Suica (2006-03-10)
Those who have used an Octopus card in Hong Kong know what a marvelously convenient way it is to use it to pay for things. All you need to do is swipe the card lightly over a machine and it debits the charge from the card. You can use it to get through ticket gates in subway, pay parking meters, or pay bus fares etc.
In Japan, we have the Suica. It is used like the Octopus card,
but only on JR ticket gates. When the card's money runs out, one
just needs to top up the credit by using the ticket machines in any JR
stations. The operation is simple and quick.
Quite a while ago, the Suica technology has been installed in mobile
phones. Nowadays besides using your cell phone to talk, surf the
net, watch video, send messages, you can also use it to pay for items
in convenience stores or even a vending machine
by holding the phone over a reading thingie.
Sometimes I feel so behind with all the new gizmos on the
market. Heck, I still don't know how to work every button on our
complicated microwave oven that we bought four years ago!
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