New Technology for the Current Time

This week, I learned about the different types of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.  Though I've never heard of it before this week, I've used a form of NFC and didn't even know it.  As mentioned in the discussion thread, I mentioned the Starbucks app that I've downloaded onto my iphone that I have linked to my credit card to use as a form of payment at the store when waved at a reading device.  I love it as it also keeps track of my loyalty stars, so that I am able to redeem my free drink after every 15 purchased drinks.  There is something about reaching "gold status" and seeing stars fall into my loyalty jar after every purchased drink that makes me want to buy just a few more to be able to redeem that free drink.  I try not to think how much I had to spend to get that free drink, because it sort of ruins the fun. 

A thread response of a classmate brought up a concept of the "Square", which was a device that attaches to an iphone or ipad at the earphone plug that enables the device to process credit card transactions.  Several weeks ago, a friend of mine who is lucky enough to have food trucks come by her workplace during lunch time, told me about such a device, but I had no idea what it was called or what it looked like.  It turns out that the "Square" that my classmate was referring to was the same device that the food trucks used to process credit card payments.  Fascinated, I did some researching on other forms of NFC, I found out about the "Google Wallet".  The "Google Wallet" is exactly what it sounds like, a virtual wallet whose concept is similar to that of Starbucks'.  It manages loyalty cards and credit card information that can be used as a method of payment, though it is only compatible with Citi Mastercard and Google pre-paid cards.  This is definitely not rocket science, but never would I have thought years ago that a concept like this would be made possible.  Now when I see it used out in public, I'll know what it is, what it's used for, and tell people that it's all part of this new, spreading technology called Near Field Communication.  =)