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This is the Modem World: The internet used to be better
Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology. Back in the '90s -- before many of you were born -- the internet was much better than it is today. I'm only halfway kidding, too. Let me explain. At the time, we were sure anything was possible. We were also pretty stupid. We launched sites that just sold socks. Others sold balls. Social networking was just something we did -- we didn't need a site or a name for it. We were happy to go out at night and create real-life memes over drinks regarding the 2-minute video that took all afternoon to download.
The iPad as a shopping venue
Black Friday online shopping uncovered a surprising theme -- the iPad is a popular tool for browsing and buying products on the Internet. Darcy Travlos at Forbes took a look at the data and found some tidbits that point to an interesting conclusion; "e-commerce may become the killer app for the iPad." As Travlos points out, it's not that there are more iPads out there than any other tablet -- iPads only have a slight edge in installed base at 52 percent of the market share to 48 percent for Android tablets. But that 52 percent of installed base accounts for 88.3 percent of all of the tablet online shopping. Travlos speculates that the screen size of the iPad has a lot going for it, in particular in terms of watching video ads that are very effective on tablets. She mentions that online shopping is extremely popular during leisure hours, and that "if shoppers arrive through iPads, retailers and advertisers will notice and allocate resources appropriately. This is just one more area where Apple is building up an ecosystem around creating delightful user experiences."
Mastercard previewing smartphone web payment system with in-person security strength
Mastercard is already a big fish in the still tiny NFC contactless payment pond, and now it wants to take that same technology to a veritable ocean -- internet sales. The plastic purveyor is tag-teaming with ING in the Netherlands for PayPass-based smartphone internet payments that would have a "comparable level of security" to bricks and mortar purchases -- by transmitting an EMV-compliant cryptogram or QR code to merchants. That would theoretically make online shopping less risky, and the system would also allow coupons and vouchers to be applied, giving a "similar user experience in both the physical and digital world." The Dutch trial has already started and will continue until early 2013, but there's no word if new users can still jump in -- check the PR after the break to read the tea leaves for yourself.
Google Catalogs makes web-based catalog browsing a reality
For folks who prefer to get their retail therapy in digital form, Google Catalogs is a godsend. In case you forgot, it's an aggregation portal with digital catalogs from myriad merchants that lets you browse retailer wares without killing trees and now it's available on the web. When Catalogs first debuted, it was only available as a tablet app for iPad or Android. The new web-based catalog browser, however, lets users peruse wares from over 300 merchants -- including Crate&Barrel, Brookstone and even Fredrick's of Hollywood -- on any device with an internet connection. The holiday season's approaching folks, so head on down to the source and get your shopping out of the way early -- or, at least flesh out your personal wish list.
Daily iPhone App: Slice helps you track your online purchases
Slice is for the online shopper who likes to have everything right at his or her fingertips. If you take the time to set it up, the app will quickly become the central hub for your online purchases. You can organize your online receipts, track packages and even monitor recent purchases for price drops so you can request a price match refund. The key to Slice's success is your email account. Once you grant Slice access to your account, it will scan your emails for order invoices and shipping notices. Slice finds your purchases and then stores them in your Slice Purchase History. Using this information, the app can analyze your receipts and allow you to see where you are shopping and what you are buying online with its new "Thingerprint" feature. Slice also tracks your packages and alerts you when an item has been delivered. The Slice service is free, but it does require you to setup an online account. You also have to grant Slice access to your email account, which could make some people uncomfortable. The company says it scans your email only for order and shipping notices; other emails, which may contain personal information, are ignored. If you still have privacy concerns, you can always setup an email address that you use just for purchases. Slice also uses encryption to help keep your invoices safe. The latest version of Slice for iOS brings several new changes including email support for Hotmail, iCloud, and AOL email and a new Facebook Connect login if you're a Facebook user. You can also add shipments manually or by scanning the tracking barcode. I took the app for a test drive and was impressed at how it handled my purchases. I buy a lot of items online and the app did an excellent job picking out the order confirmations and shipping notices from a slew of spam. If you can get past the privacy concerns, Slice soon will become your favorite shopping companion. The Slice app is available for free from the iOS App Store. You can read more about the service on Slice's website.
Google Search As You Type gives retailer websites instant search
Google's search engine and its almighty Omnibox in Chrome have given the public instant search capabilities for some time, and now Google's sharing that same search goodness with its retail partners. Called Google Search As You Type, it's a pilot program providing AdWords advertisers access to Google's predictive and instant search on their own websites. That means customers can find what they're looking for more quickly and sellers can separate said buyers from their money faster than ever. Search As You Type is free for the first 25 million searches each year, so you'll likely be seeing this widespread on retail websites soon. That said, if you simply cant wait to witness your online retailing future, check out the video after the break.
Google shocker: American web company says web boosted American economy by $500 billion
Who knew that a company which makes a lot of money on the web would be keen to pitch the web as important to the US economy? Google thinks it's as natural as breathing, as it just took significant credit for fueling real-world shopping. About 97 percent of Americans reportedly searched online for a local business -- it's safe to say Google was involved in a lot of those hunts -- and spent an average of nearly $2,000 per person at brick-and-mortar stores last year. The search giant extrapolates to argue that the web pumped about $500 billion into the US economy, even while excluding internet-only sales. That's certainly a staggering number that shows how much of a cornerstone the internet has become for American business, although it comes across as slightly insecure: a company that's reportedly under tight scrutiny from regulators might be eager to show just how much good it's doing for the public in tough economic times.
Google rolls out Trusted Stores verification program for online retailers
Along with talking up 3D images and other new features for Maps, Google is pushing its new Trusted Stores program this week. The service, which has been in testing for the last nine months, monitors online retailers and awards those with good shipping and service records a "trusted" badge. In addition to giving online shoppers some reassurance that a vendor is, well, trustworthy, Trusted Stores will offer users assistance in resolving issues with sellers, plus up to $1,000 of purchase protection. For the retailers, the company says the value proposition is an increase in sales "by showing you're a great place to shop." Google will be rolling out badges for approved stores in the US starting today, and clicking on those little seals of approval will let you view a merchant's "report card" for shipping and customer service reliability.
EU online spending estimated to grow 16 percent, reach €232 billion in 2012
Pardon us Americans as we act surprised, but it turns out that we have one more thing in common with our Euro brethren: a growing number of us dislike shopping in stores. According to Kelkoo estimates, online spending in the European Union is projected to continue its upward trend, which is said to reach somewhere in the neighborhood of €232 billion before year's end. If the estimate holds, this would be a 16 percent increase over the €200 billion raked by e-tailers during 2011, and is naturally assumed to come at the expense of traditional brick and mortar outfits, whose growth is projected to increase by a mere 1.8 percent.The data gathered also suggest there's significant room for expansion, however, as online spending accounted for just 7.8 percent of all EU retail sales in 2011, with the UK, Germany and France being responsible for a whopping 71 percent of that tally. The 16 percent projected growth is a slight decline from 2011, which saw EU online spending grow by 18 percent -- although, Europe's growing habit for click-and-ship continues to outpace the US, which grew by only 12.8 percent in 2011. Now, since you've crammed all these numbers, why not check the funny pages?[Shopping button via Shutterstock]
Daily Update for January 3, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
Engadget's Cyber Monday 2011 roundup
<div style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/engadgets-cyber-monday-2011-roundup/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/11/-2.jpg" style="border-width:0px;border-style:solid;margin:4px;"/></a></div> <div> Didn't feel like brawling for two-dollar waffle makers at Wally World this past <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/engadgets-black-friday-2011-roundup/">Black Friday</a>? Don't fret, because Cyber Monday is just a few hours away -- there are literally only a few clicks between you and some awesome online deals. Best of all, you don't even need leave your abode or bear lines in the cold. Just like we did for BF, we've spotted some deals in advance and thrown 'em just past the break -- sure, it's only Sunday, but don't tell that to the retailers whose sales are currently ongoing! Unless you want to miss out on some chances to save on the gadgets you've been pining for, join us past the break for our full rundown. And as usual, if you spot anything we've missed, be sure to let us know in the comments. Ready. Set. Save!<br /> <br /> (<em>pssst: Don't forget to keep checking back, as we'll be constantly updating this post with even more deals as we come across them!</em>)<br /> <br /> <strong>Update (6:45PM ET 11/28):</strong> Now with even more deals!</div>
Three brings 3LiveShop to Denmark, offers webcam chat and heads-up product display (video)
Well, it appears that Three's call center agents in Denmark won't be able to wear pajamas into work anymore. Following the introduction of 3LiveShop in Sweden, the mobile carrier's other Scandinavian group is introducing this rather novel way of shopping for new phones to Danes. Properly situated consumers may now elect to participate in live video chats with Three employees, who manipulate product photos and information on a heads-up display for customer convenience. (We'd like to imagine this nice lady has placed the Galaxy S II and iPhone 4 into the "maybe" pile.) Thankfully, shoppers won't have to look presentable at all, as participating in two-way video conferences is entirely optional -- along with more traditional voice and chat methods. If you're curious to see a demo of the system in action, just check the video after the break. [Thanks, Jonas]
Google Checkout merges with Google Wallet, completing the inevitable
In a move that has "common sense" written all over it, the folks over at Mountain View have decided to merge Google Checkout with Google Wallet. The marriage hardly comes as a surprise, considering the fact that both services serve essentially the same purpose -- namely, storing all your payment information in one neat little package. To make things even tidier, Big G has just folded Checkout into Wallet, which will soon be integrated within the Android Market, YouTube and Google+ Games, as well. As a result, the Checkout moniker will vanish from the Earth, but current users will be able to seamlessly switch over to Wallet the next time they log in to their accounts or make an online purchase. For more details, check out the source link below. [Thanks, Samer]
Intel and MasterCard to offer Ultrabook users 'safer' NFC checkout via PayPass, impulsive shoppers rejoice
Entering a 16-digit credit card number may be a thing of the past with a new initiative from MasterCard and Intel, which allows users to checkout online by tapping a PayPass-enabled card, tag or smartphone to their Ultrabook. Calling the checkout "safer" and "simpler," Intel is bringing its Identity Protection Technology to the potluck, giving shoppers two-factor authentication and chip-based display protection when forking over that hard earned cash. Here's how it all works: when you tap a NFC smartphone or other PayPass-enabled device, it will communicate with the Ultrabook, generating a six-digit code from the embedded processor or from within the Manageability Engine. The ME hardware, encrypted with third-party algorithms, then transacts with the e-commerce site, hopefully offering shoppers more protection than standard software solutions. Since using the feature requires an NFC-connected device as well as the Ultrabook and a username and password, forgetful folks who tend to misplace their phone or computer won't have to worry about unwarranted spending. Sadly, the solution won't protect your wallet from the perils of a late night shoe shopping spree. Check out the full PR after the break.
Fits.me imitates ladies of all shapes and sizes, tries clothes on for you (video)
Unless you're in the rather strange habit of going to stores, trying on clothes, and returning home to purchase them online, you never know how they look on you until the package arrives on your doorstep. Last year Fits.me tackled this little niggling e-commerce issue with a shape-shifting male mannequin and finally, after a year of tireless work, the fairer sex has its own FitBot -- turns out the female form is much more difficult to replicate. Again, the adjustable, human stand-in is making its debut at the British retailer Hawes & Curtis and our more womanly readers can head to the source to get a better idea of how the White Hipster Shirt would drape across their particular body type simply by moving a set of sliders. But, before you go, check out the pair of videos after the break.
3LiveShop woos you into phone contracts by touching your screen from the other side (video)
Feeling lonely? Got some Swedish kronor to burn? Now you can kill two birds with one stone thanks to Three's Scandinavian arm. Hold up, we're not talking about online dating here; but you could certainly start by buying a phone from 3LiveShop, which lets you interact virtually face to face with a human sales rep. Better yet, these folks are equipped with eccentric multitouch workstations (pictured after the break) to let them drag phones and spec sheets around your screen. We had a go on this service just now and apart from a couple of hiccups later on, our Hong Kong-to-Sweden call was surprisingly fluid and fun. Sadly, we didn't get around to filming our intimate conversation with Adam here, but you can watch a promotion video by B-Reel -- the folks behind the touchscreen's Flash interface -- after the break to see how it works. [Thanks, Johan]
Obama administration moves forward with unique internet ID for Americans, Commerce Department to head system up
President Obama has signaled that he will give the United States Commerce Department the authority over a proposed national cybersecurity measure that would involve giving each American a unique online identity. Other candidates mentioned previously to head up the new system have included the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security, but the announcement that the Commerce Department will take the job should please groups that have raised concerns over security agencies doing double duty in police and intelligence work. So anyway, what about this unique ID we'll all be getting? Well, though details are still pretty scant, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, speaking at an event at the Stanford Institute, stressed that the new system would not be akin to a national ID card, or a government controlled system, but that it would enhance security and reduce the need for people to memorize dozens of passwords online. Sorry, Locke, sounds like a national ID system to us. Anyway, the Obama administration is currently drafting what it's dubbed the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace, which is expected at the Department of Commerce in a few months. We'll keep you posted if anything terrifying or cool happens. Update: For clarity's sake, we should note that the proposed unique ID system will be opt in only, not a mandatory program for all citizens.
Google launches Boutiques fashion search, delivers obligatory iPad app
Hey ladies, are you finding technology is under-servicing your all-important fashion search needs? Well, here comes Google with the solution in the brand new Boutiques.com website, which gives you curated selections of the latest styles, along with advanced search filters like genre, silhouette, pattern, and color families. There's even an algorithm for suggesting items to complete your dazzling look, and once you find just the right pair of pumps, Google sends you along to the appropriate retailer. So it's sort of like Google's Shopping section, only a few orders of magnitude fancier. Oh, and we weren't being sexist in our opener, Boutiques only has women's fashion for now and it's only available in the US, though there are plans to expand on both fronts.
It's the thought that counts, but just in case, Amazon patents gift conversion system
The holiday season is drawing close, and gifting soon to begin, which almost certainly means another pair of woolen socks (oh, joy) from dear Aunt Mildred. What could you possibly do to escape your sheep-shorn fate? The top brass at Amazon have a plan -- they've patented a system by which your gifts will magically be converted into things you actually want. It's like Gmail filters for products, really, in that you set up a series of rules, and if the gift you're sent falls under one of them, you're sent an item from your Amazon Wish List (or a gift certificate) instead. Apparently they've even thought up conversion rules for media formats, which should come in mighty handy for those relatives who can't tell PS3 from Xbox. Why can't Aunt Mildred just look at your wish list to begin with? Hey, she's your aunt. Why don't you be a dear, give her a good old-fashioned telephone call and ask?
Fits.me shape-shifter models the huge pectoral muscles men want, smaller ones they have (video)
While online shopping has taken over most facets of modern retail, buying clothes via the interwebs is something more of a hard sell. The Fits.me shape-shifting mannequin is here to make that a little easier -- for men, anyway. Earlier this year the company created a robotic torso comprised of flexible panels that can shift between thousands of different shapes and sizes from small to extra large. A clothing company puts a new shirt on the bot and a camera captures it cycling through a variety of body types like a T-1000 sinking into a pit of molten steel. When you enter your measurements online, the e-tailer looks up the appropriate pics and, hey presto, you can see how you'll really look in that Warwick Tailored semi-cutaway. There's a quick demo video after the break and, if you're looking for a new shirt, you can virtually try on a variety of Hawes & Curtis offerings recently added at the source link. Sorry ladies: latest word is that a mammary-equipped model isn't due for at least another few months.
