Virtual reality (VR) technology comes as a new phenomenon. It’s leading the way that most people will play games in the future. A report issued in April 2021 from Brandessence Market Research claimed the global VR gaming market would be worth almost $52.7 billion by 2025.

That represents an increase of more than eight times its estimated value in 2018.

The report also indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic created a demand for socialization through virtual gaming. With lower costs for consumers, it’s only a matter of time before the future of the casino industry, like any other field, gets affected by VR.

VR Technology Changing The Casino Industry

Is the Casino Industry Growing?

The worldwide casino industry indeed continues to grow. An economic report titled Global Casinos and Gambling Market 2021-2025 issued by Infiniti Research (a market research company based in London) predicted worldwide growth of $32.5 billion.

Published in August 2021, the report said the market upturn comes from the legalization and popularity of online gambling.

An earlier report by Global Industry Analysts from May 2021 pegged $123.4 billion as the total value of the global market for casinos in 2020.

By 2027, the market could be worth $159.3 billion.

The report also noted that the:

U.S. market for casinos was worth $68.9 billion in 2020

Asia-Pacific market would be worth $36.2 billion by 2027

Markets in Canada and Europe would grow by 3% – 3.3% between 2020-2027

Also, according to data from the American Gaming Association, Forbes listed $13.6 billion in gambling revenue for the U.S. in the second quarter of 2021.

That total was a record for the industry.

Between 2019-2021, states like Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania reported revenue growth of 17%, 35.5%, and 44.6%, respectively.

“Mobile sports betting and iGaming . have helped keep the industry afloat.”

Online gambling continues to grow all around the world.

Check out Safest Betting Sites to learn more about real money online casinos.

What is a Virtual Reality Casino and How Does It Work?

During the pandemic, many online casinos started to offer live table games. Virtual reality casino games come as a natural transition for the industry.

A VR gaming environment brings a casino to life right from wherever you are. This is already accomplished with a mobile device and an internet connection.

However, VR hardware includes a headset and handheld controllers. For now, the average cost might be prohibitive for worldwide players. A 360-degree simulated environment comes with a price.

But a VR casino offers players the potential to engage in a simulated environment with people from all over the world. The possibilities of a virtual experience could bring online casino games to new heights.

As the world looks to turn the corner on the COVID-19 pandemic, VR remains on the other side. The metaverse acts as a prime example that combines cryptocurrency with social media interactions.

In the casino industry, it’s a matter of which companies want to lead the charge.

As a recent example, MGM Resorts now uses VR technology to allow potential employees to test out positions before hiring. A step in that direction legitimizes a technology that’s only beginning to take root in online gaming culture.

A VR Casino game is available via Oculus, released in January 2018. You might find limited options elsewhere when it comes to playing for real money. The minimum requirements include hefty CPU power as an added barrier.

So, while options seem slim for the time being, the future of VR casinos is only in its infancy.

The Future of Online Casinos With VR

With the coronavirus pandemic, online casinos became the new forebearer of the gambling industry. Along with the legalization of sports betting across the U.S., major media conglomerates in the U.K. partnered with their American counterparts.

As the gambling industry continues to become mainstream, the next logical step derives from popular technology. In less than two ...

One of Ireland’s and Europe’s leading telecoms infrastructure companies has formed a new collaboration with the world’s top lighting firm to develop a major expansion of wireless communication in public spaces.

Vantage Towers and Signify have agreed to co-operate to convert outdoor lighting into a wireless communication and citizen service platform in all eight of the Vantage Towers’ controlled entities across Europe.

The agreement will combine Vantage Towers’ infrastructure know-how and services with Signify’s BrightSites portfolio of smart poles, digital hubs and Interact IoT connected lighting system and software.

Together, the companies intend to deploy commercial projects based on the creation of a fibre-like wireless network that can be replicated on a large scale.

This will enable the development of neutral host networks to cater for the rising demand for connectivity in dense urban and rural environments. A three-month pilot project is expected to start soon in Spain.

Signify is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. With 2020 sales of €6.5 billion, Signify has approximately 37,000 employees in over 70 countries.

The company has been leading the lighting industry’s transformation to LED and digital applications – one of its latest innovations is aimed at transforming outdoor lighting to facilitate a wide range of smart city applications such as surveillance, traffic management, weather, and pollution monitoring and charging of electronic vehicles.

The same platform enables applications such as small cells, fixed wireless access (FWA), Wi-Fi hotspots, massive IoT and campus networks.

By using Vantage Towers´ site delivery capabilities, Signify will be able to roll-out its solution across Ireland and Europe in a fast, cost-effective and sustainable way.

Vantage Towers AG is a leading tower company in Europe with approximately 82,000 sites in 10 countries, connecting people, businesses and devices in cities and rural areas.

It operates in Ireland, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary.

The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, and its portfolio includes towers, masts, rooftop sites, distributed antenna systems (DAS) and small cells.

“As a neutral host infrastructure provider, we welcome new business ideas, such as Signify’s innovative BrightSites Solution that complement our pan-European infrastructure assets and capabilities and support our mission of driving Europe`s digital transformation,” said Jaime Abril, Vantage Towers’ Head of Business and Product Development.

“We are very much looking forward to developing new applications together with Signify and making them available across Europe.”

Khalid Aziz, Signify’s Head of Connectivity Solutions, said the company is delighted to collaborate with Vantage Towers to jointly “accelerate the digital transformation in Europe”.

“Our innovative lighting solution, combined with Vantage Towers’ expertise as a neutral host, will prove to be a game-changer for the European market.

“It offers a great opportunity to utilise existing infrastructure to sustainably serve the ever-growing demand of bridging the digital divide, increasing safety and security, and enabling a truly connected society.”

More about Irish Tech News

Irish Tech News are Ireland’s No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland’s No.1 Tech Podcast too.

You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here:

If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at [email protected] now to discuss.

Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at [email protected] now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience.

You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

In this review we look at the HOZO Design creation, the MEAZOR a 6-in-1 multifunctional laser measurer. See more on their website here

HOZO MEAZOR 6-in-1 multifunctional laser measurer, reviewed

This product was created by Meazor as a result of a crowdfunding campaign. This can be a good way to go about doing things, as it is then both a direct response to a specific need, and, if successful also a direct validation that this is something that people would like to use too. It certainly peaked interest among our team too, especially among those who have and are using tape measures, and laser distance measuring tools to make plans and do home renovation works. For review purposes we may well be looking at a pre-release version too, so that is an important caveat in what it is, and, in the future, may be capable of.

There are a lot of good online resources to help explain what the tool does, and how to use it. We found the explainer videos pretty good. The privacy settings also seem to sensitively calibrated, to not collect data that is personally identifiable. The basic concept is a win though, to be able to capture floor plans, and then turn them instantly into digital files. I’m sure many of us have measured, and then remeasured room details, as we can’t find the piece of paper where we wrote down those measurements. You can see why this device potentially solves a relevant pinpoint instantly.

We are still playing around with it, but initially it is a hit. You will need to download the app to get the full functionality out of the device. But that is logical and no hardship. Measurements can then be blue toothed over to your device, to enable you to look at them on a bigger screen. This is a logical but great attribute to have, it almost seems like a no brainer, but then good ideas often are.

More about the product

Hozo Design MEAZOR. With a sleek, compact and attractive design with a durable aluminium-alloyed frame, the MEAZOR has been exquisitely engineered to fit seamlessly into creative lifestyles and is currently the smallest 2D laser room scanner in the world.

Whilst the device is ideal for creative professionals, designers and architects, MEAZOR has also been meticulously designed to be used in everyday life, to make measuring easier and more enjoyable for all.

The 184 PPI tempered glass touch screen and 4096 grade magnetic encoder are built to last, providing high-grade durability and stability for rolling function. The 650mAh battery also supports up to 30 days of wireless use on a single charge and supports USB-C charging.

The MEAZOR boasts an incredible array of impressive features and is truly the first of its kind. A unique 2D floor scanning capability enables users to perform precise measuring for high-end floorplans in seconds, as the device can simply be rotated 360°.

The built-in rolling measurer ensures that every last detail is measured precisely, from straight edges to detailed arcs using the curve scanning function. It also has the ability to convert metric and imperial units and even customised scales.

The laser distance measurer records reliable measurements of up to 25 metres/80 feet, putting MEAZOR leagues above conventional laser measurement devices. Additional features include a built-in bubble level, protractor, curve scanner and pro laser.

The MEAZOR laser measurer is available to purchase from the HOZO Design website for $199/£150, with worldwide shipping.

Product specifications. Display: 1.3inch (diagonal) IPS-backlit display, 240×240 resolution at 184 PPI

Storage: 120MB Flash Drive

Size: 3.93inch x 2.12inch x 0.83inch (100mm x 54mm x 21.3mm)

Battery: Built-in 650mAh lithium-polymer battery

Wireless: Bluetooth

Laser Measure: Measure ranges from 0.3ft-82ft (0.1m-25m). Measure accuracy 0.08inch

Rolling Ruler: Measurement accuracy 0.2% on rough surfaces. The accuracy will be decreased on smooth or soft/curved surfaces

Point Scanner: Measure up to 12900ft. The measurement error is proportional to t...

Following the passing of preliminary legislation by the Dáil that will allow for the use of e-scooters on public roads in Ireland, e-scooter company, Spin carried out a survey of Irish adults to gauge their attitudes towards this new mode of transport and specifically how small businesses in urban areas would benefit from it, including during the crucial Christmas sales period.

One in six (16 percent) said that e-scooters could have the potential to provide a significant boost for small businesses, such as cafes and bookshops, by bringing more customers to their premises. During busy retail periods, like Christmas, such benefits would be expected to further increase.

Availability of rental e-scooters in towns and cities in Ireland would enable people to get out and about more frequently, likely resulting in higher consumer spending.

More than a third (36 percent) of respondents said they would consider visiting local shops, restaurants, cafes and other outlets more frequently to make a purchase of goods or services if an e-scooter scheme was available in their area.

The survey also showed clear environmental benefits resulting from an expected mode-shift. More than a third of respondents (36 percent) said they would consider or strongly consider using an e-scooter sharing scheme, rather than a car, for travelling to their main urban centre for Christmas shopping for small items or for socialising with friends or work colleagues during the festive period.

Nearly half of Irish people (45 percent) believe that e-scooters can help reduce the number of cars in city centres, particularly at busy times like Christmas, further suggesting that Irish people recognise the environmental benefits of e-scooters.

Steve Pyer, Spin Country Manager for the UK and Ireland, said: “We know that the introduction of e-scooters has a positive economic impact for local enterprises, in particular small businesses in the food and beverage industry.

“For example, a recent study by Emory University in the US showed that local economies experienced a significant boost from shared e-scooter systems due to an estimated $13.8 million in additional sales in four city locations across the US over six months in 2019. This is in fact one of the priority research areas that we’ll be looking closely at next year in Ireland when we launch e-scooter rentals”.

“Our survey further underpins that there is a huge potential for urban centres across Ireland too when e-scooter rentals launch. Whether it’s Christmas or just a nice spring day, it’s clear that micromobility can provide a significant boost to small businesses like cafés, restaurants and shops by increasing the number of potential customers for these businesses.

“Hopefully very soon the Irish consumer will be able to roll up with a Spin e-scooter to get their hair cut at the local barber’s or attend their favourite yoga class at their neighbourhood studio, promoting less congested roads and ultimately, cleaner air ”.

Given the recent approval of legislation by the Dáil, it is expected that during 2022, we will see the launch of e-scooter sharing schemes in many towns and cities across Ireland – similar to the bike sharing schemes that are already running in cities across the country.

More about Irish Tech News

Irish Tech News are Ireland’s No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland’s No.1 Tech Podcast too.

You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here:

If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at [email protected] now to discuss.

Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at [email protected] now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience.

You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

(TechCrunch, 2-Aug-21) When Fintech Meets Marketplaces (a16z Fintech Newsletter, July 2021)

Eoin Fitzgerald and Pete Townsend are back with their last Money Talks segment of the year with their review of their top stories for 2021. From GameStop and Wallstreetbets, to Roblox and Coinbase going public, to Chamath and SPACs, to Charlie Munger on Bitcoin, to BNPL with Klarna, Square and Afterpay, to our spinning of the fintech flywheel, to CryptoPunks, stablecoins, the metaverse, Techstars in Ireland and Web3 and finally, Eoin’s new hope for Monzo, we’ve got it covered one last time for 2021.

This episode of MoneyNeverSleeps is sponsored by Philip Lee, one of Ireland’s fastest-growing corporate law firms and expert advisors at the heart of the Dublin and London start-up, fintech and crypto communities.

OUR STORIES OF THE YEAR (chronologically):

EP 121: What the Hell Is Going On With GameStop’s Stock? (Slate, 26-Jan-21)

What does it mean for the future of publicly traded equities where you have groups like WallStreetBets who can turn against you and drive the stock up or down, and trigger a short squeeze where hedge funds lose billions? When a market is 24/7, whether that’s in crypto or with after-hours trading on public equities, you’ve got to get your head around all of these new channels where market sentiment is effectively created and observable in real-time.

The hedge funds need to get smarter, because the crowd now has the ability to move the price, almost on its own whim. The run-up of GameStop by the WallStreetBets Reddit group is only just the beginning, and there are many more companies and asset classes susceptible to this kind of activism.

EP 124: Fintech valuation multiples with SPACs (Fintech Blueprint/Long Take Newsletter, Lex Sokolin, 15-Feb-21)

What company is going to turn down an approach from the likes of a Chamath Palihapitiya with a SPAC and the funding to bring it public, as opposed to traditional routes. The valuations on the upcoming fintechs going the SPAC route are very high, but comparing the market valuations to those of a bank is non-sensical, and here’s why:

Eoin’s thought’s: “Where’s the real upside with a traditional bank? When you look at some of the fintechs, they’ve got far more upside as they grow and build out functionality because they’re software companies. It’s the ability to adapt and pivot that the banks don’t have.”

Pete nodding his head: “When you get out of that old-school banking model, based on paper and old pipes and plumbing and fax machines, into a digital environment with real-time data and APIs, you’re creating so many more monetization opportunities for what you’re doing and for the data you’re generating. There’s just far more upside than with traditional banks.”

EP127: Roblox direct listing gets $45 reference price from NYSE (Marketwatch, 9-Mar-21)

Pete’s musings: “Simon Taylor said ‘Everything is fintech’, but is everything crypto? Roblox developers can get paid in Robux, and are now making a living off of this, as you can convert Robux back into fiat in a game with 36 million average users up from 13 million in 2019.”

Eoin goes down the metaverse rabbit hole channeling Packy McCormick: “In the metaverse products will be developed purely online in a gaming setting and lots of money will be flowing towards that. When you have a metaverse like Roblox with 32 million users every day, the opportunity to build new products has massive potential.”

Eoin’s parallel between Robux and crypto: “Something like Robux, which is the in-game currency, to me is the prime example of a digital currency’s potential usage. You see Bitcoin becoming more widely adopted, but here’s a currency within a game that’s being used by 32 million people every day – it’s the potential for that, and to me, is what digital currency could become.”

EP134: Coinbase Goes Public

Eoin zooms out on the bellwether moment for crypto: “One of the most important things about it is this is a company that’s only nine y...

Citizen development accelerates and expands digital transformation by enabling non-technical business users to deliver automated solutions for their organisation. Understanding the context, however, is an important first step.

Digital Transformation

There is still a lot of confusion in organisations about digital transformation, terms such as digitisation, digitalisation and digital transformation are used interchangeably.

This creates an uncomfortable environment as unspoken differences compound a situation where leaders undertaking digital transformation, absent an agreed definition, struggle to make it work.

Definition is therefore important:

Digitisation is where the organisation utilises digital tools and technologies to continue doing what it has always has done.

In essence, it’s a shift from analogue to digital. The past year is a prime example of digitisation as organisations used digital tools and technologies to facilitate remote customer engagement and working.

Digitalisation on the other hand is about using digital tools to create new value propositions, business models and revenue streams.

Whereas Digital Transformation is strategically repositioning the organisation to compete and thrive in a digitalised world. In essence, it is redefining the future of the organisation.

Citizen Development

To compete in a hyper-connected digitalised world, businesses increasingly need to innovate faster. Limited resources, technical debt, risk and change management are often significant hurdles. So too, are institutionalised silos typically seen within most organisations.

Another significant issue is the significant global shortage of skilled software. According to research from Forrester, in the U.S.A. alone, there will be a deficit of 500,000 software developers by 2024. As digital is a key enabler of digital transformation, this will create significant challenges.

Against this backdrop, it makes absolute sense to find ways to empower non-IT employees to solve day-to-day challenges. According to a recent Gartner survey on Citizen Development, 41% of respondents have active citizen development initiatives and 20% of those who don’t are either evaluating or planning to start citizen development initiatives.

Citizen development provides all the intended features and functions in a manner where knowledge of programming or application design is not necessary. In essence, it puts the technology to automate processes and design applications, directly into the hands of those who know the processes best: the business users.

Not only does this reduce the demands on IT departments, but Citizen Development can help the organisation in terms of mindset, culture, alignment and collaboration, all critical components of digital transformation.

Citizen Development brings also many other benefits to an organisation as it:

accelerates development speed

improves employee skills and indeed, supports the much needed reskilling challenge

improves efficiency and lower cost innovation

Facilitates niche and one-off projects

Citizen Development Challenges

1. IT Overload: Organisations are facing a shortage of skilled developers to address the growing number of demands from external and internal customers, while also responding to market developments and regulatory expectations.

While citizen development can help, organisations must be wary of complexity, extensive customisation and integration issues. The size of the organisation will have a direct bearing on these considerations. Citizen Development is not intended as a means to circumvent skilled staff or enterprise infrastructure.

The Human Factor: While technology provides the means to digital transformation, success is ultimately in the hands of the people who have to work with it. All too often, organisations select tools that are too complicated to intuitively implement, or executives change processes without employee input or taking into account what does and doesn’t work on a day-to-...

Watching sports and supporting athletes as they strive to reach greatness is one of the most popular pastimes on Earth. While most people have gotten used to taking in sporting contests through TV screens, there is something palpable about being inside an arena or stadium watching the drama unfold in front of your eyes.

Expensive Sports Tickets

To feel the atmosphere of being in a giant crowd along with tens of thousands of like-minded individuals as you all hope for the same outcome can be an exhilarating experience. However, since sports leagues are businesses, the privilege of attending a monumental event often gets reserved for those with deep pockets. Some occasions are priceless, but being in a location to watch sporting history unfold often carries a price tag, a hefty one.

Below, we seek to educate you on some of the costliest sporting tickets in recent memory. In doing so, we will also attempt to answer the following questions:

What is the most expensive sporting event ticket of all time?

What is the most expensive sport to play?

What were the most expensive NFL tickets ever?

What is the average World Cup ticket price?

What were the most expensive NBA playoff tickets?

What World Series ticket prices were most expensive?

How much are boxing tickets for marquee fights?

NFL’s 2013 Super Bowl

Super Bowl XLVII got held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on February 3. The two teams that face-off to decide the 2012 NFL champion were the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. They did so in front of a televised audience of 108 million. Over 71,000 people watched Ravens narrowly beat the 49ers 34 to 31 from inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

A few days before the event, the cheapest ticket available was $1,580, with the average one hovering around $3,600 territory. That said, by the time the first whistle was approaching, tickets reached prices of $175,560. A bit of fun trivia is that if one ranks the most expensive NFL tickets by a team, currently, the Las Vegas Raiders would lead the pack, with an average price of $153 per game, and the Steelers would trail behind them with $114 per regular-season game.

The MLB 2016 World Series

The 2016 Major League Baseball season was noteworthy because it marked the Cubs winning their first World Series since 1908 by defeating the Cleveland Indians 4-3 in seven games. The win ended the longest world championship drought in North American pro sports history.

The series also made headlines due to the average ticket per game going for $2,904. If you are curious concerning – what is the most expensive seat sold for this series? Well, rumblings are that the best ones went for as much as $1.54 million. In early November 2016, Sports Illustrated reported that tickets for game 7 of the series were going for more than $25,000 on the open market.

2014 World Cup Final

The 2013 World Cup was a special one because it was the first time Brazil hosted the competition since 1950 when they lost in the final to Uruguay. Having not won the title in the previous two World Cups, most Brazilians were sure they would lift the trophy again on home soil. Unfortunately for them, they got demolished by Germany 7-1 in the semi-final held in Belo Horizonte.

The Germans went all the way by beating a Messi-led Argentina in Rio de Janeiro. Official ticket prices for the final were $440, on the cheap-end. Nonetheless, multiple media outlets stated that ticket prices on the black market ranged from $5,000 to $20,000. Moreover, the highest one reported stood at $34,500.

Wimbledon Final 2013 – Murray vs. Djokovic

Djokovic will likely go down in history as the sport’s most decorated player. That is a stunning feat, considering Novak hails from rather a modest country, and tennis often gets mentioned as one of the most expensive sports to play. In 2013, he already had established himself as the world’s number one ranked player, and predictions were that he would claim his second Wimbledon crown with relativ...

Dell Technologies Ireland has today unveiled its top five technology predictions for 2022. The technology leader is forecasting how advances in 5G and Edge computing together with a greater focus on cyber resilience will change the way businesses and organisations protect and harness the value of data in the next twelve months.

With 41% of businesses in Ireland saying the pandemic has significantly increased the amount of data they need to capture and act on, this explosion in data is only set to grow in 2022. Advances in 5G connectivity, Edge computing and the shift to as-a-Service will make managing and extracting value from large amounts of data easier and more efficient for Irish businesses.

The technology predictions for 2022 follow a year in which Dell Technologies uncovered the complex challenges associated with gathering large amounts of data. According to the company’s Global Data Paradox, 63% of companies in Ireland regard their business as data-driven yet only 20% testify to prioritising its use across the business. In addition, although handling greater amounts of data than before, almost 60% of companies in Ireland have not come close to realising their digital transformation goals.

Unveiling his 2022 predictions, Jason Ward said: “As we look ahead to 2022, technology will provide a path to sustaining economic recovery as well as helping businesses to unlock the value of data to achieve their digital transformation goals.

“To help organisations on this road, we’ve identified five technology predictions that will play a key role in 2022. Advances in 5G connectivity will enable greater numbers of businesses to extract real-time insights from data – at the Edge – as well as supporting unprecedented connectivity to transform different aspects of our society.

“We’ll also see cyber security become intrinsic to digital transformation, protecting the growing amounts of data being generated by businesses. Meanwhile, the shift to as-a-Service will accelerate sharply as organisations look to improve their agility and data management. In doing so, they can turn their data burden into a data advantage.

“Next year will also see emerging technologies accelerate the shift to a more sustainable future. At Dell Technologies, we believe that by looking ahead and identifying the IT challenges to come, business leaders can overcome the obstacles standing in the way of digital transformation and remain resilient, competitive and sustainable in the long-term.”

Top 5 Predictions:

Prediction 1: Cybersecurity will become intrinsic to digital transformation

With the increased focus on technology over the course of the pandemic, cyber resilience has never been more important. The new year will see cybersecurity become intrinsic to digital transformation. No longer seen as an ‘added extra’, organisations will build security and resilience into the very fabric of their IT ecosystem, from supply chains and services to infrastructure and devices.

Prediction 2: 5G set to become the digital fabric of our data-driven era

2022 will mark the turning point for widespread connectivity enabled by 5G. As the digital fabric of our data-driven era, 5G will accelerate the creation of digital cities and a surge in new smart mobility services from autonomous vehicles to connected scooters. Private 5G rollout will also become a viable option for many large businesses in the areas of manufacturing and logistics. This heralds a new era of private connection for businesses, enabling greater data-driven insights and real-time business decisions.

Prediction 3: Opportunities at the Edge will be realised

As we move into 2022, more organisations will seek to act on data closer to where it is created – at the Edge. With an 800% increase in apps at the Edge expected by 2024, Edge Computing will become the new battleground as data management becomes a new class of workload. Fuelled by 5G, a growing number of organisations in Ireland will seek to capitalise on Edge Com...

We look at the Logitech G Heavy Equipment Bundle for Farm simulator players. See more on their website here.

Logitech G Heavy Equipment Bundle, reviewed

This product has been on the market for a couple of years now, and it’s generic name initially caught us out before we realised it was describing an actual product. You can see who it is aimed at, and why it might appeal. In an Irish context though many young farmers learn simply by driving the onsite vehicles that are to hand. Naturally from a health and safely perspective this might be less than ideal. That might be a case of what doesn’t kill them., however it probably would be less stressful to have them practice on this first.

You do wonder if there is a bad weather setting, and also a driving the tractor on far too steep an incline. However here again it would be less costly and potentially dangerous to have aspiring farmers practice on gear like this first. It also means they can have clocked up plenty of hours at the wheel, at least. metaphorically, before letting them loose on your, often very expensive, equipment. There are elements of this simulation set up that are quite clunky, and many have felt that the UX is not the greatest, including its potential for use on other games also. It would have had more going for it if it could be used across a wider range of gaming platforms and for different games too.

More details about the product

The Logitech G Heavy Equipment Bundle is an impressive stable of specialized farm simulation gear. All the essential tools are here: 900?wheel, rugged pedals, and a side panel for realistic immersion and enjoyment. In partnership with GIANTS Software and the Farm Sim community (That’s you!), we amplified the thrill of cultivating land, nurturing livestock, and selling goods. And, not only for machinery!

Get your hands dirty with sticks and buttons built into the wheel for in-game farmer tasks, like powering a chainsaw. It’s all here and all for the most rewarding agri-adventure possible. Now updated with engineering enhancements that address feedback from the community, the Heavy Equipment Bundle is ready for the rigors of life on the farm.

Rotates 900 Degrees in Both Directions. The center-sprung wheel is designed with all the essentials of real farm machinery. Enjoy heavy operations with farm-fun tilt, realistic rotation . and a horn. Of course, we didn’t forget the turn knob so your free hand can command a beverage or operate the controls on your side panel.

Hands-On Controls to Command Your Farmer. In-game situations call for sticks and buttons and this wheel is loaded with them. Twin analog sticks, each with a push down button, are ideal for moving characters and controlling a camera. The 4-way hat switches near each stick provide eight more buttons at your fingertips. Two ergonomic, trigger-like buttons reside on the back. And, everything is programmable from within the game.

Dedicated Pedals for Driver Control. Enjoy ideal tractor simulation with dedicated gas and brake pedals. Angular travel is set to 20 degrees to give you utmost control. And, the pedals connect to the wheel via 1.8m cable. That means the whole kit occupies only one USB port on your gaming rig.

Mod-friendly with 25+ Programmable Buttons. Easily engage tree harvesters, cranes, chainsaws, chippers, trailers, and more. The loader stick controls up, down, and twist axes, while a mode switch doubles those commands giving you six axes to operate. Set-and-forget the cruise control speed dial and autopilot feature to focus on other tasks, like farming snacks.

PACKAGE CONTENTS. Heavy equipment wheel with 2 m USB connector cable. Gas and brake pedal set with 1.8 m USB connector cable. Side panel control deck with 2 m USB connector cable

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7. MAC OSX 10.10. 2-USB 2.0 Port

PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS. Wheel: Length: 27.5 cm. Width: 32 cm. Height: 35.5 cm. Weight: 1902 g. Cable Length (Power/Charging): 1.8 m

Pedals: Leng...

The Artistic Expression of War to Improve the Environment and Re-establish Masculine Identity with Bran Symondson. Jamil speaks with Bran on this episode of the podcast to learn more.

AK47s for peace, CRYPTO KALASH stories with Bran Symondson

Bran Symondson is a British photographer, artist, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and art collector.

He is considered to be one of the most acclaimed reportage photographers of the 21st Century. Bran started his career in the 1990s workings alongside renowned photographers such as Gavin Bond, David La Chapelle, and Nadav Kander.

In 2004, Bran started the selection process to join the British Army Special Forces Reserves. After completing pre-deployment training in 2007, Bran was deployed to Afghanistan, Helmand Province.

During the tour in Afghanistan, Bran continued to capture images on his camera of the civilians he met along the way, collating images of the land and people – he vowed to himself he will create some inspiring art if he ever made it back to London. He documented his life-changing experiences under gunfire with a simple Canon G9 camera, these significant images culminated in his first show “The Best View of Heaven is from Hell”.

The photographs Bran took of young Afghanistan boys holding decorated AK47s with butterfly stickers and flowers gave Bran the idea to embellish the assault rifle with money and butterflies.

It was during his last tour of duty training the Afghan National Police (ANP), which now patrols this province, that Symondson became fascinated with the force’s distinctive ethos. So he returned as a civilian photographer “embedded” with them to document something far more unique than the endless fields of opium.

The Sunday Times decided to commission Bran to go back to Afghanistan and re-shoot the images as a civilian photographer. After being awarded the 2011 Amnesty International Media Award for his photograph “Lost Boys”, Symondson decided to develop the concept of his photographs further and he began to work on the sell-out show “AKA Peace”.

Bran Symondson’s 2012 exhibition “AKA Peace” is considered to be a pivotal point in his artistic career. After his tour in Afghanistan, he established the concept of taking de-commissioned AK47 guns and masterfully embellishing them with dollar bills, iconography & butterflies. He gave decommissioned AK47’s to artists such as Damien Hirst, Gavin Turk, Sam Taylor-Wood, Sarah Lucas, Gary Hume, Antony Gormley, and the Chapman brothers and asked them to reinterpret their own AK-47 assault rifles which were all exhibited in “AKA Peace”. This critically acclaimed show raised more than £430,000 in one night.

Symondson’s unique artworks of contemporary AK47 derive from a simple premise: taking something of fear and loathing and turning it into something of beauty and intrigue. Each AK47 has a narrative which is told through the meticulous craftsmanship of adorning the weapon with various objects which then is enhanced with the placement of bespoke handmade bullets containing different commodities which relate to the narrative of each work.

His pieces have been bought and collected internationally from the highly acclaimed artist Jake Chapman through to Elton John and the Prince of Bahrain.

Bran is also known for his philanthropic work not only in heightening the awareness of worldwide issues through his photographs but also in raising money for different charities through the donation of his AK47s at charity art auctions. To date, he has raised more than £580,000 through his contributions.

Bran’s last show was an amazing collaboration with the world-renowned photographer Terry O’Neill CBE. The body of works entitled “Hollywood Re-Loaded” was unveiled in September 2019. Bran came up with the concept of shooting photographs of famous actors and actresses with the same weapon portrayed in the film they starred in. Bran took the modeled weapon which was featured in the same photograph taken by O’Neill and then shot 11 iconic imag...