01. 18. 2007
Time to digitize your credit cards with iCache
According to a survey, an average American carries at least 8 cards in his/her wallet at any given time. Mine has at least 15 – I am never sure of which ones I might need when away from home, and end up stuffing all of them into my already overworked wallet. Well, a company called iCache has come up with a simple and elegant solution to this problem.
Unveiled at CES 2007, this concept device, called the iCache, is a mini storage for all your credit/cash cards. If you like the looks of the iPod (who doesn’t?), you will like the iCache as well since the device has an uncanny resemblance to the iPod. And it promises to replace all the cards in your wallet that have a barcode or magnetic stripe.
The package consists of the iCache and a “universal card.” And here’s what you do – once you buy the device, register all your cards to your online account. Then, insert the universal card into the device to complete the setup. Each time you want to use a particular card, say at a mall, choose the required card on the iCache’s screen and the iCache’s universal card is temporarily loaded with the data from the card you have chosen. In other words, the universal card becomes the card you are planning to use. You can then use the card for your shopping, and the data loaded on it disappears after 10 minutes.
The security aspects have been taken care of as well – the data is encrypted and the device itself can be activated only when you scan your fingerprint on the iCache’s biometric strip. The company is currently trying to get banks and credit card companies interested in the idea. No information yet on pricing or when the actual device will be out in the market.
Posted by kanchana
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devices
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| Comments (3)
Comments (3)
Hmm. Carrying this machine around seems insanely more inconvenient than merely carrying a some cards.
Other problems,
can you put this machine in your back pocket and then sit on it the way most men do with their wallets?
Which is faster? Pulling one card out of a wallet or pulling out this icache thing, turning it on, selecting the proper credit card from the list on the screen, waiting for the icache to write the card proxy, then handing over the card?
Think of the time and aggravation of every cashier that hassles you over the "strange card" ie 'sorry sir we only take Visa.'
Let me do this foolish company a favor, move the time limit from 10 minutes to indefinite and your useless product will become something that people might use ie a tool that lets you combine all your cards together once at home ie you don't have to lug the thing around.
nothalo | January 18, 2007 10:01 PM
January 18, 2007 22:01
I disagree with the above poster. I often have a second of panic when I open my wallet and think a card is missing. I like the security factor of this device. I do agree that it could be problematic for a man to carry, but for a woman who often grabs a credit card and ID for nights out, I think it's great.
steph | January 20, 2007 3:56 PM
January 20, 2007 15:56
By itself, this probably would never catch on, but imagine if someone integrated this into a cellphone! Your phone could double as every single card in your wallet.
Pipedreamergrey | January 30, 2007 9:28 AM
January 30, 2007 09:28