Card Briefs: Oki to Make Mondex Smart Card Readers

Oki Advanced Products said it has received formal approval to produce its Value-Checker personal smart card readers for Mondex electronic purses.

Oki produces several versions: a key fob; a Value-Checker Plus with a key pad that shows recent transactions and allows for locking and unlocking of Mondex cards; and two-card wallet systems that permit card-to-card payments to retailers or other individuals.

Value-Checker Plus has an optional connector to a personal computer to act as a "home ATM" and perform other electronic commerce functions.

Oki, an affiliate of Oki Electric Industry Co. of Japan, said its five years of experience with Mondex-it provided the first electronic wallets for the initial trial in Swindon, England, and participates in the current New York City test-were instrumental in getting the certification from Mondex International.

Mondex, controlled by MasterCard International, reported having 29 licenses, franchises in more than 50 countries, and 21 implementations around the world, with one million reloadable cards produced as of yearend 1997.

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