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Oldies and goodies: #mpayments #data

Two stories reported by the BBC struck a cord with me, making me realise that there's no such thing as a new idea and that perhaps technology can't cure all.

First up the admirable attempt from Barclaycard to drive adoption contactless payments by providing customers with a second 'credit card' that they can stick onto the back of their mobile phone. The logic I can see, and it may well enable them to demonstrate to device manufacturers a need to include a payment chip in future handsets, but it makes me wonder who else might adopt such a strategy? Will the iPhone 5 feature stick on Apps?

Never the less, there might be plenty of people from the publishing fraternity delighted to see the revival of the 'cover mount' - even if it is a battery cover...

The second story was the serious issue of Internet monitoring and use of personal data, addressed by none other than Sir Tim Berners-Lee. In an interview with the Beeb he said "It's worth going online and making sure you talk to your MP, talk to your friends and make sure they're aware of this concern and, if necessary, get out there in the streets, waving banners."

Get out on the streets waving banners, how terribly 1990. I suppose at least the protests will be organised through Facebook and Blackberry Messenger and reported through Twitter and Instagram...

So as the wheel turns, it's time to dig out your LP's, search out your Betamax, and start playing Snake on your (black and white) mobile.


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