RE: Smart card readers for Laptops?

Pete Klammer (pklammer@racom.com)
Mon, 23 Feb 1998 10:53:38 -0700

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Fischer International makes a 3.5" diskette-shaped carrier which lets
anything with a diskette drive use a smartcard. You snap the card into
the carrier, and then slide the carrier into the drive slot. They have
drivers for both T=0 and T=1, they're participating in Microsoft's PC/SC
smartcard API & driver initiatives. I've seen (held; fondled) one but
not used one. I think it requires a coin battery. The card is held in
the carrier sideways, so this doesn't create a new "slot" to slide cards
in/out like a reader. It's probably difficult to use without their
drivers since it all has to go through diskette I/O logic. I've seen
this technique used before with a security dongle (free samples were
handed out at the 1995 RSA Conference). I wonder if they've thought of
putting their drivers in ROM in the carrier, too, so that with a single
unit you can install the code and then turn around and start reading the
smartcard, without need of a separate installation disk.

See: http://www.fisc.com/store/smarty.html

--poko

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Simon Spero [SMTP:ses@tipper.oit.unc.edu]
> Sent: Sunday, February 22, 1998 7:06 PM
> To: CodherPlunks@toad.com
> Subject: Smart card readers for Laptops?
>
> Anyone know of any smart card readers suitable for use with laptops?
> PCMCIA, or ricochet style tumor?
>
> Simon

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