New Snapchat feature makes location sharing less invasive

Jennifer Goula
New Snapchat Feature - Social media - smartphone

The social media app now lets users send real-time locations to a friend. Snapchat has just made location sharing more intimate for its iOS and Android users with a new Snapchat feature that allows users to send their ongoing real-time location to a friend or request their friend’s location in return. This information shows up within the user’s message thread and on their Snap Map. Snap Map had a turbulent start. Launched last June, Snap Map became known for its controversial location-tracking functions. Snap Map made users wary because it…

Read More

EMVCo takes steps to promote the use of EMV QR code payments

Stephanie Beck
QR Code Scan - EMV QR code payments

EMVCo has created a unique royalty-free QR payment mark. This QR Payment Mark has been created for the purpose of promoting global interoperability across EMV QR code payments, according to a recent EMVCo press release. All implementers of EMV QR Code solutions can use the mark. EMVCo developed reproduction requirements as well as a free licensing structure for the mark. This enables it to be used by all who want to implement EMV QR code payments. The machine-readable quick response barcodes have grown in popularity over the years and are…

Read More

LifeLeaf smartwatch claimed to be first-ever noninvasive CGM

John Montgallo
LifeLeaf Smartwatch - Monitoring Blood Glucose Levels

LifePlus has introduced a new and revolutionary medical wearable. The startup based in California announced its LifeLeaf smartwatch. The company claims that it is the world’s first fully non-invasive continuous blood glucose monitoring (CGM) wearable. The device is the first of its kind to non-invasively monitor five psychological health indicators. The patent-pending multi-sensor wearable device does more than monitor blood glucose. It is also the first of its kind to non-invasively monitor these other four key physiological parameters: heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, oxygen saturation. With the ability to…

Read More

Research finds Android mobile shopping apps lack security

Amanda Giasson
Android Mobile Shopping Apps - Man on Smartphone

Android users beware – US mobile commerce apps aren’t as safe as you think Recent security testing conducted by mobile security companies Appknox and SEWORKS reveals an estimated 40 of the top 50 Android mobile shopping apps in the United States have high-level vulnerabilities. The apps were tested across 34 different security testing categories. Almost all apps are vulnerable to hackers. The “Security Status in m-Commerce” report from Appknox and SEWORKS found that over 84% of the shopping apps tested had a minimum of three high-level security vulnerabilities. What’s more,…

Read More

Mobile banking apps usage predicted to surpass online banking by 2019

Sam Lambert
Mobile banking apps - Increase in mobile banking over computers

More and more consumers are turning to their smartphones for their banking needs. The CACI reported that 22 million people chose to use mobile banking apps to manage their accounts via their smartphone in 2017. It’s forecasted that by next year (2019), more consumers will choose their phone for banking than their computers. 35 million people are expected to bank via a smartphone app by 2023. In addition to this CACI report prediction, it was said that by 2023, consumers would likely visit a bank branch only twice per year.…

Read More