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The new release of Java-based smart card technology is designed to simplify the programming required for card-based applications, has better support for wireless standards to support wireless-based services, and there are additional cryptographic algorithms are also supported for strengthening security.

Such cards can take any shape or appearance - though a 'smart' credit card is often given as an example - and can hold large amounts of data (personal information, perhaps) as well as supporting the applications to access the data.

Currently, there are three main categories: Integrated Circuit Microprocessor Cards. Microprocessor cards (featuring

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an eight-bit processor, 16KB read-only memory, and 512 bytes of random-access memory), Integrated Circuit Memory Cards (holding up to 4Kb of data), which have no processor and so are reliant on card readers for accessing the data, and Optical Memory Cards (storing up to 4Mb of read-only data), which are ideal for record keeping, such as medical files.

The IC Memory Cards represent by far the most popular use of smart card technology, serving as a high-security alternative to magnetic stripe cards. Think pre-paid phone cards.

'With more than 200 million smart cards deployed worldwide, Java Card technology is clearly the platform of choice for multi-application smart cards,' asserts Tracey Stout, Marketing VP for Java and XML Software at Sun. 'Smart card solutions based on Java Card technology are being rolled out to users throughout the world for use with applications that require high levels of security, such as financial services, government, personal identity, telecommunications and e-commerce.'

The Java Card version 2.2 platform is backwards-compatible with 2.1 applications.

For more info on Java Card technology, check out java.sun.com/javacard.