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Apple Store update allows use of Siri with app
The latest update to the Apple Store app isn't huge, but it does contain a couple of neat perks. Version 2.4 allows you to buy gift cards and email them to family and friends from the app. Those with iOS 6 will be able to use those gift cards with Passbook. But the neatest thing about the update is that it integrates Siri into the app. You can now ask Siri to find prices and shop for Apple products. The urge to find the cost of a Lightning cable by voice alone ever strikes, now you can do so through the Apple Store app.
Amtrak for iPhone adds Passbook support
Apple's Passbook app is starting to gain momentum, with more apps now providing support for tickets, payment and coupons. The latest comes from the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, AKA Amtrak, which released version 1.3 of its free iPhone app today. The app makes it possible to move an Amtrak eTicket to Passbook by selecting the action button on the eTicket screen. Once there, the eTicket is accessible and viewable with a tap on the Passbook app, and may then be scanned by an Amtrak conductor. Amtrak for iPhone also provides the ability to buy tickets, find train status, look up station locations and contact numbers, view scheduled and more.
Coupons.com now offers Passbook-ready coupons for 20 stores
If you've been looking for more uses for iOS 6's new Passbook app, you're in luck. Online coupon resource Coupons.com has begun offering coupons for 20 retailers that can be added directly to Apple's new digital wallet. To see what's available right now, point Safari at Coupons.com/passbook, then tap the Add to Passbook icon. It's probably the most seamless use of Passbook we've seen yet. Retailers offering Passbook-ready coupons through the site include: Avenue Bon-Ton Carter's Champion Gordmans Harbor Freight Tools Jo-Ann Lane Bryant Michaels OshKosh B'gosh PETCO Shopko Spirit Halloween Sweet Tomatoes ULTA Beauty Yankee Candle It's implementations like this one that should help to increase the usefulness of Passbook, which has admittedly gotten off to a bumpy start.
Klout adds Passbook support and perks
The social app Klout has updated its iPhone app, with a few surprising features. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Klout. It's gotten a little bit of a reputation for being spammy, and I think the way it rates influence is more or less meaningless. However, there's one feature of the new app that I think is very interesting, and that's Passbook integration. Yes, the Klout app will now show up in Passbook, and contains a "Klout card" that shows off the user's name, photo and Klout score. Klout says that showing this card to various people or businesses could have benefits down the road. Klout isn't an app that I would have expected to use Apple's Passbook feature. In the same way that we've seen apps make interesting uses of features such as in-app purchases and push notifications, it looks like some apps will use Passbook in ways that maybe weren't necessarily intended by Apple. We'll have to keep an eye out for more interesting Passbook-fueled ideas. Klout has also added support for the iPhone 5 and "perks," which are a feature of Klout's web service but are only just now showing up in the app. If you do want to make use of Klout and its features on your iPhone, the app is a free download. [via VentureBeat]
Apple to use Passbook at retail stores
With Passbook popping up on every iPhone running iOS 6, Apple will soon let you use the feature at its retail stores. The company will begin rolling out an update to its EasyPay point-of-sale software later this month that allows store employees to scan Passbook-based Apple Store cards for payments. Apple teased this during the original Passbook announcement this summer, but the store was missing among Passbook-ready apps when iOS 6 came out. We've heard from an unnamed Apple Store source that the company just finished replacing the cases on EasyPay-enabled iPod touches to allow use of the rear-facing camera. Previously, the EasyPay add-on blocked the lens, making it impossible to use the devices to scan something such as a Passbook card. The feature looks to be limited to prepaid gift cards, at least for the time being, so those hoping to load and reload their own virtual Apple Store card still have some waiting to do. The company likely already has a solution in mind, so don't be surprised to see the ability to add funds appear in the near future. I mean, if Starbucks can do it, it should be small potatoes for Apple, right?
Valpak coupons: When Passbook finally clicked for me
Like any new tech, Passbook took a few stumbles when it was born unto the world. I thought the only card I'd be using was the Starbucks pass, but I soon found frustration that it didn't work yet. Target's generic coupon offering wasn't very enticing, and Walgreen's Balance rewards card, while nice, wasn't exactly a compelling offering or a "gee whiz" moment. Delta has yet to integrate Passbook into its app. Then, after three years as a single dad trying to get into the coupon habit, I started using coupons again thanks to Passbook. Valpak's app was recently updated to use Passbook. Instead of adding hundreds of coupons to your Passbook (sort of the virtual replication of what happens when you get Valpak's mailers), you are instead taken through a list of coupons that might be relevant to you. Signup was easy, by the way. Once I found the coupons I wanted, it was easy to add them to Passbook. I should note that Valpak has had a lot of lead time in creating deals for its customers. They are famous for the blue envelopes with coupons bursting out of them. They have spent years building relationships with merchants to bring you deals. I was astounded at how many were available around me, and I live in a small city. One night last week I took my son out for pizza and across the four-lane highway sat a Firestone. I happened to need an oil change and had added a coupon for this from the Valpak app to Passbook. As we sat waiting for service I noticed the notification: my coupon was valid for the shop across the road. I might never have gone to that place for an oil change. I'd never been there before, although I'd shopped nearby. Not only that, but the coupon for the oil change is a great deal and I'll be using the Valpak app regularly. With Passbook, Apple has created a sort of commercial hub of simplicity. I am getting offers I want, delivered where I want. In the case above, I didn't go immediately to get my oil changed, but my coupon doesn't expire for a few weeks yet, and I certainly plan to. That's significant. Getting consumers to change behaviors is incredibly hard. Thus far, Passbook is shaping up to be far better than the mere payment system NFC proponents suggested it could be. This is a strength of Apple people discount time and again. Its ability to "predict the future by inventing it" (paraphrasing Alan Kay) is its core competency. As a customer, it means I'm able to do things I wasn't easily able to do before. Passbook and Valpak's app saved me a ton of time clipping coupons, and real money by providing my addled brain with location-aware reminders. Even if you've never used a coupon in your life, try the Valpak app on iOS 6 and see if it doesn't save you money.
Apple's Passbook: Helping to make baseball tickets extinct
According to a post on MarketWatch today, Major League Baseball would love to stop selling paper tickets. It turns out that Apple's Passbook might very well help them to accomplish that goal during the next year. Traditional ticket sales have been dropping quite a bit anyway -- from 55 percent in 2011 to less than 33 percent so far this year -- as fans are picking up tickets from MLB and other outlets (most notably StubHub) in digital formats. But Passbook was apparently a huge hit in a test run during the final two weeks of the 2012 regular season. Bob Bowman, CEO of MLB Advance Media, told MarketWatch that during the test with four teams, 1,500 e-ticket buyers -- or about 12 percent -- chose delivery through Passbook. Said Bowman, "That adoption rate really floored us -- there is no question our fans want digital tickets. Fans can use the tickets, forward them to a friend, resell them or even donate them to charity -- and they never get lost or left at home." If you happen to attend an MLB Playoff or World Series game this fall, hold onto your physical ticket if you get one. It may very well be a collector's item in the near future.
Ameranth claims Apple's Passbook violates reservation patents
In the latest in patent infringing suits against Apple, iOS 6's Passbook is the target. Apple Insider reports that Ameranth, which produces poker and restaurant software, claims that the ability to store movie and airline tickets and hotel reservations in Passbook infringes on patents that the company has filed between 1999 and 2005. GigaOM points out that Ameranth has filed similar suits against other companies this summer, and VentureBeat adds that Microsoft and Motorola hold a stake in the company. Ameranth has a history of mostly focusing on enforcing its patents, but with actual products and that financial stake under its belt, they might be a bit more than an ordinary patent troll.
Gyft for iOS now compatible with Passbook, adds gift cards from more than 200 retailers
With Apple having recently introduced its novel Passbook feature in the latest version of iOS, it's only natural for app makers to try and take advantage of such miscellaneous hub. With that in mind, Gyft -- a 2012 TechCrunch Disrupt finalist -- has made its application fully compatible with Cupertino's newfangled iOS 6, adding support for the iPhone 5's 4-inch screen and, most importantly, the ability to add gift cards from many retailers to Passbook; some of which include Amazon, Target, Lowe's, GAP, American Eagle and Starbucks. You can grab the Gyft (v1.2) application now directly from your iDevice, or there's always the link below if that makes it slightly easier for you.
AmEx, Starbucks announce plans for Passbook integration: both live by end of the month
When it launched with iOS 6 this Wednesday, Apple's Passbook mobile-ticketing feature boasted a handful of high-profile partners -- including Fandango, Live Nation, Lufthansa and Ticketmaster -- but that list still leaves plenty of room for fleshing out. According to Venture Beat, AmEx is launching integration with Passbook later today. The credit card company's Passbook functionality will include notifications for new account transactions, along with the ability to view your current balance and redeem membership rewards points. The service can also use smartphones' location to verify charges flagged as suspicious. Starbucks, which was featured in an early Passbook demo at WWDC, also announced the timeline for its integration with the service, tweeting today that an "update is coming at the end of the month" and offering no further details. Judging by Apple's earlier previews, Passbook will let customers pay with a Starbucks card. The coffee chain's Passbook functionality looks to be quite similar to its partnership with Square, which will be the go-to mobile payments option for non-iOS customers when it launches this fall.
List of Passbook-ready apps compiled
Gizmodo has compiled a list of Passbook-ready apps, which isn't as many as people were expecting, and is missing previously demonstrated businesses such as Delta, Amtrak, Starbucks and the Apple Store. There's a few Passbook-ready apps not on the list, such as the Canadian movie chain Cineplex, but it's a good resource to start looking for them. We should be seeing more of these apps in the next few months as companies use tools such as the newly launched PassTools to help them make the leap to Passbook.
Passbook is failing to live up to expectations
Passbook is what I've been most eager to try iOS 6. My husband teases me about poking through a wallet full of cards for different locations, and one of my favorite apps is the Starbucks app, which allows me to use my iPhone to pay for my drinks. Passbook was billed as the iPhone's digital wallet, which can be used to store boarding passes, movie tickets, coupons, store loyalty cards, etc. -- all into a single place. Nice idea. Too bad the execution's not going very well. The first issue for a lot of people is that upon launching the app, there is an error message that does not allow you to connect to the Passbook-specific part of the App Store. Thanks to the Apple support forums, there is a fix for that. Follow the following steps: Go into Settings > General > Date and Time > Set Automatically. Turn that setting off. Set the date one year ahead Access Passbook again and go into the App Store from it. It should be working. Then you can go turn the "set automatically" setting back on in Date and Time. It doesn't get better from there. Despite prominent billing during the iOS 6 announcement in June, Starbucks isn't a part of Passbook yet. So, I downloaded the Target, Walgreens and United Airlines apps. Instead of populating Passbook, they showed up on my home screen instead. That didn't seem right. It's not, said fellow TUAW editor Dave Caolo. "You must first use a Passbook-enabled app in order to have it show up," he said. So, you can install an app, but it won't appear in Passbook unless you use the associated iOS app. That kind of defeats the purpose of it, doesn't it? You shouldn't need to buy a movie ticket, planet ticket, etc. in order to get an app to work properly, especially a marquee feature of iOS 6. I did get it to work with the Walgreens app since its Balance Rewards card is free. When you select the store from the App Store, it will automatically download that app to your phone. A screen appears when you first launch the app, letting you know that it's Passbook-compatible. If you don't have an account, you can sign up for it through the app. Once you're done, you can choose to add the loyalty card to Passbook. So, what do you do with those extra apps you suddenly have? If you delete them, will it remove the Passbook entry? I deleted the Walgreens app, and the loyalty card remained in the Passbook. Eventually, I got the Target app to work. If you're signing up for an account for the first time, you'll go through a lovely rigamarole involving creating an account, then resetting your password. Then, you can activate mobile coupons. After confirming via text message, the coupons will appear in the app and you can add them to Passbook by scrolling to the bottom of the coupon screen, then delete the Target app if you don't want to keep it. When an item is in Passbook, you can tap on the "i" symbol in the bottom right-hand corner to find out more information. You can see if the associated app is installed -- useful for if you've tossed it in a folder -- and in the case of the Target coupons, what the coupon is good for. The cards are set to update automatically, so it'll be interesting if the Target one does next week since I deleted the app. It shouldn't be this complicated. At the very least, it should work like CardStar or Key Ring Rewards Card, where you can add a loyalty card or service without having to download the associated app. If you still want the standalone app, you can install it beyond that by using the link from Passbook. It took a good 30 minutes of configuring separate apps, including setting up accounts, in order to get passes into the Passbook for the first time. And then there's actually using Passbook. TechCrunch's Darryl Etherington tested it at the movies, and the experience was just as stellar (note the sarcasm) as setting up Passbook for the first time. Since then, the Cineplex app has received an update that fixed his problem, but he deemed that the whole Passbook process is just needlessly complicated. I agree with Darryl. Passbook is not intuitive and not ready for the real world. If you can actually get passes into Passbook, it should great if the business is ready to support it. It's getting to that point that's going to turn away a lot of users.
Fix iOS 6 App Store connectivity with Date and Time trick
Have you been getting connection errors in the iOS 6 App Store? You're not alone. I've also be getting the error message at right since updating to iOS 6. Fortunately, there's a quick fix. Apple Discussion Board user CLwill posted a hint that worked for me: "Go to Settings>General>Date and Time>Set Automatically>Off. Set the date one year ahead. Try to update the apps again. If you get an error message, go back to the settings. Correct the date and time (set automatically) then go back and try to update the apps again." Not only did this correct the connectivity issue, it has allowed me to browse the list of available Passbook-compatibile apps. Several MacRumors users also report that the fix solved the issue for them. Finally, I noticed that, after changing the date, the row of icons at the bottom of the iOS 6 App Store have changed from "Features," "Categories," "Top 25," "Search" and "Updates" to "Featured," "Charts," "Genius," "Search" and "Updates."
PSA: Passbook supported apps now listed in iOS 6 App Store
Now that iOS 6 has officially landed, Apple has pulled back the veil revealing the first wave of apps to support its new Passbook feature. The initial group of companies to jump on the bandwagon include: Ticketmaster, Live Nation, Lufthansa, MLB.com At Bat, Sephora to Go, Walgreens and Fandango Movies. While this list is a tad bit shorter than we hoped for, it's safe to say that more apps will follow in the not-so-distant future. Want to be the first to know when they arrive? Be sure to keep an eye on the Passbook section of the App Store for the latest updates.
iPhone 5 review
Thinner. Lighter. Faster. Simpler. The moment the iPhone 5 was unveiled we knew that it was checking off all the right boxes, folding in all the improvements and refinements people have been demanding over the past year -- yet plenty of folks still went to their respective social networks to type out their bitter disappointment. iPhone upgrade ennui seemed to be sweeping the nation, a sentiment that appeared to quickly dissipate when it came time for people to vote with their wallets. The iPhone 5 is here -- or will be soon, anyway -- and it's every bit the device that people were asking for when the iPhone 4S came out. Its new design has less mass yet leaves room for a larger display and LTE wireless, all while increasing battery life. In nearly every respect, this is an upgrade over the 4S that came before, though it arrives almost a year later than many had hoped. Is it too late to keep pace with the rapidly iterating Android offerings, or is it so good it was worth waiting for? The answer lies below.%Gallery-165757%
iOS Passbook support at the Columbus Zoo
When iOS 6 debuts this week, I'll be eager to try Passbook, a new feature that's meant to replace the customer cards and tickets many of us carry around. Now, ticketing provider Accesso has announced its plans to support the technology. Its customers will be able to use Passbook for tickets to the Columbus Zoo and 11 Cedar Fair Entertainment theme parks. Recently, Delta, Sheraton and Ticketmaster have indicated that they'll offer Passbook support. I'll have to see if any businesses in my rural neck of the woods will add support in the coming months.
The HEX Code Wallet case is nicely built, but a little too unwieldy
A few years ago, I decided to do my best to narrow down the number of things I carry around in my pockets every single day. Instead of one giant keychain with all of the keys I've ever owned on it, I cut down to two smaller keychains, one for my house and another for my car. And instead of a giant wallet that had been stretching out my back pants pockets, I instead just grabbed the insert out and stuck my ID and a few cards in there. Other than that, my iPhone 4 is the largest thing I carry around all the time. Of course, the functionality is definitely worth it, but still, I've always wondered if there was a way I could go even lighter, and combine my iPhone and wallet into one unit. The HEX Code Wallet case for the iPhone 4 or 4S is designed to do just that: It's a very well-made leather wraparound case that has a few card slots on the inside front cover, and the goal is to simply store a credit card or two and your ID, so that you don't need to carry around both a phone and a wallet when you go out. Unfortunately, the HEX Wallet isn't what I'm looking for. While it will definitely store your cards as needed, it's just too unwieldy for the simplicity that I'm after. The case is definitely well-built -- the leather on the outside is solid, if a little too rough. Inside, however, the leather that holds your cards is quite luxurious, and the plastic that holds in the iPhone is smooth and strong. I had no problem snapping my iPhone 4 into place, and while it was a little tougher to get it out, presumably you won't be removing it much once you've purchased this one. All of the buttons are, obviously, accessible, and a nice open area near the dock connector means I had no issues hooking my iPhone up to a charging cable while in the case. The biggest issue with the HEX, however, is when you start to put your cards in it. There are three slots on the inside front cover, as well as a larger pocket behind. But if you actually do use all three slots, the case becomes quite thick, and a little too unwieldy for my taste. Plus, even with my wallet insert, I still carry around 10 or 12 cards (from various customer appreciation programs and discount stores), so the HEX wouldn't work for me all of the time anyway. The other issue I have with the case is the strap that runs from top to bottom outside, and is meant to keep the case closed and shut when you're done with the iPhone. While the strap itself is nice and strong and seems well-connected to the case, I just found it in the way while I was using the case, and it felt a little awkward snapping it back around when the case was being closed. Fans of Moleskine notebooks may love this strap, but personally, it didn't work for what I wanted. And finally, though this is probably the most personal of my feedback, I just don't like the idea of a cover flap on my iPhone. It makes what is a really beautiful and simple device into something off-center and even ugly. The flap doesn't fold around to the back at all, so when you're using the iPhone with this case on, it's basically a book where you're only reading the right side of the page. I admit that this is mostly personal taste, but that's not the case for me. If you do just have a few cards you want to make sure are always with your iPhone, and you don't mind those concerns about having a cover and a strap on your case, then the HEX Wallet might be what you're looking for. At $50, it's not cheap, but the production materials aren't cheap here, either -- this definitely feels like a case that can last a while, and the black one I tested did look quite classy, especially when closed. But this case definitely isn't the one for me. Personally, I'm more excited about the possibilities of Passbook in iOS 6, and any other future technologies that allow me to use my iPhone as a credit card, identification system or even car key. Eventually, my hope is that all I'll ever have to carry around to get whatever I need will be Apple's gorgeous smartphone, and any case it needs will accent its beauty, rather than try to cover it all up.
Delta, Sheraton, Ticketmaster appear to offer Passbook support
When Passbook was first demonstrated, I was concerned my carrier of choice, Delta, wouldn't be on board. But lo and behold, the iPhone 5 announcement clearly showed a Delta pass in use. Other vendors hopping on the Passbook wagon appear to be Sheraton and Ticketmaster. iOS 6 will bring Passbook to supported iOS devices. Passbook is a quick way for users to store their info about vendors -- such as a balance on a Starbucks card -- and a quick way for vendors to check in customers, like Ticketmaster, Sheraton and Delta will be doing. The original demo in June showed Starbucks, Amtrak, W Hotels and United Airlines along with the Apple Store using Passbook. I can't wait to use it myself.
iOS 6 gets official debut on the iPhone 5: Maps, Passbook, iCloud Tabs and more
Now that the iPhone 5 is officially out of the bag, it's time to talk software. Apple hasn't exactly kept its cards close to its chest in regards to iOS 6: Cupertino teased the software at WWDC, letting us in on the direct Facebook integration, the new Maps application, Passbook and "Do Not Disturb" in the process. Today the OS gets official, and Scott Forstall demoed the software on the iPhone 5. Not too much new here, but the software is out of its beta phase and ready to ship. One of the most hyped additions to iOS 6 has been the Maps application, which includes Siri navigation, 3D building view and satellite imagery. In Safari, there's now a full-screen mode and you'll be able to share tabs from your desktop with your phone (dubbed iCloud Tabs). We're also seeing Passbook in action once again, bringing up a plane ticket at the lockscreen when you get to the airport, for example. One new thing here: Delta is confirmed as a partner for this digital ticket service. As we've already known, on the Siri front you can bring up sports ranking and Rotten Tomatoes movie ratings via the voice assistant. And, of course, one of the most welcome new features is FaceTime over cellular -- no mention of whether that will be supported on all carriers, but it certainly looks that way. iOS 6 will be available on September 19th (also when the iPhone 5 will go on sale), and it's coming to the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, new iPad, iPad 2 and iPod touch. Check out all the coverage at our iPhone 2012 event hub!
iPhone 5: the rumor roundup
We're on the cusp of Apple's sixth iPhone launch, and there's very different expectations than there were last year. The 2011 rumor cycle left more than a few people burned: the later-than-usual October launch and repeated claims of a heavily-remade design led some to a disappointment when the iPhone 4S arrived, even though the final product had a slew of camera, speed and voice command upgrades. This year, the rumors have been grounded well before there was an event date in our hands. There have been fewer instances of wild rumors. Instead, it's been based more around pragmatism, using either tangible leaks or sources that have a solid track record. Think of the perennial leaks from the Wall Street Journal or the increasingly well-established sourcing from iMore and The Loop. Whether you're conspiracy-minded or not, it's been hard to ignore the sheer number of claims that have tamped down expectations rather than inflated them. It's as though there's a collective fear we'll see a repeat of the 2011 hysteria and deal with fans (or detractors) complaining about missing features that were never promised in the first place. Where last summer was full of uncertainty, this year there's a mounting consensus as to what we'll see, how we'll get it, and when. Tracking everything that's been mentioned may be a handful, however. With that in mind, we'll dive in and gauge what's likely to emerge from behind Apple's curtain on September 12th -- as well as what we can rule out from the get-go.
