Let's file this in the "it was only a matter of time" folder ...
Here's a report from the 'Beeb about how Japan's big mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo, is teaming up with McDonalds to offer electronic payments and special promotions for mobile phone users, such as paying for that Big Mac.
(Or maybe that should be a double cheesburger?)
Japanese mobile phone owners are leading the way in this area, paying for food and train tickets via their handsets.
(Aren't micro-payments beautiful? At least until the phone bill arrives ...)
And when will we catch up (no pun intended 
) with the rest of the world?
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Japan is infact behind Kenya, judging by talks I had in Barcelona at 3GSM. Safaricom in Nairobi allows you to transfer credit to any other phone...so some people are being paid this way - or you can buy a bottle of milk this way. Not surprising when you know that the global diaspora market is 230 billion dollars - and a lot of people are sending money home at the moment via Western Union.
In the Philippines, most telcom companies adopt this system of mobile banking, although, it's more of a debit aspect instead of credit. I was able to have a body spa through mobile payment (texting).
how cool is it to buy, say, a brand new Mercedes Benz for instance (here I am eyeing on the concept "Ocean Drive"), go to a dealer's store, text the dealer for payment then get my car asap?
Men, no need to swipe cards or bring out briefcases laden with money. It's just a text away!
Buying a car would be cool ... but I'll miss lugging that briefcase ...