Apple wants your iPhone to be a walking ATM

January 31st, 2013

Don’t like carrying cash or using ATMs or like the freedom of just carrying your iPhone? Why not use your iPhone to allow a random member of the public to hook you up with some cash when you need it. Basically, this crazy patent application from Apple allows you to send out a general request for cash to those with iPhones around you – they receive a notification of the request and can choose to be your human ATM -for a fee (it’s suggested $5 to Apple of which they give $3 to your benefactor). When you receive the cash and approve the transaction on your phone your iTunes account is presumably debited and your knight in shining armour credited (though interestingly and perhaps giving away its age it refers to Facebook and MySpace as alternative forms of authentication).

Steve Jobs’ Last Patent?

January 31st, 2013

Steve Job was a prolific inventor- much has been written about his hands on methods of management and this has been reflected in name appearing on a number of Apple patents.

It’s worth marking what may be Steve Jobs’ last patent application but ironic that it is a calendar related patent application that should be his last. The Mac calendar application has drawn a deal of criticism especially by critics of skeuomorphic design such as John Gruber. Some blame Steve Jobs, specifically, for the iCal stitched leather look (and it’s hard to believe it would have been adopted without his tacit approval).

Nerd-Alert: A new take on science

October 14th, 2010

Science discussion

I am impressed by this site- a discussion of kebab vans explaining the Yule-Simpson effect- suddenly I have clarity and the desire for a kebab.

The YS-effect (or Simpson’s paradox) is one of those counter-intuitive statistical phenomena that make you realise that you’re thinking the wrong way about things.

Anyway - Nerd Alert is definitely worth checking out – they also have a nerd alert podcast which is great and has a good music too

Previous Articles

wordpress vulnerabilities and no-script

September 6th, 2009

Wireless Photo and Music Sharing with iPhone OS 3?

June 4th, 2009

BBC iPlayer for Mac — Installation and First Look

December 19th, 2008

Finder to go “3D” in Snow Leopard?

December 11th, 2008

Supercharged Cursors in Snow Leopard

October 2nd, 2008

Non-linear Web History Coming to Safari

September 25th, 2008

Flash/windows media and new lockscreen for the iPhone in Apple patent application

July 25th, 2008

Welcome to hrmpf.com

Hrmpf (best. name. evar.)

Jacqui Cheng, Arstechnica


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