StorefrontBacktalk - Canada's New RFID Privacy Rules Could Have The Wrong Effect

StorefrontBacktalk - Canada's New RFID Privacy Rules Could Have The Wrong Effect

Although this article is based on rules being propsed in Canada it also harps on what senator Chuck Schumer was doing. He brought up the story again today claiming that RFID is responiblie for a rise in identity theft. I will post a link to that when I find one.

Using RFID In The Transportation Industry

With the many uses around RFID I am never surprised at how many places this pops up. I have since heard that they are using this on the Lexington avenue line in New York City as a test. There is just no limit to the direction RFID will be employed as the price of RFID tags are becoming cheaper to produce every day.

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BBC NEWS | Technology | Consumer concern over RFID tags

Even though this article is almost a year old it does show how some consumers are still scared over privacy issues when it comes to RFID BBC NEWS | Technology | Consumer concern over RFID tags

So Which Is It? Boom Or Bust For RFID?

"Depending on which articles you look at, the RFID market will either booming next year or will be down in revenue...."

I can only see this as a stepping stone to where RFID is heading. The technology is still in the baby phase as i am concerned.

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MARTA Breeze - What is Breeze?

MARTA Breeze - What is Breeze?

Looks like Atlanta will be the first railroad to use rfid cards. I know up in New York City they are testing something along the same lines on the Lexington avenue line but since Atlanta has a smaller and less complicated system it is easier to implement it there.

RFID Credit Card chips

My friend Joshua just wrote a great article on credit card chips and security and he's kindly given me permission to republish it here.

The Disadvantages of RFID Credit Cards

by Joshua Shapiro

RFID credit cards are taking the nation. Also known as Radio Frequency Identification, RFID for short, these cards allow you to make purchases with your credit card without even having to type in a pin number, swipe your card through a reader, or even sign for the sale. Instead, a coil radio transmitter insider your card—imagine how small it must be!—sends out a tagged radio signature, that then gets transformed by the way you move your finger over the card.
In essence, your personal way of "swiping" your card with your finger gives the signal a distinct "shape" that acts like an electronic fingerprint. In theory, no one else could have this electronic fingerprint. It’s not so much theory anymore. Some credit card companies are already experimenting with RFID technology. You can use them at gas stations, convenience stores, maybe even vending machines.
But is this technology as secure as all the experts say it is? It may be, but the thought of not signing for your purchase may make you have the heebie-jeebies. Also, usually with regular credit cards, the cashier is supposed to look at your card and compare signatures, to make sure you are you, each and every time you make a purchase. With RFID cards, you forgo this extra step of security.
Another issue with RFID cards, and one you won’t hear the credit card companies make, is that RFID cards make it possible to too easily to spend and drive up your debt. If all a person has to do is wave their card at the fast food restaurant, to get gas, to buy that expensive new flat-screen televisions set, then chances are they may start waving their card more and more. In the long run, that will make a ton more money for the credit card companies. But for the buyer, that could mean a long lifetime of living in debt.
Another potential issue with RFID technology is that it could be the next wave of the future for everything from passports to security to get into buildings. It could be used possibly to even track your movements throughout the day, the week, and the year. Just imagine—your car, every building that you enter into, your house, your work—all of them have RFID security technology. That makes for a chance for Big Brother to keep an eye on you. A scary thought, and pretty far-fetched, yes, but a possible reality none the less thanks to RFID.


Joshua Shapiro recommends Find Credit Cards to find a Citibank credit card offer that’s tailored to suit your financial needs. See http://www.findcreditcards.org/issuer/citibank.php for more information.
joshuashapi@gmail.com

RFID tags embedded in Daytona 500 tires

It just goes to show you that no matter where you turn there are RFID Tags. Millions of people watched the Daytona 500 and seen Jimmie Johnsons #48 car circle the track a few hundred times but they were not seeing were Jimmie Johnson RFID tags. It seems that Goodyear is using them to track stuff inside the tire maybe for possible wear I don't know. Very interesting stuff indeed. You can read more here RFID tags embedded in Daytona 500 tires

CNN.com - Mini microchips beat lost luggage - Mar 10, 2006

It looks like CNN has an article on something that I wrote about on the site about a year ago. Lost luggae and RFID chips and how you will not lose your luggage anymore. I have seen this in action about 10 times already since I fly out of JFK in New York and Las Vegas airport a lot of the time. CNN.com - Mini microchips beat lost luggage - Mar 10, 2006

RFID Viruses and Worms

RFID Viruses and Worms

This is some scary stuff. If you are investing in cheap RFID solutions and chips you may want to rethink your security.

There are some bad guys out there that can exploit your sytem and it doesn't seem to be that hard for these people.

AM New York - Neighborhoods

AM New York - Neighborhoods Smart cards are coming to New Jersey Path trains. It is about time more transit systems are adapting to RFID

Viagra packages to include anti-counterfeit tags - Yahoo! News

Viagra packages to include anti-counterfeit tags - Yahoo! News

So RFID makes its way into your bedroom but not the same way that you were probably thinking. Pfizer is putting them on Viagra hmmmm.

Alien Technology - RFID Academy

It wasn't long until I expected some sort of classes online that taught the inner workings of RFIDAlien Technology - RFID Academy has started classes for people interested in learning all about RFID.

New York Daily News - Home - MTA tries fast track

I was a little surprised this morning when I read in the New York Daily News that the transit system in New York is going to use smart cards in the subway. This makes for a good use but I have to wonder why the MTA would waste so much money.

I got to thinking and it makes sense to spend millions of dollars on a system that would not only be able to track you getting on the subway but it can also track what station you get off. That's right the station that you are getting off. Since they will probably convert all the existing turnstiles they can easily place a reader above the turnstile and track you on the way out.

The Metrocard system that is currently in place has been used to catch criminals so why not track what stops the criminal gets off. I can see a serial rapist being caught because he always got off at the same stop after an attack.

Another thing that it could and it probably would is employee tracking. Since all MTA employees use a metrocard to enter the transit system they could use this to enforce timekeeping and many other things that employees do like go to lunch etc.

Read more about MTA and RFID here

No more lost baggage?

Just like everyone else I hate it when my luggage gets lost. As we have reported on here a few times it is only a matter of time before every piece of luggage is RFID tagged. Here you can read all the guidelines on it.No more lost baggage?

CompactFlash RFID reader/writer reaches 100 meters

This looks very promising an actual Compact flash RFID reader/writer that worlk up to 100 meters away. This was introduced by a company called Identic Solutions.

Some uses can be in the food industry or other places that are temper sensitive. It looks very promising. I will be looking forward to reading more about this company.

CompactFlash RFID reader/writer reaches 100 meters

Some new cars loaded with keyless smarts

It looks like we are seeing a revolution of RFID technology being applied to the car industry as more and more cars are being made with RFID in mind. They span a lot of car makers from Cadillac, Mercedes and Infiniti. Read all about the models of cars here. Some new cars loaded with keyless smarts

Active RFID Becomes Big Business

If you thought that RFID was just a flash in the pan you would of been way off. According to this article they are estimating that the will sell over 1 billion active rfid tags by 2010.

That is a lot of things being tracked if you ask meBig sales for RFID in the future.

The growth in the cell phone industry is what is going to put it over the top as cell phones will be made with built in tags.

RFID Center

University Of Pittsburgh is setting up creating a RFID research center. This is the first in the country and will make the university of Pittsburgh a leader when it comes to RFID technology.

I am sure that there will be more RFID centers on other college campuses as RFID becomes mainstream.

Kmart Smart Cards

It looks like K-mart is the next big retailer to use these cards as a way of payment for items in their stores. You can currently use these cards for items under $10.

You swipe your Kmart smart card past the RFID reader at the register and walk out with your products. Kind of cool I am sure it will also be used to track inventory which will save them money over the long haul.

Our Guestbook and Feedback

Although We havent really updated our blog we have been busy updating our RFID site. Since our last update here we have added about 15 pages of in-depth articles ranging from privacy issues to the new places that RFID technology is showing up.

It seems like every time we turn around we find RFID some place else.

We could use your help! If you would like to submit RFID news to our site feel free to send us an email. If your company has some technolgy that we have not covered yet and you would like to spread the news on our site feel free.

The applications that we are finding are happening too fast to possibly post them all.
Thanks Vinny