NAIAS 2016: GMC launches 2017 Acadia crossover focusing on safety

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Detroit, MI- GMC took the wraps off its redesigned line of Acadai crossover vehicles designed for the needs of families and which now boast more safety features and a sportier profile while reducing up to 700 pounds of weight and improved mileage.

In tune with GM's push for improved technology across all their car brands, the GMC Acadia features the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

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BlackBerry Virtual Expert app comes to Android

With the release of the BlackBerry Priv, it was inevitable that the company’s self-guided diagnostics app will launch on Google Play. The Virtual Expert app basically gives your device a “health assessment” to see if everything is running as it should. It’ll put your device through various hardware tests to see if everything is working properly. It’s customized to whatever BlackBerry device you are using. In the case of the Priv, it can test things out like camera and camera display, keyboard, vibrator, stereo headsets, to name a few. After testing, it’ll send you a summary of the results. If there are any issues, then you can show that your provider and get it fixed.

Source: Android Community | Download: Google Play Store (Free)

There won’t be an extended cut for ‘The Force Awakens’ Blu-ray edition

If you were thinking scoring the Blu-ray version of Star Wars: The Force Awakens will score you extra footage you didn’t see in the cinema, well you thought wrong. The film’s director J.J. Abrams has said there will be extras in the DVD/Blu-ray release but these will come in the form of deleted scenes from the movie. He hasn’t specified though how many scenes or how long these scenes will run.  Abrams said during the recent panel that the first cut of The Force Awakens clocked in at two hours and 50 minutes, which is 35 minutes longer than what we saw at the cinemas. Unfortunately, we don’t know yet when the DVD/Blu-ray editions of the new Star Wars trilogy will come out.

Source: EW + SlashGear

Starbucks expands reach of Mobile Order & Pay in Canada

It’ll now be easier for Starbucks customers in Toronto and Vancouver to get their favorite beverages with the expansion of its Mobile Order & Pay service. Starting January 12 in Toronto and January 19 in Vancouver, customers can use either their Android or iOS devices to get their drink of choice faster and easier. Starbucks initially launched feature for iOS in Toronto back in October 2015. Mobile Order & Pay lets you skip the lines at your favorite Starbucks by placing your order and paying within. It will even show you estimated pick up times. It comes seamlessly integrated into Starbucks’s mobile app and is tied in with the My Starbucks Rewards loyalty program.

Starbucks boasts they are the first national retailer to offer mobile payment technology that combined with a loyalty program. According to the company, the mobile payment service already represents 18 percent of all in store transactions in Canadian Starbucks stores.

Download: Apple App Store (Free) + Google Play Store (Free)