Barclays finally rolls out Apple Pay support

If you’re a Barclays customer and you’ve been waiting since last year for the bank to support Apple Pay, we have some good news. The company announced today that the NFC payment technology has been enabled on Barclays and Barclaycard accounts, allowing customers to pay using their iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad at more than 400,000 contactless points around the UK.

If you’re new to Apple Pay, adding your Barclays card is simple. Open Settings on your iPhone and then select Wallet & Apple Pay. Once there, you will likely be asked to enter your iCloud password and can then begin the process of either confirming your existing Apple account details or adding the necessary information. In our test, the bank required a text message to confirm the card but the whole process took less than a couple of minutes.

Although Barclays CEO Ashok Vaswani has commented on the launch, noting that the bank is “passionate about helping customers access services and carry out their day to day transactions in the way that suits them,” there is no word on why it took the bank so long to support the technology. After all, it did say it would roll it out by March 27th at the latest, but missed its own deadline. With Barclays now on board, all of the major UK banks now support Apple Pay, but support will not be so unanimous for Google’s own payment system, which will hit Britain in the coming months.

Source: Apple Pay (Barclays)

Microsoft wants you to hack together a ‘Halo 5’ app

Sure, you’ve been making multiplayer levels with Halo 5: Guardians’ Forge mode, but now Microsoft wants you to create something different for the game. Like a web app or something along those lines for the stats coming from its online gametypes. Last year near Halo 5’s launch developer 343 Industries released an API in beta, and now it’s added access to “raw match events endpoint” data that the studio says will offer a wealth of info on each kill from any match. That’s including, but not limited to, Gamertag of the rival, weapon used in the kill, where it was in terms of the game’s play clock and map coordinates for where it went down.

And in an effort to incentivize developers, there’s a hackathon with some really neat prizes including a 1:1 scale Needler replica, an Anubis replica helmet and 47 gold Req Packs for the grand prize winner. 343 says that entries will be judged on originality, polish and functionality. There are only three winners (something tells me if it were still a Bungie thing there’d be seven) and the contest runs through May 16th.

Source: Halo Waypoint

Barclays Finally Supports Apple Pay in United Kingdom

Barclays appears to have enabled much-anticipated support for Apple Pay in the United Kingdom during the early morning hours on Tuesday.

A growing number of Barclays customers on Twitter have been successfully able to add their debit or credit cards from the large British bank to Apple Pay since shortly after midnight local time.

Screenshot courtesy of MacRumors reader James Richards
Barclays was notably absent from the list of banks and participating issuers supporting Apple Pay when the mobile payments service first expanded to England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in July 2015.

Barclays cardholders can set up Apple Pay through the Wallet app on iOS 8.1 or later. Bank-issued cards can be scanned or added manually by tapping the “Add Credit or Debit Card” option. Follow the on-screen verification steps.

Apple Pay is also supported at Bank of Scotland, First Direct, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, M&S Bank, MBNA, Nationwide, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Tesco Bank, TSB, and Ulster Bank in the United Kingdom.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tag: Barclays
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Panasonic Lumix GX80 preview: ‘GX8 mini’ adds 5-axis stabilisation, loses low-pass filter

With the Lumix GF8 not arriving on British shores, we were beginning to wonder if Panasonic had bailed on the smaller-scale and more affordable compact system camera concept. But that’s not the case, as the latest Lumix GX80 stands to prove.

If you’re looking for a relatively small-scale system camera that you can grow into, then the GX80 offers aplenty – from a tilt-angle screen to a built-in viewfinder. In many senses, having handled this latest Lumix, it feels like the little brother to the bulkier and more advanced GX8; or an echo of the earlier GX7 with some new features.

But just because the GX80 is smaller doesn’t mean it’s totally trimmed back on the features. Sure, the viewfinder is fixed in position and the tilt-angle LCD screen isn’t vari-angle like on the GX8 – but it still has both key features on its features list.

That LCD viewfinder is solid too, delivering 2,764k-dots of resolution over a 0.7x magnification (the panel is a fair bit smaller than that of the GX8, but that’s to be expected).

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If anything the GX80 goes large when it comes to new features, paving the way for future Lumix G-series cameras. Principal to its design is the removal of the low-pass filter (LPF) – a first in the G-series – a brand new electromagnetically-controlled shutter unit, and a new sensor-based 5-axis image stabilisation system.

It’s kind of surprising it’s taken Panasonic this long to remove the LPF from its system cameras. The filter exists to diffuse light slightly to avoid jaggies and negate moire and false colour in images – the last of which is a result of the standard colour filter overlay. By removing the filter there’s an uptake in sharpness by up to 10 per cent and, as many manufacturers argue, at the higher resolutions of today many of those issues are never issues at all – helped along by enhanced processing.

We’ve seen some print-outs of pre-production images from the GX80 and its results look a lot like the GX7 to our eyes. They’re natural with an ever so slight lift to resolution, but it’s a giant leap in overall quality. Still, we suspect this LPF-free approach will be Panasonic’s approach to all G-series models going forward.

The new shutter unit is one of the more interesting features of the camera because it’s so, so much quieter than the ones in the GX7 and GX8 – we’ve handled all three cameras side-by-side and the GX80 is the obvious winner (the GX7 has the most pronounced “draw” sound, the GX8 a more mighty “click”). This is because it works with electromagnetic coils rather than a tightly wound spring, using a different arrangement of shutter blades (still vertical-run).

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It’s a double-edged sword though. The new shutter means a 90 per cent reduction in vibration compared to earlier Lumix models, which ought to help with slower shutter speeds, but it’s not capable of operating quite as quickly. So 1/4000th second is the maximum mechanical operation, compared to 1/8000th second in the GX8 and other cameras. Sync, too, is limited to 1/160th, rather than 1/250th as with many other G-series cameras. However, the electronic shutter caters for speeds up to 1/16,000th sec, which is super-fast (although still a whole stop slower than the GX8’s 1/32,000th sec – presumably just to put a point of difference between the two cameras, rather than being an impossibility to implement).

Also new is a sensor-based 5-axis stabilisation system, which can work in tandem with lens-based stabilisation for what Panasonic calls Dual IS. This system is developed in-house, rather than being a picking from Olympus or Sony – both of which use their own systems. It’s interesting that the system works with sensor and lens stabilisation systems, including while capturing 4K video (again, a first for Panasonic), because the tandem subtle movement of optical and sensor can avoid drifting into the unwanted territories of the available image circle. How well will it work? We’ve only used the 12-32mm collapsible lens under flickering fluorescent lights, so we’ll have to wait and see when paired with a more suitable range of lenses.

There’s more to say about 4K too, beyond video capture. As with all recent G-series Lumix cameras, the GX80 is going hard on the 4K Photo modes. Off the back of Christmas TV advertising we suspect there’s a lift in comprehension of what these modes are all about but, in short, it’s all about capturing 8-megapixel images at 30 frames per second – giving a huge breadth of shots to choose from. Options to reel off a second of footage before even pressing the shutter button are among our favourites. Additionally there’s a Post Focus mode to refocus a (tripod-mounted) frame after shooting – something we think has limited application really, as we’ve said before of other Lumix cameras.

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Elsewhere the GX80 responds impeccably, just as we’ve come to expect from the latest Lumix G-series cameras. Its autofocus system is up there among the best available in the compact system camera category, and we’re particularly fond of the variety of AF options, including Pinpoint AF for precision focus. Light permitting a refresh rate of 240fps means heaps of data to pick from when acquiring focus.

Given the mass of new features, the GX80’s £509 body-only price seems fair considering its solid build, leather-like finishes and aluminium dials. It’s even available in silver (Jessops exclusive) and brown/tan (John Lewis exclusive) if black isn’t your thing. The best seller, we suspect, will be the £599 12-32mm kit option, or there’s a £729 twin kit option which adds the 35-100mm lens too.

‘Aliens: Colonial Marines’ mod may actually make the game fun

When it released in early 2013, Aliens: Colonial Marines was an absolute garbage fire of a video game. There was a lawsuit regarding the wide gulf in quality between what developer Gearbox Software (of Borderlands and upcoming Battleborn fame) and publisher Sega showed prior to release and what customers actually got, and Gearbox’s CEO Randy Pitchford remains ambivalent about Colonial Marines’ quality and development process. Gearbox was eventually dropped from the suit, but it was a whole thing. The modding community sounds like it might’ve fixed some of the most egregious sins on the PC version, though.

In addition to a bunch of much needed graphical fixes (including better shadows and textures), the release notes mention that dead bodies, body parts acid splashes and blood splashes will remain in the game world “indefinitely.” Awesome. But this is more than just a surface-level overhaul — TemplarGFX’s mod addresses the severe issues ACM’s gameplay faced, too.

Specifically, reworking the artificial intelligence for the Xenomorph soldiers by increasing alien decision-making speed by 1,000 percent which “greatly increases their ability to adapt to changing situations and react to new threats.” That’s saying nothing of the massive changes to other Xeno enemy types to make them as terrifying as their silver screen counterparts.

Honestly? It looks like a more action-oriented version of Creative Assembly’s deliberately-paced Alien: Isolation from 2014. You know, the one with the ultra-smart alien terrorizing Lieutenant Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda, on the Sevestopol space station. In case the embedded videos are enough to pique your interest, the game is currently $15 on Steam.

Via: GamesRadar+

Source: Mod DB

The Pentagon isn’t sure who’d be in charge during a cyberattack

According to a report published Monday by the Government Accountability Office, the Department of Defense lacks clear rules on who would be in charge during a national-level cyberattack. It could be the US Northern Command, which coordinates DoD homeland defense efforts with civil authorities, or it could be US Cyber Command, which handles the government’s cyber security forces — but nobody’s quite sure who should handle what, or when.

For example, if hackers went after the national power grid, rules are in place that the DoD would work to support the Department of Homeland Security — that much is clear. However, there aren’t any actionable rules for how exactly the two would work together. “This absence has caused uncertainty about who in DoD would respond to support civil authorities in a cyber incident, and how they would coordinate and conduct such a response,” the GAO report reads. “The designation of cyber roles and responsibilities in DoD guidance is inconsistent.”

Specifically, the GAO found that the role of “dual-status commander” caused a host of problems. This mantle is typically donned in order to streamline the military’s command structure during national emergencies. However, as the recent “Cyber Guard 15” training exercise showed, this role doesn’t accurately translate from conventional warfare scenarios. During Cyber Guard, the dual-status commander wasn’t given authority over Cyber Command — as the current rules dictate — which prevented the him from effectively deploying them.

While this isn’t a pressing issue, the GAO has recommended that the Pentagon get these rules straightened out sooner than later. Of course, the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly. Though the DoD has acknowledged these shortcomings, there’s no word on when it will implement changes to its rules.

Via: Military Times

Source: GAO

Panasonic’s Lumix GX85 is a compact camera that packs a punch

The Lumix series is expanding with the GX85, an interchangeable lens mirrorless camera featuring a compact body and impressive specs. Panasonic says this shooter combines the best of its GX8 and GX7, but with some improvements over both. For starters, the Lumix GX85 sports a 16-megapixel Live MOS sensor and a new Venus Engine processor, along with a max ISO of 25,600, WiFi, up to 8-fps continuos shooting and in-camera image stabilization. Panasonic’s also eliminated the low-pass filter, which should help you capture sharp and color-accurate pictures.

Not surprisingly, given how Panasonic has been a big proponent of 4K, the GX85 also records Ultra HD (3,849 x 2,160) videos at 24 and 30 fps, as well as 1080p at 60 fps. And if you’re familiar with the Lytro camera, you’ll probably like playing around with Panasonic’s Post Focus function. So how does that work? The GX85 uses 49 areas from its autofocus system, near or far, to record every single focal point and, after you take a shot, you tap anywhere on the 3-inch screen to choose your preferred focus area. That means you could end up having 49 different pictures.

Panasonic’s Lumix GX85 is coming to the US in mid-May for $800, which includes a 12-32mm kit lens and your choice of a black or silver model.

Yelpers are getting a show on The Food Network

The Food Network is teaming up with Yelp for a new show, according to Forbes, and it’s aptly entitled 12 Angry Yelpers. Forbes says it will use Yelp reviews to “help restaurants discover and fix their problems” and will focus on one restaurant per episode. The network hasn’t released any details yet, but an executive from its parent company told Eater that it will be hosted by MasterChef season three finalist Monti Carlo. We don’t know why restaurateurs would listen to Yelpers, but we’re guessing their most hilarious, entertaining and snarky reviews make for a better show than critics’ commentaries. We’re just hoping that none of them turn out to be fake.

Via: SFist, Eater

Source: Forbes

Miele CM6310 Countertop Coffee System review – CNET

The Good The Miele CM6310 Countertop Coffee System makes the best-tasting espresso we’ve tasted from a fully automatic home machine and costs less than competing products. The appliance can use milk either from its own flask or straight from the carton. A double-portion feature also lets you make two drinks simultaneously with just one button press.

The Bad Unfortunately the Miele CM6310 Countertop Coffee System is saddled with a wobbly, cheap-feeling water tank. In addition, it takes time to tweak the espresso machine’s confusing settings properly.

The Bottom Line If you value delicious espresso above all and prefer not to work too hard for it, save for navigating clunky settings menus, than the Miele CM6310 Countertop Coffee System is a blend of kitchen appliance and java robot that’s hard to resist.

A cool two grand is a lot to spend on any kitchen gadget let alone a home espresso machine, but if you can justify the splurge, then strongly consider the $2,000 Miele CM6310 Countertop Coffee System (£1,299.00; AU$1,599). This coffeemaker creates the most flavorful espresso I’ve tasted from any superautomatic machine I’ve tested to date, including the more expensive Krups EA9010 ($2,500) and Philips Saeco GranBaristo Avanti ($3,000). The Miele CM6310 features a handy double-portion mode too, enabling it to prepare a pair of fancy coffee drinks with just one button press.

Like any advanced appliance though, the CM6310 isn’t without some missteps. Most notably, its controls are often confusing, and its settings menus are painful to navigate. And despite its high price, the coffeemaker comes with a wobbly water tank constructed from thin, cheap-feeling plastic. Still, if you have the patience to tolerate its quirks, the Miele CM6310 rewards with mightily delicious espresso for hundreds less than its closest superautomatic competition.

The Miele Countertop Coffee System can make…
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Design and features

While the Miele CM6310 Countertop Coffee system will set you back quite a bit of cash, it does offer quite a bit of convenience. This machine is one of the few to qualify as what’s called a superautomatic espresso maker. Essentially an appliance like this functions more akin to a robotic barista than a manual or semiautomatic espresso product, and is able to fashion complex cafe drinks from whole bean to steaming cup on its own.

Measuring 14 inches tall by 10 inches wide and reaching a depth of 17 inches, the Miele CM6310 occupies about as much counter space as two ordinary drip coffee makers stacked side by side. Still, the appliance shares an almost identical physical footprint as similar countertop espresso machines such as the Krups EA9010 and Philips Saeco GranBaristo Avanti. Also par for the espresso-maker course is the CM6310’s box-like shape, tiny front-facing display clustered around a bank of buttons, twin coffee dispenser nozzles and a wide beverage drip tray below them.

The Miele CM6310 is bigger than drip brewers.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Of course, the Krups EA9010 has a larger touchscreen and pairs it with a very logical, graphically driven user interface. The Miele CM6310’s controls on the other hand are anything but intuitive. To the left of the machine’s tiny LCD screen are four coffee cup icons meant to represent the most common beverages you’ll likely order (espresso, coffee, cappuccino and latte macchiato).

Unfortunately, unlike the menus on the Krups appliance’s color display or the GranBristo Avanti’s physical keys, these symbols (and the buttons they indicate) are tiny and not labelled. As a result, I found it difficult to tell them apart at first — or even divine their function — until I consulted the manual or engaged in some trial and error.

Positioned on the left side of the display is a cursor pad to scroll through the Coffee System’s menu screens. Running along the bottom edge of the control panel is a horizontal line of still more cryptic button symbols. Six in all, they control such functions as turning the machine on, view the complete library of drinks, tweak brewing details, and even create personal user profiles.

Symbols for buttons lack text labels.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Though it eats up much of the appliance’s left side, you access the CM6310’s water tank from its top surface. The tank’s plastic lid flips open and extends upward to function as a handle. Be careful though, because the lid and arms are extremely thin, can pop off their hinges easily, and honestly feel as though they might break at any moment. I also found that the tank’s narrow base makes the container unstable (whether full or empty). Either at rest or when setting the tank onto a flat surface, the vessel will tip over if you’re not mindful. In truth, the best removable water reservoir I’ve come across graces the semiautomatic Breville Barista Express. It’s sturdy, a cinch to open and close, and has proper footing.

On top of the Miele CM6310 you’ll find two hatches. One is a lid for the main bean hopper, while the other serves as a door for loading preground coffee into the machine. There’s a cup warmer here, too; a rubbery pad meant for resting glasses and ceramic mugs. Miele claims the pad will heat coffee cups correctly in order to bring out maximum flavor from their contents.

Fill the bean hopper.

Chris Monroe/CNET

One of the CM6310’s defining features is its insulated stainless steel milk flask. Essentially a metal thermos, the 16.9-ounce container stands alone on the machine’s right side and attaches to the main beverage dispenser via a clear, rubbery hose. It supplies dairy for cafe drinks or plain steamed milk. This convenience along with a spout for decanting hot water doesn’t come cheap. As far as I can tell, these are the only two features not offered by the CM6310’s less-expensive sibling, the $1,500 CM6110 model. Both appliances, however, can draw milk directly from grocery cartons with an included milk tube accessory.

I think the espresso machine’s slickest trick is its double-portion mode, also available on the CM6310. Engaged by touching a button icon that vaguely resembles two cups placed in close proximity, when active the brewer will run any recipe from its drink library back to back. That means either two single or one double beverage is just a key tap away.

The top phones you need to know, by manufacturer

How many different Android phones do you think are out there? Chances are whatever you guessed is low. We’re talking thousands of models from more manufacturers than we care to count. So we don’t blame if you if you’re new to the smartphone game and feel a little overwhelmed. It’s a big, big Android world out there.

But we’re going to make it a little easier on you. We’ve broken down the top Android smartphones you need to know by the world’s top manufacturers. This isn’t an all-inclusive list. It’s not even a list of that we think “the best” is. (That list lives here, and it’s definitely open to debate.)

No, this is a list to help you get started. These are the phones we’d tell you to look at if you asked us what’s good from a particular manufacturer. We’ll continue to add and remove phones as new ones are announced and older ones age out.

The top phones from HTCThe top phones from HuaweiThe top phones from LGThe top phones from MotorolaThe top phones from SamsungThe top phones from Sony The top phones from XiaomiThe top phones from ASUS

We’ve still got a few more manufacturers to add in here, so check back if you haven’t found what you’re looking for.