Intel tracks its journalist fiends around the show

INTEL likes to know what the journalists it brings out to its 6-monthly shindig are doing. Poor PR people can often be seen chivvying tired old hacks into the maximum number of roundtables, sessions, tracks and keynotes possible in order to earn the most Intel Brownie Points possible.

Every year, it scans attendees in and out of sessions so that it can collect lots of data about how people attending the conference use it.

This time around, the chip firm has gone one step further and has outfitted its journalists - we haven't discovered if this is true for other attendees yet - with RFID tags. RFID allows for data to be collected wirelessly without any interaction from the tag carrier.

Paranoid journos can't remove the tag from their badge, because the front of the badge contains the all important word - 'Press' - emblazoned on it, allowing for entry to all kinds of events that are otherwise off-limits. The collection of RFID data wireless means that journos can't bunk off for a crafty cigarette / meeting with AyEmDee instead of listening to Intel's latest musings, at least, not without the PR people losing lots of IBPs.

Why is Intel tracking its journos around the conference? Who knows. Paranoid? Us? Shurely shome mishtake.

The mark of the beast/journo is pictured below.