Slashdot Mirror

I have wanted something like this since I first heard about it. The pocket vault http://www.chameleonnetwork.com/index.html is a brilliant idea for a biometric portable storage unit (don't I sound intelligent), Wish they would finally release it so I could check it out.

What you want is the Pocket Vault by Chameleon Network. It was covered in March in this Slashdot story. It is not available yet, but they are taking preorders. It is $179 with a 25% preorder discount. They said in March 2004 that it should be available in January 2005, but who knows...

From the website:
The Pocket Vault System replaces a consumer's conventional wallet and stores an entire wallet's contents in digital form (credit, ATM, identification, physical and network access, membership, discount cards), in a stand-alone device or integrated into PDAs and mobile phones. The Pocket Vault programs a single, "morphing" Chameleon Card to emulate the characteristics of any magnetic stripe, barcode or smart card that the user selects. The Pocket Vault and Chameleon Card are useable everywhere (brick & mortar and online), and are completely compatible with all existing point-of-sale terminals.

The Pocket Vault has an integrated fingerprint reader to protect the owner's personal data and the Chameleon Card is blank until programmed and self-erases after 15 minutes - reducing the issues of card or device theft.
The Pocket Vault connects to the Pocket Vault System via the Internet (and will synchronize wirelessly in later versions)...

What you want is the Pocket Vault by Chameleon Network. It was covered in March in this Slashdot story. It is not available yet, but they are taking preorders. It is $179 with a 25% preorder discount. They said in March 2004 that it should be available in January 2005, but who knows...

From the website:
The Pocket Vault System replaces a consumer's conventional wallet and stores an entire wallet's contents in digital form (credit, ATM, identification, physical and network access, membership, discount cards), in a stand-alone device or integrated into PDAs and mobile phones. The Pocket Vault programs a single, "morphing" Chameleon Card to emulate the characteristics of any magnetic stripe, barcode or smart card that the user selects. The Pocket Vault and Chameleon Card are useable everywhere (brick & mortar and online), and are completely compatible with all existing point-of-sale terminals.

The Pocket Vault has an integrated fingerprint reader to protect the owner's personal data and the Chameleon Card is blank until programmed and self-erases after 15 minutes - reducing the issues of card or device theft.
The Pocket Vault connects to the Pocket Vault System via the Internet (and will synchronize wirelessly in later versions)...

Any company that has a hyperlink marked "Investor Information" above-the-fold (shown without a need to scroll down on a typical 800x600 setup) is automatically a bit suspect.

I fear that Slashdot's logo is now going to get added to their brag-about-press-coverage page. For the record, the "Boston's WB in the Morning" program they brag about was canceled in 2002.

I'm not suggesting that this company's technology doesn't exist, but their product is pure vaporware and they have lists of good reasons why a merchant, bank, or large company should partner with them, but they can't name any merchant, bank, or large companies who have agreed to partner with them. At least they have a patent appilcation pending.

Any company that has a hyperlink marked "Investor Information" above-the-fold (shown without a need to scroll down on a typical 800x600 setup) is automatically a bit suspect.

I fear that Slashdot's logo is now going to get added to their brag-about-press-coverage page. For the record, the "Boston's WB in the Morning" program they brag about was canceled in 2002.

I'm not suggesting that this company's technology doesn't exist, but their product is pure vaporware and they have lists of good reasons why a merchant, bank, or large company should partner with them, but they can't name any merchant, bank, or large companies who have agreed to partner with them. At least they have a patent appilcation pending.

Any company that has a hyperlink marked "Investor Information" above-the-fold (shown without a need to scroll down on a typical 800x600 setup) is automatically a bit suspect.

I fear that Slashdot's logo is now going to get added to their brag-about-press-coverage page. For the record, the "Boston's WB in the Morning" program they brag about was canceled in 2002.

I'm not suggesting that this company's technology doesn't exist, but their product is pure vaporware and they have lists of good reasons why a merchant, bank, or large company should partner with them, but they can't name any merchant, bank, or large companies who have agreed to partner with them. At least they have a patent appilcation pending.