1. A mobile device, comprising: a housing having an integrated surface for swiping a magnetic swipe card; a magnetometer, positioned within the housing, for detecting direction and strength of magnetic fields to read magnetic information and to produce digital magnetometer output signals, the digital magnetometer output signals representing magnetic information derived from the magnetic swipe card and from the Earth's magnetic fields, each of the digital magnetometer output signals having a magnitude related to the strength of the detected magnetic fields; a memory device for storing instructions; and a processor coupled to the magnetometer, when executing the instructions, causes the mobile device to: determine at least some of the digital magnetometer output signals represent the magnetic information derived from the magnetic card information; determine at least some of the digital magnetometer output signals represent the magnetic information derived from the Earth's magnetic fields; provide the digital magnetometer output signals representing the magnetic information derived from the magnetic swipe card to a magnetic swipe card application for processing; and provide the digital magnetometer output signals representing the magnetic information derived from the Earth's magnetic information to a compass application for processing.