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PACKS A PUNCH: The stickkey could go on trial next year.
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COME next year, commuters could find themselves using a smartcard that is about the size of two postage stamps to pay their train and bus fares.
The pint-sized card, called the stickkey, is scheduled to undergo a trial run early next year, the home-grown company behind the device revealed yesterday.
Fast Innovations Asia said it is working with the Land Transport Authority, SMRT, SBS Transit and EZ-Link on the pilot project. The public transport operators, though, said they were only in talks with the start-up.
If the trial is successful, the stickkey could be available in MRT stations soon after, said Mr Leonard Wee, founder of the three-year-old company.
'We are moving on to next-generation smartcards. This card is not just about paying for your fares, but something that is truly mobile being used for several purposes at once,' he said during the week-long CommunicAsia 2008 trade show here.
'Other countries have been adopting such cards, and so should we.'
Despite its small size, the stickkey packs a punch. Several functions can be embedded in the tiny card, making it possible for people to pay bus fares, buy groceries and even unlock doors, said Mr Wee.
The stickkey, which can be attached to cellphones and other handy surfaces, could also end the days of people digging through their wallets for CashCards.
The downside to stickkeys is that they expire after 1-1/2 years, as opposed to five years for the ez-link card.
Fast Innovations Asia has explored other uses for the stickkey beyond public transport, and the card has already had some success on the open market.
Students at Faculty Studio, a creative arts centre, pay their fees by flashing their cards at a reader each time they pop into class.
'It makes it easy for the students to pay only when they attend, unlike some schools or gyms which charge you a package price,' said owner Don Tsai.
The Singapore Fashion Festival this year also handed out stickkeys to VIPs for exclusive access to their shows during the 10-day event.
Fast Innovations Asia is also selling a magnetic door lock designed to be used with the tiny smartcard.
Meanwhile, the company, which has 20 employees, is aiming big.
It has approached everyone from retailers to organisers of the upcoming Youth Olympics in a bid to popularise the stickkey.
tanwz@sph.com.sg
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