Topic: Nfc

The hosts reflect on the 1980s marketing of "smart cards," which were promised to simplify life by combining IDs, passports, and medical records. This technology has evolved into the modern NFC-enabled smartphone. They recall Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy's famous quote that "privacy is for pussies," noting how the public has largely accepted the total loss of privacy for convenience.

President Barack Obama is scheduled for two swearing-in ceremonies in January 2013 because the constitutional date of January 20th falls on a Sunday. While official reasons cite the Sunday holiday and the NFC Championship game, the hosts revisit a theory regarding "two Obamas" requiring separate legal oaths. The 20th Amendment dictates that presidential terms must end at noon on January 20th, necessitating a private ceremony before the public event on Monday.

The RSA security division suffered a significant data breach affecting their SecureID challenge devices. This occurs as Near Field Communication (NFC) chips are being integrated into new smartphones. One host reports that simply inserting a SIM card into a smartphone triggered an automatic data plan enrollment by AT&T, highlighting persistent carrier tracking.

The hosts discuss the rollout of Near Field Communication (NFC) for mobile payments, expressing concern that phone companies will have too much leverage over consumers' finances. They also criticize Vodafone for its statement regarding the internet shutdown in Egypt, where the company claimed it was simply following government orders.