The Smart Design Idea Behind Coin, The Digital Credit Card That Could Replace Wallets

Coin could make wallets irrelevant. But its real appeal will be deeply customizable security.

By now, you've probably heard of the stealth project called Coin. It's essentially a smart credit card that, with the push of a button, allows you to cycle through your Visa, Mastercard, or Amex--up to eight cards stored digitally that might otherwise make a hefty wallet. Say what you will about Coin as a solution for the Silicon Valley 1%; its interaction design is incredible, starting with the Coin card itself: It literally morphs into your card of choice via its proprietary magnetic strip. And so as techie-futuristic as it might seem, Coin can be swiped by any standard credit card machine in existence. (That is, so long as it supports magnetic strips, which have become less common in areas like Europe.)

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