Portable E-wallet and universal card

1. A mobile device for instructing a universal card to emulate a traditional card for interacting with a terminal, the traditional card comprising a static data communication mechanism configured to pass card data to the terminal during a transaction, the mobile device comprising:

a first processor, first memory, first power source, and first user interface;

a first short range transceiver configured to connect to the universal card via a short range communication link;

an e-wallet application executable by the first processor and configured to receive, via the first user interface, a user selection for instructing the universal card to emulate the traditional card, wherein the universal card comprises a dynamic data communication mechanism, a second power source, a second processor, a second memory, and a second short range transceiver, and wherein the dynamic data communication mechanism comprises a dynamic magnetic stripe; and

wherein the mobile device is configured to transmit, to the universal card via the short range communication link, the card data and instructions for the universal card to configure the dynamic data communication mechanism, wherein the dynamic communication mechanism emulates the static data communication mechanism of the traditional card using the card data.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the first short range transceiver is a near field communication (NFC) transceiver.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the first short range transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions comprise instructions for the universal card to configure the dynamic magnetic stripe to emulate a static magnetic stripe of the traditional card.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions comprise instructions for the universal card to configure the second short range transceiver to emulate a short range transmitter of the traditional card.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic data communication mechanism further comprises a radio communications apparatus, and wherein the instructions comprise instructions for the universal card to configure the radio communications apparatus to emulate a radio communications apparatus of the traditional card.

7. The mobile device of claim 4 , wherein the dynamic magnetic stripe is configured to pass the card data to a magnetic stripe reader of a terminal.

8. The mobile device of claim 5 , wherein the second short range transceiver is configured to pass the card data to a third short range transceiver of a terminal.

9. The mobile device of claim 6 , wherein the radio communications apparatus is configured to pass the card data to a radio receiver of a terminal.

10. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the e-wallet application can be used to manage card data associated with a plurality of traditional cards.

11. The mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first communication port configured to communicate with a personal computer via a communication link;

wherein the personal computer comprises:

a second communication port configured to communicate with the mobile device via the communication link, and

a PC e-wallet application configured to receive user inputs to manage the universal card;

wherein the personal computer is configured to transmit the card data to the mobile device via the communication link.

12. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is configured to encrypt the card data prior to transmitting the card data to the universal card.

13. A universal card for emulating a traditional card, the traditional card comprising a static data communication mechanism configured to pass card data to a terminal during a transaction, the universal card comprising:

a first short range transceiver configured to communicate with a mobile device via a short range communication link;

a power source, processor, and memory; and

a dynamic data communication mechanism configured to be instructed to emulate the static data communication mechanism of the traditional card to pass the card data to the terminal, wherein the dynamic data communication mechanism comprises a dynamic magnetic stripe;

wherein the universal card is configured to communicate with the mobile device to:

receive the card data from the mobile device, and

receive instructions for the universal card to configure the dynamic data communication mechanism, wherein the dynamic communication mechanism emulates the static data communication mechanism of the traditional card using the card data; and

wherein the universal card is configured to authenticate a user of the universal card before configuring the dynamic data communication mechanism.

14. The universal card of claim 13 , wherein the dynamic data communication mechanism further comprises one of the following: a second short range transceiver, and a radio communications apparatus.

15. The universal card of claim 13 , wherein the first short range transceiver is an NFC transceiver or a Bluetooth transceiver.

16. The universal card of claim 13 , wherein authentication of the user comprises at least one of the following:

verification of an identification of the mobile device;

receipt of a predetermined input from the user;

verification of a biometric characteristic of the user; and

verification that the mobile device and the universal card are in physical proximity sufficient to establish the short range communication link.