July 13, 2006
Microsoft and RFID
With news about Microsoft's European Union fine - to the tune of over 350 mil, I'm wondering what they can do to turn around their ailing shares. Over on sister site VoIP Now, we wondered about Microsoft's involvement with VoIP. Can they get their name associated with that potentially lucrative market? What about RFID? How interested is Microsoft in RFID?
Microsoft has been toying with RFID for a while. It looks like they've made a solid decision and have made a solid play for the RFID industry with the R2 version of their BizTalk Server 2006 software. R2 will have features for developing and managing RFID software. Related to R2's RFID capabilities, Symbol Technologies started trials of DSPI (Device Server Provider Interface), which will connect to R2.
Other projects that Microsoft has become involved in is an RFID Partner Council of 60 vendors. Microsoft and several other large companies are preparing guidelines for the use of RFID in consumer products. They also recently inked a deal with Paxar, involving the company's RFID printer. Their Microsoft India Development Center has an on going project codenamed Qubani, and a resulting RFID product is expected out by Q4 this year.
A number of other RFID-involved companies are developing solutions that are based upon Microsoft's .NET technology. Over on Microsoft Canada's website is a list of their RFID Jumpstart partners. Finally, there is the RFID Developer Center, to provide for other companies that want to develop RFID solutions over Microsoft technology.
So evidence would suggest that Microsoft is fairly serious about RFID and is covering a lot of bases. My guess is that we'll start hearing the real results of these projects in Q1 2007. Whether they'll help Microsoft's shares is anyone's guess.
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