Overview of Apple's New iPod Touch-Based EasyPay Retail Store Checkout System

[backdraft]

So does the transaction information/credit card account info get stored in the iPod touch hdd? Is this information sent wirelessly as well to complete the transaction?

This could be dangerous... Hope fully blowfish/sha1 1024bit encryption is being use and those iPod touch hdds are going to be wiped securely and destroyed aka not sold as refurbs. Would hate to see this sensitive info leaked!

I hope Apple has policies for this sort of things, they should be made public proactively. What's to prevent an employee from walking out of an apple store with an iPod touch loaded
with account numbers etc...

 

[backdraft]

It would be great if Apple teamed up with delicious monster and expanded it's capability to replace library cataloging systems in libraries by integrated with the delicious library with open directory/active directory so books could be checked out on the spots to students/card holders with this device.

Million dollar idea!

 

[knightlie]

I always pay in cash. Where's the cash drawer on that thing?

All the retailers here at MR please raise your hands...

<crickets chirping>

<owls hooting>

<tumbleweeds blowing>

What's an iPod?

Seriously, some of you macheads would have an orgasm over Steve Jobs' toaster if a picture were to surface.

And yet you seem to care enough to keep coming into this thread to whine about it. Do you often go and hang out in places you don't want to be in?

 

[knightlie]

So does the transaction information/credit card account info get stored in the iPod touch hdd? Is this information sent wirelessly as well to complete the transaction?

This could be dangerous... Hope fully blowfish/sha1 1024bit encryption is being use and those iPod touch hdds are going to be wiped securely and destroyed aka not sold as refurbs. Would hate to see this sensitive info leaked!

I hope Apple has policies for this sort of things, they should be made public proactively. What's to prevent an employee from walking out of an apple store with an iPod touch loaded
with account numbers etc...

Wow, you're right, I bet they didn't think of that....

(Touches don't have hdds in them, btw)

 

[Richard1028]

And yet you seem to care enough to keep coming into this thread to whine about it. Do you often go and hang out in places you don't want to be in?

Some threads are like train wrecks -you don't want to look but just can't take your eyes away.

 

[aristobrat]

I hope Apple has policies for this sort of things, they should be made public proactively. What's to prevent an employee from walking out of an apple store with an iPod touch loaded
with account numbers etc...

Actually, the credit card companies have super strict policies for companies the size of Apple (as to how data is handled and kept). Apple (and others) are externally audited at least once a year to ensure that they're in compliance. If they're not, they get huge monthly fines until they are.

https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/security_standards/pci_dss.shtml

I always pay in cash. Where's the cash drawer on that thing?

This will allow access to a cash drawer, which is something that the current system can't do. If you've ever paid in cash in an Apple store, you'd know that, right?

 

[-hh]

I'm guessing the plastic is necessary for the magnetic card reader to work...

Once the roll out to Apple Stores has been completed, I wonder if they will then sell the solution to Apple resellers and then hopefully open it up to all retailers...

I had thought that Chip & Pin had become more or less universal?

Chip & PIN are becoming the defacto standard in Europe. But back in the USA, we're still on a magnetic swipe system ... and there's apparently resistance to paying the money to upgrade to the more secure Chip/PIN.

(I say this because I just got an email at work for my corporate card ...which lacks a Chip... for how to use it in Europe: to summarize the email, it is: be rude and insist that the Merchant follow the special instructions to get paid, because we're not going to issue to you a Chip card anytime soon. Nice attitude, Bank of America!).

Thus said, I think it would behoove Apple to be forward looking and have a Chip-based system built into this device, because with the rampant credit card theft in the USA, the more secure system is only a matter of time, and as such, there's inroads to be made into having other retail outlets adopt their system.

The only card i know that has not yet used the chip/pin is the Amex cards. I remember many ads a few years ago saying they were the most secure cards...

I don't recall that ad here in the USA ... but I do know that my AmEx got hacked somehow last year (approx. $3000 in airline ticket charges), and now I have a new AmEx ID# to try to re-memorize.



-hh

 

[branjosef]

Holy crap did they make the new ipod touch thick !!! I bet safari is snappier on that bad boy.

 

[ryan]

I agree. But I also don't sign my cards; I make them check my ID.

Works almost everywhere.

The Post Office won't take it - you better have debit function and know a pin number.

According to this article (and others) for MasterCard and Visa if you don't sign the card then it is not considered valid and merchants should not complete the transaction.

 

[mamcx]

100% Agreed. I know of a couple of business owners that want systems like this(Apple product or not). The only problem is cost of upgrading the POS systems(licensing costs) to support it.

This would be FANTASTIC for my incoming POS app (http://www.bestsellerapp.com/)!

I wonder if is possible found who made the hardware. I *almost* have a solution to use a POS printer, so a barcode & credit card scanner would be the whole solution for my customers.

P.D: My solution can be integrated with any POS/ERP/CRM of the market (I already integrate 15 local erps, from Cobol, FoxPro, Sql Server, Excel !!,....etc) and not requiere modification to them...

 

[star-fish]

Once the roll out to Apple Stores has been completed, I wonder if they will then sell the solution to Apple resellers and then hopefully open it up to all retailers.

High Street retailers are looking at slicker ways of working to compete against Internet sales, and I would imagine that many would bite Apples hands off to have these.

Phil

I personally think they would be more useful for people selling at fairs, conventions and similar. I can't imagine many high street retailers (that don't care about looking 'cool') would use them - they have no reason to. They wouldn't provide any benefits over the existing system, particularly as places are more reluctant to hire staff, and are trying to reduce numbers.

 

[NeroAZ]

I don't think the slider would reach the chip.

They already have a different handset to the US stores so I'm sure we'll get our own version of the new one.

i have visa, mastercard, amex, and discover. and none of them here in the us have the chip on them anymore.

My amex blue card used to, but the last time they sent me a new card it has a easypay chip inside and not that smartchip or whatever its called anymore.

they remind me of cell phone sim cards.

 

[NeroAZ]

Don't pander to me, kid. One tiny oversight on an acronym and your blood boils in 13 seconds. Solar flare might crop up, cook us in our seats! And just wait till you're sitting pretty with a case of Andorian acronyms. See if you're still so relaxed when you're brain is exploding!!

Acronyms are disease and danger, wrapped in darkness and silence!!!!

Do you normally become defensive when someone asks a general question?

 

[aristobrat]

Do you normally become defensive when someone asks a general question?

That was more humor (a modified Star Trek quote + a Bones quote) than defense, no?

 

[MacKiddyWiddy]

Haha uber cool

 

[iigsie]

What sane person would rate this negative?

 

[kdarling]

Ha.

One trouble with using customized iPod touches instead of hardened old style Symbol handhelds, is that it's far more likely for store thieves to try to snatch one of the Apple devices.

 

[twoodcc]

seems really neat. maybe i'll see one in action one day

 

[charlituna]

I hope Apple has policies for this sort of things, they should be made public proactively. What's to prevent an employee from walking out of an apple store with an iPod touch loaded
with account numbers etc...

just like the old easy pays, the information isn't likely to stay on the device.

and I suspect, given that one could wipe and restore the touch, they will have procedures to make sure no one walks out with a touch. i'm sure they already do bag and coat checks. they will probably have a signout system on the rigs/touch so if one goes missing, there goes the paycheck (mainly cause there goes the job)

(Touches don't have hdds in them, btw)

i hope that was meant to be a joke. cause they and the phones most certainly do have hard drives. they might be flash based but they are there.

 

[dejo]

cause they and the phones most certainly do have hard drives. they might be flash based but they are there.

You must have a different definition of 'hard drive' than most people. Flash-based SSDs are not the same thing as HDDs.

 

[rdlink]

Any reason they picked Touches over iPhones? Just thought it would be useful if the employees had a phone built in so they could phone the other stores etc

Maybe in version 2.0 customers will be able to pick from a wide range of music to listen to while making their purchase

Perhaps it's because, since it's on AT&T the phone probably wouldn't work inside the store, anyway?

 

[aristobrat]

Perhaps it's because, since it's on AT&T the phone probably wouldn't work inside the store, anyway?

Naw, the Apple Stores have AT&T repeaters in them to give them 5 bars of coverage!

 

[thibaulthalpern]

I'm curious to know how long the battery (or batteries) for this system lasts. A regular iPod touch during constant use of the wifi will not last a business day.

 

[The Samurai]

I'm curious to know how long the battery (or batteries) for this system lasts. A regular iPod touch during constant use of the wifi will not last a business day.

The current EasyPay systems apparently last around 2 hours - or thats what an employee told me at my local store. So, a whole day is pretty reasonable given that

 

[charlituna]

Any reason they picked Touches over iPhones?

i can think of a few reasons

1. during busy periods like the December holiday season the last thing they want is to tie up a sales person with "well you have a phone right there so how about you call every store in a 30 mile area to find me what I want". and if they don't need the added functions to actually ring a sale.

2. access to 3g could open up security issues that wouldn't be present with the software set to use only one particular locked wifi

3. the phones totally work and if they are typical working displays are probably using a dealer sim which is unlimited everything. so the temptation to swipe the phone or even just the sim is too great to play the odds.

I'm curious to know how long the battery (or batteries) for this system lasts. A regular iPod touch during constant use of the wifi will not last a business day.

from what I have read, the cradle rig has a battery in it as well.