Every day, business users and eventually consumers will be moving closer to storing more of their digital identities and authentication on smart cards and USB devices, even pass them through the air via Bluetooth protocols. Microsoft, RSA Security and Sun Microsystems set the pace and tone of the coming generation of encryption with upgrades to their roadmaps, authentication tools and partnerships that will push more encryption into the wider business world. Consumer-facing support for smart cards and two-factor authentication in more devices, from a smart card to a USB plug-in to Bluetooth support, aren’t far behind, either. Bill Gates, Microsoft Chairman, touted an updated roadmap for Active Directory and upcoming support for smart cards, which Microsoft calls “InfoCards” on the server side for customers as well as support for InfoCards in the next version of IE, currently in beta.