So NFC is a good idea?

A while back I put up an article about some concerns I have with NFC implementations.

Just the other day there was a big hoo-hah about Google Wallet being hacked on rooted Google Phones. Now it turns out the Gnomes of Mountain View actually left a security hole big enough to drive a truck through.

This piece on Boy Genius Report goes into more detail on the mechanics of the hack.

My problem with this is “what were they thinking”?!

From looking at the video this isn’t the sort of security flaw that’s taken hundreds of hackers millions of lines of brilliantly executed computer code to discover and exploit.

I mean, really, are we supposed to trust our personal and financial security to a bunch of code-monkeys that leave security holes like this in a product?

Makes you really feel safe about that RFID chip in your passport and your credit card too.

This is a technology that requires a whole lot more thinking about.

Random Thoughts II

The PC is Dead! IBM says so.

I’ve been wondering, now that the tablet has become a mainstay in computing what’s the future for the PC as we know it?

IBM’s CTO says the PC has seen it day.

I wonder of this is really the case though? Will people really want to walk away from the box on the desk?

I’m not so sure this will come to pass as easily as some people might think.


Will Samsung buy webOS from HP.

This is an interesting rumour. Samsung are obviously not happy about the creation of Googorola. Add the lawsuits that are coming at them from Apple that have effectively halted sales of the Galaxy S II and the Galaxy Tab in different parts of the world - this may not be so far fetched.

Samsung said to be considering webOS acquisition from HP

Its not out of the realms of possibility.


A Torch, a torch, my kingdom for a torch!

Lately I’ve noticed a bit of a furore (tizz in a teacup really) about the fact that the latest version of the WinMoPho operating system, Mango, doesn’t have a native API to turn on the LED to use as a torch.

No real LED torch apps for Windows Phone 7 Mango

I dunno, it strikes me as a bit absurd that with everything else out there that may be interesting to talk about, the lack of an ability to turn your phone into a torch rates, nay demands, column inches.

White Light: Brings a LED Flashlight to non-HTC users running Mango

I never thought not being able to turn a complex piece of communications technology into an axe simple tool would cause such consternation.


Nokia makes Minority Report a sort of Reality

NFC technology scares me. Its not the tech so much, rather its the lack of consideration of the practical implications.

In the rush to be the first to bring NFC to market to grab “mindshare” security invariably gets overlooked.

Nokia: "From now on, all our products will have an NFC chip inside"

There’s lots of evidence that RFID chips can be skimmed from a distance. NFC chips are really just low power RFID chips that Nokia are so considerately putting into all of their doodads.

Makes feel feel all nice and safe knowing that Nokia, the company that so spectacularly gave away the mobile phone market due to blind arrogance has decided that they’re on top of all of this NFC/RFID security stuff.