Tech
BT boosts connectivity, security for Northern Ireland Electricity Networks | Computer Weekly
BT has announced a 10-year deal worth up to £200m with Northern Ireland Electricity Networks (NIE Networks) to deliver enhanced connectivity, cyber security and IT to support critical services for homes and businesses across the country.
Established in 1993, when the business was privatised and employing over 1,500 people, NIE Networks is responsible for the safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity to 966,000 homes, farms and businesses across Northern Ireland, and is also the operator for its distribution network.
The business was acquired by Irish energy company ESB in December 2010, and operates as an independent organisation with its own board and management teams, and separate regulation via the Utility Regulator for Northern Ireland.
NIE also owns the electricity network across the province, consisting of approximately 2,300km of transmission network and 58,800km of distribution network with 340 major substations, investing around £100m in the network each year.
Electricity networks are part of the critical infrastructure that keeps Northern Ireland running, and they rely on technology that is secure, reliable and resilient by design. Fundamentally, the deal will support NIE Network’s digital transformation, which aims to modernise the key services and infrastructure that provide electricity across Northern Ireland.
Technologically, the partnership with BT is designed to provide the energy company with a suite of services including improved network infrastructure, strengthened connectivity and a team of dedicated professionals to guard against cyber security threats. BT will also be responsible for ensuring high-quality service and support across the business, day-to-day management of network infrastructure, and data hosting.
Initially, the contract will run for five years, with the option to extend by up to another 10 years. Another key component of the deal will be supporting local jobs, building digital skills and creating supply chain opportunities across Northern Ireland.
The deal is also intended to enable a move to more sustainable infrastructure and networks, supporting NIE Networks to reach their sustainability and net zero ambitions.
“This multi-year partnership is a win-win for Northern Ireland’s economy, supporting local jobs, skills development and supply-chain opportunities,” said Rohan Kapoor, chief information officer of NIE Networks.
“The collaboration will also help meet Northern Ireland’s energy needs, increasing our technological capabilities and enabling further electrification, renewables integration and emerging flexibility markets, all of which have a positive impact on the Northern Ireland economy and the NI Executive’s net zero targets.”
Chris Sims, chief commercial officer at BT Business, said: “Electricity networks are part of the critical infrastructure that keeps Northern Ireland running, and they rely on technology that is secure, reliable and resilient by design. That’s where BT comes in. With evolving cyber threats, protecting essential services is more important than ever, and organisations rely on digital connections they can trust.
“With our experience in supporting critical services and our long-standing presence in Northern Ireland, we are in a unique position to provide the secure, trusted connectivity and specialist expertise that will help strengthen the network for years to come.”
BT Group has a large presence in Northern Ireland, employing more than 3,400 people, and says that its work provides an economic boost of £630m in the country. In 2023, it officially unveiled a multimillion-pound refurbishment of its flagship Belfast Riverside office, boasting technology and collaboration spaces for colleagues from its EE, BT Business and Openreach units.
Tech
I Tried the Best Captioning Smart Glasses, and Only One Leads the Pack
Unlike the other glasses I tested, Even doesn’t sell a subscription plan; everything’s included out of the box.
The only downside I could find with the G2 is that it is largely devoid of offline features, so the glasses have to be connected to the internet to do much of anything. Considering the G2’s capabilities, it’s a trade-off I am more than happy to make.
Other Captioning Glasses I Tested
There are plenty of capable captioning eyeglasses on the market, but they are surprisingly similar in both looks and features. While many are quite capable, none had the combination of power and affordability that I got with Even’s G2. Here’s a rundown of everything else I tested.
Leion’s Hey 2 is the price leader in this market, and even its prescription lenses ($90 to $299) are pretty affordable. The hardware, however, is heavy: 50 grams without lenses, 60 grams with them. A full charge gets you six to eight hours of operation; the case adds juice for up to 12 recharges.
I like the Leion interface, which lays out caption, translation, “free talk” (two-way translation), and a teleprompter feature on its clean app. You get access to nine languages; using Pro minutes expands that to 143. Leion sells its premium plan by the minute, not the month, so you need to remember to toggle this mode off when you don’t need it. Pricing is $10 for 120 minutes, $50 for 1,200 minutes, and $200 for 6,000 minutes. There’s no offline use supported, and I often struggled to get AI summaries to show up in English instead of Chinese (regardless of the recorded language).
You’re not seeing double: XRAI and Leion use the same manufacturer for their hardware, and the glasses weigh the same. The battery spec is also similar, with up to eight hours on the frames and another 96 hours when recharging with the case. XRAI claims its display is significantly brighter than competitors’, but I didn’t see much of a difference in day-to-day use.
The features and user experience are roughly the same, though Leion’s teleprompter feature isn’t implemented in XRAI’s app, and it doesn’t offer AI summaries of conversations. I also didn’t find XRAI’s app as user-friendly as Leion’s version, particularly when trying to switch among the admittedly exhaustive 300 language options. Only 20 of these are included without ponying up for a Pro subscription, which is sold both by the month and minute: $20/month gets you a max of 600 upgraded transcription minutes and 300 translation minutes; $40/month gets you 1,800 and 1,200 minutes, respectively. On the plus side, XRAI does have a rudimentary offline mode that works better than most. For prescription lenses, add $140 to $170.
AirCaps does not make its own prescription lenses. Instead, you must purchase a pair of $39 “lens holders” and take them to an optician if you want prescription inserts. I was unable to test these with prescription lenses and ultimately had to try them out over my regular glasses, which worked well enough for short-term testing. Frames weigh a hefty 53 grams without add-on lenses; the company couldn’t tell me how much extra weight prescription lenses would add to that, but it’s safe to say these are the bulkiest and heaviest captioning glasses on the market. Despite the weight, they only carry two to four hours of battery life, with 10 or so recharges packed into the comically large case. Another option is to clip one of AirCaps’ rechargeable 13-gram Power Capsules ($79 for two) to one of the arms, which can provide 12 to 18 extra hours of juice.
The AirCaps feature list and interface make it perhaps the simplest of all these devices, with just a single button to start and stop recording. Transcriptions and translations are available for free in nine languages. For $20/month, you can add the Pro package, which offers better accuracy, access to more than 60 languages, and the option to generate AI summaries on demand (though only if recordings are long enough). As a bonus: Five hours of Pro features are free each month. Offline mode works pretty well, too. The only bad news is that these bulky frames just aren’t comfortable enough for long-term wear.
The most expensive option on the market (up to $1,399 with prescription lenses!) weighs a relatively svelte 40 grams (52 grams with lenses) and offers about four hours of battery life. There’s no charging case; the glasses must be charged directly using the included USB-connected dongle.
The glasses are extremely simple, offering transcription and translation features—with support for about 80 languages, which is impressive. I unfortunately found the prescription lenses Captify sent to be the blurriest of the bunch, making the captions comparatively hard to read. And while the device supports offline transcription, performance suffered badly when disconnected from the internet. I couldn’t get translations to work at all when offline. For $15/month, you get better accuracy and speaker differentiation, and access to AI summaries of conversations. Prescription lenses cost between $99 and $600.
Tech
Top Western Digital Promo Code 2026
Started more than 50 years ago, data storage company Western Digital is one of the world’s largest computer hard disk drive manufacturers, and produces solid-state drives (SSDs) and flash memory devices. Western Digital makes all the essentials for home office and business digital storage, whether you want to back up via cloud storage, easily take your presentation on a USB flash drive to your next important meeting, or upgrade your home security surveillance’s storage system, Western Digital has what you need—and we have promo codes to help you save.
Recycle and Save 15% Off With Western Digital Promo
One of the biggest issues of our modern life is how to responsibly recycle e-waste. That’s why Western Digital makes it easier to recycle your old, broken, or defunct electronics. With Western Digital’s Easy Recycle program, you can safely dispose of NAS systems and internal or external HDDs and SSDs. Plus, they recycle devices from any manufacturer—not just Western Digital products. And when you go green and recycle through their program, you’ll get a 15% off Western Digital promo code that counts towards your next purchase of $50 or more when you shop online at Western Digital.
Get 10% Off With a Western Digital Coupon Code
Right now, you can save 10% on your first order when you sign up to receive emails from Western Digital. All you need to do is head to Western Digital’s promo page, where you’ll input your email to sign up for special offers, promotions, and that Western Digital promo code for 10% off. The code will be sent to your inbox where you can use it to save on tech essentials.
Does Western Digital Have Free Shipping?
Western Digital has even more ways to save, with free standard shipping on eligible orders of $50 or more for non-members. Western Digital members receive free standard shipping on all eligible orders in the lower 48.
Additional Western Digital Deals
Western Digital has education discounts, where students and teachers can get up to 15% off purchases after verifying their status with Youth Discount. Once their identity is verified, they’ll get a voucher code sent to their inbox to use at checkout. Western Digital also has a 15% discount for seniors 55 years or older. Seniors just need to verify their status with Senior Discount. Once age is verified, folks will get a Western Digital promo code sent to their email to save.
In a commitment to sustainability, Western Digital has a program with Easy Recycle, where you can safely dispose of NAS systems and internal or external HDDs and SSDs. (They’ll also recycle devices from any manufacturer, not just Western Digital). As a token of appreciation for participating in their initiative for a greener future, participants can get 15% off their next purchase of $50 or more.
Choosing the Right Western Digital Product
It’s hard to know which is the right digital storage system for you—in fact, we even made a handy guide on How to Back Up Your Digital Life, and have a whole roundup of some of our favorite WIRED-tested external hard drives. In a similar vein, Western Digital created a FAQ webpage on how to choose the right storage drive for your needs, like budget and data. A Western Digital Hardrive is a budget-friendly option that delivers the capacity needed to store years of photos, videos, backups, workloads, and archives. While a Western Digital SSD offers fast and reliable responsiveness for more large-scale operating systems and active projects.
Tech
The Best LED Skincare Deals I’ve Seen This Mother’s Day Are at Megelin
The red-light therapy market shows no signs of slowing down. According to Fortune Business Insights, the industry is projected to grow from $1.21 billion in 2026 to $1.76 billion by 2034. Riding that wave is Hong Kong-based Megelin, which is currently running its largest Mother’s Day sale yet, offering major discounts on most of its LED devices and select electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) tools.
I’ve been testing the Duo Lux Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask for the past two weeks as part of a six-week trial. While I’m still forming my final verdict, I already have some early thoughts (more on that below). In the meantime, check out the standout deals because some of these discounts might be too good to pass up while they’re live.
This Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask Is $270 Off
The Megelin Duo Lux Laser & LED Light Therapy Mask combines 660-nanometer (nm) and 1,064-nm lasers with a 660-nm LED light for a more intensive treatment. The brand claims it can help smooth wrinkles, soothe inflammation, reduce pigmentation, and minimize redness. After two weeks of testing, I haven’t noticed any visible changes in my skin just yet, though to its credit, I also haven’t experienced any irritation or adverse reactions.
My biggest issue was the initial unboxing experience: The mask had a strong chemical odor that reminded me of formaldehyde. For a device that sits against your face and doesn’t have a mouth opening, that’s not exactly reassuring. Wiping it down and letting it air out significantly reduced the smell, but it definitely made for a less-than-ideal first impression.
That said, the mask itself is extremely comfortable. The soft, flexible silicone contours well to the face, and the dual-strap design keeps it secure without feeling restrictive. Treatments are quick and easy to customize thanks to four different modes, all controlled through an attached remote. And because it’s cordless, you’re free to move around while using it.
At full price, it’s a steep investment compared to its competitors. But with the current $270 discount, it becomes a much more compelling option, especially given the added laser therapy component, which isn’t as common at this price point. I’ll continue testing through the full six-week period before sharing my final verdict, but if you’re tempted to take advantage of the sale now, Megelin does offer a 60-day money-back guarantee and a one-year warranty.
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