#Huawei will be the top dog of #Android and smartphone world so #Samsung can do what the hell it likes........

I still use SMS Some think it's an out of date way to communicate. When I enquired with Three UK as to when they would support #RCS I was, after being told to use WhatsApp and similar apps that no updates on the service are available.

Personally I can't stand WhatsApp. Google have some such a dire job of offering a fix to their messaging woes that since giving Allo a go I've stuck with texts. Everybody has an #SMS app on their phone be it their carrier or manufacturers app or indeed the very popular Android Messages.

I've had a #Vodafone SIM to trial their network and RCS. Overall I'm quite enthused about RCS. From my perspective it saves having another app to use, I am able to send pictures and videos and yes, only to others with RCS support but I'm surprised to see a few I know and communicate with have and use it.

In order to keep using it I've had to move my wife and I from Three to Vodafone, our deals had come to an end and my wife wanted a new phone so Carphone had a good deal. I'm sticking SIM only but my cashback goes a long way to dropping the cost down.

I have no issues with using RCS. I know there is no end to end encryption, that will only be of concern if we have a authoritarian government in play.

SMS is going to be around for a longtime to come, it'll evolve to be more than just texts and poor quality pictures and videos. Billions of people around the world rely on it. In the UK billions are sent everyday.

Tap the image when you've voted to see the amount of texts sent over the years in the UK.

RCS makes text messaging more relevant than ever. Currently using it as a replacement to WhatsApp. No more third party app or for that matter an app owned by Facebook. Everyone has a text messaging app.

I've recently switched to Vodafone UK (got a cracking deal) and being the only UK network to offer RCS I can send pics and images to family members without the need for the likes of WhatsApp owned by ghastly Facebook.

With the tie up Virgin Trains customers will get text messages with images along with videos and audio. Virgin Trains will also send customers onward travel information 10 minutes before they arrive to London Euston. This is where and how the service will be trialed and shows that text messaging app will be useful after all.

Since using it I'm hoping that other networks in the UK get on board to allow both business and customers the opportunity to get a better level of service and ditch those third party apps.

#RCS #SMS

Wimbledon There's quite a bit of sport going on at the moment. The #Worldcup has chucked up some results and a half, the #F1 is well underway, Tour dear France isn't away and for fans of Tennis, #Wimbledon will be serving up grunts, tantrums and strawberries from today until July 15th.

Sadly +Andy Murray has pulled out. He's currently getting over a hip injury and so he and his team don't want to risk the chance of making things worse. An upset for his loyal fans and I suspect other players.

No doubt he'll be keeping track of the action. You can too via the official Wimbledon app. The development people have chucked loads in this from all the scores as they happen to live viewing and listening. It's pretty much everything Tennis fans and stat nerds could wish for.

The Wimbledon Story feature looks like a good way for those of you visiting to capture what will be a memorable day. The app will give you some ideas on what to do and pictures you take can be put in your Wimbledon Story so you can share with friends and family a video collection of your photos. Think of a video you put together with Google Photos.

RIP Android Pay Google Pay is starting to replace Android Pay. Starling Bank here in the UK have already started to make their customers aware of the change. In a push notification sent out they have advised customers that they'll have to set up their card by taking a picture of it just like when adding it to Android Pay.

Among the rebranding of the service a new feature that is set to hit the UK and US soon is the ability to request money and send money .

The update is rolling out now.

*Privacy is not absolute.............."

It's trending at number 6 in the Productivity category. It's what Google Keep should be. It's almost identical to Google Keep with a few super additions including locking notes with a passcode, phrase and fingerprint. #Note

RCS coming to Three UK Since Google started its push with RCS UK networks have been rather quiet on their plans to roll it out. Personally I think that Google should just make it their own and run it themselves. Sadly for users it's been left up to the networks to handle and things have been non existent from UK networks except Three UK. They've advised to 'keep your eyes peeled for updates' which is a major change of tune from not very long ago that was simply 'no info yet, use WhatsApp or similar'.

Vodafone of course already uses RCS. They have been doing so for quite sometime. In fact, they've been RCS live since about 2014.

Why am I keen on RCS? Everyone has an SMS app on their device. If you don't know how to get in touch with someone SMS is always there. Your opticians and airline will probably send you notice that your contact lenses are ready, your airline will send your ticket confirmation via SMS, you'll get security codes to login to accounts via SMS. These services will be enhanced with RCS and for me, I can get shot of a third party messaging app.

There'll be those that say SMS is old and out of date, it's not encrypted. RCS will make SMS more useful and if you trust Facebook with your encryption and data, well.............

Hopefully Three will update us very soon.

#RCS

App update - Starling Bank A new addition to the Starling Bank app has been released today called Settle Up. Think PayPal.me and you'll know where we're going with it.

You'll find it in the 'Pay' from the menu and after you've set it up by simply turning the option on you're ready to go. All you need to do is tap ',Settle Up' and decide how much you want to request, put in why you are asking for it in the 'What's it for' box and then share it via text, WhatsApp or other.

When you active Settle Up you'll have your own unique link which anyone can use to pay you money. It'll look something like this:
https://settleup.starlingbank.com/yourname . Whoever is paying you will have a customised page based on the details you've put in the app before sending them the link.

The great thing here is that when you want to get paid you want it in your bank account so whenever someone pays via that like it'll appear in your account, no transfering it from another app or waiting on people to login to their bank and fumbling around for your sort code and account number.

Not a Starling customer and in the UK? Check them out here - https://goo.gl/MJJC3E