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Los Angeles Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Rams primed to be Super Bowl contenders, but two critical areas of concern remain
WAILUKU, Hawaii — Warm, breezy and feeling good. That was the prevailing feeling among the Rams this week as they ended their off season with a 'Mauicamp,' a low-key event heavy on bonding and light on drills for a team expected to contend for a championship. Star quarterback Matthew Stafford is under contract for another potential Super Bowl run. The Rams also added star receiver Davante Adams, drafted tight end Terrance Ferguson and bolstered depth to an ascending defensive front. The Rams, however, have areas of concern as they head into a break before reporting to training camp at Loyola Marymount in July. Offensive tackle and cornerback could be vulnerabilities for a team aiming to improve upon last season's 10-7 record and an NFC divisional round loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Here's how confident the Rams were in those positions going into free agency and the draft: They did not sign or select a player at either spot. Whether that was wise is another matter. Stafford, 37, remains the Rams' most important player and — other than coach Sean McVay — their most valuable asset. So the tackles must foil edge rushers hellbent on hitting the quarterback while playing perhaps the most pressure-packed position other than Stafford's. With his play last season, Alaric Jackson convinced the Rams he was their longtime solution at left tackle. They awarded him a three-year contract that included $35 million in guarantees. But uncertainty now reigns. Jackson sat out the final week of offseason workouts because he is dealing with blood-clot issues for the second time in his career. If, or when, he will be able to practice and play is unknown. The Rams hurriedly signed D.J. Humphries, but the veteran is of late something of an unknown quantity. He played only two games last season for the Kansas City Chiefs after returning from major 2023 knee surgery and then suffering a hamstring injury. Right tackle Rob Havenstein, 33, is entering his 11th season and the final year of his contract. He is coming off two shoulder surgeries. Swing tackle Warren McClendon Jr. started five games last season, but he has not established himself as a frontline player. The Rams also recently signed eight-year pro David Quessenberry, who made 17 of his career 30 starts in 2021. The Rams are confident in the secondary — in large part because of the defensive front. A rush led by rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske helped the Rams rank 20th among 32 teams in pass defense last season. That rush is expected to improve with the addition of tackle Poona Ford and rookie edge rusher Josaiah Stewart. So the Rams stood pat with the same defensive backs from last season. Cornerback Darious Williams, 32, does not have salary guarantees beyond this season, according to Ahkello Witherspoon, 30, is playing on a one-year deal for the third consecutive season but was signed early enough this time to participate in offseason workouts. Cobie Durant is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is trying to prove that the Washington Commanders erred by releasing the 2023 first-round pick last season. Derion Kendrick, coming off a knee injury that forced him to sit out the 2024 season, was waived last week in a cost-cutting move and then re-signed with the Rams for a veteran-minimum contract. Josh Wallace and Charles Woods, undrafted free agents in 2024, also are on the roster. McVay this week indicated that there were probably too many obstacles to trade for Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the three-time All-Pro who was an integral part of the Rams' Super Bowl LVI championship team. Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander was recently released by the Green Bay Packers, but McVay said last week that was 'not a direction' the Rams would go. Alexander signed with the Baltimore Ravens, the Rams' Week 6 opponent. While the NFL largely shuts down until the start of training camp, general manager Les Snead in the past has added players before it opens and after it begins. But for now, with their Hawaiian excursion behind them, the Rams appear ready to go with what they've got.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Analyst's QB rankings shockingly leaves Commanders' Jayden Daniels outside of top 10
Rankings are subjective. Remember that. That doesn't mean we can't review some rankings and ask: "What were they thinking?" Such is the case with a recent list from Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports. McDonald ranked his version of the NFL's top 10 quarterbacks and omitted the Washington Commanders' QB Jayden Daniels. Advertisement Here's McDonald's list: At first glance, I thought it was a mistake. How could McDonald leave Daniels off his list? It's understandable if he didn't rank Daniels No. 5. While several already believe Daniels is a top-five signal caller, some believe he still has much to prove. Neither perspective is wrong. Daniels did things last season that no other rookie has ever done. He won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, led the Commanders to the NFC championship game and the franchise's best season in 33 years. McDonald's top four is inarguable: Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow. Regardless of the order, those are the NFL's top four QBs heading into 2025. Beginning at No. 5 is where things get interesting. Advertisement McDonald chose Justin Herbert over Daniels. Herbert is 0-2 as a starting quarterback in the playoffs, while Daniels won two playoff games as a rookie. No, there's more to quarterbacking than playoff wins or win/loss record, but, based on last season, would you take Herbert over Daniels? McDonald ranked the QBs into four tiers: the Patrick Mahomes tier, the almost-Mahomes tier, the ceiling-raiser tier, and the floor-raiser tier. Jackson and Allen landed in the second tier, while Burrow, Herbert and Matthew Stafford all landed in the third tier. Finally, Dak Prescott, Geno Smith, Jordan Love and C.J. Stroud landed in the final tier. Daniels should be in everyone's top 10. So should Baker Mayfield. Could anyone make the case that Prescott, Smith and Love are better than Daniels or Mayfield? Who would make up your top 10? Where would you rank Daniels? Advertisement Remember, rankings are subjective. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: QB rankings shockingly leaves Commanders' Jayden Daniels out of top 10
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Giants' DeVito, Dart Bonding Over 'Love Island'
Giants' DeVito, Dart Bonding Over 'Love Island' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Giants won't be taking home a ton of superlatives under center in 2025. Even after remodeling the room, they are still far behind their NFC East rivals. Jaxson Dart isn't the best prospect in his class, either. Advertisement The Giants do, however, have the most entertaining quarterback room in the sport. Russell Wilson's optimism is relentless – to a point where some consider it too much. Jameis Winston is the sport's foremost side character; comic relief bound to go viral at some point in 2025. Dart's persona differs greatly from his predecessor. Tommy DeVito, in his first season, became a cult hero. New York has the requisite experience to mentor Dart and develop him into a quality starter, but off the field, he's a cleaner fit with DeVito, who's much closer in age. The young Giants quarterbacks are bonding over an unlikely source – the viral television show 'Love Island.' 'It's very fun,' DeVito said on Wednesday. 'I would say we enjoy ourselves in there. It's definitely work comes first, as it always does. But it's definitely fun. We go out, we get dinner all the time. We do different things outside the facility. But I think, like I said, everything meshes very well with, I don't want to say they're 'older,' but Jameis and Russ being a little bit older and me and being on the younger side, it's a fun blend. They have wives, families, that whole thing. Advertisement 'Me and Jax don't. It's been – me and Jax might go on Love Island, we've talked about it (laughs). So, you really don't know what's about to happen.' The show is continuously going viral capturing fans from every walk of life. On Tuesday, New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson had fans in a frenzy before his context-less tweet was revealed to be about the reality show. On Wednesday, DeVito revealed the two passers were locked in on love. 'We have,' he said. 'I can't say we do it every night, but from time to time if we get an off day (laughs). Yeah, we watch it, we talk about it.' With Dart in the building, DeVito is all but locked into a spot on the practice squad. He's earned the trust of head coach Brian Daboll, seen action in both of his NFL seasons. DeVito knows the system, can help advise the rookie, and is far more relatable than his counterparts in the quarterback room. Advertisement New York got in on the fun earlier in the offseason, too, spoofing the show in its schedule release. Related: Giants Schedule Reveals Potential Dart Debuts Related: WATCH: Giants Channel Reality TV in Schedule Release This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Business Upturn
a day ago
- Business
- Business Upturn
Alipay+ Launches World's First Smart Glasses-Embedded Payment Solution
Singapore: Alipay+ enables world's first successful e-wallet payment transaction on Meizu StarV Snap smart glasses via AlipayHK. The new feature expands use case scenarios for the AR glasses industry leader, and creates new growth avenues for e-wallets and merchants. This adds to Alipay+'s payment innovation power suite, including Model Context Protocol (MCP)-powered AI payments and NFC-based integration of QR and card payments, among others. After Alipay debuted a smart glasses payment solution with Rokid in China, Alipay+, the unified wallet gateway service under Ant International, announced the Alipay+ smart glasses-embedded payment solution for global e-wallets. In collaboration with Meizu, a global industry leader, Alipay+ completed the world's first real-world smart glasses-embedded e-wallet payment transaction in Hong Kong. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: The world's first successful e-wallet payment transaction was completed on Meizu StarV Snap smart glasses via AlipayHK The successful transaction on Meizu StarV Snap smart glasses with AlipayHK, Hong Kong's leading superapp, marks another milestone in Alipay+'s advance at the forefront of global mobile payment innovation. Users are able to make seamless payments with QR scans or voice commands from their smart glasses, backed by Alipay+'s AI-powered voice interface, intent recognition, and voiceprint authentication technologies. The new feature will roll out to Alipay+ global partner e-wallets in 2025 upon the integration of Alipay+ upgraded tech suite for smart glasses. In April 2025, Meizu officially announced the global pioneer of offline AI glasses-enabled mobile payment function powered by Alipay+. Alipay+'s advanced payment SDK solutions are integrated into all new Meizu smart glasses, supported by Meizu's industry-leading optical waveguide display technology, voice noise reduction and capture technology, and camera-based code scanning technology. Alipay+ is accelerating new innovations to support e-wallets' transition into the future of seamless commerce. Today, Alipay+ connects over 1.7 bn user accounts on 36 global e-wallets, national QR schemes and banking apps to 100 million merchants across 70+ core markets. With one integration, wallet partners can access Alipay+'s expanding toolkits for customer engagement and business growth. Among these, Alipay+ now integrates QR-based and card payments via a global NFC solution. It also enables a full range of agentic AI features including MCP-based AI payments built on Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit, an AI-as-a-Service platform for fintechs. 'The offline payment function of smart glasses launched overseas by Meizu and Alipay+ has set a new technological benchmark for the industry,' said Peng Guo, General Manager of the XR Division of Meizu. 'The innovation in the payment scenario has enhanced the practicality and appeal of smart glasses and also promoted the progress and development of the AR glasses industry. We hope this function will bring more convenient experiences to users.' 'We are grateful to work with industry leaders like Meizu to pioneer smart glasses-embedded payment solutions. By unlocking payment capabilities, smart glasses will rapidly transform into the next-gen personal device like the mobile phone,' said Jiangming Yang, Chief Innovation Officer of Ant International. 'We look forward to supporting more industry partners with one integration into Alipay+'s premium wallet ecosystem across global markets, to help them build broader user scenarios and achieve growth.' About Alipay+ Ant International's Alipay+ is a unified wallet gateway with cross-border payment and digitization services that help connect global merchants to consumers. Consumers enjoy seamless payments, a broad choice of deals and the convenience of digital services using their preferred payment app/e-wallet while travelling abroad. Many small and medium-sized businesses already use Alipay+ digital tools to enhance efficiency and achieve omni-channel growth. About Meizu Meizu is a global technology company, with AI eco-products. It contains StarV smart glasses and StarAuto smart cars. And also the Meizu smartphone, which has been continuously innovated for more than 20 years and attracted more than 30 million Meizu fans, with a strong brand influence among global consumers. With FlymeAIOS as its core, Meizu seamlessly integrates smartphones, XR, and smart cars, establishing a smart mobile ecosystem that combines hardware and software. With the advancement of technology, the interconnection of cars and smartphones leads the industry into the era of intelligence and ecosystem 3.0. With deep technological expertise in multiple industries, Meizu is recognized as a leader in smart ecosystems. For more information, please visit the official website: View source version on Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Now, Axis Bank users can tap and pay up to ₹5,000 via a smartwatch
Axis Bank customers can now make contactless payments through their smartwatch by tokenising their cards on the Crest Pay app, the bank announced on June 19, 2025. The new payment feature is available on the Wave Fortune smartwatch, launched in partnership with boAt and Mastercard. The wearable device, priced at ₹3,299 and currently selling at an introductory rate of ₹2,599, allows users to make tap-and-pay transactions without pulling out their phone or wallet. 'With Crest Pay and tokenisation, we're making secure contactless payments more accessible,' said a Mastercard spokesperson. The service works with both Mastercard and Visa cards issued by Axis Bank. The tap-and-pay feature uses tokenisation, replacing actual card details with a unique digital code stored securely in the smartwatch strap—making it safe from scammers, skimmed cards, and duplicate payments. Contactless payments through the strap The NFC payment feature is embedded in the watch strap itself. Once users add their Axis Bank credit or debit cards via the Crest Pay app, the card is tokenised—meaning it is converted into a secure digital version—before being stored in the strap. 'The smartwatch will allow the users with the highest standards of safety and security, combined with a quick and convenient payment experience,' said Arnika Dixit, president and head of cards, payments and wealth management at Axis Bank. Tokenisation is handled by Mastercard's system, while the backend infrastructure is provided by Tappy Technologies. Users can pay up to ₹5,000 per transaction at any compatible point-of-sale terminal without entering a PIN. According to Mastercard, wearable tech will soon become a standard way to pay. 'In the near future, payments will be gesture-based — integrated into our daily routines, with transactions occurring in a frictionless manner. Wearable devices, irrespective of the form factor, will play a key role in this evolution, offering quick and secure payment experiences,' said Gautam Aggarwal, division president for South Asia at Mastercard. Despite being wearable-based, cardholders continue to receive cashback, reward points, or any benefits linked to their original plastic cards. The smartwatch is currently available in an Active Black finish and can be purchased from the official boAt website. Other smartwatch payment options in India India has seen several NFC-enabled wearable launches over the past few years: Titan Pay Launched: October 2020 Titan partnered with SBI and YELDI Softcom to introduce Visa card payments through a chip in the watch strap. GOQii Smart Vital Launched: September 2021 Enabled NFC payments through a tie-up with YES Bank and Mastercard on GOQii fitness bands. Apple Watch (Apple Pay in India) Launched: May 2022 Introduced with limited support via HDFC Bank and Axis Bank for Mastercard and Visa users. Garmin Pay Launched: January 2021 Rolled out with contactless payment support for Axis and ICICI Bank cardholders using Mastercard and Visa. Each of these solutions uses a combination of tokenisation and embedded chips to enable secure, contactless transactions directly from wearables.
