santander
Latest
RBS, NatWest and Santander now support Android Pay
Google's contactless payment platform has been given a big boost in the UK after three big banks today enabled Android Pay support. In an announcement, the company confirmed that Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest, Santander and Ulster Bank customers can begin adding cards to their Android smartphone to enable NFC and web purchases. While Google confirmed earlier this month that TSB customers would enjoy support in the "coming weeks," the bank isn't quite ready for primetime but is on course to launch before October.
Android Pay hits the web via Chrome
Android Pay is about to work in many, many more places. As promised, Google is bringing Android Pay to the web. If you use Chrome to shop at online stores like 1-800-Flowers and Groupon, you can soon rely on Android's official mobile payment system to check out faster and more securely than usual (it doesn't share account info with stores, for one thing). Also, you may want to get in the habit of using Android Pay if you're fond of ridesharing. It's the first mobile wallet to tie into Uber's Payment Rewards program, giving you discounts when you use Android Pay. Uber is marking the occasion with a US promo that gives travelers half of 10 of their rides when they use Android Pay with the service.
London's entire Boris bike fleet will soon have laser lights
Boris bikes have never been London's trendiest form of public transportation, although they picked up some much-needed style points earlier this year thanks to a laser-projected light system. At the time it was limited to 250 two-wheelers, but today Transport for London (TfL) has announced the trial will be expanded to all 11,500 Santander bicycles in early 2016. The Blaze Laserlight projects a green version of the standard cyclist symbol six meters in front of the rider, making them visible to pedestrians and traffic looking to pull out up ahead.
London's 'Boris bikes' get an app for paying and planning rides
Using one of London's "Boris bikes" isn't as simple as, say, taking the Underground or catching a bus. You have to find a docking station with an available bike, work out your journey time and how much you'll be charged, and then find another drop-off point that's close to your destination and not already full. To make the process a little simpler, Santander and Transport for London (TfL) are launching an app for iOS and Android. You can use it to find your nearest docking station, check how many bikes are available and pay for your next ride. Once you've selected a 24-hour or annual pass, a unique release code will be sent to your phone, which can then be used to unlock a two-wheeler.
Santander Visitors Center infested by swarms of helpful robots (video)
Santander's Group City in Madrid is a big place; nine buildings sheltering 5,500 employees of one of the largest banks in the world. Guiding visitors around such a massive complex is a challenge, and what's the best way to solve any challenge? Robots, of course. Santander turned to YDreams, who we've seen before playing with augmented reality, but in this case produced something more tangible: a fleet of little red guys called "Interactive Guest Assistants" that use swarm interactions to guide fat cat bankers to their next conference -- and maybe to face off against the evil Maximilian in a harrowing battle at the end of the movie. There's also a giant virtual wall full of boring financial information presented in fancy ways, even an augmented reality map of the complex, all shown in a video after the break. It's the bots we like the best, so we'll be ordering a gaggle to guide our own visitors -- to their doom.
