Does this seem familiar… Are you ever out shopping… Or buying gas… Or out to dinner… …And think you are going to go crazy because your credit card wont go through due to communication problems? Well… …Smart cards are sorta like credit cards… …Without all the problems.

Well, credit cards need to access remote databases at the time of any transactions. Then using the information on the magnetic strip, they can receive information from the databases. Smart Cards on the other hand are embedded with chips that store the information right on the card. They look like a credit card, only without the magnetic strip. Some Smart cards contain only non-programmable data, however some are also equipped with a microprocessor that can add, delete, and change the information on the card.

Smart cards are much more convenient than cards with remote-access magnetic strips since no communication lines are necessary. Since the information on smart cards is not stored at a remote database, the information is more secure and confidential. Smart cards are more durable and last longer than magnetic stripe cards before they wear out. Smart cards can be “hybrid” with magnetic stripes, allowing them to both secure confidential information and also access remote databases Smart cards can hold more than 17,000 times the amount of information as magnetic stripes.

Integrated Circuit Microprocessor Cards Integrated Circuit Memory Cards Optical Memory Cards

8 bit processor, 16KB read-only memory, 512 bytes random-access memory These cards can… –H–Hold money (gift cards) –S–Secure access to networks (like in out laptops) –P–Protect from cell phone fraud –P–Protect from cable piracy (prevent illegal cable)

Up to 4 MB of data… but no internal processor. Since the data on the cards cannot be changed once programmed, these cards are normally used for storing information such as: –M–Medical files –T–Traveling history –D–Driving records –I–Immigration green cards –M–Military cargo manifests

Type of CardMaximum Data Capacity Processing Power Cost of CardCost of Reader and Connection Magnetic Swipe Card 140 BytesNone$ $0.75$ IC Memory Card 1 KByteNone$ $2.50$ IC Processing Cards 8 KBytes8-bit CPU (soon 16 and 32 bit) $ $15.00 $ Optical Memory Cards 4.9 MBytesNone$7.00 – $12.00 $ $4000 *All information representative of JavaSun cards