French Town Tests Cashless Society

SamiousHaze writes to mention a Silicon.com article about an attempt in a French tourist town, Caen, to do away with cash in some locales. From the article: "Among [the locations in the trial] is an underground car park; the town hall; a bus stop which can transmit timetable information; a cinema poster which downloads video trailers to users' mobiles; a local supermarket, where people can pay for their groceries with a mobile phone, and a tourist information sign outside the historic Abbaye des Hommes. By touching the mobile against the 'Flytag' logo at each of these locations, users can pay for services or receive information straight to their phone."

Comments

Re:WTF? Many US soldiers died at Normandy

[theolein]

Hey, if that's the way you feel, fucker, just dig 'em up and take 'em home. You can also shove 'em up your arse, if you feel like it. Sideways.

Oops here goes a buck and another

[sundru]

Imagine walking into the town with a RFID payment card and not knowing where your money is being spent.

Walk First block - 2 bucks on toll without being aware of it.

Second block - 5 bucks Automatic withdrawl from a street band playing crappy music. Just bcos ur in range of their payment device.

Third block - 2 bucks Automated payment withdrawl to the bag lady on the sreet.

Oops missed a street - U screwed !! APply for overwithdrawal protection.

Re:There will always be some form of cash

[DerekLyons]

"At least here in the US virtually everyone does, via their ATM cards - whether they realize it or not."

How do you figure? They don't know what you do with the $$'s after you leave the ATM.

How do I figure? I can read and think. You on the other hand, cannot - because you failed to note that I didn't say 'cash from an ATM', I said 'ATM cards'.