Delhi elections 2020: Voters' slips to have QR code to help identification

Technology will be an important component in the upcoming Delhi polls as voters' slips will carry QR code to facilitate electors and speed up their identification, officials said on Monday. The CEO Office here had recently said that Delhi will be the first state/UT in which a booth app shall be used in every polling station for the first time in the country. "This latest technological innovation will make the poll process fast through use of QR (Quick Response) Code reading of voter slips of electors," a senior official said.

Salvation Army Introduces Kettle Pay for Mobile NFC Donations

Consumers are quickly becoming less and less reliant on carrying physical cash. With debit cards, credit cards, and now even more secure mobile payment solutions approaching universal acceptance, consumers can shop, run errands and navigate day-to-day life without cash. For many, this shift has simplified life, but for organizations like The Salvation Army that are heavily reliant on spontaneous in-person donations, our increasingly cashless society has proved problematic. To adapt to this cashless world in the 2019 holiday season, The Salvation Army worked with both ClearScale and GoToTags to develop a seamless, intuitive mobile payment solution.

QR code mandatory on e-invoicing for Rs 500-cr businesses from Apr 1

Indian business with turnover of more than Rs 500 crore will issue ‘e-invoicing’ with a Quick Response (QR) code from April 1. This among various other provisions is part of five notifications, issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Custom (CBIC) to bring in place ‘e-invoicing’ system. The new invoicing system has been made mandatory for businesses having turnover of Rs 100 crore or more from April 1. ‘E-invoicing’ is a system in which invoices are authenticated electronically by GSTN (GST Network, the IT backbone for new indirect system) for further use on the common GST portal.

PCI SSC Launches New Standards To Secure Contactless Payments

In a bid to secure the commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) payments ecosystem, the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) has published a new standard for contactless near-field communication (NFC) payments using mobile devices. According to a MoneyControl report, the newly launched PCI Contactless Payments on COTS (CPoC) Standard and Supporting Validation Program will help merchants to use lab-tested PCI SSC’s NFC solutions to protect payment data.

Nodle crowdsources IoT connectivity

Nodle is based on a simple premise: What if you could crowdsource the connectivity of smart sensors by offloading it to smartphones? For most sensors, built-in cell connectivity is simply not a realistic option, given how much power it would take. A few years of battery life is quite realistic for a sensor that uses Bluetooth Low Energy. To solve this, the company is looking to cryptocurrency. With Nodle Cash, users automatically earn currency whenever their phones transmit a package to the network. That connection, it’s worth noting, is always encrypted, using Nodle’s Rendezvous protocol.

How RFID can enable omnichannel

The use of RFID by retailers has grown rapidly in North America, where 92% (of 50 North American retailers surveyed) say they are either piloting the technology or have reached full adoption, up from 34% in 2014, according to a 2018 Accenture survey. The use of RFID technology makes it easier for retailers to implement omnichannel retail solutions thanks to the visibility it can provide into inventory, Accenture noted in its report. It found the retailers who adopted RFID were also more likely to have adopted omnichannel.

QR code scams are on the rise

Dilip Bhandari, 30, decided to put his mattress up for sale on an online platform for second-hand goods. Within hours, he was contacted by a man, who claimed to be an army personnel and expressed willingness to buy the mattress for ₹23,500. He then forwarded the seller Bhandari a link to a Quick Response (QR) code and asked him scan it so that he could transfer the money into his account. Seconds after he scanned the QR code, he got a message that ₹10,000 had been debited from his account. He requested him to scan the code again promising to wire the ₹10,000 along with ₹23,500 to his account. 'Bhandari scanned the code again only to see another ₹40,000 disappear from his bank account. When Bhandari tried to call Singh, his mobile phone was not reachable. He filed a complaint,' said the police.

George Laurer, co-inventor of the barcode, dies at 94

George Laurer, the US engineer who helped develop the barcode, has died at the age of 94. Barcodes, which are made up of black stripes of varying thickness and a 12-digit number, help identify products and transformed the world of retail. They are now found on products all over the world. The idea was pioneered by a fellow IBM employee, but it was not until Laurer developed a scanner that could read codes digitally that it took off.

Greenville’s Stark RFID is revolutionizing sports and entertainment events

From 2004 to 2008, Burnett’s first RFID business, Stark Solutions, operated in the construction industry. But when the economy turned and brick sales slowed, he needed new applications. “We kept getting asked about tracking people at events,” he says. “I was like, ‘We can do that. We’ve got the hardware.’ The first one we did was for a PGA Tour event at East Lake.” By using tickets loaded with a microchip and antenna, organizers were able to monitor fan movements down to the second. They discovered the VIP tent was only 20% full at any given time, which meant they could sell a lot more $600 VIP tickets.

USDA cancels another plan to track cattle with RFID devices

Department of Agriculture officials revoked a plan to replace visual tags with radio-frequency tracking for cattle moving interstate. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service officials announced in April that cattle and bison would need radio-frequency tracking tags to cross state lines by January 2023, with some exceptions. In October 2019, however, agency officials said they were revisiting those guidelines in light of livestock industry members’ comments. The U.S. still needs robust abilities to track animals during disease outbreaks and meet expectations of domestic and foreign buyers, and APHIS will provide financial incentives to encourage use of radio-frequency identification devices, October’s announcement states. But agency officials will study the issue before deciding whether to add any requirements.

FBI recommends that you keep your IoT devices on a separate network

The FBI says owners of IoT (Internet of Things) devices should isolate this equipment on a separate WiFi network, different from the one they're using for their primary devices, such as laptops, desktops, or smartphones. "Your fridge and your laptop should not be on the same network," the FBI's Portland office said in a weekly tech advice column. "Keep your most private, sensitive data on a separate system from your other IoT devices," it added. The same advice -- to keep devices on a separate WiFi network or LAN -- has been shared in the past by multiple IT and security experts.

SML Opens U.K. RFID Ideation Space

SML has launched its latest innovation center, known as a Retail Ideation Space (RIS), in Corby, England, to bring RFID technology closer to the U.K. and European retail markets. The center, co-located with SML's newly rebuilt factory and service bureau, includes SML's readers, tags and Clarity software solutions. The Corby Retail Ideation Space is the third such center that SML has opened this year, following the first at its headquarters in Plano, Texas, and the second in Shanghai, China (see SML Opens Retail Ideation Space for Item-Level RFID and SML RFID Opens Retail Ideation Space in China).

Ultra-thin, flexible RFID labels developed for medical and pharmaceutical products

Low-cost, flexible integrated circuits that are thinner than a human hair are now being used to produce “smart” labels for medical and pharmaceutical products thanks to a partnership between label supplier Schreiner MediPharm and electronics company PragmatIC. The new RFID-enabled labels ensure secure identification, traceability and authentication of medical devices and pharmaceuticals based on the “key-lock” principle, said Schreiner MediPharm in a press release. Because they are extremely thin and flexible, the ConnectIC family of chips developed by Cambridge, UK–based startup PragmatIC can be embedded in a range of substrates. Unlike conventional silicon chips, they can fit in vials and syringes with a small radius of curvature, added Schreiner MediPharm.

Google lets you share webpages via QR Code in latest Chrome Canary builds

Sharing webpages between Chrome on different devices became a breeze after Google rolled out an update to the browser in August of this year. That cross-device productivity feature lets users send a webpage from a Windows 10 PC to a mobile device with a single click, provided you've signed in to your Google account. Now, Google appears to have created a new way of quickly sharing a webpage with others, this time via a QR Code. This capability was spotted by Techdows on a new commit and is currently live on the latest builds of Chrome Canary.

Dave & Buster's Taps NFC For In-Store Customer Transactions

Dave & Buster’s has launched a mobile app to take advantage of near field communication (NFC) technology in iOS and Android phones. The app will allow customers at the company’s entertainment and dining facilities to make contactless payments. The tap-to-pay experience will allow for mobile payments for games as well as purchase and instant reloading of the Dave & Buster’s virtual Power Card.

Impinj Introduces Two New RAIN RFID Tag Chips for Retail, Supply Chain and Aviation

Impinj, Inc., a provider of RAIN RFID solutions, recently introduced the Impinj M730 and Impinj M750 integrated circuits, the first tag chips in the company’s family. The Impinj M730 and M750 ICs deliver high performance, fast inventory capability and advanced features for next-generation RAIN RFID tags that can be embedded in nearly any item and that operate worldwide.

The Impinj M730 and M750 ICs deliver increased sensitivity to enable the development of small, universal RAIN RFID tags. The new ICs also allow retailers to operate their RAIN RFID readers faster than with other tag chips, reducing inventory time. Features also include frictionless self-checkout and embedded tagging with product returns.

The Impinj M730 IC has 128-bit EPC memory. The Impinj M750 IC has 96-bit EPC memory and 32-bit user memory. Both new Impinj ICs provide increased sensitivity, improved readability, advanced features, and are compatible with the GS1 UHF Gen2v2 protocol which ISO/IEC standardized as 18000-63. Impinj is now taking orders for the Impinj M730 and M750 ICs with expected delivery starting in the first quarter of 2020. Samples of these ICs are available to all Impinj inlay partners. New products based on the Impinj M730 and M750 ICs are expected over the coming months from leading RAIN RFID inlay manufacturers.

PCI Security Standards Council Publishes New Standard for Contactless Payments

The PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) published a new data security standard for solutions that enable merchants to accept contactless payments using a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) mobile device (e.g., smartphone or tablet) with near-field communication (NFC). Using the PCI Contactless Payments on COTS (CPoC™) Standard and supporting validation program, vendors can provide merchants with contactless acceptance solutions that have been developed and lab-tested to protect payment data.

“Providing the payments industry with standards and resources that support secure payment acceptance in new and emerging card and card-rooted payment channels is a key focus for the Council,” said PCI SSC Standards Officer Emma Sutcliffe. “The PCI CPoC Standard is the second standard released by the Council to address mobile contactless acceptance. Specifically, the PCI CPoC Standard provides security and test requirements for solutions that enable contactless payment acceptance on a merchant COTS device using an embedded NFC reader.”

“Contactless, or tap and go, payment adoption is on the rise globally, and merchants want affordable, flexible and safe options for contactless payment acceptance that allow them to best serve their customers. In addition to PCI Software-based PIN Entry on COTS (SPoC) Solutions that enable contactless payment acceptance with a dongle attached to the mobile COTS device, the PCI CPoC Standard and Program now provide merchants the option to use validated solutions that require no additional hardware to accept contactless transactions,” said PCI SSC Senior Vice President Troy Leach.

The PCI CPoC Standard includes security requirements for vendors on how to protect payment data in CPoC Solutions and test requirements for laboratories (labs) to evaluate these solutions through the supporting validation program. Validated CPoC Solutions are listed on the PCI SSC website as a resource for merchants and acquirers. Program details are outlined in the CPoC Program Guide, which is available now on the PCI SSC website.

Blockchain and RFID Could Address a $180 Billion Problem

A new paper published by the Auburn University RFID Lab suggests two technologies could help retailers, brand owners and logistics providers. Blockchain and RFID could help reduce counterfeiting, which costs retailers and brand owners approximately $98 billion annually, by enabling partners to look up information about specific items and determine whether they are genuine or counterfeit. Chain of custody is established so gray-market diversions could be addressed more effectively. Companies could view when an item left the legitimate supply chain and was diverted into the gray market. Blockchain and RFID could also help companies identify where shrink (a $47 billion problem) is occurring. For example, if RFID-tagged items were read as they entered a warehouse, but were never read leaving the warehouse, that data would be easy to find by examining the blockchain entries.

Arion Bank picks Dejamobile for in-app NFC mobile payments

Iceland’s Arion Bank has added NFC mobile payments to its mobile banking app — a key step, the bank has told What’s New in Payments, towards achieving its goal of ensuring the app’s status as the country’s leading all-in-one mobile financial service. The bank is using Dejamobile’s ReadyToTap Payments platform to add NFC payments to its Android mobile banking app and worked with payments solution provider Valitor to deliver the project. Arion Bank is a full service financial institution and is Iceland’s leading digital bank.

Is the world ready for California’s new IoT laws?

Two laws that deal with data privacy and IoT device security will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. Fortunately, most people building connected devices are ready for the transition, especially companies with big names and budgets. Also at an advantage are businesses that have had to adapt to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GPDR), which went into effect in May 2018. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is probably the law with the most impact on businesses. Like GDPR, it aims to protect Californian’s consumer data and privacy by demanding that companies inform consumers about the data they, delete an individual’s data upon request, allow Californians to opt out of the sale of their data to third parties, and prohibit companies from charging more for features that protect privacy.

Bannister Lake Provides On-Air QR Code Functionality to Canada's 'Today's Shopping Choice'

Bannister Lake has added QR codes to "Today's Shopping Choice" on-air graphic presentation, creating new purchase possibilities for viewers. Bannister Lake has a long-standing relationship with the popular home shopping broadcaster, having created and implemented software solutions that are integral to the channel's production workflow.

Bannister Lake's established BL XPF Generator solution automatically pulls all the visual assets associated with the featured products that are scheduled during a specific TSC segment and in turn generates a Ross XPression graphic sequence that can be taken to air instantly. By adding QR codes to the asset mix through Bannister Lake software, TSC can drive additional sales while providing audiences with supplementary product information.

TSC viewers scan the QR code with their smartphones and are taken to a corresponding webpage to learn more about the product and make the purchase. This provides an additional path to purchase and is welcomed by tech-savvy viewers.

Bannister Lake has previously worked with TSC developing and implementing BL Macros, a custom solution that allows operators to call up special supporting graphics as required. These graphics include countdown timers, items sold, items remaining, and available sizes.

Barcodes still drive data

Barcode devices bring consistency to organisations, enabling predictable operations for enhanced product quality by combining various data management functions while preventing bottlenecks at data entry stations. By having the right barcode printing and labelling system in place, one that is proven and reliable enables a single source of truth data management. It also provides companies with relevant, accurate, and insightful information so leadership can make timely, informed decisions that control costs and ensure performance. For example, after rolling out 635 devices across 20 facilities in two months, Zebra Technologies helped Whirlpool move from managing devices with spreadsheets to managing and analysing device utilisation, location, and performance from one location and dashboard. Today, Whirlpool can ensure that each distribution centre has a proper mix of equipment based on usage statistics.

Hang Seng brings mobile ATM withdrawals to Hong Kong

Withdrawing cash from one of Hang Seng Bank's 600 ATMs in Hong Kong will soon be as easy as using a mobile phone to tap an NFC device or scan a QR code. In early December, Hang Seng, one of Hong Kong’s most extensive banking networks, will launch a mobile cash withdrawal service, making it the first bank in Hong Kong to offer the use of NFC technology for ATM cash withdrawals, according to a company press release. 

Forget the QR code. Facial recognition could be the next big thing for payments in China

Scanning a barcode to make payments in China could soon be a thing of the past, as technology giants such as Tencent are now studying the use of facial and fingerprint recognition for such transactions. Most people in China pay using their mobile phones to scan QR codes — a type of barcode system. They do so via the two most popular mobile payment platforms: Tencent’s WeChat Pay and Alibaba’s payments arm Alipay.

Ten Million Egyptian Cars to be Tracked via RFID

Egypt's Ministry of Interior (MOI) plans to identify millions of vehicles as they travel on the country's roads, using an RFID solution from Go+, with hardware and software provided byKathrein Solutions in cooperation with Wireless Dynamics. The system, which will be implemented across approximately 10 million of the country's vehicles throughout the next five years, consists of passive UHF RFID stickers attached to each car's windshield, as well as tags on headlamps that respond to interrogation from readers installed above roadways, even at high speeds. The nation of Egypt faces a growing challenge related to traffic and the management of all cars operating on its roadways. Some vehicles are unregistered, while others may have been cited for traffic violations and should not be on the roads at all.

74% of Internet users unaware of QR Code Spam despite growing problem

Seventy four per cent of British internet users have never heard of QR code spam, according to a recent representative survey commissioned by European email provider GMX. This is despite a significant increase in QR code spam being detected by GMX email security experts. They analysed how spammers change their methods by running so called ‘honey traps’, which are special email accounts without spam filters which aim to attract as much spam as possible. The analysis of the contents of these traps show that QR code spam is trending in 2019 top spam methods.

QR codes are scannable two-dimensional barcodes that direct smartphone users to websites or other downloadable content. The QR codes have become extremely popular in recent years as they allow consumers to download apps, initiate customer service, access WiFi networks and purchase products.

But QR code spam can also lead to websites that contain malware. Once you scan the code your smartphone may get infected by a virus which can then steal money from the mobile wallet or download ransomware which encrypts personal data for a payment. Sometimes the scam is even more direct. A customer wishing to pay for goods or services may scan a QR code expecting the payment to go directly to the provider, but the money is instead redirected to a criminal’s bank account.

7 best QR code generators of 2020

The main benefit of QR code is its versatility. QR codes can be used for almost anything. Whether you want to pass on information to your customers or offer them great item offers, you can do it with a QR code. They can link e-commerce and offline commerce with each other. The maximum exposure that your conversion rate can get from a single QR code can potentially boost up your revenue. Here is a list of 7 best QR code generators which are free of cost and can help you to generate a slick QR code for your business.

Tile trackers will warn when you've left your bag at the coffee shop

Tile's trackers already help you find lost items, but now they might help you before the wave of panic hits. The company is relaunching Smart Alerts in beta to automatically warn when you've left a tracked item behind if it's been there for at least five minutes. If you rush out of the coffee shop without your bag, you'll ideally get an alert before you've reached your car. You'll need a Premium subscription ($30 per year or $3 per month), but it might be a small price to pay if you can't bear the thought of leaving a valuable item alone for more than a few minutes. The beta will be available in December.