Gadgetory

in the battle for mobile payment technology consumers lose I'm Bridget Carey and this is your cnet update Apple pushed mobile payments forward when it launched Apple pay a week ago but now several retailers are pushing back and blocking the service from being used in stores over the weekend pharmacy chains Rite Aid and CBS have turned off the technology that was used for Apple pay and Google Wallet customers with smartphones that had NFC chips could just tap a sensor to pay at the register the sensors were suddenly deactivated to promote a competing service called currency but this isn't just a drugstore fight about 50 major retailers are supporting currency including chain restaurants Airlines gas stations and grocery stores walmart and bestbuy are the top stores leaving the battle using currency isn't as quick as Apple pay because it doesn't require an NFC chip you have to unlock your phone open up a nap and then scan a QR code at the register now there are a few reasons that retailers rather use currency over Apple pay stores can track your shopping habits with data on what you buy and the app would incorporate coupons and loyalty card programs Apple pay keeps your purchases and anonymous and it doesn't work with points programs now saving money on coupons is nice but it's a shame that stores are taking sides by blocking already installed NFC technology from customers with different stores using different systems consumers will be confused and it will slow progress for this technology and to add to the drama currency doesn't even launch until next year in other news amazon has a brand new way to stream video to your television for cheap it's called the fire TV stick this plugs into the HDMI port on the back of your TV and when you set up a Wi-Fi connection you have access to Amazon's library of shows and movies it also can be used for a few other services like Netflix Hulu or streaming music but it does not have HBO Go amazon already has the streaming fire TV box and that costs a hundred dollars but this stick seems to be a better deal at forty dollars but if you have prime you can buy one for he bucks and that price is only until early Wednesday morning it ships november nineteenth Fitbit also unveiled three new fitness tracking wristbands there's the charge HR and the surge both which have all day heart rate tracking but these won't come out until next year the only new one out in time for the holidays is a simpler model called the Fitbit charge and it costs 130 dollars and speaking of holiday shopping Microsoft lowered the price of all xbox one models by fifty dollars until the end of the year starting Sunday you can get the xbox one for three hundred and fifty dollars that your tech news update from our studios in New York I'm Bridget Carey