Hello Wallet Phones, Goodbye Plastic Cards
Credit Cards and Smart Cards and their plastic presence seem to be on their way out, overtaken by virtual-wallet technology available in Mobile Phone.
I believe that mobile phone is the gadget of choice for today’s modern man. Most people never leave home without their mobile phone. It can replace your wallet and what you carry in it: cash keys, access cards, photos, drivers license and even company IDs. Mobile phone has captured the wallets of millions of people all over the world.
My Panasonic P506iC wallet phone has it all. And what am I without it? It contains my credit cards, entrance ticket, train tickets, air tickets, employee ID card, and most other stuff I carry in my bag. It includes my digital cameras, portable TVs, e-mail and streaming video downloads. I can perform electronic banking transactions with my mobile phone. My P506iC wallet phone can be used off-line or even when it is out of range of radio waves. The JAVA application in my phone can check the electronic cash balance or show my transaction record.
Money is stored on the phone is like a virtual wad of cash. All I have to do to make payments with my wallet phone is to swipe the handset next to a special terminal set up at stores. It need not even be opened when making the payment. I simply wave it at the corresponding display devices in vending machines, stores and restaurants. A tinkling sound means the purchase has been successfully debited. It’s fun to pay things this way!
