You are joking aren't you? AS if buying an 3G iPhone is an easy thing to begin with?
Who else is complaining about the devices? I've checked out of Apple for 2 years plus on these with my purchases and have never had a problem. These device are made for quick , easy check outs. The real problem is that Apple has a f*#ked up buying procedure for the iPhone- plain and simple.
And where was the thread that should have been posted here for over two years plus on the irony that Windows devices are used in the first place in Apple stores? Only now when there is a problem with iPhone check outs???
Who's complaining? THE CLERKS THAT ACTUALLY USE THE DEVICES. They state the devices have never been ideal, but thanks to the iPhone launch craziness, the devices can't keep up and their quirks are amplified by the high demand. Of course there's almost no question Apple's likely developing a solution that would leverage their own iPhone/iPod touch mobile WiFi platform and SDK, but that doesn't excuse the poor quality of these portable point-of-service devices. These EasyPay handhelds are used by more than just Apple, yet the company that makes the hardware and/or software obviously doesn't care about ease of use or performance (especially under pressure).
Have you ever checked this out for yourself? I can't say whether Windows is being used, but it's true that the main servers are not OS X-based.
Apple's use of WinMobile-based POS devices is an exception because there are very few devices like them and Apple has not yet developed their own portable alternative; they already have custom Mac software for stationary checkouts using their own MacBook Pros and iMacs.
With servers, on the other hand, if Apple isn't using their own - I don't exactly understand what "main" servers you're talking about - they're likely using Linux/Unix based servers because there are many options in the server area, with good alternatives to Microsoft's servers and software.
I don't exactly understand what "main" servers you're talking about - they're likely using Linux/Unix based servers because there are many options in the server area, with good alternatives to Microsoft's servers and software.
"Main" servers as in the servers in each store that handle the heavy operations. As opposed to, say, file servers.
I'm sure Apple will eventually replace them, but right now with so much work to do on iPhone that will benefit so many customers, I guess writing a custom bit of software for the retail stores isn't high on the list of priorities.
it is better for the M$ handhelds to look bad rather than the iPhone with the current app running on the Macs. So you're right. Get the iPhone done and done, then port the app over.
This is a classic example of a large customer like Apple needing a sophisticated POS system but having limited choices, all of them lousy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Walter Slocombe
But, Don't we always hear how Apple IS/SHOULD or NEEDS to be moving into the business sector.
Agreed. I don't have extensive experience working in business-related information systems software and hardware (AKA "ERP", "MIS", "EIS", ) but the little bit I've been exposed to has certainly been frightening. It doesn't matter if you are talking about POS systems, Inventory control/Stock management, Supply-chain management, Resource management, Procurement, Order fulfillment, Distribution, Transport/shipping, etc. The plethora of software solutions and plaforms all have significant problems and inefficiencies. They are not the only one to blame, as they just control the OS platform, but Microsoft has indeed had a significant hand in creating this mess.
Although Apple is certainly struggling to keep up with all their activity, the opportunity that lies before them if they can catch up is almost unfathomable. I understand that there are immense challenges inherit in expanding a company like Apple, and the fact that adding more developers and engineers to their existing treams and creating new ones is not a straightforward process or an easy solution, But they have got to hire more people with the mountains of cash they are sitting on. If Steve and co. can keep the ship held together, they could readily expand into other areas that drastically need the type of integrated and easy-to-use software platform that Apple is known for.
Besides just Apple's "enterprise team" boosting OSX and OSX server usage in business and enterprise markets, just think of the awesome platform that their mobile OSX could make for embedded applications where Windows CE/XP embedded is being used now. They already have the kernel and lower-level system running well and optimized for low-memory/low power environments using the ubiquitous ARM architecture. The mature system libraries pulled from desktop OSX would make it relatively easy to extend for adding barcode readers, magnetic strip readers, imaging systems, etc or connecting control systems.
Potential applications would be pretty much anywhere Windows CE, Windows XP embedded, and various Linux distributions and proprietary embedded operating systems are used. I'm not sure if deterministic/real-time systems would be included or not, although I believe certain versions of Windows CE are real-time. POS, ATMs, automated purchasing kiosks, advertising displays, billboards, consumer electronics devices, television set-top boxes, video game consoles, dvd players, printers, microwaves, washing machines, dishwashers, HVAC, home automation, scientific systems, data acquisition, avionics, automobile systems, medical equipment, remote sensing, etc etc etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nvidia2008
What if Apple's "4th Leg" becomes them being some sort of network provider? Not DSL, Not WiFi, but say 3.5G or 4G or 5G? With an MVNO the global rollout will be difficult initially but it might very well guarantee a much smoother Apple Mobile Products launches.
Not sure about the MVNO route. Is has been a terrible failure in America, and mostly relegated to low-end, pre-paid accounts for teenagers, people with bad credit, drug dealers LOL, etc. Perhaps the environment is different overseas.
My experience in Apple stores has been poor frankly. Getting my iPhone setup was ok...in and out in under 15 minutes. The other times I go there it's usually a mad house of people shopping around waiting for their appointments or classes or whatever. There's little to no organization. The first time I went there I stood there wondering where the hell I had to pay for the merchandise I just picked up. Finally after getting one of the employees attention I found out about the corner of the genius bar that serves as the cash register.
Also, at one point I had to return an item and got a hold of one of the employees with the EasyPay devices who said she could return the item for me. After 10 minutes of messing with the damn thing I was told the only way I could get my money back was by putting it on an Apple gift card. After insisting I would not accept the Gift Card solution she went to the regular check out counter and promptly finished the return...easily done and got the money credited to my debit card with no problems.
Honestly it surprises me they haven't figured out a way to get the same functionality out of the iPhone that the EasyPay system has.
Not that it would fix the lame unorganized fashion of the typical Apple store at primetime hours...but whatever...
Sources within Apple's retail stores report that sales of the iPhone 3G are being slowed down by handhelds running Microsoft Windows Mobile/WinCE. That's because the stores have been selling new iPhones to customers using the old EasyPay, a problematic Pocket PC handheld computer that's causing employees lots of grief....
Interestingly, I went by the Apple store in Baton Rouge to upgrade my wife's phone to an iPhone. The kid that was helping me was obviously having "issues" with the setup because I have 3 phones on the master account. It took about 30 minutes with him running over to his supervisor asking questions, and then telling me I was not upgrade eligible, then that there was something past due, etc. Finally, after about six trips into the back of the store for something, we went over to the genius bar to connect to a laptop to actually activate the phone. As he unplugged the phone, it rang and he handed it to me. Thinking it was someone calling my wife, I answered and discovered one of my clients who obviously would not have my wife's phone number. Hmmm... seems the salesman put my number into my wife's phone and killed mine, which I quickly advised him of.
He had a confused look on his face then went into the back of the store for about the 8th time for whatever. After about 5 minutes he came back and asked me if I was in a hurry ! (no.. I am an attorney, it is the middle of the day, why would I possibly be in a hurry )
Several more "consults" took place and then he proceeded to remove the SIM tool from the box and tell me that we could simply put my SIM in the new phone, put a new SIM in my phone and then when I get home call AT&T and they could fix the problem. (yes, this really happened!)
At this point I asked him if he realized that my contacts etc were in the old phone and whether he knew that the SIM is matched to the ESN of a cellphone. He had a blank look and I asked him if he had any idea what I just asked him. Another blank look. At this point I told him to stop doing anything to the phones, put my SIM back in my phone and put the new phone back in its box.
I left the Apple store and went to the AT&T store where it took about 5 minutes and two new SIM cards to fix the whole mess.
Considering I am an Apple user since the days of the first Macintosh (complete with a 5MB Bernoulli box!!) this was a major FUBAR. If I had been a first time user of Apple products, this would have terminated any possibility of ever dealing with Apple again.
If anyone from Apple watches this, go find my survey that I was emailed and read the comments.... those handheld terminals are absolutely the dumbest thing to use for setting up a telephone account I have ever seen. Considering the AT&T stores all use normal computer screens and keyboards, it would seem that since Apple stores are flush with computers that a simple web-based application would solve a lot of grief for the customers.
Doug
P.S. Generally, I am pretty laid back about dress codes since I hate wearing ties and suits, but the employees in the Baton Rouge store pretty much looked sloppy and unprofessional when I went in. iPhone T-shirts either in or out of the pants, sometimes a little of both, odd combinations of jeans, dress pants, tennis shoes etc. If you want staff preceived as professional, you need to tighten up a little bit over here.
This may be the most ignorant AppleInsider article to date. These Symbol devices are in use for point of sale applications everywhere. Windows CE is used for embedded and other applications like this everywhere. If there's something wrong with this EasyPay software, find out who makes that and write an article on that (wasn't it Apple themselves who was hyping EasyPay?). As to the Symbol PPT8800 being "ugly", wake me when Apple produces a ruggedized, mobile point of sale device ... and I'll buy one. Between now and then, I'd suggest a journalism class for this article's author.
Oh, and AppleInsider lost my first attempt to post this, by making me log in multiple times. For your next article, I'd suggest "Posting hampered by AppleInsider Forums".
This may be the most ignorant AppleInsider article to date. These Symbol devices are in use for point of sale applications everywhere. Windows CE is used for embedded and other applications like this everywhere. If there's something wrong with this EasyPay software, find out who makes that and write an article on that (wasn't it Apple themselves who was hyping EasyPay?). As to the Symbol PPT8800 being "ugly", wake me when Apple produces a ruggedized, mobile point of sale device ... and I'll buy one. Between now and then, I'd suggest a journalism class for this article's author.
The fact that these point of service devices are used broadly isn't a counterpoint, it only helps make this story more relevant. The iPhone 3G's launch was anything but smooth with Apple's activation servers failing on one end and these WinMobile-based devices, with their low performance, quirks, and EasyPay's finicky software unable to keep up with high demand on the other. These devices don't care what company's using them, so Apple employees are not alone in experiencing their shortcomings. Furthermore, this isn't Jobs or his colleagues complaining, just the retail employees.
As for Apple producing their own solution, obviously they're not going to waste time and money developing a wholly new POS device when they have a far more useable alternative: the iPhone and/or iPod touch. While they use Symbol's systems for some purchasing, MacBook Pros around the store are also used, which feature custom Apple checkout software that was noted in the article as working much better and faster. The iPhone's camera is likely capable of serving as a barcode scanner, so a credit card swipe-reader is all they really need. Once they have one that uses the iPhone's dock connector, the desktop checkout software can be ported using the iPhone SDK and presto, a far more useable POS device. They don't have to then waste time and money trying to compete in the POS market; this will be a custom system only available in Apple retail stores, at least in the short-term.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pmjoe
Oh, and AppleInsider lost my first attempt to post this, by making me log in multiple times. For your next article, I'd suggest "Posting hampered by AppleInsider Forums".
The fact that these point of service devices are used broadly isn't a counterpoint, it only helps make this story more relevant. The iPhone 3G's launch was anything but smooth with Apple's activation servers failing on one end and these WinMobile-based devices, with their low performance, quirks, and EasyPay's finicky software unable to keep up with high demand on the other. These devices don't care what company's using them, so Apple employees are not alone in experiencing their shortcomings. Furthermore, this isn't Jobs or his colleagues complaining, just the retail employees.
Windows CE worked perfectly fine the last time I was at the gas station. These Symbol devices worked fine the last time I was going into a stadium/arena for a game (tens of thousands of people in a very short time) and at the DMV. Search for EasyPay on Google and you'll find dozens of articles where Apple is touting how EasyPay is the next great thing in sales. Sounds like Apple's problem to me, not some "ugly" device or Windows Mobile as this article implies.
Quote:
As for Apple producing their own solution, obviously they're not going to waste time and money developing a wholly new POS device when they have a far more useable alternative: the iPhone and/or iPod touch. [...] The iPhone's camera is likely capable of serving as a barcode scanner, so a credit card swipe-reader is all they really need. Once they have one that uses the iPhone's dock connector, the desktop checkout software can be ported using the iPhone SDK and presto, a far more useable POS device.
???? First you say they aren't going to do it, then you imply they will?!?! Like I said, wake me when they do. Probably far more likely that they'll drop the mobile sale thing entirely.
Windows CE worked perfectly fine the last time I was at the gas station. These Symbol devices worked fine the last time I was going into a stadium/arena for a game (tens of thousands of people in a very short time) and at the DMV. Search for EasyPay on Google and you'll find dozens of articles where Apple is touting how EasyPay is the next great thing in sales. Sounds like Apple's problem to me, not some "ugly" device or Windows Mobile as this article implies.
I guess I should have bolded this:
Quote:
Furthermore, this isn't Jobs or his colleagues complaining, just the retail employees.
I never suggested that the powers that be at Apple were badmouthing these devices, and neither is the article. They're obviously better than nothing and functional enough that their use is fairly widespread. That doesn't excuse their problems, which were detailed in the article, quoted from Apple retail employees that use them on a daily basis. Slow start-up time, with dialogs that, if missed, cause the device to boot into WinMobile, at which point the process has to be entirely restarted. The EasyPay software is slow and can time-out, turning a five minute sale into a 15 minute ordeal. Other companies using these things have no real room to criticize them as most businesses don't have the resources to develop a near complete alternative, like Apple with its iPhone and SDK.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pmjoe
???? First you say they aren't going to do it, then you imply they will?!?! Like I said, wake me when they do. Probably far more likely that they'll drop the mobile sale thing entirely.
No, I said they would not create a "wholly new POS device," as you were suggesting, but instead leverage their own more than capable iPhone/iPod touch mobile WiFi platform and SDK, with the only new hardware being a card reader that connects via the docking interface. Standalone, portable card swipers may already exist, so even that might not be an issue.
You know, I always thought it would be much cooler and appropriate for apple to write software for the iphone to handle sales, maybe have a barcode scanner attachment? not probable, but i would be impressed to see apple store employees using their iphones instead of those big ugly pocketPC things.
Wow... I guess if we can't blame the Republicans we need to blame Microsoft. This was a clever if not ambitious stretch. Has anyone contacted George Lucas? Spielberg? Can't wait for the movie.
Ps... I wonder why Apple didn't just use the almighty iPhone as its mobile POS platform? Maybe by version 2.99.99 of the firmware.
Ps... I wonder why Apple didn't just use the almighty iPhone as its mobile POS platform? Maybe by version 2.99.99 of the firmware.
1) If they did, they would use the iPod Touch as there is no need for a cellphone on a PoS system.
2) There is no PoS software for the mobile OS X right now. Apple could have thrown something together by now, but #3 would still be an issue.
3) There is no magnetic strip reader for the iPod right now. There are USB CC readers out there but a 3rd-party would need to adopt one to fit the Touch's design. I think Apple will adopt something eventually, but they will want to by someone's iPod Touch CC reader for the job.
Comments
You are joking aren't you? AS if buying an 3G iPhone is an easy thing to begin with?
Who else is complaining about the devices? I've checked out of Apple for 2 years plus on these with my purchases and have never had a problem. These device are made for quick , easy check outs. The real problem is that Apple has a f*#ked up buying procedure for the iPhone- plain and simple.
And where was the thread that should have been posted here for over two years plus on the irony that Windows devices are used in the first place in Apple stores? Only now when there is a problem with iPhone check outs???
Who's complaining? THE CLERKS THAT ACTUALLY USE THE DEVICES.
Have you ever checked this out for yourself? I can't say whether Windows is being used, but it's true that the main servers are not OS X-based.
Apple's use of WinMobile-based POS devices is an exception because there are very few devices like them and Apple has not yet developed their own portable alternative; they already have custom Mac software for stationary checkouts using their own MacBook Pros and iMacs.
With servers, on the other hand, if Apple isn't using their own - I don't exactly understand what "main" servers you're talking about - they're likely using Linux/Unix based servers because there are many options in the server area, with good alternatives to Microsoft's servers and software.
But is this really news?
No. It's whipping up a story for a slow news day. They have to keep up those advertiser-supported click-throughs!
And I haven't even mentioned this carrier-locking nonsense.
The world has just gotten used to buying mobile phones on credit since the credit rates are conveniently hidden inside the monthly fees.
I don't exactly understand what "main" servers you're talking about - they're likely using Linux/Unix based servers because there are many options in the server area, with good alternatives to Microsoft's servers and software.
"Main" servers as in the servers in each store that handle the heavy operations. As opposed to, say, file servers.
"Main" servers as in the servers in each store that handle the heavy operations. As opposed to, say, file servers.
Ah, thanks.
I'm sure Apple will eventually replace them, but right now with so much work to do on iPhone that will benefit so many customers, I guess writing a custom bit of software for the retail stores isn't high on the list of priorities.
it is better for the M$ handhelds to look bad rather than the iPhone with the current app running on the Macs. So you're right. Get the iPhone done and done, then port the app over.
This is a classic example of a large customer like Apple needing a sophisticated POS system but having limited choices, all of them lousy.
But, Don't we always hear how Apple IS/SHOULD or NEEDS to be moving into the business sector.
Agreed. I don't have extensive experience working in business-related information systems software and hardware (AKA "ERP", "MIS", "EIS", ) but the little bit I've been exposed to has certainly been frightening. It doesn't matter if you are talking about POS systems, Inventory control/Stock management, Supply-chain management, Resource management, Procurement, Order fulfillment, Distribution, Transport/shipping, etc. The plethora of software solutions and plaforms all have significant problems and inefficiencies. They are not the only one to blame, as they just control the OS platform, but Microsoft has indeed had a significant hand in creating this mess.
Although Apple is certainly struggling to keep up with all their activity, the opportunity that lies before them if they can catch up is almost unfathomable. I understand that there are immense challenges inherit in expanding a company like Apple, and the fact that adding more developers and engineers to their existing treams and creating new ones is not a straightforward process or an easy solution, But they have got to hire more people with the mountains of cash they are sitting on. If Steve and co. can keep the ship held together, they could readily expand into other areas that drastically need the type of integrated and easy-to-use software platform that Apple is known for.
Besides just Apple's "enterprise team" boosting OSX and OSX server usage in business and enterprise markets, just think of the awesome platform that their mobile OSX could make for embedded applications where Windows CE/XP embedded is being used now. They already have the kernel and lower-level system running well and optimized for low-memory/low power environments using the ubiquitous ARM architecture. The mature system libraries pulled from desktop OSX would make it relatively easy to extend for adding barcode readers, magnetic strip readers, imaging systems, etc or connecting control systems.
Potential applications would be pretty much anywhere Windows CE, Windows XP embedded, and various Linux distributions and proprietary embedded operating systems are used. I'm not sure if deterministic/real-time systems would be included or not, although I believe certain versions of Windows CE are real-time. POS, ATMs, automated purchasing kiosks, advertising displays, billboards, consumer electronics devices, television set-top boxes, video game consoles, dvd players, printers, microwaves, washing machines, dishwashers, HVAC, home automation, scientific systems, data acquisition, avionics, automobile systems, medical equipment, remote sensing, etc etc etc.
What if Apple's "4th Leg" becomes them being some sort of network provider? Not DSL, Not WiFi, but say 3.5G or 4G or 5G? With an MVNO the global rollout will be difficult initially but it might very well guarantee a much smoother Apple Mobile Products launches.
Not sure about the MVNO route. Is has been a terrible failure in America, and mostly relegated to low-end, pre-paid accounts for teenagers, people with bad credit, drug dealers LOL, etc. Perhaps the environment is different overseas.
No. It's whipping up a story for a slow news day. They have to keep up those advertiser-supported click-throughs!
But it did have the word: "iPhone" in it so that must be news.
Yes because it has the word "iPhone" in it.
This article is a joke- blame the Windows device and not yourself on your own incompetent retail check out procedure?
Could not have said it better myself.
Also, at one point I had to return an item and got a hold of one of the employees with the EasyPay devices who said she could return the item for me. After 10 minutes of messing with the damn thing I was told the only way I could get my money back was by putting it on an Apple gift card. After insisting I would not accept the Gift Card solution she went to the regular check out counter and promptly finished the return...easily done and got the money credited to my debit card with no problems.
Honestly it surprises me they haven't figured out a way to get the same functionality out of the iPhone that the EasyPay system has.
Not that it would fix the lame unorganized fashion of the typical Apple store at primetime hours...but whatever...
Sources within Apple's retail stores report that sales of the iPhone 3G are being slowed down by handhelds running Microsoft Windows Mobile/WinCE. That's because the stores have been selling new iPhones to customers using the old EasyPay, a problematic Pocket PC handheld computer that's causing employees lots of grief....
Interestingly, I went by the Apple store in Baton Rouge to upgrade my wife's phone to an iPhone. The kid that was helping me was obviously having "issues" with the setup because I have 3 phones on the master account. It took about 30 minutes with him running over to his supervisor asking questions, and then telling me I was not upgrade eligible, then that there was something past due, etc. Finally, after about six trips into the back of the store for something, we went over to the genius bar to connect to a laptop to actually activate the phone. As he unplugged the phone, it rang and he handed it to me. Thinking it was someone calling my wife, I answered and discovered one of my clients who obviously would not have my wife's phone number. Hmmm... seems the salesman put my number into my wife's phone and killed mine, which I quickly advised him of.
He had a confused look on his face then went into the back of the store for about the 8th time for whatever. After about 5 minutes he came back and asked me if I was in a hurry ! (no.. I am an attorney, it is the middle of the day, why would I possibly be in a hurry
Several more "consults" took place and then he proceeded to remove the SIM tool from the box and tell me that we could simply put my SIM in the new phone, put a new SIM in my phone and then when I get home call AT&T and they could fix the problem. (yes, this really happened!)
At this point I asked him if he realized that my contacts etc were in the old phone and whether he knew that the SIM is matched to the ESN of a cellphone. He had a blank look and I asked him if he had any idea what I just asked him. Another blank look. At this point I told him to stop doing anything to the phones, put my SIM back in my phone and put the new phone back in its box.
I left the Apple store and went to the AT&T store where it took about 5 minutes and two new SIM cards to fix the whole mess.
Considering I am an Apple user since the days of the first Macintosh (complete with a 5MB Bernoulli box!!) this was a major FUBAR. If I had been a first time user of Apple products, this would have terminated any possibility of ever dealing with Apple again.
If anyone from Apple watches this, go find my survey that I was emailed and read the comments.... those handheld terminals are absolutely the dumbest thing to use for setting up a telephone account I have ever seen. Considering the AT&T stores all use normal computer screens and keyboards, it would seem that since Apple stores are flush with computers that a simple web-based application would solve a lot of grief for the customers.
Doug
P.S. Generally, I am pretty laid back about dress codes since I hate wearing ties and suits, but the employees in the Baton Rouge store pretty much looked sloppy and unprofessional when I went in. iPhone T-shirts either in or out of the pants, sometimes a little of both, odd combinations of jeans, dress pants, tennis shoes etc. If you want staff preceived as professional, you need to tighten up a little bit over here.
Oh, and AppleInsider lost my first attempt to post this, by making me log in multiple times. For your next article, I'd suggest "Posting hampered by AppleInsider Forums".
This may be the most ignorant AppleInsider article to date. These Symbol devices are in use for point of sale applications everywhere. Windows CE is used for embedded and other applications like this everywhere. If there's something wrong with this EasyPay software, find out who makes that and write an article on that (wasn't it Apple themselves who was hyping EasyPay?). As to the Symbol PPT8800 being "ugly", wake me when Apple produces a ruggedized, mobile point of sale device ... and I'll buy one. Between now and then, I'd suggest a journalism class for this article's author.
The fact that these point of service devices are used broadly isn't a counterpoint, it only helps make this story more relevant. The iPhone 3G's launch was anything but smooth with Apple's activation servers failing on one end and these WinMobile-based devices, with their low performance, quirks, and EasyPay's finicky software unable to keep up with high demand on the other. These devices don't care what company's using them, so Apple employees are not alone in experiencing their shortcomings. Furthermore, this isn't Jobs or his colleagues complaining, just the retail employees.
As for Apple producing their own solution, obviously they're not going to waste time and money developing a wholly new POS device when they have a far more useable alternative: the iPhone and/or iPod touch. While they use Symbol's systems for some purchasing, MacBook Pros around the store are also used, which feature custom Apple checkout software that was noted in the article as working much better and faster. The iPhone's camera is likely capable of serving as a barcode scanner, so a credit card swipe-reader is all they really need. Once they have one that uses the iPhone's dock connector, the desktop checkout software can be ported using the iPhone SDK and presto, a far more useable POS device. They don't have to then waste time and money trying to compete in the POS market; this will be a custom system only available in Apple retail stores, at least in the short-term.
Oh, and AppleInsider lost my first attempt to post this, by making me log in multiple times. For your next article, I'd suggest "Posting hampered by AppleInsider Forums".
Let's see, would that be newsworthy?
The fact that these point of service devices are used broadly isn't a counterpoint, it only helps make this story more relevant. The iPhone 3G's launch was anything but smooth with Apple's activation servers failing on one end and these WinMobile-based devices, with their low performance, quirks, and EasyPay's finicky software unable to keep up with high demand on the other. These devices don't care what company's using them, so Apple employees are not alone in experiencing their shortcomings. Furthermore, this isn't Jobs or his colleagues complaining, just the retail employees.
Windows CE worked perfectly fine the last time I was at the gas station. These Symbol devices worked fine the last time I was going into a stadium/arena for a game (tens of thousands of people in a very short time) and at the DMV. Search for EasyPay on Google and you'll find dozens of articles where Apple is touting how EasyPay is the next great thing in sales. Sounds like Apple's problem to me, not some "ugly" device or Windows Mobile as this article implies.
As for Apple producing their own solution, obviously they're not going to waste time and money developing a wholly new POS device when they have a far more useable alternative: the iPhone and/or iPod touch. [...] The iPhone's camera is likely capable of serving as a barcode scanner, so a credit card swipe-reader is all they really need. Once they have one that uses the iPhone's dock connector, the desktop checkout software can be ported using the iPhone SDK and presto, a far more useable POS device.
???? First you say they aren't going to do it, then you imply they will?!?! Like I said, wake me when they do. Probably far more likely that they'll drop the mobile sale thing entirely.
Windows CE worked perfectly fine the last time I was at the gas station. These Symbol devices worked fine the last time I was going into a stadium/arena for a game (tens of thousands of people in a very short time) and at the DMV. Search for EasyPay on Google and you'll find dozens of articles where Apple is touting how EasyPay is the next great thing in sales. Sounds like Apple's problem to me, not some "ugly" device or Windows Mobile as this article implies.
I guess I should have bolded this:
Furthermore, this isn't Jobs or his colleagues complaining, just the retail employees.
I never suggested that the powers that be at Apple were badmouthing these devices, and neither is the article. They're obviously better than nothing and functional enough that their use is fairly widespread. That doesn't excuse their problems, which were detailed in the article, quoted from Apple retail employees that use them on a daily basis. Slow start-up time, with dialogs that, if missed, cause the device to boot into WinMobile, at which point the process has to be entirely restarted. The EasyPay software is slow and can time-out, turning a five minute sale into a 15 minute ordeal. Other companies using these things have no real room to criticize them as most businesses don't have the resources to develop a near complete alternative, like Apple with its iPhone and SDK.
???? First you say they aren't going to do it, then you imply they will?!?! Like I said, wake me when they do. Probably far more likely that they'll drop the mobile sale thing entirely.
No, I said they would not create a "wholly new POS device," as you were suggesting, but instead leverage their own more than capable iPhone/iPod touch mobile WiFi platform and SDK, with the only new hardware being a card reader that connects via the docking interface. Standalone, portable card swipers may already exist, so even that might not be an issue.
Ps... I wonder why Apple didn't just use the almighty iPhone as its mobile POS platform? Maybe by version 2.99.99 of the firmware.
Ps... I wonder why Apple didn't just use the almighty iPhone as its mobile POS platform? Maybe by version 2.99.99 of the firmware.
1) If they did, they would use the iPod Touch as there is no need for a cellphone on a PoS system.
2) There is no PoS software for the mobile OS X right now. Apple could have thrown something together by now, but #3 would still be an issue.
3) There is no magnetic strip reader for the iPod right now. There are USB CC readers out there but a 3rd-party would need to adopt one to fit the Touch's design. I think Apple will adopt something eventually, but they will want to by someone's iPod Touch CC reader for the job.