Sunday, April 17, 2011

Technology Trends: Square and UI innovation

I personally think Square (https://squareup.com/) is doing a good job building an attractive product. What are they doing? Changing the way people pay (or receive money, to be precise).




I've been seeing the product many times on news and few times in real life, and seems that it's getting some traction. It is now processing more than $1M every day as of Mar 2 2011.
And why do I think it's cool? There are three things.


1. It's a User Interface innovation for the payment world
People usually don't associate user interface or user experience innovation to the payment. Payment doesn't sound sexy. But, take a look at the video below. You plug in a small gadget to the earphone jack of your iPhone/Android, enter the amount and swipe a credit card. It's a super-easy, sleek way for making transaction with credit cards. Recent hits in tech world show that UI/UX matters a lot. Very intuitive, easy-to-use, sleek interface attracts people. Square is making personal credit card transaction an order of magnitude easier.
Also, I think the physical interaction of swiping the card makes a lot of difference. Unlike paying online by pressing buttons, the experience is intuitive and feels real.


2. It's enabling what was impossible before
If I (an individual who doesn't have a cash register) want to accept a credit card payment, what option was possible a year ago? Nothing. I could use paypal, but it's a lot of hassle for the payer. What if the payer doesn't have an account? What if the payer doesn't have a smartphone?
With Square, you can make the transaction right there immediately. This opens up tons of new possibilities for individuals.


3. Unique idea of using the earphone jack as the hardware interface
Inventor of the stereo audio jack would never imagined that the interface will be used for processing signals for credit card payment. The audio jack is ubiquitous. All smart phones have one, and all of them work in the same way. Using it for interfacing a hardware is a very smart idea.


Having said that, I'm not using it for my personal transactions yet, because the transaction fee of 2.75% is too much for personal use. Still, I think it's quite useful for really small businesses or receiving payments at conferences etc.


As the last note, we could think beyond this particular case. Thinking about making experience drastically easier in something currently painful is one way of creating a new idea, I think.



# This post shares my personal view on technologies, and does not represent opinions of any organizations I belong.

15 comments:

  1. I was pinning away for such type of blogs, thanks for posting this for us.newtechnologygadgets

    ReplyDelete
  2. The article contain a lot of great information.
    Click

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is it accurate to say that you are searching for shocking female characters? Does your escort's fantasy lie unfilled? Is it true that you are searching for posh female Mumbai Escorts? Every one of your answers in Mumbai are accessible with Mumbai Call Girls. Or on the other hand MUMBAI ESCORTS SERVICE We have picked the cream from the business. Our CALL GIRL MUMBAI isn't simply exciting delights however are modern and exceptionally qualified. Hello, structure an ideal accomplice for dating in Mumbai. Your fantasies about investing energy with an ideal lady are satisfied by Call Girls Service In Mumbai. Come for tall dim wonderful MUMBAI CALL GIRLS SERVICE and make your visit in Mumbai pleasurable. Bring your fantasies alive and joy to reach a lovely conclusion by wonderful escorts at Mumbai.
    Dahisar Call Girls Service
    Ghatkopar Call Girls Service
    goregaon Call Girls Service
    Kalyan Call Girls Service

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mira road Call Girls Service
    Navi Mumbai Call Girls Service
    Nerul Call Girls Service
    North Mumbai Call Girls Service
    Powai Call Girls Service
    You will be snared and wouldn't have any desire to get back to your home. Try not to stand by any further, you will get a kick out of the chance to visit her in Mumbai consistently. You should simply peruse the site for more data. Offering anybody, anyplace, a demonstrated fulfillment opportunity that enables individuals to accomplish their total degree of fulfillment and wants. You can confide in Mumbai CALL GIRL, we fulfill many clients in Mumbai. agreeable partner in one, so we select our Escort young ladies group cautiously, they are Life is a shuffling act and Mumbai excellent escorts energy and administrations will help you handle whatever comes your direction. Receive the well known mitigating rewards of our administrations taking all things together scope of engaging magnificence of your decision.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thane Call Girls Service
    Santacruz Call Girls Service
    Zeroing in on clients' extraordinary necessities and giving individual regard for help accomplish their cravings. Simply pick your number one model from the display of CALL GIRLS MUMBAI and your fantasy will coom soon. Kindly don't spare a moment to pose any inquiries. It's the Mumbai CALL GIRLadvantage. We are attempting to help individuals make a triumph out of their picked hot and sizzling escorts. Here at Mumbai Escort, we will make an honest effort to make your blessing from heaven. If it's not too much trouble, call us to book CALL GIRLS Mumbai.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Recruitment for Telecommunications Industry
    Telecommunications | Recruitment | Placement | Manpower
    Leading corporations select kalpsolutions Consultants as their desired recruitment employer in India. Our corporation is the most visited Manpower Recruitment website, which has recruited Indian manpower for each enterprise round the world. If you are searching for recruiting Indian manpower in Telecommunications for your organisation kindly mail your requirement to info@kalpsolutions.com

    If you would like to be viewed for employment possibilities in Telecommunications with, kalpsolutions Consultants please publish your up to date CVs / Resumes alongside with latest image to info@kalpsolutions.com You need to get hold of a response inside one or two enterprise days. aggregate of diligence as nicely as skill.

    A seem to be at some of the predominant job categories, Telecom Recruitment Consultant deploys round the world.

    Account Managers Accounts Executive Analyst Programmer Applications Specialist Area Sales Managers Billing Systems Business Development Business Development Executives CEO’s Channel Managers Customer Service Data Architect Dealer Managers Electrical Engineers Engineering Managing Directors Marketing MIS Analyst National Managers Technical Writer/ Documenter New Business Development Executives Operations Project Coordinator Regional Sales Managers Sales Sales Directors Sales Executive Sales Executives Senior C++ Development Engineer Senior J2EE Analyst Programmer Senior Management Senior Pre income Consultant Senior Technical Consultant Senior Tester Software Engineers Technical Technical Support Engineer

    Candidates whose functions first-class healthy our necessities will be invited to attend an interview. The panel, which typically consists of our clients, will examine your suitability for the submit and questions will be based totally round the standards as specified inside the job description. It is consequently imperative your utility offers full but concise proof that you meet the standards for the post.

    If chosen for interview with purchaser you will be requested to deliver with you your unique qualification certificates and proof of identification such as a passport with different photographic ID. Interviews commonly closing a most of one hour and outcomes are typically accessible the identical day or incase of SKYPE interview, the outcomes are typically within seven days.

    Recruitment for Telecommunications | Manpower for Telecommunications

    ReplyDelete