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Innovations, features, new products

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• How to take advantage of the balance transfer war -- The past month has seen credit card providers go to war in the balance transfer market. Here's how to take advantage of the stiff competition ... (See Balance transfer)
• A 0% card for damaged credit -- too good to be true? -- A card from Capital One offers the perks of 0% balance transfers to those with less-than-perfect credit. But is it really a good deal? ... (See Damaged credit)
• Contactless card payments now accepted on London buses -- Londoners can now pay for bus travel using contactless credit, debit or charge cards. Here's what you need to know before using this new wave-and-pay feature ... (See Contactless)
• Pay by handshake: The way of the future? -- Would you pay by thumbprint, jewellery or handshake? These are just some of the future payment possibilities, according to Payments Council predictions ... (See Future)
• A closer look at the new Barclaycard Cashback card -- Barclaycard's new cash-back credit card promises returns of 6% -- the highest on the market. Here's a look at the fine print ... (See Cash back)
• Contactless payments doubled during Olympic Games -- The numbers are in. Visa's attempts to push contactless payments at the Olympic Games paid off. But will enthusiasm for the technology persist after Olympic spirit wanes? ... (See Contactless)
• Ready or not, contactless cards are coming your way -- With banks and retailers alike pushing the technology, a contactless card is likely in your future. Here's what to know before using it ... (See Contactless payments)
• New mobile payments partnership enters the fray -- MasterCard and communications giant Everything Everywhere have their sights set on mobile payments domination ... (See Mobile payments)
• How to make money transfer credit cards work for you -- As a rare perk, some credit cards allow you to move money into a bank account. Here's how credit card money transfers work -- and some traps to avoid ... (See Money transfer credit cards)
• New card for young people doubles as ID -- A variety of prepaid cards promise to give children a head start on using plastic responsibly. Now, a new card promises to give kids another benefit of adulthood ... (See Prepaid cards)
• AmEx teams up with Foursquare for deals program -- FourSquare and American Express have teamed up for a new program that promises to streamline the deal-finding process for bargain hunters ... (See Deals)
• Wireless Festival lets revellers go cash-less -- This year's Wireless Festival is giving concert-goers the option of leaving their wallets at home entirely by embracing contactless payment technology ... (See Wireless Festival)
• New Equifax app lets you check your credit on your phone -- Equifax has launched a smartphone app that allows users to keep tabs on changes to their credit reports ... (See Equifax)
• Owe a friend some money? What you need to know about mobile money transfers -- Mobile money transfers make sending funds to a friend or family member as easy as sending a text ... (See Mobile transfers)
• What's keeping mobile payments from going mainstream? -- Smartphones are already commonplace -- but UK consumers are still wary of using them to make mobile payments, a recent survey says ... (See Mobile payments)
• Boku and MasterCard team up for mobile payments -- Boku and MasterCard have joined forces and are entering the mobile payments ring with Boku Accounts smartphone app ... (See Mobile payments)
• UK gets first contactless payments wristwatch -- Make payments with your wristwatch? It sounds like an innovation straight out of a science fiction film. But it's real in the UK: Brits can now make payments from their wrists thanks to an innovative new product ... (See Contactless payments)
• Accept credit card payments with your smartphone -- As of Dec. 1, businesses will be able to process debit and credit card payments on the move, as long as they have a smartphone or tablet computer ... (See Mobile payments)
• Experts: Contactless payments won't take off without retailers -- Contactless won't take off without the retailers, say experts. More merchants need to support the new technology in order for it to become commonplace in the UK ... (See Contactless payments)
• UK consumers 'fearful of mobile payments' -- Phone hacking fears have put consumers off mobile payment systems, suggests new research. A recent study found that nearly half of all UK adults are concerned about mobile security ... (See Mobile payments security)
• Olympics vending machines may go contactless -- Drinks giant Coca-Cola is reportedly in talks with Visa over bringing contactless payment vending machines to the 2012 Olympics ... (See Contactless card payments)
• Editor's pick: 5 great personal finance apps -- There are plenty of free or low-cost personal finance apps available that can help you track your budget on the move. Here are our picks for the top five on the market ... (See Personal finance apps)
• Brits say they would pay £3 to top up mobile wallets -- The vast majority of Britons with smartphones would consider using their devices to make mobile payments, a new survey has found, and many say they would even pay to top up their mobile wallets ... (See Mobile wallets)
• Equifax and FICO team up on new credit scoring tools -- Equifax and FICO are teaming up to provide lenders with new analytical tools that will make it easier for them to assess applicants' future creditworthiness ... (See Next generation credit scores)
• Brits show appetite for contactless card payments -- The majority of UK consumers who have used contactless payments are impressed with contactless technology and want it to be more available, a new survey has found ... (See Contactless payments)
• Average Brit saves £1,196 a year with vouchers -- Britons are making the most of discount codes and vouchers, according to new research. Consumers, on average, save nearly 1,200 pounds a year by using discounts and special offers ... (See Savings)
• Barclaycard launches mobile rewards scheme -- Barclaycard customers will now find it easier than ever to locate retailers involved in the credit card provider's Freedom rewards scheme, thanks to a new link-up with mobile phone voucher service vouchercloud ... (See Rewards)
• Smartphones to get secure fingerprint technology -- Consumers' fears about mobile payment security may be answered. Smartphones could soon employ fingerprint technology to confirm a user's identity during mobile payments ... (See Mobile)
• Consumers using smartphones to shop -- More UK shoppers are going online to shop around -- and many are logging in with their smartphones and tablets rather than computers, according to a recent study ... (See Mobile shopping)
• Concerns raised over Oyster card payments -- A travel watchdog group is concerned that many London passengers are unknowingly paying more than they should for Oyster Pay As You Go journeys around the capital ... (See Pay as you go)
• Mobile operators team up for payments venture -- Everything Everywhere, Telefonica UK and Vodafone UK have formed a joint payments venture that should facilitate the adoption of mobile payments, say experts ... (See Mobile payments)
• Wristbands enable contactless payments at festival -- An innovative prepaid contactless wristband was trialled at the recent Isle of Wight festival and proved popular with festival-goers ... (See Contactless )
• Starbucks to support contactless card payments -- UK consumers will soon have one more place to pay for goods with their mobile phones. Starbucks has announced that it plans to introduce contactless credit card payments in some of its stores next spring ... (See Contactless)
• Barclaycard and Orange pioneer mobile payments -- Mobile payments are now possible in the UK. Barclaycard and Orange have ushered in a new age in payment technology with their Quick Tap service, which allows consumers to make contactless payments with their mobile phones ... (See Mobile)
• Survey: Brits reluctant to adopt contactless credit cards -- Security fears are hindering the adoption of contactless payments, a new survey reveals. Many Brits say they want to learn more about the technology before making the leap ... (See Contactless)
• McDonald's adopts contactless card technology -- Contactless technology will soon make fast food even more accessible. McDonald's has confirmed that customers will be able to make contactless card payments in all of its UK restaurants by the end of May 2011 ... (See Contactless )
• Study: Quarter of Brits make mobile credit card payments -- Mobile card payments are becoming more commonplace as as an increasing number of British consumers embrace the ability to make credit card transactions via their mobile device ... (See Mobile payment)
• Transport for London introduces contactless card payments for Tube, tram and DLR -- Londoners will soon be the first passengers in the world to access their entire city's public transport network with a single swipe of a contactless credit or debit card ... (See Contactless card)
• Google smart phone to support contactless payments -- Google's chief executive has provided a sneak preview of a new smartphone which will allow users to make contactless payments, potentially removing the need to carry around debit or credit cards. ... (See Google)
• London buses to accept contactless cards -- In a move that should benefit both Londoners and visitors to the capital, Transport for London has confirmed that it plans to introduce contactless credit card technology on public transport. ... (See Contactless cards)
• Will contactless cards solve long queues? -- Contactless credit card technology could help to cut queues in shops, helping both irritated customers and overworked staff ... (See Contactless cards)
• Credit card holders warned about online gambling -- Online gambling credit card deposits are treated as cash withdrawals. Britons must be aware of the interest rates they are being charged to make credit card deposits for gambling online. ... (See Gambling)
• MBNA rolls out new credit card text service -- MBNA credit card customers are benefiting from a new text-based service to keep them up-to-date on account charges, balances ... (See MBNA)
• UK credit card payment checker tool updated -- The UK Payments Council has re-launched its debit and credit card payments checker. ... (See Tool)
• Severn Bridge credit card toll 'to arrive in 2010' -- The Welsh Assembly Government confirms that credit card payment facilities could be installed at the Severn Bridge toll this year. ... (See Toll)
• Booking flights on credit cards 'is crucial' -- One holiday magazine highlights the value of booking flights with credit cards as a Scottish airline collapses. ... (See Flights)
• Sainsbury's predicts record credit card ATM use -- Britons will use their credit cards at cash machines in huge volumes during December, according to Sainsbury's Finance. ... (See ATM)
• Contactless credit card use to increase -- Customer access to contactless payments has improved and is likely to improve further in future, according to providers. ... (See Barclays)
• AmEx launches 'supermarket' credit card -- American Express has launched a new reward credit card that puts a premium on purchases made at supermarkets. ... (See Supermarket)
• Dormant Amex credit card holders face charges -- American Express credit card holders face a charge of £20 if they do not use their accounts for a year or more. ... (See Dormant)
• Prepaid card program rolls out for students -- An innovative new link-up between MasterCard and a private school could promote financial responsibility among youngsters, if successful. ... (See School)
• Credit card parking ticket surcharge opposed -- A campaigner is calling for a class action suit to oppose the practice of charging surcharges on those who pay parking tickets by credit card. ... (See Surcharge)
• Mobile alerts being trialled by Visa -- A new mobile alert system that provides credit card customers with full details of their transactions is being trialled by Visa. ... (See Trial)
• iPhone game spreads contactless card message -- Barclaycard has targeted iPhone users as part of its ad campaign for its new contactless services. ... (See iPhone)
• First Direct debuts social media newsroom -- Flickr and YouTube content is to be used in a new "social media newsroom" from credit card provider First Direct. ... (See YouTube)
• Currency switches can lead to losses -- Currency switches can lead to losses. Foreign credit card purchases are sometimes being charged in sterling rather than the local currency, without the buyer being consulted first. ... (See Check receipts)
• Abbey credit cards make Santander switch -- Low rate credit cards provider Abbey is to undergo a rebranding exercise with Santander. ... (See Abbey)
• Cards group publishes fraud advice guide -- The UK Cards Association published a fraud-busting guide for credit card customers traveling abroad. ... (See Fraud)
• Credit card users not fully utilising Faster Payments Service -- Credit card customers are not making full use of a system which allows them to make quicker payments, Apacs warns ... (See Faster)
• Online retailer launches credit card -- Play.com customers are now able to take advantage of a loyalty scheme from the online retailer, through a credit card launched 20 May. ... (See Online)
• Contactless credit cards won't replace cash -- Contactless credit cards won't take the place of cash "anytime soon", UK payments association Apacs has suggested. ... (See Cash)
• New credit card aims to cut down fraud -- Visa is testing a new credit card which could help tackle the problem of card fraud by ensuring that a pin must always be entered for a transaction to take place. ... (See Visa)
• New contactless device debuts at Contactless Intelligence show -- The PoS Paddle Tap-It -- a new contactless device for payments -- launched at the Contactless Intelligence Conference and Exhibition ... (more)
• Anti-skimming system protects credit card deals -- The problem of credit card skimming at cash machines has led to the launch of a new device from ADT Security Services. ... (more)
• UK debit and credit cards - Why chip and pin? -- Chip and PIN is part of an international initiative to combat credit card fraud; the UK was one of the first countries to roll it out. ... (more)