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So much for the security of RFID tags: development is already underway for the Tag Zapper, a device which purports to be able to “erase” RFID tags and render them blank. The device is “proposed” (which I’m guessing means “still in development”) but an interesting scenario is put forth on their website:

Proposed scenario:
A consumer purchases a six-pack of beer at a convenience store.
After exiting the store the consumer uses her TagZapper™ to disable the RFID tags.
At this point the consumer is able to transport and consume her purchase without being monitored by any commercial or government agency.

Right. Or, you could really piss off Wal-Mart by erasing the tag BEFORE you leave the store. Not that the developers of this device (or myself, for that matter) would advocate such a thing. 🙂

While still vaporware, the product doesn’t seem to be too far-fetched. A competing product, the RFIDWasher, is supposed to be out by the end of the year.

Bernard Ebbers, former CEO of Worldcom was found guilty on various charges related to fraud today. Looks like his “don’t look at me, I’m just a dumb jock” defense didn’t pan out.

Looks like Packet8’s investors aren’t happy with the fact that all of the VoIP companies in the market are taking off… except for Packet8. After being in the business since 1998, Packet8 has barely managed to obtain a total of 40,000 subscribers, while relative newcomer Vonage has only been offering its service since 2002 and has already managed to surpass the half-million mark.

Yeah, if I were a Packet8 shareholder, I’d be plenty mad, too.

So, it appears I’m stuck in this catch-22 with Packet8.

I cancelled service with them a couple of weeks ago, after having a few odd telephone service issues here and here, and generally not being too satisfied with the voice quality. Yeah, Vonage and other VoIP companies have had their issues too as of late, but hey, while Packet8 seems content to use slower, worse sounding coding schemes, the G.711u codec that Vonage uses seems to sound SO much better. Their voicemail system on Packet8 is also a bit lacking. Don’t get me wrong, Packet8 is a great service if $20 is all you want to pay, but over time I’ve come to appreciate the loads of extra features and enhanced voice quality that a mere couple extra bucks a month brings to the table.

So I cancel and switch to Vonage. Now, I could’ve sworn that when I signed up, the Packet8 TOS stated that a disconnect fee would apply if you cancelled within 6 months, but that the fee could be waived if you returned the DTA310 they shipped out (that’s the device pictured above; it connects an ordinary telephone to your broadband internet connection and provides the dial tone). I COULD be wrong, and I will admit that, but I could’ve sworn this to be the case. Having had the service for more a little over 6 months, I thought I was home free anyway.

But then I get this e-mail:
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