Apple using Windows based Gear

[technic]

Hi everyone, I thought I would introduce myself before I get flamed horrendously. I wrote an article recently about a recent visit to the Apple store and how I found out that they use Windows Mobile powered devices to complete transactions. I thought it was really ironic. What do you think?

The article can be found here: Link to the Article

Nice to meet everyone and I hope I get involved in more lively discussions.

 

[robbieduncan]

There are rumours that once the 3.0 firmware is available they'll be switching to iPod touches with external barcode scanners attached to the dock port and some sort of custom Apple application thus removing these nasty Windows Mobile based devices.

 

[Hmac]

Makes sense to me. They need to use the tools that get the job done.

 

[zap2]

Yup, and MS used PowerMac to showcase early Xbox 360 games.

When Apple, MS, etc had a need they find a product that fills that need....even if they don't make it themselves.

 

[AdeFowler]

There are rumours that once the 3.0 firmware is available they'll be switching to iPod touches with external barcode scanners attached to the dock port and some sort of custom Apple application thus removing these nasty Windows Mobile based devices.

Bound to happen eventually.

http://www.macdailynews.com/index.p...y_dump_windows_mobile_based_checkout_devices/

 

[RedTomato]

Makes sense to me. They need to use the tools that get the job done.

Exactly. I work in IT support in two companies. One is apple-only, the other is Windows only. Both are open to using the tools they need to get the job done. It's not a religious issue.

 

[Fizzoid]

Hi everyone, I thought I would introduce myself before I get flamed horrendously. I wrote an article recently about a recent visit to the Apple store and how I found out that they use Windows Mobile powered devices to complete transactions. I thought it was really ironic. What do you think?

The article can be found here: Link to the Article

Nice to meet everyone and I hope I get involved in more lively discussions.

It's because the mobile devices they use\need have an integrated chip & pin reader and obviously Apple don't produce anything like that and no one makes a retrofit one for the Touch\iPhone. I did joke to the guy in the Apple store in MK that "I see there isn't an iPhone app for that then!" on the back of their current iPhone advertising campaign

 

[neiltc13]

If you buy a new iPhone at the Apple Store they will launch VMWare Fusion in order to activate your carrier contract.

 

[britboyj]

If you buy a new iPhone at the Apple Store they will launch VMWare Fusion in order to activate your carrier contract.

WTF are you talking about?

 

[sushi]

There are rumours that once the 3.0 firmware is available they'll be switching to iPod touches with external barcode scanners attached to the dock port and some sort of custom Apple application thus removing these nasty Windows Mobile based devices.

Now that would be nice.

Granted Apple needs to use what works reliably with available resources. It would sure be nice to see an Apple product only solution.

 

[Willis]

If you buy a new iPhone at the Apple Store they will launch VMWare Fusion in order to activate your carrier contract.

WTF are you talking about?

In the UK, to activate the iPhone in the Apple Store, they need to use 02's Gateway service, but it only works on IE... so at the launch of the iPhone 3G in the UK, there were about 5 macs set up with IE7 running. Didn't work though, 02's servers crashed

 

[nick9191]

Microsoft used Macs to design early Xbox 360 games, all the ads (including the I'm a PC ads and the laptop hunters ads) are all made on Macs.

Sometimes the product you sell is not always the best tool to get the job done.

 

[Sky Blue]

Hi everyone, I thought I would introduce myself before I get flamed horrendously. I wrote an article recently about a recent visit to the Apple store and how I found out that they use Windows Mobile powered devices to complete transactions. I thought it was really ironic. What do you think?

How is it ironic? There's no Symbol PDAs or the like that run OS X or iPhone OS that have credit card swipes. As people have mentioned, iPhone OS 3 should allow them to use Apple hardware.

 

[Tilpots]

Similar thread from awhile back. Good technical info discussed.

 

[Consultant]

MS CEO using a Mac.
See the extra big MS sign to cover up the laptop.

 

[Mattaut]

^haha nice find, would think they would put a little more effort into hiding their competitors product, even though they prefer it over their own lol.

 

[robbieduncan]

Most likely it's running Windows. At that stage it's just another piece of OEM hardware. It's not like MS make laptops...

 

[Willis]

MS CEO using a Mac.
See the extra big MS sign to cover up the laptop.

Probably not his, it seems he's a guest?

Also, do you think that it should say 'Future Graduates instead of 'Graduated'

 

[technic]

How is it ironic? There's no Symbol PDAs or the like that run OS X or iPhone OS that have credit card swipes. As people have mentioned, iPhone OS 3 should allow them to use Apple hardware.

It's ironic because Apple spends quite a bit of time advertising the strength and utility of their products. Given that, the fact that they use a Windows mobile based device is the ironic part.

I'm glad that they will be able to transition to their own modified iPhone setup for the POS system. If I were Apple, I would have held off on using portable devices until I could deploy my own technology. A standard POS system run on MacOS would have been just fine with most Apple Store patrons.

MS CEO using a Mac.
See the extra big MS sign to cover up the laptop.

Very nice find. I do agree that it is possible that the Macbook Pro belongs to the venue or some other future speaker. Sometimes it's just easier to setup things in advance. Even if it does make the Microsoft CEO look funny.

However, I won't rule out that it is his or his staff's. That does seem like a pretty gross oversight though.

 

[bartelby]

It's hardly a big deal though, is it?

It's not really irony either, unless Apple market themselves at leaders of retail technology...

 

[technic]

As an aside, I appreciate the positive conversation started by this community. I joined a few communities to feel out which ones would be a better place for discussion and this has been the best by far.

It's hardly a big deal though, is it?

It's not really irony either, unless Apple market themselves at leaders of retail technology...

The small business commercial showing how a you could process a transaction, ship, and track it, leave them open for the irony badge. That commercial should have probably stayed in the archive until the new iPhone devices rolled out.

 

[bartelby]

Ah, I've never seen that ad.

 

[aristobrat]

It's ironic because Apple spends quite a bit of time advertising the strength and utility of their products. Given that, the fact that they use a Windows mobile based device is the ironic part.

The part of the device that the employees interact with is 100% Apple.

Other than seeing the Windows Mobile logo flash up for a few seconds when the EasyPay reboots, there's pretty much zero interaction with Windows.

A standard POS system run on MacOS would have been just fine with most Apple Store patrons.

You can't fit 15 standard POS systems into most Apple stores, whereas 15 Specialists on the floor with EasyPays fit quite nicely.

 

[rdowns]

As an aside, I appreciate the positive conversation started by this community. I joined a few communities to feel out which ones would be a better place for discussion and this has been the best by far.



The small business commercial showing how a you could process a transaction, ship, and track it, leave them open for the irony badge. That commercial should have probably stayed in the archive until the new iPhone devices rolled out.

Allow me to go negative.

Your page says that EXAMINERS ARE CREDIBLE, PASSIONATE, KNOWLEDGEABLE WRITERS.


Seems to me you should have researched and known about the rumors of switching to their own devices NOW THAT THE TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE.

A simple Google search would have sufficed.

 

[Tilpots]

Ah, I've never seen that ad.

It's this one.

If Apple made a CC swipe add-on, then I could see them using iPhones for the tasks...