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Juul will require retailers to scan IDs before selling its vapes
By May 2021, anyone looking to purchase a Juul e-cig will have to have their ID scanned. Juul announced today that it will soon require all retailers to use an updated point-of-sale (POS) system. When Juul products are scanned, the POS will prompt the retailer to scan the customer's ID. Anyone under the locally mandated age will be prohibited from buying Juul products. The POS will also block sales of more than one vaporizer and four refill packs, so users won't be able to buy in bulk and presumably share with their underage friends.
MasterCard is testing a new way for you to pay with your face
MasterCard announced on Thursday that it's looking to add a layer of biometric security to its credit cards and all user will need to do is simply take a selfie. The system will create a digitized map of your face, convert that map into a hash and compare it to the hash stored on Mastercard's servers. Users will be able to pay through a mobile app with either their fingerprints or by staring into the device and blinking once. The blink is used to prevent someone from just holding up a picture of you to spoof the system. What's more, "They're storing an algorithm, not a picture of you," Phillip Dunkelberger, who runs Nok Nok Labs, told CNN Money. "And I'm sure they're doing the appropriate stuff to guard it."
Restaurants will soon take any mobile payment at the table
Sure, your local drug store or theme park may let you buy things with your phone at the counter, but what about paying at the table in your favorite restaurant? Never fear, as Verifone will soon have you covered. Its upcoming Payware Mobile e355 wireless terminal lets stores accept any mobile payment you have, wherever you happen to be. It'll take Apple Pay, Google Wallet and other NFC tap-to-pay transactions, and the design is meant to accommodate as many device shapes and operating systems as possible. You may never have to break out your credit card just because the shop can't handle your new phone.
ShopKeep is offering free Apple Pay-compatible POS hardware to new merchants
It just got a lot easier to set your business up to access Apple Pay. ShopKeep has updated its iPad app to offer support for Apple Pay, and is offering new merchants who sign up for the service the new NFC-compatible hardware for free. Current ShopKeep users will need to purchase the iPad accessory for $259. The new reader can take magnetic swipe, EMV chip cards, and NFC-based contactless payments like Apple Pay. Considering ShopKeep offers support for cash drawers, receipt printers, barcode scanners, and other accessories, this move makes the service a good choice for businesses looking for an all-in-one POS system. It also puts ShopKeep out in front of its rival Square, which has announced plans to start accepting Apple Pay in 2015 but hasn't given any details about a timeline. You can watch ShopKeep's announcement video below.
Square's cash register app now handles your purchases worldwide
Square's Register app has done a lot to drag stores' payment systems into the modern era, but only in the US -- venture elsewhere and you've usually had to pay at a conventional (and often very limited) terminal. That might not hold true for much longer, since Square has just released a version of Register that works worldwide. The Android and iOS software now handles sales in 130 currencies, and communicates in French, Japanese and Spanish; if a tapas bar in Madrid wants to give you a digital receipt or ask for feedback, it can. It'll take a while for companies around the world to start using Register, but don't be surprised if you see it in action the next time you go on vacation.
Square merchants can now make their own gift cards
It's simple: Square arms small-business owners with an arsenal of weapons they need to do battle with larger (chain) competitors. In turn, you, the consumer, reap a variety of benefits. Now, the company's furthering that entrepreneurial spirit with its own Square Register-integrated gift cards program. Starting today, any Square merchant can order custom-designed cards at $1.50 apiece, without having to worry about future subscription, redemption or transaction fees. What's more, when a customer buys a gift card, the funds are immediately transferred into the seller's back account, rather than sitting in limbo until they're redeemed. For shopkeepers, it's a simple, inexpensive way to entice customers.
Square now tells your barista when to start brewing
Square isn't just in the business of selling things -- it wants to help you buy stuff too. And now, it's taking the latter a step further by simplifying your daily quest for a piping-hot cup o' joe. After today's update, you can use the Square Order app to purchase coffee from a nearby Square-friendly cafe. So? Here's the cool part: By using your phone's location data, Order alerts the barista to start brewing the drink once you're within a certain distance from the shop.
Groupon lets merchants process cards, track customers with iPad-based Gnome
Gone are the days when restaurants and retailers needed to drop five figures for the privilege of tracking and ringing up customers. Square's Register app has been letting merchants process transactions with "cheap" consumer hardware since 2012, and now Groupon's reinforcing its own position in the point of sale game with a new iPad-based solution. Gnome, which is expected to cost merchants $10 per month, will let customers redeem their Groupons via Bluetooth, or simply by providing their name at checkout. Customers can receive email or printed receipts, and they can pay entirely with cash or a credit card whenever they're not redeeming a voucher. The company plans to move all merchants over to Gnome within the next few months, so expect a more streamlined Groupon experience soon.
EVE Evolved: First impressions of Rubicon
For years I've been writing that EVE Online needs more deployable sandbox structures that any player can use, so I was naturally pretty excited to hear that this was to be one of the key features of the Rubicon expansion. The Mobile Depot sounded like a great freeform sandbox tool when it was announced, but I didn't understand quite how awesome it was until I started setting up my own. While the depot is ostensibly a fancy item container with a ship fitting service, anchoring one feels almost like planting your flag in space, and spotting another depot on the directional scanner means war. I've spent this week exploring low-security space in the new Stratios Sisters of EVE faction cruiser, stealing rare moon minerals with a Siphon Unit, and desperately searching for the elusive but valuable ghost sites. As expected, players have already found some creative uses for the new personal deployable structures: Mobile Depots are being used as advertising billboards in Jita and to bait aggressive players into becoming flagged as criminal suspects, Mobile Tractor Units have seen some unorthodox usage outside of missions, and the Siphon Unit will literally print money if you find an unsecured moon-mining operation tucked away in space. In this week's EVE Evolved, I test-drive the Rubicon expansion's new structures to find out if they live up to expectations.
PayPal announced integration with iPad point-of-sale maker Revel Systems
We're almost at the day where you won't have to carry cash or a card to pay for goods and services. Surely you've used Square at a farmer's market, coffee shop, or bookstore, but the payment market is expanding to card-free areas of commerce. PayPal has announced a partnership with Revel Systems, a business that provides point-of-sale platforms that use an iPad to process payments. While PayPal is currently pushing its own device, the Beacon, the company seems to understand its competitors have a bit of a head start. To close that gap PayPal has worked with point-of-sale services from Booker to Leaf to build its reach. Revel is just the latest such expansion. Revel Systems are used in stores for major retailers such as Dairy Queen, Popeye's, and Goodwill, and provide PayPal a massive potential new revenue source. Revel Systems CEO has this to day about the arrangement. The Revel Systems and PayPal relationship will be very impactful for the point-of-sale industry as a whole. PayPal is leading the trend of digital secure payments on the consumer level, and Revel is leading the way for the next generation of mPOS, creating a collaboration that is set to deliver a new experience to customers. For years people have been using PayPal to shop online, and the integration with Revel now brings the same convenience and security to brick and mortar retail and food establishments allowing consumers to pay on the go. Users will be able to pay into the Revel point-of-sale system with PayPal via their iOS or Android apps. This integration also introduces new time-saving features like the ability to order and pay for meals or products before you even head out to the store. The deal puts PayPal in more store fronts and helps promote businesses that use the Revel system by listing them in app as nearby retailers who accept PayPal. Revel currently has over 2,000 clients who use it's system.
Loop turns almost any point-of-sale system into a mobile payment machine (hands-on)
In a small shop on University Avenue in Palo Alto, mobile payments vet Will Graylin proudly points out the point-of-sale (POS) system sitting next to the register. "This is a 13-year-old Hypercom," Will explains, emphasizing its age and the lack of modern mobile payment options. Then, he does something we haven't seen before: he puts his iPhone next to the mag-stripe reader, taps a button on his screen and the transaction gets processed as if he'd physically swiped his card. Companies like Google, Isis and MasterCard (among others) are competing with each other to see who can establish an NFC-based mobile payments standard and build a strong enough ecosystem to support it, but Will -- along with co-founder George Wallner -- is approaching the highly competitive and nascent smartphone commerce market from an entirely new direction. The duo's new company, known as Loop, is debuting a new platform that will let you use your phone to make payments on nearly 90 percent of all POS systems in the country, even if they don't have any tech embedded inside that's capable of accepting contactless payments. Continue with us below to see a hands-on gallery and a deeper explanation of what exactly makes this possible.
EVE Evolved: Colonising deep space
If you were watching the news coming out of this year's EVE Online Fanfest, you no doubt heard Senior Producer Andie Nordgren's incredibly ambitious five year vision. The past few expansions have been mostly filled with bug fixes and improvements to existing gameplay, but the goal is now to begin delivering an epic vision of deep space exploration, colonisation, and PvP raids on enemy infrastructure. The five year roadmap toward this goal includes the addition of player-built stargates and completely uncharted solar systems to locate, explore and build an empire in. If the very idea of that doesn't make shivers go down your spine, something may be wrong with your central nervous system. CCP has opened new space before with the addition of the drone regions in nullsec and some new lowsec systems for faction warfare, but it wasn't until 2009's Apocrypha expansion that we saw a true exploration and long-term colonisation effort get underway. I think the intoxicating draw of wormhole exploration was primarily due to the fact that the new systems were hidden and the information on them wasn't public. Just adding new solar systems to the existing stargate network wouldn't have had the same effect. Nordgren's vision may take up to 10 expansions to fully realise, but what kinds of features will we need in those expansions to recreate true exploration and deep space colonisation? In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at some of the challenges CCP will have to overcome to make deep space colonisation a reality and what small steps could be taken in each expansion to get us there.
Square Stand credit card terminal to be sold at Apple Stores
Square is now in a partnership with Apple to bring its new Square Stands to Apple retail stores. The Square Stand will convert an iPad into a full point-of-sale system that pairs with cash drawers, receipt printers, barcode scanners and credit card readers. The US$299 device begins shipping this week and will be available at the same time at Apple retail stores, Best Buy and other select retailers. The Square Stand only works with 2nd and 3rd generation iPads because of the 30-pin dock connector. A Lightning-connector model will be available later this year. [via Electronista]
PayPal targets Square with hardware trade-ins, waives fees through 2013
After watching its rivals Square and Groupon play their hands earlier today, PayPal announced a program that allows merchants to trade in their old payment processing equipment in exchange for new hardware. The promotional offer features POS systems from ERPLY, Leaf, Leapset and the company's own PayPal Here. In addition to luring retailers with a fancy new cash register, the outfit is offering to waive credit, debit, check and PayPal processing fees for the remainder of the year. If the aforementioned incentives sound appealing and you'd like to know more, head on over to our source link to check out the program's all-important fine print.
Square Stand turns your iPad into a cash register, on pre-order for $299
Square just announced a new product meant to replace traditional point-of-service systems: the aptly named Square Stand. The hardware turns an iPad (2 or 3; support for the Lightning connector is coming later this year) into an all-in-one POS with an integrated card reader that accepts cash, plastic and Square Wallet payments. Available for pre-order today, the stand will set business owners back a rather steep $299, but the sleek design has a decidedly smaller footprint than the cash registers of yore, and it offers merchants real-time analytics for tracking sales via the Square Register app. Of course, if you want the full retail setup, you'll still have to spring for Square's receipt printer, barcode scanner and cash drawer. Though the Square Stand won't be available until July 8th, several merchants throughout the country, including Cafe Grumpy in New York City and Morelli's Ice Cream in Atlanta, will be operating the device starting tomorrow. And given Square's partnership with Starbucks, we wouldn't be surprised if the system soon shows up at the coffee chain as well.
Groupon launches Breadcrumb iPad app, vows to not be a typical POS
Yesterday, Groupon POS appeared in the iTunes Store, but was quickly pulled. Now we know why. Breadcrumb POS, which is the official name of yesterday's leaked point-of-sale iPad app, is now officially available, bringing a simple interface and a handful of financial incentives. The application, which can be downloaded for free, charges vendors a credit card processing fee of 1.8 percent plus 15 cents per transaction, assuming you're swiping plastic from MasterCard, Visa or Discover. In an effort to get small businesses signed up, however, Groupon is offering to cover the fees on the first $5,000 in credit card transactions, a savings of $90 by our calculations, plus whatever you'd be paying per swipe. The app enables you to log transactions, manage menu items and issue refunds, in addition to processing credit cards and emailing receipts. The POS uses Breadcrumb Payments for processing, with deposits posting within 24 hours, and can be paired with a card swiper and optional printer (you can email receipts if you'd prefer). There's also free 24/7 telephone support, should you run into any issues while using the system. Breadcrumb POS won't replace the more sophisticated Pro version, which is available starting at $99 per month, and retailers will still be able to use the Groupon Merchants App for redeeming vouchers and processing supplemental payments. If the new Breadcrumb POS sounds like a fit, snag some more info at the source link below.
Leaf unveils next-gen LeafPresenter Android POS tablet for taking payments
You're at a coffee shop or restaurant and it's time to pay for your sustenance. After reaching for your wallet, you're presented with... an Android tablet? This particular scenario is taking place more and more often as small businesses are taking their point-of-sale systems mobile, and Leaf is one of the big contenders battling for market share in this industry. Its signature product, known as the LeafPresenter, is an Android-based tablet with a funky lip on the top right that allows for mag-stripe credit card transactions. While the first-gen version of the device has been out for some time, Leaf is ready to branch out later this summer with a new model that offers more functionality. In addition to a newer forked version of Android (Leaf OS), the upcoming LeafPresenter throws in NFC, EMV and gift card support, as well as a 2MP front-facing camera, 1,280x800 display and better battery. Last but not least, the new device also includes support for a Leaf-branded third-party app store geared toward small business usage. While there's no specific cost to the tablet itself, business owners will need to fork over $50 per month for the opportunity to use it. Check the press release after the break for more.
Groupon launches mobile payments iPad app to challenge Square
Groupon has launched a new iPad app called Groupon POS (perhaps not the best name) in an attempt to enter the iPad mobile payments arena and take on current leader Square. As of the time of this writing, Groupon has not made an official anouncement, but the app is now live in the App Store. Here are the deets from the app's description: A beautiful and simple way to manage your business and accept payments at the lowest rates available today. Set up your offerings in seconds, quickly check out customers and view real-time analytics. Start running your business more effectively. Groupon POS works also works with an optional cash drawer and printer to automate and simplify your point of sale. Groupon POS works for a wide variety of merchants from cafes and delis, to salons, spas and florists. 9to5Mac points out that Groupon POS appears to be a scaled-down version of the Breadcrumb POS app Groupon acquired last year. Groupon already offers another mobile payments app called Groupon Merchants for the iPhone. Update: The app has disappeared from the App Store. Looks like it was released prematurely.
Groupon POS builds upon Breadcrumb with simplified point-of-sale interface for iPad (update: pulled)
Last year, Groupon acquired Breadcrumb, a New York City-based startup known for its affordable iPad-based point-of-sale system. Now, a new Groupon-branded version of the tool, called POS, arrived in the iTunes store this morning, giving merchants a venue to process and track customer tabs, with a much simpler interface. The app, which appears to be a significantly dumbed-down version of Breadcrumb, is compatible with an optional cash drawer and printer, according to the iTunes listing, but doesn't appear to offer advanced management functionality, such as time sheets and advanced reports (though basic stats are tracked). Groupon POS is available for download now at the source link below -- subscription info is lacking, but based on the limited functionality here, we wouldn't be surprised to hear that it's free. Update: Groupon has pulled the app from iTunes pending a future launch of the POS product, which will be released under a different name.
EVE Evolved: Temporarily fixing starbases
With its exploration-focused Odyssey expansion on the way, EVE Online is about to be hit with a deluge of players (new and old) venturing into the unknown. The expansion will introduce the yet-to-be-revealed Discovery Scanner and will add a ton of new exploration content all across New Eden. Odyssey aims to follow the lead of 2009's Apocrypha expansion, which saw hundreds of corporations lead lucrative expeditions into uncharted wormhole systems. We don't yet know whether the expansion will open new systems for exploration, but when Odyssey goes live, the race will be on to find and lay claim to all the goodies hidden in deep space. With no stations to dock at in wormhole space, corps currently have to store everything in destructible starbases that aren't really up to the task. Player-owned starbases were released in 2004 as sandbox-style tools for tech 2 industry and alliance territorial warfare. They were never intended to be the sole base of operations for an entire corporation, so they suffer from some pretty severe security and usability flaws as a result. Theft from ship and item hangars in wormhole space is commonplace, setting up corp roles for them is a nightmare, and living exclusively in a starbase provides a daily dose of frustration players could seriously do without. CCP has been planning to completely overhaul player-owned starbases for years, but some of today's issues can't afford to wait any longer. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at some of the chronic problems faced by starbase-dwelling explorers and how CCP plans to temporarily fix some of them for Odyssey.
