As disscussed in the APPL moving market news:

Apple’s application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office describes a process for placing an order and then notifying customers when an order is ready to grab at a pick-up station. One goal, the patent application notes, is to avoid an “annoying wait in a long queue if the purchaser arrives before completion of the order.”

Here is the actual patent filing.

From what I have read about this patent it seems to cater to the business that will be using it. This could be a turn key set of software that Apple can market to the likes of Starbucks etc. to use in their stores. You order your coffee on the road before you get to the store and boom it is ready. Seems like it will be win win for both Apple and the store using the system. The store has lower overhead (employees) and Happy Apple Moca drinking customers.

The iOrder

Sorry, but someone had to say it.

[quote author=“jpashin”]The iOrder

Sorry, but someone had to say it.

I yie yie not another I…. All kidding aside. Think of the added value to the iPhone and iTouch.

How about iWant?

How about the iOrder-300-lattes-accidentally-as-I-wander-past-Starbucks-while-fumbling-in-my-pocket-for-my-bus-ticket.

Too funny but bound to happen.

d

I doubt they can have a patent on this concept.

But I have suggested this to my family on many occasions while in restaurants.  It would be so cool to pull up the menu on the iPhone, order the food and then just wait for the server to bring it from the kitchen.  It would make the whole process more efficient for both the customers and the restaurants.

Many eating places already offer free wifi which only adds to the experience.

[quote author=“omacvi”]I doubt they can have a patent on this concept.

But I have suggested this to my family on many occasions while in restaurants.  It would be so cool to pull up the menu on the iPhone, order the food and then just wait for the server to bring it from the kitchen.  It would make the whole process more efficient for both the customers and the restaurants.

Many eating places already offer free wifi which only adds to the experience.

How about getting your check as soon as you want it on your phone, or you could purchase airline tickets that would have a boarding pass show up when you needed to board the plane.

In terms of the patent I don’t know but it is clear to me that Apple may be looking at transactions as a source of $$. Can you imagine the extra income if Apple was able to skim a transaction fee from everything ordered on the iPhone. Staggering

The posts in this topic are hilarious! 

I’ve changed the name of the topic to better reflect what’s being discussed. 

Ordering a latte via web or mobile device is one thing.

Getting it to download - that’s the killer app.

Fast forward to MacWorld 2012: SJ announces that pizza cooked to order will now materialize from your iPhone. And we have more than 200 patents…

Q4U

q4u.com already taken unfortunately.

(The concept of using tokens to maintain place in a queue is long established, and only patentable in the USA I would have thought. In the context of drinks, one place I worked we had a “Charlie someoneorother memorial tea roster” to determine who must make the tea and coffee. One column per staff member. One token transferred from drinker to maker for each drink made. Maker is shortest column wanting a drink. )

call it apelline, easyline, unline, yline, but it is the continuing evolution of a new digital culture. Visa and Mastercard, Discover American Express watch out. Steve Jobs is only beginning.

iOrdered   iPaid   iReceived   iConquered   the masses  

iDon’t know, but iThink it could be iOwe. 

” iOwe, ... iOwe ... and it’s off to work iGo ! ” 

iSorry

Quick Check…your order in Quicktime!  That second part has a vaguely familiar ring to it. 

iQ