Apple unloads new accessories for upcoming devices

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

While a lot of the focus of Apple’s event this week was on the iPhone SE and the iPad Pro (9.7-inch) models, we also got a lot of new Apple accessories across the line.

Apple is fast becoming the premier maker of Apple product accessories. Not only does it now make a ton of Apple Watch straps in a variety of materials, colours and styles, they’ve also been releasing a variety of other accessories worth considering. The company has recently put up an accessory subsection on their website and even have a Made by Apple designation which already tells you that you can expect quality accessories tailor-fit for your device, for a price.

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MasterCard to launch Selfie Pay verification for online payments and e-commerce

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Toronto - MasterCard Canada showed off their enhanced two-factor authorization feature called Selfie Pay today which is being launched as  a pilot for corporate card users and which is expected to be made available to customers of the Bank of Montreal and other participating banks in the Summer.

Previously called 'MasterCard Identity Check,' the service leverages exisiting smartphone technologies like the fingerprint sensors on Android devices as well as Touch ID on recent Apple iPhones as well as the front-facing cameras to help confirm a person's identity in the event of online purchases.

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Sony and LG chosen as Netflix recommended TVs

LG and Sony models have been given the nod by Netflix and recommended TVs which offer faster performance, and improved playback experience for users. What makes specific models more beloved by Netflix? 

The first TV manufacturers to achieve the Netflix Recommended TV designation for 2016 models are:

• LG - for UHD TVs with webOS 3.0
• Sony - for Android 4K UHD TVs

Check here for the specific models that received the designation.

Among other benefits, these TVs both have Instant On so that the TV wakes quickly, and Internet TV services and smart menu features are ready to use right away. They also have TV Resume, which means when Netflix was the last used app, the TV comes right back to Netflix when turned back on again -- just like smartphones and tablets do today. Overall, these devices deliver faster performance and easier access to the most popular services. 

Watch Apple's hypnotic Liam robot take apart old iPhones

There were various nuggets in Apple's Spring product launch event yesterday that were easy to miss. The introduction of Liam, a robot used to take apart and properly dispose of discarded iPhones, was not one of them. Anyone who has had to repair or disassemble technology knows that it is not an easy task. Yet, Liam manages to strip away Apple's well put-together iPhones with little fuss and in quite an elegant way. Liam can reportedly take apart 1.2 million iPhones a year.

The video above does speak to Apple's Renew initiative and heavy focus on the environment. This is the first example I have seen where each component and how it is disposed or recycled is explained.