4 ms·

I 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

by devinj 17y ago

I 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-- which, by the way, you can do anywhere, not just when you're next to the person-- or pulling out your wallet and giving the person the money as cash (which is usually how I've done it / seen it done-- and where there has been paypal involved, it's always been when we weren't next to each other). I could maybe see it being used as some kind of replacement for debit/credit cards, which are annoying. Simply nodding your phone towards a kiosk/reader would seem easier, even including the time it takes to start up the app and so on (then again, there is a reason I have to enter my PIN-- however, I could do this in line with the phone...). But, I can't imagine that ever happening (magstripe readers won a long time ago). What's so great about this?

ivankirigin 17y ago
Simplicity in a product can make or break functionality. I think the folks at http://bu.mp http://bu.mp are awesome ;-D
jat850 17y ago
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.
- muratmutlu 17y ago
  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.
  - joe_bleau 17y ago
    Having been around long enough to remember when nearly every PDA supported IrDA, I'd agree that the whole bump thingy seems like one really complicated (but very clever!) workaround.
    - jared314 17y ago
      I miss the promise of IrDA.
orangecat 17y ago
This looks similar to most augmented reality apps; not terribly practical today, but with future interfaces it could be great. In 2022 when we have displays in glasses and full-body-tracking sensors, you'll be able to activate Paypal with an eye gesture, then make a tossing hand motion to send them money which they "catch". Yes, I did just read Rainbows End...
aero142 17y ago
One advantage is that I don't have to have your contact information, and I don't have to type out your email address.
- deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]
- devinj 17y ago
  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.
  - jamiequint 17y ago
    It does, that is the first/primary function of the app. This is just talking about a PayPal implementation of their API.
natrius 17y ago
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.
- jared314 17y ago
  It is not unique if too many people are bumping at the same time (e.g. comic con or something).
jmintz 17y ago
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.
- devinj 17y ago
  I think I may have portrayed my view wrong, then. I don't have problem with the "bump" thing as a generic interaction. I can see it as a very handy way of doing certain things, like playing a game with a friend. At the moment I'd have to look for all nearby phones(/DSes, etc.) and figure out which one is my friend. Just nodding our phones together seems a great improvement. There are tons of other things I imagine it would be great for. I do have a problem with its use for transferring money. It just seems pointless. That's what cash is for, and paypal is most useful because I can use it where cash is not an option. I don't see any benefit to using this kind of interaction here. For it to be useful, we have to be in the same room, I'd have to not have any cash or cheques, or alternatively be required to use paypal. It also has to be something that has to happen soon, or else I could get cash later or use paypal regularly or something rather than going through the effort of us taking out our phones and looking like goofs. We also both have to already have the relevant app installed, with a compatible model of phone. I actually have to make sure of this, too-- I have to ask, "hey do you have that paypal app", etc., which takes more time. This is a situation I do not foresee happening very often at all. There are just so many limiting factors, and it's just so easy to have enough cash in my wallet.
ryanisinallofus 17y ago
At the risk of sounding flamebait - you don't have a phone? What made you even want to comment on a post like this?
- devinj 17y ago
  Sorry, I missed this reply. What made me want to comment? It seemed dumb. That was enough. Do I actually have the experience necessary to judge this? Well obviously I think so. I know what a phone is. I have used cell phones before. I have used cell phone apps before. I have developed cell phone apps before. I thought this was enough. I did, however, for my sake and the sake of the reader, point out my own status in case I'm being stupid (which is a strong possibility, particularly since I can't actually try the app out for myself, and the article may be (was?) misleading).

by devinj 17y ago

ivankirigin 17y ago

Simplicity in a product can make or break functionality. I think the folks at http://bu.mp http://bu.mp are awesome ;-D

jat850 17y ago

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.

muratmutlu 17y ago
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.
- joe_bleau 17y ago
  Having been around long enough to remember when nearly every PDA supported IrDA, I'd agree that the whole bump thingy seems like one really complicated (but very clever!) workaround.
  - jared314 17y ago
    I miss the promise of IrDA.

orangecat 17y ago

This looks similar to most augmented reality apps; not terribly practical today, but with future interfaces it could be great. In 2022 when we have displays in glasses and full-body-tracking sensors, you'll be able to activate Paypal with an eye gesture, then make a tossing hand motion to send them money which they "catch". Yes, I did just read Rainbows End...

aero142 17y ago

One advantage is that I don't have to have your contact information, and I don't have to type out your email address.

deleted 17y ago
[deleted]
devinj 17y ago
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.
- jamiequint 17y ago
  It does, that is the first/primary function of the app. This is just talking about a PayPal implementation of their API.

natrius 17y ago

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.

jared314 17y ago
It is not unique if too many people are bumping at the same time (e.g. comic con or something).

jmintz 17y ago

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.

devinj 17y ago
I think I may have portrayed my view wrong, then. I don't have problem with the "bump" thing as a generic interaction. I can see it as a very handy way of doing certain things, like playing a game with a friend. At the moment I'd have to look for all nearby phones(/DSes, etc.) and figure out which one is my friend. Just nodding our phones together seems a great improvement. There are tons of other things I imagine it would be great for. I do have a problem with its use for transferring money. It just seems pointless. That's what cash is for, and paypal is most useful because I can use it where cash is not an option. I don't see any benefit to using this kind of interaction here. For it to be useful, we have to be in the same room, I'd have to not have any cash or cheques, or alternatively be required to use paypal. It also has to be something that has to happen soon, or else I could get cash later or use paypal regularly or something rather than going through the effort of us taking out our phones and looking like goofs. We also both have to already have the relevant app installed, with a compatible model of phone. I actually have to make sure of this, too-- I have to ask, "hey do you have that paypal app", etc., which takes more time. This is a situation I do not foresee happening very often at all. There are just so many limiting factors, and it's just so easy to have enough cash in my wallet.

ryanisinallofus 17y ago

At the risk of sounding flamebait - you don't have a phone? What made you even want to comment on a post like this?

devinj 17y ago
Sorry, I missed this reply. What made me want to comment? It seemed dumb. That was enough. Do I actually have the experience necessary to judge this? Well obviously I think so. I know what a phone is. I have used cell phones before. I have used cell phone apps before. I have developed cell phone apps before. I thought this was enough. I did, however, for my sake and the sake of the reader, point out my own status in case I'm being stupid (which is a strong possibility, particularly since I can't actually try the app out for myself, and the article may be (was?) misleading).