Bitcoin Forum

http://blog.coinbase.com/post/107415025292/coinbase-launches-redesigned-ios-and-android-apps

I am a firm believer for Bitcoin to really catch on it needs simple to use and elegantly designed Bitcoin apps on mobile.  

From a user perspective, the new Coinbase app is there.  

I especially like unlocking the app with my fingerprint.  

In the future, I would really like to see more phone apps become this sweet.

oh wow this is awesome. App looks good - I will be grabbing this.

Wow, a nice UI app
But, i still prefer blockchain.info wallet ::)

Coinbase sucks.

Isn't true that you don't actually have full control of your coins there? You don't have the private keys to your addresses? If anyone is using Coinbase as a wallet, he doesn't own any bitcoins.

Having an excellent mobile app is no substitute for private keys.

The focus was more on a need for industry wide apps that are awesome, not the quality of Coinbase, but it is always appreciated to hear a well thought out and explained criticism.

 
Yes and no.  Coinbase has an option where a person can put their coins in a muliti-sig vault where the user has control of the keys and Coinbase doesn't.  It does use Coinbase software but that software has been open sourced on Github should Coinbase go out of business.  (I actually keep the bulk of my Bitcoins on this service as it is a super easy form of mulit-sig with numerous additional safety precautions above and beyond the multi-sig)

Now that said, there isn't much point in putting all your coins in a vault if you want to use them on a mobile app.  So for practical purposes the mobile app for everyday use is a hot wallet and the user doesn't control their keys.  (though technically it would be possible, just kind of pointless as their is a 48 hour waiting period on coins being moved out of the vault.  in an absolute emergency, a person could use the Github code and sweep it immediately, but that would be a difficult task for a non-techie like me.)   

I also use Blockchain.  It is nice.  Hopefully they will switch over to the finger print too.  It is a nice little trick when showing people Bitcoin.

I really can't understand why the hell people still seem to favor the blockchain.info wallet so often.

Their web wallet works quite OK, but the blockchain.info apps are a complete and utter disaster, both on iOS and Android.

Seriously, there is NO single reason why anyone would ever prefer the blockchain.info app over Bitcoin Wallet (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.schildbach.wallet) or Mycelium (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mycelium.wallet) on Android, or breadwallet (https://itunes.apple.com/app/breadwallet/id885251393) on iOS.

As for this new Coinbase app, I haven't tested it yet, I really didn't like the old one so much. Hopefully the new one is better, but still, it sucks that you need an account and be logged in and have a wallet depending on some external 3rd party service. The wallets I mentioned above work fully stand-alone, no account/login/registration/whatever required.

Don't do that. That is the worst password ever. Do you have any idea, how easy it is to fake fingerprints? The faked fingerprints in Germany using photos of politicians they found on the internet not even being near them.

They don't let you place a ask offer on coin price (or sell order), it is there inflated price or none.
They charge you up the ass.
They took away my instant buy because they added some new credit card verification bullshit (imagine my surprise when one day I go to buy my coins and sorry fuck you, we want your credit cards on top of your bank accounts???????)  Considering a bank account is 90 times more dangerous to give out, why do they need my credit cards??????
I use them because it is easy and I feel secure there and they didn't ask me for a drivers license picture like other places (I will only do so much before it is inconvenient for me), but they do suck, and I will never use them again once I see an option in the US that is better. 

The point, is I agree and coinbase needs to change there procedures, because people can either  use there credit card for a much higher limit to purchase something, or they can pay coinbase instantly, wait a fucking week for there bitcoins, and finally be able to buy what they want.  Who cares about an app when as stated, they suck. 

A friend of mine I showed bitcoin went to get money from his bitcoins at coinbase, sorry fuck you wait a week bye.....not very good for adoption.

I use blockchain.info too, but what does this new one have that bc.info doesnt? Is there any unique features as I'm happy with bc but would change if this offered a superior service.

Is there an android app as well for the other users? What do you think about Coinbase services?

Yes there is a android app.

Nice app it will definitely help them extend their services.

I disagree.  They are great for purchasing bitcoin; just don't keep your bitcoin with them.  I always transfer it to my Mycelium wallet immediately after purchase from Coinbase.

The Android app has also been upgraded and has a newly designed interface that is more user friendly than before.

all things being considered, I think it is far more likely to get your password stolen then your fingerprint stolen.  if somebody has good enough surveillance to capture your finger print, they most likely have good enough surveillance to capture your password too.

the thing is I am not a politician.  my more plausible threat is somebody looking over my shoulder at a coffee shop or a bar when I enter my password.  such a thief is not likely to be able to photograph my thumb and then have the skills to make a fake fingerprint. 

 

Wow i didn't know that about the fingerprints, guess someone could chop off your finger too if they really wanted your coins, lol

Although you don't have access to the private keys when storing BTC on Coinbase unless in the vault i do think this type of company is needed to help bring bitcoin to the masses.
Some advice if you are using Coinbase, treat it as any online wallet and never keep anymore than say $50 in there or never more than you could afford to lose just in case worst case scenario happens.
A company like Coinbase take the hassle of security out of the uses hands, you may think this sounds crazy not to have the security of your own money in your hands but that is a major factor with credit cards being so popular, if your card info gets stolen and you can prove this then in most cases you will get your $ back.
As far as i know Coinbase will reimburse customers as long as the hack hasn't been due to negligence on the uses behalf, correct me if I'm wrong.

You don't need "good surveillance" to capture a fingerprint, when a photo is enough. Just someone who has a camera.
Another problem with a fingerprint is: Once compromised you can't change it. Imagine a service, where you can't change your password.

And it doesn't matter if you are a politician or not. You have money people want to steal. They don't care about you, they care about the money. If you are an easy target, people will steal from you.

they do have a password function for people that want it too.  

I guess my point is that for me personally, it is much more likely for somebody to steal my pin number than it is for them to chop off my finger, or take a picture of my finger and then make a fake print.  

For a major politician, or for somebody with lots and lots of coins (not me), then I think you make some very good points.  

Coinbase will reimburse people if the hack is on Coinbase's end.  They also claim to have insured all their coins.

There was a case of fishing a while back where people used a Coinbase API to fish clients.  It wasn't exactly Coinbase's fault as the victims got fished, but still Coinbase could have made their API stronger.  Coinbase was really quick to refund the coins though, so the victims weren't upset for too long. 

So on their end I have insurance, and on my end I have my fingerprint.  For a person that doesn't want to be bothered with a lot of things and doesn't have a lot of Bitcoin, it is a good solution for me.