This new and unexpected war began last Friday, when CVC Pharmacy discovered that their point-of-sale systems accepts Apple Pay, a new digital wallet service that allows users to pay for goods using certain Apple devices that communicate with point of sale systems using near field communication (NFC) antennas.
CVC and Rite Aid began disconnecting Apple Pay from their terminals. Why? The most likely explanation is because they and several other giant retailers have formed a consortium called the Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX), which is building a rival system called CurrentC. It won’t be in operation until next year and their contracts call for exclusivity by retailers.
The purpose of MCX is to avoid paying transaction fees to Visa and MasterCard. Their app, when it is up and running next year, will only connect to your debit account. Those retailers behind CurrentC include Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Best Buy, Gap, Sam’s Club, Lowe’s, Bed Bath & Beyond and Sears. CurrentC will be accepted at 110,000 merchant locations in the U.S. But, will people use it?
If you read the articles below, you will discover why CurrentC is a terrible, clunky, insecure system designed to help retailers save bank fees and track your purchases. Apple Pay is a safe and secure system that does not allow retailers to see your credit card or track your purchases.
But here is the joker in the deck…by next October, retailers will be required to have point-of-sale terminals that work with the new EMV chip-and-pin security standard for credit cards. Those terminals usually also have NFC built in so they can work with Apple Pay and Google Wallet. However, they aren't automatically enabled to work with NFC. Is it really in retailers' interest to block customers from using mobile wallet services other than their own clunky system?
This new war will only be decided by us consumers. If we use Apple Pay or Google Wallet to pay for our purchases where accepted…and only use our bank cards and credit cards at MCX retailers, they will eventually have to back down. While Apple Pay is only available at the moment on iPhone 6 models, it will grow. Apple reports that over 1 million users activated Apple Pay on their new iPhones in the first week. And most current Android phones have the Google Wallet app.
Story #4 below is actually a short video that explains the differences in the three main NFC apps. Our first three stories give you an in-depth look at CurrentC so you can better understand it.
While is a special edition on smart phone payment systems, there is still plenty of interesting tech news along with our usual good tips for using your computers and mobile devices. I hope all this is useful for you. -JRC
Special Reports: Paying With Your Smart Phone
How Corporate Greed Is Trying to Kill Apple Pay
When Apple Pay launched last week, it was a huge step towards the pay-with-your-phone future that's been in the works for years. But a few big retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and CVS want to blow the whole thing up and replace it with something much worse, because they don't care about you at all.
CVS begins disabling NFC terminals in stores to cut off Apple Pay support in favor of ‘CurrentC’
CurrentC, is, quite frankly, a horrible attempt at creating a mobile payment system that doesn’t rely on technology like NFC (which Apple doesn’t allow third-parties to access at this time), and instead uses a complex system of—I kid you not—QR codes.
CurrentC Is The Big Retailers’ Clunky Attempt To Kill Apple Pay And Credit Card Fees
Thanks to research shared with TechCrunch by Stanford student and developer sleuth Andrew Aude, we have more details on MCX’s plan and a closer look at the CurrentC app.
Apple Pay vs. Google Wallet vs. PayPal
A short, concise video that explains the difference between the 3 mobile NFC payment services. Very informative.
Why Apple Pay Is the Most Secure Payment Platform on the Planet
But before we herald it as the future of mobile payments — requiring just a tap of your thumb at checkout to pay for items — is it secure to use?
Tech News and Opinions
Feds: AT&T misled millions on 'unlimited' data plans
The FTC claims AT&T began throttling unlimited customers in 2011, lowering data speeds by as much as 90%. The regulator believes at least 3.5 million customers have been throttled. It also noted that AT&T had received thousands of complaints over its data speed.
Fire TV Stick vs. Chromecast vs. Roku Streaming Stick: Battle of the sticks
Ready for more comparisons than you can shake a stick at? Ranging in price from $35 to $50, these three HDMI streaming sticks all offer Netflix...and diverge from there. Stick with this roundup for all the details.
Google goes beyond two-step verification with new USB Security Key
Can you be sure that some sophisticated phisher hasn't spoofed a site to trick you into handing over your one-off code? No, you can't, and that's why Google's decided to ratchet up the security of two-step verification (2SV) even tighter.
From Clutter to Paperless in 5 Steps
The key to going paperless is in thinking of it as a full-scale change, rather than a one-time project. These steps will help steer you toward a paper-free existence.
Watch out, HBO: CBS launches standalone Web TV service
CBS fires up its own digital subscription service called All Access for $5.99 a month, offering the ability to stream local CBS stations live in 14 big US markets plus a library of its shows.
Computer Tips and Tricks
This Free File Converter Even Handles Multiple Zip Formats
If you're a regular and frequent computer user, you'll need to use a file conversion utility. However, most of us don't need to convert files very often, so such a feature is generally best done online instead of via an installable program. Unless the data you're converting is particularly sensitive, of course.
Back up your PC's files for free with these 3 tools
Regular backups are often the only thing that can save your bacon when a hard drive failure or otherwise catastrophic PC meltdown occurs. If your files go poof, they're gone forever unless you've safely stashed copies elsewhere.
How to See a List of Your Recently Opened Files in Windows
Whether you need to check what files were recently opened on your computer for backup reasons or if you want to see what someone else was opening on your computer, the OSFV tool comes in handy.
How to fill out a PDF form without software
Need to add text to a PDF that doesn't support editing? No problem -- and no extra software required.
Tools to Help You Write a Novel in 30 Days
November is National Novel Writing Month; here's the best software to help you write 50,000 words in 30 days.
Mobile Computing
What Is iCloud Drive & How Does It Work?
"iCloud Drive is one of several ways to store, sync, and update data between your Apple (and even Windows) devices. Apple has now updated its cloud storage system to make it more visible and accessible to users and third-party developers. It’s time to see how iCloud Drive works.
How to use Apple’s Continuity, iCloud Drive and AirDrop to share files with yourself
It’s like sharing for one; Apple refers to it as continuity. With the latest OS X Yosemite and iOS 8.1 updates, Apple has greatly improved how you can save and share your files across multiple devices.
The 15 Best Productivity Apps for Getting Things Done
Whatever your day consists of, these apps will help you get more done, faster.
Google on Android Lollipop security: Set it and forget it
Google's lead security engineer on Android thinks you shouldn't have to be a tech whiz to keep your phone secure.
Use Google Maps and GPS offline on your Android device
The Android version of Google Maps offers a way to download maps for later use, but it’s limited. In case it meets your needs, I’ll tell you about it. Then I’ll recommend a much more powerful app.
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