A small electronic device about the size of a credit card that contains electronic memory, and possibly an embedded integrated circuit (IC). Smart cards containing an IC are sometimes called Integrated Circuit Cards (ICCs).
Smart cards are used for a variety of purposes, including:
To use a smart card, either to pull information from it or add data to it, you need a smart card reader, a small device into which you insert the smart card.
Smart Card Resource Center Hosted by Amerkore International, this site provides smart card news, tips, articles, free software, several FAQs, and resource links.
Smartcard and illustration - article Byte Magazine article (June 1997) on the use of smartcards as a certificate solution. It highlights the iButton product from Dallas Semiconductor and contains a link to an illustration showing how smartcards work.
