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Naturally, we get this question quite often. What we are actually comparing is a leading edge combination of PDA and Wireless technology to a 1980's traditional merchant terminal with a radio grafted on. Most merchant service providers really have no choice, as it takes years of effort, and hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop today's high tech solutions, and frankly most of our competitors are stuck in the distant past. Let's take a look at ALL of the important operating features and characteristics of the devices: Our solution, Pocket Verifier Professional, which runs on a PDA phone from ANY one of these major carriers:
And the Industry
Standard: The Nurit 3010 by Lipman: |
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| PRICING: | ||
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You
have a WIDE selection of PDA phones from all the major carriers.
The Treo 650, available from Sprint, Verizon,
AT&T, Cingular, and Alltel runs anywhere from $199 (at
PalmOne.com) to $349, depending on the "deal" you make with
them. They will ALWAYS knock $$$ off their price, if you renew
or extend your service contract with them! If you get the
phone from your carrier, all you need to add is our $299 "Pocket
Merchant" package, which contains the card reader, printer, case
w/belt clip, software, interconnect cable, and 4 rolls of paper!
EVERYTHING is included! |
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 |
These
older units are not cheap. Typical pricing from a reputable
reseller ranges from $1200 to $1500. Unfortunately, many
resellers will try to talk you into leasing one. WHAT a
RIP-OFF! First, at the end of the 4 years, you don't even own it,
and along the way, you have paid: $1872 for a $39/mo lease - $2352
for a $49/month lease - or even $2832 for a $59/month lease. (by
the way, shortly after you sign the lease, the salesman gets a check for
the FULL amount: It is NOT returnable). We
have seen people paying as much as $90 per month for these! Some
units on eBay, at $500 - $600 seem a bargain, until you discover that
these are the older "Analog CDPD" units. These units are
useless, as the Analog networks are being shut down forever. |
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RANGE: |
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As
with all wireless devices, the operating range is dependent on the
coverage of the local carrier. We use PDA Phones from Sprint,
Verizon, AT&T, Cingular, and T-Mobile. These are companies
with well-known coverage areas. If your cell phone has good
coverage where you go now, you've got coverage! |
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On
the other hand, The Nurit 3010 and other traditional devices use the
older, "data only" networks, such as Motient, Mobitex, and
RAM Mobile Data. Mobitex in the US (the most popular) is OWNED by
Cingular (it was purchased from BellSouth), but when the salesman tells
you you are getting CINGULAR service, beware! The Mobitex service
coverage area is only a tiny FRACTION (in square miles) of the TRUE
Cingular service area. |
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SERVICE COST: |
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Another
advantage of using YOUR carrier's PDA Phone - You ALREADY have a
contract with them! Some carriers have a penny per kilobyte
(about 2.5 cents per transaction) charge for data, others have a fixed
charge for 1, 2 or 5 Megabytes of data per month. Whatever carrier
you use, the SMALLEST plan they offer is plenty! A ONE Megabyte
plan is enough for 400 transactions! |
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With
these dedicated units, you are obligated to let your merchant service
provider sign you up for data service. This can range anywhere
from $20 to $50 per month, depending on the amount he wants to mark
it up! See our pricing (above), this is a WHOLE NEW CONTRACT as
well! |
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SIZE AND WEIGHT |
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You
have a wide choice for PDA's, but for this example, we will use a Treo 300 package. The Treo phone is 4.5" high, by 2.75"
wide, and .75" thick, for 9.28 Cubic inches. The Pocket
Merchant is 3" wide, 5" long, and 1" thick, for another
15 cubic inches, which is a total of 24.28 cubic inches.
Total weight (with paper) is UNDER 14 ounces. |
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The
Nurit 3010 is 3.6" High, by 4.25" Wide, and 9.06"
long. That is over 138 cubic inches! It weighs 2.17
pounds without paper, and while it operates fine on a desk, it is
considered a "handheld" only by a stretch of the imagination,
or by a football linebacker. Just TRY to cram this in a purse, briefcase,
or sales kit. This is OVER Five and 1/2 times the size of our
state-of-the art package! |
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| UPGRADES: | ||
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You
can upgrade BOTH the software, and the hardware. Software
upgrades are ALWAYS FREE, and available here. As new PDA phones
become available from your carrier, you can upgrade as often as you
like. Some carriers have an upgrade plan, where you can get a new
unit every 2 years, just by staying with them! |
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Basically,
you are STUCK for the duration of your lease, even when the lease is
up, you do not "own" the device, you still must pay "fair
market value" (as defined by your leasing company, not you). |
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FEATURES: |
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Our
advanced technology coupled with the features of these cutting edge PDA
phones, allows us to offer features like on-screen signature capture
with web-based reporting and signature display, store and
forward, ACH (Electronic Check acceptance), Keyed transactions
with Address Verification, and much much more. You can also issue Credits
and Voids from our built-in Transaction Manager Database. New,
optional features like Cash Receipts, and Check Guarantee
are just a simple download with your desktop PC! |
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The
Nurit 3010 offers Sale, Credit and Void. |
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SELECTION: |
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You
can choose (by carrier) PDA Phones using the popular Palm Operating
System, the Pocket PC (Windows Mobile) operating System, or
the Symbian Operating System. (we support them ALL) |
  
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No
choices. |
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OTHER BENEFITS: |
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Since
it's your PHONE, you are never without it, and never out of touch.
Even if you forgot your reader, you can still Key in the card
info! As a PDA, it keeps track of your phone #'s, appointments,
To-Do lists, etc. Browse the web, send and receive email, download
a map when you get lost, or run any number of the quarter MILLION
software packages written for PDA's! |
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With
the addition of rope or chain, makes an acceptable boat anchor. |
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Copyright © 2001 Advanced Merchant Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
All artwork, logos, Pocket Verifier, PC Verifier, nSwipe.com, and MerchantAnywhere.com are trademarks of Advanced Merchant Solutions, Inc.
Other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.
