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Mobile payments coming to Mexico
Like Canada, Mexico's getting mobile payments, too, but these are just a bit different in two very important respects. One, this is a full-fledged service being underwritten by Telefonica, Iusacell, Citibank, and BBVA -- not just a trial. Two, unlike the NFC-based Canadian system, this one will rely on text messages to get the cash flowing. The service is expected to launch in the next few months and get backing from restaurants, stores, and taxis, all places where we can recall specific times when we would've rather kept our wallets in our pockets when the time came to pony up. Of course, considering how miserably unsuccessful mobile payments have been across North America so far (we've still got our fingers crossed that NFC is going to take off one of these days), this one could die off as quickly as it started unless it catches a break and goes big.
Big mother is watching kids' lunches
Remember the days when cafeteria lunches always had at least one or two treasures in otherwise less-than-appetizing offerings? Thanks (or no thanks) to clever online systems like MealpayPlus and ParentOnline, kids can be banned from those delectable desserts and forced to ingest the nauseating tuna surprise. Pre-payment operations allow parents to choose what items can be chosen by their children, what quantities can be consumed, and what foods cannot be taken. If a rebellious student attempts to purchase a prohibited item, the cashier is alerted and the item must be returned, much to the child's dismay. Schools across the nation are allowing for proactive parents to take advantage of the plans in an attempt to curb childhood obesity and to make lunch lines move faster -- nearly 1.5 million hungry kids will be kept in check during lunch time when school resumes this fall. But as always, kids will be kids, and the hackers of tomorrow are learning the tricks of the trade early-on: according to a research study, 73 percent of 8-12 year-olds are throwing out part of their lunches at least once a week, while a commendable 36 percent are bartering bazaar-style to get what they want. While programs like these have a solid premise, we envision kids making friends for more than just social reasons as middle-school cafeterias turn into fast-paced trading blocks to circumvent the system as connector children smuggle in junk food from the outside world. Or maybe we're just letting our imaginations get away with ourselves again.[Via Slashdot]
Specifications for cellphone payments announced
Payments by cellphone are obviously a hot area right now, with everyone from SanDisk and Philips to Visa and Nokia to PayPal getting into the game. And if you needed any more proof that it is for real, the NFC Forum (that's Near Field Communications, for anyone not versed in the lingo) have just announced the first five specifications for cashless payments by cell, although the full specs will only be available "sometime between July and September." What we do know is that the NFC's architecture will include specifications that define a modular NFC device, as well as protocols for interoperable data exchange, device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability. That also includes specifications for smart posters or other advertising, which contain embedded tags that can deliver content to cellphones. And, unlike some other standards committees, the NFC Forum has most of the major players in the industry on side, so it doesn't look like we'll see much controversy over these specifications.
SanDisk and Philips team for mobile payments
Philips has been peddling its SmartMX contactless payment system for a while, but things are really looking up now that SanDisk wants to get in the game. They're now working with Philips to include the SmartMX tech in their TrustedFlash microSD cards, allowing any phone with a microSD slot to make payments. The details are a bit slim, but it looks like you would have to buy TrustedFlash cards loaded with "credits" in order to make payments, which frankly doesn't sound like much of a step towards convenience for consumers, but rather a boon to SanDisk and Philips who will no doubt be taking a cut. However it works out, the industry is clearly marching towards contactless and phone-based payments, let's just hope it works out as an actual plus for the people who are carrying around the phones and making the contactless payments.[Via Gadget Review]
