The simple meaning from Google’s definition of a wallet is: “A pocket-sized flat folding case for holding money and plastic cards.” These days a simple device, like a wallet, is being immersed into the technologically advancing world. Although some may say they miss the old wallets, while others might say they love the new wallets, at the end of the day, what matters the most is whether the wallet stays true to its goal. Ekster’s Parliament Wallet seems to be the most popular choice when buying wallets for both those who want something stylish and technologically advanced, but let’s see if that is true.
In a YouTube video made by Josh Graham, he goes over the qualities and features of Ekster’s high tech wallet and critiques them. As an influencer who has had the chance to try out numerous tech-infused wallets from various companies, his reviews are quite popular. He explains how Ekster’s Parliament Wallet doesn’t feel cheap and how the mechanism for ejecting cards is quite smooth compared to that of other wallets. He also goes on to explain how the wallet comes with an RFID coating and an optional tracker card, which can help keep a lot of private information safe from others. Graham describes how the workmanship of the technology behind the wallet makes it a good bang for the buck.
Although Graham talks about these cool features, he also brings up some good criticism. For instance, he explains how if you are the type to have many cards and hold cash or other things in your wallet, (which most students tend to do because they hold their school identity cards, metro cards, credit/debit card, library card, food/shopping cards, photos, cash, and change), then Ekster’s Parliament Wallet might not be the best choice due to it prioritizing space for more cards than actual bills.
To add, looking at other high tech wallets that share the awesome feature of popping up cards from companies like Vulkit, Polaris, and Secrid, smart wallets tend to be smaller than the traditional wallets. Specifically, published on the website Reviewed, the article, “Ekster Wallet Review | Ekster Makes Convertible, Functional Wallets–Here’s What We Thought of Them” by Jon Winkler, explains how “the wallet’s unique size makes it feel unfamiliar in your pocket at first.” However, he goes on to say that even though the wallet takes some time getting used to because of its size and its minimal space to hold cash, it is the best option for those who want to keep things quick and easy.
Overall, the several features of this smart wallet make it a cooler version of the traditional wallet. The protection against RFID shows how a wallet can truly be technology and not just a mundane appliance used to hold someone’s money and credit/debit cards. Although the wallet has some setbacks in terms of space and size, Ekster’s Parliament Wallet demonstrates the truly innovative ideas people use to develop traditional items into more effective and better quality devices. This piece of technology sparks the question: what other everyday-object is ready for technological improvement?
