Ridiculously innovative? Hasn't Bump Technologies offered something similar for nearly a year?
I think paypal bought it from them.
Paypal Adds Innovative ‘Bump’ To Mobile Payment Suite
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Re: Paypal Adds Innovative ‘Bump’ To Mobile Payment Suite
#12I don't get it. I mean, sure, the technology is cool. They have some kind of spatial tree with temporal information added to individual nodes so they can detect nearby bumps. I find that somewhat interesting (but there are more interesting problems abound). But as an actual application, what? Maybe it's just because I don't have a phone. I don't see how it's much easier than just scrolling through a contacts list-- w…
I have to agree with you. It seems like a tremendous waste of resources, listening to and algorithmically calculating when, where, and between whom these transactions occur. Seems like it's simply wrapping a transaction in an entirely extraneous layer with no visible benefit.
I think the smart thing about it is the workaround it provides for phones that don't have NFC functionality. NFC penetration is going to be way behind accelerometers for a while yet. Could be a good opportunity for mid-range/low-end handsets too.
Use cases - hmmm. Maybe the security of Paypal when buying things off Gumtree, a used car etc could be the benefit.
Re: Paypal Adds Innovative ‘Bump’ To Mobile Payment Suite
#13My initial impression of Bump is that it was a silly idea. Like what if you damage your phone. However, the secret and success of Bump is that it makes a boring transaction a little more fun. Bring back a little human interaction. Make the people using it look cool or uncool (depending on the audience) - but regardless make people pay a little more attention to the people bumping. Everytime, I see a public Bump, I ge…
If you bump in the manner depicted in the Bump logo, you won't damage your phone.
Re: Paypal Adds Innovative ‘Bump’ To Mobile Payment Suite
#14I don't get it. I mean, sure, the technology is cool. They have some kind of spatial tree with temporal information added to individual nodes so they can detect nearby bumps. I find that somewhat interesting (but there are more interesting problems abound). But as an actual application, what? Maybe it's just because I don't have a phone. I don't see how it's much easier than just scrolling through a contacts list-- w…
One advantage is that I don't have to have your contact information, and I don't have to type out your email address.
Re: Paypal Adds Innovative ‘Bump’ To Mobile Payment Suite
#15I don't get it. I mean, sure, the technology is cool. They have some kind of spatial tree with temporal information added to individual nodes so they can detect nearby bumps. I find that somewhat interesting (but there are more interesting problems abound). But as an actual application, what? Maybe it's just because I don't have a phone. I don't see how it's much easier than just scrolling through a contacts list-- w…
Your contacts list might not contain your friend's PayPal email address, or it might not contain an email address at all. Bumping creates a unique identifier that connects all parties and their PayPal accounts where no such identifier previously existed. It is useful.
Re: Paypal Adds Innovative ‘Bump’ To Mobile Payment Suite
#16I don't get it. I mean, sure, the technology is cool. They have some kind of spatial tree with temporal information added to individual nodes so they can detect nearby bumps. I find that somewhat interesting (but there are more interesting problems abound). But as an actual application, what? Maybe it's just because I don't have a phone. I don't see how it's much easier than just scrolling through a contacts list-- w…
One advantage is that I don't have to have your contact information, and I don't have to type out your email address.
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Re: Paypal Adds Innovative ‘Bump’ To Mobile Payment Suite
#17I don't get it. I mean, sure, the technology is cool. They have some kind of spatial tree with temporal information added to individual nodes so they can detect nearby bumps. I find that somewhat interesting (but there are more interesting problems abound). But as an actual application, what? Maybe it's just because I don't have a phone. I don't see how it's much easier than just scrolling through a contacts list-- w…
One advantage is that I don't have to have your contact information, and I don't have to type out your email address.
So then have the "bump" action exchange contact information. Why limit it to something that has been solved for centuries? Transferring money to people you don't know is traditionally done with cash. Transferring contact information is generally more painful.
Re: Paypal Adds Innovative ‘Bump’ To Mobile Payment Suite
#18"When two people with the app bump phones, the sensor readings are sent to the Paypal servers where the algorithm listens to bumps happening all over the world and matches the two phones that felt the same movement." Correct me if I'm wrong but if they're using Bump's API, aren't the Bump servers the ones doing the algorithmic matching and not the Paypal servers?
Correct, the Bump servers are doing the matching.
Re: Paypal Adds Innovative ‘Bump’ To Mobile Payment Suite
#19Ridiculously innovative? Hasn't Bump Technologies offered something similar for nearly a year?
I think paypal bought it from them.
PayPal is licensing the technology from us. Anyone can by do the same at http://bu.mp/api. For most people it is free to license.
Re: Paypal Adds Innovative ‘Bump’ To Mobile Payment Suite
#20I don't get it. I mean, sure, the technology is cool. They have some kind of spatial tree with temporal information added to individual nodes so they can detect nearby bumps. I find that somewhat interesting (but there are more interesting problems abound). But as an actual application, what? Maybe it's just because I don't have a phone. I don't see how it's much easier than just scrolling through a contacts list-- w…
The point is that it is an easier way to connect with someone. And it may not be for everyone, but lots of people are bumping money already. We don't know whether they are doing that because it is easier, more fun, or the only option at the time. But they are doing it and that is what matters to us. :)
There is this broader problem we are trying to solve: you are standing right next to me and I want to give you something on my phone, or connect to you on some cloud service. How do I do that? If I want to send you a Facebook invitation is it easier to go home, search for you (and hopefully find you) and send a friend request, or just bump and not worry about remembering how to spell your name? If I want to send you a photo, is it easier to type your email address or pick it from my (1000s of) contacts, or just bump you? If you are standing right next to me, why should I have to type something in?
You can still send money using PayPal Mobile by typing in an email or selecting from your address book. But bump is an easy option if you prefer it.