Silicon Republic - Digital Life

Analog workers show sound perception of deaf childrens' needs

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:09:00 +0000

Workers at Analog Devices in Ireland have built a new state-of-the-art sound perception room at St Mary's Primary School for Deaf Girls in Cabra.

Ryanair calendar a hit on YouTube

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:22:00 +0000

Low-fares airline Ryanair said today that the video for its charity calendar featuring cabin crew has been viewed by over 150,000 people, no doubt helped by the storm of controversy and criticism from politicians and anti-sexism groups.

Blog Digest

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:00:00 +0000

We delve into a whole lot of toys and nostalgia in the Blog Digest this week.

Gadget review: Vuzix iWear AV920

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:00:00 +0000

There are many futuristic gadgets that never came to pass, like the flux capacitor from Back to the Future, but the wearable TV screen visor has been here for a while now, and the latest incarnation from Vuzix, the iWear AV920, is aimed at users of the iPod, N95 or any other portable media player.

Win the Samsung Omnia smart phone

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:17:00 +0000

For the launch of the Top 100 Gadgets 2008, siliconrepublic.com's sister site gadgetrepublic.com is giving away the brand new Samsung Omnia smart phone.

Young Irish into technology, but wary of risks

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:57:00 +0000

A new EU-wide survey shows that most 15-25 year-olds in Ireland are broadly confident science brings more benefits than harm, but they are cautious about possible health risks.

Blog Digest

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Whether it's Christmas shopping in your pajamas or getting around Dublin on the bus, the Blog Digest can point you in the right direction this week.

How Virgin Galactic will make space tourists of us all

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Catching a plane to London, Paris or Rome is effortless, affordable and, more significantly, quite routine, but it is all too easy to forget that commercial flying did not become possible until many years after the Wright brothers took to the air in 1903. Now imagine the task of commercialising space travel.

Win a copy of Gears of War 2!

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:19:00 +0000

2010: A space tourist odyssey

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:11:00 +0000

In space, no one will serve you drinks - or at least not while you're in zero gravity. Besides, the little cocktail stick would float away and the martini would bounce off the walls. Apart from this, Richard Branson wants to make space tourism as normal as hopping on a plane.

Blog Digest

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:00:00 +0000

It's time to see the post-it note as something other than humble office stationary in this week's Blog Digest.

Over two million copies of Gears of War 2 sold on first weekend

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:55:00 +0000

With weekend sales topping two million units worldwide, Gears of War 2 is well on its way to becoming one of the biggest releases of this console generation, Microsoft said today.

Mobile industry outlines anti-bullying guidelines

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:47:00 +0000

The mobile industry has put in place new measures to help parents combat the rising tide of bullying via mobile devices.

Veni, Google, Vici?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:13:00 +0000

These might not be the words of Julius Caesar verbatim, but Google Earth is bringing us back in time to explore the streets and buildings of ancient Rome with a new feature in its virtual globe application Google Earth.

Honda gives us robotic legs - with a twist

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:49:00 +0000

Robotic legs? Nothing new: you may remember back in April Honda started talking about the Walking Assist Device, which was built using its ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) robot technology applied to research on human gait, walking and so on.

Blog Digest

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:00:00 +0000

If you're engaged in a spot of belt-tightening given all the economic doom and gloom, the Blog Digest has some helpful hints.

How a Galway firm secured Hollywood's digital future

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:00:00 +0000

A Galway tech firm which has struck lucrative deals with a number of Hollywood studios, as well as major tech firms like Microsoft, Samsung and Toshiba, has warned that, with private equity drying up, the Irish Government may need to step in to help seed start-ups into the future.

Beatles to become video-game stars

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:27:00 +0000

Okay, they won't actually be starring in the game, but it will be an "experiential journey" through their career from the heady early days in Hamburg to Beatlemania, psychedelia and beyond, all told through their music.

2012: A digital odyssey

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:24:00 +0000

Tune in for the biggest sea change in Irish broadcasting history.

iPhone to get direct podcast downloads?

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:04:00 +0000

Remember when the Podcaster application was refused by Apple for the App Store and we all sighed and resigned ourselves to downloading directly to the PC or Mac and transferring across to the iPhone?

Blog Digest

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:00:00 +0000

The Blog Digest gets presidential this week.

Microsoft gets all motional and sensitive about Lips

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:04:00 +0000

Microsoft's belated foray into motion-sensitive gaming will begin with the anticipated launch of singing party game Lips on 21 November.

Blog Digest

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Cheer yourself up about the downturn and distinguish between quality wine and plonk in this week's Blog Digest.

Whiteboard jungle in Co Donegal

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:01:00 +0000

A Co Donegal school has moved into the 21st century, with the arrival of a hi-tech interactive whiteboard, the result of a class-room fit-out competition run by Today FM.

Blog Digest

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Google Maps mania and sixty-somethings rocking their retirement, all in this week's Blog Digest.

MacBook range: aluminium 'unibody', glass trackpad and backlight LED full screen

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:34:00 +0000

As always, when Apple makes an announcement it likes to go for the dramatic. In January, we had the almost paper-thin MacBook Air that slipped into an A4 envelope right before our eyes, and now that the netbook has consumers all abuzz, Apple has whizzed past with a new concept and "a new way to build notebooks". Yes, the new solid aluminium MacBook is here, but this is not all that is new.

The Irish flunk at e-working

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:20:00 +0000

In the decade or more since Irish executives have been encouraged to work from home to cut down on travel, help the environment and achieve a work-life balance, it seems we are among the worst in Europe when it comes to teleworking, preferring to go to work every day.

Identity theft - knowing me, knowing you

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:00:00 +0000

It was National Identity Fraud Prevention Week last week - and frankly, like Jeremy Clarkson, I do not give a toss that millions of people can find odds and ends of information about me online. So now you know I like Kraftwerk and reside somewhere in Dublin? - that's hardly the makings of the successful theft and abuse of someone's identity.

Apple sub-US$800 laptop on way - Jobs wants to triumph over netbooks

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:15:00 +0000

There is speculation that Apple is about to jump into the low-cost laptop business with devices under US$800 tipped to be launched on 14 October.

Microsoft's Experience: a step closer to the OS of the digital home?

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:54:00 +0000

Microsoft said it will define a new future for entertainment as it is set to unveil a new user interface for Xbox Live users complete with animated avatars, online parties, user-generated games and a market where games and movies can be bought alongside high-definition (HD) movies and TV shows.