Archive for December, 2009

iPhone credit card reader to be demoed at CES

// December 31st, 2009 // No Comments » // Mac OS

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Coming this CES (which is actually next week): a complete credit card transaction accessory and service for your iPhone. If this thing works as expected, you might actually see it in more than a few places (think: street vendors that will take credit card payments). A company called Mophie is planning to show off an add-on that works with an app to deliver credit card payments through Square, a payment service recently started up by Jack Dorsey, a Twitter alumni. This is one of a couple such systems that will be vying to fulfill the function (and probably take a few cents from each transaction for their troubles), but so far all we’ve really got is demos, no actual releases planned.

But maybe we’ll hear more at CES. There’s all kinds of applications here — a solid, working implementation of a service like this could end up being extremely popular for anybody that regularly needs to conduct transactions out in the field.

TUAWiPhone credit card reader to be demoed at CES originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple updates patent for magic wand remote

// December 31st, 2009 // No Comments » // Mac OS

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Apple has updated a patent that they already held featuring a sort of a Magic Wand — a remote control for operating a media system by controlling an on-screen cursor. That might sound familiar if you own a Wii — even the pictures look very similar to the way the Wiimote currently works. And the pictures tell us something else: not only does the patent itself mention a “media system,” but the user interface looks very similar to the current Front Row interface on the Apple TV. So it’s likely that if Apple is updating this patent, they’re working on a new remote to control their set-top box.

But that doesn’t mean it’s the only thing they’d use a motion controller for — I speculated a long time ago that Apple might want to put their now substantial App Store library into play on another platform, and a motion controller would go a long way towards replicating the touchscreen and accelerometer capability of the iPhone. Of course, this patent only means Apple is playing around with these ideas, not actually releasing hardware based on them. But it just shows that they’re thinking along the same lines in terms of improving the browsing and interface experience.

TUAWApple updates patent for magic wand remote originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can’t find the apps you need? Of course there’s an app for that.

// December 31st, 2009 // No Comments » // Apps, Mac OS

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If you’re like me, you find it impossible to keep up with the constant stream of apps being written for the iPhone and iPod touch. As a result, you wind up missing some useful or fun apps that you would buy if you just knew that they were in the App Store.

Searching the App Store using iTunes doesn’t work very well, and there are plenty of sites that review apps (including TUAW), but there are so many apps out there that finding what you want can be a matter of luck rather than skill.

That problem has largely been solved with Appsaurus [iTunes link], a U.S. $0.99 app that can quickly focus on what kinds of apps you like and make decent suggestions for new apps to try or buy.

Here’s how Appsaurus works. When you launch the app for the first time, it presents you with an explore mode. It displays a list of apps, and you tap the ones that are of interest to you. You may have some of the apps, but you probably won’t have all of them. When you select a favorite you’ll get a new list that includes apps that match the general description of the app you clicked on. Run through a few iterations of this process, and the app begins to learn your preferences.If you’re like me, you find it impossible to keep up with the constant stream of apps being written for the iPhone and iPod touch. As a result, you wind up missing some useful or fun apps that you would buy if you just knew that they were in the App Store.

Searching the App Store using iTunes doesn’t work very well, and there are plenty of sites that review apps (including TUAW), but there are so many apps out there that finding what you want can be a matter of luck rather than skill.

That problem has largely been solved with Appsaurus [iTunes link], a U.S. $0.99 app that can quickly focus on what kinds of apps you like and make decent suggestions for new apps to try or buy.

Here’s how Appsaurus works. When you launch the app for the first time, it presents you with an explore mode. It displays a list of apps, and you tap the ones that are of interest to you. You may have some of the apps, but you probably won’t have all of them. When you select a favorite you’ll get a new list that includes apps that match the general description of the app you clicked on. Run through a few iterations of this process, and the app begins to learn your preferences.

TUAWCan’t find the apps you need? Of course there’s an app for that. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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