Wells Fargo has released Mobile Deposit in the Wells Fargo Mobile app.

What a great idea! No need to go to a branch or even an ATM.

Its Deposit Usage guidelines include the following:

• Mobile Deposit users are required to retain the original paper items in a secure place. We also recommend you write on the front of the check: "Mobile deposit on DATE” (where DATE is the full date you deposited the check by Mobile Deposit).
• Mobile Deposit users are required to retain the original paper items, for a minimum of five (5) calendar days, but no longer than fourteen (14) calendar days, after they have been transmitted to the Bank
• After the retention period, the original paper items are required to securely and irretrievably destroy the original paper items so they are not deposited again.

Digital innovations to payment systems are being announced regularly as the new future of money.

One that has attracted a lot of interest is Bitcoin (see video below)

But there have now been allegations of theft and forgery. How can a digital currency be stolen? Read this Fast Company article.

Harvard Business School has published a case study about 2 different approaches in Africa to providing financial services using mobile phones: one in Kenya was successful, the other in South Africa was not.

The case study raises many issues apart from the actual use of the technology, the most important being identifying the problem potential customers were having rather than making wrong assumptions.

Here's a video about M-pesa.

If you're interested in what makes financial services easier for customers then you'll be interested in BankSimple a new mobile banking platform with a distinctive visual interface recently reviewed by Fast Company here.

PS Also have a look at a prototype piggy bank that takes credit cards.

Visa has announced that it expects to launch its person-to-person digital payments later this year.

Funds will be transferred between Visa card numbers not financial institution accounts.

What impact will this have on bank account number portability?

See also Fast Company's report.

I realised when I touched my laptop screen (rather than the keyboard) to click a link that our interaction with computers has to change.

New designs for ATMs are on the way:

• a new ATM design with a large touchscreen and
• 3 designs for ATMs of the future.

I mentioned the attraction of being able to deposit cheques at an ATM here.

Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union offers a deposit app for smartphones. It allows members to photograph cheques and deposit them to their RBFCU account.