Virgin Atlantic to Integrate iBeacon Technology Into London’s Heathrow Airport
Virgin Atlantic is reportedly gearing up to integrate Apple’s iBeacon technology into London’s Heathrow Airport, according to Re/code. The airliner will be using beacons sourced from startup Estimote, as the transmitters will be deployed near businesses and terminals to notify users of promotional deals and areas of interest.
An In one use case, passengers would receive an offer on their phone for no-fee currency exchange as they near that place of business. The program, which will utilize Apple’s iBeacon technology and the Passbook iOS app, follows a trial in which airline employees donned Google Glass as they greeted first-class passengers upon entering the airport.
First introduced during Apple’s 2013 Worldwide Developers Conference, iBeacons enable iOS devices to wirelessly communicate with physical beacons through Bluetooth, as the transmitters are able to deliver specific information to apps when a user is nearby.
iBeacon technology has also been utilized in a number of unique ways since the end of 2013. Shopping app Shopkick and Macy’s teamed up to integrate the technology into stores to aide consumers, while Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association have used iBeacons to provide enhanced in-stadium experiences. Apple has even implemented iBeacons into its own retail stores to provide customers with product information and deals, while a London-based cafe and the Consumer Electronics Show have also featured the technology.
Logitech Unveils New Case+ Product with Multiple Accessories [iOS Blog]
Logitech has unveiled its new Case [+] product for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5, which contains a metal case and multiple magnetic attachments including a leather cover, a mount for use with vehicles, a wallet, and an external battery.
The Logitech Case [+]
The [+] tilt attachment provides users with a leather cover that can also be used on the rear of the iPhone as a mount or kickstand, while the [+] drive attachment can be used as a magnetic mounting solution on a car’s dashboard or windshield. Both attachments connect to the back of the case, while the [+] tilt attachment can be detached to be used as an earbud wrap.
Logitech’s [+] tilt Attachment
Case [+] also includes a [+] wallet accessory that can be attached to the back of the phone to hold cash, credit cards, and keys, as Logitech’s “Magnashield Technology” prevents cards from being demagnetized. Finally, the [+] energy attachment includes a mountable 2,300 mAh battery that utilizes a port connector, and also includes LED lights that display how much battery is left in the case.
Logitech’s [+] energy Attachment
Logitech’s Case [+] system will be available later this month for $199 and can be preordered now from the company’s official website.
Spotify for Android updated to provide an even better user experience
Spotify has announced a new update available for download in the Play Store.
The new update features an refreshed interface with a black theme, new typography and rounded iconography.
Also added to their offering is a feature called Your Music, which allows you to save and organize songs or albums for listening later.
Spotify is also introducing the Browse feature which allows you to select the perfect playlist to set the mood or occasion.
This update looks to add to the extensive list of features already offered by the Spotify app, and should be rolling out now.
Source: Spotify, images via Phonedog
The post Spotify for Android updated to provide an even better user experience appeared first on AndroidGuys.
OnePlus One phone available to the masses this June
OnePlus, a subsidy of Chinese phone maker Oppo, has published a statement that the highly anticipated One unlocked phone will become generally available to the public this June. In the oneplus.net forums, OnePlus has stated:
“When we started OnePlus, one of the first things we announced was that our product would be available internationally in Q2 2014. We’re well on track of achieving that….”,
In addition, the OnePlus project has highlighted the below milestones which show the progress of the various phases.
- Ready now – 100 for phone smashers
- Mid to late May – Larger batch 16GB Silk White for the first batch of invites
- Early June – Larger batch 64GB Sandstone Black
- Later in June – Increased general availability, people who want it should be able to get an invite without much trouble in June”
The One’s media is touting the device as a almost-pure Android device that has (initially) impressive physical build and specifications, while still being priced at $299 unlocked.
You can find previous AG news one the OnePlus One here.
The post OnePlus One phone available to the masses this June appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google will also stop scanning business and government Gmail inboxes for ads
Student Gmail accounts aren’t the only ones safe from Google’s prying eyes. Apparently, the company’s also pulling its targeted ad scanners from Gmail inboxes for businesses and government, as well as from free legacy accounts. Mountain View’s confirmed to TechCrunch that it’ll completely kill the enable/disable toggle for targeted ads for those users. These lucky people will just never see another link hawking Viagra (hey, show me a Spam folder without at least one of those emails) on their interface by default. Google didn’t explain why it has decided to stop scanning these accounts after years of doing so. But this development’s probably linked to the same lawsuit that prompted the company to stop mining students’ inboxes.
Source: TechCrunch
Vince Zampella Co-founds Nuclear Division; Mobile Gaming Has Taken a Step Toward Awesome
One of video gaming’s greatest developers, Vince Zampella, the man behind the good Call of Duty games (in my opinion) and Titanfall has recently co-founded and invested in the mobile game developer, Nuclear Division.
Not much is known outside the fact that Vince Zampella will only act as an investor/advisor to Nuclear Division while still remaining at Respawn Entertainment, although that is still great news. It is great to see a legendary developer such as Vince Zampella start to take mobile to the next level; it will only be a matter of time till other legends will get behind mobile and more legends will be created because of mobile.
I myself cannot wait to see what will come from this partnership, whether it be a mobile version of Titanfall or something that will be great in its own right. One thing I know for sure is this is truly a sign of great things to come.
Source: Game Informer
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This could be how ancient Egyptians moved rocks to build pyramids
Long before the days of trucks and bulldozers, ancient Egyptians were building pyramids out of heavy rocks they had to haul by hand. After getting slowed down in the desert terrain, they figured out a way to make transporting heavy stones a little easier using water. According to a new study published by researchers at the University of Amsterdam, workers would place rocks on a sledge (a platform of sorts) and then wet the sand underneath, making it twice as stiff. The firm ground made it a heck of a lot easier to pull the rock along, reducing the amount of workers needed to get each stone to its destination. It’s the same difference you might notice walking on the beach near the water, versus dry patches further up.
The study, which was published this week in Physical Review Letters, tells us not only about how our predecessors got along, but how it could help us as well. The transport of granular materials like sand, coal and concrete currently account for 10 percent of the world’s energy consumption. If we can come up with a more efficient way to move those things around, we could potentially save a ton of energy (and cash) in the process.
Image credit: Lansbricae (Luis Leclere) via Getty Image
Via: Phys.org
Source: Physical Review Letters
Sky Go and Now TV both coming to British PS4s this summer
Quietly mentioned inside Sky’s financial report for this quarter, the broadcaster has revealed that two of its streaming services will arrive on the PlayStation 4 in just a few months. Details are scant (it just says what we’ve written above), but both Sky Go (for existing Sky subscribers) and the more free-and-loose Now TV will both debut on the Sony console. They’ll have a fight on their hands: they’ll be up against the likes of Netflix and Amazon Instant Video. Sky also announced that it’s renewed its movie deal with Paramount, giving it exclusive broadcast rights to the likes of Anchorman 2 and Noah. So, not even a mention of the Xbox One — but at least that console’s doing its own thing.
Update: Sky has issued a fuller press release which also mentions that Sky Go will find its way to PS3 owners (who’ve so far only had access to Now TV on their consoles).
Filed under: Gaming, Internet, Software, HD, Sony
Source: Sky
Redbox Instant for Android arrives on Chromecast
If you’ve been hoping for Redbox Instant to come join the Chromecast party, then your wish has just been granted. The Android app’s latest update gives you the power to beam whatever flick you want to watch from a phone or tablet to the biggest display in your house. Sure, you’ve been happily casting Netflix movies, as well as HBO Go and Hulu Plus shows for months, but it’s a nice bonus if you also use Redbox Instant regularly, despite a comparably smaller library. As for those who couldn’t care less about this app, don’t worry — it’s only a matter of time before more apps add Chromecast compatibility.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, HD, Mobile, Google
Via: Android Central
Source: Google Play
Google Search Adds Parking! PushBullet Gets More Awesome! – App Updates
It is Wednesday, so you know Google updated some of their apps. Those apps ended up being Google Search, Google Play Games, and Chrome Beta, and they are pretty nice updates. PushBullet also updated with a slew of new features, and if you are not using that app currently, there is something wrong with you.
App Updates
Google Search Update
Google Play update
PushBullet update
AcDisplay Beta update
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