O2 trials one off the wrist for VIP access

O2 is trialling a wristband loaded with a computer chip at this year's Wireless Festival that could act as a credit card, electronic ticket, and Oyster card. Crystal-studded wristbands will be given out to VIPs at the event in London's Hyde Park. Holding the bracelet close to electronic sensors will allow them into a backstage …

[Stephane Mabille]

Bracelet a good idea, mobile is not!

Hi,

Replacing cash and wallet by a chip wrist band is a good idea (at least until you get mugged for it, but you could get mugged for your wallet etc anyway); and as it stays around your wrist the risk of losing it, having it falling from your pocket etc is reduced.... so that's a good idea.

Integrating it into mobile phone might have some advantage in every day life BUT festivals are clearly not the best place to implement it.

Being a regular festival goer/volunteer, the number of mobiles lost, stolen etc is quite impressive (the #2 item just after wallets). Any sensible festival goer will try to avoid having his mobile with him 24h/day (leave it in your car or in lockers -if provided as at Glade Festival-), and having to take it out every time you want to move, eat, drink, pay, etc... is increasing the risk...

Wrist bands are the way to go!

[Dillon Pyron]

Theft?

It took my wife 8 hours to realize she had lost her phone. I wonder how much that would have cost us if someone found it and used it.

Never did see a call on it and nobody answered it or read a text. I wonder what happened to the thing.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Theft?

Dillon, perhaps it ended up in the bog? Like the 849,999 others that end up in the bog by accident? :-)

[Anonymous Coward]

Another re-branding

I see the move to get away from the nasty "RFID" brand has begun.

RFID is bad, but NFC isn't like that, NFC is good. You don't have to be afraid of NFC.