Editor’s Note: This article is part of the Mobile Payment Systems series where we take a look at how mobile technology is gearing towards a cashless society. Stay tuned for more topics coming up soon.

The development of smartphones has gone and replaced a few things we grew up with: the watch, the alarm clock, the tape recorder, music players, and it seems that very soon, we can add cash and wallets to that list. It’s hardly a surprise. Payment methods have been morphing through various channels: from cash to cheques, to credit cards and debit cards, and now to online banking and mobile commerce.

(Image Source: Michael Mahmood)

Close to 10 million mobile subscribers in Japan are already paying for purchases with their smartphones by the end of 2010, and reports are saying that the more than $200 billion dollar mobile payment industry willl be worth a trillion by 2015.

There are 6 billion mobile phone subscriptions in the world, and more than a billion smartphones already in the market. Perhaps it’s just a matter of time before we embrace the idea of losing that wallet and opting for a digital one to buy flight tickets, lunch, coffee or even to pay the rent.

Digital Wallets

The verdict is still out on what to call these cashless wallets: digital wallet, electronic wallet, e-wallet, virtual wallet etc but they all work the same way. By downloading an app onto your phone, you can link the service or app account to your bank account or payment card. With that done, you can start paying for your wares with your digital wallet.

The interesting part is how.

Paying is a Breeze

If your digital wallet is an NFC enabled Android phone, you can tap your smartphone at the card terminal at the checkout counter, like you would your debit card. But let’s face it, not all Android phones carry NFC technology and it’s hardly a strong reason for you to consider when it comes to picking your next smartphone. But fret not, other e-wallets, like Square Wallet, let you pay just by saying your name to the cashier.

(Image Source: ShaswatPatel.com)

Systems like ERPLY allow you to check in at a store, and let the cashier identify you by facial recognition; your purchases are then auto-deducted from your PayPal account. Restaurants and pubs would love platforms like Tabbedout, which lets their diners check in when they arrive, and pay for their meal anytime without needing to wait for the bill or to bring their wallets along. All of this is made possible with smartphones and the right apps. But there’s more…

[Coming Soon] Digital Wallets on the Rise

It pays to be Loyal

Digital Wallets not only carry payment details to allow their owners to make purchases, they also help them to better manage their loyalty cards. If your really want to go full digital (wallet) then it only makes sense that you need not carry around your loyalty cards either.

To cater for this, there are also apps that let users scan the information on the barcodes of their loyalty cards, then store them up in the phone. At the checkout counter, they can let the cashier scan the barcode displayed on their mobile screen to ensure that they don’t miss out on any rewards.

Loyalty apps and programs

But then other apps take it up a notch and become the reward platform itself. Loyalty platforms like LevelUp, Perka and rewardjunkie! give business owners the flexibility to customize reward programs for their loyal, paying customers, and to engage new customers for their booming business.

For the rest of us, this means that we don’t have to carry around stacks of brand-specific loyalty cards that are used probably once every couple of months. Everything is in our smartphone, including new offers, discounts and deals offered by participating merchants.

[Coming Soon] Apps and Platforms that Reward Loyal Customers

Alternative Payment Methods

If however you are cautious with your spending and prefer to not put all your chicken eggs in the same basket (i.e. what if you lose your smartphone?), then there are other online payment methods to use.

Carrier or Mobile Billing

The idea is to charge all your online purchases to your phone bill and clear that at the end of the month. The good thing with this method is that you need not even own a smartphone to start making online purchases. Having a mobile phone is enough as you can pay via sms. There are confirmation codes or authorization pins or text to punch in they are intended for security purposes.

[Coming Soon] 15 Mobile Billing Systems for E-Commerce

Not Comfortable with Credit?

Don’t like using a credit card? Why not use apps like Venmo and Dwolla to transfer cash instead? This way you deal with money that you have in your account rather money you are using on credit.

Plus, you can transfer out a smaller sum from your savings account into your Venmo or Dwolla account first then use it to make small payments, such as to pay a friend back for lunch, a cab fare or a train ticket, or to clear the month’s rent.

Smartphones as card readers

Have you ever found yourself not having enough cash to pay the pizza delivery guy, your plumber, or your home delivered groceries? It would be great if they would accept credit card payments now, wouldn’t it? But lugging around that huge credit card machine is not only inefficient those machines also expensive technology.

A smartphone is a lot lighter to bring around, and also a more powerful alternative, given the right payment app and equipment. All it takes is a credit card reader device, plugged into their smartphone, and they can start accepting credit card payments straight away. Authorization of the transaction is done with the customer’s signature right on the mobile screen and receipts can be mailed to them for safekeeping (Payleven, iZettle).

[Coming Soon] 10 Ways to Turn your Smartphones into Credit Card Readers

Is it secure?

Ultimately, the security of these mobile payment systems is always at the back of our heads. What happens if I transfer all my payment card details into the smartphone and the unthinkable happens: someone else gets hold of my lost or stolen smartphone?

Well, it’s a good thing that most of these accounts, as well as your smartphone, can be remotely deactivated or wiped out. It is a good idea to have a passcode lock, at least to give your phone an extra layer of protection. Also, before you start linking your sensitive data to any mobile payment platform, do take a look at customer reviews or coverage of the platform from reliable sources first.

[Coming Soon] Tips For Making Secure Mobile Payments

Resources for Accepting Mobile Payments

To wrap up, here is a small list of resources developers can adapt to their online business to start accepting mobile payments from their online customers.

Card.io

Tired of having to punch in line after line of credit card details? You can skip through all that with Card.io by taking a photo of your credit card, then punching in the CVV code manually. This help reduce fraud and developers can easily join the program by grabbing the SDK for card.io at the site.

Jumio

Here is another app that lets you take photos of your credit card as a payment method via Netswipe. It also has a similar online ID verification tool called Netverify, which lets your customer’s computer work in your favor as an ID scanning tool.

BancBox

BancBox is an all-in, one-stop solution for businesses that cater to the online marketplace. With the payment portal in place, the business owner can receive credit card payments, wire transfers and checks, among others. It also has a relatively low fee of 0.5% + 30 cents per transaction for its services.

Stripe

Stripe helps developers take care of credit card payments online with a simple JS script. It lets you build your own payment forms, and avoid PCI requirements. Embedding the codes in the site lets Stripe to handle all your online payment needs at 2.9% + 30 cents per successful charge.

ZooZ

ZooZ gives developers 3 lines of code, which they can integrate into their mobile applications. There is also a sandbox environment to let developers test out transactions at no charge. Prices are locked in at 2.8% + 19 cents per transaction.

There has always been an on-going debate on the differences between a leader and a manager. Many have asserted that leaders have followers, while managers have subordinates. Reading numerous articles on management and leadership styles had revealed to me several core differences between the two which would have probably resulted in such a portrayal.

(Image Source: whatedsaid)

That said, I’ve come to believe that such differences exist on a continuum, where on one extreme you can be a great manager and on the other extreme, you can be considered a true blue leader.

Most of us will fall somewhere in the middle as both manager and leader, depending on the circumstances we face. So how can you tell if you are manager material or born to lead? Here are 8 core differences that can help you decide.

1. Visionary Vs. Task-Oriented

Leaders are more concerned about the direction or the overall strategy of the organization and then giving their followers the freedom to plan the details and meet goals and objectives. Managers, on the other hand, handle immediate tasks or hit short-term goals.

It may be appropriate to say that leaders think big while managers are more task-oriented. Having a vision for the organization is of utmost importance to leaders while managers dwell on how to execute said vision.

2. Transformational Vs. Transactional

Managers adopt a solely transactional approach to subordinates. This means that managers seek for their services in exchange for a paycheck. This is not the same for leaders, who actually go beyond such transactional needs to satisfy higher levels of needs for their followers, such as the need to find meaning in their work.

This appeals to followers, being transformational in the sense that these employees are not working for themselves; they are working for the team or the organization that goes beyond self-interest.

3. Elected Vs. Hired

Titles and authority are granted to managers so that they have the necessary power to make people do as they say. Leaders are, however, elected by the people who choose to follow them rather than being made or paid to do so. Respect is not guaranteed for managers but it is already earned by leaders.

With that, leaders are thus more influential because they have followers who do what they say out of respect. Managers get their subordinates to follow their orders out of authority. Naturally, employees will be happier doing what the leaders want rather than the managers say.

4. Servant Vs. Self-serving

A leader serves his or her followers rather than use them to serve him or her. In other words, leaders fight for their followers and put the group’s needs beyond their own. Managers (well, some of them) put blame on their subordinates when things go wrong and take credit when things are right.

After all, a manager’s role is to manage subordinates in order to attain certain managerial objectives. This is not the case for leaders because they value their followers and seek to serve the entire group.

Hit the brakes! Which are you in the Four Differences above? Do you know if you are you Leader or Manager Material yet?

5. Character-Building Vs. Skill-Building

Since managers are task-oriented and aim to hit short-term goals, their philosophy of training for their subordinates tends to be skill-based. If a certain skill or knowledge is required to complete a task, then a manager will simply acquire a worker with the required skills to perform the job.

Leaders are not just looking into what is in front of them; they seek out the potential – what they can do in the future rather than what they can already do now – in people. Therefore, their training philosophy emphasizes on character-building.

6. Trust Vs. Control

Leaders think ahead, then set directions for the group. They place their trust on their followers to make whatever plans necessary to move forward towards that direction. The element of trust associated with leaders empowers followers to freely make their decisions on day-to-day matters.

(Image Source: Fotolia)

Managers, on the other hand, think only on how to get the tasks done in the most efficient manner, so there is a need for them to set the instructions as detailed as possible for the subordinates to adhere to. They seek control over subordinates to ensure optimal results.

7. Seeking Possibilities Vs. Avoiding Risks

Working within a scope of tasks and goals can bring rigidity to managers because there is little flexibility involved. This systematic approach to management in order to complete assigned tasks can render managers averse to risks.

On the contrary, leaders do not confine themselves to short-term goals or “firefighting”. Hence they are open to new ideas, and will seek possibilities for the team and the organization as a whole. Instead of using old and tested methods like managers do, leaders are always looking for new ways of doing things.

8. Growth Vs. Sustenance

Leaders, with their visionary approach, tend to lay their eyes on growth rather than sustenance for the organization and the people. Managers are more interested in getting their job done, so there is little or no emphasis on growth.

As a result, it’s the leaders who are the ones to initiate changes; good managers only adapt to changes. This also applies to people management, where leaders groom followers for the long-term while managers inadvertently constrain subordinates to be trained with only what is necessary for the job.

References

If you are the reading type, here are more references:

• Leader vs Manager: What’s the distinction?
• See what happens in a day in the life of effective General Managers

Conclusion

Although this article seems to cast managers in a bad light and glorify the role of a leader, my personal opinion is that a leader needs to be a good manager to be effective as well. After all, what are dreams and visions without proper planning and, more importantly, action.

Transparency is an effect that allows us to see what is underneath. In design, transparency could create the illusion of an area looking more spacious than it really is. If done right, it could even make the overall design look more elegant. In Photoshop, this effect can be easily achieved by decreasing the Opacity or Fill, but in website space, it is a different matter.

In this post, we are going to look into how this particular effect is evolving throughout the years in web space, that includes going back a couple of years to see how it’s done prior to the emergence of CSS3.

IEpngfix – Old School

In the old days, Transparency effect is commonly done using transparent PNG which is also known to have some shortcomings.

For instance, in Internet Explorer 6, transparent PNG will be rendered (really) ugly and although this case is solvable through this JavaScript library, if we only have small portion of transparent PNG in our website, applying this library is quite unnecessary.

Another problem is when we add an image, we will also add more HTTP requests for a browser to process. When it comes to a lot of images, these could slow down our website performance.

Pros

• Relatively easy to apply when you are familiar with image editors like Photoshop
• Wide browser support

Cons

• Looks ugly in IE6
• Brings extra HTTP request

The Opacity

There is an easier way to create transparency in a website, that is, by using opacity CSS property. This property is just officially included in CSS3, but the support coverage is wider than the other CSS3 properties in general. According to caniuse.com, opacity has been supported in as early as Firefox 2 and Chrome 4.

Now, Let’s take a look at the following example.

  div {  	width: 200px;  	height: 200px;  	background-color: #fff;  	opacity: 0.5;	  }  

This code will result in a white box with 0.5 or 50% transparency, the opacity notation range from 1 to 0 where 1 will make the element solid while 0 will make the targeted element completely invisible.

There are a few things you should remember though when applying opacity. This property will affect anything inside the element, let’s say we have some text in this box, the text will also be transparent at 50%.

Also, in IE8 or earlier we need to substitute this property with filter, for example filter: alpha(opacity=50).

Pros

• Easy to implement
• Cross-browser support, (IE requires ‘filter’)
• No HTTP request

Cons

• Affecting the entire element as shown

The Alpha Channel

Another way we can take is using the Alpha channel of RGBa and HSLa (which I consider to be better than the previous two practices). Unlike the opacity property which lowers the entire element’s opacity, the alpha channel only affects color density.

Let’s see this example below;

  div {  	width: 200px;  	height: 200px;  	background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.5);  }  

We still have the same box, but we now replace the background-color with RGBa color function and lower the alpha channel to 0.5. This code will result in the same effect similar to what the opacity property did, but since the alpha channel basically only controls color density, the other elements inside it will not be affected.

In term of HSLa, it works no differently except that the colors are composed from the Hue, Saturation and Lightness. If you have been working with Photoshop, this color function works similar to this window dialog below, from the Image > Adjustment > Hue/Saturation menu.

Pros

• Easy to implement
• No HTTP request

Cons

• RGBa and HSLa will not work in Internet Explorer 8 and earlier

Filter Property – The IE way

It seems that Internet Explorer always takes a different route from the industry standard. As we mentioned above, RGBa or HSLa will not work in Internet Explorer (version 8 and earlier). Instead, the Internet Explorer oddly uses #ARGB with their exclusive filter property.

What is #ARGB? honestly I don’t quite get it either but it basically does not equal to RGBa on the surface. The RGB values range from 0 to 255 while the #ARGB is hexadecimal.

Here is how we can apply this color function;

  div {  	width: 200px;  	height: 200px;  	background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.5);    	-ms-filter:progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr=#80FFFFFF,endColorstr=#80FFFFFF);  	filter:progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient(startColorstr=#80FFFFFF,endColorstr=#80FFFFFF);  	zoom: 1;  }  

We are still dealing with the same box and this time we added filter and -ms-filter for IE. Notice this hex number #80FFFFFF, it is actually converted from rgba(255,255,255,0.5) and to make things easier you can use this tool, Web-Color Convertor, to convert RGBa as well as other color formats to #RGBA.

Pros

• Works for Internet Explorer 8 and earlier

Cons

• At the same time, it only works in IE
• The syntax as well as the color format is not easily understandable

Which is the best?

In short, it depends. All the practices above work, but every website has its own limitations. So it is now up to you to make a decision, as web developers and designers, which practice is better suited to your site? And, to get you inspired, we have gathered below a few examples of transparency implemented with the practices we have discussed earlier in this post.

Using transparent PNG

Envato

Twitter

WWF

Using Opacity property

Awwwrds

Using Alpha Channel

Behance

About.me