Square Register for iPad offers full point-of-sale system for merchants

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 61
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    You're like a feedback-God!







    When they get to a subject I understand... I have a tendency to Launch!
  • Reply 42 of 61
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    But iCloud ties Apple's ecosystem together which sells more devices. That's the important difference.



    Which is why I sent Jobs e-mails telling him to do this.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    I don't see how buying Twitter will accomplish this goal nor why they would need to since they've already incorporated it into the OS.



    Because the whole point here is for them to control Twitter. They need to be in control of it. Sooner or later Apple's going to have to have some sort of social network. You may disagree, but I think you're not looking at the bigger picture if you do. Facebook and Google already have too much leverage over Apple.



    Apple needs to buy Twitter. They need to have their own stake on the social (network) world. Basically Apple need to buy Twitter and tied it extremely tightly into their whole banana so tight that people who buy Apple products just use Twitter. Obviously they could still use Facebook etc., but if Apple did this nearly every person with an Apple product would be on Twitter.



    The whole thing would be explosive!!! They could do photos and videos properly on Twitter and eat Facebook, YouTube and Flickr's lunch. And tie the whole thing in with iCloud. It would be ad-free, seamless and amazing! It would be the ideal of what a social network should be. I can see it now!
  • Reply 43 of 61
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    Which is why I sent Jobs e-mails telling him to do this.







    Because the whole point here is for them to control Twitter. They need to be in control of it. Sooner or later Apple's going to have to have some sort of social network. You may disagree, but I think you're not looking at the bigger picture if you do. Facebook and Google already have too much leverage over Apple.



    Apple needs to buy Twitter. They need to have their own stake on the social (network) world. Basically Apple need to buy Twitter and tied it extremely tightly into their whole banana so tight that people who buy Apple products just use Twitter. Obviously they could still use Facebook etc., but if Apple did this nearly every person with an Apple product would be on Twitter.



    The whole thing would be explosive!!! They could do photos and videos properly on Twitter and eat Facebook, YouTube and Flickr's lunch. And tie the whole thing in with iCloud. It would be ad-free, seamless and amazing! It would be the ideal of what a social network should be. I can see it now!



    I agree with this! Apple doesn't need to make money -- just a little above break even.



    BTW, I think you should spend the time and itemize your reasons in a post -- you, too can be a feedback-God!
  • Reply 44 of 61
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    Because the whole point here is for them to control Twitter. They need to be in control of it. Sooner or later Apple's going to have to have some sort of social network. You may disagree, but I think you're not looking at the bigger picture if you do. Facebook and Google already have too much leverage over Apple.



    Apple needs to buy Twitter. They need to have their own stake on the social (network) world. Basically Apple need to buy Twitter and tied it extremely tightly into their whole banana so tight that people who buy Apple products just use Twitter. Obviously they could still use Facebook etc., but if Apple did this nearly every person with an Apple product would be on Twitter.



    The whole thing would be explosive!!! They could do photos and videos properly on Twitter and eat Facebook, YouTube and Flickr's lunch. And tie the whole thing in with iCloud. It would be ad-free, seamless and amazing! It would be the ideal of what a social network should be. I can see it now!



    At the risk of others buying it and then using it against Apple I agree.
  • Reply 45 of 61
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    I'd be ok with a Twitter acquisition.



    The only way I can see twitter making money is through advertising annoyance. May as well fetch a good payday from a larger company.



    I see NFC starting to unravel. I"m glad Apple didn't jump into the fray to appear "hip". New competing flavors are coming and that new Target Walmart duopoly is significant.



    http://www.nfcnews.com/2012/03/05/ta...mobile-wallets





    When you get big enough you can roll your own. Great thing about standards is...there are so many of them.
  • Reply 46 of 61
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    I'd be ok with a Twitter acquisition.



    The only way I can see twitter making money is through advertising annoyance. May as well fetch a good payday from a larger company.



    I see NFC starting to unravel. I"m glad Apple didn't jump into the fray to appear "hip". New competing flavors are coming and that new Target Walmart duopoly is significant.



    http://www.nfcnews.com/2012/03/05/ta...mobile-wallets





    When you get big enough you can roll your own. Great thing about standards is...there are so many of them.



    To my mind, to be successful here, a CC (or other automated payment) should be handled as follows:



    -- Seller captures and retains all transaction/detail/customer/analytic info

    -- Seller provides minimal info to payment provider (Card info, date time, receipt ID, $ amount)

    -- Seller option to hold/combine several customer transactions to reduce fees ala iTunes Store



    If true, the big opportunity is an agnostic POST that can handle all types of transactions and interface the retailers' systems and through them the payment providers' systems.



    No way, I as a retailer want to have any 3rd-party (be it POST provider or payment provider) access my customer/transaction information or get between me and my customers.



    As, a customer, I have the same feeling vis-a-vis the retailers I buy from.

  • Reply 47 of 61
    sunilramansunilraman Posts: 8,133member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by WelshDog View Post


    Age old problem with computers that one is. While you CAN order water that way, why would you? The computer in this case (and many others) merely complicates a simple request. Not really the fault of the computer, but rather of the restaurant staff/management.



    Bingo. Appropriate use of technology is priority No. 1.



    Easiest solution is to bring every table water when they sit down. Good customer service, good experience, more efficiency.



    That said, I wonder where the glitch is, the iPad sending stuff over the network to the kitchen shouldn't be glitchy, heck, look at McDonald's and the like, or even my local Domino's, it's pretty stable.



    Then again, most regular restaurants won't have a dedicated IT (let alone Apple-savvy) person on hand.
  • Reply 48 of 61
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    This is a half-baked solution. A business will not get rid of their register, which actually holds a cash drawer, in favor of a wi-fi enabled iPad and a flimsily attached Square device.



    yeah that's why the Apple stores have all those registers and haven't thought about having their sales people out on the floor with some kind of hand--



    oh wait



    and yes those are attached to cash drawers and receipt printers.
  • Reply 49 of 61
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post


    Actually the new register system has some good features and some limitations. Here are some of the limitations:

    [LIST=1][*]There is no central or automated way to setup several iPads ]



    This one is actually somewhat wrong. You can always set up one iPad, back it up and then set up the rest off that backup. With perhaps 30 seconds to go in and change the 'register' number if you need to .
  • Reply 50 of 61
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by charlituna View Post


    yeah that's why the Apple stores have all those registers and haven't thought about having their sales people out on the floor with some kind of hand--



    oh wait



    and yes those are attached to cash drawers and receipt printers.



    Could you clarify this comment. There's no Apple store in my country.
  • Reply 51 of 61
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    I see NFC starting to unravel. I"m glad Apple didn't jump into the fray to appear "hip". New competing flavors are coming and that new Target Walmart duopoly is significant.



    http://www.nfcnews.com/2012/03/05/ta...mobile-wallets



    Why the hell did you link to that website? My eyes are hurting after trying to read that article with all of those unblock-able epilepsy inducing ads. Link to the original source next time, please.
  • Reply 52 of 61


    How about setting up a kitchen printer for orders ? without printing the receipt ? any advice.

  • Reply 53 of 61
    sweetbsweetb Posts: 1member


    I am using iPad with 3G for Square Register.  I would like to be able to print to my Square Register printer via wifi (no internet connection from the wifi) without disconnecting from 3G.  How can I connect to 3G and wifi at the same time?  I've read that it can be done, but cannot get it to work on my iPad.

  • Reply 54 of 61
    kdarlingkdarling Posts: 1,640member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post



    I see NFC starting to unravel. I"m glad Apple didn't jump into the fray to appear "hip". New competing flavors are coming and that new Target Walmart duopoly is significant.


     


    The payment system that Target, Walmart, et al, are working on, is still reportedly based on NFC.


     


    They want to control the app that does the talking over NFC, and where / how the payment comes from.

  • Reply 55 of 61
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by WelshDog View Post





    Age old problem with computers that one is. While you CAN order water that way, why would you? The computer in this case (and many others) merely complicates a simple request. Not really the fault of the computer, but rather of the restaurant staff/management.


     


    Very true. The management should have considered 'hiccups' and have a back up in place. 


     


    That said, a computer system can in some cases work better than a paper one. Especially at restaurants. A computer system, for example,means not trying to decipher handwriting. And a big flashing alert banner on the screen can signal to the cooks where the server out in a "no onions" not due to my severe allergy. Something they might miss if it was just written on a paper slip until they had out the onions on the burger and then pulled them out when they did notice the note. Fine I suppose for someone that just doesn't like the taste but for me that's a likely trip to the hospital.


     


    speaking of hospitals, handwriting is the reason many are testing digital solutions. Misread an order and you could overdose a patient etc. Digital systems can also, if done well, alert doctors to medication allergies, current Meds. In my younger years I ended up in the hospital because of a bad interaction between two Meds. They asked if I was taking anything and I thought they meant literally at that moment. I had no idea that my emergency inhaler which I hadn't used in a month could be an issue, but it was. Had the system been computerized they would have seen this information, even gotten a red flag when they entered my new RX, depending on how the system was set up. 

  • Reply 56 of 61
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post





    Actually the new register system has some good features and some limitations. Here are some of the limitations:


    1. There is no central or automated way to setup several iPads -- the inventory items must be manually set up on each iPad.


    2. There is no way to enter a credit, coupon or loyalty discount


    3. There is no way to enter any discount amount or percentage


    4. There is no way to accept a check and annotate information


    5. There is no way to handle multiple "menus" -- Daily, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner


    6. There is no easy way to enter notes or annotations.


    7. There is no ability to enter twofers or threefers...


    8. There is no mix or match for twofers or threefers...


    9. There is no way to handle combos


    10. There is no way to handle specials


    11. There is no way to gather/enter customer personal information


    12. There is no ability to build a customer profile/history


    13. There is no way to quickly retrieve customer info -- e.g. call in: phone number


    14. There is no inventory management


    15. There needs to be a back-room Mac app that does inventory, customer, pricing, setup, analytics...



     


    Square isnt really targeting businesses big enough to need all of this. For such things you have other software.


     


    Square's target is the small shop. The one man operation type things. Like my fav guy at the local farmers market. He used to be cash only but he knows that I'm a tech type so he asked me if I thought he should try this Square stuff. I said why not give it a go. At first he only let his handful of regulars like me use cards because he was worried about cards not going through. But now he's letting anyone. And he's excited about the advances Square is working on. In fact he told me about this setup before AI had posted about it. 

  • Reply 57 of 61
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post







    You're dead right.


     


    I'd even take it a step further since a dock connector attaching scanner can still break. How about a bar that stretches across the whole end. The scanning part doesn't have to that far, just the attachment part. Could possibly be part of a stand even. 


     


    For handhelds I say something like the Mophie/Intuit or LineaPro (what Apple uses) are best. No risk of having the Square break and you are a plug lodged in the headphone jack.

  • Reply 58 of 61
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Conrail View Post





    Plus, according to their website, this has no merchant account, monthly fees, or set up costs. Strictly a per-use service, like paypal. This is an incredible boon to very small businesses and people who sell at shows, flea markets, and events.


     


    Thats their target audience.


     


    Setting up a merchant account can run you weeks of paperwork and set up fees to the tune of $5-10k. Plus monthly or annual maintenance fees. AND transaction fees. For many small businesses that's no good. Square recognized this and designed around this gap

  • Reply 59 of 61
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post



    Because the whole point here is for them to control Twitter. They need to be in control of it. Sooner or later Apple's going to have to have some sort of social network. 


     


    I do disagree. Social element. Yes. Social network, no. And they don't need to buy Twitter. The only folks that would benefit from such a game would be Twitter. Because they would have finally made their money.


     


    A lot of folks thought Ping was crap but I thought they had the right idea. They just didn't go far enough. They needed to bring back all the elements from Lala.com and then take out out of just the iTunes world. Many fo?ks were peeved when Homepage was killed off. How about bring it back as a kind of portal page. One stop spot for seeing Journals, shared PhotoStreams, your Ping activity. And then add in modules for your twitter posts, Facebook news feed, flicker, tumblr etc. THAT could be as social network as Apple would need to be. Without adding yet another social network for us to have to join etc. 

  • Reply 60 of 61


    POS installed in the Ipad is most interesting to use and will going to attract most of the users,The main USP of this Ipad would be its portability and being handy it the process would be fast as well.


    ______________________________________________________


    Jeff Tredwell

    consultant for POS System (posnation.com)

    8701 Red Oak Blvd, Suite 100

    Charlotte, NC 28217

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