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Banking apps may be getting their own virtual assistants soon
The minds behind Siri's virtual assistant skills are back at it. This time around, SRI International has created Kasisto to boost personalized interactivity inside apps that usually require an actual human to carry out complex activities. Banking and commerce are a prime examples of this sort of task load, and BBVA (the outfit that now owns Simple) has already partnered up. The context-aware tech offers text, touch, and speech with natural language understanding and reasoning built-in, giving interested suitors the ability to pipe in a virtual assistant in a fraction of the time it would take to start from scratch. Plus, they'd be leveraging a tools from the folks who developed Apple's helpful voice. "Our innovative approach to intelligent system design, combined with low-cost deployment, will help banks improve customer service and maximize investment in the mobile channel," notes Kasisto's CEO and co-founder Zor Gorelov. Since the platform was just announced, there's no indication as to when that virtual helping hand will appear in everyday financial apps just yet.
Can't I help you? Shoppers are shunning store assistants in favor of smartphones
Although it often feels like you're stealing, being able to walk into an store, pay for a product with your phone and leave without any employee interaction can be liberating. It's an experience that an increasing number of consumers are starting to enjoy too, as evidenced by a new report from Deloitte that suggests shoppers would rather pull out their smartphone or tablet inside a store than speak to an associate. More than half of the people surveyed admitted they prefer using a mobile device to compare prices, gather more information or check availability, while just under half of respondents said they'd rather use complete a mobile payment than head to a cash register. Even unmanned kiosks (think touch displays or tables full of tablets) outranked small talk with a retail employee.
eBay plans for the future of commerce: more wearable integration and your own personal shopper
While outlining its plans for the future of retail, eBay has announced a new tea, within its Innovation and New Ventures group, aimed at cramming commerce interfaces into any device that's smart enough and preparing for the future of shopping. The team has already launched apps for both Samsung's Galaxy Gear and the Pebble, and while its next target is connected glass (like interactive touchscreen storefronts), according to TechCrunch, it has more up its sleeve than mere augmented reality parlor tricks. The team is working to fold in personalization, historical behavior and connected home sensors to make the shopping experience as smooth, swift (and dangerously easy) as possible, and it's calling it zero effort commerce (ZEC). According to the team head, Steve Yankovich, ZEC will anticipate what you're shopping for and sort out the rest for you.
Square's updated Register apps tout simpler interfaces, make it easy to tip
Both stores and their customers want to handle payments as quickly as possible, and Square has just updated its Register apps for Android and iOS to accommodate that need for retail speed. The new versions share a simpler, quicker interface that's designed around the typical flow of real-world transactions. They also seamlessly integrate tips -- guests can now reward their servers without interrupting the payment process. You likely won't need to download one of the updated apps for yourself, but you'll likely appreciate the time they save during your next lunch break.
Heckler Design's iPad Cash Drawer brings minimalism to sales terminals
Carrying cash can be a drag, but it's often an even bigger nuisance for shopkeepers with iPad point-of-sale terminals. Because of a focus on swiping plastic, storage solutions for your dollar bills take a back seat. The WindFall Cash Drawer is Heckler Designs' stylish US-made option that, according to the company, offers the smallest footprint of any drawer currently available -- it's probably the brightest, too. Cash Drawer follows the aesthetics of the Arizona designer's other pieces; namely, heavy-duty steel construction, rounded corners and minimalist design. Is your storefront already rocking a WindFall stand for Apple's slate? Well, you're in luck, as the nouveau till sports a secure mounting and cable management system for it. Sure there's a slight bit of irony surrounding its current lack of pricing, but don't let that get you down. When it launches this fall, it'll be available exclusively from ShopKeep POS.
OpenTable sees mobile payments on the horizon, first in San Francisco
Adventurous foodies are likely familiar with the concept of snout to tail dining, which incorporates the entire animal -- even the exotic bits -- into recipes that stray from the norm. Soon enough, OpenTable may offer a different take on start-to-finish dining by incorporating payments into its restaurant reservation platform. The system is said to still be in testing, which would require that diners merely open the OpenTable app, select a tip amount and hit the payment button. As a boon to restaurant owners, OpenTable isn't planning on taking a cut from the transaction; instead, it's looking to attract and retain users, and perhaps stay ahead of emerging competitors such as Groupon and Yelp. According to The New York Times, OpenTable will use an in-house payment system that it acquired this year from JustChalo. If all goes well, the new feature will be introduced to San Francisco by year's end, with other markets to follow. Apparently, OpenTable is still hammering out its notification system, so as to avoid unpleasant scenarios such as accusing paying customers of skipping out on the bill.
Alibaba develops Smart TV OS, will use it to sell you things
As much as we enjoyed the decade we spent vegging out in front of the shopping channel, we had hoped that the internet had put such days behind us. Not so, thanks to Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, which has developed its own Smart TV OS, separate to Aliyun, in the hope of pumping even more cash out of our wallets. Developed in collaboration with Wasu Media, the duo will launch a set-top box later in the year, and are in talks with companies like Cisco, Haier and Allwinner to produce compatible devices. While customers will be able to use smartphones to stream media and control their TVs, they'll probably be strong-armed into buying apps, shopping at the Alibaba-owned Juhuasuan and even making utility payments via the company's Alipay platform. Looks like we've got no choice but to finally buy that noiseless karaoke microphone we've been avoiding all these years.
Deutsche Borse to open Cloud Exchange, treat computing as a commodity
Bitcoin fans are familiar with using cloud computing to generate a commodity -- but what would happen if cloud computing was the commodity? The Deutsche Börse should find out when it opens its newly-unveiled Cloud Exchange in the first quarter of 2014. The independent market will let organizations buy remote computing and storage in respective 8GB and 1TB blocks, with traders agreeing on when and where the number crunching takes place. Theoretically, this creates a neutral, competitive space for exchanging server power: buyers can easily spot the best value, while sellers can efficiently offload their unused cycles. Whether or not the Cloud Exchange works that way in practice, we're just hoping that it isn't as volatile as an old-fashioned stock exchange. [Image credit: Dontworry, Wikipedia]
PayPal and Discover expand partnership, will reach 2 million stores by year-end
When PayPal saw Square for the first time, we're fairly sure its CEO glumly stared out of the window, said "we're going to the mattresses" and promptly called the CEO of Discover to talk about an alliance. That unholy union has now brought PayPal into 250,000 retail outlets in the US, and the pair is now promising that the figure will be closer to two million by the end of 2013. Merchant acquirers such as Vantiv, WorldPay and TSYS have also signed up, presumably begging the pair not to let Jack Dorsey take the shirt from their backs.
WSJ: Google breaks up maps and commerce unit, Jeff Huber moves to Google X
It looks like the shakeups at Google this week aren't over yet. Following Andy Rubin's departure from the Android team and some "spring cleaning" that stuck a fork in Google Reader, The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that the company is breaking up its mapping and commerce unit. According to the paper, maps will now be a part of Google's search unit, while commerce will fall under the advertising group. What's more, the WSJ also reports that the head of that soon-to-be-former unit, Jeff Huber, will be moving to Google X, the lab responsible for projects like Glass and Google's self-driving car. Update: Jeff Huber has now posted a brief statement on both Google+ and Twitter. He says, "finishing up my first decade at Google, and excited to return to my startup roots and begin the next one at Google X!" A Google spokesperson has also issued the following statement: "Jeff is an extraordinary executive. He just finished his first decade at Google -- having worked on some of our most complicated issues like ads, apps, payments and geo -- and now he is eager to work in more of a start up like environment."
American Express cardholders can now buy goods by tweeting special hashtags
If driving to a store and waving your phone by a terminal puts too much sweat on your brow, American Express has launched a new way to part with your money in exchange for physical goods that's even more effortless. Since last year, Amex Sync has let American Express cardholders earn discounts in return for posting tweets including hashtags about certain products, and now it's letting them buy things just by tweeting similar codes. After signing up for the service (and linking their Twitter handle), users can send out a tweet with #BuyAmexGiftCard25, reply to the @AmexSync account to confirm their purchase and wait for the package to arrive via free 2-day shipping. As of now, the outfit is offering a $25 American Express gift card for $15, but will being offering up new products, ranging from a Kindle Fire HD to an Xbox 360, with sweetened prices starting February 13 at noon EST. Not a Twitter user? According to AllThingsD, Leslie Berland, Amex's SVP of digital partnerships and development, says the solution will head to the likes of Facebook and other platforms at some point as well.
Visa's V.me digital wallet service graduates from beta with 53 banks, 23 retailers on board
After roughly a year since its unveiling, Visa's digital payment platform V.me has emerged from beta with support from a total of 53 banks, including PNC and U.S. Bank, and 23 retailers. If V.me has escaped your memory thanks to the proliferation of electronic payment options, you'd be forgiven. For those in need of a refresher, the service lets users check out at participating online stores using a one-click solution that remembers credit card details from multiple providers (American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa) in addition to billing and mailing addresses. Visa's Global Head of eCommerce, Jennifer Schulz, told TechCrunch that the firm is planning on making mobile apps and bringing the service to checkout terminals next year. How does the company plan on standing out from the sea of options? Visa's banking on its brand-name and ability to spread the service far and wide. If V.me has piqued your interest, leap past the break to catch the full list of supported banks and retailers. [Image credit: Philip Taylor, Flickr]
LevelUp unveils payment docks that take both NFC and QR codes, leave out the guesswork
Most stores accepting mobile payments usually have to take just one format, whether it's Google Wallet, Square or another flavor that you probably can't use. LevelUp is convinced you shouldn't have to choose platforms: it just revealed a new payment dock that will recognize both the company's existing QR code system as well as NFC. It's much easier sight on the eyes than typical NFC terminals, to boot. Just don't expect a one-for-one recreation of systems like Google Wallet or Isis. Rather than expose your banking details by holding them in a chip, LevelUp's NFC is just used to move the transaction along -- if it's used to get things started, shoppers can either switch to a QR code or complete the transaction with a second tap. The company is mostly planning to replace its existing payment points across the US with the NFC-aware models. Bluetooth 4.0 is an option for the future, however, which could make LevelUp even more of a Swiss Army Knife for the world of mobile commerce.
Google patents buyer-specific price drops for follow-up sales, can tell if you're a cheapskate
Ever been tempted to rent a movie again, but thought the price was just a little too dear? Google may soon be willing to haggle a deal. One of its newly-granted patents could automatically lower the price of repurchase-friendly content, such as a Google Play Movies rental, depending on how likely you are to pull the trigger. Its algorithm weighs your personal tastes and repurchasing habits against those of your peers: if the code senses you'll be relatively stingy, you'll get a better discount. The analysis could even factor in the nature of the content itself. A thoughtful movie, ownership of the soundtrack or just a lot of related searches could lead to a repurchase at the usual price, while a simple action flick with no previous interest may bring the discount into effect. We don't know if Google will offer these extra-personal discounts to the public at any point in the future, but if you suddenly notice a lot of follow-up bargains in Google Play, you'll know how they came to be.
Isis mobile payment system primed for September launch, supported devices revealed
You've known it was coming, but Isis has been so quiet on the mobile payments front in the past few months that you might've forgotten the score. Now, the joint venture backed by AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon has announced that it'll debut its system in Austin and Salt Lake City next month. At least part of the delay is attributed to its shift in strategy, when Isis shelved its plans to process payments through the carriers themselves and instead work with MasterCard and Visa. Isis representatives have declined to elaborate on future expansion plans. Coinciding with the recent update that enabled Isis support for T-Mobile's Galaxy S II, MasterCard has come clean with a list of devices that'll receive similar treatment. Specifically, those in the US can expect the Droid Incredible 4G LTE, One X, Amaze 4G, Galaxy S III to gain Isis support. Naturally, the possibility remains open for other devices as well, and if you'd like to see the complete list of candidates, make sure to check out the PDF below.
Square intros flat-rate payment option at $275 per month, hits small business sweet spot
Square is most often pitched as heaven for small businesses, but that 2.75 percent cut per transaction is sometimes a problem for stores that are too successful. Enter a new flat rate option. Shops that don't take more than $250,000 a year in Square payments, or charge more than $400 in a given sale, can instead pay a flat $275 per month regardless of how many swipes they take. The deal makes the most sense for businesses handling more than $120,000 a year through the reader, establishing a definite limit to its usefulness; this isn't exactly for a budding jeweler (or Starbucks). Even so, the simplicity of the rate might be very alluring for companies that aren't keen on surprise costs or working out the math, and it's a contrast to the half-steps towards flat rates taken by VeriFone and other, more traditional outlets going mobile.
Google, PayPal, VeriFone and US carriers band together to form Mobile Payments Committee
There's little doubt that mobile payments hold a ton of potential for the future of commerce, but without proper direction (and willingness for adoption), the technology remains little more than an impractical curiosity for the majority of consumers. In an effort to define a way forward for the mobile payment industry, a large number of heavy hitters have banded together under the umbrella of the Electronic Transactions Association to form the Mobile Payments Committee. Not only does the group include all four of the top US carriers, but also Google, Isis, VeriFone and PayPal. Add to that financial institutions such as Wells Fargo and Capital One, along with American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa, and you'll quickly realize that this group is playing to win. Primary goals of the Mobile Payments Committee include fostering relationships with merchants, ensuring consumer access to modern payment methods, exploring best practices and ensuring interoperability of networks, equipment and financial institutions. The group will also engage in lobbying activities with legislators and regulators, and will additionally work to educate both merchants and consumers about the potential of mobile payments. With so many key players (and competitors) sitting around one big table, what wouldn't you give to be a fly on the wall during those meetings? For a little extra insight, just hop the break for the full PR.
Apple lands patent for NFC-ready shopping app, could make impulse spending an iPhone tap away
Apple has been filing more than its fair share of NFC-related patents, but it was just granted what could be one of its more important wins at the USPTO. The design for an "on-the-go shopping list" app would help buyers find and pull the trigger on deals through every tool an iPhone has at its disposal, whether it's taking a snapshot of goods with the camera, punching in the UPC code by hand or tapping an item for an NFC-based "touch scan." We'll admit that we're a bit disappointed at how NFC is used, however. As with an earlier filing, the very short range wireless is kept largely to price comparisons and adding products to a list for a purchase from a store clerk later on, rather than closing the deal outright as we've seen with Google Wallet. The original 2008 filing date will also have seen a lot of water flowing under the bridge; there's no guarantee that any enthusiasm for NFC from the iPhone 3G era will have transferred to the present day. Accordingly, we would be careful about drawing any connections between iOS 6's Passbook and Apple's ideas from four years ago -- even if Apple has regularly been a never-say-never sort of company.
Exclusive: Illyriad major trade update launching this week
Illyriad fans, rejoice! The highly anticipated trade revamp is hitting the free-to-play fantasy MMORTS at the end of this week. This huge update will significantly alter the economic landscape of the game. Going beyond just an overhaul of the trade system, this update also introduces crafting, expands harvesting, and opens the way for players to gain power and wealth through commerce. How significant are these changes? Currently there are 17 items that can be traded among players; after the update, that number skyrockets to over 300. With the addition of crafted equipment, troop customization increases from eight basic troop types to include thousands of possibilities. Other changes include over 50 new special resource types, nine new mounts, 72 new weapons, 53 new armor types, 13 new specialist buildings, and 187 new technologies to research. The sheer number of additions is not the only change. With many commodities being regional, potential business moguls will find that establishing trade routes and even creating monopolies will be profitable. If you enjoy economic strategies instead of just military, check Illyriad out. [Source: Illyriad Games press release]
Amazon Lockers hit 7-Elevens in Washington DC, let you grab your parcel and a Slurpee
The convenience of shopping at Amazon just got bumped up a few notches in the Northern Virginia sector of Washington DC. Folks who swear their delivery person never rings the bell before dropping off packages will be pleased to know that Amazon Lockers have popped up at multiple 7-Elevens around the region. As Zatz Not Funny notes, Amazon has yet to officially list the market under the service, but at least four locations are searchable -- and the site did find one more that's currently off the radar. If you're eager to get a glimpse of the P.O. Box-esque units for yourself or get access on your account, you'll find more info at the source links below.
