The chip now used in the UK cards WAS actually included in the US version of BLUE when it was first released. It didn't have a PIN function though.

That was back in 1999 or thereabouts, when BLUE was just out.

That was back when the card came with a reader device that plugged into your computer, and a bunch of other techno-stuff.

They ultimately switched it to the RFID chip that mine has now, instead.

Just a bit of useless trivia.