Patent ID: 8511548

Claim:
A method for using a portable device, comprising: obtaining magnetic-stripe data from a magnetic-stripe card using a first card reader associated with the portable device; storing the magnetic-stripe data on the portable device; writing the magnetic-stripe data to a rewritable magnetic stripe on the portable device, wherein the rewritable magnetic stripe on the portable device is not detachable from the portable device and is retractable into the portable device, and wherein, relative to a display screen of the portable device, the rewritable magnetic stripe, when extended, is orientable in a direction that is one of: parallel to the display screen, perpendicular to the display screen, and at an angle that is between parallel and perpendicular to the display screen; and using the rewritable magnetic stripe in a card-based transaction in place of the magnetic-stripe card, wherein said using comprises: extending the rewritable magnetic stripe; re-orienting the rewritable magnetic stripe, wherein the re-oriented rewritable magnetic stripe is one of: parallel to the display screen, perpendicular to the display screen, or at an angle between parallel and perpendicular to the display screen; and using the re-oriented rewritable magnetic stripe in a second card reader used in the card-based transaction.