Feed aggregator

An anonymous reader quotes a report from ZDNet: The next few years will see billions of users regularly using facial recognition technology to secure payments made through their smartphone, tablets or smartwatches, according to new analysis carried out by Juniper Research. Smartphone owners are already used to staring at their screens to safely unlock their devices without having to dial in a secret code; now, facial recognition will increasingly be deployed to verify the identity of a user making a payment with their handset, whether that's via an app or directly in-store, in wallet mode. In addition to facial features, Juniper Research's analysts predict that a host of biometrics will be used to authenticate mobile payments, including fingerprint, iris and voice recognition. Biometric capabilities will reach 95% of smartphones globally by 2025, according to the researchers; by that time, users' biological characteristics will be authenticating over $3 trillion-worth of payment transactions -- up from $404 billion in 2020. [...] "All you need for software-based facial recognition is a front-facing camera on the device and accompanying software," Nick Maynard, lead analyst at Juniper Research, tells ZDNet. "In a hardware-based system, there will be additional hardware layers that add additional security levels. It's increasingly important to differentiate because hardware-based systems are the more secure of the two." Maynard's research shows that between now and 2025, the number of handsets using hardware-based systems will grow by a dramatic 376% to reach 17% of smartphones. Juniper expects the number of smartphone owners using [software-based facial recognition systems] to secure payments to grow by 120% to 2025, to reach 1.4 billion devices -- that is, roughly 27% of smartphones globally. "Hardware-based systems obviously have additional costs per device," adds Maynard, "but the reason it is growing well is really that Apple has been driving it forward. They've made the technology a part of their high-end devices, and shown that hardware-based facial recognition technology can be done and can be very secure." "Software-based facial recognition is strong because it's very easy to deploy," Maynard continues, "but we are expecting a shift towards hardware-based systems as software becomes invalidated by fraudster approaches. Fraudster methods are always evolving, and the hardware needs to evolve with it."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Britain is not expected to use any of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine before June at the earliest, by which time most adults will already have been vaccinated with something else.

In a video posted on Facebook and captioned "Lion king McGregors," the former UFC champion, 32, is seen encouraging son Conor Jnr to retaliate after he admitted to being punched on the back.

Machines developed by the Cardiff-based Thermal Compaction Group can compact bags of PPE into large, reusable plastic blocks in the space of an hour.

Missing cat Rocky was found trapped under solar panels above a house in Dinas Powys in the Vale of Glamorgan last month after they heard her meowing for help.

Water has accumulated in tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi plant since March 2011, when it was hit by an earthquake and a tsunami. The plant's water storage capacity is expected to be full by the end of 2022.

Prosecutors say the men, who called themselves Group S, were planning attacks on Mosques, Jews, asylum seekers and politicians that they hoped would cause anarchy and overthrow the government.

A THIRD Covid-19 vaccine is being delivered to sites across England today, but Essex will not receive them just yet.

A THIRD Covid-19 vaccine is being delivered to sites across England today, but Essex will not receive them just yet.

Nicola Sturgeon said from Friday stay local rules are being dropped in Scotland, and six people from six different households will be allowed to meet outdoors.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said all adults can still legally get 'appropriate pastoral support including prayer' in religious settings in the 'exploration of their sexual orientation'.

Nick Clegg, usually a staunch supporter of the bloc, said 'something has gone very badly wrong' in the pandemic response.

The stepson of hotel tycoon Sir Richard Sutton is facing a three-week trial in Winchester Crown Court after being charged over his murder.

Self-confessed 'prophet of doom' Chris Hopson, chief of the medical union NHS Providers, said 'we are likely to have a third and potentially fourth wave'. He called for longer curbs, including mask wearing.

Sounds kind of like a vaccination passport for California offices

Salesforce has waded into the heated debate over vaccine passports, suggesting they may be a means of getting employees back into the office. Just don't call them vaccine passports.…

Bone Idol groomers in Brighton, East Sussex, shared some of the dramatic transformations after pooches were given a much-needed trim on their first day of reopening after lockdown on Monday.

The Duke of Edinburgh will be borne to St George's Chapel in Windsor in the back of his self-designed hearse, one of two 'open top' hybrid Land Rovers developed with the help of the Army.

Temperatures are set to reach double figures

Office for National Statistics data showed 400 people had the virus mentioned on their death certificates in England and Wales over the week to April 2. This was the lowest level since October.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT. Samantha, 28, from Birmingham, claimed she was left 'deformed' and had to have 'life-saving' surgery after a £10,000 mummy makeover in Mexico.