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[Groupon reportedly experimenting with Square competitor]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/26/groupon-reportedly-experimenting-with-square-competitor/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/26/groupon-reportedly-experimenting-with-square-competitor/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/26/groupon-reportedly-experimenting-with-square-competitor/#comments Groupon reportedly experimenting with Square competitor

Square, PayPal, Intuit, Verifone -- the mobile payments field (and we're not talking wallets here) is seriously crowded already. So, the question is then, why on Earth would Groupon want to join the fray? We're not entirely sure, but VentureBeat is reporting the coupon service is preparing to do just that. According to a source within the company, Groupon is testing card-reading dongle and payment platform with surprisingly aggressive pricing. According to the insider, transaction fees will be 1.8 percent, on top of a $0.15 base charge. By comparison, square charges a flat 2.75 percent. Interestingly, the source also claims that Groupon is handing out, not just free readers, but free iPod touches to plug them into. The move makes obvious sense since the company snatched up Kima Labs, makers of TapBuy, in February. Besides, it could easily integrate its discount offers with the platform as a value added service. None of this is confirmed just yet but, we certainly wont be surprised if this rumor pans out.

Groupon reportedly experimenting with Square competitor originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 18:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>groupongroupon paymentsGrouponPaymentsipod touchIpodTouchmobile paymentsMobilePaymentsretailersrumorsquareSat, 26 May 2012 18:54:00 EST<![CDATA[PayPal and Softbank announce new joint venture in Japan, mobile app]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/paypal-softbank-joint-venture-japan-paypale-here/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/paypal-softbank-joint-venture-japan-paypale-here/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/paypal-softbank-joint-venture-japan-paypale-here/#comments Image

PayPal has joined forces with Softbank to bring its mobile payment system / digital wallet to Japan. PayPal Here uses an encrypted card reader -- like its BFF Square, and more recently, VeriFone -- to minimize users' cash dependency. There's also a redesigned app that makes it easier for customers to locate participating merchants while they're out and about. The $25 million joint venture targets small businesses, especially those using iPhones (though it also works just fine on Android), and will be made available to the Japanese masses over the next several weeks. We're sure the setup will be used exclusively by the forces of good to stimulate the local economy.

PayPal and Softbank announce new joint venture in Japan, mobile app originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appcard readerCardReadercredit cardcredit card readercredit cardsCreditCardcreditcardreaderCreditCardsebayebay incEbayIncherejapanjapanesemobile paymentMobilePaymentmobilepostcrosspaypalpaypal herePaypalHeresoftbanksquareWed, 09 May 2012 15:31:00 EST<![CDATA[99Bill smartphone card reader pushes mobile payments for China, pretends it's never heard of Square]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/99bill-smartphone-card-reader-pushes-mobile-payments-for-china/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/99bill-smartphone-card-reader-pushes-mobile-payments-for-china/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/09/99bill-smartphone-card-reader-pushes-mobile-payments-for-china/#comments

Jostling for attention among a crowd of China-focused smartphone card readers, 99Bill's card reader has now been officially revealed. It plugs into your headphone jack and communicates with apps on both iOS and Android. The familiar-looking reader supports both passcode and signature security -- China matches several European countries where passcode cards are the more common option. The company has already hooked up with three insurance companies, but it's keeping quiet on the rates it'll charge per transaction and any further expansion plans. 99Bills lays down why it should be your go-to choice for smartphone payments in mainland China right after the break.

Continue reading 99Bill smartphone card reader pushes mobile payments for China, pretends it's never heard of Square

99Bill smartphone card reader pushes mobile payments for China, pretends it's never heard of Square originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>99bill99billschinacredit cardcredit card readerCreditCardCreditCardReadermobile paymentsMobilePaymentsPoint of salePointOfSalePOSsmartphone paymentSmartphonePaymentsquareWed, 09 May 2012 01:01:00 EST<![CDATA[VeriFone outs Sail mobile payment system, gives Square the evil eye]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/verifone-outs-sail-mobile-payment-system/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/verifone-outs-sail-mobile-payment-system/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/08/verifone-outs-sail-mobile-payment-system/#comments Image

VeriFone has decided that calling out claimed security holes and focusing on enterprise-level payment options aren't enough to take on Square. Sail goes more directly for Square's jugular, using its own plug-in dongle to handle major credit card payments in your local coffee shop or a mid-sized outlet. The VeriFone party trick comes through having multiple payment options, where shopkeeps can either choose to pay a flat 2.7 percent cut of every sale, or shell out a $10 monthly fee to lower the transactional take to 1.95 percent. Programming interfaces will let you hook in deals from social networks, too. And as you might expect, the company is still keen to tie Sail to its traditional payment systems, opening the door to NFC readers as well as other payment hardware that isn't quite as mobile. Stores with iPhones will be the only ones using the free Sail mobile apps and readers at first, but Android- and iPad-toting entrepreneurs will have their alternative to Square or PayPal Here as soon as the end of May.

VeriFone outs Sail mobile payment system, gives Square the evil eye originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappappscommercehereIOSipadiphonemobile appmobile appsmobile paymentmobile paymentsMobileAppMobileAppsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentsmobilepostcrossnear field communicationNearFieldCommunicationNFCpaypalpaypal herePaypalHerereadersailsquareterminalverifoneTue, 08 May 2012 09:23:00 EST<![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's Card Case rechristened 'Pay with Square,' is first to bring geo-fenced hands-free payments to Android]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/25/squares-card-case-rechristened-pay-with-square/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/25/squares-card-case-rechristened-pay-with-square/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/25/squares-card-case-rechristened-pay-with-square/#comments Image
You might know Square for accepting payments on your smartphone via a cute dongle, but you're probably less familiar with its second offshoot, Card Case -- a separate app that has enabled hands-free and NFC-free payments at over 70,000+ merchants for more than a year now. That effort is getting a complete overhaul today, cumulating in an entire rethink of the app and experience, in addition to its more-apt new title: Pay with Square. The redesigned UI loses its former card and leather-based garnish, opting instead for a simplified list of merchants sorted by distance and relevancy. Also making its debut is a search box, a spiffy map view and the ability to share merchants to friends through text, email or Twitter. We're most excited, though, for feature parity across iPhone and Android, which means formerly iOS-exclusive features like the auto-creation of tabs at pre-approved venues (thanks to iOS 5's geo-fencing APIs) are now present to green little robots everywhere. That's no small feat, as the company's had to roll their own geo-location API to pick up where Google's left off. Excited? Get your download on in the source links below.

Gallery: Pay with Square screenshots

Square's Card Case rechristened 'Pay with Square,' is first to bring geo-fenced hands-free payments to Android originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Mar 2012 21:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>card caseCardCasemobile paymentsMobilePaymentspay with SquarePayWithSquaresquareSun, 25 Mar 2012 21:33:00 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 takes on New York taxis with new iPad-based payment system]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/square-takes-on-new-york-taxis-with-new-ipad-based-payment-syste/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/square-takes-on-new-york-taxis-with-new-ipad-based-payment-syste/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/06/square-takes-on-new-york-taxis-with-new-ipad-based-payment-syste/#comments
Anyone who finds themselves in a New York taxi over the next few weeks stands a slim chance of getting their hands on Square's latest experiment. As The New York Times reports, the company will soon begin rolling out the first phase of its new mobile payment system for taxis, which will see 30 cabs equipped with an iPad encased in a metal housing that also includes a credit card reader. That will let folks swipe their card, sign their name on the screen with their finger, and then receive a receipt on their phone either by text or email; taxi drivers are also able to interact with the system, dubbed "Checker," using their own iPhone app. Unfortunately, details beyond that initial roll out remain a bit light, although Square is happy to point out that the system is completely silent and offers no other distractions.

Square takes on New York taxis with new iPad-based payment system originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cabcabsmobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentsnew yorknew york cityNewYorkNewYorkCitynycsquaretaxitaxisTue, 06 Mar 2012 17:12:00 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[Square snags one million merchants, liberates the cashless]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/square-snags-one-million-merchants-liberates-the-cashless/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/square-snags-one-million-merchants-liberates-the-cashless/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/square-snags-one-million-merchants-liberates-the-cashless/#comments
For those of us addicted to plastic, "I love you" hardly holds the same clout as those three magical words: "we accept credit." Taking the dream one step closer to plastic payment monogamy is the mobile checkout service, Square. According to founder Jack Dorsey, the company has hit a milestone today, signing up over one million small business owners ready to swipe. For merchants, all it takes is a Square reader and an iPhone, iPad or Android to start processing the plastic of the cash-o-phobic -- practically rendering those ATM pit stops pre-taco run or flea market excursion useless.

Square snags one million merchants, liberates the cashless originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcard readerCardReadercommercecredit cardcredit cardsCreditCardCreditCardsipadiphonejack dorseyJackDorseyminipostmobilemobile paymentsmobile serviceMobilePaymentsMobileServicesmall businessSmallBusinesssmartphonesquareWed, 14 Dec 2011 03:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Square adds customer loyalty and printable receipts to the mobile payment mix]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/square-adds-customer-loyalty-and-printable-receipts-to-the-mobil/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/square-adds-customer-loyalty-and-printable-receipts-to-the-mobil/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/square-adds-customer-loyalty-and-printable-receipts-to-the-mobil/#comments In case you haven't been paying attention, Square, the company that allows vendors to accept payments from various mobile devices, is starting to become a big deal. Now reporting days with over $11 million in transactions, the kids in San Francisco are looking to solve the pains of small business owners while driving repeat usage with a new opt-in customer loyalty system. Coming in the form of a software update, version 2.2 will empower merchants to track repeat visitors and offer sweet incentives to their regulars. For consumers, you'll be capable of seeing these discounts from within the Card Case app, along with letting your awesome presence be known to the shopkeeper -- so, don't be surprised when some owners come grovelin' at your feet. Not to become too futuristic, Square is also going old school with new features such as wireless control of cash drawers and receipt printing. After all, it's hard to look to the future without knowing from where you came.

Square adds customer loyalty and printable receipts to the mobile payment mix originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappappleappscard caseCardCasegoogleiOSiPhoneloyaltymobile paymentsMobilePaymentsmobilepostcrosspaymentssmartphonesmartphone paymentSmartphonePaymentsquaresquare card caseSquareCardCaseupdateupdatesTue, 15 Nov 2011 22:14:00 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[Square updates Card Case, enables hands-free payment on the iPhone]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/02/square-updates-card-case-enables-hands-free-payment-on-the-ipho/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/02/square-updates-card-case-enables-hands-free-payment-on-the-ipho/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/02/square-updates-card-case-enables-hands-free-payment-on-the-ipho/#comments Those of you living in a city graced by Square's Card Case have been gleefully opening tabs and making plastic-free payments at select merchants since May. Starting today, iPhone users will now save precious seconds of shopping time as opening tabs has been automated -- as soon as you're close enough to designated establishments, tabs open themselves courtesy of new geo-fencing APIs exposed in iOS 5. For those who are unfamiliar, the previous iPhone and Android apps required users to manually open those tabs from within the vicinity of a Square-approved merchant. After that, users complete purchases as before by simply confirming their name to a store clerk. That's one more step in society's never-ending quest for frictionless payments, but those with an evil twin or a stalking doppelgänger might want to think twice before joining the Square revolution.

Square updates Card Case, enables hands-free payment on the iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 22:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcard caseCardCaseiOSiPhonemobile paymentsMobilePaymentsmobilepostcrosspaymentssmartphonesmartphone paymentSmartphonePaymentsquaresquare card caseSquareCardCaseWed, 02 Nov 2011 22:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Square makes a larger mark on the brick-and-mortar scene, available in more outlets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/square-makes-a-larger-mark-on-the-brick-and-mortar-scene-availa/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/square-makes-a-larger-mark-on-the-brick-and-mortar-scene-availa/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/24/square-makes-a-larger-mark-on-the-brick-and-mortar-scene-availa/#comments
Best Buy, Target, Walmart, The Shack, Apple. All of the above are now proudly selling the Square credit card reader, according to a tweet sent out by CEO Jack Dorsey. It's great news for anyone willing to shell out a ten-spot in order to conduct business from their iOS device right away, rather than waiting between two and five days for a free one to show up in the mail. If you need one today, you'd best be calling up your local retail outlet to make sure they have some in stock.

Square makes a larger mark on the brick-and-mortar scene, available in more outlets originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple storeAppleStorebest buyBestBuycredit card readerCreditCardReaderiosipadiphonejack dorseyJackDorseymobilepostcrosson saleOnSaleradio shackRadioShacksalesquaretargetthe shackTheShackwalmartMon, 24 Oct 2011 13:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Square ditches $1,000 per week limits, has 800,000 merchants processing $2 billion per year]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/10/square-ditches-1-000-per-week-limits-has-800-000-merchants-pro/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/10/square-ditches-1-000-per-week-limits-has-800-000-merchants-pro/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/10/square-ditches-1-000-per-week-limits-has-800-000-merchants-pro/#comments Square Until now, when a merchant using Square racked up over $1,000 in payments in the course of a week, everything above that limit was held for a period of time, ranging from just a few hours up to a whole month. As of today, roughly a year and a half after the company's founding, that restriction has been lifted. Now all payments will be processed immediately and merchants will have access to the funds the next day. Square also announced that, in the year or so since it started offering its wares to the public, it has signed up 800,000 merchants who have processed over $2 billion in transactions. After ditching the $0.15 per-transaction charge and with the $1,000 per-week restriction limit lifted, we're sure those numbers will only increase in the year ahead.

Square ditches $1,000 per week limits, has 800,000 merchants processing $2 billion per year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>credit cardcredit cardsCreditCardCreditCardsiphonemobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentsmobilepostcrosssquaresquare mobile payment systemSquareMobilePaymentSystemMon, 10 Oct 2011 23:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Eyeborg filmmaker fires up eye-cam to document cutting edge prosthetics (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/28/eyeborg-filmmaker-fires-up-eye-cam-to-document-cutting-edge-pros/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/28/eyeborg-filmmaker-fires-up-eye-cam-to-document-cutting-edge-pros/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/28/eyeborg-filmmaker-fires-up-eye-cam-to-document-cutting-edge-pros/#comments Eyeborg In late 2008 filmmaker Rob Spence, caught our attention when he announced his plan to jam a video camera in his skull to replace an eye he lost to an unfortunate accident. Instead of connecting the camera to his brain, Spence sought to become a so-called "lifecaster," recording the feed on an external device. Now his bionic eye is up and running, and he's even partnered with a little company called Square Enix to create a documentary about state-of-the-art prosthetics and cybernetics. The short film, embedded after the break, was commissioned to celebrate the launch of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. But, this isn't just some over-long commercial for a game, it's a serious exploration of cutting edge leg, arm, and eye replacement technology. Check it out below, but be warned -- there are a few image that might not sit well with weaker stomachs.

Continue reading Eyeborg filmmaker fires up eye-cam to document cutting edge prosthetics (video)

Eyeborg filmmaker fires up eye-cam to document cutting edge prosthetics (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cyberneticscyborgcyborgsdeus exDeus Ex: Human RevolutionDeusExDeusEx:HumanRevolutioneye implanteyeborgeyeborg projectEyeborgProjectEyeImplantimplantimplantsmed techmedicalmedicineMedTechprostheticprostheticsrob spenceRobSpencesquaresquare enixSquareEnixvideoSun, 28 Aug 2011 16:38:00 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[Black Hat hackers demo Square card skimmer, feed it stolen credit card numbers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/square-found-to-be-ripe-for-fraud-turned-into-card-skimmer/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/square-found-to-be-ripe-for-fraud-turned-into-card-skimmer/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/05/square-found-to-be-ripe-for-fraud-turned-into-card-skimmer/#comments Square Here's some more fun out of Vegas, this time involving Jack Dorsey's Square and a little thing we like to call credit card fraud. Researchers from Aperture Labs (seriously) held two demonstrations at the Black Hat Conference. The first used a script, written by Adam Laurie, to convert stolen credit card data into a series of audio tones that were then fed to the Square app via the headphone jack on a phone -- removing the need to have a physical card. A second avenue of fraud, also using code authored by Laurie, turned the Square dongle into a skimmer. It intercepted incoming data, which is unencrypted, and spit out human readable numbers that could easily be used to clone a card. New hardware that encrypts information pulled from the magnetic strip is in the pipeline but, until then, it seems everyone's favorite smartphone-based payment service has some troublesome holes to fill.

Black Hat hackers demo Square card skimmer, feed it stolen credit card numbers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Adam LaurieAdamLaurieAperture absApertureAbsblack hatblack hat conferenceblack hat technical security conferenceBlackHatBlackHatConferenceBlackHatTechnicalSecurityConferencecredit card fraudcredit card skimmerCreditCardFraudCreditCardSkimmerfraudsecurityskimmerskimmingsquareFri, 05 Aug 2011 17:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows Phone changes logo, officially hip to be square]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/windows-phone-changes-logo-officially-hip-to-be-square/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/windows-phone-changes-logo-officially-hip-to-be-square/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/windows-phone-changes-logo-officially-hip-to-be-square/#comments What's in a logo? These days, it's everything -- it's one of the most recognizable symbols a company can have, and it appears Microsoft isn't taking its emblems lightly. Over the course of the past week we've noticed an interesting trend: the Windows Phone branding has shed the circle-based icon in exchange for a square-shaped variant, appropriately reflecting the platform's "tile" look and minimalist theme. We first thought this was a fluke when we peered at the new logo at Fujitsu's IS12T event last week, as though it were a localized version made for Japan; as it turns out, however, this is indeed an official change across the board. If you need more proof than the source link below, yesterday's press invite for Nokia's Gamescom party features the new squared variant as well. We're still holding out for a green robot-shaped logo, but this will have to do for now.

Windows Phone changes logo, officially hip to be square originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 02:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fujitsuiconlogologosmangomicrosoftnokiasquarewindows phone 7windows phone 7.5windows phone logoWindowsPhone7WindowsPhone7.5WindowsPhoneLogoTue, 02 Aug 2011 02:24:00 EST<![CDATA[VeriFone's new Payware Mobile Enterprise for Tablets looks a little Square]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/verifones-new-payware-mobile-enterprise-for-tablets-looks-a-lit/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/verifones-new-payware-mobile-enterprise-for-tablets-looks-a-lit/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/30/verifones-new-payware-mobile-enterprise-for-tablets-looks-a-lit/#comments
VeriFone added a new wrinkle to its ongoing battle for mobile payment supremacy yesterday, with the announcement of Payware Mobile Enterprise for Tablets -- a peripheral that will allow retailers to process transactions directly from any slate. Much like the company's Payware Mobile system, VeriFone's latest product involves a magnetic card reader and accompanying app that can turn any iPad or Android tablet into a handheld checkout unit. Geared toward larger enterprises, the new device also supports PIN verification for debit cards and NFC payments, rendering it compatible with Google Wallet, though it likely won't see a widespread release until 2012. Perhaps more intriguing is what this move could mean for the company's notoriously heated rivalry with Square. By explicitly targeting bigger retailers, VeriFone seems to be distinguishing itself from the small business-focused Square, despite the fact that its new product looks a lot like one of Jack Dorsey's creations -- or, as some CEOs would call them, "skimming devices."

VeriFone's new Payware Mobile Enterprise for Tablets looks a little Square originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesscommerceenterprisejack dorseyJackDorseymobile paymentMobilePaymentmoneypaywarepayware mobile enterprise for tabletsPaywareMobileEnterpriseForTabletsperipheralretailerrivalryskimming deviceSkimmingDevicesquaretabletverifoneThu, 30 Jun 2011 11:02:00 EST<![CDATA[NetSecure Kudos Payments announced for Canada, is the half-circle to Square]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/netsecure-kudos-payments-announced-for-canada-is-the-half-circl/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/netsecure-kudos-payments-announced-for-canada-is-the-half-circl/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/netsecure-kudos-payments-announced-for-canada-is-the-half-circl/#comments Canada may be moving to polymer-based currency, but mobile payment services like Square -- which cater to classic plastic -- haven't yet taken time to trek to the Great White North. NetSecure is looking to offer similar convenience to the region with its new Kudos Payments service, which just so happens to ship with a shockingly curvy swiping dongle. Similar to Square, it creates a secure 'point of sale' without a hard-wired transaction terminal, and charges a slightly higher 2.9-percent fee to users' accounts for each exchange. Kudos has iOS, Android, and Blackberry apps to tap into the functionality and, even a version for Mac and PC -- in other words, you and yours should be suitably covered. Any roving entrepreneurs who are interested in the service will be able to snag the $49.99 kit free of charge from the company's website for a "limited time," which may or may not expire before Google decides to open its own Wallet a few miles kilometers north.

Continue reading NetSecure Kudos Payments announced for Canada, is the half-circle to Square

NetSecure Kudos Payments announced for Canada, is the half-circle to Square originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidblackberrybusinesscanadacanadiancanadian dollarCanadianDollarcashcreditcredit cardcredit cardsCreditCardCreditCardsencryptionentrepenursentrepreneurgoogle walletGoogleWalletioskudoskudos paymentsKudosPaymentsmacmobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentsnet secureNetSecurenfcpcplasticpoint of salePointOfSalesmall businessSmallBusinesssmart swipeSmartSwipesoftwaresquareWed, 22 Jun 2011 13:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Netflix, Foursquare, LinkedIn, and Square apps expose your data]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/09/netflix-foursquare-and-linkedin-android-apps-expose-your-passw/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/09/netflix-foursquare-and-linkedin-android-apps-expose-your-passw/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/09/netflix-foursquare-and-linkedin-android-apps-expose-your-passw/#comments Failsquare

Here's a little tip for app developers: encrypt everything, especially passwords. Security firm viaForensics fed some popular iPhone and Android apps through its appWatchdog tool and found that Netflix, LinkedIn, and Foursquare all stored account passwords unencrypted. Since the results were first published on the 6th, Foursquare has updated its app to obscure users' passwords, but other data (such as search history) is still vulnerable. While those three were the worst offenders, other apps also earned a big fat "fail," such as the iOS edition of Square which stores signatures, transaction amounts, and the last four digits of credit card numbers unencrypted. Most of this data would take some effort to steal, but it's not impossible for a bunch of ne'er-do-wells to create a piece malware that can harvest it. Let's just hope Netflix and LinkedIn patch this hole quickly -- last thing we need is someone discovering our secret obsession with Meg Ryan movies.

Netflix, Foursquare, LinkedIn, and Square apps expose your data originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidappappleappsappwatchdogbest practicesBestPracticesencryptionflawflawsfoursquaregoogleiosiphonelinkedinnetflixprivacyreportsecuritysquareunencryptedviaforensicsvulnerabilityThu, 09 Jun 2011 19:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Register and Card Case hands-on]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/square-register-and-card-case-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/square-register-and-card-case-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/square-register-and-card-case-hands-on/#comments It looks like Square's little headphone jack-connected credit card reader has some company. The mobile payment startup introduced two new additions to its unique stable of payment options in San Francisco this morning that do away with credit cards, paper receipts, and even the bantam reader itself (to some degree). First up is the Square Register, an app that allows merchants to accept payments by way of the card reader or through a card-less (no, it's not NFC) tab -- like, "put it on my tab" -- system, and uses Google-style analytics to keep track of payments, receipts, and trends. The second announcement, the Square Card Case, is a virtual wallet that holds a series of "cards," each relating to a participating outlet, that let you put your purchases on the aforementioned tab. Each shop has its own virtual credit card, and enables shoppers to make and track purchases with a single click of a button. We got a chance to give the setup a try, and it's just about as simple as Square would have you believe.

To get started, you make a regular, Square-enabled purchase at a participating store, at which point a text-message receipt is sent to your phone that prompts you to install Card Case -- we skipped this step, as this was just a demo. Once set up, we were introduced to the Card Case, holding cards for the participating stores -- only 50 spots in five cities, for now -- and an "Explore Places" button that offers access to a directory of participating outlets. We selected a nearby cupcake stand, clicked "open tab" and picked our poison: a miniature red velvet cupcake, in this case. The merchant picked our name from a list of open tabs, charged the tiny treat to our card, and a receipt was promptly pushed our way. After the transaction was complete, we went back to the cupcake card in the Card Case, and there was the receipt. All in all it was a painless process, but, then, so is whipping out a real wallet to make a purchase. The new Square setup is available now at 50 different establishments in New York, LA, Saint Louis, San Francisco, and DC, and the company says it will curate the list of participating stores, much like Apple does apps.

Gallery: Square Register and Card Case hands-on

Filed under: ,

Square Register and Card Case hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesscard casecard readerCardCaseCardReaderCredit cardcredit card paymentcredit card paymentscredit card readerCreditCardCreditCardPaymentCreditCardPaymentsCreditCardReaderdonglehands-oniphone credit card paymentIphoneCreditCardPaymentjack dorseyJackDorseymobile paymentMobilePaymentpoint of salePointOfSaleregisterSquaresquare card casesquare registerSquareCardCaseSquareRegisterMon, 23 May 2011 16:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Square to add encryption to mobile card reader, skimmers put on notice]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/29/square-to-add-encryption-to-mobile-card-reader-skimmers-put-on/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/29/square-to-add-encryption-to-mobile-card-reader-skimmers-put-on/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/29/square-to-add-encryption-to-mobile-card-reader-skimmers-put-on/#comments
It's only been a couple days since we first heard about Visa's involvement with Square, but the credit card giant is already making its mark on the mobile payment startup. At the Visa Global Security Summit on Wednesday, Square Security Lead Sam Quigley revealed that the company will distribute an encrypted card reader this summer, which will work exclusively with its mobile payment app. The current reader theoretically scans credit card data to any app, but the encrypted version will only work with Square, which should alleviate VeriFone's concern that the company was essentially distributing "card skimmers" to anyone with a social security number. Luckily, the new encrypted reader will remain free, giving Square a colossal advantage over VeriFone's Payware Mobile product, which carries a $49 activation fee, in addition to standard merchant fees. Not to mention, it isn't available in white.

Square to add encryption to mobile card reader, skimmers put on notice originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecreditcredit cardcredit card readerCreditCardCreditCardReaderencryptioniPhonejack dorseyJackDorseymobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentssam quigleySamQuigleysquaresquare enSquareEnverifoneVeriFone Payware MobileVerifonePaywareMobilevisaVisa Global Security SummitVisaGlobalSecuritySummitFri, 29 Apr 2011 16:51:00 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 gets financial backing from Visa, asks to see some ID]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/27/square-gets-financial-backing-from-visa-asks-to-see-some-id/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/27/square-gets-financial-backing-from-visa-asks-to-see-some-id/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/27/square-gets-financial-backing-from-visa-asks-to-see-some-id/#comments
Everything's coming up Jack Dorsey these days. Last week Apple started stocking Square's iPhone credit card readers in its 235 US retail locations, and now, according to Reuters, Visa has put its plastic where its mouth is. The credit card giant has invested in the personal payments startup, scoring itself a spot on Square's advisory board in the process. No word on how much Visa is actually dropping on the company, but one thing stands to reason: it probably didn't make the deposit via Verifone. If you would like to invest in a Square reader, it'll cost you a lot less -- the company is still offering smartphone plug-ins for free on its site.

Square gets financial backing from Visa, asks to see some ID originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecreditcredit cardcredit card readerCreditCardCreditCardReaderinvestmentiPhonejack dorseyJackDorseymobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentssquaretwitterverifonevisaWed, 27 Apr 2011 21:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Square Enix launches Hippos Lab for smartphone game development]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/square-enix-launches-hippos-lab-for-smartphone-game-development/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/square-enix-launches-hippos-lab-for-smartphone-game-development/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/24/square-enix-launches-hippos-lab-for-smartphone-game-development/#commentsSquare Enix isn't exactly a stranger to the smartphone scene, but it looks like the company behind Final Fantasy (among countless other games) is now going to be moving quite a bit beyond ports of its existing games for other consoles. The company has just announced the launch of its new Hippos Lab game development studio, which will be primarily focused on creating "high quality original content" for smartphones. Details are unfortunately still pretty light beyond that, but the studio has apparently been up and running since March 7th, and it says it hopes to have its first game "ready soon." No word if they've scored the license for Hungry Hungry Hippos.

Square Enix launches Hippos Lab for smartphone game development originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appappsgamesgaminghippos labHipposLabsmartphonesquaresquare enixSquareEnixThu, 24 Mar 2011 15:17:00 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[VeriFone calls out Square for 'gaping security hole,' publishes sample app to demonstrate]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/09/verifone-calls-out-square-for-gaping-security-hole-publishes/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/09/verifone-calls-out-square-for-gaping-security-hole-publishes/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/09/verifone-calls-out-square-for-gaping-security-hole-publishes/#comments VeriFone, a huge provider of credit card processing systems that's been around since time immemorial, has taken a huge swipe at upstart Square today, branding its free, headphone jack-based credit card readers "skimming devices" and demanding their immediate removal from the market. Crazy, right? VeriFone's CEO has thrown up a YouTube video talking about the exploit its thrown together, and it's more of a social engineering hack than a technical one: a bad guy makes a fake Square app for his phone, plugs in the reader, and steals your unencrypted credit card details without running a "real" payment through Square's system. They're really going big with this, too -- not only is VeriFone's sample app available for download, but they've sent notices to Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and JP Morgan Chase, which handles Square's processing. Sounds like a possible problem, sure -- but when the "exploit" is being announced in such grand fashion by a company that's most threatened by Square's business model, you can't help but feel a little icky about it. Follow the break for video.

Continue reading VeriFone calls out Square for 'gaping security hole,' publishes sample app to demonstrate

VeriFone calls out Square for 'gaping security hole,' publishes sample app to demonstrate originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>securitysecurity holeSecurityHoleskimskimmingsquareverifonevideoWed, 09 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Square mobile payment system gets simpler pricing, keeps angular shape]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/23/square-mobile-payment-system-gets-simpler-pricing-keeps-angular/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/23/square-mobile-payment-system-gets-simpler-pricing-keeps-angular/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/23/square-mobile-payment-system-gets-simpler-pricing-keeps-angular/#commentsSquare mobile payment system gets simpler pricing, keeps angular shape If you hate doing math and you run a small business then surely you've looked longingly at mobile credit card systems like Square's longingly. No handling of cash certainly would make life easier, but Square's system of fees and surcharges weren't exactly easy to figure out themselves. Now the company has simplified things, dropping the $.15 per-transaction fee for swiped purchases, charging a simple 2.75 percent on each transaction. If, however, that transaction is being made without swiping the actual card the $.15 transaction fee sadly comes back, but the percentage fee has gone down from 4.0 percent to 3.5. So, a little less of your handiwork will be absorbed by the man.

[Thanks, Brent]

Square mobile payment system gets simpler pricing, keeps angular shape originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecredit cardcredit cardsCreditCardCreditCardsiphonemobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentssquaresquare mobile payment systemSquareMobilePaymentSystemWed, 23 Feb 2011 09:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Dispute over Square card reader patent gets litigious]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/03/dispute-over-square-card-reader-patent-gets-litigious/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/03/dispute-over-square-card-reader-patent-gets-litigious/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/03/dispute-over-square-card-reader-patent-gets-litigious/#comments As folks who follow such things may be aware, there's been some dispute over the origin of Square's card reader technology more or less since the company (led by Twitter's Jack Dorsey) went public with it last year. That dispute has now gotten even more contentious, however, with Square and its chairman, James McKelvey, taking aim at REM Holdings and Robert Morley, who actually holds the patent to the technology. The key issue is that McKelvey is not listed as one of the inventors in the patent, despite claims that he was the one that actually conceived the idea in a "flash of inventive insight," and that he and Morley worked together to develop the idea (and later discussed obtaining patent protection with Jack Dorsey). And that's pretty much where things stand at the moment -- Square is requesting a court order to add McKelvey as a co-inventor on the patent, but there's no indication as to when or if that will happen.

Dispute over Square card reader patent gets litigious originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disputeiphonelawlawsuitmobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentspatentpatent disputepatent lawsuitPatentDisputePatentLawsuitsquaresquare card readerSquareCardReaderFri, 03 Dec 2010 14:19:00 EST<![CDATA[iPod nano redesigned: smaller, lighter, better and costing $149 for 8GB or $179 for 16GB]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/ipod-nano-redesigned/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/ipod-nano-redesigned/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/ipod-nano-redesigned/#comments Apple has just revealed its 6th generation iPod nano, which has been outfitted with just about the boldest redesign the portable media player has experienced yet. Gone is the clickwheel, to be replaced with a touchscreen interface and a shuffle-esque square form factor. It's now 46 percent smaller and 42 percent lighter. Hard volume buttons on the side and a clip on the back provide the minimal hardware accouterments to that multitouch touchscreen, while the inside provides enough juice for 24 hours of audio playback. Seven total color variants will be up for grabs, including a Product RED option, with prices set at $149 for 8GB of storage or $179 for 16GB and pre-orders being taken today.

P.S. -- If you were looking for that awesome camera the nano used to have, stop. It ain't there anymore. We've also noted that there's no video playback to be found anymore, either.

Gallery: iPod nano gets a major overhaul

Gallery: Apple iPod nano (2010) press images

Continue reading iPod nano redesigned: smaller, lighter, better and costing $149 for 8GB or $179 for 16GB

iPod nano redesigned: smaller, lighter, better and costing $149 for 8GB or $179 for 16GB originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applebreaking newsBreakingNewsdesigneventfall 2010Fall2010ipodipod 2010ipod nanoipod nano 2010ipod nano 6gIpod2010IpodNanoIpodNano2010IpodNano6gkeynotelaunchmp3 playerMp3Playermusic playerMusicPlayernanonano 2010nano 6gNano2010Nano6gpmpredesignrefreshsquareupdateupgradeWed, 01 Sep 2010 13:24:00 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[Motorola Flipout makes North American debut with a Rogers exclusive]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/05/motorola-flipout-makes-north-american-debut-with-a-rogers-exclus/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/05/motorola-flipout-makes-north-american-debut-with-a-rogers-exclus/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/05/motorola-flipout-makes-north-american-debut-with-a-rogers-exclus/#comments In another case of Canadians getting things ahead of their southerly neighbors, the Motorola Flipout has made its journey across the Atlantic and settled on Rogers as its first North American carrier. 3-year contractual commitments will be greeted with a lowly C$30 charge for the phone, or if you can't bear the thought of being locked in for so long, you can buy the flipping thing outright for C$375. As a quick reminder, the Flipout runs on Google's Android 2.1 OS, but embellishes things a little with a freshened up variety of the Motoblur UI. If that, together with the "hip to be square" form factor, sounds like your slice of pie, we suggest you head on over to the source link and put those Canadian Dollars to good use.

[Thanks, CoconutCheez]

Motorola Flipout makes North American debut with a Rogers exclusive originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.1androidandroid 2.1Android2.1blurcanadaeclairexclusiveflipoutmotomotoblurmotorolanorth americaNorthAmericarogerssquareThu, 05 Aug 2010 19:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Square payment system is coming back in full force by 'late summer']]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/04/square-payment-system-is-coming-back-in-full-force-by-late-summ/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/04/square-payment-system-is-coming-back-in-full-force-by-late-summ/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/04/square-payment-system-is-coming-back-in-full-force-by-late-summ/#comments Unsurprisingly, given the small company and big ambitions behind the project, the Square mobile payments system got off to a shaky start earlier this year. Hardware shortages were resolved relatively quickly, but setting up the proper fraud prevention infrastructure without transactional limits -- which, shockingly, were disfavored by merchants -- threatened to shelve the little credit card reader for a long while. Not to worry, though, as today the Wall Street Journal has word that Square is looking to be back in business, kicking ass and taking card numbers, before the summer is through. We're now at an advanced stage of said season, so it shouldn't be too long before those dongle-assisted microtransactions start flowing again.

Square payment system is coming back in full force by 'late summer' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidcard readerCardReadercredit card readercredit cardsCreditCardReaderCreditCardsiphonemicrotransactionsmobile paymentsMobilePaymentspaymentssquaresquare paymentsSquarePaymentstransactionsWed, 04 Aug 2010 05:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Inhabitat's Week in Green: street-legal Tron lightcycles, electronic eyeglasses, and the American Solar Challenge]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/05/inhabitats-week-in-green-street-legal-tron-lightcycles-electr/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/05/inhabitats-week-in-green-street-legal-tron-lightcycles-electr/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/05/inhabitats-week-in-green-street-legal-tron-lightcycles-electr/#commentsEach week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us.
This week Inhabitat saw solar-powered vehicles blaze trails around the globe as the University of Michigan's sleek pod car crossed the finish line to win the American Solar Challenge. We also watched the Solar Impulse gear up for its first eagerly anticipated night flight -- a pivotal undertaking as the sun-powered plane prepares to circle the earth. In other clean transportation news, and we were stunned to see a set of street-legal electric Tron lightcycles pop up on eBay.

The field of renewable energy also heated up this week as researchers revealed an innovative tri-layered solar panel that's capable of catching the full spectrum of the sun's rays. Wind power made waves as well as Principle Power unveiled a new ultra-sturdy ocean platform that's able to support the world's tallest wind turbines.

Finally, we saw the light this week as Illumitex unveiled the world's first square LED bulb, which they claim is cheaper, more efficient and more practical than typical round bulbs. We also peered at an innovative new type of electronic eyeglasses that can change your prescription with the push of a button. And for all you shutterbugs looking to share your vision with the world, you won't want to miss this handy solar camera strap that ensures you'll never miss a shot.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: street-legal Tron lightcycles, electronic eyeglasses, and the American Solar Challenge originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jul 2010 21:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american solar challengeAmericanSolarChallengecycleecoeyeglasseyeglassesgreenimpulseinhabitatledled bulbsLedBulbslight cycleLightCyclemichiganpod carPodCarpowerprinciple powerPrinciplePowerracesolarsolar challengesolar impulsesolar panelSolarChallengeSolarImpulseSolarPanelsquaresquare led bulbSquareLedBulbsqurestreet legalstreet-legalStreetLegaltri layeredtri-layeredTriLayeredtrontron light cycleTronLightCycleumuniveristy of michiganUniveristyOfMichiganuniversityuofmuomus solar challengeUsSolarChallengeMon, 05 Jul 2010 21:24:00 EST