Category: Tablet Commerce

The company behind the tremendously popular Firefox has started an experimental pilot project.

Mozilla has just announced that it has launched an experimental pilot project called the Mozilla Location Service, which provides geolocation lookups that are based on data from Wi-Fi access points and publicly observable cell towers.

This concept behind the service is that it croudsources and collects this information through mobile.

The idea is that by way of public hotspots for Wi-Fi, and through cell phone towers, the service crowdsources and collects geolocation information to make it possible for smartphones that have weak GPS signals and laptops that don’t have that technology to be able to rapidly pinpoin their approximate location. As of yet, it has not been made entirely clear how it will be possible for the devices to be able to identify themselves, but there are two APIs being offered for the integration of this service into applications.

The geolocation service remains in its earlier stages, but it is progressing quickly.

In order to take part in this service and contribute to its data, users can add the dedicated Android MozStumbler app from Mozilla into their devices. That app is behind the data collection, but it also has a gamified element that gives users the opportunity to enjoy the experience. In this game, they can either contribute anonymously, or they can compete against others on the leaderboard. According to Mozilla, the service is already experiencing a rapid evolution, but that there will soon be a more full featured experience that will be available to device users.

That said, Mozilla has said that it is nowhere near its final stage. This geolocation service remains in the earliest levels and provides only the most basic levels of coverage within select locations due to the generosity of the earlier contributors and adopters of the service. At the same time, the company is committed to ensuring that the privacy elements of the service are improved to a meaningful degree for all of its participants, so that users can be certain that even as they offer the data surrounding heir location, their own privacy remains safe and secure.

Walmart and Best Buy are already pulling out all the stops when it comes to selling the latest Apple device.

The Apple iPad Air will officially be available for purchase as of Friday, November 1, 2013, and many companies are already getting ready for the tablet commerce battle of the year to make sure that they will be the ones that will make the most sales from these highly coveted devices.

In fact, many retailers have been preparing themselves for a sales war unlike any that they have ever experienced.

In the spotlight, at the moment, are the tablet commerce efforts being made by Walmart and Best Buy, which have aggressively stepped up their games in order to secure their hold on the iPad sales market. They are both seeking to draw the largest number of buyers for the first wave of sales of these devices.

This includes tablet commerce efforts to offer these gadgets at a lower price than the competition.

For instance, Walmart has announced that for the product launch, it will be offering one of its “roll back” promotions so that the iPad Air will be available for $479. However, this hardly suggests that the retail giant will be the only place that a deal can be found to purchase this device. Other retailers – particularly Best Buy – are well aware of that company’s tactics and are making moves to ensure that their own offers are more appealing to consumers.

In this light, it has been rumored – though not yet confirmed (that is expected very soon) – that in the effort to lead the way in tablet commerce, Best Buy will agree to match the price of any competitor that is selling the iPad Air.

When all is said and done, that first weekend will clearly be offering consumers a range of different tablet commerce savings opportunities while they comparison shop to be able to purchase the latest gadgets from Apple. Even Apple, itself, has announced its own effort, saying that its shops will open their doors an hour earlier than usual in order to help to accommodate the rush of shoppers.