Saturday, April 4, 2015
Will Apples Digital Wallet Kill the Card Swipe
Apple wants the plastic credit card to become as rare as the paper check.On Tuesday, the company announced Apple Pay, a digital payment system that lets people pay for retail store purchases using their phones rather than cash or credit cards. The service, which will work both with iPhones and Apples new Watch, is backed by a host of big retailers, along with most major banks and credit card issuers, including Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
So-called contactless payment isnt new. Starbucks, McDonalds, PayPal, Google and Square offer their own services, but only a small portion of customers use them. Some experts believe Apple Pay —with its presence on millions of iPhones and its advanced security features— could be the service that leads to widespread adoption of the digital wallet.
Citi Investment Research analyst Mark May believes the sum total of mobile payments could grow from $1 billion in 2013 to $58.4 billion by 2017.
Payment digitization paints an enticing vision of shoppings future: simply tap your device against a checkout screen and walk away with your new shoes.
But despite the flashy Apple Pay launch, Apple faces challenges making that vision a reality. The company and other digital wallet providers must convince shoppers that the transactions are safe —especially in the wake of recent high-profile data breaches at Home Depot and Target. Meanwhile, the company must also make a case to retailers that its worth it for them to invest in new point-of-sale systems.
Many U.S. merchants still arent sold on the idea. About 220,000 stores are set up to accept Apple Pay. Thats only 5.5 percent of the 3.6 million retail locations in the U.S., according to the National Retail Federation. The biggest U.S. retailers, including Wal-Mart and Best Buy, are not participating in Apple Pay.
The main reason is cost. Each point-of-sale device, which uses something called near-field communication technology, costs hundreds of dollars, plus hours of worker training. And theres been little customer demand for the systems.
That may change now that Apple has entered the arena, says Gartner analyst Avivah Litan.
"Theres no doubt young people want to use phones to make payments, but they have to have a place to pay," says Litan. She predicts bigger retailers will see how well Apple partners like McDonalds do before they move into mobile payments.
"If it goes well at other retailers, Wal-Mart and other companies may break down and start taking it," Litan says.
In countries such as Canada and the U.K., contactless point-of-sale systems are widespread, and as a result, such payments are far more common. In Canada, for instance, about 20 percent of transactions at registers processed by MasterCard are completed by contactless payment, according to MasterCard.
"What you learn from that is when consumers start tapping two or three times, they never go back to their old behavior at that merchant. ... Its just a much better experience," says Ed McLaughlin, chief emerging payments officer at MasterCard.
One of the strengths of Apple Pay is its security. Its system uses the companys Touch ID fingerprint technology, a secure chip, and payments that require a one-time security code
Apple will unveil the next iPad generation on October 22nd
The date has been revealed by AllThingsD and the keynote should be invitation-only.
Of course, the iPad Mini 2013 and iPad 2013 are to be expected.
Both should at least sports the TouchID feature and have smaller bezels (especially for the 9.7" iPad). There are still doubts towards the Mini and a possible Retina Display. There are some conflicted reports about that but we are sure waiting for a answer from Apple to the Nexus 7 (2013).
HTC Desire 620 first pictures
HTC wants strong start in 2015 and has already completed what will be his first release as the new HTC Desire 620 continues the style marked by recent midrange terminals of the Taiwanese brand and come in January. Just published by surprise will be the first European launch of HTC, the HTC Desire 620, a terminal which until now did not know anything and will appear as soon as next January, likely in an official coming-in CES Las Vegas 2015.
The new terminal Asian brand again points to the midrange with Snapdragon 410 processor, which is imposing new standard in this segment thanks to its compatibility with 64-bit quad core 1.2 Ghz GPU Adreno 306 and 1 GB of RAM. Accompanying this chip 8 MP camera on the back with LED flash capable of recording video at 1080p and is accompanied by a front of 5 MP.
The disappointment comes with the operating system since HTC has announced that in January the first Android 5.0 Lollipop updates for their devices Desire 620 but this still arrive with Android 4.4 KitKat, an entire lost opportunity to promote the new HTC Sense 6 would launch but is expected to be a “living” terminal shortly.
The back cover, which incidentally is interchangeable masks a 2,100 mAh battery and the technical specifications are completed with a storage capacity of 8 GB expandable via microSD cards.
How we indicated at the beginning, the launch HTC Desire 620 is expected in the early stages of 2015 and come to Europe at a price of about 255 euros.
HTC Desire 620 first pictures
Motorola Moto G Gen 2 Review Back in the Race
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Motorola, in its new incarnation, can be credited with reshaping the lower end of the Indian smartphone market. The Moto G, when launched earlier this year, was quite simply the best possible value you could get in a smartphone. It set off a massive chain reaction with companies launching competitive models and cutting prices to stay relevant.
Fortunately for consumers but unfortunately for Motorola, the momentum hasnt stopped yet. Many of the phone models that have launched since then have proven to be a little better, causing the original Moto G (Review | Pictures) to drop off our list of recommended smartphones which cost less than Rs. 15,000. Asus, Xiaomi and even local brands such as Xolo have begun selling models which are slightly better at one thing or another.
And the Moto G was not perfect - it had plenty of room for improvement, which its competition swooped in and grabbed. Most significantly, the original Moto G was one of the only phones in its class without a microSD card slot for storage expansion. You were limited to 8 or 16GB, and that was that.
Motorola has been quick to react, though. Unwilling to cede the ground it created for itself, the company has launched a second-generation Moto G (without a differentiating model number or suffix). The new model has a lot going for it - including the very good reputation of its predecessor - but is sufficiently different to be considered a whole new product.
Look and feel
This isnt just a refresh of the original Moto G. The Gen 2 model is significantly taller and wider, but is also a hair thinner and heavier. The new dimensions accommodate a larger screen - 5 inches as opposed to 4.5.
The original Moto G had a subtle, unassuming front face. The new one is anything but understated. Two thick metallic rods appear to be embedded in gaps above and below the screen. These are actually speaker cutouts, though their design is unlike any weve seen before. Theres also a camera in one corner and a window for the proximity and light sensors above between the screen and the upper speaker. There isnt much plastic around the screen, so all these things are quite cramped. The front face is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
Most devices which use on-screen buttons aim for minimalism, so that all attention is on the user interface and the device itself takes a back seat. We couldnt help but be distracted by the speaker and patches on our white review unit. The new Moto G just looks awkward and uncomfortable. From what weve seen, the effect is less pronounced on the black version.
The phone gives off a more plasticky vibe than many others in this price range do. Our phones rear panel got seriously scuffed and smudged even with moderate use over the course of a few days. The white material on the front, rear and sides are also of different shades and textures, which detracts from the devices overall look.
The rear panel pops off and can be swapped for others which are available in a veritable rainbow of colours. You can get plain plastic shells or ones with integrated flip covers. The two SIM card slots and the microSD card slot are beneath the panel, but unfortunately, the battery is still sealed into the Moto G. It appears that the rear cover is only removable for cosmetic reasons.
The new Moto G is easy to grip thanks to its curved rear, but isnt as comfortable to hold as the original was. That said, a lot of people will prefer the larger screen so the tradeoff doesnt seem too bad. The plastic rim around the screen glass protrudes a little and felt scratchy against our ears.
For some unfathomable reason, the new Moto Gs charger has a fixed cable. Youll need to use your own Micro-USB cable to plug it into a computer.
Features and specifications
The Moto G (Gen 2) has been launched relatively soon after the original Moto G hit the market, so its no surprise that there isnt a generational leap in any of its specifications. Think of this more as a refreshed incarnation of the same formula. The processor is still the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, with four cores running at 1.2GHz and an integrated Adreno 305 GPU. Theres still 1GB RAM and 8GB or 16GB of storage space (though only the 16GB version has been launched here as of now).
The screen also retains its 720x1280-pixel resolution despite the half-inch size increase. This results in a minor, almost imperceptible dip in sharpness. The only really significant change, and one were very happy about, is the inclusion of a microSD card slot. This one little change fixes the most significant shortcoming of the original Moto G and puts Motorola right back in the running.
You can take advantage of new Wi-Fi ac routers, since the latest standard is supported along with the usual b/g/n. Theres also Bluetooth 4, A-GPS and FM radio. The Moto G (Gen 2) can act as a USB OTG host and its spec sheet is rounded out with an accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, gyroscope and digital compass.
Software
Motorolas rebirth came about as a way for Google to promote its ideal of a pure, unaltered Android user interface. Despite new ownership now, Motorola appears to have stuck to the same formula. The Moto G (Gen 2) has none of the bloat and ugliness that characterise phones sold by everyone from the biggest global brands to tiny local importers.
There are still a few preloaded in-house apps, but the rest of the interface is pure, stock Android. Its also the very latest version - 4.4.4. While third-party skins had a lot to offer in the past, Googles aesthetics and user interface design skills have improved drastically in recent times. The new Moto Gs software is easy enough to use and honestly looks better than a lot of the "improvements" thrust upon us by assorted companies trying to differentiate themselves.
The only shortcuts available from the lockscreen are for the camera and Google Now. There are only two homescreens at the outset though you can create more. There is a glorious lack of unnecessary apps, widgets, and other branded spam. The app drawer is a simple grid of icons broken into pages, and there are no other gimmicks. Admittedly, Samsung, Sony and LG have made genuine improvements to some parts of the Android UI - quick toggle icons in the notifications shade and improved sorting in the Settings app come to mind - which we miss, to some extent. On the whole, we have to say the pros of Motorolas approach outweigh the cons.
The aforementioned in-house apps are called Alert, Assist, Help and Migrate. Alert can be set up to send your GPS coordinates to predefined contacts so they can check up on you. It can be used as an emergency tool, sending out continuous updates of your location, or as a geofencing tool to let people know when you arrive at a place or leave it. Motorola Assist helps you avoid interruptions while sleeping or busy at work, by changing your phones notification behaviour and filtering out calls and messages from people not specifically in your inner circle. Help is just a guide to the Moto Gs features, and Migrate helps you copy data over from an Android device or iPhone if youre upgrading.
Of course there are plenty of Google apps too - Maps, Play Games, Play Music, Play Newsstand, Quickoffice, Voice Search, YouTube, Drive and Hangouts, amongst others. The default browser is Chrome.
The additions are all minor and potentially useful - we have no complaints. Things youre likely to miss, such as better keyboards, can be added via the Google Play store. Even the on-screen buttons are not intrusive, thanks to improvements made with Android 4.4. We hope that post-post-acquisition Motorola wont be adopting Lenovos custom UI anytime soon. The company has also guaranteed an upgrade to Android L when it is released, which will only amplify the benefits of using stock Android.
Camera
The Moto G (Gen 2)s cameras get a bump up from a 5-megapixel sensor to an 8-megapixel one on the rear and from 1.3 to 2 megapixels on the front. Video recording resolution is still capped at 720p and all the software features are the same.
We were quite pleasantly surprised with the photos we were able to capture with the new Moto G. While not incredibly sharp or high quality, the photos had a warm, pleasant tone. HDR is enabled by default, contributed to this. Details are pretty impressive in close-ups, but dont expect to be taking very good landscapes. Low-light results were adequate, but the device takes a lot longer to lock focus. We had no complaints with the quality of video, though 1080p should have been possible.
(Click to see full size)
The camera app is not the easiest to use - all options are hidden until you swipe in from the left edge, and theres no hint to tell you that you can do that. Options are also very limited - you have a panorama mode and can toggle video slow-mo, geotagging, HDR and the flash. Photos are taken at 6-megapixel resolution in order to crop them to 16:9, but you can increase this to 8-megapixels in a 4:3 frame which makes a lot of sense. You can focus by dragging the reticle and then take photos by tapping anywhere on screen (or holding your finger down to take a burst of shots).
You can tap anywhere, but for some reason the Android navigation bar stays visible on screen and the Home button is right where were used to having a shutter release button - so much for interface minimalism. We wound up exiting to the homescreen far too often when trying to take photos.
(Click to see full size)
Performance
We were quite happy with the Moto G (Gen 2) overall. There were minor lags now and then, but nothing severe. In some cases such as when opening and closing the app drawer, unnecessary animations make the device feel more sluggish than it actually is.
The new Moto Gs hardware is not spectacular, and its test results were consistent with other current phones with the same specs. Scores were pretty much identical, for all practical purposes, to those of the original Moto G. However, they couldnt match the scores of the Asus Zenfone 5 (Review | Pictures). The Moto G (Gen 2) was able to achieve 5657 points and 10.8fps in 3D Mark Ice Storm and GFXbench respectively while the Zenfone 5 scored 7638 points and 17.3fps respectively. CPU scores werent too far apart, with 8932 and 9,000 points in Quadrant respectively.
We were quite pleased with the new Moto Gs battery life - it lasted 7 hours, 3 minutes in our video loop test. The screen was a little hard to read in direct sunlight, but clarity and viewing angles were otherwise good. We were eager to test the new speakers, but came away sorely disappointed. The sound is definitely more engaging when watching movies, but it just isnt very loud and tends to tear at anything above the 50 percent volume mark. Movie dialog was crisp, but music was horribly tinny and compressed.
1080p video files played flawlessly, including our most heavily encoded sample. Casual 3D games such as Temple Run 2 were also pretty smooth. Overall, were quite happy with the performance of the Moto G (Gen 2).
Verdict
While not quite matching the raw performance of the Asus Zenfone 5, Motorolas latest effort is still a contender thanks to its features and software. The 16GB versions of both phones are priced at Rs. 12,999, but theres an 8GB Zenfone 5 option if you need to save a little money. For us, the choice ultimately comes down to whether you prefer Asus Zen UI over stock Android KitKat (and soon, Android L). Xiaomis Mi 3 (Review |Pictures) would have been a much bigger threat, but it isnt a true contender at the moment because it simply isnt available anymore.
The Moto G (Gen 2) isnt going to win any beauty contests but its a solid, utilitarian phone that doesnt present too many confusing options and is free of pointless bloatware.
Huawei G628 Smartphone with 64 bit MediaTek Processor Mid Range Price
Huawei G628 Smartphone with 64 bit MediaTek Processor Mid Range Price
Huawei is taking a shot at a mid range smartphone that will allegedly sport a 64 bit Mediatek processor. The organizations next cell phone, Huawei G628 was seen in China according to another break.
The G628 features a 5-inch 720p touchscreen and the MT6752 SoC accompanies a 1.5 GHz octa-center Cortex-A53 CPU. It will have 8 MP back cam with LED glimmer, a 2 MP front cam, 1gb of RAM, and 8gb of coordinated stockpiling. The cell phone will run on Android Kitkat 4,4 and will likewise have Huaweis Emotion UI 2.3 on the top that will bring new gimmicks. The telephone will be valued at around CNY 1,000, which means $160.
The G628 will help TD-LTE and TD-SCDMA systems. Huawei G628 may make it to different nations as the Ascend G628 yet is not affirmed yet.
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Huawei is taking a shot at a mid range smartphone that will allegedly sport a 64 bit Mediatek processor. The organizations next cell phone, Huawei G628 was seen in China according to another break.
The G628 features a 5-inch 720p touchscreen and the MT6752 SoC accompanies a 1.5 GHz octa-center Cortex-A53 CPU. It will have 8 MP back cam with LED glimmer, a 2 MP front cam, 1gb of RAM, and 8gb of coordinated stockpiling. The cell phone will run on Android Kitkat 4,4 and will likewise have Huaweis Emotion UI 2.3 on the top that will bring new gimmicks. The telephone will be valued at around CNY 1,000, which means $160.
The G628 will help TD-LTE and TD-SCDMA systems. Huawei G628 may make it to different nations as the Ascend G628 yet is not affirmed yet.
Android L for Zenfone Confirmed by ASUS
A few months ago someone asked ASUS about android L on Zenfone 5 and ASUS responded that android is in ASUS road map.
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| Zenfone android L update Confirmed? |
The statement was made clear by one of the moderators zentalk taiwan
ZenUI, ASUS Computer Inc. 19 August 2014
Kitkat support on Zenfone is still under construction, its in the final testing stage. I believe itll be coming very soon, please stay tuned. Of course, android L is also on our road map! Remember always keeping an eye on our website for the further news about L :)
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| Moderators Statement |
"4 October 2014, RD (Research and Development) said that the next goal is Android L for zenfone "
But the question is, when android L will be released?
From a news Zenfone First Generation mention that will be supported for 18 months since it launch in April 2014.
will follow the principles of the Android devices, the operating system updates are available within 18 months, ZenUI will be updated from time to time, other mobile phone users will still take care of too
Lets wait if ASUS will actually give the Zenfone series Android L update :)
Apple won’t be shutting down Beats Music may alter the brand in future
There was news recently of Apple shutting down the Beats Music streaming service shortly after it was acquired. One would assume Apple might want to do that since Beats Music competed against Apple’s own iTunes, and was also available on Android.
That doesn’t seem to be the case, however. According to Re/code, who spoke with Apple PR and its sources, Apple isn’t shutting down Beats Music any time soon. However, the Beats Music brand might change over time.This means the Beats Music name could likely go away in future and the service might just get rebranded as iTunes streaming service. But as of now and the foreseeable future, the service will continue to operate, despite the fact that it’s not enormously popular.
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