American Express and Compaq are to offer Blue chip card customers a PC-compatible keyboard equipped with an in-built smart card reader for secure Internet shopping.
Priced at $59.95 for Blue cardholders, Compaq's Smart Card Keyboard is a full-sized, 104-key, PC-compatible keyboard with a built-in reader for integrated chip card authentication.
Customers insert their cards into the reader and enter a PIN. The digital certificate stored on the Blue smart chip is read once the PIN is verified. The keyboard meets smart card industry standards, including EMV and PCSC, says Compaq.
American Express says it will continue to offer free its current peripheral smart card reader for those customers who choose to have an additional hardware device.