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xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_crime-law"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/crime-law/courts" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Courts</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/property" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Property</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_property" aria-label="Show Property sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_property"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/residential" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Residential</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/commercial-property" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Commercial Property</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/property/interiors" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Interiors</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/food" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Food</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_food" aria-label="Show Food sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_food"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/drink" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Drink</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/recipes" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Recipes</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/food/restaurants" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Restaurants</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/health" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Health</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_health" aria-label="Show Health sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_health"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-family" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Family</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-fitness" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Fitness</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-wellness" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Your Wellness</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/health/your-fitness/get-running" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Get Running</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Life & Style</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_life-style" aria-label="Show Life & Style sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_life-style"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fashion" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Fashion</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/tags/beauty/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Beauty</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/fine-art-antiques" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Fine Art & Antiques</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/gardening" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Gardening</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/people" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">People</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/life-style/travel" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Travel</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/culture" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Culture</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_culture" aria-label="Show Culture sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_culture"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/art" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Art</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/books" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Books</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/film" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Film</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/music" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Music</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/stage" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Stage</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/culture/tv-radio" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">TV & Radio</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/environment" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Environment</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_environment" aria-label="Show Environment sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_environment"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/environment/climate-crisis" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Climate Crisis</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/technology" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Technology</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_technology" aria-label="Show Technology sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_technology"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/big-tech" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Big Tech</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/consumer-tech" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Consumer Tech</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/data-security" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Data & Security</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/technology/gaming" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Gaming</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/science" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Science</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_science" aria-label="Show Science sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_science"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/science/space" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Space</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/media" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Media</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/abroad" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Abroad</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/obituaries" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Obituaries</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/transport" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Transport</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/motors" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Motors</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_motors" aria-label="Show Motors sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-container "><ul class="b-header-nav-chain__subsection-menu" id="header_sub_section_motors"><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/motors/car-reviews/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Car Reviews</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/listen/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Listen</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Podcasts</a><button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="header_sub_section_podcasts" aria-label="Show Podcasts sub sections" class="c-button c-button--medium c-button--default submenu-caret" type="button"><span><svg class="c-icon" width="20" height="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512" fill="currentColor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"><path d="M256 416C247.812 416 239.62 412.875 233.38 406.625L41.38 214.625C28.88 202.125 28.88 181.875 41.38 169.375C53.88 156.875 74.13 156.875 86.63 169.375L256 338.8L425.4 169.4C437.9 156.9 458.15 156.9 470.65 169.4C483.15 181.9 483.15 202.15 470.65 214.65L278.65 406.65C272.4 412.9 264.2 416 256 416Z"></path></svg></span></button></div><div 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tabindex="-1">Ross O'Carroll-Kelly</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/the-counter-ruck" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">The Counter Ruck Podcast</a></li><li class="subsection-item" data-testid="nav-chain-subsection-item"><a class="c-link" href="/podcasts/conversations-with-parents" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Conversations with Parents Podcast</a></li></ul></div></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/video" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Video</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><a class="c-link" href="/photography" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1">Photography</a></li><li class="section-item" data-testid="nav-chain-section-item"><div data-testid="nav-chain-section-item-subsection" class="c-stack b-header-nav-chain__subsection-anchor subsection-anchor " data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" 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data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="b-it-sticky-chain sticky-chain"><div><div class="c-grid b-it-header-block"><div class="b-it-header-block__header-block font-normal "><a class="c-link b-it-header-block__link font-normal" href="/most-read/"><div class="c-stack b-it-header-block__heading-h5 font-normal" data-style-direction="horizontal" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="center" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap"><div class="c-stack headline-block" data-style-direction="vertical" data-style-justification="start" data-style-alignment="unset" data-style-inline="false" data-style-wrap="nowrap" style="--c-stack-gap:0"><h2 as="h5" class="c-heading font-normal margin_none"><span class=" font-normal">MOST READ<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="14" height="24" viewBox="0 0 14 24" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" class="c-icon"><path d="M1.13096 0.799122C1.80974 0.102652 2.7203 -0.288062 3.25008 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href="/culture/film/2025/02/26/george-clooney-i-told-amal-i-can-still-do-everything-i-did-when-i-was-30-but-in-30-years-im-90-thats-a-real-number/"><h2 class="c-heading">George Clooney: ‘I told Amal, I can still do everything I did when I was 30. 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The <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\">tech giant</a> had been widely expected last week to unveil the fourth generation of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/iphone-se-affordable-model-offers-great-camera-features-and-5g-capabilities-1.4826289\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/iphone-se-affordable-model-offers-great-camera-features-and-5g-capabilities-1.4826289\">the SE, which was last updated in 2022</a>, but instead it unveiled the iPhone 16e. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"CXTHRQ3WZJDL3FTGNHMWRQVTPA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Apple is clear that this is not a continuation of the SE line, but a completely different line. What’s the difference? There are many. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"M32B7APY6RHFHJMSFYCKMLJI24","additional_properties":{},"content":"The iPhone 16e has a design that is closer to the current iPhone line-up for a start. It ditches the home button and fingerprint reader of the iPhone SE, bringing in the TrueDepth camera that Apple uses for FaceID. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MAHSQG7NZ5BORC3F75NB4NVLZM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The display is now edge to edge, and the screen size has been increased to 6.1 inches too, indicating that the days of the small screen may be behind us, with a full-screen display that brings back the notch to house the front-facing camera. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"745RBTOV6FEOZABIECXQ4ZGT4I","additional_properties":{},"content":"It even supports <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/2024/06/14/qa-what-is-apple-intelligence-and-how-do-i-get-it/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/2024/06/14/qa-what-is-apple-intelligence-and-how-do-i-get-it/\">Apple Intelligence</a>, or at least it will when it launches in the European Union in April, bringing generative <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\">AI</a> tools to your smartphone for less. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6HSQEBWNJDKHFLJVFXPCVEARE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The iPhone 16e is cheaper but not cheap; it comes in at €729 for the entry level 128GB model. That compares to €979 for the iPhone 16, and a significant leap to €1,239 for the 16 Pro. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MOMJMFQRXJC5XJLGND5UPOCRSE","additional_properties":{},"content":"To get to that price, Apple has inevitably made a few sacrifices. The chip, for example, is an A18 but it drops one GPU core so there are four instead of five. That will hit benchmarking performance scores, but most people won’t notice that core’s absence. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UN22GSV7VJF5ZOZOQXIKSNBAYU","additional_properties":{},"content":"High stakes for Apple’s AI push as it plays catch-up with rivals amid lacklustre sales","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QPSAQCVCMZD3PBQCYCOCOF2S7E","additional_properties":{},"content":"The iPhone 16e has also made some changes to the camera. While the iPhone 16 has a dual camera and the Pro gets a triple lens, the 16e dumps the second lens in favour of a single wide-angle camera with a 48 megapixel resolution. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HO7A4ZHBH5A7BAJDUONYJHAEWE","additional_properties":{},"content":"You still get a telephoto lens, but with a slight difference. Apple describes it as a two-in-one camera, so you can zoom in with “optical quality”, which means it takes the centre 12 megapixels and crops out the rest. The image quality is good and, for most people, it will suffice. If you want macro photography or spatial photos and videos, you’ll have to go higher up the line – with the accompanying increase in price tag of course. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"H4SWBZLG5BCPBKI44SNLWQJDDA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Unlike the rest of the iPhone 16 line-up, there is no camera control button on the 16e. But while the button is a useful addition, it isn’t essential; more often than not, I still forget about it on the 16 Pro. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UJDGV36BDFGN3MKR3P4JWPW2UA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Where you might miss it is for quick access to Apple’s <a href=\"https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph12eb1545e/ios\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph12eb1545e/ios\">Visual Intelligence</a> feature (when it launches in the EU), which allows you to summarise and copy text, translate text from other languages, identify animals, search Google and so on. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QB54GALBURE7LJ23KA2RTKK66E","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s a handy feature that could be one of the more popular ones among Apple’s AI suite. But that can be accessed via the action button on the 16e, which replaces the mute switch that the older devices, including the SE, had. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZOWCMENM5DC7CXM435AB7LR3Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"The 16e supports wireless charging, via Qi rather than the faster Qi2, but Apple hasn’t included Magsafe, its magnetic connection for wireless charging and accessories. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"V77QGYGMDBGHZNGKPJPMSLRBYY","additional_properties":{},"content":"It does keep all the satellite features though, including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages and Find My via satellite. These are the features you hope you never need but on the off-chance you do, you are covered even when your phone network isn’t. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5H27UK4W6FFE5GEADRDLPR5RQQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"And there is a notable first for the iPhone 16e: it is the first phone to feature Apple’s custom-designed C1 modem. This is something that has been years in the making, and Apple is confident the power-efficient modem will bring something new to the table. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MYVSLWKF5FC7JBXWCIXEOUWTAI","additional_properties":{},"content":"What is Apple Intelligence, and how do I get it on my smartphone?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"RQ5A4PINSRFHLH2B5GALBPRQMA","additional_properties":{},"content":"That has made the 16e more power efficient than similarly sized phones. Overall, the battery life is better in the 16e than the 16, at least in my experience so far. Officially, it has four hours more of video playback than the iPhone 16 and is just one hour shy of the 16 Pro. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BQNXBMAV3JBSRLDTVWZZ6KCAFE","additional_properties":{},"content":"In reality, the phone lasted longer than the 16 in standard use, by at least two hours. That is the difference between charging during the work day and not having to carry a powerbank. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5M34XU5G2VCDRAYOVNKKRKSHMA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"6SS2SDTJ4ND65BF6AZ4P6TLNQE","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you want a cheaper iPhone and all the “nice to have” extras aren’t a priority, then the iPhone 16e could the one for you. It drops a few of the features you can live without – Dynamic Island, Camera Control, an extra GPU core that you may or may not notice – and gives you a cheaper price in exchange.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2M4SC6ZUYRDB3OF5U5Q7SV6I74","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"2M3AMFMSJFBM3AZJB4UTNIJRQ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"There isn’t a huge difference in price between the 16e and the standard 16 – at €729 for the 128GB model, the 16e is only €250 cheaper. That might limit its appeal somewhat. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UIYNRAZEIZC7FMNZJV2YA3CZNQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"No MagSafe is surprising, and the 16e is gambling that the camera sacrifice will pay off. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVHKLCE7IVE5JBT7CC6PSY4K5Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"The rest ","type":"header"},{"_id":"NGX3NBEG7ZEMJGBQESP5W76KEA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The colour options are limited to black and white, although you can get a decent amount of storage in the device – up to 512GB. The 16e also uses USB C instead of lightning, marking another Apple device to cross over to the universal charging standard. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"KEJSK4BIRVCFXAALFDJBCSDC2A","additional_properties":{},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"L6B3UJFDFVFMLGPP5TIUSVBWZU","additional_properties":{},"content":"As a less expensive entry into the newest iPhone line, the 16e works. But only as long as you feel the sacrifices are worth it.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"A few sacrifices have been made to bring down the price for a wider audience"},"display_date":"2025-02-27T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple iPhone 16e review: Is the new model worth the price?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PNDPF5EWHVFZLDWSYKBPNFW7WA","auth":{"1":"4484a65e5014fefa77ce5d50e1d916d7820804b2dea190d28f0082df85a04d3f"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PNDPF5EWHVFZLDWSYKBPNFW7WA.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/27/apple-iphone-16e-review-dropping-some-nice-to-haves-makes-it-cheaper-but-not-cheap/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"OW5EHHZIOFBBVOMXMLC2TD25SE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":527,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/604a628d-0a25-4c73-9c27-334b1e846db9/versions/1739439784/media/934246268cc755afc6191d97642e88c3_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2025/02/22/phones-off-20-simple-ways-to-cut-your-familys-screentime/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4ZEXA7CAIFHYJPZ5QRKQWUDIYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344241},"content":"Reducing screen time is a real challenge. Devices have become so ingrained into our lives that it can be hard to know how to make a change. Here are some ideas that might help you to reduce time spent on them. I recommend that each family creates a device management plan, a set of rules that you and your family follow in relation to how devices are managed in your lives. It will be something that is created collaboratively, with you all inputting to, agreeing to and hopefully adhering to. When everyone knows what the rules are, it can help to reduce conflicts. You may not do all of them all the time, but you might consider adding in some of these ideas when it works for you and your family.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F3IJOU4EIVDGBD7AQOSWHS2POE","additional_properties":{},"content":"1. Turn off notifications","type":"header"},{"_id":"BA62XUXIEJD4BGODB3ZI3V23W4","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344243},"content":"When a notification pings, or even if we see the red notification symbol on our screens, it will alert our minds to take action and pay attention. This draws our attention to the phone and once it has drawn us in, it can be hard to put it down. By turning off notifications, you are taking charge of your device and how you use your device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IUBHAKRS7VDD7H2I6CLL3AJ4D4","additional_properties":{},"content":"2. Tidy your screens and move apps to folders that are not easy to access","type":"header"},{"_id":"OLRCCOV6YJHCNJ6G2OLBRATUKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344245},"content":"By moving apps to a different folder, it requires us to engage our brain more, making the process less automated. This should give us more time to become consciously aware of what we are doing so that we can stop it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K72FHLDEPREH3G5GHNEVRJAOMM","additional_properties":{},"content":"3. Consider using a ‘dumbphone’","type":"header"},{"_id":"NSX2D5YYIVFFDDYQT7AMUBGJGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344247},"content":"A dumbphone is basically an old-fashioned phone. It has text messaging and phone calling and perhaps Snake. As the phone is not smart and doesn’t have apps on it, it is less compelling to use, meaning that you are less likely to spend as much time using it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2CTDWVYQWRHVJEEG6XXOXJBDLA","additional_properties":{},"content":"4. Take a break from social media for a while","type":"header"},{"_id":"KDPW6EM66ZG3TD53UE25Z3EE4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344249},"content":"Give yourself a break from the routine of scrolling, liking and comparing for a while. It may feel uncomfortable but if it does, you most likely need to engage in the social media break for longer. You will be surprised how much you can get done with your time. Consider keeping a log of how you feel without social media.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MNE6FRHZPRDPTDWPF2ZOFIXIFE","additional_properties":{},"content":"5. Go to the bathroom without your phone","type":"header"},{"_id":"UNMGNJTCJZG23A6OXH7237KBIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344251},"content":"How many people take the phone to the bathroom with them? Can you even relax enough to go to the bathroom without a phone? Try getting used to going to the bathroom without the phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5CCBVMOX35AOZOGCCEJ27YSQVA","additional_properties":{},"content":"6. Charge your phones in the kitchen","type":"header"},{"_id":"F7ELSPZ6YNCMLPEA7E2PQDLGLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344253},"content":"By doing this, everyone has to detach from their phones. It might even get everyone up in the morning as they want to rush downstairs to get their phones, although I joke! The ideal would be that children are not so addicted to their device that they wake up wanting to check it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PAAH4LWDZVCK7I7IRC37NOX764","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344254},"content":"More than 80% of primary school-aged children have smartphones in their bedroom","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QF777JZDMJAM3H6APWZJZKVO24","additional_properties":{},"content":"7. No devices in the bedrooms","type":"header"},{"_id":"PDHNFWJ4SNDG7HC6WBIHYXMRZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344256},"content":"Even throughout the day, when children are alone in their rooms on devices, aside from the online risks, it is far easier for them to waste their days and evenings mindlessly scrolling. If they have to come downstairs to use a phone, they are less likely to spend as much time on it, and you can also address it if they are in eyesight.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RNOAOEPYSBC3PFF6ITIK456EL4","additional_properties":{},"content":"8. No devices before breakfast time","type":"header"},{"_id":"2XPAO5GUVFADNOSZWQ7E4GUP5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344258},"content":"The morning routine is already likely quite busy and stressful. When you add devices into the mix, people may have heightened stress because of what they are looking at. They may be distracted by what they are watching, and this can add time on to an already busy morning. More importantly, spending the morning connecting with each other by talking and making eye contact is a healthier and calmer way to start the day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XQS3GJ6RCJAEVESEBQUVTQ6JVE","additional_properties":{},"content":"9. No devices at the dinner table","type":"header"},{"_id":"OZS5GKLVRNFP5EWUHR4HTXBKWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344260},"content":"Time at the dinner table should ideally be focused on the food you are consuming and the people you are dining with, not on something that is happening somewhere else via your phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HA2YHEREX5BGRJ2SM3PPBZZ4W4","additional_properties":{"_id":"QEBNBI2KCFBAPNJFV57Q4UNNEE"},"content":"Adults and smartphones: ‘I lose about six to eight hours a day on my phone’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"HR4C7E7FERAR5LYSDFV5OUE6R4","additional_properties":{},"content":"10. No devices one hour before bed","type":"header"},{"_id":"V4PGRDY3BRBGXBKIQVPIZ3NDHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344262},"content":"The blue light emitted from phones causes a flood of cortisol into our brains and bodies, which can impact our sleep. Additionally, this blue light inhibits the production of melatonin, which is a sleep hormone. Ideally, no devices for AT LEAST an hour before bed, but if you have difficulty sleeping, try disconnecting from your device a few hours before that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J42YXC4MSVG4FJU746MCUQI6TA","additional_properties":{},"content":"11. No devices when out for meals","type":"header"},{"_id":"VVNKC23WJZASRBTWGTPL2BJIAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344264},"content":"When going out for meals, this is a great opportunity for children to learn to manage their patience, boredom and behaviour, and for young children to learn about the world and others.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IFHKL3EGBJBSDGCDN4NOUXSH54","additional_properties":{},"content":"12. Utilise the settings on phones","type":"header"},{"_id":"DDQIAI4OTJCRXND2W6QIUNY2SA","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344266},"content":"Smartphones have a huge number of options. We can create periods of time where we don’t want to be bothered; we can create different settings on different screens; we can manage limits on our child’s phone. Consider what you find difficult or annoying and remove it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WV7YA4TSKFFTNGT6ABZ3HHOYOY","additional_properties":{},"content":"13. Always have separate work and personal phones","type":"header"},{"_id":"MNZR2J7DDBDXFLCWPNZKCOXOBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344268},"content":"I can’t stress this one enough. Have a separate phone number for work. Personal time is important and phones make having a healthy work-life balance extremely challenging.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N2RS3TN7DRHNHAWMTM22ABD5JI","additional_properties":{},"content":"14. Remove emails from phones in the evening and at the weekend, or times when you are not working","type":"header"},{"_id":"TTMHZVPF7FCRTEXPH75OSH5UNQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344270},"content":"If we leave our work emails on our phones, there can be a tendency to check them without being consciously aware that this is what you are doing. By the time you realise, it is too late. You’ve been pulled into the phone, your mind has been alerted and maybe bothered by something going on at work, and you may struggle to switch off and relax again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGQQD5K5INDMPJA7V73CXTLKDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344271},"content":"Parents, if you’re going to ban anything, ban devices from bedrooms","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KKQDUE4ZLBGYRCUNQSMJYF4GR4","additional_properties":{},"content":"15. Ask your partner/friend/child/parent to tell you when you’ve descended into your phone","type":"header"},{"_id":"JOXESLS4TBD43DLMLXE27KSHZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344273},"content":"With all the will in the world, unfortunately these powerful devices still get the better of us from time to time. By asking your family and friends to point out when you are using your device, as well as maybe highlighting what you are like when you are on your device, it will help you to develop self-awareness.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KGWGXJEXPVDNHIF6KMNHCMRNPY","additional_properties":{"_id":"DBA7W3DZJFCRLGLOYMDM3YYSIA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IHNRF2KEKVCXPG6BEJG7MPILKI","additional_properties":{},"content":"16. Have open conversations about devices with your children","type":"header"},{"_id":"U7AN44UFYVG4JE5OPP44F4PFEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344275},"content":"If we want our children to come to us with concerns and be open and honest with us when problems arise online, we need to create a safe and open space for them. By starting these conversations with your children, it normalises talking about these matters and it creates the space for them to come to you if they ever feel that they need to.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2OZXZUG35CO3GXRJY6Q2PEOBQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"17. Play a game without a phone or device","type":"header"},{"_id":"B2VMP52BBZEMNCMOBU2K4VJAKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344277},"content":"Play a board game or play an outdoors game or do a sport. Engage and connect via something that doesn’t involve technology. It is good for our brains and our bodies and is much more enjoyable than anything involving a screen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BCX55GWTKZECNJRB425KTSLEBI","additional_properties":{},"content":"18. Find other friends who have the same views and approaches to device use as you do","type":"header"},{"_id":"RNQTPRKXZBBL5NZVPAK4BW6DBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344279},"content":"If your child feels that other children have the same rules and restrictions, it is less likely to create that feeling of missing out that many parents fear for their children.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3B5BYARCFVE6TDRHFUJ477XGXQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"19. Learn about the online world with your child","type":"header"},{"_id":"BG2RAESQPVGHVHAVTTHUOAVSRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344282},"content":"We wouldn’t allow our children to venture into real-world spaces we weren’t familiar with and this should be no different online. Explore their online worlds with them. We need to learn about these worlds because they likely know far more than we do. We can’t provide advice or keep our children safe in a space that we know nothing about, therefore learning about these spaces is essential. Create an open dialogue with your children about what they are doing online. If we are interested in their games and their choices, they are more likely to be open with us about their online worlds, and we need them to be open with us so that we can offer advice when it might be needed. If a child feels scared to come to us or feels that we won’t be interested, they might end up in a dangerous position where they are managing situations online alone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NMVT2WYAORGMHJG7OZKKMJJYCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344280},"content":"‘I check my phone hundreds of times a day. Is there a way to treat screen addiction?’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2ROQFMDQ4RD2NL3LQQSF2MBFEM","additional_properties":{},"content":"20. Delay introducing phones into a child’s life","type":"header"},{"_id":"TMFR42X3XNF5XIQ55OOCPR6JKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344284},"content":"The best way of managing device use with children is to delay the introduction of devices. For many of us the horse has already bolted and at this point it is about managing device use, but for future generations it is much easier to delay the introduction of these devices into the child’s life until they are mature enough to cope with the responsibility of being exposed to online content and the nuances of relationships conducted via text alone. Your children will learn from the device use behaviours that you exhibit, from your boundaries and rules regarding device use, and restricted use will be totally normal to them. You can gradually introduce devices by first introducing certain elements of a phone that are not so addictive and compelling. In the future, there may be devices that are designed specifically for teenagers that don’t have social media or full worldwide access to everything, only the basics, which is enough for a teenager.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7FIKWGYKGNEJFEMWFE7H4MBQX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344285},"content":"<i>An edited extract from Generation Zombie by Charlotte Armitage, published by Hachette.</i>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":" Charlotte Armitage"}]},"description":{"basic":"What’s the best way to help parents and kids navigate phones in the always-on age of the internet? "},"display_date":"2025-02-22T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Phones off: 20 simple ways to cut your family’s screentime","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"TGZJ4YHUZRCW5F6UYPXPCVBTF4","auth":{"1":"bc1fe0603a5c271f274c3ff02aabb59a81fd2647bad1539524060c5aed494b94"},"focal_point":{"x":2856,"y":1916},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/TGZJ4YHUZRCW5F6UYPXPCVBTF4.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Health"},{"name":"Your Family"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2025/02/22/phones-off-20-simple-ways-to-cut-your-familys-screentime/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"FSM3N3SQLVGEHCACLDU3MPPX2M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":319,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/c9f87080-f87e-456d-b2cd-c95f48e04d47/versions/1739974183/media/5c3240126cd9f809281ddc5d8428d19d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/20/victrola-stream-sapphire-review-vinyl-quality-sound-streamed-throughout-your-home/","content_elements":[{"_id":"URU6DEAAX5BMVP4SVVXP5HNVYI","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"2RDFBMW66FEOND6AKKJWBB626I","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"F3TT3GT7ZNG2HIUFZPYOJILVZM","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VO6VDEC4VDQZFDQZPC7KOOR7M","embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-80821","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"P7SX6AUTG5C6FI2F434CI5E5BI","additional_properties":{},"content":"It has been a while since I handled vinyl. There is plenty of it around the house; there are even a couple of turntables hanging about. But these days it is easier to just open up an app and start streaming, so the record player is more of an occasional device rather than an integral part of the music scene here. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QKR5RNIT4FC5BE4GLIRUKHHDJM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Plus it is just so fragile: one wrong move and a scratch later, your records are ruined. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"43MDMXXSOJHUJEZL5VV6HD2JWA","additional_properties":{},"content":"But there are plenty of reasons why vinyl has not been killed off. Digital audio is too clean, too sterile at times. Records are very firmly in the analogue camp, with all the warmth and sometimes the imperfection they bring. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZIGK2KD4JEQPKF56RKFD2UKW4","additional_properties":{},"content":"But that doesn’t mean they can’t be dressed up a little with some high-tech additions. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQGRGYZVLBE5DIC3DKSDJADR6U","additional_properties":{},"content":"That is what Victrola has done with the Stream Sapphire. A new addition to the Stream turntable line-up, the Stream Sapphire includes the Sonos connectivity of its predecessors and adds support for uPnP, bringing audio streaming over wifi. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WX7333XFFFEWNDMI2DFVVDDMQ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"That opens it up to speakers beyond the Sonos range, bringing all the convenience of audio streaming as you stream to speakers around the house, from AV receivers to TV sound bars, all in 24-bit/48kHz lossless FLAC. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"3BEF5NJDPFHKDPEDZFBYOCJGZU","additional_properties":{},"content":"You have to set it up first, though. Out of the box, the Stream Sapphire comes in several pieces, rather than as a sleek turntable with silver panels and a wooden veneer plinth. It has a brushless motor, an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge and a carbon fibre tonearm. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"GIFFQV7LDNHXXK2LQBRXDWFFSE","additional_properties":{},"content":"But if you don’t know your tonearm from your counterweight, the Victrola app has you covered, with a step-by-step walk-through to make sure all the physical bits are in the right place before you even get to the wireless set-up. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7NMRA57JJAN5EITITJPI4A4S4","additional_properties":{},"content":"That was where I encountered the first hiccup, with the app stubbornly refusing to move to the wifi set-up screen. One app restart later and things moved along. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"DGYGR5E7NVDBZMKHVYKLFMKFVI","additional_properties":{},"content":"It wasn’t the only hitch I encountered, although they were limited in number. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"JG2TSOVWKJCG3JEXXDLM463NI4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The controls can be confusing during the set-up process. The knob on the front feels like it should do something, aside from light up during the initial start-up. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"XPQJWW5W7FFOTMSSB5R6SCN2VA","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can customise the illumination level in the app, and once the record player is operational, the knob has one good use: a physical volume control that gives you tactile feedback with a satisfying click as you turn it. But that makes it even more obvious that it should do something more to give you feedback during set-up, because you feel like nothing is happening half the time. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QIY7VF5SHNCYNC253SNZQ6OYJI","additional_properties":{},"content":"PS5 Pro review: Stunning graphics come with a premium price tag","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"BAHV2DCHPVA43J4RWN7JUKU5LI","additional_properties":{},"content":"The app has some extra settings too, such as streaming settings to help deal with any potential connection issues with the Sonos speakers, or to prioritise the stability of the connection or audio quality. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BUYDUZOXZZG7XLTWH7WW3JT634","additional_properties":{},"content":"And that is the key thing: you need it to connect to your wireless devices and make sure it stays that way, and that it sounds good while doing it. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFB5WOB325BY7PEXTN34TFBLLA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The good news is that (to admittedly less than expert ears) the audio quality is good regardless of whether you are streaming to Sonos speakers or a compatible sound bar, or sending audio over the ethernet connection. Even streaming doesn’t take away the warmth of vinyl, and the high-quality streaming means you don’t lose much of the detail. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6CEWOTQ26FA2PLH3TWGDFYA2XA","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is a convenient way to get your audio all over the house at the same time without a snarl of wires. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y4AIFJJXVZE6LGXNYN4VKMXFSE","additional_properties":{},"content":"That said, you don’t have to use digital streaming, because the Stream Sapphire also has physical connections. Simply hook up an RCA cable to the back of the record player and you can hook it up to your best speakers. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VZTGIIRTIJCG5HFQYJB5HEDS7I","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can also stream to your wireless speakers and play music over the wired RCA connection simultaneously, with the option to set a custom delay to match it to your wireless set-up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PRRIDLEWTVCYZLAHRCPD3J46KY","additional_properties":{},"content":"There is one final flaw: the price. At about €1,500, the Stream Sapphire isn’t cheap. You pay for that extra connectivity, but for some it will be a premium that they can ill afford. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"3GAJX4D4V5FJDJY4QCBGHNV66Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"UJPGIOMZVRGURMZGJCV62HGIYU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Wired or wireless, you get great audio from the Victrola Stream Sapphire. The inclusion of the uPnP support opens the player up to more devices, stepping outside of the Sonos comfort zone. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZESKPPX3OFAW5D3Y7KK5ZLS2NY","additional_properties":{},"content":"There are also a host of wired connections too, keeping things flexible. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"L3A23BO76FDJ5NYRYUODMTK44Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"MR3CKGDYPVAY7IINHZJXLULCGU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Despite the app walking you through the physical set-up of the device, it was a frustrating experience setting up the digital side of things. It didn’t always show up in the app, and getting through the wifi process was awkward at first. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"A6GT7NBXSJDX5PGSJN25OAG3AE","additional_properties":{},"content":"While the design of the device looks good, it is weirdly heavy – great if you like a bit of heft to your electronics, but not so much if you need to shift it around. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"EOXKVL6N7FEUVKIZIKJSLIHAEA","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is also very expensive, especially compared with other devices in the Stream line-up. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"KAEUPEC5QJCTFGZVOHOFOFLCUE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Everything else ","type":"header"},{"_id":"S5OPFBUERRD63BSXBKXDISUBFE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The dust cover fits in with the overall design of the turntable – sleek and subtle – but it doesn’t attach to the turntable. You just lift it off and store it somewhere when the turntable is in use. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"SWRL2PPGCNDU7PQAQZ34WKQEEI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"2ZZOKHFYIRE7POMT4EPW6I3IAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Plenty of connectivity options, but it comes at a price. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"SKVWB5RD45CEBMSYOTYMXUNWAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Homebot Ireland Glider review: A home cleaner that (mostly) takes care of itself","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"4CD2Q7NTXVHO5GJG4CGPEXLILI","additional_properties":{},"content":" ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TW7WA6BDGFD7XOACQ2LPXNNDSI","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"BT2TKZMSYBER5NLL6DWPLHB6BY","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"M37TZIFRM5FXROVFEQAAFRN37M","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Wired or wireless, you get great audio – but it comes at a premium price"},"display_date":"2025-02-20T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Victrola Stream Sapphire review: Vinyl-quality sound streamed throughout your home","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QRVKOBUBHZC6NCYVUQDCB2GBVQ","auth":{"1":"934af29f65a9d6af4d0f27a017f7c1d62da4ed643ea7eee7eb17993dda5189e1"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QRVKOBUBHZC6NCYVUQDCB2GBVQ.png"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/20/victrola-stream-sapphire-review-vinyl-quality-sound-streamed-throughout-your-home/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"KNNVCWRVWBBNBBFLTTPSIHSLIU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":246,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e90535ca-16c0-4531-ae10-9d802f9fa59e/versions/1739989617/media/8d607b1cbb0dd5193dafac018be2602b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/02/19/ev-qa-pilot-scheme-aims-to-connect-drivers-with-people-willing-to-rent-use-of-private-chargers/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JFIVIEGQ7VAZ5LDNF5FUVGBZ5U","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>The Government has a cunning plan for </b><a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\"><b>electric vehicle (EV)</b></a><b> chargers, has it? Can we expect a faster roll-out of public chargers? Will the electricity for EVs be cheaper? Or can folk </b><b>juicing up at on-street charge points get free parking? </b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"J2OHR5JDOREWNCQKKML4IIQAQI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Um, no, none of those things. But under plans aimed at promoting sustainable travel, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/transport/2025/02/18/domestic-ev-chargers-for-rent-to-public-under-pilot-project/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/transport/2025/02/18/domestic-ev-chargers-for-rent-to-public-under-pilot-project/\">homeowners will be allowed to rent out the use of their EV chargers to other people</a>. The <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/department-of-transport/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/department-of-transport/\">Department of Transport</a> says this will “offer cost-effective charging options for EV owners who don’t have private off-street parking”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZ5TXYURTZEMFEOMVUYNVFTODQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What? Can they not do that already?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"V5QXQHODQNFOLPYCXAYEW2DCIQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"They probably can, but what the new pilot scheme aims to do is set up an online platform to allow people without access to home chargers connect easily with those willing to rent out theirs. A frequently used phrase in recent days is it will be “like an Airbnb for car chargers”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6TZ4WQJCF5C5XOBOXN6DXWS2TQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>That might be part of a solution, for sure. How much will it cost?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"RG5MMUE2AJDZHCFAARUMUVNTP4","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is far too early to say, and ultimately the market will determine the cost. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WWZIQKZMN5HYNHV47Z2AMBINNM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>But it will be cheaper than public charging points, will it?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"BQYYSBTXN5BZXO7VGRHRB6P3OM","additional_properties":{},"content":"You would imagine it would have to be, but it won’t all be about price. If homeowners rent out their charging points to others when they are not in use, it will take pressure off the wider network and make things easier for everyone. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"CG4SNYY6INEDPORJQ5W2JQJAUI","additional_properties":{},"content":"There are about 2,500 public charging points in the State, and we need a whole lot more of them if widespread adoption of EVs is to happen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"26QQUZCX3FBFFBG6Z3F32N4XEE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Still, can you talk to me about the money?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"4Z65BIFTOJCGPIFLIY5W36AOQQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"An EV driver who charges their car at home can expect to pay anywhere from €7 to €30 for a full charge, depending on the size of the battery and the electricity tariff they are on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4JWGNSI3QNBIJBO2COGMJZEU4A","additional_properties":{},"content":"Someone on a time-of-use tariff, who charges their car overnight, will pay the least, while someone who is on a standard rate or who charges their car during the day will pay more. Broadly speaking, an EV driver can expect to pay about €15 for a full charge. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QH5KMOZHWJGOFMDC5XYRW7652E","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>How much does it cost to charge a car at a public station?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"T2TGA6YWZBGX3NQEHFQGDUUF2Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"A lot more than that. There are multiple companies offering charging at multiple speeds – the faster the car is charged, the more you pay for it – but a good rule of thumb would suggest that charging an EV via the public infrastructure will cost about 75 per cent more than charging it on a decent tariff at home. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ODI6MVMQZWJQDQJHSG3Q4H2QQA","additional_properties":{},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ICP7BFSSYFA43ABOS6VJAALJGE","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you charge your car from empty to full at home once a week, the annual cost will come in at about €780. If you charge on the public network, you can expect to pay about €1,350 over the course of a year. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QMYTWJAGYFHYPMV623K3FVVIHY","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>I see, so renting a private charger will make sense once the price is right?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"L4MRNEFYGFCPHDREUX4LLAKVYU","additional_properties":{},"content":"It will indeed – although bear in mind that a person renting their charger to you will want to make a few bob, so you might end up paying 10 or 20 per cent more than they do for their charges, taking the annual cost with the new system to about a grand. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"E2ZZDWNS2BGUZMH27BJTBSO744","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What about the time factor? How long does it take to charge an EV at home?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"S5MUP7G2FBBANCBYWV2VMDTTFU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Longer than on the public network, that is for sure. Depending on the model of car and the charging point you have, it could take anywhere from four to 20 hours to go from empty to full, although about eight hours is more typical. Public points can charge a car to full in less than an hour if souped-up chargers, or about four hours if standard chargers. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6N5G6ZDTUJGKVPNFUD3EVMNPPI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Okay, what else? </b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UPFNV5H4NNBZHIKFIASCGR5W3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"There is also the cost of installing a car charger. That varies depending on what type of charger it is and where you locate it, but you can expect to pay anywhere between €1,200 and €1,600 for a home charging point. There is a Government grant of €300 available to soften the blow. ","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"If homeowners rent out charging points when they are not in use, it will take pressure off the network and make things easier for all"},"display_date":"2025-02-19T18:21:48.427Z","headlines":{"basic":"EV Q&A: Pilot scheme aims to connect drivers with people willing to rent use of private chargers","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"OVTDRYIMEFAFJBFC2IT2VHM3TM","auth":{"1":"cb17433117d649c40186af1247b73b17304b1d85bfc40744fa322ec56f3b7ed3"},"focal_point":{"x":860,"y":662},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/OVTDRYIMEFAFJBFC2IT2VHM3TM.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Your Money"},{"name":"Motors"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/02/19/ev-qa-pilot-scheme-aims-to-connect-drivers-with-people-willing-to-rent-use-of-private-chargers/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"VVKF7LMIIJCMDH6ASWXWCL77CQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":241,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/b4e0e6d5-9261-47b9-b085-c57ac515d646/versions/1739891939/media/a3e5eec6003a7db7a1a9bb3c0b8c4964_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/ireland/2025/02/18/dodgy-boxes-why-are-they-in-the-news-and-could-i-be-prosecuted-for-using-one/","content_elements":[{"_id":"KBHXBWJ4AVEEVHX2TTAWR4XIPI","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6REWQB6EFEDXCNVEDPHB3TLCE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Why are dodgy boxes back in the news again?","type":"header"},{"_id":"FBFGMGLOQZGYZCB2UHECNB66FU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Thirteen illegal operators across <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/\">the country</a> have been served with legal notices warning them to shut down illicit streaming services or face possible criminal prosecution. The action was taken by the Federation Against Copyright Theft (<a href=\"https://www.fact-uk.org.uk/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.fact-uk.org.uk/\">Fact</a>) and followed a two-week operation in December. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TN6IFFE2PJEGTB6MSDB7ANOKX4","additional_properties":{},"content":"What did the dodgy box operators do after getting these Fact notices?","type":"header"},{"_id":"QW43PAWHQ5DQXDKMM4YCNGXGCE","additional_properties":{},"content":"According to the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/london/3/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/london/3/\">London</a>-based industry group, the initiative has been a great success and has resulted in the shutting down of thousands of prohibited streams, and the demise of services for those using the illegal operations. Social media profiles selling dodgy boxes have also disappeared while subscriptions have been terminated and paid settlements agreed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DWUEFNBDINDZTMQR6VRFRQ55MY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Legal notices served on 13 illegal dodgybox operators, according to anti-piracy group","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"PHJUT4UJ2VHNDD35L36FDGEVWQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"header"},{"_id":"HN5HFOIVIBF7PEQL6XQ5LXPTNI","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"KIYJXRY6ZNE7XCW4B6ILRP5WCM","additional_properties":{},"content":"And why is Fact so concerned? ","type":"header"},{"_id":"AIOWONVKCBDZHETMGG2JWVPFH4","additional_properties":{},"content":"It says that many consumers are unaware that piracy networks are often linked to organised crime, with their profits potentially funding other illegal activities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RLR3P3UEJRCPLEC2AMMOYHMX54","additional_properties":{},"content":"Well, that’s not good but is this the first time Fact has acted? ","type":"header"},{"_id":"DXHQ6MZUDJDL7PKI7TTRFLDP34","additional_properties":{},"content":"No. There have been three previous actions since March 2023, with almost 70 illegal services across the Republic shut down. There have also been legal actions taken against individuals, with one operator of an illegal dodgy box TV streaming service being jailed for 16 months last year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GLAL73SCOJCW5P2K4NFS2BUZCY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Could dodgy box owners go to to jail?","type":"header"},{"_id":"IYM2CK3NWVB2HAMFMU5OWHDQL4","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is highly unlikely, not least because there are tens of thousands of dodgy boxes in homes all over the country and nowhere near enough cell spaces for all of you. But by knowingly circumventing properly applied restrictions to access copyrighted content, you could be exposed to prosecution – at least potentially but breathe easy because potentially is a long way from actually.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZGDLQBLMYBANTHWN66DVB4U4YA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Why so?","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZH2VUPYRBJDDHDEDPQKJ2H2OQI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Well, those targeting illegal streaming, including the Garda Síochána and the copyright holders – are focused on people who are suspected of being involved in providing illegal access to premium TV content and not – as yet – the end users. Garda sources have even expressed doubt that the force would have any jurisdiction when it comes to the use of such boxes, suggesting it would be a civil rather than a criminal matter.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CMBZE3MNRJHQZF7PKUPIXMEHLE","additional_properties":{},"content":"But owning a dodgy boxes is illegal, right? ","type":"header"},{"_id":"4VOFH44PNFA2RDWUE2NYBSYFIY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Yes and no. The boxes themselves are not illegal. They are also called Android boxes. And Android is just an operating system and one that runs on all manner of different technologies including phones, tablets and firesticks. Android boxes are commonly sold in entirely reputable electrical shops in Ireland and on online platforms.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCKSFFBRORFRLHLRMHQUHVXQMI","additional_properties":{},"content":"So what is illegal? ","type":"header"},{"_id":"EAQTGY6CTNASFH44MBBDMVX4S4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Ever since the web was born those who make and sell content have been fighting a fierce battle with those who want to make it freely available online by breaking it down into ones and zeros that can be easily shared online. There was <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/feb/24/napster-music-free-file-sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/feb/24/napster-music-free-file-sharing\">Napster</a> and then Torrents and they ultimately led us to dodgy boxes. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"RPCAAAUJ6FCQRE6SY3ACPGCLA4","additional_properties":{},"content":"What are they exactly?","type":"header"},{"_id":"S3O2L5WPXNDLFIHBEZJYUQAETM","additional_properties":{},"content":"They plug into a television and if they have certain apps installed they can stream content directly from the internet to televisions. As mentioned, the boxes are not illegal but they have the capacity to do illegal things. A person who buys a clean dodgy box can easily download dodgy apps themselves. Then there are those who sell the boxes pre-loaded with apps to facilitate questionable streaming and provide codes to dodgy platforms. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"S63KHMBRGNC7FGIAGBAP4EGRBU","additional_properties":{},"content":"So, in short, it is not the boxes that are dodgy but the apps that facilitate illegal streaming. And it is not the selling of the boxes that is illegal but the selling of boxes and access to copyrighted content that fall foul of the law. And it is those people who are being targeted by Fact.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"Copyright body says many consumers unaware piracy streaming networks are often linked to organised crime"},"display_date":"2025-02-18T15:13:46.207Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘Dodgy boxes’: Why are they in the news and could I be prosecuted for using one?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"5JUIA2WEGZAMBLQ4ST4W6HTFSQ","auth":{"1":"43203cba3414a8a42a606650e462ff82db41cb6ea9504716ebbe23b3f996c0af"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/5JUIA2WEGZAMBLQ4ST4W6HTFSQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ireland"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/ireland/2025/02/18/dodgy-boxes-why-are-they-in-the-news-and-could-i-be-prosecuted-for-using-one/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/ireland","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Ireland"}}}},{"_id":"NSM5A3NX6FHMPLZ7YSGL3YVB4U","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":514,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/fe54ce60-cecd-4ad9-a2e2-41c70d23db71/versions/1739295863/media/3a6cfa923bec041aa53ba762ea6da775_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/02/13/how-can-we-keep-our-kids-safe-online-here-are-some-tips-for-parents/","content_elements":[{"_id":"SQHKUSBQCVF5VMLPRFX64PWETI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Do you know what your child is doing online? If recent research is accurate, there are plenty of us out there who don’t.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ELELS56LR5BAPMYKZTTT6VKQWU","additional_properties":{},"content":"According to a recent report from online safety charity <a href=\"https://www.cybersafekids.ie/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.cybersafekids.ie/\">CyberSafeKids</a>,<b> </b>82 per cent of children aged between eight and 12 years of age are permitted to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/02/11/most-primary-school-aged-children-have-unsupervised-smartphone-access-in-bedroom-survey/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/02/11/most-primary-school-aged-children-have-unsupervised-smartphone-access-in-bedroom-survey/\">use phones and smart devices unsupervised in their bedrooms</a>. The findings were published to coincide with <a href=\"https://better-internet-for-kids.europa.eu/en/saferinternetday\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://better-internet-for-kids.europa.eu/en/saferinternetday\">Safer Internet Day</a> earlier this week, and they make sobering reading.","type":"text"},{"_id":"26DIO2YJG5H7VP5SXMDXOY6SHU","additional_properties":{},"content":"The same report found 28 per cent of the children surveyed said they could go online whenever they wanted, giving them a concerning level of access and potential exposure to harmful content online. Screen time is also an issue, with 50 per cent saying they spend too much time online.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LTOBBGVKSJEZVE67N4FXE3F54Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"At the same time, only 35 per cent of children said their activity was visible to caregivers or parents.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CW75X4RTOJDBXKUVTRCBVISS2U","additional_properties":{},"content":"It happens more than we realise. Who hasn’t handed over a phone to a small child to watch videos online in a bid to get five minutes of uninterrupted time? Or set up an account to play a game online without thinking too closely about the potential repercussions?","type":"text"},{"_id":"P7LNDKIWGVGH7F7TGZEF7HOPIY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The knee-jerk reaction would be to prevent children from accessing any online content. However, in an increasingly digitised world, that is becoming an increasingly unlikely solution.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZTX3EEN3GZG4VHH74LRR63LHZM","additional_properties":{},"content":"There are ways to let your child have some digital experiences without opening them up to the internet’s weirder side.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DPTVRKHB6RHCLIHQIXH3LWE7VM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Tap in to parental controls","type":"header"},{"_id":"6B2LNHQ2YVF4HHPHQMN3IEQNGE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Letting your young child loose on the internet unsupervised is a little like sending them out to play with the traffic on the road: it might be fine, but there is a high chance that they will wind up in a situation everyone will regret.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YLS4BQERXNHC7NAZOWZ2VW53MQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Even seemingly safe scenarios – online gaming, for example – can turn ugly. And besides, retaining some control over access until they can manage it appropriately for themselves is always a good idea.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MQMMDYNOFVF3FACUZZSOABL7VA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Whether you are setting up an iPhone, an Android or a games console, there are ways to make sure your child isn’t accessing inappropriate content. Apple has its parental controls tucked away under Screen Time in the Settings menu, where you can set limits for categories of apps or choose each app individually.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RXP3CWMMNJGQNDFELH4WUJAIB4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A further step is the Communication Safety setting, which will detect nude photos and videos before they are sent or viewed on your child’s device. When activated, it will blur photos that are received and trigger a warning to the child, steering them to helpful resources.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3WZS72L27JGQNM5ZC4RGK6BKOQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"For Google users, the <a href=\"https://families.google/familylink/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://families.google/familylink/\">Family Link</a> app is there to allow you to monitor time spent online, and add restrictions and rules for accessing content and apps. The app is also available on iOS, so the entire family doesn’t need to be on the same platform.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6233QTSJFFXBHTZVATNLYKB2Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"Nintendo Switch has its own <a href=\"https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Hardware/Nintendo-Switch-Parental-Controls/Nintendo-Switch-Parental-Controls-1183145.html?srsltid=AfmBOoph9oD7wTklvgdgTaZNj9W5ajpeOUrnFoKX0i4iP3Wg2GYcYpSp\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Hardware/Nintendo-Switch-Parental-Controls/Nintendo-Switch-Parental-Controls-1183145.html?srsltid=AfmBOoph9oD7wTklvgdgTaZNj9W5ajpeOUrnFoKX0i4iP3Wg2GYcYpSp\">parental controls</a> app, which allows you to set daily time limits for access to the hand-held console and the type of content it can access.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RNVXZR4SCFGG5MNNYX3DVYDCUM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Sony and Microsoft also have parental controls built into their platforms to monitor gaming time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"34DWIBZQA5BHTI7EWWA5JYAH3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"Which brings us to ...","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6JIM4XM2JHATKZQI6PWRQZ654","additional_properties":{},"content":"Create child profiles","type":"header"},{"_id":"MJYW77UIX5AEFIQHLY6JJTIOBQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Many of these parental controls will require two things: a child account and a parental account to manage it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O6ZR3CEPVVHZ3ONEW2PMHHGDXA","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you need to keep a close eye on what your child is doing online, setting up a child account on a phone, games console or other digital service is advisable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3D4MFLR66JBQJJPLNLHL6O3I7E","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can always transition the account to a teenager or adult profile when the time comes, but not all services will allow you to go the other way.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2T64WQPZVHVFDCBMP4T47UICE","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is a fairly straightforward procedure. Google and Apple, for example, will ask if you are setting up an account for yourself or your child during the set-up process.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6MSMRHBQIVCGFKGRU7JJH5E7J4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Wifi routers can help","type":"header"},{"_id":"VT322GBOUNAYXFRI4NYJN4NWJ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Your home wifi can be another way to control what is accessed on your home network, and at what time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IY7N7AWIPFDGFG2ECI5VBUNPUE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Setting a time when only your household devices – the video doorbell for example – can access the home wifi connection will keep your child from doomscrolling on Instagram until late into the night and ignoring the prompts to wind down and put the app into sleep mode.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JNK3L7QRBFAVHDC32TUNOMNKJE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Most wifi hubs have the admin password printed alongside the wifi network details on the back or underside of the device. However, you might want to change the admin password from the default to keep any tech-savvy kids from undoing your changes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2744NTPKRC3ZMNUFDVHGUJVQU","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you use a mesh kit to extend your wifi network throughout the house, you can apply restrictions and rules to that too. Google’s Nest wifi kit, for example, allows you to set rules for the family wifi network through the <a href=\"https://home.google.com/welcome/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://home.google.com/welcome/\">Google Home</a> app. There, you can block sites, create schedules and pause wifi access to groups of devices at the same time every day. You can create groups of devices to apply the rules to, so you can turn on SafeSearch filtering for the kids' tablets without applying it to the adults' devices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C6QDYGBRBRHDBFCEOZ53IYE5UA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/1593/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/1593/\">TP-Link’s Deco app</a> also allows you to impose parental controls on a household basis. You can create profiles for each member of the household, linking their devices to it and creating a schedule for content and access filtering.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S223ZOFXXFAF5F7EFMVEAC7T7U","additional_properties":{},"content":"Alt app stores exist – and the rules are different","type":"header"},{"_id":"AJHT5MMMCJBQTOPFIM5EWRWJRE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Until last year, Apple’s iPhones and iPads could officially only install software approved by the tech giant’s App Store reviewers. That meant Apple had a fairly tight grip on what was allowed on its devices. The only way around that was to jailbreak the phone to install unapproved software.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SVHCLAUQVCVJPEHNWCKPDVMVA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Under new EU rules, though, Apple has been forced to open up to alternative app stores. As a result you can now sideload apps from outside the App Store – but only in the European Union.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U3LY5MLAFNBFBLKA72WZ3ZXTSA","additional_properties":{},"content":"That is great for people who want a wider variety of apps, but what about all those parental controls? The problem is that some of the content restrictions you set only applies to the content that comes through the App Store.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P5JCRNHFLVD6PE2ERMQVQMJ7OM","additional_properties":{},"content":"That was brought home when the first native app for porn appeared on iOS a couple of weeks ago, Hot Tub, through an alternative app store.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2KYQL3CIBFPXMQ5KN2BA3DJUY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Apple issued a statement about the app, indicating just how strongly it felt about the situation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YEY7JA7L4FCJZNNA7DC6XMAIWA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hard-core porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids. This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem that we have worked for more than a decade to make the best in the world,” the tech giant said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EFMJZNQ3FZB7BIDODKQ5F7INF4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, we certainly do not approve of this app and would never offer it in our App Store. The truth is that we are required by the European Commission to allow it to be distributed by marketplace operators like AltStore and Epic who may not share our concerns for user safety.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AZRUTXACNVGRHP77ISUTDNJEZI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Watch out for video-sharing sites","type":"header"},{"_id":"S4ECSRLIXNHXPIZX6XB23NHCYM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The range of content on video-sharing platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram is varied, from useful tips and interesting information to satirical videos and less-wholesome content.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5PGYODDPTRDPRB5JF3AGGB3EKQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can’t control what other people are sharing on video platforms. But you can limit your child’s access to it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ULYYW5FI5DJFE3NKNBPGN7VLM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Instagram and TikTok have parental controls and dedicated accounts for younger users that restrict some of the content offered, while also preventing others from sending unsolicited messages.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QO4O7BLW75B6ZG2PQX7Y2OPJH4","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you have signed in to a YouTube account, you can restrict content based on age rating. But stuff can still slip through, and likewise there are plenty of seemingly innocent videos that hide a darker undercurrent. There is a whole subgenre of Peppa Pig horror, for example, that would make you think twice about Mummy and Daddy Pig, for example.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SQA65BFH75GHVH3LOAQG7HAN3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.youtubekids.com/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.youtubekids.com/\">YouTube Kids</a>, which is an app geared towards younger users, strips a lot of that content out. It has built-in parental controls, access to which is controlled by brainteasers only an adult (or an advanced child) could figure out. That allows you to set time limits or turn off features such as auto play.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"It’s not practical to completely cut off online access, but there are ways of minimising exposure to harm"},"display_date":"2025-02-13T05:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"How can we keep our kids safe online? Here are some tips for parents ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DH6OMEFBRRGRLIY3LMCY7PWGUM","auth":{"1":"f5f210373a2180395a346951960951b3493cb04ea0bfd480ed3a7cd3eefc21ff"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DH6OMEFBRRGRLIY3LMCY7PWGUM.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Data & Security"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/02/13/how-can-we-keep-our-kids-safe-online-here-are-some-tips-for-parents/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"43RUQFNR4BCSVF247KHBI3DJ7E","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":325,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/62121a92-5e57-46ea-855b-8ecea30ad0ba/versions/1739275971/media/8b693cc8b6fd90f9fa95521bc7b9e51f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/13/fujifilm-instax-wide-evo-review-merging-the-best-of-instant-and-digital-photography/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7PR66VRLNNBZ3EOVWVYSUMLVUQ","embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-6696","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"MIL2WD2475HIVCRIIXNJWHQRSU","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMLAIUI6TFA3PMUYZNU4VKYZNU","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZWIFS2P3SFDMLNUB3OUXPS5MCY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Fujifilm has built up quite a business for itself in instant cameras. The company has managed to make its own a sector that was once synonymous with Polaroid, and carved a seemingly viable business out of a product that was very nearly killed off by digital. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MBIENUENFBCYTD5ILIOSMC36J4","additional_properties":{},"content":"But the Instax cameras have found a way to combine both – at least for some of the models. The Instax Wide Evo is one of these hybrid instant cameras, combining all the best bits of an instant camera and a digital camera. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HDSZK45GFJAJVGV27YME3DTM6Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"That means pictures you can develop in around a minute, but a camera that also allows you to choose and edit the images that you want to print, so you aren’t wasting your money on bad photos. And you can do it all on the camera, without ever having to use an app to alter your images. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFIJDGZWTNGN5KCUKBPDR5PSLQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"It isn’t just the ability to choose your images that makes the Wide Evo a good camera, though. You can apply different filters to your images before you print them, or add different frames. You are limited to the effects loaded on to the camera, but there are plenty to choose from, and there are further ways to make the image your own (more on that later). ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WT2HZSDPZFBDVF6QGVKXODYUHE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The camera offers the widest lens for an Instax camera, with a 16mm option. Switching between wide angle and the standard lens is simple: a flick of a switch. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"L224AYC3R5H2VO32HC5IVYVXTI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Out of the box, the camera is unmistakably an Evo model. Unlike other Instax cameras that opt for pastel colours and soft lines, the Evo is modelled more on a traditional camera, with a grey-and-black case that lets you know it’s a serious device. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FIX65QTGFGZHK7ZHHCHCB5OCE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The camera itself is easy to use, although there are more dials and buttons than I ever remember having to get to grips with before. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WJO6Q5YEFZCHDEISDIDGB3WIKQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"On the back, you have a 3.5in LCD display that acts as the viewfinder – no analogue viewfinder here – and controls for reviewing or otherwise interacting with images. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYIDEJ7LRFBX3NNJ7JVZM5JYOM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Dials are located on either side of the camera case - one for controlling the 10 lens effects, another for applying different colour treatments to images, and a winder to print your selected image. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"DFPGFALUYJF4LMMMNZTI37C64A","subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"MY3XHLDVURGCNPVTCDW7DZLJOI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Film styles can be applied with yet another physical control, a button located on the top of the case. There are six to choose from, including a classic film strip, a cinematic treatment with black bars across the top and bottom of the image, a date/time stamp format, a contact sheet look, and a vintage collodion process effect.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A6VY6AUAINHIZDKFIC65VFQOPU","additional_properties":{},"content":"On the front, there is a switch to control the wide angle, lens, the shutter button and a mirror, so you can go almost old-style on selfies. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5EZQ3DZ7LNE6LCSRAUMUJBNSWE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Wide Evo also uses Instax’s wide-format instant film, so you can combine that with the wide-angle lens to get more space in the image to squash in friends, family and pets, along with landscape shots. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"NDGZ544T4BA5BJX4XSSEANNOMQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s not just about slapping an effect on a photo, though. There is a degree control function too that controls the strength of the effect on each image you take. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"C6B4ORXHLNHIPLWFSBCILE57C4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Fujifilm Instax Mini 99: The most creative and best instant film camera in the line to date","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"HR3NAVTGIRBIVD7ZRXE3GZNFKQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"The options for customisation on this front are incredible. You can take a vignette image in different degrees of sepia, and add an old-style film effect to the picture before you take it to give it the perfect fake old-world look. This may be something that camera makers worked on removing from images for years, but now with a turn of a dial, you can add it back. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XDT5FMBRVCGVBZQ5XWX7P4YQ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Then you simply wind the print dial and watch the photo move up the digital screen – a nice touch – before becoming a physical print in your hands. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"FYVL7FJWLVAQTKW2E3NYYJO5KE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The built-in lithium ion battery can print up to 100 images, although it depends on how much messing about you do with filters and effects, with the LCD screen activated. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2OIHXEAXZBXLEBVTYSIGQAC6M","additional_properties":{},"content":"There is space to store about 45 images on the camera’s internal memory, but you can expand that with a micro SD card should you need it. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VM6EANCUUFFRFCKTJCJOUOR5UQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"You could also offload your favourite images to your smartphone. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OWGH4Q57TNGSFN2I2MQ23TG7SI","additional_properties":{},"content":"You might not need an app to print or edit images, but this is Instax, and it’s a hybrid camera, so inevitably there is one. The Wide Evo app has a few functions: you can directly print photos from your smartphone, save images from the camera to your device or use your smartphone as a remote viewer. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"2DDWTGTOZJDDZMAYAHUAQTBCXQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"There is also a “discover” feed, where other Instax Evo users have saved their favourite lens and effect combinations, so you can copy them. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"3TW6PSR2XBFCZJ5ZIGTUOYGTMM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"CCBK4WPQKJF4LGPNU6EQ5LLDZI","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Instax Wide Evo comes with plenty of customisation options to make your images stand out, from lens effects to colour treatment, and the ability to step them up in degrees. The print winder, while not necessary, was a nice touch too. That went down particularly well with the younger members of the test crew. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WKHZ2GUKRVCMVMHFZXSQIPPRGY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"CF42UOKEJZBN3CJ3B4L6XIA2HQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you are a one-button kind of photographer, the options on this camera might be a little overwhelming. The cost of the film and the associated waste might be a dealbreaker for some. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UQLQES7BFRG4DA3KAI5NT6DN5E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"KITFWL4JXFHEBPSTIZS4EWQ7TI","additional_properties":{},"content":"As well as printing images in the moment, the Wide Evo can also be used to print your smartphone photos. But it is refreshing that although the app is there, it is not essential to use the camera. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"S6I72U5YWNBHNA7YCTF7XLHY6Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"Verdict ","type":"header"},{"_id":"QBUEPOI6TFGQZM4EKA2ZGB44OM","additional_properties":{},"content":"A hybrid camera that hits the right notes. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HFXWP72ZPZDO7NUQD273Q2RISE","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Options for customisation are incredible and you can also save to your smartphone or print from there"},"display_date":"2025-02-13T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo review: merging the best of instant and digital photography","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"7QMQLZXHSVEPNJBNH6KEKRY64A","auth":{"1":"892be9b49927cb3aaeb61463e75afc58d20f1b0cdd7ece571bcb158137a8bf26"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/7QMQLZXHSVEPNJBNH6KEKRY64A.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/13/fujifilm-instax-wide-evo-review-merging-the-best-of-instant-and-digital-photography/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"NX25T3O6NZDL7CG4V5DJDJ4M2M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":141,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/75c5cb3d-74bd-422e-a15a-2c4576a2ee1f/versions/1738927246/media/11be127963d25a70683ec7aa38643b33_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/ireland/2025/02/07/scam-texts-to-be-blocked-as-watchdog-unveils-text-messaging-register/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CO3WLI6IZNCSBK54D4PGE74SIY","additional_properties":{},"content":"A new front in the war on scammers is to be opened later this year when communications watchdog ComReg rolls out a text-messaging register that will more easily flag and then block rogue SMS messages. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QSXCPQIWDJESXLHD5MYCNKXL7E","additional_properties":{},"content":"It said on Friday morning it was developing an SMS Sender ID Registry to ensure texting is “a reliable and trustworthy communications channel in Ireland”. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TIAXYUYC3VGM5JQSAY4INZKC5I","additional_properties":{},"content":"ComReg noted that text message scams are undermining the SMS communications channel with consumers and organisations losing trust in the mode of message delivery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JH5OUMWG2BFBPA7MFCKLPVTVWE","additional_properties":{},"content":"It said the annual level of harm to Irish consumers and businesses from scam calls and texts was estimated to be over €300 million annually of which approximately €115 million is attributed to scam texts. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OFTWC2K4QNFWBEV6I3HI4DPA5U","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Many organisations rely on SMS to communicate with their customers and clients,” ComReg said. It pointed to financial transactions, delivery updates and appointments. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"73UCEBHXAJDCPIBIADSLIM5HPE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Business to client/customer messaging is called Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ROJYOBZBHJF5XJ73UXPST6Y7JA","additional_properties":{},"content":"A2P SMS messages often include an alphanumeric identifier, or SMS Sender ID, that may be the name of the company or brand that sent the message – for example 234BANK. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"N4BUYEAICRHMTFXUPMJQDSEWKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“SMS Aggregators and Mobile Service Providers handling bulk SMS traffic on behalf of organisations need to preregister their business customers’ SMS Sender IDs with ComReg by February 25th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BE2E7AEICVECPOF3ZREVZYKWJY","additional_properties":{},"content":"From early July SMS messages with unregistered Sender IDs will be labelled “Likely Scam” to alert the recipient that the SMS may not be legitimate. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6J635RZACRDTJDLJRUUPVWDATY","additional_properties":{},"content":"From October 3rd, SMS messages with unregistered SMS Sender IDs will be blocked. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"T7ISXDMWDJD2VAY6NCSG7MELFI","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Organisations using SMS Sender IDs in their messages to customers should instruct their SMS provider to preregister those SMS Sender IDs with ComReg now,” the watchdog said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5LH3PJZCXRG7DFYET7EM3K4V7E","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"KV7OGQXI55BKRHDS66CCWCYT2Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"Scam text messages costing consumers over €100m a year, says ComReg"},"display_date":"2025-02-07T11:20:01.138Z","headlines":{"basic":"Scam texts to be blocked as watchdog unveils text-messaging register ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BVF3IZZXRRGUXBW2JN66H4TDEU","auth":{"1":"0dac0951dff5cf684441018a108f3b21bcbdc00babf811e00240912db5d8b4f2"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BVF3IZZXRRGUXBW2JN66H4TDEU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ireland"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/ireland/2025/02/07/scam-texts-to-be-blocked-as-watchdog-unveils-text-messaging-register/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/ireland","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Ireland"}}}},{"_id":"NSZWSL22PND6TKSRD6OSXNTBP4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":368,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/11a9e656-b0c9-4999-b6ef-507cf99d35d3/versions/1738747702/media/6b7ae3d5fb336a465d5241039b292741_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/06/samsung-s25-ultra-sticking-to-the-tried-and-tested-reduces-incentive-to-upgrade/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4VL2BK5AJZFXDA6NW6THLRRET4","embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-2213","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"4GX2FWEBHVAGNGBHBKSHFQOMNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\">Artificial intelligence</a> is everywhere these days, from the workplace to our personal lives, but for most people the real benefits have yet to be realised, ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HLSOTNVKHJH6PNGZFEJ7CDJWVQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Step up, phone makers, with your AI-powered features to persuade the rest of us that it really is worth upgrading to get whatever edge AI can offer us. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"LOIDZQED2BGQNC5LDUOJX2ZPJ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s not that surprising that smartphone makers are pushing heavily on the software side of things to try to sell their latest phones; there is a whole other debate here about pushing hardware to the limits of its development and whether or not the flagship devices have become a bit, well, boring. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"4ZV3RCSSF5APLICAS57I2HRYIQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"That is one accusation that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/samsung/\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/samsung/\">Samsung</a> is probably keen to avoid. The company unveiled its new flagship series of devices last month to great fanfare, and AI is at the heart of the devices. The all-singing, all-dancing device is the S25 Ultra, with a high-powered camera, 6.9-inch display and the S Pen stylus that it inherited from the Note. But does it have anything new to offer? ","type":"text"},{"_id":"JE5FYSS7O5GUBIOMJYBLUVG3HM","additional_properties":{},"content":"On paper, the Galaxy S25 Ultra ticks all the right boxes. It comes with Android 15, seven years of software and security updates, and is powered by a tweaked Snapdragon 8 chip that makes it run incredibly fast. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UELFBBNAYFGGTCBAMKDNAG3YRY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: AI features help new premium smartphone stand out","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"INET3FMZIJAEDGKQC7KCSAQ6GY","additional_properties":{},"content":"As you would expect, Samsung has gone big on the camera. The S25 Ultra has powerful levels of zoom – up to 5x on optical zoom, aka the good one, and up to 100x digital zoom if you can cope with extreme levels of close-up (and shake). ","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y3QICYIZ6ZF3JAQK42XDFLKQ2E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Samsung has decided to stick with its previous decision to remove the 10x optical zoom; in between, you have this “optical quality” zoom for 10x, which Samsung says is enabled by Adaptive Pixel sensor it first introduced with the S22. That essentially means you are using software and the large number of pixels captured by the S25 Ultra’s sensor to create an image detailed enough that you can zoom without losing any essential elements. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"7NIQDA6NXNEXBHTUIGI7VG2EA4","additional_properties":{},"content":"More useful is the decision to include a 50 megapixel sensor for the ultrawide camera, so you can get better images even in lower light from that extra lens room. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QK7MBPJD35HM7BFKG4KTPNXGYM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Overall, the S25 Ultra is more of the same from Samsung. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s a tried-and-tested format, albeit one with sharper edges that I’d like. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OSLATHTF3ZCGBO523H7CSJHJTM","additional_properties":{},"content":"But with the upgrade cycle lengthening to three or more years, the reasons to incur the extra expense of a new device have to be compelling for customers. I’m just not convinced that this will be the one to lure customers away from its rivals. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"XI67NJ4IHNEJHKLXYL2ULTKB6U","additional_properties":{},"content":"As previously mentioned, Samsung is more tightly integrating AI into this set of devices, although it still is firmly in the “nice to have” rather than “essential feature” territory, and the most interesting features are not necessarily exclusive to the S25.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UHH2YZWTNZA7BKYA4E3YVJTRVM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Now brief will give you a run down of what you are doing for the day, when you need to be there and prompt you about what time you should leave. That is a useful feature and one that you quickly get used to. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"FUYZFL34CFHOZGRJHDN2VZLVMI","additional_properties":{},"content":"The other useful addition is the ability of the AI to interact with elements on the screen, for example adding an event to your calendar or creating a note. Again, it’s a small change but something that makes so much sense, you wonder why they didn’t do it years ago. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5JAMFEDO6VESRPTT5BQYNSMSNE","subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"J4HW6XDIFBBHLO3XB7AURXGVGE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bixby has been relegated to a background role here, with Google’s Gemini front and centre. That is no loss; I can’t think of a time I ever favoured Bixby over Google Assistant, for example, or simply doing things myself. Samsung is simply recognising what we are all thinking: sometimes you don’t need to create your own. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"3KVC2EBYCBHXHEYCBCCMXGFV2U","additional_properties":{},"content":"The latest software also includes audio eraser for videos, something Pixel 9 users will already be familiar with. We have all had those moments where you replay the very important moments you have captured on your phone, only to discover background noise is taking away some of the atmosphere. Audio eraser will help you lessen that annoyance, dialling back the background noise and tweaking things to your preference. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TXOHDKJHRCOHCEVF6PSL4VIJU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Samsung’s S Pen comes in handy, but the company has removed the Bluetooth function from the integrated pen and made it an optional extra purchase. That means no remote shutter capabilities, for example. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"YSUCTGJGORFDVFZFAAOKXXG7R4","additional_properties":{},"content":"While it may not seem like a big deal, for the price of the Ultra, and given its name, I’d rather not have to spend extra money for all the bells and whistles. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"JP7NKHHLQJGXDFIEP7AIF5FIXM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Overall, the phone is good, but is that enough to keep people coming back? ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ICGXIJ5N6BBMHHNODZ3HU3EQPA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"4EFTTJ24N5BERP7JZ6HWTQTPZE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Samsung hasn’t strayed too far from the tried-and-tested design of the Ultra. It has a big screen with a high refresh rate that makes scrolling a smooth process. You still get the S Pen tucked away in the bottom for anything you need, even if it lacks a few features, and the new software updates are useful if not a compelling reason to upgrade. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"4GAJ3DE2BVEZPANISYHRG33UG4","embed":{"config":{},"id":"acast_podcast-74254","url":"/"},"subtype":"acast_podcast","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"MO2AHP7JYREXRGMEJGIS3MNAYE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"D5QGLLF5ARENXBAB2XAB4D7DNM","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you are hoping for something groundbreaking on the hardware side of things, you’ll be disappointed. Samsung has largely stuck with the same design and capabilities. And the S Pen has lost its Bluetooth functionality, which seems like a step backwards. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"4HFEPSCN5ZH5BAGWNAVAN7ZYEE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"B6IZSHWBUVC5LE2S7UWJLMARQA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Samsung offers a choice for logging into your phone, from a numerical passcode and a password to biometrics that include your face and your fingerprint. If you have concerns about facial recognition being fooled by a photo, it might soothe those worries to know that the S25’s system wasn’t fooled by a close-up, severely unflattering photo of my face. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"7PAZYKXUZNAZLNMCD3MXSDGS7M","additional_properties":{},"content":"You also get the Knox capabilities for securing your data, which means you can lock down apps and files on your phone to keep prying eyes out of your business. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFIRYYGSVNANTJBUGNJTH37DCQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"4VINMGGMWRBWNA3ZAKUITD34UY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a solid, well-designed phone, but it is getting increasingly difficult to stand out in a smartphone market where everyone is upping their game.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Integrated AI features still firmly in the ‘nice to have’ rather than ‘essential feature’ territory"},"display_date":"2025-02-06T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Samsung S25 Ultra: Sticking to the tried and tested reduces incentive to upgrade ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ID6CHQPRSFHFZBHBMRWAXWN5ZM","auth":{"1":"b38c726beadf4c5454b34d0e61f87b8ef409c4ba22616d531f1b12656b03cde8"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ID6CHQPRSFHFZBHBMRWAXWN5ZM.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/06/samsung-s25-ultra-sticking-to-the-tried-and-tested-reduces-incentive-to-upgrade/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"NTQHQ4CL3VF7HJTGXGTQJ7YR34","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":302,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/12e30edc-cc81-4e55-8eb6-29de4ceebe8a/versions/1738748027/media/1ae9d24b4ab4e48dd21b31d3f6a2cc3b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2025/02/06/computer-says-no-what-to-do-when-an-automated-decision-making-system-shuts-you-out/","content_elements":[{"_id":"PJ7HIN5YPFGMJIIPDLFWI2H4QE","additional_properties":{},"content":"What does it mean for a machine’s decision to be “fair”? So far, the public debate has focused mostly on the issue of bias and discrimination. That is understandable: most people would expect machines to be less biased than humans (indeed, this is often given as the rationale for using them in processes such as recruitment), so it is right to pay attention to evidence that they can be biased, too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HKQN6HZ25ZEPHIX2CC3OTXD7XA","additional_properties":{},"content":"But the word “fair” has a lot of interpretations, and “unbiased” is only one of them. I found myself on the receiving end of an automated decision recently which made me think about what it really means to feel that you have been treated justly, and how hard it might be to hold on to those principles in an increasingly automated world.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3UJA2EVYBBBLPDKYRUJOY6IMTE","additional_properties":{},"content":"I have a personal <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/google/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/google/\">Gmail</a> account which I use for correspondence about a book project I am working on. I woke up one morning in November to discover that I could no longer access it. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2LPBYE7KRBUFJ2W2J5BW74XXE","additional_properties":{},"content":"A message from Google said my access had been “restricted globally” because “it looks as though Gmail has been used to send unwanted content. Spamming is a violation of Google’s policies.” The note said the decision had been made by “automatic processing” and that if I thought it was a mistake, I could submit an appeal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HZOXIGC63REJZBYCCOLARCDPGM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I had not sent any spam and couldn’t imagine why Google’s algorithm thought that I had. That made it hard to know what to write in the “appeal” text box, other than a panicked version of something like, “I didn’t do it (whatever it is)!” and, “Please help, I really need access to my email and my files”. (To my relief, I realised later that I hadn’t lost access to my drive.)","type":"text"},{"_id":"DAL24IXVVRH23GKNQSR24J3C7M","additional_properties":{},"content":"Two days later, I heard back: “After reviewing your appeal, your account’s access remains restricted for this service.” I wasn’t given any more information on what I had supposedly done or why the appeal had been rejected, but was told that “if you disagree with this decision, you can submit another appeal.” ","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y2TOE63O2NC35H7G52XVWTPA2A","additional_properties":{},"content":"I tried again and was rejected again. I did this a few more times – curious, at this point, about how long this doom loop could continue. A glance at Reddit suggested other people had been through similar things. Eventually, I gave up. (Google declined to comment on the record.)","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6E7A5GB6BBGTL3E4YPHRZ46HA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Among regulators, one popular answer to the question of how to make automated decisions more “fair” is to insist that people can request a human to review them. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"B3QSKAJTZ5FHNOADHMLV7U5SD4","additional_properties":{},"content":"But how effective is this remedy? For one thing, humans are prone to “automation complacency” – a tendency to trust the machine too much. In the case of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorials/2024/01/11/the-irish-times-view-on-the-uk-post-office-affair-a-scandal-followed-by-a-cover-up/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorials/2024/01/11/the-irish-times-view-on-the-uk-post-office-affair-a-scandal-followed-by-a-cover-up/\">UK’s Post Office scandal</a>, for example, where sub-postmasters were wrongly accused of theft because of a faulty computer system called Horizon, a judge in 2019 concluded that people at the Post Office displayed “a simple institutional obstinacy or refusal to consider any possible alternatives to their view of Horizon”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A5PITOPIKVEHZDZ3YCWWLZ6F6I","additional_properties":{},"content":"Ben Green, an expert on algorithmic fairness at the University of Michigan, says there can be practical problems in some organisations, too. “Often times the human overseers are on a tight schedule – they have many cases to review,” he told me. “A lot of the cases I’ve looked at are instances where the decision is based on some sort of statistical prediction,” he said, but “people are not very good at making those predictions, so why would they be good at evaluating them?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"S63C5JG3WJCUXMGIB2IN5H7UMM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The very human problem with not-quite-self-driving cars","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"XVW6K77S5BATXJRWSUGFCIXVKY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Once my impotent rage about my email had simmered down, I found I had a certain amount of sympathy with Google. With so many customers, an automated system is the only practical way to detect breaches of its policies. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"C7LKYZV3RNDHHBKGYPOVJXXVPQ","embed":{"config":{},"id":"acast_podcast-36218","url":"/"},"subtype":"acast_podcast","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"2VVF4TSFLFA63EATJ5LEKI37SI","additional_properties":{},"content":"And while it felt deeply unfair to have to plead my case without knowing what had triggered the system, nor any explanation of pitfalls to avoid in an appeal, I could also see that the more detail Google offered about the way the system worked, the easier it would be for bad actors to get around it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BIFSESQWUJCHTNILLQ56D6NX5U","additional_properties":{},"content":"But this is the point. In increasingly automated systems, the goal of procedural justice – that people feel the process has been fair to them – often comes into conflict with other goals, such as the need for efficiency, privacy or security. There is no easy way to make those trade-offs disappear.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WQK74YNKSRGPZAJTULPQGQ6HNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"As for my email account, when I decided to write about my experience for this column, I emailed Google’s press office with the details to see if I could discuss the issue. By the end of the day, my access to my email account had been restored. I was pleased, of course, but I don’t think many people would see that as particularly fair either. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sarah O'Connor"}},"name":"Sarah O'Connor"}]},"description":{"basic":"Simply adding a human review process to an algorithmic decision doesn’t make tricky trade-offs disappear"},"display_date":"2025-02-06T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Computer says no? What to do when an automated decision-making system shuts you out","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EMZQ2Q67VJBRBOH2SBHFKV275I","auth":{"1":"24ad833d60518339a86273085ea8a84584971ca83eac86847d895abe272503b5"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EMZQ2Q67VJBRBOH2SBHFKV275I.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2025/02/06/computer-says-no-what-to-do-when-an-automated-decision-making-system-shuts-you-out/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"CLSUSIWVBBBQJFX3FONF427BOA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":487,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8c2fafb6-6b66-4c89-8204-8fcf3ddf68a6/versions/1738065165/media/1fbe6a64ee595d424f3b6a77ce451032_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/2025/01/30/five-security-steps-you-need-to-take-now-on-your-phone/","content_elements":[{"_id":"KNUC3S2JUNEQFEIKVDYPJO4BKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256446},"content":"How secure are your devices? Our phones typically look after many of our day-to-day needs, from email and messaging to shopping and banking. But phone thefts in some places are rising, and it is not the value of the phone that is at stake: it is the data it contains. That is far more valuable than the device itself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C67HZLD57VDA5IBXNJZBEPBT3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256447},"content":"Here are five steps you need to take to try to protect yourself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T35Y2EHG5NGZ5KXZGHHKOQGDTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256448},"content":"Protect your pin","type":"header"},{"_id":"OCYQV7CZAVFMRBBRIACP2ZQTVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256449},"content":"We are all conditioned to protect our pins from prying eyes at cash machines or when we are paying at a till. But how many times have you used your phone’s security code without a thought about who could be watching?","type":"text"},{"_id":"ERDYEUVKGRBN5P3CYS66UBL7WM","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256450},"content":"“Shoulder surfing” is one tactic used by thieves to target phone users. The unsuspecting victim unlocks their phone with their security code, unaware that someone is watching nearby. They are later targeted, the phone taken and, with the phone and the code in the thieves' possession, it can be unlocked and the data accessed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4KZIWF73XVEHXALLQQKYZRT5XQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256451},"content":"James O’Sullivan, founder of mobile security app Nuke From Orbit, fell victim to this on a night out in Dublin. Shortly after paying for a drink at the bar, he realised his phone was missing. Since he had used facial recognition on his phone rather than his pin when buying his drinks, he wasn’t overly concerned that his data could be accessed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SHEO4OXBKFDYHESHLKOVAKE72Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256452},"content":"It was only later that he realised his phone had been compromised, probably through someone spotting his pin code as he used it throughout the night when facial recognition was not working for him.","type":"text"},{"_id":"53AAWQJGSRBHFOL7KLTS57INLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256453},"content":"It spurred him to create Nuke From Orbit, which offers a way to cut off access to bank cards and financial apps and to create new passwords for critical services in the event of your phone being stolen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFJLNZUTVZAGXFBTZDD7WVRIZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256454},"content":"The service is set to be launched later this year and is operating a waiting list for users in advance of its official opening.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RVHV7AKT7VCVNBELS7V25EKUME","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256455},"content":"In the meantime you should be wary of using your phone’s pin or unlock pattern in public, and make sure no one is looking over your shoulder when you do.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PTLL3RIOMFCXXLATZVFKYQQG5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256456},"content":"If you reuse that pin elsewhere on your device, you may be in more trouble than you think, as it opens up access to other apps in your phone. Which brings us to…","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZIWT5CWZZD3XABW7Q2GPM2ME4","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256457},"content":"Better passwords, empty inbox and thinking before you share: How to put manners on your tech use","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZONXANG7SVHVJE6MRRH4VQIJXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256459},"content":"Go unique","type":"header"},{"_id":"DHZBHWKFNNFTRJET5XANVV3LGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256460},"content":"Whether it is your password or security code, make sure you aren’t reusing log-in data. For passwords to online accounts, you should create unique passwords for each one and store them in a password manager that has a strong, unique password protecting it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BNK63VS5HRDDBCD4EIO7ZXR7WM","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256461},"content":"For apps on your phone that require you to provide a numerical code to log in, ensure it is not the same as your main phone’s security code.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UNNFIIYBWBHFNC2RBPDHCFP7HQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256462},"content":"That means if one password or pin is compromised somehow, it won’t give whoever has gained access to your account a free pass to all the rest of your private services.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DCXVDAVBONEV3IK2Y7CCGSHLQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256463},"content":"The problem is that human beings aren’t random, and what we think is a secure, random password is a little less random than we think. This is one job where technology definitely trumps the human touch. Password managers can help you to create unique security credentials for each account and, even more importantly, it will remember them for you and autofill them into services as they are needed, provided you have already inserted the strong master password or used biometrics – facial or thumb recognition – to unlock it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TS5MWMAKOZDXNPNIW7EJ6CYNSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256464},"content":"There are password managers built into Apple – the Passwords app – and Google’s Android system – the Password Manager feature – so you can get going without having to download any additional software or put your hand in your pocket.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BGCISLQTTZHX3DZIEGJS37FCV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256465},"content":"If you want an independent service, though, there are some great free options. Open-source password manager Bitwarden, for example, will allow you to save an unlimited number of passwords to your account, and it can be accessed across mobile and desktop platforms without a subscription.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EKW6VCGWVZFHRHGIAXXWAGC4OU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256466},"content":"The core functions – securing apps, websites and accounts with passwords or passkeys – are free, although a premium subscription opens up more advanced features for the princely sum of $10 a year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VYG4FGPE6VC2TBAAW7CVANI6EY","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256467},"content":"Proton Pass is another free option, one that comes with the added benefit of access to the free tier of Proton’s other services – Proton VPN, Mail, Calendar and Drive. You get unlimited log-ins and notes, up to 10 email aliases to hide your email address, and it can share your details with one other user.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OOVS3Y6QWNDOHGVJRK5RPZTAQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256468},"type":"image"},{"_id":"INKOKFEHPBFQJPK5EBFEPJ423Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256469},"content":"Two-factor authentication","type":"header"},{"_id":"T4RT3AETNNEZPMNTOQY4PPSETU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256470},"content":"Strong passwords are great but if you want to keep people out of your personal data, two-factor authentication provides another layer of protection. Two-factor authentication requires not only your passcode but a one-time code or authentication from a trusted device before you can log in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKYU4UDYX5BKFKMQEY7UNOFX3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256471},"content":"The most secure method of two-factor authentication is generally considered to be a hardware key that plugs into your device. However, more common methods are authenticator apps, such as Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator, which generate a new secure code regularly, or SMS authentication, which will send you a code via text message.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LRDDYVXC3ZEDPMFMESUX4W3EQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256472},"content":"Authenticator apps are generally more secure as they are harder to intercept but, as with text messages, it means you have to have your phone on you to get the code. Make sure your authenticator app is locked with a strong passcode or facial recognition to keep prying eyes out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LPK6HRIMWJE3ZPSVV2PQCWZ6MM","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256473},"content":"Enable two-factor authentication on everything that supports it, whether it is email or your social-media accounts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V2D7P2WZ3FCOFEAKK2M2H6AUOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256474},"content":"The data that can be harvested from your social media is significant when it comes to identity theft – everything from your birthday to the names of close family members, where you grew up or your first pet could be contained in posts on those pages – in fact, the answers to a lot of the usual security questions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RQMXOCLU25GE5FTK2UEPHECVDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256475},"content":"Lock apps and data","type":"header"},{"_id":"DOAGW6AKXZF77KEGWR7ZIVMJDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256476},"content":"You can add yet another layer of protection to the most sensitive apps on your mobile device by locking them down and requiring a facial scan or passcode to enable access.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WN6DP4GSDNBCJOYYIT4BR5NIHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256477},"content":"Apple allows you to lock any app from the Home screen by long-pressing on the app and choosing Require Face ID from the pop-up menu. It can also be unlocked with your passcode, so keep that protected too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NLD4BBYDEVHNXIUZILYXCUCXYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256478},"content":"Android phones allow you to create a secure folder that keeps apps you choose hidden away. Their data will not be visible on the phone unless the secure folder is unlocked. It could be referred to as a secure folder (HMD) or private space (Pixel phones).","type":"text"},{"_id":"UALCCOMETFCNNHQEDTTZWLY3SA","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256479},"content":"Pixel phones, for example, allow you to create a separate Google Account for use in the Private Space, so you can download applications into the secure folder and put a new security code on it, distinct from your device code. HMD’s devices create a secure folder you access with a gesture on the screen, and a separate security code.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7DR7AE3M5ZBOHIWGLUDXUUYX3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256480},"content":"If you keep scans of passports or other ID on your phone, make sure to lock them away in a hidden folder on your phone that is password protected with either your face scan or a unique pin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CMQYCSPYWVGDZM2KYMCYTRSTZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256481},"content":"Those photographs, useful as they may be to have at your fingertips, could give a malicious user the last piece of the puzzle they need to set up bank accounts and other fraudulent activities in your name.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XB2KD55QERCJ3LZONXCPM6S5E4","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256482},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"DAXCYKAOHFAWRN7HF44A34UGHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256483},"content":"Audit access","type":"header"},{"_id":"74BJXGQGVBGONDDUCKOZDI3HGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256484},"content":"Who has access to your accounts? What apps have been authorised to use your data? It is a good idea to regularly review the permissions you have granted to some of your most sensitive applications, and revoke access to anything you either don’t recognise or don’t need.","type":"text"},{"_id":"45LWOZHAKRB6LPWIMWLIH6IGBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256485},"content":"In Google, this information can be found under Google Account > Security and scroll down to connections to third-party apps and services. On Apple devices, go to Settings > Apple Account > Sign in with Apple.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Much of the data on your phone is more valuable than the device itself should it get stolen"},"display_date":"2025-01-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Five security steps you need to take now on your phone","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HLRFSLNBGJGJPI6QOC55SSUED4","auth":{"1":"da3e3aab09eb612ef7e7310a5e201f4a8bcc7d6d62d53d7c8b0d4155ec301c01"},"focal_point":{"x":2078,"y":972},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HLRFSLNBGJGJPI6QOC55SSUED4.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/2025/01/30/five-security-steps-you-need-to-take-now-on-your-phone/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Technology"}}}},{"_id":"2QKWEXDIJ5CIVNHTGZJE6FVWMM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":274,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e9dcb652-cb28-49e7-9bb1-45abd5a82a36/versions/1738062785/media/cfc1159ceb2c95b92b1c16428473bdc1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/30/bosch-unlimited-7-aqua-review-saving-time-and-effort-on-household-cleaning/","content_elements":[{"_id":"R6KVB5MWCZGRHOFLVFS6JXXW54","additional_properties":{"_id":1738057804947},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-42374","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"4HKWUXM6AVEU3LGY5V6A2QATEM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I like devices that save time. I like them even more when they don’t take up a lot of room in my house, or when I can replace two of them with one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EWGWKWW6GJGHXIRNHDEDVK4G64","additional_properties":{},"content":"Take for example the Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua. It is a two-in-one cordless vacuum and mop, a first for the company and a win for consumers who might not have the space or the desire for two entirely separate devices to clean floors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WCZHKS2V3VBMLKWJ2MWFYU4VQE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Unlimited 7 Aqua is a new addition to the range. It does everything you would expect of the Bosch vacuum, but throws in the new twin-in-one mop head so you can wash the floors, too. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"4IWEKDPQYRHTZP4X4TWQN6BC4I","additional_properties":{},"content":"That isn’t entirely unusual; other vacuums offer a wet cleaning head, but Bosch’s decision to build the two into one attachment means you can vacuum and mop without having to swap attachments, or do the same floor twice. And the dirt goes into a separate chamber, so it doesn’t form a damp, disgusting paste that you have to clean.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y6DJLLC7P5ETFM7USBUHYAGTVE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The attachment in question has two spinning mop pads to lift dirt, and a small water tank built in. As you move throughout the room, it sucks away the dirt, and wets the spinning pads to scrub your floors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AECMPKID4ZHOFACXSNSZG6SF5M","additional_properties":{},"type":"image"},{"_id":"KICWHNYOONGWPG4L3JWUSQKSEA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The water supply is automatic, so you don’t have to worry about leaks or overly wet surfaces. And there is no dirty mop to wring out at the end.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXTIUEJOVJFKXJJMFRDCIQPH2U","additional_properties":{},"content":"It works surprisingly well. It tackled the usual child-related grime in my home without too much complaining. The mop left the floors clean but not wet afterwards. It only struggled with an unreported spill that had been allowed to set into something resembling cement – possibly Weetabix-filled milk from a bowl – but a quick spray and a few minutes to settle saw it lift the dirt on the second go.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RAV4TGAP3JAEZGETGQOHFUXO64","additional_properties":{},"content":"It also tackled loose dust and debris quickly. Anything tougher will require the big guns: the dynamic power brush.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KCUO64TBMRF2NKI5QST4447GS4","additional_properties":{},"content":"This is suitable for all floor types and has LED lights so you can really highlight all the dirt you’ve missed in the past. It’s not quite as soul-destroying as Dyson’s laser cleaning head, but it will certainly make you rethink your cleaning schedule.","type":"text"},{"_id":"URAWRE4MO5AILO7G7THSY4DUYI","additional_properties":{},"content":"It also tackles carpets with ease, with the power brush making quick work of the task.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P6B5M7NMTRDIBEDCNDR3QAT4YI","additional_properties":{},"content":"According to Bosch, the cleaner will pick up 99.9 per cent of dust and allergens, with HEPA filtration system filters to make sure it stays gone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NHHCR2EDH5GZPHWJBCSYA2IDKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Homebot Ireland Glider review: A home cleaner that (mostly) takes care of itself","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZBB2SMUNRJGJTFGNVEZCTTTTRU","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is powered by a motor with up to 66,000rpm, and you can choose between eco or turbo mode, or flick it on to auto and let the device make the choice, depending on the floor type.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7E3EAZY4SBGIVHVPJUK7VOQ65E","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Unlimited 7 Aqua has some great features. It is lighter than some of the other cordless devices I’ve used in the past, which makes it easy to use in all areas of the house, especially on the stairs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IZXB3DV4FJDMDENJ5R25DUBR3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Bosch vacuum also comes with more flexible tools. It has a flexible crevice nozzle – great for getting down the side of the dishwasher in this house, or tackling the car – and the hinged “flex tube” that lets you get to harder-to-reach places without having to bend over too much. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"76DUEWVDLNAL3F74RVZE3W6S6Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you suffer with any sort of back pain, you’ll know why this is a good thing: if you don’t, congratulations and long may it last but, trust me when I say, at some point you will welcome this. The 90-degree bend means it goes low so you don’t have to.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FQPPKKWBUVBPZJD6RSLDEEF4Z4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The machine has a 3aH battery that gives you about 40 minutes of run time before it needs a charge. That should give you enough time to whizz around the house, but if you need extra, the batteries are easily swapped out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VC7FMLHPHRAD5LZBEVU2QJCJYY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"KGV2EU7W2VBEFHNW4PJXXJTQAI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Great space saver, and the two-in-one mop head works well. The spinning mop pads will lift some of the medium level dirt from your floors, but heavy-duty grime might require a bit of extra intervention.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7I2SWMGWLFCNDOFZSF6LFKI2VI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Battery life is enough to do the average sized house, and can be easily changed if you need longer running time. They are fairly generic Bosch batteries too, so shop around for a good deal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PHY62MMK7BGZPPL3LNSSXNIDXI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"7WNU6S5HFFBOFF6337JFGMX2GA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The two-in-one mop head is fine for wet cleaning, but it obviously isn’t suitable for use on any carpet, and will only lift loser dirt.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O7M3DLCUMVAWVMNE32JDDHXPKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"5XPQ6QKWJRA23EH3PB356LWUJI","additional_properties":{},"content":"The mop pads are washable, and Bosch includes spares in the box so you are never without the means to mop your floor. Joy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLYWONDOGZAM7BV7SXOEKRIBOI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"I5RF4XJKXBCW5NCX6ILZDHMJ5Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"A time and effort saver that earns its price.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Two-in-one mop head on new Bosch vacuum allows you to wash the floors without changing attachments"},"display_date":"2025-01-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua review: Saving time and effort on household cleaning","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SLKDEKCTOBDHZEHGC36GYUJOAU","auth":{"1":"60fa69e8c5675da169c05cd4b254c130d06fd26a50af8e2db1b114c71997eb34"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SLKDEKCTOBDHZEHGC36GYUJOAU.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/30/bosch-unlimited-7-aqua-review-saving-time-and-effort-on-household-cleaning/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"IG3THFDLHBA3FGAVJGU2DMPF24","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":400,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/9ede729f-7ee4-4dd5-8dc0-799891dee3c6/versions/1737367262/media/d492882999fd0aae1736978cc94b9e39_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2025/01/23/toyota-turns-up-at-las-vegas-electronics-show-ces-not-with-a-car-but-with-a-new-city/","content_elements":[{"_id":"3REVDYGBQFEUPJ2GAUTKZGJF7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059678},"content":"The vast <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/ces/\" target=\"_blank\">Consumer Electronics Show</a> (CES), held in Las Vegas every January, has become a de facto motorcar show. Car makers have abandoned the traditional vast motor shows of old – such as Frankfurt and Geneva – and instead prefer to mix it with the cool kids of the tech world, rubbing shoulders with Nvidia, Apple, Google, and the likes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VE2BTLN7SVDSHFBB4NOKRWAQRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059680},"content":"Car companies have used CES to show off everything from new dashboard technology to full cars. This year, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/honda\" target=\"_blank\">Honda </a>is displaying both the new Afeela electric car that it’s making in collaboration with Sony (only for the American market so far) as well as the latest concept car in its 0 series of electric car previews.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NW7AM5ZKUVFIVLXQERDZ6DYSOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059681},"content":"This year, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/toyota\" target=\"_blank\">Toyota </a>decided not to show up with a car. Toyota came to CES with a whole city.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RAKEGOU7ZJCGFKVSLLDPYJPH3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059682},"content":"Not literally, you understand. In 2020, also at CES (the last one before Covid-19 lockdowns) Toyota’s president, and then its chief executive, Akio Toyoda, announced that the company was going to make its own city. In 2025 that promise will start to come true, with the first residents of Woven City due to move in later this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JVQ6ZQSQ5VF5DA7HUSECTWVTGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059683},"content":"This new city has been planned and built by Toyota at the foot of Mount Fuji, to the southwest of the vast urban sprawl of Japan’s capital. It’s designed to be a city designed around people, and one that minimises both its carbon footprint and any potential for congestion or transport issues. Initially, much of the promise of Woven City was tied to Toyota’s hydrogen plans, and the city itself was set to use hydrogen fuel cells for most of its power needs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GHTH4KBQMRG6XMNJC3PIK4EWDU","additional_properties":{"_id":"NWUB6QFA3JEQVC7QWUM2LKXOXA"},"content":"Who needs an iSmell? Nevada’s CES offers a tantalising view of the future","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"J3Y3V7HDO5EXNEPGTRMMNXLBOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059685},"content":"In the five years since, hydrogen seems to have moved on to the back burner. At CES, Akio Toyoda’s speech announcing the first residents of Woven City made no mention of hydrogen. Toyoda – the grandson of the founder of Toyota – did mention lots of other exciting tech, however, and even compared himself to Taylor Swift.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCR2RKC7LZCRNBHF5BJVLKN7RM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059686},"content":"That comparison was less to do with Toyoda’s musical ability, and more to do with the barrage of camera flashes that welcomed him on to the stage at CES. Perhaps even in his wildest dreams, Toyoda never thought he would be a rock star, but he’s now the impresario of a city.","type":"text"},{"_id":"727JUEPA7BGT3PWGB4PKS4EIIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059687},"content":"“I’ll bet that when you hear the name Toyota, you probably think of words like dependability, value, or affordable transportation. In fact, I’m pretty sure that ‘prototype town of the future’ isn’t the first thing that pops into your head,” Toyoda said. “But five years ago, on this very stage, in this very room – and apparently I was wearing the same tie – I announced that Toyota would be building exactly that. We call it Woven City.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DEX464WA75DGNCAFTYGXSIFRRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059688},"content":"Toyoda went on to say that Woven City was “more than just a place to live, work and play” – it’s a “place where people can invent and develop all kinds of new products and ideas, a living laboratory where the residents are willing participants, giving inventors the opportunity to freely test their ideas in a secure, real-life setting”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MGGF2TQR6ZB5DJIHKY5NNWCO4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059689},"content":"So while the first handful of residents who will move in this coming autumn will be employees of Toyota and their families – about 100 initially, expected to grow to more than than 2,000 by 2026 – Woven City is not merely a glorified dormitory town for those working at Toyota.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CT5EOZUUY5D53APTEWOKMUMFNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059690},"content":"Instead, it’s better thought of as both an experiment – into carbon reduction and transport logistics – and a start-up hothouse. Toyota has already confirmed that several industries are interested in locating in Woven City, from air conditioning manufacturer Daikin Industries, to education provider Zoshinkai Holdings already signed up, and the likes of ENEOS Corporation, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), and Rinnai Corporation all expressing interest.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AIQ4PZE3BVAAPDKY5DUJSNRZYA","additional_properties":{"_id":"CGYBTBXENJD73IBZ2KOQA4J35U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6DG35SMUKBFHTGOO23BFWGUAHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059691},"content":"That’s what Woven City is truly for – a place where Toyota people can rub shoulders and share space with other companies, in the hope of driving innovation. Toyoda even said at CES that it doesn’t really matter if the building of the city turns out to be a financial loss for Toyota (his exact words were: “Maybe not. That’s Okay”) because the theory is that the innovations that arise from the city will pay much bigger dividends down the line.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TFRIBCTYZBONIJXPSH5XFUJWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059692},"content":"While hydrogen has taken a back seat, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\" target=\"_blank\">artificial intelligenc</a>e is now – unsurprisingly – to the fore when it comes to Woven City, with Toyoda promising developments such as: “Personal mobility devices like a wheelchair race car, because everybody should experience the joy of going fast, to drones that safely escort you home at night, to interactive pet robots that provide support and companionship for the elderly, to flying cars like [the] one made by our friends at Joby, making the trip from Woven City to Tokyo fast and traffic free.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"S7A3YN6HSBGKZKNBAI3XSLYRFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059693},"content":"Toyoda even mentioned an in-house robot that has been taught how to precisely fold T-shirts, simply by watching a human instructor do the same.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IWVWVE3NCJCRJC42L5ZEMZGP7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059694},"content":"Given Toyoda’s well-known enthusiasm for cars, he also sought to reassure those of a more traditional bent that all this tech wouldn’t take away the fun. “Between you and me, as Toyota’s master driver, I’ve personally thought autonomous vehicles were a bit, you know, boring ... until our team showed me these two Toyota race cars that drift autonomously. As the kids would say, that slaps, and I’m totally here for it!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3FLZZ2ZOHZBXXBOYONJEGNL7VA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059695},"content":"Toyoda also announced two new AI software developments – called Arene and Vision AI – which respectively create a digital twin of the real world and can use that to work out how new innovations will slot into place, and a system that combines video data analysis with artificial intelligence to better understand the movement behaviour of people and objects.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OOGNUKPOBJHITP7Z2B33TQRQBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059696},"content":"Toyoda finished by reminding his audience why this new tech development is called Woven City.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6RE43L3EJGKXL7ZMEXJ4IA45E","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059697},"content":"“We didn’t start out by making cars [it traces its roots back to the Toyoda Spinning and Weaving Company in 1918]; we began by weaving fabric. That’s why we think of the future residents of Woven City as weavers. Because much like test drivers for cars, our residents will be the ones who use and experience the new products and services our inventors develop, and will play a critical role in pulling all the threads together. For me, at its core, Woven City is about collaboration. It’s about the opportunity to weave together diverse points of view, talents and abilities, to create a new kind of fabric for our future.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7P75IMSEFEK3ECM642SOQECJY","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"First residents of the car maker’s Woven City, near Tokyo, will move in this year. The company views it as an experiment and a start-up hothouse"},"display_date":"2025-01-23T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Toyota turns up at Las Vegas electronics show CES not with a car but with a new city","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"F7FMNLPAZZDJLJDIFTJCX7PFUA","auth":{"1":"8100b9a5fc4110cc1964b99c8ab9dd039be67818ee1fae59afc3d7f7fe347c28"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/F7FMNLPAZZDJLJDIFTJCX7PFUA.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Motors"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2025/01/23/toyota-turns-up-at-las-vegas-electronics-show-ces-not-with-a-car-but-with-a-new-city/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"ECFZRQMJIVFXXCB4HWYBSKP7Q4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":322,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ea9c614e-53a2-424f-87ef-c28d0c737f3f/versions/1737454795/media/628dcff7d9d92f7f8735b66a250cc36c_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/23/tribit-stormbox-blast-2-review-great-audio-party-lights-and-even-a-karaoke-option/","content_elements":[{"_id":"C2GJ3P67NRFKXMO44GMHE6NGJA","additional_properties":{"_id":"R3CY7QV23ZEKTCYAJTIS3BWNUA"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-82372","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"O7JYHXICKFCZTHQJT3WRK2E754","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994767},"content":"Compact Bluetooth speakers have their place, but occasionally you need something with a bit of heft. The Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 certainly offers that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JIWGIQMMBFGIPLB2PFSOHPPB64","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994768},"content":"Tribit’s self-proclaimed purpose is to make high-quality audio accessible to all, and in many ways, the Stormbox Blast 2 delivers. Not only is it powerful, with a 200W combined output that includes an 80W subwoofer, dual 45W mid-range drivers and two 15W tweeters, but it is probably the best party speaker tested here in a long time. Not only does it deliver on great audio, it adds in some party lights and a karaoke option just for laughs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUFW6NW3RJCO5EOV6LKX6K5NGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994769},"content":"But it’s bit less portable than the name suggests. At just under 8.7kg, it’s a weight to carry around, and it isn’t easy to wrestle. The idea that you might carry this along when you head off for a hike, as Tribit’s website suggests, seems a bit far-fetched.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CRDCYJHCUFCOBF26HO4IUL2LWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994770},"content":"Hiking wasn’t on the agenda for this review, but toting it around the house was enough; it was too awkward to carry for any length of time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6WZYLZI6DZFEXEQFQUQ6M5IIR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994771},"content":"The Tribit speaker lived up to every other promise, however. It was easy to get started with too. There is a Tribit app that you can use to set up the speaker, customising everything from the light effects to the sound.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4K2ID3MKBDARKH2JJTLEHYBDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994772},"content":"But you don’t really need the app for the speaker’s general use. On the top of the device, you have a panel of controls for power, Bluetooth, volume, bass boost and lights. There is a multifunction button that can play, pause and skip through tracks, depending on how many times you tap it, and a TWS button that will link it with a compatible speaker to create a chain of wireless speakers, all playing the same audio source, either as stereo speakers or in party mode. You can use the speaker without ever opening the app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NTE24Q2DLZHN7FQWOR6XVTEAHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994773},"content":"Where the app does come into its own is for customising the speaker. Once you have that downloaded, you can use one of the preset equaliser options to get the best sound for whatever audio you need, or tweak the settings via the custom option to get a personalised sound.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SGJXB5CZBDI7BG4XT5HHVMYBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"LMVCMJDST5CGJNNBU6WTPX4GAQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"HXWZO73PDVBVTOGCJL5JDKCW2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994774},"content":"All in all, the speaker produces some good sound. Its bass is punchy, without being too overwhelming, and Tribit has also included its X-3D technology that creates a more immersive sound.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZGKQXEMMHZEGZEJBT326ME7EEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994775},"content":"It is not just for wireless connections, however. On the back of the device is a small covered panel that contains the AC power connection, the microphone inputs and controls, aux connection and USB ports for both type A and type C. That USB C port can be used for charging the device, too, although it is far slower than the AC option. If you need to power up in a hurry, you shouldn’t rely on the USB.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2SHOUIHO4RB5XPETNHC445FBJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994776},"content":"The mic inputs are for the karaoke sessions, with a reverb option if you want to step things up a notch. You can connect up to two mics via the wired inputs on the back – the device works with wireless Bluetooth mics too – and crank up the reverb to really belt out the tunes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3LXUNVVY55FPPHPPSR6A6OBGXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994777},"content":"Because it is billed as an outdoor speaker, it is no surprise that it comes with some form of protection. It has an IP67 rating, so you can take it outside without worrying it will get water damaged. However, that is dependent on you remembering to close the rubber cover over the back panel tightly when you are around water or in a humid environment.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PJH45CCBQNHOLDLEOYXLWSOFAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994778},"content":"As for battery life, a single charge will give you 30 hours of play time without having to top it up – if you want to stick to 50 per cent volume and no lights. Even at higher volumes and with the lights on full blast, you will still get hours of listening out of it, enough to do an all-day party or an outdoor session, without having to hunt down a socket.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YZPJWNSXDZE6BPV42AN2WEOA5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994779},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"T7UINHLKBBACXAM6M3SKFAAZZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994780},"content":"Battery life is excellent, even if you like your audio on the higher side and prefer to have the light show switched on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N5JG4UN7XBBTBIO7FMVC5KYYT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994781},"content":"The control over the sound balance through the app is welcome. While the presets are good to have, especially if you aren’t sure what you want, the custom EQ will allow you to have the granular control to customise sound to your own preferences – not what the manufacturer has decreed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FRM455EGNZBTNF75ITY7SHLKJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994782},"content":"The speaker also doubles as a karaoke machine, with dual inputs for two mics on the back of the device. Volume for each can be controlled separately too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"73WKZDMMXZA2DMG3OM6NBVZQBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994783},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"3V7UJPDKHNA2NH4O3R2WO2LNTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994784},"content":"Out of the box, the sound is fine, but connecting it to the app will give you more control over the finer points of the sound. You can opt for one of the presets in the app – boosting or reducing bass, optimising it for audiobooks and so on – or you can tweak it yourself with the custom equaliser.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2QPROPMWYNAQJLTVBVN6FRRU6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994785},"content":"While it can charge via USB C, a full charge can take a bit longer than you’d like – several hours more, in fact.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KAMN43FZAVEJNJ5K6DRFU2ONHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994786},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"3LQ4HPVZHRFRJBJYGN3YO4CXBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994787},"content":"The lights are handy for a party, but irritating if you want to listen to an audiobook or podcast. Luckily, you can turn them off, either through the app or with the controls on the top of the speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YG6XXA7VAZCMPA3ZIJOI4MALOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994788},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"KXHO4CIAXBD2JHBSYLTAH6Q7CY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994789},"content":"The perfect party speaker.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Is this the perfect party speaker?"},"display_date":"2025-01-23T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Tribit StormBox Blast 2 review: Great audio, party lights and even a karaoke option","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"COF4CSNG7NHRXCXSFG7GAXUV3A","auth":{"1":"e11119e4ac24b45e2aafddc33e22cfdff81a92720d6a388ce6f07176b90cb28c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/COF4CSNG7NHRXCXSFG7GAXUV3A.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/23/tribit-stormbox-blast-2-review-great-audio-party-lights-and-even-a-karaoke-option/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"L7GMVEVV65EDPIR7LWF67RJDTQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":261,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/61a19674-4a16-4912-8188-a8e0b43757ea/versions/1737275367/media/147818d7984d3ba4dbdf9f6369c51e0b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2025/01/19/tiktok-restores-service-in-us-after-donald-trump-pledges-a-reprieve/","content_elements":[{"_id":"S3Q7ADSWJVFW3GGAIN7KMKVU4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739769},"content":"TikTok said on Sunday that it was restoring services in the United States after Donald Trump pledged earlier in the day to give the video app a reprieve on its US ban.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PHB4G5LQOFCLRHGO6NLC5MMVMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739770},"content":"Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social that, after taking office on Monday, he would sign an executive order allowing the Chinese-owned video app additional time to find a buyer before facing a total shutdown, and proposing that the US or an American firm take a 50 per cent ownership stake.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLXGB7HBM5A7DEWZYWKMGA2KS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739771},"content":"“By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say (sic) up,” Trump said. “Without US approval, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XPNKGVOLEJFEHNHJJHK3DKXJHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739772},"content":"TikTok stopped working in the US for 170 million users late on Saturday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QAI3XZVNAVB4XDA43VVGUKKPXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739773},"content":"Congress passed a law in April mandating its owner, ByteDance, either to sell to a non-Chinese company or face a total shutdown. The app chose the shutdown after the US supreme court ruled to uphold the ban on Friday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FUONWCJPNBDUZKIRGZVKRERSJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739774},"content":"“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US,” stated a pop-up message to US users on TikTok on Saturday night, which came as something of a surprise, given that the law only required app stores to remove it. “Unfortunately that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SXNIA52S2VEAPDQR6E2ZOTIM3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739775},"content":"Mr Trump attempted to intervene on TikTok’s behalf at the 11th hour, even though it was Mr Trump who initially pushed for the ban. But he changed his tune after finding a large audience on the app during his 2024 presidential campaign.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3PYFEKNMORHKTMEFYKX6SDOGPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739776},"content":"TikTok’s chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, released a video thanking Mr Trump for his efforts to keep the app active in the US. He is expected to attend Mr Trump’s inauguration ceremony in person.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3OYH2MKBFDRJBELLCNJRX26WQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739777},"content":"After Mr Trump’s message on Sunday, the company said in a statement that it was “in the process of restoring service”, adding: “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over seven million small businesses to thrive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BZ7RCSKZPBCUVJTFUEG4JFK52E","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739778},"content":"“It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VMMATQTCRFM5DNYXNSKQUKIKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739779},"content":"Some TikTok users reported the app was fully functional once again shortly after the announcement.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VQJZPBAYVNGUBOEJOSQDKEPFAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739780},"content":"The incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, also told CNN on Sunday that Mr Trump hasn’t ruled out continued Chinese ownership, with “firewalls to make sure that the data is protected here on US soil”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ADWFJ33BTBAZREMBDMQFW73WSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739781},"content":"He also said on CBS News on Sunday that Mr Trump said he was working to “save” TikTok and needs time to sort out issues related to the firm and to evaluate potential buyers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ALPAPOPHJBDLRKUJZLMMGI3YHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739782},"content":"It is unclear whether Mr Trump could totally circumvent the ban, though he could order the justice department not to enforce the bill. He has also said the supreme court decision should be “respected”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5SXKAPS2DREJTJUQC4XPQGVZYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739783},"content":"Meanwhile, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday that he intends to uphold the TikTok ban.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IRPQWIKEFNEZNGU66YOMG6Z6BU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739784},"content":"“When President Trump issued the Truth post and said save TikTok, the way we read that is that he’s going to try to force along a true divestiture, changing of hands, the ownership,” Mr Johnson said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SN4P7R67HBDSBHBAMKA64TMPGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739785},"content":"He added members of Congress are not worried about the app itself but about the Chinese Communist Party, and said TikTok’s owners, ByteDance, had 270 days to sell the app in the US.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6MHOT7RBJJCWPDHCM7ZIIB4YKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739786},"content":"Some Republicans have rejected the idea of extending the time before the ban goes into effect.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ADOZHH4ABBAARCBI5IHJBXBYKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739787},"content":"“Now that the law has taken effect, there’s no legal basis for any kind of ‘extension’ of its effective date,” said the Senate intelligence committee chairman Tom Cotton (Republican of Arkansas) and Senator Pete Ricketts (Republican of Nebraska) in a joint statement on Sunday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SYHEGPL4QNHXJAPBB574LGDHSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739788},"content":"“For TikTok to come back online in the future, ByteDance must agree to a sale that satisfies the law’s qualified-divestiture requirements by severing all ties between TikTok and Communist China. Only then will Americans be protected from the grave threat posed to their privacy and security by a communist-controlled TikTok.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TT3FEQ42ERFCFIWZOGGNBC4PWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739789},"content":"Several Democrats last week urged President Biden to issue a reprieve to give TikTok more time before shutting down.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOMEPTSVCJGO7BQMKQNLU3FLPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739790},"content":"“It’s clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer for TikTok,” the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, said last Thursday. “We will continue working to keep TikTok alive, protect content creators’ livelihoods, protect against CCP [Chinese Communist Party] surveillance, and protect national security. I will work with the Trump Admin to find a solution.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"V4OHAZK4XNC3HCMMD2LUS7VEPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739791},"content":"The Shark Tank celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary said on Friday he offered TikTok’s owners $20 billion to buy it, while the company Perplexity AI has also reportedly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok US, rather than purchase the app outright. – Reuters","type":"text"},{"_id":"S7JVLMMYCNETDHSSIYLLJMMC4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739792},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"PCXFCOS6UVB5TEZG42M2RWIUJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726396},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"BGCV6TLE6RFK5KXXGVDJVPXJTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726397},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"AMNZWZIEBNB2TN3Q7WZN3BRMJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726398},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"E25Y3LPG5NATHIWKVCGSGAPUG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726399},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"VL73NTTHZJAVVONWEOGGE4Z7SE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726400},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"WEBGPBUHDRAVHMUELC4MJF433Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726401},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UVQ2WB4SFFVTOA6SCADTGK7ZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726402},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"AV4HDD5HSVCH3AXWH7CYOST7GE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726403},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"PPLESWDEDZGKZDQO6AGDJCU4GQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726404},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"MRCTNZO5NRGETKFY5Z2FVHWHUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726405},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"W2CV7UEXBZGVVMKDIYTHLNNE74","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726406},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"SWNDVCLF6RG5TCFUVHXD6PAK4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726407},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"5ESFSFWRPVHT5LFN5W55WU7OEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726408},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGHAX7ENNRCNZKCMWUGVSX72YI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726409},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"EEGCJBDBJVB3ZMKW5S3X7EJC44","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726410},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"36OP63UVPJEJBKGKYOLOIOZT7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726411},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"WLLERK26VNETJA66ULTCEHLNN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726412},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"QLEPNHFDOZAOJKTRBAHMBCUAXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726413},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"J5CXZLNLBVCJVFBJRL4MH2463E","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726414},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"President-elect says he will give Chinese-owned app more time to find a buyer hours after TikTok pulls plug on 170m users"},"display_date":"2025-01-19T18:49:33.557Z","headlines":{"basic":"TikTok restores service in US after Donald Trump pledges a reprieve ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SWEFASIRVTELAA67GMMVF42B2M","auth":{"1":"9009c0279a3d85823f5e9fb144c1ede588a541f7d087459ec810e4ada31305bd"},"focal_point":{"x":3239,"y":1895},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SWEFASIRVTELAA67GMMVF42B2M.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"US"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"World"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2025/01/19/tiktok-restores-service-in-us-after-donald-trump-pledges-a-reprieve/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"UCMSV5WV4JF2NKBY5XKFK7ADBI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":362,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/85d87ac1-bb65-4986-86d6-fda5e37e2bcf/versions/1736854373/media/b70b6f15ad6338fed0760453ed3f2228_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/16/codex-leap-sit-stand-desk-review-counteract-your-sedentary-work-lifestyle-at-the-touch-of-a-button/","content_elements":[{"_id":"ZTJNGYOTFJBZLITSZ2GBQHQEIA","additional_properties":{"_id":"XFLEVTCLXVGTTOFZ2WJQ5PFKM4"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-65542","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"KN3BP3OVP5CJJN3Q6WWC5TKA54","additional_properties":{"_id":1736845955409},"content":"A few years ago, standing desks started to appear in our offices. At first, the idea of standing at your desk to work seemed a bit out there, akin to bosses decreeing that chairs would be removed from meeting rooms to “energise” team gatherings or treadmill desks being landed in the middle of your formerly staid office.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G74P6TE7ZZGJZJUHRJ6WIXSGKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584632},"content":"This was accompanied by breathless headlines about the dangers of sitting for too long. Could it be worse for us than obesity? Would too much sitting down have as bad an impact on our belts as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/is-sitting-the-new-smoking-how-to-quit-the-sedentary-lifestyle-1.3149295\" target=\"_blank\">smoking</a>?","type":"text"},{"_id":"2J7R7GRVBJGDXM64N2ZQZ7IINM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584633},"content":"And exactly how much sitting was too much? Knowing the point at which you crossed the line seemed to be important, but no one could really tell you that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TXAJZ6NFZRGX5F6KS4KVLQOWYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584634},"content":"What the experts (and expert adjacent) seem to agree on is that a combination of sitting and standing will be better for your back, will <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/fitness/sitting-at-a-desk-all-week-three-minutes-of-exercise-every-half-hour-can-counter-its-effects-1.4669319\" target=\"_blank\">improve </a>your sedentary lifestyle and might even help you live longer. (Whether you will spend that extra time you eke out locked in the workforce is more a matter for future governments and their retirement policies.)","type":"text"},{"_id":"6VWJMHZ5ONECTFM6OPOVP7PRJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736767510114},"content":"Standing all day seems like a special kind of torture, though. So sitting-standing desks have evolved. Although they aren’t the standard workstation for everyone, no one really bats an eyelid at their use these days.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IRDIXO6DFBEIHOIXXFQ5CIYF7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584636},"content":"There are plenty of different types available. There are risers you can put on top of your existing desk to raise your monitor, mouse and keyboard up to standing height, allowing you to keep the desk you like while also tapping into the benefits of a standing one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NYJACBFAWRCULA6JX57MV4SW4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584637},"content":"Ikea has even got in on the act, with a desk you can raise up or down via a crank, satisfying the more budget end of the market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OXRYCAPS3JET7KFTLGZQOSGWRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584638},"content":"If you are feeling fancy, though, you can go for the electric option. This is where the Leap desk from office supplies company Codex comes into the picture. With this electric standing desk, you can set your favoured heights and alternate between them at the touch of a button.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5P25UQ3QFJE6RORLKGNKSUD3GY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FNI5NR2OENCR3CNKELLEIPLEXA"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"2LXPEIDMYFHX5NWRGOPNRV2T4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584639},"content":"It ticks all the right boxes. It is big enough to use as an office desk, with plenty of space for your computer, an external monitor and all the other accessories you need to make your work life as easy as possible. Would it make me more productive, though? Or solve my niggling but persistent back pain?","type":"text"},{"_id":"AB3GRXT5XFH2BNWRQZKJJIZGGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736845955418},"content":"On first impression, the bamboo version of the Leap desk looks impressive. There is plenty of space, and the cables are all tucked neatly away so you aren’t tripping over them or catching them with your office chair.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2UBNLX25QZB5BNJ7VPDX3ZGH5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584640},"content":"It seems strange initially to have to plug in your desk. However, it already has to be within reach of a power outlet anyway, and one extra plug probably doesn’t make much of a difference. Plus the idea that sitting all day at a desk is worse for you than smoking is a tough idea to shake, even if the experts can’t quite agree on how to quantify the harm from your sedentary lifestyle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HPSFD5Z6TVHTJMD3OQ7DJBOHUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737009337994},"content":"The controls for the desk are subtle but not too small, and can be positioned on either side of the desk to suit your personal preference. There are three settings, one of which can be used to set the desk at the seated height, another for the standing height, and a third for whatever you feel like. It is a simple process to assign these buttons: hold the memory key for a few seconds, and then the desired number.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UCRJUAR7VNGCVPHMWTP2N4JQH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584642},"content":"The control panel also has a small display with numbers to indicate the height of the desk so if someone (in this case, a curious seven-year-old) should happen to accidentally reset your seated preference, you can easily adjust it back.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ULTPMTDIXRBDHOO4WCHAM5P4NA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584643},"content":"There is a good height range on the desk, too. It goes from 595mm to 1,245mm, which should be enough to satisfy the requirements of even the above-average-height worker (or, in my case, below average).","type":"text"},{"_id":"LRU3IRM5ANBXFLIN3FZ5QWSLFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584644},"content":"Putting it together didn’t take too long. For this review, Codex assembled the desk; it is part of the deal when they sell to businesses or home workers. If needed, you could assemble it yourself, though it would be best to get a second person involved to keep things simple.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3IYVRFWHUNCDHD3YWNQB4O6SOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584645},"content":"Once in place, the desk probably won’t be doing a lot of moving about. At almost 53kg, it isn’t easily portable to other floors, for example. But it also means that the desk is sturdy and doesn’t feel as though extending it to its full height will make it unstable – which is probably more important than being able to shift it to another room, considering my existing desk hasn’t moved position in 4½ years (and only then because we moved house).","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTMVDM7XKZBCVKU2JP4KDIWDRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736767510125},"content":"One thing not to forget: invest in a decent chair. The Leap desk came with the NV Ergonomic office chair as part of the review, something that adds to the overall cost of the desk if you needed to upgrade your existing set-up. Even if you spend half your time standing, you will still need a decent chair, preferably ergonomic, for the time you spend sitting down. No point in undoing any of the good work the standing desk does for your posture.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QRZHJ2FT7VB4RCINKEIC5FVS6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584646},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"RJ2NBQNUZZCM3K5GHNTP23D3SI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584647},"content":"If you want something simple to use that also looks professional, the Leap desk is ideal. Once you have the correct heights figured out, you can save them to the desk’s memory and then access them at the touch of a button.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4OCS3MG5BGGLMA3LE6XUJT5MA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584648},"content":"The desk itself has plenty of room, even after loading it up with all the usual workplace accessories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NPD2HJPQ35FF7BGYGB6YPGHWCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584649},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"KLJGJAECHBE4DLHLWYEE32FK3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584650},"content":"It is sturdy but heavy, so assemble it close where you plan to position it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LKMT35AU2NAZJM5YV3OGTDSFKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584651},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"YFQJL33URVBBHBNU5GWA2U3KLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584652},"content":"There are two portals for cables, one on either side of the desk, so you can keep your cable management streamlined.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5KYYJIDJOVEQBPUNHBW2SDYJRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584653},"content":"The same base can be used for a number of different desktop sizes, too, with a frame that expands from 1,200mm to 1,600mm.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SNVJSYUKFHSXIRCAKJZ2E7HYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584654},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"WPUY7CEDZJFPZKFLLNOHCY62CM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584655},"content":"A sleek addition to your office – home or otherwise.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Controls for the desk are subtle but not too small, and can be positioned on either side of the desk to suit your personal preference"},"display_date":"2025-01-16T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Leap Sit Stand desk review: Counteract your sedentary work lifestyle at the touch of a button ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"WTJQULZVPVH5JLQWF5ZMABEKVE","auth":{"1":"4780e5539a6634894937caa1f66a62c60798de64f8eeb9853e0ee22628c8131c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/WTJQULZVPVH5JLQWF5ZMABEKVE.PNG"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/16/codex-leap-sit-stand-desk-review-counteract-your-sedentary-work-lifestyle-at-the-touch-of-a-button/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"XGAD7OR27ZG63DUAMFDGYEDAFI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":472,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/45552d3c-b1b9-49bd-badc-02c701494da8/versions/1736947790/media/e9e40cd367e89653b244e99013a90fe1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/01/16/good-looking-and-practical-the-best-activity-trackers-on-the-market-from-100-to-almost-1000/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JQWBP6DVEVBANI76TTZHS5IQO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486331},"content":"January is traditionally the time when people resolve to change their ways, get fitter, healthier or just learn a new skill or two.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LAIIQBLO3VHYRLUFLOKJNCTK7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546303},"content":"The enthusiasm has usually fallen away by March, but in the meantime it usually involves spending money whether it is on practical gear for training or on trackers to help you monitor your progress throughout the year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KGULABSLSRAENATZRQE7VYHDZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486333},"content":"So what are the options to track your health and wellness throughout the year?","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVXZ7BXEIBFCJKQ452V6BO3T5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486334},"content":"You do not have to spend a small fortune on an activity tracker with a screen. There are plenty of budget friendly options to suit all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JYYHMTWMAJCMLB5NGL53XZSUKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486335},"content":"The <b>Fitbit Inspire 3</b>, for example, is just under €100 and is not quite as intimidating as a smartwatch. The band is neat, but it does everything you need to track your health – your activity level, daily stress, sleep monitoring – including heart-rate zones so you know how long you are spending burning fat, for example.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3UR5D4W5BBL3FGJXVXH7WHQ3U","additional_properties":{"_id":"DRIONVZL3JGXPMPBOJ6RGCB5CA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"H2OIZOD76RC6DN6V5YUC6AMDDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736941419112},"content":"The battery lasts up to 10 days, so you are not tied to your power outlet. You can also ditch the strap and opt for the clip if you would rather not have a wrist-based tracker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RAEZG7WDNJBATIZFHVOT6O2QNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486336},"content":"If you are looking for greater insight, there are more fully featured smartwatches with built in GPS and more automatic sport tracking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H7LM3NCMK5D75NVJT2RCCIPXEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486337},"content":"The <b>Garmin Instinct 2 Solar</b> (€350) will track multiple sports, from indoor to outdoor, and uses solar charging to keep its battery topped up while you take advantage of whatever sunshine the Irish seasons have to offer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QOK6ZKRQJFC4HOSJZNBMDOMSOM","additional_properties":{"_id":"OZ2ESM4WCNAIXIOEMI4IBQ75R4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"H7LM3NCMK5D75NVJT2RCCIPXEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486337},"content":"For Apple users, the <b>Apple Watch Series 10</b> (€449) will track your activity, sleep, blood oxygen and heart rate. It comes in two sizes, with a 42mm and 46mm option, depending on your preferences.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZLVRT2GCJBEXVD34DD3RVZBD4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546313},"content":"The newest additions to the watch are the water temperature and depth gauge, which kick in as soon as the watch in submerged, so you can keep track of your swim statistics.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVLOHGGHXRCJNMD3UVZO7B2MNE","additional_properties":{"_id":"FGMGRYLYTZGETIBIJORLG3IMPI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZLVRT2GCJBEXVD34DD3RVZBD4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546315},"content":"If you have deeper pockets, the titanium version is the lightest Apple Watch the company offers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RN6J6ILWNJHZ7BEB2GJFUKEJYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546316},"content":"On the other side of the fence, you have the <b>Pixel Watch 3</b>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7C7JIVO5VABPCFGXM56V56G5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546317},"content":"Google’s smart watch uses some of Fitbit’s expertise to keep you on track for your fitness goals. It also has a slightly more palatable price tag too, at €329, although it is designed for use with Android devices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CLOSAJ5IAZEOHBLIW2HCQVA72U","additional_properties":{"_id":"VTON66V5EJCO5EYEPMWCLQPLA4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Y3BLXTQG2NAHHE64OV4HZRF7NM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546319},"content":"The always-on display clocks in at 45mm, and the round face makes it look more like a standard watch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X67CERI5L5DOVIO7A6GIMOUMNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546320},"content":"Battery life is around 24 hours of use, so you do not have to charge every day, and it has extras such as the run coach and real-time guidance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ALZETYAMVVHFHBZLRFS5GQQDFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486340},"content":"For more serious sports enthusiasts, there are watches that will stand up to more demanding conditions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NIHZEKSPCBF2HJEBPED7GFZ73E","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546322},"content":"Take the <b>Apple Watch Ultra 2</b> (€899), for example. It can go almost anywhere you can think of – diving underwater, scaling mountains – and live to tell the tale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MHK7WFNI2NH6JC3R26WYYJOC5E","additional_properties":{"_id":"QU3CLX7BEVCHVE6VLPDINKUNFU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"NPP7AZEF5VE6LITTDDPOJHSG5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736941419120},"content":"It also has a better battery, with up to 36 hours of normal use and 72 in low power mode.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q47Q42CSOZDUVOEIQFUG3FPLQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546325},"content":"The dual GPS has improved accuracy. The device is also certified for use as a dive watch and has a customisable action button that you can access easily even if you are wearing heavy gloves.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GALGGUTI3ZGMBBXEEBVYESTBVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486341},"content":"If you have a bigger budget, the <b>Garmin Fenix 8</b> multisport watch (from €965) is an all-rounder.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CEBWE3KAGRFO3OIXJSEDLP2RB4","additional_properties":{"_id":"4MT7DO3F5BC6LL7IQKFSHJL674"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"F2FCAQAE2NGK5MAGA4AZDEDOY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546328},"content":"Garmin has made some changes, including adding an integrated speaker and microphone so you can make and take calls on the watch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DJ53WINJO5BZBIY5JNLWKUP2QY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546329},"content":"It beats most smartwatches out there with 29 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, and can cope with being submerged in water, mud or any other conditions you feel the need to put it through.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4POAUPS3KBF3FLGZZONDOIHUNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486342},"content":"Going screen free","type":"header"},{"_id":"NELMFW7JLRGIRMQE65BUSQTWUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486343},"content":"Smart watches aren’t for everyone. There are so many screens demanding out attention these days that, occasionally, it is a good thing to cut at least one out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NRDQUMUITBGNRHPDWUJV7G2VBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486344},"content":"If you still want to track your exercise, the <b>MyZone Switch</b> (€160) is screen-free and versatile. It can be worn as a watch, on a band for your upper arm or as a chest strap.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKJHF6PDQNBHPLETNX44MLIBS4","additional_properties":{"_id":"AMSSLIPCHJGRFDOESUDYRA6GTQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AC3GSQNNNJG2DCMB3MFBO3Y2AQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546334},"content":"Because there is no screen, the battery lasts for several days, tracking your exercise and effort before sending the information to the MyZone app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G6I2YE4NWNFTTI6XPFTFZVMIFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546335},"content":"There, it translates everything into effort points, which can be used to track your monthly progress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"27FLC5OLLVAHNG2T2XJ7N3KCYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486345},"content":"To keep an eye on how your workout is going, the Switch has a small LED that flashes according to the heart-rate zone you are currently in, from blue and green to yellow and red.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3Q25J4CMWRGIVKBSZBHLT23X5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486346},"content":"The <b>Whoop 4.0</b> (€264) is another screen-free option, although it requires a subscription – included for the first year – to deliver the insights your need.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PTPSKWUT65EXJKHLVD4WOEM77Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546338},"content":"It can be worn in one of a variety of Whoop bands, and measures your activity, sleep, blood oxygen and skin temperature, feeding the data through to its app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BQ4UVEIXAVHLRDHQCP42HS7VHU","additional_properties":{"_id":"VER3PDZG2ZGLZMCHH5LWFTXMO4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PVHQ7XVOBJGUJMNTFX2FAN4A3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736941419127},"content":"Once it has collected enough, it will give you some insights on your physical training, and let you know when you should ease up and give your body a break.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UMXRTZMJHJCNPGEQT2B66GRMIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486347},"content":"The appeal of the Whoop is not only that it is screen-free, but it can also be worn inside clothing, with special Whoop garments – shorts, sports top, vest etc – that can accommodate the sensor and keep it safe and secure.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B7UZNCYBMNHRJM3D4XOZF6OBY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546342},"content":"If you are wearing it on your wrist, you do not even have to take it off to charge it, with the wireless battery pack fitting on to the tracker to charge while you wear it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LZSJDOKGPJE5HDQHMI3TPCPN6M","additional_properties":{"_id":"GZZS6OQTGFDD7JRKXH5Z3XZPGI"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"K2NQIGTSCRBTHKGAS3JIDXVVWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486348},"content":"If you do not want to wear a band, however, jewellery is another option.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2CC2IPWK7NER5PMMNMTFNGPJTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546345},"content":"More subtle than a band and still screen-free, the current generation of smart rings track more of your health and fitness metrics than ever before.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K2SMRPUQK5ERDALUQRHYQMODFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486350},"content":"Oura has been in the smart ring game for a while; the name of the current product, the <b>Oura 4</b> (€400), gives away its fourth generation status.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2GSXVX34RFFHCEG4K24ZN4NY4","additional_properties":{"_id":"E6VXYCYJAREPBKPRGXHD7XMOPM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"K2WVPYGCVFDMZFQZPIASIHR7TY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546348},"content":"In that time is has added features – the ring now tracks heart rate during activity – and refined the design to ensure that the ring will still track regardless of its position on your finger.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KZPZ7QFGO5F5LJCB35CRXCEXOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546349},"content":"It also works with iPhone and Android systems, making it a versatile product.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N7Q6SRO3KZEI3HXMGFULL54X3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486351},"content":"Samsung has also got into the smart ring game. Released late last year, the Samsung Galaxy Ring also monitors activity, temperature, sleep and blood oxygen. It also adds in some gesture control for Samsung Galaxy phone users.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M34QMXC3SJHRDLLCZLLLKORYFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486352},"content":"Bellabeat has been designing more subtle activity trackers aimed at women for several years now.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6S4B4LYQMZHN3D3K7IRWJE7CJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":"AGRAIXL7DFFBJBJNWBNGWJLTEA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2HEFHZJ3MJBJVFSCCTDVMMGQBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546353},"content":"Its range was previously made up of an activity tracking pendant – the <b>Leaf </b>(€99) – which could also work as a bracelet or clip that tracks activity, sleep, stress, meditation and reproductive health.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ED46472FUJDCLCE6S7VGXFUI2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546354},"content":"It has a replaceable battery and is made of a wood composite material and hypoallergenic stainless steel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TLNJTBV67FAHZINGXE7L2WVXVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486353},"content":"Now it has been joined by the <b>Ivy+</b> (€380), a bracelet that is also aimed at tracking women’s health.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I2HD3KUYUFA7VFOAA43G7KNQLE","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y3EWYKV3EBCBZPWEDXJ7VJYQHU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MZEWLOMU2ZGQLPZFLV7A6WWFUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546357},"content":"It tracks skin temperature, monitors heart rate, respiratory rate and sleep. It crunches all the data and delivers easy to understand health and readiness scores, along with making suggestions to improve self care.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7DPXXOJ3PFET5MYPPNVRMAQD6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546358},"content":"And it doesn’t scream “activity tracker” either.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Options range from smartwatch-type devices to ones worn with a strap or even as jewellery"},"display_date":"2025-01-16T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Good-looking and practical: the best activity trackers on the market from €100 to almost €1,000","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BU53THVZNBCBTKBASEIPDUBCOE","auth":{"1":"e1c8e0b0f47429fb37618e70cda240d2c477456039ec0f83f8b25921b6d7b304"},"focal_point":{"x":1865,"y":836},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BU53THVZNBCBTKBASEIPDUBCOE.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/01/16/good-looking-and-practical-the-best-activity-trackers-on-the-market-from-100-to-almost-1000/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"MG5VQWTUFRDXZP4KILDJP5WJWE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":470,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/adba6238-9f27-401b-8bd8-f9b444f79ff9/versions/1736241984/media/db50563b41927865ba444bebc7035bed_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/01/09/how-to-put-manners-on-your-tech-use-in-2025-from-strengthening-passwords-to-avoiding-social-media-toxicity/","content_elements":[{"_id":"XKUQLV5BPVFEDLPNOYCS3KTB6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980353},"content":"Last year I decided to go inbox zero. For four glorious months I diligently read and deleted email, keeping that red notification bubble at bay, and generally felt a bit smug.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CUV6WVV3FJBT7MCK6DT4UCGD3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980354},"content":"It lasted, until it didn’t. I took a few days off and suddenly the task seemed mammoth once more.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IEEYWUZUN5CV7DGPMKQHHW55VY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980355},"content":"But as it is January, I’ve started all over again as part of a “new year, slightly new me” kick. There are a few more tech resolutions we might also put on the list this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DB3GDZT6VVFPDK4GGDVBQ3SSAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980356},"content":"Use better passwords","type":"header"},{"_id":"JCVJRC37UNDRFK3K76CYIARXMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980357},"content":"There is a reason why this appears on every tech resolutions list: it is important. Strong passwords are a big obstacle between your data and the people who want to misuse it. Do yourself a favour and stop reusing the same passwords and pins across all your services.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U4OW6YVCAJGI3LFRO7C35ZAGCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980358},"content":"If you struggle to come up with memorable, unique passwords, create just one and use it to secure a password manager. That way you can delegate the creation of strong passwords to technology, which is far more likely to be random than a human being ever is, and make the service autofill your passwords – hidden behind your super-secret phrase, of course.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5QHX6ARIJFH7VEVDZHVJIR4G7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980359},"content":"Respect privacy","type":"header"},{"_id":"XRRDWYTUVNFB3BE46MQJ6KAYGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980360},"content":"This one should also apply to the big tech companies, but since we can only directly control our own behaviour, think before you share.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWVM6TCZUJAW3FTVJXNU6ZSFOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980361},"content":"There are members of my family who do not do social media at all. There are others who choose not to share photos or information about their children online. Don’t be the person who ignores those decisions, or the one guaranteed to post the most unflattering photos or anecdotes of others online. Not everything is content, despite prevailing opinions to the contrary.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OOPK7S3WCNF5DNK3FG5X5OY57E","additional_properties":{"_id":1736172355486},"content":"Respect your own privacy, too. Don’t give away your personal data to every service that asks for it, even if its seems like useless data. As Karlin Lillington wrote in this paper in November, it creates tranches of vulnerable, often highly sensitive data, and we don’t always know how – or by whom – it is being used.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OPOP2HDIEBBBFDRCQMMSHYFIZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980362},"content":"Cut down on screen time","type":"header"},{"_id":"AKGPELPT6BHKPLFTZPJCIKBCUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980363},"content":"We know it’s bad for us and yet here we are, scrolling away through social media, online news sources and meme after meme.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5A3BJENO25F3BHZ3GTXQYDYGVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980364},"content":"You can use the tools that are built into your smartphone’s operating system to monitor how much time you are wasting on certain apps, and to disable them at key periods or after a certain amount of use. While these restrictions are easily circumvented – you know the password after all – it does make you think more about what you are doing on your phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AUWEULX2AFD6NLTLV5SJUW2GOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980365},"content":"Make your screen time work for you. Learn a new skill or language; take up a hobby that you can learn online but bring into the real world.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OPVTQTHHPJAWHDOVLKDYDKSFHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980366},"content":"And make certain times of day screen-free – mealtimes are the obvious one, and last thing before bed, if you want to ensure you get a good shot at a decent night’s sleep.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VHHVVOLJYJZPCVB2LZSQUSY5MU","additional_properties":{"_id":"AOIYQ5O4MZAK7NYPSROCODDCAI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FUVN7B2TXFAXLDUHELMC3L6C6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980367},"content":"Step back from social media","type":"header"},{"_id":"MW3WBA222FGWDGOE45VAD557SA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980368},"content":"If 2024 and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/elon-musk/\" target=\"_blank\">Elon Musk</a>’s very active support of Donald Trump’s run to the US presidency should have taught us anything, it is that manipulation is rife. Rage-baiting, where accounts post controversial content just for engagement, is a real thing and we have all fallen victim to it at one point. Let 2025 be the year where that stops.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M24AASMS6NDB5GMKIQRNG2RKFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980369},"content":"“Don’t feed the trolls” doesn’t mean you are building yourself an echo chamber. It just means that you won’t engage with people who deliberately try to provoke others for their own entertainment.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HVJDRXXIYZCYZLY4C3G6426664","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980370},"content":"You aren’t obliged to engage on social media. You aren’t even obliged to partake in it. The downward spiral of X/Twitter might be the shove some of us need to step back from social media and make the platforms work for us instead of the other way around.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GH5Y4RKGS5GTRICTN4GJOKT25I","additional_properties":{"_id":"2NEWGDMG7VEOJHFMMB4E63JUYY"},"content":"Social media taps into a dark human need to be mean to other people","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"654EA6P4GBCPVD2QFFOXM6NWGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980371},"content":"Don’t be a troll","type":"header"},{"_id":"DMGU2VSS4JBM3MYTY7GCEEVG3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980372},"content":"If you are going to keep hoping, though, perhaps it is time to rethink how we interact with others. Remember the whole “be kind” movement? The phrase may seem a little twee and simplistic but the basic idea is sound. Don’t say online what you wouldn’t say to someone’s face. What you think of as jokey and informal may not come across that way to the recipient.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SFEJYX4GJRAO7A6FW22IXCIGAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980373},"content":"And not everyone needs to hear your opinion on everything, which may feel ironic coming from someone who is paid to occasionally air her opinions, but there you have it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2YRHZKLQNER3MDZ5O5R2AINYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980374},"content":"Declutter","type":"header"},{"_id":"SKEMPPNAQ5GUFISZG7P5IADVFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980375},"content":"I had great plans for last year. I was going to declutter both my physical and digital world, and stick to it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TTCV5AP24FCX3P2KN5GO7RRLCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980376},"content":"Instead I ended up making things worse. It started by following several Instagram accounts that taught me how to declutter (mostly unsuccessfully) and ended with me adding at least 10 more apps that promised to help me declutter my digital and physical life. That seemed counterproductive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BTND6VZYIRE3TBRICA7DIHZB44","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980377},"content":"Now I have a schedule for digital decluttering. Emails are dealt with (and deleted) daily, photos are sifted through at least once a month, and unneeded files are purged from my downloads and device storage every six weeks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6G42UU37RFSNAVXJM7M2IIOJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980378},"content":"Prevention is better than cure, though. WhatsApp chats, for example, no longer have permission to automatically save images and media to my camera roll. Internet history is disabled where possible or deleted automatically after a month where it is not, and I’ve stopped saving random screenshots to my desktop and phone “just in case”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y5ZN3XL2DVCG3FWMHLJ6BCXOX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736239912854},"content":"Unsubscribing from marketing emails has not only saved time, it has also stopped me from buying things just because it seems like a bargain.","type":"text"},{"_id":"25LLUAB6M5F6VFUC6PYBTRMXEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980379},"content":"It has made backing up devices quicker and easier, and I’ve managed to cut at least one of my cloud storage subscriptions because I’m not unknowingly hoarding duplicate photos and emails from 2007.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RJHCNKHEWBCCBIJ5Y22VQ4BBCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980380},"content":"Physical clutter, on the other hand, is still a work in progress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JUY4JLNYNFF3RKD2ZSQ7FGKTTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980381},"content":"Cancel subscriptions","type":"header"},{"_id":"6CQRALN3TJDKRHE65IHJXITGXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980382},"content":"Speaking of subscriptions, how many does one person really need? When it comes to entertainment, we are now building up a critical mass – and paying for the privilege.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HR7BHCAWF5FD5KW6JHZZKJZFWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980383},"content":"The original concept of digital subscriptions was a good one: we could pick and choose the content we wanted to access and pay for, and avoid the services we didn’t. That was simple when there were one or two streaming platforms but now it seems as if a new one is springing up every month. And if you add up all the different subscriptions, you are likely paying just as much, if not more, than you did for your pricey TV package a few years ago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OZGXHOBSPBGSTO4AHAAGXXNOTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980384},"content":"Take a good look at all the services you have signed up for, whether it is the monthly audiobooks, the child-focused apps and sites, or the streaming entertainment packages. If you aren’t using them regularly, stop wasting your money; cancel the membership, or even pause it for a while if possible.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3TVKPP3O4NDSRLTHYPNTEFEVCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980385},"content":"Don’t get caught out by free trials either. While trying before you buy is a great idea, forgetting to cancel can be an expensive business.","type":"text"},{"_id":"INYSOBLPORB5VKJBA75BISPGAY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736239912862},"content":"Read the fine print before you commit to see how you go about cancelling; it should be as easy to cancel as it is to sign up. If you are going through Apple’s App Store or the Google Play store, you can usually cancel the service as soon as you sign up for the trial. That means you can keep your access to the service for the week but ensure that you won’t accidentally roll over to a paid subscription unless you really want the service.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Digital clutter, excessive screen time and bad screen habits are all issues worth tackling this new year"},"display_date":"2025-01-09T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Better passwords, empty inbox and thinking before you share: How to put manners on your tech use","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"LPOWWDWWO5AZZDK5NZSIKZ2QTU","auth":{"1":"6721d18042032c2e9df9e0875023e41dc7440a33bc8a2858179632a3095d4b6a"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/LPOWWDWWO5AZZDK5NZSIKZ2QTU.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/01/09/how-to-put-manners-on-your-tech-use-in-2025-from-strengthening-passwords-to-avoiding-social-media-toxicity/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"CSLSREGKTNBLTDXYCSDCF7WSBA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":295,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d8301ecb-54af-4c97-b23e-06fdafda5c57/versions/1736249519/media/2c852edf319e6048346d0942bf508beb_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/09/homebot-ireland-glider-review-a-home-cleaner-that-mostly-takes-care-of-itself/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WTZBFYJVKJCZXIE3N5COQUHY6A","additional_properties":{"_id":"BXQACKCKSVDVXKXBZVTCCRROUY"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-56353","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"TGBR3CFMWNFODHZRYQYTK667G4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554844},"content":"There are some things in life I will defend from the march of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/robotics/\" target=\"_blank\">robots</a>. I have never owned a bread machine, for example, because I actually enjoy making my own bread. If I have a customer complaint, I’d rather deal with a person than an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\" target=\"_blank\">AI</a> chatbot, regardless of how advanced the companies using them claim they are.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PEZPC4PWRBH53E5XTUBTHKTUPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736183342954},"content":"But there are plenty of things that I would be happy to delegate to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/tech-tools/\" target=\"_blank\">automation</a>, the boring tasks that none of us really enjoy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UKSKC3HPTBGNDDKSOWUEPCF3AM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736244514611},"content":"I am living for the day they come up with an affordable robot that will sort through a load of laundry without any human intervention at all. In the absence of that, I’m happy to hand over the vacuuming and mopping of floors. The Sisyphean task is a particularly thankless one in a house with small children and a cat with a fondness for dancing across freshly washed tiles with muddy feet and paws.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XYWOYLSISJAOPPCRREB7DFAVRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736183342955},"content":"At this point, the companies making the robot cleaners have overcome some of the main obstacles facing the devices. New sensors mean the robots can navigate around your home even if you decide to move some furniture. You can use their apps to control them from a distance or use virtual walls to ensure the vacuums stay clear of certain areas of your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F5WSZGZKEBEJ5D52GDCTS3WHHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736244514613},"content":"They can distinguish between hard floors and carpet, and adjust the cleaning accordingly. Some can even raise the mop out of the way so you don’t inadvertently end up with damp carpets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFNOTICLKVBBZDKEDZVPS4SAGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736189968147},"content":"But they still require a certain amount of human intervention. They can’t manage stairs yet, which is probably their biggest failing. They get snarled up in cables or small socks, and the small bins on board mean you have to empty them frequently to make sure they continue to pick up the dirt and dust instead of spreading it around your floors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGT3PQVXPBBA5CKWTUQGT2OZ3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736189968148},"content":"The last at least can be solved by opting for a robot with a base station that not only auto-empties the dust bin when it is full, but also looks after the mopping function. Minimal effort, maximum results.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IVAHNZOQKZBYXD7M67V4LNXC3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1736189968149},"content":"That was one of the key things about the Homebot Glider. The combo robot vacuum and mop comes with a neat base station that effectively looks after the entire operation. It empties the dust bin on the vacuum, cleans the dual spinning mop pads, dries them and refills the water tank without its owners having to lift a finger.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7XFS32J2B5EVNB5IGPBEJSZ5VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736244514617},"content":"There are no interruptions, no messing about with bins and no damp odours from mop pads forgotten on the machine.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RM5KQM2FH5EUXH4RVIWUVDHC3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554850},"content":"If the device runs out of water, it will make its way back to the base station for refilling before continuing to clean. When the bin is full or the water tanks need attention, it will alert you through the Smartlife app – developed by Chinese smarthome company Tuya – and you can sort out what it needs in minutes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGPIE3XZTVDJBLMLXVXWBPX4P4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554851},"content":"Those spinning mop pads were reasonably good at dealing with tougher grime. While it doesn’t beat a good scrub, it kept most of the daily grime – muddy footprints included – in check. And when the robot detected the change in flooring, such as mats or other carpeted areas, it raised the mop pads.","type":"text"},{"_id":"36XJ2X33QJDPHMRW4FFZFXYUCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554852},"content":"The Glider has a decent navigation system, mapping the house quickly and effectively, although it occasionally wedged itself in the legs of the kitchen chairs. On those occasions it would need rescuing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CV2OOR35NNAEPHUN4BTIHIOSJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554853},"content":"It was quieter than you expect, at least while it was cleaning. It is officially rated at less than 62dB, although the auto-empty function was enough to startle you if you weren’t expecting it, and the refilling and emptying of the water tank was a bit louder than felt necessary. But it felt like a small price to pay to not have to vacuum the room twice a day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GO5LK2NEHBHFHCJLBY7XPYO2FM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736183342957},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"GZFKD7HSNZGW3OEXTMOINHNTEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554855},"content":"If you are looking for a robot that lives up to its promises, the Glider is a good bet. Not only does it make a good job of cleaning hard floors and carpets, it will also look after most of the day-to-day maintenance itself. The base station is neat and the robot itself will deal with obstacles up to 20mm before it refuses to climb – meaning saddle boards between rooms aren’t an issue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HSNLLQRS7JBSXFLMXN6IENSNM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736183342958},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"6L6B5VJINFGPFPZMGQQU5M5EBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736189968154},"content":"Occasionally the robot misjudged its size and wedged itself in a tight spot, requiring a rescue mission. Ordinarily, you would just set up a no-go zone, but this was under the kitchen table, so was a prime spot for cleaning after dinner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TCP44TP22RG6BNHE4OEUGNB4HY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554858},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"56ENHENWUFAMVOGULUYNEQM7CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554859},"content":"The app allows you to map up to four levels of your home, switching between maps quickly and easily. You can also set up no-go areas to keep it away from delicate parts of your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GZYKZYIXFRB2TN5CCEXQEAHYYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554860},"content":"You can set a timer for the cleaning sessions, with a schedule for days of the week, and customise the cleaning for each room – how many times it mops, the level of water it uses, and so on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D2M5IB4UPNA5PMNXCWADNMSZFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554861},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"AHHTFKSQMNFBNNNXTQ62R7AONA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554862},"content":"Hands-off cleaning that earns its price tag.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CMPPHIQKI5HZNP4O7TJWIBJICQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554863},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"OTTSV472NNCY5OFSZSCPBFZXNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554864},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"VOHC4MQ3HBA4FGPUIER6CZYXJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554865},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Robot vacuum can distinguish between hard floors and carpet, and adjust the cleaning accordingly"},"display_date":"2025-01-09T00:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Homebot Ireland Glider review: A home cleaner that (mostly) takes care of itself","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"GXT4HNASCVDINFQGWLENC3QVHI","auth":{"1":"231e347280ab84099253ede7ebafdca52b5500273e2ea5899a13b12e197ea65f"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/GXT4HNASCVDINFQGWLENC3QVHI.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/09/homebot-ireland-glider-review-a-home-cleaner-that-mostly-takes-care-of-itself/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"LFQIC3WNPFDK3KWRAZTBLE2OSE","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/business/2025/01/03/apples-china-troubles-mount-as-foreign-phone-sales-sink-for-fourth-month/","content_elements":[{"_id":"R3G2KMPMBVA7BITBZ6P4W7TC3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302799},"content":"Shipments to China of foreign-branded smartphones, including <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple</a> Inc’s iPhone, fell by 47.4 per cent in November from a year earlier, according to data released on Friday from a government-affiliated research firm, down for the fourth month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"74UVI6NSRRADBPATI3MM7FNT6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302801},"content":"Calculations based on the data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) showed that foreign brand shipments decreased to 3.04 million units from 5.769 million units a year earlier.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DSTRYSLLAZFDZGKQETZIOWIKTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302802},"content":"The decline follows October’s 44.25 per cent year-on-year drop in foreign smartphone shipments, extending a downward trend in the world’s largest smartphone market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TAKG2JIUKJFGDICXQ2RXLQSFSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302803},"content":"Apple, the dominant foreign smartphone maker in China, faces a slowing economy and competition from domestic rivals, such as Huawei.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DHDMZ4EVTBAN7OVBJCF55TK4WY","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302804},"content":"Chinese consumer prices fell in November to their lowest in five months, as economic uncertainty and deflation concerns weigh on household spending.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XOIM6YAWNETVPP6GVLPEXVOBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302805},"content":"As its market share declines, Apple launched a rare four-day promotion in China on Thursday, cutting prices by up to 500 yuan ($68.50) on its flagship models to boost sales.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W5KHC3CS7FER7OQ7WBNOIBBQRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302806},"content":"Huawei has emerged as a strong challenger since its return to the premium segment in August 2023 with locally-made chipsets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ATEG7TZBRVGYLBU5ZUVTFB6F2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302807},"content":"Apple briefly fell out of China’s top five smartphone vendors in the second quarter of 2024 before recovering in the third quarter. The US company’s smartphone sales in China still slipped 0.3 per cent during the third quarter from a year earlier, while Huawei’s sales rose 42%, according to research firm IDC.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R22GAI6HPZG37E2FGT57N5OP5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302808},"content":"Shipments of phones within China, which include domestic brands, fell 5.1 per cent year-on-year in November to 29.61 million handsets. – Reuters","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Dominant foreign smartphone maker faces slowing economy and competition from domestic rivals"},"display_date":"2025-01-03T09:17:28.131Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple’s China troubles mount as foreign phone sales in the country sink for fourth month","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"42KDYA3P2HMQPWPUFY7Z6VFRMI","auth":{"1":"38cc6692c0723764e6831e323fd894dd1b1f9bf7d67a8b6329c3d1da81345cdb"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/42KDYA3P2HMQPWPUFY7Z6VFRMI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2025/01/03/apples-china-troubles-mount-as-foreign-phone-sales-sink-for-fourth-month/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"W6CKSX5P2JEQZODWA5QEPFJKDQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":355,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8cebe546-7dc2-45c8-a4de-27039d548ae2/versions/1735224902/media/bd784f539d04afa49a778f777a29cc6d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2024/12/27/are-we-becoming-a-post-literate-society/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Z4IVZCMQTJELXHWEB5XU5BHLZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456853},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"NI3BPPOZ6ZCBXFWLVHOL7B3IKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456858},"content":"“Human intelligence,” the cultural critic Neil Postman once wrote, “is among the most fragile things in nature. It doesn’t take much to distract it, suppress it, or even annihilate it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ERED6S5FERAAZMXEAWJZADQDUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456859},"content":"The year was 1988, a former Hollywood actor was in the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/white-house/\" target=\"_blank\">White House</a>, and Postman was worried about the ascendancy of pictures over words in American media, culture and politics.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R4YSOASYYRGHDHNROUGWCLIL2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1735222894271},"content":"Television “conditions our minds to apprehend the world through fragmented pictures and forces other media to orient themselves in that direction”, he argued in an essay in his book Conscientious Objections. “A culture does not have to force scholars to flee to render them impotent. A culture does not have to burn books to assure that they will not be read… There are other ways to achieve stupidity.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"B4JR7ZXXZNACTCNMOLRAPOBJUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456860},"content":"What might have seemed curmudgeonly in 1988 reads more like prophecy from the perspective of 2024. This month, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/organisation-for-economic-co-operation-and-development-oecd/\" target=\"_blank\">OECD</a> released the results of a vast exercise: in-person assessments of the literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills of 160,000 adults aged 16-65 in 31 different countries and economies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2MJOC65BJEC7HW3MRJT4O7YGA","additional_properties":{"_id":"OSMNIH56FZE3PE2CYP2NNCJ5ZA"},"content":"Financial wellbeing and literacy across demographics subject of report","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"CNZJ7TF7G5CYVOOXXGNP75YWEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1735222894273},"content":"Compared with the last set of assessments a decade earlier, the trends in literacy skills were striking. Proficiency improved significantly in only two countries (Finland and Denmark), remained stable in 14, and declined significantly in 11, with the biggest deterioration in Korea, Lithuania, New Zealand and Poland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NSGE3MCNKRENXCZKS7DDNNMYKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456861},"content":"Among adults with tertiary-level education (such as university graduates), literacy proficiency fell in 13 countries and only increased in Finland, while nearly all countries and economies experienced declines in literacy proficiency among adults with below upper-secondary education. Singapore and the US had the biggest inequalities in both literacy and numeracy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6BO4WKWVB5E6ZFFXLHSU55IOWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456862},"content":"“Thirty per cent of Americans read at a level that you would expect from a 10-year-old child,” Andreas Schleicher, director for education and skills at the OECD, told me – referring to the proportion of people in the US who scored level 1 or below in literacy. “It is actually hard to imagine – that every third person you meet on the street has difficulties reading even simple things.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NVRVOWIZIFED3ASZYUVXFFCTCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456863},"content":"In some countries, the deterioration is partly explained by an ageing population and rising levels of immigration, but Schleicher says these factors alone do not fully account for the trend. His own hypothesis would come as no surprise to Postman: that technology has changed the way many of us consume information, away from longer, more complex pieces of writing, such as books and newspaper articles, to short social media posts and video clips.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DGP57T6SNBC6VHEZTHCWTOKMKU","additional_properties":{"_id":"PNYYZQWSTRGTLF5SAYA7N2PTIA"},"content":"People with low health literacy turning to AI for advice, study finds","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"EGLTJFQYJBGJZMDWEJHV6UYWV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456864},"content":"At the same time, social media has made it more likely that you “read stuff that confirms your views, rather than engages with diverse perspectives, and that’s what you need to get to [the top levels] on the [OECD literacy] assessment, where you need to distinguish fact from opinion, navigate ambiguity, manage complexity”, Schleicher explained.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7OIDGKPVJVF5ZPUHSNSTOMH7LA","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456865},"content":"The implications for politics and the quality of public debate are already evident. These, too, were foreseen. In 2007, writer Caleb Crain wrote an article called Twilight of the Books in the New Yorker magazine about what a possible post-literate culture might look like. In oral cultures, he wrote, cliche and stereotype are valued, conflict and name-calling are prized because they are memorable, and speakers tend not to correct themselves because “it is only in a literate culture that the past’s inconsistencies have to be accounted for”. Does that sound familiar?","type":"text"},{"_id":"EQS7R7RQ55BADPHYKYG4J7FQXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456866},"content":"These trends are not unavoidable or irreversible. Finland demonstrates the potential for high-quality education and strong social norms to sustain a highly literate population, even in a world where TikTok exists. England shows the difference that improved schooling can make: there, the literacy proficiency of 16-24 year olds was significantly better than a decade ago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KPNM3P7MBZDQ3MCEWGBYUZ75C4","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456867},"content":"The question of whether AI could alleviate or exacerbate the problem is more tricky. Systems like <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/chatgpt/\" target=\"_blank\">ChatGPT</a> can perform well on many reading and writing tasks: they can parse reams of information and reduce it to summaries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JKKWDDACHBCG3E47J53WYP2AGA","additional_properties":{"_id":"3RTOPMAZ2NHVFC6LAML5PK6NMQ"},"content":"One in four adults in Ireland struggle with everyday maths such as calculating percentages","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"IHZZHGWYBRCJLDKSIQQUEF4ESA","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456868},"content":"A number of studies suggest that, when deployed in the workplace, these tools can significantly increase the performance of lower-skilled workers. In one study, researchers tracked the impact of an AI tool on customer service agents who provided technical support via written chat boxes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AW6Y7HYQHZFQFBSARBYYRAASJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1735222894282},"content":"The AI tool, trained on the conversational patterns of top performers, provided real-time text suggestions to agents on how to respond to customers. The study found lower-skilled workers became more productive and their communication patterns became more similar to those of higher-skilled workers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"APJ3K2CAP5EDTDVUNCMV5G5BHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456869},"content":"David Autor, an economics professor at MIT, has even argued that AI tools could enable more workers to perform higher-skilled roles and help restore “the middle-skill, middle-class heart of the US labour market”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7ZAAZ27BJVGTLCYRMOAAJFLWKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456870},"content":"But, as Autor says, in order to make good use of a tool to “level up” your skills, you need a decent foundation to begin with. Absent that, Schleicher worries that people with poor literacy skills will become “naive consumers of prefabricated content”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7KXRGDZ73NGEBCU5FYG63UONIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456871},"content":"In other words, without solid skills of your own, it is only a few short steps from being supported by the machine, to finding yourself dependent on it or subject to it. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Sarah O'Connor"}]},"description":{"basic":"Technology has changed the way many of us consume information, from complex pieces of writing to short video clips"},"display_date":"2024-12-27T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Are we becoming a post-literate society?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"AXUKMTIWBVBP3D3TAUZDD6L6IU","auth":{"1":"fac69e586ba3b7aa01eac23d8484c8cd256e6389297d619fbfe87826c4f5df27"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AXUKMTIWBVBP3D3TAUZDD6L6IU.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/12/27/are-we-becoming-a-post-literate-society/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"KBTD73VNBRFHVNQ37ZXIKPWMUM","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/23/last-minute-tech-gifts-where-to-find-them/","content_elements":[{"_id":"DG4ZQOFAAZAXBMEACIVZU572NM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825166},"content":"It is the final two days of shopping before Christmas, which means time is running out – and fast. Many of us have ticked off the Christmas lists already, with research from PayPal earlier this month indicating that only 14 per cent are last minute shoppers planning on a Christmas Eve blitz.","type":"text"},{"_id":"576OBWAM2RAGJOJHR63N4JWBVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825167},"content":"If you have a few gifts left to buy, we have some suggestions – and more importantly, where you can find them now.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VTK5CO5BJVGNDIHX7B54SRS7I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825168},"content":"<b>Homedics Everybody Heated Shiatsu Pillow</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"MJH7HAOE5JCDHCWSSTHHGIMYZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825169},"content":"<b>€50</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NYUAJ6CUVZHFLAKVNQUES7JY4A","additional_properties":{"_id":"TGIQEPSPRVBGHK7QMR7KQ6MAY4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"KNS5L4TANRCUPDY7A6BBJV72W4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825170},"content":"What do you get the person who has everything? The Homedics heated massage pillow. It massages, it warms – what more could you ask for? The pillow is versatile too, and can be used on your neck, shoulders, back, and anywhere else you can position it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NJU43LT4NZCNXPFHUIYEJMR7JI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825171},"content":"<b>Where to find it: DID Electrical</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"6T7ESNICJJFXRHGPLUIOOWPRZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825172},"content":"<a href=\"http://did.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Did.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"2KEQYGWBRNENTONI42TSASTXVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825173},"content":"<b>Apple Watch Ultra 2</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZKIRQHO7KVCDVMLHJJDCWPR7VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825174},"content":"<b>€899</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3UYEV3LA3FE4ZA6B2UF7PC44E","additional_properties":{"_id":"2B7CE667I5H6PGQOT3ZQB4GCIQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4YP3XTEAVRDGRCVG5CCVDD6Q44","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825175},"content":"Apple’s rugged watch can go almost anywhere you can think of – up mountains, diving underwater – and live to tell the tale. It has dual GPS that is more accurate than ever before, it is certified for use as a dive watch, and has a customisable action button that you can access easily even if you are wearing heavy gloves.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I444AY5UFNGVFMHAIYMHQCGT5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508285},"content":"The battery life is better too, at 36 hours of use in normal mode and 72 in low power mode, meaning that even if you get stranded without access to a charger, you might just make it down the mountain before the battery gives up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYGVPC4NCZGQ7GRKWUE5OXLOP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825176},"content":"<b>Where to find it: Harvey Norman stores nationwide</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"X3DTMCPQJBEWNGT7Y36DQGEZYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825177},"content":"<a href=\"http://harveynorman.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">HarveyNorman.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LYRY2VP6D5FEPBBJIEBATPMPPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825178},"content":"<b>Google TV Streamer 4K</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"TWYG6VCBVFHAVIJCJCAKTY2CYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825179},"content":"<b>€110</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"L74UECWY6FEKHLMV7MVVVCIPGA","additional_properties":{"_id":"S6FE6HXM5RAUJCDPCPFA5DBNLE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TO7NTABVGZHABG4GBBL3MJFE6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825180},"content":"Turn your TV into an even smarter screen with Google’s newest TV streamer. It has a familiar interface, based on Android, and access to almost any app you would need on the big screen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6X5FJ6GLRBEVBAXZYDBXU654HI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508292},"content":"That includes video on demand apps, utilities such as VPNs to hide your online activity, and games that can keep the family occupied. It also comes with a remote control, and the sleek box looks nice in front of the TV.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYYMIO5SG5ABRHZICKVJ245A4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825181},"content":"<b>Where to buy: Harvey Norman</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DMR2F5NUQBGGHCPC4XPFPVT7CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825182},"content":"<a href=\"http://harveynorman.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">HarveyNorman.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"S4LMSXG6MZB65HP7QDX2WND4JU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825183},"content":"<b>Myzone Switch</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"FUDKLKABVNHLZFGHUA6WMLRJ44","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825184},"content":"<b>€160</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZDCP7WYCHVCIDIOXJA3OKLTNQE","additional_properties":{"_id":"6XEME72LUZCYXADULVN472SQPA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"5OJAOEX6PZGG7H3JRKPULXRMOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825185},"content":"There is a lot to be said for ditching the screen. The MyZone Switch works as a heart rate monitor that will also record your effort, translating it into points so you can see just how hard you are working out this month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GBQUQLAMIZGQDPUXL4FVLPUSYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508299},"content":"The Bluetooth monitor can be used in a watch, a chest band or a strap for your upper arm, making it a bit of a multitasker. It also links in with gym equipment through a bluetooth connection. To keep an eye on how your workout is going, the Switch has a small LED that flashes according to what heart rate zone you are currently in, from blue and green to yellow and red.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JQ43VABHQFDANOEA4LK7ZHHQAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825186},"content":"<a href=\"http://mcsport.ie/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>McSport.ie</b></a><b>, Dublin</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"B6R73A4OVJDP7N6BOC7RHPVVKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825187},"content":"<b>Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"SRMCEBUGIVGW7GGWZHOKVH43CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825188},"content":"<b>€110</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"STW6AGY4KNEK5ASJGVUKVG7EWU","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZCEUPSZJWJHUDB3A65OYOD4FOU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"L6DXVOKSR5DQ5JKXLI6O2LSSSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825189},"content":"Don’t let your memories get stranded in the cloud. The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3 is a portable printer that spits out photos from your smartphone on credit card sized film. All you need is access to the Instax Mini Link app and a connection to the printer, and you are good to go.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U4AXMH63YRGXPOIHMPJ73TU5SY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508305},"content":"You can print images directly, or add a few new effects, including frames and augmented reality additions. The rechargeable battery will last a decent amount of time, and all you have to remember is to have enough film on hand.","type":"text"},{"_id":"73L6IZSMYRHFFHD7OD6HJK5JZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825190},"content":"<b>Conns Cameras in Dublin; Harvey Norman in Cork, Waterford, Drogheda and Sligo</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"56A3RN67YZDPJHC5BYQLOEBRCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825191},"content":"<b>Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"PO4M7S5IRVA5DPJY6B6WMCV25A","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825192},"content":"<b>€260</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LAJWI5ADSRH5VL4KZ6ROB5D2D4","additional_properties":{"_id":"CM3LVXJSIBCJ3ALHS45T4DVSF4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CZBFLWA57BH3HDN22RLSRZR3WE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825193},"content":"Samsung’s newest earbuds are designed to be used best with its own phones – especially ones that support Galaxy AI – but you can use them with any device as a standard set of earbuds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VHDYIXEPPFAP7FT27BZBTY4U5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508311},"content":"Samsung has redesigned the buds, giving them stems similar to the Apple AirPods, and some interesting light effects that help you figure out essentials such as charging and battery life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QW5CD2KCYVF6NIBGA3IULQNLIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508312},"content":"They are noise cancelling too – essential for drowning out the Christmas noise – and have extras such as conversation detection to automatically lower your audio when it recognises you are engaged in conversation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7JGZJOMB3JBD3DU76GUGIDWCJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508313},"content":"Handily, the buds also recognise sirens and alarms, so you won’t miss out on anything crucial.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QH7ZZ7LVJBFBXH2CK7YN2KJ4NU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825194},"content":"<b>Where to buy: DID Electrical</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"G2CZNKDZAZGPHAQER6CYEZ6QJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825195},"content":"<a href=\"http://did.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Did.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LNYTYDVWUBAAFPOV5JBGIRMPCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825196},"content":"<b>PlayStation 5 Pro</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"AJQ3WGWWXZDFTKYI66NWQJU3VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825197},"content":"<b>€760</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZMIJ3IHJ3RF7BNQZCGOPK5TY2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"6ZVUWBDOIBCOVAM36NSTYHISXQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OPCQPNRYONEWZNAKMH6MNPIQDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825198},"content":"How generous is Santa feeling this year? If Sony’s newest console is a stretch for the man in red, you could pick it up yourself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MK4KBDH45HIDKAMTS42JGGG5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825199},"content":"The new games console from Sony offers more graphics power than its predecessor, with advanced technology such as faster ray tracing and improved fidelity. In short, the games look amazing, even older titles thanks to the upscaling technology that will boost lower resolution graphics.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SLGB7F3SWJECDJ5BLSZKUQVWU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825200},"content":"<b>Where to buy: Smyths</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"PWNTGYZYPNEOFC2KNQSPX4Y764","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825201},"content":"<a href=\"http://smythstoys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Smythstoys.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"BJRVZOLU4NALDDFUZKSZK2FYPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825202},"content":"<b>TonieBox</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"AFHWBEM2T5HODF7R4GJBGDQGFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825203},"content":"<b>€80</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"2TLBWEBUPJFAZA3KA7NX7EHIYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"RJWQXTKC2JGIDMDDG4CV3MWSEA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2OS5YCP52BACZPPECZBD2GYWSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825204},"content":"The Yoto Mini Player may be out of reach at this point in the Christmas shopping season, but the TonieBox can still be found in store.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AWK6QXEXCRCTXBD2ERSI5FQDRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508327},"content":"This screen-free, child-friendly speaker will play stories for your child along with songs and even personal messages you record. That is all down to the Tonie figures, which are easy for small hands to swap over and have a variety of stories from Frozen, to the Gruffalo and Matilda.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B3XKMWD6RVBWRGO6PMFTL5BJKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825205},"content":"<b>Where to buy: Smyths Toys</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ABF7WJYFQNA5BHEO5RJZHLL4XI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825206},"content":"<a href=\"http://smythstoys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Smythstoys.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTGGTNLRAZALLGM6HT4UEVZAUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825207},"content":"<b>MyFirst CareBuds</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"UDDWR5MJ55F75BVQHHZ5LM643Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825208},"content":"<b>€50</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"T4YGDNFJGNEWZOHTWU6XWE4K2M","additional_properties":{"_id":"NR3KMIZXCFBMXGW2TVW6ZJQQCI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZARMDVQEQZFD7G5AR3ONYEV24A","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825209},"content":"These ear buds are designed with children in mind, from the size of the buds to the volume limiting that will protect young ears. Inside the box, you get an array of tips that should fit most young ears. The buds also have touch controls that are easy to get to grips with.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E45V4EQRQJA4NP5CBNY5XYL4JY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825210},"content":"<b>Where to buy: DID Electrical</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"5YRDGTPH25GMJIWWYLMYNXAKNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825211},"content":"<a href=\"http://did.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Did.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DWTQUUUWH5GWPMJQJUE3KPR3KU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825212},"content":"<b>Digital subscriptions:</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"EYHNGWCPIFEO3P5OCMWVURHVWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825213},"content":"Tired of stuff cluttering up the place? Digital subscriptions could be the answer. From games to magazines, a decent digital subscription could get you at least 30 minutes of peace on Christmas Day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SS3KPM7B2VCSBGACIIP5HXLJQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825214},"content":"<b>For gamers:</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ODVHJGRJZJA6TGQBYQJUMZHMAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825215},"content":"Sony’s PlayStation Plus for its consoles has three levels – essential (€72/year), extra (€126/year) and premium (€152/year). All give you access to the monthly games that are included with a PS Plus membership, and the ability to play online. But the most expensive premium tier gives you access to the games catalogue, plus the library of classic games on your new console.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YHAA4NTWN5AWPPNPMM33C6LGLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825216},"content":"Microsoft’s Xbox Live Game Pass, meanwhile, can be used on PC, console, or both, depending on how much you are willing to pay. On console, you have the choice of core (€7 per month), Standard (€13 a month) and ultimate (€18m per month).","type":"text"},{"_id":"3AUOWHOSDZFIDIY4M44BD5GWVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508341},"content":"The basic tier gives access to a collection of 25 games, plus online multiplayer gaming. The standard option will open it up to hundreds of games on console, while the ultimate subscription includes access to the games on PC too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SOY4NLJXJRCXPP7Z4WZXZO655Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825217},"content":"Nintendo Switch Online membership will cost €20 for the year, giving your child access to online gaming, and classic Nintendo games on the Switch. You can upgrade to the expansion pack membership to get access to new content too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DX6RFHYSFZBKNCFEPUENMVNVDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825218},"content":"<b>For readers</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZLND3LCCX5DV5HLUKMW5B4G4XY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825219},"content":"Readly is a good option for people who like to read plenty of magazines, bringing together hundreds of titles covering everything from niche hobbies to general interest. Subscriptions start at €35 for three months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F377VXDYD5BEBMXMW5ZQWIT4AQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825220},"content":"For those who like audio books, Audible is worth looking at. Now owned by Amazon, it offers a good range of titles and works on a credit system, with one credit a month that can be used towards any book in its catalogue. Gift subscriptions start from £7 per month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"It is not too late to get something for the techie in your life"},"display_date":"2024-12-23T13:48:08.821Z","headlines":{"basic":"Last minute tech gifts: where to find them","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"J2IMOQLJLFDGPJSCFV7AICEP7M","auth":{"1":"ea344cd463b5d7ef804f629e6ec60ff2c3d9367275556e284ecd90e6d8d921a3"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/J2IMOQLJLFDGPJSCFV7AICEP7M.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/23/last-minute-tech-gifts-where-to-find-them/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"XUR5LTDCPZBALO5HGW75JIXPDA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":476,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d02fb527-fc6d-498a-a5da-3148af156eb7/versions/1734452340/media/f1c1a465fc2e839ffab476dd987abbe5_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/19/appy-christmas-tech-essentials-for-the-festive-season-from-parcel-tracking-to-meditation/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JFIVIEGQ7VAZ5LDNF5FUVGBZ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1734103992861},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a> may be (mostly) enjoyable for many of us, but it can also be stressful and busy. So what can <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/\" target=\"_blank\">tech</a> do to help? Plenty, if you know the right place to look.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T4VFXE4U7BEODEFV6OJDE7PWXY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127031},"content":"You don’t need to pay lots of money for fancy apps; your phone has powerful organisational tools built in. Take <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple</a>, for example. You have Notes and Reminders apps that can create handy lists across your Mac laptop, your iPad and iPhone. Christmas lists will be at your fingertips; reminders can be triggered by date or location. And, most importantly, notes can be locked to keep them away from prying eyes on the hunt for Christmas gifts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLIV22AATRE55ECRXJJEFUIEN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084072},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/google/\" target=\"_blank\">Google</a>, meanwhile, has Google Tasks, which is a handy way of organising your life. It’s a Google app but you will have to install it from the Play Store as it is not included as part of the core Android system. Once you start using the app, you can keep track of your tasks across Google Workspace, so it will pop up alongside your Gmail on your desktop, for example.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3347D74YZJG5RPLDKGGC5ZZ7IU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127033},"content":"Track your packages","type":"header"},{"_id":"M3DYSMFAWVDSLMFUIIIXLOQNDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127034},"content":"Still waiting on the last few holiday gifts to land? You can track your packages through your smartphone with very little effort.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GD4SJ6HNU5HAHAHDFMQX4RGRO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084075},"content":"If you buy online, Gmail will help you keep track of your packages, sending updates to your inbox, with more detailed options for those with a tracking number contained in the message. On Android, go to the Gmail app, tap the three lines for the Menu, tap Settings, and select the account on which you want to activate package tracking. Scroll down and select package tracking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MV3DC34GYRCA7LPBILMQ762WCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734359856480},"content":"If you use the app on Apple’s iOS, go to Menu>Settings>Data Privacy and scroll down to package tracking to enable it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VCKCOBZWFZFGZKJTKCQLPWCJTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127035},"content":"If you pay for your goods through Apple Pay, your phone’s Wallet app can keep track of your orders and send you straight to the delivery company’s website. Once you add a delivery to the wallet, notifications on their status will appear at the top of your inbox, including one to say it has been delivered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OF6BVJ3J2BBTNCG2XUX6RYZMQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127037},"content":"Plan your journeys","type":"header"},{"_id":"EN6JCGLXDJFAFOHQYOKZAUY3OI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127039},"content":"The run-up to Christmas is a busy one, and we don’t have a lot of time to spare sitting in traffic. There are apps that can help you plan your journey better, giving you real-time updates about journey times and allowing you to choose not only a better route, but maybe a better mode of transport.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VQB4DVMJVGNVFBSUNQPDLYHQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084079},"content":"Take Google Maps, for example. The app will give you approximate journey times based on traffic data it has available, so it changes based on time of day or when unexpected events, such as a crash or roadworks, snarl up a road. It also gives you the journey times for alternate modes of transport – walking, cycling, taxi, public transport – and gives detailed directions for them all. Sometimes, you really would be quicker walking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BMKS7R2ZSZGL5GVDLYXE4DOWYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084080},"content":"If you do need to get in the car though, it is best to be armed with all the information. Waze uses data from Google Maps to tell you not only when it will be best to leave to get to your destination on time, it also alerts you to hazards along the way – debris on the road, a stopped car and other potential hazards – that could affect your drive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZPP4QIROYJF5BBTOA3VFS6J5WA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127040},"content":"Downtime","type":"header"},{"_id":"OQLDLF2EMJBMLNKLHR3IXWMUZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734104762573},"content":"When the festive cheer starts to get a little too much, don’t doomscroll on social media and wonder why everyone else seems to be having a perfect Christmas. Although your smartphone could be part of the problem, it could redeem itself a little if you have the right tools.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZNHVCFM7AFAQBNYFO7VBP5WLBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084083},"content":"Subscription apps such as Calm or Headspace can help you into a calmer, more relaxed place. Imagine Cillian Murphy lulling you to sleep during a bout of pre-Christmas anxiety, or Matthew McConaughey helping you to focus on your relaxation (both on Calm).","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTOKOOHUHZEXVMZMAFQRSWWGEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734359856489},"content":"A bit of mid-Christmas Day meditation could also come in handy right around the time that the arguments have begun or the in-laws are starting to clash, and you feel like your nerves are stretched to the limit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6HTARNFRE5GRFA4OUO6CIXX5RE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084084},"content":"For younger members of the family, check out Cosmic Kids Yoga. The perfect thing to help smooth out the sugar highs and excitement of Christmas Day, your children can do Christmas themed yoga sessions to help them calm down or wind down for bedtime with Bop the Alien’s 10 minutes to bed routines. There are also mindfulness sessions aimed at helping children deal with the worries or that give them tools to deal with stressful situations, in an age appropriate and fun way.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4QXIO53SHBBY3JX5GU4DEUJIBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127044},"content":"Food","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZP7SQJFEV5AXFAXWCF5QC7UGVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084086},"content":"From meal planning to cooking skills, technology has a lot up its sleeve to help in the kitchen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YMMBXKCOENECNA6HWDF6OY63H4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734336666974},"content":"If you want to learn a few new skills in time for Christmas, Craftsy covers everything from table centrepieces to handmade gifts. But it also includes some useful cooking guides that can level up your Christmas catering. Want to make your own sweets? It has you covered. Barely able to boil an egg? There is a section aimed at beginners.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6PC3ZOVP4BAN5PCICKX7YZOLOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734336666975},"content":"If you want to get the whole family involved though, there are some services that are aimed specifically at getting children into the kitchen. One Yummy Mummy, which is run by award-winning food writer Jolene Cox, offers a “Kids in the Kitchen” virtual class every week that will teach your children valuable lessons for life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BGI5LNYLRVGMZMCKN3YO4EGMCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734359856495},"content":"Not only does membership include access to all the recipes in her vault, but each week, there is a live “cook along” class with Jolene and her daughter Lils that kids join in via Zoom, with a playback available on the site for those who want to access it later. In the run-up to Christmas, there are a number of festive recipes on the site – tear and share Christmas tree, anyone? – plus recipes to turn to when the turkey and ham get a little too much.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IGT3COTECVGPRLCH5LT4VYMTCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734104762574},"content":"....plus some for next year","type":"header"},{"_id":"LN6UAEBPQRAOLO7RRMMS4ZAGOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734104762575},"content":"<b>Wifi plugs: </b>Not everything needs to be smart. But in the case of the humble plug, we have wholeheartedly embraced it. It started with the Christmas tree – being able to turn on and off the tree lights without risking a branch in the eye is an underappreciated benefit of connected devices. The plugs are connected to your home network, allowing you to control them remotely via their own app, or through Google Home, Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Homekit, depending on their compatibility.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YQUFEGS4FNHPFESRRCVMBWI5IY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734359856498},"content":"So instead of fumbling for the switch and getting pine needles everywhere, you can simply tap your phone’s screen, set a schedule to make sure that the lights turn on (and off) at the right time, or sit back and command Google/Alexa/Siri to do it for you.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YV2ZPI45T5HTRJTN275C4ZDCIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127051},"content":"<b>Smart appliances: </b>While not everything needs to be smart, there are some things that can help you if you need some support in the cooking department. Take the crop of smart appliances that are available. While many are unnecessary – who really needs a wifi-enabled air fryer, for example? – there are some features that are nice to have, if not essential.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RY6QIK2OVRE2VGR7AZ2RAKFXHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734359856500},"content":"Neff’s smart ovens, for example, give you the ability to control the oven from wherever you are through the app, so there is no more panicking about getting delayed and the knock-on effect for dinner. Bosch offers similar functionality, also through the Home Connect app, alongside guided recipes and settings that can be sent directly to the appliance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YSEKTV77UNAKVH2CHUXZEPW57M","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084094},"content":"And there is more to come. Irish company Fresco has been working with global partners to bring its smart kitchen platform to appliance makers such as Kenwood, Instant Brands and Thermomix. The plan is to create appliances that guide you through the entire process, across multiple appliance manufacturers and devices, from the mixer to the oven, with step-by-step recipes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Whether it’s planning your journey or food prep, keeping tabs of to-do lists or options for downtime, there’s an app for it"},"display_date":"2024-12-19T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"From wifi plugs to Waze: tech essentials to get you through the festive season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"H5LA66VIUFDWJBW3RASZBW6CXQ","auth":{"1":"bcda99a6e4c6aba643c6c3e30fd3ff618d94461fea9d660bf955818278732d13"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/H5LA66VIUFDWJBW3RASZBW6CXQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/19/appy-christmas-tech-essentials-for-the-festive-season-from-parcel-tracking-to-meditation/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"U5IANPOQQNCVBJZFNSETEPXVT4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":307,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/79e2f4a4-2f0f-4c09-8af4-980b45a59cf1/versions/1734448648/media/bb37d9a3319432ec1c7eb0ba112f35b1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/19/ps5-pro-review-stunning-graphics-come-with-a-premium-price-tag/","content_elements":[{"_id":"S73O6Q6IMNB6TIZ5FTEJU5ITR4","additional_properties":{"_id":"GGPDF25H7BHVDE4FEQ7UB2A6BY"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-40430","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"47YKV3LBQJCVBIGNTUWVA2DTAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623239},"content":"When the PlayStation 5 launched in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic, the only thing harder to get your hands on was toilet roll. Demand for the console was high but availability was limited and it took <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sony/\" target=\"_blank\">Sony</a> three years to solve its stock woes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2YJ3WF2LLFCPNIB34ANVQKGNAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623240},"content":"Then, in 2023, came the PS5 Slim, replacing the original console form factor but still identifiable as Sony’s console. PS5s were no longer a rare find.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EE33TU34B5CQLKKJUHSAOJQZBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623241},"content":"Now, a year later, we get the PlayStation 5 Pro, a more powerful console that promises a jump in performance, and delivers it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7KC6SYAZZNGCDEG7XYQVWAB7AM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623242},"content":"What do you get for the extra money? Better graphics performance for a start. The PS5 Pro is trading on that Pro moniker and to do that, it needed to up its game.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FURLF3FXTBBPVP7BQYPAQYJXLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734446805164},"content":"The Pro’s graphics processing unit is faster than its predecessor and the console comes with visual upgrades that are truly stunning, from ray tracing at 60 frames per second, to an AI-driven technology that upscales content to make it really pop, and improved graphical fidelity.","type":"text"},{"_id":"76QN5HDKRZE2NGJIJG3SIHHRWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623243},"content":"That AI technology is PlayStation spectral super resolution, Sony’s proprietary technology that it has developed with the hopes of delivering some jaw-dropping visuals. If you want to sit and marvel at Spider Man swinging his way through New York, you really should do it on PS5 Pro. I found myself getting caught up in the visuals more than in the gameplay at times, like I was taking a realistic run through the city.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WYKGUEXH3BFRHHXOVXESA3DHIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623245},"content":"That’s not the only upgrade. The internal storage has been boosted to 2TB, giving you extra space to store games and other data. That is a welcome upgrade. I didn’t realise how quickly I would burn through the original PS5′s storage with digital games until the updates no longer came. Then there is the inevitable shuffling around of content, archiving and offloading games to make room for a gigantic game update. The extra storage space will ensure that is not an issue – for a while at least.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HU6YUQRIEJCF7J34W7TMFU3CVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623246},"content":"But what Sony giveth, Sony taketh away. What you gain in extra storage, you lose in versatility. The physical drive has been removed, so unless you want to shell out for the external disc drive (another €100), it’s destined to remain a digital console.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O73JKDTHS5BULGUBTSQMPZFZPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623247},"content":"That was a curious decision on Sony’s part. Most serious gamers I know have a stash of physical games they like to hold on to; the decision to make the drive an optional extra to what is already a very expensive console just loads up the expense of owning the Pro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QMIV6MTALJE3LHW66S6UOZFWBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623248},"content":"Because it is an expensive one, there’s no doubt about it. At €800, it is the most expensive Sony console out there, a fact that the games giant isn’t apologising for.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CHEQWKZCY5FS3FR35COCM3BLBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623249},"content":"It is the best PS5 console you can get, there is no arguing there. But will gamers be willing to spend big to get it? You can understand people rushing to spend hundreds of euro on a new generation console that has been eagerly awaited, but as an update to an existing device, it is essentially competing against itself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M27HZTD275HCNMVLZQ6C47A4RE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623250},"content":"If you like to have the best gaming performance without compromising elsewhere, then the PS5 Pro is a worthy upgrade. But you’ll need to have deep pockets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HH5YWDM2DFDCNLTM6MOEAUUX74","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623251},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"SAQPI3ABRBCFZKP7SBG4C53ZII","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623252},"content":"Graphics on the PS5 Pro are amazing. The original PS5 was no slouch in this area, but the PS5 Pro pushes things up a notch. The increased performance of the GPU and support for up to 120Hz displays means graphics are super smooth, under the right conditions. The ability to upscale content is also very appealing, making everything incredible sharp and detailed. If you want to sit and gawp at graphics, then the PS5 Pro is the console to have.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XQL3AYGEPRDWNPINMH647Q5OEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623253},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"N6JRWVCB2JEG3JTTJ75QIGBRTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623254},"content":"The graphics upgrades are nice, but won’t have everyone rushing to upgrade.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SDI7DPQLJVFAVO7WHG455XXIG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623255},"content":"It is a digital console, which means you will need to buy an external drive if you want to use physical discs in your games collection.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RANBLPA2XREC3P6STJ6RTCDIDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623256},"content":"Sony doesn’t include the stand in the retail version either; that wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for me, as the console spends most of its time on its side, but it will certainly rankle with some gamers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HHLZPGQBMZGLREFYNOVJ4DUZ7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623257},"content":"It is also incredibly expensive, but if you want the best, Sony is willing to bet you will pay for it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7HXAVTMNNRAHZG2MUE7YZ4PHMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623258},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"YZ23IWBP5JC2ZOZHCYGCQ3PAHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623259},"content":"You’ll get the most out of this console by pairing it with a 120Hz display, but unless you are working with seriously out of date technology, graphics will look great regardless on most displays.","type":"text"},{"_id":"532SFXNSOZB65EBVSAUYC4SJBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623260},"content":"Wifi 7 future-proofs the console – a welcome move because with the price of the PS5 Pro, you are going to want to keep it as long as possible.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N5ESOWXA55FT3OS4J5K7XFRI6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623261},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"VABP77XKS5FU7LUAWICXH3J5XQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623262},"content":"For pro gamers, the PS5 Pro will provide the uptick in graphics performance they may not have realised they needed. But it comes at a cost.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MFDICZLBZGR7BVLDCYQFZM5ZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623263},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"5YPW4QQFYVHETOZYM5V7S7U64I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623264},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"At €800, console is incredibly expensive, but it offers mesmerising visuals that may appeal to serious gamers"},"display_date":"2024-12-19T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"PS5 Pro review: Stunning graphics come with a premium price tag","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ZMIJ3IHJ3RF7BNQZCGOPK5TY2Y","auth":{"1":"36abe60dea398441b44a72a047e4571cca776332e33af453fda3bca253a98a13"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ZMIJ3IHJ3RF7BNQZCGOPK5TY2Y.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/19/ps5-pro-review-stunning-graphics-come-with-a-premium-price-tag/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"YUXWSCOSP5CFBO7KP23IKFXG4I","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":230,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/310d1c5d-0288-4a2f-8036-78c5342687a5/versions/1734453749/media/c10b563cfc2d897829684143461d2ab6_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2024/12/17/last-minute-gift-guide-fitness-tech-for-under-the-tree/","content_elements":[{"_id":"PFVF3SKYO5HVPAWC6G4KGI2RSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948807},"content":"Garmin Lily 2 Active","type":"header"},{"_id":"M4HIJ5YVGBGB3OXFOMV4B7JSO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948808},"content":"<b>From €249</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"MOMJEODYPNEZPPXPDHSJ2VSMHM","additional_properties":{"_id":"OXF4647FWJBGVFANB5JFN4WV24"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Z4RIP4GEDRDQLFYI5Z5ZPVI3PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948810},"content":"Most fitness focused smartwatches stand out, and not always for the right reasons. The Garmin Lily 2 Active blends in, with a more stylish, subtle appearance that doesn’t compromise on function.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GODAZOHG7ZCFBPQCQSUU36BSMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652132},"content":"It has up to five days of battery life, with built-in GPS, activity monitoring and extras such as stress and pulse ox monitoring. Each day you can check out your “body battery” to see how well you have recovered from the previous day’s exertions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3FG4GZMHBNA53LWVJTVFOK2EDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948811},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.garmin.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Garmin.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3TWZXIHAZCILALHEH4VBF4G5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948812},"content":"Whoop","type":"header"},{"_id":"75ILM5AAW5BFPFB6FQIGZOWZLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948813},"content":"<b>From €264</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"P2GAJAHJLRGBHKE6CWTAXQPIVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"L5Z74BULMVEXPHSA3NCW4PEU2A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2GNAOTKQEZDRRHLMGW4MJYJ2QM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948815},"content":"Sick of screens? The Whoop band offers another way to monitor your health and wellness without becoming a slave to your notifications. The screenless sensor can be worn on your wrist or inside some of Whoop’s clothing – sports tops or shorts, for example – so you don’t need to be wearing a visible band.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N6WF3RCHIZH7FGUBHMBMFA2WJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705521},"content":"Once you wear the band for a period of time, it starts giving you data based on your sleep and activity, giving you an idea of when you need to take a break from training and when you are safe enough to push the limits.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WIL7TWLWYFA4ZKFGNAQWH3ZJQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705522},"content":"The band comes with a 12-month membership to the service; after that you will need to subscribe to keep getting the benefits from the band.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGMHOGAFSJCRVIEHIASM5EX6RE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705523},"content":"Also, Whoop is offering a discount on membership that runs until December 20th, giving members both old and new 10 per cent off a 12-month membership.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3HCY5BRWFFAJFEMZ5O3V5V6ACQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705524},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.whoop.com/ie/en/\" target=\"_blank\">Whoop.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZSAHW2JOHJGKHBGZ7FJSUC6X4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705525},"content":"Samsung Galaxy Ring","type":"header"},{"_id":"2QFTTBOZVZHQPDI2OUUPE47SW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705526},"content":"<b>From €399</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"QUYUUF5IF5EUNIPVHH4ZVP2E3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q27FICQFCJFQFLNEVZD254R4MI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CPZYKNTJ7RF7RGTYQ6OE5BUDGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705527},"content":"Another option for screen-averse fitness fans is the Samsung Galaxy Ring. Released earlier this year, the device measures activity, sleep, blood oxygen, skin temperature and so on. It combines all these metrics, crunches the numbers and delivers a daily score that lets you know if you need to take things easy or if today is a day to push yourself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R2TOV2VFQZHVPN7T7J5N3CNQT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652146},"content":"It works best with Samsung’s Galaxy phones, but a lot of the health monitoring features are also accessible through other Android devices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5G64AVU4PJAJPMK756DT44VB6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705528},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.currys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">currys.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"HN7C2ZJZAFBNRIPSVQ5C6PAGHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705529},"content":"Apple Watch Series 10","type":"header"},{"_id":"OFFKR3DN3ZCO3COFQKHYD35NQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705530},"content":"<b>From €449</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"APHEQZRNCBHO5HBRPKNVSYZOYA","additional_properties":{"_id":"DT65QX6I6BCCXMJ4JTL26XEWGI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"3CBNOJGTLNH65KECMZWSMX5EWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705531},"content":"The Apple Watch Ultra 2 may be the rugged, all-singing, all-dancing option, but it also comes with a hefty price tag that may not be justified if you don’t plan on doing anything more taxing than visiting the local gym and pool.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4ECKD7HYUVCERDS6ZCCFBSOLKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652152},"content":"So the Apple Watch Series 10 is the perfect device for iOS users. It has all the sensors you need – heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen, accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter – plus a few extras such as the depth gauge and water temperature sensor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IA52WBLRDZHZ5BKE5SWDKCB6MQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652153},"content":"The new version comes in titanium, which is very lightweight, and has the choice of 42mm or 46mm cases.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RB4EHJV62FAWLGAEDCWG2BOBFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705532},"content":"<a href=\"http://apple.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"YJ7FALUT3VDRLG5RJBJP7YBJ4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705533},"content":"MyZone Switch","type":"header"},{"_id":"MPVTICLXYZEJJDNLOST7TKUEM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705534},"content":"<b>€160</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZDCP7WYCHVCIDIOXJA3OKLTNQE","additional_properties":{"_id":"2RRRPD4TAJEQVIHQYJY2XGUITU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WUAUF7HKKNAXRBPL6UIIWQY7ZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705535},"content":"Is it a chest strap? Is it a wrist-worn monitor? The MyZone Switch is actually both, and it can also be worn with an arm strap if you want to keep your wrists clear of devices. It measures your effort, awarding you Myzone Effort points based on your own personal workout, rather than an arbitrary standard of what the system thinks you should do.","type":"text"},{"_id":"POJ4LNGC6NCLTAV37MXKMPVR2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652159},"content":"It is screenless too, with a small LED on the face that lets you know what heart rate zone you are in. It links in with various fitness equipment too, as the Polar heart rate monitors do, so no matter what gym you go to, you should be able to keep an eye on your workout stats.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WOYBRMDUZBGZHBWVBIKG3KONQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652160},"content":"Some gyms have adopted the technology as part of their membership, offering members status and rewards as they advance through the levels.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KWLM6J6JWREIZBMX33INE26S7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705536},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.mcsport.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">mcsport.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLTYPSNAUVHZDFYXG64AMI2WEU","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"From smartwatches to rings, here are some present ideas for fitness lovers"},"display_date":"2024-12-17T12:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Last-minute gift guide: Fitness tech for under the tree, including €160 option","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3GBPHVRGO5HBJK3UKPH53U2B2A","auth":{"1":"e1210a157ffa3fa8005d030730dae1bcc4919956a1c635c0a33d18d70b029825"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3GBPHVRGO5HBJK3UKPH53U2B2A.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/12/17/last-minute-gift-guide-fitness-tech-for-under-the-tree/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"O5Y4Y7BXEBFWVP4IS2MAVRDROQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":376,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/899f7824-0189-4825-a04a-75cd34c0884b/versions/1733848657/media/8dae8597ee92bd0792ac7d36b03a41c2_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/12/hmd-fusion-review-a-decent-and-expandable-android-phone-at-a-good-price-from-a-nokia-linked-brand/","content_elements":[{"_id":"E7PQWPAVPRAJJKN6GAUKLRQ77A","additional_properties":{"_id":"PO7OT5XMSREARPO2XKKFDCL63Y"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-45318","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"PUUWYGW6RJC2TFXIIZ2WC7YSR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670389},"content":"Your smartphone is a multitasking powerhouse these days, from managing your calendar to replacing your camera, while also putting your car’s GPS out of business.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W2LFCFAPUFCBDPCJVEXYBCXP3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670390},"content":"It makes sense, then, that a company has come up with a way of making some of those tasks a little easier, with the HMD Fusion.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HXQWE22VYJALPPRD37FDBM2AKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670391},"content":"The HMD – Human Mobile Devices – brand name may not be immediately familiar to you; you might know it better as Nokia. Or, to be specific, the unit of Nokia that was sold off to Microsoft in 2014, before the company bought it back two years later. Since 2016, HMD has made Nokia-branded mobile phones, including reboots of the popular “dumb” phones that had batteries that would last for weeks and came with only one game: Snake.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6KCCGRZ2TRA55NI3TIMPAC5QIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670392},"content":"Now the company is making phones under the HMD brand. So far, we don’t hate it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GNEBVDB2MVFWDMKD6SELDIVCYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670393},"content":"The HMD Fusion is a new take on an older concept: modular smartphones that you can expand with different accessories, and are a bit more repairable than your average smartphone. In other words, phones that are designed to be used by humans, rather than robots.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MVKUWGVV6NH3DBR4XGMEIDPTWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670394},"content":"Out of the box, the HMD Fusion looks like every other touchscreen smartphone out there: big screen, small bezels, a cut out for the camera. Turn it over and there is the camera bump, with two lenses and a flash; the back of the battery; and a pin connector. It looks a bit unfinished, like someone forgot to put a panel on it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVLI2MK5HZH6PFVTOZPUZRLPRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670395},"content":"This is a deliberate choice. HMD calls it “elegant and industrial”, a “raw, no-frills aesthetic”. It is effectively naked; the Fusion is designed to be customised with different “outfits”, as HMD calls the accessories. The kits can be swapped in a few seconds, turning your Fusion from a gaming device to a photo studio as and when you need it. The kits are limited at the moment, but it shows what is possible in the future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7GZRQLQ5NBC2HKMHU253CYSY74","additional_properties":{"_id":"CF4SWRUXFZAKZL5JBL24DYKFZI"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"IR2A3WVCB5FAPKEC7VPHLGS4SM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Fusion reviewed here came with the gaming outfit, which is essentially a gaming control pad that connects to the phone via the smart connector. Getting a good fit here is essential, and it took me a minute of fiddling about with the controller to realise where I’d gone wrong.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SACP5ABWFD4TJJS4VNES4J5LA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670397},"content":"The controller itself felt just like a regular games controller, with shoulder buttons and triggers that reacted well to the on-screen action. It’s a nicer way to play games on your smartphone than the on-screen controls, although it will only work with the HMD devices due to the smart connector. That compares with the universal Bluetooth controller that can be used with multiple phone models, manufacturers and operating systems.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N7FYGIUVSFGKLIMTFZGYUJ3FIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670398},"content":"As a smartphone, the HMD Fusion does almost everything you can ask of it. It has a decent camera, with extras such as Flash Shot, which is designed for taking pictures of fast-moving objects – pets, kids and so on – a selfie gesture that will trigger a countdown timer, and a preset for skin tones so you can save your personal preference for either a more natural look or a brightened version. It also has the standard Android camera options, such as panorama, portrait mode and a night mode.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5NGA7KKBIBBPHBQCDNCZANPWEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670399},"content":"In general, the camera takes decent photos. It has a 108-megapixel lens on the rear camper, and 3x zoom; the front-facing camera clocks in at 50 megapixels.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JOEEQSHHJZHB5C3EDZFSEVZJ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670400},"content":"The display is HD+ with a 90Hz refresh rate, it won’t challenge the flagships from Apple or Samsung, but it looks fine, even when gaming.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTZ3MNUIRFCW3PAJYCI7DQJC5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670401},"content":"On the inside, it is powered by a Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor, an octa-core chip that is built for power efficiency.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R37PHUKJMNBVZCJAHJZNXZVMJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670402},"content":"RAM is available at 6GB or 8GB, with the choice of 128GB and 256GB in storage. And in keeping with the phone’s ethos, that is expandable with a micro SD card.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLSTIR2EAZHNFCQ4TUN46JQ6HA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670403},"content":"There is one other good thing going in the Fusion’s favour. Aside from the repairability, it is a lot less expensive than the premium smartphones. At €230, unlocked from a network and free to take any sim you want, the HMD phone is wallet friendly but not feature-light. It doesn’t have wireless charging, or the highest-spec screen technology, but it does everything well. And with a few outfit changes, who knows what extra features you will be able to add?","type":"text"},{"_id":"PJRLBXD6SBFJVFEQL577H6KOWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670404},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"G5322ZFRXFDDTK4QLX4CMPF4H4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670405},"content":"The modular, repairable nature of the phone is welcome. Yes, we’ve gone down this line before but maybe the Moto phones and their mods were ahead of their time. You can add new features quickly, and if the worst happens – a shattered screen, for example – it won’t be an expensive repair because you can do it yourself. Apparently.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6QFCRWM5TFEMRN5HYTDJS2VBDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670406},"content":"The price is the real winner here. For €230, you get a decent Android phone with the potential for expanding its features with the “outfit” accessories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MPNUEIB3RRHFHEEE3CSYSMWHBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670407},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"3PGN6RSSFBFTRD3A6HCJUPIXH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670408},"content":"You have to take the protective case off – even the HMD one – to fit it into the accessories. Which is fine if they are the “outfits” that can double as protection, such as the soon-to-be-released rugged outfit, or the coloured casual outfits. I am not entirely sure the gaming outfit would provide the same measure of protection should it be dropped in a moment of over-enthusiastic gaming.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7F7447XKZHTZK2YOACZ7SG7ZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670409},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"HPHMTM57TNCKXG4KQS75PKN6SY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670410},"content":"In the box, you get the phone itself, a USB charging cable and what HMD calls a “transparent casual outfit”. To everyone else, that is a clear protective case.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GW6RBPTS3FHOVJN6EF4JC4K7TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670411},"content":"The system for the outfits is open source, so in theory, people could create 3D print and create their own outfits. That opens up a lot of possibilities for the future of the system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"764H2BHKGNDB5P36RDWFH7DLIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670412},"content":"The verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"QBECN3A4IBEI3NKMVENIBM3IRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670413},"content":"A decent mid-priced smartphone, with possibilities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C3S34DO6LNEVNM2LJ2BNOHWMGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670414},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.hmd.com\" target=\"_blank\"><i>hmd.com</i></a>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"This smartphone is wallet friendly but not feature-light, offers repairability and is designed to be customised with different accessories"},"display_date":"2024-12-12T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"HMD Fusion review: A decent and expandable Android phone at a good price from a Nokia-linked brand","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6VELWIYZGNGENJBSJMNSOLWRL4","auth":{"1":"ba92df0e9de50e86c15b2f9fd69adee85b8eaf9338ec83bac09fa2422bf14626"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6VELWIYZGNGENJBSJMNSOLWRL4.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/12/hmd-fusion-review-a-decent-and-expandable-android-phone-at-a-good-price-from-a-nokia-linked-brand/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"Z6TUS5MIGZC7LGCVZDEA236GOA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":415,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a62f6eb8-0af8-4830-89ed-067158911a15/versions/1733747938/media/7e2beea42fecd2c403954b8d9dabd7f1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/12/christmas-morning-tech-frenzy-ensure-batteries-are-charged-updates-installed-and-old-devices-backed-up/","content_elements":[{"_id":"K3AZG2FTKNB5JPLAGWP3JE4H6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713022},"content":"We are only 12 days from Christmas, and the preparations are probably almost complete. Santa letters have been posted, turkeys ordered and stockings hung up waiting to be filled with gifts and treats on December 24th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NO5SA6PEJ5DBNDK5DOEKW27AJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713023},"content":"But if Santa is leaving any tech gifts under the tree this year, there are some things you should start doing now to make sure that everything goes smoothly on Christmas Day, and beyond.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TZSQGSNRU5EKLEMNZ7FL2AZM3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713024},"content":"Set up accounts","type":"header"},{"_id":"CYQUXHTXTNENTHVWZLEHBBYJRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713025},"content":"If you were to rank the most tedious requirements for new devices, setting up accounts would be in the top three, especially if you are starting from scratch. Not only do they want to know how to contact you by phone, email and carrier pigeon, they also want you to choose answers to several security questions you will immediately forget, and pick out the images that show even a sliver of the side of a traffic light before they will let you continue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K6TPCYB7S5CABMLLFIADRKZ25Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713026},"content":"But even if you are tempted to let your child do it for themselves on Christmas morning, there is one very good reason why you shouldn’t: parental controls. To access them, you will need an account of your own, then link your child’s account to yours before you can start imposing time limits on apps and locking down devices for school and study hours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3JC6CBK43FDAHJX2FNH5KGK22E","additional_properties":{"_id":"EH7NFBMCJRDNNNY2OOIV7BAOCU"},"content":"Christmas tech for kids: great gift ideas with safety features for parental peace of mind","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KJODTXYEPVDH5NHTZO4AKQDOXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713027},"content":"It isn’t always possible to put that in place retroactively if your child has already set themselves up with an unrestricted account. All the games companies – Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo – will allow you to set up a child account so you can keep on eye on what they are playing and for how long, as will the smartphone platforms and Microsoft for Windows PCs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLO4NJD7M5EXVNGWFPCXH7QQMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713028},"content":"It doesn’t have to be forever. As they get older, you can loosen the constraints a little, allowing them more autonomy over their own devices as they learn to navigate their way through some of the trickier elements of technology.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XF7SHE4HNVHMPJXR3AUBSUFFJM","additional_properties":{"_id":"QLIXZR5WVVEBTK5SPDRNK63OBM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"7K5INGFYMNC5TMIILKCTPANK3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713029},"content":"Back up old devices","type":"header"},{"_id":"BZQLPOCDR5HNBHRATQVH5G2V2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713030},"content":"This is particularly relevant to those who have splashed out on a new smartphone or tablet for someone this Christmas. If you are upgrading them from an older device, there are going to be files they want to keep – including photographs, downloaded files and other important information.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3MIT534C3BH5HKWVLB2KDBBAVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733745399728},"content":"But there is also going to be a lot of unnecessary junk on there too. Perhaps there are several apps lurking that you could get rid of. Those blurry videos with distorted sound that you took at a concert five years ago can go in the bin. As can the accidental screenshots, the ones where your thumb covered the lens, the out-of-focus shots of the pets and the kids and the many, many TikTok dances.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y7BFOLXEZZCJVCU5WY3GLLVWQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733745399729},"content":"Food photos, too, along with memes sent on WhatsApp and the selfies that you’d rather not share with the world can also be ditched.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXJPLDXUIBDJ5LAVOVC2MVUXQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713031},"content":"The more data there is on there, the more time the phone will take to back up and transfer to the new phone. You’ll not only save time by cleaning up those files ahead of time, you might be able to downgrade your cloud storage too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XEKO2S3CQFAVRGI4SY55T2YGKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713032},"content":"Charge batteries","type":"header"},{"_id":"EAAYYHNRSBCUNKOCCZXHJDCHYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713033},"content":"Most tech devices will come with rechargeable batteries, and those batteries will usually have some sort of charge out of the box. But occasionally they don’t and will need a few hours of being plugged in before they can be used. Sometimes, they don’t work at all and Santa has to hotfoot it back to the workshop for a quick swap.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYEANV2OHNDK3GX2TAKWOXVWKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733745399733},"content":"Wouldn’t it be better to double-check that now rather than wait until Christmas Day, when you have to explain to an impatient child why they can’t immediately crack on with their Christmas gift?","type":"text"},{"_id":"2EBGWDBJBZHWPCBJORIXCGCJIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713034},"content":"With that in mind, it is also a good idea to make sure you have a stock of batteries on hand for toys that don’t come with lithium ion batteries built in. We usually reach for the rechargeable AA and AAA batteries, but some devices have very specific requirements, and ones that rechargeables don’t meet.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7CYZKW6UDNCIND3DP6QOR3Y3YE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713035},"content":"Install updates","type":"header"},{"_id":"IO7ROEF6KRAL3GF7QJS7HHZKCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713036},"content":"If you have bought anything with an operating system on it – phone, tablet, games console – spare yourself the agony on Christmas morning and check if they will need software updates before they can be used.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L3FI3OULPJHYZPWRWHUBFW4K3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713037},"content":"It doesn’t matter that they are new and straight out of the box; there’s a good chance that in the time between the device being manufactured and you buying it, there have been more than a few software updates pushed out to devices. And in some cases, you will need to install those updates before you can get down to the business at hand – actually using the shiny new toys.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFZ5UYHOABACZA5PMRGJHT5JNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713038},"content":"You could decide to wing it on the day but there are a couple of reasons you shouldn’t. First, what if there is a problem with an update? Then the gift recipient will have a frustrating delay in getting their device working properly","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYJJ43P2BNBGDHVXTMB3XUGTN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713039},"content":"That is, of course, assuming you can get the update. Every year, we hear tales of woe involving an excited child, a high-tech device and a seeming eternally pending update. You aren’t the only one who will have chosen this particular gift, and if they all go for updates at the same time, there is a good chance you will get stuck in a queue behind people in various time zones trying to start up their new tech.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4PDC6QLMVNC5BNDIMVZVBMDYPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713040},"content":"So do yourself a favour: install the updates now. At least if something goes horribly wrong, you will be able to get someone in the relevant tech support to help you through the mess.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BKLY5NCQDVHJROMWFQDZZ2ZALA","additional_properties":{"_id":"SJ3BXGNZCBFIRNEZA2P772DUX4"},"content":"Christmas gift ideas: 100 Irish websites to get your shopping sorted","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZH77JBS5MFB5RNZYPUV24PSMGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713041},"content":"Warranties and insurance","type":"header"},{"_id":"Y4AXIR7SCNDTXHJ35YS2KSAHBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713042},"content":"Your new technology will come with some statutory warranties that are yours by law, but there are also extended warranties on some devices. We aren’t talking about the kind that you have to fork over extra cash for, though; usually, if you register your device by a certain date, you can get a longer warranty (albeit a limited one in some cases).","type":"text"},{"_id":"EBJFGD7DT5FSTOAPRF3DTB4FPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713043},"content":"Registering your device is also a good idea for getting notified about potential problems, product recalls or important updates to software that might otherwise pass you by.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2UPO7AEW5JARXIZ5HJYJFP4OVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713044},"content":"That deadline is usually several weeks, but if there is one thing that slips through the cracks this Christmas, we would put money on it being this lengthier warranty offer. Do it now, save yourself the potential heartache – and much rummaging through the recycling bin – in the post-Christmas haze.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NECDUNDT2ND2DISS2LMRKQXNEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713045},"content":"If you are planning on insuring your newly bought technology, it might also be worth looking at that now too. Some devices will be covered under your home insurance, but many – particularly expensive technology that leaves the house a lot – won’t be covered for loss, theft or damage under your regular policy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MUSOHDB3NFAKVC2UHNOXR6FN3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713046},"content":"Familiarise yourself with the details too. Some policies will require you to have bought the device within a certain time limit; others will limit how soon you can make a claim and a certain number for the year. The current record from handing over the gift to insurance claim here was six weeks, so best to move quickly on that one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Planning ahead will pay dividends with a less stressful gift-giving experience"},"display_date":"2024-12-12T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Christmas morning tech frenzy: ensure batteries are charged, updates installed and old devices backed up","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"Y2YDAFPESJA4ZETOSYVTXE356U","auth":{"1":"d7366828792901a3126b0cff2df9ad3dce49f2da05c8d79350d8e836fd91d98e"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/Y2YDAFPESJA4ZETOSYVTXE356U.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/12/christmas-morning-tech-frenzy-ensure-batteries-are-charged-updates-installed-and-old-devices-backed-up/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"FICQAAJNTJCLJBZCRRWOLH2WWI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":263,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/45996d95-6f32-4277-941f-b9746ce6ccb3/versions/1733215995/media/e92e08f42e4b41c43de0465e0c4552b7_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/05/twinkly-tree-topper-review-choose-a-different-look-atop-your-christmas-tree-for-every-day-of-the-season/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WOVGB2AP6ZACZFI5OIWIG3OJ64","additional_properties":{"_id":"JCNCMXOP6JCJVAHTTKL6OIYHEU"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-69700","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"52ZATUBQ4RHVDLLTGEH2KLH2RU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597342},"content":"December 1st has come and gone. That means it is reasonably safe to start talking about Christmas without someone composing a furious email about how it is too early and can we just wait until we see the back of November, please?","type":"text"},{"_id":"VWNGEDXXQFGK7KZP5LCOM553FA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597343},"content":"As for putting up Christmas trees – well, that’s a contentious subject all of its own. Mention it in the wrong company and you mark yourself out as one of those people who has a Christmas tree cluttering up the corner of the livingroom, shedding pine needles all over the place before the Halloween decorations are even packed back into the attic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6U33TRWETJAP7PIP3NS4CIUP64","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597344},"content":"But we do need to talk about the tree. Specifically, what goes on top of yours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFSZ6RNHEVBKBLMTAJPBESOWUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597345},"content":"There is a rotating system in this house – one year, it’s an angel; another it’s a red star I picked up in a sale. The younger members of the family decide each year which one they we’ll use and, aside from the year when I mistakenly bought a glitter-encrusted star that shed everywhere and over everyone for the entire Christmas period, we don’t deviate.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BAEMSSDWKZHQVGIJAH3ZZJCDOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597346},"content":"But this year, there will be something a little different on top of the tree: the Twinkly Tree Topper.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JKZI2LZHDRAUHJQEPN5ZW7BVPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733158294491},"content":"At first glance, it looks just like a regular star, with a bit of design flair. But look closer and you will notice there is an LED strip on the inside of the star. Not only does it light up, but you can control different lighting effects, transforming its look in seconds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VLSZLE2WBRDB3DX4OIVC7C5POE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597347},"content":"At its simplest, you can change the colour of the star, from a silvery white to magenta or blue. If you are a fan of colour schemes, this could be the ultimate chameleon decoration.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JO3EGPGXV5EZXGUOAU3LYRM25E","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597348},"content":"This is all done through the accompanying Twinkly app, and the list of different effects is quite lengthy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WV6FMCVPVVECFDITU72AAAIM4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"N46CS62RZVG5FHX3AMI5FY36KA"},"content":"Christmas tech for kids: great gift ideas with safety features for parental peace of mind","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"NI2CCV4ECJCFXEFW7TMFRL4GHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597349},"content":"This isn’t the only device in Twinkly’s range. The company does everything from simple strings of lights to mini candles for the Christmas tree, festoons for indoor and out, and gaming lights that can extend your screen to the wall of the room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E7ZCWKO3QFB7ZAVSBC5GRUEOZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597350},"content":"We had already fully bought into the Twinkly system for the past few years; they were an impulse purchase just to see how they would go, and were quickly followed by two more sets of lights. When they are all connected to the app, you can group them into a single collection, and then map the tree with the lights turned on. That allows you to set specific patterns for the lights, so you can recreate candy cane stripes, for example, or turn your entire tree into a flag, if that’s what takes your fancy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H4W7L32H65CX5N5ETFAXL7WOVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597351},"content":"The Tree Topper can play its part here too, becoming part of the group effect. It’s easier than you might think. Out of the box – which doesn’t include a USB C plug, by the way – you plug in the light, turn it on and add it to your Twinkly app. You can then group all your lights plus the topper together, so the lighting effects are shared across the entire tree. Mapping them takes only a few minutes, using your smartphone camera.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I72FZA4W2VAUBFI5NRCXTCGVDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597352},"content":"Breaking it to the children that we would be retiring the angel was a more difficult task, but the idea that they could pick the day’s theme for the tree mollified them a little. We have had a tropical theme, something called unicorn sunset and Kit from Knightrider – and we are only a few days into the season.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L3FN2YX3ZVFY7BJRPEV6I35FCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597353},"content":"There is another benefit to the Twinkly lights. You can turn the tree lights on and off remotely, or set them to a schedule, without having to add in a wifi plug or any extra technology.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3L4MH2DYQ5CSLKYJZENLA62X2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597354},"content":"Yes, it is unnecessary. Yes, it is probably tech for tech’s sake. But I love it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVRIRNZUKNETRKI4JUIFP25FYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597355},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"AHKNDYKUQZDCDP3RC2HVM42UCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597356},"content":"Your tree doesn’t have to look the same two days running, never mind two years running. You can even build your own looks if the preloaded ones don’t grab your fancy. Plus you get some remote control options.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4ZH5QKR4T5GWDON3YF355QOKFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597357},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"PZIXZASHNBHHLAXNUS3WRU2JHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597358},"content":"Doesn’t include the USB C power supply, so make sure you have a compatible plug handy. Expensive for a tree topper if you aren’t going to make full use of its capabilities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JDSR5UHJARDORIU5OK3JLYKSZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597359},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"5LFBCFH6HBAVJNF5GAOM6VUM3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597360},"content":"The lights can be controlled with their individual controllers, like traditional lights. You just can’t access the extra effects.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EXHDOYM5RBFOTJJ5TOBNCJ7UJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597361},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"CD4C5RNRQ5E4XHXB46YU5HZBYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597362},"content":"Christmas trees just got levelled up.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"App-controlled festive tree decorations that mean no two days need be the same"},"display_date":"2024-12-05T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Twinkly Tree Topper review: Choose a different look atop your Christmas tree for every day of the season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"B44K62RMAZCOLN4LXIW76ESN3Q","auth":{"1":"a2b5904bc3d048ae264911921e25bc29315925ad6c0f7203176a9abd9aafd60d"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/B44K62RMAZCOLN4LXIW76ESN3Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/05/twinkly-tree-topper-review-choose-a-different-look-atop-your-christmas-tree-for-every-day-of-the-season/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"GLV44LMJWVEKTK5CSENCNLOFTM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":600,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/35015e68-0b61-4582-8cff-0a2d6feac558/versions/1733217537/media/945f7a077d5b44ee4f2cbfba752e0df3_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/05/gadgets-for-the-techie-in-your-life-this-christmas/","content_elements":[{"_id":"AYYICVDDWVHO7M5KELLAAX4W44","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066434},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a> is fast approaching, and with it comes the usual <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas-gifts/\" target=\"_blank\">gift</a> anxiety. What do you get someone who has everything? Will the budget stretch? And how do you buy something that lasts rather than adding to the growing pile of discarded products?","type":"text"},{"_id":"MM2I2EQMGNCCPGERTRUKSDALO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066435},"content":"If you haven’t already picked out the tech gifts for under the tree, we have some suggestions to get you started.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2WBDXA6GRREULKUCBSOCXWEDEY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066436},"content":"Under €100","type":"header"},{"_id":"BDIMI7RXDRFPTHWWT52RDDGJ2A","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066437},"content":"<b>Tile Pro</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"QW4OWHCI3FB2ZODSTL7QCWEQWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066438},"content":"€40","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ZYMKYAT6NFDTBYLI2K6EWLIWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066439},"content":"When it comes to bang for your buck, Tile’s Bluetooth tags certainly earn their price tag. You can attach the Tile to your keys, bag, or even the dog if you feel so inclined.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3RQ6JG2BVVBMPNP6MS5QKPW2UU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066440},"content":"It has a range of up to 500ft, so you can ping it from your phone if you need to find your lost item and then simply follow the sound to trace it. Outside that range, you can tap into the power of the Tile network, marking your item as lost and letting other Tile users eventually pinpoint its location.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4WZSKSPRXFFLDIS7MDMOS4IXVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066441},"content":"It works with both Android and iOS devices, and can also be used to locate your phone, even if your device is in silent mode. Plus it has a replaceable battery – unlike the Tile Mate – so you don’t have to bin the entire tracker when it eventually runs out,","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFVODTZDXZEBHLQD3Y5TBJUE74","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066442},"content":"Other options for the around the same price are the Apple AirTag (€34), the Chipolo One (€25) and the Samsung Smart Tag 2 (€45)","type":"text"},{"_id":"4I7TCCLS55HRZGGGXLNJSHVPI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066443},"content":"<b>Amazon Echo Pop</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"JOHWYQMKNNH45HJZNBBH2G2JBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066444},"content":"€60","type":"text"},{"_id":"S2OOT37YH5BIRIOWASFPGYQ5SQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066445},"content":"“Alexa, play some Christmas carols.” If you know someone who might like to order a digital assistant around for a while, the Amazon Echo Pop is a good place to start. The compact Bluetooth smart speaker is designed for audio in smaller spaces, so you can put it in a bedroom or study for music, podcasts, audio books or even just as a white noise machine to help you sleep. It links in with the Alexa ecosystem too so you can control smart plugs and other connected compatible devices in the home. Now if only Alexa could manage the Christmas clear-up ...","type":"text"},{"_id":"5BIHDZZECVBUDHINQIN4GFHFLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066446},"content":"<b>Nokia 3210</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"RPFMPMIJGFAVZJ4GAT5W56MDEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066447},"content":"€80","type":"text"},{"_id":"V555TDMJQBH3ZDMKEAAF2LUWEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066448},"content":"The Nokia 3210 has a lot of nostalgia value, and the updated version doesn’t disappoint. The device is the antidote to the modern smartphone, dumping the unnecessary apps and features for something that does the basics: texting, calling, even a few games. And yes, Snake is back.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RN3TYJQJZFFAFMNWCKIOOFJ5Y4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066449},"content":"The new version also has a built-in camera, although at 2 megapixels, you won’t be creating masterpieces. And it has an internet connection, so you can access some online services – just not the multitude we have become used to having at our fingertips.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PVE7OWZ2AFFWZDFB3KHIMJOMA4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066450},"content":"€250 and under","type":"header"},{"_id":"4WLY567EDFDSTPFZDITKZREB4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066451},"content":"<b>Fuijifilm Instax Mini Link 3 photo printer</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"W5UPHDTOURFURIICJI7ADBCNHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066452},"content":"€130","type":"text"},{"_id":"PFTUS52RMVHDZG23UWCGGUVNJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066453},"content":"Fujifilm has made the instant camera market its own in recent years, with the Instax range of devices. But don’t forget about the photo printers. The new Instax Mini Link 3 is designed to go on the move with you, with a compact design and a rechargeable battery that lasts longer than your photo sessions should.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QODVWBQD3NHQLD3S5WGJZHWITE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733217018016},"content":"It connects to your phone through the Instax app, allowing you to customise photos before you print. It also works with Fujifilm’s impossibly tiny (and cute) Instax Pal camera. And it’s available in three colours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EQPWN5IZ7VAQRCKO4UYQ76TG3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066454},"content":"<b>Google Pixel Buds Pro 2</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"HMFAWMHTEBHW3LIGZXCPY5TKHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066455},"content":"€249","type":"text"},{"_id":"ORNUPYEJVNHOHCU6UHWYJ5XCCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066456},"content":"Google’s earbuds have been given a bit of a makeover. Smaller and lighter than before, the buds come in new colours (including pink) and have a new twist-to-adjust stabiliser that keeps them put when you are exercising. They have active noise cancellation and link in with Google’s Gemini AI assistant on phones so you can ask for help hands-free.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HTUGKU3ANRAV7NPQ5SWBRERBJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066457},"content":"<b>Kindle Paperwhite</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"FPJ3VW2J3ZBP5GA3GP2DIIXKXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066458},"content":"€205","type":"text"},{"_id":"XV5JWP2QKZB3JBTJFEXPAUOLVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066459},"content":"While the pricier Kindle Scribe doubles up as an e-ink notebook, the Kindle Paperwhite is still the favourite around here. That is generally because it is more portable for a start, with a 7in screen, and the backlight can switch from white to a more amber tone for night-time reading. You get about 12 weeks out of a single charge too, which should give you ample time to work your way through your holiday reading list. It is also water resistant, which the basic, cheaper Kindle is not.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6PWGCILPNRFLXN7IGB6HXWLC5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066460},"content":"<b>Cricut Joy Xtra</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UB5HQI3HLJE3VNP7LWA72OUPCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066461},"content":"€250","type":"text"},{"_id":"LBNYF42BBJDRLKEVINWR6TGBGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066462},"content":"Creative people will love the Cricut Joy Xtra, a digital cutting device that helps level up your crafting sessions. It can help you create greetings cards, cut vinyl for personalising items and make your own, with settings built into the software so you don’t have to guess what you are doing. It works over Bluetooth, communicating with the Design Space software on either your phone, tablet or laptop. It’s easy to get started with too, so this time next year, everyone can have their very own personalised Christmas jumper. Whether they like it or not.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FZM6N54B55F7TBHNEQ4OH7QWLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066463},"content":"€500 and under","type":"header"},{"_id":"L5QNVC6TMFDGLJJLUBV6TSMGZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066464},"content":"<b>AirPods Pro 2</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"O7QRQK75CVCEJFMLRORUPH22A4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066465},"content":"€279","type":"text"},{"_id":"NW2FJM5HK5ABXGAABSMN5VEKLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066466},"content":"Apple’s in-ear buds not only come with active noise cancelling and great audio, they now include a new feature: the ability to use them as hearing aids of sorts. The Hearing Health feature is a software upgrade that allows you to take a hearing test at home, and then use the AirPods Pro 2 as a hearing aid to boost frequencies, while its machine learning capabilities will adjust to the ambient noise level.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QQEY7HIVH5E7JL22IZ3IJHABCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733217018030},"content":"They will also help protect your hearing; in transparency mode, the H2 chip inside the buds will actively reduce louder and intermittent noise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AXG4PLJLFBCALDMNTLUY5TOODY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066467},"content":"<b>Oura Ring 4</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XAEGP6HLI5FLLMJZLBF6WIZANU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066468},"content":"€399","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGQN5GTPIJACBGEN6OH3T3WEZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066469},"content":"Step aside smartwatches: when it comes to subtle, Oura has been doing smart rings for a while and is now on to generation four of the device. This one is sleeker, made of titanium to keep it lightweight and with recessed sensors so the inside is bump-free. Those sensors give you insights into sleep, activity, stress, heart health and so on, so you can go about your daily business and drop into the Oura app occasionally to see what your body is desperately trying to tell you.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OUWW4FC5ERE35PADKLLGR2SDQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066470},"content":"The new ring also comes with what Oura promises are smart sensing capabilities, so it will adapt to your finger and make sure you get the best signal, and the whole thing lasts about a week out of a full charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFOZDIKTA5F37O7BJACDRWDMQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066471},"content":"<b>Nintendo Switch OLED</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"A7XT5X623RAV7EXDFIESIOZ3JQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066472},"content":"€365","type":"text"},{"_id":"CPHD2GCKNFAU5DCUHMPDKFFXOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066473},"content":"You can’t beat a bit of Super Mario and, with the Nintendo Switch, you can take Mario and Luigi on the move or hook the console up to your TV for larger screen action. The Oled version of the console may cost a little more than the standard Switch, but for that you get a high-quality screen when you need to relinquish control of the TV. The 7in screen is vibrant, so gaming looks great, and the speakers are better. There’s an adjustable stand too, so you can play it in tabletop mode. The console also comes with 64GB of storage internally.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5CD5O4O6URGPZKFFBHMCXXOEVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066474},"content":"<b>Dyson Airstrait</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"VNFEVTXEUBF7TCROPDNDU3GQ3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066475},"content":"€449","type":"text"},{"_id":"OEBAIZMRKNFBPDRZWGE54O32IU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066476},"content":"Dyson may be well known for its vacuum cleaners but it also does a decent line in haircare products. The AirStrait is its version of a wet-to-dry hair straightener, using hot air to dry your hair as you clamp it between the plates to smooth it out, and technology to make sure the heat damage is kept to a minimum.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V45QYSKFTVHF5LIOXYKY7QRFG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066477},"content":"For those who struggle with their hair, this will seem like a bargain; for those who don’t, it will be excessive. Either way, this is firmly in luxury territory.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCB3YT6HA5HCHMHT73VEMWSYMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066478},"content":"€500+","type":"header"},{"_id":"J36K5QLU3FBHHPADETQO7HNPDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066479},"content":"<b>PlayStation 5 Pro</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPTTKTGTFNHBDLKIJR6L73ZIKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066480},"content":"€800","type":"text"},{"_id":"QKJDSRLCWNAORNVVBDGPPYGSI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066481},"content":"Remember a few years ago when you couldn’t get hold of a PS5 unless you were willing to stake out every retailer in Ireland and promise your firstborn in exchange? Now there are not only plenty of the original consoles around, but an updated version too – the PlayStation 5 Pro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WEXBHW7FI5DPVBNYWR6IWTNA64","additional_properties":{"_id":1733217018046},"content":"With more powerful than the original PS5, the Pro offers an upgraded graphics chip and new technology that delivers advanced graphics. It also comes with 2TB of storage and supports wifi 7. It doesn’t include a disc drive though, so factor in that as extra if you want to play physical games.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RQ2ZN2PSNJBCNEWM5OPK3C2E6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066482},"content":"<b>Samsung Tab S10+</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"MU5GFRTP7JFGVJRK37GCL34ZAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066483},"content":"Apple’s iPad Pro may be a popular choice for tablets but if you would rather go Android, what are your options? The Samsung Galaxy Tab range has established itself as a premium alternative in the Android space, and the new S10+ is no exception. The 10.5in screen is perfect for both work and entertainment, while the support for the S Pen puts it in productivity powerhouse territory. Like all Samsung’s new devices, it supports Galaxy AI too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G35PIOEJXRFWXCRGHZELSVZEPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066484},"content":"<b>Apple Watch Ultra 2</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WW63UP2GZAUVOJREQOEFJQHRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066485},"content":"€899","type":"text"},{"_id":"CEGORF3MY5CW7KMDTJ4A3MYIO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066486},"content":"Apple’s competitor for Garmin’s rugged tech has a lot of decent features, from the bigger screen inside the 49mm case and more capable battery to the customisable shortcut button and its ability to be used for diving to depths of up to 40m. The screen is brighter than its predecessor too, and it can help track down your other Apple items when you have misplaced them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXNERMSPUFGEVBJMN3ZWW5CUW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066487},"content":"<b>Victrola Stream Sapphire</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"D62HPL6SVVE23DZD6NHNLOJJ2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066488},"content":"€1,400","type":"text"},{"_id":"PFWWAGPK2JFNZIR2RX5DII2SOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066489},"content":"If you want to push the boat out, the Victrola Stream Sapphire is an option for vinyl fans who don’t mind a high-tech upgrade. The turntable will not only connect to speakers via a cable for a traditional wired set-up, but will also effortlessly slot into your home’s Sonos system – assuming you have one. The record player will stream its vinyl output to your Sonos speakers throughout your home, so you can bring your favourite music to every room. And it looks good too, which never hurts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"From a Playstation 5 to the Dyson Airstrait, there is something out there at every price point"},"display_date":"2024-12-05T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Gadgets for the techie in your life this Christmas","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RFNNWVYLKBAZDAAHYXOMN4ATY4","auth":{"1":"927c59a37d8313463fac4a814f9bf2e3ed3bc79b412e75fb44f0e54a3a051a2f"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RFNNWVYLKBAZDAAHYXOMN4ATY4.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/05/gadgets-for-the-techie-in-your-life-this-christmas/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"LQLZKN7MWJFRXCQCN4GXQQBLDQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":135,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/4e0518ff-b15a-491d-a294-0e0fb67a6b5c/versions/1729512296/media/80ac9b58e15a882678c74d00ce9129d0_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/11/29/watch-the-birdie-gadgets-for-techies-and-twitchers-at-christmas/","content_elements":[{"_id":"UZI2OEFB5VAWRPLART6SCSFDBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353921},"content":"Samsung QN900D 65″ 8K HDR Neo QLED Smart TV (2024), €4,799 <a href=\"https://www.harveynorman.ie/index.php?subcats=Y&status=A&pshort=N&pfull=N&pname=Y&pkeywords=Y&search_performed=Y&q=Samsung+QN900D+65%E2%80%B3+8K+HDR+Neo+QLED+Smart+TV+%282024%29&dispatch=products.search\" target=\"_blank\">Harvey Norman</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"KXLM5Y4EWBGLTFJ33IQNL5FVHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353922},"content":"Doro 8100 Smartphone, €240, <a href=\"http://shopdoro.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">shopdoro.ie</a>. Order by 20 December","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SSNK4L4GZBUPNXBMCL6INCMUY","additional_properties":{"_id":"TKBYMDBJVRC5NMLHJ7MR5FLNGE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"YXAJ3PZIVVFVVEG364REHQ4N4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353923},"content":"Dyson OnTrac headphones, €499.00, <a href=\"http://www.dyson.ie/\">dyson.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"YQXVCGOCWJBRZF64LPVXH67GIE","additional_properties":{"_id":"EROOAZRPLRHWXDOLLS5KDQRKLQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WI5JEAW67BGMHAZNBWXA2L4CXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353924},"content":"Whoop Onyx with Gold Superknit Luxe Band, €99, <a href=\"http://whoop.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">whoop.ie</a>. Order by 19 December","type":"text"},{"_id":"72ZUC32KLFGBHEYTNVOS7DJEUE","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZQ3BMIGNLJD73OFXKEYDZVPG7Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RVQRKS275ZH3HI7LQFYIBPEYD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353925},"content":"Buddy Smart Camera Bird Feeder with Solar Roof – Blue, €279, <a href=\"http://mybirdbuddy.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">mybirdbuddy.eu</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3IR6P5F4JRDVXFIPVF26TY2QW4","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q5XCXWJE2BC4PH6SBRUMP7DGC4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RLD4T7EUPZGW5NVDVMBXBCK4GM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353926},"content":"Noerden Liz+ UV Smart Water Bottle, €59.99, <a href=\"http://currys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Currys.ie</a>. Order by 18 December","type":"text"},{"_id":"5575OUHXHFBR3N2QKCBELNMIGU","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q7RZFZA3G5DSNPFY4PW3B6VUQI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"UW5LMOAXWRC2HONUTAXNZBO2UU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353927},"content":"Renpho Calibra 1 Smart Nutrition Scales – Stainless Steel, €29.99, <a href=\"http://currys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Currys.ie</a>. Order by 18 December","type":"text"},{"_id":"CKHFKDX4KVADFPVUOOEZZTZ4PI","additional_properties":{"_id":"SCFF4NWQ4NHPFNU7THLN2DWCFA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"7OCDJI5HN5CXHBQZPUXPA6S5WE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353928},"content":"Moleskine Smart Writing System, €249, <a href=\"http://moleskine.com/\" target=\"_blank\">moleskine.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"IDCFX62NHVHBRA7NQCAAFWNTAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"XMDNIK2NCJBV5A4YR4H2X6K3H4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4CSURMDPGFG4PJG3EHPDWNETLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353929},"content":"Philips PicoPix Micro 2TV Mobile Projector, €409.95, <a href=\"http://arnotts.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">arnotts.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3L7VDIHX3JBTLIZ2BW2Q5NTDVI","additional_properties":{"_id":"KEOMQERIRRAPTCAIAANCWHRHIE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PWIEWOJJOVHIFPZYKW3BTEVAWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353930},"content":"Hatch Restore 2 Sunrise Alarm Clock, €253.35, <a href=\"http://amazon.co.uk/\" target=\"_blank\">amazon.co.uk</a>, Amazon Marketplace","type":"text"},{"_id":"4V7TVNZZXNCQRP2J6X63WJHSFU","additional_properties":{"_id":"YPNFCISEPZFAPO3F7K72QJXJ3Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IGAW5IZHSJADHLRPWABTZDSFGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353931},"content":"Cosmos Twilight Projector, €195, <a href=\"http://sensoryhouse.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">sensoryhouse.ie</a>. Order on or before 20 December","type":"text"},{"_id":"AXQU437YH5GW3JO4UJ32ZUOTZA","additional_properties":{"_id":"BSMXWD5I4JACRIPHDSARFRXUEA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JMXBAYI5YVEETDK5J4MPB52HQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353932},"content":"Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Strap – Black, €129.99, <a href=\"http://greatoutdoors.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">greatoutdoors.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UI22LB77XVDQ7CSM5FU7PQTU2A","additional_properties":{"_id":"4JOJCQJMUNCFLEVANGSOHSFOBI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MPGIVYPCUZELJHVAGTOH33SISM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353933},"content":"Majority P300 Bluetooth Megasound Party Speaker, €119.99, <a href=\"http://currys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Currys.ie</a>. Order by 18 December.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Aoife Barry"}]},"description":{"basic":"A bird feeder with a camera that gets you right up close to your garden visitors is among our tech gift picks for Christmas"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Watch the birdie: Gadgets for techies and twitchers at Christmas","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DQUU5ZXQLBCLXJDVTAIHMDEBY4","auth":{"1":"cea8e61a241a1cf85e0174eda7028453b5fe6b5859fe7f5ac5af38f7cf54917e"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DQUU5ZXQLBCLXJDVTAIHMDEBY4.png"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/11/29/watch-the-birdie-gadgets-for-techies-and-twitchers-at-christmas/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"DGD2XNRXTZBXHDFU4PPDEGUY5E","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":339,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/b9e8dc71-ab7d-4902-a2ec-8514e6b4a237/versions/1732625640/media/d111e8eb5f6aeeec0e5f47a48773a9c4_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/28/samsung-galaxy-ring-review-subtle-health-tracking-that-actually-works/","content_elements":[{"_id":"V3ZYQJXMGZDS5JFUXZNOKS6EWA","additional_properties":{"_id":"LZWOT433Y5HDDJY6UHSJNNIPUU"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-81084","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"FCLJ7ZRJRBAQTGFELYTHVUYOPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409893},"content":"There are too many screens vying for our attention these days. If it is not your phone, it is your smartwatch or a tablet, vibrating with notifications to let us know exactly what we are missing out on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WDQ7KRHLFBEBLJI3VOCXO2YCEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409894},"content":"The simple answer would be to put the devices down, turn off notifications and step away. Break the cycle of information overload, reduce our stress levels, go back to a simpler time. But who are we kidding? Some people like the idea of tracking their steps, others want to keep track of their heart rate and sleep","type":"text"},{"_id":"HXISI3WTEJBLFLXNPWZJLZIRWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409896},"content":"The Galaxy Ring gets rid of at least one of those screens. Instead of having a watch that flashes up notifications and vibrates to grab your attention, the Galaxy Ring records your health and wellness data in the background, quietly, unobtrusively and accurately.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3YHK4WS3BAWVPBTIMAWEWFGE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409897},"content":"The ring will pick up a few metrics. First there is heart rate, which it tracks through the sensors on the inside of the ring’s band. It also tracks skin temperature while you sleep, warning you of potential changes that could mean an impact on your health.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TBXNUZHWCZFMBBNRHRFN3PJBWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732623780443},"content":"An accelerometer tracks movement, automatically detecting walking and running.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZRIH7D7BRFG7TLPGZ5PGFJLCNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409898},"content":"It gathers that data, combines it with its own Galaxy AI and spits back some recommendations and health tips. Each day you get a physical readiness score based on the previous day’s activity level, heart rate data and your sleeping pattern, letting you know whether you can take it easy or need to step up the physical activity a bit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KXCZFUFN7FGQ3MBQXLHPIQSPUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409899},"content":"Out of the box, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/samsung/\" target=\"_blank\">Samsung </a>Galaxy Ring looks impressive. It comes in a clear charging case that doubles as a way to monitor the battery life of the ring, with a ring of LED lights that correspond to the ring’s battery level when you put it in the case.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XIWBFEUR5BBBBBA4D57ZNVHNII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409900},"content":"The version reviewed here was the matt black titanium finish, but you can get it in gold or silver too. It is thinner than some of the rings I’ve tested, and feels much more comfortable to wear. There were times I forgot I was wearing it, although the black finish makes it stand out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RR7MYWDT6JE5DA3F3YKEXSATNQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732623780447},"content":"It held up well, too; a small scuff on the edge of the underside of the ring was the only evidence that this device had been worn at all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D23TZYZ2RZCUDJVHVHP6UILMJU","additional_properties":{"_id":"IMFISMA2CRB43AVHDM2GN66I7U"},"content":"Samsung unveils Galaxy Ring, AI-powered phones","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"5QADQFXKJVCJRJ6N7Y2GCRUUOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409901},"content":"After about a week, you have a good idea of your sleep metrics and your activity levels, and you can just check in on the Samsung health app regularly to see how things are progressing and pick up on any areas that you may need to improve. If you want subtle health tracking that actually works, the Galaxy Ring does a good job.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LVO47DSV5VAILIEZKVMADA3EXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409902},"content":"This ring will work with Android devices, including non-Samsung ones, but it is designed to slot into the Samsung ecosystem, and more specifically, the newer devices. So if you want to get the most out of it, you will need at least a Galaxy smartphone that supports its new Galaxy AI. That is because the wellness tips rely on Galaxy AI to offer up some insights. The more you wear it, the more you get out of it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FZNVU7EHLJESDDCGNRDKDBMBZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409903},"content":"Likewise, the ring will link in with the Galaxy Watch to tag team on health monitoring. The watch can take over activity tracking or heart rate monitoring, saving the Galaxy Ring’s battery from being used unnecessarily.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DXJBXVDUBRDPJHOXJH4FBXMA6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409904},"content":"So far, so good. There are rivals, of course. Oura has been active in this space for a long time, with generation four of its ring released recently, and it works with iOS devices. Movano’s Evie Ring is aiming itself at women’s health. And for serious athletes, you have the Ultrahuman version.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T5LJX6GSYBEYPC7TMKRMAFYMKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409905},"content":"Samsung’s ring is aimed at a more generic, everyday health audience. And it has at least one great point in its favour – it doesn’t need any other subscriptions to gain health insights, just that Galaxy smartphone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OJBK6JFGLFAPPP6N5TNDLH7ANI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409906},"content":"It isn’t perfect, though. The auto activity tracking only works for walking and running, so fitness classes are out, as is swimming.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXXPND2GL5A6FALYTHTBGPYR2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409907},"content":"The ring also has some gesture controls. Tapping your finger and thumb together can silence an alarm on your phone, for example, or take a photo when the camera is open. It is interesting but still fairly limited; still, it is an indicator of where this could go in the future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XE7QWYWDVND25APOJA52VSY7NM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409908},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"2KVHX4HUOJHEPIYJCXVXCBJ2BA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409909},"content":"The Galaxy Ring is lightweight and it is easy to forget you are wearing it. Its tracking is accurate, matching not only the Oura Ring but also a chest-strap heart rate monitor, which is considered the most accurate way to monitor your pulse.","type":"text"},{"_id":"34CEEK7OY5AOLDSBL4M4RXY6XY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409910},"content":"The charging case is a handy place to store it – no chance the ring will get knocked off – and can be used to see how much battery life is left in the ring through its series of LED lights.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCIBOTAA7RENPIQKFL5G5V6PIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409911},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"IJ6OIT5IONABTO3R5RRGDSBLCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409912},"content":"It doesn’t work with iOS, and some of its features are reserved for Samsung’s own newer Galaxy phones, including the wellness tips that rely on Galaxy AI. Some features are limited, such as exercise tracking, which only picks up walking and running automatically.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FO56BRR3QFGMBFFT7PY2IS3VWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409913},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"OBNMWJV2QZED7LAJBKEZEIP4DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409914},"content":"It is rated as water resistant up to 100ATM, so you can wash your hands without having to take it off, or go swimming and even do a bit of snorkelling for short periods of time without removing the ring.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B65ZTGTCMRHHBGB7RUZBQN3DEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409915},"content":"You get about a week out of a full battery charge, but larger ring sizes will get longer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ZG5DCVMCNGWZDEICVNGJ6ZWOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409916},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"6D6GC3KH5FEXDBIXT4S7Z7N2LI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409917},"content":"A good choice for Android – mostly Samsung Galaxy – users, and a positive starting point for Samsung. But the exclusivity puts it at a disadvantage to rivals.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"This ring is comfortable and accurate but is held back by the requirement to pair with a Galaxy AI-enabled phone for full functionality"},"display_date":"2024-11-28T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Samsung Galaxy Ring review: Subtle health tracking that actually works","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QUYUUF5IF5EUNIPVHH4ZVP2E3Q","auth":{"1":"607cd21c192f2ae7549da2441eb441ae94f91496fffe932d230882711273e0c9"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QUYUUF5IF5EUNIPVHH4ZVP2E3Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/28/samsung-galaxy-ring-review-subtle-health-tracking-that-actually-works/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"2FLY3BMPV5CTVKSPPNB4B5VPMA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":506,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/738509b2-77a2-40dd-b957-7c829f03f2b5/versions/1732014904/media/d9e84129a2f76c9299d30ecd4cc765f7_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/2024/11/21/christmas-tech-for-kids-great-gift-ideas-with-safety-features-for-parental-peace-of-mind/","content_elements":[{"_id":"OSLRI44UURACVFY4XC6YXFMQMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732012654542},"content":"It may still be November, but there are people out there who have not only got the Santa letters signed and sealed, but in some cases, the gifts have even been delivered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LAIKOGOPQFBK7EODAKI6INTG7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822742},"content":"We aren’t all that organised. But in the case of those all-important Santa gifts, the elves might not want to leave it to the last minute to get cracking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UU4KCSO4ZFAWVACWARW4FUPEZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822743},"content":"If you are still in need of a little inspiration here are some suggestions to get started.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OSLRI44UURACVFY4XC6YXFMQMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732012654545},"content":"Yoto Player","type":"header"},{"_id":"R6MDFFMNWZAVRIET4E7HLNQQHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822745},"content":"From €70","type":"header"},{"_id":"BV23UFPP5ZAUFPRGA6JHRZQ7EE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822746},"content":"If your child is too young for a screen, or you don’t want to add another one to the pile vying for their attention, there are alternatives when it comes to keeping them entertained. The Yoto Player, for example, is screen-free but offers a wealth of content to entertain and educate your child.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6JPTOFYYSFGKTNT3XF3O42LOCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822747},"content":"The wifi-enabled player uses cards, rather the figures of its main Tonie rival, inserted into the top of the device. When they are put into the player for the first time, the story downloads on to the device, so they can be used without a wifi connection in the future. It has a small pixel-based display on the front of the device that will show different images, related to the content, as the story progresses, but that is the extent of it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J3KNFTOOZVBNNHSUQWJAIWB36E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822748},"content":"There are two options: the Yoto Player or the Yoto Mini. The latter is designed to travel with you, with a jack for headphones and the option to add a protective case.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ENJFJ3HF5BBP7DXIPWWNDEZZOM","additional_properties":{"_id":"UA252M3CNNG3LMHSRZKP33WETY"},"content":"From enchanted forests to winter wonderlands: 12 Christmas experiences to try around Ireland","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"B3LBD4AQNFFVVEAYSEGTLVFLZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822749},"content":"The larger Yoto Player (third generation, €99) has a rechargeable battery, but is intended to be used at home. It works as a night light and white noise machine for helping your child sleep, a clock to tell them when it is time to get up, and a radio, with child-friendly content.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLSGWC6EFBEIBGIVHO736I5NLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822750},"content":"Even the bigger kids liked this one; the Yoto Mini was co-opted by a 10-year-old who has been reading independently for several years. The content reflects that, too, with stories ranging from suitable for all ages up to 8+ Both devices have controls that can be easily mastered by younger children too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UYGIYQBYHZCBBIWAA3GFBHNE7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822751},"content":"One caveat: the Yoto may be screen-free, but you do need a parent app on your smartphone to set it up. However, the cards can also be “scanned” over NFC into the Yoto app on your smartphone, so you will always have access to the stories, even if the player is out of reach. <a href=\"http://eu.yotoplay.com/\" target=\"_blank\">eu.yotoplay.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"HEPDIX5Q7BEARLJ62QQETEGW7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"EHLAE7OK7VEMJCR6NLVLH2P6OM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RULU6M7OKNFQLGLAA7Q7NEK7PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822753},"content":"StoryPhones","type":"header"},{"_id":"TZWFHNN6MFFHFBD2MZAHRXORJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822754},"content":"€86","type":"header"},{"_id":"2VOIR266UNG2BDQRETCXAQVD7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822755},"content":"Onanoff’s StoryPhones are another option for parents, particularly if you plan a few trips next year. These Bluetooth headphones play stories directly through the use of swappable discs that attach to the earcup, called Story Shields. That means you can dispense with the smartphone and screen for your child, while still giving them some independence and control over their own entertainment.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E2BUIL44C5BCRMEIWT5FTBB6M4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822756},"content":"The Story Shields are themed – Disney, for example – and you can use the headphones as regular wired or Bluetooth audio devices if the stories no longer hold their attention. <a href=\"http://harveynorman.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">harveynorman.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"6M7DHRANERFFFDGDYVD7KLBOTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822758},"content":"MyFirst Camera 50","type":"header"},{"_id":"KNK4JRQVORCALIB2HEVUNQS2LQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822759},"content":"€130","type":"header"},{"_id":"J4L7N7REIJHHJKYDGKCF3S62TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822760},"content":"If you have a budding film-makers or YouTube star at home, MyFirst Camera 50 will open a whole new world to them. An AI-enabled world, in fact. The camera is designed to be used by children (read: can be dropped without breaking, easy controls, won’t collect all their data) aged five to 12, with tools that can enhance photos and videos, and curate stories for them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MKUJE326BNDBXLZE5IKQFNFHX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822761},"content":"Children can capture content, and then use the built-in tools to edit them, customise them with stickers and add voice notes. Then they can share the end result with a trusted group of family members over wifi. The AI-assisted curation will help them to create stories from their content, analysing facial expressions and scenery in the photos to make it easier.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YWW4N4V2T5B6DFLPW3LSV4E5JA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822762},"content":"The camera itself has a 20-megapixel lens, a selfie light bar and up to 128GB of storage. <a href=\"http://myfirst.tech/\" target=\"_blank\">myfirst.tech</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XM2ZV3MC4FFWRDVNUQPZPKPVZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822764},"content":"<mark class=\"hl_yellow\">Tablets and phones</mark>","type":"header"},{"_id":"537E4P2ZRRCWFFUIQH2JKK2NB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822765},"content":"The great debate among many families is what the appropriate age is for your child to have a smartphone. Too young and you open them up to all sorts of issues before they are ready – inappropriate content, cyberbullying, digital addiction. But leaving it later may leave them without a way to contact their parents should they need to, or risk isolating them from their social groups who may have already been given the devices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BXNTZYELXFABPPNO6NAMGJHGCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822766},"content":"There are compromises though.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QG24RGKDHBEHVDNP7V75BFAZQY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FTDGGSE5LZDAPAY3OC6BDKHJQM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LTFGPMJCLRGZPB7JV6OBAXHZ3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822767},"content":"Xplora Play X6","type":"header"},{"_id":"T3S2K6FOO5AR7MS3IUDNQRKU3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822768},"content":"€200","type":"header"},{"_id":"RX6QXX7KGNC6BDAZKXGSMWKUVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822769},"content":"This kid-themed smartwatch combines the essential features of a phone into a more easily controlled device. Rather than giving your child free rein with a phone, you can put a compatible sim card into the watch, and use the Xplora app to add contacts who can call them or text the number, allowing them to reply with voice messages or calls. The built-in microphone and speaker are good enough to hold a conversation, even with background noise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W3VXRLINQVB7VNWPY2ECR2XROQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822770},"content":"The X6 also has GPS, which allows you to keep an eye on their location. It updates frequently, and unlike some devices, the location is usually fairly accurate – at least in my experience.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6AUQOZDMYBCSTPUUL6JUSY4534","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822771},"content":"If your child is wearing the watch to school, you can put it into school mode for the duration of the school day, which locks out the smart features, including the 5-megapixel camera, and turns it into a regular watch until the time elapses.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VM2SDTLXURBWNDIZD2CRHJWJRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822772},"content":"There are plenty of compatible straps out there if your child wants to change it up, too, with Amazon offering up a range of options. <a href=\"http://harveynorman.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">harveynorman.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XRH4LLRQMBFIFOHTVKJ6QTYBV4","additional_properties":{"_id":"BCTTXICPP5GNTMK4E52HIWYP2M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"67IQZRSRNJDLTIUGVBLK4C5EFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822774},"content":"Barbie HMD flip phone","type":"header"},{"_id":"DWI2JWWFGRCPHCWGWAHSEWXJK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822775},"content":"€120","type":"header"},{"_id":"EOQ2FSVOYZHBXED3BSJYVJ6YTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822776},"content":"The Barbie-themed HMD phone is another compromise. It’s not a smartphone, there is no social media, but it will allow you to keep in contact with the owner by text or voice calls. The first thing you will notice is that the flip phone is, naturally, pink. The second is that the outer front cover will also work as a mirror, so you can take selfies the old way – with precarious positioning and wishful thinking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RWWBOQVIHFFIFHMPS623GAEHC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822777},"content":"The phone has a Barbie-themed interface, with apps that include Malibu Snake, and some hidden surprises for you to figure out (we won’t give it away).","type":"text"},{"_id":"J4QDGMCIZBB4DHU3F6KKSFRJQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822778},"content":"Although it doesn’t run on Android – it uses S30+ as an operating system – it still includes digital balance tips, and has some Barbie-themed meditation, should you feel the need for relaxation. <a href=\"http://currys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">currys.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"OLHHY3SK7BHMDDCWR54QXLHVPU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WVNVA6VI2RCAFHAKGWHF6ITFXQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WPVQF5SPLBCMRKBGCGA2WCAXHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822780},"content":"Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+","type":"header"},{"_id":"KKKRCF62XRHDHE7V7ELKJTPSP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822781},"content":"If a tablet is on the wish list this year, it is best to get one that will last a few years. The Samsung A9+ comes with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, which means lots of storage space and the ability to run more demanding games and applications without stuttering. That should keep your child happy for a few years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7BPVHTUBZG7FOJLIKR2CLJ3LU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822782},"content":"The tablet has a Kids Mode to make it more user-friendly for younger children, and with Family Link parental controls on your own device, you can limit content and time spent on the device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DMCXVD6EPJDWNJRV645LRA6FVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822783},"content":"The larger A9+ also has a decent 11-inch screen, which will work for children of all ages.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TLMUHM2FKBCJPGOONNKHXJHYSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822784},"content":"One tip, though: invest in a decent case. Tablets will last a few years if they are looked after; a smashed display can be an expensive fix. <a href=\"http://samsung.com/\" target=\"_blank\">samsung.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"N32XEE52CVFGTFFCKRRUZ4THDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822786},"content":"Tips for tech","type":"header"},{"_id":"UDKA4PPZOFBCRDUDD5BZU2HQCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822787},"content":"Read the privacy policies attached to any device you are buying for your child. Yes, they can be long, but it will give information about what personal data is collected and how it will be used.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZIONVEOPOBG27HX7MB5EVHDNME","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822788},"content":"If your chosen device requires an account and is for a younger user, make sure that you set it up as a child account to allow you to keep an eye on what they are accessing, and how long they are using the device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D3JQSHBMF5E63HSXYWYFSCN4UY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822789},"content":"Make sure any content purchases are password protected – and don’t disclose the password, unless you fancy paying a rather large surprise bill.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J6Y4YGBPPFDVNHZYCD7LA4TPUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822790},"content":"Be careful about where you charge devices – smartphones and tablets are better off being charged outside bedrooms, and not overnight.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"It’s hard to hold back the tech tide from children forever, but there are safer options than smartphones out there"},"display_date":"2024-11-21T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Christmas tech for kids: great gift ideas with safety features for parental peace of mind","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HGK4L7MNDVAFDCA5C2JZAVZDME","auth":{"1":"9ad1c5f21a134bff813ed3f4a631f3ac302e24d33683750bc9c4959fa3bdea50"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HGK4L7MNDVAFDCA5C2JZAVZDME.png"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/2024/11/21/christmas-tech-for-kids-great-gift-ideas-with-safety-features-for-parental-peace-of-mind/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Technology"}}}},{"_id":"ZRA2DAQFIVHYNJLC7UMBIYFCS4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":344,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/f7bc55c9-ce28-4e77-9745-ddd59f09f2b1/versions/1732013125/media/73704036c1d0d836fc025f15c411a397_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/21/ezviz-re4-plus-review-efficient-budget-robot-cleaner-but-suffers-wanderlust-under-the-wrong-conditions/","content_elements":[{"_id":"GRD7667CCFBU5GXLXGBI2LGITA","additional_properties":{"_id":"XPKQ7ZLAUJFSJFAU43GK5TZ4V4"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-18927","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"44656OO3KBB4JH7OBJNWW7QC6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279950},"content":"Robots are supposed to make our lives easier, taking over the jobs we don’t want or have the time to do. And most of the time, that’s exactly how it goes. But they aren’t perfect. Occasionally, things go a bit wrong, though it is usually down to something simple and easily fixed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWFTBQX4AJA6DONMOFQVS7WOT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279951},"content":"That’s what the test of the Ezviz RE4 Plus robot cleaner reminded me. The combo robot vacuum and mop did, for the most part, a good job. But sometimes, despite being given very clear instructions – clean here, avoid here – it went a bit rogue and did its own thing. That meant it was wandering into areas it wasn’t supposed to, often resulting in the robot marooning itself until someone could come and rescue it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RARLXYESZNDWBOJOCCY74KEJOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279952},"content":"It was puzzling. The robot would build the map quickly, allow me to zone it off and create custom cleaning instructions for each room – mop here, vacuum at max strength here, avoid this area – and all would be fine for a day or so, Then something would happen, the map would seem to shift a few feet and the robot would get confused and try to create a whole new map. Then I’d have to delete the new map, reselect the old one, and off it would go again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CLVJF3D3KRB6FOJF7ISSFGOLCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279953},"content":"After a few weeks of this, I concluded it was the floor, rather than the robot, that was at fault. The base likes a firm floor, so foam mats with a bit of give in them, say in a playroom for example, or carpet with a softer layer of underlay where it can shift ever so slightly, seems to throw it off. Relocating the base to an area where it was on wood or tiles solved the problem; the map stopped altering itself, the base stayed put, and the robot did as it was told. Problem solved.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVES4JOIUJCOZE6D2BAXGHOZTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279954},"content":"After that, the RE4 Plus did a good job. It picked up dust and dirt, it gave the floors a cursory mop – avoiding the rugs and carpeted areas set up in the app – and it emptied its own dust bin regularly so I didn’t have to. The only intervention really required was making sure the floor was relatively clear of things we didn’t want to end up in the bin – Lego was a regular casualty – and remembering to refill the 300ml water tank when it was due to mop.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TKXVYKY2LJBEFMYAC6SPVNYYUM","additional_properties":{"_id":"AZIYGZKTZNCZNH57AQUPUWQYVA"},"content":"How well can €1,000-plus robot vacuums and mops clean your home? We put them to the test","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2R2TDAM2RFHQDGPPKIA2OW5HQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279955},"content":"The Ezviz app allows you to set a schedule for the robot, so it will clean every day, or twice a day if needed. It uses a smaller roller bar and a small side brush to flick the dirt into its path, and while it won’t get right up into the corners of the room, it does a decent enough job that you will only need to occasionally run a vacuum over the floor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IVTPJ7JEARAEDHXOSMCE6ZYP54","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279956},"content":"Aside from eating the odd cable or sock, there were no further problems.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IMWTAOLT25BUPKA2OQ4UMKIWYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279957},"content":"The RE4 Plus is on a par with similarly equipped rival machines. The mapping is done quickly and the apps tools help you create different rooms and zones so you can customise the cleaning for each area of the house. For example, in the kitchen you might want the robot to mop more intensely, but leave the livingroom with just a quick pass over with the mop. The suction on the vacuum goes up to 4000 Pa at its max, which will tackle the worst dirt and debris, but will hit battery life between charges.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XVAIAH66JDGZDAOKJE3SIWWPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279958},"content":"Speaking of which, on regular power, the battery lasted a decent amount of time, getting through all the rooms without needing to return for a power top-up in between. And it lifted all the visible dirt, so the max power mode was needed only occasionally.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UJIVK6RNMBC3JGEGKPE7ED7EOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279959},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"53FIK7RDFNDVFA5EJPMX3EM4CQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279960},"content":"As a budget-priced robot vacuum, this did a better job than I expected. The robot maps and cleans quickly, with the lidar sensor building up an accurate picture of your home in a matter of minutes. You can zone the map with a few in app tools, and then build a custom cleaning plan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZY6SPYRQKNFYNJ5JET3C3CEUFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279961},"content":"The auto-empty base has a lot of a capacity so you don’t have to keep replacing the internal bag. Ezviz says it should last up to three months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MFTWJUN4DJGDVPL3SRNYQ6DW6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279962},"content":"The robot detects carpet, upping the suction as it crosses the different floor types to make sure it gets everything clean. And it moves around obstacles in real time, so if you move a chair or a table, it will sense the obstacle and adjust itself accordingly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ENY4RGMEMRHKRFRRWOHY3DNVVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279963},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"UQJGIS2325CFJKHRKNN6HZOZX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279964},"content":"Make sure the auto-empty base is on a sturdy area of your floors. Occasionally, the map shifted on the app and needed to be reset. However, this was fixed by moving the base to a location with a more solid floor – tiles and wood rather than carpet.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7IY4OQXAEZBCZNK5X5R7QEC3QY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279965},"content":"Excessive dust interferes with the lidar sensor, too, causing some issues with the map, so make sure you perform regular maintenance to keep it in tip-top condition.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7O5YWRS62VHCVHVMY3L3BA66W4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279966},"content":"The drop-sensing technology wasn’t as sensitive as I’d have liked. Although it prevented any accidents, the robot still occasionally wandered off a drop that other robots would have registered as a no-go area.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ETTSB2IMK5BCZAVQIOCAYUGQLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730925339767},"content":"Getting hold of it might also be a challenge. Although it is available on Amazon, not every seller will ship to Ireland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ACFFDYETS5APZMM7XPIA2CTMRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279967},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"2OZ7GQFD4BFLTDPSZLNXOGXSBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279968},"content":"You can connect the Ezviz robot to your Google Home or Alexa voice assistant, enabling voice commands. Then all you have to do is say “Ezviz, clean the kitchen” and off it trundles. Who knows: it might be the only thing in your house that actually listens to you.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CHYNOQZSOZH3JEQY5FDAEXROUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279969},"content":"The robot is available in two colours, white and black, and the replacement dust bags are available from Amazon, where Ezviz has a store.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EDHEFQ5RYJGPXMVU6H5DU6WJWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279970},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"42R5UX6EXZDVTEYPY2UTSWUFMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279971},"content":"Works well under the right conditions.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"The robot maps and cleans quickly, but soft floor surfaces are not its forte"},"display_date":"2024-11-21T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Ezviz RE4 Plus review: Efficient budget robot cleaner but can suffer from wanderlust under the wrong conditions","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HGB6AD3UIZD4PA5C5HE33SMAVE","auth":{"1":"e85e74808d7b2650a387e0cd18e28943df8e06ff2354d17b27ae888b4e9f70df"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HGB6AD3UIZD4PA5C5HE33SMAVE.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/21/ezviz-re4-plus-review-efficient-budget-robot-cleaner-but-suffers-wanderlust-under-the-wrong-conditions/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"FXIU2DXUONEK3GIU26DVNLIEFA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":528,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8b990b06-db99-4014-8270-c19d91753174/versions/1731325240/media/38212cbbe36848c90dbc7c314e178fbb_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/11/14/here-are-some-smart-ways-to-make-your-home-more-secure/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JFIVIEGQ7VAZ5LDNF5FUVGBZ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730374239778},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"62JYD65B3VA6NEISF3GL436JTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350910},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"DUBWI2DKXZFVRLPM3MIZHYX4EY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731272203132},"content":"With a little investment you can get some extra peace of mind. You could get a monitored alarm, for example, or add security cameras to focus on blind spots.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WAH5PSEERRBCVCC5EYQYHTIA5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525407},"content":"Security these days is smarter, offering more advanced features to consumers that give them increased control over their home and who enters it. So where should you start?","type":"text"},{"_id":"EINZWCKXZVH5RFIXBKBUAK657I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076793},"content":"Video cameras","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZRFTDA7PWFDVJAMP3TY7GVES6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730701100136},"content":"If you want to increase your home security, a logical place to start is with a video doorbell. An increasingly common sight at Irish doorsteps these days, there are plenty out there to choose from. But how can you be sure that the one you choose will fit your needs?","type":"text"},{"_id":"SU6CNX3ELBA6XGNIQ3DHLRALYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743118486},"content":"Video doorbells can range from about €60 to €200, and each has its own features to justify the price tag. Some will be basic, with wifi access to live video, while others have on-device processing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A7G2A4KMVNAAVASVG27HDD32DY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743118487},"content":"The next thing to decide is if you need a battery bell or a wired one. Some – such as Amazon’s Ring bell – can be both, as can Google’s newest Nest Doorbell. There are advantages to both approaches. Battery bells will be more flexible in where they can be placed; on the other hand, they will need to be removed to be charged. Although they often claim to go for up to six months or a year between charges, in our experience, they often last far less than that, with the battery drained by constant motion events or check-ins on live streams.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JDDITSR2Y5CJPOQ72E6H7HOZE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743118488},"content":"Take into account the cost of the subscriptions necessary for any access to video footage. Ring, for example, requires you to have a subscription to download footage to save it for later, or to get advanced alerts about packages or people at your front door. The packages can be per device or a flat fee that covers the household. Google’s Nest, on the other hand, will allow you to save clips, access up to three hours of events and intelligently process footage to discern between a person at your front door and next door’s cat. It does this on-device, which is handy if your internet glitches because it doesn’t need the cloud to help process what is in the video. And it doesn’t require an additional subscription to do so – that kicks in when you want to extend the window for accessing video.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HPFXZKVBLREDTNRUBEITBBCFPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350917},"content":"Both systems allow you to add video cameras to other areas of your home, both indoors and out, and monitor them through the same app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XQF6R7DJIZFF5OBMNSBYJROHLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525413},"content":"Aside from the Ring and Nest bells, smart home company Eufy offers its own high-definition video bell that will link in with its own video cameras to give you a total view of your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XKUSF2GQ2JHGRACOX3R67QAIEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525414},"content":"For older people who may need family assistance to screen callers, the Doro Hemma bell allows you to set up a trusted contact that can use the app to take over a call to the door. It doesn’t need cloud storage, saving video to a micro SD card instead, so any video saved stays local. And it comes with an extra-loud chime for indoors so you can be sure it will be heard.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUQ6ROUAQ5CIVFH3KSJYMOIL74","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076799},"content":"Smart lighting","type":"header"},{"_id":"3QAOVVEU5VHMXCYZPG5RZQBTFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730807515314},"content":"One easily followed security tip is to make sure your home always looks occupied by setting lights on a timer. However, as the seasons change and the sun sets earlier, you will need to adjust the timing week to week. Smart lighting can take over, allowing you to control its operation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IOAOGLBZGZHA5DPFOIBKJ2JAT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731272203144},"content":"Tapo light bulbs are an affordable way to start with smart lighting; they don’t require a separate hub for remote access, and they can be set to turn on and off according to sunrise and sunset. Add in some reasonably priced motion sensors and contact sensors, and you have a security system that will activate as soon as you open the front door.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JS474CPQGZGSRG6YY36AKOOMKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525423},"content":"Alternatives include Philips Hue and Hive, both of which can use a hub for remote access, or Wiz lighting, which does not.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NMCK6WZEINHLTGFVHI6GLYYIZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525424},"content":"Smart Locks","type":"header"},{"_id":"7WTAS4RYU5FOPHSCZETSKJUVXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076811},"content":"If you want to ditch the keys altogether, smart locks could be the answer. These automated locks will give you access to your home through your smartphone, either remotely with a wifi connection or in person through a bluetooth key on your device. You can grant temporary or time-limited access to visitors through the apps. They aren’t cheap though, and can run to a couple of hundred euro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FJXNYJS6IBFDZC7LSBIJIWZHBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076812},"content":"Yale is well known for its home security heritage, but in recent years it has expanded into the more high-tech sector. That includes a number of smart locks, including the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/24/yale-conexis-l2-smart-lock-review-security-without-the-hassle-of-keys/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>recently reviewed</b></a> Conexis L2 lock, and the Linus locks that offer a key bypass. The Conexis lock has the option of bluetooth fobs and tags to give you home access.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FURZMP6BDZDQLOE7K4CGQJ2YDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350928},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/01/18/no-more-hassle-with-keys-as-your-door-opens-via-bluetooth/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Start-up Loqed</b></a> has been around for a few years, but had a change of ownership in 2024. The Danish-founded company was pitching for premium customers, offering them a secure entrypoint to their home, that had one-touch entry similar to how your car keys work, with a back up bodee option if you forgot your smartphone or needed to give someone else access to your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B46SHB364ZAQFDYQKZ2QF24GXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076814},"content":"Chinese company Switchbot has another option that doesn’t require swapping over the entire lock. Instead, it fits to the inside of the door and covers the key, turning it in the lock to open and close the lock. You don’t have to have a certain type of door, just one that can be unlocked inside by a key rather than a thumbscrew. It could also be used on an internal door that needs to be kept locked – an office for example.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JONOU4CMBZAO7LYZIQCMQ5RIRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076815},"content":"Smart alarms","type":"header"},{"_id":"XNEJYEKYZ5CV3O5JWOSFP4WHQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076816},"content":"The days of the perpetually ringing alarm may be gone. Monitored alarms, where you pay a company to alert you or the police when the alarm is triggered at your home, have been available in Ireland for years, but they are getting smarter all the time. Now you cannot only set and unset your alarm from your smartphone, but you can check to see if you have closed windows and doors, control appliances via smart plugs and add extras such as leak detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.","type":"text"},{"_id":"36MSC3OJLJHT5AZAJK5AHYYK7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1730807515322},"content":"Each of the alarm companies have their own systems, and their own fees to install and monitor the systems. PhoneWatch is probably the most familiar to Irish people, with the one-time Eir-owned company around since the early 1990s. These days, things look a little different, with not only rival monitored alarm companies, but also the DIY option opening up a more budget-friendly possibility.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YORIIFJXLBFLRHPAYO4PLAA2KE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730807515323},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZAG2VIWFOFB6ZD4OGIOL4DVVUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731272203155},"content":"PhoneWatch now includes smart home devices such as smart plugs and video doorbells in its offering, as does rival HomeSecure, and they both allow you to monitor your home set-up through their own apps. Alarm.com, which is a global security service that is offered by companies such as Action24 in Ireland, can automatically set at a certain time every night.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6CZTBVUXRZBLHPGJHDC7WWKTHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076821},"content":"Before you invest in a monitored alarm though, it is worth clearing up a few things. What happens if you decide to switch alarm company? Can another company take over the existing alarm or will you need to install a new system?","type":"text"},{"_id":"ONGYZ4MLQFBPVNFCNQYUHPJBHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730807515329},"content":"With so many smart devices out there – plugs, cameras, motion detectors – it is also worth checking if you can add your existing devices into your home alarm app. Not all companies will allow it, but it might make life easier in the long run if you can use some of your existing devices in your smart security set-up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V23PL7BRNNFXXAHSWTMR75ENBE","additional_properties":{"_id":"XJIMGC67D5CDNBQ3VFQLBJUY4Q"},"content":"CSO figures: Shoplifting and burglary offences up, sex crimes and homicide down","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"VK6ROAR6CZGC3BOIY3BVZPQIOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350936},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"L3LKUFVAOZGHZPKNAQBBFXL6ZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350937},"content":"Video cameras – some dos and don’ts","type":"header"},{"_id":"RO5Y53E4JNEMBMKKKEEZUPGHV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350938},"content":"Do","type":"header"},{"_id":"J5DPWRY6XRE5BFTNL7ZMEMUHWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350939},"content":"– Choose a camera that suits your needs. Don’t fall for slick sales pitches or over buy on features if you don’t need them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3RMKKPH4RE7TGCFL44O3UCHSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350940},"content":"– Look into the extras you will need. Some devices need hubs for remote access, others require subscriptions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YLLIO5RFSFGRZIMTT2NUUOZ3FM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350941},"content":"– Consider the other smart home devices you may already have in your home. For example, if you have Echo devices, a Ring bell might be a better option. Google Home houses could opt for the Nest for tighter integration with displays and Chromecast devices you have on your TV.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CAD4IA5N2NFSPOWZLC4TC432EU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350942},"content":"Don’t","type":"header"},{"_id":"MXFGRAKJWRF4DH5BQXK4SDGCDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350943},"content":"– Buy solely on price. Cheaper is not necessarily better, especially if it means you will have to replace the camera because it stops functioning or doesn’t do what it claims.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KASRRVBCAFHXPKGHSGRUHNNP5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350944},"content":"– Compromise on security. Some cheaper cameras have, in the past, been found to have substandard security that could be leaking your data, which can give away more about you than you might think. Do your research before you buy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DTUJNLWERBHTHOCQUW5HBFPF2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350945},"content":"– Take battery life at face value. Battery-life estimates can be a bit hit or miss.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WTMFGL3ZXRCI3EQ44SUKEJFAIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525436},"content":"-","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Video cameras smart doorbells, alarms and locks can help secure your property all year round"},"display_date":"2024-11-14T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Here are some smart ways to make your home more secure","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"B3O2KZ2ITZCABF4RSFG237GFII","auth":{"1":"59ec66365fdc37d89e737badf8cd65b07be43a4bce81d55ba543d4c24c1bd9d3"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/B3O2KZ2ITZCABF4RSFG237GFII.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/11/14/here-are-some-smart-ways-to-make-your-home-more-secure/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"5ZP3PTCQT5AIJDHISJR3NHPC4Y","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":370,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/988d8351-5b40-4536-a995-f95090ca8f36/versions/1731431154/media/6216e11672606c9e5e67aae0e829cf2c_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/14/apple-macbook-pro-m4-review-a-great-option-but-only-if-you-actually-need-the-power-of-the-pro/","content_elements":[{"_id":"BNRRCBTK3NG7RN5ICWFF57LJWA","additional_properties":{"_id":"DBTOU6ES5RC3DDDNTQHZHVVHUA"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-94837","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"KMYS5KDC4ZA4JPO3GHL5EPUF7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242576},"content":"When Apple unveiled its latest computers last month, there were plenty to choose from.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DHMXRBWZ3NCTPJY5J23QJKACNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242577},"content":"During the “week of Mac”, Apple unveiled the Mac Mini, for example, which now comes in a package that is not too much larger than an Apple TV. It also showed off the iMac, which now comes with the upgraded chip and new colours. And of course, the MacBook Pro, Apple’s star laptop that offers a balance of style and power in one neat package. All have Apple’s newest chip, the M4 series.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EAD6RSAWZNHL7IWNXNAROYOWJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242578},"content":"Since the launch of the M1 and M2 in 2020 and 2021 respectively, Apple is now into the pattern of regularly updating its self-designed silicon. The latest is the M4, which made an appearance in the iPad Pro in May. It brings incremental power updates, with a 10-core central processing unit, a 10-core general processing unit, and a 16-core neural engine. While that might not mean much to most people, the end result is a faster chip that will zip through tasks with ease.","type":"text"},{"_id":"STKHB5ZREJFPJO6MDKZH4NDJWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242579},"content":"The standard MacBook Pro, reviewed here, comes with the M4 chip, and 16GB of memory, double last year’s offering and a very welcome upgrade. For storage, you get a 512GB solid-state drive, although you can pay to upgrade this, too, if that won’t suffice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EBRLKEAUYJDEPO3K3SYKZK26YM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242580},"content":"The 14-inch model is a balance between a decent-sized screen with a comfortably sized keyboard. The display is a liquid retina XDR, which is pin sharp and great for reproducing both text and images or video.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMNPXJQ5EVB2HN5MJQYHZKED7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242581},"content":"The new base model Pro is a little closer to the rest of the pack. It comes with three Thunderbolt 4 ports – one more than last year – a HDMI port and MagSafe 3 port for charging. If you prefer, you can still use the USB-C port for charging, as long as you have a decent cable, but the addition of the third port also gives you options for external displays, which has also been expanded for the M4 Pro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CH5WAW2XYFDFLC4QFPTHYXROZY","additional_properties":{"_id":"4P36R4J5CBDLNHC2ILDC3LTKKI"},"content":"MacBook Air 2024: Apple burnishes its AI credentials with powerful new M3 chip","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"NHBKMFWNFJELXIBSTXBNV4VAXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242582},"content":"Battery life is great, with Apple claiming that it would last up to 24 hours on a full charge. In reality it will vary, depending on what you are using the device for. But you can get a full day of work and then some before you need to tether yourself to a power cable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PCZI3LL74FFYHA3E4XKHR4ZD6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242583},"content":"The webcam has also been improved, bumped up to a 12-megapixel webcam with Center Stage to keep you in the centre of the frame at all times, and added its Desk View software to the mix.","type":"text"},{"_id":"45HAMEGCHBAKZC7QODLRLWYSYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242584},"content":"It isn’t all perfect. Biometric authentication is limited to TouchID, which is integrated into the power button. It works well, but why no FaceID for the MacBook? It would be more convenient than TouchID and surely the camera set-up in a near €2,000 machine would be able to accommodate the necessary technology.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6GBFV7I46NEPZHJBUKDFIDHQFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242585},"content":"One thing that is dividing people is the inclusion of Apple Intelligence. The new AI – which Apple has dubbed as artificial intelligence for the rest of us – is being integrated into the operating system, and will even be available for EU users. The current delay with the mobile platforms does not extend to Mac OS, and Apple Intelligence on MacOS will launch in December in localised English for users in Ireland. There will be some limitations on language options, but if you want to dip your toe in the AI waters, the MacBook Pro will allow you to do so.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ECVBQZQIJGIVKXCF6NBS36UPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242586},"content":"Of course, that isn’t limited just to the M4 devices; Apple Intelligence will come to all of Apple’s laptops powered by the M series of chips, even older devices running on the M1 and M2 chips. You don’t need a new MacBook to get it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4Z4XHUYAIBGTLMVMPDATSAIASA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242587},"content":"Which brings you to the question of why you might need the new MacBook Pro. In reality this will be too much power for the average user; the MacBook Air will more than suffice, and the M4-powered version is likely to arrive in the coming months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NAMWLHVU45HIDCG2UK6MWIPY24","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242588},"content":"So for most people, you don’t actually need the power of the Pro. But if you do, then the M4 MacBook Pro is a great option for those who want the Pro experience without having to go too far up the price list.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NHVZXV6VM5HHNE7I6KWCZWBQZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242589},"content":"The entry-level Pro isn’t the cheapest, though. At €1,949, it is a significant investment. But the longevity of the device should also be taken into account. For comparison. I have been using an Intel MacBook Pro from 2017; a souped-up one, complete with the controversial touch bar, but a seven-year old device nonetheless. And to its credit, it still works well, giving you an idea of how long Apple devices can last if they are looked after properly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZYTHZVZNFJHJBBTGJDRNT2WIDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242590},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"GND7RT6NTJC2XGTFLLOSMKSKLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242591},"content":"The new MacBook Pro comes with a faster chip and more base RAM, giving it a power boost over the prior versions of the device. If you are in the market for more power and something with longevity, the new M4 device will give you plenty to work with.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QMEAJ4C6JVDFDFIFBODPKBKKMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242592},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"EYUEZRJ6XVBQ7CDC74VDCS7A7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242593},"content":"The price tag is significant. For many people, this will be overkill for their needs; for others, they will need the power bump from the M4 Pro or Max. The upgraded webcam, while improved, doesn’t include any support for FaceID either, which is disappointing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TFY74XXQ4RDPTE3G5ZSVQ77YVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242594},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"B3437Q4LXJDIPGCNLTUUOFBDCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242595},"content":"The MacBook Pro M4 comes in 14-inch and 16-inch versions, with a choice of the M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. You can also upgrade the RAM to double the base 16GB, and expand the solid-state drive to 2TB capacity – for a fee. The nano-texture glass option isn’t essential, but it will help the display’s visibility in bright sunlight.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GUAYJIGFPNGNLBQL6VXD7F3COI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242596},"content":"The verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"YMPIEJ3DMRGTDK5KWZPANX3G2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242597},"content":"Cheaper than before, the M4 MacBook Pro is a good, if pricey, entry to the Pro world.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"For the average user, it might be wiser to wait for the M4-powered version of the MacBook Air, which is likely to arrive in the coming months"},"display_date":"2024-11-14T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple MacBook Pro M4 review: A great option, but only if you actually need the power of the Pro","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"JAUPUM2UZNB4HOM5LLIZL2YLPI","auth":{"1":"05b417cb0a63b16209c26538717ea3b41737bbcca2aeef99628fc31bb6eea818"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/JAUPUM2UZNB4HOM5LLIZL2YLPI.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/14/apple-macbook-pro-m4-review-a-great-option-but-only-if-you-actually-need-the-power-of-the-pro/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"FK52QE7RMVGVNNOIQQKANEJMJY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":473,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/15719d51-7130-488f-a386-5ac7f3b67213/versions/1730221243/media/797561e3a03de5646a919899f8de2463_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/10/31/how-to-organise-all-the-photos-that-clog-up-your-phone/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JFIVIEGQ7VAZ5LDNF5FUVGBZ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730143396913},"content":"How many photographs do you have on your phone? If you are a regular user of your smartphone camera – and many of us are – there is a good chance that there are a few thousand digital photos and videos sitting in your phone’s memory, and backed up to the cloud.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FSO6WJOSRBKPG7JTCMQ2MZ5XE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730154919841},"content":"A straw poll of some colleagues revealed the number of photos and videos lurking on people’s phones ranged from just over 1,000 to more than 92,000, with the figure heavily influenced by the number of pets and young children people had. There are those multiple photos of party invitations from WhatsApp groups, the endless photos of homework lurking from Covid-era homeschooling to say nothing of the duplicate photographs from every family group and activity chat group your child has every attended.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FSO6WJOSRBKPG7JTCMQ2MZ5XE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730154919841},"content":"While we would like to think each photo is a precious memory we need to preserve, there are plenty we could get rid of without ever missing them. The series of selfies, for example, or that blurry photo that no amount of tweaking will save.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LFVVQIKQHRE4JIYAVPGFDPJ3BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"T5IGUHEOVFC4LC734FLKVEFEQU"},"content":"How to clean up your phone’s photo library to free up space","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"H3IF7EOHIJD5FKE3PPB77BXUOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730217727365},"content":"Not only can you free up space on your phone by getting rid of gigabytes of unwanted digital clutter, you could also cut down on your cloud storage bill.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ABXP3SNSSVCRNGHGM6OHF2LTJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670635},"content":"It will also make backing up and moving to a new device – something you might be considering around Christmas – a less time-consuming task. All it takes is just a few simple steps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NRDEJ2GMVFFNXKQI7HGUZE64PA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730154919842},"content":"Step one: Identify the worst offenders","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZA43K2K2XJE3JOKHFZXX5RZ7KQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040921},"content":"The first step in taking control of your phone and your photos is to identify the biggest space hogs. The chief offender is often video. These will take up most room on your phone, especially if you regularly shoot videos in 4K resolution; a 14-second video, for example, will take up more than 90MB of space. So if you are looking for a quick but high-impact solution to your storage issues, it makes sense to prune some of the videos you don’t need and are very unlikely to look at again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QGSEXXLLQFGURAP4DH2X4YNUN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040922},"content":"Both iOS and Android have tools built in to their operating systems to organise your photos and videos by type, subject or location. This means you can see at a glance where you need to concentrate your clean-up efforts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4PYW7US67BH4BKKVMPHO4N274M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040923},"content":"Another space sucker can be screenshots or screen recordings. These can likely be deleted en masse, but if you don’t keep a close watch, they can quickly build up. A quick check of my own phone showed more than 6,000 screenshots, most of which will have outlived their usefulness and will never be looked at again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4777LCTELVD2LBB3W44I3SB5CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040924},"content":"Step two: The clean-up","type":"header"},{"_id":"DK7I6V34TZE2TD6TX5DJVKDQAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040925},"content":"You have two options here. Use the tools built into your device to help you manage your photo storage. These are not only effective but also free of charge. Or you can go for the third-party paid option to get some extra features.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RWJWBEYJ4NHPHMFCZ2FALROYTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040926},"content":"The free version can be surprisingly powerful. Apple’s Photos app, for example, will organise all your images by type, including selfies, Live Photos and portraits, while also automatically recognising receipts, handwriting and QR codes, funnelling those images into the appropriate category. You can then swipe your finger across a line of photos to select them all and then delete.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DGXCPY2JG5FL7P3UAZC7FOAHLY","additional_properties":{"_id":"3BR7WZ3ZXRHHLC4IELU62E7T5Y"},"content":"Google takes on Apple with new phones, tighter AI integration","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"OSRDOV6BVRHVJGVFNRJHL4DIMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670644},"content":"It will also merge photos for you, keeping the highest-resolution one and consigning the others to the bin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXWBAVZEXVCXVOKJGYWUPUEN7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670645},"content":"Google Photos has similar features, and the Files app will hunt down similar photos so you can delete the duplicates easily.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7KSY63RVGNB63DJLDTUMC52NB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670646},"content":"The paid-for options will do all that too; some will flag blurry images or ones that are not quite duplicates but are similar enough that you might not need two copies of the same photo. But they can charge anything from 99 cent a week to a heftier monthly fee. If you do sign up, don’t forget to set a reminder to cancel the subscription when you are done.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3FUZ6YKJYVGHHDXREZZUBKARVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730154919846},"content":"The new generation of Artificial Intelligence could also be a useful tool in helping you to keep a handle on your photos. Apple Intelligence, which is set to be released to Irish users next April, will help you to find photos from a description or create a movie from a set of treasured family milestones. Not only will it make photos easier to find, it will also create movies and collections for you so you can access your memories quickly and easily.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQOXQ3F4QZAJVCE465CPALCK6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670648},"content":"Google’s Gemini is already available and offers a more powerful photo search. You can ask it to find photos of every beach you have on your account, or to hunt down images of all family pets with a few natural language questions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PEOQFME3YRDVZHYNMU4KLLAQTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670649},"content":"Then it is just a matter of hitting delete – the time-consuming part if you need to manually review some images – and clearing out the unwanted photos and videos.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SU7TW5BCTZE2XBFBGRL4Q2T5I4","additional_properties":{"_id":"6EQGQN7NYNG65MHM2IKTGDQPRQ"},"content":"Dublin woman ‘absolutely shocked’ to be a winner in Flickr annual photography contest","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"7VWXZ6IQX5DANIQX5CAVUZPTSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670650},"content":"If you accidentally delete photos and want them back, don’t worry: you have time. Both Android and iOS store your photos in the bin for 30 days before permanently deleting them. You can recover the photos if needed – or you can permanently delete them yourself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZFQ2PBGRBNATDLFWHS6UWNCFBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040930},"content":"Step 3: Optimising space","type":"header"},{"_id":"C3R36ZNNJNCSXC73NXZU5UDCIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040931},"content":"Both iOS and Android allow you to optimise the storage on your phone, storing high-resolution versions of your photos and videos in the cloud so you can keep your phone working as efficiently as possible while keeping the high-res images on standby just in case they are needed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BEQL6BZHJBHFRDFVHQXPESJSIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670653},"content":"In iOS, go to Settings>Photos and select Optimise Phone Storage. This saves space by storing the high-res version in iCloud. You can also set photos and video to capture smaller file sizes in Settings>Camera.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FLERJYLSFNHPPGMKQOYBSPV3TM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040932},"content":"Step four: Maintaining order","type":"header"},{"_id":"RZEQLAP6FJGAFHOPVSXG5V6T2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1730154919849},"content":"Now that you have your photos sorted, you need to keep them that way. To prevent the situation from getting out of hand again, there are some steps you can take.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HWHET5Z6LVFLXO6Y2653JNAHOU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040935},"content":"Regular maintenance:<b> </b>Once a week or so, set aside a few minutes to go through the photos you have taken in the past few days. Mark the ones you want to keep, and add them to an album if you want to find them easily later on – or ask your AI assistant of choice to create the albums for you. The rest can then be safely deleted from your phone and cloud storage.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HODZRVIFGFBI7HVY3FUTMK2Y6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730157920019},"content":"Limit apps: There are some apps that will create their own albums on your phone to save images that are either sent to them, in the case of WhatsApp, or created in them, like Instagram or Snapchat. A few photos here and there won’t have too much of an impact on your device’s storage capacity, but between them all, they can take up a significant amount of space on your device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5O57IYOZZRENTOG4OSU7PKCQL4","additional_properties":{"_id":"M3XTLE2JTNA2REDUJAZL66NM64"},"content":"The blink of an eye: Great street photography that finds magic in the mundane","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"626XV7HQKVFEXOYWHVEVUIBAYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730157920021},"content":"WhatsApp, for example, will save every meme, photo and video you receive by default. On a particularly active WhatsApp chat, that can add up to a lot of clutter very quickly. But you can stop the app from saving media by default. On Android, go to Settings> Chats and tap Turn off Media Visibility to turn it off for all chats; on iOS, go to Settings>Chats and turn off Save to Photos.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UVUWXCCSNCXDLNQZ2IQ54ZLPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040940},"content":"If you only want to turn it off for certain chats, go to the Chats tab and select the chat you want to change. Tap on the name of the chat to see the contact or group information. On Android, tap Media Visibility>No and hit OK; on iOS, tap on Save to Photos, and select Off.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LNEGTYZVDZHCTNMVLDOEOGCTLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040941},"content":"Instagram will also save copies of your stories to your phone’s gallery if you allow it to. To stop saving everything – reposts of other people’s content included – to your gallery, go to Settings and Activity, scroll down to Archiving and Downloading, and uncheck Save Story to Camera Roll.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Storing thousands of images and videos, most of which you will never look at again, is slowing down your phone and costing you money"},"display_date":"2024-10-31T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"How to organise all the photos that clog up your phone","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"W5KWT7TVCVAS3DLXSYVN674FEE","auth":{"1":"7abc72921aab2ba6386cdbd600ed2ab54089396430bf789da829bb7b10360417"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/W5KWT7TVCVAS3DLXSYVN674FEE.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/10/31/how-to-organise-all-the-photos-that-clog-up-your-phone/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"ETPGKWZ67BDVNIRESMUOXWYN6M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":348,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a439204a-2c89-425e-95dc-6bda4c85709f/versions/1730196541/media/57cf10b621f9aed0696e8fddb3b26dfa_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/31/ipad-mini-2024-review-apple-intelligence-delay-may-be-a-turn-off-for-some/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VKGQPPTKDBFTDNBNNXCWZRLTKA","additional_properties":{"_id":"3UT4CDMPJ5GLXHCWYN64UT5EOM"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-15911","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"6TZT34I44RHYNI2T47MPVKHPAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730124569938},"content":"If you were being strictly honest you would have to admit that, in terms of updates, the new iPad Mini isn’t the most exciting for the iPad line. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple</a> hasn’t made any big changes to the smaller tablet’s design, nor has it made any major hardware changes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T45REEPP7VHFPBDI4YKGNT3QQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366540},"content":"It’s difficult to believe that it’s been three years since <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/a-mighty-upgrade-for-apple-s-mini-tablet-1.4680905\" target=\"_blank\">a new version of the iPad Mini was released</a>. Back in 2021 the tablet got a significant design change, bringing it in line with the Air and the Pro, and giving it the ability to support the second-generation <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/05/16/apple-ipad-pro-13-inch-powerful-device-and-a-rival-to-laptops-for-many-tasks/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple Pencil</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KW4HTOWD7FE23AR5GETKEYMSKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915434},"content":"It’s not too surprising, then, that Apple hasn’t made too many drastic changes this time out. And if it isn’t broken, why try to fix it? Apple has kept things simple here, changing only the essentials, such as the chip – an A17 Pro that was introduced with the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/2023/09/13/hands-on-with-the-brand-new-iphone-15-pro-and-pro-max/\" target=\"_blank\">iPhone 15 Pro</a> and helps support pro-level apps – and, most notably, including <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/2024/06/14/qa-what-is-apple-intelligence-and-how-do-i-get-it/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple Intelligence</a>, the AI for those of us who haven’t quite yet figured out why we need it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E22NDQZWIZHF7KJKLZW677ARRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915435},"content":"It also uses the new Apple Pencil Pro, which means you get the advanced features of Apple’s smart stylus, such as gyroscopic movement for barrel rolling the pen, for example. But if you already own a USB Apple Pencil, that will work too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T45REEPP7VHFPBDI4YKGNT3QQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366540},"content":"In reality, Apple’s biggest competition comes from its own stablemates. The Pro is aimed at the high-end power users; the Air for those who want the Pro experience but without the pricetag; and the entry-level iPad is for those who just want an iPad without too many frills.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AFRTHLDVMVHU5HTCJ3Q6RC6R7I","additional_properties":{"_id":"H2MKN7JNN5CNBKFPGFG4FQVNUQ"},"content":"iPad Air 2024 review: A good middle-of-the-road choice","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"3QEJD5J5GBEXHGG35ESVGHY7OA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730124569943},"content":"The question is, where does the Mini fit in the iPad line-up? It is too small to replace a laptop for work purposes and too large to replace your phone for many tasks, unless you have a big pocket to carry it around in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DNOK2YTEWRDUPIMNK336I7ARFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730124569944},"content":"The smaller screen means I’m less likely to try multitasking on the Mini, but it’s is the perfect size for replying to emails, reading books or documents, or watching some streaming video on the move. It fits in all but the most compact of my handbags too, so it can go everywhere with me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DH3XECVNJZFJFDYUEKINNX4DZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915438},"content":"The mini version of Apple’s tablet has its fans – me included – but don’t be fooled into thinking that smaller means budget – the tablet starts at €619. But Apple hasn’t cut corners either. The display is pin sharp and ideal for both text and video streaming. The storage has been doubled to 128GB. The A17 chip may seem like last year’s model but the tablet can keep pace for all the standard tasks that are typically asked of it. Apple Intelligence, which will bring a smarter Siri and AI-powered features such as rewriting emails and documents, will also be available on the Mini, making it the cheapest iPad currently available that will support the technology.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2MFFQ5XLAZG35FGWDIR4UMW32U","additional_properties":{"_id":"SAJIPPKSJNEWTGL2PFEVU4EXXE"},"content":"High stakes for Apple’s AI push as it plays catch-up with rivals amid lacklustre sales","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"FORFEORZARB7PIQZ2QG7E5UNIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915439},"content":"And therein lies the rub for Irish would-be iPad Mini buyers. The main reason to buy the 2024 version of the Mini is its ability to support AI features. But, as we know, Apple Intelligence for Apple’s mobile devices hasn’t launched in Ireland – or the EU in general – just yet, and Apple has just confirmed that it will be April before iPads and iPhones here will get it. That’s several more months of waiting for Irish users, and for features that they aren’t quite sure yet if they will use. Even when it does launch, it will take a while before its full potential is explored.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CDZHLFKWVBDN3IFTSAU4CONPWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366542},"content":"Will the next-generation Mini arrive sooner than the three-year cycle of the last launch? If it does, EU users might be better off waiting for Apple Intelligence to fully bed in before making the leap. At present, the iterative upgrades – better chip, new Pencil support, improved camera – aren’t enough to push a major upgrade cycle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IP5PLP2KTJHUZP35K6YMLW4AZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915442},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"4LVIBESRVZBZNNUYH6DRCAGRBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366544},"content":"The iPad Mini is still a great tablet, even without the Apple Intelligence features. You can throw it in your handbag as an ereader, edit some photos and video on the 8.3 inch display, and add a keyboard if you want to make it as a stand in for its bigger siblings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WSXVX3F5KFGYDHVYR3YK3FBUWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915444},"content":"The A17 Pro may not be the latest generation of Apple’s chips, but it is a significant boost in power over the 2021 iPad Mini.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LJBLWBQJGNGPPOHBDVF2QFNAEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915445},"content":"And the iPad Mini will support Apple Intelligence in the future, making it a cheaper way to get Apple’s AI features.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FABWEHMFOFFFLDHFTMS4A6CQDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366545},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"NGA4ATDE5ZHQ3FYE53MPGIV4V4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915447},"content":"The April launch date for Apple Intelligence in the EU is a drag on any immediate push to upgrade to this version of the Mini.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K3BQKZV2IVF7FIWBGDTS7E6RLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915448},"content":"The Mini boasts some serious bezels, and Apple also decided to leave the front-facing camera on the top edge, which means you are stuck with the resulting weirdly positioned footage, despite the inclusion of Center Stage to keep you perfectly framed every time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ACY3IMQV2RCFZJ2KV2ZKXZLOVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366549},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"KINGZHII6VEOFO6A6GN5VKONGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730124569957},"content":"The 12MP wide-angle camera on the back supports Smart HDR 4. It also uses machine learning to detect and scan documents from the Camera app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXKY3BG4CND3BN6DRHG6B2DH5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915450},"content":"No Face ID seems like a bit of an oversight, and while TouchID isn’t a hardship, having to go back to fingerprint readers for unlocking the device and accessing passwords is inconvenient.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RKDYX7VQ3NCZBOFM3DXR6GQ42I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915451},"content":"The iPad Mini comes in a few different colours, including a pale blue and purple. That also means colour-matched accessories, such as smart covers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SUHXWFU7NNABXAH3NHCPPROUEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915452},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"T4ZJPRTR6RCOZOMEG5FNJVNHDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915453},"content":"This is a solid update, even if it lacks the wow factor. The iPad Mini is definitely a second screen, rather a replacement for your main device. But in the short-term, the lack of Apple Intelligence may put some potential buyers off.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"This solid update to the iPad Mini supports Apple AI features that have not yet launched in Ireland"},"display_date":"2024-10-31T00:01:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"iPad Mini (2024) review: Apple Intelligence delay may be a turn-off for some","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"Q7PPKDTXA5CW3BJPXWMALTKEJY","auth":{"1":"8f09ebd09b412c13c19c78bf70b343b0147fae2348723f123d045045fb78ec73"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/Q7PPKDTXA5CW3BJPXWMALTKEJY.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/31/ipad-mini-2024-review-apple-intelligence-delay-may-be-a-turn-off-for-some/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"CMZZ5AGSZVBYJAQDTB73VNPAZQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":397,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ef92d55a-471f-4b17-bda0-52eb0a55cd55/versions/1729508013/media/696ae3b30b93aa46be0aca3fd937d4a9_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/24/yale-conexis-l2-smart-lock-review-security-without-the-hassle-of-keys/","content_elements":[{"_id":"6BMM7AWV7FDHDO63DDUDMSYFK4","additional_properties":{"_id":"FIMA7QNC7ZE63MWO4I4RXR77BQ"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-20874","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"YQITIXXH5VEM7CZ5XPZVT73I3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1729504375007},"content":"There was a point, as I climbed through a window in my home like the world’s worst burglar that I considered giving up on smart locks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHMKHKZ7FRG2NDEAPXUXCMSFAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183081},"content":"The latest addition had lost connection to its smart hub during its installation, leaving me stranded outside a locked door, trying to get the attention of two children who were more interested in the antics of the Minions than in letting me back into the house.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3RFY55T3GRANFG6QO23CC7YO4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183082},"content":"It wasn’t the first time I had fallen foul of a smart lock. But like the last mishap, it turns out that maybe I should have paid a little more attention to the instructions. Specifically, don’t close the door until you are sure set-up is complete.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R4LY7O7F3BAILK5TFTRNVDA7SQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183083},"content":"There are good reasons people want smart locks. You can use your smartphone as a key instead of carrying a bunch of keys around with you. You can send people temporary keys when needed rather than handing over a physical version, and revoke access just as easily. Deliveries can be dropped off to a more secure place too, because you can unlock the door remotely. And you don’t have to fumble in pockets for keys in the dark when you are returning home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RHQXU74755CQVAZ5LVOMQEQ5PI","additional_properties":{"_id":"UCYPSMARWJEB5ESLSXFOVCHC7M"},"content":"Loqed Touch Smart Lock review: No more hassle with keys as your door opens via bluetooth","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2NYZ56SFINGNRMQNFOTGEKTK6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183084},"content":"The one being installed on this occasion is made by Yale, which has years of experience in keeping intruders out of your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4W4SBVY3EZCW5BKEOQYUEOLU3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183085},"content":"Yale’s Conexis L2 smart lock is essentially its original smart lock, the L1, with a few new features out of the box enabled by the inclusion of the plug-in smart bridge and the Yale Access Module. That gives you remote access to the lock, so you can always unlock the door from your smartphone regardless of where in the house – or the world – you are.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5CB26MHSXZGPPJQZMMKBEBXAKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183086},"content":"The lock also works with Bluetooth – encrypted, naturally – on your smartphone, or with contactless keys, so you are never dependent on your phone battery lasting to get you through the door.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AOUHKPJHYJER7HNGGNXWSXGDPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183087},"content":"Installation was relatively simple, even if you have never fitted a door lock before. Inside the box there are several packs that you choose from depending on the measurements of your door. Each has everything you need to fit the lock and you only need the most basic of tools.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QFBMSSVZYNE4XCSDLWBPU3G7NE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183088},"content":"Once fitted, you would find it difficult to distinguish the L2 from a standard door handle. The only distinguishing feature is the contactless panel on the outside, which could be mistaken for a design feature. It only takes four AA batteries, unlike other locks, so the inner lock is sleek too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OR2VJSBG6ZEBXFGY6JZ54GR24A","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183089},"content":"The most obvious point in the Conexis’s favour is that it works. On the outside, you have a standard door lock; pull up the handle and it locks, flashing a red LED and playing a short tone. When it unlocks, the LED flashes green to let you know you are good to enter. If you want to use contactless keys to unlock the door, you hold the card or fob just under the Yale logo on the outside of the door for a few seconds. It is all very simple.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WIL6YJAD2BBHFDPMLLV63VASPA","additional_properties":{"_id":"SUXQKKWJ7VGQJPUP5TJPSUUIHU"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"JR6C2PPMTFEAHFENKO5RHNG7VY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183090},"content":"On the inside, you have a traditional thumbscrew, though it takes a bit of getting used to as you have to push it in and turn to activate the motor. When it successfully unlocks, you get a green LED and a cheery tone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"67ECKULAWZF5RCUH5AYPG3UA5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1729504375022},"content":"You also have the option of unlocking via the app: a big red circle means the door is locked, a green ring means it is unlocked. Because this device is designed to work with multipoint lift-to-lock doors, you can’t lock it from the app unless the handle has already been pulled up. That may not suit some people, particularly if you are granting access remotely.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VEFMIH7NMJCBFP65XKR6S46FZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183091},"content":"You can make things more complex by adding automated features such as auto unlock, which uses your phone’s location to determine if you are close by and automatically unlocks the door when you are in Bluetooth range. You can also set up smart alerts to notify you if the door has been left ajar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5H5AF3MHUZEELEXMZUOI4ZDN4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729505849004},"content":"These are all unnecessary extras though and, in the case of the auto unlock, it wasn’t easy to get it up and running correctly. It frequently told me the door had auto unlocked as I pulled up to my house, despite being very clearly locked when I tried the handle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MKC34MSKFNDINJQRMY4APHEWNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183092},"content":"Another caveat is that you don’t have a key or code bypass to get into your home if you walk out without the contactless fob or your smartphone. As in the case with any key to your home, it is best to leave a contactless fob with a trusted neighbour or family member. If you lock yourself out – as I did before setting up the contactless keys correctly – you would set a challenge for a locksmith.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PALDOPPQ6VGMLAJCTX3EV3HV5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183093},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"6F7D5WMM4JEXNN5SW7TT646M2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183094},"content":"This is a solid lock, neat fitting and sturdy. It doesn’t feel like it needs constant adjusting – a problem I’ve had before – or tightening after a few weeks of use.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YNJMGYATGBHQ7ME47FVHSS5POQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183095},"content":"The motor is quiet when locking and unlocking. You can hear it operating but it’s not as noisy as others tested in the past. Outside, you would have to strain to hear it above traffic or people; inside, it’s just about audible.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I77C73T32NCUDPUO45ADYWYLPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183096},"content":"It is easy enough to fit too, and should be compatible with most doors thanks to the different options for door widths and screw positions that are included in the box. Check Yale’s site to make sure before you buy, however.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4T22GPZ6BVCXXFAK4RNOCTC3KI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183097},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"PTAMBI6DY5G4XOR5KCSCFYNVSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183098},"content":"There is no physical key or code back-up, so if something happens to the lock, you might find yourself in difficulty. If the batteries fail, you can use a 9 volt battery – the square ones you are usually hunting for at 3am because the smoke alarm has decided to start chirping – to give the lock enough power to get you inside, but I would suggest investing in key fobs (around €8 for a twin pack) so you aren’t completely reliant on your phone for entry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4TD7AHH3BNHZLHUZ2T477XZ6B4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183099},"content":"The auto unlock was a bit temperamental – the lock frequently didn’t activate despite the app telling me that it would open, so I gave up on that eventually.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HGRADTOBGVCFHN5ZCRWJDM4QRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183100},"content":"It is also pricey.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O6XTBQZG2VFGPFLEDCCH2NJQMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183101},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"FWQHPVLXKBGAZOBJQLNMYEKVYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183102},"content":"The lock comes with a key fob and a smart card in the box, which need to be paired to the lock, either as a stand-alone contactless key or linked to a guest with app access. Unlike the L1, the L2 doesn’t require you to pay extra for more than six contactless keys. The contactless keys can also be smart tags that you can fix to the back of a phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2OP7WNISOVAH3J2HGCQJGZJJOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183103},"content":"If you need to give someone access to the lock on a temporary basis, you can do it through the app, sending a virtual key to their smartphone and setting a schedule that allows them to use it at certain times.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X6AIMOILZVFWVDSZQJRUNY7PBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729504375036},"content":"It is also available in several different finishes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AML3776SW5B7FAKJMQROXL77LM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183104},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"OX2G2N4H3NCNLPXCOCNBHNZE5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183105},"content":"Smart locks for those of us who just want something easy","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Lack of physical key or back-up code could leave you out in the cold if the lock malfunctions for any reason"},"display_date":"2024-10-24T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Yale Conexis L2 smart lock review: security without the hassle of keys","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"CBBX23YU7BH3VNHJDU67PH7RHA","auth":{"1":"c6957ff2e57944a32bd0df65939154c7495fb8c10fa047a23335c164492d43c2"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CBBX23YU7BH3VNHJDU67PH7RHA.png"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/24/yale-conexis-l2-smart-lock-review-security-without-the-hassle-of-keys/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"IQ4CH5SJQ5A4FIXODQII7SNVPQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":333,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8cde911f-646e-46d7-a693-061c319d89fc/versions/1728902339/media/13e2e35073fb5679e9fbc8d962de34df_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/17/google-tv-streamer-4k-review-smartening-up-your-home-tv/","content_elements":[{"_id":"IB4TXT6LGRBC5JOI6NVUEPU5XQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"MQRQWEHR3NF2TEFEUFBQQTNYYM"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-39098","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"ERTX2XQ7EBATTHKZIEBO4VD2VA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444232},"content":"Google’s ambitions to conquer the TV market have taken a few different forms. First there was the Chromecast, an inexpensive, stripped-down dongle that turned any TV with a HDMI port into a smart TV, as long as you could use your phone to provide the content.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PVGTSQ6SO5HU3FDVMVGNUV4WOU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728899061739},"content":"Then came the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/consumer-tech/review/2022/12/01/chromecast-with-google-tv-hd-a-reasonably-priced-way-to-make-your-old-tv-smarter/\" target=\"_blank\">Chromecast with Google TV</a>, the puck-shaped addition that had its own operating system and remote control, freeing up your phone and giving you access to a wider range of apps and services. Now we have the Google TV Streamer. Gone is the Chromecast moniker, and the dongle design; in its place is a sleek set-top box that supports 4K content.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UQEKIV32EFBLNBV4ELGD2AEEDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280049},"content":"Set-up is relatively easy. You need to download the Google Home app and set up your home in Google’s app, assuming you haven’t already done so. Out of the box, there is a software update needed, but discounting that, it takes only a few minutes to get the TV Streamer connected to your wifi before it starts the five minute process of setting up the box with all the software you need.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXMO6BJWIJECDJ2IWGTEWMMEFI","additional_properties":{"_id":"KNJL6AAYEJFTVHDHBZ2XP5QMAA"},"content":"Made by Google: Everything unveiled at its annual hardware showcase","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"JMTIGSWKPJHTJKSCQVNSOOFPYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280050},"content":"You can choose your preferred streaming services, from Disney+ and Netflix to Paramount+ and Apple TV during the set-up process. They are available immediately but you can add other apps to the box too. RTÉ Player, Virgin Media Play, Now TV, TG4 Player, Canal+ and other media channels can be downloaded from the Play Store on Google TV. You can also add games and other lifestyle apps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F7RV2UJJTNEVVK2TVUMORV6FJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280051},"content":"There is a good range of apps here, including VPNs such as Nord VPN and ExpressVPN (good for both privacy and removing geoblocks from content). The choice is limited to what is available from the Play Store.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FP5WNJBQPJEUTPBVUP3YKZKQMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280052},"content":"This may all sound fairly familiar and if you were thinking that the Chromecast with Google TV and the new Google TV Streamer essentially do the same thing, you wouldn’t be wrong. Both allow you to install apps to the device, both come with their own remote and support 4K content. All your favourite content, spanning all your streaming services, can be accessed from a single menu. And you can access your smart home devices through your TV, with the voice controls on the remote control.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N7DEC2PYJJFLPCVPF4IEF6XUUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280053},"content":"But there are a couple of differences between the two.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SHLZEAXWYVHKNA2WSRDAIN4IME","additional_properties":{"_id":"CLFTDGM7UZERXCFG7VMSOCYAMM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"YR6KBYKK7NB6LD54EOL7RVMURM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728899061745},"content":"First there is the design, with Google making the move away from the dongle design in line with its rival Roku and others. The set-top box might be preferable to a dongle device hanging off the HDMI port at the back, and the TV Streamer is still fairly low profile.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ROY5RDOOMNH63JSEEHS6WDV4DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280054},"content":"The second is the type of connections available. The TV Streamer has an ethernet port built in so you don’t need to rely on wifi to get your internet connection – good if you have a particularly temperamental signal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZOL6FZJBXVFADAP2ROFWVF6PT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280055},"content":"More importantly, though, the larger size means Google can cram a bit more capacity in there for your apps and content sources, with 32GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, a significant upgrade over the Chromecast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLCGN6IAGVF3DF5XW6TDKMIJYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280056},"content":"Google has tweaked the remote, too. You still have a YouTube button (a logical move) and Netflix (it’s less obvious why this is here over Disney or another service) but the volume control has moved from the side of the remote to the front, and you now have a shortcut button that you can programme to your favourite app, smart home shortcut or TV control.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UYSRWREW5FETTMPISWXBDNWJ3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280057},"content":"If you want all your entertainment apps in a familiar interface, then the Google TV Streamer 4K is a good option, if a slightly more expensive one than we have become used to.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3HNBILS25GPHJ6S4LB5L5XTUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280058},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"7CKNPUHOMJBJBLOKBRY4A7NCXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280059},"content":"Easy enough to get up and running, the Google TV Streamer is an inexpensive way to get all your streaming content in one place. It also fits neatly into your Google smart-home set-up, allowing you to control your light, thermostats, cameras and plugs from your TV. The Google TV Streamer is more than just an entertainment device; it is a smart-home hub.","type":"text"},{"_id":"37LBWYP3BRGQZNP6I4JDBKSJGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280060},"content":"Despite its multiple functions, the TV box is relatively small and sleek. It fits in with almost any home decor, thanks to the neutral colouring. And if you lose the remote control, you can easily find it, either through the dedicated button on the back of the streamer box, or by asking Google Assistant to locate it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EOTZSFT5BVCJXGYYJS2HOHPX2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728659974419},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"REFVGXEA4FCOHARDT3LQATGJMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280062},"content":"Google hasn’t included a HDMI cable in the box, so if you don’t have a spare, you’ll be TV-less a little longer. You can have it in any colour, as long as it is porcelain, aka white. Google does it in grey, too, but not in the Irish or European market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BUCBQ4TCPJCCVPK5T266Z5TXOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444247},"content":"It is more expensive than the €70 Chromecast with Google TV, at €120.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IXMZABMNQNAGRB55ILYTUJV2NE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728659974420},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"2CRT4SXCFREEPLBHRZBH5T7SPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444249},"content":"It supports Dolby Vision and advanced HDR, alongside Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos audio formats.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WL3HGAU745DWLBCSRH5PFZ2UQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444250},"content":"The remote control can also be paired with your TV to control volume, a handy addition that makes using the TV streamer easier to use. You aren’t limited to TV services either; there are games, news services, utility apps and other apps to download to the device so you can use it as a general hub. You can also link speakers and Pixel Buds to the device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XXIK4OU5CRDAXOK5BVLWWRI6LA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444251},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"FQOGNN2A4FAYJN5IQMWZXPSWZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444252},"content":"A sleek addition to your livingroom that smartens up any TV.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Upgrade offers relatively inexpensive way to get all your streaming content in one place"},"display_date":"2024-10-17T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Google TV Streamer 4K review: Smartening up your home TV","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"L74UECWY6FEKHLMV7MVVVCIPGA","auth":{"1":"31ea7e3e9acc2c4cb4c79877b47f056e7cdba6a8c78235018c1a2b562bf5abb2"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/L74UECWY6FEKHLMV7MVVVCIPGA.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/17/google-tv-streamer-4k-review-smartening-up-your-home-tv/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"QXAMNS3ZTZCNXDZJMQ2RSGZWQQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":644,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ce4c7f9e-f494-4448-a2bf-b29056122644/versions/1728895775/media/3b77bbdcecef997d22a84f57ca06fe82_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/10/17/switching-phone-networks-here-are-ways-to-ensure-you-only-pay-for-what-you-need-and-avoid-roaming-charges/","content_elements":[{"_id":"IPH463DZ5ZFNDPHLL4MILLA66A","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236072},"content":"We are getting better at shopping around. Consumers are increasingly willing to switch providers for utilities such as electricity and gas, broadband and TV.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PSIBFR5KLFDENEA2HZXNWYWTRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236073},"content":"A PTSB study showed that Irish people are also more likely to change mobile providers in search of a better deal, with 41 per cent of consumers saying they were considering it versus 30 per cent last year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EJZHMSM2SJH6RNCKWV3LTAJMQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236074},"content":"The good news is that when it comes to mobile contracts, we have options, and lots of them. And not just from the three main operators, but also the MVNOs – mobile virtual network operators – that are offering more variety to mobile customers. These operators cut a deal with the network owners to essentially share the network infrastructure already in place. That means the MVNOs can offer services to customers without having to spend the time and millions of euro setting up their own masts and base stations, and the incumbents can make some money out of renting out their infrastructure.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QVKH5MM4DBB3DG55MUD7ECD73Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236075},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"3JFAQQPXWNGZDM5OJIZL2Y2JRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236076},"content":"The latest entrant into the market is <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sky/\" target=\"_blank\">Sky</a> Mobile. The TV provider has already made inroads into the broadband market, and offers both broadband and mobile services in the UK, so it was a natural progression for its Irish business.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LAWLLOXO4NCHRIMAE2JYOAVBCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236077},"content":"The provider has adopted a similar model to rival TV provider <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/virgin-media/\" target=\"_blank\">Virgin Media</a>, which also allows customers to split the cost of their phones from the ongoing subscription fees for your plan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QRIGE6EYJBDRLM55FDLTKUIWJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236078},"content":"It also offers another option for customers on the hunt for a better mobile service than they are currently getting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HAFONPXZ25BUVMVH2TOCQAOZOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236079},"content":"There are some things to bear in mind when choosing mobile provider to make sure you get the best deal for what you need.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q37T7USADBHY5PEV4FOWA7P2NA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236080},"content":"Check your coverage","type":"header"},{"_id":"O4JGI3OVJNBEDONEZDUW5OVKK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236081},"content":"There is no point in having a bargain deal if your network coverage is so bad you can’t make calls or send texts. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/comreg/\" target=\"_blank\">ComReg</a>’s coverage checker <a href=\"https://www.comreg.ie/tools-resources/\" target=\"_blank\">tool</a> will show you what network covers your area. And it’s not just about basic coverage either; the tool will break it down into 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G coverage, so you get a general idea what level of service you can expect.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S3BF7KXC3ZDJLKRGRO3ZSDMBEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236082},"content":"It’s not always simply about coverage, though. You can have the best coverage in the country once you step outside your office or home, and yet once indoors, text messages fail to deliver, data coverage is abysmal and calls constantly drop. That can be because of the make-up of the building, or because of the interference from other devices around you is too much. That’s where features such as wifi calling comes in handy. This service, which is offered by all the major Irish networks, uses your wifi network when the mobile network is poor to make phone calls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KOZXXLWIF5AXZDXMLMSI5PVUXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236083},"content":"Only pay for what you need","type":"header"},{"_id":"BUI73SREARHRNMQG7Y27FDRYNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236084},"content":"Despite the perception of Ireland as a “rip off republic”, we don’t fare too badly on telecoms costs. It is possible to get all the data, calls and texts you need for less than €15 a month – as long as you are staying in Ireland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DKDA3K24KNGCDFSMS6ILCDSJUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236085},"content":"These are usually sim-only plans, which don’t come with a handset, and are often short term, so you can give 30 days’ notice if you want to switch rather than be tied in for a full year or longer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NSUZYSSGS5D53AOJKZLBYBT6WE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236086},"content":"If you don’t need unlimited data, texts or calls, you can shave a little bit off your monthly costs, with some plans going as low at €10. You can always upgrade if you find it no longer meets your needs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VKENX6OCFZDH3CG7VTAIR4NJ6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236087},"content":"Watch out for roaming charges","type":"header"},{"_id":"5TGHBXEJCBEIZJANUWLYW7M27A","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236088},"content":"EU rules mean you can use your mobile plan within the European Union and the UK as if you were at home. That means no roaming charges for calls, texts and even data while you are travelling in the EU.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GWZSET7AUJDXNGH7TLWNCLJAMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236089},"content":"However, there are limits in some cases. Most of the networks have imposed some sort of fair-use policy for data roaming that limits you to several GB of data before charges kick in. Be sure that you look up any limitation on roaming services before you go, to ensure you don’t end up with bill shock.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCIZRUBBHZABXAERFNCCHQRV3U","additional_properties":{"_id":"NSG4VCEECNERXB4FSGSQWBRGVQ"},"content":"Man who spent two days in Monaco received €30,000 data roaming bill","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"G6FZMXKGYVHCNF4XD5BLVBXVFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236090},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"45D5LMMC5ZBENPT7XAETKB645Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236091},"content":"To avoid roaming charges outside the EU, you have a couple of options. The first is to simply turn off roaming on your phone when you leave the country. Stick to wifi – preferably secured with a password – if you need to access mobile data. And enjoy the peace and quiet, free from constant messaging and calls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4R5E57SF7JFERGTPZ6V6SRQYWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236092},"content":"The second is to check what roaming packages your mobile network offers. Some, such as GoMo and Vodafone, offer a certain amount of data per day for a fee, giving you access to messaging, maps and email.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DFUYVIS7N5EZHAQLEFXV7STOVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236093},"content":"A third option is to buy a local sim card to use abroad. Before you do this, make sure your device will take a third-party sim card; some networks lock the devices they sell to customers to their own network for the duration of the initial contract. You can request your phone be unlocked from the network once you have met their minimum contract or spend requirements.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNAIAAFMURD5HLVW4GXMTGKSIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236094},"content":"If your phone is relatively new, there is a good chance that it will support e-sims. These are virtual sim cards that can be installed on your device, allowing you to access local networks without a physical sim card.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KQ454ROB4JD2HHVXMZDNX7DYLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236095},"content":"You can install e-sims for unlimited data use for a few days or a few weeks – look at providers such as Holafly for more options.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MLXE4N3EQ5AMFL3MS4FV2CY2VQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"ATNC5G3JQZE23OR67S7FYCMKB4"},"content":"E-sims: The future for mobile phones is here, and Ireland needs to get on board","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"H6F4HDTKFBGTZFOY3ACZKLV2DU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236096},"content":"Keep your phone as long as possible","type":"header"},{"_id":"SJGDNMJVQFHOBHJ6BLJ5LYAHD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236097},"content":"One thing that will add to the cost of your mobile plan is whether or not you need a new device. In the past, people would upgrade phones every year, then every two years; the most recent estimate has people hanging on to their phones for three years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MUTN43NRONAZ5AJW7Q64T7YPTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236098},"content":"There are a few reasons for that. First, there is the cost of the device itself, which is usually spread across a two-year contract. Second, the jump in functionality is now much less pronounced between generations of phones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W3YWL3XX6JFJJNBIIOAM3SQVZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236099},"content":"Some Android phones now have up to seven years of support, for both operating system updates and security patches. The latter are crucial: some apps that require heightened security, such as banking apps, may not function if security is not up to date.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HPMRDBUXKVFJJPVGHQAXFEORQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236100},"content":"The catch is that it is seven years from its original release date, not from when you bought the phone. And as the phone ages, it may struggle with the latest operating system, which will require increasingly high-powered hardware and put your older device under pressure. You may not have access to all the features of the newest software either.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2DG45NJOK5G4PAA7DYYYRKKE2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236101},"content":"Phones are more durable now, too. Fancy names like ceramic shield, Armour and Victus are all different ways of saying that the screens are more durable and resistant to cracks, scratches and so on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXHTZBFH6ZBJ5OGSVSKWBZPVYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236102},"content":"However, they don’t last forever. Components wear out, batteries lose their effectiveness and eventually, you feel like you may as well just buy a new one rather than fixing it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NA2WJYF2ZVAQXGACFEB5VXVWKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236103},"content":"But you could get several years out of your handset with a few minor fixes, and you won’t have to spend money on a new handset.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VG5ZQ4CN55BDZNRNYD33VRIY3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236104},"content":"Keeping your phone in good condition is easy – a screen protector will keep the worst scratches and scuffs from the display, and a decent case will protect it from any impacts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I2JUJIECPZD6HMXM7MU22HL7XM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236105},"content":"Battery life is the most common complaint that people have when it comes to their smartphones. As your phone ages, so too does the battery, and becomes less efficient. But a battery replacement will get you back on track and it is relatively cheap in comparison to a new phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YGXWS7XX3BBH5DLUUZHWERYBWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236106},"content":"If you do need a new phone, consider refurbished devices to keep the costs down. Not only could you save some euro, it is also more environmentally friendly than buying a new device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4TLQLFRZB5CX3MA33UITXZLT6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236107},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"UAHTI77T3NC4ZIEPV5WICPTH3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236108},"content":"What are the networks offering?","type":"header"},{"_id":"BHJJB7IOMFDXVK34GGLZJAF4QA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236109},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/three/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Three Ireland</b></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CLCOFAN67VEPVPZJPSG3NX2GBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236110},"type":"list"},{"_id":"UUWXY4JUNBBDFCBRMQSTTRPQOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236113},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/vodafone/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Vodafone Ireland</b></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z3SE3JWOJBEO5KEHQ6WILYUKKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236114},"type":"list"},{"_id":"HR3RLJJVXJHZFKEOWO6JNJMZIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236117},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/eir/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Eir</b></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKR5NUFNOVGB3BKRMYTG3XJF6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236118},"type":"list"},{"_id":"VYXNLPWX7VCIBCRZ7KWG543P4E","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236121},"content":"<b>Virgin Mobile</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3CC2ZOYWJ5FBFHCFNH7CZPKWQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236122},"type":"list"},{"_id":"I2WKK4VXXFCBFOTUUY6AC5BFGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236126},"content":"<b>Sky Mobile</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CUDB5PQIVRDMPMMVVQN7VHPS4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236127},"type":"list"},{"_id":"5QXWF3XMBJAENPLUAOOAHIR5XE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236131},"content":"<b>48</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NWWRQLA5BJHEPA6OJBBSZTXNTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236132},"type":"list"},{"_id":"IFU4DJPUTZBIPBPZEFOOBSQS54","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236136},"content":"<b>An Post Mobile</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"KJI2KHFRFBCNVK4JUMO6D3CVFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236137},"type":"list"},{"_id":"3YNEICJMJVGJRJUMAASQOTQ7FM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236140},"content":"<b>Tesco Mobile</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"A3YXEVIXQJAFXD6YIMKDKEZIKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236141},"type":"list"},{"_id":"4PBAMP6EIZBEXC7CUSVQPWUR64","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236145},"content":"<b>GoMo</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKQYRF3DO5AXFOZEZ667OD53RQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236146},"type":"list"},{"_id":"DLQBGKJY5RDFDD3SRHQSJP5DSE","additional_properties":{"_id":"PHTF4V5E6BF6FE6EDNU22G6M5M"},"type":"divider"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"A comparison of plans from Three, Vodafone, Eir, Virgin Mobile, Sky Mobile, 48, An Post Mobile, Tesco Mobile and GoMo"},"display_date":"2024-10-17T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Switching mobile networks? Here’s how to pay only for what you need and avoid roaming charges","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"XT3SEDTGZRBXNOBE3KIB3X25YM","auth":{"1":"12d19d925d31aee3f82d8b0972633471be5a17fdf5c0b3ca732b18d052f640ca"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/XT3SEDTGZRBXNOBE3KIB3X25YM.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/10/17/switching-phone-networks-here-are-ways-to-ensure-you-only-pay-for-what-you-need-and-avoid-roaming-charges/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"ZDDUOYPCARDJ3FO33VAGNDJG44","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":335,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/14a76505-e1de-4327-b5e7-92015248776d/versions/1728310659/media/8ec226c229651de0b98b8d05f0978acd_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/10/aura-sleep-mask-review-a-comfortable-high-tech-sleep-aid-for-insomniacs-with-a-few-quirks/","content_elements":[{"_id":"O2SBS3LJTRG4RL4RSYHIF4GAMM","additional_properties":{"_id":"D2USQ7653JFALPQMHM2563JBFY"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-74533","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"5WJTY3EDXJHJXNGUQPY5UG2DBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782153},"content":"“You may take a nap later.” The notification seemed a little ominous, given that it was from an app that was intended to help me relax.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WE6JBXF2EJHNTMLLQRTVZI7FH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782154},"content":"I occasionally have trouble sleeping. Call it stress, call it hormones, call it the impact of having two small children who have discovered the life-changing art of bickering – the end result is that at 3am I’m usually found wide awake and staring at the ceiling.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UPWW5RMQTRDRVKN5Z6U53PEP54","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782155},"content":"So the idea of an “immersive rest companion” that would help me relax and rest better is more than a little appealing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FZKKZIE4J5HOHO5PIFWH7NO5DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782156},"content":"The Aura Sleep Mask is designed to help you relax, by blocking out the world and its distractions, and playing soothing sounds or sending you on a guided meditation using the accompanying Aura Dreamscape app. And there is something for everyone, regardless of your personal preferences (more on that later).","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVGY66M4RFD7DH4XLZRBTNZQT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782157},"content":"You can also set your sleep schedule, something that I had failed to do and got the rather ominous warning that I might take a nap later.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LLJHOYSCKRER3OAMNW3DCKZJEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782158},"content":"The mask itself looks like a cross between a virtual-reality headset and a soft sleep mask that you might wear on a long-haul flight. It is well padded but lightweight, so it is comfortable to wear for hours at a time. The 3D “hug cushion” gives you a better fit around the eyes without loading on the pressure. On the inside, there is a light bar that helps wake you in a more pleasant manner than the blaring alarm on your smartphone, and it can be adjusted with soft Velcro straps to get a good fit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7E5N42EKHZHUJHB56MHPOMORXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782159},"content":"There are small speakers built in, too, so you can listen to your chosen meditations without the need for earbuds or headphones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZSUM4LWX5BEVXHUD5EU3UCSYUI","additional_properties":{"_id":"4VQ7H22UARDLZGHTD3NQ7BS5SE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"6AQE4BIVTBGHPNP7LO5GCQP3KM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782160},"content":"With the app, you can choose between meditation tracks for stress relief and building up your self-esteem, soundscapes of crickets or relaxing waterfalls, and even ASMR, if that is what you are into.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ENKMR7SKU5EHLAUGMERTATUIGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782161},"content":"If I’m honest, I was sceptical. I am not usually a meditation person. There is something about telling me to relax that instantly has the opposite effect. Instead of deep breathing, I’m wondering if I’ve left the hair straighteners plugged in or flicking through a mental list of things I have been putting off for weeks. While a calm soothing voice is urging me to breathe in and out, listening to the sound of my own breath, I’m usually listening for the sound of children who approach after dark with all the stealth of a ninja.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVZQRWEVLJA4DL3CLELS6QVIY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782162},"content":"But the lack of light has a soothing effect. The Aura mask blacks out every chink of light without feeling like it is squeezing too tightly on your head. There is ample cushioning too, so it is comfortable enough as you fall asleep.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WLQ7KMUT55GJXPFFO5BTOZ6JSI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782163},"content":"Even this sceptic found it useful to run a few soundscapes to help me wind down before bed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UHBG5BC6IVFR7JLIAKGBCLNTYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782164},"content":"It wasn’t all a success, however. There wasn’t a single morning that I woke up with the mask still on my face; at times it had worked loose and was somewhere on the other side of the bed, and others I woke up wearing it like a necklace. Too much pressure on it will cause the strap to open, so there are no concerns about safety. But it means I’ve yet to experience the gentle wake-up promised by the light bar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MQY7QQCSJRHFPOQJDY5INKNVBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782165},"content":"And can we talk about AMSR? Some of the supposedly soothing sounds on the app are subjective to say the least. Under the ASMR tab, for example, you’ll find a mixture of music with binaural beats, mic scratching and tapping, and inexplicably, a track that is supposed to mimic the sound of searching for bugs in hair, which doesn’t’t so much relax me as make me instantly start scratching and wondering where I’ve left the Nitty Gritty comb. If you have school-age children, you know that using the words “bugs” and “hair” will send you into a spiral of panic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AEFCTEI4AFDTZMSU6AO4UDWVME","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782166},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"MHUJAIOPFJEFFPM3RO3PX4HFZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782167},"content":"The mask is comfortable and works well even for blocking out unwanted light. Add in the optional essential oils pack and you get the feeling of being in a fancy retreat – until you lift the mask, at least.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HHITS7IH4JB7BBS7PVTDV7PE3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782168},"content":"The mask also works as a simple Bluetooth audio device, so you can use it with your chosen playlist from Spotify or Apple Music, or go for another meditation app such as Calm.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7CQP3BW4GVDALHOYDDSXY6W33I","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782169},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"L4YZBABZXBELHJUDSLYVM3NPNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782170},"content":"If you sleep on your front, this mask won’t be comfortable; this is for side and back sleepers only.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZER35LYZLFECVDUCTWKCGIHEEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782171},"content":"I don’t recall a single morning where the light bar woke me up effectively, mainly because the mask was wrapped around my neck or discarded on the pillow.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DI4LS6IHCFATDFWOGZBO2S3FZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782172},"content":"The speakers are not very powerful, which is no bad thing, but they are still audible to whoever is close by. That means whoever shares your bedroom is likely to discover your predilection for bug searching ASMR.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZRPMHPXDVJARTFDJX6Z5QZSPNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782173},"content":"Although the Aura app is free to use, you can’t add to the content library yourself, so embrace the Indonesian beach tracks and binaural AMSR.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K4HMIBLQSRAY5FZOPQHHPH4BVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782174},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"7Q36KKTXFZG5FFEQVV2DC5ECGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782175},"content":"The hug cushions are held in place on the mask with magnets, and are machine washable and replaceable. However, getting the mask and the accessories requires some creative thinking, as the website doesn’t officially ship to Ireland yet.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ZIVX3YKJNDFPFYOMJWRMUDUYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782176},"content":"You can build your own custom meditation and relaxation playlists in the app, including alarms for the morning, from the content library on the app. If you want to go from breath work to bugs, you can.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZC4BFRPEF5H3NCIJIFCJCG25PM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782177},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"FK2Y3V22IZCZ7PNPUABKHODQFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782178},"content":"A decent sleep mask and some ear buds would probably get the same effect, but the Aura Sleep mask is easy to use if you want a high-tech but no-fuss sleep aid.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"The mask blocks out all light, and an accompanying app lets you choose between meditation tracks, relaxing soundscapes and even ASMR"},"display_date":"2024-10-10T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Aura Sleep Mask review: A comfortable high-tech sleep aid for insomniacs, with a few quirks","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"XIKMV5AQ7JHZ7PYGCJKLAM5QUE","auth":{"1":"a8c65c297da7a9032d5d85fdb29dbe37d46e8e2174ed1f9eb120c385380be5de"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/XIKMV5AQ7JHZ7PYGCJKLAM5QUE.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/10/aura-sleep-mask-review-a-comfortable-high-tech-sleep-aid-for-insomniacs-with-a-few-quirks/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"XWCHHFYC4VAMPETGYQ5GMOI7AI","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/technology/2024/10/10/what-online-scams-should-we-be-on-the-lookout-for/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JFIVIEGQ7VAZ5LDNF5FUVGBZ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1727981584079},"content":"It feels a bit like the scams are coming thick and fast these days. If it’s not criminals trying to clean out your bank account, it is hackers trying to get into your online accounts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7EYIYR63BVAIDOXUZ7UAUOPEYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452634},"content":"This week alone, I’ve won several million in an electronic sweepstake, had a surprise tax credit I must claim on my account, and at least two phone calls claiming to be from Revolut about my bank account. All clearly fake, in this case, but the scams are getting better.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IMBR3B55ZNE63FU3BPSH5MCLGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452635},"content":"So what scams should we be on the lookout for, and how can we avoid falling victim to them?","type":"text"},{"_id":"YPRFN2VHLRHTZOIRUH2LJUAIMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727982630450},"content":"WhatsApp scammers","type":"header"},{"_id":"7WKHTLU2CVF27CKCNCASE4C254","additional_properties":{"_id":1727982630451},"content":"We got used to being targeted by well-meaning representatives of long-dead relatives, or opportunistic businessmen claiming to have a fortune waiting for the right investor (ie you). So now that the scams are coming from what we thought was a trusted contact, it can be a little disconcerting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T44SEYNZHBCSDPOYENCSJKK57Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1727982630452},"content":"Take the recent WhatsApp scam, for example. A resurgence of an old trick, the main aim is to gain access to your WhatsApp account, and by extension your contacts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K7W73FLAH5B7DECQQ5LVKJMGY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452639},"content":"When Sarah [not her real name] got a message from a family member asking for a security code he had “accidentally” sent to her, she was instantly suspicious. Something about the message didn’t ring true, so she messaged back, inquiring further. In the meantime, a text message from WhatsApp arrived, with a security code.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QH32FPO4WJEE3LACM4HQAOSWR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452640},"content":"If that hadn’t confirmed her suspicions, the contact with the scammers certainly had. Several messages in, she knew it wasn’t her friend she was talking to, and any calls she placed through WhatsApp went unanswered, despite the account clearly being online. So she called him through a regular voice service, and he confirmed that he had been locked out of his account after falling for the same scam. It took a couple of hours to get back into the account, but by then the scammer had sent the same urgent request for help to all of his WhatsApp contacts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XZZBHDTX4JBCPFHVGH3Q2ZD5HI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452641},"content":"It isn’t always as obvious though, especially if you are distracted.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFA6UKAKYVAPXEH7GEEEKBQNLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452642},"content":"It has become so widespread that the National Cyber Security Centre issued a warning about the scam a few weeks ago, outlining what users should do to avoid it, and next steps if they have fallen victim to it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U52X6LXXMBB4RKEZ3SBDZTVLXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452643},"content":"The motivation behind the scam varies. At best, it puts your contacts’ details at risk of being compromised by scammers; at worst, it could lead to financial loss or reputational damage for businesses who use WhatsApp to communicate with customers. And the latter should also be aware of the GDPR obligations on data breaches. Once the scammer has access to your WhatsApp account they can then repeat the process with your contacts, in the hopes of hooking someone else.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VPBXJINQ7JFNRDBRVO2IMPHOCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452644},"content":"If you are hit by this scam, your first contact should be to WhatsApp directly. You can contact the company via email at support@whatsapp.com. The NCSC also recommends contacting An Garda <i>Síochána</i>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PBLBANU6CFH75GBFBW2EYVPH3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452645},"content":"How to avoid it","type":"header"},{"_id":"N5R7AO5SQBC4LDRK5IRWZKWYX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452646},"content":"Be suspicious, especially if the request is unusual or seems urgent. Scammers try to play on our fears and desire to help loved ones; it is okay to take a minute or two to verify a request.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GEKBT45JENBYRKRIEREW36B6V4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452647},"content":"Use two factor authentication on your WhatsApp account. This will allow you to set a passcode on your account that only you know. If you want to transfer your WhatsApp account to a new phone, you will need to enter the passcode to do so.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WZG3X5PFJ5FKXMZZ7LQ6HZRWLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727982630454},"content":"Never hand over your security codes to anyone, even if the message seems to come from a friend. And if in doubt, call the person who is asking for the information – but do it outside of WhatsApp.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QP54HZ3Q35ECNMQP62GBL2AEF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452649},"content":"Customs charges","type":"header"},{"_id":"5D2LCLFITVAXPJSB74C62K7LV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452650},"content":"Ah, Brexit. If it is not causing queues at Dover and delays on deliveries, it is changing the grocery shopping aisles across the Border. It has also been fertile ground for scam artists. A bit of disruption plays right into the hands of fraudsters, who will exploit it to their advantage. And for people who regularly receive packages from the UK, there certainly has been a lot of it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TAS2DHPVOZANXPLCHLHYADAKCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452651},"content":"The flow of messages informing you about your package stuck at customs may have slowed a bit, but as Christmas approaches, expect it to ramp up again. You know the drill by now: a text arrives to tell you that you have a package with customs charges due, and here is the link that allows you to pay. Oh, and if you don’t pay by [insert terrifyingly close date here], your package will be returned without delivery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKEJVJW5WJC45OFNO42V3S4VHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452652},"content":"So you follow the link to what looks like a genuine site, pay the fee and no package arrives. But mysterious charges begin appearing on your account.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PNO5LFAKMVGUVOUO7KOCSS4QO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452653},"content":"What to do now? If you suspect you have been scammed, alert your bank. They can help you take the necessary steps to secure your account. You may also want to contact An Garda <i>Síochána</i>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NYLCR474KJC3VLSSWHP5MSJMU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452654},"content":"How to avoid it","type":"header"},{"_id":"RHXB25DGZVFWXH6TNHR7QIJRUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452655},"content":"To avoid falling for the scam, never click a link that arrives in a text message. The fake websites have become very good at mimicking the genuine article, so it isn’t as easy to tell at first glance if a message is a fraud or not.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5XJ32ZPRWZAUHMKRA4WAP2Q3JM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452656},"content":"If you do get a message alerting you to customs charges due, visit the delivery company’s website by typing the address – DHL, DPD, An Post, FedEx – into the address bar. All requests for customs payment will have a reference or tracking number included in the text; put that into the website, and if it is a genuine delivery, it will show up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7BCAX7KQKFG4RCQFNYWO4Q25YI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452657},"content":"Deals","type":"header"},{"_id":"KMPIUWN4IZEKTKQF3TMFXVIZBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452658},"content":"When John [not his real name] was looking for a specific gift for his granddaughter, it was proving extremely hard to find in real-world stores. But a website based in Dublin showed that they had it in stock, and it wasn’t too expensive, so he ordered it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AMK25IFVZJH3RI4GP4VDIIFVS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452659},"content":"The payment option seemed odd – PayPal, but not as “goods and services” which one expect when buying from a trader – but he didn’t want to miss out, so he sent the money. The promised toy never arrived. And because he hadn’t paid for the transaction as goods and services, he had little recourse to claiming his money back. The website disappeared shortly afterwards too, confirming – as if there was any doubt – that this was a scam.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4IKT2LSMWNCHRBCHP2UERNDS7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452660},"content":"John views it as a cheap lesson. All the warning signs were there, he says, but he ignored them. Chalk this one up to experience and move on, and next time he will listen to his instincts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AMC325P7HZCWZGEHPPENYLKT7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452661},"content":"How to avoid it","type":"header"},{"_id":"PM7AHOG3BBGILNRD7SL5YU47IE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452662},"content":"In this case, it was a small amount of money. But small sums add up to a nice profit for scammers. The main lesson here is that if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Do your homework on the retailer in question; a quick search online could reveal previous complaints of scams. And never pay for goods from a business (alleged or otherwise) as anything other than “goods and services” on PayPal, if you want to be covered by its fraud protection policies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X7UPKEZPWZH5NLRSV5BDATXB4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452663},"content":"Other scams to be wary of","type":"header"},{"_id":"SDO5OBB5LZAXFGFIBZPK56G3PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452664},"content":"Tax credits: A text claiming to be from MyGov, alerting you that your “preapproved” tax credit can’t be processed, and directing you to a scam site to resolve it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NSV4JTT7JRHNTDZBZ6TQIQDEVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452665},"content":"Phone plans: A scam text claims your phone service will be disabled as you have not accepted new terms of service.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2S34D3VDCFEXLC6N6YKSSN5UZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452666},"content":"Hi Mum: A text message claiming to be from a family member, saying they have smashed or lost their phone, and this is their new contact number. Inevitably followed by a request for financial help.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"And how can we avoid falling victim to them?"},"display_date":"2024-10-10T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The online scams to avoid in Ireland: A new WhatsApp trick, MyGov texts and what to look out for","native":"Online scams: How to avoid having your WhatsApp account taken over by a scammer"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"GXTJA4MXBZCTZDKLMVX7LHQ4VQ","auth":{"1":"53b75f7a639900754b89f42d3f972d2948e844066145dd50f61be1c7abc295bb"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/GXTJA4MXBZCTZDKLMVX7LHQ4VQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Big Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/2024/10/10/what-online-scams-should-we-be-on-the-lookout-for/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Technology"}}}},{"_id":"WYD2NTTZEJEAPGQYGNBOVI6KZU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":318,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/07f3acd7-39f1-4908-99c9-b48883aa44e6/versions/1727710008/media/e484d4ceba873718c24a158f1874318d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/03/buddy-the-robot-lawn-mower-review-tech-light-option-ideal-for-the-average-irish-garden/","content_elements":[{"_id":"IJJ3OJ6D7RFUFO2SPBDH3F5XLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823083},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZDLUKG2SWJFBPKGFF3SBUAXKGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823084},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"73ZWGSX5IJFSFDKSNPYOB7XO4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823085},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"3TJVIPRDOFGQTAYRVFRBU6XEPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823086},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"RVDITCSCAVCSFNE6SMNXEQSURI","additional_properties":{"_id":"42WR3DYTTJAGVNWEBRYHSZ46Y4"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-42717","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"3FLVKJ6WQFHNNK24KKGQZB5KIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823088},"content":"The gardening season may be coming to a muddy close but there are still a few more weeks of grass cutting to go yet, not to mention setting up for next spring.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HGI3BSZBQVHVHE6SWLP7H7L3AQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823089},"content":"Once we get there, we will be back into the regular mowing schedule, where – in my experience at least – missing a session or two will lead to jungle-like growth in the garden that requires a lot of effort to sort out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VP4FGVOEBJFAHKSBTJLOYATLZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727689279519},"content":"We all lead increasingly busy lives, though, so mowing the lawn usually falls down the list of priorities. Which is why it is not surprising that robot mowers are becoming an increasingly attractive option, at least around this house.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCRKQGWBV5DYDEK33GDXCG56UI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823091},"content":"These mowers have their limitations though. They usually need guide wires in place to mark out the boundary of your lawn. That means a second lawn – in the front of the house, perhaps – would need its own guide wires. And all that automation comes at a price, which means they are often too much tech for those of use with smaller lawns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4JUBEGN2QJDBRE7PJTPPYVNVMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823093},"content":"Meet Buddy, the answer to your lawn care. This appropriately named and handy robot mower doesn’t need space for a large home base, and it is suitable for lawns of up to 200sq m. The rechargeable battery is removable so it can be swapped out if needed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NTGGXKKFRFFZ7HYLAGD6NM2KPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823094},"content":"The beauty of Buddy though is that you aren’t limited by guide wires. It uses sensors to recognise boundaries and out-of-bounds areas such as flower beds, paths and water.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V5NYJF574FBB7OBTW5RVDKXUR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823095},"content":"You can just plonk him down anywhere and leave him to work – making sure, of course, that there is some sort of hard boundary that Buddy will recognise, such as a ditch, patch or wall. Failure to do that means Buddy could toddle off over the horizon.","type":"text"},{"_id":"55SPMT2H65FY7NAEZZKQQDQMUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823096},"content":"It is very quick to set up too. All you have to do is charge the battery to full, use the adjustable dial to set the cutting height for the grass (between 20mm and 60mm), set Buddy down on the grass and let him go.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6BFCD3K7ND5VIUH6IWQD6WSDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"D7HSG4O2DFB7NKSPNBR5EI3PPE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"2YAPFGVRFNBJLKDQELCIY3DCFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727689279525},"content":"After a few goes around the garden Buddy generally gets the lay of the land, but if you have items that move a bit – children’s outdoor play sets, for example – Buddy will navigate around them. And it even looks cute and non-threatening as it glides around almost silently.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EFLYX7UGORBMVOBU7CUU33ZCVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823097},"content":"There were some teething problems. For example, Buddy recognised paving down the centre of the garden as a boundary and refused to move beyond it. A win for the sensors that kept the robot on track maybe, but a loss for the half of the garden that lay beyond the path. It was easily solved though, because the robot is easy enough to pick up and bring to a different area.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JWGIFCEECNF65FVPXO4T7QJJ4A","additional_properties":{"_id":"DIXIGP3GGNGIXGHZGFOOOGZIYI"},"content":"Dyson Wash G1 review: Tackles almost everything the house throws at it","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"WRNG26NCCFFV3E6G43NWSTIQCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823098},"content":"It managed to stay out of the flower beds too, which was surprising, and navigated its way around some raised beds and flower pots that were in its path.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZAVDXC7MVFE57LVZZCOBQXMECQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823099},"content":"Buddy meanders around the lawn in a seemingly random pattern until the entire garden has been covered, so if you like uniform lines cut into your lawn, this may not be the solution for your lawn care. But that is something that it has in common with most robot mowers out there.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWB2FVZLNVEXTBZONBGJC2JWPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823100},"content":"In a similar vein, robot mowers don’t cut right to the edges where there is a shed, for example, or a raised border, so you will still need to crack out a strimmer to trim. And it doesn’t collect the grass cuttings, which I’m assured is actually a healthier approach to managing your grass.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TZ7XQVIPTRBSDCPBHXQBBF6UZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823101},"content":"Battery life may be an issue if you have a particularly large area to mow or a challenging lawn with slopes and different grass textures. Once everything has been gone over a few times, Buddy will perform better and get longer life from the battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XFH7V234YVC35N32AVWCKM4KJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823102},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"MEFHE5T7DNCTTGXSLCD3B5NZGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823103},"content":"No guide wires to deal with make Buddy more flexible than the average robot mower. You can simply pick it up and put it on a different area of grass if needed, without having to lay any guide wires. It also cuts out some of the fancier technology, such as GPS tracking, so it lowers the price compared to other robot mowers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QU6FFJEN6BCR3BFGI2UEQ6RLEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823104},"content":"The battery is big enough to deal with a regular-sized Irish lawn. It did a couple of passes on our back garden without needing a charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XNS2TCJWWBCQTDDXSOAOETRJCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823105},"content":"And it is quiet enough to run early in the morning or late into the evening without disturbing the neighbours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VUSSS5RIEVC5PJSQIWYLEDWG7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823106},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"MKBVMRYEXVEJ3BHV2A5P7DSVXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823107},"content":"You can’t set a schedule, so it still requires you to remember to run the mower. You also need to remember to charge the battery regularly – something that isn’t an issue with a mower that has a charging station.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GSX2QURGIRCUTETF3W2ZLGZ254","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823108},"content":"Although Buddy will avoid obstacles in the garden – children’s toys, for example – it did get confused by a paved path, assuming it was a border, so it needed to be repositioned manually.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5OCPSSUDPRESZMDR7BTLMJ3BRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823109},"content":"The rest","type":"header"},{"_id":"AIYV3DEQTBCJFDLO23PJQNCANM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823110},"content":"The battery doesn’t take too long to charge up – around two hours – so you shouldn’t have too much down time between mows for an average size garden. You can invest in an additional battery if you feel you need extra power.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KT3UWMZWKRGHHHVMNXFLXIZLFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823111},"content":"It also has a rain sensor to stop Buddy from continuing to cut the grass in the rain, protecting your blades and other vital internal parts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4BVJ56CVZ5GUXHSZ37L4TFQII4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823112},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"Q5ZQSX3BDZGZJEER6IYBE7FRUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823113},"content":"In a world where tech is becoming increasingly complex, Buddy is a robot mower for the rest of us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGPRNTQDBNH6FLGRIZ7SRCC7TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823114},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Easy-to-handle mower does not require the laying of guide wires to manage your weekly lawn care"},"display_date":"2024-10-03T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Buddy the robot lawn mower review: tech light option ideal for the average Irish garden","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"F2Z636RIIBBGPIOUNUWN4CKUB4","auth":{"1":"469271015fc4d7e8e3bcbf386c60d5954879fe6d7f348ed4c7b4a06fcadee5c1"},"focal_point":{"x":528,"y":460},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/F2Z636RIIBBGPIOUNUWN4CKUB4.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/03/buddy-the-robot-lawn-mower-review-tech-light-option-ideal-for-the-average-irish-garden/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"PIS3G7FEIRDQNL7UOOJKANDKUE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":346,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/bea6cff6-0084-41b0-9ebf-3aed50d07e67/versions/1727192707/media/df59f6486a689c8443a87d47324a5902_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/26/apple-watch-series-10-review-bigger-display-and-faster-refresh-rate-arise-from-updated-chip/","content_elements":[{"_id":"SLR3UU3GORA7TOMIXDNTIGHAGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576436},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VUCAB22D5CJTP6A275TW7EUJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576437},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"VRD2MLDC6BFGRDGOUZBXCEDV6I","additional_properties":{"_id":"3HKBKXVIMVCD3BAKAXEQOS46SU"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-41888","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"PXVIVESCA5HJ3GUIOHYJSHSTBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576439},"content":"Before the Apple Watch hit the market in 2015, there were all sorts of predictions about the death of smartwatches. Within five years, some said, wearables would be overtaken by “disappearables”, technology that was so small, you would barely even see it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z5JTYYRJCJCKTKVPMTM7FTAOCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576440},"content":"But that has largely failed to come to pass, and Apple Watch is now on its anniversary outing, with the Series 10.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2MNFLTIRDJF4VACRRYJ7YNINXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576441},"content":"In the past decade, the design has largely stayed the same, albeit with some minor tweaks – an increase in the size of the watch face, slimming it down, changing the finish and adding high-gloss options – so an Apple Watch is still instantly recognisable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YTWANUQLF5DNDDLXZR2PVYGHUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576442},"content":"And then there are the functions. An always-on display so your watch is usable as, well, a watch without needing to be charged every three hours. New sensors that measure body temperature, blood oxygen, an ECG and water depth, alongside GPS, altimeters and accelerometer. The Apple Watch will auto-sense falls, detect car crashes and warn you of atrial fibrillation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYEI5EHG5BCLTGSDU2DCIEZLUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576443},"content":"So what does the Series 10 bring to the table? There’s the slightly bigger display, with Apple changing the case to 42mm and 46mm while also curving the display more towards the edges of the case. It’s a subtle change, but one that gives you a little extra space without adding too much bulk to the watch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RFT3ZKOOIJEQVCGIB7CQC336XM","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZBPSWKNA4ZAODIGNHNFJBVSLA4"},"content":"Apple unveils iPhone 16 with new AI features and redesigned watch with ability to detect sleep apnoea","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ELEW3I4XNVEO3DAHMKA3OEIF6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576444},"content":"The display is brighter too, and now has a wider viewing angle so you can get in a sneaky glance at the watch face during meetings, or view the display more easily during workouts. And Apple has increased the refresh rate so the always-on display will show the changing seconds rather than limiting it to minutes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LPO7OJZNDZFMTFGLGJ6Z2MTC2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576445},"content":"The version reviewed here is the 42mm gold titanium watch, which replaces the stainless-steel model. It’s a little heavier than the aluminium version, with about 4g in the difference, but it is about 8g lighter than the model it replaced.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EOMQA6XSXBCWNEQJURB5ZDPB7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576446},"content":"The Series 10 has redesigned the internals of the Apple Watch, adding an updated chip – the S10 – and shrinking other elements to allow for a larger charging coil. That is an important change, because although Apple hasn’t done much on extending battery life for the standard Apple Watch – you will still need to charge it regularly – you can now do it faster than before, getting up to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes. An eight-minute charge should see you through the night.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IT3FVCXQAFHBDENJTAXRUUJRGM","additional_properties":{"_id":"SXZ4S6YZTRGJHL4D2RENICLSTU"},"content":"MyMonX Original Smart Wearable: There are far better options out there","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"NJ5YA6RDUZFKJLKKPW43256SVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576447},"content":"That’s important if you want to take advantage of some of the watch’s other features, such as sleep tracking, and in particular the new sleep apnoea feature. Apple has built a new sleep-disturbances monitor into the watch that will monitor you over the course of a month, and flag any potential indicators of sleep apnoea. It may not seem like something that would be important to most people, but the condition can help contribute to a range of other health issues and it often goes undetected.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MFJDDQ4DMZBBXEJPCRQE776WNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576448},"content":"Apple has also brought in other new elements. The Vitals app that lets you see the important metrics at a glance, such as resting heart rate, respiratory rate and blood oxygen. Training load is another, so you can keep track of the stress you are putting your body under during workouts and schedule appropriate rest and recovery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTBLIZP77BCFXGVMIVAJZZSJDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576449},"content":"The new depth gauge and water temperature sensor are designed for swimming, giving you an at-a-glance look at the important details, and teamed with the tides app, makes the Apple Watch a much more attractive option for open-water swimmers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NVM7CMHVOJANNH2AWKMVMIZODI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576450},"content":"The watch is following the same pattern as the phones: incremental updates, rather than one big redesign. The Series 10 isn’t aimed at people who bought the Series 9 or even the Series 8; it is targeting those who are either new to the Apple Watch or have been holding out for a better upgrade.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PQVTA5ZY2RHEHKZAH3XY7OESUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"QDSZKGAOW5FYFKR4IK76W5HV6I"},"content":"Wearable wellness device can help with cognitive impairment and long Covid","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"YRFESPDGKRG3NJ6DE7RLNMFGZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576451},"content":"If you are the type of person who leaves the house without ear buds, the changes to the speaker on the watch will be a positive thing. You can now use it not only for calls but for playing media – podcasts, music, whatever takes your fancy – and if you want to make a call, Apple has worked some neural engine magic to help reduce the background noise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ODIFLRJUNNAV7MR6CIVW5WLNWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576452},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"SV7OKECM2RCHLOXOPKO646DLWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576453},"content":"A bigger display with a wider viewing angle makes the watch face easier to see when you are exercising.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SV7Q6MLLHREBRIHUCC3ETESZMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576454},"content":"The depth gauge is useful for snorkelling (for diving, you’ll need the Ultra 2 though) and the water temperature sensor will give the sea swimmers among us a better idea of exactly what we are putting our bodies through every time we venture into Irish waters.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V45ZPG2FTNDF3IMBCHEBQBG4UE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576455},"content":"The built-in speaker now facilitates you to play podcasts and music, which has the potential to be a major annoyance for other people in the vicinity, but will can be useful if you are running without earpods, for example. And voice calls are clearer, with less background noise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NPCWTDXJLZFPLM4OYHJRKUMLLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576456},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"B5GQKEEL7BD5BBSWNCSBHZODJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576457},"content":"Some of these features, such as the sleep apnoea monitoring and Vitals, will also be available on the Series 9, so you may find the Series 10 is not a necessary purchase.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A3GXP2YP3NHJRDI4QKYSCT4OQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576458},"content":"The Series 10 also needs iOS18 on your iPhone to work, so anyone with a device older than the iPhone Xs is out of luck.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E5CILM4DABBYRFONW3CUD4GJ4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576459},"content":"The rest","type":"header"},{"_id":"7NWNKBE6DZHBRLY3COOLDM5PCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576460},"content":"Apple is turning the watch into a more holistic health device. Sleep apnoea monitoring is useful, and something that may help flag potential health problems. Plus that quicker charging makes it less of a hassle that the Apple Watch battery is only up to 18 hours in normal mode.","type":"text"},{"_id":"52O6T6NBW5GQ3NIUOXTLVAUBZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576461},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"CX7PFVK2HRAFLHSWAGE42TJGKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576462},"content":"An incremental update with some solid additions. Still the best smartwatch for iOS users.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Sleep-tracking and apnoea features make this health-focused smartwatch attractive along with its water functions for people who like swimming"},"display_date":"2024-09-26T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple Watch Series 10 review: Bigger display and faster refresh rate arise from updated chip ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"APHEQZRNCBHO5HBRPKNVSYZOYA","auth":{"1":"298ac3b679f2463821fcabf4a0b3c2f222946937b43209ac5631dc708949538f"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/APHEQZRNCBHO5HBRPKNVSYZOYA.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/26/apple-watch-series-10-review-bigger-display-and-faster-refresh-rate-arise-from-updated-chip/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"QN4EHDRNAZADFII4FWZV7WYB6E","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":292,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/68352565-fd2f-4bcb-b4f1-77f89ef93dd5/versions/1726669065/media/11575cf6e9d15d64c57c965decc77801_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/culture/tv-radio/2024/09/21/hugh-linehan-a-massed-army-of-audio-bots-is-coming-over-the-hill-what-will-it-do-to-us/","content_elements":[{"_id":"K7ZDMVFKZ5GL5PECJDM5WD3HTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726664754377},"content":"Recent eyesight problems have had me relying more than I would usually on getting my information via sound rather than vision. The experience of listening to more audiobooks, audio articles and podcasts has been mixed, but it has opened my eyes (metaphorically) to the rapid developments taking place in text-to-audio services and in audio-to-text: virtually all sound-editing software now comes with sophisticated and remarkably accurate transcription built in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZCJSTQDBXRCPJOTJT4OGM3QSS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726667771050},"content":"For several years now, newspapers, including this one, have been generating automated audio versions of their articles. The initial impetus came from the belief of publishers that media consumption would be dominated by devices such as Alexa and Google Assistant. It turns out that most of us are not as keen on having an always-on spy in our homes as the tech companies hoped.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCSSIHDC6REIJIMTFSXBRBXVJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726667771051},"content":"But, regardless of the hardware, the quality of automated audio is bounding forward, propelled by generative <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence\" target=\"_blank\">artificial intelligence</a>. Until very recently the ghost of Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey hung over these products. Not any more. The previous uncanny valleys, weird intonations and mispronunciations are a thing of the past. The new generation of automated voices are so close to pitch-perfect that you’ll be hard pressed to tell them apart from an actual human being.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3QITLDGZWVF5VAUNODX37SJTKM","additional_properties":{"_id":"SG5L2PXWQFF3NN5J2SABDUWZBM"},"content":"The best AI tools for future-focused companies: chatbots, writing assistants, productivity boosters and more","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QAHNDORFLFDOLBS5CIAIXRPRIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726687791992},"content":"All of which, of course, will give rise to further disquiet among actual human beings like you and me who fear being left on the scrapheap. Slowly but steadily, the massed army of audio bots is coming over the hill to take the jobs of call-centre workers, DJs, weather forecasters, news-bulletin readers, university tutors and who knows who else.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJYBO323JFEIJBLJABAYMZPBTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726667771053},"content":"As a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/podcasts/inside-politics/\" target=\"_blank\">podcast presenter</a> I was not delighted when a colleague shared a trial sample of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/google/\" target=\"_blank\">Google</a>’s experimental <a href=\"https://blog.google/technology/ai/notebooklm-audio-overviews/\" target=\"_blank\">Audio Overview</a> feature. Using the company’s artificial-intelligence tool Gemini, “two AI hosts” turn your “documents, slides, charts and more into engaging discussions” in which they “summarise your material, make connections between topics, and banter back and forth”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SA6U6LBFGBH6XAFY6FOKUXNNIY","additional_properties":{"_id":"BMBINH4IGNCPPE42NYLQADS2UM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"EEXJEMB62JG7TOJYYUR55A5EPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726664754380},"content":"Applied to a recent Irish Times article about the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2024/09/16/can-i-afford-to-let-religious-ethos-be-a-factor-in-choosing-a-school-for-my-child/\" target=\"_blank\">Catholic Church’s domination of Irish primary schools</a>, the results were simultaneously under- and overwhelming. Like most AI, it was impressively mediocre. Two American voices (no local accents available yet) mulled over the issue, offering a half-decent summary of the article in a conversational mode that wouldn’t be out of place on a mid-morning magazine radio show. You can see how some people might prefer it, once the tech gets better, to a simple read-out of the original text. But it was no Socratic dialogue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OQ75QFW5DRFDZAPAYUSAIGX5S4","additional_properties":{"_id":"A7ULCIN55FDTXFWFUK5ESPYSW4"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"LBEO2OILBJFIJIM6R2KTWYP6YM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726687791996},"content":"Nevertheless, Socrates might have approved. In the Phaedrus he worried that written texts were replacing oral culture. Writing, he predicted, “would create forgetfulness in the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves”. Similar dire predictions would be made two and a half millenniums later about the internet.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XICNEAFM45GYZEZXFQT566URB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726667771056},"content":"But despite Socrates’s fears, a sense is deeply embedded in contemporary culture (and shared by me) that reading a text involves a more profound, more immersed engagement than hearing the same words spoken aloud. Reading requires full attention, after all; listening can be done while making the dinner or walking the dog. And the voice itself, whether bot or human, acts as an intermediary and, inevitably, sometimes as a distraction from the words themselves. For our current age of distraction, it seems the more appropriate medium.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AS2BDXDMMNFD7FWKFTPLQILM3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726664754382},"content":"We hear a lot about how our culture is becoming more visual and less literate. We hear less about how it is becoming more aural and less textual. Or, perhaps more accurately, how the written and spoken word are merging, presented side by side. You can read a TikTok or a Netflix release or an Apple podcast. You can listen to this article.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZ4QTGHGAJA3JH7VRYL5734VI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726667771058},"content":"This coming together of speech and text applies to production as well as to consumption. I’m tapping this column out as usual on a keyboard. But it would be just as easy to dictate it, using one of the many free programs now available. Would that make the process or the result any different? Writers from John Milton to Barbara Cartland have dictated their work, so there’s nothing new there. But some suggest that the progression from quill to typewriter to word processor has changed the way writers write, just as other technologies have changed the way readers read. The end of the keyboard may seem hard to imagine, but it’s not so long ago that many would have said the same about the end of handwriting,","type":"text"},{"_id":"G6MC5RP4JBAN5C7XCPCG5BUNYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726664754383},"content":"One might as well bow to the inevitable. Clears throat. Taps mic. Is this thing on?","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Hugh Linehan"}},"name":"Hugh Linehan"}]},"description":{"basic":"You’d be hard pressed to tell latest AI voices from the real thing. It’s bad news for actual human beings who fear being left on scrapheap"},"display_date":"2024-09-21T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"A massed army of audio bots is coming over the hill. What will it do to us? ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ZBGJPZGVSRC5BPVC45EKHDCVLA","auth":{"1":"2c62f47604a8f7aaf9d094c17cbabd6d7d62a7a864951dccec9b5ab813a87a33"},"focal_point":{"x":1370,"y":460},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ZBGJPZGVSRC5BPVC45EKHDCVLA.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"TV & Radio"},{"name":"Big Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Culture"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/culture/tv-radio/2024/09/21/hugh-linehan-a-massed-army-of-audio-bots-is-coming-over-the-hill-what-will-it-do-to-us/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/culture/tv-radio","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"TV & Radio"}}}},{"_id":"XVJP7D2LGFFJDJGXNNWWF2GCWI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":402,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/aa61cab8-262f-433e-91e7-916a51b101aa/versions/1726569569/media/26a7b843c495096f7414a323358d57cc_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/19/apples-iphone-16-pro-max-review-a-decent-upgrade-if-not-a-revolutionary-one/","content_elements":[{"_id":"GLTYMYYNNZHTXPK6ZS46P6W7RU","additional_properties":{"_id":"VMI5LF7QJZAPRFYWWZLLF7MLQQ"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-74081","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"5RIEETY3YFD5HCYU3RVX452IHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329279},"content":"Just over a week after Apple announced its new iPhones, the devices will soon be in customers’ hands, with pre-orders due to be filled on September 20th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4UR7WUK525BYFLSJ4OYHQBU3UY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329280},"content":"But there has been a mixed reaction to the new devices. The design is largely similar, although the Pro and Pro Max models have thinner bezels than before, and a new addition in the Camera Control (that is definitely not ever referred to as “the camera button”). Throw in a new chip (the A18 Pro) and some tweaking of the phone’s thermal design, and you have a decent upgrade, if not a revolutionary one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CNTRFXYPOBDZFHL34CTI5KIZFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329281},"content":"Apple is largely relying on its new artificial intelligence to whip up enthusiasm for the product line, which leaves you wondering where that leaves customers in the EU. When Apple Intelligence launches with the beta software next month, it will not be available in the EU, where the company is still in discussions with regulators over the software’s introduction.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LXOW7KSGHJEBZEF36JW3TTJV74","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329282},"content":"It is probably only a matter of time before Apple Intelligence gets the nod from the EU. In the meantime, customers here are missing out on some of the key features of the new iPhone 16 and 16 Pro. Leave it too long to launch and some of those prospective buyers may just hold out for another few months until the iPhone 17 hits the market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AK6ITOYSLFAMHLZX627GJGEZT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329283},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the biggest device in the line-up. Apple has tweaked the design just enough to add more screen space – 6.9 inches versus the 6.7 inches of last year’s Pro Max – while not adding that much to the overall size of the phone, less than four millimetres in height and less than a millimetre in width. The Max is still big, but not as big as it could have been.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RLU4BHWPBZC73FP7PXJM5JJR6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329284},"content":"Whether the iPhone 16 Pro Max is for you depends on a few things.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UT2AMVL4EFFCFNZT34AUVEMZSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329285},"content":"First, your interest in AI features. While Apple Intelligence is not yet available in the EU, and is unlikely to hit devices here before the end of the year, it is inevitable that these advanced features will become part of the operating system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2LNM7HEKZBFVIAWT7INA6CXLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726682408249},"content":"That means a smarter Siri that responds to natural language and even interruptions, similar to Google’s Gemini Live. The functionality is somewhat limited for now, as Apple hasn’t rolled out the full feature set to developers, but it is intended that Apple Intelligence will be your first port of call for everything from finding out what your schedule is to hunting out long-lost photographs, rewriting emails or creating images or custom emoji from a text prompt. It is, as Apple refers to it, AI for the rest of us, assuming that the rest of us would like AI to do something useful, even if we haven’t yet figured out what that is.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7CLLR5EHVBVBF2V3UXTXH7INA","additional_properties":{"_id":"L57GWUZH3NCSXC2KQQYBD5SSYQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"FKXPVP54XBEWPDGKGLWGLHHZJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329287},"content":"The iPhone 16 line is the first that has been designed with Apple Intelligence in mind; the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will also support it, as will, presumably, any other future iPhone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HII3GGQUZVCWHEZROOHUQRLWQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329288},"content":"Another new feature is the aforementioned Camera Control, a dedicated button that will allow you to take photos and video, scroll through different options and control other functions of the camera by sliding your finger across it. It takes a few tries to get the hang of some of the gestures – a half-press and hold, for example, to bring up the zoom menu, a half double press to access the menu for altering focal length, switching between cameras or applying different styles and colour tones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H7DKKX5WMVGKLM7NJKY2GAS4VE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329289},"content":"It’s a useful addition, although unlikely to be the sole reason for people to buy the device. On the initial demonstrations, I assumed it was the same as the home button, which has haptic feedback but doesn’t physically click. However, the control is a physical button as well as sensitive to touch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IEQTRXITDNCQNI6K47I7TCH7JE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329290},"content":"Speaking of cameras, Apple has tweaked some of the features. The Pro models – both the Pro and the Pro Max – have a new video option that allows you to film in 4K at 120 frames per second. That means huge files – you won’t be using this for everything – but also more flexibility on what you can do with the footage. You can also alter audio, opting to concentrate on in-frame audio, or adopt a studio-type set up, depending on what your focus is.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BLBJMPL4HNEIVAR7JGIEITFR2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329291},"content":"On still images, the 16 Pro Max has a new 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, joining the 48-megapixel main camera, so you have more options for taking high-quality images.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RVKE7UWKJZEQPLQPWHBSGTWYHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329292},"content":"You can’t fault the quality on the cameras here, but Apple and most other flagship smartphones have set a high bar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HEFHKKTUDRBQDGYG7EQRMUQLHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329293},"content":"There are other, even less obvious changes. Apple has redesigned the thermal workings of the iPhone 16 to make it more efficient at funnelling away heat. There were certain applications on the iPhone 15 Pro Max that made the device heat up uncomfortably when I was using it – usually games – but the 16 Pro Max does not suffer from the same issue so far.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXO4MMK3YVHURN5JR4MLQUIA4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329294},"content":"If you want a better battery, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has the best performance to date. It lasted the day consistently, even when pushed to its limits with a mixture of video streaming, web browsing and productivity apps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WJZ7SCW2QZGPPJCIXXWGDIZ374","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329295},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"KC6DM5P37BGMJEPVP6RGZQOUQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329296},"content":"Better battery life in a phone that doesn’t feel like it is about to hit uncomfortable temperatures in your hand? The iPhone 16 Pro Max has some good things going for it. The slightly larger screen gives you more space for images text and video; the longer battery life means you can enjoy it for longer too. And the improved camera, while not earth-shattering, is a step up from last year’s in some respects.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ARJO2TQ6VNA3LLQRSPK4EDVY2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329297},"content":"The improved audio will be good for those who want to use the iPhone to make videos that is a step above amateur, too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3T4FZFLBLREFBPOGJCH22CTDTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329298},"content":"If you are coming from an iPhone 12 and older, you will see a definite improvement in performance and features; the last couple of iPhones, however, will be less clear-cut.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EXLDSQJT6NEZTKC2GCXLNJCJXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329299},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"HQPHCBS4TNCXVK43PZ34TV6A5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329300},"content":"The changes may be too subtle for some to consider the upgrade, particularly with the lack of Apple Intelligence in the EU, which takes away one of the more compelling reasons to buy a new iPhone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T7Z5YOYVNJDMBO4YK4I5RAZYZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329301},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"IZ3QR2N2NNDKZEV7NH26B7KU6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329302},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have four studio-quality microphones, which will give you better audio-editing options on your device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MMVEK7YB6BCM5JPJNN2GQBPYBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329303},"content":"They come in a range of more subtle colours, including black, white, desert and natural titanium.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4J26TO2TZRDXBE2HHR2XAKVM7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329304},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"5OKQB26UZVGUTOD5VYKGZ3FZVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726682408269},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro Max is all about the subtle changes. Apple Intelligence will elevate it, but EU users will have to wait.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Top-quality cameras are among the selling points of this subtle update, but EU users will have to wait for Apple Intelligence features"},"display_date":"2024-09-19T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max review: A decent upgrade, if not a revolutionary one","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EQ3V3JZLMVGW3KUE6GFK3TXUMQ","auth":{"1":"24f178079b1eebba9cff53b90337bfda8130f251aaf700dd65c789648567183c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EQ3V3JZLMVGW3KUE6GFK3TXUMQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/19/apples-iphone-16-pro-max-review-a-decent-upgrade-if-not-a-revolutionary-one/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"PNWURZ6MCZFUDGSTFMHIK7SEOA","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/technology/2024/09/17/instagram-to-introduce-new-protections-for-teen-users/","content_elements":[{"_id":"AYTK4JES7BF27D5DOF7WDV7BYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325588},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"6EANM6JM7BEQNEJPH6YJ72BCU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726586951050},"content":"Instagram is to introduce new protections for younger teenage users, with a new Teen Accounts setting that will apply to all under-16s on the platform.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HODEYVSVORA3LJNR2LEXCJRQ2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325589},"content":"The new feature will restrict who can contact teens and what content they can see, with the settings controlled by parental permission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B7BP4VILGNHZXMUFBIM5LVKNFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325590},"content":"“Instagram knows parents want to feel confident that their teens can use social media to connect with their friends and explore their interests – without having to worry about unsafe or inappropriate experiences. They hear parents’ concerns, and that’s why Instagram is reimagining their app for teens with new Teen Accounts,” Instagram said in a blog post.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DDUDXV24WJHQTMXFHCDIKYV5U4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325591},"content":"Teen Accounts will be rolled out to new users in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia from Wednesday, and to Irish and EU accounts later this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CDTSM5ERMFGTHIN6K54JFVKCDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726586951054},"content":"The settings will also be applied to teenagers who already use the platform, and users will be moved to the new Teen Accounts within 60 days.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXSCWUVAWBA5RCA5WQKKVXUVL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325592},"content":"Teenagers will automatically have private accounts, with restrictions on messaging and the most restrictive settings Instagram offers applied to content. Teenagers can only be tagged or mentioned by those they follow, and the anti-bullying “hidden words” feature that filters offensive words and phrases from comments and direct message requests.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QPOE47EJUBCD5CUA222OOGUGG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325593},"content":"A new sleep mode will also mute notifications at night, while additional parental supervision tools will allow parents to monitor who their teenager is contacting, and set limits on when and for how long the app can be used.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZXDE7C4QDZBFDJWNKJUX5HEXRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325594},"content":"Parental permission will be required to change those settings for those under 16.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G4B3WYQYFJC5HHRVKATZ3YXTKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325595},"content":"“This is a big update that requires us to fundamentally change the Instagram experience of tens of millions of teens,” Instagram said. “It’s essential that these new protections are applied correctly, so we’re taking the necessary time to get this right.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLTYPSNAUVHZDFYXG64AMI2WEU","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"New feature will restrict who can contact teenager under 16 and what content they can see"},"display_date":"2024-09-17T12:00:15.472Z","headlines":{"basic":"Instagram to introduce new protections for teen users ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"5WIQKCM3TBDR5CTOXCS4Z5ENFE","auth":{"1":"3ece4ff68828f41f4a197c745aae9d3ae17808d36e17a3091bc8d8d949a6dfa5"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/5WIQKCM3TBDR5CTOXCS4Z5ENFE.png"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Big Tech"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/2024/09/17/instagram-to-introduce-new-protections-for-teen-users/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Technology"}}}},{"_id":"ID3FRZ45MBB7ZMCX5VLC26J6RA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":349,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/1abb9f5e-87d2-4983-91e7-23c611737543/versions/1725892523/media/8324365a96a3812e579a4044302ab401_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/12/dyson-wash-g1-review-tackles-almost-everything-the-house-throws-at-it/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7JDJOJRN2RGYVHED3VQ24XC53E","additional_properties":{"_id":"PWLAMMEVWFDNTMRTTSLYKK2XS4"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-75223","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"FL6WXJWGQZB2DINSEBRDHYJYOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005582},"content":"The search for the perfect floor cleaner continues, with new contenders lining up to take their shot.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TGDLZ5MLXNGIHKSHFKNQBXXAVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387772},"content":"In one corner: a cat prone to shedding, two small children who are hit and miss on the feet wiping, and some ill-advised shiny white flooring. In the other: the Dyson Wash G1, the new wet floor cleaner from the people who sold you on the bagless, cordless vacuum and bladeless fans.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DEDT2B3MYNFOFHR54EIUK6CL2A","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387773},"content":"According to Dyson, the Wash G1 will tackle everything from spills and debris (wet and dry) to hair and tough, dried-on stains on hard floors – all things my floors will see on a regular basis.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HIGPPSKDHVHTTORLZD6CBFVLRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387774},"content":"Is it a game changer? Sort of.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XI36LAASI5H6NJJ5EW3NAAZI6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387775},"content":"The concept is simple: a cleaner that will scrub your floors clean with nothing more than clean water, some fluffy rollers with carbon fibre bristles, and some of Dyson’s motors. You have a clean-water tank and a dirty-water one, with adjustable mop speeds and water levels. It’s basically a smarter mop, and one where you don’t necessarily have to vacuum first.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HIGPPSKDHVHTTORLZD6CBFVLRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387776},"content":"That is because the Wash G1 automatically divides debris and water into separate containers, so you don’t touch the dirt and can easily empty it in a bin. Well, in theory, anyway.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3633XQ6ITJDJ3BDBIK4R4BZQPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"42G4U7CPYZBAZA7EDGQ34LOL2U"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"ABD2235O7JHRVMDHBGVOZAFZ6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387777},"content":"Does it work? As a floor cleaner, yes, and quite well too. It is up and running in a matter of minutes, and with minimal fuss. There are three modes: level one is for light dirt and debris, and picking up hair; level two will dispatch dirty footprints and food-related mess; while level three deals with dried-on stains, muddy bootprints and sticky messes. A boost mode can be used in short bursts to deal with more stubborn stains.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DYSPS6W5DNGRDGF2HARA2AGGAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387778},"content":"The Wash G1 deals with cereal spills, cat hair, crumbs and the grass tracked in from the back garden without any fuss. And it doesn’t leave pools of water behind. My floors have never looked cleaner, and that includes when the occasional robot helper gets involved.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RQVCJLAKOZEB3OJD6DKUZIUFGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387779},"content":"But remember that debris and water separation? The Dyson site shows a nice image of someone carefully emptying (dry) dust and dirt into the bin from the tray located under the rollers. Seems simple, but in my experience, what actually happens is that although most of the water goes into the dirty water tank, and the debris gets trapped in the tray, you’ll find that debris tray also collects a bit of water. That inevitably mixes with the dry waste, creating a bit of a damp dirt paste. So instead of easily emptying a little dust and dirt out of the tray, you are trying to shake wet waste out of it, and end up having to scoop it out instead. Although it doesn’t have to be done too regularly, once is more than enough.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AI7SKBHHU5B53LEEEQL53AJUYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387780},"content":"There are also some rules about using the Wash G1. You can use hot (not boiling) water if you need to degrease floors. I got better results using warm-to-hot water than I did with cold. And while the Wash G1 is supposed to work with plain water, you can use floor cleaner, although Dyson specifies a low-foam cleaner should be used, not detergent or bleach. Or, as the case may be, a bit of washing-up liquid, unless you want to clean up a lot of foam. Figuring out what qualifies as a gentle low-foam cleaner might be more difficult, though.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VY3AQ42DJFCKNKKNQIS2PJ53SI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005589},"content":"When you are finished, you pop it on the charging stand, and you can run a self-cleaning cycle that will clean the rollers and flush out the internal system. All you need to do is empty the dirty water tray.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HPJMXFV75JGMNJP5EACD6224TI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005593},"content":"Those microfibre rollers, however, need to be replaced after a certain period. Dyson says they last 25 hours of use, which it averages at about six months, but I could see me hitting that in less than half the time given the amount of time I used the cleaner in space of only a few days. That cost could add up a bit over the year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N5DTWXVN2BDSNKYITWHAS32IE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725857916729},"content":"Battery life is only 35 minutes too, so you need to move quickly, although it does not take too long to power through the ground floor of my house.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FRDRTMWAJBGA7EZ7FB2RASZA4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005594},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"POXCMO45S5ERFMDTN7KXW3LFII","additional_properties":{"_id":1725302371572},"content":"When it comes to cleaning, the Wash G1 gets the job done. You don’t have to vacuum beforehand (although it helps), with the Wash G1 powering through almost all the spills in my home. The three washing modes (plus the boost mode) tackle almost everything that the house throws at it, including grubby porch tiles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BWOR2LP4HRHR7BTGFZGHC5JJHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005596},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"HETUSAZRFRCXPOOMSWEGJGISRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387787},"content":"Some of the tougher stains are too much for the Wash G1, even using the boost. They require old-fashioned elbow grease to remove.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J64AJGM4J5FPHAGTQBRYGWZFSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005597},"content":"That debris tray can get pretty grim (see previous comments about vacuuming in advance), and cleaning it out can get messy. It is quite big, and it will be something else you need to find a spot for in your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VY3AQ42DJFCKNKKNQIS2PJ53SI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005589},"content":"It doesn’t replace your stand-alone vacuum, and at nearly €700, that will be an expensive replacement for a standard mop.","type":"text"},{"_id":"46ETK77N5NGSTMAPDDRHOVFY2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005591},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"XCZH7IYNWBEKLJ4Q7NH43IPCWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387791},"content":"You get 35 minutes of battery life, which isn’t as short as it sounds. You can easily tackle the hard floors in the house and then but it back on the stand to charge. Or you could invest in a second battery, but at that purchase price, it is a little much to ask.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LZQ5O2DWFFG33NZGRFHVIKURRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005599},"content":"There is also too much guesswork on what products can be used in the device. Better guidance would be welcomed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOH6LKQAZVAVTGZU6DJFPYABOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1725857916737},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"YFAZVFA2KBGFLPLOR53U2JWU2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726084069101},"content":"It works, but it is too expensive, especially as you won’t be able to replace all your floor cleaners with this one device.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"This floor cleaner works quite well but it’s too expensive"},"display_date":"2024-09-12T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Dyson Wash G1 review: Tackles almost everything the house throws at it","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2ZZBOTWE7FBM5MBFFUZ4AOHPUU","auth":{"1":"c9680a7d279cf86ede0f5969b693376a0677ad148a64de67d2b1894ad3c20e7c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2ZZBOTWE7FBM5MBFFUZ4AOHPUU.png"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/12/dyson-wash-g1-review-tackles-almost-everything-the-house-throws-at-it/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"KFNMOUHZF5F2JKASTKPV2EAGPQ","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/09/10/what-new-products-did-apple-announce-at-glowtime/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CIGKOLSGJFAYJO5Z35SSADXQ7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1725918886035},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"MTWJANS4HRBB3ECXAIC4HDUPFY","additional_properties":{},"content":"New iPhones, new AirPods and some incremental updates: Apple’s September event is done and dusted. But what exactly did the tech giant announce?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KDPR7MMIBJEH7IUIWXYVGMRBVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267849},"content":"<b>iPhone 16</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"IL55PNFFEJFYRM4Y7EILQW37XQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1725918886036},"content":"As expected, Apple unveiled the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max during the event in Cupertino.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VIZRCMZRFJGP7HBJLH5ZPKIDVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725918886037},"content":"The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are getting the A18 chip, leaping two generations according to Apple. This will help it to run Apple Intelligence features when they become available.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O7SBP3HUEFHC7KHSUTIEIDSYEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725918886038},"content":"Apple has added the action button to the iPhone 16, which can be customised to different functions such as starting a recording or triggering the torch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BBDOK2LAOFBX5OSCQTNESMFBMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1725918886039},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro models are getting the higher powered A18 Pro chip, a second generation 3nm chip that has been built for power and efficiency, and for running AI.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWPMN6AOHZBULP7552XZOCIETE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267854},"content":"A new 48 megapixel Fusion camera comes with a faster quad-pixel sensor capable of 4K video at 120 frames per second, recording in Dolby Vision. Both Pro models get the 5x telephoto zoom too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYI37CG6PRDM5P5HMHSWFQFFOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267855},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro Max gets a jump in battery life too, with Apple promising the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have the hbest battery life the iPhone has had to date.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RJRPDHS66ZAQHOSXS6G7FULNYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267856},"content":"Both the standard iPhone and the Pro models will get the camera control, a dedicated button that will open the camera, swipe through controls such as zoom or image","type":"text"},{"_id":"QLS3IL7RLFGJFASDWAM4IW3WLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267857},"content":"Pricing stays the same as the iPhone 15 range.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HAC3UPIBTNDZTIG62K3SSKATJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725931151607},"content":"<b>Apple Watch</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"2QOKSZFHO5C25ACHUC4XZ3XDV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725931151608},"content":"Series 10 of the Apple Watch is thinner but has a bigger, more advanced display that gives you roughly 30 per cent more screen space. The new watch faces are 42mm and 46mm, are 40 per cent brighter than their predecessors, and make it easier to read at a glance or type a code on the display.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXL5JSPVM5C35PGWOGU4GDN3PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267860},"content":"A new titanium version replaces the stainless steel watch, shaving almost 20 per cent off the weight of the wearable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXL5JSPVM5C35PGWOGU4GDN3PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267861},"content":"Apple has also developed a new Sip, the S10, which is more compact and has a built-in four-core Neural Engine to power intelligent features such as double tap gestures, on-device Siri, dictation, and automatic workout detection, the updated Smart Stack that adds tiles as you need them, and the Translate app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"USJSM4X7A5BWTHNUBLIXDVDNY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267862},"content":"The Series 10 can play back audio through its speaker, so you can listen to podcasts, audio books or music on the Watch if needed. It also improves call quality, using the four-core neural engine to suppress background noise during calls to make sure your voice is crystal clear.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P67Y73AB75BARKODOWBDHB34DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267863},"content":"The shrunken components mean there is more room for a larger charging coil so the Watch 10 will charge faster. Apple has also added water depth and temperature sensing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ODTG5K4DSZBL5CCU5AG2A5O23I","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267864},"content":"Apple Watch is also getting sleep apnoea notifications, but that is awaiting approval from the appropriate regulators.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FTHY4ICYYRET5NVMHRMCZSSDTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267865},"content":"The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is getting a new colour, but no feature updates this time around.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WWHR6RAZGZH67CIUCOWMNPBAPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267866},"content":"<b>AirPods</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"E7P3D26W3RAUDL7ZYL67SVLBS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725931151609},"content":"There were updates for AirPods, some new features for AirPods Pro and a minor change for the AirPods Pro Max.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TH23XZBSZRCJXPGGB7USQN665I","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267868},"content":"AirPods 4 have an improved fit, smaller stems and a more compact charging case with USB C charging. Sound quality has been improved, with better bass and crisper highs. The open fit ear buds also use the H2 chip to enable intelligent audio, such as voice isolation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QSDIITNT4VCFXO26D6LSUEZEM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267869},"content":"Another new version of the AirPods offer active noise cancelling, along with transparency mode, adaptive audio that blends transparency mode and active noise cancelling depending on the environment you are in, and conversation awareness, which will automatically lower the volume of your media when you start to talk to someone nearby.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KL3NVK34XBFQFJEKYO2BZXIQKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267870},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3CV5JBW3NAP5M575KV5DF6DRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267871},"content":"The AirPods Pro, meanwhile, are pitching for a new job as a hearing aid. The buds work with the iPhone to monitor hearing loss through regular hearing tests, and can act as a preventive measure to filter out loud noises, or act as a clinical grade hearing aid to boost voices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PSMZLLAZJBCKJLRS2HLKKOC62E","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267872},"content":"The AirPods Max now come in new colours, and have a USB port in place of the previous lightning","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"We are getting a new phone and some incremental changes to other products as well"},"display_date":"2024-09-10T10:52:13.307Z","headlines":{"basic":"What new products did Apple announce at ‘Glowtime’? ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6DYBYAWCNDBRCGQE2SKPQRD7MA","auth":{"1":"37b19153b7bd2ed521f8112d48744cf2f868bc203cd9ec16b088ce6e7042a621"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6DYBYAWCNDBRCGQE2SKPQRD7MA.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/09/10/what-new-products-did-apple-announce-at-glowtime/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"7BMLDGFN6RBBDB2PC7PSFHQLR4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":313,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/25574be5-d7e3-495b-95cf-ff23090c0489/versions/1725914514/media/718334166a612b401311cbfda1abc9f9_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/big-tech/2024/09/09/apple-unveils-iphone-models-with-new-ai-features-and-redesigned-watch-with-ability-to-detect-sleep-apnea/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WWAPRREDTBDYHNJM2KAXVSYX2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965254},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple </a>continued to push ahead with plans for new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\" target=\"_blank\">artificial intelligence</a> (AI) features, unveiling iPhones that will take advantage of the technology despite a delay in introducing the new features in the EU. The tech giant is also bringing sleep apnoea detection to a redesigned Apple Watch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NJUYZNVFNJGNNJ7PNU7FWQEQIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965255},"content":"The new iPhone 16 (priced from €979) and 16 Pro (priced from €1,279) models have been custom-designed to support Apple intelligence, the company’s version of generative AI that offers a smarter Siri digital assistant, AI-powered writing tools and the ability to create your own emojis from text prompts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H4GTELO24FFOJIQD34JY4S5YXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725912978678},"content":"However, the AI features that have been touted by the company will not be available on the new phones until October, when a software update will be available.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DXEMJ5XDOBHPXHDDCWQIGZ2I7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965256},"content":"“It marks the beginning of an exciting new era,” chief executive <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/tim-cook/\" target=\"_blank\">Tim Cook </a>said. “The iPhone 16 raises the air for what an iPhone can do.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ACETGS4X5ZGKPIOLF5P666PRIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965257},"content":"The new iPhone 16 gets the action button introduced last year for the iPhone 15 Pro, which can be assigned to a function of your choice. A new camera control button, meanwhile, provides easy access to the camera and allows you to adjusts camera settings by sliding your finger along it. It will also facilitate instant access to visual intelligence features in the future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLY2VVUTFVBLXMMWEXA4XJJZ6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965258},"content":"Apple gave the chip in the standard iPhone model a significant upgrade too. In previous years, the company used an older chip in the standard models, with the newest chip reserved for the Pro models. The iPhone 16 has jumped two generations of chips to the A18, which is custom designed for Apple’s new generative intelligence features.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CZFUL33OR5EERPEF7KUFDET2J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965259},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro saw more significant changes. The Pro models will get a more powerful chip, the A18 Pro, which Apple said is faster and more efficient than the A18.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DZQGVWONF5GLXPOWFZKRE2NCJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965260},"content":"The display has also been increased to 6.3 inches for the 16 Pro and 6.9 inches for the Pro Max, with the camera getting an upgrade for still images and video.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FTNOA33PFVE3RMW5C6EJWRVGOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965261},"content":"The Pro models will also get a more advanced display than the iPhone 16, justifying its higher price tag, pro photography features, and the best battery performance ever seen in an iPhone in the Pro Max model.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U2FACPLYHU4DKLCCSSBJHDLB4M","additional_properties":{"_id":"P66QWJ3N3FHQZDIKCQGHQP7G24"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"O5TSFS55PNADNO6I74GGKOHZW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965262},"content":"The company introduced a redesigned Apple Watch, with a bigger, better display than the Ultra and thinner design that shaves about 10 per cent off the thickness and weight of the watch. Apple has shrunk certain modules inside the app, including the new S10 SIP, Digital Crown and a smaller, re-engineered speaker that allows you to play podcasts and music directly on your watch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"23URHGDILBCOFND5FBORP5RYLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965263},"content":"The tech giant is also bringing sleep apnoea detection to the Apple Watch, with the same feature extended to the Ultra 2 and Series 9 watches.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B6LYBXDBKVHWPKN4JJYTQDVMZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965264},"content":"The new watch comes with faster charging and a new titanium option that replaces the stainless steel version. It is being touted as the company’s next carbon-neutral product.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UOBCTRUUNBA6DDV5L5BPSRQRLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965265},"content":"Apple did not introduce a new version of its Ultra Watch, which is aimed at sports and adventure enthusiasts, instead opting for a new colour for the Ultra 2.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UE5XZYTPB5C6PKSTW6WX74Y46E","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965266},"content":"“The lack of updates to the Watch line beyond the Series 10 speaks to the fact that smartwatches have become incredibly hard to improve in an annual cadence,” said CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FNNC6APAFZFR3LALIMMCAGAYSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1725950484064},"content":"“It is challenging to find new ways to innovate in such a compact form factor and we think Apple is likely to opt for a less regular update cycle in future, following the more relaxed approach we see to product lines like AirPods.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZJVKS6XVEVGEXNDJVWXKYFAKRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965268},"content":"Confirming previous leaks, AirPods 4 were unveiled with a new fit to make them more comfortable and new acoustic architecture to deliver richer bass and clearer highs, powered by the Apple-designed H2 chip. A second version of AirPods 4 will come with active noise cancellation, the first time the company has brought the technology to its open-fit ear buds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TQLPQ5PXOBCQNJ52TMGMCYH6CA","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965269},"content":"AirPods Max, which have not been updated since their introduction in 2020, will get new colours and a USB C connection, ditching the lightning port that Apple has been phasing out in recent years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GEFXSU3ERBEEBGPVOKKZF5BJGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965270},"content":"The AirPods Pro will also get new features in a software update later in the autumn that will help protect and assist hearing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCVRAVMU2RD77NCEZX7PTRY3KM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965271},"content":"New settings that will be on by default will reduce louder and intermittent noise to help protect hearing. Meanwhile, AirPods Pro will be able to act as hearing aids to amplify voices and other sounds in your environment, with the feature coming sometime later in the autumn.","type":"text"},{"_id":"f9fc27d6-2aa8-495a-bf7d-b31de4d651c1","additional_properties":{"_id":"G5BGNWSXLRDRDPL4Q26C6ZF2UY"},"subtype":"irish-times-video","type":"video"},{"_id":"J4OC35ROR5GORJPC4GDOHZXMRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965272},"content":"“The idea that consumer headphones can offer hearing aid functionality may sound unrealistic but over-the-counter hearing aids have been growing in popularity over the last few years and the AirPods Pro would bring this technology to a more affordable price point,” said Mr Wood.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKMS4O6MXRCM3L72TM4X5ZOZBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725950484070},"content":"“The idea that a user might put in AirPods and wear them throughout the day may sound farfetched but if Apple can nail the user experience and provide a high-quality hearing aid at an accessible price it could be a game-changer for the market.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLTYPSNAUVHZDFYXG64AMI2WEU","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Apple chief Tim Cook says new AI features on iPhone mark ‘beginning of an exciting new era’"},"display_date":"2024-09-09T18:48:51.657Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple unveils iPhone 16 with new AI features and redesigned watch with ability to detect sleep apnoea ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"GCGOZQDUGIVC7DTBZYP3UL4TGE","auth":{"1":"d874e2624cce4effd584d444f3ea567f2b212e22c7554ccfd50d73ac2d9df169"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/GCGOZQDUGIVC7DTBZYP3UL4TGE.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Big Tech"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/big-tech/2024/09/09/apple-unveils-iphone-models-with-new-ai-features-and-redesigned-watch-with-ability-to-detect-sleep-apnea/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/big-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Big Tech"}}}}],"count":446,"_id":"6945f79b37c035c00e49486b280b50f1ec026a18bddb8d27b0d9d996cb4a7c20"},"expires":1740686802626,"lastModified":1740686502076},"{\"feedOffset\":0,\"feedSize\":50,\"includeSections\":\"/technology/consumer-tech\"}":{"data":{"content_elements":[{"_id":"FFCOI3UUI5CZBIZ4D3OIXPMCKE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":354,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d8a2388c-c378-4b3f-bb84-b4c6c86b81e6/versions/1740570510/media/961a8ef85a31c6772d3c61ebda19967e_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/27/apple-iphone-16e-review-dropping-some-nice-to-haves-makes-it-cheaper-but-not-cheap/","content_elements":[{"_id":"AAY4PWNPQ5GY7OIZWYCIPED7JU","embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-35927","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"XW55B3LLUVDHZC476ZTD3EJNXU","additional_properties":{},"content":"There is a new iPhone in town but, to everyone’s surprise, it is not an SE. The <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\">tech giant</a> had been widely expected last week to unveil the fourth generation of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/iphone-se-affordable-model-offers-great-camera-features-and-5g-capabilities-1.4826289\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/iphone-se-affordable-model-offers-great-camera-features-and-5g-capabilities-1.4826289\">the SE, which was last updated in 2022</a>, but instead it unveiled the iPhone 16e. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"CXTHRQ3WZJDL3FTGNHMWRQVTPA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Apple is clear that this is not a continuation of the SE line, but a completely different line. What’s the difference? There are many. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"M32B7APY6RHFHJMSFYCKMLJI24","additional_properties":{},"content":"The iPhone 16e has a design that is closer to the current iPhone line-up for a start. It ditches the home button and fingerprint reader of the iPhone SE, bringing in the TrueDepth camera that Apple uses for FaceID. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MAHSQG7NZ5BORC3F75NB4NVLZM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The display is now edge to edge, and the screen size has been increased to 6.1 inches too, indicating that the days of the small screen may be behind us, with a full-screen display that brings back the notch to house the front-facing camera. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"745RBTOV6FEOZABIECXQ4ZGT4I","additional_properties":{},"content":"It even supports <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/2024/06/14/qa-what-is-apple-intelligence-and-how-do-i-get-it/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/2024/06/14/qa-what-is-apple-intelligence-and-how-do-i-get-it/\">Apple Intelligence</a>, or at least it will when it launches in the European Union in April, bringing generative <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\">AI</a> tools to your smartphone for less. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6HSQEBWNJDKHFLJVFXPCVEARE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The iPhone 16e is cheaper but not cheap; it comes in at €729 for the entry level 128GB model. That compares to €979 for the iPhone 16, and a significant leap to €1,239 for the 16 Pro. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MOMJMFQRXJC5XJLGND5UPOCRSE","additional_properties":{},"content":"To get to that price, Apple has inevitably made a few sacrifices. The chip, for example, is an A18 but it drops one GPU core so there are four instead of five. That will hit benchmarking performance scores, but most people won’t notice that core’s absence. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UN22GSV7VJF5ZOZOQXIKSNBAYU","additional_properties":{},"content":"High stakes for Apple’s AI push as it plays catch-up with rivals amid lacklustre sales","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QPSAQCVCMZD3PBQCYCOCOF2S7E","additional_properties":{},"content":"The iPhone 16e has also made some changes to the camera. While the iPhone 16 has a dual camera and the Pro gets a triple lens, the 16e dumps the second lens in favour of a single wide-angle camera with a 48 megapixel resolution. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HO7A4ZHBH5A7BAJDUONYJHAEWE","additional_properties":{},"content":"You still get a telephoto lens, but with a slight difference. Apple describes it as a two-in-one camera, so you can zoom in with “optical quality”, which means it takes the centre 12 megapixels and crops out the rest. The image quality is good and, for most people, it will suffice. If you want macro photography or spatial photos and videos, you’ll have to go higher up the line – with the accompanying increase in price tag of course. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"H4SWBZLG5BCPBKI44SNLWQJDDA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Unlike the rest of the iPhone 16 line-up, there is no camera control button on the 16e. But while the button is a useful addition, it isn’t essential; more often than not, I still forget about it on the 16 Pro. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UJDGV36BDFGN3MKR3P4JWPW2UA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Where you might miss it is for quick access to Apple’s <a href=\"https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph12eb1545e/ios\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph12eb1545e/ios\">Visual Intelligence</a> feature (when it launches in the EU), which allows you to summarise and copy text, translate text from other languages, identify animals, search Google and so on. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QB54GALBURE7LJ23KA2RTKK66E","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s a handy feature that could be one of the more popular ones among Apple’s AI suite. But that can be accessed via the action button on the 16e, which replaces the mute switch that the older devices, including the SE, had. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZOWCMENM5DC7CXM435AB7LR3Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"The 16e supports wireless charging, via Qi rather than the faster Qi2, but Apple hasn’t included Magsafe, its magnetic connection for wireless charging and accessories. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"V77QGYGMDBGHZNGKPJPMSLRBYY","additional_properties":{},"content":"It does keep all the satellite features though, including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages and Find My via satellite. These are the features you hope you never need but on the off-chance you do, you are covered even when your phone network isn’t. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5H27UK4W6FFE5GEADRDLPR5RQQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"And there is a notable first for the iPhone 16e: it is the first phone to feature Apple’s custom-designed C1 modem. This is something that has been years in the making, and Apple is confident the power-efficient modem will bring something new to the table. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MYVSLWKF5FC7JBXWCIXEOUWTAI","additional_properties":{},"content":"What is Apple Intelligence, and how do I get it on my smartphone?","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"RQ5A4PINSRFHLH2B5GALBPRQMA","additional_properties":{},"content":"That has made the 16e more power efficient than similarly sized phones. Overall, the battery life is better in the 16e than the 16, at least in my experience so far. Officially, it has four hours more of video playback than the iPhone 16 and is just one hour shy of the 16 Pro. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BQNXBMAV3JBSRLDTVWZZ6KCAFE","additional_properties":{},"content":"In reality, the phone lasted longer than the 16 in standard use, by at least two hours. That is the difference between charging during the work day and not having to carry a powerbank. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5M34XU5G2VCDRAYOVNKKRKSHMA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"6SS2SDTJ4ND65BF6AZ4P6TLNQE","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you want a cheaper iPhone and all the “nice to have” extras aren’t a priority, then the iPhone 16e could the one for you. It drops a few of the features you can live without – Dynamic Island, Camera Control, an extra GPU core that you may or may not notice – and gives you a cheaper price in exchange.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2M4SC6ZUYRDB3OF5U5Q7SV6I74","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"2M3AMFMSJFBM3AZJB4UTNIJRQ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"There isn’t a huge difference in price between the 16e and the standard 16 – at €729 for the 128GB model, the 16e is only €250 cheaper. That might limit its appeal somewhat. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UIYNRAZEIZC7FMNZJV2YA3CZNQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"No MagSafe is surprising, and the 16e is gambling that the camera sacrifice will pay off. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"GVHKLCE7IVE5JBT7CC6PSY4K5Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"The rest ","type":"header"},{"_id":"NGX3NBEG7ZEMJGBQESP5W76KEA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The colour options are limited to black and white, although you can get a decent amount of storage in the device – up to 512GB. The 16e also uses USB C instead of lightning, marking another Apple device to cross over to the universal charging standard. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"KEJSK4BIRVCFXAALFDJBCSDC2A","additional_properties":{},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"L6B3UJFDFVFMLGPP5TIUSVBWZU","additional_properties":{},"content":"As a less expensive entry into the newest iPhone line, the 16e works. But only as long as you feel the sacrifices are worth it.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"A few sacrifices have been made to bring down the price for a wider audience"},"display_date":"2025-02-27T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple iPhone 16e review: Is the new model worth the price?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"PNDPF5EWHVFZLDWSYKBPNFW7WA","auth":{"1":"4484a65e5014fefa77ce5d50e1d916d7820804b2dea190d28f0082df85a04d3f"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PNDPF5EWHVFZLDWSYKBPNFW7WA.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/27/apple-iphone-16e-review-dropping-some-nice-to-haves-makes-it-cheaper-but-not-cheap/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"OW5EHHZIOFBBVOMXMLC2TD25SE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":527,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/604a628d-0a25-4c73-9c27-334b1e846db9/versions/1739439784/media/934246268cc755afc6191d97642e88c3_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/life-style/people/2025/02/22/phones-off-20-simple-ways-to-cut-your-familys-screentime/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4ZEXA7CAIFHYJPZ5QRKQWUDIYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344241},"content":"Reducing screen time is a real challenge. Devices have become so ingrained into our lives that it can be hard to know how to make a change. Here are some ideas that might help you to reduce time spent on them. I recommend that each family creates a device management plan, a set of rules that you and your family follow in relation to how devices are managed in your lives. It will be something that is created collaboratively, with you all inputting to, agreeing to and hopefully adhering to. When everyone knows what the rules are, it can help to reduce conflicts. You may not do all of them all the time, but you might consider adding in some of these ideas when it works for you and your family.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F3IJOU4EIVDGBD7AQOSWHS2POE","additional_properties":{},"content":"1. Turn off notifications","type":"header"},{"_id":"BA62XUXIEJD4BGODB3ZI3V23W4","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344243},"content":"When a notification pings, or even if we see the red notification symbol on our screens, it will alert our minds to take action and pay attention. This draws our attention to the phone and once it has drawn us in, it can be hard to put it down. By turning off notifications, you are taking charge of your device and how you use your device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IUBHAKRS7VDD7H2I6CLL3AJ4D4","additional_properties":{},"content":"2. Tidy your screens and move apps to folders that are not easy to access","type":"header"},{"_id":"OLRCCOV6YJHCNJ6G2OLBRATUKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344245},"content":"By moving apps to a different folder, it requires us to engage our brain more, making the process less automated. This should give us more time to become consciously aware of what we are doing so that we can stop it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K72FHLDEPREH3G5GHNEVRJAOMM","additional_properties":{},"content":"3. Consider using a ‘dumbphone’","type":"header"},{"_id":"NSX2D5YYIVFFDDYQT7AMUBGJGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344247},"content":"A dumbphone is basically an old-fashioned phone. It has text messaging and phone calling and perhaps Snake. As the phone is not smart and doesn’t have apps on it, it is less compelling to use, meaning that you are less likely to spend as much time using it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2CTDWVYQWRHVJEEG6XXOXJBDLA","additional_properties":{},"content":"4. Take a break from social media for a while","type":"header"},{"_id":"KDPW6EM66ZG3TD53UE25Z3EE4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344249},"content":"Give yourself a break from the routine of scrolling, liking and comparing for a while. It may feel uncomfortable but if it does, you most likely need to engage in the social media break for longer. You will be surprised how much you can get done with your time. Consider keeping a log of how you feel without social media.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MNE6FRHZPRDPTDWPF2ZOFIXIFE","additional_properties":{},"content":"5. Go to the bathroom without your phone","type":"header"},{"_id":"UNMGNJTCJZG23A6OXH7237KBIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344251},"content":"How many people take the phone to the bathroom with them? Can you even relax enough to go to the bathroom without a phone? Try getting used to going to the bathroom without the phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5CCBVMOX35AOZOGCCEJ27YSQVA","additional_properties":{},"content":"6. Charge your phones in the kitchen","type":"header"},{"_id":"F7ELSPZ6YNCMLPEA7E2PQDLGLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344253},"content":"By doing this, everyone has to detach from their phones. It might even get everyone up in the morning as they want to rush downstairs to get their phones, although I joke! The ideal would be that children are not so addicted to their device that they wake up wanting to check it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PAAH4LWDZVCK7I7IRC37NOX764","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344254},"content":"More than 80% of primary school-aged children have smartphones in their bedroom","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QF777JZDMJAM3H6APWZJZKVO24","additional_properties":{},"content":"7. No devices in the bedrooms","type":"header"},{"_id":"PDHNFWJ4SNDG7HC6WBIHYXMRZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344256},"content":"Even throughout the day, when children are alone in their rooms on devices, aside from the online risks, it is far easier for them to waste their days and evenings mindlessly scrolling. If they have to come downstairs to use a phone, they are less likely to spend as much time on it, and you can also address it if they are in eyesight.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RNOAOEPYSBC3PFF6ITIK456EL4","additional_properties":{},"content":"8. No devices before breakfast time","type":"header"},{"_id":"2XPAO5GUVFADNOSZWQ7E4GUP5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344258},"content":"The morning routine is already likely quite busy and stressful. When you add devices into the mix, people may have heightened stress because of what they are looking at. They may be distracted by what they are watching, and this can add time on to an already busy morning. More importantly, spending the morning connecting with each other by talking and making eye contact is a healthier and calmer way to start the day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XQS3GJ6RCJAEVESEBQUVTQ6JVE","additional_properties":{},"content":"9. No devices at the dinner table","type":"header"},{"_id":"OZS5GKLVRNFP5EWUHR4HTXBKWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344260},"content":"Time at the dinner table should ideally be focused on the food you are consuming and the people you are dining with, not on something that is happening somewhere else via your phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HA2YHEREX5BGRJ2SM3PPBZZ4W4","additional_properties":{"_id":"QEBNBI2KCFBAPNJFV57Q4UNNEE"},"content":"Adults and smartphones: ‘I lose about six to eight hours a day on my phone’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"HR4C7E7FERAR5LYSDFV5OUE6R4","additional_properties":{},"content":"10. No devices one hour before bed","type":"header"},{"_id":"V4PGRDY3BRBGXBKIQVPIZ3NDHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344262},"content":"The blue light emitted from phones causes a flood of cortisol into our brains and bodies, which can impact our sleep. Additionally, this blue light inhibits the production of melatonin, which is a sleep hormone. Ideally, no devices for AT LEAST an hour before bed, but if you have difficulty sleeping, try disconnecting from your device a few hours before that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J42YXC4MSVG4FJU746MCUQI6TA","additional_properties":{},"content":"11. No devices when out for meals","type":"header"},{"_id":"VVNKC23WJZASRBTWGTPL2BJIAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344264},"content":"When going out for meals, this is a great opportunity for children to learn to manage their patience, boredom and behaviour, and for young children to learn about the world and others.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IFHKL3EGBJBSDGCDN4NOUXSH54","additional_properties":{},"content":"12. Utilise the settings on phones","type":"header"},{"_id":"DDQIAI4OTJCRXND2W6QIUNY2SA","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344266},"content":"Smartphones have a huge number of options. We can create periods of time where we don’t want to be bothered; we can create different settings on different screens; we can manage limits on our child’s phone. Consider what you find difficult or annoying and remove it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WV7YA4TSKFFTNGT6ABZ3HHOYOY","additional_properties":{},"content":"13. Always have separate work and personal phones","type":"header"},{"_id":"MNZR2J7DDBDXFLCWPNZKCOXOBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344268},"content":"I can’t stress this one enough. Have a separate phone number for work. Personal time is important and phones make having a healthy work-life balance extremely challenging.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N2RS3TN7DRHNHAWMTM22ABD5JI","additional_properties":{},"content":"14. Remove emails from phones in the evening and at the weekend, or times when you are not working","type":"header"},{"_id":"TTMHZVPF7FCRTEXPH75OSH5UNQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344270},"content":"If we leave our work emails on our phones, there can be a tendency to check them without being consciously aware that this is what you are doing. By the time you realise, it is too late. You’ve been pulled into the phone, your mind has been alerted and maybe bothered by something going on at work, and you may struggle to switch off and relax again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGQQD5K5INDMPJA7V73CXTLKDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344271},"content":"Parents, if you’re going to ban anything, ban devices from bedrooms","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KKQDUE4ZLBGYRCUNQSMJYF4GR4","additional_properties":{},"content":"15. Ask your partner/friend/child/parent to tell you when you’ve descended into your phone","type":"header"},{"_id":"JOXESLS4TBD43DLMLXE27KSHZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344273},"content":"With all the will in the world, unfortunately these powerful devices still get the better of us from time to time. By asking your family and friends to point out when you are using your device, as well as maybe highlighting what you are like when you are on your device, it will help you to develop self-awareness.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KGWGXJEXPVDNHIF6KMNHCMRNPY","additional_properties":{"_id":"DBA7W3DZJFCRLGLOYMDM3YYSIA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IHNRF2KEKVCXPG6BEJG7MPILKI","additional_properties":{},"content":"16. Have open conversations about devices with your children","type":"header"},{"_id":"U7AN44UFYVG4JE5OPP44F4PFEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344275},"content":"If we want our children to come to us with concerns and be open and honest with us when problems arise online, we need to create a safe and open space for them. By starting these conversations with your children, it normalises talking about these matters and it creates the space for them to come to you if they ever feel that they need to.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2OZXZUG35CO3GXRJY6Q2PEOBQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"17. Play a game without a phone or device","type":"header"},{"_id":"B2VMP52BBZEMNCMOBU2K4VJAKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344277},"content":"Play a board game or play an outdoors game or do a sport. Engage and connect via something that doesn’t involve technology. It is good for our brains and our bodies and is much more enjoyable than anything involving a screen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BCX55GWTKZECNJRB425KTSLEBI","additional_properties":{},"content":"18. Find other friends who have the same views and approaches to device use as you do","type":"header"},{"_id":"RNQTPRKXZBBL5NZVPAK4BW6DBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344279},"content":"If your child feels that other children have the same rules and restrictions, it is less likely to create that feeling of missing out that many parents fear for their children.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3B5BYARCFVE6TDRHFUJ477XGXQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"19. Learn about the online world with your child","type":"header"},{"_id":"BG2RAESQPVGHVHAVTTHUOAVSRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344282},"content":"We wouldn’t allow our children to venture into real-world spaces we weren’t familiar with and this should be no different online. Explore their online worlds with them. We need to learn about these worlds because they likely know far more than we do. We can’t provide advice or keep our children safe in a space that we know nothing about, therefore learning about these spaces is essential. Create an open dialogue with your children about what they are doing online. If we are interested in their games and their choices, they are more likely to be open with us about their online worlds, and we need them to be open with us so that we can offer advice when it might be needed. If a child feels scared to come to us or feels that we won’t be interested, they might end up in a dangerous position where they are managing situations online alone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NMVT2WYAORGMHJG7OZKKMJJYCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344280},"content":"‘I check my phone hundreds of times a day. Is there a way to treat screen addiction?’","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2ROQFMDQ4RD2NL3LQQSF2MBFEM","additional_properties":{},"content":"20. Delay introducing phones into a child’s life","type":"header"},{"_id":"TMFR42X3XNF5XIQ55OOCPR6JKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344284},"content":"The best way of managing device use with children is to delay the introduction of devices. For many of us the horse has already bolted and at this point it is about managing device use, but for future generations it is much easier to delay the introduction of these devices into the child’s life until they are mature enough to cope with the responsibility of being exposed to online content and the nuances of relationships conducted via text alone. Your children will learn from the device use behaviours that you exhibit, from your boundaries and rules regarding device use, and restricted use will be totally normal to them. You can gradually introduce devices by first introducing certain elements of a phone that are not so addictive and compelling. In the future, there may be devices that are designed specifically for teenagers that don’t have social media or full worldwide access to everything, only the basics, which is enough for a teenager.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7FIKWGYKGNEJFEMWFE7H4MBQX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1739898344285},"content":"<i>An edited extract from Generation Zombie by Charlotte Armitage, published by Hachette.</i>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":" Charlotte Armitage"}]},"description":{"basic":"What’s the best way to help parents and kids navigate phones in the always-on age of the internet? "},"display_date":"2025-02-22T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Phones off: 20 simple ways to cut your family’s screentime","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"TGZJ4YHUZRCW5F6UYPXPCVBTF4","auth":{"1":"bc1fe0603a5c271f274c3ff02aabb59a81fd2647bad1539524060c5aed494b94"},"focal_point":{"x":2856,"y":1916},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/TGZJ4YHUZRCW5F6UYPXPCVBTF4.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"People"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Health"},{"name":"Your Family"},{"name":"Life & Style"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/life-style/people/2025/02/22/phones-off-20-simple-ways-to-cut-your-familys-screentime/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/life-style/people","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"People"}}}},{"_id":"FSM3N3SQLVGEHCACLDU3MPPX2M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":319,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/c9f87080-f87e-456d-b2cd-c95f48e04d47/versions/1739974183/media/5c3240126cd9f809281ddc5d8428d19d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/20/victrola-stream-sapphire-review-vinyl-quality-sound-streamed-throughout-your-home/","content_elements":[{"_id":"URU6DEAAX5BMVP4SVVXP5HNVYI","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"2RDFBMW66FEOND6AKKJWBB626I","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"F3TT3GT7ZNG2HIUFZPYOJILVZM","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VO6VDEC4VDQZFDQZPC7KOOR7M","embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-80821","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"P7SX6AUTG5C6FI2F434CI5E5BI","additional_properties":{},"content":"It has been a while since I handled vinyl. There is plenty of it around the house; there are even a couple of turntables hanging about. But these days it is easier to just open up an app and start streaming, so the record player is more of an occasional device rather than an integral part of the music scene here. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QKR5RNIT4FC5BE4GLIRUKHHDJM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Plus it is just so fragile: one wrong move and a scratch later, your records are ruined. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"43MDMXXSOJHUJEZL5VV6HD2JWA","additional_properties":{},"content":"But there are plenty of reasons why vinyl has not been killed off. Digital audio is too clean, too sterile at times. Records are very firmly in the analogue camp, with all the warmth and sometimes the imperfection they bring. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZIGK2KD4JEQPKF56RKFD2UKW4","additional_properties":{},"content":"But that doesn’t mean they can’t be dressed up a little with some high-tech additions. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"IQGRGYZVLBE5DIC3DKSDJADR6U","additional_properties":{},"content":"That is what Victrola has done with the Stream Sapphire. A new addition to the Stream turntable line-up, the Stream Sapphire includes the Sonos connectivity of its predecessors and adds support for uPnP, bringing audio streaming over wifi. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WX7333XFFFEWNDMI2DFVVDDMQ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"That opens it up to speakers beyond the Sonos range, bringing all the convenience of audio streaming as you stream to speakers around the house, from AV receivers to TV sound bars, all in 24-bit/48kHz lossless FLAC. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"3BEF5NJDPFHKDPEDZFBYOCJGZU","additional_properties":{},"content":"You have to set it up first, though. Out of the box, the Stream Sapphire comes in several pieces, rather than as a sleek turntable with silver panels and a wooden veneer plinth. It has a brushless motor, an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge and a carbon fibre tonearm. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"GIFFQV7LDNHXXK2LQBRXDWFFSE","additional_properties":{},"content":"But if you don’t know your tonearm from your counterweight, the Victrola app has you covered, with a step-by-step walk-through to make sure all the physical bits are in the right place before you even get to the wireless set-up. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7NMRA57JJAN5EITITJPI4A4S4","additional_properties":{},"content":"That was where I encountered the first hiccup, with the app stubbornly refusing to move to the wifi set-up screen. One app restart later and things moved along. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"DGYGR5E7NVDBZMKHVYKLFMKFVI","additional_properties":{},"content":"It wasn’t the only hitch I encountered, although they were limited in number. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"JG2TSOVWKJCG3JEXXDLM463NI4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The controls can be confusing during the set-up process. The knob on the front feels like it should do something, aside from light up during the initial start-up. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"XPQJWW5W7FFOTMSSB5R6SCN2VA","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can customise the illumination level in the app, and once the record player is operational, the knob has one good use: a physical volume control that gives you tactile feedback with a satisfying click as you turn it. But that makes it even more obvious that it should do something more to give you feedback during set-up, because you feel like nothing is happening half the time. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QIY7VF5SHNCYNC253SNZQ6OYJI","additional_properties":{},"content":"PS5 Pro review: Stunning graphics come with a premium price tag","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"BAHV2DCHPVA43J4RWN7JUKU5LI","additional_properties":{},"content":"The app has some extra settings too, such as streaming settings to help deal with any potential connection issues with the Sonos speakers, or to prioritise the stability of the connection or audio quality. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BUYDUZOXZZG7XLTWH7WW3JT634","additional_properties":{},"content":"And that is the key thing: you need it to connect to your wireless devices and make sure it stays that way, and that it sounds good while doing it. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFB5WOB325BY7PEXTN34TFBLLA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The good news is that (to admittedly less than expert ears) the audio quality is good regardless of whether you are streaming to Sonos speakers or a compatible sound bar, or sending audio over the ethernet connection. Even streaming doesn’t take away the warmth of vinyl, and the high-quality streaming means you don’t lose much of the detail. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6CEWOTQ26FA2PLH3TWGDFYA2XA","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is a convenient way to get your audio all over the house at the same time without a snarl of wires. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y4AIFJJXVZE6LGXNYN4VKMXFSE","additional_properties":{},"content":"That said, you don’t have to use digital streaming, because the Stream Sapphire also has physical connections. Simply hook up an RCA cable to the back of the record player and you can hook it up to your best speakers. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VZTGIIRTIJCG5HFQYJB5HEDS7I","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can also stream to your wireless speakers and play music over the wired RCA connection simultaneously, with the option to set a custom delay to match it to your wireless set-up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PRRIDLEWTVCYZLAHRCPD3J46KY","additional_properties":{},"content":"There is one final flaw: the price. At about €1,500, the Stream Sapphire isn’t cheap. You pay for that extra connectivity, but for some it will be a premium that they can ill afford. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"3GAJX4D4V5FJDJY4QCBGHNV66Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"UJPGIOMZVRGURMZGJCV62HGIYU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Wired or wireless, you get great audio from the Victrola Stream Sapphire. The inclusion of the uPnP support opens the player up to more devices, stepping outside of the Sonos comfort zone. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZESKPPX3OFAW5D3Y7KK5ZLS2NY","additional_properties":{},"content":"There are also a host of wired connections too, keeping things flexible. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"L3A23BO76FDJ5NYRYUODMTK44Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"MR3CKGDYPVAY7IINHZJXLULCGU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Despite the app walking you through the physical set-up of the device, it was a frustrating experience setting up the digital side of things. It didn’t always show up in the app, and getting through the wifi process was awkward at first. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"A6GT7NBXSJDX5PGSJN25OAG3AE","additional_properties":{},"content":"While the design of the device looks good, it is weirdly heavy – great if you like a bit of heft to your electronics, but not so much if you need to shift it around. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"EOXKVL6N7FEUVKIZIKJSLIHAEA","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is also very expensive, especially compared with other devices in the Stream line-up. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"KAEUPEC5QJCTFGZVOHOFOFLCUE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Everything else ","type":"header"},{"_id":"S5OPFBUERRD63BSXBKXDISUBFE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The dust cover fits in with the overall design of the turntable – sleek and subtle – but it doesn’t attach to the turntable. You just lift it off and store it somewhere when the turntable is in use. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"SWRL2PPGCNDU7PQAQZ34WKQEEI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"2ZZOKHFYIRE7POMT4EPW6I3IAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Plenty of connectivity options, but it comes at a price. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"SKVWB5RD45CEBMSYOTYMXUNWAY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Homebot Ireland Glider review: A home cleaner that (mostly) takes care of itself","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"4CD2Q7NTXVHO5GJG4CGPEXLILI","additional_properties":{},"content":" ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TW7WA6BDGFD7XOACQ2LPXNNDSI","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"BT2TKZMSYBER5NLL6DWPLHB6BY","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"M37TZIFRM5FXROVFEQAAFRN37M","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Wired or wireless, you get great audio – but it comes at a premium price"},"display_date":"2025-02-20T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Victrola Stream Sapphire review: Vinyl-quality sound streamed throughout your home","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QRVKOBUBHZC6NCYVUQDCB2GBVQ","auth":{"1":"934af29f65a9d6af4d0f27a017f7c1d62da4ed643ea7eee7eb17993dda5189e1"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QRVKOBUBHZC6NCYVUQDCB2GBVQ.png"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/20/victrola-stream-sapphire-review-vinyl-quality-sound-streamed-throughout-your-home/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"KNNVCWRVWBBNBBFLTTPSIHSLIU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":246,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e90535ca-16c0-4531-ae10-9d802f9fa59e/versions/1739989617/media/8d607b1cbb0dd5193dafac018be2602b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/02/19/ev-qa-pilot-scheme-aims-to-connect-drivers-with-people-willing-to-rent-use-of-private-chargers/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JFIVIEGQ7VAZ5LDNF5FUVGBZ5U","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>The Government has a cunning plan for </b><a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/electric-vehicles/\"><b>electric vehicle (EV)</b></a><b> chargers, has it? Can we expect a faster roll-out of public chargers? Will the electricity for EVs be cheaper? Or can folk </b><b>juicing up at on-street charge points get free parking? </b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"J2OHR5JDOREWNCQKKML4IIQAQI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Um, no, none of those things. But under plans aimed at promoting sustainable travel, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/transport/2025/02/18/domestic-ev-chargers-for-rent-to-public-under-pilot-project/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/transport/2025/02/18/domestic-ev-chargers-for-rent-to-public-under-pilot-project/\">homeowners will be allowed to rent out the use of their EV chargers to other people</a>. The <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/department-of-transport/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/department-of-transport/\">Department of Transport</a> says this will “offer cost-effective charging options for EV owners who don’t have private off-street parking”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZ5TXYURTZEMFEOMVUYNVFTODQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What? Can they not do that already?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"V5QXQHODQNFOLPYCXAYEW2DCIQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"They probably can, but what the new pilot scheme aims to do is set up an online platform to allow people without access to home chargers connect easily with those willing to rent out theirs. A frequently used phrase in recent days is it will be “like an Airbnb for car chargers”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6TZ4WQJCF5C5XOBOXN6DXWS2TQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>That might be part of a solution, for sure. How much will it cost?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"RG5MMUE2AJDZHCFAARUMUVNTP4","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is far too early to say, and ultimately the market will determine the cost. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WWZIQKZMN5HYNHV47Z2AMBINNM","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>But it will be cheaper than public charging points, will it?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"BQYYSBTXN5BZXO7VGRHRB6P3OM","additional_properties":{},"content":"You would imagine it would have to be, but it won’t all be about price. If homeowners rent out their charging points to others when they are not in use, it will take pressure off the wider network and make things easier for everyone. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"CG4SNYY6INEDPORJQ5W2JQJAUI","additional_properties":{},"content":"There are about 2,500 public charging points in the State, and we need a whole lot more of them if widespread adoption of EVs is to happen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"26QQUZCX3FBFFBG6Z3F32N4XEE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Still, can you talk to me about the money?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"4Z65BIFTOJCGPIFLIY5W36AOQQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"An EV driver who charges their car at home can expect to pay anywhere from €7 to €30 for a full charge, depending on the size of the battery and the electricity tariff they are on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4JWGNSI3QNBIJBO2COGMJZEU4A","additional_properties":{},"content":"Someone on a time-of-use tariff, who charges their car overnight, will pay the least, while someone who is on a standard rate or who charges their car during the day will pay more. Broadly speaking, an EV driver can expect to pay about €15 for a full charge. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QH5KMOZHWJGOFMDC5XYRW7652E","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>How much does it cost to charge a car at a public station?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"T2TGA6YWZBGX3NQEHFQGDUUF2Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"A lot more than that. There are multiple companies offering charging at multiple speeds – the faster the car is charged, the more you pay for it – but a good rule of thumb would suggest that charging an EV via the public infrastructure will cost about 75 per cent more than charging it on a decent tariff at home. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ODI6MVMQZWJQDQJHSG3Q4H2QQA","additional_properties":{},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ICP7BFSSYFA43ABOS6VJAALJGE","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you charge your car from empty to full at home once a week, the annual cost will come in at about €780. If you charge on the public network, you can expect to pay about €1,350 over the course of a year. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QMYTWJAGYFHYPMV623K3FVVIHY","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>I see, so renting a private charger will make sense once the price is right?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"L4MRNEFYGFCPHDREUX4LLAKVYU","additional_properties":{},"content":"It will indeed – although bear in mind that a person renting their charger to you will want to make a few bob, so you might end up paying 10 or 20 per cent more than they do for their charges, taking the annual cost with the new system to about a grand. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"E2ZZDWNS2BGUZMH27BJTBSO744","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>What about the time factor? How long does it take to charge an EV at home?</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"S5MUP7G2FBBANCBYWV2VMDTTFU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Longer than on the public network, that is for sure. Depending on the model of car and the charging point you have, it could take anywhere from four to 20 hours to go from empty to full, although about eight hours is more typical. Public points can charge a car to full in less than an hour if souped-up chargers, or about four hours if standard chargers. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6N5G6ZDTUJGKVPNFUD3EVMNPPI","additional_properties":{},"content":"<b>Okay, what else? </b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UPFNV5H4NNBZHIKFIASCGR5W3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"There is also the cost of installing a car charger. That varies depending on what type of charger it is and where you locate it, but you can expect to pay anywhere between €1,200 and €1,600 for a home charging point. There is a Government grant of €300 available to soften the blow. ","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"If homeowners rent out charging points when they are not in use, it will take pressure off the network and make things easier for all"},"display_date":"2025-02-19T18:21:48.427Z","headlines":{"basic":"EV Q&A: Pilot scheme aims to connect drivers with people willing to rent use of private chargers","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"OVTDRYIMEFAFJBFC2IT2VHM3TM","auth":{"1":"cb17433117d649c40186af1247b73b17304b1d85bfc40744fa322ec56f3b7ed3"},"focal_point":{"x":860,"y":662},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/OVTDRYIMEFAFJBFC2IT2VHM3TM.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Your Money"},{"name":"Motors"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/02/19/ev-qa-pilot-scheme-aims-to-connect-drivers-with-people-willing-to-rent-use-of-private-chargers/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"VVKF7LMIIJCMDH6ASWXWCL77CQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":241,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/b4e0e6d5-9261-47b9-b085-c57ac515d646/versions/1739891939/media/a3e5eec6003a7db7a1a9bb3c0b8c4964_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/ireland/2025/02/18/dodgy-boxes-why-are-they-in-the-news-and-could-i-be-prosecuted-for-using-one/","content_elements":[{"_id":"KBHXBWJ4AVEEVHX2TTAWR4XIPI","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6REWQB6EFEDXCNVEDPHB3TLCE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Why are dodgy boxes back in the news again?","type":"header"},{"_id":"FBFGMGLOQZGYZCB2UHECNB66FU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Thirteen illegal operators across <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/\">the country</a> have been served with legal notices warning them to shut down illicit streaming services or face possible criminal prosecution. The action was taken by the Federation Against Copyright Theft (<a href=\"https://www.fact-uk.org.uk/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.fact-uk.org.uk/\">Fact</a>) and followed a two-week operation in December. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TN6IFFE2PJEGTB6MSDB7ANOKX4","additional_properties":{},"content":"What did the dodgy box operators do after getting these Fact notices?","type":"header"},{"_id":"QW43PAWHQ5DQXDKMM4YCNGXGCE","additional_properties":{},"content":"According to the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/london/3/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/london/3/\">London</a>-based industry group, the initiative has been a great success and has resulted in the shutting down of thousands of prohibited streams, and the demise of services for those using the illegal operations. Social media profiles selling dodgy boxes have also disappeared while subscriptions have been terminated and paid settlements agreed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DWUEFNBDINDZTMQR6VRFRQ55MY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Legal notices served on 13 illegal dodgybox operators, according to anti-piracy group","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"PHJUT4UJ2VHNDD35L36FDGEVWQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"header"},{"_id":"HN5HFOIVIBF7PEQL6XQ5LXPTNI","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"KIYJXRY6ZNE7XCW4B6ILRP5WCM","additional_properties":{},"content":"And why is Fact so concerned? ","type":"header"},{"_id":"AIOWONVKCBDZHETMGG2JWVPFH4","additional_properties":{},"content":"It says that many consumers are unaware that piracy networks are often linked to organised crime, with their profits potentially funding other illegal activities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RLR3P3UEJRCPLEC2AMMOYHMX54","additional_properties":{},"content":"Well, that’s not good but is this the first time Fact has acted? ","type":"header"},{"_id":"DXHQ6MZUDJDL7PKI7TTRFLDP34","additional_properties":{},"content":"No. There have been three previous actions since March 2023, with almost 70 illegal services across the Republic shut down. There have also been legal actions taken against individuals, with one operator of an illegal dodgy box TV streaming service being jailed for 16 months last year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GLAL73SCOJCW5P2K4NFS2BUZCY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Could dodgy box owners go to to jail?","type":"header"},{"_id":"IYM2CK3NWVB2HAMFMU5OWHDQL4","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is highly unlikely, not least because there are tens of thousands of dodgy boxes in homes all over the country and nowhere near enough cell spaces for all of you. But by knowingly circumventing properly applied restrictions to access copyrighted content, you could be exposed to prosecution – at least potentially but breathe easy because potentially is a long way from actually.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZGDLQBLMYBANTHWN66DVB4U4YA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Why so?","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZH2VUPYRBJDDHDEDPQKJ2H2OQI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Well, those targeting illegal streaming, including the Garda Síochána and the copyright holders – are focused on people who are suspected of being involved in providing illegal access to premium TV content and not – as yet – the end users. Garda sources have even expressed doubt that the force would have any jurisdiction when it comes to the use of such boxes, suggesting it would be a civil rather than a criminal matter.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CMBZE3MNRJHQZF7PKUPIXMEHLE","additional_properties":{},"content":"But owning a dodgy boxes is illegal, right? ","type":"header"},{"_id":"4VOFH44PNFA2RDWUE2NYBSYFIY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Yes and no. The boxes themselves are not illegal. They are also called Android boxes. And Android is just an operating system and one that runs on all manner of different technologies including phones, tablets and firesticks. Android boxes are commonly sold in entirely reputable electrical shops in Ireland and on online platforms.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCKSFFBRORFRLHLRMHQUHVXQMI","additional_properties":{},"content":"So what is illegal? ","type":"header"},{"_id":"EAQTGY6CTNASFH44MBBDMVX4S4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Ever since the web was born those who make and sell content have been fighting a fierce battle with those who want to make it freely available online by breaking it down into ones and zeros that can be easily shared online. There was <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/feb/24/napster-music-free-file-sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/feb/24/napster-music-free-file-sharing\">Napster</a> and then Torrents and they ultimately led us to dodgy boxes. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"RPCAAAUJ6FCQRE6SY3ACPGCLA4","additional_properties":{},"content":"What are they exactly?","type":"header"},{"_id":"S3O2L5WPXNDLFIHBEZJYUQAETM","additional_properties":{},"content":"They plug into a television and if they have certain apps installed they can stream content directly from the internet to televisions. As mentioned, the boxes are not illegal but they have the capacity to do illegal things. A person who buys a clean dodgy box can easily download dodgy apps themselves. Then there are those who sell the boxes pre-loaded with apps to facilitate questionable streaming and provide codes to dodgy platforms. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"S63KHMBRGNC7FGIAGBAP4EGRBU","additional_properties":{},"content":"So, in short, it is not the boxes that are dodgy but the apps that facilitate illegal streaming. And it is not the selling of the boxes that is illegal but the selling of boxes and access to copyrighted content that fall foul of the law. And it is those people who are being targeted by Fact.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"Copyright body says many consumers unaware piracy streaming networks are often linked to organised crime"},"display_date":"2025-02-18T15:13:46.207Z","headlines":{"basic":"‘Dodgy boxes’: Why are they in the news and could I be prosecuted for using one?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"5JUIA2WEGZAMBLQ4ST4W6HTFSQ","auth":{"1":"43203cba3414a8a42a606650e462ff82db41cb6ea9504716ebbe23b3f996c0af"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/5JUIA2WEGZAMBLQ4ST4W6HTFSQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ireland"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/ireland/2025/02/18/dodgy-boxes-why-are-they-in-the-news-and-could-i-be-prosecuted-for-using-one/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/ireland","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Ireland"}}}},{"_id":"NSM5A3NX6FHMPLZ7YSGL3YVB4U","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":514,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/fe54ce60-cecd-4ad9-a2e2-41c70d23db71/versions/1739295863/media/3a6cfa923bec041aa53ba762ea6da775_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/02/13/how-can-we-keep-our-kids-safe-online-here-are-some-tips-for-parents/","content_elements":[{"_id":"SQHKUSBQCVF5VMLPRFX64PWETI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Do you know what your child is doing online? If recent research is accurate, there are plenty of us out there who don’t.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ELELS56LR5BAPMYKZTTT6VKQWU","additional_properties":{},"content":"According to a recent report from online safety charity <a href=\"https://www.cybersafekids.ie/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.cybersafekids.ie/\">CyberSafeKids</a>,<b> </b>82 per cent of children aged between eight and 12 years of age are permitted to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/02/11/most-primary-school-aged-children-have-unsupervised-smartphone-access-in-bedroom-survey/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/02/11/most-primary-school-aged-children-have-unsupervised-smartphone-access-in-bedroom-survey/\">use phones and smart devices unsupervised in their bedrooms</a>. The findings were published to coincide with <a href=\"https://better-internet-for-kids.europa.eu/en/saferinternetday\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://better-internet-for-kids.europa.eu/en/saferinternetday\">Safer Internet Day</a> earlier this week, and they make sobering reading.","type":"text"},{"_id":"26DIO2YJG5H7VP5SXMDXOY6SHU","additional_properties":{},"content":"The same report found 28 per cent of the children surveyed said they could go online whenever they wanted, giving them a concerning level of access and potential exposure to harmful content online. Screen time is also an issue, with 50 per cent saying they spend too much time online.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LTOBBGVKSJEZVE67N4FXE3F54Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"At the same time, only 35 per cent of children said their activity was visible to caregivers or parents.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CW75X4RTOJDBXKUVTRCBVISS2U","additional_properties":{},"content":"It happens more than we realise. Who hasn’t handed over a phone to a small child to watch videos online in a bid to get five minutes of uninterrupted time? Or set up an account to play a game online without thinking too closely about the potential repercussions?","type":"text"},{"_id":"P7LNDKIWGVGH7F7TGZEF7HOPIY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The knee-jerk reaction would be to prevent children from accessing any online content. However, in an increasingly digitised world, that is becoming an increasingly unlikely solution.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZTX3EEN3GZG4VHH74LRR63LHZM","additional_properties":{},"content":"There are ways to let your child have some digital experiences without opening them up to the internet’s weirder side.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DPTVRKHB6RHCLIHQIXH3LWE7VM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Tap in to parental controls","type":"header"},{"_id":"6B2LNHQ2YVF4HHPHQMN3IEQNGE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Letting your young child loose on the internet unsupervised is a little like sending them out to play with the traffic on the road: it might be fine, but there is a high chance that they will wind up in a situation everyone will regret.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YLS4BQERXNHC7NAZOWZ2VW53MQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Even seemingly safe scenarios – online gaming, for example – can turn ugly. And besides, retaining some control over access until they can manage it appropriately for themselves is always a good idea.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MQMMDYNOFVF3FACUZZSOABL7VA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Whether you are setting up an iPhone, an Android or a games console, there are ways to make sure your child isn’t accessing inappropriate content. Apple has its parental controls tucked away under Screen Time in the Settings menu, where you can set limits for categories of apps or choose each app individually.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RXP3CWMMNJGQNDFELH4WUJAIB4","additional_properties":{},"content":"A further step is the Communication Safety setting, which will detect nude photos and videos before they are sent or viewed on your child’s device. When activated, it will blur photos that are received and trigger a warning to the child, steering them to helpful resources.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3WZS72L27JGQNM5ZC4RGK6BKOQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"For Google users, the <a href=\"https://families.google/familylink/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://families.google/familylink/\">Family Link</a> app is there to allow you to monitor time spent online, and add restrictions and rules for accessing content and apps. The app is also available on iOS, so the entire family doesn’t need to be on the same platform.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6233QTSJFFXBHTZVATNLYKB2Y","additional_properties":{},"content":"Nintendo Switch has its own <a href=\"https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Hardware/Nintendo-Switch-Parental-Controls/Nintendo-Switch-Parental-Controls-1183145.html?srsltid=AfmBOoph9oD7wTklvgdgTaZNj9W5ajpeOUrnFoKX0i4iP3Wg2GYcYpSp\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Hardware/Nintendo-Switch-Parental-Controls/Nintendo-Switch-Parental-Controls-1183145.html?srsltid=AfmBOoph9oD7wTklvgdgTaZNj9W5ajpeOUrnFoKX0i4iP3Wg2GYcYpSp\">parental controls</a> app, which allows you to set daily time limits for access to the hand-held console and the type of content it can access.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RNVXZR4SCFGG5MNNYX3DVYDCUM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Sony and Microsoft also have parental controls built into their platforms to monitor gaming time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"34DWIBZQA5BHTI7EWWA5JYAH3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"Which brings us to ...","type":"text"},{"_id":"F6JIM4XM2JHATKZQI6PWRQZ654","additional_properties":{},"content":"Create child profiles","type":"header"},{"_id":"MJYW77UIX5AEFIQHLY6JJTIOBQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Many of these parental controls will require two things: a child account and a parental account to manage it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O6ZR3CEPVVHZ3ONEW2PMHHGDXA","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you need to keep a close eye on what your child is doing online, setting up a child account on a phone, games console or other digital service is advisable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3D4MFLR66JBQJJPLNLHL6O3I7E","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can always transition the account to a teenager or adult profile when the time comes, but not all services will allow you to go the other way.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2T64WQPZVHVFDCBMP4T47UICE","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is a fairly straightforward procedure. Google and Apple, for example, will ask if you are setting up an account for yourself or your child during the set-up process.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6MSMRHBQIVCGFKGRU7JJH5E7J4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Wifi routers can help","type":"header"},{"_id":"VT322GBOUNAYXFRI4NYJN4NWJ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Your home wifi can be another way to control what is accessed on your home network, and at what time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IY7N7AWIPFDGFG2ECI5VBUNPUE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Setting a time when only your household devices – the video doorbell for example – can access the home wifi connection will keep your child from doomscrolling on Instagram until late into the night and ignoring the prompts to wind down and put the app into sleep mode.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JNK3L7QRBFAVHDC32TUNOMNKJE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Most wifi hubs have the admin password printed alongside the wifi network details on the back or underside of the device. However, you might want to change the admin password from the default to keep any tech-savvy kids from undoing your changes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2744NTPKRC3ZMNUFDVHGUJVQU","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you use a mesh kit to extend your wifi network throughout the house, you can apply restrictions and rules to that too. Google’s Nest wifi kit, for example, allows you to set rules for the family wifi network through the <a href=\"https://home.google.com/welcome/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://home.google.com/welcome/\">Google Home</a> app. There, you can block sites, create schedules and pause wifi access to groups of devices at the same time every day. You can create groups of devices to apply the rules to, so you can turn on SafeSearch filtering for the kids' tablets without applying it to the adults' devices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C6QDYGBRBRHDBFCEOZ53IYE5UA","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/1593/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/1593/\">TP-Link’s Deco app</a> also allows you to impose parental controls on a household basis. You can create profiles for each member of the household, linking their devices to it and creating a schedule for content and access filtering.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S223ZOFXXFAF5F7EFMVEAC7T7U","additional_properties":{},"content":"Alt app stores exist – and the rules are different","type":"header"},{"_id":"AJHT5MMMCJBQTOPFIM5EWRWJRE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Until last year, Apple’s iPhones and iPads could officially only install software approved by the tech giant’s App Store reviewers. That meant Apple had a fairly tight grip on what was allowed on its devices. The only way around that was to jailbreak the phone to install unapproved software.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6SVHCLAUQVCVJPEHNWCKPDVMVA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Under new EU rules, though, Apple has been forced to open up to alternative app stores. As a result you can now sideload apps from outside the App Store – but only in the European Union.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U3LY5MLAFNBFBLKA72WZ3ZXTSA","additional_properties":{},"content":"That is great for people who want a wider variety of apps, but what about all those parental controls? The problem is that some of the content restrictions you set only applies to the content that comes through the App Store.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P5JCRNHFLVD6PE2ERMQVQMJ7OM","additional_properties":{},"content":"That was brought home when the first native app for porn appeared on iOS a couple of weeks ago, Hot Tub, through an alternative app store.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2KYQL3CIBFPXMQ5KN2BA3DJUY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Apple issued a statement about the app, indicating just how strongly it felt about the situation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YEY7JA7L4FCJZNNA7DC6XMAIWA","additional_properties":{},"content":"“We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hard-core porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids. This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem that we have worked for more than a decade to make the best in the world,” the tech giant said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EFMJZNQ3FZB7BIDODKQ5F7INF4","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, we certainly do not approve of this app and would never offer it in our App Store. The truth is that we are required by the European Commission to allow it to be distributed by marketplace operators like AltStore and Epic who may not share our concerns for user safety.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"AZRUTXACNVGRHP77ISUTDNJEZI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Watch out for video-sharing sites","type":"header"},{"_id":"S4ECSRLIXNHXPIZX6XB23NHCYM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The range of content on video-sharing platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram is varied, from useful tips and interesting information to satirical videos and less-wholesome content.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5PGYODDPTRDPRB5JF3AGGB3EKQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"You can’t control what other people are sharing on video platforms. But you can limit your child’s access to it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ULYYW5FI5DJFE3NKNBPGN7VLM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Instagram and TikTok have parental controls and dedicated accounts for younger users that restrict some of the content offered, while also preventing others from sending unsolicited messages.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QO4O7BLW75B6ZG2PQX7Y2OPJH4","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you have signed in to a YouTube account, you can restrict content based on age rating. But stuff can still slip through, and likewise there are plenty of seemingly innocent videos that hide a darker undercurrent. There is a whole subgenre of Peppa Pig horror, for example, that would make you think twice about Mummy and Daddy Pig, for example.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SQA65BFH75GHVH3LOAQG7HAN3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.youtubekids.com/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.youtubekids.com/\">YouTube Kids</a>, which is an app geared towards younger users, strips a lot of that content out. It has built-in parental controls, access to which is controlled by brainteasers only an adult (or an advanced child) could figure out. That allows you to set time limits or turn off features such as auto play.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"It’s not practical to completely cut off online access, but there are ways of minimising exposure to harm"},"display_date":"2025-02-13T05:30:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"How can we keep our kids safe online? Here are some tips for parents ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DH6OMEFBRRGRLIY3LMCY7PWGUM","auth":{"1":"f5f210373a2180395a346951960951b3493cb04ea0bfd480ed3a7cd3eefc21ff"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DH6OMEFBRRGRLIY3LMCY7PWGUM.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Data & Security"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/02/13/how-can-we-keep-our-kids-safe-online-here-are-some-tips-for-parents/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"43RUQFNR4BCSVF247KHBI3DJ7E","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":325,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/62121a92-5e57-46ea-855b-8ecea30ad0ba/versions/1739275971/media/8b693cc8b6fd90f9fa95521bc7b9e51f_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/13/fujifilm-instax-wide-evo-review-merging-the-best-of-instant-and-digital-photography/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7PR66VRLNNBZ3EOVWVYSUMLVUQ","embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-6696","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"MIL2WD2475HIVCRIIXNJWHQRSU","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMLAIUI6TFA3PMUYZNU4VKYZNU","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZWIFS2P3SFDMLNUB3OUXPS5MCY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Fujifilm has built up quite a business for itself in instant cameras. The company has managed to make its own a sector that was once synonymous with Polaroid, and carved a seemingly viable business out of a product that was very nearly killed off by digital. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"MBIENUENFBCYTD5ILIOSMC36J4","additional_properties":{},"content":"But the Instax cameras have found a way to combine both – at least for some of the models. The Instax Wide Evo is one of these hybrid instant cameras, combining all the best bits of an instant camera and a digital camera. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HDSZK45GFJAJVGV27YME3DTM6Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"That means pictures you can develop in around a minute, but a camera that also allows you to choose and edit the images that you want to print, so you aren’t wasting your money on bad photos. And you can do it all on the camera, without ever having to use an app to alter your images. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFIJDGZWTNGN5KCUKBPDR5PSLQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"It isn’t just the ability to choose your images that makes the Wide Evo a good camera, though. You can apply different filters to your images before you print them, or add different frames. You are limited to the effects loaded on to the camera, but there are plenty to choose from, and there are further ways to make the image your own (more on that later). ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WT2HZSDPZFBDVF6QGVKXODYUHE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The camera offers the widest lens for an Instax camera, with a 16mm option. Switching between wide angle and the standard lens is simple: a flick of a switch. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"L224AYC3R5H2VO32HC5IVYVXTI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Out of the box, the camera is unmistakably an Evo model. Unlike other Instax cameras that opt for pastel colours and soft lines, the Evo is modelled more on a traditional camera, with a grey-and-black case that lets you know it’s a serious device. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FIX65QTGFGZHK7ZHHCHCB5OCE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The camera itself is easy to use, although there are more dials and buttons than I ever remember having to get to grips with before. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WJO6Q5YEFZCHDEISDIDGB3WIKQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"On the back, you have a 3.5in LCD display that acts as the viewfinder – no analogue viewfinder here – and controls for reviewing or otherwise interacting with images. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYIDEJ7LRFBX3NNJ7JVZM5JYOM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Dials are located on either side of the camera case - one for controlling the 10 lens effects, another for applying different colour treatments to images, and a winder to print your selected image. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"DFPGFALUYJF4LMMMNZTI37C64A","subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"MY3XHLDVURGCNPVTCDW7DZLJOI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Film styles can be applied with yet another physical control, a button located on the top of the case. There are six to choose from, including a classic film strip, a cinematic treatment with black bars across the top and bottom of the image, a date/time stamp format, a contact sheet look, and a vintage collodion process effect.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A6VY6AUAINHIZDKFIC65VFQOPU","additional_properties":{},"content":"On the front, there is a switch to control the wide angle, lens, the shutter button and a mirror, so you can go almost old-style on selfies. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5EZQ3DZ7LNE6LCSRAUMUJBNSWE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Wide Evo also uses Instax’s wide-format instant film, so you can combine that with the wide-angle lens to get more space in the image to squash in friends, family and pets, along with landscape shots. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"NDGZ544T4BA5BJX4XSSEANNOMQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s not just about slapping an effect on a photo, though. There is a degree control function too that controls the strength of the effect on each image you take. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"C6B4ORXHLNHIPLWFSBCILE57C4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Fujifilm Instax Mini 99: The most creative and best instant film camera in the line to date","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"HR3NAVTGIRBIVD7ZRXE3GZNFKQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"The options for customisation on this front are incredible. You can take a vignette image in different degrees of sepia, and add an old-style film effect to the picture before you take it to give it the perfect fake old-world look. This may be something that camera makers worked on removing from images for years, but now with a turn of a dial, you can add it back. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XDT5FMBRVCGVBZQ5XWX7P4YQ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"Then you simply wind the print dial and watch the photo move up the digital screen – a nice touch – before becoming a physical print in your hands. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"FYVL7FJWLVAQTKW2E3NYYJO5KE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The built-in lithium ion battery can print up to 100 images, although it depends on how much messing about you do with filters and effects, with the LCD screen activated. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2OIHXEAXZBXLEBVTYSIGQAC6M","additional_properties":{},"content":"There is space to store about 45 images on the camera’s internal memory, but you can expand that with a micro SD card should you need it. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VM6EANCUUFFRFCKTJCJOUOR5UQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"You could also offload your favourite images to your smartphone. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OWGH4Q57TNGSFN2I2MQ23TG7SI","additional_properties":{},"content":"You might not need an app to print or edit images, but this is Instax, and it’s a hybrid camera, so inevitably there is one. The Wide Evo app has a few functions: you can directly print photos from your smartphone, save images from the camera to your device or use your smartphone as a remote viewer. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"2DDWTGTOZJDDZMAYAHUAQTBCXQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"There is also a “discover” feed, where other Instax Evo users have saved their favourite lens and effect combinations, so you can copy them. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"3TW6PSR2XBFCZJ5ZIGTUOYGTMM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"CCBK4WPQKJF4LGPNU6EQ5LLDZI","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Instax Wide Evo comes with plenty of customisation options to make your images stand out, from lens effects to colour treatment, and the ability to step them up in degrees. The print winder, while not necessary, was a nice touch too. That went down particularly well with the younger members of the test crew. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"WKHZ2GUKRVCMVMHFZXSQIPPRGY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"CF42UOKEJZBN3CJ3B4L6XIA2HQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you are a one-button kind of photographer, the options on this camera might be a little overwhelming. The cost of the film and the associated waste might be a dealbreaker for some. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UQLQES7BFRG4DA3KAI5NT6DN5E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"KITFWL4JXFHEBPSTIZS4EWQ7TI","additional_properties":{},"content":"As well as printing images in the moment, the Wide Evo can also be used to print your smartphone photos. But it is refreshing that although the app is there, it is not essential to use the camera. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"S6I72U5YWNBHNA7YCTF7XLHY6Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"Verdict ","type":"header"},{"_id":"QBUEPOI6TFGQZM4EKA2ZGB44OM","additional_properties":{},"content":"A hybrid camera that hits the right notes. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HFXWP72ZPZDO7NUQD273Q2RISE","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Options for customisation are incredible and you can also save to your smartphone or print from there"},"display_date":"2025-02-13T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo review: merging the best of instant and digital photography","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"7QMQLZXHSVEPNJBNH6KEKRY64A","auth":{"1":"892be9b49927cb3aaeb61463e75afc58d20f1b0cdd7ece571bcb158137a8bf26"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/7QMQLZXHSVEPNJBNH6KEKRY64A.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/13/fujifilm-instax-wide-evo-review-merging-the-best-of-instant-and-digital-photography/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"NX25T3O6NZDL7CG4V5DJDJ4M2M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":141,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/75c5cb3d-74bd-422e-a15a-2c4576a2ee1f/versions/1738927246/media/11be127963d25a70683ec7aa38643b33_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/ireland/2025/02/07/scam-texts-to-be-blocked-as-watchdog-unveils-text-messaging-register/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CO3WLI6IZNCSBK54D4PGE74SIY","additional_properties":{},"content":"A new front in the war on scammers is to be opened later this year when communications watchdog ComReg rolls out a text-messaging register that will more easily flag and then block rogue SMS messages. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QSXCPQIWDJESXLHD5MYCNKXL7E","additional_properties":{},"content":"It said on Friday morning it was developing an SMS Sender ID Registry to ensure texting is “a reliable and trustworthy communications channel in Ireland”. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"TIAXYUYC3VGM5JQSAY4INZKC5I","additional_properties":{},"content":"ComReg noted that text message scams are undermining the SMS communications channel with consumers and organisations losing trust in the mode of message delivery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JH5OUMWG2BFBPA7MFCKLPVTVWE","additional_properties":{},"content":"It said the annual level of harm to Irish consumers and businesses from scam calls and texts was estimated to be over €300 million annually of which approximately €115 million is attributed to scam texts. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OFTWC2K4QNFWBEV6I3HI4DPA5U","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Many organisations rely on SMS to communicate with their customers and clients,” ComReg said. It pointed to financial transactions, delivery updates and appointments. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"73UCEBHXAJDCPIBIADSLIM5HPE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Business to client/customer messaging is called Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ROJYOBZBHJF5XJ73UXPST6Y7JA","additional_properties":{},"content":"A2P SMS messages often include an alphanumeric identifier, or SMS Sender ID, that may be the name of the company or brand that sent the message – for example 234BANK. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"N4BUYEAICRHMTFXUPMJQDSEWKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"“SMS Aggregators and Mobile Service Providers handling bulk SMS traffic on behalf of organisations need to preregister their business customers’ SMS Sender IDs with ComReg by February 25th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BE2E7AEICVECPOF3ZREVZYKWJY","additional_properties":{},"content":"From early July SMS messages with unregistered Sender IDs will be labelled “Likely Scam” to alert the recipient that the SMS may not be legitimate. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"6J635RZACRDTJDLJRUUPVWDATY","additional_properties":{},"content":"From October 3rd, SMS messages with unregistered SMS Sender IDs will be blocked. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"T7ISXDMWDJD2VAY6NCSG7MELFI","additional_properties":{},"content":"“Organisations using SMS Sender IDs in their messages to customers should instruct their SMS provider to preregister those SMS Sender IDs with ComReg now,” the watchdog said. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5LH3PJZCXRG7DFYET7EM3K4V7E","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"KV7OGQXI55BKRHDS66CCWCYT2Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"YCDY6C2IB5FUNMX3YVDX7FFP3I","type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Conor Pope"}},"name":"Conor Pope"}]},"description":{"basic":"Scam text messages costing consumers over €100m a year, says ComReg"},"display_date":"2025-02-07T11:20:01.138Z","headlines":{"basic":"Scam texts to be blocked as watchdog unveils text-messaging register ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BVF3IZZXRRGUXBW2JN66H4TDEU","auth":{"1":"0dac0951dff5cf684441018a108f3b21bcbdc00babf811e00240912db5d8b4f2"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BVF3IZZXRRGUXBW2JN66H4TDEU.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Ireland"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/ireland/2025/02/07/scam-texts-to-be-blocked-as-watchdog-unveils-text-messaging-register/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/ireland","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Ireland"}}}},{"_id":"NSZWSL22PND6TKSRD6OSXNTBP4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":368,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/11a9e656-b0c9-4999-b6ef-507cf99d35d3/versions/1738747702/media/6b7ae3d5fb336a465d5241039b292741_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/06/samsung-s25-ultra-sticking-to-the-tried-and-tested-reduces-incentive-to-upgrade/","content_elements":[{"_id":"4VL2BK5AJZFXDA6NW6THLRRET4","embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-2213","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"4GX2FWEBHVAGNGBHBKSHFQOMNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\">Artificial intelligence</a> is everywhere these days, from the workplace to our personal lives, but for most people the real benefits have yet to be realised, ","type":"text"},{"_id":"HLSOTNVKHJH6PNGZFEJ7CDJWVQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Step up, phone makers, with your AI-powered features to persuade the rest of us that it really is worth upgrading to get whatever edge AI can offer us. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"LOIDZQED2BGQNC5LDUOJX2ZPJ4","additional_properties":{},"content":"It’s not that surprising that smartphone makers are pushing heavily on the software side of things to try to sell their latest phones; there is a whole other debate here about pushing hardware to the limits of its development and whether or not the flagship devices have become a bit, well, boring. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"4ZV3RCSSF5APLICAS57I2HRYIQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"That is one accusation that <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/samsung/\" rel=\"\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/samsung/\">Samsung</a> is probably keen to avoid. The company unveiled its new flagship series of devices last month to great fanfare, and AI is at the heart of the devices. The all-singing, all-dancing device is the S25 Ultra, with a high-powered camera, 6.9-inch display and the S Pen stylus that it inherited from the Note. But does it have anything new to offer? ","type":"text"},{"_id":"JE5FYSS7O5GUBIOMJYBLUVG3HM","additional_properties":{},"content":"On paper, the Galaxy S25 Ultra ticks all the right boxes. It comes with Android 15, seven years of software and security updates, and is powered by a tweaked Snapdragon 8 chip that makes it run incredibly fast. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"UELFBBNAYFGGTCBAMKDNAG3YRY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: AI features help new premium smartphone stand out","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"INET3FMZIJAEDGKQC7KCSAQ6GY","additional_properties":{},"content":"As you would expect, Samsung has gone big on the camera. The S25 Ultra has powerful levels of zoom – up to 5x on optical zoom, aka the good one, and up to 100x digital zoom if you can cope with extreme levels of close-up (and shake). ","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y3QICYIZ6ZF3JAQK42XDFLKQ2E","additional_properties":{},"content":"Samsung has decided to stick with its previous decision to remove the 10x optical zoom; in between, you have this “optical quality” zoom for 10x, which Samsung says is enabled by Adaptive Pixel sensor it first introduced with the S22. That essentially means you are using software and the large number of pixels captured by the S25 Ultra’s sensor to create an image detailed enough that you can zoom without losing any essential elements. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"7NIQDA6NXNEXBHTUIGI7VG2EA4","additional_properties":{},"content":"More useful is the decision to include a 50 megapixel sensor for the ultrawide camera, so you can get better images even in lower light from that extra lens room. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"QK7MBPJD35HM7BFKG4KTPNXGYM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Overall, the S25 Ultra is more of the same from Samsung. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s a tried-and-tested format, albeit one with sharper edges that I’d like. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"OSLATHTF3ZCGBO523H7CSJHJTM","additional_properties":{},"content":"But with the upgrade cycle lengthening to three or more years, the reasons to incur the extra expense of a new device have to be compelling for customers. I’m just not convinced that this will be the one to lure customers away from its rivals. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"XI67NJ4IHNEJHKLXYL2ULTKB6U","additional_properties":{},"content":"As previously mentioned, Samsung is more tightly integrating AI into this set of devices, although it still is firmly in the “nice to have” rather than “essential feature” territory, and the most interesting features are not necessarily exclusive to the S25.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UHH2YZWTNZA7BKYA4E3YVJTRVM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Now brief will give you a run down of what you are doing for the day, when you need to be there and prompt you about what time you should leave. That is a useful feature and one that you quickly get used to. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"FUYZFL34CFHOZGRJHDN2VZLVMI","additional_properties":{},"content":"The other useful addition is the ability of the AI to interact with elements on the screen, for example adding an event to your calendar or creating a note. Again, it’s a small change but something that makes so much sense, you wonder why they didn’t do it years ago. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"5JAMFEDO6VESRPTT5BQYNSMSNE","subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"J4HW6XDIFBBHLO3XB7AURXGVGE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bixby has been relegated to a background role here, with Google’s Gemini front and centre. That is no loss; I can’t think of a time I ever favoured Bixby over Google Assistant, for example, or simply doing things myself. Samsung is simply recognising what we are all thinking: sometimes you don’t need to create your own. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"3KVC2EBYCBHXHEYCBCCMXGFV2U","additional_properties":{},"content":"The latest software also includes audio eraser for videos, something Pixel 9 users will already be familiar with. We have all had those moments where you replay the very important moments you have captured on your phone, only to discover background noise is taking away some of the atmosphere. Audio eraser will help you lessen that annoyance, dialling back the background noise and tweaking things to your preference. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TXOHDKJHRCOHCEVF6PSL4VIJU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Samsung’s S Pen comes in handy, but the company has removed the Bluetooth function from the integrated pen and made it an optional extra purchase. That means no remote shutter capabilities, for example. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"YSUCTGJGORFDVFZFAAOKXXG7R4","additional_properties":{},"content":"While it may not seem like a big deal, for the price of the Ultra, and given its name, I’d rather not have to spend extra money for all the bells and whistles. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"JP7NKHHLQJGXDFIEP7AIF5FIXM","additional_properties":{},"content":"Overall, the phone is good, but is that enough to keep people coming back? ","type":"text"},{"_id":"ICGXIJ5N6BBMHHNODZ3HU3EQPA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"4EFTTJ24N5BERP7JZ6HWTQTPZE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Samsung hasn’t strayed too far from the tried-and-tested design of the Ultra. It has a big screen with a high refresh rate that makes scrolling a smooth process. You still get the S Pen tucked away in the bottom for anything you need, even if it lacks a few features, and the new software updates are useful if not a compelling reason to upgrade. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"4GAJ3DE2BVEZPANISYHRG33UG4","embed":{"config":{},"id":"acast_podcast-74254","url":"/"},"subtype":"acast_podcast","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"MO2AHP7JYREXRGMEJGIS3MNAYE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"D5QGLLF5ARENXBAB2XAB4D7DNM","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you are hoping for something groundbreaking on the hardware side of things, you’ll be disappointed. Samsung has largely stuck with the same design and capabilities. And the S Pen has lost its Bluetooth functionality, which seems like a step backwards. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"4HFEPSCN5ZH5BAGWNAVAN7ZYEE","additional_properties":{},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"B6IZSHWBUVC5LE2S7UWJLMARQA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Samsung offers a choice for logging into your phone, from a numerical passcode and a password to biometrics that include your face and your fingerprint. If you have concerns about facial recognition being fooled by a photo, it might soothe those worries to know that the S25’s system wasn’t fooled by a close-up, severely unflattering photo of my face. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"7PAZYKXUZNAZLNMCD3MXSDGS7M","additional_properties":{},"content":"You also get the Knox capabilities for securing your data, which means you can lock down apps and files on your phone to keep prying eyes out of your business. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFIRYYGSVNANTJBUGNJTH37DCQ","additional_properties":{},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"4VINMGGMWRBWNA3ZAKUITD34UY","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is a solid, well-designed phone, but it is getting increasingly difficult to stand out in a smartphone market where everyone is upping their game.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Integrated AI features still firmly in the ‘nice to have’ rather than ‘essential feature’ territory"},"display_date":"2025-02-06T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Samsung S25 Ultra: Sticking to the tried and tested reduces incentive to upgrade ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ID6CHQPRSFHFZBHBMRWAXWN5ZM","auth":{"1":"b38c726beadf4c5454b34d0e61f87b8ef409c4ba22616d531f1b12656b03cde8"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ID6CHQPRSFHFZBHBMRWAXWN5ZM.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/02/06/samsung-s25-ultra-sticking-to-the-tried-and-tested-reduces-incentive-to-upgrade/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"NTQHQ4CL3VF7HJTGXGTQJ7YR34","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":302,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/12e30edc-cc81-4e55-8eb6-29de4ceebe8a/versions/1738748027/media/1ae9d24b4ab4e48dd21b31d3f6a2cc3b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2025/02/06/computer-says-no-what-to-do-when-an-automated-decision-making-system-shuts-you-out/","content_elements":[{"_id":"PJ7HIN5YPFGMJIIPDLFWI2H4QE","additional_properties":{},"content":"What does it mean for a machine’s decision to be “fair”? So far, the public debate has focused mostly on the issue of bias and discrimination. That is understandable: most people would expect machines to be less biased than humans (indeed, this is often given as the rationale for using them in processes such as recruitment), so it is right to pay attention to evidence that they can be biased, too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HKQN6HZ25ZEPHIX2CC3OTXD7XA","additional_properties":{},"content":"But the word “fair” has a lot of interpretations, and “unbiased” is only one of them. I found myself on the receiving end of an automated decision recently which made me think about what it really means to feel that you have been treated justly, and how hard it might be to hold on to those principles in an increasingly automated world.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3UJA2EVYBBBLPDKYRUJOY6IMTE","additional_properties":{},"content":"I have a personal <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/google/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/google/\">Gmail</a> account which I use for correspondence about a book project I am working on. I woke up one morning in November to discover that I could no longer access it. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2LPBYE7KRBUFJ2W2J5BW74XXE","additional_properties":{},"content":"A message from Google said my access had been “restricted globally” because “it looks as though Gmail has been used to send unwanted content. Spamming is a violation of Google’s policies.” The note said the decision had been made by “automatic processing” and that if I thought it was a mistake, I could submit an appeal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HZOXIGC63REJZBYCCOLARCDPGM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I had not sent any spam and couldn’t imagine why Google’s algorithm thought that I had. That made it hard to know what to write in the “appeal” text box, other than a panicked version of something like, “I didn’t do it (whatever it is)!” and, “Please help, I really need access to my email and my files”. (To my relief, I realised later that I hadn’t lost access to my drive.)","type":"text"},{"_id":"DAL24IXVVRH23GKNQSR24J3C7M","additional_properties":{},"content":"Two days later, I heard back: “After reviewing your appeal, your account’s access remains restricted for this service.” I wasn’t given any more information on what I had supposedly done or why the appeal had been rejected, but was told that “if you disagree with this decision, you can submit another appeal.” ","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y2TOE63O2NC35H7G52XVWTPA2A","additional_properties":{},"content":"I tried again and was rejected again. I did this a few more times – curious, at this point, about how long this doom loop could continue. A glance at Reddit suggested other people had been through similar things. Eventually, I gave up. (Google declined to comment on the record.)","type":"text"},{"_id":"U6E7A5GB6BBGTL3E4YPHRZ46HA","additional_properties":{},"content":"Among regulators, one popular answer to the question of how to make automated decisions more “fair” is to insist that people can request a human to review them. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"B3QSKAJTZ5FHNOADHMLV7U5SD4","additional_properties":{},"content":"But how effective is this remedy? For one thing, humans are prone to “automation complacency” – a tendency to trust the machine too much. In the case of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorials/2024/01/11/the-irish-times-view-on-the-uk-post-office-affair-a-scandal-followed-by-a-cover-up/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorials/2024/01/11/the-irish-times-view-on-the-uk-post-office-affair-a-scandal-followed-by-a-cover-up/\">UK’s Post Office scandal</a>, for example, where sub-postmasters were wrongly accused of theft because of a faulty computer system called Horizon, a judge in 2019 concluded that people at the Post Office displayed “a simple institutional obstinacy or refusal to consider any possible alternatives to their view of Horizon”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A5PITOPIKVEHZDZ3YCWWLZ6F6I","additional_properties":{},"content":"Ben Green, an expert on algorithmic fairness at the University of Michigan, says there can be practical problems in some organisations, too. “Often times the human overseers are on a tight schedule – they have many cases to review,” he told me. “A lot of the cases I’ve looked at are instances where the decision is based on some sort of statistical prediction,” he said, but “people are not very good at making those predictions, so why would they be good at evaluating them?”","type":"text"},{"_id":"S63C5JG3WJCUXMGIB2IN5H7UMM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The very human problem with not-quite-self-driving cars","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"XVW6K77S5BATXJRWSUGFCIXVKY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Once my impotent rage about my email had simmered down, I found I had a certain amount of sympathy with Google. With so many customers, an automated system is the only practical way to detect breaches of its policies. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"C7LKYZV3RNDHHBKGYPOVJXXVPQ","embed":{"config":{},"id":"acast_podcast-36218","url":"/"},"subtype":"acast_podcast","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"2VVF4TSFLFA63EATJ5LEKI37SI","additional_properties":{},"content":"And while it felt deeply unfair to have to plead my case without knowing what had triggered the system, nor any explanation of pitfalls to avoid in an appeal, I could also see that the more detail Google offered about the way the system worked, the easier it would be for bad actors to get around it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BIFSESQWUJCHTNILLQ56D6NX5U","additional_properties":{},"content":"But this is the point. In increasingly automated systems, the goal of procedural justice – that people feel the process has been fair to them – often comes into conflict with other goals, such as the need for efficiency, privacy or security. There is no easy way to make those trade-offs disappear.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WQK74YNKSRGPZAJTULPQGQ6HNE","additional_properties":{},"content":"As for my email account, when I decided to write about my experience for this column, I emailed Google’s press office with the details to see if I could discuss the issue. By the end of the day, my access to my email account had been restored. I was pleased, of course, but I don’t think many people would see that as particularly fair either. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Sarah O'Connor"}},"name":"Sarah O'Connor"}]},"description":{"basic":"Simply adding a human review process to an algorithmic decision doesn’t make tricky trade-offs disappear"},"display_date":"2025-02-06T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Computer says no? What to do when an automated decision-making system shuts you out","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EMZQ2Q67VJBRBOH2SBHFKV275I","auth":{"1":"24ad833d60518339a86273085ea8a84584971ca83eac86847d895abe272503b5"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EMZQ2Q67VJBRBOH2SBHFKV275I.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2025/02/06/computer-says-no-what-to-do-when-an-automated-decision-making-system-shuts-you-out/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"CLSUSIWVBBBQJFX3FONF427BOA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":487,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8c2fafb6-6b66-4c89-8204-8fcf3ddf68a6/versions/1738065165/media/1fbe6a64ee595d424f3b6a77ce451032_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/2025/01/30/five-security-steps-you-need-to-take-now-on-your-phone/","content_elements":[{"_id":"KNUC3S2JUNEQFEIKVDYPJO4BKU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256446},"content":"How secure are your devices? Our phones typically look after many of our day-to-day needs, from email and messaging to shopping and banking. But phone thefts in some places are rising, and it is not the value of the phone that is at stake: it is the data it contains. That is far more valuable than the device itself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C67HZLD57VDA5IBXNJZBEPBT3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256447},"content":"Here are five steps you need to take to try to protect yourself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T35Y2EHG5NGZ5KXZGHHKOQGDTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256448},"content":"Protect your pin","type":"header"},{"_id":"OCYQV7CZAVFMRBBRIACP2ZQTVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256449},"content":"We are all conditioned to protect our pins from prying eyes at cash machines or when we are paying at a till. But how many times have you used your phone’s security code without a thought about who could be watching?","type":"text"},{"_id":"ERDYEUVKGRBN5P3CYS66UBL7WM","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256450},"content":"“Shoulder surfing” is one tactic used by thieves to target phone users. The unsuspecting victim unlocks their phone with their security code, unaware that someone is watching nearby. They are later targeted, the phone taken and, with the phone and the code in the thieves' possession, it can be unlocked and the data accessed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4KZIWF73XVEHXALLQQKYZRT5XQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256451},"content":"James O’Sullivan, founder of mobile security app Nuke From Orbit, fell victim to this on a night out in Dublin. Shortly after paying for a drink at the bar, he realised his phone was missing. Since he had used facial recognition on his phone rather than his pin when buying his drinks, he wasn’t overly concerned that his data could be accessed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SHEO4OXBKFDYHESHLKOVAKE72Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256452},"content":"It was only later that he realised his phone had been compromised, probably through someone spotting his pin code as he used it throughout the night when facial recognition was not working for him.","type":"text"},{"_id":"53AAWQJGSRBHFOL7KLTS57INLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256453},"content":"It spurred him to create Nuke From Orbit, which offers a way to cut off access to bank cards and financial apps and to create new passwords for critical services in the event of your phone being stolen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFJLNZUTVZAGXFBTZDD7WVRIZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256454},"content":"The service is set to be launched later this year and is operating a waiting list for users in advance of its official opening.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RVHV7AKT7VCVNBELS7V25EKUME","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256455},"content":"In the meantime you should be wary of using your phone’s pin or unlock pattern in public, and make sure no one is looking over your shoulder when you do.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PTLL3RIOMFCXXLATZVFKYQQG5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256456},"content":"If you reuse that pin elsewhere on your device, you may be in more trouble than you think, as it opens up access to other apps in your phone. Which brings us to…","type":"text"},{"_id":"JZIWT5CWZZD3XABW7Q2GPM2ME4","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256457},"content":"Better passwords, empty inbox and thinking before you share: How to put manners on your tech use","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZONXANG7SVHVJE6MRRH4VQIJXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256459},"content":"Go unique","type":"header"},{"_id":"DHZBHWKFNNFTRJET5XANVV3LGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256460},"content":"Whether it is your password or security code, make sure you aren’t reusing log-in data. For passwords to online accounts, you should create unique passwords for each one and store them in a password manager that has a strong, unique password protecting it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BNK63VS5HRDDBCD4EIO7ZXR7WM","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256461},"content":"For apps on your phone that require you to provide a numerical code to log in, ensure it is not the same as your main phone’s security code.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UNNFIIYBWBHFNC2RBPDHCFP7HQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256462},"content":"That means if one password or pin is compromised somehow, it won’t give whoever has gained access to your account a free pass to all the rest of your private services.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DCXVDAVBONEV3IK2Y7CCGSHLQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256463},"content":"The problem is that human beings aren’t random, and what we think is a secure, random password is a little less random than we think. This is one job where technology definitely trumps the human touch. Password managers can help you to create unique security credentials for each account and, even more importantly, it will remember them for you and autofill them into services as they are needed, provided you have already inserted the strong master password or used biometrics – facial or thumb recognition – to unlock it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TS5MWMAKOZDXNPNIW7EJ6CYNSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256464},"content":"There are password managers built into Apple – the Passwords app – and Google’s Android system – the Password Manager feature – so you can get going without having to download any additional software or put your hand in your pocket.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BGCISLQTTZHX3DZIEGJS37FCV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256465},"content":"If you want an independent service, though, there are some great free options. Open-source password manager Bitwarden, for example, will allow you to save an unlimited number of passwords to your account, and it can be accessed across mobile and desktop platforms without a subscription.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EKW6VCGWVZFHRHGIAXXWAGC4OU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256466},"content":"The core functions – securing apps, websites and accounts with passwords or passkeys – are free, although a premium subscription opens up more advanced features for the princely sum of $10 a year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VYG4FGPE6VC2TBAAW7CVANI6EY","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256467},"content":"Proton Pass is another free option, one that comes with the added benefit of access to the free tier of Proton’s other services – Proton VPN, Mail, Calendar and Drive. You get unlimited log-ins and notes, up to 10 email aliases to hide your email address, and it can share your details with one other user.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OOVS3Y6QWNDOHGVJRK5RPZTAQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256468},"type":"image"},{"_id":"INKOKFEHPBFQJPK5EBFEPJ423Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256469},"content":"Two-factor authentication","type":"header"},{"_id":"T4RT3AETNNEZPMNTOQY4PPSETU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256470},"content":"Strong passwords are great but if you want to keep people out of your personal data, two-factor authentication provides another layer of protection. Two-factor authentication requires not only your passcode but a one-time code or authentication from a trusted device before you can log in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKYU4UDYX5BKFKMQEY7UNOFX3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256471},"content":"The most secure method of two-factor authentication is generally considered to be a hardware key that plugs into your device. However, more common methods are authenticator apps, such as Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator, which generate a new secure code regularly, or SMS authentication, which will send you a code via text message.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LRDDYVXC3ZEDPMFMESUX4W3EQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256472},"content":"Authenticator apps are generally more secure as they are harder to intercept but, as with text messages, it means you have to have your phone on you to get the code. Make sure your authenticator app is locked with a strong passcode or facial recognition to keep prying eyes out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LPK6HRIMWJE3ZPSVV2PQCWZ6MM","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256473},"content":"Enable two-factor authentication on everything that supports it, whether it is email or your social-media accounts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V2D7P2WZ3FCOFEAKK2M2H6AUOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256474},"content":"The data that can be harvested from your social media is significant when it comes to identity theft – everything from your birthday to the names of close family members, where you grew up or your first pet could be contained in posts on those pages – in fact, the answers to a lot of the usual security questions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RQMXOCLU25GE5FTK2UEPHECVDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256475},"content":"Lock apps and data","type":"header"},{"_id":"DOAGW6AKXZF77KEGWR7ZIVMJDY","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256476},"content":"You can add yet another layer of protection to the most sensitive apps on your mobile device by locking them down and requiring a facial scan or passcode to enable access.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WN6DP4GSDNBCJOYYIT4BR5NIHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256477},"content":"Apple allows you to lock any app from the Home screen by long-pressing on the app and choosing Require Face ID from the pop-up menu. It can also be unlocked with your passcode, so keep that protected too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NLD4BBYDEVHNXIUZILYXCUCXYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256478},"content":"Android phones allow you to create a secure folder that keeps apps you choose hidden away. Their data will not be visible on the phone unless the secure folder is unlocked. It could be referred to as a secure folder (HMD) or private space (Pixel phones).","type":"text"},{"_id":"UALCCOMETFCNNHQEDTTZWLY3SA","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256479},"content":"Pixel phones, for example, allow you to create a separate Google Account for use in the Private Space, so you can download applications into the secure folder and put a new security code on it, distinct from your device code. HMD’s devices create a secure folder you access with a gesture on the screen, and a separate security code.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7DR7AE3M5ZBOHIWGLUDXUUYX3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256480},"content":"If you keep scans of passports or other ID on your phone, make sure to lock them away in a hidden folder on your phone that is password protected with either your face scan or a unique pin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CMQYCSPYWVGDZM2KYMCYTRSTZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256481},"content":"Those photographs, useful as they may be to have at your fingertips, could give a malicious user the last piece of the puzzle they need to set up bank accounts and other fraudulent activities in your name.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XB2KD55QERCJ3LZONXCPM6S5E4","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256482},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"DAXCYKAOHFAWRN7HF44A34UGHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256483},"content":"Audit access","type":"header"},{"_id":"74BJXGQGVBGONDDUCKOZDI3HGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256484},"content":"Who has access to your accounts? What apps have been authorised to use your data? It is a good idea to regularly review the permissions you have granted to some of your most sensitive applications, and revoke access to anything you either don’t recognise or don’t need.","type":"text"},{"_id":"45LWOZHAKRB6LPWIMWLIH6IGBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1738183256485},"content":"In Google, this information can be found under Google Account > Security and scroll down to connections to third-party apps and services. On Apple devices, go to Settings > Apple Account > Sign in with Apple.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Much of the data on your phone is more valuable than the device itself should it get stolen"},"display_date":"2025-01-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Five security steps you need to take now on your phone","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HLRFSLNBGJGJPI6QOC55SSUED4","auth":{"1":"da3e3aab09eb612ef7e7310a5e201f4a8bcc7d6d62d53d7c8b0d4155ec301c01"},"focal_point":{"x":2078,"y":972},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HLRFSLNBGJGJPI6QOC55SSUED4.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/2025/01/30/five-security-steps-you-need-to-take-now-on-your-phone/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Technology"}}}},{"_id":"2QKWEXDIJ5CIVNHTGZJE6FVWMM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":274,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/e9dcb652-cb28-49e7-9bb1-45abd5a82a36/versions/1738062785/media/cfc1159ceb2c95b92b1c16428473bdc1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/30/bosch-unlimited-7-aqua-review-saving-time-and-effort-on-household-cleaning/","content_elements":[{"_id":"R6KVB5MWCZGRHOFLVFS6JXXW54","additional_properties":{"_id":1738057804947},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-42374","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"4HKWUXM6AVEU3LGY5V6A2QATEM","additional_properties":{},"content":"I like devices that save time. I like them even more when they don’t take up a lot of room in my house, or when I can replace two of them with one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EWGWKWW6GJGHXIRNHDEDVK4G64","additional_properties":{},"content":"Take for example the Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua. It is a two-in-one cordless vacuum and mop, a first for the company and a win for consumers who might not have the space or the desire for two entirely separate devices to clean floors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WCZHKS2V3VBMLKWJ2MWFYU4VQE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Unlimited 7 Aqua is a new addition to the range. It does everything you would expect of the Bosch vacuum, but throws in the new twin-in-one mop head so you can wash the floors, too. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"4IWEKDPQYRHTZP4X4TWQN6BC4I","additional_properties":{},"content":"That isn’t entirely unusual; other vacuums offer a wet cleaning head, but Bosch’s decision to build the two into one attachment means you can vacuum and mop without having to swap attachments, or do the same floor twice. And the dirt goes into a separate chamber, so it doesn’t form a damp, disgusting paste that you have to clean.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y6DJLLC7P5ETFM7USBUHYAGTVE","additional_properties":{},"content":"The attachment in question has two spinning mop pads to lift dirt, and a small water tank built in. As you move throughout the room, it sucks away the dirt, and wets the spinning pads to scrub your floors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AECMPKID4ZHOFACXSNSZG6SF5M","additional_properties":{},"type":"image"},{"_id":"KICWHNYOONGWPG4L3JWUSQKSEA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The water supply is automatic, so you don’t have to worry about leaks or overly wet surfaces. And there is no dirty mop to wring out at the end.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXTIUEJOVJFKXJJMFRDCIQPH2U","additional_properties":{},"content":"It works surprisingly well. It tackled the usual child-related grime in my home without too much complaining. The mop left the floors clean but not wet afterwards. It only struggled with an unreported spill that had been allowed to set into something resembling cement – possibly Weetabix-filled milk from a bowl – but a quick spray and a few minutes to settle saw it lift the dirt on the second go.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RAV4TGAP3JAEZGETGQOHFUXO64","additional_properties":{},"content":"It also tackled loose dust and debris quickly. Anything tougher will require the big guns: the dynamic power brush.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KCUO64TBMRF2NKI5QST4447GS4","additional_properties":{},"content":"This is suitable for all floor types and has LED lights so you can really highlight all the dirt you’ve missed in the past. It’s not quite as soul-destroying as Dyson’s laser cleaning head, but it will certainly make you rethink your cleaning schedule.","type":"text"},{"_id":"URAWRE4MO5AILO7G7THSY4DUYI","additional_properties":{},"content":"It also tackles carpets with ease, with the power brush making quick work of the task.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P6B5M7NMTRDIBEDCNDR3QAT4YI","additional_properties":{},"content":"According to Bosch, the cleaner will pick up 99.9 per cent of dust and allergens, with HEPA filtration system filters to make sure it stays gone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NHHCR2EDH5GZPHWJBCSYA2IDKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Homebot Ireland Glider review: A home cleaner that (mostly) takes care of itself","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZBB2SMUNRJGJTFGNVEZCTTTTRU","additional_properties":{},"content":"It is powered by a motor with up to 66,000rpm, and you can choose between eco or turbo mode, or flick it on to auto and let the device make the choice, depending on the floor type.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7E3EAZY4SBGIVHVPJUK7VOQ65E","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Unlimited 7 Aqua has some great features. It is lighter than some of the other cordless devices I’ve used in the past, which makes it easy to use in all areas of the house, especially on the stairs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IZXB3DV4FJDMDENJ5R25DUBR3M","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Bosch vacuum also comes with more flexible tools. It has a flexible crevice nozzle – great for getting down the side of the dishwasher in this house, or tackling the car – and the hinged “flex tube” that lets you get to harder-to-reach places without having to bend over too much. ","type":"text"},{"_id":"76DUEWVDLNAL3F74RVZE3W6S6Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"If you suffer with any sort of back pain, you’ll know why this is a good thing: if you don’t, congratulations and long may it last but, trust me when I say, at some point you will welcome this. The 90-degree bend means it goes low so you don’t have to.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FQPPKKWBUVBPZJD6RSLDEEF4Z4","additional_properties":{},"content":"The machine has a 3aH battery that gives you about 40 minutes of run time before it needs a charge. That should give you enough time to whizz around the house, but if you need extra, the batteries are easily swapped out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VC7FMLHPHRAD5LZBEVU2QJCJYY","additional_properties":{},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"KGV2EU7W2VBEFHNW4PJXXJTQAI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Great space saver, and the two-in-one mop head works well. The spinning mop pads will lift some of the medium level dirt from your floors, but heavy-duty grime might require a bit of extra intervention.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7I2SWMGWLFCNDOFZSF6LFKI2VI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Battery life is enough to do the average sized house, and can be easily changed if you need longer running time. They are fairly generic Bosch batteries too, so shop around for a good deal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PHY62MMK7BGZPPL3LNSSXNIDXI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"7WNU6S5HFFBOFF6337JFGMX2GA","additional_properties":{},"content":"The two-in-one mop head is fine for wet cleaning, but it obviously isn’t suitable for use on any carpet, and will only lift loser dirt.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O7M3DLCUMVAWVMNE32JDDHXPKU","additional_properties":{},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"5XPQ6QKWJRA23EH3PB356LWUJI","additional_properties":{},"content":"The mop pads are washable, and Bosch includes spares in the box so you are never without the means to mop your floor. Joy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLYWONDOGZAM7BV7SXOEKRIBOI","additional_properties":{},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"I5RF4XJKXBCW5NCX6ILZDHMJ5Q","additional_properties":{},"content":"A time and effort saver that earns its price.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Two-in-one mop head on new Bosch vacuum allows you to wash the floors without changing attachments"},"display_date":"2025-01-30T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Bosch Unlimited 7 Aqua review: Saving time and effort on household cleaning","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SLKDEKCTOBDHZEHGC36GYUJOAU","auth":{"1":"60fa69e8c5675da169c05cd4b254c130d06fd26a50af8e2db1b114c71997eb34"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SLKDEKCTOBDHZEHGC36GYUJOAU.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/30/bosch-unlimited-7-aqua-review-saving-time-and-effort-on-household-cleaning/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"IG3THFDLHBA3FGAVJGU2DMPF24","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":400,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/9ede729f-7ee4-4dd5-8dc0-799891dee3c6/versions/1737367262/media/d492882999fd0aae1736978cc94b9e39_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2025/01/23/toyota-turns-up-at-las-vegas-electronics-show-ces-not-with-a-car-but-with-a-new-city/","content_elements":[{"_id":"3REVDYGBQFEUPJ2GAUTKZGJF7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059678},"content":"The vast <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/ces/\" target=\"_blank\">Consumer Electronics Show</a> (CES), held in Las Vegas every January, has become a de facto motorcar show. Car makers have abandoned the traditional vast motor shows of old – such as Frankfurt and Geneva – and instead prefer to mix it with the cool kids of the tech world, rubbing shoulders with Nvidia, Apple, Google, and the likes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VE2BTLN7SVDSHFBB4NOKRWAQRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059680},"content":"Car companies have used CES to show off everything from new dashboard technology to full cars. This year, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/honda\" target=\"_blank\">Honda </a>is displaying both the new Afeela electric car that it’s making in collaboration with Sony (only for the American market so far) as well as the latest concept car in its 0 series of electric car previews.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NW7AM5ZKUVFIVLXQERDZ6DYSOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059681},"content":"This year, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/toyota\" target=\"_blank\">Toyota </a>decided not to show up with a car. Toyota came to CES with a whole city.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RAKEGOU7ZJCGFKVSLLDPYJPH3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059682},"content":"Not literally, you understand. In 2020, also at CES (the last one before Covid-19 lockdowns) Toyota’s president, and then its chief executive, Akio Toyoda, announced that the company was going to make its own city. In 2025 that promise will start to come true, with the first residents of Woven City due to move in later this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JVQ6ZQSQ5VF5DA7HUSECTWVTGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059683},"content":"This new city has been planned and built by Toyota at the foot of Mount Fuji, to the southwest of the vast urban sprawl of Japan’s capital. It’s designed to be a city designed around people, and one that minimises both its carbon footprint and any potential for congestion or transport issues. Initially, much of the promise of Woven City was tied to Toyota’s hydrogen plans, and the city itself was set to use hydrogen fuel cells for most of its power needs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GHTH4KBQMRG6XMNJC3PIK4EWDU","additional_properties":{"_id":"NWUB6QFA3JEQVC7QWUM2LKXOXA"},"content":"Who needs an iSmell? Nevada’s CES offers a tantalising view of the future","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"J3Y3V7HDO5EXNEPGTRMMNXLBOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059685},"content":"In the five years since, hydrogen seems to have moved on to the back burner. At CES, Akio Toyoda’s speech announcing the first residents of Woven City made no mention of hydrogen. Toyoda – the grandson of the founder of Toyota – did mention lots of other exciting tech, however, and even compared himself to Taylor Swift.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CCR2RKC7LZCRNBHF5BJVLKN7RM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059686},"content":"That comparison was less to do with Toyoda’s musical ability, and more to do with the barrage of camera flashes that welcomed him on to the stage at CES. Perhaps even in his wildest dreams, Toyoda never thought he would be a rock star, but he’s now the impresario of a city.","type":"text"},{"_id":"727JUEPA7BGT3PWGB4PKS4EIIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059687},"content":"“I’ll bet that when you hear the name Toyota, you probably think of words like dependability, value, or affordable transportation. In fact, I’m pretty sure that ‘prototype town of the future’ isn’t the first thing that pops into your head,” Toyoda said. “But five years ago, on this very stage, in this very room – and apparently I was wearing the same tie – I announced that Toyota would be building exactly that. We call it Woven City.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DEX464WA75DGNCAFTYGXSIFRRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059688},"content":"Toyoda went on to say that Woven City was “more than just a place to live, work and play” – it’s a “place where people can invent and develop all kinds of new products and ideas, a living laboratory where the residents are willing participants, giving inventors the opportunity to freely test their ideas in a secure, real-life setting”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MGGF2TQR6ZB5DJIHKY5NNWCO4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059689},"content":"So while the first handful of residents who will move in this coming autumn will be employees of Toyota and their families – about 100 initially, expected to grow to more than than 2,000 by 2026 – Woven City is not merely a glorified dormitory town for those working at Toyota.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CT5EOZUUY5D53APTEWOKMUMFNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059690},"content":"Instead, it’s better thought of as both an experiment – into carbon reduction and transport logistics – and a start-up hothouse. Toyota has already confirmed that several industries are interested in locating in Woven City, from air conditioning manufacturer Daikin Industries, to education provider Zoshinkai Holdings already signed up, and the likes of ENEOS Corporation, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), and Rinnai Corporation all expressing interest.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AIQ4PZE3BVAAPDKY5DUJSNRZYA","additional_properties":{"_id":"CGYBTBXENJD73IBZ2KOQA4J35U"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"6DG35SMUKBFHTGOO23BFWGUAHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059691},"content":"That’s what Woven City is truly for – a place where Toyota people can rub shoulders and share space with other companies, in the hope of driving innovation. Toyoda even said at CES that it doesn’t really matter if the building of the city turns out to be a financial loss for Toyota (his exact words were: “Maybe not. That’s Okay”) because the theory is that the innovations that arise from the city will pay much bigger dividends down the line.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7TFRIBCTYZBONIJXPSH5XFUJWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059692},"content":"While hydrogen has taken a back seat, <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\" target=\"_blank\">artificial intelligenc</a>e is now – unsurprisingly – to the fore when it comes to Woven City, with Toyoda promising developments such as: “Personal mobility devices like a wheelchair race car, because everybody should experience the joy of going fast, to drones that safely escort you home at night, to interactive pet robots that provide support and companionship for the elderly, to flying cars like [the] one made by our friends at Joby, making the trip from Woven City to Tokyo fast and traffic free.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"S7A3YN6HSBGKZKNBAI3XSLYRFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059693},"content":"Toyoda even mentioned an in-house robot that has been taught how to precisely fold T-shirts, simply by watching a human instructor do the same.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IWVWVE3NCJCRJC42L5ZEMZGP7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059694},"content":"Given Toyoda’s well-known enthusiasm for cars, he also sought to reassure those of a more traditional bent that all this tech wouldn’t take away the fun. “Between you and me, as Toyota’s master driver, I’ve personally thought autonomous vehicles were a bit, you know, boring ... until our team showed me these two Toyota race cars that drift autonomously. As the kids would say, that slaps, and I’m totally here for it!”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3FLZZ2ZOHZBXXBOYONJEGNL7VA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059695},"content":"Toyoda also announced two new AI software developments – called Arene and Vision AI – which respectively create a digital twin of the real world and can use that to work out how new innovations will slot into place, and a system that combines video data analysis with artificial intelligence to better understand the movement behaviour of people and objects.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OOGNUKPOBJHITP7Z2B33TQRQBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059696},"content":"Toyoda finished by reminding his audience why this new tech development is called Woven City.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6RE43L3EJGKXL7ZMEXJ4IA45E","additional_properties":{"_id":1737364059697},"content":"“We didn’t start out by making cars [it traces its roots back to the Toyoda Spinning and Weaving Company in 1918]; we began by weaving fabric. That’s why we think of the future residents of Woven City as weavers. Because much like test drivers for cars, our residents will be the ones who use and experience the new products and services our inventors develop, and will play a critical role in pulling all the threads together. For me, at its core, Woven City is about collaboration. It’s about the opportunity to weave together diverse points of view, talents and abilities, to create a new kind of fabric for our future.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7P75IMSEFEK3ECM642SOQECJY","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Neil Briscoe"}},"name":"Neil Briscoe"}]},"description":{"basic":"First residents of the car maker’s Woven City, near Tokyo, will move in this year. The company views it as an experiment and a start-up hothouse"},"display_date":"2025-01-23T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Toyota turns up at Las Vegas electronics show CES not with a car but with a new city","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"F7FMNLPAZZDJLJDIFTJCX7PFUA","auth":{"1":"8100b9a5fc4110cc1964b99c8ab9dd039be67818ee1fae59afc3d7f7fe347c28"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/F7FMNLPAZZDJLJDIFTJCX7PFUA.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Motors"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2025/01/23/toyota-turns-up-at-las-vegas-electronics-show-ces-not-with-a-car-but-with-a-new-city/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"ECFZRQMJIVFXXCB4HWYBSKP7Q4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":322,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ea9c614e-53a2-424f-87ef-c28d0c737f3f/versions/1737454795/media/628dcff7d9d92f7f8735b66a250cc36c_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/23/tribit-stormbox-blast-2-review-great-audio-party-lights-and-even-a-karaoke-option/","content_elements":[{"_id":"C2GJ3P67NRFKXMO44GMHE6NGJA","additional_properties":{"_id":"R3CY7QV23ZEKTCYAJTIS3BWNUA"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-82372","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"O7JYHXICKFCZTHQJT3WRK2E754","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994767},"content":"Compact Bluetooth speakers have their place, but occasionally you need something with a bit of heft. The Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 certainly offers that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JIWGIQMMBFGIPLB2PFSOHPPB64","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994768},"content":"Tribit’s self-proclaimed purpose is to make high-quality audio accessible to all, and in many ways, the Stormbox Blast 2 delivers. Not only is it powerful, with a 200W combined output that includes an 80W subwoofer, dual 45W mid-range drivers and two 15W tweeters, but it is probably the best party speaker tested here in a long time. Not only does it deliver on great audio, it adds in some party lights and a karaoke option just for laughs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUFW6NW3RJCO5EOV6LKX6K5NGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994769},"content":"But it’s bit less portable than the name suggests. At just under 8.7kg, it’s a weight to carry around, and it isn’t easy to wrestle. The idea that you might carry this along when you head off for a hike, as Tribit’s website suggests, seems a bit far-fetched.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CRDCYJHCUFCOBF26HO4IUL2LWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994770},"content":"Hiking wasn’t on the agenda for this review, but toting it around the house was enough; it was too awkward to carry for any length of time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6WZYLZI6DZFEXEQFQUQ6M5IIR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994771},"content":"The Tribit speaker lived up to every other promise, however. It was easy to get started with too. There is a Tribit app that you can use to set up the speaker, customising everything from the light effects to the sound.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4K2ID3MKBDARKH2JJTLEHYBDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994772},"content":"But you don’t really need the app for the speaker’s general use. On the top of the device, you have a panel of controls for power, Bluetooth, volume, bass boost and lights. There is a multifunction button that can play, pause and skip through tracks, depending on how many times you tap it, and a TWS button that will link it with a compatible speaker to create a chain of wireless speakers, all playing the same audio source, either as stereo speakers or in party mode. You can use the speaker without ever opening the app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NTE24Q2DLZHN7FQWOR6XVTEAHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994773},"content":"Where the app does come into its own is for customising the speaker. Once you have that downloaded, you can use one of the preset equaliser options to get the best sound for whatever audio you need, or tweak the settings via the custom option to get a personalised sound.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SGJXB5CZBDI7BG4XT5HHVMYBI","additional_properties":{"_id":"LMVCMJDST5CGJNNBU6WTPX4GAQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"HXWZO73PDVBVTOGCJL5JDKCW2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994774},"content":"All in all, the speaker produces some good sound. Its bass is punchy, without being too overwhelming, and Tribit has also included its X-3D technology that creates a more immersive sound.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZGKQXEMMHZEGZEJBT326ME7EEA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994775},"content":"It is not just for wireless connections, however. On the back of the device is a small covered panel that contains the AC power connection, the microphone inputs and controls, aux connection and USB ports for both type A and type C. That USB C port can be used for charging the device, too, although it is far slower than the AC option. If you need to power up in a hurry, you shouldn’t rely on the USB.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2SHOUIHO4RB5XPETNHC445FBJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994776},"content":"The mic inputs are for the karaoke sessions, with a reverb option if you want to step things up a notch. You can connect up to two mics via the wired inputs on the back – the device works with wireless Bluetooth mics too – and crank up the reverb to really belt out the tunes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3LXUNVVY55FPPHPPSR6A6OBGXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994777},"content":"Because it is billed as an outdoor speaker, it is no surprise that it comes with some form of protection. It has an IP67 rating, so you can take it outside without worrying it will get water damaged. However, that is dependent on you remembering to close the rubber cover over the back panel tightly when you are around water or in a humid environment.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PJH45CCBQNHOLDLEOYXLWSOFAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994778},"content":"As for battery life, a single charge will give you 30 hours of play time without having to top it up – if you want to stick to 50 per cent volume and no lights. Even at higher volumes and with the lights on full blast, you will still get hours of listening out of it, enough to do an all-day party or an outdoor session, without having to hunt down a socket.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YZPJWNSXDZE6BPV42AN2WEOA5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994779},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"T7UINHLKBBACXAM6M3SKFAAZZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994780},"content":"Battery life is excellent, even if you like your audio on the higher side and prefer to have the light show switched on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N5JG4UN7XBBTBIO7FMVC5KYYT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994781},"content":"The control over the sound balance through the app is welcome. While the presets are good to have, especially if you aren’t sure what you want, the custom EQ will allow you to have the granular control to customise sound to your own preferences – not what the manufacturer has decreed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FRM455EGNZBTNF75ITY7SHLKJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994782},"content":"The speaker also doubles as a karaoke machine, with dual inputs for two mics on the back of the device. Volume for each can be controlled separately too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"73WKZDMMXZA2DMG3OM6NBVZQBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994783},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"3V7UJPDKHNA2NH4O3R2WO2LNTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994784},"content":"Out of the box, the sound is fine, but connecting it to the app will give you more control over the finer points of the sound. You can opt for one of the presets in the app – boosting or reducing bass, optimising it for audiobooks and so on – or you can tweak it yourself with the custom equaliser.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2QPROPMWYNAQJLTVBVN6FRRU6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994785},"content":"While it can charge via USB C, a full charge can take a bit longer than you’d like – several hours more, in fact.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KAMN43FZAVEJNJ5K6DRFU2ONHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994786},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"3LQ4HPVZHRFRJBJYGN3YO4CXBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994787},"content":"The lights are handy for a party, but irritating if you want to listen to an audiobook or podcast. Luckily, you can turn them off, either through the app or with the controls on the top of the speaker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YG6XXA7VAZCMPA3ZIJOI4MALOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994788},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"KXHO4CIAXBD2JHBSYLTAH6Q7CY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737307994789},"content":"The perfect party speaker.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Is this the perfect party speaker?"},"display_date":"2025-01-23T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Tribit StormBox Blast 2 review: Great audio, party lights and even a karaoke option","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"COF4CSNG7NHRXCXSFG7GAXUV3A","auth":{"1":"e11119e4ac24b45e2aafddc33e22cfdff81a92720d6a388ce6f07176b90cb28c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/COF4CSNG7NHRXCXSFG7GAXUV3A.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/23/tribit-stormbox-blast-2-review-great-audio-party-lights-and-even-a-karaoke-option/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"L7GMVEVV65EDPIR7LWF67RJDTQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":261,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/61a19674-4a16-4912-8188-a8e0b43757ea/versions/1737275367/media/147818d7984d3ba4dbdf9f6369c51e0b_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2025/01/19/tiktok-restores-service-in-us-after-donald-trump-pledges-a-reprieve/","content_elements":[{"_id":"S3Q7ADSWJVFW3GGAIN7KMKVU4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739769},"content":"TikTok said on Sunday that it was restoring services in the United States after Donald Trump pledged earlier in the day to give the video app a reprieve on its US ban.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PHB4G5LQOFCLRHGO6NLC5MMVMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739770},"content":"Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social that, after taking office on Monday, he would sign an executive order allowing the Chinese-owned video app additional time to find a buyer before facing a total shutdown, and proposing that the US or an American firm take a 50 per cent ownership stake.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLXGB7HBM5A7DEWZYWKMGA2KS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739771},"content":"“By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say (sic) up,” Trump said. “Without US approval, there is no TikTok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars – maybe trillions.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"XPNKGVOLEJFEHNHJJHK3DKXJHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739772},"content":"TikTok stopped working in the US for 170 million users late on Saturday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QAI3XZVNAVB4XDA43VVGUKKPXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739773},"content":"Congress passed a law in April mandating its owner, ByteDance, either to sell to a non-Chinese company or face a total shutdown. The app chose the shutdown after the US supreme court ruled to uphold the ban on Friday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FUONWCJPNBDUZKIRGZVKRERSJI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739774},"content":"“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the US,” stated a pop-up message to US users on TikTok on Saturday night, which came as something of a surprise, given that the law only required app stores to remove it. “Unfortunately that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"SXNIA52S2VEAPDQR6E2ZOTIM3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739775},"content":"Mr Trump attempted to intervene on TikTok’s behalf at the 11th hour, even though it was Mr Trump who initially pushed for the ban. But he changed his tune after finding a large audience on the app during his 2024 presidential campaign.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3PYFEKNMORHKTMEFYKX6SDOGPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739776},"content":"TikTok’s chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, released a video thanking Mr Trump for his efforts to keep the app active in the US. He is expected to attend Mr Trump’s inauguration ceremony in person.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3OYH2MKBFDRJBELLCNJRX26WQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739777},"content":"After Mr Trump’s message on Sunday, the company said in a statement that it was “in the process of restoring service”, adding: “We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over seven million small businesses to thrive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BZ7RCSKZPBCUVJTFUEG4JFK52E","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739778},"content":"“It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VMMATQTCRFM5DNYXNSKQUKIKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739779},"content":"Some TikTok users reported the app was fully functional once again shortly after the announcement.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VQJZPBAYVNGUBOEJOSQDKEPFAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739780},"content":"The incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, also told CNN on Sunday that Mr Trump hasn’t ruled out continued Chinese ownership, with “firewalls to make sure that the data is protected here on US soil”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ADWFJ33BTBAZREMBDMQFW73WSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739781},"content":"He also said on CBS News on Sunday that Mr Trump said he was working to “save” TikTok and needs time to sort out issues related to the firm and to evaluate potential buyers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ALPAPOPHJBDLRKUJZLMMGI3YHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739782},"content":"It is unclear whether Mr Trump could totally circumvent the ban, though he could order the justice department not to enforce the bill. He has also said the supreme court decision should be “respected”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5SXKAPS2DREJTJUQC4XPQGVZYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739783},"content":"Meanwhile, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday that he intends to uphold the TikTok ban.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IRPQWIKEFNEZNGU66YOMG6Z6BU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739784},"content":"“When President Trump issued the Truth post and said save TikTok, the way we read that is that he’s going to try to force along a true divestiture, changing of hands, the ownership,” Mr Johnson said.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SN4P7R67HBDSBHBAMKA64TMPGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739785},"content":"He added members of Congress are not worried about the app itself but about the Chinese Communist Party, and said TikTok’s owners, ByteDance, had 270 days to sell the app in the US.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6MHOT7RBJJCWPDHCM7ZIIB4YKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739786},"content":"Some Republicans have rejected the idea of extending the time before the ban goes into effect.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ADOZHH4ABBAARCBI5IHJBXBYKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739787},"content":"“Now that the law has taken effect, there’s no legal basis for any kind of ‘extension’ of its effective date,” said the Senate intelligence committee chairman Tom Cotton (Republican of Arkansas) and Senator Pete Ricketts (Republican of Nebraska) in a joint statement on Sunday.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SYHEGPL4QNHXJAPBB574LGDHSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739788},"content":"“For TikTok to come back online in the future, ByteDance must agree to a sale that satisfies the law’s qualified-divestiture requirements by severing all ties between TikTok and Communist China. Only then will Americans be protected from the grave threat posed to their privacy and security by a communist-controlled TikTok.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"TT3FEQ42ERFCFIWZOGGNBC4PWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739789},"content":"Several Democrats last week urged President Biden to issue a reprieve to give TikTok more time before shutting down.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOMEPTSVCJGO7BQMKQNLU3FLPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739790},"content":"“It’s clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer for TikTok,” the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, said last Thursday. “We will continue working to keep TikTok alive, protect content creators’ livelihoods, protect against CCP [Chinese Communist Party] surveillance, and protect national security. I will work with the Trump Admin to find a solution.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"V4OHAZK4XNC3HCMMD2LUS7VEPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739791},"content":"The Shark Tank celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary said on Friday he offered TikTok’s owners $20 billion to buy it, while the company Perplexity AI has also reportedly submitted a bid to merge with TikTok US, rather than purchase the app outright. – Reuters","type":"text"},{"_id":"S7JVLMMYCNETDHSSIYLLJMMC4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1737312739792},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"PCXFCOS6UVB5TEZG42M2RWIUJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726396},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"BGCV6TLE6RFK5KXXGVDJVPXJTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726397},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"AMNZWZIEBNB2TN3Q7WZN3BRMJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726398},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"E25Y3LPG5NATHIWKVCGSGAPUG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726399},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"VL73NTTHZJAVVONWEOGGE4Z7SE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726400},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"WEBGPBUHDRAVHMUELC4MJF433Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726401},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"6UVQ2WB4SFFVTOA6SCADTGK7ZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726402},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"AV4HDD5HSVCH3AXWH7CYOST7GE","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726403},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"PPLESWDEDZGKZDQO6AGDJCU4GQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726404},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"MRCTNZO5NRGETKFY5Z2FVHWHUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726405},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"W2CV7UEXBZGVVMKDIYTHLNNE74","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726406},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"SWNDVCLF6RG5TCFUVHXD6PAK4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726407},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"5ESFSFWRPVHT5LFN5W55WU7OEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726408},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"VGHAX7ENNRCNZKCMWUGVSX72YI","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726409},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"EEGCJBDBJVB3ZMKW5S3X7EJC44","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726410},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"36OP63UVPJEJBKGKYOLOIOZT7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726411},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"WLLERK26VNETJA66ULTCEHLNN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726412},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"QLEPNHFDOZAOJKTRBAHMBCUAXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726413},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"J5CXZLNLBVCJVFBJRL4MH2463E","additional_properties":{"_id":1737273726414},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"President-elect says he will give Chinese-owned app more time to find a buyer hours after TikTok pulls plug on 170m users"},"display_date":"2025-01-19T18:49:33.557Z","headlines":{"basic":"TikTok restores service in US after Donald Trump pledges a reprieve ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"SWEFASIRVTELAA67GMMVF42B2M","auth":{"1":"9009c0279a3d85823f5e9fb144c1ede588a541f7d087459ec810e4ada31305bd"},"focal_point":{"x":3239,"y":1895},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SWEFASIRVTELAA67GMMVF42B2M.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"US"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"World"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2025/01/19/tiktok-restores-service-in-us-after-donald-trump-pledges-a-reprieve/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"UCMSV5WV4JF2NKBY5XKFK7ADBI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":362,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/85d87ac1-bb65-4986-86d6-fda5e37e2bcf/versions/1736854373/media/b70b6f15ad6338fed0760453ed3f2228_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/16/codex-leap-sit-stand-desk-review-counteract-your-sedentary-work-lifestyle-at-the-touch-of-a-button/","content_elements":[{"_id":"ZTJNGYOTFJBZLITSZ2GBQHQEIA","additional_properties":{"_id":"XFLEVTCLXVGTTOFZ2WJQ5PFKM4"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-65542","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"KN3BP3OVP5CJJN3Q6WWC5TKA54","additional_properties":{"_id":1736845955409},"content":"A few years ago, standing desks started to appear in our offices. At first, the idea of standing at your desk to work seemed a bit out there, akin to bosses decreeing that chairs would be removed from meeting rooms to “energise” team gatherings or treadmill desks being landed in the middle of your formerly staid office.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G74P6TE7ZZGJZJUHRJ6WIXSGKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584632},"content":"This was accompanied by breathless headlines about the dangers of sitting for too long. Could it be worse for us than obesity? Would too much sitting down have as bad an impact on our belts as <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/is-sitting-the-new-smoking-how-to-quit-the-sedentary-lifestyle-1.3149295\" target=\"_blank\">smoking</a>?","type":"text"},{"_id":"2J7R7GRVBJGDXM64N2ZQZ7IINM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584633},"content":"And exactly how much sitting was too much? Knowing the point at which you crossed the line seemed to be important, but no one could really tell you that.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TXAJZ6NFZRGX5F6KS4KVLQOWYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584634},"content":"What the experts (and expert adjacent) seem to agree on is that a combination of sitting and standing will be better for your back, will <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/fitness/sitting-at-a-desk-all-week-three-minutes-of-exercise-every-half-hour-can-counter-its-effects-1.4669319\" target=\"_blank\">improve </a>your sedentary lifestyle and might even help you live longer. (Whether you will spend that extra time you eke out locked in the workforce is more a matter for future governments and their retirement policies.)","type":"text"},{"_id":"6VWJMHZ5ONECTFM6OPOVP7PRJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736767510114},"content":"Standing all day seems like a special kind of torture, though. So sitting-standing desks have evolved. Although they aren’t the standard workstation for everyone, no one really bats an eyelid at their use these days.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IRDIXO6DFBEIHOIXXFQ5CIYF7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584636},"content":"There are plenty of different types available. There are risers you can put on top of your existing desk to raise your monitor, mouse and keyboard up to standing height, allowing you to keep the desk you like while also tapping into the benefits of a standing one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NYJACBFAWRCULA6JX57MV4SW4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584637},"content":"Ikea has even got in on the act, with a desk you can raise up or down via a crank, satisfying the more budget end of the market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OXRYCAPS3JET7KFTLGZQOSGWRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584638},"content":"If you are feeling fancy, though, you can go for the electric option. This is where the Leap desk from office supplies company Codex comes into the picture. With this electric standing desk, you can set your favoured heights and alternate between them at the touch of a button.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5P25UQ3QFJE6RORLKGNKSUD3GY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FNI5NR2OENCR3CNKELLEIPLEXA"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"2LXPEIDMYFHX5NWRGOPNRV2T4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584639},"content":"It ticks all the right boxes. It is big enough to use as an office desk, with plenty of space for your computer, an external monitor and all the other accessories you need to make your work life as easy as possible. Would it make me more productive, though? Or solve my niggling but persistent back pain?","type":"text"},{"_id":"AB3GRXT5XFH2BNWRQZKJJIZGGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736845955418},"content":"On first impression, the bamboo version of the Leap desk looks impressive. There is plenty of space, and the cables are all tucked neatly away so you aren’t tripping over them or catching them with your office chair.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2UBNLX25QZB5BNJ7VPDX3ZGH5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584640},"content":"It seems strange initially to have to plug in your desk. However, it already has to be within reach of a power outlet anyway, and one extra plug probably doesn’t make much of a difference. Plus the idea that sitting all day at a desk is worse for you than smoking is a tough idea to shake, even if the experts can’t quite agree on how to quantify the harm from your sedentary lifestyle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HPSFD5Z6TVHTJMD3OQ7DJBOHUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1737009337994},"content":"The controls for the desk are subtle but not too small, and can be positioned on either side of the desk to suit your personal preference. There are three settings, one of which can be used to set the desk at the seated height, another for the standing height, and a third for whatever you feel like. It is a simple process to assign these buttons: hold the memory key for a few seconds, and then the desired number.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UCRJUAR7VNGCVPHMWTP2N4JQH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584642},"content":"The control panel also has a small display with numbers to indicate the height of the desk so if someone (in this case, a curious seven-year-old) should happen to accidentally reset your seated preference, you can easily adjust it back.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ULTPMTDIXRBDHOO4WCHAM5P4NA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584643},"content":"There is a good height range on the desk, too. It goes from 595mm to 1,245mm, which should be enough to satisfy the requirements of even the above-average-height worker (or, in my case, below average).","type":"text"},{"_id":"LRU3IRM5ANBXFLIN3FZ5QWSLFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584644},"content":"Putting it together didn’t take too long. For this review, Codex assembled the desk; it is part of the deal when they sell to businesses or home workers. If needed, you could assemble it yourself, though it would be best to get a second person involved to keep things simple.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3IYVRFWHUNCDHD3YWNQB4O6SOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584645},"content":"Once in place, the desk probably won’t be doing a lot of moving about. At almost 53kg, it isn’t easily portable to other floors, for example. But it also means that the desk is sturdy and doesn’t feel as though extending it to its full height will make it unstable – which is probably more important than being able to shift it to another room, considering my existing desk hasn’t moved position in 4½ years (and only then because we moved house).","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTMVDM7XKZBCVKU2JP4KDIWDRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736767510125},"content":"One thing not to forget: invest in a decent chair. The Leap desk came with the NV Ergonomic office chair as part of the review, something that adds to the overall cost of the desk if you needed to upgrade your existing set-up. Even if you spend half your time standing, you will still need a decent chair, preferably ergonomic, for the time you spend sitting down. No point in undoing any of the good work the standing desk does for your posture.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QRZHJ2FT7VB4RCINKEIC5FVS6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584646},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"RJ2NBQNUZZCM3K5GHNTP23D3SI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584647},"content":"If you want something simple to use that also looks professional, the Leap desk is ideal. Once you have the correct heights figured out, you can save them to the desk’s memory and then access them at the touch of a button.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X4OCS3MG5BGGLMA3LE6XUJT5MA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584648},"content":"The desk itself has plenty of room, even after loading it up with all the usual workplace accessories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NPD2HJPQ35FF7BGYGB6YPGHWCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584649},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"KLJGJAECHBE4DLHLWYEE32FK3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584650},"content":"It is sturdy but heavy, so assemble it close where you plan to position it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LKMT35AU2NAZJM5YV3OGTDSFKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584651},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"YFQJL33URVBBHBNU5GWA2U3KLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584652},"content":"There are two portals for cables, one on either side of the desk, so you can keep your cable management streamlined.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5KYYJIDJOVEQBPUNHBW2SDYJRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584653},"content":"The same base can be used for a number of different desktop sizes, too, with a frame that expands from 1,200mm to 1,600mm.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7SNVJSYUKFHSXIRCAKJZ2E7HYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584654},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"WPUY7CEDZJFPZKFLLNOHCY62CM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736761584655},"content":"A sleek addition to your office – home or otherwise.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Controls for the desk are subtle but not too small, and can be positioned on either side of the desk to suit your personal preference"},"display_date":"2025-01-16T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Leap Sit Stand desk review: Counteract your sedentary work lifestyle at the touch of a button ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"WTJQULZVPVH5JLQWF5ZMABEKVE","auth":{"1":"4780e5539a6634894937caa1f66a62c60798de64f8eeb9853e0ee22628c8131c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/WTJQULZVPVH5JLQWF5ZMABEKVE.PNG"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/16/codex-leap-sit-stand-desk-review-counteract-your-sedentary-work-lifestyle-at-the-touch-of-a-button/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"XGAD7OR27ZG63DUAMFDGYEDAFI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":472,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/45552d3c-b1b9-49bd-badc-02c701494da8/versions/1736947790/media/e9e40cd367e89653b244e99013a90fe1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/01/16/good-looking-and-practical-the-best-activity-trackers-on-the-market-from-100-to-almost-1000/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JQWBP6DVEVBANI76TTZHS5IQO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486331},"content":"January is traditionally the time when people resolve to change their ways, get fitter, healthier or just learn a new skill or two.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LAIIQBLO3VHYRLUFLOKJNCTK7A","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546303},"content":"The enthusiasm has usually fallen away by March, but in the meantime it usually involves spending money whether it is on practical gear for training or on trackers to help you monitor your progress throughout the year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KGULABSLSRAENATZRQE7VYHDZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486333},"content":"So what are the options to track your health and wellness throughout the year?","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVXZ7BXEIBFCJKQ452V6BO3T5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486334},"content":"You do not have to spend a small fortune on an activity tracker with a screen. There are plenty of budget friendly options to suit all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JYYHMTWMAJCMLB5NGL53XZSUKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486335},"content":"The <b>Fitbit Inspire 3</b>, for example, is just under €100 and is not quite as intimidating as a smartwatch. The band is neat, but it does everything you need to track your health – your activity level, daily stress, sleep monitoring – including heart-rate zones so you know how long you are spending burning fat, for example.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V3UR5D4W5BBL3FGJXVXH7WHQ3U","additional_properties":{"_id":"DRIONVZL3JGXPMPBOJ6RGCB5CA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"H2OIZOD76RC6DN6V5YUC6AMDDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736941419112},"content":"The battery lasts up to 10 days, so you are not tied to your power outlet. You can also ditch the strap and opt for the clip if you would rather not have a wrist-based tracker.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RAEZG7WDNJBATIZFHVOT6O2QNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486336},"content":"If you are looking for greater insight, there are more fully featured smartwatches with built in GPS and more automatic sport tracking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H7LM3NCMK5D75NVJT2RCCIPXEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486337},"content":"The <b>Garmin Instinct 2 Solar</b> (€350) will track multiple sports, from indoor to outdoor, and uses solar charging to keep its battery topped up while you take advantage of whatever sunshine the Irish seasons have to offer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QOK6ZKRQJFC4HOSJZNBMDOMSOM","additional_properties":{"_id":"OZ2ESM4WCNAIXIOEMI4IBQ75R4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"H7LM3NCMK5D75NVJT2RCCIPXEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486337},"content":"For Apple users, the <b>Apple Watch Series 10</b> (€449) will track your activity, sleep, blood oxygen and heart rate. It comes in two sizes, with a 42mm and 46mm option, depending on your preferences.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZLVRT2GCJBEXVD34DD3RVZBD4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546313},"content":"The newest additions to the watch are the water temperature and depth gauge, which kick in as soon as the watch in submerged, so you can keep track of your swim statistics.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVLOHGGHXRCJNMD3UVZO7B2MNE","additional_properties":{"_id":"FGMGRYLYTZGETIBIJORLG3IMPI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZLVRT2GCJBEXVD34DD3RVZBD4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546315},"content":"If you have deeper pockets, the titanium version is the lightest Apple Watch the company offers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RN6J6ILWNJHZ7BEB2GJFUKEJYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546316},"content":"On the other side of the fence, you have the <b>Pixel Watch 3</b>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7C7JIVO5VABPCFGXM56V56G5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546317},"content":"Google’s smart watch uses some of Fitbit’s expertise to keep you on track for your fitness goals. It also has a slightly more palatable price tag too, at €329, although it is designed for use with Android devices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CLOSAJ5IAZEOHBLIW2HCQVA72U","additional_properties":{"_id":"VTON66V5EJCO5EYEPMWCLQPLA4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Y3BLXTQG2NAHHE64OV4HZRF7NM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546319},"content":"The always-on display clocks in at 45mm, and the round face makes it look more like a standard watch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X67CERI5L5DOVIO7A6GIMOUMNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546320},"content":"Battery life is around 24 hours of use, so you do not have to charge every day, and it has extras such as the run coach and real-time guidance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ALZETYAMVVHFHBZLRFS5GQQDFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486340},"content":"For more serious sports enthusiasts, there are watches that will stand up to more demanding conditions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NIHZEKSPCBF2HJEBPED7GFZ73E","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546322},"content":"Take the <b>Apple Watch Ultra 2</b> (€899), for example. It can go almost anywhere you can think of – diving underwater, scaling mountains – and live to tell the tale.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MHK7WFNI2NH6JC3R26WYYJOC5E","additional_properties":{"_id":"QU3CLX7BEVCHVE6VLPDINKUNFU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"NPP7AZEF5VE6LITTDDPOJHSG5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736941419120},"content":"It also has a better battery, with up to 36 hours of normal use and 72 in low power mode.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q47Q42CSOZDUVOEIQFUG3FPLQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546325},"content":"The dual GPS has improved accuracy. The device is also certified for use as a dive watch and has a customisable action button that you can access easily even if you are wearing heavy gloves.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GALGGUTI3ZGMBBXEEBVYESTBVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486341},"content":"If you have a bigger budget, the <b>Garmin Fenix 8</b> multisport watch (from €965) is an all-rounder.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CEBWE3KAGRFO3OIXJSEDLP2RB4","additional_properties":{"_id":"4MT7DO3F5BC6LL7IQKFSHJL674"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"F2FCAQAE2NGK5MAGA4AZDEDOY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546328},"content":"Garmin has made some changes, including adding an integrated speaker and microphone so you can make and take calls on the watch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DJ53WINJO5BZBIY5JNLWKUP2QY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546329},"content":"It beats most smartwatches out there with 29 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, and can cope with being submerged in water, mud or any other conditions you feel the need to put it through.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4POAUPS3KBF3FLGZZONDOIHUNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486342},"content":"Going screen free","type":"header"},{"_id":"NELMFW7JLRGIRMQE65BUSQTWUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486343},"content":"Smart watches aren’t for everyone. There are so many screens demanding out attention these days that, occasionally, it is a good thing to cut at least one out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NRDQUMUITBGNRHPDWUJV7G2VBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486344},"content":"If you still want to track your exercise, the <b>MyZone Switch</b> (€160) is screen-free and versatile. It can be worn as a watch, on a band for your upper arm or as a chest strap.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKJHF6PDQNBHPLETNX44MLIBS4","additional_properties":{"_id":"AMSSLIPCHJGRFDOESUDYRA6GTQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"AC3GSQNNNJG2DCMB3MFBO3Y2AQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546334},"content":"Because there is no screen, the battery lasts for several days, tracking your exercise and effort before sending the information to the MyZone app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G6I2YE4NWNFTTI6XPFTFZVMIFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546335},"content":"There, it translates everything into effort points, which can be used to track your monthly progress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"27FLC5OLLVAHNG2T2XJ7N3KCYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486345},"content":"To keep an eye on how your workout is going, the Switch has a small LED that flashes according to the heart-rate zone you are currently in, from blue and green to yellow and red.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3Q25J4CMWRGIVKBSZBHLT23X5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486346},"content":"The <b>Whoop 4.0</b> (€264) is another screen-free option, although it requires a subscription – included for the first year – to deliver the insights your need.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PTPSKWUT65EXJKHLVD4WOEM77Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546338},"content":"It can be worn in one of a variety of Whoop bands, and measures your activity, sleep, blood oxygen and skin temperature, feeding the data through to its app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BQ4UVEIXAVHLRDHQCP42HS7VHU","additional_properties":{"_id":"VER3PDZG2ZGLZMCHH5LWFTXMO4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PVHQ7XVOBJGUJMNTFX2FAN4A3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736941419127},"content":"Once it has collected enough, it will give you some insights on your physical training, and let you know when you should ease up and give your body a break.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UMXRTZMJHJCNPGEQT2B66GRMIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486347},"content":"The appeal of the Whoop is not only that it is screen-free, but it can also be worn inside clothing, with special Whoop garments – shorts, sports top, vest etc – that can accommodate the sensor and keep it safe and secure.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B7UZNCYBMNHRJM3D4XOZF6OBY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546342},"content":"If you are wearing it on your wrist, you do not even have to take it off to charge it, with the wireless battery pack fitting on to the tracker to charge while you wear it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LZSJDOKGPJE5HDQHMI3TPCPN6M","additional_properties":{"_id":"GZZS6OQTGFDD7JRKXH5Z3XZPGI"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"K2NQIGTSCRBTHKGAS3JIDXVVWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486348},"content":"If you do not want to wear a band, however, jewellery is another option.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2CC2IPWK7NER5PMMNMTFNGPJTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546345},"content":"More subtle than a band and still screen-free, the current generation of smart rings track more of your health and fitness metrics than ever before.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K2SMRPUQK5ERDALUQRHYQMODFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486350},"content":"Oura has been in the smart ring game for a while; the name of the current product, the <b>Oura 4</b> (€400), gives away its fourth generation status.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2GSXVX34RFFHCEG4K24ZN4NY4","additional_properties":{"_id":"E6VXYCYJAREPBKPRGXHD7XMOPM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"K2WVPYGCVFDMZFQZPIASIHR7TY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546348},"content":"In that time is has added features – the ring now tracks heart rate during activity – and refined the design to ensure that the ring will still track regardless of its position on your finger.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KZPZ7QFGO5F5LJCB35CRXCEXOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546349},"content":"It also works with iPhone and Android systems, making it a versatile product.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N7Q6SRO3KZEI3HXMGFULL54X3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486351},"content":"Samsung has also got into the smart ring game. Released late last year, the Samsung Galaxy Ring also monitors activity, temperature, sleep and blood oxygen. It also adds in some gesture control for Samsung Galaxy phone users.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M34QMXC3SJHRDLLCZLLLKORYFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486352},"content":"Bellabeat has been designing more subtle activity trackers aimed at women for several years now.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6S4B4LYQMZHN3D3K7IRWJE7CJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":"AGRAIXL7DFFBJBJNWBNGWJLTEA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2HEFHZJ3MJBJVFSCCTDVMMGQBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546353},"content":"Its range was previously made up of an activity tracking pendant – the <b>Leaf </b>(€99) – which could also work as a bracelet or clip that tracks activity, sleep, stress, meditation and reproductive health.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ED46472FUJDCLCE6S7VGXFUI2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546354},"content":"It has a replaceable battery and is made of a wood composite material and hypoallergenic stainless steel.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TLNJTBV67FAHZINGXE7L2WVXVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736874486353},"content":"Now it has been joined by the <b>Ivy+</b> (€380), a bracelet that is also aimed at tracking women’s health.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I2HD3KUYUFA7VFOAA43G7KNQLE","additional_properties":{"_id":"Y3EWYKV3EBCBZPWEDXJ7VJYQHU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MZEWLOMU2ZGQLPZFLV7A6WWFUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546357},"content":"It tracks skin temperature, monitors heart rate, respiratory rate and sleep. It crunches all the data and delivers easy to understand health and readiness scores, along with making suggestions to improve self care.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7DPXXOJ3PFET5MYPPNVRMAQD6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736947546358},"content":"And it doesn’t scream “activity tracker” either.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Options range from smartwatch-type devices to ones worn with a strap or even as jewellery"},"display_date":"2025-01-16T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Good-looking and practical: the best activity trackers on the market from €100 to almost €1,000","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"BU53THVZNBCBTKBASEIPDUBCOE","auth":{"1":"e1c8e0b0f47429fb37618e70cda240d2c477456039ec0f83f8b25921b6d7b304"},"focal_point":{"x":1865,"y":836},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/BU53THVZNBCBTKBASEIPDUBCOE.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/01/16/good-looking-and-practical-the-best-activity-trackers-on-the-market-from-100-to-almost-1000/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"MG5VQWTUFRDXZP4KILDJP5WJWE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":470,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/adba6238-9f27-401b-8bd8-f9b444f79ff9/versions/1736241984/media/db50563b41927865ba444bebc7035bed_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/01/09/how-to-put-manners-on-your-tech-use-in-2025-from-strengthening-passwords-to-avoiding-social-media-toxicity/","content_elements":[{"_id":"XKUQLV5BPVFEDLPNOYCS3KTB6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980353},"content":"Last year I decided to go inbox zero. For four glorious months I diligently read and deleted email, keeping that red notification bubble at bay, and generally felt a bit smug.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CUV6WVV3FJBT7MCK6DT4UCGD3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980354},"content":"It lasted, until it didn’t. I took a few days off and suddenly the task seemed mammoth once more.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IEEYWUZUN5CV7DGPMKQHHW55VY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980355},"content":"But as it is January, I’ve started all over again as part of a “new year, slightly new me” kick. There are a few more tech resolutions we might also put on the list this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DB3GDZT6VVFPDK4GGDVBQ3SSAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980356},"content":"Use better passwords","type":"header"},{"_id":"JCVJRC37UNDRFK3K76CYIARXMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980357},"content":"There is a reason why this appears on every tech resolutions list: it is important. Strong passwords are a big obstacle between your data and the people who want to misuse it. Do yourself a favour and stop reusing the same passwords and pins across all your services.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U4OW6YVCAJGI3LFRO7C35ZAGCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980358},"content":"If you struggle to come up with memorable, unique passwords, create just one and use it to secure a password manager. That way you can delegate the creation of strong passwords to technology, which is far more likely to be random than a human being ever is, and make the service autofill your passwords – hidden behind your super-secret phrase, of course.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5QHX6ARIJFH7VEVDZHVJIR4G7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980359},"content":"Respect privacy","type":"header"},{"_id":"XRRDWYTUVNFB3BE46MQJ6KAYGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980360},"content":"This one should also apply to the big tech companies, but since we can only directly control our own behaviour, think before you share.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWVM6TCZUJAW3FTVJXNU6ZSFOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980361},"content":"There are members of my family who do not do social media at all. There are others who choose not to share photos or information about their children online. Don’t be the person who ignores those decisions, or the one guaranteed to post the most unflattering photos or anecdotes of others online. Not everything is content, despite prevailing opinions to the contrary.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OOPK7S3WCNF5DNK3FG5X5OY57E","additional_properties":{"_id":1736172355486},"content":"Respect your own privacy, too. Don’t give away your personal data to every service that asks for it, even if its seems like useless data. As Karlin Lillington wrote in this paper in November, it creates tranches of vulnerable, often highly sensitive data, and we don’t always know how – or by whom – it is being used.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OPOP2HDIEBBBFDRCQMMSHYFIZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980362},"content":"Cut down on screen time","type":"header"},{"_id":"AKGPELPT6BHKPLFTZPJCIKBCUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980363},"content":"We know it’s bad for us and yet here we are, scrolling away through social media, online news sources and meme after meme.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5A3BJENO25F3BHZ3GTXQYDYGVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980364},"content":"You can use the tools that are built into your smartphone’s operating system to monitor how much time you are wasting on certain apps, and to disable them at key periods or after a certain amount of use. While these restrictions are easily circumvented – you know the password after all – it does make you think more about what you are doing on your phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AUWEULX2AFD6NLTLV5SJUW2GOA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980365},"content":"Make your screen time work for you. Learn a new skill or language; take up a hobby that you can learn online but bring into the real world.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OPVTQTHHPJAWHDOVLKDYDKSFHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980366},"content":"And make certain times of day screen-free – mealtimes are the obvious one, and last thing before bed, if you want to ensure you get a good shot at a decent night’s sleep.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VHHVVOLJYJZPCVB2LZSQUSY5MU","additional_properties":{"_id":"AOIYQ5O4MZAK7NYPSROCODDCAI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"FUVN7B2TXFAXLDUHELMC3L6C6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980367},"content":"Step back from social media","type":"header"},{"_id":"MW3WBA222FGWDGOE45VAD557SA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980368},"content":"If 2024 and <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/elon-musk/\" target=\"_blank\">Elon Musk</a>’s very active support of Donald Trump’s run to the US presidency should have taught us anything, it is that manipulation is rife. Rage-baiting, where accounts post controversial content just for engagement, is a real thing and we have all fallen victim to it at one point. Let 2025 be the year where that stops.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M24AASMS6NDB5GMKIQRNG2RKFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980369},"content":"“Don’t feed the trolls” doesn’t mean you are building yourself an echo chamber. It just means that you won’t engage with people who deliberately try to provoke others for their own entertainment.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HVJDRXXIYZCYZLY4C3G6426664","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980370},"content":"You aren’t obliged to engage on social media. You aren’t even obliged to partake in it. The downward spiral of X/Twitter might be the shove some of us need to step back from social media and make the platforms work for us instead of the other way around.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GH5Y4RKGS5GTRICTN4GJOKT25I","additional_properties":{"_id":"2NEWGDMG7VEOJHFMMB4E63JUYY"},"content":"Social media taps into a dark human need to be mean to other people","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"654EA6P4GBCPVD2QFFOXM6NWGQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980371},"content":"Don’t be a troll","type":"header"},{"_id":"DMGU2VSS4JBM3MYTY7GCEEVG3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980372},"content":"If you are going to keep hoping, though, perhaps it is time to rethink how we interact with others. Remember the whole “be kind” movement? The phrase may seem a little twee and simplistic but the basic idea is sound. Don’t say online what you wouldn’t say to someone’s face. What you think of as jokey and informal may not come across that way to the recipient.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SFEJYX4GJRAO7A6FW22IXCIGAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980373},"content":"And not everyone needs to hear your opinion on everything, which may feel ironic coming from someone who is paid to occasionally air her opinions, but there you have it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X2YRHZKLQNER3MDZ5O5R2AINYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980374},"content":"Declutter","type":"header"},{"_id":"SKEMPPNAQ5GUFISZG7P5IADVFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980375},"content":"I had great plans for last year. I was going to declutter both my physical and digital world, and stick to it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TTCV5AP24FCX3P2KN5GO7RRLCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980376},"content":"Instead I ended up making things worse. It started by following several Instagram accounts that taught me how to declutter (mostly unsuccessfully) and ended with me adding at least 10 more apps that promised to help me declutter my digital and physical life. That seemed counterproductive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BTND6VZYIRE3TBRICA7DIHZB44","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980377},"content":"Now I have a schedule for digital decluttering. Emails are dealt with (and deleted) daily, photos are sifted through at least once a month, and unneeded files are purged from my downloads and device storage every six weeks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6G42UU37RFSNAVXJM7M2IIOJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980378},"content":"Prevention is better than cure, though. WhatsApp chats, for example, no longer have permission to automatically save images and media to my camera roll. Internet history is disabled where possible or deleted automatically after a month where it is not, and I’ve stopped saving random screenshots to my desktop and phone “just in case”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y5ZN3XL2DVCG3FWMHLJ6BCXOX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736239912854},"content":"Unsubscribing from marketing emails has not only saved time, it has also stopped me from buying things just because it seems like a bargain.","type":"text"},{"_id":"25LLUAB6M5F6VFUC6PYBTRMXEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980379},"content":"It has made backing up devices quicker and easier, and I’ve managed to cut at least one of my cloud storage subscriptions because I’m not unknowingly hoarding duplicate photos and emails from 2007.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RJHCNKHEWBCCBIJ5Y22VQ4BBCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980380},"content":"Physical clutter, on the other hand, is still a work in progress.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JUY4JLNYNFF3RKD2ZSQ7FGKTTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980381},"content":"Cancel subscriptions","type":"header"},{"_id":"6CQRALN3TJDKRHE65IHJXITGXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980382},"content":"Speaking of subscriptions, how many does one person really need? When it comes to entertainment, we are now building up a critical mass – and paying for the privilege.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HR7BHCAWF5FD5KW6JHZZKJZFWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980383},"content":"The original concept of digital subscriptions was a good one: we could pick and choose the content we wanted to access and pay for, and avoid the services we didn’t. That was simple when there were one or two streaming platforms but now it seems as if a new one is springing up every month. And if you add up all the different subscriptions, you are likely paying just as much, if not more, than you did for your pricey TV package a few years ago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OZGXHOBSPBGSTO4AHAAGXXNOTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980384},"content":"Take a good look at all the services you have signed up for, whether it is the monthly audiobooks, the child-focused apps and sites, or the streaming entertainment packages. If you aren’t using them regularly, stop wasting your money; cancel the membership, or even pause it for a while if possible.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3TVKPP3O4NDSRLTHYPNTEFEVCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736169980385},"content":"Don’t get caught out by free trials either. While trying before you buy is a great idea, forgetting to cancel can be an expensive business.","type":"text"},{"_id":"INYSOBLPORB5VKJBA75BISPGAY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736239912862},"content":"Read the fine print before you commit to see how you go about cancelling; it should be as easy to cancel as it is to sign up. If you are going through Apple’s App Store or the Google Play store, you can usually cancel the service as soon as you sign up for the trial. That means you can keep your access to the service for the week but ensure that you won’t accidentally roll over to a paid subscription unless you really want the service.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Digital clutter, excessive screen time and bad screen habits are all issues worth tackling this new year"},"display_date":"2025-01-09T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Better passwords, empty inbox and thinking before you share: How to put manners on your tech use","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"LPOWWDWWO5AZZDK5NZSIKZ2QTU","auth":{"1":"6721d18042032c2e9df9e0875023e41dc7440a33bc8a2858179632a3095d4b6a"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/LPOWWDWWO5AZZDK5NZSIKZ2QTU.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2025/01/09/how-to-put-manners-on-your-tech-use-in-2025-from-strengthening-passwords-to-avoiding-social-media-toxicity/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"CSLSREGKTNBLTDXYCSDCF7WSBA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":295,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d8301ecb-54af-4c97-b23e-06fdafda5c57/versions/1736249519/media/2c852edf319e6048346d0942bf508beb_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/09/homebot-ireland-glider-review-a-home-cleaner-that-mostly-takes-care-of-itself/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WTZBFYJVKJCZXIE3N5COQUHY6A","additional_properties":{"_id":"BXQACKCKSVDVXKXBZVTCCRROUY"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-56353","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"TGBR3CFMWNFODHZRYQYTK667G4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554844},"content":"There are some things in life I will defend from the march of the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/robotics/\" target=\"_blank\">robots</a>. I have never owned a bread machine, for example, because I actually enjoy making my own bread. If I have a customer complaint, I’d rather deal with a person than an <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\" target=\"_blank\">AI</a> chatbot, regardless of how advanced the companies using them claim they are.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PEZPC4PWRBH53E5XTUBTHKTUPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736183342954},"content":"But there are plenty of things that I would be happy to delegate to <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/tech-tools/\" target=\"_blank\">automation</a>, the boring tasks that none of us really enjoy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UKSKC3HPTBGNDDKSOWUEPCF3AM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736244514611},"content":"I am living for the day they come up with an affordable robot that will sort through a load of laundry without any human intervention at all. In the absence of that, I’m happy to hand over the vacuuming and mopping of floors. The Sisyphean task is a particularly thankless one in a house with small children and a cat with a fondness for dancing across freshly washed tiles with muddy feet and paws.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XYWOYLSISJAOPPCRREB7DFAVRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736183342955},"content":"At this point, the companies making the robot cleaners have overcome some of the main obstacles facing the devices. New sensors mean the robots can navigate around your home even if you decide to move some furniture. You can use their apps to control them from a distance or use virtual walls to ensure the vacuums stay clear of certain areas of your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F5WSZGZKEBEJ5D52GDCTS3WHHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736244514613},"content":"They can distinguish between hard floors and carpet, and adjust the cleaning accordingly. Some can even raise the mop out of the way so you don’t inadvertently end up with damp carpets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFNOTICLKVBBZDKEDZVPS4SAGY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736189968147},"content":"But they still require a certain amount of human intervention. They can’t manage stairs yet, which is probably their biggest failing. They get snarled up in cables or small socks, and the small bins on board mean you have to empty them frequently to make sure they continue to pick up the dirt and dust instead of spreading it around your floors.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGT3PQVXPBBA5CKWTUQGT2OZ3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1736189968148},"content":"The last at least can be solved by opting for a robot with a base station that not only auto-empties the dust bin when it is full, but also looks after the mopping function. Minimal effort, maximum results.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IVAHNZOQKZBYXD7M67V4LNXC3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1736189968149},"content":"That was one of the key things about the Homebot Glider. The combo robot vacuum and mop comes with a neat base station that effectively looks after the entire operation. It empties the dust bin on the vacuum, cleans the dual spinning mop pads, dries them and refills the water tank without its owners having to lift a finger.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7XFS32J2B5EVNB5IGPBEJSZ5VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736244514617},"content":"There are no interruptions, no messing about with bins and no damp odours from mop pads forgotten on the machine.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RM5KQM2FH5EUXH4RVIWUVDHC3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554850},"content":"If the device runs out of water, it will make its way back to the base station for refilling before continuing to clean. When the bin is full or the water tanks need attention, it will alert you through the Smartlife app – developed by Chinese smarthome company Tuya – and you can sort out what it needs in minutes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGPIE3XZTVDJBLMLXVXWBPX4P4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554851},"content":"Those spinning mop pads were reasonably good at dealing with tougher grime. While it doesn’t beat a good scrub, it kept most of the daily grime – muddy footprints included – in check. And when the robot detected the change in flooring, such as mats or other carpeted areas, it raised the mop pads.","type":"text"},{"_id":"36XJ2X33QJDPHMRW4FFZFXYUCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554852},"content":"The Glider has a decent navigation system, mapping the house quickly and effectively, although it occasionally wedged itself in the legs of the kitchen chairs. On those occasions it would need rescuing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CV2OOR35NNAEPHUN4BTIHIOSJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554853},"content":"It was quieter than you expect, at least while it was cleaning. It is officially rated at less than 62dB, although the auto-empty function was enough to startle you if you weren’t expecting it, and the refilling and emptying of the water tank was a bit louder than felt necessary. But it felt like a small price to pay to not have to vacuum the room twice a day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GO5LK2NEHBHFHCJLBY7XPYO2FM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736183342957},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"GZFKD7HSNZGW3OEXTMOINHNTEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554855},"content":"If you are looking for a robot that lives up to its promises, the Glider is a good bet. Not only does it make a good job of cleaning hard floors and carpets, it will also look after most of the day-to-day maintenance itself. The base station is neat and the robot itself will deal with obstacles up to 20mm before it refuses to climb – meaning saddle boards between rooms aren’t an issue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HSNLLQRS7JBSXFLMXN6IENSNM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1736183342958},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"6L6B5VJINFGPFPZMGQQU5M5EBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736189968154},"content":"Occasionally the robot misjudged its size and wedged itself in a tight spot, requiring a rescue mission. Ordinarily, you would just set up a no-go zone, but this was under the kitchen table, so was a prime spot for cleaning after dinner.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TCP44TP22RG6BNHE4OEUGNB4HY","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554858},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"56ENHENWUFAMVOGULUYNEQM7CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554859},"content":"The app allows you to map up to four levels of your home, switching between maps quickly and easily. You can also set up no-go areas to keep it away from delicate parts of your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GZYKZYIXFRB2TN5CCEXQEAHYYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554860},"content":"You can set a timer for the cleaning sessions, with a schedule for days of the week, and customise the cleaning for each room – how many times it mops, the level of water it uses, and so on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D2M5IB4UPNA5PMNXCWADNMSZFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554861},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"AHHTFKSQMNFBNNNXTQ62R7AONA","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554862},"content":"Hands-off cleaning that earns its price tag.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CMPPHIQKI5HZNP4O7TJWIBJICQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554863},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"OTTSV472NNCY5OFSZSCPBFZXNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554864},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"VOHC4MQ3HBA4FGPUIER6CZYXJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1736201554865},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Robot vacuum can distinguish between hard floors and carpet, and adjust the cleaning accordingly"},"display_date":"2025-01-09T00:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Homebot Ireland Glider review: A home cleaner that (mostly) takes care of itself","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"GXT4HNASCVDINFQGWLENC3QVHI","auth":{"1":"231e347280ab84099253ede7ebafdca52b5500273e2ea5899a13b12e197ea65f"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/GXT4HNASCVDINFQGWLENC3QVHI.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2025/01/09/homebot-ireland-glider-review-a-home-cleaner-that-mostly-takes-care-of-itself/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"LFQIC3WNPFDK3KWRAZTBLE2OSE","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/business/2025/01/03/apples-china-troubles-mount-as-foreign-phone-sales-sink-for-fourth-month/","content_elements":[{"_id":"R3G2KMPMBVA7BITBZ6P4W7TC3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302799},"content":"Shipments to China of foreign-branded smartphones, including <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple</a> Inc’s iPhone, fell by 47.4 per cent in November from a year earlier, according to data released on Friday from a government-affiliated research firm, down for the fourth month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"74UVI6NSRRADBPATI3MM7FNT6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302801},"content":"Calculations based on the data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) showed that foreign brand shipments decreased to 3.04 million units from 5.769 million units a year earlier.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DSTRYSLLAZFDZGKQETZIOWIKTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302802},"content":"The decline follows October’s 44.25 per cent year-on-year drop in foreign smartphone shipments, extending a downward trend in the world’s largest smartphone market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TAKG2JIUKJFGDICXQ2RXLQSFSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302803},"content":"Apple, the dominant foreign smartphone maker in China, faces a slowing economy and competition from domestic rivals, such as Huawei.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DHDMZ4EVTBAN7OVBJCF55TK4WY","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302804},"content":"Chinese consumer prices fell in November to their lowest in five months, as economic uncertainty and deflation concerns weigh on household spending.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4XOIM6YAWNETVPP6GVLPEXVOBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302805},"content":"As its market share declines, Apple launched a rare four-day promotion in China on Thursday, cutting prices by up to 500 yuan ($68.50) on its flagship models to boost sales.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W5KHC3CS7FER7OQ7WBNOIBBQRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302806},"content":"Huawei has emerged as a strong challenger since its return to the premium segment in August 2023 with locally-made chipsets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ATEG7TZBRVGYLBU5ZUVTFB6F2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302807},"content":"Apple briefly fell out of China’s top five smartphone vendors in the second quarter of 2024 before recovering in the third quarter. The US company’s smartphone sales in China still slipped 0.3 per cent during the third quarter from a year earlier, while Huawei’s sales rose 42%, according to research firm IDC.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R22GAI6HPZG37E2FGT57N5OP5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1735895302808},"content":"Shipments of phones within China, which include domestic brands, fell 5.1 per cent year-on-year in November to 29.61 million handsets. – Reuters","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[]},"description":{"basic":"Dominant foreign smartphone maker faces slowing economy and competition from domestic rivals"},"display_date":"2025-01-03T09:17:28.131Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple’s China troubles mount as foreign phone sales in the country sink for fourth month","native":""},"label":{},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"42KDYA3P2HMQPWPUFY7Z6VFRMI","auth":{"1":"38cc6692c0723764e6831e323fd894dd1b1f9bf7d67a8b6329c3d1da81345cdb"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/42KDYA3P2HMQPWPUFY7Z6VFRMI.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2025/01/03/apples-china-troubles-mount-as-foreign-phone-sales-sink-for-fourth-month/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"W6CKSX5P2JEQZODWA5QEPFJKDQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":355,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-cdn-b7fyckdeejejb6dj.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8cebe546-7dc2-45c8-a4de-27039d548ae2/versions/1735224902/media/bd784f539d04afa49a778f777a29cc6d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2024/12/27/are-we-becoming-a-post-literate-society/","content_elements":[{"_id":"Z4IVZCMQTJELXHWEB5XU5BHLZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456853},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"NI3BPPOZ6ZCBXFWLVHOL7B3IKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456858},"content":"“Human intelligence,” the cultural critic Neil Postman once wrote, “is among the most fragile things in nature. It doesn’t take much to distract it, suppress it, or even annihilate it.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ERED6S5FERAAZMXEAWJZADQDUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456859},"content":"The year was 1988, a former Hollywood actor was in the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/white-house/\" target=\"_blank\">White House</a>, and Postman was worried about the ascendancy of pictures over words in American media, culture and politics.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R4YSOASYYRGHDHNROUGWCLIL2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1735222894271},"content":"Television “conditions our minds to apprehend the world through fragmented pictures and forces other media to orient themselves in that direction”, he argued in an essay in his book Conscientious Objections. “A culture does not have to force scholars to flee to render them impotent. A culture does not have to burn books to assure that they will not be read… There are other ways to achieve stupidity.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"B4JR7ZXXZNACTCNMOLRAPOBJUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456860},"content":"What might have seemed curmudgeonly in 1988 reads more like prophecy from the perspective of 2024. This month, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/organisation-for-economic-co-operation-and-development-oecd/\" target=\"_blank\">OECD</a> released the results of a vast exercise: in-person assessments of the literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills of 160,000 adults aged 16-65 in 31 different countries and economies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A2MJOC65BJEC7HW3MRJT4O7YGA","additional_properties":{"_id":"OSMNIH56FZE3PE2CYP2NNCJ5ZA"},"content":"Financial wellbeing and literacy across demographics subject of report","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"CNZJ7TF7G5CYVOOXXGNP75YWEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1735222894273},"content":"Compared with the last set of assessments a decade earlier, the trends in literacy skills were striking. Proficiency improved significantly in only two countries (Finland and Denmark), remained stable in 14, and declined significantly in 11, with the biggest deterioration in Korea, Lithuania, New Zealand and Poland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NSGE3MCNKRENXCZKS7DDNNMYKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456861},"content":"Among adults with tertiary-level education (such as university graduates), literacy proficiency fell in 13 countries and only increased in Finland, while nearly all countries and economies experienced declines in literacy proficiency among adults with below upper-secondary education. Singapore and the US had the biggest inequalities in both literacy and numeracy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6BO4WKWVB5E6ZFFXLHSU55IOWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456862},"content":"“Thirty per cent of Americans read at a level that you would expect from a 10-year-old child,” Andreas Schleicher, director for education and skills at the OECD, told me – referring to the proportion of people in the US who scored level 1 or below in literacy. “It is actually hard to imagine – that every third person you meet on the street has difficulties reading even simple things.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"NVRVOWIZIFED3ASZYUVXFFCTCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456863},"content":"In some countries, the deterioration is partly explained by an ageing population and rising levels of immigration, but Schleicher says these factors alone do not fully account for the trend. His own hypothesis would come as no surprise to Postman: that technology has changed the way many of us consume information, away from longer, more complex pieces of writing, such as books and newspaper articles, to short social media posts and video clips.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DGP57T6SNBC6VHEZTHCWTOKMKU","additional_properties":{"_id":"PNYYZQWSTRGTLF5SAYA7N2PTIA"},"content":"People with low health literacy turning to AI for advice, study finds","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"EGLTJFQYJBGJZMDWEJHV6UYWV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456864},"content":"At the same time, social media has made it more likely that you “read stuff that confirms your views, rather than engages with diverse perspectives, and that’s what you need to get to [the top levels] on the [OECD literacy] assessment, where you need to distinguish fact from opinion, navigate ambiguity, manage complexity”, Schleicher explained.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7OIDGKPVJVF5ZPUHSNSTOMH7LA","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456865},"content":"The implications for politics and the quality of public debate are already evident. These, too, were foreseen. In 2007, writer Caleb Crain wrote an article called Twilight of the Books in the New Yorker magazine about what a possible post-literate culture might look like. In oral cultures, he wrote, cliche and stereotype are valued, conflict and name-calling are prized because they are memorable, and speakers tend not to correct themselves because “it is only in a literate culture that the past’s inconsistencies have to be accounted for”. Does that sound familiar?","type":"text"},{"_id":"EQS7R7RQ55BADPHYKYG4J7FQXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456866},"content":"These trends are not unavoidable or irreversible. Finland demonstrates the potential for high-quality education and strong social norms to sustain a highly literate population, even in a world where TikTok exists. England shows the difference that improved schooling can make: there, the literacy proficiency of 16-24 year olds was significantly better than a decade ago.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KPNM3P7MBZDQ3MCEWGBYUZ75C4","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456867},"content":"The question of whether AI could alleviate or exacerbate the problem is more tricky. Systems like <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/chatgpt/\" target=\"_blank\">ChatGPT</a> can perform well on many reading and writing tasks: they can parse reams of information and reduce it to summaries.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JKKWDDACHBCG3E47J53WYP2AGA","additional_properties":{"_id":"3RTOPMAZ2NHVFC6LAML5PK6NMQ"},"content":"One in four adults in Ireland struggle with everyday maths such as calculating percentages","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"IHZZHGWYBRCJLDKSIQQUEF4ESA","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456868},"content":"A number of studies suggest that, when deployed in the workplace, these tools can significantly increase the performance of lower-skilled workers. In one study, researchers tracked the impact of an AI tool on customer service agents who provided technical support via written chat boxes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AW6Y7HYQHZFQFBSARBYYRAASJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1735222894282},"content":"The AI tool, trained on the conversational patterns of top performers, provided real-time text suggestions to agents on how to respond to customers. The study found lower-skilled workers became more productive and their communication patterns became more similar to those of higher-skilled workers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"APJ3K2CAP5EDTDVUNCMV5G5BHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456869},"content":"David Autor, an economics professor at MIT, has even argued that AI tools could enable more workers to perform higher-skilled roles and help restore “the middle-skill, middle-class heart of the US labour market”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7ZAAZ27BJVGTLCYRMOAAJFLWKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456870},"content":"But, as Autor says, in order to make good use of a tool to “level up” your skills, you need a decent foundation to begin with. Absent that, Schleicher worries that people with poor literacy skills will become “naive consumers of prefabricated content”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7KXRGDZ73NGEBCU5FYG63UONIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1735220456871},"content":"In other words, without solid skills of your own, it is only a few short steps from being supported by the machine, to finding yourself dependent on it or subject to it. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Sarah O'Connor"}]},"description":{"basic":"Technology has changed the way many of us consume information, from complex pieces of writing to short video clips"},"display_date":"2024-12-27T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Are we becoming a post-literate society?","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"AXUKMTIWBVBP3D3TAUZDD6L6IU","auth":{"1":"fac69e586ba3b7aa01eac23d8484c8cd256e6389297d619fbfe87826c4f5df27"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AXUKMTIWBVBP3D3TAUZDD6L6IU.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/12/27/are-we-becoming-a-post-literate-society/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"KBTD73VNBRFHVNQ37ZXIKPWMUM","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/23/last-minute-tech-gifts-where-to-find-them/","content_elements":[{"_id":"DG4ZQOFAAZAXBMEACIVZU572NM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825166},"content":"It is the final two days of shopping before Christmas, which means time is running out – and fast. Many of us have ticked off the Christmas lists already, with research from PayPal earlier this month indicating that only 14 per cent are last minute shoppers planning on a Christmas Eve blitz.","type":"text"},{"_id":"576OBWAM2RAGJOJHR63N4JWBVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825167},"content":"If you have a few gifts left to buy, we have some suggestions – and more importantly, where you can find them now.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VTK5CO5BJVGNDIHX7B54SRS7I4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825168},"content":"<b>Homedics Everybody Heated Shiatsu Pillow</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"MJH7HAOE5JCDHCWSSTHHGIMYZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825169},"content":"<b>€50</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NYUAJ6CUVZHFLAKVNQUES7JY4A","additional_properties":{"_id":"TGIQEPSPRVBGHK7QMR7KQ6MAY4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"KNS5L4TANRCUPDY7A6BBJV72W4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825170},"content":"What do you get the person who has everything? The Homedics heated massage pillow. It massages, it warms – what more could you ask for? The pillow is versatile too, and can be used on your neck, shoulders, back, and anywhere else you can position it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NJU43LT4NZCNXPFHUIYEJMR7JI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825171},"content":"<b>Where to find it: DID Electrical</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"6T7ESNICJJFXRHGPLUIOOWPRZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825172},"content":"<a href=\"http://did.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Did.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"2KEQYGWBRNENTONI42TSASTXVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825173},"content":"<b>Apple Watch Ultra 2</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZKIRQHO7KVCDVMLHJJDCWPR7VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825174},"content":"<b>€899</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3UYEV3LA3FE4ZA6B2UF7PC44E","additional_properties":{"_id":"2B7CE667I5H6PGQOT3ZQB4GCIQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4YP3XTEAVRDGRCVG5CCVDD6Q44","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825175},"content":"Apple’s rugged watch can go almost anywhere you can think of – up mountains, diving underwater – and live to tell the tale. It has dual GPS that is more accurate than ever before, it is certified for use as a dive watch, and has a customisable action button that you can access easily even if you are wearing heavy gloves.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I444AY5UFNGVFMHAIYMHQCGT5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508285},"content":"The battery life is better too, at 36 hours of use in normal mode and 72 in low power mode, meaning that even if you get stranded without access to a charger, you might just make it down the mountain before the battery gives up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYGVPC4NCZGQ7GRKWUE5OXLOP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825176},"content":"<b>Where to find it: Harvey Norman stores nationwide</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"X3DTMCPQJBEWNGT7Y36DQGEZYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825177},"content":"<a href=\"http://harveynorman.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">HarveyNorman.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LYRY2VP6D5FEPBBJIEBATPMPPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825178},"content":"<b>Google TV Streamer 4K</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"TWYG6VCBVFHAVIJCJCAKTY2CYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825179},"content":"<b>€110</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"L74UECWY6FEKHLMV7MVVVCIPGA","additional_properties":{"_id":"S6FE6HXM5RAUJCDPCPFA5DBNLE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"TO7NTABVGZHABG4GBBL3MJFE6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825180},"content":"Turn your TV into an even smarter screen with Google’s newest TV streamer. It has a familiar interface, based on Android, and access to almost any app you would need on the big screen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6X5FJ6GLRBEVBAXZYDBXU654HI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508292},"content":"That includes video on demand apps, utilities such as VPNs to hide your online activity, and games that can keep the family occupied. It also comes with a remote control, and the sleek box looks nice in front of the TV.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYYMIO5SG5ABRHZICKVJ245A4Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825181},"content":"<b>Where to buy: Harvey Norman</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DMR2F5NUQBGGHCPC4XPFPVT7CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825182},"content":"<a href=\"http://harveynorman.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">HarveyNorman.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"S4LMSXG6MZB65HP7QDX2WND4JU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825183},"content":"<b>Myzone Switch</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"FUDKLKABVNHLZFGHUA6WMLRJ44","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825184},"content":"<b>€160</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZDCP7WYCHVCIDIOXJA3OKLTNQE","additional_properties":{"_id":"6XEME72LUZCYXADULVN472SQPA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"5OJAOEX6PZGG7H3JRKPULXRMOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825185},"content":"There is a lot to be said for ditching the screen. The MyZone Switch works as a heart rate monitor that will also record your effort, translating it into points so you can see just how hard you are working out this month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GBQUQLAMIZGQDPUXL4FVLPUSYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508299},"content":"The Bluetooth monitor can be used in a watch, a chest band or a strap for your upper arm, making it a bit of a multitasker. It also links in with gym equipment through a bluetooth connection. To keep an eye on how your workout is going, the Switch has a small LED that flashes according to what heart rate zone you are currently in, from blue and green to yellow and red.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JQ43VABHQFDANOEA4LK7ZHHQAE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825186},"content":"<a href=\"http://mcsport.ie/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>McSport.ie</b></a><b>, Dublin</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"B6R73A4OVJDP7N6BOC7RHPVVKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825187},"content":"<b>Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"SRMCEBUGIVGW7GGWZHOKVH43CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825188},"content":"<b>€110</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"STW6AGY4KNEK5ASJGVUKVG7EWU","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZCEUPSZJWJHUDB3A65OYOD4FOU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"L6DXVOKSR5DQ5JKXLI6O2LSSSQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825189},"content":"Don’t let your memories get stranded in the cloud. The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3 is a portable printer that spits out photos from your smartphone on credit card sized film. All you need is access to the Instax Mini Link app and a connection to the printer, and you are good to go.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U4AXMH63YRGXPOIHMPJ73TU5SY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508305},"content":"You can print images directly, or add a few new effects, including frames and augmented reality additions. The rechargeable battery will last a decent amount of time, and all you have to remember is to have enough film on hand.","type":"text"},{"_id":"73L6IZSMYRHFFHD7OD6HJK5JZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825190},"content":"<b>Conns Cameras in Dublin; Harvey Norman in Cork, Waterford, Drogheda and Sligo</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"56A3RN67YZDPJHC5BYQLOEBRCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825191},"content":"<b>Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"PO4M7S5IRVA5DPJY6B6WMCV25A","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825192},"content":"<b>€260</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LAJWI5ADSRH5VL4KZ6ROB5D2D4","additional_properties":{"_id":"CM3LVXJSIBCJ3ALHS45T4DVSF4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CZBFLWA57BH3HDN22RLSRZR3WE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825193},"content":"Samsung’s newest earbuds are designed to be used best with its own phones – especially ones that support Galaxy AI – but you can use them with any device as a standard set of earbuds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VHDYIXEPPFAP7FT27BZBTY4U5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508311},"content":"Samsung has redesigned the buds, giving them stems similar to the Apple AirPods, and some interesting light effects that help you figure out essentials such as charging and battery life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QW5CD2KCYVF6NIBGA3IULQNLIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508312},"content":"They are noise cancelling too – essential for drowning out the Christmas noise – and have extras such as conversation detection to automatically lower your audio when it recognises you are engaged in conversation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7JGZJOMB3JBD3DU76GUGIDWCJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508313},"content":"Handily, the buds also recognise sirens and alarms, so you won’t miss out on anything crucial.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QH7ZZ7LVJBFBXH2CK7YN2KJ4NU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825194},"content":"<b>Where to buy: DID Electrical</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"G2CZNKDZAZGPHAQER6CYEZ6QJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825195},"content":"<a href=\"http://did.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Did.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"LNYTYDVWUBAAFPOV5JBGIRMPCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825196},"content":"<b>PlayStation 5 Pro</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"AJQ3WGWWXZDFTKYI66NWQJU3VI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825197},"content":"<b>€760</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZMIJ3IHJ3RF7BNQZCGOPK5TY2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":"6ZVUWBDOIBCOVAM36NSTYHISXQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"OPCQPNRYONEWZNAKMH6MNPIQDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825198},"content":"How generous is Santa feeling this year? If Sony’s newest console is a stretch for the man in red, you could pick it up yourself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MK4KBDH45HIDKAMTS42JGGG5I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825199},"content":"The new games console from Sony offers more graphics power than its predecessor, with advanced technology such as faster ray tracing and improved fidelity. In short, the games look amazing, even older titles thanks to the upscaling technology that will boost lower resolution graphics.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SLGB7F3SWJECDJ5BLSZKUQVWU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825200},"content":"<b>Where to buy: Smyths</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"PWNTGYZYPNEOFC2KNQSPX4Y764","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825201},"content":"<a href=\"http://smythstoys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Smythstoys.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"BJRVZOLU4NALDDFUZKSZK2FYPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825202},"content":"<b>TonieBox</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"AFHWBEM2T5HODF7R4GJBGDQGFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825203},"content":"<b>€80</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"2TLBWEBUPJFAZA3KA7NX7EHIYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"RJWQXTKC2JGIDMDDG4CV3MWSEA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2OS5YCP52BACZPPECZBD2GYWSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825204},"content":"The Yoto Mini Player may be out of reach at this point in the Christmas shopping season, but the TonieBox can still be found in store.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AWK6QXEXCRCTXBD2ERSI5FQDRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508327},"content":"This screen-free, child-friendly speaker will play stories for your child along with songs and even personal messages you record. That is all down to the Tonie figures, which are easy for small hands to swap over and have a variety of stories from Frozen, to the Gruffalo and Matilda.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B3XKMWD6RVBWRGO6PMFTL5BJKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825205},"content":"<b>Where to buy: Smyths Toys</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ABF7WJYFQNA5BHEO5RJZHLL4XI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825206},"content":"<a href=\"http://smythstoys.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Smythstoys.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTGGTNLRAZALLGM6HT4UEVZAUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825207},"content":"<b>MyFirst CareBuds</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"UDDWR5MJ55F75BVQHHZ5LM643Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825208},"content":"<b>€50</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"T4YGDNFJGNEWZOHTWU6XWE4K2M","additional_properties":{"_id":"NR3KMIZXCFBMXGW2TVW6ZJQQCI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"ZARMDVQEQZFD7G5AR3ONYEV24A","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825209},"content":"These ear buds are designed with children in mind, from the size of the buds to the volume limiting that will protect young ears. Inside the box, you get an array of tips that should fit most young ears. The buds also have touch controls that are easy to get to grips with.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E45V4EQRQJA4NP5CBNY5XYL4JY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825210},"content":"<b>Where to buy: DID Electrical</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"5YRDGTPH25GMJIWWYLMYNXAKNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825211},"content":"<a href=\"http://did.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Did.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"DWTQUUUWH5GWPMJQJUE3KPR3KU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825212},"content":"<b>Digital subscriptions:</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"EYHNGWCPIFEO3P5OCMWVURHVWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825213},"content":"Tired of stuff cluttering up the place? Digital subscriptions could be the answer. From games to magazines, a decent digital subscription could get you at least 30 minutes of peace on Christmas Day.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SS3KPM7B2VCSBGACIIP5HXLJQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825214},"content":"<b>For gamers:</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ODVHJGRJZJA6TGQBYQJUMZHMAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825215},"content":"Sony’s PlayStation Plus for its consoles has three levels – essential (€72/year), extra (€126/year) and premium (€152/year). All give you access to the monthly games that are included with a PS Plus membership, and the ability to play online. But the most expensive premium tier gives you access to the games catalogue, plus the library of classic games on your new console.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YHAA4NTWN5AWPPNPMM33C6LGLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825216},"content":"Microsoft’s Xbox Live Game Pass, meanwhile, can be used on PC, console, or both, depending on how much you are willing to pay. On console, you have the choice of core (€7 per month), Standard (€13 a month) and ultimate (€18m per month).","type":"text"},{"_id":"3AUOWHOSDZFIDIY4M44BD5GWVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734961508341},"content":"The basic tier gives access to a collection of 25 games, plus online multiplayer gaming. The standard option will open it up to hundreds of games on console, while the ultimate subscription includes access to the games on PC too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SOY4NLJXJRCXPP7Z4WZXZO655Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825217},"content":"Nintendo Switch Online membership will cost €20 for the year, giving your child access to online gaming, and classic Nintendo games on the Switch. You can upgrade to the expansion pack membership to get access to new content too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DX6RFHYSFZBKNCFEPUENMVNVDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825218},"content":"<b>For readers</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZLND3LCCX5DV5HLUKMW5B4G4XY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825219},"content":"Readly is a good option for people who like to read plenty of magazines, bringing together hundreds of titles covering everything from niche hobbies to general interest. Subscriptions start at €35 for three months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F377VXDYD5BEBMXMW5ZQWIT4AQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734956825220},"content":"For those who like audio books, Audible is worth looking at. Now owned by Amazon, it offers a good range of titles and works on a credit system, with one credit a month that can be used towards any book in its catalogue. Gift subscriptions start from £7 per month.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"It is not too late to get something for the techie in your life"},"display_date":"2024-12-23T13:48:08.821Z","headlines":{"basic":"Last minute tech gifts: where to find them","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"J2IMOQLJLFDGPJSCFV7AICEP7M","auth":{"1":"ea344cd463b5d7ef804f629e6ec60ff2c3d9367275556e284ecd90e6d8d921a3"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/J2IMOQLJLFDGPJSCFV7AICEP7M.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/23/last-minute-tech-gifts-where-to-find-them/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"XUR5LTDCPZBALO5HGW75JIXPDA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":476,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/d02fb527-fc6d-498a-a5da-3148af156eb7/versions/1734452340/media/f1c1a465fc2e839ffab476dd987abbe5_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/19/appy-christmas-tech-essentials-for-the-festive-season-from-parcel-tracking-to-meditation/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JFIVIEGQ7VAZ5LDNF5FUVGBZ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1734103992861},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a> may be (mostly) enjoyable for many of us, but it can also be stressful and busy. So what can <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/\" target=\"_blank\">tech</a> do to help? Plenty, if you know the right place to look.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T4VFXE4U7BEODEFV6OJDE7PWXY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127031},"content":"You don’t need to pay lots of money for fancy apps; your phone has powerful organisational tools built in. Take <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple</a>, for example. You have Notes and Reminders apps that can create handy lists across your Mac laptop, your iPad and iPhone. Christmas lists will be at your fingertips; reminders can be triggered by date or location. And, most importantly, notes can be locked to keep them away from prying eyes on the hunt for Christmas gifts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLIV22AATRE55ECRXJJEFUIEN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084072},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/google/\" target=\"_blank\">Google</a>, meanwhile, has Google Tasks, which is a handy way of organising your life. It’s a Google app but you will have to install it from the Play Store as it is not included as part of the core Android system. Once you start using the app, you can keep track of your tasks across Google Workspace, so it will pop up alongside your Gmail on your desktop, for example.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3347D74YZJG5RPLDKGGC5ZZ7IU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127033},"content":"Track your packages","type":"header"},{"_id":"M3DYSMFAWVDSLMFUIIIXLOQNDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127034},"content":"Still waiting on the last few holiday gifts to land? You can track your packages through your smartphone with very little effort.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GD4SJ6HNU5HAHAHDFMQX4RGRO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084075},"content":"If you buy online, Gmail will help you keep track of your packages, sending updates to your inbox, with more detailed options for those with a tracking number contained in the message. On Android, go to the Gmail app, tap the three lines for the Menu, tap Settings, and select the account on which you want to activate package tracking. Scroll down and select package tracking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MV3DC34GYRCA7LPBILMQ762WCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734359856480},"content":"If you use the app on Apple’s iOS, go to Menu>Settings>Data Privacy and scroll down to package tracking to enable it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VCKCOBZWFZFGZKJTKCQLPWCJTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127035},"content":"If you pay for your goods through Apple Pay, your phone’s Wallet app can keep track of your orders and send you straight to the delivery company’s website. Once you add a delivery to the wallet, notifications on their status will appear at the top of your inbox, including one to say it has been delivered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OF6BVJ3J2BBTNCG2XUX6RYZMQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127037},"content":"Plan your journeys","type":"header"},{"_id":"EN6JCGLXDJFAFOHQYOKZAUY3OI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127039},"content":"The run-up to Christmas is a busy one, and we don’t have a lot of time to spare sitting in traffic. There are apps that can help you plan your journey better, giving you real-time updates about journey times and allowing you to choose not only a better route, but maybe a better mode of transport.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VQB4DVMJVGNVFBSUNQPDLYHQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084079},"content":"Take Google Maps, for example. The app will give you approximate journey times based on traffic data it has available, so it changes based on time of day or when unexpected events, such as a crash or roadworks, snarl up a road. It also gives you the journey times for alternate modes of transport – walking, cycling, taxi, public transport – and gives detailed directions for them all. Sometimes, you really would be quicker walking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BMKS7R2ZSZGL5GVDLYXE4DOWYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084080},"content":"If you do need to get in the car though, it is best to be armed with all the information. Waze uses data from Google Maps to tell you not only when it will be best to leave to get to your destination on time, it also alerts you to hazards along the way – debris on the road, a stopped car and other potential hazards – that could affect your drive.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZPP4QIROYJF5BBTOA3VFS6J5WA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127040},"content":"Downtime","type":"header"},{"_id":"OQLDLF2EMJBMLNKLHR3IXWMUZE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734104762573},"content":"When the festive cheer starts to get a little too much, don’t doomscroll on social media and wonder why everyone else seems to be having a perfect Christmas. Although your smartphone could be part of the problem, it could redeem itself a little if you have the right tools.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZNHVCFM7AFAQBNYFO7VBP5WLBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084083},"content":"Subscription apps such as Calm or Headspace can help you into a calmer, more relaxed place. Imagine Cillian Murphy lulling you to sleep during a bout of pre-Christmas anxiety, or Matthew McConaughey helping you to focus on your relaxation (both on Calm).","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTOKOOHUHZEXVMZMAFQRSWWGEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734359856489},"content":"A bit of mid-Christmas Day meditation could also come in handy right around the time that the arguments have begun or the in-laws are starting to clash, and you feel like your nerves are stretched to the limit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6HTARNFRE5GRFA4OUO6CIXX5RE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084084},"content":"For younger members of the family, check out Cosmic Kids Yoga. The perfect thing to help smooth out the sugar highs and excitement of Christmas Day, your children can do Christmas themed yoga sessions to help them calm down or wind down for bedtime with Bop the Alien’s 10 minutes to bed routines. There are also mindfulness sessions aimed at helping children deal with the worries or that give them tools to deal with stressful situations, in an age appropriate and fun way.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4QXIO53SHBBY3JX5GU4DEUJIBM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127044},"content":"Food","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZP7SQJFEV5AXFAXWCF5QC7UGVU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084086},"content":"From meal planning to cooking skills, technology has a lot up its sleeve to help in the kitchen.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YMMBXKCOENECNA6HWDF6OY63H4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734336666974},"content":"If you want to learn a few new skills in time for Christmas, Craftsy covers everything from table centrepieces to handmade gifts. But it also includes some useful cooking guides that can level up your Christmas catering. Want to make your own sweets? It has you covered. Barely able to boil an egg? There is a section aimed at beginners.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6PC3ZOVP4BAN5PCICKX7YZOLOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734336666975},"content":"If you want to get the whole family involved though, there are some services that are aimed specifically at getting children into the kitchen. One Yummy Mummy, which is run by award-winning food writer Jolene Cox, offers a “Kids in the Kitchen” virtual class every week that will teach your children valuable lessons for life.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BGI5LNYLRVGMZMCKN3YO4EGMCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734359856495},"content":"Not only does membership include access to all the recipes in her vault, but each week, there is a live “cook along” class with Jolene and her daughter Lils that kids join in via Zoom, with a playback available on the site for those who want to access it later. In the run-up to Christmas, there are a number of festive recipes on the site – tear and share Christmas tree, anyone? – plus recipes to turn to when the turkey and ham get a little too much.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IGT3COTECVGPRLCH5LT4VYMTCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734104762574},"content":"....plus some for next year","type":"header"},{"_id":"LN6UAEBPQRAOLO7RRMMS4ZAGOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734104762575},"content":"<b>Wifi plugs: </b>Not everything needs to be smart. But in the case of the humble plug, we have wholeheartedly embraced it. It started with the Christmas tree – being able to turn on and off the tree lights without risking a branch in the eye is an underappreciated benefit of connected devices. The plugs are connected to your home network, allowing you to control them remotely via their own app, or through Google Home, Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Homekit, depending on their compatibility.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YQUFEGS4FNHPFESRRCVMBWI5IY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734359856498},"content":"So instead of fumbling for the switch and getting pine needles everywhere, you can simply tap your phone’s screen, set a schedule to make sure that the lights turn on (and off) at the right time, or sit back and command Google/Alexa/Siri to do it for you.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YV2ZPI45T5HTRJTN275C4ZDCIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734334127051},"content":"<b>Smart appliances: </b>While not everything needs to be smart, there are some things that can help you if you need some support in the cooking department. Take the crop of smart appliances that are available. While many are unnecessary – who really needs a wifi-enabled air fryer, for example? – there are some features that are nice to have, if not essential.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RY6QIK2OVRE2VGR7AZ2RAKFXHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734359856500},"content":"Neff’s smart ovens, for example, give you the ability to control the oven from wherever you are through the app, so there is no more panicking about getting delayed and the knock-on effect for dinner. Bosch offers similar functionality, also through the Home Connect app, alongside guided recipes and settings that can be sent directly to the appliance.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YSEKTV77UNAKVH2CHUXZEPW57M","additional_properties":{"_id":1734352084094},"content":"And there is more to come. Irish company Fresco has been working with global partners to bring its smart kitchen platform to appliance makers such as Kenwood, Instant Brands and Thermomix. The plan is to create appliances that guide you through the entire process, across multiple appliance manufacturers and devices, from the mixer to the oven, with step-by-step recipes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Whether it’s planning your journey or food prep, keeping tabs of to-do lists or options for downtime, there’s an app for it"},"display_date":"2024-12-19T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"From wifi plugs to Waze: tech essentials to get you through the festive season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"H5LA66VIUFDWJBW3RASZBW6CXQ","auth":{"1":"bcda99a6e4c6aba643c6c3e30fd3ff618d94461fea9d660bf955818278732d13"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/H5LA66VIUFDWJBW3RASZBW6CXQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/19/appy-christmas-tech-essentials-for-the-festive-season-from-parcel-tracking-to-meditation/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"U5IANPOQQNCVBJZFNSETEPXVT4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":307,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/79e2f4a4-2f0f-4c09-8af4-980b45a59cf1/versions/1734448648/media/bb37d9a3319432ec1c7eb0ba112f35b1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/19/ps5-pro-review-stunning-graphics-come-with-a-premium-price-tag/","content_elements":[{"_id":"S73O6Q6IMNB6TIZ5FTEJU5ITR4","additional_properties":{"_id":"GGPDF25H7BHVDE4FEQ7UB2A6BY"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-40430","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"47YKV3LBQJCVBIGNTUWVA2DTAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623239},"content":"When the PlayStation 5 launched in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic, the only thing harder to get your hands on was toilet roll. Demand for the console was high but availability was limited and it took <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sony/\" target=\"_blank\">Sony</a> three years to solve its stock woes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2YJ3WF2LLFCPNIB34ANVQKGNAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623240},"content":"Then, in 2023, came the PS5 Slim, replacing the original console form factor but still identifiable as Sony’s console. PS5s were no longer a rare find.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EE33TU34B5CQLKKJUHSAOJQZBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623241},"content":"Now, a year later, we get the PlayStation 5 Pro, a more powerful console that promises a jump in performance, and delivers it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7KC6SYAZZNGCDEG7XYQVWAB7AM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623242},"content":"What do you get for the extra money? Better graphics performance for a start. The PS5 Pro is trading on that Pro moniker and to do that, it needed to up its game.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FURLF3FXTBBPVP7BQYPAQYJXLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734446805164},"content":"The Pro’s graphics processing unit is faster than its predecessor and the console comes with visual upgrades that are truly stunning, from ray tracing at 60 frames per second, to an AI-driven technology that upscales content to make it really pop, and improved graphical fidelity.","type":"text"},{"_id":"76QN5HDKRZE2NGJIJG3SIHHRWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623243},"content":"That AI technology is PlayStation spectral super resolution, Sony’s proprietary technology that it has developed with the hopes of delivering some jaw-dropping visuals. If you want to sit and marvel at Spider Man swinging his way through New York, you really should do it on PS5 Pro. I found myself getting caught up in the visuals more than in the gameplay at times, like I was taking a realistic run through the city.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WYKGUEXH3BFRHHXOVXESA3DHIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623245},"content":"That’s not the only upgrade. The internal storage has been boosted to 2TB, giving you extra space to store games and other data. That is a welcome upgrade. I didn’t realise how quickly I would burn through the original PS5′s storage with digital games until the updates no longer came. Then there is the inevitable shuffling around of content, archiving and offloading games to make room for a gigantic game update. The extra storage space will ensure that is not an issue – for a while at least.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HU6YUQRIEJCF7J34W7TMFU3CVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623246},"content":"But what Sony giveth, Sony taketh away. What you gain in extra storage, you lose in versatility. The physical drive has been removed, so unless you want to shell out for the external disc drive (another €100), it’s destined to remain a digital console.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O73JKDTHS5BULGUBTSQMPZFZPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623247},"content":"That was a curious decision on Sony’s part. Most serious gamers I know have a stash of physical games they like to hold on to; the decision to make the drive an optional extra to what is already a very expensive console just loads up the expense of owning the Pro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QMIV6MTALJE3LHW66S6UOZFWBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623248},"content":"Because it is an expensive one, there’s no doubt about it. At €800, it is the most expensive Sony console out there, a fact that the games giant isn’t apologising for.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CHEQWKZCY5FS3FR35COCM3BLBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623249},"content":"It is the best PS5 console you can get, there is no arguing there. But will gamers be willing to spend big to get it? You can understand people rushing to spend hundreds of euro on a new generation console that has been eagerly awaited, but as an update to an existing device, it is essentially competing against itself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"M27HZTD275HCNMVLZQ6C47A4RE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623250},"content":"If you like to have the best gaming performance without compromising elsewhere, then the PS5 Pro is a worthy upgrade. But you’ll need to have deep pockets.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HH5YWDM2DFDCNLTM6MOEAUUX74","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623251},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"SAQPI3ABRBCFZKP7SBG4C53ZII","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623252},"content":"Graphics on the PS5 Pro are amazing. The original PS5 was no slouch in this area, but the PS5 Pro pushes things up a notch. The increased performance of the GPU and support for up to 120Hz displays means graphics are super smooth, under the right conditions. The ability to upscale content is also very appealing, making everything incredible sharp and detailed. If you want to sit and gawp at graphics, then the PS5 Pro is the console to have.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XQL3AYGEPRDWNPINMH647Q5OEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623253},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"N6JRWVCB2JEG3JTTJ75QIGBRTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623254},"content":"The graphics upgrades are nice, but won’t have everyone rushing to upgrade.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SDI7DPQLJVFAVO7WHG455XXIG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623255},"content":"It is a digital console, which means you will need to buy an external drive if you want to use physical discs in your games collection.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RANBLPA2XREC3P6STJ6RTCDIDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623256},"content":"Sony doesn’t include the stand in the retail version either; that wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for me, as the console spends most of its time on its side, but it will certainly rankle with some gamers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HHLZPGQBMZGLREFYNOVJ4DUZ7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623257},"content":"It is also incredibly expensive, but if you want the best, Sony is willing to bet you will pay for it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7HXAVTMNNRAHZG2MUE7YZ4PHMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623258},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"YZ23IWBP5JC2ZOZHCYGCQ3PAHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623259},"content":"You’ll get the most out of this console by pairing it with a 120Hz display, but unless you are working with seriously out of date technology, graphics will look great regardless on most displays.","type":"text"},{"_id":"532SFXNSOZB65EBVSAUYC4SJBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623260},"content":"Wifi 7 future-proofs the console – a welcome move because with the price of the PS5 Pro, you are going to want to keep it as long as possible.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N5ESOWXA55FT3OS4J5K7XFRI6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623261},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"VABP77XKS5FU7LUAWICXH3J5XQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623262},"content":"For pro gamers, the PS5 Pro will provide the uptick in graphics performance they may not have realised they needed. But it comes at a cost.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7MFDICZLBZGR7BVLDCYQFZM5ZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623263},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"5YPW4QQFYVHETOZYM5V7S7U64I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734433623264},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"At €800, console is incredibly expensive, but it offers mesmerising visuals that may appeal to serious gamers"},"display_date":"2024-12-19T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"PS5 Pro review: Stunning graphics come with a premium price tag","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ZMIJ3IHJ3RF7BNQZCGOPK5TY2Y","auth":{"1":"36abe60dea398441b44a72a047e4571cca776332e33af453fda3bca253a98a13"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ZMIJ3IHJ3RF7BNQZCGOPK5TY2Y.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/19/ps5-pro-review-stunning-graphics-come-with-a-premium-price-tag/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"YUXWSCOSP5CFBO7KP23IKFXG4I","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":230,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/310d1c5d-0288-4a2f-8036-78c5342687a5/versions/1734453749/media/c10b563cfc2d897829684143461d2ab6_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/business/2024/12/17/last-minute-gift-guide-fitness-tech-for-under-the-tree/","content_elements":[{"_id":"PFVF3SKYO5HVPAWC6G4KGI2RSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948807},"content":"Garmin Lily 2 Active","type":"header"},{"_id":"M4HIJ5YVGBGB3OXFOMV4B7JSO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948808},"content":"<b>From €249</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"MOMJEODYPNEZPPXPDHSJ2VSMHM","additional_properties":{"_id":"OXF4647FWJBGVFANB5JFN4WV24"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"Z4RIP4GEDRDQLFYI5Z5ZPVI3PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948810},"content":"Most fitness focused smartwatches stand out, and not always for the right reasons. The Garmin Lily 2 Active blends in, with a more stylish, subtle appearance that doesn’t compromise on function.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GODAZOHG7ZCFBPQCQSUU36BSMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652132},"content":"It has up to five days of battery life, with built-in GPS, activity monitoring and extras such as stress and pulse ox monitoring. Each day you can check out your “body battery” to see how well you have recovered from the previous day’s exertions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3FG4GZMHBNA53LWVJTVFOK2EDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948811},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.garmin.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Garmin.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"G3TWZXIHAZCILALHEH4VBF4G5A","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948812},"content":"Whoop","type":"header"},{"_id":"75ILM5AAW5BFPFB6FQIGZOWZLQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948813},"content":"<b>From €264</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"P2GAJAHJLRGBHKE6CWTAXQPIVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"L5Z74BULMVEXPHSA3NCW4PEU2A"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"2GNAOTKQEZDRRHLMGW4MJYJ2QM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734362948815},"content":"Sick of screens? The Whoop band offers another way to monitor your health and wellness without becoming a slave to your notifications. The screenless sensor can be worn on your wrist or inside some of Whoop’s clothing – sports tops or shorts, for example – so you don’t need to be wearing a visible band.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N6WF3RCHIZH7FGUBHMBMFA2WJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705521},"content":"Once you wear the band for a period of time, it starts giving you data based on your sleep and activity, giving you an idea of when you need to take a break from training and when you are safe enough to push the limits.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WIL7TWLWYFA4ZKFGNAQWH3ZJQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705522},"content":"The band comes with a 12-month membership to the service; after that you will need to subscribe to keep getting the benefits from the band.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGMHOGAFSJCRVIEHIASM5EX6RE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705523},"content":"Also, Whoop is offering a discount on membership that runs until December 20th, giving members both old and new 10 per cent off a 12-month membership.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3HCY5BRWFFAJFEMZ5O3V5V6ACQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705524},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.whoop.com/ie/en/\" target=\"_blank\">Whoop.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZSAHW2JOHJGKHBGZ7FJSUC6X4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705525},"content":"Samsung Galaxy Ring","type":"header"},{"_id":"2QFTTBOZVZHQPDI2OUUPE47SW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705526},"content":"<b>From €399</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"QUYUUF5IF5EUNIPVHH4ZVP2E3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q27FICQFCJFQFLNEVZD254R4MI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"CPZYKNTJ7RF7RGTYQ6OE5BUDGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705527},"content":"Another option for screen-averse fitness fans is the Samsung Galaxy Ring. Released earlier this year, the device measures activity, sleep, blood oxygen, skin temperature and so on. It combines all these metrics, crunches the numbers and delivers a daily score that lets you know if you need to take things easy or if today is a day to push yourself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R2TOV2VFQZHVPN7T7J5N3CNQT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652146},"content":"It works best with Samsung’s Galaxy phones, but a lot of the health monitoring features are also accessible through other Android devices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5G64AVU4PJAJPMK756DT44VB6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705528},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.currys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">currys.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"HN7C2ZJZAFBNRIPSVQ5C6PAGHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705529},"content":"Apple Watch Series 10","type":"header"},{"_id":"OFFKR3DN3ZCO3COFQKHYD35NQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705530},"content":"<b>From €449</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"APHEQZRNCBHO5HBRPKNVSYZOYA","additional_properties":{"_id":"DT65QX6I6BCCXMJ4JTL26XEWGI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"3CBNOJGTLNH65KECMZWSMX5EWY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705531},"content":"The Apple Watch Ultra 2 may be the rugged, all-singing, all-dancing option, but it also comes with a hefty price tag that may not be justified if you don’t plan on doing anything more taxing than visiting the local gym and pool.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4ECKD7HYUVCERDS6ZCCFBSOLKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652152},"content":"So the Apple Watch Series 10 is the perfect device for iOS users. It has all the sensors you need – heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen, accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter – plus a few extras such as the depth gauge and water temperature sensor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IA52WBLRDZHZ5BKE5SWDKCB6MQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652153},"content":"The new version comes in titanium, which is very lightweight, and has the choice of 42mm or 46mm cases.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RB4EHJV62FAWLGAEDCWG2BOBFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705532},"content":"<a href=\"http://apple.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"YJ7FALUT3VDRLG5RJBJP7YBJ4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705533},"content":"MyZone Switch","type":"header"},{"_id":"MPVTICLXYZEJJDNLOST7TKUEM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705534},"content":"<b>€160</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZDCP7WYCHVCIDIOXJA3OKLTNQE","additional_properties":{"_id":"2RRRPD4TAJEQVIHQYJY2XGUITU"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WUAUF7HKKNAXRBPL6UIIWQY7ZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705535},"content":"Is it a chest strap? Is it a wrist-worn monitor? The MyZone Switch is actually both, and it can also be worn with an arm strap if you want to keep your wrists clear of devices. It measures your effort, awarding you Myzone Effort points based on your own personal workout, rather than an arbitrary standard of what the system thinks you should do.","type":"text"},{"_id":"POJ4LNGC6NCLTAV37MXKMPVR2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652159},"content":"It is screenless too, with a small LED on the face that lets you know what heart rate zone you are in. It links in with various fitness equipment too, as the Polar heart rate monitors do, so no matter what gym you go to, you should be able to keep an eye on your workout stats.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WOYBRMDUZBGZHBWVBIKG3KONQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1734442652160},"content":"Some gyms have adopted the technology as part of their membership, offering members status and rewards as they advance through the levels.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KWLM6J6JWREIZBMX33INE26S7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1734360705536},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.mcsport.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">mcsport.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLTYPSNAUVHZDFYXG64AMI2WEU","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"From smartwatches to rings, here are some present ideas for fitness lovers"},"display_date":"2024-12-17T12:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Last-minute gift guide: Fitness tech for under the tree, including €160 option","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"3GBPHVRGO5HBJK3UKPH53U2B2A","auth":{"1":"e1210a157ffa3fa8005d030730dae1bcc4919956a1c635c0a33d18d70b029825"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/3GBPHVRGO5HBJK3UKPH53U2B2A.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/business/2024/12/17/last-minute-gift-guide-fitness-tech-for-under-the-tree/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/business","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Business"}}}},{"_id":"O5Y4Y7BXEBFWVP4IS2MAVRDROQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":376,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/899f7824-0189-4825-a04a-75cd34c0884b/versions/1733848657/media/8dae8597ee92bd0792ac7d36b03a41c2_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/12/hmd-fusion-review-a-decent-and-expandable-android-phone-at-a-good-price-from-a-nokia-linked-brand/","content_elements":[{"_id":"E7PQWPAVPRAJJKN6GAUKLRQ77A","additional_properties":{"_id":"PO7OT5XMSREARPO2XKKFDCL63Y"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-45318","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"PUUWYGW6RJC2TFXIIZ2WC7YSR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670389},"content":"Your smartphone is a multitasking powerhouse these days, from managing your calendar to replacing your camera, while also putting your car’s GPS out of business.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W2LFCFAPUFCBDPCJVEXYBCXP3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670390},"content":"It makes sense, then, that a company has come up with a way of making some of those tasks a little easier, with the HMD Fusion.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HXQWE22VYJALPPRD37FDBM2AKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670391},"content":"The HMD – Human Mobile Devices – brand name may not be immediately familiar to you; you might know it better as Nokia. Or, to be specific, the unit of Nokia that was sold off to Microsoft in 2014, before the company bought it back two years later. Since 2016, HMD has made Nokia-branded mobile phones, including reboots of the popular “dumb” phones that had batteries that would last for weeks and came with only one game: Snake.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6KCCGRZ2TRA55NI3TIMPAC5QIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670392},"content":"Now the company is making phones under the HMD brand. So far, we don’t hate it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GNEBVDB2MVFWDMKD6SELDIVCYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670393},"content":"The HMD Fusion is a new take on an older concept: modular smartphones that you can expand with different accessories, and are a bit more repairable than your average smartphone. In other words, phones that are designed to be used by humans, rather than robots.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MVKUWGVV6NH3DBR4XGMEIDPTWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670394},"content":"Out of the box, the HMD Fusion looks like every other touchscreen smartphone out there: big screen, small bezels, a cut out for the camera. Turn it over and there is the camera bump, with two lenses and a flash; the back of the battery; and a pin connector. It looks a bit unfinished, like someone forgot to put a panel on it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BVLI2MK5HZH6PFVTOZPUZRLPRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670395},"content":"This is a deliberate choice. HMD calls it “elegant and industrial”, a “raw, no-frills aesthetic”. It is effectively naked; the Fusion is designed to be customised with different “outfits”, as HMD calls the accessories. The kits can be swapped in a few seconds, turning your Fusion from a gaming device to a photo studio as and when you need it. The kits are limited at the moment, but it shows what is possible in the future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7GZRQLQ5NBC2HKMHU253CYSY74","additional_properties":{"_id":"CF4SWRUXFZAKZL5JBL24DYKFZI"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"IR2A3WVCB5FAPKEC7VPHLGS4SM","additional_properties":{},"content":"The Fusion reviewed here came with the gaming outfit, which is essentially a gaming control pad that connects to the phone via the smart connector. Getting a good fit here is essential, and it took me a minute of fiddling about with the controller to realise where I’d gone wrong.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SACP5ABWFD4TJJS4VNES4J5LA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670397},"content":"The controller itself felt just like a regular games controller, with shoulder buttons and triggers that reacted well to the on-screen action. It’s a nicer way to play games on your smartphone than the on-screen controls, although it will only work with the HMD devices due to the smart connector. That compares with the universal Bluetooth controller that can be used with multiple phone models, manufacturers and operating systems.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N7FYGIUVSFGKLIMTFZGYUJ3FIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670398},"content":"As a smartphone, the HMD Fusion does almost everything you can ask of it. It has a decent camera, with extras such as Flash Shot, which is designed for taking pictures of fast-moving objects – pets, kids and so on – a selfie gesture that will trigger a countdown timer, and a preset for skin tones so you can save your personal preference for either a more natural look or a brightened version. It also has the standard Android camera options, such as panorama, portrait mode and a night mode.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5NGA7KKBIBBPHBQCDNCZANPWEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670399},"content":"In general, the camera takes decent photos. It has a 108-megapixel lens on the rear camper, and 3x zoom; the front-facing camera clocks in at 50 megapixels.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JOEEQSHHJZHB5C3EDZFSEVZJ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670400},"content":"The display is HD+ with a 90Hz refresh rate, it won’t challenge the flagships from Apple or Samsung, but it looks fine, even when gaming.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CTZ3MNUIRFCW3PAJYCI7DQJC5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670401},"content":"On the inside, it is powered by a Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor, an octa-core chip that is built for power efficiency.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R37PHUKJMNBVZCJAHJZNXZVMJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670402},"content":"RAM is available at 6GB or 8GB, with the choice of 128GB and 256GB in storage. And in keeping with the phone’s ethos, that is expandable with a micro SD card.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLSTIR2EAZHNFCQ4TUN46JQ6HA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670403},"content":"There is one other good thing going in the Fusion’s favour. Aside from the repairability, it is a lot less expensive than the premium smartphones. At €230, unlocked from a network and free to take any sim you want, the HMD phone is wallet friendly but not feature-light. It doesn’t have wireless charging, or the highest-spec screen technology, but it does everything well. And with a few outfit changes, who knows what extra features you will be able to add?","type":"text"},{"_id":"PJRLBXD6SBFJVFEQL577H6KOWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670404},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"G5322ZFRXFDDTK4QLX4CMPF4H4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670405},"content":"The modular, repairable nature of the phone is welcome. Yes, we’ve gone down this line before but maybe the Moto phones and their mods were ahead of their time. You can add new features quickly, and if the worst happens – a shattered screen, for example – it won’t be an expensive repair because you can do it yourself. Apparently.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6QFCRWM5TFEMRN5HYTDJS2VBDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670406},"content":"The price is the real winner here. For €230, you get a decent Android phone with the potential for expanding its features with the “outfit” accessories.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MPNUEIB3RRHFHEEE3CSYSMWHBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670407},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"3PGN6RSSFBFTRD3A6HCJUPIXH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670408},"content":"You have to take the protective case off – even the HMD one – to fit it into the accessories. Which is fine if they are the “outfits” that can double as protection, such as the soon-to-be-released rugged outfit, or the coloured casual outfits. I am not entirely sure the gaming outfit would provide the same measure of protection should it be dropped in a moment of over-enthusiastic gaming.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7F7447XKZHTZK2YOACZ7SG7ZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670409},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"HPHMTM57TNCKXG4KQS75PKN6SY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670410},"content":"In the box, you get the phone itself, a USB charging cable and what HMD calls a “transparent casual outfit”. To everyone else, that is a clear protective case.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GW6RBPTS3FHOVJN6EF4JC4K7TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670411},"content":"The system for the outfits is open source, so in theory, people could create 3D print and create their own outfits. That opens up a lot of possibilities for the future of the system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"764H2BHKGNDB5P36RDWFH7DLIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670412},"content":"The verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"QBECN3A4IBEI3NKMVENIBM3IRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670413},"content":"A decent mid-priced smartphone, with possibilities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"C3S34DO6LNEVNM2LJ2BNOHWMGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733842670414},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.hmd.com\" target=\"_blank\"><i>hmd.com</i></a>","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"This smartphone is wallet friendly but not feature-light, offers repairability and is designed to be customised with different accessories"},"display_date":"2024-12-12T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"HMD Fusion review: A decent and expandable Android phone at a good price from a Nokia-linked brand","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6VELWIYZGNGENJBSJMNSOLWRL4","auth":{"1":"ba92df0e9de50e86c15b2f9fd69adee85b8eaf9338ec83bac09fa2422bf14626"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6VELWIYZGNGENJBSJMNSOLWRL4.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/12/hmd-fusion-review-a-decent-and-expandable-android-phone-at-a-good-price-from-a-nokia-linked-brand/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"Z6TUS5MIGZC7LGCVZDEA236GOA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":415,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a62f6eb8-0af8-4830-89ed-067158911a15/versions/1733747938/media/7e2beea42fecd2c403954b8d9dabd7f1_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/12/christmas-morning-tech-frenzy-ensure-batteries-are-charged-updates-installed-and-old-devices-backed-up/","content_elements":[{"_id":"K3AZG2FTKNB5JPLAGWP3JE4H6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713022},"content":"We are only 12 days from Christmas, and the preparations are probably almost complete. Santa letters have been posted, turkeys ordered and stockings hung up waiting to be filled with gifts and treats on December 24th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NO5SA6PEJ5DBNDK5DOEKW27AJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713023},"content":"But if Santa is leaving any tech gifts under the tree this year, there are some things you should start doing now to make sure that everything goes smoothly on Christmas Day, and beyond.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TZSQGSNRU5EKLEMNZ7FL2AZM3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713024},"content":"Set up accounts","type":"header"},{"_id":"CYQUXHTXTNENTHVWZLEHBBYJRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713025},"content":"If you were to rank the most tedious requirements for new devices, setting up accounts would be in the top three, especially if you are starting from scratch. Not only do they want to know how to contact you by phone, email and carrier pigeon, they also want you to choose answers to several security questions you will immediately forget, and pick out the images that show even a sliver of the side of a traffic light before they will let you continue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K6TPCYB7S5CABMLLFIADRKZ25Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713026},"content":"But even if you are tempted to let your child do it for themselves on Christmas morning, there is one very good reason why you shouldn’t: parental controls. To access them, you will need an account of your own, then link your child’s account to yours before you can start imposing time limits on apps and locking down devices for school and study hours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3JC6CBK43FDAHJX2FNH5KGK22E","additional_properties":{"_id":"EH7NFBMCJRDNNNY2OOIV7BAOCU"},"content":"Christmas tech for kids: great gift ideas with safety features for parental peace of mind","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"KJODTXYEPVDH5NHTZO4AKQDOXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713027},"content":"It isn’t always possible to put that in place retroactively if your child has already set themselves up with an unrestricted account. All the games companies – Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo – will allow you to set up a child account so you can keep on eye on what they are playing and for how long, as will the smartphone platforms and Microsoft for Windows PCs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLO4NJD7M5EXVNGWFPCXH7QQMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713028},"content":"It doesn’t have to be forever. As they get older, you can loosen the constraints a little, allowing them more autonomy over their own devices as they learn to navigate their way through some of the trickier elements of technology.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XF7SHE4HNVHMPJXR3AUBSUFFJM","additional_properties":{"_id":"QLIXZR5WVVEBTK5SPDRNK63OBM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"7K5INGFYMNC5TMIILKCTPANK3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713029},"content":"Back up old devices","type":"header"},{"_id":"BZQLPOCDR5HNBHRATQVH5G2V2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713030},"content":"This is particularly relevant to those who have splashed out on a new smartphone or tablet for someone this Christmas. If you are upgrading them from an older device, there are going to be files they want to keep – including photographs, downloaded files and other important information.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3MIT534C3BH5HKWVLB2KDBBAVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733745399728},"content":"But there is also going to be a lot of unnecessary junk on there too. Perhaps there are several apps lurking that you could get rid of. Those blurry videos with distorted sound that you took at a concert five years ago can go in the bin. As can the accidental screenshots, the ones where your thumb covered the lens, the out-of-focus shots of the pets and the kids and the many, many TikTok dances.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Y7BFOLXEZZCJVCU5WY3GLLVWQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733745399729},"content":"Food photos, too, along with memes sent on WhatsApp and the selfies that you’d rather not share with the world can also be ditched.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXJPLDXUIBDJ5LAVOVC2MVUXQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713031},"content":"The more data there is on there, the more time the phone will take to back up and transfer to the new phone. You’ll not only save time by cleaning up those files ahead of time, you might be able to downgrade your cloud storage too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XEKO2S3CQFAVRGI4SY55T2YGKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713032},"content":"Charge batteries","type":"header"},{"_id":"EAAYYHNRSBCUNKOCCZXHJDCHYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713033},"content":"Most tech devices will come with rechargeable batteries, and those batteries will usually have some sort of charge out of the box. But occasionally they don’t and will need a few hours of being plugged in before they can be used. Sometimes, they don’t work at all and Santa has to hotfoot it back to the workshop for a quick swap.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYEANV2OHNDK3GX2TAKWOXVWKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733745399733},"content":"Wouldn’t it be better to double-check that now rather than wait until Christmas Day, when you have to explain to an impatient child why they can’t immediately crack on with their Christmas gift?","type":"text"},{"_id":"2EBGWDBJBZHWPCBJORIXCGCJIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713034},"content":"With that in mind, it is also a good idea to make sure you have a stock of batteries on hand for toys that don’t come with lithium ion batteries built in. We usually reach for the rechargeable AA and AAA batteries, but some devices have very specific requirements, and ones that rechargeables don’t meet.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7CYZKW6UDNCIND3DP6QOR3Y3YE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713035},"content":"Install updates","type":"header"},{"_id":"IO7ROEF6KRAL3GF7QJS7HHZKCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713036},"content":"If you have bought anything with an operating system on it – phone, tablet, games console – spare yourself the agony on Christmas morning and check if they will need software updates before they can be used.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L3FI3OULPJHYZPWRWHUBFW4K3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713037},"content":"It doesn’t matter that they are new and straight out of the box; there’s a good chance that in the time between the device being manufactured and you buying it, there have been more than a few software updates pushed out to devices. And in some cases, you will need to install those updates before you can get down to the business at hand – actually using the shiny new toys.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KFZ5UYHOABACZA5PMRGJHT5JNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713038},"content":"You could decide to wing it on the day but there are a couple of reasons you shouldn’t. First, what if there is a problem with an update? Then the gift recipient will have a frustrating delay in getting their device working properly","type":"text"},{"_id":"IYJJ43P2BNBGDHVXTMB3XUGTN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713039},"content":"That is, of course, assuming you can get the update. Every year, we hear tales of woe involving an excited child, a high-tech device and a seeming eternally pending update. You aren’t the only one who will have chosen this particular gift, and if they all go for updates at the same time, there is a good chance you will get stuck in a queue behind people in various time zones trying to start up their new tech.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4PDC6QLMVNC5BNDIMVZVBMDYPU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713040},"content":"So do yourself a favour: install the updates now. At least if something goes horribly wrong, you will be able to get someone in the relevant tech support to help you through the mess.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BKLY5NCQDVHJROMWFQDZZ2ZALA","additional_properties":{"_id":"SJ3BXGNZCBFIRNEZA2P772DUX4"},"content":"Christmas gift ideas: 100 Irish websites to get your shopping sorted","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ZH77JBS5MFB5RNZYPUV24PSMGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713041},"content":"Warranties and insurance","type":"header"},{"_id":"Y4AXIR7SCNDTXHJ35YS2KSAHBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713042},"content":"Your new technology will come with some statutory warranties that are yours by law, but there are also extended warranties on some devices. We aren’t talking about the kind that you have to fork over extra cash for, though; usually, if you register your device by a certain date, you can get a longer warranty (albeit a limited one in some cases).","type":"text"},{"_id":"EBJFGD7DT5FSTOAPRF3DTB4FPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713043},"content":"Registering your device is also a good idea for getting notified about potential problems, product recalls or important updates to software that might otherwise pass you by.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2UPO7AEW5JARXIZ5HJYJFP4OVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713044},"content":"That deadline is usually several weeks, but if there is one thing that slips through the cracks this Christmas, we would put money on it being this lengthier warranty offer. Do it now, save yourself the potential heartache – and much rummaging through the recycling bin – in the post-Christmas haze.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NECDUNDT2ND2DISS2LMRKQXNEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713045},"content":"If you are planning on insuring your newly bought technology, it might also be worth looking at that now too. Some devices will be covered under your home insurance, but many – particularly expensive technology that leaves the house a lot – won’t be covered for loss, theft or damage under your regular policy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MUSOHDB3NFAKVC2UHNOXR6FN3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1733709713046},"content":"Familiarise yourself with the details too. Some policies will require you to have bought the device within a certain time limit; others will limit how soon you can make a claim and a certain number for the year. The current record from handing over the gift to insurance claim here was six weeks, so best to move quickly on that one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Planning ahead will pay dividends with a less stressful gift-giving experience"},"display_date":"2024-12-12T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Christmas morning tech frenzy: ensure batteries are charged, updates installed and old devices backed up","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"Y2YDAFPESJA4ZETOSYVTXE356U","auth":{"1":"d7366828792901a3126b0cff2df9ad3dce49f2da05c8d79350d8e836fd91d98e"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/Y2YDAFPESJA4ZETOSYVTXE356U.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/12/christmas-morning-tech-frenzy-ensure-batteries-are-charged-updates-installed-and-old-devices-backed-up/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"FICQAAJNTJCLJBZCRRWOLH2WWI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":263,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/45996d95-6f32-4277-941f-b9746ce6ccb3/versions/1733215995/media/e92e08f42e4b41c43de0465e0c4552b7_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/05/twinkly-tree-topper-review-choose-a-different-look-atop-your-christmas-tree-for-every-day-of-the-season/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WOVGB2AP6ZACZFI5OIWIG3OJ64","additional_properties":{"_id":"JCNCMXOP6JCJVAHTTKL6OIYHEU"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-69700","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"52ZATUBQ4RHVDLLTGEH2KLH2RU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597342},"content":"December 1st has come and gone. That means it is reasonably safe to start talking about Christmas without someone composing a furious email about how it is too early and can we just wait until we see the back of November, please?","type":"text"},{"_id":"VWNGEDXXQFGK7KZP5LCOM553FA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597343},"content":"As for putting up Christmas trees – well, that’s a contentious subject all of its own. Mention it in the wrong company and you mark yourself out as one of those people who has a Christmas tree cluttering up the corner of the livingroom, shedding pine needles all over the place before the Halloween decorations are even packed back into the attic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6U33TRWETJAP7PIP3NS4CIUP64","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597344},"content":"But we do need to talk about the tree. Specifically, what goes on top of yours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFSZ6RNHEVBKBLMTAJPBESOWUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597345},"content":"There is a rotating system in this house – one year, it’s an angel; another it’s a red star I picked up in a sale. The younger members of the family decide each year which one they we’ll use and, aside from the year when I mistakenly bought a glitter-encrusted star that shed everywhere and over everyone for the entire Christmas period, we don’t deviate.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BAEMSSDWKZHQVGIJAH3ZZJCDOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597346},"content":"But this year, there will be something a little different on top of the tree: the Twinkly Tree Topper.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JKZI2LZHDRAUHJQEPN5ZW7BVPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733158294491},"content":"At first glance, it looks just like a regular star, with a bit of design flair. But look closer and you will notice there is an LED strip on the inside of the star. Not only does it light up, but you can control different lighting effects, transforming its look in seconds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VLSZLE2WBRDB3DX4OIVC7C5POE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597347},"content":"At its simplest, you can change the colour of the star, from a silvery white to magenta or blue. If you are a fan of colour schemes, this could be the ultimate chameleon decoration.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JO3EGPGXV5EZXGUOAU3LYRM25E","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597348},"content":"This is all done through the accompanying Twinkly app, and the list of different effects is quite lengthy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WV6FMCVPVVECFDITU72AAAIM4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"N46CS62RZVG5FHX3AMI5FY36KA"},"content":"Christmas tech for kids: great gift ideas with safety features for parental peace of mind","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"NI2CCV4ECJCFXEFW7TMFRL4GHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597349},"content":"This isn’t the only device in Twinkly’s range. The company does everything from simple strings of lights to mini candles for the Christmas tree, festoons for indoor and out, and gaming lights that can extend your screen to the wall of the room.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E7ZCWKO3QFB7ZAVSBC5GRUEOZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597350},"content":"We had already fully bought into the Twinkly system for the past few years; they were an impulse purchase just to see how they would go, and were quickly followed by two more sets of lights. When they are all connected to the app, you can group them into a single collection, and then map the tree with the lights turned on. That allows you to set specific patterns for the lights, so you can recreate candy cane stripes, for example, or turn your entire tree into a flag, if that’s what takes your fancy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H4W7L32H65CX5N5ETFAXL7WOVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597351},"content":"The Tree Topper can play its part here too, becoming part of the group effect. It’s easier than you might think. Out of the box – which doesn’t include a USB C plug, by the way – you plug in the light, turn it on and add it to your Twinkly app. You can then group all your lights plus the topper together, so the lighting effects are shared across the entire tree. Mapping them takes only a few minutes, using your smartphone camera.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I72FZA4W2VAUBFI5NRCXTCGVDE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597352},"content":"Breaking it to the children that we would be retiring the angel was a more difficult task, but the idea that they could pick the day’s theme for the tree mollified them a little. We have had a tropical theme, something called unicorn sunset and Kit from Knightrider – and we are only a few days into the season.","type":"text"},{"_id":"L3FN2YX3ZVFY7BJRPEV6I35FCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597353},"content":"There is another benefit to the Twinkly lights. You can turn the tree lights on and off remotely, or set them to a schedule, without having to add in a wifi plug or any extra technology.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3L4MH2DYQ5CSLKYJZENLA62X2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597354},"content":"Yes, it is unnecessary. Yes, it is probably tech for tech’s sake. But I love it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVRIRNZUKNETRKI4JUIFP25FYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597355},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"AHKNDYKUQZDCDP3RC2HVM42UCY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597356},"content":"Your tree doesn’t have to look the same two days running, never mind two years running. You can even build your own looks if the preloaded ones don’t grab your fancy. Plus you get some remote control options.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4ZH5QKR4T5GWDON3YF355QOKFM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597357},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"PZIXZASHNBHHLAXNUS3WRU2JHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597358},"content":"Doesn’t include the USB C power supply, so make sure you have a compatible plug handy. Expensive for a tree topper if you aren’t going to make full use of its capabilities.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JDSR5UHJARDORIU5OK3JLYKSZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597359},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"5LFBCFH6HBAVJNF5GAOM6VUM3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597360},"content":"The lights can be controlled with their individual controllers, like traditional lights. You just can’t access the extra effects.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EXHDOYM5RBFOTJJ5TOBNCJ7UJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597361},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"CD4C5RNRQ5E4XHXB46YU5HZBYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733155597362},"content":"Christmas trees just got levelled up.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"App-controlled festive tree decorations that mean no two days need be the same"},"display_date":"2024-12-05T06:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Twinkly Tree Topper review: Choose a different look atop your Christmas tree for every day of the season","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"B44K62RMAZCOLN4LXIW76ESN3Q","auth":{"1":"a2b5904bc3d048ae264911921e25bc29315925ad6c0f7203176a9abd9aafd60d"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/B44K62RMAZCOLN4LXIW76ESN3Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/12/05/twinkly-tree-topper-review-choose-a-different-look-atop-your-christmas-tree-for-every-day-of-the-season/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"GLV44LMJWVEKTK5CSENCNLOFTM","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":600,"audio_url":"https://beyondwords-h0e8gjgjaqe0egb7.a03.azurefd.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/35015e68-0b61-4582-8cff-0a2d6feac558/versions/1733217537/media/945f7a077d5b44ee4f2cbfba752e0df3_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/05/gadgets-for-the-techie-in-your-life-this-christmas/","content_elements":[{"_id":"AYYICVDDWVHO7M5KELLAAX4W44","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066434},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas/\" target=\"_blank\">Christmas</a> is fast approaching, and with it comes the usual <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/christmas-gifts/\" target=\"_blank\">gift</a> anxiety. What do you get someone who has everything? Will the budget stretch? And how do you buy something that lasts rather than adding to the growing pile of discarded products?","type":"text"},{"_id":"MM2I2EQMGNCCPGERTRUKSDALO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066435},"content":"If you haven’t already picked out the tech gifts for under the tree, we have some suggestions to get you started.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2WBDXA6GRREULKUCBSOCXWEDEY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066436},"content":"Under €100","type":"header"},{"_id":"BDIMI7RXDRFPTHWWT52RDDGJ2A","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066437},"content":"<b>Tile Pro</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"QW4OWHCI3FB2ZODSTL7QCWEQWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066438},"content":"€40","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ZYMKYAT6NFDTBYLI2K6EWLIWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066439},"content":"When it comes to bang for your buck, Tile’s Bluetooth tags certainly earn their price tag. You can attach the Tile to your keys, bag, or even the dog if you feel so inclined.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3RQ6JG2BVVBMPNP6MS5QKPW2UU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066440},"content":"It has a range of up to 500ft, so you can ping it from your phone if you need to find your lost item and then simply follow the sound to trace it. Outside that range, you can tap into the power of the Tile network, marking your item as lost and letting other Tile users eventually pinpoint its location.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4WZSKSPRXFFLDIS7MDMOS4IXVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066441},"content":"It works with both Android and iOS devices, and can also be used to locate your phone, even if your device is in silent mode. Plus it has a replaceable battery – unlike the Tile Mate – so you don’t have to bin the entire tracker when it eventually runs out,","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFVODTZDXZEBHLQD3Y5TBJUE74","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066442},"content":"Other options for the around the same price are the Apple AirTag (€34), the Chipolo One (€25) and the Samsung Smart Tag 2 (€45)","type":"text"},{"_id":"4I7TCCLS55HRZGGGXLNJSHVPI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066443},"content":"<b>Amazon Echo Pop</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"JOHWYQMKNNH45HJZNBBH2G2JBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066444},"content":"€60","type":"text"},{"_id":"S2OOT37YH5BIRIOWASFPGYQ5SQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066445},"content":"“Alexa, play some Christmas carols.” If you know someone who might like to order a digital assistant around for a while, the Amazon Echo Pop is a good place to start. The compact Bluetooth smart speaker is designed for audio in smaller spaces, so you can put it in a bedroom or study for music, podcasts, audio books or even just as a white noise machine to help you sleep. It links in with the Alexa ecosystem too so you can control smart plugs and other connected compatible devices in the home. Now if only Alexa could manage the Christmas clear-up ...","type":"text"},{"_id":"5BIHDZZECVBUDHINQIN4GFHFLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066446},"content":"<b>Nokia 3210</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"RPFMPMIJGFAVZJ4GAT5W56MDEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066447},"content":"€80","type":"text"},{"_id":"V555TDMJQBH3ZDMKEAAF2LUWEQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066448},"content":"The Nokia 3210 has a lot of nostalgia value, and the updated version doesn’t disappoint. The device is the antidote to the modern smartphone, dumping the unnecessary apps and features for something that does the basics: texting, calling, even a few games. And yes, Snake is back.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RN3TYJQJZFFAFMNWCKIOOFJ5Y4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066449},"content":"The new version also has a built-in camera, although at 2 megapixels, you won’t be creating masterpieces. And it has an internet connection, so you can access some online services – just not the multitude we have become used to having at our fingertips.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PVE7OWZ2AFFWZDFB3KHIMJOMA4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066450},"content":"€250 and under","type":"header"},{"_id":"4WLY567EDFDSTPFZDITKZREB4I","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066451},"content":"<b>Fuijifilm Instax Mini Link 3 photo printer</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"W5UPHDTOURFURIICJI7ADBCNHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066452},"content":"€130","type":"text"},{"_id":"PFTUS52RMVHDZG23UWCGGUVNJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066453},"content":"Fujifilm has made the instant camera market its own in recent years, with the Instax range of devices. But don’t forget about the photo printers. The new Instax Mini Link 3 is designed to go on the move with you, with a compact design and a rechargeable battery that lasts longer than your photo sessions should.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QODVWBQD3NHQLD3S5WGJZHWITE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733217018016},"content":"It connects to your phone through the Instax app, allowing you to customise photos before you print. It also works with Fujifilm’s impossibly tiny (and cute) Instax Pal camera. And it’s available in three colours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EQPWN5IZ7VAQRCKO4UYQ76TG3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066454},"content":"<b>Google Pixel Buds Pro 2</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"HMFAWMHTEBHW3LIGZXCPY5TKHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066455},"content":"€249","type":"text"},{"_id":"ORNUPYEJVNHOHCU6UHWYJ5XCCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066456},"content":"Google’s earbuds have been given a bit of a makeover. Smaller and lighter than before, the buds come in new colours (including pink) and have a new twist-to-adjust stabiliser that keeps them put when you are exercising. They have active noise cancellation and link in with Google’s Gemini AI assistant on phones so you can ask for help hands-free.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HTUGKU3ANRAV7NPQ5SWBRERBJY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066457},"content":"<b>Kindle Paperwhite</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"FPJ3VW2J3ZBP5GA3GP2DIIXKXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066458},"content":"€205","type":"text"},{"_id":"XV5JWP2QKZB3JBTJFEXPAUOLVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066459},"content":"While the pricier Kindle Scribe doubles up as an e-ink notebook, the Kindle Paperwhite is still the favourite around here. That is generally because it is more portable for a start, with a 7in screen, and the backlight can switch from white to a more amber tone for night-time reading. You get about 12 weeks out of a single charge too, which should give you ample time to work your way through your holiday reading list. It is also water resistant, which the basic, cheaper Kindle is not.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6PWGCILPNRFLXN7IGB6HXWLC5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066460},"content":"<b>Cricut Joy Xtra</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UB5HQI3HLJE3VNP7LWA72OUPCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066461},"content":"€250","type":"text"},{"_id":"LBNYF42BBJDRLKEVINWR6TGBGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066462},"content":"Creative people will love the Cricut Joy Xtra, a digital cutting device that helps level up your crafting sessions. It can help you create greetings cards, cut vinyl for personalising items and make your own, with settings built into the software so you don’t have to guess what you are doing. It works over Bluetooth, communicating with the Design Space software on either your phone, tablet or laptop. It’s easy to get started with too, so this time next year, everyone can have their very own personalised Christmas jumper. Whether they like it or not.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FZM6N54B55F7TBHNEQ4OH7QWLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066463},"content":"€500 and under","type":"header"},{"_id":"L5QNVC6TMFDGLJJLUBV6TSMGZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066464},"content":"<b>AirPods Pro 2</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"O7QRQK75CVCEJFMLRORUPH22A4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066465},"content":"€279","type":"text"},{"_id":"NW2FJM5HK5ABXGAABSMN5VEKLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066466},"content":"Apple’s in-ear buds not only come with active noise cancelling and great audio, they now include a new feature: the ability to use them as hearing aids of sorts. The Hearing Health feature is a software upgrade that allows you to take a hearing test at home, and then use the AirPods Pro 2 as a hearing aid to boost frequencies, while its machine learning capabilities will adjust to the ambient noise level.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QQEY7HIVH5E7JL22IZ3IJHABCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733217018030},"content":"They will also help protect your hearing; in transparency mode, the H2 chip inside the buds will actively reduce louder and intermittent noise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AXG4PLJLFBCALDMNTLUY5TOODY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066467},"content":"<b>Oura Ring 4</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XAEGP6HLI5FLLMJZLBF6WIZANU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066468},"content":"€399","type":"text"},{"_id":"EGQN5GTPIJACBGEN6OH3T3WEZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066469},"content":"Step aside smartwatches: when it comes to subtle, Oura has been doing smart rings for a while and is now on to generation four of the device. This one is sleeker, made of titanium to keep it lightweight and with recessed sensors so the inside is bump-free. Those sensors give you insights into sleep, activity, stress, heart health and so on, so you can go about your daily business and drop into the Oura app occasionally to see what your body is desperately trying to tell you.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OUWW4FC5ERE35PADKLLGR2SDQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066470},"content":"The new ring also comes with what Oura promises are smart sensing capabilities, so it will adapt to your finger and make sure you get the best signal, and the whole thing lasts about a week out of a full charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CFOZDIKTA5F37O7BJACDRWDMQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066471},"content":"<b>Nintendo Switch OLED</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"A7XT5X623RAV7EXDFIESIOZ3JQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066472},"content":"€365","type":"text"},{"_id":"CPHD2GCKNFAU5DCUHMPDKFFXOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066473},"content":"You can’t beat a bit of Super Mario and, with the Nintendo Switch, you can take Mario and Luigi on the move or hook the console up to your TV for larger screen action. The Oled version of the console may cost a little more than the standard Switch, but for that you get a high-quality screen when you need to relinquish control of the TV. The 7in screen is vibrant, so gaming looks great, and the speakers are better. There’s an adjustable stand too, so you can play it in tabletop mode. The console also comes with 64GB of storage internally.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5CD5O4O6URGPZKFFBHMCXXOEVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066474},"content":"<b>Dyson Airstrait</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"VNFEVTXEUBF7TCROPDNDU3GQ3A","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066475},"content":"€449","type":"text"},{"_id":"OEBAIZMRKNFBPDRZWGE54O32IU","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066476},"content":"Dyson may be well known for its vacuum cleaners but it also does a decent line in haircare products. The AirStrait is its version of a wet-to-dry hair straightener, using hot air to dry your hair as you clamp it between the plates to smooth it out, and technology to make sure the heat damage is kept to a minimum.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V45QYSKFTVHF5LIOXYKY7QRFG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066477},"content":"For those who struggle with their hair, this will seem like a bargain; for those who don’t, it will be excessive. Either way, this is firmly in luxury territory.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCB3YT6HA5HCHMHT73VEMWSYMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066478},"content":"€500+","type":"header"},{"_id":"J36K5QLU3FBHHPADETQO7HNPDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066479},"content":"<b>PlayStation 5 Pro</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"WPTTKTGTFNHBDLKIJR6L73ZIKE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066480},"content":"€800","type":"text"},{"_id":"QKJDSRLCWNAORNVVBDGPPYGSI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066481},"content":"Remember a few years ago when you couldn’t get hold of a PS5 unless you were willing to stake out every retailer in Ireland and promise your firstborn in exchange? Now there are not only plenty of the original consoles around, but an updated version too – the PlayStation 5 Pro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WEXBHW7FI5DPVBNYWR6IWTNA64","additional_properties":{"_id":1733217018046},"content":"With more powerful than the original PS5, the Pro offers an upgraded graphics chip and new technology that delivers advanced graphics. It also comes with 2TB of storage and supports wifi 7. It doesn’t include a disc drive though, so factor in that as extra if you want to play physical games.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RQ2ZN2PSNJBCNEWM5OPK3C2E6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066482},"content":"<b>Samsung Tab S10+</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"MU5GFRTP7JFGVJRK37GCL34ZAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066483},"content":"Apple’s iPad Pro may be a popular choice for tablets but if you would rather go Android, what are your options? The Samsung Galaxy Tab range has established itself as a premium alternative in the Android space, and the new S10+ is no exception. The 10.5in screen is perfect for both work and entertainment, while the support for the S Pen puts it in productivity powerhouse territory. Like all Samsung’s new devices, it supports Galaxy AI too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G35PIOEJXRFWXCRGHZELSVZEPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066484},"content":"<b>Apple Watch Ultra 2</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"5WW63UP2GZAUVOJREQOEFJQHRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066485},"content":"€899","type":"text"},{"_id":"CEGORF3MY5CW7KMDTJ4A3MYIO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066486},"content":"Apple’s competitor for Garmin’s rugged tech has a lot of decent features, from the bigger screen inside the 49mm case and more capable battery to the customisable shortcut button and its ability to be used for diving to depths of up to 40m. The screen is brighter than its predecessor too, and it can help track down your other Apple items when you have misplaced them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXNERMSPUFGEVBJMN3ZWW5CUW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066487},"content":"<b>Victrola Stream Sapphire</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"D62HPL6SVVE23DZD6NHNLOJJ2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066488},"content":"€1,400","type":"text"},{"_id":"PFWWAGPK2JFNZIR2RX5DII2SOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1733153066489},"content":"If you want to push the boat out, the Victrola Stream Sapphire is an option for vinyl fans who don’t mind a high-tech upgrade. The turntable will not only connect to speakers via a cable for a traditional wired set-up, but will also effortlessly slot into your home’s Sonos system – assuming you have one. The record player will stream its vinyl output to your Sonos speakers throughout your home, so you can bring your favourite music to every room. And it looks good too, which never hurts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"From a Playstation 5 to the Dyson Airstrait, there is something out there at every price point"},"display_date":"2024-12-05T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Gadgets for the techie in your life this Christmas","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"RFNNWVYLKBAZDAAHYXOMN4ATY4","auth":{"1":"927c59a37d8313463fac4a814f9bf2e3ed3bc79b412e75fb44f0e54a3a051a2f"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/RFNNWVYLKBAZDAAHYXOMN4ATY4.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/12/05/gadgets-for-the-techie-in-your-life-this-christmas/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"LQLZKN7MWJFRXCQCN4GXQQBLDQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":135,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/4e0518ff-b15a-491d-a294-0e0fb67a6b5c/versions/1729512296/media/80ac9b58e15a882678c74d00ce9129d0_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/11/29/watch-the-birdie-gadgets-for-techies-and-twitchers-at-christmas/","content_elements":[{"_id":"UZI2OEFB5VAWRPLART6SCSFDBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353921},"content":"Samsung QN900D 65″ 8K HDR Neo QLED Smart TV (2024), €4,799 <a href=\"https://www.harveynorman.ie/index.php?subcats=Y&status=A&pshort=N&pfull=N&pname=Y&pkeywords=Y&search_performed=Y&q=Samsung+QN900D+65%E2%80%B3+8K+HDR+Neo+QLED+Smart+TV+%282024%29&dispatch=products.search\" target=\"_blank\">Harvey Norman</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"KXLM5Y4EWBGLTFJ33IQNL5FVHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353922},"content":"Doro 8100 Smartphone, €240, <a href=\"http://shopdoro.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">shopdoro.ie</a>. Order by 20 December","type":"text"},{"_id":"3SSNK4L4GZBUPNXBMCL6INCMUY","additional_properties":{"_id":"TKBYMDBJVRC5NMLHJ7MR5FLNGE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"YXAJ3PZIVVFVVEG364REHQ4N4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353923},"content":"Dyson OnTrac headphones, €499.00, <a href=\"http://www.dyson.ie/\">dyson.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"YQXVCGOCWJBRZF64LPVXH67GIE","additional_properties":{"_id":"EROOAZRPLRHWXDOLLS5KDQRKLQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WI5JEAW67BGMHAZNBWXA2L4CXA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353924},"content":"Whoop Onyx with Gold Superknit Luxe Band, €99, <a href=\"http://whoop.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">whoop.ie</a>. Order by 19 December","type":"text"},{"_id":"72ZUC32KLFGBHEYTNVOS7DJEUE","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZQ3BMIGNLJD73OFXKEYDZVPG7Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RVQRKS275ZH3HI7LQFYIBPEYD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353925},"content":"Buddy Smart Camera Bird Feeder with Solar Roof – Blue, €279, <a href=\"http://mybirdbuddy.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">mybirdbuddy.eu</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3IR6P5F4JRDVXFIPVF26TY2QW4","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q5XCXWJE2BC4PH6SBRUMP7DGC4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RLD4T7EUPZGW5NVDVMBXBCK4GM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353926},"content":"Noerden Liz+ UV Smart Water Bottle, €59.99, <a href=\"http://currys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Currys.ie</a>. Order by 18 December","type":"text"},{"_id":"5575OUHXHFBR3N2QKCBELNMIGU","additional_properties":{"_id":"Q7RZFZA3G5DSNPFY4PW3B6VUQI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"UW5LMOAXWRC2HONUTAXNZBO2UU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353927},"content":"Renpho Calibra 1 Smart Nutrition Scales – Stainless Steel, €29.99, <a href=\"http://currys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Currys.ie</a>. Order by 18 December","type":"text"},{"_id":"CKHFKDX4KVADFPVUOOEZZTZ4PI","additional_properties":{"_id":"SCFF4NWQ4NHPFNU7THLN2DWCFA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"7OCDJI5HN5CXHBQZPUXPA6S5WE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353928},"content":"Moleskine Smart Writing System, €249, <a href=\"http://moleskine.com/\" target=\"_blank\">moleskine.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"IDCFX62NHVHBRA7NQCAAFWNTAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"XMDNIK2NCJBV5A4YR4H2X6K3H4"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"4CSURMDPGFG4PJG3EHPDWNETLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353929},"content":"Philips PicoPix Micro 2TV Mobile Projector, €409.95, <a href=\"http://arnotts.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">arnotts.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3L7VDIHX3JBTLIZ2BW2Q5NTDVI","additional_properties":{"_id":"KEOMQERIRRAPTCAIAANCWHRHIE"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"PWIEWOJJOVHIFPZYKW3BTEVAWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353930},"content":"Hatch Restore 2 Sunrise Alarm Clock, €253.35, <a href=\"http://amazon.co.uk/\" target=\"_blank\">amazon.co.uk</a>, Amazon Marketplace","type":"text"},{"_id":"4V7TVNZZXNCQRP2J6X63WJHSFU","additional_properties":{"_id":"YPNFCISEPZFAPO3F7K72QJXJ3Y"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"IGAW5IZHSJADHLRPWABTZDSFGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353931},"content":"Cosmos Twilight Projector, €195, <a href=\"http://sensoryhouse.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">sensoryhouse.ie</a>. Order on or before 20 December","type":"text"},{"_id":"AXQU437YH5GW3JO4UJ32ZUOTZA","additional_properties":{"_id":"BSMXWD5I4JACRIPHDSARFRXUEA"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"JMXBAYI5YVEETDK5J4MPB52HQI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353932},"content":"Garmin HRM-Pro Plus Heart Rate Strap – Black, €129.99, <a href=\"http://greatoutdoors.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">greatoutdoors.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"UI22LB77XVDQ7CSM5FU7PQTU2A","additional_properties":{"_id":"4JOJCQJMUNCFLEVANGSOHSFOBI"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"MPGIVYPCUZELJHVAGTOH33SISM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729509353933},"content":"Majority P300 Bluetooth Megasound Party Speaker, €119.99, <a href=\"http://currys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">Currys.ie</a>. Order by 18 December.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Aoife Barry"}]},"description":{"basic":"A bird feeder with a camera that gets you right up close to your garden visitors is among our tech gift picks for Christmas"},"display_date":"2024-11-29T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Watch the birdie: Gadgets for techies and twitchers at Christmas","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"DQUU5ZXQLBCLXJDVTAIHMDEBY4","auth":{"1":"cea8e61a241a1cf85e0174eda7028453b5fe6b5859fe7f5ac5af38f7cf54917e"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DQUU5ZXQLBCLXJDVTAIHMDEBY4.png"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/11/29/watch-the-birdie-gadgets-for-techies-and-twitchers-at-christmas/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"DGD2XNRXTZBXHDFU4PPDEGUY5E","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":339,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/b9e8dc71-ab7d-4902-a2ec-8514e6b4a237/versions/1732625640/media/d111e8eb5f6aeeec0e5f47a48773a9c4_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/28/samsung-galaxy-ring-review-subtle-health-tracking-that-actually-works/","content_elements":[{"_id":"V3ZYQJXMGZDS5JFUXZNOKS6EWA","additional_properties":{"_id":"LZWOT433Y5HDDJY6UHSJNNIPUU"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-81084","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"FCLJ7ZRJRBAQTGFELYTHVUYOPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409893},"content":"There are too many screens vying for our attention these days. If it is not your phone, it is your smartwatch or a tablet, vibrating with notifications to let us know exactly what we are missing out on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WDQ7KRHLFBEBLJI3VOCXO2YCEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409894},"content":"The simple answer would be to put the devices down, turn off notifications and step away. Break the cycle of information overload, reduce our stress levels, go back to a simpler time. But who are we kidding? Some people like the idea of tracking their steps, others want to keep track of their heart rate and sleep","type":"text"},{"_id":"HXISI3WTEJBLFLXNPWZJLZIRWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409896},"content":"The Galaxy Ring gets rid of at least one of those screens. Instead of having a watch that flashes up notifications and vibrates to grab your attention, the Galaxy Ring records your health and wellness data in the background, quietly, unobtrusively and accurately.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3YHK4WS3BAWVPBTIMAWEWFGE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409897},"content":"The ring will pick up a few metrics. First there is heart rate, which it tracks through the sensors on the inside of the ring’s band. It also tracks skin temperature while you sleep, warning you of potential changes that could mean an impact on your health.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TBXNUZHWCZFMBBNRHRFN3PJBWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732623780443},"content":"An accelerometer tracks movement, automatically detecting walking and running.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZRIH7D7BRFG7TLPGZ5PGFJLCNM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409898},"content":"It gathers that data, combines it with its own Galaxy AI and spits back some recommendations and health tips. Each day you get a physical readiness score based on the previous day’s activity level, heart rate data and your sleeping pattern, letting you know whether you can take it easy or need to step up the physical activity a bit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KXCZFUFN7FGQ3MBQXLHPIQSPUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409899},"content":"Out of the box, the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/samsung/\" target=\"_blank\">Samsung </a>Galaxy Ring looks impressive. It comes in a clear charging case that doubles as a way to monitor the battery life of the ring, with a ring of LED lights that correspond to the ring’s battery level when you put it in the case.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XIWBFEUR5BBBBBA4D57ZNVHNII","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409900},"content":"The version reviewed here was the matt black titanium finish, but you can get it in gold or silver too. It is thinner than some of the rings I’ve tested, and feels much more comfortable to wear. There were times I forgot I was wearing it, although the black finish makes it stand out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RR7MYWDT6JE5DA3F3YKEXSATNQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1732623780447},"content":"It held up well, too; a small scuff on the edge of the underside of the ring was the only evidence that this device had been worn at all.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D23TZYZ2RZCUDJVHVHP6UILMJU","additional_properties":{"_id":"IMFISMA2CRB43AVHDM2GN66I7U"},"content":"Samsung unveils Galaxy Ring, AI-powered phones","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"5QADQFXKJVCJRJ6N7Y2GCRUUOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409901},"content":"After about a week, you have a good idea of your sleep metrics and your activity levels, and you can just check in on the Samsung health app regularly to see how things are progressing and pick up on any areas that you may need to improve. If you want subtle health tracking that actually works, the Galaxy Ring does a good job.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LVO47DSV5VAILIEZKVMADA3EXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409902},"content":"This ring will work with Android devices, including non-Samsung ones, but it is designed to slot into the Samsung ecosystem, and more specifically, the newer devices. So if you want to get the most out of it, you will need at least a Galaxy smartphone that supports its new Galaxy AI. That is because the wellness tips rely on Galaxy AI to offer up some insights. The more you wear it, the more you get out of it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FZNVU7EHLJESDDCGNRDKDBMBZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409903},"content":"Likewise, the ring will link in with the Galaxy Watch to tag team on health monitoring. The watch can take over activity tracking or heart rate monitoring, saving the Galaxy Ring’s battery from being used unnecessarily.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DXJBXVDUBRDPJHOXJH4FBXMA6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409904},"content":"So far, so good. There are rivals, of course. Oura has been active in this space for a long time, with generation four of its ring released recently, and it works with iOS devices. Movano’s Evie Ring is aiming itself at women’s health. And for serious athletes, you have the Ultrahuman version.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T5LJX6GSYBEYPC7TMKRMAFYMKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409905},"content":"Samsung’s ring is aimed at a more generic, everyday health audience. And it has at least one great point in its favour – it doesn’t need any other subscriptions to gain health insights, just that Galaxy smartphone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OJBK6JFGLFAPPP6N5TNDLH7ANI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409906},"content":"It isn’t perfect, though. The auto activity tracking only works for walking and running, so fitness classes are out, as is swimming.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXXPND2GL5A6FALYTHTBGPYR2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409907},"content":"The ring also has some gesture controls. Tapping your finger and thumb together can silence an alarm on your phone, for example, or take a photo when the camera is open. It is interesting but still fairly limited; still, it is an indicator of where this could go in the future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XE7QWYWDVND25APOJA52VSY7NM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409908},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"2KVHX4HUOJHEPIYJCXVXCBJ2BA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409909},"content":"The Galaxy Ring is lightweight and it is easy to forget you are wearing it. Its tracking is accurate, matching not only the Oura Ring but also a chest-strap heart rate monitor, which is considered the most accurate way to monitor your pulse.","type":"text"},{"_id":"34CEEK7OY5AOLDSBL4M4RXY6XY","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409910},"content":"The charging case is a handy place to store it – no chance the ring will get knocked off – and can be used to see how much battery life is left in the ring through its series of LED lights.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCIBOTAA7RENPIQKFL5G5V6PIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409911},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"IJ6OIT5IONABTO3R5RRGDSBLCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409912},"content":"It doesn’t work with iOS, and some of its features are reserved for Samsung’s own newer Galaxy phones, including the wellness tips that rely on Galaxy AI. Some features are limited, such as exercise tracking, which only picks up walking and running automatically.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FO56BRR3QFGMBFFT7PY2IS3VWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409913},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"OBNMWJV2QZED7LAJBKEZEIP4DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409914},"content":"It is rated as water resistant up to 100ATM, so you can wash your hands without having to take it off, or go swimming and even do a bit of snorkelling for short periods of time without removing the ring.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B65ZTGTCMRHHBGB7RUZBQN3DEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409915},"content":"You get about a week out of a full battery charge, but larger ring sizes will get longer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ZG5DCVMCNGWZDEICVNGJ6ZWOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409916},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"6D6GC3KH5FEXDBIXT4S7Z7N2LI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732525409917},"content":"A good choice for Android – mostly Samsung Galaxy – users, and a positive starting point for Samsung. But the exclusivity puts it at a disadvantage to rivals.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"This ring is comfortable and accurate but is held back by the requirement to pair with a Galaxy AI-enabled phone for full functionality"},"display_date":"2024-11-28T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Samsung Galaxy Ring review: Subtle health tracking that actually works","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"QUYUUF5IF5EUNIPVHH4ZVP2E3Q","auth":{"1":"607cd21c192f2ae7549da2441eb441ae94f91496fffe932d230882711273e0c9"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/QUYUUF5IF5EUNIPVHH4ZVP2E3Q.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/28/samsung-galaxy-ring-review-subtle-health-tracking-that-actually-works/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"2FLY3BMPV5CTVKSPPNB4B5VPMA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":506,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/738509b2-77a2-40dd-b957-7c829f03f2b5/versions/1732014904/media/d9e84129a2f76c9299d30ecd4cc765f7_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/2024/11/21/christmas-tech-for-kids-great-gift-ideas-with-safety-features-for-parental-peace-of-mind/","content_elements":[{"_id":"OSLRI44UURACVFY4XC6YXFMQMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732012654542},"content":"It may still be November, but there are people out there who have not only got the Santa letters signed and sealed, but in some cases, the gifts have even been delivered.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LAIKOGOPQFBK7EODAKI6INTG7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822742},"content":"We aren’t all that organised. But in the case of those all-important Santa gifts, the elves might not want to leave it to the last minute to get cracking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UU4KCSO4ZFAWVACWARW4FUPEZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822743},"content":"If you are still in need of a little inspiration here are some suggestions to get started.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OSLRI44UURACVFY4XC6YXFMQMI","additional_properties":{"_id":1732012654545},"content":"Yoto Player","type":"header"},{"_id":"R6MDFFMNWZAVRIET4E7HLNQQHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822745},"content":"From €70","type":"header"},{"_id":"BV23UFPP5ZAUFPRGA6JHRZQ7EE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822746},"content":"If your child is too young for a screen, or you don’t want to add another one to the pile vying for their attention, there are alternatives when it comes to keeping them entertained. The Yoto Player, for example, is screen-free but offers a wealth of content to entertain and educate your child.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6JPTOFYYSFGKTNT3XF3O42LOCA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822747},"content":"The wifi-enabled player uses cards, rather the figures of its main Tonie rival, inserted into the top of the device. When they are put into the player for the first time, the story downloads on to the device, so they can be used without a wifi connection in the future. It has a small pixel-based display on the front of the device that will show different images, related to the content, as the story progresses, but that is the extent of it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J3KNFTOOZVBNNHSUQWJAIWB36E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822748},"content":"There are two options: the Yoto Player or the Yoto Mini. The latter is designed to travel with you, with a jack for headphones and the option to add a protective case.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ENJFJ3HF5BBP7DXIPWWNDEZZOM","additional_properties":{"_id":"UA252M3CNNG3LMHSRZKP33WETY"},"content":"From enchanted forests to winter wonderlands: 12 Christmas experiences to try around Ireland","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"B3LBD4AQNFFVVEAYSEGTLVFLZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822749},"content":"The larger Yoto Player (third generation, €99) has a rechargeable battery, but is intended to be used at home. It works as a night light and white noise machine for helping your child sleep, a clock to tell them when it is time to get up, and a radio, with child-friendly content.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DLSGWC6EFBEIBGIVHO736I5NLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822750},"content":"Even the bigger kids liked this one; the Yoto Mini was co-opted by a 10-year-old who has been reading independently for several years. The content reflects that, too, with stories ranging from suitable for all ages up to 8+ Both devices have controls that can be easily mastered by younger children too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UYGIYQBYHZCBBIWAA3GFBHNE7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822751},"content":"One caveat: the Yoto may be screen-free, but you do need a parent app on your smartphone to set it up. However, the cards can also be “scanned” over NFC into the Yoto app on your smartphone, so you will always have access to the stories, even if the player is out of reach. <a href=\"http://eu.yotoplay.com/\" target=\"_blank\">eu.yotoplay.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"HEPDIX5Q7BEARLJ62QQETEGW7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":"EHLAE7OK7VEMJCR6NLVLH2P6OM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"RULU6M7OKNFQLGLAA7Q7NEK7PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822753},"content":"StoryPhones","type":"header"},{"_id":"TZWFHNN6MFFHFBD2MZAHRXORJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822754},"content":"€86","type":"header"},{"_id":"2VOIR266UNG2BDQRETCXAQVD7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822755},"content":"Onanoff’s StoryPhones are another option for parents, particularly if you plan a few trips next year. These Bluetooth headphones play stories directly through the use of swappable discs that attach to the earcup, called Story Shields. That means you can dispense with the smartphone and screen for your child, while still giving them some independence and control over their own entertainment.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E2BUIL44C5BCRMEIWT5FTBB6M4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822756},"content":"The Story Shields are themed – Disney, for example – and you can use the headphones as regular wired or Bluetooth audio devices if the stories no longer hold their attention. <a href=\"http://harveynorman.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">harveynorman.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"6M7DHRANERFFFDGDYVD7KLBOTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822758},"content":"MyFirst Camera 50","type":"header"},{"_id":"KNK4JRQVORCALIB2HEVUNQS2LQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822759},"content":"€130","type":"header"},{"_id":"J4L7N7REIJHHJKYDGKCF3S62TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822760},"content":"If you have a budding film-makers or YouTube star at home, MyFirst Camera 50 will open a whole new world to them. An AI-enabled world, in fact. The camera is designed to be used by children (read: can be dropped without breaking, easy controls, won’t collect all their data) aged five to 12, with tools that can enhance photos and videos, and curate stories for them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MKUJE326BNDBXLZE5IKQFNFHX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822761},"content":"Children can capture content, and then use the built-in tools to edit them, customise them with stickers and add voice notes. Then they can share the end result with a trusted group of family members over wifi. The AI-assisted curation will help them to create stories from their content, analysing facial expressions and scenery in the photos to make it easier.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YWW4N4V2T5B6DFLPW3LSV4E5JA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822762},"content":"The camera itself has a 20-megapixel lens, a selfie light bar and up to 128GB of storage. <a href=\"http://myfirst.tech/\" target=\"_blank\">myfirst.tech</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XM2ZV3MC4FFWRDVNUQPZPKPVZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822764},"content":"<mark class=\"hl_yellow\">Tablets and phones</mark>","type":"header"},{"_id":"537E4P2ZRRCWFFUIQH2JKK2NB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822765},"content":"The great debate among many families is what the appropriate age is for your child to have a smartphone. Too young and you open them up to all sorts of issues before they are ready – inappropriate content, cyberbullying, digital addiction. But leaving it later may leave them without a way to contact their parents should they need to, or risk isolating them from their social groups who may have already been given the devices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BXNTZYELXFABPPNO6NAMGJHGCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822766},"content":"There are compromises though.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QG24RGKDHBEHVDNP7V75BFAZQY","additional_properties":{"_id":"FTDGGSE5LZDAPAY3OC6BDKHJQM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"LTFGPMJCLRGZPB7JV6OBAXHZ3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822767},"content":"Xplora Play X6","type":"header"},{"_id":"T3S2K6FOO5AR7MS3IUDNQRKU3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822768},"content":"€200","type":"header"},{"_id":"RX6QXX7KGNC6BDAZKXGSMWKUVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822769},"content":"This kid-themed smartwatch combines the essential features of a phone into a more easily controlled device. Rather than giving your child free rein with a phone, you can put a compatible sim card into the watch, and use the Xplora app to add contacts who can call them or text the number, allowing them to reply with voice messages or calls. The built-in microphone and speaker are good enough to hold a conversation, even with background noise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W3VXRLINQVB7VNWPY2ECR2XROQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822770},"content":"The X6 also has GPS, which allows you to keep an eye on their location. It updates frequently, and unlike some devices, the location is usually fairly accurate – at least in my experience.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6AUQOZDMYBCSTPUUL6JUSY4534","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822771},"content":"If your child is wearing the watch to school, you can put it into school mode for the duration of the school day, which locks out the smart features, including the 5-megapixel camera, and turns it into a regular watch until the time elapses.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VM2SDTLXURBWNDIZD2CRHJWJRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822772},"content":"There are plenty of compatible straps out there if your child wants to change it up, too, with Amazon offering up a range of options. <a href=\"http://harveynorman.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">harveynorman.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"XRH4LLRQMBFIFOHTVKJ6QTYBV4","additional_properties":{"_id":"BCTTXICPP5GNTMK4E52HIWYP2M"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"67IQZRSRNJDLTIUGVBLK4C5EFE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822774},"content":"Barbie HMD flip phone","type":"header"},{"_id":"DWI2JWWFGRCPHCWGWAHSEWXJK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822775},"content":"€120","type":"header"},{"_id":"EOQ2FSVOYZHBXED3BSJYVJ6YTE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822776},"content":"The Barbie-themed HMD phone is another compromise. It’s not a smartphone, there is no social media, but it will allow you to keep in contact with the owner by text or voice calls. The first thing you will notice is that the flip phone is, naturally, pink. The second is that the outer front cover will also work as a mirror, so you can take selfies the old way – with precarious positioning and wishful thinking.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RWWBOQVIHFFIFHMPS623GAEHC4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822777},"content":"The phone has a Barbie-themed interface, with apps that include Malibu Snake, and some hidden surprises for you to figure out (we won’t give it away).","type":"text"},{"_id":"J4QDGMCIZBB4DHU3F6KKSFRJQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822778},"content":"Although it doesn’t run on Android – it uses S30+ as an operating system – it still includes digital balance tips, and has some Barbie-themed meditation, should you feel the need for relaxation. <a href=\"http://currys.ie/\" target=\"_blank\">currys.ie</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"OLHHY3SK7BHMDDCWR54QXLHVPU","additional_properties":{"_id":"WVNVA6VI2RCAFHAKGWHF6ITFXQ"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"WPVQF5SPLBCMRKBGCGA2WCAXHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822780},"content":"Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+","type":"header"},{"_id":"KKKRCF62XRHDHE7V7ELKJTPSP4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822781},"content":"If a tablet is on the wish list this year, it is best to get one that will last a few years. The Samsung A9+ comes with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, which means lots of storage space and the ability to run more demanding games and applications without stuttering. That should keep your child happy for a few years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D7BPVHTUBZG7FOJLIKR2CLJ3LU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822782},"content":"The tablet has a Kids Mode to make it more user-friendly for younger children, and with Family Link parental controls on your own device, you can limit content and time spent on the device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DMCXVD6EPJDWNJRV645LRA6FVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822783},"content":"The larger A9+ also has a decent 11-inch screen, which will work for children of all ages.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TLMUHM2FKBCJPGOONNKHXJHYSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822784},"content":"One tip, though: invest in a decent case. Tablets will last a few years if they are looked after; a smashed display can be an expensive fix. <a href=\"http://samsung.com/\" target=\"_blank\">samsung.com</a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"N32XEE52CVFGTFFCKRRUZ4THDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822786},"content":"Tips for tech","type":"header"},{"_id":"UDKA4PPZOFBCRDUDD5BZU2HQCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822787},"content":"Read the privacy policies attached to any device you are buying for your child. Yes, they can be long, but it will give information about what personal data is collected and how it will be used.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZIONVEOPOBG27HX7MB5EVHDNME","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822788},"content":"If your chosen device requires an account and is for a younger user, make sure that you set it up as a child account to allow you to keep an eye on what they are accessing, and how long they are using the device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"D3JQSHBMF5E63HSXYWYFSCN4UY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822789},"content":"Make sure any content purchases are password protected – and don’t disclose the password, unless you fancy paying a rather large surprise bill.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J6Y4YGBPPFDVNHZYCD7LA4TPUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731918822790},"content":"Be careful about where you charge devices – smartphones and tablets are better off being charged outside bedrooms, and not overnight.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"It’s hard to hold back the tech tide from children forever, but there are safer options than smartphones out there"},"display_date":"2024-11-21T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Christmas tech for kids: great gift ideas with safety features for parental peace of mind","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HGK4L7MNDVAFDCA5C2JZAVZDME","auth":{"1":"9ad1c5f21a134bff813ed3f4a631f3ac302e24d33683750bc9c4959fa3bdea50"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HGK4L7MNDVAFDCA5C2JZAVZDME.png"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/2024/11/21/christmas-tech-for-kids-great-gift-ideas-with-safety-features-for-parental-peace-of-mind/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Technology"}}}},{"_id":"ZRA2DAQFIVHYNJLC7UMBIYFCS4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":344,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/f7bc55c9-ce28-4e77-9745-ddd59f09f2b1/versions/1732013125/media/73704036c1d0d836fc025f15c411a397_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/21/ezviz-re4-plus-review-efficient-budget-robot-cleaner-but-suffers-wanderlust-under-the-wrong-conditions/","content_elements":[{"_id":"GRD7667CCFBU5GXLXGBI2LGITA","additional_properties":{"_id":"XPKQ7ZLAUJFSJFAU43GK5TZ4V4"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-18927","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"44656OO3KBB4JH7OBJNWW7QC6M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279950},"content":"Robots are supposed to make our lives easier, taking over the jobs we don’t want or have the time to do. And most of the time, that’s exactly how it goes. But they aren’t perfect. Occasionally, things go a bit wrong, though it is usually down to something simple and easily fixed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QWFTBQX4AJA6DONMOFQVS7WOT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279951},"content":"That’s what the test of the Ezviz RE4 Plus robot cleaner reminded me. The combo robot vacuum and mop did, for the most part, a good job. But sometimes, despite being given very clear instructions – clean here, avoid here – it went a bit rogue and did its own thing. That meant it was wandering into areas it wasn’t supposed to, often resulting in the robot marooning itself until someone could come and rescue it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RARLXYESZNDWBOJOCCY74KEJOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279952},"content":"It was puzzling. The robot would build the map quickly, allow me to zone it off and create custom cleaning instructions for each room – mop here, vacuum at max strength here, avoid this area – and all would be fine for a day or so, Then something would happen, the map would seem to shift a few feet and the robot would get confused and try to create a whole new map. Then I’d have to delete the new map, reselect the old one, and off it would go again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CLVJF3D3KRB6FOJF7ISSFGOLCI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279953},"content":"After a few weeks of this, I concluded it was the floor, rather than the robot, that was at fault. The base likes a firm floor, so foam mats with a bit of give in them, say in a playroom for example, or carpet with a softer layer of underlay where it can shift ever so slightly, seems to throw it off. Relocating the base to an area where it was on wood or tiles solved the problem; the map stopped altering itself, the base stayed put, and the robot did as it was told. Problem solved.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVES4JOIUJCOZE6D2BAXGHOZTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279954},"content":"After that, the RE4 Plus did a good job. It picked up dust and dirt, it gave the floors a cursory mop – avoiding the rugs and carpeted areas set up in the app – and it emptied its own dust bin regularly so I didn’t have to. The only intervention really required was making sure the floor was relatively clear of things we didn’t want to end up in the bin – Lego was a regular casualty – and remembering to refill the 300ml water tank when it was due to mop.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TKXVYKY2LJBEFMYAC6SPVNYYUM","additional_properties":{"_id":"AZIYGZKTZNCZNH57AQUPUWQYVA"},"content":"How well can €1,000-plus robot vacuums and mops clean your home? We put them to the test","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2R2TDAM2RFHQDGPPKIA2OW5HQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279955},"content":"The Ezviz app allows you to set a schedule for the robot, so it will clean every day, or twice a day if needed. It uses a smaller roller bar and a small side brush to flick the dirt into its path, and while it won’t get right up into the corners of the room, it does a decent enough job that you will only need to occasionally run a vacuum over the floor.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IVTPJ7JEARAEDHXOSMCE6ZYP54","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279956},"content":"Aside from eating the odd cable or sock, there were no further problems.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IMWTAOLT25BUPKA2OQ4UMKIWYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279957},"content":"The RE4 Plus is on a par with similarly equipped rival machines. The mapping is done quickly and the apps tools help you create different rooms and zones so you can customise the cleaning for each area of the house. For example, in the kitchen you might want the robot to mop more intensely, but leave the livingroom with just a quick pass over with the mop. The suction on the vacuum goes up to 4000 Pa at its max, which will tackle the worst dirt and debris, but will hit battery life between charges.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6XVAIAH66JDGZDAOKJE3SIWWPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279958},"content":"Speaking of which, on regular power, the battery lasted a decent amount of time, getting through all the rooms without needing to return for a power top-up in between. And it lifted all the visible dirt, so the max power mode was needed only occasionally.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UJIVK6RNMBC3JGEGKPE7ED7EOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279959},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"53FIK7RDFNDVFA5EJPMX3EM4CQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279960},"content":"As a budget-priced robot vacuum, this did a better job than I expected. The robot maps and cleans quickly, with the lidar sensor building up an accurate picture of your home in a matter of minutes. You can zone the map with a few in app tools, and then build a custom cleaning plan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZY6SPYRQKNFYNJ5JET3C3CEUFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279961},"content":"The auto-empty base has a lot of a capacity so you don’t have to keep replacing the internal bag. Ezviz says it should last up to three months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MFTWJUN4DJGDVPL3SRNYQ6DW6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279962},"content":"The robot detects carpet, upping the suction as it crosses the different floor types to make sure it gets everything clean. And it moves around obstacles in real time, so if you move a chair or a table, it will sense the obstacle and adjust itself accordingly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ENY4RGMEMRHKRFRRWOHY3DNVVM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279963},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"UQJGIS2325CFJKHRKNN6HZOZX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279964},"content":"Make sure the auto-empty base is on a sturdy area of your floors. Occasionally, the map shifted on the app and needed to be reset. However, this was fixed by moving the base to a location with a more solid floor – tiles and wood rather than carpet.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7IY4OQXAEZBCZNK5X5R7QEC3QY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279965},"content":"Excessive dust interferes with the lidar sensor, too, causing some issues with the map, so make sure you perform regular maintenance to keep it in tip-top condition.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7O5YWRS62VHCVHVMY3L3BA66W4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279966},"content":"The drop-sensing technology wasn’t as sensitive as I’d have liked. Although it prevented any accidents, the robot still occasionally wandered off a drop that other robots would have registered as a no-go area.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ETTSB2IMK5BCZAVQIOCAYUGQLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730925339767},"content":"Getting hold of it might also be a challenge. Although it is available on Amazon, not every seller will ship to Ireland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ACFFDYETS5APZMM7XPIA2CTMRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279967},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"2OZ7GQFD4BFLTDPSZLNXOGXSBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279968},"content":"You can connect the Ezviz robot to your Google Home or Alexa voice assistant, enabling voice commands. Then all you have to do is say “Ezviz, clean the kitchen” and off it trundles. Who knows: it might be the only thing in your house that actually listens to you.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CHYNOQZSOZH3JEQY5FDAEXROUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279969},"content":"The robot is available in two colours, white and black, and the replacement dust bags are available from Amazon, where Ezviz has a store.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EDHEFQ5RYJGPXMVU6H5DU6WJWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279970},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"42R5UX6EXZDVTEYPY2UTSWUFMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730706279971},"content":"Works well under the right conditions.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"The robot maps and cleans quickly, but soft floor surfaces are not its forte"},"display_date":"2024-11-21T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Ezviz RE4 Plus review: Efficient budget robot cleaner but can suffer from wanderlust under the wrong conditions","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"HGB6AD3UIZD4PA5C5HE33SMAVE","auth":{"1":"e85e74808d7b2650a387e0cd18e28943df8e06ff2354d17b27ae888b4e9f70df"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/HGB6AD3UIZD4PA5C5HE33SMAVE.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/21/ezviz-re4-plus-review-efficient-budget-robot-cleaner-but-suffers-wanderlust-under-the-wrong-conditions/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"FXIU2DXUONEK3GIU26DVNLIEFA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":528,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8b990b06-db99-4014-8270-c19d91753174/versions/1731325240/media/38212cbbe36848c90dbc7c314e178fbb_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/11/14/here-are-some-smart-ways-to-make-your-home-more-secure/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JFIVIEGQ7VAZ5LDNF5FUVGBZ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730374239778},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"62JYD65B3VA6NEISF3GL436JTQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350910},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"DUBWI2DKXZFVRLPM3MIZHYX4EY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731272203132},"content":"With a little investment you can get some extra peace of mind. You could get a monitored alarm, for example, or add security cameras to focus on blind spots.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WAH5PSEERRBCVCC5EYQYHTIA5Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525407},"content":"Security these days is smarter, offering more advanced features to consumers that give them increased control over their home and who enters it. So where should you start?","type":"text"},{"_id":"EINZWCKXZVH5RFIXBKBUAK657I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076793},"content":"Video cameras","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZRFTDA7PWFDVJAMP3TY7GVES6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730701100136},"content":"If you want to increase your home security, a logical place to start is with a video doorbell. An increasingly common sight at Irish doorsteps these days, there are plenty out there to choose from. But how can you be sure that the one you choose will fit your needs?","type":"text"},{"_id":"SU6CNX3ELBA6XGNIQ3DHLRALYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743118486},"content":"Video doorbells can range from about €60 to €200, and each has its own features to justify the price tag. Some will be basic, with wifi access to live video, while others have on-device processing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A7G2A4KMVNAAVASVG27HDD32DY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743118487},"content":"The next thing to decide is if you need a battery bell or a wired one. Some – such as Amazon’s Ring bell – can be both, as can Google’s newest Nest Doorbell. There are advantages to both approaches. Battery bells will be more flexible in where they can be placed; on the other hand, they will need to be removed to be charged. Although they often claim to go for up to six months or a year between charges, in our experience, they often last far less than that, with the battery drained by constant motion events or check-ins on live streams.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JDDITSR2Y5CJPOQ72E6H7HOZE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730743118488},"content":"Take into account the cost of the subscriptions necessary for any access to video footage. Ring, for example, requires you to have a subscription to download footage to save it for later, or to get advanced alerts about packages or people at your front door. The packages can be per device or a flat fee that covers the household. Google’s Nest, on the other hand, will allow you to save clips, access up to three hours of events and intelligently process footage to discern between a person at your front door and next door’s cat. It does this on-device, which is handy if your internet glitches because it doesn’t need the cloud to help process what is in the video. And it doesn’t require an additional subscription to do so – that kicks in when you want to extend the window for accessing video.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HPFXZKVBLREDTNRUBEITBBCFPI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350917},"content":"Both systems allow you to add video cameras to other areas of your home, both indoors and out, and monitor them through the same app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XQF6R7DJIZFF5OBMNSBYJROHLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525413},"content":"Aside from the Ring and Nest bells, smart home company Eufy offers its own high-definition video bell that will link in with its own video cameras to give you a total view of your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XKUSF2GQ2JHGRACOX3R67QAIEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525414},"content":"For older people who may need family assistance to screen callers, the Doro Hemma bell allows you to set up a trusted contact that can use the app to take over a call to the door. It doesn’t need cloud storage, saving video to a micro SD card instead, so any video saved stays local. And it comes with an extra-loud chime for indoors so you can be sure it will be heard.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PUQ6ROUAQ5CIVFH3KSJYMOIL74","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076799},"content":"Smart lighting","type":"header"},{"_id":"3QAOVVEU5VHMXCYZPG5RZQBTFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730807515314},"content":"One easily followed security tip is to make sure your home always looks occupied by setting lights on a timer. However, as the seasons change and the sun sets earlier, you will need to adjust the timing week to week. Smart lighting can take over, allowing you to control its operation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IOAOGLBZGZHA5DPFOIBKJ2JAT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1731272203144},"content":"Tapo light bulbs are an affordable way to start with smart lighting; they don’t require a separate hub for remote access, and they can be set to turn on and off according to sunrise and sunset. Add in some reasonably priced motion sensors and contact sensors, and you have a security system that will activate as soon as you open the front door.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JS474CPQGZGSRG6YY36AKOOMKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525423},"content":"Alternatives include Philips Hue and Hive, both of which can use a hub for remote access, or Wiz lighting, which does not.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NMCK6WZEINHLTGFVHI6GLYYIZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525424},"content":"Smart Locks","type":"header"},{"_id":"7WTAS4RYU5FOPHSCZETSKJUVXM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076811},"content":"If you want to ditch the keys altogether, smart locks could be the answer. These automated locks will give you access to your home through your smartphone, either remotely with a wifi connection or in person through a bluetooth key on your device. You can grant temporary or time-limited access to visitors through the apps. They aren’t cheap though, and can run to a couple of hundred euro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FJXNYJS6IBFDZC7LSBIJIWZHBU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076812},"content":"Yale is well known for its home security heritage, but in recent years it has expanded into the more high-tech sector. That includes a number of smart locks, including the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/24/yale-conexis-l2-smart-lock-review-security-without-the-hassle-of-keys/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>recently reviewed</b></a> Conexis L2 lock, and the Linus locks that offer a key bypass. The Conexis lock has the option of bluetooth fobs and tags to give you home access.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FURZMP6BDZDQLOE7K4CGQJ2YDM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350928},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/01/18/no-more-hassle-with-keys-as-your-door-opens-via-bluetooth/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Start-up Loqed</b></a> has been around for a few years, but had a change of ownership in 2024. The Danish-founded company was pitching for premium customers, offering them a secure entrypoint to their home, that had one-touch entry similar to how your car keys work, with a back up bodee option if you forgot your smartphone or needed to give someone else access to your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B46SHB364ZAQFDYQKZ2QF24GXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076814},"content":"Chinese company Switchbot has another option that doesn’t require swapping over the entire lock. Instead, it fits to the inside of the door and covers the key, turning it in the lock to open and close the lock. You don’t have to have a certain type of door, just one that can be unlocked inside by a key rather than a thumbscrew. It could also be used on an internal door that needs to be kept locked – an office for example.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JONOU4CMBZAO7LYZIQCMQ5RIRA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076815},"content":"Smart alarms","type":"header"},{"_id":"XNEJYEKYZ5CV3O5JWOSFP4WHQA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076816},"content":"The days of the perpetually ringing alarm may be gone. Monitored alarms, where you pay a company to alert you or the police when the alarm is triggered at your home, have been available in Ireland for years, but they are getting smarter all the time. Now you cannot only set and unset your alarm from your smartphone, but you can check to see if you have closed windows and doors, control appliances via smart plugs and add extras such as leak detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.","type":"text"},{"_id":"36MSC3OJLJHT5AZAJK5AHYYK7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1730807515322},"content":"Each of the alarm companies have their own systems, and their own fees to install and monitor the systems. PhoneWatch is probably the most familiar to Irish people, with the one-time Eir-owned company around since the early 1990s. These days, things look a little different, with not only rival monitored alarm companies, but also the DIY option opening up a more budget-friendly possibility.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YORIIFJXLBFLRHPAYO4PLAA2KE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730807515323},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZAG2VIWFOFB6ZD4OGIOL4DVVUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731272203155},"content":"PhoneWatch now includes smart home devices such as smart plugs and video doorbells in its offering, as does rival HomeSecure, and they both allow you to monitor your home set-up through their own apps. Alarm.com, which is a global security service that is offered by companies such as Action24 in Ireland, can automatically set at a certain time every night.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6CZTBVUXRZBLHPGJHDC7WWKTHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730375076821},"content":"Before you invest in a monitored alarm though, it is worth clearing up a few things. What happens if you decide to switch alarm company? Can another company take over the existing alarm or will you need to install a new system?","type":"text"},{"_id":"ONGYZ4MLQFBPVNFCNQYUHPJBHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730807515329},"content":"With so many smart devices out there – plugs, cameras, motion detectors – it is also worth checking if you can add your existing devices into your home alarm app. Not all companies will allow it, but it might make life easier in the long run if you can use some of your existing devices in your smart security set-up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V23PL7BRNNFXXAHSWTMR75ENBE","additional_properties":{"_id":"XJIMGC67D5CDNBQ3VFQLBJUY4Q"},"content":"CSO figures: Shoplifting and burglary offences up, sex crimes and homicide down","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"VK6ROAR6CZGC3BOIY3BVZPQIOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350936},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"L3LKUFVAOZGHZPKNAQBBFXL6ZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350937},"content":"Video cameras – some dos and don’ts","type":"header"},{"_id":"RO5Y53E4JNEMBMKKKEEZUPGHV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350938},"content":"Do","type":"header"},{"_id":"J5DPWRY6XRE5BFTNL7ZMEMUHWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350939},"content":"– Choose a camera that suits your needs. Don’t fall for slick sales pitches or over buy on features if you don’t need them.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3RMKKPH4RE7TGCFL44O3UCHSU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350940},"content":"– Look into the extras you will need. Some devices need hubs for remote access, others require subscriptions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YLLIO5RFSFGRZIMTT2NUUOZ3FM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350941},"content":"– Consider the other smart home devices you may already have in your home. For example, if you have Echo devices, a Ring bell might be a better option. Google Home houses could opt for the Nest for tighter integration with displays and Chromecast devices you have on your TV.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CAD4IA5N2NFSPOWZLC4TC432EU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350942},"content":"Don’t","type":"header"},{"_id":"MXFGRAKJWRF4DH5BQXK4SDGCDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350943},"content":"– Buy solely on price. Cheaper is not necessarily better, especially if it means you will have to replace the camera because it stops functioning or doesn’t do what it claims.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KASRRVBCAFHXPKGHSGRUHNNP5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350944},"content":"– Compromise on security. Some cheaper cameras have, in the past, been found to have substandard security that could be leaking your data, which can give away more about you than you might think. Do your research before you buy.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DTUJNLWERBHTHOCQUW5HBFPF2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1730909350945},"content":"– Take battery life at face value. Battery-life estimates can be a bit hit or miss.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WTMFGL3ZXRCI3EQ44SUKEJFAIQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730811525436},"content":"-","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Video cameras smart doorbells, alarms and locks can help secure your property all year round"},"display_date":"2024-11-14T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Here are some smart ways to make your home more secure","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"B3O2KZ2ITZCABF4RSFG237GFII","auth":{"1":"59ec66365fdc37d89e737badf8cd65b07be43a4bce81d55ba543d4c24c1bd9d3"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/B3O2KZ2ITZCABF4RSFG237GFII.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/11/14/here-are-some-smart-ways-to-make-your-home-more-secure/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"5ZP3PTCQT5AIJDHISJR3NHPC4Y","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":370,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/988d8351-5b40-4536-a995-f95090ca8f36/versions/1731431154/media/6216e11672606c9e5e67aae0e829cf2c_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/14/apple-macbook-pro-m4-review-a-great-option-but-only-if-you-actually-need-the-power-of-the-pro/","content_elements":[{"_id":"BNRRCBTK3NG7RN5ICWFF57LJWA","additional_properties":{"_id":"DBTOU6ES5RC3DDDNTQHZHVVHUA"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-94837","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"KMYS5KDC4ZA4JPO3GHL5EPUF7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242576},"content":"When Apple unveiled its latest computers last month, there were plenty to choose from.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DHMXRBWZ3NCTPJY5J23QJKACNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242577},"content":"During the “week of Mac”, Apple unveiled the Mac Mini, for example, which now comes in a package that is not too much larger than an Apple TV. It also showed off the iMac, which now comes with the upgraded chip and new colours. And of course, the MacBook Pro, Apple’s star laptop that offers a balance of style and power in one neat package. All have Apple’s newest chip, the M4 series.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EAD6RSAWZNHL7IWNXNAROYOWJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242578},"content":"Since the launch of the M1 and M2 in 2020 and 2021 respectively, Apple is now into the pattern of regularly updating its self-designed silicon. The latest is the M4, which made an appearance in the iPad Pro in May. It brings incremental power updates, with a 10-core central processing unit, a 10-core general processing unit, and a 16-core neural engine. While that might not mean much to most people, the end result is a faster chip that will zip through tasks with ease.","type":"text"},{"_id":"STKHB5ZREJFPJO6MDKZH4NDJWA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242579},"content":"The standard MacBook Pro, reviewed here, comes with the M4 chip, and 16GB of memory, double last year’s offering and a very welcome upgrade. For storage, you get a 512GB solid-state drive, although you can pay to upgrade this, too, if that won’t suffice.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EBRLKEAUYJDEPO3K3SYKZK26YM","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242580},"content":"The 14-inch model is a balance between a decent-sized screen with a comfortably sized keyboard. The display is a liquid retina XDR, which is pin sharp and great for reproducing both text and images or video.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TMNPXJQ5EVB2HN5MJQYHZKED7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242581},"content":"The new base model Pro is a little closer to the rest of the pack. It comes with three Thunderbolt 4 ports – one more than last year – a HDMI port and MagSafe 3 port for charging. If you prefer, you can still use the USB-C port for charging, as long as you have a decent cable, but the addition of the third port also gives you options for external displays, which has also been expanded for the M4 Pro.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CH5WAW2XYFDFLC4QFPTHYXROZY","additional_properties":{"_id":"4P36R4J5CBDLNHC2ILDC3LTKKI"},"content":"MacBook Air 2024: Apple burnishes its AI credentials with powerful new M3 chip","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"NHBKMFWNFJELXIBSTXBNV4VAXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242582},"content":"Battery life is great, with Apple claiming that it would last up to 24 hours on a full charge. In reality it will vary, depending on what you are using the device for. But you can get a full day of work and then some before you need to tether yourself to a power cable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PCZI3LL74FFYHA3E4XKHR4ZD6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242583},"content":"The webcam has also been improved, bumped up to a 12-megapixel webcam with Center Stage to keep you in the centre of the frame at all times, and added its Desk View software to the mix.","type":"text"},{"_id":"45HAMEGCHBAKZC7QODLRLWYSYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242584},"content":"It isn’t all perfect. Biometric authentication is limited to TouchID, which is integrated into the power button. It works well, but why no FaceID for the MacBook? It would be more convenient than TouchID and surely the camera set-up in a near €2,000 machine would be able to accommodate the necessary technology.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6GBFV7I46NEPZHJBUKDFIDHQFQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242585},"content":"One thing that is dividing people is the inclusion of Apple Intelligence. The new AI – which Apple has dubbed as artificial intelligence for the rest of us – is being integrated into the operating system, and will even be available for EU users. The current delay with the mobile platforms does not extend to Mac OS, and Apple Intelligence on MacOS will launch in December in localised English for users in Ireland. There will be some limitations on language options, but if you want to dip your toe in the AI waters, the MacBook Pro will allow you to do so.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3ECVBQZQIJGIVKXCF6NBS36UPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242586},"content":"Of course, that isn’t limited just to the M4 devices; Apple Intelligence will come to all of Apple’s laptops powered by the M series of chips, even older devices running on the M1 and M2 chips. You don’t need a new MacBook to get it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4Z4XHUYAIBGTLMVMPDATSAIASA","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242587},"content":"Which brings you to the question of why you might need the new MacBook Pro. In reality this will be too much power for the average user; the MacBook Air will more than suffice, and the M4-powered version is likely to arrive in the coming months.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NAMWLHVU45HIDCG2UK6MWIPY24","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242588},"content":"So for most people, you don’t actually need the power of the Pro. But if you do, then the M4 MacBook Pro is a great option for those who want the Pro experience without having to go too far up the price list.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NHVZXV6VM5HHNE7I6KWCZWBQZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242589},"content":"The entry-level Pro isn’t the cheapest, though. At €1,949, it is a significant investment. But the longevity of the device should also be taken into account. For comparison. I have been using an Intel MacBook Pro from 2017; a souped-up one, complete with the controversial touch bar, but a seven-year old device nonetheless. And to its credit, it still works well, giving you an idea of how long Apple devices can last if they are looked after properly.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZYTHZVZNFJHJBBTGJDRNT2WIDI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242590},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"GND7RT6NTJC2XGTFLLOSMKSKLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242591},"content":"The new MacBook Pro comes with a faster chip and more base RAM, giving it a power boost over the prior versions of the device. If you are in the market for more power and something with longevity, the new M4 device will give you plenty to work with.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QMEAJ4C6JVDFDFIFBODPKBKKMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242592},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"EYUEZRJ6XVBQ7CDC74VDCS7A7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242593},"content":"The price tag is significant. For many people, this will be overkill for their needs; for others, they will need the power bump from the M4 Pro or Max. The upgraded webcam, while improved, doesn’t include any support for FaceID either, which is disappointing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TFY74XXQ4RDPTE3G5ZSVQ77YVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242594},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"B3437Q4LXJDIPGCNLTUUOFBDCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242595},"content":"The MacBook Pro M4 comes in 14-inch and 16-inch versions, with a choice of the M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max chips. You can also upgrade the RAM to double the base 16GB, and expand the solid-state drive to 2TB capacity – for a fee. The nano-texture glass option isn’t essential, but it will help the display’s visibility in bright sunlight.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GUAYJIGFPNGNLBQL6VXD7F3COI","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242596},"content":"The verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"YMPIEJ3DMRGTDK5KWZPANX3G2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1731333242597},"content":"Cheaper than before, the M4 MacBook Pro is a good, if pricey, entry to the Pro world.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"For the average user, it might be wiser to wait for the M4-powered version of the MacBook Air, which is likely to arrive in the coming months"},"display_date":"2024-11-14T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple MacBook Pro M4 review: A great option, but only if you actually need the power of the Pro","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"JAUPUM2UZNB4HOM5LLIZL2YLPI","auth":{"1":"05b417cb0a63b16209c26538717ea3b41737bbcca2aeef99628fc31bb6eea818"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/JAUPUM2UZNB4HOM5LLIZL2YLPI.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/11/14/apple-macbook-pro-m4-review-a-great-option-but-only-if-you-actually-need-the-power-of-the-pro/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"FK52QE7RMVGVNNOIQQKANEJMJY","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":473,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/15719d51-7130-488f-a386-5ac7f3b67213/versions/1730221243/media/797561e3a03de5646a919899f8de2463_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/10/31/how-to-organise-all-the-photos-that-clog-up-your-phone/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JFIVIEGQ7VAZ5LDNF5FUVGBZ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730143396913},"content":"How many photographs do you have on your phone? If you are a regular user of your smartphone camera – and many of us are – there is a good chance that there are a few thousand digital photos and videos sitting in your phone’s memory, and backed up to the cloud.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FSO6WJOSRBKPG7JTCMQ2MZ5XE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730154919841},"content":"A straw poll of some colleagues revealed the number of photos and videos lurking on people’s phones ranged from just over 1,000 to more than 92,000, with the figure heavily influenced by the number of pets and young children people had. There are those multiple photos of party invitations from WhatsApp groups, the endless photos of homework lurking from Covid-era homeschooling to say nothing of the duplicate photographs from every family group and activity chat group your child has every attended.","type":"text"},{"_id":"6FSO6WJOSRBKPG7JTCMQ2MZ5XE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730154919841},"content":"While we would like to think each photo is a precious memory we need to preserve, there are plenty we could get rid of without ever missing them. The series of selfies, for example, or that blurry photo that no amount of tweaking will save.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LFVVQIKQHRE4JIYAVPGFDPJ3BQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"T5IGUHEOVFC4LC734FLKVEFEQU"},"content":"How to clean up your phone’s photo library to free up space","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"H3IF7EOHIJD5FKE3PPB77BXUOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730217727365},"content":"Not only can you free up space on your phone by getting rid of gigabytes of unwanted digital clutter, you could also cut down on your cloud storage bill.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ABXP3SNSSVCRNGHGM6OHF2LTJU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670635},"content":"It will also make backing up and moving to a new device – something you might be considering around Christmas – a less time-consuming task. All it takes is just a few simple steps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NRDEJ2GMVFFNXKQI7HGUZE64PA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730154919842},"content":"Step one: Identify the worst offenders","type":"header"},{"_id":"ZA43K2K2XJE3JOKHFZXX5RZ7KQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040921},"content":"The first step in taking control of your phone and your photos is to identify the biggest space hogs. The chief offender is often video. These will take up most room on your phone, especially if you regularly shoot videos in 4K resolution; a 14-second video, for example, will take up more than 90MB of space. So if you are looking for a quick but high-impact solution to your storage issues, it makes sense to prune some of the videos you don’t need and are very unlikely to look at again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QGSEXXLLQFGURAP4DH2X4YNUN4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040922},"content":"Both iOS and Android have tools built in to their operating systems to organise your photos and videos by type, subject or location. This means you can see at a glance where you need to concentrate your clean-up efforts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4PYW7US67BH4BKKVMPHO4N274M","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040923},"content":"Another space sucker can be screenshots or screen recordings. These can likely be deleted en masse, but if you don’t keep a close watch, they can quickly build up. A quick check of my own phone showed more than 6,000 screenshots, most of which will have outlived their usefulness and will never be looked at again.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4777LCTELVD2LBB3W44I3SB5CI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040924},"content":"Step two: The clean-up","type":"header"},{"_id":"DK7I6V34TZE2TD6TX5DJVKDQAI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040925},"content":"You have two options here. Use the tools built into your device to help you manage your photo storage. These are not only effective but also free of charge. Or you can go for the third-party paid option to get some extra features.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RWJWBEYJ4NHPHMFCZ2FALROYTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040926},"content":"The free version can be surprisingly powerful. Apple’s Photos app, for example, will organise all your images by type, including selfies, Live Photos and portraits, while also automatically recognising receipts, handwriting and QR codes, funnelling those images into the appropriate category. You can then swipe your finger across a line of photos to select them all and then delete.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DGXCPY2JG5FL7P3UAZC7FOAHLY","additional_properties":{"_id":"3BR7WZ3ZXRHHLC4IELU62E7T5Y"},"content":"Google takes on Apple with new phones, tighter AI integration","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"OSRDOV6BVRHVJGVFNRJHL4DIMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670644},"content":"It will also merge photos for you, keeping the highest-resolution one and consigning the others to the bin.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXWBAVZEXVCXVOKJGYWUPUEN7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670645},"content":"Google Photos has similar features, and the Files app will hunt down similar photos so you can delete the duplicates easily.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7KSY63RVGNB63DJLDTUMC52NB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670646},"content":"The paid-for options will do all that too; some will flag blurry images or ones that are not quite duplicates but are similar enough that you might not need two copies of the same photo. But they can charge anything from 99 cent a week to a heftier monthly fee. If you do sign up, don’t forget to set a reminder to cancel the subscription when you are done.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3FUZ6YKJYVGHHDXREZZUBKARVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730154919846},"content":"The new generation of Artificial Intelligence could also be a useful tool in helping you to keep a handle on your photos. Apple Intelligence, which is set to be released to Irish users next April, will help you to find photos from a description or create a movie from a set of treasured family milestones. Not only will it make photos easier to find, it will also create movies and collections for you so you can access your memories quickly and easily.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AQOXQ3F4QZAJVCE465CPALCK6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670648},"content":"Google’s Gemini is already available and offers a more powerful photo search. You can ask it to find photos of every beach you have on your account, or to hunt down images of all family pets with a few natural language questions.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PEOQFME3YRDVZHYNMU4KLLAQTU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670649},"content":"Then it is just a matter of hitting delete – the time-consuming part if you need to manually review some images – and clearing out the unwanted photos and videos.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SU7TW5BCTZE2XBFBGRL4Q2T5I4","additional_properties":{"_id":"6EQGQN7NYNG65MHM2IKTGDQPRQ"},"content":"Dublin woman ‘absolutely shocked’ to be a winner in Flickr annual photography contest","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"7VWXZ6IQX5DANIQX5CAVUZPTSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670650},"content":"If you accidentally delete photos and want them back, don’t worry: you have time. Both Android and iOS store your photos in the bin for 30 days before permanently deleting them. You can recover the photos if needed – or you can permanently delete them yourself.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZFQ2PBGRBNATDLFWHS6UWNCFBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040930},"content":"Step 3: Optimising space","type":"header"},{"_id":"C3R36ZNNJNCSXC73NXZU5UDCIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040931},"content":"Both iOS and Android allow you to optimise the storage on your phone, storing high-resolution versions of your photos and videos in the cloud so you can keep your phone working as efficiently as possible while keeping the high-res images on standby just in case they are needed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BEQL6BZHJBHFRDFVHQXPESJSIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730214670653},"content":"In iOS, go to Settings>Photos and select Optimise Phone Storage. This saves space by storing the high-res version in iCloud. You can also set photos and video to capture smaller file sizes in Settings>Camera.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FLERJYLSFNHPPGMKQOYBSPV3TM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040932},"content":"Step four: Maintaining order","type":"header"},{"_id":"RZEQLAP6FJGAFHOPVSXG5V6T2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1730154919849},"content":"Now that you have your photos sorted, you need to keep them that way. To prevent the situation from getting out of hand again, there are some steps you can take.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HWHET5Z6LVFLXO6Y2653JNAHOU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040935},"content":"Regular maintenance:<b> </b>Once a week or so, set aside a few minutes to go through the photos you have taken in the past few days. Mark the ones you want to keep, and add them to an album if you want to find them easily later on – or ask your AI assistant of choice to create the albums for you. The rest can then be safely deleted from your phone and cloud storage.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HODZRVIFGFBI7HVY3FUTMK2Y6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730157920019},"content":"Limit apps: There are some apps that will create their own albums on your phone to save images that are either sent to them, in the case of WhatsApp, or created in them, like Instagram or Snapchat. A few photos here and there won’t have too much of an impact on your device’s storage capacity, but between them all, they can take up a significant amount of space on your device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5O57IYOZZRENTOG4OSU7PKCQL4","additional_properties":{"_id":"M3XTLE2JTNA2REDUJAZL66NM64"},"content":"The blink of an eye: Great street photography that finds magic in the mundane","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"626XV7HQKVFEXOYWHVEVUIBAYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730157920021},"content":"WhatsApp, for example, will save every meme, photo and video you receive by default. On a particularly active WhatsApp chat, that can add up to a lot of clutter very quickly. But you can stop the app from saving media by default. On Android, go to Settings> Chats and tap Turn off Media Visibility to turn it off for all chats; on iOS, go to Settings>Chats and turn off Save to Photos.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7UVUWXCCSNCXDLNQZ2IQ54ZLPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040940},"content":"If you only want to turn it off for certain chats, go to the Chats tab and select the chat you want to change. Tap on the name of the chat to see the contact or group information. On Android, tap Media Visibility>No and hit OK; on iOS, tap on Save to Photos, and select Off.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LNEGTYZVDZHCTNMVLDOEOGCTLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730183040941},"content":"Instagram will also save copies of your stories to your phone’s gallery if you allow it to. To stop saving everything – reposts of other people’s content included – to your gallery, go to Settings and Activity, scroll down to Archiving and Downloading, and uncheck Save Story to Camera Roll.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Storing thousands of images and videos, most of which you will never look at again, is slowing down your phone and costing you money"},"display_date":"2024-10-31T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"How to organise all the photos that clog up your phone","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"W5KWT7TVCVAS3DLXSYVN674FEE","auth":{"1":"7abc72921aab2ba6386cdbd600ed2ab54089396430bf789da829bb7b10360417"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/W5KWT7TVCVAS3DLXSYVN674FEE.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/10/31/how-to-organise-all-the-photos-that-clog-up-your-phone/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"ETPGKWZ67BDVNIRESMUOXWYN6M","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":348,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/a439204a-2c89-425e-95dc-6bda4c85709f/versions/1730196541/media/57cf10b621f9aed0696e8fddb3b26dfa_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/31/ipad-mini-2024-review-apple-intelligence-delay-may-be-a-turn-off-for-some/","content_elements":[{"_id":"VKGQPPTKDBFTDNBNNXCWZRLTKA","additional_properties":{"_id":"3UT4CDMPJ5GLXHCWYN64UT5EOM"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-15911","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"6TZT34I44RHYNI2T47MPVKHPAM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730124569938},"content":"If you were being strictly honest you would have to admit that, in terms of updates, the new iPad Mini isn’t the most exciting for the iPad line. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple</a> hasn’t made any big changes to the smaller tablet’s design, nor has it made any major hardware changes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T45REEPP7VHFPBDI4YKGNT3QQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366540},"content":"It’s difficult to believe that it’s been three years since <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/a-mighty-upgrade-for-apple-s-mini-tablet-1.4680905\" target=\"_blank\">a new version of the iPad Mini was released</a>. Back in 2021 the tablet got a significant design change, bringing it in line with the Air and the Pro, and giving it the ability to support the second-generation <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/05/16/apple-ipad-pro-13-inch-powerful-device-and-a-rival-to-laptops-for-many-tasks/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple Pencil</a>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KW4HTOWD7FE23AR5GETKEYMSKI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915434},"content":"It’s not too surprising, then, that Apple hasn’t made too many drastic changes this time out. And if it isn’t broken, why try to fix it? Apple has kept things simple here, changing only the essentials, such as the chip – an A17 Pro that was introduced with the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/2023/09/13/hands-on-with-the-brand-new-iphone-15-pro-and-pro-max/\" target=\"_blank\">iPhone 15 Pro</a> and helps support pro-level apps – and, most notably, including <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/2024/06/14/qa-what-is-apple-intelligence-and-how-do-i-get-it/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple Intelligence</a>, the AI for those of us who haven’t quite yet figured out why we need it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E22NDQZWIZHF7KJKLZW677ARRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915435},"content":"It also uses the new Apple Pencil Pro, which means you get the advanced features of Apple’s smart stylus, such as gyroscopic movement for barrel rolling the pen, for example. But if you already own a USB Apple Pencil, that will work too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T45REEPP7VHFPBDI4YKGNT3QQM","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366540},"content":"In reality, Apple’s biggest competition comes from its own stablemates. The Pro is aimed at the high-end power users; the Air for those who want the Pro experience but without the pricetag; and the entry-level iPad is for those who just want an iPad without too many frills.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AFRTHLDVMVHU5HTCJ3Q6RC6R7I","additional_properties":{"_id":"H2MKN7JNN5CNBKFPGFG4FQVNUQ"},"content":"iPad Air 2024 review: A good middle-of-the-road choice","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"3QEJD5J5GBEXHGG35ESVGHY7OA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730124569943},"content":"The question is, where does the Mini fit in the iPad line-up? It is too small to replace a laptop for work purposes and too large to replace your phone for many tasks, unless you have a big pocket to carry it around in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DNOK2YTEWRDUPIMNK336I7ARFU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730124569944},"content":"The smaller screen means I’m less likely to try multitasking on the Mini, but it’s is the perfect size for replying to emails, reading books or documents, or watching some streaming video on the move. It fits in all but the most compact of my handbags too, so it can go everywhere with me.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DH3XECVNJZFJFDYUEKINNX4DZQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915438},"content":"The mini version of Apple’s tablet has its fans – me included – but don’t be fooled into thinking that smaller means budget – the tablet starts at €619. But Apple hasn’t cut corners either. The display is pin sharp and ideal for both text and video streaming. The storage has been doubled to 128GB. The A17 chip may seem like last year’s model but the tablet can keep pace for all the standard tasks that are typically asked of it. Apple Intelligence, which will bring a smarter Siri and AI-powered features such as rewriting emails and documents, will also be available on the Mini, making it the cheapest iPad currently available that will support the technology.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2MFFQ5XLAZG35FGWDIR4UMW32U","additional_properties":{"_id":"SAJIPPKSJNEWTGL2PFEVU4EXXE"},"content":"High stakes for Apple’s AI push as it plays catch-up with rivals amid lacklustre sales","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"FORFEORZARB7PIQZ2QG7E5UNIY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915439},"content":"And therein lies the rub for Irish would-be iPad Mini buyers. The main reason to buy the 2024 version of the Mini is its ability to support AI features. But, as we know, Apple Intelligence for Apple’s mobile devices hasn’t launched in Ireland – or the EU in general – just yet, and Apple has just confirmed that it will be April before iPads and iPhones here will get it. That’s several more months of waiting for Irish users, and for features that they aren’t quite sure yet if they will use. Even when it does launch, it will take a while before its full potential is explored.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CDZHLFKWVBDN3IFTSAU4CONPWI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366542},"content":"Will the next-generation Mini arrive sooner than the three-year cycle of the last launch? If it does, EU users might be better off waiting for Apple Intelligence to fully bed in before making the leap. At present, the iterative upgrades – better chip, new Pencil support, improved camera – aren’t enough to push a major upgrade cycle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IP5PLP2KTJHUZP35K6YMLW4AZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915442},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"4LVIBESRVZBZNNUYH6DRCAGRBA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366544},"content":"The iPad Mini is still a great tablet, even without the Apple Intelligence features. You can throw it in your handbag as an ereader, edit some photos and video on the 8.3 inch display, and add a keyboard if you want to make it as a stand in for its bigger siblings.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WSXVX3F5KFGYDHVYR3YK3FBUWE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915444},"content":"The A17 Pro may not be the latest generation of Apple’s chips, but it is a significant boost in power over the 2021 iPad Mini.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LJBLWBQJGNGPPOHBDVF2QFNAEU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915445},"content":"And the iPad Mini will support Apple Intelligence in the future, making it a cheaper way to get Apple’s AI features.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FABWEHMFOFFFLDHFTMS4A6CQDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366545},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"NGA4ATDE5ZHQ3FYE53MPGIV4V4","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915447},"content":"The April launch date for Apple Intelligence in the EU is a drag on any immediate push to upgrade to this version of the Mini.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K3BQKZV2IVF7FIWBGDTS7E6RLA","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915448},"content":"The Mini boasts some serious bezels, and Apple also decided to leave the front-facing camera on the top edge, which means you are stuck with the resulting weirdly positioned footage, despite the inclusion of Center Stage to keep you perfectly framed every time.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ACY3IMQV2RCFZJ2KV2ZKXZLOVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1730117366549},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"KINGZHII6VEOFO6A6GN5VKONGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1730124569957},"content":"The 12MP wide-angle camera on the back supports Smart HDR 4. It also uses machine learning to detect and scan documents from the Camera app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXKY3BG4CND3BN6DRHG6B2DH5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915450},"content":"No Face ID seems like a bit of an oversight, and while TouchID isn’t a hardship, having to go back to fingerprint readers for unlocking the device and accessing passwords is inconvenient.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RKDYX7VQ3NCZBOFM3DXR6GQ42I","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915451},"content":"The iPad Mini comes in a few different colours, including a pale blue and purple. That also means colour-matched accessories, such as smart covers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SUHXWFU7NNABXAH3NHCPPROUEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915452},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"T4ZJPRTR6RCOZOMEG5FNJVNHDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1730121915453},"content":"This is a solid update, even if it lacks the wow factor. The iPad Mini is definitely a second screen, rather a replacement for your main device. But in the short-term, the lack of Apple Intelligence may put some potential buyers off.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"This solid update to the iPad Mini supports Apple AI features that have not yet launched in Ireland"},"display_date":"2024-10-31T00:01:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"iPad Mini (2024) review: Apple Intelligence delay may be a turn-off for some","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"Q7PPKDTXA5CW3BJPXWMALTKEJY","auth":{"1":"8f09ebd09b412c13c19c78bf70b343b0147fae2348723f123d045045fb78ec73"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/Q7PPKDTXA5CW3BJPXWMALTKEJY.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/31/ipad-mini-2024-review-apple-intelligence-delay-may-be-a-turn-off-for-some/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"CMZZ5AGSZVBYJAQDTB73VNPAZQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":397,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ef92d55a-471f-4b17-bda0-52eb0a55cd55/versions/1729508013/media/696ae3b30b93aa46be0aca3fd937d4a9_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/24/yale-conexis-l2-smart-lock-review-security-without-the-hassle-of-keys/","content_elements":[{"_id":"6BMM7AWV7FDHDO63DDUDMSYFK4","additional_properties":{"_id":"FIMA7QNC7ZE63MWO4I4RXR77BQ"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-20874","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"YQITIXXH5VEM7CZ5XPZVT73I3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1729504375007},"content":"There was a point, as I climbed through a window in my home like the world’s worst burglar that I considered giving up on smart locks.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WHMKHKZ7FRG2NDEAPXUXCMSFAQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183081},"content":"The latest addition had lost connection to its smart hub during its installation, leaving me stranded outside a locked door, trying to get the attention of two children who were more interested in the antics of the Minions than in letting me back into the house.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3RFY55T3GRANFG6QO23CC7YO4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183082},"content":"It wasn’t the first time I had fallen foul of a smart lock. But like the last mishap, it turns out that maybe I should have paid a little more attention to the instructions. Specifically, don’t close the door until you are sure set-up is complete.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R4LY7O7F3BAILK5TFTRNVDA7SQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183083},"content":"There are good reasons people want smart locks. You can use your smartphone as a key instead of carrying a bunch of keys around with you. You can send people temporary keys when needed rather than handing over a physical version, and revoke access just as easily. Deliveries can be dropped off to a more secure place too, because you can unlock the door remotely. And you don’t have to fumble in pockets for keys in the dark when you are returning home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RHQXU74755CQVAZ5LVOMQEQ5PI","additional_properties":{"_id":"UCYPSMARWJEB5ESLSXFOVCHC7M"},"content":"Loqed Touch Smart Lock review: No more hassle with keys as your door opens via bluetooth","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"2NYZ56SFINGNRMQNFOTGEKTK6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183084},"content":"The one being installed on this occasion is made by Yale, which has years of experience in keeping intruders out of your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4W4SBVY3EZCW5BKEOQYUEOLU3M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183085},"content":"Yale’s Conexis L2 smart lock is essentially its original smart lock, the L1, with a few new features out of the box enabled by the inclusion of the plug-in smart bridge and the Yale Access Module. That gives you remote access to the lock, so you can always unlock the door from your smartphone regardless of where in the house – or the world – you are.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5CB26MHSXZGPPJQZMMKBEBXAKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183086},"content":"The lock also works with Bluetooth – encrypted, naturally – on your smartphone, or with contactless keys, so you are never dependent on your phone battery lasting to get you through the door.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AOUHKPJHYJER7HNGGNXWSXGDPA","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183087},"content":"Installation was relatively simple, even if you have never fitted a door lock before. Inside the box there are several packs that you choose from depending on the measurements of your door. Each has everything you need to fit the lock and you only need the most basic of tools.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QFBMSSVZYNE4XCSDLWBPU3G7NE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183088},"content":"Once fitted, you would find it difficult to distinguish the L2 from a standard door handle. The only distinguishing feature is the contactless panel on the outside, which could be mistaken for a design feature. It only takes four AA batteries, unlike other locks, so the inner lock is sleek too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OR2VJSBG6ZEBXFGY6JZ54GR24A","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183089},"content":"The most obvious point in the Conexis’s favour is that it works. On the outside, you have a standard door lock; pull up the handle and it locks, flashing a red LED and playing a short tone. When it unlocks, the LED flashes green to let you know you are good to enter. If you want to use contactless keys to unlock the door, you hold the card or fob just under the Yale logo on the outside of the door for a few seconds. It is all very simple.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WIL6YJAD2BBHFDPMLLV63VASPA","additional_properties":{"_id":"SUXQKKWJ7VGQJPUP5TJPSUUIHU"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"JR6C2PPMTFEAHFENKO5RHNG7VY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183090},"content":"On the inside, you have a traditional thumbscrew, though it takes a bit of getting used to as you have to push it in and turn to activate the motor. When it successfully unlocks, you get a green LED and a cheery tone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"67ECKULAWZF5RCUH5AYPG3UA5Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1729504375022},"content":"You also have the option of unlocking via the app: a big red circle means the door is locked, a green ring means it is unlocked. Because this device is designed to work with multipoint lift-to-lock doors, you can’t lock it from the app unless the handle has already been pulled up. That may not suit some people, particularly if you are granting access remotely.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VEFMIH7NMJCBFP65XKR6S46FZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183091},"content":"You can make things more complex by adding automated features such as auto unlock, which uses your phone’s location to determine if you are close by and automatically unlocks the door when you are in Bluetooth range. You can also set up smart alerts to notify you if the door has been left ajar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5H5AF3MHUZEELEXMZUOI4ZDN4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729505849004},"content":"These are all unnecessary extras though and, in the case of the auto unlock, it wasn’t easy to get it up and running correctly. It frequently told me the door had auto unlocked as I pulled up to my house, despite being very clearly locked when I tried the handle.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MKC34MSKFNDINJQRMY4APHEWNI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183092},"content":"Another caveat is that you don’t have a key or code bypass to get into your home if you walk out without the contactless fob or your smartphone. As in the case with any key to your home, it is best to leave a contactless fob with a trusted neighbour or family member. If you lock yourself out – as I did before setting up the contactless keys correctly – you would set a challenge for a locksmith.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PALDOPPQ6VGMLAJCTX3EV3HV5M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183093},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"6F7D5WMM4JEXNN5SW7TT646M2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183094},"content":"This is a solid lock, neat fitting and sturdy. It doesn’t feel like it needs constant adjusting – a problem I’ve had before – or tightening after a few weeks of use.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YNJMGYATGBHQ7ME47FVHSS5POQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183095},"content":"The motor is quiet when locking and unlocking. You can hear it operating but it’s not as noisy as others tested in the past. Outside, you would have to strain to hear it above traffic or people; inside, it’s just about audible.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I77C73T32NCUDPUO45ADYWYLPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183096},"content":"It is easy enough to fit too, and should be compatible with most doors thanks to the different options for door widths and screw positions that are included in the box. Check Yale’s site to make sure before you buy, however.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4T22GPZ6BVCXXFAK4RNOCTC3KI","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183097},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"PTAMBI6DY5G4XOR5KCSCFYNVSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183098},"content":"There is no physical key or code back-up, so if something happens to the lock, you might find yourself in difficulty. If the batteries fail, you can use a 9 volt battery – the square ones you are usually hunting for at 3am because the smoke alarm has decided to start chirping – to give the lock enough power to get you inside, but I would suggest investing in key fobs (around €8 for a twin pack) so you aren’t completely reliant on your phone for entry.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4TD7AHH3BNHZLHUZ2T477XZ6B4","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183099},"content":"The auto unlock was a bit temperamental – the lock frequently didn’t activate despite the app telling me that it would open, so I gave up on that eventually.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HGRADTOBGVCFHN5ZCRWJDM4QRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183100},"content":"It is also pricey.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O6XTBQZG2VFGPFLEDCCH2NJQMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183101},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"FWQHPVLXKBGAZOBJQLNMYEKVYY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183102},"content":"The lock comes with a key fob and a smart card in the box, which need to be paired to the lock, either as a stand-alone contactless key or linked to a guest with app access. Unlike the L1, the L2 doesn’t require you to pay extra for more than six contactless keys. The contactless keys can also be smart tags that you can fix to the back of a phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2OP7WNISOVAH3J2HGCQJGZJJOE","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183103},"content":"If you need to give someone access to the lock on a temporary basis, you can do it through the app, sending a virtual key to their smartphone and setting a schedule that allows them to use it at certain times.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X6AIMOILZVFWVDSZQJRUNY7PBY","additional_properties":{"_id":1729504375036},"content":"It is also available in several different finishes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AML3776SW5B7FAKJMQROXL77LM","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183104},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"OX2G2N4H3NCNLPXCOCNBHNZE5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1729496183105},"content":"Smart locks for those of us who just want something easy","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Lack of physical key or back-up code could leave you out in the cold if the lock malfunctions for any reason"},"display_date":"2024-10-24T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Yale Conexis L2 smart lock review: security without the hassle of keys","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"CBBX23YU7BH3VNHJDU67PH7RHA","auth":{"1":"c6957ff2e57944a32bd0df65939154c7495fb8c10fa047a23335c164492d43c2"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CBBX23YU7BH3VNHJDU67PH7RHA.png"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/24/yale-conexis-l2-smart-lock-review-security-without-the-hassle-of-keys/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"IQ4CH5SJQ5A4FIXODQII7SNVPQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":333,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/8cde911f-646e-46d7-a693-061c319d89fc/versions/1728902339/media/13e2e35073fb5679e9fbc8d962de34df_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/17/google-tv-streamer-4k-review-smartening-up-your-home-tv/","content_elements":[{"_id":"IB4TXT6LGRBC5JOI6NVUEPU5XQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"MQRQWEHR3NF2TEFEUFBQQTNYYM"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-39098","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"ERTX2XQ7EBATTHKZIEBO4VD2VA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444232},"content":"Google’s ambitions to conquer the TV market have taken a few different forms. First there was the Chromecast, an inexpensive, stripped-down dongle that turned any TV with a HDMI port into a smart TV, as long as you could use your phone to provide the content.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PVGTSQ6SO5HU3FDVMVGNUV4WOU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728899061739},"content":"Then came the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/consumer-tech/review/2022/12/01/chromecast-with-google-tv-hd-a-reasonably-priced-way-to-make-your-old-tv-smarter/\" target=\"_blank\">Chromecast with Google TV</a>, the puck-shaped addition that had its own operating system and remote control, freeing up your phone and giving you access to a wider range of apps and services. Now we have the Google TV Streamer. Gone is the Chromecast moniker, and the dongle design; in its place is a sleek set-top box that supports 4K content.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UQEKIV32EFBLNBV4ELGD2AEEDA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280049},"content":"Set-up is relatively easy. You need to download the Google Home app and set up your home in Google’s app, assuming you haven’t already done so. Out of the box, there is a software update needed, but discounting that, it takes only a few minutes to get the TV Streamer connected to your wifi before it starts the five minute process of setting up the box with all the software you need.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXMO6BJWIJECDJ2IWGTEWMMEFI","additional_properties":{"_id":"KNJL6AAYEJFTVHDHBZ2XP5QMAA"},"content":"Made by Google: Everything unveiled at its annual hardware showcase","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"JMTIGSWKPJHTJKSCQVNSOOFPYQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280050},"content":"You can choose your preferred streaming services, from Disney+ and Netflix to Paramount+ and Apple TV during the set-up process. They are available immediately but you can add other apps to the box too. RTÉ Player, Virgin Media Play, Now TV, TG4 Player, Canal+ and other media channels can be downloaded from the Play Store on Google TV. You can also add games and other lifestyle apps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"F7RV2UJJTNEVVK2TVUMORV6FJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280051},"content":"There is a good range of apps here, including VPNs such as Nord VPN and ExpressVPN (good for both privacy and removing geoblocks from content). The choice is limited to what is available from the Play Store.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FP5WNJBQPJEUTPBVUP3YKZKQMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280052},"content":"This may all sound fairly familiar and if you were thinking that the Chromecast with Google TV and the new Google TV Streamer essentially do the same thing, you wouldn’t be wrong. Both allow you to install apps to the device, both come with their own remote and support 4K content. All your favourite content, spanning all your streaming services, can be accessed from a single menu. And you can access your smart home devices through your TV, with the voice controls on the remote control.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N7DEC2PYJJFLPCVPF4IEF6XUUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280053},"content":"But there are a couple of differences between the two.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SHLZEAXWYVHKNA2WSRDAIN4IME","additional_properties":{"_id":"CLFTDGM7UZERXCFG7VMSOCYAMM"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"YR6KBYKK7NB6LD54EOL7RVMURM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728899061745},"content":"First there is the design, with Google making the move away from the dongle design in line with its rival Roku and others. The set-top box might be preferable to a dongle device hanging off the HDMI port at the back, and the TV Streamer is still fairly low profile.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ROY5RDOOMNH63JSEEHS6WDV4DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280054},"content":"The second is the type of connections available. The TV Streamer has an ethernet port built in so you don’t need to rely on wifi to get your internet connection – good if you have a particularly temperamental signal.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZOL6FZJBXVFADAP2ROFWVF6PT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280055},"content":"More importantly, though, the larger size means Google can cram a bit more capacity in there for your apps and content sources, with 32GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, a significant upgrade over the Chromecast.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLCGN6IAGVF3DF5XW6TDKMIJYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280056},"content":"Google has tweaked the remote, too. You still have a YouTube button (a logical move) and Netflix (it’s less obvious why this is here over Disney or another service) but the volume control has moved from the side of the remote to the front, and you now have a shortcut button that you can programme to your favourite app, smart home shortcut or TV control.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UYSRWREW5FETTMPISWXBDNWJ3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280057},"content":"If you want all your entertainment apps in a familiar interface, then the Google TV Streamer 4K is a good option, if a slightly more expensive one than we have become used to.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H3HNBILS25GPHJ6S4LB5L5XTUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280058},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"7CKNPUHOMJBJBLOKBRY4A7NCXU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280059},"content":"Easy enough to get up and running, the Google TV Streamer is an inexpensive way to get all your streaming content in one place. It also fits neatly into your Google smart-home set-up, allowing you to control your light, thermostats, cameras and plugs from your TV. The Google TV Streamer is more than just an entertainment device; it is a smart-home hub.","type":"text"},{"_id":"37LBWYP3BRGQZNP6I4JDBKSJGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280060},"content":"Despite its multiple functions, the TV box is relatively small and sleek. It fits in with almost any home decor, thanks to the neutral colouring. And if you lose the remote control, you can easily find it, either through the dedicated button on the back of the streamer box, or by asking Google Assistant to locate it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EOTZSFT5BVCJXGYYJS2HOHPX2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728659974419},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"REFVGXEA4FCOHARDT3LQATGJMU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728672280062},"content":"Google hasn’t included a HDMI cable in the box, so if you don’t have a spare, you’ll be TV-less a little longer. You can have it in any colour, as long as it is porcelain, aka white. Google does it in grey, too, but not in the Irish or European market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BUCBQ4TCPJCCVPK5T266Z5TXOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444247},"content":"It is more expensive than the €70 Chromecast with Google TV, at €120.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IXMZABMNQNAGRB55ILYTUJV2NE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728659974420},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"2CRT4SXCFREEPLBHRZBH5T7SPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444249},"content":"It supports Dolby Vision and advanced HDR, alongside Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Atmos audio formats.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WL3HGAU745DWLBCSRH5PFZ2UQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444250},"content":"The remote control can also be paired with your TV to control volume, a handy addition that makes using the TV streamer easier to use. You aren’t limited to TV services either; there are games, news services, utility apps and other apps to download to the device so you can use it as a general hub. You can also link speakers and Pixel Buds to the device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XXIK4OU5CRDAXOK5BVLWWRI6LA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444251},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"FQOGNN2A4FAYJN5IQMWZXPSWZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728896444252},"content":"A sleek addition to your livingroom that smartens up any TV.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Upgrade offers relatively inexpensive way to get all your streaming content in one place"},"display_date":"2024-10-17T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Google TV Streamer 4K review: Smartening up your home TV","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"L74UECWY6FEKHLMV7MVVVCIPGA","auth":{"1":"31ea7e3e9acc2c4cb4c79877b47f056e7cdba6a8c78235018c1a2b562bf5abb2"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/L74UECWY6FEKHLMV7MVVVCIPGA.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/17/google-tv-streamer-4k-review-smartening-up-your-home-tv/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"QXAMNS3ZTZCNXDZJMQ2RSGZWQQ","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":644,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/ce4c7f9e-f494-4448-a2bf-b29056122644/versions/1728895775/media/3b77bbdcecef997d22a84f57ca06fe82_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/10/17/switching-phone-networks-here-are-ways-to-ensure-you-only-pay-for-what-you-need-and-avoid-roaming-charges/","content_elements":[{"_id":"IPH463DZ5ZFNDPHLL4MILLA66A","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236072},"content":"We are getting better at shopping around. Consumers are increasingly willing to switch providers for utilities such as electricity and gas, broadband and TV.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PSIBFR5KLFDENEA2HZXNWYWTRQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236073},"content":"A PTSB study showed that Irish people are also more likely to change mobile providers in search of a better deal, with 41 per cent of consumers saying they were considering it versus 30 per cent last year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EJZHMSM2SJH6RNCKWV3LTAJMQY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236074},"content":"The good news is that when it comes to mobile contracts, we have options, and lots of them. And not just from the three main operators, but also the MVNOs – mobile virtual network operators – that are offering more variety to mobile customers. These operators cut a deal with the network owners to essentially share the network infrastructure already in place. That means the MVNOs can offer services to customers without having to spend the time and millions of euro setting up their own masts and base stations, and the incumbents can make some money out of renting out their infrastructure.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QVKH5MM4DBB3DG55MUD7ECD73Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236075},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"3JFAQQPXWNGZDM5OJIZL2Y2JRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236076},"content":"The latest entrant into the market is <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/sky/\" target=\"_blank\">Sky</a> Mobile. The TV provider has already made inroads into the broadband market, and offers both broadband and mobile services in the UK, so it was a natural progression for its Irish business.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LAWLLOXO4NCHRIMAE2JYOAVBCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236077},"content":"The provider has adopted a similar model to rival TV provider <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/virgin-media/\" target=\"_blank\">Virgin Media</a>, which also allows customers to split the cost of their phones from the ongoing subscription fees for your plan.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QRIGE6EYJBDRLM55FDLTKUIWJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236078},"content":"It also offers another option for customers on the hunt for a better mobile service than they are currently getting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HAFONPXZ25BUVMVH2TOCQAOZOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236079},"content":"There are some things to bear in mind when choosing mobile provider to make sure you get the best deal for what you need.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Q37T7USADBHY5PEV4FOWA7P2NA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236080},"content":"Check your coverage","type":"header"},{"_id":"O4JGI3OVJNBEDONEZDUW5OVKK4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236081},"content":"There is no point in having a bargain deal if your network coverage is so bad you can’t make calls or send texts. <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/comreg/\" target=\"_blank\">ComReg</a>’s coverage checker <a href=\"https://www.comreg.ie/tools-resources/\" target=\"_blank\">tool</a> will show you what network covers your area. And it’s not just about basic coverage either; the tool will break it down into 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G coverage, so you get a general idea what level of service you can expect.","type":"text"},{"_id":"S3BF7KXC3ZDJLKRGRO3ZSDMBEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236082},"content":"It’s not always simply about coverage, though. You can have the best coverage in the country once you step outside your office or home, and yet once indoors, text messages fail to deliver, data coverage is abysmal and calls constantly drop. That can be because of the make-up of the building, or because of the interference from other devices around you is too much. That’s where features such as wifi calling comes in handy. This service, which is offered by all the major Irish networks, uses your wifi network when the mobile network is poor to make phone calls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KOZXXLWIF5AXZDXMLMSI5PVUXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236083},"content":"Only pay for what you need","type":"header"},{"_id":"BUI73SREARHRNMQG7Y27FDRYNE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236084},"content":"Despite the perception of Ireland as a “rip off republic”, we don’t fare too badly on telecoms costs. It is possible to get all the data, calls and texts you need for less than €15 a month – as long as you are staying in Ireland.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DKDA3K24KNGCDFSMS6ILCDSJUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236085},"content":"These are usually sim-only plans, which don’t come with a handset, and are often short term, so you can give 30 days’ notice if you want to switch rather than be tied in for a full year or longer.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NSUZYSSGS5D53AOJKZLBYBT6WE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236086},"content":"If you don’t need unlimited data, texts or calls, you can shave a little bit off your monthly costs, with some plans going as low at €10. You can always upgrade if you find it no longer meets your needs.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VKENX6OCFZDH3CG7VTAIR4NJ6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236087},"content":"Watch out for roaming charges","type":"header"},{"_id":"5TGHBXEJCBEIZJANUWLYW7M27A","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236088},"content":"EU rules mean you can use your mobile plan within the European Union and the UK as if you were at home. That means no roaming charges for calls, texts and even data while you are travelling in the EU.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GWZSET7AUJDXNGH7TLWNCLJAMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236089},"content":"However, there are limits in some cases. Most of the networks have imposed some sort of fair-use policy for data roaming that limits you to several GB of data before charges kick in. Be sure that you look up any limitation on roaming services before you go, to ensure you don’t end up with bill shock.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FCIZRUBBHZABXAERFNCCHQRV3U","additional_properties":{"_id":"NSG4VCEECNERXB4FSGSQWBRGVQ"},"content":"Man who spent two days in Monaco received €30,000 data roaming bill","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"G6FZMXKGYVHCNF4XD5BLVBXVFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236090},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"45D5LMMC5ZBENPT7XAETKB645Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236091},"content":"To avoid roaming charges outside the EU, you have a couple of options. The first is to simply turn off roaming on your phone when you leave the country. Stick to wifi – preferably secured with a password – if you need to access mobile data. And enjoy the peace and quiet, free from constant messaging and calls.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4R5E57SF7JFERGTPZ6V6SRQYWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236092},"content":"The second is to check what roaming packages your mobile network offers. Some, such as GoMo and Vodafone, offer a certain amount of data per day for a fee, giving you access to messaging, maps and email.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DFUYVIS7N5EZHAQLEFXV7STOVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236093},"content":"A third option is to buy a local sim card to use abroad. Before you do this, make sure your device will take a third-party sim card; some networks lock the devices they sell to customers to their own network for the duration of the initial contract. You can request your phone be unlocked from the network once you have met their minimum contract or spend requirements.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TNAIAAFMURD5HLVW4GXMTGKSIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236094},"content":"If your phone is relatively new, there is a good chance that it will support e-sims. These are virtual sim cards that can be installed on your device, allowing you to access local networks without a physical sim card.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KQ454ROB4JD2HHVXMZDNX7DYLY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236095},"content":"You can install e-sims for unlimited data use for a few days or a few weeks – look at providers such as Holafly for more options.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MLXE4N3EQ5AMFL3MS4FV2CY2VQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"ATNC5G3JQZE23OR67S7FYCMKB4"},"content":"E-sims: The future for mobile phones is here, and Ireland needs to get on board","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"H6F4HDTKFBGTZFOY3ACZKLV2DU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236096},"content":"Keep your phone as long as possible","type":"header"},{"_id":"SJGDNMJVQFHOBHJ6BLJ5LYAHD4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236097},"content":"One thing that will add to the cost of your mobile plan is whether or not you need a new device. In the past, people would upgrade phones every year, then every two years; the most recent estimate has people hanging on to their phones for three years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MUTN43NRONAZ5AJW7Q64T7YPTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236098},"content":"There are a few reasons for that. First, there is the cost of the device itself, which is usually spread across a two-year contract. Second, the jump in functionality is now much less pronounced between generations of phones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"W3YWL3XX6JFJJNBIIOAM3SQVZA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236099},"content":"Some Android phones now have up to seven years of support, for both operating system updates and security patches. The latter are crucial: some apps that require heightened security, such as banking apps, may not function if security is not up to date.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HPMRDBUXKVFJJPVGHQAXFEORQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236100},"content":"The catch is that it is seven years from its original release date, not from when you bought the phone. And as the phone ages, it may struggle with the latest operating system, which will require increasingly high-powered hardware and put your older device under pressure. You may not have access to all the features of the newest software either.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2DG45NJOK5G4PAA7DYYYRKKE2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236101},"content":"Phones are more durable now, too. Fancy names like ceramic shield, Armour and Victus are all different ways of saying that the screens are more durable and resistant to cracks, scratches and so on.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FXHTZBFH6ZBJ5OGSVSKWBZPVYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236102},"content":"However, they don’t last forever. Components wear out, batteries lose their effectiveness and eventually, you feel like you may as well just buy a new one rather than fixing it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NA2WJYF2ZVAQXGACFEB5VXVWKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236103},"content":"But you could get several years out of your handset with a few minor fixes, and you won’t have to spend money on a new handset.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VG5ZQ4CN55BDZNRNYD33VRIY3Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236104},"content":"Keeping your phone in good condition is easy – a screen protector will keep the worst scratches and scuffs from the display, and a decent case will protect it from any impacts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"I2JUJIECPZD6HMXM7MU22HL7XM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236105},"content":"Battery life is the most common complaint that people have when it comes to their smartphones. As your phone ages, so too does the battery, and becomes less efficient. But a battery replacement will get you back on track and it is relatively cheap in comparison to a new phone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YGXWS7XX3BBH5DLUUZHWERYBWU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236106},"content":"If you do need a new phone, consider refurbished devices to keep the costs down. Not only could you save some euro, it is also more environmentally friendly than buying a new device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4TLQLFRZB5CX3MA33UITXZLT6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236107},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"UAHTI77T3NC4ZIEPV5WICPTH3Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236108},"content":"What are the networks offering?","type":"header"},{"_id":"BHJJB7IOMFDXVK34GGLZJAF4QA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236109},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/three/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Three Ireland</b></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CLCOFAN67VEPVPZJPSG3NX2GBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236110},"type":"list"},{"_id":"UUWXY4JUNBBDFCBRMQSTTRPQOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236113},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/vodafone/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Vodafone Ireland</b></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z3SE3JWOJBEO5KEHQ6WILYUKKA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236114},"type":"list"},{"_id":"HR3RLJJVXJHZFKEOWO6JNJMZIM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236117},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/eir/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Eir</b></a>","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKR5NUFNOVGB3BKRMYTG3XJF6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236118},"type":"list"},{"_id":"VYXNLPWX7VCIBCRZ7KWG543P4E","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236121},"content":"<b>Virgin Mobile</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"3CC2ZOYWJ5FBFHCFNH7CZPKWQ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236122},"type":"list"},{"_id":"I2WKK4VXXFCBFOTUUY6AC5BFGU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236126},"content":"<b>Sky Mobile</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"CUDB5PQIVRDMPMMVVQN7VHPS4A","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236127},"type":"list"},{"_id":"5QXWF3XMBJAENPLUAOOAHIR5XE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236131},"content":"<b>48</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"NWWRQLA5BJHEPA6OJBBSZTXNTM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236132},"type":"list"},{"_id":"IFU4DJPUTZBIPBPZEFOOBSQS54","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236136},"content":"<b>An Post Mobile</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"KJI2KHFRFBCNVK4JUMO6D3CVFI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236137},"type":"list"},{"_id":"3YNEICJMJVGJRJUMAASQOTQ7FM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236140},"content":"<b>Tesco Mobile</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"A3YXEVIXQJAFXD6YIMKDKEZIKM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236141},"type":"list"},{"_id":"4PBAMP6EIZBEXC7CUSVQPWUR64","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236145},"content":"<b>GoMo</b>","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKQYRF3DO5AXFOZEZ667OD53RQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728664236146},"type":"list"},{"_id":"DLQBGKJY5RDFDD3SRHQSJP5DSE","additional_properties":{"_id":"PHTF4V5E6BF6FE6EDNU22G6M5M"},"type":"divider"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"A comparison of plans from Three, Vodafone, Eir, Virgin Mobile, Sky Mobile, 48, An Post Mobile, Tesco Mobile and GoMo"},"display_date":"2024-10-17T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Switching mobile networks? Here’s how to pay only for what you need and avoid roaming charges","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"XT3SEDTGZRBXNOBE3KIB3X25YM","auth":{"1":"12d19d925d31aee3f82d8b0972633471be5a17fdf5c0b3ca732b18d052f640ca"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/XT3SEDTGZRBXNOBE3KIB3X25YM.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Technology"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/10/17/switching-phone-networks-here-are-ways-to-ensure-you-only-pay-for-what-you-need-and-avoid-roaming-charges/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"ZDDUOYPCARDJ3FO33VAGNDJG44","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":335,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/14a76505-e1de-4327-b5e7-92015248776d/versions/1728310659/media/8ec226c229651de0b98b8d05f0978acd_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/10/aura-sleep-mask-review-a-comfortable-high-tech-sleep-aid-for-insomniacs-with-a-few-quirks/","content_elements":[{"_id":"O2SBS3LJTRG4RL4RSYHIF4GAMM","additional_properties":{"_id":"D2USQ7653JFALPQMHM2563JBFY"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-74533","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"5WJTY3EDXJHJXNGUQPY5UG2DBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782153},"content":"“You may take a nap later.” The notification seemed a little ominous, given that it was from an app that was intended to help me relax.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WE6JBXF2EJHNTMLLQRTVZI7FH4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782154},"content":"I occasionally have trouble sleeping. Call it stress, call it hormones, call it the impact of having two small children who have discovered the life-changing art of bickering – the end result is that at 3am I’m usually found wide awake and staring at the ceiling.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UPWW5RMQTRDRVKN5Z6U53PEP54","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782155},"content":"So the idea of an “immersive rest companion” that would help me relax and rest better is more than a little appealing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FZKKZIE4J5HOHO5PIFWH7NO5DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782156},"content":"The Aura Sleep Mask is designed to help you relax, by blocking out the world and its distractions, and playing soothing sounds or sending you on a guided meditation using the accompanying Aura Dreamscape app. And there is something for everyone, regardless of your personal preferences (more on that later).","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVGY66M4RFD7DH4XLZRBTNZQT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782157},"content":"You can also set your sleep schedule, something that I had failed to do and got the rather ominous warning that I might take a nap later.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LLJHOYSCKRER3OAMNW3DCKZJEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782158},"content":"The mask itself looks like a cross between a virtual-reality headset and a soft sleep mask that you might wear on a long-haul flight. It is well padded but lightweight, so it is comfortable to wear for hours at a time. The 3D “hug cushion” gives you a better fit around the eyes without loading on the pressure. On the inside, there is a light bar that helps wake you in a more pleasant manner than the blaring alarm on your smartphone, and it can be adjusted with soft Velcro straps to get a good fit.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7E5N42EKHZHUJHB56MHPOMORXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782159},"content":"There are small speakers built in, too, so you can listen to your chosen meditations without the need for earbuds or headphones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZSUM4LWX5BEVXHUD5EU3UCSYUI","additional_properties":{"_id":"4VQ7H22UARDLZGHTD3NQ7BS5SE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"6AQE4BIVTBGHPNP7LO5GCQP3KM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782160},"content":"With the app, you can choose between meditation tracks for stress relief and building up your self-esteem, soundscapes of crickets or relaxing waterfalls, and even ASMR, if that is what you are into.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ENKMR7SKU5EHLAUGMERTATUIGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782161},"content":"If I’m honest, I was sceptical. I am not usually a meditation person. There is something about telling me to relax that instantly has the opposite effect. Instead of deep breathing, I’m wondering if I’ve left the hair straighteners plugged in or flicking through a mental list of things I have been putting off for weeks. While a calm soothing voice is urging me to breathe in and out, listening to the sound of my own breath, I’m usually listening for the sound of children who approach after dark with all the stealth of a ninja.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WVZQRWEVLJA4DL3CLELS6QVIY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782162},"content":"But the lack of light has a soothing effect. The Aura mask blacks out every chink of light without feeling like it is squeezing too tightly on your head. There is ample cushioning too, so it is comfortable enough as you fall asleep.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WLQ7KMUT55GJXPFFO5BTOZ6JSI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782163},"content":"Even this sceptic found it useful to run a few soundscapes to help me wind down before bed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UHBG5BC6IVFR7JLIAKGBCLNTYE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782164},"content":"It wasn’t all a success, however. There wasn’t a single morning that I woke up with the mask still on my face; at times it had worked loose and was somewhere on the other side of the bed, and others I woke up wearing it like a necklace. Too much pressure on it will cause the strap to open, so there are no concerns about safety. But it means I’ve yet to experience the gentle wake-up promised by the light bar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MQY7QQCSJRHFPOQJDY5INKNVBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782165},"content":"And can we talk about AMSR? Some of the supposedly soothing sounds on the app are subjective to say the least. Under the ASMR tab, for example, you’ll find a mixture of music with binaural beats, mic scratching and tapping, and inexplicably, a track that is supposed to mimic the sound of searching for bugs in hair, which doesn’t’t so much relax me as make me instantly start scratching and wondering where I’ve left the Nitty Gritty comb. If you have school-age children, you know that using the words “bugs” and “hair” will send you into a spiral of panic.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AEFCTEI4AFDTZMSU6AO4UDWVME","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782166},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"MHUJAIOPFJEFFPM3RO3PX4HFZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782167},"content":"The mask is comfortable and works well even for blocking out unwanted light. Add in the optional essential oils pack and you get the feeling of being in a fancy retreat – until you lift the mask, at least.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HHITS7IH4JB7BBS7PVTDV7PE3U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782168},"content":"The mask also works as a simple Bluetooth audio device, so you can use it with your chosen playlist from Spotify or Apple Music, or go for another meditation app such as Calm.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7CQP3BW4GVDALHOYDDSXY6W33I","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782169},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"L4YZBABZXBELHJUDSLYVM3NPNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782170},"content":"If you sleep on your front, this mask won’t be comfortable; this is for side and back sleepers only.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZER35LYZLFECVDUCTWKCGIHEEM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782171},"content":"I don’t recall a single morning where the light bar woke me up effectively, mainly because the mask was wrapped around my neck or discarded on the pillow.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DI4LS6IHCFATDFWOGZBO2S3FZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782172},"content":"The speakers are not very powerful, which is no bad thing, but they are still audible to whoever is close by. That means whoever shares your bedroom is likely to discover your predilection for bug searching ASMR.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZRPMHPXDVJARTFDJX6Z5QZSPNA","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782173},"content":"Although the Aura app is free to use, you can’t add to the content library yourself, so embrace the Indonesian beach tracks and binaural AMSR.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K4HMIBLQSRAY5FZOPQHHPH4BVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782174},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"7Q36KKTXFZG5FFEQVV2DC5ECGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782175},"content":"The hug cushions are held in place on the mask with magnets, and are machine washable and replaceable. However, getting the mask and the accessories requires some creative thinking, as the website doesn’t officially ship to Ireland yet.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2ZIVX3YKJNDFPFYOMJWRMUDUYM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782176},"content":"You can build your own custom meditation and relaxation playlists in the app, including alarms for the morning, from the content library on the app. If you want to go from breath work to bugs, you can.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZC4BFRPEF5H3NCIJIFCJCG25PM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782177},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"FK2Y3V22IZCZ7PNPUABKHODQFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728070782178},"content":"A decent sleep mask and some ear buds would probably get the same effect, but the Aura Sleep mask is easy to use if you want a high-tech but no-fuss sleep aid.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"The mask blocks out all light, and an accompanying app lets you choose between meditation tracks, relaxing soundscapes and even ASMR"},"display_date":"2024-10-10T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Aura Sleep Mask review: A comfortable high-tech sleep aid for insomniacs, with a few quirks","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"XIKMV5AQ7JHZ7PYGCJKLAM5QUE","auth":{"1":"a8c65c297da7a9032d5d85fdb29dbe37d46e8e2174ed1f9eb120c385380be5de"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/XIKMV5AQ7JHZ7PYGCJKLAM5QUE.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/10/aura-sleep-mask-review-a-comfortable-high-tech-sleep-aid-for-insomniacs-with-a-few-quirks/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"XWCHHFYC4VAMPETGYQ5GMOI7AI","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/technology/2024/10/10/what-online-scams-should-we-be-on-the-lookout-for/","content_elements":[{"_id":"JFIVIEGQ7VAZ5LDNF5FUVGBZ5U","additional_properties":{"_id":1727981584079},"content":"It feels a bit like the scams are coming thick and fast these days. If it’s not criminals trying to clean out your bank account, it is hackers trying to get into your online accounts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7EYIYR63BVAIDOXUZ7UAUOPEYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452634},"content":"This week alone, I’ve won several million in an electronic sweepstake, had a surprise tax credit I must claim on my account, and at least two phone calls claiming to be from Revolut about my bank account. All clearly fake, in this case, but the scams are getting better.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IMBR3B55ZNE63FU3BPSH5MCLGI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452635},"content":"So what scams should we be on the lookout for, and how can we avoid falling victim to them?","type":"text"},{"_id":"YPRFN2VHLRHTZOIRUH2LJUAIMQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727982630450},"content":"WhatsApp scammers","type":"header"},{"_id":"7WKHTLU2CVF27CKCNCASE4C254","additional_properties":{"_id":1727982630451},"content":"We got used to being targeted by well-meaning representatives of long-dead relatives, or opportunistic businessmen claiming to have a fortune waiting for the right investor (ie you). So now that the scams are coming from what we thought was a trusted contact, it can be a little disconcerting.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T44SEYNZHBCSDPOYENCSJKK57Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1727982630452},"content":"Take the recent WhatsApp scam, for example. A resurgence of an old trick, the main aim is to gain access to your WhatsApp account, and by extension your contacts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"K7W73FLAH5B7DECQQ5LVKJMGY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452639},"content":"When Sarah [not her real name] got a message from a family member asking for a security code he had “accidentally” sent to her, she was instantly suspicious. Something about the message didn’t ring true, so she messaged back, inquiring further. In the meantime, a text message from WhatsApp arrived, with a security code.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QH32FPO4WJEE3LACM4HQAOSWR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452640},"content":"If that hadn’t confirmed her suspicions, the contact with the scammers certainly had. Several messages in, she knew it wasn’t her friend she was talking to, and any calls she placed through WhatsApp went unanswered, despite the account clearly being online. So she called him through a regular voice service, and he confirmed that he had been locked out of his account after falling for the same scam. It took a couple of hours to get back into the account, but by then the scammer had sent the same urgent request for help to all of his WhatsApp contacts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XZZBHDTX4JBCPFHVGH3Q2ZD5HI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452641},"content":"It isn’t always as obvious though, especially if you are distracted.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VFA6UKAKYVAPXEH7GEEEKBQNLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452642},"content":"It has become so widespread that the National Cyber Security Centre issued a warning about the scam a few weeks ago, outlining what users should do to avoid it, and next steps if they have fallen victim to it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U52X6LXXMBB4RKEZ3SBDZTVLXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452643},"content":"The motivation behind the scam varies. At best, it puts your contacts’ details at risk of being compromised by scammers; at worst, it could lead to financial loss or reputational damage for businesses who use WhatsApp to communicate with customers. And the latter should also be aware of the GDPR obligations on data breaches. Once the scammer has access to your WhatsApp account they can then repeat the process with your contacts, in the hopes of hooking someone else.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VPBXJINQ7JFNRDBRVO2IMPHOCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452644},"content":"If you are hit by this scam, your first contact should be to WhatsApp directly. You can contact the company via email at support@whatsapp.com. The NCSC also recommends contacting An Garda <i>Síochána</i>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PBLBANU6CFH75GBFBW2EYVPH3I","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452645},"content":"How to avoid it","type":"header"},{"_id":"N5R7AO5SQBC4LDRK5IRWZKWYX4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452646},"content":"Be suspicious, especially if the request is unusual or seems urgent. Scammers try to play on our fears and desire to help loved ones; it is okay to take a minute or two to verify a request.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GEKBT45JENBYRKRIEREW36B6V4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452647},"content":"Use two factor authentication on your WhatsApp account. This will allow you to set a passcode on your account that only you know. If you want to transfer your WhatsApp account to a new phone, you will need to enter the passcode to do so.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WZG3X5PFJ5FKXMZZ7LQ6HZRWLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727982630454},"content":"Never hand over your security codes to anyone, even if the message seems to come from a friend. And if in doubt, call the person who is asking for the information – but do it outside of WhatsApp.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QP54HZ3Q35ECNMQP62GBL2AEF4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452649},"content":"Customs charges","type":"header"},{"_id":"5D2LCLFITVAXPJSB74C62K7LV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452650},"content":"Ah, Brexit. If it is not causing queues at Dover and delays on deliveries, it is changing the grocery shopping aisles across the Border. It has also been fertile ground for scam artists. A bit of disruption plays right into the hands of fraudsters, who will exploit it to their advantage. And for people who regularly receive packages from the UK, there certainly has been a lot of it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TAS2DHPVOZANXPLCHLHYADAKCU","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452651},"content":"The flow of messages informing you about your package stuck at customs may have slowed a bit, but as Christmas approaches, expect it to ramp up again. You know the drill by now: a text arrives to tell you that you have a package with customs charges due, and here is the link that allows you to pay. Oh, and if you don’t pay by [insert terrifyingly close date here], your package will be returned without delivery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OKEJVJW5WJC45OFNO42V3S4VHI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452652},"content":"So you follow the link to what looks like a genuine site, pay the fee and no package arrives. But mysterious charges begin appearing on your account.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PNO5LFAKMVGUVOUO7KOCSS4QO4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452653},"content":"What to do now? If you suspect you have been scammed, alert your bank. They can help you take the necessary steps to secure your account. You may also want to contact An Garda <i>Síochána</i>.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NYLCR474KJC3VLSSWHP5MSJMU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452654},"content":"How to avoid it","type":"header"},{"_id":"RHXB25DGZVFWXH6TNHR7QIJRUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452655},"content":"To avoid falling for the scam, never click a link that arrives in a text message. The fake websites have become very good at mimicking the genuine article, so it isn’t as easy to tell at first glance if a message is a fraud or not.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5XJ32ZPRWZAUHMKRA4WAP2Q3JM","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452656},"content":"If you do get a message alerting you to customs charges due, visit the delivery company’s website by typing the address – DHL, DPD, An Post, FedEx – into the address bar. All requests for customs payment will have a reference or tracking number included in the text; put that into the website, and if it is a genuine delivery, it will show up.","type":"text"},{"_id":"7BCAX7KQKFG4RCQFNYWO4Q25YI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452657},"content":"Deals","type":"header"},{"_id":"KMPIUWN4IZEKTKQF3TMFXVIZBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452658},"content":"When John [not his real name] was looking for a specific gift for his granddaughter, it was proving extremely hard to find in real-world stores. But a website based in Dublin showed that they had it in stock, and it wasn’t too expensive, so he ordered it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AMK25IFVZJH3RI4GP4VDIIFVS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452659},"content":"The payment option seemed odd – PayPal, but not as “goods and services” which one expect when buying from a trader – but he didn’t want to miss out, so he sent the money. The promised toy never arrived. And because he hadn’t paid for the transaction as goods and services, he had little recourse to claiming his money back. The website disappeared shortly afterwards too, confirming – as if there was any doubt – that this was a scam.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4IKT2LSMWNCHRBCHP2UERNDS7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452660},"content":"John views it as a cheap lesson. All the warning signs were there, he says, but he ignored them. Chalk this one up to experience and move on, and next time he will listen to his instincts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AMC325P7HZCWZGEHPPENYLKT7U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452661},"content":"How to avoid it","type":"header"},{"_id":"PM7AHOG3BBGILNRD7SL5YU47IE","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452662},"content":"In this case, it was a small amount of money. But small sums add up to a nice profit for scammers. The main lesson here is that if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Do your homework on the retailer in question; a quick search online could reveal previous complaints of scams. And never pay for goods from a business (alleged or otherwise) as anything other than “goods and services” on PayPal, if you want to be covered by its fraud protection policies.","type":"text"},{"_id":"X7UPKEZPWZH5NLRSV5BDATXB4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452663},"content":"Other scams to be wary of","type":"header"},{"_id":"SDO5OBB5LZAXFGFIBZPK56G3PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452664},"content":"Tax credits: A text claiming to be from MyGov, alerting you that your “preapproved” tax credit can’t be processed, and directing you to a scam site to resolve it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NSV4JTT7JRHNTDZBZ6TQIQDEVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452665},"content":"Phone plans: A scam text claims your phone service will be disabled as you have not accepted new terms of service.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2S34D3VDCFEXLC6N6YKSSN5UZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1728289452666},"content":"Hi Mum: A text message claiming to be from a family member, saying they have smashed or lost their phone, and this is their new contact number. Inevitably followed by a request for financial help.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V34BDHLQS5EGHJGCHGK7Q6ZHC4","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"And how can we avoid falling victim to them?"},"display_date":"2024-10-10T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"The online scams to avoid in Ireland: A new WhatsApp trick, MyGov texts and what to look out for","native":"Online scams: How to avoid having your WhatsApp account taken over by a scammer"},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"GXTJA4MXBZCTZDKLMVX7LHQ4VQ","auth":{"1":"53b75f7a639900754b89f42d3f972d2948e844066145dd50f61be1c7abc295bb"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/GXTJA4MXBZCTZDKLMVX7LHQ4VQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"feature","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Big Tech"},{"name":"Business"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/2024/10/10/what-online-scams-should-we-be-on-the-lookout-for/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Technology"}}}},{"_id":"WYD2NTTZEJEAPGQYGNBOVI6KZU","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":318,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/07f3acd7-39f1-4908-99c9-b48883aa44e6/versions/1727710008/media/e484d4ceba873718c24a158f1874318d_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/03/buddy-the-robot-lawn-mower-review-tech-light-option-ideal-for-the-average-irish-garden/","content_elements":[{"_id":"IJJ3OJ6D7RFUFO2SPBDH3F5XLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823083},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZDLUKG2SWJFBPKGFF3SBUAXKGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823084},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"73ZWGSX5IJFSFDKSNPYOB7XO4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823085},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"3TJVIPRDOFGQTAYRVFRBU6XEPM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823086},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"RVDITCSCAVCSFNE6SMNXEQSURI","additional_properties":{"_id":"42WR3DYTTJAGVNWEBRYHSZ46Y4"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-42717","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"3FLVKJ6WQFHNNK24KKGQZB5KIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823088},"content":"The gardening season may be coming to a muddy close but there are still a few more weeks of grass cutting to go yet, not to mention setting up for next spring.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HGI3BSZBQVHVHE6SWLP7H7L3AQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823089},"content":"Once we get there, we will be back into the regular mowing schedule, where – in my experience at least – missing a session or two will lead to jungle-like growth in the garden that requires a lot of effort to sort out.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VP4FGVOEBJFAHKSBTJLOYATLZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727689279519},"content":"We all lead increasingly busy lives, though, so mowing the lawn usually falls down the list of priorities. Which is why it is not surprising that robot mowers are becoming an increasingly attractive option, at least around this house.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCRKQGWBV5DYDEK33GDXCG56UI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823091},"content":"These mowers have their limitations though. They usually need guide wires in place to mark out the boundary of your lawn. That means a second lawn – in the front of the house, perhaps – would need its own guide wires. And all that automation comes at a price, which means they are often too much tech for those of use with smaller lawns.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4JUBEGN2QJDBRE7PJTPPYVNVMA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823093},"content":"Meet Buddy, the answer to your lawn care. This appropriately named and handy robot mower doesn’t need space for a large home base, and it is suitable for lawns of up to 200sq m. The rechargeable battery is removable so it can be swapped out if needed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NTGGXKKFRFFZ7HYLAGD6NM2KPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823094},"content":"The beauty of Buddy though is that you aren’t limited by guide wires. It uses sensors to recognise boundaries and out-of-bounds areas such as flower beds, paths and water.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V5NYJF574FBB7OBTW5RVDKXUR4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823095},"content":"You can just plonk him down anywhere and leave him to work – making sure, of course, that there is some sort of hard boundary that Buddy will recognise, such as a ditch, patch or wall. Failure to do that means Buddy could toddle off over the horizon.","type":"text"},{"_id":"55SPMT2H65FY7NAEZZKQQDQMUU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823096},"content":"It is very quick to set up too. All you have to do is charge the battery to full, use the adjustable dial to set the cutting height for the grass (between 20mm and 60mm), set Buddy down on the grass and let him go.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H6BFCD3K7ND5VIUH6IWQD6WSDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"D7HSG4O2DFB7NKSPNBR5EI3PPE"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"2YAPFGVRFNBJLKDQELCIY3DCFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727689279525},"content":"After a few goes around the garden Buddy generally gets the lay of the land, but if you have items that move a bit – children’s outdoor play sets, for example – Buddy will navigate around them. And it even looks cute and non-threatening as it glides around almost silently.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EFLYX7UGORBMVOBU7CUU33ZCVA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823097},"content":"There were some teething problems. For example, Buddy recognised paving down the centre of the garden as a boundary and refused to move beyond it. A win for the sensors that kept the robot on track maybe, but a loss for the half of the garden that lay beyond the path. It was easily solved though, because the robot is easy enough to pick up and bring to a different area.","type":"text"},{"_id":"JWGIFCEECNF65FVPXO4T7QJJ4A","additional_properties":{"_id":"DIXIGP3GGNGIXGHZGFOOOGZIYI"},"content":"Dyson Wash G1 review: Tackles almost everything the house throws at it","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"WRNG26NCCFFV3E6G43NWSTIQCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823098},"content":"It managed to stay out of the flower beds too, which was surprising, and navigated its way around some raised beds and flower pots that were in its path.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZAVDXC7MVFE57LVZZCOBQXMECQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823099},"content":"Buddy meanders around the lawn in a seemingly random pattern until the entire garden has been covered, so if you like uniform lines cut into your lawn, this may not be the solution for your lawn care. But that is something that it has in common with most robot mowers out there.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWB2FVZLNVEXTBZONBGJC2JWPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823100},"content":"In a similar vein, robot mowers don’t cut right to the edges where there is a shed, for example, or a raised border, so you will still need to crack out a strimmer to trim. And it doesn’t collect the grass cuttings, which I’m assured is actually a healthier approach to managing your grass.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TZ7XQVIPTRBSDCPBHXQBBF6UZY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823101},"content":"Battery life may be an issue if you have a particularly large area to mow or a challenging lawn with slopes and different grass textures. Once everything has been gone over a few times, Buddy will perform better and get longer life from the battery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XFH7V234YVC35N32AVWCKM4KJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823102},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"MEFHE5T7DNCTTGXSLCD3B5NZGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823103},"content":"No guide wires to deal with make Buddy more flexible than the average robot mower. You can simply pick it up and put it on a different area of grass if needed, without having to lay any guide wires. It also cuts out some of the fancier technology, such as GPS tracking, so it lowers the price compared to other robot mowers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QU6FFJEN6BCR3BFGI2UEQ6RLEI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823104},"content":"The battery is big enough to deal with a regular-sized Irish lawn. It did a couple of passes on our back garden without needing a charge.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XNS2TCJWWBCQTDDXSOAOETRJCQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823105},"content":"And it is quiet enough to run early in the morning or late into the evening without disturbing the neighbours.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VUSSS5RIEVC5PJSQIWYLEDWG7Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823106},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"MKBVMRYEXVEJ3BHV2A5P7DSVXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823107},"content":"You can’t set a schedule, so it still requires you to remember to run the mower. You also need to remember to charge the battery regularly – something that isn’t an issue with a mower that has a charging station.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GSX2QURGIRCUTETF3W2ZLGZ254","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823108},"content":"Although Buddy will avoid obstacles in the garden – children’s toys, for example – it did get confused by a paved path, assuming it was a border, so it needed to be repositioned manually.","type":"text"},{"_id":"5OCPSSUDPRESZMDR7BTLMJ3BRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823109},"content":"The rest","type":"header"},{"_id":"AIYV3DEQTBCJFDLO23PJQNCANM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823110},"content":"The battery doesn’t take too long to charge up – around two hours – so you shouldn’t have too much down time between mows for an average size garden. You can invest in an additional battery if you feel you need extra power.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KT3UWMZWKRGHHHVMNXFLXIZLFA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823111},"content":"It also has a rain sensor to stop Buddy from continuing to cut the grass in the rain, protecting your blades and other vital internal parts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4BVJ56CVZ5GUXHSZ37L4TFQII4","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823112},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"Q5ZQSX3BDZGZJEER6IYBE7FRUA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823113},"content":"In a world where tech is becoming increasingly complex, Buddy is a robot mower for the rest of us.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SGPRNTQDBNH6FLGRIZ7SRCC7TU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727687823114},"content":"","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Easy-to-handle mower does not require the laying of guide wires to manage your weekly lawn care"},"display_date":"2024-10-03T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Buddy the robot lawn mower review: tech light option ideal for the average Irish garden","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"F2Z636RIIBBGPIOUNUWN4CKUB4","auth":{"1":"469271015fc4d7e8e3bcbf386c60d5954879fe6d7f348ed4c7b4a06fcadee5c1"},"focal_point":{"x":528,"y":460},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/F2Z636RIIBBGPIOUNUWN4CKUB4.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/10/03/buddy-the-robot-lawn-mower-review-tech-light-option-ideal-for-the-average-irish-garden/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"PIS3G7FEIRDQNL7UOOJKANDKUE","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":346,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/bea6cff6-0084-41b0-9ebf-3aed50d07e67/versions/1727192707/media/df59f6486a689c8443a87d47324a5902_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/26/apple-watch-series-10-review-bigger-display-and-faster-refresh-rate-arise-from-updated-chip/","content_elements":[{"_id":"SLR3UU3GORA7TOMIXDNTIGHAGM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576436},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"3VUCAB22D5CJTP6A275TW7EUJE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576437},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"VRD2MLDC6BFGRDGOUZBXCEDV6I","additional_properties":{"_id":"3HKBKXVIMVCD3BAKAXEQOS46SU"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-41888","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"PXVIVESCA5HJ3GUIOHYJSHSTBQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576439},"content":"Before the Apple Watch hit the market in 2015, there were all sorts of predictions about the death of smartwatches. Within five years, some said, wearables would be overtaken by “disappearables”, technology that was so small, you would barely even see it.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z5JTYYRJCJCKTKVPMTM7FTAOCM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576440},"content":"But that has largely failed to come to pass, and Apple Watch is now on its anniversary outing, with the Series 10.","type":"text"},{"_id":"2MNFLTIRDJF4VACRRYJ7YNINXQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576441},"content":"In the past decade, the design has largely stayed the same, albeit with some minor tweaks – an increase in the size of the watch face, slimming it down, changing the finish and adding high-gloss options – so an Apple Watch is still instantly recognisable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YTWANUQLF5DNDDLXZR2PVYGHUI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576442},"content":"And then there are the functions. An always-on display so your watch is usable as, well, a watch without needing to be charged every three hours. New sensors that measure body temperature, blood oxygen, an ECG and water depth, alongside GPS, altimeters and accelerometer. The Apple Watch will auto-sense falls, detect car crashes and warn you of atrial fibrillation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KYEI5EHG5BCLTGSDU2DCIEZLUM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576443},"content":"So what does the Series 10 bring to the table? There’s the slightly bigger display, with Apple changing the case to 42mm and 46mm while also curving the display more towards the edges of the case. It’s a subtle change, but one that gives you a little extra space without adding too much bulk to the watch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RFT3ZKOOIJEQVCGIB7CQC336XM","additional_properties":{"_id":"ZBPSWKNA4ZAODIGNHNFJBVSLA4"},"content":"Apple unveils iPhone 16 with new AI features and redesigned watch with ability to detect sleep apnoea","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"ELEW3I4XNVEO3DAHMKA3OEIF6A","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576444},"content":"The display is brighter too, and now has a wider viewing angle so you can get in a sneaky glance at the watch face during meetings, or view the display more easily during workouts. And Apple has increased the refresh rate so the always-on display will show the changing seconds rather than limiting it to minutes.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LPO7OJZNDZFMTFGLGJ6Z2MTC2Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576445},"content":"The version reviewed here is the 42mm gold titanium watch, which replaces the stainless-steel model. It’s a little heavier than the aluminium version, with about 4g in the difference, but it is about 8g lighter than the model it replaced.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EOMQA6XSXBCWNEQJURB5ZDPB7Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576446},"content":"The Series 10 has redesigned the internals of the Apple Watch, adding an updated chip – the S10 – and shrinking other elements to allow for a larger charging coil. That is an important change, because although Apple hasn’t done much on extending battery life for the standard Apple Watch – you will still need to charge it regularly – you can now do it faster than before, getting up to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes. An eight-minute charge should see you through the night.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IT3FVCXQAFHBDENJTAXRUUJRGM","additional_properties":{"_id":"SXZ4S6YZTRGJHL4D2RENICLSTU"},"content":"MyMonX Original Smart Wearable: There are far better options out there","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"NJ5YA6RDUZFKJLKKPW43256SVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576447},"content":"That’s important if you want to take advantage of some of the watch’s other features, such as sleep tracking, and in particular the new sleep apnoea feature. Apple has built a new sleep-disturbances monitor into the watch that will monitor you over the course of a month, and flag any potential indicators of sleep apnoea. It may not seem like something that would be important to most people, but the condition can help contribute to a range of other health issues and it often goes undetected.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MFJDDQ4DMZBBXEJPCRQE776WNU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576448},"content":"Apple has also brought in other new elements. The Vitals app that lets you see the important metrics at a glance, such as resting heart rate, respiratory rate and blood oxygen. Training load is another, so you can keep track of the stress you are putting your body under during workouts and schedule appropriate rest and recovery.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KTBLIZP77BCFXGVMIVAJZZSJDU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576449},"content":"The new depth gauge and water temperature sensor are designed for swimming, giving you an at-a-glance look at the important details, and teamed with the tides app, makes the Apple Watch a much more attractive option for open-water swimmers.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NVM7CMHVOJANNH2AWKMVMIZODI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576450},"content":"The watch is following the same pattern as the phones: incremental updates, rather than one big redesign. The Series 10 isn’t aimed at people who bought the Series 9 or even the Series 8; it is targeting those who are either new to the Apple Watch or have been holding out for a better upgrade.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PQVTA5ZY2RHEHKZAH3XY7OESUQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"QDSZKGAOW5FYFKR4IK76W5HV6I"},"content":"Wearable wellness device can help with cognitive impairment and long Covid","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"YRFESPDGKRG3NJ6DE7RLNMFGZM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576451},"content":"If you are the type of person who leaves the house without ear buds, the changes to the speaker on the watch will be a positive thing. You can now use it not only for calls but for playing media – podcasts, music, whatever takes your fancy – and if you want to make a call, Apple has worked some neural engine magic to help reduce the background noise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ODIFLRJUNNAV7MR6CIVW5WLNWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576452},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"SV7OKECM2RCHLOXOPKO646DLWM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576453},"content":"A bigger display with a wider viewing angle makes the watch face easier to see when you are exercising.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SV7Q6MLLHREBRIHUCC3ETESZMM","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576454},"content":"The depth gauge is useful for snorkelling (for diving, you’ll need the Ultra 2 though) and the water temperature sensor will give the sea swimmers among us a better idea of exactly what we are putting our bodies through every time we venture into Irish waters.","type":"text"},{"_id":"V45ZPG2FTNDF3IMBCHEBQBG4UE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576455},"content":"The built-in speaker now facilitates you to play podcasts and music, which has the potential to be a major annoyance for other people in the vicinity, but will can be useful if you are running without earpods, for example. And voice calls are clearer, with less background noise.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NPCWTDXJLZFPLM4OYHJRKUMLLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576456},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"B5GQKEEL7BD5BBSWNCSBHZODJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576457},"content":"Some of these features, such as the sleep apnoea monitoring and Vitals, will also be available on the Series 9, so you may find the Series 10 is not a necessary purchase.","type":"text"},{"_id":"A3GXP2YP3NHJRDI4QKYSCT4OQQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576458},"content":"The Series 10 also needs iOS18 on your iPhone to work, so anyone with a device older than the iPhone Xs is out of luck.","type":"text"},{"_id":"E5CILM4DABBYRFONW3CUD4GJ4M","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576459},"content":"The rest","type":"header"},{"_id":"7NWNKBE6DZHBRLY3COOLDM5PCE","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576460},"content":"Apple is turning the watch into a more holistic health device. Sleep apnoea monitoring is useful, and something that may help flag potential health problems. Plus that quicker charging makes it less of a hassle that the Apple Watch battery is only up to 18 hours in normal mode.","type":"text"},{"_id":"52O6T6NBW5GQ3NIUOXTLVAUBZI","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576461},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"CX7PFVK2HRAFLHSWAGE42TJGKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1727083576462},"content":"An incremental update with some solid additions. Still the best smartwatch for iOS users.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Sleep-tracking and apnoea features make this health-focused smartwatch attractive along with its water functions for people who like swimming"},"display_date":"2024-09-26T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple Watch Series 10 review: Bigger display and faster refresh rate arise from updated chip ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"APHEQZRNCBHO5HBRPKNVSYZOYA","auth":{"1":"298ac3b679f2463821fcabf4a0b3c2f222946937b43209ac5631dc708949538f"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/APHEQZRNCBHO5HBRPKNVSYZOYA.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/26/apple-watch-series-10-review-bigger-display-and-faster-refresh-rate-arise-from-updated-chip/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"QN4EHDRNAZADFII4FWZV7WYB6E","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":292,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/68352565-fd2f-4bcb-b4f1-77f89ef93dd5/versions/1726669065/media/11575cf6e9d15d64c57c965decc77801_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/culture/tv-radio/2024/09/21/hugh-linehan-a-massed-army-of-audio-bots-is-coming-over-the-hill-what-will-it-do-to-us/","content_elements":[{"_id":"K7ZDMVFKZ5GL5PECJDM5WD3HTY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726664754377},"content":"Recent eyesight problems have had me relying more than I would usually on getting my information via sound rather than vision. The experience of listening to more audiobooks, audio articles and podcasts has been mixed, but it has opened my eyes (metaphorically) to the rapid developments taking place in text-to-audio services and in audio-to-text: virtually all sound-editing software now comes with sophisticated and remarkably accurate transcription built in.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZCJSTQDBXRCPJOTJT4OGM3QSS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726667771050},"content":"For several years now, newspapers, including this one, have been generating automated audio versions of their articles. The initial impetus came from the belief of publishers that media consumption would be dominated by devices such as Alexa and Google Assistant. It turns out that most of us are not as keen on having an always-on spy in our homes as the tech companies hoped.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCSSIHDC6REIJIMTFSXBRBXVJ4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726667771051},"content":"But, regardless of the hardware, the quality of automated audio is bounding forward, propelled by generative <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence\" target=\"_blank\">artificial intelligence</a>. Until very recently the ghost of Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey hung over these products. Not any more. The previous uncanny valleys, weird intonations and mispronunciations are a thing of the past. The new generation of automated voices are so close to pitch-perfect that you’ll be hard pressed to tell them apart from an actual human being.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3QITLDGZWVF5VAUNODX37SJTKM","additional_properties":{"_id":"SG5L2PXWQFF3NN5J2SABDUWZBM"},"content":"The best AI tools for future-focused companies: chatbots, writing assistants, productivity boosters and more","type":"interstitial_link"},{"_id":"QAHNDORFLFDOLBS5CIAIXRPRIA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726687791992},"content":"All of which, of course, will give rise to further disquiet among actual human beings like you and me who fear being left on the scrapheap. Slowly but steadily, the massed army of audio bots is coming over the hill to take the jobs of call-centre workers, DJs, weather forecasters, news-bulletin readers, university tutors and who knows who else.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XJYBO323JFEIJBLJABAYMZPBTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726667771053},"content":"As a <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/podcasts/inside-politics/\" target=\"_blank\">podcast presenter</a> I was not delighted when a colleague shared a trial sample of <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/google/\" target=\"_blank\">Google</a>’s experimental <a href=\"https://blog.google/technology/ai/notebooklm-audio-overviews/\" target=\"_blank\">Audio Overview</a> feature. Using the company’s artificial-intelligence tool Gemini, “two AI hosts” turn your “documents, slides, charts and more into engaging discussions” in which they “summarise your material, make connections between topics, and banter back and forth”.","type":"text"},{"_id":"SA6U6LBFGBH6XAFY6FOKUXNNIY","additional_properties":{"_id":"BMBINH4IGNCPPE42NYLQADS2UM"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"EEXJEMB62JG7TOJYYUR55A5EPE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726664754380},"content":"Applied to a recent Irish Times article about the <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2024/09/16/can-i-afford-to-let-religious-ethos-be-a-factor-in-choosing-a-school-for-my-child/\" target=\"_blank\">Catholic Church’s domination of Irish primary schools</a>, the results were simultaneously under- and overwhelming. Like most AI, it was impressively mediocre. Two American voices (no local accents available yet) mulled over the issue, offering a half-decent summary of the article in a conversational mode that wouldn’t be out of place on a mid-morning magazine radio show. You can see how some people might prefer it, once the tech gets better, to a simple read-out of the original text. But it was no Socratic dialogue.","type":"text"},{"_id":"OQ75QFW5DRFDZAPAYUSAIGX5S4","additional_properties":{"_id":"A7ULCIN55FDTXFWFUK5ESPYSW4"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"LBEO2OILBJFIJIM6R2KTWYP6YM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726687791996},"content":"Nevertheless, Socrates might have approved. In the Phaedrus he worried that written texts were replacing oral culture. Writing, he predicted, “would create forgetfulness in the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves”. Similar dire predictions would be made two and a half millenniums later about the internet.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XICNEAFM45GYZEZXFQT566URB4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726667771056},"content":"But despite Socrates’s fears, a sense is deeply embedded in contemporary culture (and shared by me) that reading a text involves a more profound, more immersed engagement than hearing the same words spoken aloud. Reading requires full attention, after all; listening can be done while making the dinner or walking the dog. And the voice itself, whether bot or human, acts as an intermediary and, inevitably, sometimes as a distraction from the words themselves. For our current age of distraction, it seems the more appropriate medium.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AS2BDXDMMNFD7FWKFTPLQILM3E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726664754382},"content":"We hear a lot about how our culture is becoming more visual and less literate. We hear less about how it is becoming more aural and less textual. Or, perhaps more accurately, how the written and spoken word are merging, presented side by side. You can read a TikTok or a Netflix release or an Apple podcast. You can listen to this article.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EZ4QTGHGAJA3JH7VRYL5734VI4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726667771058},"content":"This coming together of speech and text applies to production as well as to consumption. I’m tapping this column out as usual on a keyboard. But it would be just as easy to dictate it, using one of the many free programs now available. Would that make the process or the result any different? Writers from John Milton to Barbara Cartland have dictated their work, so there’s nothing new there. But some suggest that the progression from quill to typewriter to word processor has changed the way writers write, just as other technologies have changed the way readers read. The end of the keyboard may seem hard to imagine, but it’s not so long ago that many would have said the same about the end of handwriting,","type":"text"},{"_id":"G6MC5RP4JBAN5C7XCPCG5BUNYA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726664754383},"content":"One might as well bow to the inevitable. Clears throat. Taps mic. Is this thing on?","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Hugh Linehan"}},"name":"Hugh Linehan"}]},"description":{"basic":"You’d be hard pressed to tell latest AI voices from the real thing. It’s bad news for actual human beings who fear being left on scrapheap"},"display_date":"2024-09-21T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"A massed army of audio bots is coming over the hill. What will it do to us? ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"ZBGJPZGVSRC5BPVC45EKHDCVLA","auth":{"1":"2c62f47604a8f7aaf9d094c17cbabd6d7d62a7a864951dccec9b5ab813a87a33"},"focal_point":{"x":1370,"y":460},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ZBGJPZGVSRC5BPVC45EKHDCVLA.jpg"}},"subtype":"columnist","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"TV & Radio"},{"name":"Big Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Culture"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/culture/tv-radio/2024/09/21/hugh-linehan-a-massed-army-of-audio-bots-is-coming-over-the-hill-what-will-it-do-to-us/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/culture/tv-radio","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"TV & Radio"}}}},{"_id":"XVJP7D2LGFFJDJGXNNWWF2GCWI","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":402,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/aa61cab8-262f-433e-91e7-916a51b101aa/versions/1726569569/media/26a7b843c495096f7414a323358d57cc_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/19/apples-iphone-16-pro-max-review-a-decent-upgrade-if-not-a-revolutionary-one/","content_elements":[{"_id":"GLTYMYYNNZHTXPK6ZS46P6W7RU","additional_properties":{"_id":"VMI5LF7QJZAPRFYWWZLLF7MLQQ"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-74081","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"5RIEETY3YFD5HCYU3RVX452IHQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329279},"content":"Just over a week after Apple announced its new iPhones, the devices will soon be in customers’ hands, with pre-orders due to be filled on September 20th.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4UR7WUK525BYFLSJ4OYHQBU3UY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329280},"content":"But there has been a mixed reaction to the new devices. The design is largely similar, although the Pro and Pro Max models have thinner bezels than before, and a new addition in the Camera Control (that is definitely not ever referred to as “the camera button”). Throw in a new chip (the A18 Pro) and some tweaking of the phone’s thermal design, and you have a decent upgrade, if not a revolutionary one.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CNTRFXYPOBDZFHL34CTI5KIZFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329281},"content":"Apple is largely relying on its new artificial intelligence to whip up enthusiasm for the product line, which leaves you wondering where that leaves customers in the EU. When Apple Intelligence launches with the beta software next month, it will not be available in the EU, where the company is still in discussions with regulators over the software’s introduction.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LXOW7KSGHJEBZEF36JW3TTJV74","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329282},"content":"It is probably only a matter of time before Apple Intelligence gets the nod from the EU. In the meantime, customers here are missing out on some of the key features of the new iPhone 16 and 16 Pro. Leave it too long to launch and some of those prospective buyers may just hold out for another few months until the iPhone 17 hits the market.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AK6ITOYSLFAMHLZX627GJGEZT4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329283},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the biggest device in the line-up. Apple has tweaked the design just enough to add more screen space – 6.9 inches versus the 6.7 inches of last year’s Pro Max – while not adding that much to the overall size of the phone, less than four millimetres in height and less than a millimetre in width. The Max is still big, but not as big as it could have been.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RLU4BHWPBZC73FP7PXJM5JJR6I","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329284},"content":"Whether the iPhone 16 Pro Max is for you depends on a few things.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UT2AMVL4EFFCFNZT34AUVEMZSM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329285},"content":"First, your interest in AI features. While Apple Intelligence is not yet available in the EU, and is unlikely to hit devices here before the end of the year, it is inevitable that these advanced features will become part of the operating system.","type":"text"},{"_id":"Z2LNM7HEKZBFVIAWT7INA6CXLI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726682408249},"content":"That means a smarter Siri that responds to natural language and even interruptions, similar to Google’s Gemini Live. The functionality is somewhat limited for now, as Apple hasn’t rolled out the full feature set to developers, but it is intended that Apple Intelligence will be your first port of call for everything from finding out what your schedule is to hunting out long-lost photographs, rewriting emails or creating images or custom emoji from a text prompt. It is, as Apple refers to it, AI for the rest of us, assuming that the rest of us would like AI to do something useful, even if we haven’t yet figured out what that is.","type":"text"},{"_id":"R7CLLR5EHVBVBF2V3UXTXH7INA","additional_properties":{"_id":"L57GWUZH3NCSXC2KQQYBD5SSYQ"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"FKXPVP54XBEWPDGKGLWGLHHZJA","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329287},"content":"The iPhone 16 line is the first that has been designed with Apple Intelligence in mind; the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will also support it, as will, presumably, any other future iPhone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HII3GGQUZVCWHEZROOHUQRLWQU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329288},"content":"Another new feature is the aforementioned Camera Control, a dedicated button that will allow you to take photos and video, scroll through different options and control other functions of the camera by sliding your finger across it. It takes a few tries to get the hang of some of the gestures – a half-press and hold, for example, to bring up the zoom menu, a half double press to access the menu for altering focal length, switching between cameras or applying different styles and colour tones.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H7DKKX5WMVGKLM7NJKY2GAS4VE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329289},"content":"It’s a useful addition, although unlikely to be the sole reason for people to buy the device. On the initial demonstrations, I assumed it was the same as the home button, which has haptic feedback but doesn’t physically click. However, the control is a physical button as well as sensitive to touch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"IEQTRXITDNCQNI6K47I7TCH7JE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329290},"content":"Speaking of cameras, Apple has tweaked some of the features. The Pro models – both the Pro and the Pro Max – have a new video option that allows you to film in 4K at 120 frames per second. That means huge files – you won’t be using this for everything – but also more flexibility on what you can do with the footage. You can also alter audio, opting to concentrate on in-frame audio, or adopt a studio-type set up, depending on what your focus is.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BLBJMPL4HNEIVAR7JGIEITFR2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329291},"content":"On still images, the 16 Pro Max has a new 48-megapixel ultrawide camera, joining the 48-megapixel main camera, so you have more options for taking high-quality images.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RVKE7UWKJZEQPLQPWHBSGTWYHU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329292},"content":"You can’t fault the quality on the cameras here, but Apple and most other flagship smartphones have set a high bar.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HEFHKKTUDRBQDGYG7EQRMUQLHM","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329293},"content":"There are other, even less obvious changes. Apple has redesigned the thermal workings of the iPhone 16 to make it more efficient at funnelling away heat. There were certain applications on the iPhone 15 Pro Max that made the device heat up uncomfortably when I was using it – usually games – but the 16 Pro Max does not suffer from the same issue so far.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WXO4MMK3YVHURN5JR4MLQUIA4Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329294},"content":"If you want a better battery, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has the best performance to date. It lasted the day consistently, even when pushed to its limits with a mixture of video streaming, web browsing and productivity apps.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WJZ7SCW2QZGPPJCIXXWGDIZ374","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329295},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"KC6DM5P37BGMJEPVP6RGZQOUQE","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329296},"content":"Better battery life in a phone that doesn’t feel like it is about to hit uncomfortable temperatures in your hand? The iPhone 16 Pro Max has some good things going for it. The slightly larger screen gives you more space for images text and video; the longer battery life means you can enjoy it for longer too. And the improved camera, while not earth-shattering, is a step up from last year’s in some respects.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ARJO2TQ6VNA3LLQRSPK4EDVY2I","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329297},"content":"The improved audio will be good for those who want to use the iPhone to make videos that is a step above amateur, too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3T4FZFLBLREFBPOGJCH22CTDTI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329298},"content":"If you are coming from an iPhone 12 and older, you will see a definite improvement in performance and features; the last couple of iPhones, however, will be less clear-cut.","type":"text"},{"_id":"EXLDSQJT6NEZTKC2GCXLNJCJXI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329299},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"HQPHCBS4TNCXVK43PZ34TV6A5E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329300},"content":"The changes may be too subtle for some to consider the upgrade, particularly with the lack of Apple Intelligence in the EU, which takes away one of the more compelling reasons to buy a new iPhone.","type":"text"},{"_id":"T7Z5YOYVNJDMBO4YK4I5RAZYZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329301},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"IZ3QR2N2NNDKZEV7NH26B7KU6Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329302},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have four studio-quality microphones, which will give you better audio-editing options on your device.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MMVEK7YB6BCM5JPJNN2GQBPYBI","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329303},"content":"They come in a range of more subtle colours, including black, white, desert and natural titanium.","type":"text"},{"_id":"4J26TO2TZRDXBE2HHR2XAKVM7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726488329304},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"5OKQB26UZVGUTOD5VYKGZ3FZVQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726682408269},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro Max is all about the subtle changes. Apple Intelligence will elevate it, but EU users will have to wait.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"Top-quality cameras are among the selling points of this subtle update, but EU users will have to wait for Apple Intelligence features"},"display_date":"2024-09-19T05:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max review: A decent upgrade, if not a revolutionary one","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"EQ3V3JZLMVGW3KUE6GFK3TXUMQ","auth":{"1":"24f178079b1eebba9cff53b90337bfda8130f251aaf700dd65c789648567183c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/EQ3V3JZLMVGW3KUE6GFK3TXUMQ.jpg"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/19/apples-iphone-16-pro-max-review-a-decent-upgrade-if-not-a-revolutionary-one/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"PNWURZ6MCZFUDGSTFMHIK7SEOA","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/technology/2024/09/17/instagram-to-introduce-new-protections-for-teen-users/","content_elements":[{"_id":"AYTK4JES7BF27D5DOF7WDV7BYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325588},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"6EANM6JM7BEQNEJPH6YJ72BCU4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726586951050},"content":"Instagram is to introduce new protections for younger teenage users, with a new Teen Accounts setting that will apply to all under-16s on the platform.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HODEYVSVORA3LJNR2LEXCJRQ2Q","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325589},"content":"The new feature will restrict who can contact teens and what content they can see, with the settings controlled by parental permission.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B7BP4VILGNHZXMUFBIM5LVKNFY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325590},"content":"“Instagram knows parents want to feel confident that their teens can use social media to connect with their friends and explore their interests – without having to worry about unsafe or inappropriate experiences. They hear parents’ concerns, and that’s why Instagram is reimagining their app for teens with new Teen Accounts,” Instagram said in a blog post.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DDUDXV24WJHQTMXFHCDIKYV5U4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325591},"content":"Teen Accounts will be rolled out to new users in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia from Wednesday, and to Irish and EU accounts later this year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CDTSM5ERMFGTHIN6K54JFVKCDQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1726586951054},"content":"The settings will also be applied to teenagers who already use the platform, and users will be moved to the new Teen Accounts within 60 days.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXSCWUVAWBA5RCA5WQKKVXUVL4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325592},"content":"Teenagers will automatically have private accounts, with restrictions on messaging and the most restrictive settings Instagram offers applied to content. Teenagers can only be tagged or mentioned by those they follow, and the anti-bullying “hidden words” feature that filters offensive words and phrases from comments and direct message requests.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QPOE47EJUBCD5CUA222OOGUGG4","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325593},"content":"A new sleep mode will also mute notifications at night, while additional parental supervision tools will allow parents to monitor who their teenager is contacting, and set limits on when and for how long the app can be used.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZXDE7C4QDZBFDJWNKJUX5HEXRY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325594},"content":"Parental permission will be required to change those settings for those under 16.","type":"text"},{"_id":"G4B3WYQYFJC5HHRVKATZ3YXTKY","additional_properties":{"_id":1726573325595},"content":"“This is a big update that requires us to fundamentally change the Instagram experience of tens of millions of teens,” Instagram said. “It’s essential that these new protections are applied correctly, so we’re taking the necessary time to get this right.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"PLTYPSNAUVHZDFYXG64AMI2WEU","additional_properties":{},"type":"list"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"New feature will restrict who can contact teenager under 16 and what content they can see"},"display_date":"2024-09-17T12:00:15.472Z","headlines":{"basic":"Instagram to introduce new protections for teen users ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"5469"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"5WIQKCM3TBDR5CTOXCS4Z5ENFE","auth":{"1":"3ece4ff68828f41f4a197c745aae9d3ae17808d36e17a3091bc8d8d949a6dfa5"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/5WIQKCM3TBDR5CTOXCS4Z5ENFE.png"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Big Tech"},{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/2024/09/17/instagram-to-introduce-new-protections-for-teen-users/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Technology"}}}},{"_id":"ID3FRZ45MBB7ZMCX5VLC26J6RA","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":349,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/8948/podcasts/1abb9f5e-87d2-4983-91e7-23c611737543/versions/1725892523/media/8324365a96a3812e579a4044302ab401_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/12/dyson-wash-g1-review-tackles-almost-everything-the-house-throws-at-it/","content_elements":[{"_id":"7JDJOJRN2RGYVHED3VQ24XC53E","additional_properties":{"_id":"PWLAMMEVWFDNTMRTTSLYKK2XS4"},"embed":{"config":{},"id":"review-highlights-75223","url":"/"},"subtype":"review_powerup","type":"custom_embed"},{"_id":"FL6WXJWGQZB2DINSEBRDHYJYOY","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005582},"content":"The search for the perfect floor cleaner continues, with new contenders lining up to take their shot.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TGDLZ5MLXNGIHKSHFKNQBXXAVE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387772},"content":"In one corner: a cat prone to shedding, two small children who are hit and miss on the feet wiping, and some ill-advised shiny white flooring. In the other: the Dyson Wash G1, the new wet floor cleaner from the people who sold you on the bagless, cordless vacuum and bladeless fans.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DEDT2B3MYNFOFHR54EIUK6CL2A","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387773},"content":"According to Dyson, the Wash G1 will tackle everything from spills and debris (wet and dry) to hair and tough, dried-on stains on hard floors – all things my floors will see on a regular basis.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HIGPPSKDHVHTTORLZD6CBFVLRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387774},"content":"Is it a game changer? Sort of.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XI36LAASI5H6NJJ5EW3NAAZI6Y","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387775},"content":"The concept is simple: a cleaner that will scrub your floors clean with nothing more than clean water, some fluffy rollers with carbon fibre bristles, and some of Dyson’s motors. You have a clean-water tank and a dirty-water one, with adjustable mop speeds and water levels. It’s basically a smarter mop, and one where you don’t necessarily have to vacuum first.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HIGPPSKDHVHTTORLZD6CBFVLRE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387776},"content":"That is because the Wash G1 automatically divides debris and water into separate containers, so you don’t touch the dirt and can easily empty it in a bin. Well, in theory, anyway.","type":"text"},{"_id":"3633XQ6ITJDJ3BDBIK4R4BZQPQ","additional_properties":{"_id":"42G4U7CPYZBAZA7EDGQ34LOL2U"},"subtype":"pullquote","type":"quote"},{"_id":"ABD2235O7JHRVMDHBGVOZAFZ6U","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387777},"content":"Does it work? As a floor cleaner, yes, and quite well too. It is up and running in a matter of minutes, and with minimal fuss. There are three modes: level one is for light dirt and debris, and picking up hair; level two will dispatch dirty footprints and food-related mess; while level three deals with dried-on stains, muddy bootprints and sticky messes. A boost mode can be used in short bursts to deal with more stubborn stains.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DYSPS6W5DNGRDGF2HARA2AGGAA","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387778},"content":"The Wash G1 deals with cereal spills, cat hair, crumbs and the grass tracked in from the back garden without any fuss. And it doesn’t leave pools of water behind. My floors have never looked cleaner, and that includes when the occasional robot helper gets involved.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RQVCJLAKOZEB3OJD6DKUZIUFGA","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387779},"content":"But remember that debris and water separation? The Dyson site shows a nice image of someone carefully emptying (dry) dust and dirt into the bin from the tray located under the rollers. Seems simple, but in my experience, what actually happens is that although most of the water goes into the dirty water tank, and the debris gets trapped in the tray, you’ll find that debris tray also collects a bit of water. That inevitably mixes with the dry waste, creating a bit of a damp dirt paste. So instead of easily emptying a little dust and dirt out of the tray, you are trying to shake wet waste out of it, and end up having to scoop it out instead. Although it doesn’t have to be done too regularly, once is more than enough.","type":"text"},{"_id":"AI7SKBHHU5B53LEEEQL53AJUYU","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387780},"content":"There are also some rules about using the Wash G1. You can use hot (not boiling) water if you need to degrease floors. I got better results using warm-to-hot water than I did with cold. And while the Wash G1 is supposed to work with plain water, you can use floor cleaner, although Dyson specifies a low-foam cleaner should be used, not detergent or bleach. Or, as the case may be, a bit of washing-up liquid, unless you want to clean up a lot of foam. Figuring out what qualifies as a gentle low-foam cleaner might be more difficult, though.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VY3AQ42DJFCKNKKNQIS2PJ53SI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005589},"content":"When you are finished, you pop it on the charging stand, and you can run a self-cleaning cycle that will clean the rollers and flush out the internal system. All you need to do is empty the dirty water tray.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HPJMXFV75JGMNJP5EACD6224TI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005593},"content":"Those microfibre rollers, however, need to be replaced after a certain period. Dyson says they last 25 hours of use, which it averages at about six months, but I could see me hitting that in less than half the time given the amount of time I used the cleaner in space of only a few days. That cost could add up a bit over the year.","type":"text"},{"_id":"N5DTWXVN2BDSNKYITWHAS32IE4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725857916729},"content":"Battery life is only 35 minutes too, so you need to move quickly, although it does not take too long to power through the ground floor of my house.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FRDRTMWAJBGA7EZ7FB2RASZA4U","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005594},"content":"Good","type":"header"},{"_id":"POXCMO45S5ERFMDTN7KXW3LFII","additional_properties":{"_id":1725302371572},"content":"When it comes to cleaning, the Wash G1 gets the job done. You don’t have to vacuum beforehand (although it helps), with the Wash G1 powering through almost all the spills in my home. The three washing modes (plus the boost mode) tackle almost everything that the house throws at it, including grubby porch tiles.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BWOR2LP4HRHR7BTGFZGHC5JJHE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005596},"content":"Bad","type":"header"},{"_id":"HETUSAZRFRCXPOOMSWEGJGISRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387787},"content":"Some of the tougher stains are too much for the Wash G1, even using the boost. They require old-fashioned elbow grease to remove.","type":"text"},{"_id":"J64AJGM4J5FPHAGTQBRYGWZFSY","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005597},"content":"That debris tray can get pretty grim (see previous comments about vacuuming in advance), and cleaning it out can get messy. It is quite big, and it will be something else you need to find a spot for in your home.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VY3AQ42DJFCKNKKNQIS2PJ53SI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005589},"content":"It doesn’t replace your stand-alone vacuum, and at nearly €700, that will be an expensive replacement for a standard mop.","type":"text"},{"_id":"46ETK77N5NGSTMAPDDRHOVFY2M","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005591},"content":"Everything else","type":"header"},{"_id":"XCZH7IYNWBEKLJ4Q7NH43IPCWQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1725875387791},"content":"You get 35 minutes of battery life, which isn’t as short as it sounds. You can easily tackle the hard floors in the house and then but it back on the stand to charge. Or you could invest in a second battery, but at that purchase price, it is a little much to ask.","type":"text"},{"_id":"LZQ5O2DWFFG33NZGRFHVIKURRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725363005599},"content":"There is also too much guesswork on what products can be used in the device. Better guidance would be welcomed.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GOH6LKQAZVAVTGZU6DJFPYABOQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1725857916737},"content":"Verdict","type":"header"},{"_id":"YFAZVFA2KBGFLPLOR53U2JWU2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1726084069101},"content":"It works, but it is too expensive, especially as you won’t be able to replace all your floor cleaners with this one device.","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"premium"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"This floor cleaner works quite well but it’s too expensive"},"display_date":"2024-09-12T04:00:00Z","headlines":{"basic":"Dyson Wash G1 review: Tackles almost everything the house throws at it","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"2ZZBOTWE7FBM5MBFFUZ4AOHPUU","auth":{"1":"c9680a7d279cf86ede0f5969b693376a0677ad148a64de67d2b1894ad3c20e7c"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/2ZZBOTWE7FBM5MBFFUZ4AOHPUU.png"}},"subtype":"review","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/review/2024/09/12/dyson-wash-g1-review-tackles-almost-everything-the-house-throws-at-it/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"KFNMOUHZF5F2JKASTKPV2EAGPQ","additional_properties":{},"canonical_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/09/10/what-new-products-did-apple-announce-at-glowtime/","content_elements":[{"_id":"CIGKOLSGJFAYJO5Z35SSADXQ7E","additional_properties":{"_id":1725918886035},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"MTWJANS4HRBB3ECXAIC4HDUPFY","additional_properties":{},"content":"New iPhones, new AirPods and some incremental updates: Apple’s September event is done and dusted. But what exactly did the tech giant announce?","type":"text"},{"_id":"KDPR7MMIBJEH7IUIWXYVGMRBVY","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267849},"content":"<b>iPhone 16</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"IL55PNFFEJFYRM4Y7EILQW37XQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1725918886036},"content":"As expected, Apple unveiled the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max during the event in Cupertino.","type":"text"},{"_id":"VIZRCMZRFJGP7HBJLH5ZPKIDVI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725918886037},"content":"The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are getting the A18 chip, leaping two generations according to Apple. This will help it to run Apple Intelligence features when they become available.","type":"text"},{"_id":"O7SBP3HUEFHC7KHSUTIEIDSYEE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725918886038},"content":"Apple has added the action button to the iPhone 16, which can be customised to different functions such as starting a recording or triggering the torch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"BBDOK2LAOFBX5OSCQTNESMFBMY","additional_properties":{"_id":1725918886039},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro models are getting the higher powered A18 Pro chip, a second generation 3nm chip that has been built for power and efficiency, and for running AI.","type":"text"},{"_id":"MWPMN6AOHZBULP7552XZOCIETE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267854},"content":"A new 48 megapixel Fusion camera comes with a faster quad-pixel sensor capable of 4K video at 120 frames per second, recording in Dolby Vision. Both Pro models get the 5x telephoto zoom too.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PYI37CG6PRDM5P5HMHSWFQFFOI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267855},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro Max gets a jump in battery life too, with Apple promising the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have the hbest battery life the iPhone has had to date.","type":"text"},{"_id":"RJRPDHS66ZAQHOSXS6G7FULNYI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267856},"content":"Both the standard iPhone and the Pro models will get the camera control, a dedicated button that will open the camera, swipe through controls such as zoom or image","type":"text"},{"_id":"QLS3IL7RLFGJFASDWAM4IW3WLM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267857},"content":"Pricing stays the same as the iPhone 15 range.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HAC3UPIBTNDZTIG62K3SSKATJM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725931151607},"content":"<b>Apple Watch</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"2QOKSZFHO5C25ACHUC4XZ3XDV4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725931151608},"content":"Series 10 of the Apple Watch is thinner but has a bigger, more advanced display that gives you roughly 30 per cent more screen space. The new watch faces are 42mm and 46mm, are 40 per cent brighter than their predecessors, and make it easier to read at a glance or type a code on the display.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXL5JSPVM5C35PGWOGU4GDN3PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267860},"content":"A new titanium version replaces the stainless steel watch, shaving almost 20 per cent off the weight of the wearable.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YXL5JSPVM5C35PGWOGU4GDN3PI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267861},"content":"Apple has also developed a new Sip, the S10, which is more compact and has a built-in four-core Neural Engine to power intelligent features such as double tap gestures, on-device Siri, dictation, and automatic workout detection, the updated Smart Stack that adds tiles as you need them, and the Translate app.","type":"text"},{"_id":"USJSM4X7A5BWTHNUBLIXDVDNY4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267862},"content":"The Series 10 can play back audio through its speaker, so you can listen to podcasts, audio books or music on the Watch if needed. It also improves call quality, using the four-core neural engine to suppress background noise during calls to make sure your voice is crystal clear.","type":"text"},{"_id":"P67Y73AB75BARKODOWBDHB34DM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267863},"content":"The shrunken components mean there is more room for a larger charging coil so the Watch 10 will charge faster. Apple has also added water depth and temperature sensing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"ODTG5K4DSZBL5CCU5AG2A5O23I","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267864},"content":"Apple Watch is also getting sleep apnoea notifications, but that is awaiting approval from the appropriate regulators.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FTHY4ICYYRET5NVMHRMCZSSDTA","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267865},"content":"The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is getting a new colour, but no feature updates this time around.","type":"text"},{"_id":"WWHR6RAZGZH67CIUCOWMNPBAPY","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267866},"content":"<b>AirPods</b>","type":"header"},{"_id":"E7P3D26W3RAUDL7ZYL67SVLBS4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725931151609},"content":"There were updates for AirPods, some new features for AirPods Pro and a minor change for the AirPods Pro Max.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TH23XZBSZRCJXPGGB7USQN665I","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267868},"content":"AirPods 4 have an improved fit, smaller stems and a more compact charging case with USB C charging. Sound quality has been improved, with better bass and crisper highs. The open fit ear buds also use the H2 chip to enable intelligent audio, such as voice isolation.","type":"text"},{"_id":"QSDIITNT4VCFXO26D6LSUEZEM4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267869},"content":"Another new version of the AirPods offer active noise cancelling, along with transparency mode, adaptive audio that blends transparency mode and active noise cancelling depending on the environment you are in, and conversation awareness, which will automatically lower the volume of your media when you start to talk to someone nearby.","type":"text"},{"_id":"KL3NVK34XBFQFJEKYO2BZXIQKQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267870},"content":"","type":"text"},{"_id":"I3CV5JBW3NAP5M575KV5DF6DRI","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267871},"content":"The AirPods Pro, meanwhile, are pitching for a new job as a hearing aid. The buds work with the iPhone to monitor hearing loss through regular hearing tests, and can act as a preventive measure to filter out loud noises, or act as a clinical grade hearing aid to boost voices.","type":"text"},{"_id":"PSMZLLAZJBCKJLRS2HLKKOC62E","additional_properties":{"_id":1725965267872},"content":"The AirPods Max now come in new colours, and have a USB port in place of the previous lightning","type":"text"}],"content_restrictions":{"content_code":"metered"},"credits":{"by":[{"additional_properties":{"original":{"byline":"Ciara O'Brien"}},"name":"Ciara O'Brien"}]},"description":{"basic":"We are getting a new phone and some incremental changes to other products as well"},"display_date":"2024-09-10T10:52:13.307Z","headlines":{"basic":"What new products did Apple announce at ‘Glowtime’? ","native":""},"label":{"audio_project_id":{"text":"8948"}},"promo_items":{"basic":{"_id":"6DYBYAWCNDBRCGQE2SKPQRD7MA","auth":{"1":"37b19153b7bd2ed521f8112d48744cf2f868bc203cd9ec16b088ce6e7042a621"},"type":"image","url":"https://cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/6DYBYAWCNDBRCGQE2SKPQRD7MA.jpg"}},"subtype":"default","taxonomy":{"sections":[{"name":"Consumer Tech"},{"name":"Technology"},{"name":"Business"}]},"type":"story","website_url":"/technology/consumer-tech/2024/09/10/what-new-products-did-apple-announce-at-glowtime/","websites":{"irishtimes":{"website_section":{"_id":"/technology/consumer-tech","additional_properties":{"original":{}},"name":"Consumer Tech"}}}},{"_id":"7BMLDGFN6RBBDB2PC7PSFHQLR4","additional_properties":{"audio_duration":313,"audio_url":"https://d22tbkdovk5ea2.cloudfront.net/audio/projects/5469/podcasts/25574be5-d7e3-495b-95cf-ff23090c0489/versions/1725914514/media/718334166a612b401311cbfda1abc9f9_compiled.mp3"},"canonical_url":"/technology/big-tech/2024/09/09/apple-unveils-iphone-models-with-new-ai-features-and-redesigned-watch-with-ability-to-detect-sleep-apnea/","content_elements":[{"_id":"WWAPRREDTBDYHNJM2KAXVSYX2E","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965254},"content":"<a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/apple/\" target=\"_blank\">Apple </a>continued to push ahead with plans for new <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/artificial-intelligence/\" target=\"_blank\">artificial intelligence</a> (AI) features, unveiling iPhones that will take advantage of the technology despite a delay in introducing the new features in the EU. The tech giant is also bringing sleep apnoea detection to a redesigned Apple Watch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"NJUYZNVFNJGNNJ7PNU7FWQEQIU","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965255},"content":"The new iPhone 16 (priced from €979) and 16 Pro (priced from €1,279) models have been custom-designed to support Apple intelligence, the company’s version of generative AI that offers a smarter Siri digital assistant, AI-powered writing tools and the ability to create your own emojis from text prompts.","type":"text"},{"_id":"H4GTELO24FFOJIQD34JY4S5YXE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725912978678},"content":"However, the AI features that have been touted by the company will not be available on the new phones until October, when a software update will be available.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DXEMJ5XDOBHPXHDDCWQIGZ2I7I","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965256},"content":"“It marks the beginning of an exciting new era,” chief executive <a href=\"https://www.irishtimes.com/tags/tim-cook/\" target=\"_blank\">Tim Cook </a>said. “The iPhone 16 raises the air for what an iPhone can do.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ACETGS4X5ZGKPIOLF5P666PRIE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965257},"content":"The new iPhone 16 gets the action button introduced last year for the iPhone 15 Pro, which can be assigned to a function of your choice. A new camera control button, meanwhile, provides easy access to the camera and allows you to adjusts camera settings by sliding your finger along it. It will also facilitate instant access to visual intelligence features in the future.","type":"text"},{"_id":"XLY2VVUTFVBLXMMWEXA4XJJZ6E","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965258},"content":"Apple gave the chip in the standard iPhone model a significant upgrade too. In previous years, the company used an older chip in the standard models, with the newest chip reserved for the Pro models. The iPhone 16 has jumped two generations of chips to the A18, which is custom designed for Apple’s new generative intelligence features.","type":"text"},{"_id":"CZFUL33OR5EERPEF7KUFDET2J4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965259},"content":"The iPhone 16 Pro saw more significant changes. The Pro models will get a more powerful chip, the A18 Pro, which Apple said is faster and more efficient than the A18.","type":"text"},{"_id":"DZQGVWONF5GLXPOWFZKRE2NCJQ","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965260},"content":"The display has also been increased to 6.3 inches for the 16 Pro and 6.9 inches for the Pro Max, with the camera getting an upgrade for still images and video.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FTNOA33PFVE3RMW5C6EJWRVGOM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965261},"content":"The Pro models will also get a more advanced display than the iPhone 16, justifying its higher price tag, pro photography features, and the best battery performance ever seen in an iPhone in the Pro Max model.","type":"text"},{"_id":"U2FACPLYHU4DKLCCSSBJHDLB4M","additional_properties":{"_id":"P66QWJ3N3FHQZDIKCQGHQP7G24"},"type":"image"},{"_id":"O5TSFS55PNADNO6I74GGKOHZW4","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965262},"content":"The company introduced a redesigned Apple Watch, with a bigger, better display than the Ultra and thinner design that shaves about 10 per cent off the thickness and weight of the watch. Apple has shrunk certain modules inside the app, including the new S10 SIP, Digital Crown and a smaller, re-engineered speaker that allows you to play podcasts and music directly on your watch.","type":"text"},{"_id":"23URHGDILBCOFND5FBORP5RYLU","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965263},"content":"The tech giant is also bringing sleep apnoea detection to the Apple Watch, with the same feature extended to the Ultra 2 and Series 9 watches.","type":"text"},{"_id":"B6LYBXDBKVHWPKN4JJYTQDVMZU","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965264},"content":"The new watch comes with faster charging and a new titanium option that replaces the stainless steel version. It is being touted as the company’s next carbon-neutral product.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UOBCTRUUNBA6DDV5L5BPSRQRLE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965265},"content":"Apple did not introduce a new version of its Ultra Watch, which is aimed at sports and adventure enthusiasts, instead opting for a new colour for the Ultra 2.","type":"text"},{"_id":"UE5XZYTPB5C6PKSTW6WX74Y46E","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965266},"content":"“The lack of updates to the Watch line beyond the Series 10 speaks to the fact that smartwatches have become incredibly hard to improve in an annual cadence,” said CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood.","type":"text"},{"_id":"FNNC6APAFZFR3LALIMMCAGAYSA","additional_properties":{"_id":1725950484064},"content":"“It is challenging to find new ways to innovate in such a compact form factor and we think Apple is likely to opt for a less regular update cycle in future, following the more relaxed approach we see to product lines like AirPods.”","type":"text"},{"_id":"ZJVKS6XVEVGEXNDJVWXKYFAKRU","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965268},"content":"Confirming previous leaks, AirPods 4 were unveiled with a new fit to make them more comfortable and new acoustic architecture to deliver richer bass and clearer highs, powered by the Apple-designed H2 chip. A second version of AirPods 4 will come with active noise cancellation, the first time the company has brought the technology to its open-fit ear buds.","type":"text"},{"_id":"TQLPQ5PXOBCQNJ52TMGMCYH6CA","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965269},"content":"AirPods Max, which have not been updated since their introduction in 2020, will get new colours and a USB C connection, ditching the lightning port that Apple has been phasing out in recent years.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GEFXSU3ERBEEBGPVOKKZF5BJGE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965270},"content":"The AirPods Pro will also get new features in a software update later in the autumn that will help protect and assist hearing.","type":"text"},{"_id":"HCVRAVMU2RD77NCEZX7PTRY3KM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965271},"content":"New settings that will be on by default will reduce louder and intermittent noise to help protect hearing. Meanwhile, AirPods Pro will be able to act as hearing aids to amplify voices and other sounds in your environment, with the feature coming sometime later in the autumn.","type":"text"},{"_id":"f9fc27d6-2aa8-495a-bf7d-b31de4d651c1","additional_properties":{"_id":"G5BGNWSXLRDRDPL4Q26C6ZF2UY"},"subtype":"irish-times-video","type":"video"},{"_id":"J4OC35ROR5GORJPC4GDOHZXMRM","additional_properties":{"_id":1725906965272},"content":"“The idea that consumer headphones can offer hearing aid functionality may sound unrealistic but over-the-counter hearing aids have been growing in popularity over the last few years and the AirPods Pro would bring this technology to a more affordable price point,” said Mr Wood.","type":"text"},{"_id":"YKMS4O6MXRCM3L72TM4X5ZOZBE","additional_properties":{"_id":1725950484070},"content":"“The idea that a user might put in AirPods and wear them throughout the day may sound farfetched but if Apple can nail the user experience and provide a high-quality hearing aid at 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