MasterCard adds fingerprint sensors to payment cards

Our fingerprints are quickly replacing PINs and passwords as our primary means of unlocking our phones, doors and safes. They’re convenient, unique, and ultimately more secure than easily guessed or forged passwords and signatures. So it makes sense that fingerprint sensors are coming to protect our credit and debit cards. MasterCard is testing out new fingerprint sensor-enabled payment cards that, combined with the onboard chips, offer a new, convenient way to authorize your in-person transactions. Instead of signing a paper receipt or entering your PIN while struggling to cover up the number pad, you simply place your thumb on your card to prove your identity.

The new cards are currently being tested in South Africa, and MasterCard hopes to roll them out to the rest of the world by the end of 2017. Even if that happens, though, you’ll still have to wait for your bank or financial institution to get on board.

Once the technology is ready for the public, here’s how it should work. Your bank will inform you that the biometric card is available, and if you’re interested, you’ll have to go to an enrollment center (most likely a bank) to get your fingers scanned. An encrypted digital template of your fingerprint is stored on the card’s EMV chip. You can save up to two prints, but they would both have to be yours — you can’t authorize someone else to use your card with their fingers. After your templates are saved, your card is ready to be used at compatible terminals worldwide — merchants don’t have to get new equipment to accept your fingerprint-enabled plastic.

The card itself is surprisingly no thicker than a regular credit card. The fingerprint sensor is a small, thumbnail-sized rectangle that sits at the top right corner, and is easily accessible when you stick the card into a payment terminal.

During a recent demo, I tried to use a MasterCard rep’s biometric card with my finger, and received a “Transaction denied” message from the test payment terminal. When she carried out the faux-purchase, the payment went through, and the machine began printing a receipt. What really surprised me was the speed at which it happened.

When the terminal asks you to insert the card, it’s communicating to the bank information like your identity and the amount of the transaction. Then, it verifies your identity by asking for your fingerprint. The sensor reads your finger, and sends the information to the card’s chip, which determines if you’re the owner. If you are, it sends a “Yes” or “Authorized” message to the bank, which then allows the payment to pass.

At my demo, the authorization process happened almost instantly, which is reasonable given it’s all happening on the card instead of going through the bank. When it was me using the card, however, it took a slight pause to register that I wasn’t certified. I didn’t have trouble learning the new process at all, either — it’s intuitive and straightforward to simply leave your finger on the card as you slide it into a payment dock.

Of course, this method is only compatible with chip-and-pin cards, so it won’t work with stores that only accept the older magnetic stripe models. But embedded chip technology has become increasingly popular in the US, thanks largely to regulations making financial institutions and merchants liable for breaches resulting from a lack of support for chip-and-pin cards. Getting a new biometric card is troublesome, since it would require a trip to the bank and a potentially long wait. But the convenience and the joy you’ll get from waving that fancy new plastic in your friends’ faces may make that agony worthwhile.

Google, an ad company, will soon block ‘bad ads’ in Chrome

Android’s native browser could block “bad ads” in a coming update and that’s good for everyone.

While ad-blockers may be the most popular extensions for Chrome on the desktop or your Chromebook, the Android app has been left out of the picture. That might be changing according to the Wall Street Journal.

Alphabet Inc.’s Google is planning to introduce an ad-blocking feature in the mobile and desktop versions of its popular Chrome web browser, according to people familiar with the company’s plans.

The ad-blocking feature, which could be switched on by default within Chrome, would filter out certain online ad types deemed to provide bad experiences for users as they move around the web.

The ads that offer the bad experience will be defined by the Coalition for Better Ads which released a list of best practices and standards in March 2017. They think that pop-ups, auto-playing videos with sound, and ads that use a countdown before they can be dismissed are all bad. We couldn’t agree more.

It’s also suggested that Google will block every ad on a site with a rule-breaking one so that site owners and advertising companies will better police the advertising. This may prove problematic, but it’s still just rumored at this point.

A move like this would be in Google’s best interests because when all the bad ads are gone more people will be willing to see the rest. That could also pose some regulatory issues, as the company who makes ads also makes the browser and the software that decides which ones to block.

Supposedly this new feature could be coming within weeks. We’re as excited for it as you are, and will let you know more as soon as any word arrives.

Portland wants to get driverless cars on its roads this year

A new initiative from the city of Portland, Oregon hopes to attract the fast-growing self-driving car industry to the city’s streets. According to Bloomberg, Mayor Ted Wheeler and the city’s Bureau of Transportation are working to finalize a new set of rules governing autonomous vehicle pilot programs and hope to have driverless vehicles on the roads by the end of this year.

Portland will be specifically looking to attract programs that actively enhance Portland’s current transit infrastructure or improve accessibility while also helping the city reduce its carbon emissions. The city will finalize its autonomous vehicle regulations after a two year test period. As Bloomberg notes, any autonomous vehicle program operating in the city will also be able to test its cars in a wider range of road conditions thanks to Portland’s notoriously rainy weather. The most popular testbeds in California and Arizona are arid by comparison.

Although city officials wouldn’t reveal which tech companies or automakers were interested in moving to Portland, most of the major players have reportedly reached out. The city has a checkered past with Uber and the ride-hailing giant used a secret project called “Greyball” to evade regulators there, which explains why officials wanted to lay down regulations before another nascent industry comes to town. On the other hand, GM and Lyft’s joint project is about to have a large fleet of autonomous vehicles ready for the roads and it could use a forward-thinking city to roll them out on.

Source: Bloomberg

Facebook’s latest internet-beaming drone is a tiny tethered helicopter

Facebook wants the entire world to have internet. And as part of that quest, it has developed a small helicopter drone.

Here’s the thing: the more people there are with internet, the more people it can get to sign up for Facebook. Naturally, Facebook wants to pipe internet everywhere. So far, it has come up with an internet-beaming drone plan, and its latest drone looks a tiny helicopter.

Facebook quickly introduced it at its F8 developer conference in San Jose, California. Called the Tether-tenna, it is meant to not only deliver internet, but also help out those in disaster situations. It is tethered to a fiber optic cable that connects to a land-line internet connection, and it essentially sends internet out over radio waves to people who need internet access during a disaster.

• Facebook’s new Surround 360 VR cameras will go on sale this year

Currently, the Tether-tenna is in its research phase. But it’s easy to see that Facebook is using it as a signal booster sort of like a Wi-Fi range extender, only instead of blanketing your home with internet, it’ll beam it to those who need it in developing nations. In a blog post, Facebook said it could help a “local community can stay connected while the in-ground connectivity is under repair.”

So, if an earthquake or tsunami or landslide takes out the internet, whether across the world or even here in the UK, these helicopters could be deployed to save the day. Well, it’ll help people to get online so they can check in on Facebook at least. Facebook said the system has been tested for up to 24 hours of continuous operation, but it hasn’t yet been deployed in an emergency.

There’s lots of challenges the company has to work out still, Facebook explained, including enabling it to survive through very high winds and avoid things like lightning. Nevertheless, Tether-tenna could be “just a few years out” from deployment.

• Facebook Friends Day: What is it and how do those cheesy videos work?
• Facebook is making a set-top box video app for premium TV content
• Mark Zuckerberg shows off his ‘Jarvis’ home AI in three cute videos
• Facebook Workplace: How does it work and when can you use it?

Samsung’s Galaxy Book Windows 2-in-1 goes on sale April 21st

At Mobile World Congress, Samsung debuted its Galaxy Book, a power tablet running Windows 10 with a snap-on keyboard that looked to improve on Huawei’s Matebook. Despite promising specs and integration of the device giant’s new S Pen peripheral, it wasn’t clear when the tablet would be released. But with little notice, Samsung announced that the LTE model of the Book will hit Verizon Wireless stores on April 21st, with WiFi versions coming to general retailers on May 21st.

The LTE model released first only comes in the Book’s larger 12-inch size and sells for $1,300, but you can only buy them from Verizon. Pre-orders for the WiFi version start on April 21st, with the 12-inch going for $1,130 and the 10.6-inch for $630. Those will be available in select retailers nationwide on May 21st in silver while Best Buy will exclusively offer the Book in black.

Source: Samsung

Android’s new filters will help you purge unused apps

Use a smartphone for long enough and you’ll likely accrue a bunch of apps you don’t really use — think dead social networks or games you only ever tried once. How do you do that spring cleaning without sifting page by page through your app list? On Android, you now have some help. After some earlier experimentation, Google has started the broader rollout of a Play Store update that gives you more control over your “My apps & games” section. Installed apps and updates are now separate, and the installed section now lets you sort by alphabetical, last updated, size… and most importantly, last used. If you have a slew of apps you haven’t touched in ages, you can get rid of them all in short order.

Updates themselves are better. It now takes just one tap to update a specific app where you previously had to visit each app’s store page to upgrade. That’s more than a little helpful if you’re pressed for time. You can also refresh the updates section to look for fresh apps instead of having to relaunch the app, and it’s easier to quickly install apps from your library. And did we mention that the app listings themselves are much more compact, so you won’t have to scroll quite so much?

This isn’t a perfect update. It’s no longer possible to easily mass-install library apps, so you may have a harder time bringing back all your apps on a new phone. From a first glance, though, it looks as if Google has made a number of small Play Store updates that could make a very practical impact on your day-to-day use.

Source: Android Police, Droid Life

Apple Pledges to End Mining and Use 100% Recycled Materials for Products

Just ahead of Earth Day, Apple has released its 2017 Environmental Responsibility Report [PDF] with a lofty new goal: ending mining. Apple says the company is working on a “closed-loop supply chain” that would allow it to stop mining the earth for rare minerals and metals.

“One day, we’d like to be able to build new products with just recycled materials, including your old products,” Apple says on its updated Environment site. In an interview with VICE, Apple vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives Lisa Jackson commented on the mining plan, saying “it’s where technology should be going.”

“We’re actually doing something we rarely do, which is announce a goal before we’ve completely figured out how to do it,” Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives and a former head of the EPA, Lisa Jackson, told VICE News during an exclusive visit to Apple’s environmental testing lab on Monday. “So we’re a little nervous, but we also think it’s really important, because as a sector we believe it’s where technology should be going.

Much of what goes into an iPhone isn’t recycled, but Apple wants to change that by more aggressively using components taken from old iPhones and combining that with “high quality recycled metals” purchased from suppliers. Apple will double down on investments like Liam, the robot that breaks iPhones down into component parts, and it plans to continue to encourage customers to return products through the Apple Renew recycling program.

While Apple plans to source more of its materials from recycled goods, Jackson says that though a “product that lasts is really important,” the company doesn’t have plans to make its devices easier to repair to increase longevity.

Jackson also defended Apple’s history of making products that are hard to repair. Allowing customers to repair Apple products themselves “sounds like an easy thing to say,” she said. But “technology is really complex; it is sophisticated to make it work, to ensure that you have security and privacy, [and] that somebody isn’t giving you bad parts.”

Because of this, Apple won’t be taking a “right to repair” approach to meeting its environmental goals. “All those things mean that you want to have certified repairs,” Jackson said.

Other environmental milestones are also outlined in Apple’s report. 96 percent of the power used by Apple facilities around the world comes from clean energy sources, and as has been the case for several years, 100 percent of the electricity that powers Apple data centers comes from solar, hydro, and wind energy sources.

Apple now has seven suppliers that have committed to using renewable energy, and the company plans to help suppliers bring 4 gigawatts of renewable power online by 2020.

When it comes to packaging, more than 99 percent of the packaging used for Apple products is responsibly sourced. Virgin paper is sourced from protected sustainable forests, and the company has successfully protected or created enough working forests to cover all of its packaging needs.

Lisa Jackson’s full comments on the 2017 environmental report can be read over at VICE, and Apple’s full Environmental Responsibility Report, which goes into much more detail on its recycling efforts, packaging, water usage, and carbon footprint, is available here.

Tags: Environmental Responsibility, Apple environment
Discuss this article in our forums

Apple Buys Rights to ‘Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives’ Documentary

Apple purchased the rights to the documentary “Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives,” reports Billboard. The documentary will premiere tonight at the Tribeca Film Festival at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.

The film was directed by Chris Perkel and is based on music producer Clive Davis’ autobiography, released in 2013. Davis was the president of Columbia Records from 1967 to 1975, and he founded Arista Records, where he was president of the company until 2000. He went on to found J Records, and then served as CEO and chairman of RCA Music Group.

At the current time, Davis is the chief creative officer at Sony Music Entertainment. Davis has influenced many important music artists over the course of his career, including Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Santana, Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen, and more.

“Apple is a global innovator that has revolutionized the distribution of music,” said Davis in a statement. “It is a touching honor to share the music and unique stories that have shaped my career with millions of Apple Music subscribers around the world. I am overjoyed to work with them to continue this incredible journey!”

Apple has not announced when it plans to release “Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives,” on Apple Music, nor has the company said whether the film will have a theatrical release.

Tag: Apple Music
Discuss this article in our forums

Strava makes it easier for weekend warriors to coordinate workouts

Why it matters to you

It’s sometimes tough to schedule outdoor activities but Strava’s new Events feature makes it easier.

Strava, the self-styled social network for athletes, is getting better. On Wednesday, it took the wraps off Club Events for iOS and Android, a social feature aimed at coordinating meetups between members.

It’s a new component of Strava Clubs, informal groups of like-minded users. You can join a Club from Strava’s smartphone app, and once you do, you will see recent rides and runs logged by other members, a comment section, and a club widget that shows your club rides and runs on your blog or website.

The update lets Club administrators create Events from the Strava app and post event details with other Club members. Participants get alerts for new events and event details and can respond to event invitations and see route information.

There is a new Apple Watch complication, in tow, too. It acts as a shortcut to Strava’s companion smartwatch app.

“Bringing our Club Events feature to mobile is another way we’re continuing to help our community of athletes engaging with one another,” Will Lee, a product manager at Strava, said in a statement. “From talking to Club admins, we learned that they were looking for an easier way to plan group activities with members, especially on mobile. Club Events on mobile allow athletes in a club to quickly organize a real-world activity. Bringing Club events to mobile is our latest step to build thriving communities on Strava.”

The update comes on heels of Strava 2.0, a redesigned smartwatch experience that added the ability to record and upload workouts without the need for a paired smartphone.

It’s not the only improvement Strava has made recently. In August, it gained Beacon, a feature that lets users share distance, caloric expenditure, and speed in real time.  In March, it added Live Segments, a cyclist-focused feature that serves up real-time audio and visual cues.

Some users have gotten creative with the app’s tracking capabilities. Athletes in the U.K. ran 28 miles to plot the outline of a dragon in Strava’s shareable map.

The app is free to use, but the Premium tier ($60) adds daily schedule and riding advice, plus plans tailored to take into account the time you have to ride and the date you want to achieve your goal. You get leaderboard filters (by age and weight), a workout effectiveness ranking (Suffer Score), a real-time emergency monitoring feature, the ability to download third-party routes, and more.

The Eve 5, a crowdsourced Windows 10 tablet, is finally entering production

Why it matters to you

If you’ve been waiting to replace your Surface Pro 4, you’ll be glad to know that the Eve 5 Windows 10 tablet is shipping next month.

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 has enjoyed a good run as one of the more premium Windows 10 slates, although it’s getting a little long in the tooth and fans continue to hope for its successor. In the meantime, Microsoft’s original equipment manufacture (OEM) partners continue to churn out their own versions, and the detachable slate market is becoming increasingly crowded.

One of the more interesting Surface Pro 4 competitors has been the Eve 5, a crowdsourced Windows 10 tablet that has been teased for a while now. It looks like the long development and testing cycle is finally over, and Eve Technology is finally planning to begin production, with shipments starting next month.

Eve Technology started on its odyssey of letting users help design Eve 5 in July 2015, after deciding that its first Windows 10 tablet suffered from a lack of input. The company decided that its next Windows 10 tablet would be created via crowdsourcing, and it created the Eve Community to solicit input on what features and functionality should be built into its next device.

The result is the Eve 5, a tablet with impressive specifications that’s similar to the Surface Pro 4 in many ways but seeks to exceed it with the latest available technologies. In many ways, the Eve 5 is what the Surface Pro 5 could look like if Microsoft ever gets around to releasing it.

Here are the Eve 5’s final specifications:

• CPU: Intel 7th Gen Core M3/i5/i7.
• RAM: 8GB/16GB LPDDR3.
• Storage: 128/256/512GB SSD.
• Connectivity: 801.11ac Wi-Fi with 2×2 MU-MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2, Wireless Display Wi-Fi.
• Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 USB-A, 1 x 3.5mm audio, 1 x MicroSDXC reader.
• Display: 12.3-inch IGZO LCD, 2736X1824 resolution, 1:1400 contrast ratio, 450 nits brightness.
• Touch Panel: Gorilla Glass with anti-fingerprint and anti-reflection coating, Metal Mesh technology.
• Battery: 48Wh.
• Sensors: Fingerprint, Hall, Gravity, Light, Gyroscope, GPS.
• Audio: Quad speaker at 1w each, dedicated headphone jack audio amplifier by TI, two noise-canceling microphones.
• Cameras: 2MP front, 5MP rear.
• Stylus: N-trig, Surface compatible, 1024 pressure levels, two buttons.
• Keyboard: Pogo-Pin and Wireless keyboard with backlight, latest glass ClickPad by Synaptics, Bluetooth 4.2 support for up to three devices, 15 hours of battery life.
• OS: Windows 10.

The use of seventh-generation Intel Core processors along with USB Type-C ports offers a significant advantage over Microsoft’s sixth-generation-based Surface Pro 4, including what Surface fans seem to hope might arrive with the next version.

According to Eve Community members, the Eve 5 offers similar performance compared to the Surface Pro 4 and Asus Transformer 3 Pro machines, even though it utilizes passive cooling. The Eve 5 performed well in a variety of tests, including Cinebench R15, PCMark 8, and CrystalDiskMark, which bodes well for the machine’s ability to keep up with the competition.

If you’ve been waiting for a viable Surface Pro 4 replacement, then the Eve 5 might be something to think about. If so, you can join the 4,000 or so members of the Eve Community by adding some strong social interaction to the mix.