31 May 2008

The 'future of money' goes mobile

BBC online, May 31, 2008

Near Field Communications (NFC) offers shoppers the opportunity to wave a card or a phone near a sensor and beep, a coffee or train fare is paid for. NFC could also be used in other ways. It could mean, for instance, that once a traveller has paid for a hotel room online the key to get in the room can be texted to them. "In addition to the key itself the guest will also get a welcome receipt specifying the room he is staying at," says Gard Gabrielsen from electronic lock maker Vingcard Elsafe that has developed a hotel booking system using NFC. "He will also typically get the GPS coordinates to the hotel he is staying at," he adds. "But the key thing is that when the guest is then coming to the hotel he can totally bypass the reception desk and go straight to his room," he says.

Copyright: M-Brain