Hasta La Gadget!

Three of the biggest mobile carriers in the U.S., Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, are backing a mobile payments solution called Isis. Based on NFC technology, the solution allows people to pay when required at participating locations by simply tapping their smartphones. Last year, a trial was launched in Salt Lake City and Austin, and Isis plans to roll out across the country by the end of this year. Unfortunately, it has lost one of its primary banking partners, Capital One.

The bank says that their pilot tests with Isis will soon be ended, however it does say that it will “continue to engage with Isis on the future of mobile payments.” It wouldn’t make sense for Capital One to pull out of the trial phase and rejoin the other banking partners after the nationwide launch. The other partners include Barclayscard, Chase and American Express. Isis is capable of working with Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Android smartphones. iPhones are left out of the fray because Apple’s smartphones don’t come with NFC technology. Isis did say last month that iPhone support will be coming soon, many thought it was a subtle hint that the new iPhones will have NFC, but the new iPhones have been announced last week and they most certainly do not have the required technology.

Isis Mobile Payment Solution Loses Banking Partner Capital One original content from Ubergizmo.

Android users, this is where you unashamedly stick your tongue out at iOS loyalists while making childish noises with your lips. (In your fantasies, at least — that’s pretty rude to do in real life.) The Google Wallet app for Android has just been revised, with users in the United States told to expect it in phases throughout the week. One of the biggest additions is the ability to send cash on the go to any adult in the US with an email address — as is the case in Gmail, sending money directly from one’s bank or one’s Wallet account is free, while the usual fees apply if you’re dinging that credit card. Plus, if you’re still waiting for the option to send money in Gmail, just using this app once will automatically enable that.

Moreover, the app is doing its darndest to replace Key Ring, allowing individuals to load loyalty cards of all types directly into the app. In theory, this should cut down on how much plastic you have to carry around, but we’ve still seen stores that have a heck of a time scanning a digital rewards card. If you’re into saving money, Wallet now holds offers from Maps, Google Search, Google+ and Google Offers, and we get the impression that the company will be allying with a number of merchants in the near future in order to make this particular tidbit more attractive. Head on over to the Google Play Store to see if the new build is showing up for you.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Google

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Source: Google Commerce, Google Play Store

In an effort to create a bridge between standard smartphones and high-powered cameras, Sony has this week unveiled their Lens-Style Camera series with the Sony QX100 and QX10. These devices are also known as the Sony Cyber-shot QX100 and Sony Cyber-shot QX10, but you’ll likely see them referred to by their shortened names out in […]

For years now, McDonald’s has thrown in a toy either promoting the release of a new film, cartoon series or just for the heck of it in their Happy Meals. Children and some adults have enjoyed playing with these toys for years, but they may be getting a huge upgrade if its latest experiment, called the Happy Table, actually makes it into McDonald’s restaurants.

The Happy Table requires the child, or adult, to have a smartphone that supports NFC capabilities along with a free application which will turn the device into a car driven by one of the fast-food chain’s famous mascots. The underside of the Happy Table will have a number of NFC stickers located at certain areas of the underside of the table, which are used to trigger hazards at different sections of the race track, but can also be used to trigger mini games.

Happy Tables are slowly making their way to McDonald’s restaurants across Asia, although it’s unknown at this time if or when they’ll be making their way to other markets. If it comes out in the U.S., we’re sure many of you will check it out at least once, to never go back to McDonald’s again at the realization just how awful you’ll feel after eating their food. Or, at least, that’s what will happen when I go.

McDonald’s Happy Table Turns Your Smartphone Into Digital Playgrounds original content from Ubergizmo.

More and more cameras are being released with Wi-Fi built-in so users can share photos and videos online straight from their camera. Sony tries to stay ahead of the curve with the NEX-5T,the first interchangeable lens camera to have NFC connectivity. File transfer doesn’t get more idiotproof than this.

As of now, the NEX-5T’s NFC connectivity will only work with Android 4.0+ devices that also have NFC. If you do have such a device, just tap it to the camera to get your photos and videos. You can also use your NFC-enabled mobile device as a remote viewfinder and shutter control for the camera.

But don’t worry if your phone or tablet doesn’t have NFC. You can also share media from the NEX-5T through Wi-Fi, you just have to use Sony’s PlayMemories app. Another convenient technology in the NEX-5T is its 3″ touchscreen. The screen can tilt up to 180º upwards – and its image flips over at that point, making it easier to take selfies. Your bathroom mirror will miss you.

The NEX-5T has a 16.1mp APS-C CMOS sensor, the Bionz image processor, light sensitivity of up to ISO25600 and is compatible with Sony E-mount lenses. It will also be compatible with Minolta A-mount lenses through an adapter.

Tap your browser to Amazon or Sony’s online store to pre-order the Alpha NEX-5T. It costs $550 (USD) without a lens and $700 with an E-mount 16-50mm lens included.