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Smart Wallets React To Spending By Shrinking
fangmcgee writes "These high-tech wallets are digitally programmed to react to your bank account levels by shrinking in size, refusing to open, or vibrating whenever a transaction is processed. From the article: 'The Proverbial Wallets come in three attractive styles to fit your spending needs: The Mother Bear has a constricting hinge that makes it harder to open the closer you approach your monthly budget, while the Bumblebee buzzes every time a transaction is processed. The Peacock inflates and deflates with the amount of cash in your account, which puts your assets on “display” for potential mates, according to the designers.'"
"The Parasite". Sniffs the local wireless traffic for your bank account details when the wallet queries for your balance...
Seriously though, they better secure these things properly, because it sounds cool and people won't care until it's too late. And because I won't let myself get anything like this until I know it's secure, but I want one!
...start shrunk and remain so
RGdot.com
The high-tech - and no doubt expensive - wallet will respond to its own purchase by collapsing into a singularity.
How about adding 'Economic Responsibility, Saving and Budgeting' to our Elementary school's course curriculum?
This would go a whole lot farther than a wallet that sends and electric shock every time you overdraw your account with a $5 latte.
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
Now if we only had smart consumers.
Good thing we don't have smart boxers or briefs though. After you spend, it shrinks...could be painful.
There are actually three types - one that shrinks and grows, one that vibrates for every transaction, and, my personal favorite, one that becomes harder and harder to open as you approach a limit. That kind of tactile feedback forces you to realize where you are each month. It's small, but if you make something harder to open, people are definitely less likely to do so even if overcomable. The problem is that by the time you're getting out your wallet it's usually too late, so the Costanza-esque model is probably most useful. The biggest issue is the requirement for a constant Bluetooth link to your phone using your data plan. No need to have a near-constant stream of data, especially when you're trying to cut costs.
I live in constant fear of the Coming of the Red Spiders.
It does try to address a legitimate problem, but I think people will get them with good intentions and then a month or two later end up bypassing the alerts. If I set myself a monthly budget of 2 grand, but I have 4 coming in, I'm eventually going to get annoyed at the hard-to-open wallet.
"I disagree with you" does not equal "flamebait."
...Until you get pulled over on your way back from buying a new HDTV, and you can't pull out your license. "Sorry officer, my wallet won't let me comply with your orders" will not be a valid excuse.
Ironic that the smart wallet itself is a frivolous purchase... who's in the market for this exactly? I know people like to cram in tech wherever they can, but this is extremely superfluous.
Twinstiq, game news
"The Peacock inflates and deflates with the amount of cash in your account, which puts your assets on “display” for potential mates, according to the designers."
I guess if you're Bill Gates, it doubles as a hot-air baloon.