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The Timex Speedpass Watch
RedWolves2 writes "Timex Corporation is developing a watch which incorporates Speedpass technology embedded into it. McDonalds has also partnered with Speedpass with 400 stores in the Chicago area that accept speedpass. Now you can order a value meal like this "You will serve me a Big Mac Meal with a Coke!" (While waving your hand like a Jedi Knight using the Jedi Mind trick)."
"You will serve me a Big Mac Meal with a Coke!" (While waving your hand like a Jedi Knight using the Jedi Mind trick)."
How is this different than what I do already?
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Heh, user puts on speedpass watch and forgets he/she's wearing it and at a visit to a speedpass supported gas station, walks a wee bit too close to the pumps...
FREE GASOLINE! just not for YOU!
Cant imagine the MULTIPLE ways this watch could get abused.. it hooks up to your creditcard so hell, I'd rather have my speedpass on a seperate thing to make SURE nothing gets charged to it by accident!
when your watch gets "declined" at the line at mcdonalds. sad, staring at those fries, quietly asking the 15 year old in the yelow visor if you can just wave it one more time.
yes i run a goth/punk/emo porn site.
Why would anyone use this technology when micropayments and the like can be done using your mobile phone using reverse billing now (you punch in a code to your mobile and an amount gets added to your phone account) and in the future there is bluetooth.
This proprietary, system will shortly float off into oblivion like all the rest.
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Wouldn't these things be pretty prone to EMI?
Also.... I'm not sure if this is an issue, but what if it runs out of batteries?
Or... even better yet... what if someone makes a "speedpass scanner" and walks around a mall for an afternoon, leeching from everyone closeby.
Seems pretty exploitable...anyone have experience with these? I would imagine that having these more widespread would open them up to more problems.
-kwishot
It is a little larger then a normal Swatch and you can load it at umpteen or so ski resorts, where it can be used instead of a normal ski pass.
ich bin der musikant
mit taschenrechner in der hand
kraftwerk
"These are not the fries you are looking for"
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If one of these things ever gets stolen, there is literally no way to trace where it is.
No signatures... nothing.
With a credit card there are a few more layers of security.
First, it needs to be swiped (can't be read from a distance...which can be potentially bad)
Second, you need to sign for it
Third, many credit cards have the option of a picture...
Pretty scary.
-kwishot
Actually, that system was very advanced for its time. If you passed the toll station on the Køfri area without a chip in your window, two cameras digitally photograhped your license plate in normal and infrared light. Pictures were stored on MO media for evidence, and the system could react on cars passing as fast as 490 km/h.
'This is not the Happy Meal I ordered'
'This is not the Happy Meal you ordered!'
'You will make me a Cheeseburger Happy Meal'
'We will make you a Cheeseburger Happy Meal!'
'You will not forget the toy'
'We will not forget the toy!'
The Jedi Mind Trick surely could work wonders at McDonalds...unfortunately, at Wendy's they employ mainly Hutts.
They do not have batteries. I'm not exactly sure HOW they work but I haven't seen anyone else explain it either and, you know, this is the net. The answer can't be that difficult.
A web google search didn't turn up much besides this. The Mobil Speedpass is based on Texas Instruments' Registration and Identification System (TIRIS), the first radio-frequency identification (RFID) device used for retail transactions. The system is similar to a remote control but different in that RFIDs transmit a user-specific signal, almost like a wireless PIN number.
But a usenet search turned up a lot, like this post. Ok, a typical device of this type is quite simple in concept. The coil with rod, acts to recieve 100Khz or so RF, which is then rectified to charge a capacitor, to power the rest. There is a small chip in there, which talks to the reader, usually by shorting out the coil for short periods of time, this causes the RF field to change, which can be read by the reader. Another way is for the chip to connect a diode to the coil, this causes the transmitter/reciever to generate a harmonic, at 2* the frequency of the exciting field, this can also be picked up.
Great! Now I'll be able to buy speed faster than ever! I may not even have to stop the car - just lower the window and my man can toss it in as I roll by.
I can't wait until weedpass comes out next year!
Browsing on Speedpass' own website, it appears that there is NO security other than needing physical possession of the "speedpass" device. (Their "Question and Answer" section specifically states that you don't even need to type in a PIN number)
So...who's going to be the first to build a directional "Pringles(tm) Can" antenna to record SpeedPass exchanges, and publish schematics for programmable speedpass "emulators"?
The only way I'd consider bothering with this is if I could get a "buffer" account to tie it to, and dump, say, $50 in it at a time from my real account (so that if my "Speedpass" gets stolen and is used before I have a chance to transfer the money back out of the "buffer" account, I wouldn't be able to lose more that $50 or so...) Tying it to a Credit Card just seems completely insane to me, especially since other posts say that YOU are liable for unauthorized charges on the thing...
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It would make more sense for McD's to start taking debit/credit cards first.
I never have cash on hand, and it's wasteful to pull out $20, along with the usual ATM fee just to buy a couple of cheeseburgers.