Android gets Mashreq’s mobile banking app (USA, Middle East)
Leading financial institution Mashreq has announced the launch of its Mobile Banking for Google Android devices. Mashreq’s mobile app is also accessible through smartphones and devices such as iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Java OS Mobile phones.
The mobile banking application is a fully integrated transactional service offering customers to check their accounts’, make payments to Mashreq Credit Cards and transfer funds anywhere in the world through their mobile phones at anytime, from anywhere.
Furthermore, recharge Etisalat, du, Salik and make other bill payments such as DEWA, SEWA, ADDC through its safe, secure and customer friendly interface. Customers using this service enjoy easy access to their bank accounts through their mobile phones 24/7, from any GPRS / 3G / wireless (Wi-Fi) network, anywhere in the world, as per a press release.
Aref Al Ramli, Head of Alternate Channels at Mashreq commented that they are continuously working towards offering various distinctive platforms for customers to carry out their banking transactions. As technology evolves, so does their online banking services. They are proud of their multi-faced Mobile banking system, which is now available across all systems to reach out to further customers extending a hassle free banking service and help them save time.
For iPhone and Android, the app is to be downloaded from AppStore and Google Play (Android Market). Once installed, Mobile Banking app is ready for use completely free of charges from the bank.
Google play launched as a one-stop entertainment hub (USA)
Google Play is a digital entertainment destination where users can find, enjoy and share their favorite music, movies, books and apps on the web and on their Android phone or tablet. Google Play is entirely cloud-based so all the music, movies, books and apps are stored online, always available to the user, and without any worry about losing them or moving them again.
Google Play enables users to store up to 20,000 songs for free and buy millions of new tracks, download more than 450,000 Android apps and games, browse the world’s largest selection of eBooks and rent thousands of movies, including new releases and HD titles.
According to a company report, the Android Market, Google Music and the Google eBookstore will become part of Google Play. On the Android phone or tablet, the Android Market app will be replaced by the Google Play Store app over the coming days. Further, the videos, books and music apps (in countries where they are available) will also be upgraded to Google Play Movies, Google Play Books and Google Play Music apps.
Google to deploy malware updates to infected Android smartphones
Google has deployed its controversial ability to reach into Android smartphones to remove malware that several hundred thousand people are reported to have downloaded from infected copies of Android apps.
As per reports, last week, it became apparent that a batch of legitimate apps had been copied and uploaded to the Android Market, with a virus inside them. The malware infection apparently only worked on older versions of the Android OS and only reported the IMEI and Android OS version number back to the hackers.
In total, it has been claimed that 58 infected apps were uploaded to the Android Market, with 260,000 devices compromised by downloads.
The team at Google has since deployed its remote access tool that gives it the ability to target any Android phone and remove software apps without the users’ direct consent. While done for laudable reasons, the use of the backdoor access will worry security professionals.
The company is also pushing out an OS upgrade to all infected handsets that will undo the damage.
Google and RIM to support in-app payments
Google and RIM have announced support for in-app payments, as both companies plan to compete with Apple in this sector of the apps market.
Google has added in-app billing support to Android Market, which it states gives developers more ways to monetize their applications through new billing models including try-and-buy, virtual goods, upgrades, and more. The company is launching in-app billing in stages. It has already made available detailed documentation and a sample application, to enable developers to get familiar with the service.
In the coming weeks it will launch enhancements to the Android Market that will enable it to test against the in-app billing service. Before the end of the quarter, the service will be live for users. Meanwhile the latest version of RIM’s BlackBerry App World has gone live this week offering in-app payment support for the first time.
The new version of the storefront (version 2.1) will allow developers to use RIM’s Payment Services SDK to enable in-app payments in future and existing applications. Vendors will be able to register and manage virtual goods through the BlackBerry App World Vendor Portal and a reporting feature will be able to track purchases/payments for their goods.
In-app payments will be subject to the same revenue share splits as offered by the BlackBerry App World storefront and use the payment type users specify in their BlackBerry ID (which can be either a credit card, carrier billing or an online payment service such as PayPal).
Google Develops Web Based Version of its Android Apps
Google has restored its Android Market and has also announced the launch of the service via conventional web browsers.
They have also enabled an ability to send apps directly to an Android device with just a few clicks – no wires needed. Users can also now share apps with their friends through Twitter, and can read and post app reviews directly to Android Market.
Users with a Google account can also now keep track of all their purchases via the website version.
According to Google, the Android Market website was officially unveiled today during an event at Google headquarters where they showcased Honeycomb (Android 3.0), the latest Android release built from the ground up for tablets.
Honeycomb has a completely redesigned user interface, with more interactive notifications and widgets, improved multi-tasking, and the latest and greatest Google Mobile services optimized for tablets.
Mobilicity Announces Motorola Spice in Canada
Mobilicity, Canadian wireless service provider, has announced a new phone on its network- the Motorola Spice.
Exclusive to Mobilicity, the new Motorola handset powered by Android will be priced at $199.99 – a great value to consumers looking for an Android-based smartphone without a contract.
According to Motorola, Spice delivers an excellent smartphone experience with its sliding QWERTY keyboard and large multi-touch screen, which can be customized through seven home screen panels with easy access to Google Search, Google Maps with Google Latitude, Gmail and Android Market.
Users can easily view and manage content from a single application – keeping track of call histories, messages, calendar events, photos and videos, all of which can then be mapped onto a timeline on the home screen. Plus, the device has a unique rear-touch Backtrack panel that makes it possible to navigate and scroll through web sites without obstructing the screen.
The handset will soon be available at Mobilicity stores across Canada.
