Accessories supporting LoopPay mobile payments coming for Samsung devices
Later this year, owners of select Samsung devices will be able to use LoopPay when unique cases are released. LoopPay has partnered with XPAL Power and Trident Case to develop cases for Samsung devices that have its mobile payments technology built-in. The two devices to receive accessories first are the Galaxy S 5 and Galaxy Note 4. A back cover will be available for the Galaxy S 5 and an entire case for the Galaxy Note 4. The latter will allow for protection in addition to LoopPay functionality. Samsung has been said to be eyeing the mobile payments space like Apple, but nothing has materialized just yet.
Source: LoopPay (PDF)
Come comment on this article: Accessories supporting LoopPay mobile payments coming for Samsung devices
Update to Google Translate reportedly bringing automatic voice translation
Google Translate is quite handy when you’re in a pinch, but the app doesn’t come without its woes. When translating, it’s a bit slow and doesn’t really provide a natural conversation experience if you’re trying to communicate with someone that speaks a different language. According to The New York Times, the Translate app is getting an update that should fix those problems. The app will reportedly be able to recognize detected speech then translate it to text in real time to any language you’d like. This will offer a much more fluent experience for users who need something translated at a moment’s notice.
Also according to the report, Google is looking into releasing an app that can read text through the camera and translate it to multiple different languages. In case you forgot, Google purchased Quest Visual, the folks behind Word Lens, about eight months ago. Thanks to that acquisition, we knew something like this would eventually be released. But since this is a very difficult technology to develop, it is obviously taking a bit of time to launch.
No information has been disclosed on when the application will get the update, but we’ll be sure to let you know when updates start rolling out.
LG G Flex 2 rumored with more affordable sticker price
The LG G Flex 2 could come in with a more affordable price point than its predecessor, or so it might appear. According to a listing on Amazon.de, the new flagship handset is listed with an off-contract cost of EUR 599 or shakes out to around $600 US. Cheaper than the first generation by about $100, it likely will bring the contract price down as well. As some may recall, the first G Flex ran $299 with a two-year agreement when it first launched.
Price point aside, we’ve been very impressed with what we’ve seen in the G Flex 2. Pictures and specs don’t do this one justice; it’s truly a gorgeous device and one we can’t wait to get our hands on. Throw in this rumored lower cost and we’re really feeling it. How about you?
via PhoneArena
The post LG G Flex 2 rumored with more affordable sticker price appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Google Launches Chrome Remote Desktop App for iOS [iOS Blog]
Google today launched a Chrome Remote Desktop app for iOS, which allows Chrome users to access their Mac or PC desktop computers remotely using an iOS device. Google has had an Android version of the Chrome Remote Desktop app for several months and has finally brought the tool to iOS.
To access a PC or Mac remotely with the new app, users will first need to install the Chrome Remote Desktop, which is a free download from the Chrome Web Store. With both the browser app and the iOS app, it’s possible for users to access their computers on an iOS device through the Chrome browser with a few simple taps after verifying through a generated code.
Securely access your computers from your iOS device.
– On each of your computers, set up remote access using the Chrome Remote Desktop app from Chrome Web Store.
– On your iOS device, open the app and tap on any of your online computers to connect.
In addition to allowing access from an iOS device with the new app, Google’s Chrome Remote Desktop feature also allows computer-to-computer access, which Google suggests is useful for securely accessing files on one machine from another or giving a friend temporary access to help solve a computer problem.
The Chrome Remote Desktop app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Marsh Supermarkets and inMarket Launching First iBeacon Platform for Apple’s Upcoming Watch
Marsh Supermarkets and inMarket today are announcing the launch of a new iBeacon platform throughout Marsh’s 75 supermarket locations that will enable Apple Watch users to receive interactive alerts and other content on their devices based on their proximity to Marsh’s beacons. The program is the first integration of iBeacon technology with Apple’s wearable product, which is expected to launch to the public in the next several months.
“iBeacons have created new ways to connect with mobile shoppers in the store, and inMarket allows us to reach many of our shoppers through the apps they love and use everyday,” said Amit Bhardwaj, Senior Director of Customer Loyalty, Marsh Supermarkets. “Now with wearable integration, shoppers who use Apple Watch will enjoy the same digitally-augmented, real-world shopping experience.”
Marsh and inMarket are working together to develop a platform that will initially include Marsh’s own app and inMarket’s List Ease app, with other apps likely to quickly follow. As envisioned, inMarket’s beacons in Marsh stores will be able to trigger alerts such as shopping lists, ads, and other content for customers who use Marsh’s mobile app or one of the apps that incorporate inMarket’s Proximity SDK.
Customers who opt into the program could receive offers, recipes, and other alerts on their mobile devices as they walk through the grocery store, and the system will automatically extend to the Apple Watch on day one as the apps are updated to add support for the device.
Marsh may be the first to extend Apple’s iBeacon capabilities to the Apple Watch, but it isn’t the first to adopt the location-based technology. Retailer Macy’s, Virgin Atlantic airlines and Major League Baseball are among the early adopters that rolled out iBeacons in their respective venues.
12 Days of Hidden Gems – Our wrap and user poll of what you want to see next!
A few weeks ago, Windows Central in conjunction with Microsoft kicked off our second Hidden Gems campaign dubbed 12 Days of Hidden Gems. The goal of the program is to give some in-depth coverage of apps on Windows and Windows Phone that you may not have known about. Additionally, we allocated $12,000 in prizes to be given away (announcement of the winners is coming soon).
Now that the program has winded down and we start off 2015, we figured we would do a small recap of what was covered, in case you missed our reviews. Furthermore, we are adding a poll at the end so that you can tell us what categories you find most interesting so that we can tailor our future coverage towards your wants.
MLS soccer app updated with Material look, fresh colors and new content
We’ve rolled over into 2015, and that means the major yearly update to the official MLS soccer app is here. This year the design changes are big to fit in with the overall re-branding of MLS itself, from the new logo down to the strong use of white with small accents of red and blue across the app. You may also notice that the app is no longer called “MLS Matchday,” and is instead just “MLS” in the Play Store.
CBS News for iOS gets live news streaming in latest update
If you consider yourself a news junky, that addiction may have just gotten a tad easier to satisfy. The CBS News app scored a pretty big update today that brings a redesign and several new features. However, the most notable addition is full in-app access to CBSN, the network’s 24-hour streaming news channel.
Here’s what’s new in version 3.0:
- CBS News has been completely redesigned and is now a single iOS 8 compatible universal app for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
- Now featuring CBSN: a 24/7 streaming video news channel that features original CBS News reporting, live anchored coverage and on-demand news segments.
- Expanded video offering from the CBS News programs, now includes more show subcategories and complete 60 Minutes segments and 48 Hours episodes from the current week’s shows.
- New, gorgeous full screen photo galleries.
- Breaking news push notifications.
Of course, on top of the above changes, several parts of the app were redesigned to improve the user experience. For example, there is now a customizable pop-out navigation menu and a new “quick read” feature for skimming an article before jumping into the full thing.
The update looks pretty solid, and the ability to stream content from CBSN on the go is a pretty big deal, so be sure to check the app out from the link below.
- Free – Download Now
Local Motors’ 3D-printed car meets the Detroit Auto Show
Local Motors already pulled off its “3D print a car on the tradeshow floor” stunt once, so of course it’s doing it again at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI. This time however, the Strati that it’s building is production-ready (a mid-model refresh, it says), as Local Motors plans to launch two new micro-factories. One is set for Tennessee and the other will be in Washington DC, apparently ready to deliver vehicles later this year. If you’re not familiar with the process, Local Motors prints just about everything it can, including the frame, exterior and some interior features, before plugging in the wiring, suspension, motor etc. that are sourced from the Renault Twizy. The company still isn’t ready to talk price, but it wants to shorten the production process from its current 44-hour length to just about 24 hours.
Filed under: Transportation
Via: Autoblog
Source: Local Motors
[Deal] Amazon Offering Nexus 9 for $50 Off
If you’ve been in the market for the Nexus 9 but balked at the somewhat high price tag, Amazon is currently running a deal to get any available model Nexus 9 for $50 off. This includes black or white versions with either 16GB or 32GB of storage. Unfortunately, this does not appear to include the sand color model or the LTE version and only applies to devices shipped and sold by Amazon.
The Nexus 9 has received mixed-to-positive reviews, with most praising it for the solid machine that it is while simultaneously expressing disappointment over some sluggishness and build quality that are unbecoming of a 5.0 Lollipop flagship piece of hardware.
Regardless, the Nexus 9 has a great 2K screen, a Tegra K1 processor, 2GB of RAM, dual-band AC WiFi, and comes shipped with pure Lollipop.
No word on how long the deal will last, but $50 discounts don’t come that often, so it’ll likely only be available as long as supply holds. Hit up the link below if the Nexus 9 is for you.
Source: Amazon
Come comment on this article: [Deal] Amazon Offering Nexus 9 for $50 Off
AIVAnet 