Below-Poverty-Line (BPL) families in Chandigarh, India will begin to receive smart cards in place of their ration cards in April of next year, according to indianexpress.com. BPL families will be able to use the cards to purchase subsidized food grains. To prevent theft, the cards will hold biometric data of each member of the family, […]

Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky has announced the partial launch of Melbourne’s heavily postponed $1.3 billion smart card fare system, according to The Herald Sun. As of now, the system is only be available to passengers on trains. Tram and bus commuters must still use paper tickets until software glitches in are fixed. The Herald […]

Poken has announced the release of Pulse, a sleeker, more professional version of its NFC-enabled electronic business card, according to The Star Online. The Pulse is a gadget about the size of a USB thumb drive that allows users to exchange contact information by simply tapping the two devices together. A green light on the […]

IBM is currently developing NFC projects as part of its Smarter Planet strategy, according to siliconindia.com. A team of researchers at Hursley software development lab near Winchester, UK has successfully affixed RFID labels to items such as DVDs that will allow users to launch video trailers using an NFC-enabled device, such as a smart phone. […]

Rail authorities in the New Delhi/Delhi region of India are issuing contactless smart cards to retired rail employees, according to The Times of India. The new cards, which cost the equivalent of $2.50, will allow the retirees to get immediate treatment in railway health units. In order to obtain the service, rail retirees must first […]

Gamblers betting on sports games in Vegas casinos can now make their wagers via wireless handhelds, according to The Gainesville Sun. Under the new system, customers hand over their cash to casino employees, who convert the amount into electronic credits. Customers then have the option of placing bets at interactive touch screen kiosks, or renting […]

The Delhi Metro is offering riders a convenient new way to carry their smart cards, according to The Economic Times. On Tuesday, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) began issuing passengers smart cards that double as key chains. The new cards function the same as traditional smart cards, but are rounded at the corners and […]

Fujitsu has announced plans to produce and distribute over 1 million new contactless smart cards in London, according to squidcard.com. Fujitsu’s new Freedom Passes will combine Oyster and ITSO smart card technology, and will also feature a photograph of the user for identification. Freedom users over the age of 60 will be able to use […]

OpenWays is offering a new technology that will allow hotel guests to use their mobile phones as room keys, according to iTWire. Guests can also use their phones to book a room online and remotely check in, allowing them to bypass the front desk and go directly to their room. When a guest books a […]

Sharjah, the third largest emirate of the United Arab Emirates, will launch a contactless faring system for public buses next month, according to Gulf News. Sharjah Transport authorities are encouraging citizens who complain of not receiving exact change from bus drivers to embrace the new cashless system, which will feature contactless smart cards called Sayer […]