Tikitag promises to bring RFID tags to everything

The Alcatel-Lucent-backed Tikitag sure has managed to keep a low profile until now, but it looks to have made quite a splash at the DemoFall conference this week, where it showed off its RFID tagging system that's apparently set to go into public beta in less than a month. The system, which Tikitag confidently boasts will "build the internet of things," promises to let you add an RFID tag to anything you like and associate it with a webpage or application -- for instance, a business card that links to page with all your social networking information or, less usefully, a cube that you can use to control iTunes. Intrigued? You'll apparently be able to pick up the Tikitag reader and ten tikitags for $50 on October 1st, with boxes of 25 tikitags also available for those looking to get a little more ambitious.

[Via CNET Webware]

[Zinger314 @ Sep 8th 2008 5:41PM]

I want a RFID tag on my girlfriend's panties, so I know where they've been.

[dukeman @ Sep 8th 2008 5:47PM]

Do you want someone to hack your girlfriend's panties?

[Apple Rep. @ Sep 8th 2008 6:00PM]

im already working on iPwnPanties
shazzzam!
:)

[Bill1016 @ Sep 8th 2008 6:29PM]

That will probably be Version 2.0: Tikitags with RFID and GPS. Good idea. I can see lots of uses, including the one you mentioned.

[Mark @ Sep 8th 2008 7:19PM]

Are you SURE you want to know where your girlfriend's panties have been? You might not like what you find out...

[Brad @ Sep 9th 2008 12:36AM]

@Bill####

Hi, this is Reality. Do you actually know what RFID tags are? They are not tracking devices. These are small, passive electronics. They have no power, they don't "track" anything.

Adding GPS would take this thing from being a $0.09 piece of cardboard an conductive ink to being a hundreds of dollars device. How's it going to be powered? What's it going to report to? What good is a GPS tagger that has to pass within a few feet of a reader?

I don't think you've thought you your "version 2.0" very well. I doubt very much these will even make it to 2.0

Incidentally, anyone who wants to play with RFID now can get a nice open-source kit from Phidgets. They have distributors across the planet.

http://www.phidgets.com/products.php?product_id=2002

Costs a little more, but you can do whatever you want with it.

[Wwhat @ Sep 9th 2008 4:24AM]

No, he was not serious, genius.

[SimonHL @ Sep 9th 2008 6:34AM]

That won't help you. I'll just ask her to leave them at home when she comes over.

[Stiv @ Sep 9th 2008 8:25AM]

They've been on my floor, that's where.

[Tpat @ Sep 9th 2008 9:17AM]

Ease up there....Brad

[Johan S @ Sep 8th 2008 5:43PM]

Make the tags cost a few pennies each and maybe we'll have a deal.

[iEye @ Sep 8th 2008 5:45PM]

Tool of the Devil!!!

[Guillermo @ Sep 8th 2008 5:46PM]

Can I scan credit cards with this thing?

[fieldcar @ Sep 8th 2008 5:53PM]

Not a chance!

[Wwhat @ Sep 9th 2008 4:25AM]

Possibly, there's only so much standards for RFID and if it's the same frequency range it might work, then of course it's time to start decrypting..

[quadrant @ May 9th 2009 10:22AM]

can you please contact me via youtube my username is quadrant2005 ive been trying to reach you after reading a comment you made on a rfid blog on the internet relating to a unit you had managed to pull rfid tag data from on pin 9 of the hero1s chip im hoping you might be able to help me please regards Richard

[Guillermo @ Sep 8th 2008 5:50PM]

Can I scan credit cards with this thing?

[fieldcar @ Sep 8th 2008 5:54PM]

Most Definitely!

[Justin B @ Sep 8th 2008 5:55PM]

No, but you MAY be able to double post.

[JMMGoalster @ Sep 8th 2008 5:56PM]

RFID != Mag Strip

[Podaman @ Sep 8th 2008 6:01PM]

I'm ready to ride fucking giants, Kunu.

[Bovellido @ Sep 8th 2008 6:02PM]

RFID is terrible. QR codes or a watermarks would work much better for these purposes.

[John @ Sep 8th 2008 6:12PM]

Ah, Engadget wouldn't be Engadget without the commenter that pooh-pooh's the article's subject in favor of a more obscure technology.


Bah, geek hipsters.

[Bovellido @ Sep 8th 2008 6:23PM]

QR codes are not obscure. They are in wide use across Japan and Europe. Watermarks are a less obnoxious, more secure version of QR codes.

Bah, herd followers.

[Valicore @ Sep 8th 2008 6:37PM]

QR Code rules, and it doesn't take any info in return!

[Wwhat @ Sep 9th 2008 4:27AM]

QR codes need to be seen to be scanned, quite a different thing than an RF device don't you think? Their uses don't overlap at all.

[Jack @ Sep 8th 2008 6:08PM]

tiki tiki tiki -- think of all the tiki related products

[Kirk @ Sep 8th 2008 6:10PM]

Cue Cat?

[John Ellenich @ Sep 8th 2008 6:12PM]

Except they were giving those away!

[ZapWiz @ Sep 8th 2008 6:11PM]

This looks interesting, but isn't is just a new form of CueCat?
How long until RadioShack is cramming these into every bag.
And the cuecat didn't require RFID, just a barcode.

[Eric @ Sep 8th 2008 6:33PM]

If these are cheap and unobtrusive, I can see myself investing in them for various tracking purposes.

And yes, I'm aware they don't track things, I meant to "keep track of." For loaning things out.

[Mark @ Sep 8th 2008 6:39PM]

As long as this isn't used for tracking PEOPLE..I'm fine...

[kccboy2004 @ Sep 8th 2008 8:38PM]

Mark, WE have been watching carefully how you seem to be getting more and more paranoid.

[Echo1 @ Sep 8th 2008 7:37PM]

Wonder how long before these things are use for hacking

person A walks by a person B with an RFID reader
Person B gets the code (if not encrypted, which is the majority of cases out there)
Person B walks to the actual control point and sticks this on the reader
Security comprised?

[jinto @ Sep 8th 2008 7:40PM]

So this can read but not write? could they one day be used to copy RF id tags?

[slickfish @ Sep 8th 2008 7:41PM]

Think the tiki name might have copyright issues! ;)

http://www.lawas.co.nz/LINKS/tikipage.htm

[H4MM3R @ Sep 8th 2008 8:05PM]

Tikitag

Tagikit :)

[Ryansway @ Sep 8th 2008 8:30PM]

So they're selling cheap passive RFID sticky tags (NOTHING NEW) cheap passive RFID readers (NOTHING NEW) the RFID code links to a web page (NOTHING NEW). Stealing the word "Tiki" from New Zealand (NOTHING NEW).

Its good to see Alcatel-Lucent investing money in pink elephants. What next guys, the light bulb?

[Mile @ Sep 8th 2008 9:52PM]

Troof! I've been stealing the word "Tiki" from New Zealand for years now!

[RIUM+ @ Sep 8th 2008 9:29PM]

I wonder if these are easily customisable? We could definitely do with some of these at work. We're constantly shifting folders between people's desks and are always having trouble tracking who has what bundles of paper, so an RFID tag in each of the 30-ish folders that get reused and a reader to automatically mark their location at each of the 10 locations they could be would be an absolute boon to us, if it's reasonably priced, which it sounds like these are. But only if it has a published open standard that we can use to integrate into our tracking software.

[midpatiencedle @ Sep 8th 2008 10:09PM]

My addition to the paranoia...The Magellan's Catalog sells wallets and passport covers that supposedly prevent your RFID chip from being read by anyone in close proximity with a chip reader. These chips are coming....it's inevitable. And, coming soon to a grocery store near you, one day RFID chips will be in everything you buy. Along with that, the stores will install floor scanners. You won't need to put your groceries on the belt. Just roll your cart over the floor scanner and everything in your cart will be scanned instantly. Then you scan your RFID card in the machine and you're on your way. But, who will bag the groceries??? Oh, wait. You're supposed to BYOB (bring your own bags) from home. All those plastic bag makers are out of a job along with most of the cashiers at the check out stand. Progress....ain't it great??

[Roy @ Sep 8th 2008 11:05PM]

Does anyone know if this can be used as a login/logout for Windows Systems? it would be great to be able to login to my computer without having to type in my 16 letter long password.

[todd @ Sep 9th 2008 11:09AM]

Get the book RFID Toys, it has how to turn the phidgets kit into a login device

[Wwhat @ Sep 9th 2008 4:31AM]

And you think walking around transmitting your password to any poling device is secure? And yet you use a long password, let me guess, your password is 'Administrator Roy'

[SubmitToFear @ Sep 9th 2008 2:22AM]

- this can be used to track documents in offices. i could use that. we'd buy that.
- or track high price items in ones home. no one writes down insurance numbers, but now you might just be able to actually put a sticker on them, with all the information right on it. read it once, and theirs your life's inventory. thats something to give to your insurance company just in case. renter's insurance? artist series stickers! threadless? ANYONE?
- put these things on food. just walk right out the door with em' on, tally it up faster. use a freakin' metal detector or somethin'. get creative people. this stuff sounds pretty cool.
- replace barcodes on rental cars, use them to track luggage in airports, tie one to a credit card and speed up shopping purchases or something (press a keypad and your done?), put those chips into credit cards and swipe them differently (i hate those keypads!). debating the evils is funny, but seriously, this is fucking sweet.

and that whole trackin people thing isn't gonna work. your really only afraid of convience/THE FUTURE.

gimme a jetpack.

[Wwhat @ Sep 9th 2008 4:33AM]

You have to have a reader in close proximity (less than a foot probably) to power them up and read them, that sort of defeats all your scenarios doesn't it.

[Wwhat @ Sep 9th 2008 4:34AM]

Oh and obviously they can't be encased/shielded by metal during that read.

[Kei @ Sep 9th 2008 7:38AM]

if these could like be used to open a door that would be freaking awesome!

[Chad @ Sep 9th 2008 9:44AM]

Wouldn't be too hard. Put one in every pair of shoes you have, put the reader in a door mat at your front door (waterproofed if necessary) and have the computer it's connected to trigger a solenoid that releases the door latch.

[Grindboy @ Sep 9th 2008 7:43AM]

It would be nice to pick a CD case out of your physical collection, drop it on your table and have your home entertainment system play the album. You could even do it with playlist! Yes I know Surface does that (or could do) but Surface is so bloody expensive!