Forgotten Your Password? Mastercard Lets You Pay with a Selfie

MasterCard – Identity Check – Selfie Pay App

As the customers tend to move from credit cards to new technologies, MasterCard is enabling online shoppers to take a selfie in verifying their identity to make payments. Customers would be able to do their purchases without the need of entering a password or pin.

 Developing technologies in biometrics have been assisting financial institutions as well as merchants to free the consumers from providing passwords and pins which had been the main focus at the Money20/20 conference in Las Vegas.

MasterCard showed offits Identity Check – `Selfie Pay’ app which enables users to verify their identity with their bank by snapping a selfie by saying a phrase or utilising a fingerprint. The company had shown the software in August, with Mountain View, California based First Tech Credit Union and Dutch bank ABN Amro.

 It intends to license it to U.S. consumers towards mid-2016 and by 2017, internationally. Bob Reany, senior vice president of MasterCard for identity solutions commented that he hated passwords and that they were improving and making it safer at the same time for consumers. MasterCard has been investing in biometric technology solutions being aware of opportunity of offering more secure payment choices to clients, addressing a pain point for consumer.

New Biomimetic Technology 

According to a survey of MasterCard around 53% of the shoppers tend to forget passwords almost once a week, which is a loss of 10 minutes when they haveto reset their accounts. This ends up in more than a third of them abandoning an online or a mobile purchase.

The representatives from MasterCard had demonstrated on the show floor, a variety of new biomimetic technologies of the company that had been tested together with partners. The Nvmi Band seemed to most interesting.

The Canadian start-up had developed an exclusive technology which influences the wearer’s exceptional cardiac signature also known as your heart rate as a biometric identifier. Reany stated that the next wave would be wearable which will be going from low friction to no friction.

 That would actually be a sea change. Karl Martin, founder and CTO founder of Nymi mentioned in a press release that by working with partners such as TD and MasterCard, they have been effectively demonstrating that continuous authentication could be a more secured and convenient way in making retail payments.

Payment – Fingerprint/Face Recognition 

In order to access the new function, user would have to download the Identity Check Mobile app wherein they can authorise payment with a fingerprint scan or face recognition. While utilising a retailer’s online site or an app, MasterCard consumers would be receiving on their handset, a pop-up screen which would prompt them to authorise the payment via a password, scan or a photograph.

 To make sure that the user is really seeing the camera of the phone and not holding up a photo of someone, they would have to perform a blink gesture. The firm has rolled out their services in around 12 countries all across Europe, after successful trials in the Netherlands, US and Canada. It had been mentioned by the company that 92% of its test subjects desired the new system to passwords.

US-based MasterCard expects more countries would be following suit in the next year. Usually people need to enter passwords eight times each day for 10 various online accounts or application which they tend to use regularly. Over one in five tend to use the same password for everything and 58% seems to depend on a few variations.

Hover Camera Passport iPhone Connected Flying 4K Selfie Cam

Hover Camera Passport – Exceptional Flying Camera

The latest released Hover Camera Passport is said to be one of the most exceptional flying cameras having a durable and portable lightweight design together with competitive price which is easy to use through an iPhone app. AppleInsider have provided their first impressions after they had gained an opportunity to get hold of the camera.Though it tends to have much in common with the other flying cameras, naming the Zero Zero Robotics Hover Camera Passport a drone would not be completely fair.

Instead of flying long distances or sporting a high end camera and gimbal, it tends to aim on being simple as possible for utilisation and transport.The most remarkable thing regarding the Passport is its design which when folded; being the size of an old VCR tape tends to be almost half a pound and is much lighter than expected.

The protective grates enable the users to hold the Passport safely without any anxiety of the propellers cutting the fingers. When unfolded, it can be seen as an adjustable camera with flash on the front of the device. It has the potential of capturing 4K ultra high definition video and 13-megapixel images which puts it on the same level with iPhone 6s lens of Apple.

Linked to iOS Device

The Passport comprises of sensors towards the bottom together with sonar to measure the distance from air to the ground which enables safe indoor use. This tends to provide the drone with some insight on how far it could be from the ground thus assisting it in maintaining a set altitude. The Hover Camera is linked to an iOS device through direct Wi-Fi which restricts its range. However, this device is not actually planned to contend with the types of DJI or the new GoPro Karma.

On the contrary it is a tiny and portable camera enabling the user to capture quick aerial shots with the least exertion. The Passport has been well designed for the iOS app, providing easy onscreen touch controls for altitude, backward, forward and operating left to right. Moreover, the Passport also tends to turn towards the left or right with a finger swipe on the screen of the iPhone and swiping up or down positions the movable camera towards the front of the device.

iPhone App – Advanced Auto-Camera Modes

The Hover Camera Passport package comprises of two batteries and a wall adapter which tends to charge both simultaneously, a portable and protective carrying case, spare propellers, and a USB cable for manual firmware updates together with a bag and case strap.

A limited early test with the Hover Camera Passport was very impressive. It seems to be easy to get in the air and the protected propeller tends to prop along with its light weight which means that it is quite safe to fly indoors without the anxiety of any dangerous accident. The iPhone app tends to have advanced auto-camera modes, as well as following a subject or taking video of a 360-degree circular view.

Moreover the included camera flash would provide great shots in low light conditions. For a limited time period, it is priced at $549 and in the next few weeks will be priced at $599. Lot of value and prospective is seen in the Hover Camera Passport.

New PC Industry Consortium to Develop Next-Gen Memory Interconnect

Computing industry is going through rapid phase of development and revolution wherein computing ability is being improved by thirty percent with each passing decade. But the major problem faced by the computing industry is ‘memory’ expansion which has caused a huge strain on the semiconductor segment. DRAM happens to be driving relatively each and every segment of the computing based market which comprises of not just the Smartphone, personal computers, laptops and supercomputers but also the memory device segment.

Over the past few years memory devices have gained transaction and popularity among the consumers which had turned them into a dominant force which is actively giving stiff competition to the traditional computing market. A new computing industry consortium has come into being with prominent partners across the industry and this consortium has been dubbed as Gen-Z. Gen-Z aim is to develop a new memory interface which can help in tying various components together in a single entity for better profit and value to the end users.

Problems to solve for Gen-Z

Currently it is not possible to scale up the DRAM performance without resulting into unwanted issues later on. The major reason for this problem is associated to the theory that the amount of bandwidth which is made available to each core of the DRAM usually decreases which limits the performance of the DRAM. Even choosing different robust component will not help in stooping the subsequent decrease in the amount of bandwidth available to each core which simply goes down.

Gen-Z brings an elegant solution to this problem

Instead of spending time towards increasing the fundamental functional limit of the DRAM; Gen-Z wishes to increase the performance level of the next generation memory solution which can easily tap into emerging new kind of memory. Currently we measure the type of storage into HDD and SSD but in upcoming future with Gen-Z progression we will have High-Bandwidth Memory (HMB), Managed DRAM and Hybrid Memory Cube (HMC) ready for active adoption.

Gen-Z will not just empower the progression in the field of memory storage for computing purposes but it will create a memory semantic fabric possessing to ability to handle communication at the sub-microsecond latencies.

Gen-Z future prospects and goals

As stated earlier Gen Z aims towards creating an attached ecosystem for wide variety of computing products into a single open standard which will possess the ability to support sub-100ns load-to-use capability. Gen-Z gets backing from the prominent players in the tech industry which includes Dell, AMD, Braodcom, Samsung, HP, ARM, Micron and others. So far Intel has stayed away from Gen-Z and it is not a good sign for the success of this venture as Intel

commands a whopping 98% of the server and enterprise markets. Therefore it is necessary that Intel plays a active role in this venture which will enable Gen-Z to create new memory standards that can be compatible with the modern computing needs. Furthermore Cisco has remained aloof from the Gen-Z but it will not thwart the ambitious attempts of this venture.

Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build for PC and Mobile

Microsoft Windows 10 made its debut a year ago where it promised free up gradation to all the computer system around the world either running on Windows 7 or 8 OS. At that time Microsoft even brought its own Insider build program wherein users used to get previews of new features and functionalities in order to improve the overall experience of new operating system. At present Microsoft has decided to kill the old Windows 10 Insider builds for once and all to put an end to this great system. In a post released online Microsoft official has made it clear that all the older Insider Preview build will simply stop working from 15th October.

Rebooting issue will resolved

A number of users have complained about their PC rebooting after every three hours since October 1. Therefore Microsoft has taken the decision to put all old Windows insider build out of action which will help in resolving the booting issue. But removing support from older builds will make them redundant which means PC will not boot up. So users will have to reinstall Windows either from the USB or DVD drive in order to get the computer system working again. A simple typing search into the Cortana search box will help you in checking the status of your old Insider Preview build.

How to check the status of the Windows Preview Build

Open up the Run Dialogue box then type winver.exe and press enter key on the keyboard. A small will appear on the screen showcasing the expiry date for your particular Windows Preview Build. If expiry doesn’t appear on the screen then simply note down the ‘OS Build’ number and check it out in the list provided on the Microsoft’s help forums which specially lists down the expiry dates for every Insider build.
How to install new Insider build version

This isn’t the first time Microsoft is expiring the older Insider builds. Furthermore updating to newer version of build is relatively simple and easy as users are simply required to go to the Setting app followed by Update & Security and finally give a click on Windows Update. Now give a click on the Check for Updates button and it will help in downloading the latest build for your computer.

Currently the Fast ring build no 14396 is the latest Windows 10 build which was launched on September 28th. This update for Windows 10 is dubbed as Redstone 2 which brings a variety of tweaks to the OS. Windows users will be able to hide app list on the Start Menu along with improved navigation in the Photos app, new Windows Update icon and improved gesture and click detection on touchpad. It also brought new Edge extensions and a number of general improvements and fixes have been made in the area of Narrator, app notification and personalization. Even this build also has a number of issues as it a Preview build and Redstone is expected to launch a year later in 2017.

Five Ways to Save Money when Buying Apple Goodies!

As everyone knows, buying any Apple product is going to take a big dent out of your pocket, but if you are a die-hard fan, there is not much you can do but grin and pay up. Class costs money. However, there some ways you can still buy the products and not have to spend every last cent you have. Follow our guide below on how to save money on Apple Gear:

1. Apple Storage Tips

Apple prices each iPhone, iPad and iPad Touch $100 or so more than each bigger one depending on the storage capacity – 16GB, 64GB or 128GB. So work out your storage needs before you buy so you are not caught short and have to lay out money for larger storage capacity down the line. And the Macs are the same – prices increase the bigger they get. If you have a 16GB iPhone and are using up to75% of that, then you need to think about getting 64GB one instead. Rather buy the bigger one first time round.

2. Use Apple Coupon Codes Refurbished Apple products can also be picked at good prices with the use of Coupons. Apple itself rarely has sales or discounts, but coupons are also available on last year’s editions of their products. The minute a new model hits the stores, the older one drops significantly in price and you can pick it up for a steal with coupons. Students and teachers in the Education sector can always pick up a iPhone or MacBook at an education discount. All orders over $50 will qualify for free shipping, or the products can be collected at any Apple Store.

3. Selling your Current Apple Product

Don’t forget that if you want to sell your present iPhone or MacBook, it is worth quite a bit of money – anything with Apple hardware is worth good money. Instead of throwing it into a box in your garage, browse the internet and see what you can get for selling it on a bidding website or other Used Goods websites. And some companies buy old equipment. And finally, Apple sometime have a trade-in day where you can trade in or exchange your old product for a certain amount or a discount on a newer version.

4. Consider Refurbished Apple Equipment

Apple also sell reconditioned Macs and iPads, so you don’t always have to buy brand new – if it is Apple, you know it is trustworthy. You might also pick up some good deals on last year’s products. And just because it is ‘second hand’ it does not mean it is cheap! Because Apple quality lasts for a lifetime, you will still get things in tip top condition, but at a better price than a new one.

5. Apple Warranty

Wherever you purchased your Apple product – store, second hand or refurbished, the warranty does with it. The 3 year Apple Care plan is assigned to the serial number so you will always have it if you need it.

So, all in all, buying an Apple product will stand you in good stead for a long time. Plan carefully when you first buy one and make sure the storage is big enough. Then look after it, and by the time you are ready to buy a new one, there will be someone around glad to buy your old, well-looked after one.