Superbugs may meet their match in this bacteria-busting molecule

One of humanity’s most impending threats come from organisms too small to spot with the naked eye.

In the next few decades, antibiotic-resistant superbugs could become more deadly than cancer, playing a role in 10 million deaths each year. They already contribute to the death of some 700,000 people annually.

“Superbugs are those that become resistant to many of the commonly used antibiotics due to misuse and overuse over the years,” James Hedrick, the lead researcher of advanced organic materials at IBM Research, told Digital Trends. “As they become resistant they become harder and harder to treat. Why worry? There are very few last lines of defense available.”

After nearly losing his leg to a bacterial infection in 2016, Hedrick was inspired to find a solution to the global superbug problem. He and his team partnered with the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) in Singapore to create a synthetic molecule capable of killing five types of superbugs with limited side effects, according to a paper the team published last week in the journal Nature Communications. Their hope is that this molecule can be used to create antimicrobial drugs capable of treating antibiotic-resistant infections.

“Our macromolecular antimicrobials mimic, to some degree, our innate immune system.” Hedrick said, “That is, antimicrobial peptides. This is a synthetic version of these natural polymers that act against the ‘ESKAPE’ pathogens that are responsible for most hospital-acquired infections. Moreover, it works on multi-drug resistant pathogens. This paper is the first example of a synthetic polymer that has been used in vivo to eradicate several different types of infections. The polymer is uniquely designed such that it does its business and then rapidly degrades into non-toxic byproducts that are easily passed from the body. Finally, serial sublethal passages of the polymer with bacteria, designed to promote resistance, did not facilitate any resistance.”

In their paper, Hedrick and his colleagues demonstrated for the first time that a biodegradable synthetic molecule can have a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity in mice with limited toxicity. The study also gives weight to the new “macromolecular therapeutics” research field, which may be our best bet to quell the emergence of superbugs.

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We put the Samsung Galaxy S9’s camera to the ultimate low-light test

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The biggest addition to Samsung’s Galaxy S9 isn’t the dual camera system on the 6.2-inch Plus version — it’s the variable aperture available on the main camera of both smartphones. You can read our in-depth explanation about how it works, but it boils down to the camera being capable of mechanically switching between an f/1.5 aperture and an f/2.4 aperture.

A wide aperture (lower number) means the camera takes in more light, which is beneficial for low-light environments. The downside is photos aren’t as sharp, as they lose more detail. Samsung’s solution is to have the camera predominantly use the f/2.4 aperture, but when it’s much darker, the camera automatically switches to the f/1.5 aperture to absorb as much light as possible.

We spent an hour with the Galaxy S9 Plus at Mobile World Congress 2018 to show you how the camera works. Now we’re back with a more challenging test, after spending some time on the narrow streets of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter at night.

Low light

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Indoor bar

This photo was taken in an eccentric underground bar, without much lighting. The camera automatically switched to the f/1.5 aperture, and we’re surprised at the amount of detail it was able to capture. Zoom into the bottles, and they all look incredibly sharp. The photograph also represents the colors at the bar very well, bringing out a muted red, while also not overexposing the displays on the barrels.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Food

We all love taking photos of food, and you’ll be happy to know the Galaxy S9 does a great job of capturing it even in dimly-lit restaurants. The photograph of this delicacy was taken in a charming restaurant called El Salon in the Gothic Quarter, and it certainly doesn’t have the best lighting conditions. The Galaxy S9 managed to capture a lot of detail, while maintaining the wonderful warm vibes at the restaurant. We also love the strong blur in the background, putting the focus on the stuffed chicken. You can tell the photo isn’t too sharp, with a some noise, but it’s not blurry or out of focus, and we’d easily share it (the photo, not the food).

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Rain and trees

This is a challenging photo for any smartphone. We were outdoors, at night, in a poorly lit area. The Galaxy S9 manages all the same, maintaining the yellow hues from the street lights, while also capturing a fair amount of detail. What we like most about this photo is how it carries the mood of the night — the ground looks wet, with colors reflecting everywhere. You can even make out the “Centre” sign on the left, if you zoom in.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Palau Nacional

This photo shows how well Samsung’s multi-frame noise reduction works. This is a new improvement in the camera’s processing, as it’s able to greatly reduce the noise in the photo by taking a lot of photos and compiling them together. Look at the sky, and you’ll hardly see any noise; it looks natural. The lights aren’t overexposed, and you can still make out the Palau Nacional well enough in the distant back.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Las Arenas

There’s little noise seen here in the sky, and if you zoom into the underside of the circular walking platform at the top of the arena, you can still make out distinct circles. Details on the brickwork are a little fuzzy here, but perhaps that could have been eliminated if the Galaxy S9 was on a tripod. The colors in this photo are, once again, accurate to real life.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Barcelona Cathedral

These photos of the Barcelona Cathedral were the most challenging due to extremely dim lighting. All of them look rather fuzzy, and brightness isn’t well balanced. The archway on the front of the Cathedral looks good enough, but details aren’t strong, and we’d have liked to see it bring out more of the church surrounding the entrance. The photo of the front of the church is good given the circumstances, however. Detail is solid, and the sky is realistic, though the archway is a little overexposed.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Selfie

Selfies are an important part of the camera experience on any smartphone, and the Galaxy S9’s 8-megapixel camera doesn’t disappoint. The bar doesn’t look as well-lit as this photo makes it out to be, but more importantly, my colleagues are in focus. I’m a little out of focus, likely because I’m closer to the camera, and there’s noise everywhere, but the photo still manages to make it all look sharp.

2x optical zoom

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Barcelona Cathedral

The second camera on the Galaxy S9 Plus offers a 2x optical zoom, meaning you don’t need to move from where you’re standing to get some photos up close. It’s a feature available on other smartphones, including Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8. We took this photo from the same place we took the previous Barcelona Cathedral photo of the front archway. You can see the f/1.5 aperture in full display here, as there’s plenty of detail, with no specific part overexposed or underexposed.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Las Arenas

Here’s another angle of the arena. This time, the photo is slightly more in focus. There’s more detail on the brickwork and the circles underneath the walking path at the top. The noise you’d typically see in the sky from other smartphones isn’t present here.

Live focus

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Gelato indoors

Live Focus is Samsung’s take on Portrait Mode found on the iPhone and Google’s Pixel smartphones. It uses the telephoto lens to blur out the background of a subject, for a beautiful bokeh effect. Like optical zoom, this is only available on the S9 Plus. The blur effect looks great and is accurately applied around the subject, including the semi-transparent spoon. Close inspection reveals artifacts around the spoon, but that issue is hard to notice unless you zoom all the way in.

Pro tip

You may be surprised to learn that you can’t easily use Super Slow Motion anywhere other than broad daylight with the Galaxy S9. The video will look terrible. That’s because Super Slow Motion requires a lot of light, and anything indoors or at night will generally not cut it. The same is true on Sony’s Xperia phone.

Stay tuned for our full review of the Galaxy S9, where we pit its camera against top competitors like Google’s Pixel 2, and Apple’s iPhone X.

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• An hour with the Galaxy S9 Plus reveals what the camera is all about
• Samsung Galaxy S9 hands-on review
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Get seasick? Then this floating hotel room ‘pod’ is definitely not for you

Huis Ten Bosch

If even the mere thought of spending a night in a floating hotel room makes you feel seasick, then you might need to pop a travel pill before you continue reading.

Guests heading to the Dutch-themed Huis Ten Bosch theme park in southwest Japan will soon have the chance to stay in the pod-like room, which was shown off for the first time this week.

The floating capsule can accommodate up to three guests though its design is a little different from the one shown in the picture above, released last year when the plan was first mooted. The final product (pictured below) has two floors, the first for sleeping and the second for relaxing and enjoying the passing scenery. There’s also a small outdoor deck where you can go to gaze dreamily at the star-filled sky as you bob up and down on the water. It looks cool, though it’s a shame they couldn’t stick the bedroom on the top as per the original design.

Want to try a #capsulehotel in #Japan? #HuisTenBosch now has one that is spherical and it floats!https://t.co/ZcdTsKp6wB#travel #Nagasaki #vacation

— Kyodo News – English (@kyodo_english) March 6, 2018

A video posted online by Japanese media outlet Kyodo News reveals a roomier interior than you might imagine, with a large, bright lounge area with seating, and a wooden staircase leading to the deck. And like any decent hotel room, you’ll also find a bathroom, complete with both a shower and a bath, and a separate toilet.

Guests staying in the sea pod will be gently towed overnight by a boat to a small island about four miles away where they can spend the following day enjoying various attractions, including a new one where visitors “can fight dinosaurs in an augmented reality game,” according to Kyodo.

A second night in the pod will return the guests to the main area of the theme park.

Of course, if rough weather creates choppy waters, it’s unlikely the guests will be allowed to make use of their booking. In that case, they’ll have the option to stay in one of the park’s other hotels, which include the Henna Hotel whose customer-facing staff consists entirely of robots.

A night in the pod is expected to cost around 35,000 yen (about $330), though as it appears to be a minimum two-night stay (unless you want to swim back), you’re obviously looking at double that.

Huis Ten Bosch plans to launch the quirky accommodation option this summer.

The sea pods are the latest in a growing number of unusual accommodation ideas offered by operators around the world. A collection of such places compiled by Digital Trends features everything from secluded treehouses and lighthouses to a “vintage van with a view” and even a cave.

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Amazon-style drone deliveries come a step closer for U.K. shoppers

Slavoljub Pantelic / Shutterstock

With drone technology advancing significantly in recent years, the day when the flying machines are used to move goods from A to B on a large scale feels like it’s coming closer.

Truth is, some organizations are already using the technology to carry items such as medical supplies between facilities, but for an air-based delivery service as complex as the one Amazon proposes, a myriad of safety issues first need to be addressed.

A big part of the solution requires the creation of a reliable air traffic control system so that autonomous drones can fly without incident over long distances.

In the U.K., National Air Traffic Services (NATS), the country’s leading air traffic services provider, announced this week that it has partnered with drone traffic management solutions company Altitude Angel to build a system that it claims will safely integrate drones in the skies over the U.K.

The partners believe a viable system could be in place as early as 2019, opening up the skies to a range of businesses looking to build out their delivery platforms or use the technology for other purposes.

The planned system claims to offer full integration with the existing air traffic control operation involving manned aircraft, but would keep commercial drones flying in low-level airspace. It would also ensure that the airspace given over to commercial drones is properly monitored and organized to prevent near misses and collisions among the unmanned aerial vehicles and also with manned aircraft, and to provide a communication channel to enable air traffic controllers to quickly contact drone operators if an issue arises.

“Drones offer huge potential benefits to public services and the economy, with a growing number of organizations looking to increase their use of drones in their everyday operations, from online retailers through to emergency services,” NATS said in a post outlining its plan. “However, reports of incidents involving drones flying dangerously close to manned aircraft are on the rise, with drone incidents now accounting for more than half of all airprox reports received by NATS.”

Commenting on the initiative, David Harrison, NATS Director of Safety, said the increasing popularity of commercial drone operations and the growing number of drone-related incidents “make it essential that we take steps now to help make this happen, and this new partnership will get the U.K.’s unmanned traffic industry off to a safe, flying start.”

Similar systems

The U.K.’s effort to develop an effective system mirrors similar moves in the U.S. by companies such as Google parent Alphabet, which has been investing in not only its Project Wing drone platform, but also in an air traffic control system for drones that it hopes, when it’s fully ready, will persuade the Federal Aviation Administration to permit drone delivery on a wide scale. NASA is also developing the Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management enterprise, to make the skies safe for autonomous flying machines.

At the same time, a collaboration between Swiss air navigation service provider Skyguide and California-based drone airspace management platform AirMap is working to create a similar system for use in Switzerland that could eventually be rolled out to the rest of the European continent. Like the U.K. effort, it’s also looking to launch the system in 2019.

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Wearables don’t get more unusual than Acer’s Leap Beads

https://chinese.engadget.com/2018/03/02/acer-leap-beads/

Acer is no stranger to wearables, having released everything from fitness bands to smartwatches in the past, but its most recent addition may be its most niche yet. Acer’s Leap Beads are aimed at Buddhists, and are designed to count the number of mantras repeated during prayer time, so that it’s easier to concentrate on what’s being said, rather than counting. While the Leap Beads have niche appeal, in that we doubt anyone who isn’t Buddhist will want to buy them, the audience size is anything but small. In Taiwan — where the Leap Beads will be sold — there are at least 8 million Buddhists, and anywhere up to 500 million globally.

The beads come presented in a stylish box, and are wirelessly charged using an included stand, with the battery inside the beads expected to last for around four days before it needs recharging. They are made of wood, and the largest bead is the “smart” bead, containing all the necessary technology, and a lotus flower engraving on the outside, which lights up when the Leap Beads are being charged. The wearable links to a smartphone app using Bluetooth, and its primary feature counts the number of times the beads are rotated in the hand. Once completed, the beads vibrate and the app alerts you, and any collected data is added to a graph.

But what wearable would be complete without fitness tracking and other features? Acer has added a step counter, calorie tracking, and sleep monitoring to the Leap Beads, plus in the near future it wants to introduce wireless payments. This could be used to buy goods, or make donations. The app connects to social networks and with a community of other Leap Bead owners. Digitimes mentions the wireless charger also acts as a Bluetooth speaker, but this may only be part of a special edition version where the beads are made from rosewood.

Acer has announced the Leap Beads for Taiwan, where they cost the equivalent of $130, and they will apparently sold only in selected locations later in March. Whether it will launch the wearable outside Taiwan in the future may depend on demand. It’s also not the only company exploring this type of wearable — Digitimes notes fellow Taiwanese company Asus is exploring the possibility of launching similar products in the future.

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Xiaomi introduces the Mi TV 4A series in India; prices start at just ₹13,999 ($215)

Xiaomi rolls out 32-inch and 43-inch models of the Mi TV 4A in India.

After launching the 55-inch Mi TV 4 in India last month, Xiaomi is now adding new two models to diversify its TV portfolio. Both TVs share a similar design aesthetic, and are priced very aggressively. The 32-inch model will go on sale later this month for just ₹13,999 ($215), and the 43-inch variant will be debuting for ₹22,999 ($355).

The 32-inch Mi TV 4A features a 1366×768 HD-ready panel, and is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core Amlogic T962 chipset with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage. The 42-inch TV features a Full HD (1920×1080) panel, and comes with the same Amlogic T962 chipset but with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage.

The 43-inch model also offers HDR10 compatibility, as well as Dolby Virtual Surround Sound and DTA audio. Both models come with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, along with an Ethernet port, and three HDMI ports. The 32-inch variant has two USB ports, whereas the 43-inch model has three USB ports.

Both models offer Xiaomi’s PatchWall interface, which serves up recommendations based on your viewing history. The interface also seamlessly integrates your DTH box, making it easier to find content from the likes of Tata Sky or Videocon DTH without having to navigate either service provider’s clunky interface.

Xiaomi mentions that both TVs — along with the 55-inch Mi TV 4 — will be up for sale every Tuesday and Friday via its own portal as well as Flipkart. The first sale of the 32-inch Mi TV 4A will kick off on March 13, and the 43-inch model will go on sale starting March 16.

What do you guys make of the latest addition to the Mi TV range in India?

See at Flipkart

Would you be interested in a smaller Galaxy Note?

Pocketability is seriously underrated.

When you buy a smartphone under the Galaxy Note brand, you have a good idea of what you’re getting yourself into. Over the past few years, the Note series has become iconic for offering the very latest specs, Samsung’s S Pen, and large displays. All of these things are great, but one of our forum users had an idea for something different.

Would anyone be interested in a Galaxy Note phone that’s not so big? Having the S Pen and all of the newest features in a more pocketable package does sound somewhat intriguing, but most of the Android Central community doesn’t seem to be on-board with this at all.

Here’s what they had to say.

pinkvikchick
03-01-2018 04:20 PM

“

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO what the HECK are you SAYING!!!!

Reply

digitalbreak
03-01-2018 08:13 PM

“

Note series means it’s BIG. Period. 🙂

Reply

Iva_LadyDiCaprio98
03-01-2018 05:19 PM

“

definitely not in that case just get the S series instead. I got the Note for the size of the screen more than the pen

Reply

Jewels81
03-01-2018 06:32 PM

“

No lol. Once you go big it’s kind of hard to go back to smaller size lmao. For me anyway.

Reply

Morty2264
03-02-2018 07:45 AM

“

I’ve never really been a fan of Samsung devices (they are great of course, just not the manufacturer for me); but maybe I’d consider or at least look at a smaller Note. Phones are getting too big these days!

Reply

Now, we’d like to pass the question on to you – Would you consider buying a smaller Galaxy Note?

Join the conversation in the forums!

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Smartphone shoulder holsters: Why they work and why I wear one

“Hey, what is that thing you’re wearing? What do you carry in it?”

I’ve worn phone shoulder holsters in public on and off for over two years now, and it never fails to draw the eyes of the Texans around me. “I couldn’t help but notice your holster. What’s in there?” “For a moment, I thought you were a cop.” “That is so badass! Where did you find that?” “Is that an Open Carry holster?”

The reactions are varied, though most people lean toward cool rather than uncouth. A shoulder holster is absolutely an accessory that makes a statement, but my decision to wear one isn’t about fashion as you might think.

The more I see of it, the more jealous I get of @captain2phones’s shoulder holster. #WeDontNeedNoStinkinPockets #MoNaCon

— Ara Wagoner 💜 (@AraWagco) March 5, 2016

My first experience with phone holsters came at a company retreat — the first and only time I’ve seen more than two of my Android Central cohorts in person. It was a wonderful weekend of work, play, and booze, but the single most important thing I found at that conference was not how insane my superiors are at Cards Against Humanity, but rather an intense jealousy over the phone holster Michael Fisher aka MrMobile was wearing around the conference: an LD West Shoulder Holster. As a smartphone reviewer who always carries multiple smartphones, the LD West holster made a lot of sense to MrMobile, but for me, someone who only carries one phone most of the time, the shoulder holster had a different significance.

I am a 26-year-old woman who likes to wear form-fitting jeans, and form-fitting jeans are rather lacking in the pockets department. This means that as I walk around work, I either have to wear a jacket with a phone-capable pocket, or I have to take my phone out of my pocket every time I sit down. Neither of these solutions is particularly appealing, and since I have to take out my phone every time I sit down, I’m more and more likely to use my phone every time I sit down, which wasn’t the healthiest of habits. A holster means I can keep my phone on me at all times, without worrying about what size pockets my jeans have or making sure I grab my phone every time I stand up or sit down.

In short, a holster is freedom. And I like it, a lot.

Unfortunately, my LD West holster broke once, and then after paying international shipping and waiting weeks for a replacement pouch, it broke again, and I was back to the dark days of hoodies and holding my phone all the time. Then the Phonster X came along. I backed it on Kickstarter, and nearly five months after it was supposed to show up, it finally came. The Phonster X brought three significant upgrades:

• The straps hung better on my frame. The X-straps were better angled so that the pouches hung better on my petite frame. More importantly, the straps weren’t elastic, so they didn’t bounce on me when I moved about in them.
• Instead of two phone-sized pouches, the Phonster X I opted for had one phone pouch and one “Multipouch” which is basically the size of a large women’s wallet and zips open on three sides, which I can stow my car keys, house keys, wallet, PocketBac, and recently my RFID building badge in. Now, my holster has allowed me to empty all my pockets, and I can wear my holster with workout pants or skirts and still carry what I need.
• The system for connecting pouches to straps on the Phonster X uses leather straps on the pouches that loop around the metal hoops at the end of each strap, allowing the pouches to hang more naturally and allowing the user to switch up which pouches go on which sides, as the LD West holster basically only configures one way. You can event loop the pouches to a belt and turn your shoulder holster into a utility belt, if you want.

These days, I am back to wearing my holster full time, and happily so. At over a hundred dollars, my navy Phonster X Double might not be cheap, but it’s leather, well-made, and fits my body and my lifestyle.

In addition, there’s a small personal security component to wearing a shoulder holder. For starters, it’s a lot harder for anyone to steal my wallet/phone/keys when they are all hugged close to my body. Second, the holster — and the straight posture I adapt to keep it from sliding around on my shoulders — helps present an air of confidence and to a small degree strength. It makes some people think twice before approaching me, which as a somewhat reclusive person I see as a feature rather than a bug. Then, when people do approach me, we have an easy icebreaker as they ask about my holster and I can tell them what I use it for.

Part of this security might very well be an illusion, but I feel more secure with my holster hugging me as I go about my day. My holster carries no weapons, but it gives me a greater feeling of security than one that does.

Are shoulder holsters outlandish, rare, and to a degree intimidating? Yes. Do I let any of those things stop me from wearing mine? No, I don’t. It’s the best solution I’ve found to carrying my most personal items, it’s a conversation starter, and whether I’m directing breaking news or hula-hooping at the bar during karaoke night, my holster fits my life.

Phonster X series

How to get unbanned from PlayStation Network

Are you trying to get a ban reversed? Give this a read.

Those of us who have felt the crushing weight of the ban hammer come down upon our fragile skulls, know the pain it can cause. There can be nothing quite as sad as pulling up to your favorite digital hangout only to find that you are no longer allowed inside. If you have turned on your PlayStation 4 and discovered that you have been banned from the PlayStation Network, then take a look at the advice below.

Error messages

If you cannot connect to the PSN you will be provided with an error message. While the details given are somewhat sparse, it can give you an idea of where you stand. Start by writing down your error message and comparing it to the list below.

• 8002A227: You cannot use PlayStation®Network with this account.

• 8002A231: Your PlayStation®Network account has been suspended.

• 80710016: For more information, go to WS-37397 Error Code (most often means psn doesn’t like something about your ip)

• WS-37337-3: This PSN account has been temporarily suspended

• WS-37368-7: This PSN account has been banned

• WS-37338-4: This PS4 console has been permanently banned from the PlayStation Network.

• WS-37397-9: Connection Error. For more information, go to WS-37397 Error Code (most often means psn doesn’t like something about your ip)

What did you do?

There is a veritable litany of reasons for getting banned from the PSN. They range from offenses as seemingly benign as killing off your own team in an online game, to the flagrantly illegal offense of fraud. All the things that will get you nixed from the network can be found in the terms of service which you can take look at here.

The chargeback solution

If you find yourself temporarily banned from the PlayStation Network and you recently asked your bank to stop all payments then that could be your problem. Sony takes a pretty zero tolerance stance on being owed money. If you think that this is your issue, then the solution could be as simple as paying back the money that you owe.

Give them a call

If you have found yourself in a position where you have permanently banned then you may be out of luck. From everything I have heard, only the most severe offenses justify permanent banning from the network. However, if you are certain that your suspension or banning was made erroneously, then your best course of action is to call PSN support.

The most effective advice I can give is to be patient and gracious with your representative to the best of your ability. I know it can be infuriating but for the most part, the old saying about catching flies with honey remains true. Be polite, yet persistent and hopefully you will see a resolution in your favor.

PlayStation support number: 1-800-345-7669

Hopefully, you will never see your PSN account on the receiving end of the ban hammer. From everything I have gleaned and experienced, the back end of getting an account reinstated can be labyrinthine, exhausting, and torturous.

Ever had your PSN account banned or suspended?

What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments.

Why are we talking PlayStation 4 games on Android Central? Let us explain.

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Google Tez is testing a new chat feature in India

Is Google setting its sights on WhatsApp?

Google Tez has quickly become one of the biggest services for sending and receiving payments in India. Google reported it had 12 million users in December, and about a month ago, Tez enabled its users to pay for bills right within the app. Now, it looks like Google may be itching to take on WhatsApp with a new chat feature.

Multiple Tez users have confirmed they’re able to send messages back and forth to contacts within the app, and shortly after reports of this started to emerge, Gadgets360 received an email from a Google representative that said:

We’ve added a feature to Tez that allows you to send simple messages back and forth to your contacts about the payments you make.

If you’ve got access to this, you’ll see a new chat icon next to your buttons for “Pay” and “Request.” Tapping on this will allow you to send messages to your contacts that also use Tez, and you can even block certain people and delete a conversation thread.

Google seems to be marketing this feature as a way for people to strictly talk about the payments they’re making, but it’s hard not to draw comparisons to WhatsApp. WhatsApp just added a peer-to-peer payment option for its beta users in India in early February, and while its chat features are much more fleshed-out than what Tez is currently offering, a few more updates could easily evolve Tez into a one-stop-shop for making payments and communicating with friends/loved ones.

If you live in India and use Google Tez, do you have access to the app’s chat feature?

Google Tez: Everything you need to know