http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
I also find it hard to imagine the practicality of adding a camera to an eReader; these devices are rather bulky or large, and using it as a camera doesn't seem realistic. Maybe a cellphone camera, that will sync it to your eReader. ]]>Feb 1st 2010 10:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
This type of thing is all over the place in Japan.

Sure beats having to type stuff in.]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
1. Modify a barcode with a marker pen
2. Figure our which URL the modified barcode points to
3. Host some malware at that address

These things scare me for the same reason that URL shortening services scare me: I don't know what I'm clicking on until it's too late.]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 9:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
@jgpuff: There are about a thousand ways to obscure a URL, so whatever sense of security you get from clicking on a non-shortened URL is completely false.]]>Feb 1st 2010 10:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 10:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
I agree with you about security. Imagine if the code was plastered at bus stops for a legitimate reason... then a person could slap a sticker over the code with their own malicious one. I think the issue could be solved, but would require a method of redirection that is resolved at a central host.]]>Feb 1st 2010 11:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
Enlighten me please, tonicboy!]]>Feb 1st 2010 12:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 2:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.microsoft.com/tag/content/overview/]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 9:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 11:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 2:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
Other advantages include:

1- Analytics
2- Scalability
3- Customization (color, bw, logos, pictures0

]]>Feb 1st 2010 2:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code have the data (url, contact, etc.) encoded in the barcode so you don't need a third party or internet connection to obtain the info.

The Microsoft barcodes need to connect to a Microsoft run server to get the data. The Microsoft barcodes are only "data identifiers" like tinyurl links.]]>Feb 1st 2010 9:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/28/mits-bokode-tech-calls-out-zebra-stripes-qr-codes-for-battle-o/

Bokode for the win!]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 10:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
CueCats were attached to PC and were really for people too lazy to type a website.

This is supposed to be for cameras on phones, that are sometimes a pain to type with.]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
And QR Code has a little advantage. It's not required to be printed in color.

I don't see why anyone should be required to pay for color printing just for a "bar code"...

Just another "great innovation" from MS...]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
MS didnt say they were revolutionizing anything.

It's just a service that hasn't taken here in the US. Maybe this one will take better? Or should we just go without?]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Not everything has to be about innovation. If that were the case, they'd be in R&D forever creating new innovations.
Sometimes, big corporations are also about a little thing called money.

Grow up and welcome to the real world troll.]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
The Microsoft Tag doesn't have to be colour--it works in black and white too. It encodes slightly more information and can be made more visually attractive (so as to look less like a "barcode").

...however, QR codes have a good head start. It'll be interesting to see how this pans out.]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.microsoft.com/tag/content/overview/
the code can also be printed in black and white, so no need for color apparently.]]>Feb 1st 2010 9:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
Now, mass market codes like on the back of serial boxes maybe not...but in terms of usage they are being used strictly for mobile at the moment (In android anyways)]]>Feb 1st 2010 2:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 2:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 2:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/OR, point to a Cadbury Chocolate, the phone recognizes it and displays all the relative info and shows the shop nearest to you on Ovi maps which sells it. Pretty cool!

I've tried Tag though and it worked quite well on my iphone. The things with this kinda tech is that the more ppl that use it, the better it gets and ppl tend to poo-poo it if not 100% all the time.]]>Feb 1st 2010 9:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
My first reaction was that since this uses 4 colours it will be much more expensive to print than the traditional one-colour black barcode, but it seems that it works in black and white as well which is cool.

Seems you can enter a vcard directly and create a code. Nice in order to save business cards to your smartphone!]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
I've been using Tag for about a month now. I put a tag on the back of my business card. it is a great way to catch people's interest and sends them directly to my groups site.

I'm always looking for tags and really makes my phones camera seem less novel. ]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://xn--malmpeeps-37a.se/imgboard-img/63e23a058c289a71f81cb81478c51882.jpg

The fact that they're black and white also means you can use colors to draw things and the reader will "see through" the colors]]>Feb 1st 2010 9:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
The thing I hate the most is adding contacts to my phone so if this automates this, I'll be very glad!!]]>Feb 1st 2010 9:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 10:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 8:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/
I've been using Tag for about a month now. I put a tag on the back of my business card. it is a great way to catch people's interest and sends them directly to my groups site.

I'm always looking for tags and really makes my phones camera seem less novel.

]]>Feb 1st 2010 8:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/QR codes look nicer, they work well and Microsoft is just stealing other people's ideas.

*sigh*

They are all just variations on the original barcodes from the 70s. If MS were "stealing" anything then let the supposed "OP" claim infringement. God knows companies aren't shy about such these days.

And use either type of tag if you want, it's just a barcode for crying out loud.]]>Feb 1st 2010 9:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/microsoft-tag-makes-a-video-appearance-still-seeking-popularity/Feb 1st 2010 9:48AM