News and insight into biometric identification and authentication

Nightclub in Singapore Says to Leave Your Money At Home

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

A night club in Singapore has incorporated biometrics into their party business. Thumper reopened its doors this month using an advanced biometric ID system that allows club goers to drink and party without ever having to carry cash or credit cards. To pay for your drink, simply press your thumb to a sensor on the waiter’s laptop. While it may be easier, some patrons feel that the intrusion is too much. Melissa Cheah states, “My thumbprint is a unique identifying mark, (if I give it) I might as well just give them my DNA.” The club records when you enter and leave, how much you spend each visit and what you order. This information is then stored locally. Management feels it offers better customer service and reduces human errors in billing. A similar club in Singapore also uses a biometric system for its Citibank customers. [end] 

Office Depot has joined Home Depot as the second U.S. retailer to test PayPal’s point of sale payments solution, according to TG Daily.

Customers at select Office Depot stores can now make payments directly from their PayPal balance by simply punching in their mobile phone number and PayPal PIN. The solution requires only a software update at the point of sale for the merchant, and customers do not need to use a payment card, contactless fob or NFC-enabled phone to make a transaction.

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The UK’s YESpay International and YES-wallet.com have teamed up to build an NFC-enabled cloud-based mobile payments platform.

By integrating the YES-wallet Pouch digital wallet with YESpay EMBOSS payment service, the companies will provide a platform that encompasses e-Money, pre-paid and gift-card payments based on Visa PayWave and MasterCard PayPass contactless standards.

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Think&Go NFC, a French provider of mobile retail solutions, has announced the creation of an NFC-enabled Home Shopping system.

Designed to streamline the reordering of common consumer goods, the Home Shopping solution consists of a mobile app, a “Home Shopping board” and a Web site where consumers preferred services can be configured.

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PayPal has begun testing new mobile payments software at five Home Depot stores in the U.S., according to American Banker.

PayPal’s system offers an alternative to NFC-based mobile payments solutions like Google Wallet, enabling consumers to make payments directly from their PayPal balance by simply punching in their phone number and PIN. Merchants also have a comparatively easier time adopting the system, as it only requires updated software rather than new point of sale equipment.

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Hitachi partnered with Turkey-based banking company Isbank to bring biometric identification authentication to roughly 3,400 ATMs in Europe.

While the new network of biometric ATMs, which utilize Hitachi’s finger vein scanning technology, is the largest in Europe, it is far from the largest worldwide where Japan has embraced the technology and installed more than 75,000 finger vein-based ATMs.

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Coca-Cola, in partnership with media agency MEC, Clear Channel and Tapit, has launched an NFC-enabled poster campaign in Singapore for Fanta brand soft drinks.

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