MasterCard is lending its mobile payment tech to banks
MasterCard is hoping to make in-store mobile payments — the ability to wave your phone at a terminal to buy something — more accessible. The company is teaming up with several banks, including Citi and Bank of America, to let customers pay for stuff using bank apps on their phones. Meaning, you won’t have to download a dedicated app.
This will be enabled through MasterCard’s Masterpass service, which is already available for in-app and online purchases, but now can be used in-stores. Consumers will be able to use it at over 5 million in-store locations in 77 countries. However, the feature will only be on Android phones that have built-in NFC chips. iPhone users will be left out because Apple doesn’t permit other companies to use its chip, which already powers a similar service in Apple Pay.
Tech giants like Google helped introduce the concept of mobile payments to the US a few years ago, and last year they accounted for $8.7 billion in sales. This will more than triple in 2016, according to leading media and commerce researcher eMarketer.
Mastercard believes that the ability to provide more information, like balances and rental car coverage, will give Masterpass a slight advantage over more established services like Android Pay. The company has also introduced a new logo to kickstart its shift towards mobile payments.
The rollout will start this month in the US, followed by Europe, Africa, and the Middle East later this year, and other areas in 2017.
Source: MasterCard
Crappy smartphone ‘for women’ does everything wrong
What’s small, cute, fashion-focused and pink? The Keeco K1 — a smartphone ‘designed for women,’ of course. No, we’re not kidding. The K1 is destined for the Chinese market, and is being marketed with a veritable check-list of gender stereotypes. It comes in an array of fashionable colors, features a hexagonal design to fit the “small hands of women” and boasts a front-facing selfie camera that “automatically makes your skin look delicate and smooth.” That’s not condensing at all.
To be fair, there is something to be said about small-form smartphones, but at the end of the day the K1 just isn’t very impressive. The mid-range Android phone features a 720p 5-inch display, 2GB of RAM with 16GB of (expandable) internal storage and a 1.3GHz processor. To top it off, the phone is stuck on Android 5.1. Mediocrity with a side of sexism. Move along.
Via: Verge
Source: Keeco
Wirecutter’s best deals: Save over $450 on a Dell XPS 13 Touch laptop
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer’s guide to the best technology. Read their continuously updated list of deals at TheWirecutter.com.
You may have already seen Engadget posting reviews from our friends at The Wirecutter. Now, from time to time, we’ll also be publishing their recommended deals on some of their top picks. Read on, and strike while the iron is hot — some of these sales could expire mighty soon.
Nespresso Inissia Espresso Maker
Street price: $100; MSRP: $100; deal price: $75
Here’s a great drop on an item we rarely see on sale. This is only the second sale we’ve seen, with the first being around a week ago for $82.
The Nespresso Inissia is our fully automatic pick for the best espresso maker. Cale Guthrie Weissman said, “If you want a decent espresso drink at home, but don’t have the time or patience to practice and learn the ins and outs of making espresso, try Nespresso. Machines start at just over $100 and you can pay more for features like faster preheating, and built-in milk frothing—but they all share the same brewing mechanism and produce the same decent-tasting coffee.”
In terms of the value, “The coffee pods themselves cost about 70¢ a shot (it works out to about $50/pound), which isn’t bad for a consistently decent espresso (with crema!) that tastes as good (or better than) Starbucks, yet requires almost no effort on your part.”
Dell XPS 13 Touch 256GB Laptop
Street price: $1,400; MSRP: $1,400; deal price: $920
This is the best price we’ve seen on the Dell XPS 13 Touch, $80 below the previous low, which we haven’t seen since February. We’ve noticed that the Touch model of the XPS 13 sometimes has huge discounts, while the non-Touch version rarely goes on sale at all. This deal is almost a full $500 below the usual price, and almost $200 under the non-Touch version with these specs. You take a hit on battery life, but you do get a higher-res touchscreen.
The Dell XPS 13 Touch 256GB Laptop is our upgrade pick for the best Windows ultrabook. Kimber Streams wrote, “If you need an ultra-high-resolution touchscreen, don’t mind the extra cost, and can live with a few hours less battery life, you should get the touchscreen configuration of the Dell XPS 13.”
Refurbished Samsung Galaxy S7 Verizon Smartphone
Street price: $680 (new); MSRP: $680 (new); deal price: $430
We haven’t seen many decent deals on the S7, with most of the price drops being on import models without a warranty or questionable open-box sales. This $430 refurbished deal comes with a 90-day warranty through Best Buy, and their return policies tend to be fairly liberal if you run into any issues. Keep in mind, this is a Verizon model.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 is our pick for the best Android phone. Ryan Whitwam said, “The Samsung Galaxy S7 has the best screen and camera of any Android phone we’ve tested. It includes a larger battery and a microSD card slot (which last year’s Galaxy lacked), but the UI remains somewhat cluttered.”
Vornado VH10 Heater
Street price: $80; MSRP: $80; deal price: $24
This is the best price we’ve seen on this space heater to date. The price has continued to fall steadily since mid-June but the incremental drops have started to taper off, and we can’t imagine the price getting significantly lower than where it is now. So if you know you’re going to be needing a space heater in a few months when it starts getting chilly, buy it now while it’s cheap.
The Vornado VH10 Heater is our runner-up pick for small rooms Space Heater. Seamus Bellamy wrote, “The Vornado VH10 was the fastest heater we tested this year, raising the temperature of our test area higher than any other heater could manage in the same amount of time.”
In terms of heating capabilities and features, the VH10 has, “blisteringly-fast heating capabilities, eight different temperature levels, quieter operation than our main pick, and a casing that stays surprisingly cool to the touch (considering how much heat it generates). Plus, it comes with a five-year warranty—that’s two years longer than the coverage on our main pick.”
Deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go to The Wirecutter.com.
T-Mobile is giving away free ‘Pokémon Go’ data for a year
T-Mobile has been watching you play Pokémon Go, and it knows you’re guzzling data every time you head out to catch Pokémon. That’s why the next T-Mobile Tuesday is poised to offer unlimited data for Pokémon Go through August 2017.
The Un-carrier is keeping an eye on this massive global phenomenon, and wants to help you get out there and be the very best like no one ever was. Along with your year of free Pokémon data, you can also claim a free Frosty, a free Lyft ride up to $15 and 50% off of certain accessories via T-Mobile, such as battery packs so you can keep the game going long after your battery has succumbed to incessant GPS usage.
A handful of lucky winners will win free trips to anywhere in the US to go Pokémon hunting, while 250 others will receive $100 to spend on Pokécoins, the in-game currency of Pokemon Go. If you happen to miss claiming your year of free data, the offer will last all the way through Tuesday, August 9th. You should start seeing these offers in the T-Mobile Tuesday app tomorrow.
If you do happen to take advantage of this lavish offer of free Pokémon Go data, make sure you’re responsible and don’t fall victims to robbers or throw Poke Balls in the Holocaust Museum. Be safe and respectful!
Source: T-Mobile
Google’s first indie gaming festival comes to San Francisco this fall
Indie game developers, Google wants to hear from you. The company has just announced the first Google Play Indie Games Festival, and you can submit your game for consideration now. The festival, which will take place Sept. 24th in San Francisco, will highlight 30 upcoming and recent games that will be available in the Google Play Store to Android users, with prizes going to the top submissions.
“Google Play is the largest store for digital content; 65 billion apps and games were downloaded over the past year,” says Google’s Jamil Moledina, a strategic lead for Play Games. “It’s an immense platform that we have, and along with that is an opportunity to better support the indie games community.”
In this case, that support looks like better “discoverability” for indie game developers, something that’s an issue for just about anyone publishing apps on Google Play. There’s well over a million apps in the store at this point, and standing out in this crowd is incredibly difficult — especially when you’re competing with high-profile, prolific developers like Glu, EA, Gameloft and others.
The Indie Games Festival won’t solve that, but it’s another way for Google to try and highlight entertaining and unique games. Moledina said the reach of Google Play makes the company want to make the store diverse as possible. There’s a place for the mass-market, free-to-play games like Candy Crush, but there’s plenty of room to serve gamers who want more unconventional or in-depth experiences as well.
That’s where this human element of picking out the cream of the crop for the Indie Games Festival comes in. “It’s incumbent on us to help people find games that are not only ones that they would naturally be interested in,” Moledina says, “but also to highlight from a human tastemaking point of view what’s truly standout now.” With the amount of content available in the Google Play Store, human curation is a must. There’s already an “indie corner” in the store, and it goes without saying that the 30 finalist games will be highlighted as well.
As to how those 30 finalists will be picked, Moledina says it comes down to fun and innovation. “Ultimately, we’re looking for fun games that have truly innovative and artistic elements,” he says. On the innovation side, Google is expecting to see a lot of indie developers take advantage of the company’s augmented-reality and virtual-reality games to craft new experiences. “These are areas that are really important trends for everyone, but specifically for indie developers,” Moledina says. “They have a natural agility and focus that can help them jump into areas like VR and AR.”
Games must have been released in 2016 or be published by the end of the year. And they need to come from studios or publishers with fewer than 15 full-time employees; no public companies allowed. Moledina admits the guidelines are a bit arbitrary, but Google needed to draw a line somewhere.
Lastly, the festival is open only to developers in North America — at least this time. “We’re starting with North America,” Moledina says, “but we could [hold festivals] in other regions to focus on local developers who are more comfortable pitching in their own language and can highlight games that make sense for their countries.”
Submissions are open from now until Aug. 14th, at which time Google plans to quickly narrow the field, to allow the 30 contenders as much time to prep for the September event as possible. Come Sept. 24th, those 30 games will be shown off, with consumers and developers alike getting a chance to put them all through the wringer.
Attendees will have the chance to vote on their favorites, and developers for the top 15 games will have a chance to formally pitch their games to a panel of judges. Seven semifinalists will come out of that group and all will win a prize; three of them will take the top honors. Google says prizes will include Tango devices, I/O 2017 tickets and ad support for their creations on Google’s networks. If you’re a developer and want to get a chance to show off your game in San Francisco this fall, you have a month to get it in. And if you just want to attend and see what’s on display, Google should have more details on the festival itself in the coming weeks.
Apple’s kid-friendly Swift Playgrounds taught me to code
In 2014, Apple introduced a new programming language called Swift. Though that might not seem like much to everyday users like you and me, this announcement was actually a pretty big deal for the developer community. One of the reasons for that is that it’s a lot simpler than Objective C, the lingo that Apple had been using for over 20 years. So simple, in fact, that Apple believes that Swift could be anyone’s first programming language. That’s why at this year’s WWDC, the company introduced Swift Playgrounds, an iPad app designed to teach kids how to code. After a few days playing around with it, I can safely say that it also managed to teach me — a clueless grownup — a few Swift programming basics as well.
It’s available for developer preview now and will be in public beta in July, with a much wider release when iOS 10 launches this fall. An iPad-only app, it’s compatible only with the following models: iPad mini 2, 3 and 4; iPad Air and Air 2; and both the 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
When you first launch the app, you’ll see a Featured tab with a gallery of highlighted lessons. Each set of lessons is called a “Playground,” and if you’ve already started playing with one, you’ll see it listed in the My Playgrounds tab. The app ships with two basic modules, which are ‘Learn to Code 1″ and “Learn to Code 2.” As I’m a beginner when it comes to programming languages — last I learned was MS Basic when I was 12 — I decided to start with the first one.
In this particular Playground, you’ll learn basic Swift commands by guiding a character called Byte around to solve puzzles. The screen is split in two; one side shows the actual code, while the other is a live view of Byte and a 3D world. You can spin the world by swiping it around or pinch to zoom to get a closer look. As for the code, you don’t even have to type anything in; you can cherry pick what commands you like from a QuickType keyboard at the bottom of the screen. You can also bring up an on-screen keyboard at any time to enter in custom text.
The first few lessons are pretty easy, at least to my adult brain. To get started, all you do is compile a few simple commands like moveForward(), turnLeft() and collectGem() to get Byte moving the way you want. Once you’re happy with your list of commands, you can simply tap “Run My Code” to see if it works. Later on, I learned how to repeat commands in loops as well as how to ascribe several commands into a single function. I have to admit that even though Playgrounds is meant for the average 12-year-old, as the lessons got progressively harder, I was definitely challenged. I did consult a few hints at times when I was stuck.
That’s part of the cool thing about Swift Playgrounds; there is no one right solution. The code can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be. As long as you get the objective done — be it collecting gems or toggling switches — the app will celebrate your success. There’s no shame in giving up and looking up the answer either; you won’t get penalized if you do. Still, if you’re smart enough to enter in the most optimal code, you’ll be given even further praise — sort of an extra pat on the back, if you will. Plus, optimizing code is a good lesson to learn in general; better code leads to better apps.
The other thing that I found fascinating is that the experience is pretty open-ended. You don’t have to follow the curriculum exactly; you can jump around from lesson to lesson if you feel like it. That way you can skip ahead if you feel like being challenged.I should also mention that the fact that this is all done via an iPad makes the coding process feel more intuitive. The ability to tap and drag around bits of code makes an otherwise tedious process a lot faster.
Along with lessons and challenges, the app ships with a couple of templates for building Playgrounds of your very own. Indeed, the company is encouraging educators and developers to create their own lessons and challenges for the app so that the app can be used in the classroom. Apple is also planning to release additional lessons and challenges on a regular basis.
An important takeaway is that the language you’re learning on Swift Playgrounds is actual, real code, and not some pretend pseudocode common in a lot of educational apps. “It’s the exact same language as Swift,” said Cheryl Thomas, Apple’s Vice President of Software Engineering Operations. “This is very unique; you can learn to code in something that is the same as the one you can use to make very powerful apps.”
Because Playgrounds lets you code in actual Swift, even seasoned programmers can use it to draw up prototype of an app. It can even call on real iOS APIs. From there, you can transfer that code via iCloud to Xcode, Apple’s more advanced developer tool, to finish up the process. What’s more, because the latter uses much of the same language and syntax as Swift, a Playgrounds graduate could theoretically pick it up simply by reading the documentation.
“When we first created Swift Playgrounds, we wanted to really inspire the next generation to want to learn to code,” said Thomas. “It reflects an Apple engineer’s viewpoint and perspective on the best practices on how to do so.” The team recruited several educators to help them figure out how kids will respond to the app and the best way to motivate them. “We feel like the app appeals to a broad base of learners. It appeals to boys, girls and is very accessible. It can be used by folks with different levels of sight.”
Apple also brought kids in to get their feedback and, according to Thomas, it was fantastic. “Folks at all different ages seem to like the product a lot.” Thomas and her colleagues also realized that kids love to share what they’re building. So if you want, you can send screenshots right from the app and even record a video or broadcast what you’re doing live.
“It assumes zero knowledge,” said Wiley Hodges, a product marketing director for Tools and Technologies at Apple. “You can come to it a complete beginner and it’ll introduce you to all the core concepts.”
“We’re pretty excited about the idea that we can give people better access to this ability to learn and experiment with code,” he continued. “There’s a value beyond just the idea of learning to code. You’re not necessarily going to be a programmer […] Learning to code can teach kids problem-solving, persistence… it’ll serve them well regardless of what they go on to do.”
FCC adopts new rules for the foundation of 5G networks
We knew it was coming, and now the FCC has made it official. The commission voted today to adopt new rules that would facilitate the development of 5G wireless networks in the US. More specifically, the guidelines relate to wireless spectrum above 24 GHz and makes the United States the first country in the world to make the spectrum available for so-called next-gen networks. The FCC said in a press release that it’s taking a similar approach that it did when 4G (LTE) networks were developed, a strategy that will “set a strong foundation for the rapid advancement to next-generation 5G.”
Of course, 5G technology is still being developed, but the new rules will “provide clarity” as companies begin to invest in it. This includes opening up 11 GHz of spectrum for flexible, mobile and fixed use wireless broadband, with 3.85 GHz of that for licensed spectrum and 7 GHz for unlicensed spectrum. Today’s vote also creates a new Upper Microwave Flexible Use service in the 28 GHz, 37 GHz and 39 GHz bands in addition to a new unlicensed band at 64-71 GHz. AT&T and Verizon have already revealed plans for 5G tests, and others will likely follow in the near future.
According to the FCC, the new rules also aim to facilitate innovation without letting regulations hold up the process. The commission approved a set of service and technical rules “to allow new technologies and innovations to evolve and flourish without needlessly prescriptive regulations.” Guidelines are also in place to balance all of the different use cases for 5G, from wireless service to satellite and federal use. If you’re looking for more info on what this all means for the future of high-speed connectivity, consult our explainer on the FCC’s vote.
Source: FCC
The new Moto E is the largest one yet
Motorola’s entire smartphone lineup is getting a refresh in 2016. Following the new Moto Z and Moto G families, the company has unveiled the Moto E3, an update to its most affordable handset. It sports a 5-inch HD display, up from the 4.5-inch panel in the last model, a quad-core processor and a 2,800 mAh battery, which Motorola claims will last you a full day. The rear-facing camera has been stepped up to eight megapixels, while a 5-megapixel selfie-snapper sits on the front. Internal storage is a mystery (don’t expect much) but it will come with a microSD card slot.
The phone is set to grace the UK in “early September” starting at £99 (roughly $132) in select retailers including Tesco, Amazon and Argos. An international release seems likely; the Moto E is an important phone for the company, given its position at the low-end of the market. With Lenovo in charge, the Moto team has a lot to prove with this year’s phones. The Moto Z and its modular accessories are a grand departure from the Moto X line, and initial reviews of the Moto G4 have been less than positive. Here’s hoping the new Moto E can continue the legacy of its capable predecessors.
Nest launches its first outdoor camera
While speculation about the future of the Nest is at an all time high since its founder and former CEO Tony Fadell departed in June, the company is still adding new products to its line. Well not so much new. The Nest Cam Outdoor has the same guts as its indoor counterpart, but in a weatherproof case.
In addition to a new waterproof white housing, the Nest Cam Outdoor uses magnets and screw-on mounts (if needed) to attach to the outside of your home. The magnetic bond between the concave base and actual camera will allow you to point it in nearly any direction. It also has to be plugged into an outlet instead of using batteries like some other security cameras on the market. The company says plugging it in has its advantages.
Nest says the Nest Cam Outdoor is superior to other outdoor security cameras on the market because it’s always recording and uploading footage to the cloud. Battery-powered cameras tend to start capturing video only when they notice movement. The latency between a detected motion and recording could mean the difference between catching a thief and only seeing a few frames of a burglar’s foot as they leave your home.
The plug-in strategy means if the power goes out, the camera is immediately useless. There’s also the problem of no on-board storage in case the WiFi in your home dies. But if you have a strong network, power outages are rare in your area and you have an outlet outside your home, Nest Cam Outdoor has some impressive specs.
Well impressive because it’s the same as the indoor Nest Cam. It shoots in 1080p with a 130-degree view. Its night vision is lit by eight infrared LEDs and all that video streaming is encrypted. The camera is available for preorder for $199 and will ship in the fall.
In addition to a new camera, Nest also announced a redesigned app that launches at the end of the month. Soon users will be able share password-protected video streams privately with other people. Great for when you need someone to keep an eye on your home for a short period of time.
The updated app also introduces “Spaces.” The feature organizes a person’s suite of Nest products by the rooms they’re in. For example, if you have a Protect and Cam in the living room and a Cam in the upstairs bedrooms, that would could as two Spaces.
While it’s not pumping out new products, Nest is still working on refining what it already does well.
Source: Nest
Researcher uses mobile phone data to predict illiteracy
Many non-profit orgs send out teams to teach people how to read and write, but a lot of them have very limited resources, as well. One Norwegian researcher, however, might have found a way to pinpoint places that are most in need of the organizations’ help using people’s mobile data. Pål Sundsøy used info from a phone company’s survey of 76,000 mobile phone users in an unnamed developing country in Asia. That survey asked for each person’s phone number and whether they can read or write.
By taking a close look at the respondents’ mobile activities, he was able to discern patterns that could be used to predict illiteracy. For instance, Sundsøy found that they don’t send out a lot of text messages, if any, and tend to communicate with very few people. They also spend most of their time in poor regions, such as slums, which could mean that they don’t hold jobs in wealthier locations that would have required them to write and send out resumes.
Sundsøy said “deriving economic, social and mobility features for each mobile user” enabled him to “predict individual illiteracy status with 70 percent accuracy.” His method still requires more testing, but if it really is that spot-on, non-profit orgs could adopt it to make sure they allocate enough resources for areas where they’re most needed.
Source: MIT Technology Review
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