Credit Cards Soon to Get a Makeover
#1
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,062
Credit Cards Soon to Get a Makeover
Found a very interesting article today...
Some of you may have seen this but I thought it could have some potential here...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/yo....html?emc=eta1
Cards will soon have lights and buttons that allow users to choose to pay for items with reward points or credit.
MM
Some of you may have seen this but I thought it could have some potential here...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/yo....html?emc=eta1
Cards will soon have lights and buttons that allow users to choose to pay for items with reward points or credit.
MM
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend




Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: D.R.E.A.D. Gold card holder
Posts: 53,216
#6


Join Date: May 2008
Programs: AA PLT 2MM
Posts: 2,026
#8
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,062

anyway, the tech is cool. Maybe we can hack into the software of the button and find a way to get like double miles
#10
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Eco Travel, Signatures




Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA, IHG & Marriott Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 51,892
The notion of redeeming points rather than money for a specific purchase is nonsense unless the bank is going to make the points very valuable at specific merchants. However, the idea of storing multiple card accounts on a single physical card is appealing. For example, I might like to earn multiple ThankYou points per dollar at the supermarket, pharmacy or gasoline retailers, but earn one AAdvantage mile at other stores.
#11
In Memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
Programs: ua prem exec, Former hilton diamond
Posts: 31,801
It is pretty funny to see them going all high tech over all this stuff, when there has always been a very low tech solution.
the high tech solution has buttons and electronics to reprogram the magnetic stripe to one value or another based on which button you push.
There's no reason not to have two stripes on the back of the card, there's way more than enough room available for it.
Swipe one stripe for miles, swipe the other one for rewards.
Or put one stripe on the front, one on the back. Either way it's a low tech approach to the issue.
The same company also makes a second card that is actually pretty cool. It has five buttons, and to use the card you need to input a pin number which will then show the card number and activate the stripe. No pin number, part of the credit card number is blocked out and there's no data in the stripe, your card can't be used if it's stolen.
Video demo here
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-20016433-250.html
the high tech solution has buttons and electronics to reprogram the magnetic stripe to one value or another based on which button you push.
There's no reason not to have two stripes on the back of the card, there's way more than enough room available for it.
Swipe one stripe for miles, swipe the other one for rewards.
Or put one stripe on the front, one on the back. Either way it's a low tech approach to the issue.
The same company also makes a second card that is actually pretty cool. It has five buttons, and to use the card you need to input a pin number which will then show the card number and activate the stripe. No pin number, part of the credit card number is blocked out and there's no data in the stripe, your card can't be used if it's stolen.
Video demo here
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-20016433-250.html
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 30,343
I would rather them to spend the energy / resources to resolve the PIN based card issue first so we Americans would not get stranded at a French highway because we could not buy gas at unmanned gas stations which only PIN based cards are accepted. If Canadian banks can finally do it, why cant the US banks do it?
#14
In Memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
Programs: ua prem exec, Former hilton diamond
Posts: 31,801
I would rather them to spend the energy / resources to resolve the PIN based card issue first so we Americans would not get stranded at a French highway because we could not buy gas at unmanned gas stations which only PIN based cards are accepted. If Canadian banks can finally do it, why cant the US banks do it?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/business/17digi.html
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 30,343
There was just a story in the New York Times the week before last about why this probably won't be happening for a while, if ever
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/business/17digi.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/business/17digi.html
It is the cost issue to upgrade to the Smart Card. There is a lengthy thread in the Other Credit Card forum on this topic for over a year now.
Last edited by Happy; Oct 25, 2010 at 6:48 pm


