5 Best Mobile Payment Options

Not very long ago, you could walk into a store and expect to pay at the cash counter. But now, at most stores, you only need to find a salesperson nearby with a Smartphone and a card reader — or simply pay through your Smartphone app.

Technology has made it easier than ever to integrate mobile payments into a business. From standalone card-readers to application programming interfaces (APIs), mobile payments have come a long way.
In this article, we look at 5 most prominent mobile payment modules available in the market today.

PayPal

This legacy payment-processing company has been revamping its APIs and software-development kits (SDKs). Last year, it announced it had incorporated the technology to scan credit card information with a phone camera. PayPal has got its payment system integrated with Uber, so Uber customers can now pay through their PayPal accounts.

Braintree

If that’s not good enough, companies can try Braintree, which targets the developer market. It uses a simple API that is accessible through Python, PHP, and Node.js. Hip services such as Airbnb depend on Braintree to accept payments within their own apps. With one-touch payment option available for consumers thanks to the Venmo acquisition, Braintree could be a good choice.

Stripe

Stripe is one to watch out for in the near future. Stripe claims thousands of mobile apps use Stripe’s native 
mobile libraries to add payment components. Stripe works with 130 currencies and raised $80 million in January last year.

PaySimple

This is one for small or medium-sized business. PaySimple supports credit card processing with a free card reader that plugs into iOS devices. Credit card transactions come at a charge of 29 cents and a 2.39 percent fee (slightly lower than PayPal).

Forte Payment Systems


Companies needn’t pay anything to use Forte’s developer program. The company’s future prospects look exciting with new APIs on the anvil. The company charges $99 for its card-reading device iDynamo into which you can slide your iPhone. And the fact that the company has never sought venture capital means it should stay true to its vision, without going back on investors’ demands. 

Top 6 Mobile Learning Trends!

From hand- written papers to printed books to e-learning, we’ve come a long way. If the age of mobile has done something great for this world, foremost among them would be the disappearance of paper. Mobile has taken paperless-learning a step further, with children and aged alike taking to their Smartphone’s to enhance their repertoire of books. Schools around the world are using mobile devices to come up with new methods of imparting education and we look at some of the learning trends in vogue at the moment.

1. Bring your own device (BYOD)

BYOD is a mobile learning trend that allows employees to use their own personal devices such as Smartphone’s, tablets and laptops in the workplace instead of devices issued by the company. BYOD is ideal for organizations which can’t afford to provide mobile devices to their learners.

2. Gamification

Gamification is an interesting learning strategy, which combines game-based mechanics and techniques to develop learning content that brings out fun-filled, engaging experiences. Game-based learning tends to draw learners into virtual environments thereby improving knowledge retention.

3. Tin Can API

Tin Can API is the latest standard for mobile learning technology. Tin Can API effectively captures activities of mobile learning, like simulations, experiential learning, social learning, serious games and offline learning.

4. Snack Learning

Snack learning is otherwise known as bite-sized learning since it takes place in learners’ spare time such as tea-breaks or lunch breaks. The goal of this learning methodology is to go through the quick tutorials or learn the fundamentals of a new subject in spare time.

5. Location-Based Learning

Location-based learning further enhances mobile learning by allowing learners to access learning material anywhere. Here, the learners are highly engaged with course content that is relevant to their location. This kind of learning is supported by mobile sensors like GPS and WLAN.

6. Videos


Videos are great tools to facilitate learning. Videos help in retaining the learners’ attention throughout the course. Learners here are motivated by watching videos through their Smartphone’s.

Mobile Payment Trends 2015!

People today and longer want to walk with their cheques all the way to the bank to make payments or encash them. Mobile technology has enabled even countries in sub-Saharan Africa to be able to receive subsidies and other social security benefits through their mobiles. Today, people pay monthly bills and insurance premiums through their mobiles. In this article, we look at some of the mobile trends that are expected to lead the pack in 2015.

The Numbers

According to the Vision gain payments in mobile 2010-2015 report, there will be 1050 million mobile users by the end of 2015. Also, Smartphone’s in use will surpass 1 billion and double in 2015. This is expected to further grow since consumers prefer to purchase directly from the manufacturer (which is what happens in ecommerce). A statistic:  41% of iPhone owners have made a purchase on their mobile phone.

Newspapers and Quick Service Cafes

Mobile payments in Newspaper publishing (closed-loop mobile payment) have become very popular in the last few years with a large number of users preferring to subscribe magazines and fortnightlies online. Almost all newspaper publishers have Android and iPad apps. With kindle readers increasing, this trend can only be expected to grow further up in 2015.
As for restaurants and cafes, a simple statistic would suffice: $3 billion has been loaded on to Starbucks cards in 2012 and 2 million mobile payment transactions occur every week in restaurants in America alone.

Transportation and Parking

Parking woes have long remained the grouse of urban workers. With the advent of pay-by-text parking, it’s farewell to coins. SMS remains the dominant technology in developing m-payment markets due to the constraints of mobile payment devices and the ubiquity of SMS.
Transport ticketing, needless to say was one of the first to go mobile as customers took to it like a fish to water what with 480 million mobile bar coding passes being issued by the global airline industry. Even in taxis, the dominant mode has been to pay by Smartphone, scanning a QR code.

Vending Machines and M-Donations

Coca-cola, Pepsi and a host of other FMCG giants have already launched vending machines which accept contactless payments made with Smartphone’s. As for m-donations, a precedent has already been set with the U.S presidential election of 2012 enabling people to donate to candidates via text message or a Smartphone app.

Small Business Solutions


Eyeing the growing number of customers who rely on their “Digital wallets”- Credit card numbers stored in a phone app, small business owners are scrambling to find efficient means of accommodating these early adopters without too much cost to their operations or the need to overhaul existing payment systems. This would be one of the major drivers of growth in 2015.

9 Things You Need To Know About Mobile Payments

Technology is evolving at such a rapid speed that businesses need to keep pace or fall back. Mobile phones have contributed greatly towards enhancing the quality of our lives and mobile payments is an essential part of this. In this article, we look at how exactly they help securing our financial dimension. 

1. Mobile Payments Are More Secure
Safety and security are global concerns and mobile payments ensure precisely that. Mobile payments do away with the need of you having to take your wallet wherever you go.

2. They Provide Flexibility
Carrying cash has become not only an inconvenience but also a danger. Instead users now have the privilege of just tapping your mobile phones to complete transactions.

3. Mobile Payments Are Growing Globally
Many parts of the globe have little access to financial services, but 85% of the global population has mobiles. So payments through these phones are definitely on the path towards high growth

4. They help Economies Flourish
From transferring money to pay your utility bills to sending money home, mobile payments make transactions so much more smooth and streamlined. They also help rural economies by making micropayments possible.

5. NFC is The Way of the Future
A simple and secure technology solution, near field communications (NFC) helps businesses and consumers alike make faster, safer transactions. They’re called contactless payments because all you need to do is keep your NFC enabled phone near a suitable reader to make payments.

6. It’s Already Built into Many Phones
Many of the latest smart phones already have built in NFC chips, so adopting this technology is even more hassle-free. Just upgrade your phone or maybe get an NFC sticker for your present phone and you’re ready to make mobile payments.

7. NFC Saves Time and Trouble
Whether you pay for your bus fare or for a movie show, NFC payments make the process so much faster that it’s already a trend that’s catching on everywhere.

8. They are easy to Top-Up
Whether you are online or at a mall, your mobile wallet can be topped up anywhere. Life’s so much easier, isn’t it?

9. Mobile Wallets Make Money Transfers Easier
Mobile wallets also allow you to send funds to your family and friends who may need money fast. In addition everything from electricity bills to parking fees can be paid by you, even if you are far from home.

How to Ensure Mobile Security?

A majority (95%) of IT firms today allow bring your own device (BYOD) due to the consumerization of IT in the modern workplace. That the mobile phone has become a can’t-do-without in today’s life is a reality that cannot be ignored. When employees are given the choice of using their own consumer-based devices in the workplace, it is imperative to counter theft and move towards ensuring security and control. Recent surveys underscore the seriousness of the problem data pointing out that four out of 10 businesses being affected by a security breach.

Well, Mobile security actually begins with protecting the actual mobile device. Today, a plethora of apps exist to prevent data theft on case a mobile has been stolen. It is also possible to track down the device with iPhone’s having special apps to track them.  But what do businesses actually do when faced with security issues?


1. Maintain and control security settings in one central location. It is important to never rely on devices that allow the user to make security decisions. It would also help if organizations require enforceable access control on all mobile devices i.e. users should not be able to disable the access control that IT has put in place.

 2. Have regular Consultations with various departments such as finance, HR and legal departments about their needs. This is because your mobile device policy doesn’t affect just the IT department.

3. Always use two-step authentication for devices and apps where possible. This makes it necessary to provide both a password and additional information such as a code sent to an email address in case the device is lost or stolen.

4. Establishing cloud-based servers or URL filters for websites that are either blocked by the company or known to be malicious. This precaution will help to protect the endpoint by not allowing an employee to visit websites that could compromise security.

5. Frame a policy for mobile devices depending on your requirements and the company’s exposure to risk. Although BYOD has now more or less become the norm, it does pose a higher risk than policies such as choose your own device (CYOD) and corporate-owned, personally enabled (COPE) which may be more appropriate.

7 Features That You Should Have On Your Mobile Website

Designing a mobile website has been a challenge for many, not in small measure due to changing consumer preferences, who now want more and more. In this article, we take a look at what consumers want in a mobile website and exactly how you should go about it.

Click-to-Call and Click-to-SMS buttons

When people are searching for products or services on their Smartphone’s, they often prefer to call a business rather than visit its physical location. Make sure your potential customers will be able to contact you with a single finger tap by adding a Click-to-Call or Click-to-SMS button on your mobile website.

Mobile Maps with Directions

Let your customers know where your business is located and how to get to it. Add Google map widget within ActiveMobi mobile builder and setup your map with step-by-step driving directions helping your customers locate your place in seconds.

Contact Forms

Thanks to this feature, the prospects are able to ask questions concerning a particular product or service. This is a perfect source of gaining leads. Make sure to ask for minimum information to keep the form short. Focus on the most important information you require.

Easy Navigation

Navigation is as important as the loading speed of the mobile website. Mobile users should be able to perform the most important actions from the level of the homepage and reach essential content from every single page. Placing the back button at both the bottom and the upper part of the page is also a good solution.

Big Buttons

Mobile users tap the screen with their fingers, so a larger button would be a nice solution. It is recommended to design button with the size of 45-57 pixels.

Video Content

Users don’t like to read large chunks of text on their Smartphone’s. Studies show that about 41% of users would prefer watching a video instead. Placing a short video about your company or a particular product in use may convince your prospects to take action just after watching it.

External Links

Add links to your social profiles and social buttons promoting your mobile site – it is a nice extension for presenting the information about your company and a free option for advertising. So, why should you not be using it?