Alohomora!
Ok, so yes, I admit, I am a total and utter geek... it's something I have held my hands up to from the day dot. Anyone who gets addicted to playing puzzle quest or excited about being able to write her blog from her wireless web browser enabled Nintendo DS lite either needs a life (yes, I know...) or has a very unhealthy web based obsession (hands are up, I won't deny it).
So, no surprise that when I read Annie Mole's blog post about how to take the chip out of an oyster card and still be able to use it, I eeped with excitement! Can you imagine the possibilities? no? Ok, well let me explain. Apparently, if you soak an oyster card in acetone (nail varnish remover) it gets very soft and you can peel it apart, revealing the wire and chip inside. You can then remove these parts and insert them into anything of your choice to swipe over the oyster card readers and it will still work!! Naturally, my brain went into over drive... Visions of an oyster card enabled Harry Potter wand popped into my head, which admittedly would look bloody stupid but would be highly amusing. Then I went a step geekier and thought of wrapping the chip round a ring so you could waft your hand over the yellow reader saying 'open' in an Obi-Wan Kenobi-esque kind of style... (I did warn you I'm a GEEK!).
BUT it seems that London Underground have spoilt my fun before it even began. Apparently, people beat me to it and started making oyster enabled watches, which LUG weren't impressed with one teeny little bit. So they have said anyone caught using said watches to get in and out of the gates will be fined. pah! Kill joys... not like they're not getting the money for topping the silly things up anyway is it?! I may just go one step closer to geekdom and have a go anyway with the spare oyster card I have at home... hmm... "Alohomora!"
(god I need to get a life...)
So, no surprise that when I read Annie Mole's blog post about how to take the chip out of an oyster card and still be able to use it, I eeped with excitement! Can you imagine the possibilities? no? Ok, well let me explain. Apparently, if you soak an oyster card in acetone (nail varnish remover) it gets very soft and you can peel it apart, revealing the wire and chip inside. You can then remove these parts and insert them into anything of your choice to swipe over the oyster card readers and it will still work!! Naturally, my brain went into over drive... Visions of an oyster card enabled Harry Potter wand popped into my head, which admittedly would look bloody stupid but would be highly amusing. Then I went a step geekier and thought of wrapping the chip round a ring so you could waft your hand over the yellow reader saying 'open' in an Obi-Wan Kenobi-esque kind of style... (I did warn you I'm a GEEK!).
BUT it seems that London Underground have spoilt my fun before it even began. Apparently, people beat me to it and started making oyster enabled watches, which LUG weren't impressed with one teeny little bit. So they have said anyone caught using said watches to get in and out of the gates will be fined. pah! Kill joys... not like they're not getting the money for topping the silly things up anyway is it?! I may just go one step closer to geekdom and have a go anyway with the spare oyster card I have at home... hmm... "Alohomora!"
(god I need to get a life...)
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