Pay with a credit card using a Bluetooth phone
We’re getting closer to a cashless society which doesn’t bother me one bit. I don’t like to jingle when I walk, plus I’m usually “cashless” anyway; spending too much on devices I suppose. Sprint customers who want to drop the coin will want to check out software that lets you pay with a credit card by using your phone. The application comes from Aircharge and once installed on your compatible phone, it sends your credit card information over Bluetooth. Clearly, a vendor will need equipment to receive the data over Bluetooth for payment and there’s always the security aspect of having your information sent through the air.For now, Sprint is only offering the software as over-the-air download on certain handsets made by Motorola and Sanyo, but I expect the number of supported phones will grow. Nosing around the Aircharge site shows they have software that works with various phone and platforms, even J2ME. How about it: do you feel safe enough to use your phone for payment or are you content to jingle-jangle with change?(via I4U)
Good product and idea. But limits the usability to only a few phones due to it’s implementation. I think solutions like this should not depend on phone’s special abilities like software,bluetooth etc.
We use something similar in India to recharge the pre-paid mobile phones (voice and data). However, it is not over bluetooth and CC info is not set over the air. This is how it works.
First, you register you phone in your bank’s checking account against credit card account. Once you are verified and setup, whenever you are out of balance on the mobile phone credit or close to out of balance,just send a SMS to the service provider number with a special code for authorization of charges along with the amount to be charged. Instatly, the amount is directly debited from your checking account or charged on your credit card. Within the next 10 seconds you will have a confirmaton message which will say if the trasaction is complete or not and you are good to go. The limitation is it is only for this service.However, the approach is simple as it leverage texting which can be done in literally any phone and no CC information is sent over the air.They have now extended this too other retailers.
Oh boy, this is only how many years behind the rest of the world? Not that I care, I don’t jingle now. I have BILLS in my wallet, not some chump change in my pocket!