NeoMedia Technologies, Inc (NEOM)

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DD: Microsoft to Plug and Play RFID

(no mention of cell phone, but that's next I guess... also, interesting comments from posters to this guys comments - see below)

http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2005Jul/gee20050707031243.htm

Windows gets compatible
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posted 10:31am EST Thu Jul 07 2005 - submitted by Matthew
NEWS


With RFID tracking starting to get popular, Microsoft has decided it would be a good idea to make Windows compatible with the technology. To this end MS aims to make RFID Plug and Play-compatible with its operating system, and showed some early results this week.

Scott Woodgate, Business Processes group product manager at Microsoft, stated that the company's aim is to get as many of the competing RFID implementations compatible with Windows as possible. It will do this by creating standard and non-standard solutions, meaning that, from the end-user perspective, most RFID systems will just plug in and work.

A pre-release version of the system was displayed at Microsoft's TechEd conference in Amsterdam this week. That release was based on Windows Server 2003, but Microsoft hasn't stated which versions of Windows will end up with RFID-compatibility.

Microsoft also signed a deal with Alien Technology, a provider of RFID technology, on June 5th. That deal will ensure that Alien's business RFID offerings will be compatible with Windows in the future.

Read more at Silicon.com and the Alien Technology press release.


MATTHEW'S OPINION

This makes perfect business sense for Microsoft. It was unclear how popular RFID was going to be due to the privacy issues involved, but uptake seems to be progressing nicely. Cue Microsoft to spot an expanding market and a chance to sell more copies of Windows by offering businesses a simple solution for implementing RFID.

With Microsoft's still-dominant position in the operating system market, this new compatibility will probably make the spread of RFID quicker and more widespread. Rather than businesses having to buy hardware and software solutions, vendors will start to offer Windows-compatible back-ends, with the RFID system just plugging in to existing PCs. This will also stop the technology from being just a tool for big business, with RFID coming within easy reach of pretty much any small business as well.

RFID is here to stay, and Microsoft wants to take advantage of the emerging market. There are still many privacy problems to overcome, but don't be surprised if you start seeing RFID tech in all your local shops sooner rather than later.





USER COMMENTS 12 comment(s)
$1 / chip (10:40am EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
I thought they cost $1 per chip but according to this they are down to 20c each. that may almost be affordable!

http://www.rfidgazette.org/2004/11/
rfid_costs_and_.html - by k2h
Microsoft (10:58am EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
Mr Bill Gates does allot for charity. i take back all the nasty remarks i made about him being greedy and stuff,bill gates is a good guy. - by King Tux
The real problem (10:58am EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
Privacy is a concern but the real issue that few people seem to want to talk about with RFID is reliability. Low cost RFID tags are as dumb as a rock. The supported communications protocols are rather simplistic and thus error prone, particularly in a long range, multi-tag application environment such as inventory control. Rapidly sweeping a store or warehouse for RFID tags without missing a significant percentage of the items is still a pipe dream. For a really accurate count, items must be scanned individually at close range so you might as well use barcode. - by JQP
What the heck? (11:02am EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
What does it mean that RFID is 'plug-and-play' compatible? Is Windows including an RFID reader?

This sounds more like a marketing move than an engineering move. RFID is becoming big business, so Microsoft announces that Windows is RFID plug-and-play compatible.

It is kind of like those 'MP3 ready' speakers. Nothing but marketing BS. - by BS police
he he he (11:36am EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
That’s it! Im making an RFID Jammer..
If MS is going to supports this tech there will be holes in it.
I bought a shirt last week that had a nice little RFID tag in a label. The label did have directions to remove it after sale...but WTF its a label! how many people actually read the labels on any clothing?.
What will stop some ass packing pedophile from tracking the RFID in your kids shoe....hmmm? besides distance and the availability of some very sensitive receiver equipment...
Not blood much!


- by EGadz
RFID Jammer / Sensitive receiver (12:41pm EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
It takes a lot of power to generate a sufficient magnetic field to activate a standard passive tag from long range. This stuff isn't magic, the laws of physics are still in play. Tracking an RFID tag in someone's shoe over a distance of more than a couple of feet (pun intended) is just not practical. - by JQP
RE JQP (1:53pm EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
You are some what correct on all counts, however with the advances in technology (listening) and the use of a specific interference pattern at the desired frequency (see EM harmonics) these RFID could be rendered useless...after all you only have to transmit a little louder than the RFID in a readable pattern acceptable to the reader device.
There is nothing mentioned here that is technologically unfeasible.
At the current time it is only impractical .
- by EGadz
MS RFID readers (2:49pm EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
Your post mentions Alien, but completely fails to point out that Microsoft has been working for years with the RFID reader manufacturer SAMSYS on several projects....Alien is the follower. Samsys readers are also being used for the RFID default software created by IBM and the have partnered with Oracle and others. The Samsys reader line was created with a global perspective in mind, so they are able to read all the tags, at all the frequencies currently regulated. The point is that the national standards and frequencies may be of equal importance to the physics for RFID to succeed. Microsoft, IBM, Oracle and others are well aware of the need to develop global-friendly software...this will likely be accomplished at the reader interface.

- by Redman
Performance vs Flexibility (3:22pm EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
A friend of mine was at TechEd in Amsterdam. Microsoft put RFID tags on the badge holders. He visited the Samsys booth and the Alien booth to have his tag read. He said the Samsys reader would only read his tag out to a foot from the antenna. The Alien reader was able to read out to 15 feet. Flexibility is great, but not if it means only 1 foot of read range. - by CJD
CJD (3:37pm EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
Sounds like your friend is paid to spread BS...please provide the type of reader with specs and the ability to read Gen2 tags...good luck though...time will tell. - by Redman
Re: Performance vs. Flexibility vs. Reliability (4:24pm EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
Longer read range is not necessarily better and can cause problems in certain situations. For example, suppose you're trying to read the tag from the item in your hand. You may read something but are you sure it was the item in your hand or one that was 15 feet away? This is a part of the reliability issue I mentioned above. As a result, RFID may ultimately prove to be virtually worthless for many of the problems it is currently expected to solve. - by JQP
Better check receit (7:44pm EST Thu Jul 07 2005)
Wonder why it seems like an item cost too much. Opps they caught that new game system someone on the next ile was buying instead of your soda. - by ouch