Mobile phones have a history of replacing older and more antiquated technology in the world, but the total lack of limitations on what these devices can do still gets more impressive every year. Even as new and world-changing technology is already being replaced by the power of mobile apps, sometimes it seems that a mobile device is all anyone will need to accomplish any task they can imagine. While apps are developed for a large variety of reasons, from games to phone customization to calendars, many apps are simply created for convenience. Few things beat the convenience of replacing the cards in our wallets.
Indeed, many apps are being created now to make old tasks that required manual input instant and effortless. The biggest revolution here is in payment, in which buyers and sellers had to exchange paper bills, cards, and bank account numbers in order to make transactions. All of this trouble is quickly becoming a thing of the past, however, as apps are capable of taking care of all of this business for us.
The first tool to look at is Flint. Flint is primarily for vendors and it enables them to scan the credit cards of customers. It does this without saving an image of the card or any data on the mobile device, ensuring the security and safety of the buyer. Flint uses this information to make a transaction for both parties, allowing people to buy and sell without needing to swap cards. It has been further expanded to accept checks and invoices, enabling vendors to accept payments from a variety of sources all from their phone. This has already begun to revolutionize the industry, allowing people to take their business to the public with complete freedom. No longer will street vendors have to demand cash only, because mobile phones have made it possible to accept any payment method from anywhere.
On the buyer’s side of the app market, apps such as Square Wallet give users the power to complete transactions without even needing a card to begin with. Simply stating your name will allow you to purchase items at any participating location, as Square takes care of the transactions for you in real time. They have even partnered with Starbucks to enable you to purchase items with a simple QR scan. Either by paying with your phone, or with your name alone, you can leave all your cards at home and simply remember to bring your phone with you with this app. While this does rely on vendors to be using the same app to support the transaction, this technology could easily replace the need for credit and debit cards entirely.
Business isn’t the only place where apps are starting to offer convenience to users. In the gaming world many apps have begun to replace their older counterparts. The mobile market already offers users the ability to play online and acquire games from anywhere they get signal, which is a much greater freedom over the ties console and PC gaming. Traditional games played in person are being replaced by online versions. Case in point: PartyPoker has an app that allows people to connect anywhere in the world for games of poker. They are even replacing live tournaments with online tournaments, and pots go into the millions for the big winners. While the glamour of live games might never be totally replaced, these gaming apps allow players to win free entry into live games—all while playing directly through their phone.
With the mobile market slowly porting classics such as Grand Theft Auto and Worms, the gaming industry is being overcome by the mobile craze as well. While console and PC gaming will always have the advantage of screen size, it will be possible to hook up controllers to mobile devices, giving users a huge advantage of mobility and freedom in their gaming binges. Mobile devices are already mini-computers. In time, they will come to rival the processing power of larger machines—their capability for gaming is already impressive.
For those of us who hate constantly calling in to companies to book appointments, apps like SetMore enable users to create appointment calendars that their customers can then book in advance. Apps can be expanded to send reminders to customers before their appointment date and notify both parties if a cancellation is in order. This enables the business world to push for the ultimate irony as they replace their phone conversations with their mobile phones. Mobile technology will allow users to create and keep appointments much quicker and easier than before. While this also requires both parties to use the app, it is sure to catch on with the growing popularity of apps.
It is amazing where mobile technology is headed. The amount of other technology that the mobile world can replace seems limitless. Perhaps, one day, our mobile phones will become our identification and hold all the pertinent information to our lives. When we walk into businesses our devices will alert them to who we are in advance and allow us to make transactions without any further necessary input. No more fumbling around in bags for cards or waiting on hold for a phone call, everything in the world is only a few swipes of a finger away.
Indeed, many apps are being created now to make old tasks that required manual input instant and effortless. The biggest revolution here is in payment, in which buyers and sellers had to exchange paper bills, cards, and bank account numbers in order to make transactions. All of this trouble is quickly becoming a thing of the past, however, as apps are capable of taking care of all of this business for us.
The first tool to look at is Flint. Flint is primarily for vendors and it enables them to scan the credit cards of customers. It does this without saving an image of the card or any data on the mobile device, ensuring the security and safety of the buyer. Flint uses this information to make a transaction for both parties, allowing people to buy and sell without needing to swap cards. It has been further expanded to accept checks and invoices, enabling vendors to accept payments from a variety of sources all from their phone. This has already begun to revolutionize the industry, allowing people to take their business to the public with complete freedom. No longer will street vendors have to demand cash only, because mobile phones have made it possible to accept any payment method from anywhere.
On the buyer’s side of the app market, apps such as Square Wallet give users the power to complete transactions without even needing a card to begin with. Simply stating your name will allow you to purchase items at any participating location, as Square takes care of the transactions for you in real time. They have even partnered with Starbucks to enable you to purchase items with a simple QR scan. Either by paying with your phone, or with your name alone, you can leave all your cards at home and simply remember to bring your phone with you with this app. While this does rely on vendors to be using the same app to support the transaction, this technology could easily replace the need for credit and debit cards entirely.
Business isn’t the only place where apps are starting to offer convenience to users. In the gaming world many apps have begun to replace their older counterparts. The mobile market already offers users the ability to play online and acquire games from anywhere they get signal, which is a much greater freedom over the ties console and PC gaming. Traditional games played in person are being replaced by online versions. Case in point: PartyPoker has an app that allows people to connect anywhere in the world for games of poker. They are even replacing live tournaments with online tournaments, and pots go into the millions for the big winners. While the glamour of live games might never be totally replaced, these gaming apps allow players to win free entry into live games—all while playing directly through their phone.
With the mobile market slowly porting classics such as Grand Theft Auto and Worms, the gaming industry is being overcome by the mobile craze as well. While console and PC gaming will always have the advantage of screen size, it will be possible to hook up controllers to mobile devices, giving users a huge advantage of mobility and freedom in their gaming binges. Mobile devices are already mini-computers. In time, they will come to rival the processing power of larger machines—their capability for gaming is already impressive.
For those of us who hate constantly calling in to companies to book appointments, apps like SetMore enable users to create appointment calendars that their customers can then book in advance. Apps can be expanded to send reminders to customers before their appointment date and notify both parties if a cancellation is in order. This enables the business world to push for the ultimate irony as they replace their phone conversations with their mobile phones. Mobile technology will allow users to create and keep appointments much quicker and easier than before. While this also requires both parties to use the app, it is sure to catch on with the growing popularity of apps.
It is amazing where mobile technology is headed. The amount of other technology that the mobile world can replace seems limitless. Perhaps, one day, our mobile phones will become our identification and hold all the pertinent information to our lives. When we walk into businesses our devices will alert them to who we are in advance and allow us to make transactions without any further necessary input. No more fumbling around in bags for cards or waiting on hold for a phone call, everything in the world is only a few swipes of a finger away.
