Technology News

Smart Financial Goes MobileHOUSTON-Smart Financial Credit Union has launched mobile banking services for its 78,000 members. Since rollout at the beginning of May, Smart Financial said it has seen more than 3,100 members sign up to use mobile banking in the first month. Approximately 44% of those have been categorized as 'Power Users'-using the service more than 10 times a month.Mobile Pay On The RiseHAMPSHIRE, U.K.-A new report by Juniper Research forecasts that the number of mobile phone users making payments for digital goods will reach 2.5 billion worldwide by 2015, up from 1.8-billion forecast for 2011. That represents a growth of 40%.Mobile tickets for transport and entertainment were found to be two of the key sectors influencing growth although new service and application adoption will also be very important, Juniper Research said.Much of the growth forecast in the Mobile Payments for Digital & Physical Goods report will come outside the U.S.WCU Adds Android AppFITCHBURG, Mass.-Following the successful launch of its iPhone app last year, Workers' Credit Union reported it has added an Android app that also allows members to do business via their smart phones. "The iPhone app has been a big success, and we anticipate the Android will be even more popular," said WCU CEO Doug Petersen.Members without an iPhone or Android device but who do have a web-enabled media device, such as a cell phone or PDA, can also access their accounts through a special website, mobile.wcu.com. TX CUL Launches Facebook PageFARMERS BRANCH, Texas-With funding from a grant from the Texas Credit Union Foundation (TCUF), the Texas CU League plans to create an interactive Facebook game that will seek to educate consumers about personal finance. The league has partnered with AES Connect, a San Francisco-based company that specializes in Facebook applications, to create the game. According to the league, the game will feature multiple levels of play on topics such as budgeting, savings and investing. When players have mastered one level, they will not move on to the next level until reading a pop-up factoid about credit unions.FFIEC Urges Greater SecurityWASHINGTON-The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) is urging financial institutions to update certain practices related to online security, stressing that criminals continue to evolve and improve their own efforts. The FFIEC is particularly concerned with insufficient log-in procedures.For more info: www.ffiec.gov.