square

Square launches gift cards

Square, a leader in mobile payments, today launched a gift card service tied to its Square Wallet program.

The new service is designed to let anyone purchase a gift card for friends or family at any of the more than 250,000 businesses nationwide that accept Square Wallet, an iOS and Android app that lets users pay automatically with their mobile device. The recipient would then redeem the value of the gift using Square Wallet on their own device. All it takes to send a gift, Square said, is to pick a merchant, … Read more

Did Twitter's founder reveal its would-be Instagram killer?

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey may have dropped the first public proof that Twitter is getting ready to release its own photo filtering feature, a tool it hopes could help in its increasingly tense battle with Instagram.

A report published today by All Things D suggested that informed sources have said that Twitter plans to launch its photo filtering tool before year's end. A series of black-and-white photos tweeted by Dorsey today appear to have been created using Twitter's own photo hosting service, pic.twitter.com. That would mean that Dorsey, who has largely relinquished his operational role at Twitter, … Read more

Square Enix considers same-sex marriage for Final Fantasy XIV

One new feature in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn lets avatars get married. When it launches sometimes next year, only opposite-sex avatars will be able to get hitched, but that may change.

Square Enix discussed the matter of same-sex marriage, among other topics, in a nearly two-hour video posted to YouTube. A representative from the company said Square Enix has been carefully considering allowing same-sex marriage, though no final decisions have been made.

Read more of "Square Enix considering same-sex marriage for Final Fantasy XIV" at GameSpot.

Prowling the streets of San Francisco with Square Wallet

SAN FRANCISCO -- There's so many choices. Cupcakes. Pizza. Sandwiches. Artisanal beverages. A chiropractor. Even a world-class speaker series. And that's all just within a few blocks.

My iPhone is in my hand, and I'm about to head out on a spending spree. No cash or credit cards will see the light of day, but I won't be having any uncomfortable conversations with security guards either. Welcome to my Square Wallet walking tour.

For the uninitiated who think of Square and visualize someone in a food truck ringing up a burrito by swiping a credit card … Read more

The 404 1,165: Where we roll into flavor town (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- NY Times posts violent takedown review of Guy Fieri's new restaurant in Times Square, New York.

- Travel Channel's Anthony Bourdain rips into Guy Fieri.

- Guy Fieri's last name isn't really Fieri.

- How Sony is turning into a ghost in Japan and around the world.

- Seriously though, how cool is this vintage Sony Sports transistor radio?

- Head to Sonyvintage.com for more photos and specs on vintage Sony hi-fi products.

- Japanese photo booth 3D prints mini models of an entire human being.

Bathroom break video: Grand Theft Auto V gets a new trailer and screenshots.… Read more

Square hits $10 billion in annual payments processed

Mobile-payments startup Square said today that it is now processing $10 billion in transactions a year.

That's a major milestone for a company that announced just seven months ago that it had hit $5 billion in annualized transactions, and two months ago that it had passed the $8 billion mark. In October, 2011, the number was $2 billion.

Founded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, San Francisco-based Square has become a leader in the mobile-payments space, growing to the point that last week, Starbucks integrated its service into the coffee giant's 7,000 U.S. stores.

In a tweet … Read more

Jack Dorsey: An IPO is not an exit plan

Twitter co-founder and Square CEO Jack Dorsey has reiterated Twitter's cautious approach to being a public company by saying that a company's initial public offering shouldn't be the end-all for startups.

"You can think of an IPO as an exit or a goal, or you can think of it as more of a milestone. For us, it's a milestone," he told CNBC's Maria Bartiromo in a segment aired today.

When asked about Twitter's plan to become a public company, Dorsey said the company will go public "when we feel the company … Read more

What Square's rise means for the startup ecosystem

Square is different than any other startup that has come before it, and its growing influence and size will inevitably lead to a change in the way entrepreneurs run their companies and venture capitalists invest.

There's no doubt that Square is on the rise, but it is set to accelerate its growth, thanks to a strategic investment from Starbucks that places Square's technology in front of millions of consumers. And thanks to Starbucks, Square's revenue and valuation are set to soar.

Perhaps this is why more pundits are calling Square "Silicon Valley's next great company,&… Read more

Limits of using Square at Starbucks

Thursday's CNET Update has a tall order:

Today's tech news roundup explains how to pay with Square Wallet at Starbucks and how it's different from the Starbucks app. Small businesses have been taking hands-free payments with Square Wallet for several months. But Starbucks, which recently invested in Square, is still requiring you to scan your phone screen at checkout. Also in today's show:

- Pinterest users can finally pin in private. Users can create three "Secret Boards" for personal use, or to share with select users.

- Amazon uncorked its wine store, delivering to … Read more