Pointpal is a nifty electronic wallet for managing loyalty programmes for consumers who want to enjoy benefits and freebies offered by participating vendors, without the hassle of carrying a multitude of loyalty cards and keeping track of the stamps and tokens associated with the individual cards.
Do you carry a two-inch thick credit card wallet specially to hold all the different loyalty cards and discount cards that you’ve signed up over time with different F&B outlets or boutiques? Some of these offer one free drink for every three drinks purchased or give a free massage for every eight sessions.
Most of the time, the number of purchases are indicated by stamps on the loyalty card. Accumulate the requisite number of stamps and you surrender the card to the bartender for that free cocktail.
Buy X to get Y free.
A new FREE app has been launched for the iPhone that promises to take the hassle out of participating in these loyalty programmes. Apps for Android and BlackBerry smartphones are in the works. Pointpal has already been launched in Australia.
Scan the QR code to join a new loyalty programme
The entire programme is based on the use of QR codes. Participating vendors will display these 2D barcodes on their advertisements and in their compound so that interested customers who have installed the Pointpal app on their iPhones can scan the QR code to sign up for the loyalty programme for that vendor.
This removes the hassle of filling in paper application forms for each loyalty programme you sign up. You only need to enter some basic details once when you first download and install the Pointpal app. After that, simply scan the vendor’s QR code to join.
After every relevant purchase at a participating outlet, you can key in the purchase and let the cashier or bartender verify the purchases by scanning his special QR code. Once you have accumulated enough purchases, show the app to the cashier redeem rewards and freebies. Again, the cashier or bartender will scan his special QR code to acknowledge redemption and then hand over that free drink or merchandise.
Even if the phone is lost, the records of the purchases with the various vendors are available in Pointpal’s cloud storage.
No more lugging around a fat loyalty card wallet, or looking for that elusive card just to get it stamped or to check number of stamps.
Initial participating vendors include Barcode Cocktail Bar, Nail Vibe, and Wine Universe. More can be found here.
GoFlex Home is a consumer network attached storage (NAS) hard drive for the home. Easy to set up and use, it allows the access, sharing, streaming, and backup of files and media for computers, network TVs, media players and game consoles connected to the home wireless network.
The Seagate GoFlex Home comprises a drive dock and a hard drive.
Secure access can also be opened to computers and iOS/Android tablets and smartphones over the Internet.
Over the weekend, I helped my friend set up an NAS drive for his desktop, netbook, two laptops, iPhone and Android tablet. He had bought the Seagate GoFlex Home 3 TB storage drive during the recent COMEX 2011 but hadn’t had the time to set it up yet.
I helped by using eye-power because he decided to give it a go himself and actually got the thing working in less than 15 minutes. That was the reason why I recommended the drive in the first place, it works with most consumer home Wi-Fi routers with little set-up or configuration needed.
The GoFlex Home comes with two cables and an software installation CD. The following steps were all that was needed to get the personal storage cloud going:
1. Connect the GoFlex Home drive dock to the Wi-Fi router by using the provided Ethernet cable.
2. Pop the GoFlex hard drive into the GoFlex drive dock and plug the power supply into the drive dock and the wall outlet. Switch on the GoFlex Home by pressing the Power button on the drive dock.
3. Pop the CD (or download from Seagate’s website) into the computer (can be a Mac or Windows PC) to install the software needed to access the hard drive. Simply select a language, key in the product information found on the drive, give the drive a name and register it. The name has to be unique globally since it will be used to identify the drive should you access it from the Internet.
4. Install the software on other computers that require access to the shared drive. Up to 5 people/computers on the home network can access the GoFlex Home. By paying to subscribe to the Seagate Share Pro, you get access for an unlimited number of people/computers to the GoFlex Home.
There are three ways to access the drive. One is to use the installed Seagate Dashboard software (on Windows PCs), which allows all features of the drive to be configured and managed. You can add computers and user accounts, backup, access and share files as well.
Use Seagate Dashboard software to configure and manage GoFelx Home
The other way is to use a browser-based Seagate Share either for a computer in the home network or out in the Internet.
Free iOS/Android app
Both are easy to use with a simple interface, using drag-and-drop or standard dialog boxes we’re familar with.
The third method is via the appropriate free app on a iOS/Android smartphone or tablet, also over the Internet.
The GoFlex Home comes with a USB port which is very useful. You can connect an additional external hard drive to expand the capacity of the original GoFlex hard drive. You can also connect a USB hub for connecting more than one USB device.
In my friend’s case, he connected his printer to the USB port and all his computers on the Wi-Fi network got to share that printer. No more plugging/unplugging the old printer from one computer to another.
The included backup software allows up to three connected computers to be automatically backed up to the GoFlex Home. Upgrade to Premium Backup ($49.95) to back up an unlimited number of computers on the GoFlex Home network. You can upgrade at the Application Store that can be accessed through the Seagate Dashboard software.
For each user account set up on the GoFlex Home, three folders are created – a Public, Personal, and Backup folder. The Public folder holds files that can be stored and accessed by everyone on your home network. The Personal and Backup folders can only be accessed by the the user.
What I like about the sharing is the granular control available for the files shared. You can specify who you want to share files with, choose to share just certain files or entire folders, set passwords, and set expiry dates for the shares. Administration is intuitive and easy to pick up. You can send a URL of a shared file via email.
Stream media to other computers and media players on the home wireless network.
Music, photos and video can also be shared and streamed to media players, game consoles or network TVs that support UPnP-AV, DLNA or Windows Media Connect. A wide range of file types are supported.
The GoFlex Home is available in 1TB (S$179), 2TB (S$239) and 3TB (S$339) capacities.
Over time, as we get new computers and leave the old still-functional computer as a second or third machine, and we still utilise the different machines, the files we create and work on can get distributed amidst the hard disk drives of the various computers.
A shared network hard drive can bring order back to an increasingly chaotic situation.
A network attached external hard drive can share files and media (illustration modified from www.buffalotech.com)
The above scenario was what happened to some of my friends and me. Computers and laptops today can last for a long time (if you look after them well) and most often then not, they’re still perfectly functionable when we get a new machine so it seems quite a waste to get rid of the old machine, especially since it can serve as a back up.
And if a member of the family is on the new laptop, others can use the spare computer. So over time, working files, photos, music and video can get distributed over a few computers. At first, it’s easy to remember and keep track of which file is in which computer and do the occasional transfer using an USB thumbdrive.
But over time, as the number of files grow, things can get out of hand – the convenience of being able to work on a few computers turns into a bane.
Now that cloud computing is catching on and we can save files and media on the Internet, this mess can be ameliorated. But those personal and confidential files and humongous video files are still best kept in local storage.
The NAS solution
Schematic of an NAS solution
So over the weekend, I helped my friend rig a similar solution that I use at home – set up a simple external hard drive that can be shared and accessed by a few different computers at home over a local Wi-Fi network.
Those files that are stored on the network attached storage (NAS) drive can then remain accessible no matter which computer you’re working on. It can be used to back up the computers connected.
Some NAS drives allow you to stream media to TVs, media players and game consoles connected to the home network.
In fact, some even enable access to be opened out to the Internet, so that when you’re outstation – in the office, on the road, or overseas – you can still securely access the files stored in the hard drive. This can be done via a browser on a laptop connected to the Internet, or via an app on a smartphone or tablet.
It’s like setting up your personal cloud storage. There are many consumer NAS drives in the market from makers such as Seagate, Western Digital and Buffalo.
They’re all designed to be easily set up by the layman who does not have a PhD in computer science. These NAS drives are connected directly to the router rather than a specific computer acting as a file server.
Any computer connected to the network via the router can access the NAS drive at any time.
Because these NAS drives are more intelligent than the regular dumb external hard drive, they do cost a slight premium over the latter. The NAS drives can manage network access by computers on the network and implement security, access and rights control as well.
Seagate GoFlex Home comes in capacities of 1TB, 2TB and 3TB
Since I’m familiar with the Seagate GoFlex Home, that was what I recommended my friend, who brought home a 3 TB version from the recent COMEX 2011 for S$299.
Tomorrow we’ll see how he managed to tame his growing diaspora of media and files.
The Formula 1 comes to Singapore this weekend. Check out the F1 apps for the BlackBerry tablet or smartphones – both free on BlackBerry App World.
Formula1.com 2011 app for BlackBerry smartphones.
For BlackBerry smartphone users (device software 4.2.0 or higher), check out the Formula1.com 2011 app from the organisers of Formula 1 itself. Users can access information such as race results, championship standings, timetables, calendars, circuit data etc.
The app streams real-time data directly from Formula One Management’s Technical Centre at the racetrack displaying the same information supplied to the teams from every session, putting you right at the heart of the action. The app also sends you push notifications and keeps you updated even when the app is closed.
Maxis F1 2011 for BlackBerry PlayBook
For BlackBerry PlayBook users, check out the Maxis F1 2011 for BlackBerry PlayBook app from Infindo Technology. Users can get detailed information for all the races with exclusive live commentary, top stories, results, schedule, standings, drivers/teams/circuit info etc.
Both apps are free and valid for the entire 2011 F1 season.
Samsung and MDA has announced a joint call-for-proposal for the development of educational TV apps for the Samsung Smart TV platform and ecosystem.
Develop rich and interactive educational TV apps for the Samsung Smart TV platform.
This comes on the heels of Sony’s renewal of a 5-year MOU with Nanyang Polytechnic to encourage local development of games for the Sony PlayStation.
Developers interested in Samsung’s initiative are invited to attend the Call-for-Proposal briefing at 6pm, 26 September, at Genexis Theatre, Fusionopolis. Starting from 26th September, the call-for-proposal will extend over a period of four weeks and will end on 31st October 2011. Detailed information will be available on the website of the Interactive Digital Media Programme Office (IDMPO) from 26th September.
Shortlisted developers:
Will gain 24/7 access to Samsung’s Developer’s Forum (SDF)
Will have access to MDA’s testing centre – iJAM@Blk71, located at Block 71, Ayer Rajah Crescent
May apply for funding schemes from the IDMPO
Focusing on rich and interactive educational apps for the Singapore audience, this initiative is targeted to promote interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and for self-learning at home at up to tertiary level.
The initiative is also designed to catalyse the development of interactive digital content for TVs in Singapore, and support new interactive digital media (IDM) R&D projects as well as the commercialization efforts of IDM applications and services.
Here are some screenshots from the Windows 8 developer preview during the ongoing BUILD conference (13-16 September 2011) in the Anaheim Convention Centre.
Windows 8 will be Microsoft’s attempt to wrest market share in the fast growing tablet market from market leading iPads from Apple and the whole slew of tablets based on Google’s Android.
Click on the images for a larger view. These screenshots have been provided by Microsoft.
The personalized lock screen shows unread emails and other app notifications.
See apps and content at a glance on the start screen.
Pick the files you want to send or share from one place.
Touch browsing seems fast, fluid and intuitive.
Large buttons for typing on the touch keyboard.
The thumb keyboard to avoid having to reach into the centre of the screen.
At the developer-focused BUILD conference, Microsoft has showcased a detailed preview of the next major release of Windows, code-named “Windows 8”, including new tools for developers to write applications for the new operating system.
The ongoing BUILD conference (13-16 September 2011) is being held in the Anaheim Convention Center. Here are some screenshots of the preview. Windows 8 is not expected to be come out of beta until at least the second half of 2012.
Main features
The user interface (UI) is centred around a touch interface, although it works with a mouse and keyboard too. Microsoft calls the UI “Metro” style – displaying important information first, whilst emphasising simplicity and user control. Internet Explorer 10 aims to provide a fast and fluid touch-browsing experience.
On the start screen, apps form the focal point, the Apps “tiles” fill the entire screen. The apps work together and communicate with each other in Windows 8. For example, photos can be selected and shared from different apps via email, Facebook, Flickr or the hard drive.
The ongoing BUILD conference (13-16 September 2011) is being held in the Anaheim Convention Center.
If you use multiple devices, Live roams all the content from the cloud services you use most — photos, email, calendar and contacts — keeping them up-to-date on your devices, be it a desktop, laptop, netbook, tablet or smartphone. With SkyDrive, you can access your files, photos and documents from virtually anywhere with any browser or with Metro style apps in Windows 8.
Windows 8 is an enhanced Windows 7 with lower memory footprint, and runs even on low-end hardware. For PC users, Windows 8 features an enhanced Task Manager and Windows Explorer and new, flexible options for multimonitor setups.
For developers, the Windows Store will allow developers to sell their apps anywhere Windows is sold worldwide, whether they’re creating new games or familiar productivity tools. For games developers, DirectX 11 gaming power underlies Windows 8, allowing the easy creation of full-screen games with smooth, flicker-free action.
Hardware wise, Windows 8 supports ARM-based chipsets, x86 (including x32 and x64) devices, and sensors. It promises instant-on and long battery life for ultrathin PCs and tablets, and is backward compatible with software/devices that run on Windows 7.
The new operating system will run on tablets, desktop and laptop computers via a touch screen, mouse or keyboard. It will also be backward compatible to existing Windows software.
Windows 8 represents Microsoft’s hope of wrestling market share for tablet computers from Apple iPads and Android tablets.
Microsoft will unveil the next iteration of their Windows operating system software today at a developers conference in Anaheim, California. A preview of the design was first released in June this year.
Tough days for PC makers
Windows sales have missed analysts’ estimates for three straight quarters and personal-computer sales have stalled as consumers favor tablets over notebook computers running the software, reported Bloomberg.
Of the 9.3 million iPads sold in the quarter that ended in June, about 20 percent of them went to customers who would have otherwise bought a Windows PC, estimated Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Partners LP in New York.
This will be the first time that a Windows operating system is capable of running on chip technology from ARM. Microsoft aims to make Windows 8 capable of running smaller, thinner tablet computers with battery life that can rival that of the market leader – Apple’s iPad.
Out of 60 million media tablets expected to be shipped 2011, 74 percent will be Apple’s iPads, according to an August forecast by IHS. The global market is forecasted to rise to 275.3 million units in 2015, with Apple expected to account for 43.6 percent of the market.
Windows 8 design
The user interface for Windows 8 resembles Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 smartphone operating system – it uses digital tiles instead of icons to help users navigate between programs. The tiles are on the computer’s home screen can display updated information from inside applications, so that users can see the info at a glance without having to fire up those apps.
The new iPad App was showcased at the TomTom exhibition stand during IFA 2011 in Berlin and will be available in Q4 2011.
“… we have optimised our TomTom App for the iPad. Now customers have one App for all iOS devices.” said Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director at TomTom.Customers who already have the iPhone version of the navigation app will be able to download the new version to their iPads for free.
This latest version will feature enhanced screen resolution, sharpened graphics and more intuitive controls specifically developed for the iPad.
The latest version of the TomTom App for iPhone (Version 1.8) now includes the latest maps of countries in Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand and Indonesia. A new multi-stop routes driving feature is also included.
Use the iPhone as a Portable Navigation Device for turn-by-turn navigation.
The South East Asia, TomTom App for iPhone (Version 1.8) can be downloaded from the App Store for USD $69.99. It works with iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS & iPod touch 3rd Gen running iOS4.
The new multi-stop routes feature makes it easier for drivers to make multiple stops on a single route, by letting them add up to five stop-off points when they plan their journey.
Multi-stop routes enable the driver to stop by a bank or petrol station enroute, or a diversion to pick up a friend as part of a longer journey.
This removes the hassle of entering a new journey for each leg of the trip and means that the driver can get an accurate estimated time of arrival for their final destination.
Do you carry a two-inch thick credit card wallet specially to hold all the different loyalty cards and discount cards that you’ve signed up over time with different F&B outlets or boutiques? Some of these offer one free drink for every three drinks purchased or give a free massage for every eight sessions.
After every relevant purchase at a participating outlet, you can key in the purchase and let the cashier or bartender verify the purchases by scanning his special QR code. Once you have accumulated enough purchases, show the app to the cashier redeem rewards and freebies. Again, the cashier or bartender will scan his special QR code to acknowledge redemption and then hand over that free drink or merchandise.
No more plugging/unplugging the old printer from one computer to another.
number of computers on the GoFlex Home network. You can upgrade at the Application Store that can be accessed through the Seagate Dashboard software.
The initiative is also designed to catalyse the development of interactive digital content for TVs in Singapore, and support new interactive digital media (IDM) R&D projects as well as the commercialization efforts of IDM applications and services.
