Eight Korean card companies are testing Samsung Pay to iron out bugs
I’ll forgive you if you had forgotten all about Samsung Pay, as we are still waiting on the consumer launch following the service’s unveiling back in March. As part of the pre-launch schedule, sources states that Samsung and eight South Korean card companies have been thoroughly testing Samsung Pay, to ensure that it’is ready for public launch.
According to financial industry sources, Samsung is investigating and testing issues with the technology used to beam information to conventional card readers that rely on magnetic fields to send and receive data. Apparently, this technology hasn’t been working as smoothly has expected on older card readers, resulting in a failure to recognize the transactions all the time. Repeatedly having to retry authentication would certainly be frustrating for users.
There are more than 100 different types of CAT terminals in use throughout Korea. More than 50 percent of them are thought to be more than 10 years old and could struggle to work efficiently with Samsung Pay. As a result, Samsung has brought local card companies on board in order to conduct multiple tests and iron out the issues before the consumer launch.
For a recap, Samsung Pay works with a number of different payment methods, and emulates magnetic cards by creating a magnetic field to activate a Credit Authorization Terminal once the user has cleared the payment using the fingerprint scanner.
“Samsung Electronics has decided to delay the release date of Samsung Pay from July to Sept. 1st in a bid to make it technically perfect.” – anonymous official
According to an official familiar with development, this is the reason why Samsung decided to delay the launch of its payment service from July to September. It’s certainly better to have the technology working out of the gate, but let’s hope that Samsung Pay doesn’t suffer too many major delays.
Deal: iOttie car mounts are 40% off or more on Amazon today
Mobile technology is slowly making it into our cars, though the progress seems painfully slow at times. There’s a variety of gadgets for the car out there, but for many users a good mount is all they need to bring a dose of Android smarts to the dashboard.
Today Amazon is bringing a selection of well-reviewed iOttie smartphone car mounts and related accessories with discounts in excess of 40 percent.
Here’s what you can get right now (or check out the full list):
- iOttie Easy One Touch 2 Car Mount Holder $16.99 (list price $29.95)
- Car Mount, iOttie iTap Magnetic Air Vent Mount $16.99 (list price $29.95)
- iOttie Easy Flex 3 Car Mount Holder $12.99 (list price $24.99)
- Car Charger, iOttie RapidVolt 5Amp/25-Watt Dual Port USB Car Charger $7.99 (list price $19.95)
- Bike Mount, iOttie Active Edge Bike & Bar, Motorcycle Mount $22.99 (list price $39.95)
- iOttie Easy Flex 3 Car Mount Holder $12.99 (list price $24.99)
- Car Charger, iOttie RapidVolt 5Amp/25-Watt Dual Port USB Car Charger $7.99 (list price $19.95)
- Bike Mount, iOttie Active Edge Bike & Bar, Motorcycle Mount $22.99 (list price $39.95)
- iOttie Easy Flex 3 Car Mount Holder $12.99 (list price $24.99)
Don’t let the iPhone imagery put you off: these are universal holders that will work with many Android devices. All of them have solid reviews (4.2 stars or higher), and the iOttie Easy One Touch 2 is even the best seller in its category.
This Deal of the Day is valid through tonight at midnight Pacific. Happy shopping!
Best Vodafone Android phones (UK)
Following on from our look at the best that EE has to offer, today we’re browsing though the best Vodafone Android phones on the market. Vodafone is a well-established player in the UK market and one of the longest running without some sort of merger.
The network has been gradually mixing in some home brand production on the same shelves as the staple high-end models, leading to an interesting range of products on offer. The company also has an online outlet store, offering users bargain prices on nearly-new and refurbished handsets.
Don’t miss: Vodafone UK network review (2015)
Let’s kick off our review of the best Vodafone UK smartphones!
#1 LG G4
Vodafone is one of the first UK carriers to offer LG’s latest flagship smartphone. The big talking point with the LG G4 is its improved f/1.8 aperture camera and manual shooting mode to get the most out of your pictures. The inclusion of laser auto focus also ensures that your snaps will always look sharp.
On top of that LG’s latest smartphone packs in a subtly curved QHD display, plenty of RAM and storage space and a big 3,000mAh battery. Although not featuring the very highest-end Snapdragon 810 SoC, we’ve seen that the 808 runs cooler and puts in an equally impressive performance.
The LG G4 is a top of the line flagship in every regard but features a slightly lower price point that the latest Galaxy S6 or One M9. Vodafone is offering the G4 for £0 upfront with a two year £35 per month contract. You’ll need to pay an extra £70 up front for an equivalent 32GB Galaxy S6, which doesn’t feature expandable storage capacity either!
Specs
- 5.5-inch LCD display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage with support for 128GB microSD card
- 16MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
- Removable 3,000mAh battery
- 149.1 x 75.3 x 8.9 mm, 154g
- Metallic Grey, Red Leather
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
Read more
#2 Nexus 6 and Moto 360
If the LG G4 isn’t quite large enough for you then perhaps you’ll be interested in the Google Nexus 6. The handset is usually offered directly through the Google store with a rather substantial upfront price tag, but Vodafone is not only subsidising the cost of the latest and greatest Nexus, but is also throwing in a Moto 360 smartwatch as well. It’s quite the deal.
The Nexus 6 offers a stock Android Lollipop experience complete with the latest updates. Unlike some previous Nexus devices, the 6 is also sporting some top-of-the-line pieces of hardware, including a QHD display, front facing speakers and a 13MP rear camera with optical image stabilization. The Moto 360 makes for an excellent companion, complete with Android Wear OS to ping your notification directly to your wrist.
Price wise, the bundle can be yours for £0 upfront and £34 per month, making it cheaper than many single handset offers. If this combo doesn’t take your fancy, Vodafone also has a similarly compelling LG G Flex 2 and G Watch R selection for the same price.
Specs
- 5.96-inch AMOLED display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage
- 13MP rear camera with 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 3,220mAh battery
- 159.3 x 83 x 10.1 mm, 184g
- Midnight Blue
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read More
#3 Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
If you’re looking for a fully equipped flagship smartphone then the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is probably the leading choice. With cutting edge processor and camera hardware, wireless charging, and Samsung’s latest curved AMOLED display, there’s no finer example of the industry’s latest hardware.
The least expensive up front contract that Vodafone offers begins at just £9 down, but with higher monthly payments to make up the gap. Contracts for the 64GB model start at £54 per month over two years, or £59 for 128GB of internal storage. There are also options with much more expensive upfront costs and lower monthly fees. Of course, opting for the regular Galaxy S6 model will save you a few pounds per month as well.
Specs
- 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 2.1GHz Samsung Exynos 7420 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32/64/128GB internal storage
- 16MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 2,550mAh battery
- 143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm, 138g
- Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum or White Pearl colours
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read More
#4 Samsung Galaxy Note 4
I don’t think we can mention Samsung without bringing up the Galaxy Note 4. Still a competitive high-end smartphone, the Note 4 is definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a handset capable of keeping up with your productive self.
As well as high-end hardware and a large vivid display, Samsung bundles the Note 4 with a stylus and series of apps to help you take notes and keep organized.
Vodafone is selling the Galaxy Note 4 for a little cheaper than the Galaxy S6, with monthly contract fees beginning at £39 per month with £0 down. Prices can reach as high as £54 per month if you’re looking for a package with 10GB of data.
Specs
- 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 1440×2560 resolution
- 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 32GB internal storage with 128GB microSD card support
- 16MP rear camera and 3.7MP front camera
- Removable 3,220mAh battery
- 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm, 176g
- Black Charcoal
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read More
#5 Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
Next up in our best Vodafone Android phones list is the Xperia M4 Aqua, which is a good option for those looking to save a few pennies. The handset features a 13MP rear camera, a Snapdragon 615 processing package and Sony’s rather good software features, which is great for everyday use and snapping the occasional good looking pic.
This M4 Aqua is not just a solid mid-ranger, but it also sports IP68 rating for resistance to dust and water, a feature usually reserved for Sony’s high-end models. However, the 2,400mAh is perhaps not ideal for the very heavy user.
Vodafone is selling the M4 Aqua starting at just £22 per month with £0 and is throwing in a free wireless speaker to sweeten the deal.
Specs
- 5-inch LCD display with 720×1280 resolution
- 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC
- 2GB of RAM
- 8GB of internal memory with up to 128GB microSD card
- 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 2,400mAh battery
- 145.5 x 72.6 x 7.3 mm, 136g
- Black or White
- Android 5.0 Lollipop
Read More
#6 Vodafone Smart Ultra 6
Perhaps a surprise entry in our best Vodafone Android phones list is the home brand Smart Ultra 6. Well, technically the Smart Ultra 6 is not a proper white-box product, instead it is a re-branded ZTE Blade S6 Plus.
Despite the low £125 price tag, the handset features a 1080p 5.5-inch display, 13MP rear camera, competitive Snapdragon 615 processing package and 16GB of storage. Perfect for the day to day demands of a daily driver.
The handset is a ludicrously good deal at just £125 with a PAYG SIM, but Vodafone also has the phone available on contract for £17 per month for two years. That will net you 500MB of data, 500 minutes and unlimited texts.
Specs
- 5.5-inch LCD display with 1080×1920 resolution
- 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC
- 3GB of RAM
- 16GB internal memory with up to 64GB with a microSD card
- 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera
- Non-removable 2,400mAh battery
- 154 x 77 x 8.35mm, 159g
- Grey
- Android 5.1 Lollipop
Read More
That’s it for our look at the best Android phones available on Vodafone UK. Don’t miss: Vodafone UK network review (2015)
Alleged first shot of Android-powered Blackberry smartphone shows physical keyboard
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I’m beginning to think that @evleaks isn’t really retired. In yet another leak from his supposed retirement, noted tech leaker Evan Blass a.k.a. evleaks has leaked what appears to be our first look at the rumoured Android-powered Blackberry smartphone. Much like the rumours we have heard, the image depicts a smartphone device that has a physical keyboard attached to the bottom – ironically, what is probably on the screen above it appears to be an on-screen keyboard, but that’s just extraneous detail. Also what’s notable from what little we can see are the Android Lollipop soft keys centred at the bottom of the screen, proving (if this image is legitimate) that Blackberry really is going with Android for a device in the near future.
Apart from the image itself, evleaks also says that this device is known as the Blackberry Venice – whether that’s just an internal name or the official name is up for discussion, but we’re guessing it’s just internal. Furthermore, the Venice is allegedly going to be sold at AT&T; it’s unclear whether this is an exclusive deal or evleaks only knows of the AT&T variant so far, but it’s all intriguing news at this point.
What do you think about the Android-powered Blackberry smartphone pictured here? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Twitter (1), (2) via TalkAndroid
The post Alleged first shot of Android-powered Blackberry smartphone shows physical keyboard appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
CTL announces the H4 Education Chromebook
Earlier today, CTL took the wraps off its latest Chromebook, the H4 Education. This model is aimed at students in lower and middle school who require access to the Internet and basic word processing software via Google Drive. The device will retail for $199 and has a 10 hour battery on board, making it the perfect companion for any student.
The H4’s specifications include a 11.6-inch HD widescreen LED-backlit display display which has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, a 1.8GHz Rockchip quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable internal storage.
This device has built-in Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, two USB 2.0 ports, an SDcard slot and an HDMI out slot — so you’ll always have the facility to share files, connect to the internet, mirror your screen and transfer documents.
As you’d expect of any laptop that’s designed to be portable, the H4 Education is pretty rugged, but unlike most machines on the market, this one’s water resistant with the ability to withstand drops of water from a height of 70cm.
CTL also announced that purchasers of the H4 Education Chromebook will be eligible for the free 100GB of Google Drive storage offered by Google.
Come comment on this article: CTL announces the H4 Education Chromebook
AT&T starts rolling out ‘McAfee Factory Reset Protection’ update for the LG G3
AT&T is currently rolling out an update to all its carrier-branded variants of the LG G3 located in the United States. Unfortunately, though, this upgrade doesn’t bring Android 5.1 to the handset, but does transport McAfee Factory Reset Protection to your device, which is actually a pretty nifty feature to have on your smartphone.
Once updated, users will see a new application in their drawer. Opening it will prompt them to log a secure 8-character password, which will have to be entered before a factory reset can take place, giving owners peace of mind that any potential thieves will not be able to reset their phone, thereby making it easier to track them down if they go missing.
As is customary with all manufacturer updates, the upgrade is being rolled out in stages, but if you don’t feel like waiting for a notification confirming that it’s ready for your device to hit your unit, you could always search for the update manually. To do so simply follow the four steps below:
- Open the Settings app
- Scroll to the bottom and tap on “About Device”
- Hit “System Updates”
- Tap on “Check for update”
Come comment on this article: AT&T starts rolling out ‘McAfee Factory Reset Protection’ update for the LG G3
Politician against violent games pleads guilty in gun-running case
Oh, the irony. Disgraced former senator Leland Yee has pleaded guilty to charges of taking bribes in exchange for votes, racketeering and promising to smuggle guns into the US from the Philippines. Of course, like so many beautiful twists of fate, Yee was a prominent moral crusader who led a campaign against violent video games. The senator authored AB-1179, legislation that would have outlawed the sale of said titles to California’s teens, which was defeated by the Supreme Court. Way to keep our kids safe, Leels.
As part of the deal Yee has made, he’ll only face punishment for the racketeering charge, with the other offenses dismissed. That doesn’t mean he’s off the hook, however, since he’s still facing up to 20 years in jail and a $250,000 fine, not to mention repaying the money he received as bribes. Yee’s sentencing hearing is pencilled in for October 21st, which is when we’ll find out for sure how long he’s going to have to spend behind bars. Sing it with us, Leland, “It’s like rain, on your wedding day…”
Filed under: Gaming
Source: Department of Justice
EE fined £1 million for failing to deal with complaints correctly
EE may have the UK covered for 4G data, but the company hasn’t been doing the best job listening to its customers in the past, according to industry regulator Ofcom. As a result, EE has been fined £1 million.
Ofcom had been running a routine investigation into EE for the past three years, to find out how the company logs and deals with customer complaints. The regulator found that between July 22nd 2011 and April 8th 2014, EE did not provide adequate information to consumers about their right to take a complaint to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme. A third party can be used to reach an impartial decision if no resolution is found after eight weeks.
“Ofcom imposes strict rules on how providers must handle complaints and treats any breach of these rules very seriously. The fine imposed against EE takes account of the serious failings that occurred in the company’s complaints handling, and the extended period over which these took place.” – Ofcom
Furthermore, EE did not send letters out to customers who had requested access to its ADR scheme, also known as “deadlock letters”, within the necessary time limit and often failed to send out any at all. Customers were also incorrectly told that letters of this type were not issued and the company failed to send paper bills to customers that referenced the fact that they could use its ADR scheme for free.
“This fine relates to our historic performance regarding complaints handling, collected from 2011 to April 2014. While this is in no way excuses it, it is important to note that we identified issues in our complaints handling … Ofcom’s current figures highlight that complaints into Ofcom about EE have fallen by 50% in the past year alone” – EE
As a result of the investigation, EE has now amended its Customer Complains Code to include information about its obligation to issue a deadlock letter. The company will also inform customers of the fact on their paper bills and will send written notifications to complainants about free access to the ADR.
EE is not the only UK carrier to have been fined Ofcom. Last year, Three was found to have closed customer complaints earlier than it should have and was fined £250,000.
The UK carrier has 20 days to pay its fine. £1 million may only be a slap on the wrist in the grand scheme of things, but hopefully it will encourage EE to keep on top of its customer complaints.
OnePlus now giving away cardboard VR headsets, $5 shipping
OnePlus wants you to experience the launch of the OnePlus 2 in virtual reality, so it’s giving away cardboard VR sets starting now.
OnePlus Cardboard can now be ordered for free, though you will need to pay for shipping: $5 in the US, £5 in the UK, and €7 in Europe.
There are a bunch of Google Cardboard clones available online for $5-$10, but OnePlus’ still looks like a good option. The company claims it improved over Google’s design, by making its Cardboard more durable, more compact, and more resistant to stains and wear. The headset is said to be compatible with “most” devices up to six inches in size.
There will likely be a limited number of sets available (OnePlus was clear about it losing money on this little venture), so if you’re interested, go over to the Cardboard page on the OnePlus site and get your unit.
Cardboard started almost like an inside joke when Google gave cardboard VR headsets to Google I/O attendants last year. But the concept of VR made accessible caught on, and Google announced it shipped more than 500,000 units and launched a certification program for 3rd party manufacturers. LG jumped in with a more durable version made of plastic, and a variety of cheap alternatives sprung up on Amazon and eBay offering cardboard sets for a few bucks.
Cardboard is essentially an empty shell, relying exclusively on the device for sound and video. In that respect, it’s obviously be going to be limited compared to Oculus Rift and other dedicated devices, or even Samsung’s hybrid Gear VR. But that doesn’t mean it’s not useful as a gateway to VR for users that want to give the concept a try without spending big.
Will you be ordering a OnePlus Cardboard?
Chevrolet will introduce a new Active Phone Cooling feature in its future vehicles to assist wireless charging
Automotive manufacturer Chevrolet has today announced a new feature it will be implementing in its upcoming 2016 Impala, Malibu, Volt and Cruze models called Active Phone Cooling. This feature will come as standard with automobiles that are equipped with wireless charging docks in order to ensure that the phones stay cool whilst juicing up.
Chevrolet discovered during testing that using the wireless charging function in moving vehicles, smartphones would overheat and stop charging. To prevent this from happening, the company has developed the new air vent, which is positioned in the charging bin on the dashboard.
Here’s how it works:
An air vent connected directly to the car’s air conditioning and ventilation system is directed to the charging bin where the phone rests for wireless charging, sending cool air to help lower the phone’s temperature. Active Phone Cooling operates only when the HVAC system is turned on by the driver.
It’s great to see wireless charging being intergrated into cars and we hope more manufacturers will follow suit by including more smartphone-centric technology in their vehicles.
What do you think of the imminent release of wireless charging for cars? Be sure to let us know your thoughts down below?
Source: Chevrolet
Come comment on this article: Chevrolet will introduce a new Active Phone Cooling feature in its future vehicles to assist wireless charging
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