Monday, March 28, 2011

Google one step closer to mobile payments



The Bloomberg article said Google is planning to pay for "thousands" of installations of near-field communication systems (NFC) around New York City and San Francisco as part of a test. When consumers buy products where one of the systems is installed, they will need only to hold their devices up to the reader to make a purchase, Bloomberg said

Google is partnering with MasterCard and Citigroup to deliver a mobile-payment service to Android smartphones, according to a report.

Citing anonymous sources, The Wall Street Journal reports that Google will allow people with debit and credit cards from the two financial giants to turn on an app and pay for a purchase from their smartphones. At no point would they need to take those cards out of their wallets to make a purchase.

Google plans to launch the program later this year, according to today's article.
The Journal report follows an earlier claim via Bloomberg that Google will deliver a mobile-payment service in the next few months. The Bloomberg article said Google is planning to pay for "thousands" of installations of near-field communication systems (NFC) around New York City and San Francisco as part of a test. When consumers buy products where one of the systems is installed, they will need only to hold their devices up to the reader to make a purchase, Bloomberg said.

Google has yet to unveil a "mobile wallet" that would go along with its NFC service, but a report that surfaced earlier this year claimed the company was working on a platform code-named "Cream" that would deliver the ability to make payments from NFC-enabled Android devices.

The company's NFC plans are very much up in the air for now. According to The Wall Street Journal's sources, Google will look to expand its partnerships with other financial institutions. However, that will only happen if its first test is successful.
Google one step closer to mobile payments
Thursday, March 24, 2011

Office Depot launches mobile apps



“The advanced functionality of Office Depot’s new mobile applications for the iPhone and Android-based phones provide our customers with a best-in-class experience, including the ability to check out and purchase products without being redirected to another site outside of the mobile application.”

iPhone And Android Apps Launch From Office Depot

Office Depot has expanded its mobile offerings and has launched an iPhone and Android app available for free download on iTunes and the Android Market.

The new apps are part of the company’s broader “Office Depot Anywhere” strategy aimed at helping people show via a variety of mobile platforms and m-commerce sites.

The apps allow users to browse and buy products from their mobile phone, read product revies, find a store location, access order history, track shipments, scan a product barcode in store for detailed descriptions, reviews and pricing. 

The Office Depot iPhone and Android apps also allows users to “follow” their mobile shopping cart across multiple devices.

“We know our customers are busy and sometimes the only time they have to shop for their office needs is between meetings, in the airport, or from the road,” said Barry Litwin, Vice President of E-Commerce for Office Depot. 

“The advanced functionality of Office Depot’s new mobile applications for the iPhone and Android-based phones provide our customers with a best-in-class experience, including the ability to check out and purchase products without being redirected to another site outside of the mobile application.” 

Office Depot says it plans to add more mobile platforms in the future, including BlackBerry and Microsoft operating systems, as well as tablet devices.
iPhone And Android Apps