November 15, 2014

Dutchman has Bitcoin wallets injected in hands

Filed under: Gadgets,Health,Technology by Branko Collin @ 1:44 pm

bitcoin-key-fob-btc_keychainAmsterdam-based entrepreneur Martijn Wismeijer had two NFC chips injected into his hands earlier this month, The Telegraph writes.

The chips are to act as encrypted Bitcoin wallets. Wismeijer is the owner of Mr. Bitcoin, a company that distributes and operates ATMs for the currency.

Wismeijer told The Telegraph, “Most doctors will not want to install the implant so a body manipulation artist (preferably not just tattoo artist or piercer) will be your next best bet. Make sure they work according to strict hygiene codes and know what they are doing.”

Parool adds that Rockstart in Amsterdam (a start-up accelerator) hosted an implant session yesterday where one could have a sub-dermal NFC chip injected for about 130 euro. Wismeijer told the newspaper that currently about 2000 people have such implants.

It’s not clear from the articles whether Wismeijer uses the chips to store Bitcoins, keys to unlock Bitcoins or something else.

Check the Telegraph for a video in which the question “does it hurt” is answered. Too scared / don’t want to? Martijn Wismeijer told Parool: “They were the biggest needles I’ve ever seen.”

(Photo by BTC Keychain, some rights reserved)

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December 13, 2007

Getting a kroket with your mobile phone

Filed under: Dutch first,Food & Drink,Online by Orangemaster @ 10:29 am
kroket1.jpg

The Rabobank together with junk food chain Febo are making it possible for people to buy food using a mobile phone. It is a beta test.

As of Monday, 17 December hungry Rabobank clients who meet certain conditions can dig in to some Febo junk food on the Leidsestraat in Amsterdam by paying with their mobile phone. Some three to four Febo restaurants will be equipped to deal with mobile phone payments soon.

There’s a few catches: only hungry Rabo Mobiel clients can use this wireless payment service. And they also need to have a phone that supports Near Field Communication (NFC), which are apparently not easy to come by. Of course, the Rabobank says it plans to do something about that.

And then I wonder about payment problems, extra fees and all that. If anyone can actually do this, please share your experience with us!

(Link: webwereld)

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