New Apple Patent Promises Wireless Restaurant Orders
Those with Wi-Fi-equipped iPhones and iPods have been able to order songs at Starbucks for months now, part of a deal that saw the coffee mega-franchise giving away millions and millions of free iTunes tracks. Now, it seems, that was just the beginning of a partnership between the alternative computer manufacturer and the decidedly mainstream java house, with the unveiling of a new patent that will have you ordering that venti caramel macchiato right from your iPhone.This is something you can already do in some Starbucks stores from a laptop, but by the sounds of this patent, Apple has bigger plans than just a cup of joe. The patent discusses a technique for allowing customers to wirelessly order products from their Apple gadgets. You could simply walk into any participating establishment, have a seat, and pull up the menu from the company's wireless network. A few taps later and your product would be ordered for you, without you having to spend a moment in line, and your iPhone (or other to-be-named device) would chime or vibrate when it was ready to pick up.
Sound like heaven? Yes -- assuming of course you aren't the one stuck waiting in line while some jerk with an iPhone virtually cuts ahead of you by placing his drink order from the parking lot. That, we think, could get somewhat irritating. But perhaps that's exactly what Apple is hoping for. After all, it's just more incentive to buy that iPhone or iPod Touch you've been drooling over, right?
From Forbes.com
Related Links:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
REB @ Dec 27th 2007 1:34PM
Opening the iPhone and iPod Touch to 3rd party software will have the potential of opening commercial use markets to Apple's expanding handheld line. Restaurant waiters could use such devices for table orders, transmitting date to the kitchen and cash register locations. The present retail software is still living in the age of DOS. Should Apple approach this market through 3rd parties they could support more portable devices.
Tom Benson @ Dec 27th 2007 3:47PM
Wow.. there are so many directions to go in with this patent.
I'm seeing the ability to browse bus/train timetables from each stop, ordering a taxi from taxi stands, audio/visual guides broadcast inside museums and galleries, store catalogues broadcast from individual stores.. the list is endless....
This could be the next big thing...
Katy @ Dec 28th 2007 2:37PM
That could be a cool feature if there were other ways to do it - like maybe having a console in the store where you could order - or making the technology accesible from PDAs and Blackberries. But Apple just keeps getting worse, they are really trying to get the same kind of a grip on the phone market that they have enjoyed on the mainstream mp3 market. And that is creepy.
There's a good article about Apple that you might like, it talks about some of their operating procedures, etc. http://www.gizmorepublic.com/Apple_iPhone_Dark_Side
DR. NO @ Jan 1st 2008 4:29AM
Too labor intensive for both the cell phone user and the poor order preparer...then they have to match up order to you when you finally show up...and a payment will have to be made AND verified or you ain't leaving the premises, bub!...there is so much more to say...but this is a huge flop. JUST CALL THE COFFEE SHOP, GIVE THEM YOUR ORDER AND PUT IT ON YOUR TAB (OR HAVE YOUR CREDIT/DEBIT CARD ON FILE WITH THEM) FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!