The most useful gadget in Casino Royale is not a watch or a car. It is a small USB reader that lets Bond open a stolen SIM card. The ZiO FoneMate SIM Card Manager CM-43000 is that reader, and the ZiO FoneMate SIM Card Manager is still on sale for less than the price of a good dinner.
In the film
In Casino Royale (2006), Daniel Craig’s Bond tries to read the SIM card from Mollaka’s phone on M’s laptop, in M’s apartment. The FoneMate is the device that makes it possible. The model is identified in several sources, including the James Bond Wiki and BAMF Style.
The details
A USB interface. The FoneMate connects by USB and reads the data on a SIM card, so the card is taken out of the phone and into the reader. Listings describe it as working with all SIM cards.
Light and small. The listed weight is about 1.6 ounces (45g), so it travels in a coat pocket without notice.
An old device. This is the catch. Retailers list the CM-43000 as working with Windows 2000 and XP only, and not with Vista, Windows 7 and later, or a Mac. Anyone who wants to use it today needs an old Windows machine.
Owning it now
We would buy this as a curiosity rather than a tool. It is cheap enough to be a good desk object for a film-minded reader, and it makes a decent small gift. Do not buy it expecting it to run on a current laptop. If you need to copy contacts from an old phone, check compatibility with your computer first. Our gadgets and electronics section has the more practical end of the film’s technology.
Specifications
| Model | ZiO FoneMate SIM Card Manager, CM-43000 |
|---|---|
| Interface | USB |
| Compatibility | Windows 2000 and XP; not Vista or Mac, per retailer listings |
| Weight | About 1.6oz (45g), per retailer listing |
| Price | About US$18 to US$19 at retailers (at the time of writing, October 2026) |
Questions
Which device does Bond use to read the SIM card in Casino Royale?
It is a ZiO FoneMate SIM Card Manager, model CM-43000, a USB card reader. He uses it on M’s laptop to open Mollaka’s SIM card.
Does the ZiO FoneMate work on a modern computer?
Listings say it works with Windows 2000 and XP and not with Vista or a Mac. One seller says it does not work on Windows 7 to 11, so assume it needs an old Windows machine.
How much does the ZiO FoneMate cost?
At the time of writing, retailers list it at about US$18 to US$19. A 2008 magazine piece put it at around US$25.
For more of the film, see our Casino Royale page and the Daniel Craig collection.
