Gemalto adds AMEX, Mastercard and Visa certs to its UpTeq NFC SIM
Gemalto has been in the NFC SIM business for a while now, adding the possibility of mobile payments to any GSM phone that'll support it. Now it's become even more legit with the addition of AMEX ExpressPay, MasterCard PayPass and Visa payWave certifications to its UpTeq NFC SIM, which is supposedly the first ever NFC SIM to get all three certs. Already in use in Orange France, the high-end SIM lets carriers tailor their own NFC deployments; for example, Singapore operators will add CEPAS, a local payment system alongside the major credit brands, while other carriers like KDDI in Japan and Rogers in Canada will get customizations to fit local requirements. Services like coupon redemption, loyalty programs and transit cards are potential add-ons depending on the market. Now that most carriers around the globe are slowly getting on board the NFC train, a cash-toting wallet could be a relic of the past sooner than we think. You can get the full Gemalto release after the break.
Continue reading Gemalto adds AMEX, Mastercard and Visa certs to its UpTeq NFC SIM
Filed under: Cellphones, MobileCommentsSource:Gemalto
Read More ...Razer tweaks its Carcharias headset to outfit the Xbox 360, shipping now for $69.99
Bummed because that Razer Carcharias headset you've been eying wasn't equipped for Black Ops II missions on your Xbox 360? Good news, mates. The gaming outfit has announced a redesigned version of the cans that will play nice with Microsoft's console, with amplified audio and in-line controls for quick adjustments in the heat of battle to boot. The Carcharias for Xbox 360 and PC is available now if you're willing to part with a cool $70. Should you need a bit more info before committing, consult the full PR that follows beyond the break.
Filed under: Gaming, PeripheralsCommentsSource:Razer
Read More ...All Sony connected TVs to get Ensequence tech in 2013 to serve up contextual content
Not getting your fill of connected TV action with contextual content and ads appearing alongside your soaps? Your hunger could be satisfied by picking up a Sony-made television in 2013, as Hirai and Co. have inked a multi-year deal with the folks at Ensequence to bake software for such experiences into all of their connected TVs starting next year. Ensequence leverages the automatic content recognition tech inside Sony's sets and provides a platform for content producers and advertisers to sling up everything from relevant coupons to trivia games on displays. If you watched the 2012 Olympics through Verizon FiOS, chances are you've glimpsed the company's technology in action. Proud owners of connected TVs made by Sony between 2011 and 2012 won't be left out of the contextual content bonanza, however, as a software update packing Ensequence's secret sauce will be available. For more details, and prognostications regarding the future of internet-savvy televisions, hit the jump for the press release.
Continue reading All Sony connected TVs to get Ensequence tech in 2013 to serve up contextual content
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, SonyCommentsSource:Ensequence
Read More ...Windows Phone now home to 120k apps, downloads and dev revenue rising post-WP8
Windows Phone 8 is a roaring success! That is if you ask the platform's Senior Director, Todd Brix, who tweeted today that developer revenues and downloads have doubled since its launch in November. While this sounds all good, what does it really mean? Back in June, the former Windows Phone Marketplace surpassed 100,000 published apps. To further gauge the platform's progress, Nokia recently announced that the Windows Phone Store now has over 120,000 apps, with 46 of the top 50 iOS and Android applications being available for WP8.
While today's vague declaration of success didn't reveal any specific numbers, a 20 percent software increase in under six months is definitely something to smile about. As much as we'd like to slap Microsoft a high-five, we'll have to save our jubilation until we get a little something more concrete -- hopefully a set of official statistics will Surface sooner than later.
Filed under: Software, Mobile, MicrosoftCommentsSource:Todd Brix (Twitter), Nokia
Read More ...BBM Money to launch in Indonesia, allows peer-to-peer fund transfers
RIM might be struggling for market share here in the US, but the BlackBerry name still enjoys quite a bit of popularity elsewhere in the world. Take Indonesia for example, where the company will launch BBM Money, a transactional service that'll allow money transfers between BlackBerry owners. Apparently BBM is already a popular way to set up peer-to-peer transactions in the Southeast Asian country, so the service essentially closes the loop. With Android usage on the rise over there -- around 52 percent market share according to a recent IDC report -- RIM is likely trying anything it can to retain its stronghold. We're not sure when exactly BBM Money will go live, though RIM has said it's to come "shortly," perhaps along with the launch of BlackBerry 10 in 2013.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, RIMCommentsVia:TechCrunchSource:BBC
Read More ...Foursquare refreshes iOS app for streamlined exploring, speedier check-ins
Building upon redesigned version 5.0, Foursquare has updated its iOS app (sorry, Android users, our guess is that you're coming up next). The refresh provides a number of cosmetic changes, including a tighter check-in screen that omits addresses in favor of a map view of your surroundings (and seems to forget that we have that elongated iPhone 5 screen nowadays). We also get a more robust Explore tab featuring recently opened businesses, validating the app co-founder's insistence that Foursquare is primarily a "discovery and recommendation engine." Head to the app store at the source link below to download version 5.3.5, which Foursquare duly notes is its first palindromic version number since 3.0.3. Roy, am I mayor?
Filed under: Cellphones, MobileCommentsVia:TheNextWebSource:App Store
Read More ...Rogers Anyplace TV Home Edition lets Canadians steer DVRs, watch live TV from iOS
Mobile apps that blend DVR control and live TV are thriving in the US and elsewhere, so you can imagine the frustration Canadians have felt going without an official option from local telecom giants. A new version of Rogers' Anyplace TV Home Edition app for iOS redresses that problem, if not quite in a radically different way than its US peers. iPad, iPhone and iPod touch owners can now manage DVR recordings on their NextBox hubs, and iPad owners can watch live TV from the same app -- but only from 25 cleared channels, and only when they're at home on a Rogers internet connection. It's not quite a liberation from the TV status quo, then, and Android users will have to wait for their own fix sometime during the last few weeks of 2012. Still, it's hard to object to a free bonus for an existing subscription.
Continue reading Rogers Anyplace TV Home Edition lets Canadians steer DVRs, watch live TV from iOS
Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablets, HD, AppleCommentsSource:App Store (iPad), (iPhone)
Read More ...LG patents smart kiosk for wine cellars, creates a sommelier's best friend
That LG would make a wine refrigerator should come as no shock. This is, after all, the same company that made a smartphone-controlled oven. But, as a recently surfaced patent can attest, it appears the Korean electronics giant may have more than cooling soured grapes on its mind. The USPTO filing, which dates back to December of 2009, describes a "mobile terminal" (think: portable kiosk) outfitted with a camera that's capable of scanning wine labels, matching them to a database and then delivering any relevant data. Sounds like a handy tool for those one-percenters with an ever-expanding cellar or, more practically, to help professional boozehounds sommeliers at highfalutin restaurants keep their inventory in order. Whatever the case, we're pretty sure Jack Donaghy approves. Hit up the source below to sift through the legalese for yourself.
Filed under: Household, LGCommentsSource:USPTO
Read More ...Qualcomm adds two new China-bound SoCs to its Snapdragon S4 lineup
Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 chips are flying off the shelves so fast these days that the company's had to enlist other manufacturing companies just to keep up with the demand. That's not keeping the San Diego-based firm from further expanding its entry-level quad-core lineup, however, as Qualcomm just unveiled the MSM8226 and MSM8626 CPUs.
Each features an Adreno 305 GPU capable of 1080p video recording and playback and support for up to 13-megapixel shooters. The 28nm silicon also packs dual SIM support, multi-modal radios tuned to Chinese TD-SCDMA, CDMA and HSPA+ networks and has GPS, GLONASS and Beidou on board as well. Aside from the broad frequency coverage, the new radio promises 40 percent power savings and is 60 percent smaller than Qualcomm's older comparable wireless transceivers. Want to know more? PR awaits after the break.
Continue reading Qualcomm adds two new China-bound SoCs to its Snapdragon S4 lineup
Filed under: Cellphones, MobileComments
Read More ...IBM brings the fight to counterfeiters with nano-sized authentication methods (video)
As counterfeiters continue to up their game, technology's quest for the ultimate method of proving authenticity goes on. We've seen ideas at the nano level before, but IBM thinks its latest research might be so difficult to reverse engineer, that it's impossible for forgers to reproduce. IBM scientist Dr. Heiko Wolf explains that the basic principle involves using the surface tension of water to orient nanorods on a stamp, which can then be printed onto any surface. These nanorods are so small that gravity alone isn't enough to place the particles into predetermined patterns, such as corporate logos. IBM's researchers have also patented a related nano-patterning method that uses fluorescent spheres that can take the color red, blue or green. These then arrange themselves in a completely random order, which is mathematically so difficult to replicate it's known as PUF (physically uncloanable function). Both methods can be applied to a broad selection of objects, making them ideal candidates for anti-counterfeit detection for everything from diamonds to passports -- all that's needed to verify authenticity is an optical microscope. Don't get your Picasso out of the vault just yet though, as it's estimated that it'll be another five years or so before the technology will find its way to market.
Continue reading IBM brings the fight to counterfeiters with nano-sized authentication methods (video)
Filed under: Science, AltCommentsSource:IBM Research
Read More ...Google enhances local web search for US iPad users
Google added a new feature to its web search for US iPad users on Tuesday. In addition to traditional web results, this new enhancement displays a virtual carousel with reviews and photos that detail local businesses matching your query. Selecting an image card reveals additional information, including a map for directions to the location that you're viewing. Absent from Google's announcement were plans to bring this feature to Android tablets, such as the Nexus 7 and 10. Hopefully the search giant's loyalists won't have to wait too long for an update. In the meantime, iPad owners will have first dibs on this potential Urbanspoon replacement.
Filed under: Internet, Software, GoogleCommentsSource:Google
Read More ...Obama signs Safe Web Act into law, extends FTC power to combat online scam artists
See that guy? The one in the bubble? He's probably up to no good. Thanks to President Obama, however, he's going to have a much harder time duping innocent young ladies like the one also shown here. Per The Hill, the POTUS has just signed into law the Safe Web Act, which extends the Federal Trade Commission's authority to "clamp down on Internet fraud and online scammers based abroad." In simpler terms, it enables the entity to share data about "cross-border online fraud with foreign law enforcement authorities" through September of 2020. According to an unnamed official within the FTC, the existing edition of this act has allowed it to conduct over 100 investigations into cross-border fraud and scam, but it's unclear how much crime was stopped and how many people were needlessly annoyed. We kid, we kid.
Filed under: InternetCommentsVia:The Next WebSource:The Hill
Read More ...The Daily Roundup for 12.04.12
One can only imagine the insane amount of red tape you'd have to endure in order to launch as a new Internet Service Provider, but evidently that pales in comparison to setting up shop as a new phone provider. According to a report from the Kansas City Business Journal, Google "considered offering phone services with its ultra-fast Internet and TV packages" in the Kansas Cities, but it backed away from the idea after "doing some digging into federal and state regulations." Milo Medin, vice president of Google Access Services, had this to say: "We looked at doing that. The cost of actually delivering telephone services is almost nothing. However, in the United States, there are all of these special rules that apply." It was also noted that Milo didn't feel as if the lack of a home phone option would be a huge detriment to everything else Google was doing, and considering the decline in landline connections these days, we can't say we disagree.
Filed under: Internet, GoogleCommentsVia:TechmemeSource:Kansas City Business Journal
Read More ...Westinghouse teases 110-inch 4K LED TV, promises more details at CES
With CES just around the corner, there's plenty of promo mail to dig through each and every day. One of this afternoon's tidbits came from the good folks at Westinghouse, hinting at a hot product that'll be unveiled at the show. The 4K LED TV will ring in at a massive 110 inches -- a significantly larger offering than the bevy of 84-inch sets we caught this past summer at IFA. The manufacturer hesitated to share any further details, but did suggest that there were a few more "surprises" in store, including plenty of connected HDTVs. If you've been pondering a 4K set, but just can't come to grips with a measly 84-inch footprint, it's certainly looking like Westinghouse will have something to catch your eye next year in Vegas.
Filed under: Displays, HDComments
Read More ...YouTube app updated for iOS: now optimized for iPad and iPhone 5, complete with AirPlay streaming
Good news for people who love downloading iOS updates -- just hours after Google refaced its Gmail for iOS app, here comes another heavyweight in YouTube. The standalone app is now fully optimized for use with iPad and the iPhone 5, and perhaps the biggest gift of all is the addition of AirPlay streaming for videos. Other updates include the ability to tap a logo to open one's Guide of channels, the ability to add / remove videos from your playlists, clickable links in video descriptions and improved accessibility with VoiceOver. Feel free to hit the source link to dive in, and let us know how it turns out in comments below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Apple, GoogleCommentsSource:Official YouTube Blog, iTunes
Read More ...Jolla expects Sailfish SDK to reach developers in early Q1 2013
Developers looking to carry on part of the MeeGo legacy have been wondering when Jolla would publish a usable SDK for Sailfish OS. It hasn't taken long to find out: the company has updated its wiki to tell us that the programming kit arrives early into the first quarter of 2013. Although that's not immediate satisfaction, it's close enough that development will start relatively soon after we receive hardware details. After that, it's just a question of whether or not the mobile app community is willing to dive in.
Filed under: Cellphones, MobileCommentsVia:Tonis Tech BlogSource:SailfishOS.org
Read More ...Apple updates Pages, Keynote and Numbers iOS apps, brings increased compatibility with iWork and Office
Still toying with that new Gmail for iOS update? Sure you are. Meanwhile, Apple's updated a trio of its own apps -- Pages, Keynote and Numbers all headed to v1.7 today, which the company says will make "working with others and sharing documents easier through increased compatibility with iWork for Mac and Microsoft Office." Other new features include enhanced support for slide sizes, themes, and action builds in Keynote; change tracking in Pages; and hide and unhide rows and columns in Numbers. We've reached out for specifics regarding that "compatibility" bit, but for now, you can hit the source links to ogle those changelogs.
Filed under: Software, Mobile, AppleCommentsSource:Pages for iOS, Numbers for iOS, Keynote for iOS
Read More ...NASA plans to put another Curiosity-like rover on Mars in 2020
Who says NASA doesn't have big plans for the next decade? Following the universally extolled launch of Curiosity onto Mars' surface earlier this year, the American space entity is reportedly looking to launch another in 2020. The news was dealt at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco today, and while details are thin at the moment, we're hearing that the next-generation 'bot will be "based on Curiosity." John Mace Grunsfeld, a NASA Management Astronaut and the Associate Administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters, was cited as the man responsible for divulging the news. All told, the budget for the so-called "Science Rover" will be around $1.5 billion, with none of that funding to be raked in from other departments.
The launch is part of a multi-year Mars program, which NASA says "affirms the agency's commitment to a bold exploration program that meets our nation's scientific and human exploration objectives." The planned portfolio includes the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers; two NASA spacecraft and contributions to one European spacecraft currently orbiting Mars; the 2013 launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) orbiter to study the Martian upper atmosphere; the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) mission, which will take the first look into the deep interior of Mars; and participation in ESA's 2016 and 2018 ExoMars missions, including providing "Electra" telecommunication radios to ESA's 2016 mission and a critical element of the premier astrobiology instrument on the 2018 ExoMars rover. More details can be found in the full release embedded after the break.
Continue reading NASA plans to put another Curiosity-like rover on Mars in 2020
Filed under: Robots, AltCommentsVia:Business InsiderSource:Jonathan Amos (Twitter), NASA, NASA (Twitter)
Read More ...Rhapsody now available on Xbox Live, brings on-demand music to Microsoft's console
The Xbox 360 certainly isn't suffering from any shortages in the entertainment department, but that's not to say Microsoft's not willing to welcome new app additions to its growing, decade-old ecosystem. Today marks Rhapsody's turn to join the likes of Hulu, Netflix, Crackle and, most recently, WatchESPN on Redmond's Dashboard, bringing its known on-demand music streaming service to Xbox Live -- and, naturally, it'll be available at no additional cost to current Gold and Rhapsody subscribers. Rhapsody is set to arrive on Xbox Live today, but fret not if you don't see the application right away, as it may take a little while before it pops up on your console.
Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, MicrosoftCommentsSource:Rhapsody
Read More ...Google Play adds Private channel hosting for internal enterprise apps
It's not just IT departments the world over that've adjusted to the burgeoning BYOD (bring your own device) movement, it's Google, too. Responding to the increase in Android handsets now used in the enterprise space, Mountain View's announced the availability of a private Play store channel meant solely for internal apps. To take advantage of this, your corporate overlords will first have to be registered as an Apps for Business, Education or Government administrator, after which they can create a separate channel to host and manage any proprietary applications. On the employee end, a linked corporate email account is all that's required to gain access to this secured area, making the entire affair a breeze to use. And with that, RIM's biz-focused BlackBerry platform takes yet another hit. Click on to the source below for the finer details.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Software, Mobile, GoogleCommentsSource:Official Google Enterprise Blog
Read More ...Sony PlayStation 3 claims top spot as Netflix streaming device of choice
As the current gen's console wars wind down in preparation for the coming wave, Sony's still playing a wee bit of catch up. The gaming titan may not be the dominant force it once was, but where its streaming video performance is concerned, the PS3 is an undisputed king. That's according to the company's PlayStation Blog which touts the newly super-slimmed down device as the top platform for Netflix Watch Instantly viewing, even outstripping PC usage. Netflix's CEO Reed Hastings credits the console for being an early adopter testing ground, citing the many experimental updates (i.e., full 1080p with Dolby 5.1, second screen controls and subtitles) it's delivered as firsts to users of the PlayStation 3 over the years. And the company will continue to innovate on the platform, pointing to the novel "Max" voice UI that's currently PS3-only. In all, it's surprising, albeit welcome news given the massive install base of Netflix-capable competitors like the Wii and Xbox 360, not to mention a host of other connected devices. You can check out the full release at the source below.
Filed under: Gaming, Internet, Software, HD, SonyCommentsSource:PlayStation Blog
Read More ...Leaked Sprint holiday ad outs BOGO offer on a trio of Samsung Galaxy smartphones
After a couple of Sprint Black Friday leaks here and there, our anonymous tipster is going for a hat trick by revealing the Now Network's pre-Christmas festivities. Running December 7th through 24th, the house of Hesse will be offering a buy one get one free special on the Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy S II and Galaxy Victory. The temporary promo is available to new and eligible upgrading customers alike and requires a new two-year service agreement. Supplies are expected to be limited, so if you're looking to score one of these snazzy doodads, we suggest that you start mapping out your nearest Sprint stores and put together a plan of attack.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, SprintComments
Read More ...British government announces Cyber Reserve to protect the Queen's laptop
The British government has updated its online cyber-security strategy with a variety of new cyber-programs to protect the motherland's cyber-future. It's setting up a nationwide Computer Emergency Response Team in order to help companies deal with... you know, cyber-threats. Alongside it, will be a new Cyber Reserve, which will call upon the talents of the motherland's finest cyber-minds in times of dire cyber-need. The plan will be pressed into action later next year, just as soon as our politicians learn another buzzword.
Filed under: InternetCommentsVia:WSJ, Tech Week EuropeSource:Cabinet Office (PDF), (2)
Read More ...
Available Tags:Xbox , Sony , Windows Phone , Windows , iOS , TV , TV , LG , IBM , Google , iPad , Engadget , iPhone 5 , YouTube , iPhone , Apple , NASA , Samsung , Galaxy ,
Gemalto adds AMEX, Mastercard and Visa certs to its UpTeq NFC SIM
Welcome to the Engadget 4K Podcast. We're not changing our name yet but if trends continue we may have to slip an "Ultra" in there somewhere as super high-res news flowed forth last week from Sony, Red and Sharp. We've also got some interesting news from Ceton and a preview of Ben's experience with the Echo, as we say a (not-so) melancholy goodbye to rear-projection TVs. With CES closing in it's also time for leaks, and we've seen two different Google TV devices, plus info about the upcoming Redbox Instant streaming service. There's much more within, so go ahead and press play.
Get the podcast
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).
[RSS - AAC] Enhanced feed, subscribe to this with iTunes.
[RSS - MP3] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace
[MP3] Download the show (MP3).
Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh (@bjdraw), Richard Lawler (@rjcc)
Producer: Trent Wolbe
00:08:35 - Sony's 4K Ultra HD Video Player revealed, COO Phil Molyneux tells us what 'only Sony can do'
00:10:00 - Sony's $25,000 XBR 4K LED Ultra HDTV and tablet remote control hands-on
00:12:50 - Sony unveils price for PMW-F55 and PMW-F5 CinaAlta 4K camcorders
00:13:20 - Redray 4K Cinema Player is ready to pre-order: $1,450 for high-res
00:16:30 - Sharp's first 4K 32-inch IGZO LCD is destined for Japanese workstations
00:18:05 - Ceton releases Windows 8 drivers, Echo set-top box is getting Android inside for the holidays
00:25:50 - Nintendo TVii will launch with the Wii U in Japan on December 8th, IR remote costs $1
00:27:15 - Mitsubishi is ending rear-projection TVs, ceases production of DLP and laser models
00:30:30 - Rovi is shutting down its OTA TV guide service without notice
00:32:10 - Netgear's NeoTV Prime (GTV100) is the latest Google TV box outed by FCC filings
00:33:50 - ASUS Qube with Google TV pops up at the FCC
00:37:45 - Redbox Instant pricing, apps and service details revealed by support site
00:47:10 - Verizon FiOS brings its live TV streaming app to LG Smart TVs
00:50:55 - Verizon and NBCUniversal bring TV Everywhere to even more places
00:51:48 - Sky's Now TV service comes to Roku streaming boxes in the UK
00:54:53 - MediaPortal posts 2.0 alpha media hub and new remote apps, teases 1.3 beta with Titan
00:55:37 - Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase One Blu-ray set is back on, ships April 2nd
00:57:12 - Must See HDTV (December 3rd - 9th)
Hear the podcast
LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)
Filed under: HD
Comments
Read More ...
The British government has updated its online cyber-security strategy with a variety of new cyber-programs to protect the motherland's cyber-future. It's setting up a nationwide Computer Emergency Response Team in order to help companies deal with... you know, cyber-threats. Alongside it, will be a new Cyber Reserve, which will call upon the talents of the motherland's finest cyber-minds in times of dire cyber-need. The plan will be pressed into action later next year, just as soon as our politicians learn another buzzword.
Filed under: Internet
Comments
Via: WSJ, Tech Week Europe
Source: Cabinet Office (PDF), (2)
Read More ...
No comments:
Post a Comment