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Now you can scan and charge credit cards - with your iPhone

by The Copy Nazi Banned
14 replies
Square - a device that hooks up to an iPhone, allowing a person to scan and charge credit cards.(no affiliation/no interest) - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/te...ref=technology
#cards #charge #credit #iphone #scan
  • Profile picture of the author Chad Heffelfinger
    Wow, that's pretty awesome. I had heard about something similar a few months back, but I think this one is different and maybe better.

    Thanks for the link.
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    • Profile picture of the author drmani
      I'm an Apple fan, BUT... the date on this article is 2002

      Sonera Launches Mobile Payment Pilot in Finland. - Free Online Library

      All success
      Dr.Mani
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      • Profile picture of the author The Copy Nazi
        Banned
        Originally Posted by drmani View Post

        I'm an Apple fan, BUT... the date on this article is 2002

        Sonera Launches Mobile Payment Pilot in Finland. - Free Online Library

        All success
        Dr.Mani
        It's hardly the same now is it? (What did you do - Google "CC payment by mobile phone"?)

        We're talking about a device that hooks up to an iPhone, allowing a person to scan and charge credit cards.

        Nothing to do with an 8 year old Finnish trial using 7 Finnish retailers (including "Arnold's Donuts").

        "The customer sends the search word MAKSU followed by his personal security code to number 13130. For example: MAKSU XXXX XXXX The reply text message that he receives contains a six-digit payment code that he shows to the cashier. The purchases are debited, according to the customer's choice, either to his Shopper account or on his credit card bill."

        And here's what it looks like - https://squareup.com/
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        • Profile picture of the author drmani
          Originally Posted by Metronicity View Post

          It's hardly the same now is it? (What did you do - Google "CC payment by mobile phone"?)

          We're talking about a device that hooks up to an iPhone, allowing a person to scan and charge credit cards.
          Yes, I did Google the term

          But I've also been reading Tomi Ahonen's blog for close to a year now.

          Communities Dominate Brands

          And bought his book. You want "mind blowing", go read it!

          btw, the US is far "behind the curve" in mobile technology.

          All success
          Dr.Mani
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          • Profile picture of the author The Copy Nazi
            Banned
            Originally Posted by drmani View Post

            Yes, I did Google the term

            But I've also been reading Tomi Ahonen's blog for close to a year now.

            Communities Dominate Brands

            And bought his book. You want "mind blowing", go read it!

            btw, the US is far "behind the curve" in mobile technology.

            All success
            Dr.Mani
            um...what has this got to do with what we're discussing here? "Communities Dominate Brands: Business and marketing challenges for the 21st century is a book about how the new phenomenon of digitally connected communities are emerging as a force to counterbalance the power of the big brands and advertising."

            Hint: I'm not American.

            Appears to me you're not adding anything to this discussion. God knows what your agenda is.
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            • Profile picture of the author drmani
              Originally Posted by Metronicity View Post

              um...what has this got to do with what we're discussing here?

              Appears to me you're not adding anything to this discussion. God knows what your agenda is.
              If you'd looked at the blog, you'll see. Tomi is an authority on mobile networks, and has authored seven books on the subject, all of which are considered specialist guides to trends in the mobile industry.

              His blog contains IN DEPTH articles about the state of mobile telephony - and in several posts, he details the spread of mobile technology in creating 'magic' in various parts of Europe and Asia. For instance, Finland (which has nearly 100% mobile penetration) has had the technology in place to use mobile phones to pay for parking, purchasing a drink from vending machines, booking concert tickets and more - all WITHOUT needing a credit card, through m-commerce initiatives.

              It's "cool" that the iPhone now has an ADD-ON device which you can swipe a credit card on - but way "COOLER" to do most of the things you can do with such device WITHOUT having anything but a 'smart' phone.

              My "agenda"? To share some stuff that I study and find fascinating, in the hope that a few others with similar interests will find useful, or at least intriguing enough to explore further.

              That's all

              Anyway, I'm out of this discussion, as I don't see it adding any value to MY life. Thanks for listening

              All success
              Dr.Mani
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  • Profile picture of the author GarrieWilson
    Kinda cool that it doesn't require the card.
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  • Profile picture of the author seanicasia
    Hmm, any possible security breaches there?

    What if your scanned image gets leaked?
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Metronicity View Post

    Square - a device that hooks up to an iPhone, allowing a person to scan and charge credit cards.(no affiliation/no interest) - http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/te...ref=technology
    Very cool ... interesting article. Now they have to make it for Droid.
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    • Profile picture of the author Chuck Evans
      Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

      Very cool ... interesting article. Now they have to make it for Droid.
      Square makes the device for iPhone and Droid. Just go to their website, join and then be prepared to wait for WEEKS to get the card reader. It took almost 3 months to get mine! Square Up Features
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      • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Chuck Evans View Post

        Square makes the device for iPhone and Droid. Just go to their website, join and then be prepared to wait for WEEKS to get the card reader. It took almost 3 months to get mine! Square Up Features
        Cool ... I will check it out. Thanks.
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  • Profile picture of the author Val and Traci
    Thanks for the link - very useful
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  • Profile picture of the author ISMM Tom
    Very interesting link. I'm sure any potential security flaws and/or breaches have been looked at very, very closely a thousand times over.

    The Square plug is free. In other words, not only are you spared the contracts, the minimums and the monthly fees, but your equipment cost is zero. For all Square cares, you can keep your reader in a drawer somewhere and use it once a year.
    That, I like!
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  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    Card scanners have been available for cel phones for years -
    but you were still trapped in a monthly fee contract with such
    systems, in addition to paying the per-transaction fee and
    percentage points of a merchant account.

    This new iphone thing is yet another assault on the merchant
    account industry - another avenue of competition.

    I believe the merchant account industry has been fixing prices
    for years. Things like Paypal have chiseled away at their profits
    and allowed people to start online businesses without being trapped
    into a contract charging them $100 a month just to be able to
    accept payments online.

    This is just another undermining of the merchant account industry
    which has held an exploitive edge on commerce for too long.

    One cafe owner I know refuses to sign-up for a merchant account
    due to the nature of the fee structure: she's gone back to the
    old model of taking cash, checks, and running a tab for customers.
    As far as I know she hasn't been burned yet extending credit to
    her customers.
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