Ever wonder what the offspring of an after-party Twitter and Digg copulation might look like? No, well aren't you pure and normal. Regardless, we fantasize about it all the time but never expected this iPhone payment dongle to be first from the litter.
Square is Jack Dorsey's (Twitter co-founder) new startup that now has Kevin Rose (Digg founder) on board as an investor and YouTube pitch man for the prototype payment device that plugs directly into the iPhone's headphone jack. We've covered Square before but this is the first video that clearly demonstrates the full capability of the credit card swipe system on a live device. A compelling proposition for receiving cashless payments if you're a small business owner looking to exploit irresponsible credit card debt or just the average Joe hocking goods at a garage sale, farmers market, or Craigslist. Assuming of course, Square's cut of the transaction isn't too egregious. Demo after the break.
posted January 18th 2010 1:53AM
They need to put something on it to keep it from spinning around in circles.
What makes these guys so much better then the current 30 available credit card terminal apps available in the app store? Billing was the first iphone credit card app to feature finger based signature capture as part of its feature set. Soon after almost all apps now feature this. These guys are very late to the game in my opinion.
Billing direct link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/billing-credit-card-terminal/id326255801?mt=8
@Triscuit Squareup is something that should have been done years ago, finally its on the way for a skyrocketing release. The only caveats here is will its availability only be hindered by iPhone only? Hopefully that's not the case. Detailed square-up review: http://bit.ly/squareup-by-jack-dorsey-best-or-worst
@paul99 What makes this different than what you linked too, is the dongle. The dongle allows you to swip your credit card.
What you linked too, is just an app.
They expect people to sign with their finger?
I'll give them a sign with my finger!
@Gad Get
This is why resistive screens and Windows Mobile still have a place. There are all sorts of business applications which require precision. Windows Mobile devices can be built with built in barcode scanners, credit card readers, RFID readers, or anything.
I wonder if they can make a capacitive screen with enough sensitivity to detect a metal stylus when you are holding it. Not those huge ugly things but a normal sized stylus.
On an iPhone screen? Sure. It's accurate enough.
@Gad Get
Why not? It'd certainly be better and more accurate than 99% of similar machines out there that you'd use to sign your name when using a credit card.
@ethana2
Its a touchscreen ... authenticate with fingerprint or iris scan, dammit.
"On an iPhone screen? Sure. It's accurate enough."
@ethana2 Have you actually tried it? Even using the whole screen I couldn't get my signature near to a written version. If that's the case signing is useless, because you certainly can't verify it.
@Wesscoast - because the iPhone's screen is accurate enough for a fingerprint scan. Riiiiiiiight.
@lisagovan - how about you go take your little spamming scheme and rot in hell, will ya? Thanks, Everybody.
@Gad Get oh my gosh! Your comment was so stinking funny, I actually laughed out loud!! Thanks for the laugh this morning!!!
I like that ideal. Hope it comes to android.
Same here :D
Right now the closest I have is PayPal..
Good luck getting people at a garage sale to let some random seller slide their credit card through a thing attached to an iPhone's headphone port!
@Peter F
"It's completely legit. Trust me."
*Creepy grin.*
@Peter F
Yea, I don't think Kevin Rose should be making his own investment decisions. This one clearly isn't going to swim.
@Peter F
I don't see this thing going anywhere. I would never swipe my card on this if I were buying something from a garage sale, craigslist or some guy on the street. As for small businesses, there are already systems that they can set up to accept credit cards.
@Peter F
you idiot, he was making a joke while giving examples of real world uses.
I'd hold onto my iPhone very tightly when letting someone sign on it so they couldn't run off with it.
They could have easily designed it so it wouldn't spin around by just adding some anti-rotation extenders on both sides. I'd just superglue some plastic supports if I had one.
Shiit me tooo!!
Neat idea, Question is, what would be the fee Square charge, and how people get their money? I wonder if it should have a seamless integration with paypal or Google checkout. Nonetheless, this can be useful too to ask money from your friends that they owe you. The usual responds from my friends is that "Oh, I don't have any cash/checks, only cards." Now with this, I can tell them "No problem, slide it here please." :D
And then you steal their credit card information using a hacked App.
@Gad Get You know what, maybe one day one of your "friends" would do that to you.
@pika2000
I'm simply pointing out the obvious risks posed by people actually using a product like this. Fortunately, this product will probably never be commercially successful, so we don't need to worry about being scammed with funky iPhone accessories.
@Gad Get
It's the same risk you take every time you give your waitress your card at the bar... Stop being a Debbie Downer or I'll send you one for Christmas next year
@Mentat
Send me what? A Debbie Downer?
@Gad Get
I'd agree with this 100% - there is a ton of iphone security issues that this solution may require solving - the system has not been built for rock solid security that financial transactions require. Also, this thing would have to be bolted to a wall or something, we all know how robust iphones are when they hit the ground - with something like this you'd have to replace the screen at least once a month. That's just my two cents. Lastly, how big is iphone's mobile market share global or here in the US - it' still fairly small and with a slew of android devices that are about to hit the market i'd think that android would be a better way to develop this. Just my two cents.
As a side note, it seems that Apple has acquired iSlate domain name so we maybe able to put the discussion regarding the upcoming tablet's name to rest - http://ipad.org/apple-registers-islate-com-domain-name/
@Gad Get I agree - they need to do some heavy PR to convince people that this app is as fraud proof as a credit card transaction in a normal small business' store.
It is a great idea, I just don't see a lot of people trusting it quite yet.
Why would you use this to sell something on craigslist or at a garage sale? People pay cash for small amounts like that. As a seller, I'd rather get my full $20 than pay Square a cut just so I can have the privilege of accepting credit cards on my iPhone. And when I get paid in cash, I can spend it right away. I don't have to wait for the payment to be processed and paid out. But hey, everyone should get this because it's backed by internet celebrities and it uses the iPhone.
The dongle from the mophie dudes seems better thought out, but with less kevinrose and twitterz.
I guess that makes it not news worthy in engadget...
Just follow the moneys...
Yay! Another way to drain my dwindling funds in a down economy!
magstripe and signature, how quaint
I really think that all the things iPhone is going are amazing. We are seriously going to cut down on paper in the next few years.
Actually, if you REALLY think about it, using paper isn't really essential anymore. With all the laptops, emails, facebooks, iPhones, and just all this technology, who even uses paper anymore?
The only time I actually pick up a piece of paper is when I need to write down notes, or math homework. But that could all be done on a tablet as well.
I think that school boards really need to think of some kind of program to start enforcing tablet usage. Hopefully the Apple Tablet will help out. Since Apple is always good at making things good and thin, that's exactly what people will be looking for if they were to go to class and takes notes. Or just write stuff down in general.
Sooner or later, most people will have iPhones or a phone that can do everything a iPhone can, and we'll be able to drastically cut down on paper/plastic usage. By plastic, I mean credit/gift cards. Since right now, you can pretty much already do that on your iPhone. And apparently, now you can write checks. neat.
@mtnDewFTW despite all that Mr. Jobs still wouldn't sleep with you.
@mtnDewFTW
Sounds as though you are taking an environmental line on this despite all the Apple love in your post.
Have you thought about the effects of powering a smartphone, tablet/netbook and laptop for everyone. That is the way things are looking.
Im guessing you guys in America don't have chip and pin?
Im sure they could improve this dongle by making it so instead of signing, you just punch in your pin.
I'm guessing this only works in those third world countries where they still use credit cards with magnetic strips and every shop doesn't already have handheld chip &PIN terminals?
And yes, I'm being sarcastic, but investing in an outdated technology just because it plugs into the current phone-du-jour seems like a bad idea to me.
pointless device!
magnetic strips are over (in europe at least) we chip & pin here!
@jamiesim Please tell them. The technology is not secure enough.
@Nino I very much doubt it will achieve PCI compliance and if it doesn't then it wont meet the necessary standards that all merchants have to comply with...
Magnetic Stripe Reader!!! The technology is so 2001. what's wrong with "Chip & Pin" and RF ID Readers + PIN?. I am sorry but it is not just secure enough. And with that bombshell "I AM OUT".
For the tech savvy hookers. Now we can finally pay for sex with plastic.
security shouldn't be an issue if he is doing everything the right way.
In the states there is a governing body for everything 'card payments' related called the PCI Security Standards Council. If they are doing everything the right way, their application will be secured so that a card # is never stored.
Atleast that is how most companies do it. My company does credit card processing software/solutions using a bluetooth card reader/printer. We also have it available across every platform/OS. http://www.chargeanywheredirect.com
you people ever go to a computer show or a flea market where they ALREADY use portable credit card scanners? This is the same thing, but cheaper for the seller, as well as more convenient. You'll never see an accessory like this for android, or windows mobile for that matter, because there is too much variety in the hardware. That being said, I'm not too in love with the design, seems pretty cheap. I'd much prefer the mophie solution that's integrated in the case. I'm tired of asses on blogs where you people are all like "I'm the most securest guy ever, my password is pie to 129031043845 digits". Compare your geek dicks elsewhere, thx. BURN.
@m0n5t3rr41n
Hah! They could make ONE bluetooth reader that would work with EVERY Windows Mobile and Android device.
Clearly these guys do not know how to design hardware.. Nice idea, poor execution.. The sleds from the apple store make the most sense.
Holy crap! That's EXACTLY the way I start my signature, with a merged A & K. I've been doing it for over 20 years! Very surprising that someone else came up with the idea.
Yeah, I'm not swiping my card through the attachment on your phone. Not gonna do it, wouldn't be prudent at this juncture.