Retail News CRM

Tag: app

  • Instagram’s latest update brings some long-awaited new features

    Instagram’s latest update brings some long-awaited new features

    The launch of TikTok is forcing Instagram and other similar social network services to introduce new features meant to keep them relevant in the industry. Some of these features have been long-asked-for, so we probably have to thank the competition that they are finally coming.

    TechCrunch reports Instagram is adding a handful of new effects to Boomerang, its dedicated video loop creator. The new changes will allow users to edit videos and add effects like SlowMo, Echo blurring, and Duo rapid rewind, as well as adjust the length of the videos.

    The update, which is probably the most important for Boomerang, is available to all Instagram users starting this weekend. If you’ve already updated to the latest version of the app, you’ll find the new special effects by swiping left at the bottom of the screen’s shutter selector after you open the Stories composer.

    Four new effects can be used for Boomerang videos: SlowMo, Echo, Duo, and Trimming. As the name suggests, SlowMo allows users to reduce the speed of the videos to half so they play for two seconds in each direction instead of one second.

    Then, the Echo effect adds a motion blur effect, while Duo rapidly rewinds the video to the beginning with a digitized look. Last but not least, Trimming lets users adjust the length of their Boomerangs with similar controls to iPhone’s camera roll or the Instagram feed video composer.

    Of course, none of the new effects are innovative, but they can turn many Boomerangs into something really funny if used creatively. Hopefully, the new effects will be expanded to Instagram and won’t remain exclusive to Boomerangs for too long, although Facebook may want to add a few more before bringing them to a larger audience.

    Lees ook:

  • Google Messages adds new feature that protects you from spam

    Google Messages adds new feature that protects you from spam

    In an attempt to make your conversations as safe as possible, Google is adding all sorts of security features. The last one comes is meant to protect you from spam and involves a new feature called Verified SMS that now rolling out to Messages app in several countries.

    The new feature adds another layer of security on top of Android’s Rich Communication Services (RCS) that Google tries to push out to all users. Anyway, it looks like with Verified SMS for Messages, the app will be able to confirm the true identity of the business that’s texting you.

    Yes, the new feature only works for businesses, but it greatly reduces the spam you received, so here is how it works. As the name suggests, Verified SMS will verify on a per-message basis that content is sent by a specific that that registered with Google. If it’s not, you won’t get the message, otherwise, you should see the business name and logo along with a verification badge.

    Google also revealed the first companies that are allowed to send messages with Verified SMS: 1-800-Flowers, Banco Bradesco, Kayak, Payback, and SoFi. Also, Google Pay India and verification codes from Google will be part of the Verified SMS program, but more businesses are signing up to use the new feature quite often.

    According to Google, Verified SMS for Messages is rolling out gradually in nine countries starting in the United States, India, Mexico, Brazil, the UK, France, Philippines, Spain, and Canada, but more countries will be added to the list in the future.

    In the same piece of news, Google announced that it’s adding Spam protection for Messages, a new feature that will warn Android users about suspected spam and unsafe websites it detects. This specific spam protection feature is now rolling out in the United States, but it’s been available in other countries for a while now.

    Lees ook:

  • Chicago Approves Traffic Congestion Tax On Ride-Hailing Services

    Chicago Approves Traffic Congestion Tax On Ride-Hailing Services

    A proposal to combat traffic congestion in Chicago by increasing taxes on certain ride-hailing trips won city council approval on Tuesday as the city and ride providers accused each other of penalizing low-income passengers.

    Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan increases the city’s tax on single-passenger trips and lowers the tax on shared rides while imposing new surcharges on weekday rides in the downtown area to raise $40 million for the fiscal year that begins Jan. 1.

    Ride-hailing companies Uber Technologies Inc and Lyft Inc claimed the move would largely hurt low-income residents.

    Earlier this month, the city’s first female African-American mayor accused Uber of trying to resist any kind of regulation by stirring up racial tensions.

    Uber rejected her claims and said alternative proposals it offered would spare lower-income communities in Chicago’s South and West sides from higher costs while raising more money for the city’s budget.

    Reuters’ analysis of data that ride-sharing companies are required to disclose to Chicago shows fares for shared rides in the city have risen significantly over the past year, while fares for single riders have remained stable.

    The price increases for shared rides predominantly affect Chicago’s low-income neighborhoods where most of carpool rides are booked, the analysis showed. Over this period of increased fares, carpool ridership fell.

    Lees ook:

  • Uber Stripped Of London Operating Licence

    Uber Stripped Of London Operating Licence

    Uber was stripped of its London operating license on Monday for the second time in just over two years as the city’s regulator said the taxi app was not “fit and proper”, having put passenger safety at risk.

    A change to Uber’s systems allowed unauthorized drivers to upload their photos to other drivers’ accounts, meaning they could pick up passengers as if they were the booked driver, which happened in at least 14,000 trips, Transport for London (TfL) said.

    “It is unacceptable that Uber has allowed passengers to get into minicabs with drivers who are potentially unlicensed and uninsured,” Director of Licensing, Regulation and Charging at TfL, Helen Chapman said on Monday, the day the firm’s license expires.

    The Silicon Valley-based company has 21 days to appeal the decision and can continue to operate throughout the process, which is likely to include court action.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Alipay now available for tourists in China

    Alipay now available for tourists in China

    International travelers can now use mobile payments in China as Alipay has launched a new version of its payment app designed for short-term overseas visitors.

    After installing the Alipay app, international visitors can register with their overseas mobile phone number to access the “Tour Pass” mini-program through which they can use the “Prepaid Card” service provided by the Bank of Shanghai.

    The minimum top-up for each card is CNY100, with balance capped at CNY2000. The card is valid for 90 days, after which any remaining funds will be refunded automatically.

    With the new Alipay service, visitors can pay through QR code or make online purchases through the app.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Rebag creates an app that explains the use of bags

    Rebag creates an app that explains the use of bags

    Fashion e-commerce company Rebag has launched software that instantly reveals the current resale value of handbags.

    Called Clair, the software is described by Rebag as “a comprehensive luxury appraisal index for resale”. It determines the value of any handbag across a database of more than 50 brands and 10,000 bags. It offers consumers an exact and fully automated price that Rebag is currently willing to pay for it.

    Consumers can instantly check the value of luxury handbags in three steps: access Clair through the Rebag website or app, select the handbag’s brand, model, style, and size, then tell Clair a bit more about the color and condition of the piece. The software will instantly generate the handbag’s resale value.

    Rebag says Clair was created for everyone, not just those who shop and sell at Rebag as receiving an appraisal from Clair doesn’t lock consumers in to buy or sell through Rebag, but rather open more possibilities.

    “Once customers have seen the future of their handbag, they can decide to hold onto the investment for posterity, consign it, sell/trade it in through Rebag or even buy more of them – the options are endless,” said Charles Gorra, Rebag founder and CEO.

    “With more and more consumers contemplating the resale value of their luxury purchases, we’ve created a taxonomy that provides a more transparent way for consumers to shop more wisely.”

    Founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York, Rebag has attracted backing from venture capital investors including General Catalyst and Novator. It operates mostly online and runs two flagship stores in the US.

    Lees ook:

  • Vietnam’s Mobile World launches fashion-watch retail model

    Vietnam’s Mobile World launches fashion-watch retail model

    Vietnamese smartphone retailer, The Gioi Di Dong (Mobile World), has discovered a thriving new business model: a fashion-watch retail concept.

    The company offers a wide selection of watches from well-known fashion brands, including Michael Kors, Fossil and Casio. Watches are displayed along with other tech products in Mobile World’s outlets in a store-within-a-store concept.

    Since launching the fashion-watch retail model earlier this year, Mobile World claims to have built its share to 15 percent of the country’s fashion-watch sales. Last month, it sold more than 50,000 timepieces across 100 outlets.

    Doan Van Hieu Em, CEO of Mobile World Group, told Vietnam News he is planning to take his company’s share of the fashion-watch market to 50 percent next year, by opening stores in 500 of its 2000-strong network across the country.  His target is to sell 3 million units.

    “Mobile World’s sales capacity has even surpassed the suppliers’ expectations,” he said.

    “We are trying to find watch manufacturers around the world, supplying exclusive goods in large quantities to meet the rapidly expanding demand in the near future.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Mobile app Ritual launches in Hong Kong to organize pickups

    Mobile app Ritual launches in Hong Kong to organize pickups

    Mobile pickup app Ritual has launched in Hong Kong as it expands its global footprint, targeting cities with strong restaurant industries.

    At the same time, the Canadian-and US-headquartered tech company is launching in Amsterdam, Hamburg and Berlin.

    “Whenever we expand into a new city or country, we look for population density, strong restaurant coverage, and a food-focused culture,” said Ray Reddy, co-founder and CEO of Ritual. “Hong Kong, Berlin, Hamburg and Amsterdam met that criteria for us while also allowing us to maximize on how much we could learn from new, non-English speaking markets.”

    Ritual provides restaurants with real-time data on store experience, food quality and customer satisfaction metrics so operators can increase their customer base, and keep up with customers’ favorites and run a better business, overall. The company’s social-ordering feature Piggyback connects more than 150,000 teams globally to connect and collaborate on lunch and coffee orders, making ordering more social and convenient.

    The mobile pickup app Ritual now covers more than 50 cities in seven countries globally. The company was founded in 2014 and has raised US$127.5 million in venture funding to date with headquarters in San Francisco and Toronto.

    Lees ook:

  • McDonald’s Singapore sleepwear deal crashes app

    McDonald’s Singapore sleepwear deal crashes app

    A deal by McDonald’s Singapore offering free sleepwear along with McNuggets and McWings delivery orders crashed the brand’s delivery app and site within an hour, angering customers.

    The deal went live on Monday October at 6pm, offering a set of limited-edition free-sized men’s or women’s pajamas with a bonus sleeping mask for customers who entered a promo code.

    Online commentators blamed McDonald’s for being insufficiently prepared for the surge in traffic, with some suspecting the firm had deliberately taken down the site rather than admit the sleepwear was out of stock.

    Fans are getting a second chance to purchase the limited edition loungewear later today.

    Lees ook:

  • Hulu update brings offline downloads to iPhone users

    Hulu update brings offline downloads to iPhone users

    After making its mobile app more accessible to users, Hulu announced another important update that brings a much-requested feature: offline downloads. Whether you’re planning to travel or just want to be sure that you have your favorite TV shows with you at all times, you can now watch Hulu whenever you wish with this new feature.

    The bad news is it’s only available for iOS users, but Hulu says that offline downloads will come to Android users “soon,” so we’re confident that it won’t take too long for the company to bring the feature to a larger audience.

    So, available today on iOS for views on Hulu (No Ads), the new feature allows you to download thousands of shows and movies, including past seasons of hits series like Family Guy, Desperate Housewives, and ER, as well as Hulu Originals such as The Handmaid’s Tale.

    To use the new feature simply head to the Downloads tab at the bottom of the screen and you should be able to access any downloaded content. Make sure to tap the “See What’s Downloadable” tab to browse through all the titles that you can take with you on the go.

    Keep in mind that not all content on Hulu is available for download, so if you’re looking for a specific title, you’ll see a download icon on the details page if it’s available for download.

    Hulu also confirmed that users can download up to 25 titles across 5 different devices. Also, you’ll have up to 30 days to watch the content that you downloaded. Finally, for watched content, the download will expire two days after starting playback, but you’ll be able to renew an expired download when online if the content is still available on Hulu.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Google updates Docs, Sheets, and Slides

    Google updates Docs, Sheets, and Slides

    A new look and feel are now available for Google’s Docs, Sheets and Slides app, the Mountain View company announced. Unfortunately, if you were expecting any new features or improvements, you’ll be disappointed. Google confirmed that there are no functionality changes whatsoever in this update, so the only things we’ll get are the visual improvements.

    The visual improvements mentioned by Google include a restyled document list, highly-legible typefaces, consistent controls, and updated icons all over the place. Google also announced that the redesign has already made its way to the latest versions of Docs and Slides for Android.

    On the other hand, the new design will roll out to Sheets on Android sometime today, so expect the new visual improvements to pop up very soon. The most recent Docs, Sheets and Slides Material redesign update is part of a larger effort to bring consistency to the look and feel of Google’s G Suite apps.

    Although these updates are now being rolled out globally to all Android devices, it will take up to two weeks to appear for everyone, so be patient if the changes aren’t yet available for you.

    Lees ook:

  • Spotify update adds Siri support on iOS 13

    Spotify update adds Siri support on iOS 13

    Spotify quietly released a new update for its iOS app which brings important improvements and new features. The most important is Siri support on iOS 13, which means that you’ll be able to control your Spotify app on iPhone, iPad, Carplay, Airpods, and HomePode via Airplay.

    After applying the latest update, simply say “Play [artist] on Spotify” and your iOS 13-powered device should do the rest. Be sure to mention Spotify though, otherwise, Siri will start Apple Music by default.

    Another important new addition is Apple TV support, which means that you can now download the app via the tvOS App Store or enable “automatically install apps” in tvOS settings to install it.

    Last but not least, Spotify has introduced low data mode on iOS 13. Basically, this means that the app will now turn on Data Saver when your iOS device’s Low Data Mode is turned on.

    All the improvements added in the update should work with all the devices running iOS 13, but 9to5mac discovered that the HomePod does not recognize Siri song requests yet. The issue might be addressed in a future iOS update, so you might want to try again after iOS 13.2 gets released.

    Lees ook:

  • Honda Acquires Drivemode, Developer of Smartphone Apps for Drivers

    Honda Acquires Drivemode, Developer of Smartphone Apps for Drivers

    Honda has acquired all the outstanding shares of the California-based Drivemode, Inc., in order to further strengthen Honda’s vision to create digital and connected mobility products. With the acquisition, Drivemode became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda R&D. Drivemode is a startup that develops and operates smartphone-based connected services, excelling in multiple areas such as the development of the user interface and application as well as cloud-based technologies. Honda R&D and Drivemode have been collaborating and conducting joint development activities since 2015. In April 2019, Honda newly established the Digital Solution Center within Honda R&D, which will focus on creating new value through the utilisation of digital technologies.

    With this acquisition, the Digital Solution Centre and Drivemode will work together to accelerate new value creation in the area of connected mobility services. Toshihiro Mibe, President and Representative Director of Honda R&D said, “As a step toward the realization of value creation for mobility and enhancing people’s daily lives, which is an integral part of Honda’s 2030 Vision, we decided to further enhance our collaborative relationship with Drivemode.”

    With the support of Honda, the Drivemode team will focus on providing safe, meaningful software solutions for drivers, and the innovation on mobile-based technology will be for both connected cars and motorcycles.

    Lees ook:

  • Hulu announces new changes to its app to make it more accessible

    Hulu announces new changes to its app to make it more accessible

    Hulu continues to bring improvements to its app on as many platforms as possible. Although no new updates are available at the moment, the streaming service will be getting important accessibility enhancements very soon, Hulu confirmed in a blog post.

    In fact, if you have a Roku platform, the changes announced today should already be available for you, but Android, tvOS, iOS, and other living room devices will get these new features in the coming months.

    First and foremost, it’s worth mentioning that the update focuses on text legibility and screen reader capabilities. The most important change is the enhanced text opacity that will certainly improve readability.

    Hulu users can enable the screen reader, also known as the audio guide on some devices, by heading to settings to turn on the feature. These screen readers will assist viewers with visual impairments by vocally guiding them through the Hulu platform. Once the update is released for a certain device, it will be applied automatically, so you don’t have to search for anything yet.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: