Contactless Smart Cards, RFID, Payment, Transit and Security

Bluetooth over NFC? One company thinks so

Monday, January 12, 2009

Rollcomm World Corp. in Budapest thinks Bluetooth technology is a more viable alternative to near field communication for mobile payments and has announced a payment plan to back up its words.

The main reason Bluetooth makes sense is that it’s already in most phones, while NFC has yet to make its presence felt. In addition, the bank would own the system which would simplify the business model, says a Rollcomm official. However, Bluetooth does have some major disadvantages, according to its critics.

For one, it would need the cooperation of mobile operators and for another, according to a MasterCard official and NFC supporter, the user’s phone would have to search for the Bluetooth-enabled device, such as a merchant’s terminal, then select that device. Compared with what NFC offers, that’s very cumbersome, he says.

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Oracle has released a new version of Oracle Retail Point-of-Service that aims to increase security, operational efficiency and functionality in part by integrating biometrics.

Oracle partnered with DigitalPersonal to add integrated biometrics to the POS package. Users of the software will login using their fingerprint, which will replace the need for PINs or passwords. This feature intends to reduce fraud by eliminating the possibility of unauthorized employees using a manager ID or swipe card to access the POS and approve overrides.

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DigitalPersona released a new version of its Pro Enterprise authentication device. It now contains the ability to support a number of new authentication credentials, enabling organizations to mix and match the ways in which employees securely identify themselves to Microsoft Windows and other applications.

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Biometric Associates has released its baiMobile 3000MP Bluetooth Smart Card Reader, which is designed specifically for mobile platforms. It supports iOS 4.x for iPhone and iPad and Android OS 2.2 and higher, and it operates with Bluetooth version 2.1 and higher.

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Gemalto has won the BearingPoint innovation management award – the Agile Innovation Award – for its think tank initiative Business Innovation Garage (BIG).

BIG provides Gemalto’s 10,000 employees company-wide with a structured process to submit and manage any innovative ideas they have. Ideas covering range of fields – from communication, payment, transport, Internet access, and machine-to-machine application – are systematically challenged, audited, developed and eventually selectively turned into incubation cells.

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DigitalPersona announced the release of a new version of its Pro Enterprise software solution, version 5.2.

Among the aspects of the new version DigitalPersona is touting are the extensive number of factors a company utilizing the solution can use to authenticate for access to sensitive information or secured computer stations. These factors include what a user knows, such as PINs or passwords, things you have, such as smart cards, contactless identity cards or Bluetooth devices, and things you are, such as fingerprints.

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In Europe, the Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS) and EPASOrg has developed a new global standard to help accommodate changes in new payment technologies, according to SupermarketNews.com

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