When is a Luddite not a Luddite? When enough people are disaffected. This is pretty much the premise of the article over on RealClear Technology. The bus protests happening in San Francisco over Google's busing system for employees spawned the thinking and it is a great read.
http://www.realcleartechnology.com/articles/2014/01/24/violence_against_tech_firms_may_only_be_beginning_916.html
Here is a snippet from that piece:
Google and other Silicon Valley tech companies have attracted the protesters' ire because sky-high tech salaries have led to sky-high real estate prices in San Francisco, pricing out poorer residents. They're also in the cross-hairs for their role in assisting NSA surveillance. The private bus system (which used public bus stops) was seen as another kick in teeth by, in the words of Kevin Roose, "coddled 22-year-olds with Stanford BAs."
But recent protests against tech firms aren't confined to Silicon Valley. In France, for instance, striking taxi workers attacked and vandalized cars booked through Uber.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Friday, January 24, 2014
Paydiant Mobile at ATMs
The mobile payments company Paydiant has just received a patent for an app that stages cash withdrawals from ATM machines.
Digital Transactions has a write-up on this news.
http://www.digitaltransactions.net/news/story/4479
Here is a snippet from that article:
To use the feature, a customer logs into his bank’s mobile-banking application, touches a button labeled “Get Cash” or something similar, and indicates the amount of the withdrawal. The application sends a token to the user’s device linking the user, his account number, and the requested transaction.
Later, at one of his bank’s ATMs, the user pushes a “mobile” button on the ATM screen and scans a quick-response (QR) code displayed on the screen to identify himself and trigger cash dispensing via an encrypted connection to a cloud server.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Digital Transactions has a write-up on this news.
http://www.digitaltransactions.net/news/story/4479
Here is a snippet from that article:
To use the feature, a customer logs into his bank’s mobile-banking application, touches a button labeled “Get Cash” or something similar, and indicates the amount of the withdrawal. The application sends a token to the user’s device linking the user, his account number, and the requested transaction.
Later, at one of his bank’s ATMs, the user pushes a “mobile” button on the ATM screen and scans a quick-response (QR) code displayed on the screen to identify himself and trigger cash dispensing via an encrypted connection to a cloud server.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0079 Loyalty Apps
Econsultancy has a good read on the top 5 loyalty apps.
http://econsultancy.com/blog/64185-the-five-most-interesting-mobile-loyalty-apps
Here is a snippet from that piece.
When a good idea comes along in retail and digital there are soon many, many start-ups getting in on the action.
Take loyalty apps for example. Loyalty is a big beast. Many types of company may consider it part of their remit, from digital payment solutions, to social-style check-ins, to group buying sites, or indeed a retailer’s own app.
I’ve previously looked at the state of apps in retail and found that using loyalty schemes is pretty much the major rationale for customers using a retail app.
Whether customers will settle on retailers’ own apps or on a generic loyalty scheme provider (perhaps lumped with payment) remains to be seen.
But of those tens of consolidated loyalty apps, which are the best? Here’s the list of five I think are most interesting.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
http://econsultancy.com/blog/64185-the-five-most-interesting-mobile-loyalty-apps
Here is a snippet from that piece.
When a good idea comes along in retail and digital there are soon many, many start-ups getting in on the action.
Take loyalty apps for example. Loyalty is a big beast. Many types of company may consider it part of their remit, from digital payment solutions, to social-style check-ins, to group buying sites, or indeed a retailer’s own app.
I’ve previously looked at the state of apps in retail and found that using loyalty schemes is pretty much the major rationale for customers using a retail app.
Whether customers will settle on retailers’ own apps or on a generic loyalty scheme provider (perhaps lumped with payment) remains to be seen.
But of those tens of consolidated loyalty apps, which are the best? Here’s the list of five I think are most interesting.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0078 Retail Death Spiral
Karen Webster over on pymts.com has an analysis on physical retail stores and the impact eCommerce is having and will continue to have on those stores:
http://www.pymnts.com/briefing-room/acquiring/merchant-solutions/2014/the-coming-physical-retail-death-spiral
Here is a snippet from that article:
It’s the 1950’s, and the birth of the shopping mall. Before then, all shopping was done at local merchants. Malls changed all of that, making the shopping experience efficient (lots of stores under one roof), social (it was something women and friends and families did together) and fun (there was lots to do). All shopping was done in physical stores and, increasingly, away from the local merchant scene that had defined retail for centuries.
In 1999, five years after the launch of Amazon.com and the year in which Jeff Bezos was namedTime magazine’s Person of the Year, eCommerce accounted for only 0.5 percent of retail sales. Even today, with the diffusion of the Internet and mobile devices, eCommerce accounts for less than 6 percent of all sales, but it’s growing rapidly.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
http://www.pymnts.com/briefing-room/acquiring/merchant-solutions/2014/the-coming-physical-retail-death-spiral
Here is a snippet from that article:
It’s the 1950’s, and the birth of the shopping mall. Before then, all shopping was done at local merchants. Malls changed all of that, making the shopping experience efficient (lots of stores under one roof), social (it was something women and friends and families did together) and fun (there was lots to do). All shopping was done in physical stores and, increasingly, away from the local merchant scene that had defined retail for centuries.
In 1999, five years after the launch of Amazon.com and the year in which Jeff Bezos was namedTime magazine’s Person of the Year, eCommerce accounted for only 0.5 percent of retail sales. Even today, with the diffusion of the Internet and mobile devices, eCommerce accounts for less than 6 percent of all sales, but it’s growing rapidly.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0077 Privacy and Location Based Services
ComputerWorld has an excellent article on location-based services, how retailers and app developers are using them to reach out to their customers, and a bit on the resulting privacy concerns.
Location_based_services_Controversy_at_every_level
This is an excellent read so be sure to go through all 4 pages.
Here is a snippet from that piece:
"I was in Chicago for a client meeting and was interested in meeting with the people in a large firm located there," recalls Garen Mareno, director of strategic partnerships for a design firm in Los Angeles. So he consulted his Here On Biz app, which locates nearby business people he might be interested in meeting, based on their social media entries.
"When I got there, many people from that firm popped up on my Here On Biz radar. I was able to set up drinks and make that first step. Another time I was in Russia and was able to reach out to colleagues I did not know were there," Mareno recalls.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Location_based_services_Controversy_at_every_level
This is an excellent read so be sure to go through all 4 pages.
Here is a snippet from that piece:
"I was in Chicago for a client meeting and was interested in meeting with the people in a large firm located there," recalls Garen Mareno, director of strategic partnerships for a design firm in Los Angeles. So he consulted his Here On Biz app, which locates nearby business people he might be interested in meeting, based on their social media entries.
"When I got there, many people from that firm popped up on my Here On Biz radar. I was able to set up drinks and make that first step. Another time I was in Russia and was able to reach out to colleagues I did not know were there," Mareno recalls.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Monday, January 20, 2014
Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0076 Security
More word on the Target hack, some other retailers that have also been hacked but not yet publicly identified, and a BusinessWeek profile of Brian Krebs. Great reads.
I'll start with the best one, the BusinessWeek profile:
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-16/brian-krebs-the-cybersecurity-blogger-hackers-love-to-hate#r=tec-ls
Here is a snippet from that article:
The people who dislike cybersecurity blogger Brian Krebs aren’t subtle. In early January, Krebs got a bag of poop in the mail. That was better than the time last summer when he received 13 packets of heroin. Both were way, way better than the day last March when a SWAT team descended on his doorstep, lured by a fake report of a hostage situation. “Having multiple automatic weapons pointed at your head is not my idea of a great time,” Krebs deadpans. “The kind of work I do, I paint a big target on my head.”
Six more U.S. retailers have also been hit, like Target, but have not yet been publicly identified:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9245531/Six_more_U.S._retailers_hit_by_Target_like_hacks
Finally, a story on Target's last breech in 2005 and what they've done, or haven't done, in response:
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2014/01/target-hack/
I really like that last one as well. Security is a cost center so the companies will always pay great lip service in public while doing as little as possible to actually protect the consumer.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
I'll start with the best one, the BusinessWeek profile:
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-16/brian-krebs-the-cybersecurity-blogger-hackers-love-to-hate#r=tec-ls
Here is a snippet from that article:
The people who dislike cybersecurity blogger Brian Krebs aren’t subtle. In early January, Krebs got a bag of poop in the mail. That was better than the time last summer when he received 13 packets of heroin. Both were way, way better than the day last March when a SWAT team descended on his doorstep, lured by a fake report of a hostage situation. “Having multiple automatic weapons pointed at your head is not my idea of a great time,” Krebs deadpans. “The kind of work I do, I paint a big target on my head.”
Six more U.S. retailers have also been hit, like Target, but have not yet been publicly identified:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9245531/Six_more_U.S._retailers_hit_by_Target_like_hacks
Finally, a story on Target's last breech in 2005 and what they've done, or haven't done, in response:
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2014/01/target-hack/
I really like that last one as well. Security is a cost center so the companies will always pay great lip service in public while doing as little as possible to actually protect the consumer.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Friday, January 17, 2014
Apple iWallet Patent
This could eventually become big news.
On January 16, 2014, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a secure iWallet system that goes beyond NFC to include new Air Interfaces including a form of Bluetooth, such as iBeacon.
The entire story can be read at Patently Apple:
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2014/01/apple-patent-reveals-secure-iwallet-system-with-ibeacon.html
Happy Reading,
J.W. Gant
**UPDATE**
The news continues to come out regarding Apple and a possible foray in to payments.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2429943,00.asp
This has been followed by articles that elaborate a bit such as this one:
http://www.digitaltransactions.net/news/story/4487
Here is a snippet from that piece:
Having been for years at the center of speculation on the matter, Apple Inc. may finally be readying a foray into mobile payments, according to news reports over the weekend.
...
Finally, for a move into physical stores, Apple could rely on iBeacon, a Bluetooth low-energy technology that detects mobile devices in proximity and links them to store point-of-sale systems for quick checkouts.
”The physical merchant ecosystem isn’t quite ready for this sort of service, so I think it’s a bit further down the road, but the promulgation of mobile POS systems or potential partnerships with major [financial institutions], payment networks, MCX, or large merchants could be accelerants to make this happen sooner,” Oglesby notes. MCX is Merchant Customer Exchange, a Dallas-based mobile-payments venture controlled by big-box retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Best Buy Co Inc., and CVS/pharmacy.
**UPDATE #2**
Another good reading from Karen Webster:
http://www.pymnts.com/briefing-room/mobile/playmakers/2014/as-the-mobile-payments-world-turns
On January 16, 2014, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a secure iWallet system that goes beyond NFC to include new Air Interfaces including a form of Bluetooth, such as iBeacon.
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2014/01/apple-patent-reveals-secure-iwallet-system-with-ibeacon.html
Happy Reading,
J.W. Gant
**UPDATE**
The news continues to come out regarding Apple and a possible foray in to payments.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2429943,00.asp
This has been followed by articles that elaborate a bit such as this one:
http://www.digitaltransactions.net/news/story/4487
Here is a snippet from that piece:
Having been for years at the center of speculation on the matter, Apple Inc. may finally be readying a foray into mobile payments, according to news reports over the weekend.
...
Finally, for a move into physical stores, Apple could rely on iBeacon, a Bluetooth low-energy technology that detects mobile devices in proximity and links them to store point-of-sale systems for quick checkouts.
”The physical merchant ecosystem isn’t quite ready for this sort of service, so I think it’s a bit further down the road, but the promulgation of mobile POS systems or potential partnerships with major [financial institutions], payment networks, MCX, or large merchants could be accelerants to make this happen sooner,” Oglesby notes. MCX is Merchant Customer Exchange, a Dallas-based mobile-payments venture controlled by big-box retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Best Buy Co Inc., and CVS/pharmacy.
**UPDATE #2**
Another good reading from Karen Webster:
http://www.pymnts.com/briefing-room/mobile/playmakers/2014/as-the-mobile-payments-world-turns
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Beacon Technology Continues to Roll Out
A bit of news today worthy of a post.
Shopkick is back at it after getting beacons in to Macy's stores late last year. Next up for them is 100 American Eagle stores.
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/shopkick-starts-100-store-ibeacon-trial-for-american-eagle-outfitters-the-biggest-apparel-rollout-yet/
A mall operator in the United States that runs 34 malls is installing beacon technology in all of them.
http://www.internetretailer.com/2014/01/15/mall-operator-installs-mobile-marketing-technology
The year of the beacon continues to roll out.
What will be next?
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Shopkick is back at it after getting beacons in to Macy's stores late last year. Next up for them is 100 American Eagle stores.
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/16/shopkick-starts-100-store-ibeacon-trial-for-american-eagle-outfitters-the-biggest-apparel-rollout-yet/
A mall operator in the United States that runs 34 malls is installing beacon technology in all of them.
http://www.internetretailer.com/2014/01/15/mall-operator-installs-mobile-marketing-technology
The year of the beacon continues to roll out.
What will be next?
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0075 POS Malware and Target
More information is coming out about the account information theft from Target stores over the Holidays. First, they have admitted 70 million accounts may have been stolen, but also state it may be as many as 110 million. Regardless it is the largest such hack in United States history.
Krebs on Security is still the best place for up to the minute information on this story but it can be a bit cryptic for those outside the industry.
ARS Technica has a piece that should work. This is a great read:
http://arstechnica.com/security/2014/01/point-of-sale-malware-infecting-target-found-hiding-in-plain-sight/
I'm going to quote a bit from that article...
Independent security journalist Brian Krebs has uncovered important new details about the hack that compromised as many as 110 million Target customers, including the malware that appears to have infected point-of-sale systems and the way attackers first broke in.
This next bit is incredible:
Krebs went on to report that sources told him the attackers broke into Target after hacking a company Web server. From there, the attackers somehow managed to upload the POS malware to the checkout machines located at various stores. The sources said the attackers appeared to then establish a control server inside Target's internal network that "served as a central repository for data hoovered by all of the infected point-of-sale devices." The attackers appear to have had persistent access to the internal server, an ability that allowed them to periodically log in and collect the pilfered data.
Be sure to read through that entire article. Well worth your time.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
**UPDATE**
Krebs on Security has a part 2 for this:
a-closer-look-at-the-target-malware-part-ii/
Krebs on Security is still the best place for up to the minute information on this story but it can be a bit cryptic for those outside the industry.
ARS Technica has a piece that should work. This is a great read:
http://arstechnica.com/security/2014/01/point-of-sale-malware-infecting-target-found-hiding-in-plain-sight/
I'm going to quote a bit from that article...
Independent security journalist Brian Krebs has uncovered important new details about the hack that compromised as many as 110 million Target customers, including the malware that appears to have infected point-of-sale systems and the way attackers first broke in.
This next bit is incredible:
Krebs went on to report that sources told him the attackers broke into Target after hacking a company Web server. From there, the attackers somehow managed to upload the POS malware to the checkout machines located at various stores. The sources said the attackers appeared to then establish a control server inside Target's internal network that "served as a central repository for data hoovered by all of the infected point-of-sale devices." The attackers appear to have had persistent access to the internal server, an ability that allowed them to periodically log in and collect the pilfered data.
Be sure to read through that entire article. Well worth your time.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
**UPDATE**
Krebs on Security has a part 2 for this:
a-closer-look-at-the-target-malware-part-ii/
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Net Neutrality Comes to an End
This news has been coming out and analyzed over the last couple of days and is worthy of a post.
The Daily Beast has a great write-up of the ramifications of this decision, and what all this actually is and means:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/15/does-this-ruling-mean-the-end-of-the-internet-maybe.html
Here is a snippet from that article:
On Tuesday, the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., trashed (PDF) the Federal Communications Commission’s “Open Internet” rules.
Translation: The judges just killed Net Neutrality.
Less-wonky translation: Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner Cable or whoever provides your Internet connection can now block, slow or otherwise mess with websites, apps and other services.
And the FCC—the agency that’s supposed to protect Internet users and oversee communications networks—can’t do anything about it.
Well, they can do one thing—which I’ll explain in a second.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
The Daily Beast has a great write-up of the ramifications of this decision, and what all this actually is and means:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/15/does-this-ruling-mean-the-end-of-the-internet-maybe.html
Here is a snippet from that article:
On Tuesday, the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., trashed (PDF) the Federal Communications Commission’s “Open Internet” rules.
Translation: The judges just killed Net Neutrality.
Less-wonky translation: Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner Cable or whoever provides your Internet connection can now block, slow or otherwise mess with websites, apps and other services.
And the FCC—the agency that’s supposed to protect Internet users and oversee communications networks—can’t do anything about it.
Well, they can do one thing—which I’ll explain in a second.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0074 Beacon Payments and More
I found a plethora of great reading today. Let me share it with you.
First up is a simple news piece from the folks at MorningNewsBeat:
The National Retail Federation (NRF) said yesterday that "total holiday retail sales, which includes November and December sales, increased 3.8 percent to $601.8 billion, which was in line with NRF’s projected forecast of 3.9 percent and $602.1 billion. In addition, non-store holiday sales, which is an indicator of online and e-commerce sales, grew 9.3 percent to $95.7 billion."
This means eCommerce has been exploding and led the charge to much higher sales figures this year over last. Buried in other news is the fact that tablet sales have been at the head of those figures. If you are in eCommerce you better be looking at tablets.
This next one raises the question of mobile apps in retail. Do we really need these? Are people using them? Read on:
http://econsultancy.com/blog/64136-mobile-apps-in-retail-who-needs-them
I may have been most interested in this next one. Mobile payments is embracing BLE Beacon technology. Wow! Knew this wasn't far off from hitting actual stores.
http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/ibeacon%E2%80%99s-mobile-payments-potential-opens-to-retailers
Finally is the question of A/B Testing and how to perform this with native apps. Facebook is well known to have stated, Zuckerberg himself, that creating a non-native app for Facebook was the greatest mistake the company had made up to that time. Native was the path for them from that time forward. This does complicate some marketing questions for conversion rates, etc. Great read.
http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/ab-testing-the-future-of-apps/
Happy Reading,
J.W. Gant
First up is a simple news piece from the folks at MorningNewsBeat:
The National Retail Federation (NRF) said yesterday that "total holiday retail sales, which includes November and December sales, increased 3.8 percent to $601.8 billion, which was in line with NRF’s projected forecast of 3.9 percent and $602.1 billion. In addition, non-store holiday sales, which is an indicator of online and e-commerce sales, grew 9.3 percent to $95.7 billion."
This means eCommerce has been exploding and led the charge to much higher sales figures this year over last. Buried in other news is the fact that tablet sales have been at the head of those figures. If you are in eCommerce you better be looking at tablets.
This next one raises the question of mobile apps in retail. Do we really need these? Are people using them? Read on:
http://econsultancy.com/blog/64136-mobile-apps-in-retail-who-needs-them
I may have been most interested in this next one. Mobile payments is embracing BLE Beacon technology. Wow! Knew this wasn't far off from hitting actual stores.
http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/ibeacon%E2%80%99s-mobile-payments-potential-opens-to-retailers
Finally is the question of A/B Testing and how to perform this with native apps. Facebook is well known to have stated, Zuckerberg himself, that creating a non-native app for Facebook was the greatest mistake the company had made up to that time. Native was the path for them from that time forward. This does complicate some marketing questions for conversion rates, etc. Great read.
http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/ab-testing-the-future-of-apps/
Happy Reading,
J.W. Gant
Monday, January 13, 2014
Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0073 Windows 9?
Microsoft has released Windows 8 and followed it up with Windows 8.1. What is next? The buzz is about turning to Windows 9 and we expect to hear official word this year about a 2015 release.
So why is this interesting reading?
The Innovator's Dilemma that we've already talked about in this blog and the issue of pricing as it relates to the Windows product line. How can Microsoft continue to charge big dollars for its operating system when none of the competitors do so? Android is free, Mac OS is free, iOS is free, Google Chromebooks come with a free operating system, but Windows still adds to the margins for tablets and everything else.
ZDNet has an excellent write-up on this subject:
http://www.zdnet.com/windows-9-price-and-microsofts-innovators-dilemma-7000025053/
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
So why is this interesting reading?
The Innovator's Dilemma that we've already talked about in this blog and the issue of pricing as it relates to the Windows product line. How can Microsoft continue to charge big dollars for its operating system when none of the competitors do so? Android is free, Mac OS is free, iOS is free, Google Chromebooks come with a free operating system, but Windows still adds to the margins for tablets and everything else.
ZDNet has an excellent write-up on this subject:
http://www.zdnet.com/windows-9-price-and-microsofts-innovators-dilemma-7000025053/
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Friday, January 10, 2014
Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0072 Mobile Payments
Barcodes are dominating mobile payments at the moment with new player Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) making a stir and Near Field Communications (NFC) in trouble.
An article by Mobile Commerce Daily covers this ground well:
http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/barcode-apps-drive-mobile-payments-growth-report
Here is a snippet from that writing:
As mobile wallets’ use becomes more feasible, bar code-based payment applications are taking the lead followed by tab-based payment apps, while NFC-based payment apps barely keep pace, according to a new report from Parks Associates.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
An article by Mobile Commerce Daily covers this ground well:
http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/barcode-apps-drive-mobile-payments-growth-report
Here is a snippet from that writing:
As mobile wallets’ use becomes more feasible, bar code-based payment applications are taking the lead followed by tab-based payment apps, while NFC-based payment apps barely keep pace, according to a new report from Parks Associates.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Bitcoin in the News
How about we take a moment to take on a new subject? What is Bitcoin?
A quick consultation with WikiPedia may help:
Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer payment system and digital currency ... It is a cryptocurrency, so-called because it uses cryptography to control the creation and transfer of money.
This has been in the news a bit lately and I feel it is a good time to address it in my blog. I found an excellent 5 minute explanation of what Bitcoin is that is well worth reading unless you are already up to speed.
Explain Bitcoin Like I'm a Five Year Old
Businessweek.com has an article on the acceleration of this space:
bitcoin-mining-chips-gear-computing-groups-competition-heats-up
Here is a snippet from that:
Joel Flickinger’s two-bedroom home in the hills above Oakland, Calif., hums with custom-built computing gear. Just inside the front door, in a room anyone else might use as a den, he’s placed a desk next to a fireplace that supports a massive monitor, with cables snaking right and left toward two computers, each about the size of a case of beer. Flickinger has spent more than $20,000 on these rigs and on a slower model that runs from the basement. They operate continuously, cranking out enough heat to warm the house and racking up $400 a month in electric bills. There isn’t much by way of décor, other than handwritten inspirational Post-it notes:
“I make money easily,” one reads.
“Money flows to me.”
“I am a money magnet.”
Flickinger, 37, a software engineer and IT consultant by trade, doesn’t leave the house much these days. He’s a full-time Bitcoin miner.
Think this isn't real? How about buying goods at an eCommerce website using Bitcoin as your payment mechanism and seeing the goods delivered to your door. Sounds like real money to me.
Both Overstock.com and Newegg.com have been planning to do this and Overstock has launched already:
Overstock.com
Newegg.com
This is big news in my opinion.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
A quick consultation with WikiPedia may help:
Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer payment system and digital currency ... It is a cryptocurrency, so-called because it uses cryptography to control the creation and transfer of money.
This has been in the news a bit lately and I feel it is a good time to address it in my blog. I found an excellent 5 minute explanation of what Bitcoin is that is well worth reading unless you are already up to speed.
Explain Bitcoin Like I'm a Five Year Old
Businessweek.com has an article on the acceleration of this space:
bitcoin-mining-chips-gear-computing-groups-competition-heats-up
Here is a snippet from that:
Joel Flickinger’s two-bedroom home in the hills above Oakland, Calif., hums with custom-built computing gear. Just inside the front door, in a room anyone else might use as a den, he’s placed a desk next to a fireplace that supports a massive monitor, with cables snaking right and left toward two computers, each about the size of a case of beer. Flickinger has spent more than $20,000 on these rigs and on a slower model that runs from the basement. They operate continuously, cranking out enough heat to warm the house and racking up $400 a month in electric bills. There isn’t much by way of décor, other than handwritten inspirational Post-it notes:
“I make money easily,” one reads.
“Money flows to me.”
“I am a money magnet.”
Flickinger, 37, a software engineer and IT consultant by trade, doesn’t leave the house much these days. He’s a full-time Bitcoin miner.
Think this isn't real? How about buying goods at an eCommerce website using Bitcoin as your payment mechanism and seeing the goods delivered to your door. Sounds like real money to me.
Both Overstock.com and Newegg.com have been planning to do this and Overstock has launched already:
Overstock.com
Newegg.com
This is big news in my opinion.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0071 Mobile & Customer Experience
Two stories caught my eye today and are both worth sharing.
First up is a piece on the ratings we see for apps. Ever wonder how some apps that aren't anything special necessarilly are consistently at the top and/or have a high user rating? There may be a somewhat insidious reason behind that. "Stuffing the ballot box" goes back as long as we've had voting and this is no different.
This piece by TechCrunch is illuminating:
Why is Uber Popular in Nigeria?
Next up is a good read by CMO.com on the Customer Experience. In retail this is the era of the customer. They control the information and all we can hope to do is tap in to it. Maybe.
Good read.
http://www.cmo.com/content/cmo-com/home/articles/2014/1/3/customer_experience_.html
Here is a snippet from that:
Marketing executives need to identify the important unowned touch points in their customer experience and then influence and shape them to best deliver the brand promise.
The thought of gaining control over a myriad of outside influencers may seem overwhelming, but you can begin by taking four steps...
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
First up is a piece on the ratings we see for apps. Ever wonder how some apps that aren't anything special necessarilly are consistently at the top and/or have a high user rating? There may be a somewhat insidious reason behind that. "Stuffing the ballot box" goes back as long as we've had voting and this is no different.
This piece by TechCrunch is illuminating:
Why is Uber Popular in Nigeria?
Next up is a good read by CMO.com on the Customer Experience. In retail this is the era of the customer. They control the information and all we can hope to do is tap in to it. Maybe.
Good read.
http://www.cmo.com/content/cmo-com/home/articles/2014/1/3/customer_experience_.html
Here is a snippet from that:
Marketing executives need to identify the important unowned touch points in their customer experience and then influence and shape them to best deliver the brand promise.
The thought of gaining control over a myriad of outside influencers may seem overwhelming, but you can begin by taking four steps...
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Monday, January 6, 2014
Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0070 iBeacon Rollouts
Wow. The news is really beginning to pour in. This just might be the year of the beacon.
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-06/apples-ibeacon-helps-marketer-beam-ads-to-grocery-shoppers-phones
One company is rolling out 100 or more beacon locations through the retailers Giant Eagle and Safeway. Grocery is entering the 21st century.
Here is a snippet from that story:
In further news, I haven't posted the information regarding Android catching up to this "iBeacon" capability. Version 4.3 released the APIs necessary to enable developers to utilize this technology for maximum effect. It in essence allows Android to play catch up with iOS.
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/bluetooth-le.html
Here is a snippet from that article:
Android 4.3 (API Level 18) introduces built-in platform support for Bluetooth Low Energy in the central role and provides APIs that apps can use to discover devices, query for services, and read/write characteristics. In contrast to Classic Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is designed to provide significantly lower power consumption. This allows Android apps to communicate with BLE devices that have low power requirements, such as proximity sensors, heart rate monitors, fitness devices, and so on.
Hope your new year is going well.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-06/apples-ibeacon-helps-marketer-beam-ads-to-grocery-shoppers-phones
One company is rolling out 100 or more beacon locations through the retailers Giant Eagle and Safeway. Grocery is entering the 21st century.
Here is a snippet from that story:
Todd Dipaola has seen the future of advertising, and it’s a Giant Eagle grocery store in Cleveland.
Dipaola’s company, inMarket, will today begin turning on a network of sensors in dozens of grocery stores in Cleveland, Seattle, and San Francisco that will allow companies to beam advertisements to people’s smartphones at the exact moment they’re standing in aisle six trying to decide which brand of beans to buy.In further news, I haven't posted the information regarding Android catching up to this "iBeacon" capability. Version 4.3 released the APIs necessary to enable developers to utilize this technology for maximum effect. It in essence allows Android to play catch up with iOS.
http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/bluetooth-le.html
Here is a snippet from that article:
Android 4.3 (API Level 18) introduces built-in platform support for Bluetooth Low Energy in the central role and provides APIs that apps can use to discover devices, query for services, and read/write characteristics. In contrast to Classic Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is designed to provide significantly lower power consumption. This allows Android apps to communicate with BLE devices that have low power requirements, such as proximity sensors, heart rate monitors, fitness devices, and so on.
Hope your new year is going well.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Thursday, January 2, 2014
News From 2013 and What Will Make News in 2014
If you are in the Boston, MA area as I am you are starting off the New Year with a pretty decent winter storm. About a foot of snow expected and it is gusting up pretty well right now.
Happy Holidays, Happy Winter Solstice, and Happy New Year to everyone.
First I want to cover a few articles that recap 2013. There are always quite a few as the year ends and I've found a few that are worth sharing. Then I'll take a moment to put down a few of my thoughts for what to expect in 2014.
http://www.pymnts.com/briefing-room/consumer-engagement/Loyalty/2013/looking-ahead-at-the-close-of-2013/
Here are a couple of lines from that one I want to share to help us look forward to 2014:
The payments and commerce space over the next year will be the most interesting we've seen in at least the last five and unleash even more innovation.
This one from TechCrunch says goodbye to 2013 and welcomes the rest of the world to the mobile internet:
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/02/the-late-adopters/
User Experience is important to product management in the technology space. This article from a blog is a good one:
milestones-and-missteps-in-ux-design-for-2013-winners-and-losers-not-the-usual-suspects/
Last one from 2013 deals with the advent of the "mobile internet" during the holiday shopping season. The title of the article says quite a lot:
http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2013/1227/Santa-leaves-smart-phone-steps-in-Mobile-sales-soar-on-Christmas-Day
Here is a bit from that article:
Overall, online shopping continues to make a bigger dent in holiday shopping than previous years. IBM reports that online sales on Christmas Day were up 16.5 percent from last year, and mobile sales made up for 29 percent of all online sales, which is up 40 percent from 2012.
We will use that to segue to 2014...
http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240211774/Retailers-must-distinguish-between-smartphones-and-tablets-says-IBM
This is, of course, old news in this blog. I wrote a white paper about this subject early in 2013.
Now how about a few thoughts on what 2014 might bring?
Hope your new year brings you much happiness.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
Happy Holidays, Happy Winter Solstice, and Happy New Year to everyone.
First I want to cover a few articles that recap 2013. There are always quite a few as the year ends and I've found a few that are worth sharing. Then I'll take a moment to put down a few of my thoughts for what to expect in 2014.
2013
Payments.com has been a go-to site for me and Karen Webster's writings are the best. This recap of 2013 is a good one for payments:http://www.pymnts.com/briefing-room/consumer-engagement/Loyalty/2013/looking-ahead-at-the-close-of-2013/
Here are a couple of lines from that one I want to share to help us look forward to 2014:
The payments and commerce space over the next year will be the most interesting we've seen in at least the last five and unleash even more innovation.
This one from TechCrunch says goodbye to 2013 and welcomes the rest of the world to the mobile internet:
http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/02/the-late-adopters/
User Experience is important to product management in the technology space. This article from a blog is a good one:
milestones-and-missteps-in-ux-design-for-2013-winners-and-losers-not-the-usual-suspects/
Last one from 2013 deals with the advent of the "mobile internet" during the holiday shopping season. The title of the article says quite a lot:
http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2013/1227/Santa-leaves-smart-phone-steps-in-Mobile-sales-soar-on-Christmas-Day
Here is a bit from that article:
Overall, online shopping continues to make a bigger dent in holiday shopping than previous years. IBM reports that online sales on Christmas Day were up 16.5 percent from last year, and mobile sales made up for 29 percent of all online sales, which is up 40 percent from 2012.
We will use that to segue to 2014...
2014
...speaking of mobile. IBM is now declaring we must differentiate our data between smart phones and tablets.http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240211774/Retailers-must-distinguish-between-smartphones-and-tablets-says-IBM
This is, of course, old news in this blog. I wrote a white paper about this subject early in 2013.
Now how about a few thoughts on what 2014 might bring?
- Apple will attempt to make a splash in some arena, wearable devices maybe, maybe TV, maybe payments. Meanwhile incremental changes will continue in their mature offerings but a move towards the now proven 2 in 1 laptop/tablet style by Microsoft will likely be forthcoming as well.
- This will be the year of the beacon. Bluetooth 4.1 and Bluetooth Low Energy solutions will finally enable many of the brightest ideas around mobile internet interactions with people.
- Mobile wallets will have a breakout year. The security breach at Target just might give EMV a push over the finish line and that could save ISIS. Meanwhile MCX is on its way and PayPal isn't sitting around.
- Facebook will see big declines. The "services" provided by Facebook have been chipped away at by a variety of other solutions such as Vine and Snapchat. Overall the next generation of users has no interest in Facebook and this will begin to show itself this year. Maybe the company will be mostly flat, maybe they'll find incremental ways to monetize their current offering, but the decline will be noticeable this year.
- Samsung will come out with yet another not-yet-ready product and declare itself the first to the top of the mountain once more ... and nobody will care.
- The biggest news I can't yet predict will likely involve a cloud-based solution for something. I don't know what, but something. The "internet of things" will take off in some way. Will it be related to a cloud-based solution? I don't know.
Hope your new year brings you much happiness.
Happy reading,
J.W. Gant
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