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Square Teams Up With Product (RED) for Special Edition Reader to Fight AIDS

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Mobile payments company Square has partnered with AIDS charity Product (RED) to introduce a new special edition "SQUA(RED)" card reader. The reader, which is bright red, is available for a $10 donation with 97.25 percent of that cost going directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDS.

Along with donating funds to charity, Square's new reader allows customers who swipe their cards to learn more about the project and donate to Product (RED) directly from their emailed receipts.

squarereader.jpg
"Square already helps millions of local sellers run and grow their business, and now with SQUA(RED) Reader, we're empowering them to raise awareness for an important cause and help save lives in the process," said Jack Dorsey, CEO of Square.
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Apple has a long history with Product (RED) and has sold red-themed devices and accessories in support of the charity for many years. Most recently, Apple's senior vice president of design Jony Ive teamed up with designer Marc Newson to create a range of products to benefit Product (RED), including a one-of-a-kind red Mac Pro. The duo raised over $13 million, adding to the $65 million Apple has raised for Product (RED) over the last several years.

Article Link: Square Teams Up With Product (RED) for Special Edition Reader to Fight AIDS
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/02/19/squared-product-red-reader/
musika

musika

macrumors 65816
Sep 2, 2010
1,285
459
New York
I love Square. This is awesome, though I do wonder who will buy it when the regular reader is available for free.
 
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bookwormsy

macrumors 6502
Jul 7, 2010
281
172
musika said:
I love Square. This is awesome, though I do wonder who will buy it when the regular reader is available for free.
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The people who want to donate to Project (RED)? The same people who would have bought the million dollar earpod if they had a million dollars?
 
J4B3

J4B3

macrumors regular
Mar 18, 2012
200
23
Gamma Quadrant
musika said:
I love Square. This is awesome, though I do wonder who will buy it when the regular reader is available for free.
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Guilty! It's a good cause and I use my Square often. Also, I'm a sucker for RED. Just bought a red Nexus 5 on impulse.
 
M

mitty

macrumors regular
May 21, 2010
169
127
Melbourne
I love how magnetic card readers are big news, when the rest of the planet has moved on to chip or paypass/paywave. Looking forward to the USA catching up with the rest of us.
 
W

wikiverse

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2012
689
952
procrastinasn said:
Would be cool if .01% of all charges with that reader gets sent to RED!
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But then square would actually be supporting the charity instead of just letting their customers make a donation.

It's how they appear to be doing good without actually doing anything. Same goes for apple.
 
mentaluproar

mentaluproar

macrumors 68000
May 25, 2010
1,761
209
Ohio, USA
mitty said:
I love how magnetic card readers are big news, when the rest of the planet has moved on to chip or paypass/paywave. Looking forward to the USA catching up with the rest of us.
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This is a good point. What will happen to square when people move onto new cards in 2015? I don't use my square that much anymore, but I will definitely get this. I love project red. Square really does help split costs with roommates too. I should get back into doing that.
 
G

gatearray

macrumors 65816
Apr 24, 2010
1,130
232
mitty said:
I love how magnetic card readers are big news, when the rest of the planet has moved on to chip or paypass/paywave. Looking forward to the USA catching up with the rest of us.
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Yet here you are on an American website focusing on cutting edge products made by an American company. Looking forward to "the rest of you" catching up with the USA. :rolleyes:
 
macs4nw

macs4nw

macrumors 601
Sep 21, 2010
4,336
1,933
Next-door from the little old lady from Pasadena..
wikiverse said:
…..It's how they appear to be doing good without actually doing anything. Same goes for apple.
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Other than that special auction with those one-of-a-kind 'Ive/Newson' designs, Product Red items from Apple are priced the same as their 'identical' non-Product Red counterparts, and the percentage Apple donates, comes out of their margin. So it is Apple donating directly, rather than Apple making the consumer pay.
 
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Going Digital

Suspended
Feb 22, 2011
39
15
What is the fascination with this Square company at MacRumors?

It is just one of millions of iPhone/Mac accessories and yet everything they do seems to get covered by MacRumors, how many shares do you own in the company ?
 
RichTF

RichTF

macrumors regular
Nov 11, 2007
217
526
London, UK
gatearray said:
Yet here you are on an American website focusing on cutting edge products made by an American company. Looking forward to "the rest of you" catching up with the USA. :rolleyes:
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Could it be that the USA is a leading country in some things, and a trailing country in others? It's not a black and white world y'know, real life is more fuzzy.

When it comes to credit card technology and security in general, the USA really does have some catching up to do.
 
W

wikiverse

macrumors 6502a
Sep 13, 2012
689
952
macs4nw said:
Other than that special auction with those one-of-a-kind 'Ive/Newson' designs, Product Red items from Apple are priced the same as their 'identical' non-Product Red counterparts, and the percentage Apple donates, comes out of their margin. So it is Apple donating directly, rather than Apple making the consumer pay.
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Nope. They are donating profit. There is not cost to the company whatsoever. It is entirely up to the consumer to choose a red product and then the money goes to red. Apple offer nothing to red on their own.
 
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