This week, Adrian and the panel discuss the thorny question of whether social media services should be allowed — or obliged — to kick people off for airing views and opinions that are considered extreme...
Ireland’s data protection commissioner is not currently investigating Google’s data-tracking controversy as the tech giant has not yet officially incorporated its data protection residency here,...
Microsoft's laptops and pro-level tablet hybrids have always been fairly highly regarded, but have also been priced at Apple levels. Now the company has come up with a decent, viable portable laptop...
Should Infowars' Alex Jones be kicked off Twitter? That question is inseparable from this one: is Twitter a public space or a private network? If it's the latter, Twitter boss Jack Dorsey can do...
Sean O'Sullivan has a limited amount of sympathy for Elon Musk. The Irish-American tech investor, who sits atop one of the most active venture capital firms in the world in terms of startups...
Irish tech workers are speaking out about the chaotic scramble for accommodation in Dublin, with young executives saying it's a drawback to living and creating jobs in the capital.
Q My daughter is going to college and I want to get her a laptop. She won't need it for anything intensive, just projects, writing and research. Is there one you can recommend?
This week, Adrian Weckler sits down with two ambitious, successful young entrepreneurs who have one thing in common: they came to Dublin for the promise of its tech industry.
It looks like we'd better get used to paying €1,000 for new phones.
It looks like we’d better get used to paying €1,000 for new phones.
Enet is to forge ahead with a plan to build out a State-subsidised rural broadband network under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) without a new partner to replace the energy utility company SSE.
Siro's expanding regional fibre network will be a "cash cow" for Vodafone and the ESB, its chief executive has said.
The former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson used to call the final stages of a competition "squeaky bum time".
Sean Atkinson appears to have no regrets on his company, Siro, leaving the topsy-turvy National Broadband Plan process.
Q I am interested in buying a laptop under €500. I want it for home use only, looking up things on the internet, saving documents and photos. I use Netflix but normally use a Chromecast gadget...
The former 'Dragons' Den' entrepreneur Sean O'Sullivan made more than €30m from an initial €1m bet on a bike-sharing company that has been sold to Uber for close to €200m.
What's this about Google recording my every location from tracking my phone and creating a map of where I went?
The Government intends to announce the winner of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) on September 16, the Sunday Independent understands.
It seems that the National Broadband Plan isn't dead. Yes, SSE won't be replaced. But the Government is now satisfied that it doesn't need to be.
Half of Irish people think that smartphone batteries are woefully inadequate, according to new research.
In a month's time, Apple will launch its newest iPhone, sparking an annual wave of upgrades and holiday wish lists. But rival smartphone manufacturers have quietly released a different, almost as intriguing, batch of smartphones this summer: powerful ultra-budget models.
The telecoms watchdog has warned that homeowners may have to choose between decent phone reception and a warm house.
An industry boycott of Eir's growing fibre network looks to be waning, with one of Ireland's largest broadband resellers agreeing to conduct trials on the incumbent telco's network.
Enet is to forge ahead with a plan to build out a State-subsidised rural broadband network under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) without a new partner to replace the energy utility company SSE.
If you’re wondering about a drone, DJI’s recently released Mavic Air is one of the models to consider.
Within hours of Apple becoming the first ever company to climb to a $1trn (€860bn) market capitalisation, the conversation shifted to when it would reach double that figure.
This week Adrian Weckler looks at the list of sins Facebook is again having to answer for.
Stripe, the payments firm started by Limerick brothers John and Patrick Collison, has launched a new partner programme aimed at giving its users access to potential new business partners.
SSE, the major utilities and energy company that was set to build out the rural fibre network to 540,000 homes and businesses, quit the process at the last minute.
Dixons Carphone claims that only a handful of Irish customers have been affected by one of the year's biggest data breaches.
More than 100,000 rural homes are to be the first casualties in the break-up of the consortium which had planned to supply high-speed broadband to nine towns across Ireland.
More` than 100,000 rural homes are to be the first casualties in the break-up of the consortium which had planned to supply high-speed broadband to nine towns across Ireland.
With weeks to go until the Government's estimated €1bn rural broadband deal, the company at the heart of the process has not yet told officials who will be building the rural network.
Q: I use my smartphone mainly for email, YouTube and for catching up on Irish TV programmes via RTÉ and TV3 playback apps. Could you advise me on a suitable tablet that would give me all this on a larger screen, maybe 10 inches? I am not interested in Facebook or WhatsApp, but enjoy watching 'how to' videos on YouTube. I'd prefer a budget model but might consider something a bit more expensive if it's worth it.
What happens when you put a brand new tech headquarters in an already-booming part of Dublin?
I am travelling to Seattle direct from Dublin during the summer. I plan to purchase good quality headphones and would like to use technology on the long flight. I have a two-year-old Samsung phone, Android tablet and MP3 player. I would like to be able to use apps, downloaded podcasts, audiobooks and music. I am open to purchasing an iPod if that would make it easier. I'm also...
There is a downside to tech cities. On the US west coast, where the biggest tech companies have their headquarters, there is also terrible homelessness.
Thought GoogleTown was the summit of Dublin's tech takeover? Nope. Last week saw a 'big bang' in tech expansion planning that could make the Grand Canal Docks look like an early settlement.
Q: I'm going on holidays and was thinking of buying a digital camera, but I only want it for casual use and everyone says that the latest phones are just as good for photos as a 'point and shoot' camera that I'd be looking for. Is this true? I was going to upgrade my phone anyway, so is it worth spending a few extra quid to get the best camera option on a new phone? If so, should I go for the best iPhone or is there another model that's better?
Having tested dozens of handsets this year, Adrian Weckler gives his verdict on what the best cameraphone on the market is at present.
You generally get what you pay for with a laptop. If you can afford it, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga really is top-of-the-line stuff. It has a best-in-class keyboard, effortless power and an amazing (touch) display. The only thing that's less than superb on it is its battery life, which is only average (at around five or six hours per charge).
The Dublin retail technology startup Pointy has raised $12m (€10.2m) in a Series B funding round.
Ireland's media landscape is changing quickly. But what are the breakout companies and services? How are they getting on? What is it that they do that is making them successful?
Apple iPhones struggle compared to most other smartphones when it comes to making phone calls, a report from the telecoms regulator claims.
Is it time for big tech companies in Ireland to start giving a bit more back to communities? Right now, it seems that some chuck a few quid at local charities with others donating staff hours. But it feels de minimus.
Q: My son is using the Discord app to chat with mates on his iPhone. He has a €30 monthly bill pay plan with the Three network. He's mostly talking and texting using it. Can I assume it's like WhatsApp and won't eat into his flexi units?
This week, Adrian gets a behind-the-scenes tour of Microsoft’s campus headquarters in Redmond, Seattle.
A software company doubling its workforce to 500 people in Dublin hopes that its new "mothers' room" will help attract workers from rivals Google and Facebook.
The telecoms watchdog has said Irish mobile bills have risen because of the recent takeover of O2 Ireland by Three Ireland.
Ireland’s telecoms watchdog says the recent takeover of O2 Ireland by Three Ireland has resulted in higher mobile prices here.
The law penalising electric scooters, bikes and skateboards in Irish cities needs to be changed, according to a Government TD.
A surge in electric scooters across Dublin could lead users into fines, penalty points or prison.
Maybe it's time to look again at an Uber-style taxi system.
The head of the National Broadband Plan consortium has distanced himself from claims the scheme will cost €1.1bn to build.
Q: I need some advice as to the purchasing of a laptop. I've got a desktop PC but it's very old. I need something for everyday use, such as banking, downloading, shopping and printing documents - the usual everyday stuff. I would like a 13 or 14 inch machine, nothing too big or bulky. I will be using it for air travel. I would need it to have good storage and battery life. My budget would be around €500. Is it worth me looking at a Chromebook?
This week, Adrian Weckler talks to two women directing crucial operations in two of the world’s biggest tech companies.
Rural mobile coverage is set to receive a boost with ‘mobile repeaters’ set to be legalised in the country.
In many ways, laptops are now like cars: they vary a lot less than they used to. That said, there are still some differences worth paying attention to. Apple, for example, has been plagued with customer complaints over the keyboards on its most recent MacBook and MacBook Pro machines. (The company has instituted an official repairs programme for customers whose keyboards are...
Smart speakers are probably the fastest-growing new gadget in our homes. While Google recently launched its Home speaker, Amazon has had an early lead with its range of Echo devices (see our previous reviews of the Echo Plus and Echo Dot on Independent.ie).
It was the study of Old Norse and Anglo Saxon English that gave Emma Williams a propensity for learning open source code. Twenty years on, Williams is directing some of Microsoft's most important products, having left her mark on Bing, artificial intelligence and one of its newest initiatives, Microsoft Teams.
It took just minutes for the complaints to start. Because Amazon announcing 1,000 new Dublin jobs really hit us in the gut. Radio, social media and online news comment sections filled up with resentment and insecurity.
Q: I am getting married soon and - as well as official photographs - we'd like to have my brother take pictures of us and our guests with an instant camera on the day.
How has it come to a situation where a big tech company announcing 1,000 new jobs is freaking people out?
Google is to challenge Amazon in the Irish market with the launch of its Google Home smart speakers.
Tinder has become one of the most divisive - yet pervasive - online services of our era. It is used in equal measure as a dating and a 'hook-up' app; a quick way to find someone who may be willing to sleep with you.
It is now officially possible to have a "gaming disorder".
Amazon has announced 1,000 tech jobs for Ireland over the next two years.
Last week, Reuters laid out what is working in media and what isn't. It's a great, free report, running to 144 pages. Anyone who's interested in what people really think of the media should read as much of it as they can.
Q: I'm retiring soon and was thinking of treating myself to something I can take up as a hobby. I've always wondered about getting a model kit plane but never quite had the time or money. Now I think I'd like to give something like that a go and am wondering about getting a drone. What's a good one to get and do I need a licence?
Irish people are turning away from Facebook for news, according to a major international study.
Landline calls have plummeted in Ireland in the last year, new figures from the telecoms regulator show.
Landline calls have plummeted in Ireland in the last year, new figures from the telecoms regulator, Comreg, show.
Apple says that there are now 17,000 jobs directly related to the creation of iPhone and iPad apps in Ireland.
'I've very little left to troll the establishment about in Ireland."
“I‘ve very little left to troll the establishment about in Ireland.”
Plynk, the Dublin-based money-messaging app that announced a €25m funding round last year, has scheduled a creditors’ meeting to seek the appointment of Jim Stafford of Friel Stafford as liquidator.
Plynk Ltd, the Dublin-based startup that announced a €25m funding round last year, has scheduled a creditors meeting for the appointment of a liquidator later this month.
He followed me for a mile, screaming into my ear.
Q There's a lot of disruption in my office at the moment and I'm finding it hard to concentrate. One of my colleagues suggested that I wear noise-cancelling headphones but I don't know anything about them or where to begin looking for them. Can you help?
Yahoo has escaped a fine from the Irish Data Protection Commissioner after the watchdog found against it for a giant email data breach that affected 500 million Yahoo email users.
Facebook has admitted that millions of users’ posts may have been public when they were posted as private.
The Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) has found against Yahoo for a 2014 data breach that affected 500m people and 39m EU citizens.
Apple is setting new controls for parents to limit the time their children can spend on iPhones and iPads.
Data protection, Apple's new features and tackling unhealthy screen technology habits ere just some of the items on the agenda at the 2018 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple is setting new controls for parents to control the amount of time that their children can spend on iPhones and iPads.
Talk to many in Ireland and you'll hear that it's a good time to be a female tech founder.
Q: I do a bit of running and would love to listen to music and podcasts when I'm out. Is there a reasonably priced set of wireless earphones - preferably under €100 - that suits runners and won't fall out of my ears? I don't want to wear big headphones and I don't want wires dangling down to my phone.
This week, Adrian Weckler and Dr Mick O’Kerrigan from RecommenderX discuss 20 of the dumbest, faddiest tech ideas in recent years.
New figures show that the amount of venture capital allocated to female-founded companies has fallen below 1pc in Ireland so far this year.
There's something special about instant camera prints.
WEB Summit boss Paddy Cosgrave says his company is now offering mortgage and rent subsidies to prospective staff due to the Dublin housing costs.
Web Summit boss Paddy Cosgrave says that his company is now offering mortgage and rent subsidies to prospective staff due to Dublin housing costs.
Virgin Media Ireland has acquired Waterford-based Casey Cablevision for an undisclosed sum.
I bring good tidings - there is light at the end of the tunnel. I'm talking about those incessant emails asking you to "keep in touch" or warning you that "action is required" if you want to "keep hearing" from them.
Q My iPhone 6 has a cracked screen and the battery life is very poor. I've had it a couple of years and am thinking of upgrading. What's a decent smartphone to get that won't cost me the earth? Should I get a new iPhone or another model? I normally have a contract, but I'd consider buying it up front if it's good value.
“I run a sports club – does this mean I have to ask them for permission to email now?”
WE'VE all been getting the incessant emails. They say things like: "Let's keep in touch!" And: "Important - if you want to keep receiving our emails ..."
A Dublin software startup is to create 25 jobs after landing more than €5m in venture funding.
Cyber criminals are planning to take advantage of new data laws with a fresh wave of scam phone calls and emails, gardaí have warned.
A Dublin software startup is to create 25 new jobs after landing more than €5m in venture funding.
As we know from multiple high-profile investigations such as the Graham Dwyer trial, it is now common for authorities to piece together locations of interest based on having possession of a suspect's (or a victim's) phone.
Is it a surprise that a 22-year-old YouTuber from Meath earns more than all but a handful of Ireland's biggest television stars?
It used to be said that real politics doesn't happen on social media. If there's one thing that this referendum proves, it's that this just isn't true any more.
The first thing you see when you walk into Teamwork's Cork office is a huge video screen with a big number on it - $25m annual revenue.
So do we all feel better now? Good – because virtually every child protection agency in the country says we’ve just made a big mistake.
Adrian is joined by culture journalist Roisin Kiberd and INM’s head of product (and SundayIndependent columnist) Steve Dempsey to pore through some of the biggest tech tissues of the week.
This review column recently rated Huawei's P20 Pro (€899) as the best cameraphone out there at present. But Huawei also has a highly impressive junior stablemate, the P20.
The digital age of consent in Ireland is set to be 16 after the government’s proposal for 13 was reflected in the Dail.
Twitter is to start hiding comments from suspected ‘trolls’ in communal conversations and debates, even though such comments may not violate its terms of service.
Facebook took down 21 million pieces of adult nudity or pornography in the first three months of this year and “applied warning labels” to 3.5m pieces of violent content during the same period, according to the company.
So banks are now officially checking the social media of mortgage applicants.
Will Eir let its network rust away? Or is it about to surprise everyone with a massive wave of investment?
Eir is preparing an investment plan of €1bn into its network over the next five years, senior executives have told investors.
What sort of power do ‘influencers’ really yield?
