Financial transactions seem to move in slow pace from Internet Banking to smart-phone Banking. Every major software vendor has some kind of e-wallet solution for Android and iOS, but real world markets doesn’t seem ready to leave aside the traditional payment methods and use the new (-unproved about security-) high-tech e-wallets.
There is a new solution which seems to be the answer to hesitant markets but also brink us closer to the new era of smart-phone banking. “Mobile Payment Reader” by SquareUp.com is a iPhone and Android phones credit card reader which seems to be an acceptable method for everyone. It implements the security of credit card but also the flexibility of e-payments.
Square, a small credit card reader that can process credit card payments on a range of iOS and Android devices, will soon begin selling at Wal-Mart stores throughout the U.S.
The announcement marks a significant retail expansion for the device, which is already available at Target, RadioShack, Best Buy and approximately 200 Apple stores. Wal-Mart will bring its retail outlet total to more than 9,000.
The card reader itself, which plugs into the headphone jack of iPhone, iPad and a variety of Android devices, can be ordered for free at squareup.com or for $9.99 in stores. Those who purchase the device in stores can apply for a refund from Square online.
The low cost of entry has been effective in reaching the hands of Square’s target customers: small business owners who can’t afford to invest in credit card terminals. Some 800,000 devices have been shipped to merchants thus far, according to Bloomberg. The startup, which is now processing more than $2 billion in credit and debit card payments per annum, takes a 2.75% cut on all transactions.
Don’t be surprised if years later, Walmart comes out with a generic clone called, GreatValue Rectangle Mobile Payment Reader to bump Square off the shelves.
Vitamio is a multimedia framework for all Android devices, it is not an APP which can run by itself, it’s a plugin for many other multimedia apps you’re using. As a developer Vitamio provides the similiar interfaces with Android default MediaPlayer framework for your projects and it’s absolutely free !
It’s finally arrived. Introduced by Apple’s pre-CEO Steve Jobs in his last keynote, iOS 5 is the latest Operating System for iDevices like iPhone and iPad, which includes tons of new features and improvement. And today, by connecting your compatible iDevice to the latest version of iTunes, you will be receiving the update to iOS 5!
This time I decided to give a change to Facebook’s new design , before start mumbling how much better was the old one or why mr Zuckerberg likes to mess with my adorable profile so often.
The new feature called “cover photo” caught my eye. It gives us the option to place an image at the top of our profile. Whats a better opportunity to get creative, and mess with out beloved social media…….
So I started Googling for ideas to pimp my “cover photo” and mashable.com gave me some inspiring concepts.
VMware is teaming with LG to sell Android smartphones that are virtualized, allowing a single phone to run two operating systems, one for business use and one for personal use.
The companies believe virtualization can provide separation between work and personal applications and data, solving many of the smartphone management problems caused by end users who want to connect personal phones to work systems.
A user’s personal email and applications would run natively on the Android phone, while a guest operating system contains the employee’s work environment. The devices would also have two phone numbers.
In terms of whether iPhones and BlackBerries will get the same treatment, VMware says it wants the hypervisor on as many mobile operating systems as possible. But the open source nature of Google’s Android helped make it the first choice. Users who buy virtualization-enabled phones may not even notice the hypervisor. “It’s just another app,”
But another subset of users, who want access to work applications on personal devices, may see the embedded virtualization as a selling point.
From a practical standpoint, the user would switch between personal and work environments simply by tapping an icon.
From an IT management perspective, VMware will sell management tools as well as provide a software development kit that lets existing management platforms connect to the VMware system. One potential management benefit of a virtualized phone is that IT could encrypt the work data or perform remote wipes without affecting a user’s personal stuff.
A new social network has just made its appearance and goes by the name Chime.in
Don’t expect to log on and hear to the annoying windows chimes sound. No sir. This social network has in fact nothing to do with audio and sounds. Instead, it’s a combination of twitter, blogging and reddit since it allows users to post whatever they like (text, video, image, etc.). Users can ad their own ads on their profiles or use the UberMedia ads network to start making money. How awesome is that?
Bill Gross – who is the person behind this idea – believes that what will make Chime a success is that users will try to make their profiles as interesting as possible, in order to maximize pageviews. Your friends stream will be free of boring status updates such as “I just had a shower” or “I am having pizza for dinner“.
So, does it sound like a multi-million dollar idea? I guess we will need to wait and see. Unlike tumblr, will we witness some interesting and cool user profile pages, or this will become another haven for x-rated viewers?
shutterspecs Follow
You Square guys have to come to the UK. The small business market here is crying out for something like this. Great product.
Shigga Shigga Follow
finally a device that will let me suck all the money out of my friends’ credit cards while they’re drunk / partying
Kwestro Music Follow
Don’t be surprised if years later, Walmart comes out with a generic clone called, GreatValue Rectangle Mobile Payment Reader to bump Square off the shelves.
Marc Bowers Follow
Huge deal for Square
Chelsea Rising Follow
I noticed those at the Apple store, it might be a bit scary mainstream.
Ruth Cox Follow
Be careful about handing out credit & debit cards!
Travis Keith Follow
could you imagine if every homeless person got one of these…you wouldn’t have an excuse not to help him out. #endhomelessness
Susanna Sanoll Follow
na endlich
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