how does it work, and where would i get one? i know it has something to do with internet, just not exactly sure what it does.
A smart-card is one of the many types of memory cards used in cameras and phones. The reader allows your computer to read the card directly without going through the camera or phone. The readers are usually designed to read multiple card types. Many new computers have the reader built in. Even some printers have a built in reader.
Have you ever seen one of those credit-sized cards that have a little metal foil-like pattern on them? Here is an example of a smart-card:
A smart card resembles a credit card in size and shape, but inside it is completely different. First of all, it has an inside -- a normal credit card is a simple piece of plastic. The inside of a smart card usually contains an embedded microprocessor. The microprocessor is under a gold contact pad on one side of the card. Think of the microprocessor as replacing the usual magnetic stripe on a credit card or debit card. Magnetic stripe technology remains in wide use in the United States. The microprocessor on the smart card is there for security. The host computer and card reader actually talk to the microprocessor. The microprocessor enforces access to the data on the card. If the host computer read and wrote the smart card's random access memory (RAM), it would be no different than a diskette. The most common smart card applications are: * Credit cards * Electronic cash * Computer security systems * Wireless communication * Loyalty systems (like frequent flyer points) * Banking * Satellite TV * Government identification Smart cards can be used with a smart-card reader attachment to a personal computer to authenticate a user. Web browsers also can use smart card technology to supplement Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for improved security of Internet transactions. Visa's Smart Card FAQ shows how online purchases work using a smart card and a PC equipped with a smart-card reader. Smart-card readers can also be found in mobile phones and vending machines.
