I’m completely on the wearable tech bandwagon, but I’m definitely still skeptical about the whole smart wallet concept. That doesn’t mean I’ve written it off completely, which why I’m very intrigued reading about the new Wocket Wallet.
There’s definitely more to the Wocket than the Dr. Seuss-inspired name (and tagline) which is designed to eliminate the need for you to carry an actual wallet again. It stores all your private information in a vault, and only the authenticated user–A.K.A. you–can access it. With a combination of biometrics and a PIN, it’s extremely secure. And unlike other smart wallets out there, the Wocket doesn’t depend on the Cloud or any third party; your information is actually stored right in the gadget that you’d carry around in your pocket or bag.
To set it up, you basically swipe all your credit cards in along with loyalty and membership cards, which means not only lightening your wallet but if you’re like me, your keychain too. Then when you want to use your cards, specifically for payment, a dynamic card pops up with your information so that you can swipe and pay.
Granted, there’s always the issue of losing it, although that’s an issue with any wallet. And those aren’t quite so secure as far as your credit card data. There’s also the question as to whether or not you have to keep it charged, and what happens when the juice runs out–let alone other malfunctions that you wouldn’t worry about when you’re carrying actual cards. But as cautious as I am about the whole smart wallet concept, I’m convinced this is where we’re all headed. And sooner, rather than later.
For more information about The Wocket, visit their website.
The Wallet Runs for a year without charging, it comes with a charger and it is rechargeable, but it can go for one year (based on 8 hours a day) w/o charging.
What about chip and pin? This will be useless as of August 2015 when chip and pin is a requirement in the US as it already is in the rest of the world.