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Nick

You should be able to link...

Good Economist article showing the range of uses for mobiles in the developing world. Mobile money - including, of course, M-Pesa - features heavily. I also like FrontlineSMS, which uses open source software to disseminate information. We've previously covered its use for financial services.

There's no doubt it's going to be interesting - trust me, you can't write as many stories on mobile payments as I have without understanding it's a big deal.

Safety: Having three security measures in place does not automatically equate to 300% more security, that's dodgy maths. You simply can't say how secure it is until it's in the real world and being tested.

Speed: I've already explained that saving 10 seconds doesn't seem like a game-changer for me, I guess you must be busier.

Easier: I can't remember the last time I couldn't either pay by card or find an ATM.

Feedback: Personally I think you greatly overestimate the average person's desire to keep a record of every last pound they spend, where they spend it and on what. However, I'll accept that for some this could be of interest/value.

Better deals: Fair point. In the UK we don't have the same culture surrounding coupons and deals but I understand that in the US this is big business.

Finally, please lay off the straw man arguments, it does you no favours. I specifically noted "I'm sure mobile NFC payments will take off" and have no time for the "concept that you can hold back the impetus here in favour for a long outmoded system".

I don't engage in "1.0" thinking or "2.0" thinking, I prefer good old fashioned critical thinking.

The reason I used the word hyperbole is because the Starbucks app is patently not "payments reinvented" and I very much doubt banks will be "in a world of hurt" if they don't all stop issuing cards within the next six months.

If the future involves a separate app for every retailer I think I'll forgo that 10 seconds spent fumbling for coins and stick to good old universal cash.

Actually, I don't really buy any of the benefits you list for mobile payments:

"Safe (more secure than plastic or cash)" - I don't know how you can say that with any conviction - you don't explain why. The resourceful criminal fraternity will find a way.

"Speed" - by your own admission it's only "probably" faster and I'm not that excited by the prospect of saving 10 seconds at the till anyway.

"Easier than cash (less fuss)" - How? When did using cash become difficult?

"Great feedback on transactions" - I don't need feedback on a cup of coffee.

"Better deals - Starbucks give a 50 cent discount using the card" - This is the only one that I can see the benefit of but it's no different to having a Starbucks card so isn't a bold new thing, just a slightly different delivery method.

If you want to reinvent payments, I'd have thought it's important to not just be about as good as an incumbent that's been on the scene for thousands of years, you really want to be better.

I'm sure mobile NFC payments will take off - how can it not when all the big banks, telcos and handset manufacturer, not to mention Visa and MasterCard, are pouring money into it. The UK Barclaycard-Orange deal is certainly a significant step (far more so than Starbucks' app).

But please, the hyperbole is getting out of hand; if there's a single major banks that's not still issuing cards and opening checking accounts in July I'll eat my hat.

We covered the Brixton currency here.

Is this your way of trying to reclaim some national pride after the Ashes Dean?

Nick, John

On the 'lively debate', I'm afraid you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. That said, we're always open to new ideas so if you've any suggestions on how we can encourage participation, let me know.

For a good analysis of M-Pesa's success in Kenya read this.

It's not all gossip: China wants Korean unification, Arab states are surprisingly bullish on Iran, the UN is being spied on and there's much more to come.

Of course, the parts of the media that didn't get privileged access to the cables are concentrating on the gossip because that's easy. They're also foaming at the mouth, calling for the traitor Assange's head while at the same time insisting that the whole thing is a damp squib, that we all knew this stuff anyway. We didn't, we may have suspected but that shouldn't be good enough.

I love WikiLeaks, it provides hard evidence, not wishy-washy assumptions. Can't wait for the banks to get their moment in the spotlight.