I recall stumbling across a review of this thing, where the guy said it seemed like it should stop bullets. It obviously wouldn't stop bullets, but it would be nice to have a wallet that could. It's neat enough that this wallet serves as a pocket Faraday cage, though.
What other geeky accessories do you have, or want, that could serve a security purpose?
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Let's see, good leather wallet costs $10 at Walmart and lasts 10 years. Stainless Steel wallet last forever but costs $80. I'd have to live 80 years for it to be cost-effective.
It is cool, though!
It is cool, though!
Of course, my wallets last forever anyway, as they sit empty in a drawer.
Perhaps when I get stuck with some sort of RFID-laden ID which is required to be carried, I'll invest in one of these rather cool wallets.
Wait. Do these guys make headgear?
Perhaps when I get stuck with some sort of RFID-laden ID which is required to be carried, I'll invest in one of these rather cool wallets.
Wait. Do these guys make headgear?
a metal cigarette case, like the one I have. 
since it doesn't look like a wallet, people won't steal it.
since it doesn't look like a wallet, people won't steal it.
With the price and taxes on cigarettes now it might be worth more to the thief.
Actually, I do have some fine, silky steel mesh of my own. I suppose I could make a wallet out of it.
One successful intercept of that RFID info that leads to ID theft. > 80$
Having a cool as heck wallet. = Priceless or maybe just $80
Having a cool as heck wallet. = Priceless or maybe just $80
Stewart/Stand gives one wallet away every week in November & December. If you go to their website & click on the WEEKLY WINNER TRIVIA CONTEST box on their home page. Every Wednesday morning they post a trivia question on the Trivia Page, their blog, their facebook page, their twitter... sometimes they put up a second question or give away more than one wallet.
Oh how quickly I could loose my entire disposable income to that site. This particular wallet is on my replacement list for when my current one wares out.
At present, my geekiest standard kit unrelated to computers would probably be the Casio Pro Trek. Titanium'ish casing, solar powered charging, time, date, compass, altimeter, barometer and tilt sensing back light activation. It replaced my first generation Pro Trek; as seen on the wrist of Zero Cool in a fun guilty pleasure of a movie from the 90s.
Runner up would be the Swiss Champ pocket knife. (yeah, I'm all kinds of fun going through airport security)
At present, my geekiest standard kit unrelated to computers would probably be the Casio Pro Trek. Titanium'ish casing, solar powered charging, time, date, compass, altimeter, barometer and tilt sensing back light activation. It replaced my first generation Pro Trek; as seen on the wrist of Zero Cool in a fun guilty pleasure of a movie from the 90s.
Runner up would be the Swiss Champ pocket knife. (yeah, I'm all kinds of fun going through airport security)
But now I would have to remove my card from the wallet to use it?
currently (4 times a day) I just wave my wallet past the card scanner on the underground, and the gate opens - as do all the other Londoners.
There comes a point when I'd rather have a less secure system, if it means I can still use it as intended.
currently (4 times a day) I just wave my wallet past the card scanner on the underground, and the gate opens - as do all the other Londoners.
There comes a point when I'd rather have a less secure system, if it means I can still use it as intended.
It makes there job much easier also when they can just skim your card in passing. Heck, RFID passports along the sidewalk can be scanned from a car across the street so it's not even like someone has to come close to you.
Marketing agencies would also like to thank you as they are eagerly waiting until they can just walk down the street pulling an wallet and pocket inventory off you. "oh, say, Mr. XYZ has porn and interesting medication on him; start targetted advertising campaignnnn-now."
And if the advertising folk don't abuse it, you can be sure blackmale cases will increase. "Mr. XYZ, are your co-workers aware of your medical condition or what you bring to work each day? Is your wife?"
Marketing agencies would also like to thank you as they are eagerly waiting until they can just walk down the street pulling an wallet and pocket inventory off you. "oh, say, Mr. XYZ has porn and interesting medication on him; start targetted advertising campaignnnn-now."
And if the advertising folk don't abuse it, you can be sure blackmale cases will increase. "Mr. XYZ, are your co-workers aware of your medical condition or what you bring to work each day? Is your wife?"
Excellent reply.
My oyster card is, I admit, an auto updatingway into my bank account (maximum of about ?10 a day.
Why would my porn have an RFID chip?
My passport won't fit in the wallet.
I am a BIG fan of targetted advertising. (I'd rather be sold something I'm interested in than more panty liners and stair lifts.) but that is just me.
If they start putting my medical details on such a thing, I wouldn't carry it.
How did such a fundamentally flawed technology become used in this way?
If it can be scanned from across the street, they'll just scan them from a car outside the shop where you use your card...
My oyster card is, I admit, an auto updatingway into my bank account (maximum of about ?10 a day.
Why would my porn have an RFID chip?
My passport won't fit in the wallet.
I am a BIG fan of targetted advertising. (I'd rather be sold something I'm interested in than more panty liners and stair lifts.) but that is just me.
If they start putting my medical details on such a thing, I wouldn't carry it.
How did such a fundamentally flawed technology become used in this way?
If it can be scanned from across the street, they'll just scan them from a car outside the shop where you use your card...
I?m not familiar with the oyster card but guessing that it?s something like the quick-pay fobs around these parts, a criminal would want a clone of that quick pay fob identification so they can simply swipe away your dollars for there purchases; no id or key number required.
I chose porn simply because it?s something most people wouldn?t want to make public at work or even admit to. It?s the largest segment of the entertainment industry yet everyone claims ?oh, I don?t look at such smut.? It was an easy example as where medicated health conditions. Now, why would your smut have an RFID chip; tracking. One primary area of use for RFID is in product tracking from original material source through too consumer purchase and potential even disposal afterward. Stick with the given example, the paper pellet is bugged for tracking through shipping and inventory usage. This could result in each page or at minimum, each publication having a tracking bug. Up to the point of consumer purchase, this is a very valid use but deactivating the rfid chip at purchase would be extra expense so it?s more likely this will remain active. Similar with toys that may have many components with there own tracking bugs. Video store rentals are even more likely given the potential replacement of the bar code and magnetic strip with a single chip that provides both functions. Really though, any objects one may want to keep private could be used in the example.
For your passport, there are shielded passport wallet?s available so your covered there also. Just don?t purchase the cheaper model that tends to rest open just enough to allow rfid signal. Splurge and get one that rests fully closed.
I?m a fan of voluntary advertising. If I want cable TV, I know who to call for the service. I don?t need to have it splashed in front of my face constantly while out on the street or interrupting my evening through cold calls ?we noticed that you do not subscribe to TV advertisements with us, would you like an advertising subscription.. er.. cable TV package?? Targeted marketing would be ok if it wasn?t combined with the over saturation of incessant marketing pitches. I?d much rather be able to avoid cold call style constant marketing in favor of opening a directory related to the product I am looking for at the time I am looking for it. I barely tolerate the TR advertising and stopped reading CNet because of it and the over-use of flash media. It?s a personal choice though so fair enough; for those who like to be constantly hounded too open there wallet, the world happily caters to that preference.
It's a deny all and allow only what is needed approach rather than allow all then try to deny what has already proven unwanted.
They are talking about the universal card yet again. This would combine your ID, banking, medical records and the rest of it. Given the negligence in RFID passports, what are the chances that it?s going to be done right? The US farmed out blank passport production to Korea which farmed it out in turn to China. They then used UPS to ship the blanks instead of a bonded and secure currier service.
You are right to point out that RFID scanning could simply be done during the moment of use. At least within a store and at the point of sale, it can be mitigated easier. It?s time limited by the 20 seconds needed for the cash swipe. The building may already provide enough interference. If not, structural materials could be added. Point of sale could also be moved out of the radio and line of sight view of the street. RFID is also capable of encryption though unencrypted use seems to be the norm. All of this is still better than the buffet of unprotected RFID walking up and down the sidewalk.
Personally, I want nothing RFID?d especially identifying cards until encrypted cards are the norm and in such a way as to have it easily updated to a stronger method when computer power and researchers demonstrate that the old method?s safe lifespan has expired.
I chose porn simply because it?s something most people wouldn?t want to make public at work or even admit to. It?s the largest segment of the entertainment industry yet everyone claims ?oh, I don?t look at such smut.? It was an easy example as where medicated health conditions. Now, why would your smut have an RFID chip; tracking. One primary area of use for RFID is in product tracking from original material source through too consumer purchase and potential even disposal afterward. Stick with the given example, the paper pellet is bugged for tracking through shipping and inventory usage. This could result in each page or at minimum, each publication having a tracking bug. Up to the point of consumer purchase, this is a very valid use but deactivating the rfid chip at purchase would be extra expense so it?s more likely this will remain active. Similar with toys that may have many components with there own tracking bugs. Video store rentals are even more likely given the potential replacement of the bar code and magnetic strip with a single chip that provides both functions. Really though, any objects one may want to keep private could be used in the example.
For your passport, there are shielded passport wallet?s available so your covered there also. Just don?t purchase the cheaper model that tends to rest open just enough to allow rfid signal. Splurge and get one that rests fully closed.
I?m a fan of voluntary advertising. If I want cable TV, I know who to call for the service. I don?t need to have it splashed in front of my face constantly while out on the street or interrupting my evening through cold calls ?we noticed that you do not subscribe to TV advertisements with us, would you like an advertising subscription.. er.. cable TV package?? Targeted marketing would be ok if it wasn?t combined with the over saturation of incessant marketing pitches. I?d much rather be able to avoid cold call style constant marketing in favor of opening a directory related to the product I am looking for at the time I am looking for it. I barely tolerate the TR advertising and stopped reading CNet because of it and the over-use of flash media. It?s a personal choice though so fair enough; for those who like to be constantly hounded too open there wallet, the world happily caters to that preference.
It's a deny all and allow only what is needed approach rather than allow all then try to deny what has already proven unwanted.
They are talking about the universal card yet again. This would combine your ID, banking, medical records and the rest of it. Given the negligence in RFID passports, what are the chances that it?s going to be done right? The US farmed out blank passport production to Korea which farmed it out in turn to China. They then used UPS to ship the blanks instead of a bonded and secure currier service.
You are right to point out that RFID scanning could simply be done during the moment of use. At least within a store and at the point of sale, it can be mitigated easier. It?s time limited by the 20 seconds needed for the cash swipe. The building may already provide enough interference. If not, structural materials could be added. Point of sale could also be moved out of the radio and line of sight view of the street. RFID is also capable of encryption though unencrypted use seems to be the norm. All of this is still better than the buffet of unprotected RFID walking up and down the sidewalk.
Personally, I want nothing RFID?d especially identifying cards until encrypted cards are the norm and in such a way as to have it easily updated to a stronger method when computer power and researchers demonstrate that the old method?s safe lifespan has expired.
The RFID blocking feature of the Stewart/Stand Stainless Steel Wallet works on all credit card chip frequencies. This wallet does not block ALL other frequencies. You may be able to protect your credit card from theft, and also continue to wave your wallet to commute. Check out the RFID page here: http://www.stewartstand.com/pages/rfid or contact Stewart/Stand via eMail: info@stewartstand.com.
I was under the impression it blocked all radio frequencies. Are you perhaps referring to magnetic readers, as opposed to radio frequency readers -- or are you talking about a limitation on what parts of the radio frequency band are blocked by the stainless steel wallets?
The stainless steel wallet will block all 13.56+Mhz frequencies. This includes ALL RFID enabled Credit Cards, State Drivers Licenses, Federal Passports & Passport Cards, Transportation Worker Identification Credential Passes, Government Personal ID Verification Cards, Military Common Acess Cards, All ISO 15693 & 14443A/B, HID Access Cards & Tokens, EPC Gen1/Gen2 cards, DC Metro & Boston Charlie Transit Passes. I don't believe it block the Oyster Card for the London Underground. I was able to protect my Credit Cards when I used my Stainless Steel Wallet in NYC. I was also able to wave my wallet at the turnstile to get enter my building & to gain access to secure areas in my office. I thought it was brilliant.
I'm not particularly familiar with those access cards. Do they use RFID chips?
Some of them are RFID enabled. Not all of them... there are so many variations.
You still haven't given me a substantive answer to my question about part/all of the radio band of electromagnetic frequencies being blocked by the Stewart Stand stainless steel wallet. Perhaps you could read some of the discussion that has transpired here and either answer the question or tell me you don't know the answer.
Which one did you get? There seem to be two choices:
Available in a bi-fold wallet format (4 card slots, 1 money pocket and 1 clear ID window), or a bi-fold wallet with criss cross card slots.
I'd be interested to know the practicality of either option, and some good interior pics if you can
. The interior pics at ThinkGeek are a bit lacking.
Cheers
Available in a bi-fold wallet format (4 card slots, 1 money pocket and 1 clear ID window), or a bi-fold wallet with criss cross card slots.
I'd be interested to know the practicality of either option, and some good interior pics if you can
. The interior pics at ThinkGeek are a bit lacking.Cheers
It's one of the few things I'd like to look at directly before making the choice as I tend to be someone who stuffs the wallet. The money slot of my current one is used as three card bays due to how the wallet folds rather than bill storage.
I got the one with the standard slots and ID window. I considered the criss-cross card slots, but decided I couldn't think of a particular reason I'd need it.
I may provide photos of the inside later.
I may provide photos of the inside later.
A few pin holes and 15 seconds in a kilowatt microwave solved the rfid security problem on my recently arrived bank card. The magnetic stripe still works. Any retailer who can't or won't read the stripe can key the number manually if they want the sale.
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