August 1-2
Samsung Pay has eyes on Europe, Amazon makes another move into the Physical Web, Facebook master answers your most pressing need, and more tech trends in this week’s post.
Tech Trend 1 – Samsung Pay to move into Europe
After rolling out Samsung Pay in Seoul, Samsung and MasterCard have set their sights on a place much bigger: Europe. Samsung announced last week that they intend to extend their partnership with MasterCard to launch Samsung Pay in Europe. While they didn’t give an exact date to when we can expect to see Samsung Pay hit stores, I wouldn’t count on it being soon as they still haven’t released in the U.S. But no matter when it does, Samsung has made it clear it wants a share of the ever expanding mobile payments and mobile wallet market.
Source: TechCrunch
Tech Trend 2 – Amazon uses Physical Web with Amazon Push Button
Amazon released the Amazon Echo in order to make your life easier – ironically made from the leftover Amazon phones that previously failed. Whether it is finding out the weather or having Amazon Echo’s ‘Alexa’ order your groceries, the Echo is your personal assistant. And now, Amazon has taken it one step further.
The Amazon Push Button allows Amazon Prime members to never forget to restock the items they use everyday. Debuting with over 30 buttons, members can order laundry detergent, coffee, or macaroni and cheese with just the click of a button. Costing $4.99, Prime members can order a button, hook it up to their Wi-Fi and Amazon account, and order away. While it’s not quite as exciting as smart cities, Amazon Push Buttons is Amazon’s way of entering the Physical Web and IoT atmosphere. Check out the video below to see Amazon Push Buttons in action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMacTuHPWFI
Source: Mashable
Tech Trend 3 – Update to Lexus Hoverboard
Remember how a couple of weekends ago Lexus released a trailer for their version of a hoverboard? Well they’ve just released another. And even though it’s short, it’s still awesome. This trailer provides very short snippets of the hoverboard in action. And it ends with a longer look that shows us what we’ve all really been waiting for: the hoverboard actually hovering above the ground.
While the trailer below provided no more information, other than visuals, it did succeed in keeping us salivating. Until August 5th. That’s the date that you are assured to see the hoverboard in action. So check out the latest trailer and keep your fingers crossed for more in a few days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U68zjl-5Bow
Source: Mashable
Tech Trend 4 – Is Mark Zuckerberg Jesus For The Mobile Masses?
“Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens” Zuckerberg 20:15 (or at least we can assume)
It could be said that Mark Zuckerberg often has his head in the clouds. And not just because the Facebook founder recently announced he’ll be having a baby. But because he dreams big. So big, that he now intends on supplying Internet to the entire world. A great gift from on high.
In a Q & A session about a month ago, Zuckerberg unveiled plans for using lasers to connect more people to the Internet. All we knew at the time, was Zuckerberg and his Connectivity Lab intended to link more people to the Internet by using laser beams from satellite planes. But over the weekend, the story took off. And now Facebook has given us an inside look as to how this glorious global Wi-Fi will actually work. And they appear to be making surprisingly good progress.
Last week, the Connectivity Lab announced two major milestones. The first being that the high altitude, long-endurance aircraft named ‘Aquila’, is ready for testing. With a similar wingspan to a 737, but weighing lighter than a prius, Aquila will fly for around 90 days at a height of 60,000 to 90,000 feet.
The second milestone is that they have transmitted data at 10s of GB per second and can hit targets the size of a dime, more than 10 miles away. So it appears Zuckerberg was more than serious when he said he wanted to connect the world to the Internet. And with WiFi often whimsically placed on the modern day Maslow hierarchy of needs, we embrace the effort.
Check out the video below for an inside look into the modern day “savior of humanity”, the Connectivity Lab, and their almighty solar powered creation.
Source: TheVerge
