What would be very useful is an iPod Touch with a barcode scanner and software to allow the verification of pre-sold concert tickets at the venue door.
That may be the case, but, then, this is obviously not intended for those uses.
If that is the case then why are so many people here trying to compare them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonymouse
Actually, for that, and many other uses, that's not really an issue. The more important issue is whether they are "durable enough" and whether the value of the functionality they provide exceeds the cost, including replacements. The Symbol devices, the useful ones, are so expensive that you can break at least a couple iPod touches and still come out ahead in value.
It is an issue.
1. iPod touch is a pmp
2. The Symbol devices are rugged handhelds.
If you add the features to the touch to try and match it to a symbol device it is no longer half the price
Oh, and by the way, Symbol Technologies is actually Motorola, Inc. these days. With all the positive press the DROID is getting, I'm sure Apple wants to dump their current POS terminal provider even faster!
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
(ifoAppleStore)
The current portable computers are made by Symbol Technologies Inc. and run Windows CE, linked to Apple's servers via Wi-Fi. They were introduced just before the holiday buying season in 2005, and allow any employee to act as a cashier, eliminating the traditional cash register positions that are common at other retailers. But the system has drawn complaints from employees about software crashes, sluggish operation and the need to frequently reboot.
or the blind, this is still an issue as you’d still have to do the double-click to execute a command once you’ve analysed what is on the display through force feedback. I’m surprised not more accessories for the 30-pin connector are not out yet. It’s been in the SDK since March and there were demoed products a year prior before it was officially allowed.
It isn't really double click. The most common technique used by blind persons on typical computers, cell phones or other devices is tabbing/scrolling around on the screen and a software screen reader speaks what it is hovering over. if you are hovering over the selection you want, you click. Of course this would have to be on a device that supported native multi-tasking of applications since the screen reader needs to overlay everything. So you need to get the software hooks in the core OS at a very low level to effectively work with all applications available on the device.
It also requires that developers care enough to code with the appropriate tags that can be read by the the screen reader in the case that you are hovering over an object that is not actual text such as an icon. Sort of like 'alt' tags in HTML.
So what if I want to sign paper?! I never sign those digital signature screens! Who knows how securely or not your signature is. Identity theft is on the rise...
How Secure is a paper that you sign? Someone could photo copy the paper too..
So what if I want to sign paper?! I never sign those digital signature screens! Who knows how securely or not your signature is. Identity theft is on the rise...
Quote:
Originally Posted by webraider
How Secure is a paper that you sign? Someone could photo copy the paper too..
Not only that, but has anyone ever signed one of those screens and had it look like their actual signature?
Seems like this is not rolled out at all the Apple stores but the Oakridge Store in San Jose has this implemented. Yesterday I taped this. he would not allow me to tape the App itself.
Seems like this is not rolled out at all the Apple stores but the Oakridge Store in San Jose has this implemented. Yesterday I taped this. he would not allow me to tape the App itself.
Did you ask if he liked it more overall, if it sped up checkouts, how much the attachment costs, who made the attachment, or anything else of interest?
I bought mine today from the Apple store in Raleigh, NC. Basically I agree with the CNET review. It's a great device. Or at least it would be if it worked properly.
The screen is terrible. Dark scenes in videos from iTunes are unwatchable. It almost looks like a photo negative. Dark images within a scene are a problem too (for example. a person with dark hair). Darker images from the web also don't display properly. I'm no expert, but all that points to a problem with the display.
Apparently I'm not alone. A quick search on 'ipod touch dark scene' will bring up several blog entries. Here's an example:
The person I talked to at Apple tech support was not familiar with the issue. She was very polite and efficient though. I walked through the process of reseting, rebooting, and all that stuff. None of it worked of course. I then made an appointment to take it back to the Apple store. We'll see how that goes.
I hope this is just a manufacturing defect that's limited to a few units and not a design problem. I also hope they don't give me a hard time about fixing it.
A portable device that reads credit cards and stores that information, including your signature! In other words, a portable device for stealing someone's identity! No thanks.
Not very technical are we? This is not your big threat. Such a device can be built for a few dollars and probably be bought as well. Has been possible since they invented the magnetic card. Every time you use your card...anywhere, it is being read for the card info. Not your identity.
Heard about card skimming? That's your threat, Google it....
oh god, you are so freaking clueless! The credit card info is not stored on the iPod to be "downloaded" later! It's all sent wirelessly (encrypted) to a server within the store where everything is processed, otherwise how would the system even be able to verify whether the card was valid or not??? THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS IF YOU DO IT AT A POS TERMINAL! THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS WHETHER IT TRAVELS THROUGH AN ETHERNET CABLE OR ENCRYPTED WIFI! So stop complaining about this "hand held device" BS.
Yes it is not 100% safe, but nothing is. Doing it from a handheld device is no different than doing it at a "fixed point of sale terminal" other than ethernet vs wifi. And WiFi is NOT the part you are complaining about, ironically.
Apple does not cater to paranoid old farts who are too stupid to comprehend semi-modern technology. I'm sure all the employees at the store will be much happier if you stay at home and never waste their time with your paranoid delusions.
Jeez, I don't understand how someone so brain-dead can think they are such a know-it-all authority on the matter.
See what I mean about this forum?
Things sure have changed here.
Very nasty and insulting, Calling people "brain-dead" etc, just because you are behind the safety of the internet make you so cocky!.
Comments
That may be the case, but, then, this is obviously not intended for those uses.
If that is the case then why are so many people here trying to compare them?
Actually, for that, and many other uses, that's not really an issue. The more important issue is whether they are "durable enough" and whether the value of the functionality they provide exceeds the cost, including replacements. The Symbol devices, the useful ones, are so expensive that you can break at least a couple iPod touches and still come out ahead in value.
It is an issue.
1. iPod touch is a pmp
2. The Symbol devices are rugged handhelds.
If you add the features to the touch to try and match it to a symbol device it is no longer half the price
And they could have replaced them sooner... how?
This was made possible by the dock APIs which were only released to the public in June. This device started dev in April from reports I've seen.
So Apple couldnt replace them because Apple hadnt released their dock API to the public?
Surely Apple has control over what an Apple product can or cant do rather than relying on public API's
(ifoAppleStore)
The current portable computers are made by Symbol Technologies Inc. and run Windows CE, linked to Apple's servers via Wi-Fi. They were introduced just before the holiday buying season in 2005, and allow any employee to act as a cashier, eliminating the traditional cash register positions that are common at other retailers. But the system has drawn complaints from employees about software crashes, sluggish operation and the need to frequently reboot.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
or the blind, this is still an issue as you’d still have to do the double-click to execute a command once you’ve analysed what is on the display through force feedback. I’m surprised not more accessories for the 30-pin connector are not out yet. It’s been in the SDK since March and there were demoed products a year prior before it was officially allowed.
It isn't really double click. The most common technique used by blind persons on typical computers, cell phones or other devices is tabbing/scrolling around on the screen and a software screen reader speaks what it is hovering over. if you are hovering over the selection you want, you click. Of course this would have to be on a device that supported native multi-tasking of applications since the screen reader needs to overlay everything. So you need to get the software hooks in the core OS at a very low level to effectively work with all applications available on the device.
It also requires that developers care enough to code with the appropriate tags that can be read by the the screen reader in the case that you are hovering over an object that is not actual text such as an icon. Sort of like 'alt' tags in HTML.
So what if I want to sign paper?!
How Secure is a paper that you sign? Someone could photo copy the paper too..
So what if I want to sign paper?!
How Secure is a paper that you sign? Someone could photo copy the paper too..
Not only that, but has anyone ever signed one of those screens and had it look like their actual signature?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHX9x6YGqtQ
Seems like this is not rolled out at all the Apple stores but the Oakridge Store in San Jose has this implemented. Yesterday I taped this. he would not allow me to tape the App itself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHX9x6YGqtQ
Thanks for the upload.
Did you ask if he liked it more overall, if it sped up checkouts, how much the attachment costs, who made the attachment, or anything else of interest?
The screen is terrible. Dark scenes in videos from iTunes are unwatchable. It almost looks like a photo negative. Dark images within a scene are a problem too (for example. a person with dark hair). Darker images from the web also don't display properly. I'm no expert, but all that points to a problem with the display.
Apparently I'm not alone. A quick search on 'ipod touch dark scene' will bring up several blog entries. Here's an example:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/15/i...isplay-issues/
The person I talked to at Apple tech support was not familiar with the issue. She was very polite and efficient though. I walked through the process of reseting, rebooting, and all that stuff. None of it worked of course. I then made an appointment to take it back to the Apple store. We'll see how that goes.
I hope this is just a manufacturing defect that's limited to a few units and not a design problem. I also hope they don't give me a hard time about fixing it.
A portable device that reads credit cards and stores that information, including your signature! In other words, a portable device for stealing someone's identity! No thanks.
Not very technical are we? This is not your big threat. Such a device can be built for a few dollars and probably be bought as well. Has been possible since they invented the magnetic card. Every time you use your card...anywhere, it is being read for the card info. Not your identity.
Heard about card skimming? That's your threat, Google it....
Inside a known store I would say you're safe...
oh god, you are so freaking clueless! The credit card info is not stored on the iPod to be "downloaded" later! It's all sent wirelessly (encrypted) to a server within the store where everything is processed, otherwise how would the system even be able to verify whether the card was valid or not??? THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS IF YOU DO IT AT A POS TERMINAL! THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS WHETHER IT TRAVELS THROUGH AN ETHERNET CABLE OR ENCRYPTED WIFI! So stop complaining about this "hand held device" BS.
Yes it is not 100% safe, but nothing is. Doing it from a handheld device is no different than doing it at a "fixed point of sale terminal" other than ethernet vs wifi. And WiFi is NOT the part you are complaining about, ironically.
Apple does not cater to paranoid old farts who are too stupid to comprehend semi-modern technology. I'm sure all the employees at the store will be much happier if you stay at home and never waste their time with your paranoid delusions.
Jeez, I don't understand how someone so brain-dead can think they are such a know-it-all authority on the matter.
See what I mean about this forum?
Things sure have changed here.
Very nasty and insulting, Calling people "brain-dead" etc, just because you are behind the safety of the internet make you so cocky!.