Visa Working On Smartphone Location Tracking Feature To Help Prevent Credit Card Fraud

Tracking smartphones is something that many of our most loved, favorite apps do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, whether we either notice or choose to admit it to ourselves. In most cases the reasons are harmless, as they simply seek to provide a better user experience with the location based features that can come along with the practice of doing so. Visa, although not an app like Facebook or Twitter, is said to be looking into the possibility of tracking the smartphones of their users so that they might better serve them. Why you ask? It’s simple. Visa’s reasons are to help prevent credit card fraud when you may end up using your card to make purchases in locations you don’t typically spend your money.

Immediately this is probably going to cause a few people to raise their arms and throw a fit over the fact that this is just one more collective major conglomerate or powerful entity that is trying to keep tabs on our every move. Thinking about this though, Visa having the ability to see where you are when you make a purchase does pose some form of convenience that many people are sure to appreciate. How it will supposedly work is that whenever you make a purchase Visa will look to match up the purchase location with your smartphones location to ensure that you are the one using your credit card.

It might seem like it’ll take extra hardware for such a thing to take place but it actually takes little more than a tweak of stuff we already use. Visa’s currently working with banking partners to embed a tracking feature inside of their apps, so when consumers make purchases with their Visa credit card the installed app can track the users location. The good news is, this potential upcoming service is opt-in, so if users don’t want to have their banking apps track their location they can prevent it. This makes it possible to please customers on both sides of the fence, as users who aren’t too happy about the notion can simply leave things alone, and those that would like to use it can opt-in for a little added peace of mind and extra security. Visa states that they don’t keep all the data on hand or stored except for your last pinged location, so if you’re worried about them keeping a trove of all your whereabouts and purchases, apparently users need not worry.

The post Visa Working On Smartphone Location Tracking Feature To Help Prevent Credit Card Fraud appeared first on AndroidHeadlines.com |.

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HERE for Android updated, leaves beta

Earlier today we told you about HERE for Android receiving a global update that added some convenience features to updating maps, along with better viewing of inland waters. What we didn’t tell you was HERE for Android is no longer in beta and has graduated to the Play Store sans beta tag. Besides visual polishing, improved routing and bug fixes, the app offers 3D venues and painless downloading.

For those interested, we have a video for you after the break plus the conventional download and QR links. Enjoy!.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Judge validates 2 out of 5 patents in haptic feedback suit against HTC

Sony Live On YouTube App Updated With Many More Devices Supported And Full HD Broadcasting

Sony's Live on YouTube app, which allows you to offer live streams from your Xperia device, has updated to bring more devices into the fray. First off, sorry, but this is still Xperia-only and is likely to stay that way. The other key feature addition is the ability to broadcast in full HD when the camera and local upload speed allows it.

Here are all the supported devices following today's update:

• Z3


• Z3 Compact


• ZL2


• Z2 Tablet


• Z2


• Z1 Compact


• Z1


• Z


• Tablet Z


• Z Ultra


• ZL


• ZQ


• ZR

Remember that you'll have to enable this option in your YouTube account before broadcasting will work.

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Dell announces new Chromebook 11 aimed at the classroom

One of the Chromebook’s most successful markets is the classroom, so it makes sense that manufacturers are trying to get a foothold in that sector. The newest device to throw its hat in the ring comes from Dell in the form of a revamped Chromebook 11 designed specifically for use in the classroom.

The original Chromebook 11 was a solid device, but this time around the laptop has been tweaked to cater to students and teachers. The body is completely made out of durable plastic and the trackpad and keyboard are all sealed against spills and damage. The entire laptop has been tested, so it should withstand all kinds of pressures, temperatures, drops, and vibrations, which is absolutely what belongs in a classroom.

The hardware is typical for a Chromebook, including just over a 720p screen, AC WiFi connectivity, and a 10 hour battery life. One standout point with the Chromebook 11 is the 180 degree hinge that attaches the keyboard and screen, so if students want to completely flatten the laptop, they can. There is also a glowing light on the back of the computer that can be lit up to different colors, which is supposedly a tool for teachers to use when a student has something to add to a discussion, wants to ask a question, or something similar. Plus you’ll have Google’s Apps for Education on board with that, too.

The laptop can be outfitted with a few different options, including a matte screen and a touch screen, so if you’re interested in using it for something outside of the classroom, you can. It might not be as appealing as some of the other Chromebook options, but if you need something durable, this might be your best option.

source: Dell

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Couples Therapy Gets Ushered Into The Modern Age With New Therapy App Called Talkspace

In an age of instant messaging, emails, delivery of food via smartwatches and blazing fast internet, just about everything we consume on a daily basis needs to be accessible in light speed time because that’s what we’re used to. One might hardly think of couples therapy as being something that should or would fit into these parameters but that is exactly what Talkspace, a company and app available via Android and iOS, is doing for normal, everyday couples who may be hitting a rough patch in a relationship and need to talk it out but may be hindered by the constraints of their fast paced lives.

Now initially my first thought is that if any couple is having problems to the point where they may be considering couples therapy, you should probably make time to get things hashed out and fix the issue(s) before it has enough time to fester and grow into some enormous, ugly, and damaging problem that can seriously hurt the relationship. Things aren’t so black and white though. With the way things are today even little things like simple communication, the “I love you’s” and the quick messages expressing feelings or just going over what to have for dinner are all handled remotely via messages. It isn’t always because we want to , but rather just because it’s what fits into our schedules, and if people aren’t together any sort of communication is still better than none at all. Thinking of it that way Talkspace is a service that actually makes some sense as it gives people a solution to a problem they may have while still allowing each party member to do what they normally do on any given day.

There are some caveats to a solution like Talkspace as opposed to going to a therapist and talking things out in person(assuming you and your significant other aren’t the type to just work through things on your own)like a much less expensive alternative to the hourly rates of a therapist you would meet with physically. As Natt Garun from The Next Web points out, online therapy using an app such as Talkspace also eliminates any form of seeing visually how the other person may actually feel. Sometimes we can say one thing and mean another. In a couples therapy session in person however anything you say can be accompanied by slight visual queues and little facial expressions. Your feelings are more accessible and thus it could be easier to fix problems. Your therapist also may have an easier time being able to control the flow of the session because their job is to come between you, your significant other, and any unneeded conflict.

This sort of situation isn’t necessarily as easily doable via messaging as there’s no way to stop one person from talking over the other in a group messaging chat. There’s also the factor of time, which is one thing to take into consideration with something like Talkspace. Having a group therapy chat session as opposed to a session in person could take considerably longer. If you’re ok with some of these details, then mayhap you should give Talkspace a try. The app lets you match up with a network of over 200 licensed therapists, with plans that start as low as $19 a week or $25 a week for unlimited chatting, or even $29 for a 30-minute video chat session. You can grab the app from the Play Store if this is a possible solution for you.

The post Couples Therapy Gets Ushered Into The Modern Age With New Therapy App Called Talkspace appeared first on AndroidHeadlines.com |.

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Samsung’s new TouchWiz on the Galaxy S6 further detailed, trims some of the fat but feature full set of Microsoft apps?

It would be a stretch to describe Samsung’s version of Android — aka TouchWiz — as just another user interface “skin.” A complete user experience (UX) is probably more appropriate, with Samsung’s custom Android software featuring a full set of their own in-house applications and services that reach into all levels of the OS.

It’s been a roller coaster of a ride since TouchWiz was first introduced on the original Samsung Galaxy S (landing Samsung in legal hot water over their half-assed attempt at cloning Apple’s iOS). We’ll admit, on one hand we loved Samsung’s ambitious approach to Android, improving upon the core OS with features like split-screen apps, floating widgets, and robust camera software.

On the other hand, TouchWiz’s kitchen sink approach has snowballed out of control, to the point where it seemed like Samsung was changing things just for the sake of changing things (showing off is probably a better description), with device performance suffering as a result. It’s clear they need to start over and according to recent rumors, they just might — starting with the Samsung Galaxy S6.

Today, the folks at SamMobile have reportedly received new details as to what we can expect from this new TouchWiz. While we’re not sure on the overall look, Samsung will provide for theme options which we’re crossing our fingers will include a “stock Android Lollipop theme” but that’s just wishful thinking at this point. Other UI tweaks are said to include the following:

• Samsung’s stock apps are more “colorful”


• Users can select between 4×4, 4×5 and 5×5 icon layouts in the app drawer


• App drawer no longer supports endless scrolling


• Music app still runs in full-screen mode at all times


• Dialer app looks “green as grass” (whatever that means)


• Default keyboard UI looks like a mix of Galaxy Tab S keyboard and iOS

As far as performance goes, the Galaxy S6’s version of TouchWiz is being described as “amazingly fast,” even snappier than the Note 4’s recent Lollipop update. That’s not to say the UI will be stripped down in anyway, with Samsung’s version of Lollipop on the Galaxy S6 featuring a plethora of Material design animations.

There’s also further confirmation that Samsung will be removing a good majority of their pre-installed apps (S Note, S This, S That, S Etc.), making them downloadable from the Samsung’s own Galaxy app store. Before you get too excited, that’s not to say the phone wont come with any bloatware pre-installed. Quite the contrary.

In light of news that Microsoft and Samsung have recently ended legal disputes over patent licensing agreements, sources claim the Galaxy S6 will come out of the box with a full suite of Microsoft’s Android apps, including Microsoft OneNote, OneDrive, Skype, and even Office Mobile with free Office 365 subscription. We wonder what motivated this move?

With the exception of pre-installed Microsoft apps (we’re hoping these can be uninstalled), so far we like what we’re hearing about this new version of TouchWiz. With Samsung overhauling the UI last year, it sounds crazy that they’d be doing it again for a followup model. Of course, we’ll learn more during their March 1st event when everything is finally revealed. We are excite.

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The Android Police Podcast LIVE (2/12/15)

Welcome to the Android Police Podcast Live for Thursday, February 12th! We'll be starting soon - if you don't see a YouTube player, we haven't begun.

Welcome to the home of the Android Police Podcast's live broadcast. We're live every Thursday (unless otherwise noted on the official calendar below) at 5:30PM PST (8:30PM EST) - or perhaps a few minutes after that - every week. This post will be stickied on the Android Police homepage whenever we're broadcasting, so if you see it, we're either live right now, or about to be!

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The Android Police Podcast LIVE (2/12/15) was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

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MyRoll Developers Launch ‘Gallery Doctor’ App To Help Clear Up And Clear Out Unwanted Images

The company behind MyRoll, today launched their newest offering for android and for your gallery and goes by the name ‘Gallery Doctor’. It probably does not take a genius to work out that like My Roll, this app is designed for your imaging needs and more specifically, for your Gallery. However, unlike the last app (which was more focused on being your Gallery), this one is designed to keep your imaging life, clean, free and clear of junk. In short, Gallery Doctor is an app which is focused on helping you sort through the piles and piles of images you might have stored on your android device and it actually does it quite intelligently.

The app itself is extremely lightweight and not much involved in terms of the actual content. Once it is installed, the app opens, a quick couple of explanation pages and then that’s it. You hit the cleanup button and the app does all the work. Depending on the size of your internal memory, will affect how long the app takes to run and this seems to be the major downside of the app. It does take a couple of minutes to (understandable) go through your images. Once it has though, it presents the images in three easy to understand categories. Those that the app considers to be poor images, those that the app consists to be duplicate images and those that are considered need to be ‘reviewed’.

After testing, the app does work quite well and does quite accurately determine the quality of the images. That said you are putting your images in the hands of the app, it has the ability to instantly delete all the unwanted images in one swoop ( you can delete one by one too) and so you do want to be careful with which option you choose. Either way though, the app does seem to be a good tool for those of us who simply have too many photos and images on our devices and no intention of manually cleaning them up. The app will present the worst of your images all grouped together and you can choose which to keep and which not to. Best of all the app is free and as such is certainly worth a download. You can pick the app up now via the Play Store. Make sure to let us know what you think if you do give the app a try.

The post MyRoll Developers Launch ‘Gallery Doctor’ App To Help Clear Up And Clear Out Unwanted Images appeared first on AndroidHeadlines.com |.

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Android customization – remote camera trigger with Android

Sony SmartWatch 3 with stainless steel strap to launch worldwide this week

Candy Crush Soda Saga Resulted In More People Playing And More Players Paying Helping King Beat Expectations

Just when you thought an an app could not become any bigger or more successful, along came a sequel, Candy Crush Soda Saga. Now, sequel is a bit of a loose word as the game pretty much is identical to the first incarnation. However, that does not see to have stopped droves of people from downloading, installing, playing and paying for the game. King (the developers behind the Candy Saga’s) have just published their fourth quarter results and they make for some very sweet reading…if you are King, that is.

Overall, King published a total revenue of $546 million in Q4 alone. This level of earnings saw the company exceeding their predicted cent per share by 10 cents a share (57 cents compared to 47 cents). What is probably more important for King’s long term strategy is that the figures also saw an increase in new users. This will be the best news for investors as prior to the launch of the Soda sequel, the original Candy Crush had been seeing their daily active users declining over the previous quarters. That all changed with last quarter and the introduction of the Soda game. Instead, King now note an increase year–on–year of 20%. In real terms, this was stated as a daily active user average of 149 million users. In fact, it seems across the board playing was up significantly with both monthly users and unique visitors also rising by 31% (to 533 million) and 17% (to 356 million) respectively.

To add to the generally sweet feeling the investors must be feeling, not only did the figures show that more people are playing the games, but those same people are spending more per person. The figures for Q4 showed the monthly average bookings per paying user rose to $23.42 which is a 35% increase year-on-year. So generally, it is all-around good news for King. Not to mention, they are again expecting Q1 of 2015 to show an increase with a predicted profit of somewhere between $575 and $600 million. So what do you think of King’s results? Are you a Candy Crush (or Soda) Saga player? Do you think these in-app figures are getting out of control? Let us know.

The post Candy Crush Soda Saga Resulted In More People Playing And More Players Paying Helping King Beat Expectations appeared first on AndroidHeadlines.com |.

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Report: Android Lollipop experiences less app crashes than iOS 8

Nokia's HERE Maps Leaves Beta, Adds 3D Venue Maps, Design Tweaks, Background Downloads, Improved SD Card Support

Just yesterday, HERE Beta sent out an update with a few minor improvements. Today, they came out like gangbusters by dropping the beta label and adding some serious polish to the app. This navigation app, perhaps the most serious challenger to Google Maps, is developed by once-ubiquitous OEM Nokia. Now, they think they are ready for showtime.

It's really a quite nice looking app and has become popular for its solid international support.

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