8 ms·
How Microsoft mobile tags are killing QR codes
- wccrawford 16y agoI used QR codes to get data (usually text or URLs) onto my phone all the time. I've never once thought about using a 'ms mobile tag' instead. And I don't know anyone who has. The death of QR is being greatly exagerated.
- kenjackson 16y agoBut if you saw an MS tag, or Mobile Tag, or ATT Tag would you say, "Screw that, where's the QR Tag?". Probably not. You'd just scan it too. No one really cares what the tag technology is as long as it works.
- cgranade 16y agoThat's just the point: it doesn't just work. My phone has Zebra Crossing (Google's open-source barcode reader), which scans everything from UPCs to QR Codes to Data Matrix... but not Microsoft Tag or AT&T's mobile tag format. Given that I am not keen on the idea of installing three new apps for these various proprietary tag formats, it doesn't just work. Instead, I have to recognize it's in a non-standard format, find/download the right app, etc. That's a big pain for something that already works quite well.
- kenjackson 16y agoIt's a day for someone to add all three of the formats listed on that page to Zebra Crossing. Now people may not want to do it for political reasons, that's fine. But I have no empathy for that. If I had an Android phone, I'd do it myself.
- slay2k 16y agoRight, and where exactly will you get both the specs and license for reading proprietary MS Tag codes ?
- ghurlman 16y agoI have not once ever felt the need to scan a QR code to "learn more" - and it's not because of incompatible code types.
- rksprst 16y agoWhile that's true, that might change and Sharesquare is betting on that. It's still too early to tell where this market might end up (in the US). In Japan it's as common as putting your website on an ad or business card.
- X-Istence 16y agoOr, you can put a QR Code on a business card that represents a valid vCard, such as what I have done: http://i.imgur.com/HpbLO.png http://i.imgur.com/HpbLO.png This allows someone to grab their mobile phone, scan the QR code and save the information to their address book. Now if they lose the card they still have my information on their smartphone. I handed out many such cards at Black Hat and DefCon and they were a huge success with people.
- njharman 16y agoA while aback people, like you, said very similar thing when displaying your www addresses started getting popular. "I have never felt the need to type in an URL to "learn more"" I'm real fucking glad those people were ignored. I hope you are too.
- tedunangst 16y agoA number of differences. 1) I don't recall all that many people complaining about URLs, not like people ignoring QR codes. 2) I don't actually type URLs in that frequently, I search. 3) I can see a URL and remember it to visit later. Good luck seeing a QR tag in the subway and reconstructing when you get home. 4) The kicker. Can you name a company that based their entire business model on putting URLs on posters?
- jodrellblank 16y ago
- mildweed 16y agoif Android and Apple both integrate QR code scanning into their native camera apps, this problem would be solved.
- ENOTTY 16y agoQR code scanning is also available in Google Goggles.
- calloc 16y agoQuickmark does an amazing job as a QR Code scanner on the iOS platform. Would being built in be awesome? Sure, but this app is the next best thing.
- jokermatt999 16y agoIt's not first party, but Barcode Scanner is very much a standard app for Android.
- daleharvey 16y agothe difference between first party and a popular app is pretty huge, I have always been confused at why they dont just bundle barcode scanner, it was originally built by google to be included
- thinkcomp 16y agoWe chose to use Code 128-C one-dimensional barcodes--the same kind the United States Postal Service uses for Media Mail ZIP+4 routing--for our payment system (http://www.facecash.com http://www.facecash.com) because they're cheap and easy to read. I can't imagine why anyone would want to use Microsoft Tag. Normal barcodes have done quite well since their introduction in the 1960s.
- mayank 16y agoOut of curiosity, have you had any legal trouble with Facebook, given that they've trademarked "Face" and associated common nouns?
- thinkcomp 16y agohttp://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=102338 http://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=102338
- deleted 16y ago[deleted]
- dfox 16y agoMicrosoft Tag is complete application built on top of their proprietary symbology, which is part of the problem, because the tag itself does not bear information, it's only reference into some "highly scalable and flexible architecture". And for that, Code 128 might be better solution than their proprietary colorful triangles :) By the way, we use Code 128-A with base32 encoding for our convention registration system as to simplify the situation when code cannot be read by reader and has to be typed in manually (on the basis that it is less error prone to type two five character blocks of base32 than significantly longer decimal number).
- wazoox 16y agoDon't worry, QR Code took over the rest of the world already.
- gcb 16y agogreat analogy about the codes being like URLs. those tags are like the AOL keywords of yesterday. No matter how much they advertise it on TNT, it's dead.
- juiceandjuice 16y agoMicrosoft - Rebranding the wheel
- albertsun 16y agoI really don't understand at all. What's Microsoft's interest in pursuing an alternative format to the QR code? What could they possibly gain from it?
- Joakal 16y agoThe same reason they tried to establish MSN as the only Internet there is.
- shadowfox 16y agoAnd what was that reason?
- sorbus 16y agoControlling the system people use allows more opportunities to profit. It's the exact same basis that almost every corporation operates on: control what people are using so that you can monetize them (either by charging them directly, or charging other corporation who want to reach them, or both).
- pedalpete 16y agoI suspect that there are business infrastructure tools with custom capabilities associated with the tags. Creating the tags may be free, but it doesn't say that getting the available features is.
- X-Istence 16y agoAll of the tags are pointing towards a URL they control, and it is a 301 redirect ... you get massive amounts of data for future ad campaigns that way.
- marshray 16y agoThis claim that Microsoft's custom tags are "killing" other codes seems a little weird to me when I don't recall ever having seen one in the wild.
- mgalica 16y ago"Trying to kill" would have been more apt I suppose. They're pouring tons of money into getting placements in women's mags. Which would also explain why most of us haven't yet seen one.
- X-Istence 16y agoThe biggest issue I see with the Microsoft tags is that the colours are blindingly annoying. For some reason my eyes try to blend the colours together and it gives me a headache. I don't have any such problems with QR Codes.
- ja27 16y agoI've never seen a Microsoft tag in the wild either. I've seen QR codes in almost a dozen places. Most of those were a Google Places link, but a local history museum uses them for links to an audio tour at each exhibit.
- JamieEi 16y agoHere's what Microsoft says: Microsoft Tag vs. Other 2D Codes Linking real-world objects to deeper experiences on mobile phones started in Japan with QR Codes. Microsoft Tag provides a next-generation solution that offers many useful improvements. Tag is an end-to-end system that provides many capabilities beyond simply opening a URL, and is built upon a highly scalable and flexible architecture. The Tag system uses a cloud-based back-end that provides access to data that just isn’t possible with earlier QR codes, such as reporting on how frequently and where your Tags are being scanned. In addition, Tags allow you to dynamically change your data source – unlike other 2D codes that are associated with a single, permanent URL, Tags can be updated as frequently as you like to point to new websites, allowing you to reuse campaign materials. Tags can be created in a much smaller size and can be read faster and under a wider range of lighting conditions. Tags can also be customized to your brand’s specific look and feel, creating visually exciting codes that enhance your message and brand. Learn more about creating Custom Tags. The Tag Reader application runs on all major phone platforms, and unlike older formats, every Microsoft Tag can be read by every Tag Reader, so there is no consumer confusion from incompatible solutions. Tags just work. http://tag.microsoft.com/overview.aspx http://tag.microsoft.com/overview.aspx
- slay2k 16y ago"every Microsoft Tag can be read by every Tag Reader, so there is no consumer confusion" Hah, yes, much like every ActiveX-enhanced website could have been viewed by every IE6 browser. There certainly won't be any consumer confusion, what with none of the top barcode scanning apps supporting MS Tag and all.
- gvb 16y ago...and like "Plays For Sure." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_PlaysForSure http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_PlaysForSure
- nlawalker 16y agoAmusing aside - on iPhone, Tag Reader will automatically detect and scan the tag when you hold it in front of the lens. On Windows Phone 7, you have to press the "Scan" button to open the camera, turn off the flash (because it's on Auto by default, and unless the surroundings are very bright, taking a photo of something that close will trigger the flash and the tag will be washed out), snap a picture, and then wait a couple seconds to see if the app can read the tag. If it can't, you have to press "try again," where you get to go back to the camera, turn the flash off again, and try once more.
- motters 16y agoAs far as I know the Microsoft tags are patented, but the patents on the datamatrix codes lapsed in 2007, so that they can be freely used for any purpose without battles over royalties.
- ivan_ah 16y agoThough I agree that proprietary bar-codes are a no-no, I am not sure why QR codes are to be picked as the basis of a universal standard as opposed to datamatrix. The two pictures shown on the right appear to be datamatrix barcodes....
- nlawalker 16y agoFor all of the "unique features" offered by each format, they all have the same primary feature in common, which is that they are primarily plastered on ads and take people with enough free time on their hands to scan them to yet more ads. Fragmentation isn't killing QR codes, businesses like ShareSquare are killing QR codes. Mobile tags/QR codes/whatever will have more potential when people stop thinking of them as a way to take users to a webpage or show them something and start using them as a way to help users accomplish things. Show me a tag that adds a movie to my Netflix queue, adds a friend on Facebook or to a contact list, or puts a memo on my calendar.
- mgalica 16y agoHere's an invite so you can make your own: bit.ly/ShareSquare. We're initially focused on allowing artists to better connect with their audience (by experiencing their music, downloading content, Liking on FB, etc) but I think you'll be inspired by some of the available functions, like running an Instant Win campaign. More on the way of course.
- X-Istence 16y agoI've already posted this comment, and it seems apt to put it here as well since it helps the user accomplish something: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2261163 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2261163
- kenjackson 16y agoI can't imagine its hard to implement all of them on a device. Let the vendors decide which ones they want and the customers choose which they view as most valuable.
- jzila 16y agoWhile the article has a point, I don't like the misleading headline of this post. It went from what it should be, "Competing Implementations are Slowing 2D Barcode Adoption", to the blog post's slightly more sensational "How Microsoft, Mobile Tag, and AT&T are Killing Consumer QR Code Scanning In Utero", to this post's "How Microsoft mobile tags are killing QR codes". Please try to phrase your headlines a little less sensationally, instead capturing the essence of the article.
- corin_ 16y agoCan you imagine an internet with hyperlinks that only work on Windows computers? Nope, I love the internet just as it is, with all its hyperlinks that only work on Windows.
- X-Istence 16y agoI decided to see what it would take for me to create a very simple "tag" that I could use to direct visitors to my personal website. Note I didn't adequately document my steps before writing this post, so it is from memory. 1. Go to the Microsoft tag website: http://tag.microsoft.com/ http://tag.microsoft.com/ 2. Click the tag manager 3. Log in with your live id 4. Consent to a bunch of terms 5. Click create 6. Follow the steps to create 7. Click render 8. Accept more stuff: http://tag.microsoft.com/resources/implementationguide.aspx http://tag.microsoft.com/resources/implementationguide.aspx 9. Get a PDF of your new tag The URL for managing your tags is called "ManageAds.aspx". Then looking at the implementation guide we find this little gem: "Because the idea of scanning bar codes with a mobile phone camera is fairly new to most people, Microsoft requires you to provide basic instructions near each Tag that explain to users how to download and use the Microsoft Tag Reader application. [...]" Instead with QR codes I go to http://zxing.appspot.com/generator/ http://zxing.appspot.com/generator/ generate a tag, and place it where ever I want. None of my visitors first get redirected through a Microsoft website/URL which looks like this: http://rs.tag.microsoft.com/U5SS544JBBGQWZDY5SO3SJJIX346OUSE.aspx?Level=1&VID=5%2B0%2B0&afid=0&TH=_exokqW8DE19hOgWheA%24&CS=U8&PL=qqEVoS0iWnsgtvRRahUwDpOP3lT4xjm1ZQhbA1v%2B33Y_XTYDgevcIqCcZPkuEjELB_S2dmR7FAfr_dAU7ZpsqHgSe3FE77BcYAwWfau1zELNpxfdJk1Vein5v3cjXUd7%2BOHZPti%2BEtwgRV8TLufSDUotLWae4rA4wq5i1EErTH1B89lyMg%24%24 If I want to provide redirect features I can use a QR code that points to example.net/qr-code-poster and have it redirect anywhere in the world. I am still unsure as to why I would ever want to use Microsofts tagging stuff when clearly the user experience with QR codes is much simpler, AND I have more control over the content of the tag, and I can't just have a tag shutdown at the whim of a corporation if that is what it came down to.