Apple Pay in UK: The story so far
On 14 July 2015, Apple’s mobile payments system Apple Pay was finally launched in the UK after a huge amount of build-up and excitement. At the time of launch, Apple Pay was supported by several of the UK’s biggest financial institutions -- including Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Natwest and Nationwide -- along with thousands of supermarkets, restaurants, hotels and retailers.
Initial reviews were largely positive and industry professionals were understandably excited about Apple Pay’s potential as it rode the crest of a growing mobile payments wave. Mix this in with Apple’s loyal fan base and its power in the consumer market and it’s easy to see why its competitors might struggle to keep up.
New predictive content solution helps drive customer relationships
To stay competitive companies have to understand their customers, in the modern data-driven world that means adopting a more personalized approach and abandoning old mass marketing techniques.
San Francisco-based Boomtrain is announcing the integration of its predictive personalization platform with the Marketo marketing software to offer companies deeper understanding of individual customers and help them build stronger relationships.
Innerexile's new iPhone case self-heals in less than a second
Innerexile, the company that makes self-healing cases and screen protectors for various Apple products, has been busy designing a new self-healing iPhone case that will repair itself even more quickly than its predecessor. The model that it supersedes already performs quite well in this regard, so how can the new case top it?
Innerexile claims that its new iPhone case is able to self-heal from more severe scratches in less than a second, which is quite impressive. It is also advertised to be less slippery than its predecessor, which I found to be problematic in this regard. Does it live up to those claims?
Metalogix launches real-time protection for SharePoint content
With security breaches becoming more common the need to secure all aspects of an organization’s data is greater than ever.
Microsoft's SharePoint is one of the most popular content collaboration tools and needs protecting just as much as anything else. Up to now, however, SharePoint security solutions have been passive, using a mix of permissions management and compliance-driven reporting functions.
Plex brings your media to the new Apple TV
If you have a lot of stored media, such as music, photos and DVDs, and would like to get access to it through your home theater, then you need a bridge. That means a media server and an end-solution, and there is perhaps no better choice than Plex for this. The server is free and it can run on almost any computer platform. Then all you have to do is spare a bit of money for the app, which is also platform agnostic.
Now Plex is announcing that its software is arriving on the new Apple TV. That's good news for those who have shelled out the money for the set-top box out of Cupertino. This is the first time Plex is on Apple TV, as it wasn't available on the previous versions. At least not directly -- there were tricks for getting it running on the box, though they were not easy to pull off.
Restrict access to time-wasting websites with LeechBlock
Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Amazon -- it’s hard to get any work done when there are so many web distractions around.
LeechBlock is a free Firefox extension which can help by blocking access to your favorite time-sucking sites.
ExtraHop brings the power of search to network data
IT teams are able to collect more real-time data than ever before, but there's a difference between gathering information and being able to do something useful with it.
Wire data analytics specialist ExtraHop is launching the fifth generation of its big data analytics platform, complete with a new search appliance aimed at giving businesses fast, reliable insights into their operations.
Ericsson, Intel and Nokia backing new IoT standard
Internet of things devices need a communication standard, a universal type of communication which would allow these devices to communicate, no matter who the maker is. The standard is now also a subject of debate, as US and European makers are backing one type, while Huawei and other vendors are backing another one.
As Lightreading writes in a report, Intel, Ericsson and Nokia are backing Narrow-Band Long-Term Evolution (NB-LTE). At the same time, Huawei is more leaned towards the existing Narrowband Cellular IoT (CIoT) proposal.
Hate Windows 10? You still have a year to buy a Windows 7 PC
The adoption of Windows 10 is slowing, and that trend is set to continue -- largely thanks to Microsoft. In an unusual move, the company has extended the availability of Windows 7 so it will be possible to buy computers with the operating system pre-installed until the end of October next year.
What's particularly interesting about this is that it means that Windows 7 will be available to buy for longer than Windows 8. Many would take this as an admission of the widespread dislike for Windows 8, but it also offers a lifeline to anyone who wants a new computer without Windows 10.
Vivaldi moves to beta, offers power users a uniquely customizable browser
Vivaldi Technologies has unveiled the first beta of its new web browser for power users with the release of Vivaldi Beta. The aim of Vivaldi is to give users unparalleled control over their web browsing experience, and has been developed by a team led by Opera’s co-founder, Jon S von Tetzchner.
The alpha releases have been downloaded by more than two million early adopters, but this first beta release is aimed at general users, and among its new features are support for Chrome extensions and web panels.
Microsoft kills unlimited OneDrive storage, downgrades other plans, claims abuse
For a while, Microsoft was a company that could do no wrong. Under Staya Nadella's rule, the company made a lot of great moves, such as listening to users, offering cross-platform compatible services, embracing open source, and most importantly, releasing Windows 10.
Unfortunately, the company has just made a major faux pas, by announcing it will be downgrading OneDrive storage plans, including canceling its 'unlimited' offering. Why would it do such a terrible thing to its users? The company claims that some abusive users have ruined it for everyone. Has Microsoft just entered into a PR nightmare?
Microsoft goes golfing -- PGA Tour to utilize Windows 10, Azure, Surface, Lumia and Office
While I am not a hardcore sports nut, I am a fan of many teams, like the Mets, Knicks, Islanders and Jets. Truth be told, I can enjoy spectating almost any sport -- including bowling and curling -- with the only exception being golf. Don't get me wrong, I recognize the skill, and respect the participants, but holy cow -- it is boring.
Not everyone feels the way I do, obviously, as golf has its fans -- hey, someone must be watching it if they keep putting it on TV, right? Believe it or not, I am actually interested in the PGA Tour now -- not as a sports fan, but as a tech nerd. You see, the PGA Tour has decided to leverage Microsoft technologies to enhance the golf experience for fans and employees alike. The partnership will last three years. Wise move, PGA.
Microsoft shows what gamers can expect from the New Xbox One Experience
The New Xbox One Experience is just around the corner. We already know that the rollout starts on 12 November, and that means that there are just ten days until Windows 10 comes to Xbox One gamers. Today Microsoft shows off what there is to look forward to in a couple of new videos.
This is not a small update by any stretch of the imagination -- it sees the arrival of the New Xbox One Experience. Not everyone has been keeping up to date with the snippets of news that have crept out over recent months, nor have they all been taking part in the preview program. But whether you've kept abreast of what's to come or you haven’t got a clue what to expect, the videos serve as an excellent introduction.
Anonymous begins releasing details about Ku Klux Klan members (maybe)
The hacker group Anonymous is almost synonymous with attacks and data leaks, but while they tend to strike fear into some people, the truth is, if you aren't doing anything wrong then don't be scared. The group tends to stand up against bullies and human rights infractions -- witness its attack against ISIS.
Anonymous has threatened to release details about one the most feared hate groups in the United States, the Ku Klux Klan. The organization was conceived in 1865, just after the Civil War, It was quickly suppressed but reemerged in 1915, though the current incarnation began in 1946. Thankfully, after a long reign of terror, membership numbers have dwindled in recent times.
Google says Chrome OS is going nowhere
Google has scotched rumors that Chrome OS could be ditched. There had already been some doubts about the truth behind suggestions that Android and Chrome OS could be on the verge of merging. Google has already gone to some lengths to stress how committed it is to Chrome OS, and today goes a step further in stating in very plain language:
"Chrome OS is here to stay".
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