The disclosure relates to a smartphone-based virtual wallet, that manages payment options available to a user. One claim recites a portable device comprising: a touch screen display; a microphone for capturing ambient audio; memory for storing an image; and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured for: generating copies of the stored image; obtaining a payload corresponding to financial information; providing the payload to an erasure code generator, in which the erasure code generator produces a plurality of outputs; embedding one of the plurality of outputs in a copy of the stored image and proceeding with embedding until each of the plurality of outputs is so embedded in a copy of the stored image, in which the embedding utilizes digital watermarking; causing the touch screen display to display embedded image copies so as to cause a static image display effect, the displayed embedded image copies being displayed by the portable device in response to a user input to enable a financial transaction. A great variety of other features, arrangements, combinations and claims are also detailed.