NFC sees future disappear in a Tag NFC pioneers Tikitag has admitted working on a printed version of their NFC starter kit, and is even hoping to talk to Microsoft about standardising the technology around the software giant's Tag product. NFC is designed to allow mobile phones to pick up data from nearby unpowered sources, and has been pushed hard by mobile …
These look like an interesting alternative to QR-Code, which is currently the best choice for that sort of thing. The increased information density is nice.
However QR-Code has a published, free-to-implement spec, has a large market footprint already (in Japan to be fair, but it's on most phones there and all over posters etc.), and as it's black and white is a cheaper alternative for your "last minute gig tickets", both for printing costs and licensing.
Not holding my breath on this.
wow, where to begin with reasons why not to use microsofts attempt at inventing a 2d-barcode. Oh i know, lets start with that its tied to microsofts servers, and you can bet they will start charging for this just as soon as possible. not to mention the piles of existing, free to use systems that have existed for years, like QR Code (used extensively on japanese mobile phones, and now an ISO standard), or data matrix (seen on many parcels and envelopes and on product labels) to name but a few. all of which have higher data densities and a complete lack of vendor lock in.
A short reaction from the tikitag team to clarify our exact plans:
tikitag is an online identification service using identification technologies to launch the right action at the right moment for the right user. tikitag uses RFID and selected the type compatible with Near Field Communication, being integrated into mobile phones. The tikitag network service on itself is technology agnostic, and therefore we can add more identification technologies over time making use of the tikitag service.
To make it clear:
1. We are not dropping RFID/NFC at all, even more, we are enriching and extending the functionalities for RFID/NFC continuously.
2. We will be launching 2D barcode functionalities on February 15th. We believe RFID/NFC and 2D barcode are complementary and depending on the application one will be preferred over the other: trade off between cost, usability and required security.
3. The tikitag interface to configure tags will remain the same and you will be able to select whether you want to link an application to an RFID/NFC tag or have a 2D barcode created. This is unique! For 2D barcodes, this will only be able to initiate URL based applications.
4. The Microsoft tag is another identification technology which could become linked with the tikitag service, however no such plans exist today.
We invite the Register team to contact us on info(at)tikitag.com for more information.
So...... there is an ISO standard, in the form of QR Code, and now Microsoft wants to replace the open standard with its own proprietary "standard", for its own commercial purposes rather than for philanthropy or for the good of Mankind?
I see.
What goes around, comes around - when the ISO standard ODF (Open Document Format) became a target for Microsoft, who wanted to supplant it by bludgeoning key standards organisations into supporting its own "standard" (ha!) OpenXML, who would have believed that they would manage to pull this stunt off?
Still, anyone's support is guaranteed if you pay them enough... :-(
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
