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IRISH FILMMAKER SIMON Fitzmaurice has died aged 43.
The well-known film director was diagnosed with motor neuron disease in 2008.
He wrote a book It’s Not Yet Dark which described his life with the disease. It was adapted into a film and selected for the prestigious Sundance Film Festival this year.
He is survived by his wife Ruth and their five children Jack, Raife, Arden, Sadie and Hunter.
Tributes for the author and film director are being shared across social media:
The funeral mass for Fitzmaurice will take place in Greystones tomorrow afternoon.
O2 are really uncompetitive when it comes to their data allowance. For this reason they are going to lose me, a customer since the very beginning.
same… the death of their unlimited download allowance has put me right off… for less Three offer all you can eat.. including tethering… O2 just isn’t a good smartphone network anymore be it Android, Windows or iOS
Totally agree Michael, im with O2 and i’m looking for an upgrade to iphone4 and it will cost me €199, i can get the exact same offer if i cancel my contract and sign a new one, some upgrade! If i sign ip to Vodafone i get an iphone4 for free! I’ll be switching!
If I’m reading that right, 150MB, then I’m gone too. I’m out of contract on the 4 and there’s no hope of keeping me as a customer with a junk offering like that.
Wow overpriced for prepay
Why bother just get the Samsung Galaxy S2 voted best phone of 2011. Iphones are just look at me look at me, will you think i am special. What a con job i had one so i should know..Youtube Galaxy S2
voted best phone by whom ? irrespective its a completely meaningless accolade anyway as its utterly subjective to the users requirements. though it is an excellent phone and probably the phone i’d consider if not an iphone
With the amount of iPhones being sold, I don’t there is anything ‘look at me’ about them anymore – any Samsung I’ve had has been pure gunk. iPhone suits me, it works, and user interface is bang on. And I was anti-apple for a long time.
@ Paul That is a ridiculous comment, I bought an iPhone because I like the functions and the ease of use. I was a loyal Nokia customer until 2 years ago and now I love the iPhone. I didn’t buy it to show off, I got it for free on an upgrade. I know people with the galaxy and very few of them rant and rave about them – a few of my mates hate them. Perhaps you socialise with presumptuous people but try not to cast your stereotypical aspersions on the rest of us.
I switched from an iPhone to galaxy s2 which is indeed a nicer phone, lightweight and good screen which does not crack when you breath on it unlike the iPhone. Dont expect any thumbs up from the apple fanboys, you’d swear apple invented everything good in this world
I have an ip4 and the wife has a galaxy and we both agree the Samsung is just a fisher price copy of an apple
The galaxy S2 is great but its bloody huge
@kerrill, you must have really bad breath!:)
Galaxy s2 voted best phone evet in the whole like world 2011….so says Paul Curley. :D
If you want the source, here. http://awards.t3.com/categories/phone-of-the-year
Was awarded by the readers of tech magazine T3.
I left O2 after being a customer for about 12 years, I took the 3 promotion on iPhone for €50/month and all u can eat data, very satisfied.
Me too can even watch unlimited tv with a slingbox connected to the cable dvr box at home. 3 are the business.
Here here lads,I’m with O2 since the start but with meteor offering a price plan of 5GB of data in comparison with 02′s paltry 150 mb of data for roughly the same price per month, they must be stupid or taking their customers for granted. I assume it’s the latter. They have just lost a loyal customer.
02′s pricing isn’t reflective of the digital Ireland of today at all. On the day the Dublin Web Summit opens they release their price plans and give a measly 150mb’s + calls and texts for €40 per month? 150mb’s????? Seriously?
It amazes me as 02UK, granted a bigger carrier are offering a basic package of 100 minutes and 500 texts for £15.50 with a 1gb add on for £10. £25.50 is just under €29!
Does anyone else think this is strange??
I’m with Meteor – 400 minutes, 400 texts and 5GB’s of internet which can be tethered….free of charge….for €60 p/month. With 250 free texts online. That’s a provider.
Now, I think I may go write a blog on this…
The only problem there is meteors coverage is pants.
I distinctly remember reading an article which said that the new iPhone was not going to be as expensive as previous ones… Hmmm
The iPhone 4s is cheaper, it’s the carriers that are stitching customers up.
3 is giving unlimited data …
Paul,
I foolishly listened to people like you in the past. I originally had an iPhone 4 but after some colleagues recommended the Samsung Galaxy S2 and I read up a few reviews about it, I decided to switch and went on an 18 month contract. It’s not as good a phone as the iPhone 4 (in my opinion). I find that the functionality, processing speed, design and feel of the iPhone 4 is much better. I’m not sure of your personal situation but I find that the people who say the Galaxy is a much better phone have never used the iPhone, forgive me if you are not one of these people. Personally, I’m strongly thinking about splashing out the extra cash to move back on to an iPhone on my current contract and selling my S2 to some unsuspecting “review raver”.
What I would recommend to other people is before you buy a phone, whether it be an iPhone or a S2, try borrow one off a friend or family member for an hour and make up your own mind.
The industry loves people like you. If you like a phone stick with it – don’t switch just because someone raves about a new bit of tech. It’s not like the iphone 4 was an old piece of kit when you switched the first time and the s2 will be fine for you until the iphone 5 (which will be the real upgrade) comes out. You make it sound like the s2 is a dog – it’s not.
How do you know somebody has an Iphone? . . . They tell you!
Ludicrously high tariffs. Phone companies rubbing their hands.
Switched to three from O2 to 30 euro sim only in the iPhone 4 and saved forty euro per month. I got better minutes, more texts and approx 60x data. O2 are trying (and failing miserably) to commoditise data to generate revenue as Skype etc on smartphones is eroding their traditional source of revenue. They are losing customers every day with this “new” business plan. Go and educate ur selves and see how poor value their service is. With their current plans they offer some of the worst value to be had in the Irish market.
O2 are a joke.Im with them since day one also but will be gone as soon as my contract is up!I could use 150mb in a day!
Voice activation on iPhone 4s will not work in Ireland, so I will stick with iPhone 4, because without that they are the same Phone, but you will be paying huge money for nothing.
Works fine for me here. The screen mirroring with the Apple TV is great too. For me the voice stuff is a bit of a gimmick although it is easier to set alarms by asking the robot girl t do it for me.
AFAIK Siri (voice assistant) is enabled in Ireland, but it has difficulty with accents, so accuracy may not be as good as the US. Sure we all speak at 100mph anyway … http://www.siliconrepublic.com/digital-life/item/24180-siri-coming-to-ireland-but
Why are the call plans so bad, compared to what you get in UK? No wonder phone companies love here so much! We’ll pay any amount without question.
Yeah o2′s price plans are crazy… 150mb data is just 8% of the allowance iphone 4 customers got (2gb) for the same price. I don’t know how they can get away with that…
I’ve another 5 months to go on an 18 month contract with o2 but as we’re using mobile apps more and more on the go (o2 obviously know this), it doesn’t make sense from a customers point of view to reduce their data allowance by 92% & lock themselves in to that package for a year or more…
Dont go with vodafone, unless you want countless problems and extremely bad customer service !!
O2 would want to get with the programme, I also was with them for donkeys years and an upgrade was the same price as a new contract, so I switched over to Meteor, new Galaxy s2 (excellent phone) with 200 texts and mins and 1gig data which I dont even reach even using it as a hotspot.
Oh and for €30/month
Millions of iPhone 4s’s sold in the first week of launch. They must be doing something right to gain that kind of brand loyalty.
Sympathy purchases after yer man died.
Small market = High prices. Simples.
More Apple propaganda, if they ran a candidate called Apple in the elections you lot would vote for it.
What relevance does this article have to current affairs, its not like its a bad news day.
Don’t read it then! Or maybe there should only be articles that you are interested in…?
It would seem the fanboys are getting upset. Please read a review fanboys
So Gordon, you think that an article on what tarriffs are available for an iPhone are worthy of a valid article? give me a break.
3 are the way forward the all you can eat data is unbeatable!!
Agreed – unlimited data unlocks your smartphone. Tethering on an android is a great feature. You can use your monthly minutes/text/data allowance in certain courties while abroad too.
Yeah with 3 and with their monthly price plans you can use your phone in the likes of Italy, the Uk, Hong King and Australia for the same price as if ur at home in ireland. Great not having to worry about bill shock when using the Internet etc in those countries
What’s 3 coverage like. Still using the 3GS think it’s great. Will stick with it till the iphone 5 comes out. I’m on o2 but will look around when the contract is up.
Fanboys fanboys you bought into a gimmick thats all. Samsung Galaxy S2 please read a review. Read any US review in the last week CNET for one get educated before you sign any contract
Laughable comment
I switched from O2 to three also, got rid of my broadband at home, and I use my phone to tether the Internet, cant beat unlimited data, oh did I tell you Paul?! I have an iphone4!!
If you don’t have an iphone, you don’t have a chronic masturbation habit.. ;-)
Sorry, Apple lovers. Give me a decent Android handset any day of the week. Can’t wait for the Samsung Nexus running Ice cream sandwich – it’s gonna be a beast!!
Wait until you see vodafones pricing plan. At least O2 give you 150mbs for the basic price.
Why would I pay that for a phone whose firmware is already archaic compared to top-of-the-range Samsungs and HTCs?
Why would I pay that? Oh yeah, because the amtenna works in this one.
Wait a month or so and get the new Samsung Nexus *slobber*
Why will voice activation not work in ireland ??
Samsung beats Apple smartphones http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15489523
Guys help i am with o2 due upgrade now from my iphone 3gs want to get new iphone 4 thats out today is the three network better lets know tanx
Much much better their network was built for smart phones and their data plans cannot be beaten
All your points are valid LostinTallaght ‘What’s the point in telling you what you know already?’ Reinforced knowledge is Power, that’s why : ) Ireland is still HUGELY expensive, based on the Celtic Tiger era – and here’s something else you probably know – someone overfed the Celtic Tiger and he died of morbid obesity : ) The sooner retailers realise they can’t keep over-charging informed Irish consumers the better, me thinks : )
My iPhone 5gs has an unlimited smoke signal package. Burnt the thing saved myself a fortune…hope ya got this msg.
Nice to know there are people in Ireland who can still afford 95 euro a month for a mobile phone. My daughter pays 30 pounds per month for a very similar package in England. Ireland still hasn’t realised that most people are no longer rich. But on a personal level, there’s still some leeway for personal economies of scale : ) My virginmedia package in England, giving me phone, unlimited internet AND cable TV, costs just 45 pounds per month, with minor variations. ‘Cut your cloth according to your means’ I say and use price comparisons in both the UK and Ireland to encourage Ireland to give a fair deal.
There’s only one thing more mind numbing than people in Ireland complaining about the cost of stuff (especially a ‘luxury’ service like mobile phone service) and that’s people who have gone abroad telling people in Ireland how much cheaper stuff there is. Guess what Marian – WE KNOW! We’re not that insulated that we don’t know that we’re being ripped off sometimes. Is Virginmedia available here? No, so what’s the point in telling us their cost? Does it make you feel better about your life? There are economies of scale available in the UK that Ireland will never be able to benefit from, surely you understand this?
I would imagine 99% of the people on a €95 per month tarrif are business users that don’t pay their own monthly bill. €30pm will get you a perfectly good package from Three which will suit the majority of bill pay users with a smartphone.
Blackberry all the way
Fanboys please read todays BBC news tech for the facts.
Are meteor only offering 2year contracts with this new iPhone too? Seems very expensive when compared to my current desire hd which cost €160 for the handset on a €20/month 12 month contract with 30 texts and 60 minutes.
here’s a good comparison video samsung g s2 v’s iphone4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t78KfESnFE0 after i watched it i picked the samsung
Any chance of a table?
Daniel – We had a go but it actually becomes a little bit impractical given the way that different price plans change depending on whether you’re entitled to an upgrade or whether you’re changing provider.
Pricing shown there is confusing & infact misleading.
On Vodafone’s STANDARD plan of €45/mth for 18months the 16gb phone price is €419!!!
Over priced as usual but that’s how Apple make their money.
Actually even more outrageous is the plan where you pay €100 per month for 18 months and STILL have to pay €169 for the phone! Rip-off.
EM – That’s the same general pricing model as every network – the cheaper the monthly plan, the dearer the phone. The article says Vodafone’s plans start from those prices.
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