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Samsung and Mastercard are working on a fingerprint payment card
Samsung is collaborating with Mastercard on a biometric scanning payment card with a built-in fingerprint reader.
Opera's new online shopping cashback service is built directly into its browser
Opera's fully integrated cashback service works with partner shopping sites including Nike and Asos.
Samsung's Pay Card will be a 'true digital wallet' for its UK phone owners
Samsung Pay Card will act like a digital wallet.
Cooper FX's multi-effect guitar pedal uses tiny cartridges
Get 32 different effects from just four cartridges.
That Apple Card may not be as private as you think
When it came time to pay for dinner with my friend and his wife the other night, he said, "No, let us get this." It was a kind gesture. When you don't have to pay for a meal out in San Francisco, the feeling of relief is similar to narrowly avoiding getting hit by a self-driving car in the crosswalk. My friend is generous. He used to work in Apple security and now does security for a different Big Tech entity.
Major UK electrical retailer Dixons Carphone confirms it was hacked
One of Europe's largest electrical retailers has been the subject of a cyber attack that's compromised more than 5.9 million card records and as many as 1.2 million personal accounts. Dixons Carphone, the owner of Currys PC World and Dixons Travel stores, says that most of these cards have chip and pin protection and noted that the data accessed doesn't include PIN numbers, card verification values (CVV) or any authentication data "enabling cardholder identification or a purchase to be made." However, some 105,000 cards were from non-EU countries and do not have the chip and pin feature.
Curve's payment-switching smart card goes live in the UK
Like the thought of switching payment methods for a purchase long after you've left the store? You now have a chance to try it. Curve has launched its smart card in the UK, letting you not only consolidate your credit cards (of the Mastercard or Visa variety) and debit cards, but switch between them for payments up to 2 weeks after the transaction. If you know you're going to hit your credit limit, for instance, you can switch a purchase to debit to give yourself some breathing room.
Square chief teases a smart debit card
Square Cash's virtual payment card might not be quite so virtual in the future. Company chief Jack Dorsey has teased a strange, all-black Visa debit card that Recode suspects is really a physical Square Cash card. A Square spokesperson declined to comment, so take this with a grain of salt, but there's evidence to suggest there's something to this teaser. You see, Square seriously considered a payment card back in 2014 -- the company is no stranger to exploring the concept of a real-world card that draws from online funds.
Samsung's next smartwatch comes with an e-SIM
Samsung will release a version of its 3G-connected Gear S2 that ditches the traditional SIM card in favor of an electronic one. It'll be the first mainstream connected wearable that ditches the old technology in favor of its all-digital replacement. The move will help the device save some space, since even a nano-SIM slot requires real estate that could otherwise be used for the battery. The device will land in stores at some point in March, and has the blessing of the GSMA and various global carriers that support the standard.
Square's new reader arrives to accept mobile payments and chip cards
We've known about Square's new NFC-friendly reader for a while, and now the point-of-sale gadget is available for use. Starting today, 100 merchants in "select cities" (quite a few, actually) will begin accepting NFC-driven payments like Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay and those newfangled chip credit/debit cards. The reader is a square pad (of course) separate from the company's usual POS setups and sliding readers, allowing you to hover your phone or insert a card to complete purchase. The unit is wireless and pairs with either a countertop system or Square's free mobile app to handle the transactions. However, the new reader itself will set businesses back $49 in order to get started. For the initial rollout, look for the device at businesses in the following cities: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Miami, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Seattle, St. Louis Tampa, and Washington, D.C.
Shift is a debit card for your bitcoin wallet
Even though the banking industry and US regulators are getting on board the bitcoin train, actually spending your hard-mined bitcoins can be a bit tricky. Luckily, Coinbase debuted a solution on Friday: the Shift debit card. It's the first such bitcoin-based debit card issued in the US and is backed by VISA. With it, bitcoin users will be able to shop at both on- and offline stores -- basically anywhere that VISA is accepted. The card is linked to your Signing up for the card simply requires filling out this form and paying the $10 issuance fee (in bitcoin of course).
Every major US credit card will soon work with Apple Pay
The roster of credit cards that work with Apple's mobile payments platform has always had one notable absentee. Thankfully, the folks at Discover have realized that there's little to be gained from not being available to use on Apple Pay. That's why the firm has signed a deal that'll see its customers be able to buy goods and services with their iPads, iPhones and Apple Watches, which will begin at some point in the fall. Naturally, users are afforded the same offers and protections that they would if they'd paid by card, including Cashback Bonus and Freeze It -- now all we need is for Chipotle to join in and we're all set.
Stratos' all-in-one payment card should work anywhere in the US
Many "universal" payment cards... well, aren't. They either don't work everywhere or only hold a limited number of cards, which leaves you out of luck when you're trying to add one more loyalty program. Stratos thinks it has this problem licked, though. Its new Bluetooth Connected Card promises "100 percent compatibility" with payment systems in the US, and it can hold an unlimited number of cards that you control through a mobile app. You also shouldn't have to worry about a thief going on a shopping spree if you lose your card, since you can tell it to automatically lock down if it's not close to your phone for a while.
Facebook's Say Thanks lets you send video cards to your friends
Facebook already lets you post on someone's timeline or send a message to show your gratitude, but that won't always be... you know, heartfelt enough. What if you want to go the extra mile? That's where the social network's new Say Thanks feature might come in handy. Think of it as Google+ Stories for "thank you" cards. All you do is choose the photos and posts that best represent your time together, and wrap them in a theme; after that, Facebook will automatically generate a video (with a personalized message) that you can share. If you've been meaning to tell a long-term pal just how much you care, you can try Say Thanks today on either the desktop or one of Facebook's mobile apps.
Etsy takes a stab at real world sales with free credit card readers
Etsy is best known for being an online marketplace of folksy gewgaws and crocheted everythings, but it's making moves to help its sellers do more out in the real world. Case in point: The company just took a page out of Square and PayPal's playbooks by offering free, smartphone-friendly credit/debit card readers to its users. The idea's simple enough: Etsy crafters hawking their wares in public can use the reader just like any of the other ones out there, but once they swipe a card, those products automatically get deducted from their online Etsy inventory. Buyers who already have Etsy accounts can leave reviews too, just to make sure everyone knows how rad their new minimalist wallets are. Voilà: sellers get to make money and build deeper connections with actual, physical people, and Etsy gets a sweet (if tiny, think 2.75 percent) cut of each transaction to help fuel its growth. Now if you'll excuse us, we've got some funky brass steampunk corsets to prep for the big craft show next week.
Hearthstone opens up the first wing of Naxxramas
Are you ready to take on Naxxramas in Hearthstone? Good! You can start now. The first wing of the new adventure is available to players today; it'll send you through the Arachnid Quarter in a trip down a spider-filled memory lane. If you're on the fence about trying it out, you can take on this wing for free now through early September (the exact date for the end of free access will be announced later on). Players will be able to purchase further wings of Naxxramas with either in-game currency or real money, with discounts available for bulk purchases. But you don't have to just hope you'll enjoy the adventure; you can log in and try it for yourself right now.
London's black cabs may soon be forced to accept card payments
Part of the reason app-based car services like Uber and Hailo have become so popular is their quick service and no-fuss payments. Hailo, in particular, has bridged the gap for London's black cabs, which have widely shunned card payments due to high setup and running costs. However, things could soon be made a lot easier for city commuters (and tourists) if new plans being considered by Transport for London (TfL) come into force.
Estonia will hand out digital ID cards to non-residents
Digital ID cards are still a rarity in most countries, but they're a staple of everyday life in Estonia -- locals use them for everything from e-voting to buying mass transit tickets. You currently have to live in the country to take advantage of these cards, however, and that's creating a real problem for non-residents wanting to set up shop. To solve this, Estonia now plans to hand out this identification to non-residents at the end of 2014, making it the first country to have a globally relevant digital ID. So long as applicants can provide the same biometric data and documents (along with a fee of around €30 to €50), they'll get either a card or a digital-only equivalent they can store on a smartphone's SIM card.
The other thing Holland has legalized: carrier-free SIM cards
When it comes to tolerating things that other countries deem illegal, Holland's got previous experience, but this time the nation has approved something that doesn't just benefit glaucoma sufferers. The country has ratified the use of blank SIM cards that aren't tied to a carrier, and can instead be tweaked use whatever network is best for you. The idea is that since you're not tied to an operator, you can switch between providers when your needs change -- allowing you to swerve roaming charges when you're out and about. The move also boosts "internet of things" makers, who can connect devices to cellular networks without signing a long, expensive deal. Of course, the longer-term implication is that smartphone companies like Apple and Samsung could bulk-buy voice and data services and cut out the middle man -- a prospect that would even send John Legere into a cold sweat. [Thanks, Omar]
iOS card game Dead Man's Draw sets sail for free-to-play waters
Critically acclaimed iOS card game Dead Man's Draw enters the realm of free-to-play this week, abandoning a US$1.99 entry fee in favor of the tried-and-true in-app purchase model. The game features strategic elements, but places a good deal of emphasis on simple rules that should maximize the number of casual iOS gamers that can enjoy it. Now that the game is free, existing users may feel a bit ripped off by their early purchase, but Stardock has a fix for that: Anyone who purchased the game prior to its F2P odyssey will be presented with "a generous sum of in-game currency." So if you're a seasoned Dead Man's Draw veteran, check your digital treasure chest for a surprise. [via Joystiq]
