app

A French grocery chain is turning its overhead lighting into a way to send special offers directly to shopper's phones. It's seen as a way to experiment with technology, while still serving a more basic function. The lights are created by Philips ... and are being tried at a Lille branch of Carrefour, one of France's major chains of food and home goods stores. The entire store has been refitted with LED bulbs. Unlike ordinary bulbs, these transmit a signal by emitting light at a specific frequency for each bulb. The light can't be seen by the human eye; however, the front-facing ... (view more)

Smartphone dating app maker Tinder, Inc. has sparked controversy after announcing it would start charging based on age for its newly revised premium services. Users in the US will have to pay $9.99 a month if they are under 30 years old, and $19.99 ... if they are 30 or older. In the UK, the price difference in age for the same service is almost quadrupled. The move has not only outraged older customers, but ignited accusations of cynicism with the suggestion the people behind the app want to make it full of younger, and theoretically more attractive, singletons. How Tinder Works Tinder is a ... (view more)

Microsoft has unveiled additional features for Windows 10, as well as making previously-announced features available for testing. Most of the changes are aimed at mobile computer users, but there will be a few extra improvements for desktop users . ... Windows 10 Testing being done in Batches Microsoft is taking a very deliberate approach with its public testing program for the new Windows 10 operating system. Rather than throw out a semi-completed version of Windows 10 for testing and deal with all the feedback at once, Microsoft is slowly adding new features to the test edition of the operating ... (view more)

The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) thinks Amazon.com should be on the hook for unauthorized purchases made by children while using apps on their smartphones, tablets, and even computers. In a recent complaint filed in a U.S. court, the ... FTC says parents whose children made unauthorized purchases should receive refunds from Amazon. The problem surrounds free-to-play games that are easily downloaded onto mobile devices; such games typically start out with a basic character and story, but then require players to make expensive (though easy to complete) 'purchases' in order to see ... (view more)

Facebook has officially released a new and somewhat controversial feature that allows users to track the location of their friends. But if used maliciously, the app raises major privacy concerns. The application is called "Nearby Friends" and it ... uses location information collected by smartphones. Facebook says its goal is to make it simple for people to find their friends and meet up in real life. When it's enabled, Nearby Friends shows users a list of Facebook friends who have agreed to share their location. The app can also alert a user if a friend comes within range (such as ... (view more)

Security firm Kaspersky has released a special web browser for Windows phones aimed at blocking unwanted threats. The browser, "Kaspersky Safe Browser for Windows Phone" app, is available to download free of charge from the official Windows Phone ... Store. The main security feature is to block web links that may take a user to a harmful site. This isn't just sites that house malicious software that could damage a phone, but also "phishing" sites. (Source: kaspersky.com ) A phishing site is one that is set up to look like the real website of a legitimate company, for ... (view more)