Square

[Rob]

Apparently there is now a way to take credit cards with just a cell phone.

https://squareup.com/

I mention this because taking credit cards at most conventions usually requires a (often spotty) internet connection that can be VERY expensive.

In fact when I was buying something from the Penny Arcade booth at NY Comic Con 2009 I ended up BS-ing with Mike Krahulik for almost fifteen minutes while his minions ran my credit card over and over and over (I think the total was 14 times) again because the wireless internet was giving out.

Cell phone signals can also be spotty at conventions but if you already have a phone cell service this could be a really cheap and easy way to take credit cards at a convention for a smaller comic that could not normally afford the internet and the zon machines/card readers and all that.

I haven't looked into it entirely. And you have to be careful with things like credit cards, merchant accounts and stuff like that because there are legal requirements for how long you have to keep the money in an account before you can spend it and then there are the costs.

But this square thing looks interesting and if they have polished all the angles could be a real cool way to accept credit cards for us small timers.

I do plan to look into it more thoroughly and I'll post whatever I find that may be of interest here.