Not as much in the news this week – as previous weeks, but still alot going on in the world – and there’s some top tech stories that hit the news locally! So if you’re reading from outside the UK – these are two top tech stories mainly in the UK – however, I’m sure there’s elements of these you can relate to in one form or another…
So first up, we’re talking about stranded passengers at the Airport!
- NHS Covid Vaccine App Stops working!
The NHS Covid Pass, used to show a person’s vaccine status for travel and events, stopped working on Wednesday.
The feature, contained in the NHS smartphone app, usually allows users to access a barcode or text records about which vaccine doses they have had.
Instead, users received error messages or a notice saying that high traffic volumes are “limiting access to the service”.
Normal access to vaccine records was restored after more than three hours.
“The NHS Covid Pass service was temporarily unavailable between 11:45 and 15:15 today as a result of a technical issue with a global service provider that affected many different organisations,” NHS Digital said in a statement.
Online, many travellers expressed concern that they might not be able to prove their vaccinated status at airports or other departure points without the app.
Some claimed they missed their flight because of the problem, while others reported being “stranded” at an airport unable to fly.
We rely on technology so much – I recall, when I used to fly (pre-pandemic), my tickets were on my phone. I’d just flip up my phone (and if I was holding things/couldn’t get the phone out, I’d use my smart watch), and scan the barcode. Job done. No papers, etc… But this technology has to be reliable. I even recall, when we could use phones for tickets, I’d print a copy out – just in case! I suppose, I still take screenshots of barcodes, or used to, again, just in case something happened with the app.
2. Contactless Pay now upto £100!
The contactless card payment limit has increased from £45 to £100 on Friday 15th October, a move which has raised concerns about the risk of fraud.
Age UK warned that raising the limit could increase the potential for fraud, putting some older people off using bank cards to pay for goods and services.
“As the banks and some shops try to encourage people to use less cash, it’s important that they take proactive steps to help to boost people’s confidence to use cards as an alternative and to tackle fraud,” Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said.
“Both shop and bank employees should be trained to watch out for signs of coercion or abuse, such as unusual spending patterns, and be prepared to sensitively raise the issue with their customers when they believe it’s the right thing to do.”
Several banks will also allow account holders to set a contactless limit of less than £100 or turn it off altogether. And I think this is a good idea.
Despite the increased limit, many retailers’ terminals will need to be updated so for some the option will not be available immediately.
It may take “days, weeks, or even months” for some retailers to make the necessary changes, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), so for the time being customers will need to check with individual stores.
Remember the old days of cold hard cash? – You stood in a shop – looked at the cash you had in your hand, and you knew, that’s all you had to spend. You didn’t have any more. With the increase to £100, it’s now even easier to tap and spend. For some, it won’t be an issue as the funds will be in their account. For some, who are living on credit – I just hope, they are careful. Technology is great – allows flexibility and freedom, but we’ve noticed in our stories today, a) it’s not always reliable and b) you still have to stay in control!