Smart Bits: Verifone Device Targets Cash-Only Merchants

Verifone Inc. has announced a smart card terminal designed for cash-only merchants.

The Omni 1250, introduced at the Cartes '96 conference in Paris, runs on battery power and is suited for such remote locations as taxis, outdoor food vending, newsstands, and flea markets.

The device does not have a printer, thereby reducing its cost to between $250 and $400, said Alistair Duncan, Verifone's director of emerging markets.

The model can be plugged into a telephone line for settlement at the end of the business day. It can stand alone or be attached to a cash register or other existing systems.

"I think it will be very popular," said Mr. Duncan. He added that sales orders are coming from around the world, with interest growing in the United States.

The terminals are being tested in the Netherlands' electronic purse program, called Chip Knip. That program is modeled on Belgium's Proton system.

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