Balthisar:
It seems I remember wrong. It was the first in Nevada, not the USA: Linky
Still, October 2009? With sooooo many restaurants in Nevada? While here in “third world” Mexico they were already all over the place.
Don’t those things require chip and pin to be truly secure, anyway? Something american banks still haven’t caught up with?
pdts
Kyla
April 27, 2010, 9:56pm
22
They have portable card readers at Apple stores. All of the salespeople have them attached to their belts, so you can purchase your item directly from them on the salesfloor. No waiting in line necessary. They will also email the receipt to you, so it’s paperless, too.
It’s really pretty awesome, but it’s the only place I’ve ever seen it.
You can swipe with them as well (for US credit cards).
The terminal in the linked article looked very familiar, then I saw it was made by a Toronto-based company…
Kyla:
They have portable card readers at Apple stores. All of the salespeople have them attached to their belts, so you can purchase your item directly from them on the salesfloor. No waiting in line necessary. They will also email the receipt to you, so it’s paperless, too.
It’s really pretty awesome, but it’s the only place I’ve ever seen it.
Ironically, the terminals are Fujitsu industrial jobbies that use Windows. Apple is working on an iPod-based system to replace it.
Sunspace:
You can swipe with them as well (for US credit cards).
The terminal in the linked article looked very familiar, then I saw it was made by a Toronto-based company…
Oh I know you can swipe them, but isn’t that really insecure?
pdts
If the radio link or batch data transfer on the portable terminal is unencrypted, maybe, but otherwise no. The portable terminal has the advantage that your card never leaves your sight, and thus the server can’t, say, skim your numbers by running your card through a second reader under the counter.
Why is that an advantage? Do you not have fraud protection laws for credit cards in Canada?
They actually deployed that a few months ago (at least at my local Apple store).
Do you not have car theft protection and insurance in America? So why worry about your car getting stolen?
pdts
Kyla:
They have portable card readers at Apple stores. All of the salespeople have them attached to their belts, so you can purchase your item directly from them on the salesfloor. No waiting in line necessary. They will also email the receipt to you, so it’s paperless, too.
It’s really pretty awesome, but it’s the only place I’ve ever seen it.
Car rental places have them too. They swipe your card in the car return lane.
Still a pain in the butt. I had my card skimmed in December. Although I wasn’t liable for anything, it still sucked.
Well, to be honest, I don’t. But if I knew I’d lose absolutely nothing and no damage would happen…I’d worry even less.
there si a section on the paper copy you sign as to how much of a tip you want to leave if any.
Velma
April 30, 2010, 8:25pm
34
Balthisar:
I’ve never seen one of these used in the United States. I remember reading an article about 6 months ago or so that was bragging (absolutely bragging!) about the fact that one was going to be deployed for the first time in an American restaurant (I think, in Las Vegas). In the meantime, I was already used to them from working in Ontario, which was the first place I’d seen them, back in 2006 or '07. They were great: they bring the machine at the table, hit one of the buttons for a quick, exact percentage tip (or an option to type your own, discrete amount), get you’re receipt, and you never lose sight of your card. There were only a few places that we went to that had them, though.
Here in the Mexico City area (but not Mexico in general), these machines are in wide-spread use at restaurants and gas stations (no tip option as the gas station, though, and also all gas stations are full service with no self-serve option). No worrying about someone skimming your card, and it’s faster and more convenient. I hope they’ve caught on in Michigan by time I get back there.
The Meijer I go to here in Michigan uses them for their grocery express service. They bring my pre-ordered groceries out to my car along with the machine. It’s great. I don’t know why more places haven’t adopted them.
Meijer does that now? I can’t wait to get home!
Uncle_Brother_Walker:
I had a bartender friend who used to tell his customers he preferred cash tips on credit card bills. He said that his bar only required him to declare a percentage of his sales. Credit card tips on the slip had to be declared, but not cash.
Seems like this was a bit dishonest, and potentially taking money out of his own pocket. I would probably be more generous with a tip if I could just write a number rather than fish into my wallet to find an appropriate bill. Or worse, asking him to break a larger bill and appear stingy with the tip.
So if you tip by card you are “taking money out of his pocket” because he has to be honest about how much you gave him?
Velma
May 1, 2010, 7:22pm
37
Only a few right now - the one by me (in Grand Rapids) was the first to launch it and they are still working out a few kinks. But they have been adding others so hopefully it will keep expanding.
