Everyone and their
uncle Steve uses WinCE terminals to execute cashless transactions these days, and while you'd expect Apple to remedy that right quick, the Square credit card reader has beaten it to the punch. Plugging into the headphone jack of either an iPhone or iPod Touch, the dongle takes a swipe of your card, the seller enters the purchase data and you do your best penless John Hancock on the touchscreen. After that, a receipt is delivered by email and the app retains geotagging data for each transaction. Spiffy, right? Well, there
is a surcharge to pay, and it's still in early alpha testing in New York, but should it prove popular, there's no reason not to see this appendage make an appearance on
Android or
WinMo phones as well. Rest easy, Gotham, we're sure nothing
could possibly go wrong.
[Thanks, Derek]
posted Aug 3rd 2009 6:09PM
Wow.
LOLZ IM HACKING IN 2 UR IPHONEZ RIGHT NOW WITH A TEXT MESSAGE TO GET ALL YOUR MONIES!
[]
Apple iPhone press 1
I'm barely breathing,
With a broken heart...
Oh My goodness I smell CREDIT CARD THEFT, IDENTITY THEFT and TAX FRAUD on the app Store this year !!!
While this might be the first swiper the iPhone has had credit card processing apps since 2.0 launched. There is one in Australia that offers emailed receipts and even provides historical information and recording of frequent customer details so you don't have to re-enter their name and email.
I like how they are using the jack as opposed to the dock connector.
I hope they've implemented some new security measures, as the iphone is said to have some of the worst encryption around.
http://www.redmondpie.com/iphone-3gs-the-worst-hardware-encryption-phone/
No one is paying hundreds of dollars for an iPhone to turn it into a card reader when WinCE based terminals can be had for a fraction of the cost.
Exactly! We need to get the laptop hunters team in on this!
Well DUH. This is for people who already own iPhones who want the ability to read credit cards. Nobody is going to buy one specifically for this purpose. Are you intentionally dense, or is it just a gift?
Could always use a base iPod Touch.
The iPhone does it all!!!!!
including getting my credit card info hacked. . . oh yeah baby, it does it ALL
Pretty cool. However...I'll bet as soon as there is a security vulnerability, it'll be mass communicated "through the grapevine" between iPhone customers and Apple may actually say they are not invincible.
--S
Read this on CoM where they said the processing was 2.5% and $.50, calling it a bargain. I don't think so, swiped transaction should be 1.5% tops, unless you've got a lot of fraud. $.50 is possible, but even paypal only charges $.30.
actually, I think I know why... Even tho you swipe it, the card probably sends it as a keyed or faceless transaction. If you're a high-volume merchant using dedicated hardware will save you money.
Actually, 2.5% is fairly standard for a small business processing credit cards. My parents run a small woodworking business and are constantly complaining about how big of a ripoff credit card fees are.
If your volume of transactions go up significantly, the % will drop, but if you are a small business the transaction fee is ridiculous.
Hey kids!! It's okay not to use the iphone once in a while!
You're right, more functionality sucks.
Unless it's for any other platform. Right? Then it's ok. But not if it's the iPhone.
Actually the OP has a point, it's getting to the point where from before you wake up to when you sleep there is something you can be using the iPhone for.
If you thought people texting at parties and listening to PMP's while serving you was out of control where the iPhone and friends are going is a whole new dimension of personal reality avoidance.
Wow, this seems quite similar to Jack Dorsey's 'Squirrel' idea for the iPhone.
Even the name is similar to Squirrel.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/08/nuts-twitter-inventor-about-to-launch-his-next-project-code-named-squirrel/
spanner in the works
UK needs chip and pin
kthnxbai
Actually, we don't. You can still buy stuff without using the chip, and signing the receipt like we have done for years.
Thats the first thing that came to my mind. I wish my dealer could take mastercard and airmiles would be good too.
How convenient for suburban teenage drug dealers!
dude, you hit it right on the money. Esp. since i sell all my shit out of my fedex truck. a milli a milli a milli a milli
ha. I love these comments... Push It To The Limit
Forget credit cards my dealer can do reward points now!
@Templarian
LOL awesome... new meaning to frequent flier
I'm actually a little excited about the idea of this. Cashless transactions from your iPhone is the only big wow feature I can think of Apple adding. I think these Square fellas are going to find Apple putting something for transactions in an upcoming phone. Everything else... Flash, better camera, wireless syncing (which is nice also) seem like incremental refinements. My Mastercard already has a touch pass, or whatever. With Apple's expertise at orchestrating these large multi-corp deals (music, movies, tv), I can see AmEx, Visa, and Mastercard accepting iWallet (or whatever) transactions. What if PayPal got involved and allowed us to do secure payments from anyone to anyone?
Aside from my keys, the wallet is the only pocket thing left to consolidate.
I know I'm leaving myself open with that last sentence.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THis is some prime funny shits right here,
It takes a real pathetic loser to advertise in a FAIL thread on Engadget...
I was suprised when I went to the Apple store and they checked me out using a Windows device.
Even Apple knows that it's important to use the best tool for the job.
So was I. It took over fifteen minutes and no less than four of those things to pay for my iPod Touch last year. I didn't know whether to be pissed at Apple, Microsoft, or whoever actually made the PDAs...
No love for PayPal mobile? A lot of my friends are surprised that I take payment by text message.
I bet the biggest market for this will be skimmers.
This will never pass the App store. Apple requires any transactions made in an app to be billed through iTunes. FUD? Maybe, it wouldn't surprise me.
Thousand Dollar Red Jewel That Does Nothing App
This works because it doesn't interact with your iTunes account, and each purchase doesn't change the App.
...but they're not $29 US dollars, as the website name implies.
I call shenanigans!
the audio jack? what the fuck? 3.0 api lets you use the data port, why doesn't it just use that?
Why not? This way, people on 2.x can use it too.
Because it's 50,000, AND apple can disable it at anytime, AND it's not cross platform, AND there's no compatibility with pre 3.0 phones, AND you have to install a chip at your own expense, AND get a review by apple at your own expense, AND apple gets profit for each piece of hardware sold. Any more questions?
awesome!
So they want you to swipe your card so you can essentially access online banking?
No chance I'm handing my CC over to someone with an iPhone for processing.
I'm glad my credit card and debit cards all have chips... No need for magstripes.
"hey let me get a dime bag" .... "Paper or Plastic? I take visa and mastercard"
I was surprised as well to go to an Apple store and they used some handheld device to do my CC transaction - now they can use an iPhone. I would have opted for the docking port as in most of these stores the employees wear headsets for some unfathomable reason.
This feels very wrong
Credit Card skimming? there's an APP for that!
Why do I feel those asses who steal card data from ATM machines all the time, will have a now new and more convenient way to steal your data from you? The idea is cool, I just worry about the maddening amount of theft these days.
Apple is currently looking to replace their Window's based systems with an iPhone system
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/04/10/apple_stores_to_ditch_windows_easypay_systems_for_iphone_tech.html
From what I heard from a apple store rep they are looking to roll it out within next year or so.
I am sure they are working on a device that is a credit card reader as well.
This won't ever be abused....
Wow, so many here without a clue! Now, let's see, how would this be more difficult to abuse than, say, existing PayPal, or any other web-based online site that takes orders? The abuser would presumably have to intercept this transaction online and swipe credit card info. With existing web-based ordering, you get full name, full address, often times home phone, credit card number, expiration, 3-digit security code... With merchant accounts and transaction terminals, most of the time, you don't anything more than what the swipe would give you (Name, cc number, expiration and security code). What could possibly be done with that information? The only thing that any malicious person could do with it is get some fraudulent charges before your credit card company/bank freezes the account. You don't pay a single penny for any of the fraudulent charges, no identity has been revealed (in order to be stolen), no real harm.
I'd really love to see possible abuse, other than what's currently possible with PayPal (Nigerian scam, etc).
In reality, this is going to be incredibly convenient for my band, selling gig tickets, CDs, t-shirts, etc. Instead of taking cash, or setting up laptop to process credit cards via PayPal (or something similar), we can now use iPhone(s), which makes it much faster, more elegant and professional.
Apple will soon implement it in their own stores. Surely, that should imply the system is reliable, robust and secure enough for commercial applications.
I was searching for a mobile merchant account. I learnt that there are more than few options for i-phones and other smart phones. You can look at the wireless tab of http://www.creditcardprocessing-r-us.com/ . From my previous experience with merchant accounts- I know that one should compare. There are big differences between the providers!
What if you get a phone call in the middle of a transaction? Ooops...have to start over
I don't think this qualifies for the "Made for iPod, works with iPhone" licensing. I wouldn't be surprised if this fails to launch due to circumventing Apple's licensing rules. Secondly, this device might be breaking this patent: http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6006109.html
What company is making this bad boy?