How Apple Watch will be your digital wallet… and keychain
Information broker. Health tracker. Digital wallet and keys. Communicator. Remote Control. We might not have gotten it presented on stage like that, but we still got it — it’s all one product. It’s the Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch is going to be different things to different people — sometimes singularly, but often in combination. One of the things that will likely be compelling to many is Apple Watch as digital wallet and keychain. We’ve seen Apple Pay already, but when it comes to authentication, there’s a lot more to see.
Apple Pay
With the Apple Watch, you have Apple Pay — Apple’s mobile payment system — right on your wrist. Load your credit and debit cards into your iPhone, put on your Apple Watch, and then authenticate with Touch ID or your passcode. As long as the sensors on the back of your Apple Watch stay in contact with your skin, you can double tap the button, use the default card or swipe to another, and use your Apple Watch to pay at any supporting NFC terminal. It uses a one-time token to protect your information, and a subtle tap confirms the purchase.
Best of all, you can use Apple Pay on your Apple Watch even when you don’t have your iPhone with you. So, if you’re out for a jog and need a refreshing beverage, it’s only a double-click away.
Home keys
The Alarm.com app will not only let you monitor a live feed of your home from your Apple Watch but also do things like open or close your garage door, even when you’re far from home. There are already iPhone apps that let you not only lock or unlock your front door, but allow access from afar on an as-needed basis.
The time could come where, whether we’re driving home or walking to the door, our Apple Watch identifies us and authenticates us, and is the only key we need to get in.
Away keys
The Starwood Hotel & Resorts app — think W and Aloft — not only lets you check in and find your room, right from the Apple Watch, but it lets you open the door as well. No, it’s not using some private NFC access, it’s just using some very, very clever technology to make sure when your watch gets close to your door, it unlocks for you and you alone. Starwood may be the first, but it probably won’t be the last. Hospitality could be big for Apple Watch.
Disney already uses bands to do almost everything at its parks. Perhaps one day Apple Watch will do the same, but at every venue.
On-the-go keys
In a recent interview, Apple CEO, Tim Cook, said Apple Watch could replace car keys and the “clumsy, large fobs” that are used in many current vehicles.
Just like with home automation, there are already iPhone apps that allow for monitoring and accessing electric cars. Moving those to Apple Watch seems inevitable.
Voice as passport
Apple’s personal digital assistant, Siri is built into the Apple Watch and into Apple’s home automation framework, HomeKit. That means at least some of the tasks mentioned about, if integrated, could be performed not only with the Apple Watch’s proximity, but with voice control as well.
Whether at home or away, with the lift of our wrists and a “Hey, Siri!”, our voice could literally, finally become our passports.
The future of wearable security
We’re at the very beginning of Apple Watch and wearable security. Traditional Bluetooth trusted devices were dumb — taking one took ownership along with it. The Apple Watch can know our identity based on Touch ID, however, and know state due to skin contact. It’s trust made smart. And that opens a lot of doors, figuratively and literally.
How quickly and how well it all comes together is something only time can tell, but having become accustomed to biometrics and having tried the Apple Watch, I think it’s going to be transformative.
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Dog Up – a high flying endless runner game for Windows Phone
There are plenty of Windows Phone games with potential lining the Store shelves. These are often game titles with a solid concept but ones that fall a little shot on execution. Dog Up is an endless runner game for your Windows Phone that has you piloting a hot air balloon through a maze of obstacles with the goal of collecting as many floating bones as possible.
Dog Up is available for low-memory Windows Phones and is one of the many games that have potential. As is, the game is a challenging and well drawn up title but it just needs a little something, something to push it over the edge.
Farming Simulator 15 plows its way to the Xbox One May 19
Very soon you will be able to simulate working hard outside from the comfort of your couch and your Xbox One. Focus Home Interactive has announced that Farming Simulator 15 will be released for Microsoft’s console, along with Sony’s PlayStation 4, on May 19.
Why get an OtterBox when you can save 46% on this BlackBerry Q10 CONVERT Combo
Designed to have impacts like the beast it is, this CONVERT Combo for BlackBerry Q10 features multiple layers including a slim hard shell, rugged skin and exoskeleton topped with a built-in screen protector. It even has a durable belt clip holster to snap the case into on your belt or pocket! On sale today for only $26.95
Pixelmator for iPad adds watercolor brushes, a new color picker, and more
Pixelmator for iPad has been updated to version 1.1, adding new, more powerful ways to create and edit images including new brushes, a better painting engine, and support for Adonit styluses.
Pixelmator has added a new set of 12 watercolor brushes to help you create realistic watercolor paintings. The app also has a refreshed color picker, which will remember your previously-selected colors. Read below for the full list of changes:
- Unique watercolor painting technology allows creating real-life-looking watercolor paintings
- 12 new beautiful artist-designed watercolor brushes
- The new Color Picker now features the history of your previously used colors
- Use the new Color Grid in the new Color Picker to pick colors even more precisely
- Optimized Painting Engine gives you up to 2 times faster painting performance
- Now you can open 16-bit RGB, CMYK and Grayscale Photoshop image previews, as well as Photoshop images containing layer masks
- Insert an image as a new layer right from your iCloud Drive
- Use the Lock Alpha feature to paint on the non-transparent parts of a layer
- Preview of your brush while adjusting its settings
- Open and edit RAW image previews
- Full support for Adonit Jot Script, Jot Touch 4, Jot Touch with Pixelpoint styluses
- Enhanced stylus pressure sensitivity with all styluses
Attention to Detail
- Scale images without constraining proportions: Tools > Format > Arrange > Constrain Proportions
- Invert image colors with the new Invert color adjustment preset
- Open PDF files from your email or any other app
- See precise color values while selecting colors with the Eyedropper
- Adjust the settings of an effect more accurately with enhanced slider sensitivity Zoom into your image while still tweaking the effect’s settings
- Rotate text more accurately with the new text rotation slider: Tools > Format > Arrange
- Toggle between full-screen mode more easily
- Optimized memory use allows to undo much faster while painting
- Cleaner Eyedropper Interface
- Refreshed look of the Gradient Picker
- Auto Save improvements
- Updated Wacom Stylus SDK for even more precise painting
Fixes:
- Memory leak fixes
- Fixed Eyedropper crashes that happened while rotating the device
- Fixed adding layer from Photo Stream
- Fixed transforming maximum-sized layers
- Paint freely without affecting locked or hidden layers
- Smoothly transform maximum-sized layers
- The image no longer dims when adjusting the effect’s strength
You can grab Pixelmator for iPad 1.1 now from the App Store.
- $9.99 – Download Now
These iPhone 6 Plus hard cases show off the Apple logo and are 46% off today
The SURFACE Reveal Case is the ultimate low-profile iPhone 6 Plus hard cover; combining a super-slim design with a protective outer shell that reveals the apple logo on the back. The exterior features a soft coating that provides additional grip and even sports a retractable kickstand. Yours today for only $18.95
This HTC One M8 see-through hard case is now only $14.95 for a limited time
The transparent design of this hard shell gives your HTC One M8 clear protection that lets the original look of your device shine though! It includes a shock absorbing bumper that fits inside the shell for extra protection against drops, and it’s extremely slim, making it easy to slide in and out of your pockets.
CARROT Weather arrives to put a funny spin on your forecast
CARROT Weather is a new app in the CARROT line. Like the rest of the CARROT apps, Weather puts you at the mercy of a twisted robot, this time, for your forecasts.
Weather features what the developer calls “eerily accurate” forecasts and weather readouts. You can get your current weather, as well as forecasts for the next hour, rest of the day, and for the next three days from the hovering platform at the bottom of the screen. Swipe up to get a more detailed look at your current weather, as well as a seven-day forecast. That contains data points like wind speed, humidity, and barometric pressure.
The personality of the app shines through in the “weather scenes.” You’ll find scenes above your forecast, and you’ll get one of several scenes based on the current weather. For instance, you might see someone encased in a block of ice if it’s cold, or a person looking through a telescope on a clear night.
There are a number of secret joke locations as well. They don’t really mean anything, but are fun to find. You’ll unlock them by look at the weather for certain real locations, like Cupertino, California. Secret locations include Mount Doom, the Moon, and even Apple’s R&D Labs.
CARROT Weather is a universal app for iPhone and iPad, and available now on the App Store.
- $2.99 – Download Now
Casetify launches custom Apple Watch bands for $50
Custom smartphone case maker Casetify has now expanded to include selling custom bands for the upcoming Apple Watch for the price of $50.
The company’s website includes a user interface for customers to upload a photo from their Facebook, Instagram or their local PC to be used as the basis for the Apple Watch band design. There’s also the option to use a pre-generated design provided by Casetify. After the design is applied to the band, the user can also select from a number of color filters that can be applied.
Casetify is also offering four limited edition Apple Watch bands with pre-generated designs. It states:
A selection of high-quality silicon bands hand-picked by our designers. The Launch Collection represents highly sought after designs, available in a limited quantity in sizes 38mm & 42mm.
For the next 48 hours, Casetify is offering 20% off the price of an Apple Watch band with the promo code “WATCH20″. Shipments of the first bands are supposed to happen in June. Apple has already announced that replacement bands for the Apple Watch will be priced between $49.99 and $449.
Source: Casetify
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Atari releases a gamified fitness app to get you off the couch
Atari announced the launch of Atari Fit for iOS and Android. Available now, Atari Fit incentivizes device owners to get fit while earning points to unlock games.
It’s an interesting move from the renowned video game publisher, attempting to bridge the gap between fitness apps and casual mobile games. As well as offering health goals, the app motivates folk to get fit with a gamified mobile experience, combining elements from both fitness and gaming industries. A perfect marriage for those who find exercising a chore.
The app itself was also developed in collaboration with fitness expert Michael Porter, a certified personal trainer and performance enhancement specialist. Over 100 exercise and 30 workout plans are included in the experience, with customizable programs including full-body workouts, running programs and conditioning routines.
Highlighted features include:
- Support for wearables (Fitbit, Jawbone, etc.) by connecting to Apple HealthKit, earn in-game rewards.
- Connect with Apple HealthKit, Runkeeper or Facebook and receive useful data.
- Join a team and workout together or race against each other.
- Post your achievements to social media.
Atari Fit is set to challenge you regardless as to how fit you may be already. It’s also a cool concept and one we know many casual gamers will enjoy. Atari games unlocked through Atari Fit include the likes of Pong, Super Breakout, and Centipede. It’s simply an added bonus that you’ll be keeping fit in the process.
- Free – Download Now
See the press release below for more details.
NEW YORK – March 19th, 2015 – Atari®, one of the world’s most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, today announced the launch of Atari Fit™ for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices. Available on the App Store and Google Play, Atari Fit is a rich fitness app that incentivizes users to get fit, stronger and healthier while earning points to unlock fan-favorite Atari games including Pong®, Super Breakout®, and Centipede®.
According to research from NPD Group, more than 25 percent of US consumers use smartphone fitness apps. Furthermore, some of the most avid fitness app consumers (62 percent) include middle-aged women, who use their fitness apps 3x more than the average customer – an audience of significant overlap with casual gaming. Unlike other exercise apps, Atari Fit motivates consumers to reach their health goals with a gamified mobile experience that combines the best of the gaming and fitness industry.
Atari Fit was developed in collaboration with fitness expert Michael Porter, a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) – certified personal trainer and performance enhancement specialist. Featuring over 100 exercise, 30+ workout pland and customizable programs including full-body circuit workouts, running programs, and conditioning routines, Atari Fit is designed to challenge users at every level – from those just beginning their fitness journeys to the most active exercise enthusiasts.
“Atari Fit provides a great balance of fitness and fun,” said Porter. “The certified programs are safe, effective, and give users access to really comprehensive fitness routines, while additional features like the tracking capabilities, daily tips, Atari games, and multiple social components encourage users to engage with fitness in their every-day life.”
Atari Fit is compatible with the industry’s most popular wearable health and fitness devices, including Fitbit, Jawbone, and Android Wear devices. It can also aggregate data from other world-renowned fitness apps such as RunKeeper, Apple Health, and Google Fit – allowing users to aggregate all of their fitness activity in one location while tapping into the robust set of tracking capabilities to capture the user’s distance, speed, pace, time and calories burned within the comprehensive log-book.
Atari is working with Walgreens to bring real-world rewards through the Walgreens Balance® Rewards for healthy choices program. By engaging with Atari Fit, gamers and non-gamers alike can earn Balance Rewards loyalty program points, which are redeemable at Walgreens locations nation-wide or at Walgreens.com.
Featuring multiple social components, Atari Fit users can exercise individually or in collaboration with friends in multiplayer mode. Players can join a team, workout or race against each other, and track activity statistics for group encouragement. At the end of workouts, users can post updates on Twitter and Facebook to share achievements and personal fitness bests with friends. The unlockable Atari games also grants users access to worldwide leaderboards where they can rank their Pong, Super Breakout, and Centipede skills against other players.
“With Atari Fit, players from around the globe can exercise, play and get healthy together by providing a gamified fitness experience unlike any other app currently available,” said Fred Chesnais, Chief Executive Officer, Atari, Inc. “By uniting the universal need to exercise and live healthfully with the entertaining experience unique to Atari games, we’ve created an app that proves fitness can be fun.”
Development partners for Atari Fit include 8BitFit, a company focused on the gamification of fitness, and Gametheory, an award-winning production studio.
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