Accept card payments, using your smartphone

I like to show my family just how rich and successful I am, so just last week I was making use of a discount voucher in Pizza Hut. After gorging myself on large amounts of “endless salad” and “unlimited soft drinks” I was sadly too fat to walk to the till to pay. Luckily the lovely waitress lady brought me one of those mobile payment machines so that I could whack my debit card in.

Now, I don’t know a fat deal about these machines other than the fact that the waitress sometimes pre-ticks that “Add tip?” question. They look, to my untrained eye, a bit expensive. So, if you’re running a business and want to take payments, getting the necessary kit is going to set you back a bit. The guys at payleven have a solution, and you already have half of it – your smartphone.

It’s easy to get going, you just need the free payleven app (available on iOS and Android) and a payleven Chip & PIN device. The two connect via Bluetooth, then you (as the retailer) just enter the payment amount on your phone whilst handing the Chip & PIN device to your customer. They enter their PIN as normal – a screen on the reader will let them know what’s happening. After everything is complete you can enter an email address for the customer on your phone to send a receipt. It’s that simple.

Want a paper receipt? Well, if you want you can email an online printer and have a real paper receipt that way. You can even add a photo of the item and a description for the receipt too if you wish. You also get a transaction history section where you can resend receipts later too.

There’s no hidden fees or contracts, they just charge 2.75% fee of the transaction value, so if you sell a £50 item they’ll take £1.25 of that and the Chip & PIN device is just £59.95.

This is a properly mobile solution, so you don’t necessarily have to run a cafe or a butchers. You could run a market stall or a burger van – as long as your phone has a data connection you’re set, and it’s fully secure.

How to stop Google from automatically using your picture as caller ID

7:15 PM

Google this week announced that it would start integrating Android users’ Google+ accounts more deeply into its mobile platform, which means that users’ Google+ profile pictures will soon automatically show up on caller ID screens when they call up fellow Android users. While this feature could make incoming phone calls from new contacts more friendly and personal, some Android users might not be comfortable having their picture displayed when they make a call to someone they’ve never met before.

The good news is that CNET has put together a handy guide that shows how simple it is to tell Google to not use your Google+ picture in your outgoing caller ID screen. Essentially, you have to just visit the Phone section of your Google account settings and uncheck a box that reads, “Help people who have your phone number find you on Google services and connect with you.” Google is implementing its new “smarter caller ID” feature starting with Android 4.4 KitKat, which means that it will likely be a while before most Android users have to worry about it.

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Virgin to continue using EE network

EE sent out a press release earlier confirming the long standing agreement between themselves and Virgin Mobile is set to continue and the MNVO will get access to both 2G, 3G and we believe soon 4G networks.

The original deal was signed 14 years ago between then T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile but was coming to an end, and with T-Mobile now being part of EE, it was agreed to carry on what has worked so well for them all these years

Virgin Media extends long-standing MVNO partnership with EE

Virgin Media customers to continue to benefit from the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network 

21 October 2013, United Kingdom: EE and Virgin Media have announced that EE will continue to provide the network and services that underpin Virgin Media’s mobile service, Virgin Mobile, the UK’s leading MVNO with over three million customers.

The new and exclusive MVNO agreement is an extension of EE and Virgin Media’s longstanding and successful partnership, which dates back to the launch of Virgin Mobile in 1999 as the world’s first MVNO.

EE was selected based on the strength of its network, its strong industry reputation and its flexible and technologically advanced MVNO platform. EE offers the widest 3G and 2G coverage in the UK as well as the country’s biggest and fastest 4G network.

Gerry McQuade, Chief Marketing Officer, Non-consumer, EE said: “We’re delighted that following a competitive industry tender, Virgin Media has again chosen to partner with EE and build on our longstanding and successful relationship. By choosing the EE network, Virgin Media will ensure its customers and around 14,000 employees continue to have access to the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network.”

Dana Strong , Virgin Media’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Combining the leading mobile network with our powerful broadband means Virgin Media customers get the best connectivity whether at home, out and about, or even beneath the streets of London. Having worked together for over a decade, this partnership between the world’s first virtual operator and what is now Britain’s most comprehensive mobile network is moving into an exciting new phase.”