Talking Transport Cards & NFC Digital Tattoos
Just like the ‘regular’ press, we trade press folks also have the onslaught of the ‘silly season’ to deal with. This is the time of year when news is scarce as people take much deserved breaks and commit to their family and friends for a few weeks in the sun. In turn, items of news that may not normally get much of a mention can find themselves headline worthy or at the very least a quick mention.
That’s why this week, two pieces caught our eye that we think sum up the silly season rather well. First off, the new South Wale’s attempt to get their much maligned contactless transport card - Opal - into the public arena in a positive light. If you have been following the saga of the Opal transport card then you will know that it may have had its ups and downs but generally it is now well appreciated. All transport cards have had to go through that all important ‘teething’ session, so what Opal went through could be described as par for the course. So why on earth New South Wales Transport thought that the way to enhance this more positive approach to their product from public transport users was to show someone literally falling in love (and having kids with) their Opal card beggars belief! Except - well, we just can’t stop watching it. Weird, bizarre, watch it here…
If you are a Moto X phone owner (actually, I don’t know anyone who is), you may be excited upon hearing that there is new technology to accessorise your phone with. You may be less excited when you find out that it is a digital tattoo. Albeit an NFC-based digital tattoo. These days, it’s considered prudent to ensure that your phone is locked when not in use. It makes sense and keeps your data secure from unwanted prying eyes. However, the downside is that you may have to enter a PIN number to unlock your phone – which, for some people, is beyond tedious. Pity them. However, if you are the owner of a Moto X phone then things could be looking up for you. In fact, if you have a Moto X phone, hate the time it takes to unlock your phone AND have always wanted to have a tattoo – your world is going to get rocked. Introducing the worlds first wearable NFC-based digital tattoo that will unlock your phone. The nickel-sized stickers comes from VivaLnk, part of Motorola’s ATAP lab, which was fully absorbed into Google. Sync the tattoo to your phone, tap the sticker and the phone unlocks. So just to make it all clear – that’s one tap instead of four. I am sure that there are people out there who will add up the time saved by not tapping three times and make something meaningful out of it, but I guess most people will just use the saved time by demonstrating their ‘tattoo’ to peers, friends and family so that saved time may not materialise.
Don’t get me wrong - I’m not knocking the technology, just the application. That’s because I have spent long enough in the semiconductor industry to understand how hard it is to create thin, flexible electronics that are adhesive, inexpensive, and disposable, and can communicate with smartphones and tablets. I just think that there could be better applications than as a tattoo that can unlock your phone (and looks like a minor burn). Perhaps some of the other NFC tag companies out there can create a far better application scenario. Come on people - you know who you are!
Following on from my editorial last week concerning wearables, I was given a heads up that Caixabank was releasing a payment band last week. They do have previous form in this area. Back in early 2014 CaixaBank launched its first financial services for new wearable devices, including the world’s first application for smartwatch devices and an application to help Google Watch users locate branches and convert currencies. The contactless payment band unites these two trends, providing users with wearable financial services and all the benefits that these entail, particularly in terms of convenience, security and speed when making payments.
This summer, CaixaBank plans to distribute about 15,000 of these contactless payment bands to those customers who have made the most use of their contactless cards. The launch, says the bank, will be the largest program in Europe to use wearable devices as a payment method with Visa. The payment band will be made available via the bank’s entire branch network in the second half of the year, with customers able to make their own designs (that’s interesting!) and get hold of their bands through all the usual banking channels. The payment band also represents an additional card to the user’s existing contactless card, meaning all purchases are charged in exactly the same way as with their normal card.
CaixaBank are also keen to let everyone know that the payment bands are water-proof and damp-proof, making it ideal for British summer months – but may be overkill for a Spanish summer.
And finally - just in time for summer - there is more NFC ticketing about to be released. Air France, Orange, SITA, Toulouse-Blagnac Airport and RESA have joined forces to provide the first seamless boarding experience in Europe with NFC technology. Over the next six months, the Touch&Pass app will allow a panel of passengers traveling on Air France flights from Toulouse-Blagnac to Paris-Orly to use their Orange NFC-based smartphones to conveniently move through the airport—from the airport entrance until they board their plane.
The technology will enable passengers to automatically receive their NFC boarding pass on their smartphones using their usual check-in method. By tapping their mobile on dedicated readers in the airport, they will then be able to quickly and easily pass through the different steps of their journey, including priority lanes for security control, lounge access and boarding. The boarding pass will be read automatically, even if the phone is locked, or the battery is dead. Renaud Willard, Sales & Marketing Director, RESA, said, “Making passenger facilitation its top priority, RESA has seamlessly integrated NFC technology into the daily operations of Toulouse-Blagnac Airport. NFC brings speed, easiness and a paperless experience to the airport environment. Passengers don’t have to think any longer about their boarding pass, the battery life of their smartphone or the rotation of their screen. They just walk through the airport, simply tapping their phone on the RESA readers.”
Brilliant. Now if only the air traffic controllers don’t go on their yearly strike at the same time…
Until next week.
Steve Atkins
Contactless Intelligence
