Go to www.thomsoninvest.net and you can get real quotes there for free.
Here is more interesting reading on Smart Cards that may be of interest to you.
American interest in Smart Cards:
Consumers Fascinated With Smart Cards
Survey Shows Consumers Willing to Pay to
Use Credit Card-Sized Devices for Storing
Financial, Medical and Other Personal
Information
April 22, 1999
WASHINGTON, April 21 /PRNewswire/ via NewsEdge Corporation --
Americans are ready, willing and anxious to start using smart cards,
the next stage in personal electronic technology that allows them to
perform financial and other activities through credit card-sized
high-tech devices, according to industry research made widely
available today.
In the survey, conducted for the Smart Card Forum, a
Washington-based multi-industry trade group, three-quarters of those
polled showed interest in the smart card concept. A significant
number of respondents said they would want to use the cards for
functions including bank access and ATM services, to carry a record
of driver and health insurance information, and as credit cards. They
would be willing to pay up to $50 for the card itself and a $25 annual
fee.
In general, the survey showed that potential smart card users are
younger, have higher incomes and own a PC, the classic profile of the
early technology adopter.
"Previous Forum market research has shown consumer interest in our
industry," said Forum president and CEO Donna Farmer. "These initial
poll results reveal that smart cards have a potential core
early-adopter constituency of about a third of the population. That's
a significant potential market."
Applications for Smart Cards
Smart card technology has a variety of applications. Industry efforts
currently are aimed at understanding which of those would be most
appealing to North American consumers.
The research, consisting of focus groups and separate telephone
surveys, defined the smart card as a "card-sized unit with a memory
that can hold just about any kind of information but requires some
sort of reader to input or output data." Participants were asked an
extensive set of questions on their knowledge about smart cards and
their willingness to incorporate the devices in their daily lives.
Of the 76 percent polled who claimed to be "extremely," "very " or
"somewhat" interested in the smart card concept, about one-third
were extremely or very interested. Of those, the majority said they
would, "definitely want" smart cards to carry med-alert information,
health insurance ID, ATM and related bank access, drivers licenses
and credit cards. Other potential uses included prescriptions, money
for small purchases, medical records, other ID, discount shopping,
money for larger purchases, frequent flyer information and other
membership cards. Focus group participants indicated that the ideal
smart card could do many things as well as a current card does, but
should not be a card that can do one thing better than anything else.
"We're pleased that those surveyed recognized the diverse uses of
smart cards," said Farmer. "The key to unlocking the business
potential of our industry is providing business users and consumers
with a broad choice of applications on a smart card."
Generally, those most interested in smart cards were more likely to
have PCs, cell phones or other high-tech devices and to look forward
to new technology, tended to be in their 30s, had higher incomes and
already carried an average of more than six cards in their pockets.
Potential smart card users were focused most heavily on convenience
and security. They envisioned a single-use card that would be used in
addition to the cards in their wallets. They were most interested in a
card that would put multiple uses on a single device -- the fewer
things in one's wallet, the fewer things to remember to carry.
When they understood that smart cards can be made significantly
more secure than a normal magnetic stripe card, survey participants
indicated that smart cards might provide additional reassurance by
"electronically storing receipts in some way." The security of
information stored on cards might be ensured through electronic
fingerprinting. Respondents favored a card with the look and feel of a
credit card, probably with a photo of the bearer on it.
This is why I feel NPCT is on to something significant. Go to www.nanopierce.com and see the technology. Also take the time to go to
www.ctst.com and look at the agenda for that conference. |
