Easypaisa, NRDP ink agreement

ISLAMABAD: Easypaisa has recently signed an agreement with National Rural Development Programme (NRDP) to provide convenient solution for loan repayments and disbursements, said a press release.

Around 8,000 customers of the NRDP can visit any nearby Easypaisa shop or use their ‘Easypaisa Mobile Account’ to deposit their loan instalment in time.

Samsung new smartwatch can make calls

SEOUL: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Thursday unveiled what it said was the first smartwatch capable of making and receiving calls without a mobile phone nearby, in the South Korean firm’s latest effort to find a new growth driver.

The world’s biggest smartphone maker has been pushing hard to develop the wearable devices market as it looks to counter slowing earnings in its mobile division, which led to weaker-than-expected second-quarter earnings.

Samsung is hardly alone in pushing wearables, which have yet to catch on with consumers. Rival Apple Inc is expected to launch its own device this year and LG Electronics Inc on Thursday announced its new G Watch R smartwatch featuring a circular plastic OLED screen, a stainless steel frame and leather strap.

Samsung’s new smartwatch, called the Gear S, differs from its predecessors with a bigger 2-inch (5 cm) curved display and offers features like WiFi connectivity, pedestrian navigation and a built-in GPS. This device will run on Samsung’s nascent Tizen operating system.

Samsung said the Gear S will start selling from October. It did not give details on pricing or where it will be available.—Reuters

Apple sends out invites to Sept 9 event

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple on Thursday sent out invitations to an event on September 9 near its Silicon Valley headquarters, amid rumors the tech giant will unveil a new iPhone and maybe a wearable device.

The famously secretive company offered scant clues in emailed invites that showed the date in large numbers over the words: “Wish we could say more. “The event will be held in Cupertino, California.

Rumors about Apple’s plans have been swirling for months, with many observers convinced a new-generation iPhone with a larger screen could be on the cards.

Technology news website Re/code on Wednesday fueled flames of speculation with a report that Apple will finally embark on a foray into wearable computing.

The tech giant is expected to merge style and innovation, along with sensors and computing power, in a wrist-worn device that links wirelessly to iPhones or iPads.

Apple typically updates its product cycle in the second half of the year, getting a lift from holiday sales.

Last year, it unveiled the iPhone 5S and the lower-priced iPhone 5C in September, getting record sales at the launch.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2014