Magnetic Stripe Reader for Palm Handhelds

Posted By: Ryan Wednesday, July 9, 2003 12:40:37 PM

Scanning Devices has released a new Magnetic Stripe Reader for Palm Handhelds with the universal connector. The new 2500 Series Magnetic Stripe Reader clips easily to Palm Handhelds, including the Tungsten line, for reading and processing magnetic encoded cards.

Scanning Devices Magnetic Stripe Readers are designed for use in a variety of ?mobile? customer environments. Typical applications include wireless credit card transaction processing, attendance recording, ID badge reading, survey & polling data collection, and sales lead capture.

The 2500 series extends Scanning Devices magstripe readers to the full range of current Palm Handhelds, including m125, m130, m500, m515, i705 and Tungsten line. It also supports the Palm III, VII and Symbol® SPT 1500 series. The 2500 Series readers are 50% faster than previous 2200 series models, allowing faster swiping and reliable high-speed reading. 2500 Series are available in two track and three track models with several coding options, so you can select the reader for your specific application.

The MagStripe Reader is powered by the Handheld, and does not require batteries. The Handheld is secured to the reader with spring-loaded clips that snap into slots in the Palm's base, making a solid assembly you can easily hold in one hand. The 2500 Series is 6.0" x 3.5" x 1.3" and weighs just 3.8 ounces. It reads Magnetic Stripe Cards with physical dimensions conforming to ISO 7810. To assist programmers, Scanning Devices provides a Software Development Kit (SDK) and Programming Documentation for 2500 Series Magnetic Stripe Readers on its web site. Prices for individual units range from $125 - $150.

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Kludgy and Ugly

indesman @ 7/9/2003 2:07:11 PM #

Did they really have to make it so big? It looks like it was cobbled together from the spare parts bin at Radio Shack.

RE: Kludgy and Ugly

Fammy @ 7/9/2003 3:16:17 PM #

Who cares if it is ugly. Now I can scan my drivers license and see that I have 2 unpaid parking tickets!

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Fammy

RE: Kludgy and Ugly

ozz @ 7/9/2003 4:43:19 PM #

Yeah, and you'll only have to spend $150 for the Magnetic Stripe Reader to find out you have only one $40 parking ticket!! LOL

_________________________
Lord, help me become the person my dog thinks I am!

RE: Kludgy and Ugly

I.M Anonymous @ 7/9/2003 11:47:45 PM #

Seriously, the read head is the size of a marble, so couldn't the whole device be roughly the size of a 9 volt battery?

RE: Kludgy and Ugly

Andyvan @ 7/10/2003 1:39:17 AM #

I thought the same. I would have preferred either a cable, or a Bluetooth connection.

-- Andyvan

RE: Kludgy and Ugly

gfunkmagic @ 7/10/2003 5:59:33 AM #

Tokenworks has been offering a springboard card reader for Visors for some time now:

http://www.tokenworks.com/products/detail.htm

I think this is a much nicer design...

----------------------------------------
"Computers are useless. They can only give you answers."

-Pablo Picasso.

RE: Kludgy and Ugly

rickdaustin @ 7/10/2003 7:50:03 AM #

My wife is an artist and we've been using a product from:
http://www.merchantanywhere.com

which attaches to a Palm VII (other devices supported as well) for wireless credit card authorizations. It has worked well. It uses the palm.net network and approval takes 10 - 20 seconds. Good form factor and the cost of hardware and software is around $200.

The only problem we've had so far is a recent change American Express made to the approval process for swiped transactions. Even so, their customer support was very responsive in resolving the issue.

Highly recommended if you need un-tethered credit card authorizations.

I know its off subject, But...

Tungstenman @ 7/9/2003 2:15:45 PM #

have there been any rumers of new palm handhelds comming out, with memory over 64 MB, like 128. And vertual g, besides SONY

Steve, Tungsten owner

RE: I know its off subject, But...

helf @ 7/9/2003 2:37:23 PM #

why in the heck are you bringing that up HERE!?!?

RE: I know its off subject, But...

Tungstenman @ 7/9/2003 2:43:57 PM #

Yeah, should of started a forom

Steve, Tungsten owner

Well it should gete the palm some publicity.

acquiessense @ 7/9/2003 4:44:18 PM #

"New handheld computer accessorie encourags credit card fraud"

Skimmers will love this. (Taking the credit card details of one card, and placing them on another to allow the signature of the card match, but to contain wrong data.

RE: Well it should gete the palm some publicity.

edyaw @ 7/10/2003 9:22:40 AM #

This device will be one of the least expensive "skimmers" on the market.

RE: Well it should gete the palm some publicity.

Haber @ 7/10/2003 8:26:58 PM #

While it may be a useful tool for criminals, we must remember that all products can be used for good or ill. Someone could just as easily carry around a clay block and imprint the CCs info on that. What we need is more secure cards, as the current variety has not been safe for at least a decade. Perhaps once fraud gets large enough to hurt the credit companies' bottom line.

Yay, a skimm...card reader!

palm_pilot_guy @ 7/11/2003 7:10:31 AM #

With this and appropriate software, you'll be able to 'skim' data from credit cards. In other words: me want! Me want!

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two sl10s in the hand don't make an sj30 in the bush.