ExxonMobil Launches Apple Watch Support in ‘Speedpass+’ iOS App

ExxonMobil this week announced an update to its Speedpass+ iOS app, which gives users the ability to pay for fuel and car washes using their Apple Watch and Apple Pay at over 10,000 participating Exxon and Mobil refueling stations across the United States.

For the Apple Watch payments process, users will have to navigate to the Speedpass+ watch app, select the pump they are at, authorize it for payment, and double-tap the side button to bring up Apple Pay. Once the payment is processed, users can begin fueling up their vehicle.

“With these updates to the Speedpass+ app, consumers now have even more options to pay for fuel while sitting in the comfort of their car – either using Ford SYNC 3 or the Apple Watch,” said Matt Bergeron, vice president of marketing for ExxonMobil Fuels, Lubricants & Specialties Marketing Company.

“This is more than a cashless payment app; it is a platform that earns and redeems Plenti loyalty points and manages receipts. With ExxonMobil’s heritage and commitment to innovation, the Speedpass+ app continues to bring new benefits to its users.”

The update also comes with a new “Ford SYNC 3” feature that lets Speedpass+ app users easily authorize fuel payments using voice commands or an in-car touch screen, as well as check how much fuel is in the tank when away from their car using the app.

The new Speedpass+ update follows the app’s introduction of Apple Pay in March of 2016, which introduced the ability to pay for fuel using an iPhone and Apple’s mobile wallet. Exxon’s Apple Pay solution doesn’t use NFC reader technology, instead focusing on software within the app to use GPS and QR codes in order to authorize fuel payments.

Fuel companies have slowly begun to adopt Apple Pay over the years, with Chevron opening up a pilot program for Apple Pay fuel payments at a few of its stations in San Francisco in 2015. A few vehicle manufacturers have also rolled out Apple Pay support directly within their infotainment systems, with Jaguar and Shell partnering up to allow drivers in the United Kingdom to pay for fuel with Apple Pay insider their car.

ExxonMobil Speedpass+ is available to download for free on the iOS App Store. [Direct Link]

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Pro freeskier uses a hacked GoPro device to shoot some cool aerial footage

Why it matters to you

While a drone is a surefire way to score yourself some awesome aerial footage, skier Nicolas Vuignier shows there are other ways to get equally dramatic shots from the sky.

Pro freeskier Nicolas Vuignier wanted a cheap way of nailing some cool aerial footage of his snow-based stunts but didn’t want to fork out on a drone.

He settled on the AER, a GoPro accessory we first heard about in September 2016 when nearly 2,000 Kickstarter backers helped to make it a reality.

The AER is basically a large Nerf football that can hold a GoPro action camera. To get your aerial footage, you simply throw the wing-equipped AER into the air. And there’s no worries about your GoPro smashing to bits when it hits the ground because it’s protected by the projectile’s foam base.

It seems that Vuignier managed to get his snow mitts on an early version of the $54 AER as it isn’t expected to begin shipping for another few weeks. To get the precise footage he wanted, the skier first had to modify the device so he could get rear-facing shots, as the regular AER design only allows for forward-facing footage.

In a video (above) posted online this week, the freeskier shows off a slew of clips captured with his flying GoPro, edited into a slick and snappy package that’s getting plenty of attention on YouTube. It’s an entertaining couple of minutes, but demonstrates that although the method is a lot cheaper than shooting selfies with a drone, for a video like this you’ll still need someone with you to throw the AER into the sky at the optimum moment.

This isn’t the first time that the Swiss freeskier has impressed us with his innovative filmmaking ideas. Last year he attached his iPhone to a piece of string and swung it around his head as he performed ski stunts on the slopes. Vuignier said the Matrix-style effect took “two years of tinkering and tweaking” to finally achieve, but we’re sure you’ll agree, his so-called “selfie string” definitely delivered.

McLaren and Logitech step on the gas with the World’s Fastest Gamer contest

Why it matters to you

If you’re a racing fan who’s always dreamed of being a part of the McLaren Formula 1 team, the World’s Fastest Gamer contest could put you in the driver’s seat.

McLaren is teaming up with Logitech to help the British Formula 1 team find a new simulator driver via the World’s Fastest Gamer contest. The would-be racer that comes out on top will be offered a one-year contract with McLaren, a dream come true for any F1 fan with aspirations of taking to the driver’s seat.

F1 teams make full use of simulators as they prepare their cars for competition on a race weekend. Data from real-world practice sessions is fed into the simulation, so dedicated simulator drivers play an important role in ironing out any kinks before the race itself.

“You’ve effectively got a third car, it’s just that car’s in the virtual world being driven by a driver that’s not known to the general public,” said Darren Cox, the man behind World’s Fastest Gamer, discussing the project with The Verge. “Traditionally [McLaren has] found people from the racing world who are also good at engineering. We’re just trying to turn that on its head and find them in the virtual world.”

Cox is no stranger to this kind of contest. In 2008, he helped spearhead GT Academy, a collaboration between Nissan and Sony that has offered various standout Gran Turismo players the chance to become professional racing drivers.

World’s Fastest Gamer entrants will need more than just good car control to succeed. Their knowledge of engineering, their ability to work as part of a team, and their mental and physical toughness will all be taken into account.

The contest is scheduled to take place this fall at McLaren’s Technology Center in Surrey, England. Ten hopefuls will take part in several races across different platforms, with four entrants qualifying as online racing events that will take place over the summer, and the remaining six being selected by a team of experts.

Build your own Google Home with the latest issue of The MagPi

Why it matters to you

Tinkering around with the Raspberry Pi can be a lot of fun, and the MagPi is a great source of new projects.

Looking to use Google Assistant but don’t want to pay for a Google Home? In the latest issue of The MagPi, the Raspberry Pi foundation has included a free hardware kit from Google. By following the included instructions, subscribers can add voice interaction to their home.

Inside issue 57 of The MagPi, people will find a Google Voice Hardware Attached on Top (HAT) accessory board, a stereo microphone Voice HAT board, a large arcade button, and a selection of wires. Also included is a simple cardboard case to house all the components in.

Not included with the magazine is a Raspberry Pie 3, but these are relatively inexpensive. Once one has been acquired, all it needs is a software setup before it gains access to the Google Assistant SDK and Google Cloud Speech API.

The MagPi contains all the instructions needed to set up the makeshift Google Home and get it working properly. With Raspberry Pi, the project can easily be enhanced to make something better. For example, users could build a voice-controlled robot or a simple voice interface that answers any question thrown at it.

Aside from the included project, this latest issue also includes a number of tutorials. This month includes an introduction to programming with Minecraft Pi and ways to hack an Amazon Dash button. Additionally, the magazine is full of reviews, project showcases, and a guide to building the perfect makers’ toolbox.

If this is something that interests you, issue 57 should reach subscribers starting May 5. New subscriptions cost $129 for 12 issues and include the latest Pi Zero W, a case, and cable. Alternatively, The MagPi can be picked up at various stores in the UK including WHSmith, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Asda. In North America, it can be found at Barnes & Noble, or purchased online for about $8 from The PiHut where it is currently sold out. Digital versions without the free project kit are available as a free PDF download.

The latest version of Opera Max helps you save data while browsing Facebook

Opera Max gets much better at optimizing data.

Opera has rolled out an update for its data compression utility that should make it easier for you to cut down on data while using Facebook. Opera Max 3.0 offers an all new design along with better data management tools, and the ability to use a mobile web version of Facebook from within the app’s interface.

Opera Max gives you a detailed list of your Wi-Fi and mobile data usage habits on a per-app basis, giving you an idea as to what services are consuming a lot of data. The app will also show tips to extend your data usage, and as the service routes all traffic through its own servers, you’ll get an additional layer of security when connected to public Wi-Fi networks.

With Facebook’s own app being notorious for consuming vast amounts of data and your phone’s battery, it’s a better bet to switch to the web version built into Opera Max if you’re looking to cut down on your data usage.

Interested in taking a look? Download Opera Max 3.0 from the Play Store and let us know what you think of the service in the comments.

Refurbished Note 7 clears FCC certification as Korean launch draws near

The refurbished Note 7 is one step closer to launch.

Samsung announced back in March that it would introduce a refurbished variant of the Galaxy Note 7 with a smaller battery, and the phone is now one step closer to launch. South Korean variants of the refurbished Note 7 have passed through FCC certification, with recent rumors suggesting the phone could make its debut in Samsung’s home market at the end of June.

According to the FCC filings, three models have picked up certification — the SM-N935K, SM-N935L, and SM-N935S. The SM-N935K model is likely to be South Korean carrier KT’s variant of the handset, while the SM-N935L and SM-N935S could end up launching on LG U+ and SK Telecom respectively.

The refurbished Note 7 is rumored to retail for the equivalent of $620, or $250 less than the launch price of the Note 7 last year. Leaked images of the device show that it will feature the same design as the Note 7 albeit with a smaller 3200mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

• Galaxy Note 7 fires, recall and cancellation: Everything you need to know
• Survey results: Samsung users stay loyal after Note 7 recall
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
• The latest Galaxy Note 7 news
• Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!

How to set up the Galaxy S8 to send Bluetooth audio to two devices at once

Sharing audio from one device to two headphones has always been a pain.

From headphone splitters that almost never work when you need them to spltting earbuds and staying uncomfortably within inches of each other for an in-flight movie, it’s just sucked. Well, rejoice, music and movie sharers! The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ sport an awesome new feature called Dual Audio, which will broadcast Bluetooth media audio to two Bluetooth devices at once. It’s easy to use and works remarkably well.

Let’s get our beat on, together!

Before you can use Dual Audio, you need to turn it on.

Open Settings.
Tap Connections.

Tap Bluetooth.

Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the screen.
Tap Dual Audio.
Tap the toggle switch in the top right corner of the screen to turn Dual Audio on.

Once you’ve activated Dual Audio, when you connect two Bluetooth devices, your Galaxy S8 will begin to stream its audio to both headsets, or to one headphone and one speaker, or two speakers. If a third Bluetooth audio device connects to your Galaxy S8, it will kick the oldest connection off Dual Audio and add the third device to Dual Audio, so be advised if you’re someone with a drawer full of Bluetooth headphones.

Another quirk of Dual Audio to be aware of: the first device to connect to the Galaxy S8 during Dual Audio will be the device that can use its headset media controls to pause, play, or change tracks. The second device is just along for the listen, so if you want to control the music, make sure you connect your headphones first and then you partner’s.

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

• Galaxy S8 and S8+ review!
• Galaxy S8 and S8+ specs
• Everything you need to know about the Galaxy S8’s cameras
• Get to know Samsung Bixby
• Join our Galaxy S8 forums

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OnePlus 5: A reminder that retailer listings mean nothing, and About screens can be faked

Never Settle for dubious online rumors.

So we’re getting to the time of year when folks are expecting a new OnePlus smartphone. The number four being considered bad luck in some Asian cultures, the name everyone seems to have settled on is OnePlus 5, and boy is the rumor mill already churning. In the past week a post by OnePlus CEO Pete Lau on social network Weibo, not mentioning the OnePlus 5, and revealing no new information was widely reported to be a teaser of the OnePlus 5.

And now we’re seeing reports of the OnePlus 5 being listed at OppoMart, which sounds very official, but actually has nothing to do with the Oppo which makes phones, and which shares some of the same investors as OnePlus.

The storefront uses an alleged OnePlus 5 render which surfaced a few days back, with the watermark photoshopped out, and a spec sheet which could’ve been easily put together from other OnePlus 5 rumors — Snapdragon 835, 6GB of RAM, 5.5-inch 2K display, dual cameras, and so on. In other words, nothing new.

It’s a tactic we’ve seen many retailers deploy ahead of anticipated phone launches. One or two in the UK were even taking Samsung Galaxy S8 pre-orders before the phone had been announced, and before the final price was known. (In those cases, the initial pre-order prices were completely wrong.)

What’s more, a screenshot of an “About” screen, purportedly from the OnePlus 5, has also cropped up on Weibo in the past day, apparently showing a variant with 8GB of RAM. That’s entirely possible, especially for spec-sensitive markets in Asia, but screens like that are also ridiculously easy to fabricate and this one comes from an unknown source.

This kind of thing is as old as Android itself, as the good old Android Central build.prop Hall of Shame, from 2010, can attest.

So maybe the OnePlus 5 will look like the images above. Or maybe not. Maybe it’ll have 6GB of RAM. Maybe it’ll have 8GB of RAM. Either way, a sizeable pinch of salt is recommended for any OnePlus rumors you might be seeing this week.

AT&T Buyer’s Guide: Everything you need to know

Find out what AT&T has to offer.

AT&T is the second-largest wireless carrier in the U.S. with over 100 million subscribers across the country. It offers nationwide Voice and LTE data coverage on its network, using GSM and LTE technology for both voice and data, primarily on 700, 850, 1700 and 1900MHz spectrm.

AT&T offers unlimited talk and text wireless plans for individuals and families and have deals on the latest phones including the Samsung Galaxy S8. If you’re a loyal AT&T customer for other services, you’ll be happy to know that there are benefits to bundling your services together, but if you’re strictly looking for a wireless plan, AT&T’s base offerings are definitely on the pricier side — though they do offer affordable prepaid plans and the option to save by bringing your own device.

Read on to learn more about what AT&T has to offer, and find the best plan and phone deal for you!

• Best Individual Plans
• Best Family Plan
• Best Phones
• Best Deals on AT&T
• How to cancel AT&T
• How to unlock an AT&T phone
• Finding an alternative carrier that uses AT&T’s network

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Best Individual Plans

AT&T offers a range of mobile service options for individuals. We’ll start off with their standard talk, text, and data plans available when you’re buying a new phone through AT&T, then look at AT&T’s prepaid no-contract options, and finally your options for bringing your own device to the AT&T Network.

• Talk, Text and Data plans
• AT&T Prepaid
• Bring your own device to AT&T

Talk, Text and Data plans

AT&T offers two base talk, text, and data plans for individual lines — the AT&T Unlimited Choice plan, and the Unlimited Plus plan.

The Unlimited Choice plan starts at $65 a month and includes unlimited talk, text, and data with standard definition video streaming and data speeds that max out at 3Mbps. It’s a great option if you don’t want to worry about managing monthly quotas and don’t mind the slower data speeds for video.

The Unlimited Plus plan is significantly more expensive at $95 a month, but includes high definition video streaming and 10GB of mobile hotspot all delivered at the fastest speeds available on AT&T’s nationwide 4G LTE network. It also includes an HBO subscription, which lets you watch all your favorite HBO shows on all of your devices.

Keep in mind the cost of these plans do not include payments towards a new phone. If you’re trying to budget getting a new phone on contract with AT&T, add an extra $25 to get a closer estimation of what your monthly bill might look like. However, there are ways to bring that bill down a bit. You can save $5 a month by signing up for AutoPay, and an additional $5 a month for signing up to receive paperless bills. And all DirectTV customers (existing and new) save an additional $25 when bundled with wireless service.

AT&T offers a number of bundles that include DirectTV alongside its other services, so if you’re looking for a total home package through one carrier you may lock down a pretty good deal that includes TV, home phone, internet and wireless all through AT&T.

To find the pricing offered in your area, you’ll want to go to AT&T’s website and enter your ZIP code.

Learn more

AT&T Prepaid

Not interested in locking yourself into a long-term contract with AT&T? You may be interested in a prepaid plan instead. AT&T offers GoPhone plans for those looking for cheap and functional wireless services without the hassle of dealing with overage fees and or paying for features you don’t end up using.

Monthly GoPhone plans start at $30 for unlimited talk and text, and it also offer decent pay-as-you-go plans which start as low as $2 a day for unlimited minutes and texts. With pay-as-you-go, you’re not charged on days that you don’t place or receive a call or send a text.

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Bring your own device to AT&T

If you’re switching over to AT&T from another carrier, you may be able to bring your current phone over to the network. You’ll want to make sure that your device has been unlocked by your previous carrier and then check its eligibility on AT&T’s network. You’re also able to connect laptops, tablets and mobile hotspots to an AT&T wireless plan, which you can learn more about in store.

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Best Family Plans

AT&T offers shared data plans for families with unlimited domestic talk and text and worry-free data — you won’t receive overage charges when you’ve reached your data allotment.

Add up to 10 lines to your plan and find the monthly data amount that meets your family’s needs. Starting at $80 for 10GB of shared data, your best value for a data-hungry family is the 30GB plan for $135. Spread across a family of four, that averages to 7.5GB per phone, which is more than enough to support regular streaming of audio and video, along with everything else your family uses their phones for.

Since AT&T offers much more than just wireless service, you have the option to add a plethora of features to your plan. First, you can add more devices such as LTE-enabled tablets and wearables for a monthly access charge, as well as laptops and mobile hotspot devices.

More importantly for families, you can add both home phone and internet to your plant for only $30. AT&T also offers cable bundles if you’re interested in cable TV packages.

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Best Phones

Looking to buy a brand new phone through AT&T? It can offer you the latest and greatest devices — for both Android and iOS — including:

• Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+
• LG G6
• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge
• LG V20

You have two options for buying phones through AT&T — you can buy them outright, or pay no money down with AT&T Next, a payment plan service that links the cost of the phone to your wireless contract, as you pay for the phone in monthly installments with an option to upgrade to a new device in two years. You may choose put a down payment on the device to bring the monthly payment down, or consider trading in an older phone to put cash towards your new one.

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Best Deals on AT&T

Right now, AT&T is pushing a couple great deals for unlimited data plans.

AT&T’s Unlimited Plus plan is jam-packed with awesome features for heavy mobile users and fans of HBO. You get 22GB of high speed data before AT&T may slow your speeds and 10GB of mobile hotspot per line per month. Stream high definition video on the go with unlimited domestic talk and text including Canada and Mexico all for just $90 a month for one line, or $145 for two.

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AT&T is also offering a free Galaxy S8 when you buy a Galaxy S8 using the AT&T Next upgrade program. There are some limitations, but it’s a pretty good deal if you and another person on the same account plan to upgrade every year and a half.

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How to cancel AT&T

If you’re considering signing a multi-year contract with AT&T, you need to know the details and processes for canceling your service. This is where reading the fine print of your contract ahead of time comes in handy. Depending on your wireless plan, you may have to pay an Early Termination Fee or the outstanding balance of an installment agreement like AT&T Next plans.

You have two options for canceling your services with AT&T:

• Call 1-800-331-0500 or 611 from an AT&T wireless phone, and then follow the call prompts to cancel your service.
• Cancel in-person at an AT&T store near you.

If you’ve decided to cancel your service within 14 days of activation, you’ll want to know about AT&T’s equipment return policies.

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How to unlock an AT&T phone

If you plan on buying a phone through AT&T, you may want to know the process for unlocking your phone. AT&T has complete instructions on their support website, and the whole process should take no more than three days to process.

The first step is determining whether your device is eligible to be unlocked, and of course AT&T has a site for that. Unlocking your AT&T phone is a fairly painless process, requiring you to fill out some forms with your AT&T credentials and your device’s IMEI number. Once your request has been processed, you are free to connect your device to another wireless carrier.

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Finding an alternative carrier that uses AT&T’s network

If you want to use the AT&T network but are looking for plans that offer a better deal, you might be interested in a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). MVNOs are often referred to as alternative carriers, and they work by partnering with the big four carriers to piggyback on their networks. That means they can offer better deals to consumers without needing to worry about infrastructure upkeep.

They’ve become increasingly reliable over the years and offer the cheapest plans in the mobile industry. There are currently 12 MVNOs that operate on AT&T, including Cricket Wireless, Straight Talk, and H20 Wireless.

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Microsoft will show the world “what’s next” on 23 May, but what is next?

Microsoft recently held an event in New York City where it revealed products aimed at the education sector. They included Windows 10 S, a new operating system that only has access to apps from the Windows Store, which has been done to make sure everything runs quickly and smoothly, and the Surface Laptop, a rather eye-catching laptop that will go head-to-head with the Apple MacBook Air when it launches on 15 June. 

• You can watch Microsoft’s 2 May education event here, Surface Laptop and Windows 10 S revealed

But education isn’t all Microsoft is focusing on this year it seems, as the company has released a teaser to say there will be another event on 23 May in Shanghai to show off what’s next for Microsoft.

But what exactly is next? Microsoft isn’t giving anything away, but we take a few educated guesses as to what the computing giant has up its sleeve.

• Microsoft unveils the Surface Laptop, a Windows 10 S device looking to take down the MacBook

Surface Pro 5

Microsoft’s VP of Devices, Panos Panay tweeted the teaser from his account and included the hashtag #Surface. Panay credits himself as being the creator of the Surface series of devices, so it would be fair to assume there will be another new Surface device on the way. 

Considering we’ve just been given the Surface Laptop, it’s unlikely to be another computer, but could instead be the Surface Pro 5 2-in-1. A search around the web for leaks and rumours surrounding the new device all tend to suggest that any updates will be minor. The Surface Pro 4 already has a very competitive spec list, and any major changes, such as upgrading to a 4K display will make it too expensive and sacrifice battery life.

The most likely upgrade will be to Intel’s Kaby Lake processors for greater efficiency and the Surface Pro 5 should also have a USB Type-C input for charging and connecting accessories. 

There will more than likely be several different variations of the Surface Pro 5 available when it does launch, with different processor speeds and storage. As for price, we can’t be sure, but the starting price will be somewhere between £700 and £1000.

Surface Phone

Talks of a Surface Phone have been on and off in recent months and years. At one point there were strong rumours to suggest Microsoft would channel its Surface laptop 2-in-1 technology into a powerful phone. But since then the company has sold off its phone patents, implying it won’t be working on a phone itself.

But we’ve then seen images of a possible Surface Phone, although some media outlets thought it was a Windows Phone made by Dell. We haven’t heard much more on the subject since those images surfaced. 

However, Alcatel manufactures Microsoft branded phones, and Alcatel is headquartered in Shanghai, the same city where Microsoft’s event is taking place. It could therefore be possible that we’ll either see a new Microsoft phone unveiled, or at the very least get an update on the current state of play. 

Of course, until Microsoft officially reveal whatever it’s planning on 23 May, we can only speculate. We’ll be sure to bring you the very latest news and product announcements as and when we hear them.