Wal-Mart Expands Self-Checkout Service With iPhones

You can crack all the jokes you want about Wal-Mart, particularly about “Wal-Mart speak”, but you can’t deny the impact of this chain, both on those in the industry and on consumers. More so, for an “old” company, Wal-Mart does seem to be on the ball when it comes to taking on new technologies to improve its services. (Here is where the “What service?” jokes come in.)

All kidding aside, Wal-Mart’s Scan & Go program is in its early stages, with a handful of stores running it. The program essentially allows customers to do self-checkout by using their iPhones to scan the items they are buying. After scanning the items, customers can then proceed to self-checkout counter to pay.
The concept is very attractive. For one, it takes advantage of the fact that most people have smartphones. Customers only have to use the Wal-Mart app to scan their items, leaving out the middleman that is the cashier, who can be tediously slow at times. There is the inconvenience – at least to non-iPhone users – that there is only an iOS app for now, but Wal-Mart says that they are still testing the system and getting feedback from customers and that they are planning on rolling out an Android app soon.
It looks like Wal-Mart may have something with the Scan & Go project, especially with customers in the pilot program using the app repeatedly. Additionally, the chain is adding the system to more stores. Given that Wal-Mart has thousands of branches nationwide, the number of stores that will be featuring Scan & Go is but a small fraction, but the development is still an indication of positive response from customers.
With Wal-Mart leading the way in this matter, I wouldn’t be surprised if other stores actually do a copycat act by establishing their own self-checkout service. And this is one of those times when copying benefits the general public.
[Article Via tech beat Image via scanandgo

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Robots To Blame For Foxconn Hiring Freeze Not iPhone 5

Apple has always had more than its fair share of critics, and even when their sales were in the millions, we still heard analysts saying they failed for not reaching expectations. After the iPhone 5 came out, speculations about how the iPhone business has lagged were rife. Whether or not you hold with the critics, the fact remains that the iPhone is a pretty darned good phone!




Then came the talk about Foxconn freezing hiring. As can be expected, critics jumped on this, blaming the slow iPhone 5 sales. As if that were not enough, there have also been reports that Foxconn has put a stop to its plans to build a new factory. That idea obviously bothered some people – those that matter in the financial sense – resulting in Apple’s shares being adversely affected again.
But is the iPhone 5 really to blame for the Foxconn hiring freeze?
If you want things to be easy for your brain and don’t really feel like thinking much, then yeah, why not? It’s not really like the news affects you personally, does it? Then again, there are some factors that may be related to the Foxconn hiring freeze, factors worth looking at.

One, Foxconn has declared its intentions to rely more on automation early this year.
 Its CEO, Guo Taiming has said that their “goal is to see the first batch of fully automated factory in 5-10 years and to eliminate simple and repetitive processes through automation in the next few years.”
Even Foxconn employees have confirmed this, with statements like: “The robot project has been finalized, and the total investment is about 3 billion yuan.” (Source)

Two, blame the Chinese New Year.
It may sound ridiculous, but according to Foxconn themselves, their employees have returned en masse to work more this year as compared to other years, after the Chinese New Year. The result? The company does not need to hire.

Three, Apple has been using more assemblers.
This means less business for Foxconn as, for example, about 40% of iPad Minis are assembled by another entity.
Still think the slow iPhone 5 sales are to blame for the Foxconn hiring freeze? What about the news that the iPhone 5 was the best-selling phone in Q4 last year?

[Image via cuttinglet and Tech Beat]

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BlackBerry Z10 Outselling iPhone & Samsung in Canada

The brand new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone is a huge hit, at least that is the case for one Canadian retailer. According to Glentel the new flagship smartphone from BlackBerry is outselling the Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy line of smartphones. The retailer claims that interest in the Z10 took off the moment the device was launched.
Glentel sent a note to BlackBerry on Monday in which it claimed the Z10 was its “leading smartphone” at more than 330 retail outlets across Canada.
While Glentel did not release exact numbers the company writes that the Z10 launch was ”more than 50 percent better than any other launch day in our history in Canada.”



Glentel Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer David Hartman adds:

“We are delighted with strong customer acceptance and customer experience within our stores of the new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone.”

The company’s report is in direct contradiction to various other analyst findings which have claimed lousy sales for the Z10 smartphone. In one report sales expectations were cut by more than 85 percent.
Sales in Canada could be attributed to a sense of loyalty felt among BlackBerry buyers. Formerly known as Research in Motion, the company is based in Canada and manufacturers its smartphones at Canadian owned facilities.
In the meantime BlackBerry can use any good news it can get. Upon launch of the BlackBerry 10 OS analysts have largely agreed that the Z10 and its Q10 counterpart with a full QWERTY keyboard may be BlackBerry’s last chance at remaining relevant in an Apple iOS and Google Android dominated market.
BlackBerry has been busy cutting staff and closing down facilities in a desperate attempt to once again become cash flow positive. Rumors have circulated that BlackBerry could sell its manufacturing division and focus on software licensing to third party vendors.
Do you think the BlackBerry Z10 can save BlackBerry or is the company headed for dire straights?

[Image via us.blackberry and Tech Beat]

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T-Mobile Opens Its Doors To iPhone Users

iPhone users who aren’t satisfied with the services provided by their wireless carriers can now seek refuge with T-Mobile. At present, T-Mobile is the only one among the leading networks in the US which does not sell iPhones directly. That situation is going to change next year according to the new agreement drawn up between Apple and T-Mobile. The network has taken an early step to welcome iPhone users into its fold and give them a sneak preview of how their services are for them.
　

What the company has done is improving the speed it offers to compete with the other providers who sell the iPhones directly. The main reason why users weren’t opting for T-Mobile over the other networks was the slower speed. Well, T-Mobile has rectified that problem for good. According to the company, users who had bought the iPhones from any of the other network carriers can now enjoy high speed connectivity in 14 cities across the US including New York and Philadelphia.

The problem faced by users when migrating from one carrier to another is that the iPhones are ‘locked’ when they purchase them. T-Mobile has taken care of that and introduced a way to unlock the phones so the people can use their services on their iPhones. In fact, the ad promoting the new high speed service by T-Mobile clearly shows an unlocked iPhone. The ads are meant for all smartphones but the image is clearly of an iPhone which makes it clear that T-Mobile is targeting Apple customers.

However, the users have shown apprehension about moving to T-Mobile in the past. The reason for this is that T-Mobile still runs 2G in the age where users have started taking 3G and 4G for granted. The only network carrier which offers similar services to T-Mobile is AT & T. This is why AT & T users are the only ones to migrate their iPhones to T-Mobile. The users who are on Verizon and other network carriers prefer to stick to their current choice rather than make the transition.

T-Mobile has taken an active step to change the scenario by offering 4G speeds in the cities which have been listed in the advertisements. The users who decide to change to T-Mobile from their current package would be pleasantly surprised at the improved speeds. T-Mobile has announced that AT & T, Verizon and Sprint users can now switch to their service by getting their iPhones unlocked.

[Image via 9to5mac]

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Why I gave my daughter an iPhone, and why you should do the same

There are parents who think that kids shouldn’t have phones. They argue that they didn’t have phones when they were young, so their kids shouldn’t have phones either. Obviously I don’t agree with those people. I made sure my daughter had a phone as soon as possible.

First I got her a cheap phone that cost me €60. She was 8 and within 3 months she lost it. I got her another one, this time slightly more expensive, at €100. She liked it a lot more, it had a touch screen, but one day she threw it into her bag, where it drowned and short circuited in orange juice.

By then she was 9 and spent a lot of time playing with an old iPod Touch I owned. I helped her set up Twitter, email and showed her how to install games. She loved it. So when the time came to replace her phone we went into town to look at phones. I dreaded spending more money on ugly phones that I knew she wouldn’t use. And then I suddenly remembered we had an old and broken iPhone 3G at home.

I had almost thrown away that old phone because the screen was cracked and it had stopped working long ago. But did you know that if you bring it to the Apple store and pay them €180 they will replace it with a brand new re-manufactured replacement model? You can’t upgrade to something new but you will get a perfect iPhone 3G back.

Now €180 is a lot more than a €60 throw-away phone, but I gambled that she would like this phone so much she wouldn’t lose it or break it as quickly as she did the other phones. So far (she is 11 now) my gamble paid off. She uses it all the time. She sends me photos of her homework when it is done, she sends me an email from her bed when she can’t sleep, which I prefer to shouting at me, which would wake her younger sister up.


But the main reason why I love it that she’s has an iPhone, which makes it worth paying an extra €15 a month for an unlimited data subscription, is the Find my Friends app.

Not a day goes by where I don’t check her up on Find my Friends. Just to make sure she is, in fact, at school. Or arrived at that friend who she was going to play at. Or on her way home in the evening. Last week I had to go pick her up and she wasn’t answering her phone. I didn’t know the address and I didn’t have another phone number. Normally that would be a problem. You have to go home to find the names of the parents of her friend, then go find a number and ask them for the address, or call other parents to find out a number to call.

But no, I just opened Find my Friends, selected my daughter from the list, and drove to where she was. I rang the doorbell at the house where the map showed a little purple dot, and she opened the door.

A few months ago I was discussing kids with phones with another parent. They told me they thought it felt a bit weird to pay the extra €15 a month just so their kids could use Whatsapp or Twitter. Then I explained to them "I don’t pay the extra money for her. I pay it for me!". The luxury of always knowing where your kid is, is worth so much to me.

If ten years ago someone would’ve told me that one day for €15 a month I would’ve been able to always know where my kids were, I wouldn’t have believed it. Now it’s possible and once you’ve tried it, you’re hooked. I’m sure that if my parents would’ve had the same option, no matter how poor they were, they would’ve done the same. And it would have made their life a lot easier too, believe me. :)

UPDATED: before every Android fanboy is going to comment that this is also possible on an Android. I know! It is just that I gave her an iPhone and I use ‘Find my Friends’.

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EyeVerify Checks ‘Eyeprints’ To Unlock Your Smartphone

Security is something that many an average person is concerned about. From online passwords to ATM PINs to smartphone lock codes – we employ all sorts of security measures to ensure that unauthorized access does not happen. Of course, there are ways and means by which other people can get past those measures, especially if they are really intent on doing so. Still, with technology evolving continuously, we can only take advantage of protocols that enhance security.

　

And when it comes to smartphones, we might soon be able to do away with lock codes. That is, if EyeVerify has anything to do with.

Eyeprints instead of alphanumeric characters

Spearheaded by Toby Rush, EyeVerify makes use of "eyeprints" in order to determine whether the person trying to unlock or use a smartphone is authorized. Apparently, we have unique sets of eyeprints, which are patterns found in the white parts of our eyes. Those patterns are made the veins and can be used to identify people.

　

Just like scanning the iris, this method is supposed to be more secure. Indeed, short of having your eyeballs plucked out by someone who wants to use your smartphone, there is no way to copy your eyeprints.

Why eyeprints and not an iris scanner?

This is exactly what I thought when I first read the concept of eyeprints. The advantage of EyeVerify’s concept is that no special hardware is required to scan eyeprints – as opposed to the iris. The camera found in many smartphones will do the job.

The catch – for now

The idea is brilliant, especially for people like me who tend to forget passwords and PINs. However, the technology is rather new and the front cameras of many smartphones are not good enough to get a high quality scan of the eyeprints. As such, one has to turn the phone around and use the back camera in order to unlock it. A little unwieldy if you ask me.

Additionally, you will have to move your eyes to the left and to the right in order for the software to work. That’s because the eyeprints are found on the white part. Not too much of an issue, if you don’t mind looking a little silly every time you want to use your phone.

[Images via EyeVerify & webdesignlists]

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Pepper Spray iPhone Case Is Hard On The Eyes…Literally

Want to protect yourself from would be muggers, kidnappers and other unruly types? If you are the proud owner of an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S you can now keep hoodlums at bay with a pepper spray enabled iPhone case.

　

The product, created by Spraytech costs just $40 and comes equipped with the choice of black, white, turquoise and pink color options. Because the pepper spray is literally built into the case it can be easily concealed in your pocket while you travel.

To use the product the user simply snaps a pepper spray canister to the back of their iPhone case. To use the pepper spray they release a safety clip, hold the phone horizontally and then press a button on the side of a phone. The process is a lot like taking an iPhone photo but with far more painful results.

Spraytech doesn’t want its users to be placed in a bad situation and not understand how to actually use the product for that reason they also include a tester cartridge that has been filled with habanero pepper spray. Here is a quick look at the cartridge design:

　

While the original case and cartridge will cost $40, Spraytech is offering replacement cartridges for just $18 a piece.

Cartridge refills can be chosen to match the original color of the users case and as of now the devices are available at spraytect.com/products.

Still confused by the entire process from start to finish? Here’s the company’s official how-to-guide:

　

Looking at the example provided by SprayTech the items seems a bit complicated to use, especially when we consider the type of stressful situations that lead to pepper spray required attacks.

Do you see the value in hiding a canister of pepper spray on the back of your iPhone based device?

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