iBeacon gaining ground with Hudson's Bay, Lord & Taylor, Monk, and Hilton rollouts

Apple's iBeacon proximity sensor and communication technology is picking up steam as various retails stores are starting to deploy the technology to reach out to users of iOS devices and push opt-in updates on sales, rebates and other store and product-related information. Lord & Taylor (sister company of Hudson's Bay) and German restaurant group Monk as well as the Hilton group of hotels are going to rollout the technology soon. 

The Hudson's Bay is working with iBeacon provider Swirl on a system that will deliver location-aware content to its outlets. The initial rollout will target a number of Lord & Taylor and Hudson's Bay locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, including the flagship Hudson's Bay store in Toronto.  

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Mac OS X Yosemite Public Beta reviewer tips

Beta software is a work in progress which means various features are still being tweaked and refined before the golden master or final build. That said, there's a great opportunity to get a chance to experience the latest and greatest versuon of Apple's desktop and notebook OS. Now that OS X Yosemite is available to those who signed up for the public beta, here are some reminders worth considering before you install the new OS from Cupertino.

Public beta tips:

• This is beta software that is still in development, which means some applications and services may not work as expected.

• We recommend installing OS X Yosemite Beta on a secondary Mac (i.e. not your primary work or school machine).

• Make a back up of your Mac before installing

• Some features require iOS 8, which is not being offered as part of the OS X Beta Program. 

• There will be periodic updates to the OS X Yosemite Beta, and you will be able to upgrade to the final version of OS X Yosemite when it ships this fall.

• Use your Mac as you normally would and if you encounter any issues, use the built-in Feedback Assistant app to report them

• Visit the OS X Beta Program guide for the latest information about the Yosemite beta and how to submit feedback

Preview: Mac OS X Yosemite Public Beta

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla 

One year after what looked to be a massive revamp in look, feel, user experience and naming convention, Mac OS X has undergone and even more dramatic and comprehensive makeover with Mac OS X Yosemite. 

While expected to ship in the fall, there’s currently a Public Beta version of Yosemite available to interested beta testers who are welcome to join Apple engineers and developers in experiencing, testing and fine tuning this most innovative of operating systems. Hit jump to read my first impressions of this new OS.

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Motorola Moto E now available contract-free from Staples for $179

Motorola's entry-level smartphone, the Moto E,  is now available unlocked at Staples for $179. And if the price hasn’t excited you enough, here’s an overview of specs included in this great value device:

• Corning Gorilla Glass and a water-resistant splash guard to help protect it for lasting durability
•  1980 mAh battery so you can go all day without plugging in
• Powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with dual-core CPU and 1GB RAM, all the power you need to multi-task without slowing down
• 5MP rear-facing camera with Motorola’s streamlined camera interface; touch anywhere on the screen to take a shot, capture panoramic pictures or record video
• microSD slot for up to 32GB of expandable memory to save photos, videos, music, movies and apps
• Built-in FM radio
• Interchangeable backplates (sold separately)

For more information about Moto E, please visit Motorola.ca or Staples.ca