Hasta La Gadget!

PayPal Here, despite all its focus on in-store transactions, hasn’t really been available to buy in a US store — that’s been the domain of the seemingly ubiquitous Square reader. eBay’s payment wing has at last established that retail beachhead through a deal with AT&T. About 1,800 of the carrier’s stores are now carrying PayPal Here readers, and they’ll keep the service’s big rival from hogging the spotlight at a time when most aren’t even aware that there’s any competition. If you’re still cynical, you can look at the AT&T move as a matter of convenience: at least this way, all your account headaches will come from one place.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

PayPal Here goes on sale at AT&T stores: like a one-stop shop for account hiccups originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For those of you working with NFC-laden smartphones with nothing to do with them other than turning your wi-fi on or off, it’s time to get happy: the mobile payment system known as Isis has all but confirmed that they’ll be up and running on October 22nd. This system has been spoken about for many moons, coming across many months ago with a “debut” at SXSW and a mention of Austin and Salt Lake City as launch locations. Now according to an email sent to the press, the marketing lead for the company has confirmed that they’ll be good to go by the 22nd of October.

With a mobile payment system you’ve got one whole heck of a lot of bugs to worry about – it’s no small matter making a whole payment system a reality. What we’ve got here is a set of phones already on the market with NFC sensors ready to go, their only need being an app to make them all worthwhile. With Isis’ concept of a fully functional multi-business plan for wireless payments with just a tap, we could very quickly see a mass of phones become a whole lot more useful – and wallets tossed.

“Isis will be launching in Austin and Salt Lake City on Oct. 22. By year end, as many as 20 Isis Ready handsets are expected to be in market. We look forward to sharing more details on Oct. 22.” – Isis marketing lead Jaymee Johnson

Of course that’s just wishful thinking, the final evolution to a one-device system being many years off, if a possibility at all. Apple has a system for cards that work like coupons from your smartphone, and Google already has Google Wallet working with NFC as well – but no system has taken hold at a level that’s game-changing right this minute. Isis plans to be that system.

The Isis group’s marketing lead Jaymee Johnson has let it be known that business should be starting in Salt Lake City and Austin with “as many as” 20 smartphones compatible by the end of the year. With NFC on the rise and more smartphones with the technology being released by the week, Isis is set for a rather large success story if all goes as planned. The final combination that an Isis-capable phone will need is the finalized Isis app, a SIM card compatible with the system, and a store that’ll allow Isis payments. We shall see soon enough!

Isis NFC payment system claims October 22nd launch date is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Unofficial rumblings have pointed to Isis Mobile Wallet’s trial getting close. If you’ve remained skeptical all the same, we’re pretty sure that seeing Isis’ Android app in Google Play will change your mind. The currently T-Mobile-only software confirms that pilot program members will tie their American Express, Capital One or Chase card (as well as a unique card) to Isis for paying through NFC at stores with a SmartTap terminal. We’re also promised streamlined loyalty cards and coupons. Before anyone rushes to try the app at the local shop, remember that it’s just one piece of the puzzle on top of the special SIM card, one of three NFC-equipped phones and that small matter of living in Austin or Salt Lake City when the service goes live. Having the official app at least lets those who qualify get a head start on what could soon be the only major alternative to Google Wallet in the US.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Isis Mobile Wallet app for Android surfaces in Google Play, you probably can’t run it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC’s Droid Incredible 4G LTE gave us a pleasant surprise by providing a capable Android phone that didn’t have to be supersized. It’s gone largely untouched since its mid-year introduction, though, which makes a new and imminent update all the more important. The upgrade’s biggest trick is support for Isis mobile payments that more officially throws Verizon’s hat into the NFC payment ring. Anyone living beyond Isis’ coverage will still want to check for the update when it’s ready — the patch switches on global roaming, allows remote technical support, makes Tango video chats useful and improves LTE connection quality. No matter what you’re looking for, Verizon’s tendency to start over-the-air updates within days of posting documentation leaves a likely short wait before the most recent Droid Incredible gets a breath of fresh air.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC, Verizon

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE update to bring global roaming, Isis wallet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 16:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile payment is still a bit of a wild west at the moment, and seemingly every technological and financial institution has a dog in this fight. Bank of America’s not going to just sit idly by and watch it all unfold. The US’s second largest bank has flirted with NFC in the past and is currently doing trials with QR scanning in Charlotte, North Carolina, where it’s based. At present, five sellers in the area are taking part in the pilot program, with bank employees given access to the technology. The three-month trial is the result of a partnership with mobile payment company Paydiant, is compatible with Android handsets and iPhones, no NFC needed, naturally.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Bank of America testing QR Code scanning mobile payment system in North Carolina originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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