Slashdot Mirror


Putin's Soccer Ball for Trump Had Transmitter Chip, Logo Indicates (bloomberg.com)

Russian President Vladimir Putin's gift of a soccer ball to U.S. President Donald Trump last week set off a chorus of warnings -- some of them only half in jest -- that the World Cup souvenir could be bugged. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham even tweeted, "I'd check the soccer ball for listening devices and never allow it in the White House." It turns out they weren't entirely wrong. From a report: Markings on the ball indicate that it contained a chip with a tiny antenna that transmits to nearby phones. But rather than a spy device, the chip is an advertised feature of the Adidas AG ball. Photographs from the news conference in Helsinki, where Putin handed the ball to Trump, show it bore a logo for a near-field communication tag. During manufacturing, the NFC chip is placed inside the ball under that logo, which resembles the icon for a WiFi signal, according to the Adidas website. The chip allows fans to access player videos, competitions and other content by bringing their mobile devices close to the ball. The feature is included in the 2018 FIFA World Cup match ball that's sold on the Adidas website for $165 (reduced to $83 in the past week).

8 of 241 comments (clear)

  1. Why the outrage? by DatbeDank · · Score: 4, Informative

    The summary says:

    the chip is an advertised feature of the Adidas AG ball

    Are we going to now say that Russia hacked Adidas, put a "spy! device on it (NFC of all things) for the sheer purpose of listening in on Trump?

    The Trump Derangement Syndrome has reached new epic proportions.

    1. Re:Why the outrage? by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 2, Informative

      Putin doesn't need a listening device to know he has Trump by the ball.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  2. Nostalgia by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Informative

    Remember when the biggest foreign relations scandal involving a president was giving a bust of Churchill back to England?

    Good times.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:Nostalgia by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Informative

      But I do remember when a certain tan-suited "president" decided to go on an apology tour and apologize to every nation he could about America being a land of opportunity.

      Yeah, except there were no "apologies". The whole "Obama apology tour" thing was completely made up.

      https://www.factcheck.org/2012...

      https://www.politifact.com/tru...

      https://www.cnn.com/2012/10/23...

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  3. Re:Orange dipshit by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yet, he was able to beat the smartest woman on the Planet in the race to become President. We could all be so lucky to be a failed billionaire present with a supermodel wife.

    Still waiting on the Russia evidence. How many Mueller indictments were there for Russian COLLUSION so far? None? Oh yea, lets indict a couple of russian ham sandwiches that will never show up in court to show some value for the millions spent covering up the incompetence of the Clinton campaign (Yes, yes, we all know that Putin personally prevented Hillary from campaigning in Wisconsin and Michigan).

    Watergate investigation took 4 years.

    Clinton investigation took 6 years.

    Mueller has only taken about 18 months.

    And we taxpayers have spent more money flying Trumpoid down to Mar-a-Lago and providing SS protection there, just so he can GOLF than the Mueller investigation has cost so far.

    So kindly STFU and FOAD, toadie.

  4. Re: Trump is a traitor by jimtheowl · · Score: 3, Informative

    Actually, it seems like it is intentionally pathetic so that it would make the "liberal side" look so.

  5. Re:Orange dipshit by Train0987 · · Score: 4, Informative

    the Watergate break in was in 1972. Nixon resigned in 1974. 2 years.

    Ken Starr was appointed special counsel in 1994. Clinton was impeached in 1998. 4 years.

    Why make up dumb shit?

  6. Re:#HerTurnAgain2020 by Train0987 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Trump won 304-227.