So you’ve just received your shiny new Opal card, granting you access to NSW’s fancy electronic ticketing system. You shove the card into your regular wallet or purse… but something’s not right. It’s simply not stylish or convenient enough! Whatever shall you do to escape this quandary of practical fashion? NSW Transport, fortunately, has the answer — an Opal smart wallet you can stick on the back of your phone.
Spotted by Ausdroid’s Alex Dennis, you can hit up NSW Transport’s online store and purchase your very own silicone card holder. It’s compact at 56mm x 86mm, features a “universal” 3M adhesive and comes in three colour combinations: white / pink, purple / orange and black / blue.
The wallet however has a lot going against it. For one, it costs $16.95, which seems like a lot for a couple of pieces of sticky silicone (you get two for the price). Secondly, if you do decide it’s worth purchasing, postage and handling is ridiculous at $8.5. Finally, to use your card without removing it from the sleeve, you’ll need to disable your phone’s NFC. Admittedly, NFC is not exactly a widespread feature, but it still feels like more trouble than its worth.
Maybe there’s someone out there that reckons this is a steal; a stroke of marketing genius on the part of NSW Transport. For the rest of us… it’s an overpriced gimmick.
[Transport NSW, via Ausdroid]
Image: NSW Transport