Square opens public trial for iPhone payment system

Eager to get in on the whole "using your iPhone to pay for stuff" revolution? Too bad your wallet is vehemently disagreeing right now. At any rate, the folks behind the Square iPhone payment system have finally seen fit to open up their solution to the public, but only in the form of a pilot. If you're interested to be one of the few scratching the impulse-buy-itch with a cellphone dongle, hit that source link to sign up. For the rest of ya, there's an explanatory video after the break.

See more video at our hub!

[Daremo Posted Feb 12th 2010 12:28PM]

Anyone see where to actually sign up? I can't find it anywhere on the site, through the source link provided.

[DonaldSayers Posted Feb 12th 2010 2:40PM]

I didn't know the sandwich was behind this. Amazing!

[orangedog Posted Feb 12th 2010 5:24PM]

Yawn... I was in South Korea in 2005 and this was already prevalent in a slightly different form. It's T-Money iirc, basically electronic money stored/refilled in their SIM/phone chips. You can ride the subway, buy stuff at certain convenience stores, buy stuff at vending machines, all by waving your phone over the reader.

[Robbie Hottie Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:42PM]

@orangedog

thats interesting but unrelated
this isnt new tech
this is the convenience of taking credit card payments from anywhere

[Brea Posted Feb 12th 2010 5:59PM]

Is it me, or have they overlooked a simple design change which will phase out the 'hold the head' issue. I know it seem to come accross as lazy, but for some this will frustrate. A simple 'arm' from the back of it, supporting it's self on the iPhone or touch will fix that. In saying that, I can see that this will fall away from the simple ' square' design. So why not extend the facades of the front and back, so that it 'hugs' the iPhone or touch. Thus making secure, and less prone to somehow snapping the Jack......

[Robbie Hottie Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:43PM]

@Brea

there are other solutions like that already

i think theyre trying to be smaller and more portable

[Robbie Hottie Posted Feb 12th 2010 9:57PM]

"Eager to get in on the whole 'using your iPhone to pay for stuff' revolution?"

ill pretend darren actually read his own source link since this product has absolutely nothing to do with PAYING FOR STUFF using your iphone.

that being said, it looks like a cool portable solution to ACCEPTING PAYMENTS from other people. the software definitely seems simple enough too. there are actually a few other companies doing the same thing with iphones so i guess it will all come down to who has the best prices. i can see how this might be easier/cheaper for some people than having a credit card terminal and dedicated connection. especially if they need to take payments on the go.

its definitely nothing brand new though. just a convenience. although you could save the money and just type the credit card number onto your bank's website directly with the browser and avoid the extra cost (and be able to use any phone/web device). i guess thats where the ease of the software comes in or something.

so enough about how this is "old tech" or "nothing new" or "some other country does it this other way." youre missing the point. its just a new credit card terminal solution. thats it. (well actually it does add photo id, loyalty tracking, and digital receipts, but im done talking about this...)