Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Square's feeling good, on pace to take $5 billion in payments per year]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/26/squares-feeling-good-on-pace-to-take-5-billion-in-payments-pe/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/26/squares-feeling-good-on-pace-to-take-5-billion-in-payments-pe/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/26/squares-feeling-good-on-pace-to-take-5-billion-in-payments-pe/#comments Square's feeling good, on pace to take $5 billion in payments per yearDespite growing competition from PayPal, Intuit and Verifone, it appears that Square's business is still going gangbusters. The grandaddy of all smartphone payment systems is set to take $5 billion in payments this year, up from $2 billion a scant six months ago. According to company COO Keith Rabois, such expansive growth has been fostered by the fact that Square makes the cash from transactions available to merchants the next business day -- a feature greatly appreciated by small businesses. Clearly, Huey Lewis was right, and you can see what we mean after the break.

Continue reading Square's feeling good, on pace to take $5 billion in payments per year

Square's feeling good, on pace to take $5 billion in payments per year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>credit cardcredit cardsCreditCardCreditCardsminipostmobile paymentsMobilePaymentspaymentpaymentssquaresquare mobile payment systemSquareMobilePaymentSystemThu, 26 Apr 2012 03:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Square gets a few more Chinese clones, Jack Dorsey may or may not be flattered]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/square-chinese-clones/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/square-chinese-clones/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/square-chinese-clones/#comments Never mind what PayPal has just unveiled today -- look at these mobile phone credit card readers from China instead. If you ask Square CEO Jack Dorsey, we're sure he'll have to a thing or two to say about these familiar-looking dongles (and not to mention the various weibo microblogging services that were inspired by Jack's Twitter platform). Coincidentally, all three of these pictures above showed up on Sina Weibo earlier today, albeit from different accounts with very little detail in each post -- we'd like to think they're trying to make a point one after the other. So who's behind these little plastic bricks from the Far East?

Starting from the left (courtesy of Xiaomi Vice President Li Wanqiang) we have Lakala, a well-known Chinese payment service provider whose POS terminals are featured in major supermarkets and convenience stores. We spoke to the company's CEO Sun Taoran who assured us that this is a booming business in China, as credit cards are more popular than you'd expect these days (most large eateries, supermarkets and even karaoke bars in domestic cities will happily accept them); and of course, he'd certainly want a slice of that massive smartphone pie over there. The Beijing-based company also said its dongle will function even without a phone client installed, but it wouldn't further elaborate at this point. Expect to see Lakala's product launch in May.

Continue reading Square gets a few more Chinese clones, Jack Dorsey may or may not be flattered

Square gets a few more Chinese clones, Jack Dorsey may or may not be flattered originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>99billchinacredit cardcredit card readerCreditCardCreditCardReaderiBoxPaylakalamobile card readermobile paymentMobileCardReaderMobilePaymentmobilepostcrossmoneypaymentpoint of salePointOfSalePOSQianDaiPaysmartphonesquareswipeunionpayYeahKaThu, 15 Mar 2012 17:53:00 EST<![CDATA[PayPal Here mobile card reader: it's like Square, but with way more frozen accounts]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/paypal-introduces-mobile-card-reader-square-rival/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/paypal-introduces-mobile-card-reader-square-rival/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/15/paypal-introduces-mobile-card-reader-square-rival/#comments Hear that? That's the sound of coins hitting the mental floor at a breakneck pace, and if PayPal's meteoric success is any indication of how it'll do in mobile... well, stockholders should be pleased. Nearly three years after first hearing of Jack Dorsey's Square (formerly 'Squirrel') project, the most hated division of eBay is coming out with a rival. President and CEO of eBay John Donahoe took the wraps off of the device at Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco today, with an aim to bring PayPal to "merchants in the offline world." The plastic triangle module plays a familiar role: pop it into an iPhone, load up an app and swipe until you just can't sell anything else. We're hearing that PayPal will charge merchants 2.7 percent (just 0.05 percent less than Square), but further details -- and even the thing's name -- are still developing.

As much as we jest about PayPal's polarizing nature, we've been victim to one too many unjustified account freezes to become overly joyous here, but we won't kvetch about a little competition. Here's hoping we see rates and fees on the decline thanks to another major player stepping up to bat, but something tells us those kinds of dreams are dreamt only by fools. That aside, the fact that famed designer Yves Behar (profiled here on The Engadget Show) and Fuseproject were tapped to engineer it gets a major thumbs-up from us.

Update: Looks like it'll go by the name Here. PayPal Here. Moreover, the hardware and app will be gratis, and shipments will begin to go out in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, and Australia today. Everyone else will need to sit tight for a few weeks, and we're still digging for information on compatibility beyond the iPhone.

Update 2: Look like Android support will be here at launch, but iOS devices will need to run iOS 4.0 or higher.

Continue reading PayPal Here mobile card reader: it's like Square, but with way more frozen accounts

PayPal Here mobile card reader: it's like Square, but with way more frozen accounts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappleeconomygooglegoogle androidGoogleAndroidhereiosiphonemobile card readermobile paymentsMobileCardReaderMobilePaymentsmoneypaymentpaypalpaypal herePaypalHeresquarevideoThu, 15 Mar 2012 13:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Square's new Register app turns the iPad into a full-on point of sale terminal]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/squares-new-register-app-turns-the-ipad-into-a-full-on-point-of/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/squares-new-register-app-turns-the-ipad-into-a-full-on-point-of/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/squares-new-register-app-turns-the-ipad-into-a-full-on-point-of/#comments Square's Register app turns the iPad into a full on point of sale terminalSquare continues to add functionality to its mobile payment platform, and the latest addition is its new Register app for iPad. The refresh brings a sleeker interface and greater Card Case integration along with analytics to break down sales by transaction type and chronology to track your business' performance. Additionally, you can set up custom permissions to limit employee access, create customer loyalty programs and there's an improved inventory system feature as well. Naturally, it still relies on Square's trusty card reader for swiping cards and charges 2.75 percent per transaction using Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express. Small businessmen, your payment chariot awaits, so check out a video of the new Square Register in action after the break.

Continue reading Square's new Register app turns the iPad into a full-on point of sale terminal

Square's new Register app turns the iPad into a full-on point of sale terminal originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appappscredit cardcredit card readerCreditCardCreditCardReaderipadminipostmobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentsmoneypaymentpoint of salepoint-of-salePointOfSaleregistersmall businessSmallBusinesssquaresquare registerSquareRegistertransactionTue, 06 Mar 2012 06:21:00 EST<![CDATA[T-Mobile brings Square to select small businesses, does the mobile payment thing]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/31/t-mobile-brings-square-to-select-small-businesses-does-the-mobi/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/31/t-mobile-brings-square-to-select-small-businesses-does-the-mobi/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/31/t-mobile-brings-square-to-select-small-businesses-does-the-mobi/#comments
T-Mobile is throwing some of its weight behind the mobile payment movement this morning, becoming the first carrier to offer Square credit card readers to a handful of retail outlets. Under the company's new campaign, stores equipped with T-Mobile smartphones will be able to use Jack Dorsey's readers to finalize transactions from the comfort of their palms. This should come in handy for cash-only businesses, in particular, as T-Mobile emphasized in its announcement today. It's all part of the provider's lineup of small business offerings, though not every retailer will be involved at launch. To see the full list of Squared-up outlets, check out the source link below.

Continue reading T-Mobile brings Square to select small businesses, does the mobile payment thing

T-Mobile brings Square to select small businesses, does the mobile payment thing originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesscashcommerceconsumercredit cardcredit card readerCreditCardCreditCardReadercustomermobile paymentMobilePaymentmobilepostcrossmoneypaymentreadersmall businessSmallBusinesssquareT-MobiletransactionwalletTue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Square's perimeter gets larger, now sold at UPS and OfficeMax locations]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/08/square-officemax-ups-partnership-ios-mobile-payments/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/08/square-officemax-ups-partnership-ios-mobile-payments/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/08/square-officemax-ups-partnership-ios-mobile-payments/#commentsWhat's a company to do once it grabs a million merchants? Grab a million more, naturally. Following an online rollout and a wider spread to Apple Stores, Jack Dorsey's own Square is expanding to OfficeMax and UPS locations. A couple of months back, the outfit announced that it was handling some $11 million in payments per day (a wild increase from $4 million per day in July), and with the new agreements, Square payment devices are being sold at 10,000 retail locations. The hardware itself will sell for $9.99 in stores, but each buyer can redeem a $10 credit to their bank account. Beyond this? It's reportedly hoping to "upgrade the experience of running a business, end-to-end, on the iPad," with the outfit adding "in-depth merchant analytics to its iPad experience, allowing merchants to access information about which inventory is selling well, and what they can do to help make more money." Oh, and in case you couldn't guess, Square's also looking to staff up even more to tackle all of 2012's goals -- three cheers for job creation, yeah?

Square's perimeter gets larger, now sold at UPS and OfficeMax locations originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brick and mortarBrickAndMortarbusinesscard caseCardCaseexpansioniosjack dorseyJackDorseyminipostmobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentsofficemaxpaymentpaymentsretailsquaretransactionsupsSun, 08 Jan 2012 16:12:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T and Intuit square up to... Square (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/08/atandt-and-intuit-square-up-to-square-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/08/atandt-and-intuit-square-up-to-square-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/08/atandt-and-intuit-square-up-to-square-video/#comments
Better watch your back, Jack. Smartphone-payment player Intuit has formed an unholy alliance with AT&T to produce Intuit GoPayment for AT&T (these guys love the sound of their own names) in the hope of muscling in on Square's burgeoning smartphone mobile payments game. Time and money-poor small business people just need to insert the reader into the headphone socket of their phone (or tablet) and fire up the app. The partnership is offering faster deposits, no monthly service charge (mind that 2.7 percent commission per use, though) and the backing of a massive telecoms corporation. The service also forwards email receipts to customers and integrates with Quickbooks to save a further job when it's the end of quarter. The partnership thinks that mobile transactions will be in the trillions and, understandably, want in on that action. After the break you can watch an informative video and read all the gory details in the joint press release.

Continue reading AT&T and Intuit square up to... Square (video)

AT&T and Intuit square up to... Square (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppsATTCommerceCredit CardCredit Card ReaderCreditCardCreditCardReaderE-CommerceGoPaymentIntuitIntuit GoPaymentIntuitGopaymentMobile PaymentsMobilePaymentsmobilepostcrossPaymentSmartphone PaymentSmartphonePaymentSquareTablet PaymentTabletPaymentvideoTue, 08 Nov 2011 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon to offer Intuit's GoPayment in retail stores, free after rebate]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/25/verizon-to-offer-intuits-gopayment-in-retail-stores-free-after/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/25/verizon-to-offer-intuits-gopayment-in-retail-stores-free-after/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/25/verizon-to-offer-intuits-gopayment-in-retail-stores-free-after/#comments There's nothing worse than missing out on your favorite street meat because you've only got plastic. But even smaller vendors may soon be able to process that dollar hot dog with a credit card, as Verizon Wireless is making Intuit's GoPayment card reader available in its 2,300 retail stores. The small business-friendly machine plugs into a BlackBerry, Android or iOS device to transform the smartphone or tablet into a credit card processing machine using a free app. After a $30 mail-in rebate, the hardware is free with no monthly fees and a 2.7-percent fee per transaction. Merchants who upgrade to the premium version for $12.95 per month will only have to fork over 1.7-percent fee per swipe, bringing the net income on that dollar tube of processed meat to just over 98 cents. Plus, Intuit is throwing in two months gratis for the paid version. Check out the full PR after the break, and don't forget the ketchup and mustard.

Continue reading Verizon to offer Intuit's GoPayment in retail stores, free after rebate

Verizon to offer Intuit's GoPayment in retail stores, free after rebate originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappappleappsblackberrycredit cardcredit card readerCreditCardCreditCardReadergopaymentintuitiosmobile appmobile paymentsMobileAppMobilePaymentsmobilepostminipaymentpaymentssquareverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzwThu, 25 Aug 2011 13:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Square app update lets iOS users buy cookies on credit, sans signature]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/23/square-2-1-app-update-lets-ios-users-buy-cookies-on-credit-sans/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/23/square-2-1-app-update-lets-ios-users-buy-cookies-on-credit-sans/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/23/square-2-1-app-update-lets-ios-users-buy-cookies-on-credit-sans/#comments
Heads up, card swipers, because Square has just issued an update to its iOS credit card app. Version 2.1 brings enhanced transaction speeds and a streamlined tipping interface to iPhone and iPad users, along with added support for $0.00 price points. Plus, any purchases below $25 will no longer require a signature, meaning you can safely buy that latte while keeping human interaction to a bare minimum. If you're interested in making the jump, hit up the source link below.

[Thanks, Chris]

Square app update lets iOS users buy cookies on credit, sans signature originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.1appapplicationcredit cardCreditCardfinanceiosipadiphoneitunesmobile paymentMobilePaymentmobilepostcrossmoneypaymentpurchasesignaturesoftwaresquaresquare credit card readerSquareCreditCardReaderswipetiptippingupdateversion 2.1Version2.1Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:34:00 EST<![CDATA[iZettle's chip-reading Square competitor will take your money, no swipes required (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/izettles-chip-reading-square-competitor-will-take-your-money-n/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/izettles-chip-reading-square-competitor-will-take-your-money-n/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/izettles-chip-reading-square-competitor-will-take-your-money-n/#comments
Everyone seems to be getting on board with Square's iPhone credit card reader -- Apple started selling the device in its stores last week, and even Visa has taken a financial interest in the company. However, due to the popularity of fraud-fighting chip-enabled smart cards on the other side of the pond, Square's offering doesn't quite fit the bill. iZettle has a similar solution for Europe that includes the ever-so-necessary smart card reader, which the company is launching in Sweden this June. Not only does it enable you to accept credit card payments from friends or customers, the app adds a social twist. Merchants can email a photograph and receipt to buyers, who can then share their latest spoils on Facebook. Of course, if this starts to catch on, it could make explaining that "awesome deal" you scored on a new laptop that much more difficult when it pops up on your significant other's news feed.

[Thanks, David]

Continue reading iZettle's chip-reading Square competitor will take your money, no swipes required (video)

iZettle's chip-reading Square competitor will take your money, no swipes required (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 23:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apple iphoneAppleIphonechip and pinchip and pin fraudChipAndPinChipAndPinFraudeuropeeuropean unionEuropeanUnioniphone appIphoneAppizettlemicro transactionsMicroTransactionsmobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentspaymentsmart cardSmartCardsquareswedenvideoThu, 28 Apr 2011 23:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Square's Jack Dorsey calls VeriFone's vulnerability claims 'not fair or accurate']]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/squares-jack-dorsey-calls-verifones-vulnerability-claims-not/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/squares-jack-dorsey-calls-verifones-vulnerability-claims-not/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/squares-jack-dorsey-calls-verifones-vulnerability-claims-not/#comments We had a feeling that Square wouldn't let VeriFone call it out without issuing some sort of statement, and CEO Jack Dorsey has responded to the claims of a gaping security hole in the form of an open letter on the company's website. Dorsey calls its competitor's accusations "not fair or accurate" and says that many of the necessary security measures are already built-in to your credit card itself. He also points out that this sort of credit card number thievery is possible every time you hand your plastic over to a waiter or salesperson, and that its partner bank, JPMorgan Chase, stands behinds all aspects of the service. To us, it seems like Verifone is more than a little scared at the prospect of Square undercutting its fees and potentially upending the POS business -- but we're just theorizing. One thing is for sure though, we'll be hearing a lot more about this as the mobile payment war heats up in the future.

Square's Jack Dorsey calls VeriFone's vulnerability claims 'not fair or accurate' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dorseyflawjack dorseyJackDorseymobile paymentMobilePaymentpaymentsecuritysecurity flawsecurity holeSecurityFlawSecurityHolesquareverifoneThu, 10 Mar 2011 14:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Square mobile payment readers now shipping again to tiny transaction tycoons]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/square-mobile-payment-readers-now-shipping-again-to-tiny-transac/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/square-mobile-payment-readers-now-shipping-again-to-tiny-transac/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/13/square-mobile-payment-readers-now-shipping-again-to-tiny-transac/#comments The Square payment system hasn't exactly had a smooth road to availability, with deliveries put on hold back in June due to an ominous "credit processing and risk issue." If that didn't scare you away from accepting small payments from the company's tiny credit card swipers, rejoice, because they appear to be shipping again -- at least to some. Sally over at the Square support forums posted that she was sent the following message:
We started rolling out Square card readers and one is now coming your way from our fulfillment center in Saint Louis. It will arrive on your doorstep in the next few days.
A few others it seems have also received the same note. How about you? Is your little, different credit card reader on the way?

[Thanks, Sam]

Square mobile payment readers now shipping again to tiny transaction tycoons originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple iphoneAppleIphonecredit card readerCreditCardReaderiphonemobile paymentmobile transactionMobilePaymentMobileTransactionpaymentpayment systemPaymentSystemsquareFri, 13 Aug 2010 10:44:00 EST<![CDATA[Square working on 'a credit processing and risk issue' before shipping more card readers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/19/square-working-on-a-credit-processing-and-risk-issue-before-sh/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/19/square-working-on-a-credit-processing-and-risk-issue-before-sh/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/19/square-working-on-a-credit-processing-and-risk-issue-before-sh/#comments If you've tried to get in on Square's mobile payment system, you know that a critical part of the whole setup is the tiny credit card reader that plugs into your phone's headphone jack -- and in all likelihood, you don't have it. The company just sent out a message to those who've signed up for their service today, saying that a prior hardware shortage is resolved but that it's only half of the problem; the other half, and arguably a more serious one, is that the company needs to find a way to "handle the huge demand for readers and still manage the risk of chargebacks and fraud." So far, those risks have been mitigated by setting limits very low, but customers have apparently complained that they're too low, which is requiring a "rethinking and expanding" of the company's underwriting. Everyone's being assured that they'll be good to go once this whole process is over and clients go through a credit check -- but in the meantime, Square readers might be a little scarce, so it's back to IOUs and pocket change for a while. See the full letter after the break.

Continue reading Square working on 'a credit processing and risk issue' before shipping more card readers

Square working on 'a credit processing and risk issue' before shipping more card readers originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Jun 2010 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentspaymentpaymentssquareSat, 19 Jun 2010 10:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Adafruit is in the Square payment pilot, awesomeness will likely ensue]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/25/adafruit-is-in-the-square-payment-pilot-awesomeness-will-likely/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/25/adafruit-is-in-the-square-payment-pilot-awesomeness-will-likely/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/25/adafruit-is-in-the-square-payment-pilot-awesomeness-will-likely/#comments Our good friends at Adafruit Industries are now taking mobile payments with the best of 'em thanks to a prerelease Square dongle they've managed to score, ostensibly as a part of the public trial announced earlier this month. They've posted a quick video showing the process of taking someone's cash via plastic, and it looks every bit as painless as Square makes it out to be -- just swipe, sign with your fingertip, and your Square-equipped payee is a few dollars richer. The particular dongle Adafruit's been provided looks rough to say the least -- these aren't the units you'll be getting off the shelf -- but that's part of the fun of being involved with a beta, isn't it? Head over to Adafruit to peep the video, and needless to say, we're curious to see how they plan to make use of this little bugger.

Adafruit is in the Square payment pilot, awesomeness will likely ensue originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adafruit industriesAdafruitIndustriesiphonepaymentPayments CouncilPaymentsCouncilsquaresquare paymentsSquarePaymentsThu, 25 Feb 2010 13:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Square opens public trial for iPhone payment system]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/square-opens-public-trial-for-iphone-payment-system/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/square-opens-public-trial-for-iphone-payment-system/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/11/square-opens-public-trial-for-iphone-payment-system/#comments 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.

Continue reading Square opens public trial for iPhone payment system

Square opens public trial for iPhone payment system originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appapplebetacredit cardCreditCarddongleiphoneiphone payment systemIphonePaymentSystemlaunchlaunchespaymentpayment systemPaymentSystempilotsoftwareSquareThu, 11 Feb 2010 20:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Square payment dongle demoed for iPhone toting hippies and you (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/18/square-payment-dongle-demoed-for-iphone-toting-hippies-and-you/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/18/square-payment-dongle-demoed-for-iphone-toting-hippies-and-you/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/18/square-payment-dongle-demoed-for-iphone-toting-hippies-and-you/#comments 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.

Continue reading Square payment dongle demoed for iPhone toting hippies and you (video)

Square payment dongle demoed for iPhone toting hippies and you (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appcredit cardCreditCarddongleiphonepaymentsquareMon, 18 Jan 2010 01:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Square iPhone payment system gets itself a website, showcased in public]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/square-iphone-payment-system-gets-itself-a-website-showcased-in/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/square-iphone-payment-system-gets-itself-a-website-showcased-in/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/01/square-iphone-payment-system-gets-itself-a-website-showcased-in/#comments Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and the quiet startup formerly known as Squirrel are finally opening up a bit. The company now called Square, as we noted back in October, has launched a website for its iPhone payment dongle, although it's still in somewhat private beta testing. TechCrunch managed to catch up with Dorsey, who gave a brief overview of the product and then showed it off by charging $4 for a cup of coffee -- so it goes in San Francisco. See Square in action after the break.

Continue reading Square iPhone payment system gets itself a website, showcased in public

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Square iPhone payment system gets itself a website, showcased in public originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bankbankingcredit cardCreditCarddongleiphoneiphone dongleiphone payment systemIphoneDongleIphonePaymentSystemjack dorseyJackDorseypaymentpaymentssquaresquare iphone payment systemsquare upSquareIphonePaymentSystemSquareUpsquirrelstart upStartUptwitterTue, 01 Dec 2009 16:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter founder Jack Dorsey's Squirrel project revealed... as the Square iPhone Payment System]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/17/twitter-founder-jack-dorseys-squirrel-project-revealed-as-th/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/17/twitter-founder-jack-dorseys-squirrel-project-revealed-as-th/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/17/twitter-founder-jack-dorseys-squirrel-project-revealed-as-th/#comments Remember the Square iPhone Payment System we told you about back in August? If you'll recall, the device -- which involves an iPhone app and associated dongle -- enables an iPhone or iPod touch to become a kind of mini credit card reader, allowing payments to be taken on the spot, no matter where you are or how big (or small) the transaction may be. When we'd first reported the device, word on the street was that it was only being alpha tested around New York City, and there wasn't much else to say. Now, we may have a little more insight on just where this device is headed, and who's behind the project.

Jack Dorsey, the man who all but built Twitter in a matter of two weeks, has been working on a half-secret start-up project since around May. His new venture -- dubbed, funnily enough, Squirrel -- is based around the concept of using the iPhone as... yep, a portable, personal cash register; essentially the exact device which Square has created. And that's no accident. In the images we ran of the Square system, you can see a domain name on a receipt: squareup.com. Squareup.com is the domain of the Square System (obviously), and a casual investigation into the site's WHOIS profile reveals registrant info that points to an office in San Francisco, and a contact email address which reads... billing@paybysquirrel.com. Square, squirrel, square... are you getting it? So the cat, er, squirrel appears to be out of the bag. Now the question is whether or not Dorsey and co. can turn this fairly obscure piece of tech into the kind of firestorm which Twitter has become -- and who knows, maybe there'll even be a business model this time.

[Thanks, Little Birdie]

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Twitter founder Jack Dorsey's Squirrel project revealed... as the Square iPhone Payment System originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bankbankingcredit cardCreditCarddonglefeaturesiphonejack dorseyJackDorseypaymentpaymentssquaresquare iphone payment systemsquare upSquareIphonePaymentSystemSquareUpsquirrelstart upstart upsStartUpStartUpstwitterSat, 17 Oct 2009 12:54:00 EST