Apple Pay arrives a little late to Spain, only supporting Banco Santander for starters

Once again, two of the world’s three major digital wallet services practically expand to a new country each at the same time to try to steal one another’s thunder. This time, we’re seeing Google flip the Android Pay switch in New Zealand, where Apple Pay debuted less than two months ago, while Cupertino spreads the iOS-enabled mobile payment love to Spain.

Samsung Pay was actually first on Spanish shores way back in June, though interestingly enough, there’s no overlap yet between the local banks supporting the arch-rival e-money solutions. Each app has one key financial player in its corner (CaixaBank for Samsung, Banco Santander for Apple), with a few smaller banking companies hitched to the Galaxy-exclusive smartphone payment resource, including Banco Sabadell, Abanca, and Imagin.

Santander proudly proclaims its commitment to “bring innovation and new technology to our customers to make their payments easier, faster and more secure”, highlighting around 75 percent of Spanish stores already support contactless payments, and ergo, Apple Pay starting today.

Mastercard debit and credit cards issued by the “leading retail and commercial bank” can be added to the iPhone SE, 6 and later, as well as the Apple Watch, for tap-and-go checkout, with in-app and online shopping also made simple and secure on select iPads and Macs. But Samsung Pay still holds the MST advantage.

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from Pocketnow http://pocketnow.com/2016/12/01/apple-pay-spain-launch-banco-santander

HP Elite x3 Desk Dock bundle sets you back $599 after limited-time $200 markdown

Still thinking about whether or not that special HP Elite x3 “Holiday Bundle” is worth a whopping $999? Well, technically, you’re getting a great deal there, Lap Dock, Desk Dock, phone case, screen protector and all, with Microsoft justly advertising total savings of $462.

But a thousand bucks is a lot of money to ask for a Windows 10 handheld, and if you’re not entirely sold on the idea of seamlessly converting the 6-incher into a 12.5-inch Full HD mini-notebook, a $599 bundle available through HP’s own US e-store until December 3 may feel like a more reasonable early Christmas purchase. Or late Thanksgiving.

Billed as a “Cyber Week” bargain, the package merely includes the actual Snapdragon 820 phablet, and a Desk Dock for easy Continuum synchronization to an external display. Of course, you’ll need to buy the monitor separately, as well as a mouse and keyboard, unless you already own such a setup waiting to bring your “critical” business applications from your pocket to the big screen.

Keep in mind that regularly, the HP Elite x3 alone costs $699, with the Desk Dock worth an additional $100 or so. Ergo, you’re looking at a solid bundle discount of around $200, and while the x3 is reportedly not the world’s most popular W10M device, it’s arguably the beefiest and sharpest of the bunch, thanks to 4GB RAM, a 4150mAh battery, military-grade durability, and Quad HD display resolution.

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from Pocketnow http://pocketnow.com/2016/12/01/hp-elite-x3-desk-dock-bundle-deal-200-discount

Nokia could return to mobile with two Android handsets in early 2017

Google Maps for iOS gets new features for a smarter drive

While Apple Maps has grown to become a worthy competitor, Google Maps for iOS hasn't slowed down in terms of adding new functions and features - and if you have the app installed on an iPhone you'll see a couple of new tweaks arriving very soon.

First up is an iOS widget showing traffic in your current location, even if you're not actually navigating anywhere at the time. The idea is you can take evasive action or maybe just resign yourself to a delay as you go about your daily business. The feature is also live now for Android users, in the form of push notifications rather than a widget.

Second, you can now search for places along a route while you're getting directions to somewhere - run a search from the navigation screen and Google Maps shows you the restaurants or gas stations coming up that won't take you too far away from the route that's already been defined.

Going live

Being able to search for places without leaving your current route is a real time-saver and has been available to Android users for several months now. By tapping on any of the results you can see how much time it will add to your journey (not counting how long it takes you to eat a Big Mac).

It's not the only recent edition to Google Maps either - for some locations, the app now gives you live updates for how busy a particular place is right at the moment. Google hasn't said exactly how it does this, but presumably it's a mix of live, anonymized data it's collecting from Google users plus some algorithmic guesswork.

All of which gives you a few more reasons to deploy Google Maps if you're traveling anywhere over the holiday period and want to get there in the quickest time possible. Apple, it's your move.

• Google Maps can predict your every move

from TechRadar: Phone and communications news http://www.techradar.com/news/google-maps-for-ios-gets-new-features-for-a-smarter-drive

Android Nougat is now available to all OnePlus 3 users – but only in beta

Most phones are still waiting for Android Nougat, but as of now the OnePlus 3 has it, at least if you’re willing to put up with a beta version of the software.

OnePlus has made a download of the open beta available through its forums, so if you’re feeling brave you can head over there and grab it.

Doing so will give you access to quite a few software changes and improvements, including a new notifications design, a new settings menu design, a multi-window view, the ability to directly reply to notifications, custom DPI support, quick launch for third party applications, status bar icon options and improvements to Shelf customization.

Two steps forward, one step back

It sounds like a significant update, but before you grab the download bear in mind that some things aren’t working so well. Most notably Android Pay may not work, and there are some general stability and performance issues.

So unless you really can’t wait to get a taste of Nougat you’re probably better off leaving it, until the final, stable release is sent to your phone as an over the air update. And if you do grab the beta, make sure to back up any important data first.

If you’re rocking the brand new OnePlus 3T, you’ll have to wait a little longer, with OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei tweeting that the beta won’t even start for that until they’ve got a stable version of Nougat. Though we’d previously heard that it would get Nougat before the end of the year, which doesn’t give OnePlus long.

• Via 9to5Google

from TechRadar: Phone and communications news http://www.techradar.com/news/android-nougat-is-now-available-to-all-oneplus-3-users-but-only-in-beta

Samsung now also partners with Australian carriers for Note 7 network discontinuation

Samsung will not rest until every single faulty and hazardous Galaxy Note 7 finds its way back to the original place of purchase, and eventually, the chaebol’s warehouses for safe destruction.

After cutting the explosive phablet off from nationwide New Zealand carrier support a little while ago, the unchallenged leader of global smartphone sales has earlier today announced a similar network discontinuation move in neighboring Australia.

Although Note 7 users down under are said to “have responded well to the recent recall, with only a small number of affected devices still in customers’ hands”, December 15 will apparently see the latest (and last) “safety measure” employed to ensure the recovery of all “affected devices.”

Of course, one could wonder what’s taking Samsung so long to enact the most drastic measures of eradicating these ticking time bombs. More importantly, why mobile operators in other countries, including the US, aren’t following Telstra, Optus and Vodafone Australia’s example. Has Samsung managed to expand the “nearly” 85 percent American return rate to 100 percent in the past few weeks?

Probably not, but at the same time, Note 7 fire reports have long stopped, so something must be working. Maybe the battery charge-limiting software update that rolled out in Australia earlier this month.

In any event, you have two more weeks to give back the dangerous phone around those parts before you’re denied cellular service, and get a refund for the difference between Note 7 and S7 or S7 Edge’s prices, plus a $250 freebie. If you’re willing to stick with Samsung, that is.

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from Pocketnow http://pocketnow.com/2016/12/01/samsung-galaxy-note-7-network-discontinuation-australia

Sony Xperia XZ quickly follows X Performance on Android Nougat bandwagon

Was Sony’s leaked Android Nougat update timetable from back September just a little too good to be true? Well, yeah, since October came and went, and the Japanese device manufacturer couldn’t even roll out a public preview of the latest OS build for one of its two recent flagship phones.

But it really didn’t take the Xperia X Performance very long to iron out all beta kinks and spread the 7.0 love to the masses, and already, the newer, slightly beefier and prettier Xperia XZ reportedly follows suit.

That’s right, there are now two different Sony smartphones on Android 7.0 Nougat, at least in “select regions” around the world, both of which launched earlier this year with Marshmallow loaded up. Quite an accomplishment for an OEM not exactly celebrated for its software makeover promptness, considering Samsung is yet to update a single Galaxy model, while HTC and LG each boast one updated phone, and one released with N goodies out the box.

Of course, in a way, you could draw parallels between the Sony Xperia XZ/X Performance duo and the OnePlus 3 and 3T. The latter two devices, remember, are also slated for 7.0 promotions this month. But right now, we must admit we’re rather impressed to see Android Nougat dispatched OTA to single and dual SIM XZ variants. Nicely done, Sony!

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from Pocketnow http://pocketnow.com/2016/12/01/sony-xperia-xz-android-7-0-nougat-update