BANK tech-trends News
 

 November 10 - November 14, 2008

• Hardware News
• Software Updates
• ATMs/Kiosks
• Biometric Digest Highlights
• Wireless World
• Security Section
• Leaders Roundtable
• Technology and Marketing
• Online Banking/E-Commerce/
  Website Design
• Internet Access
• Call Centers

Hardware News

SanDisk announced a new flash memory management system called ExtremeFFS that it says will dramatically improve two of the main weaknesses today in the emerging technology of solid state drives (SSD). SanDisk said that ExtremeFFS should boost the speed of writing common types of data to SSDs by as much as 100 times. ExtremeFFS also allows data to be written to disk without erasing and rewriting nearby stored data. That, along with the ability to move data around to ensure that the physical memory blocks wear out evenly, should boost the longevity of SanDisk SSDs.

TimeSight Systems has launched what could be the first lifecycle management package for video surveillance data. TimeSight Video Lifecycle Management consists of four models that capture, store and manage both motion and non-motion video data. The models are differentiated by the number of processors, memory, expansion slots and RAID support. Each appliance can reduce the amount of data being stored by 90% using H.264 compression. Interdependent motion handling also uses H.264 compression rules to store and retain all video on less storage. Their software can search through what TimeSight calls events of interest to allow detection, location and review of video data. VLM supports both existing analog and IP cameras.

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ATMs/Kiosks

Level Four, a supplier of open standards-based ATM software, announced a new global partnership with Polaris Software Lab Limited, a provider of specialty application development and testing services in the banking sectors. The agreement will enable banks to benefit from a complete end-to-end outsourced testing solution, combining Level Four’s automated ATM testing application, BRIDGE:test, with Polaris’ testing services.

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A West Virginia-based company by the name of Securlinx has come out with a biometrically enabled check fraud prevention system. The system applies facial recognition technology to live surveillance camera output and the photo located on the ID card presented with the check. This information is linked to information obtained by scanning the check. In the event that a check is returned unpaid, the check's MICR Number can be used to retrieve the images obtained from the surveillance camera video as well as the ID photo so that the individual who submitted the check can be enrolled in the customer's biometric database.

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Based on a recent survey by Compass Intelligence, an estimated 7.2 percent of mobile phone users that are 18 or older and employed use mobile banking. Highlights of the survey are displayed below:

- Smart phone users are a key factor influencing the use of mobile banking. 20.5% of smart phone users currently use mobile banking, while only 2.7% of basic cell phone users use mobile banking.
- Younger users are much more likely to use mobile banking.
- Men are more likely than women to use mobile banking.
- Push-to-talk service users are more likely to use mobile banking than average mobile phone users.

Mobile money transfer and contactless NFC (Near Field Communications) will together account for 50% of the overall mobile payment market globally by 2013, (based on the gross transaction values), according to Juniper Research's new Mobile Payments Study. The Juniper report found that the mobile payments market, which is today is dominated by purchases of digital goods such as ringtones, music, and games, will in the future be driven by subscribers transferring money and using NFC features on their handsets to make purchases. This will drive the overall mobile payments market to grow by a factor of ten between now and 2013. 

Visa is rolling a new "Visa Micro Tag" that attaches to a key ring. This is Visa's smallest "payWave"-enabled device to-date. A Visa account number is not required to be embossed or printed on the device. 

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Microsoft just released their new Security Intelligence Report that is based on malware data gathered from millions of Windows PCs from around the world. It found that Trojan downloaders and droppers were the most prevalent threat to these machines in the first half of 2008. This type of malware made up more than 30 percent of all malware cleaned off of Windows machines during that period. Trojans and other backdoor malware -- which often sneak past antivirus and antispyware scanners -- are typically used to steal credentials (e.g., online banking) or for botnet proliferation. Microsoft found that these threats are increasing, while viruses dropped from nearly 10 percent in the second half of last year to less than 5 percent from January through June of this year. Spyware also declined during the same period, from nearly 5 percent to about 2 percent. 

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Core Systems:

Core Systems – Collaborating to Better Serve Customers

COCC - http://www.cocc.com Read Joe Trafton's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/COCC.pdf

Fidelity Information Services - http://www.fidelityinfoservices.com Read John Schooler's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/FIS.pdf

Open Solutions - http://www.opensolutions.com Read Michael Nicastro's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/OSI.pdf

Software and Management Associates - http://www.smausa.com Read Michael W. Taylor's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/SMA.pdf

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Digital Signage Today has launched the Digital Signage Software Comparison Wizard, a publication and interactive software tool that helps banks select the right software for their digital signage product. With several hundred digital signage software products on the market, deployers have to wade through quite a bit of information to make informed decisions about which software product is right for their deployments. The wizard identifies more than 65 attributes — operating system, deployment platform, media types supported, integration with advertising plans, etc. — and delivers a comprehensive grid that spells out the exact capabilities of more than 130 digital signage software products.

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Maryland-based SafeNet has released ViewPIN+, a Web-based PIN issuance solution that automates the issuance and delivery process of personal identification numbers (PIN). ViewPIN+ is designed to cut costs, prevent PIN fraud, and improve cardholder satisfaction for card issuers. ViewPIN+ enables cardholders to instantly retrieve their PIN through the card issuer's website via computer or mobile devices. 

Since research firm Forrester first started tracking where US online consumers pay bills, biller sites have always led the way. Although financial institutions had been closing this gap over the past five years, FI bill pay growth has stalled in the past 12 months, while the number of biller site bill pay users has grown 17%. According to the firm, this growth is being driven by: ease of use, speed of payments, and availability of same-day and credit card payments. Forrester recommends that banks try to match the simplicity and flexibility of biller sites if they are to attract, and retain, the next generation of bill pay consumers. 

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Internet Access

Mitel announced the general availability of its Mitel 3000 communications system for small to mid-sized organizations. The 3000 aims to provide them with advanced features such as conferencing, centralized voicemail, and an automated attendant for routing incoming calls. The Mitel 3000 communications system can accommodate up to 52 employees as well as analog devices, including fax machines.

Aspect, a unified communications software and services provider, just released Aspect Unified IP 6.6. The Aspect platform provides inbound, outbound and blended multi-channel contacts by providing unified communications based on session initiation protocol (SIP-)-based VoIP software. The update includes an "ask-an-expert" feature using the instant messaging and presence technology provided in Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. 

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Call Centers

Many banks have quality monitoring programs in place for their contact center voice calls, but what about for email servicing? Some contact centers utilize a quality assurance sampling rate for all new agents that is initially pegged at 100%. That means all of their mails are quality checked. Any errors that they commit are typically fixed by quick coaching sessions at the start of next day. As the performance of the agents improves, the quality check percentage is reduced gradually (typically over 8 weeks) to a minimum of 10%. 

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