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Unwired - News About GPS, Wi-Fi, RFID, Bluetooth - May-27-2006 May 26, 2006

Here are some summaries related to wireless technologies (GPS, Wi-Fi, RFID, Bluetooth) for May 27, 2006:

Are Smartcards Becoming Too Niche-Focused? May 16, 2006

CardTechnology reported recently that Switzerland is trying out a new contactless payment card aimed at moviegoers. While this seems incredibly unusual, it seems to be one of the big problems with RFID and touchless payment systems. There are numerous RFID projects afoot all over the world, and no standards.

I’m not a big fan of digital money to begin with, but to aim cards at such a small niche seems a waste of effort. What’s worse, these cards will only work at Europlex cinemas. You have to open an account, deposit funds, then use your card to buy tickets and …

More RFID Technology Purchases May 10, 2006

In my last post, I talked about how a number of technology companies are buying up their suppliers. Given that RFID and NFC technology is behind most of the new digital touchless payment systems being tested in many parts of the world, it’s not suprising, then, that a company like NCR Corp (National Cash Register Corporation) recently purchased IDVelocity LLC, an RFID provider.

NCR has long been a producer of ATMs (automated teller machines), sometimes called ABMs (automated banking machines). Their technology is often branded with the logos of banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions, …

Legitimate Global Village RFID Applications April 28, 2006

After scouring a few RFID weblogs and websites recently, I came to the realization that there are actually numerous RFID applications that do not fall into the “tracking human beings” category. Such example applications including the teaching of English and preventing incorrect usage of prescribed medicines. Certainly these are legitimate, even noble applications of RFID.

Other non-privacy-invading applications include supply chain systems, preventing lost baggage at airports, animal/ pet tracking, and even validating/ authenticating poker chips at casinos. Or imagine forklifts that can operate on their own, and know what flats they have to pick up and move. Of …

Will That Be Cash, Charge, or Your Finger? March 29, 2006

The Chicago Tribune reports that Pay By Touch in the United States has outfitted Jewel-Osco supermarket/ drugstores in 14 states with a pay-by-touch system. To pay, you touch your finger to a tiny piece of glass, and supply a phone number.

According to the poll at the Chicago Tribune’s website, at the time of this writing, 71.1% of 671 respondents said that they were uncomfortable with such technology. Apparently customers surveyed at these stores felt similarly.

Interestingly, the technology does not store fingerprints. Rather, it converts features of your finger into an equation. According to Pay By Touch, that means …

Hark, Who Goes There - Digital Identification and the New World Order March 24, 2006

According to CardTechnology Magazine, parts of southern Taiwan are trying out a contactless digital money card, branded by MasterCard, for bus passengers. Apparently, the card cannot be validated fast enough for subway use. The cards are also being used for purchases at stores.

The Taiwanese trial is one of many that are going on around the world. The Feb 2006 print issue of CardTechnology magazine asks the question “Will Banks and Transit Create A Common Contactless Card?” on the front cover. There is a move all over the world to force citizens to give up hard currency and printed identification …




  

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