Panasonic Adds RFID to SmartSD Card

[Jonathon Watkins]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/entry/5462561713634457/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/entry/5462561713634457/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"RFID tags are essentially microchips, the tinier the better. Some are only 1/3 of a millimeter across. These chips act as transponders (transmitters/responders), always listening for a radio signal sent by transceivers, or RFID readers. When a transponder receives a certain radio query, it responds by transmitting its unique ID code, perhaps a 128-bit number, back to the transceiver. Most RFID tags don't have batteries (How could they? They're 1/3 of a millimeter!). Instead, they are powered by the radio signal that wakes them up and requests an answer. Most of these "broadcasts" are designed to be read between a few inches and several feet away, depending on the size of the antenna and the power driving the RFID tags."</i><br /><br />That was part of a very decent RFID overview at <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/06/27/rfid_chips_are_here">the Register.</a> RFID tags are increasingly being introduced to all areas of life and Engadget has <a href="http://www.engadget.com/entry/5462561713634457/">just posted</a> about another potential area of RFID encroachment, our beloved Pocket PCs:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/1264949858437927.jpg" /><br /><br /><i>"We’re suckers for any kind of convergence, no matter how inane or banal, but we think Panasonic is actually on to something with smartSD, their new technology which combines those SD memory cards we all know and love with those RFID tags that tinfoil hat types loathe and fear. There are already a few cellphones with built-in RFID chips already out there (Nokia offers an RFID kit for their 5140 handset), but the big deal here is that with smartSD you could conceivably add RFID to almost anything with an SD or miniSD memory card slot like a cellphone, PDA, laptop, digital camera, personal video player, MP3 player, etc."</i><br /><br />Initially I wasn't too impressed, but thinking about it this could be very useful in the future. For job related tasks you could obtain updated service instructions, or take gas or electricity meter readings automatically by just waving your PPC close to the device being checked. You could attach a tag behind a person's photo and could make a call to them by just touching the picture with your PPC. This would be especially useful to simplify calls for the young, the elderly or those with special needs. The limitations of RFID are only really our imaginations. That's what makes the technology (like all others) a double edged sword: you can use it for tremendous evil, or good. The choice is ours. Thoughts?

[surur]

I understand this is like a RFID card, not a RFID reader, which would have been really cute.

If it was a reader, imagine buying a card, walking down an aisle in a supermarket and having your Ipaq beep when you get close to the cous-cous.

Surur

[kosmicki]

'My PPC does not like the Razor aisle...' :mrgreen:

[Kevin Daly]

Like Surur I'd see a lot more point in this if it was a reader, but not just for the neat trick factor: it would actually be really handy for things like dataloggers.

[Bichcake]

but of course a pocket pc with a smartSD slot in it would have a built in RFID reader.

they will probably use this tech to make SD more Secure, and not for anything else. perhaps a second layer of security, or maybe use the RFID signal to detect all the SD cards entering/leaving a building so that business can prevent data theft.

maybe the RIAA will use this to register where a downloaded music file goes and prevent it from playing from another card?

RFID has some great useses, but i don't see the point of this one. It won't let you get access to your data wirelessly, and even triangulation (in order to find a lost SD card) is not, from what i understand, fesiable, because the range is too short and because you need multiple antenna, which would be a pain to lug around.

can someone post some positive uses of this convergence?

[kosmicki]

Hmm. A company could purchase custom PDAs and media cards, and lock only company cards to company PDAs? No theft of cards or putting in any others.

The card could be encrypted and only when inserted in an 'official' pda would it work, likewise, only cards with the RFID tag would work in the pda.

:|

[Mr_Music]

Now they dont need to ask for permission to get the info they want, just hook a RFID reader up in a public place and all the ppl going by will automatically send whatever info they request, this means that anyone who has a RFID reader can get your info, whatever that might be. And if its protected or ecrypted in any way, dont worry the Gov and the big compaines have the key (since they made it) and ppl who have a reader will have a crack for the security in a week after its release.
Yeah RFID is great. Atleast i can turn my bluetooth off.
Im getting a rfid reader and going thru all the new stuff I buy and the change whatever info is stored on my stuff to, "f*** off".
Stuff like this should be illegal.
Have a nice day!

[Mr_Music]

Hmm. A company could purchase custom PDAs and media cards, and lock only company cards to company PDAs? No theft of cards or putting in any others.

The card could be encrypted and only when inserted in an 'official' pda would it work, likewise, only cards with the RFID tag would work in the pda.

:|

Yes this is a possible scenario, why would any customer want to limit their usage of something they pent $$$$ on?

I see 95% bad things happening with RFID and 5% good.

[edisondolby]

Im not going to buy another PocketPC until the memory cards are so small they the require a tweezer and a microscope to insert into the device.

:roll:

[kosmicki]

Yes this is a possible scenario, why would any customer want to limit their usage of something they pent $$$$ on?

I see 95% bad things happening with RFID and 5% good.

Hey, I never said it was a good scenario. But a company, as in, corporation, might be sold on such an idea that it limits theft. (Thus, positive for the company) There are plenty of products that have more limited use then similar products, but they buy them anyways.

Personally I would not mind seeing them in use if I could push a cart full of foodstuffs through a scanner at the supermarket and just swipe my card. However, I think that they should also be deactivated at that point.

[jlp]

Yes this is a possible scenario, why would any customer want to limit their usage of something they pent $$$$ on?

I see 95% bad things happening with RFID and 5% good.

Hey, I never said it was a good scenario. But a company, as in, corporation, might be sold on such an idea that it limits theft. (Thus, positive for the company) There are plenty of products that have more limited use then similar products, but they buy them anyways.

Personally I would not mind seeing them in use if I could push a cart full of foodstuffs through a scanner at the supermarket and just swipe my card. However, I think that they should also be deactivated at that point.

Yeah they should; like that ID inside the P III cpu. Did it do it? That was a software deactivation. twas surely possible to circumvent it too?! And what about the P4, does it have the same ID number? What other parts have such numbers?

It looks like every PPC has a serial number now doesn't it?

[kosmicki]

So does nearly every consumer electronic in the last decade or so...

[jlp]

So does nearly every consumer electronic in the last decade or so...

Yes, but your hair dryer :
a) doesn't hold private data
b) is not connected to the internet
c) therefore allowing people to steal stuff from you and send you viruses