[ANN] Easywallet.org - web based wallet, iPhone/Android clients with QR Codes

[kangasbros]

We are testing the new coupon feature at Assembly Summer (assembly.org), and it seems to work well.

https://easywallet.org/coupons
https://twitter.com/kangasbros/status/231016509718282240/photo/1

It is very easy to create these

- type "coupon 20" into "to" field, enter amount, choose currency (for example 10 EUR)
- scroll down a bit and press "print all"
- print, cut & fold

Now you have really handy 10 eur bitcoin coupons, which you can sell for 20 eur to make a nice profit

Not that the buyer trusts the issuer. But when a coupon is redeemed, seller can't access the funds any more etc.

Also the redeemed bitcoins are usable instantly, which makes it easy for beginners. We charge a modest 0,9% fee at the time of the redeem, from the seller wallet. If the coupon is not used or is deleted, there are no fees. There is no expiration dates, we might implement those if people request them.

[kangasbros]

Some improvements done based on feedback from Assembly Summer:

- Now the usability is much better with nokia phones. You can paste bitcoin payment URI in the "to" field, and it will automatically parse the bitcoin address. On modern browsers, also amount field should be automatically parsed using javascript.
- The getting started process has still some problems, for example downloading the correct barcodes scanner app takes some time. We will try to improve this.
- The coupons worked wonderfully! We distributed some 0.075 BTC coupons to people, so that they could participate in the bitcoin qr code competition. People just scanned the coupon with their smartphones, and then they had the bitcoins instantly usable from their phone.

Next we will try to improving the user experience - our goal is to make the easiest tool to get started with bitcoins. More specifically, we hope that with our service, people are able to have bitcoins in their phone and use them in 1 minute (with smartphone, with computers even less).

[plogank]

Just checked. Can't find any iPad apps for easywallet. Grump!

[kangasbros]

Just checked. Can't find any iPad apps for easywallet. Grump!

You can use it almost like a native app by bookmarking it. There won't be any real iPad/iPhone apps since I'm pretty sure Apple would ban them. But with "Barcodes Scanner" the experience is almost same as with native app. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/barcodes-scanner/id417257150?mt=8

A new feature, Dead Man's Switch, applications for example.

- Setting up "backup address" to your significant other, in case you lose your wallet URL in a way or other.
- Making timed, anonymous transfers to different bitcoin addresses.

It is good idea to set up the Dead Man's switch just in case, because there isn't any fees if the feature doesn't activate.

http://localbitcoins.blogspot.de/2012/09/dead-mans-switch-with-easywalletorg.html

Also we made "One-Tap-Payments", which make mobile payments very easy (just one tap + scan needed). Will post about this later.

[Trader Steve]

Awesome - you just keep making it better!

[kangasbros]

Another new feature: One-Tap payments. If you really want to make fast payments...

http://localbitcoins.blogspot.fi/2012/09/one-tap-bitcoin-payments-with.html

[Stephen Gornick]

Another new feature: One-Tap payments. If you really want to make fast payments...

http://localbitcoins.blogspot.fi/2012/09/one-tap-bitcoin-payments-with.html

Would there be room to display the value of those coins in USD or currency that I choose?

The reason is, if I am purchasing in dollars but the amount presented to me for payment is in bitcoins, I can't easily know how much I am actually paying.    If I can see the USD equivalent (using Mt. Gox last, or maybe 24 hours VWAP, for instance) I can know pretty quickly if the merchant is taking a little too much liberty with the exchange rate.

[Trader Steve]

Another new feature: One-Tap payments. If you really want to make fast payments...

http://localbitcoins.blogspot.fi/2012/09/one-tap-bitcoin-payments-with.html

For some reason that barcode scanner (with the zebra) is not working on my iPhone...

[kangasbros]

Would there be room to display the value of those coins in USD or currency that I choose?

The reason is, if I am purchasing in dollars but the amount presented to me for payment is in bitcoins, I can't easily know how much I am actually paying.    If I can see the USD equivalent (using Mt. Gox last, or maybe 24 hours VWAP, for instance) I can know pretty quickly if the merchant is taking a little too much liberty with the exchange rate.

Hmm, I will think about this. However the restaurant I go to, uses bit-pay and they have fair exchange rate (to my understanding). This is juggling between how easy it is to use, and if there is problem of trust. I'll think about it.

For some reason that barcode scanner (with the zebra) is not working on my iPhone...

Yep, it is pretty buggy. You can try restarting your phone or reinstalling the app. It is open source software, so I'll try to fix it when I have more time: http://code.google.com/p/zxing/

[kangasbros]

Important: new "storage fee" for wallets with balance over 12 BTC. For old wallets, the fee will be effective on 25th november (UTC). For new wallets, the fee will be effective immediately.

http://localbitcoins.blogspot.de/2012/10/easywalletorg-new-fee-structure.html

If you don't like the fee, you can move your funds out of our our service. You have one month time for that with the old fee structure. There is also a notification for each old wallet which will display for one month.

[Stephen Gornick]

One feature that would be useful would be the ability to redeem a private key.

Currently the choices for this are limited from a mobile.  The MtGox live app on Android and iOS will do this but only with the app installed and only to a Mt. Gox account.  Blockchain.info/wallet will also do this but from their web site only and it requires login, so unless you already have an account it takes a little extra seconds to set up an account.

But if Easywallet were to have this feature (to redeem a private key), I could then hand a paper Bitcoin to someone and then that person can use a mobile to go to Easywallet.org, click Redeem, scan the private key QR code and be done.  After the transaction confirms they can spend it.  That's easy!

[Trader Steve]

One feature that would be useful would be the ability to redeem a private key.

Currently the choices for this are limited from a mobile.  The MtGox live app on Android will do this but only wiht the app installed and only to a Mt. Gox account.  Blockchain.info will also do this but it requires login, so unless you already have an account it takes a little extra seconds to set up an account.

But if Easywallet were to have this feature (to redeem a private key), I could then hand a paper Bitcoin to someone and then that person can use a mobile to go to Easywallet.org, click Redeem, scan the private key QR code and be done.  After the transaction confirms they can spend it.  That's easy!

Great idea! I love to see the innovation around here. EasyWallet.org is one of my favorite wallets to use when introducing people to bitcoin. I especially like the currency display preferences. I wish blockchain.info had this functionality as well - I hate having to do conversions before paying someone.

[davout]

One feature that would be useful would be the ability to redeem a private key.

Currently the choices for this are limited from a mobile.  The MtGox live app on Android will do this but only wiht the app installed and only to a Mt. Gox account.  Blockchain.info will also do this but it requires login, so unless you already have an account it takes a little extra seconds to set up an account.

But if Easywallet were to have this feature (to redeem a private key), I could then hand a paper Bitcoin to someone and then that person can use a mobile to go to Easywallet.org, click Redeem, scan the private key QR code and be done.  After the transaction confirms they can spend it.  That's easy!

IMHO that's not relevant in the context of Instawallet-like services. If you are to print something on a piece of paper to hand to someone, you might as well print the QR code for the wallet URL. You skip the whole, scan, redeem, wait for confirmations part.

My philosophy about keeping a product simple and usable is to be really selective as to which features you implement. The typical example of this is for example the ability to issue redeemable codes from easywallet. Like, seriously ? Reinventing the wheel when the easywallet URL itself serves the same purpose ? Price formulas ? Seriously ?

[Stephen Gornick]

you might as well print the QR code for the wallet URL.

Let's just presume there are non-technical people who will be holding paper bitcoins.   (This is coming, trust me on this one.).

Currently, there is no easy way for that value to be redeemed by a person in a face-to-face transaction.

Adding this capability adds value (i.e. and thus, a comparative advantage)  for an EWallet, especially if that EWallet already has the UI support for "redeem" (as EasyWallet already does, but just for its own EasyWallet codes).

[davout]

Currently, there is no easy way for that value to be redeemed by a person in a face-to-face transaction.

It seems to me that the easiest way to exchange Bitcoins in a face to face transaction is to use an e-wallet on a smartphone with qr code scan capabilities.
For some reason I can't really picture folks exchanging cash for a private key.

[Stephen Gornick]

It seems to me that the easiest way to exchange Bitcoins in a face to face transaction is to use an e-wallet on a smartphone with qr code scan capabilities.
For some reason I can't really picture folks exchanging cash for a private key.

See, as a service provider you can be proactive or reactive.  

Mt. Gox was proactive.  They've had this private key redeem feature about a year ago or so.  And from what I see among those who redeem private keys (including those redeeming paper Bitcoin wallets), Mt. Gox's service is the service they are using.  The Mt. Gox live mobile app is today the easiest way to redeem a private key using a mobile.

It would be nice if there were more and even easier options to redeem private keys, especially when redeeming from a mobile.

If EasyWallet were to offer that, that would be nice.
If InstaWallet were to offer that, that would be nice also.

I'm certain this practice of passing private keys in QR code form will be increasing.

Whether you think it is a good idea or not is irrelevant.  It is occurring today.

You have the opportunity to be a service that is usable for those wishing to redeem their private keys, but if you don't wish to serve that segment that's fine.  I'm just saying there is today this need for an easier way to redeem private keys and also that I see this growing as a method in which bitcoins are being transferred.

[kangasbros]

One feature that would be useful would be the ability to redeem a private key.

Currently the choices for this are limited from a mobile.  The MtGox live app on Android and iOS will do this but only with the app installed and only to a Mt. Gox account.  Blockchain.info will also do this but it requires login, so unless you already have an account it takes a little extra seconds to set up an account.

But if Easywallet were to have this feature (to redeem a private key), I could then hand a paper Bitcoin to someone and then that person can use a mobile to go to Easywallet.org, click Redeem, scan the private key QR code and be done.  After the transaction confirms they can spend it.  That's easy!

Thanks for the idea, that feature is already partly developed, and is definitely coming in the near future.

I really like the physical paper wallets, because they are pretty easy concept to understand, and they can be generated offline and be put into a safe, so they also can be very safe.

[kangasbros]

IMHO that's not relevant in the context of Instawallet-like services. If you are to print something on a piece of paper to hand to someone, you might as well print the QR code for the wallet URL. You skip the whole, scan, redeem, wait for confirmations part.

My philosophy about keeping a product simple and usable is to be really selective as to which features you implement. The typical example of this is for example the ability to issue redeemable codes from easywallet. Like, seriously ? Reinventing the wheel when the easywallet URL itself serves the same purpose ? Price formulas ? Seriously ?

Well, I don't understand how you see problem for easywallet developing more features. This is a free world, you are free not to develop anything for instawallet, let us develop easywallet as we wish 

The coupons were developed for ATM use and also for reselling bitcoins. I don't see how we are reinventing the wheel, since that kind of stuff is not possible without these features.

[davout]

Whether you think it is a good idea or not is irrelevant.  It is occurring today.

You have the opportunity to be a service that is usable for those wishing to redeem their private keys, but if you don't wish to serve that segment that's fine.  I'm just saying there is today this need for an easier way to redeem private keys and also that I see this growing as a method in which bitcoins are being transferred.

That's the thing, I see this kind of use case best served by advanced wallets such as Blockchain.
In my view it's not really a use-case to focus on in order to address the mass-market.
But hey, I might wrong, nothing is written in stone.

Well, I don't understand how you see problem for easywallet developing more features. This is a free world, you are free not to develop anything for instawallet, let us develop easywallet as we wish 

I never had any problem with you developing new features for easywallet
I might actually copy on instawallet the ability to display amounts in fiat that I find really useful and convenient on easywallet (not implying that I use easywallet :p )

The coupons were developed for ATM use and also for reselling bitcoins. I don't see how we are reinventing the wheel, since that kind of stuff is not possible without these features.

Have you ever thought about the fact that a coupon is functionnally the exact same as a wallet URL ?
I mean, if you give out a wallet URL that contains 1 BTC it's the exact same as giving out a 1 BTC easywallet coupon.
In both cases you need to trust the one who's giving you the coupon or the URL to not spend the Bitcoin before you.
Did I miss something that makes them really different ?

[kangasbros]

Have you ever thought about the fact that a coupon is functionnally the exact same as a wallet URL ?
I mean, if you give out a wallet URL that contains 1 BTC it's the exact same as giving out a 1 BTC easywallet coupon.
In both cases you need to trust the one who's giving you the coupon or the URL to not spend the Bitcoin before you.
Did I miss something that makes them really different ?

I don't know if you are trolling, but honestly would you implement a bitcoin ATM with printed out instawallet wallets? There is at first the exchange rate risk, and secondly, the redeem function takes the need to trust the seller away - after the coupon is redeemed, the seller can't access the funds.