This article takes the concept of ambiguity as presented by Gaver, Beaver & Benford as a tool to discuss what has been described as ‘undecidables' - conceptual art works in the domain of the wearable, which currently find themselves crossing the usual framing mechanisms of art, craft and design. How practitioners choose to frame their work has implications for its interpretation. The physical object has a presence that can be hard to escape; it presents a reality already in existence, even as it suggests a possible future, and may even disallow the space between "looking at the work, and the prospect of using it". Some of the tactics used by conceptual practitioners in interaction design and contemporary craft to get around this problem are illustrated with a view to expanding the tactics for ambiguity offered by Gaver et al's original paper.

A set of concepts which supports end-users in composing and configuring ubiquitous computing applications is described. The technology that implements the model is briefly presented; all have been developed and evaluated in end-user trials in the course of research during the e-Gadgets (IST-FET) project (www.extrovert-gadgets.net). This research has made several inroads in the effort to empower people to actively shape Ambient Intelligence environments; it has demonstrated the feasibility of letting end-users architect AmI environments. The experiences reported suggest that an architectural approach where users act as composers of predefined components is one worthy approach.

When clothing manufacturer Benetton announced in March 2003 that it was considering the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips in its garments in order to streamline its supply chain, an unexpected storm of protest followed in the media that ultimately forced the company to withdraw its plans only a few weeks later. Ever since, RFID technology has become one of the most debated ubiquitous computing technologies, and public fears of its alleged capability for comprehensive surveillance have prompted a flurry of research trying to alleviate such concerns. The following article aims at introducing and briefly evaluating the range of proposed RFID privacy solutions so far.

Besides the automated tracking capabilities of RFID-tagged goods, RFID tags are also used as an added security feature to thwart counterfeiting, e.g., in high-priced consumer goods such as designer clothing. Plans to incorporate RFID tags into Euro banknotes and passports have repeatedly prompted public concern, due to the sensitive nature of these items. Chips in banknotes are thought to make counterfeiting more difficult, but also help fighting money laundering. In contrast to optical technologies, RFID chips are also thought to be more robust against wear and tear. Similar reasons are given for embedding RFID in passports, along with helping to fight terrorism. Additionally, the contactless read capabilities of RFID chips offer longer lifetimes than the pins of a regular smart card.