Author: Julie Campbell

Overwatch QR code may reveal new hero details

The quick response code has been decoded and suggest Sombra will be the newest character.

A new Overwatch QR code has caused a tremendous amount of noise among gamers. This has only added to the excitement following the video recently released by Blizzard. Reports have shown that a barcode has revealed the identity of the latest character to join.

Fans have been speculating regarding the next character for the last while and this has grown with the latest clues.

The Blizzard studio recently released a new video about the first downloadable character in the game, Ana. At the end of the video, there was a short length of “TV snow”, or static interference. This drew the suspicion and interest of many of the biggest fans of the game. It launched a tremendous amount of discussion over social media. Finally, it has been revealed that there was an Overwatch QR code buried within that snow.

Fans have been attempting to retrieve the Overwtach QR code in order to properly scan it.

Overwatch QR Code - QR Code ScanNow that this has been accomplished, discussions on Reddit have shown that it leads to a brief message in Spanish. It translated to “Was that easy? Now that I have your attention, let’s make things more difficult.” To many fans, this pointed directly to Sombra as the next hero of the game. In Spanish, that name means “shadow.” This also helps to explain why the clue was hidden in the method chosen by the studio.

Sombra is an Overwatch character known for being stealthy, which aligns well with the message shared through the QR code scan. In fact, she is so adept at stealth that she may be impossible to see. After all, a video has shown other heroes – such as Reinhardt, Tracer and Reaper – appearing to call an opponent who is completely invisible.

This Overwatch QR code has certainly managed to get the rumor mill moving. It will be interesting to view the reactions of the fans as a new character is introduced to the game. That said, it’s important to point out that Blizzard has not yet officially confirmed that there will be a new character in the game, let alone an actual identity for that person.

Samsung Pay mobile payments arrive in Brazil ahead of Olympics

The electronics and tech giant is introducing its branded app just in time for athletes and spectators.

Samsung Electronics Co. has announced that it is launching its mobile payments app, Samsung Pay, in Brazil. Certainly, the fact that the Olympic Games are headed to the country played a vital role in this decision. Should the launch be successful, it may open the door to more countries throughout Latin America.

Mobile phones are a primary access point for the internet in Latin America, making this strategy promising.

The mobile app, Samsung Pay, first saw its world debut in South Korea. That occurred nearly a year ago in August 2015. It has since become available to more countries. It has been in the United States since September 2015. Now, Samsung will be sending the mobile payments service to smartphone users attending – and participating in – the Olympic Games. This, according to the vice president of the unit, Haley Kim.

Samsung Pay will be up against some stiff competition as Apple and Google also make a grab for that market.

Samsung Pay Brazil The largest company in South Korea will be pitting its mobile payments service against Google Pay and Apple Pay. This is no small market opportunity. Forrester Research Inc. predicts that by 2019, it will have broken the $142 billion mark. Those three companies have been rivals in every major marketplace. They are seeking to draw customers to their apps not just to encourage them to use the mobile applications themselves, but also their devices.

In Brazil, Samsung already has a 42 percent share, said Gartner Inc.. That is sizeable when taking into account that there are more active mobile phone accounts than people in the country. The company is aiming to use its mobile payments service to bring in an even larger number of new users. That said, it could be a challenging effort considering the current state of the Brazilian economy. It is currently suffering the deepest depression it has faced for at least one hundred years.

Kim explained that “The demographic group buying and using these devices in Brazil is more the high-end or premium customers who may not be significantly impacted by this economic crisis.” Samsung Pay may have a bit of an advantage as the company is a corporate sponsor of the games. It is also selling a limited edition Galaxy Edge S7 featuring the Olympic rings and colors. The mobile payments app will also be compatible with users of other S7 devices, in addition to the A5 and A7 models and others.