Author: Jan Vornberger 2014-03-08 08:52:42
Published on: 2014-03-08T08:52:42+00:00
In this conversation, Alex Kotenko shared a video on how NFC (Near Field Communication) is currently being used in conjunction with Bitcoin transactions. The video shows a demo of NFC with XBTerminal, and the transaction appears to be completed quickly. However, the recipient of the message questioned whether the two devices were on the same Wi-Fi network since transaction propagation through the Bitcoin network usually takes longer.The discussion then turned to the idea of sending transactions solely through the Bitcoin network. The recipient of the message commented that this should be a fallback option since it takes longer than desired for a POS solution. In case of failed transactions, asking the customer to pay again could be an option, but this would be problematic in some cases.A prototype system was then shared via video, which shows the Bridgewalker client, compatible with Andreas' wallet, picking up payment details via NFC and transmitting a copy of the transaction via Bluetooth. The code for this prototype is open source, and from testing, NFC for payment details and Bluetooth for transmitting the transaction back works well. However, using NFC for the back-channel raises some skepticism.One problem with Bluetooth is that it is often turned off by users and perceived as insecure due to hacks in the past. This could pose a usability problem when rolled out in practice.
Updated on: 2023-06-08T14:18:25.507132+00:00