Now you can turn your Android into a credit card reader with the help of a new hardware accessory and Square is that accessory in the android market helping the concept of mobile payments anywhere, anytime using a plug-in device. Square can read a credit card and send instructions to the mobile app which allows the user to accept a payment from anywhere in the world.
Square is a cube shaped plastic plug-in device that plugs into the headphone jack of an iPhone. With this reader, you can accept your credit card payments right on your phone.
Some Striking Features of Square
- 1. 0 to $60 in under 10 seconds
- 2. Lose the paper
- 3. Pay , quickly and Securily
- 4. Get real rewards
- 5. All your receipts organized
- 6. Tip Jar
- 7. Works Everywhere
- 8. Safe and Secure
- 9. Simple and Transparent Card fees
For that an android user has to download the square app and sign up for it. For getting this card swiping machine , you have to provide your shipping address and you can receive your swiping machine in a few days. You don’t have to pay for the app or the device. But Square banks 2.75 percent of the total transaction in addition to a charge of 15 cents per swipe, and 3.5 percent plus 15 cents for each transaction made with a keyed in entry.
via Wise Android
Square is offering 2.75% and 3.5%.
With Square you are not getting an actual merchant account. They are a payment aggregator, much like PayPal. So if a Square customer has over $1000.00 in sales in a week, Square will hold any money over $1000.00 and not deposit it into their customers bank account for 30 days. So someone could have $3000.00 in sales but they won’t be able to get the $2000.00 for 30 days. Since the Square customer does not have an actual merchant account, Square does not have to follow banking rules and can hold money however they wish, usually 30 days, but sometimes longer.
@Dinidu
it looks like it’s not usb, but works over the audio jacks. i just ordered the “Square” and should be getting it soon. i’m assuming it makes some type of audio sound that the android and ipod/iphone apps can decipher… probably something that sounds similar to a modem in the dialup days.
they get a percent tho =(
hmmmm.. as I know fixing some sort of reader to android is not possible yet. Becuase android yet doesn’t allow USB host mode(allows your device to accept input from another device)
When you connect your phone to your PC your PC is host.Since android doesn’t allow the phone to be host, it is impossible to plug any USB device to the phone.
So I don’t think the card reader would work on android yet.Bluetooth card readers are possible for android though.
Now that’s something really neat. It’ll be good for sales people. They can quickly take out their smartphones and accept credit card payments. Good one.
~~ Sarah ~~
Uh Oh! Bye bye cash
You’re mixing up Android and iPhone. Now is this an Android app or iPhone app?