Identity authentication startup Enole provides a secure way for people to use the same login information to access the internet through a multitude of devices, and will be particularly useful as more and more connected devices come online in coming months.
[aditude-amp id="flyingcarpet" targeting='{"env":"staging","page_type":"article","post_id":197788,"post_type":"story","post_chan":"none","tags":null,"ai":false,"category":"none","all_categories":"business,mobile,","session":"C"}']Built on top of DNS, Enole’s cloud-based platform is compatible with a number of devices, including those using near-field communications technology like Bluetooth, RFID deployments, WiFi spectrum, and smart cards. The hardware involved can be a phone, a computer, a name badge or even a key fob.
“In order to enter a world of computing that brings about true convenience and security, a universal method of identification free of the now ubiquitous email address is a necessity,” the company says. “Luckily, the mobile world has given us methods to identify individuals that are now truly unique and indispensable: cell phones.”
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As co-founder Kurt Collins puts it, “Regardless of the communication technology or the hardware, Enole’s task is to say ‘This really is Kurt,’ and pass that validation along to whatever application needs to know — retail, banking, social networking, security, healthcare, etc.”
Collins also provided several examples of Enole at work.
One payment application coming to iOS 4 called ZapCash can detect who is near you without having to physically touch phones (like you do with competing service Bump), facilitating monetary transactions. The Bump service is restricted to phones with accelerometers and GPS capabilities. But with Enole, Zapcash only requires a Bluetooth connection, compatible with more than a billion devices.
Another application that Enole just released today locks your computer when it detects that you and your mobile device are walking away from it. And an unnamed dating website uses Enole so that its members can identify each other in real life if they are nearby (could this be mobile dating service Skout?)
The company says its revenue model depends on the partnerships involved, but there will be three major channels: technology licensing fees, transactional fees and affiliate marketing fees.
Enole’s board of directors already includes representatives from Facebook, Visa, and an unnamed top security software firm and consumer information database company.
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