We went to Laughlin last month and the room key was similar to others but all you had to do was hold it near the lock and it would unlock. Both the wife and I loved it. Is this something new?
I would love that! A drink in one hand and needing to take the DND sign out of the card reader in order to swipe the room card from my wallet.
I see it all over -- resorts, casino-hotels, boutiques, by-the-highway national chains. (Though I was at some place last year that had a key, a real key, a rather large, honkin' key.) But it is still 1991 in Laughlin.
Even alot of cars are using this now, NFC or proximity keys! As long as the fob is on your person, the car will start, and doors will unlock. Very cool stuff imho!
My car has that and it's OLD (2007 model bought in 2006....) We have them for parking at work too, and our cat gets into the house through her door with an RFID chip in her collar tag
Hmmmmm... I was told yesterday by some "high-powered" IT guys to ALWAYS take the keys home and shred-'em. I always turn 'em in at the front desk when I check-out, but sometimes I just check-out on the TV and leave 'em on the counter. These guys were talking' about cyber-security. They said the keys are programmed with far more than just the code to unlock the door and that personal info from your file goes on them as well. Huh? I know that they program my players card to also act as my room key, so sure sounds plausible.
Snopes has debunked this, as have many tv news shows.... http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp