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BMW Squeezes Wallet into Car Keys
Wired: Gadget Lab — ... it to keep our money (metaphorically) inside? A real credit card sits safely in your pocket and can't be hacked from afar. However "secure" the smart key is claimed to be, there will always be a way to hack the system. Happily, it also puts a whole new slant on our favorite after party game. Now, when we throw our keys into the middle of the room and pick another set at random, we won't just be going home to sleep with the owner's wife. We'll also get to spend his money. Press release [NXP. Thanks, Melissa!] Photo: blueoneiam/Flickr ...

BMW and NXP's prototype smart key knows more about you than the NSA
Engadget — ... your custom in-vehicle settings such as radio presets, mirror and seat adjustments, etc. It would even authorize (and pay for) future on-line BMW services across the entire fleet of Bimmers you don't own, but might choose to outfit the family with if the smart key option was available. The prototype on display at the CARTES & IDentification show in Paris next week will likely closely resemble the image above... only without the transformer. [Thanks, Stop_Spam_ming]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Contactless Payment Shows Up In A BMW Key
GadgetReview — ... bit luni and will require a major paradigm shift in how we purchase products.  But when you look at Korea’s use of NFC in cell phones, it’s not that far off.  I suppose it could be ideal  when passing through a toll, although BMW’s drive and ride (a train) is a bit of stretch. BMW plans to show of the tech at this year’s CARTES & IDentification show in Paris from 4th to 6th November 2008. Full press release here [EEtimes] ...

BMW car keys could soon double as your credit card
CrunchGear — ... of those fancy little key fobs that let you pay for items with a simple swipe. We have something like that in NYC for the subways with one of the banks. It’s nice to know the automotive industry is finally getting on the bandwagon. This is all well and good, but what if you have to pay a toll or something? You don’t exactly want to be turning the car off to take the key out of the ignition to pay for stuff. Just a scenario where I don’t think this would be ideal. PR