Get ready to virtually experience the working world of IKEA on Roblox as the doors to the virtual store have opened.

The opening of IKEA on Roblox follows a recruitment campaign launched on 3rd June, which offered people the opportunity to apply for one of 10 paid roles in the virtual store. Over 178,000 applications were received across Ireland and the UK, with 18,087 coming from Ireland. Two of the 10 successful applicants live in Ireland, in counties Dublin and Kerry.

The lucky 10 applicants have now been selected and will kick off their virtual IKEA roles from today.

Michael from Dublin, said, "I'm very excited and extremely happy to be chosen to be part of this new and innovative project and I can't wait to see where it goes in the long run and I hope I can be part of future projects. This current project has been fun and interesting throughout my whole experience so far."

Alongside the paid players the broader Roblox community, gamers and IKEA fans are invited to explore a virtual IKEA store, wander around the home furnishings showroom and visit the famous Swedish Food Market and Bistro. Players can also venture into the IKEA world of work and take on a role as a virtual co-worker, serving up endless amounts of hotdogs and flexing their interior design skills to level-up and get promoted. All with the chance to win exclusive IKEA UGCs.

Much like IKEA co-workers in real life, players in the game have the ability to develop their own unique career journey at their own pace and in any direction. Whether that be by taking on a more senior role, a move sideways into a different function developing new skills, or continuing to expand their experience in the same role.

There's no set path to how you can grow your career at IKEA, where career progression is focused on helping co-workers develop their careers in their own way, and not just in a linear direction.

Roles available in 'The Co-Worker' game are inspired by real-life jobs and have been curated to offer a glimpse into the opportunities available at IKEA while showcasing the brand's unique approach to careers. Roles include:

1. Sales Co-Worker - where players guide customers to products they are interested in, as well as keep the Showroom up to the IKEA standard.

2. Interior Design Co-Worker - where players are required to put together a room-set, following a design brief and pick the correct items of furniture and place them in the right places.

3. Sales Team Leader - where players recommend products to NPC customers based on their specific requirements.

4. Food Team Leader - where players will man the famous Swedish Bistro, serving food and drink to customers - meatballs anyone?

Darren Taylor, Country People and Culture Manager, IKEA UK, and Ireland: "Today has been a long time coming and we're extremely excited to launch IKEA on Roblox. We are always looking for new ways to attract and inspire the next generation of co-workers to imagine a career at IKEA. 'The Co-Worker' game is a fantastic way to give players a taste of our culture and insight into what makes the world of work at IKEA so special."

The 'Co-Worker' game is available now on Roblox and can be accessed using the following link:roblox.com/games/17254019855/IKEA-The-Co-Worker.

See more stories here.

Microsoft Ireland has revealed the winners of its Partner of the Year Awards 2024, announced at the prestigious gala awards ceremony held at the Mansion House, Dublin. The Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards annually recognise and celebrate the achievements and excellence within Microsoft's Irish partner network.

The awards honour partners who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, and impact in delivering Microsoft solutions to customers across various categories, solution areas, industries, business transformation and social impact. The recognition highlights the strength and diversity of Microsoft's Irish partner ecosystem, which plays a vital role in empowering organisations and individuals to achieve more.

Globally, Microsoft has a 400,000-strong partner ecosystem that plays a pivotal role in making new technology accessible to Microsoft customers, particularly in today's AI-driven world. In addition to recognising partners for their impact in each award category, Microsoft also recognises partners from over 100 countries and regions around the world as part of the Country Partner of the Year Awards.

Martina Naughton, Microsoft Ireland's Partner Director, said: "We are delighted to recognise the outstanding achievements of our partners in Ireland, who have demonstrated excellence and innovation in delivering solutions for our customers. The past year has been challenging and uncertain for many businesses, but our partners have shown resilience and adaptability in helping them navigate the digital transformation journey in this new era of AI.

"I extend my gratitude to our partners for their continuous innovation, which has helped Irish organisations embrace new technology and become digital pacesetters. Our partners play a crucial role in Microsoft's ongoing effort to enable every individual and organisation worldwide to accomplish more. We are proud to work with such a talented and diverse partner ecosystem, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future."

The full list of award categories and recipients are listed below:

Category

Winner

Overall Country Partner of the Year

Ergo

Azure Analytics

Codec

Migration to Azure

Logicalis

Building with AI

Tekenable

Modernizing Applications

Spanish Point

Dynamics 365 Business Central

Tekenable

Dynamics 365 Sales & Customer Insights

Ergo

Low Code Application Development

Avanade

Employee Experience

Spanish Point

Secure Productivity (NEW)

eir evo

Compliance

CWSI

Security

Threatscape

Education

Spanish Point

Government

Codec

Nonprofit

Bearing Point

Independent Software Vendor (SV) Innovation (NEW)

Softco

Global Systems Integration Partner

EY

AI Innovation (NEW)

EY

Enterprise Copilot Partner

Accenture/Avanade

SMC (Small Medium Corporate) Copilot Partner

eir evo

Community Response

Kainos

See more stories here.

HCS, a leading IT, cybersecurity, and digital transformation services company, has announced the results of new research which found that nearly a fifth (19%) of office workers in Ireland still have access to the company data of a previous employer. Of these, 48% use that previous employer's data to help them in their current job.

The research of 503 office workers based in Ireland was carried out by Censuswide on behalf of HCS, with the support of Fortinet, a global leader driving the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. The aim of the survey was to explore office workers' attitudes to, and experiences of, cybersecurity at work. The full results and analysis of the survey are available as part of a new report by HCS called 'HCS CyberWatch Report: Insights into 2024's Cyber Threats'.

The study also highlighted the risk that current employees can pose to data security within organisations, if effective access controls are not in place. Of those surveyed, 43% say that in the job they have now, they have access to privileged or sensitive company data that they shouldn't, and 52% of these admit that they access it. It is perhaps not surprising, then, that 61% of office workers don't trust their employer to protect their own personal data.

Meanwhile, 15% of office workers say that their organisation's cybersecurity measures prevent them from doing their job effectively. Some of those surveyed are finding ways around this, with 22% of office workers admitting to having bypassed internet access controls implemented by their organisation by using tools such as a web proxy to access blocked sites.

When it comes to working arrangements, it appears that there is still a way to go in making employees feel secure and supported outside of the office. Almost a fifth (19%) of those who work remotely or on a hybrid basis feel more vulnerable to security risks when working from home, while 27% feel they have less technical support. Some 48% of remote or hybrid workers access their company network via a secure VPN, while the same percentage (48%) use home Wi-Fi.

Dan Hegarty, Head of Sales, HCS, said: "These findings highlight the urgent need for organisations to proactively manage access permissions and implement robust access policies. In doing so, businesses can mitigate the risk of unauthorised data exposure and protect their valuable assets against potential breaches. In addition, providing ongoing awareness training can empower employees to play an active role in protecting company data.

Not only will this bolster the security of sensitive customer and company information; itwill uphold trust with employees regarding the safeguarding of their own personal data.

"It's concerning to see that employees are finding ways to circumnavigate organisational security measures. Organisations need to ensure that the cybersecurity infrastructure in place is robust, while also setting out clear protocols for employees. Meanwhile, it's crucial that employees feel supported when working outside of the office.

A well-defined remote or hybrid work strategy should have cybersecurity at its core to enable employees to work securely and efficiently, with speedy remediation in the event of an issue to minimise downtime."

See more stories here.

Irish fintech companies have a golden opportunity to attract high-calibre talent at leadership level in H2 of this year and overcome the significant skills shortage in the sector, according to Barry Guiney, COO and Head of the Scale Up Collective at executive search firm Odgers Berndtson Ireland.

Ireland's fintech sector has seen remarkable growth in recent years. From 2018 to 2022, the number of fintech firms in Ireland grew by 250%, while the amount of safeguarded funds increased by over 700% to €7.56 billion.

Adding to the positive momentum in the sector, Ireland this week backed a €150m fintech-focused venture capital fund, MiddleGame Ventures, with Ireland's sovereign wealth fund ISIF committing €20 million, along with other investors like the European Investment Fund (EIF) pledging €32 million, S&P Global and the Luxembourg Future Fund (LFF).

"However, Ireland's rapid fintech expansion has outpaced the skills market, with the majority of Irish fintechs experiencing a skills shortage - something visible at a leadership level," said Guiney.

"As fintechs navigate increasingly complex regulations and manage growing user transactions, there is a pressing need for leaders in Irish fintechs who possess specific skills," he said.

Addressing the need for regulatory experience

"As fintech companies navigate complex regulations and manage increasing user transactions, the demand for leaders with specific expertise has intensified, " said Guiney. "Recent regulatory developments, such as the EU's inclusion of buy-now-pay-later providers under regulatory frameworks, highlight the pressing need for experienced compliance and risk management leaders."

Guiney noted that leaders from traditional financial services bring advanced regulatory and operational strategies crucial for the maturing fintech sector. "We've seen a trend of appointing leaders from asset management, insurance, and traditional banking to fintech positions over the past few years," he said.

Leveraging Ireland's tech talent pool

The tech market is currently rich with available leadership talent, primarily due to recent "right-sizing" efforts by large multinational tech companies. "This shift has made experienced leaders in global operations and commercial management more accessible to Irish fintechs, presenting a unique opportunity to enhance commercial operations and gain a competitive edge," said Guiney.

"However, the landscape has changed significantly, and now, leadership talent with substantial experience in global operations and commercial management is more accessible than it ever has been. This availability presents huge opportunities for Irish fintechs to absorb the sort of high-calibre leadership talent that could transform their commercial operations and provide a competitive edge in the tech domain."

Capitalising on the right skills on the market

"Many tech leaders in Ireland possess valuable experience in highly transactional fields, such as e-commerce, where PCI-compliance is mandatory. This background translates well into the fintech industry, which requires a deep understanding of high-velocity, high-trust environments like those found in real money gaming and platform systems. These sectors provide a robust training ground for handling the complex regulatory demands of fintech.

"In Ireland, the scenario is particularly favourable. The global operations of multinationals have often focused less on design and build and more on critical operational aspects such as licensing, anti-money laundering, and risk management. "What's more, when companies like Revolut adjusted their strategies and decommissioned certain operations, it left a reservoir of these skilled professionals in the market," said Guiney.

"These individuals are now available and come with a skill set highly transferable to fintechs, neo banks, and payment gateways - sectors where there is high volume and stringent regulatory compliance, especially concerning anti-money laundering and risk ma...

This initiative challenges engineers and organizations from all over the world to design a new bin tipping system to help bars and restaurants dump their glass into the street containers.

Ecovidrio is a non-profit organization in Spain responsible for managing glass packaging waste recycling. It started in 1998 as an initiative by the glass packaging industry to efficiently and sustainably manage glass recycling.

This open innovation challenge is a strategic initiative that gives engineers and companies the opportunity to collaborate with Ecovidrio to evolve the current tipping system and, therefore, increase glass collection rates in the HORECA channel.

As of today, glass is stored by the staff in trash bins Inside bars and restaurants that are later emptied into big containers placed on the streets.

Some trash bins are difficult to handle due to their weight (e.g. 120L bins can weigh up to 40 kg) and sometimes cause glass and liquids to fall into the street. All this makes glass collection less efficient, creating a barrier to recycling, increasing occupational hazards and finding unsuitable items in the containers (plastic bags, etc.).

To find solutions, Ecovidrio partnered with Ennomotive, an open innovation platform specializing in solving engineering challenges. Through this platform, any person or entity will be able to register and submit any of these two options:

1. A new assisted tipping system that allows easy, fast and safe emptying of bins into containers.

2. A more global solution including maybe a new 'bin' for storing the glass on the premises, transporting it and unloading it into the container.

Participation is open to engineering professionals, but also to companies, tech centers and start-ups and academia - individually or in teams - who want to propose solutions to this challenge.

Ecovidrio offers an immediate reward of 5,000 EUR, to be shared among the participants that submit the best solutions, and an additional 10,000 EUR for the challenge winner to go on and support Ecovidrio during a later prototyping phase.

Those interested in participating should sign up for the challenge, download detailed information and submit their solution by July 24th, 2024.

Are Irish swifties 'ready for it'? A researcher at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) is investigating the potential for seismic activity at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concerts in Dublin this weekend.

Seismic activity is a vibration generated by an earthquake, explosion, or similar energetic source that travels within the Earth or along its surface. Seismometers will be placed outside the Aviva Stadium to measure seismic activity generated by Swifties during the Eras Tour concerts. The seismic data measured will be used to work out what songs are fan favourites and what is happening inside the stadium.

A seismometer is a very sensitive instrument which measures ground vibrations and can be used to detect earthquakes. When a seismometer detects seismic activity, it records this information digitally so that it can be analysed later.

Thanks to local residents and businesses allowing the seismometers to be placed on their property in recent weeks, lead researcher, Eleanor Dunn, has installed three different types of seismometers around the Aviva: Raspberry Shakes, 'SmartSolos' and 'le-3Dlites'. The variety of seismometers will be used to measure different strengths of ground vibrations.

Speaking about her research, Eleanor Dunn, PhD candidate at DIAS, said, "Through my research, I hope to make more people aware of seismicity, that it's more than just an earthquake, and that seismicity is being created every day in Ireland through activities like transport, construction and concerts.

Irish earthquakes are usually such a small magnitude that we don't tend to feel them, but they do occur here. However, it is important to note the seismic activity generated at the concert will not lead to any kind of earthquake or danger to fans in or around the stadium!

"I would love for fans to get involved by sharing their videos of the concert with us on social media by using #swiftquakeDUBLIN. This will allow us to compare the seismic activity with moments in the concert and will hopefully inform us on what songs are fan favourites and which night had the most active fans. I'm also hoping that this will bring science to a new audience and encourage young people to be curious about the world around them."

Further information about Swift Quake is available on social media at:

https://x.com/swift_quake,

https://www.tiktok.com/@swift.quake.dublin

https://www.instagram.com/swift_quake/

By using #swiftquakeDUBLIN.

During Covid, researchers at DIAS conducted a similar type of study and measured a noticeable decrease in the noise generated by human activity in Ireland as a result of pandemic lockdown measures. The measurements were taken by the Geophysics section of DIAS.

Car number plates, often called license plates or registration plates, might seem like simple metal or plastic rectangles at first glance. Yet, these unassuming tags are vital to the automotive world, playing crucial roles in identifying vehicles and ensuring road safety by confirming the necessary documentation.

But have you ever paused to consider the intriguing history behind these "ordinary" plates? Join me on a journey through time to uncover the story of car number plates - how they began as a practical necessity and evolved into a canvas for personal expression. Along the way, we'll also dive into the mind-boggling distraction of trying to decode personalized license plates, those clever combinations of letters and numbers that often leave us scratching our heads in wonder and amusement.

From their humble beginnings to their current role as symbols of identity, license plates reflect the rich tapestry of our societal and technological advancements.

Let's drive in!

The Early Days: The Need for Identification

The concept of identifying vehicles using number plates emerged in the late 19th century. As automobiles became more common, authorities needed a way to control traffic and ensure compliance with regulations.

In 1893, France introduced license plates to recognize motor vehicle owners. These early plates were made from iron, porcelain, or leather and were manually painted with registration numbers.

In the United States, New York State implemented license plate regulations in 1901, followed by Massachusetts in 1903, which also issued the first state-produced plates. Initially, vehicle owners created their own plates, focusing on practicality rather than aesthetics.

The Rise of the License Plate: A Global Phenomenon

Another major development was the widespread use of standardized license plates, which began in the early 20th century. Various countries and regions started to introduce uniform systems for registering and identifying vehicles. This swift transition to using license plates occurred worldwide, with every country creating its own distinctive numbering methods and formats.

The 20th-century mass production techniques changed the way license plates were made. They shifted from being items made by the owner to becoming standardized, state-issued identifiers created using tough materials such as steel and aluminum. This alteration ensured that all plates had the same shape and design, leading to an organized and manageable car-license plate identification system.

Ontario's Alphanumeric System

In Ontario, Canada, the license plate number generation follows a systematic approach that might seem random at first glance but is actually quite structured. The province uses an alphanumeric system that has evolved over time to accommodate its growing vehicle population. Currently, Ontario's standard plates for passenger vehicles use a combination of four letters followed by three numbers (AAAA 000).

This system, introduced in 1997, replaced the previous format of three letters and three numbers. The letters are generated sequentially, excluding vowels to avoid creating unintentional words, and certain combinations like "FRT" (front) or "BAK" (back) are also omitted. The numeric portion simply runs from 000 to 999 for each letter combination. When a series is exhausted, the system moves to the next alphabetical combination.

This methodical approach allows for millions of unique combinations, ensuring each vehicle in Ontario has a distinct identifier. Interestingly, Ontario also issues special series for specific purposes, such as "GV" for government vehicles or "PRP" for police. This systematic generation not only serves the practical purpose of vehicle identification but also reflects the province's orderly approach to traffic management and vehicle registration.

The Creative Twist: Personalized License Plates

When license plates became very common, some car owners started looking for ways to make their vehicles unique....

Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced the AWS Public Sector Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Impact Initiative. The two-year, $50 million investment is designed to help public sector organisations - and those that directly support their technology needs - to accelerate innovation in support of critical missions using AWS generative AI services and infrastructure, such as Amazon Bedrock, Amazon Q, Amazon SageMaker, AWS HealthScribe, AWS Trainium, and AWS Inferentia.

As part of this initiative, AWS is committing up to $50 million in AWS Promotional Credits, training, and technical expertise across generative AI projects. Credit issuance determinations will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the customer's experience developing new technology solutions, the maturity of the project idea, evidence of future solution adoption, and the customer's breadth of generative AI skills.

The Impact Initiative is open to new or existing AWS Worldwide Public Sector customers and partners from enterprises worldwide who are building generative AI solutions to help solve society's most pressing challenges.

Across the public sector, leaders are seeking to leverage generative AI to become more efficient and agile. However, public sector organisations face several challenges such as optimising resources, adapting to changing needs, improving patient care, personalising the education experience, and strengthening security.

To respond to these challenges, AWS is committed to helping public sector organisations unlock the potential of generative AI and other cloud-based technologies to positively impact society.

This global initiative is open from June 26, 2024 through June 30, 2026. Benefits and resources will include:

Tailored training: Check out the latest trainings to help you achieve your go-to-market goals and business needs.

Generative AI Innovation Center expertise: Ideate, identify, and implement generative AI solutions securely with guidance from the Generative AI Innovation Center.

Technical support: Learn from AWS technical experts and tutorials to optimize your generative AI build with Well-Architected Framework.

Networking and free builder sessions: Access to registration for no-cost AWS Summit events around the world.

Global thought leadership opportunities: Showcase your AWS Generative AI Impact Initiative success stories with AWS marketing efforts.

The AWS Public Sector Generative AI Impact Initiative builds on our ongoing commitment to the safe, secure, and responsible development of AI technology. For example, AWS is a contributing partner to the National Science Foundation's National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR), which provides U.S.-based researchers and educators access to advanced computing, datasets, models, software, training, and user support for AI research.

Additionally, Amazon is a member of the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Consortium, established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and is contributing $5 million to enable the development of tools and methodologies that organisations can use to evaluate the safety of their foundation models.

AWS is also committed to supporting initiatives like the AI for Changemakers Accelerator program, led by Tech To The Rescue, which includes AWS Chief Technology Officer Werner Vogels' Now Go Build CTO Fellowship program.

To learn more about the Impact Initiative, visit https://aws.amazon.com/generative-ai-impact-initiative.

See more stories here.

Microsoft Ireland has released the 2024 Work Trend Index revealing the highest increase in employee movement across organisations in Ireland in three years. Almost a quarter of the workforce (23%) changed organisation in the last 12 months, compared to 19% in 2023, and 14% in 2022. The top three reasons for changing employers included personal well-being or mental health impact, lack of promotions or raises, and a lack of work-life balance.

Younger workers are big drivers of employee movement, with more than half of Gen Z workers (53%) and more than a third of millennials (33%) leaving their employer in the last year. This trend is set to continue as 52% of this cohort are considering changing organisations in the next 12 months within their industry.

The annual survey, which is now in its third year, was conducted by Amárach Research among almost 700 workers across Ireland in May this year. It provides year-on-year comparisons of the changing trends, experiences, and workplace expectations of workers in Ireland now and into the future.

Additional revenue streams

This year's Work Trend Index also reveals a new trend - just under half of workers in Ireland are considering opportunities to make extra revenue via a side project or business in the year ahead (42%). This may see even greater competition for employers to retain the interest and exclusivity of workers dedicated to their organisation as workers look for alternate employment solutions and greater autonomy.

Bridge required between in-office and at-home experience

When asked about ways of working, while hybrid working is now commonplace, it is still not without its challenges - suggesting a need for a bridge between the in-office experience and at-home experience. The results show an increase of 5% year-over-year among those feeling isolated, demotivated, and out of touch due to remote working. This sentiment was highest among Gen Z and younger Millennials, among whom 86% found some aspect of hybrid working a challenge.

The future of AI in the workplace

As organisations continue to investigate the transformational potential of AI, the research highlights that knowledge workers in Ireland are less concerned about the impact of AI on their roles (19%), compared to the global average (45%).

More than two thirds of Irish knowledge workers (65%) would accept training in AI if offered by their organisation, and 34% claim having AI skills is critically important to remain competitive in the jobs market. Additionally, more than a quarter feel that knowing how to use AI will help them get a promotion faster (26%).

However, regardless of these acknowledgements by workers in Ireland of the uses and potential value of AI, adoption rates here remain significantly lower than the global average of 75%, standing at just 29%, signifying a distinct lack of access to AI amongst employees despite their openness to the technology.

AI usage is being driven by younger workers, with almost half of under 35s saying they are using AI in their roles. The results are consistent with previous research Microsoft Ireland conducted in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin that identified a shadow AI culture emerging with a growing demand from employees who may be bringing their own AI to work, which may not be aligned to company policy with privacy, security, and data protection controls built in.

Results of the study suggest a considerable proportion of knowledge workers feel their organisation has been too slow in adopting AI, with a declaration by almost half that their workplace should adopt AI to stay competitive (41%). More than half also believe that management has not taken a sufficient position on AI (53%) pointing to an ask of employees for management to better consider ways in which AI solutions could support them.

Commenting on the research findings, Microsoft Ireland Chief Operating Officer, Ronan Geraghty, points to the potential of AI technologies to reshape the employee experienc...

Schneider Electric Announces New Uninterruptible Power Supply Designed for Gamers Available in Europe

Celebrating 40 years of Legendary Reliability and industry-leadership, APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming UPS ensures gamers and influencers remain powered, connected, and protected from electrical surges and power failures.

eSports certified UPS protects professional and recreational gamers' investments in consoles and GPU-powered gaming PCs, safeguarding them from player penalties, lost connections, and lost revenue.

APCBack-UPS Connect, a lithium-ion-powered, mini network UPS now also available, ensuring power continuity and protection for Internet routers, IP cameras and other home equipment.

Schneider Electric uninterruptible power supplies

Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has today announced the availability of its APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) in Europe.

Celebrating 40 years of Legendary Reliability and leadership in critical power protection during 2024, the new, stylish, and state-of-the-art UPS has been designed to protect gaming equipment from power outages and deliver a robust power connection, despite energy spikes and failures.

Back-UPS Pro Gaming has been specifically designed with gamers, streamers, and influencers in mind, delivering uninterruptible power protection, even in regions where the grid is unstable, keeping GPU-powered PCs, leading consoles, streamers, and gamers connected to both their online gaming experiences and audiences, regardless of power disruptions.

To deliver robust protection, APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming UPS features sine wave battery backup power - delivering the smooth electrical current required by sensitive electronics and AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulation), and helping to protect against power irregularities that can result in glitches and buffering during an outage to extend the lifespan of gaming equipment.

APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming also features a patented reactor circle which is visible from every angle, providing the status of the UPS' remaining battery power, and details on surges, dips, power outages, while highlighting building wiring faults.

APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming Features:

Reactor Circle: When the Gaming UPS is on battery backup power, the reactor circle ticks down to show how much time is left, at a glance.

160-Degree Slant: APC made sure the reactor circle is titled at 160 degrees, so it's visible from nearly every angle.

Functional Lighting: When the Gaming UPS detects a power anomaly - like surges, dips, and even wiring faults - it notifies gamers with pulsing lights.

Six Battery Back-up Outlets: Complete with surge protection, the unit instantly powers sensitive electronics, such as an Xbox, PlayStation, PCs, TVs, or routers/modems, during a power loss.

Four Additional Surge-Only Outlets: Designed to protect against unsafe power surges and "hard shutdowns" that can permanently damage equipment.

Three Front USB Ports: To recharge devices, like a gaming headsets and mobile phones.

Custom Design: Available in two colour options - Arctic (BGM1500) and Midnight (BGM1500B), both with 12 customizable RGB LED lights to match a user's gaming setup.

"Reliable power and Internet connectivity are fundamentals for today's Gamers and Influencers, and any surges, spikes or energy failures can have a major impact on both their equipment, and their connection to audiences around the world," said Elliott Turek, Director of Category Management, Schneider Electric, Europe.

"With the introduction of APC Back-UPS Pro Gaming in Europe, we're ensuring that expensive and sensitive electronics such as GPU-powered PC's and Gaming systems from the likes of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, stay protected from electrical damage, and that the Gamers and Influencers of the future benefit from Legendary Reliability, when they need it most."

The game...