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What We're Reading: New Mobile Technology

By: Beth Doriani | 11/04/2011

As if smart phones weren't smart enough, this week marks another forward step for mobile technology. Now Siri can tell you where the nearest locksmith is, but what else does your smart phone do? How do you make purchases? How do you give sales presentations to prospective clients? How do you redeem your Groupons? For many, the answer to all of those is "with my smart phone." This week we take a look at how new mobile technology makes it all possible.

Your Next Credit Card is Your Last: Do you remember when credit cards first emerged? No one trusted them. They couldn't believe it was possible to pay with a plastic square and also secure financial information? Today credit cards are not only ubiquitous; credit ratings determine your financial stability. But now, thanks to mobile technology company, Square, credit cards may join the ranks of personal checks as a thing of the past. According to Fast Company, the future of financial transactions is here. Square's hands-free payment app will replace standard credit cards with the adoption of smart phones. The app works with iOS5's technology on iPhones to know who you are, where you are and the digital means of payment you have encoded in the app.

In the land of tablets, Mashable features ScrollMotion and its newly diverse portfolio of mobile apps. Using the same interactive technology found in the company's digital readers, ScrollMotion is aiming their newest apps at the largest consumer of iPads - corporations. Their apps provide business users with everything they need, from live charts that pull data from the cloud to interactive presentations, videos and PDF files. The best part is that every tool is measurable and useful in calculating the effectiveness of pitches.  "Traveling salesman" just got a whole new (and much cooler) meaning.

GRPN: Check your email everyone, Groupon is officially on sale. Friday morning, Groupon was estimated at nearly $18 billion, as its stock prices began trading publicly. This estimate makes Groupon the largest technology company to go public since Google did in 2004, according to the Associated Press. The IPO of $20 per share is hardly shocking, though - smart phone users everywhere are pulling out the Groupon app faster than ever to pay for previously purchased food and entertainment deals. Whether this initial estimate mirrors reality is still to be seen in the long term.

Smart phones have even become a new preferred method to submit customer complaints. According to USA Today, the most recent Bank of America debacles and responses actually show that consumers value their voice now more than ever. Many consumers are anxious about their jobs; angry about their salaries and increased workloads; upset about climbing health care costs, etc. But there's still one thing under their control: the chance to speak out. And they use their phones, and social media apps like Twitter and Facebook, to do it. 

Have you downloaded any apps recently? Is there some new technology you're just dying to talk about? Share with us! Tell us what you're reading this week.

Posted in Digital Communications