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Those of us in the United States are recovering after an extended Labor Day weekend, but there was plenty of tech news that just could’t be contained by the unofficial end to the summer season. There’s a lot of ground to cover, so let’s dive in and get right to it, shall we?
Samsung’s Galaxy Gear Smart Watch Leaks
VentureBeat reported Sunday that Samsung plans to beat Apple to the smart watch market this week with Galaxy Gear, a somewhat bulky piece of wearable wrist hardware that the company is set to debut this week. While the photos are said to be prototypes sent to developers, the final design is said to be not far off from what’s shown. The Galaxy Gear is said to be more of a fitness device that works as a smartphone companion than an all-out replacement such as Apple’s long-rumored “iWatch,” although it does include Wi-Fi and the ability to access email and the internet, even when not tethered to a smartphone.
iBooks Settlement Proposal Valued at Up to $3 Per Book
MacRumors reported Friday that customers who purchased e-books from Macmillan and/or Penguin have now started receiving emails regarding a settlement with state attorneys general. Five publishers in total agreed to settle claims of price fixing with Apple’s iBookstore, and the first two have set aside $162.25 million to make the dispute go away. Customers who purchased titles on either iBookstore, Kindle or Nook stores between April, 2010 and May 21, 2012 are eligible, with New York Times bestsellers said to be worth $3.06 each, with other titles netting a mere $0.73 each. Most payments will be received as automatic credits to customer accounts, with a final decision on the settlement scheduled for December 6.
Target Inches Closer to Video Download Service
TechCrunch reported Friday that Target is about to launch its own answer to iTunes, Netflix and Vudu with a video download and rental service called Target Ticket. Now in testing with employees, the service offers movies and TV shows are prices comparable to others, complete with iOS and Android apps for watching content on the go. Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players will also work, with Panasonic, LG, Philips and Funai brands also listed as coming soon. The service will also feature UltraViolet, so customers who already have a digital locker of content from services such as Vudu or Flixster will be able to access it through Target Ticket, which offers at least a couple of advantages: Movie rentals are good for 48 hours instead of the standard 24, and Target REDcard holders will still receive their five percent discount on purchases made through the service.
PopCap Says Freemium Games Are Here to Stay
We count ourselves among those who give a big thumbs down to the freemium app business model — call us old-fashioned, but we’d rather pay for our games up front, thank you very much. AllThingsD reported Monday that freemium is here to stay for Plants vs. Zombies maker PopCap, whose recent sequel to that successful title adopted this new way of doing business. “From us or for anybody else, I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find a game where you don’t have the ability to buy something in the game,” explained PopCap business director Tony Leamer. “I think that’s just a reality of the industry right now.” On the good news front, additional worlds will be added in the future but in-app purchases will infest the company’s other new products, including Peggle 2 and Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.
Shopify Introduces iPad-Based Point-of-Sale App
Shopify is looking to take on Square with a $49 per month point of sale solution based around the iPad. The Shopify POS app is free, and any store owner can sign up for a no-risk, 14-day trial of the service, which allows Shopify users to sell their wares in a traditional brick-and-mortar retail environment, complete with swiping credit cards, printing or emailing receipts, tracking inventory and more. The service can be used with as little as an iPad and credit card reader, or can include a full retail experience with cash drawer and receipt printer.
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(Image courtesy of VentureBeat)
