4 ms·

"Near Field Communications (NFC)" So the ability to both emulate a contactless smartcard and interrogate passive rfid devices. Pretty damn cool - the ability t

• aw3c2 16y ago
  * open doors/start cars/unlock computers/pay for stuff just with your phone* Another reason why Android badly needs proper security like encryption of the whole system. I am really scared about losing my phone already and it only contains private information, no keys or money or anything like that.
  • trotsky 16y ago
    I believe this technology is usually implemented smart card style, ie in a tamper resistant package with an integrated cryptographic processor. So while yes, you could lose it it wouldn't be (reasonably) copyable - and you'd be in a similar situation to if you lost your keys or your credit card. In this case you'd need to revoke the keys, similar to changing your locks or credit card numbers. I also believe the contactless payment functionality should at least have an option (or require) a separate PIN.
  • metabrew 16y ago
    Hell yes, my number one most desired feature for android is proper strong encryption of the whole system. I'm reticent to cache any passwords on there or store useful but sensitive data on my phone since I can't easily encrypt it (unlike my laptop).
    • trotsky 16y ago
      File based encrypters might do your sensitive stuff fairly easy - there are a lot of options out there. I understand the ease of system encryption, but then your files are still available to other apps/exploits or if the attacker roots the phone. For instance the iphone AES-256 is easy enough to jb and get at a full unencrypted fs even without knowing the PIN.
      • cookiecaper 16y ago
        If you can get around full-disk encryption by a jailbreak or rooting, then it's obviously not actually full-disk encryption. LUKS et al should be ported to Android. Does anyone know how hard that would be? Android kernel is not massively different from plain Linux, so it shouldn't be too difficult to build the modules needed for full-disk encryption, right?
• mclin 16y ago
  Are rfid cards used for payment on any subway systems in the states? If so can you already use that card for payment in shops etc?
  • trotsky 16y ago
    They're used in some subways - boston & new york at least - though I don't know if these are just trials or if they've perhaps ended. You definitely can't walk into a merchant and expect a contactless payment though - I'm pretty sure merchant roll outs so far have been limited to pay at the pump trials.
    • mrgordon 16y ago
      Boston is a completely contactless system using the same RFID chips as in London. It isn't a trial.
      • metageek 16y ago
        Although it also doesn't cover the entire system. The commuter rail trains go out where they can't rely on wireless coverage (in fact, there's at least one stretch on my line where we can rely on not getting coverage), so they can't install the card readers. As a result, the monthly passes for zones beyond Boston are still in ticket form.
  • jeffclark 16y ago
    You can store payment or your monthly pass on the MBTA card in Boston. It's been live for a few years, so I'm pretty sure it's not a trial run.
  • dannyr 16y ago
    In the San Francisco Bay Area, the Clipper card can be used on Caltrain, BART, and Muni.
• trotsky 16y ago
  It seems this implementation is receive only - so not nearly as cool as I thought.