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Hong Kong's Octopus

Posted by michael on from the not-talking-about-sushi dept.

Reuters is carrying an interesting story about Hong Kong's Octopus smart card system, which serves as a mass-transit fare card and is now being accepted by merchants for small purchases. A magazine cover story from last year goes more into depth. Interesting to note that the system started off anonymous, and is now being converted into a personally-trackable system.

4 of 255 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It's not as bad as the post says. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait
    Susan B. Anthony coins didn't work...you very rarely see half-dollars...and how many of you have seen Sacagawea dollars? I used a $25 roll I had a few months ago paying for a pizza delivery. Otherwise, they're useless.

    Just like the people on them.

  2. Re:Octopus is awesome by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Sensor. Learn to spell you commie supporter.

  3. politics and technology by tps12 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I like how it "started out anonymous" (read: Hong Kong was part of the UK) and now is becoming "personally trackable" (Hong Kong is now part of the PRC).

    The same thing happened when Hawaii became a state.

    --

    Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
  4. So now the People's Republic of China... by geoffreya · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    ...can track the movements of its citizens -- and foreign visitors -- everywhere they they go in Hong Kong?

    Neato! I just love seeing oppressive commu-capitalist oligarchies improve their efficiency through technology!