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Facebook now lets you transfer posts to Google Docs and Wordpress.com
Facebook's data tool now lets you transfer notes and posts to Google Docs, Blogger and Wordpress.
Facebook lets users transfer photos and videos to Dropbox
Facebook users can now transfer photos and videos to Google Photos, Dropbox or EU-based Koofr.
Some Canon cameras can now upload images straight to Google Photos
Canon users can now upload photos directly from their cameras to Google Photos via WiFi.
Facebook lets users in the US and Canada move media to Google Photos
Facebook users in the US and Canada can now transfer their photos and videos to Google Photos thanks to a new data portability tool. The feature is part of the Data Transfer Project, an agreement between Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter to simplify data transfers. Facebook introduced the tool late last year, and it is already available in several other countries.
Dropbox's 100GB file-transfer feature is out of beta
This summer, Dropbox introduced a new feature called Transfer as a private beta. The goal was to solve a longstanding issue with sharing files via Dropbox. For years, users have been able to share files, but changes made to the file on either the sending or receiving end would sync. That was great for collaborating, but it was less than ideal for, say, sharing files with a client. Transfer aims to solve that, and now, it's available to all users.
Windows 'Your Phone' app gives you access to Android files on a PC
If you have an Android device and happen to be a Windows Insider in the Fast ring, as well, you're among the first people who can take Microsoft's "Your Phone" app for a spin. Microsoft has started testing the experimental application, which gives you easy access to the files on your phone from a Windows 10 PC. Sure, you can use third-party and cloud services (or you can email yourself), but the feature promises a more seamless way to access files across devices. When you access Your Phone on a computer, you'll see the most recent snapshots on your Android device. You'll then be able to drag and drop them straight into another app, like PowerPoint if you're doing a presentation.
Google is reportedly working on an AirDrop-like file transfer app
Google has a history of working on apps and services for more rural, data-lacking locations around the globe, like its mobile wallet for users in India and a search-lite app for Indonesian folks. Now, according to a now-pulled app on Google Play reported by 9to5Google, the company is testing a new Files Go app. According to now-pulled Play Store images, the app is intended to transfer files wirelessly, even without an internet connection, much like Apple's AirDrop tech.
PayPal taps into your Chase and Citibank accounts
Paypal-owned mobile payment app Venmo opened up third-party app support last year in an attempt to capture more money via more merchant transactions, including those from Poshmark, Parking Panda, and Delivery.com. The service has a competitor, of course, backed by more than 30 major US banks. Zelle promises easy money transfer between the bank's own apps without having to go through a middleman like Paypal or Facebook Messenger. Two of the banks involved with Zelle, Citibank and Chase, however, have just partnered with Paypal.
You can now tell Siri to send money via PayPal
Siri is still very much a walled garden, but Apple has slowly begun opening its voice assistant to third parties. At its WWDC keynote back in June, the company confirmed app makers could let iPhone and iPad users send and receive money via Siri, with Square Cash and Monzo becoming the first to tap into that functionality. Now, bigger players are tapping into hands-free money transfers, after PayPal announced it too now lets users in over 30 countries send and request money via using only their voice.
Lithium-ion pioneer Sony is selling its battery arm
Sony is planning to sell its battery division to Murata, a Japanese firm that makes a diverse variety of products like wireless components and robots. Sony started the battery business in 1975 and was the first company to commercialize lithium-ion batteries back in 1991. The electronics giant has been selling off core businesses and assets in an effort to return to profitability -- it recently unloaded its VAIO PC division, New York and Tokyo Headquarters, and Sony Online Entertainment game division. It also split off its sensor and TV businesses into separate companies.
PayPal's redesigned mobile app makes money transfers easier
If you're a fan of sending money with PayPal while on the go, a new version of the company's mobile app aims to make the task easier. As you might expect, handling transactions is the most popular task for the software, and the redesign makes those controls the main attraction. The home screen now shows recent transactions, recent contacts and allows you to quickly resolve any pending requests. In fact, separating transactions based on what's pending and what's completed is a welcome change that should make keeping tabs on your finances a bit easier. It's also easier to pay for things like Yelp Eat24 orders with the app. For Android users, PayPal says it improved fingerprint scanning for more devices, too.
Square's 'cashtags' turn a custom web link into a tip jar
We hope you didn't just get some business cards printed, because you're going to want a new set. Square already simplified card payments with its phone-based swipe widget, and allowed businesses to take money through its Cash app. Now, it's introducing another way to fill (digital) wallets: "$Cashtags." Choose your own tag ($jondoe for example) and then anyone who wants to throw some money your way can just go to https://cash.me/$jondoe and securely wire you the green. Square has also just opened the Cash app to all US businesses (with a 1.5 percent transaction charge).
IBM's planning to harness bitcoin for its own payments platform
Bitcoin may have a long march toward legitimacy, but that doesn't mean its technical design isn't about to go mainstream. Reuters is reporting that IBM is examining the cryptocurrency's inner workings in an attempt to build a new form of international payment system. The idea behind the scheme is to get people to swap cash without having to use a bank or wire service. Instead, users would use a bitcoin-style system to transmit money anywhere in the world without having to use a third party that charges service fees.
The Think Tank: The MMO server merge stigma
Last week, Turbine announced that it plans to address Lord of the Rings Online's ongoing population problems. New executive producer Athena "Vyvyanne" Peters wrote, "We're taking measures to get everyone onto the more populous servers" and "working on [...] improved server transfer tools." And later, she clarified, "We are still working through the details, but part of our efforts here are to make the transition as seamless as possible for Kinship leaders to keep the players together. The idea is to bring you together, not spread further apart." In our post, we called this process "server merges of a sort," but some loyal LotRO fans went ballistic at the idea that mass server transfers to, you know, merge players onto populous servers might be called "server merges." The term has such negative connotations and implications for a game's health that neither studios nor fans will dare use it even when it's a reasonable term to use and when it heralds good things for an aging game. The stigma might even make some studios leery of doing merges at all. What do you think -- is there a better term for these sorts of faux-merges? Have you been through a merge and found it a worthwhile experience? Can we be done with the merge stigma already? We're talking server merges in today's Think Tank.
Destiny's free trial transfers your characters to the full game
A trial version of Destiny is now available for players to freely check out, Bungie revealed. Unlike Destiny's July beta program, the trial version offers players a taste of the first-person shooter as well as the ability to transfer their character's progress to the full version of the game. Players will only be able to transfer their characters between consoles of the same family, however (PS4 and PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360). Bungie noted that the trial takes up roughly the same amount of space on each system's internal hard drive as the full game does; 20 GB for the PS4 and Xbox One trial and 6 GB for the PS3 and Xbox 360 demo. Conveniently, Activision's servers handle the character transferring functions automatically, no action is required on the part of players. Destiny's Reforged Iron Banner event started this week and runs until Monday. [Image: Activision]
Rockstar troubleshoots GTA Online character transfer issues
Rockstar Games is investigating Grand Theft Auto 5 PS4 and Xbox One save progress transfer issues following its launch today, the developer acknowledged on its GTA Online support site. The next-gen version of the game was announced during Sony's E3 2014 press conference in June, along with the news that players could transfer their character's progress from the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions to PS4 and Xbox One. Specifically, the problems are cropping up for players that haven't played GTA 5 in some time. "We are looking into an issue preventing character transfer and GTA Online login on accounts that haven't played GTA Online since 2013," Rockstar wrote on the support site. The developer noted in an update that "this issue has now been addressed for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 users, and will be addressed for Xbox One and Xbox 360 users by tomorrow." Xbox One players should be able to log in to GTA Online, but won't be able to transfer their character progress just yet. [Image: Rockstar Games]
Free Character Migrations for select EU realms
Players on EU realms looking for a change of pace or simply a new place to call home should take note -- Blizzard has opened up free Character Migrations for select EU realms. These Character Migrations are a one-time move from a predetermined list of source realms to a choice of a few destination realms. It's a one-time, one-way move, but it's absolutely free of charge for those that want to take advantage of the process while it's available. At the moment, these Character Migrations will be available until October 23. However, they can be closed down at any time, if enough people have taken advantage of the offer. Players may also want to note that this is on an individual character basis only. Any guild leaders looking to move their guilds may do so through the Guild Master Realm Transfer service, which they'll still need to pay for. However, guild members that want to follow to the new realm can do so for free with the Character Migration offer. Please note -- this service is only available to EU realms, and at this time, there are no free Character Migrations available for US players. Read on for the official announcement, as well as the full list of available realms for the Free Character Migration offer.
You can now tweet money to friends, if you live in France
Starting tomorrow, any French resident with a bank account and Twitter handle will be able to transfer money simply by tweeting it. The new service, dubbed S-money, was launched last month by French mega-bank BPCE and Twitter. It differs from Twitter's Buy Now, which lets users to pay for goods at companies like Home Depot and Burberry using an embedded "Pay" button. Instead, S-money is aimed at person-to-person transactions, letting you send money to friends without needing their banking details. Details are scarce on exactly how it works, but a BPCE spokesman said it's "perfectly adapted to the Twitter experience." By the way, my own Twitter handle is @stevetdent. #kerching
Earn Pokemon Alpha, Omega rewards in upcoming demo
Nintendo will offer a demo version of Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire prior to the games' launches, according to its official site. The "early visit" to the games' Hoenn region will include "gameplay that you won't experience anywhere else," as well as a familiar Pokemon that is capable of Mega Evolving. Those that play the demo will be able to transfer said creature in addition to reward items to the full version of the game. Nintendo did not specify when the demo would be made available, but did mention that fans will be able to play it as many times as they like (some 3DS demos are limited in the number of times they can be accessed). The demo will also feature "special scenarios that occur if you play every day." Nintendo will reveal instructions on how players can obtain a code in the near future. The Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire remakes will launch November 21 for 3DS. [Image: Nintendo]
WildStar announces paid realm transfers, path gear vendors
WildStar has now started offering the ability to purchase a transfer from one server to another. The paid realm transfers cost $19.99 a pop. The only caveats, apart from the price, are that players cannot transfer to select realms with full populations and that they may have to change their character's name if someone already has it on the destination realm. The team is also working on patching in path gear vendors. These new vendors will sell path rewards that players may have accidentally deleted.
