RFID
”Ladybag Idea Uses RFID to Tell You If You've Forgotten Anything
In the words of the Conchords, a team of Canadian students just wanted to do something special for the lay-deez of the world. And so they came up with the Ladybag concept. It's a smart bag that uses RFID technology to ensure that you leave the house with those three staples you need in the modern world: mobile; keys; and wallet.More »
RFID Credit Cards Can Be Hacked With $8 Worth of Stuff
Xeni of Boing Boing, Boing Boing TV and internet fame shows us that anyone—including the shady looking dude behind you in line—can hack an RFID-enabled credit card for just $8 worth of equipment. All it takes is $8 and a trip to eBay to get a reader, which you can then take and flail around to read in people's info. With their name, credit card number and expiration date, you can go online and get to shopping. Scary? Yes. But you can get around this hack if your wallet is made out of stainless steel or any similar material that won't jab you in the ass when you sit down. [Boing Boing]PDA/Tablet Concept Babysits Old People
cars
Gadget-Packed Ford "Work Solutions" Truck Knows Where Your Tools Are
When I imagine surly construction workers like my uncle hauling tools and concrete and porta potties around, trucks loaded up with schnazzy gadgetry is not what I picture. But that's exactly what Ford (and Microsoft!) see. Their "Work Solutions" concept isn't even entirely bullshit, either. The feature I worker think dudes would find really useful is Tool Link, an RFID-based tool tracker system—add tags to your tools, and the bed scanner lets you know if something is missing. More »
storage
Brando Hard Drive Enclosure Is Serious About Security, Protects Your Data With RFID Key
The Stysen E08 2.5" hard drive enclosure is designed to add an extra layer of protection to your sensitive data: RFID activation. By activating the RFID key near the box you can arm or disarm the on-board encryption, making stored data useful to you and useless to a thief. Sounds pretty cunning, especially the feature that means if it's locked and connected to a new computer, it appears as a virgin disk ready for formatting. charset="utf-8">galleryPost('StysenE08', 6,'StysenE08');
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Wireless RFID Deadbolt System: Unlock a Door with Your Cellphone
Using a Phidget RFID Kit, a Kwikset Powerbolt 1000, relays, a PC board, wire, and some basic software, a couple of guys managed to piece together a unique new wireless door locking system. RFID locks are nothing new, but this lock can be controlled via an RFID key fob, laptop or even a cellphone. As you will see, the concept demonstrated has potential but it still needs some more tinkering to be truly practical. More »
tinfoil tech
RFID Guardian Firewalls Your Personal RFID Tags
The RFID Guardian is a personal, battery-powered RFID firewall that manages tags "within physical proximity of a person," blocking them from answering queries—and possibly getting snooped. Better yet, it can clone your chips so you can switch the signal off and on at your command. The latest version is totally open with a wiki, source code bank and bug-tracker, making an already fantastic tool—given the proliferation of RFID chips loaded with personal info—even better. [RFID Guardian via BoingBoing]
rfid
Hitachi Mocks Your Manhood, Makes World's Smallest RFID Chip
Hitachi has just rolled out a worryingly small RFID chip, measuring an impressively tiny 0.15 mm x 0.15 mm x 0.0075 mm. The chip packs in a 128-bit ROM, which is able to store a 38-digit number. Hitachi previously held the title for world's smallest RFID, but the now second place tag was comparatively large at 0.4 mm x 0.4 mm. More »T-Phone Concept For the Elderly, Lazy
gadgets
Joining 21st Century, Visa Micro Tag Lubricates Payment, But Not Your Ass
Credit card companies are dragging their old hairy asses into an uncertain future, finally and begrudgingly offering the convenience of payments without signature to locations everywhere. Here's the latest evidence of that from bloodsucking Visa, with its Visa Micro Tag that lets you make micropayments without touching anything, where you nonchalantly wave this sky-blue keyfob and stave off payment for those burgers and fries until the gombeen man comes a-knocking once again. More »
no more lines
Korean McDonald's Becomes First Restaurant to Offer RFID-Based Transactions
Soon you'll be able to skip the lines at Korean McDonald's. Instead, just sit down, pull out your cellphone and pop in an RFID adapter to place an order. All you need is a phone that is compatible with the RFID adapter and can download the McDonald's ordering application. The idea of a fully autonomous Mickey D's is getting closer and closer every day. [KoreaTimes via The Raw Feed]WineM RFID Wine Rack at NextFest
ThingM's WineM is one part intelligent wine rack, one part light show. This concept, currently on display at NextFest, works by taking bottles of wine tagged with RFID stickers and placing them onto the rack. Now if you're having Lamb Shank for dinner and want a decent Shiraz, just input into the computer that you want a Shiraz over $50, then WineM automatically lights up each bottle of wine that fits the description.
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RFID Chips May Cause Tumors
rfid
California Bans Mandatory Subdermal RFID Tagging
Paranoid California readers, you can now relax thanks to Senate Bill 362. No longer can employers require you and your coworkers to have RFID chips embedded in your skin. If they are caught doing so the State of California will slap them with an initial $10,000 fine, followed by a subsequent $1,000 fine for each day the subdermal chip stays implanted. Although you'd have to know about the chip to report them, right? And if your company is the type to implant RFID chips in their employees, wouldn't it be feasible for them to secretly implant them? Oh great, new things to worry about. [Ars Technica]RFID Microchips Implanted into Alzheimer's Patients
It looks like some of the first people to be implanted with Big-Brotherish tracking devices will be people who won't know enough to say no: Alzheimer's patients. The chips are designed to hold their personal information, so if they end up wandering off looking for a gumdrop mansion or to go see the new Greta Garbo movie, the authorities can find out who they are. It seems like the start of a slippery slope to start implanting chips in the old and infirm, but then again, it seems like it serves a useful purpose. What do you guys think, is this OK or a big ol' violation of privacy? [Consumerist]






