Microsoft: Tag It!
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News Commentary. Finally, Microsoft does something right in mobile. But success will take lots of marketing and customer engagement—and that might not even be enough. |
Today, Microsoft released the beta of Tag, which essentially is a mobile bar-code product/service. Microsoft makes it easy for just about anyone—and that means you and me—to create a Tag. The concept is simple: Each Tag represents some kind of information (typically a Web link) revealed when photographed with a cell phone's camera.
I was amused to see early, negative commentaries about Tag. Over at Silicon Alley, Eric Krangel's blog post refers to Microsoft Tag as "another useless iPhone app." He writes: "We're a bit skeptical on tagging: We've never seen a mobile tag, not sure if we'd be bothered to use one if we did, and think typing in a URL or web search is a pretty good way to find content on our mobile devices."
Like many other bloggers and journalists writing about Tag, Eric got sucked into the iPhone vortex. Over at TechCrunch, Robin Wauters joined Eric, calling Tag Microsoft's "second iPhone app."
While it's true that Tag is Microsoft's second iPhone application, the software/service supports multiple mobile operating systems. I downloaded Tag for my Nokia N96, which runs Symbian S60. From the Tag Web site, I entered my phone number and received a text message with a download link. The application correctly identified the phone as an N96 before installing.
Blogs and news stories focusing on the iPhone app say more about the writers than Microsoft. Are they all using iPhones? I sure wonder.
Over at ReadWriteWeb, Frederic Lardinois gives an excellent description of how Tag works before offering this skeptical assessment: "We have seen too many similar projects fail to be too optimistic about this one."
The pundits are all wrong, by the way. Tag is a smart software/service, whether or not it succeeds. I do believe Tag can succeed if Microsoft puts some marketing behind it, starting with tagging its own products, print advertisements and billboards.
Sure, there are lots of bar-code options out there, but traditional matrix ones are two-dimensional. Microsoft Research developed what the company calls "High Capacity Color Barcodes." According to the Tag Web site: "On many camera phones, you just have to aim the camera at the Tag—it is instantly recognized and you are whisked directly to the linked content."
On my phone, I launched Tag, which activated the phone's camera. I didn't need to take a picture. As soon as I pointed at the Tag, the application recognized the bar code and, for this one, whisked me to download the application. Slick.
What's right about Tag:
- Tag might as well be the poster product for Microsoft's software-plus-services strategy. You've got software on the phone connecting to Web services.
- Windows Mobile is an also-ran and will be at least until Microsoft releases a good Web browser for the operating system. There's no reason why the OS has to be the end-all of Microsoft's mobile strategy. The company should release compelling applications/services for all major mobile operating systems—and with extra benefits connected to other Microsoft products.
- Microsoft is a big seller of software to the small-business market, where the company offers point-of-sale products. Microsoft has put in the plumbing and means for creating Tag bar codes. The small business merely needs to use Tag and promote it.
- If there are any people with sense working for Microsoft, Tag will tap into Live Search and Microsoft's advertising platform. Why take the time to Google when you can Tag, simply by snapping a picture? Google search will tell you where something is, while Tag gives lots more information about the thing with the Microsoft bar code.
My mind boggles at the uses:
- A tagged pizza coupon in local ad circular could open a mobile Web site for ordering, with the discount already applied to the order.
- Jack Frost is running for class president. Tagged posters on bulletin boards throughout the school could provide information about his campaign, or video and audio clips.
- Somebody likes the music, but isn't sure what band is playing on the video monitor at the local American Eagle Outfitters or Tillys. A persistent Tag could provide the information and link to buy the song from the cell phone.
Oh, could I go on with ideas. Some advice to Microsoft:
- Put a Tag link on all your Web properties, particularly where there is social interaction. Make it easy for people to get to where they can create their own tags for Facebook, Windows Messenger, the blog or anyplace else.
- Place Tags everywhere you can—Web sites, advertisements, video games, etc., etc.
- Coordinate with major publishers to hold a "Tag It" contest that rewards people for Tagging.
- Make something useful out of that dumb "Softwear" store by offering people custom Tees with personalized Tags. If people want to know about you, they can snap a pic of your Tagged Tee to find out.
Microsoft could and should put some marketing muscle behind Tags, which have the potential to become a fad and from there the new standard for bar codes. The potential to succeed is great, but so is it to fail. So to you, Microsoft, I say: Tag, you're it!
[Please send your tips or rumors to watchtips at live.com].
Comments (24)
Actually that does sound pretty cool. If it runs on the three main platforms: iPhone, Blackberry and Symbian then it should get some adoption. Is this an open technology? Ie can anyone write such a thing. I guess the real work is in building the database of tags to websites, then allowing people to enter custom ones.
Posted by smist08 | January 8, 2009 10:40 PM
Joe;
I am forced to believe with "smist08" This sounds pretty cool.
I mean, some will no doubtfully use in some sort of an personal ID marking to protect their personal belongings in some for or another. Maybe I can bar-code the misses so when she is out shoping, people know where and whom she received her shopping money from -- Just joking, kind of...
Posted by Draoi Dubh | January 8, 2009 11:27 PM
I think they need to call it something different. "Tag" is too generic - it just means so many things to so many people that it will just get lost in the noise. When someone talks about Popfly or Knol or iTunes you know what they're talking about - in order for someone to know you're talking about this you need to prepend "Microsoft" onto it and I'm not sure that that is a good thing.
-Jamie
Posted by Jamie Thomson | January 9, 2009 1:49 AM
That sounds plain sexy.
Tag train/plane/bus tickets and get the latest departure info. etc.
I like it.
Would save me a lot of time. But before this kind of stuff becomes even remotely viable the mobile internet (at least in EMEA) needs to become a helluvalot cheaper.
Posted by Charlie | January 9, 2009 2:31 AM
This is the single most dumbest idea ive ever heard of. Really, are we all going to create tags to take us to websites we already have bookmarked or in our browser history??
Your idea of blogging Joe is becomming a joke. You are so far out of the mainstream of what real people actually do with computers.
Your blogging style is more and more a microsoft propaganda session now and not a genuine look at microsoft and its agenda.
And google is not microsoft and nor will they become it. Microsoft is the evil company that has broken the law and your constant linking google with the old microsoft shows just how out of touch you are and how much brain washing you have received from your masters microsoft.
This blog is fast becomming a farce.
Posted by KitKat | January 9, 2009 3:04 AM
I'm with Jamie. They should change the same. Tag has such a broad meaning these days. From the description of the application, I can see how they came up with the name, but from hearing the name, I never would have guessed what the program does.
Ah well. Thinking up great product names was never Microsoft's strong suit.
Posted by Jess Meats | January 9, 2009 3:38 AM
The current "tag" is essentially visual. It's a high-end barcode. Why not take the concept further and create tags that can be accessed though other means, such as infra-red, magnetic stripe, encoded radio pulses, high-speed laser pulses, bluethooth, etc. One tagged item could then be accessed even from a distance. One could even incorporate PKI into it for security. And maybe even throw in an IPv6 address!
Posted by maddog | January 9, 2009 4:30 AM
"Tag can succeed if Microsoft puts some marketing behind it,"
This is Microsoft we are talking about isn't it.
Posted by Phil | January 9, 2009 7:14 AM
The high capacity feature is a red herring. All the data is stored at Microsoft so the tag only actually holds a unique ID. It actually seems slightly lower capacity than standard 2D barcodes. It is just an index, not a way to get more information onto an existing barcode. QR codes also offer redundancy in case the code is damaged.
Train and plane tickets are normally printed using cheap B+W printers so existing 2D barcode technology is a better fit there. Personally I would prefer the departure information to be actually visible at the airport rather than having to use my mobile all the time.
Tagging pizza offers is great, but what if I do not want to order it on my mobile?
The integration between the tag and the type of data then launching the right app is the real innovation, but nobody will care about that because its not that interesting.
Posted by billybob | January 9, 2009 8:39 AM
KitKat said:
"This is the single most dumbest idea ive ever heard of. Really, are we all going to create tags to take us to websites we already have bookmarked or in our browser history?? "
You have spectacularly failed to get the point haven't you kitkat? The point is to find stuff that you DON'T already have bookmarked.
Can I recommend a bit of research before you fire off your bias tirades in future?
Posted by Jamie Thomson | January 9, 2009 9:48 AM
cant comment on tag itself. I dont have an iphone. What I am thinking is though.
MSs second iphone app?
What does that say about Redmonds opinion of the iphone and more importantly what are they thinking about WM?
Posted by goblin | January 9, 2009 10:01 AM
Joe, can you place a link on your blog posts to "Email to a friend"? Thanks!
Posted by Russell R. Rutledge | January 9, 2009 11:16 AM
The technology has a lot of potential but it's not unique, and I'm aware of at least one company out of Asia that has patents dating back to the late 90's.
Posted by Paul | January 9, 2009 3:30 PM
@Goblin
Unfortunately I don't have an iPhone (yet) either, but Tag works on my Win Mobile phone. Not sure about other platforms.
Posted by Scooter | January 9, 2009 4:16 PM
Be afraid, be very very afraid!
Tag it, huh? Now isn't this (MSFT) the same company that maintains lists and spies on you, you know a list of everywhere you surfed, and list of every media file you played, a list of software installed and reported back to one of their sites.
And what do you think MSFT will do with all the tag items that you buy using their software people? Will they maintain the list, sell the list, compile and use the list to sell advertising to you. You bet, that and maybe more.
Posted by The Far Left Hand of God | January 9, 2009 4:25 PM
@The Far Left Hand of God
Hi!
The type of Microsoft news is very difficult for me to post about. Whilst Im sure tag has made some people very happy, I just cannot believe that Microsoft would want to release an app for a competitor in the spirit of it being great for Apple customers. IMO there has to be something in it for Microsoft.
-
Now before anyone says I am just saying this because its Microsoft, I would like you to consider ANY other firm. Would ANY other firm do this unless there was something in it for them? Do we really believe that MS has released Tag for the good of Apple users? If you do, great lets debate it.
If not, what is Microsoft getting out of this? If MS (as posters here suggest) is in such a strong position on most markets, why is it not simply wielding that might, instead of developing apps that work on a competitors product?
Posted by Goblin | January 9, 2009 6:41 PM
In regards to "Tag" being too generic. Lets think of other Microsoft products:
Messenger as in Windows Messenger, vs ICQ, Skype, Yahoo, etc
Office
Word - see above and we could put PowerPoint as a second runner up
SQL, vs Oracle, MySQL, Postgresql, heck it even beats IBM with its DB2
Windows, vs OS X, Linux, BeOS, BSD and it doesn't even have a name for the GUI unlike Aqua (OS X), Enlightment, KDE, Gnome etc (Linux)
Mobile (as in Windows Mobile), vs Symbian
Live
Posted by Gerardo Tasistro | January 10, 2009 8:38 AM
"If not, what is Microsoft getting out of this?"
Every barcode is just a unique ID. When the software reads it, it just decodes the number and sends it to Microsoft servers, the servers then sends the real data back and the application calls the handler application.
From Microsofts point of view it would lead to a lot of extra marketing data which they could sell. They know every time a link is followed and even where it was taken if the phone has GPS. Once it gets popular, they could charge per click for a premium service.
If they had meant for anyone to collect their own data then they would have left space for a lookup URL in the barcode. Any current 2D barcode has more than enough space for a URL and a unique id. Plus they are cheaper to print and more resistant to damage.
I would rather see a standard protocol for this sort of thing and then allow anyone to write their own implementation. Phone manufacturers would be much more inclined to include this functionality if it did not send all the data to MS.
Posted by billybob | January 10, 2009 9:35 AM
@billybob
It's not a red herring. The data isn't stored at MS, because when I took a photo of a tag on my computer screen, it took me straight to the website without checking in with Microsoft first, I know this because my phone asks me to confirm every connection to every site. On another phone that does not have a data package (thus cannot get online) I was able to create a tag that dialled a number and that worked too.
Posted by Matt | January 10, 2009 9:55 AM
I am confused; all the examples given by you are nothing more than a URL behind the TAG. Don't we already have QR Codes? I already have a QR reader built into my Nokia. These codes are very popular in Japan and some parts of Europe (Estate agents using then on the house listing in their windows; linking to more pictures of the house and details of amenities on the web).
Are you suppose to jump on this because Microsoft released it? Is it still the 90s?
Moreover, if these are coloured; that means if I want to print them I need a Colour printer... QR Codes are Black & White. Much cheaper to print and use for most of us.
Would it not be better to use an already established standard which is open? (QR Codes are open in the sense that the specification of QR Code is disclosed and that the patent right owned by Denso Wave is not exercised.). Oh wait... that is not how Microsoft works.
Another old idea repackaged!
Posted by Ali | January 10, 2009 12:05 PM
Matt : Something must go to their servers because they claim that they have customer analytics data available for advertisers on their site.
Also on their site there is this feature.
"Handles long URLs and allows for content to be dynamically changed."
How can you dynamically change the content of something that was printed to physical medium 3 months ago? I conclude that the data must be stored on their servers and the tag is just an index.
http://www.istartedsomething.com/20090108/microsoft-tag-microsofts-own-2d-barcode/
"Unlike other tag technologies too, the Microsoft Tags don’t actually store the information. You see, all it stores is a unique ID which it then sends to Microsoft’s servers. This way, you can include much more information, and more variety of information, then if it was just on the tag itself. A nice side-effect of this is also the ability for publishers to gather reporting data on how many times it was seen."
I just tried it and clearly saw rs.tags.microsoft.com being loaded in my browser before the site I was trying to go to.
Posted by billybob | January 10, 2009 1:02 PM
How bizarre!
It's like Microsoft is announcing New Round Wheels for cars! Mobile readable tags have been out for years. QR codes are all over the world, and there is already a color one called ColorCode.
In fact, the ColorCode can be made into logos, have watermarks. They are always a 5x5 grid.
I've seen them on buses, billboards, even Discovery Channel TV. So yes, this is just a re-packaged idea, 3-4 years behind the curve.
I just checked, ColorCode in in the Apple IPhone Store.
Written using Windows BOB.
Posted by Gern | January 10, 2009 1:07 PM
Its obvious if Micro$oft has to "send this information" back to its servers, then they can make "the lists" as stated by another user.
What Micro$oft will do with this information, only they know.
I would be greatly put off with anything that had to do with privacy and Micro$oft. Two words that should never be spoken in the same sentence.
I thought one day the government would become Big Brother, now I think that day is here, but its a corporation.
Posted by chips b malroy | January 10, 2009 1:30 PM
@Chips
"I thought one day the government would become Big Brother, now I think that day is here, but its a corporation."
Oh, that's were my mind went to straight away, seriously. It will only be a matter of time in the United States. England will be the first as they already are taking the lead with invading the privacy of her subjects.
Posted by Draoi Dubh | January 10, 2009 7:25 PM