2013-04-29 Techcrunch - Paywithbits wants to be the square for Bitcoin

[lebing]

http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/28/pay-with-bits-wants-to-be-the-square-for-bitcoin/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Just saying they want to be square is massively downplaying the significance of this announcement. They just enabled anyone with any kind of phone to be able to send payments between themselves. All of a sudden, it's entirely possible for Africa & other developing nations to start using the technology. This is fantastic news.

[hathmill]

Wow, thats huge.

EDIT: I saw this documentary about this guys traveling the tea road inn tibet. No people, noo cars for miles n miles. But... The guy had an ooold phone that could send sms. And now he can transact with bitcoins?! That is crazy.

[lebing]

Wow, thats huge.

EDIT: I saw this documentary about this guys traveling the tea road inn tibet. No people, noo cars for miles n miles. But... The guy had an ooold phone that could send sms. And now he can transact with bitcoins?! That is crazy.

Yeah exactly. The single largest hurdle between bitcoin and the developing world is now gone. I'm so psyched.

[caveden]

Isn't that what Coinapult SMS wallet does?

Perhaps the greatest advantage is that they already have it working outside of USA and Canada? (Because, let's be honest, how many people need a SMS wallet in USA and Canada?)

[lebing]

Isn't that what Coinapult SMS wallet does?

Perhaps the greatest advantage is that they already have it working outside of USA and Canada? (Because, let's be honest, how many people need a SMS wallet in USA and Canada?)

It seems the functionality might be there, yeah. But as you say, there is no reason to send it this way in CA or the US. Where this matters is internationally.

[n8rwJeTt8TrrLKPa55eU]

I had friends just try this from phones in USA and in South America.  The USA one got a signup confirmation, but in South America the signup text gets no acknowledgement.

Also seemingly unspecified is a fairly key feature, i.e. how one adds or withdraws BTC from/to outside wallets.  No instructions for that on website or in signup confirmation.

So right now the whole thing seems like an SMS autoresponder and not much else.  

Nevertheless would be an important service if they can get it working.

Anyone else actually trying it?  Please comment...

[DataPlumber]

I had friends just try this from phones in USA and in South America.  The USA one got a signup confirmation, but in South America the signup text gets no acknowledgement.

Also seemingly unspecified is a fairly key feature, i.e. how one adds or withdraws BTC from/to outside wallets.  No instructions for that on website or in signup confirmation.

So right now the whole thing seems like an SMS autoresponder and not much else.  

Nevertheless would be an important service if they can get it working.

Anyone else actually trying it?  Please comment...

I created something similar: https://phoneacoin.com/

But clearly, these people have got better press contacts.

[lebing]

I had friends just try this from phones in USA and in South America.  The USA one got a signup confirmation, but in South America the signup text gets no acknowledgement.

Also seemingly unspecified is a fairly key feature, i.e. how one adds or withdraws BTC from/to outside wallets.  No instructions for that on website or in signup confirmation.

So right now the whole thing seems like an SMS autoresponder and not much else.  

Nevertheless would be an important service if they can get it working.

Anyone else actually trying it?  Please comment...

I created something similar: https://phoneacoin.com/

But clearly, these people have got better press contacts.

This seems US only though, correct?

[World]

Anyone else actually trying it?  Please comment...

Waiting for the practical experiences too.

[DataPlumber]

I had friends just try this from phones in USA and in South America.  The USA one got a signup confirmation, but in South America the signup text gets no acknowledgement.

Also seemingly unspecified is a fairly key feature, i.e. how one adds or withdraws BTC from/to outside wallets.  No instructions for that on website or in signup confirmation.

So right now the whole thing seems like an SMS autoresponder and not much else.  

Nevertheless would be an important service if they can get it working.

Anyone else actually trying it?  Please comment...

I created something similar: https://phoneacoin.com/

But clearly, these people have got better press contacts.

This seems US only though, correct?

The SMS service I'm using claims almost 200 countries.  But I'm only localized for US English at this time.  I don't have a lot of localization resources at my disposal at this time, and I'm pretty sure Google Translate is how the original "All your base are belong to us" came to exist.  

(And yes, I'm kidding about that last point.)

[just1nmc]

Based on this reddit thread:
http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1danou/pay_with_bits_wants_to_be_the_square_for_bitcoin/

They still have a lot of work to do before it's ready. For example, they haven't added in a feature to remove the bitcoins from your account.

So I'm not sure we can say very much based on what is currently released.

[lebing]

I had friends just try this from phones in USA and in South America.  The USA one got a signup confirmation, but in South America the signup text gets no acknowledgement.

Also seemingly unspecified is a fairly key feature, i.e. how one adds or withdraws BTC from/to outside wallets.  No instructions for that on website or in signup confirmation.

So right now the whole thing seems like an SMS autoresponder and not much else.  

Nevertheless would be an important service if they can get it working.

Anyone else actually trying it?  Please comment...

I created something similar: https://phoneacoin.com/

But clearly, these people have got better press contacts.

This seems US only though, correct?

The SMS service I'm using claims almost 200 countries.  But I'm only localized for US English at this time.  I don't have a lot of localization resources at my disposal at this time, and I'm pretty sure Google Translate is how the original "All your base are belong to us" came to exist.  

(And yes, I'm kidding about that last point.)

It looks like a good service, but including at the least local numbers for confirmation/ management would be ideal.

[DataPlumber]

I had friends just try this from phones in USA and in South America.  The USA one got a signup confirmation, but in South America the signup text gets no acknowledgement.

Also seemingly unspecified is a fairly key feature, i.e. how one adds or withdraws BTC from/to outside wallets.  No instructions for that on website or in signup confirmation.

So right now the whole thing seems like an SMS autoresponder and not much else.  

Nevertheless would be an important service if they can get it working.

Anyone else actually trying it?  Please comment...

I created something similar: https://phoneacoin.com/

But clearly, these people have got better press contacts.

This seems US only though, correct?

The SMS service I'm using claims almost 200 countries.  But I'm only localized for US English at this time.  I don't have a lot of localization resources at my disposal at this time, and I'm pretty sure Google Translate is how the original "All your base are belong to us" came to exist.  

(And yes, I'm kidding about that last point.)

It looks like a good service, but including at the least local numbers for confirmation/ management would be ideal.

Noted.  Should be easy to add that; I'll look into it.