Apple Pay Coming to Target, Taco Bell, and More

Apple,

Apple announced that the number of merchants that support Apple Pay is expanding. Apple says that seventy-four of the top 100 US merchants now accept Apple Pay.

Target, Taco Bell, Hy-Vee supermarkets in the Midwest, Speedway convenience stores and Jack in the Box are the latest merchants to support Apple Pay, the most popular mobile contactless payment system in the world that lets customers easily and securely pay in stores using their iPhone and Apple Watch. With the addition of these national retailers, 74 of the top 100 merchants and 65 percent of all retail locations in the country will support Apple Pay.

Apple Pay is rolling out to:

  • All 1,850 Target locations across the US in the coming weeks.
  • More than 245 Hy-Vee stores in the Midwest
  • Inside the store at all 3,000 Speedway locations in the Midwest, East Coast, and Southeast
  • More than 7,000 Taco Bell locations
  • More than 2,200 Jack in the Box locations

This is in addition to the places that already support Apple Pay:

  • Costco completed the rollout of Apple Pay to over 500 U.S. warehouses
  • CVS Pharmacy introduced Apple Pay at all 8,400 stand-alone locations
  • 7-Eleven launched Apple Pay at 95 percent of its US stores last year.

The expansion of where Apple Pay is accepted is good news for people who are currently using an Apple Watch or an iPhone. It makes things a bit more convenient for them.

Obviously, this expansion doesn’t do anything at all for Android users – who are unlikely to switch over just to be able to use their phones to pay for their lunch at Taco Bell or Jack in the Box. It also does nothing for people who cannot afford an iPhone.

Back in the Saddle #1340

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I’m back in the saddle folks. I get you caught up on everything that has happened over the past month and my whirlwind trips which kicked off with the birth of my first grandchild. Lots to share and of course a great deal of tech news as well.

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Facebook Removed Inauthentic Behavior from Russia

Facebook

Facebook announced that it has removed coordinated inauthentic behavior, this time, coming from Russia. This follows the October 2018 removal of coordinated inauthentic behavior that originated in Iran.

Facebook’s Nathaniel Gletcher, Head of Cybersecurity Policy, wrote: Today we removed 364 Facebook pages and accounts for engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior as part of a network that originated in Russia and operated in the Baltics, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Central and Eastern European countries.

Facebook found:

  • Presence on Facebook: 289 Pages and 75 Facebook accounts. They did not find any associated accounts on Instagram.
  • Followers: About 790,000 accounts followed one or more of these Pages.
  • Advertising: Around $135,000 in spending for ads on Facebook paid for in euros, rubles, and US dollars. The first ad ran in October 2013, and the most recent ad ran in January 2019. Facebook has not completed a review of the organic content coming from those accounts.
  • Events: Around 190 events were hosted by these Pages. The first was scheduled for August 2015, and the most recent was scheduled for January 2019. Up to 1,200 people expressed interest in at least one of these events. Facebook cannot confirm whether any of those events actually occurred.

Facebook shared information about their investigation with US law enforcement, the US Congress, other technology companies, and policymakers in other countries.

Facebook also removed 107 Facebook Pages, Groups, and accounts, as well as 41 Instagram accounts, for engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior as part of a network that originated in Russia and operated in the Ukraine.

Facebook found:

  • Presence on Facebook and Instagram: 26 Pages, 77 Facebook accounts, and 4 Groups, as well as 41 Instagram accounts.
  • Followers: About 180,000 Facebook accounts followed one or more of these Pages, and more than 55,000 accounts followed one or more of these Instagram accounts.
  • Advertising: Around $25,000 in spending for ads on Facebook and Instagram paid for in rubles. The first ad ran in January of 2018, and the most recent ad ran in December of 2018. Facebook has not completed a review of the organic content coming from these accounts.

What troubles me the most about this is how long those Pages and accounts were on Facebook before they were removed. It is clear that people should not trust that everything they see on Facebook is true. People also shouldn’t assume the accounts and Pages they interact with are actually who they are presenting themselves as.

Microsoft Commits to Help Affordable Housing in Puget Sound Region

Microsoft

Microsoft announced that is committed to addressing the problem of a lack of affordable housing in the region of Puget Sound, Washington. Microsoft made that area its home in 1979.

But the Puget Sound area’s growth has also created new challenges. In recent years, our region hasn’t built enough housing for the people who live here. Since 2011, jobs in the region have grown 21 percent, while growth in housing construction has lagged at 13 percent. This gap in affordable housing has caused housing prices to surge 96 percent in the past eight years, making the Greater Seattle area the sixth most expensive region in the United States.

Microsoft will invest:

  • $225 million at lower than market rate returns to inject capital to subsidize the preservation and construction of middle-income housing. These investments initially will be made in six cities east of Seattle and Lake Washington: Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, Renton and Sammamish.
  • $250 million at market rate returns to support low-income housing across the entire King County region. Microsoft believes that additional capitol at market lending rates can help accelerate the construction of low-income housing across the region.
  • $25 million in philanthropic grants to address homelessness in the greater Seattle region. Microsoft announced the first $10 million of these grants. This will include a $5 million philanthropic grant to the newly announced Home Base program created by the Seattle Marines, the United Way of King County, and the King County Bar Association. The program helps keep people facing eviction in their homes through legal aid, access to flexible funds and case management.
  • Microsoft will also grant $5 million to support a new joint agency on homelessness being formed by the city of Seattle and King County.

Personally, I think this is a wonderful idea! I think that more big companies should follow in Microsoft’s footsteps and enact similar plans in other areas. I’d like to see a world where big companies, who have tons of money, use some of it to actually help people who are struggling.

Indemnis Nexus Parachute for DJI Drones Meets Stringent Safety Standard

drone

The Indemnis Nexus parachute system for the DJI Inspire 2 drone has been validated as compliant with the new international standard for drone parachutes, following a strenuous testing procedure at the New York UAS Test Site in Rome, N.Y., managed by NUAIR.

This breakthrough in reliable parachute technology for small drones opens a wide range of new possibilities for professional drone operators intending to demonstrate that they can safely and reliably fly over people as well as sensitive locations.

Indemnis, based in Anchorage, Alaska, joined DJI in a safety partnership in 2017 to develop industry parachute standards as well as a parachute system that can deploy instantly if a drone encounters flight anomalies, reducing the potential energy of any impact on the ground.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibits most drone operations directly over people as a safety precaution. Professional drone operators can apply for a waiver from that restriction if they can demonstrate they have robust safety mitigations in place.

The Indemnis system is intended to be the core of a parachute-based safety migration plan for a waiver, and can also help provide one path forward for advanced operations as the FAA considers how to allow routine flights directly over people.

Nexus is a ballistic parachute launcher, triggered automatically if the drone suddenly begins tilting abnormally or falling. It deploys the parachute within 30 milliseconds at 90 mph, through a tube that rapidly inflates to keep the parachute lines away form the drone body and propellers.

Indemnis offers the Nexus package for the Inspire 2, and tends to offer it for Matrice 200 series and Matrice 600 series drones by late 2019.

NUAIR Alliance, which manages one of the FAA-designated test sites for drone technologies at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York, put the Indemnis Nexus through 45 functionality tests across five different failure scenarios last month during four days of testing. Those tests validated that the Nexus on the Inspire 2 complies with the ASTM International F3322-18 Standard Specification For Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) Parachutes. DJI, Indemnis, the FAA and other industry stakeholders collaborated on developing the ASTM consensus standard, which was finalized late last year after more than a year of work.

Alarm.com Awarded Security Product of the Year at CES 2019

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Alarm.com, the leading platform for the intelligently connected property, won Security Product of the Year at Consumer Technology Association’s Mark of Excellence Awards for its new Smart Signal feature.

Smart Signal enables Alarm.com subscribers to signal their monitoring station directly from their Alarm.com mobile app, enabling faster response and reducing false alarms.

The award recognizes the best product designed to secure or enhance the security of residential properties, and was presented at CES 2019 – the largest and most influential tech event in the world.

“We are honored to have our latest innovation in smart home security recognized by the CTA Mark of Excellence Award as the Security Product of the Year,” said Anne Ferguson, Alarm.com Vice President of Marketing. “Consumers expect smart home technology to keep them safe and protected above all else. Smart Signal enhances the professional monitoring service and best-in-class mobile features that our service partner providers offer, delivering unmatched security and peace of mind.”

Smart Signal is an in-app emergency signaling feature that enables a property owner to communicate critical information directly to their property’s monitoring station from their smartphone.

Using their Alarm.com mobile app, property owners can trigger a panic alert notifying security professionals that they need help at their home or business, verify an alarm event to expedite emergency response, or cancel a false alarm from anywhere.

Monitoring stations can use real-time information from Smart Signal to dispatch police, fire, or emergency medical services to properties faster, respond to a wider range of emergencies, and reduce false alarms.

Smart Signal gives Alarm.com’s service provider partners another innovative and differentiated feature that enhances the overall value of professional monitoring services and allows them to address consumer concerns about false alarms.

Smart Signal is available now. Subscribers should contact their service provider to request Smart Signal.

One61 Ignites Pop Culture Fandom with New Wearable Tech Products at CES 2019

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One61 Studio, known for its fully-licensed, pop-culture inspired and tech-driven products, connects users with the brands they are truly passionate about with reimagined wearable technology. Backed by licensing giant, Bioworld Merchandising, One61 debuted new smartwatches, smart wallets and powerful backpacks in new licensed designes with Harry Potter, Rick & Morty, Fallout and DC Comic Heroes at CES 2019.

Compatible with all iOS and most Android devices, One61 expands their cult favorite smartwatch line with three new styles: Fallout, Rick & Morty, and Harry Potter, debuting early 2019. Each unique design offers fans an immersive experience within each storyline.

Join Rick & Morty on their infamous adventures through the Smartwatch Dimension with integrated features and functions to get Schwifty. Bring Pip Boy into the 21st century with the all new Pip-OS V1.0.1, and explore the magic and mystery of Harry Potter.

Each device is crafted using premium, splash-resistant materials and includes a charging base, micro USB cord, downloadable App, and quick start guide.

The next evolution of One61 introduces a refresh in the brand’s tracker technology: FoundMi. Synced via Bluetooth and the Foundmi app, attach your Foundmi character on commonly misplaced items like phones, keys and tablets to reverse track their last known location.

Launching with an exclusive 8-piece Harry Potter collection featuring iconic characters like Harry, Ron, Hermione, and more, Foundmi expands their tracking technology to its new line of Smart Wallets equipped with card detection, drop alert, and wallet location functions.

Providing a cohesive integration of all products, One61 launched their Powered Backpacks to keep users connected and charged on the go. Each backpack is equipped with a charging station, USB ports, and roomy compartments for organization.

Designed with the tech-savvy user in mind, each Powered Backpack lights up with the touch of a button at three different speed settings. Choose from Batman, Wonder Woman, or The Flash, to sport a Backpack of the future.

The One61 Smartwatches retail for a starting cost of $150, Smart Wallets for $59.99, Foundmis for $24.99 and Powered Backpacs for $150.