, “Yet we will all be familiar, I assume, with the words of the song Bould Thady Quill, who as I remember, “Hurled the ball right and left in their faces. To do that, he used a hurley, not a hurl. Hurl is a verb, not a noun.”

Lads, I’ve never in my life called that stick a hurley. It’s a hurl. I also call it a hurling ball, not a sliothar. If you found that hard to digest, you wait until I start saying good things about modern non-ash Cultec hurls.

History of Plastic Hurls

Cultec were not the first to venture away from ash, seeking out a new material to make hurls from. Back in 1977, Sean Kennedy along with Wavin, launched a plastic hurl. It caused quite a stir in terms of news and marketing value for the Balbriggan based piping manufacturer. The title on the video below speaks volumes…

In terms of replacing ash in hurls, it made much less of a stir. Within 18 months the idea was dead in the water and ash hurl makers could rest easy. Anecdotally, I remember sitting in the pub as a young lad with my father, hearing the locals chat about Eddie Keher testing out one of these Wavin hurls, laughing at the fact he couldn’t even reach the end line from his attempts at a 65-meter free. I couldn’t find proof of this, but the story was doing the rounds. A story which could have killed off plastic hurls alone.

What are Cultec Hurls Made From?

Back in 1977, even with Wavin involved, the science involved in ash-alternatives was limited. Today, non-ash hurls go far beyond simply being plastic. Cultec hurls are made from a composite synthetic epoxy, graphite and nylon. All that scientific jargon aside, the Cultec hurl feels much closer to an ash hurl than those old Wavin plastic hurls did.

cultec hurl dublin

What I’m getting at is, I guess Eddie Keher would have pointed a 65 with a Cultec if given the chance.

Unique Benefits of Cultec Hurls Versus Ash Hurls

What might surprise many people is the fact Cultec hurls come with some huge benefits over traditional hurls. I know I’ve just lost half my readership now, but if you’re still with me prepare to have your mind blown.

Cultec hurls have a few benefits of traditional ash hurls. The bas is covered in a special material which offers you great purchase on the ball when you strike. They’re also quite considerably lighter than ash hurls while, although still breakable, being more durable than traditional ash too.

Ask any player of the game about their favourite hurl, and they’ll likely be able to tell you that they have two or three hurls right now, but one is the favourite. When that hurl breaks, there’ll be a short period of mourning after the game. The reason for this is because finding a great hurl is almost a spiritual journey. 

You just know when you strike a ball sweetly that your hurl feels brilliant. For me, I used to love using a hurl that was spliced. For some reason, I always felt it improved the sweet spot of the bas.

But anyway, when that hurl which has been through the wars with you breaks, there’s a moment of devastation. There’s also the fear that your next hurl won’t be as sweet. All of this is only of course if you don’t use Cultec hurls. 

Because they go through a more automated manufacturing process, each Cultec hurl feels just like the other. The design of the hurl also gives it a generous sweet spot which means it’ll feel all the better from the word go. It’s important to note that Cultec hurls do break for safety reasons, but many believe they break less than traditional ash hurls.

How Do Cultec Hurls Compare With Ash Hurls?

So this is the big one. How do they compare with traditional ash hurls? I didn’t give them an easy ride from the world go as my traditional ash hurl of choice is the famous Ramie Dowling Hurl. Also known as All-Star Hurls, these Kilkenny-made hurls are widely considered the best in Ireland with names like Henry Shefflin, DJ Carey and Richie Hogan all having been written on the middle of the handle.

Cultec Versus Ash On The Pitch

While I’m far from ever making county, or anything above Junior B, I’ve held many hurls in my time. I truly believe there’s not much in it between Cultec and traditional ash hurls. I couldn’t see any limitation in distance of drive. Control was equally sweet on both hurls. Again, equally sweet was the spot on the bas for connecting with a ball. 

hurls weapons of choice
My weapons of choice. The Star Hurl (left) and Cultec Hurl (right).

As expected, it was when I asked friends who still play at a much more competitive level than I do, did the negative vibes start to appear. The funny thing is, most dismissed Cultec without trying it. They wouldn’t dream of straying from ash hurls for fear of a drop in performance. I think there’s probably a bit of “I don’t want to be seen using the new thing” going on here too.

Cultec Versus Ash: The Price

The Star Hurls have a waiting list as long as the Nore. They’re really hard to get and it usually helps to know someone who’s got an order in with them to pin yours on too. When I was shopping around for “my comeback”, I discovered The Hurley Depot in Kilkenny who could deliver me a hurl to Dublin. In fact, they’ll deliver to anywhere and also stock accessories you’ll need too including grips and helmets.

For a 35-inch Ramie Dowling Hurl, I paid €36. A 35-inch Cultec Hurl would set me back €45.

Right now, only the Cultec is in stock which speaks a lot towards the advantages of being able to mass-produce a hurl like this while maintaining impeccable consistency. You know what you’re getting. Sure, you know what you’re getting from Star too and I love my Ramie Dowling hurl, but when caught short a hurl and in need of one in a hurry, Cultec offers a great alternative.

If you want to get down to the fine detail, Cultec hurls also come with a grip already wrapped around the handle and just above the bas, so you do save a few bob.

The Big Point: Sustainability of Cultec

While I’m unsure of the materials which go into the Chinese-manufacturered Cultec Hurls, and as such have some question marks over their environmental friendliness, there is one massive advantage held by Cultec over ash hurls. 

Over 70 per cent of the 350,000 hurleys used every year in Ireland are made from imported ash. The reason for such heavy imports comes from our own stock of ash being depleted in recent years as a result of Ash Dieback Disease.

ash dieback diesease

Ash Dieback Disease is a serious disease found in ash trees caused by a fungal pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. Lots of fun words there which in short mean our native ash trees are currently at risk of dying since this disease came to our shores in 2012.

This isn’t an attempt to instil panic, but instead is highlighting a very serious issue which the GAA could face over the next few years. Traditional hurl makers will face extra costs for importing ash and generally speaking, getting a quality hurl could become harder and harder. Cultec could find themselves in the right place at the right time.

Who Uses Cultec Hurls?

Beyond the great Kilkenny hurler, Marty Meany, who else uses Cultec hurls? Unfortunately, many of the players Cultec list as users have since been dropped from their intercounty panels. 

Some of the most notable mentions are Dublin’s Ryan O’Dwyer who was nominated for an All Star while hurling with a Cultec hurl. The synthetic hurls are also popular amongst goalkeepers with former Kilkenny goalkeeper David Herity using one during the 2011 All Ireland final, giving Cultec their first medal.

Cultec Hurls: The Verdict

Hurling is a 3,000-year-old sport. It’s the fastest field sport in the world and arguably the most skilful game in the world. With all of that said, change in the sport moves slowly. Rule changes are often fought and adoption of new ideas is slow. Hawk-eye, a system which verifies scores in real-time, has shown the good technology and advancement can do for the game. I feel Cultec can bring similar benefits to the sports ever-growing appeal.

Cultec is playing the long game. Today, hurlers turn their nose up at the thought of non-ash hurls. Given time, I believe many will shift over to lighter and stronger synthetic hurls. It’ll be for practical reasons too. With the two having little or nothing between them in terms of performances, it’ll come down to a kid’s first hurl simply being a Cultec. Over time, it’ll become the norm to have a synthetic hurl and even more so as the materials that go into them get better and better.

If you hurl at my level, a Cultec will do the business just as well as any. Get one in your hand and give it a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

5G: Everything You Need To Know About Next Generation Connectivity

Marty
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5G: Everything You Need To Know About Next Generation Connectivity

5G is actually turned on in Ireland right now. Vodafone beat the other networks to the punch and have activated 5G in selected areas around Ireland. It’s a pretty big deal, but at the same time, it’s very easy to completely miss why. For that reason, I’m going to lash through some of the key points on 5G and demystify the great unknown in next-generation connectivity.

Q. What is 5G?

We’ve been racking up the Gs in recent years. It feels like only yesterday we were treated to 4G. 4G brought mobile speeds that made video and music streaming on the go actually enjoyable. 5G is the next generation of connectivity on the go. Like 4G, entertainment lovers will benefit as HD movies can be downloaded in a matter of seconds.

5G will also change how much data is shared from our devices and lead to much bigger data being available about our daily lives along with being able to power a bigger than ever world of Internet of Things.

One of the biggest advantages of 5G is the ability to overcome contention. Have you ever been at a concert, sporting event or even a train station during rush hour? Contention on the networks can leave you waiting for internet connectivity. 5G has a much bigger network capacity and as such can overcome contention. Yay!

Q. How fast is 5G?

Over in the States, users have reported speeds of over 1 gigabits per second. That’s a HD movie in a second. Rollout in the US has been problematic with some carriers cloaking their 4G network in a guise of 5G. Given 4G’s theoretical speed limit of 300 megabits per second, it’s not hard to understand how customers noticed fake 5G networks.

5G networks will also allow users to enjoy less latency on their mobile connection. With the likes of Google Stadia launching later this year, this is very exciting news for gaming on the go.

Q. When will 5G arrive in Ireland?

5G has already landed! Vodafone launched 5G on 13.08.2019 in selected spots around the country. It’s expected that Eir and Three will also roll out 5G before the end of 2019.

Q. What do I need to start using 5G?

  • A 5G compatible phone
  • a 5G activated phone plan
  • Be in a 5G supported area

Q. Where is 5G available?

Vodafone has only rolled out 5G to selected areas in Ireland. Among the counties involved in the rollout are Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.

Q. Will 5G work on my phone?

It’s very unlikely that you have a 5G compatible phone. Put it this way. If you bought one, you’d have known you bought it. 5G will only start appearing as standard on phones, from the absolute earliest, next year.

Q. Is iPhone 5G ready?

I’m afraid not. If you want to adopt technology earlier, I’m not sure why you’re using iPhone. It will likely be late 2020 before we see a 5G iPhone.

Q. Which phones are 5G ready?

The first 5G phone in the Irish market will be the Huawei Mate 20X. We’re waiting for particulars on the price, but the Chinese manufacturer will take the title of first 5G handset in Ireland.

They’ll be followed by the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, a special variant of their flagship smartphone.

Q. Will 5G be more expensive?

If we look at history, networks generally start to add the latest signal power to their plans be default. This was the case for 4G anyway. Vodafone isn’t planning price increases but will offer 5G on their existing €40, €60 and €80 plans.

Q. Will I use more data on 5G?

I was working in a phone shop during the 4G rollout and this was the most asked question back then too. 5G won’t enable you to use more data. A 1GB movie is still 1GB. In theory, you can probably stream more but 5G itself won’t cause you to use more data.

Q. Will I need a new SIM card?

Another win here. Back during the 4G launch, many networks required you to change your SIM card. For Vodafone and 5G, you’ll just need to put a call into care to activate the plan.

Got more questions? Pop them in the comments below and we’ll update this article as we go.

 

 

 

How much data does Google really have on you?

Dean
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How much data does Google really have on you?

As we all know, pretty much everything you do online is tracked. This isn’t even limited to just what you do online. Google has a service called “Google Latitude” which tracks your movements through your phone as long as you are connected to mobile data or wifi. In the new Netflix documentary, The Great Hack, we get an insight into the Cambridge Analytica and Facebook scandal and see how they used peoples own data to manipulate them for their own gain.

What is The Great Hack?

They also took data from everyone in the friends lists of those individuals without their permission. About 5,000 data points to be exact.

In the Great Hack, we saw how Cambridge Analytica used over 50 million peoples data to manipulate both the Brexit vote and the US presidential election. We learn that Cambridge Analytica took data from users who signed up for certain third party sites through Facebook against their knowledge. Not only that, but they also took data from everyone in the friend’s lists of those individuals without their permission. About 5,000 data points to be exact.

Cambridge Analytica even admitted to coming up with the term “Crooked Hilary” in the documentary.

Cambridge Analytica took those data points and narrowed down their target group to what the called, “The Persuadables”. The Persuadables were a group of people in which Cambridge Analytica felt they could target certain content towards in order to sway their votes in the 2016 presidential election. This content included videos and articles along the lines of the “Crooked Hilary” which was one of Donald Trump’s many tag lines during his campaign. Cambridge Analytica even admitted to coming up with the term “Crooked Hilary” in the documentary.

A lot of people began getting concerned about their online data and what is being done with it following the release of this documentary. Have you ever wondered how much data Google has on you? Well, if you click this link, you will be able to download all the data they have on you.

“When I downloaded my data, there were over 100 recordings of private conversations I’d had.”

So what does Google collect?

I did it myself, and thankfully, there was nothing too concerning. For example, they had history on youtube videos I looked up as far back as 2012, comments I left on videos and locations I had been. Another thing that you may not know is, when you make voice commands, Google records those. If you visit https://myaccount.google.com/ and then data & Personalization -> Voice & Audio Activity -> Manage Activity, you will be able to listen to voice commands you have made in the past. These voice commands went back as far as 2015 on my account. There were easily over 100 recordings.

Reddit user r/AlleKeskitason asked the question “People who downloaded their Google data and went through it, what were the most unsettling things you found out they had stored about you?” And there were some unsettling responses, to say the least.

“There is a map of everywhere I went in the last couple of years that’s accurate to the hour.”

“My purchase history on websites like eBay, Amazon and other companies that (I guess) all sell their data about me to Google. I had no idea of it and although I share things like my location to Google, seeing my purchases is kind of scary because I never allowed it.”

“When I downloaded my data, there were over 100 recordings of private conversations I’d had in the office. Pretty sure the recordings were captured from my smartwatch because I only used it at work.”

So ya, Google has a lot more data on you than you think. If someone were to get access to your Google account, they could find out almost everything about you by simply downloading this data. But the good thing is, you can delete all of this data if you choose to. You can also control what data they collect on you.

Don’t believe everything you read online.

But as me and Jon said on last weeks podcast, don’t believe everything you read online. Propaganda is more alive than ever in today’s world. Governments and companies can, have and will use your data to push their own agendas. If there is an important world event or vote happening that may affect you, do your own research. Don’t go by what articles and videos are presented to you on Facebook. Find your own sources. Google will know you’re biased, even if you don’t know it yet. They will push certain sources on you based on your search history. Be responsible and be careful with your online activity.

Also, there is no need to be afraid of the internet. The internet can be a beautiful thing. It is arguably humanities greatest invention and should be enjoyed by all.

And on that note….

 

Vodafone Launches 5G in Ireland

Jon
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Vodafone Launches 5G in Ireland

Earlier today Vodafone announced that 5G has officially gone live in Ireland, making them the 1st Irish network to offer the new high-speed internet access. Initially, only Dublin, Galway, Cork, Waterford and Limerick will have access to the new 900mb network. Sure it’s only a start but we should expect a nationwide rollout over the next two years, with Three and Eir expected to pick up the pace to at least enter the market before 2020.

Earlier today at the launch event, Vodafone Ireland’s CEO, Anne O’Leary had this to say:

“5G is set to revolutionize how we use and adopt technology and will have a huge impact on businesses and society in Ireland. It will bring high speed, ultra-low latency and highly secure connectivity to a massive amount of devices; and is a technology that will unlock a vast array of new use cases through Vodafone’s next-generation network.”

Basics of 5G

Image result for vodafone 5g

Essentially 5G is the next-gen of mobile data connectivity, much faster than existing 3G or 4G networks. It’s capable of much much faster downloads and can manage even more data than ever before. Something which is important as more internet-connected devices hit the market.

While speed is obviously the main factor, 5G coverage will allow you to download or stream a high res movie or download large files almost instantly, without any lag or buffering.

How Can I Get it?

While Vodafone 5G has officially launched in Galway, Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Limerick you will still need 3 important things if you would like to get on the 5G bus, these are:

  • 5G Ready mobile plan
  • 5G Coverage in your area
  • 5G Compatible smartphone

The first two won’t be major issues in the right locations, however, there are only two phones on the market right now that Vodafone 5G will operate with. These are the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G and the Huawei Mate20 X. This will change in the coming months as most smartphone manufacturers plan ahead so this year’s new releases should all be compatible.

That’s all for now, I guess the only question to ask is, how long will it take for 5G to become the norm? My guess 2 years.

The Boys Review: Amazon’s Fun Answer to the Marvel Universe

Marty
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The Boys Review: Amazon’s Fun Answer to the Marvel Universe

I can’t be the only one who got a little tired of the Marvel Universe, right? I wasn’t even arsed watching the last instalment of The Avengers (don’t worry, I’ll get around to it). But let’s be honest. Superhero movies and shows got a little tired. Even when The Boys first appeared in my Amazon Prime Video account, it didn’t catch my eye. Just another superhero show I thought.

Within five minutes of watching, I was hooked.

What is The Boys All About?

The Boys is Amazon’s latest homegrown series, available on Amazon Prime Video. It’s based on a comic book series of the same name. Both worlds depict a time where superheroes exist, but they’ve been ruined by the celebrity status that comes with their powers.

The Boys focuses on a particular group of superheroes or soups called The Seven. These superheroes, or at least their rights, are owned by a big evil-looking corporation called Vought. Typically, their powers lead to them harming those around them instead of saving anyone. The best example is given within the first five minutes of the show. You’ll know the moment I was hooked when you see it.

The Boys themselves stand in opposition to The Seven and Vought. They are led by a British guy called Billy Butcher, who actually makes British cool again in a very tough climate. While they’re four in total, the other bit character in The Boys is Hugh “Hughie” Campbell. He’s a hapless electronics store attendant constantly finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The kind of guy who fires off a semi-automatic weapon and apologies to the enemy. No, seriously.

Who Makes Up The Boys Cast?

Amazon has clearly splashed out on The Boys. While Man in the High Castle was decent, the lack of recognisable actors threw me from the show. The Boys isn’t awash with famous faces, but there are enough recognisable noggins to give the show some important credibility.

Karl Urban from Star Trek fame plays Billy Butcher while his fellow Trekkie nerd, Simon Pegg, makes several appearances. I didn’t recognise this dude myself, but my better half informs me that many will also know Chace Crawford from his time in Gossip Girl. I swear, I had no idea.

Hughie is played by Jack Quaid who you may recognise from The Hunger Games.

Of course, I have to give Elisabeth Shue an honourable mention too. She was in two Back to the Future movies and a rake of CSI episodes. She’s been in loads of stuff that I like!

Is The Boys Worth a Watch?

Absolutely. Two things stood out for me while watching The Boys.

  1. Superhero movies and shows don’t have to be crap
  2. Amazon can really churn out decent content

I’ve already touched upon my belief that superhero movies got a little tired thanks to the Marvel Universe, but The Boys is a really refreshing take on the superhero genre. On the surface, there’s a touch of Marvel about the lineup. Homelander is the stamp of Captain America, while Queen Maeve is the bulb of Wonder Woman and A-Train is 100% The Flash.

The Boys universe is gritty. It’s funny. It’s violent, dark, bloody but most importantly bloody brilliant. The public would appear to be reacting too with Amazon stating The Boys has surpassed all their projected viewership numbers.

The Boys is one of those series you’ll find yourself at the last episode within a few days wondering when the bloody hell season two is coming out.

Will The Boys Return for a Second Season?

The good news: The Boys will return for a second season. Amazon renewed it before it even aired.

The bad news: The Boys won’t return until summer 2020.

Where to Watch The Boys

The Boys is an Amazon Prime Original which means Prime is the only place you can watch it. The good news is there’s a free trial for Prime Video so get on over and give it a lash.

Watch The Boys Teaser and Get a Taste

New Apple iPhone 11 & 11 Max Rumours 2019

Neal
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New Apple iPhone 11 & 11 Max Rumours 2019

Follow the latest news straight from Apple’s iPhone Launch Event on our Live Blog

As regular Goosed.ie readers will no doubt know, the internet begins to go crazy around this time with rumours and gossip ahead of the expected new iPhone models announcement due in early September. Let’s get the bad news out of the way early though. The new iPhones will almost certainly look very similar to the iPhone design of the past two years, including the marmite notch. Forget any hopes of a full-screen phone with perhaps under-screen fingerprint scanning, a pop-up selfie camera or if your super optimistic/seriously deluded, a foldable iPhone.

Still saying this, the new iPhones will undeniably be technical powerhouses and if you’re an iPhone/iOS devotee and in the market for a new phone, you will not be disappointed. Expect the usual top of the range premium phone that will last for many years and come with Apple supported software updates guaranteed for up to 5 years.

So, what are the rumours this year pointing to exactly?

Apple is expected to launch 3 new models to update last year’s iPhone XS, XS Max and XR models. The first two models, iPhone 11 & iPhone 11 Max (iPhone XS & XS Max) will feature OLED screens of 5.8 inches and 6.5 inches respectively. The new iPhone 11R (iPhone XR 2018) will feature a 6.1 inch LCD Retina screen.

Face ID scanning will still feature this year on all models this year. Apple shows no plans to move away from this technology, in fact, it appears they may well be doubling down on this as the primary method to unlock your phone, at least for the foreseeable future.

iPhone 11 & iPhone 11 Max

Image result for new iphone

For the purposes for clarity, we have called this year’s phone iPhone 11, but of course, we have really no idea yet what Apple will call them or even if they will stick with the odd roman numerals naming convention of recent years. With no major design change expected, Apple will need to have some new tricks to stand out from the crowd and tempt us to part with cash. Here are some of the big new features we are expecting this year.

New Cameras

The big-ticket item that most rumours are pointing to is a new Triple Camera System held within a square camera bump at the back of the phone. One of the camera modules is rumoured to be a new Wide-Angled lens for more detailed photos with auto-correction software built-in. The full-on demise of expensive, heavy and complicated DSLR cameras is perhaps closer than we think.

The Selfie Front Facing camera is also expected to receive a spec bump from 7MP to 12MP. Perfect for capturing your best angle in those selfie shots.

Processor

This year’s model will contain a new processor called the A13 Bionic which will bring AI and graphic improvements over the previous processor. Also expected is the Removal of 3D Touch and a new Taptic Engine which will incorporate additional quick actions within iOS13. Faster Wireless and LTE speeds are also expected.

Battery and Charging

More Powerful Batteries are expected this year along with a new feature called Bilateral Wireless Charging. This feature in simple language means you can charge your Apple Watch/ AirPod by using your iPhone as a type of charging mat. It will also charge other Qi-enabled wireless devices e.g. Samsung phones.

iPhone 11R

Apple’s cheaper alternative (€300 cheaper) but almost as good phone, outsold the XS & XS Max combined last year. It’s easy to see why, because of the phone packs just as much good tech inside as its more expensive siblings apart from the OLED screen. You have to make do with a 6.1 inch LCD Retina screen, which really is pretty good. If you don’t care about that and most won’t even notice, then this is probably the iPhone to go for.

Camera Upgrades

It’s expected that the iPhone 11R will have the same Square Camera bump as the other models but with only two lenses, a telephoto and a new updated wide-angled lens. The Selfie Front Facing camera is also expected to receive a spec bump from 7MP to 12MP.

Processor

Faster A13 Bionic processor, new Taptic engine and faster Wireless & LTE as per the iPhone 11 & Max.

Battery and Charging

Similar enhanced battery and Bilateral Wireless Charging capability as the iPhone 11 & Max.

New Software iOS13 & iPadOS

Image result for ios 13

iOS 13 will be launched alongside the new iPhone models and the major new features expected this year include Dark Mode, new Photo and Picture Editing Tools, Security/Login improvements, Maps app redesign, Siri updates, new Reminders app and Performance improvements.

Also launching this year is the new iPadOS, which will be the iPad’s own standalone software. It will feature the same improvements as iOS13 but with some extra iPad specific features like the Files App with external USB drive support and desktop-class Safari internet browser.

Revolut Warning Customers About New Scam

Jon
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0
Revolut Warning Customers About New Scam

Revolut, we have been big advocates for the online banking platform in recent years, but they have had to issue a warning to its users in recent days over scammers who have been trying to gain access to accounts fraudulently.

According to Revolut, these scammers have been calling customers pretending to be from their support team with the aim of getting customers to share their SMS login codes.

The online bank offers a banking service that includes pre-paid debit cards, currency exchange, cryptocurrency exchange and peer-to-peer payments – which can be particularly useful to users when travelling abroad.

Due to this recent scam, Revolut has warned customers that their platform is app only. As with any bank, customers will never ever ever be asked to enter their SMS or Pin codes on a website or give banking details over the phone.

If you are a Revolut User you might have seen the following notification, which appears to pop up when using the app, reminds users that Revolut employees will never ask for your SMS or pin code for the app.

Image result for revolut scam pop up

This notice has been sent to all customers regardless of whether or not they received a fraudulent call, so no need to freak out too much, but Revolut has obviously felt there was a need to raise awareness about potential security issues.

Any customers who feel they have been affected by the scam are encouraged to report suspicious behaviour to their support team via the app.

Just be wide and take this advice on board, share it with parents and whoever you might feel is at risk and here it is; No bank or company will ring you looking for bank details, a PIN number or any kind of verification info…..ever!

British financial company Revolut was founded in 2015 with over 200,000 Irish users.

Huawei Watch GT Review: A Waterproof Smart Watch For Active People

Marty
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0
Huawei Watch GT Review: A Waterproof Smart Watch For Active People

I’m a wearable user. That’s the only way I can describe myself because I’ve yet to find a wearable that passes the halfway test (more on that in a minute). I’ve had the original Pebble Smartwatch from Kickstarter, a watch so old that even my article about it is looking worse for wear. I’ve also had two Android-powered Huawei watches which I liked the look of but was left underwhelmed with when it comes to day-to-day usage. Today, I’m going to let you know what I think about Huawei’s third smartwatch. The Huawei Watch GT.

The Halfway Test

Before I bate into the full Huawei Watch GT review, I need to clarify the halfway test. Imagine in the morning, you’re halfway to the office and you realise you forgot something like:

  1. Wallet
  2. Office ID Card
  3. Wedding Ring
  4. Watch
  5. Smart Watch
  6. Mobile Phone

Given you’re halfway to the office, would you go back for any of these items? For me, there’s actually nothing on this list I couldn’t live without for a day. Assuming, of course, I’ve remembered my phone in the event of forgetting my wallet (because I have Google Pay). However, for many, the phone or wallet might be enough to turn on your heel and wander back home.

For me, no smartwatch has ever done this. It just doesn’t add enough functionality to my life to make it an absolute must-have every day. But what about the Huawei Watch GT? Could this be the first to take that title?

How Smart Is The Huawei Watch GT?

How should I answer this one? The Huawei Watch GT isn’t the smartest watch on the planet, but that’s actually why it’s so smart…as in brilliant.

huawei watch gt review

As a longtime wearer of smartwatches, one thing has always astonished me. Just how little I use the smart features. I had the option to pay with my wrist, but instead, I rather use my phone. I was playing golf and marking my game using the Hole 19 app with wearable features, but again, the phone screen won out. So what was I using my Android-powered smartwatches for?

Well, I used them to tell the time, receive notifications and…. well that’s actually it.

Yup, the Huawei Watch GT has made me realise just how little I used the “smart” features of Wear OS on earlier Huawei watches. But why wasn’t I using Google Assistant on my wrist? Why wasn’t I playing music straight to my Bluetooth earphones when running, leaving my phone at home? Because Wear OS is shite. There, I said it. It’s horrendous to use. It’s clunky. It’s slow. It’s incredibly frustrating.

It looks like Huawei recognised this as the Watch GT is the first full round face Huawei watch to utilise LiteOS. This is Huawei’s own operating system, originally designed to power Internet of Things devices created by the Chinese manufacturer. The result is a much simplified operating system which runs smoother and delivers a much better battery life without skimping on high-quality wrist visuals.

Huawei Watch GT: The Brilliant

I’m going to split this into two sections. The brilliant and the bad aspects of the Huawei Watch GT, combined from my first impressions over a year ago at the London launch of the watch and the past two weeks I’ve spent using this LiteOS wearable.

Design: The Huawei Watch GT is Gorgeous

I’m going to talk about lots of things here, but when it comes to watches let’s not forget the basics. The Watch GT is gorgeous. It looks stunning. Personally, I like most of the watch faces which offer something for everyone. It’s a much bigger watch face than the Huawei Watch 2 which left me a little perplexed that the second watch in the series would have a smaller screen than the first.

The Watch GT leaves all that in the rearview mirror because it’s a beaut. From how the watch looks to how it feels is perfect. I’d say the most important feature is the screen and this screen is popping every time it comes to life following a flick of the wrist.

Incredibly Long Battery Life

The battery life in this watch is epic. Usually, you have two choices when it comes to smartwatches. You can either have an amazing looking watch which needs to be charged every night or a substandard looking wearable that needs to be charged once a month. The exception to this rule is the Nokia HR, but that’s a hybrid and not strictly a smartwatch at all.

Owing to Huawei’s LiteOS operating system, reduced functionality and a setting you cannot change which turns the screen off when not in use, the Watch GT will give most users between one week of use on a single charge. That checks out for me with the watch running for two weeks with a single charge in the middle.

One annoyance I had was the lack of an always on-screen setting. Turns out there is an option to have the time appear when the face goes into standby mode. A feature I like having, but just be aware this will half your battery life straight away.

Smart Watch For Fitness Fans

I’m not going to spoof my way through talking about fitness here, but I will admit, I’m impressed by the fitness features on this watch. Huawei has been clever here in realising most people just want a watch. Additional desired features will most likely surround fitness. Everything else is usually unused nice to haves and as such, Huawei left them outside.

Without exactly being a fitness fanatic, I can see some features here that people will love. If you’re a triathlon participant, the Watch GT has a special feature for you which can track each individual stage separately. All you do is tap a button and it’ll move onto the next discipline you’re in. So yes, this also means the watch is waterproof and rated up to 5 meters.

One feature I am looking forward to trying out once I can avoid the summer beer gardens for a few days is the fitness trainer. The Watch GT has programmes built-in for you to try out. The onboard GPS means you can also leave the phone at home and unplug for a half an hour while you get a jog in.

Sleep Tracking, Heart Rate Sensors and More

There’s a lot of tracking going on with the Watch GT. I don’t know what it is, but I love tracking the quality of my sleeps. Wear OS watches aren’t great for this for the simple reason they have to be charged daily. The most convenient time to charge? While I sleep of course!

Having a watch with a one to two-week battery means it’s less likely I’ll lose out on sleep data.

There’s also plenty more about your life this watch can tell you. I enjoyed looking at my heart rate stats from a lazy Saturday which ended in the moshpits of Kerbdog. Step counts and heart rates went through the roof for a short two-hour window. Again, for the sports fans out there, the watch also has a Barometer which I believe to be important for climbers and hikers. Look, I’m not the outdoors type, but I hope I’m showing you just how much Huawei stuffed into this first iteration of a smartwatch running LiteOS.

Charging Puck

This could have gone either side of the fence, to be honest. I’m a bit miffed that Huawei has changed the charging puck four all three smartwatches they’ve created. However, the latest version has a disconnectable USB-C cable. I don’t know. I just like that.

huawei watch gt charger

The charger itself it well designed with a magnetic snap-on mechanism securing your watch during charging. Charging is super quick too with the watch going from 0% to 100% in under an hour. Huawei lists it as requiring less than two hours, but it felt closer to one for me.

Huawei Watch GT: The Bad

While I’m really loving the watch, there are a few niggles I have.

LiteOS Integrations

As is typical in these situations, one of the watches strongest points is also one of its weaknesses. LiteOS means the battery life is brilliant, but it also means some feeds don’t integrate so well. While message notifications appear perfectly, WhatsApp messages can build up with no way to read other than swapping to your phone. Even as I type that, I realise this is a pretty small niggle, but it’s a niggle nonetheless.

the Watch GT has actually just made me realise how few of the Wear OS features I actually used

LiteOS also means you can’t install third-party apps to your watch or download custom watch faces. Now, for some, this might be a deal-breaker. I thought it would be for me, but the Watch GT has actually just made me realise how few of the Wear OS features I actually used.

No Wireless Charging

In the age of reverse wireless charging, especially considering that the Watch GT debuted alongside the Mate 20 Pro which had reverse wireless charging, it’s odd that there’s none to be seen here. I can charge my new toothbrush on my P30 Pro, but not my Huawei Watch. I know it’s unlikely that decision was taken lightly, but it’s a nice to have feature that I would have used.

The reason I’d have used it is travelling. While many manufacturers have you think that reverse wireless charging is all about power-sharing with friends, it’s really about charging devices on the go. Plug in your phone overnight and rest your watch on the back. Both will be charged when you wake up. See? Very handing if you’re travelling and only have one cable. A missed opportunity for a great feature there.

Huawei Watch GT: The Verdict

I’m not a fitness fanatic, but still, I love this watch. The first Huawei Watch was the only smartwatch, at the time, that I actually wanted. It looked like a watch. Hard to believe how simple I am to please, but that’s all I wanted. The Watch GT made me realise I don’t really want much more than a nice looking watch with some smart features.

It’s a beaut to look at, cooks in some nice features for everyday users and goes the extra mile to please those who want a rounded fitness wearable and smartwatch all in one. Better still, Huawei will be dishing these out for the month of August.

Where to Buy the Huawei Watch GT and How Much Does It Cost?

At €192, PriceSpy.ie recommends only Amazon.co.uk as a place to buy the Huawei Watch GT. It makes sense as this is where both of my previous Huawei Watches came from. Ireland isn’t a big wearable market I’m afraid.

There’s some really good news though. Given Huawei was caught in the crossfire recently between Trump and China, the Chinese manufacturer has had to scramble to rebuild draw the punters bank in. What better way to do that other than a freebie.

Huawei is giving the Watch GT away free as a gift to customers in Ireland buying a P30 or P30 Pro. They are available from free on bill pay with Vodafone, Three, Eir, Carphone Warehouse, Tesco Mobile and Virgin Media. The free watch offer is also available with Harvey Norman who sell the phone SIM Free.

DTS Women In Tech Awards

Jon
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0
DTS Women In Tech Awards

Goosed are big fans of The Dublin Tech Summit, we have been going every year since it’s inception and rightly so they are now considered one of the fastest-growing technology showcases in Europe. Plus we have a great laugh just see for yourself:

Well, last year DTS hosted its inaugural Women In Tech Awards, which became Ireland’s foremost event dedicated to recognizing the innovation, leadership and achievements of women in Ireland’s tech landscape. Last year was a huge success and now they are about to host their 2nd annual DTS Women In Tech Awards out of the RDs on October 10th this year. Goosed.ie are delighted to call ourselves one of the media partners for the event as the awards as they aim to highlight the diversity in the workplace, narrowing the gender gap and recognise the achievements of the amazing women who work tireless to drive innovation, leadership and success in the tech industry! This year the audience will consist of 400 high-level execs, VIP’s, government officials and of course us.

Bridge the gender gap

Yes Goosed.ie is a pretty much male-dominated company, but that hasn’t been by design, trust us on that. What we like about the DTS Women In Tech Awards is how they are working towards bridging the gender gap, something which is evident in the tech industry. Luckily society has been striving to bright this gap and events like the DTS Women In Tech Awards that prove just how imbalances the industry is. Women are statistically in the minority but despite this, there are achievements that need to be celebrated. Just have a look at some of the amazing 2018 Winners. We mentioned earlier that we enjoy our annual trips to the Dublin Tech Summit and this year the Women In Tech drive proved a winner with the conference boasting the highest female attendance rate for a tech showcase of 48%.

What we found incredible to see at the event was the sheer amount of young women who attended and having this kind of female representation at an event like DTS can only help inspire the next generation. On a personal level, I know some brilliant people women in the tech space who are inspirations to both men and women alike.

About the night

We mentioned that last year was a huge success but gender isn’t the only issue when it comes to creating a more diverse tech industry. To highlight this The Women In Tech Awards has introduced 3 new categories, Diversity Role Model, HR Diversity Initiative and Diverse Company of the Year.

That being said, this year we have 14 categories and 2 special recognition awards including the Women in Tech Initiative recognises one not-for-profit organisation that has demonstrated exceptional initiative to promote women in tech. Entries are free and simple to complete, so why not nominate someone you know for this year’s event?

At the time of writing nominations are still open here are the categories that are available:

  1. IT Business Leader Award
  2. Trailblazer Award
  3. Security Leader Award
  4. Digital Transformation Award
  5. Fintech Leader Award
  6. Blockchain Leader Award
  7. Entrepreneur Award
  8. Disruptor Award
  9. Rising Star Award
  10. Data Scientist Award
  11. Mentorship Award
  12. Grace Hopper Award
  13. Women in Tech Initiative
  14. Diverse Company Of The Year
  15. HR Diversity Initiative Award
  16. Diversity Role Model Award

Once the nominations are complete, the winners will be determined by an amazing panel of international judges. For me last year the big takeaway was witnessing Brenda Romero of Romero games doing her closing speech after winning the Grace Hopper Award. She was brilliant, honest, and just downright hilarious while making a lot of very good points, while I couldn’t find the speech itself, here is one of her TedTalks to give you an idea of the personality on show:

But that’s not all! If the award ceremony isn’t enough the night will also include a host of brilliant speakers. We are absolutely delighted that something is being done to show how important women are in the tech industry. If you want to find out more about the event you can check out their website.

Are you a woman with a passion for tech, want to write and don’t know where to start? Get in touch with us here and become the 1st female member of the Goosed.ie team.

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