Have you been to a major casino lately? Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t. Some people get down on the poker tables, and some people would rather stay at home and read a book. It’s no problem either way. But if you have been to a lot of casinos lately, you may have noticed that you do not necessarily need to use change for some of the machines anymore. A lot of these places let you get a membership of sorts, and load money into a little thing called a smart card. While they don’t look like much, smart cards are pretty much taking over the world, a little bit at a time.

All you have to do is scan your smart card, and the microprocessor changes a little variable inside. Without trying to sound all technical, the cards knows how much money you have on it. And the card knows what you use it for most often, so it can help you find deals that you’ll actually like to use. With smart cards, you can get a lot of great services and little perks, without having to fill out a bunch of stupid forms.

But casino comps are not the only way a smart card is changing the subtle aspects of people’s lives. If only it were that small and contained. Smart cards are being used to make buying goods easier – just swipe the card, and it does the rest. That tiny little computer can store all sorts of neat information – such as your identification. Who needs a key to get into the office, when all you have to do is swipe your card and waltz on in? While the technology isn’t perfect (and really, when is it ever?), it works nearly all the time. And the convenience just can’t be beaten.