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Credit card with transaction history

The future of credit cards
 
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Credit cards worldwide are now being reissued as microprocessor smartcards instead of magstripe cards. These new cards can run programs and store reasonable amounts of data.

So, what you need is a smartcard reader slot in your PDA. Then, to check the transaction history on your credit card, stick the card in the reader and type your PIN. The card will have downloaded the entire recent transaction history (including "card not present" transactions) the last time it was used in an online transaction.

An obvious benefit is that you'll know more quickly if someone is using your card number and also restaurants won't be able to double-swipe your card wwithout you noticing.

Actually, I'm sure we'll see applications like this in the next five years. Further on than that will be cards with built-in thumbprint readers which display data like the transaction history on the surface of the card when they recognise their owner's thumbprint.
hippo, Apr 16 2004

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       before long ultra thin displays might remove the need for the pda in this idea and make it more realistic
xx, Apr 16 2004
  

       Why not just have a PDA with a wireless internet connection that connects it up to your bank? That works for me now.
zigness, Apr 16 2004
  
      
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