#Mobile Payment Devices

[smartmobilepos-payment-solution]

5 Best Mobile Payment Devices [80% of Businesses Use These for Secure Transactions]

Mobile payment devices have become important tools for merchants who want to offer seamless, secure, and efficient payment options.

Why are 80% of businesses choosing mobile payment devices?

The answer lies in the combination of convenience, security, and speed these devices offer, all while keeping transaction costs low.

In this blog, we’ll explore the 5 best mobile payment devices that 80% of businesses are already using for secure transactions.

1.Square Reader

Best for: Small businesses, retail, and mobile businesses

Why 80% of businesses love it: Square Reader is one of the most popular mobile payment devices due to its simplicity and affordability. It allows businesses to accept chip, magstripe, and contactless payments via mobile devices.

Features:

Compact & portable: Fits in your pocket and connects to smartphones via Bluetooth.

Easy setup: No monthly fees, just pay a small percentage per transaction.

Supports various payment methods: Accepts all major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more.

Benefits: Square offers a free card reader and transparent pricing, making it a go-to for small businesses and startups looking for an easy-to-use, secure solution.

2.PayPal Here

Best for: Retail, online sales, and freelancers

Why 80% of businesses love it: As one of the most recognized names in online payments, PayPal Here offers an easy way to accept payments anywhere, anytime. It’s known for its low transaction fees and reliable service.

Features:

Wide compatibility: Works with both iOS and Android devices.

No monthly fee: You only pay per transaction.

Built-in reporting tools: Track sales, inventory, and customer information.

Benefits: PayPal Here combines seamlessly with your PayPal account, making it perfect for businesses that already use PayPal for online sales.

3.Clover Go

Best for: Small to mid-sized businesses, restaurants, and service providers

Why 80% of businesses love it: Clover Go is a mobile payment device that works seamlessly with the Clover Point of Sale (POS) system. As one of the top mobile payment devices on the market, it’s designed to make payment processing easy for businesses on the move. Whether you're a small business owner, in retail, or a service provider, Clover Go allows you to accept payments securely and efficiently, all from the palm of your hand.

Features:

Versatile payment acceptance: Accepts swipe, chip, and tap payments.

Integrated POS: Syncs directly with Clover POS for inventory and reporting.

User-friendly app: Manage your business operations from anywhere.

Benefits: With Clover Go, you get all the features of a traditional POS system, but in a mobile-friendly, compact device. Great for businesses on the go!

4.SumUp Air

Best for: Freelancers, small businesses, and pop-up stores

Why 80% of businesses love it: SumUp Air is an affordable, mobile card reader that’s perfect for small businesses and solo entrepreneurs. It’s simple to use, and transactions are processed quickly.

Features:

Accepts all major cards: Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.

Bluetooth connection: Works with smartphones and tablets.

Free app: Provides transaction history and reporting.

Benefits: SumUp has no monthly fees, so you only pay a small percentage per transaction, making it a cost-effective solution for startups and freelancers.

5.Shopify POS

Best for: E-commerce businesses and retail shops

Why 80% of businesses love it: Shopify POS is part of the popular Shopify ecosystem, which makes it a perfect fit for online businesses that want to expand to physical stores. It's easy to set up and combines perfectly with your Shopify online store.

Features:

Seamless integration with Shopify: Syncs your online and offline sales, inventory, and customer data.

Supports multiple payment methods: Accepts credit cards, gift cards, and mobile wallets.

Advanced reporting tools: Track sales, inventory, and customer insights.

Benefits: Shopify POS is great for businesses that want to manage both online and in-store sales from one platform.

Conclusion

Choosing the right mobile payment device can have a significant impact on your business’s efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Whether you’re running a small retail store, restaurant, or offering on-the-go services, these 5 best mobile payment devices are the tools that 80% of businesses trust for secure transactions.

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Choose the perfect mobile payment device for your needs and start processing payments seamlessly!

[creativeera]

Mobile Card Readers: How Portable Payment Processing is Revolutionizing Commerce

Emergence of Mobile Card Readers Mobile card first emerged about a decade ago as simple magnetic stripe readers that connected to a mobile device via the audio jack. These early solutions allowed basic in-person credit card processing but lacked robust security and functionality. In recent years, advancements in technology have enabled the development of sophisticated mobile card readers that connect via Bluetooth and support chip cards, contactless payments, and value-added features. These next-gen devices are fueling massive growth and transforming how businesses accept payments on the go. Evolution of Connectivity and Compatibility Early mobile card used the audio jack connection, which provided a simple plug-and-play experience but came with security risks. As Bluetooth became mainstream, readers migrated to this wireless standard, allowing for a more seamless pairing with iOS and Android devices without compromising data. Now the latest mobile readers even support wireless payment formats like NFC/contactless that don't require direct tapping. In terms of compatibility, the first readers only worked with certain mobile models, but now universal readers are available that are compatible with virtually any smartphone or tablet. This wide compatibility combined with simple Bluetooth pairing has significantly lowered the barrier to entry for mobile payments acceptance. Expanded Acceptance of Payment Types Initially mobile card were limited to magnetic stripe cards only, which posed problems for newer chip-based cards. However, as EMV compliance grew in importance, card reader manufacturers added chip card slots and contactless payments to their products. Now a single mobile card reader can accept all major payment types, from magnetic stripe and EMV chips to NFC/contactless technologies. Mobile Card Reader unified acceptance allows merchants to receive all forms of customer tenders regardless of the cards' underlying technologies. The emergence of mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay has further expanded the opportunities for mobile merchants to accept new types of touchless payments. Advanced Functionalities and Integration Options Early card readers were basic platforms for swiping or inserting cards. However, modern readers integrate robust point-of-sale features into intuitive mobile apps. These apps turn a smartphone or tablet into a fully-functional mobile POS by enabling inventory management, integrated invoices/receipts, customer profiles, loyalty programs, analytics, and more. Leading providers also deliver payment APIs to seamlessly connect readers to leading shopping carts and platforms. Merchants gain access to robust back-end tools while retaining control over their brand experience. Additionally, many readers now feature integrated card-not-present payment options, allowing remote or mail/phone order merchants to accept payments seamlessly. Rise of New Mobile Commerce Models The combination of powerful yet affordable mobile card readers and extensive payment acceptance has spurred innovative new mobile business models. Food trucks, pop-up shops, delivery services, traveling consultants and more can now easily start and run commerce operations from a smartphone or tablet. Door-to-door and direct-to-consumer merchants no longer need to rely on costly POS terminals or delay accepting payments. Events and trade shows have also benefited as exhibitors gain the ability to quickly and securely accept payments at their booth. This proliferation of mobile commerce opportunities allows entrepreneurs to pursue flexible, entrepreneurial ventures that were not previously financially viable without robust payment acceptance solutions. Get more insights on Mobile Card Reader

Also read related article on Synthetic Aperture Radar Market

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Vaagisha brings over three years of expertise as a content editor in the market research domain. Originally a creative writer, she discovered her passion for editing, combining her flair for writing with a meticulous eye for detail. Her ability to craft and refine compelling content makes her an invaluable asset in delivering polished and engaging write-ups.

(LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaagisha-singh-8080b91)

[mostlysignssomeportents]

An Epic antitrust loss for Google

A jury just found Google guilty on all counts of antitrust violations stemming from its dispute with Epic, maker of Fortnite, which brought a variety of claims related to how Google runs its app marketplace. This is huge:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/technology/epic-games-google-antitrust-ruling.html

The mobile app store world is a duopoly run by Google and Apple. Both use a variety of tactics to prevent their customers from installing third party app stores, which funnels all app makers into their own app stores. Those app stores cream an eye-popping 30% off every purchase made in an app.

This is a shocking amount to charge for payment processing. The payments sector is incredibly monopolized and notorious for its price-gouging – and its standard (wildly inflated) rate is 2-5%:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/04/owning-the-libs/#swiper-no-swiping

Now, in theory, Epic doesn't have to sell in Google Play, the official Android app store. Unlike Apple's iOS, Android permit both sideloading (installing an app directly without using an app store) and configuring your device to use a different app store. In practice, Google uses a variety of anticompetitive tricks to prevent these app stores from springing up and to dissuade Android users from sideloading. Proving that Google's actions – like paying Activision $360m as part of "Project Hug" (no, really!) – were intended to prevent new app storesfrom springing up was a big lift for Epic. But they managed it, in large part thanks to Google's own internal communications, wherein executives admitted that this was exactly why Project Hug existed. This is part of a pattern with Big Tech antitrust: many of the charges are theoretically very hard to make stick, but because the companies put their evil plans in writing (think of the fraudulent crypto exchange FTX, whose top execs all conferred in a groupchat called "Wirefraud"), Big Tech keeps losing in court:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/03/big-tech-cant-stop-telling-on-itself/

Now, I do like to dunk on Big Tech for this kind of thing, because it's objectively funny and because the companies make so many unforced errors. But in an important sense, this kind of written record is impossible to avoid. Any large institution can only make and enact policy through administrative systems, and those systems leave behind a paper-trail: memos, meeting minutes, etc. Yes, we all know that quote from The Wire: "Is you taking notes on a fucking criminal conspiracy?" But inevitably, any ambitious conspiracy can only exist if someone is taking notes.

What's more, any large conspiracy involving lots of parties will inevitably produce leaks. Think of this as the corollary to the idea that the moon landing can't be a hoax, because there's no way 400,000 co-conspirators could keep the secret. Big Tech's conspiracies required hundreds or even thousands of collaborators to keep their mouths shut, and eventually someone blabs:

https://www.science.org/content/article/fake-moon-landing-you-d-need-400000-conspirators

This is part of a wave of antitrust cases being brought against the tech giants. As Matt Stoller writes, the guilty-on-all-counts jury verdict will leak into current and future actions. Remember, Google spent much of this year in court fighting the DoJ, who argued that the company bribed Apple not to make a competing search engine, paying tens of billions every year to keep a competitor from emerging. Now that a jury has convinced Google of doing that to prevent alternative app stores from emerging, claims that it used these pay-for-delay tactics in other sectros get a lot more credible:

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/boom-google-loses-antitrust-case

On that note: what about Apple? Epic brought a very similar case against Apple and lost. Both Apple and Epic are appealing that case to the Supreme Court, and now that Google has been convicted in a similar case, it might prompt the Supremes to weigh in and resolve the seeming inconsistencies in the interpretation of federal law.

This is a key moment in the long project to wrest antitrust away from the pro-monopoly side, who spent decades "training" judges to produce verdicts that run counter to the plain language of America's antitrust law:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/13/post-bork-era/#manne-down

There's 40 years' worth of bad precedent to overturn. The good news is that we've got the law on our side. Literally, the wording of the laws and the records of the Congressional debate leading to their passage, all militate towards the (incredibly obvious) conclusion that the purpose of anti-monopoly law is to fight monopoly, not defend it:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/14/aiming-at-dollars/#not-men

It's amazing to realize that we got into this monopoly quagmire because judges just literally refused to enforce the law. That's what makes one part of the jury verdict against Google so exciting: the jury found that Google's insistence that Play Store sellers use its payment processor was an act of illegal tying. Today, "tying" is an obscure legal theory, but few doctrines would be more useful in disenshittifying the internet. A company is guilty of illegal tying when it forces you to use unrelated products or services as a condition of using the product you actually want. The abandonment of tying led to a host of horribles, from printer companies forcing you to buy ink at $10,000/gallon to Livenation forcing venues to sell tickets through its Ticketmaster subsidiary.

The next phase of this comes when the judge decides on the penalty. Epic doesn't want cash damages – it wants the judge to order Google to fulfill its promise of "an open, competitive Android ecosystem for all users and industry participants." They've asked the judge to order Google to facilitate third-party app stores, and to separate app stores from payment processors. As Stoller puts it, they want to "crush Google’s control over Android":

https://www.epicgames.com/site/en-US/news/epic-v-google-trial-verdict-a-win-for-all-developers

Google has sworn to appeal, surprising no one. The Times's expert says that they will have a tough time winning, given how clear the verdict was. Whatever this means for Google and Android, it means a lot for a future free from monopolies.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/12/im-feeling-lucky/#hugger-mugger

[amalgamasreal]

So I don't know how people on this app feel about the shit-house that is TikTok but in the US right now the ban they're trying to implement on it is a complete red herring and it needs to be stopped.

They are quite literally trying to implement Patriot Act 2.0 with the RESTRICT Act and using TikTok and China to scare the American public into buying into it wholesale when this shit will change the face of the internet. Here are some excerpts from what the bill would cover on the Infrastructure side:

SEC. 5. Considerations.

(a) Priority information and communications technology areas.—In carrying out sections 3 and 4, the Secretary shall prioritize evaluation of— (1) information and communications technology products or services used by a party to a covered transaction in a sector designated as critical infrastructure in Policy Directive 21 (February 12, 2013; relating to critical infrastructure security and resilience);

(2) software, hardware, or any other product or service integral to telecommunications products and services, including— (A) wireless local area networks;

(B) mobile networks;

(C) satellite payloads;

(D) satellite operations and control;

(E) cable access points;

(F) wireline access points;

(G) core networking systems;

(H) long-, short-, and back-haul networks; or

(I) edge computer platforms;

(3) any software, hardware, or any other product or service integral to data hosting or computing service that uses, processes, or retains, or is expected to use, process, or retain, sensitive personal data with respect to greater than 1,000,000 persons in the United States at any point during the year period preceding the date on which the covered transaction is referred to the Secretary for review or the Secretary initiates review of the covered transaction, including— (A) internet hosting services;

(B) cloud-based or distributed computing and data storage;

(C) machine learning, predictive analytics, and data science products and services, including those involving the provision of services to assist a party utilize, manage, or maintain open-source software;

(D) managed services; and

(E) content delivery services;

(4) internet- or network-enabled sensors, webcams, end-point surveillance or monitoring devices, modems and home networking devices if greater than 1,000,000 units have been sold to persons in the United States at any point during the year period preceding the date on which the covered transaction is referred to the Secretary for review or the Secretary initiates review of the covered transaction;

(5) unmanned vehicles, including drones and other aerials systems, autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles, or any other product or service integral to the provision, maintenance, or management of such products or services;

(6) software designed or used primarily for connecting with and communicating via the internet that is in use by greater than 1,000,000 persons in the United States at any point during the year period preceding the date on which the covered transaction is referred to the Secretary for review or the Secretary initiates review of the covered transaction, including— (A) desktop applications;

(B) mobile applications;

(C) gaming applications;

(D) payment applications; or

(E) web-based applications; or

(7) information and communications technology products and services integral to— (A) artificial intelligence and machine learning;

(B) quantum key distribution;

(C) quantum communications;

(D) quantum computing;

(E) post-quantum cryptography;

(F) autonomous systems;

(G) advanced robotics;

(H) biotechnology;

(I) synthetic biology;

(J) computational biology; and

(K) e-commerce technology and services, including any electronic techniques for accomplishing business transactions, online retail, internet-enabled logistics, internet-enabled payment technology, and online marketplaces.

(b) Considerations relating to undue and unacceptable risks.—In determining whether a covered transaction poses an undue or unacceptable risk under section 3(a) or 4(a), the Secretary— (1) shall, as the Secretary determines appropriate and in consultation with appropriate agency heads, consider, where available— (A) any removal or exclusion order issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Defense, or the Director of National Intelligence pursuant to recommendations of the Federal Acquisition Security Council pursuant to section 1323 of title 41, United States Code;

(B) any order or license revocation issued by the Federal Communications Commission with respect to a transacting party, or any consent decree imposed by the Federal Trade Commission with respect to a transacting party;

(C) any relevant provision of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation and the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and the respective supplements to those regulations;

(D) any actual or potential threats to the execution of a national critical function identified by the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency;

(E) the nature, degree, and likelihood of consequence to the public and private sectors of the United States that would occur if vulnerabilities of the information and communications technologies services supply chain were to be exploited; and

(F) any other source of information that the Secretary determines appropriate; and

(2) may consider, where available, any relevant threat assessment or report prepared by the Director of National Intelligence completed or conducted at the request of the Secretary.

Look at that, does that look like it just covers the one app? NO! This would cover EVERYTHING that so much as LOOKS at the internet from the point this bill goes live.

It gets worse though, you wanna see what the penalties are?

(b) Civil penalties.—The Secretary may impose the following civil penalties on a person for each violation by that person of this Act or any regulation, order, direction, mitigation measure, prohibition, or other authorization issued under this Act: (1) A fine of not more than $250,000 or an amount that is twice the value of the transaction that is the basis of the violation with respect to which the penalty is imposed, whichever is greater. (2) Revocation of any mitigation measure or authorization issued under this Act to the person. (c) Criminal penalties.— (1) IN GENERAL.—A person who willfully commits, willfully attempts to commit, or willfully conspires to commit, or aids or abets in the commission of an unlawful act described in subsection (a) shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1,000,000, or if a natural person, may be imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both. (2) CIVIL FORFEITURE.— (A) FORFEITURE.— (i) IN GENERAL.—Any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, used or intended to be used, in any manner, to commit or facilitate a violation or attempted violation described in paragraph (1) shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States. (ii) PROCEEDS.—Any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, constituting or traceable to the gross proceeds taken, obtained, or retained, in connection with or as a result of a violation or attempted violation described in paragraph (1) shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States. (B) PROCEDURE.—Seizures and forfeitures under this subsection shall be governed by the provisions of chapter 46 of title 18, United States Code, relating to civil forfeitures, except that such duties as are imposed on the Secretary of Treasury under the customs laws described in section 981(d) of title 18, United States Code, shall be performed by such officers, agents, and other persons as may be designated for that purpose by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General. (3) CRIMINAL FORFEITURE.— (A) FORFEITURE.—Any person who is convicted under paragraph (1) shall, in addition to any other penalty, forfeit to the United States— (i) any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, used or intended to be used, in any manner, to commit or facilitate the violation or attempted violation of paragraph (1); and (ii) any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, constituting or traceable to the gross proceeds taken, obtained, or retained, in connection with or as a result of the violation. (B) PROCEDURE.—The criminal forfeiture of property under this paragraph, including any seizure and disposition of the property, and any related judicial proceeding, shall be governed by the provisions of section 413 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 853), except subsections (a) and (d) of that section.

You read that right, you could be fined up to A MILLION FUCKING DOLLARS for knowingly violating the restrict act, so all those people telling you to "just use a VPN" to keep using TikTok? Guess what? That falls under the criminal guidelines of this bill and they're giving you some horrible fucking advice.

Also, VPN's as a whole, if this bill passes, will take a goddamn nose dive in this country because they are another thing that will be covered in this bill.

They chose the perfect name for it, RESTRICT, because that's what it's going to do to our freedoms in this so called "land of the free".

Please, if you are a United States citizen of voting age reach out to your legislature and tell them you do not want this to pass and you will vote against them in the next primary if it does. This is a make or break moment for you if you're younger. Do not allow your generation to suffer a second Patriot Act like those of us that unfortunately allowed for the first one to happen.

And if you support this, I can only assume you're delusional or a paid shill, either way I hope you rot in whatever hell you believe in.

[genshin-impact-updates]

Genshin Impact · Cloud US & Canada Open Beta on iOS, Android, and PC Now Available!

Dear Travelers,

Genshin Impact · Cloud US & Canada Open Beta on iOS, Android, and PC is now available!

Genshin Impact · Cloud currently supports US, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Myanmar. Players in other regions, stay tuned!

★ Genshin Impact · Cloud is a cloud version of HoYoverse's Genshin Impact. Real-time cloud technology allows you to enjoy high graphics and high frame rates without having to download Genshin Impact's full game package.

After logging in to Genshin Impact · Cloud, Travelers will be able to experience Genshin Impact on mobile devices. Game progress is shared across other platforms.

>> Click here to download Genshin Impact · Cloud <<

〓Payment Guidelines〓

Billing will start immediately after Travelers launch the game within Genshin Impact · Cloud. The billing standard is at 10 Cloud Coins per minute. If their accounts still have remaining Free Trial time or an active Cloud Pass, then bills will be deducted in the order of Cloud Pass > Free Trial > Cloud Coins.

Travelers can obtain a certain amount of Free Trial. Upon Travelers' first login, you may obtain a 5-hour Free Trial. Also, you may claim a 15-minute Free Trial by logging in daily (refreshes at 12:00 UTC+8 daily). The upper limit of Free Trial is 600 minutes. You will be unable to accumulate any more Free Trial once this limit is reached.

Thanks to Travelers' love and support, Genshin Impact · Cloud is now officially launched for iOS, Android, and PC in the United States and Canada. We will continue to monitor Travelers' suggestions and feedback, and work to provide a better gaming experience for Travelers.

[rainofaugustsith]

July is disability pride month! In honor of this, as a proud disabled person, the top 10 things I've heard/read about disability that just need to be addressed.

"Disability payments" = SSI.

Nope. There are a number of programs which are "disability payments." There are programs that look at your income in addition to disability status, such as SSI and VA pensions. There are programs that look at your disability status and work credits, like SSDI. There are also programs that look at disability and if it's service connected to your military status, like VA disability. There are people who have disability through their former employer. All of these provide a monthly payment to people who are disabled and cannot work. 2. Disabled people can't get married.

Okay, this one is complicated. There is to my knowledge no law on the books anywhere in the United States that prohibits a consenting disabled adult from marrying another consenting adult, disabled or not. If you are on disability with a program like SSDI they could care less if you get married or divorced.

The trick here is that if you are receiving disability under a program that considers income, like SSI, if you get married it's more than likely that you will go above the maximum income threshold and lose your benefits entirely. They somehow assume that you both can survive on your spouse's income alone. This also means the disabled person essentially loses all their financial independence. The maximum income threshold for SSI is to my knowledge far lower than almost any other program, so there's very little wiggle room here.

So a disabled person on SSI has to choose between getting married and losing all their income, or maintaining some financial independence with their own income - and that's really not a fair choice at all 3. I saw that wheelchair user stand up! Scammer.

Nope. A lot of people who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices are ambulatory. They may have pain or orthopedic issues, they may have a condition causing extreme fatigue or dizziness that makes them a fall risk, they may have a heart issue, they may be able to do some walking and standing but not a lot. Some people need mobility devices only when they are doing something particularly strenuous that would involve a lot of walking and standing - for example going through an airport or visiting a museum or theme park.

Bottom line, if you see someone using a wheelchair, a scooter, a walker, a cane, whatever, don't be an asshole to them, and don't ask them to explain their medical history to you. 4. That person has a placard and is using the parking space close to the building, but they can walk!! Scammer.

Nope. Again, you have no idea what that person's condition might be. They could have a cardiac or respiratory condition, they could have rheumatoid arthritis or an issue with their feet or knees, you have no bloody idea, so mind your business. 5. That person wouldn't be disabled if they'd meditate/take this supplement/pray/think positive! Why were they offended when I told them so?

Because their treatment is not your concern? Because although you did a lot of studying on Tik Tok University, maybe they're trusting the trained medical professionals who are treating them? Maybe because what you are saying has no actual basis in mainstream peer reviewed science? It's gross to try to give a disabled or chronically ill person unsolicited treatment or religious advice. 6. I asked that disabled person what was wrong with them and they got mad! Why?

Random strangers you meet are not required to give you detailed descriptions of their medical conditions. Also, asking anyone what is WRONG with them is so damned rude. 7. Ugh, the pandemic is over but that person is still wearing a mask! ROFL.

Yeah, there are a lot of people out there who are either immunocompromised or have another condition that makes them high risk for the numerous airborne viral illnesses still circulating, or they live with/care for someone who is, or they have another reason they're wearing a mask and they don't want to get sick. And? Mind your business. 8. Heh, that person said they were allergic to soy and I put soy milk in their coffee! They'll never know.

Congrats, you just might have killed someone or sent them to the hospital. If someone's telling you they have an allergy, please for God's sake take them seriously. If they consume or in some cases even smell or have contact with that allergen, it could absolutely kill or hospitalize them. There are also a lot of other medical reasons someone might tell you they can't have a particular food or drink - for example, some very common medications have a serious interaction with some very common fruits that could potentially cause them a tremendous amount of harm. Or they have a condition like celiac disease where eating certain things will result in pain and illness flares and serious complications for them. None of that is a joke. 9. Eyeroll this disabled person needs to get to the bathroom/another area that is only accessible by stairs and now they need me to unlock the elevator or door for them. Damned PITA.

Blame your employer or whoever owns the building for not making it accessible. Don't blame the disabled person who is asking for the same access to the facility as anyone else. Do you really think it's the highlight of anyone's day to find a locked elevator and have to search for whomever has the key, simply to go pee? 10. Eh, that person told me they can't walk up the stairs! But it's not that steep!

If a person tells you they can't walk up or down stairs, they can't walk up or down stairs. Period. Case closed. This isn't something negotiable.

[theambitiouswoman]

How To Get Started Investing In The Stock Market

Educate yourself: Before investing in the stock market, it's important to educate yourself about the basics of investing, including the different types of investments, the risks involved, and how to build a diversified portfolio. There are many resources available, including books, online courses, and investment blogs.

Determine your investment goals: It's important to have clear investment goals before investing in the stock market. Are you investing for retirement, a down payment on a house, or to generate passive income? Your investment goals will help determine the types of investments that are appropriate for you.

Open a brokerage account: To invest in the stock market, you'll need to open a brokerage account with a reputable brokerage firm. Some popular options include Fidelity, TD Ameritrade, and Charles Schwab. When choosing a brokerage firm, consider factors such as fees, investment options, and customer service.

Build a diversified portfolio: Diversification is key to successful investing. By investing in a mix of stocks, bonds, and other assets, you can reduce your risk and increase your chances of long-term success. Consider investing in a mix of large-cap and small-cap stocks, domestic and international investments, and bonds with varying maturities.

Start investing: Once you have a brokerage account and have determined your investment strategy, it's time to start investing. Consider starting with a small amount of money and gradually increasing your investments over time.

WAYS TO INVEST

There are several ways to invest in the stock market, including:

Individual Stocks: This involves buying shares of individual companies on the stock market. You can buy shares through a broker or an online trading platform.

Mutual Funds: Mutual funds pool money from multiple investors and invest in a diversified portfolio of stocks. This allows you to invest in a variety of companies with a single investment.

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs): ETFs are similar to mutual funds, but they trade like individual stocks on an exchange. This allows you to buy and sell ETFs throughout the trading day.

Index Funds: Index funds track the performance of a specific index, such as the S&P 500. This provides exposure to a broad range of companies and can be a good option for long-term investors.

TOOLS TO START INVESTING

Online Trading Platforms: Many brokers offer online trading platforms that allow you to buy and sell stocks and funds. These platforms typically provide research tools and stock charts to help you make informed investment decisions.

Robo-Advisors: Robo-advisors are digital platforms that use algorithms to create and manage investment portfolios for you. They can be a good option for beginner investors who want a hands-off approach.

Investment Apps: There are several investment apps available that allow you to buy and sell stocks and funds from your mobile device. These apps are often designed for beginner investors and offer low fees and user-friendly interfaces.

PLATFORMS

A few popular options:

Robinhood: Robinhood is a commission-free trading app that offers stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrency trading. It’s designed for beginner investors and offers a user-friendly interface.

Acorns: Acorns is an investment app that automatically invests your spare change. It rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the difference in a diversified portfolio of ETFs.

TD Ameritrade: TD Ameritrade is a popular trading platform that offers stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, futures, and forex trading. It offers a variety of trading tools and research resources.

ETRADE: ETRADE is a popular online broker that offers stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, and futures trading. It offers a variety of trading tools and resources, including a mobile app.

Fidelity: Fidelity is a full-service broker that offers stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, and futures trading. It offers a variety of investment tools and research resources, including a mobile app.

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Value Investing: Value investing involves buying stocks that are undervalued by the market and holding them for the long term. This approach requires patience and a thorough analysis of a company’s financial statements and growth potential.

Growth Investing: Growth investing involves buying stocks in companies that are expected to grow faster than the market average. This approach often involves investing in companies that are at the cutting edge of technology or have innovative business models.

Dividend Investing: Dividend investing involves buying stocks in companies that pay a dividend. This can provide a steady stream of income for investors and can be a good option for those looking for more conservative investments.

Passive Investing: Passive investing involves investing in a diversified portfolio of low-cost index funds or ETFs. This approach is designed to match the performance of the overall market and requires minimal effort on the part of the investor.

Real Estate Investing: Real estate investing involves buying and holding real estate assets for the purpose of generating income or appreciation. This can include investing in rental properties, real estate investment trusts (REITs), or crowdfunding platforms.

Options trading: is a type of trading strategy that involves buying and selling options contracts, which are financial instruments that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset, such as stocks, at a specific price within a certain time frame. Options trading can be used to generate income, hedge against risk, or speculate on market movements.

Swing trading is a type of trading strategy that aims to capture short- to medium-term gains in a financial asset, such as stocks, currencies, or commodities. Swing traders typically hold their positions for a few days to several weeks, taking advantage of price swings or "swings" in the market. Swing traders use technical analysis to identify trends and patterns in the market, and they often employ a combination of charting tools and indicators to help them make trading decisions. They look for stocks or other assets that have a clear trend, either up or down, and then try to enter and exit positions at opportune times to capture profits.

TECHNICAL ANALYSIS TOOLS

There are many technical analysis resources available for traders to use in their analysis of financial markets. Here are some popular options:

TradingView: TradingView is a web-based charting and technical analysis platform that provides users with real-time data, customizable charts, and a variety of technical indicators and drawing tools.

StockCharts: StockCharts is another web-based platform that provides a wide range of technical analysis tools, including charting capabilities, technical indicators, and scanning tools to help traders identify potential trading opportunities.

Thinkorswim: Thinkorswim is a trading platform provided by TD Ameritrade that offers advanced charting and technical analysis tools, as well as a wide range of other features for traders, including paper trading, news and research, and risk management tools.

MetaTrader 4/5: MetaTrader is a popular trading platform used by many traders around the world. It provides a range of technical analysis tools, including customizable charts, indicators, and automated trading strategies.

Investing.com: Investing.com is a website that provides real-time quotes, charts, news, and analysis for a wide range of financial markets, including stocks, currencies, commodities, and cryptocurrencies.

Yahoo Finance: Yahoo Finance is a website that provides real-time stock quotes, news, and analysis, as well as customizable charts and a variety of other tools for traders and investors.

Finviz: is a popular web-based platform for traders and investors that provides a wide range of tools and information to help them analyze financial markets. The platform offers real-time quotes, customizable charts, news and analysis, and a variety of other features.

[carlyraejepsans]

heyyy so my clip studio paint subscription expired today (trust me, if CSP let you do 1-time payments on mobile devices I'd do it in a heartbeat)

i can cover the cost on my own, but also i share a lot of my art on here for free and it seems to cheer a lot of people up so... if you enjoy my work and feel like throwing me a ko-fi so i can cover part of it that would be a very kind way to support the art i make :]

no pressure btw, just if you feel like it okay BYE

[roaringdrago]

icon tutorial

this my mobile, non-photoshop method for creating icons. none of these apps require payment, but they all offer premium options. you do not need to pay for premium.

i use three apps:

canva

lightroom

medibang paint

easy places to find card art are through the link in alchemivich's description to a google drive of assets or through the twst wiki.

first, let's look at canva.

there's a bar near the top with options for new designs. i usually stick to custom size, all the way on the right.

you can use whatever size you want. my icons are all 500x500 with the intent that they can be used for sidebars on desktop themes, as well.

now, we'll start simple. open elements on the left, and find a circle. it's usually visuable already under shapes, but if not, searching "circle" should do the trick.

if you want to add a shadow, do not make it touch the edges. you need to leave some space for later. the circle i'm using is 490x490.

make sure your circle is black, then save it to your device. this makes it easier to remove the background later in medibang.

now, open lightroom. this is where i edit the card art i'll be using.

in the top left drop-down menu, make sure you're on imports. then, in the bottom right, select one of these:

the photo with a plus sign is for importing images, the camera is for taking them. we'll be importing an image for this tutorial. after your photo has been uploaded, tap on it to open the editor.

select edit along the bottom to bring up your options.

you can easily edit your image using only the light and color menus. i rarely stray from these.

what i use most is the color mix feature. select color, then select mix in the top right of the editor menu in the bottom half of the screen. this is what the color mix menu looks like:

play around here for any colors you'd like to adjust. if you're making a preset, i recommend testing it on characters with darker skintones before saving. be careful of luminating or saturating your reds and oranges especially—red and orange change skintone the most.

after adjusting the color, go to the light menu. if need be, scroll down to see all of your options. i tend to use highlights, shadows, blacks, and whites more than anything.

don't be afraid to play around with all of your options. this is not an exhaustive tutorial, and everyone will have different preferences. these options are more of a starting point.

to save your image, tap the three dots in the upper right corner, then select save copy to device.

medibang is the last app we need. be aware, the ads have gotten worse over time. they can be invasive. turn your volume down if using headphones.

after opening medibang, select my gallery on the home page, then select the plus sign in the top right and import png/jpg to upload an image. upload the circle created in canva.

it should appear at the top of your gallery. tap on it to open the editor.

tap the layers icon along the bottom.

with the circle image layer highlighted—it should be the only layer at this stage—select the three dots in the bottom right, then tap line art extraction.

this is where we remove the white background from our circle. you don't have to adjust anything here. select set to move on.

when it asks if you want to paint over your lineart, you can select either yes or no. if no, your layers will remain as-is. if yes, the circle layer will lock, and a clear layer will be added on top. forbthis tutorial, we'll select no.

now, if you want to add a shadow, you need a duplicate layer of your circle. with the circle layer highlighted, select the three dots again, then tap duplicate.

with the bottom circle layer highlighted, select the three dots, and tap gaussian blur. i usually set this to 2 or 3. for now, we'll go with 3.

we need to add two blank layers, one above each circle. go to your layers tab, and with the top circle layer highlighted, tap the plus sign near the bottom right of the screen, then color layer. after that, make sure the bottom circle layer is highlighted, and do the exact same thing.

after you have both of your color layers, set them to clipping. when the layer is highlighted (do so by tapping on it) select clipping near the top right. a check mark should appear, and the layer will shift to the right a little in the stack. this means anything added to the clipped layer will appear only on the layer directly beneath it.

the top clipped layer will remain blank. it's there to make your image clip to the top circle.

with the top circle layer highlighted, tap the plus sign again. then, select an image to add. now you can select the image you edited in lightroom and adjust it as needed. it should automatically clip to the circle.

you can adjust the angle or zoom in & out before you set, but for now, we're just going to drag the image around until it's where we want it to be. then tap set.

if it asks if you'd like to extract lineart, select no.

now, go back to your layers, and tap the lower most clipped layer. it should be between the two circles. this is how we color the shadow.

using any color you want, completely color this layer on the canvas.

if you haven't saved yet, this is a good place to do so. an ad will most likely play.

then, along the bottom menu, tap the three lines, and select export png/jpg files. then, select the transparent option, and hit ok. you have now finished your icon, and it should be in your gallery.

mine looks like this, as an example.

[smartmobilepos-payment-solution]

The Importance of Mobile Payment Devices in the UK: Mobile Card Readers and Bluetooth Magnetic Stripe Readers

In today’s fast-moving business world, having the right payment solutions is key to success. Mobile card readers, mobile payment devices, and Bluetooth magnetic stripe readers are changing the way businesses in the UK handle transactions. Whether you are a small business owner, a street vendor, or running a larger operation, these devices offer convenience, speed, and security for both you and your customers. Let's explore how these devices work, why they are important, and what to look for when choosing one for your business.

What Are Mobile Card Readers?

Mobile card readers are portable devices that connect to your smartphone or tablet, allowing you to accept card payments from your customers. They are small, lightweight, and easy to carry around, making them ideal for businesses on the go. Mobile card readers use either Bluetooth or a physical connection (such as the headphone jack or charging port) to link to your mobile device.

In the UK, mobile card readers have become a popular option for small businesses, especially those that operate at markets, fairs, or outdoor events. These readers accept all major debit and credit cards, making it easy for businesses to handle a wide range of customers.

Mobile Payment Devices: A Game-Changer for Businesses

Mobile payment devices are another category of essential tools for businesses. These devices go beyond just card readers – they allow for contactless payments, chip-and-pin payments, and even payments via mobile apps like Google Pay or Apple Pay. With a mobile payment device, you can offer your customers a variety of ways to pay, making the transaction smoother and more efficient.

In the UK, more people are opting for contactless payments due to their speed and convenience. Mobile payment devices enable businesses to meet this growing demand and enhance the overall customer experience. Whether you're running a café, retail store, or service-based business, having a mobile payment device can streamline operations and reduce long waiting times.

Bluetooth Magnetic Stripe Readers: Why They Matter

Bluetooth magnetic stripe readers are devices that allow businesses to accept payments by swiping the magnetic stripe on the back of credit or debit cards. These readers connect to your smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth, offering wireless convenience. While chip-and-pin and contactless payments have become more popular, magnetic stripe readers are still important for businesses that deal with international customers who may use cards without contactless or chip-and-pin functionality.

The Bluetooth feature makes these devices particularly appealing because they allow for more flexibility and mobility. You don’t have to be tied down to a counter or checkout area – you can take payments anywhere within your business location or even outside, which is a big advantage for businesses that operate on the move, like food trucks or mobile vendors.

Benefits of Using Mobile Payment Devices and Card Readers

Using mobile payment devices and card readers offers several benefits for businesses, including:

Increased Sales: When you provide multiple payment options, your customers are more likely to complete their purchases, which can lead to increased sales. Whether they prefer paying by card, contactless, or mobile apps, you can accommodate their needs.

Convenience: Mobile payment devices are easy to carry and set up. You don’t need a large cash register or dedicated checkout counter, which is especially useful for small businesses with limited space or mobile businesses.

Enhanced Security: Mobile card readers and payment devices use secure technology to process payments. This reduces the risk of fraud and gives customers confidence that their information is being handled safely.

Faster Transactions: Mobile payment devices speed up the checkout process, allowing businesses to handle more customers in a shorter amount of time. This is particularly useful during busy periods or in high-traffic locations.

Cost-Effective: Compared to traditional point-of-sale systems, mobile payment devices and card readers are often more affordable. They don’t require expensive hardware or monthly fees, making them a cost-effective solution for small businesses.

Real-Time Data: Many mobile payment devices come with apps that allow you to track sales and view reports in real-time. This helps you keep an eye on your business performance and make informed decisions.

Choosing the Right Device for Your Business

When selecting a mobile card reader or payment device for your business, consider the following factors:

Compatibility: Ensure that the device is compatible with your smartphone or tablet. Most mobile card readers and payment devices work with both iOS and Android devices, but it’s always good to double-check.

Payment Options: Look for devices that accept a wide range of payment methods, including chip-and-pin, contactless, and mobile wallets. This gives your customers more flexibility.

Transaction Fees: Some mobile card readers come with transaction fees. Make sure you understand the costs involved and choose a device that offers competitive rates.

Battery Life: If you plan to use your mobile card reader or payment device throughout the day, ensure it has a long battery life to avoid interruptions during transactions.

Conclusion: The Best Place to Buy Mobile Payment Devices in the UK

In the fast-changing world of business, mobile card reader UK, mobile payment devices, and Bluetooth magnetic stripe readers are essential tools for keeping up with customer expectations. They offer convenience, speed, and security, making them must-have accessories for businesses of all sizes. Whether you run a café, a mobile business, or a retail store, these devices can enhance your operations and improve customer satisfaction.

For the best mobile payment devices in the UK, visit Smart Mobile POS. We are a trusted wholesale provider of top-quality mobile card readers and payment solutions. As one of the UK’s leading online stores, we offer affordable rates and a wide selection of mobile payment devices to meet your business needs. Shop with us today for the best deals and reliable service!

[putschki1969]

Hello Sarah,

I'm so sorry for the multiple posts, but I have some good news!

The first one is that I might have found a way around SKIYAKI's region issue with the sms verification, which (guess what) was also a problem for me. 😅

You need a good VPN that works on mobile devices through an app (nord VPN, express VPN, etc.) I connected to Tokyo and attempted the SMS verification through the SKIYAKI app and it worked!

The 2nd is I managed to become a member of Keiko's FC! After all these countless attempts and failures, perseverance finally paid off!

Some tips for those who want to become a member and may run through similar issues:

At step 2.2 -2.3 where I got stuck and couldn't receive the email to proceed. I tackled it by using a VPN and incognito tab on an android mobile device (on pc this didn't work) in order to get around the possible region lock.

For the name, I just followed your advice for the closest instance of it in Katakana. After I receive the membership ID, I will follow the tip of the fellow fan hkrwa to edit my name.

Be careful as the Lawson ticket registration is extremely case sensitive. A single space after the name can cause an error.

Then, it was the address issue. At that point, I thought of asking tenso support if I had made a mistake at the address step since I couldn't make their tutorial work.

After a couple back and forth e-mails with them (they thought I was trying to get a ticket 😑), they sent me an email with what to place at the address fields and... IT WORKED!!! 🥳🎉

This is what they sent:

City [足立区千住曙町]

Street address [４２－４]

Apartment name and room number [ＴＳ１３３０８２５　転送コム]

Maybe the width I used was wrong 🤔

For payment for both FCs I used my Revolut, which worked fine.

Anyway, my apologies for the long post and spamming your ask corner with posts all these days! I hope the above can be of help to fellow fans!

YAY!!! So happy it all worked out eventually. Thanks for the tip regarding the SKIYAKI SMS verification. I will try this method to register my new smartphone so I don't always have to bring my old one with me to Wakana's concerts. It was slowly becoming a hassle because the old phone required constant charging. I think it should be fine with my Surfshark VPN. *fingers crossed*

It's been so long since I registered my Keiko FC membership but maybe I struggled with similar issues. I don't remember T_T By now, I am almost used to constant errors when I first try to register on a Japanese site. It's always a lot of trial and error so I've learned to be patient and to try many different options. But it's honestly a case by case matter so there are no universal tips that I can give.

Thank you for providing all this info about your personal experience. I am sure it can be useful to people who want to join Keiko's fan club.

[rideboomindia]

Here are the steps to register for the RideBoom app:Download the RideBoom AppVisit the RideBoom website or your device's app store and download the RideBoom mobile app.Create an AccountOpen the RideBoom app and select the "Sign Up" or "Create Account" option.Enter your basic personal information such as your name, email address, and phone number.Create a secure password for your RideBoom account.Verify Your IdentityRideBoom may require you to verify your identity by providing a government-issued ID, such as a driver's license or passport.Follow the in-app instructions to upload a photo or scan of your ID document.Add a Payment MethodConnect a debit or credit card to your RideBoom account to enable payment for rides and services.You can also link your mobile wallet or other preferred payment options.Complete Your ProfileFill out any additional profile information, such as your preferred riding preferences, payment settings, and contact details.You can also customize your account avatar and notification preferences.Accept the Terms of ServiceReview and accept RideBoom's terms of service and privacy policy to complete the registration process.Get VerifiedRideBoom may require additional verification steps, such as a background check or skills assessment, depending on the type of services you want to use (e.g., becoming a delivery driver).Start Exploring RideBoom's ServicesOnce your account is set up, you can begin booking scooter rentals, accepting delivery jobs, or exploring other mobility options available through the RideBoom app.How to make money without driving in RideBoom गाड़ी ना चले फिर भी पैसा बने

[mostlysignssomeportents]

When Facebook came for your battery, feudal security failed

When George Hayward was working as a Facebook data-scientist, his bosses ordered him to run a “negative test,” updating Facebook Messenger to deliberately drain users’ batteries, in order to determine how power-hungry various parts of the apps were. Hayward refused, and Facebook fired him, and he sued:

https://nypost.com/2023/01/28/facebook-fires-worker-who-refused-to-do-negative-testing-awsuit/

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/05/battery-vampire/#drained

Hayward balked because he knew that among the 1.3 billion people who use Messenger, some would be placed in harm’s way if Facebook deliberately drained their batteries — physically stranded, unable to communicate with loved ones experiencing emergencies, or locked out of their identification, payment method, and all the other functions filled by mobile phones.

As Hayward told Kathianne Boniello at the New York Post, “Any data scientist worth his or her salt will know, ‘Don’t hurt people…’ I refused to do this test. It turns out if you tell your boss, ‘No, that’s illegal,’ it doesn’t go over very well.”

Negative testing is standard practice at Facebook, and Hayward was given a document called “How to run thoughtful negative tests” regarding which he said, “I have never seen a more horrible document in my career.”

We don’t know much else, because Hayward’s employment contract included a non-negotiable binding arbitration waiver, which means that he surrendered his right to seek legal redress from his former employer. Instead, his claim will be heard by an arbitrator — that is, a fake corporate judge who is paid by Facebook to decide if Facebook was wrong. Even if he finds in Hayward’s favor — something that arbitrators do far less frequently than real judges do — the judgment, and all the information that led up to it, will be confidential, meaning we won’t get to find out more:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/12/hot-coffee/#mcgeico

One significant element of this story is that the malicious code was inserted into Facebook’s app. Apps, we’re told, are more secure than real software. Under the “curated computing” model, you forfeit your right to decide what programs run on your devices, and the manufacturer keeps you safe. But in practice, apps are just software, only worse:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/23/peek-a-boo/#attack-helicopter-parenting

Apps are part what Bruce Schneier calls “feudal security.” In this model, we defend ourselves against the bandits who roam the internet by moving into a warlord’s fortress. So long as we do what the warlord tells us to do, his hired mercenaries will keep us safe from the bandits:

https://locusmag.com/2021/01/cory-doctorow-neofeudalism-and-the-digital-manor/

But in practice, the mercenaries aren’t all that good at their jobs. They let all kinds of badware into the fortress, like the “pig butchering” apps that snuck into the two major mobile app stores:

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/02/pig-butchering-scam-apps-sneak-into-apples-app-store-and-google-play/

It’s not merely that the app stores’ masters make mistakes — it’s that when they screw up, we have no recourse. You can’t switch to an app store that pays closer attention, or that lets you install low-level software that monitors and overrides the apps you download.

Indeed, Apple’s Developer Agreement bans apps that violate other services’ terms of service, and they’ve blocked apps like OG App that block Facebook’s surveillance and other enshittification measures, siding with Facebook against Apple device owners who assert the right to control how they interact with the company:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/10/e2e/#the-censors-pen

When a company insists that you must be rendered helpless as a condition of protecting you, it sets itself up for ghastly failures. Apple’s decision to prevent every one of its Chinese users from overriding its decisions led inevitably and foreseeably to the Chinese government ordering Apple to spy on those users:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/11/foreseeable-consequences/#airdropped

Apple isn’t shy about thwarting Facebook’s business plans, but Apple uses that power selectively — they blocked Facebook from spying on Iphone users (yay!) and Apple covertly spied on its customers in exactly the same way as Facebook, for exactly the same purpose, and lied about it:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/14/luxury-surveillance/#liar-liar

The ultimately, irresolvable problem of Feudal Security is that the warlord’s mercenaries will protect you against anyone — except the warlord who pays them. When Apple or Google or Facebook decides to attack its users, the company’s security experts will bend their efforts to preventing those users from defending themselves, turning the fortress into a prison:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/20/benevolent-dictators/#felony-contempt-of-business-model

Feudal security leaves us at the mercy of giant corporations — fallible and just as vulnerable to temptation as any of us. Both binding arbitration and feudal security assume that the benevolent dictator will always be benevolent, and never make a mistake. Time and again, these assumptions are proven to be nonsense.

Image: Anthony Quintano (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mark_Zuckerberg_F8_2018_Keynote_%2841118890174%29.jpg

CC BY 2.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

[Image ID: A painting depicting the Roman sacking of Jerusalem. The Roman leader's head has been replaced with Mark Zuckerberg's head. The wall has Apple's 'Think Different' wordmark and an Ios 'low battery' icon.]

Next week (Feb 8-17), I'll be in Australia, touring my book *Chokepoint Capitalism* with my co-author, Rebecca Giblin. We'll be in Brisbane on Feb 8, and then we're doing a remote event for NZ on Feb 9. Next is Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. I hope to see you!

https://chokepointcapitalism.com/

[thatseventiesbitch]

Fictober 4 - "No, we're not doing that"

"Do we need one of these?"

Donna glanced across the aisle at Eric. He was holding one end of a brightly colored, octopus-shaped crib mobile. It had some bells attached to the top, and they jangled as Eric shook it at her.

"No. Put it down."

Eric did, but as soon as he let go of the mobile he snatched up something different from the shelf.

"What's this?" he wrinkled his nose, utterly confused as he turned the gadget over in his hands. Hoping to make her laugh, he set the cone-shaped end on his head like it was a party hat, and posed.

He succeeded. Despite her somewhat sour mood, Donna lifted a hand to stifle her laugh.

"That's a breast pump," she informed him.

Eric's face widened with horror, and he whipped the breast pump off his head, dropping it like it was made of burning coals.

"Yech."

"Stay focused," Donna reminded him, grabbing his elbow now to guide him down a different aisle. "We're here to look for a crib."

"But do we - do we need one of those?" Eric's voice pitched into his squeaky-voice. He still glanced unsurely over his shoulder, at the breast pump. "It looked like some kind of medieval torture device - "

"That's breastfeeding, honey. It's not for the faint of heart."

The voice behind them was familiar... too familiar. The hair on the back of Eric's neck prickled.

Fenton.

He whirled around, and his worst fear was confirmed. Standing just a few feet away behind the register was none other than Fenton, and he wore a blue lanyard that declared him a FLOOR MANAGER. Because of course. Of course Fenton worked at the baby furniture store.

"Fenton." Eric crossed his arms, greeting the annoying menace with a firm, no-nonsense tone.

Fenton mirrored his pose. "You," he snarled.

Donna, however, was unphased. "Oh, great." She waved Fenton over towards them. "We could use some help."

"That's exactly what I'm here for." Fenton practically danced over to them, and then extended forward into an awkward sort of bow. "Floor Manager Fenton, at your cervix." He giggled while Eric and Donna looked uncomfortable. "Oops. I mean - at your service."

Donna looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or to run. "Um. Okay. We're looking for a crib."

"But of course. Aisle 13." With a flourish, Fenton led them towards the other end of the store. As they got closer, Eric could see the dozens of different cribs on display.

"Great," he said. "We've got it from here."

"Oh, but don't you want my personal recommendation?"

Eric eyed him wearily. "Is that like your personal recommendations on breastfeeding? Because I think we'll have to pass - "

"Sure," Donna interrupted him. She looked to Fenton. "What are the most popular models?"

"I'm so glad you asked."

Fenton leapt in front of a massive crib. It had a mahogany frame and intricate, detailed carvings on the head and foot boards.

"This is our Little Sleeper Deluxe. It has - "

"Yeah, we're not in the market for the Deluxe," Eric interrupted impatiently. "How about your Bargain line?"

"Eric - " Donna elbowed him in the ribs. It hurt, and he rubbed the spot.

"What? Donna, there's no way in hell we're getting that up two flights of stairs to our apartment - "

"Or there's always the Sweetest Dreamer." Fenton had already moved on. Now he directed them to a white crib a few feet away. "Look at the sleek, modern design." He stroked one of the bars of the crib in a way that felt overtly sexual. Eric grimaced.

"Uh huh. And what's the price tag on this little number?"

"Well it's on sale right now," Fenton boasted, puffing his chest forward. "For just a small, small payment of $185." He lowered his voice considerably and added, "Over twelve months."

Eric rolled his eyes. "No, we're not doing that." He put a hand on Donna's back, and started to guide her towards the door. "C'mon, Donna. Let's finish our shopping somewhere else."

"But - wait!" Fenton called desperately after them. "Can't I interest you in our Elm collection? The Rockford glider? This changing table shaped like a swan?"

They were almost to the shop entrance. Fenton got a gleam in his eye.

"Perhaps this Star Wars Heirloom quilt?"

Eric paused, his hand hovering over the door handle. Then he glanced at Donna.

"You know, he has a point. We could make the nursery Star Wars themed. That would be worth the investment - "

Donna shoved him forward and out into the parking lot.

"You have a problem, Eric, you know that?"

[mariacallous]

Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, had always worried that his company’s victory last year in a multimillion-dollar legal battle against Google’s app store monopoly wouldn’t be enough to open up competition. Even if Google could no longer keep alternative marketplaces out of Android, phone manufacturers could make them harder to access. In a US lawsuit filed in San Francisco today, that’s exactly what Epic alleges Google has conspired with Samsung to do.

Some newer Samsung phones have required settings changes to install apps from the web such as Epic’s app marketplace, according to Epic, which also develops Fortnite and Rocket Racing. The requirement became effective by default in July, and Epic launched its app store in August. Samsung claims the feature it calls Auto Blocker protects against “applications from unauthorized sources” and “malicious activity.” But it extends the installation process from 15 steps to 21, Epic alleges. The company says that it has found in the past that the greater the number of hurdles, the fewer people complete the process.

“It is not about reasonable measures to protect users against malware,” Sweeney told reporters in a briefing ahead of the lawsuit filing. “It's about obstruction of competition.”

“Contrary to Epic Game's assertions, Samsung actively fosters market competition, enhances consumer choice, and conducts its operations fairly,” said a Samsung spokesperson in a statement. “The features integrated into our devices are designed in accordance with Samsung’s core principles of security, privacy, and user control, and we remain fully committed to safeguarding users' personal data. Users have the choice to disable Auto Blocker at any time. We plan to vigorously contest Epic Game's baseless claims.”

Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

The litigation builds on an effort Epic launched in 2020 to deliver more choice to mobile users and boost its own bottom line. While downloading apps any which way from just about any source is generally easy on desktops and laptops, Apple and Google have used warnings and varying policy and technical curbs to keep users downloading from the iOS App Store and Google Play, which deliver enormous profits to the tech giants by virtue of sales commissions they collect.

Epic, through a lawsuit, won a minor concession from Apple that is still being fought over; penalties against Google are expected from a judge soon.

In the press conference, Sweeney acknowledged that Epic doesn’t have clear evidence that Google and Samsung collaborated to roll out Auto Blocker. But emails and notes presented by Epic during its jury trial against Google last year showed how the search company regularly engaged in discussions with Samsung aimed at limiting competition. Google denied those accusations.

Early this month, Sweeney reached out to two senior Samsung executives to ask them to rethink the approach with Auto Blocker and allow for a smoother process to download legitimate software. Sweeney said a resolution couldn’t be reached that benefitted all developers, prompting the lawsuit. “We are going to continue to fight until there is a level playing field,” he says. He added that it “sucks” to sue Samsung, which has promoted Epic’s offerings in the past.

Epic has notched over 10 million installations of its mobile app store, short of a goal to reach 100 million by the end of the year, Sweeney says. He believes Auto Blocker and other new impediments, as he views them, have hurt Epic’s ability to gain traction. And his focus on fighting Apple and Google is costing Epic significant sums, with no end in sight to the litigation. “The benefits only come in the future, when the obstructions have truly been eliminated,” he says.

[kyra45]

Fake check scam

A fake check scam is when someone asks you if you take checks for donations/payments and will then send you an image of a check and tell you to print it out and take a picture of it using your chosen bank application on your mobile device. However, this is not a real check and cashing it isn’t scamming the scammer because that’s not how it works.

In actuality, cashing the check is going to make you lose money once it’s found out to be a fake check. This means you are going to be out of the money the sender claimed you would get. It’s unfortunately a scam that has started happening on tumblr sent by accounts who browse the mutual aid/GoFundMe tags and messages anyone who has their DMs open.

These accounts will generally be empty, or reblog your post in order to gain your trust or to look legitimate. If someone wants to support you or help you, they will not want to give you a check. This scam does not end with you gaining money. Any money you got from the check will be lost. Never cash checks from suspicious accounts who message you.

Also report any accounts who are trying this scam and warn anyone who may fall for them. The scammers are very numerous and don’t like it when you explain the scam to them because they already know what it is and they’ll insist they aren’t a scammer and deny everything you’ll be explaining to them.

This post is tagged for visibility as scammers are known to browse the tags for people to message. Feel free to share this post if you’d like or check my pinned post for other scam explanations!