Charging phone at slots is getting easier

Depends on your model.

My cylindrical Anker (model A1104): 3¾" x ⅞", 3½ ounces including cord and sack.

 

I pointed this out in my G2E blog last Oct. No one seemed overly concerned when I brought it up then either.

You can charge your phone on the new Sex and the City slot, while having your retinas scanned by the machine as well! You can play the bonus games with your eyes. How scary, and stupid, are we?

Walk up the a blind computer (slot machine) in a public space. Tether your phone, the same one you do your banking on, that holds so much of your personal data its crazy, then agree to let the machine scan your eyeballs!

People put skimmers in ATM's and credit card machines all the time. Do we really think a slot machine is 100% safe to hook your phone up to? Nope.

Yes, its convenient. Yes, talking to those in the industry the intent is for you to sit, and lose money, at a machine for longer in order to charge your phone "for free". And yes, the risk to your personal data being breached, or malware dumped onto your phone is 100% real. Wireless charging is a bit safer. But just plugging your phone into a random computer? No thanks.

 

[QUOTE="Grid, post: 1854200, member: 19055"But just plugging your phone into a random computer? No thanks.[/QUOTE]

I didn't realize this was a "thing." I heard of the wireless charging previously and have seen one machine with this type of option. Are there really slots out there where you PLUG your phone in? Uh, I'm with you Grid - N f'in way!

 

I didn't realize this was a "thing." I heard of the wireless charging previously and have seen one machine with this type of option. Are there really slots out there where you PLUG your phone in? Uh, I'm with you Grid - N f'in way![/QUOTE]

yes, lots of slots have USB plugs on them

 

yes, lots of slots have USB plugs on them[/QUOTE]

I always use them while playing VP at bar tops and nothing has ever been stolen or compromised from my phone. I just keep a small cable in my purse to use.NewOrleanSlimm what time do you get in on the 4th? I’ll be at Cosmo most of the trip if you want to come say hello! Text me!

 

Just use one of these and find an open power receptacle:


Just make more power receptacles handy for this purpose. Make your patrons feel safe.

I have been fortunate that I haven't had to charge on the go. I purposely pick phones that have long battery life just for my own convenience.

The best phone I ever had for battery life was an Asus Zenfone 3 Zoom. I would charge it overnight, but only every 3rd or 4th day... then I walked into a counter with the phone in my pocket... rip Zenfone.

 

I always use them while playing VP at bar tops and nothing has ever been stolen or compromised from my phone. I just keep a small cable in my purse to use.NewOrleanSlimm what time do you get in on the 4th? I’ll be at Cosmo most of the trip if you want to come say hello! Text me![/QUOTE]


I land at 7:45 a.m, get bags, checkin if the room is ready so probably free around 9am....definitely going to text you

 

Cool! I promise no drunken karaoke! Lol

 

Cool! I am supposed to land around 12:25 pm, but weather is saying thunderstorms here and in Chicago at my first stop on way to Vegas. Look forward to seeing you!!

 

On the 6th I am supposed to be going to UFC fight. My brother got a suite, but I think SIL and I are giving up our tickets and going degen drunk and gambler. Lol I’m just not in to the fight.

 

Funny you mention Karaoke, Cats Meow is opening a location on Fremont st. should be open any day now if it hasnt opened yet

 

Bwahaha! I’m sure I’ll end up there then after too many martinis!

 

I go with a large group so there is texting done, especially at the end of the night tracking whomever had a few too many, LOL. This sounds great to save a charge. Also in Pittsburgh casino they have USB ports at the tables.

 

I’ll tell you what happened to free phone, the carriers decided we don’t need to lock anyone into a 2 year contract. They need service regardless. Yes some may switch from Verizon to AT&T, but it would probably be a wash at the end of the day. Plus they technically are locking you into a contract if you pay the phone in monthly installments. Sure you can leave, but you have to pay the balance in one lump sum, and they know most won’t do that.

 

Call me naive but wouldn’t the scammer have to actually open up the slot machine to hack it to steal your info. I’d imagine in a casino, with a million cameras that would be impossible.

 

I have a portable Anker charger like the one previously mentioned with the little sack and cord, it fits in my pocket perfectly. Unfortunately my phone does not have wireless charging so I can't make use of it but it sounds like a nice option.

I would not personally worry about my data being stolen from plugging into a slot machine. iPhones and Androids have security features now to stop this before it can happen, and this article discusses how "juice jacking" is difficult to do and that there have been very few, if any at all, verified instances of it happening.

I would also think the slot machine itself would be able to detect or prevent malware/something else being installed onto it. Sounds like much to do about nothing.

https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/15/los-angeles-juice-jacking-usb/

 

Actually, most of the slot machines with this feature go even farther -- USB has both power pins and data pins, and the slot manufacturers will often physically remove the data pins. There's literally no risk of having the machine having any more interface with your phone's data than a wall outlet would.

The real risk, in my opinion, is random USB ports in unsupervised places. It'd basically like installing a card skimmer on an unmonitored ATM, in that someone could theoretically install a plate cover that would include a data-capturing device but would look mostly the same.

 

I don't recall which machine, but I saw this at Mirage last week. I thought "nah". How easy it would be for someone to forget their phone or it getting swiped.

 

USB Condoms are exceptionally cheap, and you can make one yourself for a few dollars if you have a soldering iron. Get two USB breakout boards and only connect the +5V and GND line. Don't connect the A and B data lines. Epoxy the 2 boards together, voila.

I have a DIY one that I keep in my travel bag, and have used it several times in Vegas, both in the hotel and machines/tables.

Am I paranoid? Maybe. But I am a software engineer and work in cyber-security and know what is possible, and refuse to be the easy target.