How Do I Get Information In and Out of the iButton?

Information is transferred between your iButton and a PC with a momentary contact, at up to 142kbps. You simply touch your iButton to a Blue Dot receptor or other iButton probe, which is connected to a PC. The Blue Dot receptor is cabled to a 1-Wire adapter that is attached to the PCs serial or parallel port. The Blue Dot receptor and 1-Wire Adapter cost only $15. The iButton is also the ultimate information carrier for AutoID and portable applications. All of the latest handheld computers and PDAs can communicate with iButtons.

How Durable is the iButton?

The silicon chip within the iButton is protected by the ultimate durable material: stainless steel. You can drop it, step on it, or scratch it. (Try any of those with your Smart Card and see what happens.) The iButton is wear-tested for 10-year durability.

What Can I Do With the iButton?

The iButton is ideal for any application where information needs to travel with a person or object. Affixed to a key fob, watch, or ring, an iButton can grant its owner access to a building, a PC, a piece of equipment, or a vehicle. Attached to a work tote, it can measure a variety of processes to improve efficiency, such as manufacturing, delivery, and maintenance. Some versions of the iButton can be used to store cash for small transactions, such as transit systems, parking meters, and vending machines. The iButton can also be used as an electronic asset tag to store information needed to keep track of valuable capital equipment.