Just a quick link post today but there have been three posts over the past week that have really struck me as some cheery news in difficult times:

Barclays pilots Microsoft Surface in new flagship concept branch

The reference to Microsoft Surface is almost the least interesting bit of this article (which is impressive in itself) but to create a three storey concept branch in a retail concept style is a clear message from Barclays.  It reminds me of Microsoft's "Bank of the Future" video from a few years ago and it's going to be interesting to see how Barclays capitalise on this going forwards.

Future Banking Blog 

As reported here by James Gardner over at BankerVision, the folks over at the Centre for Future Banking (representing a five year working partnership between Bank of America and MIT Media Labs) have announced their Future Banking Blog.  As James notes, it's markedly different from the usual bank offerings with a Bank of America branding but offering open contributions and thought as well as inviting contributions.

HSBC: Banking on the network

In this interesting post from Chris Skinner there is a summary of a conversation with Ken Harvey, Chief Technology and Services Officer (CTSO) from HSBC around what they have achieved in turning into an IP bank.  If sounding somewhat rose-tinted (employees really do training using iPods on their own time?), it's a positive post around achieving real cost-savings through the intelligent development and deployment of services to employees and customers alike and reinvesting savings into innovation.

In a time when there are messages of 'battening down the hatches' and 'keeping the lights on', it's positive to read of banks using innovation in an increasingly open way and realising that even (and especially) when times are tough, innovation matters.