At CES, Microsoft has introduced its second iPhone app after dipping its toe with the release of Seadragon Mobile last month. The name of the application is Microsoft Tag, and it enables users to instantly access mobile content, videos, music, contact information, maps, social networks, promotions, etc. simply by pointing the device’s camera to a custom tag.
If this makes you think about the principle behind QR codes, you’re not the only one. Like QR codes, Microsoft Tags are unique two-dimensial codes that can be used to open URLs or multimedia files. The big difference is the tech behind it: Microsoft Tag is based on a whole new technology developed in-house by Microsoft Research called High Capacity Color Barcodes (HCCBs), and offers a significant twist.
Microsoft Tags are smaller than QR codes and uses triangle shapes and colors to store data instead of square pixels. Actually, Microsoft Tags doesn’t actually store any information, except for a unique ID which can fetch more data stored on Microsoft servers. This allows way more information to be attached to tags than with QR codes.
Microsoft Tags are available for the iPhone as well as Windows Mobile, J2ME, Blackberry, and Symbian S60 phones. The application can be accessed by visiting Gettag.mobi using your mobile phone browser; for the iPhone, search for ‘Tag Reader’ in the App Store.
(Thanks to Neowin for the heads up, image above found on istartedsomething)
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It’s the iCueCat!
Exactly what I was thinking!
Doomed to fail.
funny… i remember the cat. wasnt that a barcode mouse for your home computer?
MicroLocator.com - windows of opportunity
Except they had to give everyone a cuecat, which didn’t work. This uses the phones people already have. Of course it won’t really take off till this type of app comes standard on phones.
Perhaps a universal barcode reader app with a plug-in architecture for each type of barcode technology?
Kitten, maybe
This is funny, since I’ve already downloaded, played with, ignored and finally deleted SnapTell. And they don’t even require the goofy new barcodes. It’s a CueCat flashback, no question.
I have my cat right here, next to my Apple Newton on my shelf of obsolescence.
Very nice, but it makes you wonder why MSFT is trying to improve on an already existing solution that gives 90% of the functionality anyhow and which has broader reach
The answer is quite obvious:
One big difference between MSFT tags and QR codes, is that MSFT tags send information to MSFT servers on any and every such transaction: ” Actually, Microsoft Tags doesn’t actually store any information, except for a unique ID which can fetch more data stored on Microsoft servers.”
And this information, together with your mobile number or user id is VERY valuable. They can use it for profiling and for real time advertising. Very clever, and kinda’ evil, unless they allow you to opt out of storing any of this info on their servers.
I’m always a little suspicious when there is extra data availability/ease of flow with a “new” tech, especially when one firm is on both sides. What do you think the odds are that MSFT will disclose, muchless provide an opt out, this issue?
google japan already promote QR codes and google have a library for developers
http://code.google.com/p/zxing/
supports
UPC-A and UPC-E
EAN-8 and EAN-13
Code 39
Code 128
QR Code
most other people might like to actually use QR for something useful
http://www.semapedia.org/
SUN have promoted it for a while
have fun
John Jones
http://www.johnjones.me.uk
Actually, the application states very clearly when you install it “We don’t collect info that identifies you or enables anyone to contact you.” It pulls location info if your phone has a GPS, or uses cell tower info to figure out roughly where you are; that appears to be the extent of the targeting.
Thanx for this info. been trying to stay on top of QR code stuff…
Exactly what I thought. Cue Cat baby!!!!!
Did he really buy her dinner and Windows Vista for her birthday?
Yup. Which is why it took weeks to plan:
Buying flowers: 10 minutes
Getting tickets: 25 minutes.
Installing vista: timeless.
Have you *actually* ever installed Vista?
Anyway, congratulations on getting the most unfunny ignorant statement of the day award.
Ignore Haydur– I LOLed.
that video sure sold me.
This gives me a good idea for a painting
Didnt knew QR code was created way back in 1994 initially for tracking vehicle parts. Its interesting to see Microsoft once again setting their own standards…
So there is no use for it Today?
Both Seadragon and Tag are good iPhone apps but there are useless in real world. I wonder what MS is waiting for Mesh.app for iPhone. :\
It’s better than QR codes because phone camera can’t read QR codes well. The MS tag works much better with 1.3 mpex cameras. They waited for QR code to pick up but because their techology is flawed they came up with their own version.
The iPhone has a 2megapixel camera and most phones are coming with_at_least_2megapixels at this point. The void this new format fills will soon be moot, and reliance on MS servers makes it unappealing to developers and uncool to potential users.
Not to mention the fact that minting a tag currently costs nothing but MSFT reserves the right to change that in the future. This makes serious adoption stupid, unlikely, or both. Additionally, tags minted during the beta period are only guaranteed to work for two years. Compare with minting a URL and you’ll soon begin to see why MSFT Just Doesn’t Get It(TM).
If I pick up a magazine from 2009 in 2015 and I read a URL, there’s a pretty good chance it’s still accessible (if backed by a relatively reliable organization). If it’s a MSFT tag? Probably not.
This allows way more information to be attached to tags than with QR codes.
Huh? QR Codes can be just URLs (as this is) that link to other infomation. The benefit of QR Codes over this is that they contain way more information — you can put paragraphs of text or even simple audio files in there that can be accessed offline.
Am i missing something here? Tags printed on dead tree media? Would MS have to sell this to all the dead tree guy’s that are dead pooling? Would every Venue and Poster and Municipality (bus schedule) have to buy and tag their own stuff? Or is MS going to hire allot of people to sticker the world?
Verrrry nice.
verrrrrrrrrrry nice.
I typically find these comparisons between QR Code and CueCat facile and uninformed. CueCat required extra hardware, only worked at home (e.g. not when you’re in a store), the barcode format was proprietary, its contents meant nothing without a third-party server. These are not true of QR Code, so… the parallel just doesn’t go very far.
BUT, this format is (it seems?) proprietary, and again its contents are basically proprietary — doesn’t work without MSFT. So, in that respect, the parallel to CueCat is somewhat valid.
As a result one may ask, why not just use QR Code, or Data Matrix? the format might have some advantages but QR and DM work just fine already.
What are QR Codes? Who knows about them and how many people actually use them? Probably a handful of technology geeks like me who knows about them. I can guarantee that out of 10000 people, maybe one know what this is.
The other problem with QR Codes is that there was never a big push behind them. The concept that if something is open it will be successful is wrong without a push by a company that has the resources to put behind it.
That is why Microsoft’s technology has a chance of getting mainstream. Microsoft has the resources to put behind it. I looked for a marketing video about QR Codes like the one embedded in this post and could not find one. Say whatever you want, the Microsoft video is polished and will appeal the the general consumer as an educational video. Couple that with a push to get the codes out there by Microsoft (all ties in with their search technologies) and you have something that could potentially take off.
We constantly forget that most technologies do not make it not because of their viability but because of issues such as longevity, resources, and marketing. That is one thing that Microsoft does not have an issue with. I am certain that we will start seeing these codes come up in all of their applications as another method of sharing information visually.
Just my two cents…
Jim Z,
QR Codes are big in Japan and South Korea to some extent. It is highly used in marketing campaigns.
But like you, I don’t believe QR Codes will take over the world, neither Microsoft’s tags, I think there is much more interesting things to do with RFID chips or WiFi local networks.
Jerome
Jerome,
I think that there are many examples of technologies that work and thrive in other parts of the world and never take off in the United States or Europe. Many factors, more social than others, lead to this. Whether or not this takes off is strictly dependant on the push made by Microsoft. They obviously saw a way to improve on technology that did not succeed in the US and decided to go with it.
As far as RFID goes, you are right in that you can do more with it but it also has a huge technological barrier. I own an apparel factory and we have been going on 4 months now just getting RFID done right on price tickets (not even woven into the clothes yet). Combine that with the equipment cost, and RFID becomes less effective in its ability to be embedded everywhere.
I just tried the Microsoft Tag technology and I must admit that it is easy as hell to create a tag, publish it, and then track it. And, it works very well with the crappy iPhone camera. So technically, it looks good but now lets see how well it will be pushed out there.
Jim
I am happy to see Microsoft using a .mobi to promote a mobile technology, no matter what public opinion is of their project.
Bravo, the first clever app I’ve seen form MS in ages. Now let’s hope that they don’t make the server side (data) only workable from their server products. A open API would show that they mean it with their new trend of openness.
Then I want a MS Tag on every business card’s back, so you can ’scan’ peope right into http://www.getdoorbell.com
@peterurban
Seems MS is embracing the iPhone more and more these days, and this app sounds decently cool.
Bloggers All Over The World, support the appeal for an european diplomatic action in Middle East. http://lacomunidad.elpais.com/periodismo-global
its kinda funny that they just had to slip in the windows vista bit in there. Vista sucks get over it and make windows 7 awesome. Oh and this is destined to fail. no one pays attention to these small things and these codes are not used anywhere…. if they are i just haven’t noticed which also speaks volumes. i think its a neat idea but that is it. windows just push out the new xbox and the new OS and don’t worry about much else k.
Does this app read QR codes as well? It ought to.
Microsoft seems to have their finger in everywhere. With the launch of Windows 7 Beta and many other tie ups with other application providers, they have taken headstart over their rivals, if they exist.
I’m pretty impressed with how it works. I hope it becomes more popular.
Here is one that I generated:
http://tinyurl.com/9afynm
Overall, I think the timing of something like this is great. Sure, the CueCat failed miserably, but things have changed a lot since 2000, and the wide availability of phones with a camera and internet access could be a boon to tagging technology (no PS/2 cord required!)
I think it’s a great time for this type of product to debut and it could prove to be a killer app.
I’m very excited about the implications.
Wow, what a terrible video. Complete with early 90’s soundtrack no less. It’s just like those awful Seinfeld ads. I guess MS really would like to relive the halcyon days when Apples was in the crapper, Google didn’t exist, and the Justice Department was its biggest threat. Good times.
Microsoft Tags? Mah…people don’t know QR code! I think that the next future is RFID.
What advantage does RFID (or NFC) hold if the tag is being used as an identifier only without any usage being made of the tag’s memory?
Hmmm… how many RFID readers do you see people carry around . Everybody has a phone and almost every phone has a camera. If you think about a camera as a electromagnetic sensor that works within the visual range and a microphone as a audible range frequency spectrum sensor. The amount of data that can be gathered solely using these widely available sensor is huge and has not really been widely put to good use yet. RFID is cool but not really necessary just yet.
test comment
Until you use a phone that can handle the QR app correctly, you won’t know what the experience is. Add to that the environment where QR codes are everywhere and all of a sudden this simple application is magical.
This application is going nowhere other than the lab and a few lab rabbit’s that want to test it.
Once we start getting auto focus cameras on handsets, QR codes will dominate. Don’t waste your time on this app.
I like http://www.shotcode.com tags much better. They are not horrible to look at and self explanatory. They also work on the same principle of key - value data retrieval. And most importantly don’t require the horrible logo of a mobile phone to understand.
Hope that MS did their homework and checked out other applications of barcodes subjected to weather.
The American Association of Railroads had a similar idea:
“”KarTrak” (see US Patent 3225177 and US Patent 3417231). Car labeling and scanner installation began on October 10, 1967. It took seven years before 95% of the fleet was labeled. For many reasons, the system simply did not work and was abandoned in 1975.
This is great. While I think the B&W tags look better, High Capacity Color Barcodes (HCCBs) are needed in today’s information age. Just made one! Cheers
Well it works better on the iPhone than the QR readers that I wasted $3 on.
The ultimate tagging solution should be decentralized and preferably with open source tag capturing clients. The tags should also be nice to look at , ideally it should be possible to design custom tags. Microsoft tag is none of the above.
Is it me or does this seem kind of useless? It’s totally impractical to add a tag on everything you see in the real world (posters, signs, etc.) Isn’t the problem already solved by just googling for a keyword you see on the sign?
Maybe but goggling works best with very specific keywords, and its not the point the idea is to link objects not search for object. It helps to think about it as a DNS that translates images to urls.
I think while RFID and smart tag have common applications, both can also have distinct applications. RFID can b for automation while tags can b info retrieval.
Microsoft Tags seem more convenient, and tags aren’t just URLs. They could also contain a phone number, address, etc. Typing in all that stuff is a bit time consuming. Why should I help Google profit by searching around, when I can just do a quick scan on it?
I know the G1 has an app where you can scan a barcode for information. Nobody complains about that.
The ultimate tagging solution should be decentralized and preferably with open source tag capturing clients. The tags should also be nice to look at , ideally it should be possible to design custom tags. Microsoft tag is none of the above.
QR Codes as art in a Pet Shop Boys video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7TSDUHhPIw
“Creating tags is easy, and during our beta, free!”
Its not unexpected, but MS has not made the tag creation software open source so you can integrate tag creation into your own apps. It is easy to use…
Android reads QR codes. It will be interesting to see if there is any competition. There is no one driving QR penetration here, so MS will likely get a great push with their cash, but I wonder if there will be a pushback because of MS control.
The MS promo is similiar to some of the QR code commercials in Japan you can find on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxFR6r-Dqk4
see http://www.shotcode.com
eveyone knows that prepaid is better see for yourself http://www.thenoz.wordpress.com
i think this is great. agreed on the hope that MS doesn’t charge a crazy tax for info storage on their servers or require me to embrace .NET. on its own a huge opportunity for more robust (and truly multi-media) information access
i agree, i have to say that it works incredibly well
wow, Microsoft jumped in to phone too after Google. They must have seen good profit in phone business.
Microsoft’s been working on this for a LONG time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Live_Barcode
Well, one thing I’ve noticed with QR Codes is that they have to be big enough for a phone camera to get enough detail. the iPhone in particular needs a pretty large QRCode to get any data, but with this they can be tiny and blurry, but it can still decoded right. However, I still dont like that it’s tied to Microsoft. It’s funny, my feelings would actually be different if it was someone like Google…
“However, I still dont like that it’s tied to Microsoft. It’s funny, my feelings would actually be different if it was someone like Google…”
Yay! There’s the old Google bias. Let’s hate on Microsoft and trust all our data with Google.
I think both ShotCode & Tag suffer from the same issue. They only contain a lookup code and require a backend server to deliver the data, which is the ultimate lockin. How much do you trust that vendor and how much do you have to pay that single conduit? Then when servers go down?
QR codes can hold more data, and it can be extracted and acted upon without having to retrieve anything from a third party. Plus its free and some POS scanners can decode them. Hopefully the phone camera technology can improve to reduce the size of the code needed.
It would be interesting to see if Google responds by pushing QR , embracing Tag, or both.
Here’s my wonderful new QR code replacement: URLs. Simply put a URL in your advert. Customers have a choice of:
1) Remembering the URL for later (no tech required, wow!)
2) Typing it into their phone
3) Snap a picture of it, use an OCR application to read the URL and open the browser at the right place.
Option (3) would be a really useful iphone app to have right now. Are there any programs that do such a thing?
You have an excellent idea Ben. It would have the same effectiveness and reuse existing infrastructure.
Had goggle did the same, everybody would have said wow.
I think this has created a decent response but I do agree about what you say, same with Apple had they announced this at MacWorld people would be going wild
i like the stuff I found at http://www.thenoz.wordpress.com
More than just the image - pretty much your entire story - was taken from istartedsomething. The funny difference is that here it is pegged as “MS releases iPhone App” in the headline when actually it is an entire dev kit and works on almost all mobile platforms.
I could definitely see where this would be beneficial for websites or companies to provide a seemless relationship with their customers.
A website could offer a direct link to content on your phone. Like a video from youtube that you only had to aim yor phone at the screen to finish on the go. Or a link to an app or the mobile portal of a website.
Id like to see how it goes, the old cue cats that they gave out for free at radio shack were kinda cool(scan mountain dew bar code, end up at mountaindew .com) but a usb cat sitting next to the mouse was kindof silly.
oh and btw, the windows mobile installer says.
“This version of Microsoft Tag Reader can read the following bar code formats:
-Microsoft Tag
-More formats coming soon…”
So my vote is Yes there is a provider model in the works. +2 points for Microsoft
Adios, Tikitag.