Slippery Rock University intros RFID payment system for mobiles

And you thought going away to college was the first step to freedom. Au contraire, students (and faculty, no less) entering Pennsylvania's Slippery Rock University will actually be faced with an RFID tag made for their handset, which will "allow them to pay for everything from laundry and copier services to movies and groceries in the surrounding town of Slippery Rock." The 13.56MHz tags were developed by Heartland Payment Systems and utilize NFC to make spending their parents' cash all the more simple. Of course, high rollers should be aware that their guardians can log in at any time and view their purchasing habits, so we'd be careful before pulling out the long face and car trouble story. The cards will reportedly cost around $1 apiece, but will be "available for free" to all of the SU students.

[Via Textually]

[shakman @ Jul 11th 2007 6:23AM]

Damn, how am I gonna explain that gram of cocaine on my RFID bill to Mom and Dad?

[Mark @ Jul 11th 2007 7:17AM]

This really is not any different than my master card debit card with the RFID in it. It is a great idea though, I can't wait until I don't have to carry any cash, cards, keys and an ID put it all on my phone and I be a happy camper.

[Grant @ Jul 11th 2007 8:01AM]

this is the logical evolution of the magnetic swipe cards that more college campuses already use. i'm almost surpried no colleges have done this sooner, with companies like Visa making more and more credit cards with RFID in them, the prices for the tags has to be dropping by the day.

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 11th 2007 9:21AM]

Slippery Rock University??

[tiuk @ Jul 11th 2007 10:38AM]

Glad I'm not the only one who was amused by that.

[Arem @ Jul 11th 2007 11:06AM]

A lot of people in the area call it "Slimy Pebbles".

[jsanders4484 @ Jul 11th 2007 2:31PM]

Erm...I was kind of thinking the same thing. I mean...it's Slippery Rock. There's perhaps one small grocery store, a few shops, a pizza joint, and a Chinese place. (At least that's about all that is worth a flip there...) Other than a few things on campus...I don't really see where students could possibly use this.

Oh well I guess it's a start. Just wait till a few clever computer science majors get bored and decide to toy with things.

[Dan @ Jul 11th 2007 9:40AM]

W00t! Gotta love the PA State Schools! Lock Haven represent!

[Ian @ Jul 11th 2007 10:11AM]

Are you a lesbian? I thought thats all that went to Lock Haven. (I went to Penn College, and a friend went to Lycoming)

[Dan @ Jul 11th 2007 10:15AM]

Nope, not a lesbian (since I'm a guy) but I do like the ladies :) haha

[Mark @ Jul 11th 2007 11:15AM]

There is nothing new about this technology. This type of system has been in place for years in Japan with NTT DoCoMo and Au touting their phones with this technology already embedded in it (e.g. the Suica service for fast pay at the train stations). I'm just glad to finally see this here in the US.

[J.R. Salazar @ Jul 11th 2007 11:39AM]

And Slippery Rock does the right thing...falling in with the weeaboos. Past due, I might add. I hope this will be a standard across the nation.

(For those of you who don't know what a weeaboo is...it's 4chan speak for Japanophile. I do not mean it in a derogatory way.)

[James @ Jul 11th 2007 12:12PM]

So, let me get this straight -- instead of an RFID credit-card-sized device, like they use on e.g. the DC metro, they have a sticker that goes on the back of your cell phone? Uh, I guess that's nice -- one less card in my already-overburdened wallet and all -- but it doesn't seem like that big a deal. It's just PayPass without having to fit the card somewhere.

Any security implications? I assume they've been worked out for other RFID payment systems, since I don't hear stories of skimmers scamming millions out of peoples' checking accounts every day or anything, but I thought somebody should ask.

[Solomon @ Jul 11th 2007 2:52PM]

Japan has had FeliCa for years. It is essentially read-write RFID, with on-tag encryption/decription, all powered wirelessly and done in a swipe/wave. They have it for shopping and transit and ID, etcetera. This is nothing. I demand FeliCa!

[Ian @ Jul 11th 2007 10:28PM]

They can't legally let your parents log into your account anyway. Most university students are over 18, and I'm assuming that in America (like with most of the world), you're considered an adult at age 18. Even students are legally entitled to privacy.

[Ian @ Jul 11th 2007 10:28PM]

They can't legally let your parents log into your account anyway. Most university students are over 18, and I'm assuming that in America (like with most of the world), you're considered an adult at age 18. Even students are legally entitled to privacy.

[Kyle @ Jul 11th 2007 11:10PM]

What about those students that don't have a cell phone? What if you can't afford both college and a cell phone? Just a thought

[FoxRunner @ Jul 11th 2007 11:46PM]

WOW SRU on engadget!!!! I would have loved this when I wnet there... Quick it 9:50 on sat night. We need to hit Boozel for some grub, then the beer distrib for some late nite chug. Ohh crap I almost for got to include the 1 AM MTO at Sheetz.
And then its back to Founders (opps it gone) I suppose well head over to Campus Side to passout.
Ohhh Rock-A-Holics I miss you all!