It seems that every other day or week we’re hearing about some new virus or other way that hackers are stealing our information. They’re stealing our financial information and our identities and we’re always trying to find ways to stop them with devices and software. Today for review I’ve got an interesting little gadget called the SmartSwipe. It’s actually a credit card swipe machine that you hook up to your computer via a free USB port. The SmartSwipe encrypts your credit card information in the device itself so it isn’t susceptible to hackers, key loggers or viruses basically. To use it you just swipe your card like you were in a store. So not only does the SmartSwipe protect your data but it also makes shopping a bit more fun and more like you were in a real store. So read on to learn more about it…
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Info:
SmartSwipe
What is SmartSwipe?
SmartSwipe is the new, smarter, more secure way to shop online. The SmartSwipe (by NetSecure Technologies) is the world’s first truly secure personal credit card reader. When you install SmartSwipe, you can swipe your credit card at your home or office computer just like you would in a store. Plug the SmartSwipe into your computer’s USB port, go shopping to your favorite online stores and swipe your credit card – it is that easy. The best part is that you know your credit card information is safe and secure.
Enhanced Security for Online Shopping
Did you know that even the strongest internet security does not completely protect you while you shop online? Traditional internet security will protect your information once it has reached the internet, but hackers can still access your personal information while it is being entered into your computer and/or while it resides in memory. Anti-virus software and firewalls are no longer enough to protect you. With SmartSwipe your information is safe from the moment you swipe your card and your card information is never stored on your computer. If you want to be safe while shopping online you need SmartSwipe.
Features:
Simplicity:
* Plug and Play Installation – Just run the installation software and plug the device into an open USB port.
* Automatic Updates – As our software becomes more advanced, we will automatically share these enhancements with you.
* SmartSwipe works within your existing browser security – this means that you can continue to shop online as you always have and SmartSwipe will work with you.
Speed:
* You will never again have to manually enter in your credit card information. Just swipe and SmartSwipe will do the rest for you.
* The Internet is constantly changing and SmartSwipe is smart enough to change with it.
Security:
* Onboard Cryptographic Provider – Your credit card information is protected as you swipe your card through the device.
* SmartSwipe makes your sensitive credit card information immune to most kinds of malicious software attacks.
Price: $78.48 (US Dollars, Amazon price at time of review)
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What’s in the Box?
The packaging is very basic, it does open up to show you the product though.
There’s really not much included with the main product, just a very brief manual that introduces the product and directs you to download the software for it.
It does have a very long USB cord that has a velcro style fastener attached to it so you can wrap it up and store it away easily.
The SmartSwipe itself is just a card reader basically. It’s attached to a removable base.
And that’s it, there’s not much more to it besides installing it and using it.
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Installation and Usage:
The first thing you’ll need to do is go to the SmartSwipe website and download the software, then install it. After the installation you’ll need to restart your computer.
Once I restarted the computer I plugged the SmartSwipe into a USB port, it installed automatically with no problems on Vista X64. The SmartSwipe itself has several fariyl bright blue LEDs in it to let you know it’s ready to work.
I found that the SmartSwipe apparently only works with Internet Explorer, so everyone else can’t use it… Once you open internet explorer you’ll be greeted with a window telling you about the SmartSwipe and then the Welcome to and configuration to make sure it’s working properly and seen by the browser.
On the toolbar of Internet Explorer is the SmartSwipe icon that let’s you access options and configurations. There isn’t much to configure though, General, Database and Advanced.
To use it actually you’ll need to go shopping, everyone loves to do that right? When you get on the page to input your credit card information a pop will appear to let you know you can use the SmartSwipe. To use it to input your information you just need to press the button on the toolbar.
When you press the button a window opens with an animation of a credit card being swiped, then you just swipe your card.
The first time you swipe a card it will ask you to input you CCV code for that card, then it stores it for you so you don’t have to input it again.
After you swipe your card your information appears for you to check. I’ve blacked it out for security reasons, but the CC# in the box is actually mostly just a bunch of X’s. The SmartSwipe seemed to work the first time, I didn’t have to re-swipe my card or anything like that.
And that’s it you’re done, the SmartSwipe encrypts and transfers your credit card information for you to the site. Your purchase is complete.
I used it yes and it worked fine I guess.
I have no real way of testing to make sure the information is secure, I can only take their word for it.
Conclusion:
The SmartSwipe is an intriguing little device that makes shopping online more realistic really, you get to actually swipe your card like you were in a store! Is this a good thing or a bad thing though, I’m not sure…
Yes it does make shopping easier, you don’t have to input all of your credit card info, but you’ll still have to input your name, address etc.
For someone who does a lot of online shopping I guess this is a good product, and of course anything that helps to protect us from identity theft and fraud is a good thing.
For some who isn’t very tech savvy this could be a great, secure way for them to shop online. What it does is secure the information before it ever gets to your computer then it transmits it to the website, so if your computer happens to be infected by something your information will still be protected theoretically…
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Pros:
+Easy to use
+Seems to work well
+Well made
Cons:
-Only works with Internet Explorer
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I would like to thank NetSecure for the chance to review the SmartSwipe and for their support of iGadget Life.
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Disclosure: This product was given to iGadgetLife for review by the company for review purposes only, and is not considered by us as payment for the review, we do not, and never will, accept payment from companies to review their products.
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