PayPal is used by millions as a convenient way to send money around the world. The eBay-owned company is seen as the de facto payment method for transactions through the Web's favorite auction site, but in recent times, we've seen a marked effort from PayPal to expand its range of services. As a part of this movement, PayPal has today launched its very own digital gift store, and although it plans to work with many companies and merchants in the future, the launch of the service sees Apple as its main partner.
When it comes to impact on our everyday lives, there are few people on this planet that can compete with Amazon's Jeff Bezos. After launching Amazon as an online bookstore initially and then turning it into the multinational retail powerhouse that it is today, Bezos has truly changed the way we shop. Whether that's for the better or not is probably a debate for another day, but during a 60-Minutes interview with Charlie Rose, the man behind Amazon revealed that his company isn't going to sit on its hands moving forward.
The Pebble smartwatch is probably the most famous smartwatch of them all, and while some may argue that it's not as smart as it could be, there's little justification for saying that it's not been the start of a whole new push into wearable technology. Alongside Google Glass, Pebble is rightly thought of as a pioneer in the wearable tech space that has since seen Samsung and Sony make an entrance. With Apple presumably also readying its own smartwatch, the arena is only going to get more interesting too.
The Pebble smartwatch has been something of a revelation since it first made its appearance on Kickstarter, with tens of thousands of keen tech fans pledging their hard-earned dollars to make the idea a reality. Having completed work on the E Ink wearable device and released it earlier on this year, the Pebble has sold well since, and in what must be seen as a massive coup for the start-up, the gadget is now being sold by online retail powerhouse Amazon.
We've all been there. You're all set to try out the latest and greatest online service but there's a problem - it needs a credit card number before it will let you do anything or even create an account. But you don't always want to give your credit card number to a company that might not still be around in a few months, and it's possible you might even be a little protective of those digits even if it's a well established company because, after all, you can never be too careful.
Uber has today launched its UberExec luxury taxi services in the United Kingdom, with Londoners now able to book their executive-style journeys around the capital with the company's service. With a range of prices depending on which specific kind of vehicle you prefer of the three-tiered Uber service, there are plenty of choices available, and with prices actually fairly reasonable, you can travel around the historic city in true style.
If you were around the Internet back in the late 90s or early 2000s then Winamp will no doubt be a name that you're very familiar with. Once the go-to media player of the early generations of MP3 users, Winamp grew big enough and quickly enough to get the attentions of AOL, who paid a not inconsiderably $80 million for it back in 1999.
Jailbreaking and unlocking our smartphones and tablets may be something that those in civilized countries take for granted, but that doesn't mean that everyone has the same luxury. Those in the United States for example currently find themselves in a situation where unlocking a smartphone is illegal, as is jailbreaking a tablet. Oddly, jailbreaking a smartphone is not. Who thinks these things up?
Google Street View is an invaluable resource in certain situations. If you're dashing out to meet a client, or visiting the new home of a friend or family member then Street View is fantastic for getting a real-world look of the address that you're heading to before actually setting off. Even if you're just the inquisitive type who is sitting in the comfort of your own home looking eagerly at streets in your local area then you can easily lose countless hours to the wonder that is Street View. If you're bored of looking at terraced streets or local parks then maybe you should cast your eyes over the internals of the HMS Ocelot, which is now fully documented thanks to the power of Google Street View.
It's bad enough that, at least on most commercial flights, there's no hope of any Web access, and yet, whenever we board a plane ready to take-off or prepare ourselves to land, we're always urged to switch our devices off by the captain. Of course, this is rather a minor annoyance compared with the potential ramifications of interfering with any of the plane's essential equipment, and through what most would deem a very remote fear of crashing should we not abide by the rules, most of us oblige, and simply turn our devices off. But now, the FAA has approved the use of electronics during the entire duration of a flight, and with Delta Airlines looking to put the new motion into action as of tomorrow, you'll be able to enjoy Candy Crush and Lady Gaga uninterrupted through your journey.
