Author: Rebecca

After rumors have been circulating on the subject for a long time, the tech giant made its official announcement.

For a long time, rumors have been circulating about a replacement for the Nexus line and now Google Pixel has been announced. The tech giant has announced a new line of high end smartphones. These will take the place of the Nexus flagship mobile devices.

There have been leaks popping up all over the web for the Google Pixel (Sailfish) and the Pixel XL (Marlin).

The company has announced the Google Pixel’s existence and has been suggesting that an October 4 unveiling could be expected. It had been indicating that the unveiling would break away from the traditional rectangle and would be made of an oblong with rounded edges. That said, one of the Google websites (madeby.google.com) is indicating a device with the classic rectangle shape. It contains a graphic that starts from the look of the Google query box and that transforms into a phone. Aside from that graphic, the webpage says “Oct. 4” as well as the Google “G” symbol and the opportunity to enter an email address to receive notifications of updates.

The Google Pixel will be the next among a number of hardware products released with its branding.

Though there had been recent rumors and claims of leaks that showed two new Nexus phones built by HTC, those plans have changed. In August, Android Central reported that the new HTC devices would no longer bear the Nexus name. Moreover, another source, Android Police, recently reported that upcoming Pixel and Pixel XL devices would become “the first phones built by Google.”

The teaser webpage created by Google appears to be confirming the claim Android Police had made. That said, the Android Police report said HTC would be manufacturing the devices, despite the fact that Google designed them.

The industry has been watching the tech brand for a new device such as smartphones ever since the Project Ara experimental modular phone initiative was shut down.

It will be interesting to see what predictions and reports make it on to the scene until the official Google Pixel launch on October 5.

The giant retail chain is testing the new smartphone based program following the release of its Cartwheel app.

The Cartwheel app first debuted three years ago and now Target mobile rewards appear to be the next step. In the company’s ongoing effort to promote a better m-commerce experience, a pilot program is underway in locations in four cities.

The Minneapolis based retailer is testing the new mobile commerce feature in four stores.

There will be 126 stores with the new Cartwheel Perks Target mobile rewards program. This is the largest update the company’s mobile app has ever experienced. If it proves to be successful, it may experience a nationwide rollout. The current version of the mobile app makes it possible for customers to find product deals on their smartphones. Then, when they reach the checkout counter, they can apply the savings and pay less for their purchases.

There have already been 27 million people who have signed up for the mobile commerce app and its benefits. There are discounts available for up to 700 Target products with this application. Since it was first introduced, Cartwheel has generated a total saving of about $600 million for Target customer purchases.

Now the retailer is testing to see if the Target mobile rewards program can be equally successful.

The pilot for the mobile shopping rewards program is running at the stores located in Houston, San Diego, Denver and St. Louis. The feature is available to customers who update their mobile app to the latest version of Cartwheel. The program makes it possible for customers to collect rewards that can be redeemed for merchandise. Reward merchandise ranges from $10 to $20 in value. They can include free laundry detergent, sunglasses, athletic apparel and other items.

Customers use Cartwheel Perks to collect 10 points each time they spend a dollar at Target. Exceptions include gift cards and CVS pharmacy purchases. The first redemption level is at 5,000 points, at which time they can select from among 25 possible reward items.

A spokesperson for the company, Eddie Baeb, explained that “We’ll continue to test it and see how guests respond.” He explained that the Target mobile rewards program may one day extend to other stores and possibly to online purchases, too.