Question: I'm taking the family to Florida this Easter. But the kids use their phones for Wi-Fi non-stop and are already asking questions. I know you can use your phone no problem in the EU, but...
This week’s €1.5bn EU fine against Google for shutting rivals out of its online ad system begs the question: is Google too big? Should it be broken up? And if so, what about Facebook and Amazon?
The country's second-largest mobile operator has announced an 18pc increase in earnings before interest, tax and depreciation for 2018 but a 2pc fall in revenue over the same period.
Google's new online Stadia service will skip 500,000 rural Irish households as a lack of broadband begins to bite.
Google has promised to further change its online ad system after being hit with a €1.5bn fine from the European Commission.
What kind of Online Safety Commissioner will the Government actually appoint? A powerful watchdog? A lame duck? Something in between?
Paddy Cosgrave's Web Summit is to move MoneyConf, the 5,000-strong financial technology conference scheduled for Dublin this June, to Lisbon.
Question: I'm looking to get wireless earphones. My daughter tells me that Apple's AirPods are good, but I'm a bit afraid of losing them. I'd appreciate any recommendations you might have.
Paddy Cosgrave’s Web Summit is to move MoneyConf, the 5,000-strong financial technology conference scheduled for Dublin this June, to Lisbon.
So Mark Zuckerberg wants Facebook to be a ‘privacy first’ company. Totally expected, right?
Does the Government believe in subsidised rural broadband or not?
Social media firms face heavy fines or criminal charges if they breach rules under sweeping new powers to be granted to an online safety commissioner.
Does the Government believe in subsidised rural broadband or not?
Question: Is now a good time to upgrade my phone? If so, should I get one of the new folding models?
YouTube is to ban comments from videos featuring children.
Apple has launched upgrades to its AirPods, iPads and iMacs ahead of an expected video service announcement next week.
Apple has launched an upgraded set of AirPods, the in-ear wireless headphones expected to dominate global headphone sales this year.
The European Commission has imposed a €1.49bn fine on Google for restricting rivals’ ads on its search engine.
Question: I'm finally changing my laptop after nine years. It's served me well, but my MacBook Pro's battery and screen are just fading now. Should I stick with Apple or is there anything else out there that I should look at? I use it for work and increasingly a lot of Netflix, web browsing and social media.
One of the roles for 5G is to connect self-driving cars. But before that happens, this generation of cars is currently being linked up to 4G networks for safety, upgrade and entertainment purposes.
It's a hectic time for Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon. Since the GDPR kicked in last May, her office's probes into big tech firms have multiplied. But as we learned from the agency's recent annual report, one firm dominates the investigations: Facebook.
Facebook is to press ahead with attempts to let people send messages between Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.
The Eos RP's highlights are its surprising light weight, its relatively low price and its flip-out touchscreen.
On the 95th floor of his Menlo Park tower, Mark Zuckerberg spits out a mouthful of coffee. He has just received word of the Irish Government's new heavyweight Online Safety Commissioner proposal.
The government is not a lobbyist for Facebook, Communications Minister Richard Bruton has said.
What's it like being Facebook's policeman?
The number of reported data breach notifications to Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) has almost doubled over the last year and is more than three times the number of five years ago.
YouTube is to ban comments from videos featuring children.
The Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) now has 10 statutory inquiries into Facebook, representing over a fifth of all such inquiries and two thirds of its probes into multinational firms.
Huawei's Irish chief executive says that his company would reject any requests from Chinese state authorities for 'backdoor entry' into 5G mobile networks that the company is building in Ireland and Europe.
Broadband to a million rural residents may be cancelled - or delayed for years - because the Government messed up the National Children's Hospital.
Huawei is "not interested in politics" and would reject any requests from Chinese state authorities for 'backdoor entry' into 5G mobile networks that the company is building in Ireland or Europe, its chief executive in Ireland says.
The Irish Data Protection Commissioner now has 10 statutory inquiries into Facebook, representing more than a fifth of all such inquiries and two-thirds of its probes into multinational firms.
It's all about the screen. I thought the biggest thing I'd appreciate about Samsung's new Galaxy S10+ was the third ultrawide-angle camera on the back. But after a week using it, the biggest upgrade turns out to be its display.
The era of the 'folding phone' has begun. Dull commuter journeys are to be livened up with new-fangled handsets that fold out to become movie-playing tablets.
Sony has launched its latest smartphone bid to offer an alternative to the iPhone, Samsung and Huawei.
I’ve had Samsung’s Galaxy S10+ phone for a few days and, so far, it’s performing beautifully.
Tomorrow, the world's most important communications conference kicks off in Barcelona. But 2019's Mobile World Conference will not be dominated by Samsung's new folding phone, Apple's augmented reality plans or mobile broadband.
A national mobile coverage and blackspot map from the telecoms regulator, Comreg, has been released.
Adrian sits down with a German artificial intelligence expert to talk about why Europe isn’t doing AI right.
In Ireland you don't need a licence or qualifications to fly a drone. You simply need to register it with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). It's a bit like getting a dog licence, but cheaper.
More homes may have to be added to the National Broadband Plan’s (NPB) ‘intervention’ area due to private telecoms operators falling behind their targets.
The government may add more homes to the National Broadband Plan’s ‘intervention’ area due to telecoms operators letting customers down.
Today, Dublin had a glimpse of the disruption that Gatwick Airport faced in December of last year.
Is Samsung’s new Galaxy Fold an incredibly useful new mobile device or simply a curiosity? Will it prove to be a Swiss Army knife or a Frankenstein machine?
Venture capital for tech companies fell by more than €250m last year as industry experts warn of structural factors preventing access to cash for startups.
They're now regularly portrayed as the poster boys for Ireland's potential in the tech world. Patrick (30) and John (28) Collison have created one of the most talked-about tech companies in the industry. Stripe is an online payments system that lets online stores accept payments through ordinary means (such as credit cards) without any special measures being taken. The success of the system is largely down to the relative ease by which it can be installed by tech people setting up a company's online shop. It's basically a few lines of code that slots in without any fuss.
Samsung has launched a new smartphone that folds out into a tablet.
Samsung is set to unveil new Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus phones on Wednesday.
Should the Government ditch the National Broadband Plan and trust a wireless operator to follow through on a promise to connect 400,000 rural homes and businesses? This is now a big question for Richard Bruton, the Taoiseach and more than a million Irish people in badly-served broadband areas.
Should the Government ditch the National Broadband Plan and trust a wireless operator to follow through on a promise to connect 400,000 rural homes and businesses? This is now a big question for Richard Bruton, the Taoiseach and more than a million Irish people in badly-served broadband areas.
Question: My mother wants to see her grandson more often. He lives in the North and I've tried setting her up with Skype on her iPad but she can't seem to get the hang of working it. Is there any simpler device out there that she could use to do video calls with her family?
After a very big week of broadband announcements in Ireland, Adrian sits down with the person promising the most radical plan.
A controversial new EU copyright law promises to toughen up penalties on web giants such as Google and Facebook if "protected" content from publishers, authors and artists is shared online.
The chief executive of a wireless broadband firm will warn the government today that proceeding with state-subsidised broadband for 540,000 rural homes under the National Broadband Plan represents “unnecessary state intervention” and ”could lead to difficulties with state aid approval” in the EU.
CANON is back. The company that has been under siege by mirrorless rivals has finally come out with a competitively-priced full-frame mirrorless camera that will prove to be a compelling option for much of the current DSLR market, especially Canon shooters.
IS THE National Broadband Plan shrinking? This week, announcements from a number of telecom operators threaten to substantially reduce the size of the Government's 'intervention area', currently measured at 540,000 homes and businesses, or more than 1m people, in mostly rural areas.
Teckro, the Limerick-based biotech startup co-founded by brothers Gary and Nigel Hughes, has raised a new funding round of $25m (€22.1m).
The wireless broadband company Imagine has announced that it intends to bring high-speed broadband to one million homes across Ireland within 18 months.
Want a smartwatch but still wedded to your beloved analogue wristwatch? Sony has come up with a novel answer.
Eir is to install a major national broadband upgrade that will affect three-quarters of all Irish homes, the company says.
Eir says that it will reduce the government’s rural broadband bill by covering up to 100,000 of the 540,000 homes and businesses identified in the National Broadband Plan.
It could be Windows XP all over again.In 11 months, Microsoft will switch off security support for Windows 7.
Question: My contract is up and I'm thinking of getting a new iPhone. But a friend of mine told me that there's better value in Android phones. Is there one you'd recommend?
Microsoft has launched its 28-inch touchscreen PC, the Surface Studio 2, into the Irish market.
Alan Coleman has a leaky fridge. It wrecks his head. "The water constantly pools at the bottom of the fridge and then freezes," he says.
A new survey claims that most Irish broadband users are "not satisfied" with their broadband.
Should Facebook scan our private WhatsApp messages to block words, sentences or images that may be offensive? Should senders of such messages be suspended or reported to the police by Facebook?
Question: I have a lot of video tapes of family events that I have transferred from a camcorder going back to the 1990s. With video players now becoming obsolete, I wish to transfer to DVD or USB to ensure that my children will be able to access them in years to come. What do I need to do to achieve this? - Catherine
New figures suggest that Snapchat dominates communications among Irish children, with 71pc of kids between 10 and 17 using it.
Panasonic has released what it hopes will rival the professional camera ranges from Canon, Nikon and Sony.
This week, a double-header: one of Ireland’s best known venture capitalists talks money, while a tutor for beginners discusses what we need to know.
What is Dublin City University? Is it a business college? A technology-focused one? This is one of the first questions I put to Professor Brian MacCraith, the university's energetic president.
When Panasonic’s first LX100 came out, I loved it. Here was a camera that seemed to be a good fusion of everything photographic enthusiasts love. It was a real camera in a pocketable format. I used one for over a year, bringing it on travels or on my person around town for serendipitous opportunities.
Putting off the migration from Windows 7 to Windows 10 could cost Irish businesses up to €200m, according to a new report from digital support firm Auxilion.
Stripe, the payments company founded by Limerick brothers Patrick and John Collison, has seen its valuation increase to $22.5bn (€19.8bn) after an additional round of funding.
Three out of four Irish people think automation and robots will cause unemployment, a new survey claims.
Facebook is promising a crackdown on election interference in this year's European Parliament polls, using its Dublin office as a base.
Google and other big online ad companies are targeting people for ads based on inappropriately personal and sensitive data, Irish and European researchers claim.
Facebook is ramping up its efforts to fight fake news and election interference with an eye on this year’s European Parliament polls.
Three out of four Irish people think automation and robots will cause unemployment, a new survey of 1000 people claims.
'But where will they live?" It's the biggest single reaction I now hear to new high-tech jobs announcements, especially around Dublin.
High-speed broadband boosts productivity for Irish firms by up to a third, a new study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has found.
Question: My phone's battery is just terrible. It regularly runs out by lunchtime. Is there something I'm doing wrong? Is there anything I can or should do?
Gardaí are investigating whether drivers took photos or videos of the horrific crash on the M50 while they were behind the wheel.
How relevant are colleges? This week, Adrian sits down with the president of Dublin City University, Prof Brian MacCraith, to talk what universities do well and what they struggling with.
A government TD says that Whatsapp should begin monitoring messages between users to make sure that ‘fake news’ and shocking photos are not disseminated.
MARK Zuckerberg is getting more and more urgent. Facebook, he insists, does not sell your personal data. Nor does it get your data in shady ways. But it does somehow have to cash in on your use of its products to keep it 'free'.
A new 'televeterinary' service called Videovet is being set up by founders that include the creator of VideoDoc, Mary O'Brien.
Microsoft is warning internet users that the 'Daily Mail' UK website is now an unreliable news source that "fails to maintain basic standards of accuracy and accountability".
Buying a laptop has never involved so many choices. Do you want a traditional or touchscreen model? A 'two in one' or 'convertible'? Or what about a work-friendly 'pro tablet'?
Apple has released new details about the scale of its volunteering and charitable work in Cork and other global centres. The tech giant has raised $365m (€321m) for non-profit organisations and activities around the world, the company said in a post.
KBC has become the first major Irish bank to let its customers see current account balances from rival banks within its app.
Facebook is to become one of Dublin's biggest employers, adding 1,000 jobs to its growing operation here.
Facebook is to add 1,000 new jobs at its Dublin operation, the company’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg said today.
I've never dropped acid. But a colleague of mine has. On Friday, he told me that Salesforce's mega jobs launch - the biggest in Ireland's recent history - wasn't far off what is known as 'a trip'.
Blaine Callard is wound up and ready to pounce. "I'm giving you facts and you're giving me back sentiment," he says, waving a dossier at me. We're sitting in Harvey Norman's new flagship outlet in Ireland, a giant, 58,000ft Ikea-like retail superstore in Tallaght. Surrounded by 65-inch TVs and custom sofas, Callard is giving me chapter and verse on a topic that bugs him: why internet shopping is not killing physical retail. We in the media keep perpetuating this line. Worse, we wrongly attribute retail's demise to a single player- Amazon.
Question: I've started watching a lot of movies on my laptop around the house. It's an old model and the screen on it is very dull. I want to upgrade it, but just can't afford some of the premium models. Is there any kind of laptop that is better for TV and movies? - Sean O'M, Wexford
Salesforce, the business software company, is to add 1,500 jobs to its Dublin operation at a new 'urban campus' in the docklands.
Podcast host Adrian Weckler has been writing columns saying that web shopping — and Amazon in particular — is seriously altering the fortunes of offline retailers and the future of the ‘high street’.
Salesforce, the business software company, is to add 1,500 jobs and a new ‘urban campus’ to Dublin’s city centre.
Dublin's inner city is to get a fresh influx of thousands of tech jobs.
'Shadowy' data brokers that hold billions of records about us but stay hidden from accountability need to be regulated better, Apple's chief executive Tim Cook says.
Tech giant Salesforce is to announce its intention to create thousands of new jobs in Dublin.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook has called for a new privacy law in the US, claiming that “shadowy” data brokers are eroding people’s trust in technology.
A few months ago, Nikon finally entered the full frame mirrorless camera market. It brought out two new cameras, the 24-megapixel Z6 (€2,399) and the 45-megapixel Z7 (€3,899). Because they're mirrorless, they're smaller and thinner than traditional DSLRs. They'll work with existing Nikon lenses if you get a new Nikon adaptor (which costs an extra €319).
Can the world trust Chinese telecoms infrastructure firms to build our 5G mobile networks?
Giving a mobile phone to a child aged nine leads to worse maths and reading skills, according to major new Irish research.
New Irish research claims that giving a mobile phone to a child aged 9 can lead to worse academic performance over time.
Oh dear. What was the standout product from the biggest tech conference in the world last week? A dud. Plain and simple. The industry is trying to sell us magic beans. So do yourself and your wallet a favour: don't fall for the '8K' telly spin.
Question: My mother lives alone in the countryside. For quite some time, she has been experiencing issues with someone interfering with items outside. My family and I have tried various security cameras but they are not user-friendly and by the time we attempt to look back at footage from the previous week, it's an onerous task. Can you recommend a system that is not overly expensive and is very user-friendly? Perhaps myself and my siblings could connect it to our phones? There are lots of entry points into the yard so it's also challenging to have enough cameras to catch all angles.
A home-grown communications software company that employs 163 people in Cork has announced a €30m funding round from a US-based investment firm.
A year ago, Bitcoin was trading at €16,000. Today, it's €3,600. So was it all just a bubble? Yes, say some. No, say others. "Demand has fallen, no question," says Peter Nagle, the co-founder of the Cork-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitcove.ie.
THE Cork-based communications software company Poppulo has announced a €30 million funding round from a US-based investment firm.
It seems that every year is a crunch year for rural broadband. But 2019 really is shaping up to be do or die for the State's National Broadband Plan, the pledge to connect 540,000 businesses and homes in rural areas to state-subsidised fibre internet.
