Facebook takes internet.org to Indonesia despite criticism
Facebook’s free internet initiative Internet.org has been officially launched in Indonesia, despite coming under criticism for threatening ‘net neutrality’ in India earlier this month.
technology
First crowd-controlled bar opens on ‘smart cruise ship’
Makr Shakr, the world’s first robotic bartending system has made its debut as the Bionic Bar onboard on Royal Caribbean’s new ‘smart’ cruise ship, Anthem of the Seas, in Southampton.
Right to reply: Biometrics will replace passwords ‘only when consumer trust is won’
Passwords could soon be replaced by a new generation of identity verification devices that read body functions such as heartbeat, glucose levels and vein patterns. Matt White, senior manager in KPMG’s cyber security practice, argues why brands need to win consumer trust before this becomes a reality.
Just 1 in 10 Brits could ‘live without broadband’
Only one in ten UK broadband users say they could live without access to the internet, according to 2,000 respondents surveyed by broadband, TV and mobile comparison site Cable.co.uk.
Email ads ‘make £38 for every pound spent’
Despite the surge of social media and chat apps, email marketing is making a comeback, with new research suggesting firms are reaping the rewards of better technology. Return on Investment (ROI) for UK email campaigns rose 53% to an average of £38 for every £1 spent in 2014, according to the DMA’s latest National Client … [Read more…]
UK digital ad spend growth to outpace US and Europe
UK ad spend is forecast to rise 5.4% in 2015, 60% faster than in US and Western Europe, according to new research.
Brewer Adnams turns to mobile payment and rewards
Adnams has partnered with Droplet to introduce a mobile payments and reward customer loyalty scheme, as the UK brewer looks to boost loyalty across its pubs and shops.
American Express tests facial recognition for mobile payments
American Express is testing facial recognition technology to authenticate mobile payments. as part of a wider effort to adapt its services to wearable technology.
Apple to fans: “Skip the queues and buy online instead”
Apple has become famous for attracting huge launch crowds for its latest products, but now the electronics giant is encouraging fans to ditch the line and hangout at home and order the gadgets online.
Facebook sued over facial recognition database
Facebook has been accused of building a giant database of biometric information on people’s faces against their will, in court documents filed against the firm in the US.