PayPal Steps Up: Mobile Payment Solution with PayPal Here
PayPal just announced their newest venture called PayPal Here. It is a competitor to Square. The only question many have is: why did it take them this long to release it?
Get the reader from PayPal.

_ Life Without Square: The Hassle of accepting Credit Cards
Dealing with the hassle of taking credit cards was something small business owners used to dread.  A merchant account had to be set up with a bank or financial institution.  The merchant was charged a monthly service fee.  The fee was sometimes as high as $50 a month.  In addition to the fee, business owners had to rent or purchase credit card processing equipment.  This also included purchasing consumables such as paper and ribbons for the receipt printers.  This often proved expensive for the small business owner.  Thanks to a San Francisco based company called Square, the hassle of taking credit cards is now over.

How Square Works: Everyone Can Accept Credit Cards Via Mobile Devices
Square was created by Jack Dorsey, one of the founders of Twitter. Square's mission is to remove the barriers for small business owners to accept credit cards.  Square is simple.  It is elegant and easy to use.  The most important feature of using Square is that your clients feel secure with the transaction.  Square allows you to accept credit card payments on your Android, iPhone or iPad with the free square card reader device.  Square will send you a free Square card reader to plug into the audio port of your mobile device.  You can sign up and install the app in just a few minutes.  You can then begin accepting credit cards!  Your customers can review their purchase on your mobile device and even have a tip added to the bill.  After their credit card is swiped, they sign a signature line on the screen with their finger.  Customers instantly receive an electronic receipt via text or e-mail, which makes them feel secure about the transaction. Square charges one simple rate: 2.75% per swipe for MasterCard, Visa Discover and Amex.  Unlike most credit card processors, square charges no monthly fees.  The funds are deposited into your bank account the next business day.

Square Lets Small Business Owners Accept Credit Cards Via Mobile Devices
Even if you run the one person micro business, you have a need to accept credit cards from your customers. PayPal made it easy to accept payments online. Square now makes it easy to accept payments in person with a mobile device. Expect to see Square being used by your hair stylist, gardener, babysitter, or anyone you currently pay in cash. All you need is a mobile device and a bank account to accept payments. Square is making the process easy and fun as well. Small Business owners: get one of these now and get set up to take credit card payments. Your future sales may depend on it.

Visit http://www.squareup.com to order your Free Square Card Reader

Did you get an E-Book reader or a tablet device for Christmas this year? A Pew Research Center survey indicates that ownership in tablet devices and e-book readers increased from 10% to 19% during the 2011 holiday shopping season.

Tablet and E-Book Reader Benefits
One of the main benefits from using a tablet device is its accessibility. You can keep it on the coffee table or use it while walking up and down the stairs at your home. You can use it while lying in bed or while on the couch just as easy as you can use it on a plane. The ability to instantly turn on these devices coupled with Wi-Fi access to your network makes this device a replacement for 90% of what you use your laptop for. Most people use their laptops to access the internet, read email, and create and edit office documents, and spreadsheets. The rise of streaming media from companies like Netflix and Amazon has pushed the traditional Television viewer to seek more and more entertainment online. The iPad is an amazing entertainment device. You can stream movies, play games and check your social media channels from wherever you are.

When I showed my 86 year old Father the iPad, his first comment was that the clarity of the screen was incredible. He was pleasantly surprised that he could read an e-book without his glasses on. I had a similar experience showing the iPad to my wife’s grandmother, who is also in her 80’s. Within 2 minutes she had mastered the touch interface and was playing Angry Birds. I frequently see parents hand their 2 year old child an iPad with a learning game. Touch technology enables users who do not use computers to quickly adopt a new technology. This technology is here to stay. Recently, I attended the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. I was impressed with the degree to which tablets were being incorporated into everything from cars to refrigerators.

 

Entrepreneurs Should Consider Adding Tablet and E-Book Reader Technology to Their Business
Entrepreneurs should consider adding a tablet to their office and personal workflow. Email is a breeze. Web browsing is fun again. The tablet is great for reading books, newspaper, and reports. The iPad can also create and edit office documents with Pages, edit spreadsheets with Numbers, and presentations with Keynote. All of these Apps sell for $9.99 each in the iTunes App Store. During my evaluation of the iPad, I concluded that the only thing that I can’t do on the device is graphic design. I use Adobe Creative Suite to create and edit graphic files. This is not something that the iPad tablet can do for now. Or so I thought. I was wrong. Adobe has created an entire suite of Touch Apps for the iPad and Android tablets. The technology incorporates 6 creative Apps: Adobe Photoshop Touch, Adobe Proto, Adobe Ideas, Adobe Debut, Adobe Collage, and Adobe Kuler. Photoshop allows users to edit photos, Proto allows rapid prototyping and creation of wireframes for websites and mobile apps, Ideas is a vector design application that allows Illustrator functionality, Debut is a presentation app that designers can use to present full-resolution native Adobe graphic files, Collage lets you create mood boards and inspiration pieces, and Kuler lets you create and navigate in a world of infinite color themes.This presents a huge paradigm shift in the design process. It will allow designers to work in a whole new way: More efficient, connected and mobile. All of the Apps sell for $9.99 each and can be found on the Android Marketplace as well as the iTunes app Store.  


The Future for the Tablet and E-Book Reader Market
The future for tablets is great. Touch technology has enabled us to create and use technology in new mobile ways. The tablet is game-changing technology and every small business owner should consider ways to streamline their operations with these advances.

Pew Research Study: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/2176/tablet-computers-ebook-readers
Check the Adobe Touch Apps out here: http://www.adobe.com/products/touchapps.html?promoid=JFQGR

Meet UP by Jawbone ( http://www.jawbone.com/up ), a revolutionary system (wristband + iPhone app) that tracks your activity and sleep and inspires you to move more, sleep better and eat smarter. Welcome to a Healthier You.

The Up wristband goes on sale November 6. The price will be $100. The Up can be purchased from the Apple Store, Best Buy and Target. The wristband comes in even different colors and various sizes to fit everyone's tastes. A great gift for the holidays.

Get the UP by Jawbone app here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/up-by-jawbone/id461125277?ls=1&mt=8

Wake UP - Helping You to Sleep Better - It is like having your own personal sleep coach!

Eat UP - Helping You to Make Healthier Choices in what You Eat.

Get UP - Helping You to Stay Active Throughout the Day