'Square' Application Now Available for iPhone - Swipe Credit Cards on the Go

There is a new application available for the iPhone and the iPad that will make it easier for companies and businesses to process credit cards on the go.  The app is called "Square". From the mind that brought us Twitter comes this new application, free for the iPhone but it does requires a device that plugs in that will actually "swipe" the credit card. It will have some other features like saving recurring purchases and frequently visited clients or consumers.

The application seems geared to traveling businessmen or any one who may need to process credit card sales on the go. It has great potential for street vendors who previously could only handle cash transactions, direct sales representatives doing home parties, or any other retailer that was primarily cash only (or who had to wait until they returned home with their credit card purchases filled out on paper to enter into their computer-based credit card processing software).

Taxis will now be able to charge for the cab with debit or credit transactions, which may also add to the safety of the drivers, who are all too often targets of robberies.

People trying to make extra money at garage sales and flea markets may still tap in to the potential of the "Square" application, allowing them to sell things to  people who don't carry cash on them, but have their debit or credit cards.

This is a great application for any one who is in business that would like to expand out of the cash only situation and not be limited to a store front or their computer to process payments. Flea market vendors, street vendors, livery personnel, on the road salesmen and others will see a great use out of this product. The best part is the only investment, if you already have the iPhone or iPad, seems to be the purchase of the plug-in device, as the actual software is free.

Swipely Shares Your Credit Card Purchases

Swipely is a new twitter-like social network, however instead of tracking your status, it tracks your purchases. It launched with venture capital of $8.5 million dollars.

What does Swipely do? You simply link your credit card to your Swipely account, and any purchases you make will appear throughout the day, similar to a tweet. For instance, if your friend purchased a McDonalds meal, it will simply show up as "Andrea just purchased a meal at McDonalds" on her Swipely account.

The first thought through your mind should be about the security of the network and access to your credit card information. Swipley promises that third party security specialists protect your credit card, so your credit card information will never show up anywhere, just announcements of what you're buying.

Unlike a similar Facebook application, this one won't post how much you spent, just merely the services and where you purchased.

The idea behind it is to give your friends something to talk about. They may find they have more in common with you or vice versa based on purchases made. Or more commonly it'll give you something to tease them about or vice versa. It's just another way to start a conversation, or share interests. It'll allow you to share more details about what you do in any given day with your friends and family.

Of course there are people who will say that this is way too intrusive, and people who feel that way don't need to use the program. Most bloggers discussing Swipely don’t understand the purpose or need to share credit card purchases with friends and family in order to generate conversation.  But, maybe Swipely will be used by parents who give their teenagers debit or credit cards to monitor their kids spending habits as it happens - rather than waiting for the statements to arrive?

Will you use Swipely?

Swipe Your Card for the Salvation Army

We've all been there: exiting a department store, juggling gifts as we brave the cold, preparing to step out into a crowded parking lot, only to be greeted by a Salvation Army volunteer. Bell ringing, kettle gleaming, the volunteer smiles warmly. We think about donating a few dollars, but soon realize that we've got no cash on hand. It's a common dilemma in our increasingly cashless society.

Now the Salvation Army has come up with their own solution. Expanding on an idea that's already in play in Charlotte, NC, and Phoenix, AZ, the charity will be experimenting with cashless kettles in 12 new locations throughout North Texas. The organization says that by adding card-swiping technology to its storefront kettles, it took away the frequent excuse of not having cash on hand. Another benefit of this system is the paper trail it creates. People who make credit card donations get a printed receipt proving that they contributed to the charity. These receipts can be collected and used for tax deduction purposes. 

Of course, anyone from any state can use their credit card to donate to the Salvation Army by giving through the organization's official web site. You can also set up your own online red kettle to raise money for those in need.