Tag: Retail »

Announced at the company's special media event held last month, the iPad Air will go on-sale today at Apple retail stores, the Apple Online Store, and select wireless carriers in the U.S, Canada, Europe, and select parts of mainland China. Apple began taking orders for the redesigned tablet device - which arrives at a thickness of just 7.5 millimeters, and weighs in at a super-light one pound - around Midnight (Pacific Time); with the company focusing heavily on conveying the added convenience that the tablet's new weightlessness will bring to customers looking to carry the device on them or simply hold the device for long periods of time in one hand.

However, weight isn't the only factor new with the iPad Air. Still boasting Apple's 'Retina' display, the Air also features the A7 system-on-a-chip processor. Built for both speed and performance, the new chip offers 64-bit architecture; making the iPad Air the first tablet of its kind to do so. This, Apple says, will ensure the new tablet is able to deliver “killer performance,” whilst at the same time retaining that all-important battery life.

The iPad Air going on-sale in Australia has already sent the internet abuzz with photos and unboxing videos detailing what's new, as Apple has once again seemingly managed to convince people to line up at its many retail stores to grab a taste of the action.

Available in both Space Gray + Black and Silver + White, the iPad Air will run anyone looking to take advantage of its new features the same $499, $599, $699, and $799 for the Wi-Fi Only models (16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB respectively), then jumping to the more premium entry price of $629 if you wish to add cellular connectivity. The line maxes out at $929 for the 128GB cellular version.

RetailMeNot is an app that's great for helping you save a few bucks this holiday season. It catalogs and keeps track of loads of coupons for major chains and small stores. It then gives you mobile access to those coupons (just have the cashier scan the barcode on your phone screen) and you are good to go.

Pando Daily is reporting on a Venture Beat story that a significant number of retail locations did not sell a single Blackberry device in the whole month of August. An extreme case, but shows that when you fail to innovate quickly what can happen to a market leader.

While credit card readers like Square are targeted toward end users who may want to collect occasional credit card payments, for those who are looking to make the iPhone a major part of their retail business, Cashier Live is hoping to fill that void.

The app can transform the iPhone into a full point-of-sale device. Barcodes can be scanned with the camera to be added to an order. Receipts can be emailed to customers. Inventory can be managed with the app, and the app can be integrated with Milo to help keep track of inventory. Reports can be tracked with the Cashier Live website from any computer’s web browser. While cash and check payments can be handled through the app, adding a Linea Pro scanner can add credit card payments along with a traditional barcode scanner to the iPhone. This all works with the iPod touch as well. Cashier Live is free to download, and new users can sign up for a free 30-day trial to use the service.

Buying online has always been something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's convenient. On the other, there's lots of potential for thievery. Of course, nowadays there are all manner of anti-theft measures in place and purchases have been made even simpler with payment info storage and the like. But what about those spontaneous instances of shopping need where there's no computer present? Well that's what TapBuy Deals is for of course.

TapBuy Deals is something of a dream come true for super-saving shopaholics. The app stores billing and shipping information using "bank-grade encryption," so once the desired item is found it only takes a tap or two and the order is completed within seconds. For added security, it requires a PIN for each purchase so if the iPhone is lost or stolen no one else will be able to run up unwanted charges. But this ease of use coupled with security is only a part of the draw.

In addition to all that, TapBuy Deals will group purchases (from the same vendor, of course) together to reduce shipping costs. Sometimes this even leads to zero cost. On top of all that it also automatically finds coupons and applies them as needed, saving users the most money it can. Of course, they can also add their own if they'd like.

TapBuy Deals is sitting in the App Store right now for free. And my apologies for the phrase "lickety-split." It's just that the opportunity to use it comes along so infrequently I couldn't resist.

Apple has launched its new Apple Store app for iPhone and iPod touch that allows users to browse Apple’s online store via their portable devices. Aimed to launch at the same time as iPhone 4 pre-orders, most users have had to put up with the Apple’s customary “We’ll be back soon” sticky note for much of the day with high demand for the next generation of iPhone bringing servers to a standstill.

The free app offers customers (in the US only for the time being) a convenient way to browse the Apple Store and even access Genius Bar support from within the app. Apple Store is sure to benefit those who take advantage of Apple’s in-store training and Personal Shopping services and, as you would expect, looks the part too. Oddly enough Apple hasn’t seen fit to provide an iPad version of the app presumably assuming that users would rather use the large screen to visit the Apple Store via Safari than through a dedicated application. For all you developers stung by the iPad's dimensions, take heart from the fact that Apple's own apps look awful at 2x zoom too.