Connect API Introduction

The payment application on Kinetic Go is a full, standalone payment application for the Castles secure payment devices. We have extended this with the Connect API to:

1. Make it easy to add EMV card acceptance to any system. iOS, Android, PC, web frameworks, Amazon Echo, tablet POS, refrigerators, robots and anything else
2. Keep the complexity of payment processes and the seriousness of card data security away from any other system
3. Thanks to the Kinetic Go system we can accommodate workflow, branding and any other types of changes gracefully, fast and without impacting payment and security certifications

Five BIG Things you need to know before starting

1. The payment application on Kinetic Go is a full, standalone payment application. It can work on its own without needing a phone, tablet or PC to start a transaction. It works best as an add-on to other applications and systems though and to initiate a transaction from another device you simply issue a REST (JSON over HTTPS) command via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet or USB
2. This will likely change in the future, but today the Kinetic Go system on Castles devices requires a Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection to the Internet to reach the payment acquirer. Payment data cannot be transported via Bluetooth or USB (this is to keep your device and application out of PCI scope).
3. The Kinetic Go application interfaces directly to the payment acquirer’s platform. There is no gateway or other system in the middle. All transaction reporting, chargebacks and other financial capabilities are available through the payment acquirer dashboards and tools.
4. The Castles devices with Kinetic Go supports retail and restaurant verticals. The transactions available are keyed, mag stripe, contact and contactless EMV covering both credit and debit transactions.
5. Outside of loading the Castles device with Kinetic Go (usually for development), no special tools are needed to interface with the Connect API and there are no proprietary libraries to add to your project. Devices can be automatically detected via listening to a UDP port. Once found, interact using JSON over HTTPS (with no security exceptions, even in closed networks).

The team behind Kinetic Smart have had numerous less than great experiences with other legacy “semi-integrated” solutions over the past 15 years. This solution is intentionally simple, makes natural sense to iOS, Android, PC and Java developers and doesn’t require deep knowledge of payment systems. We prefer it this way and hope you do too.