????哪種技術將推動我們進入一個無現金的、由移動支付驅動的世界？對一些先驅型公司而言，這還是一個未知數。

????日前《財富》雜志（Fortune）在科羅拉多州阿斯彭舉辦了科技頭腦風暴大會（Brainstorm Tech conference）。大會期間的移動支付的座談會上，一些市場參與者猛烈抨擊近場無線通訊技術（near field communication, NFC），盡管不少人將這種技術視為無現金革命的驅動因素。眾所周知，貝寶（PayPal）的東家易趣（Ebay）已經有意回避這項通過輕敲手機進行手機支付的技術。（在今年早些時候的一場《財富》活動上，該公司首席執行官約翰?多納霍表示，進場無線通訊技術絕對不適合用于商業。）

????雖然與會者承認這項炙手可熱的技術將占有一席之地，但沒人認為它將成為移動支付市場的基石。支付公司Boku一直在與運營商們直接打交道，其聯合創始人兼總裁羅恩?希爾森稱：“近場無線通訊技術只是解決方案的一部分。”前易趣雇員、現互聯網貸款服務Prosper公司首席執行官湯恩?萊伯瑞則認為市場將變得更加分化：“這項技術并不是支付的全球性標準。我認為移動支付市場不會是贏家通吃，而將是百花齊放。”

????盡管如此，最近人們對近場通訊技術信心大增，有傳言稱蘋果（Apple）下一款iPhone將包含這項技術。希爾森承認，如果技術巨頭蘋果也參與其中——他本人認為這樣的情況要好幾年后才有可能出現——所有致力于這項技術的公司將面對一個勁敵。“蘋果向來以伺機而動、隨后一擊即中著稱。”

????但同時，移動支付服務商Square這樣的公司仍在不斷進軍小型商家市場。他們將遇到的競爭只會稍微多一點。

????金融技術公司NCR——目前其最為人熟知的業務是制造自動取款機——今天推出了NCR Silver，能將iPad變成一臺銷售終端設備。這家公司目前只在美國推出了這項業務，但計劃于明年登陸中國、巴西和英國市場。公司首席執行官比爾?諾迪對于涉足這個充滿移動設備、尚無固定標準的領域并不盲目自負。他說：“我們不自大。相反，我們非常謙虛。”

????譯者：項航

????What kind of technology will propel us toward a cashless, mobile payment-driven world? For a few of the companies leading the way, the answer is as uncertain as ever.

????Speaking on panel about mobile payments during Fortune's Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colorado, some of the players in that market denounced near field communication -- the technology that some have heralded as the driver of the cashless revolution. EBay (EBAY), which owns PayPal, has already famously shunned the technology, which allows mobile phones to make transactions by tapping on them. (At a Fortune event earlier this year, CEO John Donahoe said NFC stands for "not for commerce.")

????While panelists acknowledged the role that the buzzy technology would have, none thought it would be a cornerstone for the market. "It's part of the solution," said Ron Hirson, co-founder and president of Boku, a payment company that deals directly with carriers. "It's not a global standard for payments." Dawn Lepore, a former eBay employee and now CEO of Internet loan service Prosper, says the market will be much more segmented. "I don't think it's winner take all," she said. "There will be multiple successes."

????Still, faith in NFC has gotten a boast recently, with rumors that Apple's (AAPL) next iPhone will include that technology. Hirson conceded that if the tech giant gets into the game -- which he thinks won't be for years -- all of the players have a fierce competitor. "Apple is notorious for waiting to do something, then doing it right."

????But in the meantime, companies like Square continue to tackle the market for small merchants. They just got a little more competition.

????The financial technology company NCR -- currently most well-known for manufacturing ATMs -- today launched NCR Silver, which turns an iPad into a point-of-sales device. The company is launching for now only in the United States, but plans to be in China, Brazil and the United Kingdom next year. But CEO Bill Nuti is not arrogant about jumping into a space that is rife with moving parts and has no set standard. "We're not overconfident," he said. "We're very humble."