![\"\"](\"https:\/\/robertacruger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/cup-of-latte.jpg\" "\\"cup")
<\/a>“Latte tree” by Mary Wholey<\/p><\/div>\n
A ginger scone and organic coffee would taste delicious, I thought, rushing to meet a friend at 8 am a couple weeks ago at Busters in South Pasadena<\/a>, a favorite local cafe\u00a0for Fosselman\u2019s handmade ice cream. But I\u2019d forgotten that they didn\u2019t take debit cards and I didn\u2019t have enough cash on hand. Then they pulled out an iPad and rang me up.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d I asked, pointing at the screen.<\/p>\n \u201cSquare,\u201d the barista said. \u201cYou\u2019ll get an email receipt.<\/p>\n Square’s logo<\/p><\/div>\n I didn\u2019t inquire further about this newfangled service since a long line of customers awaited their coffee. It must be part of\u00a0Foursquare, I assumed. Impressed, but a bit overwhelmed with yet another in an endless spate of apps, start-ups and seamless purchasing.\u00a0The receipt arrived in my email with an image of my signature:\u00a0 Re: Receipt from Busters Ice Cream and Coffee Shop for $9.18.<\/em>\u00a0I wondered.<\/p>\n At the bottom of the email it asked if I wanted to \u201cstart accepting credit cards today.\u201d I thought of a few friends who could use this reader gizmo on their smartphone for their business and filed away\u00a0a mental note.\u00a0It returned to my radar tonight.<\/p>\n A story on 60 Minutes<\/em> <\/a>featured an interview with Square\u2019s creator Jack Dorsey, the guy who co-founded Twitter<\/a>. That got my attention. It\u2019s got low fees and could transform payments for customers and vendors. I read a comment about complaints and flashed on Groupon. A further search revealed it can hold funds up to 30 days for large transactions and there\u2019s a robo response in lieu of\u00a0customer support. But it’s fast-growing and should leap overnight\u00a0after this\u00a0story: Jack Dorsey of Square on “60 Minutes”<\/a>.<\/p>\n Would you use it?\u00a0 Sign up as a customer and the favorite shops will know who you are: Squareup.com<\/a> and\/or register for your\u00a0free credit card reader: https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/app\/square-register\/id335393788?ls=1&mt=8<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A ginger scone and organic coffee would taste delicious, I thought, rushing to meet a friend at 8 am a couple weeks ago at Busters in South Pasadena, a favorite local cafe\u00a0for Fosselman\u2019s handmade ice cream. But I\u2019d forgotten … Continue reading <\/a>