Visa has finally released their mobile-payment pilot with US Bank. After the chip is inserted, smart phone users download an application housed on a secure server controlled by U.S. Bank. The application authenticates the user and his password. The application also links the phone to a payment vehicle. U.S. Bank employees’ phones will be linked … Continue reading Visa pilots mobile-payment with US Bank →

A day after launch the BBC quoted the engineering manager in charge of the messages product. He was not optimistic: I think we will have a little bit of an adoption problem…We’ve noticed that even for us, it takes a week or two before you really grab on and get this system. What really happens … Continue reading Facebook Messages Adoption Problem →

Today the President of the US will award the Medal of Honor to Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta. The Stars and Stripes has a book excerpt that describes the details of his heroism. He saved a Platoon from certain death by reacting so quickly under heavy fire he was able counterattack. Despite facing an L-shaped flood … Continue reading Fear and the Control of Danger →

Near field communication (NFC) technology for payments is hitting the silicon valley area, according to Near Field Communications World. They point out that Apple has spent recent months rushing through patents to try and lock down the profits for payment options on the iPhone. [In April 2010] we reported on Apple’s first four mobile payments … Continue reading NFC Payments Hitting Silicon Valley →