Banking Trends 2014

Self Service

The top trend for banking in 2014 will be to provide more customer access and functionality for self-serve options. The predominant discussion regarding technology focuses on whether banks can match customers’ want and need for mobile applications that address their changing requirements.  Many banks are providing solutions to customers through remote applications that their staff cannot perform at their own banking centers and call centers. Making this consistent will become a necessary technology in 2014.  Tablet applications will be advancing to point-of-sale staff in banks so that the face of the bank is uniform and not on two generations, as it is viewed by customers today. There has been much discussion about a cloud-based design and, if this  strategic direction is selected, the shift will come quickly.

Identity 2.0

The most important bank tech trend will be the adoption of “Identity 2.0”—augmenting the contact center’s authentication process with predictive analytics across voice biometric, account, call and other metadata. Verifying identity becomes not just a fixed question-and-answer process, but a data science across multiple factors. By analyzing an interaction via a combination of “voiceprint” screening and other predictive factors, financial institutions can stop more attacks and fraudulent transactions, better identify and track known fraudsters, and improve the authentication process for legitimate customers.

 The Customer Service Experience

This will include continued enhancements to online dashboards that place greater control in the hands of customers. Gone are the days of banks determining what and how information is presented to customers at the point of login to online banking sites. Through the use of customization tools and widgets, customers will determine their experience and have faster and easier access to the information they choose. The banks will also have their own dashboards better informing them of customer needs, profitability, and product usage so they can better serve them. The ways in which information is presented will also advance. Finally, as mobile payment capabilities advance in consumer banking, the corporate side of the bank will play catch up with new mobile offerings for both the smartphone and tablet.

Advanced Analytics  Customers and  Business

Armed with this information, banks have an opportunity to significantly impact the success of their marketing efforts to both new and existing customers. Social media is one component of the Big Data equation. The key to successfully utilizing social data lies in transforming it into truly actionable insights by layering in analytics and combining it with other sources of data. Social media, Big Data, and Predictive Analytics are some of the forces reshaping the way that bank marketers think about their roles.

Find My Phone

Apple’s iOS 7, which has some new security measures intended to deter theft, New York’s finest and other police agencies around the U.S. are making an effort to get people to download it.

The new feature is called Activation Lock (read the official information from Apple here) and basically what it does is force anyone who has the phone — including anyone who has stolen it — to enter an Apple ID and password before they can turn off the “Find My Phone” security feature, erase it or reactivate it.

Naturally, this feature is helpful to police who are often called upon to locate stolen phones, so they’re pushing iPhone owners to download the new OS.

Earlier in the week, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and San Francisco’s District Attorney George Gascón issued a joint statement praising Apple and urging people to download iOS 7.

The NYPD were handing out fliers as well.

Hackers and Your Phone Photos

A new  technology, used by hackers, can allow them to track  and pinpoint your exact geographic location of the posted pictures.

Hackers can track down your location on the web and find your home address, the school you or your children attend, your place of work or any place you visit. With a click of the mouse, online predators can can access multiple online media sites and search to find exactly where your pictures were taken.Smartphones  can leave an invisible locator trail of all the information you access on the web.

Potential hackers access websites such as ………. and repost pictures that people upload online without their knowledge. When doing this they can translate the photos address to the picture.

You can disable this geo-tag service function on your smartphone by going to the “Settings” section of your phone and turning off the location services for your pictures.

So, before you post your pictures online, make sure you take all precautions to assure your privacy is not violated

Since Time Warner’s Removial of CBS There Has been A spike in Piracy

 Seemingly, as a direct result of the blackout, the percentage of unauthorized downloads from affected regions has risen pretty dramatically this week.  Piracy rates of the popular show “Under The Dome” shot up 34% over the weekend, while official ratings dropped. When fans can’t get a show such as”Under The Dome”  through legal channels they often resort to pirated alternatives.In New York City, one of the largest affected markets, the relative piracy rate more than doubled from 1.3% of all U.S. downloads last week to 3% for the episode that aired after the blackout. As long as this stalemate continues it’s expected that more TV fans will turn to unauthorized channels to watch their favorite shows, and never return.

Healthcare & Technology

 Venture capitalists have invested $955 million in the healthcare IT industry. The federal government of the United States is planning to invest nearly $29 billion as incentives to motivate hospitals and clinics to digitize their healthcare records.

1. Watson is the name of the supercomputer that the researchers at IBM are developing in order to help doctors make better diagnoses and treatment recommmendations. Physicians can depend on Watson to keep track of the patient’s history, keep abreast with the recent medical research and evaluate treatment options. In the later part of the current year, doctors at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center in New York will begin testing ‘Dr. Watson’.
2. Science Applications International Corporation or SAIC has developed a translation program for physicians and other professionals in the medical field. It is called Omnifluent Health. The range of products involves a great mobile application which allows doctors to speak into the application. For instance, if a patient suffers from an allergic condition due to penicillin, the message can be translated into another language instantly. Given the fact there are more than 50 million U.S. residents who do not speak fluent English, the program can work as a boon for physicians who require relying on translators in order to communicate with their patients.
3. Can social networking help physicians work together better to take care of their patients? The answer is yes and Doximity has made it possible. It is a social network designed exclusively for physicians. With the help of Doximity, physicians throughout the United States can make an online discussion on different critical cases. This venture has received a whopping $27 million of funding.
4. The connection between doctors and patients is now easier.  Sherpaa, a New York City start-up which provides patients with medical consultations both online and over the phone. Patients can get advice from some of the leading medical specialists of the city. Tumblr is one of the big names who have become a part of this service.
5. Staying energetic, sleeping well and eating good – these three are an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. An increasing number of mobile applications and gadgets are designed to motivate people to make healthy choices when it comes to their lifestyle. Fitbit is a pedometer. It keeps track of daily sleep and activity using social networking and gaming to encourage the users.Lark, a silent alarm clock and sleep monitor tracks and evaluates an individual’s  sleep habits over time. It offers advice on how to get better rest. 

Along with these, there are several other food-monitoring, menu-tracking and calorie-counting applications to alarm the foodies and help the diet-conscious people. 

 The healthcare industry has been waiting for a much-needed boost. The wait is said to be worth it.  Although the implementation of mobile applications and medical translation tools is in a preliminary stage, the technological advancements can upgrade patient treatment and save a considerable amount in health care costs. 

iPhone and Fingerprints

 

Apple reports that the  latest prerelease version of the operating software iOS 7 for iPhones and iPads that will be released later this year contains a folder called “BiometricKit UI”.

The folder contains code that says the phone will display a photo of a person holding an iPhone while touching their thumb on the home button and then will display a fingerprint image that changes colour during the setup process. Apple bought a fingerprint sensor company Authentec last year for $365 million. Authentec makes technology that cannot only identified fingerprints through scanning but also identifies the different fingers, so that each finger can be assigned a different task.

It’s certain whether Apple would use fingerprint scanning as a way letting people log into their phone, rather than type a PIN, or whether it would be linked to an eCommerce transaction system.

Apple so far has not installed Near Field Communication into its phones, which is the wireless communication system preferred by other smartphone makers including Samsung that lets people pay for goods by touching their phone against a scanner.

There also are rumours the new iPhone range will include a budget model that has been labelled the iPhone 5C.

 

 

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AT & T Follows Behind T-Mobile With Frequent Upgrades

AT&T Inc customers will be able to upgrade  their phones once a year instead of waiting two years. AT&T is defending itself against challenges from T-Mobile US . AT&T’s latest offering, does  not require upfront device fees, comes as the No. 2 U.S. mobile provider strives to regain the market share it has been losing to market leader Verizon Wireless, and to fight back against tougher competition from smaller rivals like fourth-ranked T-Mobile US. AT&T’s offer, soon to be available on July 26, appeared to be a direct response to T-Mobile’s announcement last week that its customers can now upgrade smartphones as often as twice a year. AT&T will charge customers $15 to $50 per month, depending on the device, on top of monthly service fees under the new offering, which does not require a long-term service contract. By excluding upfront device fees in its plan, AT&T is hoping to compete with T-Mobile US, which still requires an upfront payment. T-Mobile US Chief Marketing Officer Mark Sievert says the monthly phone installments is a “trick” to get more money out of customers because it is not changing its monthly service fees. “If you’re going to charge separately for the phone like they’re doing then you need to reduce the price of the service. Otherwise you’re paying twice for the same phone.” According to data reported a Wall Street Journal article, Americans are upgrading their devices less often as innovation slows and current smartphones are more than adequate for their needs.

Microsoft’s Smart Watch Supposed To Surface In 2014

Sources indicated that the watch will be available in a number of different colors (red, yellow, black, grey, white and blue), and that the watch will be made out of Oxynitride Aluminum. Oxynitride is 80% transparent, however, it is four times harder than glass. The Surface watch will run an adapted version of Windows 8, and will have its own built-in radios so it can be used independently from a smartphone. Both Apple and Microsoft’s smart watches are rumored to be coming late next year.

Apple Aggressively Hiring For Their iWatch Project

It appears that sources familiar with the company’s plans spoke to the Financial Times, stating that designing such a product involves “hard engineering problems that they’ve not been able to solve”. The fact that Apple are running into problems also mean that it’s likely that device won’t be launched “until the latter part of next year”.

The smart watch market is  set to esculate over the next couple of years. What started out as an icon of crowd-funding success (MetaWatchand Pebble are notable examples) has become an attractive target for virtually any tech company with a hardware arm. Dell has suggested that they’ll be joining the boom, and everyone from Microsoft to Sony to Samsung have hinted at a project or already brought a device to market. However, although smart watches are becoming increasingly popular that have their limitations.

The devices are hindered by inadequate battery life, low-resolution screens and under-developed apps that fail to sync, have difficulties displaying on small screens or just don’t function.

Another difficulty to navigate is the social status of the watch. Whether you choose to wear a Patek Philippe or a Casio F-91W will reveal something about your character (and your income) – be it aspirational or apathetic. The caché carried by a phone is similar in kind, but not in degree: smartphones have all trended towards the black-slice-of-glass aesthetic and remain hidden in your pocket anyway – a watch is on display all the time.

 Apple is said to have up to 50 employees working on solving the challenges posed by developing an iWatch.

Technology To Prevent Lost Luggage

 

New technology is in the works and has the potential to prevent lost luggage dramas. Airbus’ prototype, Bag2Go, is smart luggage that uses GPS and cellphone technology to keep track of luggage through the travel process. 

 Airbus’ Bag2Go luggage is equipped with numerous sensors that can be used to track your luggage as you travel.

Specifically, the luggage contains a GPS tracking device, a 2G mobile chip and an RFID chip. These connectivity elements could be used in conjunction with an iPhone app (it is assumed that Android would be supported as well) and handling systems in an airport to keep track of your checked baggage at all times.

The case is able to alert the owner when it has been opened, either by TSA security workers or perhaps the prying eyes of someone else. The luggage even comes with a scale built into the handle to allow users to weigh it before getting to the airport. Airbus reportedly worked with German luggage maker Rimowa and T-Mobile to create the prototype.

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Photos and Metadata

 

Well we’ve all heard so much talk about phone metadata. Theres also photo metadata. Hidden inside every digital photo is an Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) metadata text file containing information that can help legal professionals learn many different things about the image, such as who took, when and where it was taken, and with what type of equipment.

EXIF data can be used to glean insight from photos provided by clients as well as to identify and manage images taken by law office attorneys and staff. Yet many lawyers don’t fully understand how to effectively use EXIF metadata, or even know that such files exist. 

EXIF metadata  can include valuable information, such as a shot’s technical specifications, the type of camera used, the camera’s serial number and the date and time when the image was taken. Many newer cameras also come with GPS systems that automatically record exact location coordinates and altitude into the EXIF file.

Standard forensic tools, such as Forensic Toolkit from AccessData and EnCase from Guidance Software, can be used to access and examine EXIF metadata. Other programs that allow direct EXIF file viewing include photo-editing programs, such as Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, and viewer applications like Exif Viewer (Windows) and iExifer (Mac).

What can an attorney learn from  EXIF metadata ? Actually a great deal. An attorney defending or prosecuting a child pornography suspect can, for example, can look at evidence photos’ EXIF files to see if they contain any “smoking gun” information, like GPS coordinates that match a specific location, such as the defendant’s home or the school he works at.  The photo’s metadata can be checked  for the camera brand and model, camera serial number, lens type, “artist” tag and various other fields to see if they match known facts about the photo’s creator. EXIF data can also help settle property disputes when theres a disagreement as to when or where a photo was taken.

EXIF metadata can be altered by anyone with the knowledge and motivation to do so. This fact must be taken into consideration before an attorney plans to submit metadata as courtroom evidence. The possibility of EXIF metadata alteration doesn’t necessarily preclude its use as evidence, but an attorney may need to prove a chain of custody and show that the files never fell into the hands of anyone who could benefit by changing any of the information.

Digital Currencies and The Smart Phone

Sixty three percent of Delegates at the   21st International Payments Summit believe real-time payment services are the key ingredient for future growth. It appears that Bitcoins has been  rising in prominence and growing acceptance amongst merchants. Despite acknowledging the role that digital payments play in generating an immediate transfer of funds, 24% of delegates at the summit believe existing “legacy systems” mean that changes to payment structures can be difficult or risky.

 

 

 

 

http://news.sky.com/story/1096896/digital-currencies-get-smartphone-boost

Restaurant Technology

Restaurant technology is booming as savvy consumers continue to expect more from their favorite eateries, and restaurateurs strive to plug into new advancements. Communication is key, whether between customers and staff, or behind the scenes, and many of the new restaurant technologies address that priority.  In an industry that has been slow to embrace modern technology, many establishments are stepping up to make the most of cutting-edge restaurant technology.Restaurant technology that improves customer service is one of the biggest trends. Finding ways to incorporate mobile app technology into the restaurant experience is a hot topic. Netpage Unlimited( NPU) is an on-location, organization-wide, web-based messaging solution. More than a wireless paging system, this solution enables easy communication with customers and staff through texting, pagers, and emails. This system enables restaurants to manage a wait list, delegate staff responsibilities, provide real-time data to management, and more, all from a central command station.