Jeff Stahler for October 21, 2014

Google wallet has been out for several years now and failed to excite excite consumers or retailers. I have little reason to expect Apple Pay to be any different.

“I was in back of someone who had trouble and she had to go outside the store to get her device (I won’t call it a phone) to load the information.”The only difference between a smart phone and a PDA/tablet is the ability to make phone calls. With the advent of internet based calls using Skype, Google Voice, et cetera, even that line is being blurred.

He must be using an iPhone 6; I would not be surprised if it download a bug to the cashier.

“…I was in back of someone who had trouble and she had to go outside the store to get her device…”.Maybe her plastic credit card too?

If you use a credit card you would be better off buying a pitcher than a cup; or a pound and brew it your self.

Technology is great when it works as advertised. It’s miserable, usually, when it does not.

And here’s a warning for you all: software vendors are pushing hard for us doctors to get away from an office-server based system. The new/better/exciting offering is “cloud computing”. All well and good, and saves a lot on hardware.

But when the internet goes down, your doctor will suddenly be out of business. Need to review medications? Need to refer to previous exams? Need to get background on today’s patient emergency?

Oops. You’re out of business. Vendors don’t see this. Doctors should, but I’m pretty sure they don’t, either, as a whole.

And as we spend more and more resources playing whack-a-mole in the Middle East, and building planes and tanks for no reason other than to create employment, if’s just a matter of time before the net crashes due to lack of maintenance, and/or due to an “evildoer” who we’re too busy seeing if your neighbor is cheating on his wife to monitor.

As I said, you’ve been warned.

Actually, the kids today use their debit card to pay cash.

yeah, it’s been all downhill since they rounded off the corners on wheels.

“You know that device that people willingly allow themselves to be duped into paying extra for when a far superior product is available for less.”I’m also generally anti-Apple, but a reasoned review shows that both major platforms (iOS and Android) have their strengths and weaknesses. The iPhones run about the same as other high end smart phones. My Galaxy S5 ran me $600 retail. It’s a matter of picking your poison.I did have a major laugh with my workplace network admin a few weeks ago when the news report came in about the exploit that affects nearly every OS out there except Windows. Haven’t laughed so hard in ages.

They would have, probably, if anyone had been willing to sacrifice a small bit of profit to protect consumers. Who didn’t see that coming?