Geode - a dream carders or a new word in the use of credit cards?

Recently, a curious project appeared on the kickstarter that collected the necessary amount to launch just a couple of days.



We are talking about an electronic organizer for your credit and discount cards.



The device is called "Geode" and is a case for the iPhone, which includes a card scanner, a rewritable card and an e-ink display to display bar codes.

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The point is simple - you scan all your credit cards, discount and membership cards and leave them at home. When you come to the store and you need your credit card, you use the iPhone app to copy the data of the necessary card to a rewritable one (stored in the same case-cover) and with the help of this clone card you are already paying.



Below, in the video presentation, everything is clearly shown:







The idea, of course, is excellent. No need to carry a pack of cards ...



In addition, if there is a barcode on the card, then in this case a high-contrast e-ink display is provided in the device to display it (apparently barcode scanners cannot read the barcode from the screen of the iPhone itself).



And all this is encrypted by fingerprint.







The project fell in love with the audience. To launch, the author wanted to collect $ 50,000. At the moment, 272 thousand have already been collected (in order to get the device from the first batch, you must donate at least $ 159).



It looks great, but how will it all work in practice?



In the presentation, we are shown a card with a chip:







which is in itself interesting because As far as I know, chip cards cannot be cloned.



Moreover, in the FAQ published on the kickstarter, the author of the project answers the question of whether it is possible to clone a card using its device:

Can the Geode be used to "clone" cards?



The simple answer is absolutely not.



There are several scenarios. Only the envelope of the Geode.

Not entirely clear, but it seems to me that he means that there will be some kind of software protection with the need to confirm ownership of the original card. True, it is not entirely clear how this will work ...



And the question is not in the software. By and large, for $ 160 you can get a portable card scanner cloner, and you can write your own software.



Somehow this aspect does not make me very happy. Especially given the fact that we have decided to give the card to the waiter, who walks with her somewhere for half an hour.



And in general, the question is still unclear how such a clone card (in the case of official “white” use) will be accepted at the supermarket checkout ... I’m not talking about discount cards. Something I doubt that having come to the sportmaster and showing the barcode on some device will give you a discount on it ...



So the possibility of using this gadget for a regular user is questionable. But carders will definitely be used. :)